of a thousand archers kept himselfe within the woods and desert places whereof that countrie is full and so during all the time of this warre shewed himselfe an enimie to the Frenchmen slaieng no small numbers of them as he tooke them at any aduantage O worthie gentleman line 60 of English bloud And O Grandia quae aggreditur fortis discrimina virtus In like manner all the fortresses townes and castels in the south parts of the realme were subdued vnto the obeisance of Lewes the castels of Douer and Windsore onelie excepted Within a little while after Will. de Mandeuille Robert Fitz Walter and William de Huntingfield with a great power of men of warre did the like vnto the countries of Essex and Suffolke In which season king Iohn fortified the castels of Wallingford Corse Warham Bristow the Uies and diuerse others with munition and vittels About which time letters came also vnto Lewes from his procurators whom he had sent to the pope by the tenor whereof he was aduertised that notwithstanding all that they could doo or say the pope meant to excommunicate him and did but onelie staie till he had receiued some aduertisement from his legat Gualo The chéefest points as we find that were laid by Lewes his procurators against king Iohn were these that by the murther committed in the person of his nephue Arthur he had béene condemned in the parlement chamber before the French king by the péeres of France and that being summoned to appeare he had obstinatelie refused so to doo and therefore had by good right forfeited not onelie his lands within the precinct of France but also the realme of England which was now due vnto the said Lewes as they alledged in right of the ladie Blanch his wife daughter to Elianor quéene of Spaine But the pope refelled all such allegations as they produced for proofe hereof seemed to defend king Iohns cause verie pithilie but namelie in that he was vnder the protection of him as supreme lord of England againe for that he had taken vpon him the crosse as before yée haue heard But now to returne where we left About the feast of saint Margaret Lewes with the lords came againe to London at whose comming the tower of London was yeelded vp to him by appointment after which the French capteins and gentlemen thinking themselues assured of the realme began to shew their inward dispositions and hatred toward the Englishmen and forgetting all former promises such is the nature of strangers and men of meane estate that are once become lords of their desires according to the poets words Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum they did manie excessiue outrages in spoiling and robbing the people of the countrie without pitie or mercie Moreouer they did not onelie breake into mens houses but also into churches and tooke out of the same such vessels and ornaments of gold and siluer as they could laie hands vpon for Lewes had not the power now to rule the gréedie souldiers being wholie giuen to the spoile But most of all their tyrannie did appeare in the east parts of the realme when they went through the countries of Essex Suffolke and Northfolke where they miserablie spoiled the townes and villages reducing those quarters vnder their subiection and making them tributaries vnto Lewes in most seruile and slauish manner Furthermore at his comming to Norwich he found the castell void of defense and so tooke it without any resistance and put into it a garison of his souldiers Also he sent a power to the towne of Lin which conquered the same and tooke the citizens prisoners causing them to paie great summes of monie for their ransoms Morouer Thomas de Burgh chateleine of the castell of Norwich who vpon the approch of the Frenchmen to the citie fled out in hope to escape was taken prisoner and put vnder safekéeping He was brother vnto Hubert de Burgh capteine of Douer castell Now when Lewes had thus finished his enterprises in those parts he returned to London and shortlie therevpon created Gilbert de Gaunt earle of Lincolne appointing him to go thither with all conuenient speed that he might resist the issues made by them which did hold the castels of Notingham and Newarke wasting and spoiling the possessions and lands belonging to the barons neere adioining to the same castels This Gilbert de Gaunt then togither with Robert de Ropeley comming into that countrie tooke the citie of Lincolne and brought all the countrie vnder subiection the castell onlie excepted After that they inuaded Holland and spoiling that countrie made it also tributarie vnto the French Likewise Robert de Roos Peter de Bruis and Richard Percie subdued Yorke and all Yorkeshire bringing the same vnder the obeisance of Lewes The king of Scots in like sort subdued vnto the said Lewes all the countrie of Northumberland except the castels which Hugh de Balioll and Philip de Hulcotes valiantlie defended against all the force of the enimie line 10 And as these wicked rebels made a prey of their owne countrie so the legat Guallo not behind for his part to get something yer all should be gone vpon a falkonish or woolnish appetite fleeced the church considering that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and tooke proxies of euerie cathedrall church house of religion within England that is to say for euerie proxie fiftie shillings Moreouer he sequestred all the line 20 benefices of those persons and religious men that either aided or counselled Lewes and the barons in their attempts and enterprises All which benefices he spéedilie conuerted to his owne vse and to the vse of his chapleins In the meane time Lewes was brought into some good hope thorough meanes of Thomas de Burgh whom he tooke prisoner as before you haue heard to persuade his brother Hubert to yéeld vp the castell of Douer the siege whereof was the next line 30 enterprise which he attempted For his father king Philip hearing that the same was kept by a garrison to the behoofe of king Iohn wrote to his sonne blaming him that he left behind him so strong a fortresse in his enimies hands But though Lewes inforced his whole indeuour to win that castell yet all his trauell was in vaine For the said Hubert de Burgh and Gerard de Sotigam who were chéefe capteins within did their best to defend it against him and all his power so that despairing to win it by force he assaied to obteine his purpose by threatning line 40 to hange the capteins brother before his face if he would not yeeld the sooner But when that would not serue he sought to win him by large offers of gold and siluer Howbeit such was the singular constancie of Hubert that he would not giue anie eare vnto those his flatering motions Then Lewes in a great furie menaced that he would not once depart from
he required by way of a tallage eight thousand marks of the Iewes charging them on paine of hanging not to deferre that paiment The Iewes sore impouerished with gréeuous and often paiments excused themselues by the popes vsurers and reprooued line 10 plainelie the kings excessiue taking of monie as well of his christian subiects as of them The king on the other side to let it be knowne that he taxed not his people without iust occasion and vpon necessitie that droue him thereto confessed openlie that he was indebted by his bonds obligatorie in thrée hundred thousand marks and againe the yearelie reuenues assigned to his sonne prince Edward arose to the summe of fifteene thousand marks and aboue where the reuenues that belonged vnto the crowne were line 20 greatlie diminished in such wise that without the aid of his subiects he should neuer be able to come out of debt To be short when he had fléeced the Iewes to the quicke he set them to farme vnto his brother earle Richard that he might pull off skin and all but yet considering their pouertie he spared them and neuerthelesse to relieue his brothers necessitie vpon a pawne he lent him an huge masse of monie These shifts did the king vse from time to time not caring with what exactions and impositions he burthened line 30 the inhabitants of his land whereby he procured vnto himselfe the name of an oppressor and couetous scraper But what woonder is it in a king sith Maxima paris hominum morbo iactatur eodem About the same time Lewes the French king sent vnto king Henrie for a present an elephant a beast most strange and woonderfull to the English people sith most seldome or neuer any of that kind had béene séene in England before that time The French queene also sent for a present vnto the king of England line 40 an ewer of pearle like to a peacocke in forme and fashion garnished most richlie with gold siluer and saphires to furnish him foorth in all points of fine and cunning workemanship to the verie resemblance of a liuing peacocke ¶ Manie woonders chanced about this time The sea rose with most high tides riuers were so filled with abundance of water by reason of the great continuall raine that maruellous flouds followed therevpon A comet also appeared and manie high buildings were striken by force of line 50 tempests The death of Walter archbishop of Yorke followed these prodigious wonders who had gouerned that sée the space of fortie yeares After him succeeded one Seuall the 34 archbishop of that citie About the feast of S. Etheldred the ladie Elianor wife of prince Edward the kings son came to London where she was honorablie receiued of the citizens conueied through the citie to S. Iones without Smithfield and there lodged for a season and yer long she remooued to the Sauoy It was not long line 60 after that the king seized the liberties of the citie of London into his hands for certeine monie which the quéene claimed as due to hir of a certeine right to be paid by the citizens so that about the feast of S. Martine in Nouember they gaue vnto the king foure hundred marks and then had their liberties to them againe restored and the kings vnder-treasuror discharged which for the time was made custos or kéeper of the citie About the same time came another legat from the pope namelie one Ruscand a Gascoigne borne to whom with the archb of Canturburie and the bishop of Hereford the pope had granted authoritie to collect and gather the tenths of the spiritualtie within England Scotland and Ireland to the vse of the pope and the king notwithstanding all priuiledges for what cause or vnder what forme of words so euer the same had passed This Ruscand also absolued the king of his vow made to go into the holie land to the end he might go against Manfred king of Sicill He also preached the crosse against the same Manfred promising all those remission of their sins which should go to war against Manfred as well as if they should go into the holie land to warre against Gods enimies there whereat faithfull men much maruelled that he should promise as great méed for the shedding of christian bloud as the bloud of infidels The craftie and slie fetches which were vsed in this season by this Ruscand the bishop of Hereford and other their complices to get monie of the prelats and gouernors of monasteries within this realme were wonderfull verie greeuous to those that felt themselues oppressed therewith and namelie for the debt which the said bishop of Hereford had charged them with they being not priuie to the receipt nor hauing any benefit thereby Ruscand called a councell at London propounded great causes why the prelats ought to aid the pope and so therevpon demanded great summes of monie Amongst other summes he demanded six hundred marks of the house of S. Albons To conclude his demands were estéemed vnreasonable so that the bishops and abbats were in a maruellous perplexitie perceiuing into what miserable state by reason of immoderate exactions the church of England was brought The bishop of London sticked not to saie that he would rather lose his head than consent that the church should be brought to such seruitude as the legat went about to inforce And the bishop of Worcester openlie protested that he would sooner suffer himselfe to be hanged than to sée the church subiect to such oppression by their examples Other also taking a boldnesse vnto them affirmed that they would follow the steps of Thomas sometime archbishop of Canturburie which for the liberties of the church suffered himselfe to haue his braines cut out of his head Yet were those prelats euill troubled for the king was against them on the one side and the pope gaping after monie was become their vtter enimie on the other neither were the Noble men much mooued with pitie towards the church their mother as the terme then went now thus in miserie Finallie the prelats appealed from Ruscand vnto the popes presence and would not obeie the wilfull and violent oppressions of the same Ruscand so that much adoo there was and a great complaint made to the king by Ruscand of the stubborne disobedience of the prelats and namelie of the bishop of London The king was in a great chafe with him and threatned that he would cause the pope to punish him according to â—hat he well deserued but the bishop answered thereto Let the pope and king saith he which are stronger than I am take from me my bishoprike which by law yet they cannot doo let them take awaie my miter yet an helmet shall remaine This yeare after S. Lukes daie the king assembled a great number of the nobilitie at London and thither came the bishop of Bologna la grasse from the pope bringing with him a
a desire of vengeance to the death In this meane while that things passed in maner as before ye haue hard Edmund duke of Summerset his brother Iohn marquesse Dorset Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire and others being at London had knowledge by aduertisements out of France that quéene Margaret with hir sonne prince Edward the countesse of Warwike the prior of S. Iohns the lord Wenlocke and diuerse others their adherents and partakers with all that they might make were readie at the sea side purposing with all spéed to saile ouer into England and to arriue in the west countrie Wherevpon they departed foorth of London and with all hast possible drew westward there to raise what forces they could to ioine with those their fréends immediatlie after they should once come on land and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers True it is that the quéene with hir sonne and the other persons before mentioned tooke their ships the foure and twentith daie of March continuing on the seas before they could land thorough tempests and contrarie winds by the space of twentie daies that is till the thirtéenth of Aprill on which daie or rather on the fourteenth they landed at Weimouth as after shall appeare But now touching king Edwards procéeding forward on his iournie toward London ye line 10 haue to vnderstand that vpon the tuesdaie the ninth of Aprill he came to saint Albons from whense he sent comfortable aduertisements to the queene his wife remaining within the sanctuarie at Westminster and to others his faithfull fréends in and about London to vnderstand by couert meanes how to deale to obteine the fauour of the citizens so as he might be of them receiued The earle of Warwike vnderstanding all his dooings and purposes wrote to the Londoners willing line 20 charging them in anie wise to keepe king Edward out of their citie and in no condition to permit him to enter and withall he sent to his brother the archbishop of Yorke willing him by all meanes possible to persuade the Londoners not to receiue him but to defend the citie against him for the space of two or thrée daies at the least promising not to faile but to come after him and to be readie to assaile him on the backe not doubting but wholie to distresse his power and to bring him to vtter confusion The archbishop line 30 herevpon on the ninth of Aprill called vnto him at Paules all such lords knights and gentlemen with others that were partakers on that side to the number in all of six or seauen thousand men in armour Herewith also he caused king Henrie to mount on horssebacke and to ride from Paules thorough Cheape downe to Walbroke so to fetch a compasse as the custome was when they made their generall processions returning backe againe to Paules vnto the bishops palace where at that time he was lodged line 40 The archbishop supposed that shewing the king thus riding thorough the stréets he should haue allured the citizens to assist his part True it is the maior aldermen had caused the gates to be kept with watch and ward but now they well perceiued that king Henries power was too weake as by that shew it had well appeared to make full resistance against king Edward and so not for them in trust vnto if king Edward came forward and should attempt to enter the citie by force for it was not vnknowne line 50 vnto them that manie of the worshipfull citizens and others of the commons in great numbers were fullie bent to aid king Edward in all that they might as occasion serued Thus what thorough loue that manie bare to king Edward and what thorough feare that diuerse stood in least the citie being taken by force might happilie haue beene put to the sacke with the losse of manie an innocent mans life the maior aldermen and others the worshipfull of the citie fell at a point among line 60 themselues to kéepe the citie to K. Edwards vse so as he might haue free passage and entrie into the same at his pleasure The archbishop of Yorke perceiuing the affections of the people and how the most part of them were now bent in fauour of king Edward vpon the said kings approch towards the citie he sent foorth secretlie a messenger to him beséeching him to receiue him againe into his fauour promising to be faithfull to him in time to come and to acquit this good turne hereafter with some singular benefit and pleasure The king vpon good causes and considerations therevnto him moouing was contented to receiue him againe into his fauour The archbishop hereof assured reioised greatlie well trulie acquiting him concerning his promise made to the king in that behalfe The same night following was the Tower of London recouered to king Edwards vse And on the morow being thursdaie and the eleuenth of Aprill king Edward quietlie made his entrie into the citie with his power hauing fiue hundred smokie gunners marching foremost being strangers of such as he had brought ouer with him He first rode vnto Paules church from thense he went to the bishops palace where the archbishop of Yorke presented himselfe vnto him and hauing king Henrie by the hand deliuered him vnto king Edward who being seized of his person and diuerse other his aduersaries he went from Paules to Westminster where he made his deuout praiers giuing God most heartie thanks for his safe returne thither againe This doone he went to the quéene to comfort hir who with great patience had abidden there a long time as a sanctuarie woman for doubt of hir enimies and in the meane season was deliuered of a yoong prince whome she now presented vnto him to his great hearts reioising comfort From Westminster the king returned that night vnto London againe hauing the quéene with him and lodged in the house of the duchesse his moother On the morow being good fridaie he tooke aduise with the lords of his bloud and other of his councell for such businesse as he had in hand namelie how to subdue his enimies as sought his destruction Thus with consultation preuenting his actions he obteined fortunate successe wherwith his hart was the moreaduanced to ioine issue with his aduersaries whome rather than they should triumph ouer him he was resolutelie minded to vanquish if his procéedings might proue prosperous as his present good lucke The earle of Warwike calling himselfe lieutenant of England vnder the pretensed authoritie of king Henrie hoping that king Edward should haue much a doo to enter into London marched foorth from Couentrie with all his puissance following the king by Northhampton in hope to haue some great aduantage to assaile him speciallie if the Londoners kept him out of their citie as he trusted they would for then he accounted himselfe sure of the vpper hand or if he were of them receiued yet he hoped to find him vnprouided in celebrating the
by way of redemption of his libertie to deliuer into the kings hands the line 30 Tower of London the castell of Walden and Pleshey Herevpon the same earle being released was driuen through pouertie to seeke some recouerie of his losses by sundrie spoiles and roberies First of all therefore he spoiled the abbeie of S. Albons and then the abbeie of Ramsey which he fortified and defended as a fortresse casting the moonks out of doores and in euerie place where soeuer he came he robbed the countrie before him till at length in the midst of his reuenge and malicious dooings he was shot thorough line 40 with an arrow amongst his men by a sillie footman and so ended his life with confusion receiuing worthie punishment for his vngodlie behauiour For he was a man of high stomach loftie courage but verie obstinate against God of great industrie in worldlie businesse but passing negligent towards his maker as writers report of him Likewise Robert Marmion who had attempted the semblable robberie spoile in the abbeie church of Couentrie was slaine before the same abbeie by line 50 a like mischance For going foorth to encounter with the earle of Chester his mortall enimie and being approched as then towards the citie he fell with his horsse into a ditch which he caused to be couertlie made for the destruction of his enimies and before he could be relieued a souldier of the earles part stept to him and stroke his head from his shoulders in sight of both armies Ernulfus the sonne of earle Geffrey Mandeuile that kept the church of Ramsey as a fortresse after his fathers death was taken at line 60 length and banished ¶ Thus we see how Gods iudgement hunteth and pursueth the wicked in somuch that they be ouertaken in their owne imaginations according to that of the scripture The wicked and bloudthirstie man shall not liue halfe his daies And true it is that as men liue so commonlie they die for as one saith verie well bona nulla scelestis Et iustis mala nulla quidem contingere possunt About the same time aduertisement was giuen that the citie of Lincolne which the earle of Chester had in keeping was but slenderlie manned Wherevpon the king conceiuing some hope to win the same hasted forward and comming thither in the night laid siege therevnto and began to cast a trench to stop them within frō making any salies without The earle at the first being somewhat amazed with the sudden approch of the enimie yet beholding from the walles the maner of them without he perceiued the rankes to be verie thin and thereby gessing their number to be but small suddenlie issued foorth at the gates to encounter with them The king abode not the giuing of the charge bicause he was but weake and therefore fled neither could the earle follow the chace conuenientlie for the like cause but setting vpon those that were about to make the trench he slue 80. of the workemen and then retired into the castell This yeare was an heinous act committed by the Iewes at Norwich where they put a child to death in crucifieng him vpon a crosse to the reproch of christian religion In the yeare following namelie in the 10. yeare of king Stephans reigne Robert earle of Glocester and other capteins tooke in hand to build a castell at Faringdon But king Stephan assembling an armie of Londoners and other came thither and besieged them within Now whilest earle Robert and others of the empresses capteins remaining not far off taried for a greater power to come to their aid the king with sharpe assaults but not without losse of his men wan the fortresse whereby his side began to wax the stronger and to be more highlie aduanced After this he came with a mightie armie vnto Wallingford and there builded a strong castell ouer against the other castell which his aduersaries held against him Thither also came the earle of Chester with a great traine of knights and gentlemen vnto the king and so at length they were not vnfeignedlie accorded and made freends but in apperance on the kings behalfe For shortlie after the earle was craftilie taken at a parlement holden at Northampton by the practise of K. Stephan and could not be deliuered till he had surrendred the citie and castell of Lincolne with other fortresses perteining to the crowne into the kings hands About that time did the Welshmen destroie the prouince of Chester but at last they were distressed This yeare also the lord Geffrey earle of Aniou sent thrée Noble men into England accompanied with certeine men of warre vnto earle Robert requesting him to send ouer his sonne Henrie into France that he might sée him and if need required he promised to send him backe againe with all conuenient speed Earle Robert was contented to satisfie his request and so with a good power of armed men brought the lord Henrie vnto Warham where he tooke leaue of him neuer after to sée him in this world For when the child was transported earle Robert returned spéedilie to the parties from whence he came and there falling into an ague departed this life about the beginning of Nouember and was buried at Bristow The lord Henrie comming to his father was ioifully receiued and remained in those parties for the space of two yeares and foure moneths In the meane season the vniust procéedings of K. Stephan against the earle of Chester purchased him new hatred of his old aduersaries and like supicion of such as were his freends for it sounded not a little to his dishonor Euerie man therefore was in doubt of his dealing and iudged that it stood them vpon to take héed to themselues But he as one that thought he had atchiued some high exploit in triumphant wise shortlie after entred into Lincolne in his roiall robes and his crowne on his head whereas it had not béene heard that any king had doone the like manie yeares before ¶ It is reported by some writers that he did this to root out of mens minds a foolish superstitious conceit which beléeued that no king with his crowne vpon his head might enter that citie but some mischance should light vpon him wherevpon he seemed by this meanes to mocke their superstitious imagination About the same time manie of the Nobles of the line 10 realme perceiuing the kings authoritie to represse violent wrongs committed by euill dooers to be defectiue builded sundrie strong castels and fortresses vpon their owne grounds either to defend themselues or to make force vpon their enimies néere adioining After the departing of the king from Lincolne the earle of Chester came thither with an armie to assaie if he might recouer that citie But his lieutenant that had the leading of his men was slaine at the entring of the northgate and so the erle line 20 was beaten backe with the losse
This yeare was Thomas Becket preferred to be the kings Chancellor The king holding his Christmas at Worcester in great royaltie year 1158 sat in the church at seruice with his line 40 crowne on his head as the kings vsed in those daies to doo on solemne feasts but as soone as masse was ended he tooke his crowne from his head and set it downe vpon the altar in signe of humblenes so that he neuer after passed for the wearing of a crowne The same yeare also the king altered his coine abrogating certeine peeces called basels In the moneth of August he went ouer into Normandie and came to an enteruiew with the French king neere to the riuer of Eata where they intreated line 50 of a league and of a marriage which was after agréed vpon betwixt Henrie the sonne of king Henrie and the ladie Margaret daughter to the French king at which time Thomas Becket then being the kings chancellor was sent to Paris in great araie to fetch hir who among other furnitures had nine long charrets as Matthew Paris writeth Now when this ladie was deliuered to Thomas Becket the lord chancellor and brought from Paris she was appointed from thencefoorth to remaine in the house line 60 of Robert de Newburge a Noble man of great honor vntill such time as the mariage should be solemnized After the two kings were departed in sunder K. Henrie prepared an armie against Conan duke of Britaine who had seized the citie of Naunts into his hands after the decease of Geffrey the kings brother who was earle of Naunts At length the same Conan perceiuing himselfe not able to resist the king of England vpon the daie of the feast of saint Michael the archangell came to king Henrie and surrendred the citie of Naunts into his hands with all the whole countrie therevnto belonging Soone after which resignation and vpon the 24. of August Geffrey the kings fourth sonne was borne of his wife queene Elianor In December following Theobald earle of Blois was accorded with king Henrie to deliuer to him two of his castels Likewise Petroke earle of Perch surrendred two castels vnto king Henrie which he had vsurped of the demeanes of Normandie in the daies of king Stephan one of which castels the king gaue him againe receiuing homage of him for the same Moreouer king Henrie and Raimond earle of Barzelone met togither at Blaime where they concluded a league by waie of allegiance so that Richard the sonne of king Henrie should take to wife the daughter of the said Raimond in time conuenient and that the king of England should giue vnto the said Richard the duchie of Aquitane the countie of Poictow This earle Raimond had married the daughter and heire of the king of Aragon In the meane time a secret grudge that had long depended betwéene king Henrie and king Lewes of France did still continue and though there was a friendship agreed betweene them as ye haue heard to haue extinguished the same yet was it but a fained friendship for vpon euerie new occasion they were readie to breake againe as it came to passe shortlie after William duke of Aquitane grandfather to queene Elianor married the daughter and heire of the earle of Tholouze and going vnto the warres of the holie land he engaged that earledome vnto Raimond the earle of saint Giles and died before he could returne His sonne William father to quéene Elianor suffered his earledome to remaine still vnredéemed either for want of sufficiencie or through negligence and carelesnesse so that the earle of saint Giles kéeping possession thereof vnto his dieng daie left it to his sonne Raimond who inioyed it likewise Now when king Lewes hauing married the foresaid Elianor demanded restitution as in the right of his wife earle Raimond flatlie at the first denied to restore it but after considering his lacke of power to resist the kings puissance he plied the K. with humble petitions and so preuailed by faire words that in the end king Lewes granted him his sister Constance in marriage which Constance as ye haue heard was married before vnto Eustace the sonne of king Stephan with hir granted him libertie to reteine the earldome of Tholouze as it were by waie of endowment whereto the other accorded Howbeit king Henrie hauing maried the foresaid quéene Elianor after the diuorse had betwixt hir and king Lewes made claime to the said countie of Tholouze in the right of his wife Herevpon earle Raimond trusting now to the aid of his brother in law king Lewes denied to restore it so that king Henrie determined to recouer it by force and entring by and by into Gascoine with an armie he drew towards the countrie of Tholouze began to inuade the same with great force and courage Diuers great lords of those parties ioyned with king Henrie in his war which he attempted against the earle of saint Giles as the earle of Barzelone and the lord William Trencheuile a man of great power in those quarters hauing vnder his rule manie cities castels and townes notwithstanding that he had of late lost many of them by violence of the foresaid earle of Tholouze but now by the aide of king Henrie he recouered them all Malcolme also king of Scotland came vnto king Henrie whilest he was foorth in this iournie to associate him in this businesse The earle hearing of king Henries comming with an armie was put in great feare and therevpon wrote letters to his brother in law king Lewes requiring him with all spéed possible to come vnto his aid King Lewes vpon receipt of the letters vnderstanding the present danger of the earle made such hast in continuing his iournie both daie and night that he came to Tholouze before king Henrie could arriue there Which when king Henrie vnderstood and perceiued how he was preuented he changed his purpose of besieging the citie and fell to spoiling of the countrie thereabouts at which time he line 10 recouered certaine places that latelâ—e before had reuolted from his gouernment amoâ—gst the rest the citie of Cahors which he furnished with men 〈◊〉 on and vittels appointing his chancellor Thomas Becket to the custodie and keeping thereof he forâ—â—fied other places also which he had gotten placing capteines and men of warre to looke vnto the defense of the same Whilest the king was thus abrode on his iournie in the parties of Aquitaine William earle of Bullongne and Mortaine the sonne of king line 20 Stephan and Hannon earle of Glocester departed this life which two earles went thither with him Finallie when he had set things at a staie in those parties he returned towards Normandie and comming to the citie of Toures he gaue the order of knighthood vnto Malcolme king of Scotland and so in the moneth of October he came backe into Normandie and there augmenting his armie with new supplies entred
dealing was too manifest although indeed he abused his fathers patience for a while who was desirous of nothing more than to win his sonnes by some courteous meanes and therfore diuerse times offered to pardon all offenses committed by his enimies at the suit of his sonne the king who in déed offered himselfe now and then as an intreatour but that was onelie to win time that his brother with such Brabanders and other souldiers as he had with him in aid beside the forces of the barons of Guien might worke the more mischéefe against their father and their brother earle Richard in wasting and destroieng their countries that stood stedfast on their side In the meane time Richard the archbishop of Canturburie and diuerse other bishops and abbats both of England and Normandie assembled togither at Caen and in the abbeie church of S. Stephan pronounced the sentence of excommunication against all those that did hinder and impeach their purpose which was to haue peace and concord concluded betwixt the king and his sonnes the same sonnes onlie out of the said sentence excepted Diuerse shiftes were made by king Henrie the sonne and his brother earle Geffrey also to get monie for the paiment of their souldiers as spoiling of shrines and such like But at length when things framed not to their purpose and that the harme which they could doo against their father was much lesse than they wished if power had béene answerable to their wâ—â—es king Henrie the sonne through indignation and displeasure as some write fell into a gréeuous sicknesse in a village called Mertell noâ— farre from Limoges where his father laie at siege At the first he was taken with an extreame feuer and after followed a sore flixe Now perceiuing himselfe in danger of death and that the physicians had giuen him ouer he sent to his father better late than neuer confessing his trespasse committed against him and required of all fatherlie loueth 〈◊〉 sée him once before he died But for that the father thought not good to commit himselfe into the hands of such vngratious persons as were about his sonne he sent his ring vnto him in token of his blessing and as it were a pledge to signifie that he had forgiuen him his vnnaturall doings against him The son receiuing it with great humilitie kissed it and so ended his life in the presence of the archbishop of Burdeaux and others on the day of saint Barnabie the apostle He died as some write verie penitent and sorowfull And whereas in his life time he had vowed to make a iourneie into the holie land against Gods enimies and taken vpon him the crosse for that intent he deliuered it vnto his familiar freend William line 10 Marshall to go thither with it in his stead Moreouer when he perceiued present death at hand he first confessed his sinnes secretlie and after openly before sundrie bishops and men of religion and receiued absolution in most humble wise After this he caused his fine clothes to be taken from him and therewith a heare cloth to be put vpon him and after tieng a cord about his necke he said vnto the bishops and other that stood by him I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and greeuous sinner vnto you the ministers of line 20 God by this cord beséeching our Lord Iesus Christ which pardoned the théefe confessing his faults on the crosse that through your praiers and for his great mercies sake it may please him to be mercifull vnto my soule wherevnto they all answered Amen Then he said vnto them Draw me out of this bed with this cord and laie me on that bed strawed with ashes which he had of purpose prepared and as he commanded so they did and they laid at his feet and at his head two great square stones Thus being prepared line 30 to die he willed his bodie after his deceasse to be conueied into Normandie and buried at Rouen And so after he had receiued the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord he departed this life as afore is said about the 28. yeare of his age His bodie after his death was conueied towards Rouen there to be buried accordinglie as he had willed but when those that had charge to conueie it thither were come vnto the citie of Mauns the bishop there and the cleargie would not suffer them to line 40 go any further with it but committed it to buriall in honourable wise within the church of saint Iulian. Whereof when the citizens of Rouen were aduertised they were sore offended with that dooing and streightwaies sent vnto them of Mauns requiring to haue the corps deliuered threatening otherwise with manie earnest oths to fetch it from them by force Wherefore king Henrie to set order in this matter commanded that the corps of his sonne the king should be deliuered vnto them of Rouen to be line 50 buried in their citie as he himselfe had willed before his death And so it was taken vp and conueied to Rouen where it was eftsoones buried in the church of our ladie ¶ Thus ended this yoong king in his floorishing youth to whome through his owne iust deserts long life was iustlie denied sith he delighted to begin his gouernement with vnlawfull attempts as an other Absolon against his owne naturall father seeking line 60 by wrongfull violence to pull the scepter out of his hand He is not put in the number of kings bicause he remained for the more part vnder the gouernance of his father so that he rather bare the name of king as appointed to reigne than that he may be said to haue reigned in deed So that héere by the waie a notable obseruation dooth occurre and offer it selfe to be noted of vs namelie that euen princes children though borne to great excellencie and in high degâ—eâ— of dignitie aâ—e to consider with themselues that notwithstanding their statelie titles of souereigntie they haue a dutie to discharge vnto their parents which if it be neglected and that in place thereof disobedience is substituted God himselfe when politike lawes prouide not to punish such offenses will take the cause in hand will powre vengeance vpon such vngratious children For he will be true of his word both in blessing and curssing in blessing the dutifull child with long life and happie daies and in curssing the obstinate and froward with short life and vnfortunate daies according to the tenure of his law If this man had liued in the old Romans time when aged persons were so reuerenced and honoured much more parents he had beene cut off in the prime of his disobedience and present death had beene inflicted vpon him as a due and deserued reward which Iuuenal noteth excellentlie well in these words Credebant hoc grande nefas morte piandum Si iuuenis vetulo non assurrexerat si Barbato cuicunque puer licèt ipse videret Plura domi farra maioris
Also he required that earle line 10 Iohn might take vpon him the crosse to passe ouer into the holie land also for otherwise earle Richard would not go Howbeit king Henrie would in no wise consent to any of these demands but yet as some write he offered thus much vnto king Philip that if he could be so content his sonne Iohn should marrie his sister Alice and inioy with hir all such things as he demanded in preferment of his sonne Richard and that in more large maner than he had requested the same But king Philip would none line 20 of that Thus how soeuer it was whilest the one demanded that which the other thought no reason to grant they departed without concluding any agréement so that king Philip hauing got by this meanes a good occasion to further his enterprises with all his whole puissance entred into Maine where he destroied a great part of that countrie and approched to the citie of Mauns where king Henrie as then laie in purpose to besiege it But king Henrie being warned of his comming set the suburbs on fire bicause line 30 his enimies should haue no succour in them Howbeit the flame of the fire was by force of the wind driuen so directlie into the citie that what with heat and assault of the enimie the king being without any store of souldiers to defend it longer was constreined to forsake it Herewith he was so mooued that in departing from the citie he said these words of his sonne Richard to himselfe Sith thou hast taken from me this daie the thing that I most loued in this world I will requite thee for after this daie I shall line 40 depriue thée of that thing which in me should most please thée euen mine owne hart Being thus driuen to leaue the defaced citie of Mauns he repaired vnto Chinon the citizens whereof being left destitute of aid yéelded themselues to the French king who taking a great pride in his dooings for that victorie passed ouer Loire and wan the citie of Towrs wherein he placed a garison and so hauing sped his businesse with good successe line 50 brought home his armie laden with preies booties King Henrie being thus put to the worsse and not perceiuing anie readie meane how to recouer his losses began to despaire in himselfe and therefore of necessitie thought it best to séeke for peace but his suit was in vaine for the enimie hauing now the aduantage would not grant to agrée vpon any reasonable conditions At the last Philip the earle of Flanders and William archbishop of Reimes with Hugh duke of line 60 Burgoine came to king Henrie to moue waies of agréement and to conclude the same betwixt him on the one partie and the French king and earle Richard on the other partie Earle Richard had the Britaines and them of Poictou confederate with him vnder such conditions as he might not agrée with his father vnlesse they might be comprised in the agréement At length they agreed vpon conditions not altogither aduantageable to the king of England yet in the end Chateau Raoul was restored to king Hnerie with all that had béene taken from him since the time that the French king he tooke vpon them the crosse on the other part king Henrie did homage to the French king which in the beginning of this warre he had surrendred and renounced He was bound also to paie to the French king 20. thousand markes for the aid which earle Richard had receiued of him moreouer to resigne and acquite vnto the French king all that which either he or his predecessours held or possessed within Aluergue Other articles there were which king Henrie agréed vnto sore against his will as the deliuerie of the ladie Alice or Adela and such other which as not much materiall we passe ouer This peace was concluded not farre from Towrs in a place appointed conuenient for both the kings to méet in about the feast of the apostles Peter and Paule And as writers record there chanced great thunder and lightening at the verie time when the two kings came to enteruiew and talke togither so that the thunderbolt did light betwixt them two yet notwithstanding such thunder lightening the aire was cleare and nothing troubled The two kings parted a sunder through feare thereof for that day and on the next day the like chance happened greatlie to the terrour of them both Which mooued king Henrie the sooner to condescend to the agreement Moreouer this is not to be forgotten that when all matters were quieted and accorded amongst them King Henrie required to haue all their names deliuered vnto him in writing which had promised to take part and were ioined as confederates with the French king and earle Richard This was granted and when the roll was presented vnto him he found his sonne Iohn the first person that was named in that register wherewith he was so troubled and disquieted in his mind that comming to Chinon he felt such gréefe hereof that he curssed euen the verie daie in which he was borne and as was said gaue to his sonnes Gods cursse and his the which he would neuer release although he was admonished to doo it both of sundrie bishops and other religious and godlie men Thus saith Houeden Howbeit it is not like that earle Richard at this time had procured his brother Iohn to be confederate with him in his rebellious dealings but rather bicause earle Richard had some suspicion least his father would make Iohn his heire and successour in the kingdome it might be a policie wrought by the French king and earle Richard to alienate his fathers mind from the said Iohn ¶ These euils were estéemed to fall vnto king Henrie by the iust iudgement of God for that being admonished diuerse waies as well by diuine reuelation as by the wholesome aduise of graue men as Hugh bishop of Lincolne and others he would not reforme his licentious appetite of heaping vp sinne vpon sinne but still wallowed therein to his owne destruction Wherevpon being brought to such an extremitie as ye haue heard he was taken with a greeuous sicknesse which bringing him to vtter desperation of recouering of health he finallie departed this life though more through verie anguish and gréefe of his late losse and troubles susteined than by the force of his bodilie disease as writers haue affirmed But howsoeuer it was he ended his life the sixt of Iulie in the 61. yeare of his age and after he had reigned 34. yeares nine moneths and two daies which was in the yeare after the birth of our sauiour 1189. and of the creation of the world 5155. His bodie was buried at Founteuerard year 1189 which is an abbeie situate not farre from the towne of the eagle within the dutchie of Alanson Immediatlie vpon his death those that were about him applied their market so busilie in catching and filching
wherein he delighteth the same is the practise of the people in consideration whereof the mightie ones of the world haue speciall cause to haue an eie to line 60 their course of life to set caueats before their actions that the people may in them sée none but good signes of commendable vertuous imitation For regis imago Vulgus ad mores accedere principis optat Qualis enim rex est talis quoque subditus illi Esse solet populus studijsque tenetur 〈◊〉 Shortlie after to wit the 15. day of September a councell was holden at Pipewell where the bishops and abbats being assembled there were in presence of the king and of the archbishop of Canturburie elected certeine bishops and abbats to such places as then were vacant and amongst other William de Longchampe the kings chancellor was elected to the sée of Elie Geffrey the kings bastard brother vnto the archbishoprike of Yorke who was the 32. in number that had gouerned the same Geffrey de Lucie to Winchester one Hubert Walter to Salisburie and Richard archdeacon of Elie and the kings treasurer to the see of London The abbeies that were prouided of abbats were these Glastenburie Shirborne Persore and Feuersham In like maner Iohn the elect of Whitherne was consecrated bishop of that see by the hands of the archbishop of Dublin Also in this councell the king ordeined Hugh bishop of Durham and William Mandeuille earle of Albemarle lord chéefe iustices of England hauing deposed Ranulfe de Glanuille from that roome Moreouer the king being thus established in the estate of the kingdome did not forget his iournie which he had promised into the holie land but with all diligence made his prouision and namelie he sought to gather monie to furnish his charges and so therevpon leuied a tax engaged sold and let to farme his lands tols customs and other his reuenewes with certeine counties and offices so that he made an exceeding summe of monie He also found that Ranulfe de Glanuille lord chéefe iustice and other of the head magistrates had not behaued themselues vprightlie in the administration of their offices so that he both deposed the said lord cheefe iustice as is aforesaid and almost all the shiriffes and their deputies within the realme of England putting them to greeuous fines for their offenses and transgressions and so by that meanes he got no small deale of monie ¶ Here note by the waie how William Paruus affirmeth that where this Ranulfe Glanuille being a man of high wisedome and stept into age saw that manie things were doone by the new king not so aduisedlie nor with such foresight as they ought to be sought of his owne accord to be discharged of his office that he might the better prepare himselfe to go in that iournie to the holie land as by taking vpon him the crosse he had vowed in the daies of king Henrie and so he solemnelie renounced his office which other nothing so worthie of it did afterwards inioy Moreouer the king vnderstanding that Hugh Putsey or Pudsey bishop of Durham being a verie aged man had much monie he sold to him the manour of Seggesfield or Sadberge with the wapentake belonging to the same and also found meanes to persuade him to buy his owne prouince which he did giuing to the king an inestimable summe of monie and was therevpon created an earle by the king for the same wherevpon he was intituled both bishop and earle of Durham whereat the king would iest afterwards and saie What a cunning craftesman am I that haue made a new earle of an old bishop Furthermore the same bishop gaue to the king a thousand markes to be made chéefe iustice of England and that he might tarrie at home and not go into the holie land And bicause he would not be reprooued of any person he obteined of the apostolike sée which faileth no man that is surcharged with white or red mettall and would be eased a licence for a summe of monie to be dispensed with for that iournie The king thus being earnestlie bent to make commoditie of those things for the which he might get any monie at all the citizens of London presented vnto him a great summe towards the furnishing foorth of his enterprise Wherevpon to acquite their courtesie he granted them large priuileges and ordeined that the citie should be ruled by two head officers which they should choose amongst themselues remoueable from yeare to yeare by the name of bailiffes The names of the two first bailiffes chosen by force of that ordinance were Henrie Cornehill and Richard Fitz Reiner The citie before those daies euer since the comming in of William Conquerour and a good while before his time was gouerned by certeine officers or rulers named Port Greues which word is deriued of two Saxon words as Port and Greue By Port is meant a towne and by Greue a gardian or ruler as who should saie A kéeper or ruler of a towne These rulers with the lawes customes then vsed within line 10 this citie were registred in a booke called as some haue said Doomesdaie but through negligence after these lawes and customes were changed and altered the booke was lost so that the remembrance of such rulers as were before the daies of this Richard the first are not to be had These bailiffes euer entred at Michaelmasse and so continued foorth their yeare Thus began the citie first to receiue the forme and state of a common-wealth and to be diuided into felowships which they call crafts or corporations Such line 20 also are admitted to the fellowships of these companies as haue truelie serued as apprentises a certeine number of yeares as seuen at the least vnder which time of seruice expired there is none made frée nor suffered to inioy the liberties of that citie sauing such as are borne free that is to saie of fréemen within the citie of whome at this time it is not much materiall to make any further report The citie thus consisting of the said craftes or occupations chooseth out of the same a senat or companie of graue councellours line 30 whom they name Aldermen E changed into A according to the old Saxon pronuntiation It is also diuided into 26. tribes or wards of the which euerie one hath his seuerall Alderman or ouersâ—er who haue both authoritie sufficient and large priuileges to mainteine the good gouernement of their portions withall Out of the number of these there is another officer yearelie chosen and appointed called the Maior who ruleth all the rest But now to returne vnto the further dooings of line 40 king Richard before his departure out of England towards his iournie into the land of Palestine commonlie called Holie land it is said he made such sale of things apperteining to him as well in right of the crowne as otherwise that it séemed to diuerse he made his
bonds line 30 and obligations laie by the which they had diuerse of the kings subiects bound vnto them in most vnconscionable sort and for such detestable vsurie as if the authors that write thereof were not of credit would hardlie be beleeued All which euidences or bonds they solemnelie burned in the middest of the church After which ech went his waie the souldiers to the king and the commons to their houses and so was the citie quieted This happened at Yorke on Palmesundaie eeue being the 17. of March and vpon line 40 the 15. of that moneth those that inhabited in the towne of S. Edmundsburie in Suffolke were set vpon and manie of them slaine The residue that escaped through the procurement of the abbat then named Samson were expelled so that they neuer had anie dwellings there since that time Thus were the Iewes vnmercifullie dealt with in all places in maner through this realme the first beginning whereof chanced at London as before ye haue heard and the next at Lin of which I thinke it line 50 good to note some part of the maner therof although breeflie and so to returne to my purpose The occasion therefore of the tumult at Lin chanced by this meanes it fortuned that one of the Iewes there was become a christian wherewith those of his nation were so mooued that they determined to kill him where soeuer they might find him And herevpon they set vpon him one daie as he came by through the stréets he to escape their hands fled to the next church but his countriemen were so desirous to execute line 60 their malicious purpose that they followed him still and inforced themselues to breake into the church vpon him Herewith the noise being raised by the christians that sought to saue the conuerted Iew a number of mariners being forreners that were arriued there with their vessels out of sundrie parts and diuerse also of the townesmen came to the rescue and setting vpon the Iewes caused them to flée into their houses The townesmen were not verie earnest in pursuing of them bicause of the kings proclamation and ordinance before time made in fauour of the Iewes but the mariners followed them to their houses 〈◊〉 diuerse of them robbed and sacked their goods and finallie set their dwellings on fire and so burnt them vp altogither These mariners being inriched with the spoile of the Iewes goods and fearing to be called to accompt for their vnlawfull act by the kings officers got them foorthwith to shipboord and hoising vp sailes departed with their ships to the sea and so escaped the danger of that which might haue béene otherwise laid to their charge The townesmen being called to an accompt excused themselues by the mariners burdening them with all the fault But although they of Lin were thus excused yet they of Yorke escaped not so easilie For the king being aduertised of such outrage doone contrarie to the order of his lawes and expresse commandement wrote ouer to the bishop of Elie his chancellour charging him to take cruell punishment of the offendors The bishop with an armie went to Yorke but the cheefe authors of the riot hearing of his comming fled into Scotland yet the bishop at his comming to the citie caused earnest inquirie to be made of the whole matter The citizens excused themselues offered to proue that they were not of counsel with them that had committed the riot neither had they aided nor comforted them therein in anie maner of wise And in déed the most part of them that were the offendors were of the countries and townes néere to the citie with such as were crossed into the holie land and now gone ouer to the king so that verie few or none of the substantiall men of the citie were found to haue ioined with them Howbeit this would not excuse the citizens but that they were put to their fine by the stout bishop euerie of them paieng his portion according to his power and abilitie in substance the common sort of the poore people being pardoned and not called into iudgement sith the ringleaders were fled and gone out of the waie and thus much by waie of digression touching the Iews Now to returne vnto the king who in this meane time was verie busie to prouide all things necessarie to set forward on his iournie his ships which laie in the mouth of the riuer of Saine being readie to put off he tooke order in manie points concerning the state of the common-wealth on that side and chéefelie he called to mind that it should be a thing necessarie for him to name who should succeed him in the kingdome of England if his chance should not be to returne againe from so long and dangerous a iournie He therefore named as some suppose his nephue Arthur the sonne of his brother Geffrey duke of Britaine to be his successour in the kingdome a yâ—â—ng man of a likelie proofe and princelie towardneâ—â—e but not ordeined by God to succéed ouer this kingdome About the same time the bishop of Elie lord chancellour and cheefe iustice of England tooke vp to the kings vse of euerie citie in England two palfries and two sumpter horsses of euerie abbeie one palfrie and one sumpter horsse euerie manour within the realme â—ound also one palfrie and one sumpter horsse Moreouer the said bishop of Elie deliuered the gouernment of Yorkeshire to his brother Oâ—bert de Longchampe and â—ll those knights of the said shire the which would not come to make answer to the law vppon summons giuen them he commanded to be apprehended and by and by cast in prison Also when the bishop of Durham was returned from the king and coâ—e ouer intâ— England to go vâ—to his charge at his meeting with the lord chancellour at Elie notwithstanding that he shewed him his letters patents of the grant made to him to be iustice from Trent northward the said lord châ—ncellour taking his iournie to Southwell with him there deteined him as prisoner till he had made surrender to him of the castell of Windsor further had deliuered to him his sonnes Henrie de Putsey and Gilbert de la Ley as pledges that he should keepe the peace against the king and all his subiects vntill the said prince should returne from the holie land And so he was deliuered for that time though shortlie after and whilest he remained at Houeden there came to him Osbert de Longchampe the lord chancellors brother and William de Stuteuille the which caused the said bishop to find sufficient suertie that he should not thence depart without the kings licence or the line 10 lord chancellors so long as the king should be absent oâ— Herevpon the bishop of Durham sent knowledge to the king how and in what sort he had béene handled by the chancellor In the meanetime the king was gone into Gascoigne where he besieged a castell that belonged to one William de Chisi
procure K. Richard to get him forward on his iournie Whilest these things were in hand there was ministred to the English men occasion of displeasure for as it oftentimes chanceth where an armie is certeine of the vnrulie souldiers within Messina vsed themselues somewhat riotouslie wherevpon the citizens offended therewith got them to armour and chased all the souldiers out of the citie King Richard who laie in campe without the walles néere to the citie was so highlie displeased herewith that he caused his men to arme themselues and to prepare ladders and other necessarie things to assault the citie but by the mediation of the French king curteous excuse of king Tancred alledging the fault to rest onelie in a sort of rude citizens whom he promised to punish the matter was taken vp and staied line 10 for a time till at length it was perceiued that the Sicilians subtilie went about to feed king Richard with faire words till he should be readie to set forwards on his iournie and so should the matter passe without further punishment Herevpon king Richard not minding to be so mocked at their hands approched one daie to the wals and gates with his armie in good araie of battell to giue the assault which was doone so earnestlie line 20 and so well mainteined that finallie the citie was entred by force and manie of the citizens slaine but the slaughter had beene much greater if king Richard had not commanded his men to spare the sword mooued with the lamentable noise of poore people crieng to him for mercie and grace The Englishmen hauing got possession of the citie pight vp the banners with the armes of the king of England round about the wals wherewith the French king was sore displeased and required that the same might be taken line 30 downe and his set vp but the king of England would not so agrée Neuerthelesse to pacifie the French kings mood he deliuered the citie of Messina into the custodie of the knights Templers and Hospitalers till he might be satisfied of such things as he demanded of king Tancred After this on the 8. daie of October the two kings of England and France before a great number of earles barons and others both of the cleargie and temporaltie tooke their solemne othes that the one should defend the other and also either others armie line 40 in this iournie both comming and going without fraud or deceipt and the like oth was receiued by the earles and barons on both parties Then the two kings by aduise and consent of both their armies deuised these ordinances 1 That all pilgrims which chanced to die in this iournie might dispose at their pleasure all their armour horsses and apparell and halfe of those things which they had with them so that they sent nothing line 50 home into their countries and the other halfe should be at the discretion of Walter archbishop of Rouen Manser bishop of Langres of the maister of the temple and of the maister of the Hospitall of Hugh duke of Burgoigne of Rafe de Coucie of Drogo de Marlow of Robert Sabuill Andrew de Chauennie and of Gilbert Wascoile which should imploâ—e the same towards the support of the wars in the holie land against the infidels as they thought most expedient line 60 2 That no man should plaie at anie game within the armie for monie except knights and chapleins the which should not loose in one daie and night aboue 20 shillings they to forfeit an 100 shillings so oft as they lost aboue that summe the persons aforenamed to haue the same to be distributed as afore is said The two kings might plaie and command their seruants in their presence likewise to plaie so that they excéeded not the summe of 20 shillings And also the seruants of archbishops bishops earles and barons by their maisters commandement might play not excéeding that summe but if anie seruants or mariners or other of like degrée were found to play without licence the seruants should be whipped naked three daies round about the campe except they ransomed foorth themselues at the pleasure of the persons aboue named and the mariners should be plunged ouer head and eares in the sea three mornings togither after the vse of seamen except they redeemed that punishment at the discretion likewise of the said persons and those of other like meane degrées being neither knights nor chapleins should be punished as seruants 3 That if anie pilgrime borrowed anie thing of an other whilest he was on his iournie he should be bound to paie it but if he borrowed it before his setting foorth he was not bound to answer it till his returne home 4 That if anie mariner or seruant retoined in wages with anie man in this iournie departed from his master without licence no other person might receiue him and if he did he should be punished at the discretion of the forenamed persons 5 That no vitteler or other should buy any bread to sell againe nor any meale within the compasse of the campe except the same were brought by a stranger neither might they buy any paast or other thing to sell againe in the campe or within a league of it 6 That if anie man bought corne wherof to make bread it was appointed how much he should gaine in one measure beside the bran 7 That other occupiers which vsed buieng and selling of wares should gaine one penie in 10 pence neither should anie man refuse anie of the kings coine except it were broken within the circle 8 That no man should buy anie flesh to sell it againe except a liuing beast which he should kill within the campe 9 That no man should make bread to sell but after the rate of penie loaues Wherin the penie English was appointed to go for foure pence Aniouine All these ordinances with other were decreed and ordeined to be obserued and kept by the counsell consent and agreement of the kings of England France and Sicile But to returne now to the dissention betwixt the Englishmen and them of Messina ye shall vnderstand that the tumult being once ceassed and diuerse of the chéefe offendors in the late commotion put to death king Tancred shortlie after came thither and sought to auoid all suspicion out of king Richards head that he might conceiue of him for béeing in anie wise culpable in that which his subiects of Messina had attempted against him and therefore hauing recouered monie of his freends he restored vnto king Richard the dowrie of his sister quéene Ioane and further offered vnto him to ioine in new alliance with him offering his daughter in mariage vnto Arthur duke of Britaine the kings nephue with a great summe of monie for hir dowrie if it so should please him King Richard accepted the offer and so ioined in peace and affinitie with the king of Sicile receiuing of him twentie thousand ounces of gold for the same mariage to be
of Namure brother to Philip earle of Flanders and line 60 one Peter of Doway a right valiant knight with his brother that was the elect bishop of Cambrey were taken prisoners in a skirmish and presented to the French king Wherevpon the cardinall of Capua being at the same time the popes legat in France interdicted that realme for the taking of the same elect of Cambrey also all Normandie for the deteining of the bishop of Beauuois in prison who had laine there a long time was taken in the field after such manner as is before rehearsed so that the French king was glad to restore the elect of Cambrey to his libertie And likewise king Iohn deliuered the bishop of Beauuois who paied two thousand marks besides expenses of diet during the time of his captiuitie and furthermore tooke an oth that he should neuer after beare armour in the war against any christian or christians About the same time king Philip made Arthur duke of Britaine knight and receiued of him his homage for Aniou Poictiers Maine Touraine and Britaine Also somewhat before the time that the truce should expire to wit on the morrow after the feast of the Assumption of our ladie and also the day next following the two kings talked by commissioners in a place betwixt the townes of Buteuant and Guleton Within three daies after they came togither personallie and communed at full of the variance depending betwéene them But the French king shewed himselfe stiffe and hard in this treatie demanding the whole countrie of Ueulquessine to be restored vnto him as that which had béene granted by Geffrey earle of Aniou the father of king Henrie the second vnto Lewes le Grosse to haue his aid then against king Stephan Moreouer he demanded that Poictiers Aniou Maine and Touraine should be deliuered and wholie resigned vnto Arthur duke of Britaine But these diuerse other requests which he made king Iohn would not in any wise grant vnto and so they departed without conclusion of any agréement Therfore diuerse earls and barons of France which before that time had serued king Richard repaired vnto king Iohn and tooke an oth to assist him and not to agrée with the French king without his consent and he likewise sware vnto them not to make peace with the French king except they were therein comprised In the moneth of September Ione king Iohns sister wife to Raimond earle of S. Giles and somtime quéene of Sicile died at Rouen and was buried at Fonteuerard The French king also tooke diuerse townes and castels but amongst other the castell of Balun and raced the wals thereof downe to the ground wherewith William de Roches generall of the armie of Arthur duke of Britaine was greatlie offended and did so much by his drift that shortlie after a peace was concluded betwixt king Iohn and his nephue duke Arthur though the same serued but to small purpose The French king hauing as I haue said ouerthrowne the wals of Balun besieged a fortresse called Lauardin but king Iohn comming with an armie caused him to raise his siege and to withdraw himselfe to the citie of Mauns whither he followed and compelled him manger his force to remoue from thence All this while was William de Roches busilie occupied about his practise to make king Iohn and his nephue Arthur fréends which thing at length he brought about and therevpon deliuered into king Iohns hands the citie of Mauns which he had in kéeping Also the vicount of Tours came to the king of England and surrendred vnto him the castell of Chinon the keeping whereof he betooke vnto Roger de Lacie the conestable of Chester But in the night folowing vpon some mistrust and suspicion gathered in the obseruation of the couenants on K. Iohns behalfe both the said Arthur with his mother Constance the said vicount of Tours and diuerse other fled awaie secretlie from the king and got them to the citie of Angiers where the mother of the said Arthur refusing hir former husband the earle of Chester married hir selfe to the lord Guie de Tours brother to the said vicount by the popes dispensation The same yere Philip bastard sonne to king Richard to whome his father had giuen the castell and honor of Coinacke killed the vicount of Limoges in reuenge of his fathers death who was slaine as yee haue heard in besieging the castell of Chalus Cheuerell Moreouer there fell manie great flouds in England and on the borders of Scotland by violence whereof diuerse bridges were borne downe and amongst other the bridge at Barwike For the building vp againe whereof some variance arose betwixt Philip bishop of Durham and earle Patrike lord chéefe iustice of Scotland and capiteine at the same time of the towne of Barwike who by the Scotish kings commandement would haue repared againe the same bridge which câ—uld not be doone line 10 but that the one end thereof must be builded on the bishop of Durhams ground which he would not suffer till by the counsell of the lord William de Stuteuille he agréed so that the conuention accorded and concluded betwixt the king of Scots and his predecessour bishop Hugh might be reserued inuiolable Furthermore king Iohn did set a rate vpon the prices of wines as Rochell wine to be sold for twentie shillings the tun and not aboue The wine of Aniou for twentie foure shillings the tun and no other line 20 French wines aboue fiue and twentie shillings the tun except it were of such notable goodnesse as that some peraduenture for their owne expenses would be contented to giue after twentie six shillings eight pence for the tun and not aboue Moreouer the galon of Rochell wine he appointed to be sold at foure pence and the galon of white wine at six pence It was also ordeined that in euerie citie towne and place where wine was vsed to be sold there should be twelue honest men sworne to haue regard that this line 30 assise should not be broken and that if they found any vintner that should from the pin sell any wine by small measures contrarie to the same assise his bodie should be attached by the shiriffe and deteined in prison till other commandement were giuen for his further punishment and his goods seized vnto the kings vse Furthermore if any persons were or should be found to buy and sell by the hogshead or tun contrarie to this assise they should be committed to prison there to remaine till other order were taken line 40 for them neither should there be any regrating of wines that were brought into England But this ordinance lasted not long for the merchants could not beare it and so they fell to and sold white wine for eight pence the gallon red or claret for six pence King Iohn also came ouer from Normandie into England and there leuied a subsidie taking of euerie
I shall indeuour my selfe to cause him to restore with interest But when he saw that his enimies would still procéed and that no aid came out of England he came ouer himselfe and landed at Portesmouth on S. Nicholas day King Philip doubting by vsing the victorie with too much rigor least he should bring the Normans into a desperate boldnesse and so cause them for safegard of their liues to hazard all vpon resistance â—e staied for a time and withdrew his souldiers backe againe into France hauing not onelie furnished those places in the meane time which he had wâ—n with strong garisons of his souldiers but also appointed certeine personages to trauell with the people yet remaining line 10 in the English subiection to reuolt and turne from king Iohn to his obeisance and subiection King Iohn being returned into England accused diuerse of his Nobles for shewing themselues negligent and slouthfull in aiding him according to his commandement alledging furthermore that being destitute of their due and requisite seruice he was constreined to lose his time in Normandie as not being able for want of their aid to resist his enimies Wherefore for this and other matters laid to their line 20 charges he did put them to greeuous â—ines By meanes whereof and by leauieng a subsidie of his people he got togither an huge summe of monie This subsidie was granted him in a parlement holden at Oxenford and begun there vpon the second of Ianuarie 1204 wherein of euerie knights fée was granted the summe of two markes and an halfe year 1204 Neither were the bishops abbats nor any other ecclesiasticall persons exempted by meanes whereof he ran first into the hatred of the clergie and consequentlie line 30 of manie other of his subiects so that they failed him at his néed whereby he often susteined no small damage which he might haue preuented and withstood if he had beene so qualified with discretion as to haue séene what was conuenient and what inconuenient for his roiall estate But voluntas Improba perniciem ingentem mortalibus affert as it did to him which may be gathered by a due obseruation of the consequence ¶ This yeare the aire line 40 toward the north and east parts séemed to be on a bright fire for the space of six houres togither It began about the first watch of the night on the first of Aprill King Iohn about the beginning of this sixt yeare of his reigne sent in ambassage to the French king the archbishop of Canturburie the bishops of Norwich and Elie the earles Marshall and Leicester to treat with him of peace but he was so far off from comming néere to any reasonable motions bicause line 50 he saw the world frame as he wished that still by demanding somewhat that might not be granted he kept off and brought in such hard conditions that it was not possible to conclude anie agréement And this he did of purpose hoping within short time to conquer all that the king of England possessed as yet on that side the seas He was the more vntoward to compound for that he was informed how Arthur the duke of Britaine was dispatched of his life and therfore not doubting but to haue manie to take line 60 part with him in seeking reuenge of his death he made that his chéefe quarell swearing that he would not ceasse to pursue the warre against king Iohn till he had depriued him of his whole kingdome So the ambassadors departed without all hope to come to any agreement ¶ This yeare Easter day fell so high as it possiblie might year 1204 that is to saie on saint Marks day King Philip vnderstanding that king Iohn remained still in England rather occupied in gathering of monie amongst his subiects than in making other prouision to bring them into the field to the great offense of his said people thought now for his part to lose no time but assembling a mightie armie he came with the same into Normandie and vpon his first comming he wan the towne of Falaise and shortlie after was Dampfront deliuered vnto him by surrender This doone he marched further into the countrie and with his sudden inuasion so oppressed the people euerie where that they could haue no time to make shift by flight to get into the townes With this swiftnesse of spéed he brought also such a feare into the hearts of most men that he wan all the countrie of Normandie euen to Mount S. Michaell The inhabitants in euerie place submitted themselues as those of Baieulx Constances Liseux and other townes thereabouts Finallie he came before Rouen the principall citie of all the countrie and incamped so in sundrie places about the citie that all the issues entries and waies were closed vp by his armie being so diuided into seuerall camps that the distance was not great from one to another making a terrible shew to them within At length after he had prouided all things necessarie for his purpose and taken good aduise of his capteins how he should best imploie his force for the winning of this citie in which exploit he knew the full perfection of all his passed conquests cheefelie to consist he did manfullie assault it and they within as manfullie defended themselues so that he got little by the assaults and approches which he made Wherevpon he fell in hand to practise with the citizens to win them with méed curtesie gentle speech and great promises So that in fine they within were so mooued with such reasons as he vsed to persuade them withall that they made request for a truce to be had for certeine daies within the terme whereof if no succour came they couenanted to yeeld without any further trouble This truce being obteined ambassadours were sent from them of Rouen into England to signifie vnto king Iohn the whole state of the citie and of the truce so that if aid came not within the time appointed the citie must néeds be deliuered into the enimies hands The king hauing no armie in readinesse to send ouer nor other shift to make for the succour of the citie permitted the ambassadours to depart without comfort of any aid who herevpon returning to Rouen and reporting what they had hard séene and found brought the citie into great sorrow For whereas that citie had euer béene accustomed to glorie for the great loialtie and faithfull fidelitie which the same had euer shewed towards their liege lords and naturall princes now the citizens perceiued manifestlie that vnlesse they would cast awaie themselues and lose all they had they must of force yeeld into the hands of their enimies Wherefore to make their true allegiance more apparant to the world they staied the surrender as long as they had any store of vittels within the citie to releeue their fainting bodies withall and so in the end being vanquished with hunger they submitted themselues to the French king Their submission being once knowne caused
K. Iohn being ioifull in that they had brought the matter so well about for his purpose caused the popes decree to be declared vnto the barons commanding them streitlie to obeie the same The barons taking the matter grieuouslie to be thus mocked with great indignation both blamed king Iohns vniust dealing and the popes wrongfull iudgement in that he had pronounced against them without hearing what they had of right to alledge for themselues Wherevpon out of hand notwithstanding the popes prohibition and prescript to the contrarie they determined to trie their cause by dint of sword and with all speed assembled their powers which for the greater part they had latelie dismissed and sent home They furnished the castell of Rochester with a strong garrison of men and placed therein as capteine one William Albeney a verie skilfull warriour King Iohn after he vnderstood that the barons contemning the popes decrée and inhibition were more offended and bent against him than before sent once againe to the pope to aduertise him of their disobedience and great contumacie shewed in refusing to stand to his prescript This doone he returned to the I le of Wight and sailed from thence to Douer where diuerse of those his commissaries which he had sent to hire soldiers in forren parts returned to him bringing with them out of diuerse countries such a multitude of souldiers and armed men that the onelie sight of them stroke the harts of all the beholders with great feare and terror For out of the parties of Poictou and Gascoine there came men of great nobilitie and right worthie warriours as Sauerie de Mauleon Geffrey and Oliuer de Buteuile two brethren hauing vnder them great numbers of good souldiers and tall men of warre Also out of Brabant there came Walter Buc Gerard de Sotignie and onâ— Godestall with thrée legions of armed men and crossebowes Likewise there came out of Flanders other capteins with diuerse bands of souldiers which Ferdinando earle of Flanders latelie returned out of the French captiuitie for old fréendships 〈◊〉 furnished and sent ouer to aid him against his 〈…〉 as he had 〈◊〉 King Iohn then hauing recouered strength 〈◊〉 him and being aduertised that William de 〈◊〉 was entred into the castell of Rochester with a great number of knights men of armes and other souldiers hasted thither with his whole arme and besieged them within inforcing himselfe by all waies possible to win the castell as well by battering the walles with engines as by giuing thereto manie assaults line 10 but the garison within consisting of nintie and foure knights beside demilances and other souldiers defended the place verie manfullie in hope of reseue from the barons which laie as then at London but they comming forward one daies iournie vnto Dartford when they heard that the king was comming forward in good araie of battell to meet them vpon consideration had of their owne forces for that they were not able to match him with footmen they returned barke againe to the citie breaking line 20 that assured promise which they had made and also confirmed by their solemne oths which was that if the castell should chance to be besieged they would not faile but raise the siege At length they within for want of vittels were constreined to yeeld it vp vnto the king after it had beene besieged the space of three score daies during which tiâ—e they had beaten backe their enimies at sundrie assaults with great slaughter and losse But the king hauing now got the possession of that hold line 30 vpon greefe conceiued for the losse of so manie men and also bicause he had line so long about it yet he could wâ—nne it to his inestimable costs and charges was determined to haue put them all to death that had kept it But Sauerie de Maâ—leon aduised him otherwise lest by such crueltie the barons in any like case should be occasioned to vse the same extremitie towards such of his people as by chance might fall into their hands Thus the king spaâ—ed the Nobles and gentlemen sending William de Albenie William line 40 de Lancaster William de Emeford Thomas de Muleton Osbert Giffâ—â—d Osâ—ert de Bobie Odinell de Albenie and diuerse other to the castell of Corfe there to be kept as prisoners But Robert Charme Richard Gifford and Thomas de Lincolne were sent to Notingham and so other were sent to other places As for all the demilances or yeomen if I shall so call them and the arcubalisters which had slaine manie of his men during the siege as Matthew Paris saith the king caused them to be hanged line 50 to put other in feare that should so obstinatlie resist him Neuerthelesse as the booke that belonged to Berneâ—ell abbie saith there was not any of them hanged sauing one arcubalister onelie whome the king had brought vp top a child But howsoeuer the king dealt with them after they were yéelded true it is as by the same booke it appeareth there had beene no siege in those daies more earnestlie inforced nor more obstinatlie defended for after that all the limmes of line 60 the castell had beene reuersed and throwne downe they kept the maister tower till halfe thereof was also ouerthrowne and after kept the other halfe till through famine they were constreined to yéeld hauing nothing but horsseflesh and water to susteine their liues withall Here is to be remembred that whilest the siege laie thus at Rochester Hugh de Boues a valiant knight but full of pride and arrogancie a Frenchman borne but banished out of his countrie came downe to Calice with an huge number of men of warre and souldiers to come to the aid of king Iohn But as he was vpon the sea with all his people meaning to land at Douer by a sudden tempest which roâ—e at that instant the said Hugh with all his companie was drowned by shâ—pwracke Soâ—e after the 〈◊〉 of the same Hugh with the carcases of other innumerable both of men women and children were found not farre from Yeuâ—ouâ—h and all along that coast There were of them in all fortie thousand as saith Matthew Paris for of all those which he brought with him there was as it is said not one man leâ—t aliue The king as the â—ame went but hâ—w 〈◊〉 I know not had giuen by charter vnto the 〈◊〉 Hugh de Boues the whole countrie of Northfolke so that he ment to haue expelled the old inhabitants and to haue peopled it with strangers But whether this was so or not sure it is that he was verie sorowfull for the losse of this 〈◊〉 and aid which thus perished in the seas though it happened verie well for his subiects of England that should haue béene fore oppressed by such multitude of strangers which for the most part must néeds haue liued vpon the countrie to the vtter vndooing of the inhabitants wheresoeuer they
realme to resist such strangers as the quéene remaining in the parts beyond the seas had got togither meaning to send them into England to aid the king against the barons and for that purpose had caused a great number of ships to be brought into the hauen of Dam. But now that the king was in the barons hands and that such a multitude of horssemen and footmen were assembled on Barham-downe as a man would not haue thought had béene possible to haue found within the whole relme to resist the landing of those strangers the said strangers were sent home againe without hauing doone anie pleasure to the quéene other than spent hir monie The king held his Christmas at Woodstoke year 1265 and the earle of Leicester who séemed then to rule the whole realme kept his Christmasse at Killingworth After this a parlement was holden at London in the octaues of saint Hilarie and manie things were concluded couenants accorded and oths taken for performance by the K. and his sonne prince Edward which shortlie after came to little effect Yet prince Edward and Henrie the sonne and heire of the king of Almaine which had béene kept as pledges about the tearme of nine moneths and od daies were in the Lent following set at libertie vpon assurance made that the said prince Edward should remaine in the kings court and not depart from thence without licence of the king and certeine of the barons He was also constreined to giue vnto the earle of Leicester the countie Palantine of Chester before he might obteine to haue so much libertie Betwéene Easter and Whitsuntide the earles of Leicester and Glocester fell at variance through the presumptuous demeanour of the earle of Leicesters sonnes and also bicause the earle of Leicester would not deliuer the king of Almaine and other prisoners vnto the earle of Glocester requiring to haue the custodie of them bicause he had taken them in the battell at Lewes The earle of Glocester perceiuing himselfe not well vsed secretlie entred into confederacie with the lord Mortimer and other of the marshes wherevpon the earle of Leicester hauing thereof some inkeling came to Hereford in purpose to haue taken the earle of Glocester and to haue put him in safe kéeping as latelie before he had serued the earle of Darbie But by the practise of the lord Mortimer shortlie after the lord Edward or prince Edward whether yee list to call him assaieng abroad in the fields an horsse or two such as he should vse at iusts and tornies which were appointed to be holden he mounted at length vpon a light courser which the said lord Mortimer had sent to him and bidding the lord Robert Roos and other that were appointed to attend on him as his keepers farewell he galloped from them and could not be ouertaken of them that pursued him till at length he came to the lord Mortimer who with a great troope of men was come foorth of his castell of Wigmore to receiue him This was on the thursdaie in Whitsunweeke About the same time the earle of Warren with William de Ualence earle of Penbroke the kings halfe brother and others who as yée haue heard fled from the battell at Lewes were now returned into the realme landing first in Southwales with a power of crossebowes and other men of warre the which hearing that the lord Edward was thus escaped out of captiuitie came to Ludlow and there ioined with him and so likewise did the earle of Glocester Now after they had communed togither and were made freends and confederats they caused all the bridges to be broken that the enimies should not come to oppresse them till they had assembled all their forces and passing forward towards Glocester wan the citie and still came people vnto them from all line 10 sides namelie those lords and capteins which all the time since the battell of Lewes had laine in Bristow After this they came to Worcester and entred there also When the earle of Leicester was hereof aduertised who in all this meane time by order taken was about the king and ruled all things in the court h◠sent in all hast vnto his sonne Simon de Montfort to raise a power of men the which accordinglie assembled to him much people and comming with the same vnto Winchester wan the citie by line 20 surrender spoiled it and slue the more part of the Iewes that inhabited there Then he laid siege to the castell but hearing a feined rumor that prince Edward was comming thither with his power he departed from thence with his companie and went to Killingwoorth On the last day of Iulie prince Edward with his host came to Killingwoorth aforesaid and there fighting with the said Simon de Montfort and his armie with little slaughter discomfited the same and line 30 tooke prisoners the erle of Oxford the lords William de Montchensie Adam de Newmarch Baldwine Wake and Hugh Neuill with diuerse others the lord Simon himselfe fled into the castell and so escaped In this meane while the earle of Leicester hauing raised his power came to the castell of Monmouth which the earle of Glocester had latelie taken and fortified but they that were within it being driuen to yéeld it was now raced downe to the ground This doone the earle of Leicester entring into Glamorganshire line 40 and ioining his power with the prince of Wales wasted and burned the lands of the said earle of Glocester but hearing what his aduersaries went about in other places he returned from thence and came forward towards the said prince Edward who likewise made towards him and at Euesham they met on the sixt day of August where was fought a verie fierce and cruell battell betwixt the parties ¶ Some write that the earle of Leicester placed king Henrie in the front of his battell whom he had line 50 there with him as captiue and had arraied him in his owne cote-armour that if fortune went against him whilest the enimies should be earnest to take the king bearing the semblance of the chéefe capteine he might himselfe escape but king Henrie when they came to ioine fought not but called to his people and declared who he was whereby he escaped the danger of death for being knowne of them he was saued The Welshmen which in great numbers the earle of Leicester had there on his side at the first onset fled line 60 and ran awaie which their demeanor when the earle saw he exhorted those that were about him to plaie the men and so rushing foorth into the prease of his enimies he was inclosed about and slaine togither with his sonne Henrie Herevpon his death being knowne his people tooke them to flight as men vtterlie discomfited There died in that battell about 4000 men as Polydor saith But Richard Southwell saith there were killed of knights or rather men of armes 180 and of yeomen or rather
the late gotten victorie year 1315 passed ouer into Ireland vnder the conduct of Edward Bruce the brother of Robert Bruce sore afflicting that countrie by spoile sword and fire the villages were robbed the townes and castels which they wan were sacked and after fired so vtterlie to deface them The Irishmen being put in great feare herewith assembled togither and ioined themselues with such Englishmen as laie there in garrisons ouer the which the lord Iohn Bermingham as deputie had the chéefe charge Thus being ioined togither they made earnest resistance against the attempts of their enimies in defense of the countrie And so by that means they warred and fought one against an other with great slaughter on both sides the Scotishmen on their part dooing their best to obteine the gouernement of the countrie hauing alreadie obteined no small portion thereof and created Edward Bruce king there and the Irishmen on the other part inforcing their whole indeuor to beat the enimie backe and to rid him out of the countrie But at length the inuincible obstinatnesse of the Irishmen preuailed through aid of the Englishmen as after shall appeare Neuerthelesse in the meâ—ne while as some English chronicles make mention there died of the Scots in these warres to the number of thirtie thousand and aboue fiftéene thousand Irishmen The Scots not onelie thus inuaded Ireland but also continued their rage against England For the same yeare about the feast of Peter and Paule they entered into the bishoprike of Durham spoiled the countrie vnto Hartilpoole which towne they robbed of all the goods which they there found the inhabitants being fled with their ships to the sea About Mandelentide following the king of Scots entred England with a mightie armie on the west borders and comming to Carleill besieged the citie remaining before it ten daies but they within so valiantlie defended themselues and their wals that the Scots lost more than they wan sauing that during their abode at this siege they robbed and wasted the countries of Allerdale Copeland and Westmerland The 11 day after their comming thither when they had assaied all their force and policie to win the citie and saw themselues nothing to preuaile but to lose their men and trauell they raised their field and returned into Scotland with dishonor leauing behind them all their engines of warre so that besides the dishonour which he susteined by the repulse in lieu of lucre he suffered losse and therefore this lesson by exemplification would be learned and practised that Res leâ—e quisque gereus lucra 〈◊〉 inde ferens Now as they went their waie certeine Englishmen following them tooke Iohn de Murrey who in the battell of Striueling had for his part 13 English knights prisoners beside esquiers and others They tooke also with him one Robert Berdolfe a great enemie of the Englishmen This yeare there fell exceeding great raine and abundance of wet in the moneths of Iulie and August that the husbandmen of the countrie could not get in that small crop which then stood on the ground and that which they inned yéelded not the hoped quantitie as when it came to the threshing well appeared ¶ On the day of the Assumption of our ladie Iohn the kings second sonne was borne at Eltham ¶ A knight of Lancashire called sir Adam Banister raised war in this yeare of king Edwards reigne against his lord the earle of Lancaster but about the feast of saint Martine he was taken and beheaded ¶ Also this yeare Edward de Bruce brother to the king of Scots entred into the north parts of Ulnester with a great armie vpon the day of S. Augustine in Maie and afterwards burnt Dundaâ—ke and a great part of Argile The Irishmen also burnt the church of Athird Moreouer in the battell of Comeran in Ulnester Richard earle of Ulnester fled and sir Richard Bourgh sir Iohn Mandeuile and sir Alane fitz Waren were taken prisoners The castell of Norbrough was also taken at Kentâ—s in Mâ—sh the lord Roger Mortimer was discomfited by the foresaid Edward Bruce and manie of the said sir Rogers men were slaine and taken Also in the ninth yeare of king Edwards reigne before Christmasse a blasing starre or comet appeared in the north part of the element by the space of a moneth togither and after followed dearth and death as after shall appeare Guie earle of Warwike a man of great counsell and skilfull prouidence departed this life this yeare and was buried at the abbeie of Bordisley ¶ About Midsummer the Scots eftsoones line 10 entred into England doing much mischéefe with fire and sword year 1316 in like sort as they had vsed to doo before time not sparing as some write so much as those houses wherin women laie in childbed At their comming to Richmond the gentlemen of the countrie that were got into the castell to defend it compounded with the enimies for a great summe of monie to spare the towne and countrie about it without dooing further damage thereto at that iournie The Scots hauing receiued the monie turned their march toward the west parts and iournieng line 20 thréescore miles came to Fourneis burning all the countrie thereabouts and tooke awaie with them all the goods and prisoners both men and women which they might laie hands on and so returned reioising most of such iron as they had got in that iournie for they had great want in Scotland of that kind of metall in those daies The dearth by reason of the vnseasonable weather in the summer and haruest last past still increased for that which with much adoo was inned line 30 after when it came to the proofe yéelded nothing to the value of that which in sheafe it séemed to conteine so that wheat and other graine which was at a sore price before now was inhanced to a farre higher rate the scarsitie thereof being so great that a quarter of wheat was sold for fortie shillings which was a great price if we shall consider the allaie of monie then currant ¶ Also by reason of the murren that fell among cattell béefes and muttons were vnresonablie priced line 40 About this season the lord Henrie Beaumont a man of high valiancie and noble courage hauing gotten togither a power of men entred into Scotland and after he had taken great booties and spoiles in the countrie he being intrapped by sir Iames Dowglas lost the most part of his men togither with the prey which they had gotten The displeasure of these mishaps was increased with the naughtie and bold presumption of sir Gilbert Middleton knight year 1317 who being offended that maister Lewes Beaumount was preferred vnto the bishops sée of line 50 Durham and Henrie Stamford put from it that was first elected and after displaced by the kings suit made vnto the pope tooke the said Lewes Beaumont and his brother Henrie on
couenant and recouering it from the French cleerelie reduced it to line 40 the English dominion Moreouer sir Iohn Oturum sir Nicholas Kiriell and sir Iohn Felton admerals by the kings appointment with the fléets of the east south and west parts went to the sea to apprehend such Frenchmen as they might méet withall They according to their commission bestirred themselues so that within few daies they tooke six score saile of Normans and brought them into England wherevpon the displeasure sore increased betwixt the line 50 two realmes The king of England stood not onelie in doubt of the Frenchmen but more of his owne people that remained in France least they thorough helpe of the French should inuade the land and therefore he commanded the hauens and ports to be suerlie watched lest some sudden inuasion might happilie be attempted for it was well vnderstood that the queene meant not to returne till she might bring with hir the lord Mortimer and the other banished men who in no line 60 wise could obteine anie fauour at the kings hands so long as the Spensers bare rule ¶ The pope lamenting this matter sent two bishops into England to reconcile the king and quéene and also to agree the two kings These bishops were reuerentlie receiued but more than reuerence here they obteined not and so departed as they came King Edward vnderstanding all the quéenes drift at length sought the French kings fauour and did so much by letters and promise of bribes with him and his councell that queene Isabell was destitute in manner of all helpe there so that she was glad to withdraw into Heinault by the comfort of Iohn the lord Beaumont the earle of Heinault his brother who being then in the court of France and lamenting queene Isabels case imagined with himselfe of â—ome marriage that might be had betwixt the yoong prince of Wales and some of the daughters of his brother the earle of Heinault and therevpon required hir to go into Heinault and he would be glad to attend hir She gladlie consenting hereto went thither with him where she was most ioifullie receiued with hir sonne and all other of hir traine The Spensers some write procured hir banishment out of France and that she was aduised by the earle of Arthois chéefelie to repaire into Heinault Also I find that the Spensers deliuered fiue barrels of siluer the summe amounting vnto fiue thousand marks vnto one Arnold of Spaine a broker appointing him to conueie it ouer into France to bestowe it vpon such freends as they had there of the French kings counsell by whose means the king of France did banish his sister out of his relme But this monie was met with vpon the sea by certeine Zelanders and taken togither with the said Arnold and presented to the earle of Heinault vnder whose dominion the Zelanders in those daies remained of which good hap the earle and queene Isabell greatlie reioised In the time that the quéene and hir sonne laie in the court of the earle of Heinault a marriage was concluded betwixt the prince of Wales and the ladie Philip daughter to the said earle vpon certeine conditions whereof one was that the said erle should at his proper costs set ouer into England the said prince of Wales with a crue of foure hundred men of armes But whether there was any such mariage as then concluded and that in consideration thereof the earle of Heinault aided quéene Isabell and hir sonne it may be doubted bicause other writers make no such report Neuerthelesse certeine it is that the earls brother sir Iohn de Heinault lord Beaumont was appointed with certeine bands of men of arms to the number of foure hundred or fiue hundred to passe ouer with the said quéene and hir sonne into England and so therevpon began to make his purueiance for that iournie which thing when it came to the knowledge of king Edward and the Spensers they caused musters to be taken through the realme and ordeined beacons to be set vp kept and watched as well in the vallies by the sea side as within the countries vpon hilles and high grounds that the same vpon occasion of the enimies arriuall might be set on fire to warne the countries adioining to assemble and resist them But quéene Isabell and hir sonne with such others as were with hir in Heinault staied not their iournie for doubt of all their aduersaries prouision but immediatlie after that they had once made their purueiances and were readie to depart they tooke the sea namelie the queene hir sonne Edmund of Wodstoke earle of Kent sir Iohn de Heinault aforesaid and the lord Roger Mortimer of Wigmore a man of good experience in the warres and diuerse others hauing with them a small companie of Englishmen with a crue of Heinewiers and Almains to the number of 2757 armed men the which sailing foorth towards England landed at length in Suffolke at an hauen called Orwell besides Harwich the 25 daie of September Immediatlie after that the queene and hir sonne were come to land it was woonder to sée how fast the people resorted vnto them and first of all the earle Marshall in whose lâ—nds she first came on shore repaired vnto hir so did the earle of Leicester and diuerse barons knights of those parts with all the prelats in manner of the land as the bishops of Lincolne Hereford Dubline and Elie the which being ioined with the queene made a great armie The archbishop of Canturburie and others aided hir with monie After that she had refreshed hir people a little space at saint Edmundsburie she marched foorth to seeke the aduersaries of hir and of the realme as she bruted it but they still kéeping themselues néere to the kings person that vnder the shadow of the wings of his protection they might remaine in more safegard durst not depart from his presence At the time of the queenes landing he was at London and being sore amazed with the newes he required aid of line 10 the Londoners They answered that they would doo all the honour they might vnto the king the queene and to their sonne the lawfull heire of the land but as for strangers traitors to the realme they would kéepe them out of their gates and resist them with all their forces but to go foorth of the citie further than that they might returne before sunne-setting they refused pretending certeine liberties in that behalfe to them granted in times past as they alledged The king not greatlie liking of this answer fortified line 20 the tower and leauing within it his yoonger son Iohn of Eltham and the wife of the lord chamberleine Hugh Spenser the yoonger that was his neece he departed towards the marches of Wales there to raise an armie against the queene Before his departure from London he set foorth a proclamation that euerie man vnder paine of forfeiting of life
Suffolke and sir Hugh Spenser marched foorth vpon the commons of the countrie assembled and well armed and in fine discomfited them and slue of them more than two hundred tooke three score gentlemen prisoners beside others And after that the king marched toward grand Uilliers and while he was there incamped line 10 the kings vantgard was descried by the men at armes of the K. of Boheme whervpon our men issued out in great hast and ioined battell with them but were inforced to retire Notwithstanding thanks be vnto God the earle of Northampton issued out and rescued the horssemen with the other soldiers so that few or none of them were either taken or slaine sauing onlie Thomas Talbot but had againe the line 20 enimie in chase within two leagues of Amiens of whome we tooke eight and slue twelue of their best men at armes the rest being well horssed tooke the towne of Amiens After this the king of England marched toward Pountife vpon Bartholomew day and came to the water of Some where the French king had laid fiue hundred men at armes and three thousand footmen purposing to haue kept and stopped line 30 our passage but thanks be to God the K. of England and his host entered the same water of Some where neuer man passed before without losse of any of our men and after that incountered with the enimie and slue of them more than 2000 the rest fled to Abuile in which chase were taken manie knights esquiers men at armes The same day sir Hugh Spenser tooke the line 40 towne of Crotaie where he his soldiers slue 400 men at armes kept the towne where they found great store of vittels The same night incamped the king of England in the forrest of Cressie vpon the same water for that the French kings host came on the other side of the towne neere vnto our passage but he would not take the water of vs so marched toward Abuile line 50 And vpon the fridaie next following the king being still incamped in the said forrest our scuriers descried the French K. which marched toward vs in foure great battels and hauing then vnderstanding of our enimies as Gods will was a little before the euening tide we drew to the plaine field and set our battels in arraie and immediatlie the fight began which was sore and cruell indured long for our enimies line 60 behaued themselues right noblie But thanks be giuen vnto God the victorie fell on our side the king our aduersarie was discomfited with all his host put to flight where also was slaine the king of Boheme the duke of Loraine the earle of Alanson the earle of Flanders the earle of Blois the earle of Harecourt with his two sons the earle of Daumarle the earle de Neuers and his brother the lord of Tronard the archbishop of Nismes the archbishop of Sens the high prior of France the earle of Sauoie the lord of Morles the lord de Guies le seigneur de Saint Nouant le seigneur de Rosinburgh with six earles of Almaine and diuerse other earles barons knights and esquiers whose names are vnknowne And Philip de Ualois himselfe with an other marques which was called lord elector among the Romans escaped from the battell The number of the men of armes which were found dead in the field beside the common soldiers and footmen were a thousand fiue hundred fortie and two and all that night the king of England with his host aboad armed in the field where the battell was fought On the next morrow before the sunne rose there marched towards vs another great host mightie strong of the Frenchmen but the earle of Northampton and the earle of Norffolke issued out against them in three battels after long and terrible fight them likewise they discomfited by Gods great helpe and grace for otherwise it could neuer haue beene where they tooke of knights and esquiers a great number and slue aboue two thousand pursuing the chase three leages from the place where the battell was fought The same night also the king incamped himselfe againe in the forrest of Cressie and on the morrow marched toward Bullongne and by the way he tooke the towne of Staples and from thence he marched toward Calis where he intendeth to plant his siege and laie his batterie to the same And therfore our souereigne lord the king willeth and commandeth you in all that euer you may to send to the said siege vittels conuenient For after the time of our departing from Caen we haue trauelled through the countrie with great perill danger of our people but yet alwaies had of vittels plentie thanks be to God therefore But now as the case standeth we partlie need your helpe to be refreshed with vittels Thus fare you well Written at the siege before the towne of Calis the fourteenth daie of September But now touching the siege of Calis and to returne where we left ye shall vnderstand that as ye haue heard the English campe was furnished with sufficient prouision of meat drinke apparell munition and all other things necessarie and oftentimes also the soldiers made roads and forrais into the borders of France next adioining as towards Guines and saint Omer ye euen to the gates of that towne and sometime to Bullongne Also the earle of Northampton fetched a bootie out of Arthois and as he returned toward the host he came to Terrouan which towne the bishop had fortified and manned deliuering the custodie therof vnto sir Arnold Dandrehen for when he heard the Englishmen approched he durst not tarrie within the citie himselfe but got him to saint Omers Sir Arnold stood valiantlie to his defense and would not yéeld till by verie force the Englishmen entered the citie slue the soldiers and tooke their capteine the said sir Arnold prisoner The citie was put to sacke and after set on fire And when the Englishmen were departed there came a number of Flemings from the siege which they had â—aid before S. Omers and began a new spoile and fired such houses belonging to the canons and other which the Englishmen had spared Thus were those confines in most miserable case for no house nor other thing was in safegard but such as were conteined within closure of strong townes and fortresses The king of England would not assaile the towne of Calis by giuing anie assault to it for he knew he should but lose his labour and waste his people it was so strong of it selfe and so well furnished with men of warre Capteine thereof also was one sir line 10 Iohn de Uienne a valiant knight of Burgoigne hauing with him diuerse other right hardie and expert capteins knights and esquiers When the said sir Iohn de Uienne saw the manner of the English host and what the kings intention was he constreined all the poore and meane people to depart out of the towne The king of England
haue heard how the Frenchmen refused the peace which was accorded betwixt K. Edward their king as then prisoner here in England Wherupō K. Edward determined to make such warre against the realme of France that the Frenchmen with all their harts should be glad to condescend and agrée to reason and line 60 first he commanded all manner of Frenchmen other than such as were prisoners to auoid out of England He also appointed the French king to be remoued from the castell of Hertford where he then remained vnto the castell of Somerton in Lincolneshire vnder the gard and conduct of the lord William Deincourt being allowed fourtie shillings the day for the wages of two and twentie men at armes twentie archers two watchmen as thus for himselfe and sir Iohn Kirketon baronets either of them foure shillings the daie for thrée knights sir William Colleuill in place of the lord Robert Colleuill that could not trauell himselfe by reason of sicknesse sir Iohn Deincourt and sir Saer de Rochfort ech of them two shillings the daie seuentéene esquiers ech of them twelue pence the day eight archers on horsse backe euerie of them six pence the day and twelue archers on foot three pence and the two watchmen either of them six pence the day which amounteth in the whole vnto nine and thirtie shillings the day and the od twelue pence was allowed to the said lord Deincourt to make vp the summe of 40 shillings ¶ This haue I noted the rather to giue a light to the reader to consider how chargeable the reteining of men of war in these daies is in respect of the former times But now to our purpose The king meaning to passe ouer himselfe in person into France caused a mightie armie to be mustered and put in a readinesse and sent before him the duke of Lancaster ouer to Calis with foure hundred speares and two thousand archers where the said duke ioined with such strangers as were alreadie come to Calis in great numbers and togither with them entered into the French dominions and passing by saint Omers Bethune came to Mount saint Eloie a goodlie abbeie and a rich two leagues distant from Arras and there the host tarried foure daies and when they had robbed and wasted all the countrie thereabout they rode to Braie and there made a great assault at the which a baronet of England was slaine with diuerse other When the Englishmen saw they could win nothing there they departed and following the water of Some came to a towne called Chersie where they passed the riuer and there tarried Alhallowen daie the night following On the same daie the duke of Lancaster was aduertised that the king was arriued at Calis the seuentéenth daie of October commanding him by letters to draw towards him with all his companie The duke according to the kings commandement obeied and so returned toward Calis The king being there arriued with all his power tooke counsell which way he should take Some aduised him first to inuade Flanders and to reuenge the iniurious dealing of the earle and the Flemings but he would not agrée to that motion for he purposed fullie either by plaine force to make a conquest of France or else vtterlie to destroie and wast the countrie throughout with fier and sword Herevpon he set forwards the fourth of Nouember and passing through the countries of Arthois and Uermendois he came before the citie of Reimes There went ouer with him in this iournie with the duke of Lancaster his foure sonnes Edward prince of Wales Lionell earle of Ulster Iohn earle of Richmond and the lord Edmund his yoongest sonne Also there was Henrie the said duke of Lancaster with the earles of March Warwike Suffolke Hereford who also was earle of Northampton Salisburie Stafford and Oxford the bishops of Lincolne and Durham and the lords Percie Neuill Spenser Kirdiston Rosse Mannie Cobham Mowbray de la Ware Willoughbie Felton Basset Fitz Water Charleton Audelie Burwasch and others beside knights and esquiers as sir Iohn Chandois sir Stephan Goussanton sir Nowell Loring sir Hugh Hastings sir Iohn Lisle sir Richard Pembruge and others The siege was laid before Reimes about saint Andrewes tide and continued more than seuen weekes but the citie was so well defended by the bishop and the earle of Porcien and other capiteins within it that the Englishmen could not obteine their purpose and so at length when they could not haue forrage nor other necessarie things abroad in the countrie for to serue their turne the king raised his field and departed with his armie in good order of battell taking the way through Champaigne and so passed by Chaalons and after to Merie on the riuer of Seine From Merie he departed and came vnto Tonnere which towne about the beginning of the foure and thirtith yeare of his reigne was woone by assault but the castell could not be woone for there was within it the lord Fiennes constable of France and a great number of other good men of war which defended it valiantlie After the king had rested there fiue daies and that his men were well refreshed with the wines and other such things which they found in that towne line 10 in good plentie he remooued and drew towards Burgognie comming to a towne called Guillon or Aguillon where he lay from Ashwednesday vnto Midlent hauing good prouision of all maner of vittels by the means of an esquier of his called Iohn Alanson which had taken the towne of Flauignie not farre thence wherein was great store of bread and wine and other vittels and still the marshals rode foorth and oftentimes refreshed the host with new prouision The Englishmen had with them in their carriages line 20 tents pauillions milles ouens and forges also boates of leather cunninglie made and deuised able to receiue three men a péece and to passe them ouer waters and riuers They had at the least six thousand carts with them and for euerie cart foure horsses which they had out of England In this meane while the Frenchmen made certeine vessels foorth to the sea vnder the gouernance of the earle of S. Paule the which vpon the fiftéenth daie of March landed earlie in the morning at Winchelsie line 30 and before sunne rising entred the towne and finding the inhabitants vnprouided to make anie great resistance fell to and sacked the houses slue manie men women and also children and after set fier on the towne and vpon knowledge had that the people of the countrie next adioining were assembled and comming to the rescue he caused his men to draw to their ships and so they taking their pillage and spoile with them got them aboord not without some losse of their companie which were slaine in the line 40 towne by such as resisted their violence Whilest the king laie at Aguillon there came to him Anscaume de Salilans
shire towne lordship and libertie should haue banners of his armes deliuered vnto them for a confirmanion of his grant Herevpon they séemed well appeased and the king rode to the queenes wardrobe otherwise called the tower roiall to visit his mother and so did comfort hir so well as he could and taried with hir there all night The Essexmen satisfied with the kings promises line 20 immediatlie departed homeward howbeit they appointed certeine of their companie to remaine still and tarie for the kings charters The Kentishmen also remained and were as busie in maner the next day being saturdaie in all kind of mischiefous dealings as they had béene before to wit in murthering of men ouerthrowing and burning of houses The king therefore sent vnto them such as declared in what sort their fellowes were gone home well satisfied from thencefoorth to liue in quiet and the same line 30 forme of peace he was contented to grant to them if it liked them to accept the same Herevpon their chéefe capteine Wat Tiler a verie craftie fellow and indued with much wit if he had well applied it said that peace indeed he wished but yet so as the conditions might be indited to his purpose He was determined to driue off the king and his councell bicause he was of greater force than they with cauils and shifts till the next daie that in the night following he might the more easilie haue compassed line 40 his resolution which was hauing all the poorer sort of the citie on his side to haue spoiled the citie and to set fire in foure corners of it killing first the king and the lords that were about him but he that resisteth the proud and giueth his grace to the humble would not permit the vngratious deuises of the naughtie and lewd lozzell to take place but suddenlie disappointed his mischeefous drift For whereas diuerse formes of charters had béene drawne according to the effect of the agréement with the Essex-men line 50 and none of them might please this lordlie rebell at length the king sent to him one of his knights called sir Iohn Newton to request him to come to him that they might talke of the articles which he stood vpon to haue inserted in the charter of the which one was to haue had a commission to put to death all lawiers escheaters and other which by any office had any thing to doo with the law for his meaning was that hauing made all those awaie that vnderstood the lawes all things should then be ordered according to line 60 the will and disposition of the common people It was reported in deed that he should saie with great pride the day before these things chanced putting his hands to his lips that within foure daies all the lawes of England should come foorth of his mouth The wretches had vtterlie forgotten all law both diuine and humane otherwise they would haue béene content to liue vnder law and to doo vnto others as they would be doone vnto as the verie law of nature than which there cannot be a better guide teacheth Quod tibi vis fieri mihi fac quod non tibi noli Sic potes in terris viuere iure poli When therefore the said sir Iohn Newton called vpon him to come awaie to the king he answered as it were with indignation If thou saith he hast so much hast to returne to the king thou maist depart I will come at my pleasure When the knight therefore was come from him he followed indéed but somwhat slowlie And when he was come néere to the place in Smithfield where the king then was with certeine lords and knights other companie about him the said sir Iohn Newton was sent to him againe to vnderstand what he meant And bicause the knight came to him on horssebacke did not alight from his horsse Wat Tiler was offended said in his furie that it became him rather on foot than horsbacke to approach into his presence The knight not able to abide such presumptuous demeanour in that proud and arrogant person shaped him this answer It is not amisse that I being on horssebacke should come to thée sitting on horssebacke With which words Wat Tiler taking indignation drew out his dagger menacing to strike the knight calling him therewith traitor the knight disdaining to be misused at the hands of such a ribald told him that he lied falselie and with that plucked foorth his dagger Wat Tiler being among his men shewed that he would not beare that iniurie and foorthwith made towards the knight to run vpon him The king perceiuing the knight in danger bad him alight from his horsse and deliuer his dagger to Wat Tiler but when that would not pacifie his proud and high mind but that he would néeds flée vpon him the maior of London William Walworth and other knights and esquiers that were about the king told him that it should be a shame for them all if they permitted the knight in their presence before the eies of their prince so to be murthered wherfore they gaue counsell to succor him foorthwith and to apprehend the vile naughtie ribald The king though he was but a child in yeares yet taking courage to him commanded the maior to arrest him The maior being a man of incomparable boldnesse foorthwith rode to him and arrested him in reaching him such a blow on the head that he sore astonied him therewith and streightwaies other that were about the king as Iohn Standish an esquier and diuers more of the kings seruants drew their swords and thrust him through in diuerse parts of his bodie so that he fell presentlie from his horsse downe to the earth and died there in the place When the commons beheld this they cried out Our capteine is traitorouslie slaine let vs stand togither and die with him let vs shoot and reuenge his death manfullie and so bending their bowes made them readie to shoot The king shewing both hardinesse and wisedome at that instant more than his age required set his spurs to his horsse and rode to them saieng What is the matter my men what meane you Will you shoot at your king Be not troubled nor offended at the death of a traitor and ribald I will be your king capteine and leader follow me into the fields and you shall haue all things that you can desire This did the king to the end he might appease them least they should haue set fire on the houses there in Smithfield and haue attempted some further mischéefe in reuenge of the displeasure which they tooke for the death of their chéefe leader They mooued with these the kings words followed him and the knights that were with him into the open fields not yet resolued whether they should set vpon the king and slea him or else be quiet and returne home with the kings charter In the meane time the lord maior of London was returned into the
scarselie beleeue them and therefore called the townesmen foorth and bad them sée if that there were all such writings as they thought stood with their aduantage to haue brought to light The townesmen feigned as though they had beene sorie to see such rule kept against the moonks where in déed they had set the commons in hand with all these things To conclude the commons tooke this order with the moonks that if the townesmen might not obteine their ancient liberties by the hauing of those writings they should declare what the same liberties were which they were woont to inioy and the abbat of Burie Edmund Brumfield being then in prison at Notingham whom they purposed to deliuer so that he should celebrat diuine seruice in his monasterie on Midsummer daie next within fourtie daies after his comming home should confirme with his seale such charter as was to be deuised and made concerning the same liberties of the said townesmen and the couent should likewise put there vnto their common seale Moreouer they constreined the moonks to deliuer vnto the townesmen a crosse and a chalice of fine gold and other iewels that belonged to the abbeie being in value aboue the worth of a thousand pounds in monie the which was to remaine in the hands of the townsmen vpon this condition that if Edmund Brumfield being deliuered out of prison inioied the dignitie of abbat there and with all put his seale togither with the couent seale within the time limited vnto a writing that should conteine the liberties of the towne that then the same crosse chalice and other line 10 iewels should be restored vnto the monasterie or else the same to remaine for euer to the townesmen as forfeited Such were the dooings of those rebels in and about the towne of Burie and the like disorders breach of peace followed by the commotions of the commons in Cambridgeshire and in the I le of Elie resembling the others in slaughters of men destroieng of houses and all other sorts of mischéefe In like maner in Norffolke there was assembled line 20 an huge number of those vnrulie countrie people which vnder the guiding of a dier of cloth commonlie called Iohn Littester that had dwelt in Norwich attempted and did all such vngratious feats as they had heard that other did in other parts of the realme yea and greater also putting foorth their hands vnto rapine and robberie And whereas they were wholie conspired togither and bent to commit all kind of mischéefe yet estéeming their owne authoritie to be small they purposed to haue brought William Ufford line 30 earle of Suffolke into their felowship that if afterwards they might happilie be impeached hereafter for such their naughtie and most wicked dooings they might haue had some shadow or colour as it were through him whie they had delt in such vnrulie sort But the earle aduertised of their intention suddenlie rose from supper and got him awaie by vnknowne waies still fleeing from the commons till at length he got to S. Albons and so from thence to the king line 40 The commons missing of their purpose for the hauing of him laid hold vpon all such knights and other gentlemen as came in their waie and were found at home in their houses compelling them to be sworne to them and to ride with them through the countrie as the lord Scales William lord Morlie sir Iohn Brewes sir Stephan Hales and sir Robert Salle which sir Robert continued not long aliue among them for he could not dissemble as the residue but began to reprooue openlie their naughtie dooings line 50 for the which he had his braines dasht out by a countrie clowne one that was his bondman and so he ended his life who if he might haue come to haue tried his manhood and strength with them in plaine battell had beene able to haue put a thousand of those villaines in feare his valiancie and prowesse was such The residue taught by his example that they must either dissemble or die for it were glad to currie fauour praising or dispraising all things as they saw the commons affected and so comming into credit line 60 with their chéefteine Iohn Littester that named himselfe king of the commons they were preferred to serue him at the table in taking the assaie of his meats and drinks and dooing other seruices with knéeling humblie before him as he sat at meat as sir Stephan Hales who was appointed his caruer and others had other offices assigned them At length when those commons began to war wearie of taking paines in euill dooings they tooke counsell togither and agreed to send two knights to wit the lord Morlie and sir Iohn Brewes and three of the commons in whom they put great confidence vnto the king to obteine their charter of manumission and infranchising and to haue the same charter more large than those that were granted to other countries They deliuered great summes of monie vnto those whome they sent to bestow the same for the obteining of pardon and such grants as they sued for which monie they had got by force of the citizens of Norwich to saue the citie from fire and sacking These knights as they were on their iournie at Ichingham not farre distant from Newmarket not looking for anie such thing met with sir Henrie Spenser bishop of Norwich a man more fit for the field than the church better skilled as may appéere in arms than in diuinitie This bishop had aduertisements at his manor of Burlie néere to Okam in the parties about Stamford of the sturre which the commons in Norffolke kept and there vpon resolued streightwaies to see what rule there was holden He had in his companie at that time not passing eight lances and a small number of archers The bishop méeting thus with the knights examined them streightwaies if there were anie of the traitours there with them The knights at the first were doubtfull to bewraie their associats but at last imboldened by the bishops words declared that two of the chéefe dooers in the rebellion were there present and the third was gone to prouide for their dinner The bishop streightwaies commanded those two to be made shorter by the head and the third he himselfe went to seeke as one of his shéepe that was lost not to bring him home to the fold but to the slaughter-house as he had well deserued in the bishops opinion sith he had so mischéefouslie gone astraie and alienated himselfe from his dutifull allegiance These persons being executed and their heads pight on the end of poles and so set vp at Newmarket the bishop with the knights tooke their waie with all spéed towards Northwalsham in Norffolke where the commons were purposed to staie for answer from the king and as he passed through the countrie his number increased for the knights and gentlemen of the countrie hearing how their bishop had taken his speare in hand and
a parlement there came foorth of euerie good towne certeine persons appointed to deliberate and take aduise in so weightie a matter as either to conclude vpon peace or else vpon warre But in the end they brought little or nothing to passe sauing that they agréed to haue the truce to indure for twelue moneths longer both kings sware to obserue the same afore such as were appointed to sée their othes receiued About the same time came the duke of Gelderland into this realme being the kings cousine a right valiant and hardie gentleman he was honorablie receiued and welcomed of the king and of his vncles the dukes of Lancaster and Glocester This duke of Gelderland counselled the king not to conclude peace either with the Frenchmen or Scots except vpon such conditions as might be knowne to be both profitable and honorable to him and his realme promising that if he had occasion to make warre against either of those two nations he would be readie to serue him with a conuenient power of men at armes of his countrie After he had béene here a time and highlie feasted and banketted aswell by the king as other great estates of the realme he returned home not without diuerse rich gifts The king about this season sent to the Londoners requesting to borrow of them the summe of one thousand pounds which they vncourteouslie refused to lend and moreouer they fell vpon an Italian or Lombard as they termed him whom they beat and néere hand slue bicause he offered to lend the king that monie Whereof when the king was aduertised he was sore mooued against them and calling togither the most part of the péeres and noble men of his realme declared vnto them the froward dealings of the Londoners complaining sore of such their presumption The lords and great men séeming not greatlie to fauour the Londoners gaue counsell that the insolent pride of those presumptuous persons might with speed be repressed The citizens of London in those daies as should appeare vsing their authoritie to the vttermost had deuised and set foorth diuerse orders and constitutions to abridge the libertie of forreners that came to the citie to vtter their commodites Religious men that wrote the dooings of that age seemed also to find fault with them for that they fauored Wicliffes opinions therefore did charge them with infidelitie and mainteining I know not how of Lollards heretikes but howsoeuer the matter went they fell at this present into the kings heauie displeasure Some there be that write how the king piked the first quarell against the maior and shiriffes for a riot committed by the vnrulie citizens against the seruants of the bishop of Salisburie for that where one of the same bishops seruants had taken a horsse-lofe frō a bakers man as he passed by in Fléetstréet with line 10 his basket to serue his masters customers and would not deliuer it againe but brake the bakers mans head when he was earnest to haue recouered the lofe the inhabitants of the stréet rose and would haue had the bishops man to prison for breaking the kings peace but he was rescued by his fellowes and escaped into Salisburie house that stood there within the allie and as then belonged to his master the bishop of Salisburie being at that time high treasuror of England The people being set in a rage for the rescue line 20 so made gathered togither in great multitudes about the bishops palace gate and would haue fetched out the offendor by force To conclude such a hurling was in the stréet that the maior with the shiriffes diuers aldermen came thither with all speed to take order in the matter and to sée the peace kept but after the cōming thither of the maior the commons of the citie resorted to the place in far greater numbers than before and the more they were the worsse they were to rule and line 30 would not be persuaded to quiet themselues except the bishops seruant whose name was Walter Romane might be had out of the house and committed to prison but at length after manie assaults lifts other indeuours made to haue broken vp the gates of the house the maior aldermen with other discréet commoners appeased the people so as they brought them to quiet and sent euerie man to his house The bishop was then at Windesor where the court laie who being informed of this matter by a gréeuous line 40 report and happilie in worsse manner than the thing had happened indeed tooke such indignation therewith that taking with him Thomas Arundell archbishop of Yorke then lord chancellor of England he went to the king and made an heinous complaint against the citizens for their misdemeanor so that his displeasure was the more kindled against the citizens in so much that whether in respect of this last remembred complaint or rather for their vncourteous deniall to lend him the thousand pounds and misusing line 50 the Lombard that offered to lend the same I cannot saie but sure it is that the maior and shiriffe and a great sort more of the citizens were sent for to come to the court where diuerse misdemeanors were obiected and laid to their charge and notwithstanding what excuse they pretended the maior and shiriffes with diuerse other of the most substantiall citizens were arrested The maior was committed to the castell of Windesor and the other vnto other castels and holds to be safelie kept till the king by the aduise of his councell should determine further what line 60 should be doone with them The liberties of the citie were seized into the kings hands and the authoritie of the maior vtterlie ceassed the king appointing a warden to gouerne the citie named sir Edward Darlingrug knight that should both rule the citie and see that euerie man had iustice ministred as the case required This sir Edward Darlingrug began to gouerne the citie of London by the name of lord warden the one and twentith of Iune on which day the king entered into the 16 yeare of his reigne by reason it was thought that the said sir Edward Darlingrug was ouer-fauourable to the citizens he continued in his office but till the first of Iulie and being then discharged one sir Baldwine Radington a right circumspect and discréet knight was put in that roome who knew how both to content the kings mind and to comfort the citizens and put them in hope of the kings fauour in time to be obteined to the reliefe of their sorow and heauinesse At length the king through sute and instant labour made by certeine noble men speciallie the duke of Glocester began somewhat to relent and pacifie himselfe as touching his rigorous displeasure against the Londoners calling to mind the great honour he had diuerse waies receiued at their hands with the great gifts which they had likewise bestowed vpon him wherevpon he purposed to deale the more
Seuerine which towne he tooke by force slue thrée hundred persons and tooke sir Thomas Rampston prisoner After this he came to the citie of Arques tooke a bulworke by force and had the towne yéelded to him by composition The capteine which was the lord of Montferrant departed with all the English crue to Burdeaux where he found the earle of Longuile the Capdau de Beufe and sir Thomas Rampston which was a little before deliuered After this the fortresses of the Rioll and Mermandie were also yéelded to the French king who notwithstanding at length was constreined for lacke of vittels which were cut off by the Englishmen that laie abroad in diuerse fortresses for the purpose to breake vp his armie to retire into France And then after his departure the Englishmen recouered againe the citie of Arques the other townes by the French king gained and tooke prisoner his lieutenant called Reginald Guilliam the Burgognion and manie other gentlemen and all the meane souldiers were either slaine or hanged While the French king was in Guien the lord Talbot tooke the towne of Couchet and after marched toward Galliardon which was besieged by the bastard of Orleance otherwise called the earle of Dunois which earle hearing of the lord Talbots approch raised his siege and saued himselfe The Frenchmen a little before this season had taken the towne of Eureux by treason of a fisher Sir Francis the Arragonois hearing of that chance apparelled six strong fellowes like men of the countrie with sacks and baskets as cariers of corne and vittels and sent them to the castell of Cornill in the which diuerse Englishmen were kept as prisoners and he with an ambush of Englishmen laie in a vallie nigh to the fortresse The six counterfet husbandmen entered the castell vnsuspected and streight came to the chamber of the capteine laieng hands on him gaue knowledge to them that laie in ambush to come to their aid The which suddenlie made foorth and entered the castell slue and tooke all the Frenchmen and set the Englishmen at libertie which thing doone they set fire in the castell and departed to Rone with their bootie and prisoners This exploit they had not atchiued peraduenture line 10 by force as happilie they mistrusted and therefore by subtiltie and deceit sought to accomplish it which meanes to vse in warre is tollerable so the same warre be lawfull though both fraud bloudshed otherwise be forbidden euen by the instinct of nature to be put in practise and vse and that dooth the poet insinuat in a proper sententious verse saieng Fraus absit vacuas caedis habete manus But now to speake somewhat of the dooings in line 20 England in the meane time Whilest the men of war were thus occupied in martiall feates and dailie skirmishes within the realme of France ye shall vnderstand that after the cardinall of Winchester and the duke of Glocester were as it séemed reconciled either to other yet the cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke ceassed not to doo manie things without the consent of the king or of the duke being during the minoritie of the king gouernor and protector of the realme whereas the duke as good cause line 30 he had greatlie offended therevpon in writing declared to the king wherein the cardinall and the archbishop had offended both his maiestie and the lawes of the realme This complaint of the duke of Glocester was conteined in foure and twentie articles which chieflie rested in that the cardinall had from time to time through his ambitious desire to surmount all others in high degrées of honor and dignitie sought to inrich himselfe to the great and notorious hinderance of the king as in defrauding him line 40 not onelie of his treasure but also in dooing and practising things greatlie preiudiciall to his affaires in France and namelie by setting at libertie the king of Scots vpon so easie conditions as the kings maiestie greatlie lost thereby as in particularities thus followeth A complaint made to king Henrie the sixt by the duke of Glocester vpon the cardinall of Winchester line 50 line 1 THese be in part the points and articles which I Humfrie duke of Glocester for my truth acquitall said late I would giue in writing my right redoubted lord vnto your highnesse aduertising your excellencie of such things in part as haue béene doone in your tender age in derogation of your noble estate and hurt of both your realmes and yet be doone and vsed line 60 dailie 2 First the cardinall then being bishop of Winchester tooke vpon him the state of cardinall which was naied and denaied him by the king of most noble memorie my lord your father whome God assoile saieng that he had as leefe set his crowne beside him as sée him weare a cardinals hat he being a cardinall For he knew full well the pride and ambition that was in his person then being but a bishop should haue so greatlie extolled him into more intollerable pride when that he were a cardinall and also he thought it against his fréedome of the chéefe church of this realme which that he worshipped as dulie as euer did prince that blessed be his soule And howbeit that my said lord your father whome God assoile would haue agreed him to haue had certeine clearks of this land cardinals and to haue no bishoprikes in England yet his intent was neuer to â—oo so great derogation to the church of Canturburie to make them that were his suffragans to sit aboue their ordinarie and metropolitan But the cause was that in generall and in all matters which might concerne the weale of him and of his realme he should haue proctors of his nation as other kings Christen had in the court of Rome and not to abide in this land nor to be in anie part of his councels as béene all the spirituall and temporall at parlements and other great councels when you list to call them And therefore though it please you to doo him that worshop to set him in your priuie councell after your pleasure yet in your parlement where euerie lord both spirituall and temporall hath his place he ought to occupie but his place as a bishop 3 Item the said bishop now being cardinall was assoiled of his bishoprike of Winchester wherevpon he sued vnto our holie father to haue a bull declaratorie notwithstanding he was assumpt to the state of cardinall that the sée was not void where in déed it stood void by a certeine time yer the said bull were granted and so he was exempt from his ordinarie by the taking on him the state of cardinall and the church bishoprike of Winchester so standing void he tooke againe of the pope you not learned thereof ne knowing whereby he was fallen into the case of prouision so that all his good was lawfullie cléerelie forfeited to you my right doubted lord with more as the statute declareth plainelie for your
some other the like attempt they seâ—t thither sir William Woodâ—â—â—â— with eight hundred men to strengthen the frontiers and further set foorth a proclamation that all men which would transport anie corne chéese or other vittels thither should paie no maner of custome or tallage which 〈◊〉 caused the countrie of Aquitaine to be well furnished of all things necessarie About this season Iohn the valiant lord Talbot for his approued prowesse and wisdome aswell in England as in France both in peace warre so well tried was â—reated earle of Shâ—ewesburie and with a companie of three thousand men sent agaâ—ne into Normandie for the better defâ—nse of the same * This yéere died Lodowâ—ke 〈◊〉 â—ewes Lischburne bishop of Elie being the fiue anâ— twentith that inâ—oied that place year 1443 who came to the samâ— after this maner After the death of Philip Morgan bishop of that sée the moonks of Elie chose for their pastor Robert â—â—tz Hugh bishop of London but he dieng at saint Oâ—ees before his confirmation neuer possessed the honour thereof Wherevpon the king directed his letters to the couent of Elie to make election of Thomas Rudburne bishop of S. Dauids in Wales for their bishop But they contrarie therevnto taking it now for a custome hauing so often vsed it before as did well appeare made choise of Thomas Bourchier borne of a noble house sonne to the countesse of Stafford chancellor of Oxenford and bishop of Worcester to succeed Philip Morgan Which Bourchier the king offended with the moonkes for the little regard had to his request vtterlie refused and would not admit him vnto that place Wherevpon there were buls procured from Eugenius the fourth then bishop of Rome which were sent into England to confirme the election of the said Bourchier But he wiselie fearing to fall into the dangerous statute of Premumre durst not receiue or execute the tenor of the popes commandement By reason whereof least the see might otherwise remaine void if speedie remedie were not prouided the king did in commendam bestow the bishoprike of Elie vpon this Lodowike Lischburne archbishop of Rone by office Card. 4. Coronat Cancellar Franciae Normanniae and kinsman to the said king Which doone Eugenius when he saw no other remedie did reuoke his buls made before to Thomas Bourchier in the yeare of Christ 1437. This Lodowike remaining bishop six yeares and so manie moneths died in the yeare as before the eighteenth of September at his manor of Hatfield whose bowels were buried in the said church his hart was caried to Rone and there honourablie intoomed and his bodie was committed to the earth in the church of Elie betweene two marble pillors next to the altar of the relikes In this yeare died in Guien the countesse of Comings to whome the French king and also the earle of Arminacke pretended to be heire in so much that the earle entred into all the lands of the said ladie And bicause he knew the French king would not take the matteâ— well to haue a Rouland for an Oâ—â—uer he sent solemne ambassadours to the king of England offering him his daughter in mariage with promise to be bound beside great summes of monie which he would giue with hir to deliuer into the king of Englands hands all such castels and townes as he or his ancestors deteined from him within anie part of the duchie of Aquitaine either by conquest of his progenitors or by gift and deliuerie of anie French king and further to aid the same king with monie for the recouerie of other cities within the same duchie from the French king or from anie other person that against king Henrie vniustlie kept and wrongfullie withholden them This offer séemed so profitable and also honorable to king Henrie and the realme that the ambassadours were well heard honourable receiued and with rewards sent home into their countrie After whome were sent for the conclusion of the marriage into Guien sir Edward Hull sir Robert Ros and Iohn Gralton deane of S. Seuerines the which as all the chronographers agrée both concluded the mariage and by proxie affied the yoong ladie The French line 10 king not a little offended herewith sent his â—ldest sonne Lewes the Dolphin of Uienne into Rouergue with a puissant armie which tooke the earle and his yoongest sonne with both his daughters and by force obteined the countries of Arminacke Louuergne Rouergue and Moulessonois beside the cities Seuerac Cadâ—ac chasing the bastard of Arminacke out of his countries and so by reason hereof the concluded mariage was deferred and that so long that it neuer tooke effect as hereafter it may appeare line 20 ¶ In this yeare was an act made by authoritie of the common councell of London that vpon the sundaie no maner of thing within the franchises and liberties of the said citie should be bought or sold neither vittels nor other thing It was also enacted by the same common councell with full consent and ratified by the authoritie of the law-makers that no artificer or handicrafts man should bring his wares commodities or worke vnto anie person or persons to be worne or occupied on that daie bicause it was line 30 iudged a foule prophanation thereof And peoples minds giuen to couetousnesse make no exception of times or places in a case of aduantage and gaine In consideration whereof and for the suppressing of this abuse this law was ordeined and made the force whereof did principallie extend to tailors and shoomakers who as on that daie bring home their garments and shoos to the parties for whome they are made and likewise to all other occupations and trades But this ordinance saith mine author was line 40 too good for so bad an age and therefore died within a short time after the magistrate had giuen it life ¶ On Candlemasse éeue this yeere by lightning in a tempest that fell with claps of thunder at afternoone Paules steeple was set on fier in the middest of the speare or shaft in the verie timber worke which was quenched by the painfulnesse of diuerse persons and specialie by the diligent labour of a préest of Bow in Cheape Howbeit the same was thought vnpossible to be quenched but that the grace of God was line 50 chéefe worker in the same This stéeple hath diuerse times beene ouerthrowne and defaced partlie by winds and partlie by lightning as may be obserued in the reading of this volume yea when the same hath béene repared by the choisest workemen and of the substantiallest stuffe and all meanes that stood with the déepe deuise of man vsed to make it so sure that it might continue as a monument of perpetuitie for posteritie to woonder at and admire But to returne to the historie line 60 Whilest England was vnquieted as you haue heard and France by spoile slaughter and burning sore defaced a mischeefe in all places much lamented therefore to agrée the two puissant
realms of England and Portingale and furthermore had now got to him a great number of mariners out of all parts of the land and manie traitors and misgouerned people from each quarter of the realme beside diuerse also foorth of other countries that delighted in theft and robberies meaning to worke some exploit against the king line 60 And verelie his puissance increased dailie for hauing béene at Calis and brought from thence into Kent manie euill disposed persons he began to gather his power in that countrie meaning as was thought to attempt some great and wicked enterprise After the kings comming to Couentrie he receiued aduertisements that this bastard was come before London with manie thousands of men by land and also in ships by water purposing to rob and spoile the citie Manie Kentishmen were willing to assist him in this mischieuous enterprise and other were forced against their wils to go with him or else to aid him with their substance and monie insomuch that within a short time he had got togither sixtéene or seuentene thousand men as they accompted themselues With these he came before the citie of London the twelfe of Maie in the quarrell as he pretended of king Henrie whome he also meant to haue out of the Tower to restore him againe vnto his crowne roiall dignitie And for that intent he required to enter the citie with his people that receiuing king Henrie foorth of the Tower they might passe with him through the citie and so to march streight towards king Edward whose destruction they vowed to pursue with all their vttermost indeuors But the maior and aldermen of the citie would not in anie wise agree to satisfie their request herein vtterlie refusing to receiue him or anie of his companie into the citie King Edward from time to time by posts was informed of all these dooings by aduise of his councell the foureteenth of Maie sent to the succors of the maior and aldermen fiftéene hundred of the choisest souldiers he had about him that they might helpe to resist the enimies till he had got such an armie togither as was thought necessarie meaning with all conuenient spéed to come therewith to the rescue of the citie and preseruation of the quéene prince and his daughters that were within the Tower not in verie good safegard considering the euill dispositions of manie within the citie of London that for the fauour they had borne to the earle of Warwike and desire to be partakers of the spoile cared not if the bastard might haue atteined to his full purpose and wished intent On the sixtenth of Maie king Edward set foorth of Couentrie towards London But here ye haue to vnderstand that when the bastard could not be receiued into the citie neither by gentle persuasions nor gréeuous threatnings he made semblance to passe ouer the Thames at Kingston bridge ten miles from London and thitherwards he drew with his whole power by land leauing his ships afore saint Katharines and thereabouts His pretense was to spoile and destroie Westminster and the suburbs of the citie on that side and after to assault the citie it selfe to trie if he might enter by force and so to be reuenged of the citizens that had refused to receiue him Notwithstanding all which stirring of coles proud port with hautinesse of hart violence of hand thinking to beare downe the people as an innudation or flowing of water streams dooth all before it yet he came short of his purpose pulled vpon his owne pate finall destruction though he thought himselfe a man ordeined to glorie was tickled with the like flatring persuasion that one had in his hart who said Magnum iter ascendo sed dat mihi gloria vires Now as he was onwards vpon his iornie he was aduertised that king Edward was preparing to come forwards against him assisted in manner with all the great lords of the realme and others in great number more than he had beene at anie time before By reason whereof doubting what might follow if passing the riuer he should fortune so to be inclosed that he should be driuen thereâ—y to incounter with the kings power at such ods he thought it best to alter his purpose and so returning came backe againe before London mustered his people in S. Georges field ranged and placed in one entier battell And to the intent they might worke their purposed feat before the kings comming to the rescue thâ—y resolued with all their forces to assault the citie and to enter it if they could by plaine strength that putting it to the sacke they might conueie the riches to their ships which laie in the riuer betwixt saint Katharins and Blackewall neere to Ratcliffe Herevpon hauing brought certeine peeces of artillerie foorth of their ships they planted the same alongst the water side right ouer against the citie and shot off lustilie to annoie thâ—m within so much as was possible But the citizens on the other side lodged their great artillerie against their aduersaries and with violent shot therof so galled them that they durst not abide in anie place alongst the water side but were driuen euen from their owne ordinance Yet the bastard not meaning to leaue anie waie vnassaied that might aduance his purpose appointed a great number line 10 of his retinue to set fire on the bridge so to open the passage and to enter into the citie that way forth and withall he caused aboue thrée thousand other to passe by ships ouer the Thames giuing order that when they were got ouer they should diuide themselues into two battels the one to assault Algate and the other Bishops gate which order accordinglie was executed For they did their best at both places to force the gates not sparing to bend and discharge such guns as they had brought with them against the same nor line 20 ceassing with arrowes to annoie those that there stood at defense whereby much hurt was doone as well at the one place as the other fire being set on both the gates in purpose to haue burnt them vp and so to haue entered The fire which they had kindled on the bridge little auailed them although they burnt there to the number of a thréescore houses For the citizens had laid such péeces of ordinance directlie in their waie that although the passage had béene line 30 wholie open they should haue had hard entering that waie foorth The maior aldermen and other worshipfull citizens were in good arraie and each man appointed and bestowed where was thought néedfull The earle of Essex and manie knights esquiers and gentlemen with their fréends and seruants came to aid the citizens taking great paine to place them in order for defense of the gates and walles and furthermore deuised how and in what sort they might make a sallie foorth vpon the enimies to distresse them and suerlie by the intermingling of line 40 such
by his testament which is peace whereof all goodnesse procéedeth and in place of the same shall haue war wherof foloweth all calamities dangers inconueniences pouerties and miseries Héerewith you shall submit your selfe vnto them whome yée may command and shall hazard the bloud and substance of your subiects in the pursses of strangers Euerie one as for himselfe ought to haue regard thereto and for the short time that we haue here to liue not to go about to depriue himselfe of that tranquillitie ioy good regard and pastime that the princes may haue by peace and by following the warre to be in pouertie heauinesse and hazard of losse of goods honours and liues and that worst is after they haue had euill daies in this world to be in danger of eternall paine in the world to come thorough them that haue béene the cause thereof and that would not yéeld vnto reason The king my souereigne lord is readie to put himselfe for his part in all deuoir and more than so to haue peace and amitie with you and by this means peace shall be procured throughout all christendome whereby men might doo God good seruice in making warre on the Infidels which will be so thankfull to him that it will put off the punishment of faults which haue béene committed héeretofore by reason of the warres which haue too long indured betwéene you two and not yet like to ceasse considering the termes which you hold and séeke to mainteine sith on the one part certeine aduowing themselues on you haue assailed and taken by force the citie of Rome which is the place of the holie and apostolike sée where they haue committed and done all the mischéefe that might be deuised The churches and relikes were prophaned the pope holding saint Peters seat as vicar of God on earth taken and put out of his libertie By means whereof they that haue committed and executed the said execrable deeds and wickednesse with their authors and fautors be fallen and run in paines of right and they that hold them captiues beare themselues on you and he that dooth keepe them hath béene and is of the principall capteins of whome you haue béene serued in your warres in Italie and other parts And on the other side the difference which at this time resteth betweene you and the king my souereigne and naturall lord is principallie vpon the ransome and recouerie of the princes his sonnes which you hold for hostages of the same He hath oftentimes offered and yet dooth offer to paie to you and giue to you not onelie that which may be said to be reasonable and in such cases accustomed but also more largelie You ought not to stand vpon things which by force and constraint he hath promised the which iustlie and honestlie he maie not performe nor accomplish you had a great deale more gained to haue taken the said ransome which was offered vnto you than to continue the warre and to giue occasion of all the euils and inconueniences that dailie happen thereby thorough christendome You sée the king of England with whome he hath brotherlie amitie for euer and also the Uenetians Florentines and duke of Bar and other princes and potentats following and holding the partie of the said christian king for that they sée he yéeldeth to reason and by reason you will not thereto incline the vniuersall peace can not be concluded in christendome The enimies of the faith gaine countries all Italie is in armes bloud and rapine and the apostolicall sée in trouble so that if on your part you séeke not remedie and that things doo thus continue as they haue begun it is to be feared that God will be angrie And for as much sir as to the declarations which the aboue said princes haue offered vnto you and the presentations which the said christian king hath made vnto you you haue refused to giue eare thereby to come to some accord with him and to content your selfe with a ransome more than reasonable also for that you will not render vnto his good brother perpetuall alie and confederat the king of England that which is his set the pope at libertie and leaue Italie in peace and tranquillitie he hath commanded me to declare signifie and notifie vnto you his great gréefe and displeasure with his said good brother the king of England that they will hold and take you for their enimie declaring all maner of treaties and couenants heretofore passed betweene them and you in all that concerneth your profit vtilitie to be nothing and that for his part he will not obserue nor line 10 kéepe the same Naie he hath resolued by all meanes that he may imagine with his good fréends alies confederats with all his forces to indamage you your countries lands and vassals by warre or otherwise in such sort as he maie deuise vntill the time that you haue restored vnto him his children with honest meanes and couenants touching his ransome deliuered the pope rendered vnto the king of England that you hold of him and acquited the summe which line 20 you owe him and suffer his alies and confederats to liue in peace rest and tranquillitie and protesteth before God and all the world that he dooth not wish nor desire the warre but that it wholie displeaseth him and is not therefore the cause of the euill that is or maie come thereof considering that he hath put and will put himselfe vnto all reason as he hath offered and signified vnto you and to all other christian princes and yet dooth And of all this he calleth God who knoweth all line 30 things to witnesse And for that vnder colour of the publication of the pretended tretie of Madrill made he being yet prisoner in Spaine diuerse of your subiects and of them of the king of Englands and of his haue carried their merchandizes and other goods into the kingdomes streicts and seignories the one of the other whereby maie insue great damages if of them no mention should be made in this present declaration and signification my souereigne lord and the said king of England be contented that libertie line 40 be giuen vnto all subiects being in the said kingdomes countries streicts and seigniories to retire and depart from thence with all their goods and merchandizes within fortie daies after this intimation made Prouided that you shall doo the like vnto their subiects in all euerie their merchandizes Giuen the eleuenth daie of Nouember 1527 signed Guien king of armes The emperour after the defiance giuen by Guien line 50 spake in this sort I doo vnderstand that which you haue read from the king your maister I doo much maruell why he dooth defie me for he being my prisoner by right warre and I hauing his faith by reason he can not doo it It is vnto me a noueltie to be defied of him séeing it is six or seuen yeares that he hath warred against me
and yet giuen me no defiance And sith that by the grace of God I haue defended my selfe from him as he hath seene and euerie one line 60 else without that he hath giuen me anie warning or considering the reason and iustification whereon I doo rest my selfe for the which I thinke I haue not otherwise deserued towards God I hope that at this time now you aduertise me of it being aduertised I shall defend my selfe the better in such sort that the king your maister shall doo me no hurt for sith he dooth defie me I am halfe assured And touching that which you spake of the pope none hath béene more sorrowfull than I of that which was doone and it was without my knowledge or commandement and that which hath béene doone was doone by vnrulie people without obedience to anie of my capteins And yet I aduertise you that the pope long since is set at libertie and yesterdaie I had certeine newes of it And touching the sonnes of your maister he knoweth that I haue them for pledges and also my lords his ambassadors know well that the fault hath not lien in me that they haue not béene deliuered And as for that of the king of England my good brother and vncle I beléeue if it be so as you doo say that he is not well informed of things passed and if he were yet could I not saie as your writing conteineth I desire to send him my reasons for to aduertise him of all the truth And I beleeue when he shall know it that he will be vnto me as he hath béene I neuer denied the monie which I borowed of him and I am readie to paie it as by reason right I am bound and thanked be God I haue enough to doo it Neuerthelesse if he will make warre against me it will be to my great displeasure I cannot but defend my selfe I praie to God that he giue me no more occasion than I thinke I haue giuen vnto him And to the rest for that your writing is great and the paper sheweth it selfe to be gentle séeing that they haue written what they would you shall giue me the writing whereby more particularlie I maie answer in another paper wherein shall be nothing but truth This answer being made by his maiestie with his owne mouth vnto Guien king of armes the said Guien tooke his cote of armes that he had on his left arme as before is said and put it on and then Clarenceaux king of armes of England said vnto his maiestie not by writing but by mouth as followeth The English heralds message deliuered by word of mouth SIr the king my souereigne lord hath commanded me to say vnto you that séeing the necessitie of peace in the christian religion as well by reason of the inforcements manie yéers past begun by the great Turke enimie vnto our faith which by force of armes hath taken awaie from the christians the citie and I le of Rhodes one of the principall bulworks of christendome and in Hungarie the fortresse of Belgrad and part of the countrie there as also by heresies and new sects of late risen in diuerse places of christendome and likewise knowing the great warres being kindled in all parts by meanes of which all christendome is in trouble confusion and maruellous diuision and not long since by your people and ministers and souldiers in your armie and vnder your capteins the holie citie of Rome hath béene sacked and robbed the person of our holie father the pope taken prisoner and kept by your people the cardinals likewise taken and put to ransome the churches robbed bishops priests and people of religion put to the sword and so manie other euils cruelties and inhumane facts committed by your people that the aire and the land are infected therewith And it is verie like that God is verrie greatlie stirred and prouoked vnto ire And to speake after the maner of men if by amendment it be not pacified innumerable euils and inconueniences shall happen vnto all christendome And for that the root and increasement of the said warre proceedeth of the contentions and debates betwéene you and the most christened king his good brother and perpetuall alie to make an end of which debates the king my souereigne lord hath sent his ambassadors and others vnto the most christened king his good brother with whome he hath doone so much that for the loue that he hath borne him he hath made vnto you so great offers and so reasonable that you cannot nor ought reasonablie to refuse them as conditions and offers for his ransome excéeding the ransome accustomed of all kings And if in this the consideration of peace had not béene an euill example might thereof grow for other kings and christened princes subiect vnto the like fortune Of which offers and conditions he hath likewise aduertised you by his ambassadours praied and besought you for the honour of God and the wealth of all christendome for the benefits and pleasures that he hath doone vnto you diuerse waies and that in line 10 time of your great néed that it would please you to accept the said offers and make an end of the said warres that haue too long endured Likewise as a christened prince bound to the protection of the pope and sée apostolike and consequentlie to the deliuerance of his holinesse whom you cannot nor ought to kéepe prisoner without great offense that you would restore his holinesse vnto a full and entier libertie Also he hath oftentimes shewed by diuerse obligations line 20 and other meanes how you are indebted vnto him in diuerse great summes of monie that he hath giuen and lent you in your necessitie requiring you to make paiment Of all which things you haue made no account from time to time but deferred it and held in suspense the ambassadours of the king my souereigne without hauing regard to Gods honour and the necessitie of all christendome and the reuerence that ye ought to haue vnto the holie seate and person of our line 30 holie father the pope the vicar of God on earth or vnto the pleasures that you haue receiued of him or vnto your faith and promise that you so oftentimes haue made And for this cause the king my said souereigne by honest reason and iustice constreined by great and ripe deliberation of his councell hoping for a finall conclusion hath caused againe to be presented offers more large and to greater aduantage than the others before to put you in deuoir and to auoid and take awaie all occasion to deferre and dissemble line 40 to come to reason Which offers and the augmenting of the same haue béene made and made againe with all demonstrations and honest resons that haue beene possible And in the end there hath béene made vnto you instance for the deliuerie of our holie father whom you haue restreined or caused to be restreined in place of deliuerie which is very
of the chandrie with seare cloths the yeoman of the skullerie with a pan of fire to heate the irons a chafer of water to coole the ends of the irons and two formes for all officers to set their stuffe on the sergeant of the cellar with wine ale and béere the yeoman of the yewrie in the sergeants stead who was absent with bason ewre and towels Thus euerie man in his office readie to doo the execution there was called foorth sir William Pickering knight marshall to bring in the said Edmund Kneuet and when he was brought to the bar the chiefe iustice declared to him his trespasse and the said Kneuet confessing himselfe to be giltie humblie submitted him to the kings mercie for this offense he was not onelie iudged to lose his hand but also his bodie to remaine in prison and his lands and goods at the kings pleasure Then the said sir Edmund Kneuet desired that the king of his benigne grace would pardon him of his right hand and take the left for quoth he if my right hand be spared I maie hereafter doo such good seruice to his grace as shall please him to appoint Of this submission and request the iustices foorthwith informed the king who of his goodnesse considering the gentle heart of the said Edmund and the good report of the lords granted him his pardon that he should lose neither hand lands nor goods but should go frée at libertie The lord Leonard Greie being indicted of certeine points of treason by him committed as was alledged against him during the season that he was the kings lieutenant in Ireland to wit for deliuering his nephew Girald Fitzgerard brother vnto Thomas Fitzgerard before executed and also for that he caused certeine Irishmen to inuade the lands of the kings friends whome he fauoured not on the fiue and twentith of Iune he was arreigned at Westminster in the kings bench and appointed to be tried by knights because he was a lord by name and no lord of the parlement but he discharged the iurie and confessed the indictement wherevpon he had iudgement and on the eight and twentith of Iune being saint Peters euen he was beheaded at tower hill where he ended his life verie quietlie and godlie This noble man as he was come of high linage so was he a right valiant and hardie personage hauing in his time doone his prince and countrie good seruice both in Ireland France and other places greatlie to his commendation although now his hap was thus to loose his head as conuicted by law and his renowme ouercast with a cloud of disgrace vanished as future chances befell to the abolishing of the present honor which sometime he inioied Howbeit his estimation he might haue preserued vnblemished had prouident circumspection vndertaken the direction of his dooings and that he had borne his eies in his forehead to foresee all afterclaps which a wise man will in no case neglect line 10 Nam sapiens in fronte oculos habet omnia spectans Omnia prudenti cum ratione videns The same daie that he suffered there was executed at saint Thomas Waterings thrée gentlemen Iohn Mantell Iohn Frowds and george Roidon they died for a murther committed in Sussex as their indictement imported in companie of Thomas Fines lord Dacres of the south The truth whereof was thus The said lord Dacres through the lewd persuasion of some of them as hath béene reported line 20 meaning to hunt in the parke of Nicholas Pelham esquire at Laughton in the same countie of Sussex being accompanied with the said Mantell Frowds and Roidon Iohn Cheinie and Thomas Isleie gentlemen Richard Middleton and Iohn Goldwell yeomen passed from his house of Hurstmonseux the last of Aprill in the night season toward the same parke where they intended so to hunt and comming vnto a place called Pikehaie in the parish of Hillingleie they found one Iohn Busbrig Iames Busbrig and Richard Sumner standing togither and line 30 as it fell out through quarelling there insued a fraie betwixt the said lord Dacres and his companie on the one partie and the said Iohn and Iames Busbrig and Richard Sumner on the other insomuch that the said Iohn Busbrig receiued such hurt that he died thereof the second of Maie next insuing Wherevpon as well the said lord Dacres as those that were there with him and diuerse other likewise that were appointed to go an other waie to méet line 40 them at the said parke were indicted of murther and the seauen and twentith of Iune the lord Dacres himselfe was arreigned before the lord Audleie of Walden then lord chancellor sitting that daie as high steward of England with other péeces of the realme about him who then and there condemned the said lord Dacres to die for that transgression And afterward the nine and twentith of Iune being saint Peters daie at eleuen of the clocke in the forenoone the shiriffs of London accordinglie as they line 50 were appointed were readie at the tower to haue receiued the said prisoner and him to haue lead to execution on the tower hill But as the prisoner should come forth of the tower one Heire a gentleman of the lord chancellors house came and in the kings name commanded to staie the execution till two of the clocke in the afternoone which caused manie to thinke that the king would haue granted his pardon But neuerthelesse at three of the clocke in the same afternoone he was brought forth of the tower line 60 and deliuered to the shiriffs who lead him on foot betwixt them vnto Tiburne where he died His bodie was buried in the church of saint Sepulchers He was not past foure and twentie yéeres of age when he came through this great mishap to his end for whome manie sore lamented and likewise for the other thrée gentlemen Mantell Frowds and Roidon But for the sad yoong lord being a right towardlie gentleman and such a one as manie had conceiued great hope of better proofe no small mone and lamentation was made the more indéed for that it was thought he was induced to attempt such follie which occasioned his death by some light heads that were then about him The first of Iulie a Welshman a minstrell was hanged and quartered for singing of songs which were interpreted to be prophesies against the king This summer the king tooke his progresse to Yorke and passed through Lincolneshire where was made to him an humble submission by the temporaltie and confessing their faults they humblie thanked him for his pardon which he had granted them The towne of Stanford gaue to him twentie pounds the citie of Lincoln fortie pounds Boston fiftie pounds that part of the shire which is called Linscie gaue thrée hundred pounds and Kesterne and the church of Lincolne presented him with fiftie pounds At his entring into Yorkeshire he was met with two hundred gentlemen of the same shire in cotes of veluet and foure
disordered persons which stirred in other parts of the realme would haue ioined with them by force to haue disappointed and vndoone that which the prince by law and act of parlement in reformation of religion had ordeined and established But afterwards perceiuing how in most places such mischeefous mutinies and diuelish attempts as the commons had begun partlie by force and partlie by policie were appeased or that their cause being but onelie about plucking downe of inclosures and inlarging of commons was diuided from theirs so that either they would not or could not ioine with them in aid of their religious quarrell they began somewhat to doubt of their wicked begun enterprise Notwithstanding now sith they had gone so farre in the matter they thought there was no shrinking backe and therefore determining to proceed they fell to new deuises as first before all things to bring into their hands all such places of force wealth and defense as might in anie respect serue for their aid and furtherance Herevpon the second of Iulie they came before the citie of Excester incamping about the same in great numbers and vsed all waies and meanes they could deuise how to win it by force sometimes assaulting it right sharplie sometimes firing the gates otherwhiles vndermining the wals and at other times as occasions serued procuring skirmishes Finallie nothing was left vndoone which the enimie could imagine to serue his purpose for the winning of that citie And albeit there wanted not lustie stomachs among the citizens to withstand this outward force of the enimie yet in processe of time such scarsitie of bread and vittels increased that the people waxed weari◠loth to abide such extremitie of famine Howbeit the magistrats though it gréeued them to sée the multitude of the citizens in such distresse yet hauing a speciall regard of their dutie toward the prince and loue to the common-wealth left no waies vnsought to quiet the people staie them in their dutifull obedience to resist the enimies so that comforting the people with faire promises and reléeuing their necessities verie liberallie so farre as their power might extend did in such sort vse the matter that euerie of them within resolued with one generall consent to abide the end in hope of some spéedie reléefe And in the meane while when their corne and meale was consumed the gouernors of the citie caused bran and meale to be moulded vp in cloth for otherwise it would not sticke togither Also they caused some excursions to be made out of the citie to take and fetch into the citie such cattell as were found pasturing abroad néere to the wals which being brought in were distributed among the poore To conclude into such extremitie were the miserable citizens brought that albeit mans nature can scarselie abide to féed vpon anie vnaccustomed food yet these sillie men were glad to eat horsse flesh line 10 and to hold themselues well content therewith Whilest the siege thus remained before Excester the rebels spoiled and robbed the countrie abroad and laieng their traitorous heads togither they consulted vpon certeine articles to be sent vp to the king But herein such diuersitie of heads and wits was among them that for euerie kind of braine there was one maner of article so that neither appeared anie consent in their diuersitie nor yet anie constancie in their agréement Some séemed more tollerable others altogither vnreasonable some would haue no line 20 iustices some no state of gentlemen The priests euer harped vpon one string to ring the bishop of Rome into England againe and to hallow home cardinall Poole their countriman After much a doo at length a few articles were agréed vpon to be directed vnto the king with the names of certeine of their heads set therevnto the copie whereof here insueth The articles of the commons of Deuonshire and Cornewall sent to the king with answers afterward following vnto the same FIrst forsomuch as man except he be borne of water and the Holie-ghost can not enter into the kingdome of God and forsomuch as the gates of heauen be not line 40 open without this blessed sacrament of baptisme therefore we will that our curats shall minister this sacrament at all times of need as well on the wéeke daies as on the holie daies 2 Item we will haue our children confirmed of the bishop whensoeuer we shall within the diocesse resort vnto him 3 Item forsomuch as we constantlie beléeue that after the priest hath spoken the words of consecration being at masse there celebrating and consecrating the same there is verie reallie the bodie and line 50 bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ God and man and that no substance of bread and wine remaineth after but the verie selfe same bodie that was borne of the virgin Marie and was giuen vpon the crosse for our redemption therefore we will haue masse celebrated as it hath beene in times past without anie man communicating with the priests forsomuch as manie rudelie presuming vnworthilie to receiue the same put no difference betweene the Lords bodie other kind of meat some saieng that it is bread before line 60 and after some saieng that it is profitable to no man except he receiue it with manie other abused termes 4 Item we will haue in our churches reseruation 5 Item we will haue holie bread and holie water in the remembrance of Christs pretious bodie and bloud 6 Item we will that our priests shall sing or saie with an audible voice Gods seruice in the quier of the parish churches and not Gods seruice to be set foorth like a Christmasse plaie 7 Item forsomuch as priests be men dedicated to God for ministring and celebrating the blessed sacraments and preaching of Gods word we will that they shall liue chast without marriage as saint Paule did being the elect and chosen vessell of God saieng vnto all honest priests Be you followers of me Item we will that the six articles which our souereigne lord king Henrie the eight set forth in his latter daies shall be vsed and so taken as they were at that time 9 Item we praie God saue king Edward for we be his both bodie and goods For the pacifieng of these rebels were appointed by the king and his councell sir Iohn Russell knight lord priuie seale the lord Greie of Wilton sir William Herbert after earle of Penbroke sir Iohn Paulet sir Hugh Paulet sir Thomas Speake and others with a conuenient power of men of warre both on horssebacke and foot Amongst others there were certeine strangers that came with my lord Greie as capteine Germane an Hennower with a band of horssemen most part Albanoises and Italians Also capteine Paule Baptist Spinola an Italian borne of a noble house in Genoa with a band of Italian footmen But now the lord priuie seale that was ordeined by the king and his councell generall of that armie vpon his first
potiti cuncta immutârunt line 50 pro tropheis habentes locis à se deuictis noua imponere nomina The Saxons therfore as of all other cities townes few excepted so of this also they changed and altered the old names and called it Monketon and by which name it was so called by the space of three hundred and od yéeres and vntill the time of king Athelstane for he about the yéere of our Lord nine hundred thirtie and two being much gréeued and vnquieted with the rebellion of the Cornish people because they refused and denied to acknowledge line 60 him for their lawfull king did bend his force conduct his armie against them And hauing subdued and preuailed ouer them he returned to this citie and while he rested here he repared the same and the walles which before were but mightie ditches of earth and the banks set with great poles of timber now destroied he builded all of square stone as it is recorded Hanc vrbem primus Athelstanus in potestatem Anglorum fugatis Britonibus reductam turribus muniuit mâ—raex quadratis lapidibus randem cinxit And then he altered and changed the former names and called it after the name of the riuer Esseterra or Exeterra that is to saie Exeter For so is it written Est Exonia viâ—â— Deuoniae comitatus â—eco praecelso ad occidentem versus posita abluâ—túrque flumine Exi à quo nomen habet Others name it of the riuer â—â—oting by it which they saie is named Excestrum thus they write Clarissima vrbium est Excestria quae ab amni Excestro qui eandem praeterfluit est sic nuncupata I find it also written in an old chronicle that it is named Exancestria or Exancestâ—e which shuld seeme to be so called by the Saxons For the most part of the cities townes forts which they builded or reedified did end in cestre as Glocestre Lecestre Manchestre Winchestre Oscestre Worcestre Colchestre Cicestre Ilcestre Bicestre this citie of Excestre with others For Caire in British Cestre in Saxonish are one thing doo signifie in English a fort towre or castell This citie as is before said being walled about with stone by king Athelstane is not altogither foure square but declineth somewhat toward a roundnesse and conteineth in circuit or compasse sixteene hundred whole pases after fiue foot to a pase which accounting after the Italian maner one thousand pases to a mile it is a mile and halfe about somewhat more The situation of this citie is verie pleasant and delicate being set vpon a little hill among manie hilles For the whole countrie round about is mounteinous and full of hilles It is pendent towards the south and west parts after and in such sort that be the streets neuer so foule or filthie yet with a shoure of raine they are clensed and made sweet And albeit hilles are commonlie drie yet nature is so beneficiall to this litle hill that it is in euerie quarter full of water springs by that meanes the whole citie is throughlie furnished with wels and tirpits the great good benefit and commoditie whereof hath well appéered in sundrie times of necessitie and especiallie in the time of the late commotion which was in the yeere of our Lord 1549. For albeit the enimie by breking and spoiling of the pipes or canales whereby water was conueied to the founteins of the citie from certeine springs distant not a mile from the same did abridge them of that water yet most comfortablie they did inioy without impeachment the wels and tirpits within the walles which abundantlie floted with waters to the satisfieng of all people therein There are also within this citie certeine founteins or conduits wherevnto through certeine canales or pipes of lead the waters from certeine springs rising in the fields not far from the citie are brought and conueied And these waters are of most price because by the carriage thereof they are purified and made lighter than are the other waters springing within the citie and by that means more meet for dressing of meats Of these conduits two are speciall the one of them standeth and is within the cemiterie or churchyard of the cathedrall church of the said citie and is called saint Peters conduit the other being of great antiquitie standeth in the middle of the citie at the méeting of foure principall streets of the same and whereof somâ—times it tooke his name being called the conduit at Quatrefois or Carfox but now the great conduit At the higher end of this citie is a verie old and ancient castell named Rugemont that is to saie the red hill taking that name of the red soile or earth wherevpon it is situated The site or situation of it is eminent and aboue both the citie and countrie adioining for they doo all lie as it were vnder the lée thereof It hath a goodlie and pleasant prospect towards the seas for betweene that and it is no hill at all It is stronglie ditched round about and was first builded as some thinke by Iulius Cesar but rather and in truth by the Romans after him when they had their recourse to it for their defense refuge and abode manie yeares The same was sometimes the palace of such kings as vnto whome the kingdome of Westsex or Westsaxons was allotted vnto and after them it was the habitation of the earles of Cornewall and last of all of the dukes of Excester It was alwaies parcell and of the inheritance of the earledome but now of the duchie of Cornewall it is in great ruine and decaie and not easilie to be gotten with force if it were reedified and inuironed At the lower end and part of this citie without the wals floteth a goodlie and a pleasant riuer which the Britons called Isk Ptolomeus by misinformation line 10 nameth it Isaca but the other old writers named it Esse Exe Exa or Excestrum and these names be reteined at these presents It hath his head or spring in a certeine moore or desert distant from the citie néere about foure and twentie miles called Exmoore It floweth into the maine seas about eight miles from the citie at a place named Exmouth and by the waie it is increased with sundrie riuers brooks lakes the chiefe of which are Créedie and Collome It is well stored and is plentifull of samon front line 20 peale dace pike and other like freshwater fishes which albeit they be verie good and delicate and especiallie the samon and pike yet they are the lesse estéemed bicause the seas being so néere doâ— furnish the citie countrie verie abundantlie with sundrie kinds of sea fishes most delicate The maine seas are not distant from the citie aboue eight miles out of which commeth an arme seruing for the port of the same which as dooth appeare by certeine old and ancient
preuaile against Edwin and therefore as one giuing ouer all saileth ouer the seas into Armorica now called little Britaine vnto Salomon the king thereof and vnto him dooth disclose his miserable estate and fortune as also greatlie complaineth of Pellitus and of his sorceries When these two kings had throughlie consulted and debated the matter it was at length concluded and thought best that some one man being bold and wittie should be sent ouer to the court of king Edwin to giue the aduenture to kill Pellitus Wherevpon the matter being discouered to Brienus nephue to king Cadwallo he taketh vpon him to enterprise the matter and to couer himselfe from all suspicion apparelleth himselfe in a poore beggers wéed and so saileth ouer into England and trauelleth foorthwith towards king Edwins court who then laie at Yorke and there ioineth and accompanieth himselfe among the poore people whose custome and maner was to lie about the kings gates at dinner and supper times waiting for the almesse vsuallie giuen and woont to be distributed amongst the poore line 10 Pellitus being the kings almoner and hauing the charge to distribute the said almesse commeth foorth and setteth the poore folke in order Brienus being there and amongst them watcheth his time to worke his purpose and thrusting himselfe in the middle of the presse of the people suddenlie with his poinado or weapon which for the purpose he had prepared thrusteth Pellitus into the bodie gaue him a deadlie wound whereof he died and forthwith the thing in such a thrust not perceiued shifteth himselfe line 20 awaie priuilie and through woods hils thickets and dales out of the common waie commeth to this citie of Excester declareth vnto the citizens who were then Britons what he had doone whereof they were verie glad and ioifull and in good hope that their king Cadwallo should yet againe returne and therefore vpon good aduise doo prepare and make readie both themselues and the citie aswell for the resisting of the enimie as for the receiuing succouring and aiding of their king line 30 King Penda aduertised of this murther and vnderstanding the whole course of the matter and practise taketh in griefe the iniurie thus doone to his neighbor and countriman king Edwin And therefore to reuenge the same mustereth his subiects and gathereth a great armie and vnderstanding that Brienus was come to this citie marcheth towards the same and in the end laieth his siege round about it minding the vtter subuersion thereof But the citizens manfullie withstanding his force did defend line 40 and kéepe both themselues and their citie vntill that king Cadwallo who before was aduertised both of the fact of Brienus and of this preparation of Penda did with his force and armie come to the citie who did not onelie rescue the same but also ioining the battell with his enimie gaue him the ouerthrow and so deliuered his countrie and recouered himselfe and his kingdome It was also in greater troubles in the time of line 3 king Alured or Alfred the fourth sonne to king Ethelwolphus line 50 For Polydorus and others doo write that in the fift yeare of the said kings reigne the Danes concluded a peace with the said king and gaue hostages for the true kéeping thereof And yet notwithstanding most perfidiouslie and falselie contrarie to the same they assembled themselues and vpon a sudden marched to this citie and perforce entered and tooke the same Daci etenim qui religionem fidem pro suo commodo postponendam ducebant Londino se mouent maximis itineribus Exoniam proficiscuntur vrbéinque per vim capiunt But long they inioied not the line 60 same for after that winter passed the king to be reuenged marcheth with a great power to this citie which the Danes vnderstanding and thinking themselues too weake to withstand the K. as also vtterlie distrusting the citizens shifted themselues awaie of which some fled vnto Dartmouth and there tooke shipping and who for the most part were drowned in a tempest at the seas Some fled to Chipenham or as some saie to Bristow but the king followed and pursued these so sharplie that he neuer left nor gaue ouer vntill he had ouercome and slaine the capteins Hubbert and Hungar. line 4 Likewise in the nineteenth yeare of the reigne of the said king the Danes contrarie to their faith pledges and promises did againe come to this citie and laid siege to the same Danorum exercitus anno 877 ab Wareham nocte quadam foedere dirupto ad Exeancestre quod Britannice dicetur Caieriske diuerterunt at audito regis aduentuâ—â—d puppes fugerunt in mari praedantes manebant It was also besieged by the said Danes in the line 5 ninetéenth yeere of king Egelred in the yeere of our Lord 1001. For the Danes which were in Normandie being aduertised of the good lucke successe and great spoiles which their companions and countriemen in England had and their teeth set on edge therewith suddenlie prepared shipping and came ouer the coasts and landed in Deuon and forthwith marched and tooke their course towards the citie of Excester thinking to haue found the citizens napping to haue taken them suddenlie and vnawares Sed ciuibus viriliter resistentibus recesserunt The people coÌ„mons of Deuon Cornewall Summerset Dorset aduertised hereof assembled themselues minding to rescue the citie as also to incounter aduenture the field with the Danes met with them at a place néere the citie called Pinneho and ioined battell with them betwéene whome the fight was cruell and the slaughter great And thus dooth Houeden testifie whose words be these Memoratus paganorum exercitus de Normannia in Angliam reuectus ostium fluuij Exe ingreditur mox ad extinguendam vrbem Exeancestre egreditur sed dum murum illius destruere moliretur at ciuibus vrbem viriliter defendentibus repellitur vnde nimis exasperatus more solito villas succendendo agros depopulando hominésque caedendo per Domnoniam vagatur quare Domnonenses invnum congregati in loco qui dicitur Pinho certamen cum eis ineunt King Sweno being in Denmarke and aduertised hereof as also giuen to vnderstand how king Elfreâ— alià s Etheldred or Egelred had caused all the Danes in the realme to be suddenlie slaine in one night being much gréeued therewith did prepare and prouide a great armie for the reuenge thereof And in the yeare of our Lord 1002 he landed in sundrie and diuerse parts of this realme vsing great hostilitie and making great spoiles and brought the whole land to an vnspeakeable miserie and distresse but at length receiuing a tribute for a peace he returned home into his owne countrie Howbeit the citizens of Excester hearing of this crueltie vsed in the east parts made themselues strong and doubting of so mightie an enimie did make themselues readie and prepared the citie to withstand him if he should haue
attempted anie force or hostilitie against them But the Dane being gone and returned home and knowing nothing of this preparation one Hugh then earle of Deuon as princes lacke no fawners sent his letters into Denmarke to king Sweno certifieng him both of the state and wealth of this citie as also of the great preparation which had bene made to withstand him persuading him not to susteine such an iniurie And as coles will be soone kindled euen so the Dane vpon this aduertisement was in a great heat and foorthwith arreareth his armie and repareth all things in readinesse to crosse the seas anew to worke his will against this citie And accordinglie when time serued in the yeare following line 6 being the yeare of our Lord 1003 he tooke the seas and landed vpon the coasts of Deuon and Cornewall and marched foorthwith to this citie and laid his siege against the same in the beginning of the moneth of August and continued the same vntill the kalends of September during which time were sundrie sharpe fierce and cruell assaults giuen by the Dane and as valiantlie resisted by the citizens But in continuance of time when they saw themselues dailie more and more to be weakened vittels to saile the fire round about them their walles beaten downe themselues slaughtered and murthered and the enimie to increase and be strong and in all these distresses their king Eldred being fled into Normandie to haue no care of them nor to prepare anie rescue aid or helpe for them it was not to be maruelled if in so heauie a distresse they were amazed and astonished And yet considering with themselues that Sweno was a Dane a cruell enimie a line 10 bloudie murtherer an vsurping tyrant hauing no other title to the crowne of England but the sword did with one consent agrée and conclude neuer to yéeld nor giue ouer whilest anie were left liuing able to withstand the same wishing rather to die manfullie for their common wealth than to liue in reproch and infamie and by death to reape an immortall fame than by life to become ignominious infamous and in the end also to be the miserable slaues of a cruell and vsurping tyrant line 20 Whâ—n therefore after manie assaults all or the most part of the ablest men were spent and consumed and none or few left aliue to withstand so mightie and so manie enimies the Dane on the seuen and twentith daie of August with force entered the citie And after that he had serued and satisfied his bloudie appetits in deflowring the women murthering the children and making hauocke of all the people hée spoiled the citie burned the houses rased the walles bet downe the temples and left nothing to be doone line 30 which might by fire sword and spoiles be consumed and this is so witnessed by sundrie writers Reinulph of Chester writeth thus Daci cum suo rege Sweno Excestriam venerunt vrbem funditùs destruxerunt nullare incolumi relicta quae aut serro aut igni vastari poterat omnia spolia cineribus tantùm relictis secum deportauerunt Huntington hath these words Daci ir a exarserunt sicut ignis quem velit aliquis sanguine extinguere aduolantes igitur quasi multitudo locustarum quidam Excestriam venerunt vrbem funditùs destruxerunt omnia spolia cineribus tantùm line 40 relictis secum deportauerunt Houeden thus saith Rex Danorum Sweni periurium proditionem Normannici comitis quem Emma Domnaniae praefecerat ciuitatem Exon infregit spoliauit murum ab orientali vsque ad occidentalem portam destruxit cum ingenti line 7 praeda naues repetijt It was also besieged by William the Conquerour in the first yeare of his reigne Anno 1068. For when he first entered this land and by dint of sword sought the conquest thereof the citizens of this citie and the noble and gentlemen of line 50 all the countrie about entered into one common league conclusion and promise to ioine togither and to withstand the enimie to the vttermost And this confederacie being confirmed by a publike oth preparation on all parts was made accordinglie for the accomplishing of the same But the conquerour hauing preuailed and subdued in a maner the whole land was aduertised that this citie stood vpon their gard and would not yéeld nor submit themselues vnto him Wherevpon he sent his armie from London line 60 and besieged the same and perceiuing the siege to continue marched and came himselfe vnto the same but rather came no further than Salisburie In the meane time the citizens were aduertised how the whole realme had yeelded and seeing also how their confederats did dailie shrinke awaie from them and by that meanes they to grow weaker weaker and therefore the lesse able to withstand so great a force and to keepe out so puissant an armie as was round about them and considering also that small mercie or fauor should they find if the citie by force were taken did by way of intreatie offer submission and desire peace which in the end they obteined and so paâ—eng a grieuous fine they and the citie were restored But yet in token of his conquest the king altered and changed the gates of the castell and tooke an oth of all the citizens to be his liege and true subiects Houeden in his historie maketh mention that Githa king Harolds mother should be within this citie during the time that this siege and assault lasted and perceiuing the bent of the people to submit and yeeld themselues secretlie conueied hirselfe awaie For these be his words Hyeme minuente reâ— Wilhelmus de Normannia in Angliam redijt Anglis importabile tributum imposuit deinde in Dunmoniam hostiliter profectus est ad ciuitatem Excestriam quam ciues nonnulli Anglici ministri contra illum retinebant obsedit inâ—â—egit Githa verò comitissa mater scilicet Haroldi regis Anglorum soror Swani regis Danorum cum multis de ciuitate fugiens euasit Flandriam petijt ciues autem dextris acceptis regi se dederunt Also in the second yeare of king Stephan Anno 1137 the lords and péeres of the realme remembring the oth which they had before made to king Henrie the first to whom they sware line 8 to be true to Mawd the kings onelie daughter and heire and to hir heires and yet contrarie to the same had sworne themselues to king Stephan began to repent themselues consulted how to restore Mawd the empresse and to expell Stephan Wherefore they assembled themselues in armor diuided themselues into sundrie cities townes and castels Among whom one Baldwin Rideuers then erle of Deuon with force entered and tooke this citie But the king so sharpelie followed and pursued him that he draue him from hence into the I le of Wight which was then his lordship But the king when he had receiued the
further in their attempts so that the king and the councell would not alter the religion but suffer it to remaine and tarie in the same state as king Henrie the eight left it vntill the king himselfe came to his full age Sir Peter Carew and all the residue nothing liking this answer being farre from their expectation were for the time in a great dumpe or studie but in the end misliked and discommended both the matter and the maner of their dealings insomuch that sir Peter Carew and sir Péerce Courtneie then shiriffe of Deuon openlie sharpelie and in plaine termes inueied against them for their slender or rather sinister dealings in so weightie a cause wherein they all ought rather to haue vsed all meanes to haue suppressed their outrages than to haue mainteined their follies and therefore as there was a blame in them so was there a plaine rebellion in the other But though the two knights would haue excused the matter and haue purged their sinceritie herein yet on ech side words were so multiplied that they brake asunder without anie further dealings and euerie man shifted for himselfe some one waie some an other waie The commons vnderstanding hereof stop all the high waies casting great trenches and laieng great trées ouerthwart the same and doo watch ward the same and by that meanes sundrie gentlemen suspecting no such matter and making waie to their appointed places were intrapped taken and put in prison and manie of them kept in durance during the whole time of the commotion abode great hardnesse and were in perill of life and limme manie were taken bicause they would be taken found fauour manie forsaking their houses and home were driuen to sequester and hide themselues in woods secret places In the citie none or verie few remained or taried sauing six or seuen persons then knowne of for by conference had before with the maior it was knowne that the citie was vnprouided of sufficient vittels méet for such a companie as the foresaid gentlemen were The gentlemen which taried and remained in the citie namelie sir Roger Blewet knight Iohn Beauchampe Bartholomew Fortescute Iohn Courtneie Iohn Peter customer esquiers and others did verie good seruice as well in their persons as in their good aduises and counsels sauing such as secretlie kept themselues close in certeine houses then vnknowne Sir Peter Carew verie earlie in the next morning tooke his horsse and the high waies being then not stopped he escaped and rode vnto George Henton a place of sir Hugh Paulets in Summersetshire where was the lord Russell being then newlie come from London and vnto him he gaue to vnderstand how all things had passed who foorthwith dispatched and sent him awaie to the king and councell to aduertise them of the same The king at the first hearing of the matter was verie much grieued in great perplexitie in two respects the one bicause at this instant the like tumults and rebellions though for an other cause were now raised and begun in other places the other was bicause he was inforced to leaue and giue ouer the appointed attempt for the conquest of Scotland and to imploie now those soldiors and strangers whome he had reteined for that seruice for the quenching of this fire kindled at home Neuerthelesse minding to follow the first and to appease the last he sent verie courteous letters gratious proclamations and manie mercifull offers vnto all the commons of these parties to haue pacified and satisfied them if they had had so much grace so to haue accepted it The commons being now entered in their follies and hauing driuen the gentlemen to the flight doo openlie shew themselues traitors rebels and therefore assembling themselues doo appoint out capteins to direct order both themselues and all their procéedings and as the common prouerbe is Like lips like lettice as is their cause so are the rulers the one being not so bold and euill as they wicked or woorse The capteins then are these Underhill a tailor Maunder a shoomaker Seager a labourer and Aâ—sheredge a fishdriuer with sundrie other such like the woorst men and the reffuse of all others thought most méet in this seruice Howbeit it was not long before that certeine gentlemen and yeomen of good countenance and credit both in Deuon and Cornewall were contented not onelie to be associats of this rebellion but also to carrie the crosse before this procession and to be capteins and guiders of this wicked enterprise as namelie in Deuon sir Thomas Pomeroie knight Iohn Burie and one Coffin gentlemen in Cornewall Humfrie Arundell and Winneslade esquiers Holmes a yeoman with sundrie others who for the most part were in the end executed and put to death and their facts to the memoriall of their perpetuall infamie line 10 recorded in chronicles The principall chiefe capteins in Deuon being fullie resolued by their owne power and authoritie to mainteine continue the religion according to the Romish church vtterlie to impugne the reformatision therof established by act of parlement to support the authoritie of the idoll of Rome whome they neuer saw in contempt of their true and lawfull king whome they knew and ought to obeie these I saie sent their messengers vnto the maior of this citie line 20 whose name was Iohn Blackaller to mooue and praie him to ioine with them they thinking that they hauing by these meanes the libertie to haue frée accesse to and from the citie and the helpe of the citizens should not want monie or armor or anie thing else to serue their turne the maior foorthwith aduertised vnto his brethren this motion And albeit some and the chiefest of them did like were well affected to the Romish religion yet respecting their dutie to God their obedience to the king their fidelitie to their countrie and safetie of themselues gaue their line 30 full resolute and direct answer that they would not ioine nor deale with them at all This answer was nothing liked and therefore sent they their second messenger requiring and commanding them to mainteine the old catholike religion with them and to doo as they did or else they would besiege them and perforce compell them thervnto The maior and his brethren returned their former answer adding moreouer that they in their dooings line 40 were wicked bad men they did would repute them for enimies and rebels against God their king and countrie and so renounced them The one side therefore as they prepare to besiege the citie and to worke all the extremities they can by force to take that which by words they can not obteine so on the other side the maior and his brethren vpon good aduise garded and watched the citie with sufficient men armed both by daie and by night The rebels according to their determination relieng themselues line 50 vpon a vaine hope
thinking that notwithstanding the answer before made yet because the most part of the citizens were of their opinions and of the like affections in religion would not resist them as also that they had manie friends within the citie more readie to ioine with them than to follow the maior if they might haue the choise what to doo they came being in number about two thousand persons to the citie vpon the second of Iulie 1â—49 first making proclamation that if the citie would not yeeld line 60 and ioine with them they would enter with force and take the spoile of it so then they vpon the deniall compassed the same round about and gained vnto them at the first all the suburbs And hereof they conceiued such a vaine hope to haue their full desire vpon the citie that not onelie the number in hope did dailie more more increase but also manie of them brought their wiues horsses and pâ—niers persuading themselues and promising them by such a daie and vpon such a daie to enter into the citie and then to measure veluets and silks by the bow and to lade their horsses home with plate monie and other great riches The maior and his brethren forecasting the perils which might in such a case insue doo prouide all things necessarie and méet wherewith to defend themselues and to annoie the enimie The citie therefore is viewed for armor men are mustered soldiers are reteined capteins in euerie ward appointed warders for the daie and watchmen for the night assigned great péeces of ordinance laid in euerie gate and placed in all conuenient places of the wals mounts in sundrie places erected as well for laieng of ordinance as for sauing of the soldiers watchmen from the enimies shot and nothing was left vndoone which in anie respect that present state and necessitie required The rebels likewise intrench the high waies plash downe trées breake downe bridges kéepe watches and wards in euerie place so that no man could passe to or from the citie without their sufferance The markets are stopped vittels are kept from it and all dealings and intercourses shut and cut off and hauing as they bragged penned and shut vp the townesmen in a coope or mew they plant their ordinance against euerie gate and in all other such places as best to serue their turne and to hurt them within they burnt the gates they brake vp the pipes and conduits aswell for the taking awaie of the water comming to the citie as also to haue the led to serue for their shot and pellets But for the burning of the gates there followed rather a benefit than a hurt thereof for foorthwith there were made certeine rampiers within the gate which were farre stronger and of more defense than the gates as also there were fiers continuallie kept euerie night betwéene the rampiers and the gates and as for water the citie so standeth vpon a little hill that it is full of springs in euerie quarter within the same and by that means full and plentifull of euerie good and swéet waters Also they in sundrie places did vndermine the wals minding thereby with gunpowder and with other matters fit for fier to haue blowne vp the wals and so to haue entered in that waie but herein they were also preuented by this means and in this maner The citie it selfe as is before said is set vpon a little hill and lieth verie stéeping towards two of the gates And at one of these named the west gate the said rebels had vndermined on the one side and filled the place with certeine barels of powder pitch and other stuffe méet and apt to receiue fier and had appointed the night when the same should be set on fier and so to haue blowne the wals vp At the same time there was a certeine tinner in the citie whose dwelling was at Teingemouth named Iohn Newcombe who depended much vpon the goodwill and fréendship of maister William Hurst one of the aldermen of the citie and he vnderstanding of such an vndermining to be in working aduertised the same to maister Hurst and maketh him priuie how he would preuent the same which was doone in this maner For whereas he by a noise vnder the ground did suspect the vndermining to be in working he tooke a pan of water did put the same on the ground by shaking of the water in the pan he by remoouing the pan from place to place came at length to the verie place whereas the miners were working and foorthwith he countermined against the same and wrought so néere vnto it vntill that he might and did sée looke into it That â—oone he caused all the wals and tirpits in the citie towards euerie stréet hauing a fall that waie to be drawne at one time and euerie man to fill therewith a great tub of water at his foredoore which being 〈◊〉 he caused them all at one instant to be cast out and emptied which water running in great abundance towards the said west gate was conueied into the place countermined so entered and drowned the place which before was mined at which time also by the goodnesse of God there fell a great showre as the like for the time had not beene séene manie years before and which at that instant greatlie serued this turne The rebels perceiuing themselues disappointed of their purpose gaue ouer to deale anie further in those attempts howbeit otherwise they left nothing vndoone which might be to annoie the citizens For sometimes they made alarums as though they with all might and maine would haue giuen the line 10 scale and indeed they had prouided ladders for the same purpose Sometimes they by policies would séeke to come to the gates to burne them and herein they vsed this stratagem They prouided carts laden with old haie driuing the whéeles before them would come to the gate without danger and so set fier in the gate But notwithstanding they escaped not scotfrée for both at the west gate and at the south-gate their commings being perceiued the great port péeces were charged with great bags of flint-stones line 20 and haileshot and as they were approching vnto the gates the gates were secretlie opened and the said port péeces discharged and so they were spoiled diuerse of them by that means they had small pleasure to follow those deuises as also the citizens to preuent the same did from thensefoorth kéepe the gates open Likewise they would kéepe themselues close in sundrie houses in the suburbs neere the wals and would so watch the garrets that if anie within the citie would looke out at the garrets was line 30 in the danger of their shot and some thereby were killed and manie hurt Upon which occasion the citizens set some part of the suburbs on fier and some part which was next to the wals they beat and brake downe and so draue the rebels out
ouercomed there befell and happened a third one which excéeded all the rest and where of the greatest danger and perill was feared and this was famine or penurie which of all other turmoils and perils is most dangerous no other plague to be compared to it For no force is feared no lawes obserued no magistrate obeied nor common societie estéemed where famine ruleth For as the poet saith Nescit plebs ieiuna timere The store of vittels within the citie for want of prouision in due time and by reason of the restreint of the markets vpon a sudden was verie slender and small and the same in verie short time spent and consumed And albeit there were good store of drie line 10 fish rise prunes rasins and wine at verie reasonable prices yet bread which as the prophet saith Confirmat cor hminis Strengtheneth mans hart that wanted neither was anie to be had And in this extremitie the bakers and housholders were driuen to séeke vp their old store of puffins and bran wherewith they in times past were woont to make horssebread and to feed their swine and poultrie and this they moulded vp in clothes for otherwise it would not hold togither and so did bake it vp and the people well contented line 20 therewith For as Plutarch writeth Fames reddit omnia dulcia nihÃlque contemnit esuriens Hunger maketh all things swéet and the hungrie bellie shunneth nothing But when this also was spent and nothing now left and the common people being not acquainted with so hard a diet as famine prescribeth were verie vnpatient to indure the continuall barking of their hungrie bellies and therefore they were verie soone easie to be persuaded or rather of themselues line 30 contented to yéeld vnto the enimie to be fed for a time with the stollen fat of his flesh pot than to abide for a short time a little penurie in hope of a deliuerie and then to be filled with saturitie and plentie But the magistrats and graue senators who in all other causes had shewed themselues wise carefull and discreet and who hauing receiued sundrie iniuries did yet without rigour reuenge or malice wrap the same vp respecting rather the common state than their owne priuat cause so in this matter also being line 40 of a great importance doo verie wiselie politikelie deale with the said people who the poorer they were the better they were considered and the more carefullie prouided for First there was a generall collection set and rated throughout the whole citie for their reliefe and therby they were liberallie euerie weeke considered which thing being some increase to their stocke and store was the better to their content Then all such vittels as were to be had within the citie they either had it freelie or for a verie small price line 50 Besides this manie times when anie cattell came néere vnto the walles of the citie some shift was made to haue them or by skirmishing issuing out for them or by some other means And this also what so euer it was was altogither diuided among them And as for the prisoners fast fettered in the gaols they had also their portions as farre as it would stretch notwithstanding in the end for want they were fed with horsseflesh which they liked and were well contented withall For as the prouerbe is Hunger line 60 findeth no faults but all things are swéet Besides if anie wrong were offered or iniurie doone to anie of them it was foorthwith vpon complaint redressed but if anie of them did disorder themselues it was borne withall and they in all gentle and curteous meanes intreated as also from time to time persuaded with good words patientlie to abide and be contented not mistrusting but that God shortlie would send a deliuerance And thus and by these means in hope almost against hope they continued dutifull and obedient from the second daie of Iulie 1549 vntill the sixt daie of August then folowing the same being fiue whole wéekes vpon which daie they were deliuered by the comming and entrie into the citie of the lord Russell and which daie in memoriall for euer to endure is kept for a high and holie feast amongst the citizens yearelie vpon the sixt daie of August Immediatlie vpon which deliuerance of the citie the first care that euerie man had was to shift and to make prouision for vittels wherof some hungrie bellies were so gréedie that ouercharging their emptie stomachs too hastilie they died therewith Thus hauing declared something of the state of the citie and of the dooings therein during the time of this rebellion though much more might be therein said let vs now returne to the lord priuie seale who after the departure of sir Peter Carew to the court remooued from George Henneton and came to Honiton minding from thence to haue passed vnto Excester if waie had béene open But being aduertised that the citie was besieged and that all the waies leading thitherwards were stopped he remained still in Honiton Sir Peter Carew in the meane time according to the former order betwéene them taken was ridden to London and being before the king declareth the whole matter at large Which the king not liking the disloialtie of his people promised to séeke a spéedie remedie and so commanded him to the counecli for the same and being before them and hauing at full discoursed the state of the matter the duke of Summerset being much greeued with the matter would haue reiected the whole on sir Peter charging him that by reason he had caused the houses to be burned at Crediton it was the onelie cause of the commotion But therevnto he answered the necessitie of that seruice as also declared that he had doone nothing but by a good warrant and therewith shewed foorth the kings letters vnder his hand and priuie signet The lord Rich then lord chancellor replied and said that the kings letters were no sufficient warrant vnlesse he had his commission vnder the brode seale and therefore if he had right he should by the lawes be hanged for his dooings But to this sir Peter answered so stoutlie and charged the duke so déepelie that in the end he was willed to returne into the countrie being promised that sufficient helpe both of men monie should be with spéed sent downe into the countrie And to this effect he had both the kings and the councels letters vnto the lord priuie seale and so tooke his iournie backe againe into the countrie and deliuered his letters to the said lord Russell who in hope of the supplie promised staied and remained somtimes at Mohonesotre but most commonlie at Honiton still looking for that supplie and furniture that was promised But hauing long looked for the same in vaine he was dailie more and more forsaken of such of the common people as who at the first serued and offered their seruice vnto him And hauing but a
he gaue prisoners both bodies goods and lands On the other side he commanded forches and gallowes to be set vp in sundrie places as well within the citie as also in the countrie and did command and cause manie to be executed and put to death especiallie such as were noted to be chiefe and busie dooers ringleaders in this rebellion Among them all there was no one so exalted as was Welsh the vicar of saint Thomas neere the Exbridge at Excecester who was preferred and presented to that benefice by the lord Russell patrone thereof This man had manie good things in him he was of no great stature but well set and mightilie compact he was a verie good wrestler shot well both in the long bow as also in the crossebow he handled his handgun and péece verie well he was a verie good woodman and a hardie and such a one as would not giue his head for the polling nor his beard for the washing he was a companion in anie exercises of actiuitie of a courteous and gentle behauiour he descended of a good honest parentage being borne at Penuerin in Cornewall and yet in this rebellion an archcapteine and a principall dooer He was charged with thrée principall crimes The first was that he did not onelie persuade the people to the contemning of the reformed religion according to the kings procéedings and to keepe and obserue the Romish and popish religion but also did erect kéepe and vse the same in his parish church Secondarilie he was a capteine and a principall dealer in the cause of the rebellion which was chieflie directed by him his order aduise Thirdlie he caused one Kingwell a tinner of Chagford and seruant to master Iohn Charels of Tauestoke to be hanged bicause secretlie he had conueied letters betwéene my lord and his master and was earnest in the reformed religion which was then termed the kings procéedings an enimie to the popish state And being a sharpe inueier against the one and an earnest mainteiner of the other it procured vnto him great hatred and malice when the rebellion was begun he sought by all the meanes he could how to escape awaie but he was so narrowlie watched that he could neuer haue anie oportunitie so to doo They vsed all the deuises they could to recouer him to their opinions sometimes with faire words sometimes with threatenings and sometimes with imprisonments but still he inueied against them calling them rebels and traitors both against God and the king and foreprophesied vnto them that destruction and confusion would be the end reward of their dooings Thus when they could not reclame him to their disposition then by the order and iudgement of this vicar Welsh he was fetched out of the prison and foorthwith brought foorth before Caiphas and Pilat and condemned to be hanged which was executed vpon him foorthwith and he brought to an elme tree in Exilond without the west gate of the citie before the house of one Nicholas Caue and there hanged The like crueltie or rather tyrannie was doone at Sampford Courteneie where when a certeine Frankelin a gentleman named William Hellions who comming to Sampford to haue some communication with them for the staie of their rebellion line 10 and for the pacifieng of them in their due obedience was at the townes end taken prisoner caried to the churchhouse where he so earnestlie reprooued them for their rebellion so sharplie threatened them an euill successe that they all fell in a rage with him and not onlie with euill words reuiled him but also as he was going out of the churchhouse going downe the staires one of them named Githbridge with a bill strake him in the necke and immediatlie notwithstanding his pitifull requests and lamentations line 20 a number of the rest fell vpon him slue him and cut him into small péeces and though they counted him for an heretike yet they buried him in the church-yard there but contrarie to the common maner laieng his bodie north and south These things being called to remembrance and obiected against this vicar although some men in respect of his vertues and good gifts did pitie and lament his case and would haue gladlie beene sutors for his pardon yet the greatnesse of his lewdnesse line 30 and follies considered they left him vnto his deserts so was by order of the marshall law condemned to death And yet this one thing by the waie I must speake in his commendation There was among the rebels a stranger and an alien who was a verie skilfull gunner could handle his peece verie well and did much harme vnto the citie among others slue one Smith standing at a doore in northgate street with a great shot from saint Dauids hill This fellow tooke vpon him that he would set the whole citie on line 40 fire and it should be cleane burned within foure houres doo they what they could This his offer was so well liked that the daie and time was appointed when this should be doone The vicar hearing thereof assembleth vnto him as manie men as he could make and haue came to this companie when this fire should be kindled and was so hot and earnest against their attempts that he would in no wise suffer so lewd an act and wicked a thing to be doone For saith he doo you what line 50 you can by policie force or dint of sword to take the citie I will ioine with you and doo my best but to burne a citie which shall be hurtfull to all men and good to no man I will neuer consent therevnto but will here stand with all my power against you And so stout he was in this matter that he stopped them from their further enterprising of so wicked a fact But to the matter The execution of this man was committed to Barnard Duffeld who being nothing slacke to follow his commission caused a paire line 60 of gallowes to be made and to be set vp vpon the top of the tower of the said vicars parish church of S. Thomas and all things being readie and the stage perfected for this tragedie the vicar was brought to the place and by a rope about his middle drawne vp to the top of the tower and there in chains hanged in his popish apparell and had a holie water bucket and sprinkle a sacring bell a paire of beads such other like popish trash hanged about him and there he with the same about him remained a long time He made a verie small or no confession but verie patientlie tooke his death he had béene a good member in his common-wealth had not the weeds ouergrowne the good corne and his foule vices ouercommed his vertues The lord priuie seale remaining still in Excester was continuallie occupied in setting things in order he was verie seuere and sharpe against suth offendors as were chiefe and principall ringleders of this rebellion but to the common sort who
gentlemen that had beene now released out of prison to be shut vp againe least the rebelles finding them abroad should haue murthered them Yet after this when the rebels line 40 were departed out of the citie againe the maior aldermen fell in hand to rampire vp the gates to plant ordinance and to make all necessarie prouision that for them was possible At length they fell to shooting off their artillerie as well from the citie as from the campe dooing their best to annoie ech other But when the rebelles saw that they did little hurt to the citie with their great ordinance lieng vpon the hill they remoued the same downe to the foot of the same hill and from thense began line 50 to beat the walles Notwithstanding shortlie after they made sute for a truce to indure for a time that they might passe to and fro through the citie to fetch in vittels whereof some want began to pinch them in the campe The maior and aldermen flatlie denied their request protesting that they would not permit anie traitors to haue passage through their citie The rebels sore kindled in wrath with this answer and deniall of their sute came running downe from the hill and assaulting the gates were beaten line 60 off with shot of arrowes and other weapons And yet such rage appéered among the rebels that the boies and yoong lads shewed themselues so desperat in gathering vp the arrowes that when they saw and felt the same sticking in some part of their bodies they would plucke them foorth and deliuered them to their bow-men that they might bestow the same again at the citizens In all this broile a thing note-worthie the seditious sort minding nothing more than the compassing of their purpose had as little staie of themselues in this their outrage as a bull at the sight of a cow or a stoned horsse at the view of a mare according vnto the old saieng of the poet Non facile est taurum visa retinere iuuenca Fortis equus visae semper adhinnit equae In the meane time whilest they were thus busie vpon one side of the citie an alarum rose at the defendants backes crieng that the rebels were entred the citie on the contrarie side and so euerie man shrinking awaie and running thither to repell the enimie there that part was left void of defendants where the first assault began Whereof the rebels being aduised rushed into the riuer that runneth before bishops gate got to the gates and breaking them open entred without anie great resistance For all the citizens were withdrawne to their houses and other places where they hoped best to hide themselues from the furie of their enimies The rebels hauing thus entred the citie by force conueied all the guns and artillerie with other furniture of warre out of the citie into their campe The herald that was yet abiding in the citie to see if the rebels would before the daie prefixed for their pardons being not yet expired giue ouer their enterprise came with the maior into the market place and in the hearing of a great multitude of people that were come foorth and stood about him he eftsoons gaue commandement in the kings name that they should laie armes aside and get them home to their houses which to so manie as did he pronounced a generall pardon and to the rest extreme punishment by death The rebels that stood by and heard him when he had once made an end of his proclamation bade him get him thense with a mischiefe for it was not his faire offers nor his swéet flattering words that should beguile them sith they made no account of such manner of mercie that vnder a colour of pardon should cut off all their safetie and hope of preserseruation The herald perceiuing how obstinatelie they were bent and set on all mischiefe and that it was vnpossible to bring them from their outragious treason either through feare of punishment or hope of pardon departed without hauing brought that to passe for which he was sent Immediatlie after his departure the rebels sought for Leonard Southerton purposing to haue apprehended him and committed him to prison for accompanieng the herald thitherwards But he hauing knowledge of their meaning hid himselfe from them After this there were by Kets commandement apprehended diuerse persons as the maior Robert Watson William Rogers Iohn Homerston William Brampton and manie others which were brought out of the citie and committed to prison in mount Surrie Ket perceiuing well that he must either now obteine a bloodie victorie by force against his countrie or else to tast such an end as his vngratious attempts did well deserue got togither so manie wicked persons as he might procure to come vnto him from ech side with great rewards and faire promises so that it was a strange matter to consider what a multitude of vnthrifts and rascalles came to him vpon the sudden The citizens of Norwich were sore displeased that their maior being an honest man and one greatlie beloued among them should be imprisoned and so remaine in danger of life among the rebels for they threatned him sore iesâ—ing at his name would saie one to another Let vs all come togither to morrow for we shall sée a cods hed sold in the campe for a penie Wherevpon the citizens fearing least through the malice and rage of the rebels their maior might chance to be made awaie among them procured maister Thomas Alderich whose authoritie was great among them to be a meane for his deliuerance who comming to Ket with sharpe and bitter words reprooued him for his cruell dealing by imprisoning so honest a man as the maior was and withall commanded him to release him which either for shame or rather through feare of a guiltie conscience that pricked him he caused incontinentlie to be doone who therevpon might now and then go and come at his pleasure to and fro the citie But bicause he could not still remaine in the citie but was constreined to continue for the most part in the campe he appointed Augustine Steward to be his deputie line 10 who with the assistance of Henrie Bacon and Iohn Atkinson shiriffes gouerned the citie right orderlie and kept the most part of the citizens in due obeisance The councell aduertised now vpon the heralds returne that there was no waie to reduce these Norffolke rebels vnto quiet otherwise than by force appointed the marquesse of Northampton with fiftéene hundred horssemen to go downe vnto Norwich to subdue those stubborne traitors that so vndutifullie line 20 refused the kings mercifull pardon fréelie offered by his officer at armes and others There went with the lord marquesse diuerse honorable and worshipfull personages as the lord Sheffeld the lord Wentworth sir Anthonie Dennie sir Henrie Parker sir Richard Southwell sir Rafe Sadler sir Iohn Clere sir Rafe Rowlet sir Richard Lée sir Iohn Gates sir Thomas Paston sir Henrie Bedingfield
sir Iohn Suliard sir William Walgraue sir Iohn Cuts sir Thomas Cornewallis knights togither line 30 with a great manie of other knights esquiers and gentlemen and a small band of Italians vnder the leading of a capteine named Malatesâ—a The lord marquesse being approched within a mile of Norwich sent sir Gilbert Dethicke knight now Garter then Norrie king at armes vnto the citie to summon them within to yéeld it into his hands or vpon refusall to proclame warre against them Herevpon Augustine Steward the maiors deputie sent to the maior that was in the campe with line 40 Ket aduertising him what message he had receiued from the marquesse The maior sent word againe that nothing was more greeuous vnto him than to sée into what miserie the citie and countrie about were brought by the rage of these commotions and declaring in what case he stood being kept by force among the rebels wheras otherwise he would according to his dutie haue come to his honor But as for the citie he had committed the gouernance vnto Augustine Steward who should be readie to surrender line 50 it into his lordships hands and that if Ket would giue him leaue he would come himselfe to his honor submitting all things wholie to his lordships order and disposition This message being brought backe by the said Norrie Augustine Steward the maiors deputie with the shiriffs and a great number of the citizens came to the lord marquesses campe and deliuered vp the sword to his lordship declaring how the maior himselfe would gladlie haue come if he could line 60 haue got from the rebels and that although a great rowt of the lewd citizens were partakers with the rebelles yet a number of the substantiall honest citizens would neuer consent to their wicked doings but were readie to receiue his lordship into their citie The lord marquesse giuing good woords to the citizens and willing them to be of good comfort sith he trusted to appease these troubles verie shortlie deliuered the sword vnto sir Richard Southwell who bare it before the lord marquesse as he passed foorth towards the citie entring the same by saint Stephans gate And incontinentlie was proclamation made that they should all resort into the market place where they consulted togither how they might best defend the citie against the enimies and to represse their furie Herevpon was order giuen for the placing of watch and ward about the gates and the wals as might séeme expedient The lord marquesse supped that night and lodged in the maiors deputies house but his lordship as well as other kept their armour on their backs all that night for doubt of some sudden assault to be made against the citie by the rebels Here it chanced that the strangers either by appointment or otherwise went foorth and offered skirmish to the rebels vpon Magdalen hill The rebels came foorth with their horssemen but it séemed that they were better practised to fetch in booties than to make their manage or careire and therefore not able to match the strangers which being perceiued of their fellowes that were footmen they put foorth their archers before their horssemen and such numbers herewith came swarming foorth of their campe meaning to compasse in those strangers that they perceiuing the maner and purpose of the enimies cast themselues in a ring and retired backe into the citie againe But they left one of their companie behind them a gentleman that was an Italian who more valiantlie than warilie ventured too farre among the enimies and through euill hap being ouerthrowne beside his horsse he was inuironed about with a great multitude of those rebels that tooke him prisoner and like vile wretches spoiling him of his armor and apparell hanged him ouer the wals of mount Surrie Which act well shewed what courtesie might be looked for at such cruell traitors hands that would thus vnmercifullie put such a gentleman and worthie souldior to death for whose ransome if they would haue demanded it they might haue had no small portion of monie to haue satisfied their gréedie minds But it séemed that their beastlie crueltie had berest them the remembrance of all honest consideration and dutifull humanitie The marquesse of Northampton causing as before yee haue heard diligent watch to be kept vpon the walles and at the gates appointed the same to be visited right often that through negligence no mishap should follow Moreouer besides the watch at the gates and walles the residue of the soldiors making a mightie huge fire in the market place so as all the stréets were full of light they remained there all that night in their armour readie vpon anie occasion to resist the enimies if they should make anie attempt Sir Edward Warner marshall of the field gaue the watch-word sir Thomas Paston sir Iohn Clere sir William Walgraue sir Thomas Cornwallis and sir Henrie Bedingfield were appointed to the defense of other parts of the citie And now when euerie thing was thought to be safelie prouided for and that the lord marquesse and other were laid to take their rest the rebels about the middest of the night began to shoot off their great artillerie towards the citie so thicke as was possible but the bullets passed ouer their heads that were lodged in the citie without dooing anie great hurt at all The lord marquesse by reason of the often alarums that were giuen whilest the enimies thus ceased not to rage with continuall shot of ordinance was called vp by the marshall sir Edward Warner and comming into the market place accompanied with the nobles and gentlemen of the armie fell in councell with them how to foresée that the citie in such danger might be safelie defended against the enimies with such small power as he had there with him It was therefore determined that all the gates which were on the contrarie part of the towne from the rebels campe and likewise the ruinous places of the walles should be rampired vp that if the enimies should chance to giue an assault to the citie they might more easilie be repelled But as these things were in dooing and almost brought to end in a manner all the whole multitude of the rebelles came out of their cabins running downe in most furious maner to the citie and with great shouts and yelling cries went about to set fire on the gates to clime ouer the walles to passe the riuer and to enter the citie at such places where the walles were through age decaied and ruinous The soldiors that were there with the lord marquesse did line 10 shew their vttermost indeuor to beat backe the enimies This fight in most cruell wise continued for the space of thrée houres without ceasing the rebels forcing themselues to the vttermost of their powers to enter perforce vpon them and they within the citie shewed no lesse courage to repell them backe The hardie manhood of diuerse knights and other men of worship was here right apparant
victa iacent The one and twentith of Iune in the night the lowest images which were of Christs resurrection of the virgin Marie and of kings and bishops of this realme about the crosse in Cheape being six square on all the sides were broken and defaced where vpon two daies after proclamation was made thorough out the citie that who so would bewraie the dooers thereof should haue fortie crownes for their labour but nothing came to light The seauen and twentith of Iune Thomas Butcher brewer was conuicted in the Guildhall of London for that he as principall and others as accessaries to the number of a thousand persons on the fiue and twentith of Iune last past about ten of the clocke in the night with force of armes in west Smithfield of London other stréets of the citie congregated themselues and with diuerse exclamations prouoked the people in maner of a rebellion contrarie to the peace statutes of the realme On the eight and twentith of Iune the same Thomas Butcher being areigned at the Iustice hall in the old Bailie was found giltie and had iudgement to be whipped on the next market daie from Newgate thorough Smithfield Long lane Aldersgate street saint Martins le grand so thorough the citie to the bars without Aldgate then to be committed to Newgate On the 30 of Iune the same T. Butcher being deliuered vnto Iames Mase and other beadles to haue receiued execution as is aforesaid he being whipped from Newgate into west Smithfield was there rescued taken from the beadles and sent to shift for himselfe abrode for the which fact the one twentith of Iulie William Downe I. Hand T. Harres and T. Appowell thrée shoomakers and a brewer were whipped from Newgate to the middest of Smithfield and there set on the pillorie whereon they stood from ten of the clocke till twelue and from thense againe committed to prison The thirtéenth of Iulie Richard Cox doctor of diuinitie sometime schoolemaister to king Edward the sixt deane of Westminster and of Christs college in Oxenford and of late bishop of Elie deceassed and was buried at Elie whose epitaph alluding to his name and the execution of his charge wherein he was iust hereafter followeth Vita caduca vale salueto vita perennis Corpus terra tegit spiritus alta tenet In terra Christi gallus Christum resonabam Da Christe in coelis te sine fine sonem This yeare were to be séene in London two Dutchmen of strange statures the one in height seauen foot seauen inches in bredth betwixt the shoulders thrée quarters of a yard and an inch the compasse of his brest one yard an halfe and two inches about the wast one yard quarter and one inch the length of his arme to the hand a full yard a comelie man of person but lame of his legs for he had broken them with lifting of a barrell of béere The other was in height but thrée foot had neuer a good foot nor anie knée at all and yet could he danse a galliard line 10 he had no arme but a stumpe to the elbow or little more on the right side on the which singing he would danse a cup and after tosse it about thrée or foure times and euerie time receiue the same on the said stumpe he would shoot an arrow néere to the marke flourish with a rapier throw a bowle beat with an hammar hew with an ax sound a trumpet and drinke enerie daie ten quartes of the best béere if he could get it About the seauenteenth of Iulie I saw these men in the parish of saint Peter vpon line 20 Cornehill the taller sitting on a bench bareheaded the lesser stood on the same bench and hauing on his head a hat with a feather was yet the lower Also the taller man standing on his féet the lesser with his hat feather on his head went vpright betwéene his legs and touched him not The eightéenth of Iulie Euerard Hance alià s Ducket a seminarie priest was in the sessions hall in the old Bailie of London arreigned where he before the quéenes iustices affirmed that himselfe line 30 being now in England was subiect to the pope in ecclesiasticall causes and that the pope hath now the same authoritie here in England that he had an hundred yeares past and which he hath now at Rome with other traitorous spéeches for the which he was condemned to be drawne hanged and quartered and was executed accordinglie on the last of Iulie At the same sessions were brought from the Fléet the Gatehouse Newgate and the Counters sundrie prisoners indicted for refusing to come to church line 40 all which being conuicted by their owne confession had iudgement according to the statute to paie twentie pounds for euery moneth of such wilfull absence from the church The first of Nouember monsieur Francis duke of Aniou the Frencâ— kings brother and other nobles of France hauing latelie arriued in Kent came to London and were honourablie receiued and reteined at the court with banketting and diuerse pleasant shewes and pastimes of whome more hereafter in place conuenient line 50 On mondaie being the twentith of Nouember Edmund Campion Rafe Sherwin Lucas Kerbie Edward Rishton Thomas Cotcham Henrie Orton Robert Iohnson Iames Bosgraue All these before named persons were brought vnto the high barre at Westminster where they were seuerallie and altogither indicted vpon high treason the sum whereof followeth in briefe as thus That these persons contrarie both to loue and dutie for sooke their natiue countrie to liue beyond the seas vnder the line 60 popes obedience as at Rome Rheimes and diuerse other places where the pope hauing with other princes practised the death and depriuation of our most gratious princesse and vtter subuersion of hir seat kingdome to aduance his most abhominable religion these men hauing vowed their allegiance to the pope to obeie him in all causes whatsoeuer being there gaue their consent yea vttermost furtherance they might to aid him in this most traitorous determination And for this intent and purpose they were sent ouer to seduce the hearts of hir maiesties louing subiects and to conspire and practise hir graces death as much as in them laie against a great daie set and appointed when the generall hauocke should be made those onelie reserued that ioined with them This laied to their charge they boldlie and impudentlie denied Wherevpon a iurie was impanelled their owne confessions their owne writings and credible witnesses Vina voce produced to their faces approouing them giltie of the former allegations as hereafter followeth After the indictment was read vnto them and their answer that it was beyond their power to prooue them faultie in such matters so stiffâ—lie they stood in their apparant impudencie first was mooued to them sundrie treasons past attempted against hir maiestie by those of their sect and disposition yet notwithstanding the vttermost of
of the sea which passeth that waie twise a daie doo make it crooked that place being occupied by the enimie might greatlie hinder and annoie the sailing thereof And therefore the citizens of Antwerpe following the aduise and platforme laid forth by the prince of Orange bestowed great cost in fortifieng that place which hath a great tower with great bulworks rampires and ditches and is so well strengthned and flanked to the purpose and hath the water so at commandement that as now it is not to be woone by anie force The next daie being mondaie the ninetéenth daie of Februarie his highnesse departed thense to make his entrie into the renowmed citie of Antwerpe The roiall interteinement of the right high and mightie prince Francis the French kings onelie brother by the grace of God duke of Brabant Aniou Alanson Berrie c into the citie of Antwerpe IN all great and statelie shewes and assemblies they that are the authors and setters foorth of them indeuour to beautifie and commend as much as they can the things which they offer to the sight of those whome they intend to honour and of those which resort thither from strange places to delight themselues with the beholding of them The ancient historiographers describe vnto vs manie great triumphes and statelie interteinements of emperours kings and great capteins and they forget not to put into their writings the great costlinesse and charges and whatsoeuer else was set foorth to the shew to content the eies of the beholders And albeit that neither gold siluer pretious stones tapistrie cloth of silke fine linnen diuersities of vessels nor varietie of paintings were spared but all such things haue inriched those shewes yet notwithstanding there is not anie thing that hath yéelded greater grace beautie and contentment to such assemblies than the multitude and brightnesse of armorie and of things perteining to martiall affaires as engines artillerie and shewes of cities and castels beaten downe or taken by force from the enimies And therefore in the Romane empire which excelled all the other not onlie in conquests martiall discipline and politike order of gouernment but also in sumptuousnes and roialtie although infinit numbers of line 10 publike games and exercises were exhibited by them being the greatest lords of the world who not onelie spared not anie thing that was in their owne power but also made the cities and countries which were anie waie bound vnto them to send vnto them whatsoeuer rare and exquisit things they could come by to serue their turnes in the shewes which they exhibited to the people yet notwithstanding their triumphes haue so borne the bell aboue all the rest that the word triumphing which commeth thereof hath line 20 béene applied to all high great and statelie dooings Not that in their other shewes anie thing was spared which might content the eies euen of couetous folke or satisfie the bloudthirstie harts of such as tooke no pleasure but to behold the sheading of bloud yea oftentimes of mans bloud before their eies but in their triumphings nothing was so glorious as the armorie and personages of the great capteines that had béene conquerors which thing contented the beholders far more without all comparison line 30 And therefore when men intend to betoken the exceeding huge greatnesse of Rome they terme it the triumphant Rome which importeth as much as the rich wealthie and victorious Rome replenished with great numbers of noble capteines and valiant souldiors And this terme is come of the great numbers of triumphs which were séene there in the times of the Scipios Paules Claudies Metelles Pompeis Cesars and others True it is that the other shewes also were verie glorious and beautifull to behold and did I wote not how tickle the harts of such line 40 as were fed with the beholding of their riches and of the infinite numbers of lions tigres panthers beares and swordplaiers incountring one another to the death but yet the beholding of a goodlie companie of men armed in goodlie armour marching in good order besides the contenting of the sight which is far better than to sée riches dooth also wonderfullie rauish mens minds and driue the beholder into an astonishment setting him after a sort besides line 50 himselfe and yet neuerthelesse filling him with a ioy and contentation surmounting all others For as in the pleasures of the bodie those seeme greatest which doo most alter the senses with their pleasantnes so fares it also with the delights of the mind which become so much the greater when admiration being matched with them dooth also moreouer rauish the vnderstanding and set a man as it were out of his wits And therefore when great personages who can better iudge of matters than plaine simple folke can doo make discourse of things that are beautifull line 60 and desireable to behold they speake of gold siluer pretious stones pictures vessels tablets and diuers other exquisit iewels but yet they passe ouer those things stand not vpon them But when they come to talke of faire armour good horsses and such other things as belong to knighthood and chiualrie then they make such tariance vpon them as they hold it for a thing fullie agréed vpon granted that in beautie and glorie nothing is comparable to a goodlie armie Onelie this matter remaineth still in question vndecided namelie whether is the pleasanter sight to sée three or foure great battels of footmen well appointed in bright armour well flanked with small shot and with their great ordinance before them or to sée as manie squadrons of horssemen or else two or three hundred ships furnished with their flags and banners and ranged in order as if they were readie to giue battell But as for the rest of all goodlie things all men are fullie agréed that they come nothing néere to anie of those thrée and much lesse doo them all thrée togither if a man might behold them all at once as it is reported that at one instant a man might haue séene the great armie of Xerres both footmen and horssemen ranged in battell raie and also the two fléets of the Persians and of the Greekes fighting vpon the sea by Salamine where by the wisedome and valiantnesse of Themistocles the Gréekes got that famous victorie of the Persians In mine opinion that is the caâ—â—e why the glad receiuing and ioifull entering of Francis duke of Brabant into the citie of Antwerpe seemed so goodlie and roiall to all such as saw it in somuch that there hath not beene anie of them which hath not confessed that he neuer saw the like And yet were there verie manie present at it as well of the same countrie as of strangers which haue séene manie statelie and roiall meetings both in the same citie and in other cities of the low countries and also in other great cities of other countries as Paris London Rone and Lions and yet neuertheles the common voice is that this last
of religion but onelie of that which by their bloud and death in the fire they did as true martyrs testifie A matter of an other sort to be lamented in a christian charitie with simplicitie of words and not with puffed eloquence than the execution in this time of a verie few traitors who also in their time if they excéeded thirtie yeares of age had in their baptisme professed and in their youth had learned the same religion which they now so bitterlie oppugned And besides that in their opinions they differ much from the martyrs of quéene Maries time for though they which suffered in queene Maries time continued in the profession of the religion wherein they were christened and as they were perpetuallie taught yet they neuer at their death denied their lawfull quéene nor mainteined anie of hir open and forren enimies nor anie procured rebellion or ciuill warre nor did sow anie sedition in secret corners nor withdrew anie subiects from their obedience as these sworne seruants of the pope haue continuallie doone And therefore all these things well considered there is no doubt but all good subiects within the realme doo manifestlie sée and all wauering persons not being led cleane out of the waie by the seditious will hereafter perceiue how they haue béene abused to go astraie And all strangers but speciallie all christian potentats as emperours kings princes and such like hauing their souereigne estates either in succession hereditarie or by consent of their people being acquainted with the verie truth of these hir maiesties late iust and necessarie actions onelie for defense of hir selfe hir crowne and people against open inuadours and for eschewing of ciuill warres stirred vp by rebellion will allow in their owne like cases for a truth and rule as it is not to be doubted but they will that it belongeth not vnto a bishop of Rome as successour of saint Peter and therein a pastour spirituall or if he were the bishop of all christendome as by the name of pope he claimeth first by his bulles or excommunications in this sort at his will in fauour of traitors and rebels to depose anie souereigne princes being lawfullie inuested in their crownes by succession in bloud or by lawfull election and then to arme subiects against their naturall lords to make warres and to dispense with them for their oths in so dooing or to excommunicat faithfull subiects for obeieng of their naturall princes lastlie himselfe to make open warre with his owne souldiers against princes moouing no force against him For if these high tragicall powers should be permitted to him to exercise then should no empire no kingdome no countrie no citie or towne be possessed by anie lawfull title longer than one such onelie an earthlie man sitting as he saieth in saint Peters chaire at Rome should for his will and appetite without warrant from God or man thinke méet and determine an authoritie neuer chalenged by the Lord of lords the sonne of God Iesus Christ our onelie Lord and sauiour and the onelie head of his church whilest he was in his humanitie vpon the earth nor yet deliuered by anie writing or certeine tradition from saint Peter from whome the pope pretendeth to deriue all his authoritie nor yet from saint Paule the apostle of the gentils but contrariwise by all preachings precepts and writings conteined in the gospell and other scriptures of the apostles obedience is expresselie commanded vnto all earthlie princes yea euen vnto kings by especiall name and that so generallie as no person is excepted from such dutie of obedience as by the sentence of saint Paule euen to the Romans appeareth Omnis anima sublimioribus potestatibus sit subdiâ—a that is Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers within the compasse of which law or precept saint Chrysostome being bishop of Constantinople writeth that Euen apostles prophets euangelists and moonks are comprehended And for proofe of saint Peters mind herein from whome these popes claime their authoritie it can not be plainelier expressed than when he writeth line 10 thus Proinde subiecti estote cuiuiâ— huâ—ane ordinationi propter Dominum siue regi vt qui superâ—mâ—eâ—a siue praesidibus ab eo missis that is Therefore be you subiect to euerie humane ordinance or creature for the Lord whether it be to the king as to him that is supereminent or aboue the rest or to his presidents sent by him By which two principall apostles of Christ these popes the pretensed successors but chieflie by that which Christ the sonne of God the onelie maister of truth said to Peter and his fellow apostles Reges gentium line 20 dominantur vos autem non sic that is The kings of the gentils haue rule ouer them but you not so maie learne to forsake their arrogant and tyrannous authorities in earthlie and temporall causes ouer kings and princes and exercise their pastorall office as saint Peter was charged thrise at one time by his Lord and maister Pasce oues meas Féed my shéepe and peremptorilie forbidden to vse a sword in saieng to him Conuerte gladium tuum in locum suum or Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam that is Turne thy line 30 sword into his place or Put thy sword into the scabbard All which precepts of Christ and his apostles were dulie followed and obserued manie hundred yeares after their death by the faithfull and godlie bishops of Rome that dulie followed the doctrine and humilitie of the apostles and the doctrine of Christ and were holie martyrs and thereby dilated the limits of Christs church and the faith more in the compasse of an hundred yeares than the latter popes haue line 40 doone with their swords and cursses these fiue hundred yeares and so continued vntill the time of one pope Hildebrand otherwise called Gregorie the seuenth about the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and fourtéene who first began to vsurpe that kind of tyrannie which of late the late pope called Pius Quintus and since that time Gregorie now the thirteenth hath followed for some example as it séemeth that is where Gregorie the seuenth in the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and line 50 fourtéene or thereabout presumed to depose Henrie the fourth a noble emperor then being Gregorie the thirtéenth now at this time would attempt the like against king Henrie the eights daughter and heire quéene Elisabeth a souereigne and a maiden quéene holding hir crowne immediatlie of God And to the end it may appeare to princes or to their good councellors in one example what was the fortunat successe that God gaue to this good christian emperor Henrie against the proud pope Hildebrand line 60 it is to be noted that when the pope Gregorie attempted to depose this noble emperor Henrie there was one Rodulph a noble man by some named the count of Reenfield that by the popes procurement vsurped the name of the emperor who was ouercome by the
these parts of christendome And therefore willed him to stirre the people and worke the meanes to make some faction to giue them landing interteinment at their comming speciallie to preserue the Scotish Q. in that confusion line 50 letting the catholiks vnderstand that in case they did not assist the inuaders they would then enter as conquerors put no difference betwixt man man With this dispatch Ballard by the speciall direction of Morgan a notorious traitor to this state yea a professed sworne seruant vnto the Scotish quéene repaired to Anthonie Babington a gentleman to whom the said Scotish Q. vpon the commendation of Morgan the bishop of Glascow had long before line 60 written letters of gratulation with whom she had secret intelligence by sending of letters other messages the space almost of two yeares before To this gentleman Ballard discouered at large the whole purpose of Mendoza Paget Morgan and said as he had in charge that if happilie a strong partie could be made here to assist the inuasion and aduance the Scotish queene men munition monie and vittels should be abundantlie supplied from beyond the seas and therefore persuaded Babington to sound the whole realme and to vndertake the action Babington at the first proposed manie difficulties but principallie this that the inuaders or their assistants could haue no hope the state being so well setled to preuaile during hir maiesties life Wherevpon Ballard presentlie replied that hir life could be no hinderance therein For vpon like doubts mooued beyond the seas by meanes alreadie laid Iohn Sauage a conspirator conuicted hereof by his owne confession through the persuasion and procurement principallie of one William Gifford an English fugitiue and reader of diuinitie in the English seminarie at Rheims had vowed and sworne to kill hir maiestie as a thing resolued vpon to be lawfull honorable and meritorious This difficultie being thus remooued and Ballard from daie to daie continuing his persuasions and highlie commending the murthering of hir maiestie as a deed of great honor singular merit and easie to effectuat Babington vndertooke the managing of the whole action and hauing first with his complices entred into manie seuerall propositions of sundrie treasonable natures as to surprise hir maiesties person by force to kill the lord treasuror the earle of Leicester and sir Francis Walsingham to remooue hir councellors and to place new to murther the nobilitie whilest they were set in administring iustice to sacke the citie of London to fire the nauie of the realme to surprise some forces and hauens to furnish the paie of their forces by an vniuersall spoile and robbing of the richer sort hauing I saie first entred into these and such like propositions in fine he with Ballard and others resolued vpon these thrée principall points first that the inuaders should be assisted by a prepared readinesse in the people to rebell in diuerse places and to ioine with them vpon their first landing that hir maiestie should be murthered by six gentlemen of resolution and lastlie that the Scotish quéene should be aduanced to the crowne of England For the better performance of these resolutions Ballard and Babington sounded diuerse and dealt with manie and so farre Babington proceeded in short time that a choise was made by him of the six that should execute the attempt against hir maiesties person that some others were especiallie assigned by him to attend and assist the inuasion with direction from Babington to be popular vnto their vttermost and that himselfe resolued vpon the first assurance either of hir maiesties death or of the strangers arriuall to proclame the quéene of Scots queene of England Things standing in these terms and Babington deferring onelie the execution of this plot vntill signification therof were giuen to the Scotish queene and hir good pleasure knowne therein God so ordeining it the Scotish quéene in Iune last wrote vnto Babington a short letter in cipher signifieng hir discontent for the breach of their intelligence and requiring him to send by that bearer a packet receiued for hir in Aprill before and vntill that time reteined by Babington as wanting good meanes of conueieng and therefore fearing the danger of that seruice Wherevpon Babington vsing that opportunitie both deliuered hir packet vnto that messenger and by him wrote vnto hir touching euerie particular of this plot aboue mentioned and how farre he had procéeded therein signifieng amongst manie other things how desirous he was to doo hir some seruice how well it might be performed if assurance were giuen from beyond the seas for that which was vndertaken thense and how necessarie it were that rewards were promised vnto the chéefe actors for their better incoragement and to be giuen to their posterities in case they miscaried in the execution And therefore he required that she would grant authoritie to some such as it might like hir to giue certeine offices and dignities necessarie for this action Unto this letter Babington about twentie daies after in the same cipher by which he did write before receiued answer from the Scotish quéene with which she also sent inclosed as hir secretarie now confesseth a new alphabet in cipher to be vsed betwéene them from that time forward And in this hir letter she not onelie declared hir good opinion of Babington gaue him due thanks for his readinesse to doo hir seruice promised correspondencie in all that she might and willed line 10 that the resolution being taken he should with all spéed impart it to Barnardino de Mendoza considering first what forces on foot or horssebacke he could make what place for their assemblie what leaders in euerie shire what generall or chéefe leaders but also amongst infinit other traitorous directions apparant by the verie letters she aduised that vpon returne of answer from Mendoza with assurance that all things were in a readinesse then and not before it should be conuenient to sound the line 20 countrie And to colour the prouision and preparation it should be giuen out that what they did was not vpon anie euill or disloiall disposition towards hir maiestie but for the iust defense of catholikes their bodies liues lands against the violence of the Puritans the principall wherof being in the low countries with the chéefe forces of the realme purposed at his returne to ruine not onelie the whole catholikes but also meant to depriue hir maiestie of the crowne And that they should giue it out that line 30 therefore the preparation was for the defense of hir maiestie and hir lawfull successors not naming the Scotish quéene vnder which pretense an association also might be made amongest the catholikes Which being doone and all things in readinesse both within and without the realme it should be then time for the six gentlemen to worke taking order that because the time would be somewhat vncerteine of the exploit vpon hir maiesties person there should be continuallie some men
verie few or none in England in duke Williams time note 15. b 40. An ordinance against them 248. a 20. Notable and their whole nest broken 241. b 20. Appointed to be hanged 45. b 10. They and murtherers saued by thâ—â—r books and committed to the bishops custodie 791. b 10. Sacrilegiouâ— seuerelie executed 704 b 50 Theobald ¶ See Erle Thermes ¶ See Monsieur Thetford a bishops see remooued to Norwich 26. a 50. Thomas archbishop of Yorke whie depriued 9. a 60. A canon of Baâ—eux the fiue and twentith archbishop of Yorke 9. a 20. Depriued of his crosier and ring ibid. Threshers masking note 214. b 20 Threatning procureth submission note 21. b 60 Throckmorton sir Nicholas knight arriueth at Newhauen 1199. b 40. Arreigned of high treason the whole manner thereof with his purgations note 1104. b 10. c 1105. to 1117. Eight of his iurie appeare in the starchamber hard iudgement against them 1121. b 40. Extreamelie dealt withall b 60. 1122. a 10. Fiue of his iurie released 1126. b 40 Throckmorton Francis esquire some great secrets betweene the Scotish queene and him 1373 a 10. What mooued him to denie his confessions at his arreignement 30. His letter of submission to queene Elisabeth 60. With a declaration of all his practises treasonable against hir b 50.60.1374 a 10 c. Surprised and put to a narrow shift 1372. a 40. What mind he caried towards queene Elisabeth b 60. His treasons communicable to the erle of Northumberland 1406. all Arreigned and condemned of high treason the whole declaration thereof with the manner of proceeding against him 1370. a 40.50.60 c. 1371. c to 1375 Throckmorton Iohn of Norwich a conspirator executed as a traitor 1222. a 10. ¶ See Traitors Throng certeine thrust to death on London bridge 487. b 10. ¶ See Blackwell Iusts and Paris garden Thunder in winter 249. a 40. 46 a 30. With lightening in December 220. a 40.1206 a 40. At Christmas and on Christmas daie 243. b 10.220 a 60. Uerie terrible and fearefull note 114. a 60. That made men amazed 39. b 10. For the space of fifteene daies togither 236. a 50. 216. b 10. With an earthquake 217 b 50. Generall and hurtfull 204. b 20. With woonder 284. a 50. ¶ See Tempest and Wind. Thurstan abbat of Glaâ—â—enburie and the moonkâ— of that house at strife and whie a lewd man note 13. b 30. Deposed returneth into Normandie 13. b 40. Buâ—eth his placâ— againe for fiue hundred pounds 13. b 60. Refuseth to obeie king Henrie the seconds pleasure 38. b 10 Tiberio an Italian his valiantnesse 965. b 20 Tiburne called The elmes in Edward the thirds time 349 a 60. Tichborne and his fellow traitors ¶ See Babington Tides two in one houre 1260. a 20. ¶ See Flouds Raine Sea and Thames Tiler beginner of the rebellion in Dertford in Kent note 429. b 20. c. His proceedings 430 c. A verie craftie fellow his proud sawcinesse he is thrust through and slaine 432. a 30. b 10.40 Tâ—â—neie ¶ See Tichborne Tilt roiall with proper deuises thereat 830. a 60. ¶ See Iusts Tindall burned his painfulnes in writing and translating 939. b 50.60 ¶ See Testament new Tirrell sir Walter killeth William Rufus with an arrow in hunting by chance note 26. b 30 Tirrell knight described 734. b 60. He receiueth the keies of the Tower purposeth to destrâ—ie the two princes dispatcheth the action sheweth the whole maner thereof to Richard the third the murther confessed he is beheaded for treason 735. all Tithes noâ—e to be giuen but to the church 30. b 40. ¶ See Tenths and Clergie Tokens foreshewing Wolfeis ruine and fall 915. a 50â— b 10. Of victorie note 660 a 20. Of things falling out in euent 793 b 10. Of imminent misfortune to the lord Hastings 723. a 40.50.60 c Prodigious note 655. b 20 ¶ See Signs and Woonders Toles of the Hound note 928. a 60. ¶ See Tax Tonque castell taken by the English 559. a 50 Torments extreme 445. a 60 Tornaie furnished with a strong power of men besieged the great number of people at the siâ—ge thereof 359. a 50.60 b 10 Besieged by the emperor Charles his forces deliuered to him 871. a 10. Summoned by Garter king at armes the prouosts words to the distressed townesmen it is besieged 823. b 10.20.60 On all sides beâ—ieged and the prouost with eleuen more submit themselues and yeeld vp the citie to Henrie the eight 824. a 10. c. Articles of agreement betwixt the kings of England and France for the deliuerie therof to the French c note 848. b 10 The maner how it was deliuered to the French king 849. b 50 A castell builded there by Henrie the eight 838. b 40 Townes in England burnt by the Frenchmen 417. b 60. In old time how fortified 443 b 30. In France taken by the earle of Derbie 368. b 50 Tower on London bridge taken downe 1270. a 30. Newlie builded 1271 a 10 Towre of London new walled about by William Rufus 23. a 60. Besieged 54. a 10. Deliuered to the earle of March 654. b 60. â—eelded vp to Lewis the French kings sonne 192. b 20. At the Londoners commandement 338. b 60 Traile baston 312. b 60. ¶ Sâ—e Inquisition Traitor Summeruile his miserable and desperat death 1366. a 20. Carter executed at Tiborne 1357. a 40. Elkâ— for counterfeiting the queenes signet manuell 1563. Maine executed for denieng the Q. supremasie 1271. a 10. Nelson and Sherwood executed for denieng the queenes supremasie 1271 a 50. Paine executed at Tiborne 1344. a 40 Thomas Woodhouse preest executed 1258. b 60 Traitors Carneie Mather and Rolfe executed 1227. b 60 Fen Haddocâ—e Munden Nutter and Somerfoord executed at Tiborne 1369. a 10. â—rden Sommeruâ—le executed for treason 1356 a 50 Slade and Bodie executâ—d 1356 a 10. Babington Ballard to the number of foureteene their wonderfull conspiracie and sharpe execution note 1563 c. Traitors to the crowne proclamed 143. b 10. King Henries nobles 217. a 10. Care not for their liues so they may atchiue the end of their treasons note 223. a 40.50 Scholasticall note 1367. a 40 c. Six questions to trie them fromscholers 1368. a 10 c. Manie though they haue no armor nor weapon note 1367. b 10.30 Their rebels and fugitiues practises to execute pope Pius bulles against queene Elisabeth 1â— 59. b 10. Forren continue sending of persons to mooue sedition in the realme 1360. a 40. Fiue all of one linage executed 943. b 50. They rebels what ignominious ends they come to 78â— b 20. Put to flight and proclamed 650. b 20.50 Atteiâ—ted executed 652. a 10 c. Their heads remooued from the tower on London bridge a set on the gate at the bridge foot 1270. a 30. For a time may escape but at length come to the gallows 223. b 60.224 a 10. Executed wherein note the ancient kind of punishment 130. b 20. Executed for denieng
capteine Polydor. Chinon taken by force of assault 1206 Anno. Reg. 8. Pâ—lydor Montalban woone Les annales de France Polydor. King Iohn wan the citie of Angiers by assault The duke of Britaine and other of king Iohns frieÌ„ds ouerthrowne Matt. West Matth. Paris This truce was concluded vpon All hallowes day Iohn Ferenâ—tino the popes legat The pope gâ—ueth sentence with the moonks against the bishops Sée Matt. Paris pag 28â— in the printed copie King Iohn repaireth the citie of Angiers Mal. Palâ—â— suo cap. 1207 A tax leuied The archbishop of Yorke stealeth out of the realme A mightie tempest The â—mperor Otho coÌ„meth into England Fiue thousand marks of siluer as Matth. West and Matth. Paruus doâ— write Anno Reg. 9. Stephan Langton chosen archbishop of Canturburie by the popes appointment The moonks of Canturburie banished King Iohn writeth to the pope How gainfull England was to the court of Rome The popes answer vnto the king Bailiffes oâ— London discharged and committed toward The birth of king Henrie the third N. Triuet The pope writeth to the bishops Matt. Paris Nic. Treueâ— Matth. Paris Romans that is such chapleines strangers as belonged to the pope The mondaie in the passion weeke saith Matth West The king and realme put vnder the popes cursse Anno Reg. 10. The dealing of the king after the interdiction was pronounced An heauie time for churchmen Matth. Paris Lord William de Breuse LondoÌ„ bridge repaired Iohn Stow. The signification of this word Maire Wulf Laz. Berosus Matth. Paris The eschequer remoued M. Pal. in suo Leâ— Anno Reg. 11. Polydor. A new oth of allegiance Alexander K. of Scots Matth. Paris The white moonks Polydor. Matth. Paris Alexander K. of Scots compoundeth for peace with king Iohn Polydor. Matth. Paris Matth. Paris A murther at Oxford Thrée thousand as saith Matth. Paris Oxford forsaken of the scholers Hugh archdeacon of Wels made bishop of Lincolne Polydor. Matth. Paris Cementarius Matth. Paris Iewes taxed A Iew hath his téeth drawne out Anno Reg. 12. Matth. Paris King Iohn passeth ouer into Ireland Polydor. Matth. Paris Walter de Lacie The Ladie de Breuse hir sonne taken A present of white kine He himselfe escapeth The bishop of Norwich lorâ— lieutenant of Ireland Irish moniâ— reformed The king râ—â—turneth into England An assemblie of the prelats at London A tax leuied 1211 Anno Reg. 13. King Iohn goeth into Wales with an armie Matth. Paris White church I thinke Pandulph Durant the poâ—â—s legaâ—s Polydor. Fabian Matth. Paris Reginald erle of Bullongne The like league was made in the same first yeare of king Iohn betwixt him Ferdinando earle of Flanders Polydor. PaÌ„dulph sent into France to practise with the freÌ„ch king for king Iohn his destruction Matth. West Matt. Paris 〈…〉 the noble men that coÌ„tinued true vnto K. Iohn Ouid. lib. 2. de Pont. Bernewell The Welshmen mooue rebellion Matth. Paris Anno Reg. 14. King Iohn hangeth the Welsh pledges Matth. Paris King Iohn breaketh vp his armie Matth. Paris Matt. West Saint Marie Oueries burnt The deceasse of Geffrey the archbishop oâ— Yorke The French king prepared to inuade England Anno Reg. 15. Matth. Paris The great armie which k. Iohn assembled togither The bishop of Norwich Polydor. Two knights of the temple The legat Pandulph coÌ„meth ouer K. Iohn deliuereth his crowne vnto Pandulph Pandulph restoreth the crowne again to the king Ran. Higd. England became tributarie to the pope Matth. West Matth. Paris Matth. Paris Fortie thousand marks of siluer saith Matth. West The French K. displeases for the reconciliation of K Iohn with the pope The French king meaneth to procéed in his iournie against the realme of England The French K. inuadeth Flanders Gaunt besieged by the French king Matth. Paris The English men assaile the French ships The English men wanne the French ships The French K. returneth into France Matt. Paris Polydor. Iacob Meir The English 〈…〉 The French 〈…〉 his ships In 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 writers haue Sée M. Fox 〈◊〉 first pag. 331. The heremit and his sonne hanged King Iohn writeth to the archbiâ—hop the other bishops to returne The bishops doo returne They came to Winchester yâ— 20 of Iulie The K. knâ—â—leth to the archbishop The king praieth to be absolued He is absolued A quest of inquirie The archbishop taketh possession of his sée The lords refuse to follow the king intâ— France King Henrie the first his lawes The archbishop menaceth to excommunicate those that assist the king Ralfe Cog. The earle of Tholouse Matth. Paris Geffrey Fitz Péers or Fitz Peter departeth this life A cardinall sent into England The burgesses of Oxford require absolution A coÌ„uocation called by the cardinall King Iohn commended to the pope for an humble prince Matth. Paris The presumption of the cardinall Burton vpon Trent Dunstable A synod Discord betwixt the cardinall and the archbishop of Canturburie Walter Gray bishop of Worcester is remooued to the sée of Yorke Monie sent 〈◊〉 to Flanders Rafe Cog. The earle of Flanders doâ—th homagâ— to K. Iohn Matth. Parâ—â— The lands of the erle of Guâ—snes wasted Anno. Regâ—â— Meireuent Geffrey de Lucignam Nouant Mountcounter Parthenay Iane the daughter of king Iohn married to the erle of Marsâ— The interdiction released The emperor Otho K. Iohn inuadeth Britaine The Britaines put to flight Peter the erle of Drieux his sonne taken prisoner The French kings sonne came to fight with king Iohn K. Iohn remoueth to Angiers The Poictouins subdued by the FreÌ„ch The battell at the bridge of Bouins The saieng of king Iohn A truce taken betwixt the two kings of England France A cloked pilgrimage The charter of K. Henrie the first A firebrand of dissention Bernewell Matt. Paris Polydor. The lords present their request to the king The K. promiseth to consider of their requests Matth. Paris The king â—â—mandeth a new oth of allegiance of his subiects The king â—â—â—keth on him the crosse The causes 〈◊〉 the discord betwixt the king and his barons Fabian Caxton The earle of Chester Hector Boet. The kings couetousnesse The repining of the cleargie against the K Polydor. Robert Fitz Walter The archb of Canturburie mooueth the K. to satisfie the requests of the barons The king refuseth to griâ— their petitions Matt. Paris The names of the lords that banded themselues against the king Anno Reg. 17. Matth. Paris The king sendeth to the lords The barons giue a plausible name to their armie Northampton besieged They wan the towne but not the castell Matth. West Bedford castell deliuered to the barons Matth. Paris The barons write to other of the nobilitie to ioine with them against the king The king lest desolate of fréends Polydor. The lords incamped betwixt Stanes and Windsore K. Iohn commeth to them to talk of some pacification Matth. Paris Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta The chatelains of foure castels Rochester câ—stell restored to the archb 〈◊〉 Canturburie Matt.
citie into his faith marched with his armie to the said Ile tooke the same as also the earle himselfe whome he foorthwith banished But Mawd the empresse afterwards remembring this citie for such their seruice as she well liked did inlarge the liberties of this citie for whome yearelie euer after was an anniuersarie kept at the charges of the citie It was also in great troubles in the eleuenth yere of king Richard the second Anno 1387. For a controuersie line 9 being fallen betwéene the king his two vncles the dukes of Yorke Glocester none were then so highlie in the kings fauour as were Robert Uere marques of Dublin and Michaell de la Poole earle of Suffolke others of their faction To these the king gaue in commandement to collect and muster an armie as it were for his defense against his said vncles which when they had partlie doone whether it were bicause they mistrusted their owne parts or whether they doubted of the sequele of their dooings they left their iourneie towards London as it was first appointed and came towards this citie The two dukes who stood vpon their owne gard and defense hauing aduertisement hereof followed and persuaded them with all haste and spéed and hauing ouertaken them at this citie they ioined the fight with the marques and the earle But they trusting more to their feet than to their hands secretlie gaue the slip and fled awaie making no staie before they came to Scotland and from thence into Flanders where they died It was moreouer in troubles in the tenth yere of line 10 king Edward the fourth Anno 1469 when the states of this king and of king Henrie the sixt were doubtfull and the whole realme diuided some following king Henrie and some king Edward In time of which troubles the duches of Clarence the lord Dineham the lord Fitzwaren and the baron of Carew who followed and tooke part with king Henrie came to this citie being accompanied and stipated with a thousand fightingmen The duches was great with child and lodged in the bishops palace but the lords were in other houses within the close among the chanons and here staied themselues But sir Hugh Courtneie knight who then fauoured and was on the part of king Edward hearing of this assemblie raiseth an armie of his friends and alies approcheth therewith vnto this citie besiegeth it breaketh the bridges and stoppeth all the waies leading to the same and by which means no vittels could bée brought to the markets and being thus incamped about this citie sendeth to the maior requiring him line 10 either to open the gates and to giue him entrie or to deliuer vnto him the gentlemen that were therein On the other side the gentlemen which were within they either mistrusting the maior and citizens or not willing to stand to his courtesie and be vnder his gouernement required the keies of the citie gates to be deliuered vnto their custodie and that all things to be doone by their order and appointment In these doubts and perplexities consulting what were best to be doone they did at length resolue conclude line 20 neither to yeeld to the requests of them who were without nor yet to satisfie the demands of them which were within the citie but pacifieng both parties with such good words and in such good order as they might did reserue to themselues the kéeping and safe custodie of the citie being the chamber of the king parcell of the reuenues of the crowne to the onlie vse of the king and crowne as to them in dutie and allegiance did apperteine And therefore forthwith they rampired vp the citie gates fortified line 30 the walles appointed souldiers and did set all things in such good order as in that case was requisit leauing nothing vndoone which might be for the preseruation of the state commonwealth of the citie But yet for want of forecasting in processe of time the prouision within the citie waxed short and vittels to be scant whereof it was doubted there would insue some famine which the common people neither could nor would indure if some remedie were not in due time had and prouided The magistrats line 40 did their best indeuor euerie waie aswell by diligence in following as by counselling in persuading euerie man to continue firme and true to the publike state and their owne priuate common-weale And albeit the common people were vnpatient to abide troubles and loth to indure the present state of want and famine yet they had that respect to their owne truth faith and safetie as euerie man yeelded himselfe contented to abide and indure the time of their deliuerance and by the good will line 50 of God it followed and the same tooke good effect For about twelue daies after this sturre begun by waie of intreatie and mediation of certeine chanons of the cathedrall church of this citie the siege was remoued and raised wherevpon verie shortlie after did insue the field of Edgecourt where the duke of Clarence and the earle of Warwike being put to the worst did flée vnto this citie and made their entrie into the same the third daie of Aprill 1470 and laie in the bishops palace for a few daies vntill line 60 they had caused to be prouided ships at Dartmouth for their passage ouer into Calis The king being aduertised which waie his enimies were gone followed and pursued them with an armie of fortie thousand men and came to this citie the fourtéenth of Aprill 1470 hauing with him in his companie sundrie diuerse great lords and estates as namelie the bishop of Elie lord tresuror of England the duke of Norffolke earle marshall of England the duke of Suffolke the earle of Arundell the earle of Wiltshire son to the duke of Buckingham the earle of Shrewesburie the earle Riuers the lord Hastings the lord Greie of Codner the lord Audleigh the lord Saie the lord Sturton the lord Dacres the lord Mountioie the lord Stanleie the lord Ferris the baron of Dudleigh with a number of knights and gentlemen But they all came too late for the duke and the earle were both departed and gon to the seas before their comming Wherefore the king after that he had rested and reposed himselfe here thrée daies he departed and returned to London It was also in great troubles line 11 being besieged in the twelfe yeare of king Henrie the seuenth by one Perkin Warbecke 1470 who in the beginning of the moneth of September came to this citie and incamped about it with his whole armie with ordinance battered the walls fired the gates vndermined it and with mightie ladders scaled them and left nothing vndoone which might be to compasse their attempt thinking and supposing that small would be the resistance against them But such was the noble courage and valiant stomach of the citizens that they manfullie resisted and defended those forces and indured the
same to the vttermost vntill that the king being aduertised thereof did send the lord Edward Courtneie earle of Deuon and the lord William his sonne with sundrie others well appointed who came and rescued the citie but in certeine conflicts the said earle and others were hurt notwithstanding the enimie had the repulse and was driuen to raise his campe and to depart Finallie last of all it was besieged in the third line 12 yeare of king Edward the sixt 1549 by the commons of Deuon and Cornewall the historie whereof for so much as hitherto it hath not béene fullie and at large set forth by anie man wherat I Iohn Hooker the writer herof was present and Testis oculatus of things then doone I will somewhat at large discourse set downe the whole course maner of the same It is apparant and most certeine that this rebellion first was raised at a place in Deuon named Sampford Courtneie which lieth westwards from the citie about sixtéene miles vpon mondaie in the Whitsunwéeke being the tenth daie of Iune 1549. The cause thereof as by the sequele it did appeare was onelie concerning religion which then by act of parlement was reformed and to be put in execution on Whitsundaie the ninth of Iune The which daie being now come and the statute made for the same to be put in execution throughout the whole realme it was accordinglie with all obedience receiued in euerie place and the common people well inough contented therewith euerie where sauing in this west countrie and especiallie at the said Sampford Courtneie For albeit at the daie appointed by statute they had heard and were present at the diuine seruice said and had according to the new reformed order and could not in anie respect find fault or iustlie reprehend the same yet as old bottels which would not receiue new wine would rather wallow in the old dreggs and puddels of old superstition than to be fed and refreshed with the wholesome and heauenlie manna Wherefore they confederated themselues vtterlie to renounce reiect and cast off the same not onelie to the great offense of God whome they ought in all truth and veritie to reuerence and honor and to the great displeasure of the king whome in all dutifulnesse they ought to haue obeied but also to the raising of open rebellion the cause of the spoile of the whole countrie and the vndooing of themselues their wiues and children as in sequele and in the end it fell out and came to passe And here dooth appeare what great detriments doo come and insue to the church of God and what great trouble to the publike and commonweale when as learned preachers doo want to teach and instruct the peoople and well persuaded magistrats to gouerne the common state For these people lacking the one not stored with the other were left to themselues and to their owne dispositions and thereby partlie of ignorance but more of a froward and a rebellious disposition they doo now vtterlie condemne to accept and doo openlie resist to receiue the reformed religion now put and to be put in vre and execution For vpon the said mondaie the priest being line 10 come to the parish church of Sampford preparing himselfe to saie the seruice according to the booke reformed order set foorth as he had doone the daie before some of the parishioners namelie one William Underhill a tailor and one Segar a laborer and others who had consulted and determined before of the matter went to the priest and demanded what he ment to doo and what seruice he would saie Who answered that according to the lawes set forth line 20 he would saie the same seruice as he had doone the daie before Then they said that he should not so doo saieng further that they would kéepe the old and ancient religion as their forefathers before them had doone and as king Henrie the eight by his last will and testament had taken order that no alteration of religion should be made vntill king Edward his sonne were come vnto his full age And therefore for somuch as he was now but a child and could doo nothing they also would not haue anie change line 30 In the end all the parishioners ioining and taking parts togither were all of the same mind willing and charging the priest that he should vse and saie the like seruice as in times past he was woont to doo who in the end whether it were with his will or against his will he relied to their minds and yéelded to their wills and forthwith rauisheth himselfe in his old popish attire and saith masse and all such seruices as in times past accustomed These newes as a cloud caried with a violent wind and line 40 as a thunder clap sounding at one instant through the whole countrie are caried and noised euen in a moment through out the whole countrie and the common people so well allowed and liked thereof that they clapped their hands for ioie and agréed in one mind to haue the same in euerie of their seuerall parishes The iustices of peace dwelling not far from Sampford being aduertised how disorderlie contrarie to the lawes things had béene doone in the line 50 church of Sampford and how that the common people were clustered and assembled togither to continue and to mainteine their lewd disordered behauiour such of them namelie sir Hugh Pollard knight Anthonie Haruie Alexander Wood and Marke Slader esquiers came met at Sampford minding to haue had conference with the chiefe plaiers in this enterlude aswell for the redresse of the disorder alreadie committed as also to persuade line 60 and pacifie the rest of the people But they partlie vnderstanding before hand of the iustices comming were so addicted and wholie bent to their follies that they fullie resolued themselues wilfullie to mainteine what naughtilie they had begun And therfore when the iustices were come to the place and requested to talke with them they refused it vnlesse the said gentlemen would leaue all their men behind and go with them into a certeine seuerall close not far off and so they would be contented to conferre with them The gentlemen albeit they and their men were the greater number and sufficient to haue repressed the small companie of the commoners then there assembled yet whether it were because they thought in such a case to vse all the best quietest waie for the pacifieng of them or whether some of them being like affected as they were did not like the alteration as it was greatlie suspected they yéelded and according to the motion made they left their men in the towne went into the foresaid close there hauing had conference a pretie while togither did in the end depart without anie thing doone at all Whereof as there appéered some weakenesse in the said iustices which were so white liuered as they would not or