found at the taking of the same to the French king And for the sure paiment of the said sums the French king sent into England for hostages and pledges the counte de Anguien Lewes the duke of Uandosme his brother the Uidame of Charters and the duke de Aumale and others And on S. Markes daie next following being the fiue and twentith daie of Aprill about eight of the clocke in the morning line 10 the Englishmen did deliuer to the Frenchmen the possession of Bullongne and the castels and forts in the countie of Bullognois according to the agreements and articles of peace afore mentioned And the fiftéenth daie next following the French king entered into the said towne of Bullongne with trumpets blowne with all the roiall triumph that might be where he offered one great image of siluer of our ladie in the church there which was called our ladie church the which image he had caused speciallie to be made in the honor of the said ladie and caused the line 20 same to be set vp in the place where the like image before did stand the which before was taken awaie by the Englishmen at the winning of the towne ¶ On Candlemasse daie William lord S. Iohn earle of Wilshire lord great maister and president of the councell was made lord treasuror Iohn Dudleie earle of Warwike lord great chamberleine was made lord great maister William Parre marquesse of Northampton was made lord great chamberleine Lord Wentworth was made lord chamberleine line 30 of the household Sir Anthonie Wingfield capteine of the gard was made comptrollor of the kings house And sir Thomas Darcie knight was made vicechamberleine capteine of the gard And the earle of Arundell late lord chamberleine with the earle of Southampton were put off the councell and commanded to kéepe their houses in London ¶ On the 10 of Februarie one Bell a Suffolke man was hanged and quartered at Tiburne for moouing a new rebellion in Suffolke and Essex This time line 40 the lord maior of London and the aldermen purchased all the liberties of Southworke which were in the kings hands Soone after the aforesaid agreement betwéene England and France was concluded vpon the fore remembred capitulations bicause of suspicion of displeasure and hatred that was thought to remaine betwéene the earle of Warwike and the duke of Summerset latelie before deliuered out of the line 50 tower a meane was found that their fréendship should be renewed through aliance and a mariage was concluded betweene the earle of Warwikes eldest sonne and the duke of Summersets eldest daughter the which marriage was solemnized at Shene the king being then present After the solemnitie of this marriage there appeared outwardlie to the world great loue and fréendship betwéene the duke and the earle but by reason of carietales and flatterers the loue continued not long howbeit manie line 60 did verie earnestlie wish loue and amitie to continue betwéene them ¶ About this time was a new rebellion in Kent but it was soone suppressed and certeine of the chiefe were apprehended and put to death namelie Richard Lion Goddard Gorram and Richard Ireland This yeare was a parlement holden at Westminster where among other things by the authoritie of the said parlement priests children were made legitimate and vsurie for the loane of monie forbidden ¶ On wednesdaie in Whitsunweeke at a court of aldermen kept at the Guildhall sir Iohn Aliffe knight and maister of Blackwell hall was sworne alderman of the Bridge ward without to haue iurisdiction of the borough of Southworke and thus was he the first alderman that euer was there who made vp the number of six and twentie aldermen of London whereas befoâ—e that time had beene but fiue and twentie Trinitie tearme was adiourned till Michaelmasse for that the gentlemen should keepe the commons from commotion The eleuenth of Iune being S. Barnabies daie was kept holiedaie all London ouer and the same daie at night the high altar in Paules church was pulled downe and a table set where the altar stood with a veile drawne beneath the steps and on the sundaie next a communion was soong at the same table and shortlie after all the altars in London were taken downe and tables placed in their roomes This yeare was no such watch at Midsummer as had béene accustomed The thirtith of Iulie Thomas lord Wriothesleie erle of Southampton knight of the garter and one of the executors to king Henrie the eight deceassed at Lincolne place in Holborne and was buried in S. Andrewes church there Sir Andrew Iude for this yeare maior of London and skinner erected one notable fréeschoole at Tunbridge in Kent wherein he brought vp and nourished in learning great store of youth as well bred in that shire as brought from other countries adioining A noble act and correspondent to those that haue beene doone by like worshipfull men and other in old time within the same citie of London He also builded almesse houses for six poore almesse people nigh to the parish church of saint Helens within Bishopsgate of London gaue land to the companie of the skinners in the same citie amounting to the value of thréescore pounds thrée shillings eight pence the yeare for the which they be bound to paie twentie pounds to the schoolemaister and eight pounds to the vsher of his free schoole at Tunbridge yearelie for euer and foure shillings the wéeke to the six poore almesse people at S. Helens aforesaid eight pence the péece wéekelie and fiue and twentie shillings foure pence the yeare in coles amongst them for euer About this time there was at Feuersham in Kent a gentleman named Arden most cruellie murthered and slaine by the procurement of his owne wife The which murther for the horriblenesse thereof although otherwise it may séeme to be but a priuate matter and therefore as it were impertinent to this historie I haue thought good to set it foorth somewhat at large hauing the instructions deliuered to me by them that haue vsed some diligence to gather the true vnderstanding of the circumstances This Arden was a man of a tall and comelie personage and matched in marriage with a gentlewoman yoong tall and well fauoured of shape and countenance who chancing to fall in familiaritie with one Mosbie a tailor by occupation a blacke swart man seruant to the lord North it happened this Mosbie vpon some misliking to fall out with hir but she being desirous to be in fauour with him againe sent him a paire of siluer dice by one Adam Foule dwelling at the Floure de lice in Feuersham After which he resorted to hir againe and oftentimes laie in Ardens house in somuch that within two yeares after he obteined such fauour at hir hands that he laie with hir or as they terme it kept hir in abusing hir bodie And although as it was
an other pageant made by the Florentins verie high on the top whereof there stood foure pictures and in the middest of them and most highest there stood an angell all in gréene with a trumpet in his hand and when the line 50 trumpetter who stood secretlie in the pageant did sound his trumpet the angell did put his trumpet to his mouth as though it had béene the same that had sounded to the great maruelling of manie ignorant persons this pageant was made with three thorough faires or gates c. The conduit in Cornehill ran wine and beneath the conduit a pageant made at the charges of the citie and an other at the great conduit in Cheape and a founteine by it running wine The standard in Cheape new painted with the waits line 60 of the citie aloft theron plaieng The crosse in Cheape new washed and burnished An other pageant at the little conduit in Cheape next to Paules was made by the citie where the aldermen stood when the quéene came against them the recorder made a short proposition to hir and then the chamberleine presented to hir in the name of the maior and the citie a purse of cloth of gold and a thousand marks of gold in it then she rode foorth and in Paules church-yard against the schoole one master Heiwood sat in a pageant vnder a vine and made to hir an oration in Latine English Then was there one Peter a Dutchman that stood on the weathercâ—cke of Paules stéeple holding a streamer in his hand of fiue yards long and wauing thereof stood sometimes on the one foot and shooke the other and then knéeled on his knees to the great maruell of all people He had made two scaffolds vnder him one aboue the crosse hauing torches and streamers set on it and an other ouer the ball of the crosse likewise set with streamers torches which could not burne the wind was so great the said Peter had sixteene pounds thirtéene shillings foure pense giuen him by the citie for his costs and paines and for all his stuffe Then was there a pageant made against the deane of Paules gate where the quéeristers of Paules plaied on vials and soong Ludgate was newlie repared painted and richlie hanged with minstrels plaieng and singing there Then was there an other pageant at the conduit in Fleetstréet and the temple barre was newlie painted and hanged And thus she passed to Whitehall at Westminster where she tooke hir leaue of the lord maior giuing him great thanks for his pains and the citie for their cost On the morrow which was the first daie of October the quéene went by water to the old palace and there remained till about eleuen of the clocke and then went on foot vpon blew cloth being railed on either side vnto saint Peters church where she was solemnlie crowned and annointed by Stephan Gardiner bishop of Winchester for the archbishops of Canturburie and Yorke were then prisoners in the tower which coronation and other ceremonies and solemnities then vsed according to the old custome was not fullie ended till it was nigh foure of the clocke at night that she returned from the church before whom was then borne three swords sheathed one naked The great seruice that daie doone in Westminster hall at dinner by diuerse noblemen would aske long time to write The lord maior of London twelue citizens kept the high cupboord of plate as butlers and the quéene gaue to the maior for his fée a cupboord of gold with a couer weieng seuentéene ounces At the time of this quéenes coronation there was published a generall pardon in hir name being interlaced with so manie exceptions as they that néeded the same most tooke smallest benefit thereby In which were excepted by name no small number not onelie of bishops and other of the cleargie namelie the archbishops of Canturburie and Yorke the bishop of London but also manie lords knights and gentlemen of the laitie beside the two chiefe iustices of England called sir Edward Montacute and sir Roger Cholmeleie with some other learned men in the law for counselling or at the least consenting to the depriuation of quéene Marie and aiding of the foresaid duke of Northumberland in the pretensed right of the before named ladie Iane the names of which persons so being excepted I haue omitted for shortnesse sake As soone as this pardon was published and the solemnitie of the feast of the coronation ended there were certeine commissioners assigned to take order with all such persons as were excepted out of the pardon and others to compound with the queene for their seuerall offenses Which commissioners sat at the deane of Paules his house at the west end of Paules church and there called before them the said persons apart and from some they tooke their fees and offices granted before by king Edward the sixt and yet neuerthelesse putting them to their fines and some they committed to ward depriuing them of their states and liuings so that for the time to those that tasted thereof it seemed verie grieuous God deliuer vs from incurring the like danger of law againe The fift daie of October next following the quéene held hir hie court of parlement at Westminster which continued vntill the one and twentith daie of the said moneth In the first session of which parlement there passed no more acts but one and that was to declare queene Marie lawfull heire in descent to the crowne of England by the common lawes next after hir brother king Edward and to repeale certeine causes of treason fellonie and premunire conteined in diuers former statutes the which act of repeale was for that cardinall Poole was especiallie looked for as after ye shall heare for the reducing of the church of line 10 England to the popes obedience and to the end that the said cardinall now called into England from Rome might hold his courts legantine without the danger of the statutes of the premunire made in that case whereinto cardinall Wolseie when he was legat had incurred to his no small losse and to the charge of all the clergie of England for exercising the like power the which act being once passed foorthwith the queene repaired to the parlement line 20 house and gaue therevnto hir roiall assent and then proroged the parlement vnto the foure and twentith daie of the said moneth In which second session were confirmed and made diuerse and sundrie statutes concerning religion wherof some were restored and other repealed ¶ Sir Thomas White for this yéere maior and merchant tailor a woorthie patrone and protector of poore scholers lerning renewed or rather erected a college in Oxenford now called saint Iohns college before Bernard college He also erected schooles at Bristow line 30 and Reading Moreouer this worshipfull citizen in his life time gaue to the citie of Bristow two thousand pounds of readie monie to purchase lands to
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
said earles had remooued and put others in their roomes among the which Iohn Mansell was discharged of his office and sir Hugh Bigod brother to earle Marshall admitted in his roome Also bicause the foresaid gouernours had knowledge that the king minded not to performe the ordinances established at Oxford they thought to make their part as strong as was possible for them to doo and therefore vpon the morrow after the feast of Marie Magdalene the king as then being at Westminster the earle Marshall the earle of Leicester and diuerse other came to the Guildhall of London where the maior and aldermen with the commons of the citie were assembled and there the lords shewed the instrument or writing sealed with the kings seale and with the seales of his sonne prince Edward and of manie other lords of the land conteining the articles of those ordinances which had béene concluded at Oxford willing the maior and aldermen to set also therevnto their common seale of the citie The maior and aldermen vpon aduise amongst them taken required respit till they might know the kings pleasure therein but the lords were so earnest in the matter and made such instance that no respit could be had so that in the end the common seale of the citie was put to that writing and the maior with diuerse of the citie sworne to mainteine the same their allegiance saued to the king with their liberties and franchises according to the accustomed manner Upon the ninth day of August proclamation was made in diuerse places of the citie that none of the kings takers should take any thing within the citie without the will of the owner except two tunnes of wine which the king accustomablie had of euerie ship comming from Burdeaux paieng but 40 shillings for the tun By meanes of this proclamation nothing was taken by the kings officers within the citie and liberties of the same except readie paiment were made in hand which vse continued not long Herevpon the king held a parlement at Westminster and another at Winchester or else proroged and remoued the same thither Also sir Hugh Bigod lord chéefe iustice with Roger Turksey and other called Itinerarij kept the terme for plées at saint Sauiours for you must vnderstand that in those daies they were kept in diuerse places of the realme which now are holden altogither at Westminster and iudges ordeined to kéepe a circuit as now they kéepe the assises in time of vacation The foresaid iudges sitting on that maner at saint Sauiours punished bailiffes and other officers verie extremelie which were conuict afore them for diuerse trespasses and speciallie for taking of merciaments otherwise than law gaue them After this the same sir Hugh came vnto the Guildhall and there sat in iudgement and kept plees without order of law yea contrarie to the liberties of the citie he punished bakers for lacke of true size by the tumbrell where before they were punished by the pillorie manie other things he vsed after such manner more by will than good order of law There was a bruite raised whether of truth or otherwise we leaue to the credit of the authors that the Poictouins had practised to poison the most part of the English nobilitie Indéed diuers of them were greeuouslie tormented with a certeine disease of swelling and breaking out some died and othersome verie hardlie escaped of which number the earle of Glocester was one who laie sicke a long time at Sunning a place besides Reading At length he recouered but his brother William died of the same disease and vpon his death-bed laid the fault to one Walter Scotenie as the occasioner of his death which afterwards cost the said Walter his life For although he was one of the chéefe councellors and steward also to the said earle of Glocester yet being had in suspicion and thervpon apprehended and charged with that crime when in the yeare next following in Iune he came to be arreigned at Winchester and put himselfe to be tried by a iurie the same pronounced him guiltie and when those that were impanneled vpon that iurie were asked by the iudges how they vnderstood that he should be giltie they answered bicause that where the said Walter was neuer indebted that they could heare of either to William de Ualence or to any of his brethren they were fullie certified that he had late receiued no small sum of monie of the said W. de Ualence to poison both his maister and other of the English nobilitie as was to be thought sith there was no other apparant cause why he should receiue such a gift at the hands of their enimie the said William de Ualence and so was the said Walter executed at Winchester aforesaid The haruest was verie late this yeare so that the most part of the corne rotted on the ground and that which at length was got in remained yet abrode till line 10 after Alhallowentide so vntemperate was the weather with excessiue wet and raine beyond all measure Herevpon the dearth so increased that euen those which had of late releeued other were in danger to starue themselues Finallie solemne fasts and generall processions were made in diuerse places of the realme to appease Gods wrath and as it was thought their praiers were heard for the weather partlie amended and by reason the same serued to get in some such corne as was not lost the price thereof line 20 in the market fell halfe in halfe A good and memorable motiue that in such extremities as are aboue the reach of man to redresse we should by and by haue recourse to him that can giue a remedie against euerie casualtie For Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Richard Gray the chattellaine of Douer looking diligentlie vnto his charge tooke a thousand marks which the bishop of Winchester had sent thither to haue beene transported ouer into France Erlotus line 30 the popes Nuncio perceiuing the trouble that was like to insue within the realme would no longer tarie but wiselie departed and got him home Herewith certeine wise personages were sent to Rome on the part of the king and baronage to informe the pope in what state the realme stood and to giue him to vnderstand how gréeuouslie the people had beene handled by the practise of certeine Romane prelats promoted in this land This yeare neere to Carmardin Patrike of Chauton line 40 lord of Kedwelli Hugh de Uiun and diuerse other both horsmen and footmen were slaine through treason by the Welshmen yet it should appeare by Matthew Paris that the Englishmen procured this mischéefe to light on their owne heads through their disloiall dealing For where they were come to the place to talke of an agréement some of the marchers supposing they had béene too strong for the Welshmen persuaded the said lord of Kedwellie to assaile them vpon the sudden in hope to haue
this truce it seemeth that this was some second truce and not the first truce which included onelie the marches of Calis and those parts vp to the water of Some But howsoeuer it was the duke of Britaine being in a great forwardnesse to haue recouered his duchie out of the Frenchmens hands and to haue reduced his rebellious subiects vnder due obeisance againe was now by this truce concluded out of time greatlie disappointed and so brake vp his siege from before Campellie and sent home the English armie He went himselfe to Aulroie where his wife was and taking order for the fortifieng and keeping of those places which were in his possession he came backe againe into England and brought his wife with him A litle before the concluding of this truce the Englishmen and others within the fortresse of saint Sauiour le vicount in the I le or rather Close as they call it of Constantine which had beene long besieged made a composition that if they were not rescued by a certeine daie then should they yéeld vp the place to the Frenchmen Now bicause this truce line 10 was agréed before the daie appointed for the rescue of that place with condition that either part should inioy and hold that which at that present they had in possession during the terme of the truce the Englishmen thought that saint Sauiour le vicount should be saued by reason of that treatie but the Frenchmen to the contrarie auouched that the first couenant ought to passe the last ordinance So that when the daie approched the French king sent thither six thousand speares knights and esquiers beside other people line 20 and bicause none appeared to giue them battell they had the towne deliuered to them ¶ In this 49 yeare of K. Edwards reigne a great death chanced in this land and in diuerse other countries so that innumerable numbers of people died and perished of that contagious sickenesse Amongst other the lord Edward Spenser died the same yeare a man of great renowme and valiantnesse Also the earle of Penbroke hauing compounded for his ransome as he was vpon his returne from Spaine line 30 comming homewards through France he fell sicke and being brought in an horsselitter to Arras he died there on the 16 daie of Aprill leauing a sonne behind him not past two yeares of age begot of the countesse his wife called Anne daughter vnto the lord Walter de Mannie Polydor mistaking the matter saith that Marie the countesse of Penbroke who builded Penbroke hall in Cambridge was wife to this Iohn Hastings earle of Penbroke whereas in deed she was wife to his ancestor Aimer line 40 de Ualence earle of Penbroke as Iohn Stow in his summarie hath trulie noted She was daughter to Guy earle of saint Pole a worthie ladie and a vertuous tendering so much the wealthfull state of this land a great part wherof consisteth in the good bringing vp of youth and training them to the knowledge of learning that for maintenance of students she began the forsaid commendable foundation about the yeare of Christ 1343 vpon a plot of ground that was hir owne hauing purchased licence thereto of line 50 the king to whom she was of kin During that greeuous mortalitie and cruell pestilence before remembred the pope at the instant request of the English cardinals granted vnto all those that died in England being shriuen and repentant of their sinnes cleane remission of the same by two buls inclosed vnder lead The duke of Lancaster about the feast of All saints met with the French commissioners againe at Bruges There was with him the duke of Britaine the earle of Salisburie line 60 and the bishop of London For the French king there appeered the duke of Burgognie the earle of Salebruch and the bishop of Amiens And at saint Omers laie the duke of Aniou the archbishop of Rauenna and the bishop of Carpentras tooke great paine to go to and fro betwéene the parties but they were so far at ods in their demands and as it were of set purpose on the French behalfe that no good could be doone betwixt them The French king required to haue Calis raced and to haue againe fourtéene hundred thousand franks which were paid for the ransome of king Iohn The king of England demanded to haue all the lands restored to him in Gascoigne and Guien cléerelie exempt of all resorts So when nothing could be concluded touching a finall peace the truce was renewed to indure till the feast of S. Iohn Baptist next insuing which should be in the yeare 1376. In this fiftith yeare king Edward assembled his high court of parlement at Westminster in the which was demanded a subsidie of the commons for the defense of the kings dominions against his enimies Wherevnto answer was made by the common house that they might no longer beare such charges considering the manifold burthens by them susteined in time past And further they said it was well knowne the king was rich inough to withstand his enimies if his monie and treasure were well imploied but the land had béene of long time euill guided by euill officers so that the same could not be stored with chaffer merchandize or other riches The commons also declared whom they tooke and iudged to be chéefe causer of this disorder as the duke of Lancaster the L. Latimer lord chamberleine to the king also dame Alice Perers whom the king had long time kept to his concubine and also one named sir Richard Sturrie by whose sinister meanes and euill counsell the king was misled and the land euill gouerned Wherefore the commons by the mouth of their speaker sir Peers de la Mere required that those persons might be remooued from the king and other more discreet set in their roomes about his person and so put in authoritie that they might sée to his honour and weale of the realme more than the other had doone before them This request of the commons by support of the prince was allowed and granted so that the said persons and other of their affinitie were commanded to depart the court and other such as were thought méet by the prince and the sage péeres of the realme were placed in their stéeds ¶ Shortlie after the commons granted to the king his whole request so that he had of euerie person man and woman being aboue the age of fourtéene yeares foure pence poore people that liued of almesse onelie excepted ¶ Likewise the cleargie granted that of euerie beneficed man the king should haue twelue pence and of euerie priest not beneficed foure pence the foure orders of friers onelie excepted But yer this monie could be leuied the king was constreined to borrow certeine great summes in sundrie places and therefore he sent to the citie of London for foure thousand pounds And bicause Adam Staple the maior was not diligent in furthering that lone he was by the kings
will aduenture to haue my head broken for the duke of Irelands pleasure Likewise the earle of line 20 Northumberland being at that time in the court spake these words to the king Sir there is no doubt but these lords who now be in the field alwaies haue beene your true and faithfull subiects and yet are not intending to attempt anie thing against your state wealth honor Neuerthelesse they féele themselues sore molested and disquieted by the wicked deuises of certeine persons about you that seeke to oppresse them And verelie without faile all your realme is sore greeued therewith both great and small as well line 30 lords as commons and I sée not the contrarie but they mind to aduenture their liues with the lords that are thus in armes speciallie in this case which they reckon to be yours and your realmes And sir now yée be in the cheefe place of your realme and in the place of your coronation order your selfe now therefore wiselie and like a king Send to them to come before your presence in some publike place where they may declare vnto you the intent and purpose of their comming accompanied with so great a line 40 number of people into these parts and I beléeue it verelie they will shew such reasons that you will hold them excused The archbishop of Canturburie and the lord chancellor bishop of Elie and other of the bishops also there present affirmed the earles aduise to be good And the king considering wiselie the case as it stood began to be appeased and accorded to follow their aduise desiring the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Elie to aduertise them of his plesure which line 50 was that he willed them to come to him to Westminster on sundaie then next following and so they repairing to the lords made report to them of the kings mind and purpose But the duke of Glocester and the other lords were so fullie bent in their opinion that they swore all whole togither that they would neuer giue ouer their enterprise so long as they had a penie to spend in maintenance of their cause and if it chanced anie of them to depart this life the ouerliuers should persist therein vntill the time that line 60 they had brought their purpose to some good effect And bicause they doubted least the king might stirre the citie of London against them they determined first to aduertise the maior and the citie how their comming was onlie to reforme certeine great enormities which they set downe in writing sent it to the maior and citizens beseeching them of their fauour and counsell therin This doone they determined yet to kéepe their daie on the sundaie following to appeare before the kings presence but this was not got of them till that the lord chancellor with diuerse other noblemen of good credit had vndertaken vpon their oths for the kings behalfe that no fraud nor deceipt no perill nor euill pretense should be put in practise against the lords wherby they might come to losse either of life limme or goods or otherwise through the kings means but that if he should go about anie such things the said lord chancellor and other the mediators should forwarne the lords therof When therefore the lords were readie according to couenant to come vnto Westminster they were secretlie aduertised that there was an ambush laid in a place called the Mewes and so they staied and came not at the appointed houre Wherevpon when the king demanded how it fortuned that the lords kept not promise the bishop of Elie lord Chancellor made him this answer Bicause saith he there is an ambush of a thousand armed men or more laid in such a place and named it contrarie to couenant and therefore they neither come nor hold you for faithfull of your word The king hearing this was astonied and said with an oth that he knew of no such thing withall sent to the shiriffes of London commanding them to go to the Mewes and vpon search made if they found anie force of men there assembled to take and kill all such as they could laie hands vpon But sir Thomas Triuet and sir Nitholas Brambre knight that had in déed assembled such a number of men when they vnderstood what order the king had giuen therein they sent their men backe to London The lords after this receiuing a safe conduct from the king and perceiuing all to be safe and cleare came vnto Westminster with a strong power of men about them The king when he heard they were come apparelled himselfe in his kinglie robes and with his scepter in hand came into the great hall at Westminster The lords as soone as they had sight of him made to him their humble obeisance went foorth till they came to the nether steps going vp to the kings seat of state where they made their second obeisance then the king gaue them countenance to come néerer to him they so did kneeling downe before him foorthwith he rose from his place and louinglie welcomming them tooke each of them by the hand and that doone sate him downe againe Herewith the bishop of Elie lord chancellor as mouth to the king declared vnto these lords in effect as followeth My lords said he our souereigne lord the king hearing that you were assembled in Haringie parke in other maner than was conuenient would not foorthwith run vpon you with force to destroie you as he might easilie haue doone if he had not wished your safetie for no man doubteth but if his pleasure had béene to gather an armie he might haue had more people than you could haue got to haue taken part with you against him and so happilie much bloud might haue béene spilt which thing certeinlie our souereigne lord the king vtterlie abhorreth and therefore vsing patience and mildnesse he hath rather chosen to talke with you in peaceable wise that he may vnderstand the cause whie yée haue assembled so great a number of people togither The lords for answer héerevnto said that they assembled their forces togither for the profit both of the king and realme and speciallie to take awaie from him such traitors as remained continuallie about him to wit Robert de Ueer duke of Ireland Alexander Neuill archbishop of Yorke Michaell de la Poole erle of Suffolke Robert Trisilian that false iustice and sir Nicholas Brambre that disloiall knight of London for so they tearmed them all And to prooue their accusations true they threw downe their gloues protesting by their oths to prosecute it by battell Naie saith the king not so but in the next parlement which we doo appoint before hand to begin the morrow after the Purification of our ladie both they and you appearing shall receiue according to law all that which reason shall appoint And now to you my lords I speake by what meane or by what reason durst you so presumptuouslie take vpon
by certeine traitors of his owne subiects euen in his bedchamber by night which king saith Polychr had beene prisoner in England fifteene yeares the murtherers of whom being afterwards taken were terriblie executed The lord Talbot besieged Tankeruile and after line 10 foure moneths had it simplie to him rendered This towne was no great gaine to the Englishmen for in the meane season the French king in his owne person besieged the strong towne of Monstreau fault Yonne whereof Thomas Gerard being capteine more for desire of reward than for feare of enimies sold the towne to the French king and had of him great gifts and interteinement as afterwards was openlie knowen This towne had béene rescued of the French king fought withall if one chance line 20 had not happened For the duke of Yorke about that time was discharged of his office and the earle of Warwike preferred to the same so that the duke of Yorke lieng as then at Rone would haue gladlie rescued the towne if his authoritie had not surceassed and the earle of Warwike could not come in time for the wind was contrarie to him This present yeare was a parlement holden at Westminster in the which manie good and profitable acts for the preseruation of concord at home and defense line 30 against the enimies abroad were ordeined and deuised ¶ Arthur of Britaine constable of France and Iohn duke of Alanson were sent by the French king into Normandie with a great armie to besiege the towne of Auranches standing vpon the knop of an hill where after they had laien a certeine space without gaine the lord Talbot with a valiant companie of men came thither and offered the enimies battell Which when they at all hands refused the lord Talbot perceiuing their faint harts raised his field line 40 and in the open sight of them all entered into the towne and the next daie issued out and finding the Frenchmen riding abroad to destroie the plaine countrie he compassed them about and slue manie of them and tooke diuerse prisoners Although the Frenchmen got neither honor nor profit by this iournie yet they enterprised a greater matter as the winning of Rone in so much that Pouton de Santreils and the Hire with manie other notable capteins hauing promise of certeine burgesses of that line 50 citie to haue entrie made them secretlie in the night came forward to a towne called Rise or Riz not past foure leagues from Rone and there lodged The lord Talbot the lord Scales and sir Thomas Kiriell hearing of their approch set out of Rone at midnight with great paine came to Rise so couertlie in the morning that the French suddenlie surprised and set vpon like men all amazed ran awaie and fled In the chase were taken the lord of Fontains sir Aleine Geron sir Lewes de Balle and thréescore line 60 knights and esquiers beside others and there were slaine two hundred and more The Hire escaped verie narrowlie by swiftnesse of his horsse though not vnwounded The Englishmen returned to the towne of Rise and found there great number of horsses other baggages which they ioiouslie brought with them to Rone On the sixt daie of Nouember this present yeare the earle of Warwike as regent of France passed the sea after he had beene seuen times shipped and vnshipped and landed at Homflue with a thousand fresh souldiers and came to Rone and then the duke of Yorke returned into England Betwéene the change of these two capteins the duke of Burgognie which sore enuied the glorie of the Englishmen besieged the towne of Crotoy with ten thousand men and more hauing with him great plentie of guns and goodlie ordinance The earle of Warwike aduertised hereof sent the lord Fauconbridge sir Thomas Kiriell sir Iohn Montgomerie Thomas Limbrike Thomas Chandois Dauid Hall and diuerse other knights and esquiers and an host of fiue thousand men which passed the riuer of Some beside the towne of saint Ualerie wading in the water vp to the chin so glad were they to rescue their felowes When the duke of Burgognie was informed of the approching of the lord Talbot he with all his power sauing foure hundred which were left in a bastile by him there newlie builded fled to Abuile the bastile was soone gained by the Englishmen and those within either slaine or taken After this the lord Talbot sent to the duke of Burgognie signifieng that except he would come foorth and bide by a battell he would vtterlie wast his countrie of Picardie According wherevnto the duke of Burgognie shrinking he burnt townes spoiled and slue manie people in Picardie But for all those his doings the duke of Burgognie appeared not but got him from Abuile to Amiens so that the lord Talbot abode twentie daies full in Picardie and Arthois destroieng all afore him and after returned vntouched In the meane season sir Thomas Kiriell had gotten all the dukes cariages and ordinance and left as much vittell in the towne of Croitoy as would serue six hundred men a whole yeare and conueied the residue to the earle of Warwike who highlie praised them for their hardie dooings After this Henrie earle of Mortaigne sonne to Edmund duke of Summerset ariued at Chierburgh with foure hundred archers thrée hundred speares and passed through Normandie till he came into the countie of Maine where he besieged a castell called saint Anian in the which were thrée hundred Scots besides Frenchmen This castell he tooke by assault slue the Scots and hanged the Frenchmen bicause they were once sworne English After this he got also another castell two miles from saint Iulians called Alegerche which was shortlie after recouered and the lord of Camewis which came to the rescue of the same in the meane waie was intrapped and taken Thus flowed the victorie sometime on the one partie and sometime on the other For about the same time the townes of Meaux in Brie and saint Susan were sold and deliuered to the French part by the vntruth of the burgesses and inhabitants of the same towns about the latter end of this sixteenth yeare This yeare by reason of great tempests raging winds and raine there rose such scarsitie that wheat was sold at three shillings foure pense the bushell wine at twelue pense the gallon year 1439 baisalt at fourtéene pense the bushell and malt at thirteene shillings foure pense the quarter and all other graines at excessiue prices aboue the old rate ¶ Wherevpon Steuen Browne saith Polychronicon at the same season maior of London tendering the state of the citie in this want of breadcorne sent into Pruse certeine ships which returned loden with plentie of rie wherwith he did much good to the people in that hard time speciallie to them of the citie where the want of corne was not so extreame as in some other places of the land where the poore distressed people that were hungerbitten made them bred of ferne roots
425 426 427. Upon the thirtith of Maie next following she was crowned quéene of this realme of England at Westminster with all the solemnitie line 60 thereto apperteining This mariage séemed to manie both infortunate and vnprofitable to the realme of England and that for manie causes First the king had not one penie with hir and for the fetching of hir the marquesse of Suffolke demanded a whole fiftéenth in open parlement And also there was deliuered for hir the duchie of Aniou the citie of Mans and the whole countie of Maine which countries were the verie staies and backestands to the duchie of Normandie And furthermore the earle of Arminacke tooke such displeasure with the king of England for this mariage that he became vtter enimie to the crowne of England and was the cheefe cause that the Englishmen were expelled out of the whole duchie of Aquitaine But most of all it should séeme that God was displeased with this mariage for after the confirmation thereof the kings freends fell from him both in England and in France the lords of his realme fell at diuision and the commons rebelled in such sort that finallie after manie fields foughten and manie thousands of men slaine the king at length was deposed and his sonne killed and this quéene sent home againe with as much miserie and sorrow as she was receiued with pompe and triumph such is the instabilitie of worldlie felicitie and so wauering is false flattering fortune Which mutation and change of the better for the worse could not but nettle and sting hir with pensiuenesse yea and anie other person whatsoeuer that hauing béene in good estate falleth into the contrarie whereto the saieng of the poet giueth credit in these few words following Quem res plus nimio delectauère secundae Mutatae quatiunt This yeare after the deceasse of Henrie Chicheleie archbishop of Canturburie succeeded Iohn Stafford in that sée being translated from Bath and Wels. He was the thréescore and one archbishop as Polydor noteth During the time of the truce Richard duke of Yorke and diuerse other capteins repaired into England both to visit their wiues children and fréends and also to consult what should be doone if the truce ended For the which cause a parlement was called in the which it was especiallie concluded that by good foresight Normandie might be so furnished for defense before the end of the truce year 1446 that the French king should take no aduantage through want of timelie prouision for it was knowne that if a peace were not concluded the French king did prepare to imploie his whole puissance to make open warre Héerevpon monie was granted an armie leuied and the duke of Summerset appointed to be regent of Normandie and the duke of Yorke thereof discharged I haue séene in a register booke belonging sometime to the abbeie of saint Albons that the duke of of Yorke was established regent of France after the deceasse of the duke of Bedford to continue in that office for the tearme of fiue yeares which being expired he returned home and was ioifullie receiued of the king with thanks for his good seruice as he had full well deserued in time of that his gouernement and further that now when a new regent was to be chosen and sent ouer to abide vpon safegard of the countries beyond the seas as yet subiect to the English dominion the said duke of Yorke was eftsoones as a man most méet to supplie that roome appointed to go ouer againe as regent of France with all his former allowances But the duke of Summerset still maligning the duke of Yorkes aduancement as he had sought to hinder his dispatch at the first when he was sent ouer to be regent as before yee haue heard he likewise now wrought so that the king reuoked his grant made to the duke of Yorke for enioieng of that office the terme of other fiue yéeres and with helpe of William marquesse of Suffolke obteined that grant for himselfe Which malicious deling the duke of Yorke might so euill beare that in the end the heate of displeasure burst out into such a flame as consumed at length not onelie both those two noble personages but also manie thousands of others though in diuers times and seasons as in places hereafter as occasion serueth it shall more euidentlie appeare But now to returne to the parlement The marques of Suffolke supposing all men had as well liked his dooings during the time of his legation in France as himselfe the second daie of Iune in the first session of this parlement in the higher house openlie eloquentlie and boldlie declared his paine trauell and diligence susteined in his said legation as well for the taking and concluding an abstinence of warre as in the making of the mariage remembring them also that the said truce expired the first of Aprill next except a finall peace or a further truce were concluded in the meane season and therefore he aduised them to prouide and foresée things necessarie for the warre as though no concord should succeed least happilie the Frenchmen perceiuing line 10 them vnprouided would take their aduantage and agrée neither to peace nor amitie saieng vnto them further that sith he had admonished the king and them according to his dutie if anie thing happened otherwise than well he was thereof innocent and guiltlesse and had acquited himselfe like a true and louing subiect and a faithfull councellour praieng the lords to haue it in remembrance Likewise on the morow after he descended into the common house accompanied with certeine lords line 20 and there declared the same matter to the knights citizens and burgesses praieng the commons for his discharge that as well all his dooings and procéedings in the kings affaires beyond the sea as also his aduertisement and counsell opened to the lords and commons now togither assembled might be by the king and them inacted and inrolled in the records of the parlement Wherevpon the next daie after the speaker William Burghleie and the companie of line 30 the lower house repaired vnto the kings presence sitting amongst the lords of the vpper house there humblie required that the request of the marquesse might be granted And so likewise the lords made the like petition kneeling on their knées insomuch that the king condescended to their desires and so the labours demeanours diligences and declarations of the said marquesse togither with the desires not onelie of the lords but also of the commons as well for the honour of him and his posteritie as for line 40 his acquitall and discharge were inacted and inrolled in the records of the parlement By the quéenes meanes shortlie after also was the said marquesse aduanced so in authoritie that he ruled the king at his pleasure and to his high preferment obteined the wardships both of the bodie and lands of the countesse of Warwike and of the ladie Margaret sole heire
such due and lawfull forme as in such cases the law prouideth till they had compounded to paie great fines and ransomes line 60 Moreouer the kings wards after they had accomplished their full age could not be suffered to sue their liueries till they had paied excessiue fines and ransomes vnto their great annoiance losse and disquieting and to no lesse contempt of the said king And further whereas diuerse persons had béene outlawed as well at the sute of their aduersaries as of the said late king they could not be allowed to purchase their charters of pardon out of the chancerie according to the law of the realme till they were driuen to answer halfe the issues and profits of all their lands and tenements by the space of two yeares which the king receiued to his vse by the said Richard Empsons procurement who informed him that hée might lawfullie take the same although he knew that it was contrarie to the lawes and customes of the realme Wherevpon the people vexed and molested by such hard dealings sore grudged against the said late king to the great perill and danger of his person and realme and subuersion of the lawes and ancient customes thereof Also it was alleged against the said Empson that he had sent foorth precepts directed vnto diuerse persons commanding them vpon great penalties to appeare before him and other his associats at certeine daies and times within his house in S. Brides parish in a ward of London called Farringdon without where they making their appearances according to the same precepts were impleaded afore him and other his said associats of diuerse murthers felonies outlawries and of the articles in the statute of prouisors conteined also of wilfull escapes of felonies and such like matters and articles apperteining to the plées of the crowne and common lawes of the realme And that doone the said persons were committed to diuerse prisons as the Fléet the Tower and other places where they were deteined till they had fined at his pleasure as well for the commoditie of the said late king as for the singular aduantage of the said sir Richard Empson Moreouer whereas the said Empson being recorder of Couentrie and there sate with the maior and other iustices of the peace vpon a speciall gaole deliuerie within that citie on the monday before the feast of saint Thomas the apostle in the sixtéenth yeare of the late kings reigne a prisoner that had beene indicted of felonie for taking out of an house in that citie certeine goods to the value of twentie shillings was arreigned before them And bicause the iurie would not find the said prisoner giltie for want of sufficient euidince as they after alleged the said sir Richard Empson supposing the same euidence to be sufficient caused them to be committed to ward wherein they remained foure daies togither till they were contented to enter bond in fortie pounds a péece to appeare before the king and his councell the second returne of the tearme then next insuing being Quindena Hilarij Wherevpon they kéeping their daie and appearing before the said sir Richard Empson and other of the kings councell according to their bonds were adiudged to paie euerie of them eight pounds for a fine and accordinglie made paiment thereof as they were then thought well worthie so to doo But now this matter so long past was still kept in memorie and so earnest some were to inforce it to the vttermost against the said Empson that in a sessions holden at Couentrie now in this first yeare of this kings reigne an indictment was framed against him for this matter and thereof he was found giltie as if therein he had committed some great and heinous offense against the kings peace his crowne and dignitie Thus haue I thought good to shew what I find hereof to the end ye may perceiue how glad men were to find some colour of sufficient matter to bring the said sir Richard Empson and maister Edmund Dudleie within danger of the lawes whereby at length they were not onelie condemned by act of parlement through malice of such as might séeme to seeke their destruction for priuat grudges but in the end also they were arreigned as first the said Edmund Dudleie in the Guildhall of London the seuentéenth of Iulie and sir Richard Empson at Northampton in October next insuing and being there condemned was from thence brought backe againe to the Tower of London where he remained till the time of his execution as after yée shall heare This yeare the plague was great and reigned in diuerse parts of this realme The king kept his Christmas at Richmond The twelfe of Ianuarie diuerse gentlemen prepared to iust and the king and one of his priuie chamber called William Compton secretlie armed themselues in the little parke of Richmond so came into the iustes vnknowne to all persons The king neuer ran openlie before and did exceeding well Maister Compton chanced line 10 to be sore hurt by Edward Neuill esquier brother to the lord of Aburgauennie so that he was like to haue died One person there was that knew the king and cried God saue the king and with that all the people were astonied and then the king discouered himselfe to the great comfort of the people The king soone after came to Westminster and there kept his Shrouetide with great bankettings dansings and other iollie pastimes And on a time the king in person accompanied line 20 with the earles of Essex Wilshire and other noble men to the number of twelue came suddenlie in a morning into the queenes chamber all apparelled in short coates of Kentish Kendall with hoodes on their heads hosen of the same euerie one of them his bow and arrowes and a sword and a buckler like outlawes or Robin Hoods men Whereat the queene the ladies and all other there were abashed as well for the strange sight as also for their sudden comming and after certeine danses and pastime made they departed On Shrouesundaie the same line 30 yeare the king prepared a goodlie banket in the parlement chamber at Westminster for all the ambassadors which then were here out of diuerse realmes and countries The banket being readie the king leading the quéene entered into the chamber then the ladies ambassadours and other noble men followed in order The king caused the queene to keepe the estate and then sate the ambassadours and ladies as they were marshalled by the K. who would not sit but walked line 40 from place to place making cheare to the quéene and the strangers suddenlie the king was gone And shorlie after his grace with the earle of Essex came in apparelled after the Turkie fashion in long robes of baudekin powdered with gold hats on their heds of crimsin veluet with great rolles of gold girded with two swords called cimiteries hanging by great bauderiks of gold Then next came the lord Henrie earle of
schoolmaister for his yearelie wages six pounds thirtéene shillings foure pence and to euerie one of the said almes folke seuen pence a weeke and fiue pounds to be bestowed yearelie amongst them in coles And ordeined that the said almes priest should on sundaies and festiuall daies be helping and assistant to the vicar or curat line 40 there in celebration of diuine seruice on the wéeke daies fréelie to applie and teach yoong children of the said parish to the number of thirtie in a schoolehouse by him there builded for that purpose Moreouer hée gaue to the parish clearke there for the time being a yearlie stipend of twentie six shillings eight pence for euer and a chamber by the said almes house to the intent he should helpe the said schoolemaister to teach the said children And hath giuen faire lands and tenements in the citie of London for the perpetuall line 50 maintenance of the premisses to Gods glorie for euer He also for the great commoditie of trauellers on foot made a continuall causie of timber ouer the marshes from Walthamstow to Locke bridge towards London In the moneth of Maie the king and the new duke of Suffolke were defenders at the tilt against all commers The king was in a scopelarie mantle an hat of cloth of siluer and like a white hermit and the duke apparelled like a blacke hermit all of blacke line 60 veluet both their berds were of damaske siluer and when they had ridden about the tilt shewed themselues to the quéene then they threw off their apparell and sent it to the ladies for a larges Then was the king in blacke and the duke in white with blacke staues on the staues was written with white letters Who can hold that will away this posie was iudged to be made for the duke of Suffolke and the duchesse of Sauoie At these iustes were the duke of Longuile the lord Cleremont and there the king duke did so valiantlie that they obteined the prise At these iustes were broken an hundred and fourteene speares in a short space The king at this season sent againe into Flanders for the performance of the mariage of the yoong prince of Castile and the faire ladie Marie his sister and shewed how he had prepared all things necessarie and conuenient for such an high estate The councell of Flanders answered that they would not receiue hir that yeare with manie subtill arguments by reason wherof the perfect loue betwene England and the low countries was much slaked On the nineteenth daie of Maie was receiued into London a cap of maintenance a sword sent from pope Iulie with a great companie of nobles and gentlemen which was presented to the king on the sundaie then next insuing with great solemnitie in the cathedrall church of saint Paule Touching this pope saith Guicciardine disappointed of so manie hopes we may laie him in comparison with that which is written by the poets of Anteus that being tamed by the forces of Hercules as often as he was throwne to the ground so often did appeare in him a greater strength and courage such wéening had the pope amidst his aduersities for when he seemed most abased and oppressed it was then that he did most lift vp him selfe with a spirit more constant and resolute promising better of his fortune than euer After he had plaied all his troublesome pageants and had got by sundrie aspiring practises I wot not what péerelesse primasie he fell sicke And happilie he was then more full of high conceipts and trauelling thoughts than at anie time before for notwithstanding he had brought his fortune to be equall with his desires obteined the thing he aspired vnto yet his deuises and plots did nothing diminish but grew increasing by the same meane which should haue satisfied them He had determined in the beginning of the spring and first opening of the yeare to send to the enterprise of Ferrara which he so much desired and his opinion was that that state was able to make no resistance both for that it was naked of all succours and bicause the Spanish armie was to ioine with his companies he had secretlie bought of Cesar for the price of thirtie thousand duckets the citie of Sienna for the behoofe of the duke of Urbin to whome except Pesera he would neuer giue anie thing of the estate ecclesiastike to the end to reserue to himselfe the whole glorie to haue simplie and onelie studied for the exaltation of the church He agreed to lend to Cesar fortie thousand duckats receiuing Modona in gage He threatned them of Lucquoie who in the heat of the affaires of the duke of Ferrara were become lords of Garsagnana making instance that they would deliuer it to him He was out of conceit with the cardinall of Medicis for that he thought him to cleaue more to the king catholike than to him And bicause he knew he was not able to dispose of the citie of Florence as he thought he studied alredie new plots and new practises to alter that estate He was ill contented with the cardinall of Sion from whome he tooke the name of legat and inioined him to come to Rome for that in the duchie of Millan he had appropriat to himselfe a yearelie rent of more than thirtie thousand duckats of the estates and goods of diuerse persons The better to assure the duke of Urbin of Sienna by intelligences of his neighbours he had of new taken into his paie Charles Baillon to chase out of Perousa Iohn Paule who by affinitie was verie neere ioined to the sonnes of Pandolffe Petruccio successours to the greatnesse of their father He would of new create duke of Genes Octauian Fregosa deposing Ianus from that dignitie an action wherevnto did consent the others of the house of Fregosa bicause for the degrée that his ancestors held in that state it séemed best to apperteine vnto him He studied continuallie either how he might worke out of Italie the Spanish armie or cut it in péeces by the aid of the Swizzers whome aboue all others he exalted and imbraced In this deuise hée had this intention that the kingdome of Naples being occupied by him Italie should remaine frée from strangers a speach that often passed out of his mouth and to that end hée had hindered that the Swizzers did not confederate with the king catholike And yet as though it had beene in his power to line 10 batter all the world at one time he continued his accustomed rigour against the French king And notwithstanding he had hard a message from the queene yet he stirred vp to make warre the king of England to whome he had transferred by publke decree of the councell of Lateran the name of Christianissimo whereof there was alreadie a bull written and in it likewise was conteined the priuation of the dignitie name of the king of France giuing his kingdome to who could occupie it
wherevnto the said Luther answered verie sharpelie nothing sparing line 40 his authoritie nor maiestie ¶ Of which booke published by the king I will not for reuerence of his roiallic though I durst report what I haue read bicause we are to iudge honourablie of our rulers and to speake nothing but good of the princes of the people Onelie this bréefe clause or fragment I will adde least I might seeme to tell a tale of the man in the moone that king Henrie in his said booke is reported to rage against the diuell and antichrist line 50 to cast out his some against Luther to rase out the name of the pope and yet to allow his law c. I suppresse the rest for shame and returne to our historie In this meane time grudges and displeasures still grew and increased betwixt the king of England and the French king so that their gréefs rankled dailie more and more till at length the duke of Albanie returned into Scotland contrarie to that which was couenanted by the league The French king in déed alleaged that he was not priuie to his line 60 going thither and wrote to the king that the said duke was entered Scotland without his assent but it was otherwise iudged knowne that he had commission of the French king to go thither Herevpon the king was sore offended and prepared for wars Musters were made of able men and a note taken of what substance men were The king also sent six ships to the sea well trimmed manned and vittelled The admerall was one Christopher Coo an expert sea man His commission was to safe gard the merchants and other the kings subiects that were greeuouslie spoiled and robbed on the sea by Frenchmen Scots and other rouers The eight of Februarie the lord Dacres warden of the marches fore aneinst Scotland entered into Scotland with fiue hundred men by the kings commandement there proclamed that the Scots should come in to the kings peace by the first of March following or else to stand at their perils the duke of Albanie being then within fiue miles with a mightie power of Scots The eleuenth of Februarie the lord of Aburgauennie was brought from the Tower to Westminster and there in the kings bench confessed his indictment of misprisâ—on The lord Montacute was about the same time restored vnto the kings fauour ¶ On the second of March certeine noble men of the empire arriued in England to passe into Spaine who were honourablie receiued and in honour of them great iusts and triumphs were made which being finished and doone they tooke their leaue and departed on their iournie Duncan Campbell a Scotish rouer after long fight was taken on the sea by Iohn Arundell an esquier of Cornewall who presented him to the king He was committed to the Tower there remained prisoner a long season All the kings ships were put in a readinesse so that by the beginning of Aprill they were rigged and trimmed readie to make saile ¶ This yeare died the lord Brooke sir Edward Poinings knight of the garter sir Iohn Pechie and sir Edward Belknap valiant capteins which were suspected to be poisoned at a banket made at Ard when the two kings met last Wheat was sold this yeare in the citie of London for twentie shillings a quarter in other places for twentie six shillings eight pence In this yeare Gawan Dowglas bishop of Dunkell fled out of Scotland into England bicause the duke of Albanie being come thither had taken vpon him the whole gouernement of the king and realme there the sequele of whose dooings the bishop sore mistrusted The king assigned vnto this bishop an honest pension to liue on And shortlie after was Clarenceaux the herald sent into Scotland vnto the duke of Albanie to command him to auoid that realme for diuerse considerations if he would not then to defie him sith contrarie to the articles of the league concluded betwixt France England he was entered Scotland without his licence The duke refused to accomplish the kings commandement and was therefore defied by the said Clarenceaux The sixt of March the French king commanded all Englishmens goods being in Burdeaux to be attached and put vnder arrest and reteined not onelie the monie due to be paid for the restitution of Tornaie but also withheld the French quéenes dower The cardinall vnderstanding that he was euill spoken of for vsing his power legantine to such aduantage as he did in selling graces dispensations he thought to bestow some part therof amongst the people fréelie without taking anie thing for the same Wherevpon when Lent drew neere he appointed the preachers at Paules crosse to declare that it should be lawfull to all persons for that Lent to eat milke butter chéese egs And to the end that none should haue anie scrupulousnesse of conscience in so dooing he by his authoritie granted remission of sins to all those that did â—at white meats knowing as it were afore hand that the people giuen to the obseruance of their religious fast would not easilie be brought to breake the same contrarie to the ancient custome vsed in their countrie Neither was he deceiued therein for so farre were the people from receiuing or accounting this as a benefit that they tooke it rather for a wicked cursed déed in those that receiued it few or almost none could he induce to breake their old order and scrupulous trade in that behalfe The king vnderstanding how his subiects were handled at Burdeaux by the French kings commandement in breach of the league the French ambassadour was called before the councell and the cardinall laid sore to his charge that contrarie to his promise at all times on the French king his maisters behalfe affirming that he ment nothing but peace and amitie to be obserued in all points with the king of England yet now the English merchants had not onelie their goods staied at Burdeaux but also they and their factors were laid in prison in full breach of all peace and amitie afore time concluded line 10 The ambassadour in woords so well as hée could excused his maister but in the end hée was commanded to keepe his house and the French hostages that were appointed héere to remaine for the monie to be paid for the deliuerie of Tornaie were committed vnto the safe kéeping of the lord of Saint Iohns sir Thomas Louell sir Andrew Windsor and sir Thomas Neuill euerie of them to haue one Herewith also all the Frenchmen in London were arrested committed to prison and put to their line 20 fines but they were more courteouslie vsed than the Englishmen were in France For after they had béene in durance ten daies they were set at libertie vpon finding suerties to appeare before the maior or else before the councell at a certeine daie and to paie the fine vpon them assessed which fine the king pardoned to diuerse
Anthonie Uiuald Anthonie Caueler Francis de Bard Thomas Calnecant and a great sort more whose names I let passe And if anie person did meddle or occupie with them contrarie to this act he should loose his fréedome and libertie in the citie of London By whiâ—h act the strangers were so brideled that they came to a reasonable point and conclusion In this season the angell noble was iust the sixt part of an ounce Troie so that six angels were iust an ounce which was fourtie shillings sterling the angell was worth two ounces of siluer so that six angels were worth twelue ounces which was but fourtie shillings in siluer By reason of the good weight and low valuation of the English coine merchants dailie carried ouer great store bicause the same was much inhanced there So that to méet with this inconuenience in September proclamation was made through all England that the angell should go for seuen shillings foure pence the roiall for eleuen shillings the crowne for foure shillings foure pence On the fift of Nouember following by proclamation againe the angell was inhanced to seuen shillings six pence and so euerie ounce of gold should be fiue and fourtie shillings and an ounce of siluer at thrée shillings and nine pence in value The king kept a solemne Christmasse at Gréenewich with reuelles maskes disguisings bankets and the thirtith daie of December was an enterprise line 10 of iusts made at the tilt by six gentlemen against all commers which valiantlie furnished the same both with speare and sword and like iusts were kept the third daie of Ianuarie where were thrée hundred speares broken That same night the king and manie yoong gentlemen with him came to Bridewell and there put him and fiftéene other all in masking apparell and then tooke his barge and rowed to the cardinals place where were at supper a great companie of lords and ladies and then the maskers dansed line 20 and made goodlie pastime and when they had well dansed the ladies plucked awaie their visors and so they were all knowen and to the king was made a great banket On the fourtéenth of Ianuarie came to the court don Hugo de Mendoza year 1527 a man of a noble familie in Spaine he came as ambassadour from the emperour put it to the kings determination whether his demands which he required of the French king line 30 were reasonable or not This noble man tarried here two yéeres ¶ This Christmasse was a goodlie disguising plaied at Graies In which was compiled for the most part by maister Iohn Roo sergeant at the law manie yeares past and long before the cardinall had any authoritie The effect of the play was that lord gouernance was ruled by dissipation and negligence by whose misgouernance and euill order ladie publike weale was put from gouernance which caused rumor populi inward grudge and disdaine line 40 of wanton souereignetie to rise with a great multitude to expell negligence and dissipation and to restore publike welth againe to hir estate which was so doone This plaie was so set foorth with rich and costlie apparell with strange deuises of maskes morrishes that it was highlie praised of all men sauing of the cardinall which imagined that the play had beene deuised of him and in a great furie sent for the said maister Roo and tooke from him his coife and sent him to line 50 the Fléet and after he sent for the yoong gentlemen that plaied in the plaie and them highlie rebuked and threatned and sent one of them called Thomas Moile of Kent to the Fléet but by means of friends maister Roo and he were deliuered at last This plaie sore displeased the cardinall and yet it was neuer meant to him as you haue heard Wherfore manie wisemen grudged to sée him take it so hartilie and euer the cardinall said that the king was highlie displeased with it and spake nothing of himselfe But what will you haue of a guiltie conscience but to suspect line 60 all things to be said of him as if all the world knew his wickednesse according to the old verse Conscius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici The second of March were receiued into London the bishop of Tarbe Francis vicount of Thurane and master Anthonie Uescie second president of Paris as ambassadours from the French king They were lodged in Tailors hall On Shrouetuesdaie the king himselfe in a new harnesse all gilt of a strange fashion that had not béene seene and with him eight gentlemen all in cloth of gold of one sute embrodered with knots of siluer and the marques of Excester and eight with him in blew veluet and white sattin like the waues of the sea these men of armes came to the tilt and there ran manie fresh courses till two hundred fourescore and six speares were broken and then they disarmed and went to the quéenes chamber where for them was prouided a costlie banket The French ambassadours sued as was said to haue the ladie Marie daughter to the K. of England giuen in mariage to the duke of Orleance second sonne to their master the French king but that matter was put in suspense for diuerse considerations And one was for that the president of Paris doubted whether the mariage betweene the king and hir mother she being his brothers wife was lawfull or not ¶ While the French ambassadors laie thus in London it happened one euening as they were comming from the Blacke friers from supper to the Tailors hall two boies were in a gutter casting downe rubbish which the raine had driuen there and vnwares hit a lackeie belonging to the vicount of Thurane and hurt him nothing for scantlie touched it his cote But the French lords tooke the matter highlie as a thing doone in despite sent word to the cardinall Who being too hastie of credence sent for sir Thomas Seimor knight lord maior of the citie and in all hast commanded him vpon his allegiance to take the husband wife children and seruants of the house and them to imprison till he knew further of the kings pleasure and that the two boies apprentises should be sent to the Tower which commandement was accomplished without anie fauor For the man and his wife and seruants were kept in the counter till the sixt daie of Maie which was six wéekes full and their neighbours of gentlenesse kept their house in the meane time and one of the apprentises died in the Tower and the other was almost lame Of the crueltie of the cardinall and of the pride of the Frenchmen much people spake would haue béene reuenged on the Frenchmen if wise men in the citie had not appeased it with faire words On the foureteenth daie of March were conueied from London to Gréenwich by the earle of Rutland and others the lord Gabliel de Salamanca earle of Ottonburgh Iohn Burgraue of Siluerberge and Iohn
Francford Magdburge Danske Hamburgh and their borders that by estimation saith he there died of that contagion to the number of thrée hundred thousand A grieuous scourge of God saith mine author howbeit verie few thereby so terrified that they reformed their wicked liues Which plague in Germanie I therefore doo here repeat bicause by all likelihoods it is to be gathered that as it raged in the same yeare both there and here so the cause maie be all one that bred so venemous an effect There was on the vigill of S. Peter a watch in the citie of London which did onelie stand in the highest stréets of Cheape Cornehill and so foorth to Algate which watch was to the commons of the same citie as chargeable as when in times past it had béene commendablie doone The fift of August the quéenes maiestie in hir progresse came to the vniuersitie of Cambridge and was of all the students being inuested according to their degrées taken in the schooles honourablie and ioifullie receiued in the Kings college where she did lie during hir continuance in Cambridge The daies of hir abode were passed in scholasticall exercises of philosophie physicke and diuinitie the nights in comedies and tragedies set foorth partlie by the whole vniuersitie and partlie by the students of the Kings college to recreat and delight hir maiestie who both heard them attentiuelie and beheld them chéerefullie At the breaking vp of the diuinitie act being on wednesdaie the ninth of August on the which daie she rode thorough the towne and viewed the colleges those goodlie and ancient monuments of kings of England hir noble predecessors she made within saint Maries church a notable oration in Latine in the presence of the whole learned vniuersitie to the students great comfort ¶ A copie whereof I haue set downe as I receiued it in writing at the hands of one that then was present and noted the same as hir maiestie vttered it Whose words vnto me in a letter wherewith the same oration was sent I doo here set downe Bona fide This hir maiesties extemporall oration saith he lieng among my papers these twentie yeares and more I thought good now to send to you that if anie occasion be fitlie offered in the discourse of hir highnesse reigne you maie if you please insert it In truth I my selfe neuer elsewhere read it which hath made me euen religiouslie to preserue it Master Abraham Hartwell in his Regina literata dwelling vpon this onelie argument of hir comming and dooings at Cambridge glanceth in a disâ—ich or twaine at the effect hereof But this is the thing it selfe as I my selfe as most vnworthie being both an eare and also an eie witnesse can testifie Serenissimae reginae Elisabethae oratio publicè Cantabrigiae habita coram vniuerso academiae coetu anno 1564 regni sui sexto ETsi foeminilis iste meus pudor subditi fidelissimi academia charissima in tanta doctorum turba illaboratum hunc sermonem et orationem me narrare apud vos impediat tamen nobilium meoruÌ„ intercessus erga academiam beneuoleÌ„tia me aliquid proferre inuitat Duobus ad hanc rem stimulis moueor Primus est bonarum literarum propagatio alter est vestra omnium expectatio Quod ad propagationem spectat vnum illud apud Demosthenem memini Superiorum verba apud inferiores librorum locum habent principum dicta legum authoritatem apud subditos retinent Hoc igitur vos omnes in memoria tenere velim quòd semit a nulla praestantior est siue ad bona fortunae acquirenda siue ad principum gratiam conciliandam quà m vt gnauiter vt coepistis studijs vestris exhibeatis operam quod vt faciatis vos omnes oro obsecróque De secundo stimulo line 10 vestra nimirùm expectatione hoc vnum dico me nihil lubenter praetermissuram esse quod vestrae de me animae beneuolae concipiunt cogitationes Iam ad academiam venio Tempore antemeridiano vidi ego aedificia vestra sumptuosa à meis maioribus clarissimis principibus literarum causa extructa Et inter videndum dolor artus meos occupauit atque ea mentis suspiria quae Alexandrum quondam tenuisse feruntur Qui cum legisset line 20 multa à principibus posita monumenta conuersus ad familiarem seu potiùs ad consiliarium multùm doluit se nìhil tale fecisse Haec tamen vulgaris sententia me aliquantùm recreauit quae etsi non auferre tamen minuere potest dolorem Quae quidem sententia haec est Romam non vno aedificatam fuisse die tamen non est ita senilis mea aetas nec tam diu fuit ex quo regnare coepi quin ante redditionem debiti naturae si non nimis citò Atropos line 30 lineam vitae meae amputauerit aliquod opus faciam quandiu vita hos regit artus nunquam à proposito deflectam Et si contingat quà m citò futurum sit nescio me mori oportere priusquam hoc ipsum quod polliceor complere possim aliquod tamen egregium opus post mortem relinquam quo memoria mea in posterum celebris fiat alios excitem exemplo meo vos omnes alacriores faciam ad studia vestra Sed iam videtis quantum intersit inter doctrinam line 40 lectam disciplinam animo non retentam Quorum alterius sunt complures satis sufficientes testes alterius autem vos omnes nimis quidem inconsyderatè testes hoc tempore effeci quae meo barbaro orationis genere tam diu doctas vestras aures detinuerim Dixi. The next daie she went forward on hir progresse to Finchinbrooke by Huntington The thirtith daie line 50 of August was enacted by a common councell of the citie of London that all such citizens as from thence foorth should be constreined to sell their houshold stuffe leases of houses or such like should first cause the same to be cried through the citie by a man wiâ—h a bell and then to be sold by the common outcrier appointed for that purpose and he to reteine one farthing vpon the shilling for his paines The twentith of September arose great flouds in the riuer of Thames where through the marshes néere adioining line 60 were ouerflowed and manie cattell drowned ¶ The creation of sir Robert Sutton alià s Dudleie knight of the garter and master of the horsse to the queenes maiestie who was created baron of Denbigh and after earle of Leicester on Michaelmasse daie at saint Iames with the gift of the manour of Killingworth and other things there to him and his heires to the yéerlie value of foure and twentie pounds better First the said lord attended on the queenes highnesse to the chappell and from the chappell to seruice and when he was returned to the chamber of presence the said lord with other
than fourtéene hundred pounds He founded a grammar schoole in Rochdale in the countie of Lancaster To Corpus Christi college in Cambridge he procured line 40 thirtéene scholarships and bare the charges in making and furnishing two chambers for scholars and the inward librarie of the same college Item he gaue to the outward and inward librarie of the said college a goodlie companie of printed bookes a great number of written books of great antiquitie much value Item he procured to the said college the patronage of saint Marie Abchurch in London Item he hath founded two felowships in the said college and procured one charter of mortmaine to the line 50 summe of one hundred pounds by yeare Item he hath giuen to the same college of siluer plate double guilt thrée hundred nine ounces and thrée quarters surrendred to them a lease with the improouement of foureteene pounds and eight shillings yeerelie for seuentéene yéeres Item one hundred pounds to the maintenance of a fier in the hall from Halomas to Candlemas and by his last will and testament fiue hundred pounds Item to diuers scholars chambers within the said college diuerse bedsteads with line 60 sufficient bedding books to remaine for euer Item he hath founded for euer fiue sermons to be preached in diuerse places of Norffolke euerie yéere in Rogation weeke and fortie shillings to be diuided at Norwich to the poore and others Item to the citie of Norwich one bason and ewer of siluer and double guilt of one hundred seauentie and fiue ounces Item to the towne of Matsall in Norffolke for euer an annuitie of fiftie shillings to be diuided to the poore with a sermon in Rogation weeke Item to Gunuill and Caius college one scholarship with a standing cup and a pot of siluer double guilt of fiue and fiftie ounces and thrée quarters and one nest of goblets with a couer siluer and guilt with a number of good bookes to their librarie Item to Trinitie hall one scholarship a standing cup and a pot of siluer and guilt of thrée and fiftie ounces a nest of goblets siluer and guilt with a couer and bookes to their librarie Item to the vniuersitie librarie fiftie old ancient written bookes and fiftie printed bookes Of this prelat to his further commendation the aforesaid doctor Haddon in the second booke of his poems maketh very honorable mention comprising in six verses the ensignes of his ancestors with those also which were accessarie by the gratiousnesse of the prince who preferred him to his prelacie In the same verses also is comprehended as it were an harmonie or consent of most godlie qualities answerable vnto the ensignes that he bare as thus Sunt antiquorum claues monumenta parentum Venit ab augusto principe stella triplex Sic benè conspirant virtus doctrina potestas Et placidae pacis semina laeta serunt Sed tamen ad finem decurrunt gaudia vitae Ac homo puluis erit puluis vt antè fuit The 21 of Maie being Whitsun éeuen one man and ten women anabaptists Dutch were in the consistorie of Paules condemned to be burned in Smithfield but after great pains taken with them onlie one woman was conuerted the other were banished the land On the first of Iune the nine women being led by the shiriffs officers and the man also tied to a cart whipped were all conueied from Newgate to the waters side where they were shipped awaie neuer to returne againe The twelfe of Iune stood at Paules crosse fiue persons Englishmen of the sect termed the familie of loue who there confessed themselues vtterlie to detest as well the author of that sect H. N. as all his damnable errors and heresies The two and twentith of Iulie two Dutchmen anabaptists were burned in Smithfield who died in great horror with roring and crieng The thirtith of Iulie in the afternoone was a great tempest of lightening and thunder wherethrough both men and beasts in diuerse places were striken dead Also at that time fell great abundance of haile whereof the stones in manie places were found to be six or seuen inches about The fourth of September being sundaie about seuen of the clocke in the morning a certeine glasse house which sometime had béene the crossed friers hall neere to the tower of London burst out on a terrible fire wherevnto the lord maior aldermen and shiriffes with all expedition repaired and practised there all means possible by water buckets hookes and otherwise to haue quenched it All which notwithstâ—nding whereas the same house in a small time before had consumed great quantitie of wood by making of fine drinking glasses now it selfe hauing within it neere fortie thousand billets of wood was all consumed to the stone walles which walles greatlie defended the fire from spreading further and dooing anie more harme The six and twentith of September a pulters wife in the parish of Christs church within Newgate of London was deliuered brought to bed of foure children at one burthen all females or maiden children which were christened by the names of Elisabeth Marie Margaret and Dorothie and the same daie moneth the mother was buried but all the foure children liuing and in good liking were borne to church after hir ¶ On Michaelmas éeuen at night the like impressions of fire and smoke were séene in the aire to flash out of the northeast north and northwest as had béene on the fiue and twentith of Nouember last before passed The tenth of October manie French and some Englishmen but all pirats of the seas were arreigned at the admeraltie court in Southworke where to the number of two and twentie were condemned and had sentence of death pronounced against them The maior of London went by water to Westminster and there tooke his oth as hath beene accustomed he kept no feast at the Guildhall but dined at his owne house with his brethren the aldermen and others The companies dined at their seuerall halles c. This was doone as in the yéere last before passed to auoid the infection of the plague which line 10 might haue increased by comming togither of greater numbers of people That wéeke from the two and twentith vnto the eight and twentith of October deceased in the citie and liberties of all diseases one hundred thirtie and two of the which number six and thirtie were accounted to die of the plague The next wéeke following ending the third of Nouember thanks be giuen to God therefore there deceased of all diseases but one hundred and ten and of them of the plague but six and twentie line 20 ¶ The eleuenth of Februarie Anne Aueries widow forswearing hir selfe for a little monie that she should haue paid for six pounds of tow at a shop in Woodstréet of London fell immediatlie downe spéechlesse casting vp at hir mouth in great aboundance with horrible stinke the same matter which by natures