myddle Englande that rose agaynste hym was depriued when he had reigned .iiii. yeres he was buried in the cathedrall churche of Wynchester EDgar brother to Edwyne began his reigne in Englande He was a prince of worthy memorye for hys manyfold vertues greately renoumed so excellent in iustice and sharpe in correction of vices aswell in his maiestrates as other subiectes that neuer before his dayes was vsed the lesse felony by robbers or extorcion or briberye by fals officers He chastised also the great negligence couetousnes and vicious liuyng of the clergye he refourmed and brought them to a better order of stature he was but litle but of mynde valyant and hardy very expert in marciall policye he prepared a great nauy of shyppes which he disposed in .iii. partes of his realme and had souldioures alway prest and ready agaynste the incursions of foreyn and strange enemies be reigned xvi yeares He buylded Peters Bury Thorney Ramsey and many other was buried at Glastenbury Ludwallus prince of Wales payd to hym yerely in name of tribute .3000 wolues by meane wherof within .iiii. yeares in England and Wales myght scantly be founde one wolfe This Edgare in his floryshing youthe was some deale geuen to the luste of the flesshe whyche he afterwarde greuousely repented In his tyme as well the Danes as all other people in Englande vsed the vice of great drinking The kyng therfore rode through the realme and put downe many alehouses and would suffer but one in a village or town except it were a great borough and ordeined certayne cuppes with pynnes and nailes and made a lawe that who soeuer dranke past that marke at one draught shoulde forfayt a certayne payn wherof the accuser should haue the one half and the ruler of the Towne the other halfe It is written by Fabyan and others that Edgar bring at Chester entred the ryuer of Dee and syttynge in the bote he toke the rule of the helme and caused .viii. kynges to row hym vp down the riuer vnto S. Iohns church and from thens to his palaice in tokē y t he was lord king of so many prouinces EDward the sonne of Edgar by his fyrst wyfe began hys ceigne ouer this realme contrary to the mynd and pleasure of Elfride his stepmother and other of her alliance In all kyndes of honest vertue this man might well bee compared to his father and began hys Reygne wyth suche modestye and myldenesse that hee was woorthylye fauoured of all menne Excepte onely Elfryde whyche euer bare a grudge agaynste hym for so muche as she desyred to haue the gouernaunce of the Realme for her owne soonne Egelrede Edwarde whyle hee was huntyng in a forrest by chaunce loste hys companye and rode alone to refreshe hym at the Castell of Corffe where by the counsayle of hys stepmother Elphrede he was traiterously murthered as hee satte on his horse When hee had reigned .iii. yeares hee was buryed at Shaftesbury After his death God shewed for hym dyuers myracles Wherfore he is numbred among the sayntes and martirs Before the death of thys Edward appeared a blasynge starre of meruailous greatnes It is of some authors writen that the forsaid Elphrede afterwarde take great penaunce and that she buylded twoo Monasteryes of Nonnes Almesbury and Warwell in whyche Warwell she after liued a solitarie lyfe tyll she dyed EGelrede or Etheldrede the sonne of kyng Edgar and Alphrede was ordeyned kynge of Englande and crowned at Kingstoune He was goodly of shape and visage but wholly geuē to idlenes and abhorred all princely exercises a louer of ryotte lecherie and dronkennes and vsed extreme cruelty towardes his subiectes hauyng his eares open to all vniust complaintes In feates of armes of all men moste ignorant his crueltie made hym odious to his subiects and his cowardise encoraged straunge ennemies to inuade his kyngdome By meanes whereof thys lande was sore afflicted with warre famyne and pestilence In his tyme decayed the noble kyngdom of England and became tributarie to the Danes whereby the Danes when they had spent the sayd tribute fel streight again to robberye and arryued in sundry places of Englande as in the Isle of Thenet In Cornewall and Sussex and after many damages by them done and ryche gyftes receaued of the Kynge they retourned into theyr countreye for a tyme. But shortly they agayn entred this lande in so many places that the kynge Etheldrede was to seeke to whiche coast he should fyrst go to withstande hys enemies In conclusyon for aduoydyng of further daunger he was compelled to appeare them with great summes of money but when the money was spente they fell to newe robbyng and cessed not to spoyle the land and lastly besieged Lōdon And to augment the kyngs sorow Elphricus that then was admirall of England traiterously fledde to the Danes And after beyng reconciled fledde to them the seconde tyme While this cruel warre continued in England by meane of a byshop named Elphegus a peace was concluded at whiche tyme as Polidore wytnesseth the kynge made his lande tributarie to the Danes the payment wherof from the summe of ten thousand poundes in few yeres was raised to fifty thousand The bloudy flixe the burnyng feuer wyth dyuers other maladies vexed the people throughout all Englande Etheldred kyng of England toke to wyfe Emma the syster of Rycharde Duke of Normandie whyche for her beautie was called the Flower of Normandie Etheldrede beyng greatly inhanced in his mynd for this his mariage sent forth into al partes of his realme secrete and strayght cōmissions chargyng the rulers that vppon a certayne day and hower assygned the Danes whiche proudely vsed great crueltie in the land should be sodeinly slayn and so was if doone Which thyng was after cause of great misery For Swain kyng of Denmark hearyng of the murder of the Danes and beynge sore moued therwith landed with a strong armye in dyuers partes of thys realme and so cruelly without mercy and pity spoyled the countreye and slue the people that the englysh men wer brought to mooste extreeme and vnspeakable mysery But yet after certayne space a peace was intreated For whyche the Englyshemen payde thirtye thousande poundes Howbeit dyuers princes of the Danes styll continued wastynge the lande in dyuers places Swayn kyng of Denmarke repented of the former couenāts made with the englyshmen thinkyng to attayne to the whole dominiō of this land with a strong army entred fyrste Northumberland than myddle England and so wente foorthe tyll he came to London whyche he besieged and destroyed the countrey of Kent At this tyme Egelrede the kyng despairyng of all recouerie not ones proferynge to resyste his ennemies with his wyfe and children fledde to Richard duke of Normandy then possessed Swayn y e hole kingdom of this realm who spoiled the landes of s Edmunds But after his death succeded Canutus
greuous ennemy and hard to be pleased Desyrous of warre abhorryng idlenes enclined somewhat to pryde lecherye and auarice but moste of all he was to be blamed because he semed vnnatural towardes his father as ye haue partly hearde of hym and his brethren what warres they raysed agaynst him In his time were many robbers and outlawes amongest y e whiche as Iohn Maiore in his fourth booke De gestis ScotorniuÌ„ writeth Robert Hoode and lyttell John renoumed theues continued in woddes despoylynge and robbyng the goods of the ryche They kylled none but suche as would inuade them or by resistence for their owne defence The sayde Robert intertayned an hundred tall men and good archers wyth suche spoyles and theftes as he gotte Upon whome foure hundred were they neuer so stronge durste not geue thonset The tales and gestes of this Robert be comonly knowen by songes and balades vsed within this realme he suffred no woman to be oppressed violated or otherwyse molested Poore mens goodes hee spared abundantely releuyng theym wyth that whiche by theft he gotte frome abbeys and the houses of riche â—arles Whome the sayd Maior blameth for his rapyne and thefte but of all theues hee affyrmeth him to be the prince and the most gentle thefe In the fyrste yeare of thys Kynges reign the citisens of London obteined two officers to guide theyr Citie which were called Bayliffes whose names shall folowe here vnder Anno regni â— Bayliffes Henry Cornhyll Rychard Reinery In this yeare the Iewes were very brag here in thys realme for that theyr number was so greate But the coÌ„mon people especially about London fell vpon them and despoyled them without pitie or mercye they so hated theym for theyr vsury and other euyll conditions The kyng though he were not lyttle dyspleased wyth these offenders yet coulde he doo no execution on them for the fact the numbre was so great wher by they all escaped without punishmeÌ„t Also thys yere the king set at liberty Elianor his mother whiche long before at the commandement of his father hiâ— husbande had ben kept close prisoner But after her enlargement the realme was muche gouerned by her As sayth Ranulph kynge Rycharde gaue ouer the Castels of Berwyke and Rokesburghe to the Scottyshe Kynge for the suÌ„me of .x. M. li. for the charges of his voyage He also sold to the bishop of DurhaÌ„ his own prouince for a great piece of money and created him erle of the same Wherfore the king said after in game I am a wondrous craftesman I haue made a new erle of an old bishop He gaue his brother Iohn many dignities as the prouinces of Notingham Deuonshyre and Cornewall and created hym Earle of Lancaster This yere the king was assoiled of y e offence that he had coÌ„mitted in rebellioÌ„ against his father in recompence wherof as sayth Guido he voluntarily toke vpon him and promised to warre vpon Christes enemies But other authours affirme that his father hadde so wylled hym in his lyfe whervpon preparation was made towarde the perfourmance of thys iourney Anno reg 2. Bayliffes Iohn Herlyon Roger Duke In this yeare kyng Richard betooke the guidyng of this land to the bishop of Ely then beyng Chancellor of EnglaÌ„d sayled into Normandie when he had appoynted good gouernoures ouer that countrey he went to mete the frenche Kyng Philyp the seconde and hauyng made sure league one with an other went eyther of them the sayd yeare onward of their iorney toward Ierusalem In this meane time the Iewes in diuers places of thys Realme as at Lincolne Stamforde and Lynne were robbed and spoyled And at York to the numbre of four hundred and more had their maister vaynes cut and so bled to deathe Anno Reg. 3. baylyffes William Hauershall Iohn Bukmotte Kyng Richard in his iourney towardes Ierusalem subdued the Erle of Cypres then ioynynge his puisance with the French Kynges in Asia conquered Acon where ther grew betwene king Richard and Philip the frenche Kyng a greuous displeasure For whiche cause Philip shortly departed thens And coÌ„myng into France inuaded the contrey of Normandy And Iohn the brother of kyng Rychard tooke on hym the kyngdome of Englande in his brothers absence Kyng Richarde of England restored to the Christians the citie of Ioppa and in many battels put the turke to great sorowe Anno Reg. 4. Bayliffes Nycolas Duke Peter Newlay William byshop of Elye to whome kyng Richard had coÌ„mitted the gouernance of England dyd many cruell deedes and oppressed the clergie and also the laitie He woulde commonly ryde with a thousand horses and greued abbeyes by meane of his guestes and his lodgyng with them Kyng Richard erchaunged Cypres wyth Guye of Lesyngham for the kingdom of Ierusalem Wherfore the king of Englande a long tyme after was called kyng of Ierusalem Anno Reg. 5. Bailiffes Roger Duke Richard Fitz Alyn Kyng Richarde hauynge knowledge that Phillyp of Fraunce inuaded Normandie and that Iohn his brother had made hymselfe King of England made peace wyth the Turkes for .iii. yeares and with a small company returnynge homewarde by Thrace was taken prisoner by the duke of Ostriches menne and brought to Henry the Emperour and there kept in strayte prison a yere and .v. monethes Where it is sayd that he slewe a Lyon and toke out his hart Anno Reg. 6. Bayliffes WilliaÌ„ Fitz Isabell WilliaÌ„ Fitz Arnolde William Longshampe bishop of Ely coÌ„tinuyng his crueltie in England was lastly by strength of the lordes banished the lande Then he came to the kynge beyng prisoner alledgyng for hym selfe the best that he could but when he saw he myght not begyle the kyng with his sugred wordes he returned into FraÌ„ce there to tary the kynges commyng This yere Iohn the kings brother by the settyng on of the Frence kyng wheÌ„ he herd of the imprisonment of his brother made great warr within the laÌ„d toke by strength the castels of Windsor of Notyngham and others And the Frenche kyng made stronge warre in Normandy Anno Reg. 7. Bailiffes Robert Beysani Ioke le Iosue Hubert bishop of Salisbury was by kyng Richard sent into EnglaÌ„d to haue the guidynge therof and also to treate with the lordes coÌ„mons for the kings deliuerance howe he myght be set at libertie The sayde Hubert was by the monkes of Christes church in Cantorbury chosen archebyshoppe of Cantorburye Anno Reg. 8. Bailyffes Gerrad de Anteloche Robert Durant This yere as sayth Fabyan kynge Richarde was deliuered oute of prison for the summe of one C.M. poundes of sterlyng money for payment of which ransom all the woll of white monkes chanons was sold and rings and crosses of prelates with vessels and chalices of all churches through the land and .xvii. shrines were scraped and spoyled of the golde and syluer c. Kyng Richard being thus deliuered shortly after landed at Sandwiche
yelded vp to hym as ye maye reade at large in Iohn Frosard his chronicles Anno. 23. Iohn Lufkin M. Hēry Picard S. Simōwoseley S. In the end of this yere about August the pestilence begon in diuers places of England and specially at London and so cōtinued tyll that tyme twelue month Anno. 24. Williā Turke Maior Adam Bury S. Rafe Lynne S. This yeare was Calice lyke to haue ben betrayed but the kyng in tyme preuented it The Kynge caused to be coyned grotes and half grotes the whyche lacked of the weyght of his former coyne .ii. s .vi. d. of a pound troy And about the end of August ceased the death in London whiche was soo vehement and sharpe that ouer the bodies buried in churches and church yardes monasteries and other accustomed buryeng places was buryed in the Charter howse yarde of London as saith Fabyan .l. M. persons And also many persons of good credite yet liuyng in the citie of London affirm that they haue redde the like writen on a plate of laton fastened on a crosse of stone in the same Charter house church yarde and also to haue sene recorded in one olde Booke of the sayde Charter house that at that tyme the said mortalitie was so great that there remained not the tenthe person alyue throughout the realme Anno. 25. Richard Killingbury M. Iohn Notte S. wil. wocester S. This yere king Edward had a goodly victory vpon the sea against Charles the constable of France where he toke xxii of their shyppes Anno. 26. Andrew Aubery M. Iohn wroth S. Gibbō staindrop S. This yeare the castell of Guynes was yelden vnto the englishmen dwellyng in Calice by treason of a Frenche man Also this yere y e englishmen beyng in Britayn had a goodly victory ouer the Frenchemen where they tooke many noble men prisoners Anno. 27. Adam Francis Maior Iohn Peache S Iohn stodeney S This Sommer was so long dry that it was called after the dry sommer for from March tyll the latter end of Iuly fell lytle rayne or none by which reason corne that yere folowyng was scant Anno. 28. Adam Francis Maior Iohn Welde S. Iohn Lytle S. The Duke of Brunswyke made an appeale against Henry duke of Lancaster for whyche was waged battell in the frenche kynges courte and beynge bothe ready within the lystes to fyght the french kyng stayed the matter and toke the quarell into his handes so that either of them departed the field without any stroke striken Anno 29. Thomas Legget M. williā Totinghā S. Richard Smert S. For so muche as the townes in Flanders brake their promyse before tyme made by Iaques Dartnell and now fauoured the french partie king Edward remoued the market and staple of woll out of Flanders into Englande as to Westminster Chichester Lyncolne Bristowe and Canterbury Prince Edward the sonne of kynge Edward passed into Gascoyn where he made sore warre and destroyed castels and townes before hym and tooke the towne of Remorentine wyth other Also this yeare was the house of the Friers Angustines in London finished whiche was reedifyed by syr Humfrey Bobune earle of Hertforde and Essex whose bodye lyeth buried in the quier of the said house before the high aultar Anno. 30. Symond Francis M. Thomas Forster S Thomas Brādon S Edwarde prince of Wales nye to the citie of Poitiers ioyned battel with king Iohn of Frāce of whō the prince by his marcial policy wan a noble victory notw tstandyng that he had in his army but 800. souldiors on the french part were 6000. fighting mē In this conflict King Iohn was taken with his yong son Philyp and many of his nobles brought◠into Englande Anno. 31. Henry Picard M. Rich. Nofinghā S. Thomas Dosel S. Great and royal iustes were holden in Smythfield before the kyng of Englād the frēch king being prisoner the kyng of Scottes and diuers other nobles Anno. 33. Iohn Stody M. Stephen Candish S. Barthol Frostling S. This yere Dauid le Bruze king of scottes was set at libertie when he had put king Edward suretie of .10000 mark for his ransom Anno. 23. Iohn Lufain M. Iohn Barnes S. Iohn Burys S. The englyshemen in Britaine tooke the towne of Ancore and dyuers other and put them to great ransome Anno. 34. Symon Duffild M. Simon Bedinghā S. Iohn Chichester S. Kyng Edward with his son the prince passed the sea to Calice and from thense rode through France by Picard Artois Roan Champayn and so foorth to Britaine euer destroying the countrey before him hys garrisons also made warre in Beauvoisin in Picardye in Brye in Campayn and spoiled well nere all the counntrey Moreouer the kynge of Nauarre vexed sore the marches of Normandy Thus was the realm of France miserably beset at this tyme on all sydes At the last a finall peace was concluded betwene the kynges of Englande of Frāce on this cōdition that king Edward should haue to his possession the countreis of Gascoyn and Guyen Poytiers Lymosyn Baleuile Exantes Calice Guynes and diuers other lordships castels towns all the landes to thē belōging without knowlege of any soueraigntie or subiection for y e same and the king of France shold pay for his ransom 300000. crownes so King Iohn returned into France Anno. 35. Iohn Wroth M. Iohn Denys S. Walter Burney S. King Edward returned from Caleys into Englande and brought with hym many noble men of Frāce for hostages This yere men and beasts perished in England in diuers places with thunder lightning and fiends wer sene in mās likenes aud spake vnto men as they trauailed by the way Anno. 36. Iohn Peche M. Williā Holbeche S. Iames Tame S. This yeare was great death and pestilence in Englande which was called the second mortalitie in which died Hēry duke of Lancaster then was Iohn of Gaunt the kings third son which had maried the dukes daughter made duke of Lancaster Also there were sene this yere in the ayre castels and hostes of men fighting as sayth Fabian Anno. 37. Stephen Cādishe M. Io. of S. Albons S. Iames Andrew S. This yere was a great wynd in England wherwith many steples and towres were ouerthrowen King Iohn of Fraunce came into England and shortly after died at y e Sauoy in London Also this yeare was a great frost in Englande whiche lasted from the myddest of September to the moneth of Aprill Anno. 38. Iohn Notte M Rychard Croydon S. Iohn Hiltofte S. Prynce Edwarde sayled into Burdeaux and receyued the possession of Guyā that kyng Edwarde had newly gyuen vnto hym Anno. 39. Adam of Bury M. Symon Mordant S Iohn of Motford S This yere the kyng began the foundation of saynt Stephens chappell at Westmynster whiche was finished by Rycharde the second sonne of prince Edward Anno. 40. Iohn Lufkyn M. Io. Bukylsworth S Iohn
and the inhabitantes of the same strete which fray began in the nyght and continued tyll the next day where were many mē slayne and hurt on bothe parties Anno. 21. Iohn Thirley Irōmōger M. Tho. bewmoūt S Rich. Nordon S The steple of Paules churche in London was set on fyre with lightnyng and lastly quenched by great diligence of many men but chiefly through the labour of a priest of Bowe in cheape Anno. 22. Thomas Carworth Grocer M Nicolas wilford S Iohn Norman S An act was made by the common coū sayle of London that vpon the sondaye should no maner of thyng within the francheses of the Citie be bought or sold Anno. 23. Henry Frowicke Mercer M. Stephē Foster S Hugh Wyche S Kyng Henry by the aduice of the erle of Suffolke toke to wyfe Margaret the kynges daughter of Sicile and refused the daughter of the Erle of Arminake with whome he had made his fyrst contract which thyng was cause of muche miserie and trouble in England as fyrst the losyng of Normandy the diuision of the lordes within the realme the rebellion of the Commonaltie agaynste the Prince and fynally the Kynge deposed and the Quene with the prince fayne to flee the realme Henry Chicheley byshop of Canturbury dyed who in hys lyfe time builded two houses for studentes in the vniuersitie of Oxenforde called Alsolne colledge and Bernarde colledge Anno. 24. Symond Eyre Draper M. Iohn Derby S Godfrey Fildyng S Thys Symon Eyre afore named builded the Leaden hall in London and also a beautifull chapell in the east ende of the same Ouer the gate whereof was written as foloweth Dextera Domini exaltauit me That is to saye The Lordes ryght hande hath exalted me Wherby be doyng so notable a worke for the common weale also lefte a notable example to other Citezens commyng after hym whom God likewise exalteth with such temporall blessynges that they be not vnthankefull to God and theyr cōmon weale wherin they haue receued them This yere was a peace concluded with France for one yeare Anno. 25. Iohn Onely Mercer M. Robert Horne S. Godfrey Boloyne S. Humfrey Duke of Gloucester and protectour of Englande was at the parliament of Bury arrested and .vi. days after he was found dead in his bedde of his deathe are dyuerse opinyons whych I ouerpasse Hee was huryed at Saint Albones William Wamflete a man of greate deuotion wysedome and Iustice was made byshop of Winchester and Chancelloure of Englande thys man to the fortheraunce of letters and studious yong men erected the famous colledge of Marye Magdalene in Oxenford Anno. 26. Iohn Gidney Draper M. Williā Abraham S. Thomas Scotte S. This yeare was taken the towne of Fogers from the Englyshemen which was the cause that all Normandye was loste after warde Anno. 27. Stephen Browne Grocer M. Williā Catlow S. Williā Marrow S. This yeare Roan was yelded to the Frenche Kyng Anno. 28. Thomas Chalton M. William Hulyn S. Tho. Canynges S. The Marques of Suffolke was banished the land for .v. yeares to appeace the rumor of the commons of England for the death of the duke of Gloucester who saylyng toward France was mett on the sea by a shyp of warre and there presently beheaded by the capitayn called Nicholas of the tower and the dead corps cast vp at Douer vpon the sandes the fyrst day of May. The commons of Kent in great number assembled on Black Heath hauyng to their captain Iack Cade naming him self Mortimer Against whom the kyng sent a great armye but by the sayd capitain and rebelles they were discomfited and syr Humfrey Stafford Williā hys brother wyth many other slayne After this victorie the Capitaine and rebelles cam to London and cut the ropes of the drawe brydge and entred the citye and stroke his sworde on London stone saying Nowe is Mortymer lord of this citie Upon the third day of Iuly he caused the lorde Saye to be brought to the Guylde Hall of London there to be arraigned Whyche before the Kynges Iustices desyred to be tried by his peres but the capitayn perceyuing hys delay by force tooke hym frome the officers and at the standarde in Cheape smote of hys head Hee also beheaded syr Iames Cromer at the mylls ende And pytchynge these two heades on two polles entred the Cytie and in despite caused them beynge borne before hym in euery streete to kysse togyther After thys murder succeded open robberye wythin the Cytie But the Maior and other sage Maiestrates perceiuynge theymselues nother to bee sure of goodes nor lyfe determyned to expulse this vngracious companye and sente to the Lorde Scales keeper of the tower who promysed hys ayde wyth shootyng of ordinaunce and Mathewe Gough was appoynted to assyst the Mayre so the capitaines of the Citie tooke vpon them in the nyght to keepe the brydge prohybytyng the Kentyshe men to passe The rebelles hearyng the bridge to be kept ranne with great force to open that passage where betwene bothe partes was a fierce encounter The rebelles draue the Citelyns frome the stoulpes at the Brydge foote to the drawe bridge and sette fyre in dyuers houses In conclusyon the rebelles gat the drawe bridge and drowned and slewe manye This conflict endured tyll .ix. of the clocke in the mornyng in doubtfull chaunce so that bothe partes agreed to desiste from fyght tyll the next day vpon condition that neither Londoners should passe into Southwarke nor the Kentishmen in to London Then the archbishop of Canturbury being Chancellor with the byshop of Winchester passed into Southwarke where they shewed a generall pardon for all offenders vnder the kynges greate seale whyche they caused to be proclaymed wherevppon the whole multitude retyred home but through a proclamation beyng made that who so coulde apprehend the sayd Iacke Cade shoulde haue a M. markes one Alexander Iden founde hym in a gardein who in hys defence slewe the said Iack Cade and brought his body to London where his head was set on London brydge The bishop of Salisbury was murdred by y e cōmons of the west countrey Anno. 29. Nicolas Wiford grocer M Io. Middleton S Williā Dere S The whole duchy of Normandy was yelded to the frenche kynge by meanes of the Quene and the duke of Somerset whiche caused so muche trouble in England that mortall warre ensued Anno. 30. Williā Gregorie skinner M Mathew Philip S. Christop wartō S. A commotion began thys yere by the duke of Yorke and other noble menne which was appeased for a tyme and the malice dissembled Anno. 31. Godfrey M. Feldyng M. Richard Lee S. Richard Alley S. Thys yeare the Quene was delyuered of a Prynce who was called Edwarde Anno. 32. Iohn M. Norman M. Draper M. Iohn Waldern S. Thomas Coke S. Before this Maiors yeare the Maior sheriffes and commons were wonte to ryde to Westmynster when the Maior should take hys charge but
called Anglia and the inhabitantes therof Angles or Englyshmen and the britaynes were called Walshemen whiche name they tooke of a duke called Wallus This happened .1791 yeres or as saith Fabian .1822 after that Brute fyrste arryued in thys lande After the conquest of Cesar .735 yeres From the entryng of the Saxons vnder their leaders Hengist and Horsus in the tyme of Uortiger .236 or nere therabout Thus ended the reigne of the Britons and nowe foloweth the reigne of the Saxons Althoughe the Saxons had deuyded this realme into seuen seuerall kyngdomes yet I wyll nowe speake chiefely of the weste saxons in order because that in proces of tyme they subdued the other kynges and brought it agayne into one monarchie AMong the west saxons reigned a noble man called Iewe of greate power and wysedome and therewith valiant and hardy in feates of armes very expert he mainteyned such warre agaynste the Kentyshe Saxons that hee constreigned them to seke and intreate meanes of peace geuyng to hym for the same great gyftes This man buylded first the colledge of Welles the abbey of Glastenbury he payd the Peter pens fyrst to Rome When he had gouerned the west Saxons by the space of .xxxvii. yeres by the earnest labour of his wife Etheldreda which was an holy womaÌ„ and abbesse of Backyng in Essex gaue vp his royall power and became a pore man and weÌ„t to Rome on pilgremage he is of Beda called Hunne or Iewe. AFter hym Ethelarde was kynge of west Saxons in whose tyme the reuerend Beda was famous and wrote his boke called Anglica historia to Offrick kyng of Northumberlande Ethelarde reigned v. yeares â—Uthred was kynge of West saxons This man made warre vpon Ethelwald or Mercia and lyed therin diuersly In his tyme appered twoo blasynge sterres castynge as it were burnynge brandes towardes the northe He reygned .xvi. yeares Ethelwald before named as Hardyng writeth buylded the abbey of Crowlande The holy man Beda whiche for hys lernyng and godly life was renoumed in all y e world ended his last day about the yeare of Christ .734 he in his lyfe compiled .lxxviii. bookes SIgebert was made kynge of Weste Saxons he was cruell and tyraÌ„nous towards his subiects and changed anciente lawes and customes after hys owne will and pleasure And because a certayn noble man somedeale sharpely aduertised hym to change his maners he malitiously caused the same persone to be put cruelly to deathe And for soo muche as he continued in his malice would not amende he was depriued of all kyngely authoritie and lastely as a person desolate and forlorne wandring alone in a wodd was slayn of a swineherde whose lorde and mayster when he had reigned as kyng he had wrongfully put to death when he had reigned iii. yeares KEnulphus of the lynage blood of Cerdicus fyrst king of West saxons reigned in the kyngdome .xxxi. yeares The vertue of this manne farre passed his fame At the begynnyng he appeased certayne murmours and grudges that were among the people for the deposyng of his predecessour Sigebert Kenulfe kyng of Mercia buylded the abbey of Wynchecombe Offa a noble man reygned in Mercia or myddle Englande he had warre with theym of Northumberlande and for a tyme subdued theim He warred also agaynst Etheldred kyng of east angles and vanquyshed and tooke prisoner Egbert kyng of Kent Offa kyng of Mercia builded the abbey of saynt Albons he chased the britons or Welshemen into Wales and made a famous dike betwene Wales and the vtter boundes of Mercia whiche is nowe called Offa dike Kenulphus kyng of west saxons as he haunted to a woman whych he kept at Merton was slayne by treason of of one Clio the kynsemanne of Sigeberte late Kynge He was buryed at Wynchester BRithricus of the bloud of Cerdidicus was made kynge of weste saxons and knyghtely ruled his lande y e space of .xvii. yeres he maried one of the daughters of Offa kyng of Mercia by whose power hee expelled Egberte that was an vnder kyng in the lordship of west saxons In his tyme as saythe Fabyan it rayned blood from heauen whiche fallyng on mens clothes appered lyke crosses The Danes fyrst entred this land of Britayne but by the strength and puissance of Brithricus and other kynges of the saxons they were driuen backe and compelled to voyde the lande Brithricus was poisoned by his wife Ethelburga For whiche deede the nobles ordeined that from thenseforthe the kynges wyues shuld not be called Quenes nor suffred to sytte with them in places of estate EGbert the saxon whyche by Brithricus was chased oute of the Realme hauynge knowledge of the deathe of Brithricus returned onte of Fraunce and in so knightely wise demeaned hym selfe that he obteyned the gouernement of Weste Saxons hee tamed the welshe men vanquyshed Berthulphus kynge of myddle Englande and subdued to his seignorie and obeysance the Kentysh saxons eastsaxons and Northumbers reigned as kynge ouer the more part of EnglaÌ„d the space of .xxxvii. yeares and was buried at Wynchester The Danes with a great host entred this landd the second tyme and spoyled the Isle of Shepey in Kente agaynste whom Egbert the kyng addressed hym with his power whom the Danes forst to flee the field After which tyme som of the Danes continually abode in one place or other of this lande EEthelwolphus the sonne of Egbert began his reigne ouer y e more part of England This man in his youth was wyllyng to haue bene a priest entred y e order of subdeacon howbest after he maried a wyfe by whome he had .iiii. sonnes whiche reigned after hym successiuely He went to Rome where he repaired the englysshe schoole whyche was fyrst fouÌ„ded by Offa kyng of Mercia This schoole was after tourned to an hospitall for englyshemen whyche came to Rome he fyrst founded the vniuersitie of Oxenford which some wryters attribute to Offa kyng of Mercia that was in the tyme of Charles the great .ix. yeres before this tyme. He reigned .xxiii. yeares and was buryed at Wynchester EThewlaldus after the death of his father began his reign in England he maried a woman whiche his father had kepte before as his concubine and dyed when he hadde not reygned fully one yeare EEthelbert the brother of Ethelwold was made king ouer the more part of Englande In the begynnynge of hys reigne the Danes entred the west part of the realme and spoiled the countrey afore them tyll they came to Wynchester and by strength toke it But by the kynge and his dukes they were forced to leaue Wynchester and in retiryng towardes their shyps they lost a great number of theyr men He reigned .vii. yeares and was buryed at Sherborne ETheldred the thyrde sonne of Ethelwolphus toke on him the gouernaÌ„ce of Westsaxones and other Prouinces of Englande He was a man framed of nature
William shold succede hym in the kyngdome of England Harolde the sonne of the Erle Goodwin went to Normādie wher he made faithfull promise to duke William that after the death of Edwarde he woulde kepe the kyngdome to hys behalfe on whiche condition he brought with hym at his returne his brother Tosto The noble kynge Edwarde fynished hys laste daye whenne he hadde reygned foure and twenty yeares .vii. monethes and odde dayes Hee purged the olde and corrupte lawes and pycked out of them a certayn whych wer most profitable for the commons And therfore were they called the common Lawes For restitution whereof happened dyuers commotions and insurrections in this lande Hee was buryed at Westminster HArolde the eldeste soonne of Earle Goodwyne beynge of greate power in Englande and therewyth valyaunt and hardye tooke on hym the gouernance of thys Lande nothynge regardynge the promyse that he made to Wylliam duke of Normandye Wherfore when William sente to hym Ambassades admonysshynge hym of the couenauntes that were agreed betwene theim Harolde woulde in noo wyse surrendre to hym the kyngdome whyche Wyllyam claymed not only for the promyse that was made to hym but also because hee was the nexte of Kynge Edwardes bloudde In thys meane tyme Tosto whiche fledde oute of the Lande beyng moued agaynst his brother the kynge of Norway who entryng in the north partes of England with a great puisance discomfited .ii. Erles that gaue hym battaile But Harold in reskuyng his people slewe the kyng and his owne brother Tosto and chased the Norwayes with disworshyp to their shyps When William Duke of Normandye perceyued that he could not by any meanes brynge Harolde to fulfyll hys promyse nor by treatie to yelde to hym the kyngdome by force he entred the lande to whome Harolde gaue stronge and sharpe battaile In the end wherof William by pollicy obteined the victorye chased the englishemen slewe Harolde and obteined the gouernaunce of this lande when Harolde had reigned but .ix. monethes Hee was buryed at Waltham abbey whyche hym self had buylded and was the last that reigned of the bloude of the Saxones in thys Realme This happened .617 yeres after the fyrst arriuall of the Saxons or Angles in whiche space they reygned dyuersly Fyrst began the kyngdom of Kent the yeare of our Lorde .475 vnder Hengistus And after that .vi. other kyngdodomes at sundry tymes tooke theyr begynnyngs Whych all at the last were broughte into one Monarchie and subiect to the West Saxons by king Adelstane the yeare of our Lord .ix. hundreth thirtie eight Whiche monarchie continued .129 yeares durynge fiue and twenty of whych yeares the Danes reigned in this land vnder Canutus and Harolde A Summarie of King william Conquerour Anno regid .1 WIllyam Duke of Normandye surnamed Conquerour Bastarde sonne of Roberte the syxte Duke of that Duchye and nephew vnto kyng Edward the confessor began his dominion ouer this Realme of England the .xiiii. day of October in the yeare of our Lorde 1067. and deceased in the yere .1087 the nynthe day of September and reigned .xix. yeres .xi. monethes lackyng fyue dayes He vsed greate crueltie towarde the Englyshe menne burdenynge theym wyth greuous exactions By meane whereof he caused dyuers to flee the lande into other countreies And lyke as hee obteyned the kyngedome by force and dent of sweard so he chaunged the whole state of this common weale and ordeyned newe lawes at his pleasure profytable to hym selfe but greuous and hurtfull to the people Thys Wylliam was wyse and politike ryche and couetous and loued well to be magnifyed He was a fayre speaker and a great dissembler A man of comely stature but somdeale grosse bealyed sterne of countenaunce and strong in armes and had great pleasure in huntynge and makynge of sumptuous feastes Wyth thys Wyllyam Conqueroure entred into thys Realme dyuers noble menne and gentylmenne whose successoures for the moste parte to this daye doo remayne in greate honoure and reputation To whome he dysposed and gaue greatte possessions and reuenues And because those houses maye not bee vnremembred I haue thoughte good in thys place to recorde the names of theym as Iohn Hardynge in hys Chronycles dedycated to kynge Henry the syrte doothe particulerly recite theym That is to saye Gospatryke to whome he gaue all Cumbreland and made hym erle therof Perey Bohune Malot Bewchamp Menylebyllers Umframuile Le Uause Taylboys Musgraue Muschaump Bailiol Bruis Bepount Neuyle Sent Clere S. Poule Melchynes Menvile Albemarle Le Fortz Courtenay Albenay Councy Gournay Gaunt Beer Latimer Darcy Ayncorte Lescrope Maundeuile Ledespenser Purpoynt Momboucher S. Elo Seint Iohn Uernon Estontvile Delauale Euers Bonuile Belasyse Uescy Bouser Clarell Fitz Raufe Fitz Roger Fitz Waltar Fitz William Bulmers Fawcomberde Claruays Fitz Waryne Malory Longchampe Matrauersse Fitz Robert Mandit S. Quintine Fitz Thomas Fitz Henry Caunvyne Iohn le vicount Normanuile Forniuale Lassels Scrutuile Mantalent Manley Mortimer Claruayle Mountforde La Poole Lucy Ualence Lusours Longuile Ferrer Engayne Longspe S. Uay Lacy Longchamp Coluill Toures Lisle Tracy Chauncy Bowlers Mountagu Sourdeuyle Fulgers Belknap Coniers Someruile Champneys Longuillers Maners Fitz Urcy Glaunuyle Bewfort Chauser Mountpillers Mortayn Graunson Moruille Breton Broyne Gascoyne Daynvyle Chandose Paruynke Dabrygecourt Deuerose Keruyle Cheuercourt Fitz Hugh Cornuyle Morley Fitz Rayner Pudsay Harecourt Cheyny Dela hay Delamore Gargraue S. Omer Moyne Poynyng S. Richar Chartenay c. Hitherto gathered out of Hardyng The reste I haue collected oute of other good authors Pyget Bertrame Tochet Camoys Hauteney Warrayne Chauent Loueney Bygotte Mohant Marmylon Baylyffe Marrays Estraunge Monbray Audeley Ueer Souche Couderay Brabanson Brabason Butecort Bysette Bassette Tressy Caunuyle Iaunville Andgilham Bascoruile Chamberlaine Logenton Hastynges Muriell Bures Malebraunche Mortymer Dyne Lynnesey Fenys Boys Muse Peache Daubeney S. Amounde Riuers Meuille Chamburnon Uerdon Rydell Hanley Mortmayn Gower Botiller Fylberde Sent leger Paynell Traynell Peuerell Daniell Arundell Riuell Loueday Denys FitzNormāduk Rous Trusbutte Corbyne Mounteney c. Anno. 2. The town of Excetor the North-humbers rebelled whyche were both subdued and greuoufly punyshed This kyng Willyam buylded foure strong castells Twayne at Yorke one at Notyngham an other at Lyncolne whych he furnished with garrysons of Normanes Anno. 3. Canutus kyng of Denmark beyng encouraged thereto by certayne englyshe outlawes inuaded the northe partes of England passed through to York frō whens he was driuen backe by Williā and forced to flee into his own coūtrey Anno. 4. The Scottes wyth their kyng Malcolyne inuaded Northumberland and spoyled the countrey Anno. 6. William kyng of England made suche warre vpon the Scotts that he forced Malcolyne to doo to hym bothe homage and fealtie he also disherited Gospatrike and exiled hym the lande and gaue all Cumbrelande with the honour of Carlylle to Raufe Meschynes and made hym earle therof Kynge Wylliam by the counseyle of the Erle of Hertford caused the money and
castell of Malmesbury then the tower of London and afterwarde the towne of Notyngham with other holdes and castels betwene hym and kyng Stephen were foughten many battayles wherby thys realme was sore troubled Anno. 18. But at the last peace was agreed betweene Maude the empresse hir sonne Henry and kyng Stephen vpon thys condition that Stephen duryng his life should holde the kyngdom of England and Henry in the meane tyme to bee proclaymed heyre apparant in the chief cities throughout the realme Kyng Stephen buylded the abbey of Coggeshall in Essex He founded an other at Furneis in Lancashyre and the thyrde at Feuersham in Kente where now his body resteth and deceassed the xxv day of October in the yeare of oure Lord .1154 when he had reigned .xviii. yeres .x. moneths and .xxiiii. dayes King Henry the seconde Anno regni .1 HEnry the second of that name the sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet and Maude the Empresse daughter of kyng Henry the fyrst began his reigne ouer this realme of England the .xxv. day of October in the yere of our Lorde .1154 and deceassed in the yere of our Lord .1189 the .vi. daye of Iuly so that he reigned xxxiiii yeres .ix. monthes and .xii. dayes He was somwhat redde of face short of body and therwith fat Of speache reasonable well learned noble in chiualrie and fortunate in battayle Of couragious hearte wyse in counsell and one that loued well peace liberall to strangers but hard to his familiars slowe of answers vnstedfast of promise geuen somdeale to pleasure and an open breaker of wedlocke By his greate manhode policie the crowne of England was muche augmented wyth the annexyng of Scotland Ireland the Isles Orcades Britayne Poytow Guyan other prouinces of France Anno. 2. Kyng Henry cast down diuers castels which were erected in the tyme of Stephen He wente into the northe partes and got from the Scots Cumberlande and Northumberland which they sayd were geuen to them by Maude his mother and set an order in that countreye Anno. 3. In England were sene .ii. sonnes in the fyrmament and in the Moone appered a redde crosse King Henry wēt with a strong armye into Wales and quieted that countrey and after buylded the stronge castell of Rutland and founded the abbey of Bassyngwerke Anno. 4. About this tyme came into England certaine Germaynes to the numbre of xxx which taught the abrogation of the Sacramentes of the altare Baptisme and Wedlocke Anno. 6. Lewes Kynge of Fraunce gaue his daughter Margaret in mariage to Henry the sonne of Kynge Henry of Englande By reason whereof was pacifyed the Warre and grudge betwene Englande and Fraunce for the landes of Poytowe and others Anno. 7. This yeare as sayth Fabyan kyng Heury went into Scotlande and made freshe warre vppon their kynge William so that at last he toke him and made hym yelde the castell of Carlyle the castell of Bamburgh with dyuers other and receued of him fealtie aud homage Anno. 8. This yeare the citie of Canterbury was fyred by negligence and a greate parte therof brent Anno. 10. Thomas Becket byshop of Canturbery fledde to Rome to complayn vpon the kyng to the byshop Anno. 14. King Henry caused Henry his eldest sonne to be crouned king as he thought to the great quietnes as well of himself as of his realme but as it proued to the vtter disturbance of them bothe Anno. 17. Thomas Becket by the mediation of Alexander byshop of Rome and Lewes the French kyng was restored to his byshoprike and not longe after by certayne gentylmen he was slayne at Canturbery Anno. 18. Kyng Henry sent ambassade to Alexāder bishop of Rome to purge him self of the death of Thomas Becket Among other thynges it was enioyned hym in his penance that it should be laufull to hys subiectes as often as them lysted to appeale to the sea of Rome and that no man should be accompted as Kynge vntyll such tyme as he were confirmed by the Romayn byshop Anno. 19. Thomas Becket was canonised by the byshop of Rome Anno. 21. Henry the sonne of Kynge Henry of England was crouned the second tyme with his wyfe Margarete the frenche kynges doughter Anno. 22. Kyng Henry the sonne by the setting on of the Kyng of France Alinour hys mother and certayn other nobles toke armes and raised deadly warre against his naturall father Dyuers strong batailes were foughten as well in England by the deputies and frends of both parties as also in Normandy Poytow Guyen Britain where they wer corporally present but y e victory fel alway to y e father There toke partie agaynste kyng Henry the father Lewys kyng of France William kynge of Scotlande Henry Geffrey and Iohn his own sonnes Robert Erle of Leicester Hughe of Chester and other But in the ende the sonnes with their alyes were constrayned to yeld to theyr father and desyre peace which he gentilly graunted and forgaue theyr trespas Anno. 24. In England fell greate wetherynge and tempest of thunder and lyghtening in the myddes of wynter and in Sommer folowing fell hayle of suche greatnes that it flewe bothe man and beast Anno. 2.6 At this tyme were manye Iewes in Englande whiche agaynste the feast of Easter did vse to sacrifice yong children in despite of christen religion Anno. 28. Henry the eldest sonne of Henry of Englande ended his lyfe Shortly after began the warre betwene kyng Henry and Philyp of France for homage that the Frenche kyng required to be done for the lands of Poytow and other and for the castell of Gysours Anno. 31. Heraclius Patriarke of Hierusalem whiche had ben in dyuers partes of Europe came to kynge Henry desyrynge hym of ayde agaynst the Turkes but was denied thereof as ye made reade in Fabian the .239 Chapter Anno. 32. At Bury the Iewes crucified a child in despite of Christes passion Anno. 34. Rycharde Earle of Poytowe made warre agaynst kyng Henry his father and taking part with the French kyng wan from hym dyuers cities townes and castels and namely the citie of Cenomannta For sorowe wherof shortly Kynge Henrye ended hys lyfe the .vi. daye of Iune in the yeare of our Lorde 4189. lyeth buried at Founteuerard Kinge Richarde the firste called Cueur de lyon Anno regni .1 RIcharde the fyrste of that name for his valyantnesse surnamed Cueurdelyon beyng the second son of Henry the seconde was crowned Kyng of Englande He began hys reigne the .vi. day of Iuly in the yere of our Lord .1289 and he deceased the yere of our Lord .1199 the .vi. day of Apryll so that he reigned .ix. yeres and .ix. monethes He was bygge of stature and had a mery countenance in the whiche appered as well a pleasant gentylnesse as a noble and princely maiestie to hys souldiors he was fauorable bountifull to hys frendes and to strangers a
Kyng Iohn saylyng into Normandy warred on the borders of France but of his victories is lyttle written Anno. 5. Bayliffes Walter Browne WilliaÌ„ ChaÌ„berlain This yeare by meanes of euyl weather in the yeare passed wheate was solde for .xv. s. a quarter whyche was thought an extreme price Kyng Iohn maried his bastard daughter to Lewlyn prynce of Wales and gaue with her the castell and lordeshyp of Elyngsmore beynge in the marches of Southwales In this yeare the byshoppe of Rome wâ—ate to king Iohn freÌ„dly and gentilly requiring him to admit Stephen Langton into the bishoprike of Canterbury who before was chosen by the monks the monkes by him expelled froÌ„ their owne abbay to restore them agayne to the same but the more his lordes aduised him so to do the more was he beÌ„t to the coÌ„trary In so much that the bishop of Romes messengers returned without obteynynge of their request Anno Reg. 6. Bailyffes Thomas Haueril Hamond Bronde The bishop of Rome denounced king Iohn with his whole realm accursed because he wold not admit StepheÌ„ Langton to the byshopricke of Canterbury but he little regarded his thretnynges and would not obey him At this tyme in Suffolke a fishe was takeÌ„ like to a man was kept liuing .vi. moneths vpon the land with raw flesh and fishe and after when they saw they coulde haue no speche thereof they cast it agayn into the sea Anno Reg. 7. Bailyffes Iohn Walgraue Richard de Winchestar King Philip of FraÌ„ce subdued y e countrey of NormaÌ„dy which sens y e time of Charles the symple that is to saye the the space of .300 yeares was not in the possession of the kynges of France Anno Re. 8. Bailiffes Iohn Holylande Edmonds Fitz Gerrard About this tyme the Iryshemen and shortly after the Welshemen rebelled for that as some aucthors affyrme he leuied on them suche greuous taskes to warre agaynst France so that the king was fayne to raise a great taxe throughout this realme of England to withstaÌ„d theyr force He requyred of the white monkes .6000 marke but they refused the payement of so greate a summe so that the Kynge toke great dyspleasure against them by reson wherof after his returne out of Ireland he vexed theym sore and exacted of them more then before he had desyred whereby he caused some abbottes to forsake their houses Anno Reg. 9. Bailyffes Roger Wynchester Edmond Hardell Kyng Iohn sayled into Normandye wher after certain skirmishes he made peace with Philip of FraÌ„ce for .ii. yeres The .ii. bayliffes aboue named were discharged and in theyr place roome ii other chosen for the rest of that yere Also this yeare was graunted to the Citizens of London by the Kynges letters patentes that they should yearely chose to them selues a Mayre and .ii. shiriffes on S. Mathewes or Mychelmas day whose names were as foloweth Anno Reg. 10. HeÌ„ry fitz Alwyne Maire Peter Duke S. Thom. Nelc S. Thys yere London bridge was begon to be builded of stone where as before it had ben builded of Timber and repaired by a colledge of Priests which then stode where the priorie of S. Mary auderis nowe standeth And for wante of other recordes I wyll declare the opinion of master Fowle who was the pryor of y e abouesayd S. Mary auderis concernynge the originall bothe of that bridge and also of Saint Mary auderis church Fyrst that beyng no bridge but a ferrie to cary and recarye wherby the Feryar gat great wealth lastly the Feryman and his wyfe deccasyng left the same to theyr daughter a mayden named Mary Audery who with the goodes left to her by her parentes and also the profites which came by the said Fery builded an house of sisters whiche is the vppermost ende of S. Mary Auderis churche aboue the quire where she lieth buried vnto the whiche house she gaue the ouersight profyt of the same ferry but afterward the same house of systers was coÌ„uerted vnto a colledge of priestes who builded the bridge of timber and from tyme to tyme kepte the same in reparations but consyderyng the great charges in repairyng y e same now lastly in the yere of our Lord .1209 by y e great ayde of the citisens of LondoÌ„ other they begon to build the same of stone and then the abouesayde colledge of priestes was conuerted vnto a priory of chanoÌ„s bearyng stil the name of the maiden whiche kepte the ferry and so called S. Mary Auderie Anno Reg. 11. Henry fitz Alwyne M. Peterle Iosue S WilliaÌ„ BlouÌ„d S The Englyshemen which were sent by kyng Iohn to ayde the erle of Flanders as sayth Thomas Couper chased the Frenchemen and in the hauen of Sluce compassed and toke theyr whole nauy of ships which was in nuÌ„ber .1020 sayle Anno. Reg. 12. HeÌ„ry fitz Alwine M Adam Whetley S. Stephen le grase S. This yere Pandolph a legate cam froÌ„ y e bishop of Rome monishing the king in sharp maner y t he shold restore maister StepheÌ„ LaÌ„gton to his see of CaÌ„terbury the monks vnto their abbay the king calliÌ„g to mynd y e dangers he was wrapped in both in his own realme also in Normandy made promise by othe to be obedieÌ„t to y e court of Rome as at large apereth in Ro. FabiaÌ„s cronicle At that tyme were granted the Peter pence Anno Reg. 13. Henry fitz Alwyn M. Iohn fitz Pet S Iohn Garlond S This yere StepheÌ„ LaÌ„gton archbishop of Canterbury w t the other exiles laÌ„ded in EnglaÌ„d y e king receuing theÌ„ ioyously was there assoiled of the said bishop after y t the king making restitutioÌ„ to y e bishop other according to y e third article of his othe the laÌ„d was released of y e interdictioÌ„ the king being bouÌ„den that as well he as his heyres should euer after be feuderys to the see of Rome payyng yerely tribute a thousand markes and to holde the Title of the Crowns by the byshop of Rome Anno. 14. HeÌ„ry fitz Alwayne Mair RaÌ„dolph EilaÌ„d S CoÌ„staÌ„tin Iosue S This yere fell greate discentiion betwene the kyng and his lordes partely for that he wolde not mainteyne the lawes of Kyng Edwarde partely for the displeasure he bare vnto them for that they ayded hym not agaynst the byshop of Rome and other causes not here spoken of Herevpon the kyng fell at suche dissention with his lordes that a greate numbre of people were raised on bothe parties The Erle of Chester with the other lordes toke the Citie of London and helde them there a certayne tyme. Caxton his chronicle wyth other saye that a great parte of this variance betwene kyng Iohn and his barons was for because the Kyng would haue exiled the Earle of Chester who oftentymes had aduised the King to leaue his cruelnes hys accustomed aduoâ—try which he exercised with his
might geue to hym warnyng Anno. 6. Gregory Rockesley M. Iohn Adrian S. walter Lāgley S. Mychelmas terme was thys yeare kepte at Shrewsbury Anno. 7. Gregory Rockesle M. Robert Basing S Williā Merser S Reformation was made for clypping of the kynges coyne for whiche offence 297. Iewes were put to execution In this yeare began the foundation of the churche of the frier preachers or black friers by Ludgate and also castell Baynarde The towne of Boston was greately empayred with fyre Anno. 8. Gregory Rockesley M. Thomas boxe S. Rafe More S. This yeare was fyrst coined halfpens and farthings of siluer where before other coynes of other mettal ran among the people to theyr great losse noyāce Anno. 9. Gregory Rockesle M Williā Faringdō S Nicolas wichester S Dauid the brother of Lewlyn prince of Wales vnkyndly traiterously moued his brother against king Edwarde Anno. 10. Henry Waleis M. williā mazerer S. Nicolas wichest S. King Edward sent a cōpany of souldiors into wales vnder guiding of y e erles of Northūberland Surrey Of which cōpany many were slain and syr Roger Clifford taken prisoner The welshemē subdued certain castels and holdes of some townes threw downe the walles Anno. 12. Henry Waleis M. Rafe Blunt S. Haukyn Betuel S. Lewlyn prince of Wales was slayn by syr Roger Mortymer and his heade set vpon the tower of London William Marton Chancellor of England about this tyme buylded Marton colledge in the vniuersitie of Oxenford Anno. 12. Henry Waleis M Iorden goodchepe S Martin Boxe S Dauid the brother of Lewlyn prince of Wales was taken and beheaded and dyuers holdes and castels of the Welsh men geuen to englishe lordes Prince Edwarde of Caruaruan was born in Wales at the castell of Carnaruan a parliamēt was held at Shrewsburye Laurence Ducket a citisen of London was found dead and hanged within saint Mary Bowe churche of Chepe for the whyche were condemned .viii. men whiche were drawen and hanged and one woman brent This yeare the great conōuyte standyng agayn sainct Thomas of Acres in Chepe was fyrst begon to be made This yeare began a greate stryfe betwene the Kyng and the Erle of Glocester whiche after grew to the greate disturbance of diuers townes of Englād and specially of the Citie of London as after some deale shall appeare Anno. 13. Gregory Rockeslei M Stephē Cornhil S Robert Rokesley S This yere the liberties of the Citie of London was agayn seysed into the kynges handes and Stephen Sandwiche admytted for Custos and the Maior discharged as some write for takyng brybes of the Bakers The newe worke of the churche of Westminster vnto the end of the quire begon in the third yere of Henry the .iii. and continued in buildyng .66 yeres before it was fynished Anno. 14. Rafe Sādwiche M Walter Blunt S. Iohn Wade S. This yere were enacted by the King the statutes called Additamenta Gloucestria Anno. 15. Sir Iohn Bryton M. Thomas crosse S. williā Hautein S. Kyng Edward sailed to Burdeaur and from thence rode into Frāce wher he was honorably receiued of Philyp le-beau kyng of France This yeare the sommer was so excedyng hot y t many mē dyed through the extremitie therof And yet wheat was so plenteous that it was sold at London for .iii. s .iiii. d. a quarter Anno. 16. Rafe sandwich M. willyā Herford S. Thomas staines S. Great hayle fell in England and after ensued so continuall raine that the yere folowyng wheate was solde for .xvi. d. a bushel and so encresed yerely the reigne of this kynge and his sonne tyll it was lastly sold for .xl. s. a quarter Anno. 17. Rafe sandwich M. Williā Betain S Iohn of Cāturb S Rice ap Meriduck a welshman rebelling against Payne Tiptoft wardeyne of the countreye was by the Earle of Cornewall in the Kynges absence taken drawen hanged and quartered at Yorke Anno. 18. Rafe sādwich M. Fulk of s Edmōd S Salomō Lāgford S This yeare kyng Edward returned into Englande and was honorably receyued of the citesens of London Anno. 19. Rafe sandwich M. Tho. Romaine S. Williā de Lyre S. This yere the staple of woll was ordeyned to be kept at Sandwiche And this yere the Iewes were banished the land for the which cause the cōmons gaue to the kyng a fyftene Anno. 20. Rafe sandwich M. Rafe Blunt S. Hamond Boxe S. This yere died quene Elian or the kinges wife was buried at Westminster in the chapell of sainte Edwarde at the fete of Henry the third This yere also dyed Elianoure wyfe vnto Henry the third mother to this Edwarde whose heart was buried at the gray fryers in London and her body at Ambresbury in the house of Nunnes Anno. 21. Rafe sandwiche M. Henry Balle S. Elys Russell S. The Kyng helde hys parliament at London to the whych with diuers lordes of his Prouince came the kynge of Scottes This yeare .iii. men had theyr ryght handes smitten of in Westchepe for rescuynge a prisoner arested by an officer of the Citie of London Anno. 22. Rafe sādwich M. Robert Rockesley S. Martin Aubrey S. The .xviii. day of May fell a wondrous snow and therwith an excedyng wynd By violence whereof great harme was done in sundry places of England as ouerthrowyng houses and trees c. Anno. 23. Sir Iohn Bryton M Henry Boxe S. Rich. Glocester S. Madocke with the Welshmen rebelled agaynst the kyng wherfore he in all hast made against them ouercam thē Thys yeare the frenchemen arriued at Douer and spoyled the towne and brent a parte of it in whiche skirmishe was slayne one Thomas of Douer Anno. 24. sir Iohn Bryton M Iohn Dunstable S. Adā Harlingbery S. Iohn Baylell was by kyng Edward admitted to be kyng of Scottes and he for the same dyd his homage and sware vnto hym fealtie This yere was takē Madock or Meridoke captayn of the rebells in Wales he was drawen and hanged at London Anno. 25. Sir Iohn Britton M. Thomas Sulff S. Adā de Fullam S. Iohn Bailell kyng of Scottes contrary to his allegiance by the settynge on of the frenchmen rebelled agayn king Edward Wherfore kyng Edward hasted hym thither He wan from him the castels of Barwicke and Dunbarre He slewe of the Scottes as saith Fabyan xxv M. and tooke prisoner sir Willyam Douglas and other noble men He conquered also Edenbrough wher he foūd the regall ensignes of Scotland that is to witte the croune the scepter cloth of estate In this tyme the englyshmen susteined many stormes in Gascoyn Guyen Anno. 26. sir Iohn Britton M. Iohn de stortford S williā de stortford S Kyng Henry sayled into Flanders to reskue Guy theyr Erle which was greuously ouerset by the Frenche kyng so that he had
Poūtney M. Iohn Lambyn S. Adam Lutekyn S. This yere was many good lawes made in the parliamēt Londō wher vnto the kynge and his lordes were sworne Anno. 7. Nycolas Faringdon M. Adam Burdē S. Hugh Baytō S. The Englysh men encountred with Robert le Bruse and his Scottes at Estriualen where was fought a strong battayl◠In the ende whereof the Englyshmen wer discomfited and so egrely pursued by the Scottes that many of the noblemen were slayne as Gylbert de Clare Erle of Glocester syr Robert Clyford syr Edmond of Manle with other lordes and barons to the nomber of .xlii. knightes and .lxvii. barons besyde .xxii. men of name which were taken prisoners and .x. M. cōmon souldiours slayne After thys tyme Robert le Bruze reigned as kyng of Scotland Anno. 8. Iohn Gysors M. Stephē of abingdō S Hamōd Chikwell S A villain called Iohn Poydras a tanners sonne of Excester in diuers places of England named himself the sonne of Edward the first and said that by a falsnourse he was stolne out of his cradel Edward that was now kyng put in his place whiche was but a carters sonne but shortly after he was conuict of hys vntruthe and confessed that he dyd it by the motion of a familiar sprite which he had in his house in likenes of a catt whom he had serued .iii. yere and he for his seruice was drawen and hanged at Northampton Anno. 9. Stephē abingdō M Hamōdgoodchepe S Williā Readyng S The castell of Barwike was yelded vp to the Scottes by the treason of Peter Spaldyng Two cardinals beyng sent frō Rome to conclude a peace betwene the kyng of England and the scottes as they wente through Yorkshire were robbed by two knights called Gilbert Midleton walter Selby with .600 mē which .ii. knigtes had don many robberies in those partes or they were taken but they wer afterward condemned drawē hanged at London And the kynge recōpenced the Cardinals double so muche as they lost Shortly after sir Gosselyn Deinuile his brother Robert with two hūdred in habite of Friers going about as exiled persons or outlawes did many great notable roberies despites they robbed spoiled y e bishop of Durhams palaces leauyng nothing in them but bare walles and suche lyke robberyes for the which they were after hanged at York Anno. 10. Iohn wēgraue M. Williā Caston S. Rafe Palmer S. The scottes entred y e borders of Northūberland most cruelly robbed spoiled the countrey sparing neither man woman nor chyld To this mischiefe was ioyned so excedyng derth scarsity y e wheat was sold for .iiii. mark y e quarter y e cōmon people did eate hors flesh other vile beastes many dyed for hunger Anno. 11. Iohn Wēgraue M. Ihon Prior S. williā Furnex S. Kyng Edward assembled a new host and went into Northumberland wher he layde siege to Barwike But in the meane tyme the Scots by an other way inuaded y e borders of Englād wasted the countrey euen to Yorke and slew a greate noumber specially of religious people wherfore it was called the white battaile King Edward was constrained to breake vp his siege and return again into England Sir Hugh the Spencers the father and the sonne were of great power in England and by the fauour of the king practised suche crueltie and bare theim selfe so hautie that no lord in this land durst contrary them in any thynge that they thought good whereby they were greatly hated of the nobles Anno. 12. Iohn Wēgraue M Iohn Poūtney S. Iohn Dallyng S. The Lordes and nobles of Englande detestynge the outragious pryde of the Spencers in suche wyse conspyred against them that they caused the kynge halfe agaynst his mynd to banysh them the Realme Anno. 13. Hamond Chikwel M Simon Abingdō S. Iohn Preston S. This yere king Edward contrary to the mynd of his lords reuoked the Spēcers from banishement and set them in lyke authoritie as they before had ben to the great disturbance of the realme◠and not long after pursued the barons and chased them from place to place as fyrst at Liedes castell in Kent after in the marches of Wales where he toke the Mortymers and sent theym to the Tower of London Anno. 14. Hamond Chikwel M Reinold at cūdyt S william Prodhā S This yere king Edward ouercam the barons of this realme in many batailes and toke many of them whome he put to death in dyuers partes of this realm to the number of .xxii. noble men Master Iohn Baldocke a man of euil fame was made Chancellor of Englād who extremly pilled the cōmons of this realme for the whiche he was well rewarded after as ye maye reade in the xix yeare Anno. 15. Hamond Chikwel M. Rich. Cōstantin S Rich. Hakeney S This yere the sonne appered to mens sight as red as bloud and so continued the space of .vi. howers The last day of October the Irishment by the ayde they had out of England droue the scots out of theyr land At whiche time many noble men of Scotland were slain Amōg whiche was Edward le Bruze the kinges brother Anno. 16. Hamond Chikwell M. Iohn Granthā S Rich. of Ely S Kyng Edward with a great army entred Scotland but with sickenes and other misfortunes that chanced amonge the souldiors he within short space was forced to returne into England wherof syr Iames Douglas and the Scots hauyng knowledge pursued hym in suche wise that they slew many english men and had welnere taken the kynge at an abbey called Beighlād from the whiche he was forced to flee and leaue his tresure behynd hym Anno. 17. Symon Francis M. Adā Ealisbury S. Iohn of Oxēford S. Charles of France warred vpon the landes of Kyng Edward in Gascoyne Guyen and tooke there many townes and castels Wherfore kyng Edwarde sent his wyfe Isabell to entreate wyth her brother Charles for peace or as Froisard sayth the Quene her selfe fleyng the tyranny and mischief of y e Spēcers fled with her yong sonne Edward into France and was gentilly receiued of hir brother whiche made greate promise to ayde hir against the tyranny and iniury of the Spencers Anno. 18. Hamond Chikwel M. Benet of Fulhā S Iohn Causton S Quene Isabell by the ayde and help of syr Iohn of Heynald with a small company of Henoways returned into Englande to whome the Nobles and the commons gathering in greate numbre pursued the kynge the Spencers and other ennemies so egerly that shortely after they tooke them and kepte the kynge in pryson at Kenylworthe And after at Barkeley they toke master Robert Baldok the Chācellor both the Spencers the father and the sonne the erle of Arundel with diueres other and brought them to the towne of Hereford Anno. 19. Richard Betain M Gilbert Mordō S. Iohn Cotton S. The morowe after
Oreland S This yere the kyng cōmaunded that Peter pence should no more be gathered nor payde to Rome This yere Prynce Edwarde had hys fyrst sonne whose name was Edward but he dyed at seuen yeres of age Prynce Edward entred Spayne with a great puysaunce where he ouercame the Spanyardes and Frenche men and expelled Henry the bastarde and set Peter in his former estate as kig of Spain But not long after the prynces retorne home agayne Henry repaired his army and warred vpon his brother so fiersly that in the ende he vtterly vanquyshed hym and put him to death and thē without resistance possessed the kyngdome of Spayne Anno. 41. Iohn Louekyn M. Iohn Warde S Williā Dickmā S This yere was borne the second son of Prynce Edward named Rychard Anno. 42. Iames Andrew M. Rich. Torgold S. Williā Dickmā S. This yere appeared Stella cometa that is a blasing starre And this yere the erles of Armenak of brett of Perygort with other nobles of y e duchie of Guyan appealed the Prynce of Wales in the Frenche kynges court that he had broken the peace and wronged them as in exacting of them ouer great sommes of money c. But the Frenche king deferred it for certayne causes to long here to reherse Anno. 43. Symon Mordon M. Adā wymbinghā S. Robert Gyrdler S. This yere the kyng of Fraunce proceaded in iudgement vpon the appellation before made by y e erle of Armenak the lorde of Bret and erle of Perygort agaynst Prynce Edward Wherupon discorde variance began to take place betwene y e two kynges and those lords which before were sworne to kyng Edward dyd nowe yelde dyuers townes of the coūtrey of Poytiers vnto the Frēch kyng The Duke of Lācaster aryued at Caleis and entred Fraunce with a company of souldiours wher not farre from Arde the Duke of Burgoyne lodged within a mile of his army with a great power the space of .xviii. dayes and neuer profered battell But lastly went away by nyght and then the Duke passed further into Fraunce Anno. 44. Iohn Chichester M. Iohn Pyell S. Hugh hoiditch S. This yere dyed Quene Phylip wyfe to Edward the thyrd she buylded y e colledge in Oxēford called quenes colledge In this yere was the thyrd mortalitie or pestylence wherof dyed much people Anno. 45. Iohn Bernes M. Wil. Walworth S Robert Gayton S Iohn Barnes Mayor of Londō gaue a chest with three lockes and a. 1000. markee to be lent to yonge men vpon sufficient gage so that it passed not one 100. markes and for the occupying therof if he were learned to saye at his pleasure Deprofundis for the soule of Iohn Barnes if he were not learned to saye Pater noster But howe so euer the money was lent at this daie the chest standeth in the chamber of London without eyther money or pledges for the same This yere the countrey of Lymosyn with other became obeysaunt to the Frenche kyng and fell from the kynge of Englande by reason that Prynce Edward had lately assessed vpon the inhabytantes of the countrey a great and greuous taske by meanes whereof he lost the loue of the people Anno 46. Iohn Barnes M. Robert Hatfild S. Adam Staple S. The Erle of Penbroke as he passed the sea to reskewe the castell of Rochel was encoūtred with a fleete of Spanyardes whiche kyng Henry of Castell had sent to ayde the Frenche kyng Of these Spanyardes after cruellfyght the Erle was taken and syr Guystarde de Angle and other to the number of .160 persons and the more part of his men slayne and drowned Anno. 47. Iohn Pyel Maior Iohn Phylpot S. Nycolas Brēber S. Iohn Duke of Lancaster entred by Calays into Fraunce passed throughout the Realme by Uermendoys and Campayne nyghe to turdeaux in Aquitane without battayle not withstāding the great hurt and domage they dyd to the townes countreys as they passed Anno. 48. Adam of Bury M. Iohn Aubery S. Iohn Fisshye S. Dyuers entreatyes of peace were made betwene the kyng of Englande Fraunce by meane of the byshoppe of Rome but none was concluded Anno 49. William Walworth M. Rychard Lyōs S W. wodhous S The entreatie of peace continued but not concluded but for foure monethes at the moste in which tyme of entreatie the Frenche kyng wan many holdes townes of the Englyshemen as well in Guyan as in Brytayne and in other places Anno. 50. Iohn Warde M. Iohn hadley S. Wil. Newport S. Many wonderfull sycknesses fell among the people as well in Italy as in England whereof there vsed an exceadyng great number Anno. 51. Adam staple M. Iohn Northampton S Robert Launde S Prince Edward departed out of this lyfe who was in his tyme the flower of chyualry He was buried at Caunterbury and then kyng Edwarde created Richard sonne of prince Edward prince of Wales and because the kyng waxed feble and sickly he betoketh rule of the lande to syr Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster who so continued duryng his fathers lyfe This yere kyng Edward the thyrde ended his lyfe at Rychemonde the .xxi. daye of Iune in the yere of our Lorde 1377. When he had reigned .50 yeres fyue monethes lackynge foure dayes and was buried at Westmynster he left behynde hym foure sonnes Lewes duke of Clarence Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancaster Edmond of Langley duke of Yorke and Thomas of Wodstocke erle of Cambrydge Richarde the second Anno regni .1 RIchard the second sonne of Prince Edward of Wales was ordeyned kyng of Englande beyng as yet but eleuen yeres of age He began his reigne the .xi. daye of Iune in the yere of our lorde .1377 and left the same the .xxix. daie of September in the yere .1399 so he reigned .xxii. yeres .iii. monethes and eight daies In bountie and liberalitie he farre passed all hys progenitours but he was ouer muche geuen to reste quietnes and loued litle dedes of armes and martial prowesse for that he was yong he was moste ruled by yong counsayle and regarded nothyng the aduertysementes of the sage and wyse men of his Realme for the chiefe about hym were of no wysdome nor estimacion whiche thyng tourned this land to great trouble and him selfe in fine to extreame myserie Of hym Iohn Gower wryteth as Hardyng affyrmeth these verses in latyne folowyng Principio Regis oritur transgressio legis Quo fortuna cadit humus retrograda uadit Quomodo surrexit populus quem nō bene rexit Tēpus ad huc plangit super hoc quod Chronica tangit Stultorū uile cepit consiliū iuuenile Et sectam senium decreuit esse reiectam Tunc accusare quosdam presumpsit auare Vnde catallorum gazas spoliauit corum Whiche may be englyshed thus When this kyng fyrst began to reigne the lawes neglected were Wherfore good fortune him forsooke and thearth did quake for feare The people also whom
ouer this Realme the .xxix. of September in the yeare of oure Lorde .1399 and lefte the same the .xx. day of March in the yeare .1412 So hee reygned thirtene yeares sixe monethes lackyng nyne dayes Henry the soonne of Kynge Henry was chosen Prince of Wales and duke of Cornewall Earle of Chester and heire Apparaunt to the Crowne hee deposed three Dukes that is to saie of Albumarle Ercester and Surrey and the marques of Dorset Anno. 1. Tho. Knolles Grocer M. wil. waldern S williaÌ„ Hyde S The lorde Morley appealed the Erle of Salisburye of treason and caste hys hoode for a guage to trye wyth hym batayle the whych saying he replied and caste frome hym hys gloues for guage to proue hys sayinges vntrewe which were sealed and delyuered to the lorde Marshall Syr Iohn Hollande Duke of Ercester brother to Kynge Rycharde the Duke of Aumarke the duke of Surrey with the Erles of Salisbury and Gloucester and other that fauoured Richard of Burdeur conspyred againste Kyng Henry and appoynted pryuily to murder hym at a feaste whyche shoulde be holden at Wyndsore but their treason was disclosed and they all put to death with as many knightes and esquiers as were of that alyance and confederacie Kyng Richarde was put to deathe in Pomfret castell by a knyghte called syr Piers of Exton and after brought to the tower of London and so through the citie of London to Poules barefaced and there stode .iii. dayes for all beholders and frome thense to Langley and there buried in a house of Friers but he was since remoued by Henry the .v. and lieth at Westmynster Upon the deathe of thys Kynge Rycharde Iohn Gower dothe wryte these verses in Latine as foloweth O speculum mundi quod debet in auro refundi Ex quo prouisum sapiens acuit sibi uisum Cum male uiuentes Deus odit in orbe regentes Est qui peccator non esse potest dominator Richardo teste finis probat hoc manifeste Sic diffinita fuit regia sors stabilita Regis ut est uita Chronica stabat ita Which may be englished thus O myrrour for the worlde mete Whyche shouldste in golde be bette By whyche all wyse men by forsyght Theyr prudent wytts may whette Lo God dothe hate suche rulers as Here viciously doo lyue And none ought rule that by theyr lyfe Doo yll example gyne As thys kyng Richard wytnesseth well His ende thys playne dothe showe For God allotted hym suche ends And sent hym so great woo As suche a lyfe descrude as by The chronicles thou mayst knowe Anno. 2. Iohn Frauncis Goldsmyth M. Iohn wakell S. williaÌ„ Ebot S. Whyle the Kynge was in Wales certayne persons enuyinge that he had so shortely obteyned and possessed the Realme blased abroade amongest the vulgare people that kynge Rycharde was yet lyuyng and desyred ayde of the common people to reposesse hys realme and royall dignitie And to the furtherance of theyr inuention they sette vppon poastes and caste aboute the stretes raylynge rymes malicious metres and taunting verses against Kyng Henry and kys procedynges He beyng netled wyth those vncurteous prickes and thornes searched out the auâ—tours and amongest other were founde culpable of thys cryme syr Roger Claryngdon knyght wyth two of hys seruauntes the Pryour of Launde and .viii. Friers Mynoures or graye Fryers who were drawen hanged and quartered at Tyborne in the moneth of February Owen Glendour of Wales rebelled and kyng Henry wente thyther with a strong armye but coulde not wynne to them they fled so to theyr mountayns This yeare was greate scarsitie of wheate and other grayn so that wheat was sold at London for xvi.s a quarter Anno. 3. Iohn Chadworth M. will Uenour S I. FreminghaÌ„ S Thys yeare the Cundite standing vpon Cornehill in London was begon to be made where as before tyme it was a pryson for priestes called the Tonne in Cornehyll A great batayle at Srewesbury began by syr Thomas Percy Erle of worcester and other agaynste the Kynge where syr Thomas Percye was taken and beheaded syr Henry Percy slayn wyth many other noble men Anno. 4. Iohn Walcot Draper M. Richard Marlow S. Robert Chicheley S. The Emperor Robert came into Englande only to see the countrey and coÌ„modities therof where he was receiued with great triumph The Lorde of Castile in Brytayne landed within a myle of Plymmouthe with a greate compauye hee lodged all nyghte in Plymmouth and on the morowe robbed and spoyled the town and returned agayne to theyr shyppes Anno. 5. WilliaÌ„ Alkham M. Tho. Fauconer S. Tho. Poole S. The Britaynes and Frenchemen whyche the yere before had spoyled and robbed the towne of Plymmouth were discomfited and slayn of the englishmen in a battayle on the sea nere the towne of Dartmouth This yeare one willyam Serle was taken in the marches of Scotlande and brought to London and there hanged drawen and quartred for the murdring of the duke of Gloucester at Calice Anno. 6. Iohn Hynd Draper M. Wil. Lowsche S StepheÌ„ spilmaÌ„ S Syr Rycharde Scrope then archebishop of Yorke and the Lord Mowbraye then marshall of England wyth other gathered greate strength to haue put downe the kyng as the fame went but they were taken and presented to the Kyng at Yorke where they were bothe beheaded Anno. 7. Io. wodcock Mercer M. Henry BartoÌ„ S wil. Croumer S This yeare was the bridge and Chapell of Rochester finished by syr Robert Knolles who also new reedified the body of the church of white friers standing in Fletestrete and there was buryed That Church was fyrst founded by the ancestors of the Lorde Gray Cotner Anno. 8. Richard WhittingtoÌ„ Mercer M Nic. wotton S. Geffrey broke S. Thys yeare syr Henry Earle of Northumberland and the lord of Bardolfe commyng out of Scotland with a stroÌ„g company to the displeasure of the Kyng as they intended were met and foughten wyth and dyscomfyted and theyr heades were stryken of and sents to London This Richard Whityugton Maior of London aboue named builded the house in London named Whittingtons colledge He buylded a great parte of the Hospytall of Saynete Bartholomewes in west Smithfielde he buylded the library at the Gray friers in LoÌ„don now called Christes hospitall he also buylded a great part of the east end of the guyld hall in London besyde sundry other notable workes done by hym Anno. 9. Wil. scondeÌ„ Grocer M. HeÌ„ry PoÌ„fret S Henry Halton S This yere was a great froste whiche began in December and lasted fyftene weekes Edmond Holland Erle of Kent was by the kynge made admirall of the sea who scouryng and skimmyng the sea at the last landed in Britayn and besieged the Castell of Briake and wan it but he was there wounded with an arrow wherof he dyed soone after Anno. 10. Drew BareÌ„tin Goldsmyth M. Tho. duke S wil.
place Kyng Henry by letters complained vnto the princes of Germanie of Luther who had writen to sharply against him and desyred theym that he myghte not translate the newe Testament into the vulgar tongue Sharpe warre and often skyrmishes betweene the borderers of Englande Scotlande and France The Erle of Surrey burned .37 villages in ScotlaÌ„d despoiled y e couÌ„trey froÌ„ the east marches to the west and ouerthrewe dyuers holdes and castels Anno. 15. Syr Tho. Baldrie Mercer M. Michel English S Nich. Ienyngs S In DeceÌ„ber at the cytie of Couentry one Philip Scholemaister to the kyngs henxmeÌ„ Christopher Pykeryng clarke of the Larder and Anthony Maynuile gentlemen entended to haue taken the kynges treasure of his subsidie as the Colectors of the same came towarde London therwith to haue araysed meÌ„ and taken the Castell of Kylyngworth and then to haue made battayle against the kyng for the whiche they were drawen hanged and quartered at tyborne The .xi. daye of February the reste that were taken were executed at CoueÌ„tree The Duke of Suffolke with many other lordes and knyghtes was sent in to Fraunce by kyng Henry with an armie of .10000 men who passynge the water of Some without battayle tooke dyuers townes and castelles and destroyed the countrey before him In December he returned agayne into Englande The erle of Surrey brent Iedworth in Scotlande and toke dyuers holdes The Duke of Albanye besieged the castell of Warke and had in a redynes a great army to inuade Englande but when he heard the erle of Surrey was commyng he fled back into Scotland The souldiours of Guynes tooke a great bootie at a fayre in the towne of Morguyson and syr Robert Iernyngham and certayne dimilaunces of Calys toke dyuers Frenche prysoners Anno. 16. Sir Wil. Bailie Draper M. Raufe Dodmer S WylliaÌ„ Roche S The fyrst weke of Lent the Lorde of Camphier and other came from the Emperour to kyng Henry The byshop of Dunkell and other Ambassadours came out of Scotland and a legate from the byshop of Rome to entreate a peace betwene England and Fraunce Syr Raufe a Fanwycke Leonarde Musgraue and bastard Hearon were slayne in Scotlande by to muche hardines in pursuing their enemies at which tyme .300 Scottes were takeÌ„ prysoners by the englyshemen Clement byshop of Rome sent vnto kyng Henry in token of great loue the golden rose that he vseth euery yere to consecrate before Easter Great triumphe in England for y e taking of y e French kyng by y e Emperour The Cardinall obteyned lycence of the byshop of Rome to suppresse certain abbayes to the intent to erecte two colledges one at Oxenforde an other at Ipswyche and to indue theÌ„ with laÌ„des whiche colledges he began so sumptuously that it was not lyke they woulde come to good ende Kyng Henry was lyke to haue been drowned by leapyng ouer a diche in followyng his hauke This yere was the castell or towre set vp at Grenewyche This yere the coyne was enhaunsed in England Luther by the counsell of Christerne king of DeÌ„marck certain other wrate very huÌ„ble letters vnto kynge Henry of EnglaÌ„d acknowleging a faulte in him self that he had writteÌ„ before so sharply vnto hym but when the kyng in his answere blamed Luther muche and noted hym of lyghtnes and inconstancie Luther repented his doyng and wrate that he was deceiued when he thoughte to fynd Iohn Baptist in princes courtes and amonge them that were arayed in purple A murmuring was in al partes of the realme for payment of money and in Suffolke .4000 men rose agaynst the Duke and other commissioners which were appeased by the Duke of Norfolke and other A truce betwene England Fraunce for a certaine space and Ambassadours were sent into Denmarke for restoring of their kyng whiche was then in Englande but the Danes would graunt nothyng they dyd hate hym so extremely for his crueltie Anno. 17. Syr Iohn Allen Mer. M. Iohn Calton S. Christ. Askew S. The .xi. day of February being shrofe sonday fyue men of the Styliarde dyd penaunce three of them bare fagottes at Paules and two of them bare tapers of waxe And an Austen fryer called doctor Barnes of Cambrydge bare a fagot at Paules the same daye and there was present at that tyme the lorde Cardinal with a .xi. bishops y e bishop of Rochester made the sermon against Martin Luther and his doctrine The same yere the .vi. daye of SepteÌ„ber was a proclamation for goulde the Frenche crowne was valued at .iiii. s. vi d the Angel at vii.s vi d the Ryall at xi.s.iii.d and so euery pece after that value Anno. 18. sir Tho. Seymer Mercer M. Ste. Pecock S Nich. LaÌ„bert S The thyrd daye of Iuly whiche was in the .xix. yere of kyng Henry the lorde Cardynall of England with great poÌ„pe rode thorowe Cheape and so towarde FrauÌ„ce where he coÌ„cluded a league betweene kyng Henry and the Frenche kyng whiche both sent their defiaunce to the Emperour and a stronge armie into Italy to delyuer the byshop driue the Emperours power out of that countrey The great maister of Fraunce came to London with great triumphe for the coÌ„clusion of y e â—ornamed league The .xv. daye of Iuly was one Harman drawen from newgate to tyborne and there hanged for coyninge of false golde Also in Iuly and Auguste was the sleweis made in Fynsebury fielde to coÌ„uey the ill waters ouer the towne dyche by pipes of lead into y e riuer of Thames In the same yere was suche scarcitie of bread at London and all Englande that many people died for defaulte therof And the bread cartes that came from Stratforde to London were met by the waye at Myles ende by the cytyzens of London that the lorde Mayor and Sheryfes of London were fayne to goe and rescue the sayde bread cartes and see them brought to the markettes appoynted for the same Anno. 19. Syr Iames Spencer Uyntener M. Iohn Hardy S. Wyl Hollis S. The first daye of Nouember the lord Cardynall with the Ambassadours of Fraunce were at Paules there was proclaymed a generall peace betwene kyng Henry of England and Fraunces the French kyng duryng their lyues a twelne monethes and a daye after The .viii. day of December thre scholers of Cambridge one Forster a gentilmaÌ„ of y e court bare fagots at Paules The fyfth day of Ianuary the Cardinall with many byshops abbottes and priors went a procession at Paules and sang Le deum for the escapyng of y e Pope from the Emperour The .xiii. daye of Ianuary was a great fyer at Andrewe Moris keye in Thames strete and at an other keye by it where was muche harme done This yere a frenche Crayer of .xxx. tonne beyng maÌ„ned with .xxxviii. freÌ„ch men and a flemish crayer of .xxviii. toÌ„ne and .xxiiii. flemynges metyng at Margate the one chased the other along the ryuer of Thames to
dayly as well by the Quene her selfe who oftentymes hadde masse and Latine seruice before her in the tower as also by diuers sermons made of them that at that tyme were appointed to preache about London The .xi. day of August certaine gentilmen myndyng to passe through London bridge in a wherrie were there ouerturned by violence of the water and seuen of them drowned The .xiii. day of August master Bourn canon of Paules preachynge at Paules crosse sayd as foloweth This same day v. yeares the reuerende father in God Edmunde bishop of London our diocesan preachynge in thys place and thys same gospell whyche I nowe preache for the same was cast in prison and hath there remained tyll this tyme that the quenes most excellent maiestie hath deliuered and set hym at libertie whyche saying of the precher so offended the audience that they breakyng silence said the byshop had preached abhomination other some cried meanyng of the preacher pull hym out pulle hym out and some beynge next the pulpyt began to clymbe towarde the preacher to haue pulled hym out wherwith the preacher stepped backe and one mayster Bradforde a preacher of Kynge Edwardes tyme stepped forthe into the preachers place most myldely and gently persuadyng the audience to quietnes and obedience whose presence lyked the people well but neuertheles Bourne standing by Bradford one threw a dagger at him whiche hytte one of the syde poastes of the pulpet and rebounded backe agayn a great way whervpon maister Bradforde was fayne to breake of his speche forced hym self with the helpe of Iohn Rogers an other preacher to conueye Maister Bourne oute of the audience whiche with great labour they brought into Poules schole Doctour Boner that was depriued in king Edwards time was now again as ye haue heard restored to his bishoprike and dyuers other byshops for Religion were displaced as Cranmer of Canterbury The archbishop of Yorke Poynet of winchester Barlow of Bath Farrar of S. Dauis Harley of Herford Houper of Gloucester Couerdale of Excester Scory of Chichester c. And al other benefieed men that either were maried or wold not forsake their opiniōs wer put out of their liuinges other knowen to be of the contrary parte were set in the same especially if any were aliue that in the time of kyng Henry or Edwarde were put out of the same bishoprikes or benefices as bishop day of Chichester Heth of worc Turberuile of Excest c. The .22 day of August y t duke of Northūberlād was beheded with him wer put to deth sir Iohn Gates and sir Thomas Palmer called Buskin palmer knights Peter martyr who in king Edwards tyme was reader of diuinitie in Oxford obteined licence and safe conduite of the quene and departed oute of Englande to Argentine whens he came In this time y e people shewed thēselues so redy to receiue their old religion y t in many places of the realme vnderstandyng the quenes plesure before any law was made for the same they erected agayne theyr aultars and vsed the Masse and latin seruice in suche sorte as was wont to be in kyng Henries tyme. The .xxvi. day of Auguste in the euenyng the notablest shyppe in the world was burnt at wolwich called the great Hary by the negligence of maryners she was of burthen a M. tunne The last day of September the quenes hyghnes rode thorough the citie to Westminster in moste goodly maner the pageantes in all places accustomed beyng moste gorgiously trimmed And as her grace passed by Poules a certain dutche man stode vpon the wethercock with an enseigne in his hande flouryshyng with the same and vnder hym vpon the crosse a scaffold garnished with enseignes banners and streamers and vnder that vpon the holle an other scaffolde with enseignes streamers very strange to y e beholders And the morow which was the fyrst day of October her grace was crowned at westminster by doctor Gardiner bishop of Winchester The .v. day of October began the parliament at Westminster and masse of the holy ghoste was songe The .xxv. day of October the barge of Grauesend by greate misfortune of a ratche running vpon her was ouerthrowen and .xiiii. persones drowned and xvi saued by swymmyng The .xxiii. the .xxv. the .xxvii. dayes of October were certayne disputations in the longe chapell at the northe doore of Paules concerning Transubstantiation but nothyng throughly determined Anno. 1. Tho. white marchant tailour M. Tho. Offley S. Wil. Hewet S. The same syr Thomas White a worthy patron and protector of poore scholers and learnynge renewed or rather erected a college in Oxford that was in great ruine and decaye nowe called S. Iohns college and before Bernard college indowyng the same with landes reuenues to the greate prefermente of learnyng and comfort of poore mennes children Renuing by that ensample the worthy monuments and dedes done by the lyke godly disposed of ancient tyme in bothe the vniuersities whiche maye wel be called y e two Eies of the realme whose sight begyn to grow dymme thorough the coldnes of charitie and want of deuotion late crept into the hartes of men God graunt they may be restored to the clerenes of their wonted syghte that learnyng may flouryshe throughe abundaunce of schollers with maintenaunce for the same And that the able and riche may liberally imitate therample of this vertuous gentleman who both there and in many other places as by erection of Schooles at Bristoll and Readynge hathe planted the rootes of learnyng the fruites wherof no doubte in tyme to come shall flouryshe to the great cōmoditie and singular ornament of the realme The lyke College also now called trinitie colledge the ryght worshypfull sir Thomas Pope knyght deceased to his great praise and singular commēdation erected whiche some tyme was called Durham colledge also ruinous and in great decaye he reedified appoyntynge for the maintenance of the fellowes and scholers like possession By whiche fact he declared that like as God had indued him with greate rychesse and reuenues by policie and the princis seruice acquired and gotten euen so he therby ment to dedicate some portion thereof to the honor of lerning and gifts of the mynd that his naturall countrey might attein that honoure whiche is or ought to belonge to euery christen realme For he remembryng what benefites learnyng dothe conduce and brynge to a well gouerned common wealthe thought not to beslack in distributyng his portion to thaugmentation of the same Cardinall Poole who fledde oute of Englande in the tyme of Kyng Henry and was in great estimatiō in the court of Rome was sent for by Quene Mary to returne into hys countrey About this tyme the parliament dyd conclude that the Seruice of the churche should from and after the .xx. day of December next ensuyng be used in all places in suche maner and fourme as it was vsed in the laste yere of kyng Henry the .viii. The .xiii.
towards Rome ambassadours from the king quene councel The .xvi. daye of Marche a weaner which dwelled in Shorditche was burned in Smithfield The xiiii day of Aprill in Anno .1555 beyng Ester day a certain desperate person named Williā Flower with a wod knyfe wounded a priest as he was ministrynge the sacrament to the people in S. Margarets churche at Westminster for the whiche offence the said William Flower was burned at westmynster in saint Margarets church yarde the .xxiiii. day of Apryll In Maye the Lorde Cardynall Poole the lorde Chauncelloure of Englande the Earle of Arundell hygh steward of Englande and the lorde Paget wente ouer sea to Calyce and nere vnto Mark treated with the emperors and Frenche kynges Commyssioners for a peace to be had betwene the sayde princes Cardinall Poole beyng president there who returned agayne into Englande about the myddest of Iune without any agrement makyng On the tenthe daye of May a ladde called Wyllyam Fetherstone aboute the age of eyghtene yeares whoe named hym selfe to be kyng Edwarde the vi was taken about Eltham in Kente and conueyed to Hampton court there brought before the counsell who examined hym why he named hymselfe to bee kyng Edward he requirynge to be pardoned sayd he wist not what he did but as he was counsailed apperyng manyfestly to be a desperate foole and so was cōmitted to the marshalsey The .xxviii. day of May the aforesayd ladde was had out of the Marshalsey in a carte and so caryed throughe London to Westminster wyth a paper on hys head wherin was written that he named hym selfe kyng Edwarde And after that he had bene thus caryed round aboute Westmynster hall before all the Iudges and others he was then whipped about the sayde Hall and after set at lybertie The later ende of Iune was a certain muttering traiterously attempted about Wadehurst in Suffex but it was spedily perceyued and wyttyly repressed About the fyrste of Iuly Iohn Bradforde was burned in Smithfield This Bradforde was a man of very sober and honest lyfe and therefore the byshoppes woulde haue ben very glad to haue had hym recant and abiure his opinion The .xii. day of August the .3 yeare of quene Mary was a terrible fyght on the sea betwene the Duchemen and frenchmen nere vnto Romney marshe where as .xi. shyps were brent and sonke that is .vi. frenche shyppes and fyue greate hulkes and certayne hulkes taken by the Frenche men In the beginning of Septēber the king went ouer sea to Calice and so forthe to Brusselles in Brabant to visite the emperour his father The begynning of October fell suche rayne that for the space of vi days men mought row with boates in saint Georges field the water came into westminster hall and there stoode halfe a yarde depe Also into the palaice of westmynster and into Lambeth Churche that men mought row about the church with a whirrie The .xvi. day of October doctor Ridley and doctour Latymer were burned at Oxenforde Anno. M .3 P .2 wil. Garret haberdasher M Thomas Lee S. Iohn Machā S. In October and Nouember a parliamēt was holden in the which the quene beyng persuaded of the clergie that she could not prosper so long as she kepte in her handes the reuenues of the churche yelded vp vnto the spirituall menne the fyrste fruites and tenthes of all byshoprikes benefices and ecclesiasticall liuinges which in king Hēries time were by parliament annexed to the crowne before the ende of this parliamente dyed Stephen Gardener Chancellour of England on the .ix. day of Nouember and was buried at Wynchester and in hys place was appointed doctor Heath archbyshop of Yorke Philpot was burned the .xviii. daye of Nouembre Kyng Philyp beginnyng to gouerne the low countreys committed vnto him by his father about the .xviii. day of Ianuarie entred into Andwerpe and was receiued with great solemnitie The .iiii. day of Marche appered a blasyng sterre and continued the space of xii dayes William Fetherston who before had named hym selfe to be kyng Edward as you haue herd in the yere last past now said he had of late sene and spoken with kynge Edwarde for the whiche he was drawen to tyborne and there hanged quartered the .xiii. day of Marche The .xxi. day of Marche D. Cranmer archbyshop of Canterbery was burned at Oxford and the same daye the lorde Cardinall Poole song his fyrst masse at Grenewich in the friers church on sonday next folowynge he was consecrated archebyshop of of Caunterbury at the same friers churche with great solemnitie and on the .xxv. daye of Marche beyng the feast of the annunciation of our Ladye in the yeare .1556 he was stalled at Bowechurche in Cheape On Palmsonday euē being y e .28 of Marche part of the prison house of Newgate at Lōdon was burnt by casualtie of fire This yeare a certain conspiracie was made by certaine meane persons in England whose purpose was to haue robbed the quenes Escheker to this entent that they myghte bee able to mainteyne warre agaynste the quene This matter was vttered by one of the conspiracye whereby Udall Throgmorton Peckham Daniel and Stanton were apprehended for the same and dyuers other fled into France The .xxviii. day of Apryll Throgmorton and Richard Udall wer drawen to Tyborne and there hanged and quartered The .xix. of Maye Stanton was likewyse executed at Tyborne The .viii. daye of Iune one Rossy Dedyke and Bedle were also drawen to Tyborn and hanged quartered The .xxvii. daye of Iune were .xiii. persones brent at Stratforde the bowe for matters of religion The .viii. day of Iuly Henry Peckham and Iohn Daniel were hanged and headed at the tower hyll and theyr bodyes buried at Barkyng churche Anno. M .4 P .3 sir Tho. Offley marchāt taylour M. Wil. Harper S. Iohn white S. About this tyme began the hofe burnyng feuers and other strange diseases wherof died many olde persons so that in London there dyed frome the laste of Nouēber vnto the last of Decēber .vii. Aldermen whose names were Henry Herdson sir Richard Dobbes late maior sir Williā Larton late maior syr Henry Nublethorn late maior sir Iohn Chapneis blynde late maior sir Iohn Oliffe late sheriff sir Iohn Greshā late maior The .16 of December a smyth beyng a stranger borne was arraigned at Newgate for makynge counterfeated keyes wherwith to haue opened Newgate in the nyght and so to haue slayne the keper and lette foorth the prysoners at whyche tyme of his arraignement hauyng a knyfe about hym he thrust hym in who gaue witnesse agaynst hym so that he dyed therof for the whiche acte after that .xii. men had gyuen theyr verdict against him and iudgement passed he was immediatly takē from the barre and in the strete before the Iustice hall his hand beyng striken of his body was hanged on a new gybbet set vp for that purpose the same tyme the keeper of newgate was indicted for that the sayde
all her penurie is accompted a greater gifte then those huge sommes that great men layde out of their greate stoare so ought this my simple pamphlet be adiudged to procede though not from greater yet from as great good will as the best and learnedst writers beare to your honour For they of their abundant stoare haue laied oute somewhat But I of my meane knowledge haue presented these few first frutes to your honor knowing that your wisedome can in this small present right well see my good wyll My gifte is a short briefe or summarie of the chiefest chances and accidentes that haue happened in this Realme frome the tyme of Brutus to this our age VVhiche I haue done by the conference of many authors both old and new those Imeane that commonly are called Chroniclers out of whom I haue gathered many notable thinges moste worthy of remembrance whiche no man heretofore hath noted whiche worke also I was the bolder to dedicate to your honour because I know your lordships good inclination to al sortes of good knowledges and especially the great loue that you beare to the olde Recordes of dedes doone by famous and noble worthies whiche my boldnes like as I truste your honour wil not only pardon but also accept in good part so I besech al the readers hereof that folowyng your honourable exaÌ„ple they will iudge the best of this my trauaile whiche I toke in hand onely for the respect that I had to their profite VVherby they shall both shew the goodnes of their owne natures and also encourage me willingly to go forwarde in this my enterprise VVhich doubting not but that I shall the rather obtaine of them because of your lordeships fauourable acceptance hereof I wil now cesse any loÌ„ger to trouble your honor beseching almightie god long to preserue you to the coÌ„moditie of this our natiue countreie Your L. most humble Iohn Stovve To the Reader DIuers wryters of Hystories write dyuersly Some penne their hystories plentifully at large Some contrary wyse briefly and shortly doo but as it were touche by the way the remembraunce and accidents of those tymes of which they write Some do with a large compasse discouer as wel the affaires done in foreyn partes as those that hapned in that countrey of whiche especially they wryte And some content to let alone other matters put in memory only such thyngs as they theÌ„ selues haue had experieÌ„ce of in their own couÌ„treis Amongs whom good Reader I craue to haue place and desyre roome in the lower part of this table For I vse thee in this my booke as some symple feaster that beynge not able of his owne coste to feast his guestes sufficientely is fayne to bee frended of his neyghboures and to sette before them suche dishes as he hath gotten of others For I acknowledge that many of the hystories that thou shalte reade here abridged are taken partely out of Robert Fabian sometyme Alderman of London Edwarde Halle gentylman of Greyes Inne Iohn Hardynge a great trauailer bothe in foreyne countreis and also in all writynges of antiquitieâ— and other who reaped great abundance of knowlege and filled their bookes full therwith to the great profite and pleasure of all posteritie and to their own great fame and glory So that of their great plenty I might wel take somewhat to hyde my pouertieâ— Howbe it I haue not so doone it as if they should clayme theyr own I shuld forthwith be left naked For somwhat I haue noted which I my selfe partly by paynfull searche and partly by diligent experieÌ„ce haue found out Wher fore hoth the smalnesse of the volume which coÌ„preheÌ„deth gret matters in effect lso the noueltie of som matters vttred therin ought to cause y t it shold not be altogither vnwelcome to thee For though it be written homely yet it is not as I trust writeÌ„ vntruly And in hystories the chiefe thyng that is to be desyred is truthe Wherfore if thou fynde that in it I beseche thee wynke at small faultes or at the least let the consyderation of my well meanynge drowne them So shalt thou both encourage me to farther diligence and also vtter thyne owne frendlynesse in that thou doest rather further then condemne a weake wryter Of smoothe and flatterynge speache remember to take hede For Trouthe in playn wordes may be tolde of craft a lye hath nede ¶ The names of Authours in this Booke alledged Arnoldes Chronicles Iohn Rastall Beda de gestis AngloruÌ„ Iohn Maior Cornellus Tacitus Iohn Bale Domes day a booke Iohn Gower Edward Haulle Iohn Sleydane Gildas de uictoria Aure lii Ambrosii Merlyn chronicler Martyn Chronicler Gildas de gestis Arthuri Mathewe Paris Norham chronicler Gildas the wise Polydorus Virgilius Guido de Columna Robert a chronicler that wrate in the tyme of Henry the thirde Geffrey of Monmouth Geraldus Cambrensis Hector Boyce Rodolphus niger Houeden Raynolffe of Chester Iohn Hardynges Chronicle dedicated to Henry the .6 Robert Fabian S. Columbe Cronicus Colmanni Iohn Leylande Thomas Lanquet Iohn Lydgate Thomas Couper Iohn Frosarde William Caxton A briefe Description of Englande BEfore I entre to abridge the factes and gestes of the kynges and other persons within this Realme frome Brutus the fyrste Kyng of the same I purpose briefely to make a description of this noble Realme gathered out of Polydore Uirgil reported in his work of y e Englishe hystorie who saith That all Britain which by two names is called England and Scotland is an Iland in the Ocean sea sytuate ryghte ouer agaynst the Region of Gallia one parte of which Isle Englishmen do inhabite another parte Scottes the third parte Walshemen and the fourth part Cornish men All they eyther in language conditions or lawes doo differ amongs them selues Englande so called of Englishemen whiche dyd winne the same is the greatest part which is deuided into .xxxix counties which we call shyres Wherof ten that is to say Kent Suffer Surrey Southampton Barkshire Wyltshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire Deuonshire and Cornwall do â—â—nâ—eine the fyrst part of that Iland which yaâ—â—s bounding toward the Southe standeth betweene the Thames and the Sea Frome thence to the ryuer of Trent whiche passeth thorough the myddes of EnglaÌ„d be .xvi. shyres wherof the first vi standyng Estward are Essex Middâ—eser Hertfordshire Suffolke Northfolke and Cambridgeshire the other ten which stande more in the myddle of the countrey are these Bedford Huntingdon Buckingham Oxford Northhampton Rutland Leicestre Notyngham Warwike and Lyncolne After these there be .vi. whiche border westeward vpon Wales as Glocestre Hereforde Worcester Salop Stafford and Chester Aboute the myddle of the Region lie Darbyshyre Yorkshyre Lancashyre Cumbreland On the left hande toward the west is Westmerlande Agaynste the same is the Byshopryke of Durham and Northumberland which bouÌ„deth vpon the northe in the marches of Scotland Those shyres be diuided in to .xvii. Bishop rickes which by a greke word be called Dioeceses Of which Dioeceses Canturburye
and Rochester bee in Kēt Essex Middlesex part of Hertford belongeth to the bishoprike of London The bishop of Chicester hath Suffer Wynchester hathe Hampshire Surrey and the Isle of Wight Salesbury hath Dorsetshire Barkshyre and Wylteshire Excetor hath Deuonshire Cornwall Bathe and Welles hath Somersetshyre Worcester hath Glocestershyre Worcestershyre and part of Warwikeshire Hereforde hath parte of Shropshire and Herefordshire Couentre and Lichfelde Staffordeshyre and thother parte of Warwikshire Chestre hath Cheshire Darbyshire a piece of a Lancashyre nere the ryuer of Kepel The Diocesse of Lincolne which is the greatest hath eight shyres lieng betweene thei Thames and Humbre as Lincolne Northampton Leycester Rutlande Huntingdon Bedforde Buckyngham Oxford the residue of Hertfordshire The byshoprike of Ely hath Cantabridgeshire the Isle of Ely Suffolke and Norffolke be in the circuite of Norwiche Diocesse And thys is the Prouynce of the Archebyshop of Canterburye whyche is the primate of all England wyth Wales whyche hathe iiii diocesses as hereafter shall be declared The byshop of Yorke hath Yorkeshyre Notynghamshyre and a piece of Lancastshyre The byshop of Durham hath the bishoprike so commonly called and Northumberland Carlisle conteineth Cumberlande and Westmerland And this is the other prouince of tharch byshop of Yorke whiche is another prymate of England was of long tyme also primate of all Scotlande but these Diocesses take theyr names of the cities where those seas be placed The chiefe wherof is London where in the beginnyng was the Archebyshops sea but afterwardes transposed to Canterbury a Citie in Kent placed in a soyle amiable and pleasant London standethe in Middlesex on the northside of the Thamis That moste excellent and goodly ryuer beginneth a little aboue a village called Winchelcombe in Oxfordshyre styll increasyng and passeth fyrst by the vniuersitie of Oxēford so with a meruailous quiete course by London and and then breaketh into the frenche Ocean by mayne tydes whyche twyse in xxiiii howers space doth ebbe and flowe more then .lx. myles to the great cōmoditie of trauailers by whiche all kyndes of marchandise bee easylye conueyde to London the principall store and staple for all cōmodities within this Realme Uppon the same ryuer is placed a stone bridge a woorke very rare and meruailous whyche brydge hathe .xx. arches made of .iiii. squared stone of height .lx. foote and of breadth .xxx. foote distant one from an other .xx. foote compacte ioyned together with vaultes and Sellars Upon bothe sydes be houses buylded that it seemeth rather a continuall streete then a brydge The Ocean sea doothe bounde Englande the fyrst part of Britain east and South Wales and Cornewall west The ryuer of Twede deuideth England and Scotland north The length of the Island begynneth at Portsmouth in the South part and endeth at Twede in the north conteinyng 320. myles This Realme aboue other is moste fruitfull on this syde Humbre for beyonde it is fuller of mountaynes And althoughe to the beholders of that countrey a far of it may seme playn yet it is full of many hylles and those for the moste part voyde of trees the valeys wherof be very delectable inhabited for the most part by noble men who accordyng to auncient and olde ordre desyre not to dwell in Cities but neere vnto valleys and ryuers in seueral vyllages for aduoidyng of vehement wyndes because that Ilande naturally is stormye Humbre hath his beginnyng a little on this side York by by runneth southward thē holdeth his course eastward so into the mayn sea greatly increaced by the ryuers of Dune Trent Trent beginneth a lyttle from Stafforde runnyng through Darbyshyre and Leycestershyre passing by Lichfield and Notyngham on the ryght hand and Dune on the lefte so that bothe those ryuers dooe make an Ilande whyche is called Aurolme and then ioynyng together on this syde Kyngston vpon Hull a goodly marchant towne they falle into Humbre by whych ryuer they may aryue out of France Germanie and Denmarke England is fruitefull of beastes and aboundeth with cattell wherby thinhabitātes be rather for the most Grasiers then ploughmē because they geue them selues more to fedyng then to tyllage So that almoste the thyrde parte of the countrey is imployed to cattell dere red and fallow gores wherof there be store in the northe partes conyes for euery where there is ioly maintenāce of those kyndes of beastes because it is fulle of greate woddes wherof there ryseth pastyme of huntyng greatly exercised specially by the nobilitie and gentlemen Of Scotland an other parte of Britayn I purpose to say nothyng because I haue promised onely and briefly to remembre thaffaires of myne owne countrey as beste trauailed and acquainted with the knowledge of the same Wales the .iiii. part of Britayne lyeth vpon the lefte hand whiche like a Promontarie or forelande or an Isle as it were on euery syde it is compassed with the mayne sea excepte it be on the easte parte with the Ryuer of Sabrine commonly called Seuerne whiche deuideth Wales from England Although some late writers affirme Hereforde to bee a bound betwene Wales and England say that Wales begynneth at Chepstolle where the Ryuer Ueye augmented wyth an other ryuer called Lugge passyng by Hereforde dooth runne into the sea which riuer riseth in the myddle of Wales out of that hill but vncertain whether oute of that sprynge that Sabrine dothe whiche Corn. Tacitus calleth Antona For euen to that place there goth a great arme of the sea which passyng through the land westward on the right hande leaueth Cornewall and on the left Wales Whiche Topography or description although it be newe yet I thoughte good to folowe Therefore Wales is extended frome the towne of Chepstol where it beginneth almost by a straight line a lytle aboue Shrowsbury euē to Westchester northward Into that part so many of the Britains as remayned alyue after the slaughter and losse of their countrey at the length beyng dryuen to theyr shyftes dyd repaire as ancient writings report where partly through refuge of the mountaines partly of the woddes and marshes they remained in safetie which part they enioy euen to this daye That lande afterwardes the englyshe men dyd call Wales and the Britaius the inhabitauntes of the same Walshmen for amonges the Germaynes Walsman signifieth a strāger an alien an outborn or strange man that is suche a one as hath a contrarye language from theirs for Wall in their tongue is called a stranger born as an Italian or Frencheman whyche differ in speeche from the Germane Man signifieth Homo which is a mā in english Therfore englishmen a people of Germany after they had wōne Britain called the Britains which escaped after y e destructiō of their cuntrey after their countrey maner walshmen because they had an other tong or spech besides theirs the land which they inhabited Wales which name afterwardes both to the people and
Conon Meridoke a Britayn was a stryfe and debate in whiche they both sped dyuersly but at at length they wer made frends Maximus reigned .viii. yeares Maximus kynge of Britayne made warre vpon the Galles and sayled into Armerica now called litle Britayn and subduyng the countreye gaue it to Conon Meridoke to hold for euer of the kynges of great Britayn Maximus was constrayned of the souldiours to take on hym the imperiall crowne therfore beyng in France passed further into the lands of the empire subdued a great part of France and all Germanie Gratian the Emperour of hym was put to flight at Paris and slayne at Lyons Whyles Maximus was occupied in the warres in Italye Melga kynge of Pictes and Guanius captayne of the Hunnes vexed the Britayns Wherof when Maximus had vnderstandynge he sente a captaine named Gratian to withstande their force Saint Ursula with the .11000 Uirgins whiche were sent into little Britayne to be maried to the foresayde Conon and his knyghtes wer slayn of the barbarous people beynge on the sea Forthwith the foresaid Gratian that was sent into Britayne of Maximus to defende the land from Barbariens toke on hym the kyngdom of Britayn and exercised all tyranny and exaction vppon the people for whiche cause hee was abhorred of all the Britaynes and by theym was slayne when he hadde reygned fower yeares Then was the Realme a good space wythoute heade or gouernoure In the whyche tyme they were nowe and then very muche vexed wyth the foresayde Barbarous people and other foreyne enemies Nere about the yeare of Christ .427 the Britaynes were inuaded agayne by the Pictes and Scots which not withstandynge the foresayde wall that was made by the Romanes spoyled the coūtrey very sore so that they were dryuen to seke for newe helpe of the Romanes who sent to them a company of souldiors which agayn chased the Picts and made a wall of stone of the thicknes of viii foot in height .xii. foote Which thing when they had done comfortyng the britones and admonishynge them hereafter to trust to their own māhod strēgth they returned agayn to Rome The Scottes and Pyctes yet once agayne entred the lande of Britayne spoylynge the countreye and chasyng the commons so cruelly that they were altogether comfortelesse and broughte to suche myserie that eche robbed and spoyled other and ouer this the groūde was vntylled whereof ensued greate scarcitie and hunger and after hunger deathe In thys necessitie they sente for ayde to Aetius the Romayne capitayne beynge then occupied in warres in a parte of Fraunce but they had no comfort at his hand And therfore wer forced to send ambassade to Aldroenus kynge of little Britayne to desyre ayde and comforte whiche they obteyned in condition that if they atchieued the victorie Constantine his brother shold be made king of britayn for to that day they had no gouernour Which thyng of the Ambassadours beyng graunted the sayd Constantine gathered a companye of souldiors and went forth with them And when he had manfully vanquished theyr enemies obteined the victorie accordynge to the promise made he was ordeyned their kynge and guyded this land .x. yeres Here endeth fynally the dominion tribute of the Romans ouer this lande whiche had contynued by the space of 483. yeares from the tyme that Brute began to rule this lande .1541 After the citie of Rome was builded .1585 yeres THen it folowed that when Constantine brother of Aldroenus had chased and ouercome the Pictes and Scots as is beforesaid he was crowned kynge of great Britayne and guyded the lande the space of .x. yeares in quietnes In the courte of Constantyne kynge of Britayn was a certayne Picte in so greate fauoure and authoritie with the kyng that he myght at all tymes come to his presence who watchynge hys tyme by secrete meanes trayterouslye slewe the kyng in his chamber Then Constantius hys eldest sonne whyche for his lofte spirite was made monke at saincte Swithens in Wynchester by the means of Uortiger duke of Cornwal was taken out of the cloister and made king vnder whose name the foresayd Uortiger ruled all the land and vsed great tyrannye Constantius kyng of Britayn was slayne of certayne Pictes or Scottes whom Uortiger had ordeined for a gard to the kynges bodye Whereof when Uortiger had knowledge he wept and made semblaunt of greate sorowe and heauynes and caused the sayd Scottes or Pictes to be put to deathe thoughe he in dede were the chief causer of their treason and murder So this Constantius reigned but .v. yeares And Aurelius and Uther the kynges younger brethren fled into little Britayn Uortiger was by force ordeined king of Britayne and gouerned the realme .xvi. yeares not without trouble For the nobles of Britayne suspected that Constantius was not murthered with out hys consent And therfore alienated their myndes from hym In Britayne was so great plentie of corne and fruite that the lyke had not ben seen many yeares before Whiche plentie was cause of idlenes gluttony lechery and other vices so that through their incontinent and riottous lyuyng ensued so great pestilence and mortalitie that the lyuynge scantely suffised to bury the dead The Pictes and Scotts also hauing knowledge of the death of their knightes whyche were slayne by Uortiger for murderyng of the kynge inuaded and in most cruell wise spoyled the land of Britayne Uortiger beyng sore abashed for so muche ashe knewe the myndes of hys people to be alienated from hym after some mens opinion sente for the Saxons named Angli whiche had no place to dwel in gaue to them inhabitāce in Kent By their helpe and manhoode in many batails he vanquished and droue back the Pictes and other enemies and therefore had them euer after in greate loue and fauour Hengist one of the captaines of the Saxons founde meanes that Uortiger kynge of Britayne maryed his daughter Rowan a mayden of wonderfulle beautie and pleasauntnesse but a myscreant and Pagane For her sake the kynge was deuorced frome his laufull wyfe by whome he hadde .iii. sonnes For whiche dede welnere all the Britones forsooke hym and the Saxons daily encreased bothe in fauoure multitude and auctoritie and from this tyme sought alwaye occasyon to extinguyshe vtterly the power of the britayns and subdue the lande to them selfe The Saxons couenanted with the Britons that they shold attend to their worldly busynes and the Saxons as their souldiors would defend the lande from the incursions of all enemies for which seruice the Britains should geue to them competent meate and wages And vnder thys pretence caused more Saxons to bee sent for entendyng at conueniente tyme by force to haue the lande in their subiection Sainct Germain came into Britayn to reduce them from the heresye of Pelagius to the fayth of Christe The britayns consyderyng the daily repaire of the Saxons into this realm
his sonne who inclosed y e same with a depe dyche and grauÌ„ted to the inhabitantes therof great fredom And after builded a church ouer y e place of his sepulture and ordeined there an house of monkes enduyng them with fayre possessioÌ„s And after it was vsed y e kings of EnglaÌ„d wheÌ„ thei wer crouned sent for an offering their crounes vnto S. Edmondes shryne and redemed the same with a good price The englyshe men sente agayne for Etheldred out of Normandye who by the healpe of the Normans and present assistance of his commons expelled Canutus but shortly Canutus returned agayne into Englande where he spared nothynge that myght be destroyed with sworde fyre In whiche tyme king Etheldred ended his lyfe when he had reigned .xxxviii. yeares and was buried in the Northe Isle of Paules churche in London aboue the aultar Fabian saythe that in the seconde yeare of this kynges reigne a great part of the citie of London was wasted with fyre but how it beganne hys aucthor telleth not But ye shal vnderstand that this day the citie of London had moste housyng and buyldynge from Ludgate towarde Westminster and littell or none where the chiefe or hart of the citie is now except in diuers places was housynge but they stoode without order So that many townes cities as CaÌ„terbury York and dyuers other in Englande passed London in buyldyng at those dayes as I haue sene sayth Fabyan by an old boke somtime in the Guyld halle of London named Domes daye But after the conquest it increased and shortly after passed and excelled all the other Aboute the .viii. yeare of this kyngs reign dyed Ethelwald byshop of Wynchester who was born in Wynchester and ther buylded an abbey of Nunnes as sayth Fabyan AFter y e deth of Etheldred great variance fell betwene y e englishe meÌ„ for the election of theyr kyng for y e citezens of London with certayn other named Edmund the son of Etheldred a yong man of lusty and valiant courage in martiall aduentures both hardy and wyse and one that could very well endure all paynes Wherefore hee was surnamed Ironsyde but the more part fauored Canutus the Dane By meanes wherof betwene those two princes were foughten many great battayles in the which either party sped diuersly to the great slaughter of theÌ„ that toke their partes But lastly it was agreed that the two Captayns shold try theyr quarell betwene them selues onely In which fight although Edmund semed to haue the vpper hand yet be condisceÌ„ded to deuyde the realm and make Canutus felow with him in the kingdom whyche agreement was at laste concluded In this tyme there was an englishe Earle called Edricus which by hys falshode had wrought muche hurte to hys naturall country and lastelye was aucthor of the deth of the noble Edmund And therof himself brought fyrst knowledge to Canutus the Dane sayinge in this wyse Thus haue I doone Canutus for the loue of thee To whom hee answered sayinge For my loue thou hast murdered thyne owne soueraigne Lord whome I loued most entierly I shall in rewarde therof exalt thy head aboue all the lordes of Englande And foorthwith commanded hym to be headed and his head to be set vpon a spear on the hyghest gate of London These princes reygned together .ii. yeares Thys Edmund was buryed at Glastenburye VUhen Canutus was stablished in the kyngdom he had knowledge how Olanns king of Norway in his absence inuaded the couÌ„trey of Denmarke wherfore in all hast he sped him thitherward by the maÌ„hod of the english souldiors obteined of them a noble victory recouered Norway to his seignory wherfore when he returned into England he demeaned him toward all men as a sage gentle moderat prince and so continued .xx. yeares Canutus called a parliameÌ„t at OxeÌ„ford where it was decreed that english men and Danes should hold the lawes of Edgare late kyng Canutus subdued the Scots wherby he was king of .iiii. kingdoms y t is to say of England ScotlaÌ„d Denmark Norway After that he weÌ„t into Denmark and so to Rome And after returned again into England Where he kept all his life tyme good iustice and did many charitable dedes And after his deathe was buried in s. Swithins at Winchester Of this Canutus Polidore hath writen a notable history in y e end of his vii boke of the historie of England HArold the sonne of Canutus by hys wyfe Elgina for hys swyftnes surnamed Harefote began hys reygne ouer thys realme of England In the begynning hee shewed some token of crueltie in that he banyshed his stepmother Emma and tooke from her suche iewelles and treasure as she hadde He reigned iii. yeares Hee was buryed at Westmynster and after at S. Clementes without Temple barre HArdikenitus king of Denmarke after the deathe of Harolde was ordeyned kyng of Englande He for the iniurie done to his mother Emma caused the corps of Harolde to be taken out of the sepulchre and smyting of the head caste it with the body into the ryuer of Thames where by a fysher it was taken vp and vnreuerently buried at S. Clementes as afore is sayd He burdeined his subiectes with eractions and tribute and in meat and dryncke was so prodygall that hys tables were spreade .iiii. tymes in the day and the people serued with great excesse whan he had reigned .iii. yeares he dyed sodeinly at Lambeth not without suspection of poysonynge and was buried at Winchester Hardikenitus beyng deade the Danes were beaten slayn and dryuen out of this lande into theyr owne countrey xxviii yeares after that Swayn began fyrst to reigne EDwarde the sonne of Egelrede or Etheldred by the aduice of Goodwyne and Leofricus Erle of Chester after the deathe of Hardikenitus was sent for out of Normandie to take on him the goueruaunce of this realme of Englande whiche hee guyded with much wisdome and iustice from whom issued as out of a fountaiue very godlinesse mercie pitie and liberalitie towarde the pore and gentylnes and iustice towards all men and in all honest lyfe gaue moste godly example to hys people He discharged the englyshmen of the great tribute called y e Dane gelt whiche was often before time leuied to y e impouerishyng of the people He subdued the Wesâ—hemen whiche rebelled and made warre vpon their borders The .xvi. yere of this kyng Edward died y e good Erle Leofricus erle of Mercia of Chester who was buried in the abbey of Couentrie which he hym selfe had caused to be buylded He purchased many great priuileges for the aforesaid towne of Couentrie Willyam bastard duke of Normandie about this tyme came with a goodly company into England and was honorablye receyued to whom the kynge made great cheere And at his returne enriched hym with great gyftes pleasures and as som write made promise to hym that if he died without issue the same
the city and sayd the kyng had receyued the wrytinges and would fyrst that they should take awaye all the chaynes that were in the streates of the city and shoulde pull vp all the postes out of the grounde that the same were fired in and should bryng them all both postes and chaynes to the towre of London and that the Mayre with .xl. citizeÌ„s should the next daye folowyng attende vpon the king at Wynsore to confirme the graunt of theyr wrytinge and they should goe and come safe And in wytnes therof he delyuered to theÌ„ the kyngs letter seale for the terme of .4 dayes The nexte daye the citizens beynge at Wynfore attended at the gate vntyll the kyng came from huntyng at which tyme the kyng would not once looke on them And after the kyng was entred they would haue folowed but they wer forbydden But shortly after they were called into the castell where they were locked in a tower al nyght with homely interteynment worse lodgyng the next day the kyng gaue fyue of the best of theÌ„ vnto prince Edward which was the Mayor foure aldermeÌ„ and the rest were coÌ„mitted to seueral places to priseÌ„ Anno. 49. Tho. Fitz Thomas M. Peter Armiger S. Greg. Rockesle S. This yere the king came to westminster shortly after he gaue vnto diuers of his houshold seruantes vpoÌ„ .60 housholdes and houses within the citie so y t the owners were compelled to agree redeme their houses and houshold with al their goodes or els to auoyde and suffer suche persons to enter as the sayde houses were geueÌ„ vnto not only that but also all such landes and tenements goodes cattalles as the sayde citizens had in any other places of EnglaÌ„dâ— and then he made one Cuftos or Gardeyn of the citie Syr Othon Constable of the towre which syr Othon chose to be bayliefes vnder hym and to be accomptable to hym to the vse of the kyng Iohn Adrian and Walter Heruye cytizens of the same citie And after thys the kyng tooke pledges of the best mens sonnes of the cytye that hys peace shoulde bee suerly kept in the same the which were put in the towre of London and there kept at the coste of theyr parentes And shortly after by great labour and sute made all the foresayde persons whyche should be in the kepyng of the bayliefe of the castell of Wyndsore eyght onely excepte and all the other londoners .31 in number were delyuered and came to London Daily sute was made vnto the kyng to haue his grace and knowe hys pleasure what fyne he woulde haue of the cytie for theyr transgressions by theÌ„ done for y e which the kyng asked .xl. M. poundes and stucke at .lx. M. markes but the cytizeÌ„s alledged for theÌ„ selues y e vnhabilitie of y e citye as that many not of the worst of theyr cytyzens were fled the reste at home were spoyled and robbed of theyr goodes For whych consyderations and many other whyche were tedious to wryte the cytyzens besought the kynges moste gracious fauour and pytie to take of them as they might beare This matter thus haÌ„ging the kyng departed from Westmynster toward NorthaÌ„pton before hys departing he ordeined syr Iohn Hind knyght And maister Iohn Waldean Clerke to be gardens of the citie and tower the whiche were named in the kynges wrytynges Seneshals or Stewards of the citie Upon the daye followyng that the kyng was rydeyn these two forenamed stewardes sent for .24 of the most notable men of the citie and warned them to appeare the daye followynge before the kynges councell at Westmynster where at their apparens was shewed vnto them that the kynges mynd was that they should haue rule of the citie in his absence vnder the aforesayde senescalâ—es and that to see good rule kepte within the citie they should be sworne there before the Councell Whiche beyng done they departed agayn to the citie Such continuall labour was made to the kyng that lastly it was agreed for .xx. M markes to be payde by the cytie for all transgressions and offences by them done certeyne persons excepted Whiche the kyng had geuen his sonne beyng as afore is sayde in the tower of Wynsore For the payment of whiche somme at days by agreement sealed syr Roger Leyborne and mayster Robert warren clerkâ— were assigned to take the sureties for the same After which suerties receyued and sent to the kynge at Northampton the kyng sent vnto the citizens a charter vnder his broade seale which ye may reade in Robert Fabian Then for the leuyeng of this fyne were cared as well seruauntes couenaunte men as housholders And many refused the liberties of the citie for to be quite of the charge of whiche nomber many neuer retourned agayne to the citie Kyng Henry besieged the castell of Kenelworth whiche Henry Hastynges defended against hym the space of halfe a yere and then gaue it vp into his handes Anno. 50. WilliaÌ„ Fitz Richard M. T. de la fourd S Gre. Rokesly S The olde franchises and lyberties of London with a newe graunte for the shyre of Middelser were confirmed by a parliament at Northamton Where al so many noble men that had taken part with the Barons were disheryâ—ed of their landes and therfore fled to Ely strengthened it in suche wyse that they helde it long after Anno. 51. Allen Zowch Ma. Iohn Adrian S. Lucas BiteÌ„cote S. The gentilmen of Englande whiche fled to Ely robbed did much harme to the countreys next adioynyng namely Norfolk Suffolke Cambridge shyre thei toke the city of Norwich spoyled it and raunsomed the ryche men therof at theyr pleasure A legate of the byshop of Romes labored to the kyng that y e sayd dysherited geÌ„tilmeÌ„ myght purchase their landes of him by fine raunsome To whose request the kyng lastly agreed y t y e said geÌ„tilmeÌ„ shold haue their laÌ„ds agaiÌ„ by fine of .v. yeres valure of their lands About the .li. yere was made the statutes of weightes measure that is to say that .32 graynes of whete drye and round takeÌ„ in the myddes of the eare shuld waye a sterling peny .xx. of those pence should make an ounce .xii. ouÌ„ces should make a pound troy and .8 pouÌ„d troy shuld wey a gallon of wine and .8 gallons of wyne shuld make a bushel of London whiche is the .8 part of a quarter Also that three harly cornes drie and rounde should make an inche and .xii. ynches to a foote and three foote to a yarde and fyue yardes and a halfe to a perche or pole and .xl. pole in leÌ„gth .iii. in bredth to make an acre of land thes standards of wayght mesurs were coÌ„firmed in y e .xv. yere of Edward y e third And also in the tyme of Henry the sixt and Edward the fourth and lastly confirmed in the .xi. yere of Henry the seuenth Howe be it in