Spaine by ciuill warres when it was deuided into many kingdomes The Mores did ouercome it on the one side the French and the Englishmen deuoured it on the other side And Hungarie which had valiantly resisted the Turke almost two hundreth yeares together Hungarie was at the length subdued by them by the diuisions that happened amongst themselues What a great slaughter was there of the Nobilitie of Fraunce Fountaine at the battell of Fountaine neare to Anserre by the ciuill warres that were betwixt Lithargus Lewes and Charles the Bald What ciuill warres and bloudsheds did ensue of the diuision betwixt the houses of Yorke and Lancaster here with vs in EnglaÌ„d The houses of Yorke Lancaster which being beguÌ„ in king Henrie the fourth his dayes continued till Henrie the seueÌ„th who maried the eldest daughter and heire of Edward the fourth by which the said two houses were vnited together and so all ciuill wars then ceased These sactions continued diuerse yeares in which time there died in sundrie battels and skirmishes Camden 474. as Philippus Comineus saith aboue foure score of the bloud royall with the floure of the Nobilitie of England besides a great number of the Lords Knights Esquires and Gentlemen and infinite thousands of the common people And to passe ouer manie examples of like sort Fraunce in what pitifull state doth Fraunce now stand which hath bene one of the most flourishing realmes of Europe by ciuill warres and dissention which hath afflicted that kingdome aboue thirtie yeares wherof hath ensued not only the slaughter of manie noble persons but also infinite thousands of other subiects and in the end the shamefull murther of their owne naturall liege Lord and King Murther of their Prince These miseries may be examples to vs to beware of such like sedition and diuision and happie are they that can beware by others dangers as the wise Cato saith Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Sedition is perillous Cato although it shew to haue neuer so good a countenance of honest cause and it were better for the authour of such sedition to suffer anie losse or iniurie then to be the cause of so great an euill Bodynus lib. 4. fol. 168. Vt morbi ac vulnera ipsaeque animae egritudines ac perturbationes tum corporibus tum mentibus noxiae sunt ita quoque bella ciuilia rebus publicis ac ciuitatibus pestifera sunt ac perniciosa As diseases wounds and the griefes and troubles of the mind both to the bodie and mind are hurtfull so likewise ciuill warres to the common wealth are pestiferous and daungerous For ciuill warres bring forth and nourish want of reuerence towards God contemneth authoritie lawes and gouernment without which Nec domus vlla nec ciuitas nec gens nec rerum natura nec ipse mundus stare potest No house no nation no citie nor the nature of things nor the world it selfe can stand The fruits of sedition Sedition causeth change of lawes contempt of iustice base estimation of sciences it procureth horrible reuenge forgetfulnesse of pareÌ„tage consanguinitie and friendship it causeth extortions violence robberies wastings of countries sacking of townes burning of buildings coÌ„fiscations vanishments sauage murthers alterations and ouerthrow of pollicies with other infinite and intollerable miseries pitifull to behold sorowfull to expresse and lamentable to thinke of Non Virgil. mihi silinguae centum sunt oraque centum Ferrea vox omnes scelerum comprendere formas Possem If I an hundred tongues and mouthes had for to tell And voyce as yron hard expresse I could not well The perils to a state and kingdome that may fall By ciuill warre which makes to strangers bond thrall SeditioÌ„ armeth the father against the son brother against brother kinsman against kinsman men of the same nation prouince and citie one against another Hereupon the fields which before were fruitful are left vntilled corne groweth where townes did stand there the ground with bloud of men is made ranke which before was barren that a man may say as Ouid writeth of Troy Iam seges est vbi Troia fuit resecandáque falce Luxuriat Phrigio sanguine pinguis humus What doth not the fire and furie of sedition ciuill wares bring with it as one writeth well Quid non discordia frangit Epist 1. Dissipat eneruat fera cum dominatur Erynnis What doth not discord breake waste and make weake when Erynnis which is fayned by the Poets to be the Lady of dissention and strife doth rule Erynni 1. And in the ende the bodies thus dismembred and the parts thereof infected with the same poyson of discord 2. Reg. cap. 24. destroy themselues Dauid the Prophet iudged war worse theÌ„ either famine or pestilence he did rather chuse a plague amongst his subiects then ciuill warres and tumults Pythagoras saith that three things are by all meanes to be remaued a disease from the body ignorance from the soule and sedition from the city Plato affirmeth that no euill is worse in a city then that which diuideth and of one maketh it twoÌ„ and that nothing is better then concord which tyeth and vniteth it together Concordia res paruae crescuâ—t discordia antem maximae dilabuntur By concord small things do increase but by discord great things come to confusion Let vs heare what the noble Orator Tully sayth Senten lib. 1. fol. 190. of the miseries which ensue by ciuill wars Omnia sunt misera in bellis ciuilibus sed miserius nihil quà m ipsa victoria quae etiamsi ad meliores venit tamen eos ipsos ferociores impotentiorésque reddit vt etiamsi natura tales non sunt necessitate tamen esse cogantur multa enim victori eorum arbitrio per quos vicit etiam inuito facienda sunt All things are miserable in ciuill warres but nothing is more miserable then the victory it selfe which although it happen to the best sort yet it maketh them cruell in so much that though they be not so by nature yet of necessity they are compelled so to be for many things by the ouercommer at the pleasure of such by whose ayd he doth ouercome euen against his will are to be done King Henrie the fift When king Henry the fift not hauing aboue fifteene thousand men gaue a great ouerthrow to the French king at Agincourt in Fraunce where he had assembled to the number of forty thousand of the flower of all his countrey had taken many prisoners of the french Hol. 1181. both Nobles and others the french as they are men of great courage and valour so they assembled themselues againe in battell array meaning to haue giuen a new battell to king Henry which king Henry perceiuing gaue speciall commaundement by proclamation that euery man should kill his prisoners whereupon many were presently slaine whereof of French king hauing intelligence dispersed his army and so departed
They remēbred not that the Fowlers whistle soundeth swéetly when he deceiueth the bird most cunningly according to the saying Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps Neither Cato lib. 1. that faire words make fooles faine and that vnder the gréene grasse often lurketh the suttle serpent nor that in the fairest floure a man may soonest find a canker Poemata Ciceronis 249. fol. 161. Nullae sunt occultiores insidiae quà m quae latent in simulatione officij aut in aliquo necessitudinis nomine Tully de amicitia saith Apertè enim adulantem nemo non vidit nisi qui admodum est excors callidus ille occultus ne se insinuet studiosè cauendum est They had also forgotten the counsell which Vicount de Melloir a Frenchman gaue to certaine of them in his sicknesse at London Holinsh 603 Booke of Martyrs fol. 214. which was as followeth I lament saith he for your destruction and desolation at hand because you are ignorant of the perils hanging ouer your heads for this vnderstand that Lewes and with him sixtéene Earles and Barons of Fraunce haue secretly sworne and vowed that if fortune should fauour him so much as to conquer this realme of England The oth of Lewes the French kings sonne with other his Earles ◠Barons and to be crowned king to kill banish and consume all those of the English Nobilitie which now do serue vnder him persecute their owne king as traitors and rebels and furthermore to dispossesse all their linage of such inheritance as they now hold in England And because saith he you shall not haue doubt hereof I which lie here at the point of death do now affirme vnto you and take it on the perill of my soule that I am one of those sixtéene that haue sworne to performe these things and therefore I aduise you to prouide for your owne safeties and also of your realme which you now destroy and that you kéepe this thing secret which I haue vttered vnto you After this he shortly died but the curteous offer of Lewes to the Barons as is aboue remembred so lulled thē on sléepe as it were Holinsh 601. that they regarded not this good aduise for after this diuerse of those which before had taken part with king Iohn as William Earle Warren William Earle of Arundell William Earle of Salisburie William Marshall the younger and diuerse other supposing verily that the said Lewes should now attaine the kingdome reuolted to Lewes but after that Lewes was setled Note here what followed by trusting of faire words and had gotten the tower of London diuerse other holds Castles defencible places of this realme into his hands and thought himselfe in maner sure of the kingdome then the Frenchmen began to shew their inward disposition and hatred towards the Englishmen and forgetting all former promises such is the nature of strangers whē they are become Lords of their desire they did manie excessiue outrages in spoiling robbing the people of that country without pitie or mercie and bare little good will towards the Engish men as it appeareth sundry wayes and first of all in that they had them in maner in no regard or estimation but rather sought by all meanes to spoyle and kéepe them vnder Booke of Martyrs fol. 257. not suffering them to beare any rule nor putting them in trust with the custodie of such places as they had brought them in possession of Secondly they called them not to counsell so oft as at the first they vsed to do neither did they procéede by their directions in their businesse as before they were accustomed and thirdly in all their conuersation neither Lewes nor his Frenchmen vsed them so familiarly as at the first comming they did but shewed more loftie countenance towards them whereby they greatly encreased the indignation of the English Lords against them who might euill abide to be so ouerruled To conclude Holinsh 602. where great promises were made at their entring into the land they were slow enough in performing the same so as the expectation of the English Barons was made quite voyd for they perceiued daily that they were despised and scoffed at for their disloyalty shewed towards their owne naturall Prince hearing now and then nips taunts openly by the Frenchmen saying that as they had shewed themselues false and vntrustie to their owne lawfull king Note so they would not continue anie long time true to a stranger Hereupon the Barons better considering the words of the sayd Vicount of Melloit and withall the great daunger that the realme was brought in by their dissention and opposition against their soueraigne Lord and the litle account the Frenchmen made of them Booke of Martyrs 247. gaue them iust occasion to take a better course and so they reuolted to king Henrie their naturall Liege Lord for King Iohn shortly after the comming of Lewes into England departed this life and they ioyned with the King in battell against Lewes where he had a great ouerthrow whereupon he and all his companie departed into Fraunce and king Henrie possessed the Crowne after that in quiet Caesar was wont to say of such as were false to their Prince and countrey Caesar that he loued Traitors to serue his turne but abhorred them as monstrous to the common wealth It is written of Alexander the Great Alexander who had conquered many countreys that he did long time séeke many wayes to winne a certaine countrey pertaining to Darius king of Persia and perceiuing that it was inuincible he dealt with a noble man that had the charge thereof vnder the king for a great summe of money to yéeld that countrey to his possession and so did Alexander giue good countenance in his Court to this noble man a good space and in the end entring into a déepe consideration of the matter and meaning thereby to make an example to such as hée might commit trust vnto to beware of such treasonable practises he suddenly commaunded execution to be done of this noble man who hearing thereof and litle deseruing the same as he thought desired to come to Alexanders presence which was graunted besought him to know the cause of this sudden execution who sayd thou hast bene false to thine own Prince how can I then trust thée or hope thou wilt deale truely with me or be my true subiect Tullie lib. 2. officiorum Alexander if I should credit thée with the like and so he was executed Philip king of Macedon did greatly blame his sonne Alexāder in an Epistle which he did write to him saying what occasion or consideration hath brought thée into this hope that thou shouldest thinke that they wil be and continue true and faithfull vnto thée whom thou hast corrupted with money I reade of one Christopher Paris Holinsh 98. Christopher Paris Irish Chron. that had the charge of a Castle in
est When the Prince doth ordain punishment to any he is sad also where any is punished he taketh it as it were don to himself She is a most milde Prince not fearefull to behold or to be spoken vnto Ouid metamor li. 2. f 30. Nullae in fronte minae nec formidabile lumen But with most benign and gracious countenances receiueth and answereth the petitions supplications of her subiects she is of that honorable and princely disposition in all things that euen the greatest Princes do honor her And in that hir Ma. 4 cause of incoragemēt hath fortified the borders of this realme in places dāgerous for inuasion with such castels and strong holds with a mighty nauy of warlike ships Fortification of the realme and furnished her kingdome with such abundāce of armor all other things necessary for the wars and defence of her cuntry people as the like hath not bin seen in any Princes dayes before her time If we will consider the miserable conditions of such Nations as liue vnder Princes where the pleasure of the Prince standeth for law Miserable cōditions of other people and where the king saith Sic volo sic Iubeo stat pro ratione voluntas So I will Iuuenal so I command my will shall stand for reason And compare the same with our happy state we haue iust cause to thinke our selues much bound to God for our Princes not only make good and wholsome lawes Good lawes but are wel pleased also to be ordered by them in the day of their Coronation take a solemne Oath vpon the holy booke of God to indeuor themselues Othe that the same lawes shall be obserued and executed to all indifferently Osor fo 105. And therein is the difference saith Osorius betwixt a kind and a Tyrant Non mediocre discrimen est inter regematque tyrannum quòd Rex legibus s◠deuinctum profitetur Tyrannus vero in interitu legum omnem dignitatem suam collocandam existimet Among many other what an Honorable law was made in the 9. yeere of king Henry the third 9. Hen. 3. A most honorable Law as followeth No frée man shal be takē or imprisoned or be desseised of his freehold liberties or frée customes or be outlawed or exiled or anie waies destroyed nor we shall not passe vppon him nor deale with him but by lawfull iudgement of his peeres or by the Lawes of the land we shall sell to no man wee shall deny nor deferre no man 42. li. Ass either of iustice right or equitie By which statute a Commission granted out of the Chancerie to take I. N. and seize his goodes and chattels was iudged void for that it was done without iudgement or sute of the partie or other due processe How happie be we in respect of the Russes amongst whom there is a lawe Russes if any man die without issue male though he haue many daughters yet the Prince seizeth all his goods to his own vse except perhaps of his goods he giueth some part amongest the daughters to bestowe them in marriage And likewise if a man that is vnfit in his owne person for the warres hath such wealth that thereby many warriours might be maintained or that if any of the Courtiers hauing knowledge thereof doe present his name to the Emperour the vnhappie man by and by is sent for and in that instant depriued of all his riches which with great paines and trauaile all his life time he hath gotten togither except perchāce some small porcion thereof be left to maintaine himselfe his wife children and familie withall and then the Emperour bestoweth these goodes amongst his Courtiers according to their deserts Booke of Nauigation fol. 788. 417. as appeareth in the booke of Nauigation But no such vse lawe nor custome is amongst vs. For if a man haue no sonnes then his daughters or some other of his line possesse his landes and his Executor his goodes as pleaseth the owner to limit And when our Prince would haue ayde of her subiects towards the maintenance of her warres or for other necessarie respects she taketh not her subiects lands or goodes from them neither can so doe by her Highnesse lawes except they be first thereby condemned and so forfait them for some offence but vseth to call a Parliament and by the assent of all her Nobles and Commons hath Subsidies and other aydes of her subiects towards the defraying of som of these charges and the subsidie or ayde thus granted if it be of lande for the most part amounteth not to the thirtieth part of the yeerely rent of the same and if it be of goods reacheth not oftentimes to the fiftieth part thereof Againe whereas in France Tributes for meat drink in other countries Flanders and other Countries the people pay certain tribute to their princes for some sort of meat and drinke and for their dwellinges We are not charged with any such impositions Neither is such torment vsed heer in execution of offenders Torments in execution as breaking of their legs armes and backe and so laide on a whéele of a cart pitched on a pole and there to lie till hee be dead which is common in other Realmes by the Ciuill lawes but is executed here by hāging onely till he be dead except it be in case of high treason Therfore I say we are in these respects most happy in regarde of other Nations ¶ How much we are bound to God that doth assist her maiesty with such graue wise and most honourable Counsellers and also diuers and sundry perswasions in respect of the premisses and other things why we should all resolutely fight in the defiance of the enimy And of the miseries of warre where the enimy preuaileth Chap. 3. AS a further cause of this incouragment Fift cause of incoragemēt how much are we bound to God in that it hath pleased him alwaies to assist her Ma. with such honorable counsellers men of such grauity Wise Counsellers truth faithfulnesse and wisdome of such deep skil consideration policie forecast and experience as to speak it plainly simply no Prince vnder the sun is furnished with the like or at least with a better by whose great wisdome trauel and indeuour this common peace and quietnesse hath bin so long preserued and mantained If any thing hath bin intended to the perill of her maiesties person or danger of the state that hath been by them quickly espied deeply looked into and with greate wisdome pollicie in time preuented and auoided to their great honors immortall fame so as in the choise of them her maiesty hath most graciously wisely considered of the saying of Osorius Osor sol 292. Necesse est vt Regis consiliarij sint maximo ingenio praediti bonis artibus exculti longo rerum vsu per ti in historijs diligentissimè versati What men must be
presented her selfe before him in his chamber and promised him faire vntill she had lulled him asleepe with drinke and then making her praiers to Almighty God to assist her against the proud Assyrian Holofernes she tooke out his sword and stroke of his head and passed through his host with her maid hauing Holofernes head in a bagge and so came to her castle in the night and the next day fixed his head vpon a powle for the view of all his army wherevpon they remoued and so she deliuered her Citie by the great mercy and fauor of God towards her What shall I say of Curtius that noble Romaine and Assurus the kings sonne of Phrigia either of which seeing in their country a dangerous breach of cliffe in the earth which they were perswaded would not be closed vp againe vntill the best thing in the citie which they tooke to be a man were cast into it willingly threw themselues into the same for the safety of the people But forraine examples are innumerable and not so well knowne vnto vs as our owne ¶ This Chapter sheweth sundrie examples of diuerse Noblemen of this land who haue aduentured their liues in defence of their countrey and how that euerie man ought to indeuour him selfe to follow their steps and most valiantly and resolutely to fight in defence of his Prince and countrey against all foreine enemies CHAP. 5. IT is not vnknowne vnto you Aduentures of the Nobilitie how valiantly the Kings Princes and Nobles of this our Nation haue in diuerse and sundrie warres ventured their owne persons and with their owne handes incountred their enemies As for example Did not Henrie the first in a battell in France Holinsh 356. smite downe to the ground Crispio Earle of Eureux by meanes wherof he was taken prisoner at the kings féet Ibidē 1181. 1170. Was not king Henrie the fifth in person in the battell at Agincourt in Fraunce and there likewise fought in his owne person Battell of Agincourt in Frāce fought by K. Henrie the 5. and caried away the stroke of the enemie vpon his helmet and man of the French at that time a glorious victorie And concerning the valiant seruice in field of a great number of the Nobilitie and others of this realme how they haue also endaungered them selues in the defence of their Prince and countrey against the enemie performed most famous actes of chiualrie therein to their great honors immortal fames which obliuion the cankred enemie to fame shall neuer be able to blemish but they shall remaine as spectacles to posterities for euer to behold and to encourage them to ensue their martiall actes and enterprises Among other what valiant and faithfull seruice hath the noble house of the Lord Talbot done from time to time to their Princes and countrey The valiant seruice of the noble house of the Lord Talbot Hall 596. Mauns in Fraunce when the Earle of Suffolke hauing the charge of Mauns in France and the magistrates specially the cleargy of the same citie conspired with the French assuring them that if they would come to surprise the citie they should find them ready to receiue them and so they did by meanes whereof the said Earle with the rest of the said English men were forced to take the castle there and keepe it and in all hast sent to the Lord Talbot who then lay at Alaunson certifying him in what state they stood hauing neither victuall nor munition and their castle almost vndermined so that yeelding now must follow for resistance would not helpe if they were not aided with speed Did not the said Lord Talbot hearing this newes with all hast assemble his Captaines and souldiers to the number of seauen hundred men of warre and in the euening departed from Alaunson and that night entred into the said castle of Mans at a posterne gate secretly Whereupon about sixe of the clocke in the morning the English men issued out of the Castle crying aloud S. George Talbot The Frenchmen within thinking nothing lesse then of this sudden approchment rose out of their beds and fled leauing all their horses armour and riches behind them at which time there was slaine and taken foure hundred gentlemen of the French And thus was the Citie of Mans reduced againe vnto English Mauns takē by the Lord Talbot Holins 1262. Awians Ibid. 1262. mens possessions by this most noble seruice and bold enterprises of this Lord Talbot Did not the Lord Talbot likewise with a companie raise the siege of the French at Awrans then being in the allegiance of the king of England Did not he the Lord Scales and others hearing the Frenchmen to be come within foure leagues of Rone which then was then also Rone vnder the subiection of the king of England by night issue out of that citie and in the morning by day came to the place where the Frenchmen were and then set vpon them where many of them were slaine and taken prisoners Also did not the Duke of Burgundie when he beseeged the towne of Cretoy with ten thousand men Ibidem 1263 Cretoy hearing of the comming of the Lord Talbot raise his siege the sayd Lord Talbot sending him word that he would giue him battell if he would not that the said Earle would wast and destroy his countrey in Picardy and according to his promise so he did Was not Iohn Lord Talbot for his approued prowesse and tried valiancy performed in the warres of France Ibidem 1276 Camden 462. Iohn first Earle of Shrewsburie Normandy Hall 31 h. 6. Aquitaine Burdeux taken Diuers other cities and townes taken created Earle of Shrewsburie about the ninteenth yeare of Henrie the sixt and after sent againe with 3000. men into Normandie for the better defence thereof who neither forgot his duty nor forslowed his businesse but daily labored and hourely studied how to molest and indanger his enemies Did not the kings Counsell then send the said Earle with an army into Aquitaine at the earnest sute of the Magistrates and inhabitants of the citie of Burdeaux who receiued him and his power into that citie by a posterne gate where they siue many of the Captaines and others of the Frenchmen and so was Burdeaux taken by the said Earle which he fortified and after rode into the countrey thereabout and obtained diuers cities and townes without dint of sword And among others did not he take the strong towne of Castillon in Perigot Castillon in Perigot where the French king whē he vnderstood thereof assembled twenty thousand men and entred into Aquitaine Aquitaine Castillon befieged by the french where Castillon is and besieged the said towne of Castillon with a strong siege where vpon the Earle of Shrewsbury assembled 800. horsmen and 5000. footmen and went to the rescue of the said towne in which battell very valiantly he behaued himselfe Earle of Shrewsbury slaine Anno 1453. Camden 462. and there
was slaine with a small shot and this was the end of this noble Earle after he had with much honor more fame and great renowne serued his Prince in warrs foure and twenty years in France and was honorably interred amongst them on whose Tombe in ingrauen as followeth Inscription on the tomb of Iohn first Earle of Shrewsbury Here lieth the right noble knight Iohn Talbott Earle of Shrewsbury Washford Waterford and Valence Lord Talbot of Goodrige and Vrchengfield Lord Strange of the blacke Meere Lord Verdon of Alton Lord Crumwell of Wingfield Lord Louetoft of Worsop Lord Furniuall of Sheffield Lord Faulconbrige knight of the most noble order of S. George S. Michaell and the Golden fleece Great Marshall to king Henry the sixt of his realme of France who died in the battell of Burdeaux in the yeare of our Lord 1453. 1453. If I should set downe euery particular seruice of such as haue discended of this noble house done from time to time in the warres for their prince and countrey it would aske very long time therefore he that desireth to knowe more thereof I referre him to the Chronicles of this realme where they are set forth at large to their great honor and glory And touching the loyalty of this noble house to the Crowne I find it not attainted for any disloyalty to the same sithens the conquest of this realme for which they are most deepely bound to yeeld their most humble thankes to the goodnesse of Almighty God that so from time to time hath blessed the same and so much the more for that a great number of other Peeres and Nobles of this land haue bene attainted sithens that time for their disloyalty In honor of which house of the Lord Talbot I haue made these few verses following TAlbot I am that euer haue bene true Vnto my Prince her crowne and dignity And hope in God my fathers to ensue So as my bloud shall neuer stained be Prest I will be my countrey to defend As doth belong to men of my degree And on her foes my life and land will spend As each man ought for her securitie The acts of warre performed by my name I shall increase as God shall giue me might To serue my Prince when she commands the same As doth belong vnto a faithfull knight My gracious Prince hath honored me With name of thorder of the garter knight Of which great kings haue much desired to be Wherein these words with golden letters bright Hony soyt qui mal y pense are seene As much to say as ill to him befall That ill doth wish vnto so good a Queene And so I pray and during life I shall And for some among many examples of the loyaltie of that noble house Holinsh 368. first I find that William Lord Talbot in king Stephen his time tooke vppon him to defend Hereford in Wales as diuerse other nobles of this Realme did other Castles and townes in England to the vse of Maud the Empresse and her sonne against the sayd king Stephen who vsurped and detayned the Crowne against her sayd son contrary to his oath made to the sayd Empresse her said son being the right heyre to Henry the first his Realme of England Iohn Earle of Shrewsbury was slaine at North taking part with Henry the sixt against the Duke of Yorke others then I find how Sir Gilbert Talbot was sent by the yong Earle of Shrewsbury being within age and ward to Richard the third with two thousand of his tenants and friends to ayde Henry Earle of Richmond against the sayd King Richard Stow. 121. being not onely an horrible murtherer of his Nephewes king Edward the fourth his childrē but also an vsurper of the Crowne whom the sayd Earle ouerthrew at Bosworth field and so obtayned the Scepter Royall of this Realme I note also the great loyalty of the right noble George fourth Earle of Shrewsbury that where diuerse euill disposed persons in the rebellion in the North parts of this Realme about the 28 yeare of the raigne of King Henry the eight gaue forth very slanderous and dishonorable speeches against the sayd Earle Holinsh 1567. as though he had fauored more the part of the rebels then of the king his Maister for a full testimony and declaration of his truth to his Prince he caused his Chapleyn to minister to him an oath in the presence of a great number of people assembled by him to represse the sayd rebels by which oath he did protest that as his Auncesters had bene euer true to the Crowne so be wold not staine his bloud in ioyning with a sort of rebels and traytors against their Prince but sayd he would liue and die in defence of the Crowne if it did stand but vpon a stake How faithfully did the Lord George last Earle of Shrewsbury discharge the great trust reposed in him by her Maiestie and her whole Councell in the garding safe keeping of the Quéene of Scots by the space of seuenteene yeares at the least a matter of such importance as the like so long time was neuer committed to any State or Péere of this Realme sithens the conquest thereof and how carefully he did preuent the sundry deuises and subtill practises wrought by her selfe and others for her escape it is sufficiently knowne The trust was the greater for that if she had escaped no small danger might haue ensued to the person of our most gracious Queene and to the whole Realme as may appeare by her sundry conspiracies against the same In like manner when any matter of great importance for the seruice of the Realme in those parts was committed to him as often many were how carefully and painefully Camden 463. and with what expedition he would dispatch the same the world can testifie what great confidence was reposed in him by the Queenes Maiestie when he was made Lieutenant of the counties of Darby and Stafford in those dangerous dayes and how he performed the same trust to the preseruation of the common peace and quietnesse of those Shires is well knowne to all men what great trust was committed to himselfe also when he had authority in times of rebellion and other outrageous actions in those parts to suppresse the same in forcible manner and to execute the offenders by Marshall iustice without further proceeding in law against thē by the large Commission directed vnto him is manifest Gilbert now the seuenth Earle of Shrewsbury And lastly was not the right honourable Gilbert now Earle of Shrewsbury in the xxxviij yeare of her Maiesties most gracious Raigne sent into Fraunce to receiue the oath of the French king for the confirmation of the most honorable league betwixt her Maiestie and the said king and did not he performe that Embassage to his great honour And did not the sayd king in proofe of his great good acceptation thereof His Embassage most honorably performed in Fraunce giue him
reconciliation by any speech preaching teaching writing or any other open deede or if any person or persons within this Realme or any the Queenes Maiesties dominions after the sayd first day of Iuly shall willingly receiue or take any such absolution or reconciliation or else if any person or persons haue obtayned or gotten sithens the last day of Iuly in the first yeare of the Queenes Maiesties Raigne or after the sayd first day of Iuly shall obtaine or get from the sayd Bishop of Rome or any his successors or Sea of Rome any manner of Bul writing or instrument written or printed containing any thing matter or cause whatsoeuer or shall publish or by any wayes or meanes put in vre any such Bul writing or instrument that theÌ„ all euery such act acts offeÌ„ce and offeÌ„ces shall be deemed adiudged by the authority of this Act to be high treason the offender offenders therein their procurers abbetters and counsellers to the committing the sayd offence and offences shall be deemed high treason to the Queene and the Realme and being thereof lawfully indicted and attaynted shall forfeit as in cases of high treason and their ayders counsellers or abbetters after the committing of the sayd offences and acts to the intent to set foorth vphold or allow the doing or execution of the sayd vsurped power iurisdiction or authority touching or concerning the premises or any part therof shall incurre the paine of the Satute of Praemunire made in the sixteenth yeare of king Richard the second 16. R. 2. cap. Prouided alwayes nd be it further enacted by the authority aforesayd that if any person or persons to whom any such absolution reconciliation Bull writing or instrument shall after the sayd first day of Iuly be offered moued or perswaded to be vsed put in vre Conceale or executed shall conceale the same offer motion or perswade and not disclose and signifie the same by writing or otherwise within sixe weekes next following to some of the Queenes Maiesties Priuie Councell established in the North parts or in the Marches of Wales for the time being shall incurre the paine and forfeiture of misprision of treason Treason B. 19. 6. El. 6. which is to forfeit the profit of his lands during his life all his goods and chattels and to haue perpetuall imprisonment And the paine of the sayd Satute of the Praemunire is to forfeit all his lands that he hath in fee-simple Forfeit B. 101 24. H. 8. to the Crowne for euer and all lands that he holdeth in tayle or for life during his life and all his leases for yeares and other his goods and chattels for euer and shall haue perpetuall imprisonment Protection and be out of the Queenes protection And it hath bene taken that any man might kill such a one before the making of the Statute of 5. F. n. b. 232. Coron B. 193. El. cap. 1. but now he may not Although it may be doubted for that we are deuided for religion if any inuasion should be attempted in this Realme Inuasion that some desirous of alteration thereof would ioyne with them yet it is to be hoped that there are thousands and thousands of true and faithfull subiects German fo 122. Forfâ—it B. 102 Triall F. 54. 5. R. 2. 2. H. 5. cap. 7. which will spend their lands liues and goods as they ought before the enemy should preuaile And one reason moueth me thus to thinke for that the Quéenes Maiestie doth not punish them by death nor losse of goods and lands as was vsed in Queene Maries time for religion but imposeth vppon some of them a certaine summe of mony to be payd monethly for not comming to Church besides great numbers of others which perhaps would like well of the change of religion as well as the rest and yet are neither charged with like payment nor otherwise any way dealt withall And another chiefe reason moueth me thus to thinke for that they which shall shew themselues traytors false and vntrue to their owne Prince and countrey A forreyn Prince that conquereth trusteth not him that is conquered in adhering to strangers besides that they shal ouerthrow themselues and their houses and vtterly vndoe their wiues children for that they shall forfeit al they haue may in all reason assure theÌ„selues the no forreyn Prince will thinke that such persons wil be true to him for he that will not regard his countrey where he was bread and borne his father mother wife children kinsfolkes nor allies his lands liuings and possessions his liberty and freedome how can a stranger that commeth to conquer and bring all these into his subiection seruitude and bondage be perswaded that he will loue obey or carry any loyalty or faithfulnesse towards him as is aforesayd How such haue bene dealt withall by them with whom they haue ioyned against their Prince and countrey how faire soeuer they haue promised appeareth in part afore and more ensueth Of the conspiracies and trecheries of certaine Nobles and others against their Prince and country and what haue bin the rewards of such traitors by them who made vse of their treasons and how dangerous the controuersie in religion is to a common wealth CHAP. 10. WHen William Duke of Normandie attempted to inuade this land Holinsh 298. WilliaÌ„ Duke of NormaÌ„dy there were certaine Noblemen of England which were aiding assisting to him in this action to whom he made many faire and large promises vntill he had wonne the Crowne and then he forgot and nothing regarded them and they which thought themselues sure to be made for euer by bringing in this stranger into this realme did sée themselues vnderfoot and to be dispised mocked on all sides Ibid. 197. Againe when the variance was in England betwixt king Iohn and some of his Barons and that the king did put them often to the worst they did write to the king of Fraunce Philip Ibid. 600. Lewes the FreÌ„ch kings sonne came into EnglaÌ„d when ciuill waires were there praying aide of him and requiring him to send Lewes his sonne with men of warre into England to assist theÌ„ against their king promising that they would accept him for their king and do him homage whereupon the French king sent his sonne Lewes with a great company into England to whom the Barons did homage and the said Lewes tooke an oath also to maintaine and performe the old lawes customs of the realme and to restore to euerie man his rightfull heritage and lands requiring the Barons to continue faithfull vnto him and he vsed them so curteously and gaue them so many faire words and made them such large promises that they beléeued him assuredly but they remembred not that Lewes looked for a kingdome And what will not manie do if they may thereby be sure or in hope to get a Crowne as one writeth Ad quid non adagis regnandi dira cupido
a ring with a diamond therein as I haue heard valued at xv hundreth pounds a thing meet to remaine as an heire loome to that house for euer for a remembrance thereof And now to returne to the valiant seruice of diuerse others to their Prince and countrey let me tell you of Iohn late Duke of Northumberland Iohn Duke of Northūberland of whose fall by his disloyalty to his Prince though there be great pitie yet his courage valiancy and hardinesse in wars and his great aduenture therein I trust without offence may here be remembred as an incouragement to others to follow his steps therein who being in king Edward the sixt his time sent as Generall to suppresse the rebellion of Ket in Norfolke Holinsh 1672. his number being but small by reason his whole power was not yet come to him and the rebels were many was by some of his army aduised to regard his owne safety and to leaue the City of Norwich for that it was thought he was not able with his small company to defend the same against the sayd rebels to whom with noble courage shewing an inuincible hart he sayd that so long as any life was in him he would not consent to such dishonor but rather would suffer whatsoeuer either fire or sword should worke against him and thereupon did draw out his sword as other of the honourable and worshipfull then there present likewise did and commaunded that each one should kisse the others sword according to an auncient custome vsed amongst mē of war in time of great danger wherupon they all made a vow binding it with a solemne oath that they would not depart from thence vntill they had either vanquished the rebels or lost their liues in manfull fight for defence of the kings honour Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Ibid. 1532. How valiantly did Ambrose Earle of VVarwicke in the fourth yeare of the Raigne of our Soueraigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie that now is defend the towne of Newhauen in Fraunce notwithstanding they died in great numbers of the plague so as they wanted men and other things necessarie for defence yet would not yéeld the towne by force but manfully stood ready in the breaches to receiue the assault whē the Frenchmen had with their Cannon made great breaches verie easie for the enemie to enter wherupon the Frenchmen perceiuing the resolutenesse of the Englishmen sounded their Trumpet of parley and so vpon honorable agréement then concluded vpon the towne was yéelded vp to the Frenchmen Besides how valiantly did Sir Iames Wilford and other Captaines with their souldiers defend the towne of Haddington in Scotland against the French and Scots being about eightéene thousand in king Edward the sixt his dayes and would not yéeld it although they had scarsitie of men and munition and were also greatly visited with the plague so as manie died thereof dayly but most valiantly and with inuincible courages defended the same Holinsh 1638. so as it was not surprised by the enemie How valiantly resolutely did the Lord Gray of Wilton Lord Iohn Gray the Lord Ed. Seymer Edward Shelley Preston and others to the number of seuen and twentie all Gentlemen set vpon the foreward of the battell of the Scots at Musclebrough in Scotland Expedition paten folio in king Edward the sixt his time meaning to haue broken their array but the Scots had so strongly fortified themselues that they could not enter and so in their retiring they were all slaine sauing the Lord Gray of Wilton and the Lord Iohn Gray and Lord Ed. Seymer who not without wounds and marks vpon their bodies of their being there escaped By these examples it appeareth that those Noblemen and others respected not their liues nor any painfull seruice or extremities in the seruice of their Prince and countrey for which they shall liue in fame for euer Mē may not respect any trauell or pain to serue their Prince and country He that hath desire to liue in name when he is dead in bodie must indeuour himselfe according to his calling as God hath indowed him to leaue some memorie whereby it may appeare that once hee liued as these verses following shew 1 THough Death the fatal threed of ech man cuts in twaine Yet vertues ay shall liue and worthie acts remaine 2 For others to ensue their painefull steps therein Whereby they may attaine like lasting praise to winne 3 But such as not regard to leaue some deed of fame When they are dead shall lie without regard or name 4 And soone shall be forgot as they had neuer bin And shall not be thought of no scarce amongst their kinne 5 What difference shall be then twixt great and meanest man When of their worthie acts no booke record ought can 6 What booteth titles great of honour for to haue Or Croesus golden store when men lie in the graue 7 More worth a thousand fold t is famous for to be For vertues and noble acts then all the rest to thee 8 That moued mightie kings and great States of this land And manie others mo great things to take in hand 9 Some kingdomes to subdue by sword both farre and neare Their persons ventred haue and dangers did not feare 10 And manie worthy Peeres their Prince to serue in field And countrey to defend great acts with speare and shield 11 Performed haue which fame with blast of trumpe hath spread Whereby they liue in name though they in graue ly dead 12 And some haue Churches built in honor of our Lord Where they did giue him thanks and praise with one accord 13 Some Colledges for such as learning list embrace Their countrey and their Prince to serue in euerie place 14 Some Schooles to traine vp youth in skill and vertues lore While tender yeares do last in age to haue in store 15 Some Hospitals for poore where they may be relieued When crooked age of strength to worke hath them bereaued 16 And these they haue endow'd with liuing and with land To their immortall fame for euermore to stand 17 These for their Founders pray and benefactors all And for their off-spring eke on God cease not to call 18 For their prosperitie and foes eke to withstand That all things prosper may which they do take in hand 19 And when they are gone hence that in the latter day They may rise vp with Christ in ioyes to dwell alway 20 None only for himselfe but for his countrey too Is borne and bound for her the best he can to do 21 The Brutish kings that long did beare the scepter here Faire temples to their gods and Castles strong that were 22 And cities large and townes erected manie one The enemie to defend they walled them with stone 23 And manie famous men the founders of our skill Their learned works haue left to studie on that will 24 Before that Christ was borne whose glorie liues this day And while the