all their footing in the Continent and often assailed them in the I le of Tannet likewise as Fabian confidently affirmeth But destiny going forward for the downfall of Britaine remooued these rubbes out of her way for Rowena the mother of the Britaines mischiefe and the maintainer of the Saxons residence found the meanes to make this worthy Vortimer away and by poison caused the end of his life after hee had valiantly raigned the space of foure yeeres all which time by the testimonie of an old Chronicle that Fabian had seene Vortigern the father remained in durance and vnder assigned Keepers in the Citie Caerlegion now Chester and so demeaned himselfe towards his sonne then his Soueraigne in dutifull obedience and faithfull counsell that hee wonne againe the hearts of the Britaines and was againe re-established their King It is recorded by Ninius that after his last victorie ouer the Saxons he caused his Monument to be erected at the entrance into Tanet and in the same place of that great ouerthrow which by the said Author is called Lapis Tituli of vs the Stonar where for certaine it seemes hath been an hauen In this Monument hee commanded his body to be buried to the further terror of the Saxons that in beholding this his Trophy their spirits might bee daunted at the remembrance of their great ouerthrow As Scipio Africanus conceited the like who commanded his Sepulchre to be so set that it might ouerlooke Africa supposing that his very Tombe would be a terror to the Carthaginians But how that desire of Vortimer was performed I finde not but rather the contrary for an old Manuscript I haue that cōfidently affirmeth him to be buried in London yet others from Ninius the disciple of Eluodugus hold the place to bee Lincolne But howsouer his graue is forgotten yet let this bee remembred that Sigebertus hath written of him that is After he had vanquished the Saxons saith he whose drift was not onely to ouer-runne the Land with violence but also to erect their owne Lawes without clemencie he restored the Christian Religion then sorely decaied and new built the Churches that those enemies had destroied AVRELIVS AMBROSIVS 3. AVrelius Ambrosius verily descended of that Constantine who in the fourth Consulship of Theodosius the younger was elected here in Britaine onely in hope of his luckie name succeeded Vortigern the Father in the Gouernment of Britaine and Vortimer the sonne in affection and defence of his Country He with Vter saith Geffrey Monmouth when their brother Constantine was murthered by Vortigern fled into France where they remained the yeeres of his first raigne whose returne as we haue heard from Ninius he greatly feared and whose force at his last he felt to his smart For hauing againe resumed his Crowne he liued in his old sinnes and suffered the Saxons to be Lords of his Land to preuent which saith Beda from Gyldas the Britaine 's by little and little beganne to take strength and with some courage to come forth of their Caues who with one vniforme consent called to God for his heauenly helpe They had saith he for their Captaine a Roman called Ambrosius Aurelianus a gentle natured man which onely of all the bloud of the Romans remained then aliue his parents being slaine which bore the name of King of the Country This man being their Leader prouoked the Victors to the fight and through Gods assistance atchieued the victory From that day forward now the Britaines now the Saxons did preuaile vntill the yeere that Bathe was besieged which was fortie foure yeeres after their first comming into the Iland His first expedition as our British Historians report was against Vortigern and his Castle in Wales wherein that incestuous King was consumed to ashes by lightning from heauen as we haue said and then following the Saxons made toward Yorke at Maesbel beyond Humber encountering Hengist became his Victor vnto whose mercy say they his sonne Occa yeelded himselfe and obtained in free gift the Country in Gallaway in Scotland for him and his Saxons But these his affaires thus prospering against the common Enemie was enuied at by Pascentius the youngest son of King Vortigern who not able either to mate the Saxons or after his Brethrens deaths to recouer the Kingdome to himselfe ambitiously sought to prefer his base humor before the recouery of his Countries libertie which then lay gored in her owne bloud For hauing gotten the aid of Gillamare King of Ireland whether hee had fled vpon the death of his Father and now returned into the west of Wales first indammaged the Citie of S. Dauids and thence proceeded with fire and sword Aurelius then sicke in the Citie of Winchester sent his brother Vter to withstand his force who slew both Pascentius and the Irish King his partaker in a set sore battell fought betwixt them But before this battell Pascentius had sent a Saxon whose name was Eopa in shew a Britaine and in habit a Physitian to minister poison in stead of physicke which according was effected with Ambrosius his death Vnto this Aurelius Ambrosius is ascribed the erection of that rare and admirable monument now called Stonhenge in the same place where the Britaines had been trecherously slaughtered and interred whose manner and forme in our draught of Wiltshire wee haue inserted The matter being Stones of a great and huge bignesse so that some of them containe twelue tunne in waight and twenty eight foote or more in length their breadth seuen and compasse sixteene These are set in the ground of a good depth and stand in a round circle by two and two hauing a third stone somewhat of lesse quantitie laid gate-wise ouerthwart on their toppes fastned with tenons and mortaises the one into the other which to some seeme so dangerous as they may not safely be passed vnder the rather for that many of them are fallen downe and the rest suspected of no sure foundation notwithstanding at my being there I neither saw cause of such feare nor vncertaintie in accounting of their numbers as is said to be The stones are gray but not marbled wherein great holes are beaten euen by force of weather that serue for Rauens and other birds to build in and bring foorth their young The ground-plot containeth about three hundred foot in compasse in forme almost round or rather like vnto a horse-shooe with an entrance in vpon the east-side Three rowes of stones seeme formerly to haue beene pitched the largest outwards and the least inwards many whereof are now fallen downe but those that stand shew so faire an aspect and that so farre off that they seeme to the beholders to bee some Fortresse or strong Castle A Trench also is about them which hath beene much deeper and vpon the plaines adioining many round copped hilles without any such trench as it were cast vp out of the earth stand like great hay-cockes
And according to his Death so was his Descent for neither hath he Father Mother nor Wife mentioned for ought I know by any Writer for of Salustia Barbia Orbiana it is doubtfull whether to him or his sonne Hostilian she were wedded nor his Acts so exactly registred as were those of the preceding Emperours his sinnes so deseruing it and God in his reuenge so punishing it 5 Aurelius Victor and Eutropius say that hee raigned two yeeres and odde moneths but Eusebius affirmeth his raigne not fully two yeeres most hold him to haue died at the age of fifty and in the yeere of Christ two hundred fifty two C. VIBIVS TREBONIANVS GALLVS Emperours C AIVS VIBIVS VOLVSIANVS CHAPTER XXXIII THis ouerthrow of the Romans and death of Decius in outward semblance was so greeuously taken by Trebonianus Gallus that no man was so forward for reuenge as hee and therefore the last in suspicion of Treason The Armie hee strengthned and daily encouraged pretending great seruice against those barbarous Scythians but all to gaine credit and liking of the Souldiers whereby hee soone atchieued his desire and with their applauses was proclaimed Emperour 2 By Birth he was descended of an honourable Familie in Rome but true honour cannot harbour where dwelleth treachery and falshood as it was with him when appointed by Decius to bee Gouernour of Mysia and to keepe the passages from the inuading Gothes the desire of Rule so corrupted his minde that he plotted with them against the Armie and betraied the trust and life of his Soueraigne 3 Neither is he stained with the blot of Treasons only but also with a carelesse and cruell gouernment for with the Gothes hee made a dishonourable peace whereby the Romans who were Lords of the World became Tributarie by a yeerely pay to those vnciuill Scythians who neuerthelesse in short time brake their Truce with him sacking and spoiling the Prouinces of Thrasia Mysia Thessalia and Mecedonia the Persians then also by their example entring Mesopotamia and Syria made spoile euen thorow Armenia 4 Gallus little regarding these troubles abroad consumed his time idly in Rome rather as a Bondman to his owne voluptuous desires then a Conquering Monarch taking for his companion and Fellow-Emperour his sonne Volusianus as appeareth by inscription of Coine placed before a very childe whose yeeres did quit him of any Capitall Crime But himselfe not perceiuing the infortunate successe of Detius for persecuting the innocent Christians stumbled as Eusebius saith at the same stone and banished them whose Praiers preserued his prosperous estate at which time followed so vniuersall a Pestilence that no Prouince in the world was free from the same and his wicked Life and most vnfortunate Raigne hastened now vnto their period 5 For the Gothes continuing their furies begunne his General Aemilian Maurus ouerthrew them with a wonderfull slanghter whereby hee grew so famous and Gall◅ so contemptible that the Souldiers euer affecting change proclaimed him Emperour the newes whereof soone roused Gallus from the Bed of his lasciuious pleasures and with his sonne entred the quarrell against Aemilianus whose fortune was to slay them both in fight the yeere of Christs Incarnation two hundred fifty three after hee had raigned not fully two yeeres and liued as Victor testifieth forty and seuen whereupon the Armies ioining their forces together conferred the Imperiall title and Ensignes vpon the Conquerour C. IVLIVS AEMILIANVS CHAPTER XXXIV AEmilianus succeeding Gallus by the only election of the Mysian Armie was by birth an African in the Prouince Mauritania of Parentage base and obscure who being risen by the Warres from meane places of seruice and no better then a Common Souldier aspired to the charge and credit of a Captaine Generall 2 His Election at first was contradicted by the Italian Bands in fauour of Valerianus their owne Leader whom they sought to raise Emperour the Senate also inclining thereto the fame of the man among them was so renowned The most voices therefore heard on his side Some haue rather accounted Aemilianus an Vsurper then ranked him in the catalogue of lawfull Emperours 3 But seeing Eutropius doth allow him the place we are not to dispute his title or claime only his short time of gouernment admitteth no matters of large discourse being cut off in the budde before the graft had time to spring For his Armie disliking what themselues had done and hearing of the worths and election of Valerianus laid down their weapons born in his defense and tumultuously murdered him in the heat of their blouds after hee had raigned in name without action the space almost of foure moneths 4 So vnconstant is the state of worldly felicitie and may bee compared to a mastlesse Shippe which without Tackle is left to the mercie of the raging Seas that is one while caried with the faire windes of hope towards the hauen of wished desires but straightwaies ouerwhelmed with the waues of despaire and most especially him that is borne vpon the opinions of the giddy multitude now carried aloft vpon the flouds of their fawning fauours and anon left in the sands of their retiring ebbes with a sudden shipwracke of all their fore-gone fortunes And these aduentures too soone Aemilianus felt who the same yeere that hee thus put foorth to Sea lost all his aduenture and therewith his life Anno 253. P. LICINIVS VALERIANVS CHAPTER XXXV IF euer the saying of the wise Athenian Solon spoken to Croesus the rich king of Lydia was true That no man can be happy before the day of his death then most truly may it be verified of this Valerianus the next succeeding Emperor whose yeers were multiplied with increase of honour vntill they came to seuenty and seuen but then were clouded with such ignominious miseries as the like had neuer hapned to any Romaine Emperour before him and I may well say to no other Monarch in the world before liuing Such is the Ordinance of our great God sometimes from the Dunghil to raise men of low degree and to place them with Princes in the Chaire of Maiestie then againe to bring down the Mighty from their Seate of Glory to leaue them chained with the poorest Captiues basest Vassals For such was the State of that Great Proud King of Babel who from the height of Maiesty fell into the cōditions of an vnreasonable Beast And so was it with Valerianus though not vtterly abandoned frō the Societie of men as Babels King was yet was he caried Captiue vnto a Nation whose Society was scarce humaine and where his vsage was more then barbarous 2 This man was both nobly descended and of so great esteeme among the Romans that beeing but a priuate and then also absent they chose him for their Censor an Office of high dignitie conferred euer vpon the Best as Trebellius Pollio who wrote the History of his Life hath declared Eusebius reporteth
of Bibulus but all of Caesar so did Long champ in a short time easilie make himselfe sole and absolute his sway burying in silence the name and endeauours of his Colleague 11 Thus the summe of commaund or the Souereigne power it selfe was in the Chancellor as Viceroy but for defence and preseruation of his iustice hee * did subordinate or associate to those Bishops William Earle of Arundell Hugh Bardolfe William Marshall Geffrey Fitz-Peter William Brunor Robert de Whâ—…tfield Roger Fitz-Reâ—…rey wherein hee did shew his loue and care of the English Nation as also of Iustice it selfe for that many of these were of the most honourable Peeres of the Land and not men bred-vp or formerly enured to make Iustice or their owne Tongues venall for a fee honour beeing the rule of their proceedings and strength of priuate fortunes with their Princes fauour the pillar to susteine that honor 12 There remained to prouide for before hee left England the neighbour-hood of Scotland and Wales which might otherwise make vse of his absence to his preiudice But Rhese ap Gruffith of whom there is extant a short but elegant Panegyris Prince of South-Wales beeing already in amitie came as farre as Oxford toward him but because the King who was there came not in person to meete him as his father King Henrie had done the Prince notwithstanding Earle Iohn the Kings only brother had conducted him from the Marches with speciall honor tooke it in so high scorne and indignation for euen the meanest from whom seruice or loue is expected will againe expect regard that hee foorthwith returned into his Countrey without once saluting the King who by this neglect lost Rheses loue as vpon the like omission and vnrespectiuenesse Augustine the too supercilious Monke did leese the affections of the Monkes of Bangor Rheses owne countrie-men in another part of Wales 13 As for william King of Scots a verie worthie Prince hee iourneied hither to King Richard into England and heere concluded a firme friendship which hee kept verie religiously euen in the greatest troubles of King Richard to the glorie of himselfe and his Nation and as some write sent his Brother Dâ—…d with 5000. Scots to serue him in the sacred wâ—…res The chiefe points of their â—…tion were 〈◊〉 That for ten thousand Markes Sterling then paid the Castles of Rockesbrough and Berwicke cautionarie Castles or gâ—…ge places for part of his ransome should be restored 2. That he should haue all such deedes instruments and charters made by him to the late King Henrie which had by constraint or duresse beene obtained and himselfe to be freed from all encombrances claimes or pretensions whatsoeuer 3. That he should haue all such dignities as his brother Malcolm held in England for which King William did there make fealtie and all such Lands as his Ancestors did hold of the English Crowne 14 The State of England being thus in the maine and other meane points established King Richard crost the Seas into France to Philip king therof according to appointment that from thence with minds forces vnited they might set forward vnder the Ensigne of the Crosse which after some stay occasioned by the death of the French Queen they did vpon these Christian and friendly termes 1. That each of them preserue the others honour and beare faith to him for life and member and earthly dignity 2. That neither of them shall faile the other in their affaires but that the King of France shall helpe the King of England to defend his land euen as hee would defend the City of Paris if it were besieged and Richard King of England shall helpe the King of France to defend his land euen as he would defend his City Roan if it were besieged This being fairely engroft and afterward ratified with oath and sent by the kings themselues in person the Earles and Barons sware in solemne manner that they would not trespasse against their fealty nor stirre any warre in either of the kings Dominions so long as they were in that pilgrimage on the other side the Archbishops and Bishops did firmly promise in verbo veritatis in the word of truth that they would accurse and excommunicate al such as did transgresse this agreement 15 Thus after some necessary staies these two the greatest Monarks of the West set forward ouer land toward the publike seruice of Christianity with such numbers as theÌ„selues thought best which were so great that hauing aduanced not without some little losse of people by the fall of the Bridge ouer the riuer Rhene at Lions which brake by reason of the throng beyond the said violent streame they parted company Philip passing ouer the Alpes into Italy and Richard to the Sea-side at Marsilia there to meete with his Nauie which being compact of all the chiefe Ships in England Normandy and other his French Dominions was there appointed to attend 16 But the voiage being very long and King Richard comming to the Port before his Fleet after eight daies expectation there waxing impatient of delay embarkt himselfe in twenty hired Gallyes and ten great hulkes or Busses a kind of shipping as it seemes peculiar then to the Mediterranean seas and set saile toward Messana in Sicilia the Rendeuâ—…w of both the kings and of their Armies in which passage lying at Anchor on occasion in the mouth of the riuer Tyber not far from Rome * Octâ—…ianus the Bishoppe of Hostia repaired vnto him desiring him in the Popes name that hee would visite his Holinesse which the King denied to do laying to the Popes charge many shamefull matters touching the Râ—…ish Simony and Couetousnesse with many other reproaches allcadging that they tooke 700. Markes for consecration of the Bishoppe of Mains 1500. Markes for the Legatiue power of William Bishop of Ely but of the Archbishop of Burdeaux an infâ—…ite summe of money whereupon hee refused to see Râ—…e Thus after sundry accidents and commings on land hearing that his Nauy was safe he * staied for them by the way and then came to anchor not long after to wit 23. of September before the City of Messana with so great a shew of power and sound of Warlike Instruments and other signes of Maiesty in the sight of Philip and his French and of many other Nations there assembled that it stroke horror into the Inhabitants saith Houeden and moued no small enuy in the hearts of his confederates 17 From this time forward as it may seem the Enemy of Concord feeding the maleuolent passions of men with perpetuall matter of debate the king of France was neuer truly king Richards friend in heart but vpon the same day whither streightned in prouisions or otherwise hee left the king of England but by contrary wind was driuen backe before night where after many troubles and quarrels betweene the English and Sicilians the two kings peaced againe and setled
yours by the faithfull and sworne Children thereof The King in briefe answered hereunto that hee could not sodainely put off his Councell and therefore prayed a short respite till their accounts were audited Meanwhile the behauiours of the Marshalline faction hauing this backing at Court grew more and more intolerable for while the King was at Huntingdon the Lord Gilbert Basset and others set fire vpon Alekmundbury a Towne belonging to Stephen de Segraue the flames whereof were seene of the owner being then with the King at Huntingdon They also tooke prisoners vpon the Welsh Marches and according to the Law of VVarre which saith one is lawlesse did put them to their ransomes 46 Nothing had hitherto preserued the King more then that hee could without great griefe forgoe any fauourites if hee were neerely pressed the contrary quality whereof hath beene the cause of finall desolation to so many Princes For albeit the choice of Counsellors ought to bee free yet by common intendment they should bee good or howsoeuer they are or are not it is madnesse to hazard a Crowne or leese the loue of an whole Nation rather then to relinquish or diminish a particular dependant The rights of amity ought neuerthelesse to remaine inuiolable but in such distance that the publike be not peruerted nor interuerted for a priuate The King therefore in this point not vnfortunate commaunded Bishop Peter to betake himselfe to his residence at VVinton without once medling in affaires of State but against Peter Riuallis his Treasurer hee was so vehement that he sware hee would plucke out his eyes were it not for reuerence of holy Orders commaunding also their Poictouines to depart the Realme neuer to see his face more 47 Then are the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Bishops of Chester and Rochester sent into Wales to pacifie things there But the inuincible Earle Marshall had now crost the Seas into Ireland to take reuenge for the spoiles and disseisures which his hired enemies had made in his lands there by whose plots according to that secret agreement hee was finally taken and died of a wound giuen him in the backe as hee with admirable manhood defended himselfe His Body was buried in Kilkennie which pleasantly-situated Towne our Soueraigne King Iames erected into a City where himselfe in his life had appointed in the Oratorie of the Minorites in which Town as yet some small tokens of this great name are remaining for in the East window of the Abbey-Church of S. Iohn Baptist and in the Abbey of S. Dominicke the ancient Armories of Marshal Lord of Kilkenny are yet extant The Patrimony of this Earle was shared by the Contractors according to the purport of the Letters patents but when the King heard of his death hee to the wonder of all that were by brake forth into teares bewailing the losse of so braue a Knight affirming that he had left no Peere behind him in the Kingdome A blessed King saith Paris to loue euen those who had offended him 48 The Archbishoppe of Canterbury with the other Bishoppes repaired to the King at Glocester vpon their returne from Leoline Prince of Wales who pretended hee could not conclude till the King had receiued into grace such of the banished Nobility with whom himselfe had beene confederated during the late displeasures The King hereupon moued with Pittie sends forth his Proclamations that all such as were outlawed or proscribed should bee at Gloucester vpon a certaine day there to be receiued into the Kings fauour againe and to haue restitution of their inheritances but lest they might suspect any euill measure it was ordered that they should bee in the Churches protection and come vnder the safe-conduct of the Archbishoppe and the other Prelates Thither at the time and place limited doth Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent and lately chiefe Iusticiar of England repaire vpon whom by mediation of the Bishops the compassionate King looks gratiously receiuing him in his Armes with the kisse of peace in like sort was the Lord Gilbert Basset and all others of that fellowshippe receiued into fauour their seuerall liuings and rights fully restored and both Hubert and Basset admitted to bee of his Councell And that nothing might bee wanting to make the ioy vniuersall Gilbert Brother to the late Earle Marshall had the whole Earldome conferred vpon him with all the lands and rights thereof wheresoeuer notwithstanding the foresaid treacherous conueyance whom also the King made Knight at VVorcester and deliuered into his hands the Rod of the Marshalship according to the custom Howbeit in all these points the King may seeme but to haue temporized as thereto driuen by ouer-bearing inducements or else greatly afterward to haue changed his iudgement because hee openly at one time called the said Richard a bloudy Traitour and caused this Gilbert to bee forcibly kept out of the Court vpon a Christmas day 49 Vpon this reconcilement the practise by which the late great Marshall was destroyed and his possessions dismembred came to light the copy of the letters which had beene sent into Ireland being by commandement of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury openly read in the presence of the King the Prelates Earles and Barons It moued teares in all of them the King with an Oath affirming that hee knew not the contents of the said letters though by the vrging of the Bishoppe of Winchester Riuallis Segraue Passeleu with other of his Councell hee had caused his Seale to bee put vnto them At the sound of Summons to make their seuerall appearances the Malefactors take Sanctuary the Bishop and Peter de Riuallis in Winchester Church Segraue in Leicester Abbey Passeleu in the new Temple and others otherwhere In the end vpon the intercession of Edmund Archbishop of Canterburie who piously endeauoured to extinguish all occasions of further dissention in the Kingdome and vndertooke they should haue a lawfull triall the delinquents appeared at Westminster before the King who sate in person with his Iusticiars vpon the Bench. Peter de Riuallis was first called for the Bishop came not whom the King shot through with an angrie eye saying O thou Traitour by thy wicked aduise I was drawne to set my Seale to these treacherous letters for the destruction of the Earle Marshall the Contents whereof were to mee vnknowne and by thine and such like counsell I banished my naturall Subiects and turned their minds and hearts from me By thy bad counsel thy Complices I was moued to make warre vpon them to my irreparable losse and the dishonour of my Realme in which enterprize I wasted my treasure and lost many worthie persons together with much of my royall respect Therefore I exact of thee an account aswell of my treasure as of the custodies of Wardes together with many other profites and escheates belonging to my Crowne Peter denying none of the accusations but falling to the ground thus
day to his table and Chamber said to him vpon this Complaint My Liege for Gods loue haue a care of the shaken State of the Church The Vniuersity of Paris the Nurse and mother of so many holy Prelates is not a little disquieted If as the same time the Vniuersity of Oxford should be disturbed which is the second Schoole of the Church yea the fundamental base thereof it is greatly to be feared least the whole Church do fall to ruine Whereunto the King made answere God forbid that should happen at all but chiefely in his daies Which the Parliament then at hand he accordinglie prouided for to their contentation The memory of the King seemes by this to haue beene excellent for beside that hee recounted to Paris all the Kings of England which had beene Canonized Saints all the Princes Electors and great Princes of Germany and France he called to minde the names of about two hundreth and fifty Baronies in England 91 At this Parliament which was exceeding great holden at London the King in sight and view of all the people brings forth his younger sonne Edmund attired like an Italian of Apulia which Country is a member of the Kingdome of Sicilia and vsed this speech Behold here good people my Sonne Edmund whom God of his gracious goodnesse hath called to the excellencie of kingly dignity how comely and well worthy he is of all your fauors and how cruell and tyrannicall they are who at this pinch would deny him effectuall and timely helpe both with aduice and money The summe of all was to draw a vast contribution from the Clergie for atchieuement of this shadow it proued no better into his Coffers Neuertholesse he obtained a grant of aboue fiftie thousand Marks vpon couenant that the liberties of the Realme should be really and finally once for euer established which was done There were present in this Parliament six Archbishops Canterbury Yorke Dublin Colin Messana in Sicilia and Tarentum in Apulia The politike Germans knew what they did in choosing Richard their King for they saw a cloud of gold and siluer would dissolue it selfe into showres among them at his arriuall and all elections of strangers turne to their profit because none is chosen that relies wholly vpon the rents of the Empire 92 It was a worthy care in this King that when by the prouision of his brother Richard King of Romans there arriued in the riuer of Thames fiftie saile of German Ships laden with corne to relieue the great dearth which then raigned through the Land he caused proclamation to be made That no Citizen of London should buy any of that corne to store vp which they were wont to doe to the intent they might sell it the dearer afterward to such as wanted But no warning praiers aduises nor sense of wants were able to make him frugall of his expense whereby he was miserably streightned neither would the Laitie in Parliament contribute anything but hammering some great attempts in their thoughts in plaine words concluded That they neither would nor could any longer endure such they called them extorsions Moreouer they there vttered many greeuances and Simon Earle of Leicester complained of the dishonor and iniury done him by William de Valence calling him Traitor so that against the Session to be holden vpon prorogation he the Earle of Glocester and Marshall confederated themselues and pretending the feare of strangers the Kings fauorites determined to come strong to Oxford at Saint Barnabas day They also sent messengers to the King of France praying at least so much assistance as that he would not hinder the good purpose which they held of ordeining and setling the troubled estate of England They had also taken order to watch the Ports against strangers Thus they prepared to abate as it seemed or banish the loftinesse and insolencie of Poictouines and of other Forreiners by whom the King was powerfully lead for they despaired of redresse at his hands who like another Proteus as Paris saith tooke all shapes vpon him to serue his turnes and then slipt out at his pleasure no promises or ties being strong enough to hold him These were the beginnings of bloody euils and the seedesparks of those factious fires which afterward brake forth from the sight and sense whereof many thousands were taken by death whose mortall stroake of pestilence raged ouer England specially among the poore through scarcity of food 93 When the time appointed for the Parliament at Oxford was come the seditious Earles and Barons with whom sundry Bishops had taken Counsell against the King the Lords annointed repaired thither and sternely propounded sundry trayterous Articles to the King to which they required his assent The chiefe points were That the King would vnfainedly keepe and obserue the Charter of liberties which he had so ofen granted and sworn to maintaine inuiolable That such a one should be in the place of Chiefe Iustitiar who would iudge according to right without respect to poore or rich c. Then they renewed their confederacie solemnely swearing That neither for life nor death nor loue nor hate they would be arawne to relent in their purpose till they had cleared England in which themselues and their Forefathers were borne from vpstarts and aliens and had procured laudable Statutes Those turbulent Nobles had yet a further plot then all this which was first broached saith Mat Westminster by the disloyall Bishops which was that 24. persons should there be chosen to haue the whole administration of the King and State and yeerely appointment of all great Officers reseruing onely to the King the highest place at meetings and salutations of honour in publike places And because they would not be crossed in their purposes they * came exquisitely armed and appointed that so the King and his Aliens should be enforced if they wold not willingly assent To al these their ordinations the King and Prince Edward was enforced to sweare for feare of perpetuall imprisonment the traiterous Lords hauing by an Edict threatned death to all that resisâ—…ed Whereupon all the Peeres and Prelates tooke their Corporall Oath to be faithfull in this their infidelitie and made all who would abide in the Kingdome to sweare they would stand to the tryall of their Peeres the Archbishops and Bishops solemnelie accursing all that should rebell against it The Monkes themselues detesting this impudent treason aske with what forehead especiallie Prelats durst thus impaire the Kinglie Maiestie expreslie against their sworne fidelitie to him This coniuration they so prosecuted that when William de Valence the Kings halfe-brother denied with Oathes to render vp any Castle which was giuen him the Earle of Leicester and the rest of the Barons answered they would either haue his Castles or his head This violent proceeding so terrified the Poictouines that sodeinely they left Oxford and shortly fled into France where also the Barons had made them
sent her complaints to the king of France her father which concerned iniuries in the highest kind as in her bed the King being drawne by Gaueston to adultery and in her honour and maintenance Whereupon the Peeres of the land animated by the King of France so confidently dealt with Edward that his Earle now the third time did abiure the Realme but the King of France and his enemies making forraine parts vnsure for him to abide in he returned in Christmas to the generall perturbation of the Kingdome and to his owne certaine ruine for that the Barons his aduersaries had gotten him banished with this Prouiso that if at any time afterward hee were taken in England hee should be forthwith apprehended and suffer death But an Angell from heauen could not seeme more welcome then this most faithful friend as that Courtier cals him was vnto King Edward who forthwith aduanced him to be his principall Secretary 11 Vpon report of Gauestons returne the chiefe Lords aswell Ecclesiasticall as temporall Walter Bishoppe of Couentree excepted who allowed the Kings affections towards Gaueston and procured him to breake the former agreements which were made and sworne in the Parliament at London consulted vpon a desperat course of reformation in this point and made choise of Thomas Earle of Lancaster to be their leader This Thomas was sonne of Edmund Earle of Lancaster Leicester and Ferrers second sonne of Henry the third King of England and in right of his wife after her fathers decease which hapned about this time Earle of Lincolne Salisburie and besides many other great Lands in Yorkeshire Cumberland and Wales hee had the Earledom of Artoys in Picardy so that without comparison hee was the greatest subiect of the Kingdome 12 The Issue of which combination before we pursue wee may not here in our way ouerslippe a strange alteration both here in England and in all Christendome by the vniuersall extinguishment of the Order of the Templars wrought about this time by the procurement of the French King who being so gracious with Pope Clement that formerly hee sent Ambassadors to craue of his holinesse with great importunity that the bones of his Predecessor Pope Boniface might bee burnt as being an Heretike so now also he so farre preuailed with him that in the Councel at Vienna this so highly esteemed Order was vpon clear proofe of their generall odious sinnes and scarse credible impieties vtterly abolished through Christendome The French King caused 54. of that Order together with their Great Maister to bee burnt at Paris and though that King hoped to conuert all the Lands of that Societie to his sonnes vse whom hee intended to make King of Ierusalem yet the Pope and Councell annexed their possessions to the Order of the Knights Hospitalers called commonly Knights of the Rhodes Notwithstanding in England where such Papall commands went not alwayes for lawes the heires of the Donours and such as had endowed the Templars here with landes entred vpon those parts of their ancient Patrimonies after the dissolution of the Order and saith our Courtier detained them vntill not long after they were by Parliament wholly transferred vnto the Knights of the Rhodes or of S. Iohn of Ierusalem 13 King Edward was now at Yorke and Earle Thomas according to that which had beene concluded among the combined Lords who resolued to trie all extremities rather then any longer to endure Peirs Gaâ—…eston as being perswaded while that King-bane breathed peace could neither be maintained in the Realme nor the King abound in treasure nor the Queene enioy his loue sent humble petitions by honourable messengers to their Soueraigne requesting him to deliuer the man into their hands or to driue him from his company out of England But the selfe-wild King preferring the dearenesse of one stranger before the loue of the whole Realme would not condiscend 14 Afterward Peirs whom the Earles pursued with an Armie being entrusted for his safeguard to Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembrok was left by him but one night at a Village or Manour called Dathington betweene Oxford and Warwicke being a place neither farre enough off nor strong enough pretending to haue conuaied him on the next day to the Castle of Wallingford the said Aimerie in the meane space departing to lodge with his Countesse who lay hard by but the said Aimerie conniuing thereat as our Courtier chargeth him who also writes that hee tooke a solemne oath before the king to doe his best to safe-conduct Gaueston the king purposing in the meane time to labour his peace with the Lords vpon any conditions Guy Earle of Warwicke with his people surprised him the same night and took him to his Castle of Warwicke where in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaueshead his head was stricken off at the commandement and in the presence of the Earles of Lancaster Warwicke and Hereford as of one that had beene a subuerter of the lawes and an open Traitour to the Kingdom In which bold attempt themselues who yet pretended so much standing for the liberties of the land did most vnaduisedly infringe a Capitall branch of the same Franchises in putting to death an Earle and so deare a friend of the Kings without any iudiciall proceeding by triall of his Peeres which caused a lasting hatred betwixt the King and his Nobles 15 There wanted nothing now to King Edward but present meanes to reuenge the bloud of his friend or rather of his halfe-selfe the lacke wherof did encrease the sorrow he tooke for his death which being well knowne to the Lords they resolued not to lay downe Armes till they had prouided for their security and the performance of all such points as concerned the temperament of the Regall power that vnder colour thereof the Nobles themselues might finger some part of the Soueraigne gouernment The King was then at London and the Lords at Dunstaple but by the continuall interdealings of the Prelates and of Gilbert Earle of Glocester who stood neutrall the kindling displeasures were for the present allaied vpon condition that the Lords should restore to the King all such things once belonging to Peirs Gaueston as they had taken at Newcastle which they accordingly did 16 King Edward neuerthelesse as if his soule were ouercast with some blacke cloud continued mourning till it pleased God to enlighten the world with the birth of a young Prince whose noble Acts did afterward redeeme all the blemishes wherewith his Fathers infelicities had darkned the brightnesse of the English name and at this present cleared the mind of the sorrowfull King his father for vpon Saint Brices day Isabel his Queene brought forth her first sonne at Windsor which caused great reioycing through the Kingdome Her French kindred and friends which were there in good numbers of either sexe among them as chiefe the Queens owne brother
indeed was his owne when sometimes in shufling he nothing was spared but bare away many knocks the lenders whereof hee would frankly reward when they complained vnto him of their losses receiued which euer were abated in the foot of their accounts 6 Our learned Knight Eliot setting his pen to portrait a perfect Gouernour recordeth a story retaining this Princes great fame the credit whereof let it lie vpon himselfe It chanced saith he a seruant of his to bee arraigned for felony at the Kings Bench-Barre where standing ready to receiue sentence of death the Prince had intelligence and posted thither where finding his seruant made sure for starting commanded his fetters to be strucke off the fellow arraigned to be freed the Court. All men amased at this his approach and speech the Chiefe Iustice stood vp and shewed the Prince that his seate was the Kings that lawes were the sinewes of the Common-wealth that himselfe was sworn to doe Iustice and must yeeld an account for all that he did that he honored him as the eldest sonne of his Soueraigne and Prince but to set free the prisoner hee could not hauing so apparantly endangered his life to the law and therefore desired the Prince if hee held him in such esteeme to saue him by pardon from the King and not to infringe the law which he told him plainely he should not doe 7 The Prince enraged to haue the deniall assaied himselfe to set free the Prisoner which the Chiefe Iustice forbadde commanding him vpon his allegiance to cease from such riot and to keepe the Kings peace whereat Prince Henry in a furie stept vp to the Bench and gaue the Iudge a blow on the face who nothing daunted sate still and with a bold countenance spake thus to the Prince Sir I pray you remember your selfe this seat of iudgement which here I possesse is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his lawes you owe double obedience If his Hignesse be thus contemned and his lawes violated by you that should shew your selfe obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soueraigne or minister execution to the lawes that you shall make Wherefore for this attempt in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner vnto the Kings Bench there to remaine vntill his Matesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince greatly abashed stood mute by the Iudge and fixing his eyes vpon his reuerend face presently laid from him his weapons and with humble obeisance done departed to prison The King vnderstanding the whole circumstance greatly reioyced that he had a Sonne of such obedience to his laws and a Iudge so vpright to administer them without either fauour or feare of the person notwithstanding for this and other like actions of his youth he remoued him from being President of his Priuie Councell and placed in his stead Thomas Duke of Clarence his second brother to Prince Henries no little griefe and discontent 8 Howbeit his followers were nothing diminished but his Court frequented more then his fathers which bred some suspition in the crazie kings head lest among his other wild parts hee would attempt to play with his Crowne which was encreased by his domesticall flatterers who dayly buzzed new iealousies into his eares This made Prince Henry as Otterborne noteth to strengthen himselfe with his chiefest friends and well-willers and with such a troupe repaired to his fathers Court as a greater in those dayes had not beene seene The translator of Liuie reports the maner of his approch euen from him that was an eye witnesse and the same no lesse then the Earle of Ormond in Ireland whose relation is this 9 The King somewhat crasie and keeping his Chamber hearing newes dayly of his sonnes loose exercises too meane for a Prince and their constructions euer made to aime at his Crowne he both beganne to withdraw his fatherly affection and to feare some violence against his owne person which when Prince Henry heard of by some that fauoured him of the Kings Councell in a strange disguise hee repaired to his Court accompanied with many Lords and noble mens sonnes His garment was a gowne of blew Satten wrought full of Eylet-holes and at euery Eylet the Needle left hanging by the silke it was wrought with about his arme he ware a dogs-collar set full of S. S. of gold the Tirets therof being most fine gold Thus comming to Westminster and the Court of his Father hauing commanded his followers to aduance no further then the fire in the hall himselfe accompanied with some of the Kings houshold passed on to his presence and after his duty and obeysance done offered to make knowne the cause of his comming The king weake then with sickenesse and supposing the worst commanded himselfe to bee borne into a withdrawing Chamber some of his Lords attending vpon him before whose feet Prince Henry fell and with all reuerent obseruances spake to him as followeth 10 Most gracious Soueraigne and renowned father the suspition of disloyalty and diuulged reports of my dangerous intendmentes towardes your royall Person and Crowne hath enforced at this time and in this manner to present my selfe and life at your Maiesties dispose Some faults and mispent time with blushes I may speake it my youth hath committed yet those made much more by such fleering pickthanks that blow them stronger into your vnwilling and distastiue eare The name of Soueraigne ties alleagiance to all but of a Father to a further feeling of natures obedience so that my sinnes were double if such suggestions possessed my heart for the Law of God ordayneth that he which doth presumptuously against the Ruler of his people shall not liue and the child that smiteth his father shall die the death so farre therefore am I from any disloyall attempt against the person of you my Father and the Lords annointed that if I knew any of whom you stoode in the least danger or feare my hand according to duty shoud be the first to free your suspition yea I wil most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I haue this day prepared my self both by confession of my offences past and receiuing the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all feares conceiued against mee with this dagger the stabbe whereof I will willingly receiue here at your Maiesties hand and so doing in the presence of these Lords and before God at the day of iudgement I clearely forgiue my death But the King melting into teares cast downe the naked dagger which the Prince deliuered him and raising his prostrate sonne embraced and kissed him confessing his eares to haue beene ouer-credulous that way and promising neuer to open them againe against him But the Prince vnsatisfied instantly desired that at least his accusers might be produced and if conuicted to receiue punishment though not to the full of their demerites to which request
the King replied that as the offence was capitall so should it bee examined by the Peeres and therefore willed him to rest contented vntill the next Parliament Thus by his great wisdome he satisfied his father from further suspition and recouered his loue that neerely was lost Hetherto of Henry as he was Prince some other of whose youthly actions we also touched in his fathers raigne and now to his Acts after he was King 11 Henry ordained successor and ouerseer of his dying Fathers Testament had in his entrance so fortunate proceedings as hee seemeth to exceed all his Predecessors his Nobles proffering the oath of their Alleagiance before himselâ—…e had made his for the iust gouernment of the Common-weale which so farre was from acceptation that hee desired God neuer to admit him to the Crowne vnlesse he should to his glory raigne and rule the Scepter to the good of the Subiect The day of his entrance and of his Fathers death being the twentieth of March and yeere of Christs Incarnation according to our account 1412. on the ninth of Aprill following hee was solemnly crowned at Westminster Thomas Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterbury performing the roiall Ceremonies which no sooner was ended but to beginne a good gouernment hee beganne with himselfe banishing from his presence and Court the vnbridleled youthes which had beene his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or neuer to approch within ten miles where hee lay Then chose hee worthy and prudent men for his Councell of Estate and aduanced his Clergie with dignity and power being himselfe as zealous in deuotion as liberall in building and indowing of places for deuotion of others His Iustice was found of all that sought it for euery day after dinner for the space of an houre his custome was to leane on a cushion set by his cupbord and there himselfe receiued petitions of the oppressed which with great equity he did redresse And for a further testimony of his tender and compassionate heart the slaughtered body of K. Richard ouer-meanely enterred at Langley in great â—…state he remoued into Saint Peters Church at Westminster and there laid him enshrined by Queene Anne his first wife as himselfe had desired and prepared founding a weekely memoriall to bee celebrated and six shillings eight pence thereon distributed vnto the poore and yeerelie twentie pounds giuen vpon his anniuersarie day besides foure tapers to burne before his monument day and night for euer And so neerely did his death touch this innocent King that hee sent to Rome to bee assoyled from that guilt of his fathers Act by the Popes holinesse then accounted another God whose penance enioined he willinglie performed and afterwards purposed to haue made warre in Palestina against the enemies of Christ for which end hee sent Sir Hugh de Lauoy of Henault to Ierusalem to discouer the state of things there but before his returne he was departed to the heauenly Ierusalem himselfe 12 The obsequies of his Father being solemnized at Canterbury and the King in person attending the Corps fitte occasion was giuen vnto Archbishoppe Arundell to complain of the Wicklifians then termed Lollards great rubs in the wayes of the Clergies pride and proceedings whereof Sir Iohn Oldcastle was thought a chiefe who by his marriage contracted with a kniswoman of the Lord Cobhams of Cooling in Kent obtained the title thereof a man strong and valourous and in especiall fauour with his Prince This Knight in their Synode assembled at London immediately after the Kings Coronation was accused by them to haue rent Christs seamelesse coat in maintaining VVickliffes doctrine to bee taught especially in the Diocesse of London Rochester and Hereford against whom also some choise Inquisitors at Oxford appointed for Heresies though that whole Vniuersity had formerly vpheld both Wickliffe and his doctrine informed and presented his name with two hundred forty sixe conclusions which they had collected to be hereticall 13 The King incensed by the Archbishoppes suggestions against these discontented discipliners was further made beleeue that they themselues had set vp billes in diuers places threatning that an hundred thousand persons were ready for armes against all that withstood their reformation and among these that Oldcastle his Knight was reputed the chiefe The King graciously inclined heard the Archbishops complaint and being at Kennington promised to conferre with the Lord Cohham himself which accordingly hee did instantly willing him to submit himselfe to the censure of the Church and obedience of the Archbishoppe but Cobham no turne-coate from his profession humbly told the King he owed his subiection only vnto his Maiesty whom God had placed in these his Dominions as his onely Vice-gerent to gouerne his people and Subiects and that himselfe forced nothing Romes leaden sword vnsheathed by the Pope that Antichrist against the Lords seruants nor would suffer the key of Canterbury to open the closet of his conscience where the spirite of God was residing bearing witnesse with his that hee stood in the truth for whose defence as his Champion he was ready to liue or die 14 This answere receiued was so deliuered vnto the Archbishoppe with power to cite examine and punish as their owne Canons in such cases had decreed The Lyon thus laid for whose paw they still feared was serued by processe to appeare in the Archbishops Court and the same deliuered by one Butler a seruant of the Kings Priuy Chamber for that the bold Sumner durst not doe it himselfe and the Archbishoppe diligent lest he should forget the day caused his letters citatorie to be set vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester which were presently torne down and others againe set vp were againe pulled off to the great offence of the Clergies eye and the rather for that the Actor could not be knowne The Knight not appearing as knowing their malice and his own danger was condemned of contumacie and afterwards in a Synode at Rochester was by the Archbishop pronounced an Heretike where himselfe then enacted that hereticall decree that the holy scriptures should not bee translated into the English tongue But marke the iudgement that fell vpon his own tongue whose rootes and blade shortly after as is recorded grew so big in his mouth and throate that he could neither speake nor swallow downe meat but in horror lay languishing till lastly he so dyed starued by famine 15 In the meane time the Lord Cobham wrote his Beliefe which was very Christianlike and presented it himselfe to the King who being much prepossessed in no wise would receiue it but suffered him to bee summoned in his presence and priuie Chamber when the Knight for his purgation offered an hundred knights and Esquires which would not be accepted then according to his degree of Order and law of Armes he required the single Combat to fight for life or death with either
had built 2. Barricadoes himselfe in armes stood there to receiue the Duke Burgogne approached kneeled downe vpon one knee and with an honourable reuerence saluted him most humbly the Daulphin neglecting all courtesies to him-ward chargeâ—… him with breach of promise for that the ciuill warres and his garrisons were not surceast and withdrawne the Dukes sword hanging too farre backe and somewhat troubling his kneeling he put his hand vpon the hilt to put it more forward whereat Robert de Loire standing by sayd doe you draw your sword against the Lord Daulphin at which words Tanneguy de Chastell with a battle-axe stroke him on the face and cut off his Chin and others with other wounds made an end of his life before he could arise from his knee or get out his sword 50 Queene Isabell another cruell Medea and vnnaturall mother hauing a double offence done her redoubled her wrath and continued her tragick passions against her sonne the young Daulphin who not only incites Philip now the new Duke of Burgogne to reuenge his murdered fathers death but torments her poore husbands spirits in perswading him to disherite Charles their sonne and to giue in marriage Lady Katherine vnto King Henry who now had set his foote farre into France Duke Philip for his part ready for reuenge sent the Bishop of Arras with other his Ambassadors vnto Rouen to King Henry to entreat a peace and againe not many daies after their returne sent backe the said Bishop whose message was so pleasing that Henry sent the Bishop of Rochester the Earle of Warwicke and Guien vnto Arras who were as welcome vnto Duke Philip so that betwixt Rouen and Arras messengers continually passed till a peace was concluded which was proclaimed to continue from that day then about the feast of the Epiphany vnto mid-March ensuing betwixt King Henrie King Charles and Philip Duke of Burgogne 51 King Henry thus farre gone in his affaires for that Crowne sent his Ambassadors vnto the new made Pope Martin the first such was the fate of Romes Apostolicall fathers in those faire Sun-shine and Golden daies that the greatest Monarch was but a vassal to attend vpon their stirrop their Crownes subiect to be spurned off with their feete Henrie therefore minding to stop the violence of these narrow Seas and to make the streame milde betwixt his two Realmes had now none to let but only him that was all in all and bare an Oare in euery mans boat and therefore from King Charles Burgogne and himselfe his Ambassadors sollicited his fatherlie consent to admit him his most Christian sonne of France and to giue his holy blessing for the confirmation of the marriage and peace concluded betwixt those two famous Princes King Henries right to the French Crowne they plainely laid forth what calamities France had felt in their resistance Agincourt Normandy and Aquitaine as they shewed him were most lamentable witnesses and the holde that the Lyon had got at that day of the Flower de Luce was not to be wrested out of his fast grasped pawes But his dull eare was deafe herevnto answering that this peace was preiudiciall to the right of Charles the Daulphin and therefore hee denied to confirme it 52 But with what quill these wines were vented from the setled Lees for the Daulphin vnlesse it was the golden vice a powerfull key indeed to vnlocke the Popes silent lips I know not most true it is the conditions went forward and the place for the confirmation of couenants was Troyes in Champagne where King Charles and his Queene then lay and whither Burgogne Guien the Lord Rosse and others attended with fiue hundred horse were sent Ambassadors from Henry In their way they besieged and after fifteene daies wan the Towne of Crespie that held for the Daulphin demolished the Castell razed the wals and departed vpon composition These comming to Troyes were honorably receiued and louingly concluded on a finall peace where Lady Katherine was attended as the Englsh Queene and some left to guard her by King Henries command His Ambassadors returned and affection enflamed himselfe attended with the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester his brethren the Duke of Excester the Earles of Warwicke Huntingdon Salisbury Guienne and many other nobles his guard consisting of sixteene hundred Launces and Archers departed from Rouen to Ponthois to S. Denis and from thence into Prouins where he was met neere vnto Troyes by the Duke of Burgundy and many other French Lords and with all Princesse attendance was conducted into the Towne The ioy was great with which he was receiued especially of the King the Queene and Lady Katherine whom he found in S. â—…eters Church expepecting his comming where forthwith he and the Lady was affianced and falling effsoones into conference of the conditions of amity these were consented vnto by the French and King Henry 1. That K. Henry should take Lady Katherine to wife 2. That Charles Isabel should retaine the name of King and Queene and should hold all their dignities rents and possessions belonging to the Crowne of France during their naturall liues 3. That the Lady Katherine should haue her Dowry in England as Queens heretofore were wont to haue that is to say the summe of forty thousand sceutes that is two to a noble 4. That the same summe of forty thousand sceutes yeerely shall bee confirmed vnto Queene Katherine by our lawes according to our vsuall rights at the time of our death 5. That the said Lady Katherine so ouerliuing vs from the time of our death shall haue for her Dowry in the Kingdome of France the summe of twenty thousand francks yeerly out of the lands places and Lordships that Blanch sometime wife to Philip Beauisall held and enioied 6. That after the death of Charles our said father the Crown and Realme of France shall with all rights and appurtenances remaine vnto vs to our heires for euermore 7. And for as much as our said father is infirme by reason of sicknesse and may not entend in his owne person to dispose of the affaires of the Realme therefore during the life of our said father the faculties and exercise of the gouernment and disposition of the publike vtilitie of the Realme of France shall be and abide to vs so that thence forth wee may gouerne the Realme and admit to our Councell and assistance to the Councell of France such of the English Nobility as we shal thinke meete 8. That also we of our owne power shall cause the Court of France to be kept and obserued in as full authority and in all manner of places that now or in time comming is or shall be subiect to our said father 9. Also that we to our powers shall defend and helpe all and euery of the Peeres Nobles Cities Townes Cominalties and singular persons now or in time to come subiects
twenty yeeres and called Ralfe Wilford who for falsly assuming the name title of the said Earle being thereunto taught and suborned a practise which well declared that the malitious Dutchesse of Burgundie did still liue was hanged at S. Thomas Waterings by Southwarke vpon Shrouetuesday 60 This new deuise to vncrowne King Henry so wakened his owne feares and the eies of the Castilians who had secretly agreed to marry their Princesse Katherine to our Prince Arthur that there seemed no sure ground of succession if that the Earle of Warwicke were not made away A fearefull case where the false reason of State shall faine to it selfe an impossibility of well doing without shedding innocent blood and shall therefore resolue to found vpon so crying a sinne the hope of perpetuity in succession sith nothing is truer thâ—… that sinne was â—…uer an vnsure basis to settle lasâ—…ing workes vpon But ô the narrow capacities of the most seeing men the confidence whereof did vndoubtedly lead this King heerein not iustifiable howsoeuer excusable in respect of humane frailty which might propound to it selfe many feares and respects both publike and priuate to conniue at the plotted death or rather formall murder of this harmelesse Gentleman whose wrong may yet moue the hardest to compassion as it afterwarde stirred God in iustice to reuenge prospering no part of that great worke which was thereupon thus corruptly sought to be perpetuated That noble Lady Katherine herselfe was hereof so sensible that when the diuorce was afterward prosecuted against her by King Henry the eight her second husband shee is reported to haue said That it was the hand of God for that to cleere the way to her marriage that innocent Earle of Warwicke was put to vnworthy death Neither let licentious Practises vouch the singular Act of Salomon in taking away the life of his elder brother Adonias to colour this homicide for he that will argue from particular facts in Scripture shall not onely leaue no Adonias liuing but perhaps no Salomon To worke this young Warwickes ruine the mischeiuous and dismall wretch Perkin becomes an occasion if not an instrument for he by his supple insinuations and flowing promises had corrupted his keepers the seruants of Sir Iohn Digbie Knight Lieutenant of the Tower who as was affirmed meant to haue murdered their master and then to haue set Perkin and the Earle at large to which practise of escape the poore Earle is said to haue consented Perkin for this conspiracie had his triall at Westminster and hee together with one Iohn à Waters who had beene sometime Maior of Corke in Ireland were condemned and being drawne to Tiborne had the sentence of death executed vpon them Perkin at the Gallowes did reade his former confession taking on his death that the same was true and vnder-went his punishment with patience Walter Blewet and Thomas Astwood being two of the conspirators for the other two Strangewates and Long Roger being the Lieutenants men also were not executed nor for so much as wee haue read arraigned not long after receiued the reward of their offence at the same place 61 Iustice thus tooke hold at last of Perkin Warbecke on whom the Prouerbe which saith that Pride is the Vsher of shame was worthily verified Neither could the world accuse King Henrie for his death vnlesse it were for that he had not hanged him sooner but suffered him to liue till hee had drawne after him a greater ruine in Warwicks person then in all the former tragedies For this Earle being a chiefe Prince of the blood and next heire Male of his house to the Crowne of England a crime of which his birth onely made him guilty and not any fact of his being thus charged to haue giuen assent to Perkins plot of escape he was publikely arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then High Steward of England by the name of Edward Plantaginet Earle of Warwicke and indited for minding to haue escaped as they said out of the Tower and consequently according to the dreadfull licence of inferences among our English pleaders in cases of death to depriue King Henry of his royall Crowne and dignity and to vsurpe the Title and soueraigne office prosecuting their bloody Poetry with the like sanguinary syllogismes though vtterly without measure or fashion The Earle doubly betraied first by the setters of the snare and then by their silly or deceitfull perswasions who were put about him confesseth the enditement and submitteth himselfe to the Kings mercie that is offered vp his head to be a slipperie foundation of King Henries farther purposes for sentence of death was thereupon pronounced as against a Traitour This one practise seemes sufficient if not to cast vpon Henry the Title of a shrewd and perillous man yet to raise a doubt whether as one writes hee was more sincere and entire then Ferdinando King of Spaine vpon whom saith that Authour he did handsomely bestow the enuie of the death of Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke The life therefore of this Prince according to rigour of lawe being thus in his power the King gently pardoned all the paines but the losse of his head which was cut off vpon a scaffold at Tower-hill and then another gratious fauour his body was not buried in the Chappel of the Tower or in any other common place but at Bisham by his Ancestors Iealous saith one the King was ouer the greatnes of his Nobilitie as remembring how himselfe was set vp and much more did this humour encrease in him after he had conflicted with such Idols and Counterfeits as Lambert Simenel and Perkin Warbeck The strangenes of which dangers made him thinke nothing safe This Earle was the last heire male of the blood and surname of Plantagenet whose race as it was a long time glorious for giuing Kings to England euen from King Henry the second so in the end chiefly for the house of Yorke it became hatefull as it seemes to God and man for the most horrible and inextinguible deadly fewdes murder periuries and other horrors committed within it selfe which as then not fully expiated lay heauily vpon the head of this Earle and finally threw open all those fences which the possession of Maiestie and numerositie of issue had for sundry ages cast about it letting in thereby the surname of Tydder being but two descents English and which now after three descents and fiue Princes is also vanished Now among those few great workes of peace which ensued their firebrands of warre we must remember the marriage of Prince Arthur with the Princesse of Spaine Lady Katherine The interim from Warwicks death till then brought forth a verie great plague whereof in London there are said to haue died about thirtie thousand The King and Queene remoue to Callais in May and returned in Iune The maine busines was to reuiew and ratifie the state of amity and negociations betweene the
Thomas Audley Lord Chancellor the Duke of Norfolke and Thomas Cromwell Secretary her bringers desiring God so to helpe her as sne was guiltlesse of those things whereof shee was accused beseeching those Lords to bee Petitioners vnto his Maiesty in her behalfe who lamenting her case left her Prisoner with Sir William Kingston Constable of the place 88 I will in no wise excuse her guilt hauing had iudgement and death by law though others and that vpon iust occasions before mee haue done but will speake from them what they haue said and namely one that wrote thereof vnto a worthy and reuerent person in whose defence his wordes are these Iâ—…seemeth very plaine that the crimes supposed against this Christian Queène Anne were matters contriued by the deuise of the Pope and his Instruments her enemies None of them all that were accused in the same Treason confessing the Act euen vnto death but haue left direct Testimonies in writing to the contrary one meane Groome excepted namely Marke Smeton made confession vpon some promise of life belike but had his head cut off before hee was aware or had time to recall what he had said The like did Cromwell the Secretary signifie to the King after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower by the Councell who wrote thus in his letter on the same day many things haue been obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue been acknowledged by Marke And so doth Cranmer Archbishoppe of Canterbury in his letter of comfort vnto the King who sore lamented that such a starre was fallen if her gilt could bee proued and willed his Highnesse to stand in defence of the Gospell as shee had done without any report of confessing or acknowledging any such Acts as were obiected which as Sleidon writeth were Adultery and incest but vniustly saith he as it is supposed and proued since With her were executed certaine Gentlemen of the Kings Priuie Chamber namely Norris Weston Brewton and one Marks which contrary to his conscience as it is reported for hope of preferment subscribed to a bill whereby hee condemned both himselfe and all the rest 89 For vpon the seuenth of May her brother George Bullen Lord Rochford for his supposed offence with these foure before named were all of them beheaded vpon the Tower hill but none of them confessing the Action I haue heard it reported that Rochford the Queenes brother comming to her bed side to solicite a suite leaned thereupon to whisper her in the eare which the Spials gaue forth that hee did so to kisse the Queen howsoeuer they are dead and the Queene must die who two dayes before had beene arraigned in the Tower the Duke of Norfolke being her Iudge to her inditement shee answered so effectually that shee seemed to cleare all matters laid to her charge yet was shee found guilty and vpon the nineteenth day of May was brought to a Scaffold erected on the Greene within the saide Tower where in presence of many noble men the Lord Mayor of London the Shiriffes and some principall commoners shee is said to haue spoken these words in their presence 90 Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law and by the Law I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it I come hither to accuse no yee shall be iudged heereafter to be shedars of some of Crystyn blood and destroiers of your euyn Crysten From Robart Aske chiefe Captaine of the Comynalty assembled in pilgrimage For the Barony and Cominalty of the same By mee Robert Aske yn the name of all the Comynalty and Barony Of such terrour and haughty spirit was this Captaine Aske that when Lancaster an Herald at Armes was sent to declare the Kings message in Pomfret Castle which the Rebels had got by surrender from the Lord Darcy hee so blustred out his answers that the daunted man excusing himselfe to bee but a messenger fell before him on his knees till the Archbishop of Yorke tooke him vp saying it was not beseeming the Coate hee wore to prostrate to any but onely to his Soueraigne Reade likewise if you please this strange Mandate from some meane man among them the false suggestion that they possessed the ignorant with and the Oath whereunto these holy Pilgrimes were sworne as I finde them recorded by themselues in these very words To the Commyns of Hawkeside parish Bailiffs or Constables with all the Hamlets of the same Welbeloued we greet you well and whereas our brother Pouerty and our brother Rogers goith forward is openly for the aide asistance of your faith and holy Church and for the reformation of such Abbeys and Monasteries now dissolued and subpressed without any Iust cause Wherefore gudde brethers For asmuch as our sayd brederyn hath send to vs for ayde and helpe wee doe not onely effectualy desire you but also vnder the paine of deadly sinne wee comaunde you and euery of you to bee at the stoke Greene beside Hawkeside-kirke the Saturday next being the xxviij day of October by xi of the Clokke in your best array as you will make aunswer before the heigh Iudge at the dreadfull day of Dome and in the payne of pulling downe your Houses and leasing of your gudds and your bodies to be at the Capteyns will For at the place aforesaid then and there yee and we shall take further direction concerning our faith so farre decayed And for gudde and laudable Customes of the Country And such naughty inuentions and strange Articles now accepted and admitted so that our said brother bee subdued they are lyke to goe furthwards to vtter vndoing of the Commyn welth 97 And the more to drawe forward the rude multitude which were forward enough of themselues they set forth in writing these slanderous vntruths against the King 1 The first is that no infant shall receyue the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bott onlesse an trybett to bee payd to the King 2 The second is that no man vnder xx1. Landes shall eyte no brede made of Wheate ner Capon chekyn gois ner pigge bott onlesse to pay a trybett to the King 3 The third is that for euery ploghe land the King will haue en trybett with other diuerse extreme vrgent causes and hertely fareye well The Oath of the holy Pilgrimes Ye shall nat enter into this our Pilgrimage of Grace for the Commyn welth but only for the loue that you doe bere vnto Almyghty Godde his faith and to holy Churche militant the maintenance thereof to the preseruation of the Kings person his issew to the purifying of Nobilitie and to expulse all vilayne blode and euill Councellers agaynst the Commyn welthe from his Grace and the priuie Counsel of the same and that ye shall nat enter into oure said Pilgramege for no particuler proffite to your selfe nor to doe no displeasure to no priâ—…ey person but by
of their poore whereunto he gaue fiue hundred Markes yeerely of Lands for euer to maintaine Gods diuine seruice and the said Churches reparations within whose walles we finde this often written This is Christs Church founded by King Henrie the eight 134 And his sicknes inâ—…asing to the great danger of life hee prepared himselfe to make his Wil wherein howsoeuer titles had been vnhabled in Parliaments he ordained his three children to succeede each after others for want of other Issue One thousand markes he commanded to be giuen to the poore and to twelue poore Knights at Winsere each of them twelue pence a day for euer euery yeere a long Gowne of white cloth the Gâ—…ter imbroidered vpon the breast wherein was placed the Crosse of Saint George and a Mantle of red cloth to bee worne thereupon ordâ—…ning for his Executors in the minority of Prince Edward these heere vnder named 1 Thomas Crâ—…er Archbishop of Ganterbury 2 Thomas 〈◊〉 Lord Chancellor 3 William 〈◊〉 Knight of the Order 4 Lord Saint-Iohn Great Master of the Houshold 5 Iohn Russell Lord 〈◊〉 Seale 6 Edward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Hertford Lord great Chamberâ—…ine 7 Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord high Admiral 8 Cutbert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knight Mr. of the Horse 10 〈◊〉 Pageâ—… Knight of the Order 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiefe iustice of the Common-pleâ—… 12 Thomas Bromley Lord Chiefe Iustice. 13 Anthony Deny Knight 14 Edward North Knight 15 Edward Wotton Knight 16 Doctor Wotton Deane of Canterbury And for their aide and assistance in Counsell he appointed these following 1 Henry Fitz-Alan Earle of Arundel 2 William Parre Earle of Essex 3 Thomas Cheney Knight Treasurer of the Houshold 4 Iohn Gage Knight CoÌ„troler of the Houshold 5 Anthony Winkefield Knight Vice-Chamberlaine 6 William Peter Knight principall Secretary 7 Richard Rich Knight 8 Iohn Baker Knight 9 Ralph Sadler Knight 10 Thomas Seimer Knight 11 Richard Southwell Knight 12 Edmund Pecham Knight And in great penitency for his sinnes died vpon Thursday the twenty eight day of Ianuary in the yeere of Christ Iesus 1546. when hee had raigned thirty seuen yeere nine moneths and fiue daies had liued fifty fiue yeres fiue months fiue daies whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsore vnder a most costly and stately Tombe begunne in Copper and guilt but neuer finished in the inclosures of whose Grates is curiously cast this inscription HENRICVS OCTAVUS REX ANGLIAE FRANCIAE DOMINVS HIBERNIAE FIDEI DEFENSOR with what cost and state this his Monument was intended is manifested by a Manuscript taken from the true modell thereof which I receiued from that industrious Herauld Master Nicholas Charles Lancaster and for the great magnificence is worthy heere to be inserted The maner of the Tombe to be made for the Kings Grace at Windsore First the pauement wherevpon the Tombe shall stand shall be of Orientall stone That is to say of Alabaster Porfido Serpentines and other stones of diuers colours as in the patterne sheweth Item vpon the same Pauement shall be two great steps vnder all the worke of like Orientall stones Item the Basement of the Pillers shall be of white Marble with Angelâ—… holding betweene them Crownes or Garlands guilt and white Marble as more plainely sheweth in the Patterne Item aboue the said Basement and Angels shall be all the old Testament that is to say xiiij Images in the xiiij Casements of the same two Pillers of the Prophets and all the Pillers which shall be xvi shall be of stones Serpentine Porfido and Alabaster and other fine Orientall stones of such colours as is shewed in the Patterne and the foote of euery piller and also the head shall be of Brasse And euery Prophet shall haue an Angell sit at his foote with Scripture of the name of his Prophet and aboue ouer the head of the same shall bee the story of his Prophet in euery of which Story shall bee at least viij or xi figures Item aboue all the same Pillers shall bee another Basement of white Marble with a partition being made of such fine Orientall stones as the Pillers bee wherein shall bee written such Scripture as please you Item aboue the same Basement shall be the Story of the new Testament that is to wit with the Images of the Apostles the Euangelists and the foure Doctors of the Church and euery Image shall haue sitting at his foote a little child with a Scripture of the name of his Image and a little Basket full of red and white Roses which they shall shew to take in their hands and cast them downe off the Tombe and ouer the Pauement and the Roses that they shal cast ouer the Tombe shall bee enamelled and guilt and the roses that they cast ouer the Pauements shal be of fine Orientall stones of white and red Item behinde all the same Images of the new Testament round shall be made in brasse and guilt all the life of Iesus Christ from the natiuity to his ascention and it shall be so clearely and perfectly made that the Mystery of Christs life to his ascention shall plainely appeare Item aboue the said new Testament and Images thereof and aboue the said life of Christ shall bee a Quire of xx Angels standing vpon a Basement of white Marble with great Candlestickes in their hands hauing lights in them shewing to honour and reuerence the same Tombe Item all these foresaid figures stories and ornaments shall be made to garnish and ornate the two Pillers of the Church betweene which the Tombe shall be set Item betweene the said two great Pillers of the Church thus garnished shall be a Basement of white Marble of the height of the Basement of the Pillers and therein the Epitaph of the King and Queene with letters of gold of such Scriptures as yee deuise Item vpon the same Basement shall bee made two Tombes of blacke-touch that is to say on either side one and vpon the said Tombes of black Touch shall be made the Image of the King and Queene on both sides not as death but as persons sleeping because to shew that famous Princes leauing behinde them great fame their names neuer doe die and shal lie in roiall Apparels after the antique maner Item ouer the right hand ouer both the sides of the same Tombe shall be an Angell which shall hold the Kings Armes with a great Candlesticke hauing as it were light on it as a Lampe and in like manner shall be an other Angell holding the Queenes Armes on the left hand with a like Candlesticke Item on the right hand and left hand on both the sides ouer the said Images of the King and Queene shall be two Angels shewing to the people the bodies of the King and Queene holding aboue their Heades veiles of gold and the Crownes of the King and Queene on their hands Item betweene the said two Tombes of blacke Touch and the said Angell ouer the King Queene shall stand