Edmund Earl of Arundel his Father died seised either in England or in Wales as of the said Castle As for this Earl of Arundel here spoken of his Cause as well as his Valour is sufficiently declared in the former Part of this our History but for this Earl John we shall now once for all add somewhat of him because the small Age to which he attained rendred him unable to purchase any higher Character in this Work. He was Second Son to Edmund Plantaginet Earl of Kent the Kings Uncle of whose Death f 〈…〉 3. §. 3. 〈…〉 ad p. 42. we spake in the Fourth Year Yet he made no Proof of his Age till this very g Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 94. b. Year when upon his Homage he had Livery of all his Lands his Mother the Lady Margaret being then also dead And at that time he granted unto King Edward the Third and his Heirs Kings of England the Castle and whole Lordship of Lydel as well within the Precincts of England as Scotland after the Decease of Blanche Relict of Thomas Lord Waâ—e which Castle and Lordship came to him in Right of the Lady Margaret his Mother Sister and Heir to the said Lord Wake of Lydel But this hopefull young Prince having just married Elizabeth Daughter to William Marquess of Juliers departed this Life without Issue the Year next following in the Prime of his Youth leaving all his vast Possessions to his Sister and Heir the Lady Joan commonly called the Fair Maid of Kent first Espoused to William Montagu second Earl of Salisbury of that Name at this time the Wife of Thomas Lord Holland in her Right afterwards Earl of Kent But to return to the Transactions of this Parliament King Edward during this Session bestow'd several great Honours on Sundry of his Martial Nobility As particularly his Valiant Cosen Henry Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster Leicester Lincoln Darby Grosmont and Ferrers him on the a Ashmoles Garter p. 682. Dudg Bar. 1 Vol. p. 786. Stow p 251. M.S. Vet. Angan Bib. C.C.C. Cantabr c. 224. Sixth of March he advanced to the Title and Dignity of Duke of Lancaster Which being done by the General Consent of all the Prelates and Peers then sitting in Parliament and Confirmed unto him for his Life he was invested therewith by the Cincture of a Sword with Power to have a Chancery in the County of Lancaster and there to issue out Writs under his own Seal as well touching Pleas of the Crown as others relating to the Common Laws of this Realm As also to enjoy all other Liberties and Regalities belonging to a County-Palatine in as ample Manner as the Earl of Chester was known to have within that County the Tenths * Ashmole ibid. and Fifteenths and all other Payments granted by the Clergy or Canons and Pardons for Life and Members to the King excepted Thus the Black-Prince who was Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester and Henry Plantagenet Duke of Lancaster being the two first Dukes in England since the Conquest by the Grandeur of their Names as well as Birth and Dignity did seem the Worthiest of all Men to be so Duke Henry was yet i 8 Martii Ret. Franc. 25. Ed. 3. m. 15. Ashmole p. 682. further about the same time constituted Admiral of the Kings whole Fleet from the River Thames Westward And two Days after the King assigned him several Lieutenants namely Reginald Ferrers on the Rivers of Thames and Medway Robert Ledred Serjeant at Arms within the Cinque-ports Philip de Wetton and Walter de Harewell Serjeant at Arms in the Port of Seaford and in every Part and Place thence by the Sea-coast to Foye Richard Lengles in the Port of Foye and thence to Bristow and there and in the Port of Chepstow and River of Severn and Ralph de Lullibrock in all Places and Ports from Chepstow to Chester and there and in all Parts and Maritime Places in Wales Mr. Stow k Stow Chron. p. 251. says that at this time Prince Lionel of Antwerp the Kings Son was made Earl of Vlster in Ireland and John of Gaunt his Younger Brother Earl of Richmond but the Former had not that Title till l Dagd 2 Vol. p. 167 c. Ten Years after at what time he took to Wife the Heiress of Vlster and the Latter had his Nine Years before as appears by the m Cart. 16 Ed. 3. n. 2. Records So Knighton n Knighton p. 26â—2 tells us that the Lord Robert Hufford was now made Earl of Suffolk whereas he had been advanced to that Dignity no less than o Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 47. fourteen Years before But the Lord Ralph p Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 160. ex Cart. 25 Ed. 3 m. 25. Martâ—â— 5. Stafford was at this time advanced to the Title of Earl of Stafford and for his better Support in that Dignity the King granted him a 1000 Marks per annum in Fee untill he should provide Lands of that Value to settle on Him and his Heirs In this Parliament also the Lord John Maltravers senior one who was thought to have had an hand in the Murder of King Edward the Second having as we shew'd q L. 1. c. 24. §. 4. six Years before surrendred himself with great Contrition to the King was now r Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 102. by the Judgment of the Parliament acquitted and by his Majesty thereupon fully pardoned restored and admitted to take Place in that Honourable Convention In Å¿ M.S. Rot. Par. p. 72. §. 11. Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridgment p. 74. §. 11. c. ad hunc annam Consideration of the great Dearth of which yet the Land was not wholly freed the King releaseth one Half of his Provision appointed to be taken up by Purveyors And Remedy was likewise taken against Labourers who required Excessive Wages as we partly intimated before as also against the Pope's Reservations and those who being cast in the Kings Court seek redress from the Court of Rome to the Subversion of the Laws of the Realm Then the Commons petition'd That no Man may be put to answer in what concerns his Freehold or whatever toucheth Life Limb or Fine by his Opposite before the Council but by due Process of Law. To this the King as to what concerned the Freehold agreed but for the rest rejected it in the usual Form saying Le Royse advisera That no Man whatsoever but Merchants only for their great Necessity of Traffick should export the Good Money of the Realm The King answer'd as before that he would be advised That the Fines of Labourers may be paid to the chief Taxors of this Fifteen in Aid of the Poor The King replyed the Surplusage thereof should be employed according as Circumstances hereafter shall most require That the Steward and Marshal and their Deputies do make no other Process than was used in the Time of King Edward the Second and limited by the
but the known Piety and Moderation which King Edward used thrô all his Life and that he could not easily be at this time unmindfull of Death may appear in that many Years before thrô a Pious consideration of Human Frailty he close the Place of his Sepulture as a Lib. 3. c. 4 §. 14. p. 564. Ano. Regni 1359. we have shewn and likewise settled the Point of Succession afterwards and had also so lately seen his Gallant Son go the same way before him not to mention the many Instances of his Piety of which we shall speak by and by And as for that solitary manner of his Death it is every whit as improbable for the Court of the Next Heir being then hard by at Kennington and the Three Sons of the King being thereabouts all the while if Piety and Duty could not have kept his Servants about Him yet a Care of their own Interest must have caution'd them at this time not to shew too much neglect of the Grandfather of the Young Prince and of the Duke of Lancaster's Father Not to say any thing of the Earl of Salisbury the Duke of Bretagne and Sr. Guischard Dangle who as we shew'd were just come unto him a little before his Departure And besides He was so far from being totally neglected that every Moment of his Sickness was particularly observed by his Sons and Others So that on that very Day whereon he died before his Soul had left the Body the Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of London being certainly informed that his Case was now desperate sent certain of their Chief Citizens to Kennington where Prince Richard and his Mother resided to declare unto the said Prince their Loyal Affections to his Sacred Person and how ready upon his Grandfather's Death they should all be to accept of Him for their Lawfull King and Governour And yet had it been true that our Edward was thus left at his last Gasp by all his Waiters and Domesticks surely it would be very Hard Uncharitable and Unchristianlike to argue any thing against his Person therefore or to conclude his Death any whit the more miserable since then he could not be sensible of what happen'd and also it is very usual and ever will be for the Court to fall away from the Setting Sun and to turn toward the East XVII However thus died King Edward the Third of whom when his Enemy King Charles of France heard of his Death he gave this Testimony b Frâ—is c. 314. f. 196. Gallicè verò fol. 267. That He had Reigned most Nobly and Valiantly and well deserved to be added to the Number of the Antient Worthies And soon after he assembled all the Nobles and Prelates of his Realm with whom he Solemnly performed his Obsequies in the Holy Chappel of his Palace at Paris But in England there was great Sorrow made for his Death and immediately all the Ports were stopped lest the News thereof should reach France before the Affairs of the Kingdom might be settled A little before the Coronation of King Richard the Second the Body of King Edward was removed from Sheen and with a great Pomp of Sorrow his Three Sons John of Gaunt Edmund of Langley and Thomas of Woodstock and his Son-in-Law John the Valiant Duke of Bretagne and all the Barons and Prelates of England following the Herse was brought along thrô the City of London with Open Visage to Westminster where it was c Sandford p. 175. vid. Keep 's Mon. Westmonast solemnly interred on the South-side of the Royal Chappel in the Abbey of St. Peter near to the Body of his Beloved Queen Philippa as on her Death-Bed she had requested Where betwixt two Pillars parallel with the Tomb of King Edward the Confessor He hath his Monument of Grey Marble upon the Superficies whereof lies his Full Portraiture of Copper Gilt and upon the Verge of the Tomb these Old Verses are ingraven beginning on the North-side at the Foot being Latine Rhyme after the Manner of that Age. Hic Decus Anglorum Flos Regum Preteritorum Forma Futurorum Rex Clemens Pax Populorum Tertius Edvardus Regni complens Iubileum Invictus Pardus Bellis pollens Machabeum Prospere dum vixit Regnum Pietate revixit Armipotens Rexit Iam Câ—lo Coelice Rex sâ—t Tertius Edvardus Famâ super aethera Notus PVGNA PRO PATRIA MCCCLXXVII On both Sides of this Tomb are the Figures of all his Sons and Daughters in Solid Brass viz. On the South-side in several Niches are Edward Prince of Wales Joan of the Tower Entitled Queen of Spain Lionel Duke of Clarence Edmund of Langley Mary Dutchess of Bretagne and William of Hatfield under which their several Escutcheons of Arms Enamelled are placed And also under them the Arms of Saint George and of King Edward the Third interchangeably on Four large Shields of Brass Enamelled On the North-side were the Statues and still there remain the Arms of Isabell Lady Coucy William of Windsor John Duke of Lancaster Blanch of the Tower Margaret Countess of Pembroke and Thomas of Woodstock near unto which Sepulchre they will still shew you the Sword which it is said this King used in his Wars in France being only Cross-barr'd Seven Foot long and weighing Eighteen Pounds I will not dissemble d Cod. M. S. Misâ—ell R. Glover Somerset fol. 135. that there is somewhere attributed unto him one Natural Son besides his Twelve Legitimate Children named Nicolas Litlington who was Abbot of Westminster and lies buried in the said Abbey before the Altar of St. Blase But there are several Arguments which with me weigh down the Credit of this single Testimony as his Age he being made Abbot immediately after Simon Langham sixteen Years before this whereas usually Old Age is required for such and he survived King Edward but e He died 1386. Keep 's Men. West p. 52. Nine Years He bare for his Arms f Vid. Keep 's Mon. Westmonast p. 13. Quarterly Argent and Gules in the Second and Third a Fret Or on a Bend Azure Three Flowers de Luces of the Third His Character may best be gather'd from his History but however we shall again represent him in little according to those lively Colours wherewith the joynt Concurrence of the best g Walsing hist p. 189. Heur Knighton p. 2630. Foae Acts Mon. p. 394. Daniel's Hist p. 260. Ric. Dinothi Advers p. 92. Sr. Rich. Baker p. 144. Stow p. 269. Holinsh p. 999. Weever's Fun. Mon p. 466. c. Authors have represented him He was a Prince the soonest a Man and the longest that held so of any we meet with His Stature not exceeding the usual Bigness of Men but of the Middle sort h Vid. Hakewill's Apology for Providence p. 212. that is just six Foot or two Yards High his Limbs neat and well-made his Body strong his shape Exact his Visage something Long but exceeding Comely Gracefull and Angelical
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HENGIST ESTHER FRANCIADOS EURIPIDES K. EDWARD III. ECCLIAST HIST. Vera Effigies JOSUAE BARNES S.T.B. EMANUELIS Collegij apud CANTIBRIG Socij maxime Senioris Etat Suce 40. 1694. R. White ad vivum fecit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE HISTORY OF THAT Most Victorious Monarch EDWARD IIId. KING of ENGLAND and FRANCE and LORD of IRELAND AND First Founder of the Most Noble Order of the GARTER Being a Full and Exact Account Of the LIFE and DEATH of the said KING Together with That of His Most Renowned SON EDWARD Prince of WALES and of AQVITAIN Sirnamed the BLACK-PRINCE Faithfully and Carefully Collected from the Best and most Antient Authors DOMESTICK and FOREIGN Printed Books Manuscripts and Records By JOSHVA BARNES Batchelor of Divinity and One of the Senior Fellows of Emmanuel College in Cambridge Licensed by Authority Pulchrum imprimis videtur Non pati occidere Quibus Aeternitas debeatur C. Plin. Caec Secundi Epist l. 5. Ep. 8. p. 210. CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Hayes for the Author MDCLXXXVIII TO The Most Serene Majesty OF JAMES the Second KING of ENGLAND SCOTLAND FRANCE and IRELAND c. AND SOVERAIGN OF The most Noble Order OF THE GARTER GREAT SIR HAving under the Happy Influence of Your Majesty's Gracious Government had the leisure to write the History of the Life of One of the most Glorious of Your Royal Predecessors King EDWARD the Third to whom should I dedicate the same but to Your Majesty who are the Inheritor of those Realms which He governed the Soveraign of that most Noble ORDER which he Founded and the lively Resemblance of all those Vertues which He so eminently possessed Whose Immense Goodness to all Your Subjects in general whose Heroick Inclinations to Military Honour and whose Princely Love and Respect to Learning do render You as Gracious at Home and as Terrible abroad as King EDWARD was in his Days It is Your Majesty's Delight and Glory Graciously to accept of the well-intended Endeavours of the meanest of Your Subjects particularly of those which are employed in Recollecting the Glorious Memoires of Your Renowned Ancestors Monarchs of this Isle And no doubt succeeding Generations will rise up to the Memory of that Prince by whose Favour and Liberality the Remembrance of former Ages hath been brought to Light. Wherefore heartily wishing unto Your Sacred Majesty a Fruitfull Consort a Flourishing Family a Long Life a Quiet and Secure Government Victorious Armies Obedient Subjects and Wise and Loyal Parliaments besides Eternal Felicities I humbly Dedicate this Work to Your Great Name as being GREAT SIR Your Majesty's Most Humble and Loyal Subject JOSHVA BARNES THE PREFACE I Undertake a Work of so much Difficulty that nothing but a Sense of the Honour and real advantage thereof could animate me to it For the Obscurity of our Histories being so great and the Mistakes and Opposition of them one with another being so frequent it must needs seem a Labour not small to go about to give a Just account of the whole Series of all Publique Actions for the continuance of Fifty Years and upwards at such a long distance of Time as more than Three Centuries But my Resolution hath been to shew so much diligence in the Collecting and so much integrity in the Composing that if I cannot obtain to know all the most Momentous Truths yet I shall purposely decline all Fabulous Narrations all Groundless Opinions all Popular Errors Partiality and Prejudice and seriously conform my self to those Rules and decencies which belong to a Faithfull Historian The Subject Matter of my Discourse is the Honour of my Country the Life and Actions of one of the Greatest Kings that perhaps the World ever saw the Rights of the English Crown and how well our Ancestors were able to vindicate them Nor shall I confine my self wholly to the Relation of King Edward's Exploits or to those of his Invincible Son the Black-Prince and the rest of his Noble and Victorious Children but whatever Name I find memorable of his Subjects in either of his Kingdoms whether they were fam'd for Arts of War or Peace I shall endeavour to pay them that just duty which it shall seem to me they deserve Because I think it altogether fit that those who then shared with their Sovereign in his Grand affairs of War or Government should by no means now be deprived of a Participation with Him in his Glorious Memoires Especially since not a Few are still remaining derived from those Famous Ancestors whose Minds may be more strongly affected with due Incentives of Honour when they shall understand by what Methods their Forefathers attain'd such Estates or Titles which They now as worthily enjoy It is an old Observation That Subjects usually conform themselves to their Prince And here certainly if ever any Great and Martial Monarch was Lord of any like Himself We shall find this King to have been so Many Great and Renowned Heroes and Captains Bold in Attempts Wise in Conduct and Fortunate in Success being Thick almost in every Page of this History Wherein will appear the greatest Variety of Adventures the most hazardous Enterprises of War the most exact Counsels and Politick Negotiations and the most frequent Instances of Courage Piety Generosity and Princely Conduct with the most Wholsom Laws and Rules of Government that perhaps the whole World can furnish us withall in so short a Period of Time. Of which Work I shall say no more than that if it suffer not for the sake of the Authors Meanness it is like to Live and to prove not unpleasing to those who have any Love or Veneration for England or English Heroes or who indeed delight either to do Bravely themselves or to read the Account of Noble Actions faithfully painfully and accurately recorded to Posterity From Emmanuel College Easter-Monday i. e. 16 April 1688. The CONTENTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. EDWARD the Son of Edward the Second is born Made Prince of Wales His Father's Deposition and his Coronation He gives a General Pardon Has 12 Guardians appointed him Is defied by the King of Scotland Makes an Expedition into Scotland His Father is murder'd The Death of sundry other great Personages From p. 1. to p. 26. Chap. II. King Edward the Third takes a Wife Makes a dishonourable Peace with the Scots Mortimer's Insolence provokes the Lords of England to Arms. Matters reconcil'd Mortimer made Earl of March. The Lord Beaumont of England's Pedigree Mortimer entertains the King. From p. 26. to p. 33. Chap. III. King Edward does Homage to the King of France for Aquitain Queen Philippa in great danger at a Tourneament The Queen Mother and Mortimer compass the Death of Edmund Earl of Kent the King's Vncle King Edward goes privately into France The Birth of Edward the Black-Prince Mortimer taken and executed A Parliament From p. 34. to p. 54. Chap. IV. Henry Earl of
Natural Repose either make him fast or give him meats not such as he desired but quite Contrary often unsavoury always unwholesome and sometimes temper'd with loathsome Sauces and even Poison it self But the strength of his Excellent Constitution preserv'd him vigorous healthy and entire among all these Attempts and Difficulties For it is the Opinion of Galen that some strong Bodies may by the course of Nature evacuate such poisons as usually destroy those of a less firm and solid Vigour and contexture Howbeit we had rather attribute this to the Goodness of God lest had he died thrô excess of Grief and Melancholy or by these secret and lingring Poisons their Cruel Treason had not been so apparent to humane Notice Besides all this that they might the sooner provoke him to despair or impatience for these Devils incarnate not content to put him to a simple Death delighted also to torment his Soul whatever he said they would contradict or deride and scoff at telling him that he was a doting Fool and f Sr Tho. de la More distracted which might well have been true in these his Vexatious Sufferings but that the Divine Grace gave him Strengeth and Patience proportionable to his Miseries When therefore 't was understood at Court that his Health was not impair'd by all these hard Usages and that what was already done secluded the Authors from Mercy if by any means he should ever recover Liberty they send very smart Letters to his Keepers blaming them for giving him too much freedom and for allowing him too costly and delicate Fare adding some slight intimations that however he should be taken off it would not be unacceptable to those whose Lives were not safe till his Death was certain But who were of Power sufficient to requite any considerable Service And here that subtle Bishop of Hereford the ungracious Adam Orleton made use of that Famous Sophistical Sentence g Sr Tho. de la More Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Quā tamen eandem sententiam contra Johannam Philippi Pulchri uxorem ante haec tempora usurpatam memorat Gaguin l. 7 p. 125. Reginam occidere nolite timere bonam est Kill Edward never fear 't is Good. Which being pointed thus Kill Edward never fear 't is Good. Commands his Death But if thus Kill Edward never fear 't is Good. It Deterrs them from it For by this ambiguous while unpointed Phrase he hop'd as indeed he did to give sufficient Confidence to these Impolitick Villains to work his Death but yet to leave Room for his own Defence if ever he should be call'd in question Without this Sentence to intimate what they were to do and an Epistle from h M.S. Vet. Angl. in Bibl. C. C. C. c. 215. Mortimer himself who directed them how and in what manner they should dispatch him together with broad Intimations from the Queen Hereford and other Grandees whose concern it was to hasten the imprison'd King's Death with all their Seals annexed thereto they durst never have undertaken violently to have rid him of his Life since it was his Son that now Reign'd and that very Parliament that depos'd him had Enacted that no Violence should be offer'd to his Person But when his Keepers had these Authentick Abettors on their side they imagin'd all was safe and are presently possess'd with Diabolical Resolutions First they command the Lord Barkley to withdraw from his own Castle with all his Servants and whomsoever they were not well assured of Then they remove the poor Prince who was now well aware of his End and 't is reasonably presum'd by his Patience and Christianlike Deportment as well prepared for it into an high Turret of the said Castle This i Sr Tho. de la More p. ult l. 22. Room they surrounded with all sorts of Carrion and stinking Carcases piled upon the Leads and round about his Windows and on the Battlements either so by corrupting the Air he drew in to dispatch him or at least to keep their hands in by these Devilish Exercitations till they had pitch'd on some more exquisite way to destroy him Nor was this a poor Invention neither but argues the wicked Ingenuity of his Murderers who saw that nothing could be more loathsome to one of so refined and delicate a sense and Education And accordingly several Workmen who were labouring about the Castle heard him often with most passionate bewailings complain of this as the most insupportable affliction he ever yet had met with in all his Life But when the Tormentors saw that none of these Methods had any power to impair his Health or break his Patience much less to take him off they now set about the work in good Earnest On the 11 Calends of October that is after our Account the 21 of September and St. Matthews day when they had the most barbarous Design in the World against his Life they put on the best Countenance that ever they had yet shew'd him before They not only as on a Festival treated him well at Dinner but also k Graston p. 218 M.S. Vet. Ang. in Bibl. C. C. C. in Cantab. c. 215 made very good cheer with him at Supper to make him less apprehensive of their intended Treason But at midnight they came softly into his Chamber where they found the Innocent Prince lying half asleep in his Bed. Here no less than fifteen sturdy fellows suddenly clap an huge Table upon his upper parts at the first apprehension whereof the affrighted King awaking turned his body so that then he lay groveling being in this manner held forcibly down by these wretches The mean while others raised the Bedcloaths from the Feetward up to his Body when they go about such an Execrable Fact that I am both sorry and asham'd to declare that ever this Nation could produce such Monsters For l M.S. ibid. c. 215. John Harding c. 177. Sr Tho. de la More emnes first they force a certain smooth hollow Pipe or Horn into his Secret Parts thrô which they immediately thrust a long red-hot Instrument of Iron which they turned and rowled about to his most inexpressible torment as his loud and bitter groanings which were heard by many did testifie till they had in this manner forced his Royal Soul to seek for quiet in another World. This they did to the intent that no wound should appear outwardly in the Princely Body whereby they or those who set them on might be lyable to any question And indeed none as yet appeared thô they had the Impudence to expose the Royal Corps to publique View many n Speed p. 566. b Abbots Priors Knights and Burgesses of Bristow and Glocester being sent for to see the same Such confidence had they in this their new-contrived Art of Murder But thô the Ordinary sort who saw the skin all over whole and unbroke concluded his Death to be no other than Natural yet Wise men could not
with the said Emperour the Year following V. Thus strongly did King Edward prepare before he would Commence a War against so Powerfull a Monarch all which thô it prov'd in a manner unprofitable and thô little or nothing of all his Glorious Actions was really performed but by his own Forces as we shall shew hereafter Yet his great Prudence appears sufficiently from these Instances of his Foresight and Conduct and that he was not Rash nor Presumptuous but Resolute with Deliberation Yet next to God he reposed his chief Confidence in the Valour of his own Subjects and now as well to Reward past Services as to give Encouragement to new Ones in a Parliament held at Westminster * Knighton p. 2568. n. 50. about the Feast * â— e 12 Martii of St. Gregory the Pope and Confessor he converted the Earldom of Cornwall void by the Death of the Lord John of Eltham his Brother into a Dukedom and confer'd it on his Eldest Son and Heir Prince Edward who was now but six Years of Age x Ashmole p. 671. investing him by the sword only together with the County Palatinate of Chester adding shortly after such Mannors and Priviledges to this Title y Dugd. Warw. p. 90. which were for the future to be inseperable and to descend perpetually to the Eldest Sons of the Kings of England his Successors but upon the Death or Non-existence of such Dukes to revert unto the Crown And z Ashmole ibid. this was the first Precedent for the Creation of the Title of Duke with us in England The Charter of this Creation bears date the 17 of March but other particulars of this Matter I have already spoken of when I was about the Birth of this young Prince On the day preceding the King created the Lord Henry a Vid. Dugd. Bar. ad horum singulerum nâ—nana c. Knighton p. 2568 n. 60. Adam Muriâ—â—uth Will. Shâ—psteed Sr Tâ—â— de la Mâ—re Plantagenet Son to the Earl of Lancaster Earl of Darby and the Lord William Montague at the same time he made Earl of Salisbury with a grant of the yearly Rent of 20 l. out of the Profits of that County also the Lord William Clinton Earl of Huntingdon with a grant of a 1000 Marks Land per annum for him and his Heirs-male for ever besides 20 l. Rent also issuing out of the Profits of that County for his better support in that Dignity At the same time the Lord Hugh Audley Cosin to the Lord James Audley was created Earl of Glocester the Lord Hugh Courtney an old tough Souldier of almost Fourscore was now created Earl of Devonshire thô he was made so by Writ two Years before as we have shewed Besides these the Lord Robert Hufford was made Earl of Suffolk and the Lord William Bohun Earl of Northampton to the Earl of Northampton shortly after the King gave a Grant of the Castle Mannor and Town of Stamford with the Lordship of Grantham in Lincolnshire which John Warren Earl of Surrey held for Life also of the Castle and Mannor of Fotheringhay in Northamptonshire and of the Castle and Mannor of Okeham in Rutland with the Sheriffalty of the said County to hold to himself and the Heirs-Male of his Body under certain conditions in the said Grant expressed The extent whereof may be f Esc 14. Ed. 3. n. 67. Linc. seen in the Record To the Earl of Suffolk the King gave over and above an annuity of twenty pounds sub nomine honore Comitis pro tertio Denario Comitatûs illius which anciently belonged to all Earls the Honour g Mill's Catal. Honor. p. 528. of Eay in Suffolk and the Mannor of Base-Court in the Parish of St. Giles without Cripplegate in London commonly called the Barbican * Stow's Survey of Lond. Hist p. 233. because of old it had been a Burgkenning or Watch-Tower for the City Many like Advantages together with their Honours the King at this time heap'd on the rest of these Noble and Valiant Earls at which time also the young Duke of Cornwall afterwards Prince of Wales made h 24. Adam Marim Stow p. 233. Holinsh p. 900. twenty new Knights to wit Sr. Edward Montague Brother to the Earl of Salisbury and Simon i Godw. Catal. Dpps. p. 268. Montague Bishop of Ely Sr. Thomas Somerton Sr. John Lisle Son to Robert Lord Lisle Sr. Richard Darcy Sr. Damorie Sr. John Poultney Sr. Peter de la Mere Sr. Roger Banant Sr. Roger Hilary Sr. Bolingbroke Sr. Buterell Sr. Simon Swanland Sr. William k Weevers Fun. Monum p. 269. Scott Sr. William Basset Sr. Robert Sodington Sr. William de la Zouch Sr. Cogshall Sr. Roger Sangraville Sr. John Strachie and Sr. Thomas de la More who wrote in French the Life and Death of Edward the Second and also of our Edward the Third both which are Extant in Latine thô the latter is not yet published What we said of the Woollen Manufacture in the Fourth Paragraph of the preceding Chapter some will have to have been done in this Parliament the matter is all one let the time be now or then for by these l Vid. Statute Book An. xi Ed. 3. p. 77. Laws which gave so great Encouragement to Foreign Clothworkers to come hither and also prohibited that none should buy any Cloth made beyond Sea the occupation of Cloth-Weevers soon came in quest more than ever before in this Nation Sr. John Charleton m Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 72. Senior Lord of Powys a Man highly Esteemed for his Fidelity Prudence and Valour was at this time constituted Justice of Ireland the Lord n Id. 1 Vol. p. 371 Darcy being then Steward of the Kings Houshold and otherwise employ'd in the Kings Affairs and accordingly in October following o Chron. Job Clinne i.e. 14 Octob. E Dom. Lit. on the Festival of St. Calixt the Pope and a Tuesday he arrived safely there with his Brother Thomas Bishop of Hereford Chancellor and Thomas Rice Treasurer of Ireland and two Hundred lusty Welchmen But whether for any just cause or no in the Year following the Bishop p Godw. Catal. Bpps. p. 458. Holinshead Ireland p. 71. his Brother complaining to the King by Letters of Sr. Johns Misgovernment was himself appointed in his Room and further made Guardian or Deputy of that Realm But the Affairs of Ireland I shall not prosecute because I haste to more Considerable and Weighty Matters referring the Reader to Holinshead and others who may satisfie them of those things And forasmuch as there were sundry q Ex Bundello Pricrat Alienigenarum Ano. 11. Ed. 3. fisco applicaterum Vid. Clem. Reyneri Apâ—stel Benedictinerum in Appen Par. 2. p. 71. Weever's Fun. Monum p. 328. Priories at that time in England belonging to Foreign Abbeys and thereupon called Aliens because they were Cells to some Monastery or other beyond the Seas the Number whereof
by a Detestable temerity presum'd to Usurp unto himself the Imperial Name and to exercise the Offices of the Empire in Italy and Almaine contrary to the Processes and Prohibitions aforesaid incurring thereby besides other Penalties the Sentences of Excommunication and Anathema And finally adding Presumption to Presumption and Excesses to Excesses he doubted not to March to the City of Rome where he brake forth to that Madness of Impiety that designing to stir up the Mischief of a General Schism both to the City and the World he attempted to set up a certain Hypocrite a Man of Devillish Presumption Peter de Corbarils by Name as the Image of horrid Abomination in the Apostolick Seat for Bishop of Rome And that as much as in him lay was by force effected He honoured him as Pope and then and there upon his Consecration or rather Execration received de Facto the Imperial Crown To say nothing of the many other Mad Proceedings or rather Detestable Receedings by the said Lewis and Peter done thrô Heretical Presumption For which our said Predecessor pronounced the said Lewis to be deprived of his Power Honour and Dignity and using against him who was ensnared in the Errors of such Heresies and Schisms the Sword of Apostolick Power as also against all others who should adhere unto him or afford him Help Counsel or Favour or knowingly have hold or call him Roman King or Emperour He Published not only the Penalties and Sentences of Excommunication and Anathema but also all other Penalties and Sentences as against Favourers of Hereticks and Schism and declared them to be by Law Enacted as in divers Processes by Our said Predecessor had is more fully contained As to all which Penalties however by the said Lewis deserved and against him by the just Sentence of the Church promulged if being truly Penitent he had Humbly submitted himself to Mercy he might have found the said Church Gracious and that she would have received him as the Prodigal Son returning from far with open Arms into her Bosom ready to sacrifice for him in her large Returns of Praise to God the Fatted Calf Again We added in the foresaid Letters that althô of all the foresaid Excesses by the said Lewis committed against the said Processes by our said Predecessor made against the said Lewis Justice so requiring we had and also have notice yet that we might snatch him from out the Jaws of Eternal Death being deliver'd from the bonds of his sins after that we were taken up to the Heighth of the Chief Apostleship We gratiously received his Messengers several times sent unto Us and had many Conferences with them about his being Reconciled which was to be obtained by his bringing forth the Fruit of true Repentance And thereupon the matter hung to be conferr'd on further on Terms assigned wherein certainly it was not our Fault that there was no further Progress made in the Affair of his Reconciliation Wherefore most Dear Son we then thought fit to require Your Highness by those Letters and to entreat You that prudently considering and calling into your most inward Meditation the weight of those Penalties into which they should fall and of those Sentences which they would incurr and with what Dangers and Difficulties they would enwrap themselves who to the said Lewis so notoriously by all condemned of Heresie and Schism so odious to all Christendom before he had obtain'd the favour of Reconciliation from the said Church should rashly presume to afford any Help Counsel or Favour or should knowingly and wittingly give unto him as unto an Emperour or King of the Romans the Honour or Title of a Royal or Imperial Name you would take care to withdraw your self and wholly abstain from contracting Leagues of any Familiarity or Friendship with him or rendring unto him any Reverence and Honour as unto a King or Emperour untill the said Lewis should merit to obtain the Grace of the said Churche's Reconciliation that so the integrity of your Good Name and the unspotted Brightness of your Race might be preserved But when an unwelcom and unpleasing Rumour was lately brought unto us That You O Son thô you had heard our Reports and wholsom Advice which proceeded from the Fountain of Charity have not only presumed to the hazard of your Safety and Reputation which with Grief we speak to enter a League and Confederation with the said Lewis and to him to adhere and to give him Favour Help and Counsel thô he is not yet reconciled to the Church nor acquitted of those Penalties and Sentences wherein because of the Premises and many other Offences he is known to have been by our Predecessor involved and althô the Processes of our said Predecessor are not released but remain yet in their full Force whereby as is premised heavy both Spiritual and Temporal Penalties and Sentences are inflicted upon all and singular of whatsoever Preheminence Dignity State or Condition even thô they excell'd in the Pontifical or Royal or any other Ecclesiasticall or Secular Dignity whatsoever who should adhere unto the said Lewis or afford him directly or indirectly publiquely or privately Counsel Aid or Favour or to him as Emperour or King of the Romans yield Obedience or assign and ascribe the Stile of King or the Name Imperial Nay which alas is known to be more pernicious and damnable if there be any Truth in these Relations You have de facto accepted from the said Lewis under the Name of Emperour the Office of Vicarship thrô all Almain and Germany and all and singular the Provinces or Parts thereof Whereas the said Lewis is neither King nor Emperour as is premised On pretence whereof You are said to have commanded by your Minatory Letters and more straitly to have enjoyned on severe Penalties several Prelates of Churches and Ecclesiastical Persons beneficed in the Lands of the Empire but persisting in due Devotion and Fidelity to Us and to our See that they should appear before You as Vicar of the said Lewis in Almain Germany and the Parts aforemention'd to hear the Equity of his the said Lewis's Sentences and Judgments and of your Commands and to yield unto the said Lewis or to You in his Name their Recognitions and Homages for their Lands Goods and Rights which they hold of the Empire Concerning You therefore O our Son considering the Wisdom of You and your Council we cannot sufficiently admire that when You as we have heard in order to the Recovery of those Rights which you say belong to you have travelled toward the Parts of Almain not without the detriment of sundry Great Persons and the exceeding profusion of Expences and have made many Preparations to that purpose now at last you have despised the Processes of our said Predecessor and damnably brought into contempt the Penalties and Sentences aforesaid into which You have most manifestly involved your Self if what we hear of You be true not without most horrid Scandal which sullies the
those many notable Successes of King Edward rather to the Vertue Holiness and Prayers of this Man than to any other worldly either Wisdom or Prowess Thus much we shall readily acknowledge that althô after his Death King Edward had the same good Success as before the Reason may be justly attributed to that Prince's Care of following the Precepts of this memorable Prelate For whose wonderfull Modesty we have this also to say that whereas he might have obtain'd of the King whatever Preferment he would have asked he was so far from any Ambitious Desire of superfluous Promotion that it was long e'r he could be prevail'd with to accept a Prebend of Lincoln when it was offer'd him he being at the same time Chancellor of St. Pauls in London And it is certain that the Archbishoprick came at last to him without the least of his Endeavours for it the Convent electing him the King allowing their Choice and the Pope who knew not any of these things at the same time conferring this Dignity upon him without the least Application made to him in his Behalf Whereas had he but shew'd the smallest Inclination for the Place he might have obtain'd it of the King before Concerning which Matter when certain spake to the King saying they admired that his Majesty did not admit of this Mans Election from the Convent for they had chosen him before his Predecessour John Hufford was chosen he replied That it was because he could very ill spare so Worthy a Man to be from him and he never could perceive that he himself desired to be spared He was succeeded by Simon Islip Keeper of the Privy Seal who was Consecrated in December 1349. Besides these c Walsingh hist p. 160. ubi Banham male pro Langham Vti aperte lâ—quet 〈◊〉 Simon Langham selus sib haec cmnia Officia Tâ—talos vendicet v. Godw. Catal. Bâ—sh p 143. Philpets Catal. Chancell p. 41. Catal. Treas p. 36. Simon Abbot of Westminster being taken away in this Visitation was succeeded by Simon Langham who was afterwards Lord Treasurer of England then Bishop of Ely soon after Lord Chancellour then Archbishop of Canterbury in which Seat having sat two Years he was by Pope Vrban V created Cardinal Titulo S i Sixti and lastly was made Bishop-Cardinal of Preneste by Gregory the XI X. These are all whom I find to have died this Bout of the most Eminent of the Prelacy of England a Number not great but for the Heighth of the Dignity and Worth of the Persons very considerable But of the inferior Clergy there was such havock made that many Churches were left wholly void without either Parson or Curate or any to perform the least Divine Office whether Mass Mattins Vespers Sacraments or Burial So that it was hard to procure any one to be a Chaplain or to Administer in any Church under Ten Pounds or Ten Marks per Annum at least d Knighton p. p. 2600. n. 20. Which Ten Marks as Money then went did countervail 40 l. with us And few or none would accept of a Vicaridge worth 20 l. or 20 Marks per annum whereas before the Pestilence when there was Plenty of young Divines a Man might have a Chaplain for four or five Marks per annum nay sometimes for two or three besides his Board So that now the Prophecy of Robert the Jacobin Frier against the Clergy was very fully and severely accomplished indeed But shortly after this Scarcity of Clergymen was abundantly made up or rather the Church was overstock'd For vast Numbers of Laymen whose Wives were dead of the Plague came crowding now into Orders many of whom were meer Idiots and utterly unlearned except that perhaps they knew how to read thô not with Understanding Sr. John Poultney e Stow's Survey p. 86. 252. who had been Mayor of London Four times and a very charitable and munificent Person died also in this Pestilence but of others who were either considerable for their Dignity Birth or Station I have not met with any So that it is no wonder if when the Wars were again renewed between England and France King Edward seem'd nothing the weaker for all the great Loss of his People in this Plague For of the Common Sort France was as much exhausted hereby as England and in a manner all King Edwards expert Barons and Captains remained still alive to be another Plague to that Nation XI In Wales f Stow p. 246. Holinsh Chr. Ireland p. 72. also this Epidemical Calamity raged extreamly and shortly after passing over into Ireland it made great havock of the Englishmen in those Parts especially about the Sea-coasts But as for those who were true Irishmen born and dwelt in the hilly Countries it scarce just saluted them So that they suffer'd but little or no loss thereby When the Scots heard of this strange and dreadful Fatality here in England g Knighton p. 2600 n. 1. Stow p. 246. a. n. 60. they too maliciously insulted over our Sufferings and instead of humbling themselves under a due sense of Gods terrible Judgments made a Scoff and Derision of what should have been their Warning and in their ordinary Conversation took up this profane Oath by the foul Deaths of the English Nor this only but out of a most inveterate and implacable hatred desiring if possible to add more weight to the heavy Judgments of Gods Hand they made a Warlike Rendezvous in Solkirk Forest on purpose to invade the North-Borders But before they could make any considerable Progress a sudden and most terrible kind of Death fell among them So that more than 5000 of them died in a manner presently Whereupon they made all the haste home imaginable as well the infected as the whole but they were overtaken wearied despairing and out of Order by a strong and well-prepared Body of English who easily overcame and slew of them with a great Slaughter But however so many escaped home as sufficed to communicate the Infection they had won by this Expedition over all that Kingdom also So that Scotland partook of the universal Contagion in as high a Degree and in the same manner as other Countries had done before them Only in this there was a difference that whereas other Nations with trembling sat still and waited for it the Scots did seem ambitious to fetch it in among themselves XII In the mean time whereas during the Plague there was almost every where sufficient plenty of all things so that in a manner no other Mischief reigned all that while as soon as this grand Conquerour was march'd off innumerable other Mischiefs as so many petty Tyrants began to play their Tragical parts also And h Knighton p. 2599. lin 65. first by occasion of the Plague the Cattle for want of Men to look to them wandred about in fields at randome from whence no Body drove or gather'd them So that they began to perish among
whether the Tenants of such as hold by Barony and are summoned to Parliament shall contribute to the payment of Knights Fees coming to the Parliament As heretofore so the same shall be That present Pay be made of all Purveyances being under twenty Shillings and of greater within one Quarter of a Year and that Purveyance be made without Malice It is good to make Payment accordingly to the first Point and to redress the second That all Sheriffs be charged to make present Payment for all Purveyances for Calais The Demand is reasonable That any one attainted upon a Writ of Oyer and Terminer may bring his Attaint a Ita M.S. Sr. Rob. Cotton â—n petiùs haâ—ing hanging his Suit against the other The Lords will not alter the Order of the Law. That the Lords Marchers of Wales do suffer no Distresses to be made on any English Man coming into Wales for any other Mans Debts if he be no Debter Trespasser or Surety As heretofore so the Law shall be That no Inquest upon Conspiracy Confederacy Maintenance or such like be returned but by the Sheriff of the most lawfull Men and nighest in that part of the Country where such Acts are laid that all Evidences therein be given openly at the Bar and that no Man speak with the Jury after they depart therefrom This last Petition was Enacted That the King b Now for the better Understanding of this Petition it is to be noted that about four Years before this c Hâ—lâ—â—â—head Engl. Chron. p. 948. vid. Gedwins Catal. Bish p. 234. William Edindon Bishop of Winchester and Lord Treasurer of England had caused Groats and Half-Groats to be Coined to the People's great Disadvantage for they wanted something of the just Sterling Weight Which occasion'd the Price of all things to be very much enhanced whereupon at the Commons Complaint now in Parliament the King promised to redress the Grievance the first Opportunity Yet however many times after those Days the like Practice hath been used insomuch that now 5 s. scarcely contain so much silver as 5 Groats had 300 or 400 Years ago So that 't is no wonder if things be sold at treble the Price which they held at that time For hereby also it comes to pass that the Prince and Nobility cannot possibly maintain their Estates with their Ancient Rents and Revenues because thô they bring them in the old Tale and Number yet they fall far short in the due Weight and Quantity of Metal will appoint a Time when the Coin shall be made Finer With Opportunity the King meaneth the same That the King have the Forfeitures of his Widows Dowagers but not of such as hold joyntly with their Husbands The old Law shall stand That the Writ of Appeal brought d Ita Sr. Rob. Cotton having in M.S. hanging another may abate the other The Common Law therein used shall continue That Weights and Measures may henceforth be made in the Town of London so as all Counties do conform themselves according thereto There is a STANDARD in the Treasury where every Man readily may have the same That the Writs of the Chancery may be at reasonable Prices and that the Clerks of the Crown and others for Commission and such like do content themselves with the Kings Allowance As heretofore the same shall be That Fines for Writs may be reasonably made in every of the Kings Courts The Chancellour shall do as heretofore The Commons beyond the Trent require that the Justices of the one Bench or of the other may yearly come twice amongst them for taking Cognisance of Fines and Letters of Attourney of the Unable The King will be advised That Labourers may take Corn for their Wages The Statute made shall be observed That the Staple may always continue in England The same shall so continue till the next Parliament and not be alter'd without the Assent of the Parliament The Merchants Strangers require that the Ordinances of the Staple may be executed speedily The King willeth the same It is Enacted that that Statute made that all Merchants coming into this Realm with their Merchandises might sell the same to any Person whatsoever and of the same to make Exchange or to buy Wares paying the Customs therefore is confirmed to continue That the Customers do dispatch all such Merchants coming in with their Wares and that those Merchants for the Prices of their Wares may be credited upon their Letters and Oaths It is Enacted that some One of the Kings Council may be appointed to be Governour to such Merchants Strangers The Chancellor or Treasurer shall supply the same when he may attend if not some Learned Justices shall be appointed therefore The Printed Statutes of this Year e Statute-Bâ—ck p. 108. ad an 28. Ed. 3. concerning shewing of Woolls Ch. XIV And concerning that none be Outlawed or put to Death without due Process of Law Ch. III. And that touching Errours and Misprisions in the City of London Ch. X. And that touching the Confirmation of all Statutes not repealed Ch. I. And that how the Escheators shall answer the Profits of the Lands of the Kings Tenants Ch. IV. And that which prohibits Exporting of Iron Ch. V. And that for the Election of Coroners Ch. VI. And that which concerns the Continuance of Sheriffs C. VII And that touching Attaint given without respect to quantity of Dammages Ch. VIII And that which contains sundry Ordinances of the Staple Ch. XIII And that concerning the Bounds of the Staple Ch. XV. And that touching Sheriffs who use to take Inquests for the inditing of any Ch. IX All f M.S. Rot. Par. an 28. Ed. 3 n. 20 22 26 28 31 32 39 41 43 46 47 c. Sr. Rob. Cottons Abridgm p. 86 87 88. these Printed Statutes agree exactly with the Record After all these things the Lord Bartholomew Burwash senior being then Lord Chamberlain and g Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 35. a. one of those who had been at the Treaty of Calais the last Year declared to the whole House that there was a Treaty of Peace between the King and the French and a good hope of a final Accord whereto in the Kings Name he demanded of the Commons whether they would agree To which Demand they answer'd how therein they wholly submitted themselves to the Order of the King and his Nobles Whereupon Dr. Michael Northborough Keeper of the Kings Privy Seal and about h Godw. Catal. Bish p. 197. ubi Northbrook male pro North-burgh ut Pat. 29 Ed. 3. this time Elect Bishop of London commanded Dr. John Swinley the Notary to prepare a Publique Instrument thereof VIII And having thus dispatch'd the Transactions of this Parliament it is high time to see what was effected as to the Treaty then in hand between the two Crowns of England and France According to an Article of the last Years Truce Ambassadors were to appear from both the Kings at Avignon in January then next