reported that the duchesse his mother had so much adoo in hir trauell that she could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the world with the féet forward as men be borne outward and as the same runneth also not vntoothed whether men of hatred report aboue the truth or else that nature changed hir course in his beginning which in the course of his life manie things vnnaturallie committed So that the full confluence of these qualities with the defects of fauour and amiable proportion gaue proofe to this rule of physiognomie Distor tum vultum sequitur distorsio morum None euill capteine was he in the warre as to which his disposition was more méetly than for peace Sundrie victories had he sometimes ouerthrowes but neuer on default as for his owne person either of hardinesse or politike order Frée was he called of dispense and somewhat aboue his power liberall with large gifts he gat him vnstedfast fréendship for which he was faine to pill and spoile in other places and got him stedfast hatred He was close and secret a déepe dissembler lowlie of countenance arrogant of heart outwardlie companiable where he inwardlie hated not letting to kisse whome he thought to kill despitious and cruell not for euill will alway but ofter for ambition and either for the suertie or increase of his estate Friend and so was much what indifferent where his aduantage grew he spared no mans death whose life withstoode his purpose He slue with his owne hands king Henrie the sixt being prisoner in the Tower as men constantlie said and that without commandement or knowledge of the king which would vndoubtedlie if he had intended that thing haue appointed that butcherlie office to some other than his owne borne brother Some wise men also wéene that his drift couertlie conueied lacked not in helping foorth his brother of Clarence to his death which he resisted openlie howbeit somewhat as men déemed more faintlie than he that were hartilie minded to his wealth And they that thus deeme thinke that he long time in kings Edwards life forethought to be king in case that the king his brother whose life he looked that euill diet should shorten should happen to deceasse as in déed he did while his children were yoong And they déeme that for this intent he was glad of his brothers death the duke of Clarence whose life must néeds haue hindered him so intending whether the same duke of Clarence had kept him true to his nephue the yoong king or enterprised to be king himselfe But of all this point is there no certeintie and who so diuineth vpon coniectures maie as well shoot too farre as too short Howbeit this haue I by credible information learned that the selfe night in which king Edward died one Mistlebrooke long yer morning came in great hast to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse-stréete without Creplegate and when he was with hastie rapping quickelie letten in he shewed vnto Pottier that king Edward was departed By my truth man quoth Pottier then will my maister the duke of Glocester be king What cause he had so to thinke hard it is to saie whether he being toward him anie thing knew that he such thing purposed or otherwise had anie inckeling thereof for he was not likelie to speake it of nought But now to returne to the course of this historie Were it that the duke of Glocester had of old foreminded this conclusion or was now at erst therevnto mooued and put in hope by the occasion of the tender age of the yoong princes his nephues as opportunitie likelihood of spéed putteth a man in courage of that he neuer intended certeine it is that he contriued their destruction with the vsurpation of the regall dignitie vpon himselfe And forsomuch as he well wist and holpe to mainteine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betwéene the quéens kinred and the kings bloud either partie enuieng others authoritie he now thought that their diuision should be as it was in déed a furtherlie beginning to the pursuit of his intent Nay he was resolued that the same was a sure ground for the foundation of all his building if he might first vnder the pretext of reuenging of old displeasure abuse the anger and ignorance of the tone partie to the destruction of the tother and then win to his purpose as manie as he could and those that could not be woone might be lost yer they looked therfore For of one thing was he certeine that if his intent were perceiued he should soone haue made peace betwéene both the parties with his owne bloud King Edward in his life albeit that this dissention line 10 betwéene his fréends somewhat irked him yet in his good health he somewhat the lesse regarded it bicause he thought whatsoeuer businesse should fall betweene them himselfe should alwaie be able to rule both the parties But in his last sickenesse when he perceiued his naturall strength so sore inféebled that he despaired all recouerie then he considering the youth of his children albeit he nothing lesse mistrusted than that that hapned yet well foreséeing that manie harmes might grow by their debate while the youth of his line 20 children should lacke discretion of themselues good counsell of their freends of which either partie should counsell for their owne commoditie rather by plesant aduise to win themselues fauor than by profitable aduertisement to doo the children good he called some of them before him that were at variance and in especiall the lord marquesse Dorset the quéenes sonne by hir first husband So did he also William the lord Hastings a noble man then lord chamberleine against whome the line 30 quéene speciallie grudged for the great fauour the king bare him and also for that she thought him secretlie familiar with the king in wanton companie Hir kinred also bare him sore as well for that the king had made him capteine of Calis which office the lord Riuers brother to the quéene clamed of the kings former promise as for diuerse other great gifts which he receiued that they looked for When these lords with diuerse other of both the parties line 40 were come in presence the king lifting vp himselfe and vnderset with pillowes as it is reported on this wise said vnto them The oration of the king on his death-bed MY lords my deere kinsmen and alies in what plight I lie you see and I feele By which the line 50 lesse while I looke to liue with you the more deepelie am I mooued to care in what case I leaue you for such as I leaue you such be my children like to find you Which if they should as God forbid find you at variance might hap to fall themselues at warre yer their discretion would serue to set you at peace Ye see their youth of which I reckon the line 60 onelie suertie to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not that all
that king Richard was not lawfull king he would fight with him at the vtterance and threw downe his gantlet and then all the hall cried King Richard And so he did in thrée parts of the hall and then one brought him a cup of wine couered and when he had drunke he cast out line 50 the drinke and departed with the cup. After that the heralds cried a largesse thrise in the hall and so went vp to their stage At the end of dinner the maior of London serued the king quéene with swéete wine and had of each of them a cup of gold with a couer of gold And by that time that all was doone it was darke night And so the king returned to his chamber and euerie man to his lodging When this feast was thus finished the king sent home all the lords into their countries that would depart line 60 except the lord Stanleie whome he reteined till he heard what his sonne the lord Strange went about And to such as went home he gaue streight charge and commandement to sée their countries well ordered and that no wrong nor extortion should be doone to his subiects And thus he taught other to execute iustice and equitie the contrarie whereof he dailie exercised He also with great rewards giuen to the Northernemen which he sent for to his coronation sent them home to their countrie with great thanks whereof diuerse of them as they be all of nature verie gréedie of authoritie speciallie when they thinke to haue anie comfort or fauour tooke on them so highlie and wrought such maisteries that the king was faine to ride thither in his first yeare and to put some in execution and staie the countrie or else no small mischeefe had insued Now fell there mischeefs thicke And as the thing euill gotten is neuer well kept thorough all the time of his reigne neuer ceassed there cruell death and slaughter till his owne destruction ended it But as he finished his time with the best death and the most rigtehous that is to wit his owne so began he with the most pitious and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent nephues the yoong king and his tender brother whose death and finall infortune hath naithelesse comen so farre in question that some remaine yet in doubt whether they were in his daies destroied or no. Not for that onelie that Perkin Werbecke by manie folks malice and mo folks follie so long space abusing the world was as well with princes as the poorer people reputed and taken for the yoonger of these two but for that also that all things were in late daies so couertlie demeaned one thing pretended and an other meant Insomuch that there was nothing so plaine and openlie prooued but that yet for the common custome of close and couert dealing men had it euer inwardlie suspect as manie well counterfaited iewels make the true mistrusted Howbeit concerning the opinion with the occasions moouing either partie we shall haue place more at large to intreat if we hereafter happen to write the time of the late noble prince of famous memorie king Henrie the seauenth or percase that historie of Perkin in anie compendious processe by it selfe But in the meane time for this present matter I shall rehearse you the dolorous end of those babes not after euerie waie that I haue heard but after that waie that I haue so heard by such men and by such meanes as me thinketh it were hard but it should be true King Richard after his coronation taking his waie to Glocester to visit in his new honour the towne of which he bare the name of his old deuised as he rode to fulfill the thing which he before had intended And forsomuch as his mind gaue him that his nephues liuing men would not reckon that he could haue right to the realme he thought therefore without delaie to rid them as though the killing of his kinsmen could amend his cause and make him a kindlie king Whervpon he sent one Iohn Greene whom he speciallie trusted vnto sir Robert Brakenberie constable of the Tower with a letter and credence also that the same sir Robert should in anie wise put the two children to death This Iohn Gréene did his errand vnto Brakenberie knéeling before our ladie in the Tower Who plainelie answered that he would neuer put them to death to die therefore With which answer Iohn Gréene returning recounted the same to king Richard at Warwike yet in his waie Wherewith he tooke such displeasure thought that the same night he said vnto a secret page of his Ah! whom shall a man trust Those that I haue brought vp my selfe those that I had wéent would most suerlie serue me euen those faile me and at my commandement will doo nothing for me Sir quoth his page there lieth one on your pallet without that I dare well saie to doo your grace pleasure the thing were right hard that he would refuse Meaning this by sir Iames Tirrell which was a man of right goodlie personage and for natures gifts worthie to haue serued a much better prince if he had well serued God and by grace obteined as much truth and good will as he had strength and wit The man had an high heart sore longed vpward not rising yet so fast as he had hoped being hindered kept vnder by the meanes of sir Richard Ratcliffe and sir William Catesbie which longing for no mo parteners of the princes fauour and namelie not for him whose pride they wist would beare no péere kept him by secret drifts out of all secret trust which thing this page well had marked and knowne Wherefore this occasion offered of verie speciall friendship he tooke his time to put him forward and by such wise doo him good that all the enimies he had except the deuill could neuer haue doone him so much hurt For vpon this pages words king Richard arose for this line 10 communication had he sitting at the draught a conuenient carpet for such a councell and came out into the pallet chamber on which he found in bed sir Iames and sir Thomas Tirrels of person like and brethren of bloud but nothing of kin in conditions Then said the king merilie to them What sirs be ye in bed so soone And calling vp sir Iames brake to him secretlie his mind in this mischéeuous matter In which he found him nothing strange Wherefore on the morow he sent him to Brakenberie with line 20 a letter by which he was commanded to deliuer sir Iames all the keies of the Tower for one night to the end he might there accomplish the kings pleasure in such things as he had giuen him commandement After which letter deliuered the keies receiued sir Iames appointed the night next insuing to destroie them deuising before and preparing the meanes The prince as soone as the protector left that name and tooke
himselfe as king had it shewed vnto him that he should not reigne but his vncle shuld haue the crowne At which word the prince sore abashed line 30 began to sigh and said Alas I would my vncle would let me haue my life yet though I leese my kingdome Then he that told him the tale vsed him with good words and put him in the best comfort he could But foorthwith was the prince and his brother both shut vp all other remooued from them onelie one called Blacke Will or William Slaughter excepted set to serue them and sée them sure After which time line 40 the prince neuer tied his points nor ought rought of himselfe but with that yoong babe his brother lingered with thought and heauinesse vntill this traitorous death deliuered them of that wretchednesse For sir Iames Tirrell deuised that they should be murthered in their beds To the execution whereof he appointed Miles Forrest one of the foure that kept them a fellow fleshed in murther before time To him he ioined one Iohn Dighton his owne horssekéeper a big broad square and strong knaue line 50 Then all the other being remooued from them this Miles Forrest and Iohn Dighton about midnight the séelie children lieng in their beds came into the chamber suddenlie lapping them vp among the clothes so to bewrapped them and intangled them keeping downe by force the fether-bed and pillowes hard vnto their mouths that within a while smoothered and stifled their breath failing they gaue vp to God their innocent soules into the ioies of heauen leauing to the tormentors their bodies dead in the line 60 bed Which after that the wretches perceiued first by the strugling with the paines of death and after long lieng still to be thoroughlie dead they laid their bodies naked out vpon the bed and fetched sir Iames to sée them which vpon the sight of them caused those murtherers to burie them at the staire foot meetlie déepe in the ground vnder a great heape of stones Then rode sir Iames in great hast to king Richard and shewed him all the maner of the murther who gaue him great thanks and as some saie there made him knight But he allowed not as I haue heard the burieng in so vile a corner saieng that he would haue them buried in a better place bicause they were a kings sonnes Lo the honourable coucourage of a king Whervpon they saie that a priest of sir Robert Brakenberies tooke vp the bodies againe and secretlie interred them in such place as by the occasion of his death which onelie knew it could neuer since come to light Uerie truth is it and well knowne that at such time as sir Iames Tirrell was in the Tower for treason committed against the most famous prince king Henrie the seauenth both Dighton and he were examined and confessed the murther in maner aboue written but whither the bodies were remooued they could nothing tell And thus as I haue learned of them that much knew and little cause had to lie were these two noble princes these innocent tender children borne of most roiall bloud brought vp in great wealth likelie long to liue reigne and rule in the realme by traitorous tyrannie taken depriued of their estate shortlie shut vp in prison and priuilie slaine and murthered their bodies cast God wot where by the cruell ambition of their vnnaturall vncle his despiteous tormentors Which things on euerie part well pondered God neuer gaue this world a more notable example neither in what vnsuertie standeth this worldlie weale or what mischeefe worketh the proud enterprise of an high heart or finallie what wretched end insueth such despiteous crueltie For first to begin with the ministers Miles Forrest at S. Martins péecemeale rotted awaie Dighton in déed yet walketh on aliue in good possibilitie to be hanged yer he die But sir Iames Tirrell died at the Tower hill beheaded for treason King Richard himselfe as ye shall hereafter heare slaine in the field hacked and hewed of his enimies hands haried on horsse-backe dead his haire in despite torne and tugged like a curre dog and the mischéefe that he tooke within lesse than three yeares of the mischeefe that he did and yet all in the meane time spent in much paine trouble outward much feare anguish and sorow within For I haue heard by credible report of such as were secret with his chamberleine that after this abhominable déed doone he neuer had a quiet mind Than the which there can be no greater torment For a giltie conscience inwardlie accusing and bearing witnesse against an offendor is such a plague and punishment as hell it selfe with all the féends therein can not affoord one of greater horror affliction the poet implieng no lesse in this tristichon Poena autem vehemens ac multo saeuior illis Quas Caeditius grauis inuenit Radamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore testem He neuer thought himselfe sure Where he went abroad his eies whirled about his bodie priuilie fensed his hand euer vpon his dagger his countenance and maner like one alwaies readie to strike againe he tooke ill rest a nights laie long waking and musing sore wearied with care and watch rather slumbered than slept troubled with fearefull dreames suddenlie sometime start vp lept out of his bed and ran about the chamber so was his restlesse heart continuallie tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression and stormie remembrance of his abhominable déed Now had he outward no long time in rest For herevpon soone after began the conspiracie or rather good confederation betweene the duke of Buckingham and manie other gentlemen against him The occasion where vpon the king and the duke fell out is of diuerse folke in diuerse wise pretended This duke as I haue for certeine béene informed as soone as the duke of Glocester vpon the death of king Edward came to Yorke there had solemne funerall seruice for king Edward sent thither in the most secret wise he could one Persall his trustie seruant who came to Iohn Ward a chamberer of like secret trust with the duke of Glocester desiring that in the most close and couert maner he might be admitted to the presence and spéech of his maister And the duke of Glocester aduertised of his desire caused him in the dead of the night after all other folke auoided to be brought vnto him in his secret chamber where Persall after his maisters recommendations shewed him that he had secret sent him to shew him that in this new world he would take such part as he would wait vpon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were line 10 The messenger sent backe with thanks some secret instruction of the protectors mind yet met him againe with further message from the duke his master within few daies after at Notingham whither the protector from Yorke with manie gentlemen of the north countrie to the
well of the earledome as otherwise whereby he was in time following also constable of England and as it is most probable restored to that office by Henrie the second for that he was a great enimie to king Stephan He went amongest others with Henrie Fitz Empresse to Dauid king of Scots who knighted the said Henrie in the fouretéenth yeare of king Stephan he married Cicilie the daughter of Iohn Fitz Paine and died without issue Walter second sonne to Milo after the death of his brother Roger was earle of Hereford constable of England and lord ouer Gwenthie or Wenthie he builded in the time of Henrie the first the castels of Glocester Bristow and Rochester with the Tower of London he held the land of Wenthie by long time who hauing no heire of his bodie gaue the same land to Henrie of Hereford and for saking the world tooke monasticall habit on him at Lanthonie where he was buried dieng without issue Henrie of Hereford the sonne of Milo after the enterance of Walter his brother into religion was earle of Hereford constable of England and lord of Breckenocke and Deane who was in Wenthie at a conflict slaine by his owne men and buried at Lanthonie with Walter the constable after whose death Henrie the second deputed Iago ap Seisell to the custodie of the land of Wenthie William the sonne of Milo and brother to Henrie of Hereford was constable of England after the death of his brother and died without issue Mahaell the yoongest sonne of Milo after the death of William was constable of England who died without issue whome I feare not to place as constable since all histories agrée that all the sons of Milo did successiuelie inioie that office after whome the inheritance comming to their sister whereof the eldest called Margaret or Margerie was married to Humfrie Bohuno which line of the Bohunes became afterwards constables of England by inheritance Humfrie de Bohune steward to Henrie the first the sonne of Humfrie de Bohune steward in house to William Rufus sonne to Humfrie de Bohune that came in with the Conquerour was in the right of his wife Margerie one of the daughters and heire of the foresaid Milo constable of England he had issue Humfrie de Bohune Humfrie de Bohune constable of England married Margaret sister to William king of Scots and daughter to the earle of Huntington moother to line 10 Conon earle of Britaine he had issue Henrie This Margaret died the third of king Iohn being the yeare of Christ 1201. And this Humfrie also died in the time of king Iohn as some haue or rather as others haue in the time of king Richard the first Henrie de Bohune the sonne of the said Humfrie and Margaret was the first earle of Hereford of that name of the Bohunes contrarie to that receiued error which hitherto hath made the other Bohunes earle of Hereford and contrarie to the printed pedegrée of the deceassed father of the earle of line 20 Essex now liuing For this man being the first erle of the Bohunes was made earle of Hereford in the first yeare of king Iohn as the charter dooth witnesse He was also constable of England and married Mawd the daughter and heire of Geffrie lord Ludgarsall sometime earle of Essex in whose right hir husband was intituled to that honor of the earledome of Essex by whome he had issue Humfrie his heire He died about the fourth yeare of Henrie the line 30 third being the yeare of our redemption 1220 in his iournie as he went to Ierusalem with other noblemen Humfrie de Bohune sonne of Henrie being the second of that name that was erle of Hereford was also earle of Essex and constable of England being by all men termed La bone counte de Hereford He married Mawd the daughter of the earle of Oxie in Normandie he had issue Humfrie de Bohune that was taken in the yeare of Christ 1265 being the fortie line 40 ninth of king Henrie the third at the battell of Euesham and died in the life of his father leauing behind him a sonne called Humfrie heire to him and to his father which Humfrie the father died in the yeare of our redemption 1275 being the third yeare of king Edward the first Humfrie de Bohune the third earle of Hereford of that name the sonne of Humfrie Bohune slaine at the battell of Euesham was after the death of his grandfather erle of Hereford and Essex and constable of England he married Mawd de Ferens or line 50 Frenis and had issue Humfrie this earle died in the yeare of our redemption 1298 being the twentie sixt of Edward the first was buried at Walden with his wife Mawd. Humfrie de Bohune the fourth erle of Hereford of that name was earle of Hereford Essex and constable of England he married Elizabeth the daughter to king Edward the first and widow to Iohn earle of Holland he had issue Iohn erle of Hereford Humfrie earle of Hereford and William earle of line 60 Northhampton This Humfrie taking part with Thomas earle of Lancaster was slaine at Borrobridge by a Welshman standing vnder a bridge that thrust him thorough with a speare in the fouretéenth yeare of the reigne of king Edward the second being the yeare of our redemption 1321. Iohn de Bohune the eldest sonne of this Humfrie being the fiâ—t earle of Hereford was after the death of his father earle of Hereford Essex and constable of England he married the daughter of Edmund Fitz Alen earle of Arundell and died without issue in the yeare of Christ 1335 being the ninth yeare of king Edward the third He was buried in the abbeie of Stratford besides London Humfrie de Bohune sixt earle of Hereford being brother to Iohn de Bohune whome he succeeded was after the death of his brother earle of Hereford and Essex and constable of England he died without issue in the yeare of our Lord 1361 being the thirtie fift of king Edward the third and was buried at the Augustine friers in London William de Bohune seuenth erle of Hereford of that surname being the sonne of the other Humfrie and brother to the last Humfrie was at a parlement holden in the tenth yeare of the reigne of king Edward the third being in the yeare of our Lord 1336 created earle of Northhampton and after the death of his brother Humfrie he was earle of Hereford and Essex and constable of England He was in the eighteenth yeare of Edward the third being the yere of Christ 1344 sent into Britaine as generall ouer the English armie to restore Iohn de Montford to the dukedome of Britaine which he did putting Charles de Blois to flight He married Elizabeth some saie Eleanor one of the daughters and heires of Bartholomew Bladesmere baron of Bedes in Kent by whome he had issue Humfrie Humfrie de Bohune the eight last
holie land where he then remained the king studied by all possible meanes how to gratifie all the states of his realme to plant in their harts some good opinion of him And first of all he reformed such things as his brother had left verie preiudiciall to the estate of the church setting the same frée which before was sâ—re oppressed And furthermore somwhat to reléeue the coÌ„mon-wealth he promised to restore the lawes of good king Edward and to abolish or amend those which by his father and brother were alreadie ordeined to the hurt preiudice of the old ancient liberties of the realme of England He reuoked Anselme the archbishop of Canturburie out of exile who fled as yee haue heard to auoid the wrath of king William Moreouer he placed in the see of Winchester one William Gifford a graue and discréet person and also ordeined moonkes of honest reputation to be abbats in certeine abbeis which had beene long void and in the hands of William his brother in like maner he remitted certeine paiments which his brother and predecessour had caused to be raised by waie of taxes and customes Besides this on the 8. daie of September he committed Rafe bishop of Durham to the Tower of London by whose lewd counsell his said brother being seduced had in his life time doone manie oppressions to his people He ordeined also that one length of measuring should be vsed through this realme which was a yard appointing it to be cut after the length of his owne arme Manie other things he redressed to the contentation and commoditie of his subiects who gaue God thanks that he had in such wise deliuered them out of the hands of cruell extortioners After he had thus brought the common-wealth in so good estate he consulted with his Nobilitie where he might best get him a wise and thereby leaue vnlawfull companie keeping with concubines which demand was not misliked at all Herevpon they considered that Edgar king of Scotland had a sister named Maud a beautifull ladie and of vertuous conditions who was a professed nunne in a religious house to the end she might auoid the stormes of the world and lead hir life in more securitie after hir fathers deceasse This gentlewoman notwithstanding hir vow was thought to be a meet bedfellow for the king wherefore he sent ambassadors to hir brother Edgar requesting that he might haue line 10 hir in mariage But she refusing superstitiouslie at the first to breake hir professed vow would not heare of the offer wherewithall king Henrie being the morâ— inflamed sent new ambassadors to moue the case in more earnest sort than before in so much that Edgar vpon the declaration of their ambassage set the abbesse of the house where then she abode in hand to persuade hir who so effectuallie and diuerslie telling hir how necessarie profitable honorable the same should be both to hir countrie and line 20 kinred did so preuaile at the last that the yoong ladie granted willinglie to the mariage Herevpon she was transported into England and wedded to the king who caused the archbishop Anselme to crowne hir queene on S. Martins daie which fell vpon a sundaie being the eleuenth of Nouember ¶ It should séeme by Eadmerus that she was neuer nunne but onelie veiled by hir mother and placed amongst nunnes against hir will as she protested to the whole world at such time as archbishop Anselme line 30 refused to solemnize the mariage betwixt them till that doubt were cleared and the occasion remoued wherevpon euill disposed men would haue surmised ilfauoredlie and reported the worst Howbeit whether she were professed or veiled onelie loth she was to consent at the first as partlie ye haue heard but after that she was coupled with the king in mariage she prooued a right obedient wife About this season the archbishop of Uienna came ouer into England with the popes authoritie as he line 40 pretended to be legat ouer all Briteine which was strange newes vnto England and greatlie woondered at as Eadmerus saith of all men For ithad not beene heard of in England before that time that any person should supplie the popes roome except the archbishop of Canturburie And so he departed as he came for no man receiued him as legat neither did he exercise anie legantine authoritie Not long after the king sent ambassadours to Rome about a suit which he had against the archbishop Anselme for that line 50 he denied not onelie to doo him homage but also would not consecrate such bishops and ecclesiasticall gouernours as he vndertooke to inuest Touching which matter no small trouble arose as hereafter shall appeere year 1011 In the meane time Robert the kings elder brother returning out of the holie land came into Normandie for after he had aduertisement of the death of his brother Rufus and that his yoonger brother line 60 was crowned king of England he was greatlie displeased in his mind and meant with all spéed to assaie if he might recouer it out of his hands ¶ We read that when christian princes had woone Hierusalem they met togither in the temple to chuse a king for the gouernement of that citie and countrie in which conuent duke Robert was chosen before all the residue to be king there by reason of a miracle as some haue left recorded wrought by quenching of a â—aper and the sudden kindling thereof againe as he held the same in his hand standing in the church before the altar amongst other on Easter euen so as thereby it should be thought he was appointed among all the residue to be king and so was nominated But he hauing his mind more inclined to England refused to take the charge vpon him wherevpon after that daie he neuer greatlie prospered in anie businesse which he tooke in hand as some doo gather Other authors of good credit which haue written that voiage into the holie land mâ—ke no mention of anie such matter but declare that Godfraie of Bolongne was by the generall consent of all the princes and capiteins there elected king as in the description of that voiage more plainelie appéereth But now to returne from whence I haue digressed When the fame was blowne into England that duke Robert was returned into Normandie and that the people had receiued him for their duke with great triumph and ioy there were diuerse which desiring innouations deliting in alterations and being wearie of the quiet gouernement of king Henrie wrote letters into England to the duke signifieng to him that if he would make hast and come to recouer the realme out of his brothers hands who vsurped it by an vniust title they would be readie to aid him with all their power Herewithall the duke being readie of his owne accord to this enterprise was not a little inflamed and grew more earnest to make hast about this businesse in somuch as where he would not séeme at
it selfe againe in his due place Moreouer at the verie same time also fire burst out of certeine riffes of the earth in so huge flames that neither by water nor otherwise it could be quenched In the 34. yeare of his reigne his brother Robert Curthose departed this life in the castell of Cardiff It is said that on a festiuall daie king Henrie put on a robe of scarlet the cape wherof being streict he rent it in striuing to put it ouer his head and perceiuing it would not serue him he laid it aside and said Let my brother Robert haue this robe who hath a sharper head than I haue Which when it was brought to duke Robert and the rent place not sowed vp he perceiued it and asked whether any man had worne it before The messenger told the whole matter how it happened Wherewith duke Robert tooke such a greefe for the scornefull mocke of his brother that he waxed wearie of his life and said Now I perceiue I haue liued too long that my brother shall cloth me like his almes man with his cast and rent garments Thus cursing the time of his natiuitie he refused from thencefoorth to eat or drinke and so pined awaie and was buried at Glocester King Henrie remaining still in Normandie rode round about a great part of the countrie shewing no small loue and courtesie to the people studieng by all meanes possible to win their fauours and bring merie amongst them Howbeit nothing reioised him more than that his daughter Maud the empresse at the same time was deliuered of hir second sonne named Geffrey so that he saw himselfe prouided of an assured successour But whilest he thus passed the time in mirth and solace he began soone after to be somewhat diseased and neuer could perceiue any euident cause thereof Wherefore to driue his greese away he went abrode to hunt and being somewhat amended thereby as he thought at his comming home he would néeds line 10 eat of a lamprey though his physician counselled him to the contrarie but he delighting most in that meat though it be in qualitie verie hurtfull to health would not be dissuaded from it so that his stomach being annoied therewith he fell immediatlie into an ague and so died shortlie after on the first day of December being as then about 67. yeares of age after he had reigned 35. yeres foure moneths lacking foure daies His bodie was conueied into England and buried at Reading within the abbey church line 20 which he had founded and endowed in his life time with great and large possessions It is written that his bodie to auoid the stench which had infected manie men was closed in a buls hide and how he that clensed the head died of the sauour which issued out of the braine ¶ Thus we sée that euen princes come to the like end by as base meanes as other inferiour persons according to that of the poet Dant alios furiae toruo spectacula Marti Exitio est auidis mare nautis line 30 Mista senum ac iuuenum densantur funera nullum Saeua caput Proserpina fugit And here we haue to note the neglect of the physicians counsell and that same ill disposition in diet which the king chose rather to satisfie than by restraining it to auoid the danger whereinto he fell But this is the preposterous election of vntoward patients according to that Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimúsque negata Touching his issue he had by his first wife a sonne line 40 named William drowned as ye haue heard in the sea also a daughter named Maud whome with hir sonnes he appointed to inherit his crowne and other dominions He had issue also by one of his concubins euen a sonne named Richard and a daughter named Marie who were both drowned with their brother William By an other concubine he had a sonne named Robert who was created duke of Glocester line 50 He was strong of bodie fleshie and of an indifferent stature blacke of haire and in maner bald before with great and large eies of face comelie well countenanced and pleasant to the beholders speciallie when he was disposed to mirth He excelled in three vertues wisedome eloquence and valiancie which notwithstanding were somewhat blemished with the like number of vices that reigned in him as couetousnesse crueltie and fleshlie lust of bodie His couetousnesse appeared in that he line 60 sore oppressed his subiects with tributes and impositions His crueltie in that he kept his brother Robert Curtehose in perpetuall prison and likewise in the hard vsing of his coosine Robert earle of Mortaigne whome he not onelie deteined in prison but also caused his eies to be put out which act was kept secret till the kings death reuealed it And his fleshlie lust was manifest by kéeping of sundrie women But in his other affaires he was circumspect in defending his owne verie earnest and diligent Such wars as might be auoided with honourable peace he euer sought to appease but when such iniuries were offered as he thought not meet to suffer he was an impatient reuenger of the same ouercomming all perils with the force of vertue and manlie courage shewing himselfe either a most louing fréend or an extreame enimie for he would subdue his foes to the vttermost and aduance his fréends aboue measure With iustice he ruled the commons quietlie and enterteined the nobles honorablie Théeues counterfeiters of monie and other transgressors he caused to be sought out with great diligence and when they were found to be punished with great seueritie Neither did he neglect reformations of certeine naughtie abuses And as one author hath written he ordeined that théeues should suffer death by hanging When he heard that such peeces of monie as were cracked would not be receiued amongest the people although the same were good and fine siluer he caused all the coine in the realme to be either broken or slit He was sober of diet vsing to eat rather for the quailing of hunger than to pamper himselfe with manie daintie sorts of banketting dishes He neuer dranke but when thirst mooued him he would sléepe soundlie and snore oftentimes till he awaked therewith He pursued his warres rather by policie than by the sword and ouercame his enimies so neere as he could without bloudshed which if it might not be yet with as little slaughter as was possible To conclude he was not inferiour to any of the kings that reigned in those daies in wisedome and policie and so behaued himselfe that he was honoured of the Nobles and beloued of the commons He builded diuerse abbeies both in England and Normandie but Reading was the chéefe He builded the manour of Woodstocke with the parke there wherein beside the great store of deere he appointed diuerse strange beasts to be kept and nourished which were brought and sent vnto him from forren countries farre
of S. Laurence Herevpon were hostages deliuered by the burgesses vnto the French king Now it was agréed that if they line 30 yéelded the towne at the daie appointed for want of succor king Henrie the son and Robert the French kings brother with the earls of Trois Blois Henrie and Theobald and William archbish of Sens vndertooke vpon their othes that the hostages should then be restored free without any hurt or damage King Henrie being certified from them within of the composition thus made was driuen to a verie hard shift for he doubted nothing lesse than that any such thing should haue chanced Yet considering with line 40 himselfe that the sauing of the towne stood in his speedie comming to the rescue he hasted thither without any staie and came to the place the daie before the third and last daie of the truce King Lewes perceiuing him to be come doubting least he should lose the preie which he looked for sent vnto the king and required that he might common with him on the next daie touching some means of agréement to be had betwixt him and his sons This did he of policie to féed him with hope of some end to be made in the line 50 troubles betwixt him and his sons till he had gotten possession of the towne Now as he forecast that matter euen so it came to passe for whilest a great péece of the next daie was spent in feined talke about an agréement K. Lewes appointed a great part of his host to close the towne about and to declare vnto them within that king Henrie was put to flight which talke they within Uernueil beléeuing yéelded the towne themselues to the French men Soone after king Lewes mistrusting line 60 least he should not be able to kéepe it set it on fire and so burnt it contrarie to the composition betwixt him and them agréed and concluded vpon He kept also the souldiers that had yeelded it into his hands togither with the hostages as prisoners and doubting to cope with his enimie went awaie in the night with as still noise as was possible Which euill dealing had not inuaded his hart but that euill meaning had possessed it before euen at the composition making but he neuer learned that Fidem qui perdit nihil potest vltra perdere King Henrie at length perceiuing the fraud sent certeine bands of his horssemen after to pursue the enimie but for that king Lewes was alreadie gotten into the inner parts of his owne countrie those which were sent turned vpon those that were left in the hindermost ward of whome they slue a great number both horssemen and footmen K. Henrie following his men came to Uernueil and staieng there that night tooke order for the repairing and new fortifieng of the towne On the morrow after he went to the castell of Danuille and wan it taking diuerse knights and yeomen within it this castell belonged to one Gilbert de Tileres And thus it came to passe touching the attempt of the French king for the winning of Uernueil as in some authors we find reported ¶ Other write otherwise of the mater as thus the French K. being summoned by K. Henrie the father either to depart from the siege of Uernueil or to looke for battell hearing also that in performance of the message K. Henrie approched with his power he sent a bishop an abbat vnto him to vnderstand if he meant to giue battell in deed The messengers met king Henrie as he was aduanced before his host vpon some occasion with a small companie about him vnto whom they declared that their maister the French king required to be assured whether he should haue battell or no. King Henrie armed as he was with fierce countenance and dreadfull voice made this short answere Get you hence and tell your king that I am here at hand The messengers returning to their maister declared what they had séene and heard Wherevpon without longer staie he raised his field and with a gallant and mightie armie departed home to his great dishonour not winning the towne at all as by the same author it should appeere About the same time the earle of Flanders one of the confederats besieged the towne of Albemarle and the earle therof within it which earle was thought to betraie the towne bicause it was so easilie woone and both he himselfe and those which king Henrie the father had sent thither to defend the towne were taken prisoners Diuerse other places which belonged to the same earle were also immediatlie deliuered into the enimies hands which increased the suspicion After this towne of Newcastell otherwise called Drincourt in those frontiers was besieged and finallie woone by surrender by the said earle of Flanders who reioised nothing at the gaine of that towne for his brother Matthew the earle of Bullongne who should haue béene his heire was shot into the knée with an arrow as he approched to the wals and died of the hurt within a few daies after The earle of Flanders was so pensife for his brothers death that he brake vp his iournie and returned blaming his euill hap and follie in that he had attempted war against his coosen germane king Henrie who neuer had harmed him but rather had doone him manie great and singular pleasures from time to time ¶ Good cause had the earle to giue ouer the prosequuting of violence against his souereigne being dawnted with so heauie a chance griped also with the grudge of conscience in so vnkindlie rewarding his welwiller at whose hands he confessed himselfe to haue receiued manie a benefit Wherein we are to note that ingratitude neuer hurieth anie so much as him or them in whom it is nestled And hereto alludeth the comedie-writer when he saith verie neatlie morem hunc homines habent quod sibi volunt Dum id impetrāt boni sunt sed id vbi iam pene◠se habēt Ex bonis pessimi fraudulentissimi sunt Moreouer Henrie the elder after the iournie of Uernueil ended came backe to Rouen and there vnderstanding that Hugh earle of Chester and Raft de Foulgiers men of singular prowesse who long before were reuolted to his sonne Henrie had taken the castell of Dole in Britaine and there making warre brought all the countrie into trouble he sent foorth streightwaies certeine of his capteines with the Brabanders to aid his people in those parts who on the twentith day of August being monday encountring with the enimies discomfited them in battell tooke seauenteene knights besides diuerse others both horssemen and footmen slue aboue fifteene hundred of the enimies being Britaines and pursuing the residue entred the towne which they wan and droue their aduersaries into the castell where line 10 they besieged them and with all spéed aduertised the king of that enterprise who immediatlie with all possible hast came thither applieng his whole diligence to win
vltra mare Richardum regem Angliae dominum de morte marchisi inculpent iuro per dominum qui regnat in line 60 aeternum per legem quam tenemus quòd in â—ius mortem nullam culpam habuit Est siquidem causa mortis ipsius marchisi talis Vnus ex fratribus nostris in vnam nauem de Satalei ad partes nostras veniebat tempestas illum fortè ad Tyrum appulit marchisus fecit illum capere occidere magnam pecuniam eius rapuit Nos verò marchiso nuncios nostros misimus mandantes vt pecuniam fratris nostrinobis redderet de morte fratris nostri nobiscum se concordaret noluit Nec non nuncios nostros spreuit mortem fratris nostri super Reginaldum dominum de Sidonis posuit nos tantùm fecimus per amicos nostros quod in veritate scimus quòd ille fecit illum occidere pecuniam rapere Et iterum alium nuncium nostrum nomine Edrisum misimus ad eum quem in mare mergere voluit sed amici nostri illum à Tyro festinanter fecerunt recedere qui ad nos peruenit ista nobis nunciauit Nos quoque ex illa hora marchisum desiderauimus occidere Túncque duos fratres misimus ad Tyrum qui eum apertè ferè coram omni populo Tyri occiderunt Haec ergò fuit causa mortis marchisi benè dicimus vobis in veritate quòd dominus Richardus rex Angliae in hac marchisi morte nullam culpam habuit Et qui propter hoc domino regi Angliae malum fecerunt iniustè fecerunt sine causa Sciatis pro certo quòd nullum hominem huius mundi pro mercede aliqua vel pecunia occidimus nisi priùs nobis malum fecerit Et sciatis quòd has liter as fecimus in domo nostra ad castellum nostrum Messiat in dimidio Septembri anno ab Alexandro 1505. The same in English VEtus de Monte to Lupold duke of Austrich sendeth greeting Where manie kings and princes beyond the seas blame Richard king of England of the marques his death I sweare by the lord that reigneth euerlastinglie and by the law which we hold that he was not in fault for his death For the verie cause of the marques his death was such as followeth One of our brethren in a ship of Satalie came towards our parties and chanced by tempest to be driuen vnto Tyre and the marques caused him to be taken and slaine and tooke a great portion of monie that he had in the ship with him Whervpon we sent our messengers to the marques commanding him to restore vnto vs the monie of our brother and to compound with vs for our said brothers death and he would not Moreouer he also contemned our messengers laid the fault of our brothers death vpon Reginald lord of Sidon and we did so much through our freends that we got full vnderstanding that the marques himselfe caused him to be slaine and tooke his monie And therefore we sent vnto him againe an other messenger named Edrisus whome he would haue drowned in the sea but our freends made such shift that they procured him to depart with speed from Tyre who returned to vs 〈◊〉 signified these things to vs for certeine And from that houre euer after we had a desire to slea the marques and so then we sent two of our brethren vnto Tyre who openlie in a manner in presence of all the people of Tyre slue him This therefore was the verie cause of the death of the marques we say to you in good sooth that the lord Richard king of England in this death of the marques was nothing culpable and they that haue doone anie displeasure vnto the king of England for this cause they haue doone it wrongfullie and without anie iust occasion Know ye for certeine that we doo not vse to kill anie man of this world for anie bribe or for monie except he haue doone to vs some harme afore time And know ye that we haue made these letters in our house at our castell of Messuat in the midst of September in the yeare from Alexander the great 1505. ¶ Thus we see how king Richard was cleared of that crime concerning the marques his death by the tenour of this letter And verelie it is most like that line 10 king Richard would haue béene loth to haue communicated his purpose vnto such a wicked kind of pagans as the Assassini were if he had pretended any such matter but rather would haue sought his reuenge by some other meanes Now therefore to our purpose The newes of the taking of king Richard was anon bruted and blowne ouer all Germanie wherevpon the emperour Henrie the sixt the sonne of Frederike the first year 1193 sent in all hast vnto the duke persuading line 20 him to deliuer the king into his hands being able to susteine and abide the malice of all them that would be offended with the taking and deteining of him prisoner as the pope and others The emperour well vnderstood the wealth and riches of England and therefore hoped to make some good purchase by ransoming the king if he might get him out of the dukes hands The duke perceiuing also the emperours meaning durst not well denie his request and therefore he deliuered the king vnto them that line 30 were sent from the emperour who couenanted to giue vnto the said duke the summe of 6000. pounds of Cullen weight for the hauing of the said king The emperour thus receiuing the king at the hands of the duke of Austrich commanded that he should be committed to close prison and would not doo so much as once speake with him This he did to cause the king vpon an indignation and wearinesse of that maner of life to make speed in offering some large masse of monie for his libertie deliuerance ¶ Thus line 40 we sée how couetousnesse infected the hearts of the mightie and what occasion the emperour and duke did take to inrich themselues by the meanes of the king whome they forced not to impouerish so their owne greedie worme were serued But this hath béene a disease not so generall as ancient according to his words that said Vix ego Saturno quenquam regnante videbam Cuius non animo dulcia lucra forent Here is to be remembred by the waie that about line 50 the same time or somewhat before in the yeare of our Lord 1192. the pope sent two legats namelie Octauian bishop of Hostia and Iordane de Fossa noua into Normandie to reconcile the bishop of Elie and the archbishop of Rouen but comming vnto Gisors they were staied from entring any further into the countrie wherevpon they did interdict the whole duchie of Normandie togither with William Fitz Radulfe lord steward of that countrie bicause he was the man that had so staied them
Nec sunt sub modio facta pudenda tuo Vernolium sumit testem fuga prima secunda Vindocinum noctem prima secunda diem Nocte fugam primam rapuisti manè secundam Prima metus vitio vÃque secunda fuit France twice thou fledst while Philip reignd the world dooth know thy shame For Vernueil witnesse beares of th' one next Vandosme knowes the same The first by night the next by day thy heart and force doo showe That first through feare and next by force was wrought thine ouerthrowe In this meane while certeine rebels in Guien as the lord Geffrey de Rancin or Rancon and the earle of Engolesme with their complices vpon confidence of the French kings assistance sore disquieted the countrie Howbeit the sonne of the king of line 10 Nauarre and brother to Berengaria the quéene of England entring into Guien with an armie wasted the lands of both those rebels till he was called home by reason of his fathers death which chanced about the same time Shortlie after Geffrey Rancin died and king Richard comming into his countrie wan the strong castell of Tailleburge by surrender which apperteined to the same Geffrey with others and then going against the other rebels he wan the citie of Engolesme from him by force of assault All line 20 which time the French king stirred not by reason that there was some communication in hand for a truce to be taken betwixt him and king Richard which by mediation of certeine bishops was shortlie after concluded to endure for twelue moneths The bishop of Elie was chéefe commissioner for the king of England and this truce was accorded about Lammas and serued to little purpose except to giue libertie to either prince to breath a little and in the meane time to prouide themselues of men munition line 30 ships monie that immediatlie after the terme was expired they might with greater force returne to the field againe for they had not onelie a like desire to follow the warres but also vsed a like meane and practise to leuie monie For whereas they had alreadie made the temporaltie bare with often paiments and calling them foorth to serue personallie in the warres they thought best now to fetch a fleece from the spiritualtie and churchmen considering also that they had béene by reason line 40 of their immunitie more gentlie dealt with and not appointed to serue themselues in any maner of wise To colour this exaction which they knew would be euill taken of manie they bruted abroad that they leuied this monie vpon purpose to send it into the holie land towards the paiment of the christian souldiers which remained there vpon the defense of those townes which yet the Saracens had not conquered King Richard therfore comming to Towrs in Touraine required a great summe of monie of the cleargie line 50 in those parts and the like request he made through out all those his dominions on that further side of the sea King Philip for his part demanded likewise intollerable tithes and duties of all the churchmen in his territories and those that had the gathering of that monie serued their owne turne in dealing most streightlie with sillie préests making them to paie what they thought good though sometime beyond the bounds of equitie and reason In September the iustices itinerants made their line 60 circuits thorough euerie shire and countie of this realme causing inquisitions to be taken by substantiall iuries of plées of the crowne both old and new of recognisances of escheats of wards of mariages of all maner of offendors against the lawes and ordinances of the relme and of all other transgressors falsifiers and murtherers of Iewes of the pledges goods lands debts and writings of Iewes that were slaine and of other circumstances touching that matter Likewise of the accompts of shiriffes as to vnderstand what had béene giuen towards the kings ransome how much had beene receiued and what remained behind to receiue Also of the lands that belonged to erle Iohn and what goods he had and what he held in demaine in wards escheats and in gifts and for what cause they were giuen Furthermore of his fautors and partakers which had made fines with the king and which not with manie other articles touching the same earle Also of vsurers and of their goods being seized of wines sold contrarie to the assise of false measures and of such as hauing receiued the crosse to go into the holie land died before they set forward Also of grand assises that were of an hundred shillings land or vnder and of defaults and of diuerse other things the iurats were charged to inquire and present the same The iustices also were appointed to cause the manours farmes and lands which the king held in demaine or by wards and escheats to be surueied by a substantiall iurie and to take order for the conuerting of them to such vse as the king might be answered of the gaines rising by the same at the farmers hands Also the Iewes were appointed to inroll all their debts pledges lands houses rents and possessions Moreouer inquisition was taken of iustices shiriffes bailiffes conestables foresters and other officers belonging to the king to vnderstand in what maner they had behaued themselues in taking and seizing of things into their hands and of all such goods gifts and promises had and receiued by occasion of leasure made of the lands of earle Iohn and his fautors and who receiued the same and what delaie was granted by commandement of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie then lord chéefe iustice In this meane time whilest these inquisitions were thus taken in England king Richard comming foorth of Poictou into Aniou caused all the bailiffes and officers of that countrie and also of Maine to fine with him for their offices After this when he came downe into Normandie he seemed in shew to be offended with his chancellour the bishop of Elie about concluding of the truce with the French king where as ye haue heard he was cheefe commissioner misliking greatlie all that was doone therein and therefore he tooke the seale from him and caused a new seale to be made commanding to be proclaimed thorough all his dominions that whatsoeuer had béene sealed with the old seale should stand in no force both for that his chancellor had wrought more vndiscreetlie than was conuenient and againe bicause the same seale was lost when Roger Malus Catulus his vicechancellour was drowned who perished among other by shipwracke néere to the I le of Cypres before the king arriued there being as then on his iournie into the holie land Therefore all men had commandement to come to this new seale that they might haue their charters and writings confirmed Furthermore whilest the truce yet lasted king Richard sailed ouer into England where he caused turneis to be exercised in diuerse places for the better training vp
distinguish the one from the other in taking their altitudes and places whereby in the end they found the new apparition as it were to wait vpon the planet and so continued by the space of certeine houres At length when the beholders of whom Wil. Paruus that recorded things in that age was one had well wearied their eies in diligent marking the maner of this strange appearance the counterfeit sunne vanished awaie ¶ This strange woonder was taken for a signification of that which followed that is to say of war famine and pestilence or to say the truth it betokened rather the continuance of two of those mischiefs For warre and famine had sore afflicted the people before that time and as yet ceassed not but as for the pestilence it began soone after the strange sight whereof insued such effect as I haue alreadie rehearsed Thus farre king Richard Iohn the yongest sonne of Henrie the second IOhn the yoongest son of Henrie the second was proclaimed king of England beginning his reigne the sixt daie of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1199 the first of Philip emperour of Rome and the 20 of Philip king of France K. William line 20 as yet liuing in gouernement ouer the Scots This man so soone as his brother Richard was deceassed sent Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and William Marshall earle of Striguill otherwise called Chepstow into England both to proclaime him king and also to sée his peace kept togither with Geffrey Fitz Peter lord cheefe iustice and diuerse other barons of the realme whilest he himselfe went to Chinon where his brothers treasure laie which was foorthwith deliuered vnto him by Robert de line 30 Turneham and therewithall the castell of Chinon and Sawmer and diuerse other places which were in the custodie of the foresaid Robert But Thomas de Furnes nephue to the said Robert de Turneham deliuered the citie and castell of Angiers vnto Arthur duke of Britaine For by generall consent of the nobles and yéeres of the countries of Aniou Maine and Touraine Arthur was receiued as the liege and souereigne lord of the same countries For euen at this present and so soone as it was line 40 knowne that king Richard was deceased diuerse cities and townes on that side of the sea belonging to the said Richard whilest he liued fell at ods among themselues some of them indeuouring to preferre king Iohn other labouring rather to be vnder the gouernance of Arthur duke of Britaine considering that he séemed by most right to be their chéefe lord forsomuch as he was sonne to Geffrey elder brother to Iohn And thus began the broile in those quarters whereof in processe of time insued great inconuenience and finallie the death of the said Arthur as shall be shewed hereafter Now whilest king Iohn was thus occupied in recouering his brothers treasure and traueling with his subiects to reduce them to his obedience quéene Elianor his mother by the helpe of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and other of the noble men and barons of the land trauelled as diligentlie to procure the English people to receiue their oth of allegiance to be true to king Iohn For the said archbishop and William Marshall earle of Striguill being sent ouer into England as before you haue heard to proclaime him king and to kéepe the land in quiet assembled the estates of the realme at Northampton where Geffrey Fitz Peter lord chéefe iustice was present with other of the Nobles afore whom those lords whose fidelities were earst suspected willinglie tooke their oths of obedience to the new king and were assured by the same lords on his behalfe that they should find him a liberall a noble and a righteous prince and such a one as would sée that euerie man should inioy his owne and such as were knowne to be notorious transgressors should be sure to receiue their condigne punishment They sent Eustace de Uescie also vnto William king of Scotland to signifie to him that king Iohn vpon his arriuall in England would satisfie him of all such right as he pretended to haue within the English dominions And thus was king Iohn accompted and proclaimed king of England by the generall consent of all the lords and barons of the same The names of the cheefe of those péeres that were sworne as you haue heard are as followeth Dauid earle of Huntington brother vnto William king of Scots Richard earle of Clare Ranulfo earle of Chester William earle of Tutherie or rather Darbie Walran earle of Warwike Roger Lacie constable of Chester and William de Mowbraie with diuerse other whose names I here omit bicause I would not be tedious and irksome to the line 10 readers Now the king of Scotland being informed by the lord Eustace Uescie who had maried his daughter that there was some hope to be had on his part for the recouerie of such seigniories as he and his predecessours somtime held in England did further dispatch sundrie ambassadours with full purpose to send them ouer into Normandie vnto king Iohn there to require restitution of the countries of Northumberland and Cumberland with their appurtenances line 20 and he promised also by his letters that if the same might be granted vnto him in as ample manner as they had béene in times past to his ancestors he would gladlie doo his homage to king Iohn as to the true lawfull king of England for the same and furthermore yéeld to him his faithfull seruice against all men so often as he should be required thervnto Howbeit when the archbishop of Canturburie and the rest of the councell vnderstood that these ambassadors should passe through England they would line 30 not suffer them so to doo but spéedilie sent Dauid earle of Huntington into Scotland vnto the king his brother requiring him earnestlie that he would not send any ambassadours ouer as yet but rather tarie and take patience a while till the king should come ouer into England which as they said he purposed to doo verie shortlie King Iohn also hauing vnderstanding of his purpose sent ouer the said lord Eustace againe vnto him with the like request who in such wise persuaded him line 40 that he was contented to abide a time in hope of the better successe in his late attempted suit And all this was doone chéeflie by the working of the kings mother whom the nobilitie much honoured and loued For she being bent to prefer hir sonne Iohn left no stone vnturned to establish him in the throne comparing oftentimes the difference of gouernement betweene a king that is a man and a king that is but a child For as Iohn was 32 yeares old so Arthur duke of Britaine was but a babe to speake of In line 50 the end winning all the nobilitie wholie vnto hir will and séeing the coast to be cleare on euerie side without any doubt of tempestuous weather likelie to arise she signified the whole matter vnto K. Iohn who
of Namure brother to Philip earle of Flanders and line 60 one Peter of Doway a right valiant knight with his brother that was the elect bishop of Cambrey were taken prisoners in a skirmish and presented to the French king Wherevpon the cardinall of Capua being at the same time the popes legat in France interdicted that realme for the taking of the same elect of Cambrey also all Normandie for the deteining of the bishop of Beauuois in prison who had laine there a long time was taken in the field after such manner as is before rehearsed so that the French king was glad to restore the elect of Cambrey to his libertie And likewise king Iohn deliuered the bishop of Beauuois who paied two thousand marks besides expenses of diet during the time of his captiuitie and furthermore tooke an oth that he should neuer after beare armour in the war against any christian or christians About the same time king Philip made Arthur duke of Britaine knight and receiued of him his homage for Aniou Poictiers Maine Touraine and Britaine Also somewhat before the time that the truce should expire to wit on the morrow after the feast of the Assumption of our ladie and also the day next following the two kings talked by commissioners in a place betwixt the townes of Buteuant and Guleton Within three daies after they came togither personallie and communed at full of the variance depending betwéene them But the French king shewed himselfe stiffe and hard in this treatie demanding the whole countrie of Ueulquessine to be restored vnto him as that which had béene granted by Geffrey earle of Aniou the father of king Henrie the second vnto Lewes le Grosse to haue his aid then against king Stephan Moreouer he demanded that Poictiers Aniou Maine and Touraine should be deliuered and wholie resigned vnto Arthur duke of Britaine But these diuerse other requests which he made king Iohn would not in any wise grant vnto and so they departed without conclusion of any agréement Therfore diuerse earls and barons of France which before that time had serued king Richard repaired vnto king Iohn and tooke an oth to assist him and not to agrée with the French king without his consent and he likewise sware vnto them not to make peace with the French king except they were therein comprised In the moneth of September Ione king Iohns sister wife to Raimond earle of S. Giles and somtime quéene of Sicile died at Rouen and was buried at Fonteuerard The French king also tooke diuerse townes and castels but amongst other the castell of Balun and raced the wals thereof downe to the ground wherewith William de Roches generall of the armie of Arthur duke of Britaine was greatlie offended and did so much by his drift that shortlie after a peace was concluded betwixt king Iohn and his nephue duke Arthur though the same serued but to small purpose The French king hauing as I haue said ouerthrowne the wals of Balun besieged a fortresse called Lauardin but king Iohn comming with an armie caused him to raise his siege and to withdraw himselfe to the citie of Mauns whither he followed and compelled him manger his force to remoue from thence All this while was William de Roches busilie occupied about his practise to make king Iohn and his nephue Arthur fréends which thing at length he brought about and therevpon deliuered into king Iohns hands the citie of Mauns which he had in kéeping Also the vicount of Tours came to the king of England and surrendred vnto him the castell of Chinon the keeping whereof he betooke vnto Roger de Lacie the conestable of Chester But in the night folowing vpon some mistrust and suspicion gathered in the obseruation of the couenants on K. Iohns behalfe both the said Arthur with his mother Constance the said vicount of Tours and diuerse other fled awaie secretlie from the king and got them to the citie of Angiers where the mother of the said Arthur refusing hir former husband the earle of Chester married hir selfe to the lord Guie de Tours brother to the said vicount by the popes dispensation The same yere Philip bastard sonne to king Richard to whome his father had giuen the castell and honor of Coinacke killed the vicount of Limoges in reuenge of his fathers death who was slaine as yee haue heard in besieging the castell of Chalus Cheuerell Moreouer there fell manie great flouds in England and on the borders of Scotland by violence whereof diuerse bridges were borne downe and amongst other the bridge at Barwike For the building vp againe whereof some variance arose betwixt Philip bishop of Durham and earle Patrike lord chéefe iustice of Scotland and capiteine at the same time of the towne of Barwike who by the Scotish kings commandement would haue repared againe the same bridge which câ—uld not be doone line 10 but that the one end thereof must be builded on the bishop of Durhams ground which he would not suffer till by the counsell of the lord William de Stuteuille he agréed so that the conuention accorded and concluded betwixt the king of Scots and his predecessour bishop Hugh might be reserued inuiolable Furthermore king Iohn did set a rate vpon the prices of wines as Rochell wine to be sold for twentie shillings the tun and not aboue The wine of Aniou for twentie foure shillings the tun and no other line 20 French wines aboue fiue and twentie shillings the tun except it were of such notable goodnesse as that some peraduenture for their owne expenses would be contented to giue after twentie six shillings eight pence for the tun and not aboue Moreouer the galon of Rochell wine he appointed to be sold at foure pence and the galon of white wine at six pence It was also ordeined that in euerie citie towne and place where wine was vsed to be sold there should be twelue honest men sworne to haue regard that this line 30 assise should not be broken and that if they found any vintner that should from the pin sell any wine by small measures contrarie to the same assise his bodie should be attached by the shiriffe and deteined in prison till other commandement were giuen for his further punishment and his goods seized vnto the kings vse Furthermore if any persons were or should be found to buy and sell by the hogshead or tun contrarie to this assise they should be committed to prison there to remaine till other order were taken line 40 for them neither should there be any regrating of wines that were brought into England But this ordinance lasted not long for the merchants could not beare it and so they fell to and sold white wine for eight pence the gallon red or claret for six pence King Iohn also came ouer from Normandie into England and there leuied a subsidie taking of euerie
80 great ships besides other lesser vessels well appointed and trimmed made foorth to the sea And first coasting aloofe from them till they had got the wind on their backs came finallie with their maine force to assaile the Frenchmen and with helpe of their crossebowes and archers at the first ioining made great slaughter of their enimies and so grapling togither in the end the Englishmen bare themselues so manfullie that they vanquished the whole French fléet and obteined line 60 a famous victorie Eustace the moonke was found amongst the capteins who although he offered great summes of gold for his ransome so that he might haue had his life saued and also to serue king Henrie yet the English capitoins would none of that but Richard the bastard sonne of king Iohn tooke him and cut off his head and sent it vnto king Henrie his brother as a witnesse of this their atchieued victorie This Eustace was a Fleming borne and somtime a moonke but renouncing his cowle to receiue such heritage as fell to him by the death of his brethren deceassing without issue he became a notable pirat and had doone in his dais much mischeefe to the Englishmen and therefore was now rewarded according to his demerits For Rarò antecedentem scelestum Deseruit pede poena claudo The spoile and prey of the French ships was verie rich so that the Englishmen being loden with riches and honour vpon their safe returne home were receiued with great ioy and gladnesse But Lewes after he vnderstood of this mischance happening to his people that came to his aid began not a litle to despaire of all other succour to come vnto him at any time héerafter wherfore he inclined the sooner vnto peace so that at length he tooke such offers of agreement as were put vnto him and receiued furthermore a sum of monie for the release of such hostages as he had in his hands togither with the title of the kingdome of England and the possession of all such castels and holds as he held within the realme ¶ The French chronicle to the which the chronicle of Dunstable and Matthew Paris doo also agrée affirmeth that he receiued fiftéene thousand marks Moreouer the popes legat absolued Lewes and all those that had taken his part in the offense of disobedience shewed in attempting the warre against the popes commandement Then Lewes with all his complices that had bin excommunicated sware vpon the holie euangelist that they should stand to the iudgement of holie church and from thencefoorth be faithfull vnto the pope and to the church of Rome Moreouer that he with his people should incontinentlie depart out of the realme and neuer vpon euill intent returne againe And that so farre as in him laie he should procure his father king Philip to make restitution vnto king Henrie of all the right which he had in the parts beyond the sea and that when he should be king of France he should resigne the same in most quiet manner On the other part king Henrie tooke his oth togither with the legat and the earle of Penbroke gouernour of the realme that he should restore vnto the barons of his realme and to other his subiects all their rights and heritages with all the liberties before demanded for the which the discord was mooued betwixt the late king Iohn and his barons Moreouer all prisoners on both parts were released and set at libertie without paieng anie ransome yea and those which had couenanted to paie and vpon the same were set at libertie before the conclusion of this peace were now discharged of all summes of monie which then remained vnpaid This peace was concluded on the eleuenth day of September not farre from Stanes hard by the riuer of Thames where Lewes himselfe the legat Guallo and diuerse of the spiritualtie with the earle of Penbroke lord gouernor of the realme and others did méet and talke about this accord Now when all things were ordered and finished agreeable to the articles and couenants of the peace so farre as the time present required the lords of the realme when Lewes should depart homeward attended him to Douer in honorable wise as apperteined and there tooke leaue of him and so he departed out of the realme about the feast of saint Michaell King Henrie by this meanes being put in full possession of the relme according to the prescript of that article conteined in those conditions of the peace latelie specified pardoned all those that had aided his aduersarie Lewes during the wars except certeine of the spiritualtie which were put to such fines that they were compelled to laie all that they had to pledge to leuie such summes of monie as they might with the same obteine the kings fauour againe and beside that to sue to Rome for their entier absolution at the popes owne hands Amongst other Hugh bishop of Lincolne returning into England was compelled to paie a thousand marks to the popes vse for recouerie of his bishoprike an hundred marks also to the legat of good and lawfull monie Such cheuance made the legat amongst them of the church as well persons secular as regular that he got togither twelue thousand marks towards his charges whereby it appeared that he lost no time in England But to procéed line 10 The realme now being quiet and in all outward felicitie a number of vnrulie persons such as delighting in idlenesse knew not how to liue in time of peace assembled themselues togither and appointing Fouks de Brent who was a man of great stomach and more rashnesse to be their capteine and ringleder began to make warre against the king and to spoile the townes and countries about them so that their euill dooings might haue caused no small perill to haue insued by some great ciuill sedition if the line 20 earle of Penbroke had not in time preuented their attempts For he assembling the kings power hasted towards the rebels and what by his owne authoritie and by the reuerend regard of some bishops in his companie more than by vsing any force of armes he staid the matter for that time so that no further mischeefe followed of this mutinie Besides the foresaid Fouks de Brent there were other of the Nobilitie also which practised the like disorder as William earle of Albemarle Robert de line 30 Ueipount Brian de Lisle Hugh de Balioll Philip de Marc and Robert de Gaugi the which Robert withheld the castell of Newarke that belonged to the bishop of Lincolne and would not deliuer it till the king with William Marshall erle of Penbroke had laine at siege before it an eight daies in the end of which terme by mediation of fréends the matter was taken vp and the bishop recouered his castell paieng to the said Robert de Gaugi an hundred pounds sterling for the victuals which he left within line 40 the same castell Soone
déeds he 〈◊〉 fullie performed The cardinall hauing saluted the king tooke leaue of him and came to Lin where he staied at the point of thrée moneths making such purchase amongst religious men that what by procuraries and other shifts he got as was thought a foure thousand marks towards line 10 his charges and so departed Edmund Lacie earle of Lincolne and Richard de Burgh as then wards to the king were married vnto two of those yoong ladies of Prouance which Peter de Sauoy earle of Richmond brought ouer with him whereat manie of the English nobilitie grudged Also about the thirtéenth of August the ladie Ione daughter to the lord Guarine de Monchencâ—e was married vnto William de Ualence the kings halfe brother The same ladie was heire to hir fathers line 20 lands by the death of hir brother the sonne of the said lord Guarine Sir William de Bueles knight a Norman borne was made seneshall of Gascoigne about this season and was sore vexed with wars by Gaston the sonne of the countesse of Bierne and others which Gaston shewed himselfe verie vnthankefull for the king had giuen both to him and to his mother a woman of a monstrous stature verie large interteinement to serue him in his wars at his last being in that countrie as before ye haue heard The line 30 archbishop of Canturburie suspended the préests of his prouince bicause they would not consent according to the grant which he had purchased of the pope that he should haue the first fruits for one yeare of euerie benefice that chanced to be vacant within the same prouince The earles of Cornewall and Penbroke got much monie by waie of a collection towards the reliefe of the warres in the holie land hauing purchased of the pope certeine buls of indulgence for the same Sir Fouke de Newcastell a valiant knight and coosen germane to the king on the line 40 mothers side died at London during the time of the parlement On the thirtéenth of October was a portion of the holie bloud of Christ as it was then supposed shewed in most reuerent wise in a solemne procession for the king comming to the church of S. Paule in London receiued there the same bloud conteined in a christalline glasse the which he bare vnder a canopie supported with foure staues through the stréets vnto the abbeie church of Westminster His armes were line 50 also supported by two lords as aids to him all the waie as he went The masters of the Templers and Hospitallers had sent this relike to the king To describe the whole course and order of the procession and feast kept that daie would require a speciall treatise But this is not to be forgotten that the same daie the bishop of Norwich preached before the king in commendation of that relike pronouncing six years and one hundred and sixtéene daies of pardon granted by the bishops there present to all that came to line 60 reuerence it Also the same daie and in the same church the king made his halfe brother William de Ualence and diuerse other yoong bachelers knights Unto the said William de Valence for his further aduancement and maintenance he gaue the castell of Hertford and the honor therto belonging with great treasure to the elder brother Guy de Lucignan which about the same time returned into France he gaue verie great and honorable gifts lading his sumpters with plate and treasure of sterling monie which in those daies in all countries was verie much esteemed The earle of Winchester remaining in Gallowaie where he had faire possessions in right of his wife was besieged of his owne tenants within a castell wherein he lodged and being in danger either to die through famine or else at the discretion of the enimies he burst forth and making way with his sword escaped and comming to the king of Scots complained of the iniurie doone to him by his people wherevpon the king tooke such order that the rebels were punished and the earle set in quiet possession of his lands againe Toward the latter end of Nouember William earle Ferrers of Derbie departed this life a man of great yeares and long troubled with the gout a iust man and a peaceable The same moneth the countesse his wife died also a woman of yeares vertue and fame like to hir husband Thomas Becket the archbishop of Canturburie did minister the priests office at their marriage Their eldest sonne William succéeded his father in the earledome a good man and a discreet but vexed with the gout verie pitifullie hauing that disease also as it were by inheritance from his father There died likewise other of the nobilitie as Richard de Burgh and William Fitz Ham. Beatrice the countesse of Prouance mother to the queene year 1248 and Thomas de Sauoy late earle of Flanders came into England to visit the king and queene and were honorablie receiued and at their departure backe towards home richlie rewarded This yeare in the octaues of the Purification a parlement was holden at London where all the nobilitie of the realme in manner was present There were nine bishops as the archbishop of Yorke with the bishops of Winchester Lincolne Norwich Worcester Chichester Elie Rochester and Carlell with the earls of Cornewall Leicester Winchester Hereford Northfolke Oxford Lincolne Ferrers and Warwike with Peter de Sauoy earle of Richmond besides lords and barons The archbishop of Canturburie was at the court of Rome the bishop of Duresme was lefted by sickenesse In this parlement king Henrie earnestlie required a subsidie in reliefe of the great charges which he had diuerse waies susteined wherevpon he was streightwaies by the péeres of the realme noted both of couetousnesse vnthankfulnesse and breach of promise bicause he neuer ceassed gathering of monie without regard had to his people and where he had promised manie things as that he would not be burdenous vnto them and such like he had performed verie little of those his gaie promises Manie misdemeanors and wrongfull doings to the gréeuance of his people were opened and laid before him as cherrishing and inriching of strangers vsing his prerogatiues too largelie to the great decaie hinderance of the common-wealth The king abashed herewith and supposing that the confession of his fault should make amends aswage the displesure which his Nobles and other had conceiued at his misgouernance to content them all with one answer he promised that he would reforme all that was amisse and so quieting the minds of his barons the parlement was proroged till the quindene of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. Wherein his prudence and wisedome was to be commended but his patience deserueth exceeding great praise whereby he shewed himselfe princelike-minded in that he could tollerate the exprobration and casting of his faults in his face euen by such as should rather haue concealed than disclosed them
said earles had remooued and put others in their roomes among the which Iohn Mansell was discharged of his office and sir Hugh Bigod brother to earle Marshall admitted in his roome Also bicause the foresaid gouernours had knowledge that the king minded not to performe the ordinances established at Oxford they thought to make their part as strong as was possible for them to doo and therefore vpon the morrow after the feast of Marie Magdalene the king as then being at Westminster the earle Marshall the earle of Leicester and diuerse other came to the Guildhall of London where the maior and aldermen with the commons of the citie were assembled and there the lords shewed the instrument or writing sealed with the kings seale and with the seales of his sonne prince Edward and of manie other lords of the land conteining the articles of those ordinances which had béene concluded at Oxford willing the maior and aldermen to set also therevnto their common seale of the citie The maior and aldermen vpon aduise amongst them taken required respit till they might know the kings pleasure therein but the lords were so earnest in the matter and made such instance that no respit could be had so that in the end the common seale of the citie was put to that writing and the maior with diuerse of the citie sworne to mainteine the same their allegiance saued to the king with their liberties and franchises according to the accustomed manner Upon the ninth day of August proclamation was made in diuerse places of the citie that none of the kings takers should take any thing within the citie without the will of the owner except two tunnes of wine which the king accustomablie had of euerie ship comming from Burdeaux paieng but 40 shillings for the tun By meanes of this proclamation nothing was taken by the kings officers within the citie and liberties of the same except readie paiment were made in hand which vse continued not long Herevpon the king held a parlement at Westminster and another at Winchester or else proroged and remoued the same thither Also sir Hugh Bigod lord chéefe iustice with Roger Turksey and other called Itinerarij kept the terme for plées at saint Sauiours for you must vnderstand that in those daies they were kept in diuerse places of the realme which now are holden altogither at Westminster and iudges ordeined to kéepe a circuit as now they kéepe the assises in time of vacation The foresaid iudges sitting on that maner at saint Sauiours punished bailiffes and other officers verie extremelie which were conuict afore them for diuerse trespasses and speciallie for taking of merciaments otherwise than law gaue them After this the same sir Hugh came vnto the Guildhall and there sat in iudgement and kept plees without order of law yea contrarie to the liberties of the citie he punished bakers for lacke of true size by the tumbrell where before they were punished by the pillorie manie other things he vsed after such manner more by will than good order of law There was a bruite raised whether of truth or otherwise we leaue to the credit of the authors that the Poictouins had practised to poison the most part of the English nobilitie Indéed diuers of them were greeuouslie tormented with a certeine disease of swelling and breaking out some died and othersome verie hardlie escaped of which number the earle of Glocester was one who laie sicke a long time at Sunning a place besides Reading At length he recouered but his brother William died of the same disease and vpon his death-bed laid the fault to one Walter Scotenie as the occasioner of his death which afterwards cost the said Walter his life For although he was one of the chéefe councellors and steward also to the said earle of Glocester yet being had in suspicion and thervpon apprehended and charged with that crime when in the yeare next following in Iune he came to be arreigned at Winchester and put himselfe to be tried by a iurie the same pronounced him guiltie and when those that were impanneled vpon that iurie were asked by the iudges how they vnderstood that he should be giltie they answered bicause that where the said Walter was neuer indebted that they could heare of either to William de Ualence or to any of his brethren they were fullie certified that he had late receiued no small sum of monie of the said W. de Ualence to poison both his maister and other of the English nobilitie as was to be thought sith there was no other apparant cause why he should receiue such a gift at the hands of their enimie the said William de Ualence and so was the said Walter executed at Winchester aforesaid The haruest was verie late this yeare so that the most part of the corne rotted on the ground and that which at length was got in remained yet abrode till line 10 after Alhallowentide so vntemperate was the weather with excessiue wet and raine beyond all measure Herevpon the dearth so increased that euen those which had of late releeued other were in danger to starue themselues Finallie solemne fasts and generall processions were made in diuerse places of the realme to appease Gods wrath and as it was thought their praiers were heard for the weather partlie amended and by reason the same serued to get in some such corne as was not lost the price thereof line 20 in the market fell halfe in halfe A good and memorable motiue that in such extremities as are aboue the reach of man to redresse we should by and by haue recourse to him that can giue a remedie against euerie casualtie For Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Richard Gray the chattellaine of Douer looking diligentlie vnto his charge tooke a thousand marks which the bishop of Winchester had sent thither to haue beene transported ouer into France Erlotus line 30 the popes Nuncio perceiuing the trouble that was like to insue within the realme would no longer tarie but wiselie departed and got him home Herewith certeine wise personages were sent to Rome on the part of the king and baronage to informe the pope in what state the realme stood and to giue him to vnderstand how gréeuouslie the people had beene handled by the practise of certeine Romane prelats promoted in this land This yeare neere to Carmardin Patrike of Chauton line 40 lord of Kedwelli Hugh de Uiun and diuerse other both horsmen and footmen were slaine through treason by the Welshmen yet it should appeare by Matthew Paris that the Englishmen procured this mischéefe to light on their owne heads through their disloiall dealing For where they were come to the place to talke of an agréement some of the marchers supposing they had béene too strong for the Welshmen persuaded the said lord of Kedwellie to assaile them vpon the sudden in hope to haue
prisonae nostrae liberandos saluò securè in eadem per vicecomitem comitatus praedicti custodiendos it a quòd ab eadem prisona nullo modo deliberentur sine mandato nostro speciali line 60 Et ideo vobis mandamus quòd ad certos diem locum quos ad hoc prouideritis inquisitiones illas faciatis Et assumpto vobiscum sufficienti passe comitatus praedicti si necesse fuerit dictos malefactores coram vobis sic indictatos arrestetis ipsos prisonae nostrae liberetis informa praedicta etiam omnia bona catalla ipsorum malefactorū qui se subtraxerint fugam fecerint postquam de felonijs aliquibus coram vobis solenniter indictati fuerint per vicecomitem comitatus praedicti in manum nostram capiatis ea ad opus nostrum saluò custodire faciatis donec aliud inde vobis praeceperimus Mandamus enim vicecomiti nostro comitatus praedicti quòd ad certos diem locum quos vos prouidere duxeritis venire faciat coram vobis tot tales tam milites quà m alios quos habere decreueritis de comitatu illo tam infra libertates quà m extra per quos ipsa veritas meliùs sciri poterit inquiri Et quod omnes illos quos per inquisitionem culpabiles inuenire contigerit quos vos sic liberaueritis à nobis recipiantur quorum nomina eis scire faciatis assumpto secum sufficienti posse comitatus praedicti sine dilatione arrestari in prisona nostra saluò securè custodire faciat in forma praedicta communitati dicti comitatus quod simul cum vicecomite praedicto vobis quotienscúnque opus fuerit in praemissis pareat assistat intendat prout eis iniungetis ex parte nostra In cuius reitestimonium c. ¶ Heerevnto were annexed certeine articles by way of instructions of what points they should inquire as partlie aboue is noted out of the addition to Matthew West but not so fullie as in the said chronicle of Abington is found expressed and heere for breefenesse omitted In the three and thirtith yeare of his reigne king Edward put his sonne prince Edward in prison bicause that he had riotouslie broken the parke of Walter Langton bishop of Chester and bicause the prince had doone this déed by the procurement of a lewd and wanton person one Péers Gauaston an esquire of Gascoine the king banished him the realme least the prince who delighted much in his companie might by his euill and wanton counsell fall to euill and naughtie rule Moreouer the same yeare William Waleis was taken and deliuered vnto king Edward who caused him to be brought to London where on S. Bartholmewes euen he was conueied through the streets vnto Westminster and there arreigned of hie treason and condemned and therevpon hanged drawne and quartered his head was set ouer London bridge his right side ouer the bridge at Newcastell vpon Tine his left side was sent to Berwike and there set vp his right leg was sent to S. Iohns towne and his left vnto Aberden in which places the same were set vp for an example of terror to others Also about the same time the king of France required the king of England by messengers and letters sent vnto him that he would banish all the Flemings out of his realme in like manner as at his instance he had latelie before banished all the Scotishmen out of France The king of England was contented so to doo and by that means were all the Flemings auoided out of this land at that season but shortlie after they returned againe King Edward accused Robert archbishop of Canturburie vnto the pope for that he should go about to trouble the quiet state of the realme and to defend and succour rebellious persons wherevpon the said archbishop being cited to the popes consistorie was suspended from executing his office till he should purge himselfe by order of law of such crimes as were laid and obiected against him The king also obteined an absolution of the pope of the oth which against his will he had taken for the obseruing of the liberties exacted by force of him by the earls and barons of his realme namelie touching disforrestings to be made This yeare Robert Bruce contriuing waies how to make himselfe king of Scotland the nine twentith day of Ianuarie slue the lord Iohn Comin at Dunfrice whilest the kings iustices were sitting in iudgement within the castell there and vpon the day of the Annunciation of our ladie caused himselfe to be crowned king of Scotland at Scone where the countesse of Boughan that was secretlie departed from hir husband the earle of Boughan and had taken with hir all his great horsses was readie to set the crowne vpon R. Bruces head in absence of hir brother the earle of Fife to whom being in England soiourning at his manor of Whitwike in Leicestershire that office of right apperteined This countesse being afterwards taken the same yeare by the Englishmen where other would haue had hir put to death line 10 the king would not grant thervnto but commanded that she should be put in a cage made of wood which was set vpon the walles of the castell of Berwike that all such as passed by might behold hir too slender a punishment for so great an offense But the king counted it no honour to be seuere against that sex whom nature tendereth though malefactors and therfore was content with a mild correction tending rather to some shame than smart to recompense hir offense line 20 whereby she procured against hir selfe no lesse reproch than she susteined agréeable to the old saieng Saepe suum proprium fecit puer ipse flagellum There were present at his coronation foure bishops fiue earles and a great multitude of people of the land Immediatlie vpon the newes brought to the king of Bruces coronation he sent foorth a power of men vnder the conduct of the earle of Penbroke and of the lord Henrie Percie the lord Robert Clifford and others to resist the attempts of the Scots now readie to worke some mischéefe through line 30 the incouragement of the new king Edward prince of Wales was made knight this yeare at London upon Witsundaie a great number of other yoong bachelers with him 297 as Abington writeth the which were sent streightwaies with the said prince towards Scotland to ioine with the earle of Penbroke to resist the attempts of the new king Robert le Bruce and his complices King Edward himselfe followed The generall assemblie of the armie was appointed at Carleill fiftéene daies after the Natiuitie line 40 of saint Iohn Baptist from thence to march foorth vnder the guiding of the prince into Scotland In the meane time Robert le Bruce went abroad in the countries of Scotland receiued the homages of manie Scotishmen and got togither an
countrie againe not sparing one place more than another by reason wherof as well abbeis as all other churches and religious houses both in Hadington in Edenborough and thorough all other the parts of Louthian wheresoeuer he came were defaced and put to sacke At length when he had accomplished his will and so set things in order he returned backe into England with the foresaid Edward Balioll in his companie whome he kept with him for doubt least he should reuolt and procure some new trouble In the moneth of Iulie the duke of Lancaster being sent to the aid of the K. of Nauarre came into Constantine which is a portion of Normandie there ioined with the lord Philip of Nauarre brother to the king of Nauarre and with the lord Godfrie de Harecourt the which being returned into France and restored to the French kings fauour was latelie againe reuolted vpon displeasure taken for the death of his nephue the lord Iohn de Harecourt as in the French histories ye may read more at large They were in all about the number of foure thousand fighting men and being assembled togither they went to Liseux to Orbec to Ponteau rescued the castell there which had béene besieged by the lord Robert de Hotetot master of the crossebowes in France more than two moneths but now hearing that the Englishmen and Nauarrois approched he departed from thence leauing behind him for hast his engins and artillerie The duke of Lancaster passed forward vnto Bretueill which he caused to be relieued and furnished with necessarie things as was conuenient And then leauing the citie of Eureux which was as then in the Frenchmens hands latelie yéelded to them after a long siege he went forward with the lord Philip de Nauarre in companie till they came to Uernueill in Perch and there tooke both the towne and castell and robbed the towne and burnt a great part therof The French king who had assembled a mightie armie being aduertised of these matters hasted forward towards the duke of Lancaster fullie purposing to giue him battell The duke and the lord Philip de Nauarre hauing knowledge that the French king followed them withdrew towards the towne of the Eagle and the king still went after them till he came to Tuebeuf two leages from the towne of the Egle and there it was shewed to him that he could not follow his enimies any further by reason of the thicke forrests which he could not passe without great danger of his person and losse of his people Then returned he with all his host and tooke from the Nauarrois the castell of Thilliers and also the castell of Bretueill which was yeelded to him after two moneths siege About the same time that is to saie in Iulie the prince of Wales hauing assembled an armie of men of warre to the number of eight thousand entred into the French dominions and first passing through Auuergne at length he came into the countrie of Berrie wasting and burning the townes and villages as he went taking easie iournies for the better reléefe of his people and destruction of his enimies for when he was entered into anie towne that was sufficientlie stored of things necessarie he would tarie there two or three daies to refresh his soldiers line 10 and men of warre and when they dislodged they would strike out the heads of the wine vessels and burne the wheat oates and barlie and all other things which they could not take with them to the intent their enimies should not therewith be susteined and nourished After this they came before the citie of Burges and there made a great skirmish at one of the gaâ—es and there were manie feats of armes doone The host departed from thence without dooing anie more and line 20 comming to a strong castell called Issoldune they fiercelie assailed it but could not win it the gentlemen within defended the walles and gates so manfullie Then passed they forward and came to Uierzon a great towne and a good castell but it was nothing stronglie fortified and therefore was it woone perforce the people within it being not sufficient to resist the valiant puissance of the Englishmen Here they found wine and other vittels in great plentie line 30 and herevpon they taried there three daies to refresh themselues at ease But before they departed the prince had aduertisement giuen him that the French king was come to Chartres with an huge assemblie of men of warre and that all the townes and passages aboue the riuer of Loire were closed and kept Then was the prince counselled to returne and passe by Touraine and Poictow and so that waie to Burdeaux The prince following their aduise that thus counselled line 40 him set forward toward Remorentine The French king had sent into that countrie to kéepe the frontiers there the lord of Craon the lord Bouciquault and the heremit of Chaumount the which with three hundred men of armes had followed the Englishmen six daies togither and could neuer find anie conuenient occasion to set vpon them for the Englishmen gouerned themselues so sagelie that their enimies could not lightlie assaile them but to their owne disaduantage One day the Frenchmen laid line 50 themselues closelie in an ambush néere to the towne of Remorentine at a maruellous streict passage by which the Englishmen must néeds passe On the same daie there were departed from the princes battell by licence of the marshals certeine capteins Englishmen and Gascoignes as the lord Bartholomew de Burghersâ—e or Burwasche as some write him the lord of Mucident Gascongne monsieur Petiton de Courton the lord de la Ware the lord Basset sir Daniell Passelew sir Richard line 60 Ponchardon sir Noell Loring the yoong lord Spenser and two of the Danbreticourts sir Edward and an other who hauing with them two hundred men of armes went foorth to run before Remorentine that they might view the place They passed foorth alongst by the Frenchmen which laie in ambush as yée haue heard and they were not aduised of them and they were no sooner passed but that the Frenchmen brake out and gallopped after the Englishmen with great randon hauing their speares in their rests The Englishmen and the Gascoignes hearing horsses to come galloping after them turned and perceiuing them to be their enimies stood still to abide them The Frenchmen couragiouslie gaue the charge and the Englishmen as valiantlie defended them so that there insued a great skirmish which continued a long while so that it could not be easilie iudged who had the better nor on which side the fortunate issue of the present conflict would then fall for mutabilis alea Martis till that the battell of the English marshals approched the which when the Frenchmen saw comming by a wood side they fled streightwaies towards Remorentine and the Englishmen followed in chase so fast as their horsses might
Montacute earle of Salisburie Thomas lord Spenser and the lord William Scroope lord chamberleine In the meane time the king fearing what might be attempted against him by those that fauoured these noblemen that were in durance sent for a power of Cheshire men that might day and night keepe watch and ward about his person They were about two thousand archers paid wéekelie as by the annales of Britaine it appeareth The king had little trust in any of the nobilitie except in his brother the earle of Huntington and the earle of Rutland sonne to the duke of Yorke and in the earle of Salisburie in these onelie he reposed a confidence and not in any other except in certeine knights and gentlemen of his priuie chamber In the meane time whiles things were thus in broile before the beginning of the parlement diuers other beside them of whom we haue spoken were apprehended and put in sundrie prisons The parlement was summoned to begin at Westminster the 17 of September and writs therevpon directed to euerie of the lords to appeare and to bring with them a sufficient number of armed men and archers in their best arraiâ— for it was not knowen how the dukes of Lancaster and Yorke would take the death of their brother nor how other péeres of the realme would take the apprehension and imprisonment of their kinsemen the earles of Arundell and Warwike and of the other prisoners Suerlie the two dukes when they heard that their brother was so suddenlie made awaie they wist not what to saie to the matter and began both to be sorowfull for his death and doubtfull of their owne states for sith they saw how the king abused by the counsell of euill men absteined not from such an heinous act they thought he line 10 would afterwards attempt greater misorders from time to time Therefore they assembled in all hast great numbers of their seruants fréends and tenants and comming to London were receiued into the citie For the Londoners were right sorie for the death of the duke of Glocester who had euer sought their fauour in somuch that now they would haue béene contented to haue ioined with the dukes in seeking reuenge of so noble a mans death procured and brought to passe without law or reason as the common line 20 brute then walked although peraduenture he was not as yet made awaie Here the dukes and other fell in counsell and manie things were proponed Some would that they shuld by force reuenge the duke of Glocesters death other thought it méet that the earles Marshall and Huntington and certeine others as chéefe authours of all the mischeefe should be pursued and punished for their demerites hauing trained vp the king in vice and euill customes euen from his youth But the line 30 dukes after their displeasure was somewhat asswaged determined to couer the stings of their griefes for a time and if the king would amend his maners to forget also the iniuries past In the meane time the king laie at Eltham and had got about him a great power namelie of those archers which he had sent for out of Cheshire in whome he put a singular trust more than in any other There went messengers betwixt him and the dukes which being men of honour did their indeuour line 40 to appease both parties The king discharged himselfe of blame for the duke of Glocesters death considering that he had gone about to breake the truce which he had taken with France and also stirred the people of the realme to rebellion and further had sought the destruction and losse of his life that was his souereigne lord and lawfull king Contrarilie the dukes affirmed that their brother was wrongfullie put to death hauing doone nothing worthie of death At length by the intercession and meanes of those noble line 50 men that went to and fro betwixt them they were accorded the king promised from thencefoorth to doo noâ—hing but by the assent of the dukes but he kept small promise in this behalfe as after well appeared When the time came that the parlement should be holden at Westminster according to the tenour of the summons the lords repaired thither furnished with great retinues both of armed men and archers as the earle of Derbie the earle Marshall the earle of Rutland the lord Spenser the earle of Northumberland line 60 with his sonne the lord Henrie Persie and the lord Thomas Persie the said earles brother also the lord Scroope treasuror of England diuerse other All the which earles and lords brought with them a great strong power euerie of them in their best araie as it were to strengthen the king against his enimies The dukes of Lancaster and Yorke were likewise there giuing their attendance on the king with like furniture of men of armes archers There was not halfe lodging sufficient within the citie suburbes of London for such coÌ„panies of men as the lords brought with them to this parlement called the great parlement in somuâ—h that they were constreined to lie in villages abroad ten or twelue miles on ech side the citie In the beginning of this parlement the king greatlie complained of the misdemeanour of the péeres and lords of his realme as well for the things doone against his will and pleasure whiles he was yoong as for the streit dealing which they had shewed towards the quéene who was thrée houres at one time on hir knées before the earle of Arundell for one of hir esquiers named Iohn Caluerlie who neuerthelesse had his head smit froÌ„ his shoulders all the answer that she could get was this Madame praie for your selfe and your husband for that is best and let this sute alone Those that set foorth the kings greeuances as prolocutors in this parlement were these Iohn Bushie William Bagot and Thomas Gréene The king had caused a large house of timber to be made within the palace at Westminster which he was called an hall couered aboue head with tiles and was open at the ends that all men might see through it This house was of so great a compasse that scarse it might stand within the roome of the palace In this house was made an high throne for the king and a large place for all estates besides to sit in There were places also made for the appellants to stand on the one side and the defendants on the other and a like roome was made behind for the knights and burgesses of the parlement There was a place deuised for the speaker named sir Iohn Bushie a knight of Lincolneshire accompted to be an excéeding cruell man ambitious and couetous beyond measure Immediatlie after ech man being placed in his roome the cause of assembling that parlement was shewed as that the king had called it for reformation of diuerse transgressions and oppressions committed against the peace of his land by the duke of Glocester the earles
Further matter at this present I impart not vnto you sauing that with warrant you maie depart suerlie and safelie into your countrie where I trust sooner to visit you than you shall haue cause to bid me welcome With this answer the ambassadors sore displeased in their minds although they were highlie interteined and liberallie rewarded departed into their countrie reporting to the Dolphin how they had sped line 20 After the French ambassadors were departed the king like a prouident prince thought good to take order for the resisting of the Scots if according to their maner they should attempt anie thing against his subiects in his absence For that point appointed he the earle of Westmerland the lord Scroope the baron of Greistocke sir Robert Umfreuill diuerse other valiant capteins to kéepe the frontiers marches of Scotland which sir Robert Umfreuill on the daie of Marie Madgdalen fought with the Scots line 30 at the towne of Gedering hauing in his companie onelie thrée hundred archers and seuen score spears where he after long conflict slue of his enimies sixtie and odde tooke thrée hundred and sixtie prisoners discomfited and put to flight one thousand and more whome he followed in chase aboue twelue miles but their hands full of preies and prisoners retired homeward not vnhurt to the castell of Rockesborough of the which he was capteine When the king had all prouisions readie and ordered line 40 all things for the defense of his realme he leauing behind him for gouernour of the realme the quéene his moother in law departed to Southampton to take ship into France And first princelie appointing to aduertise the French king of his comming therefore dispatched Antelope his purseuant at armes with letters to him for restitution of that which he wrongfully withheld contrarie to the lawes of God and man the king further declaring how sorie he was that he should be thus compelled for repeating line 50 of his right and iust title of inheritance to make warre to the destruction of christian people but sithens he had offered peace which could not be receiued now for fault of iustice he was forced to take armes Neuerthelesse erhorted the French king in the bowels of Iesu Christ to render him that which was his owne whereby effusion of Christian bloâ—d might be auoided These letters chéeflie to this effect and purpose were written and dated from Hampton the fift of August When the same were presented to line 60 the French king and by his councell well perused answer was made that he would take aduise and prouide therein as time and place should be conuenient so the messenger licenced to depart at his pleasure When king Henrie had fullie furnished his nauiâ— with men munition other prouisions perceiuing that his capteines misliked nothing so much as delaie determined his souldiors to go a ship-boord and awaie But see the hap the night before the daie appointed for their departure he was crediblie informed that Richard earle of Cambridge brother to Edward duke of Yorke and Henrie lord Scroope of Masham lord treasuror with Thomas Graie a knight of Northumberland being confederat togither had conspired his death wherefore he caused them to be apprehended The said lord Scroope was in such fauour with the king that he admitted him sometime to be his bedfellow in whose fidelitie the king reposed such trust that when anie priuat or publike councell was in hand this lord had much in the determination of it For he represented so great grauitie in his countenance such modestie in behauiour and so vertuous zeale to all godlinesse in his talke that whatsoeuer he said was thought for the most part necessarie to be doone and followed Also the said sir Thomas Graie as some write was of the kings priuie councell These prisoners vpon their examination confessed that for a great summe of monie which they had receiued of the French king they intended verelie either to haue deliuered the king aliue into the hands of his enimies or else to haue murthered him before he should arriue in the duchie of Normandie When king Henrie had heard all things opened which he desired to know he caused all his nobilitie to come before his presence before whome he caused to be brought the offendors also and to them said Hauing thus conspired the death and destruction of me which am the head of the realme and gouernour of the people it maie be no doubt but that you likewise haue sworne the confusion of all that are here with me and also the desolation of your owne countrie To what horror O lord for any true English hart to consider that such an execrable iniquitie should euer so bewrap you as for pleasing of a forren enimie to imbrue your hands in your bloud and to ruine your owne natiue soile Reuenge herein touching my person though I séeke not yet for the safegard of you my déere fréends for due preseruation of all sorts I am by office to cause example to be shewed Get ye hence therefore ye poore miserable wretches to the receiuing of your iust reward wherein Gods maiestie giue you grace of his mercie and repentance of your heinous offenses And so immediatlie they were had to execution This doone the king calling his lords againe afore him said in words few and with good grace Of his enterprises he recounted the honor and glorie whereof they with him were to be partakers the great confidence he had in their noble minds which could not but remember them of the famous feats that their ancestors aforetime in France had atchiued whereof the due report for euer recorded remained yet in register The great mercie of God that had so gratiouslie reuealed vnto him the treason at hand whereby the true harts of those afore him made so eminent apparant in his eie as they might be right sure he would neuer forget it The doubt of danger to be nothing in respect of the certeintie of honor that they should acquire wherein himselfe as they saw in person would be lord and leader through Gods grace To whose maiestie as chéeflie was knowne the equitie of his demand euen so to his mercie did he onelie recommend the successe of his trauels When the king had said all the noble men knéeled downe promised faithfullie to serue him dulie to obeie him and rather to die than to suffer him to fall into the hands of his enimies This doone the king thought that suerlie all treason and conspiracie had beene vtterlie extinct not suspecting the fire which was newlie kindled and ceassed not to increase till at length it burst out into such a flame that catching the beames of his house and familie his line and stocke was cleane consumed to ashes ¶ Diuerse write that Richard earle of Cambridge did not conspire with the lord Scroope Thomas Graie for the murthering of king Henrie to please the French king withall but onelie to the intent to
exalt to the crowne his brother in law Edmund earle of March as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence after the death of which earle of March for diuerse secret impediments not able to haue issue the earle of Cambridge was sure that the crowne should come to him by his wife and to his children of hir begotten And therefore as was thought he rather confessed himselfe for need of monie to be corrupted by the French king than he would declare his line 10 inward mind and open his verie intent and secret purpose which if it were espied he saw plainlie that the earle of March should haue tasted of the same cuppe that he had drunken and what should haue come to his owne children he much doubted Therefore destitute of comfort in despaire of life to saue his children he feined that tale desiring rather to saue his succession than himselfe which he did in déed for his sonne Richard duke of Yorke not priuilie but openlie claimed the crowne and Edward his sonne both claimed it gained it as after it shall appeare line 20 Which thing if king Henrie had at this time either doubted or foreséene had neuer béene like to haue come to passe as Hall saith But whatsoeuer hath beene reported of the confession of the earle of Cambridge certeine it is that indicted he was by the name of Richard earle of Cambridge of Connesburgh in the countie of Yorke knight and with him Thomas Graie of Heton in the countie of Northumberland and knight for that they the twentith daie of Iulie in the third yeare of king line 30 Henrie the fifts reigne at Southampton and in diuerse other places within this realme had conspired togither with a power of men to them associat without the kings licence to haue led awaie the lord Edmund earle of March into Wales and then to haue procured him to take vpon him the supreme gouernment of the realme in case that king Richard the second were dead and herwith had purposed to set foorth a proclamation there in Wales in name of line 40 the said earle of March as heire of the crowne against king Henrie by the name of Henrie of Lancaster the vsurper to the end that by such meanes they might draw the more number of the kings liege people vnto the said earle and further to haue conueied a banner of the armes of England and a certeine crowne of Spaine set vpon a pallet and laid in gage to the said earle of Cambridge by the king togither with the said earle of March into the parties of Wales aforesaid Further that the said earle of Cambridge and sir line 50 Thomas Graie had appointed certeine of the kings liege people to repaire into Scotland and to bring from thence one Thomas Trumpington also an other resembling in shape fauour and countenance king Richard and Henrie Persie togither with a great multitude of people to fight with the king and him to destroie in open field Beside this that they had meant to win certeine castels in Wales and to kéepe them against the king and manie other treasons line 60 they had contriued as by the indictement was specified to the intent they might destroie the king and his brethren the dukes of Bedford and Glocester and other the great lords peers of the realme And Henrie Scroope of Masham of Flaxflet in the countie of Yorke wasli kewise indicted as consenting to the premisses So that it appeareth their purpose was well inough then perceiued although happilie not much bruted abroad for considerations thought necessarie to haue it rather husht and kept secret About the selfe same time the lord Cobham with his freends whether as one of counsell in the conspiracie with the earle of Cambridge or not was determined to haue made some attempt against the lord of Aburgauennie who being aduertised thereof got for his defense from Worcester Persore Teukesburie and other places thereabout to the number of fiue thousand archers and other armed men which came to him vnto his castell of Haneleie whereof when the lord Cobham was aduertised he withdrew againe to such secret places about Maluerne as he had prouided for his suertie to resort vnto but a priest that belonged vnto him was taken and diuerse other who disclosed to the lord Aburgauennie one of the places where the said lord Cobham with his men vsed to kéepe themselues close Unto that place the lord Aburgauennie went where he found in déed monie and armor piled vp betwixt two wals handsomelie conueied and framed for the purpose but the lord Cobham with his folkes were withdrawne into some other place after they once heard that the earle of Cambridge and the lord Scroope were executed But now to proceed with king Henries dooings After this when the wind came about prosperous to his purpose he caused the mariners to weie vp anchors and hoise vp sailes and to set forward with a thousand ships on the vigill of our ladie daie the Assumption and tooke land at Caux commonlie called Kidcaux where the riuer of Saine runneth into the sea without resistance At his first comming on land he caused proclamation to be made that no person should be so hardie on paine of death either to take anie thing out of anie church that belonged to the same or to hurt or doo anie violence either to priests women or anie such as should be found without weapon or armor and not readie to make resistance also that no man should renew anie quarell or strife whereby anie fraie might arise to the disquieting of the armie The next daie after his landing he marched toward the towne of Harflue standing on the riuer of Saine betwéene two hils he besieged it on euerie side raising bulwarks and a bastell in which the two earles of Kent Huntington were placed with Cornwall Graie Steward and Porter On that side towards the sea the king lodged with his field and the duke of Clarence on the further side towards Rone There were within the towne the lords de Touteuill and Gaucourt with diuerse other that valiantlie defended the siege dooing what damage they could to their aduersaries and damming vp the riuer that hath his course through the towne the water rose so high betwixt the kings campe and the duke o◠Clarence campe diuided by the same riuer that the Englishmen were constreined to withdraw their artillerie from one side where they had planted the same The French king being aduertised that king Henrie was arriued on that coast sent in all hast the lord de la Breth constable of France the seneshall of France the lord Bouciqualt marshall of France the seneshall of Henault the lord Lignie with other which fortified townes with men victuals and artillerie on all those frontiers towards the sea And hearing that Harflue was besieged they came to the castell of Caudebecke being not farre from Harflue to the intent they might succor
word of surrendring the towne line 20 or of comming to anie composition or agréement with the two kings except they made him being their capteine priuie thereto before they attempted anie such thing ¶ In the meane season the French queene the queene of England and the duches of Burgognie lieng at Corbeill came diuerse times to visit their husbands and to sée their fréends whome the king of England highlie feasted and louinglie interteined that euerie creature reported great honour of him This towne of Melun séemed verie line 30 strong both by reason of the riuer of Seine which compassed part thereof and also by strong walles turrets ditches and bulworks made about it The king therefore to take awaie all the issues and entries from them within made a bridge ouer the riuer able to beare horsses and carriage and againe appointed diuerse botes furnished with men of warre to kéepe the streame so that they within should haue no waie to come abroad either by water or land yet on a daie the Frenchmen sailed foorth line 40 and assailed the English lodgings where the earle of Warwike was incamped on the east side of the towne not farre from the duke of Burgognie but by the valiant prowesse and manlie courage of the Englishmen the enimies were easilie beaten backe and constreined to retire into the towne againe with their losse Héere is to be remembred that during this siege before Melun there came to the king the duke of Bauiere the kings brother in law but the kings sister that had beene married to him was line 50 not then liuing and brought with him seauen hundred well appointed horssemen which were reteined to serue the king and right worthilie they bare themselues and therefore most liberallie recompensed at the kings hand for the time they continued in his seruice The king inforced this siege by all waies and meanes possible to bring the towne into subiection as well by mines as otherwise but they within the line 60 towne so valiantlie behaued themselues as well by countermines whereby at length they entered into the kings mines as by other waies of resistance that by force of assaults it was not thought anie easie matter to win the same It fortuned on a daie that whilest there rose a contention betwixt two lords of the kings host who should haue the honor to go first into the mine to incounter with the Frenchmen that now had brought their mine through into the English mines and made barriers betwixt that they might safelie come and fight with the Englishmen the king to auoid the strife entered the mine himselfe first of all other and by chance came to fight hand to hand with the lord Barbason who was likewise entered the mine before all other of them within the towne After they had fought a good season togither at length they agreed to discouer either to other their names so as the lord Barbason first declaring what he was the king likewise told him that he was the king of England Wherevpon Barbason perceiuing with whome he had fought caused the barriers foorthwith to be closed and withdrew into the citie and the king returned backe to his campe At length vittels within the towne began to faile and the pestilence began to wax hot so that the lord Barbason began to treat and in conclusion about the middest of Nouember as Fabian saith the towne was yeelded vpon certeine conditions where of one was that all that were consenting to the death of the duke of Burgognie should be deliuered to the king of England of whome the lord Barbason was suspected to be one The king sent them vnder the conduct of his brother the duke of Clarence to the citie of Paris whereof the French king made him capteine and so at his comming thither he tooke possession of the Bastill of S. Anthonie the Loure the house of Néelle and the place of Bois de Uincennes Monsieur de Barbason was accused by the duke of Burgognie and his sisters as guiltie to their fathers death but he in open court defended himselfe as not guiltie of that crime granting indeed and confessing that he was one of the familiar seruants to the Dolphin but that he was priuie or consenting to the death of the duke of Burgognie he vtterlie denied Wherevpon he was not condemned neither yet acquited by reason of such presumptions and coniectures as were alledged and brought against him so that he remained in prison at Paris and else-where the space of nine yeares till at length being brought vnto castell Galliard it chanced that the same castell was woone by those of the Dolphins part and he being as then prisoner there escaped out of danger and so by that means was set at libertie as after shall appeare Some write that he had béene put to death if he had not appealed from king Henries sentence vnto the iudgement of the officers at armes alledging that by the lawe of armes no man hauing his brother in armes within his danger afterwards ought to put him to death for any cause or quarell And that he was the kings brother in armes he prooued it for that he had fought with him hand to hand within the mines as before yee haue heard which combat was thought of equall force by the heralds as if he had fought with the king bodie to bodie within solemne lists The credit of this matter we leaue to the consideration of the readers The earle of Huntington was made capteine of Melum In defense of this towne and castell the French had gotten vnto them manie Scots At the siege héere the king kept with him yoong Iames of Scotland who sent to those Scots that they should come out and yéeld them vnto him and not to stand in armes against their liege lord and king but they gaue word backe againe they could not take him for king that was in the power of another and so kept them in hold and in their armor still King Henrie vpon winning of these forts for their rebellion against their prince which they would haue to be counted constancie and for their contemptuous answer vnto him twentie of the proudest in example of the rest caused he there to be hanged at once From thence the king departed with his armie vnto Corbeill where the French king and the two queenes then soiourned and after both the kings accompanied with the dukes of Bedford Burgognie Glocester and Excester and the earls of Warwike and Salisburie with a great number of noble men and knights set foorth towards Paris whome the citizens in good order met without the gates and the cleargie also with solemne procession All the streets were hanged with rich clothes the two kings rode togither the king of England giuing the vpper hand to his father in lawe through the great citie of Paris to our ladie church where after they had said their deuotions they departed vnto their
Maine and at Pont le Gene he passed the riuer of Yonne and rode through all the countrie to Lucie where he passed the riuer of Loire and entered into Aniou and came before the citie of Angiers where he made manie knights that is â—o saie sir William Ros sir Henrie Goddard sir Rowland Rider sir Thomas Beaufort called the bastard of Clarence and diuerse other and after that he had â—orâ—aied burnt and spoiled the countrie he returned with preie and pillage to the towne of Beaufort in the vallie where he was aduertised that a great number of his enimies Frenchmen Scots Spaniards and other were assembled togither at a place called Uiell Bauge that is Old Baugie with the duke of Alanson calling himselfe lieutenant generall for the Dolphin The duke of Clarence had a Lombard resorting vnto him reteined with the part aduerse his name was Andrew Forgusa of whom the duke inquired the number of his enimies to whome he reported that their number was but small not of puissance to match with halfe the power of his strong armie intising him with assurance of victorie to set on the Frenchmen The duke like a couragious prince assembled togither all the horssemen of the armie and line 10 left the archers vnder the guiding of the bastard of Clarence and two Portingales capteins of Fresnie le vicount saieng that he onelie and the nobles would haue the honor of that iournie When the duke was passed a certeine streict and narrow passage he espied his enimies ranged in good order of battell by the monition of the Lombard which had sold him to his enimies his aduersaries had laid such ambushments at the streicts that the duke by no waie without battell could either retire or flée line 20 The Englishmen séeing this valiantlie set on their enimies who were foure to one by reason whereof at length the Englishmen were oppressed with multitude and brought to confusion There were slaine the duke of Clarence the earle of Tankeruile the lord Ros sir Gilbert Umfreuile earle of Angus and sir Iohn Lomlie sir Robert Uerend and almost two thousand Englishmen the earles of Summerset Suffolke and Perch the lord Fitz Water sir Iohn Berkelie sir Rafe Neuile sir Henrie Inglis sir line 30 Wiliam Bowes sir Wiliam Longton sir Thomas Borough and diuerse other taken prisoners And of the Frenchmen were slaine aboue twelue hundred of the best men of warre they had so that they gained not much The bastard of Clarence which tarried at Beaufort being informed of the great number of the Frenchmen made forward with all the archers to come to the succor of the duke but they came too late For the Frenchmen hearing of the approching of the line 40 archers fled with their prisoners and left the bodie of the duke and other the dead carcases behind them The archers buried them all sauing the dukes corpse which with great solemnitie was sent to England and buried at Canturburie beside his father After this the Englishmen burnt and spoiled the countrie of Maine and so returned to Alanson and after departed euerie man to his garrison This battell was fought on Easter euen in the yeare 1421. But now to returne to the king line 50 After he had kept his Easter at Leicester he with the quéene remooued and went northward till they came to Yorke where they were receiued with great ioy of the citizens and other the nobles and gentlemen of the countrie The king went vnto Beuerlie to visit the shrine of saint Iohn and immediatlie vpon his departure from thence the sorowfull newes of his brother the duke of Clarences death came to him for which he was right pensife But sith mourning would not auaile he called to remembrance line 60 what he had to doo and therevpon without delaie sent Edmund earle of Mortaigne brother to the earle of Summerset into Normandie giuing to him like authoritie and preheminence as his brother the late deceassed duke of Clarence had before enioied After this he called his high court of parlement in the which he declared with such great wisedome grauitie the acts which had béene doone in France the state of the time present and what was necessarie to be prouided for the time to come if they would looke to haue that iewell and high kingdome for the which they had so long laboured and sought that the communaltie gladlie granted a fiftéenth the clergie beneuolentlie offred a double disme And bicause no delaie should be in the kings affaires for lacke of paiment the bishop of Winchester the kings vncle lent vnto him twentie thousand pounds to be paid him againe of the same dismes When all things necessarie for this iournie were readie and prepared he sent his brother the duke of Bedford before him to Calis with all his armie being as some write foure thousand men of armes and twentie thousand archers and others though some haue written that the whole armie passed not twelue thousand of one and other The king himselfe shortlie after about the middle of Maie passed the seas to Calis and so from thence he marched through the countrie vnto Boies de Uincennes where the French king and the queene aâ— then soiourned The duke of Burgognie also that had receiued him at Monstruell attended him to Dowast in Ponthieu and there hauing taken leaue of him for six daies returned now againe to him according to his promise Then did they consult togither about their affaires and appointed in all hast to fight with the Dolphin and to raise the siege of Chartres which he had there planted Herevpon the king of England with all his puissance came to the towne of Mante and thither repaired the duke of Burgognie but yer they departed from thence they had knowledge that the Dolphin hearing of the puissant armie of the king of England approching towards him was recoiled with his people towards Towers in Touraine Herevpon the king of England incontinentlie did not onlie send backe the duke of Burgognie into Picardie to resist the attempts of sir Iaques de Harecourt which made war in that countrie for the Dolphin but also appointed the king of Scots with the duke of Glocester to besiege the towne of Dreux They comming thither about the eighteenth of Iulie planted siege on euerie side both of the towne and castell and what with power of batrie and other forcible meanes so constreined them within that on the eight daie of August they compounded that if no sufficient rescue came to raise the siege before the end of twelue daies next insuing both the towne and castell should be deliuered to the king of Englands vse so as the soldiers might depart with their goods whither they would except one Englishman which was knowen to be amongst them being fled for treason out of the kings dominions On the twentith daie of August which was the day of the appointment the king of
our onelie means called king Edward the fourth Beside all this the earle of Warwike being a far casting prince perceiued somewhat in the duke of Clarence whereby he iudged that he bare no great good will towards the king his brother and therevpon feeling his mind by such talke as he of purpose ministred vnderstood how he was bent and so wan him to his purpose and for better assurance of his faithfull friendship he offered him his eldest daughter in mariage with the whole halfe deale of his wiues inheritance And herevpon after consultation had of their weightie businesse and dangerous affaires they failed ouer to Calis of the which towne the earle was capteine where his wife two daughters then soiourned whome the duke being in loue with hir person had great desire to visit But the earle hauing in continuall remembrance his purposed enterprise appointed his brethren the archbishop and the marquesse that they should by some meanes in his absence stir vp some new rebellion in the countie of Yorke and other places adioining so that this ciuill warre should séeme to all men to haue béene begun without his assent or knowlege being on the further side of the seas The duke of Clarence being come to Calis with the earle of Warwike after he had sworne on the sacrament to kéepe his promise and pact made with the said earle whole and inuiolate he married the ladie Isabell eldest daughter to the earle in our ladies church there Shortlie after according as had béene aforehand deuised a commotion was begun in Yorkeshire to the great disquieting of that countrie The same chanced by this means There was in the citie of Yorke an old and rich hospitall dedicated to saint Leonard for the harbourough and reléeuing of poore people Certeine euill disposed persons of the earle of Warwikes faction intending to set a broile in the countrie persuaded line 10 the husbandmen to refuse to giue anie thing to the said hospitall affirming that the corne giuen to that good intent came not to the vse of the poore but was conuerted to the behoofe of the maister of the hospitall and the preests whereby they grew to be rich and the poore people wanted their due succour and reléefe And not content with these saiengs they fell to dooings for when the proctors of the hospitall according to their vsage went about the countrie to gather the accustomed corne they were sore beaten wounded line 20 and euill intreated Shortlie after the conspiracie of the euill disposed people grew to an open rebellion so that there assembled to the number of fifteene thousand men euen readie bent to set on the citie of Yorke But the lord marquesse Montacute gouernour and president of that countrie for the king taking spéedie counsell in the matter with a small number of men but well chosen incountred the rebels before the gates of Yorke where after a long conflict he tooke Robert line 30 Huldorne their capteine and before them commanded his head to be striken off and then bicause it was a darke euening he caused his souldiers to enter into Yorke and there to refresh them Héere manie men haue maruelled whie the marquesse thus put to death the capteine of those people which had procured this their rebellious enterprise Some saie he did it to the intent to séeme innocent and faultlesse of his brothers dooings But other iudge that he did it for that contrarie to his promise line 40 made to his brother he was determined to take part with king Edward with whome as it shall after appeare he in small space entered into grace and fauour The rebels being nothing dismaied with the death of their capteine but rather the more bent on mischéefe by faire meanes and craftie persuasions got to them Henrie sonne to the lord Fitz Hugh and sir Henrie Neuill sonne and heire to the lord Latimer the one being nephue and the other cousine germane to the erle of Warwike Although these yoong line 50 gentlemen bare the names of capteins yet they had a gouernour that was sir Iohn Coniers a man of such courage valiantnesse as few were to be found in his daies within the north parts After they saw that they could not get Yorke bicause they wanted ordinance they determined with all speed to march toward London intending to raise such a toie in the peoples minds that they should thinke king Edward neither to be a lawfull prince nor yet profitable to the common-wealth King Edward line 60 hauing perfect knowledge of all the dooings of the earle of Warwike and of his brother the duke of Clarence was by diuerse letters certified of the great armie of the northerne men with all spéed comming toward London and therefore in great hast he sent to William lord Herbert whom as yée haue heard he had created earle of Penbroke requiring him without delaie to raise his power and incounter with the northerne men The earle of Penbroke commnolie called the lord Herbert both readie to obeie the kings commandement according to his dutie and also desirous to reuenge the malice which he bare to the earle of Warwike for that he knew how he had béene the onelie let whie he obteined not the wardship of the lord Bonneuilles daughter and heire for his eldest sonne accompanied with his brother sir Richard Herbert a valiant knight and aboue six or seauen thousand Welshmen well furnished marched forward to incounter with the northerne men And to assist him with archers was appointed Humfrie lord Stafford of Southwike named but not created earle of Deuonshire by the king in hope that he would serue valiantlie in that iournie he had with him eight hundred archers When these two lords were met at Cotteshold they heard how the northerne men were going toward Northampton wherevpon the lord Stafford and sir Richard Herbert with two thousand well horsed Welshmen rode foorth afore the maine armie to sée the demeanour of the northerne men and at length vnder a woods side they couertlie espied them passing forward and suddenlie set on the rere-ward but the northerne men with such nimblenesse turned about that in a moment the Welshmen were discomfited and manie taken the remnant returned to the armie with small gaine The northerne men well cooled with this small victorie went no further southwards but tooke their waie toward Warwike looking for aid of the earle which was latelie come from Calis with his sonne in law the duke of Clarence and was raising men to aid his freends and kinsfolke The king likewise assembled people to aid the erle of Penbroke but before either part receiued succour from his fréend or partaker both the armies met by chance in a faire plaine néere to a towne called Hedgecote foure miles distant from Banberie where there are thrée hilles not in equall quantitie but lieng in maner although not fullie triangle The Welshmen got first the west hill hoping to haue recouered
they said afterward that that prophesie lost not his effect when after king Edward Glocester vsurped his kingdome Other alledged that the cause of his death was for that the duke being destitute of a wife by the meanes of his sister the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie procured to haue the ladie Marie daughter and heire to hir husband duke Charles line 60 Which marriage king Edward enuieng the prosperitie of his brother both gaine said and disturbed and thereby old malice reuiued betwixt them which the quéene and hir bloud euer mistrusting and priuilie barking at the kings Image ceassed not to increase But sure it is that although king Edward were consenting to his death yet he much did both lament his infortunate chance repent his sudden execution insomuch that when anie person sued to him for the pardon of malefactors condemned to death he would accustomablie saie openlie speake Oh infortunate brother for whose life not one would make sute Openlie and apparantlie meaning by such words that by the meanes of some of the nobilitie he was deceiued and brought to confusion This duke left behind him two yoong infants begot of the bodie of his wife the daughter of Richard late earle of Warwike which children by destinie as it were or by their owne merits following the steps of their ancestors succéeded them in like misfortune and semblable euill chance For Edward his heire whom king Edward had created earle of Warwike was thrée and twentie yeares after in the time of Henrie the seauenth atteinted of treason and on the Tower hill lost his head Margaret his sole daughter maried to sir Richard Pole knight and by Henrie the eight restored to the name title possessions of the earledome of Salisburie was at length for treason committed against the said Henrie the eight atteinted in open parlement and sixtie two yeares after hir father had suffered death in the Tower she on the greene within the same place was beheaded In whose person died the verie surname of Plantagenet which from Geffrie Plantagenet so long in the bloud roiall of this realme had florished and continued After the death of this duke by reason of great heat and distemperance of aire happened so fierce quicke a pestilence that fiftéene yeares warre past consumed not the third part of the people that onelie foure moneths miserablie and pitifullie dispatched brought to their graues So that if the number had béene kept by multiplieng of vnities out of them to haue raised a complet number it would haue mooued matter of verie great admiration But it should séeme that they were infinit if consideration be had of the comparison inferred for the more effectuall setting foorth of that cruell and ceaselesse contagion And suerlie it soundeth to reason that the pestilence should fetchawaie so manie thousands as in iudgement by proportion of fiftéene yeares warre one maie gather and manie more too For euerie man knoweth that in warres time place persons and meanes are limited time of warre begun and ended place circumscribed persons imbattelled and weapons also whereby the fight is tried so that all these haue their limitations beyond which they haue no extent But the pestilence being a generall infection of the aire an element ordeined to mainteine life though it haue a limitation in respect of the totall compasse of the world yet whole climats maie be poisoned and it were not absurd to saie that all and euerie part of the aire maie be pestilentlie corrupted and so consequentlie not limited wherefore full well it maie be said of the pestilence procuring so great a depopulation as one saith of surfetting Ense cadunt multi perimit sed crapula plures The councellors of the yoong duchesse of Burgoggnie sent to K. Edward for aid against the French king About the same time had the queene of England sent to the ladie Margaret duchesse of Burgognie for the preferrement of hir brother Anthonie erle Riuers to the yoong damsell But the councell of Flanders considering that he was but an earle of meane estate and she the greatest inheritrice of all christendome at that time gaue but deafe eare to so vnméet a request To which desire if the Flemings had but giuen a liking eare by outward semblance and with gentle words delaied the sute she had beene both succoured and defended Whether king Edward was not contented with this refusall or that he was loth to breake with the French king he would in no wise consent to send an armie into Flanders against the French king but yet he sent ambassadours to him with louing and gentle letters requiring him to grow to some reasonable order agréement with the yoong duchesse of Burgognie or at the least to take a truce with hir at his request The ambassadours of England were highlie receiued bountifullie feasted and liberallie rewarded but answer to their desire had they none sauing that shortlie after the French king would send ambassadours hostages and pledges to the king of England their maister for the perfecting and concluding of all things depending betweene them two so that their souereigne lord they should haue cause to be contented and pleased These faire words were onelie delaies to driue time vntill he might haue space line 10 to spoile the yoong damsell of hir townes and countries And beside this to staie king Edward from taking part with hir he wrote to him that if he would ioine with him in aid he should haue and inioie to him and his heires the whole countie countrie of Flanders discharged of homage superioritie and resort to be claimed by the French king or his successors He also wrote that he should haue the whole duchie of Brabant whereof the French king offered at his line 20 owne cost and charge to conquer foure of the chiefest and strongest townes within the said duchie them in quiet possession to deliuer to the king of England granting further to paie him ten thousand angels toward his charges with munitions of warre and artillerie which he promised to lend him with men and carriage for the conueiance of the same The king of England refused to make anie warres against those countries that were thus offered to him but if the French king would make him partner line 30 of his conquests in Picardie rendering to him part of the townes alreadie gotten as Bologne Monsterell and Abuile then he would suerlie take his part and aid him with men at his owne costs and charges Thus passed faire words and golden promises betwéene these two princes and in the meane time the yoong duchesse of Burgognie was spoiled of hir townes castels territories till at length for maintenance she condescended to marrie with Maximilian line 40 sonne to the emperour Frederike that he might kéepe the woolfe from the fold King Edward in the ninetéenth yeare of his reigne began more than he was before accustomed to serch the forfeiture of penall
Orleance after French king he was with mischarging of a speare by fortunes peruerse countenance pitifullie slaine and brought to death leauing after him one line 50 onelie son named Iohn which being banished Scotland inhabited maried in France and there died How dolorous how sorrowfull is it to write and much more painefull to remember the chances and infortunities that happened within two yeares in England Scotland betwéene naturall brethren For king Edward set on by such as enuied the estate of the duke of Clarence forgetting nature and brotherlie amitie consented to the death of his said brother Iames king of Scots putting in obliuion that line 60 Alexander his brother was the onelie organ and instrument by whome he obteined libertie fréedome seduced and led by vile and malicious persons which maligned at the glorie and indifferent iustice of the duke of Albanie imagined and compassed his death and exiled him for euer What a pernicious serpent what a venemous toade and what a pestiferous scorpion is that diuelish whelpe called priuie enuie Against it no fortresse can defend no caue can hide no wood can shadow no fowle can escape nor no beast can auoid Hir poison is so strong that neuer man in authoritie could escape from the biting of hir teeth scratching of hir pawes blasting of hir breth filth of hir taile Notable therefore is the Gréeke epigram in this behalfe touching enuie of this kind which saith that a worsse thing than enuie there is not in the world and yet hath it some goodnesse in it for it consumeth the eies and the hart of the enuious The words in their owne toong sententiouslie sound thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although king Edward reioised that his businesse came to so good a conclusion with the Scots yet he was about the same time sore disquieted in his mind towards the French king whome he now perceiued to haue dallied with him as touching the agreement of the mariage to be had betwixt the Dolphin and his daughter the ladie Elizabeth For the lord Howard being as then returned out of France certified the king of his owne knowledge how that he being present saw the ladie Margaret of Austrich daughter to duke Maximilian sonne to the emperor Frederike receiued into France with great pompe and roialtie and at Ambois to the Dolphin contracted and espoused King Edward highlie displeased with such double and vniust dealing of the French king called his nobles togither and opened to them his gréefes who promised him for redresse thereof to be readie with all their powers to make warres in France at his pleasure and appointment But whilest he was busie in hand to make his purueiance for warres thus against France whether it was with melancholie and anger which he tooke with the French kings dooings and vncourteous vsage or were it by any superfluous surfet to â—he which he was verie much giuen he suddenlie fell sicke and was so gréeuouslie taken that in the end he perceiued his naturall strength in such wise to decaie that there was little hope of recouerie in the cunning of his physicians whome he perceiued onlie to prolong his life for a small time Wherefore he began to make readie for his passage into another world not forgetting as after shall appeare to exhort the nobles of his realme aboue all things to an vnitie among themselues And hauing as he tooke it made an attonement betwixt the parties that were knowne to be scant freends he commended vnto their graue wisedoms the gouernment of his sonne the prince and of his brother the duke of Yorke during the time of their tender yeares But it shall not be amisse to adde in this place the words which he is said to haue spoken on his death-bed which were in effect as followeth The words of king Edward vttered by him on his death-bed MY welbeloued and no lesse betrusted fréends councellors and alies if we mortall men would dailie and hourlie with our selues reuolue and intentiuelie in our hearts ingraue or in our minds seriouslie ponder the fraile and fading imbecillitie of our humane nature and the vnstablenesse of the same we should apparantlie perceiue that we being called reasonable creatures and in that predicament compared and ioined with angels be more worthie to be named and déemed persons vnreasonable and rather to be associate in that name with brute beasts called vnreasonable of whose life and death no creature speaketh rather than in that point to be resembled to the angelicall societie and reasonable companie For while health in vs florisheth or prosperitie aboundeth or the glosing world laugheth which is he so reasonable of vs all that can saie if he will not â—r from the truth that he once in a wéeke remembreth his fatall end or the prescribed terme of his induring or once prouided by labour studie or otherwise to set a stedfast and sure order for the securitie profit and continuance either of his possessions dominions or of his sequele and posteritie which after him shall naturallie succéed Such is the blindnesse of our fraile and weake nature euer giuen to carnall concupiscence and wordlie delectations dailie darkened and seduced with that lithargious and deceiuable serpent called hope of long life that all we put in line 10 obliuion our duetie present and lesse remember the politike purueiance for things to come for blindlie we walke in this fraile life till we fall groueling with our eies suddenlie vpon death The vanities of this world be to vs so agreeable that when we begin to liue we estéeme our life a whole world which once ouerpassed it sheweth no better but dust driuen awaie with a puffe of wind I speake this to you of my selfe and for your selues to you sore lamenting and inwardlie bewailing that I line 20 did not performe finallie consummate such politike deuises good and godlie ordinances in my long life and peaceable prosperitie which then I fullie determined to haue begun set forward and completlie to haue finished Which now for the extreame paines and tortures of my angrie maladie and for the small terme of my naturall life I can neither performe neither yet liue to sée either to take effect or to sort to anie good conclusion For God I call to record my heart was fullie set line 30 and my mind deliberatlie determined so to haue adorned this realme with wholesome lawes statutes and ordinances so to haue trained and brought vp mine infants and children in vertue learning actiuitie and policie that what with their roiall puissance your fréendlie assistance the proudest prince of Europe durst not once attempt to mooue anie hostilitie against them you or this realme But oh Lord all things that I of long time haue in my mind reuolued and imagined that stealing théefe death goeth line 40 about to subuert and in the moment of an houre cléerelie to ouertred Wherefore as men saie I now being driuen to the verie
hir noble person neither was nor could be anie maner ieopardie Whereby should I trust that quoth the quéene in that I am giltlesse As though they were giltie in that I am with their enimies better loued than they When they hate them for my sake in that I am so néere of kin to the king And how far they be off if that would helpe as God send grace it hurt not and therefore as for me I purpose not as yet to depart hence And as for this gentleman my sonne I mind that he shall be where I am till I sée further for I assure you for that I sée some men so greedie without anie substantiall cause to haue him this maketh me much the more fearder to deliuer him Truelie madame quoth he and the fearder that you be to deliuer him the fearder bin other men to suffer you to kéepe him least your causelesse feare might cause you further to conueie him and manie be there that thinke he can haue no priuilege in this place which neither can haue will to aske it nor malice to deserue it And therefore they reckon no priuilege broken though they fetch him out which if yée finallie refuse to deliuer him I verelie thinke they will So much dread hath my lord his vncle for the tender loue he beareth him least your grace should line 10 hap to send him awaie A sir quoth the quéene hath the protector so tender zeale that he feareth nothing but least he should escape him Thinketh he that I would send him hence which neither is in the plight to send out And in what place could I reckon him sure if he be not sure in this sanctuarie whereof was there neuer tyrant yet so diuelish that durst presume to breake And I trust God is as strong now to withstand his aduersaries as euer he was But my sonne can deserue line 20 no sanctuarie and therefore he can not haue it Forsooth he hath found a goodlie glose by which that place that may defend a théefe may not saue an innocent But he is in no ieopardie nor hath no need thereof would God he had not Troweth the protector I praie God he may prooue a protector troweth he that I perceiue not wherevnto his painted processe draweth It is not honourable that the duke bide héere it were comfortable for them both that he were with his brother bicause the line 30 king lacketh a plaifellow Be you sure I praie God send them both better plaifellowes than him that maketh so high a matter vpon such a trifling pretext as though there could none be founden to plaie with the king but if his brother that hath no lust to plaie for sicknesse come out of sanctuarie out of his safegard to plaie with him As though princes as yoong as they be could not plaie but with their peeres or children could not plaie but with their kinred with whome for the more part they agrée much woorse than line 40 with strangers But the child cannot require the priuilege Who told him so He shall heare him aske it and he will Howbeit this is a gaie matter Suppose he could not aske it suppose he would not aske it suppose he would aske to go out If I saie he shall not if I aske the priuilege but for my selfe I say he that against my will taketh him out breaketh the sanctuarie Serueth this libertie for my person onelie or for my goods too Yée may not hence take my horsse fro me and may you line 50 take my child fro me He is also my ward for as my learned counsell sheweth me sith he hath nothing by descent holden by knights seruice the law maketh his mother his gardian Then may no man I suppose take my ward fro me out of sanctuarie without the breach of the sanctuarie And if my priuilege could not serue him nor he aske it for himselfe yet sith the law committeth to me the custodie of him I may require it for him except the law giue a child a gardian onelie for his goods and lands discharging him of the cure and safe line 60 kéeping of his bodie for which onelie both lands and goods serue * And if examples be sufficient to obteine priuilege for my child I need not farre to séeke For in this place in which we now be and which is now in question whether my child may take benefit of it mine other sonne now king was borne and kept in his cradle and preserued to a more prosperous fortune which I praie God long to continue And as all you know this is not the first time that I haue taken sanctuarie For when my lord my husband was banished and thrust out of his kingdome I fled hither being great with child and héere I bare the prince And when my lord my husband returned safe againe and had the victorie then went I hence to welcome him home and from hence I brought my babe the prince vnto his father when he first tooke him in his armes And I praie God that my sonnes palace may be as great safegard vnto him now reigning as this place was sometime to the kings enimie In which place I intend to kéepe his brother sith c. * Wherefore héere intend I to keepe him sith mans law serueth the gardian to kéepe the infant The law of nature will the moother to keepe his child Gods law priuilegeth the sanctuarie and the sanctuarie my sonne sith I feare to put him in the protectors hands that hath his brother alreadie and were if both failed inheritour to the crowne The cause of my feare hath no man to doo to examine And yet feare I no further than the law feareth which as learned men tell me forbiddeth euerie man the custodie of them by whose death he maie inherit lesse land than a kingdome I can no more but whosoeuer he be that breaketh this holie sanctuarie I praie God shortlie send him néed of sanctuarie when he maie not come to it For taken out of sanctuarie would I not my mortall enimie were The lord cardinall perceiuing that the quéene waxed euer the longer the farther off and also that she began to kindle and chafe and spake more biting words against the protector and such as he neither beléeued and was also loth to heare he said to hir for a finall conclusion that he would no longer dispute the matter but if she were content to deliuer the duke to him and to the other lords present he durst laie his owne bodie soule both in pledge not onelie for his suertie but also for his estate And if she would giue them a resolute answer to the contrarie he would foorthwith depart therwithall and shift who so would with this businesse afterwards for he neuer intended more to mooue hir in that matter in which she thought that he all other also saue hir selfe lacked either wit or truth wit if they were so dull that they could nothing perceiue what
be on that side a defense for his part and in so dooing he had the sunne at his backe and in the faces of his enimies When king Richard saw the earles companie was passed the marish he did command with all hast to set vpon them Then the trumpets sounded and the souldiers shouted and the kings archers couragiouslie let flie their arrowes The earles bowmen stood not still but paied them home againe The terrible shot once passed the armies ioined and came to hand-strokes where neither sword nor bill was spared At which incounter the lord Stanleie ioined with the earle The earle of Oxford in the meane season fearing least while his companie was fighting they should be compassed and circumuented with the multitude of the enimies gaue commandement in euerie ranke that no man should be line 10 so hardie as to go aboue ten foot from the standard Which commandment once knowne they knit themselues togither and ceassed a little from fighting The aduersaries suddenlie abashed at the matter and mistrusting some fraud and deceit began also to pause and left striking and not against the wils of manie which had rather had the king destroied than saued and therefore they fought verie faintlie or stood still The earle of Oxford bringing all his band togither on the one part set on his enimies freshlie againe line 20 The aduersaries perceiuing that placed their men slender and thin before but thicke and broad behind beginning againe hardilie the battell While the two fore-wards thus mortallie fought ech intending to vanquish and conuince the other king Richard was admonished by his explorators and espials that the earle of Richmond accompanied with a small number of men of armes was not far off And as he approched and marched toward him he perfectlie knew his personage by certeine demonstrations line 30 and tokens which he had learned and knowen of others that were able to giue him full information Now being inflamed with ire and vexed with outragious malice he put his spurres to his horsse and rode out of the side of the range of his battell leauing the vant-gard fighting and like a hungrie lion ran with speare in rest toward him The earle of Richmond perceiued well the king furiouslie comming toward him and bicause the whole hope of his line 40 wealth and purpose was to be determined by battell he gladlie proffered to incounter with him bodie to bodie and man to man King Richard set on so sharplie at the first brunt that he ouerthrew the earles standard and slue sir William Brandon his standard-bearer which was father to sir Charles Brandon by king Henrie the right created duke of Suffolke and matched hand to hand with sir Iohn Cheinie a man of great force and strength which would haue resisted him but the said Iohn was by him manfullie ouerthrowen And line 50 to he making open passage by dint of sword as he went forward the earle of Richmond withstood his violence and kept him at the swords point without aduantage longer than his companions either thought or iudged which being almost in despaire of victorie were suddenlie recomforted by sir William Stanleie which came to his succors with three thousand tall men At which verie instant king Richards men were driuen backe and fled he himselfe manfullie line 60 fighting in the middle of his enimies was slaine and as he worthilie had deserued came to a bloudie death as he had lead a bloudie life In the meane season the earle of Oxford with the aid of the lord Stanleie after no long fight discomfited the fore 〈◊〉 of king Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the chase and fight but the greatest number which compelled by feare of the king and not of their meére voluntarie motion came to the field gaue neuer a stroke and hauing no harme nor damage safelie departed which came not thither in hope to sée the king prosper and preuaile but to heare that he should be shamefullie confounded and brought to ruine In this battell died few aboue the number of a thousand persons and of the nobilitie were slaine Iohn duke of Norffolke which was warned by diuerse to refraine from the field in so much that the night before he should set forward toward the king one wrote this rime vpon his gate Iacke of Norffolke be not too bold For Dikon thy maister is bought and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding he regarded more his oth his honor and promise made to king Richard like a gentleman and as a faithfull subiect to his prince absented not himselfe from his maister but as he faithfullie liued vnder him so he manfullie died with him to his great fame and laud. And therfore though his seruice was ill imploied in aid of a tyrant whome it had béene more honorable to haue suppressed than supported yet bicause he had vpon his fealtie vndertaken to fight in his quarell he thought it lesse losse of life and liuing than of glorie honour so that he might haue said in respect of his loialtie promised truth testified with constancie to the death Est mihi supplicium causa fuisse pium There were slaine beside him Walter lord Ferrers of Chartleie sir Richard Radcliffe and Robert Brakenberie lieutenant of the Tower and not manie gentlemen more Sir William Catesbie learned in the lawes of the realme and one of the chéefe councellors to the late king with diuerse other were two daies after beheaded at Leicester Amongst them that ran awaie were sir Francis vicount Lonell and Humfreie Stafford and Thomas Stafford his brother which tooke sanctuarie in saint Iohns at Glocester Of captiues and prisoners there were a great number For after the death of king Richard was knowne and published euerie man in manner vnarming himselfe casting awaie his abiliments of warre meekelie submitted themselues to the obeisance and rule of the earle of Richmond of the which the more part had gladlie so doone in the beginning if they might haue conuenientlie escaped from king Richards espials which hauing as cléere eies as Lynx and open eares as Midas ranged searched in euerie quarter Amongst these was Henrie the fourth earle of Northumberland which whether it was by the commandement of king Richard putting diffidence in him or he did it for the loue and fauour that he bare vnto the earle stood still with a great companie and intermitted not in the battell which was incontinentlie receiued into fauour and made of the councell But Thomas Howard earle of Surreie which submitted himselfe there was not taken to grace bicause his father was chiefe councellor and he greatlie familiar with king Richard but committed to the Tower of London where he long remained and in conclusion deliuered was for his truth and fidelitie after promoted to high honors offices and dignities On the earle of Richmonds part were slaine scarse one hundred persons among whome the principall was sir William Brandon
shoot at the Englishmen Also they trapped togither foure and twentie great hulkes that came to the baie for salt and set them on a row to the intent line 60 that if the Englishmen had come to assault them they would haue set those hulks on fire and haue let them driue with the streame amongst the English ships Prior Iehan also laie still in Blanke sable baie and plucked his gallies to the shore setting his basiliskes and other ordinance in the mouth of the baie which baie was bulworked on euerie side that by water it was not possible to be woone The lord admerall perceiuing the French nauie thus to lie in feare wrote to the king to come thither in person and to haue the honour of so high an enterprise which writing the kings councell nothing allowed for putting the king in ieopardie vpon the chance of the sea Wherefore the king wrote to him sharplie againe commanding him to accomplish that which apperteined to his duetie which caused him to aduenture things further than wisedome would he should as after yée shall heare to his vtter vndooing and casting awaie God hauing ordeined the means by his prouidence which the pagans implied though wanting the light of grace in the name of destinie of them counted ineuitable A destinie lamentable considering the qualitie of the person with the maner of his dieng Wherein although manie vainlie dispute that fortune led him to so miserable an accident yet if we will lift vp our considerations to God we shall find that he hath reserued such a prerogatiue ouer all things which he hath created that to him onelie belongeth the authoritie to dispose all things by the same power wherewith he hath created them of nothing And yet the foolish world doting in blind ignorance but pretending a singular insight in matters of secrecie blusheth not to talke or rather to asseuere casualtie chancemedlie misfortune and such like foolish imaginations whereas indéed the prouidence of God compasseth all things whatsoeuer for nothing can be priuileged from the amplenesse of the same Prior Iehan kéeping him still within his hold as a prisoner in a dungeon did yet sometime send out his small foists to make a shew before the English nauie which chased them to the baie But bicause the English ships were mightie vessels they could not enter the baie and therefore the lord admerall caused certeine boats to be manned foorth which tooke one of the best foists that Prior Iehan had and that with great danger for the gallies and bulworks shot so freshlie all at one instant that it was maruell how the Englishmen escaped The lord admerall perceiuing that the Frenchmen would not come abroad called a councell wherein it was determined that first they would assaile Prior Iehan and his gallies lieng in Blanke sable baie and after to set on the residue of the French fléet in the hauen of Brest Then first it was appointed that the lord Ferrers sir Stephan Bull and other should go alaâ—d with a conueuient number to assault the bulworkes while the admerall entered with row barges and little gallies into the baie and so should the Frenchmen be assailed both by water and land The lord admerall by the counsell of a Spanish knight called sir Alfonse Charant affirming that he might enter the baie with little ieopardie called to him William Fitz Williams William Cooke Iohn Colleie and sir Wolstan Browne as his chéefe and most trustie fréends making them priuie to his intent which was to take on him the whole enterprise with their assistance And so on S. Markes daie which is the fiue and twentith of Aprill the said admerall put himselfe in a small row barge appointing thrée other small rowing ships and his owne ship bote to attend him and therewith vpon a sudden rowed into the baie where Prior Iehan had moored vp his gallies iust to the ground which gallies with the bulworkes on the land shot so terriblie that they that followed were afraid But the admerall passed forward as soone as he came to the gallies he entered droue out the Frenchmen William Fitz Williams within his ship was sore hurt with a quarell The baie was shallow and the other ships could not enter for the tide was spent Which thing the Frenchmen perceiuing they entered the gallies againe with moris pikes and fought with the English in the gallies The admerall perceiuing their approch thought to haue entred againe into his row barge which by violence of the tide was driuen downe the streame and with a pike he was throwne ouer the boord and so drowned and also the forenamed Alfonse was there slaine all the other boates and vessels escaped verie hardlie awaie for if they had taried the tide had failed them and then all had béene lost The lord Ferrers and the other capteins were right sorowfull of this chance but when there was no remedie they determined not to attempt anie further till they might vnderstand the kings pleasure and so they returned into England line 10 The Frenchmen perceiuing that the English fléet departed from the coasts of Britaine and drew towards England did come foorth of their hauens and Prior Iehan set foorth his gallies and foists and drawing alongst the coasts of Normandie and Britaine coasted ouer to the borders of Sussex with all his companie and there landed and set fire on certeine poore cotages The gentlemen that dwelt néere raised the countrie and came to the coast and droue Prior Iehan to his gallies The king was right sorie line 20 for the death of his admerall but sorrow preuaileth not when the chance is past Therefore the king hearing that the French nauie was abroad called to him the lord Thomas Howard eldest brother to the late admerall and sonne and heire apparant to the earle of Surrie whome he made admerall willing him to reuenge his brothers death The lord Howard humblie thanked his grace of the trust that he put in him and so immediatlie went to the sea and scowred the same that no Frenchman durst shew line 30 himselfe on the coast of England for he fought with them at their owne ports The king hauing all his prouisions readie for the warre and meaning to passe the sea in his owne person for the better taming of the loftie Frenchmen appointed that worthie councellor and right redoubted chéefteine the noble George Talbot earle of Shrewesburie high steward of his houshold to be capteine generall of his fore-ward and in his companie were appointed to go the lord Thomas Stanleie line 40 earle of Derbie lord Decowreie prior of saint Iohns sir Robert Ratcliffe lord Fitzwater the lord Hastings the lord Cobham sir Rice ap Thomas sir Thomas Blunt sir Richard Sacheuerell sir Iohn Digbie sir Iohn Askew sir Lewes Bagot sir Thomas Cornewall and manie other knights esquiers and souldiers to the number of eight thousand men These passed the sea and came all to
the other act for labourers of these two acts was much communing and much businesse arose For the labourers would in no wise labour by the daie but all by taske in great and therefore much trouble fell in the countrie and in especiall in haruest time for then husbandmen could skarse get workemen to helpe in their haruest This parlement continued vntill Easter in the which diuerse subsidies were granted to the king toward his great costs and charges that he had béene at in his viage roiall to France After Easter the nineteenth daie of the moneth of Aprill the king deliting to set foorth yoong gentlemen called Nicholas Carew and Francis Brian and caused diuerse other yoong gentlemen to be on the counter part and lent to them horsse and harnesse to incourage all youth to séeke déeds of armes This yeare died at Rome by poison as was reported the archbishop of Yorke and cardinall called doctor Benbrike who was the kings ambassadour there this was a wiseman and of a iollie courage The king then gaue the said archbishoprike to Thomas Wolsie then bishop of Lincolne who at that time bare all the rule about the king and what he said was obeied in all places Now when he was once archbishop he studied daie and night how to be a cardinall and caused the king and the French king to write to Rome for him and at their requests he obteined his purpose as you shall heare afterward At this time was much communing and verelie as it appeared it was intended that the king in person would passe the sea to Calis and there on the marches of the same the French king and quéene to come and sée the king their brother and for the same iournie manie costlie works were wrought much rich apparell prouided and much preparation made against the next spring but death which is the last end of all things let this iournie For before the next spring the French king died at the citie of Paris the first daie of Ianuarie when he had béene married to the faire ladie Marie of England foure score and two daies whom he so feruentlie loued that he gaue himselfe ouer to behold too much hir excellent beautie bearing then but eighteene yeares of age nothing considering the proportion of his owne yeares nor his decaied complexion so that he fell into the rage of a feauer which drawing to it a sudden flux ouercame in one instant the life that nature gaue ouer to preserue anie longer He was a king iust much beloued of his people but touching his condition neither before he was king nor after he had the crowne he neuer found constancie nor stabilitie in either fortune For rising from a small duke of Orleance with great happinesse to the crowne and that by the death of Charles yoonger than he and two of his sonnes he conquered with a verie great facilitie the duchie of Millan and the kingdome of Naples and almost line 10 all the residue of the regions of Italie being gouerned for manie yeares by his direction he recouered with a verie great prosperitie the state of Genes that was in rebellion and vanquished with no lesse glorie the armies of the Uenetians being in person at both those victories But on the other side euen when he was in his youth and best disposition of bodie he was then constreined by king Lewes the eleuenth to marrie his daughter that was both barren and deformed and yet could neuer get the good will nor countenance of his father in law line 20 And after his death such was the greatnesse of the ladie of Burbon that he could neuer get the institution of the new king being then in minoritie being almost compelled to retire himselfe into Britaine where being taken in the battell of saint Aubin he liued two yeares in the calamitie of a prisoner To these afflictions maie be added the siege and famine of Nauarre the manie discomfits he had in the realme of Naples the losse of the estate of Millan Genes and all the townes which he had taken line 30 from the Uenetians and lastlie the gréeuous warre he had in France against verie mightie enimies his eies beholding into what lamentable perils his realme was brought neuerthelesse before he died it séemed he had conquered all his aduersities and fortune shewed good tokens of hir reconcilement both for that he had defended his kingdome against mightie enimies and also established a perpetuall peace and aliance with the king of England with whome line 40 by how much his amitie was great and assured by so much it gaue him hope to be able to reconquer the duchie of Millan The king of England being aduertised of the French kings death caused a solemne obsequie to be kept for him in the cathedrall church of S. Paule with a costlie hearse at which manie nobles were present After this he sent a letter to comfort the quéene his sister requiring to know hir pleasure whether she would continue still in France or returne into England And when he was aduertised line 50 of hir mind which was to returne into England the duke of Suffolke sir Richard Wingfield deputie of Calis and doctor West with a goodlie band of gentlemen and yeomen all in blacke were sent into France and comming to Paris were well receiued of the new French king Francis the first of that name who was the next heire male of the bloud roiall and of the same line of the dukes of Orleance he was preferred to the succession of the kingdome before line 60 the daughters of the dead king by vertue and disposition of the law Salike a law verie ancient in the realme of France which excludeth from the roiall dignitie all women so long as there is anie issue male of the same line The world had such a hope in his vertues and such an opinion of his magnanimitie and such a conceipt of his iudgement and wit that euerie one confessed that of verie long time there was none raised vp to the crowne with a greater expectation He was made the more agreeable to the fansies of men by the consideration of his age bearing then but two and twentie yeares his excellent feiture and proportion of bodie his great liberalitie and generall humanitie togither with the ripe knowledge he had in manie things But speciallie he pleased greatlie the nobilitie to whome he transferred manie singular and great fauours Unto this king Francis de Angoulesine did the foresaid English nobilitie declare the effect of their commission which was to receiue the quéene Dowager according to the couenants of the marriage The councell of France by the kings appointment assigned foorth hir dowrie and the duke of Suffolke put in officers and then was the quéene deliuered to the duke by indenture who behaued himselfe so towards hir that he obteined hir good will to be hir husband It was thought that when the king created him duke of Suffolke
erle of Hereford of that surname of Bohune was after the death of William his father earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton and constable of England He augmented the castell of Brecnocke first built by Bernard Newmarch He in the eight and twentith yere of Edward the third as Iohn Stow noteth being the yeare of Christ 1354 reedified the frier Augustines church in London in which he was buried He maried Ione the daughter of Richard Fitz Alen erle of Arundell by whome he had issue two daughters and heires Eleanor the eldest maried to Thomas of Woodstocke and Marie the second maried to Henrie of Bollingbrooke after king of England by the name of king Henrie the fourth Thomas of Woodstocke the sixt sonne to king Edward the third was created earle of Buckingham in the first yeare of Richard the second at his coronation being the yeare of our Lord 1377 and after duke of Glocester in the eight yeare of Richard the second 1385. He maried Eleanor eldest daughter of Humfreie Bohune as before in whose right he was earle of Essex Northampton and constable of England besides which he was also lord of Brecnocke He had issue one son foure daughters his sonne was Humfreie erle of Buckingham whom K. Richard after the murthering of his father at Calis sent into Ireland where he remained as prisoner vntill the time of king Henrie the fourth which called him home who returning into England died of the plague without issue at Chester after whome his moother liued not long Of whose death thus writeth that worthie poet sir Iohn Gower knight liuing at that time in his booke of the historie of Richard the second and Henrie the fourth commonlie taken as part of his worke intituled named Vox clamantis Interea transit moriens nec in orbe remansit Humfredus dictus reddit ille Deo benedictus Defuncto nato cito post de fine beato Mater transiuit dum nati funera sciuit Primo decessit Cignus dolor vnde repressit Matrem cum pullo sibi mors nec parcit in vllo The foure daughters heires to Thomas of Woodstocke their brother Humfreie were Anne the eldest married to Edmund Stafford erle Stafford who had issue Humfreie erle of Stafford Hereford Northampton lord of Brecknocke c which Anne after the death of erle Stafforâ—â—aid the second time marie William vicont Bouâ—â—◠〈◊〉 created erle of Ewe in France the second daughter was Philip which died without issue the third Ione was maried to Gilbert lord Talbot the fourth Isabell was a religious person at the Minories in London This duke of Glocester was murthered at Calis about the yeare of Christ 1398 being the 22 yeare of Richard the second touching whose life and death with the maner thereof thus writeth the said sir Iohn Gower in the same booke intituled Vox clamantis O quà m fortuna stabilis non permanet vna Exemplum cuius stat in ordine carminis huius line 10 Rex agit Cygnus patitur de corde benignus Ille prostratus non est de rege leuatus Ad Plessye captus tunc est velut hostia raptus Rex iubet arma geri nec eo voluit misereri Cum sponsa nati lugent quasi morte grauati Plússque lupo saeuit rex dummodo foemina fleuit Nil pietas munit quem tunc manus inuida punit Rex stetit obliquus nec erat tunc vnus amicus O regale genus princeps quasi pauper egenus Turpiter attractus iacet sine iure subactus line 20 Sunt ibi fautores regis de sorte priores Qui Cygnum pendent vbi captum ducere tendent Sic ducendo ducem perdit sine lumine lucem Anglia quae tota tenebrescit luce remota Trans mare natauit regnum qui semper amauit Flent centum mille quia Cygnus praeterit ille Calisij portus petit vnde dolus latet ortus Error quem regis genuit putredine legis Carcere conclusus subitò fuit ille reclusus Nescit quo fine sit vitae siue ruinae line 30 Tunc rex elatum sumpsit quasi falco volatum Vnde suas gentes perdit custode carentes A little after which followeth these verses touching the deniall of buriall to be granted vnto him among the rest of his honourable and roiall ancestors Sic nece deuictum sic corpus ab hoste relictum Clam de conclaui susceperat Anglia naui Per mare regreditur corpus nec ad huc sepelitur Námque sepulturam defendit rex sibi puram Desuper à latere patris loca iusta tenâ—râ— line 40 Dummodo quaesiuit vix bassa sepulchra subiuit Of the maner also of whole death the said sir Iohn Gower hath set downe these thrée following verses Heu quà m toâ—torum quidam de sorte malorum Sic ducis electi plumarum pondere lecti Corpus quassatum iugulántque necara iugulatum His wife Elenor died the third of October in the yeare of our redemption 1399 being the first yeare of king Henrie the fourth and was buried at Westminster on the south side of king Edward the third line 50 with this epitaph Icy gist Elenor de Bohune aysne fille vn des heyres a honorable seigneur monseigneour Humphrey de Bohune countie de Hereford de Essex de Northampton constable d'Angliterre femme a puissant â—â—â—â—ble prince Thomas Woodstocke fiâ—z tresexcâ—lleâ—â— trespuissant seigneiur Edwarde roy d'Angliteâ—re pius le cóquest tierce duc de Glocester que moâ—ust tierce iâ—ure de October lan du grace 1399 de que alme Dieux fait mercye line 60 Edward Plantagenet sonne to Edmund of Langleie was by Richard the second created earle of Rutland and duke of Albemerle who being constable of England arriued in the thrée and twentith yeare of Richard the second and in the yeare of our Lord 1399 in Ireland to bring aid to the king being there in warre Of this man is more liberall discourse in my folowing treatise of the dukes of England Henrie Persie lord Persie the sixt lord and the first earle of Northumberland of that name was aduanced to that â—onourable title of earle at the coronation of king Richard the second in the yeare of our redemption 1377. He was made high constable of England by Henrie the fourth then elected but not crowned king of England bicause the said earle did giue that ring to the king whereby he was wedded to the kingdome of England to whome also the king gaue the I le of man to beare the sword with which he entered the realme He in the fourth yeare of king Henrie the fourth being the yeare of Christ 1403 rebelled against the king but after comming to the king vpon sending for he was pardoned his life but commited to safe custodie After which in the fift yeare of that king he was at a parlement holden at London restored to his estate and dignitie who the yeare following being
Faber a famous clearke after bishop of Uien as ambassadors from don Ferdinando brother to the emperour newlie elect king of Hungarie and Beame after the death of his brother in law king Lewes which was slaine by the Turke the last summer as you haue heard before This companie was welcomed of the high officers and after brought into the kings presence all the nobilitie being present and there after great reuerence made master Faber made a notable oration taking his ground of the gospell Exijt seminator seminare semen suum and of that he declared how Christ and his disciples went foorth to sow and how their seed was good that fell into the good ground and brought foorth good fruit which was the christian faith and then he declared how contrarie to that sowing Mahomet had sowne séed which brought foorth euill fruit He also shewed from the beginning how the Turkes haue increased in power what realmes they had conquered what people they had subdued euen to that daie He declared further what acts the great Turke then liuing had doone and in especiall he noted the getting of Belgrad and of the Rhodes and the slaieng of the king of Hungarie to the great rebuke as he said of all the kings christened He set foorth also what power the Turke had what diuersities of companies what armor what capteins he had so that he thought that without a maruellous great number of people he could not be ouerthrowne Wherefore he most humblie besought the king as S. Georges knight and defendor of the faith to assist the king his master in that godlie warre and vertuous purpose To this oration the K. by the mouth of sir Thomas Moore answered that much he lamented the losse that happened in Hungarie and if it were not for the wars which were betweene the two great princes he thought that the Turke would not haue enterprised that act Wherefore he with all his studie would take paine first to set an vnitie and peace throughout all christendome and after that both with monie and men he wold be redie to helpe toward that glorious line 10 warre as much as any other prince in christendome After this doone the ambassadours were well cherished and diuerse times resorted to the court and had great cheare and good rewards and so the third daie of Maie next insuing they tooke their leaue and departed homeward In the winter season of this yeare fell great abundance of raine and namelie in September Nouember and December And on the sixtéenth of Ianuarie it rained so abundantlie that great flouds line 20 thereby insuing destroied corne fields pastures and drowned manie sheepe and beasts Then was it drie till the twelfe of Aprill and from thence it rained euerie day or night till the third of Iune in Maie it rained thirtie hours continuallie without ceasing which caused great flouds did much harme namelie in corne so that the next yeare it failed within this realme and great dearth insued ¶ This time a bill was set vp in London much contrarie to the honour of the cardinall in the which the line 30 cardinall was warned that he should not counsell the king to marrie his daughter into France for if hée did he should shew himselfe enimie to the king and the realme with manie threatning words This bill was deliuered to the cardinall by sir Thomas Seimor maior of the citie which thanked him for the same made much search for the author of that bill but he could not be found which sore displeased the cardinall And vpon this occasion the last daie of Aprill line 40 at night he caused a great watch to be kept at Westminster and had there cart guns readie charged caused diuerse watches to be kept about London in Newington S. Iohns stréet Westminster saint Giles Islington and other places néere London which watches were kept by gentlemen their seruants with housholders and all for feare of the Londoners bicause of this bill When the citizens knew of this they said that they maruelled why the cardinall hated them so for they said that if he mistrusted them he loued them not and where loue is line 50 not there is hatred and they affirmed that they neuer intended anie harme toward him and mused of this chance For if fiue or six persons had made alarm in the citie then had entred all these watchmen with their traine which might haue spoiled the citie without cause Wherefore they much murmured against the cardinall and his vndiscréet dooings The French ambassadors at Greenwich on sunday the fift of Maie sware in the name of their maister line 60 the French king to obserue the peace and league concluded betwéene them for tearme of two princes liues These ambassadours had great cheare and iustes were enterprised for the honour and pleasure of them at the kings commandement by sir Nicholas Carew sir Robert Ierningham sir Anthonie Browne and Nicholas Haruie esquier chalengers Against whome ran the marques of Excester and thirtéen with him as defendants When these ambassadours should returne they had great rewards giuâ—n them of the king and so tooke their leaue and departed Shortlie after the king sent sir Thomas Bullen vicount Rochford and sir Anthonie Browne knight as ambassadours from him into France which came to Paris to the bishop of Bath that laie there for the king as legier Then these thrée went to the court and saw the French king in person sweare to kéepe the league amitie concluded betwéene him the king of England Also the king sent sir Francis Poins knight ambassadour from him to Charles the emperour and with him went Clarenceaur king of armes to demand the one halfe of the treasure and ordinance which was taken at Pauia forsomuch as that warre was made as well at the kings charge as at the emperours Also they were commanded to demand one of the French kings sonnes which lay in hostage with the emperour that is to wit the duke of Orleance to be deliuered to the king of England and further that he shuld call backe his armie out of Italie And if it were so that he refused these reasonable requests then should they in the kings name denounce open warre against him The English merchants liked the matter nothing at all that there should bée anie warres betwixt the emperour and the king of England And where they were desired by the cardinall to kéepe their marts at Calis they would not assent thereto ¶ In this meane time great warres were managed betwéen the pope and other princes amongest whom the duke of Burbon of whom you haue heard often mention before in sundrie actions leuieng a great power led the same towards Rome and incamped within the medow néere to the citie from whence with the insolencie of a souldier hee sent a trumpet to demand passage of the pope through the citie of Rome to go with his armie to
earle of March Rafe Ergume bishop of Salisburie and William lord Latimer with others of whome for the most part the people had conceiued a good opinion yet bicause the said bishop of Salisburie and the lord Latimer were associat to the rest and of equall authoritie with them the commons murmured greatlie against them The cause for which they so misliked the lord Latimer was for that he had sometimes bin too much fauouring to dame Alice Piers concubine to king Edward the third to whome the said lord Latimer was chiefe chamberleine therefore was of him best be loued which two persons the lord Latimer and dame Alice were by parlement in the fiftith yeare of Edward the third remooued from the king for that they miscounselled him but especiallie sith much mischiefe grew in the realme by the same Alice Piers. For she being now exalted in pride by ouermuch loue of K. Edward the third would beyond the modestie and maner of women sit in iudgement with the kings iustices be with the doctors in the consistorie turne sentences to what side she would and require manie things dishonest in themselues and dishonourable to the king Of line 10 which woman an old written chronicle belonging to the house of Euesham hath deliuered to me these words Alicia Piers regis concubina supra modum mulierum nimis supergressa sui etiam sexus fragilitatis foemineae immemor nunc iuxta iusticiarios regios nunc in foro ecclesiastico iuxta doctores sedendo pro defensione causarum suadere etiam contra iura postulare minimè verebatur vnde propcer scandalum-petierunt ab illo which was the king penitùs amoueri in parlemento tento anno Domini 1376 50 Ed. 3. Thus that author line 20 And here before I go anie further with my protectors bicause some curious heads that find not all these matters in the records of the tower which they dailie turne with a churlish hand or else thinke that nothing maie be knowne out of the walles of their office will séeme to séeke a knot in a rush and saie that I in compasse of some few lines haue written a contrarietie in saieng that Iohn of Gaunt thirsted after the kingdome and for that cause hastened the death of his elder brother prince Edward the blacke line 30 as Richard the third did the death of his brother George duke of Clarence which intent could not possiblie be in Iohn of Gaunt as appeareth by my owne following words where I saie that he gaue ouer the protectorship of his nephue bicause he would auoid all suspicion of euill gouernement which hée would neuer haue doone if he had so ment that place being so apt for the execution of his purpose and might giue occasion to him that neuer ment anie such matter before to attempt it being in that place line 40 as Richard duke of Yorke did attempt but not performe it in the time of Henrie the sixt and as Richard duke of Glocester being in the same office of protectorship did not onelie attempt it but brought to perfection Wherevnto I answer that all this is no contrarietie but onelie a manifest shew and confirmation the one part of my words to the other For sith he could not in the life of his father Edward the third before the crowning of king Richard the second as Richard the third did atteine the crowne he line 50 would not now attempt it the king being once crowned and in full possession of the kingdome so rashlie and vnaduisedlie as did Richard duke of Yorke against Henrie for which he was in the end slaine least that thereby his part might séeme to carie the face of a rebellion as in truth it should haue doone For whosoeuer either for colour of God benefit to their countrie or for whatsoeuer cause lift vp the sword against a crowned king sitting at the sterne of gouernement being one of the gods of the line 60 earth the same must needs tend vnto a rebellion which Iohn of Gaunt would not seeme to execute for that cause leauing off his purpose at that time he did in the end also leaue the whole matter to his son to performe especiallie sith he afterward perceiued Richard the second so much to fauor and further him with monie munition and men to recouer the kingdome of Castile Arragon in Spaine in the right of the wife of the said Iohn of Gaunt To whom and to his wife as hath Henrie Knighton king Richard the second gaue a seuerall crowne of gold to honour them withall to shew how intierlie he loued them when they both went into Spaine And for these causes the said Iohn of Gaunt refused the oportunitie of time place in the king his nephues minoritie to execute it But did he cease it so No. For that sparke although it were a litle cooled was not vtterlie quenched bicause he hastened the same in his son whom he not onelie persuaded but furthered after the banishment of his said sonne Henrie of Bullingbrooke by Richard the second in the life of said Iohn of Gaunt to returne into England and after his death to chalenge by sword the earldome of Lancaster his right inheritance and vnder the same to reuenge the death of the duke of Glocester and others and by that means when Richard the second was out of the realme of England in Ireland the said Henrie Bullingbrooke sonne of Iohn of Gaunt entered the realme put downe the king and got the crowne which his father sought Thus this much digressing from the protectors and to returne to that course which I haue in hand I will leaue the discourse of policies to obteine kingdoms bicause they be no balles for me to bandie and follow on my former intent as meeter for my simplicitie Thomas Beauchampe earle of Warwike was in the third yeare of Richard the second being the yeare of our redemption 1380 made protector in this sort In the parlement holden the same yeare at the speciall sute of the lords and of the commons the bishops and barons chosen as you haue heard before by Iohn of Gaunt to be protectors of the realme were remoued and the earle of Warwike especiallie elected to that function to remaine continuallie with the king as chéefe gouernor of his roiall person one that should giue answer to all forreners repairing thither vpon what cause soeuer their comming were hauing further as ample gouernment of the kingdome giuen vnto him as the other remoued gouernors had Being placed in that office by the duke of Lancaster he died the sixt ides of Aprill in the yeare of Christ 1401 being the third yeare of Henrie the fourth He maried Margaret the daughter of William lord Ferrers of Grobie by whome he had issue Richard earle of Warwike Thomas Fitzalane otherwise called Arundell bishop of Elie the two and twentith that inioied that seat being two and twentie yeares of age and the son of Richard
which I suppose is this Nigellus de Oilie the conestable as I before said Robert de Oilie sonne of the said Nigellus did succéed his father and was as may appeare by some authors who tearme him accordinglie great constable of England This man together with his wife Edith were the founders of the religious house of Osneie touching whome I shall not greeue to set downe what I haue gathered out of Leland and others This Edith obteined of hir husband to build a church in the I le of Osneie in Oxfordshire to our sauiour Christ about the yeare of our redemption 1129 being about the nine and twentith yeare of king Henrie the first which church did after grow to be of great renowme and building the occasion of building whereof is set downe by others in this sort Edith being in great estimation with Henrie first married the said Robert de Oilie by the kings procurement which Robert began the priorie of the blacke chanons of Osneie by Oxford amongst the Iles made by the riuer of Isis or Owse This Edith vsed oftentimes to walke out of Oxford castell with hir gentlewomen for to solace and recreate hir selfe At what time at a certeine place as often as she came by the same certeine pies assembled themselues in a tree where they chattered and as it were spake vnto hir This ladie much maruelling at the matter happening so continuallie at one time in one place after one order and with one maner of foules was manie times astonished and feared therewith esteeming it a verie strange woonder Whervpon she sent for one Radulph or Rafe a chanon of saint Frediswide in Oxford a man of vertuous life hir confessor asking his counsell vpon the same To whom he answered after that he had séene the order of those pies onelie chattering at hir comming thither that she should build some church or monasterie in that place Wherevpon she intreated hir husband to build a priorie and so he did making that Radulph the first prior of that house All which matter that is the comming of Edith to Osneie Radulph wating on hir and the trée with the pies were all extant at the generall dissolution of the abbeies in the time of Henrie the eight to be séene painted on the north side of the high altar in the arch of the wall ouer Ediths toome in Osneie priorie vpon which toome there laie a stone image of Edith in the habit of a vowesse holding a hart in hir right hand This Robert de Oilie was buried in Osneie in the verie middle of the presbiterie vnder a flat marble stone wherevpon was a flowred crosse portraid which Robert had issue Henrie de Oilie baron of Hochnorton the kings conestable which maried Margerie the daughter of Humfreie de Bohune by whome that Henrie had issue Henrie de Oilie baron of Hochnorton and the kings conestable which died without issue Thus this much by waie of digression touching the conestables of England left out in my former discourse of those officers And so againe to the protectors Katharine the daughter of Ferdinando king of Spaine and wife to king Henrie the eight was in the absence of the said king beyond the seas in the the warres of Turwine and Turneie made regent of the realme in the yeare of Christ 1513 and the fift yeare of king Henrie the eight she had béene the widow of Arthur prince of Wales eldest sonne vnto king Henrie the seauenth and eldest brother to king Henrie the eight who after the death of that Arthur was by dispensation of the pope married to Henrie after king by the name of Henrie the eight being yoonger brother of the said Arthur from which king Henrie she was afterward not onelie diuorsed in the one and twentith of his reigne being the yeare of Christ 1529 but after by parlement also in the foure and twentith of the kings reigne in the yeare of Christ 1532 disgraded from the name of quéene and from thensefoorth appointed onlie to be called the line 10 princesse dowager of prince Arthur about fiue yeers after which she died on the eight of Ianuarie being the yeare of our redemption 1535 which was the seauen and twentith yeare of king Henrie the eight and was honourablie buried in the abbeie of Peterborow for which cause afterward in the generall dissolution of the abbeies when all those houses were spoiled this abbeie was not onelie for hir buriall there spared and not defaced but also further honored with a greater title and turned into a bishoprike by line 20 the said king Henrie the eight Katharine Par the daughter of sir Thomas Par lord of Kirkbie Kendall and wife to king Henrie the eight was by patent made protectresse of the realme of England when king Henrie the eight went in person to the wars of Bullongne on the thirtéenth of Iulie in the yeare of our redemption 1544 being the six thirtith yeare of the triumphant reigne of the said king This ladie Katharine being the lord Latimers widow was maried to the king line 30 at Hampton court one the twelfe of Iulie being the fiue and thirtith yeare of his reigne and the yeare of Christ 1543 who hauing no issue by the king was after the kings death married to Thomas Seimer knight lord Seimer of Sudleie and high admerall of England Edward Seimer knight vicount Beauchampe earle of Hertford after duke of Summerset was protector of the kings person and of the kingdome in the first yeare of king Edward the sixt his nephue line 40 which was in the yeare of our redemption 1546 the king being then but nine yeares old Of this man is more spoken in my following discourse of all the dukes of England by creation or descent since the conquest with which duke of Summerset the last in office of protectorship Francis Thin knitteth vp this simple discourse of the protectors of England of the kings person ¶ On the 17 of Februarie on which daie were line 50 receiued the bookes of the reliefe of all the wards of London towards the new hospitals by the kings commissioners the councell dined at maister Coopers the shiriffe and after dinner maister Thomas Curteis alderman came thither to speake with the lord chancellor for a matter he had depending afore him in the chancerie but for his misdemeanour in words and signes to the lord chancellor at that time the said maister Curteis was committed to ward in the Fléet The six and twentith of Februarie sir line 60 Rafe Uane and sir Miles Patridge were hanged on the tower hill sir Michaell Stanhope with sir Thomas Arundell were beheaded there The last of Aprill through negligence of the gunpowder makers a certeine house néere the tower of London with thrée last of powder was blowne vp and burnt the gunpowder makers being fiftéene in number were all slaine The sixtéenth of Maie was a goodlie muster of horssemen made before the king in the parke
pen thorough the malicious barking of some who suppose nothing well but what they doo themselues whereby gaine maie rise vnto their posteritie in this liberall sort to set downe the names and times of such treasurors as haue liued in England as hereafter I will doo the chancellors and that with as good authoritie as these secret backbiters can challenge anie cunning to themselues who suppose euerie blast of their mouth to come foorth of Trophonius den and that they spake from the triuet As I will not arrogate anie thing to my selfe for in truth I saie with Socrates Hoc tantùm scio quòd nihil scio or derogate from them that which their worthinesse maie merit so shall I be glad sith nothing is at the first so perfect but that somewhat maie be either augmented or amended to and in it that this maie whet those enuious persons to deliuer anie thing to the world that maie in comptrolling my labours benefit their countrie which if they will not doo let them cease their euill spéeches for Qui pergit dicere quae libet quae non vult audiet And truelie for mine owne part I will Canere palinodiam and yeeld them an honourable victorie if anie better shall be produced and be heartilie glad that truth which is all that I seeke maie be brought to perfection Now how well I haue done it my selfe must not be iudge desiring pardon of such as either with wise modestie can or ought to iudge or with rare antiquities can or will correct what I haue doone if thorough ignorance we haue committed anie escapes or imperfections further promising that if hereafter we espie any of our owne error or if anie other either friend for good will or aduersarie for desire of reprehension shall open the same vnto me I will not for defense of mine estimation or of pride or of contention by wranglings or quarrelling vpon authorities histories and records wilfullie persist in those faults but be glad to heare of them and in the whole and large discourse of the liues of the lord treasurors almost perfected corrected them For as I said it is truth of antiquities that I séeke for which being had either by good intention of my welwilling friends or by occasion and reprehension of my enuious emulators I greatlie esteeme not And so to the matter Saint Dunstane for I vse that name more for antiquities than deuoutnesse cause was treasuror to Eadred or Eldred king of England who began his reigne in the yeare that the word became flesh nine hundred fortie and six of whome thus writeth Matthew Parker in his booke of the archbishops of Canturburie in the life of Odo Seuerus the two and twentith bishop of that see Edmundo the king of England defuncto Eadredus corona regia ab Odone redimitus rem publicam administrans Dunstanum vt in eius vita pleniùs patebit tam singulari amore prosequutus est vt omnes regni thesauros illius custodiae commendaret Hugoline was treasuror and chamberleine to Edward the confessor he gaue Deane and Southâ—righ to Westminster which Edward the confessor did afterward confirme to that house Odo halfe brother to William the conqueror erle of Kent bishop of Baieux and chiefe iustice of England was treasuror in the time of the conqueror who had at his death as saith Anonymus M.S. sixtie thousand pounds Excepto auro gemmis vasis palijs Geffreie lord Clinton treasuror and chamberleine to Henrie the first he about the thirteenth yeare of Henrie the first in the yeare of our Lord one thousand one hundred and twelue did found the priorie of Kenelworth and was after accused of treason in the one and thirtith yeare of the reigne of the said Henrie the first but as it séemed restored in short time after to the kings fauour Ranulph bishop of Durham was treasuror to the king whome Florentius Wigorniensis calleth Praecipuum regis placitatorem regni exactorem whose last word Exactor some men doo English treasuror Of this man is more said in the chancellors of England Roger bishop of Sarisburie treasuror chancellor of England as appeareth by Leland writing in this sort Roger bishop of Sarum treasuror chancellor to Henrie the first made the castell of Uies such a costlie and so strong a fort as was neuer before nor since set vp by anie bishop of England The kéepe or dungeon of it set vpon a hill cast by hand is a peece of worke of incredible cost There appeare in the gate of it six or seauen places for portculices and much goodlie building was in it It is now in ruine and part of the front of the towers of the gate of the keepe and the chappell in it were carried full vnprofitablie to the building of master Beintons house at Bromhame scant thrée miles off There remaine diuerse goodlie towers yet in the vtter wall of the castell but all going to ruine The principall gate line 10 that leadeth into the towne is yet of great strength and hath places of seauen or eight portculices Thus much Leland in his commentaries of England which I haue here set downe partlie to prooue Roger bishop of Salisburie to be treasuror and partlie to commit to the world all such collections and notes as I can get of his Besides which to prooue the same Roger treasuror at the latter end of the reigne of Henrie the first togither with William de Pontlearch at the entering of king Stephan into England line 20 thus writeth one Anonymall chronicle M. S. Stephanus cùm intrauit Angliam RogeruÌ„ Seresberiensem Willielmum de Pontlearcus custodes thesaurorum ad se traduxit which William de Pontlearch was a witnesse with William Stigill to a certeine charter which Ranulph bishop of Durham made to the moonkes of Durham commonlie called S. Cutberts moonks wherin he confirmed to them Blakestone Standrop and Sandropshire with the wood of Henworth on the east part of Marneburne as farre as it goeth to the line 30 sea This Roger bishop of Salisburie died in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred thirtie and nine being about the fourth yeare of king Stephan of whome mention is made in the chancellors of England Nigellus the second bishop of Elie nephue to Roger bishop of Sarum and treasuror to Henrie the first was aduanced vnto that bishoprike of Elie in the yeare of our redemption one thousand one hundred thirtie and three the fift calends of line 40 Iune being the thrée and thirtith yeare of the reigne of Henrie the first at whose going downe to be installed in the said bishoprike he was receiued with such ioie that all the whole street of Elie thorough which he should passe was hanged with curteins and carpets with seats set on ech side and the moonks canons and clerks méeting him with procession with diuers other priests standing round about them After his installation he returned to
excuse of their pouertie he thus replied vnto them that forsomuch as they were so bare in their apparell and so sparing of their expenses it must néeds be that they saued their pursses and had monie and therefore they must néeds paie and so adiudged them to lend vnto the prince Now as he arose by learning so he was a great fauorer and furtherer of learning and for the good increase of the same he builded and founded Corpus Christi college in Oxenford In his latter daies he waxed and was blind and dieng in Winchester he was there buried in his owne church after that he had beene bishop of Excester six yéers he was remoued to Bath in the yeare of our Lord one thousand foure hundred ninetie and two 38 Oliuer King immediatlie vpon the transferring of bishop Fox was consecrated bishop of this church in Februarie one thousand foure hundred ninetie and two Iohn Morton then archbishop of Canturburie This Oliuer was chapleine to king Henrie the seuenth and deane of Windesor and register of the order of the garter In his time were the rebellions of Ioseph the blacke smith in Cornewall and of Perken Warbecke This bishop after that he had occupied this sée about fiue yeares he died in the yeare of our Lord one thousand foure hundred ninetie and seuen and as some suppose he was buried at Windesor 39 Richard Redman immediatlie vpon the death of bishop Oliuer King was translated from his bishoprike in Wales to this citie but after fiue yeares he was remooued vnto the bishoprike of Elie and installed there in September in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and one He was a gentleman borne and descended of a verie worshipfull house which ioined with his wisedome and learning did much increase his credit and good report line 10 40 Iohn Arundell next after the translation of bishop Redman was remooued from Couentrie and Lichfield vnto this citie and was installed the fifteenth of March one thousand fiue hundred and one Wherein he sought not the preferment for anie liuelihoods but rather desirous to be a dweller and resiant in his countrie where he was borne for he was descended of the Arundels of Lanherne in Cornewall a house of great antiquitie and worship line 20 He long inioied not his new bishoprike for after two yeares after his installing he had occasion to ride vnto London and there died and was buried in S. Clements church without Templebar in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and three 41 Hugh Oldham vpon the death of Arundell by the preferment of the countesse of Richmond and Derbie vnto whom he was chapleine was preferred vnto this bishoprike and installed in the same He was a man hauing more zeale than knowledge line 30 and more deuotion than learning somewhat rough in spéeches but friendlie in dooings He was carefull in the sauing and defending of his liberties for which continuall sutes was betwéene him and the abbat of Tauestoke he was liberall to the vicars chorall of his church and reduced them to the kéeping of commons and towards the maintenance thereof he gaue them certeine reuenues and impropriated vnto them the rectorie of Cornewood He albâ—it of himselfe he were not learned yet a great fauourer and a line 40 furtherer of learning and of learned men Notwithstanding he was sometime crossed in his honest attempt therein He first was minded to haue inlarged Excester college in Oxford as well in buildings as in fellowships but after being a requester to the fellowes for one Atkins to be a fellow in whose fauour he had written his letters and was denied he changed his mind and his good will was alienated About the same time doctor Smith bishop of Lincolne was building of the college named Brasen nose and was verie willing and desirous to ioine line 50 with him but being denied to haue the nomination of a founder his mind was changed Not long after being aduertised that bishop Fox of Winchester was minded to erect found a new college he ioined with him and contributed vnto him a great masse of monie and so a college was builded for scholars and great liuelihoods prouided for them then the house was named Corpus Christi college Whereof the one of them bare the name of a founder and line 60 the other of a benefactor Howbeit some diuersitie was betwéene these two bishops at the first to what vse this college should be imploied For the founder was of the mind that he would haue made it for a house of moonks but the benefactor was of the contrarie mind and would haue it for scholars alleging that moonks were but a sort of buzzing flies whose state could not long indure wheras scholars brought vp in learning would be profitable members to the commonwealth and good ornaments to the church of God and continue for euer The founder being a wise man and of a déepe iudgement when he had paused and considered hereof yeeldeth herevnto and so it was concluded betweene them to make and build a college for scholars And forthwith for the good direction guiding and gouernement of the said college and scholars such wise good politike statutes and ordinances were by good aduise and counsell deuised established and ordeined as whereby the said college hath beene and yet continueth one of the best nursseries for training and instructing of good scholars in learning within that vniuersitie This bishop and the abbat of Tauestoke did still contend and continue in law during their liues and during which sute this bishop died being excommunicated at Rome and who could not be suffered to be buried vntill an absolution from Rome was procured for him After that he had béene bishop about sixteene yeares he died the fiue and twentith of Iune one thousand fiue hundred and ninetéene and was buried in his owne church 42 Iohn Uoiseie otherwise Harman succéeded Oldham by the preferment of king Henrie the eight whose chapleine he then was and deane of his chapell as also of this church he was doctor of the lawes verie well learned and wise and in great fauour with the king who sent him sundrie times in ambassages to forreine princes he was lord president of Wales had the gouernement of the kings onlie daughter ladie Marie princesse of Wales Of all the bishops in the land he was accounted the court likest and the best courtier And although he were well reported for his learning yet better liked for his courtlike behauiour which in the end turned not so much to his credit as to the vtter ruine and spoile of the church for of two and twentie lordships and manors which his predecessors had and left vnto him of a goodlie yearelie reuenue he left but three them also leased out And where he found fouretéene houses well furnished he left onelie one house bare and without furniture and yet charged with sundrie fées and annuities and by these means
rare wit deepe iudgement great experience and other parts required in a sound councellor did admit this sir Edward into his owne bosome and made him of his priuie councell whose modest mind being so farre estranged from desire of honour as that he would not accept it by great inforcement a vertue verie rare and such as declareth a noble mind iudiciallie grounded vpon the truth of diuine philosophie refused the honorable place of the chancellorship of England accounting that the vertue of the mind made a man honorable and not the honorable place For 〈◊〉 saith saint Chrysostome Honor verus virtus animi est hic honor nec à Caesaribus praestatur neque adulatione conquiritur neque pecunia praeparatur nihil fucati in se habet nihil sunulati nihil occulti huius honoris successor est nullus est accusator nullus ingratus Wherefore not being ambitious of honour after which the best doo often hunt although such gréedie desire of honour and ambition be as saith Barnard Futile malum secretum virus pestis occulta doli artifex mater hypocrisis liuoris parens vitiorum origo tinea sanctitatis line 10 excaeâ—atrix cordium ex remedijs morbos creans ex medicina languorem generans did further increase his honour and aduance him to greater credit as appeareth by this that king Henrie the eight whom this man had long and faithfullie serued in his life time made him one of his executors and the disposer of his testament at the time of his death with whom also in the same authoritie he ioined his brother doctor Nicholas Wootton a man of no lesse merit than the other and rightlie deseruing to be here ioined in remembrance with his brother after their deaths since line 20 almost equall honor like loue the same authoritie in the common-weale one bloud and one Christ did ioine them togither in perfect amitie during their liues of which Nicholas Wootton I will not speake anie more except that as his brother refused the chancellorship so he in the beginning of the reigne of this quéene refused the bishoprike of Canturburie but that which the woorthie gentleman Thomas Wootton of Bocton Malherbe esquire now liuing sonne to the said sir Edward and nephew to the line 30 said Nicholas this Thomas being a great and fast fauoror of his countrie not vnthankefull vnto him therefore hath set downe in a statelie and rich toome of curious workemanship formed after the order of a pyramis and placed in the church of Canturburie on which is ingraued in a faire stone of marble this epitaph following wherin his birth his parents his honors at home his ambassages abroad and other things necessarie the knowledge are faithfullie set downe line 40 Nicholaus Woottonus Roberti Woottoni equitis aurati ex Anna Belknappa filius vtriusque iuris doctor ecclesiae huius primus itémque metròpolitanae ecclesiae diui Petri Eboracensis decanus Henrico 8. Eduardo 6. Mariae Elisabethae Angliae regibus à secretis concilijs ad Carolum 5. Caesarem bis ad Philippum Hispaniarum regem semel ad Franciscum primuÌ„ Francorum regem semel ad Henricum secundum eius filium ter ad Mariae Hungariae reginam Belgarum praesidem semel ad Gulielmum Cleuiensem ducem bis legatione functus Renouatae pacis inter Anglos Francos Scotos inter Guinas line 50 Arderam anno 1540. similiter ad castrum Cameracense anno 1559. Denique Edinburgi Scotiae anno 1560. oratorum vnus hîc tandem ferè septuagenarius requiescit Haec ille ante mortem ante morbum quasi fatalem diem praesentiens cygneam cantionem propheticè canens sua manu in museo scripta reliquit Qui apud tales principes diuina prouidentia gubernante laudabiliter in tot ac tantis causis quarum magnitudâ— grauissima vtilitas publica fuit feliciter bonam vitae suae partem consumpit eum virum sapientem experientissimum line 60 ipsa inuidia iudicare debet Quà m semper ab omni contentione honorum fuerit alienus illud decalarat quòd ad hanc ecclesiasticam dignitatem non ambitione vlla sua inflammatus nec amicorum opera vsus aspirauit sed eam vtramque Henricus octauus hominis merito virtute prouocatus vltro detulit Cùmque idem rex illustrissimus morbum laethalem ingrauescere persentiret Eduardi principis sanè excellentissimi adhuc tandem pueri reipublicae administrandae imparis imbecillam aetatem senili prudentia secretioris concilij sui regendum existimaret illis instituit hunc Nicholaum absentem tunc in Francia legatum vnum esse voluit Eduardi regi iam medio regni curriculo propè confecto vnus è primarijs secretarijs fuit quem locum tenere potuisset nisi suis assiduis amicorum precibus abdicandi veniam impetrasset Corpus illi erat gracile quidem paruum sed erectum habitudo sana vultus liberalae victus exquisitus quem semel tantùm in die capere consueuerat valitâ—do adeo firma vtrarò morbum aliquem sentiret animus vero totus libris acliteris dicatus artium medicinae iurisprudentiae theologiae studio intentus linguarum Romanae Italicae Gallicae Germanicae inferioris cognitione pulchâ—e exornatus Ita vir iste genere clarus legationibus clarior domi ac foris clarissimus honore florens labore fractus aetate confectus postquam decanus huius ecclesiae annis 25. dies 293. praefuisset Londini Ianuarij 26. anno nostrae salutus 1566. piè suauiter in Domino obdormiuit Thoma Wootteno nepote haerede relicto qui ei hoc monumentum non honoris ergo quo abundauit viuus florescit mortuus sed amoris causa quem memoria colet vt debet sempiterna consecrauit In which epitaph it appeareth what he was how greatlie learned and reuerenced for the same Wherfore néeding not to speake anie more of him sith I shall not be able with due maiestie of stile to expresse his woorthinesse I will yet leauing what other wise his merit might challenge to be spoken note one strange and rare thing which to my remembrance neuer happened to anie one man before the same being this that he had not onelie béene councellor to foure kings and quéenes of England following in succession of time but also that he had béen thirtéene seuerall times ambassador and orator to diuerse princes for the affaires of the publike wealth and the princes honor Thus leauing this woorthie doctor with his nephue Thomas Wootton father to Edward Wootton sent ambassador to Scotland which occasioned me to treat thus much of the Woottons I conclude that it is a singular blessing of God not commonlie giuen to euerie race to be beautified with such great and succeeding honor in the descents of the familie Whereof this Edward Wootton now liuing hath in the
strangelie saued from drowning 41 b 30. Hanged for fauouring rebels 943 a 60 Butterwife set on the pillorie 702 b 40 C. CAdwallon prince of Wales slaine 103 b 20 Caen taken by the English 559 b 60. Besieged and yéelded to the French king 630 a 50 Cages and stocks ordeined 792 a 10 Caldwell doctor in physicke founder of surgerie lecture in London note 1349 a 20 c. Deceaseth his distributions in his life and bequests after his death his commentaries vpon Paulus Aegineta and other books his infirmitie that was his end his age 1369 b 10 c. His armes blasoned his epitaph 1370 a 10 20 Calendar ¶ Sée Kalendar Calis the French commissioners would haue rased to the ground 480 a 40. PreparacioÌ„ made to win it the enimies frustrated 536 b 10 40. Besieged note the commodiousnesse of that towne 373 b 10. Surrendred to Edward the third vpon what conditions 377 b 60. Inexpugnable note 375 a 10. Six burgesses thereof presented to Edward the third 378 a 10. yéelded to the king of England 378 a 30. Made a colonie oâ— English a practise to betraie it Edward the third passeth ouer secretlie thither 378 a 30 40 b 40 60. Not furnished with a sufficient number of men deliuered to the French 1135 a 10 b 60. Rifled spoiled by the French the poorest auoid out of the same conquered and lost in lesse than eight yéeres how long in possession of the kings of England 1136 a 10 50 b 10 20. Hauen the Frenchmens mening to destroie the same disappointed 878 b 50. How the French were in loue with it after it was lost note the words of the lord Cordes 771 a 20. King Henrie the seauenth saileth thither 788 a 10 c. The mart of all English commodities kept there 778 a 20. The duke of Burgognies armie of 40000 men 613 b 60. Besieged he breaketh vp his sieâ—e and flieth 614 a 20 b 30. A report that Richard the second ment to resigne it into the French kings hands 462 b 10. The ioie that the French made euerie waie for the getting of it 1136 b 60 1137 a 10. The French king goeth to visit Calis 1141 b 20. The losse thereof with what indignation quéene Marie taketh it 1149 b 40. Might haue béene recouered from the French 1150 b 60. The eleuenth king from the conquest got it and the eleuenth againe after him lost it 1161 b 10. Quéene Marie pensile for the losse of it the cause of hir sicknesse and death 1151 b 10 20. Triumphs in France for the geâ—ting againe thereof 1141 a 30. ¶ Sée Calis Duke and Uictorie Caluerleie knight a valiant capteine 418 b 60. He recouereth Marke castell 419 a 10. His exploits against the French 419 b 10. His valiantnes 422 b 50 Cambridge quéene Elisabeths progresse thither 1206 b 20 c. Presenteth a â—aire statelie cup to quéene Elisabeth 1299 a 10. ¶ Sée Emanuell college Campeius refuseth to giue iudgement in the matter of Henrie the eight his vnlawfull mariage with quéen Katharine 908 b 50 60. ¶ Sée Cardinall Campians description of cardinall Woolseie 917 b 20 ¶ See préests seminarie Campbell a Scotish pirat or rouer taken on the sea 872 b 20 Canons regular put in préests places 100 a 10. Of Yorke refuse to receiue the archbishop of Canturburie as their primat 147 b 60 Canonizing of kings déere 691 a 40 Canturburie ¶ Sée archbishoprike Canutus ment to haue attempted a subduing of London and what hindered 7 a 30. Discomfited by the Normans retireth to his ships 7 a 40. ¶ See Osâ—orne Cardinall Campeius sent into England about Henrie the eight his vnlawfull mariage 906 b 60 Sent from the pope the causes of his staieng at Calis receiued with great pompe what trash was inclosed in his chests the pomp of him and Woolseie going to the court 845 a 10 c. Of Canturburie thought the fittest man to deale with the quéene for surrendring hir sonne 717 a 50 he vseth another waie to persuade hir 720 b 20. De Comos letter to Parrie touching resolution to kill the quéene 1388 b 10 c. Gualo commeth ouer into England 192 a 20. A couetous prelat and fauourer of king Iohn 187 b 20. Iohannes de Anagnia prohibited to passe no further into England than Douer 120 a 60 b 10. Nicholas sent into England to take awaie the interdiction 181 b 20. Octauianus legat into Ireland 110 b 30. And what words Richard the first vsed to him against Rome 123 b 50. Otho commeth into England the lords grudge at his receiuing without their knowledge he is praised for his sober behauiour strifes by him are compounded 221 b 30 c. He holdeth a synod at London he goeth to Oxford a fraie betwixt his men the scholers his cooke slaine he complaineth to the king he cursseth the misdooers 222 a 10 c. Made to blush at a Charterhouse moonks words 225 b 10. Lieth in the wind still for the popes profit 224 a 40 c b 40. Beginneth to looke to his owne commoditie 224 a 10. His persuasions to the English cleargie touching tribute to the pope frustrate 208 a 40 50 c b 10. Peito become a begging frier 1365 b 10. Petrus Hispanus sent from the pope the cause of his comming his demand of monie of religious houses 315 b 50 60. He preacheth cursseth Bruse the vsurper 316 a 10. Piergot his trauell to treat a peace betwéene both kings of England France 388 b 40 note Poole made archbishop of Canturburie 1132 a 10. Was to reduce the church of England to the popes obedience 1092 a 10. Sent for home into England 1092 b 60 The councell diuided about the receiuing of him 1093 a 10. Arriueth at Douer his restitution in bloud commeth to the parlement house his oration there tending to the publike estate 1122 all Against the pope 1365 a 60. CoÌ„meth to Pauls crosse in great pompe 1126 a 60. A supplication exhibited vnto him his authoritie apostolike note 1123 a 60. His malâ—ce against Henrie the eight 1134 b 60. Boners letter touching persecution vnto him staieth Boners crueltie somewhat a papist but no blâ—udie papist halfe suspected for a Lutheran at Rome an errant traitor seditious and impudent his treasons detected by his owne brother woorse than a pagan 1164 all Unkind to Henrie the â—ight that brought him vp the manner of his death anâ— distribution of his goods 1165 a 10 20 c. Deceaseth described 1162 a 60 earnest in burning the bones of the dead b 10 articles touching the cleargie to be inquired of in his visitation 30 c and the laitie 1163 a 30. Of Praxed liberall of the faculties note 428 b 60 429 a 10 c. Uiuiano of S. Stephans in mount Celio 100 a 40. Of Winchester complained against by the duke of Glocester 620 a 50 c. Otherwise called the rich cardinall deceaseth note 627 b 20. Woolseie ¶ Sée Woolseie Cardinall commeth into
Excheker and the officers vnto the same by whome instituted 8 a 60. Remooued from Westminster to Northhampton 173 a 10. It and the kings bench remooued vnto Shrewesburie 278 b 10. Excuse of Edward the first to auoid an inconuenience 308 a 60. Of the clergie to be frée from subsidies c 301 b 40. ¶ Sée Couetousnesse Exham field ¶ Sée Battell Exton knight a murtherer of king Richard the second 517 a 10. His too late repentance and sorrow a 20. Extortion of William Rufus made him â—uill spoken of amongest his subiects 23 b 10. An ordinance against it 260 b 10. ¶ Sée Oppression Usurie F. FActions of Yorke and Lancaster vnpossible to be mingled without danger of discord 647 a 40 Faire kept at Westminster at saint Edwards tide 241 a 30 Fiftéene daies togither 247 a 20. Of Lewis the French kings sonne in derision 200 b 10. At Bristow robbed 263 b 50 Falois beséeged and rendered vp to king Henrie the fift 561 b 10 60. ¶ Sée Arlet Falshood betwixt brethren 32 a 60 Familie of loue fiue of that sect stood at Paules crosse 1261 b 30. Proclamation against them note 1314 a 60 b 10. Famine extreme within Rone 566 b 20. Richard the second died therof 516 b 60. Suffred 68 b 20. The cause why Rone was surrendred 167 b 60. Refused and death by the sword chosen 166 a 20. The punishment of witchcraft 204 a 10. Lamentable 323 b 40. ¶ Sée Pestilence Farrer an haberdasher of London a sore enimie to the ladie Elisabeth 1159 b 20 30 c Fast generall proclamed and deuoutlie obserued 1427 b 50 Fasts processions vsed 260 a 10 Fauour ¶ Sée People Fecknam ¶ Sée Abbat Fées ¶ Sée Annuities Feare causeth want of spéech 659 b 30. Made king Edward the fourth forsake his kingdome 675 a 60 b 10. What it forceth men vnto 293 a 20. Causeth restitution of wrongfull deteined townes 311 b 20. Forceth agréement note 114 b 20. Among the people assembled at the duke of Summersets execution 1068 a 50 b 10 ¶ Sée Suspicion Fergusa a Lombard betraieth the duke of Clarence 580 a 10 Felton ¶ Sée Bull seditious Ferdinando archduke of Austrich made knight of the garter 882 a 60 Ferrers lord of misrule at a Christmas at the court his behauiour and port 1067 a 60 b 10 c Ferrers knight William taken prisoner 33 a 40 Ferrers a traitor ¶ Sée Treason Fescampe William his deuises of a plaine song whereabout was strife 13 b 30 Feast rare and roiall 1332 a 60 At quéene Katharins coronation 579 a 10 c Sumptuand full of rare deuises 1434 a 30 Fatherston alià s Constable ¶ Sée Counterfet of king Edward the sixt Feuersham abbeie by whome founded 58 a 20 Fiftéenth granted vnto king Henrie the third by the temporaltie 213 a 10. Of the sixt penie after the rate of mens goods 312 b 20. Of all the mooueables to be found within the realme 207 a 30. Thrée granted 402 a 60. ¶ Sée Subsidie Fight among sparows 397 b 50 Finch knight drowned 1202 b 10 Fine for misdemeanor 704 a 60 Of fiue thousand markes paid to king Henrie the third by the Londoners 208 b 40. For murther 122 b 30. Of a kéeper for a prisoners escape 152 a 20 Fines set on prisoners for their ransoms 144 a 50. Paid for licence to exercise turnements 145 b 60. Set on the nobles by king Iohn for not aiding him against the French king 167 a 20. For not comming to the church 1322. Of priests that had wiues 26 a 30. Extreme leuied vpon the clergie note 201 b 60 202 a 10. Set on the maior of London and the shiriffes 256 b 30 note Set on shiriffes heads 254 a 60. Of foure hundred pounds set vpon aldermens heads of London by king Henrie the seuenth 795 b 60 796 a 10. Sessed vpon them that fauored the Cornish rebels 785 a 10. ¶ Sée Escuage Forfeits and Nobilitie Fire bursteth out of the earth 44 b 40. It the sword Gods angrie angels 1001 b 10 Fish monstrous taken in Norffolke 1355 b 60. Of twentie yards long c note 1259 b 30. Driuen to the English shore 1206 a 40. Like vnto a man 168 a 10 Fishes of the sea fight 225 b 60 115 a 10. Monstrous at Downam bridge in Suffolke 1211 a 50. In Westminster hall after the fall of an high floud 1271 b 50. Fishmongers bound to find â—oure scholers at the vniuersities c note 792 b 10. Sore trobled by the maior of London 440 b 30. An act against them within the citie of London 441 a 50. The statute against them repeled and they restored to their liberties 442 a 60. Benâ—fited by iustice Randolph 1354 a 40 50. Fitzalan William a conspiraâ—or 49 a 10 Fitzarnulfe a Londoner procureth the citizens to reuenge their cause by rebellion he is apprehended and executed 204 a 40 Fitzbaldrike shiriffe of Yorke 10 a 10 Fitzempresse Henrie his returne into England 58 a 20. and is knighted 40 Fitzsergus Gilbert killed his brother note 98 b 40 Fitzgeffreie chamberleine vnto king Richard the first 128 a 60. His death b 60 Fitzhammon Robert his tale to William Rufus 26 b 20 Fitziohn Eustace a conspirator 49 a 10. Slaine 67 a 10 Fitzleo Peter an vsurping pope 44 a 50 Fitzmiles Roger. ¶ Sée Erle Fitzmoris his miserable end 1365 b 60 Fitzosbert his vnnaturall ingratitude and complaint to K. Richard the first against the citie of London 149 a 40. Whie he ware his long beard his oration to the people he is called before the archbishop of Canturburie lord chéefe iustice president of the realme he flieth into the church of saint Marie Bow he is attached his concubines 149 all Is executed the archbishop of Canturburie euill spoken of for his death an old whoremonger and new saint 150 a 10 20 Fitzosborne William earle of Hereford c gouernor of England in duke Williams absence 5 a 10 Fitzroie Oliuer sonne to king Iohn 202 a 20 Fitzscroope Richard in armes against Edrike the rebell 5 a 10 Fitzwalter lord deceaseth in Spaine 450 b 10. Appealeth the duke of Aumerle of treason 512 a 60. He is mainprised 513 b 60. Earle of Sussex his seruice against the Scots he is in great danger note 986 a 20 Fitzwilliams recorder of London his wisedome in a dangerous case 730 b 30 Flanders spoiled by the duke of Glocester 614 b 60. Wholie at the deuotion of Edward the third 354 b 60. Interdicted 358 a 10. Diuerse rodes made thereinto by the English and great spoile doone 454 b 60. Inuaded by the bishop of Norwich 442 b 60. a great part drowned by an exundation 34 a 60. ¶ Sée Erle of Leicester League Flatterie impudent of sir Iohn Bushie to king Richard the second 490 b 60. Used in a sermon note 725 b 40 Notable 727 b 50 60 728 a 10 c. ¶ Sée Dissumulation Fléetwood recorder of London made sargent at law ¶ Sée Sargents
The earle of Kent rescued and conueied into Wales Polydor. The king entreth into Wales with an armie Polydor. The king returneth out of Wales The earle of Penbroke in danger He is rescued The Poictouins discomfited Dearth Tempests An earthquake A death Matth. Paris Iohn Monmouth receiueth an ouerthrow Polydor. Matth. Paris A part of the towne of Shrewsburie burnt Polydor. Matth. Paris Matth. Paris The earle of Penbroke passeth ouer into Ireland He is taken prisoner Geffrey Maurish The death 〈◊〉 the earle of Penbroke Polydor. Matth. Pariâ— Gilbert Marshall earle of Penbroke Officers called to accounts The truce ended Welshmen sent ouer to the aid of the earle of Britaine The earle of Britaine submitteth himselfe to the French king Anno Reg. 19. 1235 Polydor. Fabian * Sée the like in pag. 56. col 1. Matth. Paris The emperor Frederike marieth the king of Englands sister A great and sumptuous feast Matth. Paris Usurers called Caorsini of whome sée more in pag. 211. col 1. The bishop of London his doctrine Anno Reg. 20. King Henrie marrieth the ladie Elianor daughter to the earle of Prouance Matth. Paris The earle of Chester The constable of Chester The earle of Penbroke The wardeÌ„s of the cinque ports The earle of Leicester Erle Warren The earle of Hereford Lord William Beauchampe The citizens of London The citizens of Winchester A parlement at London Polydor. Strange sights Matth. Paris Great raine Matth. Paris Matth. West A great thunder A drie summer Gilbert Norman founder of Merton abbeie Anno Reg. 21. High tides Matth. Paris Wisbech people perishing by rage of waters A subsidie Matth. Paris Iohn Scot earle of Chester departed this life Ran. Higd. His sisters Cardinall Otho or Othobon The lords grudge at the king for receiuing the cardinall without their knowledge The legat praised for his sober behauiour A tournie at Blie Earle Bigot Anno Reg. 22. The legat holdeth a synod at London The legat coâ—meth to Oxford A fraie betwixt the legats men and the scholers of Oxford A cookes almes The legats cooke slaine The legat complaineth to the king The earle Waren sent to apprehend the offendors The legat cursseth The regents of yâ— Uniuersitie absolued Polydor. Matth. Paris The emperor of Constantinople coÌ„meth into England The countesse of Peâ—broke sister to the king married to Simon de Montford Polydor. The archbishop of Canturburie displeased with the marriage He goeth to Rome to coÌ„plaine of the king The earle of Cornewall â—â— also offended for the same marriage Matth. Paris The earle of Leicester gathereth 〈◊〉 He goeth to Rome to get â— dispensation or rather confirmation of his marriage Aid sent forth of England â—â— the emperour Henrie Trubleuille Iohn Mansel Wil. Hardell The bishop of Winchester departeth this life Matth. Paris A naughtie wretch meant to haue destroied the K. * Sée his end in pag. 230. Seneca in Octa Hippol. Anno Reg. 23. 1239 Matth. Paris Uariance betwixt the king and the earle of Penbroke Simon earle of Leicester fled ouer into France The birth of king Edward the first Polydor. A strange star Matth. Paris Ranulfe Briton taken out of his house and led to the tower Great raine The legat beginneth to looke to his owne coÌ„moditie Sir Robert de Twing The Iewes punished by the pursse A synod holden at London Anno Reg. 24. 1240 Matth. Paris Matth. West Baldwin de Riuers earle of the I le of Wight The woods about Leicester féeld Leolin prince of Wales departeth this life Griffin ap Maddockeâ— King Henrie aided the pope with monie against the â—â—â—perour Complaint to the king of the collections made for the pope The answer of the king Polydor. The causes that mooued archbishop Edmund to depart the realme Matth. West Matth. Paris Polydor. The death of Edmund archbishop of Canturburie surnamed of Pontney A Charterhouse moonke apprehended Iustices itinerants William de Yorke Robert Lexinton iustices The earle of Cornewal goeth into the holy land The earle of Leiceâ—ster goeth thither also The earle of Albemarle The dedication of the church of S. Paule in London The death of Isabell the countesse of Cornewall The lord Iohn Fitz Robert A comet A battell betwixt fishes Matth. Paris The kings manour at Mortlake A great wind An oth receiued The seneshall of Aquitaine Peter Rosso Peter de Supino got a vintiesme that is the 20 part of préests benefices Anno Reg. 25. 1241 Boniface de Sauoie elected archb of Canturburie Matth. Paris The earle of Cornewall 〈◊〉 intercessor 〈◊〉 a peace to be had betwixt the pope and the emperour He returneth into England Warres betwéene the Welshmen King Henrie goeth into Wales with an armie Dauid driuen to his wits end Dauid deliuereth his brother to the K. Matth. Pariâ— page 765. Matth. Paris page 830. Iohn Maâ—â—sell Death of â—â—â—ble men Lacie lâ—ft 〈◊〉 issue maâ—e behind him so that his daughters inheritâ—â— his lands Cardinall Somercotean Englishman An eclipse Anno Reg. 26. The death of the empresse Isabell. Wars renued betwixt the kings of England France The earle of March Gaguinus Matth. West Sundrie opinions in the kings councellers Charugage a certeine dutie for euerie Plowland The bishops of Durham sent into Scotland The king of Scots warden of the English marshes The archbishop of Yorke gouernor of the realme Thirtie barrels of English coine The king passeth ouer into France The French king inuadeth the earle of Marches land The number of the English armie Tailborge Xainctes An encounter betwixt the English and French The valiancy of the earle of Leicester and others Iohn Mansell Sir Iohn Barris Wil. de Sey. Gilbert de Clare slaine The earle of March is reconciled to the French king Matth. Paris The countesse of Bierne The reuolting of other French lords Sée pag. 42 43 44. pag. 152. of the historie of England Death in the French camp Truce 〈◊〉 betwixt the two kings Polydor. The queen 〈◊〉 England deliuered of a daughter William Marisch executiâ— Sée pag. 223. The seas trâ—ebled with men of warre Escuage gathered 20 shillings of euerie knights fée Matth. West Death of noble men Anno. Reg. 27. The earle of Cornwal and other returne home Prouision of graine and victuals taken vp and sent to the king The king led by strangers He is euill spoken of A truce taken for fiue years Nicholas de Mueles his lieutenant in Gascoigne Death of Noble men Hugh Lacie Fabian Matth. Paris Stars fallen after a strange manner Anno Reg. 28. The countesse of Prouance mother to the quéene commeth ouer into England The earle of Cornewall maried to the ladie Sanctia William Ralegh bishop of Norwich He is consecrated bish of Winchester by the pope He steleth out of the realme He giueth to the pope 6000 marks Martine the popes collectour Antichasis de Christi papae facinorb sub authore anâ—nymo The nobles complain◠〈◊〉 the king 〈…〉 popes 〈◊〉 The king writeth to the pope Polydor. The king asâ—keth counsel how to procâ—â— in