dealing was too manifest although indeed he abused his fathers patience for a while who was desirous of nothing more than to win his sonnes by some courteous meanes and therfore diuerse times offered to pardon all offenses committed by his enimies at the suit of his sonne the king who in déed offered himselfe now and then as an intreatour but that was onelie to win time that his brother with such Brabanders and other souldiers as he had with him in aid beside the forces of the barons of Guien might worke the more mischéefe against their father and their brother earle Richard in wasting and destroieng their countries that stood stedfast on their side In the meane time Richard the archbishop of Canturburie and diuerse other bishops and abbats both of England and Normandie assembled togither at Caen and in the abbeie church of S. Stephan pronounced the sentence of excommunication against all those that did hinder and impeach their purpose which was to haue peace and concord concluded betwixt the king and his sonnes the same sonnes onlie out of the said sentence excepted Diuerse shiftes were made by king Henrie the sonne and his brother earle Geffrey also to get monie for the paiment of their souldiers as spoiling of shrines and such like But at length when things framed not to their purpose and that the harme which they could doo against their father was much lesse than they wished if power had béene answerable to their wâ—â—es king Henrie the sonne through indignation and displeasure as some write fell into a gréeuous sicknesse in a village called Mertell noâ— farre from Limoges where his father laie at siege At the first he was taken with an extreame feuer and after followed a sore flixe Now perceiuing himselfe in danger of death and that the physicians had giuen him ouer he sent to his father better late than neuer confessing his trespasse committed against him and required of all fatherlie loueth 〈◊〉 sée him once before he died But for that the father thought not good to commit himselfe into the hands of such vngratious persons as were about his sonne he sent his ring vnto him in token of his blessing and as it were a pledge to signifie that he had forgiuen him his vnnaturall doings against him The son receiuing it with great humilitie kissed it and so ended his life in the presence of the archbishop of Burdeaux and others on the day of saint Barnabie the apostle He died as some write verie penitent and sorowfull And whereas in his life time he had vowed to make a iourneie into the holie land against Gods enimies and taken vpon him the crosse for that intent he deliuered it vnto his familiar freend William line 10 Marshall to go thither with it in his stead Moreouer when he perceiued present death at hand he first confessed his sinnes secretlie and after openly before sundrie bishops and men of religion and receiued absolution in most humble wise After this he caused his fine clothes to be taken from him and therewith a heare cloth to be put vpon him and after tieng a cord about his necke he said vnto the bishops and other that stood by him I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and greeuous sinner vnto you the ministers of line 20 God by this cord beséeching our Lord Iesus Christ which pardoned the théefe confessing his faults on the crosse that through your praiers and for his great mercies sake it may please him to be mercifull vnto my soule wherevnto they all answered Amen Then he said vnto them Draw me out of this bed with this cord and laie me on that bed strawed with ashes which he had of purpose prepared and as he commanded so they did and they laid at his feet and at his head two great square stones Thus being prepared line 30 to die he willed his bodie after his deceasse to be conueied into Normandie and buried at Rouen And so after he had receiued the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord he departed this life as afore is said about the 28. yeare of his age His bodie after his death was conueied towards Rouen there to be buried accordinglie as he had willed but when those that had charge to conueie it thither were come vnto the citie of Mauns the bishop there and the cleargie would not suffer them to line 40 go any further with it but committed it to buriall in honourable wise within the church of saint Iulian. Whereof when the citizens of Rouen were aduertised they were sore offended with that dooing and streightwaies sent vnto them of Mauns requiring to haue the corps deliuered threatening otherwise with manie earnest oths to fetch it from them by force Wherefore king Henrie to set order in this matter commanded that the corps of his sonne the king should be deliuered vnto them of Rouen to be line 50 buried in their citie as he himselfe had willed before his death And so it was taken vp and conueied to Rouen where it was eftsoones buried in the church of our ladie ¶ Thus ended this yoong king in his floorishing youth to whome through his owne iust deserts long life was iustlie denied sith he delighted to begin his gouernement with vnlawfull attempts as an other Absolon against his owne naturall father seeking line 60 by wrongfull violence to pull the scepter out of his hand He is not put in the number of kings bicause he remained for the more part vnder the gouernance of his father so that he rather bare the name of king as appointed to reigne than that he may be said to haue reigned in deed So that héere by the waie a notable obseruation dooth occurre and offer it selfe to be noted of vs namelie that euen princes children though borne to great excellencie and in high degâ—eâ— of dignitie aâ—e to consider with themselues that notwithstanding their statelie titles of souereigntie they haue a dutie to discharge vnto their parents which if it be neglected and that in place thereof disobedience is substituted God himselfe when politike lawes prouide not to punish such offenses will take the cause in hand will powre vengeance vpon such vngratious children For he will be true of his word both in blessing and curssing in blessing the dutifull child with long life and happie daies and in curssing the obstinate and froward with short life and vnfortunate daies according to the tenure of his law If this man had liued in the old Romans time when aged persons were so reuerenced and honoured much more parents he had beene cut off in the prime of his disobedience and present death had beene inflicted vpon him as a due and deserued reward which Iuuenal noteth excellentlie well in these words Credebant hoc grande nefas morte piandum Si iuuenis vetulo non assurrexerat si Barbato cuicunque puer licèt ipse videret Plura domi farra maioris
long time at the seas and had no change of apparell nor laine in bed and now lieng vpon the ground without succor or reliefe were soone infected and all for the most part were sicke and some of them died and some one of them was distracted and this sickenesse verie soone afâ—er dispersed it selfe among all the residue of the prisoners in the gaole of which disease manie of them died but all brought to great extremities and verie hardlie escaped These men when they were to be brought before the foresaid iustices for their triall manie of them were so weake and sicke that they were not able to go nor stand but were caried from the gaole to the place of iudgement some vpon handbarrowes and some betwéene men leading them and so brought to the place of iustice The sight of these mens miserable and pitifull cases being thought and more like to be hunger starued line 10 than with sickenesse diseased mooued manie a mans hart to behold and looke vpon them but none pitied them more than the lords iustices themselues and especiallie the lord chiefe iustice himselfe who vpon this occasion tooke a better order for kéeping all prisoners thensefoorth in the gaole and for the more often trials which was now appointed to be quarterlie kept at euerie quarter sessions and not to be posted anie more ouer as in times past vntill the assises These prisoners thus brought from out of the line 20 gaole to the iudgement place after that they had béene staied and paused a while in the open aire and somewhat refreshed therwith they were brought into the house in the one end of the hall néere to the iudges seat and which is the ordinarie and accustomable place where they doo stand to their trials and arreignments And howsoeuer the matter fell out and by what occasion it happened an infection followed vpon manie and a great number of such as were there in the line 30 court and especiallie vpon such as were néerest to them were soonest infected And albeit the inâ—ection was not then perceiued because euerie man departed as he thought in as good health as he came thither yet the same by little and little so crept into such as vpon whom the infection was seiâ—oned that after a few daies and at their home comming to their owne houses they felt the violence of this pestilent sickenesse wherein more died that were infected than escaped And besides the prisoners manie line 40 there were of good account and of all other degrées which died thereof as by name sargeant Floredaie who then was the iudge of those trials vpon the prisoners sir Iohn Chichester sir Arthur Basset and sir Barnard Drake knights Thomas Carew of Haccombe Robert Carie of Clouelleigh Iohn Fortescue of Wood Iohn Waldron of Bradféeld and Thomas Risdone esquires and iustices of the peace The losse of euerie of them was verie great to line 50 the commonwealth of that prouince and countrie but none more lamented than these two knights sir Iohn Chichester and sir Arthur Basset who albeit they were but yoong in yeares yet ancient in wisedome vpright in iudgement and zealous in the ministration of iustice Likewise Robert Carie a gentleman striken in yeares and a man of great experience knowledge and learning he had béene a student of the common lawes of the realme at the temple and verie well learned both therein and vniuersallie seene in all good letters an eloquent man line 60 of his spéech effectuall in deliuerie déepe in iudgement vpright in iustice and consider at in all his dooings The more worthie were these personages the greater losse was their deaths to the whole common wealth of that countrie Of the plebâ—ian and common people died verie manie and especiallie constables réeues and tithing men and such as were iurors and namelie one iurie of twelue of which there died eleuen This â—icknesse was dispersed through out all the whole shire and at the writing hereof in the fine of October one thousand fiue hundred fourescore and six it is not altogither extinguished It resteth for the most part about fouretéene daies and vpwards by a secret infection before it breake out into his force and violence At the first comming it made the people afraid and dismaid manie men then pretending rather than performing the amendement of life So long as the plague was hot and feruent so long euerie man was holie and repentant but with the slaking of the one followed the forgetfulnesse of the other euen as it is with a companie of shrewd children who so long as the rod is ouer the head so long feare of correction frameth them to aptnesse conformitie and obedience ¶ In the chronicles of Ireland vpon occasion of seruice in the highest office there mention was made here and there of sir Henrie Sidneie his saiengs and dooings where promise did passe by means of discoursing his death that the reader was to loâ—ke for a full declaration of his life and death in the chronicles of England as course of time should giue direction Now therefore hauing entred into the eight and twentith yeare of hir maiesties gratious gouernment and the yeare of Christ 1586 the time most fitlie openeth a readie waie into the historie concerning that nobleman penned by one that could not be ignorant of his affaires considering the neerenesse and necessarinesse of his seruice and therefore as a truth to be receiued This right famous renowmed worthie vertuous and heroicall knight by father and mother verie noblie descended was from his infancie bred and brought vp in the princes court and in neerenesse to his person vsed familiarlie euen as a companion and manie times a bedfellow After that by course of nature and lawfull descent this yoong prince was inuested in the kingdome and imperiall crowne he aduanced this gallant noble gentleman partlie as it seemed for the singular loue and entire affection he formerlie bare him to be a principall gentleman of his priuie chamber For he was then reputed for comelinesse of person gallantnesse liuelinesse of spirit vertue qualitie beautie good composition of bodie the onelie od man paragon of the court And from time to time this good and most godlie king held such delight in his pleasant modest and swéet conuersation and companie as he would sildome or neuer giue him leaue to be absent from him till his last breth that he departed this life in his armes at Greenwich Such excéeding expectation hope was conceiued of this honorable gentleman in his yonger yeares as he was speciallie chosen and sent ambassador to Henrie the first then French king concerning matter verie important being at that time not fullie one and twentie yeares old and performed his charge with that singular commendation wisedome spirit and dexteritie as at sundrie times not long after he was emploied in ambassage both in France Scotland yea somtime twise in one yere He
fauour and despised of the world cut off his horsses taile There were some also of the kings seruants that thought after an other maner of sort to reuenge the displeasure doone to the kings maiestie as sir Hugh Moreuile sir William Tracie sir Richard Britaine and sir Reignold Fitz Urse knights who taking aduice togither and agréeing in one mind and will tooke shipping sailed ouer into England landing at a place called Dogs hauen néere Douer Now the first night they lodged in the castell of Saltwood which Randulfe de Broc had in keeping The next morning being the 29. of December and fift daie of Christmasse which as that yeare came about fell vpon a tuesdaie hauing gotten togither certeine souldiers in the countrie thereabouts came to Canturburie and first entring into the court of the abbeie of S. Augustine they talked with Clarenbald the elect abbat of that place and after conference had with him they proceeded in their businesse as followeth The first knight sir Reignold Fitz Urse came to him about the eleuenth houre of the daie as the archbishop sat in his chamber and sitting downe at his feet vpon the ground without any manner of greeting or salutation at length began with him thus Being sent of our souereigne lord the king from beyond the seas we doo here present vnto you his Graces commandements to wit that you should go to his sonne the king to doo vnto him that which apperteineth vnto you to doo vnto your souereigne lord and to doo your fealtie vnto him in taking an oth and further to amend that wherein you haue offended his maiestie Wherevnto the archbishop answered For what cause ought I to conâ—â—â—me my fealtie vnto him by oth or wherin am I giltie in offending the kings Maiestie Sir Reignold said For your baronie fealtie is demanded of you with an oth and an other oth is required of those clerkes which you haue brought with you if they meane to continue within the land The archbishop answered For my baronie I am readie to do to the king whatsoeuer law or reason shall allow but let him for certeine hold that he shall not get any oth either of me or of my clerks We knew that said the knight that you would not doo any of these things which we line 10 proponed vnto you Moreouer the king commandeth you to absolue those bishops that are excommunicated by you without his licence Wherevnto he said The bishops are excommunicated not by me but by the pope who hath therto authoritie from the Lord. If in déed he hath reuenged the iniurie doone to my church I confesse that I am not displeased therwith Then said the knight Sith that such things in despite of the king doo please you it is to be thought that you would take from him his crowne and be called line 20 and taken for king your selfe but you shall misse of your purpose surelie therein The archbishop answered I doo not aspire to the name of a king rather would I knit three crownes vnto his crowne if it lay in my power At length after these and such words the knights turning them to the moonks said In the behalfe of our souereigne lord the king we command you that in any wise ye keepe this man safe and present him to the king when it shall please his grace to send for line 30 him The archbishop said Doo ye thinke that I will runaway I came not to run away but looke for the outrage and malice of wicked men Truelie said they you shall not runne away and herewith went out with noise and threatnings Then maister Iohn of Salisburie his chancellor said vnto him My lord this is a woonderfull matter that you will take no mans counsell had it not beene méet to haue giuen them a more méeke and gentle answer But the archbishop said Surelie I haue alreadie taken all the counsell that I will take I know what I ought to line 40 doo Then said Salisburie I pray God it may be good Now the knights departing out of the place and going about to put on their armour certeine came to the archbishop said My lord they arme themselues What forceth it said he let them arme themselues Now when they were armed and manie other about them they entred into the archbishops palace Those that were about the archbishop cried vpon him to flée but he sat still and would not once remooue line 50 till the moonks brought him euen by force against his will into the churth The comming of the armed men being knowne some of the moonks continued singing of euensong and some sought places where to hide themselues other came to the archbishop who was loth to haue entred into the church and when he was within he would not yet suffer them to make fast the doores so that there was a great stur among them but cheeflie when they perceiued that the armed men went about to séeke for the archbishop by meane whereof their euensong was left vnfinished line 60 At length the knights with their seruants hauing sought the palace came rushing into the church by the cloister doore with their swords drawne some of them asking for the traitor and some of them for the archbishop who came and met them saieng Here am I no traitor but the archbishop The formost of the knights said vnto him Flee thou art but dead To whome the archbishop said I will not flée The knight sâ—ept to him taking him by the sléeue and with his sword cast his cap besides his head and said Come hither for thou art a prisoner I will not said the archbishop doo with me here what thou wilt and plucked his sleeue with a mightie strength out of the knights hand Wherewith the knight stepped backe two or thrée paces Then the archbishop turning to one of the knights said to him What meaneth this Reignold I haue doone vnto thée manie great pleasures and commest thou now vnto me into the church armed Unto whome the knight presentlie answered and said Thou shalt know anon what is ment thou art but dead it is not possible for thee any longer to liue Unto whom the archbishop answered I am readie to die for my God and for the defense of his iustice and the libertie of the church gladlie doo I imbrace death so that the church may purchase peace and libertie by the shedding of my blood And herewith taking on other of the knights by the habergeon he floong him from him with such violence that he had almost throwne him downe to the ground This was sir Will. Tracie as he after confessed Then the archbishop inclined his head after the maner of one that would praie pronouncing these his last words To God to saint Marie and to the saints that are patrones of this church and to saint Denise I commend my selfe and the churches cause Therewith sir Reignold Fitz Urse striking a full
Lameth where the 21 daie of Ianuarie they were read and the 27 daie of the same moneth was the church cast downe the canons which were alreadie there placed had commandement to depart from thence line 50 without further delaie Thus the moonks in despite of the king and archbishop had their willes but yet their vexation ceassed not for the king and archbishop bearing them no small euill will for that they had so obteined their purpose contrarie to their minds and intents molested them diuerse waies although the moonks still vpon complaint to the pope were verie much releeued and found great freendship both with him and likewise with his court ¶ So that it may be obserued that these dishclouts line 60 of the popes kitchen haue in all ages since their first quickening béene troublesome and mutinous sawcie and insolent proud and malapert But Proh pudor hos tolerare potest ecclesia porcos Cùm sint lasciui nimiùm nimiúmque superbi Duntaxà t ventri veneri somnóque vacantes In this meane time king Richard being now at rest from troubles of warre studied busilie to prouide monie meaning to make a new voiage into the holie land Therefore finding himselfe bare of treasure by reason the French warres had emptied his cofers he set a great tax vpon his subiects and by that meanes hauing recouered a great summe he builded that notable strong castell in Normandie vpon the banke of the riuer of Saine named Chateau Galiard which when it was finished he fell a iesting thereat and said Behold is not this a faire daughter of one yeares growth The soile where this castell was builded belonged to the archbishop of Rouen for which there followed great strife betwixt the king and the archbishop till the pope tooke vp the matter as before ye haue heard After this he determined to chastise certeine persons in Poictou which during the warres betwixt him and the French king had aided the Frenchmen against him wherevpon with an armie he passed foorth towards them but by the waie he was informed that one Widomer a vicount in the countrie of Britaine had found great treasure and therefore pretending a right thereto by vertue of his prerogatiue he sent for the vicount who smelling out the matter and supposing the king would not be indifferent in parting the treasure fled into Limosin where although the people were tributaries to the king of England yet they tooke part with the French king There is a towne in that countrie called Chalus Cheuerell into which the said vicount retired for safegard of himselfe and then gaue the townesmen a great portion of treasure to the end they should defend him and his quarell for the rest King Richard still following him as one that could not auoid his fatall ordinance hasted into the confines of Limosin fullie determining either to win the towne by force if the inhabitants should make resistance or at least wise to get into his hands the preie which he so earnestlie pursued At his first approch he gaue manie fierce assaults to the towne but they within hauing throughlie prouided aforehand for to defend a siege so resisted his attempts that within thrée daies after his comming he ceassed to assaile the towne meaning to vndermine the walles which otherwise he perceiued would verie hardlie be gotten considering the stoutnesse of them within and withall the naturall strength and situation of the place it selfe Herevpon therefore on the 26 of March whiles he togither with capteine Marchades went about vnaduisedlie to view the towne the better to consider the place which waie he might conueie the course of his mine they came so farre within danger that the king was striken in the left arme or as some write in the shoulder where it ioined to the necke with a quarell inuenomed as is to be supposed by the sequele Being thus wounded he gat to his horsse and rode home againe to his lodging where he caused the wound to be searched and bound vp and as a man nothing dismaid therewith continued his siege with such force and assurance that within 12 daies after the mishap the towne was yéelded vnto him although verie little treasure to make any great accompt of was at that time found therein In this meane season the king had committed the cure of his wound to one of Marchades his surgions who taking in hand to plucke out the quarell drew foorth onelie the shaft at the first and left the iron still within and afterwards going about most vnskilfullie to get foorth the head of the said quarell he vsed such incisions and so mangled the kings arme yer he could cut it that he himself despaired of all helpe and longer life affirming flatlie to such as stood about him that he could not long continue by reason of his butcherlie handling To be short féeling himselfe to wax weaker and weaker preparing his mind to death which he perceiued now to be at hand he ordeined his testament or rather reformed and added sundrie things vnto the same which he before had made at the time of his going foorth towards the holie land Unto his brother Iohn he â—ssigned the crowne of England and all other his lands and dominions causing the Nobles there present to sweare fealtie vnto him His monie his iewels and all other his goods mooueable he willed to be diuided into thrée parts of the which Otho the emperor his sisters sonne to haue one his houshold seruants an other part and the third to be distributed to the poore Finallie remembring himselfe also of the place of his buriall he commanded that his bodie should be interred at line 10 Fonteuerard at his fathers feet but he willed his heart to be conueied vnto Rouen and there buried in testimonie of the loue which he had euer borne vnto that citie for the stedfast faith and tried loialtie at all times found in the citizens there His bowels he ordeined to be buried in Poictiers as in a place naturallie vnthankefull and not worthie to reteine any of the more honorable parts of his bodie Moreouer he caused the arcubalistar that wounded him to be sought out whose name was Barthram line 20 de Gurden or Peter Basill for so he named himselfe as some write who being brought before the king he demanded wherein he had so much offended him that he should so lie in wait to slea him rather than Marchades who was then in his companie and attendant on his person The other answered boldlie againe saieng I purposed to kill thee bicause thou sluest my father and two of my brethren heretofore and wouldest also now haue slaine me if I had hapned to fall into thy hands Wherefore I intended to line 30 reuenge their deaths not caring in the meane time what became of my selfe so that I might in anie wise obteine my will of thée who in such sort hast berest me of my freends
bicause they possessed nothing of their owne On the first daie the king came into their chapter that he might be partaker of their praiers and found them meat and drinke that day and dined there with them to doo them the more honour Another day the quéene likewise fed them and afterwards the bishop of London the abbats of Westminster S. Albon and Waltham with others About the same season the citizens of London found themselues greeued verie sore for such liberties as the king granted to the abbat of Westminster to the great hinderance and decaie of the franchises of their citie The maior and communaltie resisted all that they might against those liberties and finallie by the good helpe and fauour of the lords as the earles of Cornewall and Leicester they obteined their purpose This yeare maister William de Kilkennie a sober faithfull and learned man was made keeper of the great seale ¶ The same yeare vpon inquisition made by Geffrey de Langley one of the kings councell of transgressors in forrests and chases manie that had offended were presented and most gréeuouslie punished by imprisonment fines and exceeding great amercements and namelie in the north countrie On the nineteenth of Maie died Robert de Lexinton clearke the which hauing continued a long time in the office of a iudge purchased to himselfe great fame and also most large possessions But certeine yéeres before his death bicause he was diseased with the palsie he gaue ouer that office and drew himselfe into a quiet trade of life so ending his daies in praiers and dooing of almesdeeds About the feast of S. Margaret died Henrie Hastings a noble baron and one Robert de Muschampe a man of great renowme in the north parts Also Walter bishop of Winchester departed this life about the feast of S. Matthew in whose place through the kings earnest line 10 suit his halfe brother Athelmare was promoted to succéed Moreouer in the east parts that valiant erle of Salisburie William de Longespee with Robert de Ueer and others was slaine in that vnfortunate battell in the which the Saracens vanquished the christian armie and tooke Lewes the French king prisoner On the first day of October the moone vpon hir change appearing excéeding red and swelled began to shew tokens of the great tempest of wind that line 20 followed which was so huge and mightie both by land sea that the like had not bene lightlie knowne and sildome or rather neuer heard of by men then aliue The sea forced contrarie to hir naturall course flowed twice without ebbing yeelding such a roring noise that the same was heard not without great woonder a farre distance from the shore Moreouer the same sea appeared in the darke of the night to burne as it had béen on fire and the waues to striue and fight togither after a maruellous sort so that the line 30 mariners could not deuise how to saue their ships where they laie at anchor by no cunning nor shift which they could deuise At Hertburne three tall ships perished without recouerie besides other smaller vessels At Winchelsey besides other hurt that was doone in bridges milles breakes and banks there were thrée hundred houses and some churches drowned with the high rising of the water course The countrie of Holland beyond the sea and the marish land in Flanders susteined inestimable damage and line 40 in manie other places by reason that riuers beaten backe and repelled by the rising of the sea swelled so high that they ouerflowed their chanels and much hurt was doone in medowes bridges milles and houses About the beginning of the fiue and thirtith yeare of king Henries reigne the bishops of England vnderstanding that the archbishop of Canturburie was about to purchase of the pope a grant to gather monie through his whole prouince of the cleargie and line 50 people for synods and procuracies they thought to preuent him and therefore made a collection euerie one through his owne diocesse of two pence in euerie marke which any beneficed man might dispend which monie so collected they ment to imploie about charges in the popes court for the staie of the archbishops suit that the grant should not passe About the same time to wit vpon saint Lucies day there was a great earthquake at S. Albons and line 60 in the parts thereabouts with a noise vnder the ground as though it had thundred This was strange and maruellous bicause the ground there is chalkie and sound not hollow nor loose as those places be where earthquakes for the most part happen Doues rookes and other birds that sat vpon houses and in boughes of trées fearing this strange wonder flickred vp and flue to and fro shewing a token of feare as if a goshauke had beene ouer their heads The pope required by solemne messengers sent to the king of England that he might come to the citie of Burdeaux in Gascoigne there for a time remaine The king wist not well what answer to make for loth he was to denie anie thing that the pope should require and againe he was not willing for sundrie respects that the pope should come so néere vnto him Indeed manie were in doubt least if he came to Burdeaux he would also come into England and rather impaire the state thereof than amend it by his presence sith by such vsurers and licentious liuers as belonged to him the realme had alreadie beene sore corrupted Howsoeuer the matter went there was delaie and such means deuised and made that the pope came not there at that time On Christmasse day in the night great thunder and lightning chanced in Northfolke and Suffolke past measure year 1251 in token as was thought of some euill to follow ¶ The king kept his Christmasse at Winchester but without any great port or liberalitie for hospitalitie with him was greatlie laid aside About this time Guy de Lusignan the kings halfe brother came ouer into England after his returne out of the holie land and was of the king ioifullie receiued Towards the releefe of his expenses made in that iournie the king gaue him fiue hundred pounds which he got of the Iewes Moreouer he gaue to his brother Geffrey the custodie of the baron Hastings lands and so by such liberall and bounteous gifts as he bestowed on them and other strangers he greatlie incurred the hatred of his naturall people the Englishmen On the day of the Epiphanie the earle of Leicester came to the king in great hast out of Gascoigne giuing him to vnderstand that the Gascoignes were reuolted in such number that if spéedie succour were not prouided the whole countrie would fall from the English subiection Héerevpon the king furnished him with monie and the earle himselfe got all that he could make of his owne reuenues and likewise of the Umfreuilles lands the heire whereof he had in custodie He made no long
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
intrailes and being rolled to and fro burnt the same but so as no appearance of any wound or hurt outwardlie might be once perceiued His crie did mooue manie within the castell and towne of Berkley to compassion plainelie hearing him vtter a wailefull noise as the tormentors were about to murther him so that diuerse being awakened therewith as they themselues confessed praied heartilie to God to receiue his soule when they vnderstood by his crie what the matter ment The quéene the bishop and others that their tyrannie might be hid outlawed and banished the lord Matreuers and Thomas Gourney who flieng vnto Marcels thrée yeares after being knowne taken and brought toward England was beheaded on the sea least he should accuse the chiefe dooers as the bishop and other Iohn Matreuers repenting himselfe laie long hidden in Germanie and in the end died penitentlie Thus was king Edward murthered in the yeare 1327 on the 22 of September The fame went that by this Edward the second after his death manie miracles were wrought So that the like opinion of him was conceiued as before had beene of earle Thomas of Lancaster namelie amongst the common people He was knowne to be of a good and line 10 courteous nature though not of most pregnant wit And albeit in his youth he fell into certeine light crimes and after by the companie and counsell of euill men was induced vnto more heinous vices yet was it thought that he purged the same by repentance and patientlie suffered manie reproofes and finallie death it selfe as before ye haue heard after a most cruell maner He had suerlie good cause to repent his former trade of liuing for by his vndiscreet line 20 and wanton misgouernance there were headed and put to death during his reigne by iudgement of law to the number of 28 barons and knights ouer and beside such as were slaine in Scotland by his infortunate conduct All these mischeefes and manie more happened not onlie to him but also to the whole state of the realme in that he wanted iudgement and prudent discretion to make choise of sage and discréet councellors receiuing those into his fauour that abused the same to their priuate gaine and aduantage not respecting line 30 the aduancement of the common-wealth so they themselues might atteine to riches and honour for which they onelie sought in somuch that by their couetous rapine spoile and immoderate ambition the hearts of the common people nobilitie were quite estranged from the dutifull loue and obedience which they ought to haue shewed to their souereigne going about by force to wrest him to follow their wils and to seeke the destruction of them whome he commonlie fauoured wherein suerlie they were worthie of line 40 blame and to tast as manie of them did the deserued punishment for their disobedient and disloiall demeanors For it was not the waie which they tooke to helpe the disfigured state of the common-wealth but rather the readie meane to ouerthrow all as if Gods goodnesse had not béene the greater it must néeds haue come to passe as to those that shall well consider the pitifull tragedie of this kings time it may well appeare line 50 But now to procéed with that which remaineth touching this infortunate prince He had issue by his wife quéene Isabell two sonnes Edward which was made king whilest he was yet aliue and Iohn which died yoong also two daughters Elianor which died before she came to yeares able for mariage and Ione which was after giuen in mariage vnto Dauid king of Scotland He was indifferentlie tall of stature strong of bodie and healthfull neither wanted there in him stoutnesse of stomach if his euill councellors line 60 had béene remooued that he might haue shewed it in honorable exploits which being kept backe by them he could not doo So that thereby it appeareth of what importance it is to be trained vp in youth with good and honest companie ¶ It is said that he was learned insomuch that there remaine verses which as some haue written he made whilest he was in prison Certeine it is he fauored lerning as by the erection of Oriall colledge in Oxford S. Maries hall which were of his foundation it may well be gathered Learned men we find recorded by Bale to liue in this kings time these as follow Iohn Duns that subtill logician borne as Leland hath gathered in a village in Northumberland called Emildune thrée miles distant from Alnwike although other hold the contrarie the Scots claiming him for their countrieman and the Irishmen for theirs Robert Walsingham a Carmelite frier that writ diuerse treatises Iohn Wilton an Augustine frier Walter Winterborne Rafe Locksley Nicholas Stanford William Whitley Thomas Ioice Walter Ioice William Gainesburgh Robert Baston borne not farre from Notingham a Carmelite frier of Scarburgh the same whome king Edward tooke with him into Scotland to write some remembrances of his victories although being taken by the Scots he was constreined by Robert Bruce to frame a dittie to a contrarie tune Iohn Horminger a Suffolke man borne William Rishanger a moonke of S. Albons an historiographer Rafe Baldocke bishop of London wrote also an historie which was intituled Historiae Anglica Richard Bliton a Lincolnshire man borne a Carmelite frier Iohn Walsingham borne either in Walsingham or Brunham as Bale supposeth a Carmelite frier also and wrote diuerse treatises Thomas Chabham a canon of Salisburie and a doctor of diuinitie Robert Plimpton borne in Deuonshire a regular canon Thomas Castleford a moonke of Pomfret William Mansfield Iohn Canon Robert Grime William Askettle of Beuerley Geffrey of Cornewall Iohn Gatisdene Theobald Anglicus Stephan Eiton or Edon Iohn Goldstone borne in Yorkeshire Iohn Winchelsey Nicholas de Lyra a Iew by birth of those that had their habitations in England who wrote verie manie treatises to his great commendation for his singular knowledge and zeale which he shewed in disprouing the Rabines that still sought to kéepe the Iewish nation in blindnesse and vaine hope in looking for another Messias Rafe Acton an excellent diuine Iohn Dumbleton a logician Thomas Langford borne in Maldon in Essex a logician Osbert Pickenam a Carmelite frier of Lin in Norffolke Nicholas Okeham a graie frier William Ockam a frier minor that wrote diuerse treatises and namelie against Iohn Duns and likewise against Iohn the three and twentith pope of that name in fauour of the emperour Lewes of Bauier Richard Walingford Thomas Haselwood a canon of Léeds in Kent wrote a chronicle called Chronicon compendiarium Robert Karew Robert Perscrutator borne in Yorkeshire a blacke frier and a philosopher or rather a magician Richard Belgraue a Carmelite Brinkley a minorite and others Thus far infortunat Edward the second Edward the third who came to the crowne by the resignation of his father Edward the second EDward the third of that name the sonne of Edward the second and of Isabell the onelie daughter of Philip
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
horssebacke addresse themselues to the battell and combat The duke of Hereford was quicklie horssed and closed his bauier and cast his speare into the rest and when the trumpet sounded set forward couragiouslie towards his enimie six or seuen pases The duke of Norfolke was not fullie set forward when the king cast downe his warder and the heralds cried Ho ho. Then the king caused their speares to be taken from them and commanded them to repaire againe to line 60 their chaires where they remained two long houres while the king and his councell deliberatlie consulted what order was best to be had in so weightie a cause Finallie after they had deuised and fullie determined what should be doone therein the heralds cried silence and sir Iohn Bushie the kings secretarie read the sentence and determination of the king and his councell in a long roll the effect wherof was that Henrie duke of Hereford should within fifteene daies depart out of the realme and not to returne before the terme of ten yeares were expired except by the king he should be repealed againe and this vpon paine of death and that Thomas Mowbraie duke of Norfolke bicause he had sowen sedition in the relme by his words should likewise auoid the realme and neuer to returne againe into England nor approch the borders or confines thereof vpon paine of death â—nd that the king would staie the profits of his lands till he had leuied thereof such summes of monie as the duke had taken vp of the kings treasuror for the wages of the garrison of Calis which were still vnpaid When these iudgements were once read the king called before him both the parties and made them to sweare that the one should neuer come in place where the other was willingliâ— nor kéepe any companie to â—ither in any forren region which oth they both receiued humblie and so went their waies The duke of Norfolke departed sorowfullie out of the relme into Almanie and at the last came to Uenice where he for thought and melancholie deceassed for he was in hope as writers record that he should haue béene borne out in the matter by the king which when it fell out otherwise it greeued him not a little The duke of Hereford tooke his leaue of the king at Eltham who there released foure yeares of his banishment so he tooke his iornie ouer into Calis and from thence went into France where he remained ¶ A woonder it was to sée what number of people ran after him in euerie towne and stréet where he came before he tooke the sea lamenting and bewailing his departure as who would saie that when he departed the onelie shield defense and comfort of the common-wealth was vaded and gone At his comming into France king Charles hearing the cause of his banishment which he esteemed to be verie light receiued him gentlie and him honorablie interteined in so much that he had by fauour obteined in mariage the onelie daughter of the duke of Berrie vncle to the French king if king Richard had not béene a let in that matter who being thereof certified sent the earle of Salisburie with all speed into France both to surmize by vntrue suggestion heinous offenses against him and also to require the French king that in no wise he would suffer his cousine to be matched in mariage with him that was so manifest an offendor This was a pestilent kind of proceeding against that nobleman then being in a forren countrie hauing béne so honorablie receiued as he was at his entrance into France and vpon view and good liking of his behauiour there so forward in mariage with a ladie of noble linage So sharpe so seuere so heinous an accusation brought to a strange king from a naturall prince against his subiect after punishment inflicted for he was banished was inough to haue made the French king his fatall â—o vpon suspicion of assaieng the like trecherie against him to haue throwne him out of the limits of his land But what will enuie leaue vnattempted where it is once setled And how are the malicious tormented with egernes of reuenge against them whom they maligne wringing themselues in the meane tiâ—e with inward pangs gnawing them at the hart wherevnto serueth the poets allusion Inuidia Siculi non inuenêre tyranni Maius tormentum On Newyeares day this yeare the riuer that passeth betwixt Suelleston or Snelston and Harewood year 1399 two villages not far from Bedford sudenlie ceassed his course so as the chanell remained drie by the space of thrée miles that any man might enter into and passe the same drie foot at his pleasure This diuision which the water made in that place the one part séeming as it were not to come néere to the other was iudged to signifie the reuolting of the subiects of this land from their naturall prince It may be that the water of that riuer sanke into the ground and by some secret passage or chanell tooke course till it came to the place where it might rise againe as in other places is likewise 〈◊〉 Ye haue heard before how the archbishop of Canturburie Thomas Arundell was banish the 〈◊〉 and Roger Walden was made archbishop oâ— that â—ee who was a great fauourer of the citie of London the which was eftsoones about this season falle 〈◊〉 the kings displeasure but by the diligent labour of this archbishop and of Robert Braibrooke then bishop of London vpon the humble supplication of the line 10 citizens the kings wrath was pacifâ—ed But yet to content the kings mind manie blanke charters were deuised and brought into the citie which manie of the substantiall and wealthie citizens were sâ—me to seale to their great charge as in the end appeared And the like charters were sent abroad into all shires within the realme whereby great grudge and murmuring arose among the people for when they were so sealed the kings officers wrote in the same what liked them as well for charging the parties with paiment line 20 of monie as otherwise In this meane time the duke of Lancaster departed out of this life at the bishop of Elies place in Holborne and lieth buried in the cathedrall church of saint Paule in London on the northside of the high altar by the ladie Blanch his first wife The death of this duke gaue occasion of increasing more hatred in the people of this realme toward the king for he seized into his hands all the goods that belonged to him and also receiued all the rents and reuenues of line 30 his lands which ought to haue descended vnto the duke of Hereford by lawfull inheritance in reuoking his letters patents which he had granted to him before by vertue wherof he might make his attorneis generall to sue liuerie for him of any maner of inheritances or possessions that might from thencefoorth fall vnto him and that his homage might be respited with making
reasonable fine whereby it was euident that the king meant his vtter vndooing This hard dealing was much misliked of all the nobilitie line 40 and cried out against of the meaner sort but namelie the duke of Yorke was therewith sore mooued who before this time had borne things with so patient a mind as he could though the same touched him verie néere as the death of his brother the duke of Glocester the banishment of his nephue the said duke of Hereford and other mo iniuries in great number which for the slipperie youth of the king he passed ouer for the time and did forget aswell as he might But now perceiuing that neither law iustice line 50 nor equitie could take place where the kings wilfull will was bent vpon any wrongfull purpose he considered that the glorie of the publike wealth of his countrie must néeds decaie by reason of the king his lacke of wit and want of such as would without flatterie admonish him of his dutie and therefore he thought it the part of a wise man to get him in time to a resting place and to leaue the following of such an vnaduised capteine as with a leden sword would cut his owne throat Herevpon he with the duke of Aumarle his sonne line 60 went to his house at Langlie reioising that nothing had mishappened in the common-wealth through his deuise or consent The common brute ran that the king had set to farme the realme of England vnto sir William Scroope earle of Wiltshire and then treasuror of England to sir Iohn Bushie sir Iohn Bagot and sir Henrie Gréene knights ¶ About the same time the earle of Arundels sonne named Thomas which was kept in the duke of Exeters house escaped out of the realme by meanes of one William Scot mercer and went to his vncle Thomas Arundell late archbishop of Canturburie as then soiourning at Cullen King Richard being destitâ—â—e 〈…〉 〈…〉 when they rose in armor against him The nobles gentlemen and commons of those shires were inforced also to receiue a new oth to assure the king of their fidelitie in time to come and withall certeine prelats and other honorable personagâ—s were sent into the same shires to persuade men to this painâ—ent and to sée things ordered at the pleasure of the prince and suerlie the fines which the nobles and other the meaner estates of those shires were constreined to paie were not small but excéeding great to the offense of manie Moreouer the kings letters patents were sent into euerie shire within this land by vertue whereof an oth was demanded of all the kings liege people for a further assurance of their due obedience and they were constreined to ratifie the same in writing vnder their hands and seales Moreouer they were compelled to put their hands and seales to certeine blankes wherof ye haue heard before in the which when it pleased him he might write what he thought good There was also a new oth deuised for the shiriffes of euerie countie through the realme to receiue finallie manie of the kings liege people were through spite enuie and malice accused apprehended put in prison and after brought before the constable and marshall of England in the court of chiualrie and might not otherwise be deliuered except they could iustifie themselues by combat and fighting in lists against their accusers hand to hand although the accusers for the most part were lustie yoong and valiant where the parties accused were perchance old impotent maimed and sicklie Wherevpon not onelie the great destruction of the realme in generall but also of euerie singular person in particular was to be feared and looked for ¶ About this time the bishop of Calcedon came into England with letters apostolicall of admonition that the faithfull and loiall of the land should of their goods disbursse somewhat to the emperour of Constantinople who was extremelie vexed and troubled by the Tartars and their capteine called Morect And to the intent that the peeres of the land might be made the more willing and toward to bestow their contribution in this behalfe the pope granted vnto all benefactors trulie contrite and confessed full remission and wrapped in his bitter censures all such as hindered those that were willing to bestow their beneuolence in this case considering that although the emperour was a schismatike yet was he a christian and if by the infidels he should be oppressed all christendome was in danger of ruine hauing in his mind that saieng of the poet full fit for his purpose Tunc tuares agitur paries cùm proximus ardet ¶ In this yeare in a manner throughout all the realme of England old baie trées withered and afterwards contrarie to all mens thinking grew greene againe a strange sight and supposed to import some vnknowne euent ¶ In this meane time the king being aduertised that the wild Irish dailie wasted and destroied the townes and villages within the English pale and had slaine manie of the souldiers which laie there in garison for defense of that countrie determined to make eftsoones a voiage thither prepared all things necessarie for his passage now against the spring A little before his setting foorth he caused a iusts to be holden at Windesor of fourtie knights and fourtie esquiers against all commers they to be apparelled in gréene with a white falcon and the queene to be there well accompanied with ladies and damsels When these iusts were finished the king departed toward Bristow from thence to passe into Ireland leauing the queene with line 10 hir traine still at Windesor he appointed for his lieutenant generall in his absence his vncle the duke of Yorke and so in the moneth of Aprill as diuerse authors write he set forward from Windesor and finallie tooke shipping at Milford and from thence with two hundred ships and a puissant power of men of armes and archers he sailed into Ireland The fridaie next after his arriuall there were slaine two hundred Irishmen at Fourd in Kenlis within the countie of Kildare by that valiant gentleman line 20 Ienico Dartois and such Englishmen as he had there with him and on the morrow next insuing the citizens of Dublin inuaded the countrie of Obrin and slue thirtie and thrée Irishmen The king also after he had remained about seuen daies at Waterford marched from thence towards Kilkennie and comming thither staied thereabout fourteene daies looking for the duke of Aumarle that was appointed to haue met him but he failed and came not wherevpon the king on Midsummer euen line 30 set forward againe marching streight towards the countrie of Macmur the principall rebell in that season within Ireland who kéeping himselfe among woods with three thousand right hardie men seémed to passe little for any power that might be brought against him Yet the king approching to the skirts of the woods commanded his soldiers to fier the houses and villages
and rost as he might carrie vpon a long dagger he I saie was made gouernour of the realme with whom as fellow was associat George duke of Clarence And thus was the state of the realme quite altered To this parlement came the marquesse Montacute excusing himselfe that for feare of death he declined to take king Edwards part which excuse was accepted When quéene Margaret vnderstood by hir husbands letters that the victorie line 50 was gotten by their fréends she with hir sonne prince Edward and hir traine entered their ships to take their voiage into England but the winter was so sharpe the weather so stormie and the wind so contrarie that she was â—aine to take land againe and to deferre hir iournie till another season About the same season Iasper earle of Penbroke went into Wales to visit his lands in Penbrokeshire where he found lord Henrie sonne to his brother Edmund earle of Richmond hauing not full line 60 ten yeares of age he being kept in maner like a captiue but honorablie brought vp by the ladie Herbert late wife to William earle of Penbroke beheaded at Banburie as ye before haue heard This Henrie was borne of Margaret the onelie daughter and heire of Iohn the first duke of Summerset then not being full ten yeares of age the which ladie though she were after ioined in mariage with lord Henrie sonne to Humfreie duke of Buckingham and after to Thomas Stanleie earle of Derbie both being yoong and apt for generation yet she had neuer anie more children as though she had doone hir part to bring foorth a man child and the same to be a king as he after was indéed intituled by the name of Henrie the seuenth as after ye shall heare The earle of Penbroke tooke this child being his nephue out of the custodie of the ladie Herbert and at his returne brought the child with him to London to king Henrie the sixt whome when the king had a good while beheld he said to such princes as were with him Lo suerlie this is he to whom both we and our aduersaries leauing the possession of all things shall hereafter giue roome and place So this holie man shewed before the chance that should happen that this earle Henrie so ordeined by God should in time to come as he did indéed haue and inioy the kingdome and whole rule of this realme of England ¶ So that it might seeme probable by the coherence of holie Henries predictions with the issue falling out in truth with the same that for the time he was indued with a propheticall spirit And suerlie the epithet or title of holie is not for naught attributed vnto him for it is to be read in writers that he was by nature giuen to peaceablenesse abhorring bloud and slaughter detesting ciuill tumults addicted to deuotion verie frequent in praier and not esteeming so highlie of courtlie gallantnesse as stood with the dignitie of a prince In consideration wherof he procured against himselfe an apostasie of his people both natiue and forren who reuolted and fell from fealtie And whie The reason is rendred by the same writer namelie Quòd tales homines populus sceleratior odit Fastidit detestatur non conuenit inter Virtutem vitium lucem fugêre tenebrae The earle of Warwike vnderstanding that his enimie the duke of Burgognie had receiued king Edward and meant to aid him for recouerie of the kingdome he first sent ouer to Calis foure hundred archers on horsse backe to make warre on the dukes countries and further prepared foure thousand valiant men to go ouer shortlie that the duke might haue his hands euen full of trouble at home And where ye haue heard that the erle of Warwike was kept out of Calis at his fléeing out of England into France ye shall note that within a quarter of an houre after it was knowne that he was returned into England and had chased king Edward out of the realme not onelie monsieur de Uaucléere but also all other of the garrison towne shewed themselues to be his fréends so that the ragged staffe was taken vp and worne in euerie mans cap some ware if of gold enameled some of siluer and he that could haue it neither of gold nor siluer had it of whitish silke or cloth such wauering minds haue the common people bending like a reed with euerie wind that bloweth The duke of Burgognie hauing an armie readie at the same time to inuade the frontiers of France to recouer the townes of saint Quintiâ—es and Amiens latelie by the French king taken from him doubted to be hindered greatlie by the Englishmen if he should be constreined to haue warre with them for the duke of Burgognie held not onlie at that season Flanders but also Bulleine and Bullennois and all Artois so that he was thereby in danger to receiue harme out of Calis on ech side Therefore he sent ambassadors thither which did so much with the councell there that the league was newlie confirmed betwixt the realme of England and the dukes countries onelie the name of Henrie put in the writing in stéed of Edward This matter hindered sore the sute of king Edward dailie suing to the duke for aid at his hands the more earnestlie indéed bicause of such promises as by letters were made vnto him out of England from his assured fréends there But duke Charles would not consent openlie to aid king Edward but yet secretlie vnder hand by others he lent vnto him fiftie thousand florens of the crosse of S. Andrew and further caused foure great ships to be appointed for him in the hauen of de Uéere otherwise called Camphire in Zeland which in those daies was free for all men to come vnto and the duke hired for him fouretéene ships of the Easterlings well appointed for the more suertie tooke a bond of them to serue him trulie till he were landed in England and fifteene daies after The Easterlings were glad of this iournie trusting if he got againe the possession of England they should the sooner line 10 come to a peace and obteine restitution of their liberties and franchises which they claimed of former time to haue within this realme The duke of Burgognie cared not much on whose side the victorie fell sauing for paiment of his monie for he would oft saie that he was fréend to both parties and either part was fréendlie to him In déed as he was brother in law to the one so was he of kin to the other as by his grandmother being daughter to Iohn of Gant duke of Lancaster When line 20 therefore all king Edwards furniture and prouision for his iournie were once readie hauing now with him about two thousand able men of warre beside mariners he entered into the ships with them in the hauen before Flishing in Zeland vpon the second day of March and bicause the wind fell not good for his purpose he taried
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
the long warres of those regions To this was ioined the memorie of Mahomet his grandfather who with a power farre lesse than his and with a small name sent vpon the coasts of the realme of Naples had woone by assault the citie of Oâ—ronto and sauing he was preuented by death had both opened the way and established the meane to persecute the regions of Italie with continuall vexations so that the pope togither with the whole court of Rome being made astonished with so great successe and no lesse prouident to eschew so great a danger making their first recourse vnto the aid and succour of God caused to be celebrated through Rome most deuout inuocations which he did assist in presence bare-footed And afterwards calling vpon the helpe of mâ—n line 10 he wrote letters to all christian princes both admonishing them of the perill and persuading them to lay aside all ciuill discords and contentions and attend spéedilie to the defense of religion their common safetie which he affirmed would more and more take increase of most grieuous danger if with the vnitie of minds and concordances of forces they sought not to transferre the warre into the empire of the Turks inuade the enimie in his owne countrie Upon this aduise and admonition was taken line 20 the examination and opinion of men of warre and persons skilfull in the discouerie of countries the disposing of prouinces and of the nature and vsage of the forces and weapons of that kingdome and therevpon a resolution was set downe to make great leuies of monie by voluntarie contributions of princes and vniuersall imposts of all people of christendome It was thought necessarie that Cesar accompanied with the horssemen of Hungaria and Polonia line 30 nations warlike and practised in continuall warre against the Turke and also with the footmen of Germanie should saile along Danubi into Bossina called ancientlie Misia and from thence to Thracia and so to draw neare Constantinople the seat of the empire of Ottomanes that the French king with all the forces of his kingdome the Uenetians and the other potentates of Italie accompanied with the infanterie of Swizzerland should passe from the port of Brindisi in Albania a passage verie easie short to inuade Greece a countrie full of christian inhabitants line 40 and for the intollerable yoke of the Turkes most readie to rebell that the kings of Spaine of England and Portugall assembling their forces togither in Cartagenia and the ports thereabouts should take their course with two hundred ships full of Spanish footmen and other souldiers to the streict of Galipoli to make rodes vp to Constantinople hauing first of all subdued the castels and forts standing vpon the mouth of the streict and the pope to take the same course imbarking at Ancona with line 50 an hundred ships armed With these preparations séeming sufficient to couer the land and ouerspread the sea it was thought that of a warre so full of deuotion and pietie there could not be but hoped a happie end speciallie adding the inuocation of God and so manie seuerall inuasions made at one time against the Turkes who make their principall foundation of defense to fight in the plaine field These matters were solicited with no small industrie and to stop all matter of imputation line 60 against the office of the pope the minds of princes were throughlie sounded and an vniuersall truce for fiue yeares betweene all the princes of christendome published in the consistorie vpon paine of most grieuous censure to such as should impugne it So that the negociation continuing for all things apperteining to so great an enterprise he assigned ambassadours to all princes to the emperour he sent the cardinall S. Sisto to the French king he dispatched the cardinall of S. Maria in Portico the cardinall Giles to the king of Spaine and the cardinall Campeius to the king of England All cardinals of authoritie either for their experience in affaires or for opinion of their doctrine or for their familiaritie with the pope All which things albeit they were begun with great hope and expectation and the vniuersall truce accepted of all men and all men with no little ostentation and brauerie of words made shew of their readinesse with their forces to aduance so good a cause yet what with the consideration of the perill estéemed vncerteine and farre off and extending more to one prince than to another and what by the difficulties and long tract of time that appeared to introduce a zeale and vnion so vniuersall priuat interests and respects particular séemed to preuaile more than the pietie of the expedition insomuch that the negociation stood not onelie naked of all hope and issue but also it was followed verie lightlie and as it were by ceremonie This being one propertie in the nature of men that those things which in their beginnings appeare fearefull doo dailie take such degrées of diminution and vanishing that vnles the first feares be reuiued by new accidents they lead men in processe of time to securitie Which propertie of negligence both touching the affaires publike and affection of priuate and particular men was well confirmed by the death that succéeded not long after to Selim who hauing by a long maladie suspended the preparations of the warre was in the end consumed by the passions of his disease and so passed into the other life leauing so great an empire to Soliman his sonne yoong in yeares and iudged to beare a wit and mind not so disposed to the warres although afterwards the effects declared the contrarie At this time appeared betweene the pope and the French king a most great and streict coniuncton for the king gaue to wife to Laurence his nephue the ladie Magdalen noblie descended of the bloud and house of Bullognie with a yearelie reuenue of ten thousand crownes whereof part was of the kings gift and the residue rising of hir owne patrimonie Besides the king hauing borne to him a sonne the pope required that in his baptisme he would impose vpon him his name By which occasion Laurence making preparations to go to marrie his new wife for his more spéed performed his iournie by post into France where he was receiued with manie amities and much honour of the king to whome he became verie gratious and of deare account the rather for that besides other generall respects he made a dedication of himselfe wholie to the king with promise to follow in all accidents his fortune And now to returne to cardinall Woolsie who grew so into excéeding pride that he thought himselfe equall with the king For when he said masse which he did oftener to shew his pompe rather than for anie deuotion he made dukes and earles to serue him of wine with a say taken and to hold to him the bason at the lauatorie Thus was the pride of the cardinall and other priests so past the compasse of reason
Notingham and there lodged that night more sicke and the next daie he rode to line 10 Leicester abbeie and by the waie waxed so sicke that he was almost fallen from his mule so that it was night before he came to the abbeie of Leicester where at his comming in at the gates the abbat with all his conuent met him with diuerse torches light whom they honorablie receiued and welcomed To whom the cardinall said Father abbat I am come hither to lay my bones among you riding so still vntill he came to the staires of the chamber where he allighted from his mule and master Kingston line 20 led him vp the staires and as soone as he was in his chamber he went to bed This was on the saturday at night and then increased he sicker and sicker vntill mondaie that all men thought he would haue died so on tuesdaie saint Andrewes euen master Kingston came to him and bad him good morrow for it was about six of the clocke and asked him how he did Sir quoth he I tarrie but the pleasure of God to render vp my poore soule into his hands Not so sir quoth master Kingston with the grace of God yée shall liue and doo verie well if yee will be of line 30 good cheere Nay in good sooth master Kingston my disease is such that I can not liue for I haue had some experience in physicke Thus it is I haue a flux with a continuall feuer the nature whereof is that if there be no alteration of the same within eight daies either must insue excoriation of the intrailes or fransie or else present death and the best of them is death and as I suppose this is the eight daie if yée sée no alteration in me there is no remedie saue though I may liue a daie line 40 or twaine after but death must insue Sir quoth maister Kingston you be in much pensiuenes doubting that thing that in good faith yée néed not Well well master Kingston quoth the cardinall I sée the matter how it is framed but if I had serued God as diligentlie as I haue doone the king he would not haue giuen me ouer in my greie haires but it is the iust reward that I must receiue for the diligent paines and studie that I haue had to doo him seruice line 50 not regarding my seruice to God but onelie to satisfie his pleasure I praie you haue me most humblie commended vnto his roiall maiestie beseech him in my behalfe to call to his princelie remembrance all matters procéeding betwéene him me from the beginning of the world and the progresse of the same c. Master Kingston farewell I can no more saie but I wish all things to haue good successe my time draweth on fast And euen with that he began to draw his spéech line 60 at length his toong to faile his eies being set whose sight failed him Then they did put him in remembrance of Christ his passion caused the yeomen of the gard to stand by to sée him die and to witnesse of his words at his departure incontinent the clocke stroke eight and then he gaue vp the ghost and departed this present life which caused some to call to remembrance how he said the daie before that at eight of the clocke they should loose their master Here is the end and fall of pride and arrogancie of men exalted by fortune to dignitie for in his time he was the hautiest man in all his procéedings aliue hauing more respect to the honor of his person than he had to his spirituall profession wherin should be shewed all meekenes humilitie and charitie An example saith Guicciardin who handleth this storie effectuallie and sheweth the cause of this cardinals ruine in our daies woorthie of memorie touching the power which fortune and enuie hath in the courts of princes He died in Leicester abbeie in the church of the same abbeie was buried Such is the suertie of mans brittle state doubtfull in birth no lesse féeble in life which is as vncerteine as death most certeine and the meanes thereof manifold which as in number they excéed so in strangenesse they passe all degrees of ages diuersities of sexes being subiect to the same In consideration whereof it was notablie said by one that wrote a whole volume of infirmities diseases and passions incident to children A primo vitae diuersos stamine morbos Perpetimur diris affiâ—imúrque malis Donec in occasum redeat qui vixit ab ortu Antea quà m discat viuere vita cadit This cardinall as Edmund Campian in his historie of Ireland describeth him was a man vndoubtedly borne to honor I thinke saith he some princes bastard no butchers sonne excéeding wise faire spoken high minded full of reuenge vitious of his bodie loftie to his enimies were they neuer so big to those that accepted and sought his fréendship woonderfull courteous a ripe schooleman thrall to affections brought a bed with flatterie insatiable to get and more princelie in bestowing as appeareth by his two colleges at Ipswich and Oxenford the one ouerthrowne with his fall the other vnfinished and yet as it lieth for an house of students considering all the appurtenances incomparable thorough Christendome whereof Henrie the eight is now called founder bicause he let it stand He held and inioied at once the bishopriks of Yorke Duresme Winchester the dignities of lord cardinall legat chancellor the abbeie of saint Albons diuerse priories sundrie fat benefices In commendam a great preferrer of his seruants an aduancer of learning stout in euerie quarell neuer happie till this his ouerthrow Wherein he shewed such moderation and ended so perfectlie that the houre of his death did him more honor than all the pompe of his life passed Thus far Campian Here it is necessarie to adde that notable discourse which I find in Iohn Stow concerning the state of the cardinall both in the yeares of his youth and in his settled age with his sudden comming vp from preferment to preferment till he was aduanced to that step of honor which making him insolent brought him to confusion ¶ This Thomas Wolseie was a poore mans sonne of Ipswich in the countie of Suffolke there borne and being but a child verie apt to be learned by the meanes of his parents he was conueied to the vniuersitie of Oxenford where he shortlie prospered so in learning as he was made bachellor of art when he passed not fiftéene yeares of age and was called most commonlie thorough the vniuersitie the boie bachellor Thus prospering in learning he was made fellow of Mawdeline college and afterward appointed to be schoolemaster of Mawdelin schoole at which time the lord marquesse Dorset had thrée of his sonnes there at schoole committing vnto him as well their education as their instruction It pleased the said lord marquesse against a Christmas season to
heard him commended him estéeming his expedition to be almost beyond the capacitie of man The king gaue him at that time the deanrie of Lincolne From thense forward he grew more and more into estimation and authoritie and after was promoted by the king to be his almoner After the death of king Henrie the seuenth and in the florishing youth of king Henrie the eight this almoner handled himselfe so politiklie that he soone found the meanes to be made one of the kings councell and to grow in fauor with the king to whome the king gaue an house at Bridewell in Fleetstréet sometime sir Richard Empsons where he kept house for his familie and so dailie attended vpon the king and in his especiall fauor who had great sute made vnto him His sentences wittie persuasions in the councell chamber were alwaies so pithie that the councell as occasion mooued them continuallie assigned him to be the expositor to the king in all their procéedings in whome the king receiued such a leaning fantasie for that he was most earnest and readiest of all the councell to aduance the kings will and pleasure the king therefore estéemed him so highlie that all the other councellors were put from the great fauor that they before were in insomuch that the king committed all his will vnto his disposition which the almoner perceiuing tooke vpon him therefore to discharge the king of the weightie and troublesome businesse line 10 persuading the king that he should not néed to spare anie time of his pleasure for anie businesse that should happen in the councell And whereas the other councellors would diuerse times persuade the king to haue sometime recourse into the councell chamber there to heare what was doone the almoner would persuade him to the contrarie which delited him much and thus the almoner ruled all them that were before him such did his policie and wit bring to passe Who was now in high line 20 fauor but master almoner And who ruled all vnder the king but master almoner Thus he perseuered in fauor vntill at last in came presents gifts and rewards so plentifullie that he lacked nothing that might either please his fantasie or inrich his coffers And thus proceeding in fortunes blisfulnesse it chanced the warres betwéene the realmes of England and France to be open insomuch as the king was fullie persuaded in his most roiall person to inuade his forren enimies with a puissant armie line 30 wherefore it was necessarie that this roiall enterprise should be speedilie prouided and furnished in euerie degree of things apt conuenient for the same for the expedition wherof the king thought no mans wit so méet for policie and painefull trauell as was his almoner to whome therefore he committed his whole trust therein and he tooke vpon him the whole charge of all the businesse and brought all things to good passe in a decent order as all maner of vittels prouisions and other necessaries conuenient for so line 40 noble a voiage and armie All things being by him perfected the king aduanced to his roiall enterprise passed the seas and marched forward in good order of battell vntill he came to the strong towne of Terwine to the which he laid his siege and assailed it verie stronglie continuallie with such vehement assaults that within short space it was yéelded vnto his maiestie vnto the which place the emperor Maximilian repaired vnto the king with a great armie like a mightie prince taking line 50 of the king his graces wages which is a rare thing and but seldome seene an emperor to fight vnder a kings banner Thus after the king had obteined this puissant fort and taken the possession thereof and set all things there in due order for the defense and preseruation thereof to his vse he departed thense and marched toward the citie of Torneie and there laid his siege in like maner to the which he gaue so fierce sharpe assault that they were constreined of fine force to line 60 render the towne vnto his victorious maiestie at which time the king gaue the almoner the bishoprike of the same see towards his paines and diligence susteined in that iournie Now when the king had established all things agréeable to his will and pleasure and furnished the same with noble capteines men of warre for the safegard of the towne he returned againe into England taking with him diuerse noble personages of France being prisoners as the duke of Longuile and vicount Clarimont with other which were taken there in a skirmish After whose returne immediatlie the sée of Lincolne fell void by the death of doctor Smith late bishop there the which benefice his grace gaue to his almoner late bishop of Torneie elect who was not negligent to take possession therof and made all the spéed he could for his consecration the solemnization whereof ended he found meanes that he gat the possession of all his predecessors goods into his hands It was not long after that doctor Benbrike archbishop of Yorke died at Rome being there the kings ambassador vnto the which sée the king immediatlie presented his late and new bishop of Lincolne so that he had thrée bishopriks in his hands in one yeere giuen him Then prepared he for his translation from the see of Lincolne vnto the sée of Yorke after which solemnization doone he being then an archbishop Primas Angliae thought himselfe sufficient to compare with Canturburie and therevpon erected his crosse in the court and euerie other place as well within the precinct and iurisdiction of Canturburie as in anie other place And forsomuch as Canturburie claimeth a superoritie ouer Yorke as ouer all other bishopriks within England and for that cause claimeth as a knowledge of an ancient obedience of Yorke to abate the aduancing of his crosse in presence of the crosse of Canturburie notwithstanding the archbishop of Yorke nothing minding to desist from bearing thereof in maner as I said before caused his crosse to be aduanced as well in the presence of Canturburie as elsewhere Wherefore Canturburie being mooued therewith gaue vnto Yorke a certeine checke for his presumption by reason whereof there ingendered some grudge betwéene Yorke and Canturburie Yorke intending to prouide some such meanes that he would be rather superior in dignitie to Canturburie than to be either obedient or equall to him Wherefore he obteined to be made priest cardinall and Legatus de latere vnto whome the pope sent a cardinals hat with certeine buls for his authoritie in that behalfe Yet you shall vnderstand that the pope sent him this woorthie hat of dignitie as a iewell of his honor and authoritie the which was conueied in a varlets budget who seemed to all men to be but a person of small estimation Wherefore Yorke being aduertised of the basenes of this messenger of the peoples opinion thought it meete for his honor that this iewell
towels about their necks gaue attendance about it that no filth should come in the font ouer it hoong a square canopie of crimsin sattin fringed with gold about it was a raile couered with red saie betweene the quier and the bodie of the church was a close place with a pan of fire to make the child readie in When all these things were ordered the child was brought to the hall and then euerie man set forward first the citizens two and two then gentlemen esquiers and chapleins next after them the aldermen and the maior alone next the maior the kings councell the kings chappell in copes then barons bishops earles then came the earle of Essex bearing the couered basins gilt after him the marquesse of Excester with the taper of virgin wax next him the marquesse Dorset bearing the salt Behind him the ladie Marie of Norffolke bearing the créesome which was verie rich of pearle and stone the old dutches of Norffolke bare the child in a mantell of purple veluet with a long traine furred with ermine The duke of Norffolke with his marshall rod went on the right hand of the said dutches and the duke of Suffolke on the left hand and before them went the officers of armes The countesse of Kent bare the long traine of the childs mantell and betwéene the countesse of Kent and the child went the earle of Wilshire on the right hand and the earle of Darbie on the left hand supporting the said traine in the middest ouer the said child was borne a canopie by the lord Rochford the lord Husée the lord William Howard and by the lord Thomas Howard the elder after the child followed manie ladies and gentlewomen When the child was come to the church doore the bishop of London met it with diuerse bishops and abbats mitred When the ceremonies and christening were ended Garter cheefe king of armes cried alowd God of his infinite goodnesse send prosperous life long to the high and mightie princesse of England Elizabeth then the trumpets blew Then the archbishop of Canturburie gaue to the princesse a standing cup of gold the dutches of Norffolke gaue to hir a standing cup of gold fretted with pearle the marchionesse of Dorset gaue thrée gilt bolles pounced with a couer and the marchionesse of Excester gaue thrée standing bolles grauen all gilt with a couer Then was brought in wafers comâ—ets â—pâ—â—rasse in such plentie that eueâ—iâ— man had as much as he would desire Then they set forwarâ—s the truwpets going before in the same order towards the 〈◊〉 palace as they 〈◊〉 when they came thitherwards sâ—uing that the gifts that the godfâ—ther 〈◊〉 the godmothers gaue were bâ—ene before the child by foure persons that is to saie First sir Iohn Dudleie bare the gift of the ladie of Excester the â—ord Thomas Howard the yoonger bare the gift of the ladie of Dorset line 10 the lord Fitzwater bare the gift of the ladie of Norffolke and the earle of Worcester bare the gift of the archbishop of Canturburie all the oneside as they went was full of staffe torches to the number of fiue hundred borne by the gard and other of the kings seruants and about the child were borne manie other proper torches by gentlemen In this order they brought the princesse to the Q. chamber tarried there a while with the maior his brethren the aldermen and at the last the dukes of line 20 Norffolke Suffolke came out froÌ„ the K. thanking them hartilie who commanded them to giue thanks in his name which being doone with other courtesies they departed so went to their barges From that time forward God himselfe vndertaking the tuition of this yoong princesse hauing predestinated hir to the accomplishment of his diuine purpose she prospered vnder the Lords hand as a chosen plant of his watering after the reuolution of certeine yeares with great felicitie and ioy of all English hearts atteined to the crowne of this realme and now reigneth line 30 ouer the same whose heart the Lord direct in his waies and long preserue hir in life to his godlie will and pleasure and the comfort of all true and faithfull subiects Of the blessed natiuitie of this most gratious virgine quéene as also of hir baptisme and confirmation in the christian faith with all the solemnities and ceremonies recorded in our English annales hir education hir knowledge in diuerse languages hir peaceable gouernement and manie other trim discourses C. O. in his Eiâ—enarchia or line 40 Elisabetha hath made honorable mention saieng Septembris Deus hoc voluit quae septima luxest Consecrata venit Domino voluentibus aennis Parturijt coniux Henrici principis Anna Vi dolor increuit praescripto sedula nutrix Perstat in officiâ— matronáque nobilis instat Auxilium latura suum cùm pondus in auras Maturum genitrix enixa puerpera languet Certa tamen veraeque salutis signa dabantur Postquam pulchellae faciei prodijt infans line 50 Compositis membris speciosam vt caera liquescens Fingitur in formam populo mirante periti Artificis manibus tensis adsidera palmis Foemina conclamat senior Benedicite Christo Praesentes Domino ô vos benedicite Christo Virgo beat matrem virgo modo nata patrémque Britannos omnes posthâc haec virgâ— beabit Haec sola est nostrae spes solatia gentis Rex pater inuisit celeri sua gaudia passis Matrem filiolam verbis solatus â—micis line 60 Languidam adhuc illaÌ„ partúsque doloribus aegram c. ¶ This yéere also one Pauier the towne clerke of the citie of London hanged himselfe which suerly was a man that in no wise could abide to heare the gospell should be in English And I my selfe heard him once saie to me and other that were by swearing a great oth that if he thought the kings highnesse would set foorth the scripture in English and let it be read of the people by his authoritie rather than he would so long liue he would cut his owne throat but he brake promise for as you haue heard he hanged himselfe but of what mind and intent he so did maie be soone gathered For God had no doubt appointed him to that iudgement no lesse heauie than his offense was heinoâ—s namelie the contempt of Gods word the knowleâ—ge where of Dauâ—d â—esired preferring it before gold 〈◊〉 siluer yea before pearles pretious stones in richnesse and before honie and the honie-combe in 〈◊〉 as the paraphrase noteth saieng 〈…〉 sapiâ—â—â— incùnda palato ¶ About this time the pope by lingering sicknes whose gréeâ—e in the first apprehension was the pains of the stomach which drawing with them to paâ—â—ions of a feuer and other accidents kept him long time vexed and tormented sometimes séeming to be reduced to the point of death and sometimes so eased and reléeued that he gaue to others but not to himselfe a kind
he gaue prisoners both bodies goods and lands On the other side he commanded forches and gallowes to be set vp in sundrie places as well within the citie as also in the countrie and did command and cause manie to be executed and put to death especiallie such as were noted to be chiefe and busie dooers ringleaders in this rebellion Among them all there was no one so exalted as was Welsh the vicar of saint Thomas neere the Exbridge at Excecester who was preferred and presented to that benefice by the lord Russell patrone thereof This man had manie good things in him he was of no great stature but well set and mightilie compact he was a verie good wrestler shot well both in the long bow as also in the crossebow he handled his handgun and péece verie well he was a verie good woodman and a hardie and such a one as would not giue his head for the polling nor his beard for the washing he was a companion in anie exercises of actiuitie of a courteous and gentle behauiour he descended of a good honest parentage being borne at Penuerin in Cornewall and yet in this rebellion an archcapteine and a principall dooer He was charged with thrée principall crimes The first was that he did not onelie persuade the people to the contemning of the reformed religion according to the kings procéedings and to keepe and obserue the Romish and popish religion but also did erect kéepe and vse the same in his parish church Secondarilie he was a capteine and a principall dealer in the cause of the rebellion which was chieflie directed by him his order aduise Thirdlie he caused one Kingwell a tinner of Chagford and seruant to master Iohn Charels of Tauestoke to be hanged bicause secretlie he had conueied letters betwéene my lord and his master and was earnest in the reformed religion which was then termed the kings procéedings an enimie to the popish state And being a sharpe inueier against the one and an earnest mainteiner of the other it procured vnto him great hatred and malice when the rebellion was begun he sought by all the meanes he could how to escape awaie but he was so narrowlie watched that he could neuer haue anie oportunitie so to doo They vsed all the deuises they could to recouer him to their opinions sometimes with faire words sometimes with threatenings and sometimes with imprisonments but still he inueied against them calling them rebels and traitors both against God and the king and foreprophesied vnto them that destruction and confusion would be the end reward of their dooings Thus when they could not reclame him to their disposition then by the order and iudgement of this vicar Welsh he was fetched out of the prison and foorthwith brought foorth before Caiphas and Pilat and condemned to be hanged which was executed vpon him foorthwith and he brought to an elme tree in Exilond without the west gate of the citie before the house of one Nicholas Caue and there hanged The like crueltie or rather tyrannie was doone at Sampford Courteneie where when a certeine Frankelin a gentleman named William Hellions who comming to Sampford to haue some communication with them for the staie of their rebellion line 10 and for the pacifieng of them in their due obedience was at the townes end taken prisoner caried to the churchhouse where he so earnestlie reprooued them for their rebellion so sharplie threatened them an euill successe that they all fell in a rage with him and not onlie with euill words reuiled him but also as he was going out of the churchhouse going downe the staires one of them named Githbridge with a bill strake him in the necke and immediatlie notwithstanding his pitifull requests and lamentations line 20 a number of the rest fell vpon him slue him and cut him into small péeces and though they counted him for an heretike yet they buried him in the church-yard there but contrarie to the common maner laieng his bodie north and south These things being called to remembrance and obiected against this vicar although some men in respect of his vertues and good gifts did pitie and lament his case and would haue gladlie beene sutors for his pardon yet the greatnesse of his lewdnesse line 30 and follies considered they left him vnto his deserts so was by order of the marshall law condemned to death And yet this one thing by the waie I must speake in his commendation There was among the rebels a stranger and an alien who was a verie skilfull gunner could handle his peece verie well and did much harme vnto the citie among others slue one Smith standing at a doore in northgate street with a great shot from saint Dauids hill This fellow tooke vpon him that he would set the whole citie on line 40 fire and it should be cleane burned within foure houres doo they what they could This his offer was so well liked that the daie and time was appointed when this should be doone The vicar hearing thereof assembleth vnto him as manie men as he could make and haue came to this companie when this fire should be kindled and was so hot and earnest against their attempts that he would in no wise suffer so lewd an act and wicked a thing to be doone For saith he doo you what line 50 you can by policie force or dint of sword to take the citie I will ioine with you and doo my best but to burne a citie which shall be hurtfull to all men and good to no man I will neuer consent therevnto but will here stand with all my power against you And so stout he was in this matter that he stopped them from their further enterprising of so wicked a fact But to the matter The execution of this man was committed to Barnard Duffeld who being nothing slacke to follow his commission caused a paire line 60 of gallowes to be made and to be set vp vpon the top of the tower of the said vicars parish church of S. Thomas and all things being readie and the stage perfected for this tragedie the vicar was brought to the place and by a rope about his middle drawne vp to the top of the tower and there in chains hanged in his popish apparell and had a holie water bucket and sprinkle a sacring bell a paire of beads such other like popish trash hanged about him and there he with the same about him remained a long time He made a verie small or no confession but verie patientlie tooke his death he had béene a good member in his common-wealth had not the weeds ouergrowne the good corne and his foule vices ouercommed his vertues The lord priuie seale remaining still in Excester was continuallie occupied in setting things in order he was verie seuere and sharpe against suth offendors as were chiefe and principall ringleders of this rebellion but to the common sort who
50 brought to London the least of them was more than anie horsse Much about this season there were thrée notable ships set foorth and furnished for the great aduenture of the vnknowne voiage into the east by the north seas The great dooer and incourager of which voiage was Sebastian Gabato an Englishman borne at Bristow but was the sonne of a Genowaie These ships at the last arriued in the countrie of Moscouia not without great losse and danger line 60 and namelie of their capteine who was a woorthie and aduenturous gentleman called sir Hugh Willoughbie knight who being tossed and driuen by tempest was at the last found in his ship frozen to death and all his people But now the said voiage and trade is greatlie aduanced and the merchants aduenturing that waie are newlie by act of parlement incorporated and indued with sundrie priuileges and liberties About the beginning of the moneth of Maie next following there were thrée notable mariages concluded shortlie after solemnized at Durham place The first was betwéene the lord Gilford Dudleie the fourth sonne of the duke of Northumberland and the ladie Iane eldest daughter to Henrie duke of Suffolke the ladie Francis his wife was the daughter of Marie second sister to king Henrie the eight first maried to Lewes the French king and after to Charles Brandon duke of Suffolke The second mariage was betwéene the lord Herbert son and heire to William earle of Penbroke and the ladie Katharine second daughter of the said ladie Francis by the said Henrie duke of Suffolke And the third was betwéene Henrie lord Hastings sonne and heire to Francis earle of Huntington and ladie Katharine yoongest daughter to the forenamed duke of Northumberland These mariages were compassed concluded chieflie vpon purpose to change alter the order of succession to the crowne made in the time of king Henrie the eight from the said kings daughters Marie and Elizabeth and to conueie the same immediatlie after the death of king Edward to the house of Suffolke in the right of the said ladie Francis wherein the said yoong king was an earnest traueller in the time of his sickenesse all for feare that if his sister Marie being next heire to the crowne should succéed that she would subuert all his lawes and statutes made concerning religion whereof he was most carefull for the continuance whereof he sought to establish a meet order of succession by the aliance of great houses by waie of marriage which neuerthelesse were of no force to serue his purpose For tending to the disheriting of the rightfull heirs they proued nothing prosperous to the parties for two of them were soone after made frustrate the one by death the other by diuorse In the meane while the king became euerie daie more sicke than other of a consumption in his lungs so as there was no hope of his recouerie Wherevpon those that then bare chiefe authoritie in councell with other prelats and nobles of the realme called to them diuerse notable persons learned as well in diuinitie as in the lawes of the land namelie bishops iudges other who fell to consultation vpon this so weightie cause and lastly concluded vpon the deuise of king Edwards will to declare the said ladie Iane eldest néece to king Henrie the eight and wife to the said lord Gilford to be rightfull heire in succession to the crowne of England without respect had to the statute made in the fiue and thirtith yeare of king Henrie the eight the true meaning of which statute they did impugne and ouerthrow by diuerse subtill sinister constructions of the same to disherit the said kings daughters to whome the succession of the crowne of England of right apperteined as well by the common lawes of this realme as also by the said statute made in the said fiue and thirtith yeare of king Henrie as aforesaid To which new order of succession all the said kings councell with manie bishops lords doctors and iudges of the realme subscribed their names without refusall of anie except sir Iames Hales knight one of the iustices of the common plées who being called to this councell would in no wise giue his assent either by word or writing as ye shall heare more in the historie of quéene Marie Now when these matters were thus concluded and after confirmed by a number of hands as aforesaid then the noble prince king Edward the sixt by long lingering sickenesse and consumption of his lungs aforesaid approched to his death and departed out of this life the sixt daie of Iulie in the seuenth yeare of his reigne and seuentéenth of his age after he had reigned and noblie gouerned this realme six yeares fiue moneths and eight daies And a little before his departing lifting vp his eies to God hee praied as followeth The praier of king Edward the sixt at his death LOrd God deliuer me out of this miserable and wretched life take me among thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be doone Lord I commit my spirit to thee oh Lord thou knowest how happie it were for mee to be with thee yet for thy chosens sake if line 10 it be thy will send me life and helth that I maie trulie serue thee Oh my Lord blesse thy people and saue thine inheritance Oh Lord God saue thy chosen people of England Oh my Lord God defend this realme from papistrie and mainteine thy true religion that I and my people maie praise thy holie name And therewithall he said I am faint Lord haue mercie vpon me and take my spirit line 20 Thus did this good yoong king yéeld vp to God his ghost the sixt daie of Iulie as before is mentioned whome if it had pleased God to haue spared with longer life not vnlike it was but he should haue so gouerned this English common-wealth that he might haue béene comparable with any of his noble progenitors so that the losse of so towardlie a yoong king greatlie discomforted the whole English nation that looked for such a reformation in the state of line 30 the common-wealth at his hands as was to be wished for of all good subiects which bred such a liking in them toward him that euen among verie traitorous rebels his name yet was had in reuerence although otherwise they neuer so much forgat their dutie both towards him and other appointed to gouerne vnder him through a malicious and most wilfull error as if his tender yeares had not sufficientlie warranted his roiall authoritie but that the same had béene vsurped by others against his will and pleasure line 40 And as he was intierlie beloued of his subiects so with the like affection of kindnes he loued them againe of nature and disposition méeke much inclined to clemencie euer hauing a regard to the sparing of life There wanted in him no promptnes of wit grauitie of sentence ripenesse of iudgement as his age might
where the king with his two brethren the admerall the most part of the nobles of France met them a line 20 distance from the place brought them to the house where they dined and abode till sundaie following from whence the king and his nobles with the nobles of England came to Paris The king his two brethren our ambassador riding in one coch togither and the nobles of England and France being so placed also in coches came to the said castell of Louure and there dined After dinner the king our ambassador with the nobilitie of both realmes went to a church named saint Germane where the French line 30 king his brethren and nobilitie heard euensong The noblemen of England withdrawing them into a chappell till euensong was doone were then fetched thense by the nobles of France to the king and his brethren that awaited their comming where was confirmed the league which had béene concluded at Blois the ninteenth of Aprill deputies being there for the French partie Francis Montmorencie Reinold Birago Sebastian de Laubespine and Paule de Foix and for the queene of England sir Thomas line 40 Smith and maister Walsingham ambassadors This being doone they departed without the wals of Paris to a garden of pleasure where they supped After supper the king departed to his place of Madrill and the nobles of England vnto the castell of Louure On mondaie the admerall feasted the nobles of England vpon tuesdaie the duke of Aniou the kings brother and on wednesdaie the duke of Alanson line 50 his yoonger brother and so passed in feasting and banketting with rich gifts on both parts On fridaie the nobles of England tooke leaue of the king and on sundaie came to saint Denis and after to Bullongne where they tooke ship and returned into England the fourth of Iulie The second of Iune in the morning betwéene the houres of seuen and eight Thomas Howard duke of Norffolke was beheaded on a scaffold newlie set vp on tower hill ¶ This execution in a short time was spred abroad line 60 for fame which as the poet saith in few words volat leuibus sublata per aethera pennis had sounded the same farre and néere insomuch that in tract of time as men had leasure to laie their collections togither among other things this is recorded euen of strangers For the execution of an honorable personage must néeds be so much the more notorious as his misdéed is dishonorable Touching the duke therefore this I find in Schardius howsoeuer he came to the knowledge thereof a moderne historien and doctor of the lawes in Basill The duke of Norffolke who as we haue said was condemned for treason the sixteenth daie of Ianuarie was brought out of the tower of London to a plaine hard by which they call the hill in the middest whereof a scaffold had béene builded manie yeares ago seruing for execution which being old was both rotten and ruinous For queene Elisabeth hauing with mercie gouerned hir commonwealth there was no punishment inflicted there vpon anie for the space of fourtéene yeares Wherefore a new scaffold must needs be made Which when the duke at seuen of the clocke in the morning had mounted hauing on a silken doublet a long gowne of like fine stuffe all blacke earnestlie he beheld the people round about with his cap on his head Now when he had stood still a prettie while and cast his eies vpon the scaffold he asked whereabouts he might best stand to speake vnto the people For the scaffold was foure square and the people came flocking from all places Now when he was directed to the east side thereof and the people had muttered and whispered diuerslie among themselues master Alexander Nowell deane of Paules besought them that were present to be silent and still Then began the duke to speake to the people as followeth The duke of Norffolkes vvords vttered on the scaffold at tower hill when he should be executed IT is no rare thing good people to sée a man come hither to die albeit since this quéens most blessed reigne I be the first I praie God I be the last The people said Amen It is a hard matter for a man of my calling to vse long spéech in such an audience either for that audacitie serues me not or for that comming to such an end as I doo the feare of death troubleth me and therfore I beseech you all heartilie to beare with me I will not be long I will make a short spéech and diuide my talke into three parts And first concerning my offense towards my prince wherein some thing I haue to confesse against my selfe and in some thing to cléere my selfe I come not to complaine against my peeres I doo acquit them I haue deserued to die it is not vnknowne I haue dealt with the quéene of Scots in verie great and high matters without making my prince priuie therevnto otherwise than I ought to haue doone There is one thing which greatlie grudgeth my conscience that is when I was first deliuered out of this place I made a submission promised the Q. neuer to deale further in that matter and yet contrarie to my promise I meant did otherwise I am sorie for it It was reported I made a vow and tooke a solemne oth and receiued the communion vpon it that is not true the other was too much It was reported also I went about to destroie the citie of London I take God to my witnesse I neuer meant to hurt this citie I haue dealt with suspected persons and such as haue shewed themselues enimies to the state especiallie one I will name to wit one Radulpho whome I neuer talked withall but once and then I liked not his dealing he shewed me two letters which he said came from the pope Then said one of the shiriffes of London Good my lord be short he said I will be short I haue not much to saie good gentlemen beare witnesse I come not to cléere my selfe I saw two letters the one inciphered and the other disciphered I was charged to confeder with the rebels I take God to witnesse I did neuer The secondarie interrupted him and said I praie you my lord go not about to cléere your selfe you haue béene tried as honourablie as anie noble man hath euer béene in this land I praie you make short for the houre is past it is vpon the perill of their liues meaning the shiriffes they can not suffer you Oh I praie you giue me leaue a little I doo confesse my fault This is my confession I doo confesse it notwithstanding my religion It hath been reported I haue béene a papist a confederer with papists a friend to them and a mainteiner of them and of their religion I take God to witnesse I am none nor euer was a papist since I knew what religion ment I haue had friends yea familiar friends yea
foure daies and died line 40 in the yeare one thousand thrée hundred and foure being about the two and thirtith yeare of king Edward the first Iohn de Chesill was the second time honoured with the place of the chancellor in the yeare that the word became flesh one thousand two hundred sixtie and eight being the thrée and fiftith yeare in which king Henrie the third of that name did hold the scepter of England Richard de Middleton so surnamed of the place line 50 where he was borne was aduanced to the office of the chancellorship in the said three and fiftith yeare of king Henrie the third in the moneth of Iulie in the yeare of our redemption one thousand two hundred sixtie and eight and was also as appeareth by a charter which I haue séene witnesse to the same déed in the foure and fiftith yeare of the said king Henrie who as farre as I can gather died in August in the yeare of Christ one thousand two hundred seuentie and one being the six and fiftith yeare of the long gouernment line 60 of king Henrie the third There was a writer of England that wrote many volums of this name liuing at this time whom I doubt not for anie thing that I can yet learne to be the same man which was chancellor Iohn de Kirbie after the death of Richard Middleton was made kéeper of the great seale in the said six and fiftith yere of king Henrie the third Whether this were the same Iohn Kirkbie which after was bishop of Elie and treasuror of England I haue not as yet to determine although I rather hold the affirmatiue than the contrarie Walter Merton the third time made chancellor of England in the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred seuentie and thrée being the first yeare of the reigne of that famous prince king Edward the first of that name he was bishop of Rochester and built Merton college in Oxford and died in the yeare of Christ one thousand two hundred seauentie and eight being the sixt yeare of the reigne of king Edward the first Robert Burnell the eleuenth bishop of Bath and Wels after the vniting of those two sées in one by Iohn de Toures in the yeare of Christ one thousand ninetie and two was made bishop of Bath in the yeare of our Lord as saith Euersden one thousand two hundred seuentie foure and chosen archbishop of Canturburie in the yeare one thousand two hundred seuentie and eight but reiected by the pope he was chancellor in the second yeare of the said Edward the first in which place it séemeth that he long continued of whom thus writeth an anonymall chronicle Dominus Edmundus comes Cornubiae fundauit nouum studium ordinis Cisterciensis apud Oxonias monachos de Thame primò ibidem introduxit dedit eis prima donatione manerium de Erdington fecit dedicare locum abbatiae tertij idus Decembris per dominum Robertum Burnellepiscopum Bathon Welles cancellarium regis posuit fundamentum nouae ecclesiae eodem die Northosneiae This bishop was required with the son of Edward the first and Gilbert de Clare earle of Glocester in the time of Edward the first to be deliuered for pledges for Lheweline prince of Wales for his safe returne if he came to the parlement wherevnto he was summoned by the said king Edward In the time of this chancellor the court of chancerie was kept at Bristow This man died in the yéere of Christ one thousand two hundred ninetie and thrée being the one and twentith yere of the reigne of king Edward the third Iohn de Langhton made chancellor of England in the yéere of our Lord one thousand two hundred ninetie and thrée being the one and twentith yeare of the scourger of the Scots king Edward the first in which office he remained vntill the thirtith of the said king being the yeare of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred and two He was made bishop of Chichester about the six and twentith or rather the seauen and twentith yeare of king Edward the first being the yeare of our Lord one thousand two hundred ninetie and eight or rather one thousand two hundred ninetie and nine and in the said yeare one thousand two hundred ninetie and nine he was before chosen bishop of Elie but reiected by the pope who made him archdeacon of Canturburie from which Langhton this Edward did take the great seale in the thirtith yeare before said and deliuered it to Iohn Drokensford Iohn Drokensford kéeper of the wardrobe was made keeper of the great seale in the thirtith yere as before in which office he continued from about the fiftéenth daie of August vntill Michaelmas William de Greinfield deane of Chichester and canon of Yorke was aduanced to the place of the chancellor in the yeare that God became man one thousand three hundred and two being about the thirtith yeare of the said king Edward the first which office was giuen vnto him at saint Radigunds as saith Anonymus M.S. He was after chosen bishop of Yorke in the yeare of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred and thrée who in the yeare of our Lord one thousand three hundred and eight buried the bodie of the said king Edward the first at Westminster though that king died in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand thrée hundred and seauen This bishop died about the yere of our saluation one thousand thrée hundred and fifteene being about the sixt yeare of king Edward the second at Cawood after that he had béene bishop nine yeares eleuen moneths and two daies and was buried in saint Nicholas porch of Yorke receiuing his consecration at Rome in the yeare of Christ one thousand thrée hundred and fiue after that he had béene there two yéeres of pope Clement This Greinfield was a man verie eloquent and pithie in counsell William de Hamelton deane of Yorke was created chancellor of England in the yeare that the virgine brought foorth the sonne of God one thousand line 10 thrée hundred and fiue being the thrée and thirtith yeare of that noble prince king Edward the first This William surrendred his borrowed life in the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée hundred and seuen being about the fiue and thirtith yeare of the said king at the abbeie of Fontnesse in Yorkshire being a man that well deserued of the common-wealth Ralfe de Baldocke chosen bishop of London in the yeare of Christ one thousand thrée hundred and thrée was confirmed at Titneshall by Robert of line 20 Winchelseie bishop of Canturburie and consecrated at Lions by Peter of Spaine bishop of Alba the third calends of Februarie in the yere of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred and fiue He was made lord chancellor of England after the death of the said William Hamelton in the said fiue thirtith yere of king Edward
the basen which I held with one hand whilest with a handkercher in the otâ—er I wiped from his face and brest a great cold sweat that euen smelt of death as also I perceiued his nostrils to be closed vp his eies sunke and heard the ratling and bloud that stopped him vp Euerie bodie being gone forth I said vnto him My lord straine not your selfe line 60 to speake much onelie begin with the chiefest matters and those that most trouble your conscience and for the rest I will instruct you Then ioining his hands and lifting vp his eies vnto heauen he began to sigh mourne and sob with extreame contrition and griefe which when I perceiued I still indeuoured to assure him in talking to him of God and of the merits of the bloud of Iesus Christ wherein the greater delight that he conceiued the more did he detest himselfe as a most miserable sinner then might you haue séene among much sweat which as pearles ran downe his haire and heard the great teares trickeling downe his eies whiles with great paine he accused himselfe After this diuerse spéeches passed with certeine actions betweene the monsieur and Berson which to omit is lesse offensiue than to publish To procéed then the monsieur lieng in his agonie be thought him amongest other things of his familie and said Alas I mone none but my poore seruants withall that I shall die without celebration of mine Easter will not the Lord grant me that grace Then I promised him that God would heare so iust a petition and therefore willed him a while to haue patience it should not be the first miracle that euer our Lord had wrought Hauing thus spoken certeine ceremonies were solemnlie commensed and finished not without manie speeches interchanged betwéene the monsieur and Berson insomuch that saith he I can not rehearse all that he said vnto me but this I dare assure you that if his health had continued I was thereby in hope of most profitable effects to all christendome and to the estate and quietnesse of our France But we were not worthie our sinnes crieng for vengeance to God who as he punisheth nations by giuing them wicked princes so dooth he also chastise them by taking from them the good euen at such time as they are readie to reléeue vs and afterward we haue cause to lament and moorne His health after this first fit continued a while but by reason of a crum of bread that stucke in the vuula and thereby procured a violent cough with spitting of bloud he fell into it againe and from thensefoorth kept his bed sometimes well and sometimes ill yet eating his meat reasonablie well howbeit gathering no force to the substance of his bodie Finallie the same daie that the physicians after the view of the operation of a medicine had conceiued a better opinion of him than before being saturdaie the ninth of Iune about eight of the clocke at night he was taken with a maruellous shortnesse of wind and a paine in one of his sides and séeing himselfe so taken before anie man spake to him he sent for me saieng Now is the time that I must die you haue greatlie abused me howbeit they vsed all diligence But about midnight when there was no further hope they sent for me When I was come I found the good prince laid in his estate of whome trulie I had no other opinion but that death was at hand and therefore was verie importunat to speake vnto him fearing least he should haue died without the sacrament which so greatlie he had longed for One commendable matter I noted in the nobilitie there present which was that there was not one but did importunatlie vrge to speake vnto him of God for mine owne part I was verie vnpatient euerie one was in feare to speake first One there was that willed me to change mine apparell to put on a blacke garment least he should conceiue anie mistrust How said I can I so doo He hath sent for me and knoweth my clothing if by my spéech he should know me and then find my clothing changed he will enter a greater apprehension of death than before therefore consider of it if anie thing fall out amisse it will be a perpetuall reproch to vs all In the end monsieur Fougier his steward a verie wise man so ordered the matter and with such discretion that he brake with him of it At that time was he ouercome with a drowsie sléepe and still holden with a short wind accompanied with continuall sweats and sometime would aske Doo men die thus On the tenth daie of Iune which was sundaie after diuers ceremoniall actions dispatched and spéeches to and fro vttered with pitifull sighs on all sides of inward setled sorow the monsieur desired that he might sléepe a while but his sleepe was not long yer he awaked when betwixt him and Berson all the rest being gone something was said and doone which belike was not for euerie eare eie to heare or see In the end Berson perceiuing by manifest indications that death preased vpon him vsed these words to the monsieur some of likeliehood being then within the hearing My lord in the beginning of your sickenesse you I made a ioint promise vnto God wherwith I am burdened now therefore I doo vnburden my selfe thereof vnlesse you will helpe to burden me againe We are witnesses that you haue loued God now is the time that you must acknowledge him you are verie sicke but your soule is line 10 sound in your bodie If it please our good God to grant you life he granteth it to the end you should amend so should your selfe be happie and we content that you should liue If he vouchsafe â—o call you into paradise how blessed shall you be or where may you be better So that whatsoeuer happen be it life be it death still shall you be content and happie Resolue your selfe therefore wholie in the will of God All we here are your faithfull seruants and those who euermore haue desired to be so fortunate as to be honored line 20 with your commandements whose eies and eares haue alwaies beene open to heare and obeie you and to fulfill your will neuer did you command anie thing but you were immediatlie obeied Now know you that your selfe are Gods seruant him you must obeie and to his will must you wholie resolue your selfe whether it be his will you should liue or is his pleasure you should die still saie His will be doone line 30 Then with a forced speech this good prince said His will be doone Take no care my lord said I for anie worldlie matters Greatnesse riches and renowme doo perish Paradise is to be found and possessed It is a great matter to be a kings sonne but it is much greater to be the child of God You are now as a child new borne you want nothing but the food of the children
mercie when thou hadst lost it by iustice desert Yet thou hir seruant sworne to defend hir mentest with thy bloudie hand to haue taken awaie hir life that mercifullie gaue thée thine when it was yéelded into hir hands This is the matter wherein thou hast offended The maner was most subtill and dangerous beyond all that before thée haue committed anie wickednesse against hir maiestie for thou making shew as if thou wouldest simplie haue vttered for hir safetie the euill that others had contriued diddest but seeke thereby credit accesse that thou mightest take the apter opportunitie for hir destruction And for the occasions and meanes that drew thée on they were most vngodlie and villanous as the persuasions of the pope of papists and popish bookes The pope pretendeth that he is a pastor when as in truth he is far from féeding of the flocke of Christ but rather as a woolfe séeketh but to féed on to sucke out the bloud of true christians and as it were thirsteth after the bloud of our most gratious and christian quéene And these papists and popish bookes while they pretend to set foorth diuinitie they doo indéed most vngodlie teach and persuade that which is quite contrarie both to God and his word For the word teacheth obedience of subiects toward princes forbiddeth anie priuat man to kill but they teach subiects to disobeie princes that a priuat wicked person may kill Yea whome a most godlie quéene their owne naturall and most gratious souereigne Let all men therfore take héed how they receiue any thing from him heare or read anie of their bookes and how they confer with anie papists God grant hir maiestie that she maie know by thée how euer she trust such like to come so néere hir person But see the end and why thou diddest it and it will appeare to be a most miserable fearefull and foolish thing for thou diddest imagine that it was to releeue those that thou callest catholikes who were most likelie amongst all others to haue felt the woorst of it if thy diuelish practise had taken effect But sith thou hast béene indicted of the treasons comprised in the indictment and therevpon arreigned and hast confessed thy selfe guiltie of them the court dooth award that thou shalt be had from hense to the place whense thou diddest come and so drawne through the open citie of London vpon an hurdle to the place of execution and there to be hanged and let downe aliue and thy priuie parts cut off and thy entrals taken out and burnt in thy sight then thy head to be cut off and thy bodie to be diuided in foure parts and to be disposed at hir maiesties pleasure and God haue mercie on thy soule Parrie neuerthelesse persisted still in his rage and fond speach and raginglie there said he there summoned quéene Elisabeth to answer for his bloud before God wherewith the lieutenant of the Tower was commanded to take him from the barre and line 10 so he did And vpon his departure the people striken as it were at heart with the horror of his intended enterprise ceased not but pursued him with outcries as Awaie with the traitor awaie with him such like wherevpon he was conueied to the barge to passe to the Tower againe by water the court was adiorned After which vpon the second daie of this instant March William Parrie was by vertue of processe in that behalfe awarded from the same commissioners of oier and terminer deliuered by the lieutenant of the Tower erlie in the morning line 20 vnto the shiriffes of London and Middlesex who receiued him at the Tower hill and therevpon according to the iudgement caused him there to be foorthwith set on the hurdle from whense he was drawne therevpon through the middest of the citie of London vnto the place for his execution in the pallace at Westminster where hauing long time of staie admitted vnto him before his execution he most maliciouslie and impudentlie after some other line 30 vaine discourses eftsoons often deliuered in speach that he was neuer guiltie of anie intention to kill quéene Elisabeth and so without anie request made by him to the people to pray to God for him or praier publikelie vsed by himselfe for ought that appeared but such as he vsed if he vsed anie was priuat to himselfe he was executed according to the iudgement And now for his intent how soeuer he pretended the contrarie in words yet by these his owne writings confessions letters manie other proofes line 40 afore here expressed it is most manifest to all persons how horrible his intentions and treasons were and how iustlie he suffered for the same and thereby greatlie to be doubted that as he had liued a long time vainelie and vngodlie and like an atheist and godlesse man so he continued the same course till his death to the outward sight of men ¶ Here endeth the true and plaine course and processe of the treasons arrest arreignement and execution of William Parrie the traitor line 50 An addition not vnnecessarie for this purpose FOrsomuch as Parrie in the aboundance of his proud and arrogant humour hath often both in his confession and letters pretended some great and grieuous causes of discontentment against hir maiestie and the present state it shall not be impertinent for better satisfaction of all persons to set foorth simplie and trulie the condition and qualitie of the man what he line 60 was by birth and education and in what course of life he had liued This vile and traitorous wretch was one of the yoonger sonnes of a poore man called Harrie ap Dauid he dwelled in Northwales in a little village called Northop in the countie of Flint there he kept a common alehouse which was the best and greatest staie of his liuing In that house was this traitor borne his mother was the reputed daughter of one Conwaie a priest parson of a poore parish called Halkin in the same countie of Flint his eldest brother dwelleth at this present in the same house and there kéepeth an alehouse as his father did before him This traitor in his childhood so soone as he had learned a litle to write and read was put to serue a poore man dwelling in Chester named Iohn Fisher who professed to haue some small skill and vnderstanding in the law With him he continued diuerse yeares and serued as a clerke to write such things as in that trade which his master vsed he was appointed During this time he learned the English toong and at such times of leasure as the poore man his master had no occasion otherwise to vse him he was suffered to go to the grammar schoole where he got some litle vnderstanding in the Latine toong In this his childhood he was noted by such as best knew him to be of a most villainous and dangerous nature disposition He did often run
in contracts bargainings and intercourse of traffike line 60 and merchandize the one partie should submit himselfe to that kalendar wherevnto the pope hath yoked his popelings and persuaded manie more to doo the same c. Although these and the like interrogatories may be made against the papists yet bicause to giue an instance is not to answer a doubt it is to be wished that this kalendar were throughlie siâ—ted by some sound and sober mathematician and the three heads whereof this new reformed kalendar of Gregorie dooth consist disprooued which thrée heads repeated by Gregorie in his bull before the said kalendar are these 1 The restoring and coupling of the equinoctiall in the spring to the one and twentith daie of March with such a caueat giuen that from thense as from the proper and fixed seat it may not possiblie hereafter at anie time remooue 2 The correction of the golden number by the cyrcle of epacts in such sort that the numbers of epacts may shew not onelie the daie of the new moone in euerie moneth of all years but also and that principallie the terme of Easter that is the certeine iust daie of the verie next full moone following after the equinoctiall of the spring and that euerie yeare without error or deceipt 3 The verie iust and certeine sundaie of Easter that ought to be celebrated and kept on the verie next sundaie after the full moone which first dooth follow after the iust equinoctiall of the spring These thrée heads being so anatomized and opened by mathematicians as were méet it should be found in the end that this new kalendar in all and euerie part thereof euen wherin it is best reformed or so thought to be is manie waies faultie erronious in the verie grounds in which qualitie leauing it as not to be put to the touch in a publike chronicle but otherwise to be had in triall Gregorie the preferrer thereof is now to be handled by description which is no fiction or imagined bable but deriued out of an oration or funerall sermon at Rome at the buriall of his holinesse conteining his maners life deeds and last words at his death togither with the lamentations of the cardinals and whole Romish clergie Otherwise to be intituled as followeth A sermon full of papisticall adulation and matter sufficient to procure the wise and vertuous minded to contemne such grosse and palpable blindnesse and all persons to laugh at the Romanists absurd and erronious follies THere is nothing so certeine as death either vncerteine as the moment thereof Wherefore the holie doctor saith Kéepe thy selfe continuallie in that estate wherin thou desirest to die And the prouerbe goeth that manie a one thinketh himselfe in perfect helth when he beareth death in his bosome To saie the truth we doo continuallie carrie death about with vs it is in vs immediatlie after we take life and moouing in our mothers wombe and wheresoeuer we walke it is still at our héeles if we take horsse it is with vs if we be on the water it is the guide of our ship so as we can neuer saie death to be absent from vs for our selues are verie death and no part of our bodie immortall Wherefore those that suppose themselues to liue in this world are far deceiued in their owne opinions and the pilgrimage of man in this world is but a shadow of life which vnto vs seemeth life but in déed is none The better therefore to describe the said shadow I will make an abstraction of the dead time of mans age from the full and greatest age that a creature can liue in the world First the longest age that man can liue is but sixtie years From sixtie years we must deduct the nights for man when he sleepeth liueth not Besides that sleep is termed the image of death so that deducting the nights which comprehend one halfe of the time man liueth but thrée score yeares in the world Whiles man liueth these sixtie yeares he liueth but the one halfe of them for if he haue one daie of mirth and quiet he hath another of sorrow and care bicause griefe dooth still secretlie créepe into mirth And anie person troubled with cares and vexed in mind dooth rather die than liue We must therfore take from the sixtie yeares aforesaid the one halfe and so there remaine but thirtie Now let vs sée whether in the space of six score yeares a man may not passe awaie ten at the least in sickenesse mischances or other infirmities I may tell you there is no man that liueth six score yeares in the world but at seuerall times and during the said age he hath aboue ten yeares infirmitie and therefore we must take from the thirtie yeares which are the remainder of mans life yet ten yeares then there are but twentie left which are now the twentie yeares of his life We must take them at his infancie in his oldest age that is ten line 10 yeares from his verie chlidhood the other ten from his extreame old age But sith aswell in infancie as in extremitie of age there is no life but rather a liuing death I conclude that man hath not one onelie houre of life in this world also that whosoeuer séeketh life in this world dooth much deceiue himselfe In heauen therefore it is that we must assure our selues to liue and seeke for life but not vpon earth where death dooth continuallie haunt vs. For we ought to die to the world to the end to be borne in Iesus line 20 Christ according to the souereigne sentence and decrée O ye inhabitants of Rome we sée your great bishop and mine is dead behold our crowne is fallen our lodestar vanished awaie and our light extinguished And for mine owne part O miserable man who am depriued of him of two things I wish for one that is either neuer to remember the good that we haue lost either else calling the same to mind to find some one that were able to giue me comfort correspondent line 30 to the greatnesse of the heauinesse wherinto I am fallen And indéed my selfe doo now come into the pulpit vpon two seuerall occasions méere contrarie ech to other to wit to reherse the gretnes of the good that is taken from vs to comfort those that susteine the losse naie rather to doo two things which séeme to repugne ech other For if it be true that nothing dooth more aggrauate the griefe of the losse than the remembrance of the value of the thing lost then dooth nothing séeme more contrarie to the comfort of the liuing than the praises of him that is line 40 dead as in this case wherein so far doo the merits of the deceased exceed that the arrowes which pearse his hart that is depriued of him are the more sharpe and grieuous Howbeit some man would answer that contrariwise by the commendations of him that is departed we doo declare
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
〈◊〉 and affâ—ction of the lord lieutenant to performe the premisses sigâ—nified and by good proofe 〈◊〉 stified The states agnise the pâ—â—â—emptorie authoritie put into the lord lieutenants hands in respect of his gouernment Like authâ—â—â—tie giuen to the lord lieutenant as other gouernours his 〈◊〉 â—â—â—decessors 〈◊〉 had in the 〈◊〉 countries â—n acknowledgement and performance of dutie and elegiance inioined to all persons of the low countries vnder paine of punishâ—ent to the lord lieutenant All pretense of ignorance cut off least the course of obeâ—â—ence might be hindered Councellors 〈◊〉 matters of late elected by the lord â—â—eutenant â—â—wes for capteinâ— and souldiours The lord lâ—eutenant commeth from the Hage to Harlem how he was receiued Utricht people commended for their great kindnes shewed to the Englishmen S. Georges feast solemntlie obserued at Utricht S. Georges feast solemnlie obserued at Utricht L. lieutenant inuested in the robes of order Martin Skinke knighted who promised Portcullis to shew him seuentie ensignes that he had now in the field Seminarie préests execâ—â—tâ—d at Tiburne A wench burnt in Smithfield Archbishop Canturburiâ— lord Cobhaâ— lord Buckâ—hurst of the priuie councell Pag. 1435 〈◊〉 The numâ—â—â— of archbishâ—â— of Canturâ—â—â—rie from thâ— first to the 〈◊〉 Considerations whie the building of Douer hauen is here recorded Douer the néerest place of England to France Douer the most conuenient place of England for a hauen Reasons whie a harbor at Douer would be so beneficiall A true commendation of quéene Elisabeth The 〈…〉 Douer wâ—ll mainteine a hauen there for euer In peramb. Cant. 〈◊〉 Douer Douer castell reedified by queene Elisabeth Edward the fourth bestowed ten thousand pounds vpon reparations of Douer castell The situation of Douer harbour A naturall rode for ships at Douer The hauen of Rie decaied whereby more néed of a harbour at Douer Ships lost for lacke of sufficient harbour at Douer The first benefit bestowed on Douer harbour Little paradise In the reigne of Edward the Confessor Sir Iohn Thomson préest his supplication Fiue hundred pounds giuen by Henrie the eight towards a beginning of Douer works The maison de Dieu of Douer Surueiors ouerséers Sir Iohn Thomsons deuise discouered The Molehead Douer pierre when it was taken in hand and whereof it consisted A notable dâ—uise to carrie great rocks by water Foure pence a daie A Gaboth The charge of the pierre The kings care for Douer pierre The kings repaire to Doâ—er The cause of the decaie of the pierre Officers about the pierre The ruine of Douer pierre Stone called beach or bowlder choked vp Douer hauen Two causes of the decaie of Douer pie rre Someâ—iâ—e no harborough at all at Douer How Douer was made desolat That beach which destroied the pierre helpeth now the hauen A bountifull gift of quéene Elisabeth towards the reparing of Douer hauen The patent of the quéenes gift sold vnto two merchants The act of parlement for Douer hauen 23. Elisab Thrée pence the tun of euerie vessell allowed towards Douer hauen The tunnage amounted to 1000 pounds yearelie The tenure of the quéens commission for Douer hauen Iohn True suruâ—ior generall of Douer hauen The deuise of Iohn True Stone heâ—ed at Folkestone amounting to 1288 pounds Infinit charge to accomplish the stone wall Iohn True had ten shillings a day for his fée Iohn True is dismissed Ferdinando Poins Poins his groine The pent 16 acres The length of the long wall The crosse wall The rode for ships One thousand pounds to Ferdinando Poins Customer Smith Uarietie of deuises Sir W. Winter sent to Douer to surueie the harbor c. Sir Thomas Scot. The wals of Romneie marsh subiect to the raging seas All the commissioners ioine with sir Thomas Scot and allow his deuise Seuen inuincible reasons against the woodden wall The lord treasurors resolution Of Woolwich and Erith breaches Secretarie Walsingham the chiefe director and furtherer of Douer hauen No dealing by great in matters of excessiue charge and danger Sir Thomas Scots notes Douer pent finished in thrée moneths Reinold Scot and Rafe Smith examined by maister secretarie about the wals of the pent Questions propounded to Poins and the Plumsted men Sir Thomas Scots deuise allowed by the lords of the councell The resolution at a conference at Douer Officers elected at Douer The commoditie of the pent Woolwich breach recouerable Euerie degrée willing to set forward this worke Six hundred courts imploied at once in these works Iohn Smith the â—â—penditor Iohn Keies gentleman chiefe purueior A horsâ—e a court and a driuer for twelue pence the daie The quantitie of one court or tumbrell A benefit to 〈◊〉 â—east The 〈◊〉 substance of the walâ—s The disposing of the works Henrie Guilford esquier capteine of Arcliffe castell The beginning of the great works at Doâ—â—r Reasons for the difficultie of the crosse wall This worke vndertaken and other reiected by sir Thomas Scots means Bowle a notable good workman Commissioners Treasuror Two iuraâ—â— called directors Eight guâ—ders Eight vntingers Eight sheâ—uers Eight â—â—â—gers Laborers Scauelmen Béetlemen Armors The order of arming Inferior purueiors Clerke Expenditor The groine kéeper The maneâ— of the wall worke How the wall was saued from being wasted The inconuenience which would haue folâ—owed the diuerting of the riuer another waie A sluse made for diuerse good purposes A difficult and dangerous worke Gods blessing and fauour shewed to the works of Doâ—er Dangers happilie escaped Boies plaie The flag of libertie * Or six A commendation of them which wrought or had anie charge about Douer works Sir Thomas Scot fell sicke in Douer works The death of the ladie Scot. The bredth depth length and charge of the long and crosse wall with the â—â—â—ming c. A necessarie remedie if water draine vnder the wall Expedition necessarie and profitable The state of the wals A sure triall latelie made of the good effect of the pent A gaâ—e of the â—â—use broken Edward Wootton esquire ambassador into France The effect of the pent Of the sluse The lord Cobham remaineth at Douer one whole moneth Sir Francis Walsingham principall fréend to these works Of the latâ— works The note of Iohn Hooker aliâs Vowell concerning the sudden and strange sickenesse of late happening in Excester The originalâ— cause of this infection whereto imputed Barnard Drake esquier The mischiefe of nastie apparell The assise at Excester appointed to be quarterlie kept This sicknes was contagious mortall Principall men that died of that infection Sir Iohn Chichester and sir Arthur Basset bemoned and commended Eleuen of the iurie with other officers die of this â—â—ckenesse Affliction draweth men to God c. An introductâ—â—â— to the historicall remembrance of the Sidneis the father and the sonne c. The note of Edmund Molineux touching sir Henrie Sidneis life and death His education in his youth His â—â—â—â—â—â—ment in ambassage Foure times lord iustice thrise lord deputie of Ireland He suppressed by force and policie
themselues within a litle trench or counterscarpe made for the purpose and out of the same be readie with their harquebusses to shoot at the Englishmen so soone as anie of them should once shew his head out of the trenches to the great danger of them that warded in the same The lord Mountioie perceiuing this deuised with himselfe how to rouse the enimies out of that lurking place and withall came to the duke of Norfolke and desired licence to put the deuise which he had alreadie forecast in his mind in practise But the duke being not willing that he should put himselfe in such danger was loth to grant thereto but rather persuaded with him not to attempt it for said he my lord yée may doo the king better seruice than so to hazard your life and cast your selfe awaie as it is verie like you should in aduenturing vpon such a desperat peece of seruice and therfore I would not wish you to meddle therewith for we shall otherwise prouide for the matter well inough But the lord Mountioie still persisted in his sute verie earnestlie declaring that he doubted not by Gods helpe but to atchiue his purpose to his good contentation without anie great danger if that were executed which he tooke to be necessarie for the accomplishment of his deuise and that was to haue certeine line 10 peeces of the great ordinance shot off that waie forth at what time the wind stood méet to carrie the smoke full vpon the place where the Frenchmen laie At length vpon his earnest sute the duke gaue him licence to trie what he could doo commanding the great ordinance to be laid and charged readie to shoot off as he should appoint it Herewith the lord Mountioie taking with him fouretéene of his owne soldiors of the which number one of them forsooke to go through with him when it came to the line 20 point immediatlie vpon the shooting off of the artillerie that all the ground about was couered ouer with smoke he came to the place where those Frenchmen laie vnder couert of their trench and so displaced them that they had no liking eftsoones to lodge so neere vnto such vnfriendlie neighbors Manie other valiant and politike feats no doubt were atchiued during this siege happilie as worthie the rehearsall as this But sith it was the inuention of so noble a yoong gentleman I haue estéemed line 30 it not impertinent to speake thereof and withall to lament the losse of the inuentor who being taken awaie shortlie after in his returne homewards by vntimelie death was like if he had liued to greater yéers of experience to haue prooued comparable in valor to anie of his noble progenitors But now to speake of other incidents that chanced whilest this siege remained before Muttrell you must vnderstand that the most part of the vittels that was spent in the campe was brought to them either from the kings campe at Bullogne or else from S. Omers line 40 to conueie the same so far off it was néedfull to haue the carriage garded with good troops and bands both of horssemen and footmen for the French fortresses were stronglie furnished with great numbers of men of war which vpon occasions were readie to take aduantages offered And as it fortuned at one time among other there was a conuoie of certeine wagons loden with vitels appointed to come from saint Omers the same being line 50 garded with diuerse bands of Englishmen and Burgonions sent thither for that purpose the which marching forward from saint Omers kept not so good order as had béene requisit whereof certeine companies of French horssemen that were abroad being aware set vpon the Burgonions that were attendant vpon the foremost carriages and finding them in some disorder easilie discomfited them followed and slue them in the chase till they came to the hindermost carriages where six hundred English men that attended on the same impaled themselues line 60 with their wagons so as the Frenchmen could take no aduantage but with shot of the English archers were so curried and galled that they were driuen to retire and that in such hast as they left diuerse of their companie captiues in the Englishmens hands beside those that were faire laid to take their last sléepe there on the ground Neuerthelesse of the Burgonions there were slaine foure hundred and much good vittels lost the bottoms of the hogsheads and other vessels being beaten out and manie a good Flemish mare killed or taken For the Frenchmen found small resistance as before ye haue heard till they approched to the Englishmen by whose accustomed manhood some part of the vittels of that conuoie was saued to the releefe of the campe which notwithstanding by losse of the residue suffered great want for the time Moreouer somewhat towards the latter end of this siege the earle of Surreie son vnto the duke of Norffolke and marshall of his field accompanied with the lord warden of the cinque ports and diuerse other valiant capteins English Burgonions marched forth into the countrie towards Abuile where they tooke and burnt a proper towne called saint Requiers and after comming to another towne called Rieu they found no bodie at home but women and children for the men were departed out of it before their comming thither When they had taken their pleasure in sacking all such goods as they found there fit to be carried awaie they spared the towne from fire and so departed And thus after they had béene two daies and two nights abroad in the countrie they returned home to the campe with a great bootie of beasts sheepe and other things which they had got in that voiage But now to conclude with this siege of Muttrell after the king had woone Bullongne and vnderstood how the emperor had agréed with his aduersarie the French king he resolued to haue his armie to raise that siege which thus had lien before Muttrell and with all cōuenient spéed to draw toward Calis And because it was signified that the Dolphin of France Henrie was comming forward with a great power which had béene raised by his father the French king to resist the emperor and now was sent vnder the conduct of the said Dolphin to the succours of them that were besieged in Muttrell the king sent the earle of Arundell sir Iohn Gage sir George Carew sir Iohn Reinsford and others with a chosen number of lustie soldiors vnto Muttrell to reinforce his armie there that in leuieng the campe and withdrawing backe they might be the better able to withstand anie attempt which the enimies might put in execution to their annoiance And verelie this was doone with good aduise and necessarie consideration for the Englishmen that had lien so long time at the siege before Muttrell wanting such behoouefull refreshment as those were stored with that laie before Bullongne hauing the seas open and all things at pleasure brought vnto them forth of England were
sore weakened and decaied by death and sicknesse and now in raising their campe had manie things to looke vnto as well for the conueieng of their ordinance trusse and baggage as their feeble and diseased persons so that if the Dolphin with his armie might haue made such spéed forward as to haue ouertaken them with his maine power before they had come to Bullongne it was to be feared least he might haue put them in danger of a plaine distresse But with such timelie foresight as was vsed the siege was raised and the armie retired first to Bullongne and after to Calis without losse although the French horssemen in great number followed and sundrie times made proud proffers to giue the charge vpon the hindermost companies but nothing was doone to make great account of except certeine skirmishes that were procured and alarums giuen as in such cases it fortuneth The Dolphin notwithstanding that the siege was thus raised from Muttrell yer he could come thither yet he kept forward his iourncie to prooue what he might doo to recouer Bullongne which towne the king of England as ye haue heard had left in the keeping of the lord Lisle high admerall The same towne being then weake God knoweth on all sides through batterie and minings which by the kings power had béen made to bring it into his subiection and the trenches not cast downe nor the ordinance mounted The Dolphin being come before the towne sent certeine bands of his best soldiors by night to giue a camisado to the base towne They that thus were sent entred the same the ninth of October about two of the clocke in the morning where they tooke the stand watches and slue beside a great number of sicke and weake persons as well soldiors as other before they could araie themselues or well get out of line 10 their beds But after the Frenchmen and Italians fell to rifling and breaking vp of coffers scattering here and there abrode and began to fall to their vittels which they found there in good plentie The Englishmen that were driuen vp to the gates of the high towne got weapons that were throwne downe vnto them foorth of the same assembling togither fiercelie entred in amongst the prease of their enimies And herewith there sallied foorth of the high towne sir Thomas Poinings with a band of two hundred line 20 soldiors the which togither with the other so bestirred themselues that they manfullie beat backe the enimies slue to the number of eight hundred of them and chased the residue out of the towne which fled ouer the sands vp to the hill where the Dolphin himselfe stood with a great troope of horssemen about him and durst not once come downe to the rescue of his people for feare of the great artillerie that with plentie of bullets saluted the enimies after that the breake of the daie had once discouered them in sight line 30 Amongst other that were slaine in this repulse of the Frenchmen le segneur de Foquessolles another of the marshall de Biez his sons in law and seneschall of Bullongne was one Thus the Dolphin perceiuing that it would nothing auaile him to make anie further attempt against Bullongne passed foorth toward Guisnes shortlie after through want of vittels and sicknesse which sore infested his campe brake vp his armie and returned into France so that the proud enterprises line 40 of the vainglorious and most insolent French turned to their owne great shame as C. O. trulie saith Sic Galli in magnum cesserunt dedecus ausa But shortlie after Christmas came downe an armie of fourtéene thousand vnder the conduction of monsieur de Biez the which the six and twentith of Ianuarie incamped on the west side of Bullongne beyond the hauen where they laie ten daies but on the sixt of Februarie the earle of Hertford the lord admerall as then lord lieutenant of the towne of Bullongne the lord Greie of Wilton sir Thomas line 50 Poinings others hauing assembled out of the garisons on that side the seas to the number of foure thousand footmen seuen hundred horsmen whereof an hundred or foure score were Albanoises issued foorth of Bullongne about foure of the clocke in the morning and comming to the place where the king had incamped during the time of the siege they staid there and put themselues in order of battell and about six of the clocke it being then a low water capteine Edward Breie with three hundred shot was line 60 appointed to passe ouer and to giue the enimies an alarum in their campe At which instant the trumpets sounded and the drums stroke vp in the English armie and herewiâ—h they being diuided into three battels and to ech one his gard of two hundred horssemen beside the od hundred that attended as a defense to the residue they shewed themselues to their enimies The Frenchmen perceiuing this packed awaie with all haste possible marching toward Hardilo in two battels Wherevpon the English capteins leauing their footmen behind them and taking onelie with them the horssemen followed with all spéed after their enimies and comming to the bridge commonlie called pont de Bricque which certeine English carpenters garded with a number of harquebutters and foure small field peeces had forced and repared the same that night and so the horssemen finding it sufficientlie repared passed ouer and comming to S. Estienne they found there fiue hundred Dutch horsmen commonlie called Swart rutters that were lodged there to kéepe that passage but being surprised on the sudden by the English horssemen and sharpelie assailed they were wholie distressed and the most part of them taken prisoners and therewith left with the followers of the armie were after slaine bicause they knew not where to bestow them But now the hill of saint Estienne being thus gained by the English horsmen they put themselues in order of battell againe appointing an hundred of their men at armes to follow and kéepe aloofe as a stale to relieue their fellowes in time of need when they saw them in anie danger The lords to incourage euerie one to doo his dutie rode vp and downe about the troops vsing manie comfortable words desired them that although they were but an handfull in comparison to the number of their enimies they would yet in regard of the honour of the realme of England make a proffer of an onset to the enimies that they might perceiue that there they were to giue them battell and to follow as they should sée them their capteins and gouernors to lead them the waie Herewith forward they make towards the enimie and ouertaking them three miles on the hitherside of Hardilo sands they valiantlie gaue the charge and thrusting in betwixt the two French battels ouerthrew their cariages tooke their ordinance and munitions slue and bare downe manie of them that preased foorth to defend the same Monsieur de Biez being in the fore