stoode by him I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and grieuous sinner vnto you the ministers of God by this corde beseeching our Lorde Iesus Christ whiche pardoned the theefe confessing hys faultes on the Crosse that throughe your prayers and for his great mercyes sake it may please him to bee mercifull vnto my soule wherevnto they all answered Amen Then sayde he vnto them drawe me out of this bedde with this Corde and lay me in that bedde strewed with Ashes which he had of purpose prepared and as he commaunded so they did He is drawne out of his bed a thing vnlike to be true and they layde at his feete and at his heade two greate square stones And thus hee beeyng prepared to death he willed that his bodie after his deceasse shoulde be conueyed into Normandie and buryed at Rouen And so after he had receyued the Sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde hee departed this life as afore is sayde His death about the .xxviij. yeare of his age Thus dyed this yong King in hys flourishing youth to whome through hys owne iust desertes long lyfe was iustly denyed sithe hee delyghted to begynne his gouernement wyth vnlawfull attemptes as an other Absolon agaynste hys owne naturall Father seeking by wrongfull violence to pull the Scepter out of his hande Hee is not put in the number of Kings bycause he remayned forthe more parte vnder the gouernaunce of his father and was taken oute of this lyfe before hys father so that hee rather bare the name of king as appoynted to raigne than that he maye bee sayde to haue raigned in deede His body after his death was coÌ„ueyed towards Rouen there to be buried accordingly as hee had wylled Nic. Triuet but when those that had charge to conuey it thyther were come vnto the Citie of Mauns the Bishoppe there and the Cleargie would not suffer them to go any further wyth it but committed it to buryall in honourable wyfe within the Church of Saint Iulian. When the Citizens of Rouen were hereof aduertised they were sore offended with that doing streyght wayes sent vnto them of Mauns requyring to haue the corps dâ—…liuered threatning otherwise with manye earnest othes to fetche it from them by force King Henrie therefore to sette order in thys matter commaunded that the corps of his sonne the King shoulde bee deliuered vnto them of Rouen to be buryed in theyr Citie as he himselfe had willed before his death And so it was taken vp and conueyed to Rouen The bodie of the yong kiâ—â— lastly buried at Rouen where it was eftsoones there buryed in the Churche of oure Ladie King Henrie after his sonne the king was thus deade enforced hys power more earnestly than before to winne the Citie and Castell of Lymoges whiche hee hadde besieged â—…ymoges renâ—â—ed to king â—…enrie and at length had them bothe rendred ouer into hys handes with all other Castelles and places of strength kept by his enimies in those partyes of the which some he furnished with garnisons and some hee caused to bee razed flatte wyth the grounde There rose aboute the same tyme occasion of strife and variaunce betwixt king Henry and the Frenche King aboute the enioying of the Countrey lying about Gysors cleped Veulquesine â—…eulquesine on thys syde the Ryuer of Hept whiche was gyuen vnto King Henrie the Sonne in consideration of the maryage had betwixt hym and Queene Margaret the Frenche Kinges sister For the Frenche King nowe after the death of hys brother in lawe King Henrie the sonne requyred to haue the same restored vnto the Crowne of France but king Henrie was not willing to depart with it The kings of â—…ngland and â—…rance talke â—â—gither At length they mette betwixt Trie and Gysors to talke of the matter where they agreed that Queene Margaret the widow of the late deceassed king Henrie the sonne shoulde receyue yearely during hir lyfe .1750 poundes of Aniouyn money at Paris of king Henry the father and his heires in consideration whereof shee shoulde release and quiteclayme all hir right to those lands that were demaunded as Veulquesine and others Shortly after Geffrey Earle of Brytayne came to his father and submitting himselfe was reconciled to him and also to his brother Richard Earle of Poictou An. Reg. 30 Also I finde that king Henrie at an enteruiew had betwixt him and the French king at their accustomed place of meeting betwixt Trie and Gisors on Saint Nicholas day did his homage to the same French king for the lands which he held of him on that side the sea which to doe till then he had refused The same yeare king Henrie helde his Christmasse at the Citie of Mauns Also when the king had agreed the Frenche king and the Earle of Flaunders 1184 for the controuersie that chaunced betwixt them about the landes of Vermendoys he passed through the Earle of Flanders Countrey and comming to Wysande tooke shippe and sayled ouer into Englande landing at Douer the tenth day of Iune with his daughter the Duches of Saxonie The duchesse of Saxonie deâ—…iuered of a â—…onne the which was afterwardes deliuered of a sonne at Winchester and hir husbande the Duke of Saxonie came also this yeare into Englande and was ioyfully receyued and honourably interteyned of the king his father in lawe There died this yeare sundry honorable personages as Simon Erle of Huntington that was son to SimoÌ„ Erle of Northampton after whose decease the king gaue his erledome vnto his brother Dauid or as Radulfus de Diceto sayth Death of noble men bycause the said Simon died without issue the king gaue the Erledom of Huntingt vnto Wil. king of Scots son to Erle Henry that was son to K. Dauid Also the Erle of Warwik died this yere Thomas Fitz Bernard L. chiefe iustice of the Forests which roumth Alain de Neuill had enioyed before him But now after the death of this Tho. Fitz Bernard The gouernment of the forests deuided the k. diuided his forests into sundrie quarters to euerie quarter he appointed foure iustices two of y e spiritualtie two knights of the temporaltie beside two generall wardens that were of his owne-seruants to be as surueyers aboue all other Foresters of vert venison whose office was to see that no misorder nor spoyle were committed within any groundes of Warren coÌ„trarie to the assises of Forests There dyed this yeare also diuerse Prelates as foure Bishoppes to witte Gerald surnamed la Pucelle Bishop of Chester Walranne Bishop of Rochester Ioceline Bishop of Salisburie and Bartholmew bishop of Exeter There died also diuerse Abbots vpon the .xvj. of Febuarie died Richard Archbish of Canterburie in the .xj. yeare after his first entring into the gouernment of that sea His bodie was buried at Canterburie He was noted to be a man of euill life and wasted the goodes of that Churche inordinately It was reported that before his death
long before his death wherof eche of his childreÌ„ so sone as he was enterred toke seisure and possession Howbeit after two yeres it happened that Albanact was slayne wherevpon Locrinus and Camber raysed their powers reuenged his death and finally the sayde Loctinus made an entraunce vpoÌ„ Albania seyzed it into his owne handes as excheated wholly vnto himselfe without yéelding any part therof vnto his brother Camber who made no clayme nor title vnto any portion of the same Herby then sayth Adams it euidently appeareth that the entier seigniorie ouer Albania consisted in Locrinus according to which example lykeland among brethren euer since hath continued in preferring the eldest brother to the onely benefite of the collaterall assencion from the youngest asswell in Scotlande as in England vnto this daye Ebranke the lineall heire from the bodie of this Locrine that is to say the sonne of Mempris sonne of Madan sonne of the same Locrine buylded in Albania the castle of Maydens nowe called Edenbrough and the Castle of Alcluith or Alclude now called Dunbriton as the Scottish Hector Boethius confesseth wherby it most euidently appeareth that our Ebranke was then thereof seased This Ebranke reigned in the 〈…〉 ouer theÌ„ a long time after whose death Albania as annexed to the empire of the Britaine descended to the onely king of Britons vntill the discent to the two sisters sonnes Mâ—â—gan and Conedage lineall heires from the sayde Ebranke who brotherly vpoÌ„ the first example deuided y e realme MorgaÌ„ had Lhoegrâ—â— and Conedage haâ—… Albanâ—â— but shortly after Morgan the elder brother pondeâ—â—â—g in hys hed the loue to his brother with the loue to a kingdome excluded nature gaue place to ambition and therupoÌ„ denouncing warre death miserably ended hys life as the rewarde of his vntruth wherby Conedage obtayned the whole Empire of all Britaine in which state he remayned during his naturall lyfe From him the same lineally descended to the onelye king of Britons vntill after the reigne of Gorbodian who had issue two sons Ferres and Porres This Porres requyring lyke diuision of the lande affirming the forâ—…er particions to be rather of lawe then fauour was by the handes of his elder brother both of his lyfe and hoped kingdome bereued at once whereupon their vnnaturall mother vsing hir natural malice for the deth of hir one sonne without regard of the lossing of both miserably slew the other Cloten by all writers aswell Scottishe as other was the next inheritour to the whole Empire but lacking power the only meane in those dayes to obtayne right he was contented to deuide the same among thrée of his kinsmen so that Scater had Albania But after the death this Cloten his sonne Dunnallo Mulmutius made warâ—…e vpon these thrée Kinges and at last ouercame them and so recouered the whole dominion in token of which victorie he caused himselfe to be crowned with a crowne of gold the very first that was worne among the kinges of this nation This Dunuallo erected temples wherein the people shoulde assemble for Prayer to which temples he gaue benefite of Sanctuarie he made the 〈◊〉 for wager of battaile in cases of murder and â—â—lonte whereby a théefe that lyued and made his art of â—…ighting shoulde for his purgation fight wyth the true man which he had robbed but he beléeued that the Goddes for then they supposed many would by myracle assigne victorie to the innocent partie The priuileges of which first sawe benefite of the latter aswell in Scotlande as in Englande be midyed to this day few causes by late positiue lawes among vs excepted wherein the benefite of wager of battaâ—…le is expelled â—… by which obedience to hys lawes it doth manifestly appeare that thys Dunuallo was then seased of Albania nowe called Scotland This Dunuallo reigned in thys estate ouer them many yeares Beline Brenne the sonnes of this Dunuallo dyd after theyr fathers death fauourably deuide the land betwéene them so that Beline had Logres and Brenne had Albania but for that this Brenne a subiect without the consent of his elder brother and Lord aduentured to marry with the daughter of the king of Denmarke Beline seased Albania into his owne handes and thereuppon caused the notable wayes priuileged by Dunuallons Lawes to be newly wrought by mens handes which for the length was from the furder part of Cornewall vnto the the sea by North Cathnes in Scotland for religion in those daies he coÌ„stituted ministers called Archeflamines in their functions most like the aucthoritie of Bishoppes at this daye the one of which remained at Ebranke now called Yorke and whose power exteÌ„ded to y e vttermost bondes of Albany wherby lykewyse appeareth that it was then within his dominion After his death the whole Isle was enioyed by the onlye kings of Britaine vntill the tyme of Vigenius and Perydurus lineall heires from the sayde Belyne who fauourably made particion so that Vigenius had all the land from Humber south and Perydurus from thence North all Albania This Vigenius died and Perydurus suruiued and thereby obtayned the whole from whome the same quietly discended and was by his posteritie accordingly enioyed vnto the reigne of king Coell of that name the first In hys tyme an obscure nation by most writers supposed Scithians passed by seas from Irelande and arriued in that part of Britaine called Albania against whome this Coell assembled his power and being entred Albania to expell theÌ„ one Fergus in the night disguised entered the tent of this Coell and in his bed traiterously slew him This Fergus was therefore in reward of such vertue made there King whereupon they sat downe in that part with their wiues and children and called it Scotlande and themselues Scottes from the beginning of the worlde After the Scottishe accompt foure thousande and sixe hundred and seuentéene yeares which by iust computacion and confession of all their owne wryters is sixe hundred yeares lacking tenne after that Brutus had reigned ouer y e whole Island the same land being enioyed by him and his posteritie before their comming during two and fiftie discentes of the kinges of Britaine Certes this intrusion into a land so many hundred yeares before inhabited and by so many disceÌ„ts of kings quietly enioyed is the best tytle that all their owne writers alledge for them This Fergus hereupoÌ„ immediately did deuyde Albania also amoÌ„g his Capitaines and their people whereby it most euidently appeareth that there were no people of that nation inhabiting there before in proofe wherof the same particion shall followe The landes of Cathnes lying against Orknay 〈…〉 betwéene Dummesbey and the Water of Thane was giuen vnto one Cornath a capitaine and his people The landes betwéene the Water of Thane and Nes nowe called Rosse lying in bredth from Cromart to the mouth of the water of Lochte were giuen to Lutorke another Capitaine and his people The landes betwéene Spay and Nes from the Almaine seas to the Ireland
deade one Iohn a man of great holinesse was admitted Bishop and after that Bishop Wilfride was restored after he had remayned a long time in exile The sayde Iohn was remoued to the Church of Yorke Iohn Archbyshop of York the same beeing then voyde by the death of the Archbyshoppe Bosa At length the foresayd Iohn aweried with the cares-of publyke affayres resigned his Sea and got him vnto Beuerley He resigneth his See 721 where hee lyued a solitarie lyfe for the space of foure yeares and then dyed about the yeare of our Lorde .721 King Osrike as then reigning in Northumberlande Hee continued Byshoppe for the space of .xxiiij. yeares and buylded a Churche and founded a Colledge of Priests at Beuerley aforesayde in which church he lyeth buried The same yeare or in the yeare after that king Ecgfride was slaine Lother king of Kent departed this life 686. hath Mat West Lother king of Kent dyeth of a wounde the .viij. Ides of Februarie of a wounde by hym receiued in a battaile whiche he fought agaynst the South Saxons the which came in ayde of Edricke that was sonne vnto his brother Ecgbert and had mainteyned warre agaynst his vncle the sayde Lother euen from the begynning of his raigne till finally he was nowe in the sayd battaile striken through the bodie with a dart and so died thereof after he had raigned .xj. yeares and .vij. Monethes It was thought that hee was disquieted with continuall warres and troubles and finally brought to his end before the natural course of his time for a punâ—…shment of his wicked consent giuen to the putting to death of his cousins Ethelbert and Ethilbrit as appeared in that when they were reported to be Martyrs bycause it was knowne they dyed innocently VVil. Malm. hee mocked them and made but a ieast at it although his brother in acknowledging his fault repented him therof Capgâ—â—â— their 〈◊〉 and gaue as it were in recompence to theyr mother a part of the I le of Thanet to the buylding of a Monasterie Then Ceadwalla king of the West Saxons being thereof aduertised supposing the time now to bee come that would serue his purpose as one still coueting to worke the Kentish men all the displeasure he coulde entred with an armie into their Countrey and beganne to wast and spoyle the same on eche side till finally the Kentishmen assembling themselues togither gaue battaile to their enimies and put them to flight Mollo brother to Ceadwalla was dryuen from hys companie and constrayned to take an house for his refuge but his enimies that pursued hym sette fyre thereon and burned both the house and Mollo within it to Ashes Mollo 〈◊〉 to king Ceadwalla 〈◊〉 death Yet dyd not Ceadwalla herewith depart oute of the Countrey but to wreake his wrathe and to reuenge the griefe which he tooke for the death of his brother hee wasted and destroyed a greate parte of Kent ere hee returned home and left as it were an occasion to his successor also to pursue the quarell as after shall appeare The Kentishmen being destitute of a king after that diuerse had coueted the place and sought to ataine therto as well by force as otherwise to the great disquieting of that prouince for y e space of sixe yeares togither at length in the .vij. yeare after the death of Edrick â—…ictred is â—…ade king of â—…ent Withred an other of the sonnes of king Ecgbert hauing with diligente trauaile ouercome enuie at home and with money redeemed peace abrode was with great hope conceyued of his worthinesse made king of Kent the .xj. of Nouember .205 after the death of Hengest and raigned .xxxiij. yeares not deceyuing his subiectes of their good conceyued opinion of him for ouercomming all his aduersaries which were readie to leuie cyuill warre agaynst him he also purchased peace of Inas king of the West Saxons whiche ment to haue made him warre till with money he was made his friend A little before that Withred was confirmed in the kingdome of Kent Hen. Hunt Beda li. 5. ca. 8 Webhard and Nitred kings â—…y vsurpation â—…nd not by â—â—ccession as H. Hunt wriâ—…eth there raigned two kings in that countrey Suebhard or Nidred or rather the same Withred if the printed copie of Bedas booke intituled Ecclesiastica historia geÌ„tis Anglorum haue not that name corrupted for where he sheweth that the Archbishop Theodorus being of the age of .88 yeares departed this life in the yeare of our Lorde .690 in the next chapter he declareth that in the yeare .692 the first day of Iuly one Brightwalde was chosen to succeede in the Archbishops sea of Canterburie Wictredus and Suebhardus as then raigning in Kent but whether Wicttedus gouerned as then with Suebhardus or that some other named Nitred it forceth not for certain it is by the agreement of writers that till Wictred obteyned the whole rule there was great strife and contention moued about the gouernment and diuerse there were that sought and fought for it Brightwald the first Archbishop of the English nation But this ought to be noted y t the forenamed Brightwalde was the eight Archbishop in number and first of the English nation that sat in the sea of Canterburie for the other seuen that were predecessors to him were straungers borne and sent hither from Rome Inas king of VVest Saxons Bycause that now the rule of the Brytaines commonly called Welchmen The Brytaynes ceasse to raign in this lande ceassed in thys Realme as by confession of their awne wryters it appeareth and that in the ende the whole Monarchie of the same Realme came to y e hands of y e kings of West Saxons we haue thought meete to referre things general vnto y e raignes of y e same kings as before wee did in the Brytaine Kings reseruing the particuler doings to the kings of the other Prouinces or kingdomes as the same haue fallen out and shall come to hande This Inas which some mistaking theâ—… for an u do wrongfully name Iue or Iewe Fabian Henric. HuÌ„t proued a right excellent Prince hee was discended of the auncient lynage of the kings of the West Saxons as sonne to one Kenred that was sonne to Ceolwald the sonne of Cutha or Cutwyne that was sonne to Kenrick the sonne of Certicus â–ª the first king of West Saxons But he was aâ—â—itted to the kingdome more for the valiant prowes knowne to rest in his worthie person than for the successiue ofspring of which he was descended The first voyage that â—…e made was agaynst the Kentishmen on whom 〈◊〉 purposed to reuenge the death of his cosin Mollâ—… the griefe where of as yet he kept in fresh memoriâ—… Mat. VVest VVil. Malm. But when the Kentish men perceiued that to resist him by force they were nothing able they attempted by money to buy theyr peace and so obteined their purpose vppon payment made to him of .xxx. M. markes of siluer
.xviij. yeare of his raigne he besieged Sommerton Ran. Cestren and wanne it Hee also inuaded Northumberlande and gotte there great ryches by spoyle and pyllage whiche hee brought from thence without any battaile offered to him The Welchmen he ouercame in battaile H. Hunt being then at quiet and ioyned as coÌ„federates with Cuthred K. of West SaxoÌ„s But in the .xxxvij. yeare of his raigne hee was ouercome in battaile at Bereforde by the same Cuthred Bereforde with whome he was fallen at variance and within foure yeres after that is to witte in the .xlj. yeare of hys raigne 755 Three miles from Tamworth hee was slaine in battaile at Secandone or Sekenton by his owne subiectes whiche arreared warres agaynste hym by the procurement and leading of one Bernred VVil. Malm. which after hee had slayne his naturall Prince tooke vppon him the Kingdome but he prospered not long being slaine by Offa that succeeded him in rule of the kingdome of Mercia 758 Math. VVest as after shall be shewed The bodie of Ethelbald was buried at Ripton Bonifarius the Archbishop of Menze or Maguntze The hystorie 〈◊〉 Magd. hauing assembled a Councell wyth other Byshoppes and Doctours deuised a letter and sent it vnto this Ethilbert commending him for his good deuotion and charitie in almes gyuing to the reliefe of the poore and also for his vpright dealing in administration of Iustice to the punishment of robbers and such lyke misdoers but in that he absteyned from maryage and wallowed in filthie lecherie with diuerse women and namely with Nunnes they sore blamed him and withall declared in what infamie the whole Englishe Nation in those dayes remayned by common report in other Countreys for theyr lycencious lyuing in sinfull fornication and namely the moste parte of the Noble men of Mercia by hys euill example did forsake theyr wyues Nunnes kept or concubines and defloured other women whiche they kept in adulterie as Nunnes and other Moreouer hee sheweth howe that suche euill women as well Nunnes as other vsed to make awaye in secrete wise theyr children whiche they bare oute of wedlocke and so fylled the graues wyth deade bodyes and hell wyth damned soules The same Bonifacius in an other Epystle whiche hee wrote vnto Cutbert the Archbyshop of Canterburie counsayleth him not to permitte the Englishe Nunnes to wander abrode so often on Pylgrymage Pilgrimage of Nunnes bycause there were fewe Cities eyther in Fraunce or Lombardye wherein might not bee founde English women that lyued wantonlye in fornication and whordome Kings of the East Saxons Bed li. 5. ca. 20 Offa king of East Saxons In this meane tyme Sigharde and Seufred Kings of the East Saxons being departed thys lyfe one Offa that was sonne to Sigerius succeeded in gouernment of that Kingdome a man of greate towardnesse and of right comely countenaunce but after hee had ruled a certayne tyme hee beeing mooued of a religious deuotion wente vnto Rome in companie of Kenred King of Mercia and of one Ergvine Byshoppe of Worcester and beeing there shauen into the order of Monkes so continued tyll hee dyed King Selred After him one Selred the sonne of Sigbert the good ruled the East Saxons the tearme of xxxviij yeares Harison .28 After that Aldulfe the King of East-Angles was departed thys life 688 whiche chaunced aboute the yeare of oure Lorde .688 his brother Eltwolde or Aekwolde succeeded him and raigned about .xij. yeares Harison .2 After whose deceasse one Beorne was made king of Eastangles and raigned about .xxvj. yeares Harison .36 In this meane while that is to witte in the yeare of oure Lorde .705 705 Alfride king of Northumberlande beeing deade his sonne Osred 〈…〉 Osred king of Northumberlande a childe of .viij. yeares of age succeeded hym in the kingdome and raigned .xj. yeares spending hys time when he came to rype yeares in fylthie abusing his bodie wyth Nunnes and other religious women About the seuenth yeare of his raigne 〈…〉 that is to witte in the yeare of oure Lorde .711 one of his Captayne 's named Earle Berthfride fought with the Pictes betwixte two places called Heue and Cere and obteyning the victorie Pictes oâ—…eâ—…throwne by the Northâ—â—bers 〈◊〉 an huge number of the enimies At length King Osred by the trayterous meanes of hys cousins that arreared warre agaynste him was slaine in battaile King Osred slaine in battaile and so ended his raigne leauing to those that procured his death the lyke fortune in tyme to come For Kenred raigning two yeares and Osricke tenne yeares were famous onely in this that beeing woorthilye punished for shedding the bloud of theyr naturall Prince and soueraigne Lorde they finished their lyues with dishonourable deathes as they had well deserued Osricke before his death whiche chaunced in the yeare of oure Lorde .729 appoynted Ceolvolfe the brother of his predecessour Kenred 729 to succeede him in the kingdome whiche hee did raigning as king of the Northumbers by the space of .viij. yeares currant and then renouncing his kingdome became a Monke in the I le of Lindesferne In this meane while Beda Acca Bishop of Hexham Byshoppe Wilfride being dead one Acca that was his Chaplain was made Bishop of Hexham The foresayde Wilfride had beene Bishop by the space of .xlv. yeares but hee lyued a long tyme in exyle For first beeyng Archbyshoppe of Yorke and exercising his iurisdiction ouer all the North partes hee was after banished by king Egbert and agayne restored to the Sea of Hexham in the seconde yeare of king Alfride and within fiue yeares after eftsoones banyshed by the same Alfride and the seconde tyme restored by his successour king Osred in the fourth yeare of whose raigne beeing the yeare after the Incarnation of oure Sauiour 709. hee departed this lyfe and was buryed at Rippon Moreouer after Iohn the Archebyshoppe of Yorke had resigned one Wilfride surnamed the seconde was made Archebishoppe of that Sea whiche Wilfride was Chaplayne to the sayde Iohn and gouerned that Sea by the space of fiftene yeares and then died Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde .710 710 the Abbot Adrian whiche came into this lande wyth Theodore the Archebyshoppe of Canterburie as before yee haue hearde departed thys lyfe aboute .xxxix. yeares after his comming thyther â—…wo Bishops 〈◊〉 Also Inas the king of West Saxons aboute the .xx. yeare of his raigne Mat. VVest deuided the Prouince of the West Saxons into two Byshoppes Seas where as before they had but one Daniel was ordeyned to gouerne the one of those Seas Bishop Daniel being placed at Winchester hauing vnder him Sussex Southerie and Hamshire and Aldhelme was appoynted to Shireburne hauing vnder him Barkeshire Wyltshire Sommersetshire Dorsetshyre Deuonshire and Cornwall This Aldhelme was a learned man Bishop Aldelm and was first made Abbot of Malmesburie in the yeare of our Lorde .675 by Eleutherius then Bishop of the
he certaine yeares in such loue of all the estates of the realme that afterwards when his Nephewe Ferlegus the eldest sonne of king Ferguse beyng nowe come to full age through instigation of some insolent persons and such as by alteration hoped for aduauncement required contrary to the ordinance before established to haue of him the crowne the mater was taken in such ill part that where before the same Ferlegus was highly beloued and honored of all the people they were now ready if Feritharis had not with authoritie and gentle perswasions stayed them to haue torne him all to peeces but although their rage was somwhat appeased by Feritharis as is sayd yet woulde they not be pacified thorowly till that all such as had bene of councell with him in that practise had suffred death and new gouernours appointed to haue the ouersight of him Feritharis lyued not passing a three moneths after this businesse but died sodenly in the night the trueth not beyng knowen whether by naturall death Feritharis suddainly died or through treasoâ—… of Ferlegus and certaine of his complices whereof there was no small suspition for that he togither with them found meanes to flee first to the Pictes and after to the Brytaines Ferlegus exiled â–ª where he passed the residue of his lyfe in great shame and ignominie An election of a new king Feritharis beyng thus dead in the .xv. yeare of his reygne the Nobles assembled togither for the election of a new king and in the end they agreed vpon Mainus the yonger sonne of king Ferguse as then beyng about .xxiiij. yeares of age In witnesse of the thing there remayneth â—…nto this day certaine of those greate stones standing rounde ringwise which places are called by the coÌ„mon people the old chapels of the Gods A maÌ„ wold maruel by what shift policy or streÌ„gth such mightie stones were raysed in that maner Amongst other the Goddes also Diana honored of the Scots whiche the Scottishmen had in most reuerence Diana was chiefe whom they accompted as their peculiar patronesse for that she was taken to be the Goddesse of hunting Diana Goddesse of hunting wherein consisted their chiefest exercise pastime and delite Vnto hyr therefore he instituted monethly sacrifice by reason wherof this vse was takeÌ„ vp that so soone as any of them gâ—…t sight of the new Moone nexte after hyr chaunge he saluted hyr with certaine prayers or salutations most reuerently Whiche custome endured amongst them many hundred yeares after A liuing prouided for the priests Mainus did also appoint foorth liuings for the Priests to be taken of suche sacrifice as was offered vp to the Goddes Finally when he had thus instructed his people in lawes and ordinances aswel touching the religious seruice of the Goddes as also for politike gouernment of his countrey he ended his life after he had raigned about .xxix. yeares leauing the estate to his sonne Doruadille Elidurus raygning the same time in Brytaine and Thaara amongst the Pictes He set all his pleasure on Hunting and keeping of houndes and greyhoundes Doruadill had pleasure in hunting ordayning that euery householder shoulde finde him twoo houndes and one greyhounde If a hunter chaunced in following the game to lose an eye or a limme so that he were not able to helpe himselfe after that time he made a statute that he should be found of the common treasory The reward for killing of a Wolfe He that killed a Wolf should haue an oxe for his paines This beast in deede the Scottish men euen from the beginning vsed to pursue in al they might deuise bicause the same is suche an enimie to cattayle wherein consisted the chiefest portion of all their wealth and substance Thus the Scottish men in this season setting all their delite on hunting began also to vse lawes and statutes in processe of time concerning the same Lawes made for hunting And first it was ordeyned that he whose dogge did teyse go through to the end of the course with y e Deare so that he were seene to be at the fall should haue the skinne the head and the hornes to remayne to him whose dogge did best next The bodie being drest and broken vp shoulde be distributed at the pleasure and discretion of the Maister of the game The bowels and paunche were cast to the dogges as the case required The dogges rewarded And if there rose any doubte in any of these points they should choose by common consent a iudge to determine of the matter But whether these deuices were lawes made by the kyng as then for the further aduancement of his pleasure or rather customes growen and ratified by long and continual vse I can not tel but certaine it is they were obserued through all the Scottish regioÌ„s as hauing the force of lawes and so are vsed euen vnto these dayes Beside these ordinaunces for hunting Old lawes allowed newâ—… established Doruadille commaunded also that all such statutes as Ferguse had made shoulde be kept and obserued wherevnto he added certaine new namely diuers sortes of punishments for sundrie kindes of transgressions according to the qualities of the same whiche hee caused to be ingrossed in bookes of recorde and committed to the custodie of a graue counsellour who by a common consent should haue the interpretatioÌ„ of those lawes if any doubt arose and that when any offender should come before the iudge heare the sentence redde by him the same offender might vnderstaÌ„d that he receyued nothing but right at the iudges handes by reason whereof it came to passe that such offenders without repining willingly were contented to suffer any punishment what soeuer it was that the law did so appoynt them This custome grewe into suche force that it neuer might yet be abrogated amongst them of the westerne Isles but that euen vnto this day they haue theyr Lawiers amongst them without whose denunciation or decree taken out of the register no iudgement is reputed lawfull These were the actes and doyngs of kyng Doruadile who in the .xxviij. yeare of his raigne departed this world at Berigonium now called Dounstafage leauing behind him a sonne called Reuther as yet not of sufficient age to succeede in the estate Nothatus By reason whereof Nothatus the brother of Doruadille a man of comely personage and witte apte as was thought to haue a Realme in gouernaunce was crowned king by force of the law aboue remeÌ„bred debarring childreÌ„ vnder age to inherit in successioÌ„ of y e crowne Nâ—â—â—â—tis Amongst other one Ferquhard the sonne in law of Nothatus gouernour of Lorne Cantyr called an assemblie of the people A conspiracie of Ferquhard against Doualus and beganne to declare what enormities were like to ensue thorow this tirannicall attempt of Doualus Ferquhart fled into Ila Doualus hearing whereaboute Ferquhart went hastly came to the place where this assemble was made there slaying diuers of the chiefe
Romaines doubting the verie name and linage of Agricola in the Lieutenaunt Calphurnius The name of Agricola dredful to the Scottish men and Pictes by calling to remembrance the noble atchieued conquestes of his grandfather Iulius Agricola of whose victorious exploytes besyde that which ye haue here before heard the English historie also doth make a long rehearsall Calphurnius studieth to reform the estate of Brytaine Calphurnius being thus at quiet on that side intended wholy to reform al misorders amongst the Brytaynes which being brought to indifferent good passe Calphurnius returneth vnto Rome he was sent for home againe vnto Rome by the Emperour Antonius Commodus the sonne and successour of the foremembred Marcus Aurelius Publius Trebellius sent as Lieutenaunt into Brytaine sending one Publius Trebellius into Brytayne there to supplie hys charge This Trebellius comming into Brytain at the first vsed himselfe very vprightly in his office shewing all honor and loue towardes the Brytaynes subiectes to the Romaine Empyre and namely to Lucius who raigned as king of the lande vnder the name and authoritie of the Romaine Empyre But after that he had once wonne him a peece of credit amongst them he chaunged his maners or rather discouered his naturall inclination so wholy giuen to couetousnesse Publius Trebellius giuen to couetousnes that his only studie was set whiche way to fill his bagges not caring howe vntruly hee forged accusations agaynste the riche so that eyther by death or banishment their goodes might be confiscate and so come to his handes He is hated of the Brytaines By this wicked gouernment the Brytaines baganne so sore to hate him that had it not beene for the loue of their king the foresayde Lucius who holpe to appease them there had beene some Rebellion practised agaynste him in the South part Now the Scottes and Pictes hauing knowledge of this misliking in the Brytayns towards the Romaine Lieutenant The Scottes and Pictes renue the warre against the Romaines thought it a time conuenient for them also to be doing to the ende they might reuenge their former iniuries and herevpon leuying an armie they came to the oft remēbred wall ouerthrowing the same in diuerse places they entred into the British cōfines with great spoyle and crueltie Trebellius being hereof informed hasted forth with all the power he coulde make to resist their inuasions but finding the enimies readye in the field and encountring them sooner than he looked for Trebellius fighteth with his enimies is forsaken of his owne men and chased out of the fielde he was euen vpon the first ioyning abādoned of the most part of his whole armie whiche consisted of Britains Frenchmē thē called Gauls so that the residue beeing beaten downe he was glad to saue himselfe as well as he might be setting the spurs to his horse and galloping away After this Westmerland and Kendall spoyled by the Scottish men and Pictes gathering togither his people again as they fled from the discomfiture he retired back with them vnto Yorke hauing lost in his bickering a great number of his best soldiers and men of warre for the Scottes and Pictes missing no small number of their friends in that battaile wer not satisfied with those whom they had likewyse slain in the fight but also fel vpon their prisoners which they had taken and slue them also in reuenge of their fellowes whom they had lost Afterwards they harried the coūtreys of Westmerland and Kendal in most cruel wise Trebellius not being so hardy to fight with them again for doubt of some traine that might bee practised by the Brytaines Neither was his suspition grounded vpon the credite of any light information as may appeare by that which followed for immediately after the Cōmons of the countrey rose against the Romaines in purpose to haue driuen them all out of land Their captain was one Caldorus a Pict born The Brytishe Cōmons rise against Trebellius one Caldorus a Pict beeing their captaine There were also diuerse of the Britishe nobilitie amongest them not knowne for they were disguised in straunge apparel counterfeiting themselues to be of the vulgar sort The furie of these people was great but yet in the ende the politike order of the Romains vanquished them The same commons are vanquished howbait not without great slaughter on both sides Caldorus escaping the handes of this enimies fled into his natiue countrey of Pictland Caldorus reioyceth at the slaughter as wel of the one part as of the other not a little reioysing that he had procured such slaughter amongst the Romaines and Brytaines both being enimies to him and his countrey Suche prisoners also of the Brytaynes as fell into hands of the Romaines were hanged vp vpon sundrie trees and gibets whereat other of the Brytains being offered in y e night season tooke downe those deade bodies The spite of the Brytaynes shewed towardes the Romaines and hanged vp as many of the Romaines in theyr places the truth beeing neuer knowne who were the doers of that act The Lieutenant Trebellius perceyuing thus what daunger he stoode in on euerie part Trebellius writeth to the Emperor Cōmodus for ayde wrote vnto the Emperour Commodus that withoute some reformation were had the Romaines were not like to keepe foote any long season in Brytayne and therefore requyred to haue some ayde sent ouer vnto him in time But the Emperour doubting least the fault rested most in the Lieutenant himselfe Pertinax sent as Lieuetenant into Brytaine appoynted that one Pertinax an auncient gentleman one for his high and notable vertues greatly esteemed both amongst the men of warre and also in the Senate should go into Brytaine to bee Legate there in place of Trebellius This Pertinax comming into Brytain according to the Emperours appoyntment tooke vpon him the office And first setting a staye amongst the Brytaines by right prudent and wel aduised gouernmēt he afterwards made a iourney agaynst the Scottes and Pictes Pertinax driueth back both the Scots and Pictes dryuing them by great slaughter beyonde Adrians wall and so constreyned them to remaine within their own confines pursuing them no further for that hee was sente for home vnto Rome where the Emperour Commodus beeing murthered amongst his owne men Pertinax is chosen Emperour he was agaynst his will preferred to his place About the same time the state of the Scottish common wealth was brought into great daunger through an other incident as by reason of a rebellion stirred by them of the westerne Isles who not quieted in their stomackes for the death of their friendes executed by Argadus as before ye haue heard assembled thēselues togither and comming ouer into Argyle Argyle infested by the Iland men spoyled and harryed the countrey in piteous wise For redresse whereof Argadus was sent thither againe with an armie and in the meane time Ethodius the king with a great host of Scottishe men
their coūtrey men there the other that could not make shift to get away were slain anon after by the English men that one of them was not to bee founde aliue within any of the English Dominions And such was the ende of the Pictes that fledde vnto the English men for succour In this meane tyme the Scottish king Donald being restored againe to his Countrey was receyued with more ioy and honour than hee had deserued in hope yet by this scourge of aduerse fortune that he woulde haue reformed his former abuses Neuerthelesse King Donald falleth to hys old vices againe he had not bin at home any long time but that he fell to his old vicious trade of life againe remouing from his companie suche honorable personages as wished the suretie of his estate with the aduācement of the cōmon welth to the reliefe and ease of his poore miserable subiects At length the nobles of the realm perceiuing the daunger that their countrey stoode in by reason of Donaldes insolent misorder vndiscrete rule and gouernment King Donalde is laid in prisō they found meanes to apprehend and commit him vnto safe keeping but the monstrous creature within a fewe dayes after he was thus put in ward He slaieth him selfe in prison 860. in great desperation slue himselfe in the sixt yeare after he began his infortunate raigne in the yeare of our saniour 860. The same yeare that the realme of Scotlande was brought vnto such miserable state by the puissant force of the English men and Brytains as aboue is rehearsed there were sundrie wonders heard of in the countrey A young babe giueth warning vnto hys mother as in Lothian a childe of one Moneth olde and a halfe admonished the mother to flie out of that countrey for it woulde come to passe that the enimies shoulde come and take that region out of the Scottish mens hands Beasts also as they were pasturing abrode in the fieldes there roaring after a straunge sort Beastes roaryng dyed sodenly dyed Fishes likewise in shape resembling the figure of man Fishes lyke in shape to men were founde deade in the sandes of the Scottish sea In Galloway there fell such abundance of Adders and Snakes out of the skie Adders snakes fell downe out of the sky that the ayre being corrupted with the sauour of them lying on the grounde both men and beastes dyed of certain diseases which they tooke through infection thereof Such as were accounted to be skilfull in diuination affyrmed that these things did signifie an infortunate raigne with an euill ende vnto king Donalde as afterwardes it happened The interpretation of the prodigious things who hauing made away himselfe in prison as before is expressed Constantine the sonne of king Kenneth was crowned king at Scone King Cōstantine Crowned in the Chayre of Marble there according to the maner as then vsed After his first entring into the estate he would gladly haue gone in hād with the warres against y e English mē He fain would recouer his predecessours losses to haue recouered out of their possessions those countreys which they had lately taken from the Scottes in his predecessors time but his counsell aduised him otherwise He was aduised otherwise by his counsel declaring that the estate of the common wealth was so decayed by the misgouernance of his sayde predecessour that till the same were refourmed and suche intestine discorde as through licencious libertie raigned amongst his subiects might be appeased and quieted there was no hope to atchieue anye worthie enterprise abrode agaynst forraine enimies Hereupon by theyr aduertisements and good aduice Misorders are redressed hee deuised a reformation of all such misorders as were growen vp in al partes of his realme and first for the spiritualtie he ordayned that Priestes should attende their cures Priestes should onely attende their vocation and not to intermeddle with any secular businesse but to be free from going forth to the warres neyther should they keepe horses hawkes or hounds And if any of them wer found negligent in doing his duetie apperteyning to his vocation A penaltie for not doing their dueties he should for the first fault forfeyt a peece of money but for the second he should lose his benefice Youth shoulde eate but one meale a day For the youth of his realme he tooke order to brydle them the better from wanton delites and sensuall lustes that none of them shoulde haue past one meale a day and that of no fine or daintie delicates and to abstaine from all such drinke as might distemper their brayne so that if anye yong person Drunkennes punished with death either man or woman were known to be dronken they should die for it He commaunded further that all the youth of his realme shoulde exercise running wrastling shooting throwing of the dart and bowle so to auoyde slouthfulnesse that their bodies myghte with such exercises be made the more able to endure paynes and trauaile and for the same purpose he tooke order that they shoulde lye vpon the bare bourdes with one mantell onely throwne vnder them Youth to be treined vp in hardnesse so that they should tast nothing neither by day nor night that might noozell them in any wanton delytes or effeminate pleasures Kepers of bāketting houses to be banished It was also ordeyned that all such as kept vitayling houses for banketting cheare should be banished the realme with those that kept brothell houses Thus were the Scottes by obseruing of these ordinances Scottes were made sober able to abyde hardnes made within short time of gluttons excessiue feeders sober and temperate men of delicate and easefull persons hard tough and able to abide any trauail or labour were the same neuer so painfull and hereof the state of the common wealth began to grow to good perfection so that Constantines administration was lyked of the most part of all his subiects The first that went about to disquiet the prosperous raigne of that worthie Prince was one Euan Euan disquieted the king and realme a man of an aūcient house borne in the Westerne Iles. Such hath bene the vnquiet nature of the Scottish men euen from the beginning The vnquiet nature of Scottish men neuer to liue contented any long tyme eyther with peace or warre for being once a wearied with the charges of the warres they straight wayes wishe for peace and hauing in time of peace heaped togither some wealth then can they not suffer the gouernment of their superiours but either are readie to fall out with some forraine enimie or else to raise some commotion amongst themselues This Euan therefore being the kings Lieutenant of his Castell of Dunstafage in Louchquhaber Euan Lieutenant of Dunstafage conspireth agaynst the king practised a conspiracie agaynst the king with a number of other light persons being gentlemen borne mislyking the administration of things onely
of the whole Realme and require some redresse and easement therein Moreouer it chanced that there was a great number of Lordes Knightes and Gentlemen assembled togither at Dunstable and Luyfon â—…stes and â—…ey apâ—…ted and â—…e Kings â—…maundeâ—… disapâ—…ted to haue kepte a martiall Iustes and triumphant Torney but they had a countercommaundemente from the Kyng not to goe forwarde with the same whervpon when they were disappoynted of their purpose heerein Vpon occasion of their being altogither on the morrowe after the feast of Peter and Paule they sent from them Foulke Fitz Wareine â—…ke Fitz â—…ein comâ—…deth the â—…es Nuncio â—…oy de the â—…me to declare vnto master Martine the Popes Nuncio as then lodging at the Temple in London in name as it were of all the whole body of the Realme that he shoulde immediately departe out of the lande Foulke doing the message somewhat after a rough manner master Martine asked him what hee was that gaue foorth the saide commaundement or whether hee spake it of himselfe or from some other This coÌ„maundement saith Foulke is sente to thee from all those Knightes and men of armes whiche lately were assembled togyther at Dunstable and Luyton Master Martin hearing this got him to the Court and declaring to the king what message hee had receyued required to vnderstand whether he was priuy to the master or that his people tooke vpon them so rashly without his authoritie or no. 〈◊〉 Kings â—…wers vnto Popes â—…cio To whome the King aunswered that he had not giuen them any authoritie so to commaunde him out of the Realm but indeede saith he my Barons do vnneth forbeare to rise against me bycause I haue mainteyned and suffered thy pilling and iniurious polling within this my Realme and I haue had much adoe to stay theÌ„ from running vpoÌ„ thee to pull thee in peeces Master Martin hearing these words with a fearefull voice besoughte the K. that hee mighte for the loue of God and reuerence of the Pope haue free passadge out of the Realme to whome the King in greate displeasure aunswered â—…t Paris â—… VVest the Deuill that brought thee in carrie thee out euen to the pitte of hell for me At length yet when those that were about the kyng had pacified hym hee appoynted one of the Marischals of hys house cleped Roberte Northe or Nores to conduct him to the Sea syde The Popes Nuncio sent out of the Realme and so he did but not withoute greate feare sithence hee was afrayde of euery bushe least men shoulde haue risen vpon him and murthered him Wherevpon when he came to the Pope hee made a greeuous complaynte both againste the King and other The Church of Saint Peter at Westminster was enlarged and newly repaired by the Kyng Saint Peters Churche at Westminster specially all the East parte of it the olde walles beeing pulled downe and buylded vp in more comely forme The generall councell according to the summonance giuen was holden this yeare at Lyons where it began about Midsomer in y e which the English Ambassadors being arriued The English Ambassadors come to the Counsell presented to the Pope their letters directed froÌ„ y e whole body of y e Realm of EnglaÌ„d requiring a redresse in suche things wherewith as by the same letters it appeared the Realm fouÌ„d it selfe sore annoyed The Pope promised to take aduice therein but sith the matter was weighty it required respite Finally when they were earnest in requiring a determinate aunswere it was giuen them to vndestande that they should not obteyne their desires whervpon in great displeasure they came away threatning and binding their wordes with othes The Englishe Ambassadors threaten the Pope that hee should not haue any tribute out of Englande that from thencefoorthe they woulde neuer pay nor suffer to bee payde anye tribute to the Court of Rome nor permit the reuenewes of those Churches whereof they were patrones to be pulled away by any prouision of the same Court The Pope hearing of these things passed them ouer patiently but hee procured the English Bishops to set their Seales vnto that Charter whiche King Iohn had made concerning the tribute against the minde of the Archbyshoppe of Caunterbury Stephen Langton who at that time when King Iohn should seale it spake sore against it When King Henry was enformed hereof he was greeuously offended and sware in a greate chafe that although the Bishops hadde done otherwise than they ought yet woulde hee stand in defence of the liberties of his Realm and would not so long as he had a day to liue day any duetie to the Court of Rome vnder the name of tribute In this meane while the Kyng with a puissante army inuaded the Welch Rebels Mat. Paris to reduce them to some quiet whereas with theyr continuall incursions and other exploytes they had sore hatried vexed and wasted the landes of the Kings subiectes Heerevpon the King being entred the Countrey inuaded the same The King inuadeth Wales He buildeth a Castell at Gannocke vnto the confynes of Snowdon and there he began to builde a stroÌ„g Castell at a place called Gannocke remayning there about the space of tenne weekes during the which the army suffered greate misery through want of vittayles and other prouisions namely apparrell and other helpes to defende themselues from colde which sore afflicted the souldiers and men of warre bycause they lay in the fielde and Winter as then began to approche Moreouer they were driuen to keepe watch and warde very strongly for doubt to bee surprised by suddayne assaultes of the enimies the which watched vpon occasion euer to doe some mischiefe The decesse of the Countesse of Oxford and of the Earle of Deuonshire The morrowe after the Purification of oure Lady Isabell de Boteber Countesse of Oxforde departed this life and likewise the morrowe after Saint Valentines day dyed Baldwine de Riuers Earle of Deuoushire and of the Wight Geffrey de Marche deceasseth Moreouer Geffrey de Marish a man sometime of great honor and possessions in Irelande after hee had remayned long in exile and suffered great miserie he ended the same by natural death The decesse of Raymond Erle ProuaÌ„ce Also Raymond Earle of Prouance rather to the Queenes of Englande and Fraunce decessed this yeare for whome was kepte in Englande a most solemne obsequie The deceasse of the Lorde Humfreuille Also in the weeke after Palme Sunday dyed a right noble Baron and Warden of the North partes of England the Lorde Gilberte Humfreuille leauing behind him a yong sonne the custody of whome the King forthwith committed to the Earle of Leicester not withoute the indignation of the Earle of Cornewall who desired the same An. Reg. 30. Finally after that the Kyng had lâ—…n at Gannocke aboute the fortifying of the Castell there the space of tenne weekes and sawe the worke now fully finished hee appoynted foorthe suche as should lie there
and as it hath bin reported he enformed the king whether truly or not I haue not to say that the duke franâ—…ly confessed euery thing wherwith he was charged Wherevpon the King sent vnto Thomas Mowbray Erle Marshall and of Notingham to make the Duke secretly away The Earle prolonged tyme for the executing of the kings coÌ„mandement though the K. wold haue had it done with all expedition whereby the King conceiued no small displeasure and â—…rare that it should cost the Earle his life if he quickly obeyed not his commaundement The Earle thus as it seemed in 〈…〉 called 〈◊〉 the Duke at midnight as if he should haue taken shippe to passe ouer into England and there in the lodging called the Priâ—… on Iune he raâ—…sed his seruantes to cast fâ—…ther â—…des vpon hym â–ª and so to smoother him for death or otherwyse tâ—… strangle him with towels as some write This was the ende of that noble man â—…e of nature hastye wyfull and giuen more to warre than to peace and in this greatly to bee discoÌ„mended that he was euer repining against the king in all things whatsoeuer he wished to haue forward He was thus made away not so soon as the brute ran of his death but as it shuld appeare by some authors he remained alyue till the parliament that next ensued and then about the same time that the Erle of Arundell suffred he was dispatched as before ye haue heard His bodie was afterwardes with all funerall pompe conueyd into England and buryed at his owne manour of Plashy within the church there In a sepulchre whiche he in his life tyme had caused to he made and there erected The same euening that the K. departed from London towardes Plashye to apprehende the Duke of Gloucester The Earle of â—…all appreed the Erle of Rutlande and the Erle of Kent were sent with a greate number of men of armes archers to arrest the Erle of Arundell whiche was done easily inough by reason that the sayde Earle was trayned wyth fayre wordes at the kings handes till hee was within his daunger where otherwyse he mighte haue bin hable to haue saued hymselfe and deliuered his frendes The Earle of Warwike was taken and coÌ„mitted to the Tower the same day that the King hadde willed hym to dinner and shewed him verie good countenaunce There were also apprehended and committed to the Tower the same tyme the Lorde Iohn Cobham and sir Iohn Cheyny knightes The Earle of Arundell was sente to the Isle of Wight there to remayne as prisoner till the next parliament in the whiche he determined so to prouide that they shoulde bee all condemned and put to death And for doubt of some commotion that might aryse amoÌ„gst the commons he caused it by open proclamation to be signified that these noble men were not apprehended for any offence committed long agone but for newe trespasses agaynst the kyng as in the next ParliameÌ„t it shuld be manifestly declared proued Shortly after he procured them to be indited at Notingham suborning suche as should appeale them in parliament The â—…es of â—…e appeâ—…nts to wit Edward erle of Rutlande Thomas Mowbray Erle Marshal Thomas Holland erle of Kent Iohn Holland Erle of â—…ngton 〈…〉 Boâ—… Erle of â—…set Iohn 〈◊〉 Earle of Salisbury Thomas Lorde Speâ—… and the Lorde William Sâ—…ropâ—… Lorde Câ—…berlaine In the meane tyme the King â—…earing what mighte he attempted against 〈◊〉 by those tâ—… fauoured these noblemen thâ—… 〈…〉 sent forâ—… power of Cheshire 〈◊〉 that mighte day and nighte keepe watch 〈◊〉 warde about his person A garde of Cheshire men about the king They were aboute .ij. thousand archers payde weekely as by the Annales of Britayne 〈◊〉 appeareth The King had â—…ttle trust in any of the nobilitie except in hâ—… brother the eldâ—… of Huntington and the Earleâ—… of Rutlandâ—… son to the duke of Yorke and in the Earle of Salusburye in these onely he reposeâ—… a confidence and not in any other except a certain knightes and gentlemen of his priuie chamber In the meane tyme whyles thinges were thus in broyâ—…e before the beginning of the parliament diuers other besyde them whom we haue spoâ—… of were apprehended and put in sundry prisons The Parliament was summoned to begin at Westminster the xvij of September The lordes appoynted to come in vvarlike manner to the parliament and writtes therevpon directed to euery of the Lordes to appeare and to bring with them a sufficient nuÌ„ber of armed men and archers in their best aray for it was not knowen how the Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke would take the death of their brother nor howe other peares of the Realme would take the apprehension and imprisonment of their kynsemen the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke and of the other prisoners Surely the two Dukes when they heard that their brother was so sodainly made away Polidor they will not what to saye to the matter and beganne bothe to be sorowfull for his death and doubtefull of their owne states for sith they sawe howe the Kyng abused by the counsell of euill men absteyned not from suche an heynous acte they thought he would afterwardes attempte greater my sorders from tyme to tyme. Therefore they assembled in all haste greate numbers of theyr seruauntes frendes and tenauntes The Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke assemble their povvers to resiste the Kings dealings and commyng to London were receyued into the Citie For the Londoners were ryghte sorye for the death of the Duke of Gloucester who hadde euer sought their fauour in somuche that now they woulde haue bin contented to haue ioyned with the Dukes in seeking reuenge of so noble a mannes death procured and broughte to passe without lawe or reason as the common bruite then walked although peraduenture he was not as yet made awaye Heere the Dukes and other fell in counsell manie thinges were proponed some wold that they should by force reuenge the duke of Gloucesters death other thought it mere y t the Erles Marshall and Huntington and certaine others as chiefe authours of all the mischiefe shoulde be pursued and punished for their demerites hauing trayned vp the king in vice and euill customes euen from his youth But the dukes after their displeasure was somewhat assuaged determined to couer the stinges of their griefs for a tyme and if the king would amende his maners to forget also the iniuries past In the meane time the K. lay at Eltham Caxton Fabian Polidor and had got about him a greate power namely of those archers which he hadde sent for out of Cheshyre in whome he put a singular trust more than in any other There went messengers betwixt him and the Dukes whiche beeing men of honour did theyr endeuor to appease both parties The Kyng discharged himselfe of blame for the duke of Gloucesters death considering that he had gone about to breake the truce whiche he had taken with France and also stirred the people of
honorably enterteined vvith the french king and him honorably interteined in so much that he had by fauor obteyned in mariage the only daughter of y e duke of Berry vncle to the frenche K. if King Richard had not bin a let in that matter who being thereof certified sent the earle of Salisbury with all speede into France Froissart both to surmise by vntrue suggestion hainous offences against him and also to require the frenche King that in no wise hee woulde suffer his cousin to bee matched in mariage with him that was so manifest an offendor On Neweyeares day this yeare 1399 the riuer that passeth betwixte Suelleston or Snelston and Harewood twoo villages not farre from Bedforde sodeinly ceassed hir course so as the chanell remained drie by the space of three miles that any man might enter into and passe the same drie foote at his plesure This deuision whiche the water made in that place the one part seeming as it were not to come nere to the other was iudged to signifie the reuolting of the subiectes of this land from their naturall Prince althoughe it may be that the water of that riuer sanke into the ground and by some secrete passage or chanell tooke course till it came to the place where it might rise again as in other places is likewise seene Ye haue heard before howe the Archebishop of Canterbury Thomas Arundel was banished the Realme Fabian Roger Walden was made Archbishop of that see who was a greate fauourer of the citie of London the which was eftsoones about this season falne into the kings displeasure but by the diligente labour of this Archebishop and of Roberte Braybrooke then bishop of London vpon the humble supplication of the citizens the kings wrathe was pacified Blanke charters But yet to content the kings mind many blanke charters were deuised and brought into the citie which many of the substanciall welthie citizens were fayne to seale to their greate chardge as in the ende appeared And the like charters were sent abroad into al shires within the realme wherby greate 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 payment of money as otherwise The deathe of â—…e duke of Lancaster In this meane time the duke of Lancaster departed out of this life at the bishop of Elies place in Holborne and lieth buryed in the cathedrall churche of S. Paule in London on the North side of the highe Aulter by the Lady Blaunche his firste wife The death of this duke gaue occasion of encreasing more hatred in the people of this realm towarde the king for he seased into his handes all the goods that belonged to hym and also receyued all the rents and reuenues of his landes whiche ought to haue discended vnto the duke of Hereforde by lawfull inheritaunce in reuoking his letters patents which he had graunted to him before Thom VVal. by vertue wherof he might make his attorneis generall to sue liuery for hym of any maner of inheritaunces or possessions that myghte from thenceforthe fall vnto hym and that hys homage myghte bee respited wyth making reasonable fine wherby it was euident that the king ment his vtter vnâ—… 〈◊〉 Thys hards dealing was muche myâ—… of all the nobilitie and cried out against of the meaner sorte But namely the Duke of Yorke was therewyth sore amoued who before this time had borne things with so pacient a 〈◊〉 as he could though the same touched him 〈◊〉 neare as the death of his brother the Duke of Gloucester the banishment of hys nephâ—… the said duke of Hereford and other mo iniuries 〈◊〉 greate number which for the slippery youth of the king hee passed ouer for the tyme and did forget aswell as he might But now perceiuing that neither law 〈◊〉 nor equitie could take place where the kinges wilful wil was bent vpon any wrongfull purpose he considered that the glorie of the 〈◊〉 wealthe of his countrey must needes decay by reason o the king his lacke of witte and want of suche as would without flattery admonish hym of hys duty and therefore hee thought it the parte of a wise man to get hym in time to a resting place and to leaue the followyng of suche an vnaduised capitaine as wyth a leaders sworde would cut his owne throate Herevpon he wyth the duke of Aumarle his sonne went to his house at Langley The duke of York mistaketh the court and goeth 〈◊〉 reioicing that nothing had mishappened in the common wealthe throughe his deuise or consent The realme let to ferme by the Kyng The common brute â—…anne that the kyng had sette to ferme the realme of England vnto sir Wylliam Scrope Earle of Wiltshire and then treasourer of Englande to sir Iohn Bushy Syr Iohn Bagot and sir Henry Greene Knights Aboute the same time the Earle of Arundels sonne named Thomas whiche was kept in the duke of Exeters house escaped out of the realme by meanes of one Willyam Scot meecer and went to his vncle Thomas Arundell late Archbishop of Canterbury as then soiorning at Coleyn King Richarde beeing destitute of treasure to furnishe suche a Princely porte as he mainteined Tho. VVals borrowed greate summes of money of many of the greate Lordes and Peeres of hys realme both spiritual and temporall and likewise of other meane persones promysing them in good earnest by deliuering to them his letters patentes for assuraunce that hee woulde repay the money so borrowed at a day appointed which notwithstanding he neuer payd Moreoreouer Nevve â—…actionâ—… this yere he caused .xvij. shires of the realme by way of putting theÌ„ to their fines to pay no smal suÌ„mes of money for redeeming their offeÌ„ces that they had aided y e duke of Gloucester the erles of Arudel Warwik wheÌ„ theâ—… rose in armor against him The nobles gentlemeÌ„ and commons of those shires were enforced also to receiue a newe othe to assure the king of their fidelitie in time to come The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 vvas 〈◊〉 plâ—…ce 〈◊〉 vvere to 〈◊〉 the King vvithall but the same displeâ—… many that vvas that conâ—…d to pay against their vvâ—…es and withall certaine prelates and other honorable persoâ—…ges were sent into the same shites to persuade men to this payment and to see thinges ordered at the pleasure of the Prince and surely the â—…nes whiche the nobles and other the meaner estates of those shires were constrayned to pay were not small but exceeding greate to the offence of many Moreouer the kings letters pâ—…coâ—…tes were sent into euery shire within this land by vertue whereof The people coÌ„â—… their othe 〈◊〉 alegeaâ—…nce by vvriting â—…ed an othe was demaunded of all the kings liege people for a further assuraunce of their due obedience and they were consterined to ratifie the same in writing vnder their handes and seales Moreouer they
Duke of Yorke haue attempted to set forthe his title to the Crowne as hee afterwardes didde to the greate disquieting of the Realme and destruction of Kyng Henry and of many other noble men beside This is the opinion of menne but gods iudgementes are vnsearcheable against whose decree and ordinaunce preuaileth no humaine counsaile But to conclude with this noble Duke he was no doubt a right mirrour of an vpright and politike gouernour bending all his endeuoures to the aduauncement of the common wealth no lesse louing to the poore commons than beloued of them again Learned he was and wise full of curtesie and voide of all pride and ambition a vertue rare in personages of suche high estate albeit where the same chaunceth most commendable But sithe the praise of this noble man deserueth a large discourse and meete for suche as haue cunning howe to handle the same I referre the readers vnto Maister Fores booke of Actes and Monumentes fyrste Volume Page 833. In this sixe and twentieth yere of the raign of this King An. reg 26. but in the firste of the rule of the Queene I finde nothing done worthye of rehearsall within the Realme of Englande but that the Marques of Suffolke by greate 〈◊〉 of the Kyng and more desire of the Queene was erected to the title and name of Duke of Suffolke whiche dignitie hee shorte time inioyed for Richard duke of Yorke being greatly alyed by hys wife to the chiefe Peeres and Potentates of the Realâ—…e ouer and beside hys own progeny perceiuing the king to be a ruler not ruling and the whole burthen of the realm to reste in the ordinaunces of the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke began secretly to allure his friendes of the Nobilitie and priuily declared vnto them hys tytle and ryghte to the crowne and likewise didde he to certaine wise and sage gouernours and rulers of diuers Cities and Townes whych priuy attempt was so pollitickely handled and so secretly kepte that his prouision was ready before his purpose was openly published and his friendes opened themselues ere the contrary parte coulde them espie for in conclusion time reueled truthe and olde hidde hatred soddainely sprong out as yee maye hereafter both learne and heare During these doings Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester 1448 and called the riche Cardinall departed out of this worlde and was buried at Winchester The deathe of the Bishoppe of â—…Vinchester â—…s description This man was sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster deseâ—…ded of an honourable linnage but borne in baste more noble in bloud than notable in learning hault of stomacke and highe of countenaunce riche aboue measure but not very liberall dysdainfull to his kinne and dreadefull to hys louers preferring money before friendeshippe manye things beginning and fewe performing hys couetous insaciabilitie and hope of long lyfe made hym bothe to forgette God his Prince and hymselfe of the getting of his goodes both by power Legantine and spirituall bribery I will not speake but the keeping of them for his ambitious purpose was bothe greate losse to hys naturall Prince and natiue countrey for hys hydden riches might haue well holpen the King and his secret treasure might haue relieued the communaltie when money was seâ—…nte and importunate chardges were dayly immenent An. reg 27. After the deathe of this Prelate the affaires in Fraunce were neither well looked to nor the gouernors of the countrey wel aduised Sir Frauncis Suriennes for an english capitain called sir FraÌ„cis Suriennes surnamed the Aregonois of the countrey wher he was borne a man for his wit and actiuitie admitted into the order of the Garter tooke by skaling soddainely in the nyght of the euen of our Lady day in Lent Fongieres a Town on the Fronters of Normandy belonging to the Duke of Britaine called Fougiers spoylyng the same and killing the inhabitantes The Duke of Britaigne beeing hereof aduertised sent worde by the bishop of Remines to the Frenche Kyng beseching him of his aid and counsaile in the matter The French King foorthwith sent his â—…uer Iohn Hauart and Iohn Cosinet one of the Maisters of his requestes to the King of Englande and to the Duke of Somerset he dispatched Peter de Fontaines the Maister of his horse to the whiche messengers aunswere was made aswell by the Kyng as the duke that the fact was done without their knowledge And for the truce to be kepte and not onely restitution but also amends to be made to the Duke of Britayne a daye of dyet was appoynted to be kepte at Louniers where the commissioners on both partes being assembled the frenchmen demaunded amendes wyth no small recompence The Englishemen aunswered that without offence nothing by Iustice ought to be satisfied affirming the doing of Sir Frauncis Sureinnes to be only his act without consent eyther of the Kyng of Englande or of the Duke of Somerset hys lieuetenaunt and Regent But whiles wyth long delay they talked of this matter at Louniers certain Frenchmen by aduertisement of a wagoner of Louniers Pont de Larcâ—… taken by the Frenchmen by a subeâ—… 〈◊〉 vnderstaÌ„ding that the town of Pont de Larche was but slenderly manned The wagoner laded his wagon and passed forward hauing in his companye twoo strong Varlettes clad like Carpenters wyth greate axes on their shoulders and hereto le Seigneur de Breze wyth a chosen company of men of armes lodged himselfe in a bushement neare to the gate of Saint Andrewe and Capitayne Floquet accompanied wyth sir Iames de Cleremont and another greate companye priuily lurked vnder a woode towarde Louniers When all things were appointed for the purpose earely one morning about the beginning of the moneth of October deuised to take the same town on this maner The wagoner came to the gate and called the porter by name praying hym to open the gate that hee myghte passe to Roan and retourne agayne the same nyght The Porter whiche well knewe the voyce of hys customer tooke little heede to the other twoo companions and so opened the one gate and sent another fellowe of hys to open the formoste gate When the Chariot was on the drawe bridge betwene both the gates the chariot Maister gaue the Porter money and for the nonce let one peece fall on the grounde and while the Porter stouped to take it vp the wagoner wyth hys dagger stroke hym in at hys throate so that he cried for no helpe and the .ij. great lubbers slewe the other porters and with their axes cut the axeltree of the wagon so that the drawe bridge coulde not be shortly drawen vppe This done they made a signe to Capitaine Floquet whyche wyth all speede entred the Towne slewe and tooke all the Englishemenne and amongest other the Lorde Fauconbridge Capitaine of the saide Towne was taken prisoner The losse of this place was of no small importance being the very kay passage ouer the riuer of Seyne from France into Normandy
accomplished the death and destruction of his naturall Prince and moste worthie soueraigne Lord not as a common homicide and butcherly murtherer but as a regicide destroyer of his king After whose piteous death execrable murther the right and title of the Crowne and superioritie of this Realme was lawfully reuerted and returned to Roger Mortimer Earle of Marche sonne and heyre to Ladie Philippe the onely childe of the aboue rehearsed Lionell Duke of Clarence to whiche Rogers daughter called Anne my most dearest and welbeloued mother I am the verie true and lineall heyre whiche discent all you cannot iustly gainsay nor yet truely denie Then remember this if the tytle be mine why am I put from it If I bee true heyre to the Crowne as I am in deede why is my ryght withholden If my clayme bee good why haue I not iustice For surely learned men of great science and knowledge saye and affyrme that lineall discent nor vsurped possession can nothing preuayle if continuall clayme bee lawfullye made or openly published For the auoyding of which scruple and ambiguitie Edmonde Earle of Marche my moste welbeloued Vncle in the tyme of the firste Vsurper in deede but not by right called King Henrie the fourth by hys cousins the Earle of Northumberlande and the Lorde Percie he beeing then in captiuitie wyth Owen Glendor the Rebell in Wales made hys tytle and righteous clayme to the destruction of both the noble persons Likewise my most deerest Lorde and father so farre set forth that right and tytle that hee lost his life and worldly ioy at the towne of Southhampton more by power than indifferent Iustice Sithe whose death I comming to my full age haue neuer desysted to pursue my tytle and requyre my right whiche by meanes of sinyster counsayle and iniust detention I can neyther obteyne nor recouer So that of fine force I am compelled to vse power in steade of prayer and force in steade of request not as I sayde before for my priuate emolument and peculiar profite but to restore peace loue and quietnesse to thys oure naturall Region which euer sith the first vngodly vsurpation of the aforenamed Henrie vntruly called king Henrie the fourth hath beene clearely banished and oute of the same iniustlye exyled What murthers and manslaughters hathe beene perpetrated and committed wythin thys Countrey sithe the begynning of that vngracious vsurpation what number of noble men haue beene slaine destroyed and executed sithe that infortunate day It is to lamentable and manifest For although Henrie of Lancaster Earle of Darbye tooke vpon hym the Scepter and the Crowne and wrongfullye bare the name and style of a King and was not muche tickled wyth myne Vncle the Earle of Marche at that tyme being wythin age yet was he neuer in suretie of himselfe nor had or enioyed any profite quietnesse either in minde or in bodie For surely a corrupt conscience neuer feeleth rest but looketh when the sworde of vengeance wil discende and strike his son also called king Henrie the fifth obteyned notable victories immortal praises for his noble actes done in the realm of FraÌ„ce yet God for y e offeÌ„ce of his vntrue parent sodenly touched him vnbodying his soule in the flower of his youth and in the glorie of hys conquest And although he had a fayre sonne and a yong apparant heyre yet was this orphan such a one as preachers saye that God threatned to sende for a punishment to his vnruly vngracious people saying by his Prophet Esay I shal giue you children to be your Princes and infants without wisdome shall haue the gouernaunce of you The Prophet lied not if you note all things in an order for after this Henrie the fift whose fame no man can iustly reproue or deface succeded his sonne whom all we haue called our naturall Prince and obeyed as his heyre in whose time wrongfull raigne I require you diligently to consider with what great torments and afflictions God hath whipped and scourged this miserable Isle yea with such and so many scourges and plagnes as no nation the Egiptians only except were euer tormented or afflicted withal I wil not speake of rebellious murthers oppressions which of late haue beene done and exercised here among vs But I will declare manifest to you how the crown and glory of this realm is by the negligence of this silly man and his vnwyse counsail minished defaced and dishonored Is not Normandie which his father gate regained coÌ„quered again by y e insolencie of him and his couetous counsaile Is not the whole duchie of Aquitaine by two C. and odde yeares peaceably possessed by the kings of this realme in one yere and a little more gotteÌ„ out of our hands seigniory What shoulde I speake of Aniou and Maine or the losse of the Isle of France with the rich Citie of Paris Alas it is too apparaunt neither will I molest you with the recitall of all the particulers thereof But now in the middest of this affliction and to make an ende of the same God of his ineffable goodnesse looking on this countrey with hys eies of pitie and mercie hath sent me in the truth to restore againe his decayed kingdome to hys ancient fame and olde renowne whereof here in open Parliament according to my iust and true title I haue and do take possession of this royall throne not putting diffidence but firme hope in Gods grace that by his diuine ayd and assistance of you the Peeres of this realme I shall beautifie and mainteyne the same to the glorie of him honour of my bloud and to the publique wealth as well of you all here present as of all the poore Commons and subiectes of this kingdome and regiment When the Duke had made an ende of hys Oration the Lordes sate styll as men stryken into a certayne amasednesse neyther whispering nor speaking forth a worde as thoughe theyr mouthes had bene sowed vp The Duke not verie well content with their strange silence aduised them to consider throughly and ponder the whole effect of his wordes and sayings and so neyther fully displeased nor yet altogither pleased departed to his lodging in the kings Palace While he was declaring thus his tytle in the chamber of the Peeres there happened a straunge chaunce in the verie same instaunt amongest the Commons in the neather house then there assembled Prodigious â—…kens for a Crowne whiche did hang in the middle of the same to garnishe a braunch to see 〈◊〉 vppon without touche of any man or rygour of wind sodainly fell downe And at the same time also fell downe the Crowne which stoode on the toppe of the Castell of Douer whiche chaunces were interpreted by the common people to be as signes that the Crowne of the Realme shoulde bee deuided and chaunged from one lyne to an other The Lordes of the Realme forgotte not the Dukes demaunde and therfore to take some good direction therein dyuerse of
his lignage so long to reigne in wealth and felicitie in conclusion with his brother Rycharde fled again into Flaunders This departure of the Earle sore vexed the king doubting of some newe trouble to ensue thereof But yet to vnderstande the full meaning of the sayd Erle the King vsed his olde serche for immediately after the Erle was fled he appointed sir Robert Curson whom he had aduanced to the order of knighthoode and made Captaine of Hammes Castell a valiant man and a circumspect to dissemble himselfe to bee one of that conspiracie went into Flaunders to espie what was done there by the Ladie Margaret and his Nephewe the Earle of Suffolke After that the sayde sir Robert Curson was thus gone into Flaunders the king to put hym out of al suspition with the said ladie Margaret the Earle caused the sayde Earle and sir Robert Curson and fiue persons more to be accursed at Paules Crosse the first Sunday of Nouember as enimies to him and his realme To be briefe the king by this meanes and other such diligent inquisition as hee made tryed out such as he suspected partly to be deuisers of mischiefe agaynst him and partly to beare no sincere affection towardes his person so that hee coulde readilye name them whereof a greate parte were within fewe dayes apprehended and taken And amongest them William Lorde Courtney sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire whiche had maryed the Ladie Katherine daughter to king Edwarde the fourth Lorde William de in Pole brother to the foresayde Erle of Suffolk sir Iames Tyrrell sir Iohn Wyndam Both the Williams were rather taken of suspition bicause they were so neare of kinne to the Conspyrates than for any proued matter But Sir Iames Tyrrell and Iohn Windam bycause they were traytours Tyrrell and Windam beheaded and so attaynted the sixt day of May after theyr apprehension they were on the tower hill beheaded When the Earle of Suffolke hearde what fortune thus happened to his friendes as one in vtter dispayre to haue anye good successe in hys pretensed enterprice wandred about all Germanie and France to purchase some ayde and succour if by any meanes hee myght But when hee perceyued no stedfaste grounde to eatche anchor holde vpon he submitted himselfe vnder the Protection of Philip Archduke of Austriche But his brother Richarde being a politique man so wisely ordred himself in this stormy tempest that he was not entrapped either with net or snare The king not yet out of all doubt of ciuill sedition bycause a great number of euill disposed persons partakers of this conspiracie wâ—…ll fledde into â—…rie Sanctuaries demâ—… to haue al the Gates of Sainctuaries and places priuiledged 〈◊〉 and loâ—…ked vp so that 〈◊〉 shoulde issue one from thence to pâ—…turbâ—… and vnquyeâ—… him And for â—…he â—…ntent he wrote vnto Pope Alexander ofstring him by his authoritie to adiudge all English menne being fledde to Sainctuarie for the offence vâ—…asâ—… 〈◊〉 enimyes to the Christian sayth â—…ng and prouyding the refuge and priuiledge of Sainctuarie to all sâ—… as once haâ—… enioyed the libertie and protection of the â—…ame and after had sleâ—…de but and eftsoones returned againe Whiche thing after that the Pope had graunted Sanctuation restrayned turned to the great quâ—…tnesse of the King and his Realme For â—…ye that had offended for some to fall into daunger returned to the due â—…stion of theyr Princes and order 〈◊〉 were yet from peryll â—…e not hazarde themselues so â—…ly as they durst haue done before vpon hope of suche stâ—…tyng holes When the king had 〈◊〉 â—…led â—…ings to his owne contentation and pâ—…e there sodainly happened to him a lamentable chaunce For that noble Prince Arthure the â—…ings first begotten sonne after he had been maryed to the lady â—…atheryn his wife 〈◊〉 space of that monethes The death of Arthur Prince of Wales â—…e parted out of this it â—…r if 〈◊〉 in his â—…affel of Ludlow and with great 〈…〉 was baned in the Cathedrall Church at Worcester His brother the Duke of Yorke was stayed from the tylle of Prince by the â—…e of a moâ—… till to women it might appeare whether the Ladie Katheryn wyfe to the sayde Prince Arthure was conceyued with childe or not In 〈◊〉 xviij yeare the .xxiiij. day of Ianuarie An. reg 18. a quarter of an houre afore three of the clocke at after â—…e of the same day 1503 the still stone of our ladie Chapel within y e Monasterie of Westmynster was layde by the handes of Iohn Isâ—…ip Abbot of the same Monasterie Sir Reignaâ—…e Bray â—…ight of the â—…aâ—… â—…or Barnes master of the â—…lles Doctor Wall Chaplayen to the kings Maiestie Maister Hugh Oâ—…ham Chaplayne to the Countâ—… of Derbie Richmond the kings mother the Edwarde Stanhope knight and diuerse other Vpon the same stone was this scripture engrauen Pâ—…sti issâ—… Henrieus septimus rex Angâ—…ra Franciae Dominus Hibernaie posur hanc petram in honâ—…e beatae vngâ—… Maria. 24 â—…e â—…nuarij anno domini 1502 â—…no dicâ—… Regâ—…s Henrier sepriums decimo octauo Queene Elizabeth lying within the Tower of London was brought a bed of a fayre â—…der on Candlemasse day which was there christened and named Katherin and the .xj. of the same month the sayd Queene there deceased and was buryed at Westminster whose daughter also lyued but a small season after hir mother The .xviij. of Februarie the king at his Palace of Westminster created his onely sonne Henrie Prince of Wales Earle of Chester c. who afterwardes succeeded his father in possession of the regall Crowne of this realme Moreouer this yeare also after the deceasse of that noble Queene for hir vertue commonlye called good Queene Elizabeth departed oute of thys worlde also sir Reignalde Bray knight of the Garter Sir Reignold Bray his death a very father of hys Countrey for his high wisedome and singular loue to iustice well worthie to beare that tytle If any thing had beene done amysse contrarie to lawe and equitie Iust commendacions of Morton Archbishop of Canterbury and Sir Reynold Bray hee woulde after an humble sorte plainely blame the King and giue hym good aduertisement that he should not onely refourme the same but also hee more circumspect in any other the lyke case Of the same vertue and faythfull plainnesse was Iohn Morton Archbishop of Canterburie whiche dyed as is shewed aboue two yeares before So these two persoÌ„s were refrainers of y t kings vnbrydeled libertie where as the common people ignorant altogyther of the truth in suche matters iudged and reported that the counsayle of those two worthie personages corrupted y e kings cleane and immaculate conscience contrarie to his princelye disposition and naturall inclynation Suche is euer the errour of the common people About this tyme dyed Henrie the Archbishop of Canterburie whose rowmth Doctor William Warham Bishop of London supplyed And to the Sea of London William Barnes was appoynted and after his death succeded one
and made toward the enimie By thys tyme were the fore 〈◊〉 in other part aduaunced within two nightes 〈◊〉 in sunder The Scottes came on so fast that ye was thoughte of the most parte of the Englishmen they were rather Horsemen than 〈◊〉 The Englishmen againe were leâ—â— y t more with speede to shewe that they were as willyng as the Scottes to trie the battell The maister of the ordinance to their great aduantage pluckt vp the hill at that instant certaine pieces and soone after planted two or three canons of them welnie vppon the top there whereby hauyng so much the help of y e hil he might ouer y e Englishmens heads shoote nyest at the enimie As the Lorde Protector had so circumspectly taken order for the aray and stacion of the army and for the execution of euery mans office beside he being perfectly appointed in faire armoure accompanyed onely with Sir Thomas Chaloner Knight one of the Clearkes of the Kings priuie counsayle gote hym to the height of the hill to tarrie by the ordinance where he might best suruey the whole field and succour with ayd where most hee saw neede and also by his presence to bee a defence to the thing that stoode weakest in place and most in daunger the which how much it stoode in steede anone yee shall heare further As hee was halfe vp the hill the Earle of Warwike was ware the enimies were all at a suddayne stay 〈◊〉 Scottes â—…tay and stoode still a good while so that it seemed to hym that they perceyuing now theyr owne follie in leauing their grounde of aduantage had no will to come any further forward but gladly woulde haue bin whence they came The reasons were these Firste bycause at that tyme beside the full muster of the English footemen of whome they thought there had bin none there in field but all to haue bin eyther shipt or a shipping then they sawe playne that the Englishmen were sure to haue the gayne of the hill and they the ground of disaduantage out of their hold and put from their hope and hereto for that their Herrault gaue the Lord Protector no warning the whiche by him if they hadde meante to fight it out who would not haue presumed that for the estimation of their honoure they woulde little haue stucke to haue sente and hee agayne and it had bin but for his thousande Crownes wold right gladly haue brought wel yet how so euer their meaning changed finally considering belike the state they stoode in that as they hadde left their strength to soone so nowe to be too late to repent vpon a change of countenaunce they made hastely forwarde againe and as it seemed with no lesse stoutenesse of courage thaÌ„ strongly in order whose maner armour weapon and order in fighte in those dayes and before though nowe somewhat changed as well as among other nations was as ensueth The order of the Scottes in 〈◊〉 Hackbutters hadde they fewe and appoynted theyr fyghte moste commonlye alwayes on foote They vsed to come to the field well furnished with sacke skull dagger buckler and swords all notably brode and thinne of exceeding good temper and vniuersally so made to slice as harde it is to deuise the better hereto euery manne hys pike and a greate kercher wrapped twice or thrice rounde aboute his necke not for colde but for cutting In their aray towarde the ioyning with the enimie they thrust so neere in the fore ranke shoulder to shoulder togither with their pikes aâ—â— both hands straighte afore them and their followers in that order so hard at theyr backes laying theyr pikes ouer theyr foregoers shoulders that if they doe assaile vndilleuered no force can well withstand them Standyng at defence they thrust shoulders likewise so nir togither the fore rankes wiâ—â—â— to kneeling stoupe low before for their fellowes behynde holdyng their pikes in bothe handes and therewith in theyr left theyr bucklers the one ende of theyr pyke againste their right foote the other agaynste the enemie brest high there followers crossing their pike poyntes with them before and thus eache with other so nye as place and space will suffer through the whole rankes so thicke that as castly shall a bare finger pierce through the skyn of an angry Hedgehogge as anye encounter the fronte of theyr pikes The Lorde Marshall notwithstandyng whome no daunger detracted from doyng hys enterprise with the companye and order afore appoynted came full in theyr faces from the hill side towardes them Herewith waxed it very hote on both sides The face of the field at the poynt of ioyning with pitiful cries horrible tore and terrible thundering of gunnes besyde the daye darkened aboue head with smoke of the artillerie the sighte and appearance of the enimie euen at hande before the daunger of deathe on euerye syde else the bullettes pellettes and arrowes flying eache where so thicke and so vncertainely lyghting that no where was there anye suretie of safetie euery man striken with a dreadfull feare not so muche perchance of deathe as of hurte whyche thyngs though they were but certaine to some yet doubted of all assured crueltie at the enimies handes without hope of mercy death to flie and daunger to fight The whole face of the field on both sides vpon this poynte of ioyning doth to the eye and to the eare so heauie so deadly lamentable furious outragious terrible confuse and so quite agaynste the quiete nature of man as if to the nobilitie the regarde of theyr honor and fame to the Knightes and Captaynes the estimation of theyr worshippe and honestie and generally to them all the naturall motion of bounden duetie theyr owne safetie hope of victorie and the fauoure of God that they trusted vppon for the equitie of their quarrell hadde not bene a more vehemente cause of courage than the daunger of deathe was cause of feare the verye horroure of the thyng hadde bene able to haue made anye man to forgette both prowesse and policie But the Lorde Marshall and the other with present mind and courage warely and quickly continued their course towardes them The enimies were in a fallow field whereof the fourrowes lay sidelong toward the EnglishmeÌ„ next to whomby the side of the same fourrowes and a stones cast from the Scottes was there a crosse ditch or slough whiche the Englishmen must needes passe to come to theÌ„ wherin many that could not leape ouer stucke fast to no small daunger of themselues and some disorder of their fellowes The enimie perceyuing the Englishmen fast to approche The order of the Scottishe battayles disposed themselues to abide the brunte and in this order stoode still to receyue them The Earle of Angus next to the Englishmen in the Scottishe fore warde as Captaine of the same with an eight thousand men and foure or fiue peeces of ordinance on his right hande and a foure hundred horsemen on his left Behinde hym Westwarde the gouernoure
Boucher Iohn redemed 1426.15 Bonnehomme Monkes order first seene and established in England 782.5 Boseham 277.100 Bourne doctor afterward Byshop of Bath is almost slaine as he preacheth 1721.40 Britaine Prouince lost and the tribute ceaseth 101.74 Britaines make slaughter of the Scots and Pictes 101.88 Britaine without any certaine gouernour 102.45 Britaines land into France for sound preachers against Pelagius heresie 119.50 Britaines receiue the grace of God offered in Baptisme 120.31 Britaine deliuered from Pelagius heresie 119.78 and 121.47 Britaines assist Aurelius Ambrose and Vter Pendragon agaynst Vortigernus 122.22 Britaines ouerthrowen by the Saxons at Dyorth 142.111 Britaines ouerthrowen by the Saxons at Fechanley 143.21 Britaine deuided into .vii. or 8. or .9 kingdoms 143.66 Britaines weakened through ciuil dissention 143.93 Britaines constrained to withdrawe into Wales 143.98 Britaine destroyed by Gurmund pitifully 144.27 Britaine deliuered wholy in possession to the Saxons 144.29 Britaine called by the name of Hengistland or England 144.33 Britaines driuen to keepe the possession of three prouinces in Britaine only 145.10 Britaines flie in Armorike Britaine to seeke dwellings 145.34 Britaines gouerned by three kings or tyrantes 145.46 Berennus and his Norwegians put to flight by Guilthdarus kyng of Denmarke 24.2 Brennus and his Norwegians arriuing in Albania are discomfited by Belinus 24.32 Berennus fleeth into Fraunce for succour 24.34 Berennus marrieth the prince of Allobroges Seguinus daughter 25.33 Berennus returneth with an armie into Britaine 25.52 Berennus and Belinus made freendes by intercession of their mother 52.60 Berennus and Belinus passing the seas togeather coquer a great part of Gallia Italy and Germany 25.72 Britaines fall into ciuile discord for the gouernment 75 115. Britaines conspire and rebel agaynst the Romanes 76.29 Britaines eftsoones rebell against the Romanes 76.55 Britaines beyond Adrians wal breake through and slay the Romanes 76.84 Britaines prepare to resist Iulius Cesar 35.27 Britaines readie to defend their countrey 35.80 Britaines put to flight by the Romanes 36.78 Britaines send Ambassadours vnto Cesar for peace 36.86 Britaines deliuer Hostagies vnto Cesar 37.17 Britaines ouerthrowne chased by the Romanes 38.50 Britaines sue the seconde time to Cesar for peace 38.56 British historie called also the new historie 38.72 British youth led foorth of the realme by Maximianus 95.67 British youth after the death of Maximianus withdraweth into Armorica 97.17 97.84 British souldiers of great puissaunce 97.26 99.37 British youth led foorth by sundry ouer the seas 99.31 Britaines send to Rome for aid against the Scots and Pictes 100.2 Britaines chased out of Kent by the Saxons 126.6 Britaines ouerthrowne by the Saxons in Kent 126.26 Britaines fall together by the eares among themselues 126.39 Britaines repulsed by Cerdicus and his people 126.112 Britaines vnder Nathaliod discomfited by the Saxons 127.84 British horsemen put to flyght by the Romane horsemen 40.99 Britaines what they call a towne 42.81 Britaines made tributaries to the Romanes 43.1 Britaines ouerthrowne by the Romanes in a vasley neere Cantorburie 43.83 Britaines at the second time of the Romanes comming refuse the Scottish mens ayde and are vanquished 44.66 Britaine deuided into sundrye estates 44.110 Britaines refuse to pay their couenanted tribute to Augustus Cesar 46.33 Britaines send Ambassadours to Augustus Cesar for peace 46.63 British Princes offer presentes in the Capitoll to y e Romane Gods 47.21 Britaines refuse to pay tribute to the Romanes and make open rebellion against them 47.55 Britaine afflicted by inuasion of barbarous nations 107.65 Britaine likely to be vtterly vanquished by the Scottes and Pictes 111.35 Britaines come against Cenwalch King of West Saxons with an army 176.74 Brute deuideth Britaine betweene his three sonnes 16.35 Britaine receyueth the fayth of Christ .75.1 Britaine the first of all other regions that openly receyueth the Gospell 75.28 Britaines expert in Magike 2.106 Britaines conspire to chase the Romanes out of the countrey 82.4 Bretaimous in Henaud held by Britaines 87.99 Britaine tasteth of Dioclesians crueltie against Christians 87.113 Britaines placed in a parte of Fraunce by Constantinus 92.65 Britaine numbred among the Prouinces that sent to the Sinode of Sardica 94.44 Britaine in Fraunce subdued by Maximianus 95.68 Britaine in Fraunce to hold of the greater Britaine and of the Kings thereof for euer 95.72 Britaines refuse to marry with the maydens of Fraunce 95.84 95.84 Britaines imitate the Romane pleasures and delicacies 69.67 Britaines which inhabite about Calender Wood set vppon the Romanes and are vanquished 70.65 Britaines gather a new power and receiue a great ouerthrowe at the Romanes handes 71.46 Brentford battayle fought by the Englishmen against the Danes 255.7 Brightrick succedeth Kenelwoulf in the kingdome of West Saxons 199.72 Brightrick departeth this life 200.39 Brightrick poysoned as some suppose 200.42 Britaines oppressed by y e Scots and Pictes 96.60 97.20 British and Celtike language all one 4.93 Brightrick King of West Saxons marryeth Ethelburga daughter to Offa. 195.32 Britaine left desolate for lacke of vittaile 183.72 British commons twice vanquished by the Nobilitie 101.21 Britaines disdaine to giue their daughters in marriage to the Pictes 67.53 Britaines discomfited slayne by the West Saxons 130.39 Britaines ouerthrowne by Wightgar and Stuff 130.47 Brute Greenesheâ—â—d bringeth al the realme of Fraunce vnder his subiection 18.37 Brinus conuerteth the West Saxons to y e Christian faith 168.115 Britaines cease to reigne in this land 187.65 Britaines vanquished chased by King Inas 187.100 Brute and Corineus ioyne theyr companyes together 13.80 Britaines vanquished slayne by the Englishmen 165.19 Britaines couenant to finde the Saxons prouision of vitailes 114.56 Britaine spoyled miserably by the Saxons from sea to sea 114.66 Epiford or Aglisthorpe Battaile against the Saxons 115.76 Britaines discomfited by the Saxons flye into the mountaines 117.23 Britaines slayne by treason of the Saxons 118.22 Britaines slaine by the Saxons at a Banket 118.66 Brennus and Belinus sonnes to Mulmucius raigne iointly as Kings in Britaine 23.80 Brutes prayer before the Oracle 12.37 Britaines vanquishe not the Saxons without the ayde of the Scots and Pictes 129.36 Britaines vanquished by Kenricus King of West Saxons and chased 142.53 Britaines weare houpes of yroÌ„ in steede of chaines of golde 79.48 Britaines paint their bodyes with sundry shapes of foules and beastes 79.51 Britaines hardnes in lodging and diet 79.68 Britaines in old time admitted as well women as men to publique gouernment 61.37 Broughton Thomas knight a man of no small power and aucthoritie in Lancashyre bydeth the Lord Louell 1448.17 conspireth against y e king 1429.42 is slaine in battell 1431.44 Britaines make no account of Christian religion in y e Englishmen 164.11 Britaines ouerthrowne by CeÌ„twyne King of the West Saxons 183. Britaines put to flight by King Iohn 585.55 Broughe Hubert Erle of Kent dyeth 705.32 Britaines begin a new rebellion against Seuerus the Emperour 80.42 Brigantes vanquished by the Romanes and their countrey for the most parte subdued 66.70 Brent Foulkes poysoned dyeth 625.50 Broc Robert accursed 417.27
Captaynes but whether he were a Dane or an EnglishmaÌ„ it is not certaynely tolde stood vp in such a place as he mighte be hearde of both the Princes and boldly vttered hys wordes in forme followyng The saying of a Captayne We haue most woorthy Chieftaynes fought long ynoughe one againste another there hathe bene but too muche bloud shed betweene both the Nations and the valiancie of the Souldioures on both sides is sufficiently ynough tried â–ª eyther of your manhoods lykewise yet caÌ„ you beare neyther good nor euill fortune if the one of you win the battayle he pursueth him y t is ouercome and if hee chaunce to be vanquished hee resteth not till he haue recouered newe strengthe to fight eftsoones with him that is victor What shoulde you meane by this youre inuincible courage At what marke shooteth youre greedy desire to beare rule and youre excessiue thirst to atteyne honor if you fyghte for a Kyngdome deuide it betweene you two which sometime was sufficient for seauen Kyngs but if you couet to winne fame and glorious renowme and for the same are driuen to trie the hazarde whether yee shall commaund or obey deuise the way whereby ye maye withoute so greate slaughter and withoute suche pitifull bloudshed of both youre giltlesse peoples trie whether of you is most worthy to be preferred Thus made hee an ende and the two Princes allowed well of his last motion and so order was taken The two 〈◊〉 appoint 〈…〉 the matter by a combate Olney that they should fighte togither in a singular combate within a little Ilande enclosed with the Riuer of Seuerne called Oldney with condition that whether of them chaunced to be Victor should be King and the other to resigne hys title for euer into his hands King Edmunde with those wordes of his aduersarie was so pacified that immediately he caste awaye his swoorde They take vp the matter betvvixt themselues and comming to Cnute ioyneth hands with him Both the armies by their ensample did the lyke which looked for the same fortune to fall to their countreys whiche shoulde happen to their Princes by the successe of that one battayle After this there was an agreement deuised betwixt them so that a partition of the realm was made and that part that lieth foreanelâ—…st Fraunce was assigned to Edmunde and the other fell to Cnute VVil. Malm. Ther be that write how the offer was made by king Edmunde for the aduoyding of more bloudshed that the two Princes should try the matter thus togither in a singular combate But Cnute refused the combate bicause as he alledged the matche was not equall For although he was able to matche Edmund in boldnesse of stomacke yet was he far to weake to deale with a man of suche strength as Edmunde was knowne to bee But sith they did pretend title to the realme by due and good directe meanes he thoughte it moste conuenient that the kingdom should be deuided betwixt them This motion was allowed of bothe the Armies so that Kyng Edmunde was of force constrayned to bee contented therewith Encomiom Eâ—…e Thus oure common writers haue recorded of this agreement but if I should not be thought presumptuous in taking vppon mee to reproue or rather but to mystrust that whiche hath bin receyued for a true narration in this matter I would rather giue credite vnto that whiche the authoure of the booke intituled by some Encomium Emmae dothe reporte in this behalfe Whiche is that thorough perswasion of Edrike de Streona Kyng Edmunde immediatlye after the battayle fought at Ashdonne sente Ambassadors vnto Cnute to offer vnto hym peace wyth halfe the Realme of Englande that is to witte the northe partes wyth condition that King Edmunde myghte quyetly enioye the South parte and therevppon to haue pledges delyuered interchaungeably on eyther side Cnute hauing hearde the 〈◊〉 of thys message stayeded make aunswere tyll he had vnderstoode what hys counsell woulde aduyse hym to doe in thys behalfe and vppon good deliberation taken in the matter consideryng that he had loste no small number of people in the former battayle and that being farre out of his countrey he coulde not well haue anye newe supplye where the Englishemen although they hadde 〈◊〉 losse very manys at theâ—… menne of warre yet beeyng in theyr owne countrey it shoulde bee an easye matter for them to restore theyr decayed numbers it was thought expedient by the whose conâ—…enteÌ„ of all the Danishe Capâ—…tayns that the offer of kyng Edmunde shoulde bee accepted And herevpon Cnute calling the Ambassadâ—…s is afore hym agayne declared vnto them that hee was contented to conclude a peace vppon suche conditions as they haâ—â—e offered but yet with thys addition that their King whatsoeuer he shoulde bee shoulde pay Cnutes souldiours their wages with money to bee leuied of that parte of the Kingdome whiche the English king shoulde possesse For this sayth he I haue vndertaken to see them payde and otherwyse I wyll not graunte to any peace The league and agreement therfore beyng concluded in this sorte pledges are deliuered and receyued on both partes and the armies discharged But God sayth myne Authour being myndefull of his olde doctrine That euery kingdome diuided in it selfe â—…an not long stande shortely after â—…oke Edmunde oute of this lyfe and by suche meanes seemed to take puâ—…e of the Englishe kingdome least if bothe the kinges shoulde haue continued in life together they shoulde haue liued in daunger And incontinentely herevpon was Cnute chosen and receyued for absolute King of all the whole Realme of Englande Thus hath he 〈◊〉 that lyued in those dayes whose credite thereby is whiche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common reporte of writers touchyng the 〈◊〉 of Edmund of â—â—ryeth from this who 〈◊〉 affirme that 〈◊〉 Cnute and Edmund were made friends the â—â—prist of eâ—â—ie and falle compiracie 〈◊〉 to in the hearts of some traiterous persons that within aÌ„ while after king Edmund was 〈◊〉 at Oxforde K. Edmunde tâ—…aiterously slaine at Oxforde as be satle on a priâ—…e to â—…ot the necessaries of Nature The common report hath gone that Erâ—â— Edricke was the procurer of this 〈◊〉 acte and that as some write his sonne did it Fabian Simon Dun. But the same authour that wrote Encomium Emmae wryting of the death of Edmunde hath these words immediatly after hee hath firste declared in what sorte the two Princes were agreed and had made partition of the realme betwixt them But GOD sayeth he beyng myndefull of his olde doctrine That euery kingdome deuided in it self can not long stand shortly after tooke Edmunde out of this lyfe and by suche meanes seemed to take pitie vpon the Englishe kingdome least if bothe the kings shoulde haue continued in lyfe togither they should bothe haue liued in great daunger and the Realme in trouble Wyth this agreeth also Simon Dunelmensis who sayeth that Kyng Edmunde dyed of naturall sickenesse by course of kynde at London aboute
the feast of Saincte Andrewe nexte ensuyng the late mencioned agreement Fabian And this shoulde seeme true for wheras these Authours whiche reporte Ran. Higd. that Earle Edryke was the procurer of his death they also write that when he knewe the acte to be done hee hasted vnto Cnute H. Hunt and declared vnto hym what he had brought to passe for his aduauncement to the gouernement of the whole realme Whervppon Cnute abhorryng suche a detestable facte sayde vnto hym Bycause thou haste for my sake made awaye the worthyest bodye of the world I shall rayse thy head aboue all the Lordes of Englande and so caused him to be put to death Thus haue some bookes Howbeit this reporte agreeth not with other writers whiche declare howe Cnute aduaunced Edryke in the beginning of his reigne vnto high honour and made hym gouernour of Mercia Some thinke that he vvas Dâ—…e of Mercia before and novv had Essex adioyned therto and vsed his counsell in manye things after the death of king Edmund as in banishing Edwin the brother of kyng Edmunde with his sonnes also Edmunde and Edward His body was buryed at Glastenbury neere his vncle king Edgar With thys Edmunde surnamed Ironsyde fell the glorious Maiestie of the English kingdome The whiche afterwarde as it had beene an aged bodye beyng sore decayed and weakened by the Danes that nowe got possession of the whole yet somewhat recouered after the space of .xxvj. yeres vnder kyng Edward surnamed the Confessor and shortely thervpon as it had bin falne into a resiluation came to extreme ruine by the inuasion and conquest of the Normans as after by gods good helpe and fauorable assistance it shall appeare Canute or Cnute Canute shortely after the death of king Edmunde assembled a Councell at London in the whiche he caused all the nobles of the realme to do vnto him homage in receiuing an othe of loyall obeysance Hee deuided the realme into foure parts assigning Northumberlande vnto the rule of Irke or Iricius Mercia vnto Edrike Eastangle vnto Turkyl reseruing the west part to his own gouernance He banished as before is sayd Edwyn the brother of king Edmunde but such as was suspected to bee culpable of Edmundes death he caused to be put to execution wherof it should appeare that Edrick was not then in any wyse detected or once thought to bee giltie VV. Malm. The foresayd Edwyn afterwards returned and was then reconciled to the Kings fauour as some do write and was shortly after trayterously slaine by his owne seruants Ran. Higd. He was called the king of Churles King of Churles VVil. Mal. Other write that he came secretely into the realme after he had bin banished and keeping himselfe closely out of sighte at length ended his lyfe and was buried at Tauestocke Moreouer Edwyn and Edwarde the sonnes of king Edmund were banished the lande and sent first vnto Sweno king of Norway to haue bin made awaye Ran. Higd. but Sweno vppon remorse of conscience sent them into Hungarie where they founde great fauour at the handes of king Salomon in so muche that Edmunde married the daughter of the same Salomon but had no issue by hir Edward was aduaunced to marry with Agatha the daughter of the Emperour Henrye and by hir had issue two sonnes Edmunde and Edgar surnamed Adelyng as many daughters Margarete and Christine of the whiche in place conuenient more shall be sayd When Kyng Cnute hadde established thynges as hee thoughte stoode moste to his suretie he called to remembrance that he had no issue but two bastarde sonnes Harrolde and Sweno Polidore K. Cnute marieth Queene Emme the vvidovv of Egelred in Iuly anno 1017. begotten of his concubine Alwyne Wherfore he sent ouer vnto Richarde Duke of Normandie requiring that he mighte haue Queene Emme the widow of king Egelred in mariage so obteyned hir not a little to the wonder of manye which thought a great ouersight both in the woman and in hir brother that woulde satisfye the requeste of Cnute herein considering hee hadde bin such a mortall enimie to hir former husbauÌ„d But Duke Richarde did not only consent Polidore that hys sayd sister should be maryed vnto Cnute but also he hymselfe tooke to wyfe the Lady Hestâ—â—tha syster to the sayd Cnute Heere ye haue to vnderstande that this mariage was not made without greate consideration and large couenants granted on the part of king Cnute for before he could obtain queene Emme to his wife it was fully condiscended and agreed that after Cnutes deceasse the crowne of Englande should remaine vnto the issue borne of this mariage betwixte hir and Cnute The couenant made at the mariage betvvixt Cnute and Emme whiche couenant although it was not perfourmed immediatly after the deceasse of kyng Cnute yet in the ende it tooke place so as the right seemed to bee deferred and not to be taken awaye nor abolished for immediatly vpon Haroldes death that had vsurped Hardicnute succeeded as right heire to the crown by force of the agreement made at the tyme of the mariage solemnised betwixt his father and mother and being once established in the Kingdome hee ordeyned his brother Edwarde to succede hym whereby the Danes were vtterly excluded from all ryghte that they hadde to pretende vnto the Crowne of this land and the Englishe bloud restored thereto The Englishe bloud restored The praise of Quene Emme for hir vvisedome chiefly by that gracious conclusion of this mariage betwixt king Cnute and Queene Emme for the which no small prayse was thoughte to bee due vnto the sayd Queene sith by hir politike gouernement in making hir matche so beneficiall to hir selfe and hir lyne the Crowne was thus recouered out of the handes of the Danes and restored againe in time to the right heire as by an auncient treatise whiche some haue intitled Encomium Emmae Encomium Emmae and was written in those dayes it doth and may appere Whiche booke although there bee but fewe Copies thereof abroade gyueth vndoubtedly greate light to the historie of that tyme. But nowe to our purpose Cnute the same yeare in whiche he was thus maryed Mat. VVest thorought perswasion of his wyfe Queene Emme sent away the Danishe nauie armie home into Denmark giuing to them fourscore and two thousande poundes of siluer whiche was leuied thoroughout this lande for their wages In the yeare a thousande and eighteene VVil. Mal. Edrycke de Streona Erle of Mercia was ouerthrowen in his owne turne for being called afore the King into his priuie chamber and there in reasoning the matter about some quarell that was piked to him hee beganne very presumptuously to vpbrayde the king of suche pleasures as he had before tyme done vnto him I did sayde he for the loue which I bare towardes you forsake my soueraigne Lorde king Edmunde and at length for your sake slewe him At whiche wordes Cnute beganne to change
forward somewhat single and slender according to the small number of his people In the frount he placed the archers of whome he made Captayne Iohn Earle of Oxford To the right wing of the battaile he appoynted Sir Gilberte Talbot to be the leader To the lefte wing hee assigned Sir Iohn Sauage who had broughte thither with him a crewe of righte able personages cladde in white coates and hoodes whiche mustered in the eyes of their aduersaries right brimly The Earle of Richmond himselfe with the ayde of the Lorde Stanley gouerned the battaile accompanyed with the Earle of Pembroke hauing a good companie of horsemē and a small number of footemenne For all hys whole number exceeded not fiue thousand men beside the power of the Stanleys whereof three thousand were in the fielde vnder the Standert of Sir William Stanley The Kings number was double so much and more When bothe these armies were thus ordered and all men ready to set forward king Richard called his chieftaines togither and to them saide The Oration of K. Richard the third Most faithful and assured fellowes most trustie and wel beloued friendes and elected Captaynes by whose wisedome and policye I haue obteyned the Crowne and type of this famous Realme and noble region by whose puissance and valiantnes I haue enioyed and possessed the state royall and dignitie of the same mangre the ill will and ◅dicions attemptes of all my cancred enimies and insidious aduersaries by whose prudent and politike coūsaile I haue so gouerned my realme people subiectes that I haue omitted nothing apperteyning to the office of a iust Prince nor you haue pretermitted nothing belonging to the duetie of wise and sage counsailers So that I may say and truely affirme that your approued fidelitie and tried constancy maketh mee to beleeue firmely and thinke that I am an vndoubted King and an indubitate Prince And although in the adeption and obteyning of y e Garland I beeyng seduced and prouoked by sinister counsaile and diabolicall temptation did commit a wicked and detestable acte Yet I haue with straite penaunce and salt teares as I trust expiated and cleerely purged the same offence which abhominable crime I require you offrēdship as cleerely to forget as I dayly remember to deplore and lament the same If ye will nowe diligently call to remembraunce in what case perplexitie we now stand and in what doubtfull perill we be nowe intricked I doubt not but you in heart will thinke and with mouthe confesse that if euer amitie and faith preuailed betweene Prince and subiects or betweene subiect and subiect or if euer bond of alegiāce obliged the vassall to loue and serue his naturall soueraigne Lord or if any obligation of duetie bounde anye Prince to aide and defend his subiects All these loues bondes and dueties of necessitie are now thys daye to bee tryed shewed and put in experience For if wise men saye true there is some policie in getting but muche more in keeping the one being but fortunes chaūce and the other high witte and policie for whiche cause I with you and you with me must needs this day take labour and payne to keepe defend with force that preheminence and possession which by your prudente deuises I haue gotten and obteyned I doubt not but you know how the Deuill continuall enimie to humane nature disturber of cōcord and sower of sedition hath entred into the heart of an vnknowen Welchman whose father I neuer knew nor him personally saw exciting him to aspire and couet oure Realme Crowne and dignitie and thereof cleerely to depriue and spoyle vs and our posteritie ye see farther howe a companie of traytors theefes outlawes and runnegates of our owne nation bee aiders and partakers of his feate and enterprise ready at hand to ouercome and oppresse vs You see also what a number of beggerly Britaines and faint harted frenchmen be with him arriued to destroy vs our wiues and children Whyche imminent mischiefes and apparante inconueniences if we wil withstand and refell wee muste liue togither like breethren fighte togither lyke Lions and feare not to die togither like menne And obseruing and keeping this rule and precept beleeue mee the fearefull hare neuer fled faster before the greedy greyhounde nor the sillie larke before y e sparowhanke nor the simple sheepe before the rauenous wolf than your proud bragging aduersaries astonied and amased with the only sight of your manly visages wil flee runne and skyr out of the field For if you consider and wisely ponder all things in your minde you shal perceyue that we haue manifest causes and apparant tokens of triumph and victory And to begyn with the Earle of Richmonde capitayne of this rebellion he is a Welsh mi◅soppe a man of small courage and of lesse experience in martiall actes and feates of Warre broughte vp by my brothers meanes and myne lyke a captiue in a close cage in the court of Frācis duke of Britayn and neuer sawe armie nor was exercised in martiall affayres by reason whereof he neyther can nor is able by his owne will or experience to guyde or rule an hoste For in the witte and policie of the capitayn consisteth the chiefe adeption of the victorie ouerthrow of the enimies Secondarily feare not and put awaye all doubtes for when the traytoures and runagates of our realme shall see vs with banner displayed come against them remembryng their othe ▪ promyse and fidelitie made vnto vs as to their soueraigne lorde and anoynted king they shal be so pricked stimulate in the bottome of their scrupulous consciences that they for very remorse and dread of the diuine plague wil either shamefully flee or humbly submit themselues to our grace and mercie And as for the Frenchmē and Britons their valiantnesse is such that our noble progenitors and your valiant par◅◅s haue them oftner vanquished ouercome in one moneth thā they in the beginnining imagined possible to cōpasse and finish in a whole yere What wil you make of them braggers without audacitie drunkards without discretiō ribalds without reason cowards without resisting in cōclusion the most effeminate and lasciuious people y t euer shewed themselues in front of batail tentymes more couragious to flee escape than once to assault the breast of our strōg populous armie Wherfore considering all these auauntages expell out of your thoughts all doubts and auoyd out of your mynds all feare and like valiant champions anounce forth your standerdes and assay whether your enimies can decide and try the title of battaile by dint of sword auance I say agayne forward my captains in whom lacketh neither policie wisedome nor puissance Euery one giue but one sure stripe and surely the iourney is ours What preuayleth a hādful to a whole realm desiring you for the loue that you beare to me and the affection that you haue to your natiue and naturall countrey to the safegard of your Prince and your self that
you wyl this day take to you your accustomed corage couragious spirites for the defence and safegard of vs al. And as for me I assure you this day I wil triumph by glorious victorie or suffer death for immortal fame For they be maymed oute of the palace of fame disgraded dying withoute renoune which do not asmuche preferre and exalte the perpetuall honour of theyr natiue countrey as their owne mortall and transitorie lyfe Now sent George to borow let vs set forwarde and remember well that I am hee whiche shall with high aduancementes rewarde and preferre the valiaunt and hardy champions and punishe and torment the shamefull cowards and dreadfull dastardes This exhortation encouraged all such as fauoured him but suche as were presence more for dread than loue kissed them openly whome they inwardlye hated other sware outwardly to take part with such whose death they secretely compassed and inwardly imagined other promised to inuade the Kinges enimies whiche fledde and fought with fierce courage against the King other stande still and looked on inteÌ„ding to take part with the victors and ouercommers So was his people to him vnsure and vnfaithful at his end as he was to his nephewes vntrue and vnnaturall in his beginning When the Earle of Richmond knew by hys forriders that the King was so neere embattayled he rode about his army from ranke to ranke from wing to wing giuing comfortable words to all men and that finished being armed at all peeces sauing his helmette mounted on a little hill so that all his people mighte see and beholde him perfectly to their greate reioycing For hee was a maÌ„ of no great stature but so formed and decorated with all giftes and liniaments of nature that he seemed more an Angelicall creature than a terrestriall personage his countenaunce and aspect was cheerefull and couragious hys heare yellow like the burnished golde hys eyes gray shining and quicke prompte and ready in aunswering but of suche sobrietie that it coulde neuer be iudged whither he were more dull than quicke in speaking such was his temperaunce And when he had ouerlooked his army ouer euery side he pawsed awhile and after with a lowde voyce and bolde spirit spake to his companyons these or like words following The Oration 〈◊〉 King Henâ—… the seueÌ„th If euer God gaue victorie to men fighting in a iust quarrell or if he euer aided suche as made warre for the wealth and tuition of theyr owne naturall and nutritiue Countrey or if hee euer succoured them whiche aduentured their lyues for the reliefe of innocentes suppressing of malefactors and apparante offendors no doubte my fellowes and friendes but hee of his bountifull goodnesse will this day send vs triumphant victorie and a luckie iourney ouer our proude enemies and arrogant aduersaries for if you remeÌ„ber and consider the very cause of our iust quarrell you shall apparantly perceyue the same to be true godly and vertuous In the whiche I doubt not but God will rather ayde vs yea and fight for vs than see vs vanquished and ouerthroweÌ„ by such as neither fear him nor his laws nor yet regard iustice or honestie Our cause is so iust that no enterprise can be of more vertue both by the lawes diuine and ciuill for what can be a more honest goodly or godly quarrell than to fight against a Captaine being an homicyde and murtherer of his owne bloud or progenie an extreame destroyer of his nobilitie and to hys and our Countrey and the poore subiectes of the same a deadly malle a fyrie brand and a burthen vntollerable the besyde him consider who bee of hys band and company such as by murther and vntrueth committed against their owne kinne and linage yea against their Prince and soueraigne Lord haue disherited mee and you and wrongfully deteyne and vsurp our lawfull patrimonie and lyneall inheritance For he that calleth hym selfe King keepeth from me the Crowne and regimente of this noble Realme and Countrey contrarie to all iustice and equitie Likewise hys mates and friendes occupie youre landes cutte downe your woods and destroy your manours letting your wiues and children raunge abroade for theyr liuing which persons for their penance and punishmente I doubt not but God of hys goodnesse will eyther deliuer into our hands as a greate gaine and booty or cause them beeyng greeued and compuncted with the pricke of theyr corrupt consciences cowardly to flie and not abide the battaile beside this I assure you that there be yonder in the great battaile men brought thither for feare and not for loue souldyers by force compelled and not with good will assembled persons which desire rather the destruction than saluation of theyr maister and Captayne And finally a multitude whereof y e most part will be our friends and the least part our enimies For truely I doubt which is greater the malice of the Soldyers toward theyr Captaine or the feare of him conceyued of his people for surely this rule is infallible that as ill men daylye couet to destroy the good so God appointeth the good men to confound the ill and of all worldly goodes the greatest is to suppresse Tyrants and relieue innocents whereof the one is as much hated as the other is beloued If thys be true as Clearkes Preache who will spare yonder Tyrant Richarde Duke of Gloucester vntruely calling himselfe King considering that hee hath violated and broken both the lawe of God and man what vertue is in him whyche was the confusion of his brother and murtherer of his nephewes what mercy is in him that â—…eâ—…eth his trustie friends as well as his extreame enimies Who can haue confidence in hym whâ—…che putteth diffidence in all menne If you â—…e not red I haue heard of Clearkes say y t Tarquine the proude for the vice of the body lost the Kingdome of Rome and the name of Tarquine banished the Citie for euer yet was not hys faulte so detestable as the facte of cruell Nero whiche slewe his owne mother and opened hyr entrayles to beholde the place of his conception Behold yoÌ„der Richard which is both Tarquine and Nero Yea a Tyrant more than Nero for he hath not only murthered his nephewe beeyng his King and soueraigne Lorde bastarded hys noble breethren and defamed the wombe of hys vertuous and womanly mother but also compassed all the meanes and wayes that he coulde inuent howe to defile and carnally knowe hys owne neece vnder the pretence of a cloked matrimonie whiche Lady I haue sworne and promised to take to my make and wife as you all knowe and beleeue If this cause be not iust and this quarrell godly let God the giuer of victory iudge and determine We haue thankes bee gyuen to Christ escaped the secret treasons in Britaine and auoyded the subtill snares of our fraudulent enimies there passed the troublous Seas in good and quiet safegard and without resistaÌ„ce haue penetrate the ample region and large couÌ„trey of Wales and are now come to