a meane descent and but a poore scholler in the now but new founded Colledge of Saint Maryes in Oxford at length came to bee Chaplaine there and stepping on by degrees attained to the Deanry of Yorke and finding the ginge of the Court made such use thereof that hee thereby got to bee Lord Treasurer of England And after that Richard the second had banished Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury the Realme who in Parliament before but minùs justè was attaint of Treason VValden was Consecrate and authorized Archbishop of Canterbury and so for the space of two yeares continued but after a deposall of King Richard Arundell by King Henry was restored and by Pope Boniface Roger was pronounced an intruder who now being Archbishop but without a Bishopricke as afflictions seldome come uncoupled hee was called to account for the Treasurership and though hee produced his quietus est yet were all his temporalties seized and hee imprisoned yet from thence being delivered by the charitable condition of the now Archbishop hee led a private life but then was made Treasurer of Callice and then with great hope of rerising hee was promoted to bee Bishop of London The Duke of Orleans besieged the Townes of Burgh and Bloy in Gascoygne with a great power but after eight weekes siege and the losse of six thousand of his souldiers hee raised his siege and departed The Lord Camoyes being arraigned before the Earle of Kent for that day Lord high Steward upon supposition without ground which some forgetfull persons had accused to have plotted the Kings surprisall by Pirats upon the Thames in a ship whereof he had the charge was by his Peeres acquit and restored to his goods lands offices and the Kings fauour Northumberland and Bardolfe after they had beene in Wales France and Flaunders to raise a power against King Henry returned backe to Scotland where after they had continued a yeare with a great power of Scots and strangers they returned into England recovered divers Castles formerly belonging to the Earle to whom great multitudes of people resorted wherewith they came into Yorkeshire making great spoyle by the way making proclamation That they were come for the comfort of the English and the reliefe of the Common-wealth therefore willed all that desired to retaine their libertie to repaire unto them Sir Thomas Rokesby high Sheriffe of Yorke having leavied the power of the Countie with that only upon Bramham More gave the Rebells battell wherein Northumberland was slaine Bardolfe taken but wounded to death and the rest put to flight This Henry Earle of Northumberland had two Wives the first was Margaret daughter of Ralph Lord Nevill of Raby by whom hee had issue Henry Hotspur slaine as afore Sir Thomas Piercy Sir Ralph Alane that dyed young His second Wife was Maud daughter of Thomas Lord Lucy by whom hee had no issue This yeare a Parliament began in which the Commons preferred a Petition to the King and the upper house therein expressing their desire that the King might have the temporall possessions which the Bishops and Clergie consumed in unnecessary courses the value thereof they pretended would bee sufficient maintenance for one hundred and fiftie Earles one thousand five hundred Knights sixe thousand two hundred Esquires and one hundred Hospitalls for maymed souldiers besides them already erected They craved likewise that the Clerkes convict should not bee delivered to the Bishops prison and that the Statute made in the second yeare of the King against Lollards might bee repealed which â—…avoured of too much curiositie and too little charitie The King upon advised consideration justly distasting their distempered zeale denied their Petitions and in person commanded them upon paine of his indignation from thenceforth not to presume to trouble their braine about any such businesse In this Parliament the King moved in every yeare wherein there was no Parliament kept to have allowed him a tenth of the Clergie and a fifteenth of the Laytie the Bishops assented but the Commons would not agree thereto Sir Robert Vmfrevill the Vice-Admirall of England with tenne men of warre entred the Forts in Scotland lying there fourteene dayes together landing every day on one side or other taking great preyes and doing greater hurt hee burnt the great Gallyot of Scotland and many ships over against Lyeth and carried away with him fourteene tall ships laden with Corne and other Staple commodities which at his returne hee sent to the Markets round about which brought downe the prises of all things and purchased to him the name of Mend-market Hee likewise made a road by land into Scotland and burnt Iedworth and most part of Tiuidale The King Created his sonne Thomas Duke of Clarence his brother Thomas Beufort third sonne of Iohn of Gaunt hee Created Earle of Dorset upon some distaste taken not given against the young Prince whose youthfull carriage was well-neere censured by the graver sort to bee wilde and uncivill the King removed him from the place of President of the Councell and gave it to his third sonne Iohn and giving too much eare to his severer Councellours against the said Prince hee made at least-wise was said to make a misconstruction of all his actions seasoning the same with jealousie that hee ambitiously affected the Crowne and that he would not stay the leisure of time to have it after the Kings death but would use some stratagem though with the losse of his Fathers life to take present possession thereof To feed this suspition all the youthfull actions of the Prince are set on the tentours and exemplified beyond the degree of wildnesse his merriments are termed ryots his company are stiled Swaggerers his behaviour branded with dissolutenesse and his words and gesture dangerous Whereupon a vigilant eye is carried over him and a note taken of all his followers and Fashions The Prince all this while innocent would not seeme though hee had intelligence of thus much to take notice of these passages but continued his sporting merriments with his old companions amongst whom as in all ages some such have beene there were those that would dare and doe many forgetfull prankes the blame whereof still was laid on the Prince his shoulders whose greatnesse was able to countenance their great follyes which hee many times and not unwillingly did undergoe At length being informed that two things were necessary for a Christian to observe Credit and Conscience the one for his acquaintance sake the other for his owne and that hee would bee censured to bee cruell to himselfe if that hee neglected the opinion of others as relying only on the assurance of his owne Conscience hee resolved to give this satisfaction to the world that such as had given his Father intimation of any sinister intention on his part were in an error undeniable hee first by severall Letters of his owne both inditing and writing expostulated with such as hee knew to bee guiltie of doing ill offices
his teeth with haire on his head and nayles on his fingers and toes with a viperous strength enforcing as it were his passage through his mothers wombe whom afterwards he shamed not to accuse of adultery but as one that then wrought journy-worke with the Divell his manners and qualities seconded the feature and lineaments of his body and members which were much deformed being hooke shouldred splay footed and goggle eyd his countenance sower the composure of his face little and round his complexion swarfie his left arme from his birth drye and and withered Nature supplied these deformities of the body with a strong brayne a quicke apprehension a good memory and a most fluent tongue which he seldome exercised but to the abuse of credulitie And with the sweetnesse of his delivery hee could so prevaile with such whom he ment to worke upon that he would ofentimes as it were infatuate them and enforce their beliefe of his oathes and protestations which were by Saint Paul and wishing God to damne him if hee did not performe his word which at the time of the speaking was no part of his thought sometimes against the hearers knowledge and conscience hee was neither morally honest nor religiously good He usd to make authority the stawking horse to his will and his will the sole commander of his conscience the largenesse whereof could without any scruple swallow murther of brother Nephewes wife and neerest friends nay attempt rape and incest with his owne brothers daughter yet did with artificiall dissimulation so cover his dishonest and abhominable intentions that not many could discover them Who or whatsoever opposed his aspiring pride or profitable pleasure was by his plotting cunningly and covertly taken away or removed Hee was so throughly perfect in the Hypocriticall art of simulation and dissimulation that hee would use most complement and shew greatest signes of love and courtesie to him in the morning whose throat he had taken order to be cut that evening He held it for a maxime in policy that halfe doing in any thing was worse then no doing And therefore whatsoever he once attempted hee went through with it howsoever it seemed to others unnaturall and unchristian He used the instruments of his bloudy plottes as men doe their Candles burne the first out to a snuffe and then having lighted another tread that under foote yet howsoever his birth were proaigious and life monstrous yet his death was not dishonorable For though his cause were bad he fought bravely and dyed fighting leaving behind an ample testimony of his great valour and little grace with the end of his raigne by the sword which he had used for the moving of civill dissention betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster which had beene so long drawne and so often bathed in the blood of Christians was happily sheathed And the passage to concord prepared whilst this poore Island that had beene imbroyled with warre and her companions had leasure to call to minde the many murthers stratagemes slaughters overthrowes and calamities which through their unnaturall division of the two Roses she had sustained and thereby she found that from the time that Richard Duke of Yorke who was slaine in the battaile at Wakefield seeking to anticipate the time allotted unto him by authoritie of the Parliament whereby the Crowne was entayled to him and his issue to gaine the possession thereof and from whence all those praerecited miseries did proceed untill the death of the usurper there were slaine fourescore Princes of the blood royall and twice as many natives of England as were lost in the two conquests of France The dissension that fell was betwixt the house of Yorke descended from Lionel borne at Antwerpe Duke of Clarence second sonne of Edward the third and the house of Lancaster issued from Iohn of Gaunt the third surviving but otherwise fourth sonne of the same King the first giving for his cognizance the white Rose the other the Red. Lionell Duke of Clarence married to his first wife Elizabeth daughter heire of William Burgh Earle of Vlster and to his second wife Violenta of Galens Viscount of Mislaine by his first wife he had issue Philip sole only childe which Philip was married to Edmond Mortimer Earle of March and Vlster who had issue by her 1 Roger March the fourth Earle of March 2 Sir Edmond Mortymer that married the daughter of Owen Glendore 3 Sir Iohn Mortymer beheaded 3. H. 6. 1 Elizabeth married to the Lord Percy stiled Hotspur Philip first married to Iohn Hastings Earle of Pembrook and afterward to Richard Earle of Arundel and lastly to Iohn Lord Saint-Iohn dyed without issue Roger the fourth Earle of March 1387. nominated by King Richard the second successor to the Kingdome of England who married Elianor daughter of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent by whom he had issue two sonnes and two daughters 1 Edmond his eldest sonne who succeeded him in the Earldome 2 Roger died leaving his father 1 Anne who was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne of Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke 2 Elianor married to Edward Courtney Earle of Devonshire Richard of Conisborough married Anne sister and heire of Edmond Mortymer and had issue Richard Duke of Yorke This Richard was the first mover of the faction against the the house of Lancaster the bearer of the red rose He married Ciceley the daughter of Ralph Nevill first Earle of Westmerland and had issue 1 Henry that dyed before his Father 2 Edward of that name the fourth King of England 3 Edmond Earle of Rutland slaine at Wakefield by the Lord Clifford 4 Iohn that all dyed young 5 William and 6 Thomas 7 George Duke of Clarence murdered as afore 1 Anne the eldest daughter was first married to Henry Holland Duke of Exceter and after to Sir Thomas Sayntleoger 2 Elizabeth married to Iohn de la poole Duke of Suffolke 3 Margaret married to Charles Duke of Burgundy 4 Vrsula never married and thus was the title of Yorke derived Iohn of Gaunt so named of the place where he was borne fourth sonne of King Edward the third married three wives the first 1 Blaunch daughter and coheire of Henry first Duke of Lancaster by whom he had issue 1 Henry Plantagenet borne at Bullingbrooke 1 Philip married to Iohn King of Portingall and 2 Elizabeth married to Iohn Duke of Exceter 2 The second wife was Constance daughter and one of the Coheires of Peter king of Castile by whom he had issue Katherine afterward married to Henry sonne of Iohn the King of Spaine 3 His third wife was Katherine daughter of Payne Ruet aliàs Guyen King of armes and the relict of Sir Otes Swinford knight by whom hee had issue but before marriage 1 Iohn surnamed Beauford Earle of Somerset 2 Henry Bishop of Winchester 3 Thomas Branford Earle of Dorset 1 Iohan Branford first married to Ralph Nevill first Earle of Westmerland and then to Robert Ferrers Lord of Ousley This
both with bad language and worse blowes where they apprehended as hee was performing the ceremonies of the Church the Reverend Simon Arch. B. of Canterbury who formerly had convented their proloquutor Iohn Wall for promulgating his dangerous if not damnable positions and strooke off his head they broke up all the Prisons and set at liberty all the malefactors there and then came to meet the King at Mile end The King demanded what it was that was with such hostile manner required with a confused noyes some cryed manumission others maintainance others to have their lands freed from service every one what hee thought would most conduce to his owne particular end The King promiseth to call a Parliament and thereby which now hee granted promised to establish what to that purpose should bee set downe in writing and further gave a generall Pardon and safe conducts for their returne every man to his owne habitation whereupon the most of the seeming best of these bad rebells disbanded and went homeward and the Londoners returned But Tyler whose ayme was the robbing of the Citie of London and the extirpation of all any way noted for learning with twenty thousand of the dregges and skum of his rakehells came to Smithfield To whom the King guarded with a small strength attended on amongst others by William Wallworth Maior Iohn Philpot the darling of the Mariners and Nicholas Brember Aldermen of London and Sir Iohn Newton and some few others men of resolute and brave spirits presented himselfe but was by that traytourly Tyler received in that base and scornefull manner and with so many affronts to his followers that Iohn Philpot told the King the abuses were insufferable and so please him but to command his Lieutenant meaning the Maior to arrest the Traytor hee would lose his life if it were not accordingly performed Neverthelesse the King doubting the sequell was unwilling to provoke a maddâ—… dogge and with faire speeches and pleasing countenance hee began to expostulate with Tyler and was willing to condescend to some dishonourable conditions being betwixt soveraigne and subject to content him but the more hee found the King pliable the more arrogantly did hee insult and the more unreasonable were his demands and too too insolent his behaviour amongst other this was one of his demands to have all law abolished affirming with an execrable oath before night all the Law of England should passe through this straight clapping his hand to his mouth in the meane time Philpot had sent into the Citie to Sir Robert Knowles who was left behind to keepe the multitude quiet to make knowne the Kings danger and his owne conjuring them by their duty to the King and love to him to make all possible speed to their reskues and afterward prompting the Maior what to doe having by Sir Iohn Newtons helpe covertly drawne close together as many of the Kings followers as were present hee attended the sequell Tyler persisting in his insupportable arrogance demanded the Kings dagger of his Esquire that held it which being by the Kings conivance delivered him hee further presumed to command the Esquire to give him the Sword also to whom the young sparcke bravely said a Kings Sword would but ill become a knaves hand wherewith Tyler rising up offering to approach towards the Kings Page the Maior of London that only awaighted the occasion of hazzarding his life in surprising so proud a traytor snatcheth the Kings dagger out of the sheathe in Tylers hand and then sheathes the same in Tylers body whereupon Philpot with his sword saluted him on the cockscombe that he fell to the ground slaine This sudden action at first dismayd the King but being assured of present succour of the Cittizens hee tooke courage and being rounded by his Nobles they gave defyance to the headlesse tombe which wanted nor will nor meanes to revenge their Captaines death but each one expecting when another should begin they stayed looking one upon another untill newes was brought that the Londoners under the conduct of Sir Robert Knowles in battayle aray approached and then they fling downe their weapons and every one shifted for himselfe and quit the field at which the King wonderfully rejoyced and in the same place made William Walworth Iohn Philpot Ralph Standish Iohn Laund Nicholas Twifield and Nicholas Bramber Knights whilst these tumults were thus in agitation by the procurement of one Iohn Wall that pernitious priest one Iohn Wraw a whelpe of the same litter a Chaplaine for the Divels good grace was sent into Norfolke and the adjacent countries to incite upon the like motives the Commons to insurrection and to joyne with Tyler which tooke so suddenly that in Hartfordshire about Saint Albons and at Saint Edmonds-bury in Suffolke upon Corpus Christi day to the number of fifty thousand were assembled and under the conduct of one Robert Westborne an Inne-keeper They outragiously destroyed and demolished all the Noble and Gentlemens houses of note And put to death all the professours of law they could finde They tooke Sir Iohn Cavendish Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench strooke off his head and placed the same upon the Pillory in Saint Edmonds bury They beheaded likewise Iohn of Cambridge the Pryor thereof and Iohn de Lakingâ—…uith one of the Pryors Commoignes carrying them in triumph and placed them on poles upon the said pillory They caused the Covent to surrender up all Obligations and writing obligatory in their custody and all their Charters of priviledge which Canutus their founder had bestowed upon that house which the more to endeere themselves to their favour they delivered cancelled to the Townesmen In like manner in Norfolke under the command of Iohn Litistar a Dyer of Norwich the like outrages are committed from whose fury the Earle of Suffolke narrowly escaped at Northwaltham in Norfolke they styled their Captaine King of the Commons and enforced the Lords Scales and Morley with divers worshipfull Knights to attend upon him at the table which for that Sir Robert Saul refused to doe they beate out his braynes Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich to suppresse these insolents by his example drew the Knights and Gentlemen residing thereabout to arme themselves and to take the field who afterwards rowted the Rebells and tooke their Captaine whose head hee caused presently to bee strooke off and their Chaplaine Wraw prisoners from thence Wraw was sent to London to receive his tryall where hee was afterwards according to his demerits hanged drawne and quartered Like wise upon the Saterday following Corpus Christi day the Towns-men of Cambridge by threats enforced one Iames Grancester to be their Leader exacting an oath from him and his brother Thomas to be loyall to their encorporation and to joyne with them in execution of any their designes And presently they fell upon Corpus Christi Colledge which they miserably ransackt tearing burning or spoyling whatsoever writing charters and bookes they
subjects blood The Lords were well pleased with his good will and favour which as by base and servile meanes they would not seeke being thus gotten they did highly esteeme yet they thought it the safest course not to separate themselves suspecting the mutabilitie of the King and the malice of their enemies of whom neither knew they where they were nor what they did intend and being persons of great wealth and greater power but most bent to hurtfull practises they were feared not without cause For the Duke of Ireland either by setting on or sufferance of the King was all this time mustering of souldiers in Cheshire or Wales where hee gathered an army both for number and goodnesse of men sufficient if another had beene Generall to have carried a side whereof the Lords advertised they divided themselves and beset the wayes by which the Duke should passe to London with an intent to encounter him before hee did increase his power and countenance his action with the name of the King The Earle of Darby met him at a place called Babbelake neere Burford where the Earles souldiers full of hearty courage disliking nothing more then delay thinking losse of time was a procrastinating of the victory came on bravely But the Duke being mutinous but not fit for action apter to stirre strife then stint it upon sight of their approach would have fled But Sir Thomas Mollineux an approved souldier Constable of Chester upon whose leading all that countrey men did depend perswaded the Duke that this was but a part of the forces led only by the Earle of Darby a man no way eminent and if they could not beare through that resistance it was in vaine to expect any atchievement of honour by armes Whereupon the Duke made stay but his faint spirits were moved by this speech rather to desire victory then hope it his souldiers also were dull silent and sad and such as were rather ready to interpret then execute the Captaines command They wind battaile but scarce ten ounces of blood was lost on both sides before the Duke of Ireland set spurres to his horse and forsooke the field his souldiers thereupon more out of indignation then feare refused their rankes yeelded to the Earle the honour of the field Sir Thomas Mullineux flying was ouertaken and slaine by Sir Thomas Mortimer the rest submitted themselves to the discretion of the conquerours making them the Lords of their lives and death yeelding was no sooner offered then excepted by the Earle who commanded that none should be reproched or ill intreated but the obstinate which was obeyed the souldiers willing to shew favour to their countrey-men who were led into this action partly upon simplicitie partly for company sake The Gentlemen and those of the better sort were retayned by the Earle the rest unarmed were licenced at their pleasure to depart The Duke in his flight was enforced to take a river and in the midst of the streame forsooke his horse and swam to the other side and by the benefit of the night escaped first into Scotland then into Flaunders and lastly into France from whence hee never returned his horse with his helmet and gauntlets with other abiliments of his were found whereupon it was generally conceived that hee was drowned and as in great uncertainties it often hapneth some affirmed they saw him dye with the manner thereof which other men either glad to heare or not too curious to search did easily beleeve His Trunke also was taken with certaine letters of the Kings therein the contents whereof were for his present repaire to London with all power and speed hee could make and the King would bee there ready to dye in his defence so unskilfull was the Kings government that to pleasure a few hee did not respect to give discontent to many The Earle of Suffolke hereupon disguised fled to Callice from whence hee never returned hee was a cruell spoiler and a carelesse spender in warre contemptible in peace insupportable an enemy to all counsell of others and in his owne conceit wondrously wise obstinately contentious of a quicke wit and ready speech both which hee abused to the cunning commending of himselfe and crafty depraving of others he was lesse loved but more heard of the King then the Duke the more hurtfull man and the more hatefull The Duke being indeed guilty of no great fault but the Kings excessive favour in their course of good and bad fortune both of them alike famous This Duke of Ireland was Robert de Vere the fourth of that name and ninth Earle of Oxford hee married Philip the Daughter of Ingeram de Guisnes by Isabel his wife the Daughter of Edward the third from whom he was divorsed and tooke to his second wife Lantegroine a Bohemian of an unknowne parentage but died without issue This Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke married Isabel Daughter of Sir Iohn Wingfield and had issue five sonnes Thomas William Michael Richard and Iohn and three daughters Margaret married to William Lord Ferrers of Groby Elizabeth and Anne The Archbishop of Yorke Iustice Tresilian and others of that faction ran every man like Conyes to their covert yea the King betooke himselfe to the tower of London and there made provision for his winter abode having all his courses now crossed first by rashnesse in taking of armes and afterward by cowardlinesse in maintaining them The Earles of Darby signified this successe to his associates by Letters but without vaunting his speeches also were moderate rather extenuating then extolling his fact but by stopping his fame it increased men esteeming his high thoughts by his humble words and his consent of greater attempts by contempt of this The Lords met and marched together to London whither with forty thousand men they came upon Saint Stephens day and first they shewd themselves in battaile array in the fields within view of the King then encamped in the Suburbs The Maior of London and his brethren came forth and offered the Lords free entertainment within the Citie but not accepted They give liberall allowance of victuall and necessaries to the souldiers This discord seemed to draw to a dangerous distraction of the Common-wealth the vanquished part being full of malice and the Conquerours of presumption the one wanting power the other right to command and rule The Archbishop of Canterbury and certaine others of the neutralitie fearing the sequell perswaded the King to come to a treaty with the Lords but hee made shew but of a slight regard he made of these dealings let them saith hee stay untill their numerous power have wearied them and eate out their provision and then we will finde a time to talke with them at my leasure But the Lords suspecting the devise stopt all passages and beset the Thames generally protesting not to depart without conference with the King face to face The King having neither strength to resist nor roome to scape consented to a treatie And to
King should take the revenews of his land untill he was satisfied of such sommes of money as hee had received out of the Kings coffers for the payment of the garrison of Calice And he further sayd That the King commanded upon paine of his high displeasure that no man from thenceforth should presume to petition the King in behalfe of either of those Dukes to alter this Decree The sentence thus read the King called the exiles before him and tooke of them a solemne oath that they should never converse together nor willingly come into each others company lest common discontent should draw first reconcilement and after desire of revenge But this pollicie is ever weake to prevent such purposes for oathes are often spurnd aside when they lye like rubbeâ—… to stoppe the way to honour or revenge Therefore the Princes of the Realme have with more safetie for the most part abolished the use of abjuration and either by death extinguish the power or by pardon alter the will of great offendors from entring into desperate and dangerous attempts which men in miserie and disgrace with more vehemency begin and with more obstinacy continue When the Samnites had so enclosed the Roman Legions that they had neither space to fight nor meanes to flye and without fight had enforced them to yeeld they sent for advise to one Pontius an antient Ruler of their State what to doe with them His answer was that the Romans should bee permitted to depart without losse or derision But this not pleasing those that were either cruell or covetous Pontius was the second time consulted with whose answer then was That the Romans should bee generally slaughtered and not one spared This contrarietie of advise brought Pontius into suspition of dotage which he suspecting came in person and maintained both to be advantageous The first by an unexpected favour might provoke the Romans to a perpetuall friendship the second would deferre the warres for many yeares The third Counsell quoth he there cannot be given that may be fafely followed yes say the Samnites to grant them their lives but to take away their armes and bootie This is a way replies old Pontius which can neither win friends nor weaken enemies but may increase fury but not diminish force So that that course of punishment is out of course which doth neither reclaime the minde of man nor restraine the might from mischievous endevours The Duke of Norfolke with great griefe and perturbation of minde now â—…ving it to bee true that greatnesse abused by whispering untruthes draweth if discovered certaintie of destruction departed into Almaine and from thence travailed to Venice where shortly after hee ended his dayes It is observed that this Duke was banished the same day of the yeare wherein the Duke of Yorke by his contriving was strangled at Calice The Duke of Hereford tooke his leave of the King at Eltham where foure yeares of his exilement were strooke off The Dukes deportment was with that moderation that in his countenance he made shew neither of sorrow or stupiditie and at his departure let not fall any either intemperate or unseemely sillable The Commons much lamented his departure not sparing to exclaime that it was against the Law of armes the custome of the Realme and all Iustice that hee should bee exiled who had honourably endevoured to maintaine his appeale according to the law of the field Their affection was the more excessive by reason the ground of his speech was against those that the people hated and he was the only survivor of the popular faction The Duke of Hereford sayleth to Callice and from thence to Paris where hee was honourably received by the King of France and in short time found that favour with him that hee was offered for wife the only Daughter of Iohn Duke of Berry Vncle to the French King But the King of England upon notice thereof made such meanes that the Mariage was stopt Many things hapned this yeare which were interpreted to presage the revolt of the people which hapned the yeare following observation likewise was taken that when King Richard brought his first wife with him out of Beanne shee was no sooner on shore but such a tempest arose as the like thereof had not beene seene in many yeares before wherein many shippes and amongst them the ship the Queene came in was cast away The like storme and the like losse did betide when the King brought his second wife out of France Many prodigies are likewise storied to appeare about these times both strange and fearefull I dare not avouch them all to be true neither will I detract all truth from such things so antiently reported Many are perswaded that these things which are fatally allotted though they are unavoidable yet are they some times foreshowne not so much that we may prevent them as that we should prepare our selves against them About this time died Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who was buried on the North side of the high Altar of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London he was a man advised and wary liking better safe courses with reason then happy by hazzard neither unrespective nor ambitiously carefull of his owne glory Hee carried himselfe towards the King in termes honourable enough for a moderate Prince and yet not so plausible as an uncollected man might desire whereby nothing hapned unto him extraordinary either in prejudice or preferment This Iohn of Gaunt so named of the place where hee was borne fourth sonne of Edward the third did write in his stile Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster Earle of Richmond of Darby Lincolne Leicester and high Constable of England hee married three Wives Blanch Daughter and coheire of Henry first Duke of Lancaster by whome hee had issue Henry afterwards King of England Philip married to Iohn King of Portugal Elizabeth married to Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter His second wife was Constance daughter and one of the Coheires of Peter King of Castile by whom he had issue Katherinâ—… married to Henry son of Iohn King of Spaine His third Wife was Katherine daughter of Payne Rurt King of armes and Widow of Sir Otes Swinford Knight by whom hee had issue Iohn Bewford Earle of Somerset and Marquesse Somerset Henry Bewford Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bewford Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exceter Ioane married to Ralph Nevill Earle of Chester and afterwards to Robert Ferrers Lord of Ousley all these Children though borne before espousall by a Bull from Rome were made legitimate hee lyeth buryed in Pauls After his death the Dutchy of Lancaster did lineally descend to his eldest sonne the Duke of Hereford But as the nature of man is prone to hate those whom hee hath injured the King seized all the lands and goods of the deceased Duke and endevoured to perpetuate the banishment of the young Duke revoked the Letters patents granted and consented unto
for revolting from Nabuchadnezzar after homage done unto him did not Saul put all the Priests to death because one of them did relieve holy and harmlesse David did hee not prosecute his faithfull servant and dutifull son-in-law yet was not hee spared nay protected by him And was not David much grieved for but taking away the lap of his garment and afterwards caused the messenger to bee slaine that upon request and for pitie did lend his hand as himselfe reported to hasten the voluntary death of that sacred King As for the contrary examples of Iehu They were done by expresse Oracle and revelation from God and are no more set downe for our imitation then the robbing the Egyptians or any other particular or priviledged commandement but in the generall precept which all men must ordinarily follow not only our actions but our speeches also and our very thoughts are strictly charged with dutie and obedience to Princes whether they bee good or evill The law of God ordaineth That hee that doth presumptuously against the Ruler of the people shall die And the Prophet David forbiddeth both by precept and practise to touch the Lords annointed Thou shalt not saith the Lord rayle upon the Iudges neither sbeake evill of the Ruler of the people And the Apostles doe demand further that even our thoughts and soules bee obedient to higher powers And lest any should imagine that they ment of good Princes only they speake generally of all And further to take away all doubt they make expresse mention of the evill For the power and authoritie of wicked Princes is the ordinance of God And therefore Christ told Pilat That the power which hee had was given him from above And the Prophet Esay called Cyrus being a prophane and heathen Prince the Lords annointed For God turneth the hearts even of wicked Princes to doe his will And as Iehosaphat said to his Rulers they execute not the judgement of man but of the Lord In regard whereof David calleth them gods because they have the rule and authoritie even from God which if they doe abuse they are not to bee adjudged by their subjects for no power within their Dominion is superiour to theirs But God reserveth them to their sorest triall horribly and suddenly saith the Wise man will the Lord appeare to them and a hard judgement shall they have The law of God commandeth that the childe should not bee put to death for any contumelie done unto the Parents but what if the father be a robber if a murtherer if for excesse of villanies odious and execrable both to God and man surely hee deserveth the greatest degree of punishment and yet must not the sonne lift up his hand against him for no offence can bee so great to bee punished by parricide But our Country is or ought to bee more deere to us then our Parents And the Prince is the father of the country and therefore more sacred and deare to us then our Parents by nature and must not bee violated how imperious how impious soever hee bee doth hee command or demand our purses or persons we must not shun from the one nor shrinke from the other for as Nehemiah saith Kings have dominion over the cattell of their subjects at their pleasure Doth hee injoyne those actions which are contrary to the lawes of God wee must neither wholly obey nor violently resist but with a constant courage submit our selves to all manner of punishment and show our subjection by suffering and not performing yea the Church hath declared it to bee an heresie to hold that a Prince may be slaine or deposed by his Subjects for any default or disorder of life or default in government There will bee faults so long as there bee men and as wee endure with patience a barren yeare if it happen and unseasonable weather so must wee tolerate the imperfections of Rulers and quietly expect either reformation or alteration But alas what such cruelty what such impietie hath King Richard committed examine the imputations objected with the false circumstance of aggravation and you shall finde but little of truth or of great moment it may be many oversights have escaped as who lives without offending yet none so grievous to bee termed tyrannie as proceeding rather from unexperienced ignorance or corrupt counsell then from any naturall or wilfull malice Oh! how should the world bee pestered with tyrants if Subjects might be permitted to rebell upon pretence of tyrannie how many good Princes should often bee suppressed by those by whom they ought to be supported if they but levie a Subsidie or any other taxation it shall bee judged oppression if they put any to death for traiterous attempts against their persons it shall bee exclaimed at for crueltie if they shall doe any thing against the good liking of their people it shall bee proclaimed tiranny But let it bee that without desert in him or authoritie in us King Richard must bee deposed yet what right hath the duke of Lancaster to the Crown or what reason have wee without right to give it him If hee make Title as heire to King Richard then must hee stay King Richards death for no man can succeed as heire to the living But it s well knowne to all men who are not wilfully blinde or grosly ignorant that there are some yet alive lineally descended from Lionel Duke of Clarence whose issue by the judgement of the high Court of Parliament in the eighth yeare of King Richards raigne was declared heire apparant to the Crowne in case of Richard should die without issue The claime from Edmond Crouchbacke I passe over the authors thereof themselves being ashamed of so absurd an abuse And therefore all the pretence now on foot is by right of conquest and the Kings resignation and grant and the consent of the many it is bad stuffe that will take no colour what conquest can a subject make against a Soveraigne where the warre is insurrection and the victory high treason King Richards resignation being in prison is an act of exaction by force and therefore of no force to bind him And by the lawes of this realme the King by himselfe cannot alienate the antient jewells and ornaments of the Crowne much lesse give away his Crowne and Kingdome And custome wee have none for the vulgar to elect their King but they are alwayes tyde to accept of him whom the right of succession enables to the Crowne much lesse can they make good that Title which is by violence usurped For nothing can bee said to bee freely done when libertie is restrained by feare As for the deposing of Edward the Second it is no more to bee urged then the poisoning of King Iohn or the murdering of a lawfull Prince wee must live according to lawes not examples yet the kingdome then was not taken from lawfull successors But if wee looke backe to times past wee shall finde that these Titles were
to challenge and recover his Inheritance and his wives and not to intermeddle with the King nor with his Crowne by reason of which oath divers loyall and good Subjects to King Richard resorted unto him not having any treasonable intent But after when hee saw his power so much increased that hee might doe what hee pleased hee wickedly brake his oath and without any right or colour-like right procured himselfe to bee made and Crowned King 2. Item That not only as an arch-Traytor hee had imprisoned his owne Liege Lord and undoubted Master King Richard but had caused him to bee barbarously murthered that so with the grearer securitie hee might enjoy his Masters Crowne and Kingdome 3. Item that eversince the death of King Richard hee had unjustly kept the Kingdome and the Crowne from his Kinsman Edmond Mortymer Earle of March who was the Sonne and heire apparant of Philip the Daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence elder brother to Iohn of Gaunt Father of the new usurping King 4. Item That when neither present occasion or need compelled him hee had imposed divers Taxes and Subsidies upon the people to their great griefe and impoverishing whereof they willingly would but durst not complaine 5. Item That no justice could bee expected at his hand because that contrary to the oath which hee had taken when hee was Crowned hee had by Letters sent into sundry Shires and thereby procured certaine Burgesses of the Parliament and Knights of the Shire to bee chosen whom hee knew would not faile to serve his turne as occasion should bee offered 6. And lastly That where in honour and for affinities sake hee ought to have ransomed or redeemed his said Cousin the Earle of March from his lothesome imprisonment being by some of his Privie Councell thereto often solicited hee not only denyed the said request but falsly and untruly published and declared that the Earle himselfe was of his owne accord become a voluntary Prisoner to the end that Traitors and Rebells joyning with him might have somewhat wherewith to colour such Treasons as they would conspire or plot against him For which causes and many other as bad they defied him as an usurping Traytor and as an utter enemy they vowed his destruction and the restoring of the said Earle to his right The King perceiving that nothing but strength of blowes could end this strife and being perswaded that if hee could victoriously suppresse this rebellion hee should bereave his enemies from future hope to prevaile in the like attempts with a great and well-composed Army hee marched towards the Lords forecasting in his March how to prevent the English from joyning with the Welch which with a provident care hee prevented and about Shrowsburie on Saturday Saint Marie Magdalens eve hee encountred the Piercies the Scots gave a brave onset on the King but hee so welcommed them that scarce one was left unhurt but most of them slaine yet the Conspirators stoutly maintained the fight and pursued it with that courage and resolution that they were confident of good successe untill the King with the young Prince Henrie and some young branches of honourable stockes in their company bravely resolving rather to die honourably then to live disgracefully put to their strengths to joyne with Valor and with a noble emulation to give faire example each to other They so shooke the enemies vauntguard that Hotspur and some other chiefe Commanders on his side and many thousands more were slaine The Earle of Worcester was taken Prisoner in the field together with Sir Richard Vernon Sir Theobald Trussell and the Baron of Kindarton and the rest fled On the Kings part besides the Earle of Stafford who had but that morning revolted from the other side were slaine Sir Hugh Sherley Sir Iohn Clifton Sir Iohn Cockayne Sir Nicholas Gansell Sir Walter Blunt Sir Iohn Calverley Sir Iohn Massey of Puddington Sir Hugh Mortymer and Sir Robert Gausell all which had beene but that morning before Dubbed Knights with Sir Thomas Wendesley who afterwards died of the wounds there received This Edmond Stafford was third Sonne of Earle Hugh and after the death of Thomas and William who dyed without issue was Earle of Stafford and Lord of Tunbridge hee married Anne the Daughter of Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester by whom hee had issue Humphry afterward Duke of Buckingham and Philip that dyed young and Anne first married to Edmond Mortymer Earle of March but had no issue by him and after was married to Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington by whom shee had issue Henry Duke of Exceter of common souldiers the King lost about sixteene hundred but had made slaughter of above sixe thousand of the Conspirators whereof thirty sixe fell by his owne sword neverthelesse Dowglasse once unhorsed him and in his presence slew Sir Walter Blunt who with divers others that day were in all things habited alike to the King for which so brave exploit after Dowglasse by the unfortunate fall of his horse having broken two of his ribbes being taken Prisoner was by the Kings speciall command carefully dressed and attended and ransomelesse with great commendation set at liberty so farre can vertue prevaile with a grievous foe The day following the King with the whole Army with great show of zeale gave God thankes for this victory by his assistance so happily atchieved and then caused the Earle of Worcester to be beheaded many of the Ring-leaders of that rebellion to bee drawne hanged and quartered and their heads placed on London bridge This Thomas Piercie Earle of Worcester and Lord high Admirall of England married Elizabeth eldest Sister and coheire of David Earle of Athol by whom hee had issue Henrie Earle of Atholl After this the King sent Henry Prince of Wales with the whole Army into that Countrey But before his comming Owen Glendor was abandoned by all his Company and lurking in the Woods was there famished many of his associates were taken and there put to death and the Prince joyfully returned to the King Whilst the Prince was in Wales Henry Piercy the Earle of Northumberland of his owne accord came and submitted himselfe to the King with many oathes and protestations of his innocency as not being once acquainted with any intent of Treason and rebellion And though the King conceived not the least thought that might excuse him yet for that time hee gave him a seeming show of faire entertainment and for that time with gentle language and kind countenance as it was thought for that hee had the possession of Barwicke Castle and other places of strength in his power permitted to goe free and come at his pleasure The Britons under the leading of the Lord of Castiles spoyled and burnt the Towne of Rlimmoth and returned unfought with his speed was the more and his fortune the better but lest hee should boast too much of his conquest the Westerne men under the command of William Wilford Esquire by order from the
all which judgement was accordingly executed upon Sir Roger Acton and eight and twenty of the Rebells in Smithfield most of the Prisons in and about London were filled with these lob-lords The cause of this nickname came In this time the Parliament continuing the King as his Father was before was much importuned by some somewhat infected with Oldcastles opinion and therefore not well pleased with the greatnesse of the Clergie to suppresse the religious houses of this kingdome because as they affirmed they were made the nurses of idlenesse and cages of uncleane birds To divert this storme into another quarter it was advised that Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury should set on foot the Kings title to France which thus he sets forth Philip the fourth called Philip the faire eldest brother of Charles Earle of Valoys was the fourty sixt King of France hee married Ioane Queene of Navarre and by her had issue three sonnes Lewis surnamed Hutyn or Mutyneere Philip the Long and Charles the Faire and only Daughter Christned Isabel which was married to your Majesties Predecessor Edward the second who survived her three Brothers who successively one after the other had enjoyed the Crowne of France But after the death of Charles upon a pretended fundamentall Law of that kingdome Philip of Valoys sonne of Charles the younger Brother of Philip the Faire endevouring to exclude all females from Soveraigne inheritance layed hold of the Imperiall Diadem against whom in right of his Mother Edward the third opposed and quartering the armes which was semi de luces proclaimeth his Title to bee King of France and England and in Hostile manner entred France with Banners displayed where hee performed those honourable exployts that whilst any Records last can never bee forgotten there hee continued victorious during the time of Valoys and left his Sonne the blacke Prince to prosecute his Claime who to his eternall commendations so that hee tooke not only Iohn the French King prisoner but braved Charles the fift at his great Citie of Paris to his teeth and unanswered the wise King thinking it no good pollicie to meet a roring Lyon in the field And had not God on whose will depends all things stopt this ever to bee renowned Prince in his course by stopping of his breath the question had long since beene decided and England had totally brought France to subjection but hee being dead and his Father but a short time surviving left his grand-sonne an infant to finish what his Father and grand-father had so happily commenced and so gloriously had continued But unlesse the Lord build the house the workemen labour but in vaine so the Lord displeased with the disorder of those times gave France a time to breathe and gather strength and opportunitie to Charles the sixt to change the armes of France from the Semi de luces to three Flower-de-luces yet is the Title to France the same that it was before and though your royall Father otherwise imployed did not prosecute the claime yet hee did not disclaime the right but hath to you for whom I rest assured God hath reserved victory both left that and the meanes to obtaine it Then went hee on learnedly and pathetically refelled that unjust surmise of the Salick-law both by reason and example and first whereas in terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant was the text whereon they build their position hee proved that that was made in Germany in disdaine of the dishonest manners of the German women and had no relation to France for that Pharamond whom they affirme to bee maker of that Law deceased above three hundred and fifty yeares before the Frenchmen were placed beyond the river Sala the one dying at 426. and the other being seated there Anno 805. And for example hee cited Pepyn Hugh Capet and others who neither had right nor colour-like right to the Crowne of France but as heires generall as their owne storyes manifest hee fortified likewise his assertions with Scripture out of the booke of Numbers When a man dieth without a Sonne let his inheritance descend unto the Daughter to this hee added that if the King would bee pleased to advance his Banner in France to challenge his rightfull inheritance the warre being just the cause good and his clayme undeniable his Clergie would furnish him of their owne free gift with such a masse of mony as never subjects at one time presented King with the like This motion tooke on all sides and the offer of money wherewith to pay the souldiers so pleased the King that nothing was now thought of but the conquest of France Hee begins therefore to alter the bearing of his Semy-de-luces and quarters what the then French King bare and then sendeth the Duke of Exceter the Archbishop of Dublyn the Lord Gray the Lord high Admirall and the Bishop of Norwich with five hundred horse Embassadours to Charles the sixt to require in peaceable manner for the avoyding the effusion of Christian blood the surrender of the Crowne of France with the members thereof which if the King would yeeld unto then King Henry would bee pleased to take to Wife Katherine the Daughter of Charles and endow her with all the Dutchies belonging to the Crowne of France But if Charles refused so to doe that then Henry would with fire and sword enforce it from him or lose his life The strangenesse of this message amazed the King and amazed his Councell They craved time to answer And the King of France promised to speed Embassadours with his answer unto the King of England The Dolphyn like one that cuts another man meat and his owne fingers having wit but wanting discretion deriding as it were the King of Englands youth as deeming him fitter for play then to attempt matters of such consequence sent him a tonne of Tennis balls which King Henry distasting promised with an oath before many moneths were past to tosse such iron Balls among them that the best armes in France should bee unable to hold a Racket to returne them And forthwith due provision being made and all things prepared hee drawes together his forces and in his absence to secure the Scots and Welch from attempting his prejudice hee appointeth an Army to attend the Marches and upon all alarums to bee ready hee ordaines his Mother-in-law Ioane Daughter of Charles King of Arragon Governour in his absence and whilst hee is dispatching Richard Earle of Warwicke the Bishops of Salisbury Bath and Hereford with the Abbot of Westminster to the generall Councell appointed at Constance The Dolphyn sent as Embassadours the King of France being weake and sickly The Earle of Vandome with others who having audience the Archbishop of Burges made a long Oration in praise of peace and disswaded warre concluding with a tender of the Lady Katherine with a summe of money and some Townes of no great wealth or importance the King of England feasts them at his owne Table and
the space of five miles round spoyled whatsoever might helpe or advantage the English hee himselfe undertaking the defence of the great Fort built upon the East-bridge from whence making a French bravado in show more then a man at first hee retired weaker indeed then a woman with losse of many his souldiers to the Towne leaving the English in possession of the Fort. From an high Tower in this Bulwarcke out of a window therein the besiegers observed the passages of the Townesmen about two moneths after the siege began the noble Duke of Salisbury thinking to informe himselfe of the state of the Towne unhappily looking out of this Window with Sir Thomas Gargrave a great shot from the Towne striking the barres of the Window the splinters whereof were driven into his head and face of which wound within eight dayes after hee dyed Hee married Elianor Daughter of Thomas Holland Earle of Kent by whom hee had issue only Anne married to Richard Nevill one of the younger sonnes of Ralph Nevill Earle of Westmerland hee had a base sonne named Iohn This Earles death was a second weakening of the young Kings expected triumphs for two limmes of his budding tree of carefull protection and thriving direction are lopt off by death and a third began to bee putrified The Earle of Suffolke succeedeth in the charge of the siege who finding necessaries wanting sendeth Sir Iohn Falstaffe for supplies the Regent furnisheth him speedily and in his returne the Lord de la Brets nine thousand strong endevours to intercept him but being discovered Sir Iohn resolved to abide the charge placeth his carriages behind the horse next and the foot before lyning his Bowes with Bill-men pitching stakes behind the Archers who having loosed their first volley retired behind the stakes on which the French forgetting their former defeats that way ranne and gored their horses and were forced to light against their wills with a knocke on the crowne with a brown Bill layed on with a strong arme by which their Voward being disordered the battell made a stand which Sir Iohn perceiving cryeth out Saint George they flye which was no sooner spoken then it proved true for there with they fled and in the fight and chace the French lost two thousand five hundred men with the Lords de la Brets and William Steward and eleven hundred were taken prisoners with whom and a rich booty they came to the Campe before Orleace Hereof the besieged having notice hopelesse of helpe from the French King they offered to submit themselves to the protection of the Duke of Burgoyne who was contented to accept them upon the Regents consent This motion pleased many of the Councell of warre but the Generall and the rest more considerate did mislike it Whereupon the Generall returned this answer That since the King his Master had bestowed so long time and exhausted so much Treasure and spent so much victuals besides the uncomparable losse of the Earle of Salisbury slaine there hee could not but thinke it would much redound to his owne dishonour and the disparagement of the renowne of the kingdome of England If now the besieged were driven to that extremity that they were not able to subsist of themselves that any other then those that had beaten the bush should have the birds Then made the besieged meanes to the Duke of Alanson who used such diligence that taking advantage of too much slacknesse of watch in the Campe being secured as they thought from danger of sally from within or approach of enemy from without hee furnished the Towne both with fresh provision and forces under the coverture of a dark most tempestuous night which put such fresh spirit into the citizens that they made a brave salout and by fine force carried the Bulwarcke upon the bridge and another Fort and slew sixe hundred English and adventured upon the Bastile in which the Lord Talbot commanded who not being used to be coopt up valiantly issued out and bravely repulsed them backe with great slaughter and confusion into the Towne But the next day the Earle of Suffolke left the siege and dispersed his Army to their severall places of garrison and in his returne the Lord Talbot surprized the Towne and Castle of Lavall But now the wheele of fortune began to turne and disasters and disgraces fell hudling one upon the necke of another on the English part And first the Duke of Alanson having raised a great power tooke by assault the towne of Iargeux and therein the Earle of Suffolke and one of his brothers and slew Sir Alexander Pole another of their brothers and many other Prisoners in cold blood because of the contention among the French to whom the Prisoners did belong Then the Lords Talbot Scales and Hungerford with five thousand men going to fortifie the towne of Meum were encountred by the said Duke and Arthure of Britaine and three and twenty thousand men who fiercely assayled them The English Lords for a time endured the shocke and enterchanged some blowes but opprest with multitude the three Lords are taken prisoners all sore wounded twelve hundred of their company slaine the residue hardly escaping to Meum where they used their best forces to fortifie themselves against future assaults These disasters were seconded by the perfidious surrender of many Townes and strong holds to the French King who now encouraged by these good successes marched into Champaigne where by Composition hee tooke the chiefe Citie thereof Troyes Chaltons rebelleth and enforceth their Captaine to yeeld it up by whose example the Citizens of Reme do the like wherein the French King is a new Proclaimed there with accustomed Ceremonies annointed and crowned and is thereby furthered with the voluntary submission of many Townes Castles strong holds who from every part sent their subjective messages unto him The Duke of Bedford with tenne thousand English besides Normans marched out of Paris sending Letters of defiance to the French King affirming therein that hee contrary to the accord betwixt King Henry the fifth and King Charles Father to him that was but an usurper by the instigation of a feminine divell had taken upon him the Title and dignitie of King of France and by deceitfull and unjust meanes had surreptitiously stolne not conquered and kept divers Cities and places of import belonging to the Crowne of England for legall proofe whereof by stroke of battaile hee was come into that part and thereby would justifie his Chartelâ—… true and cause just leaving allowance to his enemy to make choice of the place and in the same hee should bee sure of battaile The new King howsoever perplexed set a good countenance on the matter and told the Harrold that hee would sooner seeke his Master then his Master should need to seeke him and without further answer dismissed him The Regent thereupon maketh towards him and making choice of an indifferent place encampeth in sight of the French And though
succeed in the Regency but the Duke of Yorke was appointed the Vncle being preferred before the cousin to the King which made the young duke to endevour what he could to crosse the new Regent in all the designes abroad and to under-value at home whatsoever was never so well atchieved else-where still plotting against him For ambition is a passion that will never suffer a man to sleep without dreaming of revenge or to wake without inventing stratagems to compasse desired ends Paris making sayle whilst the gale blowes turneth Traitour and not only rebelleth but inhumanly abuseth the English within their power and after it had remained 17. yeares in the possession of the English yeelds to the Constable who by composition gave the English leave to depart other Towns tread in the same steps whose course the Normans would have followed but that the Lord Talbot with some other his associats did with great discretion warlike behaviour slaughter some 5000. of the rebellious crew and therby kept the rest in awe Private envy all this time hindred publick good and the emulation betwixt the Dukes of Yorke and Somerset too long delayed the presence and supplyes of the new Regent that in the interim the French grew Citie merchants buying and selling Cities Towns and Forts to whom would give most but the English were no good chapmen would not sell honor to buy treason But now the Regent with 8000. new souldiers arrived at Harflew from thence marcheth to Roan where he won the title not undeservedly of equall holding the skale of justice keeping the ballance so even and upright that the partiall observations of those whom Somerset had placed as spies over his actions could not give intelligence of just cause to calumniate The revolted Duke of Burgoyne pretending title to the Towne of Callice assoone as the spring approacheth with an Army of forty thousand men most of them Artificers and tradesmen whom he easily engaged to the wars by his authority and show of advantage to them to have a Towne so convenient for any Trafficke to be at their disposall passeth over the water at Graveline and there assaults the poore Bastile of Oye mand but with fifty men twelve of them having sold their lives very deere killing ten for one being slaine the residue submitted whom together with the Fortresse the Duke gave to the Gantoys which place they beat downe and hanged nine and twenty of the souldiers and would have done the like to the rest had not the Duke stayed their cruelty The Piccards besieged the Castle of Saint Marke Sir Iohn Gedding being Captaine thereof who having endured two hot assaults and seeing no possibilitie to hold it yeelded upon composition to have their lives and lims saved which Castle was demolished likewise From thence they beguirt Callice with a siege and upon a first approach perswaded themselves to carry it by assault wherof they made three strong ones but they found by their repulses that they reckoned without their host and were well pleased to keepe after within their trenches not daring so much as to attempt to hinder the shipping that every day with provision entred the harbor The Duke of Burgoin sent the Lord Croye to besiege the Castle of Guiesne where hee got little honour and did lesse harme many attempts were made to stop the chanell of the Haven and to build a Bastile to stop the passage of boats but they were prevented in the execution and made fruitlesse In the meane time Penbrocke the Harrold brought a defiance to the Duke of Burgoyne giving him to understand from the Duke of Glocester the Protectour that he would God sending him wind weather either there or in any other place the Duke would appoint in his own Dominions give him battell if hee would but abide it to whom the Duke of Burgoyne answered I shall be sure to stay for him here untill I have my will of this Towne wherewith the Harrold departed the Duke of Burgoyne calleth a Councell and whilst they are debating what is best to be done the Callisians make a sally of horse and foot the foot falling upon the Bastile lately erected to hinder the passage of the river for Boats whilst the horse give the alarm to the Campe the Bastile is carried by force with the slaughter of eight score of the Burgonians and many prisoners with all the Artillery provision carried to Callice from wence issued then fresh forces to favour the retreat of the horse who with the losse of twenty horse and 120 men returned which stroke such an amazement amongst the Burgonian Bores they were incapable of any understanding what to doe and thereupon a faire gale of wind blowing the hearts of the bread and butter fed Flemings were so amated that they presently rumored the approach of the Duke of Yorke and after the rumour was once up the fame increased the number and the certainty of the sight of eight hundred sayle was affirmed so that those that seemed not to be daunted with the newes were suspected to bee traytours to the Duke of Burgoyne the Dutch upbraid the Piccards the French the Gantoys nay the most resolute of the Councell told the Duke of Burgoyne that the stay might give opportunitie to the enemie to beleaguer his Leguer and to set downe betwixt him and FRANCE and then they should bee coopt up and bee charged both before and behind which so did take the Duke of Burgoyne that presently in a fury raging like the Persian that threatned the Tempest and whipt the Sea he sent to the Lord of Croy and both of them that night quit their quarters and in that hast departed that they left a great part of their best Ordnance and all their provision for the reliefe and helpe of the besieged It seemed they had some reason to run for the next day being the seven and twentieth day of Iuly the Duke of Glocaster landed at Callice with five and twenty thousand good fighting men and finding the enemy recoyled forrageth all the Countries adjacent and for the space of sixe weekes harrowed all the parts of Flanders Artoys and Hennalt and so returning by Saint Omers Arde and Guyens comforting his friends and terrifying his enemies with great and rich booty they arrived at Callice But the want of bread whereof they could not be furnished all the way did bring divers diseases amongst the Army whereof more dyed then were slaine upon any Camisado by the enemy for encounter they had none all the way The Duke of Yorke returneth into England to the rescue of Rocksboro Castle defended by Sir Sir Ralph Gray and besieged by the King of Scots with thirty thousand men who having advertisement of the Earle of Northumber lands approach the Dukes safe returne fled with no lesse losse then dishonour and enough of both A truce is desired betwixt England and Burgoyne and obtained the meeting is appointed at
end of August following In which time the truce began to be forgotten for the French awaiting all occasions of advantage by secret plots and devises had cunningly possessed themselves of divers Castles places of strength justifying their actions and affirming that what was politickly obtained without blows was no infringement of the Truce And afterwards they perfidiously conveyed 200. men at armes into the Castle of Roan presuming to have surprized it but being discouered they were all taken and either executed as traytours or ransomed The Regent knowing these coles would quickly kindle speeds him to his charge and preparation on both sides is made for war wherein he found the Duke of Burgoine lesse forward then he had used to be whereby the Regent found his affection did slacke but would not seeme to take notice thereof The Lord Talbot having payed his ransome commeth to the Regent bringeth with him 700. tryed souldiers They take the field on both sides in warlike manner making shews of encounter but twice together being provoked by the Regent to fight the French slunke away in the darke as not daring to abide the hazard of a battell The Peasants of Normandy pretending to shake off the English yoke which never had beene made insupportable rudely armed themselves and in outragious manner drew towards Cane but having neither power to command nor honesty to obey they were by the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Willoughby encountred and easily overthrowne with the slaughter of 1000. of them the rest were all taken whereof the chiefe Leaders were executed as traytors and the baser sort upon submission and acknowledgement of their errours permitted to depart to their severall homes But the Earle and the Lord Willoughby being now in the field and having intelligence that le Hire had besieged the Castle of Gorbury drew thither with intent to have succoured it but finding themselves too weak they made account to have retired to Beavoys but being descried they were pursued by le Hire who having advantage charged the Earle perceiving no safetie but not to hope of help resolved to win or dye fought valiantly but the Earle is dangerously wounded by the shot of a Culvering which caused the Lord Willoughby to retyre and convey the wounded Earle to Beavoys where within three dayes hee dyed say the Historians but the Harrolds say he dyed and was buried at Lewis in Sussex he married Mawd the Daughter of Sir Robert Lovell and had issue Humphry that succeeded him and Avitie married to Iames Butler Earle of Ormon and Wiltshire After the death of Arundel the Lord Willoughby dispierced his forces to their former garrisons but stayed himselfe there The Duke of Burbon taken at the battell of Agincourt after eighteene yeares imprisonment paying 18000 pounds for his ransome the same day hee was enlarged dyed at London Charles his Son who had married the Sister of the Duke of Burgoyn succeeded his Father Betwixt the two brother-in-lawes an unnaturall jarre was raysed but by the mediation of Mary Dutchesse of Berry they are reconciled by whose labour and industry with the helpe of the Duke of Burbon a reconciliation is likewise wrought betweene the French King and Burgoyne The jealousie between the Regent and the Duke of Burgoyne now was publickly discerned Whereby those that cald to mind the great charge that Henry the Fift gave on his death-bed carefully to retaine that Dukes amity laboured an enterview betwixt them to remove all scruples on either part which was obtained and Saint Omers was the place agreed upon where both Dukes being arrived they both standing too punctually on points of Honour who should give prioritie of visitation the Duke of Bedford as the Sonne Brother and Vncle of a King and Regent of France pretended it dishonourable for him to begin and the other challenging the same as of right belonging to him to have the first place the same being within his own Dominions The wisest in some points are foolish they both departed more discontented then before the haughtinesse of the spirit of the one and the great stomacke of the other being unable to give way to their unruly passions And hereupon the Duke of Burgoyne made choice rather to enter league with him that had murthered his Father then to keepe his oath with the King of England or the bond of love so often plighted with the Regent his friend and Brother-in-law And upon the receipt of a blancke Charter under the French Kings Seale to insert what Conditions of peace hee would hee proved renegado and falsified his faith to England lost his reputation to the world and sold himselfe slave to perpetuall ignomy The Towne of Saint Dennis by the perfidiousnesse of Mathew Gougley was betrayed to the Bastard of Orleance but the Lord Talbot presently beguirt the same with a siege to raise which the bastard Orleance drew great forces together but before their approach the Towne was given up and beatento the ground The inhabitants of Pontoys neverthelesse rebell and thrust out the English garrison whose examples did set the Parisians mindes on worke to tread the same steps but the Regents vigilancie over them hindred their intentions But now began the bright light of Englands glory to be ecclipsed those glorious beames of victory which they formerly had obtained every day more and more to decline The triple twine being cleane untwisted for the thrice renowned wise and circumspect Iohn Regent of France Duke of Bedford Aniou and Alanson Earle of Mayne Harecourt Dreux Richmond and Carlile and Vicount Beamond the Atlas whose shoulders kept the realme of France from sliding from their allegiance sworne to King Henries Father and Sonne upon the fourteenth of September 1435. at Paris exchanged all his glory here for the fruition of a more sempiternall felicitie in another place he was buried at Roan in our Ladies Church Whereat the Nobilitie of Normandy much repined as seeming desirous to have had some place of their owne territories to have been honoured by giving sepulture to so nobly deserving a Patriot unto them Yet such was their levitie that within few yeares after in the Raigne of Lewis the Sonne of Charles they instantly desired to have the Monument erected over him to bee demolished alleaging it was dishonourable to have so arch an enemy to France interred in the Metropolitan Citie of that Province But Lewis answered God forbid I should give way to so dishonourable an act as to molest the quiet of his dead bones that living would if offended have molested all here and it savours of too much basenesse to insult upon a dead Lyon Hee had two wives the first was Anne Sister of the Duke of Burgoyne the second Iaqueline daughter of Peter Earle of Saint Paul but had issue by neither No sooner was his death divulged but infinite alterations followed aswell in England as France Edmond Duke of Somerset as much affecting Soveraigne command underhand laboured to