in matâ—ers of Scotland could better skill Nor which their falshoode and vntrueth to note Had more affection or better wyll Or better knew water woodde toune vale hyll Or was more feruente the Scottes to persue Who to England he knew woulde neuer be true ¶ Neyther anye Chronicler that euer was Eyther dooth or can more largly declare Euen from Brutus howe it came to passe That kynges of Englande the soueraines are And ouer Scotlande oughte rule to beare Hymselfe is wytnes of their subiection And homage vnder Englandes protection ¶ In other thinges the tymes were suche That though this werke haue some spice of blindnesse Yet is the authour not to be blamed much For Popyshe errour that season doubtlesse Did all the worlde ouer go and oppresse Therfore such thinges we must in good part take And pardon that faulte for the tymes sake ¶ Yet haue we thought best the autour to set out Euen in suche fourme as hymselfe dyd endite It wer an vnquod thyng yf we should go about To alter and chaunge that olde men haue wryte Secondly to vs it maye bee greate delyte The blindnesse of those tymes to consider From whiche hathe pleased God vs to delyuer ¶ Fynally the darkenesse of those dayes to see To the honoure of our kyng dooeth redound To whom by goddes helpe geuen it hath bee All Popyshe trumperye for to confounde Which thyng al trew English hertes hath bouÌ„d Incessauntly to praye for kyng Henrye the eyghte Whose godly wisedome hath made all streyghte And for asmuch as Hardyng his boke doth ende With Edward the fourth whose seruauÌ„t he was And to whome also this booke he dyd commende Consideryng also the tyme and space Beyng .lx. yeres and more I coulde not let passe So many goodly statutes and decrees Battayles and stories not good to lese Wherfore I annexed theim by continuacion Begynning wyth Edwarde the fourth of that name Then Edward the fyfth kyng by generation Whom Richard the third to his immortal shame Cruelly murdered the story sayeth the same But plaged he was to hys greate greuaunce With a shamefull death as Goddes vengeaunce Then Henry the .vii. nexte doothe ensue Father vnto our moost dred soueraigne lorde And of Henry the. viii some thyng that is true I haue here set forth as wryters dooe accorde Not in metre but obseruyng worde for worde Myne authours that wrote it all in prose Reportyng the truth without fraude or glose ¶ Now right gentle reader thy parte shal be My good wyll and zele my payne and labour To entreprete and take in good parte and gre Geuing to the same suche good wordes of fauour As may enforce me with all myne endeuour The settyng forth of mo werkes to take in hande To thy solace and honour of Englande ¶ The Proheme of Iohn Hardynge into this his chronycle THe moste substance of power and of myght Through age distilled into debilitee Of me that am this time an aged wight And greate faute haue of habilitee This labour now shuld haue wthold fro me But that my witte would haue some diligence My ghoost to kepe from synne and insolence ¶ This werke is great and loÌ„ge to bryng to fyne So doeth it euer fro tyme to tyme encrease And long hath dooen afore Christ dyd enclyne In Marie mother and mayden without lease To chronicle so men haue theim put in prease Some in meetre and some also in prose Some in Latyn full wysely dyd it close ¶ And some in Frenche they made for intellecte Of men that could no Latyn vnderstande More sufficiently endited and protecte By ferre then I can it nowe take in hande And some in lynes two theyr ryme ay bande But though my witte be not so curious As theirs by ferre to make it glorious ¶ Yet wyll I vse the symple witte I haue To your pleasaunce and consolacion Moste noble lorde and prince so God me saue That in chronycles hath delectacion Though it be farre aboue myne estimacion Into balade I wyll it nowe translate Ryght in this forme with all myne estymate My lorde of Yorke vnto your sapience I wyll remember a notabilyte Of your elders rule and regymence That had this lande of olde prioryte Which ruled were after their dignitee In vertue digne by roiall gouernaunce And in vyce rulyd and misgouernaunce By whiche knowledge your discrete sapience All vyce euermore destroye maye and reproue By vertuous and blessedfull dilygence And vertue loue that maye not ought greue Howe ye shall rule your subiectes while ye lyue In lawe and peace and all tranquyllite Whiche been the floures of all regalyte ¶ Edward the thyrde that was king of this land By ryght title and very iuste discent And kyng of Fraunce as I can vnderstande By his mother quene Isabell the gent Sister and heyre of Charles by hole entent For Charles dyed without any chylde The ryght discent vnto his mother mylde Why shulde that French forbarre you of your right Sith God of heauen in libro numeri Gaue to Moises this lawe that nowe is lyght In the chapiter seuen and twenty By these wordes the doughter ryghtfully Of Salphaat aske the fathers heritage Geue them in possessyon amonge the cosynage ¶ This kyng Edward reignyng in his dayes In mercyall actes tryumphe and victorie Aboue all princes famed was alwayes Fyue sonnes had the worlde out to crye Ther wer no mo suche of one patry monye Edwarde the prince and eldest sonne of age Who gat Richarde that had the heritage ¶ Leonell next borne after in Antwerpe In Brabant lande that wedded vnto his wyfe The erles doughter of Vlster as men do karpe And begatte on her Philip his doughter ryue And also his heire whome he loued as his lyue Whome erle Emonde of Marche the Mortimer Wedded to his wyfe and begatte the erle Roger. Edwarde the thyrd had fyue sonnes Edwarde prince Leonell Iohn duke of Lancastre Edmounde duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstocke duke of Gloucester ¶ That erle was after of Marche of Vlster With wylde Irishe that slayne wer in Irelande Who had a sonne erle Emonde Mortymer That dyed without yssue I vnderstande To whom dame Anne his syster vnto his land Was veraye heyre whoÌ„ the erle of CaÌ„bridge wed And gatte of her your selfe as I haue red ¶ Why should ye not then be her veraye heyre Of all her lande and eke of all her right Sith Iesu Christe of Iude lande so feire By veray meane of his mother Mary bryght To be kyng claymed tytle and right And so dyd name hym selfe kyng of Iewes So by your mother the right to you acrewes ¶ After Lyonell that was duke of Clarence And of Vlster the erle was by his wyfe And of Italie for his greate excellence Kyng should haue been without any stryfe Of all Europe without comparatyfe The royall lande and to his espousaile The dukes doughter of Melayn without faile ¶ Iohn borne in Gaunt of FlauÌ„ders chief cytee The thyrde
.xvii. yere to his god then wente Buryed full fayre as to suche a prynce appente ¶ Kymbalyne so was his sonne and heyre Noryshed at Rome instructe with cheualre That knyght was made with honour great fayer By Octauyan reigning then enterly Emperour then of Romes great monerchy In whose tyme was both peace and all concorde Through all that worlde and borne was christ oure lorde This Kinbelyne reigned fully .x. yere And ruled this lande in lawe and peace full well And dyed then as sayth the chronycler That ilke same yere that christe was borne with zele Of his mother a mayden fayre and we le For christen folke by grace then to redeme From payne of hell to blysse as clerkes deme ¶ From tyme that worlde firste was begoonne and made Vnto the tyme of Christes natiuytee Accompted ere through christendom full brade Fyue M. yere .ix. score and .xix. bee Or goddes sonne cam man for to bee As Crosius the discyple of Austyne In this writyng so as he coulde determyne ¶ Guyder his sonne and heyre full corageous That crowned was and kyng of excellence The trybute which the Romayns had of vs Denied then and made greate resystens With great trouble and manly violence Vnto the tyme that he had reygned clere In Bretayne by .iiii. and fourty yere ¶ In whiche yere then the Emperour Claudius At Caire peers that nowe porchestre hight Arryued a lande with people full corageous He closed the gates afore with mykyll myght And the cytee assauted both daye and nyght The cytezens to famyshe and conquer His name in armes and honour to proffer ¶ But king Guider fought there with themperour And slewe men on euery syde aboute Rescowyd the towne as very protectour And made hym to fle were he neuer so stoute But one Hamon rode faste into the route Hauyng on him the Britains sygne of warre Who in the prees slewe the kyng Guyder The .xlvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Aruiragus kynge of Britayne reygned .xliiii. yere And howe in his tyme Cladeus Emperour had truage of this lande and maryed his doughter to the kynge ARuiragus that sawe his brother slayne His brothers armis vpon hym self he cast And king was then of all the great Britain Vpon Hamon pursued tyll at the laste He droue hym into the hauen full faste And drowned him there after hight HamoÌ„ towne That men nowe call shorte speche SouthhaÌ„pton To winchester kyng Aruiragus rode Whether Claudiê° came with Romans ful of pryde Where Aruiragus with Britayns him abode But as they should haue fought in that tyde By both theyr councelles they were draweÌ„ on side Claudius doughter to wed they were accorde And truage to paye eche yere withoute discorde Then Claudius sente for dame Gennyse His doughter fayre full womanly to see She came in haste as then it myght suffyse To come oute frome so farre lande and countre And in a mede with floures of greate beaute Wedded they were where Claudius then made A cytee fayre Cayre glowe to name it had ¶ Of his name it was so denominate Nowe Gloucester standynge on seuerne syde The maryage after Christe was incarnate Was in the yere fourtye and syxe that tyde So in Britayne two yere he dyd abyde Orcades ysles in the meane tyme he conquered In whiche he enfeffid the kyng hym preferred ¶ And home to Rome he passed so agayne But after agayne the kyng truage denyed And none wolde paye wherefore Vaspasyan Hyther was sent with Romains fortifyed At Ruteporte that nowe Sandwiche is notifyed The kyng hym met and put hym frome the lande To Totenesse went and notwithstandyng fande ¶ So went he forth to Exceter his waye Caire Penelgorte then hight and it assaide Where then the kyng hym met the seuentene day With hoste full stronge but then the king preuayled But Gennyse the quene greatly auayled By her trety made them full well accorde That with Rome he dyd no more discorde The .xlvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Ioseph Aramathie came vnto Britayne with Vaspasyan and chrystened a parte of this lande VAspasyan wintered then in Britayne At the prayer of quene Gennyse And had truage then fully payde agayne To Vaspasyan as before was the gyse With whome Ioseph full holy and full wyse Of Aramathie with his felowes fourtene Into this lande then came and gaue contene ¶ For whome so then Vaspasyan praid the kyng The quene also to hym to be good lorde And good ladie which they graunted in all thing Declaring then and fully dyd recorde This worthy Vaspasyan by his owne worde Howe he hym tooke oute of Cayphas prysone Preserued by god and not by mannes reasone ¶ For fourty yere and two he in prisone laye Fro Christes death to tyme that he hym fande Withoute meate or drynke by any maner waye But only was conforted by goddes sonde And howe he hym brought oute of IerusaleÌ„ lond All this he tolde the king and eke the quene And prayde theim his supporters to been ¶ After the wynter nexte in somer tyed Vaspasyan to Rome then went agayne Ioseph abode and fully landifyed The lawe of Christe to whiche he was full fayne And the kyng gaue the sothe to sayne Twelue hydes of lande the then Mewtryn hight Whiche Glastenbury is nowe named full right In bretayne then this Ioseph dyd conuerte Brytons ay howe to knowe the incarnacyon Afore that Paynyms and also peruerte He taught them of his conuersacyon Of his passyon and his resurreccyon With other thinges as the chronycler saith That apperteygneth to Christes fayth ¶ Agrestes reygned by .iiii. and syxty yere When he was dead in caire glawe was buryed In a temple entoumbed fayre and clere Of his goddes that there were deifyed Aboute whyche tyme so oure ladye Mary dyed Or elles assumpte in body and soule on lyue Vnto the blysse after her ioyes fyue ¶ But Vaspasyan with his hoste full royall And Ioseph also came into Britayne The yere of Chryste was then accompte in all Seuenty and syxe the sooth for to sayne WheÌ„ VaspasiaÌ„ to Roome retourned home again The kyng enduyd Ioseph in meutryne The .xlviij. Chapiter ¶ Howe Ioseph conuerted this kyng Aruiragus gaue hym a shelde of that armes that wee call sainct George his armes whiche armes he bare euer after thus became that armes to bee that kynges armes of this laÌ„de loÌ„g afore sainct George was gotten or borne and as Maryan the profounde chronicler saieth he bare of siluer in token of clennes a crosse of goules significacion of the bloodde that Christe bleedde on the crosse and for it muste nedes of reason by called a crosse IOseph conuerted this kyng Aruigarus By his prechyng to knowe the lawe deuine And baptized hym as writeÌ„ hath Neninê° The chronicler in Bretain tongue full fyne And to Christe lawe made hym enclyne And gaue hym then a shelde of siluer white A crosse endlong and ouer twhart full perfect ¶ These armes were vsed through all Brytain For a coÌ„mon
called so by his propre name For whome they honoured of olde and age The fourth daye in euery weke at hame And so of Mercury geuing it a name And of wodeÌ„ called it wednisdaye Of olde custome as they haue vsed alwaye ¶ And Venus also was theyr hygh goddesse For whome alwaye they halowed the sixte daye Of euery weke in prayer and holynesse Who in theyr tonge friday was called alwaye For whose honoure that named was frydaye The Sonne the Moone Iubiter and Saturne And Mars the God of armes they dyd adorne ¶ The yere after of Christes incarnacyon Foure hundreth full fourty and syxe also Was when Engyst into this regyon Firste came and hauen with thre shippes and no mo As saynte Bede sayeth in gestis anglorum so with scottes Pieghtes they faught ful mightely And droue theim oute and had the victorye ¶ This Engist had then none habitacyon Desyringe so a castell in to dwell Hym and his men to kepe frome all aduersacyon Of Scottes peyghtes that enemyes were then fell As all olde Chronyclers canne you tell Asked as much ground as a bulleis skyn thonge Myght cyrcuyte fully of brede and longe ¶ Whiche the king him graunted then anone He made a thonge then of a bullys skyn So small and longe that rounde about dyd gone A stony grounde to set his castell in And thus by subtelte and his sleyghty gyn Where then he made Thongcastre as men tolde In Lyndesey that nowe is Castre of the wolde ¶ Engyst then sent for his doughter Rowan That came anone with shyppes eyghtene Well stuffed of men for they were of Britayne Agayne the Scottes and Peightes to opteyne Whome Vortiger then thought ful longe to sene She proferred him a drynke and sayde wassayle As he was learned he sayde to her drynke hayle ¶ Which wordes fyrst came vp so into this land With that he set his herte her for to loue That he her wed by all kyndes of lawfull bonde As then the church could best hym learne moue And thus the Saxons by Vortiger set aboue For whiche his sonnes and all the Baronage Hym hated sore ryght for his maryage ¶ Of Paynimes bloodde for to their ydolatrye Greate people were then turned and peruerte And greate also in Pilagien heresye Were accombred and hole to it aduerte Wherfore his sonne the people to conuerte For Lupus sent and his felowe Germayne Christen fayth to preache in all Britayne Which bishoppes ii the folke conuert did againe By processe so and home agayne then went This Engyst then to please the kyng full fayne For his sonne Occa to Germany sent For Ebissa and Cherdryk by consent Of Vortiger that .iii. C. shyppes brought Of men of warre the best that might be sought Of whiche his sonne that then hight Vortimer Of his fyrste wyfe and also the barons all Of suche multytude of people affrayed were And to the kyng as then it did befall Compleyned had without helpe in generall Wherfore anone together they dyd consent This Vortymer to crowne by hole assent The .lxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Vortymer the sonne of kynge Vortyger kynge of Brytayne to withstande the power of Engyste and of Saxons was twyes crowned Howe this Engyst vnder treaty slewe all the Baronage of Brytons on that playne of Salysburye THen Vortimer they crowned anon ryght With royalte that might to it appende That was ful wise ap pued lyke a knight In all courage that to knighthode did extende For to assayle or elles for to defende Who with myscreauntes faught sore vpon Deâ—went So did he elles at all place where he went ¶ At Abirforth he fought with theim also The better ay he had where as he yede But Catigerne his brother was kylled tho And horne also was slayne by greate manhode And thus Vortimer victorius where so he yede An other tyme vpon the north sea bankes He faught with them in batayle their vnthankes ¶ They fled vnto the ysle then of Tenecte Where he theim syeged fearfully and assayled And slewe theym doune on hepes ay as they met That theyr power almoste then was fayled All forefoughten and full sore batayled Besought the kyng they myght haue his lycence To Germany to make their reuertence ¶ So wente they home with lytell folke alyfe That in his tyme they came no more agayne But cytees all and churches amended full ry fe The christentee to mainteyne was full fayn But then anone the subtell quene Rowayne Made hym to be poysoned of whiche he dyed With her venymes thus was he mortifyed ¶ In a pyller of brasse he layde on hyght At the gate where Saxons had landed afore He bad his men for also farre as he myght Hym se he truste they wolde not nerre come thore But neuerthelesse they letted not therfore But buryed hym at Troynouaunt citeâ— As he them bade with all solempnite ¶ Kyng Vortiger was crouned then again For Engest sent and bade hym come anone For Vortimer his soonne was deade and slain Who with three huÌ„dred shippis full of meÌ„ne echone In Brytain landed and to the kyng ganne gone Of whome he was full glad and well reioysed And of his folke that were of greate power noised ¶ But Brytons all and also the baronage To fight with hym arose by whole consent For whiche he sent to theim by message That to the realme none eiuill he ment But for to helpe the lande in his entent And if thei were of his hoost displeased As thei could best deuise thei should been eased ¶ And bad theim set a daye wher thei might mete By their auise his power home to sende Or all to hold for their common quiet Fro their enemies the realme for to defende All his defaute by their auise tamende The Brytons thought his profer reasonable And to the realme also full profitable ¶ Thei sent hym woorde to mete the first daye of Maye With foure hundred so on euery side Vpon the plain of Sarum in meeke araye That Caire Cradok was called so that tyde Byside Awmesbury full fair edefied Again whiche daye this Engist bad his menne Within their hoses a long knif to haue then ¶ And when he saied Nemyth your sexes then Eche manne then slee a Bryton with his knife For so I shall vs marshall as I can A fore a Bryton a Saxon sette full rife So shall wee reue theim sonest of their life And sette vs ay in rest and moost quiete At a daye lymete together when wee mete ¶ A daye assigned as was his ordinaunce The watche woorde saied eche panyme a Bryton slewe Foure C. lordes of Christes holy creaunce Betrayed were by Engist so vntrewe The death of whome many a Bryton did rewe Whose corps all were buryed at Awmisbury Whiche after that daye was made a Nonnorye ¶ With the hoost of panymes came full fast And toke the kyng held hym at Troynouaunt For marred sore and greately was agast What so thei asked anone he did theim graunt The
full solitarie To Constantyne duke Cader sonne on hye His neuewe was for Cader was his brother As well was knowen they had but one mother ¶ Kyng Arthure then in Aualon so died Wher he was buried in a chapell fayre Whiche nowe is made and fully edified The mynster churche this daye of great repayre Of Glastenbury where nowe he hath his leyre But then it was called the blacke chapell Of our Lady as chronycles can tell ¶ Wher Geryn erle of Charters then abode Besyde his toumbe for whole deuocion Whether Launcelot delake came as he rode Vpon the chace with trompette and clarion And Geryn tolde hym ther all vp and downe Howe Arthure was there layde in sepulture For whiche with hym to byde he hight full sure ¶ And so they abode together in contemplacion And preastes were aboute his toumbe alwaye In prayers greate and holy meditacion With heare the fleshe repressyng night and daye Three dayes eche weke at breade and water aye They fasted lyued in great sorowe and penaūce To soules helth and Goddes hye pleasaunce ¶ But whē the quene Gwaynour had perceyued Howe Mordred was fled awaye then thryse Frō Yorke then yode lest she were deceyued On fote by night with a mayden full wise To Carlion to lyue in Goddes seruice In the mynster of saynt Iuly with Nonnes In prayers whole and greate deuocions ¶ This kyng Arthure to whō none was cōdigne Through all the world so was he then perelesse His life and soule to God he dyd resigne The yere of Christ as chronicles expresse Fyue hudreth and two in sothefastnesse And fourtye also accompted hole and clere At his endyng without any were The .lxxxv. Chapiter ¶ The commendacion of Arthure after the conceipte of the maker of this booke in fewe woordes and also the compleynte and lamentacion of the sayde maker for the death of Arthure REigned he had then sixe and twenty yere Moste redoubted in erth moste famous The worthiest and wysest without pere The hardyest man and moste coragious In actes marciall moste victorious In hym was neuer a drope of cowardise Nor in his herte a poynte of couetyse ¶ There was neuer prince of giftes more liberal Of landes geuyng ne of meate so plenteous Agayn his fooen was moste imperiall And with his owne subiectes moste bounteous As a Lyon in felde was moste douteous In house a lambe of mercy euer replete And in iudgement euer eguall was and discrete ¶ O good lorde God suche treason vnrightes Why suffred thy deuyne omnipotente That of theim had precience and forsightes That myght haue lette that cursed violence Of Mordredes pryde and all his insolence That noble kyng forpassyng conqueroure So to destroye by treason and erroure ¶ Fortune false executryse of weerdes That euermore so with thy subtilitee To all debates thou strongly so enherdes That where men euer would lyue in charitee Thou doest perturbe with mutabilitee Why stretchest thou so thy whele vpon Mordred Agayne his eme to do so cruel dede ¶ Wherthrough that high noble conqueroure Without cause shuld algates peryshed bee With so many kynges and princes of honour In all the worlde might none there better bee O fals Fallas of Mordredes propertee Howe might thou so in Gwynoure haue such might That she the death caused of so many knightes ¶ O false beautie of Gwaynour predestinate What vnhappe made the false to thy lorde So good a prince and so fortunate Was neuer yet seen as all men can recorde The whiche betwene you made so greate discorde That he and all his princes wer there slayne Thy chaungeable hert to venge he was so fayne ¶ But O Mordred tofore so good a knight In greate manhode proudly aye approued In whom thyne eme the noblest prince of might Put all his trust so greately he the loued What vnhappe thy manly ghost hath moued Vnto so foule and cruell hardynesse So many to be slayn through thyn vnhappynes ¶ The highnesse of thyne honoure had a fall When thou began to do that iniurie That great falshode thy prowesse did appall As soone as in the entred periurie By consequens treason and traitourie Thy lorde and eme and also thy kyng souerayn So to betraye thy felowes eke certayne The .lxxxvi. Chapter ¶ Constantyne kynge of Britayne sonne of duke Cador of Cornewayle reygned foure yere COnstantine his brother sōne was crowned Duke Cador sōne of Cornwaile boūteous Afore had been one of the table rounde In Arthures tyme a knight was ful auenturous In trone royall was set full precyous With Diademe on his hed sygnifyed At Troynouaunt where no wight it replyed ¶ Who then anone with Saxons sore did fight And also with Mordred sonnes two Their capitaynes were put theim to the flyght That one fled to wynchester and hyd hym so That other to London with mykyll woo Where Constātyne theim bothe in churches slew At the autres where they were hyd in mewe ¶ This constantyne set all his lande in peace And reygned well foure yere in greate noblesse And dyed then buryed at Caroll no lesse Besyde Vterpendragon full expresse Arthures father of greate worthynesse Whiche called is the stone Hengles certayne Besyde Salysbury vpon the playne ¶ Aurelius Conan his cosyn fayre The sea royall then helde and ganne succede To hym as nexte then of bloude and heyre His vncle and his sonnes two in dede In prysone slewe to crowne hym selfe I rede That should haue been kynges of all Britayne Afore hym so yf they had not be slayne ¶ He maynteyned aye ciuyle warre and debate Bytwene Cytees Castelles and countees Through al his realme with mysruled mē associate Whiche was greatly agaynst his royaltees And but thre yere he reygned in dignitees As God so wolde of his hye ordynaunce For wronge lawes maketh shorte gouernaunce ¶ Then Vortyper succeded after hym Crowned was then with all the royalte Agaynste whome the Saxons stronge grym Made full greate warre destroyed the comente But in batayle by greate humanyte He them ouercame and set his lande in peace Vnto the tyme that death made him decease ¶ Seuen yere he reigned and his people pleased And tender was he of his comynalte Aboue all thyng he sawe that they were eased The publyke cause afore the syngulerte Preserued also as it of ryght should be For cōmons fyrst for prynces supportacion Were set and nought been waste by dominacion ¶ Malgo nexte hym to the crowne attayned Feyrest of other that euer was in his daye All tyranny fully he restreyned And conquered holy thryse of Orkenay Irelonde Denmarke Iselonde and eke Norway And Gotlande also obeyed his royalte He was so wyse full of fortunyte Within his realme was none so large ne strong Ne none that was in feacte of warre so wise With swerde or axe to fyght in the thronge Nor with his speare that had suche exercyse For to assayle hys fooes and them suppryse And defence also he had great keenyng As any
our lande Floure and mele of whete and rye he solde The market he so amended manyfolde ¶ And wood he had and other marchaundise Woll and hide and yron great quantitee Woll skynnes cloth of golde and spyceries Iewelles in chestes and stones of precioustee And other marchauntes in specioustee And prisoners also and mykell flaxe Wynes swete and mykell poleyn waxe The CC .viii. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Robert Vmfreuile brent Pebles on there market daye and made his men to mete their clothe with speres bowes and after the Scottes called hym Robyne Mendmarket and his neuewe brente Iedworth and Teuidale sone after AT Pebles long afore that tyme .iiii. yere He brent the toune vpon their market daye And met theyr cloth with speres bowes sere By his biddyng without any naye Wherfore the Scottes from thence forthward ay Called hym Robyn mendmarket in certayn For his measures were so large and playn ¶ His neuewe Gilbert and he the .xi. yere Of kyng Henry vpon the water of Calme than And also on Roule and Iedworth forest clere Forrayed full sore with many a manly man His banner first there was displayed then When he was clerely but .xiiii. yere nomore When his vncle had battled hym so sore The CC .ix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the prince Henry of Wales sent power to the duke of Burgoyn to helpe hym the two Vmfreuiles syr Iohn Graye with other where Vmfreuile with the Englyshe men helde the felde for he would not kyll the prysoners as the duke of Burgoyn had ordeyned THe prince Henry to duke Philip then sent That of Burgoyn was so both syr lorde Syr Gilbert Vmfreuile his vncle veramēt His cousyn also syr Ihō Gray as mē recorde With many other worthy with speare sweorde Willyam Porter agayn the duke of Orleaunce And his armynakes with men of great defence ¶ At S 〈…〉 ncle then again the duke of Orleaūce And the duke of Burbon by all a daye Thenglyshe faught with great sufficience And wanne the brydge with battayll bet awaye Tharmynakes with many sore affraye Where Vmfreuile proclaymed was erle of Kyme Cheiften was of all Englyshe that tyme. ¶ At Durdan also and at Etham agayn They faught all newe where then they had that feld And prisoners many they did opteyne The which the duke of Burgoyn wold haue weld Because to hym they were so vnbelde Theim to haue slayn he cōmaunded then eche capitayn His prisoners to kyll then in certeyn ¶ To whiche Gilbert Vmfreuile erle of Kyme Aunswered for all his felowes and there men They shuld all die together at a tyme Or theyr prisoners so shulde be slayn then And with that toke the felde as folke did ken With all theyr men and all theyr prisoners To die with theim as worship it requyers ¶ He said they wer not come thyther as bouchers To kyll the folke in market or in feire Ne theim to sell but as armes requiers Theim to gouerne without any dispeyre As prysoners owe home agayn repeire For fyne paying as lawe of armes wyll And not on stockes nor in market theim to sell ¶ With whō syr Iohn Graye as his cousyn dere And all Englyshe with many other of Fraunce With their prysoners full familier Batayled in felde with full strong ordinaunce More like to fight then to make obeysaunce And helde therle of kyme for theyr cheiftayn To lyue and dye vnder his baner certayne ¶ The duke Philyppe full of sapyence Sawe his manhode and his knightly courage Lothe was to lese his noble aduenture By treaty and by other tender message Of prisoners graunt them to do auauntage And hym withhelde with all his feloship As Earle of Kyme proclaymed of great worshyp ¶ Then after sone oure Englishemen anone Came home agayne with great and hye rewarde Whome then the duke by letter cōmende alone In writyng specifyed with herte inwarde Vnto the prynce that sent them to hymwarde And thanked them greatly of his seruyce In his warres shewed agayne his enemies ¶ The king discharged that prince fro his coūsayle And set my lorde syr Thomas in his stede Chief of counsayle for the kynges more auayle For whiche the prynce of wrath and wilfull hede Agayne hym made debate and frowardhede With whom the kyng toke parte helde the felde To tyme the prince vnto the king him yelde ¶ The king then made his sōne duke of Clarēce My lorde Thomas and sent hym into Fraūce To helpe the duke Lewys of Orlyaunce Agayne the duke of Burgoyne at instaunce Of my lorde Thomas againe that prince suraunce Whiche was the cause also of theyr heuynesse So to refuse duke Philyppes loue causelles ¶ But then the duke of Clarence with power Came to the duke Lowes of Orlyaunce Kīg Charles brother who made hym noble chere And hym receyued with full hye reuerence They two warryed with mighty suffycience Vpon the duke of Burgoyne and hym outrayed That he went into Burgoyne all formayed ¶ Then rode the duke of Clarence into Guien Through Fraunce with hoste then full royall And kepte that lande with helpe of duke Lewis thē In whiche meane while kyng Henry gan fall In great syknesse that his strength did pall With contryte herte and humble yelden chere He sayde O lorde thy me 〈…〉 I requyre The CC .x. Chapiter ¶ The wordes that the Kynge sayde at hys deathe of hyghe complaynt but nought of repentaūce of vsurpement of the realme ne of the restorement of ryght heyres to the crowne O Lorde he sayde O God omnipotent Nowe se I well thy godhede loueth me That suffred neuer my foes to haue theyr entent Of myne persone in myne aduersrte Ne in myne sycknesse ne in myne infyrmyte But ay haste kepte it fro theyr maleuolence And chastysed me by thy beneuolence ¶ Lorde I thanke the with all my herte With all my soule and my spirytes clere This wormes mete this caryon full vnquerte That some tyme thought in worlde it had no pere This face so foule that leprous doth apere That here afore I haue had suche a pryde To purtraye ofte in many place full wyde ¶ Of which ryght nowe that porest of this lande Except only of theyr benignyte Wolde loth to looke vpon I vnderstande Of whiche good lorde that thou so visyte me A thousande tymes the lorde in trinyte With all my herte I thanke the and cōmende Into thyne handes my soule withouten ende ¶ And dyed so in fayth and hole creaunce At Cauntorbury buryed with greate reuerence As a kyng shulde be with all kynde of circumstaūce According vnto his hye magnifycence Besyde the prynce Edward with great expence Of Christ was then a. M. yere full oute Four hundreth eke and thirtene oute of doubte ¶ O very God what torment had this kyng To remember in bryef and shorte entent Some in his sherte put ofte tyme venemyng And some in meate and drinke great poysonment Some in his hose by great ymagenement Some in bedstraw yrōs sharpe
fled away and made the beste shifte euery manne for hym selfe that he could to escape his hādes sauyng that kyng Hēry taryed poste alone in the bishoppes paleyce besyde Powles where standynge lyke a desperate manne and not knowynge what to dooe was taken of kyng Edward and cast into pryson agayn in the towre This Edward came into London the .xi. day of Apryll halfe a yere after that he hadde sayled into Flaunders and callyng his councel together did highly commende the citezens for that faythfulnesse that they bare to hym and in especiall the Aldermen that they caused the people to do their obeysaūce to hym also sharpelye rebuked other of the cytie whom he knewe to haue lent monye to kyng Henry And for that cause woulde haue made theim paye mony to the preparyng of an hoste for hym but at the last he bad theim bee without all feare promysyng theim their pardon safetie of life thorowe the whiche gentlenesse he gatte the fauoure of the cōmen people wonderfully The erle consideryng that battayll should be shortelye folowed his enemyes in great haste to the entente that yf his enemies had any stoppe or lette by that waye he myght fight buckel with theim before they came to Lōdō But now after that he had pursued theim long and came a good waye of his iourney worde was brought that Edwarde had gottē London imprisoned the kyng The earle then perceauyng that the victorie ende of fightyng should be tryed in this one batayle rested at saynt Albones partely to refreshe his men and partely to take some counsayl In this hoste there was the duke of Excester the earle of Oxenforde the duke of Somerset and the lorde Mountacute Marques brother to the earle whom the earle perceaued to bee very vnwyllyng to fight and that agaynst kyng Edward and therfore he had no trust to hym yet the loue that betwixte brother and brother diminished the suspicion but whatsoeuer he thought eyther of hym or of other he hymselfe was euer out of feare and daunger And so came from saynt Albones to a toune that is halfe waye betwyxte London and that aboute a tenne myle frome London called Barnet and this toune standeth on a hyll where there is a goodlye playne and here the earle entended to pitche his battayle And Edward hearyng of this prepared his armye and adioyned a greate power of young menne to theim and so with bowes bylles speares and arowes and all maner instrumentes apperteynyng to warre he had so furnysshed his menne that he thought to make riddaūce of theim at that tyme for all and fynishe battayle that was so longe holden And so came with this his armye to mete his enemies and that he might bee the redier to fight with theim wheresoeuer he mette theim he had foure wynges that they could escape hym at no hand And he brought with hym to battayle also Henry then prisoner to the entente that his aduersaries might bee the more discouraged at the sight of hym or els if fortune fauoured hym not he might neuerthelesse bee saued by him After the noone he pytched his tentes at the fore named Barnet nighe to hys enemyes but that he myghte not fyghte that daye he defended hys tentes veraye strongelye for the longer he taryed the better it was by reason of the daylye concourse of noble men and commen people to hym and the woorse for the earle for that he was farre from his frendes There they lodged that night and by breake of day the earle of Warwike begā to araye his armye of this sorte Fyrste the lorde Marques and the earle of Oxenforde was set on the lefte syde wyth certayn horssemen and he hymselfe with the duke of Exceter on the ryght syde In the myddeste betwixte theim bothe he setteth the duke of Somerset with all the archers And thus araiyng theim to this battayl beganne to exhorte theim that thei would fight lustely and lyke hardye meune reuengyng the quarell of their countree for that he had moste falsely possessed that croune In like maner did kyng Edward whiche after that he had set theim in ordre encouraged theim to fight lykewyse and to remembre that thei inuaded rebelles traytours and sedicious persons whiche entended nothynge but the vtter destruccion and losse of theyr countree When daye came the trompettes beganne to blowe on bothe sydes as the tokens and lignes of the battayle And firste the bowe men shot then drawynge nere tryed it with sweorde Edwarde trustyng thorowe the multitude of his mē to haue the better hād did stāde stiffely to theim enbouldenyng his souldiours in all that he coulde Whose power the erle moste manfully resisted And so by long cōtinuaunce of battail many men wer slayne in whose places succeded euer fresher fresher At the length the erle perceauyng his mē to bee ouerthrowen by the kyng his great power drewe nigh with his foreward constreyned the kyng to geue backe a litle Then Edward seeyng that brought freshe men to aide the other so that thother mē wer beten downe very sore to the groūde And Edwarde beeyng werye of this longe fyghtynge for they fought from mornyng to none caused theim that wer without the battayl then standyng for the defēce of Edward yf such nede should be to fall vpō their enemies beare theim downe with their great power The erle then seyng freshe mē to come vpō theim was nothing afeard but trusting loking surely for the victorye dyd comforte encourage his menne then almoste discomfited moost manfully desiring theim to beare oute this laste brunt lustely and the victorie should redounde to theim but they being weryed with longe continuaunce were nothing moued at his wordes Then he him self moste valiauntly came among the myddest of his enemyes and there kylled and slewe many of theim where he hym selfe at the laste was striken downe and his brother lorde Marques then folowing hym after whose deathe all the other fled so were taken moste parte of theim And this was the ende of the earle whose stoutenesse of stomack made hym bee in lyke peryll and leopardye at many other times at dyuerse and sundrye suche conflictes and warres There was killed of both partes more then ten thousande menne and so many taken prisoners that they could not be noumbred The duke of Somerset and the earle of Oxforde entendyng to take their waye to Scotlande dyd chaunge their mindes bicause it was so farre frō theim and fledde streight to Wales to the earle of Penbrucke and so euery man to saue their liues fledde some one way and some an other The erle of Exeter skaping very hardely tooke the sentuarye at Westminster and there remayned When Edward had gotte this victorye he went to London after the moost triumphyng fassion hauyng Henry with hym as prisoner The deed corps also of the earle and the lorde Marques were brought to Poules and there laye for the space of .ii. dayes that euery manne might see theim to bee
as were right secrete with bothe affyrme all this to be vntrue and other wyse meÌ„ne thynke it vnlykely the depe dyssymulyng nature of bothe these menne well consydered And what nede in that grene world the protectoure hadde of the duke and in what perell the duke stoode yf he fell once in suspycion of that tyraunte that other the protectoure would geue the duke occasyon of dyspleasure or the duke the protectoure occasyon of mystrust And surely menne thynke that if kyng Rychard hadde any suche opynyon conceaued in hym he would neuer haue suffred hym to aduoyd his handes or escape his power but verye true it is that the duke of Buckyngham was an high mynded man euell could beare the glorye of another so that I haue hearde of some that sawe it that he at suche tyme that the croune was set vpon the protectoures hedde his yie could neuer abyde the sight therof but wryed his hed another waye but men sayde he was not well at ease and that was both to kyng Richard well knowen and well takeÌ„ nor any demaunde of the dukes request vncurteously reiected but gentelye deferred but bothe he with greate giftes and high behestes in moste louyng and trustie maner departed from the kyng to Gloucester But sone after his commyng home to Brecknocke hauyng there by kyng Richardes commaundemeÌ„t doctour Moorton byshop of Ely who before as you haue hearde was taken at the councell at the towre waxed with hym very famylyer whose onlye wysedome abused his pryde to his owne delyueraunce the dukes dystruccion The byshop was a man of great natural wyt verye well learned and of honourable behaueoure lackyng no wyse wayes to wynne fauour He was fyrst vpon the parte of kyng Henry whyle that parte was in wealth and neyther left it nor forsoke it in no woo but fled the realme with the quene and the prince And while kyng Edward had kyng Henry in pryson he neuer retourned but to the felde at Barner After whiche felde loste vtterly subdued al parte takynges extynguished kyng Edward for his fast faythe and wysedome was not onelye coÌ„tent to receaue hym but also wooed hym to come and had hym froÌ„ thensforth both in secrete trust specyall fauoure whom he nothyng deceaued For he beyng after kyng Edwardes death fyrst taken by the tyraunt for his truthe to the kynge founde meane to sette the duke in his toppe and ioyned gentlemen together in ayde of the erle of Richemounde whiche after was named kyng Henrye the seuenth Fyrst deuysyng the maryage betwene the ladye Elizabeth daughter to kynge Edwarde the fourthe by the whiche his faythfull true seruyce declared to both his masters at once was with infinite benefite to the realme by the coniunccion of the bloddes of Lancastre and Yorke whose funerall tytles had longe inquyeted the realme This manne afterwarde escaped from the duke and 〈…〉 d the realme and went to Rome neuer myndyng to medle with the worlde tyl kyng henry the seuenth sent for hym and after made hym archebyshop of Cauntorbury and chauncelour of Englande and after was made cardinall and lyued well to all mennes iudgementes and dyed well But to retourne to the former purpose he by the long often alternate proffe aswel of prosperytee as aduerse of fortune had gotten by great experience the verey mother mastresse of wysedome a depe insight in pollytike worldlye driftes whereby perceauynge nowe the duke to coÌ„men with hym fed hym with fayre woordes and many pleasaunt prayses and perceauyng by the grefe of their communicacions the dukes pryde nowe and then to balke oute a lytle brayde of enuye towarde the glorye of the kynge and thereby feelynge hym easye to fall oute yf the matter were well handled he craftely soughte the wayes to prycke hym forwarde takynge alwayes the occasyon of hys commynge and also keepynge hymselfe cloose wythin hys bandes that he rather semed to folowe hym then to leade hym For when the duke beganne fyrste to prayse and boaste the kyng and shewe how muche profite the realme should take by his reigne Byshoppe Morton aunswered surely my lorde folye it were for me to lye for I am sure yf I woulde swere the contrarye ye would not once beleue me but yf the worlde would haue begone as I would haue wyshed that kyng Henryes soonne had had the croune and not kynge Edwarde then woulde I haue bene his true and faythfull subiecte but after that God had ordeyned hym to lose it and kyng Edwarde to reigne I was neuer so madde with a dead manne to stryue agaynst the quycke so was I euer to kynge Edwarde a faythfull and true chapeleyn and gladde would haue bene that his chyldren shoulde haue succeded hym howbeit yf the secrete iudgemente of God haue otherwyse prouyded I purpose not to spurne agaynste the prycke nor laboure to set vp that God pulleth downe And as for the late protectoure and nowe kyng and with that woorde he left sauynge that he saide that he hadde alreadye medled to muche with the worlde and would from that daye medle with his booke and bedes and no ferther Then longed the duke sore to heare what he woulde haue sayde because he ended with the kynge and there so sodeynlye stopped and exhorted hym famylyerly betwene theim bothe to bee bolde and to saye whatsoeuer he thought whereof he faythfullye promysed there shoulde neuer come hurte and paraduenture more good then he woulde were And that he hym selfe entended to vse hys faythfull secrete aduyce and counsayle which he sayed was the onlye cause for the whyche he procured of the kynge to haue hym in hys custodye where he myghte recon hym selfe at home or elles he hadde bene putte in the handes of theim wyth whome he shoulde not haue founde lyke fauoure The bishoppe right humblye thanked hym and sayed in good faythe my lorde I loue not muche to talke of prynces as of a thynge not all oute of perell althoughe the woorde bee without faute but as it pleaseth the prince to construe it And euer I thynke on Isopes tale that when the Lyon had proclaymed that on payne of deathe there shoulde no horned beastes come into the wood one beaste that had a bonche of fleshe growing oute of his hedde fledde a greate pace the Foxe that sawe hym flye with all the haste asked hym whether he fledde In fayth ê™ he I neither wote ne recke so I were once hence because of the proclamacyon made agaynste horned beastes What foole ê™ the foxe the Lyon neuer ment it by the for that whiche thou haste is no horne in thy hedde No mary ê™ he I wote that well ynoughe but yf he saye it is a horne where am I then The duke laughed merely at the tale saied my lorde I warraunte you neither the Lyon nor the bore shall pycke any matter at any thyng here spoken for it shall neuer come nere their cares In good faythe syr saied the Byshoppe yf it dyd the thyng that
so doyng and wher as the kyng also remembring this benefyte dyd make hym his chiefe chamberlayn and gaue hym the hyghest promocions that he had he lytle regarded them and loked for some greater rewarde wherfore the king perceauynge that was sore greued with hym and so thei bothe dyd fall at debate and hatred eche wyth other Also at this time the king thought best to vse some asperite in correcting the offeÌ„ces of his subiectes because the some had taken suche heart and audacitee to them the thei feared not to speake euel of his maiestie with most spiteful and contumeleous wordes trusting euer that the fayned Rychard duke of York now lately rysen from death to lyfe on gods name should claime the crowne enheret his counterfeted fathers possessions when such persoÌ„s had suffered due ponishment for their offences other learning by their neighbours mischaunce to beware dyd frome the tyme beare theim selfes as true faithfull subiectes assysted him with al their power at what time he required help of theÌ„ After the death of this William Stanley Giles Dabeney was chosen and made chiefe chaÌ„berlain And now the kyng was in a good staye for his realme sauyng that Ireland was not wel weded of the pernicious sede the was sowed by the young maÌ„ Perkin Warbeck and his secte Wherfore he sent sir Henry Deny late abbot of LanktoÌ„ abbey thither made him chauncellour ouer al that I le and Edward Ponyng to serch all places that the forenamed Perken was in to punish theÌ„ extremely in the example of other the were giltie of that crime but when thei heard of this thei fled for the most part into woddes marysh places for the defence safgard of them selfes there consultyng to kepe open warre agaynst hym whiche Edwarde after that he persued theim many times and coulde neuer try it wyth them because thei wer so disparsed as foren and wilde people he returned backe and suspectinge that the earle of Kyldare was the occasion of this attached him at the counsayl of the erle his euel willers and brought him as prisoner to England Wher when he was arained and certain matters of treason laied to his charge he aduoided theÌ„ all clerly quite him selfe whome the kynge dimissed and sente hym to Irelande there to bee gouernour and captayne ouer theim as he was before So that now the kyng beeyng oute of all feare of battayle dyd take hys progresse to shyre there to recreate his spirites and solace him selfe with his mother lady Margarete wyfe and countesse to the Earle of Darby Yet when the king was thus delityng hym selfe Perken Warbecke could not moderate or rule hym selfe although so manye suffered and were put to execucion for his mischife but to proue again the chaunce of battel gathered a great armye of men aswell prisoners slaues saÌ„nctuary men as other came into Kent because the wind so serued ther caused certayne to land to enquire yf the Kentish men would bear with him with whoÌ„ the Kentish meÌ„ working guiles promised the thei would assist him yf he his coÌ„panie would land ther. Albeit the same PerkeÌ„ fearing the thei meaned falshode and craft would not descende him selfe but caused certain of his souldiours to lande whiche persones beynge a pretye way from their shippes wer sore beateÌ„ and put to flight and many of theim taken prisoners after wer condempned to dye Wherfore PerkeÌ„ failing of his purpose fled backe to Flaunders and there consulted with his frendes vntyll suche time he had been better prepared bothe of men and counsayle The kynge herynge that hys enemyes had made eÌ„trauÌ„ce into his realme left of his progresse purposed to go to London but beynge certified the next day after how wel thei had sped continued went forth of his progresse sendyng to theim Richard Gilford to geue thankes and promise of a good turne herafter for the good seruice that thei had done him in those tumultes and assaultes of his enemies Also that thei might not haue any accesse herafter into those parties the king commauÌ„ded the lordes to bee defeÌ„ded stroÌ„gely with bulwarkes other sure munimeÌ„tes fortresses of the whiche this same Perken beyng certified hastened the more to renue battaill against the kyng that he might not haue longer space through his delaye to dooe all these thynges for the defence of his realme and so came to Irelande with all his armie and there tariyng a space sailed to Scotlande for ayde and succour of kyng Iames trustyng to finde grace at his hand to whom he spake after this maner I thinke it is not vnknoweÌ„ to you moste noble kyng in what ruine the stocke of Edwarde the fourth of that name is now of late whiche if you dooe not know and it please your grace so to take me I am his soonne by the power of God preserued a liue at this houre from the mightie hand of a tiranne For my father when he died apointed his brother Richard duke of Gloucestre to bee our gouernour ê“tectour Albeit he was rather a destroyer of our progenie then a mainteiner of it for he wyllyng to be kyng hymself and depriue vs of our right and title commaunded that we should bothe bee slain and dispatched out of this worlde Therfore he hauyng then full power to ordre vs at his will did cause my brother to bee destroyed and because that he might bee without some parte of that offense and not shewe hymself all a tiraÌ„ne he caused me to bee conueighed to some straunge and foren countree and there to bee desolate of all comforte and helpe And so kyng Richard did hold his crouÌ„e by dispatchyng away of vs two so that I could not tell by the reason of my tendre age what I was vntill now of late that myne aunte ladie Margarete beyng in FlauÌ„ders did shewe me what I was after she had seen me and to the entent I might recouer again my fathers possessions she hath geuen me for her power a bonde of meÌ„ne wyllyng me the I should desire the helpe of externe nacions and countrees And so I am come to you for succoure whoÌ„ as it is reported will helpe at all tymes euery manne in his right and in case bee I shall finde you fauorable to me you shall binde me and all myne neuer to thynke ourselfes hable to make you amendes When he had thus saied the kyng promised hym that it should neuer repente hym of his commyng to hym and bad him to take a good hearte after this the kyng assemblyng his counsaill together asked what thei thought best in that matter and whether any deliberacion should bee takeÌ„ of it or no. To whom some of theim that were wâ—sest aunswered that it were folishenes to go fur 〈…〉 in suche a matter consideryng that he was but a painted and feigned duke and had no right to England Other also saied that it was for diuerse causes moste profitable to the coÌ„men