came proudly into the felde as hys chalenge asked anone came the erle of Kent rode vnto the scot manly rode togyder wyth sharpe spâ—res dyuerses courses but the erle of Kent had the felde gate hym moche worshyp and thanke of all maner men of his manful dedes ¶ And in the .vii. yere of kyng Henryes regne the four the syr Rycharde Scrop Archebysshop of yorke and the Erle Marchall of Englonde gadrede vnto theym a stronge power ayenst kynge Henry And the kynge herynge ther of in all the hast that he myghty came with his power Northwarde and mette with them at yorke and there were these two Lordes taken and broughte to the kynge ¶ And anone the Iuges were sette and these two lordes brought forth and there they were dampned vnto deth and both theyr heedes smyten of and there they made an ende on whos soules god for his pyte haue mercy Amen ¶ And whan this was done the kynge came to London ayen and there rested hym· Anone god of his greate goodnesse wrought shewed many grete myracles for thes worthy clerke Archebysshop of yorke that thus was done to deth ¶ And in the .vii. yere of kyng Henryes regne dame Luce the dukes syster of Melayne came in to Englonde soo to London there was wedded to syr Edmonde erle of Kente in the pryory of saynt Marye oueres in south warke wyth moche solempnyte greate worshyp The kynge was there â–ª hymself gafhyr at the chirche dore whan that they were wedded masse was done the kynge his owne person brought ladde this worthy lady in to the bysshops place of wynchestre and there was a wonder grate feest hold on to all maner of peple that wolde come And the same yere syr Robert Knolles knyÈt a worthy warryour deyed at his maner in Northfolk and from thens he was brought to London on a hors bere wyth moche torche lyght so he was brought vnto the whyte freres in Fletstrete there was do made for hym a solempne feest a ryall enterement for tho that thyder wolde come both ryche poore there lyeth buryed by dame Constance his wyf in the mydde of the body of the chyrche on whoo 's soule god for his pyte haue mercy Amen ¶ And thus in this same yere syr Thomas Rampston knyght Constable of the Tour of London was drenched at London brydge as he came fro westmyger In wardes to the Tour in a barge all thrugh lewdenesse And in the same yere dame Phylyp the yonger doughter of kynge Henry was ladde ouer see with syr Rycharde the dukes brother of yolke and syr Edmond Courteney bysshop of Norwiche many other lordes kynghtes squyres ladyes gentyl women that apparteyned to suche a kynges dougher and came in to Denmake and the kynge receyued thys worthy lady for his wyf welcomed these worthy lordes dyd vnto theym moche worshyp and they were brought vnto a towne that was called London in Denmarke there was this lady wedded and sacred to the kyng of Denmarke Norway and Swythen there was crowned quene of Denmarke wyth moche solempnyte there was made a ryall feest And whan thys feest and maryage was done and ended these lordes and ladyes tooke theyr leue of the kynge and the quene and came ayen in to Enlonde in saufte thanked be god ¶ And in the .viii. yere of kynge Henrys regne there was a man that was calld the walsshe clerke he apelyd a kynght that was called syr Percyuale Snowdone of treason there they were Ioyned to fyght vnto the vtterauÌ„ce wyth in Lystes the daye and place tyme assygned lymytted to be done ended in smythfelde at the whyche daye tho two persons came in to the felde and foughten sore myghtely togoder but at the laste the knyght ouer come the clerke made hym yelde hym as recreaunt of his fals enpechement that he had sayd on hym than was he dyspoyled of his armure drawen oute of the felde to Tybuâ—ne there he was hangyed and the knyght taken to grace was a good man ¶ And in the same yere the Erle of Northumberlonde and the lorde Bardolfe came out of Scotlonde in preiudyce and dystruccyoÌ„ of kynge Henry wherfore they of the Northe countree aroson vpoÌ„ theym and foughte with them and scomfyted them and tooke theym smote of theyr hedes and quartred theyr bodyes and sente the hede of the erle a quarter of the lorde Bardolfe to London and there they were sets vpoÌ„ London brydge for fals treason that they had purposed ayenst the kynge ¶ And in the ix yere of kynge Henryes regne was syre Edmonde Holonde Erle of Kente made Amerall of Englonde for to kepe the see and he wente to the see wyth many ryall shyppes that were full well arayed and enparelled and enarmed wyth many a good man of armes and arches and of good defence of warre in the kynges name of Englonde and soo he londed at the laste in the coste of Brytayne in the yle of Bryak with alle his folke and he besyeged the castell and assauÌ„ted it they withstode hym wyth grete defence strenth And anone he layd his ordynaunce in the lyenge of a goÌ„ne there come a quarell smote the good erle Edmonde in the heed there he caught his deed wouÌ„de but yet they lefte not tylle that they hadde goten the castell and alle that were therin ¶ And there this good Lorde deyed on whoo 's soule god haue mercy Amen ¶ And than this menye came home ayen into Englonde with the Erles body and was buryed amonges hys auÌ„cestres ryght worthely ¶ And in the same yere was a grete frost in Englond that dured .xv. wekes longe ¶ And in the .x. yere of kynge Henryes regne the fourthe came the Soneschall of Henaude with other menye in Englonde to seke auentures and to gete hym worshyp in dedes of armes bothe on horsback and on foot att all maner poyntes of warâ—e ¶ And the seneschal chalenged the erle of Somerset and the erle delyuered hym full manfully of all his chalenges and put his aduersary vnto the worst in all poyntes and waÌ„ne hym there grete worshyp and the degre of the felde And on the next day after came into the felde an other man of armes of Seneschals partye And ayenst hym came syr Rycharde of Arundell knyght the Henaude had the better of hym on foot in on poynte for he brought hym on his knees And on the thyrde daye come in an other man of armer in to the felde and ayenst hym trere came syr IohnÌ„ Corne waylle knyghte and manly and knyghtly he quyte hym in all manes poyntes ayenste his aduersary and had the better in the felde And on the fourth daye came a nother man of armes of Henaude in to the felde and ayenste hym came syr IohnÌ„ Chaynes sone and manly
hys dygnytee for holynesse but for appetyte of tho virgyns wrote hym not in the booke of popes And there he a virgyn was martred with those virgins ¶ Poncianus a martyr succeded Vrbanus And he ordeyned that psalmes sholde be soyde daye nyght in the chyrche of god And that a preest sholde saye Confite or afore the masse ¶ Anteros a martyr was pope after this man this man ordeyned that a bysshop myght be remeued from one vnto an other And he made the lyfe of martyrs to be wryten And he was slayne and buryed in the Cimitery of saynt Calixt ¶ Maximianus was chosen Emperour act MaguÌ„cia of the hoste not by the Senatours and regned thre yere and destroyed the chyrche myghtely and was slayne for Origene ¶ Gordian regned after hym .vi. yere and of hym is lytell wryten but he was slayne Hiis diebus Celus dux Colchestrie in asclepio regnat in britannia annis quasi .xxx. vsque ad aduentum Constancii Lati M. vacat ¶ Phylyp was Emperour after hym this Phylyp chose to hym Phylyp his sone they regned .xvii. yere were the fyrst Emperours that were crystend and after slayne of the host They be queued all ther tresour in ther deth that it sholde be dysposed to poore men And saynt Laurence at the assygnacyon of his mayster the pope departed this tresour about Rome the whyche was greate cause of his martyrdome Vt quideÌ„ dicunt ¶ Decius was Emperour thre yere in all thynges a tyrauÌ„t For he entred th empyre whan he the hoste had slayne the two Philyppes his lordes after that he was slayne with his sone ¶ Fabianê° a martyr a Romayne was pope after Anteros .xii. yere this was a very holy man For whan Crysten men stode to abyde the eleccyon of the pope sodenly a whyte douue or a culuour desceÌ„ded on hys heed sayenge vnto hym thou shalt be pope of Rome This man ordeyned euery yere the Creme sholde be halowed vpon Sherethursdaye Also he deuyded regyons to deakens the whiche sholde wryte the lyf of maetrys And at the laste Dicitus slewe hym ¶ Cornelius a martyr Romayne was pope after Fabianê° .iii. yere This man toke vp the bodyes of Peter Poul with grete honoure put them in worshypfull places with beata Lucina· ¶ Lucius was pope after Cornelius thre yere and of hym lytell is wryten ¶ Gallus with his sone Volucianus were Emperours two yere they foughte with Emilianus were slayne And Emilianê° the thyrde moneth was slayne ¶ Valerian was Emperoure wyth hys sone Galyene .xv. yere Thys man was vertuous and manly in the begynnynge but after was gyuen to vyce moche wrytchednesse And so was his sone Galiene This valerian wente vnto the londe of Perse And therfore the grete blod of martyrs whiche he had shedde was taken of the kyng of Perse And whan he had take hym he put out both his eyen kept hym in grete bondage And to this entente he kept hym that whan so euer he shold ryde this Veferian shal be lye downe he sholde sette hys leet vpon hys backe whan he wolde take hys horse This herde Galiene his sone that was lefte at Rome And that caused hym that he was not so cruell ayenst Crysten men ¶ And here was the .viii. persecucyon of the chyrche made by the Emperour And made the Romayns to lese ther kyngdomes the whiche were neuer recouerd ayen to the emperour And generall pestelence was thrugh out all the world for ther trespasse ¶ Stephanus a martyr after Lucius was pope .iii. yere this man ordeyned that no man sholde vse none halowed clothes but to the worship of god ¶ Sixtus a martyr and a Romayne was pope after Stephanus two yere Thys man ordeyned that the masse sholde besayd vpon an awter the whiche afore was not and thenne he deyed ¶ Dyonisius a Romayne was pope after hym two yere Thys man deuyded parysshes and chyrcheyardes and assygned to chyrches certen preestes ¶ Felix a martyr was pope after Dyonisius two yere He ordeyned that for the memorye of martyrs masses sholde be sayde Also he ordeyned the Dedycacyon of the chyrche euery yere sholde be sayde ¶ Claudius was Emperour after Valerian this emperour subdued Gothas nobly and thenne he dessessed ¶ Anno dmÌ„ CC.lxxiiii EVticianê° a martyr was pope after Felix .viii. yere This man ordeyned that corne beenes sholde be blessyd on the awter And he buryed CCC ·xliiii maâ—tyrs wyth his owne hondes ¶ Aurelius was Emperour after Claudius .v. yere this Auâ—elius 〈◊〉 crysten men was gentyll wherfore he had the victory in euery place gloryously And whan he was desceyued by cursyd men purâ—eâ—â—d crysten men myghtly and namely in Frauce for there he abode after that he hadde neuer good fortune But was slayne And this was the nynth persecucyon of the chyrche câ—â—sten fayth ¶ Tacitus was Emperour after thys man And he regned but thre monethes and was slayne in Ponto ¶ Probus was Emperoure after hym .v yere and ·iiii monethes Thys man recouered Fraunce ayen the whyche was occupyed with Barbaryk men And he yaue them Pannonias lyceÌ„ce to haue vyne yerdes And whan he had almoost aâ—l thynges well in peas he sayde Knyghtes wyth in a lytell tyme shalle not be necessary and anone after he was slayn at Sirâ—â—iū· ¶ Carus and his two sones Carunê° Numerian were emperours after Probus but some were they dede and theyr fader was drowned and the two sones were slayne all these thre regned but .ii. yere ¶ Dyoclesian and Marimian came after these thre Emperours the one regned in the Est and the other in the weste ¶ The fyrste thynge that Dyoclesyan dyde he brente all the crysten mennes bokes that myght be founde The two tyrauntes dyde more harme to Crysten men than euer dyd ony other· For .x. yere lasted the persecucyon And as we rede wyth in ·xxx dayes .xx. thousande men were slayne for Crystis sake And in Englonde all faythe was almost destroyed in the tyme of maximian ¶ Gaius was pope after Euticianê° this maÌ„ ordeyned that no man sholde accause a bysshop or an other clerke to ony seculer Iuge And that a pagon or an heretyke sholde not accuse a Crysten man Also he ordeyned that he that was worthy shold ascende gree by gree to his ordre fyrsten Benet than Colet subdeacon deacon than preest And at the last he was martred vnder Dyoclesyan Arcellinê° a martyr was pope after Gaius .xi. yere and .iiii. monethes This maÌ„ was persecuted sore for drede of deth he of freed thre cornes of incense to the sacrefyce of the ydolles And after warde he openly repented suffred the payne of deth for the fayth of the chyrche of god Hys body laye vnburyed thre dayes for dred of the curse of god And after thorugh auysyon of saynt peter Marcell he was buryed at saynt Peters foot ¶ Marcellus was pope after Marcellinus .v.
Portyngale the same tyme â–ª and whaÌ„ he had done so he come home ayen into Englonde and hys good lady hys wyf also but many worthy men deyed vpon the flyx ¶ In the .xv. yere of kynge Rychardê regne he helde his crystmasse in the manere of wodstok and there the erle of Penbroke a yonge lord and tendre of aege wolde lerne to Iuste with a knyghte that was called syr IohnÌ„ of saynt IohnÌ„ roden togyder in the parke of wodstoke and there this worthy erle of Penbroke was slayne with that other knyghtes spere as he caste it from hym whan that they had coupled thus the good erle made yere his ende and therfore the kynge the quene made moche sorowe for his deth ¶ And in the xvi yere of kynge Rychardes regne Iohan heÌ„de beyng that tyme mayer of London IohnÌ„ wal worth Henry vanner beynge shreues of London that same tyme a bakers man bare a basket of hors brede in to Fletstrete to warde an hostre and there came a yonge man of the bysshop of Salysbury that was called Romayn and he toke a bors lofe out of the basket of the bakers he asked hym why he dyde soo and this Romayn torned ayen brake the bakers heed And neyghbours came out and wold haue arested thes Romayn he brake from them fledde to his lordes place the Constable wolde haue hym out but the bysshops men shette fast the yates kept the place that no man myght entre and than moche more people gadred thyder and sayd that they wolde haue hym out or els they wolde brenue vp the place and alle that were wyth in And than came the mayer and shreues wyth moche other people cessyd the malyce of the comyns made euery man to go home to there hoses and kepe peas And thys Romayns lord the bysshop of Salysbury mayster Iohan waltham that at the tyme was tresorer of Englonde when syr Thomas Arundell Archebysshop of yorke Chaunceler of Englonde there the bysshop made hys complaynte vnto the Chaunceler on the peple of the cyte of LoÌ„don And than these two bysshops of grete malyce vengeaunce come vnto the kynge at wyndesore made a greate coÌ„playnt vpon the mayer and shreues And anone all the cyte after warde came before the kynge his counseyll and they caste vnto the Cytye a greuous herte and a wonder grete malyce And anone sodeynly the kyng sent after the mayer of LoÌ„don and for the two shreues they came to hym vnto the castell of wyndsore And the kynge rebuked the mayer and shreues full foule for the offence that they had done ayenst hym his offycers in hys chambre at London wherfor he deposed and put out the mayer and bothe shreues and this was done the .xiiii. dayes afore the feest of saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst And than the kynge called to hym a knyght that was called syre Edwarde dalyngrygge made hym wardeyne gouernour of the cyte and chambre of LoÌ„don ouer all hys people ther in And so he kepte that offyce but foure wekes bycause that he was so gentyl tendre to the Cytezens of London wherfore the kynge deposed hym made syr Bunde wyne radyngton knyght that was Conrtrouller of the kynges houshold wardeyne gouernour of his chambre of his people ther in and chose to hym worthy men of the cyte to be shreues wyth hym to gouerne kepe the kynges lawes in the cyte that one was called Gelbert Mawefelde that other Thomas ne wenton shreues And than the mayer the two shreues and all the aldermen wyth all the worthy craftes of London wente on foot vnto the toure of London there came out the Conestable of the towre gaaf the mayer and the shreues theyr othe charge as they sholde haue taken in the Escheker of westmynster in the kynges court of his Iustyces Barons of the Escheker than went they home ayen And than the kynge hys counseyll for the grete malyce and despyte that they had to the Cyte of London remeued all his courtes from westmynster vnto the Cyte of yorke that is to saye the ChauÌ„celer the Escheker the kynges bynche the comune place there they helde all these courtes of lawe fro mydsomer that is to saye the feest of saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst vnto the feest of Crystmasse next comynge And than the kynge and hys counseyll sawe it not so proffytale there as it was at London than anone he remeued yt ayen to LoÌ„don and soo to westmynster for grete ease of his offycers a vauntage to the kyng all the comunes of the reame ¶ And whanne the people of London saw and knewe that these courtes were comeÌ„ ayen and the kynge and hys people also than the mayer and the aldermen with the chyef Comunes of the Cyte gaue a grete somme of golde of all the Comunes of the Cyte and ordeyned made grete ryaltees ayen hys comynge too London for to haue hys grace good lordshyp and also theyr lybertees and Fraunchyses geauÌ„ted vnto them ayeÌ„ as they were wonte to haue afore tyme. And thrugh grete instaunce and prayer of the quene and of other lordes and ladyes the Kynge grauÌ„ted theym grace And this was done at Shene in Sutherey And than the Kynge within two dayes after came to London the mayer of the Cyte with the shreues aldermeÌ„ and all the worthy men of the afterwarde rode ayenst hym in good araye vnto the hethe of hys syde of Shene the mayer submyttynge theym homely and mekely with all maner obeyssaunce vnto hym as they oughten too do And thus he brought the kynge and the quene to London And whan the kynge came to the yate of London brydge there they presenttd hym wyth a mylke whyte stede sadled and brydled and trapped wyth cloth of golde and reed partyed to gyder and the quene a palfrey alle whyte in the same ararye trappyd with white andreed and al the conduytes of London ranne wyth wyne both whyte and reed for all maner people to drynke who wolde And bytwene saynt Poules and the crosse in chepe there was made a stage a ryall standynge vpon hygh and theyn were many angelles with dyuers melodyes songes And than an angelle came downe frome the stage on hyghe by a vyce and sete a crowne of golde pyght wyth ryche perles precyous stones vpon the kynges heed and an other vpon the quenes heed And soo the cytezeyns brought the kyng the quene to westmynster into theyr palays And than on the morne after the mayer and the shreues and the aldermen of London camen vnto the kynge to hys palays att westmynster and presente hym with two basyns of syluer ouergylted full of coyned golde the somme of .xx. houÌ„dred pounde prayenge hym of his hygh mercy grace and lordshyp and specyally grace that they myght haue his good loue with the lybertees And fraunchyses
then they sayd the who someuer wolde deffende kepe them from these peryles he shold haue the ryght of noblenesse for hym his heyers for euer more in thys maner of wyse many are radde to be noble meÌ„ ¶ The fourth cause of noblynesse was grete haboundaunce of goodes Somtyme the people we holdeÌ„ with grete penury of mete drynke And then they toke them and theyrs to some ryche man that thrugh that couenaunte they sâ—old tempre the grete straytnesse of ther hungre and after that they shold knowe hym as theyr lorde and a noble man ¶ Also there be founde certen noble men by the prouysyon of god thoughe they were but fewe of the whyche some abode in vertue as Dauyd and some fayled anone as Saull and Ieroboam Also it is radde that many were noble men by tyranny and vyolence Of the whyche some were destroyed anone And some abode in stablenesse as Paynymes myght ¶ Anno mundi .ii. M.ix C. .v. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .ii. M.ii. C.lxxxiiii SAruk lynelly descended from our forn fader Adam to Abraham And Nachor was sone he lyued an houndred and .xlviii. yere ¶ And aboute this tyme ydolatry began to encreace myghtely And yf ye reuolue loke the hystoryes ye shall fynde that thre thynges pryncypally brought men to the synne of ydoly That is to vnderstonde the affeccyon whyche theg had to deed men Dredde flaterynge agaynst ther prynces And the dylygence of artyfycers crafty men about scultures or grauynges wycked fendes thenne entred in to the ydollis and gaue answeres to the people And these wycked spyrytes confermed the erroure of the peple myghtely In so moche that what some euer manere of persone wolde not conforme hym to the reason he sholde greuously suffre the payne of deth Also there was added and put to these thynges the dysceyuynge laude and praysynge of Poetes the whiche wretches and also dampned men in to heuen with alle theyr gaye aourned wrytynges exalted And that same tyme whanne deuylles beganne for to speke so fayrly and so mekely to man The good lorde of his greate and abundaunt mery sente his aungelles That they sholde speke to hys elected men in vysybly leest that all man kynde sholde perysshe wyth thys myscheuous errour BElus sone to Nemroth this tyme was kynge of Babylon And he was the fyrst kyng of this world this man was he whom the errour of the people fyrst trowed shold be a god wherfore dyuers people named hym dyuersly And some called hym Bell some Baal some Baalim some Beelphagor some Belsabub And this vnhappy errour stode in man kynde more than two M. yeres ¶ Ninus sone to Belus the seconde kynge of Babylon of assurioruÌ„ regned .liiii. yeres And thys Ninus desyred for to haue lordshyp worshype and to that enteÌ„t that he myght be lorde of all the couÌ„tre about hym he gaue batayll to all that dwelled nyghe about hym And by cause that tyme the people were rude and had not the comynge of yght ynge nor armour anone he subdued vnto hym all Asiam And there was made the fyrste Monarche in the eest party And whan his herte was sory for the deth of his fader Belus he made to be made to hym for his coÌ„forte an ymage of his fader to whom he gaf so myghty reuereÌ„ce that what someuer gylty maÌ„ had fledde to that ymage ther shold no maÌ„ do vnto hym no hurte and he pardonned hym of all his trespasse· And thrugh his ensample many a man began to worshyp the deed ymage of theyr dere frendes Thenne these malycyous spyrites seynge the curyosyte of the peple hydde them within them and gaaf answeres vnto the peple and sayd they were goddes And coÌ„maunded them to doo reuerence vnto them as goddes Thê° that vnhappy synne of ydolatry was brought in the whiche repugned myghtely to goddes mageste And in so moche this madnesse grewe that he shold suffre the payne of deth that sayd they were men but goddes ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iii. M.C.xiiii Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem ii M.lxxv THare sone to Nachor lyued .ii. C. .v. yere this Thare after the deth of Aram went frome Vr of Calde passed in to Chartam with his childern his neuewes And it is sayd by cause he wolde not worshyp the 〈◊〉 as Nemroth had taught he was banysshe◠〈◊〉 couÌ„tre And the comyn opynyon of the Hebrewes is Nemroth regned there the whiche was called an other name Amraphel the kynge of Sennar whom longe tyme after this Abraham ouercame Vt dicitur GenÌ„ xiiii ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iii. M. C.lxxâ—â—iii Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem .ii. M.xv ¶ Here begynneth the thyrde arge of the wrolde durynge to Dauyd HEre begyneth the deuoute holy storye of holy patryarkes the whiche worshype the very god in ther worshyppyng they caughte it vide pla genÌ„ xii vsque ad finē◠¶ This Abraham a faythfull louer of god was born the xliii yere of Ninê° kyng of Babylon knowe ye that the .lxxiv. yere of AbrahaÌ„ thorugh the myghty glorye of the hye god The worde of mercy desceÌ„ded vpon maÌ„kynd for then he gan appere the oraculus of the promyse of god â—vide Au. xvi de ci dei ItmÌ„ genÌ„ xv For this tyme holy auÌ„gels appered to vs in forme of mankynde ¶ This Abraham had two brethern Aram Nachor and Aram gate Loth a ryghtwys maÌ„ an holy he deserued to be vysyted with auÌ„gles as his vncle Abraham was· And for this Loth abraham smote .iiii. kyngê for they toke Loth genÌ„ xiiii Of whom one was sayd to be Nemroth but he is called here amraphel And AbrahaÌ„ had many wyues as Sara Agar his childern his brethern had many childern But for vs that write cronycles it is not necessary to speke of all men but of the noble faders sed vide pla â—ine genÌ„ ¶ Melchisedech this tyme was kyng of SaleÌ„ This man was called a ryght wys kyng for his excedynge holynesse And he offred bred wyne to AbrahaÌ„ in sygne of a gret mystery He was also the preest of the hye god ¶ Semiramis the thyrde kyng of Babylon he ordeyned an army went into ynde opteyned that couÌ„tre And so by all AsyaÌ„ the kyngdom of Assuriorum was dilated he multiplyed the cyte of Babylon myghtly made walles about it This Semiramis had a wyf he forsoke her it is wryteÌ„ that she was slayne of her sone Ninê° by cause she prouoked hym to the vnlefull coÌ„cupysceÌ„ce sic di Au. viii dcci dei the mayster iÌ„ hê storyes sayth that she wedded hir owne sone he gate a childe on her the whiche ordened babylon to be the heed of al his reame ¶ Ninus the fourth kyng of Babylon was sone to grete Ninus Of this man lytell is wryten but that he slewe his owne moder as is sayd afore ¶ Arrius was the fyfth kyng of Babylon And vnder hym
meny And then he sholde sende to her lorde the kyng feyne that he were come for to speke with hys doughter hym for to se so he dyde And whan the kynge and the quene herd that they came with moche honoure they hym receyued And the kynge of fraunce then lete lende thrugh al the realme coÌ„maunded that al men sholde be as entendauÌ„t to kynge Leyr the quenes fader in all maner of thynges as it were vnto hymselfe whaÌ„ kynge leyr had dwelled there a moneth more he tolde to the kynge to the quene his doughter how his two eldest doughters hadde hym serued Agampe anone lete ordeyne a grete hooste of FrensshmeÌ„ sente in to Brytayne with Leyr the quenes fader for to coÌ„quere his loÌ„de agayne his kyngdome And Cordeill also came with her fader in to Brytayne for to haue the realme after her faders dethe And anone they wente to shyppe passed the see came in to Brytayne fought with the felons theÌ„ dyscomfyted slewe then had he his loÌ„de agayne after lyued .iii. yere helde his realme iÌ„ peas after warde dyed so Cordeill his doughter thenne let enter him with moche honour at Leycestre ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iii. C.xlix Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .viii. C liii AMasius sonne to Ioam regned on the Iewes .xxix. yere after the whiche the kyngdom of Iewes was without kynge .xiii. yere This man worshypped the goddes of Seyr vt pêª .ii. para .xv. ¶ Ieroboam sone to Ioam regned on Israel .xli. yere the whiche was manly and vyctoryous For he ouercame the kynge of Sirie restored Israel Damaske after the worde of Iono the prophete But he was not good Therfore sayth austyn if good men regne they profyte many a man And yf ylle men regne they hurte many men· ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iii. C.lxxxviii Et ant xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .viii. C.xi. Ozias or Azarias sone to Amasie regned on the Iury .lii. yere the whiche lyued wel afore oure lorde of hym is none euyl thynge wryten but that he vsurped the dygnyte of preesthode vnder Azari the whiche he forbode hym For that whiche cause our lorde stroke hym with a leper vt pêª .ii. para ¶ Ozee bysshop prophete was this tyme the fyrst of the .xii. that is sende astaynst the .xii. tribus ¶ Ioel the secoÌ„de of the .xii. prophecyed of Iuda Ananias the thyrde prophecyed agaynst many people Abdias the fourth of the .xii. prophecyed agaynst Edom ¶ zacharius sonÌ„e to Ieroboam regned in Israel .vi. monethes the whiche began to regne the .xxxviii. yere of Ozias was nought iÌ„ his lyuynge as his predycessours were And Sellum slewe hym regned a moneth And Manahen slewe hym toke his kyngdome vt pêª .iiii. reguÌ„ This Manahen regned .x. yere the whiche began to regne the .xxxix. yere of Ozias \ he ruled hym myscheuously And our lorde toke hym in the power of the kynge of Assuriorum And he payed to hym a thousande talentes of syluer vt pêª .iiii. reguÌ„ ¶ Phaseia sonÌ„e to Manahen regned in Israel .ii. yere he began to regne the .l. yere of Ozias and he was nought in his lyuynge ¶ Phase slewe phaseia regned .xx. yere he began to regne the .lii. yere of Ozias dyde as other cursed men dyde Plura vide .iiii. reguÌ„ And after this Israel was without ony kynge .viii. yere ¶ How Morgan and Conedag that were neuewes to Cordeill warred vpon her And put her in pryson NOw as kynge Leyr was deed Cordeil his yongest doughter regned the .x. yere of Ozias kynge of Iury. And after her regned Conedag the .xv. yere of Ozias Cordeil that was Leyrs yongest daughter after the deth of her fader had all the londe .v. yere And in the meane tyme deyed her lorde Agampe hat was kynge of FrauÌ„ce after his dethe she was wydowe And there came Morgan and Conedag that were Cordeils systers sones to her had enuyte for as moche as theyr aunte sholde haue the londe So that bytwene them they ordeyned a grete power and vpon her warred gretely And neuer they rested tyll they had her taken and put her vnto deth And tho Morgan and Conedag seased all the londe departed it bytwene them And they helde it .xii. yeres And whan that those .xii. yeres were gone there beganÌ„e bytwene them a grete beatel so that they warred stroÌ„gely togyders And eueryche of theym dyde other moche dysease For Morgan wolde haue all the londe frome beyonde Humbre that Conedag helde But he came agaynst hym wyth a grete power so that Morgan durste not abyde but fledde a waye in to walys And Conedag pursued hym and toke hym slewe hym And tho came Conedag agayne and seased all the londe in to his honde and held it And regned after xxxiii· yere And thenne he deyed and lyth at newe Troy ¶ And by cause the matere conteyneth moost comodyously togyder of the kynges of Brytayne now called Englonde for the tyme of them is not certaynly knoweÌ„ what tyme of the wrolde the kynges folowen regned Therfore they shall be togyder tyll it be comen vnto Guentolen kyng of Brytayne now called EngloÌ„de ¶ How Reynolde that was Conedags sone regned after his fader in his tyme it rayned blood thre dayes in to kenynge of grete deth ANd after thys Conedag regned Reynolde hê sone that was a wyse knyght a hardy curteyes that wel nobly gouerned the londe wonder welle made hym beloued of all maner of folke And in hys tyme regned blood that lasted thre dayes As god wolde soone after ther came a grete dethe of people For hostes wythout nombre of people fought tyll that almyghty god ther of toke mercy and pyte tho gaÌ„ it cesse And this Reynolde regned .xxii. yere deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How Gorbodian regne in peas that was Reynoldes sone AFter thys Reynolde that was Conedags sone regned Gorbodian that was thys Reynoldes sone ·xv yere and thenne he deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How Gorbodian had .ii. sones how that one slewe the other for to haue the herytage how ydoyne ther moder slewe that other wherfore the londe was destroyed SO whan thys Gorbodian was deed hys two sones that he had be came stoute and proude and euer warred togyder for the londe And that one was called Ferres and that other Porres ¶ And thys Ferres wolde haue all the londe but that other wold not suffre hym This Ferres had a felonous herte thoughte thrugh treason to slee his brother But pryuely he wente in to Fraunce and there abode with the kynge Sywarde tyll vpon a tyme whan he came ayen and fought wych his brother Ferres But full euyll it happed tho he was slayne fyrste whan ydoyne ther moder wyst that Portes was deed she made grete sorowe for by cause that she loued hym more than
dayes myscheuous playes were ordeyned that pestylence sholde cesse atte Rome Of the playes saynt Austyn treateth dylygently in repreuynge the falshede of the goddes the whyche desyred to be pleased with suche wretched playes Soo shamefully these playes were vsed with naked men and wymmen that honest men wymmen wolde not â—e at those playes ne yet beholde them Vide plura in Aug. de ciuitate dei ¶ Darius Notus regned at the Persees .xix. yere ¶ Plato the deuyne phylosopher and Arystotle his discyple were this tyme noble and famous clarkes ¶ Titê° Quintê° was dictator atte Rome and he was a couetous man whome Austyn de ciuitateÌ„ dei bryngeth in ayenste coueytous and proude Crysten men ¶ Gaius was a Senatour vnder whom was a grete bataylle agaynst the kynge of Turcorum And .viii. thousand men of theym were taken ¶ Marcus Valerius was also a noble Senatoure of Rome the whiche wyth .lx. thousande Romayns foughte wyth the Frensshmen had the better and slewe many of them ¶ Arthaxereses kyng of Persees called ayen to his Empyre Egypte And he put Nacranabo the kynge in Ethyopia many Iewes in to transmygracyon Also he sende Vagosum a prynce ouer Flom Iordan to aske ayen to the trybute that was forgete to Eldra that was the .vii. yere rente propter subbam terre ¶ Aâ—samus succeded hym and regned a yere ¶ Darius the sone of Arsamus regned with the Persees xxiiii yere This Darius was a myghty man and a bolde the whyche asked of the Grekes a trybute that was the cause of the destruccyon of the monarche of PersaruÌ„ For it was translyted to the Grekes after the prophecye of Danyll For it is sayd that Dariê° brought .xv. hondred thousande fyghtynge men whoÌ„ all Alexander slewe ¶ Iodas the sone of Elysaphat was hygh bysshop in Ierusalem in tyme of Mardachin Iohannes his sone succeded hym ¶ Arystotiles the moost subtell and famous phylosopher lerned this tyme. Senocrate the mooste chaste phylosopher was thys tyme with dyuerse other moo ¶ by cause the kynges of brytayne nexte after lyued in peas moost parte lytell of them is wryten therfore they shall be sette togyder tyll it be comen to Cassibolon kynge of brytayne the whyche was brother to Lud. ANd whan Cormbratus was deed regned Guentholen that was his sone a man of good condycyons and well beloued and he gouerned the londe welle and wysely And he regned .xxv. yere and after he deyde lyeth at newe Troy ¶ How kynge Seysell regned and well gouerned the londe after Guentholen ANd after Guentholen regned hys sone Seysell welle and worthely gouerned the londe as his fader hadde done before And he regned .xv. yere and deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ How Kymor regned after Sysell his fader and he begate Howan that regned after his fader in peas ANd after Seysell regned his sone Kymor well nobly .xix. yere iÌ„ peas theÌ„ne after hym regned Howan his sone .x. yere and thenne he deyed lyeth at Ikaldowne· ¶ How kynge Mor with dyed thorugh myschaundâ—e thorugh a beest AFter thys Howan regned Morwith and he became so wycked so sterne tyll at the last a grete vengeaunce came vpon hym For whan as he wente vpon a tyme by the see side hemette with a grete beest that was black and horryble hydeous he weÌ„de that it had be a whale of the see bent an arblast wolde haue slayne that beest with his quarell but he myghte not smyte hym whan he had shot al hê quarlles that beest anoÌ„e came to him in a grete hast hym deuoured a lyue so he deyed for hys wyckednesse thorugh vengeauÌ„ce of god after that he had regned .ix. yere ¶ Of Grandobodiam that was Morwith sone that made Cambrydge AFter that thys Mor with was dede the brytons crowned BrandobodiaÌ„ his sone this Grandobodiam longe tyme regned in goodnes made temples and townes this Grandobodiam made the twone of Cambrydge the towne of GrauÌ„tham was well beloued of ryche poore for he honoured the ryche and helped the poore This Grandobodiam had .iiii. sones Artogaill Hesyder Higamus Petitur· And whan he had regned .xi. yere he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ Of Artogaill that was GrandobodiaÌ„s sone howe he was made kynge and sythe put downe for his wyckednesse AFter Grandobodiam regned his sone Artogaill .v. yere he became so wycked so sterne that the brytons wolde not suffre hym to be kynge but put hym downe made Hesyder his brother kynge he be came so good merci able that meÌ„ hym called kyng of pyte And whan he had regned .v. yere he had so grete pyte of hê brother Artogaill that was kiÌ„ge before· And anone he forsoke his dignyte toke his brother the crowne ayen made him kynge ayenst all the brytons wyll ¶ And after Artogaill became soo good of condicoÌ„ns that he was well beloued of the londe for he came so debonayr and free and dyde ryght reason to all maner of men And he regned .vi. yere and deyed and lyeth at Grauntham ¶ How Hesyder was made kynge after the deth of his brother AFter the deth of Artogail the brytons crowned an other tyme Hesyder but his two brethern Hygamus Petitur had of hym grete spyte scorne ordeyned them for helpe to warre vpon the kyng ther brother soo they tooke hym put hym in pryson the seconde yere of his regne And they departed all the londe betwixt them both but Higamus lyued but .vii. yere and tho had Petitur all the londe and he made the towne of Pickerynge ¶ How the brytons came and tooke Hesyder oute of prysone and made hym kynge the thyrde tyme. ANd whan thys Petitur was deed the brytons toke Hesyder anone and made hym kynge the thyrde tyme And tho regned he in peas .xiiii. yere And after he deyed and lyeth at Karleyll ¶ How .xxxiii. kynges regned in peas eche after other after Hesyder AFter the deth of Hesyder regned .xxxiii kynges eche after other in peas with out ony longe taryeÌ„ge I shal tell theÌ„ all how loÌ„ge eche regned as the story telleth the first kynge of tho .xxxiii. was called gerbodia he regned .xii. yere after hym regned morgan yere And after him regned Cighnus .vi. yere And after hym regned IowalaÌ„ .viii. yere And after him regned on Rohugo .xi. yere And after regned Voghen .xiii. yere And after hym regned Catyll .xv. yere And after hym regned Porrex .ii. yere after hym regned Cherin .xvii. yere after hym regned Coyl .xii. yere after him regned Sulgenis .xiiii. yere after hym regned Esdad .xx. yere after hym regned Andragie .xvii. yere after hym regned vrian v. yere and after hym regned Eliud .ii. yere And after he regned Eldadan .xv. yere And after hym regned Claten .xii yere after hym regned OuirguÌ„de .viii. yere after hym regned Mortan .vi. yere and after hym regned
¶ And whaÌ„ be herde that Nero was deed by whom he was sente to Ierusalem herde of these cursyd men regnynge At the Instaunce of these men not wyllyngly toke vpon hym the Empyre And anone as he was come to Rome he ouercame the tyraunte Vitellus and lete hym be drawe thorugh Rome after in to tybre tyll he was deed thenÌ„e lete hym sayle without sepulture for this the people desyred This man was cured of waspis in his nose anone as he byleued in our lorde Ihesu And that was the cause whyche wente to Ierusalem to venge Crystis deth He fought xâ—xii tymes wyth hys enemyes deyed the yere of grace lxiix ¶ Anno diuÌ„ lxxxiiii CLetus a martyr was pope .xi. yere thys Cletus was a Romayn and gretely beloued pylgrymages to sayntes sayenge it was more profyte to the helthe of maÌ„nes soule to visyte the place that saynt peter was in than â—or to fast two yere He cursyd alle tho men lettynge suche pylgrymages or counsellers contrary therto At the last he was martryd by Damiâ—â—an the Emperour ¶ Titus sone to Vespasianus was Emperour thys tyme regned thre yere And he abode stylle at IerusaleÌ„ after the eleccyon of his fader and destroyed the cytee And slewe there as the storye sayth with batayll and hungre .xi. hodred thousande Iewes And a hondred thousaÌ„de he toke and solde .xxx. for a peny By cause they solde Cryst for .xxx. pens and brought thens all thynge that was precyous and put them in his hous at Rome whiche was called TeÌ„pluÌ„ pacis But now is that place falle downe for the moost party and all these grete Iewelles ben dystrybuted to certayne chirches in Rome ¶ This Titus was so full of vertue that all men loued hym so set forth that they called hym the moost delectable of men He was full lyberall to all meÌ„ in so moche that he sayd often tymes the there sholde noo man goo from an Emperour with an heuy herte but he shold som what haue of his petycyon He wolde be sory that daye in the whyche he hadde graunted no man no benefyte ¶ whan that he was deed euery man that was in Rome wept for hym as that they had lost theyr fader ¶ Domician brother to Titus regned after him .xxiiii. yere .v. monethes First he was â—asy and after ward full vnresonable For moche of the Senate was destroyed by his malyce and also moche of his kynred He began the secoÌ„de persecucoÌ„n after Nero ayenst crysten men in the whiche persecucion IohnÌ„ the euangelyst was exiled in to Pathius after the Emperoure had put hym in to a tonne of oyle breÌ„nynge hurte hym not So this man was not the folower of his fader Vespasian ne his brother Titus but rathur lyke Nero his kyn rede And for these wycked condicyoÌ„s he was slayne in his owne palays at Rome in the .xxvii. yere of his aege· ¶ Clemens a martyr was pope .ix. yere and he succeded Cletus This Clemens fyrste of saynt Peter was ordeyned to be successour to hym And for peryll he wolde Linus and Cletus sholde be popes fore hym lest that thrugh that ensample prelates sholde ordeyne vnder theÌ„ who some euer they wolde This man made the lyf of martyrs to be wryten by regyons And he made many bokes He ordeyned that a chylde shold be confermed as soone as it myght namely after it was crystened And at the laste he was martred vnder Traian ¶ Nerua was Emperour after Domician oo yere two monethes And whan he was chosen he meued the Senate to make a lawe that thynge whyche Domician comaunded to be kepte sholde be broken By the whyche meane saynt Iohan the euaÌ„gelyst was losed out of his exyl suffrey to come ayen to Ephase This man dyde an other thynge ryght comendable that he assyned soo wyse a man as Traian was to gouerne the people after hym ¶ Nota. ¶ Traianus Hispanicus was Emperour .xxi. yere This Traianê° many man sayd He was the best amonge all the Emperours But in one thynge alone he was vicious In so moche as he for the loue of the fals goddes was aboute to destroye the crysten fayth Iugyng in hymself so moost to please god Some men say not by hymself but by other he pursewed the crysten fayth and in the ende of his lyf he dyde but fewe to dethe And all his louyng Isette at nought But at saint Gregory meued with pyte wepyng prayed vnto our lord for hym that he wold haue mercy vpon hym and by his prayer haue hym out of helle in to whiche place he was dampned And now yf that he be saud or not a grete alteracyon is amoÌ„ge doctours And to vs that wryte Crony eles it is no parte of our charge to determyn But all the eest parte of the world Babylon Selencia the vtter partes of the ynde Germayne the seconde after Alexander helde vnder In all these thynges so pyteous and soo mekely he guyded hym to euery man as a kynge He was gentyll and to no man vngeÌ„tyll the whiche is redde of fewe All his dayes he lyued that men sayd he was the moost worthy man in all his Empyre And thought and sayde euer more that noo man was more vnworthy to be Emperour than he ¶ Anno dmÌ„ C.iiii. ANacletus a martyr was pope ·ix yere And he was a Greke He monysshed an crysteÌ„ men that preestes shold be worshypped aboue all other men Sayenge that preestes doynge sacrifyce to god shold be borne out and not vexed but be worshypped And preestes whan they sayd masse the shold haue wyenesse with them and namely bysshops Also he decreed that clerkes shold were no berdes nor longe heere Also that a bysshop sholde be consecrated of thre and dyuerse other thynge At the last the .xii. yere of Traianus he was martred and buryed by the body of saynt Peter ¶ Plinius the seconde Oratour and phelosopher wrote moche thyngê Thys man meued Traianus that he sholde wythdrawe the sentence yeuen ayeste crysten folke wryten to hym that they sholde do noo ylle but take hede to the vertue But that they sholde ryse afore daye and worshoppe ther god secretly in the nyght· ¶ Euaristus a Greke a martyr was pope .x. yere and .vii. monethes after Anacletus Thys man ordeyned that man and woman sholde be wedded openly and that they sholde be blessyd openly of the preest and fader and moder And he was martred the thyrde yere of Adrian buryed by saynt Peter ¶ Alexander a Romayn was pope .viii. yere and .v. monethes This Alexander the moost parte of the Senatours he conuerterd vnto our lorde And he constytuted and ordeyned that hooly water sholde be spynkled in to crysten meÌ„nes houses And he ordeyned that the brede that prestes vse to synge with sholde be made of pure and clene brede and that in a lytell quantyte At the laste he was martred vnder Adryan that was the Emperour And many of them he conuerted
receyue bapâ—ym in the name of god torne to the ryght fayth byleue Eulentre seÌ„te two Legates that were called Pagan an other Elybam in to this londe baptysed the kyng all his meyne And after wente from towne to towne baptysed the people tyll all the londe was baptysed And this was in the yere an hondred .lvi. after the Incarncyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste And this kyng Lucie made tho in thys londe two Archibysshops one at Caunterbury an other at yorke other many bisshops that yet beÌ„ in this londe And whan these two Legatê had baptysed all this londe they ordeyned prestes for to baptyse chyldern and for to make the sacramente and after they wente ayen to Rome And the kynge dwelled in his londe and regned wyth moche honoure .xii. yere and after deyed and lyeth at Gloucestre ¶ How this londe was longe without a kynge and how Brytons chose a kynge THis kyng Lucie had none heyre of his body begoteÌ„ that was after warde grete harme sorowe to the londe For after thys kynge Lucies deth none of the grete lordes of the londe wolde suffre an other to be kynge but lyued in warre debate amoÌ„ges them self .l. yere without kyng But it befell after warde that a grete prince came from Rome iÌ„ to thê londe that was called Seuerie not for warre but for to saue the ryght of Rome But neuer theles he had not dwelled halfe a yere in thys londe but that the Brytons slewe hym And whan they of Rome wyst that Seueri was so slayne they sente an other grete lord in to this londe that was called Allec that was a stronge man a myghty of body dwelled in thys londe longe tyme dyde moche sorowe to the Brytons So that after for pure malyce they chose a kynge amonge theym that was called Astelepades And assembled a grâ—aee hoste of Brytons wente to London to seke Allec there they fouÌ„de hym slewe hym all his felowes And one that was called walon deffended hym fyersly fought longe with the Brytons but at the last he was dyscomfyted and the Brytons tooke hym and bonde hys hondes feet and cast hym in to a water wherfore that water was called euer more walbroke Tho regned Astelepades in peas tyll one of his Erles that was called Coill made a fayr towne ayenste the kynges wyll lete calle the towne Colchestre after hys owne name wherfor the kyng was full wroth thought to destroy him And began to warre vpon hym and brought grete power of men and yaf the Erle batayll And the Erle defended hym fyersly wyth hys power slewe the kynge hymself in that batayll And tho was Coill crowned made kyng of this londe This Coill regned and gouerened the londe well nobly for he was a noble man and well be loued amonged the Brytons ¶ whan tho of Rome herde that Astelepades was slayne they were wonder gladde sente an other grete prynce of the Romayns that was called CoÌ„stance And he came to the kyng Coill for to chaleÌ„ge the trybute that was woÌ„te to be payed to Rome And the kynge answered well wisely sayde that he wolde paie to Rome all that ryght and reason wolde with good wyll And so they accorded tho with good wyll and without ony coÌ„take And so both they dwelled togyd in loue ¶ Kynge Coill yaaf to hym his doughter Eleyne for to haue her to his spowse that was bothe fayre wyse good well lettred this CoÌ„stance spowsed her there with moche honoure And it befell soone after that thys kynge Coill deyed in the .xiii. yere of hys regne and lyeth at Colchestre entyred ¶ Of kyng Constance that was a Romayne that was chosen kyng after the deeh of Coill for as moche that he hadde spwsed Eleyne that was kynge Coils doughter AFter this kynge Coill Constance was made kynge and crowned for asmoche as he had spowsed kynge Coils doughter that was heyre of that londe The whiche CoÌ„stance regned well and worthely gouerned the londe And he begate on his wyf Eleyne a sonne that was called ConstaÌ„tyne And this kynge bare true fayth And truly dyde vnto them of Rome all his lyf And whan he had regned .xv. yere he deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How CoÌ„staÌ„tine that was kiÌ„ge ConstaÌ„ce sone the sone of Saynt Eleyne gouerned ruled the londe was Emperour of Rome AFter kynge Constance dethe regned Constantyne hys sone and the sone of saynt Eleyne that fouÌ„de the holy crosse in the hooly londe And how Constantyne be came Emperour of Rome ¶ It befell soo in the tyme there was an Emperour at Rome that was a Sarrasy a tyraunt that was called Maxence that put to dethe all that byleued iÌ„ god destroyed hooly chirche by all his power sleweall Crysten miÌ„ that he myght fynde And amoÌ„ge all other he lete martyr Saynt Katheryne And many other crysten people that had drede of deth fledde came in to this londe to kynge Constantyne And tolde hym of the sorowe that Maxence dyde to the Crystyanytee wherfore Constantyne had pyte made grete sorowe assembled a grete hoste a gret power and wente ouer vnto Rome and there tooke the cyte and slewe all that there was iÌ„ that were of mysbyleue that he myghte there â—ynde And tho was he made Emperour and was a good man gouerned hym so wel that all â—ondes to hym were attendaunt for to be vnder his gouernaunce· ¶ And this deuyll tyâ—aun Maxence that tyme was in the londe of Greâ—e herde these tydyngs sodeynly became wood and sodeynly he deyed and so he ended hys lyf ¶ whan Constantyne went from thys londe vnto Rome he tooke wyth hym hys moder Eleyne for the moche wysedome that she coude and thâ—e other grete lordes that he moche loued the one was called Hoell an another was called Taberne and the thyrde Morhyn And toke alhys londe to kepe vnto the Erle of Corne wayle that was called Octauyan And soo anone as thys Octauyan wyste that hys lorde dwelled at Rome IncoÌ„tynent he seased all the londe in to hys honde therwyth dyde all hys wyll amonge hyghe lowe they hellde hym for kynge ¶ whan these tydynges came to Constantyne the Emperoure he was wonder worthee towarde the Erle Octauyan And sent Taberne wyth ·xii M. men for to destroye the erle for hys falsenesse And they arrayued at Por tesmouth ¶ And whan Octauyan wyst that he assembled a grete power of Brytons and dyscomfyted Taberne Taberne fledde thens in to Scotlonde and ordeyned there a grete power and came ayne in to thys londe another tyme to yeue batayll to Octauian ¶ whan Octauian herde that he assembled a grate power came to warde Taberne as moche as he myght soo that those two hostes mette togyders vppon Stanesmore and strongely smote togyder tho was Octauian dyscoÌ„fyted
abbot weÌ„te with him And anone after he was crowned kynge by thassent of the Brytons Thys kynge Constance whan he was crowned and made kyng he wyst ne knewe but lytell of the worlde ne cude nothynge what knyghthode axed· And he made vortiger his chyef mayster and couÌ„seyller gaf hym all his power for to-ordeyne do as moche as to the reame aperteyned So that hymself no thynge entermedled but only bare the name of kynge whan Vortiger sawe that he had all the londe in his warde gouernall he thought a preuy treason to slee Constance the kynge that he myght hym self be crowned made kynge regne And lete sende after an hoÌ„dred kynghtes of Pehites the worthyest of all the londe them helde with hym for to dwelle \ as to be kepers of hys body as he wolde goo thorugh the londe to ordeyne thinges that apperteyned to a kyng And this Vortiger honoured so moche the hondred kynghtes soo moche yaue them of golde syluer and so ryche Iewelles robes horses and other thynges plente wherfore they helde hym more lorde than they dyde the kynge And Vortyger tolde them yf he myght be kynge ye as it were thrugh treason he wolde make them rychest of the londe Soo at the laste thrugh grete gyftes that he had gyuen largely they cryed thrugh the courte that Vortyger were beter worthy to be kynge than Constance wherfore Vortiger made semblaunt as he had ben wrothe And he departed thens from the courte sayde he must goo elles were for thynges that he hadde to do And soo the traytour sayde for by cause that they sholde slee hym that ys to saye Constance ¶ whan thys Vortyger was gone yt befell soone after that tho hondred kynghtes of Pehyces brake the doores of the kynges chambre and there they hym slewe smote of hys heed aÌ„d bare it to Vortiger there that he dwelled And soo whan vortiger sawe that heed he wepte full tenderly with his eyen and neuer theles he was som deale glad in hys berte of his deth· ¶ And anone this vortiger toke those hondred kenghtes of Pehytes and badde hys seruauntes bynde theyr hondes behynde them and ladde them to London and ther they were dampned vnto dethe as fals traytours And anone after all the Brytons of the londe by the comyn assente crowned vortiger and made hym kynge of the londe ¶ Anno dmÌ„ C.lxxiiii SOther a martyr was pope after Anycetum .ix. yere the whyche decreed that a Nonne sholde not touche the pale of the awter nor put in sence therto And that she shold were a wymple about her heed And many perylles he sawe aboute matrymony Therfore he ordeyned that noo woman sholde be callen a lefull wyf but yf she were blessyd of the preest ¶ Elentherus a martyr was pope after Sother .xv. yere the whyche ordeyned that crysten men sholde refuse no meete resonable that was mannes mete Nota ¶ Also that noo man vnaccused in cryme sholde be put from his dygnytee or degree tyll he were conuycted thorugh ensample of cryst the whyche kepte styll Iudas Scaryoth not accused and Crist knewe hym gylty And what someuer he dyde amonge the apostles for the dygnyte of his seruyce abode ferme stable· And he sente also Legates vnto Lucie the kyng of Brytayne the whiche baptysed hym his peple And Fagus and Domianus legate the whyche the pope sente fyrst preched in Englonde and this crystendome dured in Brytayne two hoÌ„dred yere vnto the tyme of Dyoclesyan the Emperour whan saynt Albon was martred ¶ Marcus Anthonius Luciê° Comodê° were Emperours but Marcus deyed anone Lucius Comodus regned Comodus was called prouffytable of scorne for he was to euery man vnprouffytable He was yeuen vtterly to lechery Many Senatours Crysten men he made to be slayne He dampned his owne wyf to deth for aege He deyed a sodeyne deth with struglynge amonge maydens ¶ Helius Pertinax after this man was Emperour .vi. monethes and was a man of grete discrecyon whome Iulian the grete lawer slewe And he entred the Empyre was slayne the .vii. moneth of Seuerus ¶ Victora martyr was pope after ElentheriuÌ„ .x. yere for the discorde of the paschall tyme he called a couÌ„sell iÌ„ Alexand where he was presente that tyme many other where he decreed that Eesters daye shold be kepte on the Sonday but he must kepte the chauÌ„ge of the moone of Apryll that was to dyfferre fro Iewes for many bysshops of the eest abode that tyme the same daye that the yewes dyd halowe that feest ¶ Also he ordeyned that in the tyme of nede childern mystht be cristened in euery place in euery water ¶ zepherinê° a martyr a Romayne was pope after victor .ix. yere This man ordeyned that Crysten peple of .xii. yere of aege aboue sholde receyue his god on Eeester daye ones oo yere also he ordeyned that all the vessels of the awter sholde be glasse or tynne and not tree as in olde tyme the consecracyon of the glorious blood was made in tree vessell· And this tyme past the worshyp of the chirche grewe glasen vessell were forbode Vt patet de conse de pri ca. ¶ Origenes the noble clerke was thys tyme he wrote so moche that saynt Ierome sayde I haue redde of Origenes werkes .iiii. thousaÌ„de volimes without pystles He translated the Byble from Hebrwe in to Greke dyde many other grete thinges And of this Origenes Sampson Salomon and Traian is a grete question amonge doctours yf that they ben dampned or saued Therfore those thynges that with out perell we ben not bouÌ„de to knowe nor the chirche is not certifyed of them And therfore lete them alonly commytted vnto god ¶ Calistus a martyr a Romayne was pope after zepherinê° â—o yere and he ordeyned the Cimiteri in via apia where many a thousande martyr is buryed ¶ Also he ordeyned the feest of the Eemerynge dayes to be kept ¶ Anthoniê° Aurelius was Emperour .iii. yere And thys man lacked no kynde of lechery at the laste he was slayne amonge a greate multytude of peple for hys myscheuous lyuynge Anthonius Marcê° regned after hym .vii. yere This man lyued abstynatly therfore he was slayne as was his predecessour ¶ Alisander was Emperour after Anthoniê° regned .xiii. yere This man at the InstauÌ„ce of his moder a crysten woman the techyng of Origenes the whyche came to Rome to conuerte her was made so good vnto crysten men that he suffred them to haue ther couÌ„seylles theyr prayers by themself but neuertheles in this tyme the cursed offycers of hym made many martyrs ¶ Anno dmÌ„ CC.xliiii VRbanus was pope after Calistê° .viii. yere and olde and yonge he was very vertuous And all the halowed vesselles of the chyrche he made of golde or syluer This man lefte his popehede and went to Agryppa and .xi. thousande virgyns wyth hym And the clergy sayd he lefte not
yere This man ordeyned that a generall counseyl myght not be ordeyned without the auctorite of the pope vt pêª .xvii. di .c. sinoduÌ„ ¶ Also he chose .xv. Cardynalles in the cyte to burye cristen men At the last whan he had kept beestes longe tyme in a house closed in with them by the commaundement of Maximian he deyed for faute ¶ Eusebiê° a martyr was after this man two monethes certayne dayes Thys man of a laye man was made pope he ordeyned that no laye maÌ„sholde accuse his bysshop but yf he went fro his fayth vt pêª ii.ix.vii.c laicos Nato ¶ This tyme saynt Albon was martred in Brytayne This Albon whan he was a pagan he lodged a certayne man the whyche conuerted hym to the fayth and after was Iuged vnto dethe And moche people he torned vnto our lorde that were nygh the water the whiche he made drye thrugh his prayer And he suffred deth nygh the cyte of verelom Vide plura in vita sancti Albani ¶ Melchiades a martyr succeded Eusebius .iiii. yere This man forbode the men sholde fast on Sondaye or on Thursdaye in so moche as paganes faste on those dayes Atte the laste he was martred as al his predecessours were ¶ And vnderstonde ye that there were .xxxiii. popes of Rome martred eche one after other Peter was the fyrste and thys melchiades was the laste And thenÌ„e it was laudable after Gregory a man to desyre a bysshopryche ¶ Galerius was Emperour after Dyoclesyan two yere and an other wyth hym called ConstaÌ„cius So was the Empyre in those dayes deuyded Thys ConstaÌ„cius after he had conquered all spayne he came in to grete Brytayne there he wedded a kynges doughter an whom he gate grete Constantyne And this same Constancius deyed in Brytayne lyeth at yorke as Martyne sayth in his Cronycles and left on lyue Constantyne that was goten on Eleyne and was kynge of Brytayne and of Fraunce ¶ Circa annuÌ„ dmÌ„ CCC.viii SIluester was pope after Melchiades This was a glorious CoÌ„fessour many wayes he worshiped the chirche of god what in wrytynge what in myracles He recyued the pratrymony of saint Peter That is for to say the kyngdom of ytalye with the cyte of Rome of Constantynople the Emperour and to the worshyp of the hole vnyuersal chyrche of god he torned it He baptysed Eeleyne and the Iewes thenne he decessyd an holy Confessour ¶ Constantyne the myghty was Emperour this tyme. This Constantyne was a glorious man and a victoryous in bataylle In gouernynge of the comyn people he was very wyse And in the necessyte of the byleue he was with out compayre Deuoute His pyte and his holynes ben so wryten in the bokes of holy doctours that wythout doubte he is to be nombred amonge Sayntes And the Grekes saye that in the ende of his lyf he was made a amoÌ„ke And more ey maye here of hym in the Cronycles of EngloÌ„de For he was kyng in Englonde ¶ Helena the quene moder to Constantyne repayred agayne the holy Crosse this tyme And she made .lxx. Colleges and she glorifyed the state of all holy chyrche ¶ Nicholas bysshop of Myrree seete an holy maÌ„ was this tyme. ¶ Athanasius was thys tyme bysshop in Alexandre a gloryous doctoure made the symbalum Quicunque vult saluus esse cÌ„ ¶ Marcus was pope after Siluester two yere and .viii. monethes this man ordeyned the Crede sholde be openly songe in the chyrche And that the bysshop of Hostience sholde consecrate the pope that he sholde were a palle ¶ Iulius was pope after Marcus .xi. yere vnder Constantyne the seconde ¶ Constanê° this maÌ„ was exiled .x. yere after suffred deth vnder Constantyne the seconde ¶ Constantinus wyth hys two brethern redned .xxiiii. yere And in his laste ende he was peruerted by the heresyet of the Arience by a bysshop called Eusebe And he pursued the chyrche of god stroÌ„gely The ende of this maÌ„ was thys as he sholde go to coÌ„staÌ„tynople vnto agret counseyll in the whych couÌ„cyl he thought to haue coÌ„deÌ„pned the bysshop the clerkes of true byleue he weÌ„t before vnto a chambre to auoyde suche thyngê as nature requyred anone sodenly his bowels felle from hym therby was deed as ye now here ¶ Liberius was pope after Iulius .xix. yere and .vii. monethes Thenne was the seconde dyscorde of the chirche bytwene Liberyus Felix for the heresye of the Ariens the whyche fauoured Lyberyus Thenne Constancyê° themperour called ayen Liberius from his exyle by cause he fauoured thys heresye And the chyrche deycede Liberyus toke Felix for pope the other was expulsed as an heretyke of the chyrche But Felyx obteyned not for the Emperour put in Lyberyus expulsed Felyx ¶ Feilix was pope after the deth of thys Lyberyus And he declareed Constancyus the Emperour an heretyke anone after he was martred ¶ And here was the first that euer the chirche of Rome had an Infamed pope For all the predecessours of thys Liberyus were sayntes yaue holy ensamples ¶ Iulymus Apostata was after Constancyus Empero ur two yere .viii. monethes He was called Apostata for he fleede thys Constancius whyche slewe hys brother And for fere of deth was made a crysten man a monke But after warde by the couÌ„seyll of Nygromancers he asked the deuyll whether he sholde be Emperoure or not The deuyll sayd that he sholde be Emperour vpon a condycyon that he sholde forsake his crysten fayth and be vtter enmye to cristen men And so he dode For he yaue leue to the Iewes that they sholde buylde ayen the Temple in spyte of the crysten men And he toke all the goodes that crysten men had and destroyed many of them ¶ Iomynyanus was Emperour after hym .viii. monethes For whan Iulyanê° was deed the hoste chose hym Emperour And he was a crysten man And he sayd it was not lestull to a crysten man to be lorde ouer so many hethen people They answered and sayde Rather than he shold forsake the Empyre they wolde be crystened And thus toke he the dygnytee But soone he was deed and in a meruayllous maner For he was layde in a cholse hous after hys Iourneye made all of stone newely whyted wyth lyme in the whiche they made to his coÌ„forte as they thought a fyre of charcoole· And of the ayre of these two in the morowe he was founde deed ¶ Valentinian wyth hys brother Valent was Emperour after Iominianê° .xi. yere For he departed the Empyre gaue hys brother the eest and kepe hymselfe the west parte This Valentinian was a lord wyth Iulyanus Apostata And it happed hym on a tyme for to goo in a Temple of false goddes for to doo satcrefyce And mynystres stode there with water halowed after the gyse with the whiche they strynkled the lordes This valentinian smote the mynyster that cast the water vpon hym sayd He was rather defoyled by it than
people had grete despyte that a kynge lyenge in a letere had the ym besyeged And they toke counseyll among them for to stande vp in the morowe erly and come out and yeue batayll to the kynge soo they dyde And in that batayle were both Octa and Ossa slayne all the other the escaped a lyue fledde in to Scotlonde made Colegyn theyr chyeftayne the Saxons that were a lyue escaped fro the batayll brougth ayen a grete streÌ„gth amoÌ„ge theÌ„ they sayd that if kyng Vt were deed they sholde well conquere the londe and thought to enpoysen the kynge ordeyned men for to do this dede yaue them of yef t is grete plente this thynge to do And they ordeyned them thyderwarde there that the kynge was dwellyng and clothed them in poore wede the better all for to spede theyr fals purpose But neuertheles all theyr falsenes subtylte they myght neuer come to nygh the kyng But so at the last they aspyed that the kynge dranke noo other lycoure but only water of a clere wel thaâ— was nyghe besyde the fals traytours vpon a daye preuely wente to the welle put therin poyson soo that all the water was enpoysoned And anone after as the kynge had dronke of that water he began to swelle and soone after he deyed and as many as dranke of that water deyed also And anone as thys was aspyed folke of the towne lette stoppe the welle of euermore ¶ whan the kynge was deed his folke bare hym to Stonhenge wyth grete solempnyte of bysshops and barons that were there hym to burye besyde Aurilambros hys broâ—her And after torned ayen tho euerychone and sent after his sone and they made him kyng of the londe with moche reuerence after his faders deth the .xvii. yere of his regne ¶ How kynge Arthur that was the sone of Vter was crowned after his faders deth and how he droue Colegryn and the Saxons and Cheldriâ— of Aâ—mayne out of this londe As Arthur was made kyng of the londe he was but yonge of aege of .xv. yere but he was fayr and bolde and doughty of body And to meke folke he was good and curteys and large of spendinge made hym welle beloued amonge them there that yt was nede whan he began to regne heswore truely that ye. Saxons neuer shold haue reste ne peas tyll that he hadde dryuen them out of â—he londe And asseÌ„bled a greate hoste and fought wyth Colegryn the whyche after the tyme that Octa was deed the Saxons mayntened And thys Colegryn was dyscomfyted fledde vnto yorke tooke the towne there hym helde And the kyng besyeged hym there but he myght no thynge spede for the cyte was so strong And they wythin the towne kept the cyte well orpedly ¶ And in the mene tyme Colegryn lette the towne to Bladulf fâ—ledde hymselfe to Cheldryk that was kynge of almayne for to haue of hym socour And the kynge assembled a grette power came arryued in Scotlonde with .xv. hondred shyppes And whaÌ„ Arthur wyst of these tydynges that he had not power strength ynough to fyght ayenst Cheldrik he lete be the syege went to London sent anone his letters to the kynge of lytell Brytayne that wys called Howell hys neuewe hys systers sone that he sholde come to hym with all the power that he myghte And he assembled a grete hoste and arryued at Southampton And whan kynge Arthur it wyst he was gladde ynough wente ayenste them them receyued wyth moche honour Soo that those two hostê mette assembled them tooke theyr waye euen vnto Nycholl that Cheldryk had besyeged But it was not taken And they came vpon cheldrik his people or they wyst where that they were and them egerly assaylled ¶ The kynge Cheldrik and his men defended hym manly by theyr power But kyng Arthur hys men slewe so many Saxons hat neuer was seen suche slaughter Cheldrik hys men that were left alyue fledde a waye And kynge Arthur them pursewed and droue them out in to a wood tha they myghte no ferder passe ¶ Cheldrik hys meÌ„ sawe well that they were brought in to moche dysease them yelded to kynge Arthur in thys manner wys That he sholde take theyr horses theyr armour all that they had and they must only go on foot in to theyr shyppes And so they wolde goo home in to theyr owne londe and neuer come ayen in to this londe ¶ And vpon assuraunce of thys thynge they yaue hym good hostages ¶ And Arthur by counseyll of his men graunted this thynge receyued the hostages therupon that other wente to theyr shyppes And whan they were in the hyghe see the wynnde chaunged as the deuyll it wolde they torned theyr nauy cam ayen in to this londe arryued at Totnesse wente out of the shyppes and tooke the londe and clene robbed it and moche people slewe and tooke all the armour that they myghte fynde And soo they wente foorth tyll they came vnto Bathe But the men of the towne shytte faste theyr yates and wolde not suffre theym to come wy thinthe towne· And they deffended theÌ„ well and orpedly ayenst them ¶ How Arthur yaue bataylle vnto the Saxons whan they came agayne in to this londe had besyeged the towne of Bathe and them ouercame ANone as Artur herde thys tydynges he lete hange the hostages leâ—t Howell of Brytayne his neuewe for to kepe the marche to warde Scotlonde with halfe his people and hymself wente to helpe rescowe the towne of Bathe whan he â—â—me thyther he yaue a strong batayll to Cheldrik and slewe almoost all the people that he had· For no man myght hym wythstonde ne endure vnder the stroke of his swerde And there bothe were slayne Colegryn and Bladulf hys brother and Cheldryk fledde thens wold haue gone to hys shyppes ¶ But whan Arthur it wyst he toke .x. thousande knyghtes to Cador that was erle of Corne waylle for to lette stoppe hys comynge And Arthur hymself wente towarde the marche of Scotlonde For messengers tolde hym that the Scottes had besyeged Howell of Brytoyne there that laye syke therfore he hasted hym thyther warde ¶ And Cador purse wed after Cheldryk toke hym er he myght come to his shyppes slewe Cheldrik and his people And whan Cador had done thys vyage he hasted hym ayen to warde Arthur as faste as he myghte founde hym in Scotlonde there that he had rescowed Howel of Brytayn but the Scottes were ferre wythyn Nounref there they helde them a whyle But Arthur them pursewed And they fledde thens in to Limoigne that were in that countre .xl. Iles grete plente of byrdes and grete plente of Egles that were wonte to crye and fyght togyders and make greate noyse whan folke came to robbe that londe and warne as moche as they myght so
to slee kyng Arthur yf he myght sent by the see by londe lete asseÌ„ble paynems crysten peple And he sent to Saxons to Danys for to helpe hym also Mordred sent to Cheldrik to sende men to hy mour of Saxon that was a worthy duke promysed hym yf that he brought wyth hym moche people he wylde graunte hym Inherytaunce for euer all the londe fro Humbre to Scotlonde and all the londe that Engist hadde of Vortigers yeâ—re whan that he spowsed hys doughter ¶ And cheldrik came with a grete strengthe and power of people and. Mordred hadde assembled also on his half that they hadde .xl. thousande of stronge knyghtes whan that they hadde nede ¶ How Arthur enchanced Mordred the traytour and how he was slayne and also kynge Arthur wounded to the deth AS thys tydynges came to kynge Arthur there that he was in Bourgoyne he was full sore anoyed and toke all Fraunce to Howell for to kepe with the half deale of his men And prayed hym that he wold it kepe tyll he came ayen For hymselfe wolde passe in to Brytayne and auenge hym vpon Mordred that was his traytour And forth with Arthur wente his waye came to wytsande and made his men to go in to shyppe and wolde haue arryued at Sandwyche brought with hym a grace host of FreÌ„shemen also with his owne londe men But or that he myght come to londe wyth his people that were come out of hys shyppes Mordred was come wyth all his power and yaue a stronge batayll soo that kynge Arthur lost many a man are that he myght come to londe For there was Gawayne hys neuewe slayne Anguysshell that helde Scotlonde and many other wherof kynge Arthur was ful sory But after they were come to londe Mordred myghte not ayenst them endure But anone was dyscomfyted flydde thens the same nyght with his men vpon the morne came to· London But tho of the cyte wolde not suffre hym to come in And from thens he fledde to wynchestre and there he hym helde with his people that came with him ¶ Kynge Arthur lete take the body of Gawyne his cofyn the body of Anguysshell and lete the one be borne in to Scotlonde and the other to Douer buryed Anone after kynge Arthur toke his waye for to destroye mordred he fledde thens in to Cornewayle ¶ And the quen Gunâ—or that was kyng Arthurs wyf that thosoiourned 〈◊〉 yorke herde the Mordred was fledde thens that he might not endure ayenst kyng Arthur she was fore aferde had grete doubte wyst not what was beste of all for to done For she vnderstode well that her lorde kynge Arthur wolde neuer of her for to haue marcy for the grete shame that she had done vnto hym And toke her a waye pryuely with four men without moo and came to Karlyon there she dwelled all there lyue and neuer after was seen amonges the folke her lyf duryng ¶ Kynge Arthur wyst that Mordred was fledde in to Cornewayle lete sende after his men in to Scotlonde and Northomberlonde vnto Humbre and lete assemble folke without nombre and came fro thens in to Cornewayle to seke and pursewe after Mordred ¶ And Mordred had assembled to hym all the folke of Cornewayle and had people without nombre 〈◊〉 wyst that Arthur was comynge and had leuer to deye and take his chauÌ„ce than longer flee abode and yaue an harde batayll to kynge Arthur to his people so that moche people was slayne what of one syde what of that other that noman wyst who had the better party But so it befell at the last that Mordred was slayne al his folke the good chyualry that kynge Arthur had gadred nourysshed of dyuer londes and also the noble knyghtes of the rounde table that so moche were praysed thorugh oute all the worlde were there slayne kynge Arthur hymself was wounded vnto dethe But he lete hym to be borne to Auioun to be heeled of his woundes And yet the. Brytons supposed that he lyued in an other lond and that he shall come yet and conquere alle Brytayne ¶ But certes this is the prophecye of Merlyn He sayde that his deth shall be doubtous and sayde sothe For therof yet men haue doubte and shall haue for euer more as men saye For meÌ„ wote not wyther that he is on lyue or deed ¶ Arthur was borne at Auioun the .xxii. yere of his regne after the. Incarnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .v. C.xlvi yere How kynge Arthur delyuered the reame vnto Constantyne the sone of Cador his neuewe AS kynge Arthur wyste that he myght noo lenger regne he lette come before hym Constantyne that was Cadors sone Erle of Cornewayle his cosyn to hym betoke all his reame toke him sayd bad hym therof to be kynge tyll that he came ayen for as moche as he had none heeyre of hys body begoten And grete damage was it that soo noble a kynge and soo doughty as he was hadde noo chylde of his body begoten But all thynge that god woll haue done must be done whose name be blessyd wythout ende ¶ How kynge Constantyne was vexed of Mordred two sones THis Constantyne was a noble knyght and a worthy of body And tho two sones that Mordred had begoten had grete enuy of ConstaÌ„tyne that tho was crowned kynge And so it befell that they meued warre ayenst hym And assembled a grete host of them that were before with Mordred had ben dryuen a waye that dyd moche sarowe anguysshe thrughout all that londe That one brother ordeyned purposed hym towarde the auncyent Cyte of London for to take the cyte And that other went to wynchestre But Constantyne came to LoÌ„don slewe hym that was there And after he went to wyÌ„chestre slewe hym that was there also So that bothe his enmyes were deed ¶ And whan Constantyne had regned well worthely four yere he deyed lyeth at LoÌ„don ¶ Of the kynges Adelbryght of Edell AFter kynge Constantynes dethe there were two kynges in Brytayne the one was called Adelbryght that was a danoys And he helde the couÌ„tree of Norfolke Southfolke That other hyght Edell was a. Bryton \ and helde Nicholl Lendeser and all the londe vnto Humbre These two kynges faste warred togyder but after accorded they were and loued togyder as they had ben borne of oo body ¶ The kynge Edell had a suster that was called Orewenne And he gaf her thrught grete freodshyp to kyng Adelbryght to wyf And he begate vpon her a doughter that was called Argentyll And in the thyrde yere after came vpon hym a strange sykenesse that nedes he must deye And he sente to kynge Edell hys broder in lawe that he sholde come and speke wyth hym and he came to hym wyth a good wyll ¶ Tho prayed he the kynge and coniured hym also in the name
and .viii. monethes This man ordeyned that respyte sholde be yeuen to a man that was accused that he myght auyse hym how heshlode answere And that the Iuges and the accusers sholde be suche and that they sholde take alle suspeccyon and spytte ¶ Gelasius a Romayne was pope after Felix .v. yere Thys man ordeyned the Canon of the masse with the Preface ympnes tractes orysons as saynt Ambrose made them and that ordres sholde be yeuen foure tymes in the yere ¶ Anastasiê° was Emperour after zeno .xxvii. yere he was a cursed man an heretyke and hateful to god and man And he was slayne with lyghtuyngeâ— And in hys tyme deyed saynt Patryke the fyrste bysshop of· Irlonde in the C.xxii. yere of his aege And his felowe was the abbot of Columba and saynt Brygyda whom saynt Patryk made a Nonne And they were buryed in one tombe and att dyuers tymes and thys ys the Epitaphi Hii tres iÌ„ gelido cumulo tumulantur in vno Brigida patricius atque columba pius ¶ Anastasius a Romayne was pope after Gelasyus two yere and thre monethes The whyche ordeyned that no prest for wrath ne hate sholde leue of to saye his dyuyne seruyce in the chyrche excepte the masse ¶ And he cursyd themperour Anastasius for he was an heretyke and yt ys wryten of hym that afterwarde he torned for drede to the opynyon of the emperour And he is called the seconde euyll famed pope that is in Catholico pontificuÌ„ And afore hym was Liberius famed in heresye ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .iiii. C.lxxxiiii SIinachus was pope after hym .xv. yere and with hym was ordeyned an other pope that was called Laurencius and betwext them was a grete dyscencyon And they bothe put them to the Iugemente of Theodoria the kynge and he Iuged that he that was fyrste ordened and that moost men of the chyrche helde with sholde be pope And Symachê° preualid the whiche loned the chyrche and pore men and for Paschalius the deaken Cardynal helde ayenst Symachus with the parte of Laurence to his dethe Therfore he was put to the paynes of purgatori to kepe the batthes after his dethe as Gregory sayth in his boke of Dyalogis This man ordeyned that Gloria in excelsis sholde be sayd euery Sondaye and feestes of martyrs ¶ Nota. ¶ That Englonde was longe tyme Crystened afore Fraunce CLodianus the fyrste Crysten kynge of Fraunce was thys same thyme baptysed of saynt Remigio he hadde a crystyn woman to his wyf and she meued hym many tymes to the fayth sayd He sholde be fortunable victoryous yf he wold torne so he was and neuer afore ¶ Hornusda was pope after Synachus .ix. yere This man was of grete mercy and almesse to poore men ornamentis he gaue many to chyrches And here consyled the Grekes that whiche were cursed for theyr heresye ¶ Iustinus was emperour after Anastasasius· And he regned ix yere was a very crysten man all that euer themperour Anastasius had done ayeust the chyrche he reuoked and obeyed the pope Hornusda called ayen the bysshops that were exyled be his prede cessours ¶ Priscanê° gramaticê° was this tyme. And this yere the whiche is the .lxxi. fro the comynge of the Saxons began the kyngdom of west Saxon and Cerdico was kyng ¶ IohaÌ„nes was pope after Hornusda thre yere .ix. montches Theodocius the kyng of ytaly an heretyke toke the pope with other Senatours sente them to the Emperour Iustinus determynynge that he wolde not lette the heretykes be in peas he sholde slete all crysten folke in ytaly And after he toke pope IohnÌ„ SimachuÌ„ patriciuÌ„ BoycluÌ„ the Senatours slewe them in pryson But Boys defended hym by the reason of thauctoryte of the Senatours he sent hym to the cyte of Papy for perpetuell exyle where he made the boke De consolatioÌ„e philosophie And at the last the couÌ„trie of MediolanenÌ„ he caused Boys throte to be cutte and so he deyed ¶ Felix pope succedded IohnÌ„ foure yere This man coÌ„maunde that syke men sholde be aneled for the deth but cryst ordeyned the fyrst ¶ Iustinianê° was Emperour xxxviii yere this man drewe the lawe of the Romayns out of almoost .ii. M. bookes .iii. C. verses ouer longe accordynge in to oo volumen of .xii. bookes called it Iustinian He made also the Digestes deuyded theÌ„ in to .iii. bokys ¶ Bonifaciê° the seconde was pope after Felix two yere and lytel of hym is wryten ¶ IohaÌ„nes the seconde was pope after Bonifaciê° this man had a grete stryf with Iustinianê° themperour whether the cryst was of .ii. natures or one The pope sayd he had two natures One of god an other of man Tâ—e emperour sayd other coÌ„sente to vs or thou â—hat go in to perpetuell exyle The pope answered I desyre to come to Iustilianus the moost câ—isten Emperour but as me semeth I haue fouÌ„de Dyoclesyan the persecutour of crysten man But certaynly I drede not thy malyce Ne I fere not thy threthynges Thenne the Emperour meked hymslef felle downe to the grouÌ„de and asked mercy and absolucyon ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .v. C.xxxiiii AGapitus a confessour was pope after IohnÌ„ two yere this Agapitus torned Iustimanus fro the errour fully of the heretykes This man ordeyned that processyoÌ„s sholde be done the Sondayes and thenne he dyed arte Constantynoble Siluerius a martyr was pope after this man thre yere He was exyled fro crysten fayth and slayne by the proctour of Theodory For he wolde not restore the bysshop of Athenes an heretyke to his benefyte ayeÌ„ ¶ Virgiliê° was pope after hym .xviii. yere And he entred euyll to his benefyte but he gouerned hym well And he suffred his persecucyon pacyently ¶ And he was exyled fro Rome And at the laste after grete passyoÌ„s of Theodory in Constantynople deyed ¶ Synodus quatra constantinopolitana coÌ„tra theodoruÌ„ oâ—â—s hereticos alios fuic isto teÌ„pore Ista synodê° dampnauit heresim theodori â— Qui dixit alium esse deuÌ„ veruÌ„ aliuÌ„ cristuÌ„ Et qd beata virgo non sit dei genitrix sed hominis tantuÌ„ ¶ Pelagius was pope after Vigilius foure yere and .x. monethes This man ordeyned that heretykes Scismatykes Rennegates sholde be punysshed by the seculer power ¶ Iohannes the thyrde was pope after this man .xiii. yere Of thys man lytell is wryten but that he restored the chyrcheyerde of the appostles Philyp and Iacob ¶ Iustinus the seconde after Iustinian was Emperour .xi. yere This man dyspysed poore men He robbed the Senatours He was yeuen to all coueytousnesse so that he made chestes of yron for to kepe his moyneye in Thenne anone he felle in heresye wexed out of his mynde ¶ And thenne was chose Tyberyus a good man for to gouerne the comyn people ¶ Tyberius the seconde was Emperour aftest Iustinus .vii. yere Thys man was a vertuous man He yaue Innumerable good to poore men In so
lord suffred the Sarrasyns and the Bulgars to entre in thys londe that he them myght not wyth stande but that he made hys peas with them payed to them yerely a truage so nyghtely preuaylled that cursyd secte of Machomyte and after he deyed blessydly ¶ Nota. ¶ That there were .vi. generall Synodus moost pryncypall of the whyche the auctoryte is equall to the gospell for the truth of the gospell is declared by them ayenst the .vi. pryncypall heresyes the whyche strongely trowbled the chirche for the subtyltee of these heretykes to dysceyue symple men ¶ Thys tyme deyed Saynt Cedde of Lytchefelde the thyrde yere of his bysshopryche ¶ Demus a Romayne was pope after Adeodatus thre yere Of this man lytell is wryten ¶ Bonyfacyus was pope after hym lytell of hym is wryten but that he lyued lyâ—e a preest ¶ Agatho was pope after hym and he was a very holy man For on a daye whan he kyssed a lepre the lepre anone was made hoole ¶ Iste et de consensu princypys iussit celebrari sextuÌ„ sinodum apud ê¯stantinopolin CC.lxxx epÌ„orum in qua asseret duas naturas et duas voluntates esse in xpÌ„o ¶ Leo the seconde was pope after Agatho thre yere this Leo was an holy man suffycyently taught in latyn greke this man ordeyned that the pax sholde be yeuen after agnus dei and dyed a blessyd man ¶ Benedictus the seconde pope after Leo almoste thre yere This man aboue all thyng was vertous and his name accorded with his dedys And in his tyme was a grete pestylence ¶ Iustinianus the seconde was Emperour this tyme he was a very good man a prudent a large he encreaced the Empyre of Rome myghtely But he charged the offyce of the chyrche ouer moche Many lawes he made and after was not good he intended to haue lette the dycrees of the .vi. Synodus wherfore the .x. yere of hys Empyre he was taken of Leo the prynce of patriciâ— and Tyberio they cutte of hys nose hys tonge exyled hym to CrysonaÌ„ There was then turbacyon in the chirche for stryue heretykes ¶ And knowe all men whan varyaunce falleth betwixt grete lordes Thenne errours ben multeplyed for there is no man corrected them therfore that ys often tyme preued in the cyirche Thenne after felle a varyaunce betwixt Leo and Tyberio And Tybereo preuaylled and he exyled Leo cutte of his nose the thyrde yere of his regne and regned for hym· Iustinianê° fledde to the Sarrasyns and the Bulgars the whyche restored hym ayen to his Empre and slewe Leo and Tyberio the whiche fauoured heretykes Thenne this same Iustinianus reformed hymselfe to the chyrche of god and had grete repentauÌ„ce But he venged hym to cruelly on his aduersaryes so that he wolde haue slayne the â—r Innocent childern Therfore he was slayne wyth his sone of Phylyp whom he exyled ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .vi. C.lxxxiiii IOhannes the fyfth was pope after Benedyctus too yere he was a good man but he decessyd aone ¶ zeno was pope after hym And he was a very holy man for he wolde not medle with seculer maters And iÌ„ beaute he was an angell quyete in vertues meke in soule and very demure in langage of hys relygyous lyf this man was chosen at the last wyth one accorde of the chirche and laye men But there was a grete distruccyon for the clergy entended to haue chose Perys the Archebysshop And the host of laye men wolde haue had Theodorum a preest But at the laste the holy gooste tourned the wyll of all this people in to this holy man ¶ Sergius was pope .ix. yere This man was vertuous comendable iÌ„ hys lyf And in his eleccyon a grete dyscorde was for one partye of the clergye chose TheodoruÌ„ and an other partye Paschalem But as oure lorde wolde at the last they tourned all to thys man Thys man translated the body of saynt Leo. He also founde a grete parte of the holy crosse by myracle And he crystened Cad waldre the last kynge of Brytayne He coÌ„mauÌ„ded Agnus dei to be sayd or songe thryes at masse And decessyd blessydly ¶ Nota. ¶ Saynt Beda the worshypfull preeste was thys tyme a grete man of fame in Englonde the whyche was take the .vii. yere of hys aege to Benedycte the abbot GyrwyenÌ„ monastery to be taught And thenne after to Colfrido the abbot after the deth of benedict And atte the .xix. yere of his aege he was made Deaken of the bysshop of yorke And at .xxx. yere he was made preest in the whiche yere he began to wryte So he contynued al the tyme of his lyf in that monastry in gyuynge his labours to wrytynge and scrypture to be expowned He made lxxviii· bokes the whiche he nombreth in the ende of his Edglysshe booke Thys man was euer in labour other in prayer or in syngynge dayly in the chyrche or to lerne teche or wryte For whiche thynge men maye Iuge by reason that he was neuer at Rome all though some saye he wente to Rome that he myght see that his bokes accordeth with the doctryne of the holy chyrche But it was certayne that he was blynde and wente to preche had a seruaunte that was not good and made him to preche to a myghty multytude of stones and sayde that they were men ¶ And whan all hys sermon was done the stones answered and sayd AmeÌ„ But that he wente to Rome thryes and founde wryten thre arres thre effes and expowned them it was neuer founde in no boke of auctoryte There was after the talkyng of the people suche a wrytynge on the yates of Rome RRR FFF And suche an exposycyon Regna Rome Ruent Ferro Flama Fame But it is certayne that Beda was desyred to come to Rome by the wrytynge of sergius the pope to Colfrido his abbot And thys Beda translated the gospell of saynt Iohan in to Englysshe tonge and dyssessyd blessydly The fame sayth that now he lyeth at Deuelyn with Saynt Curberte there is buryed with hym the knowlege of the dedes of Englonde almoost to the conquest ¶ Leo the seconde was Emperour and lytell of hym is wryten ¶ Liberiê° was Emperour after hym .vii. yere he rose ayenst Leo entred his kyngdom and kept hym in pryson as longe as he regned In this tyme Iustinianus the seconde whiche in olde tyme was exyled to Crysonam openly sayd he wolde recouer his Empyre agayne wherfore the people of that countree for the loue of Liberius were aboute to slee that Iustinianus wherfore he fledde to the prynce of Thurcorum and wedded hys syster And thorugh helpe of his brother and the Bulgars he recouered his Empyre and slewe Liberius Leo the vsuper of his reame And as many tymes almoost as he wyped ony drope from his nose the whiche they kytte of so many tymes he made one of his enmyes to be slayne ¶ Leo the thyrde was
was pope after hym thre yere and of these .vi. popes is noothynge hadde in scrypture For what cause I can not telle ¶ Anno dnÌ„i .ix. C.liiii AGapitus a Romayne was pope after Martinus two yere and .viii. monethes no thynge of hym is wryten ¶ IoheÌ„s the .xii. a Romayne was pope after Agapitus viii yere he had a fader that hyght Albertyke was a worthy man in the chyte of Rome He induced the noble men to swere that after the deth of Agapytus they sholde these Ottauianus hys sone pope and soo it was done was named IohnÌ„ and he was a hunter a lecherous man so that openly he kepte wymmen wherfore certen Cardynalles wrote vnto Otto the Emperour of Saxon that he sholde come to Rome for to helpe to destroye the sclauÌ„dre of the chirche This the pope perceyued the honde that wrote the pystle he made to be carte of And many tymes he was warned by the Emperour and the clergy that he sholde correcte hymself but he nolde for noo thynge Thenne he was deposyd and Leo was put in to a place wherfore the Emperour was anoyed and came ayen and besyeged Rome so longe tyll they toke Benedycte to hym and restored Leo. ¶ Of kynge Edgar that regned aboue the kynges of Scotlonde of walys and how heâ— was begyled thrug the takynge of his wyf ANd after this Edwyne regned Edgar hys brother a man that moche loued god and peas and the ryght of hooly chyrche also And he was a worthy man a grete lord of blood and myghty and maycened well this londe in peas And this Edgar was lorde and kynge aboue all the kynge of Scotlonde of walys fro the tyme that Arthur was gone neuer was sythen kynge of his power ¶ And this Edgar was saynt Edwardes fader And whan Edgars wyf was deed that was saynt Edwardes moder entryd he herde speke of the fayrnesse of Estrylde that was Orgarus doughter a baron of Deuenshyre that was so fayre a woman that all men dyde speke of her He called one of hys knyhhtes that he moche loued trusted vpon tolde hym Goâ— sayde he to the noble baron Orgarus of Deuenshyre see yf that hys doughter be fayre as men speke of yf it be sothe I wyll haue her vnto my wyfe ¶ This knyght that was called Edelwolde wente forthe his waye as the kynge hym had sayd came there that the lady was And whan he sawe her so fayre he thought to haue her hymself to wyfe And therof spake to Grgarus her fader And her fader was an olde man and no man chyldern but oonly her sawe that Edelwode was a fayre yonge knyght with the kyng thought his doughter sholde well be maryed be sette vpon hym graunted hym his doughter yf the good lorde the kynge wolde consente therto ¶ And thenne thys Edel wolde came ayen vnto the kynge colde hym that she was fayre ynough vpon to see but she was wonder lothly ¶ Tho answerede the kynge and sayd that he toke but lytell charge Syr sayd Edelwolde she is her faders heyre and I am not ryche of londes yf ye wolde consente and graunte that I myght her haue thenne sholde I be ryche ynough In goddes name sayde the kynge I consente therto Edel wolde tho thanked the kynge ryght mothe wente ayen in to Deuenshyre spowsed the damoysell and in that couÌ„tree he dwelled ¶ And thus it befell vpon a tyme that he tolde his couÌ„seyll all this thynge vnto his wyf how in what maner he had begyled his lord the kynge that wolde haue hadde her to wyfe And anone as she it wyst she loued him neuer more after warde as she dyde before ¶ Thys lady conceyued by hym a sone And whan tyme wan that the chylde sholde be borne Edelwolde came to the kynge and prayed hym to haue a sone of his at the fonte stone The kynge hym graunted And lete calle hym Edgar after his owne name And whan this was done he thought that alle was syker ynough for the kynge that he wolde not take hys wyf for as moche as hys lord was a Ioly man and an amerous ¶ How that kynge Edgar wedded Estrylde after the deth of Edel wolde· THus it befell that all men in kynge Edgars courte thenÌ„e spake sayd that Edel wolde was rychely auaunced thrugh the forsayd maryage of his wyf And yet they sayd he was auaunced an hondred folde more· For he had spowsed the moost fayrest creature that euer seen And the kyng herde speke so moche of her beaute that he thought he wolde haue hym dysceyued begyled And thought pryuely in his herte that he wolde goo into Deuenshyre as it were for to hunte for the harte for the hynde other wylde beestes thenÌ„e he sholde see there the lady or he departed thens And this lady was dwellynge at manere place besyde the forest there that the kynge wolde hunte And aâ— that manere he was her borowed all nyghte And whan tyme came that the kynge sholde suppe and the sonne shone the kyng asked after his gossyppe and after hys godsone· And Edelwolde made her to come before the kynge And neuerthelesse yf it other wyse myght haue be she sholde not haue come in hys syght by hys wyll ¶ The lady welcomeâ— the kynge swetely hym kyssed And he toke her by the honde and to nexte by hym her saâ—te and so souped they togyder ¶ And there was a custome and an vsage in this londe that tyme. That so whan on drake to an other the drynker sholde saye wassayll And that other sholde answere and saye Drynke hayll And thys dyde the kynge the lady and kyste many tymes And after supper whan tyme was for to go to bedde the kynge wente to bedde then kynge hertely on the â—ayrnesse of that lady thenÌ„e was ouer come for her loue that hym thought that he sholde deye but yf he hadde his wyll on her ¶ Vppon the morowe the kynge aroos and in the foreest wente hym for to dysporte wyth hartes hyndes all other wylde beestes of the hertes grete plente he sence to the lady And thryes he went for to solace and to speke wyth that lady the whyles he dwelled there in that countree ¶ And after that the kyng remeued thens and thought hym how he myghte best delyuer Edelwod fro hys wyf as he had hym fyrste desceyued And the kynge anone after .viii. dayes ordeyned a parlyament at salysbury of all his baronage counseyll to haue And for to ordeyne how the countree of Northumberlonde sholde best he kepte that the Danys came not there the londe for to destroye And thys Edelwode came vnto the kyngê parlyament And the kynge sent hym to yorke for to be keper of that countree ¶ And thus it befel that knewe hym not slewe hym by the waye ¶ And anone as the kynge herde telle
had regned two yere and lytell more he deyed and lyeth at westmestre ¶ Of kynge Kariknoght that was Haroldes brother AFter this Harold Hare foot Regned his brother Hardiknoght a noble knyghte and a worthy man and moche loued chyualry and all maner of goodnes And whan thys Hardiknoght had regned a lytell whyle he lette vncouere hys brother Harold smote of his heed that was his brother att westmestre lete cast the heed in to a gonge the body in to Tamyse And after came fysshers toke the body with theyr nettes by nyght and bare hym to saynt Clementes chyrche and there hym caryed And in this maner auenged hym Hardiknoght of hys broder for in none other maner he myght be auengeb· This kyng Hardiknoght was so large a yeuer of meete drynke that his tables were sete euery daye thre tymes full ryall meetes drynkes for his owne meyne and for all that came vnto hys courte to be rychely serued of ryall meetes And thys kynge Hardiknoght sent after Emme his moder made her come ayen iÌ„ to Englonde for she was dryuen out of Englonde whyle that Harold Hare fâ—ot regned thrugh counseyll of the erle Godewin that tho was the grettest lorde of Englonde next the kyng moost myght do thrugh oute all Englonde what he wolde hys coÌ„mauÌ„dement for as moche as he had hys spoused doughter of the good kyng Knoght that was a Dane whiche doughter he had by hys fyrste wyfe ¶ And whan this quene was dryuen out of Englonde and come to the Erle of Flaundres that was called Balde wyne her cosyn he founde her there all thynge that her neded vnto the tyme that she went ayen in to Englonde that the kynge Hardiknoght had sente for her that was her sone and made her come ayen with moche honour This kynge Hardyknoght whan he had regned fyue yere he deyed and lyeth at westmestre ¶ Of the vylany that the Danyâ— dyde to the Englysshmen wherfore fro the tyme after was no Dane made kynge of this londe ANd after the deth of this kynge Hardyknoght for as moche as he hadde noo thynge of hys body begoten The erles barons assembled made a couÌ„sell that neuer more after noo man the was a Dane though he were neuer so grete a man amonges them he sholde neuer be kynge of Englonde for the despyte that the Danes hadde done to Englysshmen For euermoore before yf it were so that the Englysshmen and the Danys hapened for to mete vpon a brydge the Englysshmen sholde not be so hardy to meue ne styre a foot but stande styll tyll the Dane were passed for the. And more ouer yf the Englysshmen had not bowed downe theyr heedes to doo reuerence vnto the Danys they sholde haue ben beten defoylled And suche maner despytes vylany dyde the Danys to our Englysshmen wherfore they were dryuen out of the londe after tyme that kynge Hardyknoght was deed for they had no lord the theym myght mayntene ¶ And in this maner auoyded the Danys Englonde that neuer they came ayen ¶ The erles barons by theyr comyn assent by theyr counselles sent unto Normandy for to seke those two brethern Alured Edwarde that were dwellyng with the duke Richharde that was theyr came in entente for to crowne Alured the elder brother hym make kynge of Englonde And of this kynge to make an ende the erles barons made theyr othe But the Erle Godewin of westsex falsely traytoursly thought to slee the se two brethern anone as they sholde come in to Englonde in entent to make hys sone Harolde kynge the whyche sone he had begote vp on his wyf the whiche was kynge Knoghtes doughter that was a Dane And so this Godewin pryuely hym wente to South hampton for to mete there the two brethern whan that they sholde come vnto london ¶ And thus it befell the messengers that went in to Normandy fouÌ„de but oonly Alured that was the elder brother For Edwarde hys brother was gone in to huÌ„gry for to speke with his cosyn Edwarde the outlawe that was Edmonde sone with the Irensyde The messengers tolde sayde Alured how that erles barons of Englonde sente after hym that he boldely sholde come in to Englonde and receyue the reame For kynge Hardiknoght was deed and all the Danes dryuen out of the londe ¶ How Godewin the fals traytour toke Alured vppon Gyldesdowne whan that he came from Normandy to be kynge of Englonde and how he caused hym to be martyred in the yle of Ely AS Alured herde these tydynges he thaÌ„ked god And in shyppe went with all the hast that he myght passed the see arryued at Southhampton there Godewin the fals traytour was And whan this traytour sawe that he was come he welcomed hym and receyued hym with moche Ioye sayd that he wolde lede hym to London there the all the barons of Englonde hym abode to make hym kynge And so they went on theyr waye to warde London And whan they came on Gyldesdowne tho sayd the traytour Godewin vnto Alured Take kepe aboute you both on the left syde ryght syde of all ye shall be kynge and of suche and hondred more Now forsothe sayd Alured I behyght you yf I be kynge I shall ordeyne make suche lawes wherfore god and man shal◠〈◊〉 â—ell pleased Now had the traytour coÌ„m◠〈…〉 al his men that were with hym That wh 〈…〉 re come vpon Gyldesdowne that the 〈…〉 lee all that were Aluredes coÌ„pany that â—â—re with hym fro Normandy and after that take Alured lede hym in to the yle of ely after put out hys eyen of his heed afterwarde brynge hym to the deth so they dyde For they slewe al the coÌ„pany that there were the noÌ„bre of xii gentylmen that were come with hym fro NormaÌ„dy after toke they Alured in the yle of Ely they put out his eyen rent hys wombe toke the chyef of his bowels put a steke in the grouÌ„de an ende of the bowels ther to fastened with nedles eylesse of yren they prycked the good chylde so made hym to go about the stake tyll that al his bowels were draweÌ„ out of his body so dyed Alured there thrugh treason of the erle Godewin ¶ Whan the lordes of Englond had herde wyst how Alured that shold haue be theyr kyng was put to deth thrugh the fals traytour Godewin they were wonder wroth And swore bytwene god theÌ„ that he sholde deye a more wors deth than dyde Edrith of StrattoÌ„ that had betrayed his lord Edmonde Irensyde they wolde haue pute hym to deth but the theyf traytour fledde thens in to Denmark there helde hym foure yere and more and lost all his londe in Englonde SIluester the thyrde was pope after Benedictus ¶ Thys Siluester was chose and Benedictus was expulsyd And after warde was he expulsyd and Benedictus
the kyng and came to his courte at his coÌ„maundement And the erle demed sauely for to come And the kyng anon lete take hym put hym in to pryson And myght neuer for no thynge come out tyll that he had yelded vp to the kynge the castell of Nicholl the whiche he had taken from the kynge with his strengthe in the .xv. yere of his regne ¶ And Gaufride the erle of Angoy yaue vp vnto Henry his sone all Normandy And in the yere that nexte ensewed deyed the erle Gaufryde And Henry his sone tho anoÌ„e torned ayen to Angoy there was made erle wyâ—h moche honour of all hys men of the londe And to hym dyde feaute homage the moost party of the londe And tho was thys Henry the Empresse sone erle of Angoy also duke of Normandy ¶ In the same yere was made a dyuorce bytwnene the kynge of Fraunce and the quene hys wyfe that was ryght heyre of Gascoyne For bycause that it was knowen and proued that they were sybbe and nyghe of blood And tho spowsed her Henry the Empresse sone erle of Angoy and the duke of Normandy and duke of Gascoyne ¶ In the .xviii yere of thys Stephen thys Henry came in to Englonde with a stronge power began for to warre vpon this kyng Setphen toke the castell of Malmesbury dyde moche harme And the kynge Stephen had so moche warre that he wyst not whyther for to go But at the laste they were accorded thrugh the Archebysshop Theobaldus thrugh other worthy lordes of Englonde vpon this condycyon that they sholde departe the Realme of Englonde but wene theym two so that Henry the Empresse sone sholde hooly haue the half of all the londe of Englonde And thus they were accorded peas was cryed thrughout al Englonde And whan the accorde was made bytwene tho two lordes kynge Stephen became so sory for bycause that he had lost half Englonde felle in to suche a malady and deyed in the .xix. yere and .viii. wekes and .v. dayes of his regne all in warre and in contake And he â—yeth in the abbaye of Feuersham the whyche he lets make in the .xvi. yere of his regne CElestynus the seconde was pope after Innocencius .v. monethes And lytell he dyde ¶ Lucius was after hym lytell proffyted for they deyed both iÌ„ a pestylence ¶ Eugenius the seconde was pope after hym .v. yere foure monethes Thys man fryst was the dyscyple of saynt Bernarde after the abbot of saynt Anastasius by Rome And came to the chirche of saynt Cesary and was chosen pope by the Cardynalles he no thynge knowynge therof And for drede of the Senatours he was consecrated without thys cyte thys man was an holy man suffred trybulacyon And atte the last he decessyd and lyeth at saynt Peters And after anone decessyd Saynt Bernarde ¶ Petrus Lombardus the bysshop of Parys brother to Graciam compyled the foure bokes of the Sentence this tyme. ¶ Petrus CoÌ„mestor brother to GraciaÌ„ and to Pyerrs Lombardus made Hystoriam Scolasticam and other bokes ¶ Fredericus primus after Conradus was emperour in Almayne in Rome ·xxxiii yere This man after the deth of Adryan the pope the whyche crowned hym dyde cursydly wyth Alexander to hym grete preiudyce For he dyd helpe foure that stroue ayenst the appostles sete And he faught myghtely ayenste the kynge of Fraunce through power of the Danys other nacyons But Rycharde the kynge of Englonde halpe for to expoulse hym And he destroyed medyolanuÌ„ to the grounde Of the whiche cytee the walles were hygher than the walles of yny other cytee This man at the laste after that he had done many vexacyons to the pope he was recounsyled for he dradde leste the Lombardes wolde haue rebelled ayenste hym he axed for yeuenes of the pope And toke the crosse vpon hym and wente vnto the holy londe and dyde many meruayllous thynges there almoost as moche as euer dyde Karolus magnus And there he came by a towne that men calle Armeniam and in a lytell water he was drowned and at Tyrum he was buryed ¶ Anastasius was pope after Eugenius foure yere and more This man was abbot of Rufy and thenne he was chose Cardynall and after pope ¶ Of kynge henry the seconde that was the Empresse sone in whose tyme saynt Thomas of Caunterbury was Chaunceller ANd after thys kynge Stephen regned Henry the Empresse sone and was crowned of the Archebysshoppe Theobaldus the .xvii. daye before Crystemas And in the same yere Thomas Beket of london Archebysshop of caunterbury was made the kynges Chaunceller of Englonde ¶ The seconde yere that he was crowned he lete caste downe all the newe castels that were longyngt to the Crowne the whiche kynge Stephen had yeue vnto dyuerse men them hade made erles barons for to holde with hym to helpe hym ayenst Henry thempresse sone ¶ And the fourth yere of his regne he put vnder his owne lordshyp the kyng of walis And in the same yere the kyng of Scotlond had in his owne honde that is to saye the cyte of Karleyll the castell of Bambrugh and the newe castell vpon Tyne and the erledom of Lancastre ¶ The same yere the kyng with a grete power wente in to walys lete caste downe woodes and made wayes made stronge the castell of Rutlonde Basyngwark And amonge the castels he made an howse of the Temple ¶ And in the same yere was Rycharde his sone borne that afterwarde was erle of Oxforde And the fourth yere of his regne he made Gaufryde erle of Brytayne And in that yere he chaunged his moneye And the .vi. yere of hys regne he ladde a grete hoste to Tolouse conquered it And the .vii. yere of his regne deyed Theobaldus the Archebisshop of Caunterbury and tho almoost al the cyte of CauÌ„terbury through myschyef was breÌ„te The .ix. yere of his regne Thomas beket that was his ChauÌ„celler was chosen Archebysshop of Caunterbury· And vpon saynt Bernardes daye he was sacred And in that yere was borne the kyngê doughter Eelenore ¶ And in the .x. yere of his regne saynt Edwarde the kyng was translated wyth moche honour ¶ And the .xi. yere of hys rgne he helde his parlameÌ„te at Northampton and fro thens sledde saynt Thomas Archebysshop of Counterbury for the grete debate that was betwixt the kynge hym For yf he had be fouÌ„de on the morowe he had be slayne therfore he fledde thens wyth thre felowes on foot oonly that no man wyste where he was \ wente ouer the see to the pope of Rome And this was the pryncypall cause For asmoche as the kynge wolde haue put clerkes to deth that were ataynt of felonye without ony preuelegye of holy chyrche ¶ And the .xii. yere of his regne was Iohan his sone borne ¶ And the .xiii. yere of his regne deyed Maude the Empresse that was
moder ¶ The .xiiii. yere of his regne the duke of Saxon spowsed Maude his doughter And he begate vpon her thre sones that were called Henry Othus and. Wyllyam ¶ And in the xv yere of hys regne deyed the good Erle Robert of Glocestre that founded the abbaye of Nonne of Eton. And in the same yere Marke kynge of Ierusalem conquered Babylon ¶ And the .xvi. yere of his regne he lete crowne his sone Henry at westmestre· hym crowned Roger Archebysshop of yorke iÌ„ harmyng of ThoÌ„as archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury wherfore this same Roger was accusyd of the pope ¶ How kynge Henry that was sone of kynge Henry the Empresse sone and of the debate that was bytwene hym and his fader whyle that he was in Normandye AFter the cornacyon of kynge Henry the sone of kyng Henry the Empresse lone That same Henry thempresse sone wente ouer to Normandy there he lete mary Elenore his doughter of the Dolphyn that was kynge of Almayne And in the .vii. yepe that the Archebysshop saynt â–ª Thomas had beÌ„ our lawed the kyng of FrauÌ„ce made the kyng saynt Thomas accorded And thenÌ„e cam Thomas the Archebysshop to Chaunterbury ayeÌ„ to his owne chyrche this accorde was made in the begynnyng of Aduente afterwarde he was slayne martred the fyfth daye of Crystmasse thenne folowynge For kynge Henry thoughâ— vpon saynt Thomas the Archebysshop vpon Crystmasse daye as he sate at hys mete these wordes sayd That yf he had ony good knyghtes wyth hym he had be many a day passeâ— auenged vpon the Archebysshop Thomas· ¶ And anone syr Wyllyam BretoÌ„ syr Hugh Moruile syr wyllyam Tracy syr Reygnâ—lâ—de Fitz vrse beers sone in Englysshe pryuely wente vnto the see came in to Englonde vnto the chyrche of CauÌ„terbury there they hyâ— martred at saynt Benets awter in the modeâ— chyrche And that was in the yere of the Incarnacyon of Ihesu Cryst M.C.lxxii yere And anone after Henry the newe kyng began for to make warre vpon Henry his fader vpon his brothern wyllyam Othus ¶ And so vpon a daye the kyng of Fraunce al the kynges sones and the kynge of Scotlonde and all the gretest lordes of Englonde were rysen ayenst kyng Henry the fader And at the last as god wolde he conquered all his enmyes And the kynge of Fraunce he were accorded· ¶ And tho sente kyng Henry specyally vnto the kynge of Fraunce prayed hym hertely for his loue that he wolde sende to hym the names bi letters of them that where the begynners of the warre ayenst hym And the kyng of fraunce sent ayen to hym by letters the names of theÌ„ that began that warre ayenst hym The fyrste was IohnÌ„ hys sone Rycharde his brother HeÌ„ry the newe kyng his sone Tho was Henry the king woÌ„der wroth cursyd the tyme the euer he hym begate whyle the warre dured HeÌ„ry his sone the newe kyng deyed sore repeÌ„tyng his mysdedes moost sorow made of ony maÌ„ for bycause of saint Thomas deth of CauÌ„terbury and prayed hys fader wyth moche sorowe of herte mercy for his trespaas And his fader forgaaf hym and had of hym grete pyte And after he deyed the .xxxvi. yere of his regne lyeth at Redynge ¶ How the crysten men loste alle the holy londe in the forsayd kinges tyme by a fals Crysten man that became a sarrasyne ANd whyle thys kynge regned the grete bataylle was in the holy londe bytwene the crysten men and the sarrasyns but Crysten men were there slayne thrugh greate treason of the erle Tyrpe that wolde haue had to wyf the quene of Iherusalem that somtyme was Baldewynes wyfe but she forsoke hym and toke to her lorde a knyght a worthy man that was called syr Gnyperches wherfore the erle Tyrpe was wroth wente anone ryght to the Soudan that was Soudan of Babylon became his man and forsoke hys crystendome and alle crysten lawe And the cerysten men wyst not of his dedes but wende for to haue had grete helpe of hym as they were wonte to haue before ¶ And whan they came to the bataylle thys fals Cresten man torned vnto the Sarrasyns forsoke his owne nacyon And soo were the crysten men there slayne with the Sarrasyns ¶ And thus were the crysten men slayne put to horryble dethe and the cyte of Ierusalem destroyed and the holy crosse borne a waye ¶ The kynge of Fraunce all the grete lordes of the londe lete them be crossyd for to go in to the holy londe· And amonges them wente Rycharde kynge Henryes sone fyrst after the kynge of Fraunce that tooke the crosse of the. Archebysshop of Toures But he toke not the vyage at that tyme for cause that he was lette by other maner wayes nedes to be done ¶ And whan kynge Henry his fader had regned .xxxvi. yere and .v. monethes and four dayes he deyed and lyeth at Fonntenerad ¶ Anno dmÌ„ M. C·lvi ADrianus the fourth was pope after Anastasius ·v yere This pope was an Englysshe man the voys of the comyn people sayth he was a bouÌ„de man to the abbote of saynt Albon in Englonde And whan he desyred to be made a monke there he was expulsyd and he wente ouer see and gaue hym to studye and to vertue And after was made bysshop of Albanacens thenne he was made Legate in to the londe of wormacian and he conuerted it to the fayth Thenne he was made pope and for the woundynge of a Cardynall he enterdyted all the cytee of Rome And he cursyd wyllyam the kyng of Cecyle and caused hym to submytte hym This man the fyrst of all the popes with his Cardynalles dwelled in the olde cyte ¶ Alexander the thyrde was pope after hym .xii. yere This Alexander had stryfe ·xvii yere and the foure stryuers that the Emperour sette ayenst hym he ouercame them cursyd them and all deyed an euyll deth This man also accorded Frederyke the Emperour and â–ª Emanuell of Constantinoble the kynge of seculoruÌ„ And this man nourysshed saynt Thomas of Caunterbury in his exyle ¶ Nota. ¶ Saynt Bernarde was canonysed by this Alexander and his abbot for bode hym he sholde do no myracles for there was so myghty concours of people And he obeyed to hym whan he was deed and dyde no moo ¶ Lutius the thyrde was pope after Alexander .iiii. yere and two monethes Of hym lytell is wryten In hys dayes decessyd Henry the fyrste sone to Henry the seconde this is his Epytaphy Omnis honoris honor decor et decus vrbis et orbis Milicie splendor gloria lumen aper Iulius ingenio virtutibus hector Achellis viribus Augustus moribus ore paris ¶ Vrbanus the thyrde was pope after Lucius two yere this man decessyd for sorowe whaÌ„ he herde tell that Ierusalem was taken with the sarrasyns· ¶ Gregorius the viii was pope after hym foure monethes And he practysed
baners and the armes of frauÌ„ce on euery syde that were hangeÌ„ out wente on the walles of the forsayd towne on dyuerse places as naked as euer they were borne sauf only theyr shertes and theyr pryue clothes helde their swerdes naked the poynt donward in theyr hondes and putteÌ„ ropes halters about theyr neckes yelded vp the keys of the towne of the castell to kynge Edward of Englond with grete fere drede of theyr liues and goodes and drede of herte And kynge Edwarde sawe alle thys as a mercyable kynge and lord receyyed them to grace fewe of the grettest prysoners of estate and gouernaunce of the towne he sent into Englonde there for to abyde theyr raunson and the kynges grace And al the comynallte of the towne the kynge lette goo weder they wolde in peas and wyth out ony harme lete them bere with theÌ„ all theyr thynges that they myghte bere carye away kepynge the twone the castell to hymself· Thenne thrugh meditacyon of Cardynales that were sente from the pope trewes was take there by twene Fraunce englond for .ix. monethes than next folowynge And aboute Myghelmas kynge Edwarde come ayen into Enlond with a gloryous vyctory ¶ And in the .xxiii. yere of his regne in the Eest partyes of the worlde there arose and began a pestylence deth of Sarasyns and Paynyms that so grete a deth was neuer herde of a fore that wasted away the people so that vnneth the tenth person was left alyue ¶ And the same yere aboute the suche countrees and also in the west countrees there fell so moche rayne so grete waters that from Crystmas to myd somer there was vnnethes no daye ne nyght but that it rayned some what thrugh whyche waters the pestylence was so enfected so habuÌ„daunte in al countres namely aboute the courte of Rome other places and see costes that there were left lyuynge folke for too bury theyÌ„ that were dede honestly But made greate dyches pyttê that were woÌ„der brode depe therin buryed them made a renge of dede bodyes caste a lytell erthe to fele them aboue than caste in a nother renge of dede bodyes an other renge aboue theym and thus were they buryed none other wyse but yf it were so that they were men of greate estate so that they were buryed as honestly as they myghte And after all this in the .xxiiii. yere of kyng Edwardes regne it was done hym to wete vnderstaÌ„de of a treason that was begon at Calays ordeyned for to sell that towne for a greate soÌ„me of Florens vnto kynge Phylyp of Fraunce thrughe the falsnesse or dynauÌ„ce of a knyght that was called syre Geffrey of Cherney was wonder preny wyth kynge Phylyp of FrauÌ„ce And whan kynge Edwarde herde this he toke with hym the noblest and gentyllest lordê and many other worythy men of armes that were there presente with hym for the solempnyte of that hygh feest And well wysely in al the hast that he myghe and as pryuely as he myght he wente ouer see to warde Calays And that same yere the gode kyng edwarde helde his crystmas at Hauerynge And the morne after new yers daye the kynge was in the castell of Calays with his men of armes that none of the alyens wyst ther of And that fais conspiratour and traytour Geffrey of Cherney syth that he myght not openly haue his purpose of the castell pryuely and stelyngly he come in helde the towne with a grete host And whaÌ„ he wyth hys men were comen in he payed the for sayd somme of floreyns as couenaunte was to a Geneweye in the towne that was keper of the castel and consentinge to the same Geffrey in all his falsnesse and trechorye bounden the Englysshe mynstrels and seruauÌ„tes that were in the castell that they myght not helep themself ne lette them of theyr purpos And than wenyng that they had ben sure ynough then they spaken al their wickydnesse falnesse openly on hygh that all men myght here now shall ye here howe they were deceyued for they came in by a preuy posterne ouer a lytyll brydge of tree whaÌ„ they were comen in subtyly pryuely the brydge was drawen vp and kept that noÌ„e of them that came in myght go out ne no moo myghte come to them anone our Englysshmen wente out at preuy holes and wyndowes ouer the walles of the towne and of the castell went faught manly with the frensshmen that were withoute had the better of them the whyche whan they were occupyed by them self on theyr syde the kynge that was within the towne hauynge scarsely but .xxx. men of armes drew out his swerde with a loude voys he creyed on hygh Osaynt Edwarde Osaynt George And whan the peple herde that they come rennynge to hym gaaf there to theyr enmyes so greate assawte that there were moo than two hondred men of armes many mo other slayne and many fled a waye And soo by grace of god almyghty the vyctory felle vnto the Englysshmen Thenne the kynge toke with hym this Geffrey that was fynder of this trechory And also many other Frenssh prysoners and thenne within a whyle after he come agayne in to Englonde And in thys same yere and in the yere afore and also in the yere next folowynge was soo greate a pestylence of men frome the eest in to the west namely through botches that tho that sykened as on thys daye deyed on the thyrde daye after to the whyche men that soo deyed in this pestylence had but lytell respyte of lyssynge ¶ The pope Clemente of his goodnesse and grace gaf theym full remyssyon and forgyuenesse of all theyr synnes that they were shryuen of and this pestyleÌ„ce lasted in London fro Myghelmas vnto August next folowynge almoost an hole yere ¶ And these dayes was deth wythout sorowe weddynges wythout frendshyp wylfull penaunce derth without scarsyte And fleynge without refute or socour for many fled from place to place by cause of pestylence But they were enfected myght not escape the dethe after that the prophete Isay syth who that fleeth fro the face of drede he shalle falle into the dyche And he that wyndeth hym out of the dyche he shall be hold and eyed wyth a grenne but whan thys pestyleÌ„ce was cessyd as god wold vnnethes the tenth parte of the peple was left on lyue And in the same yere began a wonder thynge that all that euer were borne after that pestylence had twoo cheketh in theyr heed lasse than they had afore ¶ How kyng Edward had a grete batayll with Spanyardes in the see fast by wynchelse ANd in the .xxv. yere of hys regne about saynt Iohans daye in haruest in the see fast by wynchelse kynge Edwarde had a grete batayll with men of Spayne where that theyr shyppes and nauye laye chayned togyder
the trowne of Englonde after kynge Rycharde the whiche erle of the Macche wente ouer see in to Irlonde vnto hys lordshyppes and londes for the erle of Marche is erle of Vlster in Irlond and by ryght lyne herytage And there at the castell of hys he laye that tyme and ther came vpon hym a grete multytude in busshmentes of wylde Irysshmen for to take hym and destroy hym he come oute fyersly of his castell wyth his people and manly faughte with the mans there he was taken he wen all to peces and so he deyed vpon whos soule god haue mercy ¶ And in the .x. yere of kyge Rychardes regne the erle of Arundell wente to the see with a greate nauye of shyppes and armed with men of armes and goode archers And whan they come in the brode see they mette wyth the hole flete that come with wyne lade frome Rochell the whiche wyne were enemyes goodes And there our nauye sete vpon theym toke theym all and brught theim vnto dyuerse portes and hauens of Englonde some to London there ye myght haue had a tonne of Rochel wyne of the beste for .xx. shellynges sterlynge and so we had grete chepe of wyne in Englonde that tyme thanked be god almyghty ¶ How the fyue lorde arosen at Rattecote brydge ANd in the regne of kyng Richarde the .xi. yere thenne fyue lordes arosen atte Rattecote brydge in the destruccyon of the rebelles that were the tyme in all the reame ¶ The fyrste of these fyue lordes was syr Thomas of wodstoke the kynges vncle duke of Gloucestre and the seconde was syr Rycharde erle of Arundell the thyrde was syr Rycharde erle of warwyk the fourth was syr Henry Balynbrok erle of Derby the fyft was syr Thomas Monbray erle of Notyngham And these .v. lordes sawe the myschyef and mysgouernaunce the falsnes of the kynges counseyll wherfore they that were that time cheyf of the kīges counseyl fled out of his londe ouer see that is to syr say Alysander Neuyll the Archebysshop of yorke syr Robert Lewe marqueys of Deuelyne erle of Oxforde syr Mychell de la pole Erle of Southfolke and Chaunceler of Englonde And these thre lordes went ouer see came neuer ayen for there they deyed ¶ And thā these fyue lordes aboue sayd made a parlemente at westmynster there they toke syr Robert Tresilyam the Iustyce and syr Nycholl Brembre knyght and cytezeyn of Lōdon syr Iohn̄ Salysbury a knyght of the kynges housholde vske sergeaunt of armes many moo of other peple were taken and Iuged vnto the deth by the counseyll of these .v. Lordes in that parlemēte at westmester for the treasō that they put vpon theym be drawen from the tour of Londō thrugh out the cyte so fourth vnto Tyburne there they sholde be hanged theyr throtes to be cutte thus they were serued and deyed And after th◠in thys same parlement at westmynster was syr Symonde Beuerle that was a knyghte of the garter syr Iohn̄ Beauchāp knyght that was stewarde of the kynges housholde syr Iames Berners werefore Iuged vnto the deth and than they were ledde on fote to the toure hylle there were there hedes smyten of and many other moo by these .v. lordes ¶ In this same parlement and in the .xii. yere of kynge Rychardes regne he lette crye ordeyne a generall Iustes that is called a turnement of lordes knyghtes And this Iustes turnement were holden at London in smythfelde of all manere of straūgers of what londe or countree that euer they were thyder they were ryghte welcome to them too all other was holden opē housholde and grete festes also grete gyftes were gyuen to all manere of stranges And of the kynge syde were all of one sute theyr cotes ther armure sheldes hors trappure and all was whyte hertes with cownes abbout theyr neckes and chaynes of gold hangynge thervpō and the crowne hangynge lowe before the hertes body the whyche herte was the kynges leueraye that he gaafe too Lordes and ladyes knyghtes and squyres for to knowe hys housholde frome other people ¶ And in this feest camen to the Iustes .xxiiii. ladyes and ladde ◠xxiiii lordes of the garter with chaynes of gold and alle the same sutes of hertes as it is before sayde frome the Toure on horsbacke thrughe the Cytye of London into smytfelde there that the Iustes sholde be holden ¶ And this feeste and Iustes was holden generalle for al tho that wolde come theder of what londe and nacyon that euer they were And this was holden durynge .xxiiii. dayes of the kynges costes and these .xxiiii. lordes too answere all manere people that wolde come thyd And theder came the erle of saynt Poule of fraūce many other worthy knyghtes wyth hym of dyuerse partyes full worthely arayed And out of Holande Henaude came the lorde Ostruaūt that was the dukes sone of Holande many other worthy knyghtes with hym of Holand full well arayed And whan this feest Iustynge was ended the kynge thanked this straungers and gaf thē many ryche gyftes And so they token theyr leue of the kynge and of other lordes ladyes went home ayen into theyr owne coūtres with grete loue and moche thanke ¶ And in the .xiii. yere of kyng Rychardes regne there was a batayll done in the kynges palays att westmynster bytwene a squyer of Nauerne that was wyth kynge Rycharde an other squyre that was called Iohn̄ walssh for poȳtes of treasō that thys Nauerne put vppon this walsshman but this Nauerne was ouercomē yelde hym recreaūt to his aduersary And anone he was dyspoyled of his armure and drawē oute of the palays to Tyburne and there was hāged for his falsnes And the .xiiii. yere of kynge Rychardes regne syr Iohan of Gaunt duke of Lancastre wente ouer see into Spayne for to chaleng hys ryght that he had by his wyfes tytle vnto the crowne of Spayne with a grete host of people and mē of armes and archers and he had with hym ◠duchesse hys wyf and hys thre doughters ouer see into Spayne ther they were a grete whyle att the last the kynge of Spayne began to treate with the duke of Lācastre and they were accorded togyder thrugh theyr bothe counseyll in this maner that the kynge of Spayne sholde wedde the dukes doughter of Lancastre that was the ryght heyre of Spayne and shold gyue vnto the duke of Lancastre golde syluer that were caste into grete wegges and many other Iewels as moche as .viii. charyetes myght carye And euery yere after duringe the dukes lyf of Lācastre and of the duches his wyf .x. thousande marke of golde Of whyche golde the auenture charges sholde be to theym of Spayne yerely bryng vnto Bayon to the dukes assygnes by suerte made And also the duke maryed an other of hys doughters vnto the kyng of
there she was alle nyght on the morne she was brought thruge the cyte of London and so forthe vnto westmynster and there she was crowned quene of Englond than she was broughte ayen vnto the kynges palays and there was holden open and ryall feest al hyr coronacyon of all maner peple that â—heder come and thys was done the sondaye nexte after the feest of saynt Clemente in the .xx. yere of kynge Rychardes regne And than the .xxv. daye of August next after by veyll excytacyon and fals counseyll for grete wrath and malyce that the kyng had of olde tyme vnto his vncle the good duke of Gloucestre and to the erle of Arundell to the erle of warwyk Anone the kynge by his euuyll excytacyon and his euyll counseyll malyce late in the euenynge on the same daye aboue sayd made hym redy wyth his strenth rode into Estsex vnto the towne of Chemesforde soo come to Plasshe sodenly there syr Thomas of wodstok the good duke of Gloucestre laye and the good duke came to welcome the kynge anone And the kynge arested the good duke hymself wyth his owne body so he was ladde downe to the waâ—â—â— and anone put into a shype and anone had too Calays brought in to the Capytayns warde â—o be kepte in holde by the kynges commaundement of Englonde And the tyme therle Marchall was Capytayne of Calays And anone after by commaundement of the kyng and by his fals counseyl commaunded the capytayne to put hym to deth ¶ And anone certayne yemen that had the good duke in kepynge toke theyr counseyl how that they shold put hym vnto deth And this was theyr appoyntemente that they sholde comen vppon hym whan he were in his bedde and a slepe on a fetheren bedde and anone they bounde honde and foot and charged hym to lye styll And whan that they hadde done thus they token twoo smale towelles and made on theym two rydynge knottes caste the towelles about hys necke And than they tooke the fetheren bedde that laye vnder hym cast it aboute hym than they drewe theyr to welles eche wayes and some laye vpon the fetheren bed vpon hym vnto the tyme that he was dede bycause that he shold make no noys and thus they strangled thys worthy duke vnto the deth vppon whos soule god for his hygh pyte haue mercy Amen ¶ And whan the kynge hadde rested thus this worthy duke and his vncle sente hym to Calays he came ayen to London in all the haste wyth a wonder greate people And as soone as he was comen he sent for the erle of Aurundell and for the good erle of warwyk and anone as they came he arested theym hymself And syr Iohan Cobham and syr IohnÌ„ Chyne knyghtes he arested theym in the same maner tyll he made his parlement anone they were put into holde but the erle of Arundell went att large vnto the parlement tyme for he founde soffycyent suerte to abyde the lawe to answere to all manere poyntes that the kynge his counseyll wolde put vpon hym ¶ And the xxiâ— yere of kynge Rychardes regne he ordeyned hym a parlement att westmynster the whiche was called the greate parlemente And this parlement was made for Iuge thys thre worthy lordes and other moo as they lyst at that tyme And for that Iugement the kynhe lete make in all the hast a loÌ„ge hous and a large of tyÌ„bre the whiche was called an halle and couered with tyles ouer it was open all aboute on both sydes that all maner of men myght se thrugh out and there the dome was holden vpon these forsayd lordes and Iugement gyueÌ„ at this forsayde parlemente And for to come vnto this parlement the kynge sent hys wryttes to euery lorde baron knyght euery squyre in euery shyre thrugh oute EngloÌ„de that euery lorde sholde gadre and bringe his retenue with hym in as shorte in the beste araye that they myghte gete in maintenynge and in the strengthyng of the kyng ayenst theym that were hys enemyes and that this were done in all haste come to hym in payne of deth And the kynge hymself sent into Chestreshyre to cheyftayns of that countre they gadred brought a grete and an huge company of people bothe of knyghtes and squyres and prencypally of yomeÌ„ of Chestreshyre the whyche yemen and archers the kynge tooke to hys owne courte and gaate them bowge of court and good wages to be kepers of his owne body bothe by nyght and by daye aboue all other persones and moste loued and beste truste the whyche soone afterwarde torned the kynge to grete losse and shame hyndrynge and hys vtterly vndoynge and destruccyon as ye shall here afterwarde And that tyme came syr Henry of Derby with a grete menye of armes and archers and the erle of Rutlonde came wyth stronge power of people bothe of men of mares and archers And the Erle of Kente brought a greate power of men of armes and archers the Erle of Marshall came in the same manere And the lorde Spenser in this same manere The erle of Northumberlonde and syr Henry Percy his sone and syre Thomas Percy the erles brother And all these worthy lordes broughte a fayre menye and a stronge power and eche man in hys beste araye And the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke came in the same maner wyth men of armes and archers folowynge the kynge And syr Wyllyam strop tresourer of Englond came in the same manere And thus in thys araye came all the worthy men of this londe vnto our kynge and these peple came to London in one daye in so moche that euery strete and lane in London and in the subarbes were full of them lodged and .x. or .xii. mylle about London on euery waye And these people brought the kynge too westmynster and wente home ayen to theyr lodgynge bothe hors and maÌ„ and than on the mondaye the .xii. daye of Septembre the parlemente began att westmynster the whiche was called the grete parlemeÌ„t ¶ And on the frydaye nexte after the erle of Arundell was broughte in to the parleamente amonge all the lordes and that was on saynte Mathewas daye the appostle and euangelyst there he was for Iuged vnto the dethe in thys halle that was made in the palays at westmynster And this was his Iugemente he sholde go on foot wyth hys hondes bounde behynde hym frome the place that he was Iuged in And so forth thrugh the cyte of London vnto the toure hylle and hys heed to be smyten of and so it was done in dede in the same place .vi. of the grettest lordes that sate on his Iugemente roden wyth hym vnto the place there he was done to dethe and so to se that the excucyon were done after the dome And by the kynges coÌ„maundemente wyth them wente on foot men of armes and archers a grete multytude of Chestreshyre men in strenthynge of
Than he made Henry his eldest sone prynce of wales and duke of Cornewayle erle of Chestâ—e And he made syr Thomas of AruÌ„dell Archebysshop of Caunterbury ayen as he was before And syr Roger walden that kynge Rychard had made Archebysshop of Caunterbury be made bysshop of London for that tyme it stode voyde And he made the Erles sone of Arundell that came wyth hym ouer the see frome Calays in to Englonde He made hym erle of Arundell as his fader had beÌ„ and put hym in possessyon of all his londes and he made homage and feaute vnto his liege lorde the kynge as all other lordes hadde don ¶ And than anone deyed kynge Rycharde in the castell of PouÌ„fret in North countre for there he was enfamed vnto deth by hys keper for he was kept there .iiii. or .v. dayes frome meete or drynke so he made his ende in thys world yet moche people in Englonde and in other londes sayde he was alyue many a yere after hys deth But whether he was alyue or dede the people helde theyr fals opynyon byleue that many had moch people came to grete myscheyf foule deth as ye shall here aftewarde ¶ And whan kyng Henry wyst knewe verely that he was dede he lete sere hym in the best manere closed it in a fayre chest wyth dyuerse spyces bawmes and closed hym in a lynnyâ— cloth al sauf his vysage and that was left opeÌ„ that al meÌ„ myghtse his persone from all other men And so he was brought to london with torche lyght breÌ„nynge to Saynt Poules chyrche there he had his masse and dyryge with moche reuereÌ„ce solempnyte of seruyce And whaÌ„ all this was done than he was brought from Saynt Poule into the abbay of westminster ther he had his hole seruyce ayeÌ„ And fro westmynster he was brought to Langley and there he was buryed vpon whoo 's soule god haue mercy Amen ¶ And in the fyrst yere of kynge Henryes regne he helde his Crystmasse in the castel of wyndesore And oon the .xii. euen came the duke of Awemarle vnto the kynge tolde hym that he the duke of Surri and the duke of Exâ—estre and the erle of Salysbury and erle of Gloucestre and other moo of theyr affynyte werre accorded to make a mommynge vnto the kynge on .xii. daye att nyght there they purposed â—ee thâ— kynge in the reuelynge And thus he the duke of Awemarle warned the kyng And whan the kynge came the same nyght to LondoÌ„ preuely ne all the hast that he myght to gete hym helpe socoure and comforth and couÌ„seyll And anone these other that wolde haue put the kynge to dethe fledde in all the haste that they myght for they knewe well that theyr counseyll was bewrayed And than fled the duke of Surrey and the Erle of Salesbury with all theyr menye vnto the towne of Cycestre And there the people oâ— the towne wodle haue arested them And they wolde not stande to theyr arestynge but stode at defence faught manly But at the last they were ouercomen taken And there they â—mote of the dukes heed of Surrey and the Erles heed of Salybury many other moo these they put theyr quarters in to sackes theyr hedes on poles borne on hyghe and so they were brought thrugh he cyte of London to London brydge and there these hedes were sette vpoÌ„â—â—ghe and ther quarters were sent vnto other gode townes Cytees of Englonde and sette vp there ¶ At Oxforde was taken Blonâ—e knyghte and benet Cely knyght Thomas wyâ—tersell squyre the there by heded and quartred and the knyghtes hedes were set vppon pooles and brought to London and sette vppon London brydge and the quartres sent forth to other good townes ¶ And in the same yere aâ— Pryetell well in a mylle in Estser there syr IohnÌ„ Holonde the duke of Excestre was taken wyth the comynes of the couÌ„tree and they brought hym from the mylle to the Plasshe to the same place that kynge Rycharde hadde restyd syr Thomas of wodstok the duke of Gloucestre ryght there in the same place they smote of the dukes heed of Excestre and brought it vnto London vppon a poole and it was sette vpon London brydge ¶ And in the same yere at Brystowe was taken the lorde Spenser the kynge Rycharde had made erle of Gloucestre the comyns of the towne of Brystowe toke hym and broughte hym into the market place of the towne there they smote of his heed sente it vnto London and ther it was set vnto London brydge ¶ And in this same yere was syr Bernard brokeyns knyght taken and arested and put in the Tour of London syr IohnÌ„ shelly knyght and syr IohnÌ„ Mawdelyn and Syr wyllyam Ferybâ—â—ersones of kyng Rychardes and they were arested and put in to the Toure of London And thyder came the kynges Iustices satte vpon theym in the Tour of London and there they were dampned all foure vnto the dethe and the dome was gyuen vnto Syr Bernarde Brokeys that he shold go on foot from the Toure thrugh the Cytee of London vnto Tyburne and there to be haÌ„ged and after hys heed smyten of and syr Iohan Shelly knyght and syr Iohan Mawdelyn and syr wyllyam Feryâ—e persones were draweÌ„ thrugh out the cyte of LoÌ„don to Tyburne there they were hanged and theyr hedes smyten of and set on London brydge And in this same yere kynge Henry sente quene Isabell home ayen in to Fraunce the whiche was kynge Rycharder wyf and gaaf hyr golde syluer many other Ieweles and soo she was dyscharged of all hyr power sent out of Englond And in the seconde yere of kynge Henry the fourth was syr Roger Claryngton knyghte and two of his men and the pryoure of Launde and ·viii freres mynors some maysters of dyuynyte and other for treason that they wrought ayenst the kynge were drawen haÌ„ged at Tyburne all .xii. persones And there began a greate dyscencyon and debate in the countre of wales bytwene the lorde Grey rythen and Owen of Glendere squyre of wales this Owen arered a greate nombre of walsshmen kepe all that couÌ„cre about ryghte strongly dyde moche harme and dystroyed the kynges townes lordshyppes thrughe out all wales and robbed slewe the kynges people both Englysshe and walesshe and thus he endured a .xii. yere largely And he toke the lorde Grey rythen prysoner and kepte hym fast in holde tyll he was raunsoned of prysoners of the marche and kepte hym longe tyme in holde And at the laste he made hym wedde one of his doughters kepte hym styll with his wyf and soone after he deyed ¶ And than kyng Henry knowynge this mischeyf destruccyon and treason the this Owen had wrought And anone he ordeyned a strong power of meÌ„ of armes archers moche other stuffe the longed to warre for to abate and dystroye the
Thomas of Caunterburyes shryne thus ended the worthy kynge Henry about mydlente sondaye in the yere of oure lorde a. M. CCCC and .xxi. vppon whoo 's soule god haue mercy Amen MArtyn the .v. was pope after IohnÌ„ .xiii. yere this man was chosen by the counseyll of Constantynoble the other was deposed that strof and so came peas in the chyrche the whiche longe tyme afore was desyred necessarye for the defence of the fayth This was the myghtyest pope that euer was of rychesse a grete Iuge He edefyed townes walles stretes he destroyed heresyes he dyde moche good thrughe the noble prynce Sygysmonde And he gadred moche moneye for to geten the holy londe ayen but deth came vppon hym letted hym he made a counseyll afore his deth for the mater there he decessyd ¶ Eugenius was pope after Martyn .xvii. yere this Eugenius was chosen peasyble after the deth of Martyn no man doubted but he was pope but soon after he was expulsed frome Rome for it was so that he fledde naked also he was cyted to the counseyll of Basylyens deposed but he dyscharged hym not and for that begaÌ„ the stryffe ayen the whiche stode to his deth And those that fauoured hym sayde he was worthe moche louynge the contrary sayde those that were ayenst hym but what someuer he was after he had taken the dygnyte vpon hym afore he was of grete obstynaunce of gode fame what he dyde after that I leue to the Iugement of god· ¶ Circa AnnuÌ„ dmÌ„ M. CCCC.xxi ¶ Of kynge Henry the fyfte that was kynge Henryes sone ANd after the deth of kynge Henry the fourth regned kyÌ„ge HeÌ„ry his sone that was borne at Monmouthe in wales that was a worthy kynge and a gracyous maÌ„ and a grete conquerour ¶ And in the fyrste yere of hys regne for grete loue goodnesse he sente to the ferres of Langley there as his fader had do burye kinge Rychard the secoÌ„de lete take his body out of the erthe ayen and dyde brynge it to westmynster in a ryal chare couered with blacke veluet baners of dyuerse armes aboute all the hors drawynge the chare were trapped in blacke beten with dyuerse armes many a torche brennynge by all the waye tyll he came to westmynster and there he lete make for hym a ryall and solempne enteremente and buryed hym by quene Anne his wife as his owne desyre was on ferther syde of saynt Edwardes shryne in the abbaye of saynt Peters in westmynster on whos soule god haue mercy Amen ¶ And in this same yere were a certayne of lollers taken and fals herytykes that had purposed thrugh fals treason for to haue slayne oure kyng and for to haue destroyed all the clargye of the reame and they myghte haue had theyr fals purpose But our lorde god wolde not suffre it for in haste our kynge hadde warnynge therof and of alle theyr fals ordynaunce and werkinge and came sodenly with his power to Saynt Iohans withoute smythfelde and anone they toke a certanye of the Lollers and fals herytykes and broughte them to the kynges presence and there they tolde all there fals purpose ordynaunce howe they wolde haue doo and wrought yf they myghte haue regned and hadde theyr wyll and there they tolde whyche were theyr Capytayens and gouernours and than the kynge commaunded theym to the Towre of London and thanne toke moo theym bothe within the Cytye and wythoute and sente them too Newgate and to bothe counteers And thanne they were broughte in examycyon before the clergye and the kynges Iustyces and there they were conuycted for theyr fals heresie and dampned before the Iustyce for theyr fals treason ¶ And this was theyr Iugement that they sholde be drawen frome the Towr of London to Saynt Gelys felde and there to be hanged and brente on the galowes ¶ And there was taken syr Roger Acton knyghte for heresye and eke for treason ayenste the kynge and the Reame and he came afore the clergye and was conuyâ—te for his heresye and dampned before the Iustyce too be drawen frome the Towre of London thrughe the Cyte to Saynt Gelys and to be hanged and brente ¶ And in the seconde yere of Kynge Henryes regne the fyfthe he helde a counseylle of alle the lordes of the reame atte westmynster and there he putte hym this demaunde and prayed and besought them of theyr goodnesse and of theyr gode counseyll and wylle to shewe hym as touchynge the tytle of the ryghte that he hadde to Normande Gascoyne and Guyhen the whiche the kynge of Fraunce wythelde wrongfully and vntyghte fully the whyche hys auncestrees before hym hadde by trewe tytle of conquest and ryghte heretage the whiche Normandye Gascoyn and Guyhen the good Kynge Edwarde of wyndesore and hys auncestres before hym hadde holden all theyr lyues tyme. And his lordes gaaf hym counseyl to sendde enbassatours vnto the kynge of Fraunce and hys counseyll that he sholde gyue vp vnto hym hys ryght herytage that is to saye Normandye Gascoyne Guyhen the whiche his predecessours hadde holden afore hym or els he wold it wynÌ„e wyth strength of swerde in shorte tyme with the helpe of almyghty god ¶ And thanne the Dolphyn of Fraunce answered to oure enbassatours and sayde in thys manere that the Kynge was ouer yonge and to terder of aege for comak ony warre as ayenste hym and not lyke yet to be a good warroure to doo and make suche aconqueste there vppon hym And somwhat in scorne and dyspyte he sente to hym a tonne fulle of tenes balles bycause he wolde haue som what for to playe wyth alle for hym and for his lordes for that wolde be come hym better thenne for toâ— mayntene ony warre ¶ And thenne anone oure Lordes that werre enbassatours tooke theyr leue and came in to Englonde ayen tolde the kynge hys counseyll of the vngoodly answere that they had of the Dolphyn of the present the whyche he had sent to our kynge ¶ And whan the kynge had herde theyr wordes the answere of the Dolphyn he was woÌ„der sore agreued ryght euyll apayed towarde the Frensshemen towarde the kyng the Dolphyn thought to auenge hym on them as soone as god wold sende him grace myght anoÌ„e lette make tenes balles for the Dolphyn in all the hast that myght be and they were grete gonstones for the Dolphin to playe with all And than anone the kynge sente for all hys lordes helde a grete counseyll at westmynster tolde vnto them the answere that they had of the Dolphyn of the worthy preseÌ„te that he sent to hym and to his lordes to playe with all And there the kyng his lordes were accorded that they sholde be redy in armes wyth ther powâ—r in the best araye that myght be done and gete men of armes archers that myght be goten all other
enoynted sacred anone sodaynly he was chaunged into a newe man set all his entent to lyue vertuously in mayntenynge of holy chyrche destroyenge of heretykes kepynge Iustyce defendynge of his reame subgettes ¶ And for as moche as hys fader had deposed by hys labour the good kyng Rycharde pyteously made hym to deye for the offence done to hym ayenst his legaunce he had sent to rome for to be assoyled therof For whiche offeÌ„ce our holy fader the pope enyoyned hym to make hym to be prayed for perpetually and lyke as he had done to be takeÌ„ from hym his naturall lyf therfore he shold do fyside four tapers to breÌ„ne perpetually about his body that for the extynccoÌ„n of his bodely lyf his soule may euer be remembred and lyf in heueÌ„ in spyrytual lyfe And also that he sholde euery weke on the daye as come aaboute of hys deth haue a solempne masse of requieÌ„ on the eueÌ„ afore dyryge wyth .ix. lessons a doole to poore peple alwaye on that daye of a xi shellynges .vii. pens to be deled peny mele and ones in the yere at his annyuersary his termeÌ„te to be holden in the most honest wyse â— bedeled the daye .xx. pouÌ„de in pens to poore people And to euery monke .xx. shellynge whyche alle these thynhes performed thys noble kynge for his fader for kyng Henry the fourth his fader performed it not durynge hys lyf of whome as it is sayd that god dyd touche hym was lepreor that he deyed ¶ And also thys noble prynce lette do calle all the abbottes pryours of saynte Benets order in Englond had all them into the chapytre hous of westmynster for the reformacyon of theyr order wherin he had comunycacyon and also wyth bysshops and meÌ„ of the spyrytualte in so ferre forth that they doubted sore as that he wold haue had the temporaltes out of theyr hondes wherfore by the aduyse labours and procurynge of the spyrytuallyte encouraged the kyng for to chalenge Normandye and his ryght in Fraunce to that entente to set hym a warke there that he shold not seke none occasyons for to entre into suche maters And than all his lyf tyme afterwarde he laboured was besy in the warre in conquerynge a grete parte of the reame of fraunce and so afterwarde that by the grement of the Kynge Charles he had the gouernaunce the rule of the reame of fraunce and he was proclamed regnet heyre of fraunce ¶ And so notwithstandynge for alle this grete warre that he had neuertheles yet he remeÌ„bred his soule also thought that he was mortall nedes must deye for whyche cause he ordeyned by hys lyfe tyme the place of his sepulture where as he is buryed and hath euery daye thre masses perpetually songen in a chapell our his sepultur of the whiche the myddyll masse the fyrste and the laste masse shall be as it is assygned by hym as it apperyeth by these verses folowynge Henrici misse quinti sunt hic tabulate Que successiue sunt per monachos celebrate ¶ De dmÌ„ca Prima sit assumpre de festo virginis alme Poscit postremaÌ„ cristus de morte resurgens ¶ Feria secunda Prima salute de festo virginis extat Nunciat angelicis laudeÌ„ postrema choreis ¶ Feria tercia Esse deum natum de virgine prima fatetur CoÌ„memorat natam sic vicima misse mariam ¶ Feria quarta Prima celebretur ad honoreÌ„ neupmatê almi Vltima conceptam denunciat â—eÌ„ mariam ¶ Feria quinta Semper prima colideber de corpere cristi Vltima sit facta de virgine purificata ¶ Feria sexta Concedet vt prima celebretur de truce sanctaÌ„ Atque salutate fâ—et postrema maria ¶ Sabbato Omnes ad sanctos est prima coleda super nos Vltima de requie pro defunctis petit esse Semper erit media de proprietate dâ—ci ¶ And yet the noble Kynge Henry the fyfte founded twoo houses of relygyon on is called Syon besyde Braynforde of the ordre of Saynt Brygfâ—te both of meÌ„ and women and on that other syde of the Ryuer Tamyse an how 's of monkes of Chartrehous in whyche twoo places he is contynually prayed for nyght daye For euer whan they of Syon resten than they of the Chaptre hous do theyr seruyce in lyke wyse whan they of the Chartre hous resten the other gooth to by ryngynge of the belles of eyther place eche knoweth whan they haue ended theyr seruyte whyche be nobly endowed do dayly there grete almes dedes as in Charter hous certayne chyldren be founde to scole at Syon certayn almes geuen dayly And yet besyde all thys he founde a recluse the whyche shall be alway a preest to praye for hym by the sayd Chartre hous whyche preest is suffycyently endowed for hym a seruaunt Lo here may all prynces take ensample by thys noble prynce that regned so lytyll tyme not fully .x. yere dyde so many noble actes as well for his soule to be perpetually remembred prayed for as in his conquestes he beynge in his moste lusty aege dysposyd to eschewe synne was a grete Iusticerâ— in so moche that all the prynces of crystendome dradde hym also of hethenes he had determyned in hymself yf god wolde haue spared hym to haue warred on the Sarasyns for to knowe the ayde of other prynces alle the passages in the Iourneye he sente a knyght of Henaude named Hugh de lanoye vnto Iherusalem but or he retorned he deyed at Boys de vencence in the .xxxvi. yere of hys aege on whos soule god haue mercy Amen FElyx the .v. was pope whaÌ„ Eugenyus was deposed .ix. yere This man Felyx was duke of Sauoyen deuonte prince an olde man and he saw his ckyldes chylde This maÌ„ whan he lyued a holy lyf was chosen pope of the counsell of Basyle and eugeny was deposed and there was stryfe longe tyme. And he had no grete obedieÌ„ce for the deposycyoÌ„ of eugenye And at the laste Eugenye decessed and than felyx â—esygned to Nycholas for fauoure of puas to be had he was made legate of Fraunce Cardynal of Sabyanus This was the xxiii stryfe bytwyxt Eugeny and felyx it dured xvi· yere and thys was a new cause neuer seen before for the counseill of Basyle deposed Eugeny they vere pope and there was noo mo for he obeyed not the decrees of the couÌ„seyl of Constantinople as they sayd ne he charged not to obeye the counsyel of basyle but he sayde rather the countrary sholde be done than as they decreed wherfore there arose a grete alteracyon in the mater for some sayde one waye some an other coude not accorde to thys daye for that one partye sayde that couÌ„â—eyll was aboue the pope an other partye sayde the contrary the the pope was about the couÌ„seyll But they lefte it vndetermyned
fayth and sone after all crysteÌ„ fayth in Grece perysshed and cessyd There were many Crysten meÌ„ slayne and innumerable solde and put in captyuyte ¶ By the takynge of this towne the Turke gretly was enhauÌ„ced in pryde and a grete losse to all crystendome ¶ In the .xxviii. yere was a parlyament holdeÌ„ at westmÌ„ from thens adyourned to the blacke freres at LondoÌ„ and after cristmas to westmynster ayen ¶ And this same yere Robert of Cane a man of westcountre wyth a fewe shyppes comynge out of the bay lade with salt whiche shyppes were of Pruce flandres Hollande and zelande and brought theym to Hampton wherfore the marchauntes of Englonde beynge in Flaundres were arested in Brydges Ipre and other places and myghte not be delyuered ne theyr dettes dyscharged tyll they had made apoyntment for to raye the hurtes of shyppes whiche was payde by the Marchauntes of the staple euery peny in lyke wyse the Marchauntes and goodes beynge in Dansyke were also arested and made grete amendes This same yere the frensshmeÌ„ in a mornyng toke by a trayne the towne of Pounte al Arche there in the lorde Fawconbrydge was taken prysoner And after that in Decembre Rone was taken loste beynge therin syr Edmonde Duke of Somerset the Erle of Shrewesbury the whiche by a poyntement left pledges and loste all Normandye and came home into Englonde And duryng the sayde parlyamente the duke of Suffolke was arested and sente in to the toure there he was a moneth after the kynge dyd do fetche hym oute for whiche cause all the comunes were in a greate rumoure what for the delyueraunce of Aungeo Mayne after lesynge of all NormaÌ„dye in especcyall for the dethe of the good duke of Gloucestre in so moche in some places meÌ„ gadred made theyÌ„ Capytayns as blewberde other whyche were take put to dethe And then the sayde parlyamente adyounyd was to Leycetre And theder the kynge brought with hym the duke of Suffolk And whaÌ„ the comyns vnderstode that he was oute of the Towre comeÌ„ thyder they desyred for to haue execucyoÌ„ on theym that were cause of the delyuerauÌ„ce of normaÌ„dye hadde because of the deth of the duke of Gloucestre and hadde solde gascoyne and guyan of the whiche they named too be gylty The duke of Suffolke as chyef The lorde Saye the Bysshop of salysbury dauyel many mo And for to please thou comyns the duke of Suffolke was exyled oute of Englonde for .v. yere ¶ And so duryng the parlyameÌ„te he wente into Norfolke there he toke his shyppyng for to goo out of the reame of Englonde into fraunce And this yere as he saylled on the see a shyppe of werre called Nycholas of the toure mette wyth his shyp and founde hym therin whome they toke out and brought hym in to theyr shyppe to the maystre the capytayne and there he was examyned and at the laste Iuged to deth And so they put hym in a caban and his chapylayne wyth hym for too shryue hym And that done they brought hym into Douer rode set hym into the bote smote there of his heede And broughte the body a londe vpoÌ„ the sondes and set the heede ther by And this was done the fyrst daye of May. Lo what auayled hym nowe all hys delyueraunce of Normandye And here maye ye schow he was rewarded for the deth of the duke of Gloucestre thus began sorowe vppon sorowe and deth for dethe ¶ How this yere was Insurreccyon in KeÌ„te of the comyns of whome Iack Cade an Irysshe man was capytayne THis yere of our lorde M·cccc .l. was the grete grace of the Iubyle at Rome where was greete pardon in so moche that froÌ„ all places in crystendome grete multytude of people restorcyd thyder And in this same yere was a grete assymble and gaderynge to gyder of the comyns of kente in to gret nombre And made an Insurreccyon and Rebelled ayenste the kynge and his lawes And ordeyned them a Capytayne called IohaÌ„n Cade an IryshmaÌ„ whiche named hymself Mortymer cosyn to the duke of yorke And this Capytayne helde theym togyder and made ordynauÌ„ces among theym and brought theym to the blacke hethe where he made a byl of peâ—ycyons to the kyng and hys counseyll and shewed what Iniuryes oppressyons the poore comyns suffren vnd coleur for to come to hys aboue and he hadde a grete maltytude of people ¶ And the .xxvii daye of Iune the kynge and many lordes Capitayns· and men of werre wente to warde hym to the blacke hethe· And whan the Capytayne of kent vnderstode the comynge of the kynge wyth so grete puyssaunce he wythdrewe hym and his people to smok a lytyll vyllage And the .xxviii. day of Iune he beynge withdraweÌ„ and gone the kynge came with hys armye sett in ordre and enbatayl led to the blacke heth by aduys of his couÌ„seyll syr Vmffrey Stafforde squyre two valyaunt capytayns wyth certayn people for to fyght wyth the capytayne to take and bringe hym and hys accessaries to the kynge whiche wente to Senok ¶ And the Capytayne wyth hys felshyp and mette wyth theym fought ayenst them and in conclusyon slewe them bothe and as many as abode wolde not yelde theÌ„ were slayne ¶ DuriÌ„g this skyrmysshe felle a grete variauÌ„ce amonge the lordes men and comyn people beynge on blacke hathe ayenste theyr lordes Capytayns sayenge playnly that they wolde go vnto the Capytayne of kente to assyste and help hym but yf they myght haue execucyon on the traytours beynge about the kynge wher to the kynge sayd nay they sayd playnly that the lorde Saye tresourer of EngloÌ„de the bisshop of Salysbury the baron of Dubby the abbot of Gloucestre Drnyel treuiloÌ„ many mo were traytours and worthy to bee dede wherfore for to plese the lordes meny also some of the kynges hous the lorde Saye was arested sente to the toure of london then the kyng he ryuge tydynges of the dethe ouer throwenge of the Staffordes he wythdrew hym to londoÌ„ frome thens to kelyng worthe For the kyng ne the lordes durst not truste the towne housholdemen ¶ Then after that the capytayne had hadde thys vyctorye vppon the Staffordes anone he toke syr Vmfreys fallete hys bryngantynes smyten ful of gylte naâ—les also hisâ— gylte spoâ— And arayed hym lyke a lorde a capytayne resorted with al his meny and also moo thaÌ„ he had before to the blacke heth ayeÌ„ To whome came the archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury the duke of BuckynghaÌ„ to the blacke hethe spake with hym And as it was sayd they founde hym wytty in his talkynge his request so they departed ¶ And the thyrde day of Iuly he came entred into London wyth al his people there dyd make cryes in the Kynges name in his name that no man sholde robbe ne take no maner goddes
but yf he payed for it And came rydyng thorough the cyte iÌ„ grete pryde smote his swerde vppoÌ„ london stone in Canwycke strete ¶ And he beynge in the cyte seÌ„te to the toure for to haue the lorde Say And so they fette hym brought hym to the yelde halle before mayre chaldermen where that he was examyned And he sayd he wolde ought to be Iuged by his petys And the comyns of Kent toke hym by force froÌ„ the mayre officeâ—â— that kepte hym and toke hym to a prest to shrewe hym And or he myght be half shriueÌ„ they broughte hym to the standerd in the chepe syde and there smote of his heed on whos soule god haue mery Amen ¶ And thus deyed the lorde Saye Tresourer of Englonde ¶ And this they set his heed vpon a spere bare it all about the Cyte And the same daye about Myle ende Cromere was beheded And the daye before at after none the Capytayne with certayne of hys men went to Philyp malpaus house robbyd hym and toke a waye moche good And from thens he wen to saynt Margaretes patens to one Gertis house and robbyd hym and toke away from hym moche good also Att whiche robbyng dyuerse men of London of thier neyghbours were at· and toke part wyth theym ¶ For this robbyng the peples hertes felle frome hym· And euery thryfty men was a ferde for to be serued in lyke wyse ¶ For there was many a man in London that a wayted wolde fayn haue sene a comyn robbery whyche almyghty god forbyd For it is to suppose yf he hadde not robbyd he myght haue goon ferre or he had be wythstonde for the kynge and all the lordes of the reame of Englonde were departed except the lorde Scalys that kept the toure of London And the fyfte daye of Inâ— he dyd do smyte of a maÌ„nys hede in south werke And the nyght after the mayre of London with the Aldermen the Comyns of the cyteâ— concluded to dryue away the capytayne hys hooste And sent to the lorde Scales to the toure to Mathegough a capytayne of NormaÌ„dye that they wolde that nyght assayll the Capytayne with theym of kente And so they dyd come to London brydge in such werke or the Capytayne had ony knowlege therof they fought with theym that kept the brydge And the keÌ„â—ysshmeÌ„ weÌ„t to harnes came to the brydge shote and foughte with theÌ„ gate the bridge made theyÌ„ of LondoÌ„ to flee slewe many of theym thys endured all the nyght to fro tyll one of the clocke of the morowe And at the laste they brente the drawe brydge where many of theym of london were drowned In the whiche nyght satton and alderman of LoÌ„don was slayn Roger heysaunte Mathegough many other And after this the chaunseler of Englonde sent to the Capytayne a pardon generalle for hym an other for his meny and then they departyd fro such werke euery man to his owne hous ¶ And whaÌ„ they were al departed gone ther was proclamacyons made in Kente South sex other places that what man coude take the Capytayn quycke or deed sholde haue a thousaÌ„de pouÌ„de ¶ And after this one Alexander ydeÌ„ a squyer of kent toke hym in a gardeÌ„ in suthsex And in takeÌ„ IohnÌ„ Cade capytayne was slayne and beheded And his heed sette vpon London brydge And anone after the kynge came in to kente and dyd his Iustices sytte at Caunterbury and enquyred who was causers chyef cause of this Insurreccyon And there were .viii. meÌ„ Iugyd to the deth in one daye in other places mo And from thens the kynge went in to Southsex and in the weste countree where a lytell before was slayne the bysshop of Salysbury And this same yere there were so many Iugyd to deth that thre hedes stode vppon LondoÌ„ brydge atte ones ¶ Of the felde that the duke of yorke toke att Drenched in kent of the byrch of prynce Edwarde of the fyrste bataylle at Sayne AlboÌ„s where the duke of somerset was slayne IN the .xxx. yere of the kynge the duke of yorke came out of the Marche of walys with therle of Deuenshyre the lord Cobham and grete puyssaunce reformacyon of certayne Iniurys and wroÌ„ges and also to haue Iustice vpon certayne lordes beynge about the kynge toke a felde at Brentheth besyde Detford in Kente whiche was a stronge felde for whyche cause the kinge wyth all his lordes went vnto blacke heth wyth a grete and a stronge multytude of peple armyd and ordeyned for the warre in the beste wyse And whan they hadde mustre on the hethe certayne lordes were tho sente vnto hym for to treate and make apointmeÌ„t with hym whiche were the bysshop of Ely the bysshop of wyncestre therles of Salysbury of warwyk And they concluded that the duke of Somerset sholde be had to warde and to answere to suche artycles as the duke of yorke sholde put on hym And then the duke of yorke shold breke his felde come to the kyng whiche was all promysed by the kynge And soo the Kynge commaunded that the duke of Somerset sholde he hadde in to warde And thenÌ„e the duke of yorke brake vp his felde and came to the kynge And whan he was come contrarye to the promyse afore made the duke of Somerset was preseÌ„te in the felde awaytynge and cheyf aboute the kynge And made the duke of yorke ryde before as a prysoner thrughe london ¶ And after they wolde haue put hym in holde But a noyse arose that therle of Marche hys sone was comynge with .x. thousande men to London warde wherfore the kynge and hys counseyll feryd And thenÌ„e they concluded that the duke of york sholde departe att his owen wyll ¶ Abowte this tyme began grete dyuylyon ne Spruce bytwene the greate mayster and the Knyghtes of the duchye ordre whyche were lordes of that couÌ„tree For the comyns townes rebelled ayenst the lordes and made soo greate werre the at the last they called the kyng of Pole to be theyr lorde the whiche kynge came and was worshypfully receyued And besyeged the castell of Marâ—engburgh whiche was the cheyf castell of strength of all the londe Anâ— waâ—ne it droue out the mayster of Daâ—ske â— and all other places of that londe so they that had ben lordes many yeres loste all theyr seygnourye and possessyons in tho londes ¶ And in the yere of the Incarnacyon of oure lorde M. CCCC.liii on saynte Edwardes daye quene Margarete was delyuerde of a fayre prynce whyche named was Edward That same day Iohan Norman was choseÌ„ for to be Mayer of London And the daye that he sholde take hys othe att westmynster he wente thyder by water wyth alle the craftes where afore tyme tho mayer alderme and the craftes rode on horsbacke the whiche was neuer vsyd after For syn that tyme they haue euer goon by water
westmerlondes brother andrewe Trollop and many knyghtes squers ¶ Thenne Kynge Henry that had be kyng â— beynge wyth the quene and the prynce att yorke herynge the losse of that felde And so moche peple slayne and ouerthrowe anone forthe with departed all thre wyth the duke of Somerset the lorde Roos and other towarde Scotlande And the nexte daye after kynge Edward with all his armye entred in to yorke and was ther proclaymyd kynge and obeyed as he ought too be And the Mayre and comyns swore to be his lyegemen and whan they had taryed a whyle in the northe that all the north and that al the north countree had torned to hym he retorned south warde leuynge behynde hym the erle of werwyk in tho partyes to gouerne rule that countre And aboute Mydsomer after the yere of our lorde M. cccc.lx the fyrste yere of hys regne he was crowned att westmÌ„ anoynted kiÌ„ge of engloÌ„de hauyng possessyoÌ„ of al the reame CAlyxtus the thyrde was pope after Nycholas thre yere v. monethes this Calyxte was an olde maÌ„ whaÌ„ he was chose pope was coÌ„tynually seke ne he myght not fulfyll his desyre which he enteÌ„ded to do ayeÌ„st the turkys for deth came vpoÌ„ hym he was chose in the yere of our lord M. cccc.lv he deyed the .vi. daye he made the fyguracyoÌ„ also he canonysed saynt viÌ„ceÌ„t a frere precher ther was a grete reformacyoÌ„ of many monasteryes of the worlde those reformacyons were made many tymes but all most none abode but the retorned ayen home by successyoÌ„ of tyme after the dethe of the worshypfull faders· the feste of the TransfiguracyoÌ„ was ordeyned of Calyxt for the yefte of grace of the merueylous vyctory done ayeÌ„st the Turke in HuÌ„gary on saynt Syxtus day M. CCCC.lvii For there was a merueylous vyctory yeue to the CrysteÌ„ meÌ„ in Hungary ayeÌ„st the greate Turke there he loste many a maÌ„ fledde shaÌ„fully for drede of enemyes noman folowed hym but alone the hoÌ„de of god feryd the Turke his hoost on saynt Calyxte daye saynt IohnÌ„ de Caprystrano was there seen preseÌ„t he prouoked the people that were aferde to folow the mysbeleuiÌ„ge Turkes there fell a grete veÌ„geauÌ„ce on theym for the Turkes sayd that there was so grete a noÌ„bre of knyghtes that folowed theÌ„ That vnnethe they durste looke bacwarde therfore they fledde lefte al ther tresour behynde theÌ„ they were angelles that caused theym to flee Nota PRynters of bookes were myghtely multyplyed in Maguncie thrughoute the worlde there began fyrste· there helde theyr craftes thys tyme myny meÌ„ begaÌ„ to be more subtyll in craftes swyterf thaÌ„ euer they were afore PIus the secoÌ„de was pope after Calyxt .vi. yere Thys pius was chose iÌ„ the yere of our lorde M. CCCC.lviii he was called Eneas an eloqueÌ„t man a grete oratour a laureate poete and in the couÌ„seyll of Basyle he wrote a noble tretyse for thattoryte of the same This maÌ„ desyred to haue a passage to the Turke moche people of dyuerse countres came to Rome he yaue theym his blessynge and sente theym home ayeÌ„ for they were not sufficieÌ„t for the Turkes hoste anone after he decessyd POules a venetiaÌ„ was pope after Pyus vii yere This poule was chose in the ye yere of our lorde M. cccc.lxiiii And anone he halowed the feste of the presentacyoÌ„ of our lady as pius dyd This maÌ„ was a toughmaÌ„ in ryght wysnes he sayd it was bett to make fewe thinges and make them stedfastly than for to make many sone reuoke theÌ„ And he mad a grete pallays at saynt Markys and he decessed or he had ended it in the yere of our lorde M. cccc.lxxi ¶ LeodinÌ„ the londe of luke was oppressed with many trybulacyons after in the yere of our lorde M. cccc.lxviii vterly it was distroyed bi CaroluÌ„ the duke of Bourgoyn that whiche wedded dame Margarete syster to kynge Edwarde the forth of Englonde Also the same karoluÌ„ entred in the londe of Gelder and conquyred it hooly The yere of grace also was chaunged by pope Poule for fauoure of maÌ„nys soule frome .xxv. yere to .xxv. yere And by case the cursydnesse abouÌ„ded so sore greaâ—e abouÌ„ded also sore SIxtus the fourth a Iohannes a frere minor was pope after paule This maÌ„ was geneall in the ordre of the frere mynors or he was Cardynal And he was choseÌ„ in the yere of our lorde M. cccc.lxxi And was called FraÌ„ciscus de Sanona of good fame and vertuost He was choseÌ„ Cardynall wythout his Knowlege tyll he was made the same yere that he was choseÌ„ pope The turke had takeÌ„ fro me cristeÌ„ meÌ„ two empyres four kyngdomes .xx. prouiÌ„ces and two huÌ„dred cytyes· had destroyed meÌ„ wymmeÌ„ without noÌ„bre And the meuyd the pope that he sholde dyspose hym to goo to wythstonde hym And for an armye to be made ayenst the Turke the pope gaue grete Indulgentes of pardon of the tresori of the cyrche vnto all crysteÌ„ reames that he myght ordeyne some tresore to withstande the mysbeleued Turke And in the loÌ„de of Englonde IohnÌ„ abbot of Abyngdon was the popes legate to dyspose this goodli tresoure of the chyrche to euery feythful maÌ„ that was disposed and that wolde able hym to receyue it ¶ Here endeth this present Cronycle of Englonde with the fruyte of tymes compyled in A booke And also newely Enprynted in the yere of our lorde god M. CCCCC .xv. by me Iulyan Notary dwellynge in powlys chyrche yarde besyde the westedore by my lordes palyes ¶ Here foloweth a lytell treatyse the whyche treateth of the descripcion of this loÌ„de whiche of olde thyme was named Albyon And after Brytayne And nowe is called Englonde and speketh of the noblesse worthynesse of the same ¶ It is soo that in many and dyuerse places the comyn Cronycles of Englonde ben had and also nowe late Enprynted And for as moche as the dyscrypcyon of thys londe whyche of olde tyme was named Albyon and after Brytayne Is not descryued ne comynly hadde ne the noblenesse and worthynesse of the same is not knowen Therfore I entende to sette in this booke the descrypcyon of this sayde yle of Brytayne and wyth the commodytes of the same ¶ In the fyrste shalle be tolde the name of the ylonde Capitulo primo ¶ Of the settynge boundynge lenthe and brede ca. ii ¶ Of the worthynesse perogaciones ca. iii. ¶ Of the merueyles of the wondres ca. iiii ¶ Of the chyef partyes of the same londe· Capitulo· v. ¶ Of the ylondes that been therto adiacente Capitulo vi ¶ Of the kynges hygh wayes stretes ca vii ¶ Of the famous Ryuers stremes ca. viii ¶ Of auncyent cytees and townes ca. ix ¶ Of prouynces and shyres ca. x. ¶ Of the lawes names of the lawes ca xi ¶ Of kyngdoms
wyth theym And graunted hym a londe by the see syde there the see is nowe That londe is called nowe Galleway Marianus Irysshe Scottesshe loÌ„de datte Argall that is Scotten clyfe for Scottes londed there for to doo tharme to the Brytons or for that place is nexte to Irlonde for to come a londe in Brytayne ¶ Beda And soo the Scottes after Brytons and Pryctes made the thyrde people dwellynge in Brytayne ¶ R. Thenne after that come Saxons atte prayenge of the Brytons to helpe them ayenst the Scottes and Pyctes ¶ And the Brytons were soone put out in to waies And Suxons occupyed the Londe lytell and lytell And efte more to the Scottysshe see And soo Saxoas made the fourthe manere of men in the ylonde of Brytayne ¶ Beda li.v. ca. ix For Saxons and Angels came oute of Germania yet some Brytons that dwelled nyghe callen hem shortly Germans ¶ R. Netheles abowte the yere of our lorde .viii. hondred Egbartus kynge of westsaxon commaunded and badde alle men calle the men of the londe Englysshmen ¶ Alfre Thenne after that the Canes pursued the londe Abowte two hondred yere that is for to saye fro the for sayde Egbarteus tyme vnto saynt Edwardes tyme and made the fyfte manere of people in the londe Bute they faylde after warde Atte laste come Normans vnto duke wyllyam and subdued Englysshemen and yet kepe they the londe and they made the â—yâ—the people in the ylonde But in the fyrste kynge Henryes tyme come many Flemynges and receyued a dwellynege place for a tyme be syde Maylros in the weste syde of Enlonde and made the seuenth people in the ylonde Netheles by commaundement of the same kynge they were put thens and dryuen to Hauer fordes syde in the west syde of wales ¶ R. And soo nowe in Brytayne Danes and Pyctes fayllen all out and fyue nacyons dwellen ther in that been Scottes in Albania that is Scotlond Brytayne in Chambrya that is wales but that Flemynges dwelle in that is west wales And normans Englysshmen ben medled in all the ylond for is now doubte in storyes how in what manere they were put a way dystroyed out of Brytayne Now it is to declare how the Pyctes were dystroyed sayled ¶ GirpÌ„ ca. vii Brytayn was somtyme occupyed with Saxons peas was made and stablysshed with the Pyctes thenne the Scottes that came with the Pyctes sawe that the Pyctes were nobler of dedes better meÌ„ of armes though they were lasse in nombre than the scottes ThenÌ„e the Scottes hauynge therof enuye torned to theyr naturall treason that they haue oft vsed for in treason they passe other meÌ„ and ben traytours as it were by kynde For they prayed all the Pyctes specyally the grete of them to a feest wayted her tyme whan the Pyctes were mery had well dronke they drew vp nayles that helde vp holowe beÌ„ches vnder the pyctes the pyctes vnware sodaynly fyll in ouer the hammes into a wonderfull pytfull Then the Scottes fell on the Pyctes and slewe theÌ„ left none alyue And so of two maner people the better warryours were holy destroyed but the other that ben the Scotes whiche ben traytours all vnlyke to the pyctes toke prouffyte by that fals treason for they tooke alle that londe and holde it yet vnto thys tyme and it Scotlonde after hyr owne name In kynge Edgars tyme Kynadin Alpinus sone was duke and leder of the Scottes and warred in Pycte londe and destryyed the Pyctes He warred syx sythes in Saxon and tooke all the londe that is bytwene Twede and the Scottysshe see with wronge and wyth strengthe ¶ Of the langages of maners and vsuge of the people of that londe ca. xv· AS it is knowen howe manye manere of people ben in thys ylonde there been also so many langages and tonges Netheles walsshe and scottes that ben not medled with other nacyons kepe yet theyr langage and speche but yet the Scottes that were somtyme coÌ„federate and dwelled with Pyctes drawe somwhat after theyr speche But the Flemynges that dwell in the west syde of wales haue lefte her straunge speche and speken lyke to Saxons also Englysshemen though they had fro the begynnynge thre manere of speches Southerne Northern myddell speche in the myddell of the londe as they come of thre maner of people Germania Netheles by commixyon and mydlynge fyrste with Danes afterwarde with Normans in many thynges the countree langage is appared for some vse straunge wlaffynge chyterynge harrynge gartynge and grysbytynge ¶ This apparynge of the langage cometh of two thynges one bycause that chyldren that gone to scole lerne to speke fyrste Englysshe and than ben compelled to constre hys lessoÌ„s in Frensshe that haue ben vsed syn the Normans come into Englonde Also gentylmens chyldren be lerned and taught frome theyr youthe to speke Frensshe vp londesshmen wyll counterfete and lyken hymself to geÌ„tylmen and are besy to speke frensshe for to be more sette by wherfore it is sayde by a comyn prouerbe Iack wold be a gentylmeÌ„ yf he coude speke frensshe ¶ Treuisa This was moche vsed to fore grete deth but syth it is somdele chaunged for syr Iohan Cornwayle a mayster of gramer chaunged the techynge of gramer scole construccyon of frensshe into Englysshe And other scole maysters vse the same way now in the yere of our lorde a M.CCC.lxxxv the .ix. yere of kynge Rycharde the seconde leue all frensshe in scoles and vse all coÌ„struccyon in Englysshe wherin they haue auauntage one waye that is that they lerne the soner theyr gramer and in a nother dysauauntage for nowe they lerne no Frensshe nor can none whyche is hurte for them that shall passe thee see And also gentylmen haue moche left to teche theyr chyldred to speke frensshe ¶ R. It semeth a grete wonder the Englysshmen haue so grete dyuersyte in theyr owne langage in sowne in spekynge of it whiche is all in one ylonde And the langage of Normandye is comen out of an other londe hath one maner sowne amonge all theÌ„ that speke it in Englonde for a man of Kente southern western northern men speken frenshe all lyke in sowne speche but they can not speke theyr Englysshe soo ¶ Treuysa Netheles there ben as many dyuerse maner of frenshe in the reame of frauÌ„ce as dyuerse Englysshe in the reame of Englonde ¶ R. Also of the forsayd tonge whiche is departed in thre is grete wonder for men of the eest with men of the west accorde better in sownynge of the speche than men of the north with men of the southe Therfore it is the men of mercii that ben of myddell Englonde as it were partynes wyth the endes vnderstond better the syde langages northern southern than northern southern vnderstonde eyther other ¶ Wilhel de pon li.iii All the langahes of the northuÌ„bres specyall at yorke is so sharpe shyttynge
these two kynges Adelbryght Elfryde dwelled a whyle at Leycetre and departed the londe amonge them and tooke homagê and feautees of the folke of the countree And after they wente to warde walys and thot of walys herd telle of thes comfyture that Breicâ—all had at Leycetre and were wonder for adrad of tho two kyngeê And tooke and those amonge them good men and hooly of hemytes monkes and preestes of other people grete plentye that wente bare foote and wulwarde for ta haue mercy of thes two kynges but tho kynges were so sterne so wyked that they wold neuer speke to theÌ„ but them slewe euerychone Alas for sorowe for they ne spared them noomore than the wulfe dothe the shepe but smot of theyr heedes euerychone so they were all martrd that to them came that is to vnderstande .v. C. .xl. After they wente fro thens to Bangor for to slee all those that ther myghte there fynde of the Brytons And whan the Brytouns herde that they assembled and ordened all ther power for to fyght with thyem Two was there a baron in walys that was called Bledrik of Cornewayle that some tyme was lorde of Deuenshyre but the kynge ¶ Adelbright had dreuen hym out in to walys and after there he yaue them batayll And at that batayll was kynge Adelbright slayne and Efrydesore wouÌ„ded forsoke the felde the moost partye of his people slayne And Elfryde flede in to Northumberlonde that was his owne loÌ„de· ¶ And after that the people of Leycetre shyre made with strenght Cadewan that was Brycinals sone kynge of Leceytre And he afterregned nobly and with grete honour ¶ How Cade wan kynge of Leycetre Elfryde kynge of Northumberlonde were frendes of the debate that after was bytwene Edwyn Cad walyn that were both theyr sones ANd after that thys bataylle was done that Brytons assembled them and wente thens and came to Leycetre and made there Caudewan that was Brecinals sone kynge of Leycetre and of all the countree Aed he toke homages feautes of all the folke of the countree And after that he assembled a grete hoste and sayde he wolde goo in to Northumberlonde to destroy kynge Elfryde and sle hym yf he myght And whan he was come thether frendes wente so bytwene them that they accorde them in this manere that Elfryde sholde holde all the londe fro Northumberlonde to Scotlonde And Cadewan sholde haue all the londe a thys syde Humbre to the Southe and after they were good frendes all theyr lyf and loued as they had ben brethern ¶ And thys Elryde had a sone called Edwyn that helde allâ— the londe of NorthuÌ„berlonde after his fathers dethe as his fader hadde holde all his lyf tyme ¶ And CadewaÌ„ had another sone called Cadwalyn that helde his faders londe as he it helde whyle he was alyue and these loued as bretheren And the loue lasted betwyxt them but only two yere after began debat betwyxt them throughe a synple enuyous cosyn of Cadwalins called Bryens so that they assembled a grete hoste in bothe partyes And at the laste it be fell the Cadwalin was dyscuÌ„forted Edwen hym pursued droue hym fro place to place so at the last he fledde in to Irelonde And the other destroyd pylled his londe and cast downe castels brente his maners departed all Cadwalins londe amonge his frendes And longe tyme after came Cadwalen ayen fro Irlonde with a stronge pour and in playne batayll slewe Edwyn all his frendes namely tho that with helde his londes by Edwyns yefte ¶ How kynge Oswallde was slayne thoughe kynge Cadwalin and Peanda and howe Oswy that was saynte Oswaldes broder regned after hym and slewe Peanda AS Edwyn was slayne Offris his sone vndertoke that warre ayenste Cadwalin his came so that this Offris deyed durynge the warre And after the dethe of this Offris tho regned a gentyl crysten man that moche loued god almyghty that had all the londe of Northumbrelonde by herytage that was called Oswalde he was kynge of all the londe But for as moche as he was frende to Edwyn and helde a grete parte of the londe of Cadwalin This same cadwalyn warred vpon hym droue hym to warde Scotlond And whan Cadwalin sawe that he wolde not abyde Cadwalin wolde no lenger hym pursue but toke some of his folke to Peanda his broder in lawe prayed hym to pursue after Oswalde tyl that he were takeÌ„ slayne and Cadwalin toruned home ayen ¶ whan Oswalde herde these tydynges that Cadwalin tourned home ayen he wolde no leÌ„ger flee but abode Peanda yaue hym batayll and Peanda was dyscomfortâ—e fledde came ayen to Cadwalyn sayde that he wolde neuer holde one fote of londe of hym but yf so were that he wolde auenge hym of Oswalde ¶ Cadwalin lete assemble a grete hoste for to fyght with Oswalde soo that he and Peanda came to Northumberlonde yaue batayll vnto Oswalde And in the same batayll was Oswalde slayne his heed smyten of after he was entered at the abbay of Berdenay in whiche place god hadde wrought for hym many a fayre myracle bothe there and elles where ¶ And anone Oswy his brother seased all the londe in to his honde that was this Oswaldis And the folke of Northumberlonde loued him wonderly well and helde hym for theyr lorde But he had men of his kynne worthy ynough that wolde haue departed the londe and they warred togyed well And for asmoche as they were not stronge ynoughe they came to Peanda and prayed hym of helpe socour And behyght hym of the loÌ„de largely vpoÌ„ this couenaÌ„t that he wold them gouerne helpe counseyl ¶ Peanda herde theyr prayer so spake with Cadwalyn that he sholde ordayne a grete host and faste ordeyned hym in to Northumberlonde for teyght with Oswy And Oswy was a meke man moche loued peas charyte and prayed Peanda of loue peas and profeâ—ede hym of golde and syluer grete plentye ¶ And this Peanda was so proude that he nolde graunt hym peas fo no maner thynge but for all thynge he wolde with hym fyght Sâ—o at the laste there was sette a daye of batayll And Oswy euer trusted vpon god and Peanda trusted tomoche vpon pryde and vpon his hoste that he had And to gyder they smote egerly but Peanda was anone dyscomforted and slayne And this was After the Incarnacyon of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste .v. C.lv. yere And this Oswy regned .xxviii. yere And a kynge that was called Oswyne that was Peandaes cosyn warred vpon hym and togyder fought But Oswy hadde the victory of Oswyne And Oswyn was dyscomforted and slalyne and lyeth at Tynnemouth ¶ How kynge Cadwaldre that was Cadwalins sone regned after his fader and was the laste kynge of Brytons AFter the deth of Cadwelin regned hys sone Cudwaldre well and nobly And his moder was the syster of Peanda And whan he had regned
.xii. yere he felle in to a grete sykenesse thenne was there a greate dyscorde bytwene the lordes of the londe that euery of them warred vpon other And yet in that tyme there fell so grete derth scarsyte of corn other viteylles in this londe that a man myghte go .iii. or iiii dayes fro towne to towne that he sholde not fynde to bye for golde ne syluer brede wyne ne none other vitayle where wich a man myght lyue But onely the people lyued by rotis of herbes for other lyuynge had they none so moche was it faylled all aboute Fysshes wylde bestes all other thynge soo that yet to this mysauenture there felle soo greate mortalyte and pestelens amonge the people by the corrupcyon of the ayre that the lyuynge people suffysed not to burye the deed bodyes For they deyed soo sodenly bothe grete and smalle lorde seruaunt in etynge goynge spekynge they fell downe and deyed so that neuer was herde of more sodeyne deth amonge the people For he that wente for to burye the deed body with the same deed body was buryed And soo they that myght flee fledde forsoke theyr londes and houhes as welle for the grete hungre derth scarsyte of corne other vitayll as for the grete mortalyte pestylence in the londe wente into other londes for to saue theyr lyues and lefte the londe all deserte wast so that there was noman for to trauayle tylthe the londe So that the londe was barayne of corne all other fruytes for defawte of tyllyers and this mysauenture dured .xi. yere and more that noman myght ere ne sowe ¶ How Cadwaldre wente out of this londe in to lytell Brytayne CAdwaldre sawe grete hungre mortalyte pestylence and the londe all poore faylynge cornes aÌ„d other vytaylles and his folke perysshed sawe also the mooste partye of his londe all wasted voyde of people He apparelled hym and his folke that were lefte alyue and passede ouer in to lytell Brytayne with a lytell nauy vnto kynge Alayne that he moche loued that was his cosyn and that his fader hadde moche loued in his tyme. And as they sayled in the see he made moche lamentacyon and so dyde alle tho that were with hym and sayde Dedisti nos domine tanquanâ— oues escaruÌ„ et in gentibus dispersisti nos ANd thenne began Cadwaldre to complayne hym to his folke pyteously and sayd· Alas sayd he to vs wretches caytyues is sorowe for our grete synnys the whiche we wolde not amende vs whyle we had space now repentaunce is comen vpon vs throughe my sauenture whiche chaced vs out of oure reame and propre soyle And out of the whiche somtyme Romayns Becottes Saxons neyther Danys myght not exyle vs. ¶ But what auaylleth it now to vs that before tyme oft tymes haue goten many other londes syth it ys not the wyll of god that we abyde and dwelle in our owne londe God that is very Iuge yat all thynges knoweth before they ben done or made he seeth that we wolde not cesse of oure synnes and that our enmyes myghte not vs ne our lygnage exyle fro and out of our reame He wolde that we amende vs of oure folyes and that we see our propre defautes And therfore hath shewed to vs wrathe and woll chastyse vs of our mysdedes Syche that he doth vs with out batayll or strength of our enmyes by grace companyes wretcchedly to leue our reame propre londe ¶ Torne ayen ne ye Romanys torne agayne ye Scottes torne agayne ye Saxxons torne agayne ye FrauÌ„soys Now seweth to you Brytayne all deserte the whiche your power myght neuer make deserte ne yet oure power hathe not put vs now in exyle But onely the power of the kynge allmyghty whom we haue often offended by our folyes the whiche we wolde not leue vntyll he chastyced vs by dyuyne power ¶ Amonge the worldes lamentacyon that the kynge Cadwhldre made to his folke they arryued iÌ„ lytell Brytayne and came to kynge Alayne before sayd ¶ And the kynge receyued hym with grete Ioye and made hym to be seruede wonder nobly And there abode they longe tyme after ¶ The Englesshe people that were left a lyue and were escaped the grete hungre and mortalyte lyued in the best wyse that they myght And moche people sprange and came of them ¶ And they sente in to Saxonye where that they were borne to ther frendes for men wyemen and chyldren to restore the cytees with people and the townes that were all voyde of people and for to laboure traueyll and tylthe the erthe ¶ whan the Saxons herde these tydynges they came in to the londe wonder thyeke in grete companyes and herborowed therselfe in the countree all aboute where that they wolde for they founde no man them for to lete ne withstonde And so they waxed multeplyed gretely And vsed the maners and customes of the countree wherof they were come And they vsed also the lawes and the langages and speche of theyr owne londe that they came fro And also they chaunged all the names of Cytyes twones castelles brought yaue them names and called as they nowe ben called And they helde the Counrees Baronages lordeshyps in manere as the Brytons before tyme had compassed them And amonge other grete companyes that came frome Germayne in to this londe came the noble quene that was called Seâ—burga with men wymmen without nombre· And arrayed in the couÌ„tree of Northumberlonde and tooke the londe frome Ilbion vnto Cornewaylle for her for her folke For there was none that myght theÌ„ lette for alle was desolace voyde of people but it were a fewe poore Brytons that were lefte on mountayns woddes vntyll that tyme ¶ And fro that tyme forthe loste the Brytons this reame for all theyr dayes And the Englysshe people begane to regne and departed the loÌ„de bytwene them And they made many kynges aboute by dyuerse partyes of the londe as here ben dyuyded The fyrst of westesexe The secondâ— Merchenriche The thyrde Estangle the fourthe Kente the fyfth Southsex All those regned in this londe after the Cadwaldre was passed out of this londe dwelled in lytell Bryten with kynge Alayne his cosyn and true frende And whan he had longe dwellede there and had knowynge that the mortalyte and pestelence was ouerpassed that the londe was replenysshed ayen wyth people he thought to torne ayen in to his londe And prayed kynge Alayne his cosyn of socour helpe that he myghte be restored ayen to his owoe propre reame and fyrste dygnyte And kynge Aleyne graunted hym his askynge ¶ Thenne dyde he appareylle hym to take his wayt and vyage in to this londe And prayed god allmyghty deuoutly that he wolde make to hym demonstracyon yf his prayer to this londe were too hyme plesaunt or none for ayenste the wyll of god allmyghty he wolde no thynge do ¶