was by hir set foorth had missed the cushin and lost both horsse and spurres she could not be quiet vntill she had practised a new deuise to put line 10 king Henrie to trouble And as the diuell prouideth venemous sauce to corrupt stomachs so for hir purpose she espied a certeine yoong man of visage beautifull of countenance demure and of wit craftie and subtill This youths name was Peter Warbecke one for his faintnesse of stomach of the Englishmen in derision called Perkin Warbecke according to the dutch phrase which change the name of Peter to Perkin line 20 of yoonglings and little boies which for want of age lacke of strength and manlike courage are not thought worthie of the name of a man This yoong man trauelling many countries could speake English and diuerse other languages for his basenesse of birth and stocke was almost vnknowne of all men and driuen to séeke liuing from his childhood was constreined to go and trauell thorough manie countries The duchesse glad to haue got so meet an organ for the conueieng of hir inuented purpose as line 30 one not vnlike to be taken and reputed for the duke of Yorke sonne to hir brother king Edward which was called Richard kept him a certeine space with hir priuilie Besides that she with such diligence instructed him both in the secrets and common affaires of the realme of England and of the linage descent and order of the house of Yorke that like a good scholer not forgetting his lesson he could tell all that was taught him promptlie without anie stackering or line 40 staie in his words And besides that he kept such a princelie countenance and so counterfeit a maiestie roiall that all men in manner did firmelie beléeue that he was extracted of the noble house and familie of the dukes of Yorke For suerlie it was a gift giuen to that noble progenie as of nature planted in the root that all the sequels of that line and stocke did studie and deuise how to be equiualent in honour and fame with their forefathers and noble predecessors line 50 When the duches had framed hir cloath méet for the market she was informed that king Henrie prepared to make warre against Charles the French king Wherefore she thinking that the time serued well for the setting foorth of hir malicious inuention sent this Perkin hir new inuented mawmet first into Portingale and so craftilie into the countrie of Ireland to the intent that he being both wittie and wilie might inuegle the rude Irishmen being at those daies more inclined to rebellion than to reasonable line 60 order to a new seditious commotion Shortlie after his arriuall in Ireland whether by his shrewd wit or the malicious exhortation of the sauage Irish gouernours he entred so farre in credit with the people of that I le that his words were taken to be as true as he vntruelie with false demonstrations set foorth and published them The French king aduertised hereof then being in displeasure with king Henrie sent into Ireland for Perkin to the intent to send him against king Henrie which was then inuading France as yée before haue heard Perkin thought himselfe aloft now that he was called to the familiaritie of kings and therefore with all diligence sailed into France and comming to the kings presence was of him roiallie receiued and after a princelie fashion interteined and had a gard to him assigned whereof was gouernour the lord Congreshall and to him being at Paris resorted sir George Neuill bastard sir Iohn Tailor Rowland Robinson and an hundred English rebels Now after that a peace as before is said was concluded betwixt the French king and the king of England the French king dismissed Perkin and would no longer kéepe him But some haue said which were there attending on him that Perkin fearing least the French king should deliuer him to the king of England beguiled the lord Congreshall and fled from Paris by night But whether the French king knew of his departure or not the truth is that he being in maner in despaire returned to his first founder the ladie Margaret of whome he was so welcomed to all outward appearance that it séemed she could not haue reioised at anie earthlie thing more than she did at his presence and as she could well dissemble she made semblance as though she had neuer séene him before that time Now as she had sore longed to know not once but diuerse times in open audience and in solemne presence she willed him to declare and shew by what means he was preserued from death and destruction and in what countries he had wandered and sought fréendship and finallie by what chance of fortune he came to hir court This did shée to the intent that by the open declaration of these fained phantasies the people might be persuaded to giue credit and beléeue that he was the true begotten sonne of hir brother king Edward And after this shee assigned to him a gard of thirtie persons in murrie and blew and highlie honoured him as a great estate and called him the white rose of England The nobilitie of Flanders did to him all reuerence All which port and pompe exhibited in most solemne sort he was well content to take vpon him forgetting the basenesse of his birth and glorieng in the counterfeit title of honour much like the iay that would be called a swan or like the crow that trimming hir selfe with the stolne feathers of a pecocke would séeme Iunos bird as the poet saith mentito nomine cygnum Graculus appellat sese cornicula plumas Pauonis furata cupit pauo ipsa videri ¶ In this yeare was one Hugh Clopton maior of London and of the staple a gentleman borne at Clopton village halfe a mile from Stratford vpon Auen by north who continued during his life a bacheler he builded the great and sumptuous bridge of Stratford vpon Auen at the east end of the towne This bridge hath fouretéene great arches and a long cawsie with smaller arches all made of stone new walled on each side At the west end of the bridge he builded a faire large chappell Toward the south end of that towne néere vnto the same a pretie house of bricke and timber where he laie and ended his life He glased the chancell of the parish church in that towne and made a waie of foure miles long three miles from Alesburie towards London and one mile beyond Alesburie But to returne to Perkin the brute of whome in England blowne throughout the realme sore disquieted the people insomuch that not onelie the meaner sort but also manie of the nobles and worshipfull personages beléeued and published it abroad that all was true which was reported of him And not onelie they that were in sanctuaries but also manie other that were fallen in debt assembled in a companie and passed ouer the seas into Flanders to their
a great number of Flemings came into England line 60 beséeching the king to haue some void place assigned them wherein they might inhabit At the first they were appointed to the countrie lieng on the east part of the riuer of Twéed but within foure yeres after they were remooued into a corner by the sea side in Wales called Penbrokeshire to the end they might be a defense there to the English against the vnquiet Welshmen ¶ It should appeare by some writers that this multitude of Flemings consisted not of such onelie as came ouer about that time by reason their countrie was ouerflowne with the sea as ye haue heard but of other also that arriued here long before euen in the daies of William the Conquâ—rour through the freendship of the quéene their countriewoman sithens which time their number so increased that the realme of England was sore pestered with them wherevpon king Henrie deuised to place them in Penbrokeshire as well to auoid them out of the other parts of England as also by their helpe to tame the bold and presumptuous fiercenesse of the Welshmen Which thing in those parties they brought verie well to passe for after they were setled there they valiantlie resisted their enimies and made verie sharpe warres vpon them sometimes with gaine and sometimes with losse In the yeare 1108. Anselme held an other synod or councell whereat in presence of the king year 1108 and by the assent of the earles and barons of the realme it was ordeined 1 That préests deacons and subdeacons should liue chastlie and kéepe no women in their houses except such as were neere of kin to them 2 That such preests deacons and subdeacons as contrarie to the inhibition of the councell holden at London had either kept their wiues or married other of whom as Eadmerus saith there was no small number they should put them quite away if they would continue still in their préesthood 3 That neither the same wines should come to their houses nor they to the houses where their wiues dwelled but if they had any thing to say to them they should take two or thrée witnesses and talke with them abroad in the street 4 That if any of them chanced to be accused of breaking this ordinance he should be driuen to purge himselfe with six sufficient witnesses of his owne order if he were a préest if a deacon with foure and if a subdeacon with two 5 That such preests as would forgo seruing at the altar and holie order to remaine with their wiues should be depriued of their benefices and not suffered to come within the quire 6 That such as contemptuouslie kept still their wiues and presumed to say masse if being called to satisfaction they should neglect it they should then be excommunicated Within compasse of which sentence all archdeacons and prebendarie canons were comprised both touching the forgoing of their women and auoiding of their companie and also the punishment by the censures of the church if they transgressed the ordinance 7 That euerie archdeacon should be sworne not to take any monie for fauouring any person transgressing these statutes and that they should not suffer any preests whome they knew to haue wiues either to say masse or to haue any vicars The like oth should a deane receiue Prouided that such archdeacons or deanes as refused this oth should be depriued of their roomes 8 That préests who leauing their wiues would be content to serue God the altar should be suspended from that office by the space of fortie daies and be allowed to haue vicars in the meane time to serue for them and after vpon performance of their inioined penance by the bishop they might returne to their function In this meane time king Henrie being aduertised of the death of Philip king of France and not knowing what his sonne Lewes surnamed Crassus might happilie attempt in his new preferment to the crowne sailed ouer into Normandie to see the countrie in good order and the townes castels and fortresses furnished accordinglie as the doubtfull time required Now after he had finished his businesse on that side he returned into England where he met with ambassadours sent to him from the emperour Henrie The effect of whose mâ—ssage was to require his daughter Maud in mariage vnto the said emperour wherevnto though she was not then past fiue yeares of age he willinglie consented and shewing to the ambassadours great signes of loue he caused the espousals by waie of procuration to be solemnized with great feasts and triumphs This being ended he suffered the ambassadors honored with great gifts and princelie rewards to depart About this time Gerard archbishop of Yorke died whom one Thomas the kings chapleine succeeded who for lacke of monie to furnish his iournie and for line 10 other causes as in his letters of excuse which he wrot to Anselme it dooth appeere could not come to Canturburie for to be consecrated of him in so short a time as was conuenient But Anselme at length admonished him by letters that without delaie he should dispatch and come to be consecrated And wheras Anselme vnderstood that the same Thomas was purposed to send vnto Rome for his pall he doubted least if the pope should confirme him in his seey by sending to him his pall he would happilie refuse line 20 to make vnto him profession of his due obedience Wherefore to preuent that matter Anselme wrote to pope Paschall requiring him in no wise to send vnto the nominated archbishop of Yorke his pall till he had according to the ancient customes made profession to him of subiection least some troublesome contentions might thereof arise to the no small disquieting of the English church He also aduertised pope Paschall that bicause he permitted the emperour to inuest bishops and did not therefore excommunicate line 30 him king Henrie threatened that without doubt he would resume the inuestitures into his hands thinking to hold them in quiet as well as he and therefore be sought him to consider what his wisedome had to doo therein with spéed least that building which he had well erected should vtterlie decaie fall againe into irrecouerable ruine For K. Henrie maketh diligentlie inquirie saith he what order you take with the emperour The pope receiuing and perusing these letters line 40 wrote againe vnto Anselme a verie freendlie answer concerning the archbishop of Yorke And as for suffering of the emperour to haue the inuestitures he signified to him that he neither did nor would suffer him to haue them but that hauing borne with him for a time he now ment verie shortlie to cause him to feele the weight of the spirituall sword of S. Peter which alreadie he had drawen out of the scaberd therewith to strike if he did not the sooner forsake his horrible errour naughtie opinion line 50 There was another cause also that moued
staffe The which then with so valiant a courage he charged at one as it was thought Dandie Car a capteine among them that he did not onelie compell Car to turne and himselfe chased him aboue twelue score togither all the waie at the speares point so that if line 60 Cars horsse had not beene excéeding good and wight his lordship had surelie run him through in this race but also with his little band caused all the rest to flee amaine After whome as Henrie Uane a gentleman of the said earles and one of his companie did fiercelie pursue foure or fiue Scots suddenlie turned and set vpon him and though they did not altogither escape his hands free yet by hewing and mangling his head bodie and manie places else they did so crueltie intreat him as if rescue had not come the sooner they had slaine him outright Here was Barteuill run at sideling and hurt in the buttocke and one of the Englishmen slaine of Scots againe none slaine but thrée taken prisoners wherof one was Richard Maxwell and hurt in the thigh who had béene long in England not long before and had receiued right manie benefits both of the late kings liberalitie and of the earle of Warwike and of manie other nobles and gentlemen in the court beside But to conclude if the earle of Warwike had not thus valiantlie incountred them yer they could haue warned their ambush how weaklie he was garded he had béene beset round about by them yer he could haue bin aware of them or rescued of other Whereas hereby his lordship vndoubtedlie shewed his woonted valor saued his companie and discâ—mfited the enimie As Barteuill the Frenchman that daie had right honestlie serued so did the lords right honorablie acquite it for the earle of Warwike did get him a surgion and dressed he was streight after laid and conueied in the lord protectors owne chariot The rest that were hurt were here also drest Scots and others The armie hauing marched that same daie nine miles incamped at night by a towne standing on the Frith called Lang Nuddreie The next morning being thursdaie the eight of September in time of the dislodging of the English campe signe was made to some of the ships whereof the most part and chiefest laie a ten or twelue miles in the Forth beyond vs ouer against Lieth Edenborough that the lord admerall should come a shore to speake with the lord protector In the meane time somewhat earlie as our gallie was comming toward vs about a mile and more beyond our campe the Scots were verie busie wasting here on shore toward them with a banner of saint George that they had so to traine them to come on land there but the earle of Warwike soone disappointed the policie for making toward that place where the lord admerall should come on shore the Englishmen on the water by the sight of his presence did soone discerne their friends from their foes The lord admerall herevpon came to land and riding backe with the earle vnto the lord protector order was taken that the great ships should remoue from before Lieth and come to lie before Muskelborough and the Scotish campe which laie there in field alreadie assembled to resist the English power that marched thus towards them The smaller vessels that were vittelers were appointed to lie néerer to the armie The lord admerall herevpon being returned to the water the armie marching onward a mile or two there appéered aloft on a hill that laie longwise east and west and on the south side of them vpon a six hundred of their horssemen prickers wherof some within a flight shoot directlie against the Englishmen shewed themselues vpon the same hill more further off Toward these ouer a small bridge that laie ouer a little riuer there verie hardlie did ride about a dozen haquebutters on horssebacke and held them at baie so nie to their noses that whether it were by the goodnesse of the same haquebutters or the badnesse of them the Scots did not onelie not come downe to them but also verie courteouslie gaue place and fled to their fellowes The armie went on but so much the slowlier bicause the waie was somewhat narrow by meanes of the Forth on the one side and certeine marishes on the other The Scots kept alwaies pase with them till there were shot off two field peeces twise wherewith there was a man killed and the leg of one of their horsses striken off which caused them to withdraw so that the Englishmen saw no more of theâ—â— till they came to the place where they meant to incampe for there they shewed themselues againe aloft on the fore remembred hill standing as it were to view and take muster of the armie but when the lord Greie made towards them minding to know their commission they wiselie ment their waie and would not once abide the reasoning Little else was doone that daie but that George Ferrers one of the duke of Summersets gentlemen and one of the commissioners of the cariages in the armie perceiuing where certeine Scots were got into a caue vnder the earth stopping some of the line 10 vents and setting fire on the other smothered them to death as was thought it could be none other by coniecture of the smoke breaking forth at some of the other vents The English ships also taking their leaue from before Lieth with a score of shot or more and as they came by saluting the Scots in their campe also with as manie came and laie according to appointment The armie hauing marched this daie about a fiue miles incamped at Salt Preston by the Forth On fridaie the ninth of September line 20 the English armie lieng in sight view of the Scotish campe that laie two miles or therabouts from them had the Forth on the north and the hill last remembred on the south the west end whereof is called Faurside Braie on the which standeth a sorie castell and halfe a score houses of like worthinesse by it and had westward before the Englishmen the Scots lieng in campe About a mile from the English campe were the Scots horsemen verie busie pranking vp and downe faine would haue béene a counsell with the Englishmens doings who againe bicause line 30 the Scots seemed to sit to receiue them did diligentlie prepare that they might soone go to them and therfore kept within their campe all that daie The lord protector and the councell sitting in consultation the capteines and officers prouiding their bâ—nds store of vittels and furniture of weapons for furtherance whereof our vessels of munition and vittels were here alreadie come to the shore The Scots continued their brauerie on the hill the which the Englishmen not being so well able to beare line 40 made out a band of light horssemen and a troope of demilances to backe them the Englishmen and strangers that serued among them got vp aloft on the
the yearlie value of one hundred twentie pounds for the which it is decreed that the maior burgesses and communaltie of Bristow in the yeare of our Lord 1567 and so yearelie during the tearme of ten yeares then next insuing should cause to be paid at Bristow one hundred pounds of lawfull monie The first eight hundred pounds to be lent to sixtéene poore line 40 yoongmen clothiers fréemen of the same towne for the space of ten yeares fiftie pounds the péece of them putting sufficient suerties for the same and at the end of ten yeares to be lent to other sixteene at the discretion of the maior aldermen and foure of the common councell of the said citie The other two hundred pounds to be imploied in the prouision of corne for the reléefe of the poore of the same citie for their readie monie without gaine line 50 to be taken And after the end of ten yeares on the feast daie of saint Bartholomew which shall be in the yeare of our Lord 1577 at the merchant tailors hall in London vnto the maior and communaltie of the citie of Yorke or to their atturnie authorised an hundred foure pounds to be lent vnto foure yoongmen of the said citie of Yorke fréemen and inhabitants clothiers alwaie to be preferred that is to euerie of them fiue and twentie pounds to haue and occupie the same for the tearme of ten yeares without line 60 paieng anie thing for the loane the foure pounds ouerplus of the hundred and foure pounds at the pleasure of the maior and communaltie for their paines to be taken about the receipts and paiments of the said hundred pounds The like order in all points is taken for the deliuerie of an hundred and foure pounds in the yeare 1578 to the citie of Canturburie In the yeare 1579 to Reading 1580 to the companie of the merchant tailors 1581 to Glocester 1582 to Worcester 1583 to Excester 1584 to Salisburie 1585 to Westchester 1586 to Norwich 1587 to South-hampton 1588 to Lincolne 1589 to Winchester 1590 to Oxenford 1591 to Herefordeast 1592 to Cambridge 1593 to Shrewesburie 1594 to Lin 1595 to Bath 1596 to Derbie 1597 to Ipswich 1598 to Colchester 1599 to Newcastell And then to begin againe at Bristow an hundred and foure pounds the next yeare to the citie of Yorke and so foorth to euerie of the said cities and townes in the like order as before and thus to continue for euer as in the indentures tripartite more plainelie maie appeare At this time manie were in trouble for religion and among others sir Iames Hales knight one of the iustices of the common plées which iustice being called among other by the councell of king Edward to subscribe to a deuise made for the disheriting of queene Marie and the ladie Elizabeth hir sister would in no wise assent to the same though most of the other did yet that notwithstanding for that he at a quarter sessions holden in Kent gaue charge vpon the statutes of king Henrie the eight and king Edward the sixt in derogation of the primasie of the church of Rome abolished by king Henrie the eight he was first committed prisoner to the Kings bench then to the Counter last to the Fléet where whether it were thorough extreame feare or else by reason of such talke as the warden of the Fleet vsed vnto him of more trouble like to insue if he persisted in his opinion or for what other cause God knoweth he was so mooued troubled and vexed that he sought to rid himselfe out of this life which thing he first attempted in the Fleet by wounding himselfe with a penknife well neere to death Neuerthelesse afterward being recouered of that hurt he séemed to be verie conformable to all the queenes procéedings and was therevpon deliuered of his imprisonment and brought to the quéenes presence who gaue him words of great comfort neuerthelesse his mind was not quiet as afterward well appeared for in the end he drowned himselfe in a riuer not halfe a mile from his dwelling house in Kent the riuer being so shalow that he was faine to lie groueling before he could dispatch himselfe whose death was much lamented For beside that he was a man wise vertuous and learned in the lawes of the realme he was also a good and true minister of iustice whereby he gat him great fauour and estimation among all degrees During the aforesaid parlement about the eightéenth daie of October there was kept at Paules church in London a publike disputation appointed by the quéenes commandement about the presence of Christ in the sacrament of the altar which disputation continued six daies doctor Weston then being prolocutor of the conuocation who vsed manie vnseemelie checks tawnts against the one part to the preiudice of their cause By reason whereof the disputers neuer resolued vpon the article proponed but grew dailie more and more into contention without anie fruit of their long conference and so ended this disputation with these words spoken by doctor Weston prolocutor It is not the queens pleasure that we should herein spend anie longer time and yeare well inough for you haue the word and we haue the sword But of this matter ye maie read more in the booke of the monuments of the church At this time was cardinall Poole sent for to Rome by the quéene who was verie desirous of his comming as well for the causes before declared as also for the great affection that she had to him being hir neere kinsman and consenting with hir in religion This message was most thankefullie receiued at Rome and order taken to send the said cardinall hither with great expedition but before his comming quéene Marie had married Philip prince of Spaine as after shall appeare But here to touch somewhat the comming of the said cardinall When he was arriued at Calis there was conference had amongest the councellors of the quéene for the maner of his receiuing some would haue had him verie honourablie met and interteined as he was in all places where he had before passed not onelie for that he was a cardinall and a legat from the pope but also for that he was the quéenes néere kinsman of the house of Clarence Neuerthelesse after much debating line 10 it was thought méetest first for that by the lawes of the realme which yet were not repealed he stood attainted by parlement and also for that it was doubtfull how he being sent from Rome should be accepted of the people who in fiue and twentie yeares before had not béene much acquainted with the pope or his cardinals that therefore vntill all things might be put in order for that purpose he should come without anie great solemnitie vnto Lambeth where in the archbishops house his lodging was line 20 prepared The third of Nouember next following Thomas Cranmer archbishop of Canturburie notwithstanding that he had once refused
charges also of the citie possession thereof was by certeine aldermen in the name of the whole citizens giuen to line 50 the right worshipfull sir Thomas Gresham knight agent to the queenes highnesse there to build a place for merchants to assemble in at his owne proper charges who on the seuenth daie of Iune laid the first stone of the foundation being bricke and foorthwith the workemen followed vpon the same with such diligence that by the moneth of Nouember in An. 1567. the same was couered with slate The commissioners before named appointed for the matters of Flanders kéeping their diet at Bruges agreed to refer the whole matter to the princes on both sides line 60 and if they could not agrée then the merchants to haue fortie daies to repare home with their merchandize and in the meane time all things to stand as they were then Our commissioners departed from Bruges about the six and twentith of Iune The one and thirtith of August the quéenes maiestie in hir progresse came to the vniuersitie of Oxford and was of all the students which had looked for hir comming thither two yeares so honorablie and ioifullie receiued as either their loialnesse towards the quéenes maiestie or the expectation of their fréends did require Concerning orders in disputations and other academicall exercises they agréed much with those which the vniuersitie of Cambridge had vsed two yeares before Comedies also and tragedies were plaied in Christs church where the queenes highnesse lodged Among the which the comedie intituled Palemon and Arcit made by maister Edwards of the quéenes chappell had such tragicall successe as was lamentable For at that time by the fall of a wall and a paire of staires and great presse of the multitude thrée men were slaine The fift of September after disputations the quéene at the humble sute of certeine hir nobilitie and the K. of Spaines ambassador made a bréefe oration in Latine to the vniuersitie but so wise and pithie as England may reioise that it hath so learned a prince and the vniuersitie may triumph that they haue so noble a patronesse The sixt of September after dinner hir grace comming from Christs church ouer Carfox and so to S. Maries the scholers standing in order according to their degrees euen to the east gate certeine doctors of the vniuersitie did ride before in their scarlet gownes and hoods maisters of art in blacke gownes and hoods The maior also with certeine of his brethren did ride before hir in scarlet to the end of Magdalen bridge where their liberties ended but the doctors and maisters went forward still to Shootouer a mile and more out of Oxford bicause their liberties extended so far and there after orations made hir highnes with thanks to the whole vniuersitie bad them farewell and rode to Ricote The valiant capteine Edward Randoll esquier lieutenant of the ordinance and coronell of a thousand footmen in September last past was with his band imbarked at Bristow and within few daies after landed at Knockfergus in the north parts of Ireland and from thence by water to a place called Derrie by which passeth the riuer Longfoile There the said coronell in short space fortified to the great annoiance of Shane Oneil and by great foresight and experience garded himselfe and his charge till the said Oneil to hinder and disturbe his aboad there the twelfe of Nouember arriued with a great armie of Kerne Galowglasses and horssemen with whome the said capteine Randoll incountered and him there so discomfited as after that conflict he durst neuer approch the quéenes power And to his perpetuall fame the said capteine by reason of his bold and hardie onset that daie lost his life Charles Iames the sixt of that name son to Henrie Stuart lord of Darnleie and Marie king queene of Scots was borne in Edenburgh castell the ninetéenth of Iune last past and the eighteenth of December this yeare solemnlie christened at Sterling whose godfathers at the christening were Charles K. of France and Philibert duke of Sauoie and the quéenes maiestie of England was the godmother who gaue a font of gold curiouslie wrought and inameled waieng three hundred thrée and thirtie ounces amounting in value to the summe of 1043 pounds ninetéene shillings The tenth of Februarie in the morning Henrie Stuart lord of Darnleie before named K. of Scots by Scots in Scotland was shamefullie murthered year 1567 the reuenge whereof remaineth in the mightie hand of God The two and twentith of Februarie the ladie Margaret Dowglas countesse of Lineux mother to the said king of Scots was discharged out of the tower of London Within the space of ten moneths last past died seuen aldermen of London the first Edward Bankes deceassed the ninth of Iulie An. 1566 Richard Chamberleine late shiriffe sir Martin Bowes sir Richard Mallorie sir William Hewet and sir Thomas White late maiors then Richard Lambert one of the shiriffes for that yeare the fourth of Aprill 1567. The like mortalitie to haue happened among them about a ten or eleuen yeares before you shall read in the historie of queene Marie in the fourth yeare of hir reigne The two and twentith of Aprill by great misfortune of fire in the towne of Ossestrie in Wales twelue miles from Shrewsburie to the number of two hundred houses to wit seuen score within the wals and three score without in the suburbs besides cloth corne cattell c were consumed which fire began line 10 at two of the clocke in the after noone and ended at foure to the great maruell of manie that so great a spoile in so short a time should happen Two long stréets with great riches in that towne was burnt in the yeare 1542 and likewise or worse in the yeare 1564. The foure and twentith of Aprill the sergeants feast was kept at Greis inne néere vnto Holborne and there were at that time made seuen new sergeants of the law The seuenteenth of Maie in the towne of Milnall in Suffolke eight line 20 miles from Newmarket thirtie seuen houses besides barnes stables and such like were consumed with fire in the space of two houres Shane Oneil who had most traitorouslie rebelled against the quéenes maiestie in Ireland and had doone manie great outrages in the parts of Ulster was this yeare with his great losse manfullie repelled from the siege of Dundalke by the garrison therof and afterward through the great valiancie and foresight of sir Henrie Sidneie knight of the order line 30 and lord deputie of Ireland he was so discomfited in sundrie conflicts with the losse of thrée thousand fiue hundred of his men that now foreséeing his declination to be imminent he determined to put a collar about his necke and disguising himselfe to repaire to the lord deputie and penitentlie to require his pardon to haue his life But Neil Mackeuer his secretarie who had incited him to
honor painefull watchfull and able to tolerate heat and cold though he were tall of stature and verie grosse of bodie Toward the end of his daies he waxed verie deuout and became desirous to aduance the state of the line 40 church insomuch that he builded thrée abbeies in three seuerall places endowing them with faire lands and large possessions one at the place where he vanquished king Harold fiue miles from Hastings which he named Battell of the field there fought the other at Celby in Yorkeshire and the third in Normandie at Caen where his wife Quéene Maud had builded a nunnerie which Maud died in the yéere 1084. before the decease of the king hir husband After his death his bodie was buried in Caen line 50 in S. Stephans church but before it could be committed to the ground the executors were consâ—reined to agree with the lord of the soile where the church stood which as he said the king in his life time had iniuriouslie taken from him and gaue him a great summe of monie to release his title ¶ By this we may consider the great miserie of mans estate in that so mightie a prince could not haue so much ground after his death as to couer his dead corâ—s without dooing iniurie to another This line 60 also may be a speciall lesson for all men and namelie for princes noblemen and gentlemen who oftentimes to enlarge their owne commodities doo not regard what wrong they offer to the inferiour â—ort The said king William had by Maud his wife the daughter of Baldwine earle of Flanders foure sonnes Robert surnamed Curthose vnto whome he bequeathed the duchie of Normandie Richard who died in his youth William surnamed Ruâ—â—s to whom he gaue by testament the realme of England and Henrie surnamed Beauclerke for his cunning knowledge and learning vnto whom he bequethed all his treasure and mooueable goods with the possessions that belonged to his mother Besides these foure sonnes he had also by his said wife fiue daughters Cecilie who became a nunne Constance who was married to Alane duke of Britaine Adela who was giuen in mariage to Stephan earle of Blois of whom that Stephan was borne which reigned after Henrie the first Adeliza who was promised in mariage to Harold king of England as before you haue heard but she died yer she was maried either to him or to any other and so likewise did the fift whose name I cannot reherse But to conclude though king William held the English so vnder foot that in his daies almost no Englishman bare any office of honor or rule in his time yet he somewhat fauoured the citie of London and at the earnest sute of William a Norman then bishop of that see he granted vnto the citizens the first charter which is written in the Saxon toong sealed with greene wax and expressed in viij or ix lines at the most exemplified according to the copie and so printed as followeth Williem king grets Williem Bisceop Godfred Porterefan ealle ya Burghwarn binnen London Frencisce Englise frendlice Ic kiden eoy yeet ic wille yeet git ben ealra weera lagayweord ye get weeran on Eadwerds daege kings And ic will yeet aelc child by his fader yrfnume aefter his faders daege And ic nelle ge wolian yeet aenig man eoy aenis wrang beode God eoy heald Wilhelmus rex salutat Wilhelmum Episcopum Goffridum Portegrefium omnem Burghware infra London Frans. Angl. amicabiliter Et vobis notum facio quòd ego volo quòd vos sitis omni lege illa digni qua fuistis Edwardi dicbus regis Et volo quòd omnis puer sit patris sui haeres post diem patris sui Et ego nolo pati quòd aliquis homo aliquam iniuriam vobis inferat Deus vos saluet But howsoeuer he vsed the rest of the English this is recorded of some writers that by his rigorous proceedings against them he brought to passe that the countrie was so rid of theeues and robbers as that at length a maid might haue passed through the land with a bag full of gold and not haue met with any misdooer to haue bereft hir of the same a thing right strange to consider sith in the beginning of his reigne there were such routs of outlawes and robbers that the peaceabler people could not be safelie possessed of their owne houses were the same neuer so well fortified and defended Among manie lawes made by the said William this one is to be remembred that such as forced any woman should lose their genitals In this kings daies also liued Osmond the second bishop of Salisburie who compiled the church seruice which in times past they commonlie called after Salisburie vse The vse of the long bowe as Iohn Rous testifieth came first into England with this king William the Conquerour for the English before that time vsed to fight with axes and such hand weapons and therefore in the oration made by the Conquerour before he gaue battell to king Harold the better to encourage his men he told them they should encounter with enimies that wanted shot In the yeare of our Lord 1542. Monsieur de Castres bishop of Baieulx and abbat of Saint Estienne in Caen caused the sepulchre of this William to be opened wherein his bodie was found whole faire and perfect of lims large and big of stature and personage longer than the ordinarie sort of men with a copper plate fairlie gilt and this epitaph therevpon ingrauen Qui rexit rigidos Normannos atque Britannos Audacter vicit fortiter obtinuit Et Coenomenses virtute contudit enses Imperijque suilegibus applicuit Rex magnus parua iacet hac Guilhelmus in vrna Sufficit magno parua domus domino Ter septem gradibus se voluerat atque duobus Virginis in gremio Phoebus hic oâ—ijt that is Who ouer Normans rough did rule and ouer Britons bold Did conquest stoutlie win and conquest woone did stronglie hold Who by his valure great the fatall vprores calmd in maine And to obeie his powers and lawes the Manceaux did constraine This mightie king within this little vault intoomed lies So great a lord sometime so small a roome dooth now suffice When three times seuen and two by iust degrees the sunne had tooke His woonted course in Virgos lap then he the world forsooke Thus far William Conquerour William Rufus or William the Red. WIlliam surnamed Rufus or William the Red second sonne to William Conqueror began his reigne ouer England the ninth of September in the yeare 1087. about the 31. yeare of the emperour Henrie the fourth and the 37. of Philip the first king of France Urbane the second then gouerning the sée of Rome and Malcolme Cammoir line 10 reigning in Scotland Immediatlie after his fathers deceasse and before the solemnitie of the funerals were executed he came ouer into
le Beau sister to Charles the fift king of France began his reigne as king of England his father yet liuing the 25 daie of Ianuarie after the creation 5293 in the yeare of our lord 1327 year 1327 after the account of them that line 10 begin the yeare at Christmasse 867 after the comming of the Saxons 260 after the conquest the 13 yeare of the reigne of Lewes the fourth then emperour the seuenth of Charles the fift king of France the second of Andronicus Iunior emperour of the east almost ended and about the end of the 22 of Robert le Bruce king of Scotland He was crowned at Westminster on the day of the Purification of our ladie next insuing by the hands of Walter the archbishop of Canturburie line 20 And bicause he was but fourteene yeares of age so that to gouerne of himselfe he was not sufficient it was decréed that twelue of the greatest lords within the realme should haue the rule and gouernment till he came to more perfect yeares The names of which lords were as followeth The archbishop of Canturburie the archbishop of Yorke the bishops of Winchester and of Hereford Henrie earle of Lancaster Thomas Brotherton earle marshall Edmund of Woodstoke earle of Kent Iohn earle of Warren the lord Thomas Wake the lord Henrie Percie the line 30 lord Oliuer de Ingham the lord Iohn Ros. These were sworne of the kings councell and charged with the gouernement as they would make answer But this ordinance continued not long for the quéene and the lord Roger Mortimer tooke the whole rule so into their hands that both the king and his said councellors were gouerned onelie by them in all matters both high and low Neuerthelesse although they had taken the regiment vpon them yet could they not foresee the tumults and vprores that presentlie vpon line 40 the yoong kings inthronizing did insue but needs it must come to passe that is left written where children weare the crowne beare the scepter in hand Vaepueri terrae saepissimè sunt ibi guerrae He confirmed the liberties and franchises of the citie of London and granted that the maior of the same citie for the time being might sit in all places of iudgement within the liberties thereof for cheefe iustice aboue all other the kings person onelie excepted and that euerie alderman that had béene maior line 50 should be iustice of peace through all the citie of London and countie of Middlesex and euerie alderman that had not béene maior should be iustice of peace within his owne ward He granted also to the citizens that they should not be constreined to go foorth of the citie to anie warres in defense of the land and that the franchises of the citie should not be seized from thenceforth into the kings hands for anie cause but onelie for treason and rebellion shewed by the whole citie Also Southwarke was appointed to be vnder the rule of the citie and the maior of London to be bailiffe of Southwarke and to ordeine such a substitute in the same borough as pleased him In the first yeare of this kings reigne we find in records belonging to the abbeie of S. Edmundsburie in Suffolke that the inhabitants of that towne raised a sore commotion against the abbat moonks of the same abbeie and that at seuerall times as first on the wednesdaie next after the feast of the conuersion of S. Paule in the said first yeare of this kings reigne one Robert Foxton Richard Draiton and a great number of other assembling themselues togither in warlike order and araie assaulted the said abbeie brake downe the gates windowes and doores entered the house by force and assailing certeine moonks and seruants that belonged to the abbat did beat wound and euill intreat them brake open a number of chests coffers and forssets tooke out chalices of gold and siluer books vestments and other ornaments of the church beside a great quantitie of rich plate and other furniture of household apparell armour and other things beside fiue hundred pounds in readie coine also three thousand florens of gold All these things they tooke and caried awaie togither with diuerse charters writings miniments as thrée charters of Knute sometime king of England foure charters of king Hardiknute one charter of king Edward the confessor two charters of king Henrie the first other two charters of king Henrie the third which charters concerned as well the foundation of the same abbeie as the grants and confirmations of the possessions and liberties belonging thereto Also they tooke awaie certeine writings obligatorie in the which diuerse persons were bound for the paiement of great summes of monie and deliuerie of certeine wines vnto the hands of the said abbat Moreouer they tooke awaie with them ten seuerall buls concerning certeine exemptions and immunities granted to the abbats and moonks of Burie by sundrie bishops of Rome Furthermore not herewith contented they tooke Peter Clopton prior of the said abbeie and other moonks foorth of the house and leading them vnto a place called the Leaden hall there imprisoned them till the thursdaie next before the feast of the Purification of our ladie and that daie bringing them backe againe into the chapter-house deteined them still as prisoners till they had sealed a writing conteining that the abbat and conuent were bound in ten thousand pounds to be paid to Oliuer Kempe and others by them named And further they were constreined to seale a letter of release for all actions quarels debts transgressions suits and demands which the abbat might in anie wise claime or prosecute against the said Oliuer Kempe and others in the same letters named For these wrongs and other as for that they would not permit the abbats bailiffes and officers to kéepe their ordinarie courts as they were accustomed to doo as well thrée daies in the wéeke for the market to wit mondaie wednesdaie and fridaie as the Portman mote euerie tuesdaie thrée wéeks line 10 and further prohibit them from gathering such tols customes and yearelie rents as were due to the abbat for certeine tenements in the towne which were let to farme the abbat brought his action against the said Foxton Draiton and others and hauing it tried by an inquest on the fridaie next after the feast of saint Lucie the virgine in a sessions holden at Burie by Iohn Stonore Walter Friskney Robert Maberthorpe Iohn Bousser by vertue of the kings writ of oier and determiner to them directed line 20 the offendors were condemned in 40000 pounds so that the said Richard Draiton and others there present in the court were committed to prison in custodie of the shiriffe Robert Walkefare who was commanded also to apprehend the other that were not yet arrested if within his bailiwike they might be found and to haue their bodies before the said iustices at Burie aforsaid on thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke next insuing Beside this there was an other
he was for he had put off no péece since the beginning of the fight and speaking to him called him traitor and false periured man asking of him if he durst trie the battell with him againe but the esquier hauing neither sense nor spirit whereby to make answer proclamation was made that the battell was ended and euerie one might go to his lodging The esquier immediatlie after he was brought to his lodging and laid in bed began to wax raging wood and so continuing still out of his wits about nine of the clocke the next day he yéelded vp the ghost ¶ This combat was fought as before yée haue heard the seuenth of Iune to the great reioising of the common people and discouragement of traitours About the same time or rather somewhat before the lord Oliuer de Clisson with a number of ships and gallies of France and Spaine tooke the sea and comming on the coast of England landed in diuerse places of the west countrie and also in the south parts spoiling and burning sundrie townes taking such ships and vessels as they might laie hold vpon and so continued to indamage the English people that inhabited néere to the sea side all that summer following ¶ In the beginning of the fourth yeare of this king Thomas of Woodstoke earle of Buckingham vncle to the king with an armie of seauen or eight thousand men of armes and archers was sent ouer to Calis that he might inuade France and passe through the same to come into Britaine vnto the aid of the duke there ¶ You haue heard how the French king had seized into his hands the more part of the duchie of Britaine bicause that the duke had ioined himselfe in league with the king of England but yet there were diuerse of the good townes and also manie of the barons and nobles of the countrie which kept themselues as neuters a long season but at length longing to see the reâ—urne of their naturall lord and duke sent for him into England requiring him to repaire home and to sée to the quieting of the troubled state of his countrie The duke being thus earnestlie desired to returne home by the aduise of the king of England and his councell granted to their request that had so instantlie required him both by letters and sufficient messengers wherevpon he tooke the sea and sailing foorth arriued in Britaine hauing with him sir Robert Knolles and a certeine number of Englishmen both armed men and archers as before yée haue heard The king also promised to send him a new supplie verie shortlie which was not forgotten But fortune was so contrarie that sir Iohn Arundell generall of those that were sent and manie of his companie were drowned by force of tempest and the other driuen backe againe into England as bâ—fore ye haue heard In the meane time though the duke of Britaine with aid of his subiects did manfullie defend his townes and countrie against the Frenchmen yet he was in doubt to be oppressed by the great puissance of the Frenchmen if aid came not the sooner line 10 Which being signified ouer into England mooued the king and his councell to appoint the earle of Buckingham to take vpon him this voiage He landed at Calis three daies before the feast of Marie Magdalene There went ouer with him in that armie the earls of Stafford and Deuonshire the lord Spenser constable of the host the lord Fitz Walter marshall the lord Basset the lord Bourchier the lord Ferrers the lord Morlie the lord Darcie sir William Windsore line 20 sir Hugh Caluerlie sir Hugh Hastings sir Hugh de la Sente sir Thomas Percie sir Thomas Triuet sir Hugh Tirell sir William Farrington sir Iohn and sir Nicholas Daubriticourt Thomas Camois Rafe Neuill sonne to the lord Neuill sir Henrie bastard Ferrers sir Hugh Broe sir Geffrie Wourslie sir William Clinton sir Iuon Fitz Warren and diuerse other After they had rested them at Calis two daies they remooued the third day out of the towne and came to Marqueâ—gnes where they remained line 30 thrée daies till all their companie cariages and prouisions were come to them out of Calis from thence they remooued and came before Arde where the earle of Buckingham made knights these that follow the earle of Deuonshire the lord Morlie the son of the lord Fitz Walter sir Roger Strange sir Iohn Ipre sir Iohn Colle sir Iames Tirelâ— sir Thomas Ramston sir Iohn Neuill and sir Thomas Ros or Roslie as some copies haue These persons were made knights bicause they went in the vaward line 40 which was sent to win a strong house called Follant which the owner had fortified against them But though he defended himselfe manfullie for a time yet in the end both he and all his companie were taken prisoners After this the duke passed by saint Omers shewing himselfe about a mile off with his host in order of battell aloft vpon a mounteine Some of the Englishmen rode to the barriers requiring that some of them within would come foorth and breake line 50 staues with them but they could not be answered The same day that the Englishmen thus came before S. Omers the earle of Buckingham made againe new knights as sir Rafe Neuill sir Bartholomew Bourchier sir Thomas Camois sir Foulke Corbet sir Thomas Danglure sir Rafe Petipas sir Lewes saint Albine and sir Iohn Paulie or rather Paulet These Englishmen rode through the countrie demanding iusts and déeds of armes but they could not be answered In déed the townes of the frontiers line 60 were well replenished and stuffed with men of war and still were the Englishmen coasted but they kept themselues so close togither without breaking their order that their enimies could find them at none aduantage They passed by Tirwine and by Betwine where they lodged one day They made but easie iournies and seemed to require nothing but battell They passed by Arras by Miramont and so to Clerie on the water of Some and taried there thrée daies and in other places about in that countrie The fourth day they dislodged and drew towards Cambraie and so to S. Quintines after vp towards Reimes They found little riches and small store of vittels abroad in the countrie for the French king had abandoned all to his men of warre who either wasted or conueied all things of any value into the fortresses and walled townes The Englishmen therâ—fore sent to them of Reimes requiring to haue some vittels sent to the host for the which they would spare the countrie from wasting but they of Reimes would not consent herevnto Whervpon the Englishmen began to light them such candels as their eies within the citie aked to behold the same a far off Moreouer the Englishmen approched so néere to the walles and diches of the citie that they brought awaie twentie thousand head of cattell which the citizens had gotten within the compasse of their diches and further sent to them
be kept in safe gard till the time came that he might purge himselfe of that he had charged him with and that the lord Iohn Holland â—he kings halfe brother might haue the custodie of him till the day appointed that the duke should come to his full trial The night before which day the said lord Holland and sir Henrie Gréene knight came to this frier and putting a cord about his necke tied the other end about his priuie members after hanging him vp from the ground laid a stone vp on his bellie with the weight whereof and peise of his bodie withall he was strangled and tormented so as his verie backe bone burst in sunder therewith besides the straining of his priuie members thus with thrée kind of tormentings he ended his wretched life On the morow after they caused his dead corps to be drawne about the towne to the end it might appeare he had suffered worthilie for his great falshood treason Which extreame punishment and exquisite kind of execution had it not béene meritoriouslie inflicted vpon so impudent an offendor had deserued perpetuall record of vnaccustomed line 10 crueltie with this vehement exclamation O fera barbaries aeuo non nota priori Sed nec apud saeuos inuenienda Scythas But now to the parlement At length when the K. had obteined of the laitie a grant of an halfe fiftéenth the same parlement was dissolued In the summer following the borderers of England and Scotland made rodes ech into others countries to the great disquieting of both the realmes Among other rodes line 20 that the Englishmen made shortlie after Easter as Froissard saith the earles of Northumberland and Nottingham raising an armie of 2000 speares and six thousand archers entered Scotland by Rockesburgh burnt the countrie euen to Edenburgh and so returned without damage In the meane time came messengers from the French king to aduertise the Scots of the conclusion of the truce But the Scots prouoked with this last inuasion made by the Englishmen into their countrie would not heare of line 30 any truce till they had in part reuenged their displesure vpon the Englishmen and so with certeine men of armes of France that latelie before were come thither not yet vnderstanding of any truce they roded into Northumberland doing what mischiefe they might so that for the summer season of this yeare either part sought to indamage other as Walsingham saith though Froissard writeth that through the earnest trauell of the messengers that came to intimate the abstinence of war taken the parties now line 40 that their stomachs were well eased with the interchange of indamaging either others confins agréed to be quiet and so the truce was proclamed in both realmes and accordinglie obserued About the beginning of August in the eight yéere of this kings reigne the duke of Lancaster went ouer againe into France to treat of peace but after he haâ— remained there a long time spent no small store of treasure he returned with a truce to indure onelie till the first daie of Maie then next insuing line 50 While the duke of Lancaster was foorth of the relme Iohn de Northampton that had borne such rule in the citie of London whilest he was maior and also after as partlie ye haue heard was accused by a chaplaine that he had in his house of seditious slurs which he went about so that being arreigned thereof he was in the end condemned to perpetuall prison and the same not to be within the space of one hundred miles at the least of the citie of London All his goods were confiscated and so he was sent to the castell line 60 of Tintagill in Cornewall and the Kings officers 〈◊〉 vpon his goods cattels ¶ About the feast of saint Martine a parlement was called at London in which monie was demanded of the cleargie and temporaltie towards the maintenance of the kings 〈◊〉 During this parlement also a combat was fought within lists betwixt an English esquier named Iohn Walsh and an esquier of Nauarre that accused the said Walsh of treason though not iustlie but mooued through displeasure conceiued of an iniurie doone to him by the same Walsh whilest he was vnder capteine or vicedeputie as we may call him of Chierburgh in abusing the Nauarrois wife Wherevpon when the Nauarrois was vanquished and confessed the truth he was adiudged by the king to be drawne vnto the place of execution and hanged notwithstanding that the queene and diuerse other made sute for him ¶ Henrie Knighton maketh report hereof in somewhat a differing maner but the issue of his tale falleth out to be like to the other On a wednesdaie saith he at S. Andrews tide Iohn Wallise of Grimsbie fought in lists with Martilet of Nauarre esquier at Westminster in presence of K. Richard of Iohn the good duke of Lancaster in so much that the said Iohn Wallise slue his aduersarie whervpon at the kings coÌ„mandement being made knight he was inriched with manie gifts as well of the kings and the dukes bestowing as also of other great men and peeres of the realme As for Martilet after he was slaine he was presentlie drawne hanged and headed Furthermore before the said parlement was dissolued newes came foorth of the north parts that the Scots had woone the castell of Berwike for which the earle of Northumberland that was capteine thereof was put in high blame for that he had not committed the kéeping thereof to more circumspect persons The duke of Lancaster who bare no good will to the said earle was well appaid that he had so good matter to charge his aduersarie withall so that through his meanes the earle of Northumberland was sore accused and had much adoo to escape the danger of being reputed a traitor Wherevpon great occasion of malice and displeasure grew betwixt those two noble personages as after it well appeared But howsoeuer the matter was handled the earle was licenced by the king to go into his countrie and séeke to recouer possession of the castell thus latelie lost Wherevpon raising an armie besieging the Scots that were within the castell he so constreined them that for the summe of 2000 marks they surrendred the fortresse into his hands their liues and goods saued and so the earle of Northumberland recouered the castell out of the Scotishmens hands being taught to commit it to more warie keepers than the other before The king being incensed against the duke of Lancaster year 1385 meant that he should haue béene arrested and arreigned of certeine points of treason before sir Robert Trissillian cheefe iustice as Thomas Walsingham saith and peraduenture there might be some such report that such was the kings meaning but yet how this may stand considering he was to be tried by his peeres in case that any the like matter had beene pretended I sée not But how soeuer it was he being warned thereof by some
so bestowed his goods and substance that he hath well deserued to be registred in chronicles First he erected one house or church in London to be a house of praier and named the same after his owne name Whitington college remaining at this daie In the said church besides certeine preests and clearks he placed line 60 a number of poore aged men and women builded for them houses and lodgings and allowed them wood coles cloth and wéekelie monie to their great reléefe and comfort This man also at his owne cost builded the gate of London called Newgate in the yéere of our Lord 1422 which before was a most ouglie and lothsome prison He also builded more than the halfe of S. Bartholomews hospitall in west Smithfield He builded likewise the beautifull librarie in the graie friers in London now called Christs hospitall standing in the north part of the cloister thereof where in the wall his armes be grauen in stone He also builded for the ease of the maior of London his brethren and the worshipfull citizens on the solemne daies of their assemblie a chapell adioining to the Guildhall to the intent that before they entered into anie of their worldlie affaires they should begin with praier and inuocation to God for his assistance at the end ioining to the south part of the said chapell he builded for the citie a librarie of stone for the custodie of their records and other bookes He also builded a great part of the east end of Giuldhall and did manie other good déeds worthie of imitation By a writing of this mans owne hand which he willed to be fixed as a schedule to his last will and testament it appeareth what a pitifull and relenting heart he had at other mens miseries and did not onelie wish but also did what he could procure for their releefe In so much that he charged and commanded his executors as they would answer before God at the daie of the resurrection of all flesh that if they found anie debtor of his whome if in conscience they thought not to be well worth three times as much as they owght him and also out of other mens debt and well able to paie that then they should neuer demand it for he clearlie forgaue it and that they should put no man in sute for anie debt due to him A worthie memoriall of a notable minded gentleman Yée haue heard how the duke of Clarence and his armie did much hurt in the realme of France in places as he passed wherevpon at length the duke of Orleance being earnestlie called vpon to dispatch the Englishmen out of France according to an article comprised in the conclusion of the peace he came to the duke of Clarence rendering to him and his armie a thousand gramersies and disbursed to them as much monie as he or his fréends might easilie spare and for the rest being two hundred and nine thousand frankes remaining vnpaid he deliuered in gage his second brother Iohn duke of Angolesme which was grandfather to king Francis the first that reigned in our daies sir Marcell de Burges and sir Iohn de Samoures sir Archembald Uiliers and diuerse other which earle continued long in England as after shall appeare When this agreement was thus made betwixt the dukes of Orleance and Clarence the English armie with rich preies booties and prisoners came to Burdeaux making warre on the frontiers of France to their great gaine In this meane while the lord of Helie one of the marshals of France with an armie of foure thousand men besieged a certeine fortresse in Guien which an English knight one sir Iohn Blunt kept who with thrée hundred men that came to his aid discomfited chased and ouerthrew the French power tooke prisoners twelue men of name and other gentlemen to the number of six score and amongst other the said marshall who was sent ouer into England and put in the castell of Wissebet from whence he escaped and got ouer into France where seruing the duke of Orleance at the battell of Agincort he was slaine among other In this fourtéenth and last yeare of king Henries reigne a councell was holden in the white friers in London at the which among other things order was taken for ships and gallies to be builded and made readie and all other things necessarie to be prouided for a voiage which he meant to make into the holie land there to recouer the citie of Ierusalem from the Infidels For it gréeued him to consider the great malice of christian princes that were bent vpon a mischéefous purpose to destroie one another to the perill of their owne soules rather than to make war against the enimies of the christian faith as in conscience it séemed to him they were bound He held his Christmas this yeare at Eltham being sore vexed with sicknesse so that it was thought sometime that he had beene dead notwithstanding it pleased God that he somwhat recouered his strength againe and so passed that Christmasse with as much ioy as he might The morrow after Candlemas daie began a parlement which he had called at London but he departed this life before the same parlement was ended for now that his prouisions were readie and that he was furnished with sufficient treasure soldiers capteins vittels munitions tall ships strong gallies line 10 and all things necessarie for such a roiall iournie as he pretended to take into the holie land he was eftsoones taken with a sore sicknesse which was not a leprosie striken by the hand of God saith maister Hall as foolish friers imagined but a verie apoplexie of the which he languished till his appointed houre and had none other gréefe nor maladie so that what man ordeineth God altereth at his good will and pleasure not giuing place more to the prince than to the poorest creature liuing when he séeth his time to dispose line 20 of him this waie or that as to his omnipotent power and diuine prouidence seemeth expedient During this his last sicknesse he caused his crowne as some write to be set on a pillow at his beds head and suddenlie his pangs so sore troubled him that he laie as though all his vitall spirits had beene from him departed Such as were about him thinking verelie that he had béene departed couered his face with a linnen cloth The prince his sonne being hereof aduertised entered line 30 into the chamber tooke awaie the crowne and departed The father being suddenlie reuiued out of that trance quicklie perceiued the lacke of his crowne and hauing knowledge that the prince his sonne had taken it awaie caused him to come before his presence requiring of him what he meant so to misuse himselfe The prince with a good audacitie answered Sir to mine and all mens iudgements you seemed dead in this world wherefore I as your next heire apparant tooke that as mine owne and
none Wherfore my right doubted lord sith there is great good behouefull at this time for the weale and safegard of your realmes the pouertie necessitie indigence of your liege people in highnesse vnderstand like it vnto your noble grace to consider the said lucre of the said cardinall and the great deceipts that you be receiued in by the labour of him of the archbishop aswell in this your realme as in your realme of France and duchie of Normandie where neither office liuelode nor capteine may be had without too great good giuen vnto him wherby a great part of all the losse that is lost they haue béene the causers of for who that would giue most his was the price not considering the merits seruice nor sufficiance of persons Furthermore it is greatlie to be considered how when the said cardinall had forfeited all his goods bicause of prouision as the statute therevpon more plainelie declareth by hauing the rule of you my right doubted lord purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your highnesse a charter of pardon the which good and it had be well gouerned might manie yeares haue susteined your warres without anie tallage of your poore people 23 Item my redoubted lord whereas I write much thing for the weale of you and of your realms peraduenture some will saie and vnderstand that I would or haue written by waie of accusement of all your councell which God knoweth I doo not for your highnesse may well sée that I name them that be causers of the said inordinate rule Wherfore considering that the said cardinall and archbishop of Yorke beene they that pretend the gouernance of you and of your realmes and lordships please it vnto your highnesse of your rightwisenesse to estrange them of your councell to that intent that men may be at their freedome to say what they thinke of truth 24 For truth I dare speake of my truth the poore dare not doo so And if the cardinall and the archbishop of Yorke may afterward declare themselues of that is and shal be said of them you my right doubted lord may then restore them againe to your councell at your noble pleasure When the king had heard the accusations thus laid by the duke of Glocester against the cardinall he committed the examination thereof to his councell whereof the more part were spirituall persons so that what for feare and what for fauour the matter was winked at and nothing said to it onelie faire countenance was made to the duke as though no malice had béene conceiued agaiâ—st him But venem will breake out inward grudge will soone appeare which was this yeare to all men apparant for diuers secret attempts were aduanced forward this season against this noble man Humfreiâ— duke of Glocester a far off which in conclusion came so néere that they beereft him both of life and land as shall hereafter more plainelie appéere For first this yeare dame Eleanor Cobham wife to the said duke was accused of treason for that she by sorcerie and inchantment intended to destroie the king to the intent to aduance hir husband vnto the crowne Upon this 〈…〉 examined in saint Stephans chappell before the bishop of Canturburie and there bâ— examination 〈…〉 open penance in thrée open placâ—â— within the citie of London Polychronicoâ— saith she was iâ—ioâ—ied to go through â—â—eapside 〈◊〉 taper in hir hand and after that adiudged to perpetuall imprisonâ—â—nt in the I le of Man vnder the kâ—â—ping of sir Iohn Stanlie knight At the same season â—ere arrested â—â—â—eigned and adiudged giltie as aiders to thâ— duchesse Thomas line 10 Southwell priest 〈◊〉 canon of S. Stephans at Westminster Iohn Hun priest Roger Bolingbrooke a cunning necromancer as it was said and Margerie Iordeine surnamed the witâ—h of Eie The matter laid against them was â—or that they at the request of the said duchesse had deuised an image of war representing the king which by their sorcerie by little and little consumed intending thereby in conclusion to waste and destroie the kâ—ngs person Margerie Iordeine was burnt in Smitâ—field and line 20 Roger Bolingbrooke was drawne to Taborne and hanged and quartered taking vpon his death that there was neuer anie such thing by them imagined Iohn Hun had his pardon and Southwest died in the Tower the night before his execution for saith Polychr he did prophesie of himselfe that he should die in his bed and not by iustice The duke of Glocester bare all these things patientlie 〈◊〉 said little Edward sonne to the duke of Yorke was borne this yeare the nine and twentith of Aprill at Rone his father line 30 being the kings lieutenant in Normandie ¶ In this yeare was a great fraie in Fléetstréet in the night time betwéene gentlemen of courts and inhabitants of London insomuch that much bloud was spilt diuerse slaine outright and some mortallie wounded besides great harme otherwise doone and suffered ¶ Upon the daie of the translation of saint Edward or the twelfth of October vpon which daie the maior and his brethren for the yeare following and line 40 daie when the commoners of the citie after their ancient custome had chosen two aldermen such as before had béene shiriffes of London and of Middlesex namelie Robert Clopton draper and Rafe Holland tailoâ— and them presented by name vnto the maior and his brethren then sitting in the vtter chamber where the maiors courts be kept to the intent that the said maior and his brethren might choose one of the said two such as they thought most necessarie and worshipfull for the roome the said maior and his brethren choosing Robert Clopton brought him after line 50 downe vpon his right hand towards the hall Whereof when certeine tailors there present were aware and saw that Rafe Holland was not chosen anon they cried Nay nay not this but Rafe Holland Wherewith the old maior being astonished stood still vpon the staire and commanded them to keepe silence and so held on his waie to the east end of the hall where he sat him downe and his brethren about him In the meane time the said tailors continued line 60 their crie and incensed others of base traâ—es of the citie as simple persons to take their part and to crie as fast as they not proffering to cease their misrule for all that the maior could saie no nor yet when the maiors sergeant at armes had cried Oâ—yes Herevpon the maior to appease the rumor sent downe the shiriffes and commanded them to take the offendors and send them to the goale which precept was fulfilled about twelue or sixteene of the principall committed to Newgate where some of them abode a long time imprisoned and others that were fined set at libertie This is reported by Polychronicon but in somewhat a differing maner The councell of England forgat not the late enterprise of the 〈◊〉 king atchiued in the duchie of of Guien and the refore doubting
gentlemen and lords seruants in euerie part with the citizens they were greatlie incouraged to withstand their enimies Yet the rebels vnder the leading of one Spising bare themselues so stoutlie at Algate that they wan the bulworks there and droue the citizens backe within the portculice entered with them to the number of six or eight but some of them were slaine with the fall of the portculice that was let downe vpon them to kéepe the residue line 50 out and those that were entered within the gate were suddenlie dispatched Héerewith they lashed freelie the one part at the other with guns and bowes although no great hurt was doone with shot till at length Robert Basset alderman that was appointed to the kéeping of this gate with the most part of the citizens and the recorder named Ursewike either of them being well armed in strong iackes commanded the portculice to be drawen vp and maintenantlie rushed foorth vpon line 60 their enimies putting them backe vnto saint Bothulpes church At the same instant the earle Riuers hauing got togither a foure or fiue hundred men well chosen and apparelled for the warre issued foorth at the posterne by the Tower and assailing the Kentishmen euen vpon the point as they were thus put backe mightilie laid vpon them And first he plaged them with the swift and thicke flight of his arrowes and after ioining with them at handstrokes slue and tooke manie of them prisoners so that the rebels were fullie put to flight and followed first to mile-Mile-end and from thense some vnto Poplar some to Stratford and Stepnith and in maner each waie foorth about that part of the citie the chase being followed for the space of two miles in length Manie of them were of Essex and so made their course homewards but the more part of them fled to the water side and getting to their ships passed ouer the Thames to the rest of their companie The other likewise that were busie to assault Bishops gate when they vnderstood that their fellowes were discomfited and fled from Algate they likewise flipped awaie and made the best shift they could to saue themselues There were a seauen hundred of them that fled from Algate and other places flaine outright beside the prisoners And yet there were fiers burning all at once at Algate Bishops gate on the bridge and manie houses consumed with the same fiers But now the bastard vnder whome that companie was directed that had set fire on the bridge when he saw that he might not preuaile and vnderstood the euill succes of those which he had set ouer the Thames he withdrew also and left the bridge Here the hardie manhood of Rafe Iosselin alderman is not to be passed with silence who after he had valiantlie resisted the bastard his band that assaulted the bridge vpon their retire sallied foorth vpon them and following them in chase alongst the water side till they came beyond Ratcliffe slue and tooke verie manie of them The bastard notwithstanding gathered his companies togither and with such as were willing to remaine with him incamped on Blackeheath by the space of thrée daies next insuing to wit the sixteenth seauentéenth and eightéenth of Maie vtterlie despairing of his wished preie sith he had béene repelled from London to his vtter confusion And now to conclude hearing that king Edward was comming with a right puissant armie the said bastard and his people durst no longer abide but brake vp and dispersed themselues some one waie and some an other They of Calis got them thither againe with all spéed and such as were of other countries repaired likewise to their homes and manie of the Kentishmen went also to their houses The bastard with his mariners and such riotous rebels robbers and wicked persons as sought nothing but spoile got them to shipboord and with all their vessels drew downe to the coast King Edward hauing assembled an armie of thirtie thousand men as some write and accompanied in maner with all the great lords of England came to London the one and twentith of Maie being tuesdaie where he was honourablie receiued by the maior aldermen and other worshipfull citizens where euen vpon their first meeting with him he dubbed diuerse of them knights as the maior the recorder other aldermen and worshipfull commoners of the citie which had manfullie and valiantlie acquit themselues against the bastard Fauconbridge his wicked companie of rebels Moreouer here is to be remembred that poore king Henrie the sixt a little before depriued as ye haue heard of his realme and imperiall crowne was now in the Tower spoiled of his life by Richard duke of Glocester as the constant fame ran who to the intent that his brother king Edward might reigne in more suertie murthered the said king Henrie with a dagger Howbeit some writers of that time fauoring altogither the house of Yorke haue recorded that after he vnderstood what losses had chanced vnto his fréends and how not onelie his sonne but also all other his chéefe partakers were dead and dispatched he tooke it so to hart that of pure displeasure indignation and melancholie he died the three and twentith of Maie The dead corps on the Ascension euen was conueied with billes and glaues pompouslie if you will call that a funerall pompe from the Tower to the church of saint Paule and there laid on a beire or coffen bare faced the same in presence of the beholders did bléed where it rested the space of one whole daie From thense he was caried to the Black-friers and bled there likewise and on the next daie after it was conueied in a boat without priest or clerke torch or taper singing or saieng vnto the monasterie of Chertfeie distant from London fiftéene miles and there was it first buried but after line 10 it was remooued to Windesor and there in a new vawt newlie intoomed He reigned eight and thirtie yeares six moneths and od daies and after his readeption of the crowne six moneths He liued two and fiftie yeares hauing by wife one onelie sonne called Edward prince of Wales He was of a seemelie stature of bodie slender to which proportion all other members were answerable his face beautifull wherein continuallie was resident the bountie of mind with the which he was line 20 inwardlie indued Of his owne naturall inclination he abhorred all the vices as well of the bodie as of the soule His patience was such that of all the iniuries to him doone which were innumerable he neuer asked vengeance thinking that for such aduersitie as chanced to him his sinnes should be forgotten and forgiuen What losses soeuer happened vnto him he neuer esteemed nor made anie account therof but if anie thing were doone that might sound as an offense towards God he sore lamented and with line 30 great repentance sorowed for it So then verie vnlike it is that he died of anie wrath indignation and displeasure bicause
his businesse about the kéeping of the crowne on his head tooke no better successe except peraduenture ye will saie that it gréeued him for that such slaughters and mischéeues as had chanced within this land came to passe onelie through his follie and default in gouernment or that more is for his fathers his grandfathers and his owne vniust vsurping and deteining line 40 of the crowne But howsoeuer it was for these before remembred and other the like properties of reputed holinesse which was said to rest in him it pleased God to worke miracles for him in his life time as men haue listed to report By reason whereof king Henrie the seauenth sued to Pope Iulio the second to haue him canonized a saint But for that the canonizing of a king séemed to be more costlie than for a bishop the said king left off his sute in that behalfe thinking better to saue his monie than to purchase a new holie daie of line 50 saint Henrie with so great a price remitting to God the iudgement of his will and intent ¶ But bicause princes princelie qualified can not be too highlie praised I will here record a collection of his commendable conditions dooings and saiengs as I find them set downe to my hand to his perpetuall renowme and right worthie of imitation not onelie of such as are singled out from among infinite thousands to be magnified with roialtie but also of priuat line 60 and meane men that conuerse and liue one with an other in the world This king hauing inioied as great prosperitie as fauourable fortune could afoord as great troubles on the other side as she frowning could powre out yet in both the states he was patient and vertuous that he maie be a patterne of most perfect vertue as he was a worthie example of fortunes inconstancie He was plaine vpright farre from fraud wholie giuen to praier reading of scriptures and almes-deeds of such integritie of life that the bishop which had béene his confessour ten yeares auouched that he had not all that time committed anie mortall crime so continent as suspicion of vnchast life neuer touched him and hauing in Christmasse a shew of yoong women with their bare breasts laid out presented before him he immediatlie departed with these words Fie fie for shame forsooth you be too blame Before his marriage he liked not that women should enter his chamber and for this respect he committed his two brethren by the moothers side Iasper and Edmund to most honest vertuous prelats to be brought vp So farre he was from couetousnesse that when the executors of his vncle the bishop of Winchester surnamed the rich cardinall would haue giuen him two thousand pounds he plainelie refused it willing them to discharge the will of the departed and would scarselie condescend at length to accept the same summe of monie toward the indowing of his colleges in Cambridge Eaton He was religiouslie affected as the time then was that at principall holidaies he would weare sackecloth next his skin Oth he vsed none but in most earnest matters these words Forsooth and forsooth He was so pitifull that when he saw the quarter of a traitor against his crowne ouer Criplegate he willed it to be taken awaie with these words I will not haue anie christian so cruellie handled for my sake Manie great offenses he willinglie pardoned and receiuing at a time a great blow by a wicked man which compassed his death he onelie said Forsooth forsooth yée doo fowlie to smite a king annointed so An other also which thrust him into the side with a sword when he was prisoner in the Tower was by him pardoned when he was restored to his state and kingdome Not long before his death being demanded whie he had so long held the crowne of England vniustlie he replied My father was king of England quietlie inioieng the crowne all his reigne and his father my grandsire was also king of England and I euen a child in my cradell was proclamed and crowned king without anie interruption and so held it fortie yeares well-neere all the states dooing homage vnto me as to my antecessors wherefore I maie saie with king Dauid The lot is fallen vnto me in a faire ground yea I haue a goodlie heritage my helpe is from the Lord which saueth the vpright in heart This good king being of himselfe alwaies naturallie inclined to doo good and fearing least he might séeme vnthankefull to almightie God for his great benefits bestowed vpon him since the time he first tooke vpon him the regiment of his realme determined about the six and twentith yeare of his reigne for his primer notable worke as by the words of his will I find expressed to erect and found two famous colledges in the honor and worship of his holy name and for the increase of vertue the dilatation of cunning and establishment of christian faith whereof the one in Cambridge to be called his colledge roiall of our ladie and saint Nicholas and the other at Gaton beside Windsore to be called his colledge of our blessed ladie And for the performance of this his deuout purpose he infeoffed certeine bishops with other noble and worshipfull personages by his letters patents with lands and possessions parcell of his inheritance of the duchie of Lancaster to the cleare value of well néere foure thirtie hundred pounds by yéere Which letters patents he after confirmed by his act of parlement declaring also by his will vnto his said feoffées his intent and meaning how the same shuld be imploied vpon the edifications of his said two colledges Whereof in my iudgement the deuise is so excellent and the buildings so princelie and apt for that purpose as I cannot omit to set foorth vnto you the verie plot of the whole colledge in Cambridge euen as I find mentioned almost verbatim in his will supposing that if the rest of the house had procéeded according to the chappell alreadie finished as his full intent and meaning was the like colledge could scant haue béene found againe in anie christian land The words of the will are thus As touching the dimensions of the church of my said colledge of our ladie and S. Nicholas of Cambridge I haue deuised and appointed that the same church shall conteine in length 288 foot of assise without line 10 anie Iles and all of the widenesse of fortie foot And the length of the same church from the west end vnto the altars at the quiere doore shall conteine an hundred and twentie foot And from the prouosts stall vnto the gréece called Gradus chori ninetie foot for thirtie six stalles on either side of the same quiere answering to threescore and ten fellowes and ten priests conducts which must be De prima forma And from the said stalles vnto the east end of the said church threescore two foot of assise Also a reredosse bearing the line 20 roodloft departing the quiere
and the bodie of the church conteining in length fortie foot and in breadth fourtéene foot The walles of the same church to be in height ninetie foot imbattelled vawted and charerooffed sufficientlie butteraced and euerie butterace fined with finials And in the east end of the same church shall be a window of nine daies and betwixt euerie butterace a window of fiue daies And betwixt euerie of the same butteraces in the bodie of the church on both sides of the same church line 30 a closet with an altar therein conteining in length twentie foot and in breadth ten foot vawted and finished vnder the soile of the I le windowes And the pauement of the church to be inhanced foure foot aboue the ground without And the height of the pauement of the quiere one foot and an halfe aboue the pauement of the church And the pauement of the altar thrée foot aboue that And on the north side of the quiere a vestrie conteining in length fiftie foot and in breadth twentie and two foot departed into two line 40 houses beneath two houses aboue which shall conteine in height twentie two foot in all with an entrie from the quiere vawted And at the west end of the church a cloister square the east pane conteining in length an hundred seuentie and fiue foot and the west pane as much The north pane two hundred foot and the south pane as much of the which the deambulatorie thirtéene foot wide and in height twentie foot to the corbill table with cleare stories and butteraces with finials vawted imbattelled And the ground line 50 thereof foure foot lower than the church ground And in the middle of the west pane of the cloister a strong tower square conteining foure and twentie foot within the walles And in the height one hundred and twentie foot to the corbill table And foure small turrets ouer that fined with pinacles And a doore into the said cloister inward but outward none And as touching the dimensions of the housing of the said colledge I haue deuised and appointed in the south-side of the said church a quadrant closing to both ends line 60 of the same church the east pane whereof shall conteine two hundred and thirtie foot in length and in breadth within the walles two and twentie foot In the same panes middle a tower for a gatehouse conteining in length thirtie foot and in breadth two and twentie and in height thréescore foot with thrée chambers ouer the gate euerie one ouer the other And on either side of the same gate foure chambers euerie one conteining in length fiue twentie foot and in bredth two and twentie foot And ouer euerie of these chambers two chambers aboue of the same measure or more with two towers outward and two towers inward The south pane shall conteine in length two hundred thirtie and eight foot and in breadth two and twentie foot within in which shal be seuen chambers euerie one conteining in length nine and twentie foot and in breadth twentie and two with a chamber parcell of the prouosts lodging conteining in length thirtie and fiue foot and with a chamber in the east corner of the same pane conteining in length twentie and fiue foot and in breadth thirtie and two foot And ouer euerie of all these chambers two chambers and with fiue towers outward and thrée towers inward The west pane shall conteine in length two hundred and thirtie foot and in breadth within twentie foure foot in which at the end toward the church shall be a librarie conteining in length an hundred and ten foot and in breadth twentie and foure foot And vnder it a large house for reading and disputations conteining in length eleuen foot And two chambers vnder the same librarie each conteining twentie and nine foot in length and in breadth foure and twentie foot And ouer the said librarie a house of the same largenesse for diuerse stuffe of the said colledge In the other end of the same pane a hall conteining in length an hundred foot vpon a vawt of twelue foot high ordeined for the cellar and butterie and the breadth of the hall six and thirtie foot On euerie side thereof a baie window And in the nether end of the same hall toward the middle of the same pane a pantrie butterie euerie of them in length twentie foot and in breadth seuentéene foot And ouer that two chambers for officers And at the nether end of the hall toward the west a goodlie kitchin And the same pane shall haue inward two towers ordeined for the waies into the hall and librarie And in euerie corner of the said quadrant shall be two corner towers one inward and one outward more than the towers aboue rehearsed And at the vpper end of the hall the prouosts lodging that is to wit more than the chambers for him aboue specified a parlour on the ground conteining six and thirtie foot in length and two and twentie foot in breadth two chambers aboue of the same quantitie And westward closing there to a kitchin for him a larderhouse stables and other necessarie housings and grounds And westward beyond these houses and the said kitchin ordeined for the hall a bakehouse a brewhouse and other houses of office betwixt which there is left a ground square of fourscore foot in euerie pane for wood and such stuffe And in the middle of the said large quadrant shall be a conduit goodlie deuised for the ease of the same colledge And I will that the edification proceed in large forme of my said colledge cleane and substantiall setting apart superfluitie of so great curious workes of intaile and busie moulding And I haue deuised and appointed that the precinct of my said colledge as well on both sides of the garden from the colledge to the water as in all other places of the same precinct be inclosed with a substantiall wall of the height of fourtéene foot with a large tower at the principall entrie against the middle of the east pane out of the high stréet And in the same tower a large gate and another tower in the middle of the west end at the new bridge And the same wall to be creafted imbattelled and fortified with towers as manie as shall be thought conuenient therevnto And I will that my said colledge be edified of the most substantiall best abiding stuffe of stone lead glasse and iron that maie best he had and prouided thereto ¶ Thus much I haue inlarged by occasion of reading this good kings will the cunning deuise wherof I leaue to the considerate iudgement of such as be expert in architecture heartilie desiring almightie God to put into the heart of some noble prince of this land one day to make perfect this roiall worke so charitablie begun But now to returne to king Edward Ye shall
Richard king Richard that it might haue béene after said that he was speciallie chosen by God and in maner by miracle But this deuise quailed either by the protectors negligence or the preachers ouermuch diligence For while the protector found by the waie tarieng least he should preuent those words and the doctor fearing that he should come yer his sermon could come to these words hasted his matter thereto he was come to them and past them and entred into other matters yer the protector came Whome when he beheld comming he suddenlie left the matter with line 10 which he was in hand and without anie deduction therevnto out of all order and out of all frame began to repeat those words againe This is the verie noble prince the speciall patrone of knightlie prowesse which as well in all princelie behauior as in the lineaments fauor of his visage representeth the verie face of the noble duke of Yorke his father this is the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the verie print of his visage the sure vndoubted image the plaine expresse likenesse of the noble duke line 20 whose remembrance can neuer die while he liueth While these words were in speaking the protector accompanied with the duke of Buckingham went through the people into the place where the doctors commonlie stand in the vpper storie where he stood to hearken the sermon But the people were so farre fro crieng K. Richard that they stood as they had béene turned into stones for woonder of this shamefull sermon After which once ended the preacher gat him home and neuer after durst looke out for shame but line 30 kept him out of sight like an owle And when he once asked one that had béene his old friend what the people talked of him all were it that his owne conscience well shewed him that they talked no good yet when the tother answered him that there was in euerie mans mouth spoken of him much shame it so strake him to the heart that within few daies after he withered and consumed awaie for verie thought and inward pine procured by irrecouerable cares whose nature is noted by obseruation of their effects line 40 Attenuant vigiles corpus miserabile curae Then on the tuesdaie following this sermon there came to the Guildhall in London the duke of Buckingham accompanied with diuerse lords and knights mo than happilie knew the message that they brought And there in the east end of the hall where the maior kéepeth the Hustings the maior and all the aldermen being assembled about him all the commons of the citie gathered before them After silence commanded vpon great paine in the protectors line 50 name the duke stood vp and as he was neither vnlearned and of nature maruelouslie well spoken he said vnto the people with a cleare and lowd voice in this maner of wise The duke of Buckinghams oration to the assemblie of the maior aldermen and commoners FRiends for the zeale and heartie line 60 fauour that we beare you we be comen to breake vnto you of a matter right great and weightie and no lesse weightie than pleasing to God and profitable to all the realme nor to no part of the realme more profitable than to you the citizens of this noble citie For whie that thing that we wote well ye haue long time lacked and sore longed for that yee would haue giuen great good for that yee would haue gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost aduenture or ieopardie What thing is that Certes the suertie of your owne bodies the quiet of your wiues and your daughters the safegard of your goods of all which things in times past ye stood euermore in doubt For who was there of you all that would reckon himselfe lord of his own goods among so manie grens traps as was set therefore among so much pilling and polling among so manie taxes and tallages of which there was neuer end oftentimes no need Or if anie were it rather grew of riot and vnreasonable wast than anie necessarie or honourable charge So that there was dailie pilled fro good men and honest great substance of goods to be lashed out among vnthrifts so far forth that fifteenes sufficed not nor anie vsuall names of knowne taxes but vnder an easie name of beneuolence and good will the commissioners so much of euerie man tooke as no man could with his good will haue giuen As though that name of beneuolence had signified that euerie man should paie not what himselfe of his owne good will list to grant but what the king of his good will list to take Which neuer asked little but euerie thing was hawsed aboue the measure amercements turned into fines fines into ransoms small trespasses into misprison misprison into treason Whereof I thinke no man looketh that we should remember you of examples by name as though Burdet were forgotten that was for a word spoken in hast cruellie beheaded by the misconstruing of the laws of this realme for the princes pleasure With no lesse honour to Markam then cheefe iustice that left the benefit dignitie of his office rather than he would assent to the dishonestie of those that either for feare or flatterie gaue that iudgement What Cooke your owne worshipfull neighbour alderman and maior of this noble citie who is of you so either negligent that he knoweth not or so forgetfull that he remembreth not or so hard hearted that he pittieth not that worshipfull mans losse What speake we of losse His vtter spoile and vndeserued destruction onelie for that it hapned those to fauour him whome the prince fauoured not We need not I suppose to rehearse of these anie mo by name sith there be I doubt not manie heere present that either in themselues or in their nigh friends haue knowne as well their goods as their persons greatlie indangered either by feigned quarels or small matters aggreeued with heinous names And also there was no crime so great of which there could lacke a pretext For sith the king preuenting the time of this inheritance atteined the crowne by battell it sufficed in a rich man for a pretext of treason to haue beene of kinred or aliance neer familiaritie or legier acquaintance with anie of those that were at anie time the kings enimies which was at one time and other more than halfe the relme Thus were neither your goods in suertie and yet they brought your bodies in ieopardie beside the common aduenture of open warre which albeit that it is euer the will and occasion of much mischeefe yet is it neuer so mischeeuous as where any people fall at distance among themselues nor in none earthlie nation so deadlie and so line 10 pestilent as when it hapneth among vs and among vs neuer so long continued dissention nor so manie batels in that season nor so cruell
if you haue no quicke rescue you cannot continue against yonder puissance although your courages were neuer so great this the wisest of the citie and I haue considered Then suddenlie was there in the councell a vauntparler a botcher which hearing this called a great number of his affinitie and went out of the councell and so out of the gates and set fire of the suburbs on all sides When the councell saw the minds of the commons and that their waies might not be followed they comforted the people and mainteined them for their defense After this the king approched the citie with his whole armie and they of the citie issued foorth to proffer the skirmish but the archers beat them backe Also the carriage men that came with the herbingers saw where certeine wagons were entring the citie vnto the which they ran and tooke some of them At this skirmish the horsse of the lord Iohn Graie was slaine vnder him as he came to defend the carriage men but he himselfe had no hurt The king with his battell planted his siege on the north side the citie The earle of Shrewsburie with the foreward lodged toward the south side of the riuer and there laie that night The lord Herbert with the rereward incamped himselfe on the west side and beat the wals and towers of the citie with the great ordinance The next daie after their comming thither being the thrée and twentith of September the earle of Shrewesburie with the fore-ward passed the riuer planted his siege on the southside of the citie stretching to the east end and bent his ordinance against the walles And thus was the citie of Tornaie besieged on all parts On the fiue and twentith daie of September the king receiued letters from the earle of Surrie with the Scotish kings gantlet whereby he was certified of the slaughter of the said king and how all things had béene handled at the battell of Floddon whereof héereafter yee shall find further mention The king thanked God of the newes and highlie commended the prowesse of the earle and other the capteins howbeit he had a secret letter that Chesshiremen and other fled from sir Edmund Howard in the battell which letter caused great hartburning line 10 and manie words but the king tooke all things in good part and would that no man should be dispraised On the six and twentith daie fiers were made in the hoast in token of that victorie against the Scots and on the seauen and twentith daie being tuesdaie masse was soong by them of the kings chappell with Te Deum and the bishop of Rochester made a sermon declaring the death of the king of Scots and lamenting his euill hap and periurie But now to our purpose of the siege of Tornaie line 20 ¶ The king of England lieng afront before Tornaie caused his great ordinance to be planted round about the citie and diuerse trenches were cast and rampiers made and the lord Lisle and the lord Willoughbie were appointed to mainteine the ordinance with their bands and the earle of Kent was lodged before the gate called port Ualencien so that the citizens could not issue out nor no aid could come in The ordinance dailie beat the gates towers wals which made a great batterie and a few Englishmen line 30 assaulted the port coquerell but they were too few in number and if they had béene more in number they had taken the towne as the Tornasins confessed after The citizens of Tornaie considering their estate came togither to councell and there the prouost said in effect as followeth Friends and bretheren of this noble citie I cannot too much praise your truth and fidelitie to your souereigne lord the king of France considering how manfully you haue defended this citie since the beginning of this siege line 40 But alas although it be written on the gates grauen in stone Iammes ton ne a perdeu ton pucellage that is to saie Thou hast neuer lost thy maidenhed yet if this citie had not béene well furnished and euer at the daie appointed sure of rescue it could not haue continued Now you see that rescue faileth our gates be rased our towers beaten downe our chiefe tower like to fall so that if this perilous siege continue or else if our enimies assault vs we be not able to defend vs wherefore now all these things considered I would know whether you will treat with the king line 50 of England or abide the chance Then they which at the last councell cried War war now cried Peace peace yet all were not agreed Then one wise man said Sirs if the towne be assaulted once againe with a great number suerlie it will be taken you saw the experience at the last assault and then consider if it be taken by force who is there that can saie he is sure of his life but by intreatie the king of England is so mercifull that we may fortune to saue both life and goods Then finallie all agréed to treat line 60 Then the prouost sent to the king a trumpet desiring a safe conduct for him certeine other to come and to speake with him which request was to him granted Then the prouost of the citie accompanied with eleuen with him of the best of the citie came to the armie spake with the lords of the councell and after were led to the kings presence The prouost knéeled downe and all his companie and said Right high and mightie prince although the citie of Tornaie is strong well walled well replenished with people vittels artillerie yea and the people in feare and dread of nothing yet we know that against your great puissance it can not continue long although it were ten times as strong as it is Wherefore we knowing by report your honor your wisedome your iustice noble hart are content to become your subiects vassals so that we may haue and inioy our old lawes customes liberties and franchises vnder you as we haue before this doone vnder other princes Then said the king We haue well heard your petition we will common with our councell make you answer And when he had communed with his councell he answered saieng Sirs he that asketh mercie of vs shall not be denied and séeing you come to treat we remit you to our councell Then they went into the tent of councell there the Tornasins fell at a point and in conclusion they yéelded the citie and ten thousand pounds sterling for the redemption of their liberties and so departed to the citie making relation of the king and his noble courage On thursdaie the nine and twentith daie of September the king was in his rich tent of cloth of gold vnder his cloth of estate to whome came the citizens of the citie and were sworne to him and became his subiects Then the king appointed the lord Lisle the lord Aburgauenie the lord Willoughbie to take possession which
in the which sat a ladie richlie apparelled with a canopie ouer hir head and on the foure corners of the waggon were foure hedpeeces called armites euerie péece being of a sundrie deuise The said ladie put vp a bill to the king the effect whereof was that the foure gentlemen present would for the loue of their ladies answer all commers at the tilt at a daie by the king to be appointed which daie was appointed at Shrouetide next insuing At which daie the foresaid gentlemen valiantlie accomplished their enterprise with great lauds of the king the quéene and the ladies Moreouer now that it was concluded that the kings of England and France should méet as yee haue heard then â—oth the kings committed the order and manner of their méeting and how manie daies the same should continue what preheminence each should giue to other vnto the cardinall of Yorke which to set all things in a certeintie made an instrument conteining an order and direction concerning the premisses by him deuised and appointed The tenour of the said instrument mad by the cardinall THomas archbishop of Yorke and cardinall c. Albeit that by the treatie and meeting of the right high and right puissant princes Henrie by the grace of God king of England and of France lord of Ireland my souereigne lord and Francis by the same grace K. of France right christened made and concluded at London the eight daie of October the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and eighteene be among other things concluded and accorded that the same meeting shall be in place indifferent and not subiect to any of the said princes Neuerthelesse we considering the honour profit and vtilitie that shall redound by the interuiew of the said two princes and not onelie to the said two princes their realmes and subiects but also to all christendome after declaration herevpon had with the said princes Also considering that the said illustre king of England my souereigne lord in passing the sea with his retinue shall susteine great costs and expenses and dispose himselfe to great labors and dangers leauing his realme and puissance for certeine time we haue thought esteemed that he should not be wholie satisfied to the honour and dignitie of the same right illustre king of England my souereigne lord and should not haue in regard condigne of his labours and dangers if the said interuiew or meeting after the first treatie shuld be in place indifferent Wherefore it is that we desiring to weie equallie the honor and dignitie of the said two kings by vertue and power of the commissions to vs giuen of whom the tenours shall bee hereafter declared we haue made declared and ordeined certeine articles accepted approoued by the same princes respectiuelie which they will obserue and by these presents we make declare and ordeine as followeth And first we declare and ordeine that before the end of the moneth of Maie next comming the said illustre king of England shall come personallie to the castle of Guisnes with his bedfellow the queene and his sister the Dowaresse of France semblablie the right christened K. of France shall come in person to his castle of Ard with the queene his mother and some day houre and time within foure daies at the most after the end of Maie that shall be assigned by the commissioners of the one and the other partie the said king of England shall issue out of his castell of Guisnes half a mile long without that that he shall issue line 10 out of the limits of his demain of Guisnes and shall come towards the said castell of Ard and there within the territorie of the said castell of Guisnes he shall rest in some place not fortified nor walled and neere the limits of France that the said commissioners shall assigne as aboue said And the said right christened king parting from his castell of Ard shall come toward line 20 the said king of England the same day place time and houre that shall tarie him within the demaine of Guisnes as is said In the which shall not bee set or dressed anie pauilions or tents and there the said two kings being on horssebacke with their retinue shall see the one the other and salute each other and speake together familiarlie and common in that sort and maner line 30 and so long as shall seeme to them good And after the said salutation and communication finished for that time the said illustre king of England shall returne to his castell of Guisnes and the said right christened king to his castell of Ard. Item for so much that we thinke to be satisfied touching the labours dangers honour of the said king of England my souereigne lord of so much that the said line 40 right christened king at the first speaking he shall come forward vnto and within his territorie of Guisnes we will keepe the honour of the said kings therefore declare and ordeine that on the morrow after the first interuiew the same kings shall meet togither in some fit place indifferent betweene Ard and Guisnes that shall be assigned by the said commissioners line 50 And after the salutation made on the one and the other partie the said right illustre king of England shall go to the castell of Ard to see salute and visit the queene of France and also the sister of the said christened king with whome he shall dine priuilie And likewise the said right christened king shall go to the castell of Guisnes to visit and salute the queene of England and line 60 the Dowaresse of France with whome he shall dine In the which places the said princes shall be receiued familiarlie and amiablie vnto mutuall loue and also to the honour of the said princes Item as the said serene princes of England France be like in force corporall beautie gift of nature right expert hauing knowledge in the art militant right cheualrous in armes in the flower and vigor of youth wherby seemed to vs a right assemblie that for to adorne and honor the same assemblie and to shew their forces in armes they shall take counsell and dispose themselues to doo some faire feaâ— of armes as well on foot as on horssebacke against all commers we declare and ordeine that the place where shall be the saâ—d fight and feat of armes shall be chosen betweene Guisnes and Ard and assigned by the commissioners of the one and the other partie And for a suertie of the persons of the said kings their companie the said place shall be apparelled diched fortified and kept of the one and the other partie by equall number of men of armes respectiuelie committed and deputed that to doo And during the time of the said iusts and feats of warre the same kings and queenes with their retinue shall see ech other familiarlie and conuerse and speake togither And euerie daie towards
one and thirtie line 40 mulets laden with the crownes came to the one side of the riuer of Audaie which riuer departeth Spaine and France and there taried till the first daie of Iulie on which daie the ladie Eleanor and the children were put in two great boates hauing onelie twelue gentlemen of Spaine with them and in like maner the great master with two great boats in the which the mony was and twelue gentlemen with him All these boats met at a bridge made in the middest of the riuer The constable of Spaine line 50 and his twelue gentlemen met with the great master of France and his twelue gentlemen on the bridge and after a little salutation the Frenchmen entered into the two boats where the ladie and the two children were and the Spaniards into the two boats where the monie was and then ech part hasted to land Thus were the French kings wife and children deliuered into his hands for which deliuerance was great ioy and triumph made in France and also in Iulie were fiers made in London and diuerse line 60 other places for the same consideration and cause ¶ Now will we leaue France and returne to England renewing the remembrance of cardinall Wolseie who after great sute made to the king was licenced to remooue from Asher to Richmond which place he had a little before repared with great costs for the king made an exchange thereof with him for Hampton court The cardinall hauing licence of the king to repaire to Richmond made hast thither and lodged there in the lodge of the great parke which was a verie pretie house there he laie vntill the beginning of Lent Then he remooued into the charterhouse of Richmond where he laie in a lodging which doctor Collet made for himselfe vntill he remooued northward which was in the Passion weeke after and euerie daie he resorted to the charterhouse there and would sit with one of the most ancient fathers who persuaded him to despise the vaine glorie of the world Then prepared the cardinall for his iournie into the north and sent to London for liuerie clothes for his seruants and so rode from Richmond to Hendon from thence to a place called the Rie the next daie to Raistone where he lodged in the priorie the next daie to Huntingdon and there lodged in the abbeie the next daie to Peterborow and there lodged in the abbeie where he abode all the next wéeke there he kept his Easter his traine was in number an hundred and thréescore persons Upon Maundie thursdaie he made his maundie there hauing nine and fiftie poore men whose féet he washed and gaue euerie one twelue pence in monie three els of good canuas a paire of shoes a cast of red herrings and three white herrings and one of them had two shillings On thursdaie next after Easter he remooued to master Fitz Williams sometime a merchant-tailor of London and then of the kings councell the next wéeke he remooued to Stamford the next daie to Grantham the next daie to Newarke and lodged in the castell that night and the next daie also from thence he rode to Southwell where he continued most part of all that summer vntill the latter end of grasse time and then he rode to Scrobie where he continued vntill Michaelmasse and then to Cawood castell within seuen miles of Yorke whereof we will speake more hereafter On the sixtéenth of Maie a man was hanged in chaines in Finsburie field for murthering doctor Miles vicar of saint Brides The fourth and fift of Nouember was a great wind that blew downe manie houses and trées after which wind followed so high a tide that it drowned the marshes on Essex side and Kent with the I le of Thanet and other places destroieng much cattell The nineteenth of September in the citie of London a proclamation was made for the restreining of the popes authoritie in England as followeth A proclamation published in England in the behalfe of the kings prerogatiue roiall against the pope THe kings highnes streictlie chargeth and commandeth that no maner of person of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be of doo purchase or attempt to purchase from the court of Rome or elswhere nor vse put in execution diuulge or publish anie thing hertofore within this yeare passed purchased or to be purchased hereafter conteining mater preiudiciall to the high authoritie iurisdiction and prerogatiue roiall of this his said realme or to the let hinderance or impechment of his graces noble vertuous intended purposes in the premisses vpon paine of incurring his highnesse indignation and imprisonment and further punishment of their bodies for their so dooing at his graces pleasure to the dreadfull example of all other Some iudged that this proclamation was made bicause the quéene as was said had purchased a new bull for ratification of hir marriage Others thought that it was made bicause the cardinall had purchased a bull to cursse the king if he would not restore him to his old dignities and suffer him to correct the spiritualtie the king not to meddle with the same In déed manie coniectured that the cardinall grudging at his fall from so high dignities sticked not to write things sounding to the kings reproch both to the pope and other princes for that manie opprobrious words were spoken to doctor Edward Kéerne the kings orator at Rome and that it was said to him that for the cardinals sake the king line 10 should haue the worse spéed in the sute of his matrimonie ¶ Cardinall Wolseie lieng at Cawood held there an honourable and plentifull house for all commers and also built repared the castell which was greatlie in decaie hauing artificers and labourers aboue thrée hundred persons dailie in wages At length being therevnto persuaded by the doctors of the church of Yorke he determined to be installed there at Yorke minster the next mondaie after Alhallowes line 20 daie against which time due preparation was made for the same but not in such sumptuous wise as his predecessors before him had vsed For wheras the cardinall was not abashed to send to the king requiring him to lend him the mitre and pall which he was woont to weare when he sang masse in anie solemne assemblie the king vpon sight of his letters could not but maruell at the proud presumptuousnes of the man saieng What a thing is this that pride shuld thus reigne in a person that is quite vnder foot line 30 The daie being once knowne vnto the worshipfull gentlemen of the countrie and other as abbats and priors and notice of his installation they sent in such prouision of vittels that it is almost incredible all which was vnknowne to the cardinall for as much as he was preuented and disappointed of his purpose by the reason that he was arrested of high treason as yée shall héereafter heare So that most part of this
the first chariot were two ladies which were the old dutchesse of Norffolke and the old marchionesse Dorset In the second chariot were foure ladies all in crimsin veluet Then rode seauen ladies in the same sute their horsses trappers and all Then came the third chariot all white with six ladies in crimsin veluet next after them came the fourth chariot all red with eight ladies also in crimsin veluet after whom followed thirtie gentlewomen all in veluet and silke in the liuerie of their ladies on whom they gaue their attendance After them followed the gard in cotes of goldsmiths worke line 10 Thus they rode foorth till they came to Fanchurch where was made a pageant all with children apparelled like merchants which welcommed hir to the citie with two proper propositions both in French and English And from thence she rode to Gratious church corner where was a costlie and a maruelous cunning pageant made by the merchants of the Stilliard for there was the mount Parnassus with the founteine of Helicon which was of white marble and foure streames without pipe did rise an line 20 ell high and met togither in a little cup aboue the founteine which founteine ran abundantlie racked Rhenish wine till night On the mounteine sat Apollo and at his feet sat Calliope and on euerie side of the mounteine sat foure muses plaieng on seuerall sweet instruments and at their féet epigrams and poeses were written in golden letters in the which euerie muse according to hir propertie praised the quéene The quéene from thence passed to Leaden hall line 30 where was a goodlie pageant with a type and a heauenlie roofe and vnder the type was a roote of gold set on a little mounteine inuironed with red roses and white out of the type came downe a falcon all white sat vpon the roote and incontinent came downe an angell with great melodie and set a close crowne of gold on the falcons head And in the same pageant sat saint Anne with all hir issue beneath hir and vnder Marie Cleoph sat hir foure children of the which children one made a goodlie oration to the queene of the fruitfulnes of saint Anne and of hir line 40 generation trusting that like fruit should come of hir Then she passed to the conduit in Cornhill where were thrée graces set in a throne afore whom was the spring of grace continuallie running wine Afore the founteine sat a poet declaring the properties of euerie grace and that doone euerie ladie by hir selfe according to hir propertie gaue to the quéene a seuerall gift of grace That doone she passed by the great conduit in chéepe which was newlie painted with armes of deuises line 50 out of the which conduit by a goodlie founteine set at the one end ran continuallie wine both white and claret all that afternoone and so she rode to the Standard which was richlie painted with images of kings and quéenes and hanged with banners of armes and in the top was maruellous swéet harmonie both of song and instrument Then she went forward to the crosse which was newlie guilt till she came where the aldermen stood and then master Baker the recorder came to hir with low reuerence making line 60 a proper and briefe proposition and gaue to hir in the name of the citie a thousand marks in a purse of gold which she thankefullie accepted with manie goodlie words and so rode to the little conduit where was a rich pageant full of melodie and song In this pageant was Pallas Iuno and Uenus and before them stood Mercurie which in the name of the thrée goddesses gaue to hir a ball of gold diuided in thrée signifieng thrée gifts which the thrée goddesses gaue to hir that is to saie wisedome riches and felicitie As she entered into Paules gate there was a pretie pageant in which sat thrée ladies richlie clothed and in a circle on their head was written Regina Anna prosperè procede regna Tâ—e ladie in the middes had a tablet in the which was written Veniamica coronaberis and vnder the tablet sat an angell with a close crowne and the ladie sitting on the right hand had a tablet of siluer in which was written Dominé dirige gressius meos the third ladie had a tablet of gold with letters azure written Confido in Domino vnder their féet was written in legible letters Regina Anna nouum regis de sanguine natum Cùm paries populis aurea seclatuis And these ladies cast downe wafers on the which the two verses were written From thence she passed to the east end of Paules churchyard against the schoole where stood on a scaffold two hundred children well apparelled which said to hir diuerse goodlie verses of poets translated into English to the honour of the king and hir which she highlie commended And when she came to Ludgate the gate was newlie garnished with gold bise And on the leads of saint Martins church stood a goodlie queere of singing men and children which soong new balads made in praise of hir After that she was passed Ludgate she procéeded toward Fléetstréet where the conduit was newlie painted and all the armes and angels refreshed the chime melodiouslie sounding Upon the conduit was made a towre with foure turrets and in euerie turret stood one of the cardinall vertues with their tokens and properties which had seuerall spéeches promising the queene neuer to leaue hir but to be aiding and comforting hir and in the middest of the towre closelie was such seuerall solemne instruments that it séemed to be an heauenlie noise and was much regarded and praised and beside this the said conduit ran wine claret and red all the afternoone So she with all hir companie and the maior rode foorth to Temple barre which was newlie painted and repared where stood also diuerse singing men and children till she came to Westminster hall which was richlie hanged with cloth of arras and new glased And in the middest of the hall she was taken out of hir litter so led vp to the higher deske vnder the cloth of estate on whose left hand was a cupbord of ten stages maruellous rich and beautifull to behold and within a little season was brought to the quéene with a solemne seruice in great standing spice plates a void of spice and subtilties with ipocras and other wines which she sent downe to hir ladies and when the ladies had dranke she gaue hartie thanks to the lords and ladies with the maior and other that had giuen their attendance on hir and so withdrew hir selfe with a few ladies to the Whitehall and so to hir chamber and there shifted hir and after went into hir barge secretlie to the king to his manour of Westminster where she rested that night On sundaie the maior â—lad in crimsin veluet and with his collar and all the aldermen and shiriffes in scarlet and the counsell of the citie
had taken place After this by the great wisedome and policie of the nobles and capteins a communication was had line 40 and an agréement made vpon the kings pardon obteined for all the capteins and chiefe dooers in this insurrection and promise made that they should be gentlie heard to declare such things as they found themselues gréeued with and that vpon their articles presented to the king their reasonable petitions should be granted as by him his councell it should be thought expedient whereby all troubles might be quieted and ech thing brought to a good conclusion Herewith euerie man departed and those which before line 50 came as hot as fire to fight letted of their desperat purpose by Gods mercifull prouidence returned now peaceablie to their houses without anie more businesse At the selfe same time that these northerne men were lodged neere to Doncaster and the kings power readie to stop them of their passage as before ye haue heard there was an other armie readie to haue marched southwards thorough Lancashire but by the faithfull diligence of the earle of Derbie who with the forces of Lancashire and Cheshire was appointed line 60 to resist them they were likewise kept backe and brought to quiet notwithstanding they were a verie great number assembled togither of the commons out of Cumberland Westmerland and of the north parts of Lancashire The earle of Sussex was sent downe by the king to ioine in assistance with the earle of Derbie who causing diuerse of the chiefe procurers of that rebellion in those parties to be apprehended and arreigned they being found giltie had iudgement and were executed as the abbats of Walleie Sauleie and others In time of this rebellion a priest that by a butcher dwelling within fiue miles of Windsor had been procured to preach in fauor of the rebels and the butcher as well for procuring the priest thereto as for words spoken as he sold his meat in Windsor were hanged the priest on a tree at the foot of Windsor bridge and the butcher on a paire of new gallowes set vp before the castell gate at the end of the same bridge The words which the butcher spake were these When one bad him lesse for the carcase of a sheepe than he thought he could make of it Naie by Gods soule said he I had rather the good fellowes of the north had it and a score more of the best I haue than I would so sell it This priest and butcher being accused on a mondaie in the morning whilest the kings armie was in the field and the king himselfe lieng at Windsor they confessed their faults vpon their examinations and by the law martiall they were adiudged to death and suffered as before is mentioned This yeare in December the Thames was frosen ouer insomuch that the king and quéene rode thorough London to Gréenewich In Christmas the king by his messengers and heralds sent downe into the north his generall pardons to all the offendors year 1537 and shortlie after Aske that had beene the principall procurer as it were chiefe capteine of the northerne rebels came to London and now was both pardoned and receiued into fauor receiuing of the kings bounteous liberalitie apparell and diuerse other rewards whereof he was most vnwoorthie for there liued not as Hall saith a verier wretch as well in person as conditions and déeds speciallie towards the kings maiestie as after appeared ¶ Sir Rafe Euers kept Scarbrow castell in the north being six wéeks besieged by the rebels twentie daies whereof he and all his companie which were his onelie friends seruants and tenants and serued for good will to him were forced to susteine themselues with bread and water and yet he kept the same to the end of that rebellion and so deliuered it to king Henrie who sent him soone after to serue in the borders against Scotland where in great credit he continued his seruice kéeping the Scots without dooing hurt to England and with such obedience of them as within twentie miles of the borders of Scotland fore against him there was not a Scot but at his commandement and so continued till he was killed in the yeare 1545. The twelfe of Nouember sir Thomas Newman priest bare a faggot at Paules crosse for singing masse with good ale On the third of Februarie Thomas Fitzgaret sonne and heire to the earle of Kildare was beheaded and fiue of his vncles were drawne hanged and quartered at Tiborne for treason In the same moneth Nicholas Musgraue Thomas Tilbie with others began a new rebellion at Kirkvie Stephan in Westmerland who hauing got togither eight thousand men besieged the citie of Carleill from whence they were beaten with the onlie power of the citie and in returning from thense the duke of Norffolke who then was lieutenant of the north incountered with them tooke the capteins and according to the law martiall areigned seuentie and foure of them whome he hanged on Carbeill wals but Musgraue escaped In the same moneth of Februarie began a new commotion by the procurement of sir Francis Bigod who being intised to that mischieuous enterprise by certeine wicked persons forgat his dutie to his prince although he had béene a man as Hall saith that vndoubtedlie loued God and reuerenced his prince with a right obedient and louing feare but such are men when God leaueth them and that they will take in hand things which Gods most holie word vtterlie forbiddeth This last rebellion began in Setrington Pikering Leigh and Scarbrow but it was quickelie suppressed and the said sir Francis Bigod apprehended and brought to the Tower The said sir Francis one Halam hauing raised a great companie of rebels meant to haue taken the towne of Hull there to haue fortified themselues and to haue assembled more power but by the wisedome of sir Rafe Ellerkar the maior of the towne of Hull the said Halam thréescore other of the rebels without anie slaughter were taken which Halam was afterwards hanged in chaines and two other with line 10 him at the said towne of Hull Sir Francis Bigod fled could not be heard of for a time but at length he was also apprehended Moreouer about the latter end of this twentith and eight yeare the lord Darcie Aske sir Robert Constable sir Iohn Bulmer and his wife sir Thomas Persie brother to the erle of Northumberland sir Stephan Hamilton Nicholas Tempest esquier William Lomleie began eftsoones to conspire although euerie of them before had receiued their pardons line 20 and now were they all taken and brought to the Tower of London as prisoners This yeare Robert Packington a mercer of London a man both rich wise and of good credit dwelling at the signe of the leg in Cheapside on a morning going as his custome was about foure of the clocke to heare masse in the church then called S. Thomas of Acres now the Mercers
might make account of and further to haue the armor and weapons séene and viewed Nothing left he vndoone that tended to the foreséeing and preuenting of a mischiefe to insue line 10 which in a prince is counted a vertue because such prouidence and circumspection is reputed no lesse in a priuat ordinarie man as the poet Plautus saith Virtus est vbi occasio admonet dispicere Sir William Forman knight at that present maior of London was commanded to certifie the names of all the able men within the citie and liberties thereof betwéene the ages of thrée score and of sixtéene with the number of armors and weapons of all kinds of sorts Wherevpon the said maior and his brethren ech one in his ward by the oth of the line 20 common councell and constable tooke the number of men armor and weapons And after well considering of the matter by view of their bookes they thought it not expedient to admit the whole number certified for apt and able men and therefore assembling themselues againe they chose forth the most able persons and put by the residue speciallie such as had no armor nor for whom anie could be prouided But when they were crediblie aduertised by line 30 Thomas Cromwell lord priuie seale to whome the citie was greatlie beholden that the king himselfe would see the people of the citie muster in a conuenient number and not to set forth all their power but to leaue some at home to kéepe the citie then eftsoons euerie alderman repaired to his ward and there put aside all such as had iacks cotes of plate of maile and brigandines and appointed none but such as had white armor except such as should beare morish pikes which ware no armor but sculles and line 40 there was no stranger although he were a denisine permitted to be in this muster Euerie man being of anie abilitie prouided him selfe a cote of white silke and garnished their basenets with turues like caps of silke set with owches furnished with chaines of gold and feathers or caused their armor to be guilt and likewise their halberds and pollaxes Some and especiallie certeine goldsmiths had their whole armor of siluer bullion The lord maior the recorder the aldermen and euerie line 50 other officer beside were gorgeouslie trimmed as for their degrees was thought séemelie The maior had sixteene tall fellowes on foot attending on him with guilt halberds apparelled in white silke doublets and their hose and shooes were likewise white cut after the Almaine guise pounsed and pulled out with red sarsenet their ierkins were of white leather cut and chains about their necks with feathers and brooches in their caps The recorder and euerie alderman had about him foure halberders trimmed line 60 also in warlike sort The chamberleine of the citie the councellors aldermens deputies were appointed to be wiflers on horssebacke which aloft on their armor ware white damaske cotes mounted on good horsses well trapped with great chaines about their necks and proper iauelins or battell axes in their hands and caps of veluet richlie trimmed The wiflers on foot being in number foure hundred proper light persons were clad in white ierkins of leather cut with white hose and shooes euerie man with a iauelin or slaughsword in his hands to kéepe the people in arraie They had chaines about their necks and fethers in their caps The minstrels were in white with the armes of the citie and so was euerie other person at this muster without anie diuersitie the lord maior recorder and aldermen onelie excepted who had crosses of veluet or satin pirled with gold The standard bearers were the tallest men of euerie ward for whome were made thirtie new standards of the deuise of the citie beside baners Euerie alderman mustred his own ward in the fields to sée that euerie man were in furniture prouided as was requisite The eight of Maie being the daie appointed for to shew themselues before the king euerie alderman in order of battell with those of his ward came into the fields at Mile end and then all the gunners seuered themselues into one place the pikes into another and the archers into an other and likewise the bilmen and there cast themselues in rings and other formes of battell which was a beautifull sight to behold for all the fields from white Chapell to Mile end and from Bednall greene to Ratcliffe Stepnie were all couered with armour men and weapons and especiallie the battell of pikes séemed to be as it had béene a great forrest Then was euerie part diuided into thrée battels a for-ward a midle-ward and a rere-ward About seauen of the clocke marched forward the light péeces of ordinance with stone and powder After them followed the drums and fifes and immediatlie after them a guidon of the armes of the citie Then followed master Sadler capteine of the gunners on horssebacke armed and in a cote of veluet with a chaine of gold and foure halberders about him apparelled as before is recited Then followed the gunners foure in a ranke euerie one going fiue foot in sunder which shot altogither in diuerse places verie liuelie and in speciallie before the kings maiestie which at that time sat in his new gatehouse at his palace of Westminster where he viewed all the whole companie In like maner passed the other companies of all the three battels in good and séemelie order The foremost capteine at nine of the clocke in the morning by the little conduit came and entered into Paules churchyard and from thense directlie to Westminster and so through the sanctuarie and round about the parke of S. Iames and vp into the field comming home through Holborne and as the first capteine entered againe to the little conduit the last of the muster entered Paules churchyard which was then about foure of the clocke in the afternoone The number beside the wiflers and of other waiters was fiftéene thousand ¶ The eight of Iulie Griffith Clearke vicar of Wandsworth with his chapleine and his seruant frier Waire were all foure hanged and quartered at S. Thomas Waterings The tenth of Iulie sir Adrian Fortescue and Thomas Dingleie were beheaded The ninth of September the nunnerie of Clerkenwell and diuerse others were suppressed This yeare the sixtéenth of September came to London duke Frederike of Baniere the Palsgraue of the Rhine and the eightéenth of the same moneth came to London the marshall of Hans Frederike prince elector of Saxonie and the chancellor of William duke of Cleue Gulicke Gelderland and Berghen The Palsgraue was receiued and conducted to Windsore by the duke of Suffolke and the other were accompanied with other noble men and the thrée and twentith of the same moneth they all came to Windsore where eight daies togither they were continuallie feasted and had pastime shewed them in hunting and other pleasures so much as might be The Palsegraue shortlie after departed homewards
of the pioners being in number a thousand foure hundred Thomas Audeleie and Edward Chamberleine harbengers of the field The lord Edward Clinton admerall of the flâ—et sir William Woodhouse knight his viceadmerall There were in the armie of great ordinance fifteene peeces and of carriages nine hundred carts beside manie wagons whereof the commissarie generall was George Ferrers As soone as the armie by land was in a readinesse and set forward to come to Berwike at a daie appointed the nauie likewise tooke the sea and by the helpe of Gods good guiding had so prosperous speed in their passage that they arriued at Berwicke in time conuenient whither vpon the thirtith of August being tuesdaie the lord protector came and laie in the castell with sir Nicholas Strelleie knight capteine there The next daie commandement was giuen that euerie man should prouide himselfe for foure daies vittels to be caried foorth with them in carts On thursdaie the first of September the lord protector not with manie more than with his owne band of horssemen rode to a towne standing on the sea coast a six miles from Berwike within Scotland called Aimouth whereat there runneth a riuer into the sea which he caused to be sounded and finding the same well able to serue for an hauen caused afterwards a fortresse to be raised there appointing Thomas Gower that was marshall of Berwike to be capteine thereof On fridaie all sauing the councell departed the towne of Berwike and incamped a two flight shoots off by the sea side toward Scotland And the same daie the lord Clinton with his fléet tooke the seas from Berwike to the end that in case the wind should not serue them to kéepâ— course with the armie by land yet were it but with the driuing of tides they might vpon anie néed of munition or vittels be still at hand or not long from them The same daie the earle of Warwike and sir Rafe Sadler treasuror of the armie came to Berwike from Newcastell where they had staid till then for the full dispatch of the rest of the armie and the next daie the earle of Warwike incamped in field with the armie On which daie a proclamation with sound of trumpet was made by an herald in thrée seuerall places of the campe signifieng the cause of the comming of the kings armie at that present into Scotland which in effect was to aduertise all the Scotish nation that their comming was not to depriue them of their liberties but to aduance the marriage alreadie concluded and agréed vpon betwixt the kings maiestie of England and their quéene and no hostilitie ment to such as should shew themselues furtherers thereof On the fourth of September being sundaie the lord protector came from out of the towne and the armie raised and marched that daie a six miles and camped by a village called Rostan in the baronrie of Boukendall The order of their march was this Sir Francis Brian capteine of the light horssemen with foure hundred of his band tended to the skout a mile or two before The carriages kept along the sea coast and the men at armes and demilances diuided into thrée troops answering the thrée wards rid in arraie directlie against the cariages a two flight shoots asunder from them The thrée foot battels kept order in place betwixt them both The fore-ward foremost the battell in the middest the rere-ward hindermost ech ward hauing his troope of horssemen and gard of ordinance his aid of pioners for amendment of waies where néed should be The fift of September they marched an eight miles vntill they came to the Peaths a clough or vallie running for a six miles west streight eastward and toward the sea a twentie score brode from banke to banke aboue and a fiue score in the bottome wherein runnes a little riuer Stéepe is this vallie on either side and déepe in the bottome The Scots had cast trenches ouerthwart the side waies on either side in manie places to make the passage more cumbersome but by the pioners the line 10 same were soone filled and the waie made plaine that the armie carriage ordinance were quite set ouer soone after sun set there they pitched downe their campe Whilest the armie was thus passing ouer this cumbersome passage an herald was sent from the lord protector to summon a castell that stood at the end of the same vallie a mile from the place where they passed downe towards the sea Matthew Hume capteine thereof a brothers sonne line 20 of the lord Humes vpon his summons required to speake with the lord protector It was granted and he came whome the lord protector handled in such sort with effectuall words putting him in choise whether he would yeeld or stand to the aduenture to haue the place woone of him by force that he was contented to render all at his graces pleasure And so being commanded to go fetch his companie out of the house he went and brought them being in all one and twentie persons The capteine and line 30 six other were staied and commanded to the kéeping of the marshall the residue were suffered to depart whither they thought good After this surrender the lord Iohn Greie brother to the marques Dorset was appointed to seize take possession of the house being capteine of a great number of demilances as for his approoued worthinesse and valiancie right well he might agréeable to the deserued report remaining of him in print in forren spéech as followeth Graius heros Ob summam belli cataphractis praefuit artem The spoile was not rich sure but of white bread oten cakes and Scotish ale indifferent good store and soone bestowed among my lords soldiors for swords bucklers pikes pots pans yarne linnen hempe and heaps of such baggage which the countrie people there about had brought into that pile to haue it in more suretie the soldiors would scarse vouchsafe to stoope and take the same vp In the meane time the lord protector appointed line 50 the house to be ouerthrowne which by the capteine of the pioners was doone though with some trauell by reason the walles were so thicke and the foundation so déepe and thereto set vpon so craggie a plot Tuesdaie the sixt of September the armie dislodged and marched forward In the waie as they should go a mile and an halfe from Dunglas northward were two piles or holds Thornton Anderwike set both on craggie foundations diuided a stones cast a sunder by a déepe gut wherein ran a little riuer Thornton line 60 belonged to the lord Hume and was kept by one Thom Trotter who vpon summons giuen him to render the house lockt vp a sixteene poore soules like the soldiors of Dunglas fast within the house tooke the keies with him commanding them to defend the place till his returne which should be on the morrow wish munition and releefe and this doone he and his
haue it causing a certeine number of harquebutters vpon appointment before to beset the castell and to watch that none should passe in or out that in the end the ladie of the house and other that were within in charge with it yéelded it vp to the lord protectors hands for the ladie doubting the losse of hir son that was prisoner with the Englishmen hauing the first daie béene with the lord protector and got respit till the next daie at noone in the meane time consulted with hir sonne and other hir friends the kéepers of the castell returned at the time appointed the next daie being the one and twentith of that moneth and made sute for a longer respit till eight of the clocke at night and therewith safe conduct for Andrew Hume hir second son and Iohn Hume lard of Coldan Knows a kinsman of hir husbands capteins of this castell to come and speake with his grace in the meane while It was granted hir Wherevpon these capteins about thrée of the clocke came to the lord protector and after other couenants with long debating on both parts agréed vpon she and these capteins concluded to giue their assent to render the castell so far foorth as the rest of the keepers would therewith be contented for two or thrée within said they were also in charge with kéeping it as well as they for knowledge of whose minds the duke sent Summerset his herald with this ladie to the castell vnto them who as the herald had made them priuie to the articles would faine haue had leisure for foure and twentie hours longer to send to their lord to Edenburgh where he laie hurt as before you haue heard and in danger of death which followed of the fall that he caught at the fridaies skirmish before the battell to know his will and plesure in this point of rendering vp the castell but being wiselie and sharplie called vpon by the herald they agréed to the couenants afore by their ladie and capteins concluded on whereof part as the sequele shewed were these That they should depart thense the next daie in the morning by ten of the clocke with bag and baggage as much as they could carie leauing all munition and vittels behind them in the castell Howbeit to be assured of them the lord protector prouiding ech waie to be readie for them caused eight péeces of ordinance fensed with baskets of earth to be planted on the southside toward the castell within power of batterie and the harquebutters to continue their watch and ward On thursdaie morning being the two and twentith of September the lord Greie was appointed to receiue the rendring of the castell into his hands and sir Edward Dudleie now lord Dudleie after to be capteine there They both departed to it and at the time set Andrew Hume and foure other of the chiefest there with him came out and yéelding the castell deliuered the keies to the said lord Greie his lordship causing the residue to come out then sauing six or seuen to keepe their baggage within who all were in number seuentie and eight entred the same with maister Dudleie and diuerse other gentlemen with him He found there indifferent good store of vittels and wine of ordinance two bastard culuerings one sacre also thrée falconets of brasse and of iron eight péeces beside The keeping of this castell the lord Greie betaking vnto sir Edward Dudleie accordinglie returned to the campe This doone the next daie being fridaie and the thrée and twentith of September they dislodged and went that morning to Rockesburgh incamping in a great fallow field betwixt Rockesburgh and Kelseie standing eastward a quarter of a mile off Here at Rockesburgh they began to build a fort within the compasse of an old ruinous castell the plot and site whereof standeth line 10 naturallie verie strong vpon a hill east and west of an eight score in length and three score in breadth drawing to a narrownesse at the east end the whole ground whereof the old walles did yet inuiron Beside the heigth and hardnesse to come to it is stronglie fensed on either side with the course of two great riuers Tiuet on the north and Twéed on the south both which ioining somwhat nigh togither at the west end of it Tiuet by a large compasse about the fields line 20 in which the campe laie at Kelseie dooth fall into this Twéed which with great depth and swiftnesse runneth from thense eastward into the sea at Berwike Ouer this betwixt Kelseie and Rockesburgh there hath béene a great stone bridge with arches the which the Scots in times past haue all to broken because the Englishmen should not that waie come to them Soone after the lord protectors surueie of the plot and determination to doo as much in déed for making line 30 it defensible as shortnesse of the time season of the yéere could suffer which was that one great trench of twentie foot broad with depth according and a wall of like depth bredth and heigth should be made crosse within the castell from the one side wall to the other and fortie foot from the west end and that a like trench and wall should likewise be cast a trauerse within about a coits cast from the east end and hereto that the castell walles on either side where néed was should be mended with turffe and made with lowps as well for shooting directlie forward line 40 as for flanking at hand the worke of which deuise did make that beside the safegard of these trenches and walles the keepers should also be much defended from the enimies force by both the end walles of the castell the pioners were set a worke and diligentlie applied in the same The lard of Sesseforth and manie other lards and gentlemen of Tiuidall and the Mers hauing come and communed with the lord protector and the councell made an assurance or as it were a truce for that line 50 daie till the next daie at night and on the next daie while assurance lasted these lards and gentlemen being the chiefest in the whole Mers and Tiuidale came in againe whome the dukes grace with wisedome and policie without bloudshed did win then vnto the kings obedience for the which they did willinglie then receiue an oth whose names in part insue The lard of Sesseforth the lard of Fernihurst the lard of Greenehead the lard of Hunthill the lard of Huntleie the lard of Markeston by Merside the line 60 lard of Boniedworth the lard of Ormeston the lard of Mailestaine the lard of Warmeseie the lard of Linton the lard of Egerston the lard of Marton the lard of Mow the lard of Reddell the lard of Reamerside George Trombull Iohn Holliburton Robert Car of Greiden Adam Kirton Andrew Kirton Andrew Meither Sander Spur of Erleston Marke Car of Littleden George Car of Faldenside Alexander Makdowell Charles Rotherford Thomas Car of the Yere Iohn Car of
the said citie but the bailiffes reteining their old and ancient custome doo kéepe the like courts and in the like causes distinctlie from the maior by themselues at all time and times the mondaies and festiuall daies excepted as it shall please them to assigne and with their court is called by the name of the prouost court Thus the maior and bailiffes both iointlie and seuerallie line 10 haue iurisdiction to decerne and determine in ciuill matters But if the matters doo touch and concerne the prince the crowne the common peace anie criminall matter or the publike state of the citie and common-wealth of the same then the same are decided by the maior and iustices or by the maior and common councell or by the maior himselfe or by some other officer or officers according to the nature and qualitie of the cause and offense But bicause it requireth a large and speciall course to describe the line 20 gouernement of this citie and common-wealth of the same the charge of euerie officer the diuersitie of officers their seuerall iurisdictions and a number of other things incident vnto their charges there is a particular booke imprinted and at large the same is set out in such order as is requisite and apperteining to the gouernement whereby euerie man may know his office and charge and what to him dooth apperteine And let it suffice that partlie through good gouernement and partlie of a good inclination line 30 the people of this citie haue béene alwaies dutifull and obedient to the king and the lawes and haue in great awe and reuerence their gouernours and magistrats for the time being And this one thing is not so strange as worthie to be noted that euen from the beginning from time to time they haue béene carefull for their common-wealth and vigilant for the preseruation of the same And as in times of peace and quietnesse the same hath beene well gouerned so in times troublesome and vnquiet line 40 it hath béene most valiantlie defended against the inuasions and assaults of the enimies as by sundrie histories it may appeare whereof for example these few may serue line 1 First Aruiragus king of this land then named Britaine minding to staie the land in his ancient estate fréedome and libertie did withdraw and denie to paie vnto the Romans the tribute which they did require and demand wherefore Claudius the emperor sent Uespasian then duke of the Romane armie line 50 into this realme with a great hoast either to recouer the tribute or to subdue the land This Uespasian is he who in the foure and twentith yeare after this his iourneie did destroie Ierusalem Wherfore this duke landing in Torrebate then named Totonesium littus came to this citie laid siege vnto it and gaue continuall assaults therevnto for eight daies continuallie togither Aruiragus the king being then in the east parts of the land and hearing of this with a great armie and power marcheth towards this citie to remooue line 60 the siege and incountereth with the enimie The Romane after long fight and not able to preuaile is contented to come to parlée and in the end a composition was concluded as if dooth appeare and is set downe and written by sundrie historiographers The chronicle of the cathedrall church of the said citie hath these words Anno Domini 49 Vespassanus cum Romano exercitu ciuitatem nunc vocatam Exeter â—cto diebus obsedit sedminimè praeualuit Aruirago rege ciuibus auxilium praestante Geffreie of Monmouth hath these words Vespasianus à Claudio missus est vt Arâ—iragum vel pacificaret vel Romanae subiectioni restitueret Cùmigitur inportu in Rutâ—pi applicare voluisset Vespasianus obuâ—aâ—it ei Aruiragus atque prohibuit nâ— portum ingrederetur Retraxit itaque se Vespasianus à portu illo retortisque velis in littore Totonesio applicuit Nactus deinde tellurem Caier â—enhulgoite quae nunc Exonia vocà tur obsessurus eandem adiuit cùmque octo diebus eandem obsedisset superuenit Aruiragus cum exercitu suo praeliùmque commisit die illa valde laceratus fuit vtrorùmque exercitus sed neuter est victoria potitus mane autem facto mediante Geâ—aâ—issa regina concordes effecti sunt Matthew of Westminster writeth Aruiragus Britannorum rex in tantam proâ—apsus est superbiaÌ„ quòd Romanae potestatis noluit diutiùs subiectiom parere Vespasianus igitur à Claudio missus cùm in Rutupi portu applicare incepisset Aruiragus illi â—buius prohibuit ne ingrederetur At Vespasianus recortis velis in Totonesio littore applicuit ciuitatem quae Britannicè Caier Penhulgoite nunc autenâ— Exonia appellatur obsedit elapsis inde septem diebus Aruiragus superuenit praeliùmque commisit vtrorùmque exercitu valde lacerato mediante Genwissa Claudij filia duces amici facti sunt In the historie intituled Noua historia de gestis Anglorum a Britonibus vsque ad Henricum sextum is written the like in effect Vespasianus à Claudio missus est vt Aruiragum pacificaret vel Romanae ditioni restitueret cui obuians Aruiragus probibuit ne terram suam ingrederetur timens Vespasianus armatorum cohortem retraxit sese retortisque velis in Totonesio littore est appulsus atque vrbem Exoniae obsedit post septem dies superuenit Aruiragus praelium committitur laceratùrque vtrorùmque exercitus sed neuter potitur victoria demum mediante Genewissa regina reconciliati sunt It was also in manie troubles and great perplexities in the vncerteine and troublesome states of this realme when sometimes the Romans sometimes the Picts sometimes the Scots sometimes the Saxons and sometimes the Danes made their incursions and warres within this land by reason whereof the records and memorials in those daies for the most part were lost and consumed And yet Matthew of Westminster writeth that it was besieged by Penda king of Mertia in the yeare line 2 of our Lord 632 in the time of Cadwallin one of the last kings of the Britons The historie is this Edwin the Saxon king of the Northumbers â—auing wars against Cadwallin or Cadwallâ— did so preuaile and had such conquests ouer him that Cadwallo was driuen to forsake his realme of Waleâ— and to flie into Ireland where he being was 〈◊〉 carefull and pensifull how to recouer his countrie againe Wherefore he repareth his armie and gathereth a new force and gaue sundrie â—ttempts to atchiue to his purpose but all was in vaine 〈…〉 could neuer set foot on land in his countrie 〈◊〉 win was alwaies at hand and in a readinesse to 〈◊〉 and resist the same for this Edwin had about him in his seruice a man named Pellitus who was a magician and verie skilfull in necromancie and who by his art and science did foreshew and declare vnto Edwin what things were a dooing and attempted against him Cadwallo hauing continuallie euill successe was in vtter despaire and distrust to
end of the collegiat chapell to the making whereof he defaced as it is said without licence a peece of the line 10 kings lodging on the east end of the chapell The deane hath a faire lodging of timber within the castell and to it is ioined a place for the ministers of the chapell Thus much Leland for Wallingford thus much I for Edmund earle of Cornewall and lord of Wallingford Edward of Carnaruan prince of Wales sonne to Edward the first was in the yeare of our redemption 1295 being the fiue and twentith yeare of Edward the first protector of England in the absence of his father in Flanders who because he was line 20 of tender yeares had as tutors and gouernours appointed vnto him Richard bishop of Durham Eulogium hath the bishop of London William Montacute with diuerse other knights as Reignold Greie Iohn Giffard Alane Plunket being wise discreet and expert soldiers Piers or Peter de Gauestone a Gascoine borne whome king Edward the second so tenderlie loued as that he preferred him before all men was appointed gardian of the realme in the first yeare of the line 30 said king Edward the second being the yeare of our redemption 1308 when the king went into France and there aboad to marrie Isabell daughter to Philip king of France before that the said Edward was crowned king of England as hath Radulphus Higden Of this Piers I will here saie litle bicause I haue spoken more largelie of him in my pantographie of England Iohn de Drokensford bishop of Bath and Wels was in the yeare of our redemption 1313 being the line 40 sixt yeare of king Edward the second made protector of the realme in the absence of the said king Edward the second and his wife quéene Isabell who went into France to solemnize the coronation of Philip sonne to Philip king of France who was at that instant created king of Nauarre This Drokensford was the fourtéenth bishop of Bath Wels. Great contention was there betwéene him and the deane and priests of that church He succéeded in the bishoprike Walter Houelshaw This Drokensford line 50 held the bishoprike about ninetéene yeares he beautified the same with manie goodlie buildings procured manie priuileges vnto it and greatlie exalted his kindred He was buried at Welles before the high altar of saint Iohn Baptist. Henrie Lascie or Lacie earle of Lincolne and of Salisburie baron of Halton and of Pontfrait corruptlie called Pomefret and constable of Chester was made protector of the realme in the fift yeare of Edward the second being the yeare of our redemption line 60 1310 whilest the king remained in the warres of Scotland Which Henrie died shortlie after in the same yeare and was buried in the new worke of Paules who carried for his armes the purple lion cōtrarie to the cote his ancestors had borne before This man had doone great seruice in the warres in the time of Edward the first he married Margaret the daughter and heire of William Longespée earle of Salisburie and had by hir a daughter named Alice married to Thomas Plantagenet earle of Lancaster Leicester and Darbie This Henrie as I haue learned of other and read in Leland had issue a bastard sonne and hauing amongst manie other lordships the manour of Grantcester besides Cambridge he gaue the same with other lands vnto that bastard and commanded that the same Lacie so set vp in Grantcester should for himselfe and his successors euer name their sonnes and heires by the names of Henrie which hitherto hath béene religiouslie obserued amongst them And this was the originall of the houses of the Lacies in Grantcester as Leland learned of him which was then heire of those lands Gilbert de Clare the third earle of Glocester of that name after the death of Henrie Lacie was chosen gouernour of the realme the king being still in Scotland during the time that the king shuld make his abode in that countrie Of this man see before in the discourse of his father Gilbert the second earle of Glocester and Hertford and protector of the realme Edward prince of Wales and duke of Aquitane comming out of France with Isabell in the second yeare of Edward the second his father was after his landing in England and the taking of his father made gardian of England vnder his father which office he did not long continue for deposing his father from the kingdome in the yeare of Christ 1326 he assumed the crowne himselfe in his fathers life Walter Reinolds archbishop of Canturburie was with others appointed gardian of England on this sort Edward the third as before atteining to the crowne in the yeare of our redemption 1327 or as some others more trulie saie 1326 being fourteene years of age did then begin his reigne But bicause he was so yoong not being of power or policie to weld so great a charge it was decréed in this first yeare of his reigne that twelue gouernors of the greatest lords within the realme should possesse the gouernement vntill he came to riper yeares whose names were as insueth Walter archbishop of Canturburie the archbishop of Yorke the bishop of Winchester the bishop of Hereford Henrie earle of Lancaster Thomas Brotherton earle marshall Edmund of Woodstocke earle of Kent Iohn earle of Warren the lord Thomas Wake the lord Henrie Persie the lord Oliuer de Ingham and the lord Iohn Rosse who were sworne of the kings councell and charged with the gouernement of the kingdome as they would answere for the same But this ordinance continued not long for in the second yeare of this king Isabell the kings mother and the lord Roger Mortimer tooke the whole rule into their hands in such sort that the king and his councellors were in all affaires of state and otherwise onelie gouerned by their direction Of this Walter Reinolds the archbishop bicause he was sometime chancellor and sometime treasuror is more mention made in the large volume of the liues of the chancellors Iohn of Eltham earle of Cornewall sonne to Edward the second had in the fourth yeare of king Edward the third being the yeare of our redemption 1330 the gouernement of the realme committed vnto him whilest king Edward the third had passed the seas onelie fiftéene horsses in his companie apparelled in clokes like vnto merchants which office the said Iohn of Eltham executed vntill the returne of the said king and before that also when the said Edward the third in the second yeare of his reigne did before this time go into France to doo his homage He was made earle of Cornewall in the second yeare of king Edward the third being the yeare of Christ 1328 and died at Barwike others saie at S. Iohns towne in Scotland in the moneth of October 1336 being the tenth yeare of Edward the third and was honorablie buried at Westminster for the solemnization of whose buriall the king came out of Scotland
was a lamentable sight and pitifull remembrance line 40 to the beholders therof After this mischance the queens maiestie being much gréeued for the losse of so beautifull a monument directed hir highnesse letters to the maior of the citie of London willing him to assemble the citizens to take some order for speciall aid and helpe for the reparing againe of the said monument And she of hir most gratious disposition to giue a comfort to others for the furtherance thereof did presentlie giue and deliuer in gold one thousand markes and a warrant for a thousand lode line 50 of timber to be taken out of hir maiesties woods or elsewhere and the citizens of London granted one beneuolence and three fiftéens to be foorthwith paied The clergie vnder the prouince of Canturburie granted the fortith part of the value of their benefices charged with first fruits not charged with first fruits the thirtith part The clergie of the diocesse of London granted the thirtith part of their benefices in first fruits and the twentith part out of first fruits Now immediatlie by commandement of the line 60 quéenes highnesse hir priuie councell tooke order that six citizens of London and two of the cleargie of the church of Paules had charge and commandement to ouersée and set forward this worke who made such expedition that within one moneth next following the burning thereof the whole church that is to saie all the foure great roofes of the same were couered with boords and lead after the maner of a false roofe And the greatnesse of the worke dispatched in so short time could scarselie be credited of anie but of such as saw and knew the same And the cause of this great hast was for feare of raine which might haue perished the vawtes to the destruction of the whole church the people that were therein And before the said yéere was fullie ended all the said iles of the said church were made framed of new maine timber couered with lead fullie finished And the same yeare also the great roofe of the west end was framed and made of new great timber in Yorkeshire brought to London by sea and set vp couered with lead and fullie finished And in like maner within the said yeare the whole roofe and frame of the east end of the said church was made in Yorkeshire brought by sea to London and there laid readie to be raised when the season of the yeare serued This one thing resteth to be told that by estimation of wise men 10000 pounds more than is yet granted vnto it will not perfect finish the church and stéeple in such sort as it was before the burning thereof In this meane time also by reason of the quéenes maiesties letters directed to the maior and his brethren of the citie of London about the burning of Paules there were certeine aldermen and commoners of the said citie named and called togither by the authoritie of the maior to deuise some good order and spéedie remedie for the reliefe and comfort of the said citie whensoeuer anie chance of fire hereafter should happen as God forbid within the said citie or liberties thereof And the persons so called after sundrie méetings and with good aduisement and deliberation agréed and penned a certeine order for the spéedie remedie thereof as well for the readie knowledge of the place wheresoeuer the same fire should happen and for the sudden extinguishment suppressing of the same as also for the safe kéeping of the goods of such persons in whose house anie fire should chance Which orders and rules vndoubtedlie would be to the great comfort safetie of the citie and citizens of the same if they were published and made knowen in time and executed accordinglie But what should I saie I can but lament not onelie for this but also for manie such painefull and profitable labors which for good gouernement of this citie had béene taken For as soone as the talking thereof is doone and the bookes framed and deliuered so soone is it put in obliuion and nothing at all thought vpon vntill an houre after the mischiefe be past This yeare was chosen lord maior of London a worthie citizen named William Harper one of the companie of the merchant tailors This man wishing in his life time to benefit his countrie founded a free schoole in the towne of Bedford where he was borne and now lieth buried prouiding a competent stipend and liuing for a scholemaister there to traine vp and instruct children in vertue and learning foreuer The fiftéenth of Nouember the quéenes maiestie published a proclamation wherein she restored to the realme diuerse small péeces of siluer monie as the peece of six pence foure pence thrée pence two pence and a penie three halfe pence and thrée farthings She also forbad all forren coines to be currant within the same realme as well gold as siluer calling them to hir maiesties mints except two sorts of crownes of gold the one the French crowne the other the Flemmish crowne ¶ Thus did hir maiestie in all hir actions directed to common vtilitie shoot at a certeine perfection purenesse and soundnesse as here in hir new stamps and coines of all sorts so also in Gods religion setting the materiall churches of hir dominions frée from all popish trash which one hath aptlie noted by waie of comparison saieng Eiectis paleis purgatur vt area multo Vsque laborantis serui sudore reuulsis Vt nitet ampla domus quas struxit aranea telis Sic priùs idolis confractis templa fricantur Cuncta scopis quicquid fuit abradentibus vncis Dentibus obscoenum spurcum verbóue repugnans Sacro relligióque erectis cultior ibat Iam pedibus Christúsque Dei cognoscitur agnus Offensas delens mundi peccatáque tollen◠Vaenalis populo non indulgentia papae This yeare in England were manie monstruous births In March a mare brought foorth a foale with one bodie and two heads and as it were a long taile growing out betweene the two heads Also a sow farowed a pig with foure legs like to the armes of a manchild with armes and fingers c. In Aprill a sow farrowed a pig with two bodies year 1562 eight féet and but one head manie calues and lambs were monstruous line 10 some with collars of skin growing about their necks like to the double ruffes of shirts and neckerchers then vsed The foure and twentith of Maie a manchild was borne at Chichester in Sussex the head armes legs whereof were like to an anatomie the breast and bellie monstruous big from the nauill as it were a long string hanging about the necke a great collar of flesh and skin growing like the ruffe of a shirt or neckercher comming vp aboue the eares pleited and folded c. line 20 The realme of France being in great trouble about this season by the means of
waie In the towne of saint Edes the water flowed into the towne in such abundance that it ran thorough the towne and church being in the middest therof hauing about the churchyard a bricke wall of two yards high was so ouerflowne that botes were rowed ouer it without touching of the same Also a little from Huntington were three men riding vpon the causeie being then ouerflowne the water on the causeie being not deepe and thinking no danger therein chanced to come into a place where the water had galled awaie the earth and the grauell were carried awaie with the water and willowes growing on both sides the waie two of them caught hold on the willowes and left their horsses and saued themselues and the third chanced to catch a verie little twig of willow betwéene his fingers hauing verie little hold and forsaking his horsse which was carried a great waie from him had much paine to kéepe his hold on the twig and hold his head aboue the water and his horsse returning with force against the streame came againe vnto him and vnder him by which meanes he set his feet vpon him and gat better hold of the willow and so saued him selfe and the horsse was immediatlie carried awaie that he neuer saw him after Also Holland Leuerington Newton chappell in the sea long Stutton Holbich were ouerflowne And in this countrie also was great losse of cattell In the low parts in Mooreland in a little towne called Cliffield there was a man his wife and a sucking child in hir armes ouerwhelmed and slaine by the violence of the waters and of the boisterous winds The water called Auen that passeth by the towne called Stratford vpon Auen did run with such violence that méeting with the water called the Seuerne droue it backe ten miles against the course ouerflowing much ground and drowning much cattell In Newport panell were two houses ouerthrowne and in one of them an old man and an old woman were ouerwhelmed and slaine And in the same towne on the backe side of the Saracens head the water sprang out of the hard grauellie ground and flowed so fast that certeine merchants sitting there at dinner were faine to rise and depart from thense to saue themselues Sir Henrie Leie knight dwelling at Quarrington lost by the flouds the number of three thousand shéepe besides horsses and other cattell a great number In the Wish at Rie a place so called the water came in so suddenlie and flowed so high about midnight that it was eight or nine foot high in mens houses insomuch that if one William White had not called them vp some of them had like to haue béene drowned And the same William White hauing a bote fetcht a great companie of them out of their windowes and carried them to drie land as fast as he could fetch them which were in great danger and feare and glad to escape with their liues Moreouer the water came in so vehementlie there that it brake into the marishes and made such waie that where of late yeares and now before this great floud came a cockebote could not passe in at a low water now a fisherman drawing six foot water and more maie come in at a low water and at a full sea the greatest ship that the quéenes maiestie hath may come in and haue good harborough there The continuance of the same will not onelie be profitable to the most part of the inhabitants there but also commodious vnto all the queenes subiects trauelling by sea And whereas one of the owners of a great part of the same marishes had certeine poles set vp there in and being verie meet and in conuenient place of the same marish for the drieng of their fishing nets and receiued monie yeerelie of those that dried their nets there sufficientlie inough yet he caused his seruant to pull vp the poles and laie them in an house standing in the same marish and also commanded his seruant to giue them warning that they should no more hang their nets there except they would come and compound with him for it And the same night by Gods prouidence it came so to passe that according to his saieng though contrarie to his good will and mind they are not like to hang their nets there anie more bicause of the depth of the water is so great and like to continue In hope of continuance of the same new opened hauen certeine men of the same towne haue begun to build faire barks to trauell the seas the which in continuance of time will be a great furtherance to the maintenance of the line 10 quéenes nauie At the blacke shore end before the said floud no bote could passe further than the shore end and now a bote that draweth six foot water maie come in at a low water Without the barre the water is deeper than it was by two foot and more in the chanell At Prum hill marish foure miles from Rie the water came in so outragiouslie that it brake downe the marish wals one master Burie being owner thereof who lost by the same a thousand one hundred line 20 threescore and two of his shéepe and it is thought that the marish is neuer like to be gotten againe Also at Erith breach a mariner riding by the marishes séeing two maidens in the marishes and perceiuing the waters breaking in so fast that the maides were not like to escape rode vnto them and one of them gat vp behind him the other tooke hold on the horsse taile and by that means were both saued from drowning In the same marish were drowned a great number of sheepe Also there in a marish land that line 30 was sowne were two boies kéeping crowes in the after noone séeing the water breaking in so vehementlie gat them into a cart that was not farre from them where they were faine to tarrie vntill the next tide which came in so boisterouslie that it had like to haue ouerthrowne both the cart boies And the one of them being more stronger than the other kept the other in his armes where he with cold wet and feare died so that he was faine to let him fall from him into the water when he perceiued that he line 40 was past recouerie A little from that place were also drowned a thousand shéepe and also manie other cattell From a town◠called Rainam vnto the towne named Mauldon all alongst by the water side were the marishes all ouerflowen wherein were a great number of cattell drowned In Claie were two ships laden with Danske ware which came to shore with no man in them nor anie man could tell of whence they were In Claie the dwellers there lost a line 50 verie great parcell of salt and herrings barrelled being housed in an house walled with bricke thrée foot thicke and yet the wall was broken downe Also there was lost much saffron ground with manie
priuie councell and lord high treasuror of England at his line 30 manor of Basing This worthie man was borne in the yeare of our Lord 1483 the first yeare of king Richard the third and liued about the age of foure score and seauen yeares in six kings and quéenes daies He serued fiue kings and quéenes Henrie the seauenth Henrie the eight Edward the sixt queene Marie and quéene Elisabeth All these he serued faithfullie and of them was greatlie fauoured Himselfe did sée the children of his childrens children growing to the number of one hundred and line 40 thrée A rare blessing giuen by God to men of his calling On the fiue and twentith and six and twentith of March by the commandement of the quéenes maiestie hir councell the citizens of London assembling at their seuerall halles the maisters collected and chose out the most likelie and actiue persons of euerie their companies to the number of thrée thousand whome they appointed to be pikemen and shot line 50 The pikemen were foorthwith armed in faire corslets and other furniture according thervnto the gunners had euerie of them his caliuer with the furniture and murrians on their heads To these were appointed diuerse valiant capteins who to traine them vp in warlike feats mustered them thrise euerie wéeke sometimes in the artillerie yard teaching the gunners to handle their peeces sometimes at the Miles end in saint Georges field teaching them to skirmish In the which skirmish on the Miles end the line 60 tenth of Aprill one of the gunners of the goldsmiths companie was shot in the side with a peece of a scouring sticke left in one of the caliuers wherof he died and was buried the twelfe of Aprill in Pauls churchyard all the gunners marching from the Miles end in battell raie shot off their caliuers at his graue On Maie daie they mustered at Gréenwich before the quéenes maiestie where they shewed manie warlike feats but were much hindered by the weather which was all daie showring they returned that present night to London and were discharged the next morrow The fourth of Maie Walter Deuexeur lord Ferrers of Chartleie and vicount of Hereford was created earle of Essex and Edward Fines lord Clinton and Saie high admerall of England was created earle of Lincolne The eight of Maie the parlement began at Westminster and that same daie in the parlement by the quéenes maiesties writs sir Henrie Compton knight lord of Compton in the Hole sir Henrie Cheinie knight lord of Todington sir William Paulet knight of Basing sir Henrie Norris knight lord of Ricot were called barons into the higher house In this parlement for so much as the whole realme of England was excéedinglie pestered with roges vagabunds and sturdie beggers by meanes whereof dailie happened diuerse horrible murthers thefts and other great outrages it was enacted that all persons aboue the age of fouretéene yéeres being taken begging vagarant wandering disorderlie should be apprehended whipped and burned through the gristle of the right eare with a hot iron of one inch compasse for the first time so taken The foure twentith of Maie Martine Bullocke was hanged on a gibet by the well with two buckets in Bishops gate stréet of London for robbing and most shamefullie murthering of a merchant named Arthur Hall in the parsonage of S. Martine by the said well This Martine had procured the said Arthur Hall to come to the said parsonage to buie of him certeine plate But after the said Arthur had well viewed the same he said This is none of your plate it hath doctor Gardeners marke and I know it to be his That is true said Martine Bullocke but he hath appointed me to sell it c. After this talke whilest the said Arthur was weieng the plate the same Martine fetcht out of the kitchin a thicke washing beetle and comming behind him stroke the said Arthur on the head that he felled him with the first stroke and then strake him againe and after tooke the said Arthurs dagger and sticked him and with his knife cut his throte and after would haue trussed him in a Danske chest but the same was too short Whervpon he tumbled him downe a paire of staires and after thinking to haue buried him in the cellar his legs being broken with the first fall and stiffe he could not draw him downe the cellar stairs being winding Wherfore he cut off his legs with an hatchet and in the end trussed him with straw in a drie vat and saieng it was his apparell and bookes caused the same to be carried to the water side and so shipped to Rie But as God would haue it there was suspicion gathered against the murtherer wherby he was examined before alderman Branch then one of the shiriffes of London but so small likelihood appéered that he should be guiltie that there was an honest man dwelling in saint Laurence Pontneis named Robert Gée a clothworker who supposing the offendor to be cléere in the matter vndertooke for his foorth comming Wherevpon Bullocke being suffered to go at libertie slipt awaie first to Westminster and there taking bote passed vp the riuer and comming on land beyond Kingston passed foorth till he came to Okingham in the forrest of Windsore an eight miles beyond the towne of Windsore and from thense what mooued him I leaue to the secret iudgement of God he came backe againe vnto London lodging at the red lion in Holborne In the meane time the foresaid Gée vpon knowledge had that Bullocke was withdrawen out of the waie was not onelie had in some suspicion but also committed toward albeit so as he had libertie to take order to send abrode such as should make sute after Bullocke And amongst other that went foorth one of his seruants was sent to Rie whither the drie vat was conueied and comming thither the same drie vat was opened wherein the mangled corps of Hall was found whereby the truth of the matter came to light and by the good prouidence of God the reuealer of such euill facts Bullocke was at the verie same time discouered at the place in Holborne afore mentioned and there apprehended did receiue as ye haue heard due punishment for his heinous and most wicked offense The six and twentith of Maie the right honorable earle of Lincolne departed from London towards France ambassador being accompanied with the lord Dacres the lord Rich the lord Talbot the lord Sands and the lord Clinton sir Arthur Chambernowne line 10 sir Ierome Bowes and sir Edward Hastings knights with diuerse other gentlemen who taking ship at Douer cut ouer to Bullongne where they were verie honorablie receiued and conueied by iournies to Paris where they were lodged in a house of the kings named le chasteau de Louure being attended vpon of the kings officers Fiue daies after they went to the king at a house called Madrill
see of which Baldocke thus writeth a Polychronicon of Durham Robertus de Baldocke cancellarius An. 1325 captus cum Hugonibus de despensers quia clericus fuit sacerdos in noua porta Londiniarum poni fecit Edwardus princeps Isabella mater eius vbi pro nimia miseria mortuus fuit infra breue line 20 Iohn Hotham bishop of Elie the second time was at Westminster made chancellor of England in the yeare that the word became flesh 1326 being the first yeare of the reigne of that king which first intituled himselfe king of England and France but he continued not long in the same office for he was remooued in the second yeare of the said king being the yeare of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred twentie and eight He was elected bishop in the yéere of Christ one thousand line 30 thrée hundred and sixtéene in which place he ruled twentie yeares and died in the yeare of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred and six and thirtie of the palseie at Summersham being buried in the church of Elie vnder a goodlie monument of stone with the image of a bishop carued out of alabaster vpon his toome Henrie Cliffe master of the rolles had the charge and kéeping of the great seale of England in the said yeare of Christ 1328 being the second yeare line 40 of king Edward the third and was the kings chancellor also Henrie de Burgh Burghwash or Burgesse nephue vnto sir Bartholomew Bladismere baron of Léeds in Kent hauing béene treasuror of England inioied the honor of the chancellor in the second yéere of king Edward the third being the yeare that the sonne of God tooke on him the forme of a seruant 1328 and was made chancellor at Northampton which office he did not long inioie Here bicause I line 50 haue a little mentioned sir Bartholomew Bladesmere I will saie somwhat more of him which is that being orator for the king in diuers weightie affairs he spent in those businesses 15000 pounds of the kings monie and yet produced little or nothing to effect in the kings causes except the procuring of this Henrie Burghwash to the bishoprike of Lincolne who was buried in the east end towards the north of the church of Lincolne at whose féet was also buried Robert his brother a knight of great line 60 fame in the warres in which church is also buried Bartholomew sonne to the said Robert They founded a grammar schoole and fiue priests fiue poore scholars in Lincolne Iohn Stratford bishop of Winchester and after of Canturburie and sometime treasuror of England was made chancellor of the realme in the yéere of our redemption one thousand thrée hundred and thirtie being the fourth yeare of the said king Edward the third who being sent in the sixt yeare of Edward the third in the yeare of our Lord one thousand three hundred two and thirtie ambassador beyond the seas about the affaires of the king kingdome did not like cardinall Woolseie the chancellor in the daies of K. Henrie the eight presumptuouslie carrie the great seale with him beyond the seas but left the same in his absence with others who both could and would answer the well or euill vsing thereof whilest he was in France This man continued in the office vntill the eight yeare of Edward the third Richard de Burie otherwise called Richard de Angeruile being borne in a little village bâ—side saint Edmundsburie commonlie called the Berrie abbeie was so surnamed Burie of that place had to his father sir Richard Angeruile knight This man being first kept at schoole by his vncle sir Iohn Wilobie priest was afterward treasuror of England chancellor and bishop of Durham to which place of chancellorship he was aduanced in the yeare that the second person in trinitie was brought into the world 1334 being the eight yeare of that king of England which first quartered the armes of England and France Which office he receiued by the kings gift at Westminster in which yeare he was inthronized being first consecrated bishop in the yere of Christ 1333 in the bishoprike of Durham by William Cowton prior of Durham he kept the see 11 years two moneths and 12 daies died in the yeare 1345 was buried in the south angle of the church of Durham Iohn Stratford the second time lord chancellor being now archbishop of Canturburie was installed therein at Yorke in the yeare of Christ 1335 being the ninth yeare of the reigne of king Edward the third Robert de Stratford or Strafford as some haue written but as I thinke corruptlie being archdeacon of Canturburie which office was first ordeined by Anselme archbishop of the said citie of Canturburie was made chancellor of England on the foure and twentith daie of March being the éeue of the annuntiation of the virgin Marie at Westminster in the yeare that the word of the father tooke on him the forme of a seruant 1336 being the eleuenth yeare of the gouernement of king Edward the third He was after made bishop of Chichester desiring to be remooued from that office of chancellorship which was granted vnto him whervpon he surrendered vp the seale to the said king Edward the third in the twelfe yeare of his reigne being the yeare of our redemption 1338. Richard de Bintwoorth chosen bishop of London and confirmed by Iohn Stratford archbishop of Canturburie at Oteford in the tenth kalends of Iune 1338 was at Waltham aduanced to the honour of lord chancellor in the moneth of Iulie in the said yeare of Christ 1338 being the twelfe yeare of that king which first ordeined the knights of the order of the garter Iohn Stratford the third time lord chancellor of England in which office he did not now long continue Robert bishop of Chichester being the foresaid Robert Stratford was againe made lord chancellor of England in the yere of our redemption 1340 being the fourtéenth yeare of the reigne of king Edward the third who was put out of that office and should with the treasuror of England haue bene sent into France for a pledge for the paiment of certeine summes of monie Robert de Bourchier borne of the honourable house of the lord Bourchiers was in the towre of London made lord chancellor of England in December in the said fouretéenth yeare of king Edward the third being the yeare of our Lord 1340 though some saie he was made chancellor in the fiftéenth yeare of the said king Robert Perning Pernicke or Pernwicke also treasuror of England was made chancellor of England in the yeare that the virgine brought foorth the the Messiah 1341 being the fiftéenth yeare of king Edward the third He died in the yeare 1343 being the seuentéenth yeare of the foresaid king Edward the third This man was a sergeant in the third yeare of Edward the third when he began to plead as a sergeant in which he
entrance into further occurrents it shall not be amisse to touch some necessarie circumstances of remembrance This Albertus in the eies of the most whereof some knew him that might hardlie commend him estéemed him a man for making well proportioned of an indifferent tall stature of countenance amiable and complexion English like hauing a white beard of such length and bredth as that lieng in his bed and parting it with his hands the same ouerspred all his brest and shoulders himselfe greatlie line 10 deliting therein and reputing it an ornament as for his qualities apparant vnto the world they were generous his vtterance swéet his wit plausible in the knowledge of toongs well seene his ordinarie attire scarlet but when he presented himselfe to hir maiestie a robe or gowne of purple veluet with other habiliments and furniture agréeable his shooes of a strange fashion supposed of some not altogither vnlike Chaucers Finallie a gallant fellow he was as might be gathered by some words line 20 spoken by him in open audience more Martiall than Mercuriall verie actiue in respect of his age and also studious in diuerse faculties c. Touching the interteinement which he had at Oxenford and how the vniuersitie did congratulate his comming it is somewhat worth the noting In the moneth of Iune the said Albertus de Lasco comming from the marriage of the lord Norris his daughter with sir A. Paulets eldest sonne at Ricot he put himselfe on the waie to Oxenford wherof the line 30 vniuersitie doctor Houenden then vicechancellor maister Leâ—son with maister Edes proctors hauing intelligence prouided for his conuenient receiuing insomuch that in the waie to Oxenford there met him doctor Westfailing who greeted him with a pithie salutation In like sort did the maior and his bréethren in whose behalfe for the whole citie the towne clerke a worshipfull maister of art pronounced his short and sententious spéech in Latine not without some gratulatorie gift from that corporation line 40 On the east gate wherat he entered stood a consort of musicians who for a long space made verie sweet harmonie which could not but mooue delight Inscia plebs populÃsque arrectis auribus astat Dulciferúmque rudi suscipit aure melos All vp the high stréet vnto saint Maries church on either side the waie were decentlie marshalled scholers in their gownes caps batchelors and maisters in their habits and hoods At saint Maries the orator of the vniuersitie notable in his facultie presented line 50 him a booke in which were closelie couched verie rich and gorgeous gloues From thense he marched to Christs church where he was whilest he abode in the vniuersitie most honourablie interteined And the first night being vacant as in which he sought rather rest in his lodging than recreation in anie academicall pastimes strange fire works were shewed in the great quadrangle besides rockets and a number such maner of deuises On the second daie his first dinner was made him at Alsoules college where besides dutifull receiuing of him he was solemnelie line 60 satisfied with scholerlie exercises and courtlie fare This night the night insuing after sumptuous suppers in his lodging he personaly was present with his traine in the hall first at the plaieng of a pleasant comedie intituled Riuales then at the setting out of a verie statelie tragedie named Dido wherein the quéenes banket with Eneas narration of the destruction of Troie was liuelie described in a marchpaine patterne there was also a goodlie sight of hunters with full crie of a kennell of hounds Mercurie and Iris descending and ascending from and to an high place the tempest wherein it hailed small confects rained rosewater and snew an artificiall kind of snew all strange maruellous abundant Most of the actors were of the same house six or seauen of them were of saint Iohns thrée or foure of other colleges hals His second dinner the third daie was at Magdalen college with oratorie welcomming bountifull feasting His third dinner the fourth daie at New college The eloquent spéech in Gréeke Latine and Dutch with his owne vnstudied answer thervnto all other before rehersed are not to be omitted nor the publike philosophie physike and diuinitie disputations in all which those learned opponents respondents moderators quited themselues like themselues sharplie and soundlie besides all other solemne sermons lectures At afternoone the fourth last daie he went towards Woodstocke manour and without the north gate by the waie he was inuited vnto a banket at saint Iohns college where the gates outward wals ouercouered with thousands of verses other emblematicall poetries then offered him argued their hartie goodwils but his hasting to his iournies end caused him not to tarie the delicat banket yet onelie staieng the deliuerie of a swéet oration and his owne quicke wittie replie therevnto he departed immediatlie accompanied for a mile or two with the most of those reuerend doctors and heads of houses all on horssebacke where the orator againe gaue him an orators farewell And this is the summe of his interteinement not deliuered in such sort as the dignitie of the same requireth howbeit sufficient for a sudden remembrance On the thrée twentith daie of September Iohn Whitegift doctor of diuinitie sometimes maister of Trinitie colledge in Cambridge and afterwards bishop of Worcester was at Lambhith translated to the archbishoprike of Canturburie where he at his comming to Lambehith as also elsewhere he alwaies did gaue euident testimonies both of mindfulnesse and thankefulnesse for his aduancements as by the thrée tables hanging at the vpper end of his great chamber appeareth their position in this sort In the midst hir maiesties armes roiall artificiallie wrought with as much cunning as the painter by his pencill could describe them and vnder them this distichon of thankesgiuing and welwishing Nestoreos foelix regat Elisabetha per annos Quae mihi munificè Candida dona dedit On the right side the armes of the sée of Canturburie of azure a pall siluer garnished with crosses forme fiche sable ouer a crosse portatile gold to the lower end whereof this distichon is fairelie fixed En leue multiplici premeretur cuspide corpus Nibaculus Christi grande leuaret onus On the left side are placed the ancient armes of the sée of Worcester from the which he was translated which are of siluer ten torteaux foure three two one with this distichon therevnto annexed Qui crucis aerumnas patitur post fata triumphat Lilia sic spondent fuluis coniuncta talentis Ouer aboue the arms of both the said sées is his graces posie Vincit qui patitur a deserued posie and iustified by his actions The tenth of October at Easter a towne in Norffolke neere the sea coast about two miles from Yarmouth there was a fish of woonderfull length by force of the wind being then easterlie driuen a shore
added and set foorth by the said iustice Manwood who for perpetuall supplie when need should be procured that the ancient contributorie lands almost growne into obliuion should be to that end reduced into a conuenient order answerable vnto right and iustice And likewise for good direction in yearelie elections of wardens and other officers with the accounts prouision works and other such necessaries required for perpetuall maintenance of that bridge obteined an act of parlement in the eightéenth yeare of this quéenes reigne as appeareth in the printed booke of statutes wherein were manie things ordâ—ined for the good ordering of the said bridge and the officers belonging therevnto After all which a charge of fiue hundred pounds was of record demanded and leuied vpon the wardens of the said bridge for arerages of the stipends of chanterie priests sometime seruing in the chappell at the east end of the said bridge to the great damage and ouerthrow of the bridge had not the said iustice Manwood by his trauell vpon due and lawfull triall at the assises deliuered discharged the bridge of that great demand as appeareth by record in the court of the excheker before the said sir Roger Manwood came to be chiefe baron there And yet abuse and slackenesse being had in these things the wardens notwithstanding that great beneuolence and reléefe was at sundrie times and of sundrie persons procured vnto the said bridge by the carefull and diligent trauell of Thomas Wooten of Bocton Maleherbe of Kent esquier a deere father and fauourer of his countrie as well at the times of the elections of the wardens and the accounts of the officers were forced to disburse great sums of their owne monie from time to time to dispatch the néedfull charges and works required for the bridge without anie conuenient allowance of the contributorie persons at the yearelie elections of the wardens and without due regard had for order of the said land belonging and contributorie to the bridge For auoiding wherof the said sir Roger Manwood then now lord chiefe baron of the excheker procured to passe another act of parlment in the seuen twentith yeare of hir maiestie reigne wherein is further prouision made for the said bridge as in the printed booke of statutes at large appeareth By which fullie prouided meaneâ— and by reasonable following the presidents of the works and accounts written in great lâ—gear books by the said chiefe baron and William Lambard esquier in the yeare next after the said last mentioned act of parlement of the seauen and twentith of the quéenes reigne they then executing the office of wardens all néedfull reparations be so doone and prouision before hand so made as it is now growne out of all controuersie that the said famous stone bridge of Rochester for euer like to last according vnto the intent of the first building and the indowment thereof for the good and beneficiall seruice of the commonwealth This sir Roger Manwood hauing had before an other wife issued of the gentlemanlie familie of the Theobalds is at this daie ioined in marriage with Elisabeth descended of an ancient and worshipfull familie the daughter of Iohn Copinger of Alhallowes in the countie of Kent esquier which Elisabeth being a woman of such rare modestie and patience as hir verie enimies must néeds confesse the same occasioned these verses following to be composed touching hir hir husband the said sir Roger Manwood Scaccarij protho barâ— Manwoode beatum Quem faciunt leges lingua loquela virumâ— Coniuge foeliciâ—r tamenes quae nata Copinger Egregâ—â— est summa foemina digna viro Quae viduata thâ—ro Wilkins coniunctáque Manwood 〈◊〉 coniux est â—oriata binis In the moneth of Ianuarie deceassed Edward Fines lord Clinton earle of Lincolne and lord admerall of England knight of the garter and one of hir maiesties priuie councell a man of great yéeres and seruice as well by sea as land he was burieâ— at Windsor leauing manie children behind him honorablie married Of this noble man whiles he liued one to whome the honorable lords of the courâ— were not obscurelie knowne writing of the peaâ—eable regiment of the queenes maiestie comprising in an orderlie discourse their high places of seruice to the crowne amongest others speaketh verie commendablie and deseruedlie of this deceassed earle who at such time as the said booke was published vnder the title aforenamed had béene lord great admerall of England thirtie yeares and of councell vnto thrée princes alwaies of vnspotted report speciallie for allegiance and therefore as singularlie beloued in his life so accordinglie bemoned at his death The words that concerne this noble mans memoriall are thus extant to the aduancement of his honour testified by report of two English poets line 10 O Clintone tuae concessa est regia classis Tutelae totos ter denos circiter annos Consuluisse tribus nec haec tibi gloria parua Principibus veterum satraparum sanguine clares Multa gerens pelago praeclarè multáque terris Hunc decorat comitem grandi Lincolnia fastis And before this namelie in the yeare 1564 at what time the said noble man was honored with the title of Praefectus maris and attendant vppon hir maiestie in presence at hir being in Cambridge where line 20 she was magnificallie interteined with all hir troope of lords and traine of ladies c thus did an academike write in praise of the forenamed earle Regnatórque maris Clintonus cuius in vndis Excellens nomen praecipuúmque decus Ille mihi Neptunus aquas mouet ille tridente Hunc Triton hunc pelagi dijque deaeque colunt On the one and twentith daie of Ianuarie one and twentie Iesuites seminaries and other massing priests late prisoners in the Tower of London line 30 Marshalsee and Kings bench were shipped at the Tower wharffe to be conueied towards France banished this realme for euer by vertue of a commission from hir maiestie as may more fullie appeare by that which followeth A vew of the said commission from the queenes maiestie WHere as the queenes most excellent line 40 maiestie foreseeing the danger that hath and might grow vnto the realme by accesse of Iesuits and seminarie priests and other like wandering and massing priests comming hither to seduce and withdraw hir louing subiects from their due obedience to God and hir maiestie and there withall traitorouslie to practise the mouing and stirring of rebellion within the realme as hath appeared by sufficient proofe against them and line 50 by confession of sundrie of themselues for the which diuerse of the said Iesuits and seminaries haue béene tried condemned and executed by the ordinarie and orderlie course of hir maiesties lawes and yet they haue not refrained dailie to practise and attempt the like treasons Hir maiestie notwithstanding following the accustomed course of hir princelie clemencie liking rather for this time to haue them onelie banished out of the
Bedfordshire on the eight of September next following On the three and twentith of Iulie certeine souldiers were pressed in the seuerall wards of the citie of London which souldiers being furnished for the warres and clothed in red cotes all at the charges of the companies and citizens set forth toward the seas on the thirtéenth of August and were transported ouer into Holland Zeland c as other the like souldiers out of other parts of the realme before had béene to serue for the defense of the low countries vnder generall Norris and other approoued capteins On the fourth daie of August betwixt the hours of foure and fiue of the clocke in the morning at the end of the towne called Motingham in Kent eight miles from London in a lane not farre from the houses the ground began to sinke thrée great elmes being swallowed vp the tops falling downward into a hole with the rootes vpward turning round in the falling and driuen into the earth past mans sight to the woonderfull amazement of manie honest men of the same towne being beholders of this strange sight and before ten of the clocke that present day the ground trees were soonke so low that neither the one or other might be discerned the hole or vaut being sometimes filled with water and otherwhiles neither bottome trées or water maie be perceiued the compasse of this hole is about fourescore yards and being sounded with a lead and line of fiftie fadams cannot therewith find or féele anie bottome Ten yards distant from this place there is another péece of ground soonke in like maner which parcell of ground falleth still into the high waie to the great feare of that whole towne but especiallie to the inhabitants of a house not far distant from the aforesaid places On the fiftéenth daie of September to the number of two thirtie seminaries massing priests and others late prisoners in the tower of London Marshalsée Kings bench and other places were imbarked in the Marie Martine of Colchester on the southside of the Thames right ouer against S. Katharines to be transported ouer into the coasts of Normandie to be banished this realme for euer by vertue of a commission from hir maiestie before specified in pag. 1379. A copie of the certificat written and directed into England by the said banished men WHereas vpon your honors commission directed vnto Anthonie Hall and Thomas Stockar for the transporting of vs whose names are vnder written into the coasts of Normandie who accordinglie tooke vs into a barke called the Marie Martine of Colchester on the south side of the Thames right ouer that part of saint Katharines next to London bridge the fiftéenth day of September 1585 according to the computation of England our will is to testifie vnto your good honors that they the said Anthonie Hall Thomas Stockar haue generallie so well vsed vs in all respects that we can not but acknowledge our selues much beholding as much as in them laie to so courteous louing officers Neuerthelesse comming along the sea and meeting with hir maiesties admerall in the downes who promising that we should not be disturbed in our course into the prouince of Normandie according to your honors said commission we had not from him departed two leagues when as a Flushinger with his people suddenlie entred vpon vs being peaceablie stowed vnder line 10 the hatches and in our quiet rest with their swords drawne their calleiuers and their matches fired in their hands to our great terror discomfort the most of vs being verie sore sea sicke expecting at that instant nothing but either the rigorous dint of sword or bullet of calleiuer Howbeit parlee being had by our said commissioners with them they departed after which time we considering the generall danger on the seas besought with one consent your honors commissioners to set vs on land at Calice line 20 but they in no wise yéelding therevnto at last by reason of our importunitie in such danger weakenesse yéelded to set vs on shore at Bullogne partlie by reason of the feare we were then put in partlie for that we feared afterward more vnreasonable measure but speciallie the greatest number of vs so sore sicke that verie tedious vnto vs it séemed to beare so long and dangerous a passage In witnes whereof to this our certificat we haue all subscribed our names the nineteenth of September 1585. W. line 30 Gimlets R. Fen Io. Nele Christopher Small c. ¶ Ye haue heard before that certeine souldiers out of diuers parts of this realme were transported ouer the seas into Holland and Zeland c with such conuenient and seruiceable furniture as might be presupposed necessarie for defense whom we will leaue vpon their gard and more cleerelie to set foorth the reasons of their transportation we doo meane héere as we promised before page 1413 when we line 40 came to due place to deliuer a booke published by authoritie concerning that argument the title and substance whereof in all points agréeable with the printed copie first extant doth orderlie follow A declaration of the causes moouing the queene of England to giue aid to the defense of the people afflicted and oppressed in the low countries ALthough kings and princes soueregnes owing their homage and seruice onelie vnto the almightie God the King of all kings are in that respect not bound to yéeld account or render the reasons of their actions to anie others but to God their onelie souereigne Lord yet though amongst the most ancient and christian monarchs the same Lord God hauing committed to vs the souereigntie of this realme of England and other our dominions which we hold line 60 immediatlie of the same almightie Lord and so thereby accountable onelie to his diuine Maiestie we are notwithstanding this our prerogatiue at this time speciallie mooued for diuerse reasons hereafter brieflie remembred to publish not onelie vnto our owne naturall louing subiects but also to all others our neighbors speciallie to such princes states as are our confederats or haue for their subiects cause of commerce with our countries and people what our intention is at this time and vpon what iust and reasonable grounds we are mooued to giue aid vnto our next neighbours the naturall people of the low countries being by long warres and persecutions of strange nations there lamentablie afflicted and in present danger to be brought into a perpetuall seruitude First it is to be vnderstood which percase is not perfectlie knowne to a great number of persons that there hath béene time out of mind euen by the naturall situation of those low countries and our realme of England one directlie opposit to the other and by reason of the readie crossing of the seas and multitude of large and commodious hauens respectiuelie on both sides a continuall traffike and commerce betwixt the people of England and the naturall people of those low
discouered his experience to such as were officers in the worke who presentlie put in practise execution the same deuise making prouision of great strong barrels and pipes of wood caried them to Folkstone and at low water fastened therto with chaines such huge stones as laie on the shore neere the low water marke where the quarrie or mine of those rocks is so as when the floud or full sea came the said vessels with the stones thereto fastned rose vp swam And if the stone were of such quantitie as two or thrée emptie casks could not lift it vp then did they ad a barrell or two more which would not faile to doo it then did they drag with small botes the casks stones therevnto tied to the place where they were disposed to sinke them so the worke wherein consisted the greatest difficultie in appearance was with most ease and least charge accomplished And for this deuise the said Iohn Yoong had a yéerelie stipend giuen vnto him by the king during his life With these stones as also by this means was the greatest worke doone and with great cost and labor these piles were filled vp The chalke and filling thereof being brought from the north pierre was conueied thither in a great bote called a Gaboth which had nine kéeles There stands yet of the timber worke of the old pierre foure score foot in length and â—oâ—es vpon that part of the pierre where stood a fort line 10 named the Blacke bulworke Now that which was doone on that side with the helpe of nature at the other two sides made an excellent roâ—e or harborough for the time it continued and had maintenance The king for his part spared no charge for he spent hereabouts as I am crediblie informed fiftie thousand pounds nor yet did forbeare anie trauell which might further the worke For in person he purposelie repaired thither diuerse and sundrie times being distant from the court fiftie miles at line 20 the least yea his highnes had such care that it should be well performed that no expert man in water works either on this side or beyond the seas but if it might be he was brought thither or at the least conferred withall And during the time of all the worke the kings cofers séemed to stand wide open But alas thâ— kings care and charge and the continuall trouble and trauell of officers was such about the worke present that the prouision for the future maintenance thereof was vtterlie neglected For the kings absence at his line 30 being at Bullen his sickenesse at his returne and finallie his death méeting with the nonage of his son king Edward the sixt made an end of all this worke which being once in the state of decaie there was no reparations nor further proceeding therein till the time of quéene Marie in the beginning of whose reignâ— by the space of two yeares there was some rumbling thereabout But the workmen and officers were not well paid and after bad paiment no paiment and so all was giuen ouer Sir Anthonie Aucher line 40 was treasuror in these works and manie other inferior officers also there were and manie other inferior officers also there were but especiallie of clerks But now I am to declare vnto you the lamentable ruine and decaie of this worke before the end and finishing whereof there was brought along the coast from by southwest a maruellous quantitie of beach and bowlder stone whereof there had béene neuer anie séene before in those parts of that coast and a great quantitie thereof rested vpon the backe of the pierre especiallie before the Blacke bulworke which so long line 50 as it might lie there without further annoiance was in appearance a singular helpe for the strength and preseruation of the said worke but it fell out otherwise For besides that that an easterlie great wind would remooue and driue it from that coast and consequentlie from the pierre which then would lie naked as before vntill the south and westerne wind turned it backe againe the pierre through negligence decaieng especiallie at the Blacke bulworke where the greatest abundance of beach vsuallie rested it passed through line 60 the decaied places thereof in such measure as in short time thereby grew a shelfe of beach from that point of the pierre to the east part of the baie butting to the Castell Raie so as no entrance thereinto for anie ship remained And the more that the furthest point of the pierre decaied and waxed shorter the néerer was the shelfe brought vnto the shore insomuch as if the residue of the pierre had not béene preserued that shelfe would soone haue béene brought to the verie towne and so haue choked vp the baie and béerest all possibilitie of euer hauing a harbor in that place The decaie of the pierre grew now more and more partlie as is said through want of prouidence and cost to be imploied therevpon and sufficient prouision to mainteine the same but especiallie through the disorder of the poorer sort of the townesmen who dailie purloined timber iron and all that was anie thing woorth which they could pull or catch from the decaieng places of the pierre And now by meanes of this shelfe the hauen waxed woorse than euer it was insomuch as oftentimes a bote that drew but foure foot of wâ—ter could not enter into the mouth thereof and sometime none at all for the baie was altogither shut vp so as the harborough was become a pent out of the which nothing could passe out or in sauing the water that soked through the beach But the riuer which issueth out of the towne at a water gate standing at the north-northeast end of the said pent in continuance of time would make an issue through some part of the same beach into the sea sometime at one end sometime at another sometime verie shallow and neuer verie déepe which issue was alwaies their hauens mouth vntill a contrarie wind did stop it vp againe and then they had no entrance at all vntill the riuer had made a new fret or that they had digged a chanell through the beach which manie times they were driuen to doo The losse of this hauen and the losse of Calis which happened about one time made such an alteration or rather desolation in and of the towne as was lamentable and woonderfull to behold For of a braue rich and populous towne it presentlie became a poore and desolate village reteining onelie the name and liberties of the famous port of Douer Neuerthelesse the necessitie and expedience of a good hauen in that place did still remaine a conuenient meane also was left for the accomplishment thereof as it séemed to diuerse which were wise and of good experience insomuch as that verie matter which was supposed to be the destruction of the late harborough should now become a principall helpe and furtherance to a
new hauen of greater importance and better securitie than euer it was before For as you haue heard Douer cliffes naturallie defend this baie from all tempests comming from the north-northeast and northwest the pierre yet remaining gardeth it from the west and southwest winds the shelfe of beach crossing from the end thereof to the Castell Raie had made such a close pent as if anie ships could be conueied thereinto they might there rest in great safetie The roome within this close baie conteineth almost fortie acres and the riuer as I haue said runneth quite through the same immediatlie into the maine sea at south so as the said pent being surrounded at euerie high water and lieng almost bare at euerie ebbe the ouze or â—lâ—ech grew to be fouretéene or fiftéene foot déepe the bottome thereof being a maine rocke of chalke insomuch as a great multitude of ships might be placed there in good securitie if the entrance could be made good These things considered by men of good capacitie and experience sundrie deuises and conceipts were exhibited therabouts whereof some séemed verie probable and were the rather heard and commended for that the worke was so necessarie and beneficiall to the commonwealth And in that respect it pleased the queenes maiestie to grant to the towne of Douer towards the reparing of their hauen the frée transportation of thirtie thousand quarters of wheat ten thousand quarters of barlie and malt and foure thousand tun of béere without paieng either custome or impost which was a gift of no small importance For besides great summes of monie alreadie leuied and imploied vpon the beginning of these works the licence or patent was sold to a couple of merchants of London named Iohn Bird and Thomas Wats after the rate of thrée shillings and foure pence for euerie quarter of wheat and two shillings and eight pence for euerie quarter of barlie and malt and the licence of béere being sold to diuerse others amounted to foure thousand marks at the least Besides all this it was enacted in the parlement holden the three and twentith yeare of the reigne of hir maiestie for and in the considerations aforesaid and for that there was a probable plot contriued by skilfull men to be performed for a conuenient sum of monie that for euerie ship vessell or craier whereof anie of hir maiesties subiects were owners or part-owners being of the line 10 burthen of twentie tuns or vpwards loding or discharging within this realme or passâ—ng to or fro anie forren countrie during the space of seuen yeres then next insuing from fortie daies after the end of the same session of parlement there should be paid for euerie such voiage by the maister or owner of all such vessels c the summe of thrée pence for euerie tun of the burthen of such ship c. Hereby there grew great summes of monie to be yearelie leuied toward these works amounting to one thousand pounds yearelie at the least and yet the line 20 time not expired by two yeares After this hir maiestie being carefull that the hauen should with expedition be taken in hand directed hir letters patents dated the nine and twentith daie of March in the foure and twentith yeare of hir reigne to the lord Cobham lord warden of hir cinque ports c sir Thomas Scot sir Iames Hales knights Thomas Wootton Edward Bois the maior of the towne of Douer present and to come Richard Barrie lieutenant of line 30 the castell of Douer Henrie Palmer Thomas Digs Thomas Wilford and William Partridge esquires all which were of the shire and men of great wisedome and iudgement and no small trauellers in matters concerning the common wealth some of them maruellous expert in affaires and matters of the seas some in fortifications some hauing trauelled beyond the seas for experience and conference that waie and to sée the order of forren seaworks and hauens and none without singular vertues In line 40 which respect they were commissionated and authorised by those presents to doo and foresee to be doone from time to time all things needfull and requisit to be imploied about the reparing and mending of the said hauen and as might tend to the furtherance of the said seruice and to choose officers and assigne their stipends and the seuerall fées of all ministers attendants and clerks néedfull for the substantiall necessarie spéedie and cheape dooing thereof and therein to set downe particular orders and directions as might be for the furtherance and accomplishing of the said line 50 works most expedient Now for the performance hereof manie plots by sundrie persons were deuised and first of all one Iohn True was commended or at the least commended him selfe to the lords of hir maiesties priuie councell to whome he made great shew to be an expert enginor and by their lordships he was sent to Douer and presented to be generall surueior of the works as one in whome they reposed great hope of furthering and finishing the said hauen whereof he line 60 made no doubt but resolutelie promised the spéedie execution and accomplishing thereof His deuise and determination was to make within the said baie néere to the shelfe of beach a long wall from the water gate out of which the riuer issueth into the harborough to the blacke bulworke in length two hundred rods This wall was to bée made of excellent stone at Folkstone the which he framed after a strange and contrarie kind of workmanship And there was for this purpose alreadie perfectlie hewed of the same stone seuen thousand foot and six thousand foot more was scapled he bestowed and spent thereabouts one thousand two hundred fourescore and eight pounds as appeareth in the accounts of the treasurors for that time being and yet there was not one stone of his said long wall laid nor that hitherto hath come to anie profitable vse But this wall if it had beene or rather could haue béene finished it would haue cost a hundred thousand pounds and yet would neuer haue serued the turne For a stone wall is so contrarie to the nature of that sandie foundation as it can make no good coniunction nor perfect pent For the furtherance of his deuise he would haue plucked downe a great part of the old pierre whereof there was then too little remaining he detracted the time for he had ten shillings a daie allowed vnto him for his fée which perhaps he was loth to forgo He either could or would not render anie reason to the commissioners of his dooings and finall purpose but alwaies said he would make them a good hauen neither would he set downe anie time certeine for the accomplishing thereof All these matters with his negligence delaies vntowardlinesse of his works being aduertised to the lords of hir maiesties councell he was dismissed After whom one Ferdinando Poins who had béene conuersant and acquainted with water works in the low