parable of Christ saying The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man whiche sowed good seede in hys field but when men were on sleepe the enemy came and sowed Tares in the midst of the wheate went his way But when the herbe was growne and brought forth fruite then appeareth the Tares And the seruauntes came vnto the good man of the house and sayd vnto him Lorde didst not thou sowe good seede in thy field From whence then come these Tares And he sayd vnto them The enemy hath done this And the seruauntes sayd vnto him wilt thou that we goe and gather them vp And he sayd no least peraduenture gathering vp the Tares ye plucke vp the wheate by the rootes Suffer them both to grow vntill the haruest and in the time of the haruest I will saye vnto the haruest men gather first the Tares and binde them in the bundels that they may be burnt but gather the wheate into my barne Christ himselfe onely expoundeth this parable in the selfe same chapter saying He whiche soweth the good seede is the sonne of man but the field is the world and the good seede those are the children of the kingdome But the Tares are the naughty children And the enemy which soweth them is the Deuill And the haruest is the end of the world and the haruest men are the Aungels Euen as therfore the Tares are gathered and burnt with fire so shall it be in the end of the world The sonne of man shall send hys Aungels and they shal gather out of his kingdome al offendoures and those which commit iniquitie and shall put them into a furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of teethe By whiche playne doctrine it is manifest that Christ will haue mercy shewed vnto sinners euen vnto the ende of the world and will haue them to remayn mingled with the good Least peraduenture when a man thinketh that he doth right well to take away the tares he taketh away the wheat For how great a sinner soeuer a mā be we know not whether his end shal be good and whether in the end he shall obtayne mercy of God Neither are we certayn of the time wherein God will by grace iudge him whom we abhorre as a sinner And peraduenture suche a one shall more profit after his conuersion in the Church then he who we think to be iust as it came to passe in Paul And if god iustifieth a man by grace although at his ende why darest thou be so bold to be his iudge and to condemne him Yea rather although a man seeme to be obstinate and hardened in his euill so that he is not corrected by a secret correction correct him before one alone if he doe not receaue open correction being done before two or three witnesses neyther passeth vpon a manifest correction when his sinne is made known vnto the Church Christ doth not teach to punish such a one with the punishment of death Yea rather he sayth if he harken not vnto the churche let him be vnto thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane And Paule following this doctrin in the 1. Corin. 5. chapter saith There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you such fornication as is not once named among the gentiles that one shold haue hys fathers wife And ye are pufted vp and haue not rather sorrowed that he whiche hath done this deed might be put from among you For I verily as absent in body but present in spirite haue already determined as though I were present that he whiche hath done this thing whē ye are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that such one by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ be deliuered vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus Paule teacheth not to kill this man as some gather by this text but to separate him from the other faithfull and so frō Christ which is the head of the Church of the faithfull and so is he deliuered vnto Sathan which is separated from Christ that the flesh may be killed that is that that carnall concupyscence whereby he luxuriously lusted after the wife of his father may be destroyed in him by such a separation that the spirite may be saued not that his body should be killed as some say as it is most manifest in the selfe same chapiter where he sayth I wrote vnto you in an Epile that ye shoulde not keepe company with fornicatours and I ment not of all the fornicators of this world eyther of the couetous or extorcioners or Idolaters for then must yee nedes haue gone out of the world But now I haue written vnto you that ye keepe not company together if anye that is called a brother be a fonicatour or couetous persō or a worshipper of Images eyther a cursed speaker or dronkard or an extorcioner with him that is such see that ye care not By whych it is manyfest that Paule woulde haue the foresayd fornicatour separated from the fellowship of the faithful that his carnall concupiscence might be mortifyed for the health of the spirit and not that the body should be killed Wherefore they do ill vnderstand Paule which by this saying do cōfirme the killing of mē And forasmuch as heresie is one of the most greuous sinnes for an heretike leadeth men in errours wherby they are made to stray frō fayth without which they cannot bee saued it doth most great hurt in the Church Further as concerning such a wicked man Paul thus speaketh flye from the man that is an heretike after the first and second correction knowing that such a one is subuerted and sinneth forasmuch as he is by his owne iudgemēt condemned Behold Paule teacheth not to kill thys man but with Christ to separate him frō the fellowship of the faythfull But some say that Peter in the primitiue Church slewe Ananias and Saphyra for their sinnes wherefore they say it is lawful for them to condemne wicked men to death We wil declare in shewing the whole processe how falsly they speake in alleaging of Peter for to iustify their errour In the 4. chap. of the Actes it is written that as many as were possessours of landes or houses they solde them offred the prices of that whych they solde and layed it before the feete of the Apostles it was deuided vnto euery one as he had neede thereof But a certaine man Ananias with Saphira his wife solde a piece of land and kept back a part of the price of the field his wife being priuy vnto it and bringing a certaine part therof he laid it at the feete of the Apostles But Peter saide vnto Ananias Ananias why hath Satan tempted thy hart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost to keepe backe a part of the price of the land Did it not whilest it remayned remayne vnto
honour of him and the realme and sayde that hee was certaine that it was knowen to the whole worlde and that hee did maintaine in this matter a iust cause as hee had learned by the agreeable sentence of doctours in Diuinitie and maisters of both Lawes that were borne within his Realme and others which among the Doctors and cunning men of the world were counted of the learned sort and more famous Therefore he required vs all and euery one both Prelates and Barons and other earnestly as our Lord he prayed and gently begged as a friend to consult and take diligent paine that he might ordeine wholsome things both for the keeping of their olde libertie the honour and state of the realme and of the inhabitants therof for the easing of the griefes aforesaid for redressing of the realme and the French Church by our counsaile and his Barons to the praise of Gods name the encrease of the Catholike faith the honour of the vniuersall church and promoting of Gods religion specially seing such griefs were done by his officers others of the Realme to the Churches and churchmen for the which hee purposed a remedy of wholesome correction afore the comming of the foresaid Cardinall would nowe haue put it in execution effectually but that hee might be thought to haue done that for feare or at your commandement which thing ye cannot ascribe to your self Furthermore he wold spend not onely his goodes but also his realme yea his children if the case required and therfore we should regard to be ready with counsell and helpe in season as we are bounde by the duety of fidelitie in these things wherein it is manifest that as all and euery mannes case is handled generally and particularly their cause is promoted and euery mannes owne interest is touched And then hee demaunded by and by to be answered plainely and finally in these things of all and euery one Then the Barons sitting aside with the officers and Proctors aforesaid at the length after they had taken counsell comming to our foresaid Lord the king and praising greatly and hartely thanking him for his laudable purpose and good will answered wyth one voice that for those things they were ready not only to spēd their goods but offered the same goods riches also their persons to death and not to flee any kinde of torment And sayd further with one voice that if our foresaid Lord the king woulde as God forbid suffer or els willingly passe ouer those they thēselues would in no case suffer it Then when answere was asked of vs afterward although we desired longer respite of deliberatiō of the king himself our Lord and of the greatest of the forsayd Barons and that for this intent that in the meane while the Popes letters might haue comen to our Lord the king we answered that we would not offend against the libertie of the realme or by some meanes to innouate thinges contrary to the kings honour in this behalfe We went about also to informe him with many godly words with earnest persuasions and with many kindes of helpe and by sundry wayes to bring him to keepe the speciall bande of vnitie which is knowen to haue continued to these present dayes betwixt the holy Romish church and his predecessours But when we were denied any longer delay and it was plainely and openly tolde to all men that if any man were of a contrary minde from thenceforth he should be manifestly counted for an enemie of the king the realme We considering warely seeing plainely that except our lord the king and the Barons aforesaide were content with our aunswere beside other dangers great offences wherof there could neither be number nor end and that the deuotion both of the Romish and French church and also the whole obedience of the laitie and all the people from thence foorth should be taken away without recouerie not without great feare doubt we thought good to aunswer thus That we would helpe our Lorde the king with due counsaile and conuenient helpe for the preseruing of his person and of his earthly honour and the liberty and lawes of the sayd realme like as we were certaine of vs by the duetie of allegiaunce bound to him which hold of him Dukedomes Earledomes Baronies fees and other noble partes of the saide Realme by the fourme of the othe as all other doe yet wee made humble sute to the same our Lord the king that seeing we were bound to obey the Popes holinesse and your holy feete he would suffer vs to go according to the tenour of your foresaid calling Then on the Kings and Barons behalfe followeth aunswere that in no case they would suffer vs to go out of the Realme and that by no meanes they woulde beare to be handled so daungerously yea rather to be altogether wasted Then we considering so great an anger trouble so ieopardous so great that none could be greater both of the King the Barons other lay people of the realme now knowing plainely that the olde enemie of peace which goeth about from the beginning of his fall with sowing of Darnel to breake the vnitie of the Church by troubling of peace would breake charitie and infect the sweetnesse of good workes with the poyson of bitter enuie and would ouerthrow mankinde vtterly and woulde trouble with wickednesse the band of louely vnitie singular frendship which hitherto haue had a happie encrease betwixt the Romish Church and our Lorde the King and his predecessours and the realme to the praise of the highest God the encrease of Christian faith and the setting foorth the honour of the Church of the king and the realme But nowe alas a dore was open to the lamentable breaking and pitifull separating of great offences to rise on euery side dangers are attempted against Churches and Church-men to spoyle their goods and richesse with ieoperdie of life seeing that the laitie nowe doe abhorre and vtterly flee the obedience of clearkes vtterly banishing them from their counsails and doings and haue taken courage to condemne the Ecclesiasticall censure and processe All which ieoperdies with other sundry and diuers daungers which neither toung is able to tell nor wryting can declare wee seeing at hand◠thought good in this poynt of greatest necessity to run with weping voyce lamentable sighes to the circumspect wisdome of your holinesse Beseeching your fatherly mildenes and humbly praying you that some wholesome remedy may be prouided in the premisses By which the sounde profitable agreement and mutuall loue which hath continued so long time betwixt the church the king and the realme myght be maintained in that olde sweete concord the state of the Frenche church might continue in godly and quiet peace that ye woulde vouchsafe to foresee how to withstand the daungers and offences aforesaid that we and our states may be prouided for by the foresaid commaundement of your calling by the studie of your Apostolicall
them receaued But aboue all other thinges nothing did so much styrre me forward hereunto as the dilligent consideration and speciall regard of the common vtilitie which euery man plentifully may receaue by the reading of these Monuments or Martyrologe which history as I haue taken in hand chiefly for the vse of the English Church so haue I framed it in that tongue which the simple people could best vnderstand Nowe if men commonly delite so much in other Chronicles which intreate onely vpon matters of pollicye and reioyce to beholde therein the variable euentes of worldlye affayres the Stratagemes of valiaunt captaynes the terrour of foughten fieldes the sacking of Cities the hurlye burlies of Realmes and people And if men thinke it such a gaye thing in a common wealth to committe to history such olde antiquities of thinges prophane and bestow all theyr ornamentes of wit and eloquence in garnishing the same how much more then is it meete for Christians to conserue in remembraunce the liues Actes and doynges not of bloudy warriours but of myld and constant Martyrs of Christ which serue not so much to delight the eare as to garnish the lyfe to frame it with examples of great profite and to encourage men to all kinde of Christian godlines As first by reading thereof wee may learne a liuely testimony of Gods mighty working in the life of man contrary to the opinion of Atheistes and all the whole nest of Epicures For like as one sayd of Harpalus in times past that his doyngs gaue a liuely testimony agaynst God because he being so wicked a man escaped so long vnpunished so contrariwise in these mē we haue a much more assured and playne witnes of God both in whose liues and deathes appeared suche manifest declarations of Gods diuine working whiles in such sharpnes of tormentes we behold in them strength so constant aboue mans reach such readines to aunswere such patience in imprisonment suche godlines in forgeuing cherefulnes so couragious in suffering besides the manifold sense and feeling of the holy ghost which they in their liues so plentifully tasted in theyr afflictions as in readyng of theyr letters euidently we may vnderstand Ouer and besides this the milde deaths of the sayntes do not a little auayle to the stablishing of a good conscience to learne the contempt of the world and to come to the feare of God Moreouer they confirme fayth encrease godlines abate pride in prosperitie and in aduersitie do open an hope of heauenly comfort For what man reading the misery of these godly persons may not therein as in a glasse behold his owne case whether hee be godly or godles For if God geue aduersitie vnto good men what may eyther the better sort promise themselues or the euill not feare And whereas by reading of prophane storyes we are made perhaps more skilfull in warlike affayres so by reading of this we are made better in our liuinges and besides are better prepared vnto like conflictes if by Gods permission they shall happen hereafter more wiser by theyr doctrine and more steadfast by theyr example To be short they declare to the world what true Christian fortitude is and what is the right way to conquere which standeth not in the power of man but in hope of the resurrection to come and is nowe I trust at hand In consideration whereof me thinkes I haue good cause to wish that like as other subiectes euen so also Kinges and Princes which commonly delite in heroicall stories would diligently peruse such Monumentes of martyrs and lay them alwayes in sight not alonely to read but to follow and would paynt them vpon theyr walles cups ringes and gates For doubtles suche as these are more worthy of honour thē an hundreth Alexanders Hectors Scipions and warlike Iulies And though the world iudgeth prosperously of thinges yet with God the true iudge certes such are to be reputed in deede not that kill one an other with a weapon but they which being rather killed in Gods cause do retayne an inuincible constancie agaynst the threates of tyrantes and violence of tormentours Such as these are the true Conqueroures of the world by whome we learne true manhoode so many as fight vnder Christ and not vnder the world With this valiantnes did that most milde Lambe and inuincible Lyon of of the tribe of Iuda first of all go before vs of whose vnspeakeable fortitude we heare this prophetical admiration who is this sayth he which walketh so in the multitude of hys strength Forsooth the high sonne of the high God once conquered of the world and yet conquering the world after the same maner he was conquered The like daunce did all hys other Martyrs follow to whome the auncient antiquitie of the Churche did attribute so great honour as neuer king or Emperour could purchase in this world with all theyr images pillers hie spires triumphes temples and all theyr solemne feastes In probation whereof we see with what admiration and almost superstition not onely the memory but also the reliques of those good Martyr's were receaued kept amongest the auncient Christians We haue also for witnes the learned Hymnes and Songes of Prudentius and Nazienzene wherewith Pindarus did neuer so much set out hys triumphes of Olympia and Nemea I neede not here rehearse the learned Orations of eloquent Cyprian Chrysostome Ambrose and Hierome who neuer shewed theyr eloquence more then when they fell into the commendations of the Godly Martyrs Whereby it is manifest what estimation in times past was attributed to Martyrs with what gratulation reioyce myrth and common ioy the afflictions of those godly dying in Christes quarrell were sometime receiued and solemnised and that not without good reasonable cause For the Churche did well consider howe much she was beholding to theyr benefites by whose death she vnderstoode her treasurés to encrease Now then if Martyrs are to be compared with Martyrs I see no cause why the Martyrs of our tyme deserue any lesse commendation then the other in the primatiue Churche which assuredly are inferiour vnto them in no poynt of prayse whether we view the number of them that suffered or greatnes of theyr formentes or theyr constancie in dying or also consider the fruite that they brought to the amendment of posteritie and encrease of the Gospell They did water the truth with theyr bloud that was newly springing vp so these by theyr deathes restored it agayne being sore decayed and fallen downe They standing in the forewarde of the battell did receaue the first encounter and violence of theyr enemies and taught vs by that meanes to ouercome such tyranny These with like courage agayne like old beaten souldiours did winne the field in the rereward of the battayle They like famous husbandmen of the world did sow the fieldes of the Church that first lay vnmanured and wast these with fatnes of their bloud did cause it to battell and fructifie Would to God the fruite might be
to saue himselfe beyng promised also of his friendes to bee safely conueyed awaye if he would thereto agree To whome Edwyne said whether shall I flee which haue so long fleene the handes of myne enymies through all prouinces of the Realme And if I must nedes be slayne I had rather that he should doe it then an other vnworthy person Thus he remayning by himselfe alone solitarie sitting in a great study there appeared vnto him sodainely a certaine straunger to hym vnknowne and saide I knowe well the cause of thy thought and heauines What wouldest thou giue him that should deliuer thee out of this feare should recoÌ„cile king Redwald to thee againe I woulde gyue him saide Edwyne al that euer I coulde make And he saide agayne And what if he make thee a mightier king then was anye of thy Progenitours Hee aunswered againe as before Moreouer saith he and what if hee shewe thee a better kind and way of life then euer was shewed to any of thine aunceters before thee wilt thou obey him doe after his counsell yea said Edwyne promising most firmely wyth al his hart so to do TheÌ„ he laying his hand vpon his head when said he this token hapneth vnto thee then remember this time of thy tribulation the promise which thou hast made and the word which now I say vnto thee And with that he uanished out of his sight sodainely After this so done as Edwyne was sitting alone by him selfe pensiue and sad his foresaid friend which moued him before to fle commeth to him bidding him be of good chere for the hart said he of king Redwaldus which had before intended thy destruction was nowe altered through the counsell of the Queene and is fully bent to keepe his promise wyth you whatsoeuer shall fall thereupon To make the story short Redwaldus the King although Fabian following Henry Huntyngton saith it was Edwyne with al conuenient speed assembled an host wherwith he sodainly comming vpon Ethelfride gaue battaile vnto him aboute the borders of Mercia where Ethelfryde king of Northumberlande also with Reyner Redwaldus sonne was slaine in the fielde By reason wherof Edwyne his enimies now being destroyed was quietly placed in the possessioÌ„ of NorthumberlaÌ„d All this while yet Edwyne remained in his old Paganisme albeit his Queene being as is aboue declared king Ethelbertes daughter a Christen woman with Paulinus the byshop ceased not to stirre and perswad the king to christian fayth But he taking counsell with his nobles and counsellers vpon the matter was hard to be wonne Then the Lord who desposeth all things after his purpose to bring al good things to passe sent an other trouble vpon him by meanes therof to cal him For by affliction God vseth coÌ„monly to call them whom he wil saue or by whom he wil worke saluation vnto other So his diuine wisdome thinketh good to make them first to knowe themselues before they come to know him or to teach him to other so it was with Paule who was striken downe before hee was lyfted vp with Constantinus Edwynus and many moe Howe long was Ioseph in prison before he bare rule How hardly escaped this our Queene nowe being Queene Elizabeth by whoÌ„ yet notwithstanding it hath pleased god to restore this his gospel now preached amongst vs In what conflictes and agonies inwardly in his spirite was M. Luther before he came to preach the iustification of Christ openly And so be all they most commonlye which come to anye liuely feeling or sensible working of Christ the Lord. But to returne to Edwyne againe The occasion of hys trouble was this Quicelinus with Kynegilsus his brother Kings of Westsaxons as aboue is mentioned in the table of the Saxon kings conspiring the death of Edwyne now king of Northumberland vpon enuy and malice sent vpon an Easter day a swordman named Emner priuelye to slay the said Edwyne This swordman or cutthrote came to a Citie beside the water of Darwent in Darbishire there to waite his time and lastly founde the king smallye accompanied and inteÌ„ded to haue runne the kiâ—â— through with a sword inuenemed But one Lilla the kinges trustye seruaunt disgarnished of a shield or other weapon to defeÌ„d his maister start betwene the king the sword and was strikeÌ„ through the body and died and the king was wouÌ„ded with the same stroke And after he wounded also the third which was a knight so was taken and confessed by whom he was sent to worke that treason The other knight that was secondly wounded died and the king lay after long sicke or he were healed After this about whitsontide the king being scantlye hole of his wounde assembled his host intending to make against the king of westsaxons promising to Christ to be Christened if he would giue him the victory ouer his enimies And in token therof caused his daughter borne of Edelburge yâ— same Easter day when he was wouÌ„ded named Eufled to be baptised with xij other of his familye of Paulinus Thus Edwyne proceded to the battel against Quicelne and Kynegilsus with his sonne Kenwalcus and other enimies who in the same battell being al vanquished put to flight Edwyn through the power of Christ returneth home victorer But for all this victory other things gyuen to him of God as he was in wealth of the worlde forgat his promise made and had little mind therof saue only that he by the preaching of Paulinus forsoke his maumentry And for his excuse saide that he might not clearly deny his olde lawe which his forefathers had kept so long and sodeinly to be Christened without authority and good aduise of his counsaile About the same season Pope Boniface the 5. sent also to the sayd Edwyne letters exhortatory wyth sundrye presentes from Rome to him and to Edelburge the Queene But neither would that preuaile Then Paulinus seyng the king so hard to be conuerted poured out his praiers vnto God for his coÌ„uersion who the same time had reuealed to him by the holy ghost the oracle aboue mentioned which was shewed to the King when hee was with Redwaldus king of the Eastangles Wherupon Paulinus comming afterward to the king on a certaine day and laying his haÌ„d vpon the kings head asked him if he knew that tokeÌ„ The king hearing this remembring wel the token was ready to fall downe at his feete But Paulinus not sufferyng that did lift vp hym againe saying vnto him behold O king you haue vanquished your enimies you haue obteined your kingdome now performe the third which you haue promised that is to receaue the faith of Christ and to be obedient to him Wherupon the king conferryng with his Counsell his nobles was baptised of the said Paulinus at Yorke with many of his other subiectes with hym Insomuch that Coyfi the chiefe of the Prelates of his olde maumentry armed him selfe wyth hys other Idolatrous Bishops and bestrode
and king Ethelred there was wounded and therefore faine to saue himselfe After these ij fields thus won by the Danes they obtained great circuit of groūd and destroyed man childe that would not yeld to them And Churches and temples they turned to the vse of stables other vile occupations Thus the king beset with enemies on euery side seing the land so miserably oppressed of the Danes his knights and soldiours consumed his owne land of Westsaxons in such desolation he being also wounded himself But especially for that he sending his commissions into Northumberland into Mercia and Eastanglia could haue of them but smal or litle comfort because they through wicked rebellion were more willing to take the part of the Danes then of their king was sore perplexed therewithall as the other Kinges were both before him and after him at that time So that as Malmesbury witnesseth magis optarēt honestum exitium quà m tam acerbum imperium That is They rather wished honestly to die then with such trouble and sorrow to reigne And thus this King not long after deceased when he had reigned as Fabian sayth viij yeres as Malmesbury wryteth but v. yeares During which time of his reigne notwithstanding hys so great troubles and vexations in martiall affaires as is in some stories mentioned he founded the house or college of Chanōs at Exeter and was buried at the Abbey of Winborn or Woborn After whose decease for lacke of issue of his body the rule of the land fel vnto his brother Alured * King Alured otherwise called Alfrede AMong the Saxon kinges hetherto in this historie afore mentioned I finde fewe or none to be preferred or almost to be compared to this Alured or Alfrede for the great and singulare qualities in this king worthy of high renowne and commendation Whether we behold in him the valiant actes and manifold trauailes which he continually from time to time sustained against his ennemies in warres during almost all the time of his raigne for the publicke preseruation of his people Or whether we consider in him his godly and excellent vertues ioyned with a publicke and tender care and zealous study for the common peace and trāquility of the weale publike appearing as wel in his prudēt lawes by him both carefully set forth and with the like care executed as also by his own priuate exercises touching the vertuous institution of his life Or whether we respect that in him which with equall praise matcheth with both the other before That is his notable knowledge of good letters with a feruēt loue and Princely desire to set foorth the same through all his Realme before his time being both rude and barbarous All whych his heroical properties ioyned together in one Prince as it is a thing most rare and seldome seene in Princes now a daies so I thought the same the more to be noted and examplefide in this good king Therby either to moue other rulers and Princes in these our daies to his imitation or els to shew them what hath ben in times past in their anceters which ought to be and yet is not founde in them Wherefore of these three partes to discourse either part in order first we wil enter to entreat of his actes and painefull trauailes sustained in defence of the Realme publicke against the raging tyrannie of the Danes as they be described in the Latin histories of Rog. Houeden and Huntington whome Fabian also seemeth in this part somewhat to follow King Alfred therfore first of al the English kings taking his crowne and vnction at Rome of Pope Leo as Malmesberiensis and Polycronicon do recorde in the beginning of his raigne perceauing his Lordes people much wasted and decaied by the reason of the great warres of Ethelred had against the Danes yet as well as he coulde gathered a strength of men vnto him and in the secōd moneth that he was made King he met with the Danes beside Wylton where hee gaue to them battaile But being farre ouermatched through the multitude of the contrary part was put there to the worse although not wythout a great slaughter of the Pagane army Which army then of the Danes after that victorie by compaction made wyth King Alfrede to depart out of his dominion of Westsaxe remoued from Reading to London where they abode all that winter Where Halden their king taking truse wyth Burhered King of Mercians the next yeare followinge voyded those partes and drewe to Lyndesey in robbing and spoyling the townes and villages as they went and holding the common people vnder their seruage From thence after to Repyngdon where they ioyning wyth the three other Kings of the Danes called Surdrim Osketel and Hamond grewe thereby in mighty force and strength Who then deuiding their armie in two partes the one halfe remained wyth Halden in the countrey of Northumberland the residue were with the other three kings wintering and soiourning all the next yeare at Grantbrige which was the fourth yeare of King Alfred In the which yeare King Alfred his men had a conflict on the Sea with sixe of the Danes shippes of which one they tooke the other fled away In this yeare went Rollo the Dane into Normandie where hee was Duke thirtie yeare and afterwarde was Baptised in the faith of Christ and named Robert The foresayde armie of the three Dane Kinges aboue mētioned frō Grantebryge returned again to Westsaxonie and entred the Castle of warrham where King Alfrede with a sufficiēt power of men was ready to assault them But the Danes seeing his strength durst not attēpt with him but sought delaies while more ayd might come In the meane season they were constrayned to intreat for truce leauing also sufficient pledges in the Kinges hand promising moreouer vpon their othe to voyde the country of the westsaxons The king vpon the surety let them go But they falsely breaking their league priuely in the night brake out taking their iourny toward Exceter In which iourny they lost vi score of their small ships by a tempest at Sandwych as Henry Huntington in hys storye recordeth Then kyng Alfrede followed after the horsmen of the Danes but coulde not ouertake them before they came to Exceter where he tooke of thē pledges and fayre promises of peace and so returned Notwithstanding the number of the Pagāes did dayly more and more increase in so much as one of my authors sayth that if in one day 30. thousand of them were slayn shortly after they increased double as many agayne After this truce taken with King Alfrede the Danes then voyded to the land of Mercia whereof part of that kingdome they kept themselues part they committed to one Ceolulphus vppon condition that he should be vassall to them and at their commandement with his people at all times The next yere insuing which was the vij yeare of the raigne of Alfred the Danes who nowe hauing all the rule
cuppe vnto the king chanced in the middle of the floure to stumble with one foote helping and recouering himselfe with the other saying in these wordes Thus one brother as ye see helpeth an other These wordes being thus spokeÌ„ in the hearing of the king so moued his mind that forthwith he commaunded the false accuser of his brother to be had out to execution Whose iust recompence I would wish to be a warning to all men what it is to sowe discorde betwixt brother and brother King Ethelstane besides his vij yeares lamentation for this acte builded the two Monasteries of Midletone and of Michelenes for hys brothers sake or as the stories say for his soule Whereby it may appeare what was the cause most speciall in those daies of building monasteries to wit for releasing the sinnes both of them departed and them aliue which cause howe it standeth wyth the grace and veritie of Christes Gospell and of his passion let the Christen reader trie examine with himselfe This cruell fact of the king towarde Edwyne caused him afterwarde to be more tender and careful toward his other brethren and sisters left in his handes vnmarried Which sisters as is partly in the Chapter before declared he richly bestowed in great mariages As one to the king of NorthumberlaÌ„d Sithericus an other he gaue to Lewes King of Aquitania the thirde to Henricus Duke of Almaine for hys sonne Otho who was the first Emperour of the Germanes Whereby it is to be vnderstand that the Empire at this time began first to be translated from Fraunce where it remained about C. yeares and halfe vnto Germanie where it hath euer since continued The fourth of his sisters being a virgine of singulare benty Hugo the French king required to be geuen vnto him sending to King Ethelstane pretious and sumptuous presents such as were not before seene in England Among the which presents gifts besides the rare odours of sondry fauours fine spices and besides the precious costly gemmes namely of Smaradges of most redoleÌ„t grene besides also many and great coursers and palfries richly trapped especially of one iewell as wryters make inention which was a certaine vessell finely and subtilly made of the precious stone Onichinus so radiantly wrought that in it appeared the liuely corn growing and mens images walking c. Ouer and besides was sent also the sworde of Constantine the great with the name of the possessor wrytten in golden letters where in the hast of the same al beateÌ„ in gold was one of the yron nailes wherwith our Sauiour on the crosse was nailed Of the veritie whereof I am not disposed at thys present muche to say what I suspect but that this in the Ecclesiasticall storie of Eusebius is euideÌ„t That two of the foresaid nailes of Christ was speÌ„t on the bridle of Constantine the 3. he cast into the Sea in a raging tempest Wherfore if Christ were nailed with 4. nailes perhappes this naile might be one If he were nailed but with iij. I see not how this storie can stand with other stories neither howe this fourth naile can stand with truthe Among the rest moreouer was the speare as is reported wherwith the side of our Sauiour was opened which also the sayd ConstaÌ„tine was woÌ„t to cary in the field against his enemies with a portion likewise of the holy crosse inclosed in Cristall Also a part of the crowne of thorne in like maner inclosed c. Of the whych Reliques part was geuen to Winchester part to the Church of Malmesbury where king Ethelstane was buried As this King was indued and enlarged by the gift of God the serter vp disposer of all kings with great victories of worldly renowne hauing vnder hys subiection both the Scottes and Britons and the whole Monarchie of the land So he deuised diuers good and holesom lawes for the gouernment of the same as wel concerning the state of the orders Ecclesiasticall as also of the secular or lay people Whereby it is to be vnderstaÌ„d that the vsurped power of the bishop of Rome did not then extend it selfe so largely nor so proudly to derogate froÌ„ the authority of kings princes but that euery one in his owne dominion had vnder God and not vnder the Pope the doing of all matters within the same his dominion contained whether they were causes teÌ„poral or spiritual As by the decrees and constitutions of this king also of other as well before him as after him may euidently be testified as where hee among other lawes thus ordeineth â—ouching the bishop in wordes as folowe Episcopo iure pertinet omnem rectitudinem promouere Dei videlicet ac seculi In primis debet omnem ordinatum instruere quid ei â—it agendum iure quid hominibus secularibus iudicare debeant Debet etiam sedulò pacem concordiam operari cum seculi iudicibus qui rectum velle diligunt in compellationum allegationem edocere ne quis alij perperam agat in iureiurando vel ordalio Nec pati debet aliquam circumuentionem iniustae mensurae vel iniusti ponderis Sed conuenit vt per consilium testimoniuÌ„ eius omne legis rectum burgi mensura omne pondus sit secundum ditionem eius institutum valde rectuÌ„ ne quis proximum suum seducat pro quo decidat in peccatum Et semper debet Christianis prouidere contra omnia quae praedicta sunt ideo debet se de pluribus intromittere vt sciat quomodo grex agat quem ad Dei manum custodire suscepit ne diabolus cum dilaniet nec malum aliquod superseminet Nunquam enim erit populo benè consultum nec dignè Deo conuersabitur vbi lucrum impium magis falsum diligitur Ideo debent omnes amici Dei quod iniquum est eneruare quod iustum est eleuare nec pati vt propter falsum pecuniae questum homines se forisfaciant erga verè sapientem Deum cui displicet omnis iniustitia Christianis autem omnibus necessarium est vt rectum diligant iniqua condemnent faltem sacris ordinibus euecti iustum semper erigant praua deponant Hinc debent Episcopi cum iudicibus iudicia dictitare interesse ne permittant si possint vt illinc aliqua prauitatuÌ„ gramina pullulent Et sacerdotibus pertinet in suo Dioecesi vt ad rectum sedulò quemcumque muent nec patiantur si possint vt Christianus aliquis alij noceat non potens impotenti non summus infirmo non praelatis subditis non Dominus hominibus suis seruis aut liberis Et secundum ditionem per mensuram suam conuenit per rectum vt necessaria serui operentur super omnem scyram cui praeest Et rectum est vt non sit aliqua mensurabilis virga longioâ— quà m alia sed per
was brought vpon a white palsray into Laterane where a scepter was geuen him and a girdle put about him hauing vii keyes with vii scales hanging there vpon for a recognisance or token of his vii fold power according to the vii folde grace of the holy Ghost of binding loosing shutting opening sealing resigning iudging c. After this Paschalis was elected Pope Henricus 4. the foresaid Emperour of courage most valiant if the time had serued thereto thought to come vp to Italic to salute the newe Pope But vnderstanding the Popes minde bent against him he chaunged his purpose In the meane time Paschalis to shew himselfe inferior to Hildebrand in no poynt began first to depose all such Abbates byshops whome the Emperour had set vp Also banished Albertus Theodoricus and Maginulphus striuing the same time for the papacie I spake before of Guibert whō Henricus the Emperour had made Pope against Hildebrād Against this Guibert Paschalis made out an armie who being put to flight not long after departed About the same time An. M. Li. the bishop of Fluence began to teach and to preach of Antichrist then to be borne to be manifest as Sabellicus restifieth wherupon Paschalis assembling a coūcell put to silence the sayde bishop and condemned his bookes In this councell at Trecas priestes that were maryed were condemned for Nicolaitanes Item according to the decree of Hildebrand al such of what degree or estate soeuer they were being lay men that gaue any ecclesiasticall dignities were cōdemned of Symonie Furthermore the statute of priestes tithes there he renued coūting the selling away therof as a sinne against the holy ghost Concerning the excommunicatiō and other troubles that Hildebrand wrought against Henricus the 4. Emperour it is declared sufficiently before This excommunication Paschalis the Pope renued a fresh against the saide Henry And not onely that but also conuenting the Princes of Germanie into a generall assemble set vp his owne sonne against him causing the bishop of Mentz of Colen and of wormes to depriue him of hys Imperiall crowne and to place his sonne Henricus the fift in his fathers kingdome and so they did Comming to the place at Hilgeshem first they required his Diademe hys purple his ring and other ornaments pertaining to the crowne from him The Emperor demandeth the cause being ther excommunicate and voide of frendes They pretending againe I cannot tell what for selling of Bishopricks Abbases and other ecclesiasticall dignities for money also alledging the popes pleasure and of other princes Then required he first of the Bishop of Mentz and likewise of the other two whom he had preferred to their bishopricks before asking them in order if he had receiued of them anye peny for his promoting thē to their dignities This when they could not deny to be so wel saith he doe you require me againe with this With diuers other wordes of exhortation admonishing them to remember their othe alleageaunce to their Prince But the periured Prelates neyther reuerencing his maiestie nor mooued with his benefites nor regarding their fidelitie ceased not for this but first plucked from him sitting in throne his crowne unperiall then disuestured him taking from him his purple his scepter The good Emperour being left desolate and in confusion sayeth to them Videat deus iudicet that is let God see and iudge Thus leauing him they went to his sonne to confirme him in his kingdom and caused him to driue his father out who then being chased of his owne sonne hauing but 9. persones about him did flee by the Dukedome of Limbrugh where the Duke being then in hunting perceauing and bearing of him made after to folow hym The Emperor fearing no other but presēt death for he had displaced that same Duke before out of his Dukedome submitted himselfe crauing of him pardon and not reuengement The Duke full of compassion pitiyng his state not onely remitted all hys displeasure but also receiued him to his castle Moreouer collecting his souldiours and men of warre brought him to Colen and there was well receaued His sonne hearing this besieged the city of Colen But the father by night escaping came to Leodium where resorted to hym all such as were men of compassion and of a constant heart In so much that hys power being strōg enough he was now able to pitch a field against his ennemies and so did desiring his friends that if he had the victorie they woulde spare hys sonne In fine the battail ioyned the father had the victorie the sonne was put to flight many being slaine on both sides But shortly after the battell renued againe the sonne preuailed the father was ouercome and takē who then being vtterly dispossessed of his kingdome was brought to that exigent that comming to Spire was same to craue of the bishop there whom he had done much for before to haue a prebende in the Church and for that he had some 〈◊〉 of his Booke he desired to serue in our Ladies quire Yet coulde he not obtaine so much at his hande who swore by our Ladie hee should haue none there Thus the wofull emperour most vnkindly hādled and repulsed on euery side came to Leodium and there for sorrowe died after he had raigned 50. yeares whose body Paschalis after his funerall caused to be taken vp againe and to be brought to Shires where it remained 5. yeres vnburied Haec ex Helmoldo After the decease of this Emperor Henricus the 4. his sonne Henricus the 5. raigned the space of 20. yeares Who comming to Rome to be crowned of the Pope coulde not obtaine before he would fully assent to haue this ratified that no Emperour should haue any thing to doe with the election of the Romaine Byshop or with other byshopprickes Besides that about the same time suche a sturre was made in Rome by the sayd Byshop that if the Emperour had not defended himselfe with his owne hands he had bene slaine But as it happened the Emperour hauing the victorie amongest many other Romaines which were partly slaine partly taken in the same skirmishe he taketh also the Pope and leadeth him out of the Citie where he indenteth with him vpō diuers conditions both of his coronation and of recouering againe his right and title in the election of the Pope of other byshops wherunto the Pope assenting agreed to all So the Emperour being crowned of Paschalis returned againe with the Pope to Rome All the conditions betwene the Emperour the Pope so long as the Emperour remained at Rome stoode sirine and ratified But asseone as the Emperour was returned againe to Germanie forth with the Pope calling a Synode not only reuoked all that he had agreed to before but also excommunicated Henricus the Emperor as he had done his father before reproouing the former priuilegium for prauilegium The Emperor returning frō Rome to Franice there
content onely with this but moreouer the said Pope Innocent gaue sentence definitiue by counsell of his Cardinals that King Iohn should be put from his seat regall and deposed and an other put in hys roume And to the speedie execution thereof he appoynted the French king Philip promising to geue him full remission of al his sinnes the cleare possession of al the realme of England to him and his heires if he did either kill him or expell him The next yeare the French king began his attempt in hope of the crowne of England being well manned wyth the Bishops Monkes Prelates and Priestes and theyr seruauntes to maintaine the same bragging of the letters which they had receiued froÌ„ the great men there But behold the worke of God the English nauie tooke 300. of the French kings ships wâ—ll loden with wheat wine meale flesh armour and such other like meete for the warre and an 100. they brent within the hauen taking the spoyle with them In the meane time the priests wtin Englande had prouided them a certain false counterfait prophet called Peter Wakefield of Poiz who was an idle gadder about and a pratling marchant This Peter they made to prophecie lies rumoring his prophesies abroade to bring the king out of all credite with his people They noysed it daily among the commons of the Realme that Christ had twise appeared to this prophet of theirs in shape of a child betwene the Priests handes once at Yorke another time at Pomfret and that he had breathed vpon him thrise saying peace peace peace and teaching many things which be anone after declared to the Byshops and bid people amend their naughty liuing Being rapt also in spirit they sayd he behelde the ioyes of heauen and sorrowes of hell For scant were there three sayeth the Chronicle among a thousande that liued Christianly This counterfeit soothsayer prophesied of king Iohn that he shoulde raigne no longer then the ascension day within the yere of our Lord 1213. which was the 14. yere from his coronation and this he sayde he had by reuelation Then was it of him demaunded whether he shoulde be slaine or be expelled or should of himself geue ouer the crown He answered that he coulde not tell But of this he was sure he sayde that neither he nor any of his stock or linage should raign that day once finished The K. hearing of this laughed muche at it and made but a scosse thereof Tush sayth he it is but an idiote knaue and such a one as lacketh his right wyts But when this foolish prophet had so escaped the daunger of the kings displeasure that he made no more of it he gate him abroade and prated thereof at large as he was a very idle vagabund and vsed to rattle and talk more then inough so that they which loued the king caused hym anone after to be apprehended as a malefactor to be throwen in prison the king not yet knowing therof Anone after the same of thys phantasticall Prophet went all the realme ouer his name was knowen euery where as foolishnesse is much regarded of people where wisdom is not in place specially because he was then imprisoned for the matter the rumor was the larger theyr wonderings were the wantonner their practising the folisher their busy talks other idle occupying the greater Continually from thence as the rude maner of people is old gossips tales went abroad new tales were inuented fables were added to fables and lies grew vpon lyes So that euery day new â—anders were raised on the king and not one of them true rumours arose blasphemies were spred the enemies reioysed treasons by the priests were maintained and what likewise was surmised or other subtiltie practised all was then fathered vpon this foolishe prophet As thus sayeth Peter Wakefielde thus hath hee prophesied and thys shall come to passe yea many times when he thought nothing lesse When the Ascension day was come which was prophesied of afore king Iohn coÌ„manded his regal Tent to be spred abroad in the open field passing that day with his noble counsel and men of honor in the greatest solemnitie that euer hee did afore solacing himselfe with musicall instruments songs most in sight amongst his trusty frends When that day was past in all prosperity and myrth his enemies being confused turned all to an allegorical vnderstanding to make the prophecy good and sayd he is no longer king for the Pope raigneth not he yet raigned he stil his sonne after him to proue that prophet a lier Then was the king by his couÌ„sel perswaded that this false prophet had troubled al the realme peruerted the hearts of the people and raised the commoÌ„s against him For hys woordes went ouer the Sea by the helpe of his Prelates and came to the French kings eare gaue vnto him a great encouragement to inuade the land he had not els done it so sodenly But hee was most fouly deceiued as all they are shall be that put their trust in such darke drousy dreames of hypocrits The king therfore coÌ„manded that he should be drawen hanged like a traitor After that the Popish Prelates Monkes Chanons Priests c. sawe this their crafty iuggling by their famed prophet would not speed notwithstanding they had done no little harme thereby to helpe the matter more forward they began to trauail and practise with pope Innocent of the one side and with the FreÌ„ch king on the other side beside subtile treasons which they wrought wtin the realme by their confessions in the eare whereby they both blinded the nobility and commons The king thus compassed abouâ— on euery side with enemies and fearing the sequele thereof knowing the conspiracies that were in working against him as wel by the Pope in al that euer he might as also by Phillip the French king by hys procurement and moreouer his owne people especially hys Lords and Barons being rebelliously incited against him as by the Popes curses and interdictions against such as tooke hys part and by his absolutions dispensations withal those that would rebel against him commaunding them to detaine from him such homage seruice duties debts and al other allegiance that godly subiects owe and are bouÌ„de to yeld and giue to their liege lord prince Al which things considered the King in the 13. yeare of his raigne for that the French king began to make sharp inuasion vpon him within his own Realme sent speedy Embassadors to the pope as to the fountaine of al this his mischief pretensed to worke intreat his peace and reconciliation with him promising to do what soeuer the pope should wil him and commaund him in the reformation of himself and restitution of all wrongs done to holy Church and to make due satisfaction therfore vnto all men that could complaine Then sent the Pope againe into England his Legate Pandulphe wyth other
now call that wicked vniust and violent wrong but lately that they thought equall iust right He sayd further that they were ouercome with pleasures corrupted with superfluitie wonne with brybes gaping for honour and estimation that they neither regarded honesty godlynes nor their duety and office but studied how to make dissention and commotions and longed after warre and bloudy battell He sayd farther that for his part he would obey God and his prince to whom he had sworne fidelity and that he naught esteemed the fayned holynes and detestable practises of such Prelates He sayd he beleued in Christ and would trust in his mercy that he beleued how those whom they cursed and gaue to the Deuill were in greatest fauour with God Howbeit and notwithstāding those Prelates tooke in good part this expostulation with him and seemed to beare Otho no malice or grudge for that he had sayd but to be desirous of peace and vnity yet not long after Otho was cursed as blacke as all the rest and counted as bad as the best Albertus the pops champion now in Germany playeth not rex onely amongst the citizens But also bethought him of a mischieuous deuise agaynst Conradus Cesar the Emperours sonne When by fraude and subtletye he had gotten and taken many of the rich Burgises and Citizens of Reginoburgh which bare the Emperor good will and had sent them prisoners to Staffum Conradus ioyning with other noble men of the Empire after he had spoyled and wasted much of his lands and others his cōpanions braue him so neare that vpon certayne other conditiōs he deliuered agayne the Citizēs And shortly after comming again to Reginoburgh and being receiued welcommed into the Colledge of D. Haimeranus Albertus with certayn of his confederates by the meanes of Ulricus a chief officer of the monks came in the dead time of the night into the chamber where the Cesar with a few other about him did lie And falling vpon them some they tooke and other some they slew finding no other body in the chambers or lodginges they thought that Cesar had bene slain amongest the rest But he hearing the noyse forsooke hys bed hid himself vnder a bēch and so escaped theyr hands The next day he outlawd or prescribed the bishop and his mates and also the monke bailif of treason seased vpon all the goodes of the house But at the sute of the guiltlesse monkes he released all to them agayne taking by way of fine 100. pound Ulricus lost his office and Albertus therby to escape daunger of punishment tooke vpon him the habit of a Monke Conradus Hochensolseus which was the murderer of these men although he escaped the punish ment of mans hand yet the vengeaunce of God for y◠fact he escaped not For as he rid in the day time abroad he was sodenly stroken with a thunderbolt and dyed During all this busy and contentious time it may well be gathered Frederick the Emperour lay not stil but had his hands ful who notwithstāding by Gods help ouercōming suppressing these or greater part of these rebellious popish tumults and had done strait executiō of those especially that had conspired agaynst his person calling a coūsell and setting in some stay the troublesome affaires of his kingdome came to Cremona with Fridericus Prince of Antioche Richardus Erle of Umbria the gouernor of Flamminia and Encius king of Sardiuia with a great number besides of souldiors men of war And besids he took with him which he sent for out of euery part the wisest most vertuous and best learned men that there was thinking with thē to haue gone himselfe to Lions to the Pope and there to haue had with him communication as well concerning the sentence definitiue as also about the cōclusiō of any peace if by any meanes he might And whē al things was prepared ready he took y◠iourny in hād came to Taurinū hauing with him both a great army of souldiors also a great cōpany of Legates and Ambassadors From thence sending his carlages before within 3. dayes iourny of Lions he was certified that Parma was taken kept by the outlawes of diuers sundry factions of the Pope his nere neighbors frends as by the popes Legate and other citizens as of Brixia Placentia such like Which thing when he vnderstood and that the Pope herein was the onely and chiefe doer he saw manifestly it should litle preuayle to attempt any further the thing he went about thē at length whē he saw no other remedy putting from him all hope of peace determined himself to the wars with all his force and might Thus altering his purpose iourny he took the straitest way into Lumbarby and with an army of 60000. men he besieged Parma And to the intent he might more aptly and nere the town plant his siege and battry without disturbance first he entrēched his campe and fortified the same about with bulwarkes other defencible munition After that he caused diuers vitailing houses tauerns in his cāpe to be sleightly builded of timber and without the campe he appointed the place where the market should be kept all vitailers resort that would He appointed places for their churches tēples in seemely maner adourned the same and for the most part their tentes were builded with wood so that it was like an other Parma All which things when he had finished which was not long in doing for this happy and prosperous successe he called and named it Victoria had thought to haue made the same to be in the stead of the City Parma which he purposed to haue made leuell with the groūd And in the beginning both there and els where all thing prospered well with Fredericke had good successe for be sharply layd vnto their charges that defeded kept the city Parma And further Robertus Castilioncus which was the Emperors lieftenant in Picen◠nere vnto Auximum discomforted the Popes army slue of them more then 4000. and tooke many such as were of the confederate cities prisoners And when the factions or cōpanies of the Gibellines and Gwelphes in Florentia were at controuersy whē Fredericus of Hetruria came to the Gibellines to whom they had sent for ayd The Guelphes therewith dismayd fled from thence to Bononia whose goods substance came all to the Emperors cofers Florentia also it selfe to the Emperors obediēce But this good successe and prosperous fortune lasted not long for as at a time Fridericus to recreate himself which seldom had his health rod about the fieldes with certaine of his horsemē to hauke hunt Many also of the Emperors souldiors thinking no thing lesse then of such a matter to be attempted of a many staruelings within the towne Parma wandred ranged vnarmed out of their City Uictoria about the fieldes The souldiors in
cōdemned by the Byshop of Paris and reproued by the maisters of diuinitie and burned openly by Boniface himself and in the full consistorie of Cardinals being likewise reprooued condemned and burned yet hee allowed it being wrytten againe and containing the same fault 6. Item that he might make the most damnable remembraunce of him perpetuall he caused his Images of siluer to be set in the Churche by this meanes bringing men to Idolatrie 7. Item he hath a priuate deuill whose counsell he vseth in all things and through all things 8. Item he said once that if all men were on one side and he on another they coulde not deceiue him neither in lawe nor in deede which thing could not be done except he vsed a deuilish ar◠and of this he is openly thus reported 9. Item he is a witch asking counsell at soothsayers both men and women and thus he is commonly iudged 10. Item he sayd openly that the Romish pope could not commit simonie which is hereticall to say This is a sinne reprooued aswell in the old Testament as in the new and generally in the holy Councels Also hee is wont to make marchaundise of prelates liuings dignities superiorities and benefices to the which holy orders be necessarely ioyned and of absolutions and dispensations like as vsurers and merchaunts vse to buy and sell common things in the market and of this the common bruit reportes him 11. Item hee letteth with all his might among Christian men the speciall Embassade of Christ made to hys owne sonnes saying Peace I leaue to you soweth discord and warres Wherefore ones it was sayde afore him that certaine parties would freindly agree after a good sort but he letted the peace and when the other parte did humbly beseech him that he would geue licence to agree he sayde he woulde not Yea if the sonne of God or Peter the Apostle would come downe into the earth and commaund him he would say I will not beleeue thee 12. Item because the French nation being manifestly a most Christian nation followeth not hys errours in the faith he reckeneth and openly calleth al and euery of them Paterniani 13. Item he is infect with sodomiticall sinne keping with him boyes for cōcubines and of this fault he is most commonly and openly reported 14. Item he hath caused many murthers of Clearkes to be done in his presence commending it reioysing at their death and if they were not deadly wounded at the first by his seruant◠as oft as he law them smiting he saide smite smite by which example many were slaine 15. Item when he had condemned a certaine noble man he forbad the Sacrament to be geuen him at the poynt of death desiring it and being penitent saying that the Sacrament of penaunce was not necessary to saluation 16. Item he cōpelled certaine Priestes to shew vnto him the confessions of men and hee published them openly afterwarde contrary to the will of them that were confessed to their shame confusion and compelled them to redeme their sinnes In so much that ones hee deposed a certaine bishop of Spayne for the faultes that he confessed to a certaine Cardinal confessing vnto him a certaine priuy horrible fault vnder Benedicite and compelled the Cardinall against his will to declare his confession and yet afterward he restored the same Bishop againe to his place for a little money Wherfore he is thought to play the hereticke in the Sacrament of penance 15. Item he fasteth not on the fasting dayes nor Lent but eateth flesh indifferently without cause suffreth his houshold and frends to eat saying it is no sinne Doing in this thing against the generall state of the holy church 16. Item he oppressed the order of the Cardinals and hath oppressed the order of blacke white monks of gray Friers preachers and said oft that the world was destroyed by them that they were false hypocrites and that neuer good could chance to any that would be confessed to them or would be familiar with them or would keepe them in their house and he neuer sayde good worde of any prelate religious man or clark but euer rebuketh and slaūdereth them taking away their good name and to compel them to redeeme their faultes he is glad of their accusations and this is the common voyce and report of him 17. Item of olde time he going about to destroy the faith conceiued a hate against the French king euen to the abhorring of the faith because of the light of faith which is there and because of the great witnes and example of christianitie is hath ben there And before he had this seat he is proued to haue sayd that if he were Pope he would rather ouerthrow all christendom but he would ouerthrow and destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of French 18. Also hee is reported that when the Embassadours of the king of England in the name of the sayde king did require and entreat for the tenth of the realme of England to be geuen him he aunswered that he would not geue them the tenth but on this cōdition that he would make warre with them against the French king And beside this he is reported to haue geuen great sommes of mony to certaine persons to hinder that peace shuld not be betwixt the sayd kings He himselfe also withall his might hath letted it by messengers letters and otherwaies that he coulde yea by geuing bribes 19. Item he is reported also to haue commaunded Fridericke which kepeth the I le of Cicil that if he would betray Charles the king and breake the peace which he made and sweare that he would keepe with him and would stirre against the king and kil the Frenchmen that then he would geue him aide helpe and counsaile for so doing he would geue and graunt him the said kingdoms 20. He confirmed also the king of Almaine to be Emperor and saide openly that he did it to destroy the nation which he calleth the pride of the French men which say that they are subiect to none in temporal things Wherein sayeth he they lied on their heds declaring moreouer that whosoeuer yea if it were an Angell from heauen would say that all kings of the world were not subiect to the same king of Almaine he were accursed 21. Further he brake the agreements of peace betwixt the king of Alamine and the French king in which eyther of them shuld haue their owne saued And what encrochings so euer had bene on either side should be brought to a due state and vnder an othe orderly geuen and taken he is reported to haue commanded the same king of Almaine that he should not kepe these conditions of peace but be an enemie and go about to sow debate among christen men 22. Itē he is openly reported that the holy land was betraied through his fault and came to the enemies of God and of faith and that he suffred this for the
he presented himselfe and mustred his troupe wherin he had to the number of 500. good men at armes wel appointed moūted His comming and furniture was well liked both of the king Queene was by the Harbinger appointed to be lodged with his housholde retinue in the Abbey of whyte mōkes To be briefe such grudge and variance fel betwene some of the kings souldiors and his within the suburbs of the towne being together lodged That from the little to the more whiles the king Queene with diuers other of the nobles straungers others were at dinner the said fray so greatly increased that the whole army as many as wer in the town then lodged stood to their defence so that there was slain of the english archers in short space by the strangers to the nūber of 300. men Wherupō grew after the fray was with much difficultie both of the king Queene ended such hartburning betwene the parties as that the number of 6000. conspired together agaynst thē thinking to haue burnt them in theyr lodginges had they not bene by the great grace of God discrete hādling otherwise preuented let Wherupō the Heynolders were fayne to take keep the field vsing as diligēt watch and ward as though they had bene among theyr hostile enemies After this the king set forward his army toward Durham encamped hymselfe neare about the same who also sent the Lord Ufford the Lorde Mounbry to Carlell with a sufficient company to keepe that entrance and also the Lord marshal of England to keepe the towne of Newcastle with a sufficient cōpany to defend the same and the country adioyning For well knew the king that by one of these two entries the Scottes must passe into England standing both of them vpon the riuer of Tyne 24. miles distant But the Scots priuily with their army passed the riuer betwixt the two townes into Englād few vnderstanding thereof till that the great fyers which the Scots had kindled and made in England bewrayed them who came burning and destroing the country al about as far as Stānop park This thing being declared to the king he commaundeth hys host with all speede to march towards thē which so long trauailed that they came in sight ech of other The K. also commaunded the passages of y◠riuer to be so straitly narrowly garded that by no meanes y◠Scots could retire and haue escaped back againe into Scotland without battaile geuen them of the K. But the Scots vnderstanding the great power of the king was of kept alwayes the aduantage of the hils retiring in the nightes frō one to an other that wtout great oddes aduauntage in the one side hazard to the other the king could not set vpon them Thus in the day time the Scots keeping the aduauntage of the hilles and in the night times retiring to the aduauntage of such other like came neare agaynst that riuer where they first passed ouer where they made a shew to offer battaile to the K. vpon the morow Wherupon the king being busied in putting his mē and battailes in a readines to fight the next morning being almost forweried in pursuing the Scots frō place to place the Scots in the meane season gat ouer the riuer and escaped the daunger of the K. Which thing as it could not be done without great treasō of some neare about the king so sir Roger Mortimer was grieuously suspected thereof and after was layd vnto hys charge But to be short by this meanes the Scots escaped the riuer after whome it should haue preuayled the King very little to haue made pursute as the wily Scots knew full well For the ioy wherof the L. William Douglas one of the Scots Generals with 200. horses gaue a larum in the kings camp came so neare that he cut certayne of the lynes of the kings tent in sunder with his sword and retired to hys company without great losse of any of his mē Then on the morow the king perceauing the Scots to be gone came to the place where ouer night they lodged where was found 500. great Oxen and Kyne ready killed fiue hundred Caudrens made of beastes skinnes ful of flesh ouer the fire seething a thousands speetes full of fleshe ready to be rosted and more then 10000. shoes of raw leather the heare still vpon the same whiche the Scottes had left behinde them and fiue poore English prisoners tyed to trees theyr legs broken All which seeing the king returned with hys armye and left anye further pursuing the Scottes to Durham where he dismissed his army and came agayne to London sending with Syr Iohn of Heynalt two hundred men at armes for theyr better safegard against the english archers with whom at Yorke as you heard they frayed till they had taken shipping and so returned home The king then being at London confirmed the liberties of the Citizens and ordayned that the Maior shoulde sit in all places as chiefe Iustice within the liberties of the same And that what Alderman soeuer had beene Mayor before should be a Iustice of peace within his own ward Then the king the Queene and the counsell sent ouer to the Erle of Heynault certayn Embassadours touching the solemnisation of the mariage betwene the king and the Lady Philip his daughter who in such sort sped their message that she was soone after conueied ouer to England very honourably and at Douer ariued And from thence came to London some Chronicles affirme to Yorke where vpon the day of the conuersion of S. Paule the yeare aboue specified the mariage and coronation of the Queene was with much triumph during the space of 3. weekes solemnised After which coronation and mariage the king let sommon his Parliament to be kept at Northampton wherat by the meanes of sir Roger Mortimer and the old queene a peace was purchased for the Scottes who had for that purpose sent theyr Embassadours for foure yeares to endure Also the king then beyng within age granted to release the Scottes of al theyr homage and fealty which vnto the realme of England by theyr charter ensealed they were bound as also theyr indenture which was called the Ragman Role wherin was specified the foresayd homage and fealtie to the king and crown of England by the sayd king of Scots nobles and prelates to be made hauing all their seales annexed to the same Also there was then deliuered vnto them the black crosse of Scotland whiche king Edward before for a rich Iewell and relique had conquered brought from Scone Abbey with all suche rites and titles as anye the Barons els had enioyed in the said Realme of Scotland with many other things more to the great preiudice both of the Realm discontentation of al the nobles and Barons for y◠most part more then the old queene syr Roger Mortimer and the Bysh. of Ely Who in such
continually was spoyled sackt and with fire consumed by the circuit of 20. miles round about yet the French king being distant scarse the space of one mile froÌ„ vs either would not or els durst not when he might easily haue passed ouer the riuer make any resistaunce for the defence of his countrey and people And so our king iourneying forwarde came to Pusiacke or Poisy where the French king had likewyse broke downe the bridge and keeping on the other side of the riuer would rest in no place After whose comming to Poisie the foresayd chaplain and confessor to the king named Michaell Northburgh describing the kings voyage and the actes of the Englishmen from the town of Poisie to his comming to Calis in his letters writeth in this wise ¶ A Letter of W. Northburghe the Kyngs confessor describing the kings voyage into Fraunce SAlutations premised we geue you to vnderstand that our soueraigne Lord the king came to the towne of Poisye the daye before the Assumption of our Lady where was a certayne bridge ouer the water of Seane broken downe of the enemye but the king taried there so long till that the bridge was made again And whiles the bridge was in repayring there came a great number of men at armes and other souldiours were armed to hinder the same But the Earle of Northhampton issued out agaynst them flew of them more then one thousand the rest fled away thankes be to God And at an other time our men passed the water although with much trauell and flew a great number of the common souldiours of Fraunce about the Citty of Paris and countrey adioyning being part of the French kinges army and thorowly well appoynted so that our people haue now made other good bridges vpon our enemyes God be thanked without any great losse and damage to vs. And on the morrow after the Assumption of our Ladye the king passed the water of Sceane and marched toward Poâ—ye which is a towne of great defence and stronglye immured and a maruellous strong Castle within the same which our enemies kept And when our vaundgard was passed the towne our reregarde gaue an assault thereunto and tooke the same where were slayne more then 300. men at armes of our enemyes part And the next day following the Earle of Suffolke and Sir Hugh Spenser marched forth vpon the commons of the countrey assembled and well armed and in fine discomfited them and slew of them more then 200. and tooke 60. Gentlemen prisoners besides others And after that the Kyng marched toward Graund Villers and while he was there encamped the kinges vaundgard was discried by the men of armes of the king Bename whereupon our men issued out in great haste and ioyned battell with them but were inforced to retyre Notwithstanding thankes be vnto God the Earle of Northhampton issued out and reskued the horsemen with other souldiours so that few or none of them were either taken or slayne sauing onely Thomas Talbot but had agayne the enemye in chase within 2. leagues of Amians of whom we tooke 8. and slew 12. of their best men at armes the rest being well horsed tooke the towne of Amians After this the king of England marched toward Pountife vpon Bartholomew day and came vnto the water of Som where the French king had layd 500. men at armes and three thousand foote men purposing to haue kept and stopped our passage but thankes be to God the king of England and his hoste entred the same water of Som where neuer man passed before without the losse of any of our men and after that encountered with the enemy and slewe of them more then two thousand the rest fledde to Abeuyle in which chase was taken many Knights Squiers and men at armes The same day Sir Hugh Spenser tooke the towne of Croylay where he and his souldiours flew foure hundred men at armes and kept the towne where they found great store of victuals The same night encamped the king of England in the Forest of Cressy vpon the same water for that the French kinges hoste came on the other side of the town neare vnto our passage But he woulde not take the water of vs and so marched towarde Abeuile And vpon the Friday next following the King beyng still encamped in the sayd Forest our Scuriers discried the french king which marched toward vs in foure great battelles And hauing then vnderstanding of our enemies as Gods will was a little before the euening tide we drew vnto the playne fielde and set our battelles in aray and immediately the fight began which was sore and cruell and indured long for our enemyes behaued themselues right nobly But thankes be geuen to God the victory fell on our side and the Kyng our aduersary was discomfited with all hys hoste and put to flight Where also was slayne the Kyng of Bename the Duke of Loren the Earle of Dabeson the Earle of Flaunders the Earle of Blois the Earle of Aarcot with his two Sonnes the Earle of Damerley the Earle of Nauers and his Brother the Lord of Tronard the Archbyshoppe of Myemes the Archbishop of Saundes the high Prior of Fraunce the Earle of Sauoy the Lord of Morles the Lord de Guis Segniour de S. Nouant Seigniour de Rosingburgh with sixe Earles of Almayn and diuers other Earles Barons Knightes and Squyres whose names are vnknowne And Philippe de Valoys himselfe with an other Marques which was called Lord Electour among the Romaynes escaped from the battell The number of the men at armes whiche were founde dead in the field beside the common Souldiours and footemen were 1542. And all that night the king of England with his hoste abode armed in the field where the battell was fought On the next morrow before the Sunne rose there marched towardes vs an other great hoste mightye and strong of the Frenchmen But the Earle of Northhampton and the Earle of Northfolke issued out agaynst them in 3 battels and after long and terrible fight them in likewise they discomfited by Gods great help and grace for otherwise it could neuer haue bene where they tooke of Knights and Squires a great number and flew aboue 2000. pursuing the chase three leagues from the place where the battell was fought The same night also the king encamped himselfe agayne in the forest of Cressy and on the morow marched toward Boleyne and by the way he took the town of Staples and from thence he marched toward Calis where he entendeth to plant his siege and lay his battery to the same And therfore our soueraigne Lord the king willeth and commauÌ„deth you in all that euer you may to send to the said siege victuals coÌ„uenient For after the time of our departing froÌ„ Chaam we haue trauelled through the countrey with great perill and daunger of our people but yet alwayes had of victuall plenty thankes be to God therfore But now as the case standeth we partly need your helpe to be refreshed
ought as neare as I can to chuse the best part Wherfore I surely trust that M. I. Wickliffe is one of the number of theÌ„ which are saued The words of Christ moneth me therunto saying Math. 7. Doe ye not iudge that ye be not iudged Luke the 6. Do not condemn ye shal not be condemned and the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 Do ye not iudge before the Lord himselfe do come the which shall opeÌ„ those things that are hid in darknes to manifest the priuities of all hartes Secondly the loue and charity which I ought to bear vnto my neighbor louing him as my selfe doth moue me thereunto Luk. 10. Thirdly his good fame report moneth me the which he hath of the good Priests of the vniuersity of Oxford not of the wicked commoÌ„ly of the vulgar sort although not of the couetous proud and luxurious Prelates Fourthly his owne workes writings doe stirre me therunto by the which he goeth about with his whole indeuor to reduce all men vnto the law of Christ specially yâ— clergy that they shoulde forsake the pompe dominion of this world and with the Apostles lead the life of Christ. Fiftly his owne protestations which he doth oftentimes vse in his sentences often repeating the same doth not a litle moue me Sixtlye his earnest desire and affection which he had vnto the law of Christ doth not a litle allure me therunto disputing of the verity therof the which cannot fayle in any one iote or title Whereupon he made a booke of the verity of the holy Scripture approuing euen vnto the vtter most the trueth of Gods law Wherfore it were too foolish a consequeÌ„t to say that because the number of the Prelates and clergy in England Fraunce and Boheme do couÌ„t Iohn Wickeliffe for an hereticke that therfore he is an heretick c. Like as the reason for burning of the bookes for it is written in the first booke of Machabees first chapter that they did burne the books of the Lord tearing them in peeces and whosoeuer was founde to haue kept any bookes of the Testament or will of the Lord or the which obserued and kept the lawe of the Lord they were by the kinges commaundemen put to death If then the burning of these bookes by wicked men did argue or proue the euilnesse of the books theÌ„ was the law of God euill and nought So likewise the burning of S. Gregories bookes and diuers other sayntes and good men should argue proue that they were euill naughty men Wherupon as it doth not folow that because the Bishops Scribes and Phariseis with the elders of the people condemned Christ Iesus as an heretick that therfore he is an heretick So likewise doth it not follow of any other man The Byshops maisters of diuity monkes and prelates condemned thys man as an hereticke Ergo he is an hereticke For this consequeÌ„t is reproued by Iohn Chrisostom which was twise condemned as an hereticke by the Bishops and the whole clergy Likewise S. Gregory in his bookes was condemned by the Cardinals By like proofe also as they affirme M. Iohn Wickliffe to be an hereticke Iohn Duke of LaÌ„caster a man of worthy memory and progenitor of Henry king of Englande should also be an hereticke For the sayd Duke defeÌ„ded fauored and greatly loued M. Iohn Wickliffe Ergo the sayd Duke is or was an hereticke the consequent is good The Minor is well knowne vnto the Englishmen The Maior appeareth in the Canon where it is sayd he which defendeth an hereticke c. But these thinges set apart I demaund of the aduersary whether M. Iohn Wickliffe be damned for euer or no If he say that he is damned because he is an hereticke I propounde this vnto him whether M. Iohn Wickeliffe whiles he liued held any false doctrine coÌ„trary to the holy Scripture If he do affirme it let him then shew what doctrine it is and afterward declare that he held it obstinatly And he shall finde that in his bookes he alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse And by and by after M. Iohn Stokes in his intimation sayth that M. Iohn Wickliffe in EnglaÌ„d is counted for an hereticke This seemeth also false by the letter testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxforde vnto the which there is more credit to be geueÌ„ then vnto him And this shall suffise for this present Now as we haue declared the testimony of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Hus concerning the praise of Iohn Wickliffe It followeth likewise that we set forth and expresse the contrary censure and iudgementes of his enemies blinded with malicious hatred and corrupt affections against him especially of the Popes Councel gathered at Constance proceeding first in condemning hys bookes then of his articles and afterward burning of his bones The copy of which theyr senteÌ„ce geuen against him by that counsell here foloweth * The sentence geuen by the Councell of Constance in condemning the doctrine and 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe THe most holy and sacred councell of CoÌ„stance making and representing the catholick Church for the extirpation of this present schisme and of all other errors and heresies springing and growing vnder the shadow and pretence of the same and for the reformation and amendment of the Church being lawfully congregate and gathered together in the holy Ghost for the perpetuall memory of the time to come We are taught by the acts and historyes of the holy fathers that the catholicke fayth without the which as the holy Apostle S. Paule saith it is vnpossible to please God hath bene alwayes defeÌ„ded by the faythfull and spirituall souldiors of the Church by the shield of fayth agaynst the false worshippers of the same fayth or rather peruerse impugners which through their proud curiosity will seeme to know more and to be wiser then they ought to be for the desire of yâ— glory of the world haue gone about oft times to ouerthrow the same These kindes of warres and battelles haue bene prefigured to vs before in those carnall warres of the Israelites agaynst the Idolatrous people For in those spirituall warres the holy catholick Church through the vertue power of fayth being illustrateâ—â—â— the beames of the heauenly light by the prouideÌ„ce of God and being holpen by the helpe and defence of the Saints holy men hath alway continued immaculate the darcknes of errours as her most cruell enemyes being put to flight â—he hath most gloriously triumphed ouer all But in these our daies the old and vnclean enemy hath raysed vp new coÌ„teÌ„tions strifes that the elect of this world might be knowne whose Prince and captayne in time past was one Iohn Wickliffe a false Christian. Who during his life time taught and sowed very obstinatly many articles coÌ„trary and agaynst the Christian Religion and the Catholicke fayth And the same
spread abrode in holy church now adayes among priestes we shul wel wit that they come not all to the folde of Christ by Christes clepping for to profite but by other wayes to get them worldly welth and this is the cause of lesing of soules that Christ bought so deare and of many errours among the people and therefore it is iwrit in the booke of mourning where the prophet speaketh thus to God Tre 1. The enemy hath put his hand to all things desyrable to him for he hath let lawles folke enter into the sanctuary of the which thou hadst commaunded that they should not enter into the church This enemy is Sathanas as his name sowneth that hath put his hande to all that him liketh What sinne I pray you will the fiend haue sow on men that nis now yvsed In what plentie is now pride enuy wrath and couetise Whan were they so great as they be now and so of all other sinnes And why trowest thou But for there be a lawles people entred into thy sanctuarie that neither keepe in hemselfe the law of God ne konne teachen other And to euery such saith God by the prophet Ose 4. For that thou hast put away cunning I shall put thee away that thou shal vse no priesthoode to me Lo that God expresly heere in holy writte forbiddeth men to take the state of pristhoode on them but they haue cunning that needeth them Thou than that canst neither rule thy selfe ne other after the lawe of God beware how thou wilt answer to God at his dreadfull dome when he shall say to thee that which I tooke to my theame Yeld the reckening of thy baily how thou hast entred The second question that euery curate and prelate of holye Chirch shall aunswer to is this How hast thou ruled That is to say the soules of thy suggets and the goods of poore men Geue now thine acounte First how thou hast gouerned gods folke that were take thee to keepe Whether art thou an herde or an hired man that doost all for loue of bodelich hi e As a father or as a Wolfe that eaten his sheepe and keepeth them nought Say whome thou hast turned from his cursed liuing by thy deuout preaching Whome hast thou taught the law of God that was earst vncunning Ther shal ben heard a greuous accusing of fatherles children and a hard aledging that priests haue liueden by their wages and not done away their sins Yelde also rekoning how thou hast ruled and spended the goodes of poore men Harke what S. Bernard saith Dreade clarkes dreade the ministers of the Church the which ben in the place of saintes that they do so wickedly nought holding them apayd with such wages that were sufficient to them That ouerplus that needy men shuld be sustained by they be not ashamed to wast in the house of their pride and leachery and withholden to themselfe wickedly and cursedly that which should be the lifeloode of poore men With double wickednes truly they sinne First for they reeuen other mens goods and faith they misuse holy things in their vanities and in their filthes Euery such Bayly therefore beware for anone to the last far thing he shall recken with Christ. Trowest thou not then that thou ne shalt be disalowed of God of that thou hast mispended in in feeding of fat Palfreys of hounds of Haukes and if it so be that is worst of all on lecherous women Heare what is sayd of suche They had led their dayes in wealths And in a poynt they bene gone down into hell Think therefore I rede thee that thou shalt yelde reckening of thy bayly The third question that this baily shal aunswer to is this How hast thou lyued What light of holynes hast thou shewed in thy liuing to the people or what mirrour hast thou ben of holynes to them Geue now thy reconing how thou hast liued as a priest or as a leude man as a man or as a beast That is to wonder truelye how the lyfe of priestes is chaunged They be clothen as knights they speaken as vnhonestly as carels other of wynnyng as Marchaunts They riden as princes and al that is thus spended is of the goodes of poore men and of Christs heretage Therfore saith an holy doctor The clay of Egypt was tough and stinking and medled with bloud The slates were harde to bee vndoe for they were baked with fire of couetise and with the light of lust In this trauayleth riche men in this they wake a wayting poore men In these trauaileth prelates that ben to much blent with to much shining of riches that make them houses lyke churches in greatnes that with diuers pointries coloren their chambers that with diuers clothinges of colours make images gay but the poore mā for default of clothes beggeth and with an empty wombe cryeth at the doore And if I shall the foth say saith this doctor oft tyme poore men be robbed for to clothe the trees and stones Of such speaketh the Prophet Howe art thou here or as who art thou Here thou art occupying the place of Peter and of Poule or of Thomas or of Martine But how as Iudas among the Apostles as Symon Magus among the disciples as a candle now queinte that stincheth all the house in steede of a light lanterne as a smoke that blindeth mens eyen in place of cleane fire If thou contrarye thus the forme of liuing that Christ and his disciples left to priests Lo what saith the prophet Ieremye They haue entred and they haue had and nought ben obedient They hauen with false title or with their false and corrupt intention had poore mens goodes to their misusing and they haue not bee obedient to the lawe of God in their owen liuing Therefore it is writ that the hardest dome shall fall on such An hard dome for they haue misentred An harder dome for they haue misruled And the hardest dome for they haue so cursedlie liued Thinke therefore I rede how thou wilte giue reckning of thy bayly The second Bayliff that accounteth at this dome for himselfe and also for other is he that keping hath of any communite as kings princes Maiers and Shireues and iustices And these shull also answer to the same three questions The first question how hast thou hentred that is to say into thine office Other for help of the people to destroy falshed and forthren treuth other for desire of winning or worldly worship If thou take such an office more for thine owne worldly profite than for helpe of the comunite thou art a tirant as the pholosopher seith For it is to feare least there bene too many that desiren suche states that they may the rather oppresse thilke that they hateth and take giftes to spare to punish thilke that hauen trespassed and so maketh them parteners of their sinnes And many such when they ben so high they reck nought that they beeth
not onely left such articles and opinioÌ„s wherin he was defamed but also did abstaine from all company that were suspected of such opinions so that he should neither geue ayd helpe councell nor fauor vnto them And moreouer the sayd Iohn was asked by the sayde Archbishop whether he euer had in his house since his abiuration in his keeping any bookes written in Englishe Wherunto he confessed that he would not deny but that he had in his house and in his keeping many english bookes for he was arested by the Mayor of the city of London for such bookes as he had which bookes as he thought were in the Mayors keping Upon the which the Mayor did openly confesse that he had such bookes in his keping which in his iudgement were the worst and the moste peruerse that euer he did read or see and one booke that was well bound in red leather of parâ—chment written in a good english hand and among the other bookes found with the said Iohn Claydon the Mayor gaue vp the sayd booke afore the Archbishop Whereupon the sayde Iohn Claydon being asked of the Archbishop if he knewe that booke dyd openly confesse that he knew it very well because he caused it to be written of his owne costes and charges for he speÌ„t muche money thereupon since his abiuration Then was he asked who wrote it He did aunswere one called Iohn Grime And further being required what the said Iohn Grime was he aunswered he coulde not tell Agayne being demaunded whether he did euer read the same booke he dyd confesse that he could not read but he had heard the fourth part therof red of one Iohn Fullar And being asked whether he thought the contentes of that booke to be Catholicke profitable good and true he aunswered that many thinges which he had hearde in the same booke were both profitable good and healthful to his soule and as he sayde he had great affection to the sayd book for a Sermon preached at Horsaldowne that was written in the sayd booke And being futher asked whether since the tyme of hys sayd abiuration he did commune with one Richard Baker of the City aforesayd he did answere yea for the sayde Richard Baker did come often vnto his house to haue coÌ„munication with him And being asked whether he knew the said Richard to be suspected and defamed of heresy he did aunswere agayne that he knew well that the sayd Richard was suspected defamed of many men and women in the City of LondoÌ„ as one whom they thought to be an hereticke Which confession being made did cause the sayd bookes to be deliuered to maister Robert Gilbert Doctour of diuinity to William Lindewood Doctor of both lawes and other Clerkes to be examined and in the meane time Dauid Beard Alexander Philip and Balthasar Mero were taken for witnesses agaynst him and were committed to be examined to Maister Iohn Escourt generall examiner of Canterbury This done the Archbishop continued hys Session till Monday next in the same place Which Monday being come which was the xx of the sayd moneth the sayd Maister Escourt openly and publickely exhibited the witnesses being openly read before the Archbishop and other Bishops which being read then after that were read diuers tractations founde in the house of the sayde Iohn Claydon out of the which being examined diuers points were gathered and noted for heresies and errors and specially out of the booke aforesaid which booke the said Iohn Claydon confessed by his owne costes to be written and bound which booke was intituled the Lanterne of light In the which and in the other examined were these Articles vnder written conteyned 1. First vpon the text of the Gospell how the enemy dyd sowe the tares there is sayd thus that wicked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed among the lawes of Christ his popish and corrupt decrees which are of no authoritye strength nor valure 2. That the Archbishops and Bishops speaking indifferently are the seates of the beast Antichrist when he sitteth in theÌ„ and raigneth aboue other people in the darck caues of errors and heresyes 3. That the Bishops licence for a man to preach the word of God is the true caracter of the beast i. Antichrist therfore simple and faythfull Priestes may preache when they will agaynst the prohibition of that Antichrist and without licence 4. That the court of Rome is the chiefe head of Antichrist and the Bishops be the body the new sectes that is the monks canons and friers brought in not by Christ but damnably by the pope be the venimous pestiferous tail of Antichrist 5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church but only such as be elected and predestinate to saluation seing the church is no other thing but the congregation of faythfull soules which doe and will keepe their faith constantly as well in deed as in word 6. That Chryst did neuer plante priuate religions in the church but whilest he liued in this world he did root them out By which it appeareth that priuate religioÌ„s be vnprofitable branches in the church and to be rooted out 7. That the materiall churches should not be decked with golde siluer precious stone sumptuously but the folowers of the humility of Iesus Christ ought to worship their Lord God humbly in mean simple houses not in great buildings as the churches be now a dayes 8. That there be ij chiefe causes of the persecution of the christians one is the priestes vnlawfull keeping of teÌ„poral and superfluous goods the other is the vnsatiable begging of the friers with their hye buildings 9. That almes is not geuen vertuously nor lawfully except it be geuen with these 4. conditions first vnlesse it be geuen to the honor of God 2. vnlesse it be geuen of goodes iustly gotten 3. vnlesse it be geueÌ„ to such a person as the geuer therof knoweth to be in charity And 4. vnles it be geueÌ„ to such as haue need and do not dissemble 10. That the often singing in the church is not founded in the scripture and therefore it is not lawfull for priestes to occupy theÌ„selues with singing in the Church but with the study of the law of Christ and preaching his word 11. That Iudas did receiue the body of Christ in breade his bloud in wine In the which it doth playnly appeare that after consecration of breade and wine made the same bread and wine that was before doth truely remayne on the aultar 12. That all ecclesiasticall suffrages do profit all vertuous and godly persons indifferently 13. That the Popes and the Bishops indulgences be vnprofitable neither can they profite them to whom they be geuen by any meanes 14. That the laity is not bound to obey the prelates what so euer they commauÌ„d vnles the prelats do watch to geue God a iust account of the soules of them 15. That Images are not to be
vsing al celeritie to meete them before they came to London gathered a power such as hee could make about LoÌ„don and first coÌ„meth to Abyngdon from thence to Marlebridge hearing that the Queene was at Bathe thinking to encounter with them before they diuerted into Wales to the Earle of Pembroke whether he thought as they in deede intended that they woulde take But the Queene vnderstanding the king to be so nie remoueth from Bathe to Bristow sending word in the meane while to the citizens of Gloucester that they would graunt her leaue safely to passe by their Citie Which wheÌ„ it could not be obteined with her army she departeth froÌ„ Bristow to Teukesbery where the D. of Somerset knowing king Edward to be at hand at his very backe willed the Queene there to stay in no wise to flie backward for certaine doubts that might be cast Although this couÌ„saile was against the consent of many other captaines who thought it best rather to draw aside while the Earle of Pembroke with his army were with them associate yet the mind of the Duke preuailed The place was prefixed the field pitched the time of battaile came the King was loked for who being within one mile of Tewkesbury with like industry policy as his enemies had done disposed his army likewise in their aray This celeritie of the King taking the time was to him great aduantage who otherwise if he had differed till they had conioined with the Earle of Pembroke had put the matter in great hazard Such a matter it is to take a thing in time Of this battayle Hall this reporteth adding more then Polidore that the D. of Somerset although he was stroÌ„gly intrenched yet through the occasion or policie of the Duke of Gloucâ—ster which had the fore ward of the kings part a little reculing back followed the chase supposing that the Lord Wenlock who had the middle ward would haue followed hard at his backe The duke of Glocester whether for shame rather then of policie espieng his aduaÌ„tage sodenly turned face to his enemies Whereupon the coÌ„trary part was estsoones discomfited and so much the more because they were separate froÌ„ their company Tho Duke of Somerset not a litle aggyeued at this so vnfortunate case returneth to the middle ward where he seeing the L. Wenlocke abiding still reuileth him and calleth him traytour and with his are striketh the braine out of his head Thus much addeth Hall besides Polydor but sheweth not his author where he had it Polydore writing of this conflict writeth no more but this that the Queenes army being ouerset with the number and multitude of their enemies and she hauing no fresh souldiours to furnish the field was at last ouermatched and for that most part slaine or taken In which battaile were named to be slaine that Earle or Deuonshire the Lord Wenlocke Lord Iohn Duke of Somerset his brother beside other Among theÌ„ that were taken was Queene Margaret fouÌ„d in her chariot almost dead for sorow Prince Edward Edmund D. of Somerset Iohn Prior of S. Iohns with xx other knightes all which were beheaded within ij dayes after the Queene only and the yong prince excepted Which prince Edward being then brought to the Kings presence was demaunded of him how he durst be so bold to stand in battaile against him To this Edward Hall addeth more and saith that after the field was finished the King made Proclamation that whosoeuer would bring Prince Edward to him should haue annuitie of an C. li. during his life and the Princes life to be saued Whereupon sir Rich. Croftes not mistrusting the kings promise brought forth his prisoner c. And so the king demanding of the Prince as is said how he durst so presumptuously enter this Realme with his banner displayed against him he answered sayeng that he came to recouer his fathers kingdome and inheritance from his grandfather and father to him descending whereat said Polydor the King with his hande disdainingly thrust him from him Other say that the king stroake him on the face with his gauntlet At the speaking of these words was present George Duke of Clarence Richarde Duke of Gloucester and the Earle Lord William Hastings Who vpon the same vncourteously falling vpon the Prince did slaye hym Queene Margaret being brought prisoner to London was afterwarde raunsomed of hir father Duke of Angeow for a great summe of money which he borrowed of the French King and for the paiment therof was faine to yeeld vnto him the title of the kingdome of Sicile and Naples c. King Edward for these prosperous warres rendred to God his hartie thanks and caused publikely through his realme solemne processions to be kepte three daies together And thus much and too much touchyng the warres of King Edward the fourth which was done anno 1471. Ex Polid. alijs The same yeare and about the same tyme vppon the Ascension euen king Henry being prisoner in the Tower departed after he had reigned in all xxxviij yeares and vi moneths Polydore and Hall folowing him affirme that he was slaine with a dagger by Rich. Duke of Glocester the Kings brother for the more quiet and sauegard of the King his brother In the history intituled Scala mundi I finde these words Quod in turri in vigilia Ascensionis Dominicae ibidem feliciter moriens per Thamesiam nauicula vsque ad Abbathiam de Chertesey deductus ibi sepultus est That is that king Henry being in the Tower vpon the Ascension euen there happely or quietly departing was brought by Thames in a boate to the Abbey of Chertesey and there buried Polydore after he hath described the vertues of thys king recordeth that king Henry the seuenth did afterwarde translate the corps of him froÌ„ Chertesey to Windsore and addeth moreouer that by him certayne myracles were wrought For the which cause the sayde King Henry the seauenth sayth he laboured with Pope Iulius to haue him canonised for a Saint but the death of the king was the let why that matter proceeded not Edward Hall writing of this matter addeth more declaring the cause why king Henries sancting went not forward to be this for that the fees of canonising of a King were of so great a quantitie at Rome more then of another Bishop or prelaâ—e that the said king thought it better to keepe the money in his chestes then with the empouerishing of the realme to buy so deare pay so much for a new holy day of sainct Henry in the Calender c. Ex Hallo which if it be true it might be replied then to the Pope Iulius that if Popes be higher then kings in the earth and especially in heaueÌ„ why then is a Pope Saint so cheape in the market place of Rome and a King Saint so deare Againe if the valuation of things in all markets and buries be according to the
also George Pogie bracius who then stoode nearest to the King vnto whome one Chilianus plaieng the Parasite about the King as the fashion is of such as faine themselues fooles to make other men as very fooles as they spake in this wise as foloweth with what countenance you do behold this our seruice I see right well but your hart I do not see Say then doth not the order of this our Religion seeme vnto you decent and comely Do you not see how many and how great princes yea the king himselfe do follow one order and vniformitie And why do you then follow rather your Preacher Rochezana then these Do you thinke a few Bohemians to be more wise then all the Church of Christ besides Why then do you not forsake that rude and rusticall people and ioine to these Nobles as you are a noble man your selfe Unto whome thus Pogiebracius sagely againe doth aunswere If you speake these words of your selfe sayth be you are not the man whome you faine your selfe to be and so to you I aunswere as not to a foole But if you speake this by the suggestion of others then must I satisfie them Heare therefore As touching the Ceremonies of the Church euery man hath a conscience of his owne to follow As for vs we vse such Ceremonies as we trust do please God Neither is it in our arbitrement to beleeue what we will our selues The mind of man being perswaded with great reasons is captiuated wil he nill he and as nature is instructed and taught so is she drawne in some one way and in some another As for my selfe I am fully perswaded in the Religion of my preachers If I should follow thy Religion I might perchance deceiue men going contrary to mine owne conscience but I can not deceiue God who seeth the harts of all Neither shall it become mee to frame my selfe lyke to thy disposition That which is meete for a Iester is not likewise conuenient for a noble man And these wordes eyther take to thy selfe as spoken to thee if thou bee a wise man or else I referre them to those which set thee a worke Ex Aen. Sylu. in Hist. Bohem. After the King was returded from the Bohemians againe to Austria the Hungarians likewise made their petitions to the king that he would also come vnto thē The gouernour of Hūgarie as ye before haue heard was Ioannes Huniades whose victorious acts against the Turks are famous Against this Huniades wicked Ulricus Earle of Cilicia did all he could with the King to bring him to destructiō and therfore caused the king to send for him vp to Uienna and there priuely to woorke hys death But Huniades hauing thereof intelligence offereth hymselfe wythin Hungary to serue hys Prince to all affaires Out of the lande where he was it was neyther best sayde hee for the Kynge nor safest for hym selfe to come The Earle being so disappoynted came downe wyth certaine Nobles of the Courte to the borders of Hungarie thynking eyther to apprehend him and bryng hym to Uienna or there to dispatch hym Huniades without in the fieldes sayde hee woulde common wyth hym wythin the Towne he would not be brought After that an other trayne also was laide for hym that vnder pretence of the kings safe-conduct he shoulde meete the king in the broade fieldes of Uienna But Huniades suspecting deceit came in dede to the place appoynted where hee neither seeing the Kyng to come nor the Earle to haue any safe conduct for hym was mooued and not without cause against the Earle declaring howe it was in hys power there to slay him which went about to seeke hys bloud but for the reuerence of the king he would spare him and let him goe Not long after this the Turke wyth a great power of fighting men to the number of an hundreth and fifteene thousande arriued in Hungarie where he laid siege to the Citie Alba. But through the mercifull hand of God Iohn Huniades and Capistranus a certaine Minorite wyth a small garrison of Christian souldiors gaue him the repusse and put him to flight wyth all hys mighty hoste Whereof more Christ willing heereafter Ex hist Bohemie Aen. Syluij Huniadés shortly after this victorie deceased Of whose death when the king and the Earle did vnderstande they came the more boldly into Hungarie where hee being receiued by Ladislaus Huniades tonne into the Towne of Alba there vewed the places where the Turkes before had pitched theyr tentes When thys Ladislaus heard that the king was comming first toward the towne obediently he opened to hym the gates Foure thousand only of armed souldiours he debarred from entring the Citie In the meane time while the King was there resident in the Citie the Earle with other nobles did sitte in counsaile requiring also Ladislaus to resorte vnto them who first doubting with hymselfe what he might doe at length putteth on a priuie coate of maile and commeth to them Whether the Earle first beganne wyth him or he wyth the Earle it is not knowen The opinion is of some that Ulricus first called him traitor for shutting the gates against the kings soldiours Howsoeuer the occasion began thys is vndoubted that Ulricus taking his sworde from hys page let flie at his head To breake the blowe some putting vp their hands had their fingers cut of The Hungarians hearing a noise tumult wythin the chamber brake it vpon them there incontinent slewe Ulrike the Earle wounding and cutting him almost alto peeces The King hearing thereof although he was not a little discontented thereat in his minde yet seeing there was then no other remedy dissembled his griefe for a time Frō thence the king tooke his iourny againe to Buda accompanied wyth the foresayde Ladislaus who passyng by the towne where the wife of Huniades was mourning for the death of her husband seemed with many faire wordes to comfort her and after he had there sufficiently repasted hym selfe wyth such pretence of dissembled loue and fained fauour that they were without all suspition feare from thence he set forward in hys iourney taking wyth him the two sonnes of Huniades Ladislaus and Mathias who were right ready to wait vpon him The king being come to Buda whether of his owne head or by sinister counsell set on when hee had them at a vauntage caused bothe the sonnes of Huniades to witte Ladislaus and Mathias to be apprehended And first was brought foorth Ladislaus the elder sonne to the place of execution there to be beheaded where meekely he suffered being charged wyth no other crime but thys published by the voyce of the cryer saying Thus are they to be chastened which are rebelles against their Lord. Peucerus wryting of his death addeth thys moreouer that after the hangman had 3. blowes at his necke yet notwythstanding the sayd Ladislaus hauing his hands bound behinde hym after the thirde stroke
the way that he might reigne king alone In the meane time while al this ruffling was in hand what bread sorow the tender harts of these fatherles and friendles children were in what little ioy of them selues what smal ioy of life they had it is not so hard as dolorous for tender harts to vnderstand As the yonger brother lingered in thought and heauines so the prince which was a 11. yeare old was so out of hart and so fraught with feare that he neuer tyed his poyntes nor ioyed good day till the trayterous impictie of their cruell vncle had deliuered thē of their wretchednes whiche was not long in dispatching For after king Richard their vncle first attempting to cōpasse his diuelishe deuise by Robert Brakenbury Constable of the tower and could not winne him to suche a cruell fact to die therefore then he got one Iames Tyrell ioyning with him Iohn Dighton and Miles Forrest to perpetrate this heinous murder Which Dyghton and Forest about midnight entring into their chamber so be wrapped and entangled them amongst the clothes keeping downe the fetherbed and pilowes hard vnto their mournes that within a while they smoothered and stifeled them pitiously in their bed And thus ended these two yong princes their liues thorough the wretched cruelty of these forenamed tormentors who for their detestable and bloudy murder committed escaped not long vnpunished by the iust hand of God For first Miles Forest at S. Martines le grand by peecemeale miserably rotted away Iohn Dighton liued at Callis lōg after so disdained and hated that he was pointed at of all men and there died in great misery Sir Iames Tyrell was beheaded at Tower hill for treason Also King Richard himselfe within a yeare and a halfe after was stayne in the field hacked and hewed of his enemies handes torne and tugged like a curre dogge Furthermore the said iustice of gods hand left not the Duke of Buckingham escape free Whiche was a greate maintainer and setter vp of this butcherly vsurper for les then within a yeare after so God wrought that hee was himselfe beheaded for treason by the sayd king whom he so vniustly before had aduaunced and set vp In the same catologue and order of these wicked doers afore recited we haue also to comprehende two other as well worthy of memoriall as the best or rather as that worst The name of the one was doctour Shawe aboue rehearsed The other doctor Pinkie prouincial of the Austen Friers both famous preachers and both Doctors in diuinitie both of more learning then vertue sayth the story of more same thē learning yet of more learning thē truth Shaw made a Sermon in the prayse of the Protector before hys coronation Pinkie preached after thys coronation Both were so full of tedious flatterye that no good cares coulde abide them Pinkie in his sermon so lost his voyce that he was sayne to leaue of came downe in in the midst Doctour Shaw by his sermon lost his honenesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world so that he neuer durst after that shew his face againe But as for the Fryer he was so farre past shame that the losse therof did little touch him Mention was made a little before of Doctor Morton Bishop at Ely by whose meanes the deuise was first broched for the conioyning the two houses of Yorke Lancaster together This deuise was first broken to the Duke of Buckingham which soone after cost hym his life But that bishop more crafty to saue hymselfe incontinent fled into Brittain Notwithstanding the deuise once being broched was so plausible and tooke such effect that message was sent ouer the sea to Henry Earle of Richmond by his mother and by the Queene mother to the Ladye Elizabeth that if he would make hys returne and promise to marry with the sayd Lady Elizabeth King Edwards daughter he should be receaued To make a longer discourse of thys matter which is sufficiently set forth by S. Tho. More so ornately it needeth not Briefely to contract that in a small compasse of wordes which was not so small a thing in doing after that the Earle Henry with such other banished mē as fled out of Englād at the taking of the Duke of Buckingham had perfect intelligence by his mother and by the Queene and other frends moe out of England how the case of that realm stoode and how it was here purposed by his frendes that is that he should with all conuenient speede hast hys returne ouer into England promising to mary with Ladye Elizabeth he with all diligence as tyme and preparation would serue aduaūced forward his iourny being wel helped and furnished by Fraunces Duke of Britayne and so shipped his mē Albeit his first voyage sped not for that the winds turning contrary by force of weather his ships were disparcled and he repulsed backe into Fraūce agayn His second viage was more prosperous Who taking the seas at Harslet in the moneth of August an 1485. accompanied onely with two thousand men and a smal number of shippes aryued at Milford Hauen in Wales and fyrste came to Dale then to Harford West where he was ioyfully receiued and also by the cōming in of Arnolde Butler and the Pēbroke men was in power encreased Frō thēce he remoued by Cardigan to Shrewsbery then to Newport and so to Stafford from thence to Liechfield his army still more and more augmented Lyke as a great floud by comming in of many small riuers gathereth more aboundaunce of water so to this Earle diuers noble Captaynes and men of power adioyned themselues as Richard Griffith Iohn Morgan Rice ap Thomas thē sir Georg Talbot with the yong Erle of Shrewesbery his warde Sir William Stanley Sir Tho. Burchier and Sir Walter Hungerford knightes At last the said Erle hearing of the kinges comming conducted his whole army to Tam worth King Richard first hearing of the arriuall of the Erle Henry in the partes of Wales after such a slender sort did giue little or no regard vnto it But after vnderstanding that he was come to Lichfield without resistaunce or incombraunce he was sore moued and exceedingly tooke on cursing and crying out against them which had so deceaued him in all post speed sent for Iohn Duke of Northfolke Hen. Erle of Northumberlād Tho. Erle of Surrey with other his frendes of special trust Robert Brakenbury also liesetenaunt of the tower was sent for with Sir Tho. Burchier and Sir Walter Hungerforde with certaine other knightes and Esquiers of whome he partlye misdoubted or had some suspicious gelousy Thus K. Richard after most forceable maner well fortified and accompanied leauing nothing vndone that dilligence could require set forward toward his enemies The Earle by this time was come to Tamworth to whō secretly in the Euening resorted sir Iohn Sauage sir Bryan Sanford sir Simon Digby and many other forsaking
had lost and that he should desist heereafter from all wrongs and iniuries against the Christians Upon these conditions the Turke being agreed so was truce concluded on both parts for tenne yeares and with solemne othe betweene them confirmed This done Amurathes the tyraunt addresseth himselfe toward Asia to resist the inuasion of Caramannus aforesaid At what time Pope Eugenius so soone as he heard the Turke to be returned into Asia sendeth Iulianus Caesarianus his Cardinall whose story is before touched page 683. vnto Ladislaus the foresaid king with full dispensation and absolution to breake his othe and league wyth the Turke promising moreouer great hope of aide if he would go in armes stoutly against the tirant ¶ Where by the way is to be noted that as there is no truth of promise in that pestilēt sea of Rome neither was there euer any war prospered which was taken in hande by the Popes counsaile so was there neuer any counsaile of the Pope that brought with it more detriment to Christianitie then this But the Pope belike thought that as he might lawfully breake promise with Iohn Hus and with other Christians so also he needed not to obserue anye league or truce taken with the Turke but it turned much otherwise then the Popes blinde braines imagined as by the sequele is to be seene For Ladislaus being thus excited by the vnaduised and sinister instigation of Pope Eugenius contrary to the truce stablished a little before set out with his army from Seledinus and so proceeding to Walachia and Burgaria came to Uarna a towne of Bulgary where he fell sicke It was not long but the Turke hauing thereof intelligence left his warres begon with Caramannus in Asia and with great iourneis made haste into Europe passing ouer by the straites neare to Calipolis where all the Italian nauy still looking on and whether of purpose or whether for cowardlines would not stirre one ore to stop the passage of the Turkish army When Amurathes was come to Adrianopolis in Thrasia vsing such celeritie as no mā looked for within viij daies he was in Burgaria there encamped himselfe against Ladislaus The day of battaile being set the armies ioined on both sides Huniades was himself there present but all the matter was ruled by Iulianus the Cardinall and the Popes Clergy The fight cōtinued three daies and three nightes together with great courage much bloudshed on each side insomuch that the field did stand with lakes of bloud They semed at the first to incline to the Christians by breaking the first ranks of the Turkes But the Priests and Prelates which were at the field which had bene more fitte to haue bene in the Church seeing the Turkes to begin to flie vnskilfully left their array to pursue the enemy so that they leauing the other standings of the Christians naked gaue great aduantage to the Turks with their darts shot to disturbe the Christian rankes By the which occasion Amurathes inclosing the Christiās with his army roūd about obteined the victory In the which field Ladislaus the yong king of Polony hauing his horse first killed vnder him was strooken downe slaine The Popes Bishops flieng to saue themselues fell into the marishes and there were destroied susteining a durtey death condigne to their filthy falshode and vntruth Iulianus the Cardinall which with the Pope was the chiefe doer in breaking the league in the way was found dead being full of wounds and spoiled to his naked skinne Of the rest of the army that escaped by flieng part was drowned in the marishes some perished miserably for hunger some for cold watching wādering in the woods Huniades hardly escaped the danger by the mercifull prouidence of God being reserued to the further profite and commoditie of Christendome This Iohn Huniades the worthy warrier was borne in Walachia being Earle of Bistrice of all Captaines that euer went against the Turkes most famous singular prudent in wit discret in counsaile expert and politike in warre prompt of hand circumspect before he attempted quicke in expedition in whom wāted almost no good propertie requisite in a warlike Captaine Against two most mighty and fierce tirants Amurathes and Mahumetes through the Lords might he defended all Pannonia and therefore was called the thunderbolt and terrour of the Turkes Like as Achilles was vnto the Grecians so was he set vp of God to be as a wal or bulwarke of al Europe against the cruell Turkes and enemies of Christ and of his Christians Neither was there any King or Prince that euer achieued such noble victories either so many in number or so profitable for the publique vtilitie of all Europe as did he and that not onely in the daies of this Amurathes but also of Mahumetes his successour as heereafter remaineth further to be seene This battaile of Amurathes against the Christians at Uarna in Bulgaria was fought in the yeare of our Lord 1404. Amurathes by reason of this victorious ouerthrow againste the Christians surprised with no small pride directed his iourney incontinent toward the Grecians where Castriotus was otherwise called Scanderbcius And first commyng to Peloponesus and breaking downe the wall about the straits of Corinthe encoūtred with the brother of the Emperour of Constantinople whom with his sodeine commyng he oppressed with all the Greekes army ere they were prouided Paleologus the Emperour after that did build vp the wall againe but at the Turkes biddyng he was cōpelled to vndoe it agayne which wall afterward the Uenetians did repayre After the demolitiō of the wall Amurathes entring into Peloponesus tooke diuers townes and Cities as Sycione and Patris and moreouer made all the parts of Thessalia and Achaia tributaries vnto him The next yeare after this battaile of Amurathes fought agaynst the Christians at Uarna the Turke beyng now about the partes of Grecia purposed to bend all his force and mayne agaynst the countrey of Epyrus belongyng to Georgius Castriotus Scanderheius Of this Scanderbeius mētion was made before how he was brought vp in the Turkes Court from whence we declared also how subtillie he conueyed him selfe and came to the possession of his owne patrimony of Epyrus Which Epirus this noble and victorious Scanderbeius whom the Lord also had raysed vp the same tyme with Huniades to bridle the fury of the Turkes valiaūtly defended agaynst all the power of Amurathes In so much that he discomfited and vanquished vij of the most expert Bassas or Dukes of the Ottomā Emperour one after an other with all their armies of most piked and chosen souldiours dislodged them of their tentes and expulsed them vtterly out of all Epyrus Also when Amurathes himselfe with his whole puissaunce had enuironed about the Citie of Croia with cruell siege and ordinaunce out of measure yet notwithstandyng the sayd Scāderbeius through the power and blessing of the Lord beate him out of the field repulsed him from his
the Turke and to deliuer the other parties of Christendome from the feare of the Turke an 1542. Whiche Ioachimus at his first setting foorth appeared so couragious and valiaunt as though he would haue conquered the whole world but this great heate was so slaked in short time by the Turke that before any great ieoperdy was offered vnto him he was glad to to be discharged of the viage and with shame enough returned home againe And would God he had left behynde him in the field no more but his owne shame For the enemies hauing intelligēce before of his cowardly departure thinking to worke some poynt of maistry or victory before his goyng did set vpon the right wing of his army which chiefly consisted of Dutchmen of low Germany out of the which they tooke awaye with them aboue 500. strong and valiaunt souldiours not killing them but carying them away aliue For whome it had bene muche better to haue stand to their weapon and to haue dyed manfully vppon the turkes then by yealding themselues to be disgarnished of weapon and armoure and so to be lefte to the cursed curtesie of the foule Turkes To whome what curtesie was sheweed by the sequele did appeare For after the Turkes had led them out of Hungary into their own dominiō after a most horrible beastly sort they disfigured mangled them so sent them abroad through all Grecia to be witnessrs of the Turkes victory Their kind of punishment was thus First they had their right arme thrust through with an iron red hot whereby they should be vnable and vnmeet to all labour warefare Secondly theyr heades were shauen to the very sculles after the maner of our Friers monks when they are newly shauen Thirdly they had all their priuy members cut of frō their bodies to the intent to make thē vnfruitful for propagation which wound was so grieuous vnto them that the greatest part of them died therupon the few that recouered the torment therof led a life more bitter more miserable then death it selfe And this kinde of cruelty was executed in order vpō them all In much like sort did cruell Pharao exercise hys tyranny agaynst the people of God in Egipt who to destroy the generation of them caused all the male children to be drowned in the riuer Whereby it is the more to be hoped that seing the tiranny of this turkish Pharao is come to such an extremetie the mercifull goodnesse of God will the more shortly send some Moses or other vnto vs for our speedy deliueraunce This was by the cruell Turkes done an 1542. witnessed by Ioannes Ramus which not onely writeth the story but by the testimony also of hys owne eyes recordeth the same to be true beholding with his eies one of the same number in the city of Uienna who hauing wife and children in Bruxelles eyther for shame or sorrow had no minde to returne home to his own house Ex Ioan Ramo But to returne agayne to the city of Buda from whēre we haue digressed here is not to be pretermitted what falshood and what cruelty the turkes vsed toward the Christians there after theyr victory For after that Solyman the Turke vpon the yelding and submission of the men of Buda had geuen to them his promise of safety and life within short time the sayd turke picking a quarrell with them for selling Oxen vnto the Christians and for barganing with them slue all the Magistrates of the sayde Citty of Buda like as in all other Citties where so euer the Christians yelded vnto him he neuer or very rarely kept his promise with them neyther did euer any christians speed better with the turke then they which most constantly did resist him And as hys promise with the Magistrates of Buda was false and wretched so hys cruelty with the souldiors therof was more much notorious abhominable For in the expugnation of Buda among that rest whiche were slayne ij cohortes or bands of Christian souldiors came alyue to his hands To whom when he seemed at the first to graūt pardon of life he commaunded to put on their armour agayn and to dispose themselues in order and battayle array after the warlike maner of the christians whiche when they had accomplished readily according to his commaundement he riding about the ranckes of them had dilligently vewed and be holden them a certain space at length he commaunded thē to put of their armour againe which done certaine of the tallest and strongest of them he pyked out the residue he commanded by his souldiors comming behinde them with swordes to be cut in peeces and slayne Of the other whome he had elected and chosen some he set for markes and buttes to be shot at some he appointed to his two sonnes for them to slash with their swordes try theyr strength which of them could geue the deper woūd and as they termed it the fayrer blowe whereby moste bloud might follow out of their Christian bodies Ex Mart. Stella De successibus Turcarum After the winning of Buda the Turke purposing not so to cease before he had subdued and brought vnder his obedience all Hungary proceeding further with his armye first brought vnder a strong hold of christians named Pestum or Pesta where a great number of Christian souldiours partly were slayne partly were ledde awaye to more cruell affliction Then he came to an other Castle called Walpo situate in the confines of Bosna Croatia and Hungary Whiche forte or castle he besieged three mōthes while no rescue nor ayd was sent vnto them neyther from Ferdinandus king of Hungary nor from any other christian Prince or Princes Whereupon at length the forte was geuen vp to the Turke but more through the false treachery or cowardly hart of the souldiours then of the Captaine Wherein is to be noted an example not vnworthy of memory For when the cowardly souldiours eyther for feare or flattery wold needs surrender themselues the peece vnto the Turke contrarye to the minde of the Captaine whiche in no case would agree to theyr yelding they thinking to find fauour with the turke apprehended theyr captaine and gaue him to Solyman But see howe the iustice of God sometymes by the hands of the enemy disposeth the end of things to the rewarding of vertue punishing of vice For where they thought to saue themselues by the daunger of the faithfull Captain the euent turned cleane contrary so that the Turk was to the captayne bountifull and very liberalll and the souldiours notwithstanding that they had all yelded thēselues yet were all put to death and commaunded pitiously to be slayne Ex Ioan. Martino Stella De Turcarum in Hungaria successibus c. There is in Hungary an other towne bearing the name of fiue Churches called Quiquecclesiensis partly spoyled before as is aboue mentioned pag. 751. but nowe thorough the losse of Walpo by the