voluntarily and chearefully take the aforesaid oath then the said Possessions to bee frankely and freely restored vnto them 14. Item That after the death of King Charles the Duchie of Normandie and all others conquered by King Henry should be obedient and bow vnder the commaund of the Scepter and Crowne of France 15. Item That King Henrie should not burden the subiects of France with any Taxes or Jmpositions but in cases of great and vrgent necessitie and then onely the same to be assessed and leuied according to the custome and manner of France and not otherwise 16. Item That after the death of King Charles the two Kingdomes of France and of England should alwaies soueraignely be ruled and commanded by one Man and not by two Kings and that neither of those kingdomes should be subiect the one to the other but each of them should still retaine vse and enioy their particular Customes Liberties Priuiledges Preheminences Immunities and Lawes 17. Item That all care should bee taken and all prouision made that the subiects of each kingdome as brethren and friends should liue in mutuall loue amitie and peace and each of them to procure by their best meanes the welfare and prosperitie of the other 18. Item That neither the said French king nor king Henrie should conclude any Peace nor make any truce with the falsely entitled Dolphin except they both and the said Philip Duke of Burgoine did all three consent and agree in one so to doe 19. Item that none should be appointed to attend the Person of king Charles but Frenchmen and such as himselfe or his owne Councell should make choise of And that from time to time he should be resident and dwell at his pleasure in the most eminent places of his kingdome 20. And lastly that both the said kings vnder their Letters Patents and all their Nobilitie Clergie Gentrie Cities and Comminalties by Instruments in writing vnder their hands and seales should ratifie and confirme the said Articles and Agreements And that they all should solemnly sweare and vow to maintaine them in all points to the vttermost of their abilitie and power The Articles are proclaymed in England and in France These Articles and these Agreements being thus concluded were ordered accordingly and then with all conuenient expedition were proclaymed both in England and in France The two Kings and all their Nobles and other subjects of account were solemnely sworne to obserue and to maintaine them And then they both They are ratified by solemne Oaths being accompanied with Iames the young but valiant King of Scots the Duke of Burgoine the Prince of Orange one and twentie Earles fortie and fiue Barons and a multitude of Knights Gentlemen and braue souldiors of France of England and of Ireland wasted such Countries and besieged and tooke such strong and well defenced Townes and Castles within the Duchie of Burgoine The King warreth in Burgoine as sided and sorted with the Dolphin As first of all the Towne of Seyne after it had beene besieged fifteene dayes and the Castle there after it had held out six weekes then Molyn vpon the Riuer of Seyne which they tooke after they had enuironed it full seuen moneths and in it were apprehended the Lord Barbason The murderers of Iohn Duke of Burgoine are executed the chiefe Commaunder there and diuers others who were agents and actors in the murdering of Iohn the Proud Duke of Burgoine all which were by the French King sent from thence vnto Paris vnder the guardship of Thomas Duke of Clarence who was newly made chiefe Captaine of that Citie by King Charles The Duke of Clarence is made Captaine of Paris And within few dayes after the said offendors were legally tryed conuicted sentenced and put to death for the said Murder Then the two Kings with their two Queenes and their Nobilitie and Companies went vnto Paris King Henrie is proclaymed Regent and Heire apparant to the Crowne of France where King Henrie was proclaymed Regent and Heire Apparant to the Crowne of France and so was he not long after in London In Paris the two Kings kept their Christmas The French King being verie sickly and weake maintained small Hospitalitie But King Henrie with such heroicall Magnificence rich Plentie and liberall Entertainment so feasted the Nobles Gentrie and Citizens of both the said Kingdomes and was so open-handed to all sorts and degrees of people King Henrie winneth the loue of the Frenchmen that his State and Majestie was admired and his Princely courtesie fast bound vnto him the hearts of the Frenchmen to yeeld vnto him all manner of obedience and of seruice Whilest the two Kings thus remained in Paris The Dolphin and the other murderers are banished a great Assembly by their Authoritie was conuocated thither In which they both sate as Iudges and before them the Duchesse of Burgoine late Wife to her slaine Husband by her Aduocate appealed Charles the late Dolphin and seuen others as murderers of her Lord. But no defence was made for them And not long after a Court of Parliament was kept there In which a solemne Proces was awarded against the Dolphin and the rest of the Accused to appeare at the Marble Table in Paris at an appointed day But they all fayled to obserue that commaund And thereupon they were by the said Court banished the Realme and all the Territories of France and were also depriued of all Honors Names Titles Dignities Preheminences and Possessions whatsoeuer When the late Dolphin had intelligence thereof hee went into Languedock and comforted himselfe with his old friend the Earle of Arminack The Dolphin is aided by his old friend the Earle of Arminake sometimes Constable of France who not only assisted him in his great distresse with Money Munition and with Men but also in his owne person did him all reuerence and tooke his part against all such as professed themselues to bee his Enemies These things being thus accomplished the two Kings their Queenes and Nobles sorrowfully departed each from other And King Henrie King Henrie â—th the state of Frâ— with his Queene went vnto Roan where hee receiued Homage of all his Nobles in the Duchie of Normandie And among others of the Earle of Stafford to whome hee had giuen the Earledome of Perch The Duke of Clarence is made Lieutenant Generall of France and 〈◊〉 Normandie The King the Queene came into England The Queene 〈◊〉 crowned And of Arthur of Britaine vpon whom hee had bestowed the Countrey of Iurye Hee also made his brother Thomas Duke of Clarence Lieutenant Generall both of France and of Normandie and of that Duchie hee made the Earle of Salisburie Deputie to the said Duke And then hee with Queene Katherine his wife departed vnto Amiens and from thence to Callis and so came into England Where they were receiued and entertained with as much triumphant and true joy as could be by subiects expressed towards
against his owne Subiects Prouision against the Scots wherefore to preuent that emminent and like danger he by his letters required Thomas Lord Howard Earle of Surrey and Richard Fox sometimes Bishoppe of Exeter and then promoted to the See of Durham to raise a strong Armie and to withstand the Scots if they endeauoured to attempt any such thing vntill he sent another power to aid and to assist them which thing should with all celeritie and diligence be performed assoone as hee had vanquished the Cornishmen who so desperately opposed themselues against him Now as the King imagined so fell it out true indeede The Scots inuade England For the Scots proudly insulting at his troubles and expecting the worst that hee could doe when hee should bee in peace at home resolued by anticipating warre to enrich themselues with new Rapines and Spoiles and to make hauocke vpon the Borderers that by meanes thereof they might the more weaken him and the better enable themselues to make resistance when time and opportunitie should serue With the same resolution the King of Scots and his Armie againe entred vpon the English Pale But ere they could proceede farre or doe much harme the aforesaid Earle and Bishoppe and manie other Nobles Knights and Gentlemen of the North assembled themselues and their friends to the number of twentie thousand fighting men and marched boldly towardes the Scottish Armie vnto which when they drew neare their King vpon good occasion being timerous and feareful retired hastily The Scots flie and fled into his owne Countrie But the English forces with braue courage and manly resolution entred into his Kingdome The English Armie hauaketh in Scotland and battered assaulted wonne and razed to the ground many of his strongest Townes Castles and Holds and were not resisted albeit the Scottish King with all his Armie was not distant from them aboue one mile Only hee challenged the field the next daie which was accepted but in the night before hee raised his Armie and dispersed them who ranne into the Woods and high Mountaines and were to no purpose pursued and hunted by the Englishmen six or seuen daies But so barren was that Countrie and so poore and destitute of all good things and so vnseasonable was the weather there which abounded with continuall Raine Wind Snow Haile Thunder and Hideous stormes and tempests that the Earle and the Bishop returning brake vp their Armies and themselues went to Barwick where they attended directions from the King Whilest these thinges were thus in action Peter Hyalus who was sent Embassador from Ferdinando King of Castile to mediate a peace betwixt the kings of England and of Scotland A truce with Scotland Perkin Warbeck is sent out of Scotland The peace with France newly ratified could not effect that businesse according to his mind Yet a Truce was concluded betwixt them to endure for certaine yeares conditionally that Perkin Warbecke were forthwith banished and exiled out of that Countrie The French King also at the same time sent his Embassadors into England to ratifie the former peace established betwixt the King and him which was performed with much honour and solemnitie to the great contentment and ioy of all the People of both those Kingdomes The English trade is restored to the flemings and their ioy thereas Likewise Philip the Arch-Duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine sonne to Maximilian King of the Romans by his Embassadors importuned the restitution of the English trade and the returne of the Marchants into his Countrie of Flanders because his subiects were exceedingly impouerished by them did obtain his sute whereat such comfort was conceiued that when the Englishmen were for trade returned againe vnto Antwerpe they were receiued into the Citie with solemne Processions Princely Triumphs Sumptuous Feastings Rare Banquettings and with the expression of great loue and of much ioy And thus was King Henrie at this time made fortunate and happie for he enioyed peace and friendship both at home and abroade sauing only with Perkin Warbeck Perkin Warbeck saileth into Cornwal who ceased not to vexe and trouble him for a while to his owne ouerthrow and destruction For being compelled to forsake Scotland and vnderstanding that though the Cornishmen had lately been ouerthrowne yet were they not pacified or appeased he with foure ships only and with sixe score ragged landing Souldiers and no more sailed into Cornwall where hee was receiued by the rusticke The Cornish men rebell and doe take Perkin Warbecks part Exeter is befieged and meanest sort of the Inhabitants of that Prouince with ioyfull acclamations and with good welcome And within few dayes after they aided him with three thousand men With these and with some others he marched Eastwards and came as farre as the Citie of Exeter where hee vsed manie persuasiue and rethoricall arguments and speeches to incite the Inhabitants voluntarily to become his subiects and to surrender the Citie into his hands But finding that the fidelitie of the Cittizens was constant and vnremoueable from their King And that their resolutions to indure extremities if otherwise they could not be auoided was strongly setled and vnchangeable they besieged the Citie round about And because they wanted artillerie and great Ordinance to make batteries vpon their walles therefore with Ladders Crookes Ropes and other Engines they desperately attempted to scale them in manie places at one instant But still and euery where with manlike Courage and with approoued Valour they were repulsed ouerborne and tumbled into the Ditches and deepe Trenches with which that Citie is enuironed on all parts So that in those assaults many of those Rebels with great obstinacie lost their liues Now when they perceiued Fire encountred by fire that those their attempts daily failed and succeded not they desperately approached vnto the Citie gates which they endeuored by manie slights to open or to ouerthrow But when none of their practises could preuaile then they caused great fires to be kindled against thē so that by consuming of them they might make an easie passage entrance into the Citie This stratagem of warre because it was vnusuall did at the first somewhat abash the Cittizens But they considering with themselues that base cowardlinesse was the betraier of true manhood and that perfect valour despaired not in any danger assumed the hearts of vndaunted men and by their endeuourous attempts and imploiments they ceased not to prouide for their owne present safetie insomuch that with fire they encountred fire and made greater fires within their Gates then the Rebels did without which they maintained by adding store of matter and of fewell for a long time vntill that with rampiers bankes bulwarks and other defensiue fortifications they had secured those places from the entrie of their enemies When this their practise auailed not then they againe busied the Citizens with daily scalings and climings against their walles But the inhabitants so confidently persisted to
good respects hee cheerefully consented to his request First because by all likelihood and probable coniecture this mariage would establish a perpetuall peace betwixt those two Kingdomes And secondly because if issues males and females failed of the bodies of his two sonnes then the Kingdome and the Crowne of this Realme descending to the said Ladie Margaret and to her issue would draw the Scottish King into England as vnto an estate of greater power magnificence honour and riches whereas if she were ioined to a Prince equall or exceeding her father in those respects this Kingdome would then wait vpon the greater and more worthie and so might be guided gouerned directed and commanded by a Deputie or a Substitute which would bee derogatorie from the maiestie of such a Monarchie and Common-weale These Halcyon daies Prince Arthur dieth which made King Henry fortunate and happie were suddenly exchanged into daies of heauinesse and of sorrow for Prince Arthur within fiue moneths after he was maried departed out of this troublesome and transitorie vale of miserie and was buried with great pompe and incredible lamentation both of the Nobles Gentlemen and common people in the Cathedrall Church within the Citie of Winchester by whose decease without issue his brother Henry Duke of Yorke without Creation was Prince of Wales 1502. as vnto him of right that dignitie did belong and appertaine and the next yeare after he was created Earle of Chester by his Father The King not long after by an honorable attendance of Lords Knights Ladies and men and women of especiall note and qualitie sent his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret into Scotland to her espoused husband Iames the Fourth who receiued her vpon the limits of his owne Kingdome from the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and was the next day maried to her in his Citie of Edenburgh 1503. to the great reioicing of the people of both those Nations Now when King Henry had thus ouercome his enemies and the Rebels and had settled himselfe in peace 1504. hee determined to plucke downe the high stomackes and stout courage of his people The King taketh aduantage of forfeitures vpon Penall Lawes supposing that their wealth and riches occasioned their rebellions and was the cause that many enormous insolencies were done and committed in the Common-weale And by that meane hee also intended to enrich himselfe And the plot whereby he intended to effect it was by taking of the aduantage of the breach of Penall Lawes Empson and Dudley And the principall charge of that polling businesse hee committed to Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley men learned in the Law but ready enough to execute the Kings commands in a worser matter if occasion did so require These two being attended by troupes of base Informers Promoters Catch-poles Cheaters Knaues and cousening Rascals Many are vndone prosecuted and persecuted many of the Kings good Subiects to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow insomuch that many people in euery Shire of this Kingdome by their oppressions waxed poore and were vtterly decaied in their estates But the Kings Coffers were filled his Bagges were stuffed and those two gracelesse and cruell Cormorants got to themselues the Deuill and all But no remedie there was to cure this maladie for the King authorized them and they so rigorously and so vnconscionably executed their tyrannie that no man could assure himselfe that hee was free and without the danger of their lash 1605. In the 21. yeare of K. Henries raigne Elizabeth Q. of Castile wife to Ferdinando K. of Aragon and Spain died without issue male of her bodie so that her Kingdom not being deuidable among sisters according to the custome of that Countrie discended to her eldest daughter the Ladie Iane The King and Queene of Castile doe come into England by a storme wife to Philip Arch-Duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine so that hee being King of Castile in her right prepared a Nauie of strong and well appointed ships and entred into the Sea purposing to take the possession of his new Kingdome But by the violence of an outragious storme himselfe with his Queene was driuen into Waymouth in Dorset shire where at his landing hee was receiued by Sir Thomas Trenchard a worthie Sir Thomas Trenchard entertaineth them at his house and a compleate Knight who instantly importuned the King to accept of the entertainment of his house vntill King Henrie were certified of his being there which courteously he did Whereof when he had louingly accepted hee was conducted thither and feasted like as hee was a King The Knight forthwith sent diuers Posters to King Henrie who being much gladded by this newes because the said King and he were vnfained and faithfull friends They are entertained by the King forthwith sent for his better direction and attendance the Earle of Arundell and some others who inuited him and his Queene and their Companie to the Kings Court which was then at his Castle of Windsor of which great courtesie he accepted with a kind hart and as he came within fiue miles of the Castle he was met by the Noble Henrie Prince of Wales who was accompanied by diuers Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of choice reckoning aad account and within halfe a mile of his iournies end the King himselfe with the greatest part of his Nobilitie Ladies and Personages of great worth and honour being richly apparrelled and brauely mounted met him likewise where kind salutations and friendly greetings proceeded from the heart and were performed with most exquisite complements of loue that by any could be imagined From the Kings Castle of Windsor the King conducted him and his Queene to the Citie of London where nothing was omitted that anie deuise or cost could make sumptuous thereby to expresse the heartie welcome of such beloued guests And thus when with great contentment mirth and pastime the King and he had spent some dayes they renewed the League which was betwixt them and taking kind farewels each of other the said King and Queene imbarked themselues againe lanched into the Sea and safety arriued according to their owne wils But not long after King Philip and his wife died and that Kingdome discended to Charles his eldest sonne From this time forwards King Henrie waxed sickly weake 1506. and infirme and by meanes thereof the two scourgers of the Common-weale Empson and Dudley tooke larger libertie to extend their villanies then was giuen to them and did oppresse torment and vex the People of this land But when the King perceiued that his time was short 1507. hee depriued them of their authoritie remitted and pardoned all offences committed against his penall Lawes and enlarged all prisoners The King waxeth sickly His deeds of charitie which were in durance for any offence treason and murder excepted only he also paid the debts of all such as for trifling and smal summes were prisoners in any Ward and gaue certaine
all submissiue and humble contrition they confessed their late rebellion Earle of Tyron and treasons and so gratious was the King vnto them both that hee not only gaue them his free pardon but in hope of future seruice according to their promise he created him Earle of Tyron and made his sonne Lord of Duncan The Scots who for a long time had beene quiet did now beginne to swagger and by sodaine invasions to hurt Contention with the Scotish King and damnifie the Subiects of this Land which occasioned the King 1 To require of their king Iames the Fifth and Nephew to the king these things First That the said king Iames should doe his homage and his fealtie to king Henrie for his kingdom of Scotland as his Auncestors in former times had often done But the Scottish king with great obstinacie and with froward messages refused to yeeld thereunto 2 King Henrie likewise required the deliuerie of some small and triffling Territories bordering close vpon the inheritance of the said Scottish king And for the proofe of his rightfull Title therevnto Hee caused certaine auncient and old euidences to bee shewed forth But the Scottish Commissioners with taunts and skornes reiected them Saying that they were written and sealed by Englishmen who for their owne profit and gaine might write and seale what they listed 3 Vpon these and some other grieuances king Henrie who rather desired a friendly reconciliation betwixt himselfe and his Nephew then by the dint of sword to shed Christian bloud concluded to meet and to conferre with king Iames in kinde manner vpon the borders of either kingdome For which purpose king Henrie made his Progresse vnto Yorke and was there certified that the Scottish king intended not according to his promise to meet with him But would by Commission authorize some of his Counsellors of estate to conferre and to conclude with his Maiesties Commissioners of England touching the matters then in difference betwixt them two 4 The king though he were thus deluded yet did he not expresse any touch of impacience for that wrong but authorizing certaine Commissioners in that behalfe hee ended his Progresse and returned home All these Commissioners met but whilest they were in Parlee two notorious and great despights were offered to king Henrie 5 For though the Commissioners daily communed of vnitie and of peace yet at the same time the Scots invaded the Westerne marches of this Realme burnt slue spoiled and riffled beyond charitie and reason and yet no warre was then denounced betwixt the said two kings For this iniurie and for this wrong sufficient and liberall amends and recompence was promised by the said Commissioners but no manner of restitution or satisfaction was made in that behalfe 6 And lastly although the King of Scots commission was very large and ample and authorized those his Agents to doe almost whatsoeuer they themselues pleased yet did the said Commissioners so strictly stand vpon sundrie points which were too too much vnreasonable and dishonorable for king Henrie to yeeld vnto that by the English Commissioners who had throughly viewed and pervsed their authoritie and power they were condemned as enemies to the peace and to their owne Countrie For that by the meanes of their frowardnesse there would be warres Whereupon the Scottish Commissioners to cleare themselues of this blame imputed to their obstinacie and follie shewed forth their priuate instructions from their King which for feare of death they dared not to exceede By which instructions it appeared plainly that their authority expressed in their said Commission was in all things curbed and made of little or of no force except the said English Commissioners would yeeld to such demands as were vnprofitable and dishonourable to their king Warres in Scotland These notorious iniuries and wrongs and this daliance and craftie dissimulation enforced King Henrie to send an Armie of twentie thousand men into Scotland vnder the command of the Duke of Northfolk who was accompanied by the Earles of Shrewsburie Darby Cumberland Surrey Hertford Angus and Rutland and with the greatest part of the Lords Knights and Gentlemen of the North All these marched on their iourney and for eight daies space being vnresisted and vnfought with they killed riffled burned forraged and spoiled the Scottish Townes Castles Fortresses Houses and Fields with as much crueltie violence and furie The English Armie returneth as the extremitie of warres could execute in so short a time Which when they had done the Armie retyred was dissolued and euery man repaired loaden with spoiles to his owne home The Scots inuade England With this deserued and seuere reuenge the King of Scots was infinitely grieued and perplexed at the heart In so much that he caused with all expedition to be raised an Armie of fifteene thousand men which was sent into the West marches of this kingdome where they began to spoile and did much mischiefe But Thomas the Bastard Dacres William Musgraue and the Lord Thomas Wharton hauing at a short warning collected a small number of approued A notable ouerthrow and valiant men at armes taking with them some part thereof and leauing the rest for a secret stale or ambush to annoy their enemies when time should serue encountred vnexpectedly with the Scots vpon whom in the Rereward the said ambush valiantly issued which did so terrifie and affright them that they supposed verily the Duke of Norfolke with a great Armie did fall on them wherefore to saue themselues they fled and in the pursuite there were taken prisoners the Earles of Cassels Prisoners and Glancarne the Lords Maxwel Fleming Sommerwel Oliphant Gray and Oragy and the Lord Carre of Gredon two hundred Gentlemen and about eight hundred common Souldiers so that euery English man had two or three prisoners to recompence their adventerous paines and trauaile The Englishmen also tooke brought away foure and twentie peeces of Ordinance and foure Carts loaden with Speares this ouerthrow many men then imputed and peraduenture truly to the Scottish Kings vnaduised and indiscreet direction Disdaine who made so meane a Springall the Generall in that armie in which so many Lords Earles and worthy Captaines were who scorned to be commanded by such an Vnderling and therefore hazarded their owne liues by a willing flight rather then by obtayning the Victorie to lay on him such honour as they knew he was not able to deserue Of these prisoners foure and twentie of the chiefest were sent to the Tower of London from whence after two dayes they were remoued and committed to the care and custodie of diuers Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of worth at whose hands they receiued such kinde welcome and bountifull entertainment that with multiplyed wordes of extraordinary praise and commendation they ceased not to extoll their friendly and good vsage to the skies This vnexpected strange The King of Scots dieth and vnfortunate ouerthrow of so faire an Armie with so small a
subdued 6. He plucks downe Churches Religious houses and Townes for his pleasure in hunting to make the New Forest and enacteth tyrannicall Lawes for the preseruing of his Game 5. His eldest sonne Robert Curthois rebelleth and puts him to the worst in Normandie but is reconciled 7. He warreth in France successefully 7. He falleth sick and repenteth of his crueltie to the English Nation and dyeth but his body can hardly obtayne a place to bee buried in pag. 8. King WILLIAM RVFVS HIs crueltie to the English Nation 10. Hee flattereth them in his distresse but requiteth them vnthankfully when his turne is serued 10 11. The Welshmen doe rebel 11 12. His valour 13. Hee pilleth and pooleth the Church 14 15. He yeeldeth when the Pope peremptorily commandeth 15. He is fortunate in his warres in Normandie 15. In the New-Forest which his Father had made by the ruine of many Churches Religious houses and Townes 5. Hee was slaine being mistaken for a Deere as he hunted 16. King HENRY the First HIs policies and Lawes 18. He yeeldeth to the Pope and restoreth Church liuings dignities and liberties not for conscience sake but because Robert his eldest brother troubled him for his Crowne 18. He invadeth Normandie and preuaileth and plucketh out his brothers eyes 20 21. Hee curbeth and ransacketh the Church Church-men and makes them pay for enioying of wiues whether they haue wiues or no. 20. Anselme and Thurstone appeale against him to the Pope and he yeeldeth 20 23. He is patient and very thankefull 24. He is lasciuious he surfetteth and then dyeth 24. King STEPHEN HEe vsurpeth the Right of Mawld the Empresse and breaketh his oath 27. He is very liberall 28. He refuseth and releaseth the paiment of Dane-gilt and of all other taxes he honoreth the Clergie and giues vnto them large restitution and exempteth all Clergie men from the authoritie of the Temporall Magistrate 28. Mawld the Empresse invadeth and taketh him prisoner he is enlarged for the Duke of Glocester The Empresse is besieged in Oxford and escapeth by a policie in the snow 29. He is againe inuaded by Henrie Short-Mantell the Sonne of Mawld the Empresse Prince Eustace his sonne is drowned They two compound and King Stephen dyeth 30 31. King HENRY the Second HIs great courage 34. He refineth the Lawes and deuiseth the Circuits in which Nisi prius and other law causes are decided 34. He destroyeth Castles to preuent Rebellions 35. He reseiseth things giuen by his Predecessors 35. He exerciseth his people in martiall Discipline in times of Peace 35. Hee Conquereth Ireland 36. His children are rebellious and punished by God 36. His Riches 37. His amorous affections to Rosamond 37. He is vexed by Thomas Becket who is slaine 37. He is accursed 40. He doth Penance He is whipt And dyeth 42. King RICHARD the First FOr his valour hee is termed Cuer de Lyon 44. His piety and compassion to his Mother and to distressed prisoners 44. His bountie 45. Hee warreth gloriously in the holy Land 45. He winneth Cyprus twice pag. 46 47. Iarres arise betwixt him and the French King and Leopold Archduke of Austria wherupon they depart and doe leaue him 46 47. He is stiled King of Ierusalem 47. By swimming he saueth his life but is taken Prisoner Ransometh himselfe and returneth into Normandie from the holy Land Hee warreth successefully against the French King in his owne Country and returneth into England 48. To pay his Ransome and to relieue his wants he ransacketh Religious houses and reseiseth such things as formerly he sold to get mony 49. He besiegeth the Castle of Chalons and is reuengefully wounded to death He taketh the Castle Pardons the offendor slaies all the rest and then he dyeth 49. King IOHN PHILIP the French King raiseth against him Arthur Plantagenet who demāds the crown 51 The King goeth twice into Normandie and puts the Frenchmen to flight 52 53. He looseth Normandie 53. 1202. His quarrell and vnspeakeable troubles with the Pope 53. Hee forbiddeth all appeales to Rome 54. Foure of his owne Bishops doe interdict him and he seiseth vpon their lands and goods Hee is accursed and his kingdome is by the Pope giuen to Philip the French King He taketh an Oath of Allegeance of his Subiects He inuadeth the Scots and they doe submit themselues 55 56. Philip of France prouideth to inuade him but looseth three hundred ships 56. King Iohn without the knowledge of his Nobilitie or Counsell submitteth himselfe on his knees to Pandulphus the Popes Legate and resigneth to him to the Popes vse his Kingdom and his Crown and after a few daies receiues it as a gift 56. His people doe despise and forsake him 57. Lewys the Dolphin in his Fathers Right by reason of the Popes donation inuadeth England The Pope accurseth him and his father and protecteth King Iohn and his kingdome Hee also accurseth such of the Nobilitie of England as sided with the French by reason whereof the Commons robbe rifle and forage both their goods and lands Miserie makes them to submit themselues 57. The Dolphin is expelled 58. The King hath peace and is poisoned by a Monke 59. King HENRY the third LEWYS the Dolphin disturbs him in England The French attempt to inuade but are ouerthrowne at Sea 63. They are accursed absolued and doe leaue this kingdome The king restoreth the ancient Lawes 63. He warreth in Angeou and elsewhere 63. And concludeth a Truce 64. His Barons and he doe iarre but are reconciled 64. The league with France is broken 64. King Henrie hath the worse in the new warres 65 66. Hee warreth with his Barons 66. Insanum Parliamentum 66. The commission of the twelue Peeres 66. They exercise their Authoritie 67. It is confirmed wherefore the King sayleth into France 67. * 1258. He releaseth his Title and his Right in Normandie and is confirmed Duke of Guyan 68. He procureth two Bulls from the Pope The Lord chiefe Iustice is displaced 68. He publisheth the Popes Bulls against the twelue Peeres and the Londoners take an Oath to assist him 69. The Barons raise an Armie and doe write vnto the King and he answereth them 69. The Barons Armie is ioyfully receaued into London 70. The controuersie is referred to the French King who is accused to be partiall 70 71. The Barons fight with the Prince and doe ouerthrow him 71. Richard King of the Romans being wronged is angrie 71. * 1262. The bataile of Lewis in which the Barons tooke the two Kings and Prince Edward prisoners and more then twentie thousand men were slaine 73. An agreement is made and the Prince is one of the Hostages The commission giuen to the 12. Peeres is confirmed and the Hostages are enlarged 73. A discord betwixt the Earles of Leicester and Glocester 73. Occasioned the ouerthrow of the Barons in the battaile of Euersham 74. ** 1263. The Barons are executed 74. The Commission of the twelue Peeres is by Parliament dissolued
And the King for reuenge resolued to haue burnt the Citie of London 74. But it is redeemed by sute and by money 75. The Earle of Glocester with the base off-skome of London do much mischiefe But by the Prince his entreatie all is pardoned 76. The Earle of Glocester is by the King furnished to goe a warfare in the holy land Hee giues it ouer And Prince Edward vndertaketh it he is trecherously wounded but recouereth The King dyeth and he returneth with much honor into England 77. King EDWARD the First THe French King feareth his valour and therefore inuiteth Lluellen to rebell against him in Wales 79. By promises that hee shall marie with the Ladie Eleanor the banished daughter of the banished Earle of Leicester who for succour was his guest 80. The King taketh her in her passage towards Wales the King marcheth towards Lluellens Armie He submitteth himselfe sweareth to be loyall and is wiued 80. He rebelleth againe and he and his brother are both beheaded 81. King Edward is chosen as soueraigne Lord to decide the controuersie and debate touching the Right to the Crowne of Scotland which many Competitors do striue for 81. That Kingdome is surrendred into his hand and he decides the doubt and conferres the Kingdom vpon Iohn Bayliol 83. Hee strippeth the Church and Church-men and is disliked of them especially for enacting of the Statute against Mortmaine 82. Iohn Bayliol being vngratefull inuadeth England But King Edward winnes from him the Castle and Towne of Barwike and slayeth 25000 of his Men. 83. He surrendreth Scotland and King Edward gouernes it by a Lieutenant and placeth all Officers of state therein 84. The Scots rebell againe and are subdued 84. They rebell once more Thirtie and two thousand of them are slaine 85. They doe homage and fealtie to King Edward 85. Iohn Bayliol at the Popes request is set at libertie his subiects doe againe rebell against England The King entreth into Scotland and the Castle of Eastervlnie in which the Scottish Nobilitie for their safeguard inclosed themselues being summoned is yeelded to King Edward 85. Hee sweareth them to his obedience and for a monument of his victories he bringeth from thēce the Chaire in which their Kings were vsually Crowned 86. Hee enquireth of the extortions done by his Officers and correcteth them 86. Prince Edward is committed to prison and his vnthriftie Companion Pierce Gaueston is banished 86. Wales and Cornwall are giuen to the Prince 86. The Pope claymeth the soueraigntie of Scotland but King Edward reiecteth and scorneth his claime Robert le Bruze vsurpeth in Scotland so that King Edward the fourth time goeth in his owne person into Scotland The Vsurper flyeth into Norway and King Edward dyeth 86 87. King EDWARD the Second HE breakes his Oath and recals Gaueston Hee doateth on Gaueston Makes him Earle of Cornwall and hee doth all in all whereat the Nobles are displeased 89 90. The King through Gauestons wicked counsell liueth lewdly and forsaketh the Companie of the Queene 90. Gaueston hath the custodie of the Kings Iewels and conueies many of them into Ireland 90 The people murmur at Gauestons authoritie and wicked courses The King reiects good counsell Yet at last Gaueston is banished into Ireland The King comforts him and sends him money and Iewels 91 The King is so sad for his departure that at the request of the Nobilitie in hope of amendment he is recalled 92 By reason of his insolencie hee is againe banished into Flanders but is recalled and waxeth more scornefull then he was before 92 The Lords despairing of redresse doe strike off his head 92 The King to despight his Nobilitie entertaineth the two Spencers who are worse then Gaueston and doe perswade him to more leaud and vngratious courses 92 The King and his Nobles doe not agree Robert le Bruze taking aduantage by the Kings euill gouernment vsurpeth in Scotland He is againe crowned King and ouerthroweth king Edward 93 Iohn Poydras is discouered to be a counterfet and is put to death 93 Barwike is betraied to the Scots 93 The Scots do ouerthrow King Edward the second time 94 The King being intreated will not put the Spencers from him 94 The Nobles in Parliament doe stand on their Guard 95 The Spencers are banished for euer 95 The Nobles complaine for the younger Spencers Piracies but the King maketh sport at it and recals them from their exile They scorne the Barons who fight but are ouerthrowen 96 Twentie and two Barons are beheaded 97 The elder Spencer is made Earle of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkley by whose principall seruice the Barons were ouerthrowen and who was made Earle of Carlile consorting with the Scots who had almost taken the King and enforced him to flie lost his head 98 The Queene being oppressed by the Spencers goeth into France and carrieth the Prince with her Shee is well entertained by the French King her brother But he is bribed by the Spencers and so is the Pope who conspire her deliuerie to King Edward And shee with her sonne doe flie into Arthoys 99 The Queene and Prince doe land in England The Nobles repaire to her with an Armie and the King is strangely taken prisoner The Earles of Arundel and Winchester are beheaded 100 And Hugh Spencer the younger being carried to London is disgraced and cruelly executed as a Traitor 100 The King is committed deposed his sonne is crowned and the old King is murdered by the practise of Sir Roger Mortimer who was too familiar with the Queene For which offence shee was honourably imprisoned thirtie yeares and more before shee died 105 King EDVVARD the third HE goeth with an Armie into Scotland to correct them for their insolencie in his fathers daies The Natiues flie into the woods and the King returneth 103 Hee concludeth a dishonourable peace with Scotland by the counsell of Sir Roger Mortimer whom he createth Earle of March and marieth his sister Iane to the King of Scots sonne named Dauid He releaseth the Tenure Soueraigntie homage and the fealtie of Scotland and deliuereth vp the great Charter called Ragman which testified their tenure of the Kings of England 104 The Earle of March procureth the Kings vncle the Earle of Kent to be beheaded and is himselfe executed as a Traitor 104. 105 The King and the French King doe iarre about the Kings homage for the Duchie of Guyan 105 The Kings title to the Kingdome of France was now first broached 105 He recouereth Barwicke from the Scots and maketh Edward Bayliol King 106 In his owne person he settleth the gouernment of Scotland 106 The King seekes aid of forraine Princes for his French wars 107 And is by fauour made Vicar Generall of the Empire and is thereby enabled to winne Iaques Dartuell with the Flemings and the Princes of Germanie to ioine with him 108 He filleth his coffers 108 The French King staieth his Armie from going to the Holy Land to fight with England 108 King Edward
payments and demaunds imposed vpon them by the two former kings He gaue free libertie to the Nobles and Gentlemen of this Realme for their pleasure Flatterers banished the Court. and better recreation to inclose Parkes for Deere and free Warrens for their Conies and such like Game And as Traitors to his Vertues State and kingly Gouernment he exiled and banished from his Court and Presence all base Flatterers Nicenesse in Behauiour Luxuriousnesse in Conuersation Sumptuousnesse in Apparell and Superfluitie in Dyet He ordained punishments by death for all such as violently spoyled or robbed in the High wayes With indefatigable trauell and paine hee corrected and reformed the monstrous Pride intolerable Couetousnesse and secure Negligence and Slouth of the Clergie He recalled from Banishment Anselme and restored him to his Archbishopricke of Canterburie and gaue him full power to assemble Conuocations and Synods at his pleasure The King leaueth the inuesture of Bishops to the Pope for the amendment of such things as were vnsufferable in the Church He left vnto the Pope his power and authoritie to inuest Bishops by giuing to them the Ring the Crosse and the Pastorall Staffe All such Ecclesiasticall Promotions and Dignities as by the lewd aduice and counsell of Reynulph Bishop of Durham his brother had seized into his owne hands and conuerted to his owne vse he voluntarily and freely conferred vpon Honest Graue Learned and Worthie Men and committed the said Bishop a prisoner to the Tower of London R bert Duke of Normandy inuadeth England from whence he afterwards escaped and eagerly incited Robert Duke of Normandie by the Sword to lay his clayme to this kingdome Who thereupon to maintaine his demaund in that behalfe raysed a strong Armie which he intended with all conuenient expedition to transport into this Realme But as king Henrie by those precedent prouisions had endeared himselfe in the Peoples loue so had he the more confirmed it by taking to wife Mawlde the sister of Edgar King Henries title made stronger by his marriage King of Scots and daughter vnto Malcolyne by Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adelinge who died without issue and daughter to King Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron-side the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons When Duke Robert with his Armie was arriued in England the noyse of Trumpets the sound of Drummes and the swarming multitudes of well-approued Souldiors fit for the Warre affoorded none other thing but a fearefull expectation of much trouble But as a threatening lowring Cloud is sometimes dispersed by a faâ—â—e shining Sunne so these approaching conflicts by the discreete mediation and counsell of worthie friends were suddenly preuented and a friendly peace A peace concluded betwixt the two brethren betwixt the two brothers was louingly concluded vpon such like conditions as formerly had beene agreed on in William Rufus his daies whereat the Norman Lords were much displeased and returned discontented with their Lord. But such were the malignant spirits of the Enuious The King inuadeth and preuaileth in Normandie or such was the greedie disposition of those who were Couetous or so eager was the Kings appetite to enlarge his Dominion that manie great quarrels for small and trifling causes began vpon the suddaine to present themselues vnto those two brethren Insomuch that King Henrie passed with a sufficient and a well-ordered Armie into Normandie where he was assisted by manie of the Dukes discontented Nobles By meanes whereof The Duke is forsaken by his Nobles and Gentrie the King in sundrie skirmishes and conflicts so preuailed that with little danger and small resistance hee chased the forsaken Duke from place to place and wonne from him the Cities of Roan Cane Valoys and manie others and then hee returned into England with much honour The Duke perceiuing that his Lords and Gentrie refused to giue him anie helpe and that the Kings Estate Strength and Riches so encreased that no hope of recouerie by striuing and by strugling was left vnto him submitted himselfe to his two Enemies Time and Fortune the scornefull deluders of such as repose their confidence vpon them and came secretly and priuatly into England presented himselfe to the King his brother and referred to his owne censure and will both himselfe his Duchie and all Debates and Controuersies whatsoeuer But the King eyther because hee knew that the Duke was too vnconstant The Dukes submission is scornefully despised or for that some secret whisperers had prepared him to prejudicate his brothers Truth and honest Meaning with an estranged countenance and a disdainefull eye departed vnkindly from the distressed and perplexed Duke coyly refusing to accept of his submission which in all humilitie by him was profered The Duke returneth and the King followeth The Duke being pierced to the heart that his misfortunes should so much wrong him returned with all expedition into his owne Countrey resoluing That in the open Field he would rather die as a valiant man than thus be trampled on by Dishonour and by Disgrace And the king conjecturing rightly what he pretended followed him with many thousands of men and so often he encountred the weake Duke with his great strength The Duke is taken and his eyes are put out that within few dayes he tooke him and brought him as a prisoner into England where because he hearkened to Natures enticement which persuaded him to seeke his libertie and to practise his escape both his eyes by the kings commaundement were plucked out After which time he liued as a miserable and as a wretched captiue more than the space of twentie yeares At length being dead in Glocester he was buried A Rebellion by the Earles of Shrewsburie and of Mortaigne About the same time Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsburie trayterously did rebell but wanting Wealth Wit Courage and Strength the foure Champions of the strongest Field he was enforced to flye into Normandie Where finding William Earle of Mortaigne and of Cornwall much displeased with the king for that as he surmised he kept from him vnjustly the Earledome of Kent he so much insinuated himselfe into his loue and counsels that easily he persuaded him to rebell So both of them joyning both their forces together they made a goodly shew as if they would work wonders They are taken and imprisoned But small opposition enforced them to take a plaine view of their rash errors and leauing that which they had to make hard shifts for the safegard of themselues Wherein their ill successe was a just reward for their foule offence for by the kings Power they were taken and by him held as prisoners whilest they liued New troubles betwixt the King and the Archbishop of Canterburie about the Temporalties of the Clergie and inuesture of Bishops The king hauing now cast anchor as he was resolued in a safe harborow and nothing fearing the blasts of any Fortune which might attempt to shake his settlement in this
was in great disfauour with the King But he taking little notice of the Kings dislike contrarie to the Kings pleasure vpon the suddaine surrendred to the King his Chancelorship and the great Seale The King enquired diligently for the cause why he so did But such was his obstinate follie and vnthankfulnesse that he would not reueale it vnto anie These jarres betweene the King and the Archbishop emboldened the baser and the worser sort of the Clergie to commit manie great and horrible sinnes and offences for which they receiued small punishment because though their transgressions were Murthers Manslaughters Thefts and Robberies yet they being to be tryed and adiudged by men of their owne profession were too too much winked at So that by meanes of their carelesnesse the Commonweale was much wronged The Clergies temp rall offences made subiect to be tried before the Temporall Iudge Wherefore the King summoned and assembled his High Court of Parliament In which that Law made by king Stephen which exempted the authoritie of the Temporall Iudge to meddle with anie Ecclesiasticall persons for anie crime by them committed whatsoeuer was abolished and the ancient Lawes of this Realme vsed in the times of Henrie the first and of others the kings Progenitors and which were commonly called Auitae Leges were reduced to their former validitie and force Auitae Leges But in these proceedings the king was much crossed and interrupted by the obstinate and bold frowardnesse of Thomas Becket and of some few other Bishops who vnaduisedly made themselues partakers of his Faction But after manie Conferences Disputes and Consultations touching those businesses all the Bishops Becket onely excepted ratified and subscribed those newly reuiued Lawes Becket would not giue way to those Laws But Becket would not by anie meanes assent thereunto except hee might insert this Clause Saluo ordine suo Which words would clearely haue annihilated the life and substance of those Lawes His Exception Saluo iure suo This his follie made the king to bite his lippe and to say little So that the other Bishops much fearing to what end the kings extraordinarie displeasure and discontentment would tend did priuately commune with the Archbishop and prayed him for the preuenting of future mischiefes to submit himselfe whereunto he gaue his free consent Becket is persuaded and sweareth to those Lawes and as the rest had done so did he take a solemne Oath to giue allowance to those Lawes The king forthwith altered the strangenesse of his countenance into pleasing and familiar lookes he spake kindly vnto Becket and assured him of his former loue And being wise and politike and purposing to assure the Peace of future times whilest oportunitie did serue hee caused a tripartite Instrument to be drawne betwixt himselfe and the two Archbishops testifying this Submission and this Oath Two of which parts were forthwith subscribed by the King and by the Archbishop of Yorke But Thomas Becket falling into the relapse of his former follie did not onely refuse to doe the like Becket again withstandeth those Lawes but expressed great Repentance for the former Oath which he had taken And not so contented he secretly informed the Pope thereof and of his inward sorrow for that sinne Becket is absolued by the Pope The Pope not onely absolued him of that Oath and enioyned him to some priuate Penance but hee also required him without yeelding stoutly to persist with a strong Resolution in his opinion Hereupon the kings anger towards Becket daily encreased more and more And when this newes from Rome was diuulged Beckets temporalties seized by the King He is called to an accompt for 30000 marks and refuseth to accompt his Majestie seized into his owne hands all such Temporall Lands and Promotions as hee had giuen in former times vnto Becket and required him to render him an account for thirtie thousand Marks which to his vse he had receiued when he was Chancelor of this Realme But boldly hee affirmed That the king had frankely and freely giuen it vnto him and that therefore hee would not enter into anie such account Whereupon the king to satisfie himselfe His mouables are seized made a seizure of such moueable goods as appertained to him Thus whilest the Wheele thus turned Thomas Becket without the kings Licence transported himselfe secretly vnto Rome Becket goeth to Rome and the king thereby perceiuing that Becket intended nothing more than to incense the Pope against him sent his Embassadours and Letters vnto Rome The Pope denieth the Kings request and by them he signified vnto the Pope how reasonable his owne demaunds were and how peruersely Thomas Becket had refused to obey And therefore he entreated the Pope that he might be depriued of his Place and Dignitie protesting That he would prouide for him and his in some other kind He threateneth the king But the Pope not onely denied his request but with thundering termes he threatened to send two Legats into England who should curse the King and all his Realme except on their demaund hee restored the Archbishop both to his Place and Dignitie and also to all such Lands and Mouables as by the Kings commandement had beene taken from him And in the meane time hee commended Becket to the Abbot of Pontinyack where hee was gently receiued and kindly entertained as a Monke The Kings anger against Becket But when the King perceiued into what corner the winde did blow and that the Pope had filled Becket with the blasts of pride and vaine-glorie he being more and more exasperated sent vnto the said Abbot and required him to turne Becket out of his house or otherwise he protested he would not leaue one Monke of his Order in all France The King forbiddeth accesse from the Pope into England He also published certaine Iniunctions against the Pope and all Cardinals and Legates which without his Licence should presume to enter into his kingdome He also depriued Thomas Beckets nearest and choisest friends of all such Promotions Lands and Substance as they did enioy and banished them out of the Realme Beckets friends are banished because with counsell and with money they had joyned with him in this his obstinacie against the king This round and bitter course more troubled Becket then all other precedent passages whatsoeuer And to encrease his griefe the Abbot of Pontinyacke fearing the euent of the Kings displeasure if he submitted not himselfe to his command gently perswaded Becket to leaue his house The French King vnderhand animateth the Pope Whereof when Lewis the French King heard albeit his daughter Margaret was married vnto Henrie the yong King yet he procured him better entertainment elsewhere and secretly wrote in his behalfe vnto the Pope The King sayleth into France He conferreth with Becket His offer to Becket King Henrie desiring to see an end of these troubles if by any meanes conueniently hee might vpon
the suddaine sailed into France And in the French Kings presence hee conferred with Becket oftentimes and made him this offer That if at last hee would take the said Oath againe and would subscribe the said Instrument Tripartite as himselfe and the Archbishop of Yorke had done to the other two He should then returne into England Graced with the Kings especiall fauour and that hee should enioy his place and dignitie and be in ample sort restored to all things taken from him and whereof iustly hee had beene depriued And that the like bountie should be extended to his exiled friends But he proudly answered that if the king would consent that hee might so sweare and subscribe with this exception Saluo honore Dei Salua honore Dei he then would yeeld But this exception displeased the King more then all the rest had done For then hee perceiued plainely that Becket intended thereby to expresse That those Lawes tended to the dishonour of Almightie God and that therefore hee had a purpose no longer to obey them notwithstanding he should subscribe and sweare then he should please Beckets proud resolution But Becket told him proudly and plainely That hee feared none but God and that sith those his Lawes were derogatorie to the auncient customes and priuiledges of the Church and robbed God of his honour the King in seeking to establish them should not haue his owne will whilst he liued The King failing of his purpose returned into England and not long after two Legates came to him from Rome Two Legats sent to interdict the king to interdict him from comming to the Church vntill he had in all things whatsoeuer restored Becket according to the Popes commaunds High displeasure transported the King into Normandy where he conferred againe with Becket but found him still the selfe-same man He sayleth into Normandie but finds no alteration in Becket The King is pleased that Becket shall returne into England The King would faine haue Becket dispatched And being desirous to set an end of those troubles hee gaue him way and consented to his returne and came againe into England And not long after Becket followed the King But the King muttringly repined that among all such as he had aduanced there was not one who would endeuour to rid him of so dangerous and malapert an enemie He also receiued a strange welcome of Henrie the young king who exiled him from his Court and confined him to his owne house in Canterburie because in his absence the king in his Parliament desiring that his said sonne should be crowned King the Bishop of London and three other Bishops vpon the kings commandement had performed those ceremoniall Solemnities and were suspended by Becket because they presumed so to doe without his leaue and could not be absolued by Becket although he had beene entreated therein by both those kings And within foure dayes after Becket by foure gracelesse malefactors was wickedly murdered in his owne Church Thomas Becket murdred whereof the king was accused by the Pope but he denied it vpon his oath The King accused Yet in regard of his former muttering speeches which by all conjecture hastened his end the king submitted himselfe to the Popes Censure The Kings Penance Who enjoyned him to warre three yeares in person in the Holie Land which he redeemed by erecting three Houses of Religion He was also enjoyned to goe from London to Canterburie bare-footed to visit Beckets Shryne which he did and suffered himselfe to be scourged with roddes by euerie Monke there He is whipped And thus the king had a bad end of all those Troubles THE HISTORIE OF KING RICHARD THE FIRST RICHARD the eldest sonne liuing of Henrie the second being in Normandie when his Father died succeeded in his Throne And because those Countries wanted settlement and required a longer time of his presence aboue all other things he was most carefull for the enlargement of Queene Elianor his Mother A good sonne but an euill husband who by her deceased husband was committed to strait Imprisonment because shee loathed and would not endure his lasciuious course of liuing with his wanton Rosamond but sharpely reproued him for the same And because shee was euerie way vertuous discreete and wise Queene Elianor is made Regent of England hee committed the whole Gouernment of this Realme in his absence to her care And because her owne Experience had informed her what anguish and what sorrow poore helpelesse Captiues did endure shee set at libertie all such as were imprisoned for ordinarie offences Non ignara maâ—i miseris succurâ—ete discit or for small Debts which her selfe did pay and administred the Common-weales affaires with great Moderation Integritie and Iustice vntill her sonne the king came home and was with all Solemnitie and strange Triumphs annointed and crowned king This king imitating the milde disposition of his mother and commiserating the troubles of such as were afflicted freed out of euerie Prison all such as were his Debtors A mercifull King or were enthralled for anie transgression which concerned himselfe and whome without injustice done to others he might acquite And in the whole course of his Gouernment he so prouided that Iustice with Mercie should be extended vnto all Too much honor elateth He heaped manie Honors and profitable Promotions vpon his brother Iohn whome he created Earle of Lancaster and gaue vnto him the Prouinces of Nottingham Deuonshire and Cornwall and married him to the sole and onely Daughter and Heire of the Earle of Glocester from whome he receiued the Lordship of that Countrey These great and kind fauors required that he should be thankfull But oftentimes it happeneth that as the addition of too much Oyle extinguisheth the Lampe which otherwise would burne and yeeld her light and as the ouer-abundance of too much water falling vpon a Wheele maketh it the lesse seruiceable for the vse to which it is employed So the conferring of too much Honor and of too manie Titles of Dignitie vpon such as are not capable of them all altereth and changeth their milde and gentle dispositions and maketh them altogether vnthankefull for those benefits which they haue receiued And oftentimes they are incited and prouoked thereby to affect things of higher consequence and moment than are fitting and to conjecture that the greatest fortunes are most agreeable to their Estates So that they neuer cease to attempt great things which in the end will rather be hurtfull to them than doe them anie good An vnthankfull brother This proued true betwixt the king and his brother Iohn For when the king had powred on him plentifull showers of his bountie and great abundance and had aduanced him in Honor and in Estate aboue all others his thoughts mounted aboue the Moone and made him vnnaturally and vnthankfully to affect the Crowne and to boast That his endowments were sufficient and fitting for a king And though
he wanted oportunitie yet he resolued to push hard for the Crowne if Time and Fortune would present it to him This king for his inuincible valour and haughtie courage was esteemed to be almost matchlesse in the Christian world so that he was surnamed Cuer de Lyon Cuer de Lyon or the Lyons Heart And to say the truth he was such a one as vpon good aduice and counsell dared to attempt anie thing if it were honourable to be atchieued and possible to be done His fathers Treasure enriched him exceedingly with great store of Siluer and of Gold And such was his contempt of Riches A bountifull King and such was his Bountie to such as either deserued well or left in him anie impression of Noble worth that he bestowed on them great Gifts with such alacritie and cheerefulnesse that in short time he vnbowelled all his Bagges and Chests little foreseeing that future Businesses might require the expence of more than the great Plentie which was left vnto him and that when he wanted he should be enforced to make hard shift to relieue himselfe In the beginning of his Raigne The King resolueth to warre in the Holy Land vpon the Popes motion the Pope sollicited him with strong perswasions and manie promises of his Blessings to wage Warre in his owne person against the Turkes in the Holie Land and to attempt the winning of Ierusalem from the Infidels and vnbeleeuing Men who maliciously opposed themselues against the Incarnation Passion and Ascension of Christ Iesus Which journey he vndertooke because Frederick the Emperour Frederick Philip Leopold and Philip the second surnamed Augustus king of France Leopoldus then Archduke of Austria and manie other Christian Princes had engaged themselues both with Men Money and all other Prouisions to further those Attempts And thereupon he entred into Couenants with the king of France and the rest of that Vnion Their Couenants and Agreements That their generall meeting should be in Sicilia and that such Wealth and Bootie as GOD and good Fortune should make them Owners of should equally be shared and diuided among them and theirs These things being thus concluded although the kings profuse Expences and great Gifts exceeding measure had made him bare and needie yet would he not burthen his People with anie Taxe to supplie his wants The King in his wants would not taxe his people But raysing great summes of Money out of his owne Estate among other things he sold his Castles of Barwick and of Rokesbrough to the king of Scots for tenne thousand pounds and the Lordship and Earledome of Durham vnto Hugh then Bishop of that See for much money He leuieth money of his owne State He also enriched himselfe with Siluer and with Gold by the Sale of sundrie Honors Lordships Manors Offices Priuiledges Royalties and other things vnto such as parsimonie and sparing had made Owners and Possessors of great plentie and did protest His willingnesse to vndertake this voyage That for the performing of so great and honorable a Seruice he was not vnwilling to sell his Citie of London if anie were of abilitie to buy it rather than he would be chargeable vnto others And thus the king hauing furnished himselfe with all prouisions fit and necessarie for his journey and hauing leuied a strong Armie in which were manie Lords William Longchamp made Regent of England Knights and Gentlemen whose resolutions encreased his hopes of good successe he committed the principall Gouernment of his Kingdome vnto William Longchampe then Bishop of Ely who not long after was made the Popes Legate The King departeth And then he sayled with his whole Armie to the Isle of Cyprus which with braue courage after manie hot and dangerous Encounters hee wonne and sold the same to the Knights Templars for thirtie thousand Marks He winnes Cyprus and sells it for 30000 marks And from thence according to his former appointment he transported his Armie into Sicilia where he met with Philip the French king and vpon their first enter-view they pleased each other with manie passages of familiaritie and of loue But this faire Sunne-shine was quickly vayled and couered with a cloud of skorne and discontentment A iarre betweene the King and Philip King of France For when the French king was denyed to haue anie part or share with king Richard in his atchieuement of the Isle of Cyprus both because hee was absent when it was taken and also because it was affirmed by king Richard That their Couenant extended onely to such things as they should winne and gayne in the Holie Land he waxed angrie and vsed manie high and disdainefull tearmes and made publike shew of inward discontent King Richard neglected the French Kings anger All which king Richard did set at nought and told him to his face That doe what he dared he should not be a partner in that Bootie It stood not with king Philips honour to waxe cold so soone in this great Enterprize whereon the eyes of all the Christian World were fixed and dastardly to returne home But howsoeuer hee had disposed of himselfe and of such Forces as hee commanded yet king Richard was resolued to goe forth so that Necessitie enforcing them to some agreement they proceeded in their Iourney The Christian Princes doe preuaile In which they all and their Confederates performed manie honourable and wonderfull deedes of Armes terrifying and daily diminishing the Turkes Numbers and Forces with continuall slaughters and giuing them but little leysure or courage to resist And among manie other strong Townes Forts Castles and Garrisons of great strength and importance which they conquered they wonne after a long and a sharpe Siege by maine Batteries and resolute Assaults Acon wâ—on the stoutly defended Citie of Acon Vpon the walls whereof a forward knight aduanced the Banner and the Colours of Leopold the Archduke of Austria King Richard trampleth on Leopolds colours But king Richard skorning that too much Grace and Honour should be done vnto the Duke and his owne deserts be thereby blemished he hauing first of all entred into the Citie ranne vp vnto the Wall plucked downe that Banner and those colours and trampled them with his feete Wherat the French King was much displeased and gaue his tongue libertie to speake great things The French King is angrie But King Richard neglecting his frownes and laughing at his discontent affirmed that in so doing hee had onely righted himselfe of those Iniuries which were done to him And that if any were disposed to looke sower thereat hee was carelesse of his anger King Richards courage and in the field would be ready to maintaine his doings against any The French King swelling at the heart to see King Richard thus carelesse resolute and bold The forces of the Empire and of the French King and of Leopold do leaue K. Richard And seeming to distrust least by some secret
French king vntill at length taking a priuate view of the besieged Castle of Chalons neere to Lymoys The King warreth in France he was descried by a common souldior who so grieuously wounded him with an arrow that within three dayes after he died when he had raigned almost nine yeares and was buried at Founteuerard in France at his fathers feet He is slaine After hee was wounded as is before mentioned hee wonne the Castle by terrible assaults and caused all such as he found therein to be slaine except the malefactor who being demanded by him how he dared to shoot vnto the person of a king made answere That in those Warres he had lost his father and his brother Vltio Diuina and that he was exceeding glad that fortune had so assisted him in his reuenge Then when he expected nothing but a present terrible death The King pardoneth him who slew him the king gaue him his pardon and caused him to be safely conducted out of his Armie In the beginning of this Kings Raigne certaine Out-lawes to the number of one hundred and more being resolued and desperat men whose chiefest leaders were named Robin Hood and Little Iohn robbed and spoyled in diuers places of this Land Robin Hood and Little Iohn They neither hurted nor much wronged anie except they would runne themselues into danger by resistance They attempted against none Honest Theeues but against such as being rich gayned by vsurie or gaue no entertainement by good Hospitalitie to their Neighbours and to the poore They spared all women and were bountifull benefactors to such as stood in need Thus they continued diuers moneths vntill their chiefest Leader Robin Hood by meanes of a sharpe sicknesse being let bloud and being betrayed bled himselfe to death And then the whole Rout of this theeuish Companie was dispersed and the Malefactors secretly repaired home to their owne houses THE HISTORIE OF KING IOHN IOHN PLANTAGENET Earle of Lancaster in his owne Right and Earle of Glocester in the right of his wife and being the yongest sonne of King Henrie the second succeeded and was crowned king albeit that Arthur Plantagenet his nephew Arthur Plantagenet was lawfull heire and sonne to Geoffrey his elder brother was then liuing The whole course of this Kings Gouernment was accompanied with continuall troubles and his two Persecutors were Pope Innocent the third The Kings two persecutors and Philip the second then King of France The French King feared the greatnesse of Englands strength and the prosperitie of this Kingdome was hurtfull vnto his eyes The French king taketh part with Arthur against King Iohn and glad he was if at anie time the least occasion would offer him some seruice to further his designes against King Iohn For proofe hereof he protested a world of loue to the said Arthur informed him of his Title to the Crowne of England and of his vndoubted right to the Duchies of Normandie and of Britaine animated him to rayse his spirits and to aduance his courage to winne them all If he were destitute of Friends which might aduise and counsell him he and his Nobles would supplie that want if he stood in need of Siluer and of Gold to feede and to nourish the great bodie of that Warre he should be supplyed with sufficient store And if he would haue valiant men to fight for him and for those his Rights hee would supplie him with manie thousands who should aduenture to spend their best bloud in his Quarrels These large and friendly proffers which indeede proceeded rather from a jealousie which the French King had of himselfe by reason of King Iohns Greatnesse than from anie inward affection or heartie loue which hee bare vnto Arthur the lawfull and the rightfull Heire of this Crowne and the longing desire which made this young Gallant hopefull of those great atchieuements persuaded him verie easily not onely to accept of the French Kings friendship but also to vse his aide So that partly by the helpe of the Normans and partly by the French Kings meanes Arthur Plantagenet leuieth an armie hee leuied a puissant Armie and wonne diuers places both of Worth and of Strength in Normandie But the Kings Lieutenant and his other Agents in that Duchie defended themselues valiantly persisted in their Duties and fought it out diuers times King Iohn goeth into Normandie with an Armie vntill King Iohn himselfe came into that Countrey with a strong Armie and fought manie cruell Battailes with his Nephew But oftentimes it falleth out that by Warre which is the enemie of Peace Peace it selfe is procured For when those two Princes had exchanged store of blowes and when their Armies had made hauocke each of other and death had drenched her selfe in their bloud they entred into certaine Capitulations for Peace A peace is concluded which for a short time gaue them some respit of breathing But the same was againe interrupted by Philip the French King The peace is broken by the French kings meanes who promised Arthur a doubling of his strength and fed him with much assurance of prosperous successe and made him confident to renew those Warres And hereupon the French King carried a faire Armie into Normandie with which hee spoyled ransacked and depopulated manie places in that Duchie But King Iohn who wanted nothing but money to encounter with so peruerse an enemie was warned by his Lords Gentlemen and the inferiour sort of his common people That shame would wait vpon him for his neglect in suffering his Honour to be trampled on and his Territories in such sort without blowes to be taken from him And to whet the dull edge of his courage The Englishmens forwardnesse to buckle with the French deiected by reason of his wants they voluntarily and freely granted him a large Taxe to support his necessitie and euerie lustie Ladde boldly proffered his seruice to buckle strongly with the French By these meanes King Iohn was quickly furnished and strengthened both with Money and with Men King Iohn passeth into Nâ—rmandie the second time with an Armie and with a strong Armie he landed in the Duchie of Normandie where his numbers were euerie day augmented by the repaire of manie thousands who were well appointed and did resolue with him to expect the same lot and the same fortune And not long after the two Armies met and fought together with such desperate boldnesse The two Armies fight that each of them tooke pleasure to giue blowes wounds death Each of them rejoyced in the ruine of the other and those solemne spectacles of sorrow which would haue made others sad gaue them occasion of much mirth But things which are violent cannot long endure This fearefull storme must bee changed into a pleasant calme The Frenchmen flye And so it was For the Frenchmen were discouraged and fled and Arthur the Kings Nephew and the rightfull Heire vnto his Crowne Arthur is sent
and had found more fidelitie and seruice in strangers borne than in those his owne subjects in milde and in gentle sort accepted of their submission pardoned their transgressions and restored them to their Honors and to their Lands Peace And by these meanes this Realme was disburthened of the French Nation and a quiet peace began to salute the King and his people who now found some leysure to looke vp and to refresh themselues as Fishes doe in a faire calme after they haue beene tumbled and tossed in the Waters by an vnquiet Storme 1212. The Councell of Lateran The Pope intending to make these his proceedings with King Iohn in England a president vnto other Princes assembled a generall Councell at Lateran wherein hee published them all at large together with the said kings Grant of his Kingdome to the Pope Princes excommunicated and their Prouinces and Kingdomes interdicted and his said regrant and the Tenure thereof to be of the Church of Rome And in the same Councell Otho the Emperour Peter king of Arragon and Raymond Earle of Tholouse and diuers other Princes were excommunicated and others were interdicted together with their Kingdomes and their Prouinces for Heresie as it was pretended A Popish Policie But the certaine scope of this craftie and cunning packing tended to none other end than onely to make temporall Princes subiect to the Popes correction and consequently to enrich himselfe and his successors Auricular Confession Transubstantiation Damnation with their spoyle In the same Councell also Auricular Confession and Transubstantiation were established and decreed and therein it was enacted That such as spake euill of the Pope should be damned in Hell and that no man should be Emperour Emperour vntill he had sworne his Homage to the Pope and had receiued his Crowne from him And thus all these troubles hauing had from the fourth yeare of King Iohns Raigne as long a continuance as the Troian Warres were at last ended Peace after tenne yeares warre But the Clergie would in no sort bee heartily reconciled to the King For such was their secret grudge and spleene towards him that vnder the colour of much seruice and dutie as hee lay in the Abbey of Swansteede not farre from Lincolne hee was poysoned by a Monke of the Order of Saint Bernard who to make his match sure King Iohn is poysoned and to auoid jealousie and suspition first dranke vnto the King and poysoned himselfe for companie And thus died King Iohn when he had raigned aboue seuâ—nteene yeares and lyeth buried at Winchester In the seuenth yeare of his Raigne hee transported a puissant armie of valiant men of armes and common souldiors 1205. into Ireland Ireland and with great resolution and courage he reduced that Nation to their former obedience from which with insolent obstinacie they had reuolted And in the ninth yeare by a new Charter 1208. A Maior in London hee enabled the Citizens of London to make their annuall choice of a Maior and of two Shirifes for the better Gouernement of that Citie And the yeare following London Bridge the Bridge of Stone was there built ouer the Riuer of Thames This King was verie wise politike and wonderfull valiant 1209. not to be subdued but by Death A descriptiâ—n of King Iohn nor wearied with anie Trauaile nor would be discouraged with more than ordinarie Dangers Hee fought manie successefull Battailes both at home and abroad yet was hee not alwayes fortunate For by meanes of the Popes quarrellings Philip of France wonne from him the greatest part yea almost his whole Duchie of Normandie and vexed him exceedingly at home in his owne Kingdome Hee was liberally bountifull and benigne to all Strangers but sparing in his gifts to his owne subiects And some reason hee had to be the more close-handed towards them because the most of them better louing France than their owne Countrey and caring more for the French King than for him who was their Soueraigne Lord and Master gaue him little stomack and courage to aduance them as otherwise no doubt hee would haue longed and desired to haue done Hee left behinde him foure sonnes viz. Henrie who succeeded him Richard who was elected King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guido Disnay and three daughters viz. Isabell married to Fredericke the Emperour the second to William Marshall Earle of Worcester and the third to the Earle of Leicester THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE THIRD AFTER the death of King Iohn Henrie his sonne being of the age of nine yeares was crowned King and the Protection of him A Protector and of this Realme was committed to the Earle of Glocester who hauing married one of the Kings aunts and being well learned politicke and wise temperate and valiant administred the Lawes and Iustice vprightly to the people So deepe an impression had confidence made in the hearts of Philip of France and of Prince Lewis his eldest sonne The French King againe inuadeth England that the Kings Minoritie Traiterous friends and their owne good fortune would make them the Soueraigne Lords of this kingdome that no former Commandements or Curses from the Pope preuailed to make them vtterly to abandon and to forsake this kingdome For their Hope 's fed them with this conceit that their new repaire hither and the daily disturbance and trouble which by their meanes should vnjoynt the Peace and the good Gouernment of this Commonweale would and in the end should shake it with a continuall feauer and make it hopelesse of all recouerie or reliefe sauing onely by their meanes And vpon this Proiect they landed fresh forces within this Land But the new Protector was not idle in his charge For his Preparations were expedited with great celeritie and judgement and with such forces as he had leuied he manfully opposed himselfe against all Encounters of the French The Welchmen take part with the French and of the Welch which obstinately adhered to the French part But the best successe by Warres in a distempered and in a mutinous Estate giues little cause of boasting to eyther part For the slaughter of manie friends and kinsfolke affoording the Victorie cannot chuse but bring with it a sorrowfull remembrance of their vntimely end and beget manie wishes that their vndutifull Errors hauing beene reformed they were aliue againe The Pope curseth again Honorius the Pope being truly informed how obstinately the French and the Welch Nations being assisted with some English daily warred and spoyled within this Realme not onely confirmed the authoritie of Guallo the Legate but by him he thundred more sharpe and terrible Curses against them all than formerly hee or his predecessors had done Whereunto hee added new Excommunications Depriuations and other bitter Censures of the Church of Rome His curses are not cared for Hereupon Prince Lewis with his confederates seemed to be peacefull for a while and made an outward shâ—w
his necke Alexander the King of Scots not hauing anie issue of his bodie fell with his horse and vnfortunately brake his necke He had three sisters the eldest of which was married vnto Iohn Baylyol Lord of Galloway the second vnto Robert le Bruze Lord of Valley-Androw and the third was married into England to Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergauenny Contention about the Crowne of Scotland Betwixt these three each of them being backed with the best support of their most able friends sharpe bickerings and ciuill warres occasioned the deaths of manie worthie and valiant men together with the ruine and destruction of some of their Houses and best Fortunes The title is referred to the censure of King Edward as to the soueraign Lord thereof and the Commonweale of that kingdome receiued manie desperate wounds and strange misaduentures because each of them in the right of his wife attempted and hoped to be a king Whereupon king Edward with great expedition went into Scotland as their Soueraigne Lord and endeuoured to compose this strife But such was their mutuall desire to raigne that no persuasions preuailed to make anie one of them to yeeld But in the end more sounder aduice tooke place so that they all by a publike writing vnder their hands and seales consented to referre themselues and their Titles to the censure and judgement of King Edward Scotland is surrendred to king Edward And by the same Instrument they freely surrendered all Scotland and that Crowne into the Kings hands to the end that thereby they might enable him absolutely to possesse such a one of them in that Kingdome as in his judgement ought to haue the same Hee also receiued from them in writing their seuerall demands and each mans proofes A wise and a discreet King reasons and arguments to maintaine his Clayme And thereupon King Edward elected and made choice of twentie of the most discreet wise and worthie men of his kingdome of England and of twentie more of the kingdome of Scotland and by their aduice and counsell he informed himselfe truly of that businesse and at length pronounced his Sentence for Iohn Baylyol Iohn Bailiol is made King of the Scots He doth homage for it to the King who had married the eldest of those three sisters who receiued from him that Crowne and Countrey and for it performed and did his homage to King Edward The King although he were earnestly employed in these and in other affaires at home yet was he more troubled with greater businesses abroad The French King wrongeth King Edward by reason that the French King daily wronged him in Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere And to maintaine those warres the King by the aduice and counsell of William Marchyan his chiefest Treasurer seized into his hands the Plate Iewels and Treasure of the Churches and of the religious Houses within this kingdome Euâ—ll counsell and compelled the Clergie to giue vnto him the one halfe of one yeares value of all their Ecclesiasticall Dignities and Promotions The King stâ—â—ppeth the Church He is hated by Church-men This vnaccustomed Sacriledge made the King hatefull in Church-mens eyes But yet he seemed in some sort to content them with faire promises of Restitution when his Treasures should by other meanes be encreased But they little relying vpon that promise and by common experience in other things being resolued that the Kings Coffers would not be emptied to fill theirs and yet feeding themselues with a vaine hope that some other recompence might be made them became humble sutors to the King The Clergies â—ute denyed That he would be pleased to reuoke and to annihilate the Statute which in the fourth yeare of his Raigne was made against Mortmayne Mortmayne which prohibited the giuing and the conueying of anie Lands and Tenements to anie Corporation whatsoeuer without the Kings leaue But as he neuer meant to gratifie them in anie sort whatsoeuer so he made them answer That it lay not in him without the consent of a Parliament to reuoke and to frustrate anie Law The Clergie to their great griefe and sorrow perceiued that their Treasure was swept away together with all hope of restitution or amends and though it vexed them inwardly yet durst they not to expresse anie outward tokens of dislike Thus when the King had augmented his store by the Clergies plentie he by the directions of his said Treasurer imposed a Taxe or Subsidie vpon euerie Sacke of Woolls A new Tax and vpon all Fells and Hydes which were to be transported out of this kingdome and also required the tenth part of euerie mans moueable goods and substance to maintaine his Warres which being granted hee caused it to be leuied by manie payments within the spâ—â—e of three yeares He also compelled the Clergie to bring into his Coffers all such summes of mony as they had promised to pay vnto the Pope towards the maintenance of the Christians Warre with the Turks in the Holie Land He also tooke vp one hundred thousand Quarters of the best Wheat and sent it to his Armies in Gascoyne and in Guyan where they fought with much courage and valour but with doubtfull successe sometimes gaining what was lost and sometimes loosing what they had wonne In the fiue and twentieth yeare of King Edwards Raigne 25. 1296. Iohn Baylyol inuadeth England Iohn Baylyol the King of Scots partly by the secret procurement of the French King and partly by the lewd aduice and counsell of factious and wicked persons sent a Defiance with a proud renunciation of his Fealtie and Homage to the King and with an Armie of braine-sicke Rebels entred into the Northerne parts of this kingdome where with fire and sword they oppressed such as could make no resistance and without pitie and compassion slew such as were armed in the defence of their Countrey and to saue themselues The King with an army marcheth against the Scots Whereupon King Edward recounting his manifold fauors and great loue to the said reuolted King and the high Honour wherewith not manie yeares before he had graced him and being resolued to correct his vnthankfulnesse with sharpe reuenge leuied a puissant Armie and marched in full strength towards the Northerne parts and found his fortune to be so fauourable Barwike wonne The Scots are ouerthrowne 25000 Scots are slaine that with much ease hee wonne the strong Castle of Barwike with the slaughter of fiue and twentie thousand Scots He also wonne the well-defended Castle of Donn-Barre and piercing into the sides of Scotland hee tooke Edenburrough and all other places of the best defence And the King of Scots perceiuing the dangerous estate wherein hee stood and reposing his last hopes in the Kings Grace by the aduice of all his Nobles repaired in person to the Kings presence The King of Scots yeeldeth himself and surrendreth his Kingdome He is sent to the Tower of London humbly submitted himselfe craued pardon
Scotland the Low Countries Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere and then he displaced those corrupted Officers and placed better in their steads The Prince is committed to prison and Pierce Gaueston is banisht Cornwall and Wales giuen to the Prince 29. 1300. Peace betwixt England and Scotland The Scots doe sweare obedience The Popes claime to be high Lord of Scotland and his command to King Edward About the same time Doctor Langton then Bishop of Chester complained grieuously to the King vpon Edward the yong Prince who by the lewd aduice and instigation of Pierce Gaueston his loose and gracelesse companion brake forcibly into his Parke and made hauocke of his game for which the Prince was committed to prison and Gaueston was banished the land and required not to return on paine of death And the next yeere after Edmund Earle of Cornwall sonne to Richard King of the Romans died without issue so that that Earldome reuerted to the Crowne which together with the Principalitie of Wales the King gaue vnto Prince Edward his eldest sonne and heire apparant to his Crowne In the three and thirtieth yeer of King Edwards raigne a generall peace was proclaimed betweene England and Scotland and Robert le Bruse and many other knights Lords and Earles of that Country came into England and voluntarily swore their fealtie and their homage to the king yet before one yeare was fully expired the said Lord Bruse and many others secretly procured from the Pope an instrument in writing by which the Pope made claime to the kingdome of Scotland as holden of his Church of Rome and the king was thereby peremptorily required to surcease from all demands of Tenure and of Soueraintie ouer it The Kings message to the Pope But the king by the aduice of his Nobles signified by his Embassadors to the Pope That the Signiory and Lordship of the said kingdome of Scotland did only belong to the kings of England and not vnto the See of Rome nor vnto any other and therefore he prayed him to reuoke his said Instrument and vniust claime for that both hee and his Nobles were resolued to maintain his right and lawfull inheritance therein with the vtmost expence of their goods lands and liues But whilst those things were thus handling Robert le Bruse doth vsurp in Scotland The King in his owne person the fourth time subdueth the Scots The vsurper flieth into Norway The King dieth Robert le Bruse by the Popes consent caused himself to be crowned king of that Realm which occasioned king Edward the fourth time to enter into Scotland with a puissant Armie where he so largely extended his valor and with the sword so fiercely deuoured the Inhabitants which ioynd with their vsurping king that they were compelled with extraordinarie tokens of subiection and humilitie to yeeld themselues to the kings mercie And Robert le Bruse finding no meanes to make good his false title to that Crown secretly withdrew himselfe and fled into Norway where he remained vntill king Edwards death which happened soone after when hee had raigned victoriously almost thirty fiue yeeres THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE SECOND AFTER the Kings death his sonne Edward succeeded and was crowned King His tall and comely Personage An euill King graced with outward Majestie seemed to promise manie blessings to ensue But his Maners being grossely corrupted by lewd and gracelesse companions were so lasciuious and vnbefitting the condition of a King that he became burthensome to his Nobilitie and almost a skorne to his inferior subjects For hee neglected the societie and the counsell of such as were wise and graue and consorted himselfe with his owne Minions by meanes whereof he put in practise euerie loathed thing wherein hee could either take pleasure or expresse his follie So that his euill Gouernment made his Kingdome to be vnfortunate and himselfe a president of wretchednesse to succeeding Ages as in the discourse of his Historie it will more particularly appeare No sooner was his head adorned with his Imperiall Crowne Pierce Gaueston but his heart longed for Pierce Gaueston the wicked corrupter of his youth and the professed enemie of all honestie and vertue For albeit that he was exiled by the last King The King breakes his Oath to recall Gaueston who tooke an Oath of this his Successor neuer to permit him vnpunished to come backe againe into England yet the remembrance of his villanies consorting with the Kings bad nature and euill disposition was a quicke messenger for his returne Pierce Gaueston is all in all And his arriuall so aboundantly replenished the Kings conceits with extraordinarie joy that nothing else in comparison of it gaue him anie contentment Neither could anie man besides him expect for anie gracefull entertainement from the King The Nobles tell the King of his Oath The Noble men who perfectly knew how wickedly this Gaueston was enclined perceiuing that the King doted on him and that his affections towards him were vnlimited being perplexed with inward griefe and fearing the Ruine which through his insolencie threatened the subuersion of the whole Realme emboldened themselues to put the King in minde of his oath But as his conscience troubled him not for the breach thereof So their disliking encreased his desires towards Gaueston and to make him great For Gaueston alone and none but Gaueston was likely to doe all in all and frowne hee that frowne would the King cared not who was displeased hee was resolued that Gaueston should be great And therefore hee first Lorded him with the Baronie of Wallingford Gaueston is aduanced and soone after he created him Earle of Cornwall and made him the sole and onely Commander ouer his Iewels and his Treasure In which Office so absolute was his power and so cunning was his craftie head to prouide in the time of his prosperitie for aduerse fortune which might ensue that secretly he conueyed beyond the Sea a faire Table and Tressels He conueyes the Kings Iewels out of the Realme all made of beaten gold and manie rich and precious Ornaments and Iewels to the great hurt and prejudice of the King and of this Realme Hee also tooke much pleasure to feede the Kings fancies with great varietie of new delights The King liueth loosely and lewdly and by his example hee enured him to Banquet Drinke and to Carowse beyond measure And his dishonest persuasions and enticements made him carelesse of the Bed and of the societie and fellowship of Isabell his Religious and vertuous Queene the daughter of the French King Philip the faire and sister to his Successor Charles the fourth and trayned him to the adulterous consortship of wanton Curtizans and shamelesse Whores The Queene in vaine seeketh to reclaime the King The Queene who sorrowed hereat beyond measure reposed all means for redresse of those her vnsufferable wrongs in her prayers vnto God and in her modest wooings for her Kings loue But all her endeuours
proued nothing at all For the beames of her excellent vertues could not pierce the thicke clouds of his vanities neither could her teares or her groanes mollifie his hard heart which surfetted vpon too much plentie of loathsome sinnes The common people gaue large libertie to their Tongues The people talke of the Kings euill life to speake and to talke reproachfully and to the Kings disgrace Hee knew it well he heard it and cared not for it but was resolued to perseuere in those vngodly courses which by Pierce Gaueston were contriued and proposed vnto him The Noblemen and such as by reason of their Offices and Places were of the Kings Councell did in their particulars aduenture manie times secretly to informe him of the lewdnesse of Pierce Gaueston and that both strangers and also his owne people did strangely speake of him and of his Gouernment which was altogether eclipsed by the foule interposition of his vices betwixt himselfe and it But their labour was quite lost The King cares not for good counsell and their fidelitie was requited with vnthankfull frownes rather testifying his determination to continue subject though he were a King to his follies than in anie sort to amend anie thing which was amisse When nothing could preuaile either to reforme the King A petition for Gauestons banishment or to make him carelesse of Pierce Gaueston the Lords and Barons of this Kingdome began seriously to consult and to take another course For they preferred their generall Petition to the King wherein they plainely discouered the foulenesse of his faults and the sorrow of his best affected subjects for that his Majestie more than was fitting or comely was guided and gouerned by Pierce Gaueston and earnestly entreated him to be pleased for the preuenting of such mischiefes as were otherwise likely to ensue to banish that lewd Companion both from his Court and Kingdome The King perceiuing that his Nobles were resolued to vrge his consent vnto Pierce Gauestons Exile agreed though vnwillingly thereunto yea in such a displeased humor graunted he their request that thereby they might well vnderstand Gaueston is banished into Ireland The King sends comfortable messages vnto Gaueston Gaueston is made Gouernour of Ireland The King sends him Iewels and Money that his heart subscribed not to their desires But away he was sent into Ireland Where he was no sooner arriued but by messengers sent to him by the King he was required to be jocund and chearefull in his banishment for that his absence should in the end be recompenced with greater honours and more gracefull fauors than hee had formerly receiued And for a pledge thereof the King appointed him to be the chiefe Gouernour and highest Commander in that Countrey and sent him such store of Plate Iewels and Coyne both of Siluer and of Gold that he might well thinke that his banishment was but an honorable Embassade and an occasion thereby presented by good fortune to the King to make him the more potent and more rich The Nobles doe sue for his returne And besides all this the Kings discontented passions so swayed in him and Gauestons absence so much perplexed him that his Nobles being in hope of future amendment of all things which had beene done amisse Gaueston is recalled and to please the King freely and of their owne accords moued the King for his returne But when he came back againe Gaueston is wicked and insolent so strongly and so strangely was hee supported by the publike fauors and vnremoueable loue of the King that with greater insolencie and pride than before hee practised manie more notorious villanies than euer he had done Gaueston is banished againe He is recalled So that by meanes of the incessant importunitie of the Nobles hee was againe banished into Flanders where hee remained not long but the king called him backe againe Those his Exiles thus procured by the Lords and Barons of this kingdome and their consents to call him home againe might haue reclaymed him from his foule and grosse errors if wisdome and vertue had in anie sort beene entertained by him Gaueston boasteth of his wicked courses But in stead of changing his bad nature into good qualities hee tooke an extraordinarie delight to glorie in his owne sinne and to boast how he mis-led the king He also skornefully despised the greatest Nobles of this Land He skornes the Nobles and abused them at their faces and by vntrue informations which priuately and behind their backs he gaue vnto the king he caused them to be frowned on and did all things in such a disordered fashion without controlment that the Barons with one consent being hopelesse of redresse The Barons strike off Gauestons head and being vnable anie longer to support such a despised burthen besieged him being in a strong Castle which they wonne and to redeeme the kings honour The King is impatient for Gauestons death and to procure their owne liberties and the welfare of the Commonweale they caused his head to be smitten off But so highly was the king displeased thereat that alwaies from thenceforth he endeauoured nothing more than by crueltie and by tyrannie to reuenge his death The King fauoreth the two Spencers And then to anger his Nobilitie he entertained into his nearest familiaritie and counsailes the two Spencers Sir Hugh the father and Sir Hugh the sonne men as gracelesse and as odious to the Lords and common people The Spencers are as bad as was Gaueston as the other was Their aduice enclined the king to prosecute his lewd and wanton course of life among lasciuious and wanton Whores and Concubines and to set at naught the sweet companie of his modest and vertuous Queene which made him a skorne to forraine Princes and batefull in the sight of all honest men The fruits of euill gouernment Yet the king in despight of his greatest Lords supported the two Spencers in all things which they would take in hand But his euill gouernment both of himselfe and of his kingdome The King and his Nobles are at variance reuiued new discords betweene the king and his Barons and by meanes thereof the affaires and businesses of the Commonweale were ill managed and such as lay in wait to aduance their Estates by reason of this dissention had now gotten fit oportunitie to put in practise what they pleased Among which Robert le Bruce returning from Norway into Scotland was joyfully receiued there Robert le Bruse being recrowned inuadeth England 7. 1313. The Battaile of Estreuelyne and was the second time crowned king of that kingdome And then he leuied a strong Armie with which he entred into the Marches of England foure or fiue dayes journey and with fire and sword miserably wasted and desolated those Countries vntill hee was encountred by the king and compelled to retyre But king Edward fighting a Battaile with the Scotish power within the borders of
vnder the Great Seale The Nobles are offended The Kings Title to France first broched hee was condemned to die in the same manner which he had deuised for the execution of Sir Hugh Spencer the yonger And Queene Isabel being most honourably prouided for and attended on was sequestred into a strong Castle where shee liued more then thirtie yeares after and then died In the fifth yeare of King Edwards Raigne his personall appearance in kind and friendly sort was required by Philip de Valoys king of France and vncle to the yong Queen that is to say brother to Iane Countesse of Henalt who was mother to K. Edwards wife together with his Homage Fealtie for his Duchie of Guyan For the performance whereof he departed hence and was with much triumph magnificence receiued entertained feasted in France But his homage and his fealtie he would and did only confesse by words and would not doe them in such solemne and submissiue fashion as they were demanded Whereat the French King was so inwardly moued that King Edward at his departure from the French Court might well perceiue that his welcome was more respected and honoured then his going from thence Assoone as the King came home by new Embassadors his homage was againe required to be performed with all solemnitie and due rites And therupon to giue some contentment to the French King it was sent vnto him in an instrument in writing vnder the great seale Whereat the Lords and Peeres repined much affirming that the crowne of France in the right of Queene Isabel his mother did belong to him and that therefore hee might iustly haue refused to haue done vnto him any homage at all Not long after these businesses thus ended King Edward by his Embassadors required Dauid the yong King of Scots The King requireth the Castle of Barwicke to bee restored It is denyed by the King of Scots and his Homage denied also being his brother-in-law to restore vnto him his Castle of Barwick and to doe him homage for his kingdome But Dauid stoutly returned answer that his father by conquest and by his sword wonne that Castle and that he had receiued it by discent from him and therefore would hold and keep it as his owne And touching the kings demand of his homage for the kingdome of Scotland his answer was that his Father neuer acknowledged any such seruice that king Edward had released it if any had been due And that therefore he would not confesse any tenure of king Edwards crowne The King warreth in Scotland The King preuaileth Barwicke is recouered The high spirit of the King would not suffer him thus to bee slighted and shaken off for he resolued to make himselfe the Lord of both For which cause he marched with a strong Armie into Scotland and quickly subdued the better the greater part of that kingdome with small resistance And hauing fortifyed for his own vse the Castles and Townes of best defence he returned and came to Barwick where the Towne after a strong siege was by composition surrendred into his hands Edward Baylyol Crowned King of Scotland And then he crowned Sir Edward Baylyol king of Scotland and committed the gouernment of the Towne of Barwick vnto his charge and returned into England with much honour The King in person setleth the Gouernement of Scotland But before two yeares more were expired he passed againe with an armie into Scotland placed his new king in his throne and receiued his homage and reinuested diuers English Lords and gentlemen of such Lordships and Territories as by reason of the kings dishonorable peace with the Scots when he first began to raigne had been taken from them Dauid flyeth into France These disasters and aduerse fortunes which inseparably accompanied Dauid the deposed king compelled him to flie into France where after two yeares continuance his heart was cheered with faire promises and his necessities were relieued plentifully with large and ample supplies of all things needfull and conuenient He returneth with an Armie into Scotland he also obtained an Armie with which hee sailed into Scotland his hopes fairely promising that ere long he should bee a king againe But he was much deceiued For king Edward hauing certain intelligence of his of the French kings endeuours prouided effectually for the encounter Dauid is ouerthrowne by King Edward and marched into Scotland with a strong Armie where hee fought often with fortunate successe against Dauid and the French kings forces and at length by battaile obtained an honourable victorie and securing the gouernment of that kingdome according to the rules of wisdome and of policie he returned joyfully into England Robert de Arthoys comes into England In the tenth yeare of this kings raigne Philip de Valoys then king of France sentenced the Earledome of Arthoys from Robert De Arthoys vnto Maud Countesse of Burgondie Aunt to the said Robert which censure so incensed the said Earle that in his heat he vttered these wordes By me was he made a King and by me he shal be againe deposed For which offence The King requites his former kindnesse he was throughout all France proclaimed to be a traytor to the crowne so that to preserue his life hee was compelled to flie into England where in regard of his fidelitie and honourable seruice performed to Queene Isabel and to the king himselfe when they were both in France he was with all complements of kindnes and heartie loue receiued and entertained by king Edward who knowing him to be right valiant hardie wise and not forgetting to requite fauours extended to him in his distresse created him Earle of Richmond He is Created Earle of Richmond and so entirely loued him that whilest he liued he neuer attempted anie great and important matter without his counsell and aduice This noble Knight ceased not to informe the King of his Title to the Crowne of France By Queene Isabel his mother who was the daughter of Philip the Faire which appeared to stand thus Philip the Hardie had issue two sonnes Philip the Faire King Edwards title to the Crowne of France and Charles de Valoys Philip the Faire had issue three sonnes all which successiuely were Kings and died without issue Male that is to say Lewes the tenth Philip the fifth sirnamed the Long Charles the fourth He had also one daughter which was named Isabel Queene of England and married to the Kings Father named Edward the second And Charles de Valoys the second sonne of Philip the Hardie was father vnto Philip de Valoys who raigned then in France Charles de Valoys and of this Charles it is noted that he was the sonne of a King The brother of a King The vncle of a King and the father of a King that himselfe was no King According to the Lawes of France the Crowne was to descend to the Issue Male and no woman
could inherit the Crowne but King Edward in regard that he was a Male though the descent of the Males was interrupted by a Female viz. by Queene Isabel his mother pretended that in right the Crowne of France was his and could not be depriued thereof by humane lawes The state of this question standing thus Sir Robert de Arthois Earle of Richmond daily whispered it into the Kings eare and with such forcible reson and perswasions so vrged the same that now the King beganne to thinke on nothing more then how to attaine to the Crowne of France Secrecie is the best fartherer of great negotiations The Counsell of the Earle of Henalt is craued Aâ—de promised to the King The King is made Vicar generall of the Empire This busines as it was of extraordinarie waight and importance so it required the best secrecie vntill it were plotted wel For which purpose K. Edward by priuate messengers letters craued the aduice counsel of the Earle of Henalt his wifes father and brother-in-law to the French King and of Sir Iohn of Henalt Lord Beaumont his brother and of sundrie other great States and Princes of the Empire who not only counselled him by his sword to prosecute his right but made him offers of their assistaÌ„ce by their best means They also procured King Edward by a solemne instrument in writing to bee created the Vicar Generall of the Empire by reason whereof he had the power to command the Nobles and the common people of those Countries to further his purpose and his doings ANNO 11. Whilest these things were thus contriuing in England and whilst king Philip de Valoys little thought that his kingdome and Crowne were aimed at The French King maketh incredible prouision to Warre in the Holy-land or that his strength should bee trâ—ed with English warres he by the importunitie of Pope Benedict the eleuenth prepared such an Armie to haue made warres in the Holy-land as neuer before was conducted by anie Christian Prince He also committed the gouernment of his kingdome vnto his eldest sonne Iohn Duke of Normandie To whom by reason of his youth hee added for assistance a discreet wise and a graue Councell And when he had thus prouided and setled all thinges needfull for his huge armie The French King altereth his purpose and for the maintenance therof for three yeares space the reports of king Edwards claime and purpose began as a sodaine storme to breake forth and to be knowne Wherupon king Philip assuring himselfe that in his absence the English Armie would very litle regard such forces as should be left behinde and that his departure would encourage manie who hunted after nouelties and change rather to make offers of their seruice to his enemies He prepareth against England then to performe that dutie which by subiects was due vnto their king And knowing That it would be a ridiculous thing by dangerous attempts to winne honour abroad and to neglect the safetie of his owne kingdome and estate at home he desisted on the sodaine from prosecuting his journie into the Holy land and prepared strongly to defend himselfe against king Edward King Edward fils his Coffers and his claime And on the other side king Edward to the ende that nothing might be wanting when time should serue By manie politike deuices leuied such inestimable summes of monie Want of Money in England That for want of coyne among the common people a fat Oxe was sold for a noble a fat sheep for six pence sixe Pigeons for a pennie and a quarter of wheat for two shillings When he had thus done hee with Queene Philip his wife sailed into Flanders The King and Queene doe saile into Flanders where they remained all that winter and at Antwerp The king oftentimes conferred at length concluded with the Princes and States of Germanie and of those Prouinces He enleageth himselfe with the Germans and Belgicks vpon all things touching his said intended warre So that after his returne hee leuied a strong Armie King Edwards Armie which with his assisting friends consisted of seuen and twentie thousand chosen fighting men with which strength he landed in France King Edward landeth in France when the Sommer was almost spent The French King taketh the field The French king hauing an Armie which consisted of threescore thousand souldiors and being accompanied with the three kings of Behayne Nauarre and of Scotland with fiue Dukes Six and twentie Earles and more then foure thousand Lords and knights brauely entred into the field where hee found king Edward sufficiently prouided to shew himselfe a valiant man But whilest each Armie gazed on the other A woman parteth a great affray and expected manie houres which part should giue the first stroke of the battaile Behold and wonder and a strange wonder For betwixt both those Kings vpon the motion and through the mediation of the Ladie Iane Countesse of Henalt sister to King Philip and mother to King Edwards wife not a blow was giuen but on a sodaine Both the Armies were dissolued and King Edward with his friends and Nobles returned into England In the fourteenth yeare of King Edwards Raigne ANNO. 14 1339. The Germans incorporate themselues with King Edward in his Warres Vpon what conditions the Flemings ioyned with King Edward Hee quarters the Armes of France The French doe burne in England hee sayled into Flanders where at Brusels he met with the greater number of the Princes of Germanie who of their owne accords with heartie loue and forwardnesse incorporated themselues with king Edward in those his warres against France And at the instance of the king the said Princes entreated the Flemmings to joyne with them in that Enterprize and seruice whereunto they seemed willing to condiscend if king Edward would entitle himselfe king of France and would quarter the Armes of France with the Armes of England and would as king of France release vnto them a bond of two millions of Floreynes wherein they stood obliged not to wage anie warre against the king of France Whereunto the king yeelded and did performe all thinges according to their desires And thus hee consorted to his part the Germans and Flemmings in those affaires by promises oathes and by a solemne instrument in writing vnder their hands and seales Whilest king Edward was thus busied abroad the French kings Nauie landed many thousand men at Southhampton who ransacked the Towne and consumed it with fire and the like outrage and crueltie they exercised in the Countries thereunto adioyning The king immediately vpon his returne out of Flanders Summoned his high Court of Parliament in which A Parliament that nothing needfull might be wanting to furnish and to maintaine his warres with France a Subsidie of the fifth part of all his Subiects moueable goods was granted to him and the ninth part of their Corne A great Taxe Together with a large custome
and to winne his fauour redoubled his strength The French Armie is ouerthrowne and with such resolution fell vpon the Frenchmen that they were compelled to giue backe and were so violently pursued that the battaile in which their King fought was now opened and in such sort disordered that the Englishmen entred into the midst of them wounding and killing on euerie side with little or no losse or danger to themselues And at length King Iohn and his yonger Sonne are taken Prisoners by Sir Dennis Morbecke King Iohn scorning to leaue the field yeelded himself his sonne Philip prisoners vnto Sir Dennis Morbeck a Knight of Saint Omers who for a murder forsooke his Countrie and serued for wages with the Blacke Prince In this battaile there were slaine verie manie great men of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of France and aboue ten thousand others Too much desire of Honour and too much couetousnesse The French King is ill vsed were the causes that the French King being thus taken was ill vsed For by reason that more than ten Gentlemen laide seuerall claimes vnto him as to their Prisoner hee was vnciuilly drawne from one to another not without some perill to his life but telling them that he was so great a Lord that hee could make them all rich they were better pleased and brought him to the Prince Who with great reuerence bowed himselfe before the King How the Black Prince receiued and entertained the French King and his Sonne The Blacke Prince bringeth the French King and his Son Prisoners into England Sir Dennis Morbecke reuiued his heauie spirits with cheerfull and with comfortable words feasted him and Phillip his yonger Sonne attended duetifully at his Table lodged him in his owne bed Prouided for him most honourable attendance Supplied all things about him which were wanting and brought them both from thence vnto Burdeaux and from thence into England where hee was ioyfully and royally receiued and wel-commed by the King and Queene and by the Nobilitie of this Kingdome and was entertained with as great magnificence and curtesie as he could expect or wish for And vpon King Iohns owne confession the honour of his taking was by King Edward adjudged to Sir Dennis Morbeck who for his great and good seruice was much thanked and bountifully rewarded by the King In this Battaile besides such as were slaine There were taken prisoners seuenteene Earles thrice as manie Barons Prisoners and so great a number of Knights and Gentlemen of name and of note that euerie English common souldier who had fewest prisoners had two all which A bountifull Prince together with the wohle spoiles of the field the Prince frankely and freely gaue to his companies who valiantly had wonne them by their swords The English Armie are made rich So that there was not a poore man in the English armie but euery one of them had as much Gold and as much Siluer Plate and Iewels as gaue him good contentment for his paines And such was their store and such was their plentie of those thinges that rich and costly Armours and such like warlike prouisions were not taken vp nor cared for at all How the French King was disposed of The French King for a while liued at the Sauoy which by King Edward was sumptuously furnished and beautified with all things necessary for so great a guest And from thence he was remooued to the Castle of Windsor where hee feasted hunted hawked and did all things according to his owne pleasure and will for the space of two yeares the King and the Blacke Prince as often as anie leasure gaue them leaue repairing thither and gladding him with their cheerefull and most friendly companie and with the varietie of manie pleasing sports By meanes whereof true and heartie loue and affection did knit them fast together so that they concluded a friendly Truce to continue for the space of two yeares The honourable prosperitie of King Edward and of the Blacke Prince And thus were King Edward and the Noble Prince his sonne honoured and blessed by Almightie God with such triumphant successe in their warres both in Scotland and in France they then possessing for their Prisoners at one time the Kings of those two Kingdomes and Philip the French Kings younger sonne and many Dukes Earles and Barons as none other Princes in Christendome then were King Dauid of Scotland is released And Dauid the King of Scots after tenne yeares of imprisonment in England was enlarged for a ransome of one hundred thousand pounds to be paid in fiue yeares And vpon his oath neuer againe to beare armes against England and vpon his Homage and Fealtie done for that Kingdome ANNO. 32 and vpon his faithfull promise to doe his best to procure the Nobilitie of Scotland to doe the like he was enlarged and set free ANNO. 33 The Dalphin allowes not his Fathers conclusions King Iohn of France committed to the Tower Not long after King Edward and the King of France entred into a parley for a longer time of Truce But their conclusions and agreements were vtterly disliked by his eldest Sonne Charles then Regent of France and Duke of Normandie and by the whole Baronie of that Countie Whereupon King Edward with all expedition and conuenient speed made greater preparation to make Warre there then hee had done at anie time before And hauing committed the French king and his sonne Philip with honorable attendance close prisoners to the Tower of London himselfe with the Blacke Prince his sonne transported thither a puissant Armie ANNO. 34. King Edward and the Black Prince doe land a puisant Armie at Callice The Regent Dolphin sueth for Peâ—ce and landed at his Towne of Callice and from thence hee marched strongly vnto Rhemes where he besieged the Castle seuen weekes but did not winne it in the end From thence he marched towards Paris and Chartres wasting burning and killing in all places as he passed so that hee compelled the Regent and the Nobilitie of France to become earnest petitioners vnto him for peace which they obtained vpon these Articles ensuing 1. FIrst that King IOHN should pay for his ransom The Articles of the Peace fiue hundred thousand Pounds of sterling money 2. Secondly That from thencefoorth No King of France should aide or assist The Ransom any King of Scotland in any Warre or Rebellion against England And that no King of England should from thencefoorth take part with the Flemings in any expedition or Warre against France 3. Thirdly That the Kings of England should haue and for euer enioy freely without homage and in their owne right their Territories in Gascoyne and in Guyan with the Precincts Castles Forts Townes and Cities of Poyters and Perygrot The Earledomes of Bygrot Poytiau and Guyens the Citie of Lymoges Tharbes Guaire Agen Angolesme Agenoys Rauerne and Caours The Lordship of Xantes Caumesin Hammes Ouy and Mountrell with the
Seigniories of Callice Marguise Sandgate and Coloigne 4. And lastly That in regard thereof King EDWARD The Title to the Crowne of France is relinquished As well in the behalfe of himselfe as of his Successours Kings of England should vtterly renounce and leaue both the name and title to the Kingdome of France And for the performance of these Articles ANNO. 34 How the obseruation of this Peace was ratified The King and Prince returne into England Charles the Regent of France and the Prince of Wales in the presence of six Knights of either Nation receiued the holy Sacrament at the high Altar and then King Edward and his sonne returned into England and were with all complements of loue and kindnesse entertained and feasted at the Tower of London by the French King who was conueyed from thence to Callis The French King feasteth them The two princes sweare Hostages where according to agreement he remained foure moneths and then King Edward repaired to him and both of them at a high Masse solemnly swore to obserue performe and keepe the said Articles and the peace And King Iohn for the hostages of his Ransome deliuered to King Edward foure Dukes seauen Earles ten Barons many Knights and two of the worthiest Burgesses of euery great Citie in France and tooke a most friendly leaue of the King and of the Prince of Wales and departed towards Boleine King Iohn was a prisoner foure yeares he hauing remained a prisoner more then foure yeares And King Edward with his sonne returned into England bringing with them their honorable Hostages who were with all humanitie and kindnesse feasted and entertained by the King and by his Nobilitie and were permitted freely to vse all sports pastimes and exercises for pleasure and contentation as they pleased ANNO. 37 Three Kings doe visite King Edward King Iohn dieth in England The Blacke Prince liueth in Burdeaux ANNO. 40 The causes of King Edwards future losses in those Countries Peter King of Castile is deposed by Henry the Bastard King Charles the fifth taketh part with Henrie the Bastard The Blacke Prince being victorious resetleth Peter in his Kingdome About two yeares after king Edward was at one time visited for loue and kindnesse onely and for no businesse at all by three Kings that is to say by king Iohn of France Dauid the king of Scots and by the king of Cyprus and were with all munificent bountie and liberalitie feasted and honored by the King but king Iohn fell sick and dyed in the Sauoy and his body was conuayd vnto S. Dennis in France where with great pomp and princely ceremonies it was buried The next yeare following the noble Prince of â—ales and his wife being very gallantly attended and prouided went vnto Burdeaux where he liued and gouerned the kings Prouinces thereabout and elsewhere in France to the great contentment and good liking of the Nobles and commons of those Countries In the fortith yeare of king Edwards raigne an vnfortunate businesse was taken in hand by the valiant Prince of Wales which albeit it were performed with great resolution and was rewarded with deserued honor yet within few yeares by reason of a future accident it was the occasion that king Edward lost a great part of his territories in France and it was thus Peter the true and lawfull king of Castile was in the field ouerthrowne put to flight and dispossessed of his Crowne by Henry his Bastard Brother who was assisted by Charles the fifth the sonne of Iohn the deceased king of France This poore distressed king in his wants and miserie repaired to the Prince of Wales for ayd who for his restoring and vpon large and faithfull promises of liberall pay and great rewards conducted an armie into Castile And albeit that the Spanish and the French forces were in number four times more then the Princes were yet in a bloudie battaile the most of them were slaine and the rest were put to flight And king Peter was againe restored to his Crowne and setled in his kingdome by the Prince who returned againe to Burdeaux with great honor But not long after Henry the Bastard Henrie the Bastard taketh and slaieth Peter Peters two heires married to Iohn of Gant and Thomas of Woodstocke The want of pay was the Prince his ouerthrow This Taxe mard all being newly supplied with fresh forces warred with such great furie and violence vpon king Peter that he subdued him and to preuent all future claymes and troubles which he might make he caused him to be put to death But his two daughters and heires were after marryed vnto Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and to Thomas of Woodstock two of king Edwards sonnes By reason of king Peters death the Prince his souldiours being hopelesse to receiue their promised pay and large rewards and being oppressed with many wants daily petitioned the Prince to supply their need But he finding none other meanes to support their necessities nor being stored with money to relieue their pouertie imposed contrary to the customes of those Countries diuers Taxes vpon the inhabitants of Aquitaine which so highly did displease them that the Lords thereof complained of this sharp noueltie to the French king who flatly contrary to the Articles not long before concluded on for peace betwixt England and France arrogated to himselfe the Soueraignty ouer the Prince The French King breakes the League and his Dominions in France and sommoned him to appeare before him at Paris So that the peace and those agreed Articles were broken by the French king The Prince sommoned to appeare at Paris Warres proclaimed Almost all do reuolt from the Prince The mutabilitie of fortun An vnfortunate yeare and warres were againe proclaymed betweene England and France But before the Prince of Wales could enable his forces for a strong defence the inhabitants of those Countries for the most part reuolted from him and dayly yeelded their Townes Cities Forts and Castles into the hands of the French king So that king Edward who for the space of forty yeares together was most honorable and more fortunate then any other Christian Prince by gayning of incredible victories vpon the Scots and French Nation within the compasse of one yeare without blowes lost almost all his Commaund in those Prouinces which by the said agreement and articles of peace were allotted and by solemne oath assured vnto him King Charles of France forgetting what he had sworne ANNO. 43 The French Name and pleasing himselfe thus quietlie to be made the Lord of all those Countries which were assigned to king Edward conceiued strong hope not only to defeat him vtterly of all these Countries but also to vex him at home in his owne kingdome And for that purpose he furnished a strong Nauie with which he kept the Narrow Seas But king Edward to driue those forces back againe sent his sonne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Iohn of Gant with an
and aged eleuen yeares and somewhat more was crowned king of England in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred and seuentie seuen In the whole course of his euill Gouernment King Richards euill manners and bad Gouernment he neglected his Nobilitie and taxed his Subjects to enable himselfe to giue prodigally vnto his ill deseruing Fauorites Hee was too too resolute in his follies and refused to bee reproued or reformed He also despised the sage aduice and good directions of his wisest and best Counsellors and wholly plotted all his courses by the wicked and gracelesse projects of his base companions whom hee raised to more honourable Estates then befitted the meanes of their condition So that they fell by their own weight and he himselfe in the end was enforced to endure the extremitie of his hard fortune For being first disgraced by his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke Duke of Lancaster and sonne and heire to his Vncle Iohn of Gaunt hee was at length by him with the general consent of a whole Parliament deposed from his Crowne commited to Prison and afterwardes wickedly murdered as in this discourse of his disordered Gouernment more amply it shall appeare The Frenchmen burne diuers townes in England In the first yeare of king Richards Raigne Charles the French king presuming much on his Minoritie and being aided by the Spaniards landed in the Southwest and in the South-east parts of this kingdome and ransacked and burnt the Townes of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and some other Townes and Villages coasting vpon the Sea and would haue done more mischiefe if by the kings Vncle Edmund of Langly Earle of Cambridge and by the Earles of Buckingham and of Salisburie they had not beene fought with and beaten to their ships Alexander Ramseyes desperate attempt and successe At the same time also by the instigation of the French king one Alexander Ramsey an approued Scottishman at armes with fortie of his Company in the depth of the night suddenly and desperately scalled the wals of the Castle of Barwicke and finding the Captaine and all his souldiers securely sleeping he tooke it without blowes and intended also to haue surprised the Towne But the inhabitants hearing an extraordinarie noyse and tumult in the Castle and indeuouring to preuent a feared mischiefe hewed away the stayes of the Draw-bridge on the Townes side so that when the Scots did let fall the Draw-bridge the chaines brake and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch By meanes whereof the Scots could not issue out but were imprisoned by their owne Victorie This necessitie enforced them as well as they were able to fortifie the Castle which on the kings behalfe was soone besieged and assaulted by tenne thousand men who after many feates of Armes performed brauely by the assailants and after much valor with high courage shewed by that small number of valiant Scots wonne the Castle and receiued not one of them to mercie but onely their Captaine Alexander Ramsey The Frenchmen land in England And not long after the Frenchmen landed againe in England and did much harme at Douer Wynchelsay Hastings and at Grauesend and returned with their booties into France But to preuent like future mischiefes and to reuenge those injuries done to the King and his Realme by the French King ANNO. 3. A Parliamēt This Taxe caused much trouble An Armie sent into France A Parliament was assembled at Westminster In which a Subsidie of foure pence for euery man and for euery woman within this Kingdome being aboue foureteene yeares of age was granted to the King The leuying whereof procured much heart-burning which not long after brake forth and endangered the whole State of the Common-weale Yet with that monie great prouision was made and an armie of eight thousand men was sent into France vnder the command of Thomas of Woodstock the Kings Vncle who passing ouer the faire and great Riuers of Soame Oyse and Marne spoiled and burnt all the Countries and ransomed the inhabitants vntill he came into Brittaine where he was receiued by the Duke Iohn Mountford with all friendly entertainment and much joy And now began a Rebellion in England which was exceeding hazardous to the whole kingdome For Iohn Wall a factious Priest ANNO. 4. perceiuing that the inferior sort of the people much murmured and grudged at the payment of the aforesaid Subsidie A great Rebellion in England Iohn Wal was the beginner of this Rebellion His wicked course in perswading by secret conferences in all places where he came informed the Bondmen Villaines Slaues and such others as were pinched with penury and with want that by descent and parentage from Adam all men were of one condition and of equall worth and that the Lawes of this kingdome were iniurious and vniust which did set so great a difference betwixt men as to make some of them great Peeres Potentates and Lords and in geuing to some others large authority and commaund and in enlarging of great possessions and store of riches vnto some and in commanding others to be base seruile beggars and to enioy litle or nothing at all And therefore with traytrous reasons he perswaded them either by faire meanes or by open insurrection and ciuill warre to prouide for their owne liberties and to releeue their owne wants This lewd and damnable doctrine so infatuated and infected the Rusticks from Shire to Shire that at length it was spread in the Citie of London where the meanest and the basest sort being a multitude who egerly enuyed the prosperitie of the more worthie inhabitants and greedily coueted to be enriched with their substance were in great hope by Rebellious mutening to make vtter hauoke and spoyle of all things at their pleasure And to effect that which they intended such as were most desperatlie inclined among them informed the headlesse multitude in th◠Countries round about them that if they would come thither and ioyne with them the whole Citie of London should be at their command So that incredible numbers of brainsick turbulent and traytrous people prepared to flock thither from Kent Essex Sussex Bedfordshire and from many other places Of this rude and raskall rout Watt Tyler Iohn Wall Iack Straw and Iack Shepheard Captaines in this Rebellion Wat Tylar who by his profession was a Taylor was made Captaine to command the rest and the said Iohn Wall Iack Straw Iack Shepard and some others were made chiefe directors and their leaders And Stiling themselues The Kings men and the seruants of the Common-weale of England they marched towards London beating downe the houses and rifling all the moueables of all such as were professors of the Law How they passed towards London and compelling all Knights and Gentlemen either to flye before their comming or to be partakers in this vprore They also sent vnto the King who then lay in the Tower requiring him to come and to speake with them The King went
and Robert Tresilian the chiefe Iustice was hanged at Tiborne and the rest of those Iudges had beene hanged in like sort Execution if vpon the importunate and vncessant request of the Queene their liues had not beene redeemed by their banishment Banishment And thus were the threatnings of ciuil wars conuerted into some assurance of prosperitie and of peace ANNO. 12 The Scots do inuade But the next yeare following the Scots inuaded this realme and did much harme against whom great preparations were made by the King who resolued to recompence his owne damage by iust and seuere reuenge A Truce betwixt England France and Scotland for seuen yeares ANNO. 13 Iohn of Gant goeth with an Armie into Spaine But the wisdome and discretion of manie great Estates were such that a Truce was concluded to endure for three yeares betwixt England France and Scotland which shortly after was enlarged for foure yeares more So that now all matters betwixt those three Kingdomes and their Kings being blessed with tranquilitie and with peace the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was suffered by the King to leuie a strong Armie which hee transported into Spaine where he demanded his right to the Kingdome of Castile in the behalfe of Constance his wife who was the eldest daughter of Peter the deposed and slaine king ANNO. 14 How his bran attempts succeeded there His two Daughters are married to the Kings of Spaine and of Portingall In those Warres the Duke and his Armie performed manie honourable seruices and with the assistance of the king of Portugale so preuailed that to conclude a sued for peace the king of Spaine married with Constance the Dukes eldest daughter by his said wife and gaue vnto him eight Waggons loaden with massie Gold and secured him and his wife of the yearely payment of ten thousand Markes during both their liues And then the Duke went into Portugale where he married Anne his yonger daughter to the king of that Countrie and then returned into England with great riches and much honour ANNO. 16 Lawes against the Popes vsurped Authoritie This time of peace betwixt England other nations bred some quarrelling betwixt the king and the Pope who vsurped too too much authoritie and iurisdiction within this Realme Wherefore to preuent such mischiefes as this intolerable sufferance mght beget in a Parliament vpon graue and great aduise it was enacted That the Popes pretended authoritie within this kingdom should cease and be determined and that no appeale for anie matter or cause whatsoeuer should from thenceforth bee made to the See of Rome vpon the penaltie of a premunire which did extend to perpetuall imprisonment and to the forfeiture of the Lands and goods of such as contrarie to that law presumed to offend ANNO. 17 In the seuenteenth yeare of king Richards Raigne his faire and vertuous Queene Anne died ANNO. 19 And about two yeares after the king married the Ladie Isabel daughter to the French king Charles the sixth By reason whereof a peace was concluded betwixt those two kings King Richard marrieth the French kings daughter A Peace for thirtie yeares Brest is yeelded vp The Duke of Glocester reprooues the King for it The death of the Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle is plotted A Machauillian pollicie Ambition makes euill Princes confident that their Vertues doe deserue much The King intendeth the destruction of his Barrons being gulled with an vntrue report Certaine Lords surprised A ParliameÌ„t A grosse flâ—ttering Speaker The Archbishop of Canterburie is accused of Treason How the king wronged the Archbishop to endure for thirtie yeares And king Richard being too kind but too little aduised of his owne accord and free will surrendred and gaue vp to the Duke of Brittaine the strong Towne and Castle of Brest which verie much grieued and discontented his Nobilitie especially his Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who told him plainly that it was not conuenient that without blowes with the said Duke of Brittaine hee should haue departed with that strong Towne and Castle which his ancestors had wonne with the expence of much bloud Whereat the king was so much displeased that in his heart hee causelessely vowed seuere reuenge and in this his hastie passion he was abused and furthered by such of his Fauourites as enuied the estate the vertues and honour of the Duke causing strangers to informe the king flateringly and malitiously that diuers of the Princes Electors intended to haue made him Emperor had not some others of them gainsaid it and alleadged that he was altogether vnfit to gouerne the dispersed Segniorieâ— and Dominions of the Empire who could not rule and command his owne subiects at home The greedie desire which king Richard had to bee magnified and made great by being dignified with the name and power of the Empire and his strong reliance vpon the vntrue report which was suggested vnto him by such as only endeuoured to whet his anger against his Lords armed him with subtletie and with a heartie desire to circumuent his Barons though it were done with the breach of his oath and with the shipwracke of his honour So that pretending much loue and fauour towards them but especially to the Duke of Glocester his Vncle and to the two Earles of Arondell and Warwicke hee caused them to be apprehended when as they imagined they had least cause to feare And hauing so done he assembled his High Court of Parliament In which his basest and his grossest flatterer the speaker of the Lower House named Sir Iohn Bush who was a man of a most proud insolent and aspiring spirit irreligiously profanely and dishonestly in a formall and in a tedious speech attributed vnto the King the highest titles of diuine honour and therefore condemned almost to Hell all such as traiterously had conspired against his Maiestie Among whom hee particularly impeached Thomas Lord Archbishop of Canterburie sitting next vnto the King who made no answere at all thereto because the King himselfe vnder pretence of more then ordinarie loue and fauour had priuatly enioyned him vnto silence and vnto future absence from that Assembly promising and protesting that nothing should be attempted or done against him by anie meanes Yet notwithstanding for want of his presence and of his answere to the said vntrue obiections he was with the Kings consent banished this Realme He is banished Warwicke and Arundell are condemned as Traytors Arundell is beheaded Salisburie is banished and dieth miserably The Duke of Glocester murdered at Callice by Thomas Mowbray Earle of Notingham A weake parliament to grant such an vnreasonable Commission And the two Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke were also condemned of High Treason and shortly after the former of those two lost his head And so had Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke if by his humble confession of thinges vntrue and vpon his great submission steeped in teares and much
as their free and as their franke gift The French businesse silenceth all others This motion and this businesse was so much applauded by the King his Nobles and the inferior sorts of his people and the great summe of money which was offered so well contented them all that the said Petition was thereby lulled fast asleepe and nothing was now debated and spoken of but the meanes how England might recouer France This Parliament being ended the Duke of Exeter vncle to the King the Archbishop of Dublyn the Lord Gray high Admirall of England Embassadors sent to require the Crowne of France Charles the sixt and the Bishop of Norwich being attended with fiue hundred Horse were sent Embassadours to the French king Charles the sixt By these the King required the peaceable deliuerie of that Kingdome together with the whole Duchies of Aquitaine Normandie and of Angeou and the Counties of Poytou and of Mayne and made this offer That if without the effusion of their peoples bloud the French King would yeeld to his demands hee then would be pleased to take to his wife the Ladie Katherine his daughter and would endow her with all the said Duchies and Prouinces and would be tractable to all things tending to the French kings honour and estate But if hee refused to deliuer him his Patrimonie and Inheritance without blowes then hee assured him That hee would attempt the gayning of them by his Sword and would in those Countries afflict those people with such oppressions as were too too rife and common in the Warre The vnexpected strangenesse of this motion and quicke message so amazed the French king and his Nobilitie The French king craueth further time to make his answere The Dolphin scoffeth the King that without sound and good deliberation they were vnable to returne anie answere but craued a longer time with promise shortly to send his Embassadors concerning that businesse to the King But the Dolphin despising the youth of King Henrie and holding him vnfit to attempt a matter of so high a consequence sent vnto him as a present a Tonne of Tennis Balls insinuating thereby that it was more agreeable to his yeares to sport himselfe among nimble laddes in a Tennis Court than to dreame of the winning of so potent a kingdome as France was The King although otherwise he would haue beene persuaded by reason kindly to haue censured of the French kings request The Kings couragious speech and of his promise yet because the Dolphin so basely skorned him protested in his angrie moode That ere manie moneths should be spent he would if GOD assisted him tosse so manie balls of yron within that kingdome that the strongest Rackets in France should be too weake to returne them For this purpose he leuied a strong and a puissant Armie whereof King Henrie leuieth a great Armie The Dolphins motion for peace when the Dolphin had intelligence because the charge of those affaires by reason of the French kings weakenesse and infirmitie was committed to his care and prouidence he sent Embassadors to king Henrie to informe him That if hee would desist from his purpose and would liue in amitie and in peace with that Nation and would take his sister the Ladie Katherine to his wife hee then should haue and receiue with her a large summe of money with some small Territories and Possessions in that kingdome King Henries answer Those Embassadours were honourably receiued kindly entertained and royallie feasted by the King at his owne table But for an answere he returned That except the French King with his said daughter would giue vnto him the Dutchies of Aquitaine Normandie Angeow and all other small Segniories to him and to his Crowne iustly appertaining and belonging hee would not disband his armie nor waue his title to the Crowne of France but would attempt by fire and sword to winne it if he might King Henrie fortifieth against the Scots The Queene mother is made Regent of England ANNO. 3. 1414. King Henrie defieth the K. of France Treason against King Henrie Assoone as the French Embassadours were departed The King who proposed none other end to his endeuours but an assured trust in God and in a thousand hopes of conquest and of victorie placed a strong power vpon the marches of Scotland to keepe them in order in his absence And hauing throughly furnished himselfe and his armie with all needfull preparations and hauing made the Queene his mother the Regent of his Kingdome and assisted her with a graue and with a prudent Counsell hee sent his letters of Defiance to the French King and beganne with great alacritie and courage to proceed in this his royall iournie But as greatest dangers are then most frequent when securitie seemeth to banish all feare so when King Henrie perswaded himselfe that he was most sure and safe in the middest of his braue armie euen then hee was in a greater hazard of his life then if hee had beene in France among the throngs of his mortall and professed Enemies For Richard Earle of Cambridge brother to the Duke of Yorke and Henrie Lord Scrope and Sir Thomas Gray three of the most approued Captaines of this Kingdome being treacherously engaged by great rewards conferred on them by the Dolphin of France conspired to deliuer him into the French Kings hands or else to murder him in his owne Tent. The treason is discouered Miraculously was this intended villanie reuealed to the King who grieued the more thereat because hee should want the aidefull assistance of three such valiant men of Warre as gaue him much assurance of good successe But when they were apprehended and brought into his presence their open confession of that conspiracie The traytors are executed and treason which otherwise would fully haue beene proued against them hastned their publike sentence of death and as Traytors they were executed the next day The King landeth with his army in Normandie Harflew besieged and taken Assoone as the wind serued the King transported his armie in an hundred and fortie shippes and landed in Normandie before Hareflew vpon the Riuer of Seyne and besieged it on euerie part for the space of seuen and thirtie dayes And though the French army which was conducted by the Dolphin made manie faire proffers to raise the siege yet durst they not come too neere But the Towne hauing beene manie times sharply assaulted was yeelded to King Henrie who sacked it and ransomed the inhabitants and with great plentie of siluer and of Gold and manie costly thinges he enriched all his owne Companies Great sicknes in king Henries Armie and hauing placed as Captaine there his Vncle Thomas Duke of Exeter and as his Lieuetenant Sir Iohn Fastolf with fifteene hundred souldiers and fiue and thirtie gallant Knights he resolued to go vnto Callice by land to rest there because the winter being now more wet approching sooner at that time then vsually it
suddaine feare to be swallowed vp betwixt the English Armie and the Towne he remoued from thence in the night leauing to the Protector who landed with his companies the day before all his Tents Ordnance Armour and Prouisions being of great worth The Protector who brought with him thither fiue and twentie thousand men entred into the Dukes Countries of Flanders and Arthois where he slew burnt ransacked and wonne rich booties at his owne pleasure And without resistance he returned vnto Callice and with such superfluities as he had gotten abundantly and plentifully he supplyed it with all things which they wanted and then hee returned into England where hee found the State much troubled For Iames the first being King of Scots forgetting quite the manifold fauors and Princely education which Rosbrough besieged by the Scots being a prisoner he found within the Kingdome of England with thirtie thousand men had for manie weekes besieged the Castle of Rosborough which was valiantly defended by Sir Ralph Grey But the Earle of Northumberland as hee was appointed prepared to giue him battaile and to remoue the Siege Whereof when notice was giuen to the Scottish Armie they remoued The Scots flye and fled with extraordinarie speede into their owne Countrey About the same time died Queene Katherine mother to the King who after her husbands death fancying more her owne pleasure and contentment than the supporting of her high and honorable estate married a goodly Gentleman named Owen Tuthar who though his meanes were but small yet was he discended from Cadwallader the last King of the Britons And by her hee had issue two sonnes halfe brothers to the King that is to say Edmund and Iaspar This Edmund was by King Henrie created Earle of Richmond and tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sole Daughter and Heire vnto Iohn Duke of Somerset and begot on her King Henrie the seuenth And Iaspar was created Earle of Pembroke Likewise the Ladie Iaquet sister vnto the Earle of Saint Paule and Duchesse Dowager to Iohn Duke of Bedford the late Regent of France contrarie to her friends liking yet to please her selfe married a gallant Gentleman who was much inferiour to her estate named Sir Richard Wooduyle Sir Richard Wooduyle made Baron Ryuers and afterwards Earle Ryuers whome afterwards the King made Baron Ryuers and then Earle Ryuers And by him among manie other children she had issue Elizabeth who was after the wife of King Edward the fourth and was mother to the Ladie Elizabeth whome King Henrie the seuenth espoused and tooke to wife It pleased the Kings Councell of this Realme to discharge Richard Duke of Yorke of his Regencie in France The Earle of Warwike is made Regent 1437. 16 and to establish the Earle of Warwike in his place Who embarked himselfe seuen times before he could set one foot in Normandie But at last his arriuall was fortunate and happie And hauing intelligence that the Duke of Burgoine with tenne thousand men lay strongly entrenched before Crotoy hee sent the Lords Talbot and Fawconbridge Sir Thomas Kyriell and manie other valiant Captaines Crotoy is besieged with fiue thousand Englishmen to rayse that Siege But the Duke fearing with his double number to encounter with his enemies fled with his whole Armie vnto Abbeuyle From whence hee being eagerly pursued and hourely dared to make a stand and to play the man The Duke of Burgoine will not fight he posted vnto Amiens where the Englishmen who daily hunted after him found him and his companies strongly enclosed within the walls But because he played the coward and would not fight the Lord Talbot entred into Picardie and Arthois where vnresisted he wasted and consumed the whole Countrey the walled Townes Castles and Forts onely excepted and enriched all his Armie with Cattell Money Plate and many other things of great worth and value Sir Thomas Kyriels valor Sir Thomas Kyriel also surprized the Dukes Carriages and his Ordnance all which booties were brought vnto Crotoy with as much victuals as would maintaine six hundred men for one whole yeare And all the residue of those spoyles he sent to the Earle of Warwike which abundantly supplyed his great wants Periurie punished The Earle of Mortayne sonne to Edmund Duke of Somerset by violent assaults tooke the Castle of Saint Auyan in Mayne and slew therein three hundred Scots and hanged all the Frenchmen whom he found there because hauing once beene sworne to King Henrie they reuolted and became French Thus Fortune euerie day turned her Wheele making him who yesterday wonne much to day to lose all and suddainely aduancing those to great honour whome former disasters had made miserable and bare The French King winneth by trecherie not by valour But the Frenchmens Treasons and Trecheries daily betrayed more Cities Townes and Castles to the French King than either the Englishmen could hold by Policie or gaine by Strength The Dolphin rebelleth against his father And albeit that by reason thereof he comforted himselfe and prosperous successe accompanied most of his Attempts yet was he on a suddaine checked by the open Rebellion of his eldest sonne the Dolphin of Vyen Who being assisted by the Dukes of Alanson and of Burbon vsurped the Gouernment of France and by publike Edicts diuulged the insufficiencie of his Father to rule that Kingdome The Rebellion is appeased This Clowd threatened a shrewd storme and begat this Question in his Father and in his Councellors of State Whether it were better to attempt the curing of this Maladie by Ciuill Warre and by letting of Bloud or by Discretion and by Policie without blowes The later Project being entertained publike Proclamations were made in the French Kings Name by which he prohibited all his subiects vpon the paines of death to yeeld anie subiection to the Dolphins Commands and pardoned all such as by his persuasions had deuoted themselues to his seruice And moreouer sundrie Letters were written diuers Messengers were sent and manie powerfull Mediators so preuayled that the Dolphin with his confederates were quickly reconciled and joyfully receiued into the Kings fauour Whilest these vnnaturall broyles breathed fresh hopes into the English Nation that Paris might bee regayned The regayning of Paris attempted they prepared a great Armie for that purpose But by meanes of the said Reconciliation and Agreement those their designes were strangled in their birth their Armie was dissolued and beeing enforced to sayle by a smaller Compas they endeuoured to effect such things as were proportionable to their strength Ponthois surprized and to win those things which were within their reach About the same time the ground being couered with a thicke Snow which was much hardened by a suddaine Frost Iohn Lord Clifford clothing himselfe and his followers all in white passed in the night season ouer the Ditches of Ponthois which not long before was treacherously yeelded to the French King Policie the Walls they scaled entred in
Counsell But because the most of them were Clergie-men they afforded no manner of redresse where at the Protector was much displeased But to requite him with more vexation and a greater trouble they caused the Lady Eleanor his wife The Protectors wife condemned for witchcraft to be accused and conuicted for conspiring of the Kings death with Witches and such like gracelesse people for which shee was inforced three times to doe publike Penance in the Citie of London and afterwards shee was committed to perpetuall Imprisonment But diuers of her condemned associates were Executed and put to sundrie kinds of death And now to returne to the French Warres King Henrie in regard of former seruices and of future hopes of the like performance Created the Lord Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie Iohn created Earle of Shrewsbury A worthy Captaine and sent him into Normandie with three thousand selected men for the better securing of that Duchie In which expedition hee worthily demeaned himselfe and wonne much Honour This yeare the Countesse of Coming in Guyen died without issue and her inheritance was claimed by the French King And likewise the Earle of Arminacke pretended himselfe to be her next heire A mariage offered to King Henrie And to strengthen himselfe the better to gaine his right he offered his Daughter in marriage to King Henrie with the gift of much money and with the surrendring into his hands of all such Territories and possessions within the Duchie of Aquitaine and Guyen as either by Conquest or by discent did belong vnto him The King is offered to the Earle of Arminaks daughter This offer was willingly hearkned vnto and accepted by the King who by his Ambassadors was publikly offered to the said Lady But the French King minding rather to preuent dangers before they come then to remooue them after they were hapned so suddenly inuaded the said Earles Countries and Dominions with an Armie that with small or no resistance hee quickly made himselfe the Owner of them all The King refuseth her The newes whereof so altered and changed the minde and the affections of King Henrie towards his offered Lady that he would neuer after be perswaded to hearken vnto or to thinke vpon that match The grieued compassion which forraine Princes tooke vpon the lamentable distresse of poore France because the bloud of Christians was so vnmeasurably and so vnmercifully shed in those warres incited them to mediate both these Kings to make a friendly peace which was not effected according to their endeuours and desires A truce for eighteene moneths The Earle of Suffolke solliciteth another mariage for King Henry without authority giuen to him A dishonorable match propounded and concluded Reasons why this match was disliked but a truce only was concluded for eighteene moneths In the handling whereof the Earle of Suffolke not warranted by his Commission nor making his associates acquainted with his purpose sollicited a mariage betwixt his Lord and master King Henry and the Lady Margaret cosen to the French King and daughter vnto Reyner Duke of Angeow being the titularie King of Sicilie Naples and Ierusalem With her hee made no demand for any money because her father was but poore nay which was much worse hee consented that if the said mariage might be effected King Henry should freely and frankly release vnto her father all his right and title to the said Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne The Lords of France were quickly wonne to hearken to this motion and King Henry was glad at the heart that he should haue for his wife such a faire and fresh Lady as the Earle of Suffolke could neuer praise enough But the Protector strongly opposed himselfe against this match terming her descent to be but Titularie and vrging much the pouertie of her father and told the King that his honour and reputation would receiue many scandals if he should reiect the Earle of Arminaks daughter vnto whom with all due ceremonies he was publikely affied and also that his losse would be lamentable if he released his lawfull and iust title to the Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne according to the Earle of Suffolkes vnaduised offer But all his reasons as friuolous were reiected and his counsell was not cared for But the King to gratifie and to please such of his Noble-men as therein enclined themselues to his humour Creation of Lords bestowed on them new Dignities and honours For Iohn Lord Holland Earle of Huntingdon was created Duke of Exeter as his father had beene Humfrey Earle of Stafford was made Duke of Buckingham Henry Earle of Warwicke was made Duke of Warwicke and the said Earle of Suffolke was created Marques of Suffolke Which Marques being very honourably accompanied with great troupes of Lords The new Marquesse fetcheth the yong Queen The King is maried Ladies and other personages of great worth and honour went richly prouided into France and according to his condition receiued the Lady Margaret from the French King and from Reyner her father and conueied her with great pompe and princely magnificence into England where within few daies after she was maried to the King and crowned Queene Now as the prefixed time for the truce drew towards an end so King Henry perceiued that this his new alliance with the French King promised him not any certaintie that it should be enlarged or that he should haue peace For in France fresh supplies were hourely prouided to reuiue the former warre and euery day offered euident demonstrations that nothing was more to be expected then blowes Wherefore to encounter those preparations with the like prouisions the King assembled his high Court of Parlament A Parliament The Marquesse of Suffolks oration His motion in which the Marques of Suffolke in a powerfull glozing and tedious Oration extolled his owne deserts aboue the skies as well in his seruice in the French warres as also in mouing and in concluding the late truce and the Kings mariage He also admonished his Highnesse and the two houses there assembled what preparations for warre were made in France and how behoouefull it was for the King to doe the like And vpon this motion proceeding from his haughtie pride and ambitious minde the whole assemblie became humble suters to his Maiestie A Record made of his acts that not only his said admonition and aduice but also all his said former seruices and doings might in most ample sort be registred among the Rolles of Parliament for the perpetuallizing of his honour and of his name which with wonderfull applause was consented vnto and shortly after he was created Duke of Suffolke He is made a Duke Yet for all this before many yeares were expired he was in the same place accused conuicted and condemned for sundrie treasons Humana caduca misprisions and offences for which he was exiled taken and without law put to death as hereafter wee shall
the Duke of Yorke what the Duke of Somerset had done whereat he was so highly displeased The Duke of Yorke maliceth the Duke of Somerset that he neuer ceased priuatly and openly to practise vntill the said Duke of Somerset deseruedly had lost his head For this insupportable and vnfortunate losse of the Dutchie of Normandie the Queene and the Duke of Suffolke were first secretly blamed by the whispering common people of this kingdome who afterwards by open slanders and with publike reprochfull speeches exclaimed and accused the said Duke of many notable trecheries and grosse treasons 1450. which chiefly consisted of these particulars Treasons obiected against the Duke of SVFFOLKE FIrst That by his wicked and vngodly meanes the Duke of Glocester was depriued both of his Protectorship and of his life 2 Item that by his appointment such Counsellors of State were placed about the King and Queene as aduised all things for their gaine and not for the profit of the Common-weale 3 Item that the Queene and the said Duke ruled the whole kingdome as they listed so that by reason thereof all things succeeded ill and hurtfull to this kingdome 4 Item that the said Duke was the meanes and occasion that the Kings right to Aquitanie and Guyan were yeelded vp which weakned and at length lost all the Duchies of Aquitanie and of Normandie 5 Item that he had maried his sonne Iohn to the Lady Margaret sole daughter and generall heire to Iohn Duke of Somerset and had reported that she was the next heire to the Crowne of England if King Henry hapned to die without issue 6 Jtem that he had perswaded the Earle of Dumoys and other great Lords and Officers of France to transport an Armie into this Realme to destroy the King and consequently to make his said sonne Iohn successor to this Crown and kingdome 7 Item that he procured the Duke of Orleance to be set at libertie for a ransome contrary to the commandement and the last Will and Testament of King Henry the fifth by whose means after wards the affaires of France were made more powerfull and fortunate then formerly they had been and King Henries forces were daily enfeebled and made more weake thereby in those Countries 8 Item that he had counselled the said Duke before his departure out of England to perswade the French King to augment and to increase his armie and to make sharper warres both in Normandie and in France against King Henry who so did by which meanes the King lost all his possessions in those Countries 9 Item that assoone as he came Ambassador into France he secretly informed King Charles of the chiefe points of his Commission and instructions by meanes whereof he grew obstinate and refused to conclude any peace 10 Item that the said Duke at his last being in France reuealed to the French king the weaknesse of King Henries prouisions to withstand him by meanes wherof the Frenchmen became more bold and hardie in those warres 11 Item that boastingly and foolishly he had reported in the presence of many noble and honourable personages that he had as high a place in the Counsell house of France as bee had in England and that by reason of his especiall interest in the French Kings loue hee could dispossesse the neerest and the greatest of the French Kings Counsellours if hee were disposed so to doe 12 Item that when men money and munitions were in a readinesse to be transported into France to aide and to assist King Henries forces there the said Duke being wickedly corrupted and being a secret friend to the kings enemies caused them to be kept at home by meanes whereof the kings armies in those Countries wanting due and necessary supplies were vanquished both in Normandie and in France 13 And lastly that by meanes of his great fauour with the Queene he had deceitfully and fraudulently enriched himselfe with the kings lands and treasures and had procured to himselfe a monopolie of all the greatest offices for his owne gaine These and many more foule and treasonable Articles were in full Parliament publikely obiected against him and laid vnto his charge all which hee faintly denied but could scarce cleare himselfe of one of them The Queens pollicie to helpe the Duke of Suffolke The Queene to preuent the Duke of Suffolkes further perill and danger because she entirely loued him caused him to be committed to the Tower where hee had libertie at his owne will and then concluding the Parliament vpon a sudden shee not onely enlarged him but restored him into high fauour with the King so that he proudly ietted and swaggered as formerly he had done The Commons are displeased A rebellion but appeased The common people repined much thereat and spake scandalously and reprochfully of the Queene and of her gouernment and some of them wickedly rebelled making a turbulent mate nick-named Blew-beard their chiefest Captaine But this insurrection was quickly nipped in the budde their ring-leaders were put to death and the rest of them receiued friendly admonition and the Kings gratious pardon The King and Queene intending to reconcile all discords and to giue some better contentment to the Commons held a Parliament at Leicester The Parliaments request But their purpose failed them for the lower house instantly importuned the King that iustice might be done vpon the Duke of Suffolke and also vpon his associating Conspirators Iames Fynes Lord Say and Lord Treasurer of England Iohn Bishop of Salisburie and vpon some others The King to pacifie this broile and to weaken their importunitie by doing of something wherewith hee thought hee should please them exiled the said Duke for fiue yeares The Duke is exiled He is taken at Sea and beheaded But as he sailed towards France he was taken by an English man of warre who landed him vpon Douer Sands and chopt off his head on a boats side And thus was the guiltlesse bloud of Humfrey the good Duke of Glocester in some measure reuenged and the rest of those delinquents were sequestred from their Offices and imprisoned by the King The Duke of Yorke intendeth to claime the Crowne His practises to further it Whilest these things were thus in handling the Duke of Yorke albeit resiant in Ireland sollicited and procured his allies friends in England by some secret plottings pretending some other ends to set on foot his claime and title to the Crowne hee being lineally descended from Philip the daughter and heire of George Duke of Clarence who was the elder brother of Iohn of Gaunt great grandfather to King Henry the sixth And first of all it was whispered priuately reported that the Kings wits were weake the Queens heart ambitious the Kings Counsellors of State not wise enough to rule and that all France Normandie and Aquitaine were lost because God blessed not the vsurped succession of King Henry Vpon these speeches too too commonly diuulged A Rebellion in Kent Iacke Cade
Burgoine he with all celeritie and speed possible hasted to King Edward and in his melancholie mood he told him His obiections that it was in a high measure dishonourable for him to returne into England not hauing burnt in France one poore cottage nor hauing slaine as much as a flie with his whole Armie He told him also that his Ancestors King Edward the Third and King Henry the fifth neuer passed into France to demand their right but that they obtained and won it victoriously with their swords and swore that King Edward had lost more glorie and honour by his infamous peace made with France then he had won by all his victories in nine battailes which he had fought and that he himselfe so scorned the French Kings malice and his power that he would and did absolutely refuse to be included in the said dishonourable league vntill six moneths were fully ended after King Edwards Armie was landed againe in England The King seeing the vnfaithfull Duke so angrie The Kings answere made him this replie That King Edward the Third and King Henry the Fifth entred into France with their Armies of their owne accord to gaine their inheritance and not otherwise nor for any other purpose which they performed with true valour and wisdome And that hee himselfe would neuer haue departed out of that Kingdome vntill he had done the like if hee had come thither in that manner of his owne accord But quoth hee I vndertooke this iourney vpon your request for your aide and to assist you and your Territories by plucking downe the pride of France and the claime which I made to that kingdome was at this time only published to giue mee some colour to helpe you And albeit you vaunt much of your owne strength and doe seeme little to regard the French King and his anger yet me thinkes you cannot well forget how by his strength and power he hath wonne from you the faire Citie of Amyens and the strong pile of S. Quintens and other Castles and Townes within your dominions which notwithstanding all your crakes and brags you neither dare to attempt nor can againe winne You know likewise that your selfe and mine Vncle of Luxenburgh to traine mee into France promised to mee mountaines of gold but they quickly changed into snow and are now dissolued into water If your faith your offers and your promises had beene honestly performed I would sooner haue lost my life and haue aduentured for you my Crowne and Kingdome rather then I would haue beene found vnfaithfull or vnthankfull to you But if any thing be amisse you your selues haue beene the occasioners thereof and therefore you may thanke none others And so farewell Hereupon the angrie Duke in a pelting chafe tooke his horse and rode away And from that time forward they neither loued nor saw one another The French Kings bountie to the English Armie After the aforesaid Articles were concluded and sealed and a little before the enteruiew betweene the two Kings the French King of his owne bountie sent into the English Armie one hundred Wagons loaden with the best wines which he could procure and licenced the souldiers for the space of three or foure daies to disport and recreate themselues within the Citie of Amyens and at their comming thither they found many Tables thorowout both sides of the streets richly and plentifully furnished with great store of costly dishes both of flesh and fish and many Gallants and Bon-companions of purpose were chosen to make them mirth and to attend them so that nine thousand English armed men were within the same Citie at one time But when the French King was informed how great a number of them were within the walles of so strong a Towne hee reproued and condemned his owne kindnesse and feared lest hee might loose it by reason of his great loue and by that meanes might occasion more iarres betwixt England and his Kingdome of France But the Englishmen disdaining to be found false or vnthankfull merily passed away the time with the Frenchmen and hauing sufficiently solaced and refreshed themselues they departed out of the Citie and quietly returned to their owne Campe. And the French King being well pleased with this their honest and plaine dealing The French Kings bountie to the English Captaines The King arriueth in England sent vnto the English Captaines rich presents in plate and in coined siluer and gold And then King Edward with his whole Armie returned to Calice and from thence into England where hee was cheerefully receiued with much ioy And thereupon the aforesaid Hostages receiuing great gifts and honourable vsage were set at libertie and returned home The French King if hee might would faine haue excluded the Duke of Britaine out of the former league But in regard that the young Earle of Richmond was in his possession and whose returne into England to make challenge to the Crowne King Edward euer feared he would not in any sort agree thereunto And not long after Henry Earle of Richmond deliuered by the Duke of Britaine to K. Edwards Ambassadors King Edward by his Ambassadours with much entreatie rich gifts and vpon solemne protestation that he only intended to marie one of his owne daughters to the said Earle obtained his deliuerie to those messengers who being glad at the heart that they had obtained what King Edward so instantly desired tooke their leaue of the Duke of Britaine and brought the young Earle of Richmond to S. Malloes where they were enforced to stay expecting a faire and a good winde But in the meane time Good counsell the Duke being informed by Iohn Cheuelet his true and faithfull seruant that the said mariage was but colourably pretended to get the young Earle into King Edwards hands and that his death was certainly pretended if hee could bee brought home and being also told that his honour would perpetually be obscured by so foule a deede the said Duke could neuer be at rest vntill Peter Landoys his chiefest Treasurer attempted the repossessing of him with the said young Earle Whereupon the said Peter repaired to S. Malloes Peter Landoys recouereth the Earle of Richmond into the Duke of Britaines possession and pretended much loue and familiaritie with the English Ambassadours with whom hee pleasantly conuersed and spent his time But in the meane season the seruants of the said Peter being thorowly instructed for that purpose conueied the said Earle into a Sanctuarie whose priuiledges might not by any meanes be infringed The Englishmen vnderstanding what had hapned were much displeased and condemned the said Treasurer for this vnfriendly practise and too much skill But hee on the other side assigned the whole fault to their owne negligence and follie And by this meane the harmelesse and sillie Sheepe was deliuered from the Woolfe And thus was King Edward defrauded and beguiled of his money and of his hopes But vpon the Dukes faithfull promise that the
charge and maintained their houses and families was taken from them And thereby they were also disabled to entertaine such and so many Iourney-men couenant seruants and apprentices as they had formerly done Neither could or would they giue to such as they had such large and liberall wages pensions and rewards as was expected by them for their paines and seruice These extremities occasioned multitudes of Apprentices and of Iourney men without the procurement or allowance of their Masters to runne with great violence and furie to the Stilliard in London where they brake vp and robbed many Ware-houses and shops and rifled whatsoeuer did come athwart their hands And besides all this they offred much violence in a strange manner to the Easterlings being the owners of those commodities and wares vntill the comming thither of the Lord Maior with a band of armed men both terrified them and also made them flie Of these malefactors some were taken and imprisoned in the Tower and due examination being taken of them and of their offence the principall Ring leaders among them being in number about fourescore were continued prisoners for many weekes But in the end they all were freed and receiued the Kings Pardon About the same time the before named Sir Robert Clifford vpon his repentant motion Sir Robert Clifford forsakâ—th Perkin Warbecke A notable policie and by the mediation of his friends at home procured leaue for his returne and pardon for his offence so that when notice was giuen of his landing the King appointed him to meet him at the Tower that there before him and his Nobilitie hee might discouer plainly and at large the whole practise deuice and purpose of the Ladie Margaret and of her base nephew Perkin Warbecke and of all other the Conspirators in that businesse And this place of meeting aboue all others the King in policie appointed because if any of his Lords or great ones were by the said Sir Robert Clifford accused as being guiltie of that offence they might without blowes or ciuill warres be apprehended and committed in the same place The Knight at his first appearance in the Kings presence humbly kneeled downe confessed his transgression expressed many true signes of heartie and vnfained repentance and receiued the Kings fauour Among the great men attending on the King Sir William Stanley is accused by Sir Robert Clifford he onely accused Sir William Stanley whereat the King much maruelled because he not only entirely loued him but also had by his bounteous liberalitie increased his possessions made him honourable and Lord Chamberlaine to his owne person This fault was so plainly and so particularly discouered before the King that the accused Gentleman not being able to excuse himselfe was forthwith committed to prison Sir William Stanley is beheaded and within few daies after being by the due course of Law condemned for examples sake vnto others he lost his head Yet for all this so desirous were many of nouelties others of spoiles some of reuenge and others of ciuill warres that they began to speake contumeliously despightfully and too too leaudly against the King But for this maladie he quickly prouided a double remedie First by making of himselfe strong with such Forces as he had leuied and secondly by taking of a strait account and by seuere punishing of some of those whose tongues as Rasours had deepely wounded his honour and his good name And by their ensamples hee reduced the rest to more conformitie and compelled them to obey He also sent an Armie into Ireland vnder the command of Sir Edward Poâ—nings to correct and punish with great seueritie such of the Irish Nation An armie is transported into Ireland as two yeares before had giuen and assistance to Perkin Warbecke But the offenders being for the most part wilde rude barbarous and sauage people delighting in war and being neuer better contented then when they were tumultuous and in horrid actions assembled themselues in great multitudes and according to their vse and fashion they ranne into the woods mountaines and bogges whom the Knight was the more vnable to pursue because the Nobilitie of that Iland who promised to send him much aid performed nothing which carelesnesse he imputed to Gerald Earle of Kyldare who as he was a man by his birth possessions and friends most powerfull among the Irish so was he chiefe Deputie of that Countrey to the King Him vpon the false and slanderous accusations of his malignant enemies the Knight apprehended as a Traitor and brought him into England But before the King his fidelitie and his innocencie freely deliuered him from further trouble and danger so that being graced thanked and rewarded for his true and honourable seruice he was not only enlarged but obtained the continuance of his Deputation as before Perkin Warbecke landeth some of his men in Kent In this meane time Perkin Warbecke being by the Ladie Margaret furnished with a Fleet of ships and being accompanied with Roagues Vacabonds Slaues Theeues Robbers Murderers Banke-rupts seditious Varlats and with the off-scumme of many Nations came vpon the Kentish Coast where they cast Anchors and landed some of those Vassals who endeuoured to informe themselues whether the people determined to follow poore Perkin Warbecke or no. The answer made by the multitude who began to rise in armes gaue good contentment for outwardly they firmely promised vntill death to support and to maintaine him and his quarrell against the King But when by faire words and soothing speeches they had trained those Rascals vp into the land His men are slaine and executed they fiercely set vpon them slew many and tooke one hundred and threescore prisoners whom they deliuered into the custodie of Sir Iohn Peachy high Sheriffe of that Prouince who railed them in ropes like vnto horses drawing carts and conueied them in that fashion to the Citie of London where they receiued their trials and were executed in sundrie places of this Realme And the counterfeited Duke of Yorke expecting better fortune at another time returned into Flanders to his pensiue and carefull Aunt He returneth into Flanders where because he supposed that delaies would proue dangerous and that much lingring would be vnprofitable for him he speedily collected such numbers of base and vnworthie Pesants as by necessitie were compelled to enter into his seruice which being done He landeth in Ireland he embarked them hoised his Anchors and sailed into Ireland purposing with those wilde and sauage men to augment his numbers and then to land in the Westerne parts of this Kingdome But when experience assured him that hee might haue men enow He commeth into Scotland but little armes hee then resolued not to make warre by the helpe of such as were naked wherefore he left them and came into Scotland and presented both himselfe and his cause to Iames the Fourth who at that time was very young and swaied the Scepter of that Kingdome The Scots although
death The King not minding any longer to trifle or to dallie with the French King leuied two Armies Two Armies sent into France In the one of them were eight thousand men and in the other six thousand The former of them was commanded by George Lord Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie and the other by Sir Charles Somerset Lord Harbert Chamberlaine to the King These two Generals with their companies departing from Portsmouth arriued safely at Calice from whence they marched to the strong Citie of Tyrwyn Tyrwyn is besieged and besieged it on euery side And within few weekes after the King himselfe hauing first committed the gouernment of this Kingdome to the generall charge of the Queene his wife and the particular protection of the Northerne parts vnto the noble and worthie Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey The King with a third Armie commeth before Tyrwyn if peraduenture the Scots according to their custome should in his absence beyond the Seas enter into those Countries being accompanied with many of his Nobles and Gentrie and hauing an Armie of eleuen thousand lustie and gallant men departed out of England came to his Towne of Calice and marched forth in warlike order vntill hee had ioined himselfe with all his other force which lay strongly encamped before Tyrwyn Now whilest King Henry thus lay in this siege the inhabitants oftentimes sallied out of their gates and with great resolution skirmished with their enemies but were alwaies loosers in their Retreats The French Armie attempteth to raise the siege By the Englishmen likewise daily batteries and hourely assaults were made and manfully resisted by the Citizens vntill the French King to raise the siege caused a huge Armie to be leuied which appeared and approched neere to the English Campe and made many a boasting and a proud bragge as if they were determined to doe much but still and still they trifled not doing any thing which might merit praise But in the end they being prouoked more by the taunting reproches of their owne Nation and by the daily scornes which for their want of courage they receiued from the sharpe tongues of their daring enemies then by their owne valour they attempted to raise the siege by strong blowes In so much that the two Armies met together fought stoutly and on either part performed many braue deedes of Chiualrie with great courage But the presence of King Henrie and his example of good Knighthood so animated his men of Warre that with vndaunted spirits they redoubled their strength in times and in places of greatest neede and extremities so that at the last The French Armie is ouerthrowne Tyrwyn is yeelâ—ed and burnt the Frenchmen being dissolued into many heaps of breathlesse carkasses and many of their Nobles and Gentrie being taken prisoners the rest fled and within few dayes after the Citie of Tyrwin by composition was yeelded to King Henrie who only preseruing the Bishops Palace in which hee lodged and the Cathedrall Church razed the Walls Towers Bulwarks and Fortresses thereof to the ground and consumed the rest of that Citie with fire In this siege Maximilian the Emperour The Emperor â—rueâ—l vnder King Henrie with thirtie approued men at Armes repaired to the Kings camp and after his great welcome amply expressed by his Princely entertainement hee with them were al enrolled into the Kings pay This victorie and the said Citie being thus wonne Torray is besâ—â—ged and yeelâ—ed King Henry with all conuenient expedition besieged the strong and the warlike Citie of Tournay which for a while was by the Inhabitants manfully defended and preserued But after many bitter and sharpe assaults and bloudie skirmishes when they perceiued that their hopes for succour and helpe were frustrated and in vaine they then by composition yeelded themselues to the Kings mercie who for the summe of ten thousand pounds gratiously receiued them as his owne subiects and by his Almoner Thomas Wolsey tooke the oathes of their fidelitie and alleageance as to their soueraigne Lord and King And then King Henrie leauing there a strong Garrison hee committed the gouernement and safetie of that Citie to Sir Edward Poynings who was valiant King Henrie reâ—â—â—neâ— into England The Lord Admirall vexetâ— the Freâ—h nation Iames the 4. Kâ—ng of Sâ—â—ts in the abâ—â—â— oâ— his brother kâ—ng Henrie rivâ—â—ieth England and a worthie Knight And dissoluing his Armie because the cold winter was vnfit for the continuance of warlike imployments he safely returned to England where he was receiued by his subiects with louely acclamation and great ioy Now must we vnderstand that whilst the king was thus busied in France the Lord Thomas Howard his chiefest Admirall intollerably tormented vexed and daily grieued the French Nation both by Sea and Land And likewise at the same time Iames the Fourth king of the Scots although he had maried with the Ladie Margaret the eldest sister of king Henrie made open warre and wilfull breach of his Promise and of the Peace which had been confirmed by his solemne Oath and beganne vniustly to pick quarrels against the King In so much that vpon notice giuen to the Earle of Surrey that in Scotland daily preparations and prouisions were made for warre He commanded Sir William Bulmer Sir William Bulmer a valiant Knight a valiant Knight with two hundred lustie and tall Archers to harbour in some Towne or Village neare to the Scottish Pale to the intent that hee might not only giue speedie notice and intelligence how things passed but also might doe his best to withstand and to resist their power Within few dayes after the Lord Humes Chamberlaine to the King of Scots entred with an Armie of eight thousand men into the Kingdome of England slew the Inhabitants burned their houses ransacked their goods and foraged their fields And hauing enriched himselfe and his souldiers with money and great spoyles he returned securely not thinking that any reckoning was to bee made for his good speeding But on a sodaine and vnexpectedly hee was encountred by Sir William Bulmer who with one thousand Archers and no more so thickly showred arrowes vpon the Scots and with their swords in such a desperate and strange manner assailed and assaulted them that quickly they were ouerthrowen and fiue hundred of them being slaine and foure hundred at the least taken prisoners the rest fled leauing their spoiles and their booties behinde them and so returned beggerly into Scotland The King of Scots who not only meant to reuenge this disgrace but also to worke wonders if hee might in the absence of King Henrie entred into this Realme with an Armie in which were more then one hundred thousand fighting men 100000. fighting men and besieged the strong Castle of Norham which through the Captaines prodigall expence of all his powder and shot to little or no purpose hee tooke and kept it as his owne The Earle of Surrey marcheth against the King of Scots The valiant and renowmed
of the Kings royall person And this conceit so pleased him that he now and then would babble and reueale it to some of his inward and familiar friends and some of them discouered it to his destruction and vtter ouerthrow Likewise this hope framed him to a more ambitious course in his cariage and made him negligent of his seruice and dutie to the King insomuch that his Maiestie by his Letters required him with all conuenient expedition priuately to repaire vnto the Court But as he was in his Barge vpon the Thames hee was by Sir Henry Marney Captaine of the Kings Guard who had with him an hundred of the Kings Yeomen subiect to his command attached and arrested of high treason and as a prisoner conueied to the Tower And being afterwards legally and according to the due forme of Law indicted by sundrie Knights and Gentlemen for that as much as in him lay he had conspired and contriued the Kings death to make himselfe his successour hee was brought to a Barre at Westminster Hall before the Duke of Norfolke high Steward of England and his chiefest Iudge And hauing holden vp his hand he was arraigned of treason vpon the said indictment and pleaded thereunto that hee was not guiltie and did referre himselfe for his triall to God and to his Peeres who were these the Duke of Suffolke the Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Oxford Deuon Darbie Shrewesburie Essex Worcester and Kent and the Lords De la Ware Fitz-Warren Willoughbie Harbert Cobham Brooke and Morley These Noble men in the presence of the Prisoner had witnesses face to face who were all prisoners for concealments of the same offence and deposition in writing which when they had done they arose from the Bench retired into a priuate roome and after a short absence returned againe to their places and the Duke of Buckingham being againe brought vnto the Barre the said Lords one by one protested with great solemnitie and protestations on their honour that they thought him to bee guiltie according to the indictment And thereupon the Lord high Steward with many teares pronounced against him that iudgement which against meaner offenders in that nature is giuen Whereupon hee was taken from the Barre and hauing an Axe borne before him with the edge thereof turned towards him because he had his iudgement to die he was conueied by water to the Temple staires and was there receiued on land by Sir Nicholas Vaux and Sir William Sands both Baronets who conducted him thorow the Citie of London to the Tower and within two or three daies after he was beheaded on a Scaffold at the Tower Hill About the same time the King himselfe wrote and published in the Latine tongue a booke against Martin Luthers Assertions The King writeth against Martin Luther Disputes and Arguments touching Indulgences and the Sacraments of the Church for which cause he was by the Pope enstiled Defensor Fidei Defender of the Faith Yet some doe affirme that he was so entituled in requitall of the aide and succour which by the gift of excessiue summes of money when he and his Cardinals were prisoners to the Emperour was extended to him and them Defensor Fidei We haue alreadie heard how that Cardinall Wolsey being sent to Calice to ratifie and to confirme the Peace which not long before was concluded there betwixt the Emperor the two Kings The French King first breaketh the peace did therein little good And wee must now know that the first breach of that peace was made by the French King who began to warre sharply on the Emperor both by Sea and Land And because he suspected that King Henrie partly for affinities sake and partly by reason of the condition of part-taking annexed to the said peace did secretly side with the Emperor against him therefore he dealt thus vnkindly with King Henrie 1 First of all contrarie to his faith and promise hee sent Iohn Duke of Albanie into Scotland to raise new warres The French King wrongeth King Henry and many mischiefs against this Realme to the end that the King might not haue any leisure to ioyne with the Emperour and to make warre vpon him 2 Secondly he detayned and kept from the King that yearely Tribute which for Normandie Aquitaine and other the Kings inheritance in those Countries was due and payable by the Kings of France 3 Thirdly contrarie to his promise and safe conduct giuen to the Marchants of England no warre betwixt the two Kings being proclaimed he seised on all their wares and marchandizes in Burdeaux and committed them to prison 4 Fourthly vpon the Seas he riffled robbed and spoiled the Marchants of England daily and vpon complaints promised liberall restitution but made none 5 Fiftly he refused to pay to Queen Mary Dowager of France her yearly pension contrarie to the agreement made betwixt king Henrie and the whole estate of France 6 And last of all neglecting his Hostages and making a wilfull breach of his promise he would not pay those summes of money which were concluded to be paid for the surrendring and yeelding vp of the Citie and Castle of Tourney into his hands King Henries course for requitall These iniuries and wrongs first of all procured the King to make generall Musters through his whole kingdome and then to apparell prouide and furnish his Nauie Royall and to commit them to the charge and gouernment of the Earle of Surrey his high Admirall the scourger of the French King for all his faults To him hee gaue ample and large commission to vexe and to annoy the French King and his Subiects both by Sea and Land He also restrained the French Embassador of his libertie not permitting him to goe abroad without his leaue He also caused the marchandizes wares goods and money of all Frenchmen within his kingdome not being Denizens to be attached to his owne vse Also hee committed their bodies to Gaoles and Prisons vsing them in the like sort as his Subiects and Marchants were misvsed in France A French Armie vanisheth King Henrie being informed that the French King hauing leuied an Armie houered vp and downe neare vnto the marches of Calice to preuent danger and to meet with him at all assaies sent many thousands of gallant and braue Souldiers to the Sea which were by the Admirall receiued into his Fleet so that vpon any occasion or neede they might quickly bee set on land But when they perceiued that Calice was not in any hazard for that the French Armie was vanished and dissolued then the Admirall because he loathed to be idle landed many of his men vpon the coast of Brittaine Morleys taken burnt and with great confidence and resolution conducted them to Morleys where a principall gate of the Citie being battered and beaten open with some great shot the braue English men boldly entred in riffled ransacked and spoiled the town and by the cōmandement of the Admirall they consumed it
by meanes whereof when the ship turned the Ordinance ran backe to the one side and bare the port holes vnder water so that the sea violently and abundantly flowed in and in a moment swallowed vp both ship Captaine Men Ordinance and all other things there to the great griefe and sorrow of the King himselfe and of all such as were present and beheld it The Lord Dambalt high Admirall of France being by certaine poore Fishermen whom he had taken informed that the King in his owne person being accompanied with an infinite number of valiant men of warre expected and longed to be made victorious and rich by their landing feared to hazard all his fortunes in so desperate and hot a seruice Wherefore be hoised Ancors and without Fame or Honor returned basely into France Now must wee know The Scots invade England that no sooner was King Henrie departed out of England to the siege of Bullein as wee haue heard but the Scottish Nation obseruing their old custome entred riffled spoiled and burnt many Houses Villages and small Townes in the marches of England without pitty Wherefore King Henrie after his returne resolued to correct their madnesse and their folly and to take reuenge for those iniuries and wrongs And for that purpose he sent the Noble Earle of Hartford into that Kingdome An Armie sent into Scotland with an Armie of twelue thousand men where hee hauoked Men Townes Castles and the Countrie in such a furious and fierce manner that the Scots were extremely damnified thereby and thousands of them were vtterly vndone About the same time the valiant Lord Lisle Lord high Admirall of England Treport entred into and landed within the Hauen of Treport and burnt the suburbs of that towne and many other houses Villages and Townes which bordered vpon the Sea coasts And at his returne from thence as a rich prey he caried with him many Ships Barges Boats and Vessels which he found there Now like as after many ruffe and boisterous stormes a sweet and a delectable calme doth follow so after these busie conflicts and martiall contentions The Duke of Northfolke and the Earle of Surrey committed whereof wee haue already taken a perfect view A peace was louingly concluded and ioyfully proclaymed betweene the two kingdomes of England and of France But this joy as in humane affaires it often hapneth was quickly checked with an other sorrow for the most victorious faithfull and euer to be honored Captaine the Duke of Northfolke and his sonne the most illustrious Earle of Surrey both which in this Kings raigne performed many memorable and braue seruices in Scotland England and in France were sodainely apprehended and sent vnto the Tower For none other thing but because they quartered and bare in their Escoucheon certaine Armes which were pretended properly and only to belong vnto the King and Prince which Armes notwithstanding they and their Auncesters timeout of minde had so borne without controlment reproofe or check For this offence the said Earle was indicted of high Treason arraigned thereon and tryed by a Iurie of Knights and Gentlemen The Earle of Surrey beheaded and not by his peeres because he was no Lord of the Parliament by whom he was found guiltie and then receiued his iudgement and lost his head to the great griefe and sorrow of many thousands who lamented the causelesse death of such a worthy man as had so well deserued of the King and of the common weale The King dieth But the Duke his father by reason of the Kings sicknesse and death which followed shortly after was preserued by God from that danger for better fortunes He is described The Presence of this King was amiable and Princely for hee was somewhat more then ordinarie tall strongly limmed proportionably composed faire in his complexion nimble and full of agilitie in his yonger yeares and alwaies as resolutely valiant as a man might bee Hee had a pregnant and a sharpe wit and was generally held to bee well learned because hee could and vsed to speake well He was exceeding humble and passing stout applying the former to gentle spirits and opposing the latter against prowd insolent and rough Mates He was bountifull and magnificently liberall if occasion so required Yet in regard that hee was a man He was not free from all faults For he was too too much familiar and conversant with wanton and light women And delighted too much in varietie and in change as most men did coniecture because he had sixe wiues From two of them he was seuered because his mariages were held to be void frustrate and of no force other two of them for the obiected crime of incontinencie lost their heads A fifth died in her child-bed and the sixt escaped fairely by his death Finally hee oftentimes much pleased himselfe to be ouer-familiar in the swaggering companie of loose Fellowes yet in most respects he was a famous a worthie and a most noble King Thus ended he his life and thus doe I conclude this Historie of these twentie Kings hoping that some other who shall be better able will with more sufficiencie write the rest FINIS THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND FROM THE CONQVEST vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES THE FIRST THOV SHALT LABOR FOR PEACE PLENTIE LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone 1615. Princes of VVales since the Conquest Iohn Speede 97 1 EDward Caer-Nervon sonne to King Edward the First afterwards king Edward the Second 2 Edward of Windsour sonne to king Edward the Second afterwards king Edward the Third 3 Edward the Black Prince sonne to king Edward the Third 4 Richard of Bordeaux sonne to the Black Prince afterwards king Richard the Second 5 Henrie of Monmoth sonne to king Henrie the Fourth afterwards king Henrie the Fifth 6 Henrie of Windsour sonne to king Henrie the Fifth afterwards king Henrie the Sixth 7 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Henrie the Sixth 8 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Edward the Fourth afterwards king Edward the Fifth 9 Edward Plantagenet sonne to king Richard the Third 10 Arthur Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth 11 Henrie Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth afterwards king Henrie the Eighth 12 Edward the sonne of king Henrie the Eighth afterwards king Edward the Sixth 13 Henrie the sonne of king Iames. 14 Charles the sonne of king Iames. THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND From the Conquest vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES the First Albemarle and Holdernes EVDO Sonne to the Earle of Champagne married one of the Conquerours sisters Conq. and was by him created Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes Stephen their sonne succeeded and was Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes William surnamed Le Grose being his sonne succeeded K. Steph. and was Earle of Albemarle
which ouercame the king with infinite passions of sorrow and extreame griefe But it made a quiet end of this quarrell For now the king not hauing anie sonne which might succeed him was well pleased to lend a listening eare to the faire proffer of a friendly Peace The quarrell is compâ—unded ended And thereupon hee adopted Prince Henrie for his Sonne proclaymed him to bee the Heire apparant of his Crowne gaue him manie honourable and kingly Gifts assured him of his vnchangeable loue and friendship And by these meanes all Armes were cast aside and Peace triumphed hauing gotten a certaine and a sure Victorie with few blowes And the Prince with his followers returned into Normandie where they were with much honour and incredible joy receiued And the next yeare after king Stephen died King Stephen dieth The Saxons bloud restored to the Crowne of England See the descent in the Raigne of King Henrie the first when hee had raigned almost nineteene yeares and lyeth buried in the Abbey of Feuersham in Kent which himselfe had founded And by the happie Succession of this Henrie the Saxon Bloud was againe restored vnto the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE SECOND WHEN Henrie was returned into Normandie the French King fearing least Time and his Fortunes would make him too puissant and too great for his bordering Neighbours and intending to deale roughly with him before he should be the absolute Master and Commander of his owne strength very iniuriously seized vpon diuers of his Fortresses and Castles in Normandie and elsewhere which questionlesse ought to haue beene subiect to his Gouernment But Henrie being wise Henry Short-Mantels valour and courage and full of courage and heroicall Magnimitie and foreseeing that if hee should shrinke as a coward and not make himselfe knowne by his valour to the world when the wrongs which were done vnto him were too apparant raysed a faire Armie and for the regayning of one of those his Castles he girded it round about with a strong Siege And whilest he was thus employed to winne his right He sayleth speedily into England but first winneth the Castle which he had besieged the newes of King Stephens death came freshly vnto his eares And to preuent such vsurpation as oftentimes in the absence of the lawfull Kings depriueth them of their Crownes he was by his neerest and dearest friends aduised to abandon the Siege and without tarrying to transport himselfe into England But his answere was full of discretion and true valour to this effect A resolute speech The Kingdome of England quoth hee shall henceforth be at my commaund in despight of those who dare to crosse mee most And so shall these intruding Frenchmen ere I goe hence This Resolution redoubled his honour among his friends and so it did among his enemies For when the besieged were informed what he had said and determined fearing the euent if obstinately they should detaine him there too long they surrendred the Castle and submitted themselues to his mercie who receiued it and them with a fauourable and gracious acceptance And then giuing such directions as both the time and occasions did require and being accompanied with manie Lords and Gentlemen of the best and chiefest ranke he sayled with a prosperous winde into England where not long after hee was crowned King The singular zeale and loue which he bare to the furtherance of Iustice and to the execution thereof appeared manifestly by two Actions of his The King reformeth the Lawes performed the one in the beginning and the other towards the later end of his Raigne For first hee made an especiall choise of certaine men who were verie honest vpright and best learned in the Lawes of this Realme by whose industrious labours and trauailes hee refined and reformed the common Lawes making them to be more tolerable and profitable vnto his People England diuided into Circuits into which Iudges were sent to ease the people And towards the end of his dayes hee diuided his whole Kingdome into six seuerall Circuits and for the administration of Iustice and for the tryals of Causes betwixt men and men for the better ease and comfort of his Subiects hee appointed certaine Iudges twice in euerie yeare to ride and to trauaile through those Circuits which course and order is carefully continued at this day Strangers banished and the cause why Hee also banished the greatest part of Strangers who in those dayes by multitudes flocked hither and by their extraordinarie Sparing and painefull Industrie procured to themselues much Wealth and beggered such as were Natiues borne Oath-breakers banished Hee also exiled manie of the Nobles who contrarie to their publike Oathes Duties and Consciences had more than ordinarily adhered vnto King Stephen beeing fully resolued That the Cogitations of their owne Guiltinesse in that behalfe would neuer suffer them to be heartie and faithfull vnto him Hee differed much from the opinion of his last predecessor Castles politikely razed and ouerthrowne and affirmed That strong Forts and Castles erected and maintained in the Heart or Bodie of a Kingdome did rather animate great men vpon all displeasures to reuolt than in anie sort containe them within the bounds and limits of their Obedience and of their Dutie wherefore he caused them to be rased for the greater number to the ground Hee also seized into his owne hands such Territories Manors He seizeth on Crowneâ—ands formerly giuen away Lordships and Possessions as his Predecessors had eyther giuen or sold from the Crowne holding it to be the dutie of euerie Subiect to refuse the Gift or Purchase of such things as doe so immediately concerne the Honour and Maintenance of the King Nota. And the like he did in the Northren Parts where many great Men commaunding almost as they listed had wrought themselues and their Posterities into manie Honors Castles and Manors without title which in truth and in deed appertained to the King Hee also resumed into his owne hands the Prouinces of Cumberland and of Northumberland together with the Earledome of Huntingdon which Dauid the King of Scots and Henrie his sonne had receiued as a gift from King Stephen because they should not intermeddie in the furtherance of his mother Mauld the Empresse to her Right and Crowne In the thirteenth yeare of his Raigne Geoffrey the Kings yonger sonne is Duke of Britaine he married Geoffrey being one of his younger sonnes vnto Constance the daughter and heire apparant of Conaccus Duke of Britaine who died not long after and left vnto them that Duchie He also affied his younger sonne Richard vnto Adela one of the daughters of Lewis the King of France and married his daughter Mauld vnto Henrie Duke of Saxonie Mauld the Empresse dieth And about the same time the Empresse his mother died Hee loued Peace though he were passing valiant because hee found it to be pleasing and profitable Peace
league or other compact betwixt King Richard and the Turkes some danger might assaile him and his followers Hee tooke an vnkind leaue and carying away with him all such troupes as belonged to the Emperour to Leopold and to himselfe hee left the King of England and returned home This his departure discomforted not King Richard But with his owne Souldiours King Richard preuaileth and with the forces of some other Christian Princes who submitted themselues to his direction and Gouernement hee persisted in those Warres and prosecuted his attempts with such constancie and heroicall magnanimitie that he preuailed and became Victorious when the greatest dangers assaulted him most to make him feare And among many other things which boldly he attempted hee returned vnto the I le of Cyprus He winneth Cyprus again and by force hee valiantly wonne it from the Knights Templers vnto whom he had formerly sold it and then exchanged it for the Citie of Ierusalem with Guy of Lesingham the last Christian King who held and did possesse it By meanes whereof He is stiled King of Iaerusalem King Richard was stiled King of Ierusalem and so were many of his successours long after Thus while he became victorious England is badly Gouerned and daily triumphed ouer the Turkes miseries his Kingdome of England was badly Gouerned at home by the Bishop of Ely to whom hee had committed the charge thereof For hee being the Grand-child of a Ploughman and the sonne of a Cow-heard in the North Asperius nihil est humili quam surgere in altū and being aduanced to that Bishoppricke and made Lord Chancellour of England Legate to the Pope and Protector of all this Realme tyrannized as himselfe listed ouer all sortes of people Exercised on them strange and vnusuall oppressions both in the Church A begger on horse-backe will ride and also in the Common-weale and was so infinitely ambitious and so proud that he would neuer ride abroad for his pastime and for his recreation except hee were attended and waited on by a thousand horse and more and was serued by the sonnes of the greatest Nobles in this Land vnto whom he gaue in marriage with some portions diuers of his base and rusticke kinne The ambitious Bishops fall But at length he grew to bee so contemptible lothsome and vile in all the peoples eyes that fearing what would be the sequell of his vnlimited insolencie and pride He resolued to forsake this Kingdome And comming for that purpose into Douer He disguiseth himselfe and is dragged on the Sands disguised in the habit of a woman and hauing vnder his arme a piece of Country-cloth which hee offered to the sale hee was descried and discouered and by the common people was furiously and shamefully dragged and drawne vpon the Sands and was afterward sent vnto London where the Lords and greatest Nobles committed him to the Tower in which he remained vntill the kings returne He is restored and then he was restored both to his libertie and Offices But shortly after as he trauelled towards Rome he died He dieth whereat much joy was conceiued generally by the Englishmen Of these Affaires and of his euill Gouernment king Richard was informed in the Holie Land as also of the great discontentment of his brother Iohn The causes which hastened king Richards returne for that the Bishop of Ely and not himselfe was in the kings absence made Gouernor of this kingdome and how that he had seized manie of the kings Townes Forts and Castles into his hands and onely wanted the peoples fauour to make himselfe a king He likewise was informed what Sallyes Inrodes and Inuasions the French king after his returne home had made in Normandie thereby to reuenge himselfe of those pretended iniuries and wrongs which he supposed he had receiued from king Richard in the Holie Land These Tidings thus concurring and the good desire which king Richard had to preuent the ruine of his owne Estate enforced him when he possessed the greatest hopes of Conquest to conclude a peace with the Turks for three yeares King Richard saueth his life by swimming He is taken prisoner and sold to the Emperour Henry the sixt He is ransomed He reuengeth his iniuries vpon the French king But in his returne he was by the violence of a raging storme compelled after a dangerous shipwrack to saue his life by Swimming neere vnto Histria which lyeth betweene Aquileia and Venice and comming to the Territories of Leopold in Austria he was taken prisoner and by him sold to the Emperour Henrie the sixt the sonne of Frederick for threescore thousand Marks who taking of him good securitie for his Ransome assessed vnto one hundred thousand pounds did set him at libertie So that with speedie journeyes he poasted vntill be came into Normandie where he raysed a strong Armie and marched furiously into France and reuenged himselfe soundly of all such iniuries and wrongs as in his absence were done vnto him by the French king And then he reduced to his subiection all such Peeres in Normandie as by the Frenchmen in his absence had beene taken from him Thus whilest the King was busied abroad his brother Iohn Duke Iohn submitteth himselfe to the King his brother and is pardoned Earle of Lancaster repaired to him and not onely submitted himselfe to his grace and mercie but voluntarily surrendred to him all such Forts and Castles as he had seized into his hands excusing himselfe as being prouoked and enforced to disloyaltie by the extraordinarie pride and insolent behauiour of William Longchampe Bishop of Ely who vnworthily had disordered the gouernment of the whole Realme Vpon which submission and his contrition for his offence he obtained not onely the kings pardon but also his especiall grace and fauour Then did they both come into England He vseth vniust means to pay his Debts and Ransome where the king to make payment of his Ransome ransacked the Treasures of diuers Religious Houses and grieuously taxed the People and summoned his High Court of Parliament in which he caused himselfe to be againe crowned King He is crowned anew And to augment his owne Estate hee resumed into his hands all such Honors Lordships Manors Castles Offices and Priuiledges He resumeth the Lands which he sold and payes nothing for them as he had formerly sold to his owne subjects for his supplyes and enforced the Buyers to content themselues with such profits thereof as they had taken Then fourescore thousand pounds of his Ransome were payd Leopold is accused and releaseth part of the Kings Ransome but the residue was discharged by Leopold who was accursed by Pope Innocent the third for that hee had iniuriously made king Richard a prisoner in his returne from his Warres in the Holie Land Then the king raysed a new Armie and transported it into France and from that time forward he ceased not with variable successe to warre with the
their owne Countrey receiued the ouerthrow and hauing seene the slaughter of manie thousands in his Armie among which were Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester The King receiueth a great ouerthrow and two and fortie other Lords and more than threescore knights and Baronets besides two and twentie men of Name who were taken prisoners hee was compelled for his owne safetie shamefully to flye and with dishonourable successe to returne againe into England The King flyeth Where he was eftsoones perplexed and put to much trouble by the vntrue and desperate attempt of one Iohn Poydras a Tanners sonne dwelling in Exeter Iohn Poydras discouered and executed who boldly affirmed himselfe to be the truly begotten sonne of the last king and said That he was changed in his Cradle by his Nurse for a Carters child and offered diuers colourable proofes for the same and among the rest he strongly instanced vpon the vnworthie and base conditions of the king sorting to none so fitly as vnto one of obscure and of common birth This his clayme and bold assertions quickly abused the eares and the hearts of the vulgar and drew manie of them for want of wisdome and obedience to flocke vnto him as to their king But at length he was apprehended and hauing confessed his Treason and his folly and being arraigned conuicted and condemned hee was executed according to his deserts At the same time also Barwike betrayed to the Scots the strong and almost impregnable Castle of Barwike was trecherously betrayed into the hands of Robert le Bruse the vsurping king of Scots and such a generall scarcitie of all sorts of Victuals and such a Murreine of all kinds of Cattell so punished the people A famine Theeues beare great sway that the like before among them was neuer seene And diuers notorious and bold Theeues to the number of two hundred at the least being cloathed in Friers weeds of gray without respect of person or of sexe The Scots inuade England robbed and spoyled the Inhabitants of the North. But in the end they were taken and according to their deserts were put to death The Scots also raised a new Armie and with great violence and furie they entred England The Famine grieuously increaseth where besides the great afflictions occasioned by that watre the Inhabitants of those Countries were so pinched and plagued with famine that in many places those who liued scarcely sufficed to interre their dead and the rest to preserue their liues were compelled to sustaine themselues in the great extremitie of their hunger by eating of Rats Mice Cats Dogges Horses and such like The King is ouerthrown the second time by the Scots A miserably distressed people The King intending to suppresse the Scots and to correct them for their insolencie and folly encountred them with his whole Armie but receiued a notorious ouerthrow and being scornfully checked and disgraced by his bold and sawcie enemies hee returned home again with great ignominie and shame leauing his poore subiects in the North so miserably distressed and vnrelieued as euer any people were forsaken by an vnworthie and a carelesse King The vse of this History Of these disgraces and of these troubles we make this profitable vse That as the heroicall vertues of excellent Princes are crowned with many blessings from aboue so for the iniquitie and hainous transgressions of wicked and vngodly Kings both themselues and their people likewise are seuerely punished by God before whom Princes must fall as well as the common subiects except their true and heartie repentance being ioyned with the amendment of their liues doe in season procure his mercie and his fauour The Nobles endeuour reformation The Peeres and the Nobles of this Kingdome perceiuing that the diseases of the Common-weale did daily encrease and growe more dangerous determined like good Physitians narrowly to search out the causes of these maladies and to finde some remedie to cure them before it were too late They complain on the two Spencers The miserable examples of all kinds of wickednesse which presented themselues vnto their view emboldned them to informe the King That the two Spencers and their misguiding of the State by whom only and by none other the King was counsailed and directed were the immediat occasioners of all those mischiefes and calamities which miserably afflicted and tormented the whole Kingdome They plainly tolde him That such was their interest in the Kings person and in his gouernment of his people that they were bound in honour and for conscience sake to informe his Highnesse of all such misdemeanors committed by any of his subiects as tended to the subuersion of the State and the disturbing of the common peace therof and then they became importunat sutors to his Maiestie That he would be pleased to put from him the two Spencers who corrupted him with monstrous vices and made him altogether carelesse of those duties which by Almightie God were required at his hands They told him likewise That as subiection belonged to the people so the King was bound to protect them and that vnconscionably and most dishonorably he had left his Commons in the North to the rage and rigor of the Scots The resolution of the Nobles touching the two Spencers and to all extremities of hunger and of other wants and that if he pleased not vpon their humble entreaty and request to cassier those two gracelesse Counsailors of their places and from his seruice they then must and would presume to doe it though it were with the hazard and perill of their owne liues The king could not choose but hearken to this grieuous and true report For as it was founded and grounded vpon conscience and on duetie so was it maintained with a constant resolution to reforme that which was amisse He bit his lip thereat and his countenance proclaimed his discontentment The King frowneth on his Nobles Inwardly he meditated and deuised how he might surprise those Noble-men who most of all stomacked the two Spencers whom so immoderatly hee did loue yet inwardly his tongue gaue the Barons a pleasing answere so that hee forthwith sommoned his high Court of Parliament A Parlamēt and pretending a reformation of all things that were conceiued to be amisse he gladded the hearts of his Nobles and Commons exceedingly But the Lords and Barons although they reioiced much that the time would shortly come The Nobles do stand vpon their guard in which these matters should be substantially debated on yet were they iealous and suspected lest the king intended their surprisal in that solemn meeting wherfore the greater numbers of them repaired vnto London beeing strongly garded with a braue Armie of sufficient and gallant men which were all cloathed in a like Liuerie whereat the king was highly displeased but most of all it grieued him that hee knew the Barons would haue their owne wil by taking and separating from him the two
the said thirteene Commissioners and manie others to bee guiltie of High Treason because they had compelled the king against his will and conscience to ratifie the said Commission by his oath and vnder his Great Seale And then they went to Couentrie where the said Iudges by an instrument in writing vnder their hands and seales declared and confirmed their opinions touching those matters to be agreeable and consonant to the Lawes of this Realme Now for a while must we leaue the king and his Nobilitie perplexed with manie euill conceits each of the other and studying vpon the future euents of those former conclusions and will informe the Reader that the time of Truce betwixt England and France was more then fully ended The French Lords and Gentlemen come to animate the Scots against England Their course entertainment They inuade England They make a troublesome iournie into Wales King Richard with an army of 68000. men entreth and spoileth Scotland and that the French king to beget more broyles at home sent his Admirall into Scotland with a thousand Lords knights and Gentlemen compleatly armed and furnished with armour and with weapons sufficient for one thousand more But such was their course and homely entertainment that vpon their first arriuall the Common people abandoned their companie making no manner of reckoning or accompt of them nor relieuing of their wants with any thing which was needfull but suffered them to be oppressed with as manie miseries as strangers being in a forraine and in a poore Countrie were able to endure vntill they ioyned with the Scottish armie which consisted of thirtie thousand men And with them they entred into England and did much harme But when they were informed that the king with eight thousand men at armes and threescore thousand Archers trauailed hard iournies to encounter with them they then forsooke their ordinarie march and passages and went ouer the high and craggie Mountaines into Wales where they committed manie vile and wicked outrages which turned little to their commoditie and gaine But in the meane time king Richard with fire and sword entred into Scotland where being vnresisted he rifled and burnt the Townes and Cities of Eden-burgh The French and Scots return into that wasted Countrie Saint Iohns Estreuelinge Dondée and manie others and returned home And the Scots and Frenchmen retyred themselues into Scotland where by reason of the late hauock and ruines of that kingdome the French Gallants were worne out with more necessities than before The great miserie of the Frenchmen For neither could or would the Townes or Countrey affoord them anie helpe and the apparant hazard of their liues by the violence of the poore distressed Scots did altogether terrifie them from foraging abroad How the Scots abused and wronged them And in the end to adde vnto them greater affliction than all the rest the Scots compelled their meanest Gentlemen without their horses and vnarmed and pennilesse to returne into France but kept as pledges or as pawnes the Admirall and such as were honourable and great vntill a full reckoning and an amends were made vnto them for all such losse and damages as by the English armie they had sustained affirming That the French king had engaged Scotland in those warres not for themselues but to serue his owne turne and in his seruice The King of France is enforced to redeeme his subiects The French king though angred at the heart to be thus abused yet finding none other meanes to enlarge the Admirall and such other great men as he had employed in those Warres sent to the Scots as much money as was demanded and thereupon the French Admirall Barons and Gentry were dismissed and returned home hauing small cause to bragge of their successe or of their entertainment in that journey The French King dreameth to conquer England But the French king intending to relieue himselfe and to wrecke his anger vpon England resolued to transport into this kingdome such an Armie as should make an absolute Conquest of this whole Land And to further his prouisions therein he imposed manie grieuous and intolerable Taxes on his people which were not leuied without much grudging and great trouble His whole Fleet consisted of more than twelue hundred saile of shippes 1200. shippes The number of his men was extraordinarie and exceeding great and such were his prouisions that among Christian Princes the like before was seldome seene or heard of The great Armie of the English King Richard who was verie valiant and cared not for his approach was readily prepared to giue him a welcome with tenne thousand gallant men at armes and with more than one hundred thousand fighting men besides such as furnished his braue Nauie on the sea and besides all such as for the defence of Callice were sent thither Homo ponit disponit autem Deus Experience teacheth vs That the greatest preparations for anie Expedition whatsoeuer are made in vaine if the thing to which they are intended and directed be not seconded by GODS fauor as by this example it shall appeare For when the French souldiors were departed from their owne dwellings The disorders of the French souldiors and trauelled disorderedly towards the place where their shippes lay they robbed and spoyled in all Prouinces and in all Countries through which they passed with greater furie and with more violence than commonly the English or anie other forraine enemie accustomed to doe The men and the enterprise are accursed by the oppressed people So that the inhabitants of all places subject to their crueltie and vnciuill outrage were not onely in the highest degree displeased and discontented but by solemne imprecations they cursed both them and the action likewise which they had in hand And when those loose companions came into the Low-Countries where the Fleet was The French Armie are in great miserie such were their wants of all things needfull to relieue them by reason of their excessiue numbers and by reason of the long absence of the Duke of Berrey the French kings vncle who hasted not thither nor liked well of that journey although it altogether depended vpon his furtherance and presence that first they sold their armor and their weapons then their horses They sell all and last of all their clothes to prouide them meat And when all those means failed them then they daily yea hourely The Armie is dissolued committed such violence and such outrages in those Countries without controlment that they became hatefull and odious to the inhabitants Parturiunt Montes nascitur ridiculus Mus. and at length the King their master being vtterly discouraged by his said vncle in this attempt dissolued his whole Armie And thus at one instant almost he lost both his honor and his hope his money and manie great things besides And the end of those his great designes affoords vs libertie to returne againe to our highly displeased and
with his whole strength before the Towne of Vernoyle in the prouince of Perch where he falsely informed the inhabitants That at Yurye hee had fought with the Regent defeated his Armie slaine thousands Policie taken many prisoners freed that Towne and had compelled him by swift riding to prouide for the safetie of his owne life This false report soone made the Duke owner of that Towne Yury wonne and his Retreat made the Regent Lord of Yurye and as soone as sound prouisions were made to strengthen it the Regent with his whole Armie marched vnto Vernoyle where meeting with the French cowards and with diuers Scots who did assist them hee compelled them to engage their fortunes by a bloudie battaile in a pitched field The fight was cruelly maintained for the space of three houres But in the end the Englishmen The battaile of Vernoyle with the losse of one and twentie hundred of their common souldiors wonne the honour of that day and slew of their enemies fiue Earles two Vicounts one and twentie Barons and more than seuen thousand other men besides two thousand and seuen hundred Scots who were sent thither by their King But the Duke of Alanson himselfe with many Lords Knights and Gentlemen of Name The Frenchmen are ouerthrowne were taken prisoners And the Towne of Vernoyle without Assault or Batterie was surrendred into the Regents hands Vernoyle is regayned who hauing fortified it with a strong Garrison commanded by their worthie Captaine Sir Philip Hall marched to the Citie of Roan where hee was receiued with many triumphant Shewes And from thence he came to Paris where his kinde entertainment proclaymed his welcome and his honour This ouerthrow so weakened the French King that none other Prouinces or Territories but onely Burbon Aluerne Berry The English doe preuaile Poytou Towrayne part of Angeou and Languedoc could giue vnto his Royall Person anie warrant of safetie and assurance Yet least he should want the true honors belonging to a King in the Citie of Poytiers hee established his High Court of Parliament and his Chancerie The French King laboureth his owne establishment with the publike vse of his broad Scale and of all other things needfull and requisite for the due administration of his Lawes and the distribution of Iustice The Earle of Salisburie winneth many Townes The Regent taking the aduantage of his late victorie sent into the Countrey of Mayne an Armie of tenne thousand men which with great resolution were brauely conducted by the valorous and prudent Earle of Salisburie who quickly wonne the strong Citie of Mauns and the Townes of Saint Susan le Fort Saint Barnard and manie others And from thence he went into Angeou where with the Sword hee performed such and so manie wonders His name is feared that the verie Name of Salisburie became terrible in all France 1425. 4 The perfidious Earle of Richmond whome King Charles had newly made High Constable of France intending to make himselfe famous in the minoritie of his Gouernment raised an Armie of fortie thousand men which consisted of Britons French and Scots The Siege of Saint Iames. with which he besieged the strong Towne of Saint Iames in Beuyon which was defended only by six hundred Englishmen who hauing resolutely endured many sharpe assaults and hard bickerings A miraculous ouerthrow vpon a suddaine issued boldly out of the Towne and proclaymed their approach with an hideous shout of Saint George Salisburie Saint George Salisburie and fell vpon the multitude of their enemies like a storme This terrible crie and the inconsolable feare and terror which made them thinke that the Earle of Salisburie with his Armie had secretly conueyed himselfe into the Towne for their rescue so amazed and daunted the faint-hearted multitude that casting away their Armour abandoning all Order and entertaining nothing but Despaire they leapt headlong into the Riuer In which many of them were drowned more were slaine some were taken prisoners and the rest who ranne away left vnto this little handfull all their Tents foureteene Peeces of Ordnance fortie barrels of Powder three hundred Pypes of Wine two hundred Pypes of Bisket and of Flower and two hundred Peeces of Raisins and Figges fiue hundred Barrels of Herrings much Armour and manie other things A poore reuenge The New Constable intending to redeeme his honour with some better fortune recollected and furnished his Armie with which hee marched into the Countrey of Angeou where without resistance hee burnt a few of the smallest poorest and most vnworthie Villages of that Prouince This childish Seruice puft him vp with much pride and made him to imagine that he was now a warlike man though his owne Nation and all others did publikely mocke and scoffe at his grosse follie Whilest thus the Regent and his Captaines daily triumphed in France a dangerous and an vnkind jarre brake forth at home Variance betweene the Protector and his vncle the Bishop of Winchester betwixt the Protector and his vncle Henrie Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancelor of England which threatened the breach of the Peace and Tranquilitie of this Kingdome and Commonweale For the appeasing whereof the Regent hauing made the Earle of Warwike his Lieutenant Generall and hauing set his affaires and businesse in good order came into England Where in a Court of Parliament the differences betwixt them were discouered arbitrated and the quarrell ended to the great comfort and contentment of their friends In honour whereof It is appeased the King kept a solemne Feast in which the Regent dubbed the King a Knight The King is dubbed Knight The King also inuested manie of his Great subjects with the same Dignitie and created his cousin Richard sonne to Richard late Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke and restored Iohn Mowbray who was Earle Marshall to his fathers Duchie of Norfolke Creation of Lords And in this meane time the Earle of Warwike approued himselfe to be a worthie Commander ouer his great charge and conquered manie things in Mayne and prepared to fight a set battaile whereunto he was challenged by the French But their threatnings were but brags and their courage fell downe into their heeles For A French bragge a little before the appointed time they basely and cowardly ranne away When all things were thus quieted at home the noble Regent being accompanied with his vncle the Bishop of Winchester returned into France And vpon the request of his brother in law 1426. 5 The Duke of Alanson is ransomed the Duke of Burgoine hee set at libertie the Duke of Alanson for the ransome of two hundred thousand crownes The most part of which money he would haue giuen backe againe A worthie Duke if the said Duke would haue sworne his homage to King Henrie which he refused to doe and did affirme That the whole world should not alienate his faith from King Charles nor his dutie from his
them to reuolt and yeeld to King Charles By meanes whereof King Henrie as hee was counselled sayled with a puisant Armie from Douer 1431. 10 King Henrie crowned in Paris and arriued at Calice And taking Roan in his way Hee marched vnto Paris where hee was with all beseeming requisities annointed and crowned King of France and receiued homage and fealtie vpon the Othes of the Nobles Gentlemen and common People of that Citie These French warres were famous in all the Westerne parts of the world And the more were they spoken off because men generally did wonder how it was possible that so small an Iland England admired at as England was should for so many yeares together so grieuously torment and scourge so large so populous and so potent a Kingdome as France was and put it to the worst At length and after frequent mediations vsed by Eugenius the Fourth then Pope of Rome and by many other Christian Princes Such great hopes as made the fairest shew of an happie Peace An vnperfect Truce vanished quite and came to nothing sauing that an vnperfect Truce for sixe yeares was consented vnto which lasted but a while For shortly after King Henries returne into England Vnfortunately it hapned that the Ladie Anne wife vnto the Regent The Regents wife dyeth and sister to the Duke of Burgoine died And not long after hee married the faire and fresh Ladie Iaquet daughter vnto Peter Earle of S. Paul The Regent newly maried and thereby allied himselfe to the ancient and honorable Familie and house of Luxenbourgh and from thenceforth the great loue The Regent looseth a good friend which for many yeares had made the Regent and his brother in law the Duke of Burgoin fortunate happie waxed faint and feeble by meanes whereof the Duke won nothing and the Regent became lesse powerfull then he had beene in former times 1432. 11 The Truce broken The solemnities of this mariage were no sooner finished but that the six yeares truce which was so lately concluded was quite broken and warre began to threaten the effusion of much bloud For the aduerse part by secret vnderminings and trecherous perswasions possessed it selfe daily of many of the Regents Castles and Townes and iustified that manner of proceeding by affirming That politike gainings without blowes infringed not any Truce and so farre off were the Frenchmen from restoring those things which by those subtleties they had gained that to procure more Treason discouered they secretly conuaied two hundred Souldiers into the Castle of Roan hoping to haue surprized it but the treason was reuealed and the Conspirators were with maine strength beaten into the Dungeon From whence they were sentenced some to the Gallowes others to death by cruell torments others to sharpe imprisonment and such of them as sped best were for great ransomes and summes of money set at large 1433. 12 Talbots name was terrible in France These coales quickly kindled the fire of rage in so much that either partie made it selfe strong by the speedie supply of a new Armie And the Regents forces were much augmented by Iohn Lord Talbot who was of late redeemed out of prison who though hee brought with him out of England but only eight hundred chosen men at Armes yet his name and his presence more terrified the Frenchmen The Frenchmen would not fight then halfe the English Armie besides Oftentimes the two Armies by their neare approch striued to out-face and to daunt each other And twice the Regent boldly challenged the Frenchmen to entertaine the fight but they only made faire shewes to performe much and seemed as if they thirsted to make themselues famous by their manhood yet in two seuerall places and at two times they fled in the night and would not in any sort hazard their Fortunes in the field Now A Rebellion in Normandy whilest the Regent was thus carefully employed abroad the Rustickes of Normandie treacherously attempting to shake off the English yoke which was neuer burthensome vnto them rudely armed themselues and marched towards Cane exercising much violence and crueltie in all places where they did preuaile The Rebels are subdued But they were speedily encountred and ouerthrowne by the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Willoughby who slew more than a thousand of them and tormented their rebellious Leaders and Captaines with sundry sorts of deaths but permitted the baser sort to return home The Earle of Arundell slaine This noble and couragious Earle purposing to reseise for King Henrie the Towne of Rue which grieuously punished the Countries of Ponthew Arthois and Bolenois perceiued as hee marched that an old decayed Castle called Gerbory neere vnto Beauois was newly reedified and made strong This Castle hee assaulted with great courage but being mortally wounded on the ancle with the shot of a Culuerine hee was taken prisoner from the ground but within few daies after he died About the same time the Duke of Burbon who about eighteene yeares before was taken prisoner at the battaile fought at Agencourt paied his ransome of eighteene thousand pounds The Duke of Bourbon is ransomed and dieth but died in London the same day in which hee intended to set forwards towards France In the end of the raigne of King Henrie the Fifth The Regent and the Duke of Burgoine haue stout stomacks we may reuiew or remember what a precise charge and command that King gaue to his Brethren and to his Nobles neuer to loose the amitie and friendship of Philip Duke of Burgoine and this Historie maketh mention how carefull they haue beene euer since to obserue his counsell in that behalfe but the busie tongues of Tell-tales and of foisting Flatterers obtayning credit where reprehension was more fitting preuailed in such sort That the said Duke causelesly waxed iealous and his loue was cold towards the Regent Tale-bearers or Tale-tellers yet through the perswasions and by the mediation of their honorable friends an enteruiew to reuiue their friendship was procured and S. Omers was the place appointed for that purpose But when they both had made their entrance into that Towne The Duke of Bedford because he was Regent and the sonne brother and Vncle vnto Kings expected the prioritie of visitation by the Duke but he because he was the Lord and Soueraigne of that Towne supposed that he should be checked for dishonorable basenesse if hee should first repaire to the Regents lodging These conceits touching their preheminence and superioritie were very likely to distemper their humors more then formerly they had beene For the preuenting whereof their friends endeuoured to perswade them both to meete together in some indifferent place But the Regent refused to yeeld thereunto So they departed and left the Towne The Duke of Burgoine forsakes the Regent beeing both displeased and discontented with each others haughtinesse of spirit and great stomacke And forthwith the Duke of Burgoine entred into
vp in the imitation of all princely entertainment complements and behauiour so that all such as beheld him and his Heroicall Qualities pronounced their sentence that bee was descended of a Noble Familie and that some extraordinarie Fortune was at hand and attended to make him more happie then a thousand others Thus when this Ladie had procured her counterfeited Idoll to bee adored and wondered at by reason of his maiesticall carriage and behauiour she informed him that vnder the name of Richard Duke of Yorke second sonne to King Edward the Fourth her brother shee intended to aduance him to the Crowne of England and to make him King which that she might with the more ease and facilitie effect shee secretly and so substantially taught him in the whole Pedigrees of the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke that within few daies no Englishman was more expert and cunning therein then he Perkin is aided by the Irishmen When shee had thus furnished him according to her will shee caused him to be transported into Ireland where he made himselfe knowen among those Nobles to bee by his birth a great Prince and therin he so artificially demeaned himselfe that by the whole Nation of the Irish he was receiued reuerenced and maintained as their soueraigne and rightfull Lord. The French King sendeth for Perkin Warbecke About the same time the French King who daily expected the landing of an English Armie within his Duchie of Britaine or in some other place subiect to his dominion as formerly wee haue heard intended to disturbe the intention and purpose of King Henry by setting vp of another King in this Realme for which purpose hee sent for Perkin Warbecke into France and promised with all kinde of friendly entertainment to receiue helpe releeue and succour him vntill hee had inuested him into his right and Kingdome No sooner was this mocke-prince come to the French Court but such was the generall applause of the Frenchmen and so extraordinarie was their madnesse and braine-sicke ioy that the poore Swad could in no wise chuse but imagine strongly that hee was borne to be a King But in the middest of his flattering vaine and foolish hopes the aforesaid peace betwixt the two Kings of England and of France was concluded and this young Nouice fearing lest he should be deliuered to King Henry ran secretly away Perkin flieth out of France The Duchesse honoureth and maintaineth him and came to his Titularie Aunt the Duchesse of Burgoine who receiued him with great ioy and much honour giuing vnto him princely entertainment filling his purse with gold clothing his bodie with costly and with rich apparell and appointing thirtie gentlemen of worth and qualitie as his Guard to giue their daily attendance vpon his fantasticall person Her practise for assistance in England Then shee caused it newly to be published in England that her Nephew Richard Duke of Yorke was yet aliue and liued in her Court and that he according to his right and title to the Crowne of England as being the heire male of the House of Yorke expected the assistance of all his true and louing subiects towards his attaining thereof Perkin is fauoured in England No sooner did this newes wax common among the Vulgar but it was generally beleeued by them and also by diuers others of better ranke and fashion insomuch that many for malice onely and for grudge which they conceiued against the House of Lancaster others because they deemed themselues not to be sufficiently rewarded for their aduentures in King Henries warres against King Richard others because they were ambitious and saw none other meanes to raise their fortunes others because their fancies were easily deluded by nouelties and deuised newes and others because they delighted to fish in troubled waters determined to take his part And vpon that resolution the Conspirators by secret combination sent Sir Robert Clifford a man of much valour wisdome Sir Robert Clifford and great discretion into Flanders to enquire and to search out the truth of the conception birth and parentage of this new-found Duke This Knight after his arriuall and when hee had conferred againe and againe with the busie-headed Duchesse of Burgoine touching this businesse and with an obseruing eie had beheld the young counterfet and had communed oftentimes with him perswaded himselfe that he was the very true naturall and yongest sonne of King Edward the Fourth and so he certified his friends in England by his letters and by meanes thereof euery day fresh reports gat greater strength and credit among such as were willing to be partakers in his fortunes King Henries preparations against Perkins inuasion Wherefore as a sharpe Feuer suffreth not the Patient to take any rest so this fantasticall dreame and vaine imagination troubled King Henry aboue measure and wisedome made him prouident to prepare for future stormes so that he strongly guarded and fortified all places which bordered vpon the Sea and by his letters hee informed the Burgundians and Flemings of the vanitie and falsitie of this deuised foolerie and of this fained King vsing his best meanes both to preuent all ciuill wars and also to withstand all inuasions which might bee attempted against his Crowne and Kingdome And to make himselfe more strong 1493. 9 hee selected and appointed diuers men of wisdome and of worth secretly to flie out of England into Flanders to the Duchesse and to this fained Duke A wittie policie that by their meanes and endeuours bee might haue true intelligence of such as being of name and qualitie conspired to ioine with this ignoble counterfet vpon whose information and after legall trials the chiefest actors in that businesse as Traitors were put to death King Henry also recounting how that by the late breach of promise Maximilian the King of the Romans failed to assist him in his warres against Charles the French King and finding that his sonne Philip Arch duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine secretly fauouuoured the attempts of the Ladie Margaret concerning Perkin Warbeckes conspiracie The English Mart is remoued from Flanders to Calice A restraint of wares and merchandizes remoued his Mart of English merchandizing from Flanders to his owne Towne of Calice and also he prohibited all men whatsoeuer to bring any Flemish commodities or wares into this Kingdome This restraint notwithstanding the bribing Easterlings were vnder hand permitted to bring into England what they would And likewise King Maximilian and his sonne by strong Edicts forbade and published the confiscation of all English commodities as leather tallow woolles lead tinne and such like if they were brought into those Countries An assault on the Flemings in London This restraining of the Kings owne subiects and that libertie which was allowed to those strangers vexed and greeued the English Merchants at the heart and so it did many others for by meanes thereof a great part of their trade which in former times supported their
commission granted by King Henry And secondly because the great seale of the Kingdome of England was in those Countries borne with great state before him which seemed to be the chiefest marke and badge by which King Henry would expresse the extraordinarie trust confidence which he reposed in him when as in truth and indeed hee foolishly and vnaduisedly caried the said Seale with him for his owne glorie without the Kings leaue so that in his absence no Sherifs could be made nor any Writs Commissions or Patents could bee sealed which wronged many particular men and was very preiudiciall to the present estate of the whole Kingdome His Oration Within a day or two after the Cardinals comming to Brudges the Emperour with his Counsell and Wolsey with his Associates seriously disputed and debated of the causes of the iarres and wars intended betwixt his Maiestie and the French King But when the Cardinall perceiued that the Emperour without restitution vnto him made of such of his Castles Forts Townes Cities and Territories as by the French King were detained from him would not incline to any peace hee then like a learned and like a wittie Oratour discoursed largely of the happinesse of peace and of the vnspeakable and insupportable miseries of bloudy war and forgat not to shew vnto the Emperour the kingly strength and puissance of his Soueraigne both in men and also in horses ships armour ordinance and all other materials for the warre And further adding that in regard of the league which was betwixt those two Kings his Lord and master should be vrged to take part with the French King if any violence by any other Prince should be offered to him The Emperour The Emperors answer acknowledging all to bee true whatsoeuer the Cardinall had spoken touching the benefits of peace the incommodities of warre answered that God who had giuen honors and possessions vnto Emperors Kings had includedly in the same gifts appropriated such an inheritable right in them vnto those to whom they were so giuen that he doubted not but with the pleasure of Almightie God they might not onely defend and keepe them with the sword from all Vsurpers and Intruders but might also by force and violence regaine them if iniuriously and besides right they were kept and detained And seeing that all Kings and Princes were bounden to support right and to suppresse al iniuries wrongs he said he doubted little of his vncle King Henries helpe and comfort if betwixt himselfe the French King there were no peace to be made without blowes The Emperors greeuances He also informed the English Commissioners that when his forces hee being at that time but Arch-duke of Austria had ouerthrowen the Armie of K. Charles the eighth at Gingate then the said King to procure his peace desired and espoused the Lady Margaret his daughter now wife to the Duke of Sauoy and vpon the same conclusion of the said mariage hee gaue with her to the said French King a good portion in money with diuers Townes and Castles in Piccardie which were still detained and kept from him notwithstanding that the said King Charles perfidiously refused afterwards to marie her and sent her home He told them likewise that he himselfe being lawfully betrothed vnto the Lady Iane the yong Duches of Britaigne hee trecherously gate her from him and tooke her to his owne wife He shewed them also that whereas the Duke of Gueâ—ders was his Subiect and ought to liue vnder his homage and obedience he by the procurement of the now French King stood out as a Rebell Refusing to be reformed without blowes Hee complained also that the French King trecherously surprized from the house of Castile the Realme of Naples but should restore it againe by friendship or by warre Thus when the Emperour had discoursed and had made an end of speaking the Cardinall replyed little leauing him to his owne will and taking a friendly and a kinde farewell hee returned to Calice where hee againe but more coldly then before debated with those Embassadours vpon the conclusions of a peace But when he perceaued that no such matter could be effected hee tooke his leaue and returned into England and was gratiously welcommed as a friend and liberally feasted as a stranger by the King In the fifteenth sixteenth and seuenteenth yeares of King Henries Raigne this prowd Cardinall vnder the colour of the Kings partaking with the Emperor in his warres against the French king of his owne authoritie and without the Kings commandement granted forth Commissions vnder the great Scale of England into euery Shire and Prouince of the Kingdome and directed them to the principall and chiefest men He granteth strange commissions for taxes and gaue vnto them priuate instructions how and in what sort they should proceed and demeane themselues in the execution of that businesse And by the same Commissions euery man was required to depose the certaine and true value of his Estate And then Of euery fiftie pounds and vpward there was demanded foure shillings the pound And for euery pound aboue twentie and vnder fiftie two shillings And for euery pound aboue twentie shillings vnder twentie pounds twelue pence The payment thereof to bee in money or in plate And in London hee made himselfe the chiefe Commissioner In which he behaued himselfe insolently as a Tyrant not so much to enrich the King as to stuffe vp his owne purse The like Commissions he granted forth against all the Clergie of this Land of whom he demanded foure shillings the pound of all their liuings The commons will not obey These vniust proceedings grieued the Clergie and common People at the heart and generally they refused to submit themselues in that busines Their reasons 1. First because those Commissions were not established nor were grounded vpon the Lawes of this Kingdome and common-weale 2. Secondly because the execution of them would be a dangerous president against the libertie and freedome of this kingdome in time to come 3. Thirdly because many mens credits exceeded their estates and to discouer their inabilities either vpon their oathes or otherwise it might and would tend to the subuersion and vtter ouerthrow both of them and of their Families 4. And lastly because the thing demanded and required to be paid was so much That not one man among ten generally had that value in money or in plate though hee were worth much more And therefore if the King by force of these Commissions should get into his hands all his Subiects plate and money they then should for necessities sake be constrayned to barter and to exchange and chop Lead for Clothes Tinne for Bread and Cloth for Cheese But these reasons preuailed not with the Cardinall but contrariwise he being by a generall Petition entreated to perswade the King to deâ—ist from that course and by the Lawes to deuise some other made this froward and sullen answer That he would
which by Almightie God himselfe was immediately extended towards his people for the preseruation of their liues so effectually wrought in the hearts and mindes of the two Armies that vpon the faithfull promise of the two Dukes The Rebels quietly doe depart home that the Kings free and ample pardon should remit and acquite them all the Rebels left the Field and quietly departed to their owne houses And thus was this Kingdome and Common-weale deliuered the second time without blowes from as great danger and perill as at any time before had threatned the ruine and destruction of the people of this Land By meanes whereof the King waxed more absolute and more strong in his gouernment then he was in former times especially concerning his Clergie and the ordering of the Church wherein hee disposed of all things vncontrolled according to his owne will A third rebellion Yet as a lightning so on a sudden in Westmerland Thomas Tilbie and Nicholas Musgraue with some others for the onely causes aboue mentioned and for none other brake forth into an open Rebellion with eight thousand men against the King But by the Duke of Norfolke many of them were slaine The Rebels ouerthrowen the rest were ouerthrowen and threescore and fourteene of their Commanders and chiefest Actors in that Rebellion were as Traitors by Martiall Law and Iudgement executed in sundrie places in the North. Execution At this time before Henry Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Marquesse of Exeter cosen german to the King and Lord High Steward for that day were brought The Lord Darcy The Lord Hussey Execution touching the Supremacie arraigned found guiltie and condemned the Lord Darcy and the Lord Hussey and both of them were executed accordingly the former for a Murder and the latter for High Treason Likewise Sir Robert Constable Sir Thomas Percie Sir Francis Bigot Sir Steuen Hambleton and Sir Iohn Bulmer Knights William Lomley Nicholas Tempest Robert Aske two Abbots and some others being condemned as Traitors for denying of the Kings Supremacie were executed in diuers places of this Realme Frier Forest and Frier Forest for the same matter and also for maintaining certaine Heresies with an obstinate and vnrepentant resolution receiued the iudgement of a Traitor and of an Hereticke and being hanged in irons vpon a Gibbet he was burnt Noblemen created The King being gratious to some whom he much fauoured and who had deserued well bestowed Titles of Honour on them For the Viscount Beauchampe was created Earle of Hartford Sir William Fitz-William high Admirall of England was made Earle of South-hampton Sir William Paulet Treasurer of the Kings houshold was made Lord S. Iohn The Lord Cromwell is made Vicegerent in Ecclesiasticall matters and things Sir Iohn Russel Knight was made Lord Russel and Sir Thomas Cromwel a Counsellor of Estate Knight of the Garter Lord Priuie Scale Lord Cromwel was made the Kings Vice-gerent in all cases and matters Ecclesiasticall and Spirituall by vertue whereof both in Parliament and elsewhere he had the precedence of the Arch-bishop of Canterburie and almost in all things did all in all so that by reason of that authoritie hee vtterly defaced burnt and destroied all senselesse and dumme Images and Shrines to whom any thing was superstitiously offred or vnto whom Praiers Images and Shrines are suppressed Inuocations or Pilgrimages were fantastically and foolishly made Hee also suppressed the Orders of Begging and Craftie Friers and Puling Nunnes whose houses and possessions came vnto the King And about the same time the Marquesse of Exeter Attainders Henry Poole Lord Montagne and Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington in the Countie of Surrey Knight of the Garter and master of the Kings horses were attainted and executed for high Treasons especially because that with Cardinall Foole brother to the Lord Montagne they endeuoured to procure forraine Princes in the Popes aide to inuade this Land and to reforme the businesses of the Church by the Apostolicall authoritie of the See of Rome For this offence the said Cardinall being beyond the Seas was by Parliament attainted and within a few moneths after his mother the Ladie Margaret Countesse of Salisburie who was the last of the princely line of the Plantagenets the said Cardinall only excepted for shee was the daughter of George the last Duke of Clarence together with Gerthrude the widow of the late Marquesse of Exeter Sir Adrian Foskew and diuers others were also attainted of high Treason for the same Conspiracie and so were the Abbots of Reading Colchester and Glastenburie with many Monkes Friers and religious men because they obstinately denied the Kings Supremacie and confidently attributed it vnto the Pope And all these except the Cardinall who came not home whilest the King liued were afterwards executed in sundrie places of this Realme Many others also for the same offence suffered the like deaths whose names by reason of their meane estate and vndignified qualities may not in this our Historie challenge a place of particular remembrance Whilest the King was thus busily imploied in cutting off his Subiects heads the great Oneyle and Odoneyle with a rude rabble of sauage Out-lawes wilde Kernes and desperate Irishmen A rebellion in Ireland entred more then twentie miles within the English Pale and did much mischiefe But by the Lord Deputie being the Lord Leonard Gray brother to the Marquesse Dorset they were so well fought with in the open field that he obtained the victorie But such was the nimblenesse of those Rebels that when by blowes they failed to maintaine their match then according to their common vse and custome they swiftly ran ouer the bogges and marshes into the woods and rockes vnto which the more sober and well ordered Englishmen could not approch without apparant hazard and danger to their liues The King who in a manner was wholly directed and gouerned by the Lord Cromwel now Earle of Essex Religious houses suppressed and made high Chamberlaine of England pretended many quarrels against the fat Abbots Priors Monkes Friers Nunnes and Cloisterers of this Kingdome for many exorbitant misdemeanours daily by them committed and done especially because they were abominably lecherous and vnmeasurably idle and slow-bellies fruges consumere nati vnprofitable yea a burden to the Church and Common-weale Those faults the King endeuoured not like a good Magistrate by correction to amend but he resolued with the deluge of his displeasure to wash them cleane away And so he did indeed For his high Court of Parliament which was then holden at Westminster vtterly dissolued and cleerely suppressed all Abbies Monasteries Priories and other religious houses some few being only excepted and gaue their houses scites Lordships and possessions which in yearely reuenue amounted to more then two hundred thousand pounds vnto the King who with his worldly policie to the intent that future posteritie should not bee enabled to restore them backe againe to their former vses exchanged them liberally