his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
¶ He gaue to thambassatours royall giftes and sent his letters with his ambassatis to passe to Roome with theim in coÌ„paignie he with his hoost folowed sone after theim THe kyng then gaue vnto that hie ambassate Full riche giftes golde enough to spend And bad theim giue their lordes in whole senate His letters so whiche he then to hym send And bad theim saie that soner then he wend He should hym se before the daye assigned In trust of whiche theim with his seale assigned ¶ This noble kyng Arthure his princes prayed And barons all and knightes honorable To passe with hym at wagis to bee payed With their power and their retenue able For to directe his right full resonable Marciall actes thempire to obtein To whome thei all consented whole and clene ¶ And with the kyng thei passed forth anone Into Brytain wher Howell then was kyng Wher then he hard yâ— countre make greate mone For a Gyaunt horrible in all thyng That rauished had by his cruell werkyng Kyng Howell sister Elein without pere Bytwene his armes was slain and layed on bere ¶ For whiche that kyng to mount Michell theÌ„ weÌ„t With that Gyaunt that faught a bataile sore With Caliborne his sweord or that he stint He sleugh hym there to death for euermore And charged Kay for his victorie thore To smyte his hedde of then for memorye In worship of his worthy victorye ¶ In whiche mount kyng Howell hir toÌ„be made A chapell faire theron edefied Sith that tyme hether vpon that place abade Wher that Gyaunt and she were homycied But all his hoost and people hym magnified And all the landes about wholy enioyed Of that Gyauntes death so felly anoyed ¶ The kynges all of Portyngale and Spain Of Nauerne also and eke of Catheloyne Vnto hym came and dukes of Almaigne The dukes of Sauoy and of Burgoyne Douze peres of Fraunce and the duke of Lorain The kynges also of Denmarke and Irelande Of Norwey Iselande and of Gotelande ¶ Through FrauÌ„ce Burgoyn Sauoye Lumbardie Into Italy and so through all Tuskayn Fro Tuskayn then so into Romany To Awbe ryuer kyng Arthure came so than And loged on that water as manne Wher with Lucius he faught in battaile strong Either other proued with strokes sore emong ¶ But kyng Arthure and the princes all His knightes also there of the round table So manfully theim bare that daye ouer all That neuer their better were seen nor more able So were Romaynes that daye full coÌ„mendable Ne none might dooe better in any wise So worthely thei faught without feyntise ¶ And at the last the Brytons bare the bell And had the felde and all the victorye Wher Arthure sleugh as chronicles dooeth tell Themperour Lucius Hibery And toke his feloe contributorye But Lucyus hedde to Roome for his truage He sent his corps also for their arerage The .lxxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the senate and the citee of Roome mette hym in seuen processions and crouned hym and there wintred hym by all the whole winter THe senate sent vnto the kyng Arthure And prayed hym thempire to admit Whiche became hym semed hym of nature As Constantyne did in the honour sitte And al truage forthward thei would remitte Of greate Brytain neuer to aske it more But make it free as it was euer before ¶ To whiche prayer kyng Arthure did consent And came to Roome in royall high astate Wher the citee by good and whole assent Full richely hym mette and the senate With greatest laude that might been estimate And euery gate his triumphe and his glorie Full curyously was wrought in greate storie ¶ The seuen orders in procession Full solemplye at Peters churche hym mette The wifes whole by good discrecion The wydowes after full deuoutly sette In order came then nexte as was there dette The virgyns then of pure virgynitee And then thynnocentes of tender iuuentee ¶ Thorders all of good religion The preastes and clerkes seculer The byshop and cardinalles in vnyon With the sacrement and lightes clere And Belles ryngyng therewith in fere Euery order with laude and reuerence Reioysed greatly of his magnificence ¶ At the Capytole in the sea imperiall They crowned hym with crownes thre of golde As Emperoure moste principall And conquerour that daye moste worthy holde Wher then he fested the citee manyfolde Of Rome the byshop and all his cardinals The senatours with other estates al 's The .lxxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe that tydynges came to the kynge at Roome that Mordred had wedded his wyfe and vsurped the crowne of Englande for the whiche he came home agayne and gaue Mordred batayll at Douer where Arthure preuayled and after again at Wynchester wher the round table began and fell for euer ALl that wynter at Rome he did soiourne In palays of Mayns palacium The somer caÌ„ that home he might retourne At whiche somer so when it was come Tydynges came to Arthure hole and some That duke Mordred was kyng of all Britayn And wedded Gwaynour to his wyfe certayn ¶ For whiche at Rome he made his ordenaunce To rule that lande and all the hole Empire And home in hast with full great purueyaunce To Britayne came to venge hym on that sire That trayterously agayn hym did conspire To rauyshe his wife by stronge and mighty haÌ„de And also for vsurpyng the crowne of his lande ¶ At porte Rupyn whiche nowe Douer hight He landed then where duke Mordred hym met And fought full sore by all a daye to night Wher syr Gawen Anguzell were sore bet And slayne both two so sore they were ouer set But Arthure had the felde and Mordred fled To Wynchester that night full fast hym sped ¶ The kyng folowed fast vpon the chace And there he fought agayn with hym full sore Where many princes and lordes in that case Were slayn on bothe sydes for euermore Of the round table that longe had been afore Many worthy knightes there were spended For Arthures loue that might not been amended ¶ The rounde table at Wynchester beganne And there it ended and there it hangeth yet For there were slayn at this ylke battayl than The knightes all that euer did at it sitte Of Britayne borne saue Launcelot yode quyte And with the kyng folowed on the chase When Mordred fled to Cornwayle for that case The .lxxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ The battayll of Camblayn where Arthure preuayled and sâ—ewe Mordred and Arthure had his deathes wounde and howe Arthure died and was buried in the Blacke chapel of Glastenbury WHer on the water that called was Camblayne Mordred abode with mightie hoste stronge With Arthur fought that day of hie disdayne Full oft alone euer as they met amonge But Arthure slewe Mordred with his knyfe long That Calibourne was called of suche vertue That whomsoeuer he smote therwith he slewe ¶ But this Mordred gaue Arthure deaths wouÌ„d For whiche he yode his woundes to medifie Into thysle of Aualon that stound And gaue Britayne that was
C .xxv. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Willyam Rufus taxed so sore the commons that they'might not mayntene tilthe for whiche fell great derth and great myschiefe and moren of catel for defaute of food for whiche the commons wer glad of his death GReat tallage of England then was raysed In so ferforth that tilthe of land was leyd Of which sued mischiefe nothyng praysed For faute of food morayn of bestiall frayed And death of people for hunger sore arayed A kyng woteth not what harmeth housbandrye Housbande to pill and taxe outragiously ¶ To Godis dome haue no consyderacion Howe that this kyng on huntyng as he stoode Vnder a tree and as writynges maketh mencion Walter Tyrel at his game in that wood Shotyng at a dere of whiche he drewe no bloode But stroke the kyng vnto the dethes wounde That there anone he died vpon the ground ¶ At Wynchester then buried anone The date was then of his reygne .xiii. yere For whome the folke no sorowe made nor moone He hurte theim so with taxe and tallage here Of Christ a thousande an C. and three yere clere Whose death the folke in no wise did complayn Were they all therof bothe glad and fayn The C .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Henry the first kyng of Englande and duke of Normandy◠reigned .xxxvi. yere and died in the yere of Christe a thousande C. and .xxxix. HEnry his brother that first was of that name was crouned thē with al that honour might be He recōsiled saynt Anselne that cam hame Who crouned Maude his wyfe full fayre free That doughter was full of benignitee To kyng Malcolyne saint Margarete that quene Of Scotlande whiche afore that tyme had been ¶ On whom he gate Willyam Richard Mold Whose goodnesse is yet spoken of full wide If she were fayre hir vertuous manyfolde Exceaded farre and vices she set aside Debates all that engendred were of pride She staunched hole with all beneuolence And visited sycke and poore with diligence ¶ The presoners also wemen eke with childe And in gesene lyuyng ay where aboute Clothes and meate and beddyng newe vnfiled Wyne also and ale she gaue without doubte Where she sawe nede in countrees al throughout These crosses all that yet bee moste royall In the hye wayes with gold she made theim all ¶ Kyng Edgare thē hir brother was of Scotlād That to kynge Henry then made homage The byshop of Duresme then toke on hande The duke Robert to gone in message To make hym clayme Englande his herytage The whiche he dyd anon withoute delaye As they accorded vpon a certayne daye ¶ But Anselne byshop of Caunturbury And also quene Maude then made them well accorde The kyng to paye thre M. marke yerely To duke Robert withoute more discorde And counsayled then the kyng as was recorde To loue the lordes that made the discencyon Betwyxte his brother and hym by conuencyon ¶ The kyng Henry warred Robert Estenuyle The eldest sonne of Roger Mountgomery And his brother that was so called that whyle And create Earle of Shrewysbury Who his castell of Arundell helde for thy And Shrewysbury also and the cytee With other mo castels in his countre ¶ Whiche to the kyng he yelde by conuencyon He and his brother to passe to Normandye With all theyr men without discencyon To theyr father Roger Mountgomerye That earle was there of Bolesmo manly The kyng went then to Caue and to Baxhous Helde them with force and herte full couetous Whiche towres Robert the duke of Normandy Asked of hym to haue delyueraunce And his money of thre thousand marke yerely Whiche he ought hym by the hole concordaunce Whiche he agayne sayde and stode at variaunce Wherfore they fell on warre and toke the felde With hostes greate full sore faught vnder shelde ¶ At Tenarthbray that is in Normandye Where Nigell then of Albany that hyght Toke duke Robert in batayll manfully And brought him bound vnto the kyng with might For which that kyng anone there made him knight And gaue hym landes that were forfet afore By Robert Stutuyle in Englande for euermore ¶ He gate also a castell besyeged longe Whiche he scalyd with noble polycie And to the kyng it gaue though it were wronge For whiche the kyng gaue hym anon in hye The landes all that forfet were only By Robert Monbray earle of Northumberland In his brothers tyme as I vnderstande ¶ The same Nygell that hyght Albanye A sonne had then whome the kyng Henry Roger Monbray dyd call euer after ay Thus Albany was chaunged morally Vnto Monbray for the lyuelod onely Whiche Monbray had afore of herytage These Monbrayes nowe rose fyrst of hye corage ¶ This kynge Henry then seazed Normandye And made his sonne Willyam duke of that lande And home came to Englande then in hye And in the yere of Chryste to vnderstande A thousande hole an C. and ten on hande His doughter Maude he maryed to Henry That Emperour was then of Romanye He put his brother duke Robert in straite warde And many other that were of his cognisaunce Where he released couenauntes and forwarde Afore wryten of his enherytaunce That betwene them myght make any dystaunce And founde hym euer in all royall estate By good auyse and councell ordynate ¶ Whiche duke ordred was so for he forsoke The realme of al the lande of Ierusalem When he was chose therto and nought it toke For couetyse to haue this Englyshe realme For he forsoke that fortune as men dyd deme Agayne goddes wyll and his hye ordynaunce For chosen he was by all chrysten creaunce ¶ For at wynnynge of Ierusalem Where prynces many kynges and dukes were He was the worthyest of any realme And bare hym beste in knyghtly dede of warre At all assautes moste knyghtly dyd hym beare The honoure all and fame he had euermore And chosen was there to be kynge therfore ¶ Men saide that God gaue hym suche punyshmēt His brother to put hym in greate myserye Vnto his death agayne his owne entente For he forsake Chrystes owne monarchye In whiche he was borne for man lyste to dye The chrysten fayth to mayntayne and encrease For couetyse his brother to discreace ¶ The yere of Chryste a thousande was ful cle◠And an hundreth also and therwithall eyghtene When good quene Maude was deed laide on be◠At Westminster buryed as well was sene For heuynesse of whiche the kyng I wene To Normandy then went vnto his sonne The duke William there with hym dyd wonn◠¶ The third yere after to England came agay◠The duke his sonne Willyam of Normandye His brother Rycharde also the sothe to sayne And earle Rycharde of Chester in company With many other lordes in shyppes them bye Vpon the sea were dreynt in greate distresse Of the whiche the kyng had then great heuinesse ¶ Which duke Williā had wed y◠doughter then Of Fowke Tailboys Earle of Angeou had bene With whome a C .lx. knyghtes with many men And
he came vnto his presence Anone he putte hym in sore prisone To tyme he had by his magnificence The castell of Lyncolne vnto his croune And putte hym then to fyne and greate raunsom So variaunt he was alwaye of hight Fro euē to morowe that no man trust hym might The fiftene yere of the same kyng Stephen Th erle Geffrey of Angeou decessid A noble prince as all menne did beleuen Henry his soonne of persone well encressed Of childishe wit also full relesed And of age he was then fiftene yere To Scotland came kyng Dauid to require ¶ Of his socour and of his supportacion England to gette that was his heritage Who made hym then full greate consolacion And with hym came without fee or wage With full assent of all his baronage Vnder baners kyng Dauid made hym knight Vpon the felde again kyng Stephen to fight ¶ But suche treaty was made and good accorde That kyng Stephen to Henry shoulde retourne As very heire without more discorde At his decesse to Henry whole retourne The croune of England without more soiourne Who died then after in his .xix. yere At Feuersham buried he was full clere ¶ Of Christes date was then a thousande yere And an hundreth fyftye and eyght also His wyfe and he there buried both in feer The whiche he found whyles he was lyuyng so And reigned here in muche trouble and wo And had this realme without any ryght For themprise Maude that fayre lady bright The C .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Henry fitz Emprice kyng of Englande and erle of Angeou duke of Normandye and Guyen by .xxxvi. yere and beganne to reygne the yere of oure Lorde a thousande a hundreth .lviii. and dyed the yere a thousande an hundreth and .xciiii. HEnry therle of Angeou was tho In this meane tyme had bē in Normādy And set his rule therin for frende or foo And crouned was at London worthely With all the lordes of his hye monarchie And made hym then theyr feautee and homage The prince of Wales also for his heritage ¶ He wedded then a lady fayre and bright Dame Alianor the dukes doughter of Guyen And heyre therof and lady by all right Possession had with all the profytes then And welbeloued was she with her men Deuorced fro the kyng Lewes of Fraunce That hyr had wed to wyfe of his puysaunce ¶ And on her gatte two doughters fayre gente But for sibrede and consanguinitee They were departed by papall iudgement On whome kyng Henry by Christes decree Gatte sonnes foure of great humanitee Henry Richarde Geffrey and Iohn also Elianor and Ihone his doughters two The C .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Malcolyne the seconde kyng of Scottes made homage for Scotlande for therldome of huntyngdon IN this meane whyle kyng Dauid then so dyed To whō Malcolyn Hēryes sōne was heire Whiche Henry was erle notified Of Huntyngdon without any dispayre Of that erldome bothe good and fayre And sonne was to this noble kyng Dauy That wedded had erle Waldens doughter onely ¶ To enioye therldome by her enheritaunce That gat on her this Malcolyne that was kyng Of Scotlande nowe of mighty hye puysaunce That homage made for his enherityng Vnto Henry that then was of Englande kyng For all Scotlande and also for Huntyngdon Whiche seruices both were due vnto the croune The C .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Henrye exiled Thomas becket byshop of Cauntorburye HE maried then his sonne the young Henry To the doughter of the kyng of Fraunce He exiled then Thomas of Cauntorbury Out of Englande and many of his aliaunce For cause of his rebellious gouernaunce And as he came fro Rome by Fraunce awaye With language fel he prayed the kyng that daye ¶ The poyntes to mende and so to Englād went For which the kyng was with hym sore displeased That then he sayd had I had men that ment Myne honeste I were not thus diseased With suche a clerke thus greued and vneased Therfore three knightes Raynold le Fitz Vrsy Hughe Moruyle hym slewe with Robert Tracy ¶ But kyng Malcolyne died that was full true Of his homage at Westchester ensealed To kyng Henry dooen so as it was due For it should not be gaynsayd ne counselled Nor afterwarde of Scottes be repeled To whiche Malcolyne Willyā his sonne heyre Was crouned kyng of Scotlande then full fayre The C .xxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kynge Wyllyam of Scotlande wente in to Normandye with kyng Henry of Englande the seconde as his liegeman THis kyng Wyllyam then rode with hoste full stronge The Northrē lād he brent sore distroyed By east and west of both Merches of Englande The lorde Vesty with it was anoyed The lorde Vnfreuyle with syckenesse so accloyed With power great at Alnwike with hym faught Wher he was takē in batayll sore and caught ¶ Whō to the kyng to Londō then thei brought Vnto kyng Henry with great honoure Then had the kyng tydynges he liked nought His sonne Henry by kyng Lewys socoure Besieged Roan with hoste great and rygoure For when the kyng to Normandy then went The kyng Wyllyam with hym his labour spent ¶ And Dauid also his brother with al his might That erle was then create of Huntyngdon And Robert ferers erle of Leycester so hight And Roger clare with theim of great renoume Of Gloucester that erle was in possession With other lordes and the siege sone remeued And his cytee of Roan full well rescued ¶ The siege and saute perdoned and forgeuen At the prayer of kyng Lewys of Fraunce Within fewe yeres in peace and rest to liuen He crowned his sonne without distaunce Kyng of Englande and gaue hym gouernaunce And at the feast of his coronacion He sewed afore hym for his consolacion The C .xxxiii. Chapiter ¶ This yonger Henry reigned but .iiii. yeres and died before his father wherfore he is not accompted as kynge because his father outlyued hym and reigned after his death ANd to hī said sōne thinke I do you honour A kynge to serue you thus nowe at youre meate He aunswered hym full vnthankefully that houre And sayd it was no reproue ne forfete An erls sonne to serue the kynges sonne at meate For whiche the father Henry to Irelande went Tyll young Henry the kyng was dead and spent Then came Henry and had the gouernement The father and kyng was then admytte agayn And reigned then and had the regiment And but .iiii. yere his sonne reygned soth to sayen Wherfore he is among kynges certeyne Not accoumpted by no chronicler For his father was kynge afore and after clere The C .xxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Wyllyam of Scotlande made his homage to kyng Henry the seconde THe kyng Wyllyam at his daye assigned To Yorke came to do there his homage That made it then nothyng it repugned But for his due dette then for his heritage Of Scotlande whole by veraye due knowlage Of his barons and by his euydence Agayne it founde he then no
bare with Iueles full royall And clothes ryche that were well ordynaté For that ylke feste and state imperyall Fro South vnto the Septentrionall Where then none suche accompted of rychesse As there were then as wryten is expresse The C .xxxviii. Chapiter ¶ How kyng William of Scotland made homage for Scotlande and then after his coronacyon at Westmynster he went to Fraunce and so to Ierusalem by the assent of the Kynge Phylippe THe bishop of Duresme on his right hande The bishop also of Bathe on his left syde The kīg of Scottes Willyā for Scotlād Made hym homage and feaute leege that tyde Kyng Rychard then to Fraūce with muche pride Anone so yode tharchebishop Bawdewyne With hym then went worthy clerkes and fyne ¶ Sir Rauf Fulgence erle of Perche then also Robert Ferrers erle of Lecester then With erles fell and barons many moo Of all this land went many a worthy then Of England and Scotland many a manne Of Ireland Wales Guyan and Normandy Then with hym went in that voyage on hie ¶ The kyng Philip shippid his hoste at Iene The kyng Rychard tooke the sea at Marsile With all his hoste without other meene Within short tyme arriued vp in Cisile Wher he full faire receiued was that while By kyng Tancred soonne of Wyllyam Whiche Wyllyā wed his suster Iohan by name ¶ The kyng Rychard twoo Isles ther cōquered Byside Cisile to his suster theim gaue To hir lyuyng and bade hir not bee fered For he should se hir dower she should haue Longyng to the right that she should craue And at Meschyne kyng Rychard then did make A Bastell strong the Sarsyns for to wake ¶ And sailed furth to Cipres then hy sea Wher his mother hym mete with dame Barnage The kyng his doughter of Nauerne faire free Whom ther he wed in lawfull mariage At Lymosyn in his pilgremage A citee great full of all habundaunce Whiche by assaute he gate of his puysaunce ¶ The kyng Rychard rode then to Nichosie And gate the citee with force and might The citee also of Cheryn mightely Wher his doughter and heire he toke full right To Buffenet and Baffe that were full wight To Dendamour and Candor his citees He went anone with greate felicitees ¶ He gate theim all all the realme throughout And toke the kyng Isaak and hym slewe And wed his doughter vnto the kyng full stout Of Ierusalem whose wife was dedde then newe That Sibill hight that doughter was mēne knewe Of Almarike kyng of Ierusalem The brother of Geffrey of Angeou hir eme ¶ This kyng Rychard that realme of Cipris wāne To whome the lordes echeone did their homage And anone by sea with many a manne To Acres wher in that ilke voyage He toke a ship of high and greate auantage Of ablementes for warre and ordinaunce The whiche he had with hym in gouernaunce ¶ But fiftene Sarsyns there he dreyncte And twoo hundred he kept that ship to gnie To Acres then wher kyng Philip full feyn◠Had sieged long without remedie But kyng Rychard of Acres toke in hie The stronger syde and gaue it greate affraies Late and erly bothe by nightes and dayes ¶ He gate it sone with his greate ordinaunce And on the walles his baners full hie he sette The kynges armes he sette vp also of Fraunce And kyng Guyes armes of Ierusalem well bette The duke of Oistrich Lympold without lette Set vp his armes after aboue theim all Whiche kyng Rychard did cast doūe ouer that wall ¶ With wages greate and riches manifold He ryched his mēne rode throughoute all Surry The citees all and castelles that he would He gate with force and came again in hie To castell Pilgrym whiche kyng Philip pleinly Beseged had full long and went his waye Whiche Rychard beseged in greate araye ¶ To the whiche there was no waye but one full straite On a cawsey with dikes depe and wyde Strongly walled with towres on to wayte With many drawe bridges wher none might go ne ryde Strongly cheined with barris on eche side Whiche castell then he gate in dayes ten With battaill sore wher he sleugh many menne ¶ The cheynes of yrone he stroke vp with his axe Bothe at Acres and at castell Pilgrym And brent theim all as thei had been of waxe Cheynes barres with muche might that tyme The Sarasyns also he slewe with muche gryme The kyng Philip fell sicke and home would gone To Fraunce anone and toke his menne echeone ¶ Vnto the duke of Burgoyn theim to lede To bide for hym vpon the warres there And home so went to Fraunce without drede Wher then he made greate warre and muche dere In Normandy and Guyan fouly hym bere Against his othe and his greate assuraūce At their passage by couenaunt and concordaunce The C .xxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Rychard sold the realme of Cipres to Statyn once an other tyme to the kyng Guy◠Lezinaunt to resorte to hym to his heires in de faute of issue of theim HE sold Cipresse to kyng Statyn of might An other tyme to Guy Lizenaūt full bold For great riches the resort again of right And for greate sommes of innumerable of gold His prisoners he raunsomed sore and sold But with his hoste full well he distribute All that he gate vnto their greate refute ¶ Ioppen he gate and it repaired newe He and the duke of Burgoyn full sore sought On the Soudan and felly did pursue To castell Assure fro whens he fled vnfought But kyng Rychard that of no perill rought Was hurt right ther with dartes venemous Fiue woundes sore mortall and perelous ¶ The droue hym then into Ierusalem And layed a sege about the citee rounde And kyng Rychard hard howe fro Egipt realme Came strong vitail and ryches in that stounde With full greate hoste the Christen to confounde By night he came and there theim discomfete With worship greate and farpassyng profite ¶ Gase he buylded full faire and Ascaloyn To the templers to whome afore thei longid He deliuered and made hym redy boun For to assayle the citee and haue fongid With might of menne laddirs full well hongid Engynes and gonnes greate stones for to cast Whiche to haue wonne thei were full like at last ¶ The Soudan out by night then stale awaye And Christen menne the citee gate anone And kyng Rychard with all the hoste his waye Toke to the Flum of Cedar on his foon He folowed fast with hoste as he might goon With the Soudan faught putte hym fro that feld And mightely fro hym he rest his sheeld The C .xl. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Rychard after he had putte hym to flight wonne his citee and castels in Surry Kyng Rychard gaue Ierusalem and that realme of Surry to his susters soonne Henry erle of Campanya with the heire Sibill to his wife and homewardwas takē prisoner in Oistrich but in his gift of Surrry 〈◊〉
The Leden hall there helde full strong that tyde Which with wylde fyre was brent might not byde That same night then syr Wyllym Duglas yald Barwyke castell to kyng Edwarde and salde The C .lxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande surrendred his homage to kyng Edwarde and disclaymed to holde of hym IN this same tyme .vii. erles of Scotlande Sieged Carleile and so to Hexham brent And home again harmeles out of EnglaÌ„d They went anone and none harmes hent Worse to haue dooen was there entent But then kyng Iohn surrendred vp his homage To kyng Edwarde for hym and his linage ¶ By letters whiche the kyng Edward then sent To abbeys great in Englande of recorde To be remembred of his false entente RenouÌ„cyng kyng Edwarde for his souerayn lord The seuen erles at Dunbarre by concorde Then sieged it fro whiche earle Patrike went And graunted to holde of hym at his entent The C .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Dunbarre where that kyng Edwarde preuayled WHiche castell so then the kyng rescowed And droaue therles there out of the felde And much people vnto the deth ther bowed Without helpe there slayne vnder shelde To Ronkesburgh the kyng Edward so held That sone was yelde to hym without stryfe Their good saufe also and theyr lyfe ¶ So he forth to Edenburgh went anone That yelden was on thesame condicion Then was Stryuelyn voyde and lefte alone Without defence or any garyson That Edwarde toke in his possession Whiche kyng Edwarde toke into his power And saued the people both farre and nere ¶ Then came therle of Vlster with great power Of Iryshemen and so to saynt Iohns towne The kyng theÌ„ went with host through Fyfe ful cher And brent that shire throughout both vpoÌ„ downe When then kyng Iohn by good direccion To Edwarde sent and prayed hym then of peace And to his grace submytte hym or he would cease ¶ TheÌ„ kyng Edwarde toke his submyssion At Brighyn then vpon the water of Taye And gaue hym there his realme without condicioÌ„ Of Scotlande so to hym and his for ay The lordes all made hym homage that daye The .x. daye was of Iuly and in the yere Of kyng Iohn then the .iiii. was counpted clere ¶ And therupon he sent hym to the toure Of London then with certeyne rebelles moo Kyng Iohn he kept in worshyp and honoure Like his estate where he would ride or god Ten myle about for his disport there so Then kyng Edwarde on the mountaynes went That monthes there bee called in theyr entent ¶ And as he came homewarde by Skone awaye The regall there of Scotlande then he brought And sent it forth to Westmynster for ay To be there in a cheire clenely wrought For a masse preaste to sytte in when he ought Whiche there was standyng besyde the shryne In a cheire of olde tyme made full fyne ¶ TheÌ„ made the kyng Iohn Wareyn his regeÌ„t That erle was then of Sussex and Surray And treasorer he made at his entent â—ugh Cressyngham and Wyllyam Ormesby The chiefe iustice through Scotlande generally His chaunceler at Skone and tresorer Abydyng wer to rule the land full clere ¶ TheÌ„ went kyng Iohn to FlauÌ„ders for socoure Of the dukes of Geldre and Brabant And also of the noble Emperoure That hym had hight great helpe socoure then But none he had and home agayn he want For in that meane tyme whyle he in FlauÌ„ders abode Wyllyam Valoys all Scotlande ouer rode ¶ He slewe the iudge and the chaunceler Thofficers also and the chaumberleyn The Capitaynes and the treasorer And gatte the lande fro Englyshmen agayn And slewe theim all with cruell death and payn Wherfore the kyng vpon the Maudeleyn day At Fowkirke fought with Scottes in great aray ¶ Where Scottes fled and fourty M. slayn And into Fiffes he went and brent it clene And Andrewstoune he wasted then full playn And Blakmanshire Menteth as men mene And on the ford of Trippour with hoste I ween To Bothbile Glascowe and to the towne of Are And so to Lanarke Longhmaban Anand thare ¶ Whiche all he had euer wher he came And then he wed kyng Philippes suster Margarete A fayre lady and full of noble fame Hir sonne and heire Edwarde Carnauan hete A mayden wed kyng Philippes doughter swete Whom his father then prince of Wales create Duke of Cornewayle erle of Chester nominate ¶ Then went the kyng to Scotlande agayn And wan the lande and had there all obeysaunce Sauyng Wales that would not hym obeyn But fled hym euer for drede of mischaunce He ordeyned then by statute ordinaunce That none should bee the prince of Wales more Excepte of the kyng his eldest sonne first bore The C .lxiii. Chapiter ¶ How the byshop of Rome at the suggestion of the Scottes wrote to kyng Edwarde vnder this fourme ANd in the yere a thousande CCC one Bishop Boniface at that Scottes suggestioÌ„ To kyng Edward by lettre wrote anone Chargyng hym then vpon his beneson For to delyuer the Scottes out of pryson Whiche in Englande he had holden with wrong And his officers call home that there had be long ¶ Alledged all howe Scotlande hole was holde Of Peters churche of Rome nought of hym But by great wrong and oppression bolde He theim ouerled with warres sore and brym And theim compelled in payn of lyfe and lymme To become his men the realme of hym to holde By homage leege whether they wold or nolde ¶ And bad hym also afore hym then appere At the courte of Rome his right there for to shewe And yf it myght beknowe his right were clere Without delay by iudgement iuste and trewe He shulde it haue by execucion due By sensours of theyr churche and hole sentence For to obeye his hie magnificence The C .lxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde wrote agayn an aunswer of his lettre THeÌ„ kyng Edward wrote vnto hym agayn An aunswere by his letters meke and due All his tytles and duties full playne Nought in fourme neuer in effecte to sue Nor in his courte no iudgement to pursue Remembryng well his fatherhede Nowe Brutus had Albian and dyd it possede ¶ In Hely tyme whiche to his sonnes he deuyde Vnto his sonne Locryne fyrste propogate He gaue Logres that hath this tyde To Albanacte the seconde procreate He gaue Albanye Scotlande nowe denomynate And to Cambre his yongest sonne he gaue Cambre that nowe is Wales to ioye and haue ¶ To kyng Locrine of Logres and to his heires The soueraynte and homage ay reserued Of Albanacte and Cambre and all theyrs Perpetually Troyan lawe obserued By which lawes Bryton hath bene conserued Sith hitherwarde without interrupcyon Afore the tyme that Rome had prescrypcion ¶ Afore the tyme also that Chryste was bore By many yeres the kynges of Logres had Scotlande by eschete for faute of heyres thore And remeued kynges that were there knowen bad And other kynges there made with hertes glad
mikell of Yorkshire discomfited that archebishop of Yorke his clergy at Milton on swale THe kyng Edward began to siege Berwyk like And wonne it had but false tales it let And tidinges newe that nought the kyng did For Robert Bruys the kyng of Scotlande mette With the bishop of Yorke and hym ouersette Wherfore he loste the siege and went awaye But Bruys had stroyed England in fell araye ¶ To Borough brydge by east and west he brent And home agayne with many a prysoner Without harme or lette of his entent With mykell good but in Myton medowe nere To Swale water laye then with great power Walter Wareyn among the hay kockes bushed Vpon the byshop sodenly with Scottes yssued ¶ And .xv. hundreth Englyshe there he slewe And home he went with kyng Edward full glad With prysoners many mo then men knewe The byshop fled fro the felde full woo bestad With his clerkes that then were full mad For whiche therle Thomas of Lancastre there And kyng Edward depatted halfe in werre The C .lxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe at the nexte parliamente after Thomas of Lancaster and Leycester erle and certayne lordes exiled the twoo Spencers out of the land but then that Spencers made great persecucion with the kyng agayn the lordes and slewe the erle of Lancaster and the other lordes AT the parliameÌ„t theÌ„ at westminster next hold Erle Thomas that then was called ful trewe Th erle Vmfrey of Herford that was bold Th erle of Marche full manly as men knewe The Monbrey also Percy and Clyfford drewe All armed came and two Spencers exiled Out fro Englande neuer to be reconsyled ¶ But sone the Spencers came to that kyng again Syr Hugh the lorde and syr Hugh his sonne And put therle of Marche in great disdayn Roger his sonne that with hym did wonne Appeched hym then of hye treason Agaynst the kyng wherfore the kyng hym sent Into the toure tabyde the parliament ¶ Then went the kyng and Spencers both two With hostes full great to Burton vpon Trent Where the lordes laye and sparled theim then so That north they went then wayes by one assente To rayse mo men they trust in theyr entent The Spencers two fully for to destroye Who all the realme full cruelly did noye ¶ At Borinbrig syr Andrewe Hertlaw met With erle Vmfrey of Herford and hym slewe And toke the erle Thomas without let And to the kyng that then to Pountfret drewe Where then were sette vpon hym iudges newe Th erle Edmound of Arondell for iustice And syr Robert Mapilthorpe his enemyes ¶ There he was headed anone vpon the hyll And buryed was there in a chapell fayre Henry his brother stode at the kynges wyll Whom the kyng graunted to bee his heyre That wedded then Alyce without despayre The doughter and heyre of therle Henry Lacy Of Lyncolne so graunted by the kynges mercy ¶ WyllyaÌ„ fitz Wareyn many another knight In diuers shyres some hanged and some head That hold with hym or with his compeers right Syr Bartholomewe Badelismore without rede Drawen and hanged and put to foul dead Roger Clyfford and Iohn Monbraye barons Headed then were for theyr rebellions ¶ Th erle of Marche syr Roger Mortymer His sonne Roger foriuged were for treason And by the kyng of death pardoned were And put were then in perpetuall pryson Into the towre for that same encheson Fro that tyme forth the Spencers other excede The quene was but an hand mayden in dede ¶ To tyme the kyng to her brother hir sent And also his sonne Edwarde to dooen homage For Guyen so to haue at his entente And for they dwelled so long in that viage The kyng theim had suspecte of theyr message By councell of the Spencers theim exiled As in chronicle pleynly is compiled ¶ The kyng then made and playnly did create Andrewe Hertlawe erle then of Carlele Whiche tyme the kyng Robert full fortunate Rode all the east Marche full proudly and well The byshopryke and Yorkeshire euery dele Andrewe Hertlawe erle of Carlele absent To Lancastre hym drewe in false entente ¶ The kyng Robert was passed home agayn With prayes greate and many prysoners Fro Humber north the people downe were slayn Of whiche the kyng and all his councelers Blamed therle Andrewe and his compeers For he had men enough with hym arayed The Scottes all that might haue slayn frayed ¶ He hight the kyng haue brought to hym great powers Into yorkshyre held nothing his hight Therfore the kyng by counsell of the Spencers Gaue charge to take hym either by daye or night Or kyl hym downe wher they mete with hym might To all shryues was sent this commaundement Fro Trent northwarde by writtes maundemeÌ„t The C .lxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer the younger wente oute of the toure of London went into Fraunce to the quene of Englande and to the prince Edwarde hir soonne and also howe the lorde Lucye tooke syr Andrewe Hertlawe erle of carlele and headed hym at Carlele for treason THen â—r Roger the yongest Mortimer Made his kepers dronke and went away Out of the toure by night other in feer And into Fraunce anone he toke his waye Vnto the quene Isabell in poore araye And bode with her at hyr gouernaunce All tyme that she was soiournyng in Fraunce ¶ And then Antony Lucye lorde of Cokirmouth Syr Robert Lowther with other many in feere At Carlele toune as knowe was full couth Toke syr Andrewe Hertlawe with mekill steeâ— They put on hym he toke royall power In truce takyng with therle of Murrey Withouten power in trayterous araye ¶ In wrongyng of the kynges hye estate And of his right full great derogacion And howe he toke greate golde immoderate Of kyng Edwarde through cauelacion To bryng hym power for his supportacioÌ„ Agayn the kyng Robert that then destroyed His lande full foule and had hym self anoyed ¶ And howe he had the people hole withdrawe With hym Westwarde by false confederacie Betwene hym and therle of Marrowe Couened fully before cast traytorie Wherfore they drewe hym first all openly And hanged after and to London sent Vnto the kynge his head for great present The C .lxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the quene Isabell treated mariage of one of the doughters of therle of Henaulde for hir sonne Edwarde to haue to wife by thauice of her brother kyng Charles came to Englande with great power and toke that kyng and slewe his counsell for treason THere by aduise and good consyderacion Of the kyng of Fraunce her brother dere Quene Isabell accorded for supportacion Hir sonne should wed one of the doughters clere Of therle of Henauld that fyue then were Through whose succour she hir sonne Edward Toke then the sea to Englande warde ¶ Erle Edmond of Kent then with her came Kyng Edwardes brother syr Aymer valence Erle of Penbroke whiche came with hir fro hame And Mortymer the yonger in hir presence Henauldes and Frenche with great
cōuersaunt His shadowe so obumbred all England That peace and lawe kept continuaunt In his absence throughout all this land And els as I can seyne and vnderstand His power had been lite to conquere Fraunce Nor other realmes that well were lesse perchaūce ¶ The peace at home and lawe so well conserued Were croppe and rote of all his hie conquest Through whiche the loue of God he well deserued And of his people by North South Est West Who might haue slain y◠prince or downe him kest That stode so sure in rightfull gouernaunce For common weale to God his hie plesaunce The CC .xxiiii. Capiter ¶ Henry the sixte kyng of England and of Fraunce that fled in to Scotland without cause on Palmesondaye the thirty and nyne yere of his reigne and of Christ a thousand foure hundred three score and one began to reigne the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred twenty and twoo HEnry his soōne thē not .iii. quarters olde That borne was at s Nicholas daie afore At Windesore so as that realme thē would Vnto the croune succede as he was bore All England hole by might of lordes thore The duke of Gloucester then disired To haue the kepyng of the kyng enspired ¶ The bishop of Wynchester it withstode With all the lordes there hole of his assent Then would he haue been as for that next of bloode Leuetenaunt then of England and regent The bishop aye withstode all his entent That chaūceler was by that fifth kyng Henry made And so furth stode and in thoffice bade ¶ For cause he was so noyous with to dele And office would he haue and gouernaunce Wherfore thei made hym for the common wele Protectour of the realme by ordinaunce To kepe the land fro mischief and varyaunce The kyng of Fraunce for sorowe then dyed The quene his wife also as was notified ¶ The lord Cromwell lost therof nothyng For he had bothe theim in his gouernaunce And home then came when buryed was the kyng Charles of Fraunce with worthy ordenaunce Quene Isabell also with purueaunce Accordaunt well to their royall estate With costages greate as was preordinate ¶ The first daye of the moneth of Septembre He gan to reigne then was a thousand yere Foure hundred as I can remember Twenty and twoo accompted then full clere As I finde write in the chronicler But not crouned for tendernes of age Nor yet anoynte for dred of youthes outrage ¶ The duke of Bedford stode so furth ay regent The duke of Gloucester here was so protectour The bishop of Wynchester by perlyament Was chaunceller and hiest gouernour Of the kyng his persone and his greate socour His godfather and his fatheres eme And supportour was moost of all this realme ¶ The regēt then of Fraunce wed Anne his wife The duke his suster of Burgoyn good and faire The duke of Brytain hir suster knowen rife Had wed afore without any dispeire Whiche was lady of greate repeire ▪ Whiche dukes twoo were sworne and aliede With the regent to stand strongly fortified The CC .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe the regent with lordes of Englād smote the vattaill of Vernoyle in Perche in the third yere of kyng Henry that .vi. ¶ Th erle of Boughan and therle Douglas Th erle of Wigton with power of Scotland And lordes of Fraunce to gether assembled was Wher the regent with lordes of England At Vernoyle in Perche as I can vnderstand Faught with theim sore slewe the Scottes cruelly And bade theim thynke emong on Bawgy ¶ The regent had the felde and victorie With greate honour and laude full comfortable Therles were ther with hym of Salisbury Of Suffolke also that were full honorable The lord Wiloughby full fortunable The lord Scales of greate and hie corage With many other of the baronage ¶ Th erle of Ewe and his brother manly Faught in that feld and gate aworthy name And many mo did tho full doughtely I dare well saie was none therfore to blame All other also whiche that were worthy of fame I would haue wrytē if I had knowen their mede But to heraldes I will commit their deede ¶ Thei sleugh therles of Boughan Douglas And of Wigton of Scotland that wer there The lord of Enermeth of Scotland then was With greate people that dedde then there were Our Englishmenne full manly theim bere The regent was there that daye a lion And faught in armes like any champion The CC .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Mountague erle of Salisbury layde siege to Orle aunce and was slayne there THerle of Salisbury then Mountague With great power layd siege to Orliaūce Wher slayn he was for whō men sore gan rewe So manly was his knightly diligence He laboured euer in marciall excellence Vnto the tyme as would th ende of fate With a quarell was slayne infortunate ¶ And buried was in Englande that yere With greate worshippe and hie solempnitee Richard Neuell had wed his doughter clere And erle was made that tyme by her in fee The regent then of great nobilitee By counsell of the duke then of Burgoyn Kepte Fraunce full well without any essoyn ¶ Then died his wife and wed then sone agayn The countee seynt Paules sister of Fraunce That leegeman was to kyng Henry certayne To the regent sworne as by full greate assuraūce With true seruice and all trewe aliaunce He kepte bothe Fraunce and eke all Normandy In peace and rest full well and worthely ¶ Th erle Richarde of Warwike kepte the kyng By all this tyme sith the duke was dead Of Excester that first hym had in kepyng Th erle Richard in mykell worthyhead Enfourmed hym but of his symplehead He coulde litle within his brest conceyue The good from eiuill he could vneth perceyue The CC .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng was enoynted and crouned in England in the yere of Christe a thousande CCCC and .xxix. and of his reigne the .viii. yere And afterwarde he was crouned in Fraunce the yere a thousand CCCC and .xxxi. and of his reigne the .x. yere in whose presence the regent ceased of his office for whiche he was wroth with the cardinall is vncle for asmuche as the kynge was there presente therfore there shulde bee no regente THe kyng then in his .viii. yere in Englande At Westmynster vpō saynt Leonardes daye The sondaye then as I can vnderstande And of Christ was then a thousande full I saye Foure hundreth and .xx. and .ix. no naye He crouned was with all solempnitee By whole assent of lordes and commontee ¶ Then of his reigne accompte the .x. yere To Fraunce he went wher then at saynt Denys His fathers eme the cardinall full clere Hym crouned fayre with bishoppes there full wise The regent was there with suche seruice As was due of reason and to hym appent The duke of Burgoyne also obedient ¶ The duke also was there of Britayne The counte saynt Paule and the duke Embarre Th erle of Foys with other lordes of Guyan
And to bee sure of all enemyes as he thought he sent for .v. thousande menne of the north against his coronacion whiche came vp euell apparelled and worsse harneyssed in rustie harneys neyther defensable nor scoured to the sale whiche mustered in fynesoury felde to the great disdayne of all the lokers on The fourth daye of Iuly he came to the towre by water with his wife and the fyfte daye he created Thomas Lorde Haward duke of Norffolke syr Thomas Haward his soonne he created Earle of Surrey and Willyam lorde Barkeley was then created erle of Notyngham and Fraunces lorde Louell was then made Vicount Louell and the kynges chaumberlayne and the lorde Stanley was deliuered out of warde for feare of his sonne the lorde Straunge whiche was then in Lancasshyre gatheryng menne as menne saied and the saied lorde was made Stuard of the kynges hou sholde like wyse the archbyshoppe of Yorke was deliuered but Morton bishop of Ely was deliuered to the duke of Buckingham to kepe in warde whiche sent hym to his manoure of Brecknoke in Wales from whence he escaped to kyng Richardes confusyon The same nighte the kyng made .xvii. knightes of the bathe The nexte day he rode throughe LondoÌ„ with great pompe in especiall the duke of BuckinghaÌ„ was richely appareled his horse trapped in blewe veluet enbroudered with the naues of cartes burning of golde whiche trapper was borne by footemeÌ„ froÌ„ the grounde with suche asoleÌ„pne fassyon that all menne muche regarded it On the morowe being the .vi. day of Iuly the kyng came toward his coronacioÌ„ into Westminster hal where his chapell all the prelates mytred receaued hym And so they in ordre of processyon passed forward After the procession folowed therle of Nor thumberlaÌ„d with a pointlesse sweard naked the lorde Stanley bare the Mace of the constableship The erle of Kent bare the second swerd on the right hand of the kyng naked The lord Louell bare an other swerd on the lefte hand Then folowed the duke of Suffolke with the Sceptre and therle of Lincolne with the balle and crosse After theim folowed the newe Erle of Surrey with the swerd of estate in a riche skabard On the ryght side of hym went the duke of Norffolke bearing the croune then folowed kyng Richard in a Circot and robe of purple veluet vnder a canable borne by the barones of that fyue portes going betwene the bishoppes of Bathe and Duresme The duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high stuard of Englande bare the kynges traine After hym folowed the erle of Hunting don bearing the quenes sceptre and the Vicount Liâ—â—e bearing the rod with the doue And the erle of Wilshere bare the quenes croune Then folowed quene Anne doughter to Richard erle of War wike in robes lyke to the kyng betwene two bysshoppes and a canabie ouer her hed borne by the Barones of the portes On her hed a rich coronal set with stones and pearle After her folowed the countesse of Richmond heire to the duke of Somerset whiche bare vp the quenes traine After folowed the duchesse of Suffolke and Norffolke with couÌ„tesses baronesses ladies many faire gentilwemeÌ„ in this ordre they passed thorough the palaice entred the abbay at the west end so came to their seates of estate And after diuerse soÌ„ges solâ—ply song they both discended to the high altare were shifted from their robes had diuerse places open froÌ„ the middle vpward in whiche places they were anointed Then both the kyng the quene chaunged theim into cloth of gold ascended to their seates where the cardinal of Cauntourburie other byshoppes theim crouned according to the custome of the realme geuing hym the scepter in the left haÌ„d and the balle with the crosse in the ryght hand the quene had the sceptre in her right hand the rod with the doue in the left hand On euery side of the kyng stode a duke before hym stode therle of Surrey with the swerd in his handes And on euery side of the quene staÌ„ding a bishop a ladie kneling The Cardinal song masse after paxe the kyng the quene discended before the high altare they wer bothe houseled with one hoste deuyded betwene theÌ„ After masse finished they bothe offred at saint Edwardes shrine there the kyng lefte the croune of saint Edward and put on his owne crowne And so in ordre as they came they departed to westminster hal so to their chambres for a ceasoÌ„ duryng which time the duke of Norffolke came into the hal his horse traped to the ground in cloth of gold as high mershall and voided the hall About .iiii. of the clocke the kyng quene entred the halle and the kyng sate in the middle and the quene on the left hand of the table on euery side of her stoode a countesse holding a clothe of pleasaunce when she list to drinke And on the right haÌ„d of the kyng sat the byshop of Cauntourbury the ladies sat all on one side in the middle of the hall And at the table againste theim sat the Chauncelloure and all the lordes At the table next the cupborde sate the Maire of London And at the table behinde the lordes sate the Barones of the portes And at the other bordes sate noble and worshypfull personages When all persones wer sette the the duke of Norffolke earle Mershal the earle of Surrey constale for that daye the lorde Stanley lorde Steward Sir willyam Hopton treasourer and sir Thomas Percie comptroller came in and serued the kyng solemplye with one dishe of golde and another of syluer And the quene all in gylte vessell and the bishop all in siluer At the seconde course came into that hall sir Robert Democke the kynges champion making a proclamacion that whosoeuer woulde saye that kyng Richarde was not lawfullye kyng he woulde fight with hym at the vtteraunce and threwe downe his gauntlet theÌ„ all the hall cried kyng Richard And so he did in thre partes of the halle and then one broughte hym a cup of wyne couered when he had dronke he caste oute the drinke departed with the cuppe After that the herauldes cryed alargesse thryse in the halle so went vp to their staige At the ende of diner the Mayre of London serued the kyng quene with swete wyne and had of eche of theim a cuppe of golde with a couer of gold And by that tyme that all was done it was darkenight And so the kyng retourned to his chaumbre and euery man to his lodging When this feaste was thus fyneshed the kyng sente home all the lordes into their countrees that woulde departe excepte the lorde Stanley whome he reteyned tyll he hearde what his soonne the lorde straunge wente aboute And to suche as wente home he gaue streyghte charge and coÌ„maundement to see their countryes well ordred and that no wronge nor extorcion should bee done to his subiectes
promysed hym ayde vpon the truste wherof he beganne to make redye his shippes that they might with all expedicion bee redy to sayle that no tyme should be loste In the whiche tyme kyng Richard was agayn retourned to London had taken dyuerse of theim that wer of this conspyracy that is to say George Browne Roger Clyfforde Thomas Selenger knyghtes Also Thomas Ramme Robert Clyfford and dyuerse other whom he caused to be put to death After this he called a parliament wherin was deereed that all those that were fled oute of the lande should be reputed and taken as enemyes to the realme and all their landes and goodes to bee forfayte and confiscate And not content with that preade which was no smal thyng he caused also a great taxe and some of monye to be leuyed of the people For the large giftes and lyberalytee that he first vsed to buye the fauoures frendshippes of many had now brought him in nede But nothing was more like then that Thomas Stanley shoulde haue bene reputed takeÌ„ for one of those enemies because of the woorkyng of Margarete his wife which was mother vnto Henry erle of RichemouÌ„t the which was noted for the chiefe hed worker of this coÌ„spyracy But for asmuch as it was thought that it was to small purpose that wemen coulde dooe Thomas beynge nothyng fauty was delyâ—ed and coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he should not suffre Margarete his wyfe to haue any seruauÌ„tes about her neither that she should not go abroad but be shut vp and that from thence foorth she should sende no message neyther to her soonne nor to any of her other frendes wherby any hurte mighte be wrought agaynst the kyng the whiche commaundemeÌ„t was accomplyshed And by the authoryte of the same perliament a peace was concluded with the Scottes whiche a lytle before had skyrmyshed with the borderers Which thyng brought to passe the kyng supposed all conspiracye to bee clene auoyded for asmuche as the duke with other of his compaignie were put to death and also certen other bannyshed Yet for all this kyng Richard was daylye vexed and troubled partelye mystrustynge his owne strength and partely fearyng the commyng of Henrye with his compaignye so that he lyued but in a myserable case And because that he would not so continue any lenger he determyned with hym selfe to put awaye the cause of this his feare and busynesse either by pollecye or elles by strength And after that he hadde thus purposed with hym selfe he thought nothyng better then to tempte the duke of Britayn yet once again eyther with money prayer or some other speciall rewarde because that he had in kepyng the erle Henry moste chiefly because he knewe that it was only he that might delyuer hym from all his trouble by delyueryng or imprisoning the sayed Henry Wherfore incontmentlye he sente vnto the duke certein Ambassadoures the whiche should promesse vnto hym besyde other greate rewardes that they broughte with theim to geue hym yerely all the reuenues of all the landes of Henry and of all the other lordes there beyng with hym yf he woulde after the receyte of the ambassadoures put theim in prysone The Ambassadoures beynge departed and come where the duke laye could not haue communicacion with hym for asmuch as by extreme sicknesse his wyttes were feble and weake Wherfore one Peter Landose his Treasourer a manne bothe of pregnaunte wytte and of greate authoritee tooke this matter in hand For whiche cause he was afterwarde hated of all the lordes of Britain With this Peter the Englishe ambassadoures had communicacion declaring to hym the kynges message desyred hym instantlye for asmuche as they knewe that he might bring theyr purpose to passe that he woulde graunt vnto kyng Richardes request and he shoulde haue the yerely reuenues of all the landes of the sayed lordes Peter considering that he was greatly hated of the lordes of his owne nacion thoughte that yf he myght bring to passe thoroughe kyng Richarde to haue all these greate possessyons and yerely reuenues he should then bee hable to matche with theim well ynough and not to care a rushe for theim whereupon he aunswered the ambassadoures that he would doo that Richard dyd desire yf he brake not promesse with hym And this did he not for any hatred that he bare vnto Henry for he hated hym not for not longe before he saued his lyfe where the earle Henry was in greate â—eoperdye But suche was the good fortune of Englande that this craftye compacte tooke no place for whyle the letters and messengers ranne betwene Peter and kyng Kichard Iohn Bishoppe of Ely beinge then in Flaundres was certifyed by a preest whiche came oute of England whose name was Christopher Vrswicke of all the whole circumstaunce of this deuyce purpose Wherupon with all spede the sayed byshop caused the saied preest the same daye to cary know ledge therof into Britayn to Henry erle of Richemounte willing hym with all the other noble men to dyspatche theim selues with all possible haste into Fraunce Henry was then in Veneti wheÌ„ he heard of this fraud without tariaunce sent Christopher vnto Charles the Frenche kyng desiring lycence that Henry with the other noble men myght safely come into Fraunce the which thing being sone obteigned the messenger retourned with spede to his lorde and Prince Then the earle Henry setting all his businesse in as good staye ordre as he mighte talked lytle and made fewe a counsail herof for the more expedicyon hereof he caused therle of Penbrucke secretly to cause all the noble men to take their horses dissembling to ride vnto the duke of Bretain but when they came to the vttermost partes therof they should forsake the waye that led theim toward the duke and to make into Fraunce with all that euer they might Then they dooing in euery thing as they were biddeÌ„ loste no tyme but so sped theim that shortely they obteygned and gate into the couÌ„tie of Angeou Henry then within .ii. dayes folowyng being then styll at Veneti tooke .iiii. or fyue of his seruauntes with hym and feigned as thoughe he woulde haue ryden therby to visyte a frende of his and forasmuche as there were many Englishmenne lefte there in the toune no manne suspected any thynge but after that he had kepte the ryghte waye for the space of fyue myles he forsooke that and turned streyghte into a woode that was thereby and tooke vpon hym his seruauntes apparell and putte his apparell vpon hys seruaunte and so tooke but one of theym with hym on whome he waited as thoughe he had bene the seruaunte and the other the maister And with all conuenyente and spedy haste so sette forthe on theyr iourney that no tyme was loste and made no more tariaunce by the way then onelye the baitynge of theyr horses so that shortly he recouered the coastes of Angeou where all his other companye was But within foure dayes after that the Earle was thus escaped
nomore to endeuoure to defende their commune weale but rather to destroy and vtterly extinguishe it Which thing the englishe menne perceiuing and also suffering muche colde were compelled of necessitee within fyue moonethes that their wente thyther to come backe agayne into Englande Then Charles the French kyng maried Anne the Dukes doughter and gat al Britayn by that meanes into hys hādes But of this it shal be spoken more here after It was decreed here in Englande before there were any souldyours sent into Brytayne that for the expence of that warre euery man should paye as thei were hable a tribute whyche the mooste parte of theim that dwelte in the byshopryke of Durhā and Yorke shyre dyd vtterly refuse to pay and complayned of the matter to their Lorde the Earle of Northumberland And he immediately signified to the kyng by his letters that the people dyd greatly lament and was sory saiyng that thei were neuer put to so muche coast as thei had been of late dayes nowe that ther was so much requyred of theim that neither thei were hable to pay so great a summe nor would pay it Yet for al that the kyng cōmaunded the Erle to get it on thē and make theim pay it whether thei would or not least peraduenture it myght be a cause that yf at any time a tribute agayne should bee required of thē to make an insurreccion Which thyng when the people hearde of by and by they ranne vnto the earle and as the authoure of the tribute paiyng kylled hym out of hande And when thei had so done thei chase Ihon Egremonknight a verey dicious personne to bee their captayne and so arraied them selfes and went agaynst the kyng makyng cries in euery towne that thei came to fight for no nother cause but to defēde that cōmon libertie But when the mattier shoulde come to blowes thei waxed colde all the sorte of theim and euerye one wished that this tumulte wer retracted which was nowe alredy begonne so that at the cōclusiō not one scacely scaped without his great discommodite For the kynge assone as he hearde of this insurreccion went downe with an hoost to Yorke wherof these slaues and traitours beyng greatly afraied fledde some hether and some thether and durst not abide and sustaine the power of the kynges army Wherfore thei wer sone taken and punished greuousely accordyng to their deseruyng euery one of theim But Ihon Egremont whiche was their captain fledde into Flanders to Margarete of whome we spake before And the kyng so sone as this busines was quēched tooke his iourny back again vnto London and committed the tribute whiche was in Yorke and about Yorke to bee taken vp holy to Richard Toustal And this was the yere of our lord a thousand foure hundred .xc. and the fourth yere of the reigne of this kyng Henry And in thys yere also the kynge of Scottes was sore vexed For his subiectes roase agaynst hym and made his sonne Iames whiche was as yet but a chylde their capitain Wherfore he sent to the kynge of Englande to the Frenche kyng and to the byshoppe of Roome Innocentius to desire theim to make some end of thys ciuile battayle and contencion whiche was betwene hys people and hym Whiche afterwarde sente theyr ambassadours as they were desired but all in vayne For the rude sort would nedes fight onlesse he would resygne his crowne wherfore shortely after thei fought and in that battayle kylled the kyng and gaue his sonne Iames whiche was the fourth of that name the crowne But the byshoppe of Romes legate Hadrian came to late For whyles he was in Englande with kyng Henry worde came that the kyng of Scottes was slayne in battayle and hys soonne made kyng And therfore he taried here in England for a space and was veray muche made of and hyghly commended to the kyng by Ihon Mortō archbyshop of Canterburie Whereby he came into so high fauour with kyng Henry that he made him bishoppe of Herforde and shortly after that least gaue hym the bishopprike boothe of Welles and Bathe And not longe after he retourned with these honours to Roome and there of Alexander was made Cardinall There beganne also of freshe certayne businesse as concernynge Brytaine before this geare was appeased whiche was that Maximilian beyng at that tyme without a wyfe would haue maried the duke of Briteines doughter and had one that wowed for hym which lady promisyng hym fayth trueth to the entent that she might not go from her word he vsed this way with her when she went to her bed the night after as to the bedde of wedlocke the wower that was hired putte one of his fete into the bed to the knee in the sight cōpany of many noble matrōs ladies for a token testimony that the mariage was consūmate thei .ii. as mā wife But this did nothing auaile for Char the Frenche kyng was desireous to marye her hearyng that Maximiliā was sure to her dyd the more busely set vpon the Britaynes to th entent he might both haue the ladye and the countree also at his wyll for he estemed that mariage to bee of no strength or force Neuerthelesse he feared kyng Henry muche least that he would stoppe his purpose whiche kyng had made a league and Ferdinande also the kyng of Spayne had made the same with the Britaynes to assist theim in all their ieoperdies and perilles that should chaunce to theim by foren countrees wherfore he sent in al post hast Francese Lucemburgense Charles Marignane and Roberte Gaguine to kyng Henry for a peace to bee confirmed and hadde desyrynge hym that their kyng might ordre the mariage of the Ladye Anne as wer thought best without any let or hynderaunce of it by hym but kyng Henry would not agree to theim that the lady should bee maried to hym consyderyng she was made sure to the kyng Maximilian for that it was against all right and lawe bothe of God and manne Albeit the kynge would gladly make a peace betwene theim bothe and so demissyng the kynges Ambassadoures with a large and ample rewarde sent Thomas Goldestone abbot of Cantorbury and the lord Thomas of Ormondye ambassadours streight after theim In this meane space Alexander B. of Rome the sixt of that name after Innocētius sent the bishop of Cōcordiense legate to the Frenche kyng for certayne mattiers and emong other for a peace and vnitee to bee confederate betwyxt hym and kyng Henry the whiche when he had easely obteyned he came to Englande and there beyng entretained moste roially of the kyng had his purpose and desire of hym The Englishe ambassadours then beyng with the Frenche kyng purposed to haue a peace concluded whiche first demaunded certain thynges of the kyng ere that it should bee made albeit the kyng would graūt theim nothyng and was sore moued with their request askyng So the shortly after the Frenche kyng sent to the noble menne of
woman and captiue to the kyng And the kyng sent her by and by accompanied with a goodly sort of matrons because she was so goodly a young woman to London to the quene as a true and sure token of vyctorie And whiles he taried there at Exeter supposyng with him selfe that he could haue no perfect victory vntyl he had gotteÌ„ Perkin him self which was the beginner of all this sedicion and strife sent forth two companies of menne to besiege the sanctuarye wher Perkin was that by no meanes he myght scape away and sent him worde also by certain trustie messengers that yf he would humblie submit him selfe he should be forgeuen of all that was committed Wherfore Perkin now seynge and ponderynge the state of miserie that he was in weÌ„t voluntarily out of the sanctuary and commytted hym selfe to the kynges pleasure Then was the kyng weray glad and toke his iourney immediatly after towarde London not without the great metyng of people whych came out of euery quarter to se this feloe as he were a monstre because he beyng but an aliente durst bee so bold to come in to this so noble a realme to make battaill and delude noble menne after suche a fassion But wheÌ„ the kyng was come to London he appointed certain menne to kepe hym bothe night daie verie vigilantly to th entent that he might neither conueigh hymself out of the lande ner goo any whether within this realme to make any like perturbacion and disquietnes After this the kyng perceiuyng the there were many as well in Somerset as in DeueÌ„shire whiche were helpers of the rebelles greatly bothe goyng foorth commyng homeward thought it good to punishe theim also least peraduenture thei might be the more bold to dooe a like thyng after And therfore he committed this busines to Amis Paulet knight and Robert Sherburne deane of Poules to be dooen Which in serchyng out all suche thoroweout bothe the shires wer verie exacte and diligent but thei wer fauorable to al such as did it for feare or compulsion Yet were thei to none so fauorable but thei were thought for their defaultes indifferently to be punished So that equitie therin was verie well executed In the same yere of a small matter befell greate strife betwene kyng Henry and Iames kyng of Scotlande whiche strife beganne of this fassion Certain younge menne of the Scottes came armed vnto Duresme castell beheld it wonderous circumspectly as though thei had been desierous to know what was there dooen But wheÌ„ the kepers of the castle could not perceaue that thei went aboute any hurte or displeasure seing theim go awaie of their owne accorde thei made no woordes but let theim alone But when thei came again the nexte daie vieued it likewise the kepers of the said castel demaunded of theim what was their intent Thei auÌ„swered theim like rude and vnmanerlie ientlemenne as frowardly as could bee thought in so muche that at the laste through muche altercacion of bothe parties thei fell together by the eares and there were some of the Scottes slain the residue put to flight Which wheÌ„ thei came home certified their kyng of thesame Wherwith he beyng sore moued to angre seÌ„t woorde to kyng Henry that he would wtout doubt reuenge his querell wherfore kyng HeÌ„ry being verie sorie not so much forfeare as for to liue in quietnes peace in his age made him auÌ„swere that it was not doeÌ„ through his default or couÌ„saill but rather by the rashenesse of his subiectes whiche if thei could bee ê“ued guiltie should be accordyng to the faulte punished Wherfore he desired him moste louingly to be coÌ„teÌ„ted But this was not hable to mitigate or swage the Scottes angre outrageousnesse For the whiche cause Richard bishop of Duresme whiche was more heuie then all other because his seruuÌ„ates were the beginners of this discord wrote many letters to kyng Iames to desire hym to kepe peace bee at quiet With the whiche letters the kynges rage was so quenched that he bothe sent verie kynd letters again to hym and desired hym hartely to come ouer and talke with hym Of the whiche tydynges the bishop was verie glad and went streight to kyng Henry to shewe hym the matter and had leaue of hym incontinenly to go ouer to hym When he came into ScotlaÌ„de he was receiued as louyngly as coulde bee thought of the kyng hymself at an abbey called Melrose and there after that he had complained muche of the crueltie that was vsed toward his menne here in EnglaÌ„de he beganne to commen secretly of other matters and especially of the amitie betwene kyng Henry and hym the whiche to bee for euer stablished and confirmed he desired that kinges doughter Margaret in mariage Of the whiche thyng albeit the bishop was glad in his heart yet he would make no perfect aunswere or sheweforth any sure hope of the same but saied that when he came home he would dooe the best in the matter that laie in hym Wherfore the kyng shortly after dimissed hym and desired hym ernestly to breake the same matter to kyng HeÌ„ry And wheÌ„ he was come home so he did and the proffer pleased the kyng verie well because he was a manne whiche was alwaies more delited with peace quietnes then with the troublesomnesse of battaill And now did approch the death of Perkin Warbeck and of Edwarde erle of Warwicke whiche had so long lyen all readie in the tower But PerkeÌ„ thought that he would saue hymself and therfore on a tyme he tooke his leggues and ranne awaie but so sone as the kyng harde tell therof he made menne after hym with all the spede the might bee with whose clamours and shoutes Perkyn was so feared that of necessitie he was compelled to go to an abbaie which was called BetheleÌ„ ther intreacted the abbot of the place to desire the kyng of his pardon that he might not dye Whiche thyng the abbot did for hym and obteined it Wherfore Perken was brought bounde feitered to Westminster and there stoode an whole daie in the sight of all menne to the great shame and reproche of hym self And after partely because the kyng had promised hym his life and partely because he should no more renne awaie he was coÌ„mitted to the towre Where his wickednes boylong so hote within his breit would not suffre hym to escape the veÌ„geauÌ„ce punishemeÌ„t of God but shortly after was moste iustly worthely put to deathe as herafter shal be shewed Then it chaunsed the a monke whose name was Patricke had a scholer whome he promised if he would folowe his counsaill should easely come to the kyngdome of Englande Whiche scholer when he had ones heard his maisters mynd was verie instaunte in the matter and desired his maister not to forget his purpose but rather begynne it as sone as was possible Wherfore when thei be twene theim selfes had taken deliberacion and counsailled of the thyng how it should be
brought to passe thei went bothe together into Kent And there beganne this young feloe to tell priuely to many that he was the erle of Warwicke and had gotte out of the tower by the helpe of this monke To the whiche when he perceiued credence geuen he declared it openly and desyred al men of helpe But or euer this sedicion beganne to goo foreward the heddes and principalles of thesame wer taken and casle into prysone Of whiche the one was condempned to death and the other condeÌ„pned to perpetuall pryson and darkenesse For at that tyme here in Englande was so muche attrybuted to prestes and al religious meÌ„ that though they had committed felonie murder yea or treason they should not haue bene therfore condempned to death Moreouer whosoeuer could reade though it wer neuer so lytle what crime soeuer he had committed saue treason should by his booke bee saued and therfore it was inuented that if the default wer so great that another manne shoulde suffer death for thesame he should onely be burnt in the hande wherfore he the had committed thefte should bee marked in the hand with this letter T. if he had committed murdre with M. and after that yf he were deprehended in lyke cryme then there should no fauour at all more then to other menne bee shewed Whiche acte was made and confyrmed by this kyng Henry in the second yere of his reigne and takeÌ„ of the Frenchemen whiche are wonte if thei take any suche to cutte of one of his cares and let hym go Whiche priuiledges of bookes made thefes both bolde plentie thorowe out all the coastes and parties of this his realme of Englande But nowe to my matier again Perkyn of whom we spake muche before whyles he was in the towre corrupted many of the kepers partly with giftes and partely with fayre promyses so that they were all agreed saue the leuetenaunt whome he fully determined to kyll that he and the erle of Warwike should gooe theyr waye out of the toure and afterwarde to make the best shyfte that they could for theim selfes But this his purpose came not to full effecte For it was knowne within shorte tyme after for the whiche he and his felowes all of the same counsayle were hanged by the neckes And the earle of Warwike because he was foundegyltie in thesame defaulte was behedded whiche was dooen in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and .xcix. and in the .xiii. yeare of this kyng Henry his reigne The nexte yere after was here in Englande a a greate plague wherof menne died in many places vereye sore but especiallye and mooste of all in London For there died in that yere aboue thyrtye thousande Wherfore the kynge sayled ouer to Caleis and there taryed a greate while In his beyng there came ouer to hym Philippe Erle of Flaunders and was receaued of hym as louyngly as could bee thought and also or euer they departed the league whiche was made betwene theim two not longe before was renewed Sone after when the plague was slaked the kyng returned agayne into Englande and was no soner come thyther but there met him one Gasper Pons sente from Alexander the byshoppe of of Roome which brought with hym indulgences and perdoâ—es whereby he made the kyng beleue that he and his should flye streight to heauen but those could not bee graunted withoute a greate somme of money the whiche the rather that he might obteyne he promysed parte of it to the kyng hymselfe so deceauyng both the kyng and the people In this same yere was burnt a place of the kynges whiche he after buylded vp againe and named it Richemount Aboute this tyme died three bishoppes here in England Ihon Morton bishop of Cantourbury Thomas Langton bishop of Wynchester and Thomas Rotherham bishoppe of Yorke Also in this yere there were greate maryages made for kyng Henry had geuen his doughter ladye Margarete to the kyng of Scottes and his sonne prince Arthur to Ladie Katherine doughter to Ferdinande kyng of Spayne whiche mariages were made specially for this cause that he might liue in peace with those kynges in his olde age After this prynce Arthure that came to LondoÌ„ purposely to bee maryed went to Wales agayne with his lady and wife to ouersee all thynges well there and to the entente he might not miscarye or go out of the waie in rulyng his domimon he had with hym many noble meÌ„ as first Richard Poole his nighe kynsman which was made chief of his priuie chaumbre and Dauid Philippe husher of his halle Also he had of his counsaill certayne knyghtes as Wyllyam Vdall Richarde Croft Peter Neuton Henrye Varnam Thomas Englefelde And other besides theim as Ihon Walestone Henry Marine Wyllyam Smyth preest chief of his couÌ„sayle late bishop of Lincolne syr Charles Booth a lawer then byshop of Herforde A litle before this mariage EdmuÌ„d Poole erle of Suffolke sonne to ladye Elizabeth the sysler of kyng Edward was accused for killyng of a maÌ„ although the kyng pardoned hym whoÌ„ he might iustely haue condeÌ„â—ed for that offence yet because he was rayned at the barre whiche he thought a great main and blemishe to his honoure tooke it heuely and shortely after fled to Flaunders wtout any passeporte or liceÌ„ce of the kyng to quene Margarete his aunte but he returned again so excused hymselfe before the kynge that he was founde fautles in any thyng that was obiected vnto hym Also when this mariage was kepte at London with great pompe soleÌ„nitee this Edmunde fled again to Flaunders with his brother Richard either for that he had been at great charges at thesame mariage and so farre cast in debte that he was not hable to paye either because the quene Margarete his aunte had allured hym orels for eiuill will enuie that the kyng should prosper so well WheÌ„ it was knowen that he was gooen the kyng certified there of he feared that some busynes should ryse by his meanes was sory that he had pardoned hym for his offeÌ„ce lately coÌ„mitted But sone after that the erle came from Flaunders syr Robert Cursone knight capitaine of HaÌ„mes castel feignyng hym selfe to bee one of that conspiracye wente purposely to espye what the quene entended against kyng Henrye whyche afterwarde for his so doynge was in greate fauoure wyth hym For the kynge was so vigylaunte and circumspecte in all his matters that he dyd knowe theim namelye that either bare hym eiuill will or woorked any in theyr mynde whom he caused to bee attached and caste in holde And emong theim Wyllyam the erle of Deuonshyres sonne whiche maried ladie Catheryne daughter to kyng Edward was taken and another Wyllyam brother to Edmonde earle of Souffolke Iames Tyrell Ihon Wyndham But these two wylliams were taken rather of suspection then for any offence of gyltines Wherefore Wylliam this Earles sonne of Deuonshyre after the death of kynge Henrye was deliuered had in
people on bothe parties wer distressed and taken prisoners and aboue the nombre of thirty M. slaine In the .iiii. yere was Edmond de la Poole behedded and aboute the moneth of Auguste Syr Thomas Kneuet beynge chyefe capytaine of the kynges greate shippe called the regent and a few shyppes mo sette vpon a great Caricke and other shippes of the Frenche kyngs liyng then nere vnto a toune of Britaine named Brest where after a longe and cruell fight thesaide Caricke regent being clasped together with hookes and cheynes as the maner of fyghtinge vpon the see betwene enemies is sodeynly thesaied shippes with other were set on fyre and brent so feruently that before they mighte bee losed or disseuered the shippes with the men vpon bothe parties were consumed with violence therof so that fewe escaped whiche were of the poraill But thesaide sir Thomas Kneuet with many other gentlemen of this land and also of fraunce were brent on whose soules Iesu haue mereyt This yere also after haruest wheate roase sobeinly of pryce for where for the more parte of the yere it was not solde aboue sixe shilliÌ„ges .viii. d. a quarter After haruest for so muche as wheat was so sore blasted and striken was of so smal yelde it was solde for .xii. s. and .xiii. s .iiii. d. a quarter In the .v. yere the kyng besieged Turwin and discomfited the power of Fraunce at Boemy and tooke the citees of Turwyn and Turney But in the meane season the kyng of Scottes espiyng his tyme inuaded Englande with an hoste of an hundred thousande menne with whome the Earle of Surraye beynge the Kynges Leuetenaunte encountred and by the helpe of the Lorde Hawarde his soonne slewe the sayde kynge with a leuen Earles and wanne the felde For the whiche noble facte the kynge created hym afterwarde Duke of Norffolke and his soonne Earle of Surrey In the .vi. yere a peace was concluded betwene Englande and Fraunce And on saincte Denis daye the Frenche kyng maried the Lady Mary the kynges sister And he died on newe yeres daye after And therfore the kyng sente for her againe by the duke of Suffolke and other In this yere in the moneth of Februarye was borne Lady Mary the kynges doughter at Grenewiche In Aprill the Frenche Quene came in to Englande and was maryed to Lorde Charles duke of Suffolke This yere Ladye Margarete quene of Scottes and syster to the kynge fledde into Englande and laye at Harbottell And she was deliuered of a doughter named Margaret And came to London in Maye and taried there a hole yere In this yere was suche a froste that all menne myghte passe with cartes betwene Westmynster and Lambeth This yere on Maye euen was an insurreccyon of younge persones against Aliens of whiche diuers were put to execucion and the residue came to Westmynster Halle with halters aboute their neckes and were pardoned And the .xviii. daye of Mayeyquene of Scottes retourned into her countree againe This yere in Octobre the admiral of Fraunce came into England and Tourney was deliuered to the Frenche kyng In this yere at Frankforde Charles the fyfte was chosen Emperoure And the Earle of Surrey was sent to Ireland In this yere the kyng and the Frenche kynge met at the campe betwene Arde Guines where were greate triumphes And after the kynge and the Emperoure mette and the kyng went to Graueling with the Emperoure And the Emperoure came to Caleys with the kyng had greate chere and the kyng retourned This yere the duke of Buckyngham was beheaded at the toure hyll the .xvii. daye of Maye And in Iune the Cardinall weÌ„t to Calays to entreate a peace betwene themperoure the French kyng and â—aried there to Decembre without any thinge concluded This yere the fridaye before Penthecoste that is to wytt the sixte daye of Iune Charles the emperoure was honourably receiued into the Cytee of London of the Maire Aldermenne and cominaltye oure saied soueraigne Lorde accoÌ„paignieng hym And fro London he went to Windesore and sat in his stall of the Garter And from thens went to Hampton and sayled into Spaine Duringe whiche tyme the Earle of Surrey Lorde Admirall brent Morleys in Brytaine and after landed at Caleys and entred Picardye and brent tounes and castelles and besyeged Hesdyn but because of wynter he reysed his syege and retourned This somer the duke of Albany was entring England with a greate armye but when he heard that the Earle of Shrewisburye was comminge to fyghte with hym he tooke a truce for vi monethes In this .xiiii. yere Christian Kynge of Denmarke came into Englande in Iune Also the Earle of Surrey brent Iedworth and many other townes in Scotlande This yere also the Turke besieged the Rhodes and on Christmas daye he tooke it The Duke of Suffolke wente into Fraunce with ten thousand menne and passed the water of SomÌ„e withoute battayle and tooke and destroyed many townes and in Decembre retourned The same yere the duke of Albanye besieged the castell of Warke and hearing of therle of Surreys comming with a greate armye he cowardely sledde In the .xvi. yere there came oute of Scotlande the byshop of Dunkell and other ambassadours vnto that kynges maiestie And on saynt Mathews daye was the French kyng taken by themperour A mutyng in Norffolk and Suffolke for paymeÌ„t of mony A peas concluded betwene EnglaÌ„d and Fraunce And the French kyng was deliuered in Marche This yere was the coyne enhaunced In the .xviii. yeare the citee of Roome by the viceroy of Naples and the duke of Burbon the same dake beinge fyrste slaine was taken and almost distroied And ClemeÌ„t the .vii. than byshop of Rome diuers Cardinalles there found were taken and broughte in captiuitee and vnder the rule of Charles the Emperoure This yere also the Cardinall went into Fraunce with greate pompe In October the great master of Fraunce came to London with great triumphe In this xix yere was the sweatyng sickenesse for the which cause ther was no watch at midsomer In the .xx. yere was the Cardinall deposed of the chauncellourshyp and a peace betwene the Emperour and the kyng concluded In the .xxi. yere was holden a parlyament wher was refourmed diuerse enormitees of the clargye In the .xxii. yere was a man boyled in Smith feeld for poysoning The cardinal dyed on saynct Andrewes euen In the .xxiii. yere Gryffeth Rice was behedded for treason In October the kyng wente ouer the sea and met the Frenche kyng at Caleis In the .xxv. yere in Apryll was a Nonne called the holy mayde of Kent ii Monkes and two Freers hanged and behedded for treasoÌ„ blasphemye and ypocrysie This yere a peace was concluded wyth Scotlande In this xxvi yere was holden a Parlyamente at Westminster wherin emong other moost godly and necessary statutes it was ther decreed and enacted that the kynges maiestie should be from thensforth
accordyng to the lawe of God taken reputed as supreme heed of this his realme nexte and immediatly vnder Chryst This yere the erle of Kyldare died in the Towre and his sonne rebel led and slewe the byshop of Dubelyn wherfore the kyng dyd send sir Wylliam Skeuynton thether This yere was graunted to the king the fyrst frutes and the tenthes of all spirituall possessyons In Iune was the byshoppe of Rochester and sir Thomas Moore behedded for deniyng the kyng to be supreme hed of the church of Englande This yere wer .iii. Monkes of the Charterhouse executed for the same offence In this .xxvii. yere in Ianuary dyed lady Katheryn princesse dowager and is buryed at Peter borowe This yere quene Anne was attaynted of treason and was beheded And the kynge maried lady Iane Seymer And in October beganne a fololyshe commocion in Lyncolnshyre another in Yorke shyre by the meanes of Lord Darey lord Husey sir Robert CoÌ„stable Robert Aske Which only by the kynges wysedome his discrete counsayle were appeased withoute bloode shedynge In this .xxviii. yere the Thamis was ouer fro 〈…〉 in December wherfore the kyng and the quene rode throwe London with a goodlye companye This yere also syr Fraunces Bygot lord Darcy syr Robert Constable and other beganne a newe coâ—spyracie and thei were attaynted and putte to death in Iune In February was Thomas Fytzgarred and fyue of his vncles hanged drawen quartered And on saynt Edwardes euen Prynce Edwarde was borne at HamptoÌ„ court The. xxiii daye of October dyed quene Iane and is buryed at Wyndsore In this .xxix. yere in Maye was Frere Foreste hanged and brente in Smithfeelde for treason heresy with the Image of Daruell Gathern In thys yere all ydolatry was forbyddeÌ„ And dyuers ymages that had engynnes to make their eyes other lymmes to styre wyth many other disceates wer destroyed And all Freers and Monkes chauÌ„ged their garmentes In this .xxx. yere in DeceÌ„ber was the Marquis of Ereter the Lord Montacute and syr Edward Neuell behedded for hygh treasoÌ„ duly proued In May the cytesyns of LondoÌ„ mustred al in bright harneisse with coates of whyte clothe and whyte sylke wyth chaynes of golde in thre great armyes to the great wonder of straungers Nowe for a fynal coÌ„clusioÌ„ as touchiÌ„g this most noble exelleÌ„t prince and for the closing vp of this preseÌ„t werke If that his highnes had by al the space of his reigne heretofore whiche hath bene .xxxiiii. yeres done no more but only these three thynges as in dede his grace hath done a great infinite noÌ„bre of moste prudente beneficial thynges bothe for the quietnes of his realme wealth of his subiectes that is to saie the extirpyng abholyshyng of the vsurped authoritee of the B. of Rome out of all his dominions and restoring vnto vs the holy most blessed worde of God the is to saie the whole scripture in our Englishtongue to th entent chiefly that we mighte knowe oure dutie to almightie God oure obedyence to our prince and hys successours kynges of thys realme lyue a godlye and Christen life one with another Secondarely in takynge a waye all supersticion and ydolatrye whiche was a thyng moost detestain â–ª the sight of God And thirdlye and laste of all the dissoluynge of cloisters and suppressynge all conterfete and false religion which so long as thei coÌ„tinued wer not only teachers preachers of false and supersticious doctryne but also wer euer the autours begynners of all mischiefes commocions For reformacion I saye of which thynges who is hable to rendre woorthy thankes and prayses to his highnes And therfore to conclude infinite thankes be geueÌ„ to almightie God that so hath wrought by his speciall grace in the hearte mynde of his hihgnes let earnest prayers and supplicacioÌ„s incessantly be made of all his faythful subiectes for the preseruacion of his highnes in mooste triumphant honoure and wealth and ouer vs longe to reigne rule And that when nature shall geue place to death in his grace that then thesame giftes of prudence pollecie and godly iudgement that his highnes is so plentifully endewed with maye yet be planted in the personne of that goodly ympe and mooste flory shyng brauÌ„che prynce Edwarde that the same maye finishe mainteine that whiche his noble father and our souereigne lord kyng Henry the eyght hath moste graciously begoÌ„ne To this all true Englishe heartes saie Amen LONDINI In officina Richardi Graftoni Cmm priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium Numeri .xxvii. Salphaat 〈…〉 ke 〈…〉 orn in GauÌ„t 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 EdmouÌ„d duke of yorke Thomas of wood stoke duke of gloucester Mat. 〈…〉 vii Edward prince of Wa 〈…〉 the eldest sonne of kynge Edward the .iii. Duke of Yorke The tytle of the kinges of EnglaÌ„de to Scotland and Ireland Godfrayâ— Boleyn Robert cur those Out of old bookes coÌ„meth newe knowledge The dukes wyfe named Cecely Kyng DioclesyaÌ„ and Albyne his wyfe This chronicle is not true Saul was the fyrste kyng in the thyrde age This sâ—e 〈…〉 that our chronicle is false in the beegynnyng Brutus The oâ—acyon of the authoure for that makyng of this booke The names of false goddes The armis of Brute Brutus Dute of oldbokes coÌ„meth new wisedome Adam The geneâ—aâ—ion of â—â—ute 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 h. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cely. Saturne Iubiter Dardanus Eriotonus Troilus Ilis Ilyon Hercules Lamadone Priamus Achilles was Priamus brother LamedoÌ„ shewed to Iason vnkindnesse Hector Troilus Dephebus Helenus Parys came of Pryamus Greekes Anchyses Eneas Ascaneus Eneas EuaÌ„dre Latene Turnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siluius the father of Brutus The praise of Brute Howe Brutus slewe his father Helenus Priamus Anchises Pandras Brutus Anacletus 〈…〉 onê° Pandras The pillers that Hercules made of brasse Diane the Goddes Corneus capitain of that TroyaÌ„s Goryne The armes of 〈…〉 e Maryan chronicler Corneus Gogmagog Coryn This Isle Briteyne Corneus London 〈…〉 The leÌ„gth and bredth of the Isle of Bryteyne Howe Brutus deuided this ysle Thre sonnes of Brute Locryne 〈◊〉 Albanacte Brutus ordered the people to sowe corne Locryne * The death of Albanact The ryuer of Humbar wherof it tooke that name How Loâ—yn was 〈…〉 e in betrayle by hys wyâ—e Gwendolyne The ryuer of Seuerne wherofit tooke the name Guendolena MaddaÌ„ kyng of Britain that is EnglaÌ„d Scotlande Howe the one 〈…〉 to be kynge MeÌ„pryse kyng of Britaine The wretched end of Mempryse Ebranke reygned â–ª lx yeres The Castell of DuÌ„brytayne in ScotlaÌ„d The castel of Ediburgh The castell of Bamburgh That is yorke Brutus greneshilde reigned xii yeres Leyle kyng of Britain reygned .xxv. yeres The cytee of Carleile by whoÌ„ it was buylded Rudhudebras kynge reygned xxxix yeres Bladud reigned .xx. yeres StaÌ„forde A manne decked in fethers Leyr kyng Cordell quene of Fraunce Morgan CoÌ„dage is that which we nowe call Walis Condage
towne and citee The .lxxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Ethelbert kyng of Saxons Hils Ethelberte was reignyng kyng of Kēt W Sainct Austin sēt by Gregory of R. bisshop Landed in Tenet with clerkes of his assēt And many monkes to teache the faith I hope That clothed were echeone vnder ablacke cope Whiche in procession with crosse and belles came The latinies syngyng in Iesus his name ¶ In the yere of Christ his incarnacion Fiue hundreth foure score and sixtene Kyng Ethelbert had in his dominacion All Kent throughout with greate ioy as was seen Were baptized then in holy water clene To whome Gregory sent Mellito and Iusto With other clerkes and doctours many mo ¶ Gregory hym made archebishop of Caūterbury Of all Englande hiest then primate And had the paule with hyest legacye By Gregorye sent to hym and ordinate Fro London then thus was that tyme translate To Caunterbury the sea Metropolitan And London sette as for his suffrigan ¶ Saynt Augustyne then with helpe of Ethelbert Saynt Augustyns made Christes churche also That Christes churche hight as it was aduerte And sacred so by hym and halowed tho For the chiefe sea Metropolitan so Of all Englande by Gregory ordinate And saynt Augustyne of all Englande primate ¶ Then Augustyne made Peter a clerke deuoute Of saynt Augustynes thabbot religious And made Mellito as Bede clerly hath note Of London then byshoppe full vertuous A clarke that was then beneuolus Who then conuerted of Essex the kyng Sebert And all his lande baptized with holy herte ¶ Kyng Ethelbert sainct Poules edefied And kyng Sebert Westminster founded Mellito theim both halowed and edefied Austyn then made clerke full wel grounded Iust o that hight of Rochester full well bounded The bishop then to preache and helpe Austyn And to baptise the folke by his doctrine ¶ Saint Austyn set ful nere to Walis his seant That prelates all bishops and doctours wise Of Brytons bloodde thither might well atteine To make all rest and loue in humble wise Through all that churche and lande by good auice To whiche sean came tharchbishop of Brytain And bishops fiue with doctours wise certain ¶ In whiche Austyn syttyng as president Archbishop and also the high primate Required and prayed with all his whole entent As he that was of England high prelate By Gregory sacred and ordinate Of fraterne loue and due obedience To helpe hym furth with all their diligence ¶ To conuerte and to teache the Saxons all The Englishe also in Christen feith and trewe And baptize theim through Brytain ouer all The pasche to kepe as Roome did then full dewe To whiche Brytons aunswered that they not knewe That he had suche estate in all Britayn For they had three archebyshops to obeyn ¶ Of Cairlyon London and Yorke citee By byshops of Rome graūted to vs ordinate Full long afore ye had suche dignitee Wherfore we will obeye no newe primate And specially none Englyshe newe prelate For Englyshemen and Saxons haue vs noyed And haue our lande and all our kyn destroyed ¶ And Pasche we wyll holde forth as we afore And holy fathers vnto this daye haue vsed We wyll not chaunge for youre doctrine ne lore There shall no newe emong vs been abused As saynt Iohn did we haue it not refused That on Christes bozome saw his great priuetees So will we vse and none other solempnitees ¶ S. Austyne saied sith ye nowe thus forsake The seed of God to sowe by your doctryne The Christen fayth for to encrease and make By ryghtfull dome of God ye muste enclyne Vnder theyr handes that fro the fayth declyne The cruel death to suffer for hie vengeaunce Sith ye refuse Christes wyll and ordinaunce ¶ This tyme eche kyng warred on others lande Of seuen kynges of Saxones nacion And of Englyshe with Peightes I vnderstand And Britons also did great aduersacion But Ethelfryde of Englyshe gouernacion Of Northumberlande kyng and Panyme cruell Fought with Aydan the kyng of Scottes fell The .lxxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kynge Ethelfryde of Northumberlande had seruyce of Aydan kyng of Scottes the yere of Christ .vi. hundreth and three after saynt Bede AT Degfastan wher Ethelfryde preuayled And sette Aydan in his subiection To Bedes dayes the Scottes nomore assayled Englande but aye obeyed his ediccion And was his man without contradiccion And held of hym his lande as was accorde By many yeres thens forth nomore discorde ¶ This battayl was of Christes incarnacion Syxe hundreth yere three as sayth saynt Bede And of his reygne by Bedes computacion The eleuenth yere it was then as I rede That twenty yere and .iiii. reygned there in dede In all his tyme to whom the Peightes obeyed And Iryshe also and nomore hym disobeyed ¶ In that same yere of Christes incarnacion The Britons all did sette theyr parliamente At Cairlion by good informacion Cairlegeocestre hight as some men ment That Westchester is become of entente Where they did chose Cadwan vnto there kyng Theim to defende fro theyr fooes warryng The .xc. Chapiter ¶ Cadwan kynge of Britayne that firste was prince of Northwales This Cadwan was crowned in the yere of Christ syxe hundreth and thre and after Bede by xiii yere reigned ouer the Britons in the west parties of all Wales and Cornwayll THis kyng Cadwan at wynchester crownd Was made the kyng of Britayne Brytōs Agayn whom kyng Ethelfrede that stound Warred full sore all the regions Where Brytons were so did he all religions Who westchester sieged with violence Wher Brochewall therle made greate defence ¶ But there he slewe Brochewall in batayll And gatte the towne of westchester in that tyde Where .xii. C. monkes without fayle He slewe downe right a lytle there besyde That came to praye for peace without pride Fro Banger there in hole procession That marters wer there by his oppression ¶ Whō kyng Cadwan with mighty hoste strōge Met in felde full ready for to fight But both theyr frendes treated so theim emong That good accorde betwene thē was made righte Duryng theyr lyues well kepte as they hight With all frendshippe great loue and vnytee That both theyr realmes stoode in great dignitee ¶ But Ethelfrides wyfe with chylde farre gone Violently exiled and repudiate And wedded another full wrongfully anone Wherfore she went to recouer his estate To kyng Cadwan full sycke and desolate Whom he receyued with noble reuerence And sory was for her wofull offence ¶ But thē his wife as great was gone with childe For whiche he kept hir in house to abyde To tyme he might hym haue reconsyled Her to receyue and set the other on syde But in the meane tyme they might no lēger abide Both queenes delyuered wer of sonnes two That one Edwyn that other hight Cadwallo ¶ The chylder two together noryshed were In tender age to tyme that they were men At whiche tyme there rose full cruell warre Betwene Redwald kyng of Estangle then And Ethelfride that fought as folke
full fine That chaunged then mayden castell name To Edenbrough a towne of greate fame The C .j. Chapiter ¶ Cuthred kyng of Westsex protectonr of England and reigned sixtene yere CVthred was kyng crouned of al Westser And protectour of all Englāde that daye His kynges vnder hym that then wer full sixe Did hym homage anone withouten delaye Saue Ethelbald of Mers that saied hym naye For whiche he warred on hym then full sore That bothe their landes troubled were therfore ¶ Full oft thei mette faught with great power Some that one some tyme that other had Victorie in felde with strokes bought full dere But when that kyng Ethelbald was moste glad This kyng Cuthred that was nothyng a drad At Berford with hym mette in strong battaill And slewe hym then as Bede maketh rehersall ¶ Which Ethelbald in Mers one fourtye yere Had reigned hole and diuerse abbeys founded In Mers lande at Crouland one full clere Of Monkes blacke within the fennes groūded To whiche Turketyll his chaunceler founded Gaue sixe maniers to theyr foundacion And abbot there was made by installacion ¶ This Battayl was of Christes natiuitee Seuen hundreth and fyue and fyftye yere Wher Ethelbalde of Mers the kyng did dye To whom Borrede there was the kyng full clere But this Cuthrede of Westsex layed on here Was in the yere of Christes birth to weten Seuen hundreth hole and syxe and fyfty written ¶ To whome Segbert in all regalites His cousyn next of bloode by all recorde Was kyng crowned and had the dignitee But full he was of malice and discorde That with his kynges could no tyme wel accorde Wherfore they would no lenger of hym holde But droaue hym out of all his lande full bolde ¶ For lawe ne peace he did not well conserue But chaunged lawe euer after his deuise From good to euell eche other to ouerterue To spoyle and robbe his commons to supprise Thus in the lande he made full great partyes Wherfore the kynges and lordes did hym expell That but one yere he dyd in it excell ¶ And afterwarde exiled as he hym hyd Within a wood a swynherd made his ende Then with his staffe he slewe hym so betyd For all his hye estate thus was he spend A prouerbe is of olde was wysemen kend That wronge lawes make euer shorte lordes Whiche wysemen yet remembre and recordes The C .ii. Chapiter ¶ Kynulphe kyng of Westsex protectoure of Englande the whiche reigned .xxvi. yere KYnulphe succeded had the gouernaunce Of Westsex then with all to it appente Protectour was by all thordinaunce Of kynges all and the lordes assent As his elders afore had regimente The yere of Christ .vii. hundreth fyfty and seuen As Bede hath written and accompted full euen ¶ Of all the kynges and lordes of Englande He tooke feautee and royall hole homage As souerayn lorde honoured in all the lande And mightly mayntened his heritage His kynges all and all his baronage The peace and lawe he kepte by diligence Was none that would displease his excellence ¶ He reigned hole in all kyndes suffisaunce Sixe and twentye yere fully accoumpted In greate honoure and myghty great puysaunce Was none hym like nor none hym surmounted But death alone to his corps amounted Dryuyng his soule out fro the worldly nest To heauens blisse eternally there to rest ¶ At wynchester he was full fayre buryed The yere .vii. hundreth foure score and also thre Emong the people highly magnifyed As to suche a prince longeth of royaltee Right well beloued of his lordes and cōmontee In whose tyme Offa of Mers kyng Vnto the B. of Roome sent his letters prayeng ¶ To depriue Lambert of Cauntorbury Of primacy and also of the palle Whiche the byshop Adrian anone hastely Graunted hym then by bulles written papall Lambert depriuyng of his sea primall By whiche Aldulphe byshop then of Lychfelde Hye primate was and thestate there helde ¶ The pall he had and all the dignitee Lambert depryued without any delay Of primacie and of all souerayntee Of all the churche of Englande hole that day From Humber south to Aldulphe did obeye And Lychfeld then for metropolitan sea Was set aboue and had the dignitee ¶ But Egfryde then the sonne of Offa kyng Of Mers the pall and all the primacie Did well restore to Christes hye pleasyng To Award then byshop of Caunterburye Wher it abode euer after worthyly Vnto this daye with all the dignitee As of olde right it should haue souerayntee ¶ This tyme Kynot of Pyghtes was the kyng Fro forth to Carleile and from the Scottishe sea To Tyne that tyme his lordshyp was dwellyng The whiche he helde by homage and feautee Of the kyng then of Northumberlande in fee And was his man also in warre and peace As his elders had doen without leace ¶ In whose dayes tharchbyshop Egbert Of Yorke brother was as I can vnderstande To the kyng of Northumberlande Edbert The primacye and pall brought to Yorkes lande By the B. of Rome graunted without gaynstand Whiche from the death of the good kyng Edwyn Had ceased long from the tyme of saynt Paulyn ¶ About this tyme as well is expressed Vnguste the kyng of Pyghtes rode in Englande On warre wher then he was full sore distressed By the manly kyng of Northumberlande Where he auoiwed yf he came to his lande A churche to make of full great dignitee In worship of saynt Andrewe should it bee ¶ And at his home commyng one Regalo Fro Constantyne by reuelacion Brought certayn bones of saynt Andrewe tho To kyng Vngust where by his relacion He founded then a mynster of his fundacion Of saynt Andrewe wher his bones shryned been As there in dede I was and haue it seen The C .iii. Chapiter ¶ Brightryke kyng of Westsex protectour of Englande reigned .xvi. yere that began to reigne in the yere of our Lorde vii hundreth .iiii. score and three and died in the yere .vii. C. foure score and nynetene BRightrike cousyn that was nexte of bloode To kyng Kenulphe by hole intelligence Of Westsex was kyng full wise good And protectour of Englande in regence Whiche gouerned right well with great sapience The yere of Christ .vii. hundreth .iiii. score three When that he tooke on hym the dignitee ¶ He wedded Edburge kyng Offa his doughter fayre Of Mers for loue peace good accorde Betwene theyr landes with all theyr hole repayre The kyng Albert also of good accorde Only of purpose to make concorde Of Eastlande came to Offa for peace Betwene theyr lande the warres for to ceasse ¶ And his doughter to wed vnto his wyfe For more suertee of loue and good accorde Whom quene Eburge of Mers because of strife Afore had be betwene hym and hir lorde And for she would not vnto the mariage accorde Made hym to bee slayn in full priue wise Within his bed afore that he myght ryse ¶ For whiche Offa greatly was agreued And buried hym at
Without mercy cracked vpon the croune The kyng came home with honour and victorye As Flores saieth right in his memorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fourty and one The Danes watched thest sea cost throughout With diuers hostes for which that king made great mone All helples thē the Danes that were so stout In many places with many dyuerse rout All harmles went without hurt or pain By dyuers tyme that yere home again ¶ In the yere eyght hundred foure and fourtye At Carham then the kyng full sore did fight With Danes fell and had the victorye And at Alnewik he faught again furth right With Danes also wher kyng Redwolf that hight Of Northumberlāde and erle Alffride was slain And full greate parte of their hoost certain ¶ Kyng Athilwolf came to the South contree Wher Danes then in battaile with hym faught In Somersetshire wher he made many dye And gate the feld and sleugh all that he caught Wher great people that daye the death hath raught Tharchbishop with his full wise clergie Bysyde Sandwiche of Danes had victorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and one The Danishe hoost in Thamis did arriue Kent and Southray Sussex and Hāshire anone Distroyed sore and throughe that South gan dryue Wher muche folke thei sleugh bothe māne wife Whiche host the kyng with battaile slewe doune sore That home again retourned thei no more ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The kyng Edmond of Estangle began To reigne after Albert of greate beautee That holy was as his legend tell can But Athilwolf the kyng buryed then The kyng of Mers that had his doughter wed All Wales wan theim thought thei had well sped ¶ This Athilwolf to Roome toke his waye In pilgremage with hym his soonne Alurede Cardinall was of Wynchester that daye Wher then he had the bishoprike in deede A perfecte clerke he was as saieth sainct Bede A philosophier wise and well approued And by the bishop of Rome cōmēdid well loued ¶ And there thei were abydyng ful twoo yere And home thei came vnto the kyng of Fraunce And his doughter Indith ther weddid clere By assent of hym and all his hole puysaunce And so with worship and noble gouernaunce Fro thens he came sone into England With hir and with his soonne as I vnderstand ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The death his soule gan frome his body dryue Vnto the blisse eternall there to bee In heuen aboue wher is euerlastyng life To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Roome pence then of all Englande As Flores saieth as I can vnderstande ¶ He was then buryed at Winchester in royall wise As to suche a prince of reason should affere And with his wife as did full well suffice Foure soonnes he had worthy without pere Sir Athilwold Ethelbert Elfride the dere And Alrude the youngest of echone Afore theim all one bast had Athelston ¶ Athelbold was kyng after hym and heire And protector with all the prerogatif His stepdame wed menne saied it was not faire The churche him gan punishe and chastiue For cause he wed hir so vnto his wife Again the lawe and christen conciense Vnaccordant with his magnificence ¶ That reigned whole twoo yere and no more In greate sikenes and pain inmorderate Greately vexed and punisshed was right sore Menne saied it was for sinne inordinate With his stepdame that was so consociate But then he had as God would repentaunce For his trespas and misgouernaunce ¶ Afore he dyed he did full sore repent And for his synne stode to correccion Of holy churche for his amendement Submitted whole without obieccion And for to liue in clene perfeccion Departed were by lawe and deuorced Afore his soule was passed and vncorced The C .vi. Chapiter ¶ Ethelbert kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned fiue yere SIr Ethelbert his brother gan succede In whose dayes the Danes destroied sore The east parties of England then in deed And home againe they went harmeles therfore Destroyed the people and the lande right sore But sone ther after kyng Ethelbert them mette And sleugh theim downe in bataile sore and bet ¶ An other hoost then newe spoyled all Kent And by treaty wyntred within the Isle Of Tenet then by Kentishe mennes assent But at last thei with a subtell wyle Despoyled all Kent and falsely did beguyle And to their shipis went without delaye Into Denmarke with muche riche araye ¶ This Ethelbert reigned whole fiue yere And dyed the yere of verey Christ his date Eyght hundred whole and therto sixty clere As Flores saieth and hath it approbate But with sykenesse he was so alterate He dyed then and at Shirborne buryed With greate worship and honour laudified The C .vii. Chapiter ¶ Elfride kyng of Westsex protector of Englande reigned sixe yere and dyed in the yere of Christ eyght hundred lxvi ELfride was kyng after his brother then That reigned so with all the dignitee In Westsex whole and mightely began Protector was as was necessitee For Danes then of greate iniquite His lande foule brent wasted and destroyed That all Englande was combred and anoyed ¶ In the east cost of Englande specially In Estangle wher Edmond then was kyng Ther did greate hurte full cruelly In Northumberlande full felly warryng The people destroiyng and the lande brennyng Wher Danes then sleugh the kyng of that lande Byside Yorke so as Flores dooeth vnderstande ¶ Also thei sleugh in Northfolke all about The people doune and in Suffolke also The kyng Edmond thei sleugh without doubt Of Estangland with arowes sharpe tho Was shot to death with muche other woo That is a sainct honored this daye in blisse At Edmondes bury canonyzed I wisse ¶ Hungar and Vbba sleugh hyw full cruelly And brent abbeis throut all England that tyme By North and South and prestes full cursedly All holy folke fled out of that realme Thei sleugh all people that had take bapteme At Colyngham sainct Ebbe that was abbesse Their nonnes putte from theim in sore distresse ¶ For dred of the tyrauntes twoo full cruell And their people cursed and full of malice That rauished nōnes euer wher their herd tell In hir chaptre ordeined again their enemies Should not deffoule their clene virginitees She cut hir nose of and hir ouer lippe To make hir lothe that she might from hym slipe ¶ And counseled all hir susters to dooe the same To make their fooes to hoge so with the sight And so thei did afore thenimies came Echon their nose and ouer lipe full right Cut of anone whiche was an hogly sight For whiche tho fooes thabbey and nonnes brent For thei theim self disfigured had shent ¶ Frō Twede to Thamys abbais then thei brēt And churches hole and people sleugh right doune Wiues maydens widdowes and nonnes shent Through all the lande and the est region People sleyng in euery borough and towne The women euer thei diuiciate In
Whiche that land couth there gouerne mikel better And seruyce dyd to Logres ofte by letter ¶ Also the same Iohn Baylioll I made Kyng of Scotlande as lawe and reason wolde Who made homage to me with hert full glad And afterwarde was false manyfolde He stroyed my lande with hostes stoute and bolde Wherfore I made hym warre tyll he were fayne To my presence to come and hym obeyne ¶ Where then for trespasse and rebellyon He surrendred to me and to my heyres The realme of Scotlande also the crowne The lordes of all Scotlande for them theyrs Made me homage for theyr proper landes By theyr letter wryten and theyr bandes ¶ Wherfore then hauyng therof possessyon The pryde of my subiectes and insolence Where I dyd fynde theyr false rebellyon As ryght and lawe wolde be my regence I chastysed ay at myne intellygence Wherfore please it to youre fatherhede Myne aunciente rightes to haue coÌ„mend in dede The C .lxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes wrote to the byshop of Rome for the same cause THe date was of this letter a. M. yere Thre hundreth also one the. viii daye of Mayr And of his reygne .xxix. clere With that the lordes in Englande were that daye By theyr letter and the byshop dyd praye The kynges ryght not to put in questyon Of eldest tyme longyng to his crowne ¶ For in theyr letter the bishop they did remeÌ„ber They wolde not suffer his disherityson His crowne so foule to hurte and dismembre His royalty to put in questyon For desyre of his rebels false suggestyon The whiche ryghtes for death or lyfe mayntaine They wer so bound they could none other meane ¶ So seased the byshop and the mater lette And kyng Edwarde then in to Scotlande went Through all Catnesse destroyed it in greate hete The monthes hye oute ysles strayte he shent Tyll they obeyed all hole his regiment And wyntred then at Dunfermlin abbey Where saint Margarete is worshpped euer ay The C .lxvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the batayle of Argyle where Vmfreuyle tooke Wyllyam Waleys and Iohn Waleys ANd then therle of Angos Robert Vmfreuile That regeÌ„t was of ScotlaÌ„d coÌ„stitute Toke william Wales then at Argyle His brother Iohn also without resute With rebelles mo that were all destytute By batell sore there smyten full cruelly Where Vmfreuile then had the victorye ¶ And to London them brought to iudgement Where they were draweÌ„ hanged on galowe tre And quartred then their quarters home were seÌ„t At certayne townes hanged vp there to be Theyr traytourhede and falshede for to se Theyr heddes also full hye vpon the towre At London brydge were set to great terroure The C .lxvii. Chapiter ¶ How Peirs of Gauerstone erle of Cornwaile was exyled ANd in the yere a thousand .iii. C. and fyue He exyled out Peyrs Gauerston of Cornewayle That Earle was then for treason knowen ryue And in the yere after without any fayle Earle Robert Bruis of Carrike ganne assayle Earle Iohn Comen of Bongham at Dunfryse And slewe hym there in feueryere wheÌ„ it did fryse ¶ Bycause he wolde not to hym there assent To be crowned then kynge of Scotlande And forthe he fled to se who wolde consent And many one drewe to hym in that lande Became his men and made syker bonde To whome Walter Wareyne the yonger sonne Of therle of Surrey that then dyd wonne ¶ With the lorde Vesty that had his syster wed That fro her went vnto this Robert Bruys Eyther of other were fayne for they were fled Out of Englande their liuyng had such Guris For their ryotous lyuyng and male auentures Thus went they aboute harkening euery where Who were foes and who their frendes were ¶ All Scotland through this Robert weÌ„t about On fote to spye who wolde with hym holde And who wolde not he warred them all oute And kylled them downe in places manifolde And muche harme dyd in chronycle as is tolde And with hym was alwaye Walter Wareyne That with hym went through mountaynes woode and playne ¶ On nightes they lay in woodes in mouÌ„taine At morowe on theyr foes came downe and kyll On day they were thousaÌ„des at euen but twayne There knews no moo at eueÌ„ where they drewe tyl So were they euer at nyght of lodgyng wyll For drede of guyle and of greate traytourye They lodged them on nyghtes full priuely ¶ But on the feaste of the Annuncyacion Of our lady saynt Mary the virgyne Robert Bruys with greate supportacyon Was crowned at Skone as he coulde ymagyne To whom great folke with good wyl did enclyne Full glad of his welfare his coronacyon With greate hoste came to Perch with prosperacion The C .lxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Robert Vmfreuile Earle of Angeou and syr Aymer Valence Earle of PeÌ„broke discomfyted kyng Robert Bruys besyde saynte Iohns towne and put hym vnto the flyghte ON the morowe sir Robert erle Vmfreuile Of Angeous then that regent was by north The Scottes sea and Aymer Valence that while Erle of PeÌ„broke by south the water of Forth Wardayne was of Scotlande forsoth That daye faught with kyng Robert Bruis Beside Iohnstoune where he fled wtout rescowes ¶ Vnto the Kentir many Scottes there slaine Where then they toke the wyfe of kyng Robert And his brother Nygell the sothe to sayne And the earle of Athels myght not a sterte And sent them to the kyng with full glad hert Whome the kyng kepte after theyr estate At London well together consoâ—yate ¶ Henry Percy toke the brethren two Of kyng Robert Alexaunder Thomas that hight To the Iustes them sent that hanged were tho His other brother at London hanged ryght Kyng Roberte then sieged the Percy full wyght But Vmfreuyle hym anon rescowed And the syege from hym anone remoued ¶ Kyng Robert Bruys faught with Aimer ValeÌ„ce Earle of Penbroke and put hym to the flyght At Methfen so and slewe with violence All Englyshemen in batell there downe ryght Th erle of Gloucester Gylbert Clare that hight Thre dayes after he syeged hym in Are But kyng Edward therle then rescowed thare ¶ The king Edwarde with hoost hym sought full sore But ay he fled into woodes strayte forest And slewe his men at straytes daungers thore And at marreys and mires was ay full prest Englyshmen to kyll without any rest In the mountaynes cragges he slewe ay where And in the nyght his foes he frayde full sere The king Edward with hornes houÌ„des him soght With meÌ„ne on fote through marris mosse myre Through wodes also mouÌ„teÌ„s wher thei fought And euer that kyng Edward hight men greate hyre Hym for to take and by might conquere But thei might hym not gette by force ne by train He satte by the fyre when thei in the rain ¶ The kyng Edward for anger fell in accesse And homeward came full sycke and sore annoyed And bade his soonne he should for no distresse No trewce take with Scottes that sore
bowes bent Thei were with hym aye redy at his entent The C .xciii. Chapiter ¶ Howe in the tyme of kyng Rychard reigned ouer passyng pryde aduoutree and lechery as well in menne of the spiritualtie as in other of his hous TRuly I herd Robert Ireleffe saye Clerke of the grenecloth that to the houshold Came euery daye for moost partie alwaye Ten thousand folke by his messis tould That folowed the hous aye as thei would And in the kechin three hundred seruitours And in eche office many occupiours ¶ And ladies faire with their gentilwomen Chamberers also and lauenders Three hundred of theim were occupied then Ther was greate pride emong thâ—rfficers And of all menne farpassyng their compeers Of riche araye and muche more costious Then was before or sith and more precious ¶ Yemenne and gromes in cloth of silke arayed Sattyn and damaske in dublettes and gounes In cloth of grene and scarlet for vnpayed Cut werke was greate both in court and tounes Bothe in meÌ„nes hoddis and also in their gounes Broudur and furres goldsmith werke aye newe In many awise eche daye thei did renewe ¶ In his chapell were bishoppes then of Beame Some of Ireland and some also of Fraunce Some of England and clerkes of many a realme That litill connyng had or conisaunce In musike honorably God his seruice to auaunce In the chapell or in holy scripture On mater of Goddis to refigure ¶ Lewed menne thei were in clerkes clothyng Disguysed faire in fourme of clerkes wise Their peryshyns full litill enfourmyng In lawe deuine orels in God his seruise But right practyfe thei were in couetyse Eche yere to make full greate colleccion At home in stede of soules correccion ¶ Greate lechery and fornicacion Was in that house and also greate aduoutree Of paramoures was greate consolacion Of eche degre well more of prelacie Then of the temporall or of the chiualrie Greate taxe ay the kyng tooke through all the laÌ„d For whiche commons hym hated bothe free boÌ„d The C .xciiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the duke of Herford and the duke of Northfolke wer exiled out of England ANd in the yere M. and thre hundred clere Foure score and therwithall eightene And of his reigne the twenty twoo yere The duke Henry of Herford as was seen At Couentree in barres armed clene Again the duke of Northforke for treson Whiche bothe the kyng exiled fro his region ¶ The duke Henry exiled was for ten yere The other was also for terme of life That died duke at Venys leide on bere But duke Henry exiled was beliue Like as the chronicle can openly discriue For ten yere whole for to abide in Fraunce And to auoyde the realme without variaunce ¶ Vpon the pain of decollacion And hiyng sone before sainct Edwardes daye In Octobre called the translacion Vpon whiche daye he shipid fourth his waye At Calice londed and so rode on alwaye Vnto Paris wher he was faire recepte With lordes many and worshipfully was mette ¶ In lenton next duke Iohn his father dyed Of Lancaster of weakenes and of age Entombed faire at sainct Poules buryed His heire in fraunce should haue his heritage In Maye then next the kyng with baronage To Ireland went with hoste and greate power The wild Irishe to wynne and to conquere ¶ For then Roger therle of Marche was slain With wild Irishe in bushment for hym laye His soonnes then full young were bothe twein In ward were take vnto the kyng that daye And then the kyng made full fell araye In euery shire blanke charters to bee sealid For cause his actes should not bee repeiled In the yere of Christ a. M. was then clere Three C. also foure score and eke ninetene And of his reigne the twoo twenty yere Begynnyng at Midsomer then as I meane Whiche afterward turned hym to mikell tene He was then landed in Ireland with his hoste Of chiualrie and power with the moste The C .xcv. Chapiter ¶ Howe duke Henry of Herford and of Leicestre landed in Holdernesse in the same yere and Thomas Arundell archebishop of Cantorbury that before was exiled and howe duke Henry swore to therle of NorthuÌ„berland and to sir Henry Percy wardeyns of the Marches and to therle of Westmerland and to other lordes of that North. AT whiche tyme so that duke Henry toke land At ReueÌ„sporn i Yorkeshire as was knowe Tharchbishop Thomas I vnderstand Of Cauntorbury Arondell that was lowe Bothe of ryches and gold as menne sawe For the kyng had hym out of the land exiled Fro Cauntorbury neuer more to bee reconsiled ¶ In Holdernesse he landed with fourty menne Wher the lordes of Lyncolneshire hym mette Bothe Wyloughby Roos and Darcy then And BeaumouÌ„t also with Penouns proudly bette By ordinaunce of Henry Percy sette Erle of Northumberland and sir Henry His soonne wardeyns of the Marche seuerally ¶ To Dancaster he rode full manfully Wher bothe the wardeyns of the Marche mette Then with the duke with hostes great chiualry Th erle also of Westmerland was sette With his power as then it was his debt For he had wed the dukes suster dere A full good lady without any were ¶ Ther swore the duke vpon the sacrament To claime no more but his mothers heritage His fathers landes and his wife 's in good entent And to laye downe bothe taxe and tallage Whiles he might liue but of the baronage And all the states somouned in parlyament Thought it nedefull and therto whole assent ¶ He swore also the kyng in gouernaunce To be put by good and hole prouision And Chesshyre men for theyr misgouernaunce To voyde out of his house of eiuill condicion And officers of good disposicion To rule his house like his estate royall Thus was his othe there made in speciall ¶ Then rode they forth to Bristowe were theÌ„ lay Scrop and Busshe and also syr Henry Grene And headed theim but Baget fled away And then the kyng at Flynt as was sene Great monstres made of people that was kene Whiche toke his wage and came to duke Henry And rode ay forth with hym full redely ¶ In this meane whyle therle of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„de Treated with the kyng that tyme in Conwaye To mete with duke Henry then in Englande And brought hym then to hym in meke araye With litell speche to Chester then the waye They rode anone and put hym there in warde And so to London from thens came southwarde The C .xcvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe duke Henry of Lancaster was made kyng by resignacion renunciacion and deposayle and election of the parliamente and crouned at Westmynster on saynte Edwardes daye in Octobre ANd set hym in the toure where he resigned His right his realme his royall croune To duke HeÌ„ry which no maÌ„ theÌ„ repugned And there he made a playn renunciacion Of all his righte for whiche by prouision The parliament then for his misgouernaunce Deposed hym so then by greate ordinaunce ¶ Then went they to a free election
with greate disoayne And slewe them downe in batayle with great payne For whiche therle Edryk sent to kyng Knowte To Englande to come with hoost great and stout ¶ This ylke kyng knowte that sonne was to kyng Swain To England cam with host great power Whome Ethylrede then met and faught agayne In batayle stronge droue him home full clere With whome Edryk then fled as dyd apere Into Denmarke as a false traytoure vntrewe Purposyng so to come agayne all newe But kyng Ethelred in the meane tyme then dyed The yere of Chryste a thousande and thyrtene And reygned had as Colman notifyed Thyrtie and eyght in warre and intene Euer ne we and newe vexed as was sene His owne lande fled for drede of en myte Without socoure fro it he was fayne to flee ¶ Thus was he chastysed for his mothers gylt Accordyng well to holy trewe scrypture For cause that she his brother had slain spylt And lyke the wordes of saynt Dunstane full sure That sayde it was a punishyng full pure Oute of the realme to be dryuen and expelled In whiche by syn he had so hye excelled The C .xvii. Chapiter EDmond Ironeside goteÌ„ generate Of his first wife a dukes doughter of EnglaÌ„d After Ethelrede his father was ê“rogate Vnto the crowne of all this royall lande Men called hym so as I can vnderstande Where euer he rode armed was he ay Oppressours all to chastyce in his waye ¶ Kno wt of Denmarke assayled ofte this lande So in this tyme that euer he armed went To vse the feate of armes I vnderstande As to knyghthode full well it dyd appent Thus Colman sayth and Flores that he ment But syxe batayles agayne kyng Kno wt he smote With victorye as Flores hath it note ¶ But then to voyde the greate effusyon Of chrysten bloude they two together accorde To fyght them selfe for full conclusyon Within an yke of Seuerne by concorde Withouten warre or any more discorde And who so then myghte get the victorye Reioyse the realme and all the monarchye ¶ And at theyr daye and place so assygned They armed met with strokes knyghly set With speare and swerd eyther other so repugned With axe and dagger eyther on other bette Eyther of them tryste the ouerhande to gette But at laste kyng Kno wt to hym alayde These wordes there and thus to hym he sayde ¶ Wolde god Edmonde thou were so couetouse As I am nowe and as myne herte now wolde And in this case as glad and desyrous We shulde not longe this batayle thus holde And to our men great gladnesse manifolde Yf thou the halfe of Denmarke had with me And I the halfe of Englande had with the. With whiche they both the wepons fro theÌ„ caste And eyther other in armes gan them embrace That both theyr hostes amarueled were ful faste What it dyd meane to ceasse in so lytell space But when they knewe betwne them the case They kneled all and Chryste they laudifyed With herte deuoute the eche of them so victoryed ¶ Their realmes both they parted then in two By hole accorde betwene them so concorded And loued euer as brethren after so As chronycles haue well hole recorded Fro that tyme forth no more then they discorded This ysle where they faught hyght Clyues Of coÌ„mon langage as then it dyd them please ¶ But Edryk of Lyncolne euer vntrewe Reconsyled home by Edmonde was agayne By subtyll meane this good king Edmond slewe In pryde wyse without wounde or mayne But in what fourme I can not wryte nor sayne When he had reygned that tyme fully .iii. yere Buryed he was but where no man durste spere ¶ But in the yere of Chryste a thousande so He dyed awaye accompte and syxtene Vnknowen to his people and Lordes tho For whom they made great dole as theÌ„ was seen But neuerthelesse it myght no better bene This false Edryk so falsely it couered That openly it was not then discouered The C .xviii. Chapiter KYng Kno wt reigned in EnglaÌ„d theÌ„ anon And wedded had quene Eme of England Ethelrede wife which gate him loue anon In Englande of all the estates of the londe Of coÌ„mons also that were both fre and bonde On her he gate a sonne that harde Kno wt hight On his fyrste wyfe had Swayne Herold ryght ¶ He sent Edmonde and Edwarde that sonnes two Of EdmoÌ„d Ironeside to Swithen to kiÌ„g Kno wt To slee or lowse to kepe in pouerte so That they should neuer haue power in nor oute To claime England neyther with hoost ne route Whome he sent forth then into Hungry To the emperoure with letters worthely ¶ Besechyng hym to noryshe them and saue Declaryng hym whose sonnes that they were The whiche he dyd full worthy and gaue Vnto Edmonde his owne doughter dere Whiche Edmonde then dyed and she in fere Without chylde wherfore Agas his coosyn Doughter of Herry he gaue to Edwarde fyne ¶ Of whiche Edwarde called Edwarde thexylâ— Came Edgare then called Edgar Athelyng But Kno wt it let hym self then crounyng That to London to hold his Christmas With his houshold went then with greate solas ¶ Wher erle Edrik to kyng Kno wt hym coÌ„fessed That he had slain kyng Edmond Ironeside His owne leege lorde with cruell death impressed To gette his loue and with hym dwell and bide For vnlikely it was to goo or ride Twoo kynges together in Englande He saied was not accordyng in the land ¶ The kyng his woordes well herd and coÌ„ceiued And howe he asked a reward for his mede There made hym tell howe he his lorde disceiued Afore the lordes as he had dooen in deed The whiche boldely he did without dreed Hauyng no shame to aske a greate reward For whiche the kyng lordes gaue whole award ¶ To hang hym on the toure duryng his liue To he were dedde that all folke might hym se And his treson there openly to shriue And after that to hang there till he dye For whom then was emong the commons truily A greate biworde as many one that woundre roÌ„ne As did on therle Edryke of Strettoun ¶ The kyng went to Norway and it conquered And droue the kyng O 〈…〉 f out of that land And held it so by conquest of his swerd Full worthily he gouerned euery land To peace and lawe he kept theim as he faund And in his domes was rightwyse and stable And to the poore alway merciable ¶ Kyng Malcom of Scotland theÌ„ did homage To hym and furth became for euer his manne So did the kynges of Wales of hye parage And all the North West Occian For their kyngdonies and for their landes than And in his tyme moste he was redoubted Of all princes and in all londes loaued ¶ To Roome he rode in royall goodly wyse And there was with the bishop greately commed As Christen prince by papall whole aduise The cardynalles foure whiche the bishop had sed At Malburgate foure mile fro Roome extende With
greate meyne hym mette greate honour As if he had been of Roome themperour ¶ At his commyng again into England He gaue Norway vnto his soonne sir Swayne And to Herold his soonne as I vnderstand England he gaue of whiche he was full fain And to Harknowt Denmarke he gaue certain And so dyed in Christen whole creaunce At Shaftisbury buryed by his ordynaunce ¶ The yere of Christ a thousand so was than And thirty foure also truly written When he had reigned fro the tyme that he began Eightene yere whole as well it was wrytten With the darte of death whē that he was smitten In whose dayes the land was inquiet Full of riches and of welfare whole replete The C .xviij. Chapiter ¶ Herold kyng of England the soonne of kyng Kno wt reigned fiue yere and dyed in the yere a thousand and .xxxix. HErolde his soonne was crouned then in deede By Loofrike that duke of Leiscestre By Londoners in Flores as I reede By Danyshyr also as saieth the letter That strong werre then and of power greater Then other lordes of Englishe nacion At London made was this coronacion ¶ Alurede the soonne of kyng Ethelrede With fifty sailes landed at Southampton Wher kynge Herold with hoste hym met in deede Redy to fight with hym for the croune But certain lordes of Englondes region Betwene theim treated that Alurede went again To Normandy to duke Robert full plain ¶ But afterward as Alurede so rode Fro his mother vnto the kyng Herold The duke Goodwyn on Gyldismore hym bode With people greate of nombre manyfold And slewe his menne downe there as he would And led hym furth to Ely and hym slewe As traitour false that euer had bee vntrewe ¶ Some chronicle saieth he putte out bothe his eyen Fro whiche he dyed sone for pain and woo Some other sayin he slette his wombe full keen The lengest gut to a stacke he nayled tho Led hym about the stack ther with muche wo Till all came out that was his wombe within Thus sleugh thei hym with sobteltie and gyn ¶ His mother quene Eme Edward then sent To Normandy to duke Wyllyam anone That hir cousyn was to kepe he were not shent By kyng Herold of his cruelty alone Warnyng hym of the treasō that Herold had dooen For whiche cause Herold hir exild Out of England and Edward also hir child ¶ To Flaundres she fled then full sore amoued To erle Badwyn hir cousyn nie of bloodde Declaryng to hym howe Herold had distroyed Hir soonne Alurede that heyre of England stood And exiled hir without socour or good And Edward also hir soonne heire of England His brother children also awaye in vncouth land ¶ Wherfore therle to kyng Hardknowt then wrote All hir compleynt and of his socour prayed And he should help with all his might God wote It were amendid of that she was affrayed He came anone in warre full well aryed Into Flaundres his mother for to please Hir for to socour and sette hir hert in ease ¶ In whiche meane while the kyng Herold dyed At Westminster and buried was full feire After he had reigned as it is notified Fiue yere reigned without any heire Of his body gotten after hym to repeire England to gouerne wherfore the lordes by assēt To kyng Hardknowte then into Flaundres sente ¶ To bee their kyng sith Herold was a gone To please hym with and his mother to comfort Who came to England furth with anone And crouned was with all the whole disport That lordes conde as Flores dooeth report Thus kyng Hardknowt was kyng of Englande than Who worthily that tyme to reigne tho began ¶ This kyng began his brothers death to venge On erle Gowyn that erle was then of Kent That peased was for he should not reuenge With riche giftes whiche that he on hym spent With meekenesse lowe swore that he was sent To dooe that thyng on pein of high treson By kyng Herold charged without reason ¶ Through good and giftes mighty hie riches And of his kyn that meekely hym obeyed And by acquaintaūce that thei made then expresse Vpon the holy euangelis sworne vndelayed The kyng graūted hym his grace was well payed To make hym of his coūsell of gouernaūce Without more wrath or any discordaunce ¶ He maried then his sister Gunylde to Henry Themperour that falsly was accused Of synne and cryme vsed in auoutry With a young manne the whiche hir excused After the lawe of the land that was there vsed By battaill of his hand that then their flewe His accusour approuyng hym vntrewe ¶ For the whiche she would nomore come in his bed But lyued sole euer after so hir life For good ne gold for aught that he hir beed For loue ne threte for betyng ne for strife With hym dwellyng forthwarde as his wife In all thynges els euer at his gouernaunce Bothe daye and night in womanly pleasaunce ¶ Kyng Hardknowt then his doughter maryed Vnto a duke of the Danishrie At Lambirgh dyed at his feast magnified Emong his lordes and all his prelacie And putte hym whole in God his high mercye And charged theim his brother Edward to croūe To reioyse the land of Englandes region ¶ This was the yere of Christ then inscriued A thousand whole fourty also and one When that he had reigned as was subscribed The twoo yere whole whē he was thus wyse gone For whom was made that tyme full muche mone At Wynchester byside his father buryed With lordes all thither full well accompaignied The C .xix. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Edwarde the confessour kyng of Englād reigned twenty and foure yeres that began the yere of Christ a thousand fourty and one and dyed the yere a thousand sixty and fiue EDward his brother sōne of kīg Ethelrede was crowned then kyng of Englande The yere of Christ a M. then in dede Fourtye one as Flores could vnderstande To whom the kyng Swayn of Denmarke lande The tribute whiche he had fully relesed And warres all betwene theim ceassed ¶ To sende hym then the hole Englyshe nauy Agayn Magnus that kynge was of Norwaye That helde it so by wrong and tirannie Whiche Edwarde sente anone in great araye With lordes knightes and squiers freshe gaye With archers many by whiche he gate his lande Of Norwaye hole and seazed it in his hande ¶ Erle Eustace of Boleyn that had wed Edwardes suster on his mother syde To Edwarde came at Douer sore bested Where then his men a burges slewe that tyde Wherfore therle Goodwyn set full of pryde Asked the kyng to haue delyueraunce Of therls men to byde his ordynaunce ¶ Notwithstandyng that Burges slewe his knight For that same cause wherfore he it denyed But made peace then as he therle had hight Of Boleyne so his brother in lawe alied For whiche therle Goodwyn sore replied And warred sore vpon the kyng eche daye With his sonnes fyue in full great araye ¶ Not cōsideryng that kyng