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A67922 Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.; Actes and monuments Foxe, John, 1516-1587. 1583 (1583) STC 11225; ESTC S122167 3,006,471 816

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In the reigne of this Ethelred the Northumberlanders rebelling against the king thought to recouer again the former state of their kingdome out of the Westsaxons hand by reason of which discord as happeneth in al lāds where dissention is the strength of the Englishe nation was thereby not a litle weakned and the Danes the more thereby preuailed About the latter time of the reigne of this Etheldred which was about the yeare of our Lord. 870. certayne of the foresaide Danes being thus possessed of the north country after their cruel persecution and murther done there as partly is touched before tooke shipping frō thence intending to saile toward the Eastangles who by the way vpon the sea met with a flot of Danes whereof the Captaines or leaders were named Inguar Hubba Who ioyning altogether in one counsel made al one course lastly landed in East England or Northfolke in proces of time came to Thetior● Thereof hearing Edmund then vnder king of that prouince assembled an host that gaue to them battall But Edmund and his company was forced to forsake the field the king with a few persons fled vnto the castle of Framingham whō the Danes pursued But he in short while after yelded himselfe to the persecution of the Danes aunswering in this maner to the messēger that told him in the name of Inguar Prince of the Danes which most victoriously saith he was come with innumerable legions subduing both by sea and land manye nations vnto him so now arriued in those parts requireth him likewise to submit himself yelding to him his hid treasures and such other goods of his auncetors and so to reign vnder him which thing if he would not do he shold said he be iudged vnworthy both of life reigne Edmūd hearing this proud message of the Pagane consulted wyth certayne of his fryends and amongest other with one of his bishops being thē his Secretary who seyng the present daunger of the king gaue him counsell to yeeld to the conditions Upon this the king pausing a little with him self at length rendred this aunswere Bidding the messenger go to tell his Lord in these words That Edmūd a christian king for the loue of temporall life will not submitte himselfe to Pagane Duke vnlesse he before woulde bee a Christian Incontinent vpon the same the wicked crafty Dane approching in most hasty speede vpon the King encountred with him in battell as some say at Thetford where the king being put to the worse pittieng the terrible slaunghter of his men thinking with himselfe rather to submit his owne person to daunger then his people should be slaine did flye as Fabian sayth to the Castle of Framingham or as my author writeth to Halesdō now called S. Edmundesbury where this blessed man being on euery side cōpassed of his cruel enimies yelded himself to their persecution And for that he would not reny or deny Christ and his lawes they therfore most cruelly bound him vnto a tree caused him to be shot to death and lastly caused his head to be smitten from his body cast into the thicke bushes Which head and body at the same time was by his frendes taken vp and solemnely buried at the sayd Halesdon otherwise now named S. Edmunds bury Whose brother named Edwoldus notwithstanding of ryght the kingdome fell next vnto him setting a part the lyking pleasure of the world became an Hermite at the Abbey of Cerum in the Countrey of Dorset After the Martirdome of this blessed Edmund when the cruell Danes had sufficiently robbed and spoyled that country they tooke agayne their shippes and landed in Southrey continued their iourney till they came to the towne of Reading there wan the towne with the castle where as Cambrensis saith within three dayes of their thether comming the foresayde Inguar and Hubba Captaines of the Danes as they went in purchasing of theyr prayes or booties were slaine at a place called Englefelde Which Princes of the Danes thus slaine the rest of them kept whole together in such wise that the Westsaxons might take of them none aduantage But yet within fewe dayes after the Danes were holden so short that they were forced to issue out of the castle to defend them in plain battaile In the whiche by the industry of king Ethelred and of Allured his brother the Danes were discomfited many of them slaine which discomfort made them flie againe into the castle and there kept them for a certain time The King then committing the charge of them to Ethelwolde Duke of Baroke or Barkshire so departed But whē the Danes knew of the kings departure they brake sodeinly out of their hold and tooke the Duke vnprouided slewe him and much of his people And so adioyning thēselues with other that were scattered in the countrey enbattelled them in such wise that of them was gathered a strōg host As the tidings hereof was brought to king Etheldred which put him in great heauines word also was brought the same time of the landing of Osrike king of Denmarke who with assistence of the other Danes had gathered a great host and were enbattelled vpō Ashdowne To this battaile king Ethelred with his brother Alured forced by great neede sped them selues to withstand the Danes At which time the king a litle staying behind being yet at his seruice Alured which was comen before had entred already into the whole fight with the Danes who strake together with huge violēce The king being required to make speede hee being then at seruice and meditations such was his deuotion that he would not stirre out one foote before the seruice was fully cōplete In this meane while the Danes so fearsly inuaded Alured and his mē that they wanne the hill and the Christen men were in the valley and in great daunger to loose the whole fielde Neuerthelesse through the grace of God and their godly manhoode the king comming from his seruice with his fresh souldiours recouered the hill of the infidels and so discōfited the Danes that day that in fleing away not only they lost the victory but most part also of them their liues In so much that their Duke or king Osride or Osege and fiue of their Dukes with much of their people were slain and the rest chased vnto Reding towne After this the Danes yet resembled their people and gathered a new host so that within xv dayes they mete at Basingstoke and there gaue battaile vnto the king had the better Then the king againe gathered his mē which at that field were disparkled and with fresh souldiours to them accompanied mete the Danes within two moneths after at the towne of Merton where hee gaue to them a sharpe battaile so that much people were slaine as well of the Christen as of the Danes but in the ende the Danes had the honour of the fielde
so done and that I wil make good on thy body traytour and therewith geuing a great rap on the boord for a token or watchword one cryed treason without and forthwith the chamber was full of harneysed men The protector then approchyng to the L. Hastinges arrested him as a traytour An other let flye at the Lord Standley who to auoyd the blowe shronke vnder the table or els his head had bene cleft a sonder notwithstanding he receaued such a wounde that the bloud ranne about hys eares There were in that counsaile the same time the Archbishop of Yorke and Doctour Morton Byshop of Ely by whose procurement afterward king Henry the vii was sent for into England and he made archbishop after that of Canterbury these with the Lord Standley diuersly were bestowed in diuers chambers The Lorde Hastinges was commaunded to speede and shriue hym a pace for before dinner the protector sware by S. Paule that he should dye and so incontinently without farther iudgement his head was striken of by whose counsayle the Queenes kindred were at the same time and daye beheaded at Pomfret After this tyrannous murder accomplished the mischienous protectour aspiring still to the crowne to set his deuises forward first through giftes and fayre promises dyd subordinate Doctor Shaw a famous preacher then in Lōdon at Paules Crosse to insinuate to the people that neyther king Edward with his sonnes nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor the very children of the Duke of York but begotten vnlawfully by other persons in adultery on y● Duches their mother and that he alone was the true and onely lawfull heyre of the Duke of York Moreouer to declare and to signifie to the audience that K. Edward was neuer lawfully maried to the Queene but hys wife before was dame Elizabeth Lucy and so the 2. childrē of king Edward to be base and bastardes and therfore the title of the crown most rightly to pertaine to the Lord protector That this false flatterer and loud lying preacher to serue the protectors humour shamed not most impudently to abuse that holy place that reuerent auditorye the sacred word of God taking for hys theame Adulterae plantationes nō dabūt radices altas c which he most impiously did apply against the innocent children right heyres of this realm Whereupon such grudge and disdayne of the people wyth worldly wonder followed him that for shame of the people crying out of him in few dayes after he pyned way When this sermon would take no effect with the people the protector vnmercifully drowned in ambitiō rested not thus but wtin few dayes after excited the Duke of Buckingham first to breake the matter in couert talke to the Mayor and certayne of the heades of the Cittie picked out for the purpose that done to come to the Guildhall to moue the people by all flattering and lying perswasions to the same which shameles Shaw before had preached before at Paules Crosse. Whiche the Duke with all dilligence and helpes of eloquence being a man both learned and well spoken endeuored to accomplish making to the people a long and artificiall Oration supposing no lesse but that the people allured by his crafty iusinuations would cry king Rich. K. Ric. But there was no king Rich in their mouthes lesse in their hartes Wherupon the Duke looking to the Lord Mayor and asking what the silence ment contrary to the promise of the one the expectation of that other It was then answered of the Mayor that the people peraduenture wel vnderstood him not wherfore the Duke reiterating his narration in other wordes declared agayne that he had done before Likewise the thyrd time he repeted hys Oration againe and agayn Then the commons which be fore stood mute being now in a mase seeing this importunitie began to mutter softly among themselues but yet no king Richard could sound in their lips saue onely that in the nether end of the Hall certayn of the Dukes seruantes with one Nashfield and other belonging to the protector thrusting into the Hall among the prease began sodaynly at mens backes to cry king Richard k. Rich throwing vp theyr cappes whereat the cittizens turning back theyr heades marueiled not a little but sayd nothing The Duke and the Lord Mayor with that side taking this for sufficient testimony incontinent came blowing for hast to the protector then lying at Baynardes Castle Where the matter being made before was now so contriued that forsooth humble petition was made in the name of the whole commons and that with 3 sundry sutes to the humble and simpel protector that he although it was vtterly against his will to take it yet would of his humilitye stoupe so low as to receane the heauy kingdome of England vpon his shoulders At this their tender request and sute of the Lords and commōs made ye must know how the milde Duke seing no other remedy was contented at length to yeld although fore against his will ye must so imagine and to submit himselfe so low as of a protector to be made king not much herein vnlike to our prelates in that Popish churche who when they haue before well compounded for the popes Buls yet must they for maner sake make curtesy and thrise deny that for whiche they so long before haue gaped and so sweetly haue payed for King Richard the third vsurper ANd thus Richard Duke of Gloucester tooke vpon to be made proclaymed king of England the yeare aforesayd an 1483. in the mōth of Iune Who then comming to the Tower by water first made his sonne a childe of x. yeare old prince of Wales Iohn Haward a man of great industry seruice he aduaūced to be Duke of Northfolke Sir Tho. Haward his sonne he ordained Erle of Surry Also William Lord Barckeley was appoynted Earle of Notingham Frances L. Louell was made Uicunt Louell L. Stanley for feare of his sonne was deliuered out of the Tower and made Steward of the kings houshold Likewise the Archbishop of Yorke was set free but Morton Bishop of Ely was committed to the Duke of Buckingham by whome was wrought the first deuise to bring in Henry Erle of Richmond into England and to cōioin mariage betweene Elizabeth king Edwardes daughter and him whereby the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited together After the kingdome of England was thus allotted to king Rich. the vsurper as in maner aboue remembred he taried not long for hys coronation which was solemnised the month next ensuing the 6. day of Iuly The triumph and solemnitie of this vsurped coronation being finished al thinges to the same appertayning this vnquiet tyraunt yet coulde not thinke himselfe safe so long as yong Edward the right king hys brother were aliue Wherefore the next enterprise which he did set vpon was this how to rid these innocent babes out of
for virgins from Britaine to the number of xi M. who with Vrsula the Prince Dionets daughter being shypped ouer many perished in the sea some were taken of the infidels marching vppon the borders wyth whome because they wold not be polluted all were destroyed being miserably dispersed some one way some an other so that none escaped Thus poore Britayne being left naked and destitute on euery side as a maimed body wtout myght or strength was left open to hys enemyes not able to succour it selfe without helpe of forreine friendes To whome they were then constrained to flie especially to the Romains to whō the Britaynes sent this worde or message Aetio ter Consuli gemitus Britannorum Repellunt nos Barbari ad mare Repellit nos mare ad Barbaros Hinc oriuntur duo sunerum genera quia aut iugulamur aut submergimur But the Romains then began to forsake them whereby they were in nearer danger to be oppressed by Gwanus and Melga had not Gwetelinus the Archbyshop of London made ouer to lesser Britayne and obtayning theyr helpe had brought Constantinus the kings brother to rescue his countrey against the infidels Thys Constantinus was brother to Aldroenus king of litle Britayn and father to Constans Aurelius Ambrosius Vter who after raigned kings in Britayne Thus by the meanes of the good Archbyshop and Constantinus the state of the Religion and Realme of Britayne was in some meane quiet safetye during the time of the sayd Constantine and of the good Archbishop But as the Realme of Britayne almost from the beginning was neuer without ciuill warre at length came wicked Vortigerne who cruelly causing Constans his Prince to be murdred ambitiously inuaded the crowne who then fearing the other two brethren of Constans whych were Aurelius Vter being then in litle Britayne did send ouer for the aide of the Saxons being then infidels and not onely that but also maried with an infidell the daughter of Hengist called Rowen Whereupon the sayde Vortigerne not long after by the sayd Hengist and the Saxones was with like trayterie dispossessed of his kingdome the people of Britayne driuen out of their countrey after that the Saxons had slaine of their chiefe Nobles Barons at one meeting ioyning together subtiltie with crueltie to the number of CC.lxxi some stories say CCCC lx This wicked acte of the Saxones was done at Almisbury or at a place called Stonehenge by the monument of which stones there hanging it seemeth that the noble Britaynes there were buried This fabulous Storie of the Welshemen of brynging these stones from Ireland by Merlyn I passe ouer Some storyes record that they were slaine being bid to a banket other do say that it was done at a talke or assembly where the Saxons came with priuie kniues contrary to promise made with the which kniues they geuing a priuie watch-word in their Saxones speache neme your sexes slewe the Britaynes vnarmed and thus farre concerning the historie of the Britaynes As this great plague could not come to the Britaynes without Gods permissiō so Gildas sheweth in hys Chronicle the cause thereof wryting thus Quòd Britones propter auaritiam rapinā Principum propter iniquitatem iniustitiam Iudicum propter desidiam praedicationis Episcoporum propter luxuriam malos mores populi patriam perdidisse c. A description of England as it was deuided in the Saxones time into vij kingdomes The entring and raigning of the Saxons THis was the comming in first of the Angles or Saxones into this realme being yet vnchristened and infidels which was about the yeare of our Lord as William Malmesbury testifieth CCCC lxix the Captaines of whō were Hengistus and Horsus Although the sayd Hengist and Saxones at their first comming for all their subtile working and cruell attempt had no quiet setling in Britayne but were driuen out diuers times by the valiantnesse of Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Vter aboue mētioned who raigned after that among the Britaynes yet notwtstanding they were not so driuen out but that they returned againe and at length possessed all driuing the Britaynes such as remained into Cambria whych we call nowe Wales Hengistus as some Chronicles recorde reigned 43. yeares and died in Kent Galfridus in suo Britannico sayeth that he was taken in warre by Aurelius Ambrosius and beheaded at Coningesburgh after he had raigned xxxix yeare After the death of Hengist hys sonne Osca raigned xxiiij yeres leauing his sonne Octa to whose reigne with hys sonne Ymenricus hystories doe attribute liij yeares who also were slaine at length by Vter Pendragon Polichroni Lib. 5. cap. 4. The Saxones after they were setled in the possession of England distributed the Realme among themselues first in seuen partes euery part to haue his king that is The first to be the king of Kent The second to be king of Sussex and Southerye holding hys Palace at Cicester The thirde king was of Westsexe The fourth king of Essex The fift king was of the Eastangles that is of Cambridgeshire Northfolke and Southfolke The vj. king of Merceland or Mercia and in his kingdome were cōteined the Countesses of Lincolne Leycester Huntyngdon Northampton Orford Darby Warwike c. The vii king had all the countries beyond Humber and was called king of Northumberland Of these seuen kingdomes although they continued not long but at length ioyned all in one comming all into the possession subiection of the Westsaxons yet for the space they cōtinued which was with continuall trouble warres among themselues thys is the race and order of them as in this Table particularly followeth to be seene A Table describing the seuen kingdoms of the Saxons raigning here in England IN the tyme of Vortiger aboue mentioned began the raigne of the Saxons in this land the which comming out of 3. sortes of the Germaine people to witte the Saxons the Intes and Angles replenished the land of them called now Anglia Of whom first Hengistus raigned in Kent which countrey of Kent he had obtayned by Rowen his daughter of king Vortiger which was about the yeare of our Lord as some doe count 476. or as I finde in the computation of our English Tables 456. in some 463. After Hengist came in Octha with Eosa or Ysse his kinsman who afterward succeeded the sayd Hengist in Kent Not long after came in an other company of the Saxons with Elle their Captaine which planted themselues in Southsexe And after them agayne an other garrison of the Saxons with Cerdice their Captain which did occupy the West part of the land called by them Westsaxon And so likewise the other multitude of the Saxōs after them which as yet beyng vnchristened and Infidels deuided the whole land among themselues into vij kingdoms as in this Table followeth 456. ¶ The Kings of Kent with the yeares how long they raigned Kent Hengistus slaine 31     Eosa or Ysse 24
onely of them but of their forefathers also before them who falsely breaking the faith and promise made wyth the Britanes did crueliye murther their nobles wickedly oppressed their cōmons impiously persecuted the innocent Christians miliciously possessed their land and habitation chasing the inhabitaunts out of house and country besides the violent murther of the Monkes of Bangor and diuers soule slaughters against the poore Brytaines who sent for them to be their helpers Wherefore Gods iust recompence fallyng vpon them from that time neuer suffered them to be quiet from forreine enimies till the comming of William the Normande c. Moreouer concerning the outward occasiōs giuē of the Englishmens parts mouing the Danes first to inuade the Realme I find in certain stories two most especially assigned The one ●●iustly giue iustly takē The other not giuen iustly and 〈◊〉 taken Of the which two the first was giuen in Northumberland by meanes of Osbryght reigning vnder king of Westsaxons in the North partes This Osbright vppon a time iourneyng by the way turned into the house of one of his nobles called Bruer Who hauing at home a wife of great beautie he beyng absent abrod the king after his dinner allured wyth the excellency of her beautie tooke her to a secret chamber where he forceablye contrarye to her will did rauishe her whereupon she being greatly dismaied and vexed in her minde made her mooue to her husband returning of thys violence and iniury receaued Bruer consulting with his frindes first went to the king resigning to his hands all suche seruice and possessions which he did hold of him that done tooke shipping and sailed into Denmarke where he had great friends and had his bringing vp before There making his mone to Codrinus the king desired his aide in reuenging of the great vilany of Osbryght against him and his wife Codrinus hearing this and glad to haue some iust quarell to enter that land leuied an army with al spede preparing all things necessary for the same sendeth foorth Inguar and Hubba two brethren his chief Captaines with an innumerable multitude of Danes into England who first arriuing at Holdernesse there brent vp the country killed without mercy both men women and chidrē whō they could lay hāds vpon Then marching toward York entred their battaile with the foresayde Osbryght where he with the most part of his armye was slaine And so the Danes entred the possession of the Citie of Yorke Some other say and is by the most part of storye writers recorded that the chiefe cause of the comming of Inguar Hubba with the Danes was to reuenge king Edmund reygnyng vnder the Westsaxons ouer the Eastangles in Nothfolke and Southfolk for the murdering of a certaine Dane being father to Inguar and Hubba which was falselye imputed to king Edmund The story is thus told A certaine noble man of the Danes of the kings stock called Lothebrocus father to Inguar and Hubba entring vppon a time with his hauke into a certaine schaffe or cockebote alone by chaunce through tempest was driuen with his hauke to the coast of Nothfolke named Rodhā where he being found and detained was presented vnto the king The king vnderstanding his parentage seing his case entertained him in his court accordingly And euery daye more and more perceiued his actiuities and great dexteritie in hunting hauking bare speciall fauour vnto him In so much that the kinges faukener or maister of game bearing priuy enuy against him secretly as they were hūting together in a woode did murther him threw him in a bush This Lothebroke being murthered within two or three daies began to be missed in the kinges house of whō no tidings could be heard but onely by a dogge or spaniel of his which continuing in the wood with the corps of his maister at sondry times came and fauned vpon the king so long that at length they folowing the trase of the hound were brought to the place where Lothebroke laye Wherevpō inquisition made at length by certeine circumstances of words and other euidences it was knowne how by whom he was murthered that was by the kings huntesman name● Berike Who thereupon being conuicted was set into the same bote of Lothebroke alone and without any takeling to driue by seas either to be saued by the weather or to be drowned in the deepe And as it chaunced Lothebroke from Dennemarke to be driued to Northfolke so it happened that from Northfolke he was caried into Denmarke Where the bote of Lothebroke being well knowen hands were laid vpon him inquisition made of the party In sine in his torments to saue himselfe he vttered an vntruth of king Egmund saying that the king had put him to death in the country of Northfolke Wherupon grudge first was conceiued thē an army appointed great multitude sent into England to reuenge that fact where first they arriuing in Northumberland destroyed as is sayd those parties first From thence sayling into Northfolke they exercised the like tyranny there vpon the inhabitaūts therof especially vpon the innocent prince blessed matter of God king Edmund Cōcerning the farther declaration wherof hereafter shal follow Christ our Lord so permitting more to be spoken as place and obseruation of time and yeares shall require In the meane seasō king Ethelwulphe in this chapiter here presently touched when he had chased the foresaid Daues as is aboue rehearsed from place to place causing thē to take the Sea he in the meane while departeth him selfe both from land and life leauing behinde him foure sons which reigned euery one in his order after the discease of their father The names of whom were Ethelbaldus Ethelbrightus Ethelredus and Aluredus ¶ King Ethelbalde KIng Ethelbald the eldest sonne of Ethelwulfe succeeding his father in the prouince of Westsaxe and Ethelbright in the prouince of Kent reigned both togither the terme of v. yeares one with the other Of the which two Ethelbald the first le●t this infamie behinde him in storyes for marrying and lying with his stepmother wife to hys owne father named Iudith After these two succeded Ethelred the thirde sonne who is his time was so encombred with the Danes brusting in on euery side especiallye about Yorke which Citie they then spoyled and brent vp that he in one yeare stoode in ix battailes against them with the helpe of Alured his brother In the beginning of thys Kinges reigne the Danes landed in East Englande or Northfolke Southfolke But as Fabian writeth they were compelled to forsake that country and so toke again shipping and sayled Northward and landed in Northūberlande where they were met of the Kinges then there reigning called Osbright and Ella which gaue to them a strong light But notwithstanding the Danes with help of such as inhabited the country wanne the City of York and helde it a certaine season as is aboue foretouched
and Antoninus who in playne termes likewyse report the same Nowe hauing sayd the foundation for the truth and ground of this matter let vs come to examine how truely our latter writers do say which write that Editha and not Edward was the child for whom Dunstane enioined to the king 7. yeares penaunce and also how truely they report Edward to be a lawfull heyre and Elflede to bee a lawfull wyfe to king Edgar For first touching Editha this is confessed by the sayd writers themselues that she was of good yeares at what tyme Edgar her father was enioyned his penaunce After the which seuen yeares of his penaunce expyred he lyued at the most but in yeares and a halfe Which seuen yeares and 3. yeares and a halfe make in all but x. yeres a halfe But now the said authors themselues do graunt that she was made Abbas by her father he beyng then alyue And how can this then stand with her Legend which sayth that she was not lesse then 15. yeares of age By which account it must needes fall out that she could not be so little as v. yeres old before the birth of that chyld for whom the kyng did penaunce And thus much touching Editha Now in like maner to consider of the tyme of Edward First this by all writers is graunted that he was slayne in the 15. yeare of his age Which yeares do well agree to that chyld which king Edgar begate in bastardy for the which he did hys penance For the more euidence whereof let vs come to the supputation of yeares in this sort First the penaunce of the king after the byrth of this child lasted 7. yeres Then the king after the same lyued 3. yeres a halfe After whose death Edward raigned other 3. yeres and a half which in all make the full summe of 14. yeres About the count of which age the said Edward goyng on his 15. yeres by their owne reckoning was slaine And thus haue ye by manifest demonstration prooued by the right casting of the yeres after their owne graunt rekoning that Editha daughter of Wlfride in no case can be the child which was borne after Edward for whom the king was enioyned penance but that Edward rather was borne after Editha and was the childe for whom the penance was enioined contrary to the opinion commōly receiued in the church which for ignorance of the story hath hetherto holden Edward to be an holy Martyr and right heyre vnto the crowne Which error and opinion how it first sprang and by whom albeit it pertaine not to my story to discusse yet were it no hard matter to coniecture First after that Dunstane and Oswolde wyth other Bishops Abbots and certayne Lordes Dukes of that faction for the maintenaunce of Monkery had aduaunced Edward to be king against Queene Alfrith mother of Ethelred Alferus duke of Mercia and certaine other Nobles which held with the contrary side of the Priestes agaynst the Monkes In processe of tyme the monkes that came after to write stories perceiuing Dunstane to be reputed in the Church of Rome for an holy Saint and the sayd king Edward for an holy Martyr and partly also to bolster vp their owne religion of Monkery so muche as they could to the intent therfore they would saue the credite both of Dunstane and of the kyng and especially bearing fauour to their owne religion and partly that the reputation of the church of Rome should not be disteined by opening the truth of this matter either did not see or would not confesse herein what they knew but rather thought best to blanch the story and colourably to hide the simple truth therof making the people falsly beleue that Elfleda the mother of Edward was wife to king Edgar and Edward to be lawfully borne and also that Editha was born after Edward to be the child for which the king was enioyned penance All which is false and cōtrary both to the order of tyme aboue declared and also to the plaine words of Malmesbury which speaking of king Edgars last concubine sayth in plaine wordes Dilexit vnicè integram lecto vni deferens sidem quoad legitimam vxorem accepit Elfthride filiam Ordgari That is he had a concubine whom he loued entirely keping true faith of his bed to her alone vntil the tyme he maried for his lawfull wife Elfride the daughter of duke Ordgare c. Wherby we haue to vnderstand that whatsoeuer concubine this was which Malmesbury speaketh off certaine it is that Edgar liued in whoredome till tyme he maried his lawfull wyfe Furthermore and finally to conclude beside these arguments and allegations aboue recited let this also be perpended how the said Dunstan with his complices after the killing of king Edward leauing the right heyre of the crowne which was Ethelred went about as Capgraue and their owne Legend cōfesseth to set vp Editha the other bastarde to possesse the crowne but that she more wise then her brother Edward refused the same Wherby what is to be thought of the doyngs of Dunstane and what should be the cause why hee preferred both Edward and Editha to the crowne rather then the lawfull heyre I leaue to all indifferent Readers therof to iudge After that Dunstane and his fellowes had thus set vp Edward for their king they were now where they would be supposing all to be sure on their side and that they had established the kingdom of Monkery for euer through the helpe of the young king and the Duke of Eastangles and certaine other nobles whom they had drawn to their part Howbeit this matter passed not so wel with them as they hoped For shortly after the coronation of this yong king Alferus duke of Mercia who folowed much the deedes of the Queene with other great men stoutly standing on the contrary side droue out the Monkes from the Cathedrall churches which king Edgar before had set in and restored agayne the Priests as Ranulphus sayth with their concubines but in the historie of the Librarie of Iornall I find it plainly expressed with their wiues The wordes of the very author be these Alferus princeps Merciorum caeterique plures eiectis monachis de magnis monasterijs quos rex Edgarus nuper instituerat clericos cum vxoribus reduxerunt That is Alterus duke of Mercia with other great men mo droue out the Monkes from the great monasteries whom king Edgar had there set in before restored againe the priests with their wyues Wherby it doth euidently appeare that priests in those dayes were maried and had their lawfull wiues The like before that in king Inas tyme is plaine that Bishops then had wiues and children as appeareth by the words of the lawe then set forth extant in the history of the said Iornalensis which be these Si quis filiolum alterius occidat vel patrinum sit simile cognationi
Britaine 's before That was in ioyning with the Normans in mariage For the king this yere abouesaid for the more strēgth as he thought both of him and the realm maried Emma the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy Which Richard was the third Duke of the Normains and the first of that name By reason of which mariage king Egelred was not a little enhaunsed in his owne mynd and by prosumption thereof sent secret straight commissions to the rulers of euery towne in England that vpon S. Brices day at a certayne houre appointed the Danes should bee sodenly slayne And so it was performed which turned after to more trouble After that tidings came into Denmarke of the murder of those Danes Anone after Suanus king of Denmarke with a great host and nauy landed in Cornewall where by treason of a Normand named Hugh which by fauour of Queene Emma was made Erle of Deuonshire The sayd Suanus tooke Exceter after beat downe the wals From thence proceding further into the land they came to Wilton and Shireborne where they cruelly spoyled the countrey and slew the people But anone Suanus hearing that the king was comming to him with the power of his land tooke his ships set about to Norfolke where after much wasting of that countrey and spoyling the citie of Norwich and burning the towne of Thetford and destroying the countrey thereabout at length Duke Uskatel met him and beat him slew many of the Danes Wherfore Swanus for that yeare returned to Denmarke and there made great prouision to reenter the land againe the next yeare following And so did landing at Sandwich about the 25. yere of the raign of king Egelred there spoiled that countrey And as soone as he heard of any hoste of englishmen comming toward him then he tooke shipping againe So that when the kings army sought to meet him in one coast then would he sodainly land in an other And when the king prouided to meete with them vpon the sea either they would fain to flee or els they would with gifts blynd the Admirall of the kings nauy And thus wearied they the englishmen in conclusion brought them in extreme and vnspeakable misery In so much that the King was fayne to take peace with them gaue to king Suanus 30000. pound After which peace thus made Suanus returned agayne to Denmarke But this peace continued not long For the yeare next following king Egelred made Edricus aboue mētioned Duke of Mercia which was subtile of witte glosing and eloquent of speach vntrusty and false to the king and the Realme And soone after one Turkillus a Prince of the Danes landed in Kent with much people and there dyd such harme that the Kentishmē were faine to make peace with great gifts and so thence departed But this persecution of the Danes in one country or other in England neuer ceased nor the king did euer geue to them any notable battaile For when he was disposed to geue them battail this Edricus would euer counsaile him to the contrary so that the Danes euer spoyled and robbed and waxed rich and the english men euer poore and bare After this Suanus beyng in Denmarke and hearing of the increase of hys people in England brake hys couenaunts before made and with a great army and nauie in most defensable wyse appoynted landed in Northumberland proclaimyng himselfe to be king of this land Where after much vexation when he had subdued the people and caused the Erle with the rulers of the countrey to sweare to him feaultie he passed by the riuer of Trent to Ganisburgh and to Northwatlyng streete and subduyng the people there forced them to geue hym pledges whiche pledges he committed with his nauy vnto Canutus hys sonne to keepe whyle he went further into the lande And so with a great hoste came to Mercia killing and slaying Then he tooke by strength Winchester and Oxford dyd there what him liked That done he came toward London and hearing the king was there passed by the Riuer Thamis and came into Kent and there besieged Canterbury where he was resisted the space of 20. dayes At lēgth by treason of a Deacon called Almaricus whom the Bishop had preserued from death before wanne it and tooke the goods of the people and fired the Citie and tythed the Monkes of S. Augustines Abbey that is to meane they slew ix by cruell torment and the tenth they kept aliue as for their slaues So they slew there of religious men to the number of 900. persons of other men women childrē they slew aboue 8000. And finally whē they had kept the Bishop Elphegus in straight prison the space of 7. monethes because he would not cōdescend to geue vnto thē 3000. pound After many villanies vnto hym done they brought him to Greenewich there stoned him to death Kyng Egelred in the meane tyme fearing the ende of this persecution sent his wyfe Emma with his ij sonnes Alphred and Edward to the Duke of Normandy with whom also he sent the bishop of Londō The Danes proceeded still in their fury and rage and when they had won a great part of Westsaxonie they returned againe to London Whereof hearing the Londiners sent vnto them certayne great giftes and pledges At last the king about the 35. yeare of his raigne was chased vnto the I le of Wight with a secret company he spent there a great part of the Winter And finally without cattaile or comfort sailed into Normandy to his wyfe Swanus beyng ascertayned thereof inflamed with pride reared exceeding impositions vpon the people And amōg other he required a great summe of mony of S. Edmunds lands which the people there clanning to bee free from kings tributes denied to pay For this Suanus entred the territory of S. Edmūd and wasted and spoyled the countrey despising the holy Martyr manacing also the place of his sepulture Wherfore the men of that countrey fearing his tiranny fell to prayer and fasting so that shortly after Suanus dyed sodenly crying and yelling among his knightes Some say that he was striken with the sword of S. Edmund wherof he dyed the 3. day after In feare whereof Canutus his sonne which ruled as king after his father graunted them the freedome of all their liberty and moreouer ditched the land of the sayde Martyr with a deepe ditche and graunted to the inhabitaunts thereof great freedomes quityng them from all talke or tribute And after builded a Church ouer the place of his sepulture and ordained there an house of Monkes and endued them with rich possessions And after the tyme it was vsed that kings of England when they were crouned sent their crownes for an offring to Saint Edmūds shrine and redeemed the same agayne afterwardes with a condigne price When king Egelred heard of the death of Suanus he made prouision
brethren Soone after a Sonne of wicked Edricus by the minde as appeared afterward of his father espied when king Edmond was at the draught with a speare some say with a long knife thrust him into the fundamēt wherof the sayd Edmond shortlye after dyed after that he had raigned two yeres He left behinde him two sonnes Edmond and Edward whom Edricke the wicked Duke after the death of their father tooke from theyr mother not knowing yet of the death of Edmond her husband presēted them to king Canutus saluting him in these words Aue Rex solus Thus Canutus after the death of Edmond Irenside was king alone of the whole realme of englād And afterward by the aduise of his counsayle he sent the foresayd sonnes of Edmond Irōside to his brother Suanus king of Sueueland to be slayne who abhorring that deed sent them to Salomon king of Hūgary where Edmond being maried to the kings daughter dyed Edward was maried to Agatha daughter of his brother Henry the 4. Emperour When Canutus was stablished in the kingdom he called a parliamentat London where among other things there debated it was propounded to the bishops Barōs and Lordes of the parliament there present whether that in the compositiō made betwene Edmund and Canutus any speciall remembraunce was made for the children or brethren of Edmund for any partition of any part of the land Wherunto the english Lordes falsly ●latteryng with the foraine kyng and speaking against their own mynds as also against their natiue countrey aunswered and sayd nay Affirming moreouer with an oth for the kings pleasure that they to the vttermost of their powers would put of the bloud of Edmund in all that they might By reason of which answer and promise they thought many of thē to haue purchased with the king great fauour But by the iust retribution of God it chaunced farre otherwise For many of them or the most part such especially as Canutus did perceiue to be sworne before tyme to Edmund his heyres and also considering that they were natiue englishmen he mistrusted and disdained euer after In so much that some he exiled a great sort he beheaded some by Gods punishment died sodainly Among whom wicked Edricke also the traytour although with hys sugred wordes he continued a while in the kings fauour at lēgth escaped not condigne reward for his deceiuable dealyng For as the history of Iornalēsis recordeth as the king was in his palace beyond Thames this Edricke beyng belike accused or els suspected of the king before comming vnto him began to reckon vp his benefites labours bestowed for his sake First in forsaking and betraying Egelred then in slaying king Edmund his sonne with many such other deedes moe which all for his sake he had done Well saith the king thou hast here rightly iudged thy selfe and worthily thou shalt dye for slaying thy naturall Prince my sworne brother And so commaunded him to be bound immediately hand and foote to be thrown into Thames Some stories say that when he had saluted the king with Aue rex solus and shewed him the slaying of Edmund Canutus promising that he would make him therfore higher then all the lordes of the realme commaunded his head to be striken off to be set vpon London bridge and hys body to be cast in the towne ditche And thus with shame ended he his wretched life as al they commonly do which with like dissimulatiō seeke the destruction of their Prince and of their countrey This Canutus shortlye after the death of king Edmond by the counsayle of Edricke exiled Edmond being brother to King Edmund called Rex rusticorum the king of Choor●es But afterward he was reconciled agayne to the kinges fauour and lastly slayne by certayne of the Kinges Secretaryes or Seruauntes Also through the counsayle of the sayd Edricke and of Emma his wife he sent the two Sonnes of Edmond Ironside Edmond and Edward to his brother Suanus king of Denmark to be slaine as is aboue sayd In this meane time Suanus king of Denmarke brother to Canutus died Wherfore that land fel to Canutus which anon after sailed thether and tooke thereof possession And after he had set it in an order he retourned into England and maried Emma late wife before of Egelred and by her had a sōne called Herdeknight or Hardeknoutus Moreouer this Canutus assembled a Parliament at Oxford where it was agreed that Englishmen Danes should holde the lawes made by king Edgar because they were thought so good resonable aboue any other lawes Thus the Danes being in England began by little little to be Christen men And Canutus went to Rome so returning againe to England gouerned that lande the space of 20. yeares leauing after him two sonnes Harold Hardeknoutus which Hardeknoutus was made king of Denmarke in his fathers time Harold called Harefoote for his deliuernes and swiftnes sonne to Canutus by Elgina his first wife began his raigne ouer England an 1039. Of him is little left in memory for he raigned but 4. yeres saue that he banished his stepmother Emma tooke her goods iewels from her Hardeknoutus being king of Denmarke and second sonne to Canutus by his last wife Emma was next King of England In the time of these Danish kings there was one Godwyn an earle in England which had bene before in great fauour with Canutus for his actes done in Denmarke against the Northwegians and afterward maryed y● sister some say the daughter of Canutus This Godwyn was of a cruell and subtill wit as he declared no lesse by the two sonnes of king Egelred For when these two aforesaid whose names were Alfride and Edward came from Normādie into England to visit their mother Emma and brought with them a great company of Normands this Godwine hauing a daughter called Godith whome he thought to marry to Edward set him vp to be King to bring his purpose about vsed this practise that is to perswade king Hardeknoue the Lordes not to suffer those Normandes to be within the realme for ieoperdie but rather to punish them for example By which meanes he gat authoritie to order the matter himselfe wherefore he 〈◊〉 them on Guild downe and there most wretchedly murthered or rather Martyred the most number of the Normandes and that innocently For as Swanus before had tithed the Monkes of Canterburie so he● with the cruell cōpany of english soldiors slew ix of the saide Normands and saued the x. And yet passing the furie of Swanus as not contented with that tiranny he tithed againe the sayde tithe and slew euery x. knight and that by cruel tormēt as winding their guts out of their bodies as writeth Ranulphus And among other put out the eyes of the elder brother Alfridus and sent him to an Abbey of Elie where he being fed wyth breade and water endured not
time was yerely leuied to the great impouerishing of the people Hee subdued the Scottes and Welshmen which in their borders began to rebell against him In much peace he continued his reigne hauing no forreine enemie to assault him Albeit as some Chronicles do shewe certaine Danes and Norgwaines there were which entended to set vpon Englande But as they were taking shipping there was brought to them first one bowle then an other of meede or methe to drinke vpon a bon viage Thus one cup comming after an other after drinke came dronkennes after dronkennes followed iangling of iangling came stryfe and strife turned vnto stripes whereby many were slayne and the other returned to their home agayne And thus the mercifull prouidence of the Lord dispatched that iourny In the time of this Edward Emma his mother was accused to be familiar with Alwyn the Byshop of Winchester vpon which accusation by counsayle of Earle Godwyn he tooke from her many of her iewels and caused her to be kept somedele more straightly in the Abby of Warwel and the Byshop committed to the examination of the clergy Polydore sayth they were both in prison at Winchester where she sorrowing the defame both of her selfe and of the Byshop and trusting vpon her conscience desireth them of iustice offering her selfe ready to abide any lawfull triall yea although it were with the sharpest Then diuers of the Byshops made labour to the king for thē both and had obtayned had not Robert thē Archbishop of Cant. stopped the sute Who not well contented with their labour sayd vnto them My brethren how dare ye defend her which is no woman but a beast she hath defamed her owne sonne the king and taken her lecherous leman the Byshop And if it be so that the woman will purge the priest who shall then purge the woman that is accused to be consenting to the death of her sonne Alphred and procured venim to the poysonyng of her sonne Edward But whether she be giltie or giltles if she will goe barefooted for her self foure steps and for the Bishop fiue continually vpon ix plough shares fire hote then if she escape harmeles he shal be assoyled of this challenge and she also To this she graunted the day was appointed at which day the king and a great part of his nobles were present except onely Robert the Archbishop This Robert had bene a monke of a house in Normandie an helper of the king in his exile and so by the sēding for of the king came ouer and was made first Bishop of London after Archbishop of Cant. Then was she led blindfield vnto the place betwene two men where the yrons lay brenning hot and passed the ix shares vnhurt At last sayde shee good Lorde when shal I come to the place of my purgation whē they then opened her eyes and shee sawe that shee was past the paine she kneeled downe geuing God thankes Then the king repented sayeth the story and restored vnto her that he had before taken from her and asked her forgeuenes But the Archbyshop fled into Normandie Neare about this time about the x. yere of his raigne● fell passing great snow from the beginning of Ianuary to the 17 day of Marche After which insued a great mortalitie of men morrian of cattel by lightning the corne was wonderfully blasted and wasted Not lōg after this a certaine Earle of Bologne who had married king Edwardes sister came into Englande through the occasion of whom when execution should be done vpon the citizens of Douer for a fray betwene them and the Earles men variance happened betweene Kyng Edward and Earle Godwyne Who perceauing that he could not wstand the kings malice although he gathered a great company to worke therein what he could fled into Flanders was outlawed with his 5. sonnes King Edward repudiated his wife the daughter of the sayde Godwine but the second yere after by mediators he was recōciled to the king againe and called from banishment And for his good a bearing he gaue for pledges his two sōnes Byornon and Tostius which were sent to the Duke of Normandy there to be kept During the time of the outlawry of Godwyn William Bastard Duke of Normandy came with a goodly company into England to see king Edwarde was honorably receaued To whom the king made great cheare at hys returne inriched him with great gifts and pleasures And there as some wryte made promise to him that if he died without issue the said William should succeede him in the kingdome of England In this kinges raigne liued Marianus Scotus the story writer As concerning the end of erle Godwin the cruell murderer of Alphred and of the Normandes although diuers histories diuersly do vary Yet in this the most part do agree that as he sate at the table with king Edward at Winsor it happened one of the cupbearers one of erl Godwins sonnes to stumble and recouer againe so that he did shed none of the drinke wherat Godwin laughed sayd howe the one brother had sustained the other With whych wordes the King calling to minde his brothers death that was slaine by Godwine beheld the erle saying so should my brother Alphred haue holpē me had not Godwin ben Godwine then fearing the kinges displeasure to be newly kindled after many words in excusing himselfe sayde So mought I safely swalow this morsel of bread as I am giltles of the deede But assoone as hee had receiued the bread forthwith he was choked Then the king commanded him to be drawne from the table so was cōueyed by Harolde his sonne to Winchester and there buried About the 13. yere of this kings reigne the sayde King Edward sent Aldred bishop of Worceter to the Emperour Henricus the 4. praying him that he would send to the king of Hungary that his cosin Edward sonne of Edmund Ironside might come to England for so much as he intended to make him King after him which was called Edward outlawe The which request was fulfilled so that he came into Englande with his wife Agatha and with hys children to witte Edgar Adeling Margarete and Christina But the yeare after his returne into the realme thys Edwarde deceased at London and was buryed at westminster or as Iornalensis sayeth at Paules church in London After whose decease the King then receaued Edgar Adeling his sonne as his owne childe thinking to make him his heire But fearing partly the vnconstant mutabilitie of the Englishmen partly the pride and malice of Harold the sonne of Godwine of other perceauing therby that he could not bring that his purpose so wel to passe directed solemne Embassadors vnto Williā Duke of Normandy his kinsman admitting assigning him to be hys lawfull heire next to succeede after him to the crowne After the death of Godwin Harolde his sonne waxed so in the kings fauour that he ruled the moste and
greatest causes of the realme and was liefetenant of the kings army Who with his brother Toston or Tostius sent by the king against the Welchmen subdued their rebellion But afterward such enuie grewe betwene these ij brethren for that Tostius saw his brother Harold so greatly aduanced in the kings fauour that at Herford the said Tostius slew all his brothers men Whom when he had cut in pieces he poudered their quarters and mangled parts in barrels of salt vinegre wine and other liquors That done he made a power against his brother Harold being king with the aide of certaine Danes and Norgaines and fought a battail with him in the North as after shal follow God willing to be seene So vngratious were these wicked children of Erle Godwin that if they had sene any faire mansion or maner place they woulde slay the owner thereof withall his kinrede and enter the possession thereof themselues At length it came in the minde of this Harolde to saile ouer the sea as Polydore sayth into Normandie to see hys brother Wilnotus as also his cosin Hacus whom the king had sent thither to be kept for pledges as yee heard before Polydore sayth these pledges were Tosto Byornon but that can not be for Tostius was then in England But as Henricus Archdeacon of Huntington sayeth his iourney was into Flāders as semeth more like For it is not to be thought that Harold who was a doer in the cruell murther of Alphred and of the Normanes wold venter into Normandy therefore more like it is that his sailing was into Flaunders But as the storie proceedeth he being in the course of his sailing was weather driuen by tempest into the prouince of Pountith where he was taken as a prisoner and sent to Duke William of Normandy To whome he was made to sweare that he in time following shoulde marry his daughter and that after the death of King Edward he should kepe the land of Englande to his behoue according to the will minde of Edward after some writers and so to liue in great honor dignity next vnto him in the realme This promise faithfully made to the Duke Harold returneth into Englād with his cosin Hacus the sonne of his brother Suanus being deliuered vnto him But Wilnotus brother of Harold the duke kepeth stil for performance of the couenāts Thus Herold I say returning home sheweth the king al that he had done in the foresayde matters Wherewith the King was well contented Wherby it may be gathered that king Edward was right wel willing that Duke William should reigne after hym and also semeth not vnlike but that he had geuen him his promise therunto before Among all that were true and trusty to king Edward of the english nobility none had like commendatiō as had Leofricus erle of Mercia and of Chester This Leofricus purchased many great liberties for the towne of Couētry and made it free of all maner things except onely of horse Which fredom there was obtained by meanes of his wife Godina by riding as the fame goeth after a strāge maner through the towne This Leofricus with his wife Godina builded also the abbey of Couentrie indued the same with great lands and riches You hearde a little before of the comming ouer of Edward called the outlaw sonne of king Edmund Ironsid whom king Edward had purposed to haue made king after him But soone after his comming ouer he deceased at London This Edwarde had by his wife Agatha a sonne a daughter called Edgar Adelyng Margaret Which Margaret being maried afterward to the king of Scots was the mother of Matild or Maude Quene of England and of Dauid king of Scots c. This vertuous blessed king Edwarde after he had reigned 23. yeres and 7. moneths died and was buried in the monastery of Westminster which he had greatly augmented repaired but afterward was more inlarged after this form which it hath now by Henry the third sōne of king Iohn They that write the historie of this King heere make mention of a dreame or reuelation that shoulde be shewed to him in time of his sicknes how that because the peeres bishops of the realme were seruantes not of God but of the deuil God wold geue this realm to the hād of others And the king desired vtteraunce to be geuen him that hee might declare the same to the people whereby they might repent It was answered againe that neither would they so do or yet if they did it should be geuen to an other people But because it is a dreame I let it passe Diuers lawes were before in diuers countreis of this realme vsed as the lawe first of Dunuallo Molinucius with the lawes of Mercia called Mercenelega then the lawes of Westsaxone kinges as of Iue Offa Alfred c. whyche was called Westsaxenelaga The thirde were the lawes of Canutus of Danes called Danelaga Of all these lawes which before were diuersly in certain particuler countreis vsed and receiued this Edward compiled one vniuersal commō law for al people through the whole realm which were called R. Edwardes lawes which lawes being gathered out of the best and chiefest of the other lawes were so iust so equall an so seruing the publike profite weale of all es●ates that mine authors say the people long after did rebell against their heads and rulers to haue the same lawes againe being taken from them and yet coulde not obtaine them Furthermore I read and find in Math. Paris that when Will. Conquerour at his comming in did sweare to vse practise the same good lawes of Edwarde for the common lawes of this realme afterward being established in his kingdome he forswore himselfe placed his owne lawes in their rowme much worse and obscurer then the other were c. Notwithstanding among the said lawes of Edward and in the first chapter and beginning therof this I finde among the auncient recordes of the Guildhal in London The office of a King with such other appurtenaunces as belong to the realme of Britaine set forth and described in the latine stile which I thought here not vnmete to be expressed in the English tong for them that vnderstande no Latine The tenor and meaning wherof thus followeth ¶ De iure appendijs regni Britannia quod sit officium Regis REx autem quia vicarius summi Regis est ad hoc est constitutus vt regnum terrenum populum domini super omnia sanctam eius veneretur ecclesiam regat ab iniuriosis defendat maleficos ab ea auellat destruat penitus disperdat Quuod nisi fecerit nomen regis non in eo constabit Verùm Papa Ioanne testante nomen regis perdit cui Pipinus Carolus filius eius nec dum reges sed principes sub rege Francorum stultò scripserunt quaerentes si ita
permanere deberent Francorum reges solo regio nomine contenti A quo responsum est illos decet vocare reges qui vigilanter defendunt regunt Ecclesiam Dei populum eius c. In English thus The king because he is the vicar of the hiest king is appointed for this purpose to rule the earthly kingdom and the lords people and aboue al things to reuerence his holy church to gouerne it and to defende it from iniuries to plucke away wicked doers and vtterly to destroye them Which vnlesse he doe the name of a king agreeth not vnto him but he loseth the name of a King as witnesseth Pope Iohn to the which Pope Pipinus Carolus his sonne being not yet kings but princes vnder the French King being not very wise did write demanding this question whither the kings of France ought so to continue hauing but onely the name of a king Unto whome Pope Iohn answereth againe that it was conuenient to cal thē kings which vigilāly do defend and gouerne the church of God and his people following the saying of King Dauid the Psalmograph He shal not dwel in my house which worketh pride c. Moreouer the king by right by his office ought to defend conserue fully wholly in all amplenesse wtout diminution all the lands honors dignities rights and liberties of the crowne of his kingdome And further to reduce into their pristine state all suche thinges as haue bene dispersed wasted and lost which appertaine to hys kingdome Also the whole and vniuersall lande wyth all Ilelands about the same vnto Norwey and Denmarke be appertaining to the crowne of his kingdome and be of the appurtenances and dignitie of the King making one monarchie and one kingdome which somtime was called the kingdom of Britains and now the kingdom of England such bonds and limites as is abouesaid be appointed and limited to the name of this kingdome Moreouer in the foresaid lawes of this king Edward it followeth in the same booke where the foresaid Edward describing the office of a King addeth in these wordes A king sayth he ought aboue al things to feare God to loue and to obserue his commaundements and cause them to be obserued through his whole kingdome He ought also to kepe chearish maintaine gouerne the holy church wtin his kingdome with al integritie and liberty according to the constitutions of his auncetors and predecessors and to defend the same against all enemies so that God aboue all things be honored euer be before his eies He ought also to set vp good lawes and customes such as be wholesome and approued such as be otherwise to repeale them and thrust them out of his kingdom Item he ought to do iudgement and iustice in his kingdome by the counsell of the nobles of his realme All these things ought a King in his own person to do taking his othe vpon the Euangelist and the blessed reliques of saintes swearing in the presence of the whole state of his realme as well of the temporaltie as of the spiritualtie before he be crowned of the Archbyshops Bishops Three seruants the king ought to haue vnder him as vassals fleshly lust auarice and greedie desire Whom if he kepe vnder as his seruants and slaues he shal reigne wel and honorably in his kingdom Al things are to be done with good aduisement and premeditation and that properly belongeth to a king For hastie rashnes bringeth all things to ruine according to the saying of the Gospell Euery kingdome deuided in it selfe shall be desolate c. After the duetie and office of Princes thus described consequently followeth the institution of subiects declared in many good necessary ordinaunces very requisite and cōuenient for publique gouernment Of the which lawes William Conquerour was cōpelled thorough the clamor of the people to take some but the most parte he omitted contrary to his owne oth at his coronation inserting and placing the moste of his owne lawes in his language to serue hys purpose and whych as yet to this present day in the same Normande language do remaine Nowe the Lorde willing let vs proceede in the storie as in order followeth * King Harold HArolde the seconde sonne of Earle Godwine and laste king of the Saxons notwithstanding that diuers of the nobles went with Edgar Adeling the next heire after Edmund Ironside yet he through force and might contemning the young age of Edgar and forgetting also his promise made to duke William toke vpon him to be king of England An. 1066. When Harolde Harefager sonne of Canutus king of Norway Dēmark heard of the death of king Edward he came into England with 300. shippes or mo who then ioyning with Tostius brother to the sayde Harold king of England entred into the North partes claimed the land after the death of Edwarde But the Lords of the countrey arose and gaue them battail notwithstanding the Danes had the victory And therfore Harold king of Englād prepared toward them in all hast gaue them an other strōg battel and there had the victory where also Harold the Dane was slaine by the hand of Harold king of Englande And Tostius was also slaine in the battell After this victorie Harold waxed proude couetous and would not deuide the praies to his Knightes that had deserued it but kept it to himselfe whereby he lost the fauour of many of his knights and people In this meane time William Duke of Normādy sent Ambassades to Harolde king of Englande admonishing him of the couenauntes that were agreed betweene them which was to haue kept the land to his vse after the death of Edwarde But because that the daughter of Duke William that was promised to Harolde was dead Harolde thought him thereby discharged and sayd that such a nice foolish promise ought not to be holden concerning an others land without the consent of the Lordes of the same and especially for that hee was thereunto for neede or for dread compelled Upon these answeres receaued Duke William in the while that the messengers went and came gathered his knightes and prepared his name and had the assent of the Lordes of his lande to aide and assist him in his iourney And ouer that sending vnto Rome to pope Alexander cōcerning his title viage into england the pope cōfirmeth him in the same and sent vnto him a banner willing him to heare it in the ship wherein himselfe should saile Thus Duke William being purueied of al things cōcerning his iourney sped him to the sea side and tooke shipping at the hauen off Ualery where he taried a lōg time or he might haue a conuenient winde For the which his souldiours murmured saying it was a woodnesse a thing displeasing God to desire to haue an others mans kingdome by strength and namely whē God was against it in sending contrary wind c. At
maintaining of Monkery falsly being perswaded that remission of theyr sinnes remedy of their soules therein did lie in building monasteries erecting churches and cloysters and in placing monks in the same and such other almes deedes and workes of deuotion Wherin appeareth how ignorāt that time was of the true doctrine of Christes faith and of free grace of the Gospell which promiseth life remedy and iustification not by any deuout merits of oures nor by any workes either of the lawe of God or of the inuentions of man but onely and freely by our faith vpon Christ Iesus the sonne of God in whom only consisteth al the promises of God Amen Nowe remaineth as in the former booke before so in this likewise to prosecute the order race of Archbishops of Canterbury as we haue done the race of kings beginning with Etheredus who succeded next after Celnocke the seuententh Archbishop of that Sea mentioned where we last left before Pag. 131. The names and order of the Archbishops of Caunterburie from the time of king Egbert to William Conquerour 18. Ethelredus 18   19 Pleimūdus 29 This Pleimundus was scholemaster to king Altrede 20. Athelmus 12. 21. Vlfelmus 23   22. Odo 20. By the players of thys Oddo the Monkish stories say that the sworde of King Ethelstane was brought again into his scabberd As touching the Epistle of thys Odo sent to other Byshoppes vide pag. 251. 23. Elfius or Elfinus 1 This Elfius first bishop of Winchester came to the sea of Cant. by the commaundement of King Edgar some say by bribes contrary to the mind of Odo Wherupon in the first day of hys consecration he insulting vppon the tomb of Odo with despite shortly after wēt to Rome for his pal where in his iorny vpon the alps he died for colde in so much that his horses being killed he put in their warme bellies yet could get no heate Malms 24 Dunstan 20. Of this Dunstane many monkish miracles be fained as of the harpe vpon the wall playing by it self Gaudent in Coelis c. of our ladie with her companie appearing to him singing Cantemus domino sociae Cantemus honorem Dulcis amor christi personet ore pio Also of the Angels singing Kyrieleyson c. Item of holding the Deuill by the nose with a paire of tonges tempting him with women Malmes Item of seeing the holy Ghost at his masse in likenesse of a Doue Item in deliuering the soule of Edwine from the Deuill Item in foreseeing the death of King Edred by the death and falling of his horse Item of his mother being great with Dustane when all the candels of others went out her onely candle remained light many other like fables c. ¶ Polydorus maketh Dunstane to be the 23. archb 25. Ethelgarus 1 This Siricus was the counseller to king Egelred to redeme peace of the Danes with a great tribute 26. Elfricus 11 27. Siricius 5 28. Elphegus 6 Elphegus because he denied to paye to the Danes a tribute was stoned to death at Greenewich of some is called a martyr 29. Liuingus 7 30. Egenoldus 17 31. Edsius 11 32. Robertus 2 This Robertus caused Godwine and his sonnes to be banished accusing them of Treason But afterward they being restored he went to Rome and at his returne died 33. Stigandus 17 Stigandus being an English man in the time of W. Conquerour the Normane was by the craft of the sayd William conueied into Normandie where a while with great honour he was entertained At length the sayde William procured secreately the popes letters to depose him that hee might place Lanfrancus in his roume This Stigandus died at length in prison 34 Lanfrancus 19 The ende of the thirde Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE CONTEINING other 300. yeares from William Conquerour to the tyme of Iohn Wickliffe wherein is described the proude and misordered raigne of Antichrist beginning to stirre in the Church of Christ. WILLIAM Duke of Normandie surnamed Conqueror base sonne of Duke Robert the sixth Duke of Normandie nephew vnto king Edward after the foresaid victorie against Harold the Englishmen obtained was receiued king ouer the Realme of Englande not so much by the assent as for feare and necessitie of time For els the Londiners had promised their assistance to Edgar Atheling to the vttermost of their power But being weakened wasted so greatly in battailes before and the Duke comming so fast vppon them fearing not to make their partie good submitted themselues Whereupon the saide William of a Duke made a King was crowned vpon Christmas day the yeare of our Lorde 1067. by the handes of Aldredus Archb. of Yorke Forsomuch as at that time Stigandus Archb. of Canterb. was absent or els durst not or woulde not come in the presence of the king A litle before the comming in of this Duke a terrible blasing starre was seene the space of 7. daies which was the yere before In record wherof as well of the conquest of the Duke as of the blasing starre these verses yet remaine Sexagenus erat sextus millesimus annus Cum pereunt Angli stella monstrante cometa Which king thus being crowned did reigne ouer the realme of England the space of 21. yeres and one moneth with great seuerity cruelnes towarde the Englishmen burdening them with great tribute and exactions which was to pay of euery hide of grounde containing 20. acres 6. shillings By meane wherof certaine parties of the land rebelled and specially the citie of Exceter But at last William ouercame them and wan the city and punished them grieuously But for that for other sterne deedes of William diuers of the Lordes departed to Scotland wherfore he kept the other Lordes that taried the straiter and exalted the Normanes geuing to them the chiefe possessions of the land And for so much as he obteyned the kingdome by force and dent of sword he chaunged the whole state of the gouernance of this common weale and ordeined new lawes at his owne pleasure profitable to himself but greuous hurtful to the people abolishing the lawes of king Edward Wherunto notwtstanding he was sworn before to obserue maintaine For the which great commotions and rebellions remained long after among the people as hystories record to haue the sayd lawes of king Edwarde reuiued againe Ouer and besides this he builded 4. strong castles 2. at Yorke one at Notingham another at Lincolne which garrisons he furnished with Normanes About the third yere of his reigne Harold Canutus sonnes of Suanus King of Denmarke entered into the North countrey The Normanes wythin Yorke fearing that the Englishmen woulde aide the Danes fired the suburbes of the towne wherof the flame was so big and the winde so strong that it tooke into the city and brent a great part therof with the minster of S. Peter Where no doubt many worthy workes and
perswaded perchance by Harding and afterward in the yere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Espek which builded an Abbey of the same order called Merinale In this order the monks did liue by the labour of their hands They paid no tithes nor offrings they weare no furre nor lyning they weare red shoes their coules white and coate blacke all shorne saue a little circle they eate no flesh but only in their iourney Of this order was Bernardus c. This Urbanus held diuers Councels one at Rome where he excommunicated all such lay persons as gaue inuestiture of any Ecclesiasticall benefice Also all such of the Clergy as abiected themselues to be vnderlings or seruants to lay persons for Ecclesiasticall benefices c. An other Councell he held at Cleremount in France Where among other things the bishop made an Oration to the Lords being there present concerning the voiage recouering of the holy land from the Turkes and Sarazens The cause of which voiage first sprang by one Peter a monke or Hermite who being in Ierusalem seing the great misery of the Christians vnder the Paganes made therof declaration to Pope Urbane was therin a great sollicitor to all christian Princes By reason whereof after the foresaid Oration of pope Urbane 30000. men takyng on them the signe of the crosse for their cognisaunce made preparation for that voiage whose Captains were Godfrey Duke of Loraine with his two brethren Eustace and Baldwine the bishop of Pody Bohemund duke of Puell and his nephew Tancredus Raymund Erle of S. Egidius Robert Erle of Flaunders and Hugh le Graund brother of Phillip the French king To whome also was ioyned Robert Courthoyle duke of Normandy with diuers other noble men with the foresayd Peter the Deremite who was the chiefe causer of that voiage At that tyme many of the sayd Noble men layed theyr lands lordships to morgage for to prouide for the forenamed voiage as Godfrey duke of Lorayne who sold the Dukedome of Boloine to the Bishop of Eburone for a great sumine of money Also Robert Courthoyse Duke of Normandy layd his Dukedome to pledge to his brother William king of England for x. thousand pounds c. Thus the Christians which passed first ouer Bosphorus hauing to their captaine Peter the Heremite a man perchance more deuout then expert to guide an army beyng trapped of their enemies were slaine murthered in great number among the Bulgars and nere to the towne called Ciuitus When the nobles and the whole army met together at Constantinople where Alexius was Emperour passing ouer by Hellespontus goyng to Ierusalem they tooke the cities of Nicea Eraclea Tarsis and subdued the country of Cicilia appointing the possession thereof to certayne of their Captaines Antioch was besieged and in the ix month of the siege it was yelded to the Christians by one Pyrrhus about which season were sought many strong battayles to the great slaughter and desolation of the Sarazens and not without losse of man● Christian men The gouernance of this Citie was committed to Boamund Duke of Pucil whose martiall knighthood was often prooued in tyme of the siege thereof And not long after Corbona maister of the Persians Chiualry was vanquished and slayne with an hundreth thousand Infidels In which discomfiture were taken 15000. camels Ierusalem the 39. day of the siege was conquered by the Christians Robert Duke of Normandy was elect to be king therof But he refused hearing of the death of king William of Eng. wherfore he neuer sped in all his affaires well after the same Then Godfrey captaine of the christian army was proclaimed the first king of Ierusalem At the taking of the City was such a murder of men that bloud was congeled in the streete the thicknes of a foote Then after Godfrey raigned Baldwine his brother After hym Baldwine the second nephew Then Gaufridus duke of Gaunt and after him Gaufridus his sonne by whom many great battails there were fought against the Sarazens and all the countrey thereabout subdued saue Ascalon c. And thus much hetherto touching the voyage to the holy land Now to our owne land agayne About this tyme as Mathaeus Parisiensis writeth the kinge of England fauoured not much the sea of Rome because of their impudent and vnsatiable exactiōs which they required neither would he suffer any of his subiectes to go to Rome alleaging these wordes in the author thus expressed Quòd Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes non eius potestatem retinent cuius sanctitatem probantur non imitari that is because they follow not the steppes of Peter hunting for rewardes neither haue they the power and authoritie of him whose holinesse they declare themselues not to follow c. By the same Urbanus the seuen Houres whiche we call septem horas Canonicas were first instituted in the Church Item by this pope was decreed no bishop to be made but vnder the name and title of some certaine place Item that Martins and Houres of the day should euery day be sayd Also euery Saterday to be sayd the Masse of our Lady and all the Iewes Sabboth to be turned to the seruice of our Lady as in the Councell of Turon to the which seruice was appointed the Antheme Ora pro populo interueni pro clero intercede pro deuoto foemineo sexu Item all such of the clergy as had wyues to be depriued of their order Item to be lawfull for subiectes to breake theyr othe of allegeaunce with all such as were by the Pope excommunicate Item not to be lawfull both for husband and wyfe to christen one child both together with matters many moe By the same Pope thus many chapters stand written in the Canon law Dist. 7. Sanctorum dist 31. Eos qui 1. q. 1. Si qui dist 56 praesbyterorum 11. q. 3. quibus 15. q. 6. Iuratos 16. q. 7. congregatio 19 q. 2. Statuimus 23. q. 8. Tributum 30. q. 4. quod autem c. In the 6. yere of this kings raigne Malcoline king of Scots which foure times before had made great slaughter of old yong in the North partes as is before shewed braste into Northumberland with all the power he could make and there by the right iudgement of God was slain with his sonne Edward and also Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adeling aboue mynded a vertuous and deuout Lady within 3. dayes after The same yeare he gaue the Archbishoprike of Caunterbury after that he had detayned the same in hys owne bandes 4. yeares to Anselmus Abbot of Becke in Normandie This Anselme was an Italian in the Citie of Augusta borne and brought vp in the Abbey of Becke in Normandy where he was so straight a folower of vertue that as the story recordeth he wished rather to bee without
made before to Molde the Empresse had taken vpon hym the crowne as is abouesayd he sware before the Lordes at Oxford that he would not hold the benefices that were voyded and that he would remit the Danegelt with many other things which after he little performed Moreouer because he dread the comming of the Empresse he gaue lisence to his Lordes euery one to build vpon theyr owne ground strong castles or sorcresses as them liked All the tyme of his raigne he was vexed with warres but especially with Dauid King of the Scottes with whom he was at length accorded but yet the Scottish king did hym no homage because he was sworne to Mande the Empresse Notwithstanding yet Henry the eldest sonne to king Dauid did homage to king Stephen But he after repentyng therof entred into Northumberland with a great host burnt and New the people in most cruel wyse neither sparing man woman nor chylde Such as were with chylde they ript the children they tost vpon their speare pointes and laying the priests vpon the altars they mangled and cut them all to pieces after a most terrible maner But by the manhood of the English Lordes and souldiours and through the meanes of Thurstine Archbishop of Yorke they were met withall and slaine a great number of them and Dauid their king cōstrained to geue Henry his sonne hostage for suretie of peace In the meane tyme king Stephen was occupied in the South countreys besieging diuers castles of diuers Bishops other Lordes and tooke them by force and fortified them with his knights and seruants to the entent to withstand the Empresse whose cōming he euer feared About the vi yeare of his raigne Maud the Empresse came into England out of Normandy by the aid of Robert Earle of Gloucester and Ranulph of Chester made strong warre vpon kyng Stephen In the ende whereof the kings partie was chased and himselfe taken prisoner sent to Bristow there to be kept in sure hold The same day whē kyng Stephen should ioyne his battayle It is sayd in a certaine old Chronicle before inyuded that he beyng at the Masse which then the bishop of Lincolne sayd before the kyng as he went to offer vp his taper it brake in two pieces And when the masse was done at what time the kyng should haue bene houseled the Rope whereby the pyxe did hang did breake and the pixe fell down vpon the aultar After this field the Queene king Stephens wyfe lying then in Kent made great labour to the Empresse and her counsail to haue the kyng deliuered and put into some house of religion but could not obtayne Also the Londiners made great sure to the sayd Empresse to haue and to vse agayne S. Edwardes lawes and not the lawes of her father which were more straight and strange to them then the other which when they could not obtayne of her and her counsaile the citizens of London beyng therwith discontented would haue taken the Empresse But she hauing knowledge therof fled priuily from London to Oxford But then the Kentishmen and Londiners taking the kings part ioyned battaile against the Empresse there the foresayd Robert Erle of Glocester and base brother to the Empresse was taken And so by exchange both the King and Erle Robert were deliuered out of prison Then Stephen without delay gatheryng to hym a strong army straightly pursued the foresaid Matild or Mauld with her friendes besieging them in the Castell of Oxford In the siege wherof fell a great snow and frost so hard that a man well laden might passe ouer the water Upon the occasion wherof the Empresse bethinking herself appointed with her friends retinue clothed in white shectes so issuing out by a postern gate went vpō the I se ouer Thames and so escaped to Wallingford After this the king the castle beyng gotten when he found not the Empresse was much displeased and molested the countrey about diuer's wayes In conclusion he pursued the empresse her company so hard that he caused them to flee the realme which was the vi yeare of his raigne The second yeare after this which was the viii yeare of his raigne there was a parliament kept at Londō Unto the which all the Bishops of the Realise resorted and there denoūced the kyng accursed and all them with him that did any hurt to the Church or to any minister therof Wherupon the king began somwhat to amend his conditions for a certain space but afterward as my story sayth was as euil as he was before but what the causes were myne author maketh no relation therof c. To returne agayne to the story the Empresse compesled as is sayd to flee the realme returned againe into Normandy to Geffrey Plantagenet her husband Who after he had valiantly wonne and defended the Duchy of Normandy agaynst the puissance of king Steuen a long tyme ended his lyfe leauing Henry his sonne to succeed him in that dukedom In the meane while Robert Earle of Gloucester and the Earle of Chester who were strong of people had diuers conflictes with the king In so much that at a battayle at Wilton betwene them the king was well nere taken but yet escaped with much payne It was not long after but Eustace sonne to king Stephen who had maried the French kings sister made war vpon duke Henry of Normādy but preuailed not Soone after the sayd Henry Duke of Normandy in the quarell of his mother Maude with a great puissance entred into England and at the first wan the castle of Mahnesbury then the Tower of London and afterward the towne of Notingham with other holdes and castles as of Walynford and other mo Thus betwene him and the king were foughten many battayles to the great annoyaunce of the realme During which tyme Eustace the kings sonne departeth Upon the occasion wherof the king caused Theobald which succeeded next after W. above mentioned Archbishop of Canterbury to make meanes for the Duke for peace which vpon this condition betwene them was concluded that Steuen during his life tyme should holde the kingdome and Henry in the meane tyme to bee proclaimed heyre apparant in the chiefe cities throughout the Realme These things thus concluded Duke Henry taketh his iourney into Normandy king Steuen and hys sonne William bringing him on his way where William the kings sonne taking vp his horse before his father had a fall and brake his leg and so was had to Canterbury The same yere king Stephen about October as some say for sorow ended his life after he had raigned 19. yeres periuredly As Theobald succeeded after William Archbishop of Canterb. so in Yorke after Thurstine succeeded William which was called S. William of Yorke who was poysoned in his chalice by his chaplaines In the tyme of this kyng which was the xvi yeare of his raigne Theobaldus Archbishop of Cant. and Legate to
mentioned it appeareth by their writings whereof I will recite some of their words which towardes the end be these Quis enim est solus ille peregrinus qui condemnationem haereticorū Valdensium ignoret a longe retro annis factam tam famosam tā publicam tot tantis laboribus expensis sudoribus fidelium insecutam tot mortibus ipsorum infidelium solemniter damnatorum publiceque punitorum tam fortiter sigillatam c. That is Who is such a straunger that knoweth not the condemnation of Ualdenses the heretickes done and past so many yeres ago so famous so publick followed vpon so great labours expences and trauayle of the faythfull and sealed with so many deathes of these Infidelles so solemnelye being condemned and openlye punished Whereby we may see persecution to be no newe thing in the Churche of Christe when Antechrist so long before euen 300. yeares began to rage agaynst these Ualdēses In Bohemia likewise after that the same called by the name of Thaborites as Siluius recordeth suffred no little trouble But neuer persecution was stirred vp against them or any other people more terrible then was in these latter yeares in Fraunce by the French king an 1545. which lamentable story is described in Sleidan and hereafter in the proces of this booke as we come to the order of yeares shall be set forth by the grace of Christ more at large In the which persecution is declared in one towne Cabriera to be slayne by the Captayne of Sathan Minerius eight hūdred persons at once without respect of women or children of any age Of whome 40. women and most of them great with childe thrust into a barne and the windowes kept with pikes and so fire set to them were all consumed Besides in a caue not farre from the towne Mussium to the number of xxv persons with smoke and fire were the same time destroyed At Merindolum the same tyraunt seing all the rest were fled away finding one yong man caused him to be tyed to an Oliue tree to be destroyed with tormentes most cruelly with much other persecution as may appeare hereafter in the history translated out of Sleidan into English But to returne agayne to higher times from whence we digressed Besides that Rinerius aboue mentioned speaketh of one in the towne of Cheron a glouer which was brought in this time to examinatiō suffred There is also an olde Monument of proces wherein appeareth 443. brought to examinatiō in Pomerania Marchia and places there about about the yeare of our Lord 1391. And thus much touching the originall doctrine and the lamentable persecutions of the Ualdenses who as is declared first began about the time of this king Henry the second Other incidences happening in the raigne of this Henry the second COncerning the first origine of Waldēses springing in the daies of this king is sufficiently hetherto declared Now remayneth in like order of time to story also such other incidencies as chaunced vnder the raigne of the sayd king not vnworthy to be obserued keeping the order of y● time so neare as we may as authors do geue vnto vs. Mary the daughter of king Stephen being the Abbes of Ramessey was maryed in this kinges dayes to Mathew Earle of Bolon which maryage Thomas Becket did worke agaynst and did dissolue by reason whereof he procured him great displeasure with the sayd Earle c. an 1161. Ex Chronico Bibliothecae Cariensis The same yeare a certayne childe was crucified of the Iewes in the towne of Glocester an 1161. Iornalens After the same maner the wicked Iewes had crucified an other child befo●e in the City of Norwich in the dayes of Kyng Stephen an 1145. A collection was gathered through all England and Fraunce two pence of euery pound for the succour of the East Christians agaynst the Turkes an 1167. Ex eodem Babilon was taken and destroyed and neuer since repayred by Almaricus king of Hierusalem an 1170. Ex vetusto manuscripto exemplari historiae Cariensis An. 1173. almost all England was diseased with the cough Ex vetusto Chron. acephalo About which yeare also William king of Scots was taken in battayle and imprisoned in England Great warre happened in Palestina wherein the City of Ierusalem with the crosse and the king of the City other of the temple was taken of the Sarasines and most part of the Christians there either slayne or taken Cruell murther and slaughter there was vsed by the Turke who caused all the chief of the Christiās to be brought forth and beheaded before his face In so much that Pope Urbanus the iii. for sorrow dyed Gregory the viii next pope after him liued not 2 monethes Thē in the dayes of pope Clement iii. newes and sorrow growing dayly for the losse of Palestina and destruction of the Christians K. Henry of England Phillip the french king the duke of Burgundy the Earle of Flaunders the Earle of Campania with diuers other Christian Princes with a generall consent vpon S. Georges day tooke the marke of the crosse vpon thē promising together to take their voyage into the holy land At which tyme the storyes say the king of England receiued first the redde crosse the French king tooke the white crosse the Earle of Flaunders the greene crosse so other princes diuersly diuers coulors therby to be discerned euery one by his proper crosse But king Henry after the three yeres were expired in which he promised to performe his voyage sent to the Pope for further delay of his promise offering for the same to erect three Monasteries Which thing he thus performed In the Church of Waltham he thrust out the seculer Priestes and set in Monkes for them Secondly he repayred agayne brought in the Nunnes of Amesbury which before were excluded for theyr incontinent life And thus performed he his promise made before to the Pope an 1173. The king of Scots did his homage and alleageaūce to the King of England and to his sonne and to his chiefe Lordes promising that all the Earles and Barōs of scotland should do the like with theyr posterity Item all the Byshops and Abbots of the Church of Scotland promised subiection and submission to the Archbishop of Yorke an 1175. Nic. Triuet The custome was in this realme that if any had killed any Clerke or Priest he was not to be punished with the temporall sword but onely excommunicate sēt to Rome for the Popes grace and absolution Which custome in the dayes of this king began first to be altered by the procurement of Richard Archbishop of Caunterbury an 1176. Triuet London bridge first began to be made of stone by one Peter Priest of Colechurch an 1176. Ex Chron. cuius initiū In diebus sanctis regis Edouardi c. ex Bibliot Cariensi S. William of Paris was slain of the Iewes on
Messana The second of October R. Richard wanne an other cercayne strong holde called Manasterium Griffonum situated in the midst of the Riuer of Del far betweene Messana and Calabria frō whence the Monkes beyng expulsed he reposed there all hys story and prouisiō of victuals which came from England or other places The Citizens of Messana seeing that the R. of England had won the Castle and Island in De la Bagmare and also the Monastery of the Griffones doubting lest the king would extēd his power farther to inuade their citie get if he could the whole Isle of Sicilia begā to stirre agaynst the kinges army and to shut the Englishe men out of the gates and kept ther walles agaynst them The Englishmen seing that made to the gates and by force would haue broken them open in so muche that the King riding among them with his staffe breaking diuers of their heads could not asswage their fiercenes Such was the rage of the Englishmen agaynst the Citizens of Messana The king seeing the fury of the people to be suche as he could not stay them tooke boate went to the Palace of K. Tancred to talk of the matter with the French king In which meane tyme the matter was so taken vp by the wise handling of the auncient of the citty that both partes laying downe their armour went home in peace The fourth day of the sayd month of October came to king Richard the archbishop of Messana with two other archbishops also with the French king and sondry other Earles Barons and Bishops for intreataunce of peace Who as they were together consulting had almost concluded vpō the peace the Cittizens of Messana issuing out of the towne some went vp vpon the mountaynes some with open force inuaded the mansion or lodging of Hugh Brunne an English captayn The noyse wherof cōming to the eares of the king he sodenly breaking of talke with the French king and the rest departed from them comming to his men commaunded thē forthwith to arme thē selues Who then with certayne of his souldiours making vp to the top of a mountayne which seemed to passe theyr power to clime there put the Citizens to flight chasing thē down the mountayn vnto the very gates of the Citie whom also certayne of the kinges seruauntes pursued within the Citty of whō fiue valiaunt souldiours and xx of the kings seruaunts were slayne the French king looking vpon and not once willing to rescue them contrary to his othe and league before made with the king of England For the French king with hys men being there present rode in the midst of them safely without any harme to and fro and might well haue eased the kinges party more then he if it had so liked him This beyng knowne to the English hoast how theyr fellowes were slayn and the Frenchmen permitted in the city that they were excluded the gates barred against them being also stopped frō buying of vittayle and other things they vpon great indignation gathered themselues in armes brast opē the gates and scaled the walles and so winning the Citty set vp their flagges with the Englishe armes vpon the walles Which when the French king did see he was mightely offended requiring the king of England that the armes of Fraūce might also be set vp ioyned with his But king Richard to that would in no case agree Notwithstanding to satisfie hys minde he was cōtented to take downe his armes and commit the custodie of the City to the Hospitallaries and Templaries of Hierusalem till the time that Tancrede king of Sicilia and he should agree together vpon conditions These thinges being done the v. vi day of October it followed thē vpō the viij day of the same month of October that peace among the kings was cōcluded In which peace first king Richard and Phillip the French king renewed agayne their othe and league before made concerning their mutuall ayd and society during the time of that peregrination Secondly peace also was concluded betweene king Richard and Tancred king of Cicilia aforesayd with the cōditions that the daughter of Tancreda in case King Richard should die without issue should mary to Arthure Duke of Britaine the kings nephew and next heyre to his crown c. whereof a formal charte was drawn and letters sent thereof to Pope Clement being dated the the ix day of Nouember In this meane time as these two kinges of Fraunce and England were thus wyntering at Messana Fredericke Emperor first of that name the same on whose neck Pope Alexander did treade in the Church of Uenice saying the verse of the Psalme Super aspidem basiliscum ambulabis c. whereof read before pag. 205. and his sonne Conradus with a mighty army of Almanus and others were comming vp likewise toward the land of Hierusalē to the siege of Achon where by the way the good Emperour through a great mischaunce falling of his horse into a Riuer called Salef was therin drowned After whose decease Conradus his sonne taking the gouerment of hys army came to the siege of Achō in which siege also he died Upon whose comming such a dearth followed in the camp whiche lasted two monthes that a loafe of bread whiche before there cōming was sold for i. peny was afterwarde sold for iij. pound By reason whereof many Christiā souldiours did there perish through famine The chiefest foode which the princes there had to feede vpon was horse flesh This famine being so miserable some good bishops there were in the campe namely Hubert Bishop of Salisbury with certayne other good Byshops who making a generall collection through the whole campe for the poore made such prouision that in such penury of all things yet no mā was so destitute needy but somewhat he had for hys relief till within a fewe dayes after by the mercifull prouidence of God who is the feeder of all creatures shyppes came vnto them with a boūdance of corne wine and oyle The siege of this towne of Achon endured a long season which as it was mightely oppugned by the Christiās so it was strongly defended by the Saracens specially by helpe of wild fire which the Latines do call Ignem Graecū so that great slaughter there was on both sides During the tyme of which siege many noble personages also byshops died among whō was Conradus the Emperours sonne Rādulph Earle of Fougeres the Earle of Pericio Robert Earle of Leicester Baldwine archbishop of Canterbury with foure Archbishops and diuers other Byshops and Abbots and Earles and Barons to the nūber of 34. and not so few All this while king Richard King Phillip of Fraunce stil kept at Messana in Sicilia from the month of September till Aprill for lacke I suppose of wynde or weather or els for necessitie of repayryng their shyppes In which meane tyme king
Richard hearing of Ioachim Abbot of Curacio a learned man in Calabria who was thē thought to haue the spirit of prophesie told many thinges of a people that should come sent for hym with whom he his Bishops had much conference about the cōming tyme of Antichrist This Ioachim belike in his booke and Reuelations vttered some things agaynst the Sea and pride of Rome for the whiche he was lesse fauoured of the popes iudged an enemy to their Sea and so by pope Innocent the 3. was condemned with his bookes for an heriticke in his Idolatrous generall Councell of Laterane an 1215. as ye may read in Antoninus After this Henricus king of Almanes sonne of Fredericke the Emperour hearing of the decease of his father standing now to be Emperor first restoreth to Hen. Duke of Saxonie and to others whatsoeuer his father before had takē from them That done he sent to Clement hys Cardinals promising in al thinges to confirme the lawes and dignities of the Church of Rome if they would graūt hym their assent to be Emperor Wherupon pope Clemēt by aduise of the Romaines assigned him the terme of Easter in the next yeare insuing for his coronation But before that Easter came P. Clemēt died after he had sit 3. yeres and about 4. monthes After whome succeeded Celestinus the 3. Of whom more hereafter God willing The time thus passing ouer in the month of February the next yeare following which was of the Lord. 1191. king Richard sent ouer hys Galleyes to Naples there to meet his mother Alinore and Berengaria the daughter of Sāctius king of Nauarre whom he was purposed to mary Who by that tyme were come to Brundusium vnder the conduct of Phillip Erle of Flanders so proceeding vnto Naples there found the kings ships wherin they sayled to Messana In this meane space king Richard shewed hymselfe exceeding bounteous and liberall to all men To the French king first he gaue diuers ships vpō others likewise he bestowed rich rewardes and of hys treasures and goodes he distributed largely to hys souldiours and seruauntes about hym Of whom it was reported that he distributed more in one month then euer any of hys predecessors did in a whole yeare by reason whereof he purchased great loue and fauour which not onely redounded to the aduauncement of his fame but also to his singular vse and profite as the sequele afterward proued To proceede then in the progresse of king Richard it followeth In the first day of the month of march he leauing the citty of Messana where the Frenche king was went to Cathniensium a City where Tancredus Kyng of Sicilia then lay where he was honourable receaued there remained with king Tancred 3. dayes 3. nightes On the fourth day when he should depart the foresayd Tancredus offered him many riche presentes in golde and siluer and precious silkes whereof king Richarde woulde receiue nothing but one little ryng for a token of his good will For the which king Richard againe gaue to him a rich sword At length when R. Richard should take his leaue king Tancredus would not so let him part but needes would geue him 4. great ships and 15. Galeys and furthermore he himselfe would needes accompanye him the space of two dayes iourney to a place called Tauenium Then the next morning when they should take their leaue Tancredus declared vnto him the message which the French king a little before had sent vnto him by the Duke of Burgundy the contentes whereof was this That the king of England was a false traytour aud would neuer keepe the peace that was betweene thē And if the sayd Tancredus would warre agaynst hym or secretly by night woulde inuade him he with all his power would assiste him and ioyne with him to the destruction of him and all hys army c. To whome Richard the king protested agayne that he was no traytour nor neuer was and as touching the peace begon betweene them the same shoulde neuer be broken thorough hym neyther could he beleue that the French king being hys good Lorde and his sworne compartiner in that voyage would vtter any such wordes by him Which when Tancredus heard he bringeth forth the letters of the Frenche R. sent to him by the Duke of Burgundy affirming moreouer that if the Duke of Burgundy would deny the bringing of the sayd letters he was ready to try with hym by any of hys Dukes King Richard receiuing the letters mu●ing not a little vpō the same returneth again to Messana The same day that king Richard departed the French king cōmeth to Tauermum to speake with Tancredus there abode with him that night and on the morrowe returned to Messana againe From that tyme king Richard moued in stomacke against king Phillip neuer shewing any gentle countenāce of peace and amitie as he before was wont Whereat the French K. greatly marueiling and enquiring earnestly what should be the cause therof word was sent him again by Phillip Erle of Flaunders what words he had sent to the king of Sicilia for the testimony thereof the letters were shewed which he wrote by the Duke of Burgundy to the king of Sicilia Which when the Frenche king vnderstoode first he held hys peace as gilty in his conscience not knowing well what to aunswere At length turning his tale to an other matter he began to quarrell with king Richard pretending as though he sought causes to breake with him and to maligne him and therefore he forged these lyes sayd he vpon him and all because he by that meanes would voyde to marry with Alice his sister according as he had promised Adding moreouer that if he would so do and would not mary the sayd Alice his sister according to his othe but woulde marry an other he woulde be an enemy to hym and hys while he lyued To this king Richard sayd agayn that he could by no meanes mary that woman for so muche as his father had carnall copulation with her also had by her a sonne for proofe wherof he had there presently to bring forth diuers and sondry witnesses to the kings face to testifie with him In conclusion through counsell and perswasion of diuers about the French king agreement at last was made so that king Phillip did acquire king Richard from his bonde of marying hys sister and king Richard agayne shoulde be bound to pay to him euery yeare for the space of v. yeares two thousand marks with certayne other conditions besides not greatly materiall in this place to be deciphred And thus peace beyng betweene them concluded the 28. day of the said month of March the Frēch king launching out of the hauen of Messana in the 22. day after in Easter weeke came with hys army to the siege of Achon After the departure of the French king from Messana king Richard
Cum itaque in nostra nunc habeatur potestate ipse semper tua molestauit turbationis operam praestiterit ea quae praemisimus nobilitati tuae insinuare curauimus scientes ea d●●ectioni tuae beneplacita existere animo tuo vberrimam importare laetitiam Datum apud Ritheountum V. Kalendas Ianuar. King Richard thus being traiterously taken and sold to the Emperor by the duke of Austrige for 60000. marks was there kept in custodie a yeare ano iii. monethes In some stories it is affirmed that K. Richard returning out of Asia came to Italy with prosperous winde where hee desired of the pope to be absolued frō an othe made against his will and could not obtaine it And so letting out from thence toward England passing by the coūtry of Conradus the Marques whose death he being slaine a little before was falsely imputed by the French king to the king of England and there traiterously was taken as is before saide by Limpoldus Duke of Austrige Albeit in an other story I find the matter more credibly set forth which saith thus that king Richard slewe the brother of this Limpoldus playing with him at chesse in the french kings court And Limpoldus taking his vauntage was more cruel against him and deliuered him as is ●aid to the Emperor In whose custody he was deteined during y● time aboue mentioned a yere and 3. months During the which time of the kings endurance the French king in the meane season stirred warre in Normandy And Erle Iohn y● kings brother made stir and inuaded England but the barons and bishops of the lande mightely wtstode him And besieged him in the Castell of Windsore where they tooke from him all the castels munitions which before hee had got Thus the Erle seeing no hope to preuaile in England suspecting the deliuerance of the king his brother made in to France kept with the French king At length it was so agreed and concluded with the Emperor that K. Rich. should be released for 14000. pounds Of the which mony part should remaine to the duke of Austrige the rest shuld be the Emperors The summe of which money was here gathered made in England of chalices crosses shrines candlesticks and other church plate also with publik contribution of friers abbeis and other subiectes of the realme Wherof parte was presently paid for the residue remaining hostages and pledges was taken which was about the 5. yeare of his raigne And then it was obtained of the Pope that priestes might celebrate with chalices of latin and tinne And so was granted continued long after which mine author in his Chronicle entituled Eulogium doeth testifie himselfe to haue scene At what time this foresayde mony was paid and the hostages geuen for the ransom of this king I haue an old storie that saith how the foresaide duke of Austrige shortly after was plagued by God with v. sondry plagues First with burning of his chief towns Secondly with the drowning of x. M. of his menne in a floud happening no man could tell how Thirdly by turning all the eares of his corne field into wormes Fourthly by taking away almost all the Nobles of his lande by death Fiftly by breaking his own legge falling from his horse which leg he was compelled to cut off with his own hands after died vpon the same Who then at his death is said to forgeue K. Richard 50000. Markes sent home the hostage that was with him ex varijs Chron. The booke intituled Eulogium before mentioned declareth thus that the sayde Limpoldus Duke of Austrige fell in displeasure with the bishop of Rome and died excōmunicate the next yeare after An. 1196. Thus the sayde King Richarde being raunsomed as hath ben declared from the couetous captiuity of the Emperour was restored againe and made his repaire into Englande At whose returne Erle Iohn hys brother resorting to him with humble submission desired to be pardoned of his transgressions To whom king Richard answering againe would God saith he this your trespasse as it dieth with mee in obliuion so it may remaine wyth you in remembraunce And so gentlely forgaue him And after he had againe recouered his holdes and castles caused himselfe to be crowned againe Whych done he made hys power agaynst the French king and draue hym out of Normandy After that he turned his viage against the Welshmen and subdued them The next yeare following which was the 1197. yere of the Lord Philip y● french king brake truce made betwene him and king Richarde whereuppon the king was compelled to saile ouer againe to Normandy to withstand the malice of his enemy About which time my story recordeth of one called of some Fulco some say he was the Archbyshop of Roane called Gualter This Fulco being then in England and comming to the kings presence sayde vnto him with great courage boldnes Thou hast O mighty King three daughters very vicious and of euill disposition take good heede of them and betimes prouide for them good husbandes least by vntimely bestowing of the same thou shalt not onely incurre great hurt and damage but also vtter ruine and destruction to thy selfe To whom the king in a rage sayde Thou lying and mocking hypocrite thou knowest not where thou art or what thou sayest I thinke thou art mad or not well in thy wittes for I haue neuer a daughter as all the world knoweth and therefore thou opē li●r get thee out of our presence To whom Fulco aunswered no and like your grace I lie not but say truth for you haue iii. daughters which continually frequēt your court and wholy possesse your person and such iii. whoores naughty packes as neuer the like hath bene heard off I meane mischieuous pride gredy couetousnes and filthy luxurity And therfore againe I say O king beware of them and out of hand prouide mariages for them least in not so doing thou vtterly vndoe both thy selfe and all the whole realme The which his wordes the King tooke in good parte with correction of himself confession of the same Wherupon incontinently he called his Lordes and Barons before him vnto whome he declared the cōmoning and monition of Fulco who had willed hym to beware of his iii. daughters pride auarice and luxurie with counsel out of hand to marrie them least further discommoditie shoulde ensue both to him and the whole realme whose good coūsell my Lordes I entende to follow not doubting of all your consents therunto Wherefore here before you all I geue my daughter swelling pride to wife to the proude Templars my greedie daughter auarice to the couetous order of the Cistercian Monkes and last of all my filthie daughter luxurie to the riotous prelates of the Churche whom I thinke to be very meete men for her and so seuerally well agreeing to all their natures that the like matches in this our Realme are not to be found for
Parma hauing this occasion offered with all force speed possible entred the Emperors campe or towne Victoria which being not very strōgly fenced nor hauing gates to shut agaynst thē was a thing easy enough to do The soden straūgenes of the matter much abāshed the souldiors rang out their lar● bell The first assault was geuen vpō Marcus Malaspina his charge whom when the Emperor returning in all haste foūd to be hard beset had thought to haue rescued him But whē that was perceiued of the enemy they bēt all their force altogether on y● side In so much that the Emperor was inforced to take the trench lest he should haue bene of the enemy enuironed from thence he retired into the citie or campe where he had thought to haue gathered further aide But the enemy geuing not so much tune thereunto ●a●l force entred the citie Uictoria The Emperor now when the enemies were entred left the campe came to Dominum who when they had killed slaine a great nomber of the Emperors soldiors had burnt destroied the same campe Uictoria came againe to Parma The Emperor thē suspecting this thing to be wrought by treason whereby the enemy had vnderstanding as wel of the Emperors absence as also of the negligence of his soldiors imprisoned certaine of the chiefest about hym amongst whome also was Petrus de Vineis Yet whilest he was at Dominum gathering together his souldiors and residue of his bāds Encius getteth a great victorie of the Mansuanos who coming to the rescue of Parma lost 50. of their ships and all that they had in them After this also Richardus in another conflict in Picenum discomforted the Popes souldiors slewe their captaine Hugolinus besides 2000. others slaine taken prisoners When nowe Fredericus had gathered againe and new mustered his bands at Dominum he marched foorth to Cremona and notwithstanding that there he vnderstoode of the good successe and victory that Encius had at Rhegium yet for that he perceiued the defection and backsliding of all or most part of Lumbardie from him he determined to take his iorney into Apulia and when he had there leuied a strong and sufficient power he purposed to make hys speedy returne againe into Lombardie Therefore in hys iorney through Netruria into Apulia he ioyned with hys sonne Fridericus which besieged Capras and tooke the same and led with him diuers of the chiefest captains prisoners and after that subduing vnto the obedience of the Empire Miniatum he came into Apulia When newes was brought him thether that Encius hys sonne comming to aide the Mutinenses against the Bononiens was taken prisoner two miles of from Mutina and that in his absence the Popes capitaines with theyr bandes and garrisons went throughout all Lumbardie Aemilia Flamminia and Hetruria to stirre and procure the Cities to reuolt from the obedience of the Emperour And the same partly working by subtile pollicies partly by force sinister meanes to bring them to his purpose determined with himself that with all the force and power he might by any meanes procure and make to haue begon a fresh prosecuted this warre to the vttermost Neyther was it to be doubted as Pandolphus Colonucius writeth but that he would haue wrought some maruellous exploit great attēpt but that he was of this his purpose wherunto he was both willing bēt preuēted by vnlooked for death For whē he fell into this ague being at a certaine castle of his in Apulia called Florētinū saw by the extremity thereof his daies to be short he remēbred that which was once shewed him how he should die at Florēce Wherupon he made and ordeined his testament and when vnto Conradus and other of his children he had geuen and appoynted the great and innumerable masse of mony which he had collected leuied for the maintenance of his wars and godly purpose as it is called And vnto them also had geuen all other his kingdomes dominiōs to euery one according to their ages and yeres departed this wretched and miserable world Pandolphus writeth that Fredericus was very willing to dye as they made certayne report to him which were present at his death that his minde was altogether set and bent vpon the heauenly ioy felicity Which thing also Gulielmus Putranus Andreas Panbalus and Manardus the bishop being Italian writers do all affirme of whom this last writeth that he assuredly beleueth Fredericke to be one of the number of Gods elect The writers notwithstanding are of sundry iudgmēts opinions touching this good Emperours death Some write that he was traiterously poisoned by his cup bearer being hyred therunto Some other that he was strangled with a pillow of Māfredo the sonne of Pherus But Pandolphus as good a writer as the best maketh no mention of any poyson that was geuen him but onely that he died of an ague The last opinion of Manfredus he manifestly refuteth and that there is no maner of lykelihood of the same further that the cōtrary is affirmed by diuers other writers that were of that time He died in the yeare of our Lord. 1268. the 13. day of December in the 57. yeare of his age and 37. yeare of his raigne whose corpes was brought to Panorinum and there intombed Fredericke had 3. wiues the first was Constantia the daughter of the king of Arragon of whom he begat Hēry the Duke of Sueuia and king of the Romains The other Iole the daughter of Iohaunes Brennus king of Ierusalem by whom he had the inheritance of Ierusale Naples and Sicile of whom he begat Cōradus Duke of Suenia king of Ierusalem Naples being Cesar. The third Isabell the daughter of king Iohn of Englād by whom he had a sonne named Hēry which is said to die in his childhood This Fredericus had not his peere in Marshall affayres to be compared vnto him and warlike pollicies amongst al the princes of that age A wise and skilful souldiour he was a great indurer of paynefull labors and trauels most boldest in greatest perils prudent in foresight Industrious in all his doinges prompt humble about that he tooke in hand and in aduer●ity mest stout couragious But as in this corruption of nature few there be the attain perfection neither yet is there any pr●ice almost of such gouernment and godly institution both in life doctrine as is required of them So neither was this Fredericke without his fault humaine fragility For the writers ●●pute to him some fault of concupiscence wherwith he was stayned and spotted And it appeareth that he was not all cleare therof for as much as by sūdry Concubines he had sundry children As Ene●is the king of Sardina Manfredus the prince of Sarcutinū And Frederick king of Antioche And this is all that I finde of the description of Fredericke by Colonucius which he affirmeth to haue
maister but also the whole coūtry of Heynault And further for that to such an expedition as appertained he sayd the prouince of Reynault was but a small matter to make accōpt of he woulde procure for the king greater ayde friendship in the Empire as the Duke of Brabant his cousin Germaine and a puissant Prince the Duke of Guerles the Archbishop of Colayne the Marques of Iuliers c. which are all good men of warre and able to make 10. thousand fighting men sayth he Which aunswere well liked the king and made him ioyous therof But this counsaile of the king as secret as it was came to Phillip the French kinges cares wherupon he stayd the voiage of the Crosie whiche then he had in hand sending forth countermaundes to stay the same til he knew farther the purpose of the king of England The king hereupon himselfe taketh shipping accompanyed as to a king appertained and when he had consulted with all the foresayd Lords of the Empire in this matter and vnderstood theyr fidelitie he made hys repayre to the Emperour at whose handes he was well intertayned honorable receaued whō the Emp. appointed to be his Lie●etenant generall hauing thereby more authoritie both to will commaund such as for this his expedition he trusted vnto and had made conuention with This hearing Phillip prepared his army and rigged hys nauy that so soone as the K should enter into the dominiō of Fraunce they also might enter into Englād requiting like for like The king of England after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist according to his purpose prepared all thinges ready to such an expeditiō cōducting his army gathering a greater strength in the Empire as before to him was promised vsing the Emperours authoritie therein as his lieftenant general howbeit at the charge altogether of the K. of England The French king as soone as king Edward had landed his army at Mackline in Flaunders and hearing of the defiance which the king and other Noble men of the Empire had sent vnto him Sent certaine ships lying ready therunto and wayting for such oportunitie vppon the cost of England did so much that vpon a Sonday whilest the townes men were at the Church little looking for any such matter entred the hauen of Southampton tooke the towne and spoyled the same defloured maydens enforced wiues brent kild tooke captiues and caryed away riche Ipoyles and great booties to theyr ships and so agayn departed into Fraunce Further as the king of Englād had allied himselfe with the noble men of the Empire and had the friendly fauour of the Emperour also therunto so the French king made the like league and aliance with Dauid the king of Scots whom the king had so hardly delt with all in Scotland as partly before you had and kept the most part of Scotland vnder hys subiection Binding the sayd Dauid is well by writing as oth pledge that without his consent he should make no peace nor conclude any truce with the king of England who agayne assured hym of ayd and rescue and helpe and to recouer his kingdome dominiō to his vse and forth with sent certain garisons bands into Scotland to keepe play with the Englishmen and there to fortifie diuers places till further oportunitie serued Hee also fortified with men money vitayle and munitiō the town of Cambrey which he suspected would be besieged lying so neare vpō that Empire as in deed it came to passe For King Edward departing from Macheline set forward his host towardes Heynault and by the way assēbled such power as in the Empirie he looked for marching forward still till that they came to Cambrey it besieged with 40000. men while that with an other company the Fleminges Brabanters and Holenders went to S. Quentin But in effect neyther there nor at Cambrey nor els where any thing notorious was achieued but the summer being well spent and little preuailing in the siege of Cambrey being of situation strong wel defenced therwall with men munition brake vp the siege marched further into the hart of Fraunce towardes Mutterell Which thing the French king hauing vnderstanding of prepared himselfe to geue battaile to the king of England who with an other great army came to Uirōfosse where daies were appoynted to meet in battaile but in the end nothing was done nor attempted betweene the princes And the king of Englād without any battaile either geuing or taking returned with his army from thence to Gaunt Concerning the cause of the sodaine remouing of the K. out of Fraunce seemeth most specially to rise of the pope which at the same time sent downe his Legates for the order of a peace to be taken betweene the kings At Gaunt was gathered by the kings appointment all the nobles as well of England as of the Empire in counsaile together what was best to be done Where playn answere was made to the king of England that vnlesse he would take vpon him the claime and title of Fraunce as his lawfull inheritaunce and as King thereof prosecute his warres It might not be lawfull for them any further to ayde the king of England or to fight with him agaynst the French king for that the Pope had bound them in two millions of Florences of gold and vnder payne of excommunication that they should not fight against the lawfull king of Fraunce Whereupon the king thought good therfore presently to make open challenge to the Realme and Crowne of Fraunce and further to quarter intermingle the armes of Fraunce with the armes of England in one Scootchen Wherupon eftsoones K. Edward made answere vnto the Pope agayne directing vnto him his letters wherein he declareth at large his right title vnto the Crowne of Fraunce purging thereby hymselfe and hys cause vnto the Byshop The copy and tenour of which letter because it is to long to expresse it is to be found in the story of Thom. Walsingham remaining in the Library of I. Stephenson Citizen of Londō who so hath lift or leisure to peruse the same Besides this letter to the pope he directed an other to the Pieres and Prelates of France he remayning yet at Gaunt in tenure as followeth * The letter of king Edward to the Nobles and commons of Fraunce EDward by the grace of God king of Fraunce and of England Lord of Ireland Vnto all Prelates and the Ecclesiasticall persons to the Pieres Dukes Earles Barons and to the commons of Fraunce greeting The high Lord and king aboue to whome although his will be in his owne power yet woulde that power should be subiect vnto law commaunding euery thing to be geuē vnto him which is his declaring thereby that iustice and iudgement ought to be the preparation of the kinges seate Wherefore seing the kingdome of Fraunce through the prouidence of God by the death of Charles last king of Fraunce of famous
the Englishmen calling them cowards dastards with many such approbrious words tending to that effect The king not knowing whereunto the words of the foole did appertayne asked the foole why he called the Englishmen such weakelings and cowards c. why sayth the foole Because the fearefull and cowardly Englishmen had not the hartes to leape into the sea so lustely as our Normands Gentlemen of Fraunce had Whereby the French kyng began to vnderstand the victory of his part to be lost and the Englishmē to be victorers This victory atchieued the fame therof spreading abroad in England first was not beleued till letters thereof came from the king to Prince Edward his sonne being then at Waltham directed to the bishops prelates of the realme the effect of which letters here followeth vnder written THe bountifull benignitie of Gods great clemency powred vpon vs of late for your true certification and reioycing we thought good to intimate vnto you It is not vnknowne we suppose to you and to other our faythfull subiectes which also haue bene partakers with vs of the same with what stormes of boysterous warres of late we haue bene tossed and shaken as in the great Ocean But although the rising surgies of the sea be merueilous yet more merueilous is the Lord aboue who turning the tempest into calme in so great daungers so mercifully hath respected vs. For where as we of late did ordaine our passage vpon vrgent causes into Flaunders the Lord Phillip de Valoys our bitter enemye vnderstanding thereof layd agaynst vs a mighty nauy of ships entending thereby eyther to take vs or at least to stop our voyage Which voyage if it had bene stayd it had bene the cutting of of all the great enterprises by vs intended and taken in hande moreouer we our selues brought to a great confusion But the God of mercies seing vs so distressed in such perils and dangers hath gratiously aud beyond mans expectation sent to vs great succour strength of fighting souldiours and a prosperous wynde after our owne desires By the meanes and helpe whereof we set out of the hauen into the seas where we estsoones perceaued our enemies well appointed and prepared with a mayne multitude to set vpon vs vpon midsommer day last past Agaynst whome notwithstansting Christ our Lord and Sauiour hath rendered to vs the victory through a strong and vehement conflict In the which conflict a mighty number of our enemies were destroyed and well neare all theyr whole Nauy was taken with some losse also of our part but nothing like in comparison to theirs By reason whereof we doubt not but our passage by the seas hereafter shal be more quiet and safe for our subiectes and also many other commodities shall ensue therof as we haue good cause to hope well of the same For which cause we deuoutly considering the heauenly grace so mercifully wrought vpon vs do render most humble thankes praise to Christ our Lord and sauior Beseeching him thar as he hath ben and alwayes is ready to preuent our necessities in time of oportunitie so he will continue hys helping hand euer towardes vs so to direct vs here temporally that we may raigne and ioy with him in heauen eternally And in like sort we require your charitie that you also with vs rising vp to the prayse of God alone who hath begon so fauourably to worke with vs to our goodnesse in your prayers and deuine seruice do instantly recommend vs vnto the Lord traueiling here in these foreigne countries and studying to recouer not onely our right here in Fraunce but also to aduaunce the whole Catholicke Churche of Christ and to rule our people in iustice And that also ye call vpon the Clergy and people euery one through his diocesse to do the same inuocating the name of our Sauiour that of hys mercy he will geue to vs his hūble seruaunt a docible hart so to iudge and rule hereupon rightly doing that which he hath commaunded that at length we may attaine to that which he hath promised c. Which letter was written to the Byshops and prelates an 1340. After this foresayd victory vpon the sea newes therof with due thanks to our Sauiour sent into England the Kyng striking into Flaunders came to Gaunt in Brabaute where hee had left the Queene who ioyfully receaued him being a little before purified or churched as we terme it of her fourth sonne whose name was Iohn and commonly called Iohn of Gaunt and was Erle of Richmonde and Duke of Lancaster At Uillenorth the king assembled his councell whereat the noble men of Fraunce Brabant and Hennalt conioyning together in most firme league the one to helpe and defend the other with the king of England agaynst the French king purposing and determining from thence to march toward Turncy it to besiege But the French king vnderstanding theyr counsell fortified and victualed the same before theyr comming thither Furthermore the sayd Frenche king the same tyme to stop the sige of king Edward sent with king Dauid of Scotland a great power to that intent to make inuasiō in England thereby the sooner to cause the king to remoue hys siege In the meane time while king Edwarde wrote his letters to Philip de Ualous making vnto him certain requestes as in the same his letters here folowing is to be seen who for the he wrote not vnto him as K. of France but by the name of Philip de Ualous refused to answer him touching the same as by their letters here placed may be seene * The letter of the king of England to Phillip de Valous the French king goyng to the siege of Turney PHillip de Valous of long time we haue gently requested you by our Embassadours by all the reasonable meanes we might to that intent you should haue rendered vnto vs our lawful right and inheritaunce to the crowne of Fraunce which from vs a long time you haue by great wrong and force deteined And for that we well perceaue you meane to perseuere in the same your purpose and iniurous detinue without making any reasonable aunswere to our demaund We let you vnderstand that we are entred into the country of Flaunders as the soueraigne Lord of the same and so passe through the country and further signifie vnto you how that by the helpe of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and our righteous cause therein and with the power of the sayd country our people and allyes we purpose to recouer the right which we haue to that inheritaunce you deteine from vs by your iniurious force and therefore approche we towardes you to make a shorte end of this our rightfull challenge if you also will doe the like And for that so great an host assēbled which we bring with vs on our part supposing you also on the other part to doe the like cannot lōg remayne together without great destruction both to our people and country
ought as neare as I can to chuse the best part Wherfore I surely trust that M. I. Wickliffe is one of the number of thē which are saued The words of Christ moneth me therunto saying Math. 7. Doe ye not iudge that ye be not iudged Luke the 6. Do not condemn ye shal not be condemned and the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 Do ye not iudge before the Lord himselfe do come the which shall opē those things that are hid in darknes to manifest the priuities of all hartes Secondly the loue and charity which I ought to bear vnto my neighbor louing him as my selfe doth moue me thereunto Luk. 10. Thirdly his good fame report moneth me the which he hath of the good Priests of the vniuersity of Oxford not of the wicked commōly of the vulgar sort although not of the couetous proud and luxurious Prelates Fourthly his owne workes writings doe stirre me therunto by the which he goeth about with his whole indeuor to reduce all men vnto the law of Christ specially y● clergy that they shoulde forsake the pompe dominion of this world and with the Apostles lead the life of Christ. Fiftly his owne protestations which he doth oftentimes vse in his sentences often repeating the same doth not a litle moue me Sixtlye his earnest desire and affection which he had vnto the law of Christ doth not a litle allure me therunto disputing of the verity therof the which cannot fayle in any one iote or title Whereupon he made a booke of the verity of the holy Scripture approuing euen vnto the vtter most the trueth of Gods law Wherfore it were too foolish a consequēt to say that because the number of the Prelates and clergy in England Fraunce and Boheme do coūt Iohn Wickeliffe for an hereticke that therfore he is an heretick c. Like as the reason for burning of the bookes for it is written in the first booke of Machabees first chapter that they did burne the books of the Lord tearing them in peeces and whosoeuer was founde to haue kept any bookes of the Testament or will of the Lord or the which obserued and kept the lawe of the Lord they were by the kinges commaundemen put to death If then the burning of these bookes by wicked men did argue or proue the euilnesse of the books thē was the law of God euill and nought So likewise the burning of S. Gregories bookes and diuers other sayntes and good men should argue proue that they were euill naughty men Wherupon as it doth not folow that because the Bishops Scribes and Phariseis with the elders of the people condemned Christ Iesus as an heretick that therfore he is an heretick So likewise doth it not follow of any other man The Byshops maisters of diuity monkes and prelates condemned thys man as an hereticke Ergo he is an hereticke For this consequēt is reproued by Iohn Chrisostom which was twise condemned as an hereticke by the Bishops and the whole clergy Likewise S. Gregory in his bookes was condemned by the Cardinals By like proofe also as they affirme M. Iohn Wickliffe to be an hereticke Iohn Duke of Lācaster a man of worthy memory and progenitor of Henry king of Englande should also be an hereticke For the sayd Duke defēded fauored and greatly loued M. Iohn Wickliffe Ergo the sayd Duke is or was an hereticke the consequent is good The Minor is well knowne vnto the Englishmen The Maior appeareth in the Canon where it is sayd he which defendeth an hereticke c. But these thinges set apart I demaund of the aduersary whether M. Iohn Wickliffe be damned for euer or no If he say that he is damned because he is an hereticke I propounde this vnto him whether M. Iohn Wickeliffe whiles he liued held any false doctrine cōtrary to the holy Scripture If he do affirme it let him then shew what doctrine it is and afterward declare that he held it obstinatly And he shall finde that in his bookes he alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse And by and by after M. Iohn Stokes in his intimation sayth that M. Iohn Wickliffe in Englād is counted for an hereticke This seemeth also false by the letter testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxforde vnto the which there is more credit to be geuē then vnto him And this shall suffise for this present Now as we haue declared the testimony of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Hus concerning the praise of Iohn Wickliffe It followeth likewise that we set forth and expresse the contrary censure and iudgementes of his enemies blinded with malicious hatred and corrupt affections against him especially of the Popes Councel gathered at Constance proceeding first in condemning hys bookes then of his articles and afterward burning of his bones The copy of which theyr sentēce geuen against him by that counsell here foloweth * The sentence geuen by the Councell of Constance in condemning the doctrine and 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe THe most holy and sacred councell of Cōstance making and representing the catholick Church for the extirpation of this present schisme and of all other errors and heresies springing and growing vnder the shadow and pretence of the same and for the reformation and amendment of the Church being lawfully congregate and gathered together in the holy Ghost for the perpetuall memory of the time to come We are taught by the acts and historyes of the holy fathers that the catholicke fayth without the which as the holy Apostle S. Paule saith it is vnpossible to please God hath bene alwayes defēded by the faythfull and spirituall souldiors of the Church by the shield of fayth agaynst the false worshippers of the same fayth or rather peruerse impugners which through their proud curiosity will seeme to know more and to be wiser then they ought to be for the desire of y● glory of the world haue gone about oft times to ouerthrow the same These kindes of warres and battelles haue bene prefigured to vs before in those carnall warres of the Israelites agaynst the Idolatrous people For in those spirituall warres the holy catholick Church through the vertue power of fayth being illustrate●●● the beames of the heauenly light by the prouidēce of God and being holpen by the helpe and defence of the Saints holy men hath alway continued immaculate the darcknes of errours as her most cruell enemyes being put to flight ●he hath most gloriously triumphed ouer all But in these our daies the old and vnclean enemy hath raysed vp new cōtētions strifes that the elect of this world might be knowne whose Prince and captayne in time past was one Iohn Wickliffe a false Christian. Who during his life time taught and sowed very obstinatly many articles cōtrary and agaynst the Christian Religion and the Catholicke fayth And the same
suspected of the byshops were the more maliced no doubt therefore of the sayd byshops whiche were the more ready to finde take all occasions to worke agaynst them as by theyr doyng herein may wel appeare For the bishop of Salisbury and archb of Yorke hauing no greater matter agaynst them then was declared with a grieuous complaynt went to the king complayning of the Mayor and Sheriffes of Lōdon What trespasse the Mayor and Sheriffes had done as ye haue heard before so may you iudge Now what followed after let vs heare The king incensed not a little w e the complaynt of the Bishops conceined estsoones against the Mayor and Sheriffes and agaynst the whole Cittie of London a great stomache In so muche that the Mayor both the Sheriffes were sent for and remoued from theyr office Syr Edward Darlyngton then was made warden Gouernor of the citie who also for hys gentlenes shewed to the Cittizens was also deposed and an other named syr Baldwyn Radington placed in that roome Moreouer so much grew the kinges displeasure agaynst the City that he also remoued from London the courtes termes to be kept at Yorke that is to say the Chauncery the Eschequer the kinges benche the hamper and the common place where the same con●●●ued from Midsommer tyll Christenmas to the great decay of the Cittye of London which was an 1393. Thivdly an other great cause whiche purchased the K. much euill will among hys subiectes was the secret murthering of his owne Uncle named T. Woodstocke Duke of Gloucester of whom mention was made before where was declared how the said Duke with the Earle of Arundell the Erle of Warwicke and the Earle of Darby with other were vp in armour agaynst certaine wicked Counsaylours about the king Whereupon the king watching afterward hys time came into Chelsford so to the place neare by where the Duke lay wherwith hys own hands he arested the sayd Duke his Uncle and sent him downe by water immediatly to Calice And there through the kinges commaundement by secret meanes was put to death being strangled vnder a fetherbed the Earle Marshall being then the keeper of Calis Wherby great indignation ro●e in many mens hartes agaynst the king With the same Duke of Gloucester also about the same time was arested and imprisoned the Erle of Warwicke and the Earle of Arundel who being condemned by parliament were then executed whereby great grudge and great indignation rose in the heartes of many agaynst the king an 1397. Fourthly to omit here the blanke chartes sent ouer all the land by the king and how the king was sayd to let out his realme to ferme Ouer and beside all these aboue premised fell an other matter whiche was the principall occasion of this mischiefe The banishment I meane of Hēry Erle of Darby and made Duke of Herford a little before being sonne of Iohn of Gaunt the Duke of Lācaster who dyed shortly after the banishment of hys sonne and lieth buryed in the Church of S. Paule in London and the Duke of Northfolke who was before Erle of Notingham and after by this king made Duke of Northfolke the yeare before At which time the king made 5. Dukes a Marques and foure Earles to wit Duke of Herforde whiche was before Earle of Darby Duke of Awmerle which was before Earle of Rutland Duke of Southrey who was before Earle of Kent Duke of Exester whiche was before Erle of Huntington and this Duke of North folke being before Earle of Notinghame as is aforesayd c. The occasion of banishing these foresayd Dukes was this About this present time the Duke of Herforde did appeach the Duke of Northfolke vppon certayne wordes to be spoken against the king Wherupon casting theyr gloues one agaynst the other they appoynted to fight out y● quarrell a day being for the same appoynted at Couentry But the king tooke vp the matter in hys owne handes banishing the Duke of Northfolke for euer whiche after dyed at Uenice and the other Duke which was the Duke of Herford for 10. yeares Beside these also was exiled in France Thomas Arunder archbishop of Caunterbury by Acte of Parliament in the same yere for poynts of treason as ye haue heard before expressed page 512. col 2. All which turned to the great inconueniēce of this king as in the euent following may appeare These causes and preparatiues thus premised it followed the yeare after which was an 1399. and last yeare of this king that the king vpon certaine affayres to be done tooke hys viage into Ireland In which meane time Hēry of Bollingbroke Earle of Darby and Duke of Herford and with him the foresayd archbishop Thomas Arundel which before were both exiled returning out of Fraunce to Calice came into England challenging the Dukedome of Lancaster after the death of hys father With ●hem also came the sonne and heyre of the Earle of Arundell beyng yet but yong These together setting out of Calice arriued at Rauenspur in the North. At the knowledge whereof much people gathered vnto them In this meane time as the Duke was houering on the sea to enter the land L. Edmund Duke of York the kings Uncle to whome the king committed the custodye of thys realm hauing intelligence thereof called to him the Byshop of Chichester named Edmund Stafford Chauncellor of the Realme and W. Scroupe Earle of Wiltshyre Lorde Treasurer also I. Busshey W. Bagot Henry Grene and Iohn Ruschell with diuers other consulting with them what was best in that case to be done Who then gaue their aduise whether wilful or vnskilfull it is not knowne but very vnfruitfull that he shold leaue london and go to S. Albons there to wayt for more strength able to encounter with the Duke But as the people out of diuers quarters resorted thether many of them protested that they woulde do nothing to the harme and preiudice of the Duke of Lācaster who they sayd was uniustly expulsed The rest then of the counsayle I. Busshey W. Bagot Henry Grene W. Stroupe Treasurer hearing and vnderstanding how the commons were minded to ioyne with the Duke of Hereford left the Duke of York and the lord Chauncellor and fled to the Castell of Bristow Where is to be vnderstand that these foure were they to whome the common fame ran that the king had let out hys realme to farme and were so hated of the people that it is to be thought that for the hatred of them more then for the king this commotion was among the people As this broyle was in England the noyse therof sounding to the kinges eares being then in Ireland for hastye speed of returning into England left in Ireland both his busines and most of hys ordinance also behinde hym And so passing the seas landed at Milforde hauen not daryng as it seemed to come to London On the contrary side vnto Henry Duke of Herforde being landed
as is sayde in the North came the Earle of Northumberland Lord Henry Percy and Henry his son the Earle of Westmerland Lord Radulph Neuile and other Lordes moe to a great number so that the multitude rose to 60000. able souldiours Who first making towarde the Castle of Bristow tooke the foresayd Busshey Grene Scroupe and Bagot of whom three incontinent were beheaded Bagot escaped away and fled away to Ireland The king in this meane while lying about Wales destitute and desolate without comfort or counsayle who neither durst come to London neyther would any man come to him and perceauing moreouer the commons that were vp in such a great power agaynst hym would rather dye then geue ouer that they had begunne for feare of themselues Seing therforeno other remedy called to him L.T. Percye Earle of Worcester and stewarde of hys household willing him with other of hys family to prouide for themselues in tyme. Who then openly in the hall brake his white rod before them all commaunding euerye man to shift for himselfe Although Fabian and some other say that he did this of hys owne accord contrary to his allegeance The king compassed on euery side with miseryes shifted from place to place the Duke still following him tyll at length being at the Castle of Conewey the king desired to talk with Tho. Arundell archb and the Earle of Northūberland To whom he declared that he woulde resigne vp hys crowne in condition that an honourable liuing might be for hym prouided and life promised to 8. persons such as he would name Which being graunted and ratified but not performed he came to the Castle of Flint where after talke had with the Duke of Lācaster he was brought the same night by the Duke and his armye to Chester And from thence was conueyed secretly into the Tower there to be kept till the next parliament By the way as he came neare to London diuers euil desposed men of the city being warned thereof gathered themselues thinking to haue slayne hym for the great cruelty he had vsed before toward the Citty But by the pollicies of the Mayor and rulers of the Cittie the madnes of the people was stayd Not long after followed the Duke and also began the parliament In which Parliament the Earle of Northumberland with many other Earles and Lords were sent to the king in the Tower to take of him a full resignation according to hys former promise and so they did This done diuers accusations and articles were layd and engrossed agaynst the sayd King to the number of 33. some say 38. which for the matter not greatly materiall in them contayned I ouerpasse And that next yeare after was had to Pomferr Castle and there famished to death King Henry the fourth ANd thus King Richard by common assent being deposed from his rightfull crowne The Duke of Lancaster was led by Thomas Arundell the Archbishop to the feat royall who there standing vp and crossed himselfe on the forehead and the brest spake in wordes as followeth ¶ In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster clayme the Realme of England and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am descended by right lyne of the bloud comming from that good Lord King Henry the 3. And thorough the right that God of his grace hath sent to me with the helpe of my kinne and of my frendes to recouer the same which was in poynt to be vndone for default of good gouernance and due iustice c. ¶ After which wordes the Archbishop asking the assent of the people being ioyfull of theyr new king took the Duke by the hād placed him in the kingly throne which was an 1399 and shortly after by the foresayd Archbishop he was crowned also for king of England Ex Chron. De Alban The next yeare after followed a Parliament holden at Westminster in which Parliament one will Sautre a good man and a faythfull priest inflamed with zeeale of true Religion required he might be heard for the commoditie of the whole realme But the matter being smelt before by the Byshops they obtayned that the matter should be referred to the conuocation Where the sayd William Sautre being brought before the Byshops and Notaries thereunto appointed the conuocation was differred to the Saterday next ensuing When Saterday was come that is to say the 12. day of February Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury in the presence of his Counsayle prouinciall being assembled in the sayd Chapter house agaynst one fyr William Sautre otherwise called Chatris Chaplayne personally then and there appearing by the commaundement of the foresayd archbishop of Caunterbury obiected that the sayd sir William before the Byshop of Norwiche had once renounced and abiured diuers and sondry conclusions heretical and erroneous and that after such abiuration made he publiquely and priuily helde taught preached the same conclusions or els such like disagreeing to the catholique fayth and to the great perill and pernitious example of others And after this he caused such like conclusions holden and preached as is sayd by the sayd Syr William without renunciation then and there to be read vnto the sayd Archbishop by maister Robert Haull Chācellor vnto the sayd byshop in a certayne scrole written in tenour of wordes as followeth Syr William Chatris otherwise called Sautre parish Priest of the Churche S. Scithe the Uirgine in London publiquely and priuily doth holde these conclusions vnder written ¶ In Primis he sayth that he will not worship the crosse on which Christ suffered but onely Christ that suffred vppon the Crosse. 2. Item that he would sooner worship a temporal king then the foresayd wodden crosse 3. Item that he would rather worship the bodyes of the Saintes then the very crosse of Christ on which he hong if it were before him 4. Item that he woulde rather worship a man truely contrite then the crosse of Christ. 5. Item that he is bound rather to worship a man that is predestinate then an aungell of God 6. Item that if any man would visite the monumentes of Peter and Paule or go on Pilgrimage to the Toumbe of S. Thomas or els any whether els for the obtayning of any temporall benefite he is not bounde to keepe hys vowe but that he may distribute the expences of his vowe vpon the almes of the poore 7. Item that euery priest and Deacon is more bound to preach the word of God then to say the canonical houres 8. Item that after the pronouncing of the Sacramental wordes of the body of Christ the bread remayneth of the same nature that it was before neyther doth it cease to be bread To which conclusions or articles being thus read the Archbish. of Caunterb required the same Syr William to aunswere And then the sayd William asked a copy of such articles or conclusions and a competent space to answere vnto the same Whereupon the
Richard againe in the raigne of this king that many yeares after he was rumored to be aliue of them which desired belike that to be true which they knew to be false for the which diuers were executed For the space of sixe or vij yeares together almost no yeare passed without some conspiracy against the king Long it were here to recite the bloud of all such Nobles and other which was spilt in the raigne of this king as the Earle of Kent Earle of Salisbury Earle of Huntington named Iohn Holland c. as writeth the story of S. Albans But the English writers differ something in their names and make mention of 4. Earles of Surrey of Excester of Salisbury and Lord Spenser Earle of Gloucester Ex Lib. cui tit Calendarium Bruti And the next yeare following Syr Ihon Clarendon knight with two of his seruauntes the Priour of Laund with 8. friers were hanged and quartered And after these Henry Percy the younger the Earle of Worcester named Thomas Percy his vncle Lord of Kinderton and L. Richard de Uernoua The Earle of Northumberland scarce escaped with his pardon an 1403. In the which yeare the prison in Cornhill called the tonne was turned into the conduit there now standing To let passe other moe hanged and quartered the same time as Blount knight Benet Kely knight and Thomas Wintersel Esquier Also the same yeare was taken and executed sir Bernard Brokes knight sir Iohn Shilley knight Syr Iohn Mandelyn and William Frierby After all these L. Henry Earle of Northumberland and L. Bardolfe conspiring the kings death were taken in the North and beheaded which was in the 8. yere of this king Henry This ciuil rebellion of so many nobles other against the king declared what grudging heartes the people then bare towarde this king Henry Among whome I cannot pretermit heere also the Archb. of Yorke named Richarde Scrope who with the L. Moubrey Marshal of England gathered a great company in the North countrey against the foresaid king to whom also was adioyned the helpe of L. Bardolfe Henry Percy Earle of Northumberland Ex Chron. D. Albani And to stirre vp the people more willingly to take their partes they collected certaine Articles against the said king to the number of 10. and fastned them vpon the doores of Churches and Monasteries to be read of all men in English Which articles if any be disposed to vnderstand for somuch as the same also containe a great part of the doings betweene king Henry king Richard aforesayde I thought for the better opening of the matter heere vnder to inserte the same in such forme as I founde them in the historie of Scala mundi expressed ¶ Articles set vp on Church doores against king Henry the fourth IN the name of God Amen Before the Lorde Iesus Christ iudge of the quicke and dead c. We A.B.C.D. c. not long sithens became bounde by othe vppon the sacred Euangelicall booke vnto our soueraigne Lorde Richarde late king of England and France in the presente of many prelates potentates and nobilitie of the realme that wee so long as we liued should beare true allegeance and fidelity towardes hym and his heires succeding hym in the kingdom by iust title right and line accordyng to the statutes and custome of this realme of England By vertue wherof we are bound to foresee that no vices or hainous offences arise in the common weale do take effect or wyshed ende but that we ought to geue our selues and our goodes to wtstand the same without feare of sword or death whatsoeuer vpon paine of periurie which paine is euerlasting damnation Wherfore we seing perceiuing diuers horrible crimes and great enormities daily without ceassing to be committed by the children of the deuill and sathans soldiours against the supremacie of the Church of Rome the libertie of the church of England and the lawes of the realme against the person of king Rich. and his heires against the prelates noble men religion and comminaltie and finally against the whole weale publike of the realme of England to the great offence of the maiesty of almighty God and to the prouocation of his iust wrath and vēgeance towards the realme and people of the same And fearing also the destruction both of the Churche of Rome and England the ruine of our coūtry to be at hand hauing before our eyes the iustice the kingdom of God calling alwaies on the name of Iesus hauing an assured confidence in his clemency mercy and power haue here taken vnto vs certain articles subscribed in forme folowing to be proponed tried and heard before the iust iudge Iesus Christ and the whole world to his honour the deliuery of the church the cleargy and comminalty and to the utility profite of the weale publick But if which God forbid by force feare of violence of wicked persons we shal be cast in prison or by violent death preuented so as in this worlde we shall not be able to proue the saide articles as we would wish then do we apeale to the high celestiall iudge that he may iudge discerne the same in the day of his supreme iudgement 1. ¶ First we depose say except and entend to proue against the Lord Henry Derby sonne of the Lord Iohn of Gaunt late Duke of Lancaster and commonly called king of England himselfe pretending the same although without all right and title thereunto and against his adherents fautours and complices that euer they haue bene are and will be traytors inuaders and destroyers of Gods Church in Rome England Wales and Ireland and of our soueraigne Lord Richard late King of England his heires his kingdom and common wealth as shall hereafter mani●estly appeare 2. Secondarely we depose c. against the said Lord Hēry for that he had conceaued deutied conspired certaine hainous crimes and traiterous offences against his sayd soueraigne Lord Richard his state and dignitie as manifestly did appeare in the contention betwene the said Lord Henry and y● Lord Thomas Duke of Northfolke begon at Couentry but not finished throughly Afterwards he was sent in exile by sentence of the said king Richard by the agreement of his father the Lord Iohn Duke of Lancaster by the voice of diuers of the Lords temporall nobilitie of the realme and also by his owne consent there to remaine for a certaine time appointed vnto him by the said Lords and withall he was bound by othe not to returne into Englād before he had obteined fauour grace of the kyng Not long after when the king was departed into Ireland for reformation of that countrey apperteining to the crowne of England but as then rebelling agaynst the same the sayd Lord Henry in the meane time contrary to his oth and fidelitie and long before the time limited vnto him was expired with all his fautours and inuaders secretly entred into the Realme swearing
eius deuotionem pertinet timorem passus sit quicquid pati potuit who had as much as to deuotion and feare apperteined suffered already what he might or could suffer as Cyprian said by Cornelius That he I say which a little before in the moneth of September stoode so constant in defence of Christes faith would now in the moneth of Ianuary rise to destroy adnull subuert Christes faith and the law of God and holy Church within the Realme of England How can it be not like only but possible to be true that he which neuer denied the faith which euer confessed the faith so constantly which was for the same faith condemned yea and at last also burned for the faith would euer fight against the faith and law of God to adnull and to subuert it Let vs proceed yet further and see when that he should haue to destroied and adnulled the Christian faith and law of God in England what faith or law then could he or did he entend to bring into the realme of England The Turks faith or the Iewes faith or the Popes faith or what faith else I pray you For he that will be an enemie to the faith of Christ and will shew himselfe frend to no other faith beside I accompt him not out of his right faith but out of his right wits And therfore euen as it is true that sir Iohn Oldcastle with his cōfederates abertours were vp in armes to subuert and extinguish the faith of Christ and law of God in the realme of England so by the like truth it may be estemed that the same persons rose also to destroy their soueraigne Lord the king and his brethren First thanks be to God that neither the king nor any of his brethren had any hurt by him But his intent saith the preface was to destroy his soueraigne Lord the king Whereunto I aunswere with this interrogatorie whether his intent was priuily to haue destroied him or by opē force of armes If priuily what needeth then such a great army of xx thousand men to atcheue the secret feate Rather I would think that he needed more the help of such as were neare about the king as some of the kinges priuie chamber or some of his secret counsaile whereof neither Chronicle nor record doth insinuate any mention If his intent was openly to inuade the kyng You must vnderstand M. Cope that to withstand a king in his owne Realme many thinges are required long time great preparation many frendes great assistance and ayd of kindred money horse men armour and all other things apperteining for the same Earle Godwin of Westfaxe who had maried Canutus daughter being a man both ambitious and as false a traitour for al his sixe sonnes and great alliance yet durst not set vpon king Edward to inuade him within his Realme although he sought manye occasions so to do yet neuer durst enterprise openly that which his ambition so greedely presumed vnto page 163. In the time of King Henry the third Symon Montford Earle of Glocester Gilbert Clare Earle of Leicester Humfrey Rone Earle of Ferrence with a great number of Lords and Barons thought themselues to haue great right on their sides yet durst not for all their power openly assaile the King in his Realme before great debatemēt and talke first had betweene page 330. Likewise what murmuring and grudging was in the realme against king Edward the second among the peres and nobles and also prelates only Walter Bishop of Couentry except first for Gaueston then for the Spensers at what time Thomas Earle of Lancaster Guido Earle of Warwike with the most part of al other Earles and Barons concordly consenting together to the displacing first of Gaueston then of the Spensers yet neither rashly nor without great feare durst stirre vp warre in the land or disquiet or vexe the king but first by all meanes of moderate counsaile and humble petition thought rather to perswade then to inuade the king page 308. In like maner and with like grudging mindes in the reigne of King Richard 2. Thomas Wodstocke Duke of Glocester the kings vncle with the Earles of Arundell of Warwike and Darby with the power almost of the whole commons stood vp in armes against the king And yet notwithstanding all their power ioined together being so great and their cause seming to them so reasonable yet were they not so hardy straightwayes to flee vpon the king but by way of Parliament thought to accomplishe that which their purpose had conceiued and so did without any warre striking against the king page 513. After King Richard 2. was deposed and was in prison yet liuing diuers noble men were greatly inflamed against K. Henry the fourth as Sir Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington Thomas Spenser Earle of Glocester the Earles likewise of Kent and of Salisbury with sir Iohn Cheney other mo wherof diuers had beene Dukes before now deposed by King Henry 4. although they had conceiued in their harts great grudge and malice against the said King Henry yet had they neither hart nor power openly with mans force to assaile the king but secretly were cōpelled to atchieue their conceiued intēt which notwithstanding they could not accomplish Ex hist. D. Alban Thus you see Maister Cope or els maister Harpsfield or whatsoeuer ye be to gainstand a king and with open force to encounter with him in his owne land and in his owne chamber of London where he is so sure and strong what a matter of how great cheuance it is wherin so many and so great difficulties do lye the attempt so dangerous the chances so vncertaine the furniture of so manie things required that fearce in any kings daies heretofore any peeres or nobles of the Realme were they neuer so strongly assisted with power wit or counsaile yet either were able or els well durst euer enterprise vpon the case so dangerous notwithstanding were they neuer of themselues so far from all feare of God and true obedience And shal we then thinke or cā we imagine maister Cope that Syr Iohn Oldcastle a man so well instructed in the knowledge of Gods word beyng but a poore Knight by his degree hauing none of all the peeres and nobles in all the world to ioyne with him being prisoner in the Tower of London a litle before in the moneth of December could now in the moneth of Ianuary so sodenly in such an hoat season of the yeare start vp an army of xx thousand fightyng men to inuade the kyng to kill two Dukes his brethren to adnulle Christen fayth to destroy Gods law and to subuert holy Church 〈◊〉 why doth not he adde moreouer to set also all London on fire and to turne all England into a fishe poole Beliue these men which geue out these ●igmentes of Syr Iohn Oldcastle dyd thinke him to be one of Deucations stocke who castyng of stones ouer his shoulder
could by and by make men at his pleasure or els that he had Cadmus teeth to sowe to make so many harnest men to start vp at once But let vs consider yet further of these xx M. souldiours so sodenly without wages without vitall or other prouision cōgregated together what they were frō whēce out of what quarter countrey or coūtreys they came In an other kyngs dayes whensoeuer any rebelliō is against the king moued by the commons as when Iacke Straw and wat Tyler of Kent Essex rose in the tyme of kyng Richard 2. When William Mandeuill of Abingdon Iack Cade of Kent in the tyme of kyng Henry the 6. In the tyme of kyng Henry the 8. when the cōmotion was of rebels in Lyncolnshyre then in Yorkeshyre When in kyng Edward the 6. tyme Humfrey Arundell in Deuonshyre Captaine Kyte in Northfolke made styre against the king the coūtrey partes from whence these rebels did spring were both noted and also diffaimed In this so trayterous cōmotion therfore let vs now learne what mē these were and from what coūtrey or countreys in all England they came If they came out of any let the Chroniclers declare what countreys they were If they came out of none as none is named then let them come out of Outopia where belike this ●igment was first forged and inuented Wherfore seyng neither the countreys from whence they came nor yet the names of any of all these xx M. doe appeare what they were either in Chronicle or in recorde but remaine altogether vnknowen I leaue it gentle reader to thy iudgement to thinke thereupō as thy wisedome shall lead thee It foloweth more in the foresaid preface And to destroy all other maner of estates of the same Realme of England as well spirituall as temporall c. By the course of this preamble it appeareth that the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle was a wonderfull cruell tirant and murderer who being not yet satisfied with the bloud of the king nor of the two Dukes his brethren would also make hauoke and swepestake of all maner of estates in the Realme of England What leaue no maner of estate aliue No neither Lord spiritual nor temporall but altogether should be destroied And what had all these estates done thus so miserably to be destroied Although percase the moode of this mā might haue bene incensed kindled against the king and the Lords spiritual by whom he had bene cōdemned as is aforesaid yet why should all other maner of other estates both spiritual and temporal be killed If none of all the estates in Englād neither Duke Earle Baron Lord Knight or other gentleman had bene his frend but all his enemies how then is it like that he hauing all the estates peeres nobles and gentlemen of the Realme against him and none to stand with him either could or durst attempt any commotiō against the whole power of the land he being but one gentleman onely with sir Roger Acton and maister Browne left alone At least good reasō yet would that those hundreth Knightes should haue bin spared out of this bloudy slaughter whom he offred to produce vnto the king before for his purgation page 159. And finally if this was his purpose that all these estates both spiritual temporall should haue bin cut down what needed then that he should haue made himselfe a Regent when hee might as well haue made himselfe a king or what else he would being left then Prince alone The preamble as it began with vntruth and continued in the same figure heaping one vntruth vpon another so now endeth with another misreport as vntrue as the rest shewing declaring the intent of sir Iohn Oldcastle was also to destroy all maner of policie finally the lawes of the land c. We read of William Cōquerer otherwise named William Bastard who being a puisant Duke in his countrey whē that the crown of Englād was alotted to him and he cōming ouer with all his peres nobles barons of his whole land into this Realme had with great difficulty obteined victorie against king Harold yet to alter and destroy the policy and the lawes of the land it passed his power Insomuch that it had not bin permitted vnto him to haue proceded so far as he did vnlesse he had first sworne to the nobles of this lande to retaine still the lawes of King Edward as he found them And albeit he afterward forsware himselfe breaking his othe in altering and changing many of the foresaid lawes yet wild he nild he could not so destroy them all for the which much war and great commotiōs endured long after in the Realme but that he was constrained and also contented to allow and admit a great part of the said lawes of king Edward page 167. And if he being king and Conquerour with all his strength of Normands and Englishmen about him was too weake and insufficient to destroy all maner of policie and lawes of this land which he had conquered how much lesse then is it to be supposed that Sir Iohn Oldcastle being put a priuate subiect and a poore Knight and a condemned prisoner destitute and forsaken of al Lords Earles and Barons who to saue his owne life had more to do then he could well compasse would either take in hand or conceiue in his head anye such exployt after the subuersion of Christian faith and law of God after the slaughter of the king and of all maner of estates as well spirituall as temporall in the Realme of England after the desolation of holy Church to destroy also all maner of policie and finally the lawes of the land Which monstruous and incredible figment how true it may seeme to M. Cope or to some other late Chroniclers of the like credulitie I can not tell Certaine to me and as I thinke to all indifferent readers it appeareth as true as is the Uerse of the Satyre wherewith it may well be compared Nil intra est oleam nil extra est in nuce duri But heere will be sayd again perhaps that the matter of such preambles and prefaces being but pursuantes of statutes and containing but words of course to aggreuate and to geue a shew of a thing which they would to seeme more odible to the people is not so precisely to bee scande or exquisitely to be stand vpon as for the ground of a necessary case of trouth This is it M. Cope that I saide before and now doo well grant admit the same that such preambles or forefaces lyned with a non sequitur containyng in them matter but of surmise and wordes of course and rather monsters out of course and many tymes rising vpon false informatiō are not alwayes in themselues materiall or necessary probatiōs in all pointes to be followed as appeareth both by this statute also by the statute of this kynges father an 2. Heur 4. chap. 15. beginnyng
had him walke traytour and made him to be set openly in the stockes For though he could haue seene sodenly by miracle the difference betwene diuers colours yet could he not by the sight so sodeinly tell the names of al these coulours except he had known them before no more then the names of all the men that he shuld sodaynly see By this may it be seene howe Duke Humfrey had not onely an head to disserue and disseruer trueth from forged and fayned hipocrisie but study also and dilligence lykewise was in him to reforme that which was amisse And thus much hetherto for the noble prowesse vertues ioyned with the like ornamentes of knowledge literature shining in this Princely duke For the which as he was both loued of the poore commons and wel spoken of all men no les deseruing the same being called the good Duke of Glocester so neither yet wanted hee his enemies and priuy enuiers whether it was through the fatall and vnfortunate lucke of the name of that house which is but a vayn friuolous obseruation of Polydore Halle which followeth hym bringing in the examples of Hugh Speser of Thomas of Woodstock sonne of ● Edward the thyrd of this Duke Humfry and after o● king Richard the thyrd Duke likewise of Gloucester or whether it was that y● nature of true vertue cōmonly is suche that as the flame euer beareth his smoke and the body his shadow fo● the brightnes of vertue neuer blaseth but hath some disdayne or enuy wayting vpon it or els whether it was rather for some diuorcement from his wife or for some other vice or trespasse done as seemeth most like truth which God as well in dukes houses correcteth as in other inferiour parsons especially where he loueth But howsoeuer the cause is to vs vnknowne this good Duke of Glocester albeit beyng both that kinges sole vncle hauing so many well willers thorough y● whol realme yet lacked not hys Sathan lacked not his secret maligners Of whom specially was Hēry Beuford Cardinal Bish. of Wintchester and Chaunceller of England who of long time disdayning and enuying the rule and authoritie of this Duke first had disposed and appoynted himselfe to remoue the kings person from Eltham vnto Winsor out of the Dukes handes and there to put in such gouernours as him listed After that entēding the Dukes death he set men of armes and Archers at the end of London bridge and for barring the hye waye wyth a draw chain set men in chambers sellers and windowes with bowes and arrowes and other weapons to the purposed destructiō both of the duke his retinue if God had not so disposed to turne his iourny an other way Beside other manifold iniuries and molestations the Ambitious Cardinall seeking by all meanes to be Pope procured such trouble agaynst him that great deuision was thereby in the whole Realme in somuch that all the shops within y● city of London were shut in for feare of the fauourers of these two great personages for each part had assembled no small number of people For the pacifying whereof that archbishop of Caunterbury and the Duke of Dumber called the prince of Portingall rode 7. tymes in one day betwene those two aduersaryes Such were then the troubles of this tumultuous diuision within the realme and al by the excitation of this vnquiet Cardinall Ouer and beside this Cardinall afore mentioned an other Capitall enemy to the said Duke was William de la Pole first Earle then Marques at last Duke of Suffolke a man very ill reported of in storyes to be not only that orgā instrument of this good mans death but also to be the noyance of the common wealth ruine of the realme For by him and hys onely deuise was first concluded the vnprofitable and vnhonourable mariage betweene the kyng Lady Margaret daughter of the Duke of Angeow where as the king had concluded contracted a mariage before with the daughter of the Earle of Armi●●k vpon conditions so much more profitable and honourable as more conuenient it is for a Prince to mary a wise with riches frends then to take a mayd with nothing disherite himselfe hys realme of old rightes ancient inheritance which so came to passe And all this the good Duke did well foresee declared no lesse but hys counsel would not be taken Wherupon followed first the geuing away the Duchy of Angeow the Citie of Mayne with the who●e Country of Mayne to Reyner Duke of Angeow father of the Damo●ell called then K. of Sicile of Hierusalē hauing therof no peny profite but onely a vayne name to play withal An other sore enemy and mortall plague to this Duke was the Queene her selfe lately before maried to the king Who being of haute stomack and all set vpon glory of wit and wilynes lacking nothing and perceiuing her husband to be simple of wit and easy to be ruled tooke vpon her to rule and gouerne both the king kingdome And because the aduise counsaile of Humfrey duke of Glocester was somewhat a stay that her authoritie and regimēt could not so fully proceede and partly because the sayd Duke before dyd disagree from that mariage this manly women and couragious Queene ceased not by all imaginations and practises possible to set forwarde his destruction hauing also for her helper herein the Duke of Buckingham c. These being his principall enemies and mortall foes fearing least some commotion might arise if such a Prince so ueare the kinges bloud and so beare to the people of all men so beloued shold be openly executed put to death deuised how to trap him and circumuēt him vnknowing and vnprouided For the more speedy furtherance wherof a Parliament was sūmoned to be kept at Bery an 1447. sacre ●rom the citizens of London as William Lindall in his booke of practise writeth Where resorted all the peres of the realme and amongst them the Duke of Gloucester thinking no harme to any man lesse to himselfe Who on the second day of the Ses●on was by the Lord Beamonde high Constable then of Englande accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham and other arrested apprehended and put in ward and vpon the same all his seruaunts discharged and put from him of whome 32. of the principall being also vnder arrest were dispersed into diuers prisōs to the great murmuring and greuance of the people After this arrest thus done and the Duke put in to Warde the night after saith Halle 6. nightes after sayth Fabian and Polychron he was found dead in hys bed the 24. of Febru ary and his body shewed to the Lordes and Commons as though he had bene taken naturally with some sodayne disease And although no woūd in his body could be seene yet to al indifferent persons it might wel be iudged that he
dyed of no naturall pang but of some violent hand Some suspected him to be strangled some that a whole spytt was priuily forced into his body some affirme that he was styfeled betweene to fether beds After the death of this Duke and hys body being enterred at S. Albons after he had politikely by the space of 25. yeares gouerned this realme 5. of his housholde to wit one knight 3. Esquiers and a Yeoman were arreigned conuict to be hanged drawn quartered Who being hanged and cut downe halfe aliue the Marques of Suffolke there present shewed the charter of the kinges pardon and so they were deliuered Notwithstanding all this could not appease the grudge of the people saying that the sauing of the seruauntes was no amends for the murdering of the mayster In this cruell facte of these persons which did so conspire and consent to the death of this noble man whiche thought thereby to worke their owne safety the meruailous work of gods iudgement appeareth herein to be noted who as in all other like cruell pollices of mā so in this also turned al theyr pollices clean contrary So that where y● Queene thought most to preserue her husband in honor and her selfe in state thereby both she lost her husband her husband lost his realm the realm lost Angeow Normādy the Duchy of Aquitane with all her partes beyond that sea Calice only except as in sequele of the matter who so will read the storyes shall right well vnderstand The next yeare following it followed also that that Cardinall who was the principall artificer and ringleader of all this mischiefe was suffered of God no lōger to liue Of whose wicked conditions being more largely set foorth in Edward Halle I omitte here to speake What he himselfe spake in his deathbed for example to other I thought not best to pretermit Who hearing that he shuld dy that ther was no remedy murmured grudged wherfore he shuld dye hauing so much riches saying that if the whole realm would saue hys life he was able either by pollicy to get it or by riches to buy it adding saying moreouer fit quod he will not death be hyred nor will money doe nothing whē my nephew of Bedford dyed I thought my selfe halfe vp the wheele but whē I saw mine other nephew of Glocester deceassed then I thought my selfe able to be equal with kinges and so ought to encrease my treasure in hope to haue worne the triple crown t. Ex Edou Hallo And thus is the rich byshop of Winchester with all his pompe and riches gone with the which riches he was able not onely to build scholes colledges and Uniuersities but also was able to susteine the kinges armies in warre as is specified in storyes without any taxing of the commons In whose seate next succeeded William Wanflet preferred to the byshopricke of Winchester who though he had lesse substaunce yet hauing a minde more godly disposed did found and erecte the Colledge of Mary Magdalen in Oxford For the which foundation as there haue ben and be yet many studentes bound to yeld gratefull thanks vnto God so I must needes confesse my selfe to be one except I will be vnkinde Among that other mischieuous aduersaries which sought and wrought the death of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester next to the Cardinall of Winchester who as is sayd dyed that next yere following was William de la Pole Marques of Suffolk who also liued not long after nor long escaped vnpunished For although he was highly exalted by the meanes of the Queene whose maryage he onely procured vnto the fauour of the king was made Duke of Suffolke magnified of the people and bare the whole sway in the realme whose actes and facts his vayne glorious head caused also by the assent of the commons to be recorded substantially to be registred in the rolles of the Parliament for a perpetuall renowne to him and all his posteritie for euer yet notwtstanding the hand of Gods iudgement still hanging ouer hym he enioyed not long this his triūphant victory For within 3. yeares after the death and ruine of the Cardinall the voyces of the whole commons of England were vtterly turned against him accusing him in the Parliament at the blacke Fryers for deliuery of the Duchye of Angeow and Barledome of Maine also for the death of y● noble Prince Humfry Duke of Glocester They unputed moreouer to hym the losse of all Normandye saying vnto him that he was a swallower vp and consumer of y● kings treasure the exp●iler of al good and vertuous counsaylers from the king and aduancer of vicious persons apparant aduersaryes to the publicke wealth so that he was called in euery mouth a traytour a murderer and a robber of the kinges treasure The Queene albeit she tenderly loued the Duke yet to appease the exclamation of the commons was forced to committee hym to the tower where he with as much pleasure and liberty as could be remayned for a month whiche being expired he was deliuered and restored agayne into his old place former fauour with the kyng where at the people more grudged then before It happened by the occasion of a commotion then beginning amongest the rude people by one whom they called Blewbeard that the parliament was for that tyme adiourned to Leycester thinking to the Queene by force and rigour of lawe to rep●esse there the malice and euill will conceiued against the duke But at that place few of y● nobilitie would appeare Wherfore it was againe reiourned vnto Londō kept at Westminster where was a whole company a ful appearance with the king and Queene with them the duke of Suffolke as chiefe counsailour The commons not forgetting their old grudge renewed agayn their former articles and accusations agaynst the sayde duke agaynst the byshop of Salisb. syr Iames Fynics Lord Say and other When the kyng perceaued y● no glosing nor dissimulation would serue to appease the continual clamour of the importunate cōmons to make some quiet pacificatiō first he sequestred from hym the Lord say treasurer of Englande other the Dukes adherentes from theyr offices Then he put in exile the Duke of Suffolke for the terme of 5. yeares supposing by that space the furious rage of y● people would asswage But the hand of God woulde not suffer that giltles bloud of Humfrey Duke of Glocester to be vnreuenged or that flagitious person further to continue For whē he shipped in Suffolke intending to be transported into Fraunce he was encountred with a shippe of warre belonging to the tower whereby he was taken and brought into Douer rode and there on the side of a ship boat one strake of his head which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1450. And thus haue ye heard the full storye and discourse of Duke Humfrey and of all hys aduersaries also of Gods condigne
punishment vpon them for their bloudy cruelty But before I remoue from the sayde story of the foresayde Duke and of the proud Cardinall his enemy I will hers by the way annexe a certaine instrument by the kyng and aduise of his counsayle made agaynst the sayde Cardinall taking vpon him to enter into this realme as Legate frō the Pope contrary to the old lawes and customes of thys realme as by the wordes of the sayd instrument here in Latine may well appeare In Dei nomine Amen Per presens publicum instrumentum cunctis appareat euidenter quod an Dom. 1428. Indictione septima pontificatus Sanct. in Christo pat D. nostri D. Martini c. Ego Richardus Candray procurator nomine procuratorio Christianissimi principis Domini Henrici Dei gratia Regis Angliae Franciae Domini Hiberniae Domini mei supremi de assensu pariter aduisamento Illustris potentis Principis Humfridi Ducis Gloucestriae Comitis Penbrochiae protectoris defensoris regni Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae caeterorum dominorum meorum de consilio suae Regiae celsitudinis ac consiliū eiusdem facientiū hac vice representantiū dico allego in his scriptis propono quod dictus Christianissimus princepsdominus meus supremus suique inclytissimi progenitores dicti regni Angliae Reges fuerunt sunt tam speciali priuilegio quam consuetudine laudabili legitimeque praescripta nec non a tēpore per tēpus cuius contrarij memoria hominum non existat pacifice inconcusse obseruata sufficienter dotati legitimeque muniti quod nullus Apostolicae se dis Legatus venire debeat in regnum suum Angliae aut alias suas terras dominia nisi ad Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis vocationem petitionem requisitionem inuitationem seu rogatum Fueruntque sunt dicti Christianissimus princeps dominus meus supremus ac sui inclyti progenitores huiusmodi Reges Angliae in possessione quasi iuris facti priuilegij consuetudinis praedictorum absque interruptione quacunque toto omni tempore supradicto pacificè quiete Romanis pontificibus per totum tempus supradictum praemissa omnia singula scientibus tolerantibus iisdem consentiētibus tam tacite quam expresse ac extra omnem omnimodam possessionem quasi iuris facti Legatū huiusmodi vtpraefertur in regnum Angliae aut alias suas terras et dominia mittendi nisi ad vocationem petitionem requisitionem Rogatum Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis Et quia reuerendis in Chri. pat D. D. Henricus Dei gratia c. sancti Eusebij praesbyter Cardinalis sanctaesedis Romanae Legatum se affirmans more Legati insignijs Apostolicae dignitatis vtens absque vocatione petitione requisitine inuitatione aut rogatu Christianissimi domini nostri Regis praedicti inclytum regnum Angliae de facto est ingressus protestor igitur palam publico in his scriptis nomine vice quibus supra ac omnium ipsius domini nostri Regis subditorum quod non fuit aut est intentionis praefati Christianiss principis domimini supremi ac dictorum dominorum meorum de cōsilio in derogationem legum iurium consuetudinum libertatum priuilegiorum dicti D. nostri Regis ac regni ingressum huiusmodi dicti reuerendiss patris vt Legati in Angliam authoritate ratificare vel approbare seu ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apostolicae in Angliam contra leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia praedicta quouismodo admittere seu recognoscere aut exercitio legationis suae huiusmodi aliquibusue per ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apost actis seu agendis attentatis seu attentandis aduersus praemissa leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia in aliquo consentire sed dissentire sicque dissentit dictus domin● noster Rex atque dissentiunt dicti domini mei de consilio per presentes c The summe and effecte whereof in Englishe is this that in the yeare of our Lord. 1428. as the King with Duke Humfrey Lord protectour the rest of the counsayle were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Paules warfe one Richard Candray procuratour in the kinges name and behalfe did protest and denounce by thys publicke instrument that where as the kyng and all hys progenitours kinges before him of thys realme of Englād haue bene heretofo●e possessed tyme out of mynde with speciall priuiledge and custome vsed and obserued in thys Realme from tyme to time that no Legate from the Apostolicke sea should enter into thys land or anye of the kynges dominions without the calling petition request inuitement or desire of the kyng and for so much as Henry byshop of Wint. and Cardinall of S. Eusebius hath presumed so to enter as Legat from the Pope beyng neyther called sent for required or desired by the kyng therfore the sayd Richard Candray in the kynges name doth protest by this instrument that it standeth not with the kinges minde or intent by the aduise of hys counsayle to admit approue or ratifie the cōming of the sayd Legate in anye wise in derogation of the rightes customes and lawes of this hys realme or to recognise or assent to any exercise of this hys authoritie Legantine or to anye actes attempted or hereafter by hym to be attempted in this respect cōtrary to the foresayd lawes rightes customes and liberties of this Realme by these presentes c. And thus much as an Apendix annexed to the story of Duke Humfrey and the Cardinal of Wint. extracte out of an olde written volume remaining in the handes of maister William Bowyer ¶ The benefite and inuention of Printing IN following the course and order of yeares we find this foresayd yeare of our Lord. 1450. to be famous and memorable for the diuine and miraculous inuention of printing Nauclerus and Wymselingus folowing him referre the inuention thereof to the yeare 1440. In paralipom Abbatis Vrsp. it is recorded this facultie to be found an 1446. Auentinus and Zieglerus do say an 1450. The first inuētour thereof as moste agree is thought to bee a Germayne dwelling first in Argentine afterward Cittizen of Mentz named Iohn Faustus a goldsmith The occasiō of this inuention first was by engrauing the letters of the Alphabet in mettal who then laying blacke incke vpon the mettall gaue the forme of letters in paper The man being industruous and actiue perceiuing that thought to proceed further and to proue whether it woulde frame as well in words and in whole sentences as it did in letters Which when he perceaued to come well to passe he made certayne other of his counsaile one Iohn Guttemberge Peter Schafferd binding them by their othe to keepe silence for a season After x. yeares Iohn Guttemberge compartner with Faustus began then first to broch the matter at Strausbrough The Arte beyng yet
of the realme onely rest in this For the king now hauing lost his frendly vncle as the stay staffe of his age whiche had brought him vp so faythfully from his youth was now therby the more open to his enemies they more emboldened so set vpon him As appeared first by Iacke Cade the Kentishe Captayne who encamping first in Blackheath afterward aspired to Londō and had the spoyle therof the king being driuen into Warwickshyre After the suppressing of Cade ensued not long after the duke of York who being accompanied with 3. Erles set vpon the king next to S. Albons where the king was taken in the field captiue the Duke of York was by Parliamēt declared protector which was in the yeare of our Lord 1453. After this folowed long diuision and mortal warre betwene the two houses of Lancastar and Yorke continuing many yeares At length about the yeare of our Lord 1459. the Duke of Yorke was slayne in battell by the Queene neare to the towne of Wakefield and with him also his sonne Earle of Rutlande By the which Queene also shortly after in the same yeare were discomfited the Earle of Warwicke and Duke of Northfolk to whom the keeping of the king was committed by the Duke of Yorke and so the Queene agayne deliuered her husband After this victory obteined the Northren men aduaūced not a litle in pride and courage began to take vpon thē great attemptes not onely to spoyle and robbe Churches and religious houses villages but also were fully entēded partly by themselues partly by the inducemēt of theyr Lords and Captaynes to sacke waste and vtterly to subuert the City of London and to take the spoyle therof and no doubt ●ayth my history woulde haue proceeded in thyr cōceiued gredy intēt had not the oportune fauor of God prouided a speedy remedy For as these mischiefes were in bruing sodenly commeth the noble Prince Edward vnto Lōdon with a mighty army the 27. day of February who was the sonne and heire to duke of Yorke aboue mentioned accompanyed with the Earle of Warwicke and diuers moe King Henry in the meane time with his victory went vp to York when as Edward being at London caused there to be proclaymed certayn articles concerning his title to the crowne of England which was the 2. day of March. Wherupon the next day following the Lords both tēporall spirituall being assēbled together the sayd articles were propoūded and also well approued The fourth day of the sayd moneth of March after a solemne generall procession according to the blinde superstition of those dayes the Bishop of Exceter made a Sermon at Paules Crosse wherin he commended and proued by manifold euidēces the title of Prince Edward to be iust and lawfull aunswering in the same to all obiections whiche might be to the contrary This matter being thus discussed Prince Edward accompanied with the Lordes spirituall temporall with much concourse of people rode the same day to Westminster Hall and there by the full consent as well of the Lordes as also by the voyce of all the Commons tooke his possession of the Crowne was called K. Edward the fourth These thinges thus accomplished at London as to such a matter apperteined and preparation of money sufficiently being ministred of the people and commons wyth most ready and willing mindes for the necessary furniture of his warres he with the Duke of Northfolke and Earle of Warwicke and Lord Fauconbrige in all speedy wise tooke his iourney toward king Henry who being now at Yorke and forsaken of the Londoners had all his refuge onely reposed in the Northren men When king Edward with his army had past ouer the Riuer of Trent and was commē nere to Ferebrig where also the host of king Henry was not far of vpō Palm sonday betwene Ferebrig and Tadcaster both the armyes of the Southren and Northren men ioyned together battell And althoughe at the first beginning diuers horsemen of king Edwardes side turned theyr backes and spoyled the king of cariage victuals yet the couragious prince with his Captayne 's little discouraged therewith fiercely and manfully set on theyr aduersaryes The whiche battell on both sides was so cruelly fought that in the same conflict were slayne to the nūber as is reported beside men of name of 30000. of the poore commons Notwithstanding the cōquest fell on king Edwardes part so that king Henry hauing lost all was forced to flye into Scotland where also he gaue vp to the Scottes the towne of Barwicke after he had raigned 38. yeares and a halfe The clayme and title of the Duke of Yorke and after him of Edward his sonne put vp to the Lords cōmons wherby they chalenged the crowne to the house of York is thus in the story of Scala mundi word for word as hereunder is conteyned The title of the house of Yorke to the crowne of England EDward the 3. right king of Englande had issue first prince Edward the 2. W. Hatfield 3. Lionell 4. Iohn of Gaunt c. Prince Edward had Richard the 2. which dyed without issue W. Hatfielde dyed without issue Lionel duke of Clarence had issue lawfully begot Phillip his onely daughter and heyre the which was lawfully coupled to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and had issue law fully begotte Roger Mortimer Eare of March and heyre Whych Roger had issue Edmund Earle of March Roger Anne and Alienor Edmund and Alienor died without issue and the sayd Anne by lawfull matrimonye was coupled vnto Richard Earle of Cambridge the sonne of Edmund of Lāgley who had issue lawfully bare Richard Plantagenet now Duke of Yorke Iohn of Gaunte gate Henry which vnrightfully entreated king Richard then being aliue Edmund Mortimer Earle of Marche sonne of the sayde Philip daughter to Lionell To the which Richard duke of Yorke and sonne to Anne daughter to Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heyre to the sayde Philip daughter and heyre to the sayd Lionel the 3. sonne of king Edward the 3. the right dignity of the crowne apperteyned belonged afore any issue of the sayd Iohn of Gaunt Notwithstanding the sayd title of dignity of the sayde Richard of Yorke the sayd Richard desiring the wealth rest and prosperity of England agreeth and consenteth that king Henry 6. should be had and taken for king of England during his naturall life from thys time without hurt of his title Wherefore the king vnderstanding the sayd title of the sayde duke to be iust lawfull true and sufficient by the aduise and assent of the Lordes spirituall and temporall and the commons in the Parliament and by the authoritye of the same Parliament declareth approueth ratifieth confirmeth accepteth the sayde title for iust good lawfull and true and there unto geueth his assent and agreement of his free will and liberty And ouer that by the sayde aduise and
authority declareth calleth stablisheth affirmeth and reputeth the sayd Richard of Yorke very true and rightfull heyre to the crowne of England and Fraunce and that all other statutes and acts made by any of the Henryes late contrary to this aduise be annulled repelled damned cancelled voyd and of no force or effect The king agreed and consented that the sayd Duke and hys heyres shall after his naturall life enioy the crowne c. Also that all sayinges and doinges agaynst the duke of Yorke shall be hygh treason and all actes of Parliamentes contrary to this principall act be voyd and of none effect c. And thus much for the reign of king Henry the 6. Who now lacked his vncle and protector Duke of Glocester about him But commonly the lacke of such frendes is neuer felt before they be missed In the time of this king was builded the house in Lōdon called Leadē hall foūded by one Simon Eyre Maior once of the sayd City of London an 1445. Also the standard in cheape builded by Iohn Wels an 1442. the Conduite in Fleetstreet by William Castfield an 1438. Item Newgate builded by goods of Rich. Whittington an 1422. Moreouer the sayde Henry 6. founded the Colledge of Eton and another house hauing then the title of S. Nicolas in Cambridge now called the kinges Colege Ex Scal. mundi In the reigne of this Henry 6. it is not be passed ouer in silence which we finde noted in the Parliament rolles how that Lewes Archbishop of Rhoen after the death of the late Bishop of Eley had graūted vnto him by the popes Bulles during his life all the profites of the sayd bishoprick by the name of the administratour of the said Bishopricke Lewes the foresayde Archbishop sheweth his Buls to the king who vtterly reiected his Bulles Notwithstanding for his seruice done in Fraunce the king graunted to hym the administration aforesaid the which to all intents at the petition of the sayd Lewes should be affirmed to bee of as great force as though he were bishop touching profits liberties and hability Neither agayn is here to be ouerpast a certayn tra gicall Acte done betweene Easter and Whitsontide of a false Britone an 1427. Which murdered a good widdow in her bed who had brought him vp of almes without Algate in the suburbes of London and bare away all that she had afterward he tooke succor of holy church at S. Georges in Southwarke but at the last he tooke the crosse forswore the kings land And as he went his way it happened him to come by the same place where he had done that cursed deed and women of the same parish came out with stones and cannell dong and there made an end of him in the hye streete so that he went no further notwithstandinge the Constables and other men also which had hym vnder gouernaunce to conduct him forwarde for there was a great company of them so that they were not able to withstande them Kyng Edward the fourth KIng Edward after his conquest and victorye achieued agaynst king Henry returned again to London where vpon the Uigil of S. Peter and Paul being on Sonday he was crowned king of England raigned 22. yeares albeit not without great disquitnes and much perturbation in his reigne Queene Margaret hearing how her husband was fled into Scotland was also fayne to flye the land and went to her father Duke of Angeow From whence the next yeare following she returned again to renue warre against king Edward with small succor and lesse lucke For being encountred by the Earle of Warwicke about Nouember she was driuen to the seas agayne and by tempest of weather was driuen into Scotland In this yere we read that king Edward in the cause of a certayne widow for rape sate his owne person in Westminster hall vpon his owne Bench discussing her cause Ex Scal. mundi The yeare folowing king Henry issuing out of Scotland with a sufficient power of Scottes and Frenchmen came into the Northcountrey to recouer the crowne vnto whom the Lord Radulph Percy Lord Radulph Grey flying from king Edward did adioyn themselues but the Lord so disposing king Henry with his power was repulsed in the battaile of Exham by the Lord Mountacute having then the rule of the North where the Duke of Somerset Lord Hungerford Lord Rosse with certayne other were taken The Lord Radulph Percy was slayne the residue fled Albeit the history of Scal. mūdi referreth this battel to the yeare 1464. the 15. day of May. In the which moneth of May were beheaded the duke of Somerset Lorde Hungerford Lord Rosse L. Philip Wentworth L. Tho. Husly L. Tho. Findern beside 21. other belonging to the retinue and household of king Hēry 6. Queene Margaret finding no resting place here in England took her progres agayne from whence she came learning in her own country to drinke that drinke which she her selfe had brued here in England And not long after the next yeare an 1465. on the day of S. Peter and Paule king Henry being founde knowne in a wood by one Cantlow as they say was arested by the Earle of Warwicke and at last of a king made prisoner in the tower of London In this meane time king Edward after the motion of mariage for him being made and first the Lady Margaret sister to Iames the 4. K. of Scottes thought vpon but that motion taking no effect afterward the Lady Elizabeth sister to Henry king of Castelle being intended but she being vnder age the Earle of Warwick turning then his legation and voiage to the French king Lewes the II. to obteyne Lady Bona daughter of the duke of Sauoy and sister to Carlot the French Queen and obteining the same had cast fauour vnto one Elizabeth Grey widow of Syr Iohn Grey knight slain before in the battell of S. Albōs daughter to the Duches of Bedford and Lord Riuers and first went about to haue her to his concubine But she as being vnworthy as she sayde to be the wife of such a high personage so thinking her selfe to bee to good to be his concubine in such sort wanne the kings hart that incontinent before the returne of the Earle of Warwicke he maried her at the which mariage were no moe then onely the Duches of Bedford two gentle women the priest clark Upō this so hasty vnlucky mariage ensued no litle trouble to the king much bloudshed to the realme vndoing almost to all her kyndred and finally confusion to the K. Edwardes 2. sonnes which both were declared afterward to be bastards and also depriued of theyr liues For the Earle of Warwicke who had bene the faythfull frend and chiefe maynteiner before of the king at the hearing of this maryage was therwith so greuously moued and chaffed in hys mind that he neuer after sought any thing more then how to worke displeasure to the
king and to put him beside his cusshion And although for a time he dissembled his wrathfull mood till he might spye a time conuenient and a world to set forwarde his purpose at last finding occasion somewhat seruing to his mind he breaketh his hart to his two brethren to witte the Marques Mountacute the Archbishop of Yorke conspiring with them how to bring hys purpose about Then thought he also to proue a farre of the mind of the duke of Clarence king Edwards brother likewise obteined him geuing also to him his daughter in Mariage This matter being thus prepared agaynst the kyng the first flame of this cōspiracy began to appeare in the north country Where the Northrenmen in short space gathering thēselues in an open rebellion finding certaines of their wicked purpose came down from Yorke toward London Against whom was appoynted by the king W. lord Harbert Earle of Penbroke with the Lord Stafford and certayne other Captaynes to encounter The Yorkeshyre mē geuing the ouerthrow first to the lord Stafford thē to the Earle of Penbrok and his company of Welchmē at Banbery fielde at last ioyning together with the army of the Earle of Warwicke and Duke of Clarence in the dead of the night secretly stealing one the kinges field at Wolney by Warwick killed the watch and tooke the king prisoner who first being in the castle of Warwicke then was conueyed by night to Midleham Castle in Yorkeshyre vnder the custody of the Archbishop of Yorke where he hauinge loose keeping and liberty to go on hunting meeting wyth syr William Standley syr Thomas of Brough and other his frendes was to good for his keepers and escaped the hands of his enemies and so came to York where he was well receiued from thēce to Lankester where he met with the Lord Hastinges his Chamberlayne well accompanied by whose helpe he came safe to London After this tumult when reconciliation could not come to a perfect peace vnity although much labor was made by the nobility the Earle of Warwick raiseth vp a new war in Lincolnshyre the captaine wherof was Sir Rob. wels knight who shortly after being taken in battell wyth hys father and sir Thomas Dunocke were beheaded the residue casting away their coates ran away and fled geuing the name of the field called Losecoat field The erle of Warwicke after this put out of comfort and hope to preuayle at home fled out of England An. 1470. first to Calice then to Lewes the French king accompanyed with the Duke of Clarence The fame of the Earle of Warwicke and of his famous actes was at that time in great admiration aboue measure and so highly fauoured that both in England Fraunce all men were glad to behold his personage Wherfore the comming of this Earle of the Duke of Clarence was not a litle gratefull to the French king and no lesse oportune to Queene Margaret King Henryes wife and Prince Edward her sonne who also came to the Frenche Courte to meete and conferre together touching their affayres where a league betwene thē was cōcluded moreouer a mariage betwene Edward prince of Wales Anne the secōd daughter of the Erle of Warwick was wrought Thus all things fasting luckely vpō the Erles part beside the large offers and great promises made by the Frenche king on the best maner to set forwarde their purpose the Earle hauing also intelligence by letters that the harts almost of all men went with him and lōged sore for his presence so that there lacked now but onely hast with al speed possible to returne he with the duke of Clarence wel fortified with the French nauy set forward toward England For so was it betwene them before decreed that they two should proue the first venture and then Queen Margaret with Prince Edward her sonne should folow after The ariuall of the Earle was not so soone heard of at Dartmouth in Deuonshyre but great cōcourse of people by thousands went to him from all quarters to receiue welcome hym who immediatly made proclamation in the name of kyng Henry the sixt charging all men able to beare armour to prepare themselues to fight agaynst Edwarde Duke of Yorke vsurper of the Crowne Here lacked no freendes strength of men furniture nor pollicy conuenient for such a matter When king Edwarde who before not passing for the matter nor seking how either to haue stopped his iāding or els straight wayes to haue encountred with him before the gathering of his frendes but passing forth the time in hunting in hauking in all pleasure daliance had knowledge what great resort of multitudes incessantly repaired more and more dayly about the Erle and the Duke began now to prouide for remedy when it was to late Who trusting to much to his friendes and fortune before dyd nowe right well perceiue what a variable and inconstant thyng the people is especially here of Englād whose nature is neuer to be contēt long with the present state but alwayes delighting in newes seketh new variety of chaunges eyther enuying that which stādeth or els pitying that which is fallen Which inconstant mutability of the light people chaunging with the winde and wauering with the reede did well appeare in the course of this kinges story For he through the people when he was down was exalted now being exalted of the same was forsaken Wherby this is to be noted of all princes that as there is nothing in this mutable world firme and stable so is there no trust nor assurance to be made but onely in the fauor of God and in the promises of his word onely in Christ his sonne whose only kingdome shall neuer haue ende nor is subiecte to anye mutation These thinges thus passing in England on the Earles side agaynst king Edward he accompanyed with the Duke of Glocester his brother and the Lord Hastings who had maried the erle of Warwicks sister and yet was neuer vntrue to the king his maister and the Lord Seales brother to the Queene sent abroad to all his trusty frendes for furniture of able souldiors for defence of his person to wtstand his enemies Whē litle rescue few in effect would come the king himselfe so destitute departed to Lincolneshyre where he perceiuing his enemyes dayly to encrease vpon him all the countryes about to be in a tore making fiers singing songs crying king Henry king Henry a Warwicke a Warwicke and hearing moreouer his enemyes the Lancastrians to be within halfe a dayes iourney of him was aduised by his frendes to flie ouer the Sea to the Duke of Burgoyne which not long before had maryed king Edwardes sister ¶ Here might be thought by the common iudgement and pollicy of man peraduētnre that king Edward as he had in his handes the life of king Henry of his Queene and Prince so if hee had dispatched them out of the way
when as he might he had not fallen into this misery but because he tooke not the vauntage whiche time rather then godly reason gaue him therefore that sparing pitty of hys turned now to his confusion and ruine And certes I suppose no lesse but if the same case had fallen in these our pittlesse dayes in which charity now waxeth vtterly colde and humanitye is almost forgotten the occason of suche a tyme should not be so neglected But let vs here note and learn how godly simplicity alwayes in the end of thinges gayneth more then mans pollicy forsomuche as man worketh with the one but God worketh with the other And so farre is it of that the euēt and successe of thinges be gouerned by mans aduised pollicy or vnaduised affection in this world that that is iudged to be weaker that florisheth in man then that which is cast downe in the Lord as in the double case of both these kings may wel appeare And first let vs consider the case of king Edward who being so beset and compassed with euils and distresses on euery side first was compelled to take the washes betwene Lincolneshyre and Lynne which was no lesse daungerous to his life then it was vnsemely for his estate Being come to Linne in what perill was he there through the doubtfull mutabilitye of the townes men if he had beene known to his enemyes And how could he be but known if he had taried any space But though men and frends forsook him yet the mercy of God not forsaking the life of him which shewed mercy vnto other so prouided that at the same present there was an Englishe shippe and two hulkes of Holland ready to theyr iourney Thus king Edward wtout prouision without bag or baggage without clothsacke or male without store of money without rayment saue onely apparell for warre also without all frendes excepte onely his brother Duke of Glocester the Lord Scales Lord Hastinges with a fewe other trustye frendes to the number of 7. or 8. hūdreth persons tooke shipping toward Holland at which time he was in no lesse ieoperdy almost on the sea then he was on the land For certayne Esterlinges hauing many shippes of warre which lay rouing the same tune on the sea and had done much domage the yeare before as well to the Englishe Marchauntes as to the French nation spying the kinges ship with seuen or eight gallaunt shippes made sayle after the king and hys company The kinges shippe was good of sayle and gate some ground albeit not much of the Esterlinges that she came to the coast of Halland before Alquemare and there cast anker for otherwise being an ebbing water they coulde not enter the hauen The Esterlings with theyr great shippes approched as nere as they could possible come for the low water purposing at the flond to obtein their pray so were like to do if the Lord had not there also prouided Mounsiour de Groun ture gouernour for Duke Charles in Holland at that season to be personally present in the towne of Alquemare who hearing of the ieopardy of the king being there at anker prohibited the Esterlings on payne of death not to meddle with any English men which were the Dukes frendes and alies Thus K. Edward well chastised of God for his wantonnes both by sea and land but not vtterly geuē ouer frō his protection escaping so many hard chaūces was set on land with his company who there well refreshed newly apparelled were conducted to Hage Duke Charles at the hearing of the vnprosperous case and condition of king Edward his brother in lawe was greatly amased and perplexed in himself much casting and doubting what he should do For being then in war with the French king he could not well prouoke the Englishe nation agaynst him without his manifest greuaunce and decay neither yet could he without great shame and obloquy leaue the king his brother in that necessity Notwithstanding so he demannured himselfe through fayre speach pretending to the English men to ioyne part with the house of Lancaster being himselfe partly descended of the same family by his Graundmothers side that he both was his owne frend openly and the kinges friend couertly pretending that he did not and doing that he pretended not Whē tidings was spred in England of king Edwards flying innumerable people of al hands resorted to the Earle of Warwicke to take his part agaynst K. Edward a fewe onely except of his constant friends which tooke sanctuary Among whom was also Elizabeth his wife who desperat almost of all comfort tooke also sanctuarye at Westminster where she in great penury forsakē was deliuered of a fayre sonne called Edw. which without all pompe was baptysed like another poore womans childe the Godfathers being the Abbot and Prior of Westminster the Godmother was Lady Scroope To make the story short the Earle of Warwick hauing now brought all things to his appetite vpon the 12. day of October rode to the Tower which was then deliuered to him and there tooke king Henry out of the ward placed him in the kinges lodging The 25. day of the sayd moneth the Duke of Clarence accōpanyed with the Erles of Warwick Shrewsbury and the Lord Standley with a great company brought him in a long gown of blew veluet thorow the hye streetes of London first to Paules Church to offer then to the bishops palace of London and there he resumed agayne the crowne royall an 1471. which he did not long enioy After this followed a Parliament in the whiche king Edwarde with all his partakers were iudged traytours Queene Margarete with her sonne Prince Edwarde all this while was tarying for a fayre winde thinking long belike till she came to an euill bargayne as it proued after For king Edwarde within sixe monethes after his departure out of Englande vnto the Duke of Burgoyne whether by letters from his frendes sollicitate or whether by his aduēturous courage incited made instant sure to duke Charles his brother to rescue him with such power as he would bestow vpon him for he was fully resolued to defer the matter and to protract the time no longer The Duke damped in double feare in such a daungerous case notwithstanding ouercome by nature and affinity secretly caused to be deliuered to him 50000. Florence further caused foure great shippes to be appoynted for him in a hauen in Zeland where it was free for al men to come Also the same Duke had for him hired 14. shippes of the Esterlinges well appoynted taking band of them to serue him truely till he were landed in England and 15. dayes after Thus king Edwarde being furnished but onely with 2000. men of warre with more lucke then hope to speede sped his voyage into England and landed at Rauenspur in the coast of Yorkeshyre Although there was no way for the king with such a small
price dignity of the thing that is bought what reason is it seing the sancting of a king beareth a bigger sale then the sancting of any Pope in heauen but that Kings should be aboue Popes also vpon the earth Sed extra iocunt● as I do not doubt but that K. Henry was a good a quiet prince if he had not otherwise bin abused by some so touching the ruine of his house I thinke not contrary but it came not without the iust appointmēt of the Lord either for that Henry of Lancasters house were such enemies to Gods people for the burning of the Lord Cobham and many other or else for the vniust displacing of King Richard 2. or else thirdly for the cruell slaughter of Humfrey the good Duke of Gloucester his vncle whereof sufficiently hath bene said before During the time of these doings being about the yeare of our Lord 1465. There was here in England a certaine Frier Carmelite who about the tearme of Michaell the Archangel preached at Paules in London that our Lord Iesus Christ being heere in this present worlde was in pouertie and did beg To whose opiniō and doctrine the prouinciall of that order semed also to incline defending the same both in his reading and preaching with other Doctours moe and brethren of the same order vnto whom also adioined certaine of the Iacobites and stifly did take their partes On the cōtrary side many doctours also lawyers both in their publicke lectures preaching to the vttermost of their cunning did withstād their assertion as being a thing most pestiferous in the Church to be heard Such a bitter cōtention was among them that the defendent part was driuen for a while to keepe silence Much like to those times I might well resemble these our dayes now present with our tumultuous contention of formes and fashions of garments But I put my selfe here in Pythagoras schoole and keepe silence with these Friers In the story moreouer it foloweth that this beggerly questiō of the begging Friers whether Christ did begge or no went so far that at length it came to the Popes eares Paulus 2. who was no beggar ye may be sure After that the fame of this doctrine mounting ouer the Alpes came flieng to the court of Rome which was about the Assumption of the virgin Mary that yeare next folowing an 1465. it brought with it such an euill sinell to the fine noses there that it was no neede to bid them to stirre for begging to them was worse thē hie heresie Wherfore the holy father pope Paulus the 2. to represse the sparkles of this doctrine which otherwise perhaps might haue set his whole kitchin on fire taketh the matter in hand estsoones directeth downe his Bull into England insinuating to the Prelates here Haeresim illam pestiferè asserentem quod Christus publice mendicauit esse antiquitus a Romanis pontificibus cum suis Concilijs damnatam eam pro damnata vndique declarandam conculcandam c. That is that this heresie which pestiferously doth affirme that Christ did openly begge was condemned of old time by the Bishops of Rome and his Councels and that the same ought to be declared in all places for a damned doctrine and worthy to be troden downe vnder all mens feete c. This was in the same yeare when Prince Edward King Edwards sonne was borne in the Sanctuary at Westminster an 1465. As touching the rest of the doings and affaires of thys king which had vāquished hetherto ix battailes himselfe being present how afterward he through the incitemēt of Charles duke of Burgoine his brother in law vētred into France with a puissant army how the Duke fayled him in his promise also how peace betwene the two kings was at length cōcluded in a solēne meeting of both the sayd kings together which meeting is notified in stories by a white doue sitting the same day of meeting vpō the top of king Edwards tent also of the mariage promised betwene the yong Dolphin Elizabeth K. Edwards eldest daughter but afterward broken of the French kings part moreouer as touching the death of the duke of Burgoine slaine in war of his daughter Mary neece to King Edward spoiled of her lands possessions wrōgfully by Lewes the French king maried after to Maximilian furthermore as touching the expeditiō of king Edward into Scotlād by reason of King Iames breaking promise in marieng with Cecilie the ij daughter of king Edward of driuing out his brother how the matter was composed there of the recouery againe of Barwicke of these I say such other things mo partly because they are described sufficētly in our cōmon english stories partly also because they be matters not greatly perteining to the Church I omit to speake making of thē a supersedeas Two things I finde here among many other specially to be remembred The first is concerning a godly and constant seruant of Christ named Iohn Goose which in the time of this king was vniustly condemned and burnt at the tower hill an 1473. in the moneth of August Thus had England also his Iohn Hus as well as Boheme Wherein moreouer this is to be noted that since the time of King Richard 2. there is no reigne of any King to be assigned hetherto wherin some good mā or other hath not suffred the paines of fire for the Religion true testimonie of Christ Iesus Of this said Iohn Goose or Iohn Hus this moreouer I find in another English monumēt recorded that the sayd Iohn being deliuered to Robert Belisdone one of the Shiriffes to see him burnt the after noone the Shiriffe like a charitable man had him home to his house and there exhorted him to deny sayth the story his errours But the godly man after long exhortation heard desired the Shiriffe to bee content for he was satisfied in his conference Notwithstādyng this he desired of the Shiriffe for Gods sake to geue him some meate saying that he was very sore hungered Then the Shiriffe commaunded him meate whereof he tooke and did eate as he had bene toward no maner of daunger and sayd to such as stoode about him I eate now a good and a competent dinner for I shall passe a litle sharpe shower ere I goe to supper And when hee had dyned he gaue thankes and required that he might shortly be lead to the place where hee should yeld vp his spirite vnto God Ex Polychron ¶ The burnyng of Iohn Goose. The second thyng herein to be noted is the death of George Duke of Clarence the kynges second brother Of whom relation was made before how he assisted K. Edward his brother agaynst the Earle of Warwicke at Barnet field and helped him to the crowne and now after all these benefites was at lēgth thus requited that for what cause it is vncertaine he was apprehended and cast into
the 13. chap. of the Apoc. expounding the mistery of the second beast rising out of the earth hauing the hornes of a lambe c. doo apply the same to Mahumet and the Turkes with a solemne declaration made vpon the same Which interpretatiō of theirs although in some pointes it may seeme to haue some appearance of probabilitie neither can it be denied but that Mahumet the Turke be pestilent and wicked enemies of Christ our Lord most bitter persecutors of his Church yet as touching the proper naturall meaning of the Apostle in that place speaking of the false lambe c. if we consider well all the circumstances of that beast and marke the consequence of the text both of that which goeth before and followeth after we must needs graunt that Nicol. de Lyra with hys fellowes with al such like of the Popes schoole that folow that schoole be deceaued and that the description and interpretation of that falshorned lambe must necessarily be applyed only to the Bishop of Rome and none other which is to be proued by sixe principall causes or arguments The first is for that this beast is described to beare the hornes of a lambe By the which lambe no doubt is ment Christ. By y● hornes of the lambe is signified the outward shew or resemblance of Christ our sauiour which shew or resemblance can haue no relation to Mahumet for that he taketh himselfe to be aboue Christ Christ as an excellent Prophet of God sitting at his feete Wherfore seeing Mahumet commeth neither as equall to Christ nor as vicar vnder Christ this prophesy can not agree in him but only in him which openly in plaine words protesteth that all Christes lambes and sheepe not singularly but vniuersally through the whole world are committed to him as Uicar of Christ and successor of Peter and that all men must confesse the same of necessitie or else they are noue of Christes sheepe c. wherein it is easy to see where the pretensed hornes of the lambe do growe The second argument And he spake like the Dragon c. A Lambes hornes and the mouth of a Dragon do not agree together And as they do not agree together in nature so neither can they be found in any one person either Turke or other if we will iudge truely so liuely as in the Bishop of Rome When thou hearest him call himselfe the Apostolicall Bishop the Uicar of Christ the successor of Peter the seruant of Gods seruants c. thou seest in him the two hornes of a lambe and would thinke him to be a lambe in deede and such a one as would wash your feete for humilitie but heare him speake and you shall find him a dragon See and reade the Epistle of Pope Martine the fift aboue mentioned pag. 649. charging commaunding and threatning Emperoures Kinges Dukes Princes Marquesses Earles Barons Knightes Rectors Consuls Proconsuls with their Shires Counties and Uniuersities of their kingdoms Prouinces Cities Townes Castles Uillages and other places See the answere of Pope Urban 2. and his message to King William Rufus pag. 192. Behold the workes and doings of Pope Innocent against King Iohn Note also the answere of another Pope to the King of England which for the price of the kings head would not graunt vnto him the inuesting of his Bishops Marke well the wordes and doings of Pope Hildebrande against the Emperor Henry the fourth pag. 175. Also of Pope Alexāder the 2. treading vpon the neck of Fredericus Barbarossa not like a lambe treading vpō a dragon but like a drago● treading vpon a lambe so that his owne verse might ●ac turned vpon himselfe tanquam aspis basiliscus super ouiculam ambulans tanquam Leo draco conculcans agnum Cōsider moreouer the behauior maner cōdition and property almost of all the Popes which haue bene these 600. yeares and what Dragon or Serpent could be more viperous then their owne doings and words can speake and giue testimony against themselues It followeth moreouer in the same prophecy of the Apocalipse for the third argument And he doth all the power of the first beast presently before his face and causeth the earth and all the inhabitants therein to honour the first beast the stripe of whose deadly wound was cured c. In this prophesy ij things are to be noted first what the first beast is whose power the second beast doth execute Secondly what this second beast is which so doth exercise his power in his sight The first of these beastes here in the Apoc. described hauing 7. heads 10. hornes must needes signifie the city of Rome which may easely be proued by two demonstrations First by the exposition of the 17. chap. of the same Apocalips where is declared and described the sayd beast to stād of 7. hils to containe 10. kings hauing the whole power of the dragon geuen and also the same citie to be named the whore of Babylon drunkē wyth the bloud of saints All which properties ioined together can agree in no wise but only to the heathē Empire of Rome which Citie at the time of writing these prophesies had the gouernment of the whole world The second demonstration or euidence may be deduced out of the number of the monethes assigned to this beast Apoc. 13. For so it is written that this beast had power to make that is to worke his malice against Christes people 42. monethes which monethes counted by sabbates of yeares that is euery moneth for seuen yeares maketh vp the iust number of those yeares in which the primitiue Church was vnder the terrible persecutions of the heathen Emperors of Rome as is afore specified pag. 397. Which thing thus standing proued and confessed that the first beast must needes signifie the Empire and City of Rome then must it necessarely follow that the second beast with the lambs hornes must signifie the Bishop Pope of the same City of Rome The reason whereof is euident and apparant by that which followeth in the prophecye where it is declared that the seconde beast hauing two hornes of a lambe receaued and exercised all the power of the first beast before or in the sight of the said beast which can not be verefied neither in the Turke nor in any other but only in the Pope of Rome who as you see receiueth vsurpeth and deriueth to himselfe all the power of that Citie and Monarchy of Rome In so much that he saith that when Constantine or Ludouicus yeelded vnto him the rule kingdome of that Citie he gaue him but his owne and that which of right and duty belonged to him before And this authority or power ouer all the Empire of Rome he worketh not in Asia or in Constantinople as the Turke doth but in the sight of the beast which gaue him the power that is in the City of Rome it selfe which is the
woman out of her Monastery came fiue Byshops Dosa Eatha O●●ford Ioannes Wilfride Hacanos Abington Ioanno at Lincolne Ely Abbey Chertsey Berkyng Peterborough Bardney Glastonbery Camesey Winburne Sealesey Wincombe S. Albones Eusham Ripon Echelinghey S. Shaftesbury Two thinges to be wished in them that first builded Monkishe Monasteries The article of free iustification not knowne Ex Crouici● Gul●el Malmesb Lib. ● A b●iefe Cataloge of Queenes and Kinges daughters which leauing their estate were made Nunnes Hilda Erchengod● Ermenilda ●delberga Etheldreda Werburga Kynreda Kineswida Sexburga Elfrida Mildreda Milburga Milguida Kineburga Elfleda Alfritha Wulfritha Editha Kinges made Monkes Egbert king of the Westsaxons afterward Monarke and king of the whole Realme In this tyme came in the Danes Fill into the North part● and were driuen out agaynes Anno. 807. Example what it is to despise other Example of patience Anno. 826. Of this victory went a prouerb Riuuscruore rubuit ruina restitit foetor● tabuit This land first called Anglia Anno. 833. Danes now the second tyme entred in this land Anno. 834. Fabian cap. 158. Rog. Houed Lab. 5. cap. 1. England fiue tym●s plagued by other natiōs Ex Rog. Houed Lib. 5. Anno. 837. A place in Fabian to be amended Guliel Lib de gestis pont Anglor sayth this Pope was Leo iiij Anno. 844. Priuiledges and temporalties graunted to the Church by king Ethelwulfe Ex Flor. Hist. Pro remis Note the blinde ignoraunce and erroneous teaching in those dayes Peter 〈◊〉 through the whole Realme graunted 〈◊〉 Rome Money bestowed to burne day light Note here the holy and holesome counsailers and doynges of the spiritual Lordes Ludouicus Pius Emperour king of Fraunce Fredericke Byshop of Vtricke Byshop Fridericke openly admonishe●h the Emperour at the table Note that were ii Iudithes one the mother of Carolus Caluus the other his daughter whom king Ethelwulfe did marry Fridericke Byshop of Vtricke iudged of some a Martyr Example of the women more ready to reuenge then the man Swithinus Bishop of Winchester Example of a kind scholer to hys scholemayster Monkishe miracles fayned of Swithinus Pope Leo iij. Stephen iiij Pascalis i. Eugenius .ij. Valentinus .j. Gregory iiij A generall Synode at Aquil graue Euerye Church to haue sufficient to finde hys owne Priestes Pretious garmentes of scarlet or other riche colour forbidden men of the Clergy Great families not lawfull for men of the Clergy Ringe● and gold in their shoes forbidden The feast of all Sainctes first ordayned Pope Sergius .ij. When the Popes names began the first to be altered Agnus thrise song at the Masse The hoste deuided in three partes Pope Leo the 4. No Byshop by the Popes law to be condemned vnder 72. witnesses The golden crosse first borne before the pope A woman Pope called Ioan. viij The Church of Rome after their Masse of the holy Ghost may erre Pope Benedictus iij. Dirge for the dead Pope Nicolas the first The mariage of priestes begon to be forbiddē * Anno. 867. A letter written to Pope Nicolas concerning Priestes not to refrayne from Mariage Priestes Mariage in the olde law permitted in the new law not forbidden The inconuenience of single life The saying of the Apostle let euery one haue hys own wife This Decree is contrary to the Bishops and Prelates in Queene Maryes tyme. More then 6000 heads of infantes found in the Popes more thorough the wicked decree of the single lyfe of priestes Let Priestes note well the saying of Gregory August ad Donatum Note well the saying of Austen August What it is to marry in the Lord. What a virgine is by the diffinition of the Apostle August ad Bonifaciō The absurde saying and contrary during of papistes Gregorius 2. Tim. 3. Inuenitur bee Epistola in vetustis mēbranaceis libris testāet Illyrico in Catologo Memiuit eiusdem Epistola deutas Syluius in sua peregrinatione Germania descriptione Pope Hadrian the second Iohn ● Martine ij Hadrian iij. Steuen v. Ex vetusto exemplo historia Catian● W.C. ● The cause of Gods wrath wher●by the Realme of England was scou●ged by the Danes An other cause rendred why England was scourged of the Danes The first entring of the Dane Ex historia Iornalensi Example what mischiefe commeth by adultery Codrinus king of Denmarke Inguar and Hubba captaynes of the Danes An other cause of the comming of the Danes Lothbroke father to Inguar and Hubba What miserable enuy worketh Murther will out K. Ethelwulphe deceaseth An. 857. King Ethelbald K. Ethelbright An. 867. King Ethe●dred Yorke bu●ned by the Danes What discord doth in a commo●●wealth An. 870. S. Edmund king of Eastangles The message of the Danes to K. Edmund The aunswere of K. Edmund The persecution and death of S. Edmund king of the Eastangles K. Edmund Martyr Redyng taken of the Danes Inguar and Hubba slayne Duke Ethelwold slayne Osrike king of Denmark landeth in England Ex Guliel Malmesboriensi Ex historia lornalensi Ex Fabiano alijs Inuocation and prayer profitable in tyme of battayle The Danes ouerthrown at Ashdon Another battayle fought with the Danes Another battayle fought with Danes at Merton What discord and rebellion doth in a realme The death of Etheldred The Abbey of Exceter founded An. 872. Alured K. of England Ex Rog. Houedeno H. Hunting Polychronicon Fabiano Burhered being expulsed hys kingdome went to Rome and there dyed in the Englishe house Rollo a Dane first Duke of Normandy Anno. 879. King Alfrede flyeth into a desert wood Etheling which is to say the I le of Nobles A swineheard made Byshop of Winchester Henr. Hunting lib. 5. de Histor. Angl. Inguar and Hubby slayne A bold aduenture or attempt of king Alfrede ventring himself into the tentes of the Danes Ex Fabiano Gutrum the Prince of the Danes was Christened King Gutrum named Athelstane Norfo●●● Suffolke geuen to king Gutrum The Nun●● of Shaftesbury builded The Monastery of Etheling The new minster at Winchester besieged 〈◊〉 the Danes An. 892. The Danes driuen from Norfolke The Danes returne agayne to Norfolke● The Danes driuen out of Chester The Danes driuen from Lewes The riuer of Luye deuided in three 3. plagues in England An. 897. The Danes ships taken An. 899. The vertues and godly lyfe of kyng Alfrede described The inclination of nature corrected in K. Alfrede The godly petition of king Alfrede Modwenna King Alured how he deuided hys goodes in two partes Polycron Lib. 5. ca. 1. Guliel lib. de regibus The liberall hart of king Alfrede How well and godly this king spent his tyme The godly lawes of King Alfrede A notable example of thi●●ery and felony banished thys Realme Ex histori● lornalensi King Alfrede commended for learning When learning first began to be set vp in England Chester a place of learning The Vniuersitie of Graunchester by Cambridge The vniuersitie of Paris 〈◊〉 began by iiij Rabanus Alcuinus Claudius Ioan. Scotus Sigebert king of Eastangle● a scepter of Schooles Two a●ncient schooles in
Rome Pope Iohn had his eyes put out and so put to death Pope Gregory restored Vii electours of themperors ordayned in Germany and who they be Ex Chronico Martini King Egelred Anno. 979. The life of Egelred Anno. 981. The coronation of Egelred The prophecie of Dunstane as monkishe storyes geue it The Danes recoursed to England Houeden lib. continuationum London cōsumed with fire The king warred against the Byshop of Rochester An. 990. The bloudy flixe and hote feuers reigned in this land The death of Dunstane Ethelgarus Elfricus Siricius Elphegus Archb. of Canterb. An. 995. The Byshops sea of Dyrham London besieged of the Danes The Dane spoyled the land Great tribute leuied of the Englishmen Danegelt The sorrowfull affliction of the English nation What dissētion and discorde doth amōg the nobles in a realme The pride and wretchednes of the Danes toward the Englishmen Lord Dane Lurdaine Anno. 1000. Henrie Archidiat lib. 6. The first ioyning betweene the Norm and Englishe men King Egelred marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy Richard Duke of Normandy The Danes by secret cōmission slayne in euery towne of England Suanus K. of Denmarke ariueth in England Exeter beat down Norwiche spoyled and wasted by the Danes Anno. 1004. A tribute payd to the Danes of xxx M. pound to haue peace The persecution of Turkillus a Dane Euill counsell about a king what hurt it doth The second returne of Suanus into England The persecution of Suanus king of Danes Caunterbury besieged Treason of a false Deacon Caunterbury takē and brent The tything of the Monkes of Caunterbury A cruell murther of the Danes Elphegus the Archb. of Caūt stoned to death Anno. 1013. King Egelred driuen 〈…〉 I le of Wig●● from then 〈◊〉 Normandy The vertue of Christen mens prayer The death and end of Suanus The Abbey of S. Edmundelburie builded King Egelred returneth into England Canutus cutteth of the noses and handes of hys pledges Canutus taketh Westsaxon A lessen for all Iudges and Iustices Brybes Euill Iudges worse in a common wealth then bloudy enemies Wicked officers Agaynst wicked Iudges A wicked Iudge deposed and depriued by the king Anno. 1016. Edmund Ironside sunne of Egelred king Canutus sonne of Swanus king The battayles betweene Edmundus and Canutus A witty oration to stay bloud betweene 2. armyes Two 〈◊〉 fight 〈◊〉 to hand The 〈◊〉 murtherd king Edmund Two so●ne of Edmund Y●onside Flattery 〈◊〉 fidelity 〈◊〉 vntrueth in English Lordes False vnfaythfulnes and vnconstant mobilitie in Englishe Lordes and rewarded Duke Edrike the false traytor and murtherer of 〈◊〉 king worthely rewarded for hys wicked falshode The end of pernicious traytours The brother of Edmund Yronside banished reconciled and lastly slayne Edmund and Edward two sonnes of Edmund Yronside sent out to be slayne Canutus K. of Denmarke Canutus maryeth Emma wife before of Egelred Lawes of K. Edgar H●rold Harefoot K. of Englād a Dane Anno. 1039. Hardecknout king last of the Danes that reigned in England Erle Godwyn The miserable wretchednes of Godwyn agaynst the Normands The Normandes tythed and yet the tenthes retithed agayn Alfredus sonne of Egelred right heyre of the crowne tormented with cruell death The cause expended why God suffered this land to be conquered by the Normandes Example of Gods righteous iudgement The death of K. Hardeknout The sonnes of Erle Godwyn The story of Alfred repeated Taken out of the english story or chronicle compiled of certayne englishe Clerkes Alfred of Al●red sonne of K. Egelred Ex historia ignati autori● Gunilda wife to Henricus the Emperour Canutus went to Rome The hospitall builde at Rome for English p●●grimes Rome shote confirmed by Canutus The Cathedral Churche of Wintchest inritched by Canutus S. Benets in Norfolke builded Bury Abbey turned to Monkes Flatterers and clawbackes about Princes Canutus chargeth the sea to stand backe but it would not be A lesson notable for kinges and Princes God onely the king of all kings and Lord of Lordes The kinges crowne put on a roode Kinges of England haue as much right in causes spirituall as temporall Certaine lawes of K. Canutus for the ordering of matters ecclesiasticall Adultresse woman to loose their eares and noses Anno. 104● King Edward the con●ellour England a●flicted by the Danes the space of 255. yeares K. Edward crowned Holy king Edward a virgine i● maryage Methe i● Greeke signifieth dr●kennes Aceasation of the Archbish. against Emma the kinges mother False accusation purged by hote yron A straunge thing if it were true and without false conueyance Great snow and mortalitie in England Variaunce betweene the king and Godwyn Godwyn with hys v. sonnes outlawed Godwyn reconciled to the king vpon pledges geuen William D. of Normandy came into England to king Edward Marianus Scotus whē he liued The end and death of vngodly Godwyn Ex lorna Malmesberiensi Polydor. Fabiano alijs Gods iust punishment vpon Godwyn for the murthering of Alphred Periurie plagued Edward the outlawe sonne of Edmund Yronside sent for to England Anno. 1056. The death of Edward sonne of Edmond Yronside William Duke of Normandy admitted heyre to the crowne The enuy and discorde of brethren Vngracious children of a wicked father A place of Polydorus Virg. examined Harold taken of the Normands Harold promiseth Duke William to marry hys daughter and to keepe the realme for hys behoofe Erle Leofricus euer true and faythfull to hys prince How Couentry was made free Godina wife to Leofricus The Abby of Couentry builded by Leofricus Edward the outlaw Edgar Edeling Margaret Queene of Scottes Matilde Queene of England Dauid King of Scots The death of King Edward Westminster repayred Guliel Malmesber Ex lornalen Ex Historia Richardi 2. iussu composita The lawes of K. Edward Ex Mathaeo pariensi William Conquerour sworne to K. Edwardes lawes yet went from it Ex libro Reg. antiquorum in praetorio Londinensi The office of a king described in the lawes of K. Edward A king the vicare of God in earth The limits of the kingdome of England how farre they doe extend The office of a king farther described 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 to haue 〈…〉 iec●ion Anno. 1066. Harold 〈◊〉 K. of Saxons Harold king of Denmarke and Tostius slayne The Pope sendeth a banner to Duke W. vpon bone v●age into England Duke William landeth at H●stinges Three causes why Duke William entred England Three conditions offered to Harold by D. William The fight betweene Harold and Duke William K. Harold slayne The consanguinitie betweene K. Edward and William Conquerour Murther iustly recompensed Archbishops of Caunterb Liningus Egelmothus Robertus Stigandus The decay of the Church Pope Siluester 2. Siluester the. 2 a soule sorcerer Ioannes Stella Platina Petrus Praemostratensis Nancle●us Antoninus Robertus Barnus Ioannes Baleus Ex Ioan Stella An admonition for sorcerers and wicked coniu●ers The feast of all soules brou●ht into the church Benedictus the 9. Gregorius the 6. A constitution no pope to be chosen but by the
pontif Lib. 4. Ex Roger. Ho 〈◊〉 Eabia c. Anno. 1116. Assemble of the nobles at Salisbury Thurstine refuseth to professe subiection to the Arch. of Cant. Thurstine promiseth to renounce hys archbishopricke Anno. 1118. Pope Calixtus breaketh promise with the king Thurstine sacred archbishop of Yorke by the Pope agaynst the kinges minde Concision Rhemense Actes of the councell of Rhemes The Actes sent to the Emperour The Emperour agreeth not to the popes inuesting The councell deuided Ex Rog. Houed Henry the Emperour excommunicated Agreed that England shoulde haue no other Legate from Rome but onely the Archb. of Cant. England spoyld by the popes legates All the custome of the Realme graunted of the pope Anno. 1120. The popes letter to the King The king compelled to receaue Thurstinus for feare of the popes curse Thurstinus restored Anno. 1122. Wil. Archb. of Cant. The gray Friers first came into England Anno. 1125. Priestes payd for their wiues Ex Roger. Houed El Guliel Gisburnēsi Ex Henrie Hunting lib. 7. The Abbey of Gilburne bailded S. la ues hand Reading Abbey foūded Matilde daughter of K. Henry heyre to the crowne Geffry Plātagenet Henry 2. borne of Matilde the Empresse Anno. 1130. The priorie of Norton founded Three terrible visiōs of the king Three vowes made of King Henry Anno. 1131. Danegelt released The Church relieued Iustice rightly administred Bishoprike of Carlile newly erected by king Henry The Citie and Paules Church of London burned Honorius the 2. Mathaeus Partsiensis A romishe statute concerning priestes wiues and Concubines Mariage forbid to the seuenth degree The Popes Legate geuing preceptes of chastitie was found with an harlot Lotharius Emperour Arnulphus Martyred at Rome The history of Arnulphus Arnulphus Martyr Ex Tretimio A booke called Tripartitum written 400. yeares agoe Number of holy dayes Curious singing in Cathedrall Churches The world ouercharged with begging Religions Promotion of euill prelates Supersluitie of apparell in Bishops families Byshops seales abused to get mony Non residentes in benefices Rash bestowing of benefices Wastefull spending of the Church goods Old bookes of Councels lost by the negligence of the clerkes The vnchaste lyfe of priestes condemned by the nature of the storkes Amendment of lyfe ought first to begin with the priestes The realme of Fraunce interdited King of Portingale deposed The Knights of the Rhodes and Templars Pope 〈◊〉 centius the second Hurly 〈◊〉 betweene Popes The pope curse proclaymed agaynst 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 any priest The death of K. Henry Anno. 1135. Periury iustly punished Ex Chris. Anglico in certi aut●ris The Bishop of Sarum and of Lincolne take● prisoners of the king and led with ropes about their neckes Roger. ●eued in 〈◊〉 Steph. Ex Fabian In vita Step. Anno. 1136. K. Stephen Building of Castles in England The cruelty of the Scots agaynst the Englishe man Anno. 1140. Maude the Empresse came into England agaynst Steuen King Steuē●ken prisoner What it is for princes to be hard and straite to their subjectes K. Stephen and Robert Erle of Glocester deliuered by exchaunge Ex incerti autoris chronise The decease of Geffry Plantagenet Henry Duke of Normandy Henry entereth into England Theobalde Archbishop of Cant. Peace betwene king Steuen and Duke Henry concluded The death of K. Steuen S. William of Yorke Gracianns the compiler of the popes decrees Petrus Lombardus maister of the sentence Petrus Comestet Hugo de sancto Victore Bernardus Clareualensis Hildegare Ioannes detemporibus The fewes crucified a christen body at Norwich The order of the Gilbertines The Lordes prayer and the Creede in Englishe Matthaeus Pariensis lib. Chron. 4. Steuen king of England Cursing with booke bell and candle Anno. 1138. Pope Lucius the ij warring agaynst the Senators Spirituall excommunication abused in temporall causes Hadrianus a Pope an Englishman Anno. 1154. King Henry the second Thomas Becket chauncellor of England Anno. 〈◊〉 Gerhardus Dulcinus Preaches agaynst Antichrist of Rome Ex 〈◊〉 Gisbaron si Anno. 11●● Fredericus Barbarosa Emperor The pope displeased that the Emperour did not held his right stirrup The Emperour holdeth the Popes stirrup The Popes old practice in setting Princes together by the eares War more gaynefull to the Pope then peace Warre stirred vp by the Pope The pope driuen to entreate for peace The godly proceedings of Frederick the Emperour agaynst the pope A letter of Pope Hadrian to the Emperour Fredericke The Emperours name before the Popes A seditious and proud letter of the pope to the Bishops of Germany Well bragged and like a Pope Scripture well wrasted Ex Radenuico in appendice Frisingensis See the ambitious presumption of a proude priest Note here a couragious hart in a valiaunt Emperour An example for all princes to follow Note The order of Erenu●● Anno. 1159. The saying and iudgement of P. Adrianus of the papall sea The popes rather successors to Romulus then to Peter Pope Alexander the third Alexander curseth the Emperour Anno. 1164. Volateran ●ken with a ●tradiction Concilium 〈◊〉 The clergie ●ounde to ●he vowe of ●hastitie Papi●tes are not so much in pro 〈◊〉 chastitie as in desining chastitie Tho. Becket Archb. at Cant. Becket no martyr Herberturde busebam Ioan. Charnot A lanus Abbot of Tenchbury Gulselmus Cantuariensis Tho. Becked described What commeth of blinde zeale destitute of right knowledge The life of Tho. Becket Polydorus mistaketh the mother of Becket Ex Roberto Cri●eladensi Ex Florilego 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 of van●● recited betweene 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 Archb. The kings custome Out of an Englishe Chronic●● as it appearreth 〈◊〉 en cured French●● Erle ●●lord 〈◊〉 The lawes of Claredoun Beckets additiō Saluo ordine suo The Bishop of Chichester The stubberne wilfulnes of T. Becket T. Becket relenteth to the king Becket yeldeth to the king Saluo ordine left out in the composition Becket repenteth of hys good deede A letter of pope Alexander to T. Becket Becket enterprising agaynst the king● 〈◊〉 to flye out of the realme Becket taunted of the king Ex Rogero Houed pr● parte historia continuas a post Bedam The kinge to be the Pope Legate The ce●sty dissimulation of the Pope The popes secret letters to Becket More then an C. murthers done by the clergye Guliel Neuburg lib. 2. ca. 16. Becket cited to Northampton The Archbish. condemned in the Councell of Northamtō in the lo●●e of all hys moueables Becket required to geue an accompt The verdite of Winchester The counsell of the Bishop of London Canterbury Winchester Chichester Moderate counsell Lincolne Exceter Worcester Becket the Archbishop replyeth agaynst the Byshops A great ●●ielle growen in the church because that Byshop may no●●● aboue 〈◊〉 and prince Becket destitute and forsaken Becket 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 nes when he should appeale A masse of S. Steuen 〈◊〉 saue hym from hys enemies Becket answere to the Bishops ●●c●●t appealeth to Rome London appealeth from the Archbish. A masse to charme away persecutors Becket caryeth with hym the sacrament going
excluded out of the land The crowched Friers The knights of S. Iohn called the knightes of the Rodes Templaries burned at Paris to the number of ●● The order of the Templarie put downe The horrible sect of the Templaries Cistercian Monkes for money redeme their exemptions of the pope The Fryers minorites deceiued of Pope Clement Ex Chron. Th● Wals. One thiefe be guileth mother Pope Clemēt excommunicateth the Venetians for making a duke The pryde and tyranny of Pope Clement 5. Fraūcis Dádulus humbleth him selfe for his countrey Out of Sabellie and is alleaged in the booke named the Image of tyranny The pietie of Dandulus to his countrey Pietie thākfully rewarded Rob. Winchelsey returned home from banishment Anno. 1311. The counting of the yeare was in the old time from Michaelmas to the same day againe Ex Chron. The. Wals. The Archb. of Cant excommunicateth the Bish. of Couentry for holdyng with Peter Gaueston Peter Gaueston taken of the nobles The kyng entreateth for Gaueston Guy of Warwike Peter Gaueston againe apprehended by Gwy of Warwike Peter Gaueston beheaded The corpes of Peter Gaueston buryed in the kinges Manor of Langley The Nobles of England cared not for the popes letters The Popes Legates not admitted of the Nobles of England Anno. 1312. The kyng ruled by foreine counsayle Makebates about the kyng Mediation for making peace The king reconciled againe with his nobles Anno. 1313. What di●cord doth in a common weale The Scot● rebel against the realme of England English men ouercome by the Scottse Pope Clement neuer late in the sea of Rome Ann. 1314. Miserable death and famine in England A description of an horrible famine in the realm of England Ex Chron. Tho. Wals. in vita Edward● 2. The Scottes driuen out of Ireland Anno. 1317. The white battaile of the spiri●●al men in York●●ire The two Spensers Two legates seat from Rome The Popes pillage The Popes legates spoiled of all their yl gotten treasure The Popes curse cōtemned of the Scottes The Clergie of Englande denyeth to contribute to the popes legates A prohibition against strange taxes impositions A prohibition for paying the Popes Peter pence Reade before so the liues of king Offa and kyng Adelwulfe The pryde of the Spensers Anno. 1321. That Thomas Earle of Lancaster came of Edmund younger sonne of K. Henry 3.22 of the greatest nobilitie of the realme put to death by the kyng Anno. 1322. The cruell reioysing of the kyng Anno. 1323. The king distressed again in Scot. land Polydoru Virgilius an Itallan wryter of our English stories Anno. 1324. The queene put to her pension The queene sent to F. Ser Prince E● Prince Edward made duke of Aqutaine and Earle of Pō●at The queene the prince resuse to returne into England The queene the prince proclaymed ●●● tours in England The King co●spired priuely the death of the Queene and of his sonne Anno. 1325. Prince Edward betrothed to the Erle of Heynawdes daughter The queene returneth to England The landing of the queen Anno. 1326. The k. destitute of help and soldiors The answer of the Londiner to the kyng The liberties of the citie of London in going out to warre The kings proclamation The Queens proclamation The Queenes letter The Bishop of Exeter beheaded of the common at the staderd in Che●p● The 〈◊〉 builded in Oxford 2. Colledges Exeter Colleage and Hart hall whose name was Gu●lter Staplet●● Hugh Spenser the father takē and hanged in chayne The king taken in Wales Hugh Spenser the sonne taken and executed A bill exhibited in the parliament house against king Edward the secōd King Edward deposed by consent of the parliament house and his sonne Edw. chosen kyng Michael house in Cambridge founded Henry Stauntō founder of Michael house in Cambridge Nicolicus de Lyrd Guilielmus Ocham Tyranny odious to the people A spiritual Bul. called and are●ted before a leculat iudge Ex Tho. Walsing The ●orm● of wordes when any Bish doeth chalenge the priuiledge of the church against a secular iudge The Bishop rescued by the Clergie The K. proceedeth in iudgement against the B. the priuilegies of the church notwithstanding to the contrary Simon Mepham archb of Cant. Pope Iohn 22. a Mon●● Ciderc●an A new solid heresie Heresy with the Pope to say that Christ the Apostles had no proper po●●e●sions here Strife betweene the pope the Emperour T●e Empe●●●r crowned against the will of the pope Pope Bene●●tus 12. a Monke of Benedictes order Ludouicus the Emperour depriuel and deposed by Pope Benedict 12. A councel at Frankford The Emperours prote●●ation to the councell of Germany Ex Hiero● Mario Elex Crā●●● E● Chron. de ● mundi ●lalibus in●i●ul●s R●dimentum ●●●itiorum Pope Clement 6. The trouble of Ludouick ●he Emp. Heresie of the Popes making obiected against the Emperour The proude heart of the Pope Lewes the Emperour accused by the Pope for an hereticke A good faithfull Archbish. of Mentz Bribers corrupted with mony The pope sowet of discord and bloudshed The pope again stirreth vp war Charles the new Emperor put to flight by the Englishmen Ludouike the right Emperour resigneth vp hys Empyre Ludouike the Emperour impoysoned 1 Iudouicus Emperor martyr Gunterus de Monte Nigro made Emp. Gunterus the right Emperour poysoned The ruine of the Germaine Empire and the first cause thereof The yeare of Iubilei reduced to the L. yeare Pilgrimes in the yeare of Iubilei at Rome The abhominable blasphemous bull of pope Clement The pope commaundeth the Angels O blasphemy of the Pope Ex bulla Clementis Ex Chrō Wals. in vit Edu 3. The king resist●th the pope The tenthes of Church goods giuen to the kyng Anno. 1326. Oriall colledge and S. Mary hal in Oxford builded by K. Ed 2. A story of the commotion betweene the towne and Abbey of Bury Ex lati●● quodam ●sgis●r● The Abnet robbed The Abbot stolne away to Brabante The Abbot restored againe King Edward the 3. Anno. 1327. The defiance of the kyng of Scots The K. and Queene at Yorke with an army of ●000 men readie to meete the K. of Scottes entring the realme The great fraye in Yorke Carlile and new Castle then the keyes of England Northward ●ept with Garisons The Scots priuely passe ouer the riuer of Tine burning and spoyling the countrey all about The kings armie and the Scottes are so neare that eche seeth other The Scots thorough treason escape out of Englande vnfought withall The prouision left in the Scots campe The king returneth to London The mariage of K. Edward solemnised A parliament at Northampton The Ragman role deliuered vp to the Scot● The black crosse of Scotland The B●r●● geue vp their titles in Scotlād A parliament at Salisbury E●rle Henry of Lancaster refuseth to come to the parliam●nt The Earle of Kent put to death giltles The Queene with childe by sir Roger Mortimer Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March. arrained condemned and put to execution The queene put in
prison and so kept a long time The birth of prince Edward The expedition of king Edward into Scotland The Scottish times K. Edward was●●●h and destroyeth the realme of Scotlande Barwicke besieged and yeelded vp to the king The K. entreth the towne of Barwicke appointeth the captaine therof Sir Rob● de A●tois a ●●ble ma●●● Fra●●● inciteth the ● to prolec●● his title in Fraunce The king delibe●●●● with his councell ●●cerning the title of Fraunce Embassadors are ●● to the 〈◊〉 of Heyna● concerning the title The Embassadours ●eturne with answere Ed the Erle 〈◊〉 pleaseth the kyng K. Philip of France heareth of the kings purpose and stayeth his viage of the Croisie K. Edward assigned lie●tenant Generall of the Empyre The first viage of k●●● Edward i●●● Fraunce Southampton bu●●● of the French men The Scottes styr●ed vp against England by the French K. The Pope cause of the kings remo●ing out of Fraunce Anno. 1340. The king of England taketh the title of Fraunce K. Edward to the nobles and cōmons of Fraunce The title of France how it came to K. Edward Note the grosenes of this tyme when the bl●ud of Christ was thought but only dedicated to the holy land Southampton burnt spoyled by the French men Counsaile of the Archb. geuen to the king Battel vpon the sea betweene kyng Edward and Frenchmen The Frenchmen beaten vpon the sea The wordes of the foole to the French kyng The letters of K. Edward to the Byshops of England A c●●nc●l at Villenorth Flaunders Brabant and Hennalt take part with kyng Edward The letter of king Edward to the Frēch kyng The answere of the Frēch K to K. Edward The Scottes ●●de Engl●●● Henborough reco●ered from the Englishmen by the Scottes Tourney besieged Articles of truce K. Edward returneth from Tourney The kyng deceiued by his officers No bishop must be imprisoned by the Popes lawe Couetous officers Iohn Stratford Archb. of Cant. The kyngs letter to the Dean and chapter of Paules Archbish. of Cant fal●e to the king Euil officers displaced by the kyng Archbish. of Cant. 〈◊〉 to all the clergie The Archb. of Cant. de 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 The Archb. 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 ingratitude The Archb. 〈◊〉 of the ●yng The Archb. ●●useth his office 〈…〉 The letter of the Archbishop to the kyng Good counsellers necessary about a kyng Excommunication in his owne priuate cause abused The returne of the kings army from Tourney Anno. 1341. Truce taken for three yeares betweene K. Edward and the French king Anno. 1342. Pope Clement 6. Ex Chron. Albanens The kyng disanulleth the Popes prouision The Poges procurators driuen out of England A letter of the Nobles commons of England to the pope Decay of the Church of England by the Pope The Popes message to the king The kings aunswere to the Popes message Anno. 1344. The Castle in Windsore enlarged The rounde table builded in Windsore Tenthes graunted to the king by the clergy for 3. yeares Priuileges granted by the king to the clergie By this it is lyke that priestes had wiues Prince Edward first prince of Wales Anno. 1345. Henry Erle after made duke of Lancaster sent ouer to Gasconie A rare example of a liberal captaine to his soldiours The liberall heart and constant voyce of a worthy captain The Scots partly a meane of breaking truce Anno. 1346. The 1. via●● of K. Edw. into France The battell at Ca●●●n The king●et ters of defiance against the French king The Popes legate surreth vp war ●●ke legate ●●ke Pope A letter of the kings cō●cllor touching his actes doing at Cardoyn The Cardinal● againe entreate for peace The kyngs answere to the Cardinals The French kyng sheweth no carefull study of peace The kings comming to Pusiacke Anno. 1346. Siege of Calys Dauid king of Scots inuadeth England The Scots ouerthrowen Dauid the Scottishe K. taken prisoner K. Edward answereth to the pope The kyng appealeth from the P. to God Offers made to the men of Flaunders to forsake K. Edwarde The Dolphin with the French discomfited at Casseles Anno. 1347. The French king flyeth before the battaile The towne of Calice wonne Truce cōcluded betweene England Fraunce Anno. 1348. A vehement pestilence in England Now called the Charterhouse church yard Anno. 1350. Calice almost lost by treason The death of the French king Anno. 1351. The towne of Gwynes taken Anno. 1352. Victory of Syr Roger Bentele First Duke of Lancaster Anno. 1354. Pope innocent 6. Chron. Adam● Murimouth canonici D. Paul● de gestis Edw. I. Ann. 1355. The third viage of K. Edward into Fraunce The French K. refuseth to ioyne in battell with kyng Edward Fiftie shillings for euery sack of wooll caryed out of England The custome of wooll for sixe yeres 1500000. poundes sterling to king Edward Anno. 1356. The French K. taken prisoner by prince Edward Euery Scute valuing 6. shillings 8. pence Marsilius Patauinus author of the booke called Defensor paces Article of Marsilius against the Pope Merites cause of saluation sine qua non Marsilius condemned of the Pope Extrau cap. Licet intra doctrinam Ioannes Gādenensis condemned by the pope Guillermus Ockam wrote against the pope Michael generall of the gray fryers excommunicated for an heretike Ascentionis in praesatione eius aeutoris The dialogue betwene the souldier and the clarke of Ockams making Eight questions disputed by Ocham Gregorius Ariminensis mainteineth the same doctrine nowe receiued Ex Trithemio Andreas de Castro and Burdianus both gospellers 200. yeares agoe Eudo duke of Burgūdy against the popes decrees about 200. yeares since Ex Charolo Molinao Dante 's an Italiā writer against the Pope Donation of Constantine a thing forged The pope the whore of Babilon Ex lib. Iornandi Pope Antichrist An admonition to the Romans Taulerus of Germany a preacher against the popes proceedings Franciscus petrarcha Vide 20 epistolam Francisci Petrarcha Rome the mother and schole of errour Ioannes de rupe scissa Iohn cast into p●●●● Church of Rome the whore of Babilon The reformation of the Church before prophesied Conradus Hager The Masse to be no sacrifice Conradus cast in prison Ex bullis quibusdam Otthonis Epis Herbipeli Ponitentiarius Asini. The pope and his spiritualitie cōfederate against the laitie The pope maketh the Emperour lay mē A●●● Gerhardus Ridder a writer against mōkes and friers Michael Cesenas Petrus de Corbaria condemned of the Pope Ioannes de Poliaco The opiniōs of Michael against the Pope Michael Cesenas depryued and cōdemned of the Pope Martyres Ioannes de Castilione Franciscus de Arcatara burned Archbyshoppes of Cant. the 〈◊〉 succeeding the other New Colledge in Oxforde founded an 1366. Pope Innocent 6. Two Franciscanes burned at Auinion Ioan. Rochtaylada Martyr Ex Chron. Henrici de Herfordia The church of Rome declared to be the whore of Babilon by Gods reuelatiō Kochtaylada with an other Frier Martyrs● A priest for casting the popes bull before the popes feete scourged cast in
the Cardinall The Card. a deceauer of the king a briber The Card. purchaseth a pardon against his premuniri Prelates holde one with an other Malice burst out Paules steepleset on fire by lightning Anno. 1445 The death of Henry Chichesley Archb. of Cant. The buil●ing of Alsolne Colledge and Barnard Colledge in Oxforde Anno. 1447 The storie death of Humfrey Duke of Gloucester Duke Humfrey cōm●nded for his learning Petrus de Monte. De Virtutum et Vitrorum differentia ad D. Humfredum Lapiscastellius De compatatione Audiorum etrei militarus ad D. D. Humfredum A false miracle espied Dissimulat●on wel punished Commen-dation of Duke Hum-frey The good Duke of Glocester Polyd. Hist lib. 23 Hal● in 25. H●n 6. The enemies to the Duke of Glocester The malicious working of the cardinall against the Duke of Glocester W. De la Pole Duke of Suffolke the cause of the Duke of Glocesters death The vnprofitable mariage betweene K. Hen. 6. and Queene Margaret Queene Margaret mortall enemy to the Duke of Glocester The malice of a woman A snare to catch the innocent Anno. 1447. A parliament at Bery The cruel death or martyrdome of the good Duke of Glocester The iudgement of god vpon thē which persecuted the Duke of Glocester Anno. 1448. The death of the Cardinall and maner of the same The wordes of the Cardinall of Winchester at his de●th Will. Wanflet Bishop of Wint. Magdalen Colledge in Oxford builded Gods punishment vpon the Marques of Suffolke The 〈◊〉 glory of mans 〈◊〉 fo●geth●●g himselfe in honour The commons vncō stant The Duke of Suffolke accu●ed by the cōmon● The Duke of Suffolke againe accused Example of Gods iudgement and of bloud reuenged The Duke of Suffolke beheaded Publicam inst●umentum nomine Regis An instru ment by the thing against the admitting the Popes legate Anno. 1450. The arte of printing inuented Ex Tipographia per Matsheum Iudi●em Carmen An● Campani Printing cam● of God Printing likened to the giftes of tongues The time considered when Printing was founde Double confusi●● vpon the Pope by printing The fruit profite of printing Good counsaile to the Pope So preached the vicar of Croydē in K. Henry the 8. dayes at Paules crosse saying that either we must roote out printing or else printing will roote out v 8. Triple commodity by printing When Gunnes were first inuented Anno. 1458. The losing of Constantinople The tirannie of the Turke toward his owne men The cowardnes of Duke Iustinian The Emperour of Cōstantinople flaine Cōstātinople wonne of the Turkes The bloudy victory of the Turkes The horrible in āny of the Turkes Constantinople called new Rome A warning to all Christendome by Constantinople The story of Reinold Pecocke The citatiō of the Arch. Tho. Bowcher alias Bour●chet Pecocke appeareth at Lambeth before the Archb. Great labour to reduce Pecocke from his opiniōs The retractation of B. Pecocke Ex regist His Articles The articles of Reynolde Pecocke mentioned by Thomas Gascoigne Ex Tho. Gascoig lib. De Dictionario Theolog part 3. B. Pecocke deteyned in prison Polydo●e noted Eugenius warred against S●ortia and diuers other Pope F●●●x Pope Nicholas 5. Emperours are but kinges of Romaines before they be crowned by the Pope Ex Platina de vitis The example of Idolatrie punished The fruit of Idolatry Mat. Palmerius a Florentine martyr Toling of Aues S. Edmund of Cant. canonised Pope Pius 2. Promotion choketh religion The Prouerbes of Pius Mariage of priestes allowed by Aeneas Syluius Ex epist. 54. Pii s●cund ad Gasparum Schlick The way to exclude schisme is concord of princ●s The Popes Clergie wil not abyde the fyre eyther for prince or pope The breath of this pestilent seate corrupteth all that sit in it whatsoeuer they were before Aeneas Syluius now puffed vp with worldly pompe and glorie impugneth the trueth whiche he did before both know and professe D●scord betwene Pope Pius the Archbishop of Mentz Anno. 1458. Pope Paulus 2. Ex Stanislao Rutheno Vide Cent. 8. Bal. The feast of the conception and presentation of our Lady Beades brought in Wesellus Groningensis The pope licenseth the whole familie of a certaine Cardinall to play the Sodomites three monethes in the yeare Pope Innocentius 8. 8. men and 6. we men condemned of heresie by Pope Innocentius 8. George king of Boheme condemned of heresie Mischieues to England after the death of the Duke of Glocester Angeow Main Normandy and Gascoyne recoue●ed of the Frenchmen Iacke Cade The Duke of Yorke aga●●st kyng Henry Anno. 1459. The Northern men intended the subuersion of London Ex historia manuscripta cui titulus Scala mundi London rescued by prince Edw. Anno. 1461. The title of Edward to the crowne proued at Paules crosse K. Edward taketh possession of the crown The fierce and cruell battaile betweene king Henry 6. K. Edward 4. King Henry 6. conquered Barwicke geuen to the Scottes by K. Henry 6. The title of the house of Yorke Rich. Plantagenet Ex Scala mundi Leaden Hall bilded The Standard in Chepe The Conduite in Fletstrete New gate builded The Colledge of Eton and the kings Colledge in Cambridge founded The king reiecteth the popes Bulles Ex Getuslo codic cu● initium Nom●na custodum c. et ex Fabiano Example of Gods rodde and iudgement Anno. 1461. King Edward 4. Queene Margaret fledde the lande Anno. 1462. K. Edward sitteth his own person in the kings bench iudging Anno. 1463. K. Henry 6. againe repulsed in the battaile of Exham K. Henry 6. taken arested committed to the Tower Anno. 1465. The kyngs lodeine mariage with Queene Elizabeth The first falling out betweene K. Edwarde the Earle of Warwick Conspiracie against king Edward K. Edward take prisoner by the Earle of Warwicke The rebellion in Lincolnshire repressed The Earle of Warwicke and the Duke of Clarence fly into Fraunce The Earle of Warwick the Duke of Clarence returne into England The receiuing of the Earle of Warwicke into England K. Henry againe proclaymed kyng The inconstant leuitie of the people of England The constant hart and ●●nth of the Lord Hastinges K. Edward forsaken of his people in his neede The weake state of king Edward Whether godly simplicitie or mans policie be stronger The double case of these two kings considered K. Edward taketh the Washes God prouideth K. Edward taketh shipping K. Edward near taken of the Esterlings God againe prouideth K. Edward deliuered from the Esterlinges Charles Duke of Burgoyne K. Edwardes brother in law Queene Elizabeth taketh sanctuary Prince Edward borne in sanctuary K. Henry 6. brought out of the tower K. Henry restored again to his kingdome K. Edward returneth againe into England K. Edward onely with 2000. souldiours commeth to Rauenspurre alias Rauensport The dissembling policy of king Edward K. Edward commeth to Yorke K. Edward repelled by the citizens of Yorke K. Edward chaungeth his title The gentle and fayre wordes of K. Edward Two conditions put to K.
this king was one called Clito Ethelwoldus a yong man king Edwardes vncles sonne Who first occupying the Towne of W●nborne taking thence a Nonne rb him whome then he had maried fled oc by night to Northumberland to adioyne himself vnto the Danes who was made chiefe king and captaine ouer them Then chased from thence hee fled ouer into France but shortly returning againe into England landed in Eastengland where the saide Clyto wyth a company of Danes of that countrey gathered vnto him destroied and pilled much of the countrey about Crekinford and Crikeland And so passing ouer Thamis after he had spoyled the lande there to Bradeuestocke returned againe to Northfolke and Suffolke where he meting with a bushment of Kentish men which dragged taried after the maine hoste of Edwarde contrary to his commaundement inclosed them in and slewe the moste parte of them Soone after the two hostes meeting together betwene the two diches of S. Edmunds lād after a long fight Clyto with many of the Danes were slaine and the remnaunte were constrained to seeke for peace which vpon certaine conditions and vnder a tribute was to them graunted In processe about the 12. yeare of his reygne the Danes repenting them of their couenants and minding to breake the same assembled an hoste and met with the king in Staffordshire at a place called Totenhall soone after at wodnefield at which two places the king slew two kings two erles many thousand of Danes that occupied the countrey of Northumberland Thus the importunate rage of the Danes being asswaged King Edwarde hauing nowe some leysure geuen from warres to other studies gaue his minde to the building or repairing of cities townes and castles that by the Danes were rased shatred and broken As first of Chester which citye he double enlarged to that it was before compassing the castle within the walles of the same which before stood without That done the king builded a strong castle at Herford in the edge of Wales Also for the strengthening of the Countrey he made a Castle at the mouth of the water of Auene and an other Castle at Buckingham and the third fast thereby vpon the riuer of Owse Moreoouer he builded or reedified the townes of Towsetor and Wigmore destroied the castle that the Danes had made at Demes●ord Likewise vpon the riuer of Trent against the old towne of Notingham he builded a new towne on the southside and made a bridge ouer the riuer betweene the said ij townes Also by the riuer of Merce he builded a citie or towne in the North end of Mercia and named it Thilwall and after repaired the citie of Manchester that sore was defaced with warre of the Danes In this renuing and building of townes and Castles for the more fortifying of his Realme his Sister Elfleda daughter of king Alfrede maried to the Duke of Mercia as is afore mentioned was no small helper Of this Elfleda it is firmely of wryters affirmed that shee being as is sayde maried to Ethelrede Duke of Mercia after she had once assayed the paines of women in traueling wyth her childe so much shee abhorred euer after the embracing of her husbande that it seemed to her she sayde not seemely for a noble womā to vse such fleshly liking wherof so gret sorow and trauaile should ensue And yet notwithstāding the same Elfleda for all her delicate tendernesse in eschewing the natural passion which necessity geueth to women so hardy she was in warlike daungers which nature geueth not to women that fighting against the Danes so venturous shee was of stomacke that foure of her nexte knights which were gardeius of her body were slain fast by her This Elfleda among her other noble actes whereby she deserued praise was a great helper and stirrer vp of her brother Edward who builded and newly repaired many Castels and townes as Toniworth beside Lichfielde Stafforde Warwike Shrowesbury Watrisbury Eldisbury besides Chester in the forrest now destroyed Also in the North ende of Mercia vpon the riuer of Merce a castle called Rimcorne also a bridge ouer Seuerne named Brimmisbury bridge As touching the lawes and statutes of thys Edwarde as also of his father Alfrede made before him I omit heere to recorde them for length of matter and wast of time yet notwithstanding this admonition by the way I thinke good to note that in those dayes of these auncient Kinges reigning in Englande the authoritie then both of conferring Bishoprickes and spirituall promotions and also of prescribing lawes as well to the church men as to the la●tie and of ordering and intermedling in matters mere spiritual was then in the hands of kings ruling in the land and not onely in the hande of the Pope as appeareth by these lawes of Alfred Si quis fornicetur cum vxore aliena c Si quis in quadragesima sanctum velum in publico vel in lecto c. Vt Christiani Deum diligant paganismo renuncient c. Si quis Christianitatem mutet c. Si quis ordinatus sacris furetur c. Si praesbyter ad rectum terminum sanctum Chrisma c. Si duo fratres vel cognati cum vna aliqua fornicentur c. By these and other such like constitutions of King Alfrede it may appeare how the gouernaunce and direction of the church in those daies depended not vpon Monsieur le Pope of Rome but vpon the kings which here in their time vnder the Lorde did gouerne the land To this also the example of King Edwardes time geueth testimonie which Edward wyth Pleimundus aboue mentioned Archbishop of Canterbury and with other bishops in a sinode assembled assigned and elected 7. Byshops in 7. Metropolitane churches of the realme Which were 1. Fridestane 2. Adelstane 3 Werstane 4. Adelelme 5. Edulfus 6 Dernegus 7 Kenulphus In which election the kings authoritie semed then alone to be sufficient c. This Edward as in the beginning was sayd reigned 24. yeares Who had three wiues Egwine Elfled and Ethelwide Of Egwine hee had hys eldest ●onne Adelstane who next succeeded in the kingdom and a daughter maried after to the duke of Northumberland Of Elflede he receiued two ionnes and vj. daughters to witte Ethelward and Edwyne Ethelward was excellently well seene in all knowledge of learning much resembling both in countenance and conditions his grandfather Alfrede and died soone after his father Of his vj. daughters two of them 1 Elflede and Ethelhilda were made nonnes The other foure were maried Edgina to Charles the French King in hys fathers time Ethilda by King Ethelstane was maryed to Hugo the sonne of Duke Robert Edgitha and Algina were both sent to Henricus Prince of Almaines Of which two sisters the seconde the sayd Henricus maried to hys sonne Otho who was the first Emperour of the Almains The other sister which was Edgitha the foresayde Henticus maried to a certaine Duke about
crescat emendatio secundum Weram eius Regi sicut cognationi Si de parentela sit qui occidit eum tunc excedat emendatio patrini sicut manbota Domini Si Episcopi filiolus sit sit dimidium hoc c. And thus much by the way for Priestes wyues and their children Now to the purpose agayne of our matter which is to declare how the Duke and Nobles of England expulsed the Monkes out of the Monasteries after the death of kyng Edgar Whereof let vs heare what the Monkish story of the Abbey of Crouland recordeth Monachis de quibusdam Monasterijs eiectis clerici sunt introducti qui statim monasteriorum maneria ducibus terrae distribuebant vt sic in suas partes obligati eos contra monachos defensarent Tunc de monasterio Eueshamensi monachis expulsis clerici fuerant introducti Terraeque tyranni de terris Ecclesiae praemiati sunt quibus Regina nouercali nequitia stans cum clericis in regis opprobrium fauebat Cum monachis autem Rex sancti Episcopi persistebant Sed tyranni fulti Reginae fauore potentia super monachos triumphabant Multus inde tumultus in omni angulo Angliae factus est Ex Chronico Ingulphi Abbatis de Crouland c. That is The Monkes beyng expelled out of certayne Monasteries the Clarkes agayne were brought in who distributed the Manors or Fermes of the sayde Monasteries to the Dukes and Lordes of the land that they beyng obliged to them should defēd them against the Monkes And so were the monkes of Euesham thrust out and the seculare Clarkes placed the landes of the church giuen to the Lordes with whom the Queene the Kings stepmother holding the same time tooke part also with the sayd Clerkes against the king On the contrary part stood the king the holy bishops taking part with the monkes Howbeit the lordes pieres of the Realme staying vpon the fauour and power of the Queene triumphed ouer the monkes c. Thus as much ado there was through all quarters of the realme about the matter among the Lordes so arose no lesse contention betwene the priests monkes of England The Priestes complainyng to the Kyng and Dunstane layd for themselues that it was vncomely vncharitable yea and vnnaturall to put out an old known dweller for a new vnknowen and that God was not pleased that to be taken from the auncient possessor which by God was geuen him neither that it could be to any good man accepted to suffer any such iniury to be done least peraduēture the same thing wherein he was preiudiciall to an other might after reuert redound vpon himself at length The monkes on the other side layd for their part the Christ allowed neither the old dweller nor the new commer nor yet looked vpon the person but who so would take the crosse of penaunce vpon him and follow Christ in vertuous liuing should be his disciple These such other were the allegations of the monkes But whether a monkes coule or a wiueles life make a sufficient title to enter into other mens possessiōs or no I referre it to the iudgemēt of the godly The troublous cares in mariage the necessary prouision for house keepyng the vertuous bringing vp of children the daily helping of pouertie and bearing of publike charges with other manifold perturbations and combraunces daily incident to the state of matrimony might rather appeare to godly wyse men to come nearer to the right crosse of penance then the easie loytring idlenes of monkery In the end vpō this controuersie was holden a Councell of Bishops other of the Clergy First at Reading or at Winchester as Guliel saith where the greater part both of the nobles commōs iudged the priestes to haue great wrong and sought by all meanes possible to bring thē agayne to their old possessions and dignities Iornalensis here maketh rehearsall of an Image of the Crucifixe or a roode standing vpon the frater wall where the Councell was holden To this roode Dunstane requireth them all to pray beyng belike not ignorant of some spiritual prouisiō before hand In the middest of their prayer the roode or els some blind monke behynd him in a trūke through the wall is reported to speak these words Absit hoc vt fiat absit hoc vt fiat iudicastis benè mutaretis non benè In remembraunce whereof these verses were written vnder the roodes feete Humano more crux praesens aediditore Coelitus affata quae perspicis hic subarata Absit vt hoc fiat vt cae tera tunc memorata Of this Dunstanicall or rather Satanical oracle Henricus maketh no mention nor Ranulphus nor yet Houedenus nor Fabian in their histories Gulielmus in his booke de Regibus reporteth it but by hearesay in these wordes saying Aliae literae docent c. Wherfore the lesse it seemeth to be of credite Albeit if it were of credible truth yet it prooueth in this matter nothing els but Dunstan to be a Sorcerer as Polydorus Virgilius also himselfe seemeth to smell something in this matter Notwithstanding for all this yet the strife ceased not In so much that a new assembly of the Clergy and other was appointed after at a place called the streete of Calue where the Councell was kept in an vpper lofte In this Councell many grieuous complaints were obiected as Malmes buriensis saith against Dunstane But yet he kept his opinion and would not remooue from that which hee began to maintaine And while they were there in great contention and argument which way should be admitted and allowed if it be true that in the stories is written sodenly the ioyses of the lof● failed the people with the nobles fell downe so that certaine were slaine many hurt But Dunstane they say onely standing vpon a poast of the sollar which remained vnbroken escaped without dāger Which thing whether it so happened to portend before the ruine of the Realme and of the nobles as Henry Hunting doth expoūd it which after ensued by the Danes or whether it was so wrought by Dunstanes sorcerie as was not vnpossible or whether it were a thing but fained of the monkish writers and not true all this I leaue to the Readers to thinke therein what them liketh The stories say further that vpon this the matter ceased and Dūstan had all his will These things thus done at Calue it hapned not long after the same that king Edward whom the writers describe to be a vertuous and a meeke prince much pitifull beneficiall to the poore about the iiij yeare of hys raigne came vpon a season from hunting in the forest alone with out the company of his seruaunts to the place in the West countrey where Alfeith his mother with her sonne Egelred did lye When the Queene the mother was warned of his comming by her men anone she calleth a seruaunt
the last the winde shortly after came about and they tooke shipping with a great cōpanie and landed at Hastings in Sussex For three causes Duke William entred thys lande to subdue Harold One was for that it was to him geuen by king Edward his nephew The secōd was to take wreke for the cruell murther of his nephewe Alfrede King Edwardes brother and of the Normands which deede he ascribed chiefly to Harolde The thirde was to reuenge the wrong done to Robert Archbishop of Canterbury which was exiled by the meanes labour of Harold in the time of king Edward Thus while Harold was in the North Duke William made so great spede that he came to London before the King out of which he was holden till he had made good surety that he his people should passe through the Citie without tarying which promise he well obseruing passed the bridge and went ouer vnto Sussex From whence he sent a Monke vnto Harold profered to him three maner of wayes 1. Either to render to him the possession of the land and so to take it againe of hym vnder tribute raigning vnder him 2. or els to abide and stand to the Popes arbitrement betwixt them both or thirdly to defende hys quarel in his own person against the Duke and they two onely to trie the matter by dinte of sworde wythout any other bloudsheding But Harold refused all these offers saying it should be tried by dinte of swordes not by one sworde And so gathered his people ioyned battaile with the Normands in the place where afterwarde was builded the Abbey of Battaile in Sussex In the beginning of which fight the englishmen kept them in good array like to vanquishe the Normandes Wherefore Duke William caused hys men to geue backe as though they fled wherby the englishmē followed fast and brake their array Then the Normanes fiercely geuing a charge vpon them in cōclusion obtained the victorie through the iust prouidence of God Where king Harolde who before had murdered Alfrede the true heire of the Crowne with his company of Normandes so cruelly was now wounded of the Normandes in the left eye with an arrow and therof incontinent died although Gerardus sayeth hee fled away to Chester and liued after that a Monke in the monasterie of S. Iames. Whyche is not like but rather that he was there slaine after that he had raigned nine moneths and was buried at Waltham which prooueth that he died not at Chester and so was he the last that raigned in England of the bloud of Saxons the which continued to recken from Hengistus his firste raigne in Kent by the space of 591. yeres And if it be reckened from the yeares of the Westsaxons then it endured the space of 565. yeres This William Duke and king Edward were by the fathers side cousin germaines remoued For Richard the first of that name which was the thirde duke of Normandy after Rollo was father to Duke Richard the second of that name brother to Emma mother to king Edward Which Duke Richarde the seconde was father to Duke Robert this Duke Williams father Albeit in this matter other some may gather otherwise and better perchance yet if I may say what I thinke verely I suppose that there is no consanguinitie so muche here the cause why God of hys vnknowen iudgementes suffered the Normandes here to preuaile as was rather the cruell murder of Alfred of the innocent Normands wrought by the cruel despight of Harold and the englishmen as is before declared The which merciles murther God here iustly in this conquest recompensed Now remaineth also to these forein affaires of kings Princes to adde somthing likewise concerning the continuation of the Archbishops of Caunterburie beginning there where we last left that is with Elphegus whome we declared a little before to be stoned by the Danes at Grenewich After which Elphegus next succeeded Liningus after him Egelnothus also aboue mentioned Then Robertus a Normand a great doer as is declared about king Edward and a faithfull counsailer vnto him but he abode not long After whom Stigandus inuaded the sea as they report by simony being both Archbishop of Cāt. Byshop of Winchester and also Abbot in an other place Wherin he cōtinued a great space gathering and heaping goodes together till at length Duke William clapt him in prison and there kept him placing in his roume Lancfrācus a Lombard borne of whom more shall follow Christ willing hereafter to be declared ¶ Although the Church of Christ and state of religion first founded and groūded by Christ and his Apostles did not continually altogether remaine in his primatiue perfection wherein it was first instituted But in processe of time began from better to worse to decrease decline into much superstition incōuenience partly through the comming in of Mahumet partly through the increase of wealth and riches partly through the decrease of knowledge diligence in such as should be the guides of Christes flocke yet the infection corruption of that time though it were great did not so abounde in such excessiue measure as afterwarde in the other latter times nowe following about the thousand yeares expired after Christ whereof we haue to intreat Christ so permitting About the which time and yeare came Siluester the seconde of that name who next succeeded after Gregorie the v. before mentioned pag. 159. and occupied the sea of Rome about the yere of our Lorde 1000. lacking one or two This Siluester was a Sorcerer which after the sorte of them that worke by familiars as they cal them and by cōiuration cōpacted with the deuil to be made pope And so he was through the operation of Sathan according to his request Which thing some histories say he did greatly repent before his death But for a more ample declaration heereof I will bring in the wordes of Ioannes Stella a Uenetian translated from Latin into English cōcerning the said Siluester to the entent that our inchaunters and sorcerers now a dayes wherof there be to many in England may the better through his example be admonished The words of Stella be these agreeing also with the narration of Benno Platina and many other Siluester the second of that name being Pope and a Frenchman called Gibertus sate in his Papacie iiij yeares one moneth and viij dayes He entred into his Papacie through wicked vnlawful meanes who from his youth being a monke and leauing his monasterie gaue himself wholy to the deuill to obtaine that which he required And first comming to Hispalis a City in Spayne there applied his booke and profited there in somuch that he was made Doctour hauing amongst his auditours Otho the Emperours sonne and Robert the French King Lotharius Archbyshop of Senon with diuers other moe By whose aduauncement he was promoted first Bishop of Rheme afterward Bishop of Rauenna and at
with him slaine also as appeareth in the battaile as also of thē who were planted aduanced by the said Conqueror in the lands possessiōs of English Lordes whome he either expulsed or els beheaded The names of which Normands here folow vnderwritten ¶ Out of the Annales of Normandie in French wherof one very Auncient written Booke in Parchment remayneth in the custody of the writer hereof THe day after the battaile very early in the Morning O do bishop of Bayeux song Masse for those that were departed The Duke after that desirous to know the estate of his battaile and what people he had therein lost and were slaine he caused to come vnto him a Clarke that had written their names when they were embarked at S. Valeries and commaunded him to call them all by their names who called them that had bene at the battaile and had passed the seas with Duke William And hereafter followeth their names The names of those that were at the Conquest of England O Do Bishop of Baycuix Robert Conte de Mortaign These two were brethren to Duke William by their mother Baudwin de Buillon Roger Conte de Beaumont surnamed with the beard of whom descēded the lign of Meullent Guillaume Malet Le Sire de Monfort fin Rille Guill de Viexpont Neel de S. Sauueur le Viconte Le Sire de Fougiers Henry Seigneur de Ferieres Le Sire Daubemare Guillaume Sire de Romare Le Sire de Lithehare Le Sire de Touque Le Sire de la Mare Le Sire de Neauhou Le Sire de Pirou Rob. Sire de Beaufou Le Sire Danou Le Sire de Soteuille Se Sire de Margneuille● Le sire de Tacaruille Eustace Dābleuille le sire de Māgneuille Le Sire de Grantmesnil Guillaume Crespin Le Sire de S. Martin Guill de Moulins Le Sire de Puis Geoffray Sire de Mayenne Auffroy de Bohon Auffroy Maugier de Cartrait Guill de Garennes Hue de Gournay Sire de Bray Le Conte Hue de Gournay Euguemōt de l'aigle Le vicōte de Touars Rich. Dauuerēchin Le Sire de Biars Le Sire de Solligny Le Bouteiller Daubigny Le Sire de Maire Le Sire de Vitry Le Sire de Lacy. Le Sire du val Dary Le Sire de Tracy Hue Sire de Mōtfort Le Sire de Piquegny Hamon de Kayen Le Sire Despinay Le Sire de Port. Le Sire de Torcy Le Sire de Iort Le Sire de Riuiers Guillaume Moyōne Raoul resson de ringueleiz Roger Marmion Raoul de Guel. Auenel des Byars Paennel du Monstier Hubert Rob. Bertran le Tort Le Sire de Seulle Le Sire de Doriual Le Sire de Breual Le Sire de S. Iehan Le Sire de Bris. Le Sire du homme Le Sire de Sauchoy Le Sire de Cailly Le Sire de Semilly Le Sire de Tilly. Le Sire de Romell●● Mat. de Basqueuille Le Sire de pruaulx Le Sire de Gonis Le Sire de Sainceaul● Le Sire de Moulloy Le Sire de Mōceaulx The Archers du ●al de Reul Bresheul of 〈◊〉 other places Le Sire de S. Saen i. de S. Sydonio Le Sire de Kiulere Le Sire de Salnaruille Le Sire de Rony Eude de Be●●ugieu Le Sire de Oblie Le Sire de Sacie Le Sire de Nassie Le Visquaius de Chaymes Le Sire du Sap. Le Sire de Glos. Le Sire de Mine Le Sire de Glāuille Le Sire de Breen●●● Le Vidam de Baitay Raoul de Mor●mont Pierre de Baillend Sire de Fiscampi Le Sire de Beansault Le Sire de Tillieres Le Sire de Pacy Le Seneschalde Torcy Le Sire de Gacy Le Sire Doully Le Sire de Sacy Le Sire de Vacy Le Sire de Tournecut Le Sire de Praeres Guillaume de Coulombieres 〈◊〉 Sire de Bollebec Rich Sire Dorbec Le Sire de Bōneboz Le Sire de Tresgoz Le Sire de Montsiquet Huerle Bigot de Maletor Le Sire de la Haye Le Sire de Brecy Le Sire de Mombray Le Sire de Saye Le Sire de la Ferte Bouteuillain Troussebout Guillaume Patric de la Laund Hue de Moltemer Le Sire Danuillers Le Sire Donnebaut Le Sire de S. Cler. Rob. le filz Herneys Duc d'Orleans Le Sire de Harecourt Le Sire de Creuecoeur Le Sire de Deyncourt Le Sire de Brimetot Le Sire de Combray Le Sire Daunay Le Sire de Fontenay Le Conte Deureux Le Sire de Rebelchil Alain Fergant Conte de Bretaigne Le Sire de S. Vallery Le Conte Deu. Gaultier Giffard cōte de Longueuille Le Sire Destouteuille Le Conte Thomas Daubmalle Guill Cōte de Hoymes Darques Le Sire de Bereuille Se Sire de B●eante Le Sire de Frean uille Le Sire de Pauilly Le Sire de Clere. Toustan du Bee Le Sire de Maugny Roger de Montgomery Amaury de Touars Ouer and besides the great number of Knights and Esquiers that were vnder them In the same battail betwene the sayd William the bastard Duke of Normandy on the one part and King Harold on the other part there were slain on King Harolds side of Englishmen 66654. And on Duke Williams side there were slaine 6013. men as it is to bee found in the Chronicles of S. Peter of Westminster besides those that were drowned in the Riuer of Thames When as the aboue named and many other great Lordes were so called some of them appeared other some did not For some of them were slayne there in the held and others so wounded that they could not come forth to shew themselues Then gaue the Duke commaundement that the dead should be buried and those that were sicke comforted and eased the best that myght be c. Out of the Auncient Chronicles of England touching the names of other Normands which seeme to remayne aliue after the battaile and to be aduaunced in the Seignories of this land IOhn de Maundeuile Adam Vndenile Bernard de Freuile Rich de Rochuile Gilbard de Frakuile Hugo de Douile Symōd de Roteuile R. de Euyle B. de Kneuuile Hugo de Moruile R. de Coleuile A. de Waruile C. de Karuile R. de Roteuile S. de Stoteuile H. Bonum I. Monum W. de Vignoum K de Vispount W. Bailbeof S. de Baleyne H. de Marreys I. Aguleyne G. Agilon R. Chamburlayne N. de Vendres H. de Verdon H. de Verto C. de Vernon H. Hardul C. Cappan W. de Camuile I de Cameyes R de Rotes R. de Boys W. de Waren T. de Wardboys R de Boys W. de Audeley K. Dynham R. de Vaures G. Vargenteyn I. de Hastings G. de Hastank L. de Burgee R. de Butuileyn H. de Malebranche S. de Malemain G. de Hauteuile H Hauteyn R. de Morteyn R. de Mortimere G. de Kanouile E. de Columb W. Paynel C. Panner H. Pontrel I. de Riuers T. Reuile W. de Beauchamp R. de Beaupale E.
and ordained the king with 400. great shippes taketh hys iourney to Irelande where he subdued in short tyme the whole land vnto hym which at that tyme was gouerned vnder diuers kings to the number of v. Of whome foure submitted themselues vnto the sayd kyng Henry onely the fifth who was the kyng of Ionacta denyed to be subdued keeping him in woodes and Marishes In the meane season while the king was thus occupied in Ireland the two Cardinals that were sent from the Pope Thedinus and Albertus were come to Normādy Unto whom the king the next yeare following resorted about the month of October an 1172. But before during the time of the kinges being in Ireland the Bish. of London and Ioceline v. of Salisbury had sent to Rome and procured their absolution from the pope The K. returning out of Ireland by Wales into England from thence to Normandy there made his purgation before the Popes legates as touching the death of the foresayd Becket to the which he sware he was neither ayding or consenting but onely that he spoke rigorous wordes against hym for that his knightes would not auenge him against the sayd Thomas For the which cause this penaunce was ouioyned him vnder his othe First that he should send so much to the holy lande as would find two C. knightes or souldiours for the defence of that land Also that frō Christmas day next folowing he should set forth hys owne person to light for the holy land that space of 3. yeares together vnlesse he should be otherwise dispesed withall by the Pope Item that if he would make hys iorney into Spaine as hys present necessitie did require there he to fight agaynst the Saracens And as long tyme as he shuld there abide so long space might he take in prolonging his iorney toward Ierusalem Item y● hee should not hinder nor cause to be hindred by hym any appellations made to the Pope of Rome Item that neyther he nor hys sonne should depart or disseuer from pope Alexander or from his catholicke successors so long as they should recount him or his sonne for kinges catholike Item that the goodes and possessions taken from the Church of Caunterbury should be restored agayne fully and amply as they stode the yeare before Thom. Becket departed the realme and that free libertie should be graūto all such as were outlawed for Beckets cause to returne agayne Item that the foresayd customes decrees by him established against the Church should be extinct and repelled such onely except that concerned his own person c besides other secret fastinges and almes enioyned hym All these former conditions the king with his sonne did both agree vnto debasing himselfe in such sorte of submission before the two Cardinals by the occasion wherof the Cardinall took no little glory vsing thys verse of the Psalme Qui respicit terram facit eam tremere qui tangit montes fumigant That is which looketh vpon the earth and maketh it to tremble which toucheth the hilles and they smoke c. Moreouer it is mētioned in histories of the sayd king that a little after William king of Scots with hys army had made a rode into the realme he returning out of Normandy into England came first to Caunterbury who by the way so soone as he came to the sight of Beckets church lighting of his horse and putting of hys shoes went barefoote to his tombe whose steppes were found bloudy through the roughnes of the stones And not onely that but also receaued further penance by euery mōke of the cloyster certayn discipline of a rod. By whiche so great deiection of the K. if it were true thou mayest see the blind and lamentable superstition and ignorance of those daies If it were pretensed as might so be in tyme of warre to get the hartes of the people yet mayest thou learned Reader see what slauery kinges and Princes were brought into at that tyme vnder the popes Clergy The same yeare as Houeden writeth which was 1174. the whole citty of Caunterbury was almost al consumed with fire and the sayd minster Church cleane burnt The next yeare insuing which was 1175. a conuocation of Bishops was holden at Westminster by Rich. archbishop of Cant. In which conuenticle all the byshops Abbots of the prouince of Canterbury and of Yorke being present determined as it had done a little before in king Henry 1 dayes an 1113. about the obedience that Yorke should doe to Caunterbury That is whether the Archb. of Yorke might beare hys Crosse in the diocesse of Cant. or not whereof something was touched before in the former processe of this history Also about the Bishopricke of Lincolne of Chichister of Worcester of Herford whether these churches were vnder the iurisdiction of the see of Yorke or not c. Upon these and other like matters rose such controuersie betweene these 2. seas that the one appealed the other to the presence of the Bishop of Rome In these and suche causes like howe much better had it bene if the supremacy had remayned more nere in the kinges handes at home whereby not onely much labour trauell had bene saued but also the great and was●full expences bestowed at Rome might with muche more fruite and thanke haue beene conuerted to their cures and flockes committed vnto thē and also percase their cause no lesse indifferently heard at least more speedely might haue bene decided but to the purpose again In this cōtrouersie diuerse of that bishop of Yorks clergy such as were of Gloucester belong to the church of S. Oswald were excōmunicate by the Archb. of Cant. because they being sommoned refused to appeare before hym c. At length the same yeare which was 1175. there was a Cardinall sent downe from Rome by the kinges procurement who studyed to set a peace betwene the two archbishops Whereupon this way of agreement was takē by the meanes of the king at Winchester that as touching the church of S. Oswald at Glocester the Archbishop of Canterb. should cease of hys clayme therof molesting the see of Yorke no more therein Also should absolue agayne the Clerkes thereof whom he had excommunicated before And as concerning the bearing of the crosse and all other matters it was referred to the Archbishop of Rhotomage and of other Bishops in Fraunce so that for fiue yeares a league or truce was taken betwixt them till they should haue a full determination of their cause The next yeare following the foresayd king Henry the 2. deuiding the realme of England into 6. partes ordeyned vpon ouery part 3. Iustices of assise The circuit or limitation of which Iustices was thus disposed The first vpon Northfolke Suffolke Cantebridshire Huntendūshire Bedfordshyre Buckinghamshire Essex Hertfordshire 2. Vpon Lincolnshire Notinghamshire Darbishire Stamfordshyre Warwickshire Northamptonshire Leicestershire 3. Upon Kent Surrey Southamptonshyre Southsaxe Barkeshire Oxfordshire 4.
goe backeward with them and how the infidell Saracens daily did preuaile began to murmure against God and some also which were wel setled before to stacker in their Religion casting out these wordes of infidelitie howe is this sayde they that the Lorde hath left vs in whose cause we fight how often wythin the time of remembrance haue we bene confoūded by these Saracens and infidels who with sheding of our bloud haue enioyed great spoyles victories first this Citie of Damiata which we Christians had gotten dearely with effusion of somuch Christian bloud afterward we were cōstrained for nought to resigne vp againe After that the armie of the templaries fighting for the holy Temple against the Saracens neare to Antioche was vanquished and the standard bearer slaine in the fielde Againe within these fewe yeres our Frenchmen fighting in lyke maner against the Saracens at the Citie of Bazara were put to the worse and many afterwarde out of captiuity ransomed by Richard duke of Exceter brother to the K. of England Henry 3. Then came in the Chosmorins sent by the Soldan of Babylon which by a wile inuaded the christians in the Citie of Ierusalem where almost all the christian army being in the holy land were destroyed And now here our most christian king together with the whole nobility is like to be in danger vtterly to be ouerthrown And how is it that the Lord thus standeth against vs and fighteth with them hath he more regarde of them then of vs c. Mat. Parisiens fol. 231. Such murmuring wordes of an vnstable faith many there began to cast out as taking displeasure for their sufferings but not considering on the other side what Idolaters they were what pride and discorde was amongst them what crueltie and murther they had shewed at home in persecuting the poore Albingenses what superstition they first brought out wyth them with what idolatry they proceded putting their trust inmasses in the popes indulgences in worshipping of images and praying to saintes And what helpe then coulde they looke for at Gods hand which had Images in their temples to fight against them which had none Or what maruell if the Lord of hostes went not with their armie committing such idolatrie euery day in their pauilions to their Sacramentall bread and wine as they did and fighting with the strength of their owne merits and not only by the power of their faith in Christ which is only the victory that ouercommeth the worlde Iohn 1. and finally hauing in their campe the Legate of him whom the Lord taketh to be his enemie As by example of Fredericke the Emperour may be wel perceiued who after he was accursed by pope Bregorie a little before comming the same time in war against the Saracens in Palestina Boddes blessing wrought so mightely with him that without any bloudshed he recouered Ierusalem and set all the countrey about it in great quietnes till at last the popish Templaries which at the popes setting on went about to betray him to that Soldan of Babylon so lost al againe by their owne malicious mischief that the Emperour before had gotten tEx Mat. Paris But let vs procede further in this holy progresse The French king with his army seeing himselfe distressed and no good there to be done against the Soldan of Egypt after he had sufficiently fortified the Citie of Dannata wyth an able garrison left with the Duke of Burgundie hee remooued his tents from thence to go Eastward In whose armie also folowed William Longspath of whom mention was touched before accompanied which a piked number of English warriers reteining vnto him But suche was the disdaine of the French men agains this William Longspath and the Englishmen that they could not abide them but flouted them after opprobrious maner wyth English tailes in somuch that the good king himselfe had much ado to keepe peace betwene them The originall cause of this grudge betweene them began thus There was not far from Alexandria in Egypt a strong fort or Castle replenished with great Ladies and rich treasure of the Saracens The which hold it chaunced the said William Longspath with his company of english soldiours to get more by good lucke and politicke dexteritie then by opē force of armes wherby he with his retinue were grearly enriched when the Frenchmen had knowledge hereof they being not made priuie thereto began to conceiue an hartburning against the English soldiours could not speake well of them after that It hapned againe not long after that the sayde William had intelligence of a cōpany of rich Marchants among the Saracens going to a certaine faire about the partes of Alexandria hauing theyr Camels Asses and Mules richly loden with silks precious iewels spices gold and siluer with cart lodes of other wares besides vitaile and other furniture wherof the soldiours then stoode in great nede He hauing secret knowledge heereof gathered all the power of Englishmen vnto him that he coulde and so by night falling vpon the Marchants some he flew with their guides and conductours some he tooke some he put to flight The Cartes wyth the driuers and with the Dren and the Camels Asses and Mules with the whole cariage and vitailes he tooke and brought with him losing in al the skirmish but one souldiour and 8. of his seruitures Of whome notwithstanding some he brought home wounded to be cured This being knowen in the campe foorth came the French men which al this while loytred in their pauilions meting their cariage by the way tooke all the foresaide pray whole to themselues rating the sayd w. and the Englishmen for so aduenturing and issuing out of the camp wtout leaue or knowledge of their generall contrary to the discipline of warre William said againe he had done nothing but he would answer to it whose purpose was to haue the spoile deuided to the behoofe of the whole army when this would not serue he being sore greued in his mind so cowardly to be spoyled of that for which hee so aducnturously had trauailed for went to the king to complaine But whē no reason nor cōplaint would serue by reason of the proud Earle of Artoys the kings brother which vpon despite disdaine stoode against hym he bidding the king farewell said he wold serue him no lōger And so William de Longspath with the rest of his company breaking frō the Frenche host went to Achon Upon whose departure then said the Earle of Artoys tNowe is the armie of Frenche men well ridde of these tailed people Which words spoken in great despite were euil taken of many good men that heard him Ex Mat. Parisiens fol. 233.234 Before the ariuing of the French armie in the lande of Egypt the Soldan of Babylon hauing before intelligence of their comming committed the custodie of Damiata to certaine prince of his whom he specially trusted committing also to his brother the
also slue and killed aboue 130. Knightes being all men of great possessions and prowesse and tooke other small cities and townes to the number of 300. Yet for all thys Phillip de Ualois the french king durst neither rescue his towns nor relieue his owne men but of hys great armie hee lost which is to be marueiled at being in the midst of his own countrey by famine other inconueniences for want of water more then 20000. men without any battaile by hym geuen Whereupon at the treatie of the sayde Phillip by hys embassadours to the king sent and by the mediation of the Lady Iane sister to the sayd Philip mother to the Earle of Henault whose daughter king Edwarde as you heard had married A truce containing the number of 15. articles for one yeare was concluded the king of Englande being very vnwilling and loth therunto Yet notwythstanding partly by the instance of the foresayd Lady but specially for that the king was greatly disappoynted through the negligence of his officers in England which sent hym not ouer such mony as he neded for the continuance of hys warres and paiment of his soldiors wages the articles being somewhat reasonable he agreeth to the truce therof the cōditions of which truce there concluded heere followe vnder wrytten 1. First that during the sayde truce no tales or mistrust of either part shall be a detriment or cause of breache of the same 2. Item that during the sayd respite or truce eyther of the Princes their helpers coadiutors and allies whatsoeuer shall remaine and be in the quiete possession of all such possessions holdes territories and landes as at thys pre●ent day they kepe and enioy within the realme and dominion of Fraunce in what maner so euer they haue atchieued the same during the sayd truce 3. Item that the sayd princes their aiders coadiutors and allies whatsoeuer shall passe safely from one country to an other and all marchants with theyr marchandise as well by sea as by land as accustomably they haue ben wont except such banished men as haue ben banished out of that sayd realmes or any of them for other causes then the warres betwene the sayd princes 4. Item that the said two princes shal not procure either by themselues or any other any practice or other molestation to be made the one to the other by the byshop of Rome or any other belonging to the holy church whatsoeuer eyther for the warres begon or any other cause nor for the seruice of any of their allies coadiutors and aiders or any of them And that our holy father the Pope nor any other shal disturbe or molest either of the sayd two kings during the sayd time 5. Item that immediatly after the truce be proclaimed in both the hostes that they may stand bound of either side to kepe and obserue al and euery such article as shal be therein contained 6. Item that wythin 20 dayes next and immediately ensuing eache of the Princes shall cause to be proclaimed in Gascoyne and Guyen and other their lands these articles of truce to the intent they may be the better obserued kept and knowne 7. Item if by any the sayd princes their allies people or coadiutours any siege be layd in Gascoyne or the Dutchy of Guyen or any other Isles of the sea Gierncley or Gersey or any other that the same sieges be raised so soone as they shall heare of thys truce 8. Item that suche as are theeues and fugitiues out of the Countrey of Flaunders shall not returne during the truce and if they do that then such as apprehēd them shal see iustice done vpon them and forfaite all the goodes they haue in Flaunders 9. Item it is accorded that the debtes due to Arras Tresponois or other titles of Fraunce shal neither be demaunded nor executed during the sayd truce 10. Item that all suche prysoners as haue bene taken during these warres shal be released out of prison sent home vpon theyr faith and othe to returne if they be not raunsomed during the sayd truce And if any shal refuse so to doe that then the Lord vnder whom he is shall constraine him to returne againe to prison 11. Item that all the bandes whatsoeuer they be whyche be made before thys sayde truce in the time of warre whether they be of goods spirituall or temporall be released wtout restitucion during the sayd truce 12. Also that these conditions of truce immediately may take effect betwene the Englishmen Scots their Lords aiders and allies and the same to endure vntill the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. And that certain persons be appointed by a certaine day to be at the marches of England and Scotland to confirme the same truce vnder such cōditions as haue bene accustomed in those partes And if the said Scottes refuse so to doe that then they to haue no aide out of Fraunce during the sayd truce 13. Item that this sayd truce be proclaimed in England and in Scotlād wythin the 26. dayes after the date therof 14. Item it is accorded that within this truce be contayned Espamels Chatellon Geneuos the Byshop and the towne of Cambrey and castels of the same c. In witnes wherof we Iohn by the grace of God king of Bohemia and Earle of Luxemburgh Adulphe Byshop of Liege Raoule Duke of Loreine Ayemes Earle of Sauoy Iohn Earle of Darminacke on the one party And B. Duke of Brabante C. Duke of Gelre D. Marques of Iuliers sir Iohn of Henault and sir Beawmount on the other party betwixt the high puissant princes of France and England Have scaled thys instrument of truce and peace and deliuered the same accordingly in the church of Espleteline on monday the 25. day of September the yere of grace 1340. This truce thus finished king Edwarde brake vp hys campe remoouing his siege from Tourney came againe to Gaunt Frō whence very early in the morning he with a small company tooke shipping and by long seas came to the tower of Lōdon very few or none hauing vnderstanding thereof And being greatly displeased with diuers of his counsel and high officers for that through their default he was constrained against his will not hauing money to maintaine hys warres to condescende vnto the foresayde truce he commanded to be apprehended and brought vnto him to the tower the Lorde Iohn Stonhore chiefe iustice of England and syr Iohn Poulteney with diuers others and the next morning he sent for the Lorde K. Byshop of Chichester and the Lord Wake the Lorde Treasurer diuers other such that were in authority and office and commanded them al to be kept as prisoners in the said tower onely the sayd byshop excepted whom for feare of the constitution of Pope Clement whych commaunded that no Byshop should be by the king imprisoned he set at libertie suffered him to goe his way in his place substituted sir Roger Bourcher knight
Churches that should be next vacant beside Bishopricks and Abbotshyps to the extent of two thousand Marks Wherupon the procurators of the sayd Cardinals were sent down for the same But the kyng and nobility of the realme not suffring that vnder paine of imprisonment caused the sayd procurators foorthwith to depart the realm wherupon the nobles and commons shortly after writeth a fruitfull Epistle to the Pope for the liberties and the maintenance of y● English church Whereunto as saith the author the pope and the Cardinals were not able to answer The argument and tenor of which letter out of French wee haue caused to be translated into Englishe as insueth The letter of the king of England and nobles of the same to the Pope against the reseruations and prouisions which he had in England TO the most holy father in God Lord Clement by the grace of God of the holy church of Rome and of the vniuersal church chiefe and high Bishop His humble deuout children the Princes Dukes Earles Barons Knights Citizens Burgeses and al the comminaltie of the Realme of Englande assembled at the Parliament holden at Westminster the 15. day of May last past Deuoute kissings of his holy feete with all humble reuerence and humilitie Most holy father the holy discretion gouernment equitie which appeareth to be in you and ought of duety so to be beyng so high and holy a prelate and head of the holy church by whom the holy vniuersall churche and people of God ought to be as by the sunne beames inlightened Geueth vs good hope and likelyhode that the iust petitions to the honour of Iesus Christ holy Church and your holinesse also by vs declared shal be of you graciously heard and considered And that all errours and other iniquities quite taken away and remooued in stede thereof fruitfull exployts and necessary remedies by the grace of the holy spirite which you in so high an estate haue receiued may be by you likewise graciously ordained and disposed Wherfore most holy father all we vpon great deliberation and common assent come vnto your holines shewing and declaring that the noble kings of England our progenitours our auncitours and we according to the grace of the holy spirite to them and vs geuen euery one according to his deuotion haue established foūded and endowed with in the realme of Englande Churches Cathedrals Colleges Abbeis Priories and other diuers houses of religion in the same ordained and to the Prelates and gouernours of the same places haue geuen landes possessions patrimonies franchesies aduowsons and patronages of dignities reuenues offices churches with many and diuers other benefices vnto them geuen whereby the seruice of God and faith of Christ might haue bene honoured and had in reuerēce that the hospitals almes houses that are made with all the churches edifices might be honestly kept maintained and that deuout praiers might in those places be made for the founders the poore parishioners aided and comforted And such only ought to haue the cure therof as are able to heare confessions and in their owne naturall toung otherwise meete to informe teach their parishioners And for so muche as most holy father that you cānot well come to the notice of diuers such errours defaults neither yet vnderstand the condition of the places being so far of vnles your holines be enformed aduertised We hauing the perfect intelligence and vnderstanding of the sayd errours and defaultes of the places abouesayd within the sayd Realme haue thought meete to signifie the same vnto your holines That diuers reseruations prouisions and collations by your predecessours Apostolicke of Rome and by you most holy father in your time haue bene graunted and that more largely then they haue bene accustomed to be vnto diuers persons as well straungers and of sundry nations as vnto some such as are our enemies hauing no vnderstanding at all of the tongue and conditions of them of whom they haue the gouernment cure Whereby a great number of soules are in perill a great many of their parishners in daunger the seruice of GOD destroyed the almes and deuotion of all men diminished the hospitals perished the churches with their appurtenaunces decayed charitie withdrawne the good and honest persons of our realme vnaduaunced the charge and gouernement of soules not regarded the deuotion of the people restrayned many poore schollers vnpreferred and the treasure of the realme caryed out against the myndes and intentes of the founders All which errours defaultes and flaunders most holy father we neyther can nor ought to suffer nor indure We therefore most humbly require your holines that the slaunders errors and defaultes which we haue declared vnto you may be through your great discretion considered and that it may please you that such reseruations prouisions and collations may be vtterly repelled that from henceforth the same be no more amongst vs vsed But to take such order and remedy therein that the said benefices edifices rightes with their apertinentes may be to the honour of God by our owne countrymen cured defended and gouerned And that it may further please your holines by your letters to signifie vnto vs without delay and other detract of tyme what your plesure is touching this our lawful request demaund and that we may doe our indeuour with dilligence herein for the remedy correction and amendment of those enormities aboue specified In witnes wherof vnto these letters patentes we haue set our seales Geuen in the full Parliament at Westminster the 8. day of May an 1343. After these thinges thus passed ouer the King shortly after sent ouer his Procuratours Earle of Lancaster and Darby Hugh Spencer L. Rafe Stafforde wyth the Byshop of Ex●tor and diuers other to the popes court to discusse and plead about the right of his title before the pope Unto whom the said Pope Clement the 6. not long after sent down thys message how that Ludouike duke of Bauarie the Emperour whom the pope had before deposed had submitted himselfe to hym in all things and therefore deserued at his hands the benefite of absolution And how the pope therfore had cōferred and restored vnto him iustly and gratiously the Empire which he before vniustly did holde c. Which message when the King did heare beyng therwith moued to anger answered againe saying That if he did agree and compound also with the Frenche king he was ready to fight with them both c. Ex chro Albanen Within the time of this yere pence halfepence and farthings began to be coyned in the tower And the next yere folowing which was an 1344. the castle of winsor where the king was borne began to be repared and in the same the house called the rounde table was situate the diameter wherof from the one side to the other contained 200. feete to the expēces of which house weekly was allowed an C. li. for the mainteining
continually was spoyled sackt and with fire consumed by the circuit of 20. miles round about yet the French king being distant scarse the space of one mile frō vs either would not or els durst not when he might easily haue passed ouer the riuer make any resistaunce for the defence of his countrey and people And so our king iourneying forwarde came to Pusiacke or Poisy where the French king had likewyse broke downe the bridge and keeping on the other side of the riuer would rest in no place After whose comming to Poisie the foresayd chaplain and confessor to the king named Michaell Northburgh describing the kings voyage and the actes of the Englishmen from the town of Poisie to his comming to Calis in his letters writeth in this wise ¶ A Letter of W. Northburghe the Kyngs confessor describing the kings voyage into Fraunce SAlutations premised we geue you to vnderstand that our soueraigne Lord the king came to the towne of Poisye the daye before the Assumption of our Lady where was a certayne bridge ouer the water of Seane broken downe of the enemye but the king taried there so long till that the bridge was made again And whiles the bridge was in repayring there came a great number of men at armes and other souldiours were armed to hinder the same But the Earle of Northhampton issued out agaynst them flew of them more then one thousand the rest fled away thankes be to God And at an other time our men passed the water although with much trauell and flew a great number of the common souldiours of Fraunce about the Citty of Paris and countrey adioyning being part of the French kinges army and thorowly well appoynted so that our people haue now made other good bridges vpon our enemyes God be thanked without any great losse and damage to vs. And on the morrow after the Assumption of our Ladye the king passed the water of Sceane and marched toward Po●ye which is a towne of great defence and stronglye immured and a maruellous strong Castle within the same which our enemies kept And when our vaundgard was passed the towne our reregarde gaue an assault thereunto and tooke the same where were slayne more then 300. men at armes of our enemyes part And the next day following the Earle of Suffolke and Sir Hugh Spenser marched forth vpon the commons of the countrey assembled and well armed and in fine discomfited them and slew of them more then 200. and tooke 60. Gentlemen prisoners besides others And after that the Kyng marched toward Graund Villers and while he was there encamped the kinges vaundgard was discried by the men of armes of the king Bename whereupon our men issued out in great haste and ioyned battell with them but were inforced to retyre Notwithstanding thankes be vnto God the Earle of Northhampton issued out and reskued the horsemen with other souldiours so that few or none of them were either taken or slayne sauing onely Thomas Talbot but had agayne the enemye in chase within 2. leagues of Amians of whom we tooke 8. and slew 12. of their best men at armes the rest being well horsed tooke the towne of Amians After this the king of England marched toward Pountife vpon Bartholomew day and came vnto the water of Som where the French king had layd 500. men at armes and three thousand foote men purposing to haue kept and stopped our passage but thankes be to God the king of England and his hoste entred the same water of Som where neuer man passed before without the losse of any of our men and after that encountered with the enemy and slewe of them more then two thousand the rest fledde to Abeuyle in which chase was taken many Knights Squiers and men at armes The same day Sir Hugh Spenser tooke the towne of Croylay where he and his souldiours flew foure hundred men at armes and kept the towne where they found great store of victuals The same night encamped the king of England in the Forest of Cressy vpon the same water for that the French kinges hoste came on the other side of the town neare vnto our passage But he woulde not take the water of vs and so marched towarde Abeuile And vpon the Friday next following the King beyng still encamped in the sayd Forest our Scuriers discried the french king which marched toward vs in foure great battelles And hauing then vnderstanding of our enemies as Gods will was a little before the euening tide we drew vnto the playne fielde and set our battelles in aray and immediately the fight began which was sore and cruell and indured long for our enemyes behaued themselues right nobly But thankes be geuen to God the victory fell on our side and the Kyng our aduersary was discomfited with all hys hoste and put to flight Where also was slayne the Kyng of Bename the Duke of Loren the Earle of Dabeson the Earle of Flaunders the Earle of Blois the Earle of Aarcot with his two Sonnes the Earle of Damerley the Earle of Nauers and his Brother the Lord of Tronard the Archbyshoppe of Myemes the Archbishop of Saundes the high Prior of Fraunce the Earle of Sauoy the Lord of Morles the Lord de Guis Segniour de S. Nouant Seigniour de Rosingburgh with sixe Earles of Almayn and diuers other Earles Barons Knightes and Squyres whose names are vnknowne And Philippe de Valoys himselfe with an other Marques which was called Lord Electour among the Romaynes escaped from the battell The number of the men at armes whiche were founde dead in the field beside the common Souldiours and footemen were 1542. And all that night the king of England with his hoste abode armed in the field where the battell was fought On the next morrow before the Sunne rose there marched towardes vs an other great hoste mightye and strong of the Frenchmen But the Earle of Northhampton and the Earle of Northfolke issued out agaynst them in 3 battels and after long and terrible fight them in likewise they discomfited by Gods great help and grace for otherwise it could neuer haue bene where they tooke of Knights and Squires a great number and flew aboue 2000. pursuing the chase three leagues from the place where the battell was fought The same night also the king encamped himselfe agayne in the forest of Cressy and on the morow marched toward Boleyne and by the way he took the town of Staples and from thence he marched toward Calis where he entendeth to plant his siege and lay his battery to the same And therfore our soueraigne Lord the king willeth and commaūdeth you in all that euer you may to send to the said siege victuals cōuenient For after the time of our departing frō Chaam we haue trauelled through the countrey with great perill and daunger of our people but yet alwayes had of victuall plenty thankes be to God therfore But now as the case standeth we partly need your helpe to be refreshed
his speciall maintainers As yeares and time grew on king Edward the third which had reigned nowe about 51. yeares after the decease of prince Edwarde his sonne who departed the yeare before was stroken in great age in such feblenes withall that he was vnweldy through lacke of strēgth to gouerne the affairs of the realm Wherfore a parliament being called the yeare before his death it was there put vp by the knights other the burgesses of the Parliament because of the misgouernment of the realme by certain gredy persons about the king raking all to themselues without seing any iustice done that 12. sage and discrete Lordes and Pieres such as were free from note of all auarice shuld be placed as tutours about the Kyng to haue the doing and disposing vnder him 6. at one time and in their absence 6. at an other of matters pertinent to the publike regiment Here by the way I omit to speake of Alice Perris the wicked harlot which as the story geueth had bewitched the kings hart gouerned all and sate vpon canses herself through the diuelish help of a Frier Dominick who by the duke of Lancaster was caused to be take and was conuicted should haue suffred for the same had not the Archb. of Cant. and the Friers more regarding the liberty of their Churche then the punishing of vice reclaimed hym for their own prisoner This Alice Perrys notwithstanding she was banished by this Parliament from the king yet afterward she came againe left him not til at hys death shee tooke all his rings vpon his fingers and other iewels frō him and so fled away like an harlot But thys of her by the way These 12. gouernours by the parliament aforesayd being appoynted to haue the tuition of the king to attend to the publike affaires of the realme remained for a certaine space about him till afterward it so fel out that they being againe remoued all the regiment of the realme next vnder the King was committed to the Duke of Lancaster the kings sonne For as yet Richard the sonne of prince Edward lately departed was very yong and vnder age This Duke of Lancaster had in his heart of long time conceiued a certaine displeasure against the popish clergy whether for corrupt and impure doctrine ioyned with lyke abhominable excesse of life or for what some other cause it is not precisely expressed Onely by story the cause thereof may be gessed to rise by William Wickam bishop of Winchester The matter is thys The Bishop of Winchester as the saying went then was reported to affirme that the foresaid Ihon of Gaunt duke of Lācaster was not the sonne of king Edward nor of the Quene Who being in trauel at Gaūt had no sonne as he sayd but a daughter which the same time by lying vppon of the mother in the bedde was there smothered Whereupon the Quene fearing the kings displeasure caused a certaine manchilde of a woman of Flaunders borne the very same time to be conueyed and brought vnto her in stead of her daughter aforesayde And so brought vp the child whom she bare not who now is called duke of Lancaster And this said the Bishop did the Queene tell him lying in extremes on her death bed vnder seale of confession charging hym if the sayde Duke should euer aspire to get the crowne or if the kingdome by any meanes should fall vnto hym he then should manifest the same declare it to the worlde that the sayde Duke of Lancaster was no part of the kings bloud but a false heire of the king This slaunderous report of the wicked Byshop as it sauoureth of a contumelious lie so seemeth it to proceede of a subtile zeale toward the Popes religion meaning falshoode For that the foresayd Duke by fauouring of Wickliff declared hymselfe to be a professed enemy against the Popes profession Whych thing was then not vnknowen neyther vnmarked of the Prelates and Byshops then in Englande But the sequele of the story thus followed Thys slanderous vilany of the Byshops report being blased abroad and comming to the Dukes eare he therw t being not a litle discontented as no maruell was sought againe by what meanes he coulde to be reuenged of thys forenamed Bishop In conclusion the Duke hauing now al the gouernment of the realm vnder the king his father in hys own hand so pursued the byshop of Winchester that by acte of parliament he was condemned and depriued of al his temporal goods which goods wer assigned to prince Rich. of Burdeur the next inheritour of the crowne after the king and furthermore inhibited the said bishop not to approch nere to the court by 20. miles Further as touching thys bishop the story thus procedeth Not lōg after in the yeare of our Lord. 1377. a Parliament was called by the meanes of the Duke of Lancaster vpon certaine causes respects in which parliament great request and sute was made by the cleargy for the deliueraunce of the B. of Winchester At length whē a subsidie was asked in the kyngs name of the clergy and request also made in the kings behalfe for spedy expedition to be made for the dissoluing of the parliament the Archb. therfore accordingly conuented the bishops for the tractation thereof To whō the B. with great lamentation cōplained for lack of their felow and brother B. of Wint. Whose iniury said they did derogate to the liberties of the whole church And therfore denied to ioyne themselues in tractation of any such matters before al the members together were vnited with the head And seing the matter touched them altogether in common as well him as thē would not otherwise do And seemed moreouer to be moued against the Archb. for that he was not more stout in the cause but suffered him so to be cited of the duke The Archb. although hauing sufficient cause to excuse himselfe wherefore not to send for him as also he dyd because of the perils which might ensue therof yet being enforced persuaded therunto by the importunitie of the bishops directed downe his letters to the foresaid bishop of wintch willing hym to resort vnto the conuocation of the clergy Who being glad to obey the same was receyued with great ioy of the other bishops And at length by that meanes of Alice Perris the kings paramor aboue mētioned geuing to her a good quantity of mony the sayd Winchester was restored to his temporalities againe As the Bishops had thus sent for wintch the Duke in the meane time had sent for Iohn Wickliffe who as is saide was then the diuinity reader in Oxford and had cōmenced in sondry actes and disputations contrary to the forme and teaching of the Popes church in many things who also for the same had bene depriued of his benefice as hath bene afore touched The opinions which he began in Oxford first in his lectures and sermōs to entreat of and
wherfore he was depriued were these That the Pope had no more power to excommunicate any man then hath an other That if it be geuē by any persō to the pope to excōmunicate yet to absolue the same is as much in the power of an other priest as in hys He affirmed moreouer that neyther the king nor any temporall Lord could geue any perpetuity to the church or to any ecclesiasticall person for that when such ecclesiasticall do sinne habitualiter continuing in the same still the temporal powers ought and may meritoriously take away from them that before hath bene bestowed vpon thē And that he proued to haue bene practised before here in England by Williā Rufus which thing sayd he if he did lawfully why may not the same also be practised now if he did it vnlawfully then both the church erre sayth he doth vnlawfully in praying for him But of his assertions more shall follow Christ willing hereafter The story which ascribeth to him these assertions being taken out as I take it of that monastery of S. Albons addeth withall that in his teaching and preaching he was very eloquent but a dissembler saith he and an hipocrite Why he surmiseth him to be an hypocrite the cause was this First because he resorted much to the orders of the begging Friers frequenting and extolling the perfection of their pouerty Secondly because he and his felowes vsually accustomed in their preaching to go baretoote and in simple russet gownes By this I suppose may sufficiently appeare to the indifferent the nature and condition of Wickliffe how far it was frō the ambitiō pride which in the slaundrous pen of Polydore Virgil reporting in his 19. book of him that because he was not preferred to higher honors and dignities of the church conceiuing therfore indignation agaynst the clergy became theyr mortall enemy How true this was he onely knoweth best that rightly shall iudge both y● one and the other In the meane time by other circūstaunces partes of his life we may also partly cōiecture what is to be thoght of that mā But howsoeuer it was in him either true or false yet it had bene Polidors part either not so intemperatly to haue abused his pen or at least to haue shewed some greater authority and ground of that his report For to follow nothing els but flying fame so rashlye to defame a man whose life he knoweth not is not the part of a faythful story writer But to returne from whēce we digressed Beside these his opinions and assertions aboue recited with other mo which are hereafter to be brought in order He began also then something nearely to touch the matter of the Sacrament prouing that in the sayd Sacrament the accidences of bread remayned not without the subiect or substaunce both by the holy Scriptures and also by the authoritye of the doctors but specially by such as were most aunciēt As for the latter writers that is to say such as haue written vpon that argumēt vnder the thousand yeres since Christes time he vtterly refused saying that after these yeares Sathan was losed set at liberty And that since that time the life of man hath bene most subiect and in danger of errors the simple and playne truth to appeare and consist in the Scriptures wherunto all humam traditions whatsoeuer they be must be referred and specially such as are set forth published now of late yeares This was the cause why he refused the latter writers of decretals leaning only to the Scriptures auncient doctors most stoutly affirming out of them that in the Sacramēt of the body which is celebrate with bread the accidēce not to be present with out the substaunce That is to say that the body of Chryst is not present without the breade as the common sorte of Priestes in those daies did dreame As for his arguments what they were we wyll shortly at more oportunity by Gods grace declare them in an other place But herein the trueth as the Poet speaketh very truely had gotten Iohn Wickeliffe great displeasure and hatred at many mens handes and specially of the Monkes and richest sort of Priestes Albeit through the fauor and supportation of the duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy he persisted hitherto in some meane quiet against their woluish violence eruelty Till at last about the yeare of our Lord. 1376. the Byshops still vrging and inciting their Archbishop Symon Sudberye who before had depriued him and afterward prohibited him also not to stirre any more in those sorts of matters had obteined by processe and order of citation to haue him brought before them Whereunto both place and time for him to appeare after theyr vsuall forme was to him assigned The Duke hauing intelligence that Wickliffe his client should come before the Bishops fearing that he being but one was to weake agaynst such a multitude calleth to him out of the orders of Friers foure Bachelers of Diuinity out of euery order one to ioyne them with Wickliffe also for more surety When the day was come assigned to the said Wickliffe to appeare whiche day was Thursday the 19. of February Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the foure Friers aforesayd and with them also the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy Lord Marshal of England the said Lord Percy also going before them to make rowme and way wherewith wickliffe should come Thus wickliffe through the prouidence of god being sufficiently garded was comming to the place where the Bishops sate whome by the way they animated and exhorted not to feare nor shrink a whit at the company of the bishops there present who were all vnlearned said they in respect of him For so proceede that wordes of my foresaid author whom I follow in this narration neither that he shold dread the concourse of the people whom they would themselues assiste and defend in such sort as he should take no harme With these wordes and with the assistaunce of the nobles wickliffe in hart encouraged approcheth to that church of S. Paule in London where a mayne prease of people was gathered to heare what shold be sayd done Such was there the frequencie and throng of the multitude that the Lordes for all the puissance of the high Marshall vnneth with great difficulty could get way through In so much that the bishop of London whose name was William Courtney seeing the stir that the Lord Marshal kept in the Church among the people speaking to that Lord Perry sayd that if he had knowne before what maistries he would haue kept in the church he would haue stopped hym out from comming there At which wordes of the Byshop the Duke disdayning not a little aunswered to the Byshop agayne and sayd that he woulde keepe such maisterie there though he sayd nay At last after much wrastling they pierced through and came to our Ladies chappell Where the Dukes and Barons were
sitting together with the Archbishops other Bishops Before whome the foresayd Iohn Wickliffe according to the maner stode before thē to know what shold be laid vnto him To whome first spake the Lord Percy bidding him to sit downe saying that he had many things to answer to and therfore had need of some softer seat But the bishop of London cast eftsoones into a fumish chase with those words sayd he should not sit there Neither was it sayd he according to law or reason that he which was cited there to appeare to answere before his ordinary should sit downe during the time of his aunswere but shold stād Upon these words a fire began to heat kindle betweene them In so much that they began to rate and to reuile one the other that the whole multitude therewith disquieted began to be set on a hurrey Then the Duke taking the Lord Percies part wyth hasty wordes began also to take vp the bishop To whom the Bishops again nothing inferiour in reprochful checks and rebukes did render require not onely to him as good as he brought but also did so far excell him in this rayling arte of scolding that to vse the words of mine author Erubuit Dux quòd non potuit praeualere litigio i. that the Duke blushed and was ashamed because he could not ouerpasse the Bishop in brawling and rayling and therefore fell to playn threatning manasing that bishop that he would bring down the pride not onely of him but also of all the prelacie of Englande And speaking moreouer vnto him Thou sayd he bearest thy self so brag vpon thy parentes which shall not be able to helpe thee They shall haue enough to do to helpe themselues For his parentes were the Earle and countesse of Deuonshire To whom the byshop again aunswered that to be bold to tell truth his confidence was not in his parentes nor in any man els but onely in God in whō he trusted Then the Duke softly whispering in the care of him next by him sayd that he woulde rather plucke out the Bishop by the heyre of his head out of the Church then he would take this at his hand This was not spoke so secretly but that the Londiners ouerheard him Wherupon being set in a rage they cryed out saying that they would not suffer theyr bishop so cōtemptuously to be abused But rather they woulde loose their liues then that he should so be drawen out by the heyre Thus that councell being broken with scolding and brawling for that day was dissolued before 9. of the cloke And the Duke with the Lord Percy went to the Parliament Where the same day before dinner a bill was put vp in the name of the king by the Lord Thomas Wostock and Lord Henry Percy that the Cittie of London shoulde no more be gouerned by a Mayor but by a Captayne as in times before And that the Marshall of England shold haue al the adoe in taking the Arestes within the said Citty as in other citties beside with other petitions moe tending to the like derogation of the liberties of London which bill being read standeth vp Iohn Philpot Burgesse then for the cit●y saying to thē which read the bill that that was neuer seene so before adding moreouer that the Mayor woulde neuer suffer any such things or other arest to be brought into the citty with mo such wordes of like stoutnes The next day following the Londiners assembled thēselues in a councell to consider among them vpon the Bill for chaunging the Mayor and about the office of the Marshall also concerning the iniuries done the day before to theyr Bishop In which meane time they being busy in long consultation of this matter sodenly and vnawares entred in the place two certaine Lordes whether to come to spy or for what other cause the author leaueth it vncertayne the one called Lord Fizwalter the other Lord Guy Brian At the first comming in of thē the vulgare sort was ready forthwith to flee vppon them as spies had not they made theyr protestation with an othe declaring that their comming in was for no harme toward them And so were compelled by the citizens to sweare to the city their truth and fidelity contrary to the which othe if they shoulde rebell contented to forfeit whatsoeuer goods and possessions they had within the citie This done thē began the Lord Fizwalter in this wise to perswade and exhort the Citizens first declaring how he was bound and obliged to them and to theyr Citty not for the othe onely now newly receiued but of old and ancient good will from his great graundfathers tyme. Beside other diuers dueties for the which he was chiefly bound to be one of their principall fautors for so muche as what so euer tended to their damage and detriment redounded also no lesse vnto his owne for which cause he coulde not otherwise chuse but that as he did vnderstand to be attempted against the publike profite and liberties of the Cittye he must needs communicate the same to them who vnlesse they with speedy circumspection do occurre and preuent perils that may and are like to ensue it would turne in the end to theyr no small incōmoditie And as there were many other thinges whiche required their vigilant care and diligēce so one thing therr was which he could in no wise but admonish them of which was this necessary to be cōsidered of them all how the Lord Marshall Henry Percy in his place within himselfe had one in ward and custody whether with the knowledge or without the knowledge of them he coulde not tell this he coulde tell that the sayd Lord Marshall was not alowed any suche ward or prison in his house within the liberties of the Citty Which thing if it be not seeke to in time the example therof being suffered would in fine breede to such a preiudice vnto their customes and liberties as they shoulde not hereafter when they would reforme the iniurie thereof These words of the Lord Fizwalter were not so soone spoken but they were as soone taken of the rash Citizens who in al hasty fury running to their armour weapons went incontinently to the house of the Lord Percy where breaking vp the gates by violence they tooke out the prisoner burned the stockes wherein he sate in the midst of London Then was the Lord Percy sought for whome sayth the story they woulde doubtlesse haue slayne if they might haue foūd him With their bils and iauelins al corners and priuy chambers were searched beds hangings torne a sunder But the Lord Percy as God would was then with the Duke whome one Iohn Yper the same day with great instance had desired to dinner The Londiners not finding him at home and supposing that he was wyth the Duke at Sauoy in all hasty heat turned their power thither running as fast as they could to the Dukes house Where also
assents together Which done he exhorted the Archbishop that for so much as his garrison had bene now long in armour and from home he would therefore discharge the needeles multitude of his souldiers and dismisse them home to their worke and busines and they would together drinke and ioyne hands in the sight of the whole company Thus they shaking hands together the Archbishop sendeth away his souldyers in peace not knowing himselfe to be circumuented before he was immediately arested by the handes of the foresayde Earle of Westmerland and shortly after the king comming with his power to Yorke was there beheaded the monday in Whi●sonweeke and with him also Lord Thomas Moubray Marshall with diuers other moreouer of y● citie of Yorke which had taken their parts After whose slaughter the King proceedeth farther to persecute the Earle of Northumberland Lord Thomas Bardolph Who then did flie to Barwicke From thence they reincoued to Wales At length within two yeares after fighting against the kyngs part were slayne in the field an 1408. In the which yeare diuers other also in the Northparts for fauouring the foresaid Lords were likewise condemned by the kyng and put to death Among whome the Abbot of Hales for the like treason was hanged The kyng after the sheddyng of so much bloud seeyng himselfe so hardly beloued of his subiects thought to kepe in yet with the Clergy with the Bishop of Rome seeking alwaies his chiefest stay at their hands And therfore was compelled in all things to serue their humour as did appeare as well in condemning William Sawtre before as also in other which cōsequētly we haue now to intreat of In the number of whom commeth now by y● course of time to write of one Iohn Badby a Tailor and a lay man who by the crueltie of Thomas Arundel Archbishop and other Prelates was brought to his condemnation in this kings reigne an 1409. according as by their owne registers appeareth followeth by this narration to be seene ¶ Iohn Badby Artificer IN the yeare of our Lord. 1409. on Sonday beyng the first day of March in the afternoone The excommunication following of one Iohn Badby Taylour beyng a lay man was made in a certaine house or haull within the precinct of the preaching friers in Londō in an vtter cloister vpon the crime of heresie other articles repugnant to the determinatiō of the erroneous church of Rome before Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and other his assistants as y● Archbishop of Yorke of London of Winchester of Oxford of Norwich of Salisbury of Bath of Bangor Et meneuensis Episcopi and also Edmond Duke of Yorke Thomas Bewford the Chauncelour of England Lord de Roos the clerke of the rolles a great number of other Lords both spirituall and temporall being then at the selfesame time present Maister Morgan read the articles of his opinions to the hearers according as it is contemed in the instrument read by the foresayd M. Morgan the tenour whereof followeth and in effect is such In the name of God Amen Be it manifest to all men by this present publike instrument that in the yeare after the incarnation of our Lord according to y● course and cōputation of the Church of England otherwise in the yere 1409. in the second indictiō in the third yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father in Christ Lord Lord Gregory xi by that diuine permission Pope the secōd day of Ianuary in the Chappell Caruariae of S. Thomas Martyr high vnto the Cathedrall Church of Worcester being situate in the said Dioces in the presence of me the publicke Notary and of the witnesses vnder written the foresayd Iohn Badby a lay man of the sayd Dioces of Worcester appearing personally before the reuerend father in Christ and Lord Lord Thomas by the grace of God Byshop of Worcester sitting in the said Chappell for chiefe Iudge was detected of and vpon the crime of heresie being heretically taught openly maintayned by the foresayd Iohn Badby That is that the Sacrament of the body of Christ consecrated by the Priest vpon the aulter is not the true body of Christ by the vertue of the wordes of the Sacrament But that after the Sacramentall words spoken by the Priest to make the body of Christ the materiall bread doth remaine vpon the aulter as in the beginning neither is it turned into the very body of Christ after the Sacramental words spoken of the Priest Which Iohn Badby being examined and diligently demanded by the foresaid reuerēd father cōcerning the premisses in the end did answere that it was impossible that any Priest should make the body of Christ that he beleued firmely that no Priest could make the body of Chrst by such words Sacramentally spoken in such sort And also he said expressely that he would neuer while he liued beleue that any Priest could make the body of Christ sacramentally vnlesse that first he saw manifestlie the like body of Christ to be handled in the hands of the priest vpon the aulter in his corporall forme And furthermore he sayd that Iohn Rakier of Bristoll had so much power authoritie to make the like body of Christ as any priest had Moreouer he said that whē Christ sat at supper with his disciples he had not his body in his hand to the intent to distribute it to his disciples and he said expresly that he did not this thing And also he spake many other words teaching fortifieng the heresie in the same place both greeuous and also out of order and horrible to the eares of the hearers sounding against the Catholike faith Upon which occasion the same reuerend father admonished and requested the said Iohn Badby oftentimes and very instantlie to charity for so much as he would willinglie that he should haue forsaken such heresie and opinion holden taught and mainteined by him in such sort against the Sacrament to renounce and vtterly abiure them and to beleeue other things which the holy mother the Church doth beleeue And he informed the said Iohn on that behalfe both gentlie and also laudably Yet the said Iohn Badby although he were admonished and requested both often and instantlie by the said reuerend father said and answered expresselie that he would neuer beleeue otherwise then before he had said taught and answered Wherevpon the foresaid reuerend father Bishop of Worcester seeing vnderstanding and perceiuing the foresaid Iohn Badby to maintaine and fortifie the said beresie being stubborne and proceeding in the same stubbornes pronounced the said Iohn to be before this time conuicted of such an heresie and that he hath bin and is an hereticke and in the end declared it in these words In the name of God Amen We Thomas Bishop of Worcester do accuse thee Iohn Badby being a lay man of our Dioces of and vpon the crime of heresie before vs sitting for cheese iudge being oftentimes confessed
called vnto him the Archbishop of Yorke Richard London Henry Winchester Robert Chichester Alexander Norwich the noble prince Edmond the Duke of Yorke Rafe Earle of Westmerland Thomas Beaufort Knight Lord Chancellour of England and the Lord Beamond with other noble men as well spirituall as temporall that stood and sate by whome to name it would be long Before whome the said Iohn Badby was called personallie to answere vnto the Articles premised in the foresaid instrument Who when he came personallie before them the articles were read by the Officiall of the court of Cant. and by the Archb. in the vulgare tong expounded publikely and expresly and the same Articles as he before had spoken and deposed he still held and defended and said that whilest he liued he would neuer retract the same And furthermore he said specially to to be noted that the Lord duke of Yorke personallie there present as is aforesaid and euery man els for the time beeing is of more estimation and reputation then the Sacrament of the aulter by the priest in due forme consecrated And whilest they were thus in his examination the Archbishop considering and waying that he would in no wise be altered and seing moreouer his countenance stout and hart confirmed so that he began to persuade other as it appeared in the same These things considered the Archprelate whē he saw that by his allurements it was not in his power neither by exhortations reasons nor arguments to bring the said Iohn Badbye from his constant truth to his Catholique faith executing and doing the office of his great maister proceeded to confirme and ratifie the former sentence giuen before by the Bishop of Worcester against the said Iohn Badby pronouncing him for an open and publique hereticke And thus shifting their hands of him they deliuered him to the secular power and desired the sayd temporall Lords then and there present verie instantlie that they would not put the same Iohn Badby to death for that his offence nor deliuer him to be punished or put to death in y● presence of all the Lordsabone recited These things thus done and concluded by the Bishops in the forenoone on the afternoone the Kings writte was not far behind By the force wherof I. Badby still perseuering in his constancie vnto the death was brought into Smithfield and there being put in an emptie barrell was bound with iron chaines fastened to a stake hauing drie wood put about him And as he was thus standing in the pipe or tonne for as yet Cherillus Bull was not in vre among the bishops it happened that the Prince the kings eldest sonne was there present Who shewing some part of the good Samaritane began to endeuour and assay how to saue the life of him whome the hypocriticall Leuites and Phariseis sought to put to death He admonished and counsailed him that hauing respect vnto himselfe he should spedelie withdraw himselfe out of these dangerous Laberinths of opinions adding oftentimes threatnings the which might haue daunted anie mans stomacke Also Courtney at that time Chancellor of Oxford preached vnto him and enformed him of the faith of holie Church In this meane season the Prior of S. Bartlemewes in Smithfield brought with all solemnitie the Sacrament of Gods body with twelue torches borne before and so shewed the Sacrament to the poore man being at the stake And then they demanded of him how he beleeued in it he answering that he knew well it was halowed bread and not gods body And then was the tunne put ouer him and fire put vnto him And when he felt fire he cried mercie calling belike vpon the Lord and so the Prince immediatelie commanded to take awaie the tunne and quench the fire The Prince his commandement being done asked him if he would forsake heresie to take him to the faith of holie Church which thing if he would doo he should haue goods inough promising also vnto him a yearelie stipend out of the kings treasurie so much as should suffice his contentation ¶ The description of the horrible burning of Iohn Badby and how he was vsed at hys death This godly Martyr Iohn Badby hauing thus consummate his testimony and martyrdome in fire the persecuting Bishops yet not herewith contented and thinking themselues as yet eyther not strong inough or els not sharpe enough agaynst tht poore innocent flock of Christ to make all thinges sure and substantiall on theyr side in such sorte as this doctrine of the Gospell nowe springing should be suppressed for euer layd theyr conspiring heads together hauing now a king for theyr own purpose ready to serue theyr turn in all poynts during the time of the same Parliamēt aboue recited yet cōtinuing the foresayd bishops and clergy of the realme exhibited a Bul vnto the kings maiestie subtily declaring what quietnes hath ben mayntayned within this realme by his most noble progenitours who alwayes defended the auncient rites and customes of the Church and enriched the same with large gifts to the honor of God and the realme and contrariwise what trouble and disquietnes was now risen by diuers as they termed them wicked and peruerse men teachinge and preachinge openlye and priuilye acertayne new wicked and hereticall kinde of doctrine contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of holye Church whervpon the king alwayes oppressed with blynd ignoraunce by the crafty meanes and subtile pretences of the clergie graunted in the sayd Parliament by consent of the nobilitie assembled a statute to be obserued called Ex officio as followeth The Statute Ex officio That is to say that no man within this Realme or other the kinges maiesties dominions presume or take vpon him to preach priuily or apertly without speciall licence first obteyned of the ordinary of the same place Curates in theyr owne parishe Churches and persons heretofore priuiledged and others admitted by the Canon law onely excepted Nor that any hereafter do preach mayntayne teach informe openly or in secret or make or write any booke contrary to the catholique fayth and determination of the holy Church Nor that any hereafter make anye conuenticles or assemblies or keepe and exercise anye maner of schooles touching this sect wicked doctrin and opinion And further that no man hereafter shall by any meanes fauour anye such preacher any such maker of vnlawfull assemblies or any such booke maker or writer and finally any such teacher informer or stirrer vp of the people And that all and singuler persons hauing anye the sayd bookes writinges or schedules contayning the sayd wicked doctrines and opinions shall within forty dayes after this present proclamation and statute really and effectually deliuer or cause to be deliuered all and singuler the sayd bookes and writinges vnto the ordinary of the same place And if it shall happen anye person or persons of what kinde state or condition soeuer he or they be to doe or attempt anye manner of thing contrarye to this
the way that he might reigne king alone In the meane time while al this ruffling was in hand what bread sorow the tender harts of these fatherles and friendles children were in what little ioy of them selues what smal ioy of life they had it is not so hard as dolorous for tender harts to vnderstand As the yonger brother lingered in thought and heauines so the prince which was a 11. yeare old was so out of hart and so fraught with feare that he neuer tyed his poyntes nor ioyed good day till the trayterous impictie of their cruell vncle had deliuered thē of their wretchednes whiche was not long in dispatching For after king Richard their vncle first attempting to cōpasse his diuelishe deuise by Robert Brakenbury Constable of the tower and could not winne him to suche a cruell fact to die therefore then he got one Iames Tyrell ioyning with him Iohn Dighton and Miles Forrest to perpetrate this heinous murder Which Dyghton and Forest about midnight entring into their chamber so be wrapped and entangled them amongst the clothes keeping downe the fetherbed and pilowes hard vnto their mournes that within a while they smoothered and stifeled them pitiously in their bed And thus ended these two yong princes their liues thorough the wretched cruelty of these forenamed tormentors who for their detestable and bloudy murder committed escaped not long vnpunished by the iust hand of God For first Miles Forest at S. Martines le grand by peecemeale miserably rotted away Iohn Dighton liued at Callis lōg after so disdained and hated that he was pointed at of all men and there died in great misery Sir Iames Tyrell was beheaded at Tower hill for treason Also King Richard himselfe within a yeare and a halfe after was stayne in the field hacked and hewed of his enemies handes torne and tugged like a curre dogge Furthermore the said iustice of gods hand left not the Duke of Buckingham escape free Whiche was a greate maintainer and setter vp of this butcherly vsurper for les then within a yeare after so God wrought that hee was himselfe beheaded for treason by the sayd king whom he so vniustly before had aduaunced and set vp In the same catologue and order of these wicked doers afore recited we haue also to comprehende two other as well worthy of memoriall as the best or rather as that worst The name of the one was doctour Shawe aboue rehearsed The other doctor Pinkie prouincial of the Austen Friers both famous preachers and both Doctors in diuinitie both of more learning then vertue sayth the story of more same thē learning yet of more learning thē truth Shaw made a Sermon in the prayse of the Protector before hys coronation Pinkie preached after thys coronation Both were so full of tedious flatterye that no good cares coulde abide them Pinkie in his sermon so lost his voyce that he was sayne to leaue of came downe in in the midst Doctour Shaw by his sermon lost his honenesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world so that he neuer durst after that shew his face againe But as for the Fryer he was so farre past shame that the losse therof did little touch him Mention was made a little before of Doctor Morton Bishop at Ely by whose meanes the deuise was first broched for the conioyning the two houses of Yorke Lancaster together This deuise was first broken to the Duke of Buckingham which soone after cost hym his life But that bishop more crafty to saue hymselfe incontinent fled into Brittain Notwithstanding the deuise once being broched was so plausible and tooke such effect that message was sent ouer the sea to Henry Earle of Richmond by his mother and by the Queene mother to the Ladye Elizabeth that if he would make hys returne and promise to marry with the sayd Lady Elizabeth King Edwards daughter he should be receaued To make a longer discourse of thys matter which is sufficiently set forth by S. Tho. More so ornately it needeth not Briefely to contract that in a small compasse of wordes which was not so small a thing in doing after that the Earle Henry with such other banished mē as fled out of Englād at the taking of the Duke of Buckingham had perfect intelligence by his mother and by the Queene and other frends moe out of England how the case of that realm stoode and how it was here purposed by his frendes that is that he should with all conuenient speede hast hys returne ouer into England promising to mary with Ladye Elizabeth he with all diligence as tyme and preparation would serue aduaūced forward his iourny being wel helped and furnished by Fraunces Duke of Britayne and so shipped his mē Albeit his first voyage sped not for that the winds turning contrary by force of weather his ships were disparcled and he repulsed backe into Fraūce agayn His second viage was more prosperous Who taking the seas at Harslet in the moneth of August an 1485. accompanied onely with two thousand men and a smal number of shippes aryued at Milford Hauen in Wales and fyrste came to Dale then to Harford West where he was ioyfully receiued and also by the cōming in of Arnolde Butler and the Pēbroke men was in power encreased Frō thēce he remoued by Cardigan to Shrewsbery then to Newport and so to Stafford from thence to Liechfield his army still more and more augmented Lyke as a great floud by comming in of many small riuers gathereth more aboundaunce of water so to this Earle diuers noble Captaynes and men of power adioyned themselues as Richard Griffith Iohn Morgan Rice ap Thomas thē sir Georg Talbot with the yong Erle of Shrewesbery his warde Sir William Stanley Sir Tho. Burchier and Sir Walter Hungerford knightes At last the said Erle hearing of the kinges comming conducted his whole army to Tam worth King Richard first hearing of the arriuall of the Erle Henry in the partes of Wales after such a slender sort did giue little or no regard vnto it But after vnderstanding that he was come to Lichfield without resistaunce or incombraunce he was sore moued and exceedingly tooke on cursing and crying out against them which had so deceaued him in all post speed sent for Iohn Duke of Northfolke Hen. Erle of Northumberlād Tho. Erle of Surrey with other his frendes of special trust Robert Brakenbury also liesetenaunt of the tower was sent for with Sir Tho. Burchier and Sir Walter Hungerforde with certaine other knightes and Esquiers of whome he partlye misdoubted or had some suspicious gelousy Thus K. Richard after most forceable maner well fortified and accompanied leauing nothing vndone that dilligence could require set forward toward his enemies The Earle by this time was come to Tamworth to whō secretly in the Euening resorted sir Iohn Sauage sir Bryan Sanford sir Simon Digby and many other forsaking
in Monkes An 969. Galiel lib. 3. de Gest. pontifi Chr. Iornalense in vita Edgar● Prebendaries and Priestes slacke in their duety Priestes voyded of Cathedrall Churches and monkes set in The difference order and institution of Monkes examined Two sortes of Monkes in the primitiue Church Cassianus lib. 2. cap. 4. de canon N●ctor orat Two sortes of lay men Monkes in the olde tyme were no other but lay men leading a stricte lyfe August de mor ecclesia Hieron ad Heliodor Dionysius Concilium Chalced. Can. A. Monkes forbidden to intermeddle with matters ecclesiasticall Monkes differing frō Priests Monkes in the primitiue tyme differyng from Monkes in the ij age of the Church August de institutis monachorum Zozomen lib. 3. cap. 16. Monkes of the primitiue time were no clerks but mere lay men Monkes of the old tyme some marryed none restrayned from mariage Athanasius epistola ad Dracō Superstition crept in with monkery The ignoraunce of our free iustification by Christ is the cause of all superstition Ex Cassia cap. 17. collat 2. 〈…〉 Example ● declaring the blinde superstition of the Monkes of the olde tyme. Cassianus lib. de spiritu Gastrimarg cap. 40. Superstition Cassian lib. 6. cap. 2. Monkery mother of superstition and hipocrisie Basilius Magnus Nazianzenus Monkes of the middle and latter age of the church described Causes of the founding of monasteries and Nunneries tending to the derogation of Christes passion and Christian fayth Most part of monasteries were builded vpon some murther The order of Monkes Cluniac● by Otho● vp in King Edgars time Monarch flagellants Monkes are subiect and ruled by the knocke of a bell Monkes made spirituall ministers contratrary to the old decrees and custome of the Church Priestes is King Edgars tyme had wyues The worthy actes of K. Edgar The King a good iusticiarie England reduced into one full and perfect monarchie ●dgerus Rex Pacificu● King Edgar and King Alfrede compared together A note for men of nobilitie to marke A notable example of a prince to admonishe all princes what to do Wolues first driuen out of Englend The prouision of kyng Edgar in keeping the seas A notable example in a prince for all good princes to marke and to follow The deuise of K. Edgar to auoyde dronkennes Vlij kinges do homage to K. Edgar The Glory of king Edgar reprehended Wherein kinges ought to glory K. Edgar a superstitious vpholder of Monkery Ex Edmero Vices noted in King Edgar King Edgar circumuented by one of hys own counsell Cruelty in king Edgar noted Great detriment happening in this Realme by King Edgar W. Malmesb. The incontinent life of King Edgar Editha base daughter of Wilfrede the kinges lemman Edward borne in bastardie of Elflede King Edwardes concubine King Edgar a great mayntayner of monkery K. Edgar seduced by Dunstane and Ethelwold bishop of Winchester Ex Osberno in vita Dunstani Fol. 27. Malmesb Houeden alijs The death of K. Edgar Ex Chronico Saxonico Ecclesia Wigornensis Ex Osberno in vita Dunstani Dunstane refuseth to take the king by the hand The wordes of Dunstane to K. Edgar Penance enioyned 〈◊〉 K. Edgar 〈◊〉 Dunstane K. Edward raygned 〈◊〉 three years crowned king Elflede proued a Nūne and Edward her sonne a bastard Errours in Malmesbery and retayne other Monkes ●●r●●s The 1. error The kinges penaunce not enioyned for Edith but 〈◊〉 Edward The 2. error Elflede the mother of Edward proued to be a professed Nunne The lying myracles of Elflede Dunstane and Editha reproued Idolatrous worshipping the tumbe of Alflede The idle phantasies and forged myracles of Dunstane A doubt whether Dunstane was a sorcerer Dunstane a post ●etter Dunstane caught the deuill by the nose with an hote payre of tonges Our Lady appeareth t● Dunstane What maruell if certayn bookes and epistles be falsly intituled to the Doctours whē the papistes shame not to ascribe other mens verses also to the virgin Mary her selfe A foule filthy Monkish myracle in the story of Editha An other dreame of Dunstane Ex. W. Malmesteriensi Capgrauo in legend ●oua The death of K. Edgar An Epitaph commendatorie of king Edgar written by H. Huntington Sonday first halowed from saterday at ix of the clocke to monday morning An. 975. The story of king Edward Ex Simone Durham Contention amongst the Lordes about the putting in of Monkes Contention amongst the Lordes for chasing the king Edward the bastarde made K. and the right heyre put back Ex Osberne Nic. Trinet Ioan. Paris Vincentio Antonino Editha proued not to be the childe for whom King Edgar was enioyned penance The yeares of Editha and Edward cast by the supputation of Legendes and stories King Edward called martir proued to be a bastard The cause perpended why thys story of K. Edward is so falsely corrupted in Monkish ● stories Malmesb. in lib. de Regibus Dunstane suborneth Editha the bastard to take the crowne from the right heyre Ex Capgrauo in vita sanctae Edithae Duke Alpherus Priestes with their wiues restored Historia Iornaelensis in vitae Edgari Byshops and Priestes in those dayes maryed in England Iornalens de In eo Rego Ex Chronico Ingulphi Abbatis de Crowland Great●nes in the land abo●● placing Monkes 〈◊〉 displacing Priestes A cont●●uersie betweene Priestes 〈◊〉 Monkes Priestes ●●●riage 〈◊〉 for an 〈◊〉 custo●● 〈◊〉 England The obie●●●●on of prie●● agaynst the Monkes Guliel de Regib lib. ● The aunswere of Monkes agaynst the Priestes Maryed mens liues compared with the lyfe of Monkes An. 977. A vayne miracle of Dunstanes roode that spake Here lac●e● a Thomas Crome●●● to try out false iugling An other assembly called at Calue Dunstane an enemy 〈◊〉 Priestes wiues A sodayne fall of the people at the councell of Calue Henricus lib 5. Guliel Ranulph Iornalensis Fabian The horrible wickednes of the Queene the mother K. Edward traterously murdered by hys stepmother and her seruant K. Edward found dead and buried not knowne to be king Coref Castle The body of king Edward after three yeares honorably taken vp and translated to Shaftesbury Two Nunneries founded vpon murther An. 979. Three Edward kinges before the conquest Continuation of the romish Bishops or Popes Pope Iohn xiii a wicked Pope Liuthprandus lib. 6. As merry as pope Iohn Prouerb Pope Iohn xiii deposed Pope Iohn restored Pope Iohn wounded in adultery Pope Benedictus 5. Pope Leo. 8. The election of the Byshop of Rome geuen to the Emperour The donations of Carolus Magnus and Otho to Rome Pope Iohn 14. Pope Iohn 14. cast into prison The cruell reuenge of the pope Christening of belles first began Pope Benedictus 6. Pope Benedict slayne in prison Pope Donus 2. Pope Bonifacius 7. Two Popes together Pope Iohn 15. Pope Iohn slayne Pope Boniface drawne through the streetes of Rome Pope Benedictus 7. Otho second Emperour Gilbertus a Necromanser made Archb. Pope Iohn the 16. Pope Iohn the xviii Pope Gregory the v. Pope Iohn the viii Two Popes together in