dilygence Agayne mischeues to fynde and make defence ¶ And in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and eyght All his ryches in fyue partes he ganne deuyde One parte to men of warre to kepe his ryght An other parte to lande tyllers in that tyde The husbandry to mayntayne and to guide The thyrde parte all churches wasted to restore The .iiii. vnto the studye for theyr lore And to the Iudges and men of lawe well lerned The fyfte parte full wysely he dispende To holde the lawe in peace truly gouerned Disposed thus he was the realme tamende This was a kyng full greatly to commende That thus could kepe his lande from all vexaciō And not to hurte his cōmons by taxacyon ¶ For truste it well as god is nowe in heuen Who hurte the poore people and the cōmontee By taxes sore and theyr goodes fro them reuen For any cause but necessytee The dysmes to paye compell of royaltee Though they speake fast mumble with the mouth They pray full euyl with hert both north south The yere of Chryste .viii. C. lxxx and thyrtene The duke Hastyne of Danes euer vntrewe Destroyed the lande with hostes proude kene By Easte and Weste that all the lande did rewe Whome the kyng in batayle felly slewe After diuerse batayles amonge them smyten In sondry places there as it was well weten ¶ In euery shyre the kyng made capitaynes To kepe the lande with folke of theyr countree And shippes many galaies longe with Chieftaīs And Balyngers with bargys in the sea With whiche he gate ryches greate quantyte And at a flud was called Vthermare He slewe an hoste of Danes with batayle sare The C .xi. Chapiter ¶ How duke Rollo a panyme gate Normandye of whome all the dukes of Normandye be lynally discended ANd in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and senentene The duke Rollo of Denmarke nacyon A Painim stout with mighty hoste kene In Englande brent without any delacyon Whome Alurede by good supportacyon Droue then agayne vnto his nauy ryght And of his men a thousande he slewe in fyght ¶ Whiche Rollo then landed in Normandye Of whome all dukes of that prouynce discent And wan that lande with swerde full manfully And duke there was made of hole entent By processe after and by the kynges assent Of Fraunce whose doughter he wed vnto his wyfe And christen man became so all his lyfe ¶ At charters fyrste he seged so the towne Where they wtin our ladyes smocke then shewed For theyr banner and theyr saluacyon For feare of whiche full sore in herte he rewed All sodaynly and vnto Roan remoued Where then his wyfe dame Gylle was dede and buried Without chylde betwene them notifyed ¶ But then he wedded Pepam the syster fayre Of duke Robert of Normandye and Roone On whome he gate William his sonne heyre That after hym was duke therof anone When yeres many were passed and ouergone But nowe at this to ceasse I wyll enclyne Tyll afterwarde I shall tell forth theyr lyne ¶ Kyng Alurede the lawes of Troye and Brute Lawes Moluntynes and Marcians congregate With Danyshe lawes that were well constytute And Grekyshe also well made and approbate In englyshe tongue he dyd then all translate Whiche yet be called the lawes of Alurede At Westmynster remembred it in dede ¶ And in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and eyghtene Then Alurede this noble kyng so dyed When he had reygned .xxix. yere clene And with the Danes in batayls multiplyed He faught often as Colman notifyed In his chronycle and in his cathologe Entytled well as in his dyaloge ¶ That fyftye batayls and syx he smote Somtyme the worse and somtyme had the better Somtyme the felde he had at his note Sometyme he fled awaye as sayth the letter Lyke as fortune his cause lefte vnfeter But neuerthelesse as ofte when so they came He contred them and kepte the lande fro shame The C .xii. Chapiter ¶ Edwarde the fyrste kyng of Englande reygned xxiiii yere and dyed the yere of Chryste .ix. C. and xix EDwarde his sōne so crowned was anone Of Westsex then by all the parlyament Protectour was made againe the fone Whiche warred sore in Englande by assent The yere .viii. C .lxxx. and fyftene spent Earle Athylwolde he exyled into Fraunce For he a nonne had rauyshed to his vsaunce ¶ But after that this same earle Athylwolde With Danyshe hoste Mers and Estanglande Destroyed sore both kyng Edwarde full bolde Slewe Ethalwode and his hoost I vnderstande Discomfet hole and droue them out of lande And made all kynges of Englande his subiectes For so he thought it was his very dettes ¶ He sommoned then at London his parliamēt Where he deposed the kynges euerychone Of all Englande and made them by assent Dukes and earles thence forwarde so anon In euery kyngdome then he ordayned one And in some thre he made by ordynaunce And all kyngdomes foringed by gouernaunce ¶ And he to be the kyng of all englande Proclaymed hole to voyde all varyaunce Discorde and warre that many yeres had stande Whyles seuen kynges had the gouernaunce Ther might no lawe ne peace haue perseueraūce Wherfore he toke of euery Duke homage Of Earles also and of the Baronage ¶ Scotland and Wales he warred sore in dede Tyll they became his men and made homage For souerayne Lorde of Britayne as I rede The kynges then dyd for theyr herytage For all theyr men and for their vasselage To ryde with hym where that euer he gooe In warre and peace agayne frende and fooe ¶ Duke Ethelrede of Mers and also his wyfe Elfled that hyght Westchester then repayred That wasted was by Danes warre and strife Whiche Roomaynes first builded had and feired In tyme when thei to this lande repeired Of Roomayne werke whiles thei here occupied That citee first full freshly edified ¶ Thē faught the kyng with Danes at Wodefeld sore In Mers also at Herford with greate pain Wher victorye he had of theim euermore Again he faught with Danes soth to sain At Towcester and laid theim on the plain In Yorkeshire also he slewe the Danes downe And voided theim all out of his region The C .xiii. Chapiter ¶ This kyng made an vnion of all the realmes and called it Englande and after it failed neuer of that name THis noble kyng thus made an vnion Of seuē realmes that stode three hūdred yere Sixe and thyrty also in greate deuision And warres many as Colman saieth full clere Fro Gurmond had driuen out Carreis here Whiche was the yere fiue C .iiii. score thirtene Vnto the yere of Christ nine hundred nientene ¶ These erles all and dukes then held the lawe As shryues nowe in shires dooen and maintene That the commons ouerlaied full sore with awe And sore oppressed their states to sustene Wherfore he voided theim out of office clene And shryues made through all his region Whiche haue not forgete extorcion ¶ This noble kyng Edward thelder hight When he
his doughter had wed And his treason perdoned had and hyd Of his brothers death when that he murthered had Whom then the kyng Somond coÌ„maunde bid Vpon his legeaunce whatsoeuer betid For to aunswer in his courte and amende Defautes all betwene theim might be kende ¶ At whose summons he would not then apeare But warred sore both he and his sonnes fyue For whiche the kyng theim exiled out all clere But after they landed and did aryue At Sandwiche so the kyng theim met belyue Where lordes then theim treated and accorded And afterwarde nomore they discorded The C .xx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Sywarde duke of Northumberlande slewe in battayle Maclom kyng of Scotlande and crowned Malclome kyng at Scome accordyng to saynt Edwarde the confessoures commaundement whiche Malclome did homage to saynt Edwarde as apeareth by his letters patent DVke Siwarde then was of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d In batayle slewe kyng Maclom so in dede Of Scotlande then that false was of his baÌ„d Whiche to the kyng he made who taketh hede Wherfore the kyng in Marian as I reade By his letters charged duke Siward take on haÌ„d To croune Malcolin that was of Comberland ¶ The whyche he dyd full myghtely anon At Skone abbey wher kynges were all crouned Vpon his hed he set the crowne anone And toke homage of hym vpon the grounde In Edwardes name as he of right was bounde For that ylke realme and as his elders dyd Suche fortune then to Englande was betid ¶ The kyng Gryffyn of Wales then was slayn That Herford shire spoyled had and brent His hed set vp at Gloucester full playne For his vntruthe and falshed that he ment And sone therafter his brothers hed was sent Vnto the kyng for his rebellion So wer they both foringed for treason ¶ And as kyng Edward in his palayce of pride Duke Goodwyne then sittyng at his table Sawe the butler on his one fote slyde And lyke to fall that other fote full stable As he was seruyng the kyng at his table Then held hym vp that he fell not to grounde Kyng Edward sayd to Gudwyn in that stounde ¶ As his one fote ye se helpe that other Full well and trewe I fynde it dayly nowe Had ye ne bene thus had helpe me my brother Th erle then to the kyng on side gan bowe And sayd if I wer cause I praye God nowe This breade passe not my throte but dead I bee And straungled here anone that ye maye see ¶ At his prayer anone with that he died For with that breade straungled was he that stound It might not passe his throte as men espied Wherfore the kyng then bad drawe out that hounde Vnder the boorde as he that false was founde On whome God shewed an hasty iudgement Approued well by good experiment ¶ Wher Herolde had therle Algare exiled Fro Leycestre where erle he was so then The kyng Eward agayn hym reconsiled And perdoned hym and toke hym for his man Of Couentre as Flores tell it can The lord he was and there thabbey founde And buried there is with his wyfe that stound ¶ This Algare was the sonne of erle Leofryke Whiche Leofrike was the duke Lofwynes sonne That erles had been there none afore theim like But duke Siwarde as he did wonne Syckenesse hym tooke and sore vpon hym ronne In whiche he dyd hym arme in all degree And had his axe in hand full lyke to dye ¶ He sayd vnto the lordes then hym about Thus semeth well in armes a knight to dye And not in bed to lye loure and loute Tyll death hym kyll with paynes cruelly As would God here were my moste enemye That I myght dye vpon hym nowe in right In armes thus arayed like a knight ¶ With that he died for paynes that he felt Vpon his fete standynge in that arays And shoke his axe while that his hert gan swelt And to the ground he fell in that afraye Who buried was at saynt Marie abbeye At Yorke citee with worshyp and honoure As likely was for suche a gouernoure ¶ The kyng Edward the duke of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d To Tosty gaue the sonne of duke Goodwyn Vnder the name of erle as Flores doth vnderstaÌ„d After whiche tyme all haue been erles syne With landes and rentes both fayre and fyne Whiche estate suffice for princes ben both two In euery lande accompted where they go ¶ He disherited erle Waldyue his owne sonne Who erle was then create of Huntyngdon Of Northampton also as chronicles tell can A worthy prince of all this region That rule a realme coulde well then by reason Another prince was Loafrike that daye Erle of Leycestre and Couentry no naye ¶ Whiche Loefrike had a wyfe that Godiue hight That naked throughout all Couentree The tolles sore and seruage agayn right To redeme hole of her femynitee She in her heare hangyng beneth her knee Vpon a daye rode so through all the towne To bye it free by her redempcion ¶ For otherwise therle would not it free But yf that she rode naked through all the towne Vpon the daye that all men might her see Trustyng she would not for no waryson Haue doen it so by suche redempcion But thus by witte she kept her selfe vnshamed And freed the towne worthy was he blamed ¶ Kyng Edwarde sente then into Hungary For his cousyn the sonne of Emond Ironesyde Themperoure sent hym Edwarde gladly His brother sonne and folke with hym to ryde His sonne Edwarde Athelyng by his syde Margarete and eke Christine his doughter dere Whiche kyng Edward receyued with good chere ¶ He maried Margarete mighty with great riches To kyng Malcolyne of Scotland was that daye That on her gatte fiue sonnes of great noblinesse Edwarde Dunkan Edgare Alixander the gaye And Dauid also that kynges were all no naye Eche after other of Scotlande throughout Whose mother is now S. Margrete wtout doute ¶ At Dumfermlyn shryned and canonized On whom Malcolyne a doughter gate also Kyng Henryes wife the first full wel auised Quene Mawd that hight that well loued EnglaÌ„de tho These crosses fayre and roiall as menne goo Through all Englande she made at hic expense And dyuerse good orders throwe his prouidence ¶ Another sustre this same saint Margarete had That Christine hight kyng Edwarde theÌ„ ê“fessed In religion to lyue she was full glad To holy lyfe disposed and adressed An holy woman of lyfe and of god blessed Who at hir death hir soule then vncouered And to our lorde full mekely so it offred ¶ In his forest as he pursued a dere In Essex a palmer with hym met Askyng hym good whome gladly he dyd here He claue his ryng and in sonder it bette The halfe of whiche he gaue without lette To the Palmer that went awaye anone That other good to geue hym there had he none ¶ But after that full longe and many a daye Two pylgrames came vnto that noble kynge And sayde saint Iohn thappostell in pore araye Vs prayed and bad straytly aboue
feld ¶ And with the Soudan faught in bataill sore Discomfit hym and putte hym to the flight Wher Edward then was hurt and wouÌ„ded thore Of woundes fiue that mortall werre to sight His brother Edmond also wounded in that fight But as Edward in his bedde sicke then laye A Sarasyne came to hym vpon a daye ¶ To leche his hurtes with salues many one But false he was for with a knife full sore He strake hym foule as thei were then alone But yet that prince the knife fro hym gate thore And slewe hym then with it for euermore At Acres laye he then with woundes fele With medicyns to lech and to hele ¶ The lech so false was by the Soudan sent Hym to haue slain in any maner wyse For cause he had discomfite hym and shent And when he was all whole that he might ryse Message he had fro all the lordes wyse Of England then of his father dedde That praied hym home to come been their hede ¶ Kyng Henry had then made the minster faire Of Westminster as it is nowe at this daye The remnaunt he left vnto his heire To edifie and make in like araye Or els a some of money for to paye The whiche he graunted to the edificacion At his death then bequeth and assignacion ¶ Edward then toke a trewce for tenne yere With the Soudan and to Cisile saylid And landed at Rome wher theÌ„ he had good chere Bothe of the bishop and cardinalles not failed That sore had mourned and greately bewailed That curssed sore syr Guy Mountforte eche daye For the slaughter of Henry his cousyn gaye ¶ The sonne that was of Richarde themperoure Erle of Cornwayle whome at Veterbe he slewe Right in the churche for olde wrath and rancoure In Englande dooen his fathers death to renewe At masse knelyng horrybly hym all to hewe Fro Acres as he came as goddes knight Without cause of reason or of right ¶ But price Edward EdmouÌ„d his brother dere To Sauoye caÌ„ where iustes wer made tournameÌ„t And ther desired thei their knightes in fere With the duke of Sauoye and his there presente To iuste and proue eche other in good entente Theyr knightes younge to learne as dyd suffice In marcyall fete knighthode to exercyse ¶ Wher he foriust the duke full manly His brother also the dukes neuewe And bare hym downe both horse and man egerly And euery knight with other euer iusted newe Daye by daye whyles echeone other knewe By .xiiii. dayes enduryng and conteyned With feast solempne by the duke susteyned ¶ An hundreth ladyes of worthy good estate Were set on hye aboue within a tente By the duke of Sauoye well ordinate To geue the gree and thanke by iudgement Whiche then awarde playnely by hole assent To prince Edwarde erle Edmound his brother That had foriust the duke and many other ¶ The duke hym gaue gyftes of great honoure And to his brother gyftes of hye pleasaunce And to his knightes giftes of great valoure And conueyed hym into the lande of Fraunce Where of the kyng with worthy gouernaunce Receaued he was as prince full excellente And homage made to hym in good entente ¶ For his landes lyeng beyonde the sea The whiche was true as chronicles witnesse And home he came with great felicitee Of whose coÌ„myng the people had great gladnesse Hym to receaue in all kynde of worthynesse And of his brother Edmound also in feer They were full glad at all theyr hole power ¶ But kyng Henry was gone to God afore The yere of Christ a thousande hole accompted Two hundreth hole syxty and thirtene more On saynt Edmondes daye when he amounted This worlde leuyng full of trouble accompted Vnto the blysse of heauen for euer to reste Emong good soules where Christe so liked best The C .xlviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde of Englande the first after the conqueste called Edwarde with the longe shankes beganne to reigne on the morowe after saynt Edmondes daye that kyng in the yere a. M CC. and .lxxiii. died the yere M CCC and .vii. the eyght daye of Iulye and the .xxxiiii. yere of his reygne EDwarde his sonne heire first generate With all honour by all the baronage Crouned was in all royall estate And of thestates receyued hole homage Kyng Alexander for his heritage Of Scotlande hole and ysles apperteynyng His homage did right then vnto the kyng ¶ The duke also of Britayne made homage For Britayn hole and there became his man Whiche princes two had wed in mariage His susters two Margarete and Beatrice then Margarete to Scotland Beatrice to Britayne Both two maried and wed in hye estate By their father full wysely ordinate ¶ A marchaunt toke the wife of prince Lewlyn Erle Symonds doughter of Leycester that had ben And to the kyng hir brought full femenyn Wherfore the prince by heste as then was seen To be his man and homage did full clere And led his wyfe to Wales in good entent By the kynges grace and by hole assent ¶ The kyng then did great right and iustice Vpon clippers and peirers of the coyne And newe money made that then might suffice Of syluer plate made out of Boloyne The grote half grote all in newe coyne He coyned fast peny halfpeny and ferthyng For porayll to bye with theyr leuyng ¶ That same tyme he made a newe statute That no man should graunt lande ne tenement To the churche ne geue nor constitute No maner grounde nor no maner rente Without licence of the lorde and his assent Of whome it is holden aboue in chiefe And els that church this realme had put in mischiefe ¶ The prince Lewlyn and of Dauid his brother Made warre vpon the kyng in greate araye The Marche brent and many harmes other In Englande did wherfore the kyng his waye To Wales held in all the haste he maye The lorde Mortimer toke then the prince Lewlyn And to the kyng hym brought for to enclyne ¶ The kyng hym headed and to the toure it sent The Walshemen made Dauid his brother then Prince of Wales by theyr commen assent Wherfore the kyng to warre on theim began And of the Walshemen slewe full many a man And had Dauid vnto his presence brought Hanged and drawen as then he had it sought ¶ Then seazed he Wales for euer into his hande And ordeyned that no prince therin should be But he or els his heyre I vnderstande And that no man of Wales hole countre One night shulde lye in castell nor cytee But voyde out fro sunne to sunne theÌ„ euery night Thus kept he Wales his tyme by royall might The C .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Gladowys Dewy the doughter of Dauyd prynce of Wales was wedded to syr Raufe Mortymer of whom came the Earles of Marche GWenlyan that doughter was of Lewlyne Without chylde dyed a vyrgyne aye In a â—onnery of the order of Gylbertyne And Gladowys Dewy Dauyds doughter gaye Yonge freshe and lusty
hym noyed But werre theim aye to tyme thei were distroyed For he saied thus thou shalt neuer fynd theim trewe But whiles thei bee in thy subieccion dewe ¶ At Burgh vpon the sande he died anone And to London caried then daye by daye At Westminster buried with muche mone With quene 〈…〉 garete he had thē soōnes tway Thomas Bro 〈…〉 ton erle of Northfolke gay And marshall of England the other of Kent Edmond Wodstok was erle in all entent ¶ This noble kyng died in Iuly the third daye And toward heauen he then tooke his waye The yere of Christ a thousand south to saie Three hundred whole and seuen by calculacion And of his 〈…〉 ne and coronacion Fiue and thirty not fully whole complete When he so went vnto the blisse so swete The C .lxix. Chapiter ¶ Edward the second kyng of England began to reigne the yere a thousand three hundred and seuen the eyght daye of Iuly and was deposed the yere a thousand thre hundred twenty and sixe and of his reigne nyntene yere EDward his soōne prince of Wales lord At Carnaruan of his mother bore Was croūed kīg by good whole cōcord Of all the lordes that were assembled thore At Westminster as was his father afore And at the feast of thassumpcion Of our lady he sent for Peers Gauerston ¶ Whom then he made therle of Cornwaile Again the will of all the baronage Whom his father exiled for misgouernaile The third yere after for his misused outrage The lordes rose of ire and greate courage And heddid hym as for an hie traytour That wasted had and spent the kyng his tresour ¶ And in that mean while kyng Robert Bruys had ge◠All Scotland nere wherfore that kyng Edward To Scotland went at Bannokesburne thei me◠And faught full sore till slain was the vaward And discomfited was the midelward And to the rereward kyng Edward hym drewe For greate socour wher he had battayl newe ¶ Whiche kild was doune sauf fewe that led the kyng To Dunbarre then fleand with hym away Ther was therle of Gloucester slain fleyng The lord Clifford and all the lordes that daye Th erle of Herford to Bothuile fled his waye Th erle Edmond of Arundell and erle of Valence Therles of Warwike Oxenford take at defence ¶ This battaill was the yere of Christ smitten A thousand whole three hundred and fiftene On midsomer daye and of his reigne thē written The seuenth yere by chronicle as is seen Then was Vmfrey erle of Herford frethed clene And enterchaungid for kyng Robertes wife That holden was in England then full ryfe The C .lxx. Chapiter ¶ Of the relesse that kyng Edward made to Robert Bruys at Dūbarre whiche relesse Iohn Hardyng deliuered in to the tresorye in the dayes of kyng Henry the fifth at Boys Vincent in Fraunce with other for whiche he gaue hym Godyngton that the quene hathe nowe PAtrike Dūbarre erle of Marche that daye To kyng Edward was leege mā lōg afore To his father and trewe had been alwaye Sent kyng Edward to Barwik but therfore He toke of hym a relesse for euermore Of his seruice that due was to the croune Anentes kyng Bruys to execute his treason ¶ Whiche relesse the maker of this booke Iohn Hardyng brought with other euidence And to the kyng Henry the fifth it toke With other mo afore at Boys Vincent Perteignyng to England royall regiment And nought he hath vnto his sustenaunce As oft a fore here in his remembraunce The C .lxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Robert Bruis toke all the lordes of England and sleugh many at Stryuelin bridge distroied the Marches and bete doune castelles therin KYng Robert Bruys toke Robert Vmfreuile Erle of Angeos Henry then lord Percy Th erle of Marche and also that lord Neuile Acton and Scropen and also the lord Lucy At Stryuelyn bridge fightyng mightely In the vaward of the forsaid battaill Taken prisoners and raunsomed for auaill ¶ Thē kyng Robert that Marchis whole distroied The castelles wanne and bet theim to the ground And all Scotland afore that he had noyed Obeyed to hym and were his lieges bounde And maintened well thē furth all Scotlād groūd The bishoprike of Duresme all throughout Northumberland he brent with hoste full stout ¶ Two cardinales that B. of Rome to Scotlād sent To treate a trewce a twene the kynges twoo And for to stall Lewes Beamount present Bishop of Duresme that then was sacred so Whose brother was Henry lord Beaumont tho Licensed and graunted by the kyng of Fraunce To bee liege menne to Edwardes whole plesaūce ¶ But sir Gilbert Midelton theim mette And sir Walter Selby misruled knightes A litell fro Duresme their waye forsett And robbed theim openly on the lightes And to Midford castell led theim fourth rightes And held theim ther in mighty and strong hold To tyme thei had their iwels and their gold ¶ Whiche knightes twoo robbed the lād about That castell held by force and rebellion A quarter of a yere with rebelles stout But thei were take within that garison And to the kyng sent by that enchesone That hanged were ▪ as traytours all should been On galowes hie that all might theim seen ¶ Then after soone sir Gosselyn Deynuile His brother Robert with twoo hundred in habite As thei were friers went about in exile Robbyng the land in full greate dispite The bishopes places of Duresme in circuite Thei spoiled clene leuyng nothyng in theim But walles bare whiche thei would not claime The C .lxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes of England with powre royall dur 〈…〉 not ryde into Scotlande passyng fourtene mile England was so at vnder that tyme. THerle Edmond then of Arundell Wardein of the Marches then constitute Th erle Robert of Angeos Vmfreuile Of his landes hauyng no refute Th erle Dauid of Athell destitute Of his erldome the lord Percy full hardy The lord Neuell the lord Beaumont manly ¶ With all the power of the North contree Distroyed then Scotland and brent Vpon the March vnto Lyntell Lee Whome sir Walter Wareyn by whole assent Of Iames Douglas pursued as thei went With great power alwaye at their side That thei were fain again to England ride ¶ But sir Walter Wareyn and Douglas With their power brent all Northumberland Tyndale became Scottes and false then was And rode with theim brent through all the land To Alerton and so rode home to Scotland Through the West March brent it all through out And home thei went without any doubt ¶ The castell then of Berwyke and the towne Kyng Robert gatte after strong greate defence By treaty with peace Spaldyng and treason The Wendesoaye before Easters reuerence Wher that traitour without long suspence Betrayed the towne and into Scotland went By Scottes slain as to a traytour appent The C .lxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward laied siege to Barwyke and for sooke the siege and went South for Robert Bruys had destroyed
sufficience Of people stronge at Orwell with her lande Where lordes many her mette I vnderstande ¶ To London then she hir sonne tho wrote The councellours and traitours for to take That ruled had in mykell mysryote The kyng Edwarde her lorde also hir make And in prieson to kepe theim for hir sake Wherfore they voyded out of the citee then The quenes enemyes echone ay when when ¶ The kyng then fled into the west countree She and the prince full sore hym then pursued And at Bristowe she headed as men might see Syr Hugh Spenser the father that was renewed And syr Hugh his sonne that was transumed In hye estate and erle had be create Of Wynchester wher he stode all mate ¶ Syr Hugh SpeÌ„ser his sonne at Herforde take Was headed then and vnto London sente So was Edmond there headed for hyr sake That was erle of Arondel there present His hed smote of for treason so was shent Theyr hedes set vp in dyuerse sere place In recompence of all theyr great trespasse ¶ And at London they heded the Chaunceler With dyuers other whiche they founde vntrewe So dyd they also the kynges tresourer And there set they a parlyament all newe But fyrste they put the kyng as all men knewe In Killyngworth there to be holde in warde To tyme they se howe lordes wolde awarde ¶ At which parlyameÌ„t .iii. bishoppes erles thre Thre Barons also thre Banarettes electe To Kyllyngworth to ryde with the cominalte All homage leege by parliament hole directe To surrender vp without any reiecte The which they dyd for his mysgouernaunce With heuy chere and mournyng countenaunce ¶ The kyng full sad with wordes well auysed Thanked them all knowynge his hye trespasse And that he was of rule not well prouysed To the pleasure of God whiles he had space Ne coÌ„mon wele to kepe in-euery case Ne to his wyfe had bene a trewe husbande But falsly had her exyled oute of lande ¶ Mekely he prayed the lordes at parlyament His sonne to admytte vnto the regyon Syth he vnable was to the regyment And foule had ruled the lande withoute reason He them besought for gylte of his caryon His sonne were not refused ne chastyzed But set in rule by councell well aduyzed ¶ These lordes twelue with heuy countenaunce Reported vnto the quene and lordes all The sorowfull chere and wordes with repentaunce Of kyng Edwarde as then it was befall His prayer meke and his desyre fynall Of whiche the lordes in that same parlyament Reioysed were of his noble agrement The C .lxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Edwarde the thyrde kynge of Englande and of Fraunce beganne to reygne the yere a thousand thre hundreth twentye and syxe and dyed the yere a thousande thre hundreth thre score and seuentene and of his reygne one and fyftye yere EDward his sonne that prince of wales was In tender age that time of .xiii. yere Was crowned on saint Brice day begaÌ„ than The yere of Christ was then accompted clere A thousande hole thre C. and syxe and .xx. were Whose father then had reygned .xix. yere oute And in his twenty yere withouten doute ¶ From the third daye of Iuly by computacyon Of the yere vnto sayncte Brycez daye So muche in his twenty by relacyon He reygned had then put downe for aye From Kyllingworth to the castell of Berkeley By nyght he was caryed and translate From wyfe and chylde forsake and repudyate Where he was slayne with an hote brenning spyt Through his towayle vp to his herte within In September his bowelles brent for hete That deed he was without noyse or dyn On saynt Mathewes daye so they dyd hym breâ— The fyrste yere was it then accompted wonne Of kyng Edward the third that was his sonne ¶ At Gloucester entombed fayre and buryed Where some say god shewed for him great grace Sith that tyme with miracles laudifyed Ofte tymes in dyuerse many case As is wryten there in that same place For whiche kyng Richard called the seconde To translate hym was purposed hole and sounde ¶ Sir Iames Douglas in EnglaÌ„d with an hoste Destroyed the lande wherfore the kyng Edward With Frenche henauldes Englysh for that moste In myghty hoste great then came northward The seconde yere of his reygne to regarde Whome in Stanhope parke he besieged then That compted were of Scottes ten M. menn◠¶ By .xv. dayes that syege there endured He helde them in they myght not passe oute But through a mosse that all men trowed was sured So depe of myre and brode it was aboute No siege was layde for there they had no doute By which that Scottes cast them what so betyde To escape awaye in the nyghtes tyde But Iames Douglas their flekes fell dyd make Whiche ouer the mosse echeone at others ende He layde anon with fagottes fell ouer the lake There gate awaye and passage to pretende On whiche by nyght they led their horse vnkend And home they went to Scotlande harmelesse Wherof the kyng was heuy there doutlesse ¶ When they were ouer that quaking mosse mire They drewe the flekes ay after as they went That Englyshe should not them sue ne conquere This was a poynt of warre full sapyent But on our syde there was by consequent But lytell wytte that lefte the myre vnwatched And by good watch that Scottes myght haue be cached ¶ And in the yere a thousande â—ompted clere Quene Isabell her doughter maryed Dame Iane of the towre to Dauid Bruis her pere Kyng Robertes sonne and heyre hole notifyed At Berwyk towne the seconde daye signifyed Of Iuill and of kyng Edwarde then was thre By cause of whiche the kynge in pryuite The C .lxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Of the relesse that kynge Edwarde made in his tender age to kynge Robert of his seruyce of Scotlande whiche Iohn Hardinge delyuered to kyng Edwarde the .iiii. at Leycester with a patent by which the earle of Dunbar bound him and his heyres to holde his landes of that kinges of Englande BY councel of his mother the Mortymer were Relesed there the hole soueraynte And seruyce dewe that to the crowne then â—t Berwike then without autorite Or any parlyament in especialte In tender age and youthes intelligence In his third yere so of his hie regence ¶ He sent 〈…〉 th then to Henauld for a wife A bishop 〈…〉 other lordes temporall Wher in chaumbre preuy and secretife At discouerit dischenely also in all As semyng was to estate virginall Emong theim selfes our lordes for hie prudence Of the bishop asked counsaill and sentence ¶ Whiche doughter of fiue should bee the quene Who counsailled thus with sad auisement Wee will haue hir with good hippis I mene For she will bere good soonnes at myne entent To whiche thei all accorded by one assent And chase Philip that was full feminine As the bishop moost wise did determyne ¶ But then emoÌ„g theim selfes thei laugh fast ay The lordes then saied the bishop
to whom they did homage ¶ Syr Iames Douglas erle Patrike Dūbare With all theyr helpe at the Candilmasse On Edwarde roase the Bailiol or he were ware And slewe all that they found doutlesse That fayn he was to Englande to flee helpelesse At Marche after he entred then Scotlande With thesame lordes then of the north lande ¶ On both sydes they rode and fast destroyed And to Berwike Edwarde Bailol came And sieged it and felly was annoyed To whiche Edwarde of Englonde with great fame Came with his hoost and laye there at thesame The Douglas then and Dunbare with power Northumberlande all through brent full clere The C .lxxix. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Halidon hill and howe Edwarde Bayliol did homage leege to kyng Edwarde of Englande TO Halydon hill they came with their prayes Barwike castell and towne so to rescue Wher to oure hoste ful oft they made frayes Both day euen and morowes or day dewe But then the kyng of Englande to hym drewe The kyng also of Scotland with his might Full sore that daye in batayll did they fight ¶ Where Edwardes two had al the victorye The royaltes of all Scotlande there wer slayn Thyrty thousande with theim liggand by Of men of armes and archers dead certayn Then in the yere next after soth to sayn At newcastell Edwarde kyng of Scotlande His homage did to the kyng of Englande ¶ For whiche that cōmons of Scotlād on hym rose And slewe his men that he into Englande came And gatte an hoste and rode vpon his fooes Through Anand through Kylay Conyngham Carrike and Glascowe slewe al that he foūd at hame The kyng Edwarde of England with power Through Lowthian so did to Stryuelyn clere ¶ And both met there with great gladnesse And home they came destroiyng all the waye Another yere in Iule for to redresse Scotlande agayn with hostes they gan a fraye At saynt Iohns towne they met in great araye And ther they made therle of Athelis regent Whome the commons felly slewe and shent ¶ Kyng Edwarde sent after in another yere In Maye Henry Lancastre a noble knight To Scotlande with an hoste of good power And afterwarde he came with mekill might To saynt Iohns towne on the monthes right Through Murrey to Elgyne Giluernes Rosse Throughout mounteynes woddes myre mosse ¶ Kyng Edwarde then came home into Englāde And proclaymed his sonne Edwarde nominate The prince of Wales thens forth I vnderstande Henry Lancastre the younger he create Erle of Derby to beare the hole estate Wyllyam Mountague erle of Salisbury Of Northampton Wyllyam Bowne full manly ¶ Of Gloucester he made Hugh of Awdely Of Suffolke then he made Robert Hufforth Of Huntyngdon Wyllyam Clinton gay Whiche erles the kyng toke with hym forth With many a worthy knyght bothe of south and north And with the quene so vnto Andwarpe And there abode by all the wynter sharpe ¶ With great people and worthy chyualrye Agayn the kyng of Fraunce to clayme his right And wrote his title vnto that Romishe bishop on hie The duke of Barre and other lordes of might The quenes frendes then socoure had hym hight Where then the quene of hyr sonne Lionell Delyuered was as chronicles do tell ¶ He cherished then Flaundres that they forsoke Theyr naturall lorde and swore feautee To hym and his theyr power they betoke To byde and dwell vnder his souerayntee Because they sawe in hym suche humanitee He chaunged his armes in banners and penons And in his seale quartred of both regions ¶ And in the yere then of his reygne thyrtene His armes chaunged and called kyng of Fraūce He rode in Fraunce on warre as then was seen A thousande tounes he brent by his puysaunce The kyng of Fraunce without variaunce Sent hym worde that he wold with hym fight But at the poynt he did not as he hight ¶ For at that tyme in sonder they were a myle He fled awaye kyng Edward held the felde Two dayes after he sued and Vmfreuile Of hym had sight and then he founde his sheld By whiche he knewe his couenaunt he not held Wherfore the kyng to Brabant went agayn The dukes three of Barre Earle and Brabayn ¶ The parliamēt thē at Westmynster was hold Wher they graūted hym the .ix. lābe flees shaue Of the commons but the churche nomore wold Hym graunt but one dysme of theim to haue For which he graūted generall perdone and gaue The .ix. lambe slees shaue graunt was two yere To helpe the kyng his right to conquere The C .lxxx. Chapiter 〈◊〉 ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde smote the battayle on the sea at Sluse besyde Brydges howe the kyng firste rode into Fraunce and quartred his armes with the armes of Fraunce and sent to kyng Philip to trye the ryght betwene theim two ANd in his yere next after then fourtene At Sluse that kīg faught with the Frēch nauy Fro noone to eue to the morowe as was seen Where all wer drouned slayn myghtely And kyng Edward to Fraunce went hastely With hoste full great destroied the lande brent The cytee of Turnais besieged and shente ¶ Then wrote he to the kyng Philip of Fraunce Not namyng hym kyng of that lande But to Philip of Valoys for greuaunce Willyng alone they two to take on hande To fyght for the cause and for to stande Who hath the better for euer to holde Fraunce Withoute warre or any more dystaunce ¶ Or elles they two eyther with an C. knyghtes And yf these wayes please hym not to excepte Come with his hoste all his strongest wyghtes To the cytee of Tournay none excepte At a certayne daye iustly to be kepte And who the felde maye get brooke well Fraunce Withoute more stryfe or any varyaunce ¶ The kyng then wrote vnto kyng Edwarde agayne That he wolde not for the letters fight Whiche touche not kyng Philyp in certayne But Philyp Valoys as sheweth well to syght To whiche he wolde set neyther daye ne highte But when he thought it were for his honoure He shulde hym chase awaye without socoure ¶ Out of his land which wrongfully he sheweth Agayne his fayth feautye made and homage To his auncesters by letter as it sheweth Vnder his seale of hole and good knowlage For Guyan and his other herytage And fro Turnace into Brabane agayne The kyng Edwarde in wynter dyd remayne ¶ To byde the byshoppes rule and disposicyon Of good accorde for then two cardynalles To take a trewce by good prouisyon Duryng two yere betwene them generals And all theyr frendes that were princypalles Then came the kyng to Edwarde into Englande His offycers newe made I vnderstande ¶ To the trewce then taken at Maltrete The dukes two of Burgoyne and Burbone In the kynges soule of Fraunce swore and hete Truly to kepe for frendes or for foone And duke Henry of Lancaster sad as stone Willyam Bowne Earle of Northhampton And Willyam Mountague full hye of renoune
Of French nor Scottes ye get neuer to your pay Any treaty or trewce or good concorde But yf it be vnder your banner aye Whiche maye neuer be by reason any waye But yf youre realme stande well in vnyte Conserued well in peace and equyte ¶ Your marchis kepte also your sea full clere To FrauÌ„ce or Spaine ye may ride for your right To Portyngale Scotlande with your banner Whils your rerewarde in EnglaÌ„d staÌ„deth wyght Vnder your banner your enemies well you hight A better treaty within a lytell date Then in foure yere to your ambassate ¶ Remembred bene vnto youre excellence The tytles all that longe to youre regiment Of Scotlande hole with all my dilygence That third parte is of Britayne by extent And owe to bene at your coÌ„maundement And membre of your royall monarchye As Chroniclers haue made therof memorye ¶ Englande and Wales as to their soueraygne To you obey whiche shuld thinke shame of ryght To se Scotlande thus proudly disobeyne Agayne them two that bene of greate myght It is a shame to euery mannes syght Sith Iohn Baylioll his ryght of it resygned To kyng Edward why is it thus repugned ¶ Within thre yere theyr greate rebellyon Ye myght represse and vtterly restrayne And kepe them euer in youre possessyon For to obey youre might make them full fayne As kyng Edward dyd with hunger and with payne Them conquered hole to his subieccyon To byde euermore vnder his proteccyon ¶ Wherfore good lorde nowe girde you with your swerde And set vpon the frowarde heretykes That erren fro the two partes of the herde And strayen oute as they were litargykes Whiche haue forget their lorde as cronnatykes Hauyng no shame of theyr peruersyte Nor chaunge hewe for theyr falsyte ¶ And truste it well as God is nowe in heuen Ye shall neuer fynde the Scottes vnto you trewe Where they maye with youre enemies ay beleuen They wyll to you then alwaye be vnttewe Yet through your manhede it maye them rewe For lenger then ye haue them in subieccyon Truste neuer truth in them ne perfeccyon The CC .xli. Chapiter ¶ The kynges tytle to all his landes briefely reported with a mocyon to vnion Scotlande and Englande TO England haue ye right as ye maye se By Brutus chronycle SaroÌ„s NormaÌ„s To Wales that same ScotlaÌ„d also perde Who that the gifte and right well vnderstandes Of Iohn Bayloll howe he into the handes Of kyng Edwarde it gaue and resygned Why shulde it nowe be voyde and repygned ¶ To Fraunce youre title is writen well know For saynte Lowis to you by hole discente And Normandye all hole bothe hye and lowe Fro Willyam Conqueroure by hole entent Guyen and Poytowe withall to them appent For Elianour the mother of kyng Iohn Doughter and heyre to duke Willyam anon ¶ To Angeou also by Geffrey Plantagenet Father of Henry le fytz Empryce That of Angeou was Earle withouten let And of Mayne also a prynce of greate empryce To Irelande also by kyng Henry le fytz Of Maude doughter of fyrste kyng Henry That conquered it for theyr greate heresye ¶ To Casteil and to Lion also ye been Thenhe ritour also and verie heire By right of bloodde discended clere and clene Of Portyngale wher Lusshborne is full faire Fro kyng Petro without any dispeir For tho twoo bee the verie regions That named bee Castile and Legions ¶ Your graunsirez mother duchesse Isabell Full lady like faire and femenine To kyng Petro as I haue heard tell Was verie heire of theim by rightfull lyne To whom ye been heire as menne determyne By small hackeneys greate coursers men chastice As Arthure did by Scottes wanne all fraunchese ¶ Though scripture saieth of North all eiuill is shewed Me thynketh I can auauÌ„te it as properly That thei bee as manly learned and lewed As any folke and as muche pain maye dry Better menne of warre are not vnder the skye And of lyuyng Dauid saieth in his boke Of Scotland well who so that will it loke ¶ If ScotlaÌ„d were youres to Wales EnglaÌ„d Who hath power to make you resistence In any wise in any vncouth land Your rereward then scant in all sufficience To kepe England surely in your absence Make theim Albion and passe furth wher ye list To other landes ye nede none other trist The CC .xlii. ¶ Thexcusacion of the maker touchyng defautes of this booke and of the simplenes of it OF all maters I haue saied myne entent So as I couth espie in all wise enquere Whiche if it maye your highnes well coÌ„tent My hearte reioyseth to comfort your desire And of your grace euermore I you require For to consider my losse and my mayme in fere For Englandes right as well as I couth spere ¶ Besechyng ay vnto your royaltee If ought bee saied in this simple treatise Displeasyng to your hie nobilitee For to resume it in a better wise Hauyng my witte excused that neuer was wise And thinke I would haue meÌ„t vnto your plesauÌ„ce To whiche I lacke nothyng but suffisaunce ¶ Please it also vnto your royaltee The quene maye haue a vereie intellecte Of your eldres of greate antiquitee And of England of whiche she is electe Soueraigne lady full worthily protecte Vnder your rule and noble gouernaunce Whiche God ay kepe without variaunce ¶ The whiche should please her good femenite To reade vpon for her comfort and disporte To se and knowe the greate nobilite Of your eldres regalie and porte Whiche maye her glad alwaye and recomforte And if it maye please her souereingtie Of my labour I would reioysed bee ¶ For women haue femenine condicion To know all thynges longyng to their housband His high worship and his disposicion His hertes counsaill also to vnderstonde As at weddyng to her he made his bounde And moste of all his hertes priuetie And thestate of his good auncetrie ¶ O souereigne lorde that quene hath all fufficieÌ„ce As touchyng you but of your auncetrie In this treatise of all their excellence The quene maie se the worthy regence Of this your realme and noble monarchie Whiche hath been kept in greate nobilitee By your eldres of greate antiquitee ¶ This booke I call after my name Hardyng Sith God lent me that disposicion To enforme hym that laboured the wrytyng By plain language of small prouision Through Godes grace and his supposicion All destitute of language and science And desolate of rethoryke eloquence ¶ Moste cause was why I drew this ilke treatise To make your father haue had ê‘fecte knowlage And you also of Scotlande in all wise That percell was of your eldest heritage And of all landes moste nere your auauntage To haue it whole no more to bee dismembred Whiche might bee gote as it is afore remembred ¶ I had it leuer then Fraunce and Normandy And all your rightes that are beyonde the sea For ye maye kepe it euermore full sikirly Within your self and drede none enmytee And
armie Then the Duke of Burgoyne not contented that the earle shoulde bee holpen of the king of FrauÌ„ce agaynst king Edward prepared a great nauye of shippes aboute the costes of Normandye that he might take hym coÌ„ming towardes Englande yet neuerthelesse the Earle escaped all daungers and landed safe he and all his menne at Dartmouth frome the whiche place he sayled to Fraunce halfe a yere before After that the Earle came to lande he made a proclamacion in king Henry the .vi. name that all they that were of lawfull age shoulde make battayle agaynst Edwarde duke of Yorke whiche agaynste all ryghte and lawe at that tyme had the crowne The whiche when it was doon it cannot be spoken howe soone it went aboute all the realme that he was come and had made this proclamacy on at the whiche also is not to be expressed howe many thousandes of menne came to hym The Earle hauing all this power greate armie went streyght to London whome when Edwarde perceyued to drawe nighe he fledde for the tyme trustyng to haue hym at some vauntage but at the laste he was dryuen to that ende that he had no mynde to get any hoste to resyst his enemies but beyng in greate daunger of his owne lyfe fled with the duke of Gloucestre his brother vnto a towne night the sea called Lye and there taking shippe sayled into Flaunders to Charles the Duke of Burgoyne with greate daunger and parell of his lyfe by the reason of the boisterouse cruel winde Elizabeth his wyfe beyng then greate â—â—th childe dyd take sentuarye at Westmynster where she was broughte in bedde with a mâ—n chylde whose name was Edward After that the earl 〈…〉 newe of the going awaye of kyng Edward he made haste to London and hearing of the tumulte and busynesse that was in Kente and that all the villages and suburbes there were spoyled piteously a lytel before the going awaye of that kyng pacified theim and sette all thinges in good ordre agayne by the doing of the whiche benefyte he was the more louingly accepted of theim all and that doon came to the towre there deliuered kyng Henry the .vi. out of prisone geuing hym his robe of maiesâ—ye broughte hym to Poules the people reioysing on euery syde and there thanked God for that it had chaunsed as they wolde desired And this was the yere of our Lorde a. M .iiii. C. foure score and one that kyng Henry beganne to reigne So that king Henry so often vanquyshed began to reigne nowe likely shortely after to faule againe The which fortune chaunsed to hym by many mennes opinions because he was a very simple and innocent man and that he had rather in godlinesse vertue excell other then in honoure and rule so that for the loue that he had to religion he loked for no dignitee or honoure whiche chaunseth to fewe that wil not seke for it or regard kepe it when they haue it But his enemies saide he was a coward had not the herte or manlynesse to bee a kyng or meete for that offyce So that who soeuer despiseth that the coÌ„mune people alloweth maruaileth at is accompted for a mad man contrariwyse he that doeth agree to theim and in their tale he is a wise man where in dede suche wisdom as it is comeÌ„ly saide is foolishnesse before God Also some saide it was the will of God that it should so bee for his graundfather Henry the fourth gotte it by violencye and force of armes so that it coulde not bee longe enioyed of hym but that faute of the graundesire did redounde on the nephewes But nowe to that matter After this king Henry held his parlyament at Westmynster the .xxvi. daye of Nouembre in the whiche Edwarde is declared openly tray toure to his couÌ„tree bycause he had taken that crowne to him and all his goodes geuen away in like maner al theirs that did take his parte and so iudgement was geuen on theim to dye Furthermore all that decrees statutes and actes of that forenamed Edward were broken of none effecte And then that earle of Warwike as a man that had deserued much of his couÌ„tre was made gouernoure ouer all that realme to whoÌ„ he did take the duke of Clarence as felowe to hym So by that meanes that realme was brought to a new state cleane transformed altered To this parliament came the lorde Marques Mountacute the which excusing his treason that he did take kyng Edward his parte saing it was for feare of death had his pardone â–ª Truely yf this man had taken kyng Edwardes part had stand to his side manly he had not been so sore an enemie and hurted so much his frendes as he was being a false fained and coloured frende for those thinges that we be ware of and knewe before to bee pernicious dooe lesse hurte vs. But nowe quene Margarete being in Fraunce prayed euery daye from that time the Earle went into England for the victorie the whiche when she knewe was obteined by the king his letters that came to her shortely after did take shyppe towardes England but thorowe that sharpnesse of the wether and greate tempestes she was constrayned to lande and to differre her iourney to an other tyme. At the same tyme Gaspar the earle of Penbruch went to Wales to his Earledome where he founde lorde Henry the Earle of Richemonde his brothers sonne a chylde of ten yere olde there kepte prysoner but lyke a noble man of the erle willyam Harberte his wyfe whome we spake of before that Edwarde had made hym erle and then after taken in batayl was behedded at the coÌ„maundement of the earle of Warwike This is that Henry the whiche when Richard the thirde brother to Edward was ouercome and vanquished had the gouernaunce of the realme of whome this is to bee beleued that after that he came to his kingdoÌ„ sent as one by god to quench and put awaye the greate sedicion and stryfe that was betwixte Henry and Edwarde seyng that he minded nothyng so muche as that whome lady Margarete the onely doughter of Iohn the fyrste Duke of Somerset dyd bryng for the beyng but fourtene yeres of age the whiche althoughe she was maryed after to Henry the duke of Bucking ham his sonne and after that to the earle of Derby yet she neuer broughte for the chylde after as thought she had doone her parte when she hadde borne a manne chylde and the same a kynge of a realme Gasper the earle of Penbruch tooke thys chylde Henrye from the earle Harberte hys wife and brought hym soone after to London to king Henry the syxte whome when the kynge had beeholded longe holding hys peace and maruailing at the goodlye wytte of the chylde sayde in thys wyse to the nobles that were at that tyme present Loo thys is he thys is he I saye to whome both wee and oure aduersaries shall geue place to in possession And by
and also to arme theim selfes spedelye agaynste theyr enemies And so to come to our purpose agayn kyng Richard thorough the aforesaide tydynges beganne to bee more carelesse and rechelesse as who saye he had no power to withstand the desteny that honge ouer his hedde Suche is the prouydent iustyce of God that a manne dooeth leste knowe prouyde beware when the vengeaunce of God is euen at hande for his offences And to go forth at the tyme when Henry the earle of Richemounte remayned in Fraunce entretyng and suyng for ayde helpe of the Frenche men many of the chiefe noble men which had the realme in gouernaunce because of the young age of Charles the kyng fel somewhat at dissencion of the whiche variaunce Lewes the prynce of Orlyaunce was the chiefe and hedde whiche because he had maryed Iohanne the kynges syster looked to haue bene chiefe gouernoure of all the realme By the which meanes it came to passe that no one man had the princypall gouernaunce of the realme And therefore Henry the erle was constraigned to sue vnto all the nobles seuerallye one after another desyrynge and praiynge theim of aide and helpe in his purpose and thus the matter was prolonged In the meane tyme Thomas the Marques of Dorcet of whome we spake afore was preuely sent for to come home by his mother partely mystrustynge that Henrye should not preuayle and partly for the greate and large promesses that kyng Richard had made to her for hym before Whiche letters when the sayd Marques had receaued he beleuyng all thynges that his mother wrote vnto hym and also thynkyng that Henry should neuer preuayle and that the Frenchemen did but mocke and daylye with hym he sodeynly in the night tyme conueyed hym selfe out of Parys and with great spede made towardes Flaūders The whiche thyng when the erle and other of the Englishe lordes heard of thei wer sore astonned amased with all spede purchased of Charles the kyng a lycence and commaundement that the Marques might by steyed whersoeuer he wer found with in the dominion of Fraūce chiefly for that he was secrete of their councel and knewe all there purpose The cōmaundemēt was quickly obteyned postes made forth euery waye emōgest whom one Humfrey Cheyncy plaiyng the parte of a good blooddehounde so truely smelled out and folowed the trace that by and by he found out and toke the Marques and so handled persuaded hym with gentle and good woordes that shortely after he was content to retourne Then Henry beyng delyuered of this chaunce thought it best to prolonge the matter no farther least he should loose both the present oportunytee and also wery his frendes that looked for hym in Englande Wherfore he made haste and set forewarde with a small army obteyned of the Frenche kyng of whom he also borowed some money and some of other of his frendes for the whiche he left the Marques and Ihon Burchere behynde for a pledge And so setting forward came to Roan and whyle he taryed there and prepared shippyng at the hauen of Seyne tydynges cam to hym the kyng Richardes wyfe was deade purposed to mary with the lady Elysabeth kyng Edwardes eldest doughter being his nice that he had maried Cycile her syster to a mannes sonne of the lāde far vnderneth her degre At the whiche thyng Henry was sore amased and troubled thynkyng that by this meanes al his purpose was dashed for that there was no other waye for hym to come to the kyngdome but only by the maryage of one of kyng Edwardes doughters And by this menes also he feared least his frendes in Englande would shrynke frō hym for lacke of an honest title But after thei had consulted vpon the matter thei thought it best to cary a lytle to proue if they might gette more helpe and make mo frendes And among all other they thought it best to adioyne the lord Harbarte vnto theim whiche was a mā of great power in Wales and that should be brought to passe by this meanes for that the lorde Harbarte had a syster maryable whō Henry would be content to mary if he would take their part And to brīg al this matter to passe messengers were sent to Henry the erle of Northhumberlande whiche had maryed the other syster so that he should bryng this matter about but the wayes were so beset that the messengers could not come to hym And in the meane season came veray good tydynges from Ihon ap Morgan a temporall lawyer whiche signified vnto theim that syr Ryce ap Thomas a noble and valiaunt man and Ihon Sauage fauoured his parte earnestlye and also syr Reynolde Braye had prepared a greate summe of mony to wage battayl on his parte and to helpe hym and therfore he woulde they should make hast with all that euer they could and make towarde Wales Then Henry spedely prepared hym selfe because he would lynger his frendes no lenger And after that he had made his prayer vnto almightye God that he might haue good successe in his iourney only with two thousande menne and a fewe shyppes in the calendes of August he sayled from the hauen of Seyne and the seuēth daye after whiche was the .xxii. daye of August he aryued in Wales aboute sonne set lāded at Wilforde hauen in the parte whiche is called the Dale where he hearde that there was dyuerse layde in wayte for hym to kepe hym backe From thence in the mornyng betymes he remoued towarde a towne called Harford with in tēne myle of the Dale where he was very ioyfully receyued Here he had contrarye tydynges brought to that he hearde in Normādy afore that syr Ryce ap Thomas and Ihon Sauage wythal that euer they coulde make were of kyng Richardes parte Notwithstandynge they had suche tydynges sent theim frō the menne of Pembruche by a valiaūt gentlemā whose name was Arnold Butteler that it reioysed all their heartes whiche was that yf all former offences might bee remitted they woold bee in a redynesse to sticke vnto there owne Gespare the erle Then Henryes company by this meanes beeyng encreased departed frō Harforde fyue myle towarde Cardygane and then while he refreshed his menne sodenly came a rumoure vnto hym that the lorde Harbarte whiche dwelled at Carmerdyne was nye at hande with a greate armye of menne At the whiche rumoure there was a greate sturre amongeste theim euerye manne tooke hym selfe to his weapon and made theim selfes redye if nede were to fight and a lytle while they were all afrayed tyl such tyme as Henrye had sent out horsemen to trye the truthe whiche when thei came agayn declared that all thynges was quiet and that ther was no suche thyng But moste of all master Gryffythes a verye noble man did conforte theim and gladden their heartes whiche although before he had ioyned hym self to the lorde Harberte at that very tyme he cleued to Henry with suche companye as he had although they were but
¶ The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre froÌ„ the first begynnyng of EnglaÌ„de vnto that reigne of Edwarde the fourth where he made an end of his chronicle And from that tyme is added with a coÌ„tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme now first emprinted gathered one of diuerse and soundrie autours of moste certain knowelage substanciall credit that either in latin or els in our mother toungue haue writen of the affaires of Englande ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni Mense Ianuarii 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RG ¶ The dedicacion of this present woorke vnto the right honorable lorde Thomas duke of Norffolke by thenprynter Richard Grafton LOrde Thomas of Norffolke duke moste gracious Of noble auncestrie and blood descended A captain right woorthie and auenturous And froÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d euen newely retended Wher Englandes querele ye haue reuenged In the behalf of our noble kyng Henry I wyshe you all health honour and victorie ¶ And because it hath pleased almightie God In the right title and quercle of Englande To vse your stocke as an iron rod Wherewith to scourge the falsehood of Scotland In whom is no truthe ne holde of any bande Ihon Hardynges chronicle as me thought was Moste mete to bee dedicated to your grace ¶ For Hardyng a true herted Englysheman An esquier valiaunt hardie and bolde And not vnlearned as the time was than Serched out of chronicles bothe late an olde All that euer by thesame hath bee told How froÌ„ the begynnyng ScotlaÌ„de dooeth reigne Vnder kynges of Englande as their soueram ¶ And Hardynges owne self hath the partie bee That from Scotlande oft tymes hath brought Their seales of homage and fealtee Vnto the kyng of Englande as he ought Vnto whom the Scottes then sued and sought Yeldyng to liue in humble subieccion Of Englandes gouernaunce and proteccion ¶ But that people of their propre nature Hath euen from the first been so vntowarde So vnstedfast inconstaunte and vnsure That nothyng maie possibly bee more frowarde So haue thei continued from thens foorthwarde Neuer gladde to bee in quiet and rest But to defeccion aye readie and prest ¶ Wherefore Thon Hardyng to his lorde maister Whom in his tyme he serued without blame Edwarde first duke of Yorke and after Kyng of this realme the fourthe of that name In this chronicle affermeth of thesame That thei will rebell till by prouision The kyng of EnglaÌ„d shall haue made theim both ¶ And in deede EnglaÌ„d hath oft been coÌ„streigned one The Scottes slackenesse in dooyng their homage To pricke forewarde wheÌ„ thei would haue refreined With that sharpe spurre of marciall forceage And to abate their wantonnesse of courage With the iron rodde of due correccion As oft as thei attempted defeccion ¶ For the Scottes will aye bee bostyng crakyng Euer sekyng causes of rebellion Spoyles booties and preades euer takyng Euer sowyng quereles of dissension To burne and steale is all their intencion And yet as people whom God dooeth hate curse Thei alwaies begynne and euer haue the woorse ¶ Englande hitherto hath neuer lacked power As oft as nede wer the Scottes to compell Their duetie to dooe and menne of honour Englande hath had as stories dooe tell Whiche whensoeuer the Scottes did rebell Wer hable at all tymes theim to subdue And their obedience to England renue ¶ EmoÌ„ges the whiche noumbre your noble father In the twelfth yere of Henry the seuenths reigne By aunciente recorde as I can gather Beeyng of suche credence as cannot feigne Yode into Scotlande their pryde to restrein With seÌ„bleable power as bookes dooen auowe And like commission as your grace had now ¶ That season he did so valiauntely The Scottes vanquishyng and puttyng to flight That thei ranne awaye moste shamefully Not hable of hym tabide the sight Nor hable to sustein the brunt of his might Soondrie castelles he raced down to the grounde Whiche to the honour of Englande did redound ¶ Kyng Iamy also makyng greate braggue and vauÌ„te Hauyng his armie not a myle of that daie Your father as a captain valyaunt Made in a moment for feare to runne awaye The Scottish kyng seÌ„ding foorth heraldes tway Chalenged your father with many a proude woorde Battayle to wage and trye it by the sworde ¶ And choose thou sir Earle ê™ kyng Iamy then Whether we shall fight armie against armie Orelles I and thou trye it manne for manne For sparyng bloodshed of either compaignie That if it chaunce me to haue the victorie Nought shall I demaunde for Englandes losse thine Sauig Barwike toune for euer to bee mine ¶ Then to the heraldes saied this noble knight Shewe to your kyng that in this place purposely Battayle for to wage my tentes haue I pight I am not come to flee but to fyght sharpely As where he standeth he maye see with his eye And fyrst where he would bloodshed saued to bee Therof am I no lesse desirous then he ¶ Secundarily where it is his likyng That I a poore Earle and of meane estate Maye combattre with hym beyng a kyng That our two fightes may ceasse all debate He dooeth me honour after suche highe rate That I must nedes grauÌ„t my selfe bound in this case Humble thankes to reÌ„dre to his grace ¶ Now as for the towne of Barwike it is knoweÌ„ Which your lorde requireth in case I bee slaine Is the kyng my souereins and not mine owne So that graunte therof in me dodeth not remain But thys maie ye bear worde to your lord again My person and lyfe aduenture I shall More precyous to me then the round worlde all ¶ When kyng Iamy by his heraldes twoo Spedefullye returnyng had due knowlage Muche otherwyse then he loked for thoo Of the Earles stout aunswer and message Fled out of hand and would no battayle wage So that your father retourned home victour With coumfort laude praise ioye and honour ¶ The same your father in the fyfth yere Of our moost noble kyng Henry the eyght When hys grace and his armie at Turney were And the same kyng Iamy of Scotland streyght Agaynst England his banner dyspleyght Vanquished the Scottes with your helpyng haÌ„d Slew there king Iamy and brought him to England ¶ Agayne in the .xv. yere of the same reygne Your selfe in proper personne full courageous Set forth against the Scottes without dysdeygne Lyke a captayne valyaunt and venturous Wher ye breÌ„t Iedworth a toune right populous Wyth diuers victories that your grace then had Whiche made all Englande to reioyse be glad ¶ The yere folowyng also as bookes testify The Scottes came with an houge power Of .lx. thousande men vnder the Duke of Albany Besiegyng Warke castel thynkyng it to deuour But heryng that your grace dyd approch that houe The Scottes trembled and so dyd theyr Duke And cowardly fled to their shame and rebuke ¶ Sembleably by thys your last viage Nowe thys last October and Nouember Made into Scotlande to
Soudyan to great lamentacion Of Goddes people and all Christen nacion ¶ He sente hym also the keyes of Dauids towre With Heraclye that of Ierusalem Was Patriarke and greatest of honour And with templers which brought hym into this realme Besekyng hym that he would thē susteine Full humbly askyng supportacion For the cytiee and christen consolacion ¶ All these titles the chronicles can recorde If they be seen by good deliberacion Many of theim to these full well accorde As I haue seen with greate delectacion By clerkes wrytten for our informacion As in olde feldes cornes freshe and grene grewe So of olde bookes cōmeth our cunnyng newe ¶ Of this I wyll nowe cease and forth procede To my mater wher fyrst I beganne To chronicles of this lande for worthihed To remembre in balade as I can To that entent to please both God and man And eke to please good femynitie Of my lady your wife dame Cecely ¶ That in Latyn hath litell intellect To vnderstande the great nobilytie Of this like lande of whiche she is electe Tyme commyng like to haue the souerayntie Vnder your rule as shulde feminitee Whiche if it maye please her ladyshippe My hert will reioyse of her inward gladshippe ¶ For well I wote your great intelligence That in latyn hath good inspeccion Will pleased bee of your hie sapieuce My lady that is vnder your proteccion Your heyre also maye rede at theyr eleccion Whiche if it may please your nobilitee Of my laboure I would reioysed bee ¶ Also for your heyres and for your successours In tyme commyng to haue a clere knowledge How of this realme the noble gouernours Haue kept with helpe of Baronage In victorye tryumphe and surplusage Sith Brute it wanne in his prioritee It hath been kept in worthy dignitee ¶ But howe this ysle enbrased with this sea Vnedefied was knowne first and founde That Albion was named of propertee Of dame Albione that first therein had ground And after long how Brute therof was crowned That of his owne name called it Brytayne And buylded it wher all before was playne ¶ The ende of the Proheme Here begynneth the Chronycle of Iohn Hardynge The firste Chapter ¶ Of the .xxx. susters that first inhabited this lande named it Albion that nowe is Englande Wales Scotland THe whyle that Troye was reignyng in his might In Greece there was a kynge right excellente That Dioclesiā some booke sayeth he hight And of Surray that had the regimente Dame Albyne hight his wife a lady gente Who doughters had .xxx. wedded to there degree To kynges all of greate nobilitee ¶ Whiche fell in pryde and hye elacion Thynkyng to be in no subieccion Of husbandes more ne dominacion But only by a fell conieccion Toke hole purpose and full affeccion To kyll there lordes slepyng sodaynly Soueraynes to be and lyue all seuerally The .ij. Chapter ¶ Note that wemen desyre of al thynges soueraynte to my conceypt more in this land then in any other for they haue it of the nature of the saied susters THe youngest suster the mater all discured To her husbande and to her father gent For whiche she was of al that dede assured But they were putte in exile by iudgement So rightfull were the princes of there entente They iudged them to be put in the see In shyppe topasse echeone fro there countree ¶ As fortune would to make there auenture Which by processe with streames to and fro And tempestes greate and sore disauenture Of sickenes great and mykell other wo And moste of all they knewe not whether to go Tyll at laste they came vnto this ysle That then was waste as chronicles do compile ¶ But I dare saye this chronicle is not trewe For in that ylke tyme in Surraye was no kyng Ne afterwarde to tyme that Saul grewe Ne no kyng was in Surray euer lyuyng That had that name for Saule was the first kyng Of Surray realme at the ende of the thyrde age In Samuels tyme the prophete wyse and sage The .iij. Chapter ¶ Note that Hughe de Genesis a Romayne historiographier declareth in his chronicle all the kyngdomes of the worlde and all the names of suche kynges as ruled in theim from Noes floude vnto the byrthe of Christ In whiche chronicle the foresayed Hughe writeth that Danays kyng of that Grekes had .l. doughters and that Egistus his brother kyng of Egypte had as many sonnes that maryed together which doughters kylled theyr owne husbandes and for that cause were banyshed and saylyng on the sea were dryuen vnto a certain ysle which Albina beyng the eldest suster of theim named accordyng to her name Albiō and Brute after that called it accordyng to his name Brytayne NE afore Brute was in no realme that name No kyng on liue that hight ne called so But of Arginos the kyng of full hye fame Had doughters fifty whose name was Danao The kyng of Egipte his brother Egisto Had soonnes also fifty together wedde In chronicles of olde as I haue redde ¶ Whiche doughters slew their husbandes echone Long before Brute was of his mother bore So fynde I by these women alone And by these soonnes thus slain before The chronicle trewe in their persones more Then in the doughters of Dioclesian Were in no lande that tyme so hight kyng none ¶ So in the yere of Aioth Iudge of Israell These ladies here landed full weery and sore Seuenty and twoo as Hugh dooeth tell Whiche was I saie an hundred yere afore That Brute came into this lande and more By fyue yeres trulye and well accompted Of yeres ode so muche more amounted ¶ Also in Surray there was no kyng before Kyng Alexaunder dedde and expired For Seleucius was the first kyng thore By all chronicles that I haue enquired That chronicle should not bee desired Seyng that it is not trew ne autenticke By no chronicle vnto the trewth oughte like ¶ I dare well saie he sawe neuer Hugh Genesis Ne he redde neuer the chronicles of Surry Of Israell Iude ne of Egipciis Of Argiuos of Athenes ne Thessaly Of Macedon Cesile ne of Assery Of Lacedemon of Lyde ne yet of Latyn Of Affrique of Asis ne yet of Babelyn ¶ Of Perce ne Meede Italye ne Albany Of kyng Alexaunder ne of his successors That afore tyme reigned dyuersly In dyuerse realmes citees castelles and toures Of Romany ne of state of emperours For had he seene all these and their stories Of Dioclesian he would make no memories The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe these ladies had this Isle in the yere of Aioth .lxxii. in the third age of the world and she called it Albion of hir name and toke feauty seruice of theim all as souerayne ladie of this Isle that nowe is Englande Scotlande and Walis as Hugh Genesis wryteth in his Dyaloge THese ladies so ay dwellyng in this Isle The yeres of Aioth seuenty two no lees Dame Albyne was as mēne can
signe eche māne to knowe his naciō Frome enemies whiche nowe we call certain Sainct Georges armes by Nenyus enformaciō And thus this armes by Iosephes creacion Full long afore sainct George was generate Were worshipt heir of mykell elder date The .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Marius the kyng of Brytain reigned sixty yere and three howe the peightes inhabited firste in Albany that is Sotclāde nowe in these dayes in Catenes thei wer the North peightes and a parte of theim inhabited sone after bytwyxt the Scottes sea and tweid that were called South peightes MAryus his soonne was then intronizate And sette on high in trone of maiestie With croune of golde full royally coronate As worthy was vnto his royalte Who nourished was at Rome in his inuente With his mothers kynne the beest of the empire With Claudius also that was his oune graūdsir ¶ In whose tyme a peight hight Rodrike With power greate by sea came fro Sythy As proude and bryme as lyon marmerike Arreued so vp in Albanye Distroiyng whole the lande all sodainly With whome that kyng thē faught in greate battell And sleugh hym with oute any faile ¶ Wher then in signe of his high victorye He sette there vp a stone in remembraunce Of his triumph of his aduersatie Titled on it his fame for to auaunce Howe the peightes there brought to vttraunce Wher the redde crosse is nowe in Westmerlande In Stanys more as I canne vnderstande ¶ Then to the peightes left a liue he gaue catenese To dwell vpon and haue in heritage Whiche weddid wher with Irish as I gesse Of whiche after Scottes came on that linage For Scottes bee to saie their langage A collecciō of many into one Of whiche the Scottes were called so anone The .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe Scottes came of Scota kyng Pharois doughter that came after many daye into Albanye so that of peightes Irish of Pharois people collect togethers wer Scottes named For at the tauerne or at a gatheryng of people or of mony is called a scotte and so came first the name of Scottes which Scottes inhabited theim by twixt catnes the Scottishe sea BVt Mewynus the Bryton chronicler Saieth in his chronicles orther wise That Gadelus and Scota in the yere Of Christe seuenty and fiue by assise At stone inhabitte as might suffise And of hir name that countre there aboute Scotlande she called that tyme with outen doubt ¶ This Scota was as Mewyn saieth the sage Doughter and bastarde of kyng Pharao that daye Whome Gadele wedded and in his olde age Vnto a lande he went where he inhabited ay Whiche yet of his name is calle Gadelway And with the peightes he came into Albanie The yere of Christ aforsaid openlye ¶ And at hir death she left a precious stone In Albany on whiche Moses did preache And buryed there she was by hir self alone Whiche stone was holy as some menne then did teache And did miracles so was that cōmon speache In honour it was had bothe of greate and small And holden for a relique moost speciall ¶ This stone was called the regall of Scotlāde On whiche that Scottish kynges wer brechelesse set At their coronomente as I canne vnderstande For holynes of it so did thei of debte All their kynges vpon this stone was sette Vnto the tyme kyng Edward with long shankes Brought it awaye again the Scottes vnthākes ¶ At Westmonestery it offered to sainct Edward Where it is kepte and conserued To tyme that kynges of Englande afterward Should coroned bee vnder their fete obserued To this entent kept and reserued In remembraunce of kynges of Scottes alway Subiectes should bee to kynges of Englāde ay ¶ Also afore the fifte kyng Henryes daye Their siluer coigne was as it ought to bee The kynges face loked on side all waye To his soueraigne lorde of Englande as I see Whiche to been hetherwarde of egalite Vnto their lorde thei haue of newe presumed To looke euen furth whiche would nowe bee consumed ¶ Kyng Maryus kepte that realme in lawe peace Full of riches and of prosperyte And dyed so at Sarum buryed dowteles When he had reigned sixty yere and three His tribute payed full well to Roome citee Of Christes faith sumwhat he was enformid But muche more he neded to haue been reformid ¶ Coylus his soonne was kyng then crouned so Who mutryed was at Roome in greate vertue Held well his lawes egall to frende and foo And in his dooynges full iuste he was and trewe His life alwaye and rule in vertue grewe That full great name of hym was notifyed And in all landes of honoure multiplied ¶ The lordes gentiles yemen and commontee He cherished well and in no wise oppressed And to theim gaue wher was necessitee And tribute payde to Rome vndistressed And at his death with sickenesse impressed He buried was at Norwhiche then full clere When he reigned had fully .xiii. yere ¶ Somewhat in fayth of Christ he was instruct But not fully as was necessitee Like as he was in Rome with hym inducte So helde he forth in all stabilitee And as he harde in all symylitee Howe Ioseph had his graundser enformed With benyng herte and wil he hym confyrmed The .li. Chapter ¶ Lucius kyng of Britayn reigned .liiii. yere and was the seconde Christened kyng of Britayn by Faggan Dubyan that baptized all this lande and for the same cause bare the same armes after he was baptized Also he made of .iiii. archeflamynes in Britayn three archebyshoppes at London Yorke and Carlion AFter kyng Coile his sonne then Lucius So crowned was with royall diademe In all vertue folowed his father Coilus To compare hym in all that myght beseme He put his will after as his witte could deme In so farre forth that of Christentee He contynued so a Christen man to bee ¶ And in the yere of Christes incarnacion An C. foure score and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacion Of Lucyus sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duuyen That baptized hym all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute ¶ Thei taught that folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawmentes and Idols caste awaye Through all Britayn of al false goddes thesame The temples flamynes the Idols for to shame They halowed eke and made bishoppes sees Twenty and .viii. at dyuers great citees ¶ Of .iii. archeflamynes thei made archbishoprikes One at London Troynouaunt that hight For all Logres with lawes full autentikes To rule the churche christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent north for Albany is kyde ¶ All these workes Eugeny then confirmed The kyng then gaue to Faggan and Duuyen The ysle of Analoon and by cherter affirmed That was called otherwyse Mewtryen Also frely as Ioseph and his holy men Had it afore then forth for theyr dispence Wherof thei wer glad and
Harforde his citee And Offa then and Humbert as is breued Bishop of Lychefelde wher then was his see Whiche kyng and byshop with great royaltee Translate that tyme saynt Albone in shryne Of siluer gylt with stones fayre and fyne ¶ Whiche Offa died the yere of Christ full clere Seuen hundreth .iiii. score and thereto seuentene When he had reigned so ix and thyrty yere At Offa aye buried that tyme as well is sene With all honoure as to suche a kyng beseme To whom Egfride his sonne then gan succede And after hym Kynuphe reigned in dede ¶ Whiche Offa gaue through Mers the Rome peny Vnto the churche of Rome full longe afore Tharchebyshoprych from Cauntorburye Vnto Lychefeld translated for euermore By his will euer to abyde thore So stode it then for certeyn all his lyue As Flores sayth and doeth it so subscriue ¶ This Azdulphe kyng of Northumberlande Slew Wade his duke that again hym was rebel Besyde Mulgreue where as men vnderstande His graue is yet men saye vpon the fell For his falshed and treason as bookes tell Betwene Gysburgh and Whitby sothe to saye Where for treason he was layd in the hie waye ¶ In his fourth yere with duke Kylrike he fought And droaue hym to his shippes then agayn In Humbar so that he had not to his fraught But fewe persones were lefte alyue vnslayne And in his yere eleuen with mykell payne With Danes he fought againe yorkeshyre right where many thousaÌ„des he slewe that were ful wight ¶ And on a daye as he from huntyng came All hote chased his men bottelles founde In his chaumber in which was wyne of name Menne called that tyme Vernage of straunge land Whiche wine was poysoned as I vnderstande Of whiche he dranke and poysoned was anon Vnto the death and might no ferther gone ¶ He dyed the yere .vii. C .lxxx. and nyntene At Tewkisbury buryed in sepulture Of whose death Edburge that was quene Was blamed then for that mysauenture For she dyd make that drynke men sayde ful sure Certayne persones by venym to haue slayne That loued her nought and was her euer agayn But what for feare and what for speche she fled With great rychesse of passyng great measure In Fraunce vnto the kyng full fast she sped But of her rule thence forth I set no cure It was so lewde to reporte in scrypture I wyll not breake my brayne it to reporte For wemens wele the which I wolde comforte The C .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Egbert kyng of Westsex protectour of England that reigned .xxxv. yere dyed in the yere of Chryste viii hundreth thyrtye and thre as after shall appere EGberte cosyn to the sayde Segberte Kyng of Westsex was royally accepte with all honour that the lordes could aduert And eche man glad no creature excepte So graciously fortune then had hym kepte That all people ioyed his coronacyon For cause he was of Britons generacyon ¶ For downe he was from Asserake discent Kyng Ebrank sonne of consanguinytee Syth Cadwalader dyed and was dispent Was none ryght heyre of Brytons bloud but he As Chronycles tell lyke as a man maye se For systers sonne he was to kyng Sygbert Of Westsex hole as Flores coulde aduerte ¶ Also men sayde he came of Ingils bloude And very heyre he was to hym and Iue For whiche Englysh Saxons with him stode And helde with hym as for theyr bloude natyfe Protectour was he made there so belyue Of all Englande and Wales hole conquered And Cornewayle asso as it is chronicled ¶ Then toke he of all kynges leege homage Excepte Bernulphe that kyng of Mers was tho Woulde do hym none then for his herytage Wherfore he brent his lande did him mikyl wo And so they gathred great hoost on both sides tho Where Bernulphe then at Glenden hym met In Mers lande trowyng hym to ouerset ¶ But kyng Egberte had then the victory And slewe Bernulphe for all his boste and pryde To Ludican he gaue that lande in hye To holde of hym as other dyd on euery syde Through all Englande that was both longe wide Then droue he kyng Balrede out from all Kent And all his realme destroyed sore and brent ¶ But Ludican was false by foule treason Whome kyng Egbert then slewe in batayle sore For his falshode and his rebellyon And to Wylaffe he gaue that lande ryght thore Was Bernulphs sonne to haue for euermore To holde of hym of ryght and herytage By seruyce dewe of feaute and homage ¶ Then in his tyme the Danes sore destroyed The ysles of shepey and Tenet also And to the sea they went agayne vnanoyed And after sone in Northumberlande tho They dyd aryue and wrought full mekell woo With whome Egbert there faught with smal meny That oute of the felde they made hym to flye ¶ Kyng Egbert drewe south then into the lande And helde the felde to tyme his sonnes two Athylwolfe and Ethylbert I vnderstande With hoste full greate came ridyng to hym tho Where then he bare the crosse of golde ay so In his lefte hande and in his ryght a swerd With which he made his fooes therwith al aferd ¶ For there he had the felde and victorye And slewe Dardan a knyght full chyualrus The kynges sonne of Denmarke sekerly And all his hosâ—e that was full malicyous By vertue of the crosse patyfe precyous For whiche alwaye after in hys banner Of azuer whole the crosse of golde he bear ¶ Whiche armes so full after this daye Kyng Kinigyll of Westsex had them bore Fro his bapteme thenne afterwarde alwaye And all the kynges after so dyd euermore Of Westsex so in mynde of Christes lore His crosse his death and his holy passyon Whiche Iewes him wrought without compassioÌ„ When kyng Egbert had fyue and thyrty yere Reygned in lande and felt full great syckenesse Of whiche he dyed of Chrystes birth full clere The yere so then .viii. C. was expresse Foure and thyrty nother more ne lesse At Wynchester then royally buryed As Flores sayeth and well hath notifyed The C .v. Chapiter ¶ Athelwolfe kynge of Westsex reygned .xix. yere dyed the yere .viii. hundreth .liii. after Chrystes byrth AThelwolfe was king crowned at his citee Of Westchester in all royall estate To whome the kinges lordes made feaute And homage leege as was preordynate That reygned after .xix. yere fortunate And graunted the churche tythes of corne haye Of bestiall also through Westsex for aye ¶ In the yere eyght hundred thirty and eyght The Danes arriued with shippis fourscore thre Wher Athelstane his sonne did with theim feight And duke Wolfward by greate fortunitee Theim toke and sleugh with all felicitee But Athelstane in that battaile was slaine Of his warres that was the capitain ¶ And in the yere eyght huÌ„dred thirty and nyne The kyng faught sore with Danes at Mersyngton Wher erle Harbart was slain a prince full fyne But Danes all were take and slain their a doune
had reigned full twenty foure yere Buryed he was at Winchester full right As in Flores full clerely dooeth apere Who in his tyme surely had no peere Of wysedome nor manhode as was seen The lawe and peace that could so well sustene The C .xiiij. Chapiter ¶ Athelstane kyng of England reigned fiftene yere and dyed in the yere of Christ nine hundred thirty fiue How Constantyne kyng of Scottes warred again Athelstane but he recouered his homage by myracle of sainct Iohn of Beuerley as sheweth here afterward SIr Athilstane his eldest soonne of age In wisedome euer full sadly well auised At Kyngstō was crouned toke homage Of all the lordes right as he had deuised Agaynste whome all Wales as thei suffised Then he warred but he made theim obeye And made homage his meune to bee for aye ¶ In wohse tyme so y◠yere of Christ nine hūdred And thyrty more and fiue full accompted Robert Rollo his soule and corps asondred His corps to the earth his soule amounted Whiche in knighthod his Danes surmounted That reigned had then duke of Normandy By thirty yere accompted full clerly ¶ To whom succedid his soōne Wyllyā lōgspee That after hym was duke of Normandy But then the kyng of Scottes by cruelte Hight Constantyne hym warred cruelly For whiche kyng Athilstane mightily Stroyed all Scotland till his people dyed For cold and hunger dyed and mortified ¶ But he was so comforted euen by miracle That he faught a none with this kyng Constātyne And had the feld and his habitacle Theim droue through all the lād with muche payne To tyme he was full fain to enclyne To Athilstane for to make his homage For all Scotland that was his heritage ¶ Anlaaf the kyng of Denmark full of pride Cousyn to kyng Constantyne of Scotland With shippis many arriued on Humberside At Burnesburgh and claymed of England For to haue of the kyng as I vnderstand The truage whiche his eldres had afore And with hym brought Colbrōd to fight therfore ¶ And Athilstane at the daye assigned Made hym redy the battaill to haue smitten Again Colbrond armed with hart benyngned But then sir Guy of Warwike as was weten In palmer wyse as Colman hath it wryten The battaill toke on hym for Englandis right With Colbrond in armes for to fight ¶ Wher then he sleugh this Danyshe champion By whiche battaill the truage was relesed By couenaunt made and composicion Betwene the kynges afore and warres cesed Thus kyng Anlaaf home to Denmarke presid Without more warre or conturbacion And sir Guy went to his contemplacion ¶ Kyng Athelston then fraunchesid Beuerley In the worship of God and sainct Iohn Wher in his life is written for euer and aye The miracle of his stroke so in the stone That neuer manne might dooe but Athilston Through grace of God and his direccion Through prayer of sainct Iohn and affeccion ¶ This noble kyng was euer more iust trewe To God his faith and to churches deuocion To poore menne grace on subiectes euer did rewe To preestes and age reuerence in feld and towne In dome sadnes trouth and discrecion And in the yere nene hundred thyrty and fiue When he had reigned sixtene yere with life ¶ His brother Edmōd for kyng thē was crouned Of Englande whole by concent of all estate To whome Dothowe kyng of Scotlāde that stoūde And Howell of Walis the kyng then create As was afore vsed and determinate Feaute to hym made and leege homage For Wales and Scotlande that was their heritage ¶ He sette sainct Dunstan then at Glastenbury Vnder thabbot of monkes and religion That abbot was with hym at Canturbury This kyng Edmond was slain by a felone Whiche of malice and his false treason That forfet had and dampned was to dye For his forfet and for his felonye ¶ At Cauntorbury as y◠kyng hym saw on a daye For yre on hym he ranne and sore hym wounde For whiche he stroke the kyng for aye So they dyed both two ther in that stounde Eche of theim of his mortall wounde Whiche to a prince accorded in no wyse To put hym selfe in drede wher lawe may chastice ¶ He reigned but .vi. yere then all out And died the yere .ix. hundreth fourtye and one At Glastenbury buried without doute For whome the people made then ful great mone For lawe and peace he kept to euerychone And his commons neuer his tyme supprissed And oppressours of hym alwaye were chastised ¶ His brother Edrede after hym had the crowne At London then and tooke royall feautee Of all estates within his region Excepte Scotlande that through theyr vnlewtee Crowned Gilryke a Dane of great beautee Of royall bloodde borne and generate And for theyr kyng hym fully had create ¶ Kyng Edrede went to Scotland w e his power And all the lande wasted sore and brent Wherfore the Scottes by hole consent for feer Put downe Gilryke from all the regyment And droaue hym to Denmarke or they stent And to Edrede came all the Baronage And to hym made feautee and homage ¶ And in the yere .ix. hundreth fourty and nyne He died buried at Wynchester his cytee When that he had his soule made to enclyne Out of his corps to passe awaye and flee Where God of heauen would that it should bee But .viii. yere full he reigned and no more When death hym toke with sikenes great sore ¶ Edwyn his brother resceyued then the crowne Folyshe and proude and of his will maligne And in his wytte was full lytle reason Whom his barons for cause he was vndigne Made hym his crowne for to resigne Deposed hym then out fro his regiment At the parliament by theyr commen assent ¶ Whom saynt Dunstane for aduoutre blamed But it amende he would in no kyn wyse Of whiche he was full openly defamed Through all the realme he was the more vnwise For whiche the lordes and commons all did ryse And droaue hym out awaye wher no man knewe Thus synnes olde make shames come full newe ¶ He reigned had but .iiii. yere and no more When he was depriued of his estate Without thanke of God or man therfore And well worse was of all men moste behate Of his reygne hauyng no lenger date Who dyed the yere .ix. hundreth fyfty and thre Foringed hole from all his magestee The C .xv. Chapiter ¶ Edgare kyng of Englande reigned .xviii. yere died in that yere of Christ .ix. hundreth three score and eleuen HIs brother Edgare by a commē assente Was chosen kyng as chronicles recorde With diademe crowned at his parliamēt And homage toke royall of euery lorde So mercyfull and full of misericorde Was he that saynt Dunstan reconciled Whome kyng Edwyn wrongfully had exiled ¶ Whom archebyshop of Cauntorbury he made With all estate and primates dignitee Of Monkes and nonnes mynsters fayre glad Fourtye founded of religioustee Within his realme of his owne
with greate disoayne And slewe them downe in batayle with great payne For whiche therle Edryk sent to kyng Knowte To Englande to come with hoost great and stout ¶ This ylke kyng knowte that sonne was to kyng Swain To England cam with host great power Whome Ethylrede then met and faught agayne In batayle stronge droue him home full clere With whome Edryk then fled as dyd apere Into Denmarke as a false traytoure vntrewe Purposyng so to come agayne all newe But kyng Ethelred in the meane tyme then dyed The yere of Chryste a thousande and thyrtene And reygned had as Colman notifyed Thyrtie and eyght in warre and intene Euer ne we and newe vexed as was sene His owne lande fled for drede of en myte Without socoure fro it he was fayne to flee ¶ Thus was he chastysed for his mothers gylt Accordyng well to holy trewe scrypture For cause that she his brother had slain spylt And lyke the wordes of saynt Dunstane full sure That sayde it was a punishyng full pure Oute of the realme to be dryuen and expelled In whiche by syn he had so hye excelled The C .xvii. Chapiter EDmond Ironeside goteÌ„ generate Of his first wife a dukes doughter of EnglaÌ„d After Ethelrede his father was ê“rogate Vnto the crowne of all this royall lande Men called hym so as I can vnderstande Where euer he rode armed was he ay Oppressours all to chastyce in his waye ¶ Kno wt of Denmarke assayled ofte this lande So in this tyme that euer he armed went To vse the feate of armes I vnderstande As to knyghthode full well it dyd appent Thus Colman sayth and Flores that he ment But syxe batayles agayne kyng Kno wt he smote With victorye as Flores hath it note ¶ But then to voyde the greate effusyon Of chrysten bloude they two together accorde To fyght them selfe for full conclusyon Within an yke of Seuerne by concorde Withouten warre or any more discorde And who so then myghte get the victorye Reioyse the realme and all the monarchye ¶ And at theyr daye and place so assygned They armed met with strokes knyghly set With speare and swerd eyther other so repugned With axe and dagger eyther on other bette Eyther of them tryste the ouerhande to gette But at laste kyng Kno wt to hym alayde These wordes there and thus to hym he sayde ¶ Wolde god Edmonde thou were so couetouse As I am nowe and as myne herte now wolde And in this case as glad and desyrous We shulde not longe this batayle thus holde And to our men great gladnesse manifolde Yf thou the halfe of Denmarke had with me And I the halfe of Englande had with the. With whiche they both the wepons fro theÌ„ caste And eyther other in armes gan them embrace That both theyr hostes amarueled were ful faste What it dyd meane to ceasse in so lytell space But when they knewe betwne them the case They kneled all and Chryste they laudifyed With herte deuoute the eche of them so victoryed ¶ Their realmes both they parted then in two By hole accorde betwene them so concorded And loued euer as brethren after so As chronycles haue well hole recorded Fro that tyme forth no more then they discorded This ysle where they faught hyght Clyues Of coÌ„mon langage as then it dyd them please ¶ But Edryk of Lyncolne euer vntrewe Reconsyled home by Edmonde was agayne By subtyll meane this good king Edmond slewe In pryde wyse without wounde or mayne But in what fourme I can not wryte nor sayne When he had reygned that tyme fully .iii. yere Buryed he was but where no man durste spere ¶ But in the yere of Chryste a thousande so He dyed awaye accompte and syxtene Vnknowen to his people and Lordes tho For whom they made great dole as theÌ„ was seen But neuerthelesse it myght no better bene This false Edryk so falsely it couered That openly it was not then discouered The C .xviii. Chapiter KYng Kno wt reigned in EnglaÌ„d theÌ„ anon And wedded had quene Eme of England Ethelrede wife which gate him loue anon In Englande of all the estates of the londe Of coÌ„mons also that were both fre and bonde On her he gate a sonne that harde Kno wt hight On his fyrste wyfe had Swayne Herold ryght ¶ He sent Edmonde and Edwarde that sonnes two Of EdmoÌ„d Ironeside to Swithen to kiÌ„g Kno wt To slee or lowse to kepe in pouerte so That they should neuer haue power in nor oute To claime England neyther with hoost ne route Whome he sent forth then into Hungry To the emperoure with letters worthely ¶ Besechyng hym to noryshe them and saue Declaryng hym whose sonnes that they were The whiche he dyd full worthy and gaue Vnto Edmonde his owne doughter dere Whiche Edmonde then dyed and she in fere Without chylde wherfore Agas his coosyn Doughter of Herry he gaue to Edwarde fyne ¶ Of whiche Edwarde called Edwarde thexylâ— Came Edgare then called Edgar Athelyng But Kno wt it let hym self then crounyng That to London to hold his Christmas With his houshold went then with greate solas ¶ Wher erle Edrik to kyng Kno wt hym coÌ„fessed That he had slain kyng Edmond Ironeside His owne leege lorde with cruell death impressed To gette his loue and with hym dwell and bide For vnlikely it was to goo or ride Twoo kynges together in Englande He saied was not accordyng in the land ¶ The kyng his woordes well herd and coÌ„ceiued And howe he asked a reward for his mede There made hym tell howe he his lorde disceiued Afore the lordes as he had dooen in deed The whiche boldely he did without dreed Hauyng no shame to aske a greate reward For whiche the kyng lordes gaue whole award ¶ To hang hym on the toure duryng his liue To he were dedde that all folke might hym se And his treson there openly to shriue And after that to hang there till he dye For whom then was emong the commons truily A greate biworde as many one that woundre roÌ„ne As did on therle Edryke of Strettoun ¶ The kyng went to Norway and it conquered And droue the kyng O 〈…〉 f out of that land And held it so by conquest of his swerd Full worthily he gouerned euery land To peace and lawe he kept theim as he faund And in his domes was rightwyse and stable And to the poore alway merciable ¶ Kyng Malcom of Scotland theÌ„ did homage To hym and furth became for euer his manne So did the kynges of Wales of hye parage And all the North West Occian For their kyngdonies and for their landes than And in his tyme moste he was redoubted Of all princes and in all londes loaued ¶ To Roome he rode in royall goodly wyse And there was with the bishop greately commed As Christen prince by papall whole aduise The cardynalles foure whiche the bishop had sed At Malburgate foure mile fro Roome extende With
greate meyne hym mette greate honour As if he had been of Roome themperour ¶ At his commyng again into England He gaue Norway vnto his soonne sir Swayne And to Herold his soonne as I vnderstand England he gaue of whiche he was full fain And to Harknowt Denmarke he gaue certain And so dyed in Christen whole creaunce At Shaftisbury buryed by his ordynaunce ¶ The yere of Christ a thousand so was than And thirty foure also truly written When he had reigned fro the tyme that he began Eightene yere whole as well it was wrytten With the darte of death whē that he was smitten In whose dayes the land was inquiet Full of riches and of welfare whole replete The C .xviij. Chapiter ¶ Herold kyng of England the soonne of kyng Kno wt reigned fiue yere and dyed in the yere a thousand and .xxxix. HErolde his soonne was crouned then in deede By Loofrike that duke of Leiscestre By Londoners in Flores as I reede By Danyshyr also as saieth the letter That strong werre then and of power greater Then other lordes of Englishe nacion At London made was this coronacion ¶ Alurede the soonne of kyng Ethelrede With fifty sailes landed at Southampton Wher kynge Herold with hoste hym met in deede Redy to fight with hym for the croune But certain lordes of Englondes region Betwene theim treated that Alurede went again To Normandy to duke Robert full plain ¶ But afterward as Alurede so rode Fro his mother vnto the kyng Herold The duke Goodwyn on Gyldismore hym bode With people greate of nombre manyfold And slewe his menne downe there as he would And led hym furth to Ely and hym slewe As traitour false that euer had bee vntrewe ¶ Some chronicle saieth he putte out bothe his eyen Fro whiche he dyed sone for pain and woo Some other sayin he slette his wombe full keen The lengest gut to a stacke he nayled tho Led hym about the stack ther with muche wo Till all came out that was his wombe within Thus sleugh thei hym with sobteltie and gyn ¶ His mother quene Eme Edward then sent To Normandy to duke Wyllyam anone That hir cousyn was to kepe he were not shent By kyng Herold of his cruelty alone Warnyng hym of the treasō that Herold had dooen For whiche cause Herold hir exild Out of England and Edward also hir child ¶ To Flaundres she fled then full sore amoued To erle Badwyn hir cousyn nie of bloodde Declaryng to hym howe Herold had distroyed Hir soonne Alurede that heyre of England stood And exiled hir without socour or good And Edward also hir soonne heire of England His brother children also awaye in vncouth land ¶ Wherfore therle to kyng Hardknowt then wrote All hir compleynt and of his socour prayed And he should help with all his might God wote It were amendid of that she was affrayed He came anone in warre full well aryed Into Flaundres his mother for to please Hir for to socour and sette hir hert in ease ¶ In whiche meane while the kyng Herold dyed At Westminster and buried was full feire After he had reigned as it is notified Fiue yere reigned without any heire Of his body gotten after hym to repeire England to gouerne wherfore the lordes by assēt To kyng Hardknowte then into Flaundres sente ¶ To bee their kyng sith Herold was a gone To please hym with and his mother to comfort Who came to England furth with anone And crouned was with all the whole disport That lordes conde as Flores dooeth report Thus kyng Hardknowt was kyng of Englande than Who worthily that tyme to reigne tho began ¶ This kyng began his brothers death to venge On erle Gowyn that erle was then of Kent That peased was for he should not reuenge With riche giftes whiche that he on hym spent With meekenesse lowe swore that he was sent To dooe that thyng on pein of high treson By kyng Herold charged without reason ¶ Through good and giftes mighty hie riches And of his kyn that meekely hym obeyed And by acquaintaūce that thei made then expresse Vpon the holy euangelis sworne vndelayed The kyng graūted hym his grace was well payed To make hym of his coūsell of gouernaūce Without more wrath or any discordaunce ¶ He maried then his sister Gunylde to Henry Themperour that falsly was accused Of synne and cryme vsed in auoutry With a young manne the whiche hir excused After the lawe of the land that was there vsed By battaill of his hand that then their flewe His accusour approuyng hym vntrewe ¶ For the whiche she would nomore come in his bed But lyued sole euer after so hir life For good ne gold for aught that he hir beed For loue ne threte for betyng ne for strife With hym dwellyng forthwarde as his wife In all thynges els euer at his gouernaunce Bothe daye and night in womanly pleasaunce ¶ Kyng Hardknowt then his doughter maryed Vnto a duke of the Danishrie At Lambirgh dyed at his feast magnified Emong his lordes and all his prelacie And putte hym whole in God his high mercye And charged theim his brother Edward to croūe To reioyse the land of Englandes region ¶ This was the yere of Christ then inscriued A thousand whole fourty also and one When that he had reigned as was subscribed The twoo yere whole whē he was thus wyse gone For whom was made that tyme full muche mone At Wynchester byside his father buryed With lordes all thither full well accompaignied The C .xix. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Edwarde the confessour kyng of Englād reigned twenty and foure yeres that began the yere of Christ a thousand fourty and one and dyed the yere a thousand sixty and fiue EDward his brother sōne of kīg Ethelrede was crowned then kyng of Englande The yere of Christ a M. then in dede Fourtye one as Flores could vnderstande To whom the kyng Swayn of Denmarke lande The tribute whiche he had fully relesed And warres all betwene theim ceassed ¶ To sende hym then the hole Englyshe nauy Agayn Magnus that kynge was of Norwaye That helde it so by wrong and tirannie Whiche Edwarde sente anone in great araye With lordes knightes and squiers freshe gaye With archers many by whiche he gate his lande Of Norwaye hole and seazed it in his hande ¶ Erle Eustace of Boleyn that had wed Edwardes suster on his mother syde To Edwarde came at Douer sore bested Where then his men a burges slewe that tyde Wherfore therle Goodwyn set full of pryde Asked the kyng to haue delyueraunce Of therls men to byde his ordynaunce ¶ Notwithstandyng that Burges slewe his knight For that same cause wherfore he it denyed But made peace then as he therle had hight Of Boleyne so his brother in lawe alied For whiche therle Goodwyn sore replied And warred sore vpon the kyng eche daye With his sonnes fyue in full great araye ¶ Not cōsideryng that kyng
bare with Iueles full royall And clothes ryche that were well ordynaté For that ylke feste and state imperyall Fro South vnto the Septentrionall Where then none suche accompted of rychesse As there were then as wryten is expresse The C .xxxviii. Chapiter ¶ How kyng William of Scotland made homage for Scotlande and then after his coronacyon at Westmynster he went to Fraunce and so to Ierusalem by the assent of the Kynge Phylippe THe bishop of Duresme on his right hande The bishop also of Bathe on his left syde The kīg of Scottes Willyā for Scotlād Made hym homage and feaute leege that tyde Kyng Rychard then to Fraūce with muche pride Anone so yode tharchebishop Bawdewyne With hym then went worthy clerkes and fyne ¶ Sir Rauf Fulgence erle of Perche then also Robert Ferrers erle of Lecester then With erles fell and barons many moo Of all this land went many a worthy then Of England and Scotland many a manne Of Ireland Wales Guyan and Normandy Then with hym went in that voyage on hie ¶ The kyng Philip shippid his hoste at Iene The kyng Rychard tooke the sea at Marsile With all his hoste without other meene Within short tyme arriued vp in Cisile Wher he full faire receiued was that while By kyng Tancred soonne of Wyllyam Whiche Wyllyā wed his suster Iohan by name ¶ The kyng Rychard twoo Isles ther cōquered Byside Cisile to his suster theim gaue To hir lyuyng and bade hir not bee fered For he should se hir dower she should haue Longyng to the right that she should craue And at Meschyne kyng Rychard then did make A Bastell strong the Sarsyns for to wake ¶ And sailed furth to Cipres then hy sea Wher his mother hym mete with dame Barnage The kyng his doughter of Nauerne faire free Whom ther he wed in lawfull mariage At Lymosyn in his pilgremage A citee great full of all habundaunce Whiche by assaute he gate of his puysaunce ¶ The kyng Rychard rode then to Nichosie And gate the citee with force and might The citee also of Cheryn mightely Wher his doughter and heire he toke full right To Buffenet and Baffe that were full wight To Dendamour and Candor his citees He went anone with greate felicitees ¶ He gate theim all all the realme throughout And toke the kyng Isaak and hym slewe And wed his doughter vnto the kyng full stout Of Ierusalem whose wife was dedde then newe That Sibill hight that doughter was mēne knewe Of Almarike kyng of Ierusalem The brother of Geffrey of Angeou hir eme ¶ This kyng Rychard that realme of Cipris wāne To whome the lordes echeone did their homage And anone by sea with many a manne To Acres wher in that ilke voyage He toke a ship of high and greate auantage Of ablementes for warre and ordinaunce The whiche he had with hym in gouernaunce ¶ But fiftene Sarsyns there he dreyncte And twoo hundred he kept that ship to gnie To Acres then wher kyng Philip full feyn◠Had sieged long without remedie But kyng Rychard of Acres toke in hie The stronger syde and gaue it greate affraies Late and erly bothe by nightes and dayes ¶ He gate it sone with his greate ordinaunce And on the walles his baners full hie he sette The kynges armes he sette vp also of Fraunce And kyng Guyes armes of Ierusalem well bette The duke of Oistrich Lympold without lette Set vp his armes after aboue theim all Whiche kyng Rychard did cast doūe ouer that wall ¶ With wages greate and riches manifold He ryched his mēne rode throughoute all Surry The citees all and castelles that he would He gate with force and came again in hie To castell Pilgrym whiche kyng Philip pleinly Beseged had full long and went his waye Whiche Rychard beseged in greate araye ¶ To the whiche there was no waye but one full straite On a cawsey with dikes depe and wyde Strongly walled with towres on to wayte With many drawe bridges wher none might go ne ryde Strongly cheined with barris on eche side Whiche castell then he gate in dayes ten With battaill sore wher he sleugh many menne ¶ The cheynes of yrone he stroke vp with his axe Bothe at Acres and at castell Pilgrym And brent theim all as thei had been of waxe Cheynes barres with muche might that tyme The Sarasyns also he slewe with muche gryme The kyng Philip fell sicke and home would gone To Fraunce anone and toke his menne echeone ¶ Vnto the duke of Burgoyn theim to lede To bide for hym vpon the warres there And home so went to Fraunce without drede Wher then he made greate warre and muche dere In Normandy and Guyan fouly hym bere Against his othe and his greate assuraūce At their passage by couenaunt and concordaunce The C .xxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Rychard sold the realme of Cipres to Statyn once an other tyme to the kyng Guy◠Lezinaunt to resorte to hym to his heires in de faute of issue of theim HE sold Cipresse to kyng Statyn of might An other tyme to Guy Lizenaūt full bold For great riches the resort again of right And for greate sommes of innumerable of gold His prisoners he raunsomed sore and sold But with his hoste full well he distribute All that he gate vnto their greate refute ¶ Ioppen he gate and it repaired newe He and the duke of Burgoyn full sore sought On the Soudan and felly did pursue To castell Assure fro whens he fled vnfought But kyng Rychard that of no perill rought Was hurt right ther with dartes venemous Fiue woundes sore mortall and perelous ¶ The droue hym then into Ierusalem And layed a sege about the citee rounde And kyng Rychard hard howe fro Egipt realme Came strong vitail and ryches in that stounde With full greate hoste the Christen to confounde By night he came and there theim discomfete With worship greate and farpassyng profite ¶ Gase he buylded full faire and Ascaloyn To the templers to whome afore thei longid He deliuered and made hym redy boun For to assayle the citee and haue fongid With might of menne laddirs full well hongid Engynes and gonnes greate stones for to cast Whiche to haue wonne thei were full like at last ¶ The Soudan out by night then stale awaye And Christen menne the citee gate anone And kyng Rychard with all the hoste his waye Toke to the Flum of Cedar on his foon He folowed fast with hoste as he might goon With the Soudan faught putte hym fro that feld And mightely fro hym he rest his sheeld The C .xl. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Rychard after he had putte hym to flight wonne his citee and castels in Surry Kyng Rychard gaue Ierusalem and that realme of Surry to his susters soonne Henry erle of Campanya with the heire Sibill to his wife and homewardwas takē prisoner in Oistrich but in his gift of Surrry 〈◊〉
his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
as the rose in Maye To Raufe was wed that was lorde Mortymer Of whome that earles of Marche become full clere ¶ Then went the kyng and quene to Gascâ—yne And Gwyan to set that lande in pees And so forth then he went to Aragon To sporte them with theyr father there no lees To Gwyan then agayne for his encrees He came anone and set in peace that lande And so came agayne to Englande The C .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyd atteynt his Iustices and sette enquery of peace breakers ryouters oppressours extorcyoners and of the vsurye of Iewes HIs Iustyces all by lawe he dyd attaynt For wrong domes false iudgement For couetyse that false were then faynt To helpe the poore coÌ„mons to theyr entent He set Iustyces in heyre by all assent That called was that tyme Troilebaston For to enquere of all extorcyon ¶ Of Ryouters fyghters and baratours Of market beters that raysed greate debates Of peace breakers and all the susteynours That were with theim of preuy assocyates Of oppressours of all the pore estates And all that were then founde culpable Emprysoned were or by theyr pursse excusable ¶ Of Iewes within this lande that was abidyng Great plaintes were made of Okoure and vsury Howe they dyd waste the folke by suche winning And preuy bondes made without measure In payne of double or elles forfeture The king theÌ„ voided for whiche that church a disme Hym graunted so dyd the coÌ„mons a quindecyme ¶ Rys Ap Madoke a warre in Wales gan take Agayne the kyng that great warres had sustened And prynce hym called of Wales without make Who then at Yorke by lawe full wel mainteyned On galous hye as to hym well apperteyned Was drawen and hanged his hed vpon the towre was set anon as rebell and traytoure The C .li. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmonde Earle of Lancaster and of Leycester kept Gwyan and wed quene Blaunche of Nauerne the kynges syster of Fraunce and therfore he bare the labell in his armes for dyfference fro the kynges of Englonde euer after KYng Edward sent his brother theÌ„ ful dere To kepe GuyaÌ„ and with him stroÌ„g chiualry Who gouerned there that land without pere To hye honoure as made is memorye In Fraunce sore dred amonge the aduersarye And other landes lyeng there all aboute Aboue all men he was there moste bedoute For euer he put them to the worse in felde In armes ay he had the victorye And in Parys at Iustes vnder shelde Far passyng was and dyd ay notably That for his manhode and famous chyualrye In so ferforth that all landes hym commende For his manhode whiche so in hym they kende ¶ He wed dame Blaunche of Nauerne that was quene King Philip sister that was ful good faire Of whome he gate Thomas of LaÌ„caster I wene And Henry his brother that afterwarde was heire And earles both they were without dispayre Of Lancaster and also of Leycestre As Flores hath expressed well by lettre ¶ For whiche weddyng and noble alyance He and his heyres bare for a difference Englande armes with labell hole of Fraunce By whiche all men maye haue intellygence That Edmonde was yonger in existence Then kyng Edward though some say that coÌ„trary And from the truth yet haue they wyll to vary The C .lii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the fyue portes toke the nauy of Fraunce on the seâ— in batell THe kyng of FrauÌ„ce a nauy great then seÌ„â— Vpon Englande to warre in great aray Which that .v. portes toke on the sea shent And people greate there slewe dreynt that daye Theyr shyppes all by batayl and affraye Were take and brought then into Englande With capitaynes many and lordes of that lande ¶ Kyng Philyp then at Parys in parlyament Somonde Edwarde afore hym to appere Surmittyng hym of robbery felonoment Vpon his flete so done by tymes sere For faute of aunswere foreiuged hym there Destroyed his land in eche place where he might But kyng Edwarde then went to Fraunce ryght ¶ And gate agayne his landes euerychone And sought ay where vpon the kyng of FrauÌ„ce But he fled euer and batayle wolde geue none Sone after so Philyp by ordynaunce A trewce toke by good ordynaunce For all his landes beyonde the sea To set in peace with all tranquilyte The C .liii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Morgan and Madoke his brother were sette in the towre for rebellyon in Wales made by comforte of kynge Phylip of Fraunce IN Wales Morgan made war great distaunce And Madoke also his brother ful vntrew For whiche the kyng with all his ordenauÌ„ce To Wales went faught with them all newe At straytes great whiche tho traytours knewe Yet were they take and put in sore pryson Within the towre for theyr rebellyon ¶ The kyng Philyp had sent then golde to waâ— On England then with sir Thomas Turbiruile Who was espyed by sotell meanes afferre And heded was anon for all his guyle His wyt not holpe hym then ne yet his wyle He dyed with shame repreef and vilany Engendred all of mede and surquedrye The C .liiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Earle Edmonde was Leuetenaunt of Guyan and warred vpon the kyng of Fraunce and defyed hym by letter for he brake the promyse made to Edwarde his brother kynge of Englande SIr EdmoÌ„d erle of Lancaster theÌ„ ful trewe LeuetenauÌ„t then of Guian all throughout On whom that king Philip then rode al new And brake the trewce with hostes great and stout Wherfore he went to hym without doubte To se howe that it myght be well defende He bade hym thus set to his knee and amende ¶ Wherfore in ire he gaue hym vp homage The whiche he ought for his lande that he helde And aunswered hym agayne of great corage From hens forwarde I shall you holde the felde And at my power eche daye vnder shelde Proue howe ye do vnto my lorde greate wronge The whiche I shall amende or it be longe And so departed withoute more langage And into Guyan came with all his myght And to his brother wrote made hym knowlage And bade hym come with power for to fyght With spere and bowe for other writ of ryght Maye not be got within the courte of Fraunce For to recouer his hye enherytaunce ¶ Eche day theÌ„ce forth with baÌ„ners hole displeyed He helde the felde and kyng Philyp warred And leters sent hym defyals and vmbrayde Of hys suraunce and othe that he had erred And castelles gate fâ—ll many not differred Kyng Edward sent his brother then suppowaile The Frenche partye to warre and assayle The C .lv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer was made Earle of Marche at Kyllyngworthe and set the rounde table of a thousande knyghtes and as many ladyes ANd in the yere a. M. was full then Two hundreth also syxty and nyntene When syr Roger Mortymer so began At Kelyngworth the rounde table as was sene Of a thousande knyghtes for disciplyne Of yonge men after he coulde deuyse Of turnementes and iustes to
exercyse ¶ A thousande ladyes excellynge in beaute He had there also in tentes hye aboue The iustes that they myght well clerely se Who iusted best there for theyr lady loue For whose beautie it should the knyghtes moue In armes so etchone other to reuie To geate a fame in playe of chiualrie ¶ This Mortimer was then lord Mortimer But in these iustes he held great feastes eche daye By fourty dayes conteined whole and clere At whiche one part of ladyes faire and gaye Gaue hym the price of fame of all that playe Wherfore the kyng to encrese his estate Proclamed hym erle of Marche there create The C .lvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmond erle of Lancaster and of Leicester faught at Bayon with the power of Fraunce and was slain there sir Wyllyam Valence erle of Pē broke was dedde ther and many other lordes in the yere a thousand twoo hundred four score sixtene BVt erle Edmond the kynges brother dere With twenty sixe baners proud stout The fifth daye of Iune was accompted clere Of Christ his date a thousand yere all out Four score and sixtene with out doubt At Bayon faught with the Frēchemenne certain Wher he in that feld that daye like a knight was slaine ¶ Sir Williā Valence erle of Pēbroke was thē Sir Iohn Rychmond and many other baron Sir Iohn saynct Iohn right a full manly māne Thenglishe hoste felly ther was bore doune By a busshement laied by colucion That brake on theim sore fighting in the feld Out of a wode in whiche that daye were beld The C .lvii. Chapiter WHen Iohn of Gaunt that sone of king Edwarde For cause his brother that duke was of Clarēce None yssue male had then that menne of herd But female by all intelligence When kyng Rychard in his greate excellence None yssue had he would haue been his heire Apparaunt then by act in perlyament feire ¶ The whiche Thomas Wodstok duke of Gloucester And all nobles of England ther present Proclaymed then by wrytyng and by letter Howe that therle of Marche then in perlyament Vnto the kyng was then heire apparaunt Wher duke Iohn in diuers places made Feined chronicles that shewed were full brade ¶ Howe this Edmond thelder soonne of kyng Henry Broke backed and bowbacked bore Was vnabled to haue the monarche And Edward so the younger kyng therfore Shuche chronicles then he feined full sore And putte in place of diuers religion To make his soonne right heire of this region ¶ But when kyng Henry this chronicle shewed It was defect and clerely sette at nought And vnderfoote cast doune and eke stroyed The contrarie by chronicles truly wrought Was proued trewe and then his title he sought By resignement and renunciacion By depoisale and playne coronacion ¶ It is not true that croke backed he hight For valyaunt he was in all his doynges And personable with all to euery mannes sight Although false chronicles haue other saiynges Kyng Alexander of Scotland then dyed That wedded had the kynges suster Margarete And Alexander his sonne beyng in thesame stede Who with Margatete his wife on the sea perished The C .lviii. Chapiter ¶ How Florēce erle of Holād his persuers boūd hym to vide the iudgement of the kyng Edward if he should be kyng of Scotlād FLorence therle of Holand his compeers That claimed then the croune of Scotlād After the death of Margaret as pursuers Came to kyng Edward then of England Requeryng hym in God his name all weldand As he that was of Scotland souereigne lord To trye the right and sette theim in accorde ¶ For whiche he sette at Norham a parliament After Easter then next folowyng In the kirke of Norham to that entent That all Scottes and other that were pursuyng Might ther appere their titles claymyng At whiche parliament the pursuantes theim bond At his decree and iudgement to stond ¶ By one letter with all their seales ensealed Whiche doublid was thei gaue vnto the kyng The other part for it should not be repeled Thei kept with theim selfes alwaye abydyng Which lettre Iohn Hardyng maker of this boke To kyng Hēry delyuered that gaue hym in recōpēce The manoure of Gedyngtō w e all that appurtenēce ¶ For whiche manoure then the cardinall Of Wynchester vnto the quene disposid In hir dower and fro hym toke it all When that the kyng by death was deposid Hym recompence he promised and composid But nought he had but might that prīce haue lyued He durst full eiuill his excellence haue greued ¶ An other letter duble in like wyse The saied heires deliuered to the kyng That other part as shuld of right suffice Semblably with theim was remainyng By whiche thei bound theim self by their sealyng Hym to delyuer the kyng his castels all To kepe to tyme his iudgement were byfall ¶ Of whiche iudgement without possession Of castell strong throughout ther all the lande He might not well dooen execucion Wherfore the heires to hym so their theim bound Whiche letter also Iohn Hardyng toke on hand And did deliuer so then at Boys Vincent For the saied reward together by one entent The C .lix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward made sir Iohn Balyoll kyng of Scotland AND in the yere of Christ his incarnacion A thousād whole two hūdred four scoure And therto three by verye computacion At the feast of sainct Michael set afore The kyng Edward to Scotland came therfore Wher twenty then chosen were of England And other twenty persones also of Scotland ¶ By whose aduyse all other rightes excl ude The kyng iudged to Iohn Bailyol the croune That was discent as clearely was conclude Of theldest doughter of Dauid of Huntyngdon As chronicles make therof good mencion Margarete wedded to Aleyne of Galawaye Whose doughter was kyng Iohns mother that day ¶ That Dernegull hight and was Iohn Bailiols wyfe Whose sonne heire kyng Iohn was thē cround That Bailioll hight that knowen was full ryfe In that mynster of Skone within Scotland groūd Syttyng vpon the regall stone full sound As all the kynges there vsed had afore On saynt Andrewes daye with all ioye therfore ¶ At Christmas nexte after the same kyng Iohn To Newcastell to kyng Edwarde came His homage made and feautee leege anone Of his free wyll without any blame And with greate ioye agayn retourned hame But then that Scottes chose theim .xii. lords by assēt To rule the kynge Iohn by their entent The C .lx. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande made confederacye with Fraunce agayn Englande WHiche made him then to make confederacy With kyng Philip of Fraunce and aliaūce Perpetually to be contributorie Ether with other by strong great assuraunce Englande to warre with al theyr hole puyssaunce The kyng Edwarde seynge this hye falshede To Barwike came with hoste and great māhede ¶ At the nonnes of Barwyke then he laye And layde a siege about on euery syde At after Easter but flemynges then that daye
The Leden hall there helde full strong that tyde Which with wylde fyre was brent might not byde That same night then syr Wyllym Duglas yald Barwyke castell to kyng Edwarde and salde The C .lxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande surrendred his homage to kyng Edwarde and disclaymed to holde of hym IN this same tyme .vii. erles of Scotlande Sieged Carleile and so to Hexham brent And home again harmeles out of EnglaÌ„d They went anone and none harmes hent Worse to haue dooen was there entent But then kyng Iohn surrendred vp his homage To kyng Edwarde for hym and his linage ¶ By letters whiche the kyng Edward then sent To abbeys great in Englande of recorde To be remembred of his false entente RenouÌ„cyng kyng Edwarde for his souerayn lord The seuen erles at Dunbarre by concorde Then sieged it fro whiche earle Patrike went And graunted to holde of hym at his entent The C .lxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Dunbarre where that kyng Edwarde preuayled WHiche castell so then the kyng rescowed And droaue therles there out of the felde And much people vnto the deth ther bowed Without helpe there slayne vnder shelde To Ronkesburgh the kyng Edward so held That sone was yelde to hym without stryfe Their good saufe also and theyr lyfe ¶ So he forth to Edenburgh went anone That yelden was on thesame condicion Then was Stryuelyn voyde and lefte alone Without defence or any garyson That Edwarde toke in his possession Whiche kyng Edwarde toke into his power And saued the people both farre and nere ¶ Then came therle of Vlster with great power Of Iryshemen and so to saynt Iohns towne The kyng theÌ„ went with host through Fyfe ful cher And brent that shire throughout both vpoÌ„ downe When then kyng Iohn by good direccion To Edwarde sent and prayed hym then of peace And to his grace submytte hym or he would cease ¶ TheÌ„ kyng Edwarde toke his submyssion At Brighyn then vpon the water of Taye And gaue hym there his realme without condicioÌ„ Of Scotlande so to hym and his for ay The lordes all made hym homage that daye The .x. daye was of Iuly and in the yere Of kyng Iohn then the .iiii. was counpted clere ¶ And therupon he sent hym to the toure Of London then with certeyne rebelles moo Kyng Iohn he kept in worshyp and honoure Like his estate where he would ride or god Ten myle about for his disport there so Then kyng Edwarde on the mountaynes went That monthes there bee called in theyr entent ¶ And as he came homewarde by Skone awaye The regall there of Scotlande then he brought And sent it forth to Westmynster for ay To be there in a cheire clenely wrought For a masse preaste to sytte in when he ought Whiche there was standyng besyde the shryne In a cheire of olde tyme made full fyne ¶ TheÌ„ made the kyng Iohn Wareyn his regeÌ„t That erle was then of Sussex and Surray And treasorer he made at his entent â—ugh Cressyngham and Wyllyam Ormesby The chiefe iustice through Scotlande generally His chaunceler at Skone and tresorer Abydyng wer to rule the land full clere ¶ TheÌ„ went kyng Iohn to FlauÌ„ders for socoure Of the dukes of Geldre and Brabant And also of the noble Emperoure That hym had hight great helpe socoure then But none he had and home agayn he want For in that meane tyme whyle he in FlauÌ„ders abode Wyllyam Valoys all Scotlande ouer rode ¶ He slewe the iudge and the chaunceler Thofficers also and the chaumberleyn The Capitaynes and the treasorer And gatte the lande fro Englyshmen agayn And slewe theim all with cruell death and payn Wherfore the kyng vpon the Maudeleyn day At Fowkirke fought with Scottes in great aray ¶ Where Scottes fled and fourty M. slayn And into Fiffes he went and brent it clene And Andrewstoune he wasted then full playn And Blakmanshire Menteth as men mene And on the ford of Trippour with hoste I ween To Bothbile Glascowe and to the towne of Are And so to Lanarke Longhmaban Anand thare ¶ Whiche all he had euer wher he came And then he wed kyng Philippes suster Margarete A fayre lady and full of noble fame Hir sonne and heire Edwarde Carnauan hete A mayden wed kyng Philippes doughter swete Whom his father then prince of Wales create Duke of Cornewayle erle of Chester nominate ¶ Then went the kyng to Scotlande agayn And wan the lande and had there all obeysaunce Sauyng Wales that would not hym obeyn But fled hym euer for drede of mischaunce He ordeyned then by statute ordinaunce That none should bee the prince of Wales more Excepte of the kyng his eldest sonne first bore The C .lxiii. Chapiter ¶ How the byshop of Rome at the suggestion of the Scottes wrote to kyng Edwarde vnder this fourme ANd in the yere a thousande CCC one Bishop Boniface at that Scottes suggestioÌ„ To kyng Edward by lettre wrote anone Chargyng hym then vpon his beneson For to delyuer the Scottes out of pryson Whiche in Englande he had holden with wrong And his officers call home that there had be long ¶ Alledged all howe Scotlande hole was holde Of Peters churche of Rome nought of hym But by great wrong and oppression bolde He theim ouerled with warres sore and brym And theim compelled in payn of lyfe and lymme To become his men the realme of hym to holde By homage leege whether they wold or nolde ¶ And bad hym also afore hym then appere At the courte of Rome his right there for to shewe And yf it myght beknowe his right were clere Without delay by iudgement iuste and trewe He shulde it haue by execucion due By sensours of theyr churche and hole sentence For to obeye his hie magnificence The C .lxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde wrote agayn an aunswer of his lettre THeÌ„ kyng Edward wrote vnto hym agayn An aunswere by his letters meke and due All his tytles and duties full playne Nought in fourme neuer in effecte to sue Nor in his courte no iudgement to pursue Remembryng well his fatherhede Nowe Brutus had Albian and dyd it possede ¶ In Hely tyme whiche to his sonnes he deuyde Vnto his sonne Locryne fyrste propogate He gaue Logres that hath this tyde To Albanacte the seconde procreate He gaue Albanye Scotlande nowe denomynate And to Cambre his yongest sonne he gaue Cambre that nowe is Wales to ioye and haue ¶ To kyng Locrine of Logres and to his heires The soueraynte and homage ay reserued Of Albanacte and Cambre and all theyrs Perpetually Troyan lawe obserued By which lawes Bryton hath bene conserued Sith hitherwarde without interrupcyon Afore the tyme that Rome had prescrypcion ¶ Afore the tyme also that Chryste was bore By many yeres the kynges of Logres had Scotlande by eschete for faute of heyres thore And remeued kynges that were there knowen bad And other kynges there made with hertes glad
mikell of Yorkshire discomfited that archebishop of Yorke his clergy at Milton on swale THe kyng Edward began to siege Berwyk like And wonne it had but false tales it let And tidinges newe that nought the kyng did For Robert Bruys the kyng of Scotlande mette With the bishop of Yorke and hym ouersette Wherfore he loste the siege and went awaye But Bruys had stroyed England in fell araye ¶ To Borough brydge by east and west he brent And home agayne with many a prysoner Without harme or lette of his entent With mykell good but in Myton medowe nere To Swale water laye then with great power Walter Wareyn among the hay kockes bushed Vpon the byshop sodenly with Scottes yssued ¶ And .xv. hundreth Englyshe there he slewe And home he went with kyng Edward full glad With prysoners many mo then men knewe The byshop fled fro the felde full woo bestad With his clerkes that then were full mad For whiche therle Thomas of Lancastre there And kyng Edward depatted halfe in werre The C .lxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe at the nexte parliamente after Thomas of Lancaster and Leycester erle and certayne lordes exiled the twoo Spencers out of the land but then that Spencers made great persecucion with the kyng agayn the lordes and slewe the erle of Lancaster and the other lordes AT the parliameÌ„t theÌ„ at westminster next hold Erle Thomas that then was called ful trewe Th erle Vmfrey of Herford that was bold Th erle of Marche full manly as men knewe The Monbrey also Percy and Clyfford drewe All armed came and two Spencers exiled Out fro Englande neuer to be reconsyled ¶ But sone the Spencers came to that kyng again Syr Hugh the lorde and syr Hugh his sonne And put therle of Marche in great disdayn Roger his sonne that with hym did wonne Appeched hym then of hye treason Agaynst the kyng wherfore the kyng hym sent Into the toure tabyde the parliament ¶ Then went the kyng and Spencers both two With hostes full great to Burton vpon Trent Where the lordes laye and sparled theim then so That north they went then wayes by one assente To rayse mo men they trust in theyr entent The Spencers two fully for to destroye Who all the realme full cruelly did noye ¶ At Borinbrig syr Andrewe Hertlaw met With erle Vmfrey of Herford and hym slewe And toke the erle Thomas without let And to the kyng that then to Pountfret drewe Where then were sette vpon hym iudges newe Th erle Edmound of Arondell for iustice And syr Robert Mapilthorpe his enemyes ¶ There he was headed anone vpon the hyll And buryed was there in a chapell fayre Henry his brother stode at the kynges wyll Whom the kyng graunted to bee his heyre That wedded then Alyce without despayre The doughter and heyre of therle Henry Lacy Of Lyncolne so graunted by the kynges mercy ¶ WyllyaÌ„ fitz Wareyn many another knight In diuers shyres some hanged and some head That hold with hym or with his compeers right Syr Bartholomewe Badelismore without rede Drawen and hanged and put to foul dead Roger Clyfford and Iohn Monbraye barons Headed then were for theyr rebellions ¶ Th erle of Marche syr Roger Mortymer His sonne Roger foriuged were for treason And by the kyng of death pardoned were And put were then in perpetuall pryson Into the towre for that same encheson Fro that tyme forth the Spencers other excede The quene was but an hand mayden in dede ¶ To tyme the kyng to her brother hir sent And also his sonne Edwarde to dooen homage For Guyen so to haue at his entente And for they dwelled so long in that viage The kyng theim had suspecte of theyr message By councell of the Spencers theim exiled As in chronicle pleynly is compiled ¶ The kyng then made and playnly did create Andrewe Hertlawe erle then of Carlele Whiche tyme the kyng Robert full fortunate Rode all the east Marche full proudly and well The byshopryke and Yorkeshire euery dele Andrewe Hertlawe erle of Carlele absent To Lancastre hym drewe in false entente ¶ The kyng Robert was passed home agayn With prayes greate and many prysoners Fro Humber north the people downe were slayn Of whiche the kyng and all his councelers Blamed therle Andrewe and his compeers For he had men enough with hym arayed The Scottes all that might haue slayn frayed ¶ He hight the kyng haue brought to hym great powers Into yorkshyre held nothing his hight Therfore the kyng by counsell of the Spencers Gaue charge to take hym either by daye or night Or kyl hym downe wher they mete with hym might To all shryues was sent this commaundement Fro Trent northwarde by writtes maundemeÌ„t The C .lxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer the younger wente oute of the toure of London went into Fraunce to the quene of Englande and to the prince Edwarde hir soonne and also howe the lorde Lucye tooke syr Andrewe Hertlawe erle of carlele and headed hym at Carlele for treason THen â—r Roger the yongest Mortimer Made his kepers dronke and went away Out of the toure by night other in feer And into Fraunce anone he toke his waye Vnto the quene Isabell in poore araye And bode with her at hyr gouernaunce All tyme that she was soiournyng in Fraunce ¶ And then Antony Lucye lorde of Cokirmouth Syr Robert Lowther with other many in feere At Carlele toune as knowe was full couth Toke syr Andrewe Hertlawe with mekill steeâ— They put on hym he toke royall power In truce takyng with therle of Murrey Withouten power in trayterous araye ¶ In wrongyng of the kynges hye estate And of his right full great derogacion And howe he toke greate golde immoderate Of kyng Edwarde through cauelacion To bryng hym power for his supportacioÌ„ Agayn the kyng Robert that then destroyed His lande full foule and had hym self anoyed ¶ And howe he had the people hole withdrawe With hym Westwarde by false confederacie Betwene hym and therle of Marrowe Couened fully before cast traytorie Wherfore they drewe hym first all openly And hanged after and to London sent Vnto the kynge his head for great present The C .lxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the quene Isabell treated mariage of one of the doughters of therle of Henaulde for hir sonne Edwarde to haue to wife by thauice of her brother kyng Charles came to Englande with great power and toke that kyng and slewe his counsell for treason THere by aduise and good consyderacion Of the kyng of Fraunce her brother dere Quene Isabell accorded for supportacion Hir sonne should wed one of the doughters clere Of therle of Henauld that fyue then were Through whose succour she hir sonne Edward Toke then the sea to Englande warde ¶ Erle Edmond of Kent then with her came Kyng Edwardes brother syr Aymer valence Erle of Penbroke whiche came with hir fro hame And Mortymer the yonger in hir presence Henauldes and Frenche with great
couth Full mekill skyll of a woman alwaye That so couth chese a lady that was vncouth And for that mery woordes that came of his mouth Thei trowed he had right great experience Of womanes rule and hir conuenience ¶ Kyng Robert Bruys smitten in lepry dyed To whom his soonne Dauid then did succede And crouned was for kyng and notified His wife also was crouned quene in deede Kyng Edwardes suster she was then as I rede Sir Roger then that was lord Mortimer With Isabell the quene was holden dere ¶ Through hardinesse of whiche he wasted clene The kyng his tresour as was notified For whiche Henry erle of Lancastre for tene Rose with greate hoste as then was fortified To haue withstand and clerely haue replied The wantonnes of Roger Mortymer That was that tyme the quenes playfeer ¶ But treated he was to sitte in rest and peace Notwithstandyng at the coronacion Of kyng Edward chose he was without lees His custode then for good informacion Of the kyng his persone and preseruacion But quene Isabell and the Mortimer Would not suffre ne while that so it were ¶ Edmond Wodstok that then was erle of Kent By kyng Edward of Carnaruan create Whose brother he was by quene Isabelles entēt And Mortimer his mighty and greate estate Arested was and stode repudiate At Winchester foriudged in parliament And hedid there again the common assent ¶ A brother he had hight Thomas of Brothertō Erle of Northfolk and marshall of England That of his death made none execucion For lordes all the greatest of the land Full sory were but nought thei tooke on hand Fro noone till euen without the castell gate He stoode condempned as a repudiate ¶ Whome then at euen a boye of the marshalse Stroke of his hedde for whome the lordes than And commons all displeased were inwardly At Notyngham sone after thei began Wher Mortimer therle of Marche then Arested were and his soonne sir Roger And to the toure of London sent thei were ¶ On sainct Andrewes daye thei wer drawe and hong At London so by dome of the parlyament At Westminster holden by processe long Sir Simond Bedford was of their assent Drawe and hanged therfore thei went And fro the quene his mother he resumed His landes all for she had so consumed ¶ His treasour foule and all his greate riches He putte hir to hir dower and nomore To liue vpon at the frere minours doubtles Wher she had not been brought before And there she dyed and buryed is therfore At London nowe full feire and reuerently Wher she had dwelt long full honourably ¶ Edward Baylioll to claim Scotland thē went And with hym went sir Gilbert Vmfreuile Claimyng to bee erle by his whole entent Of Angeous then as chroniclers compile Sir Henry Beaumont also went that while His heritage to gette and to conquere Therledome of Boughan should bee his clere ¶ Henry Percy with Edward Bailioll went Galoway to claime as for his heritage By shippe thei went all whole by one assent At Rauensporne and landed with greate corage At Kincorne wel in Fyfe by all knowlage Dauid Strabolgy erle of Athellis by right With theim thē went for his landes ther to fight ¶ Thei were accōpted twoo M. fightyng menne And fiue hundred byside the mariners At their landyng their shipis thei brent right then And bored some and sanke at good leysers Thei thought theim self of good strong powers Thei toke none hede of shippis home again But landeway ride for all the Scottes dain ¶ Thei toke none hede nor yet consideracion Of thousandes many ne of greate multitude As lordes dooe nowe of commons congregacion But putte their cause to god his hie excelsitude And in their owne handes solicitude At Kincorne then faught with therle of Fyffe Discomfit hym and fled awaye with life ¶ His menne were slain vpon the feld echeone Thē Robert Bruys the bastard soōne their Guyde The lord Seton with power came anone And newe battaill theim gaue with mekell pryde That noumbred were ten thousand on their side Whiche slain were all for thei would take none Saufe the chiefteynes that fled awaye alone ¶ The kyng Edward Baylioll with his power To Dunfermelyne abbey then furth so went Wher in Glasinore that Scottes then sembled were Fourty thousand full proud in their intent And all were slain without suppowelment Th erle of Marre and therle of Murray Th erle of Carryk and Menth dyed that daye ¶ And after soone at Deplyng More mette Sir Neel Bruys with ten thousand in feer That slain were there and to therth doune beet The Englishe had the feld that daye full clere Their ordinaunce was to take no prisoner Wherfore thei slewe the Scottes without mercie Lest newe bataill came on theim in hie ¶ At these battailles afore that been wrytten Sixty thosaund Scottes slain and mortefied Were more with prees as afterward was weten Then with mānes hand thei were so feel multiplied Echeone on other of pride so reuied Without rule of marcill gouernaunce Thei smored were by their contrariaunce ¶ And but twoo knightes thirty thre squiers Whiche ther were dedde of the Englishe power In foure battailles faught with axe swerd speris At Diplyng Moore fro tyme the soōne rose clere To three after noon as saieth the chronicler Within seuē dayes thei smote these .iiii. battailies As chronicles make full clere rehersailes ¶ Thē wēt thei furth vnto sainct Iohns towne That was replete and full of all vitaile And kept the toune with manly direccion Archebald Douglas and erle Patrik no faile Of Dunbarre then the toune began tassaile With thirty thousand but there thei were well bet With cast of stones and greate defence ouerset ¶ The citees then and tounes to the sea side At their costage to Scotland sent a flete To helpe our lordes and get theim good that tide And with the shippis of Scotland for to mete And so thei did and sore theim all to bete And brought theim home and some with wildfyre brēt In Taye water and some thei sanke shent ¶ Wherfore the Scottes the siege then forsooke Thenglish lordes at Skone the kyng did croune Edward Baliol the soonne was who will looke To Iohn Baliol kyng of that region Whome then afore Henry Beaumount brought Frome Baliol wher he was lord in Fraunce As his aunceters had been of remembraunce ¶ This kyng Edward Baliol his fooes sought And at Rokisburgh faught ▪ with therle of Murrey Discomfited theim in battaill sore ther fought And to Duresme sent hym fro thens awaye Ther to bee kept in siker strong araye Then sir Archbald Douglas and erle Patrike Then of Dunbar their kyng thought to bee swi 〈…〉 ¶ Thei toke with hym a trewce to Candylmasse From October in trust of whiche he sent Thenglishe lordes to England home expresse Trustyng he had been sure in his entente All was falshede that the two erles ment For they vphelde Dauid in tendre age Kyng Robartes sonne
¶ Earle of Salisbury in kyng Edwardes soule there In lyke maner were sworne and biheste The .xix. daye then of Ianyuere The yere of Christ a. M. then was seste Thre hundreth and two and fourty at leest When these trues were taken so and sealed For afterwarde they shulde not be repeled The C .lxxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Henry duke of Lancaster went to Guyan in that yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth .xlv. And of the batayle of Cressy in the yere of Christe a thousand thre hundeeth fourtye and syxe ANd then Henry duke of Lancaster create Went to Guyen with many bolde baron Where then he gate the cytees of estate And castelles fele many a walled towne And made the lande Englyshe both vp doune And to the kyng Edwarde obeied as they ought And great worshyp and ryches there he caught ¶ And in the yere a thousande and CCC gone Syxe and fourtye kyng Edwarde at Cressy Met with Philyp of Valoyes there anone That kyng of Fraunce was by intrusery At whiche batayle Edwarde had the victorye And with honoure and myght there gate that felde And Philyp fled and caste there doune his shelde ¶ And his eldest sonne with hym went awaye With an hundreth banners in her company The kynges of Beme were slayne that daye And of Maliogres there full manfully The dukes of Alaunson also theim by And of Loreyn slayne were in batayle And earles fyue without any fayle ¶ Of Flaunders Bloys Harcourt Melayne Of gentyls and other without any Essayne And of Guntpre were there in batayle slayne Fyue score thousande the twenty daye certayne And syxe also of Auguste accompted playne The kyng Edwarde had all the victorye The kyng Philyp had all the vilanye ¶ The king Dauid theu of Scotland with power To Duresme brent where on saynt Lukes daye The archbyshop with his clergye clere And syr Gylbert Vnifreuyle in good araye The Lorde Percy the Neuyle then laye With all the north a lytell frome Duresme Wher then they faught on that king Dauid came ¶ And take he was that yere of Christe was then A thousande full thre hundreth fourty and syxe Full sore wounded full lyke he was a man And also of his lordes mo then fyue or syxe Brought to London priuely through Essex For lordes shulde not hym take with greate power From Iohn of Coupland that was his taker clere ¶ And in the towre of London then kept in warde To tyme the king were come home out of Fraūce That then in Fraunce mo castelles to regarde And townes walled goten by his hye puissaunce Then had the kyng Philip in gouernaunce And lyke was then all Fraūce to haue conquerde With his alies he made that lande afferde The C .lxxxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the greate pestylence in the yere of Chryste a thousand thre hundreth fortye and nyne and the yere nexte after the kynge wente vnto Fraunce and the prynce of Wales vnto Guyan ANd in the yere of Christ clerly accompted A thousande hole thre C. fourty nyne The pestilence was in England amoūted That kyng Edward newe warre ganne ymagine The nexte yere after agayne Fraunce fyne Thether he went prince Edward then went With greate power to Guien as Regent ¶ The kyng then put his sonnes yonge of age In Fraunce then forth in mighty gouernaunce Syr Lyonell Earle of Vlster in wage Regent of Fraunce hym made by ordynaunce Syr Iohn of Gaunt to haue hole attendaunce Of all the hoste as hye and greate constable To whiche he was accompte that tyme full able ¶ Sir Edmonde Langeley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage To their banners them put for worthynesse To haue rule in that worthy viage Whiche prynces fyue approued in yonge age There was no king christen had such sonnes fiue Of lyklynesse and persones that tyme on lyue ¶ So hye and large they were of all stature The leste of them was of persone able To haue foughten with any creature Singler batayle in actes marcyable The byshops wit me thinketh was cōmendable So wel coulde chese the princesse that them bare For by practyse he knewe it or by lare The C .lxxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kynge of Fraunce was taken prysoner at the batayle of Poyters the yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth fyftye and syxe IN the yere of Christe a M accōpted right Thre hundreth and syxe and fyfty mo The prince Edward at Poytexs sore dyd fyght The .xix. day of September was tho Where kyng Iohn of Fraunce his sonne also He toke and had the felde with victorye His eldst sonne then fledde fro hym cowardly ¶ The kyng Dauyd died and lette his hostage For his raunsome lygge ay forth in Englande The yere a thousande CCC by knowlage Eyght and fyftye as I can vnderstande And payde not yet ne quyt not out his bonde Ne his hostage he wolde not so displease To delyuer ne putte theim fro their ease ¶ The quene Isabell the quene of Scotlande Her doughter was and kyng Dauyds wyfe Sone after dyed and buryed I vnderstande At the graye Freres in lande knewen full ryfe The whiche that quene Isabell founded in their lyfe Full fayre entombed wrought full rychely Where the two Quenes reste full honorably The C .lxxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the seconde pestylence and the greate wynde and earthquake the yere a thousande CCC lxi ANd in the yere of Christ a. M. wryten Thre hundreth also syxtye and one The .ii. pestylence reigned as was weten Duke Henry dyed for whome was mekyll mone Dame Blaunche his doughter full faire of fleshe and bone His heire was then whom Iohn of Gaūt did wed The duchy by hir had men saied he had well sped ¶ In that same yere was on sainct Maurys day The greate winde and earth quake meruelous That greately gan the people all affraye So dredfull was it then and perelous Specially the wind was so boistous The stone walles steples houses and trees Were blow doune in diuerse ferre coūtrees ¶ And in the yere a thousand three hundred also Sixty and foure kyng Iohn of Fraunce dyed In London then in Sauoy had been sicke The dukes palice of Lancastre edified Full royally as it is notified His boweles buryed at Poules with royaltee His corps in Fraunce with all solempnitee ¶ In that same yere sir Iohn Moūtfort of newe Duke of Brytain was by heritage As heire male his title was act trewe At Orrers faught again the Frenche linage Sir Charles de Bloys that clauned by mariage The duchy whole of Brytain by the might Of his wise wher he was slain by might ¶ Duke Iohn of Gaunt was at that battaile Sir Edmond also of Langley his brother dere Sir Iohn Chaundos treated without faill All daye and faught at eue through his aūswere Whiche treaty is yet oft remembred here For Chaūdos trewce that treted all daye to night And made bothe parties at eue together fight ¶ At whiche battaill duke
enquired At Westmynster buried in royall wyse As to suche a prince of reason ought suffice ¶ Who was the first of Englyshe nacion That euer had right vnto the croune of Fraunce By succession of bloode and generacion Of his mother without variaunce The whiche me thynketh should be of moste substaūce For Christ was kyng by his mother of Iudee Whiche sykerer side is ay as thynketh me ¶ And of his pedegre vnto the croune of Fraūce With his bloode wherof he is discent Within this booke without any varyaunce Mencion is made only to this entente That reders by all good auysemente The title of his right and heritage May well conceyue and haue therof knowlage The C .lxxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Richarde the seconde kyng of Englande and of Fraunce began to reigne the yere a thousand thre hundreth .lxxvii. and was deposed by parliamente in the yere a. M CCC .cxix. and the .xxii. yere of his reygne RIchard his heyre that sōne of prīce Edward Crowned was then with all solempnitee By all the lordes and barons hole award Obeying hole vnto his maiestee Who that tyme was in tendre iuuensee Of eleuen yere fully accompted of age When he had so his croune and heritage ¶ And kyng was called of Englāde of Fraūce In Iune the .xxii. daye full clene Of Christes death without variaunce A thousande was thre hundreth sixty to neuen And .xvii. yere therwith to beleuen When the two realmes fell to hym by discente As nexte heyre to kyng Edwarde thexellent ¶ And in the yere a thousande thre hundreth mo Sixty adioynt and therwith all nynetene The thyrde pestilence reigned in Englande so So sore that moste parte of the people clene Dyed awaye as through the realme was sene And of his reignes of Eglande and of Fraunce The thyrde yere was by very remembraunce ¶ And of his reigne in Iune then the .v. yere And of our Lorde a thousande then accompted Thre hundreth eke .iiii. score and one full clere The commons rose an hūdreth thousād amoūted Of Kent and Essex whiche that tyme surmounted The kynges power and all the hie estates For whiche the lordes fled then as exulates ¶ And lefte the kyng alone then in the toure With tharchbyshop of Cauntorbury there so And the priour to been his gouernoure Of Clerken well whiche the commons heded tho And brought the kyng forth with theim to go They asked hym all bondmen to bee free And taxe none euer after payed to bee ¶ They asked eke Iake Strawe Wat Tiler To bee made dukes of Essex and Kente To rule the kyng thens forth in peace and warre For they bee wyse of royall regiment Thus tolde they the kyng all theyr entent The whiche he graunte in all thyng by and by For he durste no poynt then theim denye ¶ Afore Iake Strawe that kyng thē stode hodlesse Of which Walworth the Mayre of Londō trewe Areasoned hym then of his greate lewdenesse With a dagger in Smythfelde then hym slewe The citezens with hym then strongly drewe And slewe theim downe and put theim to flight And brought the kyng into the citee right ¶ The cōmons brent the Sauoye a place fayre For eiuill wyll they had vnto duke Iohn Wherfore he fled northwarde in great dispayre Into Scotlande for socoure had he none In Englande then to whō he durste make moone And there abode tyll commons all were ceased In England hole and all the lande well peased ¶ The .xx. daye of Maye nexte folowyng And one therwith as calculers it knowe The date of Christ a thousande then beynge Thre hundreth also foure score two on rowe Th earth quake was whiche that tyme I sawe That castelles walles toures and steples fyll Houses and trees and cragges fro the hyll ¶ And in the yere afore kyng Richarde wed Quene Anne vpon saynt Agnes day that floure That doughter was as I haue sene and red Vnto the kyng of Beeme and Emperoure And suster also vnto his successoure Themperour of Rome that Segemond hight Who to kyng Henry in Englāde came full right The C .lxxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard wente into Scotlande in the yere a thousande three hundreth and .lxxxvi. and in his reygne the .x. yere and howe he create two dukes of Yorke and of Gloucestre ANd in the yere of Christ a thousande so Thre hūdreth also foure score .vi. ther tyl And of his reigne the .x. yere and mo The kyng Richard with hoste went at his wyl In to Scotlande his corage to fulfyll To Edinburgh and brent the lande also Without lettyng there of any foo ¶ At London so then at his parlyament He made therle of Cambrydge his vncle dere The duke of Yorke to be incontynent And so he was proclaymed there full clere That Edmonde hyght of Langley of good chere Glad and mery and of his owne ay lyued Without wronge as chronicles haue breued When all the lordes to councell and parlyament Went he wolde to hunte and also to hawekyng All gentyll disporte as to a lorde appent He vsed aye and to the pore supportyng Where euer he was in any place bidyng Without suppryse or any extorcyon Of the porayle or any oppressyon ¶ He made also the earle of Bokyngham Thomas Wodstoke that same daye and create His other vncle duke of Gloucester by name Proclaymed hole and so denominate With his brother to be consociate The foxe tayle he bare ay on his spere Where he so rode in peace or elles in warre ¶ The kyng then made that duke of yorke by name Maister of the mewhouse his haukes fayre Of his venery and mayster of his game In what countree he dyd repeyre Which was to hym without any dispeyre Well more comforte and great gladnesse Then bene a lorde of worldly greate rychesse ¶ His vncle Thomas the duke then of Gloucester And wed the doughter then of therle of Herforth By whiche he had by writyng by letter The Constablery of Englande then ay forth Both by South Est West and North By herytage of his wyues lande and ryght Of auncyent tyme by kynges graunt hyght ¶ And in the yere of kyng Richarde elleuen The duke Thomas that was of Gloucester Henry the earle of Derby dyd beleuen With hym by worde and also by his letter The earle Marshall did so then for the better Th erle Beanchampe of Warwyk by his name Of Arundell the earle dyd the same ¶ These lordes fyue together boldely sworne Agayne Robert Veer then duke of Irelande The kinges pleasure one of age both like borne Whom he loued moste as they could vnderstand With batayl stronge at Rotcot bryge toke on hād To fyght with hym where then he fled awaye Ouer Thamis without retourne for ay The C .xc. Chapiter ¶ Of the great parlyament where the fyue lordes foriuged that duke of Irelande and his compeers AT Lenton nexte accompted in the yere At London then the king set his parliamēt At westminster to hold
Seyng the youth then of the Mortimer That erle of the Marche by trewe direccion Was then and heire of England then moste nerâ— To kyng Richarde as well then did appere Consydred also the might of duke Henry They chose hym kyng there durst none it deny ¶ Th erle of Northumberlande then had sent His power home by councell of duke Henry So did his sonne Henry that truly ment Supposyng well the duke wolde not vary From his othe ne in no wyse contrary And he and his kepte all theyr power Tyll he was crouned kyng as it did appere ¶ Therles two then of Northumberlande Of Worcester and syr Henry Percy And theâ—â—e also of Westmerlande Councelled hym then fro his oth not to varye And though at eue he did to theim applie On the morowe by a pryue counsayl He would be crouned kyng without fayle The C .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the fourth kyng of Englande and of Fraunce was electe by that hole parliament the morowe after Michelmasse daye the yere of our Lorde a thousande thre hundreth foure score and nynetene and reigned .xiiii. yere died at Westmynster the .xix. daye of Marche in the yere of Christe a thousande foure hundreth and .xiii. and of his owne reygne the .xiiii. yere THis duke Henry by great loue of the land Of many lordes and of the commontee Tharchebyshop Arondell toke on hande To croune hym then in royall maiestee On saynt Edwardes day with great solempnitee But kyng he was the morowe after Mighelmesse His reygne begynnyng that day without distresse ¶ Th erle of Warwike and therle of Arondell That exiled were and the Lorde Cobham eke With all theyr frendes that kyng Richard did expell The dukes frendes of Gloucester nought to seke Whiche then began for to encrease and eke Through all the realme with kyng Henry to staÌ„d To croune hym kyng that tyme of all Englande ¶ An hundreth thousande cryed all at ones At Westmynster to croune hym for kyng So hated they kyng Rychard for the nones For his mysrule and wrong gouernyng For taxes and for blanke charters sealyng For murder of duke Thomas of Woodstoke That loued was well more then all the floke ¶ The great parliament then he made rehersed The dukes of Almarle Excestre and Surry He depryued and the iudgement reuersed That then was made gaue full wylfully Agayne Woodstoke and Warwyke for enuie Arondell and the lorde Cobham full trewe Whiche was reuersed and reuoked newe ¶ The duke of Almarle was then erle Rutlande The duke of Surry erle of kent was agayn And eke the duke of Excester I vnderstande Of Hungtyngdon therle was to be fayn The marques eke of Dorset was full bayn Of Somerset erle agayn to bene He chastised theim no feller as was sene ¶ Th erle of Gloucester was lord Spencer Then set agayn to his first estate The kyng then made his eldest sonne full clere The prince of Wales in parliament hole create Duke of Cornewayle and erle denominate Of Chester also that then was yong of age But yet he was that tyme of hye courage The C .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng gaue the Constablerie and the Marshalsee to therles of Northumberlande and Westmerlande wyth certayn landes and how syr Robert Vmfreuile was made knight of the Garter capitayn of Rokesburgh faught on fote on Fulhoplewe and wan the feld with victorie and was made lorde Vmfreuile AT this tyme that kyng grauÌ„ted by parliameÌ„t The Constablery certayn of Englande In heritage so at his coronoment To therle then of Northumberlande Also of Man thifle I vnderstande To holde of hym and of his heyres alwaye By seruyce royall as wrytten was that daye ¶ And to therle of Westmerlande also The Marshalsee of Englande then he gaue All Richemond fee that was in Englande tho By patent also for terme of life to haue The lordes all he pleased so God me saue With office ay orels with lande or rent With liberall herte as to a prince appent ¶ And whyles that parliament so did endure The Scottes rode by North and sore had stroyed In Cokedale then where Vmfreuyle had cure That with theim faught had theim sore anoyed At Fulhaplowe on fote he theim acloyed For there he toke syr Richard Rotherforde His sonnes fyue full fell of dede and worde ¶ Syr Wyllyam Stiwarde also he toke The lorde of Gordowne he put to flight And Willibarde the felde there then forsoke And prisoners brought home well mo at night Then he had men with hym the felde to fight For whiche the kyng hym had ay after in cherte Consyderyng well his knightly aperte The C .xcix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng Henry remeued kyng Richard from place to place by night in preuey wise in whiche tyme theries of Kent Salisbury and Huntyngdon the lorde Spencer and syr Raulfe Lomley were headed THe kyng theÌ„ sent kyng Richard to Ledis There to be kepte surely in preuitee Fro theÌ„s after to Pykeryng weÌ„t he nedes And to Knauesburgh after led was he But to Pountfrete last where he did die Bothe therles of Kent and Salisbury Th erle of Huntyngdon and SpeÌ„cers sothelye ¶ And syr Raulfe Lomley with mo in company After Christmasse thought to haue slayn the kyng They were distured and fled awaye in hye But they were slayn at Circester fleyng By the commons with theim there fyghtyng Therles of Kent and of Salysbury And syr Raulfe Lomley in theyr companye ¶ The lorde Spencer take was vpon the sea At Bristowe was headed and decollate Th erle also of Huntyngdon did flee And brought vnto the countesse of estate Of Herforde then who had hym forth algate To Plasshe where she made men hym hede Without counsayll of any lorde or rede ¶ Syr Thomas shelly set full hye in pride And Mawbleyn with Ferebye drawe and honge Syr Barnard Brockeys was heded theim beside The byshop also of Carleile theim among In Westmynster his life there to prolonge Perpetually by iudgement was commytte Among his brethren in order for to sytte The CC. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard was brought deade froÌ„ Pountfret to Powles and after buried at Langley for menne shoulde haue no remembraunce of hym And howe syr Robert Vmfreuyle faught with that Scottes at Redeswere and had the felde and the victorye IN march next after kig Rychard theÌ„ was dede Fro Poumfret brought with great solempnyte Men sayde forhungered he was lapped in lede At Poules his masse was done and diryge In hers royall semely to royalte The kyng lordes clothes of golde there offerde Some .viii. some .ix. vpon his hers were proferde ¶ At Westminster then dyd they so the same When truste he shuld there haue buryed bene In that mynster lyke to a prynce of name In his owne tombe together with the quene Anne that afore his fyrste wyfe had bene But then the kyng hym faste to Langley sent There in the freres to be buryed secretement ¶ On Michelmasse day next after his coronacioÌ„
Sir Robert then my mayster Vmfreuyle At Redeswyres withoute excusacyon With Richarde Rotherforde fought that whyle And toke the stewarde as I can compyle And Iames Douglas with the lorde Seton And prisoners many for to geue raunson ¶ Two hundreth men vpon that felde were slayne Thre hundreth fled some hole some maymed sore That dyed at home with sorowe and with payne Some died homeward the home they came nomore Where so he fought vnto his men right thore A mery worde he wòlde saye or they met To glad theyr hartes enemyes to ouerset ¶ The .ii. yere of his reygne then he went In haruest tyme so into Scotlande And Edenburgh with the countre brente In whiche tyme the Scottes brent our lande All Bamburgh shyre in Northumberlande For both wardeyns with the kyng were gone No wardeyne there but husbandes by their owne The CC .i. Chapiter ¶ Howe Owen of Glendoure rose in Wales againe the king and made warre on the lorde Gray Ruthin and toke the lorde Graye and syr Edmonde Mortymer THe king came home and to London went At Michelmasse wher thē he had message That Owen Glendoure then felly blent In Englande sore and did full great damage For cause the lorde Graye helde his herytage And to the kyng of it full sore had playned No remedye gate so was he then demeaned ¶ The lorde Gray Ruthin did hym great wrong Destroyed his lande and he did hym the same So both Marches destroyed were full longe But Owen wanne him selfe eche day great name Of vasselrie of gentyls and of fame That he them did for whiche to him they drewe And became his men to him were full trewe ¶ So on a daye the lorde Graye and he met With great power vpon eyther syde Where then they faught in batayle sore bet And toke hym then his prysoner that tyde And there the felde he had with mikyll pryde Greate people toke and slewe home he went The lorde Graye he raunsomed at his entent ¶ Syr Edmonde then Mortimer warred sore Vpon Owen and dyd hym mekyll tene But at laste Owen laye hym before Where in batell they faught as well was sene Where Owen toke him prisoner as then ful kene With mekell folke on eyther syde slayne And set Edmonde in prysone and great payne ¶ He wrote vnto the kyng for great socoure For he had made with Owen his fynaunce To whom that kyng wolde graunt then no fauoure Ne nought he wolde thē make him cheuesaunce For to comforte his foes disobeysaunce Wherfore he laye in feters and sore prysone For none payment of his greate raunsone The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ The Earle of Northumberlande his sonne Henry Percy stroke the batayle of Hamildon with the Scottes toke syxe Earles and discomfyte .xl. thousande Scottes IN the .iii. yere Th erle of Fyffe Murrey Of Athell and Angos Douglas also And of Menteth with barons fell that daye The nomber was .xl. thousande and mo Had brent the lande by south Northward tho To Homildon where on holy rode daye The earle them met in good stronge araye ¶ His sonne also Henry Percy was there George of Dunbar was in theyr company And with the Scottes that daye fought full sere Discomfyted them and had the victorye Six earles taken and .xl. thousande playnly Some fled some died some maimed there for euer That to Scotlande agayne came they neuer ¶ The kyng Henry thryce to wales went In the haye tyme and haruest dyuers yere In euery tyme were mystes and tempestes sent Of wethers foule that he had neuer power Glendour to noye but euer his caryage clere Owen had at certayne straites and passage And to our hoste dyd full greate damage ¶ The king had neuer but tempest foule raine As longe as he was ay in Wales grounde Rockes mystes windes stormes euer certaine All men trowed that witches it made that stounde The cōmens all then of all Englande grounde Warred his gate to Wales euery yere For haye and corne were loste both two in fere Whiche made greate derth of catell morayne And euen ay in hylles and in mountaynes Kepte him ful strong that king ay wrought in vaine The king might not but euer more held that pleines And waste his owne lord shippes his demaines And full great parte Owen had and occupyed By processe so in Wales and victoryed ¶ Th erle Henry then of Northumberland Brought to the kyng his owne prisoner Th erle of Fyffe was then I vnderstand Heire vnto the duke of Albany clere Regent that was of Scotland without pere But sir Henry his soonne then would not bryng His prisoners in no wise to the kyng ¶ But the kyng he prayed for Mortimer That raunsomed might he been with his frendes so He saied hym nay for he was taken prisoner By his consent and treson to his foo Whom he would not comfort for to ouergoo The prince his landes ne his owne to destroye For ay he had greate trust that he should hym noye ¶ The kyng hym blamed for he toke not Owen When he came to hym on his assuraunce And he aunswered then to the kyng again He might not so kepe his affiaunce To shame hym self with suche a variaunce The kyng blamed hym for his prisoner Th erle Douglas for cause he was not there ¶ And saied he should hym fette but he hym sēde Sir Henry sawe no grace for Mortimer His wifes brother he went awaye vnkende To Berwyk so and after came no nere Afore thei mette at Shrowesbury in fere Wher then thei faught for cause of his entent He purposed had Mortimer his coronoment ¶ The lordes all of England had hym hight And Owayn also on seuerne hym to mete Except therle of Stafford young to fight By their letters vnder their seales mete But in the poinct thei brake all their behete And he was slain and all the cause conselid Why he the feld tooke and the kyng appelid The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ Howe for therle of Marche his right sir Henry Percy and sir Thomas Percy his vncle erle of Worcester faught with the kyng and were slain at the battaill of Shrewesbury wher all the lordes deceiued them the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred and thre and of his reigne the fourth yere that were bounde to theim by their seales except therle of Stafford whiche letters I sawe in the castell of Werkeworth when I was constable of it vnder my lord sir Robert Vmfre uile who had that castell of kyng Henry his gift by forfeture of therle of Northumberland ON Madleyn euen was on the Saterdaye After long trete the prince began to fight The yere of Christ a thousād was no nay Foure hundred also and three therto full right When the battaill was streken of mikell might And of the kyng then was the fourth yere Of his reigne accompted well and clere ¶ His vncle dere was with hym there dedde His father came not out of
At Agyncourt so homeward in his waye The nobles there of FrauÌ„ce afore him weÌ„ Proudly battailled with an huÌ„dred thousaÌ„d in araie He sawe he must nedes with theim make afraye He sette on theim and with theim faught full sore With nyne thousand no more with hym thore ¶ The feld he had and held it all that night But then came woorde of hoste and enemies For whiche thei slewe all prisoners doune right Sauf dukes and erles in fell and cruell wise And then the prees of enimies did supprise Their owne people that mo were dede through pres Then our menne might haue slain that tyme no lese ¶ On our side was the duke of Yorke ther slain Th erle also of Suffolke worshipfully And knightes twoo with other then soth to sain And at the siege therle of Suffolke sothely The father dyed of the flixe contynually But mikell folke at that siege yet dyed Of frute and flixe and colde were mortified ¶ On that FreÌ„ch partie that dukes of Barre Lorein And of Alaunson in battaill ther were dedde And take were of Christeans in certain The duke Lewes of Orliaunce their hedde The duke of Burbone in that stede Th erle of Vendom and Arthure also of Brytain And sir Bursigaloâ— marshall of Fraunce certain ¶ And therle of Ewe was taken ther also Fyue barons also that were at their baner And fiftene hundred knightes and squyers mo Were sâ—ain that daye in full knightely maner With woundes so as then did apere As werres would vpon Chrispyn daye And Chrispynian that sainctes in blisse been aye The CC .xv. Chapiter ¶ Howe themperour and the duke of Holand came to the kyng the CouÌ„te palatine the duke of Melayn the marquys Farrar the lorde Mantowe and the marques Mount Ferrete the lorde MouÌ„t Palestrine came with themperour the same tyme and the duke Bauers and Embeir and the prince of Orenge also AND in the yere of Christ a thousand clere Foure hundred also therwithall fiftene When this battaill was smiten as dooth apere In the third yere of his reigne as was seen To Caleice so he came and home bee dene With themperour of Roome sir Sigemond Vnto hym came then in to England ground ¶ With a thousand meÌ„ne that were full clene araied The duke of Melayn the counte Palatyne The marques Ferrer that lord Mantowe wel apayed The couÌ„te Carmeler the counte Palestryne With many lordes of the water of the Ryne And of the Garter was made the secondarye And in it stalled for he would not varye ¶ The duke of Holand then by sea came With .lx. shippes in Thamis that did aryue And to the kyng he went vnto lambe To Themperoure after he went belyue As chronycles then did discryue Then was he made knight of the Garter At his desyre as sayth the chronicler The CC .xvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Sayne of the carykes there taken in the sea afore the mouth of Sayne THe kyng sent then that duke vnto the sea Of Bedforde that with four huÌ„dreth sayles To vitayl Hareâ—lete with therle of Marche no lee Th erle Marshall without any fayles With therles armed in plate and mayles Of Orenforde Warrewike and Huntyngdon Of Salisbury Deuonshire many a baron ¶ Of Arondell also these erles all Were in that flote vnto the noumbre of men Twenty thousande Herouldes did theim call On our Lady daye thassumpcion then All these lordes with many worthy men The fyfth yere of the kynge was then expresse WheÌ„ there enemies theim met at Sayn doutelesse ¶ They faught ful sore afore the water of Sayn With carrikes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayne Barges Balyngers and galeys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpoÌ„ our shippes vnprayed And by theuen there sayles aualed were set Theyr enemyes slayn in battayll and sore bet ¶ And many dryent were that daye in the sea That as our flete rode there then alwaye Vnto the feast nexte of his natiuitee The bodies flete amonge our shippes echedayâ— Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousaÌ„des were .xx. as they then tolde That taken were in that same batayll bolde ¶ In which meane while whiles our ships there laye It was so calme without any wynde We might not sayle ne fro thens passe awaye Wherfore theyr galeys eche day there gaÌ„ vs fynd With ores many about vs dyd they wynde With wildfyre oft assayled vs daye and night To breÌ„â—e our shippes in that they could or might ¶ The flete came home than at our Lady day FroÌ„ Sayn whiche tyme that kyng then had coÌ„ueied Themperoure then to Caleys on his waye And home agayn was come right well apayed Of the welfare of that worthy flete assayed So well in armes vnto his hie pleasaunce Vpon his foes kepte theim selfe by gouernauÌ„ce The CC .xvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce in the .v. yere of his reigne the seconde time and landed at Towke in Constantyne in Normandy THe king theÌ„ in his .v. yere weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce And landed at Towke and gatte the castell than And so came with all his ordinaunce And layde his siege aboute with many a man Whiche by processe at the last he wan Whiche to Vmfreuile that theÌ„ was erle of Kyme He gaue to kepe for great manhode that tyme ¶ Bayons Falace Cees and Argenton Doumfront Mortyne and Iuory also Musterdeuilers Euerons and Alaunson Caldebeke and Depe Arkes Vnycort tho With other townes and castels many mo Gurnaye Newcastell Gysours Estoutuile Roan Louers and also Vmfreuile ¶ Pountlarge Pountoyes also Pount DorsoÌ„ Maunte Vire Balom and also Aueraunce Castell Galiard with many other toune Bolham in Perche saynt Ioilian in Maunce Merteyn in Perche Chirbroke and eke CoÌ„stauÌ„ce Vernell in Perche Seintlowe and Alauayle Vernon on Sayn without any battayle ¶ All Normandy he gate within two yere And after then he trauayled in Fraunce For mariage and conuencion clere Betwene kyng Charles and hym at instaunce Of duke Philip of Burgoyn of aliaunce In whiche tyme so they were by appoyntment Accorded well and clerely condiscent ¶ That then he wed his doughter Katheryne And proclaymed was then of Fraunce regent And heritour of Fraunce by ryght lyne Of his owne right fro kyng Edwardes discent And Normendy and Guyan as appent Remayn should to hym and to his heyres Kynges of Englande euermore and to theyrs ¶ Then layde he siege to Melon anone right Aboue Paris â—v legges vpon Sayn Whiche by processe and laboure of his might And full sore siege full long with passyng payne He had at laste of whiche he was full fayn And toke it to Vmfreuile erle of Kyme To haue for euer ay forwardes fro that tyme ¶ Sauncer in Burgoyn then gate he mightely And Motreux also where the duke was buried Of Burgoyn then whom he toke vp in hie And at Dugyon as it is notified Hym buried so in Burgoyn vndenyed With high honour and great solempnitee As to
dampnacion The CC .xl. Chapiter ¶ The mocion conceypte of the maker of this booke touchynge kynge Henrye the syxte his wife and his sonne to be gotten home and putte in gouernaunce with all that fled with hym cōsyderyng their trouth that forsoke their lyuelodes and welfare for his sake and fro they so gotten home that after they will be as trewe to you and els to geue sore iudgement vpon theim O Gracious lord kyng Edward fourth accompte Consydre howe kynge Henrye was admytte Vnto the croune of Englande that did amounte Not for desert nor yet for any witte Or might of hym selfe in otherwyse yet But onely for the castigacion Of kyng Richardes wicked peruersacion ¶ Of whiche the realme then yrked euerychone And full glad were of his deposicion And glad to croune kyng Henry so anone With all theyr hertes and whole affeccion For hatred more of kyng Richardes defection Then for the loue of kyng Henry that daye So chaunged then the people on hym aye ¶ Yet kept he aye therle of Marche full ying In erles estate as he that was his warde And brought hym vp in all maner thyng As his estate asked and coulde awarde And cheryshed hym in norture to regarde As his owne sonnes duryng all his lyfe To make hym loue hym without any stryfe ¶ Thus by wisedome his sonne Henry right so Hym cherished by good and wise counsayl Whiche he assigned vnto hym tho Of good rule that would not let hym faile For cause he should agayn hym not preuayle And into Fraunce in his hole estate Had hym with his brother associate ¶ All this he did of full good policie To wynne his loue and kept hym in direccion From entisement of all eiuill and folie To his pleasaunce without all suspection This was greate witte and circumspeccion To rule hym thus his heighnes to obaye Without stryfe to sitte in peace his daye ¶ O gracious lorde nowe of your sapience Consydre well this sixtye yere and three Your kyn and ye by all intelligence Haue been deuorced of all the royaltee To nowe that God of his specialitee Hath graūted you grace your rightes to recouer And your enemyes all to rule at ouer ¶ Considre well the benigne innocence Of kyng Henry that nowe is in Scotlande By Goddes dome of small intelligence For your preuayle as men can vnderstande Gette hym nowe home agayn into Englande With all the meanes ye maye of sapyence His wyfe and sonne with all your dilygence ¶ For truste it well yf they maye passe to Fraūce Or power get to theim in any wyse Eche yere they wyl you trouble and do greuaūce By Scottes assent and theyr exercyse To brag and boste as they wolde on you ryse To make your people and cōmons for to yrke Iackes and salades ay newe and newe to wirke ¶ For truste it well as God is nowe in heuen The Scottes wyll ay do you the harme they may And so they haue full ofte with odde and euen Afore that Christe was borne so of a maye As yet they do at theyr power euery daye Wherfor good lord brīg home these persons thre With all theyr men geue them grace all fre ¶ And loue them better for theyr great lewte That they forsoke theyr landes and herytage And fled with hym in aduersyte To byde in payne sorowe and seruage Good herte shulde rewe well more theyr trewe corage Then them that wold haue gone and durste nought Consyder howe thei shewed as they thought ¶ Yf ye might get them all for any good To be your men and haue theyr herytage And youre enemies that agaynst you stode Ye shulde make trewe men to your auauntage To passe with you in warres and hostage As trewe as they haue bene to kyng Henry And mekell trewce for your ryght auncetry ¶ For yf ye myght theim get nowe euery chone Youre warres were done thē might you syt in rest Without trouble of any lande alone For all youre lande throughout thē might ye trest Yf it were hole that ye nede not mistryst No prynce christen myght do you any dere But in his lande ye myght make him were ¶ Graunt Henry grace with all his owne liuelode The duchye hole of Lancaster that is his ryght Not as it is but of worthyhede Fyrste duke Henry had the noble knight At his laste daye that was of mikyll might His wyfe and sonne get home by ordynaunce And geue them councell for theyr gouernaunce ¶ Suche as you truste wyll rule them worthely To youre plesaunce in all tranquillyte In peace and reste with all good polyce For better were to haue them in suretye Than lette theim bene with your aduersyte With Scottes or French that wold se your destresse And helpe to it with all theyr busynesse ¶ And yf ye maye by no meane nor treate Get them home ordeine then faste youre flete On the easte sea into Scotlande in hye At Edenburgh so maye it with you mete With all vitayle and ordynaunce full mete And set vpon the castell they bene in Escape they maye not but ye shall them wyn ¶ For I haue sene theyr castelles stronge echone That strongest bene and worste to get and wyn Amonge them all for certayne is there none That may bene holde out longe when ye begyn Saue Dunbretayne the sea aboute doth ryn Eche daye and nyght twyce withouten doubte Whiche may be wonne by famyshyng aboute ¶ With shippes by sea siege vpon the lande Ye maye not fayle to haue it at the laste All other wyll bene yelde into youre hande So that ye haue by workemen well fore caste Youre ordynaunce and gonnes for to caste With abylementes of warre suche as ye nede No castell elles maye withstande in dede ¶ Therfore in what castell·that they bene in Go to the same withoute impedyment Not in wynter but in somer ye begyn When Iuyll moneth or Auguste is present That forage may begot as doth appent Of corne and grasse for horses sustenaunce And fayre wether to mennes hye pleasaunce ¶ O righteous prince bring home the scatred men To theyr pasture forsaken and forlore For of your breste shulde greate foyson ren To nedy men of grace and helpe euermore Consyder howe God hath you set therfore And ouer the flocke to seke the scatered shepe And laye them in your folde surely to slepe ¶ Consider nowe most gracious soueraine lorde Howe longe nowe that your noble auncetrye In welth and helth hath reigned of hye recorde That kepte lawe and peace continually And thynke they bene of all your monarchye The fayrest floures and highest of enterpryce And sonest maye youre foreyne foes supprice ¶ Consider also in this symple tretyse Howe kynges kepte neyther lawe ne peace Went sone awaye in many dyuerse wyse Without thanke of God at theyr decese And nought were dred wtin ne without doutlesse But in defaute of peace and lawe conserued Destroyed were right as they had deserued ¶ Consyder also moste erthly souerayne lorde
to the towne of Ayre Are twentie myles and foure wele accompted A good countree for your armye euery where And plenteous also by many one recounted For there I was and at the same I mounted Towarde Lamarke towne .xxiiii. myles Homeward trudging for feare of Scottish giles ¶ From the towne of Ayre in kyle to Galloway Through Carryct passe vnto Nithysdayle Where Dumfryse is a pretye towne alwaye And plentifull also of all good vytayle For all your army wythout any fayle So that kepyng this iourney by my instruccion That realme ye shall bring in subieccion ¶ Then from Domfrise to Carlill ye shall ride xxiiii miles of veray redy waye So maye ye wynne the lande on euery syde Within a yere withouten more delaye For castelles there is none that withstande you may Nor abide your seage against your ordinaunce So simple and weake is their purueiaunce ¶ And yf ye like good Lorde at home to abide With litell cost your Wardens ye may sende Charging theim all with hostes for to ride In proper persone through wynter to th ende With morow forraies they may them sore offend And burne Iedburgh Hawike Melrose LaÌ„der CodinghmÌ„ Donglasse the toune of Dombarre ¶ Then send an hoste of footemen in At Lammesse next through all Lawde â—ayle And LaÌ„mermore woddes and mossis ouer rynne And eke therwith the Stowe of Weddale Melrose lande Etryke forrest and Tyuydale Lyddisdale Ewysdale and the Ryngwod selde To the Creke Crosse that ryden is full selde ¶ The wardens then of bothe the marches twoo To bee their stayle and eke their castelles strong Then to reskewe from enemies wher euer thei go With fleyng stayles to folowe theim ay emong Les nor then foes theim suppresse and fong And euery night to releue to the hoste And lodge together all vpon a coast ¶ And also than at the next Myghelmesse The west warden to Domfryse ryde he maye Four and twentie myles from Carelyl as I gesse And than passe forthwarde through galowaye To Carricke after into good araye And then from thence to the towne of Ayre In Kile that countree plentifull and fayre ¶ Nexte than from Ayre vnto Glasgew go A goodly cytee and vniuersitee Where plentifull is the countree also Replenished well with all commoditee There maye the warden of the east marche bee And mete the other twayne as I wene Within tenne dayes or at the moost fyftene ¶ The thyrde army from Barwyke passe it shall Through Dumbarre Edenburgh and Lythkâ— And then to Sterlyng with their power al And nexte from that vnto Glasgo Standyng vpon Clyde and where also Of corne and cattell is aboundaunce Youre armye to vittayle at al suffysaunce ¶ Thus these thre armies at Glasgew shal mete Well arayed in theyr armour clene Which hoÌ„ward froÌ„ theÌ„ce thei shal returne coÌ„plete Four and twentie myles to Lamarke so shene To Pebles on Twede is syxtene myles I wene To Soltray as muche thaÌ„ tweÌ„tie miles with spede From thence returne they shal to Wark on twede Within a moneth this lande maye bee destroyed All a south forth if wardens wyll assent So that our enemies shal bee sore annoied And wasted bee and eke for euer shent If Wardens thus woorke after mine intent They maye well quenche the cruell enmitee This daye by south all the Scottishe see ¶ Now of this matter I haue sayed mine intent Like as I could espye and diligently inquire Whiche if it maye your highnesse well content It is the thing that I hartely desire And of your grace no more I dooe require But that your grace will take in good parte Not only my peines but also my true harte EX FRVCTIBVS EORVM COGNOSCETIS EOS ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni 1543. ¶ A continuacion of the chronicle of England begynnyng wher Iohn Hardyng left that is to saie frome the begynnyng of Edward the fourth vnto this present thirty foure yere of our moost redoubted souereigne lorde kyng HeÌ„ry the eight gathered oute of the moost credible and auteÌ„tique wryters RG To the reader FOrasmuche moost benyng reader as this former autour IhoÌ„ Hardyng wrote no ferther then to kyng Edward the fourth in whose dayes it should apere that he departed out of this world also consideryng the length of yâ— tyme sence and the manifolde goodly historyes battailles decres and statutes with the disceÌ„t and lyne of the kynges of England sence that tyme I thought it not onely my dutie to labour that knowledge of thesame historyes to th eÌ„tent to adioyne annexe thesame herunto but also it should bee a greate offence in me to suffre you to bee depriued of so many fruitefull necessarie thynges Wherfore I haue here to the vttermost of my poore wit gathered and set foorth vnto you thesaid histories not in metre like as Iohn Hardyng hath dooen before partely because I would therby declare a dyfference betwene the former wrytyng of Iohn Hardyng and this my addicion but specially that these excellent storyes should nether in sence ner woordes bee defaced of the eloquence and greate grace that the autoures of thesame haue all readie geuen theim and therfore haue I wrytten theim vnto you in prose and at length that whiche thynges howe muche the more that thei shall delyte and please you so muche the more glad shall I bee of my peynes taken ¶ Edward the fourth AFTER TAHT EDVVARD had vaÌ„quished put to flight Henry the sixte beyng then verie ioious and proude partely thorowe that victorie that he had gotten and partely for that the commons began to cleaue vn to hym and to take his parte and lykewise did the states of the realme then departed he with all conuenyent spede to London and ther assemblyng his counsaill together was shortely after proclaimed kyng at Westminster that nyne and tweÌ„ty daye of Iune and was called Edward the fourth of that name after Wyllyam the conquerour and this was in the yere of Christ his incarnacion a thousand foure hundred three score and one And the self same yere kyng Edward held his parliameÌ„t again in the whiche first the realme was sette in good ordre and all thynges wholy redressed whiche was very good expedient for the commen weale for that it had not been looked to all yâ— tyme that ciuile battaill did continue And also thorowe his decree will all the statutes that kyng HeÌ„ry that sixt had made was vtterly abrogated of no vertue or strength finally his twoo brethren that wer younger then he George was made duke of Clarence and Rychard duke of Gloucestre and Iohn the brother of Rychard Erle of Warwike was made marques Montacute and Henry Burchire the brother of Thomas bishop of Caunturbury erle of Essex and Wyllyam Faucounbridge erle of Kent this Henry Burchire beeyng a noble manne moost puissaunte in feactes of warre had gyuen hym to mariage the suster of Rychard duke of Yorke called Elizabeth And for this cause chiefely that the
said Rychard might haue his assistauÌ„ce and helpe of hym in all maner of aduersitie that should chauÌ„ce either by battaill or other wise and that he did after that kyng Edward the soonne of the same Rychard had made hym erle of Esser tothend that bothe the father the sooÌ„ne might at all tymes bee a sure fortresse and defeÌ„ce for hym And he had begotten of this Elizabeth in laufull mariage foure menne children that is to saie Wyllyam Thomas Iohn and Henry and one doughter called Isabell the whiche liued but a shorte space the whiche soonnes vsed greate diligence in bryngyng matters to passe in weightie affaires and busynes very laborious in aduentures and ieoperdies manly and bold and in forseyng thynges very circumspect but specially Wyllyam the eldest had all these qualities This Wylliam maried Anne a mayden disceÌ„dyng of high parentage and of moost pure virginitie the doughter of Iames Lussheburne erle of sainct Paule by whome he had Henry nowe erle of Essex also Cicile and Isabell doughters the whiche Isabell died before she was ripe to mariage and that other was maried to Walter Ferryse But to come to that I spake in the begynnyng When all thynges chaunsed thus luckely to Edward and that all was as he would haue it Henry the duke of Somerset fearyng that kyng Henry should goo to wracke and take the woorse fled to kyng Edward of whome he was after the moost gentle sorte intertayned but sone after it repented hym of his deede for in the meane season kyng Henry had gotte a greate power of Scotish menne vnwittyng to Edward gat Duresme the whiche thyng after hearde the duke of Somerset fled priuely to hym with a greate compaignâ—e of that kyng his freÌ„des folowyng after and so many for desire of lucre and vauÌ„tage did turne to hym that Henry was thought to haue as greate an armie as his enemie had The whiche armie he made menne thynke to bee the greater for that he did spoile and destroye townes and feldes where soeuer he came so by long burnyng and wastyng he came to a village called Exham where as he buckeled with Iohn marques Montacute whome he mette there and there fightyng very sharpely as often tymes it had chaunsed before was putte to flight losyng the greatest nouÌ„bre of his hoost he hymself with a fewe ino went in all the hast to Scotland and the residue fled some one waye and some an other to saue their liues Ther was taken there prisoners Henry duke of Somerset Robert duke of Hungerforde and Thomas Rosse the whiche duke of Somerset was putte to death by and by for that he had chaunged his mynde so sone and went to the other partie the other were had to Newe castell and ther beyng for a season were putte to death in like maner wherby other should haue no trust of any victorie when their capitaines were dedde gone Albeit kyng Edward nowe might thynke all thynges to be wel and him selfe strong enough agaynst the power of hys enemy for that he had gotte suche a vyctorye yet dyd he wyth all dylygence prouyde that Margarete kynge Henrye the .vi. hys wife shulde at no hande be let into Englande for feare of wynnynge mennes hartes to her Wherefore he made bulwarkes sure for tresses on euerye parte and coastes of hys realme that there myghte be no landynge and dyd wryte to all theim of the southe partes that they shulde in nowyse take in anye woman or helpe anye for yf anye so dyd he shulde be taken as an enemye an hyghe traytoure to the crowne as they were agaynste whome he dyd fyghte And of that parte that is nygh to the Scotish bancke he layed watches that none shoulde goo oute of the realme to kynge Henrye But kynge Henrye hym selfe was neuer in anye greate feare whatsoeuer chaunced in so muche that he came in to England in a dysguysed apparel and then beinge knowen and taken of certayne spyes sone after he had come in was caried to London to king Edwarde and there layde in holde After whose attachynge and imprysonmente the realme was set in more quyetnes Wherfore Edwarde nowe beynge oute of all feare and daunger of hys enemyes dyd wholy set hym selfe the foure yeres after ensuynge to the reformatyon and redressynge of hys publyke weale and to the recompensynge of hys souldyers for their paynes did deuyde and geue the landes of theim that were wyth kynge Henrye to hys owne and so wyth geuynge large and ample rewardes dyd get the fauoure of all hys people as well the laye as the nobles and vsynge suche vrbanyte and clemencye to all kinde of men that he had throughlye wonne the hartes of all men the whyche gentylnes and fryndely famyliaritee he dyd euer after vse Also as for the lawes of the realme he dyd alter and mend some and some he made newe besydes that he coyned monye as wel golde as syluer the whyche at this daye is currante The whyche golde was royals and nobles and the syluer was grotes so that in hys tyme thys kinde of coyne came vp And after that hys realme was in thys state he made a proclamation that yf anye manne beyng a traytoure or rebellyon hertofore to hys grace wyllyng to submyt hym selfe wholy to hym shuld haue his pardon and other that wolde not shuld die and suffer according to the lawes The which kyndnes and natyue loue dyd cause hym to haue the good wyl and herte of his commons so much that it is euydent he was al the dayes of hys lyfe a conqueroure through the helpe and ayde of theÌ„ in so much that hys enemyes were euer shamefully put to wrack as it shal be shewed more playnly hereafter And also not contented wyth the frendshyppe of hys owne countree menne dyd wynne and procure the loue of foren and straunge prynces and made theim to bee of kynred wyth hym whereby that they myghte yf nede shoulde so requyre ayde and socour him or at the least not bee iniurious or noysome to hym So that he maried hys syster lady Margarete to Charles the sonne of Phylyppe duke of Burgoyne throughe which maryage he had greate helpe at the insurrection that chaunsed in thys his natiue countree and after that sente Rycharde the erle of Warwyke embassadoure into Fraunce the whyche shoulde desyre for hym to wyfe a mayden called Bona the syster of Carlotta the quene of Fraunce and the doughter of Lewes duke of Sauoye whyche after dyd marye Iohn Galeot duke of Mylayne the whyche busynes dyd cause cyuile battayle to bee For in the meane tyme that the earle wente in to Fraunce and had spoken wyth Lewes the kynge wyth whom the ladie Bona was and wayted vpon the quene her syster Edwarde chaungynge hys mynde maryed ladye Elyzabeth the doughter of Rycharde the earle of Ryuers which was maryed before to syr Iohn Gray knyght by whome she had two chyldren Thomas and Rycharde of the whyche
not beleue to the entente that he myghte the more enbouldē certaine of his compaigny then despayryng and geuyng theimselfe to flight beganne to make a newe hoste and with many faire promyses did wowe his brother in lawe Thomas Stanley to take his parte but when that said Thomas would by no meanes fight or rebell agaynste kyng Edwarde then seeyng it was tyme to gooe one waye and he mistrustyng that he was not able to resiste the power of hys enemyes fled wyth the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to Excetre and whē he had taried there two or three dayes seyng that he lacked al thynges necessarye for warre purposed to gooe to Lewes the kyng of Fraunce with whom at his ambassate into Fraunce was veraye well acquaynted and beloued trustyng ether to haue some helpe of the kyng or els to incense hym wholy to fight against hym and so toke shippe at Dartmouth both he and the duke with a greate nombre of theyr familie and sayled with the wynde to Normandie where the chiefe lord of that towne entreteyned hym most royally in al the hast certified that kyng Lewes of his cōmyng thither And that kyng meruailyng greatlye at that noble actes that that erle had doen was mynded thorowly to helpe hym in all that he could when he knewe that he was lāded in Fraūce was glad of it sent to hym certayn of his nobles to shewe hym that he did wishe to haue an occasion wherby he might helpe hym at this time would gladly dooe for him desieryng hym to come to Ambassy where the kyng laye which Ambassy is a manour place of that kynges set vpō the ryuer syde of Loire the duke also his sonne in law and that it should not bee for his losse or harme This was that .ix. yere of kyng Edwardes reigne when the erle fled to Fraunce and of our Lorde a M CCCC and .lxxx. But this greued kyng Edward that thei wer fled for because many of the people and cōmunaltee was desyrous to see hym and thought that the sonne had been goone from theim and out of this worlde when he was absent And in suche estimaciō and honour was he had of the people that thei worshipped honoured none but hym or at the least none more then hym In so muche that his only name was euery mannes song voyce especially of the cōmē people when they made triumphe abrode in that stretes Wherby the moste parte helde of the earle his syde and bare hym more fauoure in theyr hartes then kyng Edward Wherby the kyng was in feare and daunger both of his owne countremen that wer in his realme and of theim that were abrode in Fraunce but before all other he did prouide for that erle his cōmyng And first he sente to Charles the duke of Burgom his brother in law desiryng him that he would manashe Lewes the kyng with whom he had made a league of peace not to aide the erle of Warkwike or that duke his sonne in lawe neither with mony nor with mē The which Charles wrote to that kyng of Fraūce thretened hym many thynges if so that he mainteyned or helped theim And when the kyng of Fraūce had red his letter aūswered again saied that he might lawfully would sauyng his league truce helpe his frēds that wer valiaūt noble men as the earle was and settyng nothyng by all his thretenyng braggyng wordes sayd it shoulde bee neither greate peyne nor coste to hym Whē these tydynges came into England that kyng was veraye sorie for that cause searched priuely in his realme who wer frēdes to his enemies And for feare by that reason of the examinaciō of theim that wer prisoners in his hand some did take sentuarie and some came to the kynges side And emonges theim the lord Marques Montacute offered hymself to the kyng again to helpe hym in his warres whom the kyng gladly receaued for because that by him mo would leane to his side In this meane season the erle of Warwike the duke went to Ambassy wher the kyng of Fraūce was by the way the people came veraye thicke to see hym because they harde so muche speakyng of his noblenesse when he came there the kyng receaued hym moste gently to whō shortly after the erle did breake his mynd and shewed the cause of his commyng To whome the kyng promysed all that he coulde dooe for hym to the vttermoste extente of his power Sone after quene Margarete the wife of Henrye that .vi. came to theim with her sōne prince Edward and the earle of Penbruck and also of Oxēforde the whiche a lytle before sayled ouer to her After they cōmuned together as concernyng that safegard of their bodies a league was made thorowe the kyng of Fraunce his counsel And first lady Anne the doughter of the earle was maried and despoused to prynce Edwarde the quenes soonne Also the erle and the duke promysed faithfullye that they woulde not geue ouer vnto suche tyme that kyng Henrye the .vi. or Edwarde his soonne were proclaymed kyng of Englande after kyng Henry that the erle and the duke should ouersee and gouerne the realme by the wyll and apoyntmente of the quene Margarete and her sonne prince Edwarde vnto suche tyme that the forenamed prince wer of lawfull age and habilitee the whiche they promysed faythfully to obserue and dooe as they wer apoynted And besydes these many other condicions were made aswel for that reason did so require as the busynes that was at that tyme. When this league of truth faithfulnes was thus made the kyng Lewes holpe the erle with mēne harnes and nauie that he might the surer go to Englāde And Rhenate also the father of y◠quene Margarete gaue hym mēne harnyse to his power So that he hauyng no small nombre of men did take shippe at Sayne mouth ther tariyng hard word from Englād by letters that he should come ouer in all the haste that there were so many that would take his parte that he shoulde haue no nede to bryng any with hym for they wer redy in harneyse at the water side willyng to helpe hym in al that they could and not they onely but many noble men princes would helpe hym both with mony men harneyse with all that they could dooe When he had receaued these letters he purposed to go forth and take the oportunitee of the tyme. And because that the quene was not redy to set forth he the duke of Oxēford and the duke of Penbruch went before with parte of that hoste nauye to trie what chaūce thei shuld haue that if all thinges should chaunce well the quene and the prynce should folowe and come vnto Englande Therfore the Earle and the Duke thanking the king as highly as they coulde for that he had doone so much for theim dyd take their leaue and sayled vnto Englande with all their
thys he prophecied that the self same Henry shuld in tyme to come as it chaunsed in dede haue the kyngedome and rule of all the realme And nowe Edwarde althoughe he was oute of his countree yet dyd he not dyspayre but that he shulde haue mattre and redy occasion to recouer his kingdome for the duke of Burgoyne partlye had promised hym both greate ayde and socoure and partly the priuy frendes that he had in Englande dyd councell hym by letters sente from tyme to time that he would hasten his iournay homward and incontinâ—tly after very many fled to hym oute of Englande eyther for feare of the lawes that they had offended or elles for sorowe that the worlde was so turned that they could not haue theyr wyll as they had before in accomplyshynge theyr couetouse myndes and desyres and caused hym to make the more haste homewarde And kynge Edwarde beynge rauished with their golden promises thoughte nothyng more payneful or wretched then to tary one daye lenger and nothyng more pleasaunt theÌ„ to go of his iourney and so takynge no moo wyth them then two thou sande harnesed menne at the sprynge of the yeare sayled into Englande landynge in the coastes of Yorkeshyre at an hauen towne called Rauinsport And there settynge for the all hys menne dyd reason wyth hys captaynes and consulte to what place they shoulde fyrste goo For it was ieoperdious consydering the small companie that he had to take anye waye for the. But after longe delyberation they were all agryed that some certayne knightes and horsemen of that smal compaignie shuld bee sent one to euerie quarter to the townes that wer nyghe to the intente that they myghte drawe the hartes myndes of the people to king Edwardes syde But it is not lykelye that kynge Edwarde beyng a wyse manne durst be bolde or would in any wyse come into England with such a small power excepte he had knowen surely that he should haue had great helpe at hys commyng the whych is a plain token that the duke of Clarence and the lorde Marques had procured hys fauoure promysinge him all their helpe that they coulde make for the tryall of the whych ther was manifest tokens that dysclosed and bewrayed all their falshed For they priuilie weÌ„t about to know mennes mindes and to what parte they would declyne and the nexte day after came to kinge Edwarde and shewed him that the common people dyd stande stiflye of kynge Henrye his syde and woulde defende hys quarell as ryghte and iuste at al times and that they had nomore nede nowe to make anye tumulte in so much that no manne would althoughe eftsons desired and prayed go to king Edward yea and that noman woulde for feare of the earle of Warwike heare anye thinge spoken of that matter whose myndes after that kinge Edwarde had throughlye serched and knowen he chaunged his mynd and purpose wher as before he claymed the crowne then he publyrshed abrode that he woulde haue but hys ryghte that was his landes and heritage of Yorke shyre And â—t that worde it cannot be well spoken howe redily meÌ„ wer willinge to helpe him consideringe that he claymed nothinge but hys ryghte in somuch yâ— very pytie dyd moue manye althoughe they woulde not helpe hym yet at no hande to resyste him And kynge Edwarde reconsilyng him selfe to the common people by these meanes toke hys iournye towarde Yorke and wente to Beuer lay The earle then beinge at Warwik after that he knew that king Edward was landed about York streyght sent a post to his brother lord MoÌ„tacute then liyng that winter at Pomfreit with a great army to shewe him what daunger mighte ensue yf king Edward got that towne of york bed theim yf his enemies drewe nigh ether to mete with theÌ„ in plain felde or elles to bete theim from the towne vnto such tyme that he came wyth a greater host which he prepared then in all the hast he coulde And because he knew not surely which way his enemies wolde come he fyrst sent to euery towne in york shyre and to yorke it selfe certayne postes to bid euery man be in his harnesse ready and that that citezins should shut the gates surelye that kynge Edward myght haue no accesse In the meane tyme king Edward came peaceably and wythoute the resistaunce of anye man towardes the towne of Yorke of whose commyng when the citezens were certified they made sure the gates and standynge in harnesse for the defence of it dyd sende twoo of the aldermen to warne the kyng the comming nyghe that he dooe not enterpryse to farre or put hym selfe in ieopardie for they were mynded to dryue him and all hys awaye wyth all the power they myghte When Edwarde had heard theyr myndes he was in so greate feare agonie that he could not tell what to dooe for yf he shuld haue goone back he feared that the common people as men gredye of a praye woulde persue him and yf he should goo forth he was in daunger of the Yorke shyre men leaste they shoulde sodenlye faull vpon hym and take hym and therefore seeyng that he was not able to match them in battayle thought to mollyfie theim with fayre wordes and so beganne to entreat after the most lowlye and gentle maner the messaungers that they woulde in hys name shewe the cytezyns that he came not to clayme the crowne but hys herytage and ryghte of Yorke shyre and therfore that they woulde helpe theyr lorde and duke of Yorke and yf that he myghte be receaued through theyr meanes he wolde requyte theyr kindenes and remember theyr benifyte as longe as he lyued And by suche fayre speaking and flatterie he dimissed theÌ„ and folowed straighte after to the gates with his companie The citezins beynge somwhat moued wyth thys answer for that he entended no harme agaynst kyng Henrie they spake wyth hym from the wall and badde hym to go frome thence and if he would go quickely he should take no harme But he speakyng veraye gentely to euerye one of theim callyng some by name moost gentely did desire theim that he might come into his owne toune And so passyng all the daye in that coÌ„municacion at that length the citezens partely ouer come with his moost geÌ„tle speakyng large promises made fell to this poincte that if Edward would swere to handle his citezens after a gentle sorte hereafter bee obedient to kyng Henry his coÌ„maundement thei would receiue hym in to that citee and helpe hym with all that power that thei might Edward beyng glad to here this the next daye after early a masse was said at the gates wher he receiuyng the sacrament promised feithfully vpon his othe that he would obserue bothe the thyngeÌ„s afore named so was receiued in to the citee Neuerthelesse it was so ferre vnlike that he would obserue one of theim that he minded none other thyng then that he might depriue the kyng of his croune as here after shall
deed and that no man after fainyng that he was aliue myght sowe sedicion againe in reuenging his quarel Yet the kyng was not so glad at the death of therle but he was as sory for the losse destruccion of that lord Marques whome he dyd esteme and take for his great frende After this quene Margaret hearing that Edward was come into Englande had done much hurte in that realme purposed to come into England her soonne also prince Edward with a great armye of chosen picked Frenchmen so to land at Waimouth But for that greate tempest that was on the see she could not come so soone as she woulde But after she had landed heard that kyng Edward had conquered all her husband to be takeÌ„ prisoner as destitute of all his frendes and that the erle with his brother lord Marques was slaine in felde and all their army discomfyted and slayne putte to fâ—ight she began like a piteful desperate ladye to mourne and lament the fate calamitee of her husband the whiche she did nowe see to haue chauÌ„sed and sowith this great feare agonie she was in that case that she had rather dye then lyue The quene mighte haue thought that this euell had chaunsed to her for the putting to death of the duke of Gloucestre of whose deathe althoughe peradueÌ„ture she was not giltie yet she offended in that she dyd not saue suche a good man For yf he had liued and had the dominion of the publike weale king Henry had neuer been in suche trouble But nowe to leaue of this that quene despering bothe of her owne life her soÌ„nes also went therby to a monastery of the charterhouse monkes at a place called Bewe lieu in englishe called faire place ther taking sentuarie remained with her soonne And when it was knowen that she was there in sentuarie there came to her the duke of Somerset his brother the erle of Deuonshire whiche man euen frome the beginnyng had taken the other parte whose returning after redounded to his euell and destruccion also the erle of Penbroke Ihon Wen locke Ihon Longstrother Capytaines and rulers of the Rhodes The quene being in sorowe miserye was somwhat comforted at the sighte of her frendes with whome she talked and shewed the cause that she came no rather desiryng theim to prouyde for the safegard of her soonne to helpe her nowe and the she would if the wether serued goo to Fraunce againe and bryng with her god willing at a more better mature time a greater power of meÌ„ The duke began to putte her in good comforte would in any wise the she should set her mind whole vpon batail nowe to fight against Edward wheÌ„ he was bothe vnprepared also not furnyshed of men that were hable to fight considering the great batell that he had with therle of Warwike in that which his men were sore hurted weryed all together that it myght be their chauÌ„ce now to haue that better of hym although he discoÌ„fyted therle his hoste for because that victorie turneth oftentymes from one to an other in a momeÌ„t short space Furthermore he shewed her the the most part of that nobilyte bare theyr good mindes hertes to kyng Henry if so bee that she would bee a capitaine as she had bene in tyme passed he promised her a great army of his owne costes and charges and that he woulde make other noble menne to take her parte and defende her at all times The Quene mistrusting and fearing yet muche of her owne soonne aunswered saied that she allowed his counsell well yf so that she only might bee in daunger and not her sonne And therfore fearing that when they fought most earnestly for their countree her soonne might bee destroied or caste awaye she thought best either to putte of and differre the battayl to an other time or elles to sende her soonne into Fraunce there to bee kepte vnto suche tyme the they had some better successe in their warres And truely the mother was not withoute a cause so louing to her chylde for that her owne husbande was a prisoner and a captiue persone and therfore as one caste awaye so that nexte after hym she loued mooste tenderly this her soonne Also that they might goo that more wisely aboute their entente the quene counsayled theim all to laye their heedes together and caste all the waies howe to conuey their businesse and then yf they would fight she promised theim both her helpe and good councell Then the Erle saied it was no nede to waste any more wordes for he all they woulde fight stoutely agaynste their enemies and therfore they woulde doo that with all their might and power that they had determined and apointed vpon So they all gathered their armye euery manne for his parte oute of his owne countree shire The quene brought now in good hope of warre saied wel be it streight went by that councell of that duke to Bathe looking and tarieng there for the armye but to what place so euer she went she would be aknowen to none to th entent that her aduersaries might not knowe vnto such time that she came wher she woulde bee Edward hearyng that the quene was come and that the duke of Somerset had prepared an hoost to ayde her sente certayne spies to viewe of what number the armye was And when they had shewed hym the nomber but yet not knowyng whether they wold goo the kyng apoynted to mete them before they came to London And gathering his armie went to Oxforde shyre and there pytched hys tentes at Abyngton encreasinge hys nomber and army as much as he could But perceauyng that they wer at Bathe and there taryed purposely to multyply and enlarge their company came to Malebrydge xv myles frome Bathe so hasted to come to theÌ„ before they did go to Wales as he suspected whether in dede thei entended to the erle of Penbruck hauyng theyr a great bonde of men From which toune of Bathe the quene fled and frome thence to Brystowe and wyllinge to goo by Glouceter sent spyes before to knowe yf she myght haue passage to whome aunswere was broughte that she coulde not nor that thei of the towne would by anye meanes geue her place she hearynge of that went from Bristowe to Teukisbury And ther the duke pytched hys battayle agaynst the wyll and aduise of many other captaynes whych counsayled hym to tarye the erle of Penbruches comyng Where Edwarde dyd take the quene and kylled or at the least imprysoned euery one almoost that came with her And of the nobilitee there was killed the earle of Deuonshyre Iohn Wenlock captayn of the Rhodes and the brother of the duke of Somerset wyth manye other moo And taken prisoners the quene Margaret her soÌ„nne prince Edward that duke of Somerset that lord of s Ihons more then .xx. knyghtes besyde theÌ„
traitours to be bestowed gyuen abrode also the banished menne that fled as rebelles and false to their countree to bee brought in that if any grudge or eiuill will wer betwixt any one or other of the nobilite that ther it should bee forgotteÌ„ turned to loue lastly that certain mony should bee payed to the kyng towardes that greate charges of his werre When he had thus studied determined to liue quietly set his realme in good ordre Charles the duke of Burgoin seÌ„t for aide to hym against Lewes the FreÌ„che kyng so that he could neuer bee at rest but one thyng or other shuld disquiet hym for he could not deny hym helpe consideryng the benefites that he had receiued of hym at diuerse suÌ„dry tymes before that that he nowe fought against his dedly enemie whiche aided the erle of Warwike bothe with menne mony to come against hym Wherfore he asseÌ„blyng his couÌ„saill together shewyng theim the matter sent woord to the duke that he would kepe one piece or parte of a battail agaiÌ„st the kyng For in deede at that same tyme there was mortall battaill betwixt the duke Lewes that kyng because that the same Lewes was a very harde manne churlishe also hurtefull aswell to his freÌ„des as to his foes many FreÌ„chmen abhorryng his coÌ„dicions did consent to hold with that duke And emong many other one Lewes of LuceÌ„burge did apoinct with the duke to dooe mischief to hym one waye or other so that the kyng was bothe in dauÌ„ger of his owne couÌ„tree menne also of the duke beyng a strauÌ„ger The duke shewed this to kyng Edward that he might the soner alluâ—e entise hym to battaill And vpoÌ„ this kyng Edward toke his voiage to FrauÌ„ce takyng besides his tribute that he had certain mony of the lordes commons of the realme which thei of their owne geÌ„tlenes gaue vn to hym to the sustenauÌ„ce maintenyng of his armie And for that the kyng called that tribute leuiyng of mony beneuoleÌ„ce whiche neuerthelesse was giuen with an eiuill will of many one But he vsyng suche geÌ„tle fassions towardes theim praiyng theim so hartely of their assistaunce that thei could none other wise dooe but geue it hym Whiche wheÌ„ he had he gathered his armie whiche was .xx. M. went to Caleys the .iiii. daye of July WhoÌ„ Charles that duke did mett reioysyng gretely at his victory did instantly desire hym that he would sticke stoutely to this battaill that he might haue of that Frenche kyng that he had lost by hym But when Lewes that kyng hard that Edward came with his armie he encreased the nombre of his people as muche as he could the more nigher the daunger that he was the sooner hastely he came vpon theim And with this armie he sent foorthe Robert of Stoteuill a noble capitain to the coostes Atrebatium to resyst the power of the Englishe menne And the kyng hym self taried at Siluanect castyng with hymself what waye he might make a league of peace betwixt that duke that kyng of England hym Heryng therfore that that king was gone to Atrebates he seÌ„t ambassodours to hym for peace whose myndes when that kyng had knoweÌ„ although he had fouÌ„d but litle freÌ„dship at his haÌ„des in tymes past yet consideryng that all his substauÌ„ce treasure was wasted in ciuile battail that he was not hable to maintein a newe hoost if nede shuld be nor yet vnneth sustein theim whom he had vnder his baÌ„ner thought best eueÌ„ for pure necessite to leaue to peace growe to atonemeÌ„t with Lewes that kyng The whiche thyng he might dooe also sauing his honour coÌ„sideryng that bothe the duke Robert of LuceÌ„burge aforenamed had not dooeÌ„ accordyng to their promise So that at the desire of the ambassadours he went to speake with the kyng at Pinquinake a toune in AmbiaÌ„ shire wher noble meÌ„ne dooe asseÌ„ble together there found yâ— kyng TheÌ„ bothe that kynges after due salutacioÌ„ either to other had long communicacioÌ„ at the last a peace was coÌ„firmed stablished for many yeres for the aâ—â—emeÌ„t wherof the FreÌ„che kyng gaue vnto Edward toward his charge cost lxcv M. crounes from theÌ„s forth yerely l. M. crounes After that truce made mony paid kyng Edward weÌ„t to Caleis from theÌ„s to EnglaÌ„d In this battaill none was slain sauyng onely that duke of Exceter the whiche maÌ„ne was in seÌ„tuary before coÌ„maunded to folowe yâ— kyng was put to death coÌ„trary to that promise made This was the yere of our lord M CCCC .lxxv. frome that tyme foorth Lewes that kyng payed duely his raunsome to Edward vnto the laste yere before he dyed at what tyme he denyed the paymente as though he knewe before his laste dayes But the duke of Burgoyne and Roberte of Lucenburgh after they had knowen that Edwarde had made a league wyth Lewes the kynge they freted sore with hym and wrote sharpe letters of thretenyng and tauntyng hym saiyng that he was the cause that they reuenged not theimselfes of the kyng Whose fyrye and thundryng wordes the kyng no more passed vpon then of the turnyng of his haÌ„de And as for Lucenburgh he was taken prysoner and for his proude and malicious writyng behedded at Lutece Thus kyng Edward beyng in quietnes both in his countre and abrode also although he mighte wel thynke hymself to lyue so perpetually for that he had been so great a conquerour yet consideryng that the erle of RichemoÌ„de was of nigh affinitee to HeÌ„ry the .vi. he was not out of feare daunger Therfore he thought ones to attempte the duke of Britayn agayn with giftes promyses faire wordes that he might haue yâ— erle whoÌ„ he thought to rule as he would after that his auncestrie was geuen The ambassadours came to the duke with a great substaunce of mony that their request might bee the honestier they shewed the duke that they came to desire the erle of hym that he mighte marye the kynges doughter so that by affinite al euil wyll grudge might be forgotten and sedicion vtterlye reiected although they entended not so to cause al suche thynges to bee forgotten but by the death kyllyng of hym The duke after longe and muche deniyng theim at the laste thorowe muche entreatyng and also great rewardes that was brought gaue the earle to theim sendynge a letter to the kynge in prayse and commendation of hym not thynkynge that he commytted the lambe to the woulfe but the soonne to the father The ambassadours was verye glad that they had got hym and sayled into Englande in all the haste they coulde But the earle knowynge well that he weÌ„t to hys death for sorowe and care that he conceaued in hys mynde was caste in an agewe When he was goone one Ihon Chenlet suche a man as could not bee found agayne in al the countre in great fauour with the duke hearing of
first hearyng of this the kyng was but litle moued but after that he was certified by the letters of his frendes that it was true he was in greate feare for that he had neyther an armye prepared nor harnyes for theim but because the mattier required haste least that by long taryeng his aduersaries power might bee encreased and multiplyed he commaunded the Duke of Bedforde to mete theim with three thousande meÌ„ne whiche were harnysed but barely for theyr breste plates were for the moste parte lether And he hym selfe in that meane tyme would gather vp an hoste where he might in euery place The duke hauyng his meÌ„ nigh to the teÌ„tes of his enemyes coÌ„sulted with certain of his coÌ„paignie by what waye he mighte traine theim to peace withoute bloodde shedyng After the whiche deliberation aduisement had it was decreed that certaine shoulde proclaime openly that all thei should haue their pardonne that woulde leaue battaile The whiche proclamation auayled muche for the Lorde Louell eyther for some feare or mystrust that he had in his people or feryng hym selfe of his owne behalfe fledde pryuely in a night from his compaignie to Lankeshire ther remained a space with syr Thomas Broghton knight And when hys army had knowledge therof thei also submittyng theim selfes all to the Duke asked pardonne for their heinous offence The Lorde Stafforde also hearyng this was in a great agony and for feare dyd take sanctuarye at Colname .ii. miles from Abindon But because that sanetuary was not a defence for traytours he was taken from that place and behedded and his brother was ê‘doned because he was thought not to haue done it of his owne will but thorowe the counsaill and perswasion of his brother After this businesse was asswaged and Yorke shyre set in peace and quietnes the Kyng went to London and shortelye after that to Wynchester where the Quene his wyfe was deliuered of a Prynce called Arthure and from Wynchester he retourned agayne to London Sone after it chaunsed that one syr Richard Symond preest borne by nature to be a traytour and sedicious personne and yet well learned had a chyld called Lambert Symenel to bee hys scholar by whome he inuented this crafte and disceat that he woulde make the chyld kyng of England and hym selfe archebyshoppe or some hygh potestate in the realme for he knewe verely that many menne supposed kyng Edwardes chyldren to bee fled into some straunge place and that Edwarde the Erle of Warwyke sonne to the Duke of Clarence ether was or should bee put to death shortly And to the ende he myght the better bryng hys purpose about he taught the chyld bothe learnyng good maners and also to order hym selfe as one linially descendyng from a hygh progenie Sone after the rumoure was that the younge Earle of Warwyke was dead in prysonne And when the preest heard of this he intendyng therby to bring his matters aboute chaunged the chyldes name and called hym Edwarde after the younge Earle of Warwyke the whiche were boothe of one age and then sayled into Irelande there opening his mynde to certain of the nobilitee whome he knew to beare but lytle fauoure to Kyng Henry where he was promysed ayde of the Lorde Gerardine chauncellour of all that countree and all that he coulde dooe Whyche Lorde fyrst callyng all hys frendes and louers together desyred their helpe in restoryng the yong Earle to his herytage And dyd sende certain into Englande to desire theym that were kynge Rychardes frendes to continue in their loue and faythfulnes towardes hym and helpe hys nephiewes chylde to his ryghte And that hys power myghte bee the stronger to ouercome hys enemyes he desyred Lady Margarete syster to kynge Edwarde and wyfe to the Duke of Burgondy to further hys purpose with her helpe whyche lady beyng then in Flaunders promised him by the messaungers that she would not onely maintaine his entente with large mony and substaunce but with all the laboure and peynes that she myght occasion other to be of the same conspiracie When kynge Henrye was certified of thys he was sore greued that by the meanes of suche a myscreaunte personne so great sedicion should bee neuerthelesse the kynge consideringe that it shoulde bee to the destruccion of manye menne yf that he shoulde fyghte with his enemies in open feelde called hys counsayle together at the Charter house besyde Rychemounde and there consulted to pacifie thys matter wythoute anye more dysturbaunce Where fyrste it was decreed that all thei shoulde bee pardoned for their offences and treasons latelye commytted whiche hath frome that tyme borne theim selfes vpryght towardes their kinge leaste that syr Thomas Broghton whyche kepte the Lord Louell from the king a great tyme wyth other despeyring of theyr pardon shoulde haue made some sodaine insurrection agaynst hym Further more that men shoulde not thyncke but that the Duke of Clarence was in Englande it was appoynted that he shoulde showe hym selfe abrode wherby the opynion that he was in Ireland myghte bee frustrate and accompted as a lye Also it was further determyned that the Ladye Elysabeth wyfe to kyng Edward the .iiii. shoulde lose al her landes because she had submitted her selfe and her doughters wholye to the handes of kynge Rychard contrary to the promyse made to the Lordes and nobles whyche at her desyre lefte al that they had in Englande and fledde to kynge Henrye in Brytayne and there dyd sweare hym to marye her eldeste daughter as she wylled theim to dooe But her purpose did not frame as God would Thys quene buylded a Collage in Cambrydge and gaue landes to the maynteyning of the same whiche at thys houre is called the quenes Collage When thys order and determynacion of the kynge was ended he wente to London and the nexte Sondaye folowynge he caused the young Earle to bee broughte out of the Tower through the streetes to Poules And there to shewe hym selfe to euerye bodye and taske with the chiefe and noble menne that were thoughte to haue conspyred agaynste kynge Henrye for thys cause that they myghte perceaue the Iryshe menne to moue battayle vnaduysedly and cause stryfe vppon no iuste occasion howebeit all thys nothyng auayled for the Earle of Lyncolne the Duke of Suffolkes soonne and nephewe to kynge Edwarde coulde not suffer kynge Henrye thus to reygne but as a traytoure sayled into FlauÌ„ders to the Ladye Margarete takynge wyth hym Syr Thomas Broghton with certayne other Where also the Lorde Louell landed twoo or three dayes before And there they beynge all together determyned that the Earle of Lyncolne and the Lorde Louell shoulde goo to Irelande and there attend vpon the counterfeyte Earle and brynge hym to Englande with all the power they myghte agaynste kynge Henrye So that yf their dooynges had good successe that then the foresayde Lambarte misnamed the Earle shoulde by the consente of the counsayle be deposed and the true Earle to bee delyuered oute of pryson and enherite his right and iuste
sorowe to the Englishe men for thei cried out of the kyng and saied it was not for his honour so to dooe but the kyng as a wise manne moste prudent prince saied it should be the death of many noble puisaunt capitaines if he should continue thesame battaill therefore it might be to his sore reproche if it wer in his power not to tendre as well the health of his coÌ„mons as his owne whiche saiyng did somewhat coule pacifye their grief And after this dooen the kyng returned backe to Calise for because it was enformed hym that one Richard the named hym self the sonne of kyng Edwarde had made an insurreccion in FlauÌ„ders through the counsaill of lady Margarete the quene to fight against hym which thyng kyng Henry consyderyng did the more spedely hasten to conclude a peace And the condicion of this peace to bee made was this that the Frenche kyng should paye to kyng Henry a certain summe of meny the whiche was leauyed by the ambassadours for the cost and charges that the kyng was put to in that battayll and also should yerely for a certain space paye or cause to bee payde to the kyng of EnglaÌ„d for a full recompence xâ—v thousand crounes The whiche Frenche kyng after that beyng in warre with the Italians payd the said tribute to the most noble prince and our souereigne lorde kyng HeÌ„rye the. vâ—â— sonne to Henry the seuenth for a full recoÌ„ 〈…〉 cion and frendship to bee had for euer This was the yere of our Lorde a thousand foure hundreth foure score and thirtene and the seueÌ„th yere of his reigne Also in this inuadyng besiegyng of Bonony whiche we spake of before there was none killed sauyng onely syr Ihon Sauage whiche goyng out of his tent with syr IhoÌ„ Riseley was taken priuely rydyng about the walles of the toune and there because he would not yelde was slain of the Frenche men albeit the other syr Ihon Rysely fled and escaped their daunger After this the kyng went froÌ„ Calis to England again yet that he might not be wtout some trouble or busynes quene Margaret of Spaine whiche euer watched to do hym a displeasure perceauyng that the erle with his coÌ„paignie could not haue suche successe in their businesse as she would haue wished theim she inueÌ„ted a new way to worke treason against him There was a certain youÌ„g maÌ„ of Tornace very beautiful faire in couÌ„tenaunce of a pregnaunt witte whiche youÌ„g maÌ„ was called Peter surnamed Warbecke for his cowardnes nycknamed of the Englishe men called Perkyn which youÌ„g maÌ„ trauaylyng many countrees could speake many laÌ„guages for his basenes of stocke birth was knowen of none almost Therfore the quene thynkyng this youÌ„g man to bee mete whoÌ„ she might feigne to be the duke of Yorke and soÌ„ne to her brother kyng Edward kept hym a certain tyme with her priuely and tellyng hym what he should be that he might the rather persuade meÌ„ to be the kynges sonne did send hym into IrelaÌ„de after what time she knewe that kyng Henry had apointed to fight against the Frenche kyng where he was honorably receaued taken of euery manne as a prynce for whose right they promysed all to fight and helpe hym in all that they could After this it came to the FreÌ„che kynges eare that such an one was in Ireland for whoÌ„ the kyng did send to see caused hym to be brought before him when he came into his pÌ„sence the kyng accepted hym gladly after a princely fashioÌ„ intreteined hym But after the he came in loue with the kyng of England the sayd Charles did dimisse the youÌ„g maÌ„ would no loÌ„ger kepe hym least that some inconueniencie or cause of strife should chaunce thorough it Wherfore the young manne went to Flaunders agayne to the quene Magarete whiche quene did receaue hym with suche gladnesse that she coulde not well rule her selfe for this cause onely she dyd shewe her selfe so ioyfull and merye that menne mighte perswade theim selfe that this was Richard the kynges soonne and vpon that cause truely men did the more reuerence to the younge manne and that more firmely beleue hym to bee the righte heire sonne to kyng Edwarde Also after this rumour blased abrode aswel in England Fraunce as Flaundres there beganne great sedicion to spryng and firste they that were long in sanctuary for the greate offences that they had commytted and other that wer cast in pouertie gathered a compaignie of meÌ„ and sayled ouer into Flaunders to the counterfaicte Edwarde otherwise named Peter also many of the noble men conspired together and to the entent they might bryng their purpose wel about they did send certain to the Quene Margarete to knowe when thesame Edwarde might come conueniently into Englande the thei beyng certified of thesame might the more easely receaue bryng hym into the realme So that by the consent and agrement of theim all syr Robert Clyfforde knight Wyllyam Barley wer sent to shewe all their myndes aduyce as concernyng the newe founde duke to the Quene Margarete Whome the Quene did accepte gladlye and persuaded theim that it was true that was publyshed of Rycharde the duke and streight vpon shewed theim thesame Peter whiche was muche lyke Richarde praysyng his vertues and qualitees that he had wonderfullye The said Robert wheÌ„ he had seen thesame youÌ„g manne beleued surely that he was of the kynges bloode and wrote to Englande to his coumpaignye and felowes of his conspiracie that he knewe hym to bee the kynges soonne by his face euery proporcion of his body And when these letters came vnto Englande the chief capitaynes of this businesse did openly diuulgate and publyshe that it was trewe that was spoken and saied abroad of the Duke but it was dooen by suche a crafte that no manne coulde tell who was the authoure of that rumoure When the kyng perceiued that many men did geue credence to his vaine fable he thought beste for his owne safegard to prouide a remedy for it also mystrusting that some conspiracye had bene made bicause that sir Robert Clifford had fled priuely into Flaundres commaunded certain knightes that were chosen and piked menne of warre with a bonde of menne to kepe the borders surely the no manne might escape or sayle ouer the sea without a pasporte or licence geuen by hym Also that men myghte not contynue in the false perswasion and belefe that they had conceyued of the duke he caused certain spies to search in all the citees of Belgike to knowe of what progenie this mysnamed Richarde was and to geue theim highe rewardes that would shewe the verite and truth of the same matter So that they sailynge into Fraunce euerye manne dyd gooe into a contraye quarter and enquired diligently for hym and at the length certain of theim came to a towne called Tornace and there were certifyed by the testymonye of
dyd lye And shortlye after folowed his wife quene Iohan. After they two had coÌ„moned of many thinges together at the laste they beganne to treate of a league and perpetuall amitee to bee had And firste Kynge Henrye desired to haue Edmonde Poole banished man vnder his captiuitee and bondage To whome the Earle aunswered saied that it was not in his power to restore hym yet after muche entreating and praiyng the kyng graunted at the laste that he shoulde hee sente to hym righte shortly After thus for prolonginge of time that he might haue his desyre he brought Philyp the Earle to London and there shewing hym his citie retourned frome thence with hym Then Edmonde Poole seyng that there was no more hope to bee had in foren Princes and trusting that kyng Henry would put hym at libertee came to Englande willingly to proue his gentlenes that yf vpon this expectacyon and hope he were deceiued yet he might at the laste dye and be buryed in his natiue countree weare when he had receyued this garment he did send Balthesar Castillio a Mantuan borne vnto kyng Henry whiche receiued of the knightes a garter in token that he should be a knight of the same ordre When this busines was dooen Lewes the Frenche kyng mistrustyng that he shoulde neuer haue manchild maryed his eldest doughter Lady Anne to Frances Valese Dolphine Duke of Engosye which was sure a litle before to Charles the kyng of Castell And when kyng Henry knewe of this he thought beste to mary his doughter Lady Mary to this Charles kyng of Castell which mariage was confirmed and made at Calise by the byshop of Winchester the ambassadours of Flaunders the Ladye beyng but .x. yeres of age And now were the thre yeres expired at whiche tyme kyng Henry thought his fatal daye to draw nyghe Therfore to the entente that the people myghte wyshe and praye for hym after his deathe for his kindnesse that he shewed to theim he caused a generall pardon to bee geuen vnto all offendours sauinge onely theues and murderers because that they dyd not offende hym but another manne For this goodnesse shewed to the people processyon was in euerye place of the Realme for the safegarde of the kyng Neuerthelesse his time was come the God would haue hym so that he died the .xxi. daye of Apryll in his palaice of RichemouÌ„de the whiche was the yere of oure Lorde a thousand fyue hundreth and eyght His corps was buryed at Westminster in a chappell the whiche he caused to bee buylded He reigned thre and twentye yeres and more then seueÌ„ monethes liued .lii. Also he had by his wife the quene .viii. children .iiii. menchildren .iiii. women children of the whiche .iii. remained aliue HeÌ„ry prince of Wales ladie Margaret ladie Marie He was a manne of bodie but leane spare albeit mightie strong therwith of personage stature some what higher then the meane sorte of menne be of a wondrefull beautie and faire complexion through al his bodie of a merie laughyng countenaunce especially in his coÌ„municacioÌ„ thinne tethed thinne heared of witte in all thynges like Salomon of a princely redoubted stomake and in greate affaires and matters of weightie importaunce verie wittie For suche thynges as he went aboute he did theim warely not without greate deliberacion breathyng Besides this he was sobre moderate buxome bounteouse without all pride highnes of stomake in so muche that he was hard rough with theim the were noted of that crime for no man had so great autorite with him that either durst or could dooe any thyng as his owne faÌ„tasie did serue hym without the consent agrement of other Yea he kept this point so wel that he would not suffre his owne mother to haue her will For this was his saiyng * that a kyng was a ruler that should rule not be ruled He was also verie iust defended the matters causes of many poore people froÌ„ the power of greate menne And so liuyng all his tyme in vertue renowne glorie and valiauntnes of merciall prowesses gaue vp his ghoste at the laste whiche vndoubtedly is in that place where euerlastyng ioye and gladnes remaineth for euer and euer ¶ Henry the eyght OVRE MOSTE GRACIOVS souereigne lorde kyng Henry the eyght the soonne of Henry the seuenth beganne his reigne the .xxiiii. daie of Appryll in the yere of our Lorde M ccccc ix was crouned at Westminster in the feast of the natiuite of saâ—net Ihon Baptist then nexte folowyng Aboute the midle of the moneth of Iuyn the 〈…〉 nges highnes was maried and the .xxi. daie of thesame moneth he came froÌ„ Grenewiche by land so roade through Graschurch strete to the towre with whom came many noblemen and gentlemen well apareled but specially the duke of BuckynghamÌ„ whiche roade in a goune of goldsmythes woorke a thyng of greate richesse and so the kyng â—ested there from Thursdaie till Saterdaie in the whiche season he created certain knightes of the Bathe And vpon Saturdaie aboute foure of the clocke at after noone the kyng came ridyng through cornehill in moste honourable wise before whom roade thesaid knightes of the Bathe in blewe loÌ„g gounes with hoodes vpoÌ„ their shoulders spreade after the maner of masters of arte and tasselles of white and blewe silke fastened vpon one of their shouldres The duke of BuckynghamÌ„ roade next before the kyng except the mayre of London certain sergeauntes and herauldes The whiche duke roade in a long goune of nedle woorke right costly and riche bare a litle white staffe of siluer in his hand in signe and token that he was high and chief steward of the feast of coronacion And thesaid duke had aboute his necke a broade and flat close chein of a newe deuise not before vsed fret with precious great rubies and other stones of greate value And ouer the kyng was borne a riche canapie by the foure barones of the foure portes and there folowed seuen foloers wherof the first was trapped in the armes of sainct Edwarde the second in the armes of sainct Edmond the third in the armes of S. George the fourth in the armes of EnglaÌ„d the fifth in the armes of FrauÌ„ce the sixth the. vii in sondry trappors of riche cloth of gold with costely deuices After the foloers came a gentlemaÌ„ ledyng a spare horsse moste richely garnisshed And after hym sir Thomas Brandon then maister of the kynges horsse right well goodly apointed and well horssed and richely trapped the whiche horsse with the apparell was to the kyng belongyng And when the coÌ„paignie was thus with all honoure passed ymediatly ensued a goodly compaignie of gentlemen well apointed And after theim came the quene sittyng in a horsse litter alone clothed in a riche mantell of tissue in her heare with a circulet of silke golde and perle aboute her head But wheÌ„ her grace was a litle passed
accordyng to the lawe of God taken reputed as supreme heed of this his realme nexte and immediatly vnder Chryst This yere the erle of Kyldare died in the Towre and his sonne rebel led and slewe the byshop of Dubelyn wherfore the kyng dyd send sir Wylliam Skeuynton thether This yere was graunted to the king the fyrst frutes and the tenthes of all spirituall possessyons In Iune was the byshoppe of Rochester and sir Thomas Moore behedded for deniyng the kyng to be supreme hed of the church of Englande This yere wer .iii. Monkes of the Charterhouse executed for the same offence In this .xxvii. yere in Ianuary dyed lady Katheryn princesse dowager and is buryed at Peter borowe This yere quene Anne was attaynted of treason and was beheded And the kynge maried lady Iane Seymer And in October beganne a fololyshe commocion in Lyncolnshyre another in Yorke shyre by the meanes of Lord Darey lord Husey sir Robert CoÌ„stable Robert Aske Which only by the kynges wysedome his discrete counsayle were appeased withoute bloode shedynge In this .xxviii. yere the Thamis was ouer fro 〈…〉 in December wherfore the kyng and the quene rode throwe London with a goodlye companye This yere also syr Fraunces Bygot lord Darcy syr Robert Constable and other beganne a newe coâ—spyracie and thei were attaynted and putte to death in Iune In February was Thomas Fytzgarred and fyue of his vncles hanged drawen quartered And on saynt Edwardes euen Prynce Edwarde was borne at HamptoÌ„ court The. xxiii daye of October dyed quene Iane and is buryed at Wyndsore In this .xxix. yere in Maye was Frere Foreste hanged and brente in Smithfeelde for treason heresy with the Image of Daruell Gathern In thys yere all ydolatry was forbyddeÌ„ And dyuers ymages that had engynnes to make their eyes other lymmes to styre wyth many other disceates wer destroyed And all Freers and Monkes chauÌ„ged their garmentes In this .xxx. yere in DeceÌ„ber was the Marquis of Ereter the Lord Montacute and syr Edward Neuell behedded for hygh treasoÌ„ duly proued In May the cytesyns of LondoÌ„ mustred al in bright harneisse with coates of whyte clothe and whyte sylke wyth chaynes of golde in thre great armyes to the great wonder of straungers Nowe for a fynal coÌ„clusioÌ„ as touchiÌ„g this most noble exelleÌ„t prince and for the closing vp of this preseÌ„t werke If that his highnes had by al the space of his reigne heretofore whiche hath bene .xxxiiii. yeres done no more but only these three thynges as in dede his grace hath done a great infinite noÌ„bre of moste prudente beneficial thynges bothe for the quietnes of his realme wealth of his subiectes that is to saie the extirpyng abholyshyng of the vsurped authoritee of the B. of Rome out of all his dominions and restoring vnto vs the holy most blessed worde of God the is to saie the whole scripture in our Englishtongue to th entent chiefly that we mighte knowe oure dutie to almightie God oure obedyence to our prince and hys successours kynges of thys realme lyue a godlye and Christen life one with another Secondarely in takynge a waye all supersticion and ydolatrye whiche was a thyng moost detestain â–ª the sight of God And thirdlye and laste of all the dissoluynge of cloisters and suppressynge all conterfete and false religion which so long as thei coÌ„tinued wer not only teachers preachers of false and supersticious doctryne but also wer euer the autours begynners of all mischiefes commocions For reformacion I saye of which thynges who is hable to rendre woorthy thankes and prayses to his highnes And therfore to conclude infinite thankes be geueÌ„ to almightie God that so hath wrought by his speciall grace in the hearte mynde of his hihgnes let earnest prayers and supplicacioÌ„s incessantly be made of all his faythful subiectes for the preseruacion of his highnes in mooste triumphant honoure and wealth and ouer vs longe to reigne rule And that when nature shall geue place to death in his grace that then thesame giftes of prudence pollecie and godly iudgement that his highnes is so plentifully endewed with maye yet be planted in the personne of that goodly ympe and mooste flory shyng brauÌ„che prynce Edwarde that the same maye finishe mainteine that whiche his noble father and our souereigne lord kyng Henry the eyght hath moste graciously begoÌ„ne To this all true Englishe heartes saie Amen LONDINI In officina Richardi Graftoni Cmm priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium Numeri .xxvii. Salphaat 〈…〉 ke 〈…〉 orn in GauÌ„t 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 EdmouÌ„d duke of yorke Thomas of wood stoke duke of gloucester Mat. 〈…〉 vii Edward prince of Wa 〈…〉 the eldest sonne of kynge Edward the .iii. Duke of Yorke The tytle of the kinges of EnglaÌ„de to Scotland and Ireland Godfrayâ— Boleyn Robert cur those Out of old bookes coÌ„meth newe knowledge The dukes wyfe named Cecely Kyng DioclesyaÌ„ and Albyne his wyfe This chronicle is not true Saul was the fyrste kyng in the thyrde age This sâ—e 〈…〉 that our chronicle is false in the beegynnyng Brutus The oâ—acyon of the authoure for that makyng of this booke The names of false goddes The armis of Brute Brutus Dute of oldbokes coÌ„meth new wisedome Adam The geneâ—aâ—ion of â—â—ute 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 h. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cely. Saturne Iubiter Dardanus Eriotonus Troilus Ilis Ilyon Hercules Lamadone Priamus Achilles was Priamus brother LamedoÌ„ shewed to Iason vnkindnesse Hector Troilus Dephebus Helenus Parys came of Pryamus Greekes Anchyses Eneas Ascaneus Eneas EuaÌ„dre Latene Turnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siluius the father of Brutus The praise of Brute Howe Brutus slewe his father Helenus Priamus Anchises Pandras Brutus Anacletus 〈…〉 onê° Pandras The pillers that Hercules made of brasse Diane the Goddes Corneus capitain of that TroyaÌ„s Goryne The armes of 〈…〉 e Maryan chronicler Corneus Gogmagog Coryn This Isle Briteyne Corneus London 〈…〉 The leÌ„gth and bredth of the Isle of Bryteyne Howe Brutus deuided this ysle Thre sonnes of Brute Locryne 〈◊〉 Albanacte Brutus ordered the people to sowe corne Locryne * The death of Albanact The ryuer of Humbar wherof it tooke that name How Loâ—yn was 〈…〉 e in betrayle by hys wyâ—e Gwendolyne The ryuer of Seuerne wherofit tooke the name Guendolena MaddaÌ„ kyng of Britain that is EnglaÌ„d Scotlande Howe the one 〈…〉 to be kynge MeÌ„pryse kyng of Britaine The wretched end of Mempryse Ebranke reygned â–ª lx yeres The Castell of DuÌ„brytayne in ScotlaÌ„d The castel of Ediburgh The castell of Bamburgh That is yorke Brutus greneshilde reigned xii yeres Leyle kyng of Britain reygned .xxv. yeres The cytee of Carleile by whoÌ„ it was buylded Rudhudebras kynge reygned xxxix yeres Bladud reigned .xx. yeres StaÌ„forde A manne decked in fethers Leyr kyng Cordell quene of Fraunce Morgan CoÌ„dage is that which we nowe call Walis Condage
reigned xxxiii yeres Ryueall reygned vxii yeres Gurgustius reygned xv yeres Scicilius reygned xiiii yeres Kyng Iago reigned x. yere Kyng Kimar reigned .xx. viii yere GorboniaÌ„ reigned .xi. yere Clotane with his feldes reigned xâ— yeres DuÌ„wallo reigned .xl. yeres DuÌ„wallo was the first king of Bryteine that was croned with golde This teÌ„ple was s Poules churche in LoÌ„don Bolyn Gurgwyn reigned xxx yeres Howe Irelande was hold of this kyng his heires Guytelyn reygned .x. yere Sicilius reygned .xxiiii. yeres * Rymar kynge * Danius kynge Moruyle reygned .xvii. yere Gorbonyâ— reygned .x. yere Arthegall * Eledoure kyng reygned v. yeres * Arthegall reygned 〈◊〉 yere Eledoure reigned xiii yere Iugen and Peredour reigned vii yere together Paradour reigned by hym self iiii yeres Eledour reigned .x. yeres GorboniaÌ„ kyng of Brytaine Morgan reigned .xiiii. yere Emnan kyng reigned .vii. yere Kyng Iuall reigned .xx. yere Kyng Rymo reigned xvi yere Kyng GereÌ„nes reigned xx yere Kyng Catellus reigned x. yere Kyng Coile reigned xx yere Kyng Porrex Kyng Cheryn Fulgen FulgeÌ„ce Eldred Androge Vryan Elynde Dedancius Detoâ—â— GurguÌ„cius Merian Bledudo Cappe Owen Sicilius all these reigned eche of theim .ii. yeres Bledud Gabred cantor Archiuall Eldoll Redon Redrike Samuel Pirry Penisell Capre eche of these reigned two yeres Howe Hely the soonne of Elyngwellus made the Isle of Hely Kyng Hely reigned .xl. yere Kyng Lud reigned .xl. yere This palays is nowe the bishop of LondoÌ„s palays beside Poules Cassibalayn reigned .xxxiii. yere Temancius reygned .xvii. yere Kymbelyne Guyder reigned xi iiii yere Aruiragus reigned xl.iiii yere 〈◊〉 Wher of Gloucester was so named Vaspasian Agrestes Howe Galway had fyrst the name of kyng Gadelus The regall of scotlande The subieccion of ScotlaÌ„d Coylus reigned xiii yere Lucyus kyng Seuerus kyng GetaÌ„ king of Britain chosen by that Romayns Bassian reygned vii yere Caranse reigned liii yeres * Allectus kyng reygned .iii. yere Asclepiadote reygned .x. yere Kyng Coylus reygned .xi. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng reygned xv yere Constantyne reygned .xxxiiii. yere Sorcerie ConstaÌ„tine first grauÌ„ted to the. b. of Româ— that primacye Octauius Kyng Traherne Maximian reigned in all xxx .iiii. yere The .xi. M. vyrgins Gracian kyng ConstaÌ„tyne reigned .x. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng Vortiger kynge of Britayn reygned .xviii. yeres * Wednysdaye wherof it was named Vortymer kynge of Britayne The craft pollicye of Engist EnglaÌ„de wherof it was so named Vter PendragoÌ„ kyng of Brytain Kynge Arthure The saynt Graall what it is The death of kyng Arthure * Aurelius Conan kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere * Vortiper king of Britayne reygned vii yere Malgo kiÌ„g of Britayn reygned .xxii. yere * Carreys kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere Cursyng Howe that Britons were kyn glesse xx yere A lamen tacion of that maker of this booke to that lordes Mat â–ª xii The couÌ„cel of the maker to duke Richard of Yorke Homage of the Scottes A murder of MoÌ„kes Cadwall lxi yeres reigned The subieâ—cion of the Scottes SubiecctoÌ„ of Scottes Oswold Oswy kyng of NorthuÌ„berlande Kynge Cadwal Cadwalader kyng SubiercioÌ„ of that Scottes * A greate plage Mat .xii. Roome pence Etheldred Kyng Cuthred Segbert kyng Kynulph kyng IgnorauÌ„ce in those dayes Kyng Egberte 〈◊〉 Tythes firste grauÌ„ted to the clergy in Englande Kyng Ethel bert Kyng Elfride Alurede kyng Supersticion Superset cyonsnesse with daÌ„pnable ydolatrye Homage of the Scottes RebellyoÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Guy of Warwicke Kyng Eâ—moÌ„d reigned â—i yere Homage of the scottes Edrede kynge of EnglaÌ„de RebellioÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Edwyn kynge Edgare Homage of that Scottes Thoffice of a king Edwarde marter kynge of Englande Ethilrede kyng A wonderfull token Edmonde Ironesyde reigned kiÌ„g of EnglaÌ„d thre yere * Kno wt kynge of Englande and of DeÌ„marke Homage of that Scottes Herold Kyng Hard kno wt â–ª King Edwarde that 〈…〉 coÌ„fessou Th erle Goodwyn Homage of that Scottes Ignorance and supersticyon * Herolde kynge of Englande duke Good wins soÌ„ne Duke WillyaÌ„ of Normandye Homage of the Scottes Kyng Wâ—lliam Rufus Homage of the Scottes Homage of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Henry the first Homaeg of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes Kyng Stephan Homage of the Scottes kyng HeÌ„rye the seconde Homage of that Scottes Raynold fitz Vrsy Hughe Maruile Robert Tracy Homage of that Scottes Subieccion of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Rycharde the fyrst called Cure de L◠〈…〉 Homage o the Scottes IhoÌ„kyng of Englande The piteous lameÌ„ table storye of king IhoÌ„ who by the Roomyshe byshop and his adhereÌ„tes was most sham fully vylanously abused as by this hystory doeth appeare Kyng Henry that thirde Homage of the Scottes Battaile of Lewes The battaill of Euesh 〈…〉 Kyng Edwarde the fyrst after that conquest The homage of that kynge of Scotlande to kyng Edwarde A restraint of laÌ„des to be geuen to the clergye Howe a chronicle was feygned to make Edmond the elder brother This was to Henry the fyfth Homage of the Scottes Submyssion of the Scottish kyng al his lords vnto kiÌ„g Edward the first Howe the Scottyshe kynge all the lordes of ScotlaÌ„d made homage vnto dyng Edwarde The deathe of Edward the first Kyng Edward the second The battaille of BaÌ„nokesburne Gilbert MideltoÌ„ robbed that cardinalles Edward the thyrde Homage of that Scottes Kyng Iohn of FrauÌ„ce A battaill in Spain Kyng Richard the seconde Insurrec * The batail of Rotâ—ote bridge * The batayl of Otturborne Blancke chartres Kyng Richard his voiage in to IrelaÌ„o Kyng Henry that fourth The kynges voiage into Scotlande The kynges voyages into Wales Robyn meÌ„dmarket The conceyte of the maker Lorde Coâ—ham King HeÌ„ry that sixte The duke of Gloucester protectour of EnglaÌ„d The duke of BedfordregeÌ„t of frauÌ„ce The coÌ„ceâ—â— of that maker touchynge kiÌ„g Iames. Kyng Richardes wife sent home again into â—raunce The casteâ— of Dunbretayne The tyme to beginne warre in Scotlande FroÌ„ Barwyke to DoÌ„barre .xx. Haddingtosie xii EdeÌ„burgh xii Lythko xii Sterlyng .xii. FroÌ„ EdeÌ„burgh to Leith i to Blaknesse .ix. to Sterling xiiii FroÌ„ Sterlyng to the doune of of Monteth .iiii. FroÌ„ Sterlynge to FalklaÌ„d .xxx. The first yere Howe HeÌ„ry that duke of Somersette lefte kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. and fled to kyng Edward and after repented fled againe to HeÌ„ry the .vi. The discomfitur of Henry the sixt The duke of Somerset taken beheded The takynge of HeÌ„ry the xyxte â–ª The coynynge of royalles nobles The sixt yere The .ix. yere King 〈◊〉 â—y 〈◊〉 vii The prophecye of Henrye the vi of kyng Henry the vii The .xix. yere * Tâ—e descripcion of Edward the fourth The descripcioÌ„ of Richarde the thyrde The exhortacyoÌ„ 〈◊〉 kynge Edward 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The descâ—ipcioÌ„ of Edward 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ion 〈…〉 hâ—â—â—s wife The oration of that duke of BuckynghaÌ„ â–ª made â—o the cy 〈…〉 of London Howe and after what maner the two soÌ„nes of king Edward were destroyed The murtherynge of kynge Edward his chyldren The garde fyrste ordeined by kiÌ„ge Henry the vii The sweating sickenesse The coÌ„mocion made by the lord Louell and the lorde Stafforde Themurde ryng of the erle of NorthuÌ„berland 〈…〉 The kyng of Scottes slain of his subiectes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perkyn warbeck * The blacke Smyth The .xii. pere of HeÌ„ry the .vii. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 done The noble wise saiyng of HeÌ„ry the seuenth The .iii. yere The .iiii. yere The .v. yere The .vi. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 The .lx. yere The .x. yere The .xi. yere The .xii. yere The .xiii. yere The .xiiii. yere The .xv. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 viii The .xix. yere The .xx. yere The .xxi. yere The. xxii yere The .xxiii. yere The. xxv yere The. xxvi yere The. xxvii yere 〈◊〉 xviii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxix yere The. xxx yere
their great damage It dooeth as me semeth ryght well appere That when pleaseth our king to send you thether Your house in hys ryght is appoynted by God To bee to the Scottes a sharpe scourge and rod Wherfore thys chronycle of Ihon Hardyng I haue thought good to dedycate to your grace Because the same in euery maner of thyng Doothe best set out the nature of that place With distaunce of tounes and euery myles space Besechyng your grace to take in good parte Myne honest labours and beneuolent harte The preface into the Chronycle of Iohn Hardyng EMonges all wryters that haue put in vre Their penne and style thynges to endite None haue behynd theim left so greate treasure Ne to their posteritee haue dooen suche delite As thei whiche haue taken peines to write Chronycles and actes of eche nacion And haue of thesame made true relacion ¶ By Chronycles we knowe thynges auncient The succession of tymes and menne The state of policies with their regiment Howe long eche partie hath ruled and when And what were all their procedynges then Chronicles make reporte of matiers dooen And passed many thousand yeres gooen ¶ By Chronycles we knowe in eche countree What men haue been of prowesse marciall What persones chiefly in actiuitee When and betwene whom warres haue befall Either ciuile or els externall Howe thesame haue been conueighed wrought Or els appeaced and to quiete brought ¶ Chronicles dooe recorde and testifye Euen from the worldes first beginninges And dooe kepe in continuall memorie The course and processe of all maner thinges The liues and maners of princes and kynges Aswell Gentiles as Iudaicall Aswell Iuste and godly as tyrannicall ¶ What persones to their prince and countree Haue been louing true and obedient And at all times of necessitee Haue serued thesame with good entent And constauntly therin haue their liues spent In Chronicles are regestred feithfully To their immortall honoure and glorye ¶ Contrarye wise who to their souerains Or to their countrees haue been wicked traitours Or by collusion and crafty traines Haue rebelled against their gouernours Or the same to helpe haue been slacke proctours Are sembleably sette out by name To their endelesse infamy reproche and shame ¶ These thinges and others a thousande mo Wherby realmes haue decaied or growen Chaunged in processe and altered to and fro Fruitefull and expedient to bee knowen Are in Chronicles so plainly shewen That thinges antique to vs bee as apparent As yf at their doinges we had been present ¶ Wherfore Goddes worde and holy scripture Whiche abandoneth all maner vanitee Yet of Chronicles admitteth the lecture As a thing of greate fruite and vtilitee And as a lanterne to the posteritee For example what they ought to knowe What waies to refuse and what to folowe ¶ The bible bookes of Iudges and kynges Althoughe moste full of high diuine misterie And farre surmounting all Ethnike dooynges Yet yf they bee read and take literally Hath the fourme and course of a plain historie What kynges serued God and who trangressed Whiche thereby prospered or wer oppressed ¶ The bookes of the kynges euery where Yf thinges seme touched ouer briefly To a larger storye dooeth vs referre Whiche were Chronicles of eche manne truely Sette out at length to our memorie Albeit those Chronicles as it is euident Are loste and dooe not remain at this present ¶ The bookes inscribed Paralipomena A perfecte membre and piece of the bible Is a summarye of the kynges of Iuda And therfore in Hebrue it hath the title And appellacion of a Chronicle The Machabees also by my deming Is a plaine historye of holy writing ¶ Whiche bookes if they had neuer been set out It had been a greate maime to our knowlage A lamentable lacke with outen doubte A greate cause of blindnesse to our age And to our faith inestimable damage But the spirite of God the authour was That those examples might bee our glasse ¶ Chronicles therfore of true reporte Whether of Christian realmes or no Are matier of pleasaunce fruite and comforte And for a thousande causes and mo Diligently to bee attended vnto Yea and all maner writers of the same Worthie laude thanke honoure immortal fame ¶ Neither is any one to bee reiected That in this behalfe hath dooen his endeuoure For though some bee such as might bee corrected Yet those that haue therein bestowed laboure Haue minded to profyte vs to their power Neither any is so full but somwhere dooeth faile Nor any so bare but dooeth somthing auaile ¶ And what an exceding benefite trowe ye Is it for eche manne to haue cognicion Of all actes bothe of his owne countree And also of euery forein nacion As yf he had liued when eche thing was dooen And to view the actes of antiquitee As though he did nowe presentlye theim see ¶ Chroniclers therfore I can highly cōmende And emonge others this authour Ihon Harding Who with all his power to this point did contēd To the vttermost extent of his learning That Englishe men might haue vnderstanding Of all affaires touching theirowne countree Euen to his dayes from olde antiquites ¶ And though his cōning were not so muche As some others nor his intelligence Yet his good minde entent and zele was suche That in hym lacked no pointe of diligence After suche bookes as he thought of credence Feithfully to describe suche thinges in rime As happened to Englande from tyme to tyme ¶ But in thinges dooen before his owne dayes He foloweth his authours at auenture Without choice or difference of the true wayes Nor well assured who were corrupte or pure Nor whether they were certaine orelles vnsure Whether fabulous or menne of veritee Whether vaine or of good authoritee ¶ But what soeuer in his owne time was dooen That he reporteth with all fidelitee Right so as eche thing ended or begonne Withoute any spotte of insynceritee Or dissimulation of the veritee He founde all meanes the veray trueth to know And what he knewe certainly that did he shewe ¶ From the beginning of Henry the fourth kyng Of this realme of Englande after the conquest Euen to Edwarde the fourthes reigning Whiche was thre score yeres and one at the leste He leaueth nothing vnwriten at the largest That was or semed to bee of importaunce Touchyng peace and warre wyth Scotlande or Fraunce ¶ Vnto the Scottes he coulde neuer bee frende Because he sawe theim towardes England False from the begynnyng to the last ende Neuer standyng to anye league ne bande Homage fealtee ne wryting of theyr hande Neuer so readie to make rebellyon As when thei promised moost subiection ¶ That if Ihon Hardyng bee a trew man And in this behalfe inspyred with prophecie Thei wyll neuer bee but as thei were than Falle to England suttle and craftie Entendyng myschiefe when thei shewe contrary Spoylers and robbers that amende wyll neuer Tyll our kyng shall haue made theim Englyshe for euer ¶ Neither is there anye that euer wrote Which
soonne was of good kyng Edwarde That wedded dame Blaunch ful of feminytee Duke Henryes doughter and heire afterwarde Of Lancastre by lawe of kynde and forwarde Who gat and bare the fourth kyng Henry That kyng Rycharde deposed wrongfully ¶ Who gatte Henry the fyfth lyke conqueroure Of Normandy and mykill parte of Fraunce That excelled bothe kyng and Emperoure In marcyall actes by his gouernaunce Who gatte Henry the sixte at Gods pleasaunce Of suche symplenesse and disposicion As menne maye se by his discrecion 〈◊〉 For when Henry the fourth first was crouned 〈…〉 ny a wyseman sayd then full commenly 〈…〉 third heyre shuld not ioyse but be vncrouned And deposed of all regalitee To this reason they dyd there wittes applye Of euill gotten good the third should not enioyse Of longe agone it hath bene a commen voyse ¶ Howe the maker of this booke saieth his auyse in briefe for the duke of Yorke ¶ O my lorde of Yorke God hath prouyde In this for you as men sayen commenly So that no slouth you from his grace deuyde But take it as he hath it sent manly And rule well nowe ye haue the remedye But neretheles let euery man haue the right Both frende and foo it may encrease your might ¶ Treate well Percy of marchys lyne discended To helpe your right with might and fortifye By tender meanes to holde hym well contented Remembryng hym by wyttie polycye Howe by processe of tyme and destenye Your right might all bene his as nowe is yours Through gods might make thē your successours ¶ Edmoūde was then the .iiij. sonne at Langlay Borne as knowen was well in the lande A noble prince after as men might say At battayle of Orray that fought sore with his hāde And Iohn of Gaunt his brother I vnderstande That fought ful sore for Ihō of Mountfortright Agayne Charles of Bloys a manly knight ¶ This Edmoūde was after duke of Yorke creat And had a sonne that Edward had to name Whom kyng Richarde made to be denominate In all his writtes exaltyng his fame Kyng of Portyngale his father yet at hame Lyuyng in age I trawe of .lxxx. yere A fayre person as a man might se any where ¶ Thomas Woodstoke the .v. sonne was in dede Duke of Gloucester that tyme made and create By kyng Richarde murdered whom for his mede Kyng Henry quyt with death preordinate By Goddes dome and sentence approbate Who sleeth so shall he be slayne by his sentence Well more murder whiche asketh ay vengeaunce ¶ Who laye afore Paris amoneth daye With hoste royall without any batell Of all enemyes moste dred he was alwaye And Scottes moste hym bred without any fayle For as they trowed by theyr owne rehersaile Of prophecyes he shulde theyr lande conquere And make the kyng to Englande homegere ¶ Nowe haue I made vnto your owne knowlege A remembraunce of Edwardes sonnes fyue Your exampler to geue you a corage So noble princes I trowe were none alyue After my wytte as I can discryue The eldest sonne whose lyfe I haue lefte oute Who that in Fraunce all landes was moste doute ¶ Of the ryghte and tytles that my Lorde of Yorke hath to Fraunce and Spayne with Portingale other landes by yonde the sea Ierusalem and other landes ¶ At batell of Poytiers tooke kynge Iohn With greate honoure triumphe and vyctory By merciall actes and verteous life aloone And in Spayne as made is memorie The kyng Petro by knightly victorie To his kyngdome he did restore again By his brother putte out with muche pain ¶ The appoinctement bytwixt duke Iohn duke Emund who should bee kyng of Castle and Lyon and what the maker of this booke sawe and red at Londō to syr Robert Vmfrewill then lorde Vmfrewill ¶ This kyng Petro to giue hym to his mede Had nothyng els but doughters twoo full faire Whiche he betooke to that prince in deede For his wages for cause thei where his heire With whome he did to Englande so repaire And Constaunce wedde vnto his brother Iohn Emund his brother the younger had anone ¶ Dame Isabell the younger hight by name Bytwene these brethren was appoinctment The first heire male whiche of the sisters came The kyng should been and haue the regiment To you my lorde of Yorke this dooeth appent For your vncle Edwarde was first heire male To whome your father was heire with out faile ¶ So kyng of Spayne and also of Portyngall Ye should nowe bee by lyne of bloodde discent By couenaunt also and appoinctement whole As I haue seen of it the mununent Vnder seale wryten in all entent Whiche your vncle to my lorde Vmfrewill At London shewed whiche I red that while ¶ For Spayne Portyngale beare the renoume And commen name as I haue herde expressed Both to the realmes of Castyll and Lyon And so the kynge of Spayne hath aye adressed His royall style in wrytyng well impressed Kyng of Castill and also of Lyon Accompted both so for his region ¶ Nowe be ye knowe of your title to Englande By consequens to Wales and Scotlande For they perteyne as ye maye vnderstande Of auncient tyme to the crowne of Englande By papall bull ye haue the right to Irelande Gascowe Paitowe and Normandye Pountyf Bebuile Saunxie and Sauntignye ¶ And all the lande beyonde the charente Of Dangolesme Dangolismoys Luyre zyne Of Caoure Caourenō Pyridor Pirygūt coūtre Of Rodis Ronegeauis Dagō Dagenoyse that fine Tharbe Wigor Gaure shoulde to you enclyne With all the fraunchyses and all souerayntie As hath the kyng of Fraunce in his degre ¶ Nō that I Ihon Hardyng maker of this booke delyuered to kyng Henry the syxte the copie of the treatie of this land as kyng Edward the thyrd treated and had them after the battayll of Poytours ¶ Calys Marke Colne Hāmys Oye Wale Sandegate Guysons with all the whole coūtre With all the landes and townes betwene thē all With all fraunchyses and royall souerayntie All those of right be yours in propertie What by treate and what by veraye right As kyng Edwarde them had of mykyll might ¶ To Ierusalem I saye ye haue great right For erle Geffraye that hight Plantagenet Of Aungeoy erle a prince of passyng might The eldest sonne to Fouke and first begette Kyng of Ierusalem by his wife dewly sette Whose sonne Geffray foresaide gatte on his wyfe Henry the seconde that knowen was full ryfe ¶ Yet haue ye more fro Bawdewyn Paraliticus Kyng afterward to thesame kyng Henry The croune sente and his banner precious As veraye heyre of whole auncestrie Descent of bloode by tytle lynyally From Godfray Boleyn and Robert Curthose That kynges were therof and chose ¶ He sente hym also the Sepulture keyes Resygnyng wholy vnto hym all his ryght For to defende the lande from Sarizenes For he was sicke and had therto no might And all the lande destroyed was to sight By the
compile The eldest sister and thought she would encrees Hir self aboue theim all apon the dees Sittyng she tooke feauty then of theim all Trewe to hir to bee for aught that might bee fall ¶ And then she gaue this Isle a propre name Of Albion out of hir name as chief And called it so frome thens forward the same She ordained then bowes to their relief Arowes boltes and bowstrynges made in brief To slee the Dere the Bull and also the Bore The Beer and byrdes that were therin before ¶ With pitfalles great trappes thei did begile The beastes and byrdes to theyr sustenaunce They gatte eche daye with nettes and other wile The fyshe in stagnes and waters sufficiaunce Eche daye they made wyttye cheuesaunce To helpe them selfe at their necessitee For hungre that they shulde not perished bee The .v. Chapter ¶ Howe spyrites gatte Giauntes vpō the ladies which gatte other Giaūtes within this lāde Before Brute came were xii M. Giauntes what in this lāde that nowe is Englāde and the north that nowe is Scotland and the west that nowe is Wales as the Scotte Marian saieth in his dialoge THese ladies with meate drynke replete And of nature reuigured corporally And all there care forgette and vnder fete Had great desyre to play them womanly As wemen yet wyll do full louyngly For to fulfyll the werke of womanhed And bryng forth frute the lande to rule and lede ¶ So wer they tempted with inwarde meditaciō And vayne glorye within their hertes implyed To haue comforth of mennes consolacion And knewe nothyng howe of them to prouyde But inwardly theim they glorifyed So hote that spyrites in mannes forme Laye by theim their desyres to performe ¶ So duryng forth in suche lust and delyte With nature of theim selfe and feminacion The spyrites gatte children that were Gyaūtes tyte Of them through their owne ymaginacion By feruent hete moued with temptacion Thus gatte they then great Giaūtes ful of might Within shorte tyme that were longe and wight The .vi. Chapter ¶ How the fathers laye by theyr doughters the brethren by theyr systers the sonnes by theyr mothers and euery kynde with other as Hugh Genesis reporteth in his chronicles THe fathers then by theyr doughters laye Mother ne syster agayne it not replyed Of chylder fell sonnes and doughters ay They gatte eche daye and strongly multiplied Of theim this ysle then was so fortifyed So stronge then was this generacion None durst it noye for theyr malignacion ¶ Amonge theim fell so great vnkyndnesse Accordynge ryght well to there lyfe inordinate That echoue of theim dyd other oppresse That none of theim was lefte on lyue of the estate Of .xij. thousande within a lytell date Whose pryde fell afore the incarnacion Twelue hundreth yere by veraye computacion ¶ But Bartholomew de proprietatibus rerum Sayth howe this ysle of Albion had name Of the see bankes full whyte all or sum That circuyte the ysle as shyppes came Fro ferrome sene as thei through the see fame Sailed by by for rypes and roches whyte To shipmen were greate gladnesse and delyte ¶ But Maryan saieth the chronicler to sewe That dame Albion was the first that named it so Both two myght be together clere and trewe That shippes so saylinge to and fro And at her coming they called it so both two And so both waies maye be right sure trewe From whiche there wyll no chronycler it renewe ¶ Of this nowe wyll I sease and saye no more To time come efte the Brute hath wonne this lande And slayne them all in batell foughten sore But nowe of Brutus ye shall well vnderstande Howe that he did in Greece and tooke on hande And of what bloude he cam by clere discente And howe in Greece he had greate regiment ¶ And howe he gate this ysle by his prowesse And called it by name the ysle of Britayne And of his name for theyr worthynesse He called his men Britaynes ay furth certayne That Troyans were afore not to layne To whiche I praye the holy Trinyte That is one God in personnes thre ¶ Of helpe and spede to bryng this boke to ende For symple is my wytte of all scyence Of rethoryke as yet neuer I kende And symple am of all intellygence Yet wyll I not so hurte my conscyence On olde goddes to muse or on to call That false were euer and euer so wyll be fall ¶ Of Saturnus ne yet of Marcury Of Iubiter of Mars ne yet of Venus Of Pallas ne of Mynerue ne Megary Ne of Phebus Ceres ne of Geneus Of Cupyde ne yet of Thisophonus Dyan Bacchus ne of Cerbery All these I wyll refuse nowe and defye ¶ And to the god in heauen I praye in magestie My wytte to enforce with might and sapience With langage suche as may ought pleasaunt be To your pleasaunce and noble excellence For I am bare and naked of eloquence By insuffycience and all symplicyte To ende this booke as were necessyte The .vii. Chapiter ¶ How Brute conquered Albyon called it Britayne of his owne name that now is England Walis and Scotland and the armes of Brute in whiche he was clade fyrste when he entred this ysle after Genesis the Italyane Chronycler were of Gowlys .ii. Lions crowne of golde Rampant and combattaunt AS chronycles telleth make notificacyō who so them wel shal know vnderstand Of what kynne blode and generacyon Brutus firste came that conquered all this lande It to remember I haue nowe take on hande Through all olde stories by philosyphers cōpiled In balade thus it shall be made and fyled ¶ As out of olde feldes newe corne groweth eche yere Of olde bokes by clerkes newe approued Olde knyghtes actes with mynstrelles tonge stere The newe corage of yonge knightes to be moued Wherfore me thinketh old thinges shuld be loued Sith olde bokes maketh young wittes wise Disposed well with vertues exercyse ¶ At olde Adam therfore I wyll begyn Who was I fynde the first olde creatur Conueyng downe lynyally in kyn As discent in byrth and in gendur Next vnto Brute as mencion maketh scriptur I shall reporte as God wyll please to lede My symple ghoost with language it to fede ¶ For well I wote without his supportacion For to reporte his veraye genealogie Howe he by discent in all generacion From Adam downe to Troyane Auncetrye Gotten and borne certeyne in Italye Full herde it is although I woulde full fayne So symple be my spyrites and my brayne ¶ Of Adam whiche was the fyrst creature Came Seth forsothe and Seth gat Enos than And Enos gatte afterwarde full sure A sonne that hight and called was Canayn Who gatte Melaliel as scripture tell can Who gatte Iareth of whom Enoke came That Matusaly gatte of mykill fame ¶ Matusale gatte Lameke who Noe gatte And Noe Iaphet who gatte Cichym than That Cipre gatte after whom Cipres hatte Cipre gatte Crete that the ysle
Iohn to vexe and noye wylfryde But tender loue they helde on eyther syde The .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ How Cadwalader fel in greate impotencye that he might not gouerne the lande wherfore in defaute of lawe peace fell Barons warre and ciuyle discorde in all the realmes THe kyng Cadwaladre beyng impotent So euery daye helde no gouernaunce Nether lawe ne peace wtin his regiment Wherfore Britons dred none ordynaunce But eche one toke on other great vengeaunce Fro that time forth eche countre on other warred And euery cytee agaynste other marred ¶ Thus in defauee of lawe and peace conserued Cōmon profyte was wasted and deuoured Percyall profyte was sped and obserued And Venus also was cōmonly honoured For lechery and aduoutry was moste adoured Amonge them was cōmon as the carte waye Ryot robbery oppressyon nyght and daye Of which came then manslaughter homicide And cyuyle stryfe with sore contencyons Through Britons land euery where on eche side With batayles greate and fell discencions As Bede wryteth amonge his mencyons They dred nother the kyng ne god almyght Wherfore he sent vengeaunce on them full ryght That through the warre the tylth was all destroied Churches all and husbandrye vnoccupyed That with hunger the people were sore anoyed That people great in stretes and feldes dyed And muche folke as Bede hath specifyed The fayth of Chryste for hunger then forsoke And drowned thē selues so sore the payne thē toke ¶ Their catell dyed for faute of fode eche daye Without meate or any sustenaunce In townes and feldes and the cōmon waye Through which their enfecte was with that chaūce That multitude of folke in greate substaunce On hepys laye full lyke vnto mountaynes That horryble was of sight aboue the playns Vnburyed hole withoute Sacrament By pestylence also many one dyed Some woode some raynage went And some were in lytargie implyed An other some with batayle mortifyed With murther also amonge themselues dispent Full many were that none an other lament Through which defautes not amēded nor correct The bishoppes fled the prestees clerkes anoyed To Walys went there to be protecte In cauys hyd accombred and accloyed Full heuely deseased and full greatly anoyed With saynctes bones and relyques many one Morning full sore and makyng there their mone ¶ Then fel a yere of pardone and of grace At Rome where the kyng Cadwaladrus All desolate and sory for that case In pylgrymage thyther purposed thus With herte deuoute and wyll beneuelous With his Brytons together consociate Of worthy bloude so borne and generate ¶ To haue pardone and playne remissyon Of theyr trespasse synnes and neglygence That they put nought reddour ne punissyon By lawe payne and discrete prouidence On trespassours that dyd violence Through which their land they were so mischeued That with law kept might wel haue bene acheued To Rome they came of whom the bishop was glad Sergio that hyght who them graunt remissyon Of all their synnes with herte and wyll glad Saue onely then of their omissyon And neglygence of hole punissyon That they put nought vpon the trespassoures Of cōmon people that were destroyours Whiche was not in his power to relese Without amendes made and restitucyon To common weale and theyr due eucrease As they were hurte in faute of due punissyon He charged them for theyr playne remissyon The cōmonte to supporte and amende Of as 〈…〉 te good as they were so offende In the meane whyle whyls they at Rome so were The Saxons hole and Englyshe consociate Toke all theyr lande liuelod and other gere To Saxon they sente ambassyate To Angulo to be assocyate With many mo of theyr countree men For Britons all at Rome were bidyng then ¶ And bad them come in haste and tary nought For theyr owne helpe and for their waryson The whiche they dyd and hither fast they sought The Brytons lande they toke in possessyon And kepte it forth with many a garyson For Brytons came no more therto agayne For king Cadwallader thē dyed at Rome certain His Brytous also dyed homewarde by the waye In dyuerse places and some went to Britayne Other some to Fraunce there to abyde for aye And some also to Normandy and to Spayne That to theyr owne they came no more agayne But Saxons hole and Englyshe it occupyed Euer more after and strongly edifyed ¶ Some chroniclers saye he had by visyon No more to come into Britayne the more But to the bishop of Rome with great contricion Confesse hym and take his penaunce thore And absolucyon for his synnes sore And howe the bishop of Rome buryed him royally And on his tombe set his Epitaphye ¶ In laten letters in marble stone well graue Declared hole his conuersacyon Forsakyng all the worlde heuen to haue And howe the byshop of Rome by his confyrmaciō Called hym Peter whome Bede by relacyon Calleth a saynt in blysse hole disposed Fro whiche he may in no wyse be deposed ¶ This Cadwalader of Britons was the kyng That reygned full as souereygne lorde .xii. yere And in the yere .vi. hundreth and nynte beyng And dyed so as sayeth the chronyclere That of westsex then had be kyng two yere Of whome walshemen holden opinyon Of Englande yet to haue the reuercyon ¶ When that his bones be brought fro rome again Amonge them all haue suche a prophecye And Englande then efte synce called Britayne Thus stande they yet in suche fonde matesye In truste of whiche vayne fantasye They haue full ofte Englande sore anoyed And yet they wyll proue yf it maye be destroyed The .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ The lamentacyon of the maker of this booke and his counsayle to my Lorde of Yorke for good rule in the realme of Englande O Gracyous lorde O very heyre in ryght Of great Britayne enclosed with a sea O very heyre of Logres the now England hyght Of wales also of scotland which all thre Britayne so hyght of olde antiquyte O very heyre of Portyngale and Spayne Whiche castell is and Lyons soth to sayne ¶ O very heyre of Fraunce and Normandye Of Guyan Peytowe Bayen Man Angeoy Membrys of Fraunce of olde warre openly O very heyre of Ierusalem and Surry All this meane I by you that should enioye Ye or your heyres my lorde of Yorke certayne That wrongefully haue bene holde out to seyne ¶ But O good lorde take hede of this mischieue Howe Cadwaladore not kepyng lawe ne peace Sufferyng debates and cōmon warrys acheue And fully reygne and put hym nought in preace By lawe nor myght to make it for to cease For whiche there fell so great diuisyon That he was put vnto deheryteson ¶ Not he alone but all his nacyon Deuolued were and from theyr ryght expelled Full fayne to flee with greate lamentacyon From greate Britayne in which they had excelled In which their aūcetour afore lōg time had dwelled And knew their foes mortal shuld it occupy For euermore without remedye ¶ Which is the payne most fell aboue all payne
royaltee Endewed theim all in lande and tenemente Sufficiently with all establyshemente ¶ He wedded Elfbede that dukes doughter Ozmere On whom he gate a sonne both good and fayre That after was saynt Edwarde the marter Who was his eldest sonne and his heyre A lykely prince towarde both comly and fayre Elflede died he wedded Elfrith to wyfe That doughter was to duke Orgare be life ¶ On whom he gate Ethelbert so anone The kynges of Wales he had in subieccion The Scottes kynge Kynowth withouten moon Made hym homage without obieccion Thus all were vnder his proteccion And rode with hym alwaye in warre and peace In all his tyme withouten leas ¶ So trewe he was and in his dome wyse That for no mede nor fauoure wold he false The trewe leuers his lawe did not despyse He socoured euer and felons hanged hy the halse Conspiratours murtherers and traytours al 's The coÌ„mon weale aboue all thyng preferred Which euery prince shuld se wer wel obserued ¶ He taxed not his commons ne supprysed Ne holy churche nor yet the clergie But lyued on his owne as it was assised Vpon his rentes and landes morallye His officers hym ruled full no tably In euery shire he went in priuetee To spie and knowe who hurtes the commontee ¶ He was a kyng full worthy and condigne That let not for his ease nor his laboure To searche and see defautes that were maligne And theim correcte he was a gouernoure God set neuer kyng to be a ryotoure To trippe on tapettes and lyue in ydelnesse But for to rule with all kyndes of busynesse ¶ He died the yere .ix. hundreth sixty and eleuen When he had reygned full eyghtene yere Buried he was at Glastenbury to neuen His corps to the earth his soule to heauen clere When he had been dead foure and twenty yere Byshop Oswald of that same diocise By counsell of thabbot that was wyse ¶ Abbot Edwarde of that place that hight Who layde hym in a toumbe made of newe For it was shorte he brake his legges wight Of whiche the bloodde as rede and freshe of hewe As euer it was sprent out all hote and newe Into his eyen by whiche he lost his sight Men sayd it was for he had so hym dight ¶ Edwarde his sonne that eldest was and heire Saynt Dunstan then as made is mencion Tharchbyshop of Cauntorbury fayre So crowned hym kyng of this region Whom dame Alfrith of false presumpcion His stepmother to crowne syr Ethelrede At Cornisgate so cut his throte in dede ¶ As he with her did drynke of good entent And buryed was at Warham then anone But afterwarde the B. of Rome to England sent To take hym vp and laye hym hye anone In a toumbe made of siluer gold and stone As a marter then hym canonized At Shaftesbury where he is autorized ¶ And dyed in the yere of Christ .ix. huÌ„dreth clere Sixty also accoumpted and fyftene That reigned had in Englande but .iiii. yere His soule to blysse went then as is well sene Where nowe he muste euer dwell and been In ioye eterne emonge the sayntes of heauen And there with Christ goddes sonne beleuen The C .xvi. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Ethelrede kyng of Englande reigned .xxxviii. yere and dyed in the yere of Christ a thousande and thirtene THen Ethilrede withouten tariyng At Kyng stone tho by all the baronage Crowned was fayre royally as kyng His brother was and heyre of heritage But saynt Dunstan then by his trewe language Prophecied and sayd withouten leas In all his tyme he should not reigne in peace ¶ For to this realme he sayd he had no right But by murther and cruell homycede Of your brother that for you was dight Whiche murther euer asketh vengauÌ„ce on euery syde Wherfore he said serue God what so betyde And then it is the fayrest chastisement To be put out fro that same regyment ¶ Saynt Dunstan died and went to heauen The kyng rode forth to London his citee And as he rode he sawe a cloude full euen As rede as bloodde as all the people did see Whiche Englande hole ouerspred in quantitee Fro whiche the bloodde reyned vpon the ground That men trouwed to haue ben peryshed that stound The next yere after the Danes at SouthhaÌ„pton Arryued and brent the countre there aboute Also they spoyled and sore brente the towne And so they dyd all Cornewayle throughout And Deuenshire also and somerset no doubte With Dorsetshire and Wylshyre Barkeshrye brent And to London came or euer that they stent The suburbes there they spoyled sore and brent Two dukes then of Denmarke and Norwaye Northfolke Southfolke Essex or they stent Brent and spoyled and so forth helde the waye To London then where theyr felowes laye So assembled they and passed into Kente Where that countre they spoyled sore and brent ¶ The lande of kent to them graunted truage To lyue in peace and home agayne they went But in Northfolke an other hoste their passage Made then and so to Lyncolne or they stent All Lyncolneshyre throughout then they brent And Yorkeshyre also and home they went againe With pylage great of which they were full faine ¶ The king might get no helpe with them to fight For which he treated with king Anlaaf of Norway And with king Swaan of Denmarke for his right That destroyed had the lande in fell araye And truage hight them furthwarde to paye For they had no power amongest theÌ„ to prayse And was full fayne the warres for to cease But yet kyng Swayne wold nothiÌ„g rest for this He came agayne and crowned was for kyng Greate tallage of all this lande a mysse He toke alwaye and specyally all other thyng Saynt EdmuÌ„des landes he hurt by great taskiÌ„g And tallage which of it that he raysed Vnegally he pondred then and peysed For whiche warrys quene Emme to Normandy To her brother duke Rycharde the thyrde With her sonnes Alurede and Edwarde her by And Edmunde Ironesyde then it so betyde All these the toke and in a shyppe she dyd And with kyng Ethelrede by the sea led pryuely For helpe to haue gotte his lande there by ¶ In whiche tyme whyls he in Normandye Was soâ—ournyng kyng Swayn full lowde then cryed And sayde vnto his men fast gan crye I am but deed saint Edmunde hath me spyed And with a speare hath me here mortifyed Wo worth that day I noied S. Edmundes ground For with his speare my hert he hath sore wounde ¶ He dyed ryght so without confessyon And whyther he went I ne wote ne whare But well I wote in good and true professyon Saynt Edmonde king dyed and made his fare To blysse eterne withoute any care But then the Barons and lordes of Englande Sent worde to Ethylrede with hym for to stande And wrote to him how that kyng Swayn was deed And bade hym come to his lande agayne And so he dyd by councell and theyr rede He exyled all the Danes