And the King for reuenge resolued to haue burnt the Citie of London 74. But it is redeemed by sute and by money 75. The Earle of Glocester with the base off-skome of London do much mischiefe But by the Prince his entreatie all is pardoned 76. The Earle of Glocester is by the King furnished to goe a warfare in the holy land Hee giues it ouer And Prince Edward vndertaketh it he is trecherously wounded but recouereth The King dyeth and he returneth with much honor into England 77. King EDWARD the First THe French King feareth his valour and therefore inuiteth Lluellen to rebell against him in Wales 79. By promises that hee shall marie with the Ladie Eleanor the banished daughter of the banished Earle of Leicester who for succour was his guest 80. The King taketh her in her passage towards Wales the King marcheth towards Lluellens Armie He submitteth himselfe sweareth to be loyall and is wiued 80. He rebelleth againe and he and his brother are both beheaded 81. King Edward is chosen as soueraigne Lord to decide the controuersie and debate touching the Right to the Crowne of Scotland which many Competitors do striue for 81. That Kingdome is surrendred into his hand and he decides the doubt and conferres the Kingdom vpon Iohn Bayliol 83. Hee strippeth the Church and Church-men and is disliked of them especially for enacting of the Statute against Mortmaine 82. Iohn Bayliol being vngratefull inuadeth England But King Edward winnes from him the Castle and Towne of Barwike and slayeth 25000 of his Men. 83. He surrendreth Scotland and King Edward gouernes it by a Lieutenant and placeth all Officers of state therein 84. The Scots rebell againe and are subdued 84. They rebell once more Thirtie and two thousand of them are slaine 85. They doe homage and fealtie to King Edward 85. Iohn Bayliol at the Popes request is set at libertie his subiects doe againe rebell against England The King entreth into Scotland and the Castle of Eastervlnie in which the Scottish Nobilitie for their safeguard inclosed themselues being summoned is yeelded to King Edward 85. Hee sweareth them to his obedience and for a monument of his victories he bringeth from thēce the Chaire in which their Kings were vsually Crowned 86. Hee enquireth of the extortions done by his Officers and correcteth them 86. Prince Edward is committed to prison and his vnthriftie Companion Pierce Gaueston is banished 86. Wales and Cornwall are giuen to the Prince 86. The Pope claymeth the soueraigntie of Scotland but King Edward reiecteth and scorneth his claime Robert le Bruze vsurpeth in Scotland so that King Edward the fourth time goeth in his owne person into Scotland The Vsurper flyeth into Norway and King Edward dyeth 86 87. King EDWARD the Second HE breakes his Oath and recals Gaueston Hee doateth on Gaueston Makes him Earle of Cornwall and hee doth all in all whereat the Nobles are displeased 89 90. The King through Gauestons wicked counsell liueth lewdly and forsaketh the Companie of the Queene 90. Gaueston hath the custodie of the Kings Iewels and conueies many of them into Ireland 90 The people murmur at Gauestons authoritie and wicked courses The King reiects good counsell Yet at last Gaueston is banished into Ireland The King comforts him and sends him money and Iewels 91 The King is so sad for his departure that at the request of the Nobilitie in hope of amendment he is recalled 92 By reason of his insolencie hee is againe banished into Flanders but is recalled and waxeth more scornefull then he was before 92 The Lords despairing of redresse doe strike off his head 92 The King to despight his Nobilitie entertaineth the two Spencers who are worse then Gaueston and doe perswade him to more leaud and vngratious courses 92 The King and his Nobles doe not agree Robert le Bruze taking aduantage by the Kings euill gouernment vsurpeth in Scotland He is againe crowned King and ouerthroweth king Edward 93 Iohn Poydras is discouered to be a counterfet and is put to death 93 Barwike is betraied to the Scots 93 The Scots do ouerthrow King Edward the second time 94 The King being intreated will not put the Spencers from him 94 The Nobles in Parliament doe stand on their Guard 95 The Spencers are banished for euer 95 The Nobles complaine for the younger Spencers Piracies but the King maketh sport at it and recals them from their exile They scorne the Barons who fight but are ouerthrowen 96 Twentie and two Barons are beheaded 97 The elder Spencer is made Earle of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkley by whose principall seruice the Barons were ouerthrowen and who was made Earle of Carlile consorting with the Scots who had almost taken the King and enforced him to flie lost his head 98 The Queene being oppressed by the Spencers goeth into France and carrieth the Prince with her Shee is well entertained by the French King her brother But he is bribed by the Spencers and so is the Pope who conspire her deliuerie to King Edward And shee with her sonne doe flie into Arthoys 99 The Queene and Prince doe land in England The Nobles repaire to her with an Armie and the King is strangely taken prisoner The Earles of Arundel and Winchester are beheaded 100 And Hugh Spencer the younger being carried to London is disgraced and cruelly executed as a Traitor 100 The King is committed deposed his sonne is crowned and the old King is murdered by the practise of Sir Roger Mortimer who was too familiar with the Queene For which offence shee was honourably imprisoned thirtie yeares and more before shee died 105 King EDVVARD the third HE goeth with an Armie into Scotland to correct them for their insolencie in his fathers daies The Natiues flie into the woods and the King returneth 103 Hee concludeth a dishonourable peace with Scotland by the counsell of Sir Roger Mortimer whom he createth Earle of March and marieth his sister Iane to the King of Scots sonne named Dauid He releaseth the Tenure Soueraigntie homage and the fealtie of Scotland and deliuereth vp the great Charter called Ragman which testified their tenure of the Kings of England 104 The Earle of March procureth the Kings vncle the Earle of Kent to be beheaded and is himselfe executed as a Traitor 104. 105 The King and the French King doe iarre about the Kings homage for the Duchie of Guyan 105 The Kings title to the Kingdome of France was now first broached 105 He recouereth Barwicke from the Scots and maketh Edward Bayliol King 106 In his owne person he settleth the gouernment of Scotland 106 The King seekes aid of forraine Princes for his French wars 107 And is by fauour made Vicar Generall of the Empire and is thereby enabled to winne Iaques Dartuell with the Flemings and the Princes of Germanie to ioine with him 108 He filleth his coffers 108 The French King staieth his Armie from going to the Holy Land to fight with England 108 King Edward transporteth his Armie into Flanders and ioining with his consorts he marcheth into France with 27000. men The French King takes the field 108 Iane Countesse of Henault mother to the Queene of England and
Scotland the Low Countries Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere and then he displaced those corrupted Officers and placed better in their steads The Prince is committed to prison and Pierce Gaueston is banisht Cornwall and Wales giuen to the Prince 29. 1300. Peace betwixt England and Scotland The Scots doe sweare obedience The Popes claime to be high Lord of Scotland and his command to King Edward About the same time Doctor Langton then Bishop of Chester complained grieuously to the King vpon Edward the yong Prince who by the lewd aduice and instigation of Pierce Gaueston his loose and gracelesse companion brake forcibly into his Parke and made hauocke of his game for which the Prince was committed to prison and Gaueston was banished the land and required not to return on paine of death And the next yeere after Edmund Earle of Cornwall sonne to Richard King of the Romans died without issue so that that Earldome reuerted to the Crowne which together with the Principalitie of Wales the King gaue vnto Prince Edward his eldest sonne and heire apparant to his Crowne In the three and thirtieth yeer of King Edwards raigne a generall peace was proclaimed betweene England and Scotland and Robert le Bruse and many other knights Lords and Earles of that Country came into England and voluntarily swore their fealtie and their homage to the king yet before one yeare was fully expired the said Lord Bruse and many others secretly procured from the Pope an instrument in writing by which the Pope made claime to the kingdome of Scotland as holden of his Church of Rome and the king was thereby peremptorily required to surcease from all demands of Tenure and of Soueraintie ouer it The Kings message to the Pope But the king by the aduice of his Nobles signified by his Embassadors to the Pope That the Signiory and Lordship of the said kingdome of Scotland did only belong to the kings of England and not vnto the See of Rome nor vnto any other and therefore he prayed him to reuoke his said Instrument and vniust claime for that both hee and his Nobles were resolued to maintain his right and lawfull inheritance therein with the vtmost expence of their goods lands and liues But whilst those things were thus handling Robert le Bruse doth vsurp in Scotland The King in his owne person the fourth time subdueth the Scots The vsurper flieth into Norway The King dieth Robert le Bruse by the Popes consent caused himself to be crowned king of that Realm which occasioned king Edward the fourth time to enter into Scotland with a puissant Armie where he so largely extended his valor and with the sword so fiercely deuoured the Inhabitants which ioynd with their vsurping king that they were compelled with extraordinarie tokens of subiection and humilitie to yeeld themselues to the kings mercie And Robert le Bruse finding no meanes to make good his false title to that Crown secretly withdrew himselfe and fled into Norway where he remained vntill king Edwards death which happened soone after when hee had raigned victoriously almost thirty fiue yeeres THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE SECOND AFTER the Kings death his sonne Edward succeeded and was crowned King His tall and comely Personage An euill King graced with outward Majestie seemed to promise manie blessings to ensue But his Maners being grossely corrupted by lewd and gracelesse companions were so lasciuious and vnbefitting the condition of a King that he became burthensome to his Nobilitie and almost a skorne to his inferior subjects For hee neglected the societie and the counsell of such as were wise and graue and consorted himselfe with his owne Minions by meanes whereof he put in practise euerie loathed thing wherein hee could either take pleasure or expresse his follie So that his euill Gouernment made his Kingdome to be vnfortunate and himselfe a president of wretchednesse to succeeding Ages as in the discourse of his Historie it will more particularly appeare No sooner was his head adorned with his Imperiall Crowne Pierce Gaueston but his heart longed for Pierce Gaueston the wicked corrupter of his youth and the professed enemie of all honestie and vertue For albeit that he was exiled by the last King The King breakes his Oath to recall Gaueston who tooke an Oath of this his Successor neuer to permit him vnpunished to come backe againe into England yet the remembrance of his villanies consorting with the Kings bad nature and euill disposition was a quicke messenger for his returne Pierce Gaueston is all in all And his arriuall so aboundantly replenished the Kings conceits with extraordinarie joy that nothing else in comparison of it gaue him anie contentment Neither could anie man besides him expect for anie gracefull entertainement from the King The Nobles tell the King of his Oath The Noble men who perfectly knew how wickedly this Gaueston was enclined perceiuing that the King doted on him and that his affections towards him were vnlimited being perplexed with inward griefe and fearing the Ruine which through his insolencie threatened the subuersion of the whole Realme emboldened themselues to put the King in minde of his oath But as his conscience troubled him not for the breach thereof So their disliking encreased his desires towards Gaueston and to make him great For Gaueston alone and none but Gaueston was likely to doe all in all and frowne hee that frowne would the King cared not who was displeased hee was resolued that Gaueston should be great And therefore hee first Lorded him with the Baronie of Wallingford Gaueston is aduanced and soone after he created him Earle of Cornwall and made him the sole and onely Commander ouer his Iewels and his Treasure In which Office so absolute was his power and so cunning was his craftie head to prouide in the time of his prosperitie for aduerse fortune which might ensue that secretly he conueyed beyond the Sea a faire Table and Tressels He conueyes the Kings Iewels out of the Realme all made of beaten gold and manie rich and precious Ornaments and Iewels to the great hurt and prejudice of the King and of this Realme Hee also tooke much pleasure to feede the Kings fancies with great varietie of new delights The King liueth loosely and lewdly and by his example hee enured him to Banquet Drinke and to Carowse beyond measure And his dishonest persuasions and enticements made him carelesse of the Bed and of the societie and fellowship of Isabell his Religious and vertuous Queene the daughter of the French King Philip the faire and sister to his Successor Charles the fourth and trayned him to the adulterous consortship of wanton Curtizans and shamelesse Whores The Queene in vaine seeketh to reclaime the King The Queene who sorrowed hereat beyond measure reposed all means for redresse of those her vnsufferable wrongs in her prayers vnto God and in her modest wooings for her Kings loue But all her endeuours
Spencers who were more deer to him then his Queen and children How the king loued the two Spencers The two Spencers are banished for euer and all his friends beside and in the end among many other things it was by the whole Parliament enacted That they should bee exiled during their liues and neuer bee licensed by the king to returne againe into England This being thus concluded the Barons who longed to see the two Spencers vnder saile caused certaine Ships to bee prepared in which they were embarked and sent away So that now all men were well pleased except the King whome their absence vexed at the heart The King hateth his Barons and in all things he endeuoured plainely to expresse his hatred and his anger towards the Barons who had enforced him to consent vnto their banishment And to expresse the same more fully he was informed that the younger Spencer had strengthened himselfe with a few good Shippes The younger Spencer becomes a Pyrate and that he lay as a Grand Pyrate coasting vpon the Narrow Seas robbing ransacking and spoyling the Marchants and all Nations who passed by them but especially and chiefely such as were of this Kingdome And although great sute was made vnto the King that a conuenient Fleet might be prepared for his surprizall and that hee might be produced vnto judgement The grieued Lords complain but the King laughs and receiue such punishment as the Lawes of this Kingdome appointed for the cutting off of such a notorious Theefe yet the King smyled and was inwardly glad to heare this newes and turned a deafe eare to their request and was so farre off from prouiding to fetch him in that pardoning all his offences The Spencers are recalled and honored and to despight his Barons hee recalled them both from their Banishment and honoured them with more Dignities Offices and Authoritie than euer he had done before ANNO 13. This thing being thus strangely performed by the King and the daily vnsufferable injuries and insolencie of the two Spencers who skorned and derided the Nobles as being vnable to controll them The Spencers doe skorne and deride the Nobles or to doe them anie harme were sufficient warnings to the Barons to looke vnto themselues and to prouide for their owne safetie before it were too late Wherefore seeing that neither entreatie nor Law could right their wrongs they raysed a strong Armie The Barons doe rayse a strong armie and boldly marched into the field And the King with the two Spencers and some others of the Nobles did the like And after manie sharpe Bickerings and Encounters both their Armies met The King doth the like and fought on either part with such obstinate desire to reuenge that he was supposed to be the most valiant man among them who could and did drench his sword deepest in the most bloud A cruell Battaile The Noblemen now forgat that vndutifully they fought against their Soueraigne Lord and the King would not by anie meanes know that his Tyrannie had compelled them to take Armes Kindred Alliance Countrey Religion Neighbourhood nor anie other respect now preuailed to winne fauour but furie made them trust to their weapons and death stickled the controuersie betwixt them The Barons are ouerthrowne In the end when manie of the Barons and thousands of their adherents were slaine they fled and were pursued by the King who obtaining the victorie neuer ceased the pursuit vntill he had taken the Earles of Lancaster Hereford and manie other Lords of which hee caused two and twentie to loose their heads in sundrie places of this Realme Twentie and two Lords beheaded to the great astonishment of the rest and to the terror of the vulgar sort Thus when this hauock was made of the Nobilitie and when this victorie had puffed vp the two Spencers with intollerable insolencie and pride they made no good vse of their good fortune The two Spencers wax more insolent and proude for the amendment of their liues or better counsailing of the King but as tyrants they now did all in all as they themselues listed and their will was the best law And then presuming that all things should be ordered as they listed they procured the King to holde his high Court of Parliament at Yorke The Prince of Wales created Sir Hugh Spencer the elder made an Earle A great tax in which hee created Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitaine He also created Sir Hugh Spencer the Father Earle of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkley whose extraordinary seruice was a principall meanes of the Barons late ouerthrow Earle of Care-Liele He also exacted the sixt pennie of all Temporall mens goods and moueaables inhabiting in England Wales and in Ireland to defray and to support his intended warres against the Scots The people doe murmur but the leuying therof enforced the common people to grudge and to murmure affirming That they were altogether impouerished by dearth and famine and almost vndone by reason of the disordred gouernment of the King The Scots being secretly informed that King Edward was resolued to inuade their Countrey ANNO 15. The Scots do inuade Ireland The Scots are ouerthrown and to reuenge those indignities and those wrongs which by the incursions and inuasions of Robert le Bruse their vsurping King he had receiued endeuoured to diuert his purpose another way so that they entred into Ireland with a copious Armie But the king who was not ignorant of their determination made such prouision against their landing there that the greater number of those assailants were slaine and the rest being vtterly ouerthrowne were compelled to flie vnto their Ships and shamefully to returne into their owne Countrey The King entereth into Scotland with an Armie The king was now perswaded that scarcely any strength could withstand so great a power as hee had leuied and that the Scots should now be called to a strict account for all their inroades incursions inuasions murthers robberies and spoyles And for the effecting thereof he conducted his Armie into Scotland where the Nobles and the other inhabitants of that land being armed well and being in number many thousands for many daies by continuall preparations made a shew to giue battaile to king Edward when as indeede they meant nothing lesse The Scots do retyre into the Woods Mountaines For when King Edward approached neere vnto them they craftily yet stoutly and strongly retyred manie myles and at length withdrew themselues into the Woods Forests and Mountaines where they soone cloyed wearied and wasted the English forces The English Armie is tyred out partly with the vneasinesse of those passages and partly with such Stormes Tempests Raine Hayle Snow Frosts and other distempered weather as vsually in those places were too bitter and too sharpe The Kings Armie is afflicted And besides all this the want of victuals and other necessaries so
Seigniories of Callice Marguise Sandgate and Coloigne 4. And lastly That in regard thereof King EDWARD The Title to the Crowne of France is relinquished As well in the behalfe of himselfe as of his Successours Kings of England should vtterly renounce and leaue both the name and title to the Kingdome of France And for the performance of these Articles ANNO. 34 How the obseruation of this Peace was ratified The King and Prince returne into England Charles the Regent of France and the Prince of Wales in the presence of six Knights of either Nation receiued the holy Sacrament at the high Altar and then King Edward and his sonne returned into England and were with all complements of loue and kindnesse entertained and feasted at the Tower of London by the French King who was conueyed from thence to Callis The French King feasteth them The two princes sweare Hostages where according to agreement he remained foure moneths and then King Edward repaired to him and both of them at a high Masse solemnly swore to obserue performe and keepe the said Articles and the peace And King Iohn for the hostages of his Ransome deliuered to King Edward foure Dukes seauen Earles ten Barons many Knights and two of the worthiest Burgesses of euery great Citie in France and tooke a most friendly leaue of the King and of the Prince of Wales and departed towards Boleine King Iohn was a prisoner foure yeares he hauing remained a prisoner more then foure yeares And King Edward with his sonne returned into England bringing with them their honorable Hostages who were with all humanitie and kindnesse feasted and entertained by the King and by his Nobilitie and were permitted freely to vse all sports pastimes and exercises for pleasure and contentation as they pleased ANNO. 37 Three Kings doe visite King Edward King Iohn dieth in England The Blacke Prince liueth in Burdeaux ANNO. 40 The causes of King Edwards future losses in those Countries Peter King of Castile is deposed by Henry the Bastard King Charles the fifth taketh part with Henrie the Bastard The Blacke Prince being victorious resetleth Peter in his Kingdome About two yeares after king Edward was at one time visited for loue and kindnesse onely and for no businesse at all by three Kings that is to say by king Iohn of France Dauid the king of Scots and by the king of Cyprus and were with all munificent bountie and liberalitie feasted and honored by the King but king Iohn fell sick and dyed in the Sauoy and his body was conuayd vnto S. Dennis in France where with great pomp and princely ceremonies it was buried The next yeare following the noble Prince of â—ales and his wife being very gallantly attended and prouided went vnto Burdeaux where he liued and gouerned the kings Prouinces thereabout and elsewhere in France to the great contentment and good liking of the Nobles and commons of those Countries In the fortith yeare of king Edwards raigne an vnfortunate businesse was taken in hand by the valiant Prince of Wales which albeit it were performed with great resolution and was rewarded with deserued honor yet within few yeares by reason of a future accident it was the occasion that king Edward lost a great part of his territories in France and it was thus Peter the true and lawfull king of Castile was in the field ouerthrowne put to flight and dispossessed of his Crowne by Henry his Bastard Brother who was assisted by Charles the fifth the sonne of Iohn the deceased king of France This poore distressed king in his wants and miserie repaired to the Prince of Wales for ayd who for his restoring and vpon large and faithfull promises of liberall pay and great rewards conducted an armie into Castile And albeit that the Spanish and the French forces were in number four times more then the Princes were yet in a bloudie battaile the most of them were slaine and the rest were put to flight And king Peter was againe restored to his Crowne and setled in his kingdome by the Prince who returned againe to Burdeaux with great honor But not long after Henry the Bastard Henrie the Bastard taketh and slaieth Peter Peters two heires married to Iohn of Gant and Thomas of Woodstocke The want of pay was the Prince his ouerthrow This Taxe mard all being newly supplied with fresh forces warred with such great furie and violence vpon king Peter that he subdued him and to preuent all future claymes and troubles which he might make he caused him to be put to death But his two daughters and heires were after marryed vnto Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and to Thomas of Woodstock two of king Edwards sonnes By reason of king Peters death the Prince his souldiours being hopelesse to receiue their promised pay and large rewards and being oppressed with many wants daily petitioned the Prince to supply their need But he finding none other meanes to support their necessities nor being stored with money to relieue their pouertie imposed contrary to the customes of those Countries diuers Taxes vpon the inhabitants of Aquitaine which so highly did displease them that the Lords thereof complained of this sharp noueltie to the French king who flatly contrary to the Articles not long before concluded on for peace betwixt England and France arrogated to himselfe the Soueraignty ouer the Prince The French King breakes the League and his Dominions in France and sommoned him to appeare before him at Paris So that the peace and those agreed Articles were broken by the French king The Prince sommoned to appeare at Paris Warres proclaimed Almost all do reuolt from the Prince The mutabilitie of fortun An vnfortunate yeare and warres were againe proclaymed betweene England and France But before the Prince of Wales could enable his forces for a strong defence the inhabitants of those Countries for the most part reuolted from him and dayly yeelded their Townes Cities Forts and Castles into the hands of the French king So that king Edward who for the space of forty yeares together was most honorable and more fortunate then any other Christian Prince by gayning of incredible victories vpon the Scots and French Nation within the compasse of one yeare without blowes lost almost all his Commaund in those Prouinces which by the said agreement and articles of peace were allotted and by solemne oath assured vnto him King Charles of France forgetting what he had sworne ANNO. 43 The French Name and pleasing himselfe thus quietlie to be made the Lord of all those Countries which were assigned to king Edward conceiued strong hope not only to defeat him vtterly of all these Countries but also to vex him at home in his owne kingdome And for that purpose he furnished a strong Nauie with which he kept the Narrow Seas But king Edward to driue those forces back againe sent his sonne Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Iohn of Gant with an
Armie landeth at Callice and marcheth to Burdeaux He beates the French King ANNO. 44 An other Armie sent into France The English doe preuaile with an armie into Callice who to the terror and spoyle of the Frenchmen marched from thence vntill he came to Burdeaux to the Prince his Brother without opposition or resistance wasting and hauoking in all places as he passed by sauing that he was once met with and encountred by king Charles who being soundly beaten was enforced to retire and to giue free passage to the Duke King Edward as much as in him lay though hee beganne to grow old yet he was very carefull of those affaires For as soone as his sonne Iohn of Gaunt was gone out of England hee sent another Armie vnto Saint Omers which was conducted by Sir Robert Knowles who marching through those adiacent Countries with fire and sword depopulated it yea almost vntill he came to the Citie of Paris And then hee marched into the Earledome of Angeou where hee wonne the strong Townes of Vaas and Ruylly and sundrie others thereabout But the French king being informed that there was great dissention in the English armie betwixt Sir Robert Knowles and the Lords Fitz-water and of Grauntson rushed vpon them sodainly with an armie and finding their mindes diuided and their forces by great disorder broken Dissention caused the Englishmens ouerthrow preuailed against them and slew about one thousand Englishmen Whereupon the said Townes which they had taken were againe yeelded into the French kings hands He also following the good hap of his fawning Fortune sent another armie into the Prouince of Guyan ANNO. 45 where the Prince was weakly assisted and his Townes and Castles daily reuolted from him King Edward being much perplexed with the common reports of his declining Fortune ANNO. 46 and being resolued to doe his best to preuent the worst assembled his high Court of Parliament at Westminster A ParliameÌ„t wherein to supply his wants and to giue better strength and furtherance to his French Warres the Temporaltie with much cheerefulnesse granted him a Subsidie of fifteene thousand pounds A Subsidie granted and the like summe hee requested of the Cleargie who were contented to giue him faire words but no monie Whereat he was so much displeased The Clergie will grant none The Clergie disgraced ANNO. 46 The Earle of Pembroke defeated and taken at Sea that wheras at that time the Bishops and the Cleargie men were chiefly honoured with all Places and Offices of Honour and of Profit and of Commaund disgracefully hee depriued them and dismissed them all and placed more thankfull Subjects of the Laitie in their roomes King Charles had now besieged the Towne of Rochell almost one whole yeare For whose reliefe and to remoue the siege king Edward sent the Earle of Pembroke with an armie to the Sea but hee was encountred fought with and put vnto the worst by Henrie the vsurper of Castile who in fauour of the French king and thankfully to requite his former loue when hee assisted him against king Peter kept the narrow Seas with a strong Fleet. In this fight the Earle himselfe and one hundred and threescore others were taken Prisoners manie men were slaine The French King winnes Rochell c. and the rest who escaped returned altogether discomforted into England And vpon the certaine report of this disaster The Towne of Rochell Angolesme Xants and Saint Iohns of Angley and diuers other Prouinces were giuen vp vnto the French king Sir Iohn de Mountford Duke of Brittaine perceiuing that good successe accompanied the French king in all his actions beganne to feare ANNO. 47 Iohn of Gant and the Duke of Britaine oppose themselues against the French King They waste the Countrey ANNO. 48 left in the height of his prosperitie he would attempt some quarrell against him Wherefore Hee fortified his Countries and then came into England and offred his assistance to K. Edward who forthwith leuied a strong armie and commited it to the gouernment of his sonne the Duke of Lancaster Who being accompanied with the Duke of Brittaine landed at Callice and with sword and fire wasted the whole Countrie vntill hee came to Burdeaux where the Duke of Lancaster found his brother the Prince of Wales exceeding sicke who made him Gouernour of all King Edwards Prouinces And hauing scene all such Noble men as hee could command Iohn of Gant is made Gouernour The sicke Prince commeth into England ANNO. 49 ANNO. 50 to take their solemne oathes for the performance of their duties and obedience to his brother the Duke he sailed into England After whose arriuall three parles for peace betwixt England and France were entertained vpon the motion and by the mediation of Pope Gregorie the eleuenth But not one of them was made fruitfull with any fortunate successe In the last yeare of King Edwards Raigne in a Parliament holden at Westminster the King required a Subsidie from the Cleargie and from the Temporaltie of his Kingdome towards the supporting of his warres The Lower house of the Parliâ—ment complaine vpon the K ngâ— euill Officers But the Lower house of that assembly complained grieuously against the Lord Latimer chiefe Chamberlaine to the King and of manie other of his Officers for that they not only misled the King in his old age but also vnthriftily spent and consumed the Treasure of his Kingdome Wherefore they refused to yeild vnto the kings demand except those euill Officers might bee displaced and better men setled in their roomes Which being by the king through the important perswasions of the Prince consented vnto he cheerefully obtained his demand And now approched the ends of these two famous .1376 and most worthie Princes the Father and the Sonne For the Prince of Wales died the eight day of Iune The Blacke Prince dieth in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred threescore and sixteene when hee had liued fortie yeares and lieth buried at Canterburie The King restoreth his euill Officers And no sooner was hee dead but king Edward verie vnaduisedly to his great dishonour and to the great discontentment of his people remoued from him such new Officers as in the late High Court of Parliament were established and placed neere about him and restored the Lord Latimer Richard is Created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester King Edward dieth and all the rest to their former Offices and places And finding himselfe exceeding weake by reason of his sharp and grieuous sicknesse he created his Nephew Richard Sonne to the Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall and committed the Regencie of his kingdome to his son Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster died when he had raigned fiftie yeares and somewhat more THE HISTORIE OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND RICHARD the second being the Son and heire of the Blacke Prince ANNO. 1. 1377.
dismounted himselfe quickly from his horse and making an incredible slaughter of his enemies he pressed so farre into their battaile to be reuenged on his chiefest aduersaries that hauing no power nor meanes to returne againe he was slaine and the Marquesse Montacute who euer honoured King Edward and was his secret friend rushing into King Edwards Armie not to doe it any harme but to rescue and to releeue his brother met with the like fortune Thus both of them being dead their whole Armie ran away and King Edward was master of the Field And in the afternoone of the same day carrying with him King Henry as his prisoner hee returned triumphantly like a Conquerour into the Citie of London and in Pauls Church hee offred vp his Standard A thankesgiuing to God 10000. men slaine Sir Humfrey Bourchier and rendred thankes to Almightie God for his victorie thus happily obtained In this battaile there were slaine at the least ten thousand men but none other of any noted name sauing only on the Kings part Sir Humfrey Bourchier sonne to the Lord Barnes who was a right valiant and an approued man in Armes The King sorrowed much and was greeued exceedingly at the death of the Marquesse Montacute because hee had lost a faithfull and a deare friend Yet to assure the people that those two brothers were dead indeed The dead bodies of the two brethren laid open in Pauls Church Queene Margaret landeth too late Noble men doe repaire to her he caused them to be brought into London in one coffin and for the space of three daies to lie open faced in Pauls Church and then among their honourable Ancestors in the Priorie of Bissam they were both buried in one graue Queene Margaret not hearing of this newes but intending to bring some succours to the Earle landed at Waymouth where these tidings appalled her sences and depriued her of all future good hope or good hap Wherefore in the Abbey of Beawly in Hampshire shee with the Prince her sonne tooke Sanctuarie and thither repaired to her the Duke of Somerset Iaspar Earle of Pembroke Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Iohn Lord Wenloke and diuers others And when the Queene and they had thorowly debated what course was fittest to be taken They raise a new Armie they resolued once more to aduenture their fortunes in the Field for which purpose euery one of those Noblemen resorted into their own Countries where they prepared such men and furnitures for the war as they could get The Queene and the Duke of Somerset leuied an Armie about Bristow and Glocester and from thence they endeuoured to goe into Wales to ioine their forces with such companies as the Earle of Pembroke had raised there The King preuenteth them The King who was more strong then they purposed to preuent their meeting if he might and so closely followed them that though the Queene and most of her associates supposed it to bee best to flie disordered into Wales yet the Duke of Somerset would not consent thereunto The Duke of Somersets resolution to fight Tewkesburie field by reason whereof both those Armies met neere vnto Tewkesburie in Glocestershire and after a long fight which with a small companie the Duke of Somerset had maintained against the Duke of Glocesters battaile he not being seconded by the Lord Wenloke by whom their middle Ward was commanded retired towards the said Lord and with cursed words hee bitterly reuiled him for his base cowardlinesse and with his Pole-axe he suddenly strake out his braines But within one houre after King Edward ouerthrew them all The King getteth the victorie hauing slaine aboue three thousand of them among whom were the Earle of Deuonshire the Lord Iohn brother to the Duke of Somerset Sir Iohn Lewknor Sir Iohn Delues and many others Great Prisoners There were also taken prisoners the Queene the Duke the Prior of S. Iohns of Ierusalem Sir Geruase Câ—ifton Sir Thomas Tresham and twelue others of eminencie and of note all which Queene Margaret only excepted were beheaded the next day Execution Prince Edward cruelly murdered And the young Prince Edward who was taken prisoner by Sir Richard Crofts was presented to the King and because he answered him stoutly to some questions which he demanded of him hee was slightly stricken by the King and suddenly murdered by the Dukes of Clarence and of Glocester Queene Margaret is a prisoner and by Thomas Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Hastings And this was the last Ciuill Battaile which was fought in England in King Edwards daies When the King had thus obtained this victorie hee returned to London carrying with him Queene Margaret as his prisoner and was with triumphant ioy receiued into the Citie from whence he sent one Roger Vaughan a powerfull Gentleman into his Countrey of Wales requiring him by some secret traine or other to entrap the Earle of Pembroke and to behead him if he could Râ—gâ— Vaugâ—an is 〈◊〉 and bâ—â—â—aded But the Earle being informed of his comming and of his errand caused him suddenly to bee apprehended and put to death And then the said Earle with his nephew Henry the young Earle of Richmond who was but ten yeares old sailed into Britaine and were courteously receiued and louingly entertained by Francis the Duke of that Prouince Not long after Reyner the Titularie King of Naples Sicilie Queene Margaret is ransomed and of Ierusalem with the sale of the Kingdomes of Naples and of Sicilie for money ransomed Queene Margaret his daughter and vpon that Title and none other Charles the Eighth King of France conquered Naples as in the Historie of those warres it appeareth King Henry is found dead in the Tower The Duke of Glocester murdered him King Henry brought open faced into Pauls Church Now when no man by reason of King Edwards peace and prosperitie thought of any euill tidings suddenly it was noised thorowout the Citie of London that King Henry was found dead in his chamber within the Tower and so he was indeed being cruelly and wickedly murdered and stabbed with a dagger by Richard Duke of Glocester brother to King Edward as the report commonly went And his bodie was brought into Pauls Church where his face lay vncouered one whole day that thereby the people might bee assured that he was dead And thus was King Edward freed from his great enemies But his two brothers of Clarence and of Glocester being for their periuries murders and euill courses punished by Almightie God embrewed their hands in their owne bloud not long after When King Edward for two or three yeares had enioied an happie peace his brother in law Charles Duke of Burgoine heartily detesting the French King The Duke of Burgoine animateth K. Edward to worre for his title to France Reasons mouing the King so to doe and secretly intending to worke him some despight perswaded King Edward to renew his French warres for the recouering of his
by meanes whereof when the ship turned the Ordinance ran backe to the one side and bare the port holes vnder water so that the sea violently and abundantly flowed in and in a moment swallowed vp both ship Captaine Men Ordinance and all other things there to the great griefe and sorrow of the King himselfe and of all such as were present and beheld it The Lord Dambalt high Admirall of France being by certaine poore Fishermen whom he had taken informed that the King in his owne person being accompanied with an infinite number of valiant men of warre expected and longed to be made victorious and rich by their landing feared to hazard all his fortunes in so desperate and hot a seruice Wherefore be hoised Ancors and without Fame or Honor returned basely into France Now must wee know The Scots invade England that no sooner was King Henrie departed out of England to the siege of Bullein as wee haue heard but the Scottish Nation obseruing their old custome entred riffled spoiled and burnt many Houses Villages and small Townes in the marches of England without pitty Wherefore King Henrie after his returne resolued to correct their madnesse and their folly and to take reuenge for those iniuries and wrongs And for that purpose he sent the Noble Earle of Hartford into that Kingdome An Armie sent into Scotland with an Armie of twelue thousand men where hee hauoked Men Townes Castles and the Countrie in such a furious and fierce manner that the Scots were extremely damnified thereby and thousands of them were vtterly vndone About the same time the valiant Lord Lisle Lord high Admirall of England Treport entred into and landed within the Hauen of Treport and burnt the suburbs of that towne and many other houses Villages and Townes which bordered vpon the Sea coasts And at his returne from thence as a rich prey he caried with him many Ships Barges Boats and Vessels which he found there Now like as after many ruffe and boisterous stormes a sweet and a delectable calme doth follow so after these busie conflicts and martiall contentions The Duke of Northfolke and the Earle of Surrey committed whereof wee haue already taken a perfect view A peace was louingly concluded and ioyfully proclaymed betweene the two kingdomes of England and of France But this joy as in humane affaires it often hapneth was quickly checked with an other sorrow for the most victorious faithfull and euer to be honored Captaine the Duke of Northfolke and his sonne the most illustrious Earle of Surrey both which in this Kings raigne performed many memorable and braue seruices in Scotland England and in France were sodainely apprehended and sent vnto the Tower For none other thing but because they quartered and bare in their Escoucheon certaine Armes which were pretended properly and only to belong vnto the King and Prince which Armes notwithstanding they and their Auncesters timeout of minde had so borne without controlment reproofe or check For this offence the said Earle was indicted of high Treason arraigned thereon and tryed by a Iurie of Knights and Gentlemen The Earle of Surrey beheaded and not by his peeres because he was no Lord of the Parliament by whom he was found guiltie and then receiued his iudgement and lost his head to the great griefe and sorrow of many thousands who lamented the causelesse death of such a worthy man as had so well deserued of the King and of the common weale The King dieth But the Duke his father by reason of the Kings sicknesse and death which followed shortly after was preserued by God from that danger for better fortunes He is described The Presence of this King was amiable and Princely for hee was somewhat more then ordinarie tall strongly limmed proportionably composed faire in his complexion nimble and full of agilitie in his yonger yeares and alwaies as resolutely valiant as a man might bee Hee had a pregnant and a sharpe wit and was generally held to bee well learned because hee could and vsed to speake well He was exceeding humble and passing stout applying the former to gentle spirits and opposing the latter against prowd insolent and rough Mates He was bountifull and magnificently liberall if occasion so required Yet in regard that hee was a man He was not free from all faults For he was too too much familiar and conversant with wanton and light women And delighted too much in varietie and in change as most men did coniecture because he had sixe wiues From two of them he was seuered because his mariages were held to be void frustrate and of no force other two of them for the obiected crime of incontinencie lost their heads A fifth died in her child-bed and the sixt escaped fairely by his death Finally hee oftentimes much pleased himselfe to be ouer-familiar in the swaggering companie of loose Fellowes yet in most respects he was a famous a worthie and a most noble King Thus ended he his life and thus doe I conclude this Historie of these twentie Kings hoping that some other who shall be better able will with more sufficiencie write the rest FINIS THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND FROM THE CONQVEST vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES THE FIRST THOV SHALT LABOR FOR PEACE PLENTIE LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone 1615. Princes of VVales since the Conquest Iohn Speede 97 1 EDward Caer-Nervon sonne to King Edward the First afterwards king Edward the Second 2 Edward of Windsour sonne to king Edward the Second afterwards king Edward the Third 3 Edward the Black Prince sonne to king Edward the Third 4 Richard of Bordeaux sonne to the Black Prince afterwards king Richard the Second 5 Henrie of Monmoth sonne to king Henrie the Fourth afterwards king Henrie the Fifth 6 Henrie of Windsour sonne to king Henrie the Fifth afterwards king Henrie the Sixth 7 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Henrie the Sixth 8 Edward of Westminster sonne to king Edward the Fourth afterwards king Edward the Fifth 9 Edward Plantagenet sonne to king Richard the Third 10 Arthur Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth 11 Henrie Tuther sonne to king Henrie the Seuenth afterwards king Henrie the Eighth 12 Edward the sonne of king Henrie the Eighth afterwards king Edward the Sixth 13 Henrie the sonne of king Iames. 14 Charles the sonne of king Iames. THE SVCCESSIONS OF THE DVKES AND EARLES OF THIS KINGDOME OF ENGLAND From the Conquest vntill the twelfth yeare of the famous Raigne of the mightie Monarch King IAMES the First Albemarle and Holdernes EVDO Sonne to the Earle of Champagne married one of the Conquerours sisters Conq. and was by him created Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes Stephen their sonne succeeded and was Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes William surnamed Le Grose being his sonne succeeded K. Steph. and was Earle of Albemarle
a child without issue Edward Fines Lord Clinton was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Fines Lord Clinton the sonne of the said Edward was Earle of Lincolne after his Father and yet liueth March EDwin a Saxon at the time of the Conquest was Earle of March hee with Marcarus and Swardus kept the Isle of Waight against the Conqueror and was banished Roger Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmore E. 3. was by king Edward the Third created Earle of March and was executed for Treason Roger Mortimer the sonne of Edmund Mortimer who was the sonne of the said Earle Roger E. 3. was by the same king restored to the Baronie of Wigmore and to the Earledome of March. Edmund Mortimer his sonne married Philip the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of king Edward the Third and was Earle of March and from them two did descend the heires of the Familie of Yorke Roger Mortimer their sonne was Earle of March and of Vlster in Ireland and by king Richard the Second was proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne of England and was slaine long after in Ireland Edmund Mortimer his sonne was Earle of March and after one and twentie yeares imprisonment in Wales and elsewhere he died without issue Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge was the sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fift sonne of King Edward the third hee maried Anne the sister and heire of the said Edmund daughter to the said last Earle Roger and in her right he was Earle of March and they two had issue Richard Duke of Yorke who was father to King Edward the fourth Richard Plantagenet sonne to Richard Earle of Cambridge was Earle of March and Duke of Yorke and had issue Edward the fourth Edward his sonne was first Earle of March then by his Fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and by his victorie at Barnet field hee attained the Kingdome of England and was King Edward the fourth Mountgomery K. Ia. SIr Philip Herbert Knight the second sonne of Henry late Earle of Pembroke and younger brother to William Lord Herbert now Earle of Pembroke was by K. Iames created Earle of Mountgomery Northfolke RAlph Waer at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Norfolke and Suffolke and fled for treason Conq. Ralph Bygot President of the East Angles was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northfolke but hee was disherited for conspiring against him H. 1. Hugh Bygot was by King Henry the first created Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne was Earle after him Hugh Bygot his sonne was Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Roger Bygot his Nephew vizt the sonne of his brother Robert was Earle of Northfolke and dyed without issue E. 2. Thomas Plantagenet surnamed Brotherton who was a yonger son to King Edward the first and brother to King Edward the second was by his brother created Earle of Northfolk he had one daughter and heire who was named Margaret Iohn Lord Segraue maried the said Margaret they two had issue Margaret R. 2. which Margaret was by King Richard the second created Duchesse of Northfolke after her husbands death and then she maried Iohn Lord Mowbray Thomas Lord Mowbray their sonne R. 2. was by King Richard the second created Earle of Nottingham Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke hee dyed without issue Hee complained of Henry of Bullinbrooke to King Richard the second and should haue fought a combate with him but died at Venice in his banishment Thomas Lord Mowbray his sonne was neuer Duke of Northfolk but was in his fathers life time only Earle of Nottingham and was executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke by King Henry the fourth and his brother Iohn succeeded their father and was Marshall of England Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey High Marshall of England and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne succeeded his father in all those honourable Dignities he died and had issue Anne Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and second sonne to King Edward the fourth was maried in his childhood to the said Anne and was in her right possessor of all those honors But he was murdred by his Vncle King Richard the third and died without issue The said Anne also died without issue whereby all the Lordshippes of the Mowbrays by course of inheritance was devolued to Iohn Lord Howard and to William Lord Barkley Iohn Lord Howard who by his mothers side R. 3. was discended from the before named Mowbrayes was by King Richard the third created Duke of Northfolke and lost his life in the said Kings quarell at Bosworth field H. 8. Thomas Howard his sonne who by King Richard the third was made Earle of Surrey was created Duke of Northfolke by King Henry the eighth Thomas Howard his son succeeded and was Duke of Northfolk Thomas Howard the sonne of Henry who was the sonne of the last Thomas Duke of Northfolke was Duke of Northfolke and Earle Marshall of England He was also in the right of his wife Marie the eldest daughter of Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell Northumberland MArcarus at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Northumberland and Lincolne he with others kept the I le of Wighte against the Conqueror and was taken dyed in prison and had no issue Conq. Robert de Cumine was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but was slaine by the Northumbers Conq. Gospatrick was created Earle of Northumberland by the Conqueror but he tooke it from him againe Conq. Waldrofe was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but lost his head for treason Conq. Walcher Bishop of Durham bought the Earledome of Northumberland of the Conqueror and died without issue Conq. Robert de Mowbray was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but he rebelled and lost it Steph. Dauid Prince of Scotland sonne to King Malcolme the third was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington Henrie his sonne assoone as his father was King enioyed all those Earledomes Malcolme his son was Earle of Northumberland and of Cumberland and Huntington William his brother succeeded him in his Kingdome and was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington he warred against King Henry the second was taken Prisoner ransomed and lost those honors R. 1 Hugh de Puddsey Bishop of Durham was by King Richard the first created Earle of Northumberland and died without issue R. 2. Henry Percy was by King Richard the second created Earle of Northumberland hee was father to Henry surnamed Hotspurre who was slaine in their rebellion against King Henry the fourth H. 5. Henry the sonne of Henry Hotspur was by King Henry the fifth restored to the Earledome of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne was Earle of Northumberland Hee and his
THE HISTORIE AND LIVES OF THE KINGS of England From WILLIAM the CONQVEROR vnto the end of the Raigne of King HENRIE the EIGHT By WILLIAM MARTYN Esquire Recorder of the Honorable Citie of EXETER Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora LONDON Printed for IOHN BILL William Barret and Henrie Fetherstone 1615. TO THE GENTRIE OF ENGLAND WOrthie Gentlemen omitting all elaborated Eloquence which oftentimes is vsed as a varnish to couer vnprofitable labours As cunning Goldsmithes doe enrich their basest Siluer when they Gilt it with their purest Gold J purpose to render to you an accompt of two reasons which induced me to take this paine and to publish this worke 1. Jt is common among Phisitions That though profound Learning and frequent Experience haue furnished them with abundant skill in their Honourable profession yet they doe still striue to make their knowledge more perfect in the discouerie of the imperfections of other mens bodies then of their owne Jn like sort it is the common custome of our times that many hopefull Gentlemen whom Nature and Arts haue beautified with the rich treasures of their bountie do endeauour to be more exact and refined in knowing the Religion Lawes Gouernment Maners Strength and Sites of forraine Countries then of that Kingdome wherein themselues were borne But as that man is wise in vaine who is not wise vnto himselfe So it is a simple grace nay to speake plainly it is a foule disgrace to a Gentleman especially to such a one as hath or doth intend to spend much time abroad to know the fashions of forraine Nations to be ignorant in the State of his owne Countrie at home The Historie of which affordeth as much varietie and profitable instruction to captiuate the Readers delight in the perusall as the fairest Pictures doe contentment when with their artificiall beauties they doe allure mens eyes to looke and to gaze vpon them To this end therefore that hencefoorth such worthy Gentlemen as are purposed in long traueling to enlarge their experience by the view of foraine Countries may first be furnished with a conuenient knowledge of their owne J vndertooke this labour and doe present it vnto you with this my first reason which induced me thereunto 2. The second reason of my so doing springeth out of mine owne conceit which as J coniecture deceiues me not For in regard that the Histories of this Kingdome are frequently interrupted yea blemished by too too many interuening Occurrences and by a multitude of extrauagant Obseruations which doe much differ from the true Method and Nature of a well digested and composed Chronicle and thereby doe extend it into a needlesse and an vnprofitable length J am resolued that the Readers capacitie to obserue and to remember is much weakned thereby And that many yong Gentlemen who doe egerly striue to attaine to much knowledge in a short time doe rather bend their Studies and their courses to reade ouer the more narrowly contracted Histories of other Countries then the voluminous Discourses of their owne Wherefore to inlighten their knowledge much by reading this little J haue thrust forth into the World this short Historie of the Raignes Deeds and Actions of twentie of our English Kings which J will neither praise least J wrong it by mine owne commendation nor dispraise least you beleeuing mee on my word should thinke your time ill spent to read what I haue written J know that such as are worthily descended or who by learning are made worthy will not only winke at some imperfections because some knowledge is to be gained by the rest but will also take in good part the presentment of a small gift if it be deliuered with a friendly hand To such only and to none other which are you doe J dedicate these my labors Being confidently assured that they cannot want their expected reward which is nothing but your kinde acceptance and gracefull loue Fare you well from my house in Exeter the twentieth of Ianuarie 1615. Your louing Friend WILLIAM MARTYN TO MY MOST DEARE Father WILLIAM MARTYN Esquire THough my vnpractis'd Muse might well conceale Her selfe from th'eye-reach of a publique view Yet my devoted heart stir'd on with zeale And dutie which are owing both to you Feares not the spleene of Criticks but shall beare Their heauiest censures True loue orecomes feare I will not speake of your vnwearied paine In gathring and disposing 't is a treasure Well worth the Readers paines when he may gaine With little reading profit mixt with pleasure These ruder lines your labors little neede To winne the Readers liking Let him reade NICHOLAS MARTYN To my most loued and dearest Father WILLIAM MARTYN ESQVIRE I Could deere Sir haue spoke with farre more ease In copious Prose than in strict Verse your praise But that I knew your fame would farre out-goe All foote-lesse Prose my Verse not full so slow Hauing the helpe of feete serues thus farre forth Though not to Vsher yet t' attend your worth You neede not either to inlarge your fame The Booke it selfe doth Chronicle the same WILLIAM MARTYN To my most dearly loued Father WILLIAM MARTYN Esquire WHil'st others send you Lines trickt out with Art My Infant yeares shall onely send mine heart Looke for no greater gift from so small store He that giues all he has can giue no more EDWARD MARTYN TO MY DEARLY HONORD FATHER-IN-Law WILLIAM MARTYN Esquire A Publique good must quell your priuate feare The profit of a Writers industrie Should be imparted to a generall Eare For good is better'd by communitie Nor may detraction or the injurie Of some mens censures dash what he doth write If but what only pleaseth all mens sight No worke should come to light no worke should come to light What though you gather'd haue the seuerall flowr's Of other Bookes into this Historie Distill'd to Spirit by you they 're wholly yours So honie suckt from the varietie Of flowr's is yet the honie of the Bee And though in these dayes Miracles are fled Yet this shall of your Chronicle be read It brings back Time that 's past and giues life to the Dead Peter Beuys THE SVMMARIES OR ABBREVIATES OF THE RAIGNES OF THE twentie Kings mentioned more largely in this Discourse King WILLIAM the Conqueror AFTER the death of King Edward Harold contrarie to his promise oath refuseth to giue the possession of the Crowne and kingdome of England to William the seuenth Duke of the Normans Wherefore to preuent the effusion of much bloud the Duke challenged him to a single combate which hee refused whereupon the Duke landeth and being assisted by the Natiues of this Countrie he obtayneth the victorie * 1066. and claymed this Crowne by conquest Pag. 2. He is in danger as he trauelleth towards Douer and makes his peace 3. His policies to suppresse the English Nation and his cruelties towards them 3 4 5 6. He taxeth them beyond measure they rebell twice and are twice
sister to the French King parts the fray without blowes 109 * 1339. King Edward quartereth the Armes of France and coines his money with the like stampe 109 Hee taxeth his people and borroweth much money 109 As hee passed towards Sluce with his Armie hee met with and ouerthrew the French Nauie 110 Hee with his associates doe besiege Tournay But the saide Countesse procures a Truce 111 The Scots doe rebell The King marcheth against them A truce is made but they doe breake it They doe inuade and burne Durham 111 The valiant exploit of Sir William Montague The Castle of Ronsborough is besieged The King marcheth against the Scots and they flie 112 He concludes a truce with them Hee returnes proclaimes a Feast and martiall exercises and sports 113 Subsidies are granted but Commissioners are made to receiue and to imploy it 114 * 1344. Hee deuiseth the noble Order of the Garter 114 Iaques Dartuell is murdered because hee would haue disherited the Earle of Flanders to preferre the Blacke Prince 114 By his death King Edward lost the Flemish aide But hee is the more resolued in his attempts 116 The French King besiegeth Aguilon with 100000. men The King takes Harflew Louiers Cane and many other things and harroweth and burneth in Normandie at his pleasure 117 He passeth with his Armie ouer the Riuer of Some 118 The battaile of Cressey 119 * 1345. The numbers of slaine men and prisoners 121 King Edward besiegeth Calice and the French K. with 200000. men could not releeue it The King winnes it and peopleth it with his owne Nation 123 The Scots inuade England in the Kings absence and King Dauid is taken prisoner 123 The King himselfe surpriseth the Frenchmen who came to receiue Calice 124 The Calicians take Guyens 125 The Blacke Prince winneth the battaile of Poyters and brings King Iohn and his younger sonne prisoners into England 126 The whole English Armie is made rich 128 The Dolphin allowes not his fathers agreements with King Edward 128 Hee is enforced to craue peace which is granted vpon conditions 129 The King relinquisheth the French title and right 129 A taxe leuied by the Blacke Prince and the not paying of his Souldiers occasioned his great losses in Guyan Aquitaine c. 130. 131 Whereto ciuill dissention must be added 132 The Earle of Pembroke is taken at Sea 132 The Kings euill Officers 133 The Blacke Prince dieth 134 The King dieth 134 King RICHARD the second THe summarie of his euill gouernment 135 Wat Tilars Rebellion 137 Their insolencie and madnesse 137 Their entertainment in London 138 They doe burne rifle and commit Sacriledge 138 Their behauiour at the Tower and at Mile-end-greene 139 Their Captaine is slaine They prepare for reuenge but doe flie 140. 141 Fifteene hundred of them are executed 141 The Kings euill Counsellors 142 Fifteenes in a Parliament are denied 142 The Lower House will depart except the King in person will come to them 142 Michael de la Pole is displaced from his Chancellorship 144 Commissioners are appointed to order the Kings Officers and the King sweareth to obserue it 144 The Commissioners are reputed to be Traitors 145 The Scots and French doe make a bad voyage into Wales and in the meane time the King with 68000. men spoileth Scotland 145 The Frenchmen well rewarded by the Scots 145 The French King prepares an Armie of 1200. Ships to inuade and to conquer England and King Richard makes incredible preparations to confront him 146 The French Armie vanisheth and comes to nought 147 The petition of the Nobilitie is denied by the King Wherefore they doe raise an Armie 147 The King cannot get an Armie out of London 148 On the Kings faire promises the Armie is dismissed Hee performes nothing so that a new Armie is leuied and receiued into London 149 The Duke of Ireland flieth is slaine by a Bore and is buried like a King 149 The Kings fiue euill Counsellors and some Iudges are condemned as Traitors 149 Iohn of Gaunts iourney valour and fortunate successe in Spaine 150 The King marieth the French Kings sister and deliuers vp Brest for which his Vncle the Duke of Glocester reproueth him but his death is plotted and hee is murdered 151 The flattering Speaker of the Parliament grosly deifieth the King 151 A strange Commission 152 The King in his vanitie will be stiled Prince of Cheshire 152 The Duke of Norfolke vntruly informeth the King against his cosen Henrie Bollingbroke Duke of Hartford for which hee is challenged to a single combat 153. 154 They are both banished 154 Iohn of Gaunt dieth and his son Henrie Bollingbroke now Duke of Lancaster in the Kings absence in Ireland landeth in England and raiseth an Armie The King returneth and leuieth his forces 155 But his people daily shrinke and steale away from him by meanes whereof he submitteth himselfe to the Duke 155 Articles are proposed against him for his euill gouernment which are by him confessed vnder his hand in the Parliament Hee resigneth his Kingdome and is deposed Henrie of Bollingbroke is crowned King And King Richard valiantly resisting is wickedly murdered 160 King HENRY the Fourth IOHN Bishop of Carlile stoutly reproueth King Henries doing openly in the Parliament house 163 The Crowne is entailed 164 Treason at Oxford 164 The Traitors flie and are executed 165 Owen Glendor rebelleth 166 And taketh Roger Mortimer the rightfull heire apparant to the Crowne prisoner and the King refuseth to ransome him 166 The Scots rebelling are ouerthrowen by Henrie Hotspurre who will not deliuer his prisoners to the King 167. 168 The Frenchmen doe aide the Welsh Rebels in shew but doe flie to their ships when the King commeth 167. 168 The Percies doe ransome Roger Mortimer and ioining with Owen Glendor they intend to make him King 169 They leuie an Armie and doe publish Articles against K. Henry The Scots doe aide them but are all ouerthrowen And in that battaile the King himselfe slew six and thirtie men 1401. 171 Dowglas is enlarged without ransome 171 Glendor is forsaken of his companions and is famished in the woods 172 The Duke of Orleance his challenge is stoutly refused by King Henrie 172 And disgraced 173 The Duke of Britaine is commanded by the French King to abandon the siege of Calice 173 Diuers Lords doe practise a Treason which is discouered and most of them are put to death 173 The King warreth againe prosperously in Scotland 173 Hee was in danger to bee taken on the Thames by French Pirates 174 Sir Ralphe Roksbie Sheriffe of Northumberland valiantly ouerthrew the Northerne Rebels and chopt off their heads before the Kings comming thither 174 He createth his younger sonnes Dukes and prepareth to warre in the Holy Land but falleth dangerously
Crowne is setled by Parliament The Scots ouerthrow and doe sley the Duke of Yorke in the b 1460 battaile of Wakefield 259 The yong Duke of York winneth the field of Queene Margaret 260 He is by the Queen ouerthrown and the King is enlarged 260 The Dukes newe Armie consisting of 49000. men the Queens new Armie consisting of 60000. men The c 1460 Queene is ouerthrown in the battaile of Towton 260 The King to winne fauour with the king of Scots deliuereth to him the Castle and the Towne of Barwike and the Duke of Yorke is crowned King 261. King EDWARD the Fourth IN Parliament hee repealeth all former Acts which attainted him and his friends of high treason 263 He is troubled by wars raised against him by Queene Margaret in which he preuaileth 265 He taketh especiall * 1462 care for the Common-weale 266 King Henrie is taken prisoner 266 The Earle of Warwick becomes his Enimie because he wronged him in the choice of his wife 267 George Duke of Clarence taketh part with Warwick against his brother King Edward 268 The a 1467 Yorkshire-men doe rebell 269 King Edward is taken prisoner and escapeth 271 The discommodities of Warre 272 A new b 1468 Rebellion in which the Rebells were ouerthrowne 273 Warwick and Clarence flie to Calice and finde bad entertainment 274 Prince Edward sonne to King Henrie the sixth marieth the second daughter of the Earle of Warwick 275 Clarence secretly revolteth to King Edward his brother 275 Warwick landeth in England where his forces doe so encrease that king Edward flieth 277 King Henrie is enlarged and by Parliament the crowne is intailed to him 277 King Edward landeth in England and breaketh his oath made to the citizens of Yorke 278 Hee and his Armie are ioyfully receiued into the citie of London 280 Hee triumpheth victoriously at Barnet field 280 The Queene Margaret leuieth another Armie and is ouerthrown in the battaile of Tewkesbury 282 King Henrie being murdered is brought open faced into S. Pauls Church 283 King Edward hath new wars in France and the Duke of Burgoine breaks promise with him 285 A peace for nine yeares is concluded for which the Duke of Burgoine is angrie with the King who cares not for it 286 The bountie of the French King to the English Armie 288 Henrie Earle of Richmond is by the Duke of Brittaine deliuered to King Edwards Ambassadours but Peter Landoys freeth him 289 The Duke of Clarence being a prisoner is murdered 290 King Edward changeth the forme of his gouernment and by executing of penall statutes he enricheth himselfe but looseth his peoples loue 290 He hath new warres with Scotland but on certaine conditions he grants him peace 291 The French King breaks all his Articles annexed to the last concluded peace wherefore King Edward leuieth a new Armie but falleth sick and dyeth 292 The Description of King Edward 297 King EDWARD the Fifth HE was a child when his father dyed 297 His Vncle Richard Duke of Glocester aimeth to haue his crown 299 He practizeth mischiefe against the Queene Mothers kindred 300 He betrayeth them and bereaueth them of their liues 301 307 The Queene Mother with her children taketh Sanctuarie 302 The Duke of Glocester is made Protector 302 By subtiltie he getteth the yong Duke of Yorke out of prison and sends the King and him to the Tower vnder pretence of greater safetie 302 Hee with the Duke of Buckingham practizeth their destruction 304 305 His villany at the Tower 306 His friend the Lord Hastings is beheaded because hee will not consent to that murder 307 Doctor Shawes flattering sermon 308 Richard Duke of Glocester is made King 309 King RICHARD the third KIng Richard by base flatterie endeuoureth to make a bad matter good 311 Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely is committed to the custodie of the Duke of Buckingham 311 King Richard is despised by the French king 312 The two young Princes by the villanous procurement of King Richard are murdred 312 The reasons which might haue disswaded him from that wickednesse are examined 313 His only sonne by death is taken from him 315 Doctor Morton by flatterie insinuateth himselfe into the inward loue and familiaritie of the Duke of Buckingham and hauing with him resolued on the destruction of king Richard hee escapeth and flyeth into Flanders from whence hee giues good intelligence of all King Richards proceedings to Henrie Earle of Richmond 315 Hee moueth him to marrie the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward the Fourth which hee protesteth to doe 317 King Richard had almost gotten into his hands the Earle of Richmond but Peter Landoys freeth him 317 The Duke of Buckingham and the K. do leuie two strong Armies but the fight is deferred by a sodain floud The Welshmen forsake the Duke he flyeth he is proscribed he is betraied by his owne seruant and looseth his head 318 Peter Landoys would haue betrayed the Earle of Richmond to king Richard but hee and his doe escape hardly into France where they are comforted and aided 320 King Richard by flatterie and bribes gets King Edward the Fourth his children into his owne possession and maketh loue to his owne Neece the said Lady Elizabeth 322 His owne wife sodainly dyeth and he reviueth his incestuous sute to his said Neece who wittily protracteth that businesse 323 False newes from France makes him secure 323 The Earle of Richmond landeth in England and the King and he are with their Armies in Bosworth field 323 King Richards people cleaue not to him 324 Hee is desperate in fight but is slaine by the Earle himselfe and his body is vsed with great despight by the common people 324 325 Henrie Earle of Richmond is proclaimed and crowned King by the souldiers in the open field wher his Enimie lay dead And in the same place Hee with his whole Armie doe thanke GOD. 325 King HENRY the Seuenth KIng Henrie the Seuenth as he had sworne vniteth the two diuided houses of Lancaster Yorke by his mariage with the Lady Elizabeth King Edward the Fourth his eldest daughter 327 He causeth the Crowne to be intayled 328 He maketh Yeomen of his Guard and is thankfull to his friends 327 He repaieth the French King the Duke of Britaigne 328 He repealeth Acts of Attainders makes good lawes and granteth a generall Pardon 328 He suppresseth Rebells 329 Lambert the counterfaited Earle of Warwick by force and policie is taken 329 330 331 King Henrie the Seuenth takes part with the Duke of Britaigne against the French King 332 333 The Earle of Northumberland leuying of a Tax is slaine by the people 333 334 The Rebells flie and are punished 334 Maximilian being aided by King Henrie the Seuenth comes not forth yet King Henrie alone warreth against the French King 335 The King demaunds a Benevolence 335 He besiegeth Bullein and granteth a peace 336 Perkin Warbeck the counterfaited Duke of Yorke vexeth king Henrie 337 He is supported
payments and demaunds imposed vpon them by the two former kings He gaue free libertie to the Nobles and Gentlemen of this Realme for their pleasure Flatterers banished the Court. and better recreation to inclose Parkes for Deere and free Warrens for their Conies and such like Game And as Traitors to his Vertues State and kingly Gouernment he exiled and banished from his Court and Presence all base Flatterers Nicenesse in Behauiour Luxuriousnesse in Conuersation Sumptuousnesse in Apparell and Superfluitie in Dyet He ordained punishments by death for all such as violently spoyled or robbed in the High wayes With indefatigable trauell and paine hee corrected and reformed the monstrous Pride intolerable Couetousnesse and secure Negligence and Slouth of the Clergie He recalled from Banishment Anselme and restored him to his Archbishopricke of Canterburie and gaue him full power to assemble Conuocations and Synods at his pleasure The King leaueth the inuesture of Bishops to the Pope for the amendment of such things as were vnsufferable in the Church He left vnto the Pope his power and authoritie to inuest Bishops by giuing to them the Ring the Crosse and the Pastorall Staffe All such Ecclesiasticall Promotions and Dignities as by the lewd aduice and counsell of Reynulph Bishop of Durham his brother had seized into his owne hands and conuerted to his owne vse he voluntarily and freely conferred vpon Honest Graue Learned and Worthie Men and committed the said Bishop a prisoner to the Tower of London R bert Duke of Normandy inuadeth England from whence he afterwards escaped and eagerly incited Robert Duke of Normandie by the Sword to lay his clayme to this kingdome Who thereupon to maintaine his demaund in that behalfe raysed a strong Armie which he intended with all conuenient expedition to transport into this Realme But as king Henrie by those precedent prouisions had endeared himselfe in the Peoples loue so had he the more confirmed it by taking to wife Mawlde the sister of Edgar King Henries title made stronger by his marriage King of Scots and daughter vnto Malcolyne by Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adelinge who died without issue and daughter to King Edward the sonne of Edmund Iron-side the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons When Duke Robert with his Armie was arriued in England the noyse of Trumpets the sound of Drummes and the swarming multitudes of well-approued Souldiors fit for the Warre affoorded none other thing but a fearefull expectation of much trouble But as a threatening lowring Cloud is sometimes dispersed by a faâ—â—e shining Sunne so these approaching conflicts by the discreete mediation and counsell of worthie friends were suddenly preuented and a friendly peace A peace concluded betwixt the two brethren betwixt the two brothers was louingly concluded vpon such like conditions as formerly had beene agreed on in William Rufus his daies whereat the Norman Lords were much displeased and returned discontented with their Lord. But such were the malignant spirits of the Enuious The King inuadeth and preuaileth in Normandie or such was the greedie disposition of those who were Couetous or so eager was the Kings appetite to enlarge his Dominion that manie great quarrels for small and trifling causes began vpon the suddaine to present themselues vnto those two brethren Insomuch that King Henrie passed with a sufficient and a well-ordered Armie into Normandie where he was assisted by manie of the Dukes discontented Nobles By meanes whereof The Duke is forsaken by his Nobles and Gentrie the King in sundrie skirmishes and conflicts so preuailed that with little danger and small resistance hee chased the forsaken Duke from place to place and wonne from him the Cities of Roan Cane Valoys and manie others and then hee returned into England with much honour The Duke perceiuing that his Lords and Gentrie refused to giue him anie helpe and that the Kings Estate Strength and Riches so encreased that no hope of recouerie by striuing and by strugling was left vnto him submitted himselfe to his two Enemies Time and Fortune the scornefull deluders of such as repose their confidence vpon them and came secretly and priuatly into England presented himselfe to the King his brother and referred to his owne censure and will both himselfe his Duchie and all Debates and Controuersies whatsoeuer But the King eyther because hee knew that the Duke was too vnconstant The Dukes submission is scornefully despised or for that some secret whisperers had prepared him to prejudicate his brothers Truth and honest Meaning with an estranged countenance and a disdainefull eye departed vnkindly from the distressed and perplexed Duke coyly refusing to accept of his submission which in all humilitie by him was profered The Duke returneth and the King followeth The Duke being pierced to the heart that his misfortunes should so much wrong him returned with all expedition into his owne Countrey resoluing That in the open Field he would rather die as a valiant man than thus be trampled on by Dishonour and by Disgrace And the king conjecturing rightly what he pretended followed him with many thousands of men and so often he encountred the weake Duke with his great strength The Duke is taken and his eyes are put out that within few dayes he tooke him and brought him as a prisoner into England where because he hearkened to Natures enticement which persuaded him to seeke his libertie and to practise his escape both his eyes by the kings commaundement were plucked out After which time he liued as a miserable and as a wretched captiue more than the space of twentie yeares At length being dead in Glocester he was buried A Rebellion by the Earles of Shrewsburie and of Mortaigne About the same time Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsburie trayterously did rebell but wanting Wealth Wit Courage and Strength the foure Champions of the strongest Field he was enforced to flye into Normandie Where finding William Earle of Mortaigne and of Cornwall much displeased with the king for that as he surmised he kept from him vnjustly the Earledome of Kent he so much insinuated himselfe into his loue and counsels that easily he persuaded him to rebell So both of them joyning both their forces together they made a goodly shew as if they would work wonders They are taken and imprisoned But small opposition enforced them to take a plaine view of their rash errors and leauing that which they had to make hard shifts for the safegard of themselues Wherein their ill successe was a just reward for their foule offence for by the kings Power they were taken and by him held as prisoners whilest they liued New troubles betwixt the King and the Archbishop of Canterburie about the Temporalties of the Clergie and inuesture of Bishops The king hauing now cast anchor as he was resolued in a safe harborow and nothing fearing the blasts of any Fortune which might attempt to shake his settlement in this
that quarter where the Prince serued And to saue themselues from his furie vpon his comming thither they raised their siege from the Citie of Acon The siege of Acon raised which for a long time they had continued with more then a hundred thousand men And seeing that his death could not be hastened by force and violence in the open field The Prince was villanously wounded they attempted it by poysonings and other secret villanies which tooke no effect But at length a dogged Sarazen grieuously wounded him with an enuenomed Knife yet after much paine and great danger hee escaped death But in his absence his father King Henrie died and was buried at Westminster The King dieth when he had raigned more then fiftie and six yeers whereof the Prince was quickly informed and therfore by great iournies hee safely returned with great honour into ENGLAND THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE FIRST WHEN Edward surnamed Longshankes was informed of his fathers death he made quick preparations for his returne from the Holie Land The new King returneth from the Holie Land and by great journeyes trauailed vntill he came into England where with the generall applause both of his Nobles and common People hee was crowned King when he was of the age of fiue and thirtie yeares Wee haue heard how when The French kings practise against King Edward and where Symon de Mountford Earle of Leicester Henrie his eldest sonne and sundrie other Barons were slaine in the last Battaile betweene them and the last King And it is true that after his ouerthrow the Ladie Elianor his daughter with manie others of his allies and kinsfolkes were sentenced to Exile and departed into France where they were courteously receiued by the French king Philip the third surnamed the Hardie whose kind entertaining of them proceeded not so much from his owne bountie and naturall disposition to Liberalitie as it did from an opinion which hee conceiued That in so doing hee should gaine the loue and good liking of manie English Lords who being discontented with the last Kings Gouernment were not well pleased with his sonne who had crossed them in most of those affaires And moreouer he knew the noble valour and courage of King Edward to be so eminent that it was now high time to craue counsell of Wisdome and of Policie how and by what meanes he might preuent him from making himselfe more great And because Reason and common Experience taught him That hee whose owne house is on fire will rather imploy his endeuours to quench that flame than to set his enemies house on fire also hee therefore practised secretly with Lluellen the most valiant Lluellen of Wales sueth to the French King to haue in marriage Elianor the exiled daughter of the late Earle of Leicester and greatest in dignitie among the Welchmen that he with those inhabitants would rebell if at anie time anie Warres were but likely to be attempted against the French Nation by King Edward And this his plot was much furthered by the exile of the aforesaid Ladie Elianor who being by reason of her misfortunes in the disposing and power of the French King was with great importunitie desired in marriage by the said Lluellen to whome vpon those conclusions and agreements especially shee was sent with honourable attendance and rich gifts She is sent towards Wales But king Edward being secretly informed both of the said purpose and of her passage towards Wales wisely preuented his owne danger and intercepted her on the Sea She is taken at Sea and detained her as his prisoner By meanes whereof Lluellen whose best Rhetoricke to persuade was by open Warre and Rebellion entred into the field with manie thousands Lluellen rebelleth who were more readie to robbe and to steale than to reclayme themselues and to be mindfull of their dutie to their Prince The King rayseth an Armie The King likewise on his part purposing to make his first voyage terrible to the Welchmen for examples sake to that fickle Nation leuied so strong an Armie that by all conjectures the Welchmen were altogether vnable to resist him And it seemed they thought so too For their chiefest Captaine and Leader partly for the loue which he bare to his longed-for Ladie and partly to preuent those fatall dangers which knocked at his dore vnexpectedly submitted himselfe to the Kings Grace Lluellen voluntarily submitteth himselfe and yeelded himselfe to be disposed of wholly and onely at the Kings pleasure and vowed and protested with manie great and solemne Oathes That his obedience should be constant Lluellen voweth and sweareth loyaltie and his sword alwaies readie to serue the King both against France and against all others in future time if he might be made happie with the Kings fauour and haue the enjoyment of his Ladie Lluellen is pardoned fauored and wiued The King whose heart was euer enclined to mercie and more desired by affabilitie to winne an enemie than to conquer him by blowes and supposing that his loue to his Mistresse would be a stronger bond to strengthen his allegeance than anie other thing freely granted him his pardon his fauour and his wife And thus those Warres which menaced the death of manie thousands were quietly ended without the effusion of anie bloud But within few yeares after Lluellen Lluellen rebelleth by the wicked persuasions and enticement of his brother Dauid a man more contentious than prouident and lesse valiant than mutinous and yet one whome the King did extraordinarily loue and fauour rebelled against the King and fought with Sir Roger Mortymer manie sharpe and aduantagious battailes Lluellen and his brother are taken and beheaded But at length Gods judgements hastening Traytors to a shamefull end both of them were taken and their heads as Trophies of the victorie were sent vnâ—â— the King who caused them to be set vpon the Tower of London for a terror vnto others and there they remained long after But notwithstanding all this yet the naturall disposition of the Welchmen so strongly preuailed and so blind they were and vnable to foresee their owne ruine The Welchmen rebell againe and againe that within few moneths after they rebelled twice and by manie slaughters and strange executions they were subdued and compelled to obey And because their Warres were rather maintained and cherished by shiftings and by startings into the huge and vast Woods which made those Rebels more disordered They are subdued and confident to saue themselues when greatest danger did approach the King caused those Woods to be hewen downe Their woods are burned and to be consumed with fire By meanes whereof they were reduced to a more ciuill kinde of life They become more ciuill and began to practise diuers commendable Occupations Arts and Sciences and tooke some pleasure from thenceforth to liue like honest men In the eighteenth yeare of King Edwards Raigne The King of Scots breaketh
his necke Alexander the King of Scots not hauing anie issue of his bodie fell with his horse and vnfortunately brake his necke He had three sisters the eldest of which was married vnto Iohn Baylyol Lord of Galloway the second vnto Robert le Bruze Lord of Valley-Androw and the third was married into England to Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergauenny Contention about the Crowne of Scotland Betwixt these three each of them being backed with the best support of their most able friends sharpe bickerings and ciuill warres occasioned the deaths of manie worthie and valiant men together with the ruine and destruction of some of their Houses and best Fortunes The title is referred to the censure of King Edward as to the soueraign Lord thereof and the Commonweale of that kingdome receiued manie desperate wounds and strange misaduentures because each of them in the right of his wife attempted and hoped to be a king Whereupon king Edward with great expedition went into Scotland as their Soueraigne Lord and endeuoured to compose this strife But such was their mutuall desire to raigne that no persuasions preuailed to make anie one of them to yeeld But in the end more sounder aduice tooke place so that they all by a publike writing vnder their hands and seales consented to referre themselues and their Titles to the censure and judgement of King Edward Scotland is surrendred to king Edward And by the same Instrument they freely surrendered all Scotland and that Crowne into the Kings hands to the end that thereby they might enable him absolutely to possesse such a one of them in that Kingdome as in his judgement ought to haue the same Hee also receiued from them in writing their seuerall demands and each mans proofes A wise and a discreet King reasons and arguments to maintaine his Clayme And thereupon King Edward elected and made choice of twentie of the most discreet wise and worthie men of his kingdome of England and of twentie more of the kingdome of Scotland and by their aduice and counsell he informed himselfe truly of that businesse and at length pronounced his Sentence for Iohn Baylyol Iohn Bailiol is made King of the Scots He doth homage for it to the King who had married the eldest of those three sisters who receiued from him that Crowne and Countrey and for it performed and did his homage to King Edward The King although he were earnestly employed in these and in other affaires at home yet was he more troubled with greater businesses abroad The French King wrongeth King Edward by reason that the French King daily wronged him in Gascoyne Guyan and elsewhere And to maintaine those warres the King by the aduice and counsell of William Marchyan his chiefest Treasurer seized into his hands the Plate Iewels and Treasure of the Churches and of the religious Houses within this kingdome Euâ—ll counsell and compelled the Clergie to giue vnto him the one halfe of one yeares value of all their Ecclesiasticall Dignities and Promotions The King stâ—â—ppeth the Church He is hated by Church-men This vnaccustomed Sacriledge made the King hatefull in Church-mens eyes But yet he seemed in some sort to content them with faire promises of Restitution when his Treasures should by other meanes be encreased But they little relying vpon that promise and by common experience in other things being resolued that the Kings Coffers would not be emptied to fill theirs and yet feeding themselues with a vaine hope that some other recompence might be made them became humble sutors to the King The Clergies â—ute denyed That he would be pleased to reuoke and to annihilate the Statute which in the fourth yeare of his Raigne was made against Mortmayne Mortmayne which prohibited the giuing and the conueying of anie Lands and Tenements to anie Corporation whatsoeuer without the Kings leaue But as he neuer meant to gratifie them in anie sort whatsoeuer so he made them answer That it lay not in him without the consent of a Parliament to reuoke and to frustrate anie Law The Clergie to their great griefe and sorrow perceiued that their Treasure was swept away together with all hope of restitution or amends and though it vexed them inwardly yet durst they not to expresse anie outward tokens of dislike Thus when the King had augmented his store by the Clergies plentie he by the directions of his said Treasurer imposed a Taxe or Subsidie vpon euerie Sacke of Woolls A new Tax and vpon all Fells and Hydes which were to be transported out of this kingdome and also required the tenth part of euerie mans moueable goods and substance to maintaine his Warres which being granted hee caused it to be leuied by manie payments within the spâ—â—e of three yeares He also compelled the Clergie to bring into his Coffers all such summes of mony as they had promised to pay vnto the Pope towards the maintenance of the Christians Warre with the Turks in the Holie Land He also tooke vp one hundred thousand Quarters of the best Wheat and sent it to his Armies in Gascoyne and in Guyan where they fought with much courage and valour but with doubtfull successe sometimes gaining what was lost and sometimes loosing what they had wonne In the fiue and twentieth yeare of King Edwards Raigne 25. 1296. Iohn Baylyol inuadeth England Iohn Baylyol the King of Scots partly by the secret procurement of the French King and partly by the lewd aduice and counsell of factious and wicked persons sent a Defiance with a proud renunciation of his Fealtie and Homage to the King and with an Armie of braine-sicke Rebels entred into the Northerne parts of this kingdome where with fire and sword they oppressed such as could make no resistance and without pitie and compassion slew such as were armed in the defence of their Countrey and to saue themselues The King with an army marcheth against the Scots Whereupon King Edward recounting his manifold fauors and great loue to the said reuolted King and the high Honour wherewith not manie yeares before he had graced him and being resolued to correct his vnthankfulnesse with sharpe reuenge leuied a puissant Armie and marched in full strength towards the Northerne parts and found his fortune to be so fauourable Barwike wonne The Scots are ouerthrowne 25000 Scots are slaine that with much ease hee wonne the strong Castle of Barwike with the slaughter of fiue and twentie thousand Scots He also wonne the well-defended Castle of Donn-Barre and piercing into the sides of Scotland hee tooke Edenburrough and all other places of the best defence And the King of Scots perceiuing the dangerous estate wherein hee stood and reposing his last hopes in the Kings Grace by the aduice of all his Nobles repaired in person to the Kings presence The King of Scots yeeldeth himself and surrendreth his Kingdome He is sent to the Tower of London humbly submitted himselfe craued pardon
and solemnely surrendred his whole Kingdome into King Edwards hands Who forthwith sent the said Scottish King with a strong Guard to the Tower of London but gaue him large allowance both of Libertie and of Attendance and of his Diet. And then he committed the Gouernment of that Kingdome vnto Iohn Warrayne Earle of Sussex and of Surrey and made Sir Hugh Cressingham his High Treasurer and William Earnsley his chiefe Iustice of that Kingdome The King placeth a Gouernour ouer Scotland And hauing confined some of the Rebellious Peeres of Scotland within the Marches of England hee returned triumphantly and with great honour And then King Edward vsing great expedition and much policie for the refreshing and for the renewing of his Armie King Edward sayleth into Flanders and assisteth the Earle thereof transported it into the Territories of Guy then Earle of Flanders against whome Robert Earle of Arthois by the procurement and with the assistance of the French King made sharpe warre And the French King intending to hasten King Edwards returne into England to saue himselfe and his owne Countrey animated the Scots to rebell againe And they because they were factious and readie to doe vnto France all seruice vpon all commaunds The Scots rebell though with the hazard of their liues and of their lands without anie feare or fore-cast of their future miseries did put themselues in Armes But King Edward purposing to greete the French King and his Forces with a Souldiors welcome appointed Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland and manie other Lords and Gentlemen of the best ranke The Scots are subdued for the repressing of that Rebellion who so manfully banged the Scots that they enforced them to flye out of the field and pursued them with a mercilesse slaughter and reduced the rest to their former dutie and obedience The French King dared not to fight with King Edward The French King perceiuing that his practise with the Scots wanted his hoped successe was not desirous to trie his strength with King Edward in the open field but reposing more confidence in his wit than in his valour hee proposed verie honourable conditions of amitie and loue which by King Edward were accepted and then a generall Peace was proclaymed betwixt them all And thus those Warres by King Edwards meanes and assistance receiued a short end A Peace is concluded which made a shew of long continuance with the expence of much bloud London is restored to her liberties After the Kings returne into England hee restored to the Citizens of London their Liberties which for manie vndutifull misdemeanors had remained forfeited in his hands for the space of twelue yeares The Scots rebell againe And forthwith hee ledde all his Forces into Scotland where a new Rebellion madly raged and could not be suppressed without much strength And being more willing that the execution of Iustice vpon few for examples sake should rather reclayme the multitude than that the Sword should wastfully consume them he required the deliuerie of their Leaders A mercifull King and offered his free pardon to the rest But their froward dispositions preparing them to much more miserie than as yet they had endured animated them obstinately to arme themselues and in warlike fashion to bid Battaile to the King Insomuch that his Highnesse finding his fauours to bee neglected and perceiuing that all extremitie was to be vsed The battaile of Fanrike The Scots are ouerthrowne 28. Englishmen slaine 32000. Scots are slaine set vpon them with such furie and violence that with the losse of eight and twentie of his followers and with the slaughter of two and thirtie thousand of the Scots hee enforced the rest to yeeld and taking a new Oath for their Fealtie and Homage he appeased that Countrey and to the great joy of all his people he returned againe into England Where vpon the earnest entreatie and request of Pope Boniface the eight hee enlarged Iohn Baylyol Who trauailed into France Iohn Baylyol set at libertie to take a view of his Lordships there which according to his owne name were called Baylyols Lands King Edward had no sooner finished these Troubles The Scots doe rebell againe but the Scots were in Armes againe So that the third time hee entred with a great Power into that Countrey where none were so daring or so hardie as to endure his presence The King leadeth an Armie into Scotland But the greater number of the Earles Barons and chiefest Gentlemen of that kingdome had withdrawne themselues into the strong Castle of Estryuelyne which was by them so strengthened that in their judgements it was impregnable This Castle was long besieged by the King Estryueline is besieged in which the Nobles are but to little purpose and hee much doubted least his continuance in that seruice would affoord him but little honor in the end Wherefore to make a tryall how farre his Inuention would take place he caused two paire of Gallowes to be set vp in the Castles view The Kings Policie and with the sound of a Trumpet did proclayme his free Pardon if the besieged did yeeld themselues within three daies but denounced death vnto them all by hanging without respect of Honor A Proclamation or of Person if obstinately they enforced him to continue a longer Siege And hereupon the besieged although they were so strongly immured that they might boldly haue trusted vpon their strong defence yet because they distrusted to be relieued Estryuelyne is yeelded they reposed their confidence in the Kings word and submitted both the Castle and themselues to his grace and mercie The Scots do swear their obedience to K. Edward whereof they had good proofe For taking new oaths for the performance of their obedience and dutie in future times he set them free and at libertie and the like oaths he tooke of all Iustices Mayors and other Officers of Townes Cities Castles and Forts and hauing disposed all things in a comely and in a peaceable order for the good gouernement of that Kingdome The Scottish chairn hee returned into England and brought with him for a memoriall of his great victorie a Chaire of stone in which the Kings of Scotland by common custom receiued their Enstallment and their Crowne which Chaire remaineth in the Kings Chappell at Westminster among the faire Monuments of our famous Kings of this Realme Assoone as King Edward was returned from his iourney he caused a general enquirie which was termed Troile Baston to be made throughout his Kingdome Troy-baston of the misdemeanours and oppressions of his Officers of all sorts A memorable deed done by a worthie King so that the number of the transgressors was such and so great were their offences and their fines so heauie that with their money the King filled his emptie coffers to the brimme discharged his old scores which were very great by reason of his warres in Wales
grieuously afflicted the Kings Armie with mortalitie and death that not hauing performed anie thing worthie a Kings care and trauaile he began to retyre which when the Scots perceiued they pursued and hunted him with much crueltie and violence So that finding his forces to be broken The King is pursued and flyeth and his Armie scattered the Scots gaue a bold onset vpon the King himselfe and enforced him to saue his life by an ignominious flight and to leaue behinde him his Treasure The King loseth his Treasure and prouisions Ordinance and all his best prouisions whereat they made great jolitie and mirth This last disaster and this last danger which King Edward by a shamefull flight escaped was principally occasioned by Sir Andrew Harkley Sir Andrew Harkley Earle of Carlile beheaded whome the King had created Earle of Carlyle for his great seruice in his behalfe against his Barons in their late ouerthrow for hee hauing secretly receiued from the Scots a great summe of money for a bribe practised to betray the King for which offence he lost his head The Queene flyeth into France and carrieth the prince with her The Queene knowing that the two Spencers enuied her deepely at the heart and that by their persuasions the King refused to keepe her companie and solaced himselfe too too wantonly with lewd and lasciuious strumpets and pitying the late slaughter and bloudie executions of verie manie of the Nobilitie and perceiuing that the affaires and businesse of the Commonweale were made slauish and seruile to all misfortunes taking with her the young Prince Edward her sonne fled into France to her brother King Charles She is kindly entertained by her brother the King by whome shee was receiued louingly and was recomforted by earnest promises and oaths That by his assistance and at his costs her wrongs and this whole Kingdomes ruines should be repaired And not long after the Barons by their letters offered their best seruice to her and to the Prince her sonne The Barons doe offer her their seruice and did protest That if shee could returne strengthened onely with the helpe of one thousand valiant men at armes they would thereto adde so great a strength as should suffice to make the two Spencers feele the smart of their vnsufferable follies This proffer exceedingly rejoyced the Queene The Spencers do bribe the French King with the Kings Money and Iewels The French King checketh the Queene his sister The Pope and his Cardinals are bribed Sir Robert Earle of Arthois a friend to the Queen The Queene and Prince flye into the Empire They are kindly entertained by the Earle of Henault The Queene and Prince doe land in England ANNO 19. 1325. The Nobles Commons doe repaire to the Queene and Prince The Bishop of Exeter beheaded by the Londoners The King goeth toward Wales The Londoners take the Tower and daily fedde her conceits with fresh hopes of fortunate successe at the last But the two Spencers greatly fearing the euent of her returne if the French King should take her part and making the Kings Coyne and his Treasure their best Aduocates to plead their case so corrupted King Charles and his Councell of Estate with vnvaluable presents of Gold of Siluer and of rich Iewels that not onely all aide and succour was denyed to her by her owne brother but in verie sharpe and in quicke manner shee was by him reproued and blamed as being foolishly afraid of her owne shadow and as hauing vnwisely and vndutifully forsaken the companie of her Lord and kinde husband The Pope likewise and manie of his chiefest Cardinals being by like rewards engaged by the two Spencers required the French King vpon the penaltie of Cursing to send the Queene and the young Prince her sonne to King Edward And doubtlesse shee had vnnaturally beene betrayed by her owne brother if secretly and speedily her selfe and her young sonne had not been conueyed into the Empire by Sir Robert of Arthois her neere and kinde cousin and friend where they were with vnexpected and extraordinarie joy receiued and welcommed by the Earle of Henault and by Sir Iohn of Henault Lord Beaumont his brother who being accompanied with three hundred Knights and selected men of Armes went with her and with her sonne into England Vpon the first intelligence giuen of their landing the Lords and Barons with gladded hearts and lustie troupes of resolued Gallants who were soundly and at all points armed repaired euerie day to the Queene and Prince and hourely their forces were encreased So that the King hauing notice of these new troubles left the Gouernment of the Citie of London to his chiefest Treasurer Walter Stapleton then Bishop of Exeter who was an inward friend to the two Spencers and a professed enemie to the Queene and hated generally by the inhabitants of that Citie and the King hasted vnto the Marches of Wales for the present leuying of an Armie But hee was no sooner on his journey but the Londoners skorning the Gouernment of their prowd and insolent Commander apprehended him and without anie lawfull proceedings or judiciall Sentence caused his head to be smitten off at the Standard in Cheape and then they suddenly and with great violence rushed into the Tower of London where they slew all such as they found there and kept both it and that Citie to the vse of the Queene and of the young Prince her sonne The King changeth his purpose The King fortifieth Bristoll The Queene winneth Bristoll The King is besieged in the Castle Est ineuitabile Fatum A strange matter The King and Sir Hugh Spencer the younger are taken The Castle of Bristoll yeeldeth Sir Hugh Spencer the father and the Earle of Arundell are beheaded The Queene and Prince doe march toward London The younger Spencer is publikely derided He is cruelly executed As soone as King Edward was resolued and informed of this Reuolt hee desisted from his intended purpose and posted vnto Bristow and fortified it in the strongest manner that hee was able and committed the defence thereof to the Earle of Arundell and to Sir Hugh Spencer the father and himselfe with Sir Hugh the sonne entred into the Castle there and were determined to defend it with all their strength But within few dayes after the said Citie was besieged assaulted and wonne by the Queene and by the Barons who committing the two Earles and diuers others of the chiefest note vnto safe keeping besieged the Castle in such sort that the King and his Minion distrusting the euent stole away secretly in the night and put themselues into a little Fisher-boat Yet such was the will and pleasure of GOD to make them to know him by their future miseries that euerie day for a weeke and more the same Boat by reason of a contrarie winde was driuen backe neare to the said Castle Which being at length perceiued and obserued by the Lord Beaumont hee chased the Fisher-boat with a small vessell
vnder the Great Seale The Nobles are offended The Kings Title to France first broched hee was condemned to die in the same manner which he had deuised for the execution of Sir Hugh Spencer the yonger And Queene Isabel being most honourably prouided for and attended on was sequestred into a strong Castle where shee liued more then thirtie yeares after and then died In the fifth yeare of King Edwards Raigne his personall appearance in kind and friendly sort was required by Philip de Valoys king of France and vncle to the yong Queen that is to say brother to Iane Countesse of Henalt who was mother to K. Edwards wife together with his Homage Fealtie for his Duchie of Guyan For the performance whereof he departed hence and was with much triumph magnificence receiued entertained feasted in France But his homage and his fealtie he would and did only confesse by words and would not doe them in such solemne and submissiue fashion as they were demanded Whereat the French King was so inwardly moued that King Edward at his departure from the French Court might well perceiue that his welcome was more respected and honoured then his going from thence Assoone as the King came home by new Embassadors his homage was againe required to be performed with all solemnitie and due rites And therupon to giue some contentment to the French King it was sent vnto him in an instrument in writing vnder the great seale Whereat the Lords and Peeres repined much affirming that the crowne of France in the right of Queene Isabel his mother did belong to him and that therefore hee might iustly haue refused to haue done vnto him any homage at all Not long after these businesses thus ended King Edward by his Embassadors required Dauid the yong King of Scots The King requireth the Castle of Barwicke to bee restored It is denyed by the King of Scots and his Homage denied also being his brother-in-law to restore vnto him his Castle of Barwick and to doe him homage for his kingdome But Dauid stoutly returned answer that his father by conquest and by his sword wonne that Castle and that he had receiued it by discent from him and therefore would hold and keep it as his owne And touching the kings demand of his homage for the kingdome of Scotland his answer was that his Father neuer acknowledged any such seruice that king Edward had released it if any had been due And that therefore he would not confesse any tenure of king Edwards crowne The King warreth in Scotland The King preuaileth Barwicke is recouered The high spirit of the King would not suffer him thus to bee slighted and shaken off for he resolued to make himselfe the Lord of both For which cause he marched with a strong Armie into Scotland and quickly subdued the better the greater part of that kingdome with small resistance And hauing fortifyed for his own vse the Castles and Townes of best defence he returned and came to Barwick where the Towne after a strong siege was by composition surrendred into his hands Edward Baylyol Crowned King of Scotland And then he crowned Sir Edward Baylyol king of Scotland and committed the gouernment of the Towne of Barwick vnto his charge and returned into England with much honour The King in person setleth the Gouernement of Scotland But before two yeares more were expired he passed againe with an armie into Scotland placed his new king in his throne and receiued his homage and reinuested diuers English Lords and gentlemen of such Lordships and Territories as by reason of the kings dishonorable peace with the Scots when he first began to raigne had been taken from them Dauid flyeth into France These disasters and aduerse fortunes which inseparably accompanied Dauid the deposed king compelled him to flie into France where after two yeares continuance his heart was cheered with faire promises and his necessities were relieued plentifully with large and ample supplies of all things needfull and conuenient He returneth with an Armie into Scotland he also obtained an Armie with which hee sailed into Scotland his hopes fairely promising that ere long he should bee a king againe But he was much deceiued For king Edward hauing certain intelligence of his of the French kings endeuours prouided effectually for the encounter Dauid is ouerthrowne by King Edward and marched into Scotland with a strong Armie where hee fought often with fortunate successe against Dauid and the French kings forces and at length by battaile obtained an honourable victorie and securing the gouernment of that kingdome according to the rules of wisdome and of policie he returned joyfully into England Robert de Arthoys comes into England In the tenth yeare of this kings raigne Philip de Valoys then king of France sentenced the Earledome of Arthoys from Robert De Arthoys vnto Maud Countesse of Burgondie Aunt to the said Robert which censure so incensed the said Earle that in his heat he vttered these wordes By me was he made a King and by me he shal be againe deposed For which offence The King requites his former kindnesse he was throughout all France proclaimed to be a traytor to the crowne so that to preserue his life hee was compelled to flie into England where in regard of his fidelitie and honourable seruice performed to Queene Isabel and to the king himselfe when they were both in France he was with all complements of kindnes and heartie loue receiued and entertained by king Edward who knowing him to be right valiant hardie wise and not forgetting to requite fauours extended to him in his distresse created him Earle of Richmond He is Created Earle of Richmond and so entirely loued him that whilest he liued he neuer attempted anie great and important matter without his counsell and aduice This noble Knight ceased not to informe the King of his Title to the Crowne of France By Queene Isabel his mother who was the daughter of Philip the Faire which appeared to stand thus Philip the Hardie had issue two sonnes Philip the Faire King Edwards title to the Crowne of France and Charles de Valoys Philip the Faire had issue three sonnes all which successiuely were Kings and died without issue Male that is to say Lewes the tenth Philip the fifth sirnamed the Long Charles the fourth He had also one daughter which was named Isabel Queene of England and married to the Kings Father named Edward the second And Charles de Valoys the second sonne of Philip the Hardie was father vnto Philip de Valoys who raigned then in France Charles de Valoys and of this Charles it is noted that he was the sonne of a King The brother of a King The vncle of a King and the father of a King that himselfe was no King According to the Lawes of France the Crowne was to descend to the Issue Male and no woman
could inherit the Crowne but King Edward in regard that he was a Male though the descent of the Males was interrupted by a Female viz. by Queene Isabel his mother pretended that in right the Crowne of France was his and could not be depriued thereof by humane lawes The state of this question standing thus Sir Robert de Arthois Earle of Richmond daily whispered it into the Kings eare and with such forcible reson and perswasions so vrged the same that now the King beganne to thinke on nothing more then how to attaine to the Crowne of France Secrecie is the best fartherer of great negotiations The Counsell of the Earle of Henalt is craued Aâ—de promised to the King The King is made Vicar generall of the Empire This busines as it was of extraordinarie waight and importance so it required the best secrecie vntill it were plotted wel For which purpose K. Edward by priuate messengers letters craued the aduice counsel of the Earle of Henalt his wifes father and brother-in-law to the French King and of Sir Iohn of Henalt Lord Beaumont his brother and of sundrie other great States and Princes of the Empire who not only counselled him by his sword to prosecute his right but made him offers of their assistaÌ„ce by their best means They also procured King Edward by a solemne instrument in writing to bee created the Vicar Generall of the Empire by reason whereof he had the power to command the Nobles and the common people of those Countries to further his purpose and his doings ANNO 11. Whilest these things were thus contriuing in England and whilst king Philip de Valoys little thought that his kingdome and Crowne were aimed at The French King maketh incredible prouision to Warre in the Holy-land or that his strength should bee trâ—ed with English warres he by the importunitie of Pope Benedict the eleuenth prepared such an Armie to haue made warres in the Holy-land as neuer before was conducted by anie Christian Prince He also committed the gouernment of his kingdome vnto his eldest sonne Iohn Duke of Normandie To whom by reason of his youth hee added for assistance a discreet wise and a graue Councell And when he had thus prouided and setled all thinges needfull for his huge armie The French King altereth his purpose and for the maintenance therof for three yeares space the reports of king Edwards claime and purpose began as a sodaine storme to breake forth and to be knowne Wherupon king Philip assuring himselfe that in his absence the English Armie would very litle regard such forces as should be left behinde and that his departure would encourage manie who hunted after nouelties and change rather to make offers of their seruice to his enemies He prepareth against England then to performe that dutie which by subiects was due vnto their king And knowing That it would be a ridiculous thing by dangerous attempts to winne honour abroad and to neglect the safetie of his owne kingdome and estate at home he desisted on the sodaine from prosecuting his journie into the Holy land and prepared strongly to defend himselfe against king Edward King Edward fils his Coffers and his claime And on the other side king Edward to the ende that nothing might be wanting when time should serue By manie politike deuices leuied such inestimable summes of monie Want of Money in England That for want of coyne among the common people a fat Oxe was sold for a noble a fat sheep for six pence sixe Pigeons for a pennie and a quarter of wheat for two shillings When he had thus done hee with Queene Philip his wife sailed into Flanders The King and Queene doe saile into Flanders where they remained all that winter and at Antwerp The king oftentimes conferred at length concluded with the Princes and States of Germanie and of those Prouinces He enleageth himselfe with the Germans and Belgicks vpon all things touching his said intended warre So that after his returne hee leuied a strong Armie King Edwards Armie which with his assisting friends consisted of seuen and twentie thousand chosen fighting men with which strength he landed in France King Edward landeth in France when the Sommer was almost spent The French King taketh the field The French king hauing an Armie which consisted of threescore thousand souldiors and being accompanied with the three kings of Behayne Nauarre and of Scotland with fiue Dukes Six and twentie Earles and more then foure thousand Lords and knights brauely entred into the field where hee found king Edward sufficiently prouided to shew himselfe a valiant man But whilest each Armie gazed on the other A woman parteth a great affray and expected manie houres which part should giue the first stroke of the battaile Behold and wonder and a strange wonder For betwixt both those Kings vpon the motion and through the mediation of the Ladie Iane Countesse of Henalt sister to King Philip and mother to King Edwards wife not a blow was giuen but on a sodaine Both the Armies were dissolued and King Edward with his friends and Nobles returned into England In the fourteenth yeare of King Edwards Raigne ANNO. 14 1339. The Germans incorporate themselues with King Edward in his Warres Vpon what conditions the Flemings ioyned with King Edward Hee quarters the Armes of France The French doe burne in England hee sayled into Flanders where at Brusels he met with the greater number of the Princes of Germanie who of their owne accords with heartie loue and forwardnesse incorporated themselues with king Edward in those his warres against France And at the instance of the king the said Princes entreated the Flemmings to joyne with them in that Enterprize and seruice whereunto they seemed willing to condiscend if king Edward would entitle himselfe king of France and would quarter the Armes of France with the Armes of England and would as king of France release vnto them a bond of two millions of Floreynes wherein they stood obliged not to wage anie warre against the king of France Whereunto the king yeelded and did performe all thinges according to their desires And thus hee consorted to his part the Germans and Flemmings in those affaires by promises oathes and by a solemne instrument in writing vnder their hands and seales Whilest king Edward was thus busied abroad the French kings Nauie landed many thousand men at Southhampton who ransacked the Towne and consumed it with fire and the like outrage and crueltie they exercised in the Countries thereunto adioyning The king immediately vpon his returne out of Flanders Summoned his high Court of Parliament in which A Parliament that nothing needfull might be wanting to furnish and to maintaine his warres with France a Subsidie of the fifth part of all his Subiects moueable goods was granted to him and the ninth part of their Corne A great Taxe Together with a large custome
vpon Wolles to bee paid two yeares before hand The leuying of which Taxe turned the prayers of the People into Curses The King borroweth Money because they were altogether vnwilling to pay the same Hee also by way of lone borrowed huge summes of money of his richest Subiects and the Citie of London disbursed for him twentie thousand markes New coine with the French arms quartred King Edwards Fleet and Armie The battell of Sluce The King also coined great store of siluer and of gold on which he quartered with his owne the Armes of France in the first place and instamped him thereon King of England and of France He also prepared a fleet of two hundred Saile of Ships and throughly appointed them to the proofe and then he leuied an Armie often thousand selected men of warre all which he embarqued and passing with them towards Sluce he fortunatly met with the French fleet which consisting of Frenchmen Piccards Genowayes and of other Nations amounted to the number of fortie thousand men The Kings victory at Sea among which were they who not only had robbed and rifled many English Marchants on the narrow Seas but also had burned South-hampton and the Countries thereabout as lately you haue heard The King being full of magnanimitie and valour resolute in his purposes and reckoning of the French as of his subiects and inferiours in Armes especially vpon the Seas and hopping by his good successe not onely to winne honor among the Princes and States of his confederacie and purposing if hee might to strike a terror in the French Nation concerning those warres set vpon their whole Nauie with such an incomparable courage and bold spirit that after a long a fierce and a bloudie fight very few or none of the French Ships escaped but were by him either taken or sunke into the Sea King Edward landeth at Sluce The King on his part hauing receiued but little losse his prisoners he sent into England but himselfe the next day landed at Sluce where he was triumphantly receiued by the Inhabitants and Countrey who with great ioy and infinit commendations congratulated his happie and victorious successe He rides to Gaunt And from thence he rode to Gaunt where his Queene lay And about the space of one moneth after hee being accompanied with seuen Earles eight Bishops eight and twentie Baronets two hundred Knights A huge Armie foure thousand men of Armes and nine thousand Archers of his owne Nation and with the Duke of Brabant who commanded twentie thousand of his followers and with Iaques Dartuell the famous Fleming Iaques Dartuell a famous Fleming who conducted threescore thousand men of those Prouinces and with the Duke of Guelders the Marquesse of Muse the Earles of Iullers Mouns Sauiens and of Henault the Lord Faulquemont and many thousand Almaines He strongly besieged the Citie Tournay which was with great resolution and valor manfully defended for the space of tenne weeks Tournay besieged in al which time the French King appeared not for their defence But by the importunat mediation of the aforenamed Iane de Valoys mother to the Queen of England to the Duchesse of Iullers and to the then Earle of Henalt A huge Armie was dissolued vpon the motion of a woman and sister to the French King a truce was concluded for one yeere which was afterwards renewed for one yeare more Thus was the siege broken vp and euery one returned to his owne home Now whilst the King had thus employed himselfe in the Low-countries and in the Empire and in France The Scots reuolt from their King and from king Edward The Scots disliking Edward Baylyol their King because hee would not in any sort oppose himselfe against the King of England who so highly had aduanced him and leauing to him onely the name but no honour due to a King rebelled against king Edward And gained into their possessions almost all things whatsoeuer which hee in his former Warres had wonne from them But king Edward scorning to bee checked by the lawlesse disobedience and insolencie of the Scots The King leadeth a huge Armie into Scotland leuied an Armie of sixe thousand horsemen and fortie thousand on foote with which he marched into Scotland And those Inhabitants hauing intelligence of these vnresistable preparations and and being apprehensiue of their owne weaknesse craued and obtained a Truce for foure Monethes vpon condition to surrender to king Edward A Truce whatsoeuer in his absence they had taken from him And also to submit themselues if within that time Dauid their deposed King returned not out of France for their defence But before the time of Truce was expired Dauid returned secretly and being safely landed in Scotland The Scots inuade England he raised an Armie of more then threescore thousand men with which hee entred into Northumberland spoyling robbing wasting burning and killing without compassion in all places whereon hee set his foote New-Castle is besieged vntill hee came to New-Castle vpon Tyen which hee girded about with a strong siege But in the depth of the night two hundred resolued gallants issued foorth A bold brauado And vpon the suddaine entred into the Earle of Murrayes Tent which they ransacked slewe many and caried the said Earle a way with them to the great amazement and terrour of the Scottish Campe. The day appearing was their true informer of all things which in the night had hapned The siege is raised And Dauid purposing a bloudy reuenge for this dishonour done vnto him caused the Castle to be continually assaulted But the Scots were manfully repulsed by the defendants whose vndaunted spirits had banished all feare In so much that Dauid being vnwilling to spend there too much time in vaine raised his siege and marched to the Citie of Durham Durham taken burnt which he tooke ransacked and burnt and slew all the men women and children which did inhabite and were found there From thence the Scottish Armie marched forth and passed by the strong Castle of Rowsbrough A valiant exploit by Sir William Mountagew which then belonged to the Earle of Salisburie who was a prisoner in France In this Castle was his faire and admirably beautifull Lady and it was kept by Sir William Mountagew his brother who for his wisedome and for his valour was a most renowned Knight When he had narrowly viewed the Scottish March hee expected their vtmost furie in their returne and therefore hee determined to giue him a present taste of his man-hood So that he issued forth with fortie Horsemen well appointed and fell vpon their Rereward and slew of them more then two hundred and tooke from them one hundred and twentie horses which were loaden with the richest of those booties which they had taken at Durham and safely returned and caried them into the Castle The Castle of Rosbrough is besieged Dauid disdaining thus to bee beaten by so
Prince Edward of England the great Lord and master of those Countries Malum consilium consultori pessimum And to effect what therein hee did intend hee called a generall Councell of the Lords and great men of those Territories and appointed the place of their meeting to bee at Sluce where hee also procured the presence of king Edward and of the Prince his sonne To draw these States together he proposed nothing publikely but the necessitie of a sound conference touching their proceedings with the King of England against France And within the Hauen there the place of Councel was in King Edwards great ship called the Katharine But vnexpectedly to the Flemish Lords Iaques Dartuell discoursed boldly and at large of the great Honour Prowes and valour of King Edward and of the yong Prince his Sonne And by many circumstances and deuised arguments hee endeauoured to extenuate the worth of their owne Earle as being altogether vnfit and vnable to be a Lord of so great a coÌ„mand and in the conclusion of his speech hee strongly striued to perswade them all to depose the Earle Loys and his posteritie and to adde an inuincible strength to their Estates by electing and chusing the Prince of England to be their Master and great Lord. The Nobles and the great men of Flanders being now made eare witnesses of Iaques Dartuells attempt Displeasing Counsell And inwardly detesting to leaue vnto a future age a memoriall of such treacherous infidelitie and wrong made answere that albeit no people in the world did more then they respect King Edward Nor more affect the aduancement and the Honour of the Prince his Sonne Yet this motion could not preuaile except the Natiues and common people of those Countries who had as large an interest as they in the deposing of the said Earle and in the disposing of his Lordship and command would willingly assent thereto And though in their heartes they intended and ment nothing lesse yet to make faire weather for the present time They told the King that they liked the motion exceeding well and that they would foorthwith depart vnto the seuerall places of their habitations and would informe the people of this proiect and do their best endeauours to perswade and to incourage them to consent thereunto And hauing promised the King that at the end of one Moneth they would returne againe with their full answere to the said motion And hauing mutually performed all complements requisite for a kind farewell they departed thence But when this newes was diuulged and when it was publikely knowne what Iaques Dartuell had proposed No trusting to the peoples fauour Iaques Dartuell is hated and murdred both he and his practise were inwardly detested and so hated that he was not esteemed to be a true borne Fleming who had the least inclination to giue any furtherance thereunto Yet notwithstanding such was the great confidence which this great Commaunder reposed in the fauour of the common people and such was the resolution of him whose authoritie before that time was vnlimited and whose prosperitie was equall to the greatnesse of a potent King that his presence would worke wonders and change the minds of the common people That to make triall of his power in that behalfe he came to Gaunt But as he passed through the streetes he might well perceiue that his entertainment was nothing correspondent to his former wel-comes and that the countenances of the Inhabitants bewrayed their inward contempt and loathing both of him and of his despised motion And no sooner was hee entred into his house but by many thousands of mutenous and armed Swaggarers it was compassed round about and then was hee rayled on with the foulest words and reuiled with the most bitter termes that either their hearts could deuise or their tongues vtter So that hee perceiued that it auailed him not to looke bigge nor to presume by his authoritie to appease their rage Wherefore at a great window of the house hee began mildly and with humble termes to pleade in his owne excuse and promised to giue them a full satisfaction vpon what grounds points and reasons he had vnaduisedly conceiued that motion But the sight of him whom in former times they loued and honoured as an Angell was now so lothsome and so vile and his words were so vnpleasing to them that with dirt and stones they beate him from the window King Edward looseth many powerfull friends assaulted his house brake it open entred in and slaughtered him with a thousand wounds And thus died that great Commander of the Flemings who for his power and absolute authoritie among them had neuer his equall in those Countries And by these meanes King Edward not onely lost a sound and a potent friend But euer after that time the hearts of the Flemings more fauoured the French King then they did him At the same time also his noble and worthy friend and vncle Sir Iohn of Henalt Sir Iohn of Henalt reuolteth to the French Lord Beamont reuolted from him and adheared to the French King because King Edward vpon some priuate vnkindnesse conceiued did with-hold and keepe from him a Pension which for his faithfull and good seruice hee had formerly giuen and duly paid vnto him And though King Edward did daily growe more strong in his hopes A valiant King to possesse himselfe of the Crowne of France yet the losse of some great friends being his associates in those Warres made him indeede more weake yet those his misfortunes so little auailed to discourage him that it increased his magnanimitie and his resolutions to maintaine those his Warres with the greater helpes of his owne strength ANNO. 20 Aguillon is besieged by 100000. men Now was the King informed that Iohn the eldest Sonne of the French King had strongly besieged the Castle of Aguillon in Gascoyne wel-neere with an hundred thousand men within which were the Noble Earle of Pembroke and the renowned Knight Sir Walter of Manny and diuers others of especiall note and place The King transporteth an Armie into Normandy Whereupon King Edward leuied the number of fourteene thousand men which he and the Prince his Sonne being accompanied with eight Earles fifteene Barrons and a great number of braue Knights and gallant Gentlemen by the aduice and counsell of Sir Godfray Lord Harcourt a French banished Noble man of great wisdome and wonderfull valour in the Warre caried into Normandie and with them he besieged the rich and strong Towne of Harflew Harflew is taken but because the English Armie seemed terrible in the sight of the Inhabitants it was not defended but the King tooke it without blowes and gaue the spoyle thereof to his common Souldiers so that he filâ—ed their Purses with Crownes and thereby prepared them with the greater courage Diuers towns and Castles are taken and resolution for more dangerous attempts So that within few dayes after hee wonne rifled and spoyled the
rich Townes of Cheirbrough Mount-brough and Quarenâ—ue and the Castle there Then King Edward marched foorth in great strength through that Countrie Normandie harrowed by King Edward being hedged in on the one side by his Marshall the Lord Harcourt and fiue hundred chosen men of warre which hee commanded and by his other Marshall on the other side with a like number And with such seueritie ransacked spoiled burned and haâ—owed all places as he passed by The English Armie is rich The English Armie increaseth that euerie coÌ„mon souldier was now a rich man and the Kings Armie was encreased and now consisted of nineteene thousand fighting men with which he pitched before the city of Cane in which were the Earles of Tankeruile and of Ewe Besides the Earle of Guyens who being high Constable of France had gathered and brought vnto that place manie braue and approued men at Armes and made a flourishing shew as if hee meant to issue forth and to giue battaile to the King But feare possessing his heart he made but a faint resistance The Citie of Cane is taken and in short time and with litle losse the Citie was taken and ransacked by the English souldiers who conueighed all their spoiles into England Sir Thomas Holland Loureys is taken Why King Edward medled with no walled Townes nor Castles in the Prouince of Eureux In the yeelding vp of this Citie First the three Earles submitted their fortunes to Sir Thomas Holland a valiant English Knight who had but one eye of whom the King bought them for tenne thousand markes in Gold and receiuing them as prisoners into his Armie hee marched to the Towne of Loures which hee quickly won and then entred into the Prouince of Eureux all which he wasted spoiled and burned without pittie the walled Townes Cities and Castles only excepted with none of which hee medled â—east by them his strength should bee deminished before hee met with the French King who had solemnely sworne and protested that King Edward should not returne into England before a battaile fought between them Many towns wonne by the English After this King Edward in his march wonne Gisours Vernon Saint Germans in Lay Mountrell Saint Clowde Rely and the whole Countrie about Roan Pont de' Larch Nants Newlench Robboys Fountaine Poys and Vimew in all which places he found but weake resistance King Philip of France hauing true intelligence that King Edward with al his Armie was within two leagues of Paris The French King forsaketh the Parisians left that Citie and went to S. Dennis where his Armie lay perswading the Parisians that King Edward dared not to looke them in the face but they beleeued him not and feare made them greatly displeased with their king Those of Amyens are slaine and taken Neere about the same time Sir Godfrey Lord Harcourt being one of King Edwards Marshals encountred with certaine Burgesses of Amyens whom the French king had appointed to come vnto Paris for the better defence therof if neede should so require and though they defended themselues with much valor yet at length twelue hundred of them were slaine and the rest being taken prisoners were brought vnto the king The English Armie so eagerly pursued the happinesse of their fortune That they possessed the whole countrie through which they passed yea euen to the gates of Aubeuile The English Armie is inuironed on the suddaine and of Saint Valary yet were they vnawares enuironed with the Riuer of Some on the one side and with the French Kings armie consisting of more then an hundred thousand men on the other side The place wherein he was promised him no manner of aduantage if he should fight but many inconueniencies presented themselues vnto him So that hee consulted with his Prisoners if anie of them could direct him to any Ford where he might transport his Armie among whom one who was named Gobyn of Grace Gobyn of Grace directed him to a conuenient passage But when the King came thither it was defended by twelue thousand of the French Kings Armie Yet notwithstanding when the Sea was ebbed King Edward with the Prince and the whole Armie did put themselues into the water and so did the French men on the other side King Edward passeth through the riuer of Some and slaughtereth the French so that they all encountred pell mell in the midst of the Riuer and fought with such desperate resolution on either part that manie a man was striken downe being slaine or by that meane was drowned But at length the Frenchmen being much wasted by the sword fled and the Englishmen slaughtered them in the Chase a full league and more And now approached the time in which this journie made by king Edward and his sonne was to be blessed with much honor and happinesse or to be vnfortunate The famous and victorious Battaile of Cressey though hitherto it had proceeded well For the French king being resolued to bee reuenged without pitie and in regard that his Armie contained in number more then six times as manie fighting men as king Edward had and making no doubt Great oddes but that a triumphant victorie should preuent all future danger of Englands claime to the French Crown marched with all his strength in good order of battaile against king Edward Who knowing that only the sword was then to decide the controuersie and to pronounce the judgement entred into a spacious field neere vnto Cressey where he did set his whole Armie in good order and diuided it into three battailes All which hee so imparked behind with carriages and carts that no man was easily able to interrupt or to endanger them in the Reareward The Battaile of the Blacke Prince And when the battaile should begin the first Companies were conducted by the yong Prince who was assisted by the Earles of Warwicke and of Canford and by the Lords of Harcourt Stafford Manny De Lauarre Chandoys Clifford and Bourchier Sir Reynold Cobham Sir Thomas Holland Sir Roger Neuill and manie other Lords knights and Gentlemen of name And in that battaile were eight hundred men at Armes Two thousand Archers and one thousand other lustie and good Souldiers The second battaile was directed by the Earles of Northampton The second Battaile of the English and of Arondel who were accompanied with the Lords Rose Lygo Willoughby Basset Saint Awbin Myleton and De La Sell and by manie other Lords knights and Gentlemen And in this battaile there were eight hundred men at Armes and twelue hundred Archers And the third and maine battaile being placed betwixt the other two was led by the king himselfe who was assisted by many Earles Lords knights Esquires and Gentlemen of the best ranke The Kings Battaile And in that battaile there were seuen hundred men at Armes Two thousand Archers and tenne thousand other common souldiers well approued and expert men of warre The English Armie hauing exercised
themselues in prayer vnto God and moderatly refreshed themselus with som meat and some drinke laid themselues downe vpon the ground thereby to comfort and to ease themselues before they fought But the Frenchmen although they proudly bragged and profferd manie shewes yet for that day they wanted courage to beginne the fight Fifteene thousand Genowayes ouerthrowne But the next morning the French king commanded that fifteene thousand Genowayes with their Crosbowes should giue the first onset vpon the Prince his battaile But eyther for want of skill or else in making king more hast than good speed their disorder was so foule and so grosse That by the English Archers the greater part of them were slaine The maine Battaile of the French Armie is disordered and the rest were soone defeated and compelled to retire In which so violent was their hast and posting that in rude heapes they rushed into the French kings maine battaile and disordered it but were by their owne friendes without mercie put vnto the sword The Prince his Battaile receiueth the Frenchmen to their paine And though the French Armie by reason of their disorder not to bee repaired had little warrant for good successe yet being emboldned by reason of their multituds and being sharp set vpon reuenge aduanced themselus and charged gallantly vpon the English Armie but bent their chiefest strength against the Prince his battel who receiued them with such furie and hardie blowes that thousands of them almost in a moment were made Bond-slaues vnto death The benefit of good order For still the Prince his battaile remained entire and vnbroken By meanes whereof hee made prodigall expence and hauocke of the Frenchmen who being first broken could not obserue anie order at all nor helpe themselues by any ingenious pollicie of Warre And though they fell in great numbers before the Prince his battaile yet their new and copious supplies which alwayes succeeded those who were slaine gaue no leasure nor respit at all to the Prince nor to his assistants to take any breathing Much lesse to refresh themselues So that the braue Prince though he were full of incomparable valour and resolution yet being distressed for want of breath and of some reliefe hee sent to haue some helpe and succour from the King The King would not relieue the Prince his Sonne who inquired of the messinger if he were aliue who answered that he was Then quoth the King report to him from me that he expect no aide For this shall be the day in which hee shall winne his spurres or else shall loose his life For in life or in death hee shall ingrosse to himselfe the whole honour and glorie of this day When Prince Edward was informed what the King had said being vrged by sharp necessitie and animated with fresh hopes of a famous Victorie Hee with his companions in Armes renewed their strength and redoubled their manlike courage And wholly reposing their trust The French Armie is ouerthrowne and confidence in Gods goodnesse and in the edges of their hungrie swordes they fought with such vndaunted spirits that the Frenchmen beganne to flie and were so eagerly pursued That the greater part of their whole Armie lay breathlesse vpon the ground And in the Chace the two Marshals of England encountred with a multitude of the Inhabitants of Beuoys Reignyer An other French companie is slain Aubeuile and of Roan of whom seuen thousand were slaine and the rest by flight had much adoe in sauing of themselues And the next day the said Marshals were recharged by the Archbishoppe of Roan and by the Grand-Pryor of France No misfortune goeth alone who conducted a strong Armie to aide their king They not knowing that the Battaile was alreadie fought and the field lost by their friends With these new forces the English men encountred and contended so proudly that quickly they beganne to flie and were almost all wasted by the sword The number of Prisoners and of such as were slaine So that within the compasse of those two dayes there were slaine on the French part eleuen Princes fourescore Baron twelue hundred knights and more then thirtie thousand souldiours of the common sort And the French king himselfe by speedie flight very hardly escaped with his life The King giues away all the spoyles The whole bootie of this field the king frankly bestowed vpon his Nobles Gentrie and on his whole armie and caused the dead bodies of all such as were honorable and of note to be taken vp The Kings charitie and caried them with him vnto Mountrell where they were buried with much solemnitie and great honour Now when king Edward perceiued King Edward besiegeth Callice that the French king made no preparation at all for a new supply to encounter him hee marched towardes Callice burning spoiling and rifling all places as he passed by The Towne and Castle hee intended not to assault For as it would haue beene full of danger so hee knew the strength thereof to bee such that in assaulting it hee should both loose his labour and his men It therefore gaue him good content Two hundred thousand men in the French Kings armie The French to gird and to compasse it round about with a strong siege Which when he had continued a full whole yeare the French king with a huge army of two hundred thousand men marched towardes Callice But finding euerie passage and way in such warlike sort to bee garded and defended that he could not approach vnto the English armie Hee challenged king Edward to maintaine his honour Kings Challenge by fighting with him a battaile in the Field But king Edward by reason of his long siege hauing spent much Treasure and the Towne and Castle of Callice wanting manie things needfull King Edwards answere and necessary for their reliefe made this answere That his manie and great Victories in France and elsewhere sufficiently cleared him from the suspition of Cowardize and that seeing he had trauelled and spent so much time and monie for the winning of Callice the French king should open all passages by force and then make triall of his Strength before that Towne The French Armie Cashired or otherwise might returne Whereupon the French King not finding any meanes how he might releeue Callice cashired his Armie and retired leauing poore distressed Callice to the mercie of King Edward who daily expected when it should bee yeelded into his hands The Scots inuade England in the Kings absence The Queene fights with them Iohn Copland taketh the King of Scots are ouerthrowne Iohn Copland would not deliuer his Prisoner to the Queene Now whilest the King thus lay before Callice Dauid of Scotland with an Armie of fiftie thousand men by the procurement and furtherance of the French King entred into England and did much harme But the Queene with her Armie consisting only of twelue thousand valiant men confronted him in the
field where was fought a long and a sharp battaile vntill King Dauid by an Esquire named Iohn Copland was taken prisoner and secretly conueyed out of the armie There were also at that time slaine of the Scots diuers Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen besides more then fifteene thousand souldiers of the common ranke And the residue of them being defeated returned by continuall flight into Scotland The Queene much importuned Iohn Copland for the deliuerie of his Prisoner king Dauid But hee making challenge vnto him as to his onely behoofe by the Lawes of Armes made answere that hee would not deliuer him vnto any but to the King himselfe So that the Queene being highly displeased with him certified the king both of her Victorie and also in what sort Iohn Copland had answered her touching the deliuerie of the Scottish king Whereupon Iohn Copland being sent for went vnto Callice Iohn Copland is thanked and rewarded where hee was graciously and louingly welcomed by the king who thanked him hartily for his great seruice and made him an Esquire of his owne bodie and recompenced his trauailes King Dauid and others are committed to the Tower and his good fortune with the gift in Fee simple of fiue hundred pounds by the yeare in good Land and commanded him to deliuer his Prisoner to the Queene at his returne which hee performed accordingly And then the Queene committed the said king and the Earle of Morret and manie others Prisoners to the Tower of London where they remained long after The Queene passeth ouer to Callice And then the Queene being accompanied with a faire troupe of faire Ladies and beautifull Gentlewomen whose husbands fathers brothers and kinsfolkes had for a long time beene emploied in the French warres came vnto the king as he lay before Callice and were by the king and his whole armie receiued and entertained with much joy The Callicians craue mercie And now the distressed and the besieged Towne of Callice trauelling with many wants and being destitute of all hope to be relieued because the French King not long before had cashired and dismissed his whole Armie craued pardon A hard condition and mercie of King Edward Who in regard of their peruerse and long continued obstinacie and for that they had spoyled and robbed many of his English Marchants vpon the Sea before they were besieged would in no sort hearken to their request and submission except sixe of their worthiest Inhabitants did come vnto him Bare-legged Bare-headed in their Shirts and with Halters about their neckes to be corrected and disposed of as the king should please Ingens telum necessitas And though this condition was full of terrour and of bitternesse yet necessitie compelled them to accomplish the kings demaund So that they sent him the keyes both of the Towne and Castle by those sixe A heauie sentence who presented them to the king The keyes he receiued but forthwith commanded that the said Townesmen should bee hanged Whereupon all such in the kings Armie Intercession for the liues of the Callicians as were either Honourable by birth or had for their seruice deserued well or were graced by the kings especiall loue and fauour became earnest Petitioners to the king for the Pardon of those distressed men But such was the kings resolution and full determination to make them examples to the rest for the iniuries and for the wrongs which formerly they had done to the English Nation The Queene only procureth their Pardon that all their meanes was insufficient and vnable to deliuer them from death Which when the Queene perceiued on bended knees with Prayers and with Teares and with importunate request shee neuer ceased to vrge the king vntill shee had procured their Pardon and their inlargement from that danger Callice is yeelded to King Edward in An. Dom. 1347. and in the 22. yeere of King Edwards raigne A stranger made Captaine of Callice The King returneth into England Londoners are sent to dwell in Callice The chiefe Captaine named Sir Guy of Vyen and such knights and Gentlemen as were in the Towne and in the Castle were sent Prisoners into England where they remained about sixe monethes and were then ransomed by the French king Thus when the king was quietly and fully possessed of Callice the keye to France and had without sparing of any cost in wonderfull sort strengthned and fortified it He left none to remaine there but Englishmen the Captaine onely excepted Who being a Lombard by birth was named Sir Andrew de Pauye an especiall fauourite of the kings whom the king vpon the vndoubted trust and confidence which hee reposed in him placed chiefe Captaine and Commander there These things being thus setled in good order the king with the Queene and all his troupes returned into England and were receiued into London with extraordinarie Triumph and great joy And from thence hee sent sixe and thirtie rich wise and graue Cittizens with ther Wiues and Families to Callice to inhabite and to trade and traffique there Great priuiledges granted to the Callicians and gaue to the said Towne and Castle such profitable and large immunites priuiledges liberties and franchesses that they thought themselues to be very happy whom the king would licence to dwell there The Pope mediates a Truce Pope Clement the sixt hauing manie yeares laughed in his sleeue to see these two potent and mightie kings so busily to imploy themselues each against other in those bloudie Warres at length mediated a Truce betwixt them which on his motion was concluded for two yeares Callice should haue been betraied And in the meane time king Edward was informed that Sir Andrew de Pauie his chiefe Captaine of Callice for twentie thousand Crownes to him promised by the Lord Charney Captaine of Arras had conspired to betray the Towne and Castle into his hands Whereupon king Edward to make a triall of this newes and to surprise the said Lord The King passeth secretly vnto Callice and all his Companie if hee might when hee should come to take the possession of Callice departed secretly out of England with three hundred selected men at armes and in the depth of the night landed at Callice and was quickly receiued in where hee sharply reprehended the Lombard who vnder the pretext of honest dealing for the king excused himselfe of anie treacherous intent But within a night or two after the Lord Charney at the appointed time repaired thither with twelue hundred armed men to surprise both the Castle and the Towne The monie in good Gold was by the Captaine receiued at a posterne gate of the Castle The Money is receiued and one hundred only of that Company were suffred to enter in But they finding quickly that they were beguiled and betraied without noyse or resistance yeelded themselues and were closed vp in a strong Dungeon And then the king himselfe King Edwards valour and courage
with three hundred men at armes vnder the Banner of Sir Walter of Mannie brake forth out of the Castle and furiously rushed vpon the Frenchmen who attended for better newes But when they did perceiue that they were deceiued they resolued to acquit themselues like men and for an houre and more so they did But when manie of them were slaine the rest fled and were thus depriued both of their manie and of their hope In this conflict the King himselfe encountred hand to hand with the Lord Eustace of Rybamount Sir Eustace Lord Rybamont a right hardie and valiant knight and was by him twice stooped on his knees But skorning to yeeld to anie base conceit or froward Fortune hee aduanced himselfe so nobly A noble King and in such sort redoubled his courage and his strength that in the end he tooke the said Sir Eustace prisoner with his own hand the said Lord not knowing with whom he had so sharply contended But the King making him to know all released him without Ransome promised him future fauours and dismissed him with a Princely reward About the same time the French king Philip of Valoys died The French King dieth ANNO 24. Iohn is Crowned King of France The Kings Victorie at Sea Guyens is yeelded to the Callicians ANNO. 25 ANNO. 27 A Duke of Lancaster Created How Iohn of Gaunt became Duke of Lancaster A Combate appointed betweene the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Brunswicke A reconciliation The Marts for England remooued from the Flemings and his sonne was crowned King In the beginning of his Raigne hee created Sir Charles a Noble man of Spaine Earle of Angolesme because he entred into the narrow Seas on the French behalfe with a powerfull Fleet and miserably spoiled robbed and rifled the English Marchants and exposed them to much crueltie With him king Edward fought and compelled him to flie hauing lost manie of his chiefest men and two and twentie of his best ships And about the same time the Castle of Guyens was yeelded to the Kings people of Callice and in the seuen and twentieth yeare of his Raigne hee created his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke who was Earle of Darby Duke of Lancaster with whose daughter and heire the kings sonne Iohn of Gaunt afterwards married and was Duke of Lancaster in her right He also created Sir Roger Stafford Earle of Stafford The said Duke vpon some misinformation that hee should publish some disgracefull wordes of the Duke of Brunswicke was by him challenged to a single Combate before king Iohn of France whereof hee gladly accepted and at the appointed time they both being throughly fitted for that purpose entred with hautie courage into the Lists for the triall of their cause But they both of them were reconciled by the French King to the great contentment and honour of the Duke of Lancaster notwithstanding that he was an Englishman and a subject to his Enemie King Edward during the time of the aforesaid Truce had vsed all friendly meanes to reconcile the Flemmings and to draw them from the French to his owne part but finding that al his endeuours proued vaine and that no courtesie could winne them hee withdrew from them all his Marts for Marchandizing which Iaques Dartuell had procured for them Which thing in a short time became exceeding hurtfull and prejudiciall to the Flemmings And now the time of the former Truce with France being long since ended King Edward leuied a puissant Armie of his most expert and approued men of warre The Blacke Prince landeth in Gascoyne with an Armie which hee committed to the charge and Gouernment of his sonne the Noble and Valorous Prince of Wales sirnamed the Blacke Prince Who being accompanied with manie Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of name He preuaileth The French King lâ—uieth a huge armie departed out of England and landed in Gascoyne where hee ransacked spoiled burnt and consumed Villages Townes Cities Forts and Castles in all places as hee passed by without any resistance or defence But King Iohn of France intending to â—op this Torrent and making no doubt but that the multitude of his souldiers should giue him an easie Victorie ouer so small a Companie as the Prince conducted Ten thouâ—anâ— men only 〈◊〉 English Armie which exceeded not tenne thousand men Leuied a huge Armie which hee assembled from all places subiect to his Dominion And being accompanied with Philip his yonger sonne and with the Flower of all the Chiualrie of France He marched with great strength ANNo 30 1355. The Battaile of Poyters against the Black Prince whom he found neere vnto Poyters readily prepared in the field to receiue him The French armie was diuided into foure Battailes who as their turnes or lots came fought with much valour but with little vse of their great skill For the thicke shot of the English Archers galling vnmeasurably their great Horses was the cause that quickly they brake their order and their array which suddenly bred such a totall disturbance in the whole armie The French men are disordred that themselues as waues of water doe in a turbulent and in a tempestuous Sea ouerwhelmed each others so that such as were downe were troden to death by their owne friends who could not auoid them such as would presse forward to make good proofe of their valour were repressed by such as did retire And such as did recoyle were stopped and hindred of their purpose by those who could not choose but resist their comming backe Notwithstanding the French Kings owne Battaile which was better ordered then all the rest encountring with that Battaile of the English armie in which the Prince of Wales was performed most rare and wonderfull feates of Chiualrie King Iohn is a most valiant Prince which to the vtmost of their powers they encreased being extraordinarily animated thereunto by the matchlesse valour and fortitude of their King who like a worthie Knight for his surpassing valour and courage exceeded all his Nobles for performance of that day The Braue valour and resolution of the English But the Blacke Prince and his Battaile whom no disorder troubled striuing almost beyond the abilities of men to winne honour and to saue them selues remained vndaunted spirits And as dangers pressed forth so did they with incomparable manhood driue them backe againe making the Frenchmen know by their miserable experience that they could not so much as dreame of any flight The Blacke Prince his vow nor of yeelding but were so greedie of the best honour that nothing but Death or Victorie could content them The Prince himselfe vowed that through the helpe of Almightie God he would that day performe the part of a good Knight And to say the truth such were his vnmatchable deedes of armes so hautie was his spirit so pleasing was his example and so cheerefull were his encouragements to his whole armie that euery one among them striuing to imitate his valour
the said thirteene Commissioners and manie others to bee guiltie of High Treason because they had compelled the king against his will and conscience to ratifie the said Commission by his oath and vnder his Great Seale And then they went to Couentrie where the said Iudges by an instrument in writing vnder their hands and seales declared and confirmed their opinions touching those matters to be agreeable and consonant to the Lawes of this Realme Now for a while must we leaue the king and his Nobilitie perplexed with manie euill conceits each of the other and studying vpon the future euents of those former conclusions and will informe the Reader that the time of Truce betwixt England and France was more then fully ended The French Lords and Gentlemen come to animate the Scots against England Their course entertainment They inuade England They make a troublesome iournie into Wales King Richard with an army of 68000. men entreth and spoileth Scotland and that the French king to beget more broyles at home sent his Admirall into Scotland with a thousand Lords knights and Gentlemen compleatly armed and furnished with armour and with weapons sufficient for one thousand more But such was their course and homely entertainment that vpon their first arriuall the Common people abandoned their companie making no manner of reckoning or accompt of them nor relieuing of their wants with any thing which was needfull but suffered them to be oppressed with as manie miseries as strangers being in a forraine and in a poore Countrie were able to endure vntill they ioyned with the Scottish armie which consisted of thirtie thousand men And with them they entred into England and did much harme But when they were informed that the king with eight thousand men at armes and threescore thousand Archers trauailed hard iournies to encounter with them they then forsooke their ordinarie march and passages and went ouer the high and craggie Mountaines into Wales where they committed manie vile and wicked outrages which turned little to their commoditie and gaine But in the meane time king Richard with fire and sword entred into Scotland where being vnresisted he rifled and burnt the Townes and Cities of Eden-burgh The French and Scots return into that wasted Countrie Saint Iohns Estreuelinge Dondée and manie others and returned home And the Scots and Frenchmen retyred themselues into Scotland where by reason of the late hauock and ruines of that kingdome the French Gallants were worne out with more necessities than before The great miserie of the Frenchmen For neither could or would the Townes or Countrey affoord them anie helpe and the apparant hazard of their liues by the violence of the poore distressed Scots did altogether terrifie them from foraging abroad How the Scots abused and wronged them And in the end to adde vnto them greater affliction than all the rest the Scots compelled their meanest Gentlemen without their horses and vnarmed and pennilesse to returne into France but kept as pledges or as pawnes the Admirall and such as were honourable and great vntill a full reckoning and an amends were made vnto them for all such losse and damages as by the English armie they had sustained affirming That the French king had engaged Scotland in those warres not for themselues but to serue his owne turne and in his seruice The King of France is enforced to redeeme his subiects The French king though angred at the heart to be thus abused yet finding none other meanes to enlarge the Admirall and such other great men as he had employed in those Warres sent to the Scots as much money as was demanded and thereupon the French Admirall Barons and Gentry were dismissed and returned home hauing small cause to bragge of their successe or of their entertainment in that journey The French King dreameth to conquer England But the French king intending to relieue himselfe and to wrecke his anger vpon England resolued to transport into this kingdome such an Armie as should make an absolute Conquest of this whole Land And to further his prouisions therein he imposed manie grieuous and intolerable Taxes on his people which were not leuied without much grudging and great trouble His whole Fleet consisted of more than twelue hundred saile of shippes 1200. shippes The number of his men was extraordinarie and exceeding great and such were his prouisions that among Christian Princes the like before was seldome seene or heard of The great Armie of the English King Richard who was verie valiant and cared not for his approach was readily prepared to giue him a welcome with tenne thousand gallant men at armes and with more than one hundred thousand fighting men besides such as furnished his braue Nauie on the sea and besides all such as for the defence of Callice were sent thither Homo ponit disponit autem Deus Experience teacheth vs That the greatest preparations for anie Expedition whatsoeuer are made in vaine if the thing to which they are intended and directed be not seconded by GODS fauor as by this example it shall appeare For when the French souldiors were departed from their owne dwellings The disorders of the French souldiors and trauelled disorderedly towards the place where their shippes lay they robbed and spoyled in all Prouinces and in all Countries through which they passed with greater furie and with more violence than commonly the English or anie other forraine enemie accustomed to doe The men and the enterprise are accursed by the oppressed people So that the inhabitants of all places subject to their crueltie and vnciuill outrage were not onely in the highest degree displeased and discontented but by solemne imprecations they cursed both them and the action likewise which they had in hand And when those loose companions came into the Low-Countries where the Fleet was The French Armie are in great miserie such were their wants of all things needfull to relieue them by reason of their excessiue numbers and by reason of the long absence of the Duke of Berrey the French kings vncle who hasted not thither nor liked well of that journey although it altogether depended vpon his furtherance and presence that first they sold their armor and their weapons then their horses They sell all and last of all their clothes to prouide them meat And when all those means failed them then they daily yea hourely The Armie is dissolued committed such violence and such outrages in those Countries without controlment that they became hatefull and odious to the inhabitants Parturiunt Montes nascitur ridiculus Mus. and at length the King their master being vtterly discouraged by his said vncle in this attempt dissolued his whole Armie And thus at one instant almost he lost both his honor and his hope his money and manie great things besides And the end of those his great designes affoords vs libertie to returne againe to our highly displeased and
sorrow he had not procured a mitigation of his punishment For hee was confined into the I le of Wight where contrarie to the Kings promise hee endured such miserie and was so grieuously oppressed with the griefe which hee sustained by reason of his great wants that he quickly died But the good Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle being vnsentenced was sent to Callice where according to the Kings directions Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham betwixt two feather-beds caused him to be smothered to death for which good seruice he was afterwards made a Duke This being done the King procured the Vpper and the Lower Houses of Parliament to make an example without precedent by granting full and absolute authoritie vnto six or eight such persons as he should nominate finally to determine all such causes and to enact them as then remained vndiscussed and not ended there This act not only made him proud but to serue his present turnes he nominated for that purpose such as to please his humour decreed manie thinges which were dishonourable to the King and hurtfull to the Common-weale The King will be called Prince of Cheshire The King also to please his Guard who for the most part were Cheshire men of ordinarie parentage and of base birth caused himselfe verie ridiculously to bee stiled Prince of Cheshire as if it had beene more honourable for him to be such a Prince then to be the King and Monarch of the whole Realme And to adde more strength and liking vnto those thinges which then were done amisse the King bestowed manie honorable dignities vpon some of his best liked Noble-men So that his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and who was at that time Earle of Darby was by him created Duk of Hartford his Cousin Edward Plantagenet being Earle of Rutland Creation of Noblemen was created Duke of Aubemarle and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Kent was created Duke of Surrie and Sir Iohn Holland his brother being Earle of Huntington was made Duke of Exeter and the Earle of Somerset was created Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Spencer was made Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuil Earle of Westmerland the Lord William Scrope Earle of Wilshire and the Lord Percie was created Earle of Worcester and vpon all these he bestowed many great Lordships Mannors and large reuenewes which of late did belong to his murdred vncle Thomas of Woodstock sometimes Duke of Glocester and vnto the said two deceased Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke He also granted his free pardon to all offendors whatsoeuer A craftie Pardon which inabled the King to much mischiefe fifteene only excepted whom he would not nominate By which vngodly and craftie pollicie hee hedged his Nobilitie â—ound about with continuall feare and made them most seruile and most base For if anie one of them in anie high measure had offended him hee would then pronounce him to bee one of those fifteene who were excepted out of his free and generall pardon and then would put his life vpon triall for supposed and surmised Treason It happned about this time ANNO. 22 that Henrie Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and Cousin to the King The Kings Cousin desireth reformation in the King by his friend Tho. Mowbray Duke of Norfolke whom the King did fauour extraordinarily was much grieued daily to heare such slanderous reports as were too commonly noysed of the King partly vpon his too much libertie which beyond the Lawes hee challenged in the course of his Gouernment and partly by reason of his vniust and vnskilfull managing of the weightie affaires and businesses of his Kingdome And though affection by meanes of his neere consanguinitie with the King moued him heartily to wish for and to desire a present reformation of those euills yet could hee not better deuise how hee might effect that which hee so much craued than by making vse of his great familiaritie and acquaintance with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke who had an extraoâ—dinarie interest in the Kings fauour Wherevpon very priuately and in great secrecie as vnto a most kind and louing friend he imparted the causes of his griefe in that behalfe vnto the said Duke and earnestly entreated him vpon fit opportunitie and at his leasure and as from himselfe seriously to informe the King of the said reports and withall to entreate his Highnesse to extend more grace and more fauour to those Lords who for his honour and the Kingdomes good had both incurred his displeasure and also were with too much extremitie condemned of High Treason But the Duke of Norfolke who more respected his owne preferment than the kings honour and strongly presumed that hee had now gotten fit meanes to advance himselfe by his friends fall related all his sayings to the King A false and an vnfaithfull friend in the rudest and most vnciuill maner which he could deuise and added manie things to his relation which were vntrue and neuer spoken thereby aggrauating an offence which was not committed and incensing the king with high indignation to vow reuenge and punishment when the Duke of Hartfords fidelitie and loyall seruice deserued great thankes and a good reward The King is angrie The Duke of Hartford answereth for himselfe The king was so much vexed and enraged by meanes of these tidinges that nothing could giue him anie contentment in anie thing vntill his Cousin the Duke had made his answere therevnto And being sharply pressed thereunto by the king Such things as in that secret and friendly manner hee had desired might bee reformed he both confessed and iustified But the vntrue suggestions which falsly and malitiously were added he denied The Combat challenged and accepted And to cleare himselfe of them hee challenged the Duke of Norfolke to a single Combate which was by him accepted and consented vnto by the king But when the appointed day was come and the two Dukes were within the Lists readily prepared and aduanced themselues each toward the other for the encounter The King would not permit them to proceed but banished the Duke of Norfolke for euer Banishment who shortly after died at Venice and his Cousin the Duke of Hartford hee exiled for six yeares King Charles the sixt Whereupon Hee sayled into France and was honourably receiued by King Charles the sixth Father to the Queene of England King Richards wife who so effectually iustified him in his said actions and doings and so highly affected his Descent his Personage his Wisdome his Vertues and his right Noble Conditions that he would haue bestowed vpon him in marriage the Daughter of his Vncle the Duke of Berrie if his Sonne-in-law King Richard by extraordinarie sollicitations and by vnusuall meanes had not beene the hinderer thereof Iohn of Gant dieth Not long after this Dukes Banishment his
father Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Vncle to the king died the descent of which Dutchie would haue made the said Duke a potent Prince But the king refreshing his humours with new practises of secret reuenge and that hee might keepe him lowe vniustly seized vpon all the Lordships The King wrongeth Henrie the new Duke of Lancaster and Possessions belonging to that Dutchie and vpon all the moueables of his said deceased Vncle and shared and distributed them among his Sycophants and wicked Counsellours Which tyrannous and wrongful dealing so much displeased his vncle the Duke of Yorke and his cousin the Duke of Aumarle Edmund of Langley and Edward his sonne More wicked Counsellors to the King Scrope Bushe Bagâ—t Greeâ—e The King farmeth his Kingâ—â—me and sayleth into Ireland The Iourney câ—st h m â—â—s Crowne and his life ANNO 23 The Duke of Lancasâ—â—r landeth in England His companies encrease to a strong Armie He is râ—ceiued iâ—to Loâ—â—â—â— He 〈◊〉 into the Wâ—â—â— King Riâ—â—â—â— returâ—â—â—â— He 〈…〉 Three of the w â—ked Counsellors wâ—re bâ—â—eaded The Kings 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 to the Dukâ— that presently they left the Kings Court and retyred themselues to their owne houses At this time King Richard was wholly mis-led and lewdly directed in all his doings and negotiations by his principall fauourites Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe Sir Iames Bagot and Sir Henrie Greene by whose aduice without the consent of his priuie Counsellors of Estate he leuied a strong Armie farmed to them for certaine yeares his whole Kingdome and all his Reuenues belonging thereunto and sayled into Ireland where hee behaued himselfe so valiantly that hee subdued that rebelling Nation and by his seueritie he compelled them to be willing to obey But in his absence his banished cousin Henrie of Bullingbroke Duke of Hartford and of Lancaster together with his old friend and exiled companion Thomas Archbishop of Canterburie returned into England to make clayme to his Duchie of Lancaâ—ter His first landing was in the North where such was the singular loue and the great affection of the Noblemen and of the common sort of people towards him partly in regard of his noblenesse and vertues and partly in regard of the Kings disordered courses in his gouernment that they all with extraordinarie chearefulnesse and alacritie flocked vnto him well armed and in great troupes So that within few dayes his companies were encreased to a strong Armie with which hee marched peaceably and in good order vnto London and was receiued entertained and feasted there with much honour and great joy And from thence he went into the Westerne parts of this Kingdome the people in all places where hee came being heartily gladded with much contentment with his doings But in the meane time King Richard who was returned and had quickly leuied great forces which hee conducted against the Duke perceiuing that euerie day his subjects fled from him and voluntarily offered their seruice to the Duke and being certainely informed that Sir William Scrope Earle of Wilshire Sir Iohn Bushe and Sir Henrie Greene three of his wicked Counsellors and vpon whome he most of all relyed were taken and had lost their heads despairing of anie safetie to be gained by force and violence of his owne accord hee came vnto his cousin the Duke of Lancaster confessed publikely his owne insufficiencie and weakenesse to rule and to gouerne well praysed the Dukes rare and singular vertues and his absolute worthinesse to be a King and proffered to make him an absolute Surrender of his whole Kingdome if hee would accept thereof A faint refusall But the Duke though hee much affected the wearing of a Crowne yet because hee hoped that the fauour of the Nobilitie Gentrie and of the common People would freely cast that burthen and Dignitie vpon him with greater safetie and assurance of continuance refused to accept thereof and protesting with manie pleasing speeches That he onely desired to enioy his owne Patrimonie and to reforme such things as were amisse hee caused the King with verie honourable and respectiue attendance to be guarded to the Tower of London The King is sent to the Tower and then hee assembled a Parliament in which among sundrie other things were publikely proposed these ensuing Articles concerning the euill Gouernment of the King The Duke summoneth a Parliament Articles proposed in Parliament against the King 1. INprimis That hee would not permit the said Duke of Hartford who was so much wronged for his good aduice and counsell touching the Kings Gouernment to fight the Combate against the falsely accusing Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke and yet banished him vniustly for six yeares 2. Item That albeit vnder the Great Seale of his Kingdome he had licenced the said Duke of Hartford at his departure out of England to make his Atturney to proceed for him in his causes of Law yet hee being gone the King would not permit anie man to deale for him in his absence 3. Item That verie vncharitably he prohibited all his Nobilitie and all others to be sutors vnto him for the said Duke of Hartfords returne from his vniust banishment vpon the forfeiture of their liues and goods 4. Item That after the death of Iohn of Gaunt the Kings vncle father to the said Duke and Duke of Lancaster hee had wrongfully seized into his hands all his moueables whatsoeuer and had diuided and shared them among his gracelesse and wicked Counsellors and had also by like iniustice seized all the possessions of the said Duchie of Lancaster which rightfully did belong to the said Duke of Hartford into his owne hands and kept the profits thereof to his owne vse 5. Item that colourably as a good friend to Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterburie who was falsly accused of high treason to the King as he sat next to him in the higher house of Parliament hee persuaded the said Archbishop to make no answer at all in defence of the said accusation nor repaire anie more to the same house protesting that neither the said accusation nor his silence nor his absence should be hurtfull or preiudiciall vnto him and yet banished him out of the Realme not hauing examined the said surmised treason 6. Item that whereas his Chancellour had refused in an vniust matter to grant a prohibition vnder the great Seale of England the King himselfe to peruert the due course of Iustice and of right granted the said prohibition vnder his priuie seale and straitly required that it should be executed and obeyed 7. Item that most vnnaturally and cruelly hee had procured Thomas Mowbray to smother to death betwixt two fetherbeds the Kings most noble and most renowned vncle Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester when wrongfully and without anie good cause hee was a prisoner at Callice and afterwards dignified the said murderer first with the Earldome of Nottingham then with the Office of the Marshall generall of England and last of all
Armie And King Henrie to withstand him did the like But the English Armie landing in those Countries before the French King was in a readinesse and being boldly commanded and conducted by the Lord Percie Earle of Worcester vnto Sir Thomas Knowles the King of Englands Lieutenant there The French King giueth ouer his enterprise and they hauing taken the fealtie and the homage of the Lords of those Prouinces for their obedience and alleageance vnto King Henrie caused the French King to change his mind and dishonourably to disband all such companies as hee had leuied Yet for all this King Henrie still distrusting the weakenesse of his vsurped title and endeuouring to support it with a more sure foundation entreated the French King Charles the sixt to giue in marriage his daughter Isabel sometime King Richards wife vnto his eldest sonne Henrie Marriages with France are seldome fortunate Prince of Wales But her father obseruing that marriages betwixt England and France were but seldome fortunate denied the kings request whereupon she was conueied into France with Princely attendance and great honour And not long after shee was married to her Cousin Charles the eldest sonne of Lewes Duke of Orleance her Vncle. The aforesaid Treason conspired against the king by the aforesaid Lords and the late preparations of the French King first to haue inuaded the Kingdome of England and secondly to haue wrought wonders in Aquitaine and in Guyan and the frequent speeches which euerie where were vttered touching the manner of the Kings attaining to the Crowne animated the Welchmen and the Scots to shew themselues troublesome neighbours vnto the King Owen Glendor rebelleth For in Wales Owen Glendor a bold Squire with manie hundreds of his lawlesse and vnciuill companions entred into Armes and did much harme in the Marches which bordered neere vnto them Against whom Edmund Mortimer taken and sharply imprisoned the Lord Gray of Ruthen and Edmund Mortimer who was the true and rightfull Heire of the Crowne conducted their Forces and fought with him But they both were taken Prisoners and the said Edmond was by him kept close in a darke Dungeon which was both cold and vnhealthie where hee was ouerburdened with daily wants and much miserie All which were with the greater extremitie laid vpon him because king Henrie his Cousin should bee enforced the sooner to redeeme him with a great Ransome Wherein because the King was too too slacke and negligent hee was entreated and vrged by his Lords The King would not redeeme him but especially by the distressed Earles kinsmen the Percies But vnto them all he turned the deafe eare rather desiring his destruction then holding it safe for him to set him free The Scots also inuaded the Northerne parts of this Kingdome The Scots inuade but King Henrie with a puissant Armie entred into their Countrie and reuenged his wrongs euerie where with fire and sword at his owne pleasure The king curbeth them But because the Winter was extraordinarily wet and cold hee dissolued his Armie and with great honour victoriously he returned backe But as soone as hee was gone the angrie Scots being in number twentie thousand at the least entred with barbarous crueltie into England vpon the Northumbers The Scots againe doe inuade Henrie Hotspurre ouerthroweth them His great Prisoners but were gallantly encountred by Sir Henrie Hot-spurre the sonne and heire apparant of Henrie Percie Earle of that Prouince who with tenne thousand lustie and braue men gaue the Scots such a bloudie ouerthrow that he slew of them more then tenne thousand in the field and tooke aboue fiue hundred Prisoners among whome Mordake Earle of Fyffe Archibald Earle Douglasse Thomas Earle of Murrey and Robert Earle of Angus were the chiefe The next yeare following ANNO. 1. The Frenchmen spoyled by a storme at Sea the French King sent for Wales to assist Owen Glendor in his rebellious enterprises twelue hundered Lords Knights and Gentlemen of good accompt that they might be leaders and directors to those disordered Traytors But the winds not being answerable to their desires were so contrarie at the Sea and a storme so violently encreased that twelue of their greatest shippes with all their men and furniture were swallowed into the Sea and the rest with great difficultie returned into France This misfortune so animated the English Nation The English doe deride the French that they beganne euerie where to talke of and to iest at the French King because all his warlike expeditions had still beene vnfortunate and disastrous and though they threatned much Twelue thousand Frenchmen sent into Wales yet alwayes they vanished as a cloude The report whereof so whetted and exasperated his resolutions to doe some memorable seruice that forthwith hee sent vnto the said rebelling Welchmen an armie of twelue thousand men who safely landed and ioyned with ten thousand of that Nation The King marched into Wales This Armie occasioned King Henrie to prepare soundly for his safetie For hee was well assured that if anie neglect or want of skill or of courage should giue them the least aduantage whatsoeuer then his Crowne would be shaken and manie miseries would threaten his ouerthrow Wherefore hee in his owne person marched with a strong and with a compleat Armie into Wales But assoone as the Frenchmen had certaine notice of his comming they thought it was high time for them to aduise what course to take perchance not because they were distrustfull of their owne valour and resolution but because the inconstancie of that turbulent and fickle Nation when danger did appeare affrighted them fully with feares and with doubts least they would flie into the Woods and craggie Mountaines and forsake them when they should craue the best performance of their helpe The Frenchmen flie to their ships And so strongly did this doubtfull feare possesse them that suddenly like men amazed and heartlesse they ranne vnto their ships and not hauing performed anie manner of seruice whatsoeuer disgracefully and cowardly they returned into France The King is victorious without blowes Hereupon the Welch Rebelles desperatly shifting for themselues fled euerie man his owne way so that king Henrie found those Traiterous multitudes dispersed and quite vanished and would not be fought with Wherefore hee dissolued his great armie and returned in peace without blowes The King marrieth the Dutches of Britaine The King makes great friends abroad ANNO. 3. The King requireth the Percies to deliuer to him their Scotish Prisoners They refuse it The Percies resolue to set Edmond Mortimer at libertie and to restore him to the Crown Afterwards King Henrie tooke to wife Iane the widdow of Iohn the deceased Duke of Brittaine and gaue Blanch his eldest daughter in marriage vnto William Duke of Bauier the sonne and heire apparant of the Emperor Lewes of Bauier And some few yeares after hee matched Philip his yongest daughter with the King of Denmarke For his daily
hundred valiant men at armes who had kept together and had not fought one stroke that day But as a small and a weake vessell is quickly swallowed vp into a wrathfull Sea so this poore handful was by and by crushed and almost euerie one of them was slaine Afterwardes when King Henrie by his Scoutes receiued certaine intelligence that euerie Coast about him was cleare and that such of his Enemies as were couragious and would fight lay dead vpon the ground The King his Armie giue thankes to God for their great victorie and none were so hardie as to shew their faces the king about foure of the clocke in the afternoone of the same day caused his whole armie vpon their knees to ioyne with him in heartie prayer and in thankfulnesse vnto Almightie God who only and alone by his powerfull aid and assistance had giuen to him and them a most incredible and a glorious Victorie This dutie being thus deuoutly accomplished The spoiles the common souldiours had franke leaue and licence granted them to rifle those whome they had slaine By meanes whereof they not only waxed rich but also stored themselus with al such necessaries and prouisions as before they wanted and then the King marched forward and with much ioy and great honour was receiued into his strong towne of Callice In this battaile The French Noble◠were slaine were slaine Charles Lord Delabreth high Constable of France Iaques of Chastilion Lord of Dampier High Admirall of France Iohn Duke of Alenson Anthonie Duke of Brabant Edward Duke of Barre the Earles of Marle Vawdemont Blawmount Grand-preé Russey Fawlconbridge Foys and Lastrake twentie and fiue Lords eight thousand Knights and Esquires and Gentlemen of armes and name and about sixteene hundred of the common sort besides those who were taken Prisoners taken and remained prisoners among whom these were the chief Charles Duke of Orleance Iohn Duke of Burbon the lords of Donuart Fosseux Humiers Roy Cawny Hamcourt Noell Bonciqualt and some others And on the other part were slaine Edward Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Suffolke The slaine Englishmen and of all others not aboue six hundred persons When King Henrie and his souldiours had a while refreshed themselues in Callice The King with his armie arriue in England they tooke shipping and being enriched with Siluer Gold and braue and costly Armours they all arriued safely in England and the King was receiued into London triumphantly and with much joy When the French king and the Dolphin were informed of the said great and insupportable ouerthrow it is not to be wondered at if melancholie passions and much griefe surcharged them to the verie heart and made them doubtfull of the euent of this businesse But the slaughter of the French prisoners foolishly occasioned by the base attempt of Robynet of Bonuyle Robynet of Bonuyle and his complices imprisoned and of his companions who cowardly ransacked the English Campe and the kings Tents in the heat and furie of the aforesaid Battaile perplexed them more than all the rest but especially the Dolphin who imprisoned the Ringleaders of that follie and would haue sentenced them to death if suddainely himselfe had not after died The Dolphin dieth whose death much amazed the weake and much diseased French King But making a vertue of necessitie and intending by some prouident course to preuent such mischiefes which future attempts did threaten The Earle of Arminake is made High Constable of France he made the Earle of Arminack who was a stout and a warlike Captaine High Constable of France and placed in his other great martiall Offices none but such as by their valour and good tryall had made best proofe of their sufficiencie to performe them New French Officers These newly established Officers leuied manie companies of the most able and stoutest men in sundrie places of that kingdome And at the same time the Kings vncle Thomas Duke of Exeter Thomas duke of Exeter has gallant seruice and Captaine of Hareflew intending to exercise his souldiors in feates of Warre and by some suddaine seruice both to enrich them to winne honour to himselfe and to endamage his enemies issued out of that Towne with three thousand men well armed to the proofe and marched through those Countries burning rifling and spoyling vntill hee came almost to the Citie of Roan where hee was encountred by the new Constable of France who with fiue thousand horsemen hauing a resolution in this exploit to winne his Spurres so sharpely charged the Duke and his followers that hee compelled him though in good order The new Constable is ouerthrowne and with little losse to retyre But the Frenchmen determining their vtter ouerthrow pursued them still with eager spirits vntill they came almost to the Barriers of Harflew which when the rest of the Englishmen who were within the Towne perceiued they issued forth in good order joyned with the Dukes companies and then they all with their entire strength so furiously opposed themselues against the Constable and his Associates that with the slaughter of manie of their horses and souldiors they were enforced to flie away and were chased by the English Victors more than two myles and diuers of them who were taken prisoners could not obtaine their libertie vntill they had procured it with large Ransomes Sigismond the Emperor in vaine mediateth a peace About this time Sigismond the Emperour of Germanie came into England endeuouring to conclude a friendly peace betwixt England and France His heartie welcome and his great entertainment liberally sorted with the high calling of so great a Prince But his motion was barren and fruitlesse of good speeding In his departure the King accompanied him to Callice from whence hee returned home And thither vpon honourable hostages repaired to King Henrie the Duke of Burgoine and betwixt them a friendly peace The Duke of Burgoine is suspected by the French King concerning onely the Counties of Flanders and of Arthois was concluded For which matter the Duke was had in great jealousie and suspected to be a secret enemie to the Crowne of France Not long after the new Constable of France with a strong armie vpon the Land 4. 1415. Harflew besieged by the French and Iohn Vicount Narbon Vice-admirall of France with fiue hundred ships at the mouth of the Riuer of Seyne besieged Harflew on euerie side and made little doubt to winne it in few weekes But when King Henrie was aduertized in what sort the Towne and his Subiects were distressed with extraordinarie care and expedition hee leuied a powerfull armie The English Nauie doe ouerthrow the French Fleet consisting of 500. shippes and transported it thither in two hundred warlike and strong shippes of these hee made Generall his brother Iohn Duke of Bedford and associated to him in that expedition the Earles of March Oxford Huntingdon Arondel Salisburie and Deuonshire and manie Barons Knights and
them The Londoners refuse to receiue the Lord Scales and told the Lord Scales that hee was able enough without his helpe or counsell to keepe that Citie which by the King was committed vnto his charge whereat he was much displeased and went to the Tower from which hee much wronged and damnified the inhabitants of London The King to defend himselfe The King marcheth towards the Lords and to master his rebellious enemies being accompanied with the Dukes of Somerset and of Buckingham and many other Lords Knights Gentlemen and a strong Armie marched towards them And though the King himselfe for necessities sake was personally present yet his minde and cogitations were more religiously bent to his praiers and his desires affected nothing more then quietnesse and peace But the Queene whose heart was manly The Queene encourageth and threatneth and whose anger threatned death with souldier-like termes and speeches cheared vp her followers debased their enemies promised rewards if they deserued well and the seuerest of all punishments to such as fled At length neere vnto the Towne of Northampton the two Armies met the Earle of March being very frolicke The Armies doe meet The battaile of Northampton and in the heat and flower of his youth by the aduice and counsell of the Earle of Warwicke ordered his Armie for the battaile The Queene and her adherents did the like The fight quickly beganne and fiercely continued somewhat more then two houres but at length the Earles became victors The King is ouerthrowen Ten thousand men slaine Slaughter slew more then ten thousand men on the kings part among which were Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie Thomas Lord Egremont Iohn Viscount Beamond and many others The Queene with the Duke of Somerset and diuers others Flight taking with them the young Prince fled into the Bishopricke of Durham where they hoped to raise a new Armie or resolued in default thereof to goe into Scotland and to remaine there vntill fortune and their friends should inable them to recouer what they had lost The King taken prisoner The Tower is deliuered to the Lords The King who was left behinde was taken prisoner and conueied by the Earles with great pompe and much honour vnto London and at their comming thither the Tower was deliuered into their possession by the souldiers against the liking and good will of the Lord Scales who attempted to flie from thence disguised in a Whirrie But being discouered by the Water-men he was by them taken The Lord Scales beheaded by the Water-men Tho. Thorpe taken and imprisoned The Duke of Yorke commeth into England A Parliament What the Duke of Yorke did and said in the Parliament house The Duke of Yorkes title and made shorter by the head and his body was negligently left vpon the sands And Thomas Thorpe the second Baron of the Exchequer who mortally hated the house of Yorke purposing in the habit of a Monke with a shauen Crowne to flie vnto the Queene was taken and brought to the Earle of Warwicke who sent him to the Tower where hee remained long after The Duke of Yorke being speedily informed of this victorie left Ireland and came to London and procured a Parliament to be assembled in the Kings name and in the presence of all the Lords in the Vpper House hee sate himselfe downe in the Imperiall Seat and in an eloquent and powerfull Oration hee discouered to the Nobles his rightfull claime and title to the Crowne he being the sonne and heire of Anne the daughter and heire of Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heire to Philip the sole daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the Third and elder brother to Iohn of Gaunt who was father to the Vsurper King Henry the Fourth who was father to King Henry the Fifth who was father to the King who was vntruly named King Henry the Sixth Englands plagues He also related vnto them that because God blessed not his vnlawfull gouernment therefore the Common-weale of England had beene plagued with many mischiefes As first by the murdering and by the executing of many honourable and great Lords Secondly by the slaughter of thousands of the common people in France Normandie and elsewhere Thirdly by ciuill and bloudie warres at home Fourthly by the losse of all Territories beyond the Sea belonging to the Crowne of England excepting Calice and the Marches thereof Fifthly by sudden incursions made by the Frenchmen and by the Scots And lastly by all manner of violence 1460. extortion and oppression practised vpon the poorer sort And in his conclusion hee craued no fauour vnlesse that iustice gaue them warrant The title to the Crowne settled by act of Parliament nor quiet possession of the Crowne except they found his descent and title to be infallibly true When the Lords and the Commons there assembled had with mature deliberation and good aduice debated soundly of this important businesse it was by them all enacted that King Henry should so long as he liued retaine the name and honour of a King and that the Duke of Yorke should be proclaimed to be the heire apparant of the Crowne and should be the Lord Protector both of the Kings person and also of his dominions and countries and that the said Duke should haue the present possession of the Crowne of this Realme deliuered vnto him if at any time King Henry or his friends allies or fauourites in his behalfe attempted the infringing of the said Acts which were agreed and confirmed by their oathes The Duke of Yorke hauing by these meanes gotten the gouernment of the Kings person and of all his dominions into his hands The Lords in Scotland refuse to come to the Duke of Yorke dispatched his letters into Scotland in the Kings name requiring the Queene the Dukes of Somerset and of Exeter the Earle of Demonshire the Lords Clifford and Rosse and such other great men as were fled and remained in that Kingdome to repaire with all expedition to the Kings presence They come on with a great Armie But they all not onely refused to obey this peremptorie command but with an Armie of eighteene thousand Englishmen Scots they marched boldly towards the Kings Court. Whereupon the Duke of Yorke with his younger sonne the Earle of Rutland and the Earle of Salisburie leauing the King in the custodie of the Duke of Norfolke and of the Earle of Warwicke and being accompanied with no more then fiue thousand men directed his iourney towards the Queene They are encountred The battaile of Wakefield Haste made waste The Duke of Yorke ouerthrowen and slaine A blâ—udie fact and met her neere to the Towne of Wakefield where no perswasions or good aduice could preuaile but the Duke of Yorke who euery houre expected the approch of Edward Earle of March his eldest sonne with a strong Armie would forth with
in law Charles Duke of Burgoine to prohibit his subiects and his friends from giuing to the said Earle any aide Warwicke is enuied by the Duke of Burgoine helpe or succour and with a Nauie to surprise him The Duke willingly consented to the Kings request First because the said Earle opposed himselfe against his mariage with the Ladie Margaret the Kings sister Secondly because the said Earle loued Lewys the French King whom the Duke mortally hated And lastly because the Earle was so generally beloued of the English Nation that when he was at home he clipped the wings of the Kings authoritie in his owne Kingdome When the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwicke came before Calice Clarence and Warwicke â—eateaâ—â—â—â— at Calice The Duchesse deliuered 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Mâ—nsieur de Vawcler made Câ—ptaine of Calice A peâ—â—iâ—n is giuen him hauing their wiues and many other Ladies and Gentlewomen with them in stead of friendly entertainment the Earles vnkinde Deputie Monsieur de Vawcler kept their ships off with the great Ordinance of the Castle And though the Duchesse was in ship boord deliuered of a sonne yet would hee not permit that it should be landed or Christned there neither would hee affoord any thing needfull and necessarie in that extremitie to the said distressed Ladie The King tooke so much ioy to heare of this good newes that forthwith by his Letters Patents hee granted the chiefe Captainship of that place to the said Deputie And the Duke of Burgoine so thanked him that he gaue him an yearely pension of one thousand Crownes Yet for all this Monsieur de Vawcler was so vncertaine in all his dealings towards the King that hee aduised the said Earle to direct his course to the King of France and promised to yeeeld vnto him a good account for Calice when time and opportunitie should it require This counsell gaue some hope and contentment to the Earle who intending to do as he directed lanched his ships into the sea The Earle of Warwicke taketh the Duke of Burgoines subiects at Sea The French King is gratious to the Lords where hee met with diuers of the Duke of Burgoines subiects fully loaden with great varietie of rich merchandises of all sorts all which he rifled and tooke away and landed at the Towne of Deepe and from thence by the French Kings inuitation they came to the Castle of Amboys which standeth vpon the riuer of Loyer where hee met them receiued them cheerefully feasted them with great bountie supplied their present wants and faithfully promised to aid and to assist them when time should serue with his best meanes all which hee did not in regard of any grounded loue towards them but because he knew that they were enemies to his enemies King Edward the Duke of Burgoine Queene Margaret and Prince Edward her son together with Iaspar sometimes Earle of Pembroke some others who with him had broken prison in England were fled into France vnderstanding that the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Warwick and others of their friends were friendly entertained in the French Court repaired to them New plotting against K. Edward where they entred into new conferences and communications for the restoring of K. Henry to his Crowne Kingdome and solemnly tooke their oathes neuer voluntarily to leaue each other vntill they had done their best to effect the same And the Earle of Warwicke to make his own part the stronger gaue his second daughter in mariage to Prince Edward Prince Edward maried to Warwickâ—s second daughter This mâ—riage mâ—keth Clarence a secret enemie to Warwicke whereof when the Duke of Clarence had deliberately considered and thought what might be the sequell of this businesse hee euidently foresaw that this mariage and their newly intended warres would be the vtter confusion of him and of the whole familie and house of Yorke For Kings doe alwaies looke with a iealous eie vpon all such as by any possibilitie may lay any leuell towards their Crowne This consideration not without good cause made him very distrustfull of his own fortunes And to preuent a great mischiefe which as hee thought began to threaten him and his estate his loue his heart began secretly to forsake the Earle of Warwicke and that Faction insomuch that hee gaue priuate intelligence to his brother King Edward Clarence his mâ—ssage to the King that at their landing within the Kingdome of England he would be but a faint and a weake enemie in those affaires Thus when those Lords had concluded to returne The Lâ—rds prâ—â—â—â— fâ—rth for England they were with all expedition well furnished with men munition money ships and all things fitting by the French King But being in a readinesse to passe out of the Riuer of Seyne the Burgundians met them with a strong Fleet at the mouth of that Riuer and purposed to defeat them if they might But an euening storme approching with vnwonted rage and furie The Burgundians drowned compelled the Burgundians to runne into the Sea where many of them were drowned some were driuen into Scotland and the rest being all dispersed laboured and toiled hardly to saue themselues The Earle of Warwicke who by letters some few daies before receiued from his friends was certified that his landing was hourely expected and sufficient strength prouided to backe him and his although they came destitute of all other helpes and succours determined to loose no time but making a present benefit to himselfe and his of the Burgundians mishap and hard fortune and leauing the Queene and the Prince her sonne behinde him the next morning entred into the Sea and with much speed and safetie he landed with all his companies and friends at Dartmouth in Deuonshire The Lords doe land at Dartmouth The King was too secure from whence hee gaue speedie notice of his arriuall to his dearest and nearest friends The King so much relied vpon the bold seruice intended by the Burgundians Fleet and not knowing what shipwracke and dammage it had receiued made no preparation at all either to withstand their arriuall or to encounter them after they were landed but hauked hunted and solaced himselfe according to his humour and wonted fashion in the societie and companie of young Ladies and faire maidens to whom his affections were more obliged then to the warres Warwickes Proclamation But the Earle of Warwicke marshalled his small companie in good order and by publike Proclamations which he made in King Henries name he required all men to repaire vnto his aide with money victuall armour and all things needfull for that purpose and valiantly to fight against the Duke of Yorke who as hee affirmed by meere vsurpation and bloudie tyrannie vntruly and falsly called himselfe King He hath a â—uge Armie This politicke practise within few daies increased his small companies to a huge Armie with which they marched towards London And such were the quicke
endeuours and so industrious was King Edward who was compelled by necessitie to make prouision for his owne safetie that hee leuied a strong Armie and went forth with an high courage and with princely valour against the Rebels of his Countrie But being informed that all the Countries Cities Townes and places thorow which his enemies passed were aiders to their fortunes and hearing them oftentimes with loud voices to crie King Henry King Henry A Warwicke A Warwicke and distrusting vtterly the inconstant mindes and dispositions of his owne souldiers his heart failed him The King flieth in the night so that in secret manner and in the night with eight hundred of his best friends he left his Armie and posted into Lincolnshire and when all his hopes of helpe and succour there were spent in vaine they being altogether destitute of money and other prouisions needfull for a iourney into a forraine Countrey tooke shipping and sailed into Holland purposing to remaine with the Duke of Burgoine vntill they might haue good meanes for their returne and to be reuenged on the Earle of Warwicke and of all other their mortall enemies As soone as it was certainly knowen that King Edward was fled a rude multitude of factious Kentishmen delighting tumultuously and in a braine-sicke manner to fish in troubled waters came to the Gates of the Citie of London and would haue entred it A rebellion in Kent but being resisted in their purpose they rifled and robbed the Suburbes burnt diuers houses murdered many people and at Radcliffe and Lime-house they did the like Warwicke subdueth them But by the Earle of Warwickes power and endeuours they were quickly ouerthrowen and punished sharply for their offence which wonne him much fauour and loue among the better sort of the common people The Earle afterwards came to the Tower King Henry is enlarged where he not onely enlarged the deposed King Henry but in most triumphant fashion conducted him thorow the Citie of London to Pauls Church And when he had concluded his deuotions and performed his offrings as the Kings of this Realme haue beene accustomed to doe hee was brought to the Bishops Palace where he kept his Court with great magnificence and much bountie Hee also assembled his high Court of Parliament at Westminster A Parliament Aâ—taindors in which the late King Edward the Fourth and all his principall adherents were attainted of High Treason and all their goods and possessions were confiscate and giuen to the King The Duke of Clarence was by the same authoritie published to be the next heire of the deceased Richard late Duke of Yorke The Duke of Clarence aduanced his father And albeit that hee was but his second sonne yet all that Duchie was settled in him and in his heires The Crowne entailed The Crowne also was entailed to King Henry and to the heires males of his bodie and for default of such issue to the said Duke of Clarence and to his heires Iaspar Earle of Pembroke was also restored to his honour and his lands and so was Iohn Earle of Oxford and many others And the Earle of Warwicke and the Duke of Clarence who were enstiled friends to the King and friends to the Common-weale were established and made chiefe rulers in all things vnder the King The Queene dares not to put into the Sea When these affaires were thus ordered Queene Margaret with the Prince her sonne and their whole traine shipped themselues But so violent were the raging stormes and so furious was the troubled sea that albeit many profers were made yet durst they not to aduenture for that time Whereupon the common people of this Realme of whom the Queene was not beloued murmured and muttered saying that God was not pleased that such a woman as had occasioned so many battailes and such slaughters and executions in England should returne thither to plot more trecherie and to deuise more mischiefe The Duke of Burgoine furnisheth King Edward with money men munition and ships The Duke of Burgoine although he entreated King Edward and his friends kindly yet because hee himselfe had warred with France and feared lest the Earle of Warwicke would busie him with a new warre sent word to King Henry that hee would not in any sort assist his enemie for his returne into England Yet not long after when he vnderstood that King Edwards friends by daily messengers and by letters importunated his returne and had by their faire promise strengthned him with good hopes of fortunate successe hee deliuered to him fiftie thousand Floreines of gold and furnished him with eighteene tall and warlike ships in which he had only two thousand souldiers for seruice on the land 1470. With these small forces hee sailed into England and landed at Rauen-spurre in the Countie of Yorke where his expectation failed him very much King Edward landeth in England A small hope For few or none resorted to him for his helpe but all men there acknowledged themselues to be the friends and subiects of King Henrie This checke though it much troubled him yet was hee not vtterly dismaied thereby for meere necessitie and danger enforced him to march to the Citie of Yorke And in his passage thither He only claimeth his Duchie of Yorke he published to the people and to the inhabitants of that Citie that he came not to lay any claime or to make any challenge to the Crowne but intended only to possesse himselfe of his Duchie of Yorke of which vniustly hee was depriued wherein he affirmed hee ought by the lawes of equitie and right to be assisted and succoured by them and by all good men He sweareth it to the Citizens of Yorke They receiue him and releeue him The Citizens at his first repaire denied his entrance but by reason of a solemne oath which he tooke before them that he only intended the regaining of his Duchie and would remaine a true faithfull and an obedient subiect to King Henry he was receiued entertained and monied at his owne will But when he had staied in that Citie a day or two hee forgat the oath which so lately hee had sworne for hee placed a strong Garrison within the Towne He breaketh his oath He getteth money and wogeth souldiers He had neuer risen by all likelihood if he had beene defeated by the Marquesse and enforced the inhabitants to furnish him with many requisites and prouisions for an Armie And then leauing the Citie which was by strength reserued to his vse he hired souldiers euery where for money as he passed by towards London And in his march he came within foure miles of the Marquesse Montacute his old familiar and trustie friend who being accompanied with braue troupes and companies of valiant men of warre to encounter him gaue vnto him free passage without resistance to march forth so that by easie iournies hee came to Nottingham where diuers Nobles and Gentlemen who fauoured his
right and title to that Crowne and Kingdome The King and his Counsell thereupon quickly resolued to vndertake that businesse principally for these reasons 1. First because the Crowne of France was not ambitiously but iustly desired by the King who thought hee had good right and title thereunto 2. Secondly because French warres enriched English souldiers 3. Thirdly because those warres kept them at home and gaue them not any libertie to inuade this Realme 4. Fourthly because the French King had assisted Queene Margaret the Earle of Warwicke and their Complices against King Edward in the late Ciuill Warres 5. And fifthly because the said French King made warres vpon the Duke of Burgoine who had formerly aided King Edward for the regaining of his Crowne and Kingdome A beneuolence craued by King Edward But because money wanted for the defraying of so great a charge King Edward without a Parliament craued a beneuolence to be freely enlarged to him by his Subiects who gaue him some money but with an euill will Yet among others a rich yet a sparing and a nigardly widow did cheerefully giue vnto him twentie pounds A mery iest The King himselfe who was present but to her vnknowen perceiuing that vnexpectedly shee had bestowed vpon him so good a summe did not only giue her thankes but merily came and kissed her telling her that for her money shee should kisse a King The old woman was so much gladded with that courtesie that shee told the King his kisse was worth more money and therefore she added twentie pounds more to the former summe The King hauing in a readinesse before Douer a Fleet of fiue hundred ships and boats and hauing a puissant and a compleat Armie of fifteene hundred men at Armes on horsebacke The King transporteth an Armie for France and fifteene thousand tall Archers besides all such as attended for other needfull seruices departed from England and landed safely at Calice where hee was receiued with great honour and state But he was much greeued because the Duke of Burgoine vpon whose motion and at whose entreatie and promise to be met by him at Calice with two thousand men at Armes The Duke of Burgoine breaketh promise and aids him not hee came thither trifled with his whole Armie in the siege of Nuyce which he was not likely to winne and at length after much time spent in vaine had sent all his forces to Berroys in Lorrayne to be reuenged vpon Reyner Queene Margarets father Duke of that Prouince for that hee had vsed foule and vnseemely words towards him when he lay at the siege of Nuyce whereas if the said Duke of Burgoine had ioined with King Edward against the French King and with the Duke of Britaine who sided with King Edward they would haue put into hazard of winning the whole kingdome of France Yet King Edward with his owne Companies marched by Bollen to Perone into the Duke of Burgoines Countrey He breakes his promise againe where the said Duke had not made any manner of prouision for the refreshing of the English Armie according to his promise but suffred them to lie without his Townes in the cold and in the open fields whereat they were all displeased From thence king Edward with the said Duke marched towards S. Quintens which was secretly promised to be deliuered to him by Lewys of Luxenburgh Hee was Earle of S. Paul and Constable of France The King is kept out of S. Quintens great Vncle to king Edwards wife But when they came before it their entrie was not only denied but sallies were made vpon them and the great Ordinance plaied from the Towne vpon the kings Armie so that plainly he perceiued that nothing was to be obtained there without blowes To these breaches of promise was added one vnkindnesse more by the Duke of Burgoine who to visit his Armie A peace is concluded for nine yeares which then lay in Berroys in Lorrayne vnexpectedly left king Edward and rode thither leauing word behinde that hee would come vnto him with his whole Armie as soone as he should be able The French king being politicke and wise and knowing that if all those his enemies should ioine their strengths against him they would put him in hazard of his estate and being informed that king Edward was highly discontented by reason of the Duke of Burgoines vnfaithfull vsage and knowing that he beganne to feele the extremities of a winter warre mediated a friendly conference and a firme peace which by their Commissioners was effected for nine yeares in this sort The Articles of peace FIrst it was agreed that the French King should forthwith pay to King Edward towards his forepassed charges threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes and also the summe of fiftie thousand more for an yearly pension so long as King Edward liued 2. Secondly that the French King within one yeare should send for the King of Englands daughter the Ladie Elizabeth into France and marie her to the Dolphin for whose maintenance the French King should for nine years space pay yearly to them fiftie thousand Crownes and at the end of those yeares should deliuer to them the quiet and peaceable possession of the whole Duchie of Guyen 3. And thirdly that the Lord Haward and Sir Iohn Cheney master of the Horses should staie as hostages with the French King vntill the whole Armie had quited France and were landed in the Kingdome of England Reasons mouing King Edward to conclude this peace To these propositions King Edward and his Counsell consented for these reasons 1. First as the Duke of Burgoines promises were seldome or neuer honestly performed so with the King whom hee had drawen into those Countries and into those warres hee did but gloze and faine 2. Secondly because the Earle of S. Paul Constable of France did but dissemble when hee protested to deliuer to King Edward the Towne of S. Quintens which he did not but offered violence to his Armie in stead thereof 3. Thirdly because the winter which approched sharply would haue enforced him for that time to haue returned dishonourably into England 4. And last of all because the late Ciuill Warres had consumed most of his best souldiers and chiefest Leaders and the greatest part of his treasure so that King Edward was hardly able to maintaine a great Armie any long time But the Duke of Glocester and his friends who mortally hated the French King striued much to disswade King Edward from these conclusions but all in vaine for those Articles were scaled and published the money was paid both the Kings in a familiar and kinde enteruiew by their solemne oathes had sworne to obserue and keepe them and hostage were deliuered accordingly It is to be noted The Duke of Burgoine stormeth at this peace that within this peace the Dukes of Burgoine and of Britaine were included if they would consent thereunto But when this newes was told to the Duke of
Burgoine he with all celeritie and speed possible hasted to King Edward and in his melancholie mood he told him His obiections that it was in a high measure dishonourable for him to returne into England not hauing burnt in France one poore cottage nor hauing slaine as much as a flie with his whole Armie He told him also that his Ancestors King Edward the Third and King Henry the fifth neuer passed into France to demand their right but that they obtained and won it victoriously with their swords and swore that King Edward had lost more glorie and honour by his infamous peace made with France then he had won by all his victories in nine battailes which he had fought and that he himselfe so scorned the French Kings malice and his power that he would and did absolutely refuse to be included in the said dishonourable league vntill six moneths were fully ended after King Edwards Armie was landed againe in England The King seeing the vnfaithfull Duke so angrie The Kings answere made him this replie That King Edward the Third and King Henry the Fifth entred into France with their Armies of their owne accord to gaine their inheritance and not otherwise nor for any other purpose which they performed with true valour and wisdome And that hee himselfe would neuer haue departed out of that Kingdome vntill he had done the like if hee had come thither in that manner of his owne accord But quoth hee I vndertooke this iourney vpon your request for your aide and to assist you and your Territories by plucking downe the pride of France and the claime which I made to that kingdome was at this time only published to giue mee some colour to helpe you And albeit you vaunt much of your owne strength and doe seeme little to regard the French King and his anger yet me thinkes you cannot well forget how by his strength and power he hath wonne from you the faire Citie of Amyens and the strong pile of S. Quintens and other Castles and Townes within your dominions which notwithstanding all your crakes and brags you neither dare to attempt nor can againe winne You know likewise that your selfe and mine Vncle of Luxenburgh to traine mee into France promised to mee mountaines of gold but they quickly changed into snow and are now dissolued into water If your faith your offers and your promises had beene honestly performed I would sooner haue lost my life and haue aduentured for you my Crowne and Kingdome rather then I would haue beene found vnfaithfull or vnthankfull to you But if any thing be amisse you your selues haue beene the occasioners thereof and therefore you may thanke none others And so farewell Hereupon the angrie Duke in a pelting chafe tooke his horse and rode away And from that time forward they neither loued nor saw one another The French Kings bountie to the English Armie After the aforesaid Articles were concluded and sealed and a little before the enteruiew betweene the two Kings the French King of his owne bountie sent into the English Armie one hundred Wagons loaden with the best wines which he could procure and licenced the souldiers for the space of three or foure daies to disport and recreate themselues within the Citie of Amyens and at their comming thither they found many Tables thorowout both sides of the streets richly and plentifully furnished with great store of costly dishes both of flesh and fish and many Gallants and Bon-companions of purpose were chosen to make them mirth and to attend them so that nine thousand English armed men were within the same Citie at one time But when the French King was informed how great a number of them were within the walles of so strong a Towne hee reproued and condemned his owne kindnesse and feared lest hee might loose it by reason of his great loue and by that meanes might occasion more iarres betwixt England and his Kingdome of France But the Englishmen disdaining to be found false or vnthankfull merily passed away the time with the Frenchmen and hauing sufficiently solaced and refreshed themselues they departed out of the Citie and quietly returned to their owne Campe. And the French King being well pleased with this their honest and plaine dealing The French Kings bountie to the English Captaines The King arriueth in England sent vnto the English Captaines rich presents in plate and in coined siluer and gold And then King Edward with his whole Armie returned to Calice and from thence into England where hee was cheerefully receiued with much ioy And thereupon the aforesaid Hostages receiuing great gifts and honourable vsage were set at libertie and returned home The French King if hee might would faine haue excluded the Duke of Britaine out of the former league But in regard that the young Earle of Richmond was in his possession and whose returne into England to make challenge to the Crowne King Edward euer feared he would not in any sort agree thereunto And not long after Henry Earle of Richmond deliuered by the Duke of Britaine to K. Edwards Ambassadors King Edward by his Ambassadours with much entreatie rich gifts and vpon solemne protestation that he only intended to marie one of his owne daughters to the said Earle obtained his deliuerie to those messengers who being glad at the heart that they had obtained what King Edward so instantly desired tooke their leaue of the Duke of Britaine and brought the young Earle of Richmond to S. Malloes where they were enforced to stay expecting a faire and a good winde But in the meane time Good counsell the Duke being informed by Iohn Cheuelet his true and faithfull seruant that the said mariage was but colourably pretended to get the young Earle into King Edwards hands and that his death was certainly pretended if hee could bee brought home and being also told that his honour would perpetually be obscured by so foule a deede the said Duke could neuer be at rest vntill Peter Landoys his chiefest Treasurer attempted the repossessing of him with the said young Earle Whereupon the said Peter repaired to S. Malloes Peter Landoys recouereth the Earle of Richmond into the Duke of Britaines possession and pretended much loue and familiaritie with the English Ambassadours with whom hee pleasantly conuersed and spent his time But in the meane season the seruants of the said Peter being thorowly instructed for that purpose conueied the said Earle into a Sanctuarie whose priuiledges might not by any meanes be infringed The Englishmen vnderstanding what had hapned were much displeased and condemned the said Treasurer for this vnfriendly practise and too much skill But hee on the other side assigned the whole fault to their owne negligence and follie And by this meane the harmelesse and sillie Sheepe was deliuered from the Woolfe And thus was King Edward defrauded and beguiled of his money and of his hopes But vpon the Dukes faithfull promise that the
inheritable to the Crowne This lesson with the daily repetitions of his heroicall Pedegree hee so inculcated into his young Scholar that hee was as able and as ready to discourse thereof as if by inspiration that knowledge had beene infused to him from aboue The Irish were too credulous Thus when this subtill Priest had prepared his Pupill for his purpose he transported him into Ireland where hee first vented and spred abroad this false and vntrue noueltie among the wilder and more barbarous sort of that fickle and busie Nation who being too too credulous and flexible to any change gaue to the youth all honour and reuerence as vnto their soueraigne and liege Lord. And within few daies after diuers of the Nobilitie of that Countrey were taken in the same net of follie and beleeued as the Commons did among whom the Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas Gerandine was the chiefe who hauing had much familiar conference with the young counterfet and finding his amiable aspect the trimme composure of his bodie his princely presence his pregnancie of wit his sufficient learning his ingenious capacitie his quicke spirit his discreet speech and seemely complements to be answerable and fitting to a Prince not onely censured him to bee the true and the vndoubted sonne and heire of the Duke of Clarence and pitied his estate but endeuouring to doe him good disbursed vnto him for the enlargement of his expenses traine and honour diuers and sundrie great summes of money and perswaded many other great Lords of Ireland to doe the like He also with great speed and secrecie informed the Ladie Margaret The malice of Margaret Duchesse Dâ—wager of Burgoine to K. Henry sister to King Edward the Fourth and Duchesse Dowager vnto Charles the deceased Duke of Burgoine and the supposed Aunt of this counterfet of his being there And albeit that shee was well assured that this newes was false yet because being of the house of Yorke shee mortally hated and enuied King Henry who was the head and the chiefe of the Familie of Lancaster she not only gladded her heart to heare thereof but also pleased her conceits with infinite delectation that now an opportunitie was presented to her to execute her furie vpon King Henry and that shee might by this plot if it succeeded well enlarge her true Nephew the young Earle of Warwicke and make him King First of all therefore shee caused the false report of this young counterfet to bee noised thorowout England that thereby shee might vnsettle the mindes of such as were credulous and might be inclined to take his part She also published that the Irish Nobilitie and Nation had not onely receiued him for their Lord and Soueraigne and would take his part but also that shee her selfe would strengthen his attempts with money men and armes to the vttermost of her power These vaine and fabulous reports carried vnto her into Flanders Francis Lord Louel and her nephew the Earle of Lincolne sonne and heire to Iohn de la Pole Duke of Suffolke and of Elizabeth one other of the sisters of King Edward the Fourth The Traitors land in England Sir Thomas Broughton and some others and after many speeches and much conference touching those affaires and businesses the Duchesse caused to be leuied in her Country about two thousand men which were conducted by Martin Sward an approued Captaine of great resolution and much skill All these with quicke expedition sailed into Ireland and ioined with Sir Thomas Gerardine the Chancellor who was in a readinesse with more then two thousand men of his owne Nation and they all determined to transport themselues into England with all speed Wee may not imagine that King Henry who was valiant prouident and wise was secure carelesse or negligent in these affaires and weightie businesses A politicke act For to the end that certainly it might bee knowen that Lambert was but a counterfet hee caused Edward the young Earle of Warwicke to be publikely brought thorow the streets of London from the Tower vnto Pauls Church where infinite numbers of the Nobilitie Gentrie and Commons of this Kingdome had the sight and view of him and many of them spent some time in conferring with him The King prepareth against Lambert Lambert landeth in England He also made great preparations to repell and to subdue all such as in Lamberts aide should either attempt any ciuill warre or inuade his land And thus when he had ordered all things well these forraine powers arriued neere vnto Lincolne where they expected more succour then they found or were in any possibilitie to haue But when the King was informed that they were come he marched towards them with a constant resolution to trie the vtmost of his fortune in the field insomuch that it was now too late for those Inuaders to step backe for vrgent necessitie did require The battaile of Stoke that either they must flie fight or yeeld But the truth is though they were not strong yet they were no cowards The Irish people were strangely actiue and passing valiant but they wanted Armes and their braue resolution so animated their courage that with haughtie stomackes and Lions hearts they ioined in battaile with the King But within lesse space then one houre Lambert is ouerthrowen the vnprouided and vnfurnished Irish with their Captaines the Earle of Lincolne Francis Lord Louel Sir Thomas Gerardine Martin Sward Lambert is made a Skullian and then the Kings Faulconeâ— and Sir Thomas Broughton were all slaine and the rest submitted themselues to the King who pardoned their offence and committed the Priest Sir Richard Symond vnto perpetuall imprisonment and his counterfeited Pupill being first abased in the Skullerie was within few yeares after chiefe Faulconer to the King Then was the Kings wife with all honour and princely solemnities crowned Queene The Queene is crowned D. Morton made Archbishop of Canterburie and Lord Chancellor and a Cardinall and Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterburie died and was succeeded by Iohn Morton Bishop of Elie who was also made Lord Chancellor of this Kingdome and not long after hee was dignified with the Hat and habit of a Cardinall by Pope Alexander the Sixth Now though King Henry through the benefit of a generall peace at home was made fortunate and happie yet forraine iarres among his neighbours prouoked him to new imploiments vpon this occasion The French King quarrelleth with the Duke of Britaine Charles the French King hauing warred successefully against Maximilian King of the Romans complained that he was much wronged by Lewys Duke of Orleance who had married the Ladie Iane his sister and was his next heire apparant to the French Crowne for that hee with some others tooke part against him with his enemie But in the end when King Charles had affied himselfe to the Ladie Margaret daughter to Maximilian and had concluded a peace betweene themselues the said Duke of Orleance and his complices
vp in the imitation of all princely entertainment complements and behauiour so that all such as beheld him and his Heroicall Qualities pronounced their sentence that bee was descended of a Noble Familie and that some extraordinarie Fortune was at hand and attended to make him more happie then a thousand others Thus when this Ladie had procured her counterfeited Idoll to bee adored and wondered at by reason of his maiesticall carriage and behauiour she informed him that vnder the name of Richard Duke of Yorke second sonne to King Edward the Fourth her brother shee intended to aduance him to the Crowne of England and to make him King which that she might with the more ease and facilitie effect shee secretly and so substantially taught him in the whole Pedigrees of the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke that within few daies no Englishman was more expert and cunning therein then he Perkin is aided by the Irishmen When shee had thus furnished him according to her will shee caused him to be transported into Ireland where he made himselfe knowen among those Nobles to bee by his birth a great Prince and therin he so artificially demeaned himselfe that by the whole Nation of the Irish he was receiued reuerenced and maintained as their soueraigne and rightfull Lord. The French King sendeth for Perkin Warbecke About the same time the French King who daily expected the landing of an English Armie within his Duchie of Britaine or in some other place subiect to his dominion as formerly wee haue heard intended to disturbe the intention and purpose of King Henry by setting vp of another King in this Realme for which purpose hee sent for Perkin Warbecke into France and promised with all kinde of friendly entertainment to receiue helpe releeue and succour him vntill hee had inuested him into his right and Kingdome No sooner was this mocke-prince come to the French Court but such was the generall applause of the Frenchmen and so extraordinarie was their madnesse and braine-sicke ioy that the poore Swad could in no wise chuse but imagine strongly that hee was borne to be a King But in the middest of his flattering vaine and foolish hopes the aforesaid peace betwixt the two Kings of England and of France was concluded and this young Nouice fearing lest he should be deliuered to King Henry ran secretly away Perkin flieth out of France The Duchesse honoureth and maintaineth him and came to his Titularie Aunt the Duchesse of Burgoine who receiued him with great ioy and much honour giuing vnto him princely entertainment filling his purse with gold clothing his bodie with costly and with rich apparell and appointing thirtie gentlemen of worth and qualitie as his Guard to giue their daily attendance vpon his fantasticall person Her practise for assistance in England Then shee caused it newly to be published in England that her Nephew Richard Duke of Yorke was yet aliue and liued in her Court and that he according to his right and title to the Crowne of England as being the heire male of the House of Yorke expected the assistance of all his true and louing subiects towards his attaining thereof Perkin is fauoured in England No sooner did this newes wax common among the Vulgar but it was generally beleeued by them and also by diuers others of better ranke and fashion insomuch that many for malice onely and for grudge which they conceiued against the House of Lancaster others because they deemed themselues not to be sufficiently rewarded for their aduentures in King Henries warres against King Richard others because they were ambitious and saw none other meanes to raise their fortunes others because their fancies were easily deluded by nouelties and deuised newes and others because they delighted to fish in troubled waters determined to take his part And vpon that resolution the Conspirators by secret combination sent Sir Robert Clifford a man of much valour wisdome Sir Robert Clifford and great discretion into Flanders to enquire and to search out the truth of the conception birth and parentage of this new-found Duke This Knight after his arriuall and when hee had conferred againe and againe with the busie-headed Duchesse of Burgoine touching this businesse and with an obseruing eie had beheld the young counterfet and had communed oftentimes with him perswaded himselfe that he was the very true naturall and yongest sonne of King Edward the Fourth and so he certified his friends in England by his letters and by meanes thereof euery day fresh reports gat greater strength and credit among such as were willing to be partakers in his fortunes King Henries preparations against Perkins inuasion Wherefore as a sharpe Feuer suffreth not the Patient to take any rest so this fantasticall dreame and vaine imagination troubled King Henry aboue measure and wisedome made him prouident to prepare for future stormes so that he strongly guarded and fortified all places which bordered vpon the Sea and by his letters hee informed the Burgundians and Flemings of the vanitie and falsitie of this deuised foolerie and of this fained King vsing his best meanes both to preuent all ciuill wars and also to withstand all inuasions which might bee attempted against his Crowne and Kingdome And to make himselfe more strong 1493. 9 hee selected and appointed diuers men of wisdome and of worth secretly to flie out of England into Flanders to the Duchesse and to this fained Duke A wittie policie that by their meanes and endeuours bee might haue true intelligence of such as being of name and qualitie conspired to ioine with this ignoble counterfet vpon whose information and after legall trials the chiefest actors in that businesse as Traitors were put to death King Henry also recounting how that by the late breach of promise Maximilian the King of the Romans failed to assist him in his warres against Charles the French King and finding that his sonne Philip Arch duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine secretly fauouuoured the attempts of the Ladie Margaret concerning Perkin Warbeckes conspiracie The English Mart is remoued from Flanders to Calice A restraint of wares and merchandizes remoued his Mart of English merchandizing from Flanders to his owne Towne of Calice and also he prohibited all men whatsoeuer to bring any Flemish commodities or wares into this Kingdome This restraint notwithstanding the bribing Easterlings were vnder hand permitted to bring into England what they would And likewise King Maximilian and his sonne by strong Edicts forbade and published the confiscation of all English commodities as leather tallow woolles lead tinne and such like if they were brought into those Countries An assault on the Flemings in London This restraining of the Kings owne subiects and that libertie which was allowed to those strangers vexed and greeued the English Merchants at the heart and so it did many others for by meanes thereof a great part of their trade which in former times supported their
death The King not minding any longer to trifle or to dallie with the French King leuied two Armies Two Armies sent into France In the one of them were eight thousand men and in the other six thousand The former of them was commanded by George Lord Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie and the other by Sir Charles Somerset Lord Harbert Chamberlaine to the King These two Generals with their companies departing from Portsmouth arriued safely at Calice from whence they marched to the strong Citie of Tyrwyn Tyrwyn is besieged and besieged it on euery side And within few weekes after the King himselfe hauing first committed the gouernment of this Kingdome to the generall charge of the Queene his wife and the particular protection of the Northerne parts vnto the noble and worthie Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey The King with a third Armie commeth before Tyrwyn if peraduenture the Scots according to their custome should in his absence beyond the Seas enter into those Countries being accompanied with many of his Nobles and Gentrie and hauing an Armie of eleuen thousand lustie and gallant men departed out of England came to his Towne of Calice and marched forth in warlike order vntill hee had ioined himselfe with all his other force which lay strongly encamped before Tyrwyn Now whilest King Henry thus lay in this siege the inhabitants oftentimes sallied out of their gates and with great resolution skirmished with their enemies but were alwaies loosers in their Retreats The French Armie attempteth to raise the siege By the Englishmen likewise daily batteries and hourely assaults were made and manfully resisted by the Citizens vntill the French King to raise the siege caused a huge Armie to be leuied which appeared and approched neere to the English Campe and made many a boasting and a proud bragge as if they were determined to doe much but still and still they trifled not doing any thing which might merit praise But in the end they being prouoked more by the taunting reproches of their owne Nation and by the daily scornes which for their want of courage they receiued from the sharpe tongues of their daring enemies then by their owne valour they attempted to raise the siege by strong blowes In so much that the two Armies met together fought stoutly and on either part performed many braue deedes of Chiualrie with great courage But the presence of King Henrie and his example of good Knighthood so animated his men of Warre that with vndaunted spirits they redoubled their strength in times and in places of greatest neede and extremities so that at the last The French Armie is ouerthrowne Tyrwyn is yeelâ—ed and burnt the Frenchmen being dissolued into many heaps of breathlesse carkasses and many of their Nobles and Gentrie being taken prisoners the rest fled and within few dayes after the Citie of Tyrwin by composition was yeelded to King Henrie who only preseruing the Bishops Palace in which hee lodged and the Cathedrall Church razed the Walls Towers Bulwarks and Fortresses thereof to the ground and consumed the rest of that Citie with fire In this siege Maximilian the Emperour The Emperor â—rueâ—l vnder King Henrie with thirtie approued men at Armes repaired to the Kings camp and after his great welcome amply expressed by his Princely entertainement hee with them were al enrolled into the Kings pay This victorie and the said Citie being thus wonne Torray is besâ—â—ged and yeelâ—ed King Henry with all conuenient expedition besieged the strong and the warlike Citie of Tournay which for a while was by the Inhabitants manfully defended and preserued But after many bitter and sharpe assaults and bloudie skirmishes when they perceiued that their hopes for succour and helpe were frustrated and in vaine they then by composition yeelded themselues to the Kings mercie who for the summe of ten thousand pounds gratiously receiued them as his owne subiects and by his Almoner Thomas Wolsey tooke the oathes of their fidelitie and alleageance as to their soueraigne Lord and King And then King Henrie leauing there a strong Garrison hee committed the gouernement and safetie of that Citie to Sir Edward Poynings who was valiant King Henrie reâ—â—â—neâ— into England The Lord Admirall vexetâ— the Freâ—h nation Iames the 4. Kâ—ng of Sâ—â—ts in the abâ—â—â— oâ— his brother kâ—ng Henrie rivâ—â—ieth England and a worthie Knight And dissoluing his Armie because the cold winter was vnfit for the continuance of warlike imployments he safely returned to England where he was receiued by his subiects with louely acclamation and great ioy Now must we vnderstand that whilst the king was thus busied in France the Lord Thomas Howard his chiefest Admirall intollerably tormented vexed and daily grieued the French Nation both by Sea and Land And likewise at the same time Iames the Fourth king of the Scots although he had maried with the Ladie Margaret the eldest sister of king Henrie made open warre and wilfull breach of his Promise and of the Peace which had been confirmed by his solemne Oath and beganne vniustly to pick quarrels against the King In so much that vpon notice giuen to the Earle of Surrey that in Scotland daily preparations and prouisions were made for warre He commanded Sir William Bulmer Sir William Bulmer a valiant Knight a valiant Knight with two hundred lustie and tall Archers to harbour in some Towne or Village neare to the Scottish Pale to the intent that hee might not only giue speedie notice and intelligence how things passed but also might doe his best to withstand and to resist their power Within few dayes after the Lord Humes Chamberlaine to the King of Scots entred with an Armie of eight thousand men into the Kingdome of England slew the Inhabitants burned their houses ransacked their goods and foraged their fields And hauing enriched himselfe and his souldiers with money and great spoyles he returned securely not thinking that any reckoning was to bee made for his good speeding But on a sodaine and vnexpectedly hee was encountred by Sir William Bulmer who with one thousand Archers and no more so thickly showred arrowes vpon the Scots and with their swords in such a desperate and strange manner assailed and assaulted them that quickly they were ouerthrowen and fiue hundred of them being slaine and foure hundred at the least taken prisoners the rest fled leauing their spoiles and their booties behinde them and so returned beggerly into Scotland The King of Scots who not only meant to reuenge this disgrace but also to worke wonders if hee might in the absence of King Henrie entred into this Realme with an Armie in which were more then one hundred thousand fighting men 100000. fighting men and besieged the strong Castle of Norham which through the Captaines prodigall expence of all his powder and shot to little or no purpose hee tooke and kept it as his owne The Earle of Surrey marcheth against the King of Scots The valiant and renowmed
Dorset Conq. OSmond a Norman being by the Conquerour created Earle of Dorset dyed without issue Thomas Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Iohn of Gaunt called all his Children by that Wife by the name of Beaufords by Katherine Swinsford his third wife was by king Richard the Second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset which latter dignitie was taken from him in Parliament in An. 1. H. 4. Iohn Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset only and was afterward by king Henrie the Fourth created Marques Dorset H 4. and by king Henrie the Sixt hee was created Duke of Somerset His daughter and heire named Margaret was married to Edmund Tuther Earle of Richmond and they two had issue king Henrie the seuenth Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henrie the Fifth hee was created Earle of Mortoigne in Normandie and by king Henrie the Sixt Marques Dorset H. 6. and Duke of Somerset Henrie Beauford his sonne was Earle of Mortaigne Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and dyed without issue Thomas Grey the sonne of Sir Iohn Grey knight and of the Lady Elizabeth his wife and widdow who was afterwards married to king Edward the Fourth E. 4. was by the same king created Marques Dorset he was also Lord of Groby Astley Bonduile and Harrington Thomas Grey succeeded his Father in those honors Henrie Grey his sonne being Lord Ferrers of Groby Lord Harrington Bonduile and Astley was after his fathers death Marques Dorset and by king Edward the Sixt he was created Duke of Suffolke and was executed in Queene Maries raigne Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst and Lord Treasuror of England was by king Iames created Earle of Dorset K. Ia. Robert Sackvile his sonne was Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Richard Sackvile his sonne is Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Essex GEoffrey de Magna Villa otherwise Mandevile K. Steph. was by king Stephen created Earle of Essex Geoffrey his sonne was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue William his brother was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue Geoffrey Fitz-Pearce otherwise Ludgarshall married Beatrice the heire of the said William Mandevile K. Ioh. and was by king Iohn created Earle of Essex shee had by him two sonnes Geoffrey and William whom at his wiues request hee named Mandeviles according to the name of their Grand-father Geoffrey Mandevile their sonne was Earle and dyed without issue William Mandevile his brother was Earle and died without issue H. 3. Humfrey Bohun was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Essex and of Hereford Humfrey Bohun his sonne succeeded in those honors Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle after him Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle of Essex and of Hereford Iohn Bohun his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue Humfrey Bohun the sonne of William Bohun who was the sonne of the last Humfrey was Earle of Essex Hereford and Northampton and died without issue Male. And Eleanor his eldest sister was maried vnto Thomas of Woodstock one of the sonnes of king Edward the Third E. 3. Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of King Edward the Third was by his father created Earle of Essex Buckingham Hereford and Northampton and by his Nephew king Richard the Second he was created Duke of Glocester and murdred in prison at Calice because he had warned the king friendly of his faults Humfrey Plantagenet his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes and dyed without issue Male. Henrie de Bargo Caro otherwise Bourchier being Earle of Ewe in Normandie who was the sonne of William Bourchier who by king Henrie the Fift was at Maunt in Normandie created Earle of Ewe was by king Edward the Fourth E. 4. created Viscount Bourchier and Earle of Essex his sonne William had issue Henrie and dyed whilest his father liued Henrie Bourchier was Viscount and Earle and died without issue H. 8. Thomas Cromwel was by King Henrie the eighth made Lord Cromwel and was by him created Earle of Essex but lost his head H. 8. William Parre was by king Henrie the eighth made Lord Parre of Kendall and Earle of Essex and by king Edward the Sixt he was made Marques of Northampton and dyed without issue Walter Deuereux Lord Ferrers of Chartly and Viscount Hereford was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was Lord Ferrers of Chartly Viscount Hereford and Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was restored to all his fathers honors by king Iames the First K. Ia. and now liueth Exeter Iohn Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second R. 2. was by him created Earle of Huntington and Duke of Exeter Hee was executed because he conspired against King Henrie the Fourth Thomas Beauford one of the sonnes of Iohn of Gaunt H. 4. by his third wife Katherine Swinford was by his brother K. Henry the Fourth created Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exeter He died without issue Iohn Holland the sonne of the aforenamed Iohn H. 6. was by King Henrie the Fifth restored to his Earledome of Huntington and by King Henrie the Sixth to his Duchie of Exeter Henry Holland his sonne was attainted when King Edward the Fourth raigned and was drowned on Calice Sands Henry Courtney Earle of Deuonshire H. 8. was by king Henrie the Eighth created Marquesse of Exeter and lost his head Thomas Cecil Lord Burleigh K. Iames. was by King Iames the First created Earle of Exeter and yet liueth Glocester WIlliam Fitz-Eustace Conq. being by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester died without issue Robert Fitz-Hamon Lord of Astreuile in Normandie Conq. was by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester William Fitz-Hamon his sonne was Earle of Glocester Robert de Millent base sonne to king Henry the First H. 1. was by him created Earle of Glocester He died without issue H. 2. Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of king Henry the Second was by his father created Duke of Glocester But hee was afterwards King of England Geoffrey Mandeuile the last of that name Earle of Essex K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Almericus Earle of Eureux K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Gilbert de Clare being Earle of Hartford H. 3. was created Earle of Glocester by King Henry the Third Richard his sonne was Earle of Clare and Glocester and Hartford Gilbert de Clare his sonne had those three Earledomes Gilbert de Clare his sonne was Earle of Hartford Clare and Glocester and died without issue male E. 1. Ralphe Mounthermer who maried Ione of Acres one of the daughters of King Edward the First and who was widow to the last Gilbert de Clare was by the same King created Earle of Hartford and Glocester and died without issue E. 2. Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne was by King Edward
Hastings Botreaux and Molines was by king Henrie the Eighth created Earle of Huntington H. 8. Francis Hastings his sonne succeeded in those honours Henry Hastings his sonne being Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Molines and Moeles was also Earle of Huntington George Hastings his brother succeeded and died without issue Henry Hastings the sonne of Francis Hastings who was the sonne of the said George now liueth and doth enioy the said Lordships and Earledome of Huntington Kendall GAscoigne de Fois a Gascoigne borne was at Maunt in Normandie created by king Henrie the Fifth Earle of Longuile and Kendall He reuolted and became French H. 5. Iohn de Foys his sonne maried the Neece of William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke H. 6. by whose mediation he was by king Henrie the Sixth restored But he became French H. 6. Capdaw de Beuffs was by king Henry the Sixth created Earle of Kendall But he reuolted to the French King Kent WIlnotus at the Conquest being brother to King Harold was Earle of Kent But for feare he fled into Denmarke and died without issue Conq. Odo Bishop of Bayon and halfe-brother to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Kent and he died without issue K. Steph. William de Ipre Earle of Flanders was by King Stephen created Earle of Kent and died without issue Hubert de Burgh being Lord chiefe Iustice of England was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Kent H. 3. and died without issue male Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Edmund of Woodstocke being sonne to king Edward the First E. 2. and brother to king Edward the Second was by his brother created Earle of Kent but lost his head in the raigne of his nephew king Edward the Third R. 2. Thomas Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second was by him created Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey Thomas Holland his sonne was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue Edmund Holland brother to the said Thomas was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue William Neuil Lord Fawconbridge a younger brother to Ralphe Neuil E. 4. the first of that Familie Earle of Westmorland was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent and died without issue male Edmund Grey Lord Grey of Ruthen was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent E. 4. Richard Grey his sonne succeeded and died without issue Reynold Grey who was descended lineally from the said Edmund Q. Eliz. was restored to the Earledome of Kent by Queene Elizabeth and died without issue Henry Grey his brother is now Earle of Kent Lancaster IOhn Plantagenet brother to king Richard the First R. 1. was by him created Earle of Lancaster Lecester and Darbie Hee was afterwards King of England Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe the second sonne of king Henry the Third was by his father created Earle of Lancaster H. 3. Lecester and Darbie He maried Blanch the Queene of Nauarre and had issue by her Thomas and Henry Thomas Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lancaster Lecester Lincolne Salisburie and Dorset and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was dignified with all those honours Henry Plantagenet his sonne enioying all those Earledomes together with the Earledomes of Albemarle and Holdernes was by king Edward the Third created Duke of Lancaster E. 3. His daughter and heire named Blanch maried Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt enioied all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne surnamed Bolingbroke held all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and was king Henry the Fourth by deposing of king Richard the Second Lecester LEofrick was Earle of Lecester when Edward the Confessor liued Algarus his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Edwin his sonne was Earle at the Conquest Robert de Beamont was created Earle of Lecester by king Henrie the First H. 1. Robert de Beamont his sonne was Earle after him Robert his sonne surnamed Blanch-Maynes was his successor Robert his sonne was Earle and died without issue Simon de Mountfort was by king Iohn created Earle of Lecester K. Iohn and was slaine at the siege of Tholouse Simon de Mountfort was Earle of Lecester He tooke king Henrie the Third prisoner in the Barons warres But the young Prince Edward set his Father at libertie and slue this Simon with many more at the battaile of Eversham and his possessions were confiscate to the king Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowchback second sonne to king Henrie the Third was by his Father created Earle of Lecester Lancaster c. Thomas Plantagenet his sonne succeeded and died without issue Henrie Planagenet his brother possessed all those honors Henrie Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and was by King Edward the Third E. 3. created Duke of Lancaster his daughter and heire named Blanch was married to Iohn of Gaunt Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third married Blanch and was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster Henrie of Bullingbroke his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster and of Hereford and was afterwards king Henry the Fourth Robert Sutton otherwise Dudley a yonger sonne to Iohn Duke of Northumberland was by Queene Elizabeth created Earle of Lecester and dyed without any lawfull issue Lincolne MArcarus being Earle of Lincolne and Northumberland at the time of the Conquest rebelled and dyed in prison without issue Rufus William de Romara was by King William Rufus created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Steph. Gilbert de Gaunt was in the right of Avis his wife created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Male. Lewis Gilbert de Gaunt in the troublesome times of King Iohn was created Earle of Lincolne by the Dolphin Lewes son to the French King Ralf de Meschynes surnamed Blundevile being the sixt Earle of Chester H. 3. was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne and of Richmond because he tooke his part against the Barons he dyed without issue Iohn Lacy Baron of Haulton was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Lacy the sonne of Edmund Lacy sonne to the said Iohn succeeded and was Earle of Lincolne Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund Crowchback was Earle of Lancaster Leicester Darby and Salisbury Hee married Alice the daughter and heire of Henrie Lacy and was in her right Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Iohn de la Pole the sonne of Iohn de la Pole the second of that name Duke of Suffolke was created Earle of Lincolne E. 4. by king Edward the Fourth and dyed without issue Henrie Brandon the sonne and heire apparant of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke was by his Vncle king Henrie the eighth H. 8. created Earle of Lincolne he dyed
son Henry tooke part with King Henry the sixt and in his quarrell he was slaine at Towton field but Henrie his sonne fled with the king into Scotland Iohn Lord Mountacute brother to Richard Earle of Warwick was by king Edward the fourth created Earle of Northumberland E. 4. but the said Henry Percy obtained the kings fauour by his friends mediation so that Iohn Lord Mountacute surrendred his Patent to the King And was created Marques Mountacute Henry Percy was by King Edward the fourth E. 4. restored to the Earledome of Northumberland and was slaine by the Common People there because he leuied a tax for the King which much displeased them Henry Percy Lord Percy Crockermouth Petworth Poynings Fitz-Payne and Brian his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne enioyed all those honorable titles and possessions and died without issue Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwick and Viscount Lissle Lord Basset Tyes was created Duke of Northumberland by King Edward the sixt and lost his head in the raigne of Queene Mary Thomas Percy being the heire male of the house of the Earles Percies was restored by Queene Mary Q. Ma. to the Earledome of Northumberland and for default of issue male of his bodie it was entayled to his Brother Henry Percy and to the heires males of his body And whilest Queene Elizabeth raigned the said Thomas died without issue male Henry Percy his brother according to the aforesaid entailement was Earle of Northumberland and died Henry Percy his sonne is now Lord of Petworth Crockermouth Poynings Fitz-Paine and Brian and Earle of Northumberland Nottingham VVIlliam Peuerel base sonne to the Conqueror Conq. was by him created Earle of Nottingham and of Darby William Peuerel his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and Darby Robert Earle of Ferrers in Normandie K. Steph. and Lord of Tedbery in Staffordshire was by King Stephen created Earle of Nottingham William his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and by King Iohn he was also created Earle of Darby Iohn de Mowbray was by King Richard the second R. 2. created Earle of Nottingham and died without issue Thomas de Mowbray his brother was by K. Richard the second R. 2. first created Earle of Nottingham and then Duke of Northfolk hee was challenged by Henry of Bullingbroke Duke of Hereford to a single combate for his false reports to the King and was banished and died in his exile Thomas Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke In the Raigne of King Henry the fourth Iohn Mowbray his brother was by King Henry the sixt created Earle of Nottingham H. 6. and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne enioyed all those honours and died without issue male R. 3. William Lord Barkley being one of his Generall heires was by King Edward the fourth made Viscount Barkley and by King Richard the third he was created Earle of Nottingham and by King Henry the seuenth Marques Barkley Henry Fitz-Roy the base sonne of King Henry the eighth and of Elizabeth Blount was by the same King created Earle of Nottingham H. 8. and Duke of Richmond and died without issue Charles Lord Howard of Effingham was by King Iames created Earle of Nottingham Oxford EDgar Atheling the sonne of Edward the Out-law who was the sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the Conquest Earle of Oxford and was by the Conqueror depriued of that honour Mauld Awbrey de Vere was by Mauld the Empresse created and by her sonne King Henry the second confirmed Lord High Chamberlaine of England in feee and Earle of Oxford Awbrey de Vere his sonne enioyed those honors and dyed in the dayes of King Iohn without issue Robert de Vere his brother was High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford and sided with the Barons in their warres against King Iohn when they tooke part with the Dolphin of France by reason of the Popes Curse Hugh de Vere his sonne was high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford he was Viscount Bolbeck and Lord Samford Robert de Vere his sonne succeeded in those Honors Robert de Vere his sonne enioyed the same and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Alphonsus de Vere brother to the last Robert was Lord Samford Vicount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Thomas de Vere his sonne held all those honorable dignities Robert de Vere his sonne being Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck Earle of Oxford and high Chamberlaine of England was by king Richard the Second created Marques of Dublin and Duke of Ireland he died without issue Awbrey de Vere his Vncle was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxford But the inheritance of his high Chamberlainship of England hee voluntarily surrendred to king Richard the Second who gaue it to his halfe brother Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter Richard de Vere his sonne was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxferd Iohn de Vere his sonne enioyed those Honors He and his eldest sonne Awbrey de Vere were attainted and executed in the time of king Edward the Fourth Iohn de Vere his sonne was by King Henry the Seuenth H. 7. restored to the honors of Bolbeck Samford and Scales was made high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Iohn de Vere his Nephew by George his brother succeeded him in all those Honors and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Iohn de Vere who was the sonne of Robert de Vere who was brother to Iohn de Vere the twelfth Earle of Oxford of that name who was Father to the before named George enioyed all those dignities Iohn de Vere being the heire male of that Familie was the sixth Earle of that Christian name He was also Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck and high Chamberlaine of England Edward de Vere his sonne enioyed all those Honors Henrie de Vere his sonne is Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of Engl â—d and Earle of Oxford Pembroke WAlter Gifford was by the Conquerour Conq. created Earle of Pembroke and Buckingham Walter Gifford his sonne succeeded and died without issue Gilbert de Clare was by King Stephen created Earle of Pembroke Richard de Clare surnamed Strongbow being his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and died without issue male K. Iohn William Marshall Earle Marshall of England was by King Iohn created Earle of Pembroke William Marshall his sonne enioied all those honours and died without issue Richard Marshall his brother succeeded him and was slaine and died in Ireland without issue Gilbert Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue Walter Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue William de Valentia the sonne of King Iohns wife Isabel and of her
second husband Hugh de Brun H. 3. was by his halfe-brother King Henrie the Third created Earle of Pembroke Aymer de Valentia his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and was by King Edward the First made Vice-roy of Scotland and died without issue Laurence Lord Hastings was by King Edward the Third created Lord of Abergauenny and Earle of Pembroke Iohn Lord Hastings and Abergauenny was Earle of Pembroke Iohn his sonne succeeded and died without issue Humfrey Plantagenet the youngest sonne of King Henry the Fourth H. 5. and brother to King Henry the Fifth was by his brother created Earle of Pembroke and Duke of Glocester He was also Protector to his Nephew King Henrie the Sixth and died without issue H. 6. William de la Pole was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Earle Marquesse and Duke of Suffolke Iaspar of Hatfield the second sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife widow to King Henry the Fifth and being halfe-brother to King Henry the Sixth H. 6. was by him created Earle of Pembroke and by King Henry the Seuenth Duke of Bedford He died without issue E. 4. William Herbert was by King Edward the Fourth made Lord of Cardisse and Earle of Pembroke and was slaine at Banbarie field William Herbert his sonne succeeded and resigned the said Earledome to King Edward the Fourth Edward the Prince being sonne and heire apparant to King Edward the fourth E 4. was by his father created Earle of Pembroke Flint and March He was King Edward the Fifth Anne Bullen H. 8. who was afterwards maried to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Marchionesse of Pembroke and lost her head William Lord Herbert sonne to Richard Herbert who was brother to the last Earle William E. 6. was by King Edward the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Henry Lord Herbert his sonne succeeded in those honours Williom Lord Herbert his sonne is Lord of Cardiffe Fitz-Hugh Marmion and S. Quintens and Earle of Pembroke Richmond EVdo was by the Conqueror made Lord of Middleham and Earle of Richmond Conq. Allen Fergaunt surnamed The Red being his sonne was Lord of Middleham and Earle of Britaine and of Richmond He died without issue Allen surnamed The Blacke being his brother succeeded him and died without issue Stephen his brother possessed all those honours Allen his sonne by descent enioied the said dignities Conan his sonne succeeded him and had issue Constance Geoffrey Plantagenet the third sonne of King Henry the Second maried the said Constance and was in her right Earle of Richmond Arthur Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Richmond and died without issue Ralphe Blundeuile being Count Palatine of Chester K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Richmond Peter Earle of Sauoy who built the Sauoy H. 3. was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux Duke of Britaine sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Britaine was by King Edward the First created Earle of Richmond E. 1. Iohn de Dreux his sonne was Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert de Arthoys sometimes Earle of Arthoys but disinherited by Philip de Valoys the French King E. 3. was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of King Edward the Third being surnamed Iohn of Gaunt being Duke of Lancaster E. 3. was by his father created Earle of Richmond Henry of Bollingbroke his sonne was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and Earle of Richmond vntill he was King Henry the Fourth Ralphe Lord Neuil of Rabie Castle the first Earle of Westmorland was by King Henry the Fourth created Earle of Pembroke for his life only H. 4. Iohn Plantagenet Duke of Bedford and brother to King Henry the Fifth H. 4. was by his father created Earle of Richmond He died without issue H. 6. Edmund of Hadham called Edmund Tuthar the eldest sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife the widow of King Henry the Fifth and daughter to Charles the Sixth of France and halfe brother to King Henry the Sixth was by him created Earle of Richmond He maried Margaret the daughter and heire of Iohn Beauford Marquesse Dorset and Duke of Somerset who was the sonne of Iohn Beauford who was the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his third wife and had issue Henry who was king Henry the Seuenth Henry Tuthar their sonne was Earle of Richmond vntill hee obtained the Crowne and was King Henry the Seuenth H. 8. Henry Fitz-Roy base sonne to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and died without issue in the sixteenth yeare of his age Rutland EDward Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund of Langley the fifth sonne of King Edward the Third and Duke of Yorke was by his cosen King Richard the Second created Earle of Rutland R. 2. and Duke of Albemarle After his fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and was slaine at Agencourt field Edmund Plantagenet brother to Edward who was afterward King Edward the Fourth was Earle of Rutland and died in his childhood without issue being slaine H. 8. Thomas Mannors Lord Roos of Hamlake Beluoyr and Trusbut was created Earle of Rutland by King Henry the Eighth Henry Mannors his sonne succeeded his said father Edward Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue male Iohn Mannors his brother succeeded him Roger Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue Sir Francis Mannors his brother is now Lord Roos Hamlake and Trusbote and Earle of Rutland Ryuers RIchard Wooduile of Grafton Knight maried Iaquet the widow of Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France and daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh Earle of S. Paul He was by King Henry the sixth made Lord Ryuers Afterwards king Edward the Fourth maried his daughter the Ladie Elizabeth Grey the widow of Sir Iohn Grey deceased by whom he was made Lord Treasurer of England and Earle Ryuers He and his sonne Iohn were slaine by the Commons in an vprore Anthonie Wooduile his sonne being Lord Scales and Earle Ryuers was by King Richard the Third beheaded vniustly at Pomfret Castle and died withour issue Richard Wooduile his brother succeeded him in that Earledome and died without issue Salisburie STephen Patrick of Eureux was by the Conquerour created Earle of Salisburie Conq. William his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and died without issue male William Longspée the base sonne of King Henry the Second by the faire Rosamond Clifford his Concubine R. 1. was by King Richard the First his halfe-brother created Earle of Salisburie William Longspee his sonne was Earle of Salisburie after his father and was slaine in the warres in the Holy Land Henry Lacy was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Salisburie H. 3. and died without issue Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund
Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster was also Earle of Salisburie Lecester and Lincolne and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Salisburie Lecester Lincolne and Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne was created Duke of Lancaster He was also inheritor to all those Earledomes His daughter and heire called Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt and from them descended the house of the Lancastrians E. 4. William Mountague Lord of the I le of Man was by King Edward the Fourth created Earle of Salisburie William Mountague his sonne being Lord of the I le of Man and Lord Mounthermer was also Earle of Salisburie and died without issue Iohn Mountague sonne to Sir Iohn Mountague brother to the said William was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Hee with others conspired the death of King Edward the Fourth at Oxford and was slaine Thomas Mountague his sonne was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuil the second sonne of Ralphe Neuil who was the first Earle of Westmorland H. 6. maried Alice the eldest daughter and coheire of the said Thomas and was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Salisburie He was taken prisoner in the battaile of Wakefield by Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the Sixth and lost his head Richard Neuil his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and of Warwicke also in the right of Anne his wife who was the daughter and heire of William Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke This was that great Earle of Warwicke who deposed and raised King Henry the Sixth and was slaine at Barnet Field by King Edward the Fourth Richard Pole a Knight of Wales maried Margaret Plantagenet the daughter of George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth which the said George begot on Isabel the eldest daughter and coheire of the last Richard Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie She was by Parliament in the fifth yeare of King Henry the Eighth restored to those Earledomes H. 8. but in Parliament in the one and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the Eighth shee with Gerthrude the widow of Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exeter Reynold Pole Cardinall being her sonne and others were attainted of treason and she lost her head She was the last of the name and royall stocke of the Familie of the Plantagenets out of which had issued successiuely fourteene Kings of England Robert Cecil the second sonne of William Cecil Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England was by King Iames created Lord Cecil of Essendeu in Rutlandshire Viscount Cranborne in Dorsetshire and Earle of Salisbury William Cecil his sonne is now Lord of Essenden Viscount Cranborne and Earle of Salisbury Shrewsburie EDrick a Saxon sirnamed the wilde being Earle of Shrewsbury was by the Conqueror dishinherited Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Belesme in Normandy Conq. was by the Conqueror made Earle of Arundel and of Shrewsbury Hugh de Mountgomery his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Shrewsbury and of Arundel was taken by king Henry the first and depriued of his eyes Iohn Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnivall and Verdon H. 6. was by Henry the sixth created Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Iohn Talbot his sonne was Lord c and Earle of Shrewsbury George Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Shrewsbury Francis Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Salisbury George Lord Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Gilbert Lord Talbot his sonne is Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnival and Verdon and Earle of Shrewsbury Somerset OSmond Bishop of Salisbury was by the Conqueror Conq. made earle of Somerset William de Mohun was by King Henry the first H. 1 created Earle of Somerset Reynold de Mohun in King Iohns time K. Ioh. receiued the inheritance of his Grandfather Earle William and was created Earle of Somerset he was disinherited by King Henry the third because he tooke part against him with the Barons in their warres Iohn Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his thitd wife was by King Richard the second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset but the latter of those two hee voluntarily did renounce H. 5. Henry Beauford his sonne was Earle after him Iohn Beauford his brother was created Earle of Somerset by K. Henry the fifth H. 6. Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henry the sixt was created Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and was slaine at Saint Albons by Richard Duke of Yorke Henry Beauford his sonne was Duke of Somerset hee revolted from King H. the sixth to King Edward the fourth and afterward from King Edward the fourth to King H. the sixth and was by the Yorkish faction taken Prisoner at Hexhamfield and lost his head Edmund Beauford his brother was Duke of Somerset and being taken prisoner at Tewkisbery-field by king Edward the fourth he lost his head and had no issue H. 7. Edmund Tuther a yonger sonne to king Henry the seuenth was at fiue yeares of his age created Duke of Somerset and died without issue at that age Henry Fitz-Roy base son to king H. the eight was created earle of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset and Richmond and died without issue Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford was by his Nephew King Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Sir Robert Carre was by king Iames created Viscount Rochester Earle of Somerset Southampton BEavoys was at the Conquest Earle of Southampton E. 1. H. 8. William Gobion was by Kng Edward the first created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male William Fitz-William was by King Henry the eight created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male E. 6. Thomas Wryothesley Lord Chancelor of England was by King Henry the eighth created Baron of Tichfield in Hamshire and by King Edward the sixt hee was created Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne was Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne is Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southamton Stafford RAlph Stafford was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Stafford Hugh Stafford his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Thomas Stafford his Grandchild by Ralph his sonne was Earle of Stafford William Stafford his brother was Earle of Stafford after him Edmund Stafford his brother was Earle and died without issue Humfrey Stafford his sonne was Earle and by king Henry the sixt he was created Duke of Buckingham and was slaine in Yorkeshire in the said kings quarrell Humfrey Stafford his son was dignified with those honors Humfrey Stafford his sonne H. 7. succeeded and was beheaded by king Richard the third Edward Stafford his son was restored by king Henry the seuenth and lost his head in the raigne of king Henry the eighth Suffolke RAlph Glandvile Lord of Bromhelme H. 2. was by king Henry the second created Earle
of Suffolke William Glandvile his sonne being Lord of Bromhelme was Earle of Suffolke Gilbert Glandvile his sonne enioyed those Honors Ralph Glandvile his son was Lord Bromhelme and Earle of Suffolke and died without issue William de Vessey who maried Mauld his Daughter and Heire E. 2. was by King Edward the second created Earle of Suffolke Robert de Vfford who married Sarah daughter and heire of the said William was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Sufolke William de Vfford his son being Lord of Eay and Framlingham was Earle of Suffolke Michael de la Poole a man more rich then honorably discended R. 2. was Chancelor to king Richard the second R. 2. and by him created Earle of Suffolke and was banished as a corrupter of him by his lewd counsell he died with griefe at Paris Michael de la Poole his son was Lord Wingfield and Earle of Suffolke and dyed at the siege of Harflew Michael de lâ— Poole his son succeeded his father but died within one moneth after H. 6. William de la Poole his brother was Lord Wingfield and Earle of Suffolke he was by king Henry the sixt created Earle of Pembrooke then Marques of Suffolke and last of all Duke of Suffolke hee was banished taken at Sea and lost his head on a boats side Iohn de la Poole his sonne was Lord Wingfield Earle of Pembrooke and Duke of Suffolke Edmund de la Poole his sonne was of a turbulent disposition in the fifth yeare of Henry the eighth he was executed for treason H. 7. Charles Brandon the sonne of Sir William Brandon knight who was Standard-bearer to the Earle of Richmond in Bosworth field was slaine by king Richard the third was by Henry the seuenth made Viscount Lisle H. 8. and hauing maried king Henry the eight his second sister Mary Queen Dowager of France he was by Henry the eight created Duke of Suffolke Henry Brandon his sonne was Earle of Lincolne and Duke of Suffolke and died without issue Henry Grey Lord Ferrers of Groby Lord of Astley Harington Bonvile being also Marques Dorset and hauing maried Francis who was one of the Daughters and Coheires of Charles Brandon E 6. was by king Edward the sixth created Duke of Suffolke and was attainted of treason whilest Queene Mary raigned their daughter was the Lady Iane who maried Guilford Dudley the fourth son of the Earle of Northumberland K. Ia. who lost her head Thomas Lord Howard of Walden second sonne to Thomas the last Duke of Northfolke was by king Iames created Earle of Suffolke Surrey Rufus William Warren Earle of Warren in Normandie maried one of the Conquerors daughters named Goundred and was by king William Rufus created Earle of Surrey William Warren his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Surrey William Warren his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue male William de Blois sonne to king Stephen being Earle of Mortaigne Bolloigne and Eagle and being Lord of Lancaster maried Isabel the daughter and heire of the last Earle William and was in her right Earle of Surrey and died without issue Hamlyn Plantagenet brother to king Henry the second maried the said Ladie Isabel and was in her right Earle of Surrey and king Henry the second created him Earle of Warwick William Plantagenet their sonne was Earle of Surrey and of Warwicke Iohn Flantagenet his sonne was Earle of Surrey Warren and Sussex and died without issue male Iohn Flantagenet his brother succeeded him in those Earledomes and died without issue Edmund Fitz-allen Earle of Arundel maried Alice the daughter of the aforesaid William and was in her right Earle of Surrey and of Warren Richard Fitz-allen their sonne was earle of Arundel Surrey and Sussex Richard Fitz-allen his sonne was earle of Arundel Surrey and Sussex Thomas Fitz-allen his sonne was earle of Surrey Arundel and Sussex and died without issue Thomas Holland R. 2. halfe brother to king Richard the second was by him created earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey Edmund Holland his sonne was earle and Duke Iohn Lord Mowbray sonne to the Duke of Northfolke was discended from the earles of Warren and Surrey H. 6. and was by king Henry the sixth dignified with those honors and also after his fathers death he was Duke of Northfolke Thomas Howard the sonne of Iohn Howard R. 3. whome King Richard the third had created Duke of Northfolke was by the same King created earle of Surrey and by king Henry the eighth Duke of Northfolke Thomas Howard his sonne E. 4. by Anne daughter to king Edward the fourth was by the same King created earle Marshal of England and earle of Surrey Henry Howard earle of Surrey was in his fathers life time attainted and executed and had issue Thomas Thomas Howard his sonne was Duke of Northfolke Q. Ma. and earle of Surrey after his Grandfathers death being restored by Q. Mary Philip Howard his sonne was Earle of Surrey and of Arundel Thomas Howard his sonne is Earle of Arundel and of Surrey Sussex H. 2. VVIlliam de Albaney was Earle of Sussex and of Arundel by his mariage with Queene Adeliza the widdow of king H. the first which Earledomes were her joynture and those honours were giuen to him by king Henry the second William de Albaney their sonne succeeded and was Earle VVilliam de Albaney his sonne was Earle of Sussex and of Arundel William de Albaney his sonne succeeded his father Hugh de Albaney his brother enioyed those Earledomes and died without issue Iohn Plantagenet the seuenth Earle of Surrey was Earle of Sussex and died without issue male Iohn Plantagenet his brother enioyed those honours and died without issue H. 8. Robert Ratclife Lord Fitzwater Egremount and Burnel was by King Henry the eighth created Viscount Fitzwater and Earle of Sussex Henry Ratclife his sonne enioyed all those honors Thomas Ratclife his son was Lord Viscount and Earle and died without issue Henry Ratclife his brother succeeded in those dignities Robert Ratclife his sonne is Lord Egremount and Burnel Viscount Fitz-water and Earle of Sussex Warwicke TArquinius a Saxon was Earle of Warwick at the Conquest hee was banished and died without issue Conq. Henry Beamount alias Newburgh brother to Robert Earle of Millent and of Leicester was by the Conqueror created Earle of Warwick Roger Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwick William Beamont alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwick Walteran Beamount alias Newburgh his brother was Earle of Warwicke after him Henry Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwicke Thomas Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne succeeded his father Iohn Marshall maried Margerie the sister and heire of the said Thomas and was Earle of Warwicke in her right but died without issue Iohn de Plessetis the second husband of the said Margerie was in her right Earle of Warwicke Hugh de Plessetis their sonne succeeded and died without
did begin For Robert Duke of Normandie conceiuing himselfe to be much wronged by a supposed breach of the Kings former promises resolued to transport a faire Armie into England for the regayning of his Right but the King purposing rather to aduenture offensiue Warres abroad A good Policie than with assured losse to defend himselfe at home gathered a strong power of able and willing men of warre with which he sayled into Normandie The French strengthen Robert Duke of Normandie against the King But Philip of France so friendly backed the Duke in those employments that the English forces found themselues too weake to doe him any harme So this vnexpected resistance compelled the King to cast his plot into a new mould and by sleight and policie to effect that which by open violence he could not doe Wherefore not making himselfe ouer-much beholding to long deliberation he sent many of his chiefest Commanders into England who with more than ordinarie diligence and speede in short time waged a strong Armie of twentie thousand men who being readie to be embarked were vnexpectedly greeted with this faire offer A politike and a pleasing Taxe That such of them as would seuerally giue tenne shillings to the King towards his leuying of new forces in Normandie should be dismissed from that journey This demaund in regard of each particular giuer was not great but the entire value thereof when it was collected amounted to a good summe because there were few or none who by this payment procured not their discharge And the French King being secretly corrupted with the gift of the greater part of this money made present choise rather to shrinke from his kinde friend Quid non Regina pecunia than to assist him at his neede so that the good Duke being left alone and yet accompanied with the sensible apprehension of his owne defects and making a vertue of his necessities contented himselfe to subscribe to the commaund of his aduerse fortune A composition For making an enforced Peace with his brother and pawning to him his Duchie of Normandie for tenne thousand pounds himselfe in person with other Christian Princes waged warres in the Holy Land The Welchmen rebell As soone as the King was returned into England the Rebels in Wales summoned him to a new Warre which he vndertooke with great celeritie and with much valour But the craggie Mountaines the steepie Hils the thicke Woods and the watrie Marishes vnto which the Welchmen vsed continually to flye vpon euerie feare of danger so toyled and tyred the English forces that the King to encrease his strength and to furnish himselfe with more fitting meanes to subdue those Rebels was compelled without honour to returne But those his new preparations were interrupted by another Rebellion in the North The Earle of Northumberland rebelleth which was occasioned and conducted by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland who madly expressed the malecontentednes of his disordered passions because the King as he conceiued had not requited his seruice done vpon Malcolyne the King of Scots with any worthie or condigne reward A couragious King But such was the haughtie spirit and courage of the King that those vnexpected troubles which benummed the senses of the vulgar did set an edge vpon his valour making him to scorne feare and to entertaine hope and animating him with a setled resolution to dare fortune to doe her worst For he no sooner saw his reuolted subjects of the North The Rebels subdued but he loaded them in such sort with blowes and wounds that such as fled not he made a prey vnto death or made them miserable examples to their friends who might bemoane them but could not release them of their losse of Eares Eyes Hands Noses or Feete Thus did the King beate downe their pride and tooke the Earle as hee fled and sent him to the Castle of Windsour where hee was committed to a strong Prison Then did the King with new strength march againe into Wales The King could not subdue the Welchmen in two Expeditions but his former mishaps were presidents to his later successe For albeit that Furie made him more aduenturous than Reason gaue him warrant in regard that his magnanimous spirit could not digest the counter-checks of such a scattered Rabble yet when hee had weakened his strength and impaired his Armie by the losse of manie valiant men vpon the vast and desolate Mountaines which affoorded him nothing but Repentance he was enforced farre against his will the second time to returne leauing the Welch Rebels vncorrected and therefore exceedingly emboldened in their sinne Whose insolencies bred in the King such a strong resolution to reuenge that foure yeares after when they suspected not any approaching danger he sent against them the two Earles of Shrewsburie and of Chester with a strong Power The Welchmen sodainely inuaded are ouerthrowne who finding them rioting in the Isle of Anglesey set vpon them slew diuers wounded more suffered few to escape and such as were taken prisoners were eyther executed with manie Torments or dismembred with such Depriuements as happened to the Rebells in the North. ANNO 10. Now when the King by the helpe of the English Nation had obtained many memorable victories against the Scots Welchmen and the Northren Rebels An vngratefull King and by their assistance had in such sort established his affaires that all feare of future perils was quite banisheâ— imitating the example of some vnthankfull Mariners who by the goodnesse of a sound Ship hauing escaped the boisterous rage of an hideous Tempest will leaue her in the Roade subject to the furie of the windes and to the violence of the waters Hee not onely forgot his honourable atchieuements by their meanes but vnthankefully he requited them who had freed him from manie vnspeakable dangers For as in former times so now againe he dis-heartened them The English Nation is miserably oppressed by manie intollerable exactions new impossitions and mercilesse oppressions turning their longings after Libertie into a seruile Bondage their expectations for Fauour into Despaire and their Plentie into such Pouertie that though those Times gaue them leaue sorrowfully to bewayle their griefes yet Hope administred to them no comfort for Reliefe Yea such was his impietie Extreame couetousnesse in a King and such was his couetous desire by all vnjust meanes to enrich himselfe that impiously he sold for money the greatest and the best Promotions both in Church and in Commonweale and did prohibite Anselme then Archbishop of Canterburie to assemble any Conuocations or Synods for the well ordering of the Clergie or for the correcting of such as did offend without his leaue and licence by meanes whereof he secretly filled his coffers with much Treasure The Archbishop of Canterburie robbed rifled These indignities and these irreligious practises were sharpely reprehended by Anselme yet found he no reformation of those monstrous abuses Wherefore being
publikely denounced against all such as either by Direction or by Armes or otherwise withstood or hindered the execution of those Lawes or the Authoritie of the Twelue Peeres These new proceedings so much augmented the Kings furie and implacable discontent that euen those things The King is full of indignation which by his naturall disposition hee chiefely delighted in were by him loathed and detested most And to the end that he might procure and purchase more contentment and joy abroad than hee could finde at home hee sayled into France He sayleth into France to visite King Lewis the ninth by whome he was with all gentlenesse and courtesie receiued and lodged in his owne Palace where hee was feasted as a friend and honoured with all accomplements appertaining to a great King And at the same time hee concluded a Marriage betwixt Iohn Duke of Britaine and one of his owne Daughters Normandie surrendred to the Kings of France by King Henrie The French King also held a Grand Parliament of Estate in which he protested publikely That his conscience was much grieued for that vnjustly and without Title hee detained from King Henrie his Duchie of Normandie and such other Territories in France as in right he ought to enioy And on the other side King Henrie intending to conclude an inuiolable Peace with so deare a friend and to remoue from him all future scruples of his conscience in that behalfe frankely and freely surrendred to him the said Duchie King Henrie is made Duke of Guyan together with the Lordships of Angeou Poytiers and Mayne And in the same Parliament with great solemnitie and honour hee receiued againe to himselfe and to his heires the said three Lordships with the style of the Duke of Guyan for which he did his Homage in that Assemblie Discord betweene the Prince and the Duke of Glocester Whilest these things thus proceeded in France a publike Quarrell vpon some secret displeasure conceiued by reason of the execution of those curbing Lawes began to breake forth betwixt Edward the young Prince and the Duke of Gloucester which by the Barons was stoutly suppressed vntill the Kings returne by whome they were not long after reconciled and made friends The King procureth two Bulls from Rome The King being vexed at the heart because his Regall Authoritie was diminished by the Twelue Peeres and not finding anie redresse thereof at home endeauoured to procure some remedie thereof by his friends abroad And for that purpose with the great expence of much Coyne and with rich and costly Gifts hee secretly obtained two Bulls from Pope Alexander the third by both which the King himselfe and all others who had formerly sworne to obserue and to maintaine those new Ordinances and Lawes and to support the Proceedings and the Authoritie of the twelue Peeres were freely absolued from their Oathes Yet the twelue Peeres not hauing anie notice of those Bulls ruled all and were so busily employed about their charge that the King had little or nothing at all to doe They had but small leysure to recreate themselues with anie sports but the King had time ynough to play for hee was a King in name but not in Authoritie nor in Power The Lord chiefe Iustice displaced Among others Sir Hugh le Spencer being then Lord chiefe Iustice of England and an especiall fauourite with the King administred the Lawes of this Realme not according to Equitie and Right but after his owne fancie and will and such was his indiscreete carriage of most things which belonged vnto his Office and to his place that the Twelue Peers farre against the Kings minde remoued him and supplied his roome by Sir Philip Basset a man well learned wise vertuous and discreet They also dismissed such Sherifs and Iustices errants as the King had made and bestowed those offices vpon others Iustices errants and Sherifs displaced The Popes Bulls are published by the King so that the king being vnable any longer to endure those indignities and deepely repining to be euery houre disgraced and crossed by his owne subiects resolued presently to make vse of the Popes Bulls for which purpose he caused them with great solemnitie and reuerence to be proclaimed in sundry eminent places in England Ireland and in Wales and therewithall he commanded straighty That all such of what estate condition He countermandeth the authority of the Twelue Peers The Londoners are sworne to obey and to aide him and degree soeuer they were as did from thenceforth by word or by deede support and maintaine the said Ordinances and Lawes or the authoritie of the said Twelue Peers should be committed to strong prisons and should not be enlarged but by his especiall notice and consent He also took a solemne oath in the Citie of London of all such as were twelue yeeres old or more to be true faithfull and ayding to him and to his heires and did perswade himselfe that by this means he should from thenceforth haue his owne will But he was much deceiued therein for such was the resolution of his Barons to the contrary that they protested they would rather die then cease to vphold all those things which in so honorable an assembly they had solemnly sworn to maintaine And some of them coniecturing The resolution of the Barons and peraduenture not without good cause that the King in priuat contriued som desperat plot The Barons raise an Armie to set himselfe at libertie by their ruine repaired to the Marches of Wales where they raised a strong Armie and furnished it with all things needfull and conuenient for the warre And standing thus vpon their Guard yet resolued to abstaine from all violence Their Letter to the K. except necessitie which obeyeth no King nor laws should vrgently compell them to take a sharper course They addressed their Letters in most submissiue and humble sort and sent them to the King protesting with many oaths their dutie and their seruice to his Grace and entreating his Highnesse for the honour of Almightie God for his owne soules health and for the welfare and happinesse of his people and Kingdome vtterly to defie except his Queene and Children all such as either counsailed him The King makes them no answer or did themselues intend to suppresse the Ordinances and laws which were established at Oxford or the authoritie and the power which for the Common-weales prosperitie was graunted to the Twelue Peeres The King hauing read those Letters was much displeased and returned not any answer to the Barons The Barons march toward London wherfore they maintained a stout march towards London vnder a Banner richly and beautifully flourished with the Kings Armes And as they passed by the houses or possessions of such as fauoured the Popes Bulls they robbed spoyled wasted burnt and consumed them with fire holding them for vndoubted enemies to the King and to his Crowne And when they approached neere to the Citie
their owne Countrey receiued the ouerthrow and hauing seene the slaughter of manie thousands in his Armie among which were Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester The King receiueth a great ouerthrow and two and fortie other Lords and more than threescore knights and Baronets besides two and twentie men of Name who were taken prisoners hee was compelled for his owne safetie shamefully to flye and with dishonourable successe to returne againe into England The King flyeth Where he was eftsoones perplexed and put to much trouble by the vntrue and desperate attempt of one Iohn Poydras a Tanners sonne dwelling in Exeter Iohn Poydras discouered and executed who boldly affirmed himselfe to be the truly begotten sonne of the last king and said That he was changed in his Cradle by his Nurse for a Carters child and offered diuers colourable proofes for the same and among the rest he strongly instanced vpon the vnworthie and base conditions of the king sorting to none so fitly as vnto one of obscure and of common birth This his clayme and bold assertions quickly abused the eares and the hearts of the vulgar and drew manie of them for want of wisdome and obedience to flocke vnto him as to their king But at length he was apprehended and hauing confessed his Treason and his folly and being arraigned conuicted and condemned hee was executed according to his deserts At the same time also Barwike betrayed to the Scots the strong and almost impregnable Castle of Barwike was trecherously betrayed into the hands of Robert le Bruse the vsurping king of Scots and such a generall scarcitie of all sorts of Victuals and such a Murreine of all kinds of Cattell so punished the people A famine Theeues beare great sway that the like before among them was neuer seene And diuers notorious and bold Theeues to the number of two hundred at the least being cloathed in Friers weeds of gray without respect of person or of sexe The Scots inuade England robbed and spoyled the Inhabitants of the North. But in the end they were taken and according to their deserts were put to death The Scots also raised a new Armie and with great violence and furie they entred England The Famine grieuously increaseth where besides the great afflictions occasioned by that watre the Inhabitants of those Countries were so pinched and plagued with famine that in many places those who liued scarcely sufficed to interre their dead and the rest to preserue their liues were compelled to sustaine themselues in the great extremitie of their hunger by eating of Rats Mice Cats Dogges Horses and such like The King is ouerthrown the second time by the Scots A miserably distressed people The King intending to suppresse the Scots and to correct them for their insolencie and folly encountred them with his whole Armie but receiued a notorious ouerthrow and being scornfully checked and disgraced by his bold and sawcie enemies hee returned home again with great ignominie and shame leauing his poore subiects in the North so miserably distressed and vnrelieued as euer any people were forsaken by an vnworthie and a carelesse King The vse of this History Of these disgraces and of these troubles we make this profitable vse That as the heroicall vertues of excellent Princes are crowned with many blessings from aboue so for the iniquitie and hainous transgressions of wicked and vngodly Kings both themselues and their people likewise are seuerely punished by God before whom Princes must fall as well as the common subiects except their true and heartie repentance being ioyned with the amendment of their liues doe in season procure his mercie and his fauour The Nobles endeuour reformation The Peeres and the Nobles of this Kingdome perceiuing that the diseases of the Common-weale did daily encrease and growe more dangerous determined like good Physitians narrowly to search out the causes of these maladies and to finde some remedie to cure them before it were too late They complain on the two Spencers The miserable examples of all kinds of wickednesse which presented themselues vnto their view emboldned them to informe the King That the two Spencers and their misguiding of the State by whom only and by none other the King was counsailed and directed were the immediat occasioners of all those mischiefes and calamities which miserably afflicted and tormented the whole Kingdome They plainly tolde him That such was their interest in the Kings person and in his gouernment of his people that they were bound in honour and for conscience sake to informe his Highnesse of all such misdemeanors committed by any of his subiects as tended to the subuersion of the State and the disturbing of the common peace therof and then they became importunat sutors to his Maiestie That he would be pleased to put from him the two Spencers who corrupted him with monstrous vices and made him altogether carelesse of those duties which by Almightie God were required at his hands They told him likewise That as subiection belonged to the people so the King was bound to protect them and that vnconscionably and most dishonorably he had left his Commons in the North to the rage and rigor of the Scots The resolution of the Nobles touching the two Spencers and to all extremities of hunger and of other wants and that if he pleased not vpon their humble entreaty and request to cassier those two gracelesse Counsailors of their places and from his seruice they then must and would presume to doe it though it were with the hazard and perill of their owne liues The king could not choose but hearken to this grieuous and true report For as it was founded and grounded vpon conscience and on duetie so was it maintained with a constant resolution to reforme that which was amisse He bit his lip thereat and his countenance proclaimed his discontentment The King frowneth on his Nobles Inwardly he meditated and deuised how he might surprise those Noble-men who most of all stomacked the two Spencers whom so immoderatly hee did loue yet inwardly his tongue gaue the Barons a pleasing answere so that hee forthwith sommoned his high Court of Parliament A Parlamēt and pretending a reformation of all things that were conceiued to be amisse he gladded the hearts of his Nobles and Commons exceedingly But the Lords and Barons although they reioiced much that the time would shortly come The Nobles do stand vpon their guard in which these matters should be substantially debated on yet were they iealous and suspected lest the king intended their surprisal in that solemn meeting wherfore the greater numbers of them repaired vnto London beeing strongly garded with a braue Armie of sufficient and gallant men which were all cloathed in a like Liuerie whereat the king was highly displeased but most of all it grieued him that hee knew the Barons would haue their owne wil by taking and separating from him the two
outwardly pretended to vnite them to the English forces But as a Riuer growing outragious by the abundance of much raine ouerfloweth the low adiacent grounds so this Armie with great violence and strength vnexpectedly rushed into the vnprouided Territories of Nauarre surprised the Citie of Pampalona and treacherously without blowes or resistance subdued the greatest part of that Kingdome which without right or title the Spaniards doe hold and enioy at this day And although that King Ferdinando by this vniust and deceitfull practise had easily attained to the height of his ambitious desires concerning that conquest Ferdinando aâ—â—â—râ—s no helpe or assistance at last yet did hee continue false and vnkinde to the English Armie whom he assisted not at the last but suffred them for the space of foure moneths to be oppressed with a thousand wants and to be consumed by the flux and other calamities in the open field by meanes whereof the common souldiers being heartlesse The Englishmen returne home without leaue and hopelesse of better vsage from the King of Aragon forsooke the field and without the licence of their Generall returned straglingly into England And thus was K. Henry grosly abused and wronged by his father in law the second time Whilest the English Armie was thus vnkindly deluded in Biskey the right valiant Knight Sir Edward Howard Lord Admirall of England Sir Edward Howard plagueth the Brittons and a younger sonne to the Earle of Surrey with a well appointed Fleet of ships which were well furnished with braue and lustie men kept and commanded the Narrow Seas daily tooke the French Merchants oftentimes landed in sundrie places within the Duchie of Britaine forraged their Fields ransacked their Villages and their Townes set them on fire and enriched his companies with great spoiles The Brittons dare him but run away The Brittons being hourely endammaged and knowing that no better fortune would attend them except by true valour and manhood they encountred the English assailants braggingly dared the Admirall into the Field of which challenge he ioifully accepted although that with six and twentie hundred and no more he was to fight against more then ten thousand men And incontinently with martiall skill and policie hee ordered his battaile in the open field But when the Brittons approched neere and with iudicious eies beheld the order and the courage of the English souldiers their hearts fainted their Leaders retired their common souldiers fled and would not once looke on an English face The King sendeth him more aid The King being aduertised of the valour of his Admirall and of the haughty courage of his men intending to giue them strength which should bee answerable to their desires did send vnto them some of his ships royall many others which were well ordinanced and plentifully manned both for the Sea also for the Land When the Admirall was thus prouided and had reduced all his ships into one Fleet He fighteth at Sea with the French Fleet. within few daies after he met and fought with the French Nauie at which time death was despised in regard that euery man sought by bloud to purchase honour and renowne vntill the Regent of England and in her Sir Iohn Carew of Deuonshire and Sir Thomas Knyuet with seuen hundred more and the great Carricke of Brest and in her Sir Pierce Morgan and nine hundred men of warre both those ships being fast grapped together were vnfortunately burnt The Regent and the Carricke are burned slaine and drowned in the Sea The view whereof being vnusuall was so terrible that whilest men fearfully looked on the fight ceased and the Frenchmen scattering themselues returned into the Sea The French King to make his match the better with the English Nauie augmented the number of his ships and men The French Fleet entreth into the Hauen of Brest and sent them thorowly prouided with ordinance powder shot and other necessaries into the Hauen of Brest And King Henry who scorned that his Admirall should be oppressed with a greater strength then he should be well able to resist rigged vp the most part of his Royall Fleet and some others King Henry augmenteth his Fleet. which safely arriued in Bartram Bay within the Duchie of Britaine With these and with all the rest the braue Admirall attempted to assaile the French Bottoms as they lay at ancors within the Hauen of Brest But as he was entring in the foremost ship which Arthur Plantagenet did command was splitted in sunder vpon a rocke which made the rest doubtfull to proceed except with better guidance they might safely enter in The French Captaines perceiuing the Englishmens intent The Frenchmen doe fortifie the Hauen ancoured as neere to the Castle of Brest as they were able and placed foure and twentie old Flemish Hulkes towards the mouth of the Hauen betwixt themselues and the English Fleet which they appointed to bee set on fire and to bee vnmoared when the ships of England did approch towards them that by them they might bee endangered They also raised and fortified diuers Rampiers and Bulwarkes vpon the entrance of the Hauen from which their great Ordinance might play vpon their enemies The Lord Admirall of England doubting lest the Hauen of Brest was too shallow to support his ships of greatest strength and burden The Admirall in Boats entreth into the Hauen and finding that the French cowards meant nothing lesse then to expresse their manhood by a resolute encounter resolued with oared Barges to be rowed into the Harbrough and there to doe some memorable exploit vpon his enemies ships With this determination which more manfully then aduisedly he did put in practise hee with such an haughtie courage and with such violence assailed the three great Gallies of the Rhoads He taketh the three Gallies of the Rhoads which were brought thither by a gallant Knight named Prior Iohn that hee wonne them quickly and possessed them as his owne But when the Frenchmen perceiued that the English Barges were gone out of the Hauen and were returned to their owne Fleet they then with great numbers of well armed men rushed into the said Gallies where the braue Admirall with that small remnant which were with him defended themselues a long time with great courage But being ouer-mastered and too much wearied with fresh supplies which euery minute did assaile them He is drowned the greater part of his men were slaine the Admirall with a pike was violently borne ouer boord and drowned in the Sea and the rest of them were taken prisoners by their enemies And thus were they ouerthrowen who if they had beene more prouident and better counselled might haue triumphed in their victories And within few daies after the Lord Thomas Howard the eldest brother of the said deceased Knight His brother is made Lord Admirall was by the King made Admirall who with all the extremitie of warre became a cruell reuenger of his brothers
Massingham parua in the Countie of Northfolke Esquire 37 Thomas Bendish of Steeple Bamsteed in the Countie of Essex Esq 38 Sir Iohn Winne of Guidder in the Countie of Carnaruon knight 39 Sir William Throgmorton of Tortworth in the Countie of Gloucester knight 40 Sir Richard Worsley of Appl. dorcombe in the Countie of Southampton knight 41 Iohn Reade of Mitton in the Countie of Worcester Esquire 42 Richard Fleetwood of Calwish in the Countie of Stafford Esquire 43 Thomas Spencer of Yâ—â—â—â—ngton in the Countie of Oxford Esq 44 Sir Iohn Tuffton of Hothefield in the Countie of Kent knight 45 Sir â—amuel Payton of Knowleton in the Countie of Kent knight 46 Sir Charles Morrison of Coshiobury in the Countie of Hertford knight 47 Sir Henry Baker of Sissingburst in the Countie of Kent knight 48 Roger Appleton of Southbemflete in the Countie of Essex Esquire 49 Sir William Sidley of Alisford in the Countie of Kent knight 50 Sir William Twisden of East Peckham in the Countie of Kent Knight 51 Sir Edward Hales of Woodchurch in the Countie of Kent knight 52 William Monings of Walwarcher in the Countie of Kent Esquire 53 Thomas Mildemay of Masham in the Countie of Essex Esquire 54 Sir Will. Mainard of Easton parua in the Countie of Essex knight 55 Henry Lee of Quarrendam in the Countie of Bucking Esquire 1 IOhn Portman of Orchard in the Countie of Somerset Esquire 2 Sir Nicholas Saunderson of Saxby in the Countie of Lin. knight 3 Sir Miles Sands of Willerton in the I le of Elie. 4 William Goswick of Willington in the Countie of Bedf. Esquire 5 Thomas Puckering of Weston in the Countie of Hartford Esquire 6 Iohn Wâ—ay of Glentworth in the Countie of Lincolne Esquire 7 Sir William Ayloffe of Braxsteed magna in the Countie of Essex Knight 8 Sir Marmaduke Wyuell of Constable Burton in the Countie of York Knight 9 Iohn Peshall of Horsley in the Countie of Stafford Esquire 10 Francis Inglefield of Wotton Basset in the Countie of Wilt. Esquire 11 Sir Thomas Ridgway of Torre in the Countie of Deuon Knight 12 William Essex of Beaucot in the Countie of Berk. Esquire 13 Sir Edward Gorges of Langford in the Countie of Wilt. Knight 14 Edward Deuereux of Castle Bramwide in the Countie of Warwick Esquire 15 Sir Reynold Methum of Buckconnock in the Countie of Cornwal Knight 16 Sir Thomas Holte of Aston neere Brimingham in the Countie of Warwick Knight 17 Sir Harbotle Grimston of _____ in the Countie of Essex Knight Honor virtutis praemium Iohn Speed 5. Bishopricks Counties subiect to their seuerall Iurisdictions Parishes in each seuerall Bishoprick Canterbury Arch. Bish Kent 257 Rochester 98 London Essex Middlesex Hertfordshire part 623 Lincolne Lincolneshire Leicestershire Huntington Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire part 1255 Chichester Hertfordshire part Sussex 250 Winchester Hamshire Surrey Weight Isle Gernsey Isle Iersey Isle 362 Salisbury Wilshire Barkshire 248 Exeter Devon Cornwall Exeter Citie 623 Bath and Wells Somerset 388 Glocester Glocestershire 267 Worcester Worcestershire Warwickshire part 241 Lichfield and Couentrey Warwickshire part Staffordshire Darbyshire Shropshire part 557 Hereford Shropshire part Herefordshire 313 Ely Cambridgeshire Ely Isle 141 Norwich Northfolke Suffolke 1121 Oxford Oxfordshire 195 Peterborough Northamptonshire Rutlandshire 293 Bristow Dorsetshire Bristow 236 Landaff Glamorganshire Monmothshire Brecknockshire Radnorshire 177 S. Dauid Pembrokeshire Caermardenshire 308 Bangor Caernervonshire Anglesey Isle Merioneth and Denbighshire part 107 S. Assaph Denbighshire part Flintshire part 121 Yorke Province Bishopricks Counties subiect to their seuerall Iurisdictions Parishes in each seuerall Bishoprick Yorke Archbish Yorkeshire Nottinghamshire 581 Chester Chesshire Richmondshire Cumberland part Lancashire Flintshire part 256 Carelyell Cumberlandshire part Westmerland 93 Durham Durham Northumberland Man Isle 135 Bishopricks in England and Wales Shires in England and in Wales Parishes in England and in Wales 26. 63. 8083. Iohn Speed 801. At the time of the first dissoluing of Religious houses in England there were Archbishopricks and Bishopricks 21. Deanries 11. Arch-deaconries 60. Dignities and Prebends in Cathed Churches 364. Benefices 8803. Religious Houses 65 Hospitals 110. Colleges 96. Chauntries and free-Chappells 2374. Their Rates were per annum 320180. A Table contayning the prouisions of the Spanish Armado against England in Anno Domini 1588. Anno ELIZ. REG. 30. Leaders Prouinces ayding Galliasses and gallions Ships and Hulks Pinaces and Caruels Great Ordinance Saylors Souldiers Galley slaues Iohn Speed 858. Richard Hakluyt D. Medina Sidonia Portugal 10 2  300 1300 3300  Diego de Mandrana Portugal 4   20 360  888 Ioh. Martynes de Richaldes Biscai 10  4 250 700 2000  Michael de Oquendo Guipusco 10  4 310 700 2000  Pedro de Valdez Andolozia 10  1 280 800 2400  Martin de Vertendona Italy 10   310 800 2000  Diego Floris de Valdez Câ—stile 14  2 380 1700 2400  Iohn Lopez de Medina Medina  23  400 700 3200  Hugo de Moncado Naples 4   200 460 870 1200 Antonio Buccado Mendoza  22  193 574 488  Shires in England BArkeshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire Cheshire Cornwall Cumberlandshire Darbyshire Deuonshire Dorsetshire Durham B. Essex Gloucester Hampshire Herefordshire Hertfordshire Huntingtonshire Kent Lancaster Leâ—â—istershire Lincolneshire Middlesex Northamptonshire Northfolke Northumberland Nottinghamshire Oxfordshire Rutlandshire Shropshire Somersetshire Staffordshire Suffolke Surrey Sussex Warwick Westmerland Wilshire Worcestershire Yorkeshire Shires in Wales ANglesey Brecknock Carmarden Carnaruon Cardigan Denbigh Flint Clamorgan Merioneth Monmoth Mountgomery Pembroke Radnor The battaile betwixt the Conquerour 1. Conq. and King Harold was stricken the 14 of October 1066. in which were slaine about 68000 English men Speed 415 and almost aboue 6000. Stow. 128. 48 H. 3. Lewis 1263 49 H. 3. Euersham 1264 25 Edw. 1. Barwick 1296 7 Edw. 2. Estriuelin 1313 13 Edw. 2. Burgh-bridge 1320 27 Edw. 2. Fanrike 1298 20 Edw. 3. Cressey 1345 30 Edw. 3. Poyters 1355 3 H. 4 Shrewsbury 1401 3 H. 5. Agencourt 1414 9 H. 5. Blangy 1420 3 H. 6. Vernoyle 1423 6 H. 6. Herings 1427 34 H. 6. Saint Albons 1456 37 H. 6. Bloar-heath 1459 38 H. 6. Northampton 1460 39 H. 6. Wakefield 1460 39 H. 6. Saint Albons 1460 39 H. 6. Towton 1460 in which were 109000. Englishmen and of them were slaine 37000. men 2 Edw. 4. Exham 1462 8 Edw. 4. Banbery 1468 8 Edw. 4. Looscotes 1468 in it 10000 men were slaine 10 Edw. 4. Barnet 1470 in it were slaine 10000. men 10 Edw. 4. Tewksbury 1470 3 Rich. 3. Bosworth 1485 3 H. 7. Stoke 1487 5 H. 7. Fongiers 1488 12 H. 7. Black-heath 1496 5 H. 8. Flodden 1513 34 H. 8. Solemne Masse 1542 Especiall notes worthy of obseruation 13 H. 1. The first parliament was in Anno 1112 19 H. 2. Ireland was conquered in Anno 1172 4 Iohannis Normandy was lost by King Iohn 1202 43 H. 3. and the title thereto released 1258
proued nothing at all For the beames of her excellent vertues could not pierce the thicke clouds of his vanities neither could her teares or her groanes mollifie his hard heart which surfetted vpon too much plentie of loathsome sinnes The common people gaue large libertie to their Tongues The people talke of the Kings euill life to speake and to talke reproachfully and to the Kings disgrace Hee knew it well he heard it and cared not for it but was resolued to perseuere in those vngodly courses which by Pierce Gaueston were contriued and proposed vnto him The Noblemen and such as by reason of their Offices and Places were of the Kings Councell did in their particulars aduenture manie times secretly to informe him of the lewdnesse of Pierce Gaueston and that both strangers and also his owne people did strangely speake of him and of his Gouernment which was altogether eclipsed by the foule interposition of his vices betwixt himselfe and it But their labour was quite lost The King cares not for good counsell and their fidelitie was requited with vnthankfull frownes rather testifying his determination to continue subject though he were a King to his follies than in anie sort to amend anie thing which was amisse When nothing could preuaile either to reforme the King A petition for Gauestons banishment or to make him carelesse of Pierce Gaueston the Lords and Barons of this Kingdome began seriously to consult and to take another course For they preferred their generall Petition to the King wherein they plainely discouered the foulenesse of his faults and the sorrow of his best affected subjects for that his Majestie more than was fitting or comely was guided and gouerned by Pierce Gaueston and earnestly entreated him to be pleased for the preuenting of such mischiefes as were otherwise likely to ensue to banish that lewd Companion both from his Court and Kingdome The King perceiuing that his Nobles were resolued to vrge his consent vnto Pierce Gauestons Exile agreed though vnwillingly thereunto yea in such a displeased humor graunted he their request that thereby they might well vnderstand Gaueston is banished into Ireland The King sends comfortable messages vnto Gaueston Gaueston is made Gouernour of Ireland The King sends him Iewels and Money that his heart subscribed not to their desires But away he was sent into Ireland Where he was no sooner arriued but by messengers sent to him by the King he was required to be jocund and chearefull in his banishment for that his absence should in the end be recompenced with greater honours and more gracefull fauors than hee had formerly receiued And for a pledge thereof the King appointed him to be the chiefe Gouernour and highest Commander in that Countrey and sent him such store of Plate Iewels and Coyne both of Siluer and of Gold that he might well thinke that his banishment was but an honorable Embassade and an occasion thereby presented by good fortune to the King to make him the more potent and more rich The Nobles doe sue for his returne And besides all this the Kings discontented passions so swayed in him and Gauestons absence so much perplexed him that his Nobles being in hope of future amendment of all things which had beene done amisse Gaueston is recalled and to please the King freely and of their owne accords moued the King for his returne But when he came back againe Gaueston is wicked and insolent so strongly and so strangely was hee supported by the publike fauors and vnremoueable loue of the King that with greater insolencie and pride than before hee practised manie more notorious villanies than euer he had done Gaueston is banished againe He is recalled So that by meanes of the incessant importunitie of the Nobles hee was againe banished into Flanders where hee remained not long but the king called him backe againe Those his Exiles thus procured by the Lords and Barons of this kingdome and their consents to call him home againe might haue reclaymed him from his foule and grosse errors if wisdome and vertue had in anie sort beene entertained by him Gaueston boasteth of his wicked courses But in stead of changing his bad nature into good qualities hee tooke an extraordinarie delight to glorie in his owne sinne and to boast how he mis-led the king He also skornefully despised the greatest Nobles of this Land He skornes the Nobles and abused them at their faces and by vntrue informations which priuately and behind their backs he gaue vnto the king he caused them to be frowned on and did all things in such a disordered fashion without controlment that the Barons with one consent being hopelesse of redresse The Barons strike off Gauestons head and being vnable anie longer to support such a despised burthen besieged him being in a strong Castle which they wonne and to redeeme the kings honour The King is impatient for Gauestons death and to procure their owne liberties and the welfare of the Commonweale they caused his head to be smitten off But so highly was the king displeased thereat that alwaies from thenceforth he endeauoured nothing more than by crueltie and by tyrannie to reuenge his death The King fauoreth the two Spencers And then to anger his Nobilitie he entertained into his nearest familiaritie and counsailes the two Spencers Sir Hugh the father and Sir Hugh the sonne men as gracelesse and as odious to the Lords and common people The Spencers are as bad as was Gaueston as the other was Their aduice enclined the king to prosecute his lewd and wanton course of life among lasciuious and wanton Whores and Concubines and to set at naught the sweet companie of his modest and vertuous Queene which made him a skorne to forraine Princes and batefull in the sight of all honest men The fruits of euill gouernment Yet the king in despight of his greatest Lords supported the two Spencers in all things which they would take in hand But his euill gouernment both of himselfe and of his kingdome The King and his Nobles are at variance reuiued new discords betweene the king and his Barons and by meanes thereof the affaires and businesses of the Commonweale were ill managed and such as lay in wait to aduance their Estates by reason of this dissention had now gotten fit oportunitie to put in practise what they pleased Among which Robert le Bruce returning from Norway into Scotland was joyfully receiued there Robert le Bruse being recrowned inuadeth England 7. 1313. The Battaile of Estreuelyne and was the second time crowned king of that kingdome And then he leuied a strong Armie with which he entred into the Marches of England foure or fiue dayes journey and with fire and sword miserably wasted and desolated those Countries vntill hee was encountred by the king and compelled to retyre But king Edward fighting a Battaile with the Scotish power within the borders of