dilygence Agayne mischeues to fynde and make defence ¶ And in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and eyght All his ryches in fyue partes he ganne deuyde One parte to men of warre to kepe his ryght An other parte to lande tyllers in that tyde The husbandry to mayntayne and to guide The thyrde parte all churches wasted to restore The .iiii. vnto the studye for theyr lore And to the Iudges and men of lawe well lerned The fyfte parte full wysely he dispende To holde the lawe in peace truly gouerned Disposed thus he was the realme tamende This was a kyng full greatly to commende That thus could kepe his lande from all vexaciō And not to hurte his cōmons by taxacyon ¶ For truste it well as god is nowe in heuen Who hurte the poore people and the cōmontee By taxes sore and theyr goodes fro them reuen For any cause but necessytee The dysmes to paye compell of royaltee Though they speake fast mumble with the mouth They pray full euyl with hert both north south The yere of Chryste .viii. C. lxxx and thyrtene The duke Hastyne of Danes euer vntrewe Destroyed the lande with hostes proude kene By Easte and Weste that all the lande did rewe Whome the kyng in batayle felly slewe After diuerse batayles amonge them smyten In sondry places there as it was well weten ¶ In euery shyre the kyng made capitaynes To kepe the lande with folke of theyr countree And shippes many galaies longe with Chieftaīs And Balyngers with bargys in the sea With whiche he gate ryches greate quantyte And at a flud was called Vthermare He slewe an hoste of Danes with batayle sare The C .xi. Chapiter ¶ How duke Rollo a panyme gate Normandye of whome all the dukes of Normandye be lynally discended ANd in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and senentene The duke Rollo of Denmarke nacyon A Painim stout with mighty hoste kene In Englande brent without any delacyon Whome Alurede by good supportacyon Droue then agayne vnto his nauy ryght And of his men a thousande he slewe in fyght ¶ Whiche Rollo then landed in Normandye Of whome all dukes of that prouynce discent And wan that lande with swerde full manfully And duke there was made of hole entent By processe after and by the kynges assent Of Fraunce whose doughter he wed vnto his wyfe And christen man became so all his lyfe ¶ At charters fyrste he seged so the towne Where they wtin our ladyes smocke then shewed For theyr banner and theyr saluacyon For feare of whiche full sore in herte he rewed All sodaynly and vnto Roan remoued Where then his wyfe dame Gylle was dede and buried Without chylde betwene them notifyed ¶ But then he wedded Pepam the syster fayre Of duke Robert of Normandye and Roone On whome he gate William his sonne heyre That after hym was duke therof anone When yeres many were passed and ouergone But nowe at this to ceasse I wyll enclyne Tyll afterwarde I shall tell forth theyr lyne ¶ Kyng Alurede the lawes of Troye and Brute Lawes Moluntynes and Marcians congregate With Danyshe lawes that were well constytute And Grekyshe also well made and approbate In englyshe tongue he dyd then all translate Whiche yet be called the lawes of Alurede At Westmynster remembred it in dede ¶ And in the yere .viii. C .lxxx. and eyghtene Then Alurede this noble kyng so dyed When he had reygned .xxix. yere clene And with the Danes in batayls multiplyed He faught often as Colman notifyed In his chronycle and in his cathologe Entytled well as in his dyaloge ¶ That fyftye batayls and syx he smote Somtyme the worse and somtyme had the better Somtyme the felde he had at his note Sometyme he fled awaye as sayth the letter Lyke as fortune his cause lefte vnfeter But neuerthelesse as ofte when so they came He contred them and kepte the lande fro shame The C .xii. Chapiter ¶ Edwarde the fyrste kyng of Englande reygned xxiiii yere and dyed the yere of Chryste .ix. C. and xix EDwarde his sōne so crowned was anone Of Westsex then by all the parlyament Protectour was made againe the fone Whiche warred sore in Englande by assent The yere .viii. C .lxxx. and fyftene spent Earle Athylwolde he exyled into Fraunce For he a nonne had rauyshed to his vsaunce ¶ But after that this same earle Athylwolde With Danyshe hoste Mers and Estanglande Destroyed sore both kyng Edwarde full bolde Slewe Ethalwode and his hoost I vnderstande Discomfet hole and droue them out of lande And made all kynges of Englande his subiectes For so he thought it was his very dettes ¶ He sommoned then at London his parliamēt Where he deposed the kynges euerychone Of all Englande and made them by assent Dukes and earles thence forwarde so anon In euery kyngdome then he ordayned one And in some thre he made by ordynaunce And all kyngdomes foringed by gouernaunce ¶ And he to be the kyng of all englande Proclaymed hole to voyde all varyaunce Discorde and warre that many yeres had stande Whyles seuen kynges had the gouernaunce Ther might no lawe ne peace haue perseueraūce Wherfore he toke of euery Duke homage Of Earles also and of the Baronage ¶ Scotland and Wales he warred sore in dede Tyll they became his men and made homage For souerayne Lorde of Britayne as I rede The kynges then dyd for theyr herytage For all theyr men and for their vasselage To ryde with hym where that euer he gooe In warre and peace agayne frende and fooe ¶ Duke Ethelrede of Mers and also his wyfe Elfled that hyght Westchester then repayred That wasted was by Danes warre and strife Whiche Roomaynes first builded had and feired In tyme when thei to this lande repeired Of Roomayne werke whiles thei here occupied That citee first full freshly edified ¶ Thē faught the kyng with Danes at Wodefeld sore In Mers also at Herford with greate pain Wher victorye he had of theim euermore Again he faught with Danes soth to sain At Towcester and laid theim on the plain In Yorkeshire also he slewe the Danes downe And voided theim all out of his region The C .xiii. Chapiter ¶ This kyng made an vnion of all the realmes and called it Englande and after it failed neuer of that name THis noble kyng thus made an vnion Of seuē realmes that stode three hūdred yere Sixe and thyrty also in greate deuision And warres many as Colman saieth full clere Fro Gurmond had driuen out Carreis here Whiche was the yere fiue C .iiii. score thirtene Vnto the yere of Christ nine hundred nientene ¶ These erles all and dukes then held the lawe As shryues nowe in shires dooen and maintene That the commons ouerlaied full sore with awe And sore oppressed their states to sustene Wherfore he voided theim out of office clene And shryues made through all his region Whiche haue not forgete extorcion ¶ This noble kyng Edward thelder hight When he
exercyse ¶ A thousande ladyes excellynge in beaute He had there also in tentes hye aboue The iustes that they myght well clerely se Who iusted best there for theyr lady loue For whose beautie it should the knyghtes moue In armes so etchone other to reuie To geate a fame in playe of chiualrie ¶ This Mortimer was then lord Mortimer But in these iustes he held great feastes eche daye By fourty dayes conteined whole and clere At whiche one part of ladyes faire and gaye Gaue hym the price of fame of all that playe Wherfore the kyng to encrese his estate Proclamed hym erle of Marche there create The C .lvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmond erle of Lancaster and of Leicester faught at Bayon with the power of Fraunce and was slain there sir Wyllyam Valence erle of Pē broke was dedde ther and many other lordes in the yere a thousand twoo hundred four score sixtene BVt erle Edmond the kynges brother dere With twenty sixe baners proud stout The fifth daye of Iune was accompted clere Of Christ his date a thousand yere all out Four score and sixtene with out doubt At Bayon faught with the Frēchemenne certain Wher he in that feld that daye like a knight was slaine ¶ Sir Williā Valence erle of Pēbroke was thē Sir Iohn Rychmond and many other baron Sir Iohn saynct Iohn right a full manly māne Thenglishe hoste felly ther was bore doune By a busshement laied by colucion That brake on theim sore fighting in the feld Out of a wode in whiche that daye were beld The C .lvii. Chapiter WHen Iohn of Gaunt that sone of king Edwarde For cause his brother that duke was of Clarēce None yssue male had then that menne of herd But female by all intelligence When kyng Rychard in his greate excellence None yssue had he would haue been his heire Apparaunt then by act in perlyament feire ¶ The whiche Thomas Wodstok duke of Gloucester And all nobles of England ther present Proclaymed then by wrytyng and by letter Howe that therle of Marche then in perlyament Vnto the kyng was then heire apparaunt Wher duke Iohn in diuers places made Feined chronicles that shewed were full brade ¶ Howe this Edmond thelder soonne of kyng Henry Broke backed and bowbacked bore Was vnabled to haue the monarche And Edward so the younger kyng therfore Shuche chronicles then he feined full sore And putte in place of diuers religion To make his soonne right heire of this region ¶ But when kyng Henry this chronicle shewed It was defect and clerely sette at nought And vnderfoote cast doune and eke stroyed The contrarie by chronicles truly wrought Was proued trewe and then his title he sought By resignement and renunciacion By depoisale and playne coronacion ¶ It is not true that croke backed he hight For valyaunt he was in all his doynges And personable with all to euery mannes sight Although false chronicles haue other saiynges Kyng Alexander of Scotland then dyed That wedded had the kynges suster Margarete And Alexander his sonne beyng in thesame stede Who with Margatete his wife on the sea perished The C .lviii. Chapiter ¶ How Florēce erle of Holād his persuers boūd hym to vide the iudgement of the kyng Edward if he should be kyng of Scotlād FLorence therle of Holand his compeers That claimed then the croune of Scotlād After the death of Margaret as pursuers Came to kyng Edward then of England Requeryng hym in God his name all weldand As he that was of Scotland souereigne lord To trye the right and sette theim in accorde ¶ For whiche he sette at Norham a parliament After Easter then next folowyng In the kirke of Norham to that entent That all Scottes and other that were pursuyng Might ther appere their titles claymyng At whiche parliament the pursuantes theim bond At his decree and iudgement to stond ¶ By one letter with all their seales ensealed Whiche doublid was thei gaue vnto the kyng The other part for it should not be repeled Thei kept with theim selfes alwaye abydyng Which lettre Iohn Hardyng maker of this boke To kyng Hēry delyuered that gaue hym in recōpēce The manoure of Gedyngtō w e all that appurtenēce ¶ For whiche manoure then the cardinall Of Wynchester vnto the quene disposid In hir dower and fro hym toke it all When that the kyng by death was deposid Hym recompence he promised and composid But nought he had but might that prīce haue lyued He durst full eiuill his excellence haue greued ¶ An other letter duble in like wyse The saied heires deliuered to the kyng That other part as shuld of right suffice Semblably with theim was remainyng By whiche thei bound theim self by their sealyng Hym to delyuer the kyng his castels all To kepe to tyme his iudgement were byfall ¶ Of whiche iudgement without possession Of castell strong throughout ther all the lande He might not well dooen execucion Wherfore the heires to hym so their theim bound Whiche letter also Iohn Hardyng toke on hand And did deliuer so then at Boys Vincent For the saied reward together by one entent The C .lix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward made sir Iohn Balyoll kyng of Scotland AND in the yere of Christ his incarnacion A thousād whole two hūdred four scoure And therto three by verye computacion At the feast of sainct Michael set afore The kyng Edward to Scotland came therfore Wher twenty then chosen were of England And other twenty persones also of Scotland ¶ By whose aduyse all other rightes excl ude The kyng iudged to Iohn Bailyol the croune That was discent as clearely was conclude Of theldest doughter of Dauid of Huntyngdon As chronicles make therof good mencion Margarete wedded to Aleyne of Galawaye Whose doughter was kyng Iohns mother that day ¶ That Dernegull hight and was Iohn Bailiols wyfe Whose sonne heire kyng Iohn was thē cround That Bailioll hight that knowen was full ryfe In that mynster of Skone within Scotland groūd Syttyng vpon the regall stone full sound As all the kynges there vsed had afore On saynt Andrewes daye with all ioye therfore ¶ At Christmas nexte after the same kyng Iohn To Newcastell to kyng Edwarde came His homage made and feautee leege anone Of his free wyll without any blame And with greate ioye agayn retourned hame But then that Scottes chose theim .xii. lords by assēt To rule the kynge Iohn by their entent The C .lx. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iohn of Scotlande made confederacye with Fraunce agayn Englande WHiche made him then to make confederacy With kyng Philip of Fraunce and aliaūce Perpetually to be contributorie Ether with other by strong great assuraunce Englande to warre with al theyr hole puyssaunce The kyng Edwarde seynge this hye falshede To Barwike came with hoste and great māhede ¶ At the nonnes of Barwyke then he laye And layde a siege about on euery syde At after Easter but flemynges then that daye
At Agyncourt so homeward in his waye The nobles there of FrauÌ„ce afore him weÌ„ Proudly battailled with an huÌ„dred thousaÌ„d in araie He sawe he must nedes with theim make afraye He sette on theim and with theim faught full sore With nyne thousand no more with hym thore ¶ The feld he had and held it all that night But then came woorde of hoste and enemies For whiche thei slewe all prisoners doune right Sauf dukes and erles in fell and cruell wise And then the prees of enimies did supprise Their owne people that mo were dede through pres Then our menne might haue slain that tyme no lese ¶ On our side was the duke of Yorke ther slain Th erle also of Suffolke worshipfully And knightes twoo with other then soth to sain And at the siege therle of Suffolke sothely The father dyed of the flixe contynually But mikell folke at that siege yet dyed Of frute and flixe and colde were mortified ¶ On that FreÌ„ch partie that dukes of Barre Lorein And of Alaunson in battaill ther were dedde And take were of Christeans in certain The duke Lewes of Orliaunce their hedde The duke of Burbone in that stede Th erle of Vendom and Arthure also of Brytain And sir Bursigaloâ— marshall of Fraunce certain ¶ And therle of Ewe was taken ther also Fyue barons also that were at their baner And fiftene hundred knightes and squyers mo Were sâ—ain that daye in full knightely maner With woundes so as then did apere As werres would vpon Chrispyn daye And Chrispynian that sainctes in blisse been aye The CC .xv. Chapiter ¶ Howe themperour and the duke of Holand came to the kyng the CouÌ„te palatine the duke of Melayn the marquys Farrar the lorde Mantowe and the marques Mount Ferrete the lorde MouÌ„t Palestrine came with themperour the same tyme and the duke Bauers and Embeir and the prince of Orenge also AND in the yere of Christ a thousand clere Foure hundred also therwithall fiftene When this battaill was smiten as dooth apere In the third yere of his reigne as was seen To Caleice so he came and home bee dene With themperour of Roome sir Sigemond Vnto hym came then in to England ground ¶ With a thousand meÌ„ne that were full clene araied The duke of Melayn the counte Palatyne The marques Ferrer that lord Mantowe wel apayed The couÌ„te Carmeler the counte Palestryne With many lordes of the water of the Ryne And of the Garter was made the secondarye And in it stalled for he would not varye ¶ The duke of Holand then by sea came With .lx. shippes in Thamis that did aryue And to the kyng he went vnto lambe To Themperoure after he went belyue As chronycles then did discryue Then was he made knight of the Garter At his desyre as sayth the chronicler The CC .xvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Sayne of the carykes there taken in the sea afore the mouth of Sayne THe kyng sent then that duke vnto the sea Of Bedforde that with four huÌ„dreth sayles To vitayl Hareâ—lete with therle of Marche no lee Th erle Marshall without any fayles With therles armed in plate and mayles Of Orenforde Warrewike and Huntyngdon Of Salisbury Deuonshire many a baron ¶ Of Arondell also these erles all Were in that flote vnto the noumbre of men Twenty thousande Herouldes did theim call On our Lady daye thassumpcion then All these lordes with many worthy men The fyfth yere of the kynge was then expresse WheÌ„ there enemies theim met at Sayn doutelesse ¶ They faught ful sore afore the water of Sayn With carrikes many well stuffed and arayed And many other shippes great of Hispayne Barges Balyngers and galeys vnfrayed Whiche proudly came vpoÌ„ our shippes vnprayed And by theuen there sayles aualed were set Theyr enemyes slayn in battayll and sore bet ¶ And many dryent were that daye in the sea That as our flete rode there then alwaye Vnto the feast nexte of his natiuitee The bodies flete amonge our shippes echedayâ— Full piteous was and to see theim ay That thousaÌ„des were .xx. as they then tolde That taken were in that same batayll bolde ¶ In which meane while whiles our ships there laye It was so calme without any wynde We might not sayle ne fro thens passe awaye Wherfore theyr galeys eche day there gaÌ„ vs fynd With ores many about vs dyd they wynde With wildfyre oft assayled vs daye and night To breÌ„â—e our shippes in that they could or might ¶ The flete came home than at our Lady day FroÌ„ Sayn whiche tyme that kyng then had coÌ„ueied Themperoure then to Caleys on his waye And home agayn was come right well apayed Of the welfare of that worthy flete assayed So well in armes vnto his hie pleasaunce Vpon his foes kepte theim selfe by gouernauÌ„ce The CC .xvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce in the .v. yere of his reigne the seconde time and landed at Towke in Constantyne in Normandy THe king theÌ„ in his .v. yere weÌ„t into FrauÌ„ce And landed at Towke and gatte the castell than And so came with all his ordinaunce And layde his siege aboute with many a man Whiche by processe at the last he wan Whiche to Vmfreuile that theÌ„ was erle of Kyme He gaue to kepe for great manhode that tyme ¶ Bayons Falace Cees and Argenton Doumfront Mortyne and Iuory also Musterdeuilers Euerons and Alaunson Caldebeke and Depe Arkes Vnycort tho With other townes and castels many mo Gurnaye Newcastell Gysours Estoutuile Roan Louers and also Vmfreuile ¶ Pountlarge Pountoyes also Pount DorsoÌ„ Maunte Vire Balom and also Aueraunce Castell Galiard with many other toune Bolham in Perche saynt Ioilian in Maunce Merteyn in Perche Chirbroke and eke CoÌ„stauÌ„ce Vernell in Perche Seintlowe and Alauayle Vernon on Sayn without any battayle ¶ All Normandy he gate within two yere And after then he trauayled in Fraunce For mariage and conuencion clere Betwene kyng Charles and hym at instaunce Of duke Philip of Burgoyn of aliaunce In whiche tyme so they were by appoyntment Accorded well and clerely condiscent ¶ That then he wed his doughter Katheryne And proclaymed was then of Fraunce regent And heritour of Fraunce by ryght lyne Of his owne right fro kyng Edwardes discent And Normendy and Guyan as appent Remayn should to hym and to his heyres Kynges of Englande euermore and to theyrs ¶ Then layde he siege to Melon anone right Aboue Paris â—v legges vpon Sayn Whiche by processe and laboure of his might And full sore siege full long with passyng payne He had at laste of whiche he was full fayn And toke it to Vmfreuile erle of Kyme To haue for euer ay forwardes fro that tyme ¶ Sauncer in Burgoyn then gate he mightely And Motreux also where the duke was buried Of Burgoyn then whom he toke vp in hie And at Dugyon as it is notified Hym buried so in Burgoyn vndenyed With high honour and great solempnitee As to
not beleue to the entente that he myghte the more enbouldē certaine of his compaigny then despayryng and geuyng theimselfe to flight beganne to make a newe hoste and with many faire promyses did wowe his brother in lawe Thomas Stanley to take his parte but when that said Thomas would by no meanes fight or rebell agaynste kyng Edwarde then seeyng it was tyme to gooe one waye and he mistrustyng that he was not able to resiste the power of hys enemyes fled wyth the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to Excetre and whē he had taried there two or three dayes seyng that he lacked al thynges necessarye for warre purposed to gooe to Lewes the kyng of Fraunce with whom at his ambassate into Fraunce was veraye well acquaynted and beloued trustyng ether to haue some helpe of the kyng or els to incense hym wholy to fight against hym and so toke shippe at Dartmouth both he and the duke with a greate nombre of theyr familie and sayled with the wynde to Normandie where the chiefe lord of that towne entreteyned hym most royally in al the hast certified that kyng Lewes of his cōmyng thither And that kyng meruailyng greatlye at that noble actes that that erle had doen was mynded thorowly to helpe hym in all that he could when he knewe that he was lāded in Fraūce was glad of it sent to hym certayn of his nobles to shewe hym that he did wishe to haue an occasion wherby he might helpe hym at this time would gladly dooe for him desieryng hym to come to Ambassy where the kyng laye which Ambassy is a manour place of that kynges set vpō the ryuer syde of Loire the duke also his sonne in law and that it should not bee for his losse or harme This was that .ix. yere of kyng Edwardes reigne when the erle fled to Fraunce and of our Lorde a M CCCC and .lxxx. But this greued kyng Edward that thei wer fled for because many of the people and cōmunaltee was desyrous to see hym and thought that the sonne had been goone from theim and out of this worlde when he was absent And in suche estimaciō and honour was he had of the people that thei worshipped honoured none but hym or at the least none more then hym In so muche that his only name was euery mannes song voyce especially of the cōmē people when they made triumphe abrode in that stretes Wherby the moste parte helde of the earle his syde and bare hym more fauoure in theyr hartes then kyng Edward Wherby the kyng was in feare and daunger both of his owne countremen that wer in his realme and of theim that were abrode in Fraunce but before all other he did prouide for that erle his cōmyng And first he sente to Charles the duke of Burgom his brother in law desiryng him that he would manashe Lewes the kyng with whom he had made a league of peace not to aide the erle of Warkwike or that duke his sonne in lawe neither with mony nor with mē The which Charles wrote to that kyng of Fraūce thretened hym many thynges if so that he mainteyned or helped theim And when the kyng of Fraūce had red his letter aūswered again saied that he might lawfully would sauyng his league truce helpe his frēds that wer valiaūt noble men as the earle was and settyng nothyng by all his thretenyng braggyng wordes sayd it shoulde bee neither greate peyne nor coste to hym Whē these tydynges came into England that kyng was veraye sorie for that cause searched priuely in his realme who wer frēdes to his enemies And for feare by that reason of the examinaciō of theim that wer prisoners in his hand some did take sentuarie and some came to the kynges side And emonges theim the lord Marques Montacute offered hymself to the kyng again to helpe hym in his warres whom the kyng gladly receaued for because that by him mo would leane to his side In this meane season the erle of Warwike the duke went to Ambassy wher the kyng of Fraūce was by the way the people came veraye thicke to see hym because they harde so muche speakyng of his noblenesse when he came there the kyng receaued hym moste gently to whō shortly after the erle did breake his mynd and shewed the cause of his commyng To whome the kyng promysed all that he coulde dooe for hym to the vttermoste extente of his power Sone after quene Margarete the wife of Henrye that .vi. came to theim with her sōne prince Edward and the earle of Penbruck and also of Oxēforde the whiche a lytle before sayled ouer to her After they cōmuned together as concernyng that safegard of their bodies a league was made thorowe the kyng of Fraunce his counsel And first lady Anne the doughter of the earle was maried and despoused to prynce Edwarde the quenes soonne Also the erle and the duke promysed faithfullye that they woulde not geue ouer vnto suche tyme that kyng Henrye the .vi. or Edwarde his soonne were proclaymed kyng of Englande after kyng Henry that the erle and the duke should ouersee and gouerne the realme by the wyll and apoyntmente of the quene Margarete and her sonne prince Edwarde vnto suche tyme that the forenamed prince wer of lawfull age and habilitee the whiche they promysed faythfully to obserue and dooe as they wer apoynted And besydes these many other condicions were made aswel for that reason did so require as the busynes that was at that tyme. When this league of truth faithfulnes was thus made the kyng Lewes holpe the erle with mēne harnes and nauie that he might the surer go to Englāde And Rhenate also the father of y◠quene Margarete gaue hym mēne harnyse to his power So that he hauyng no small nombre of men did take shippe at Sayne mouth ther tariyng hard word from Englād by letters that he should come ouer in all the haste that there were so many that would take his parte that he shoulde haue no nede to bryng any with hym for they wer redy in harneyse at the water side willyng to helpe hym in al that they could and not they onely but many noble men princes would helpe hym both with mony men harneyse with all that they could dooe When he had receaued these letters he purposed to go forth and take the oportunitee of the tyme. And because that the quene was not redy to set forth he the duke of Oxēford and the duke of Penbruch went before with parte of that hoste nauye to trie what chaūce thei shuld haue that if all thinges should chaunce well the quene and the prynce should folowe and come vnto Englande Therfore the Earle and the Duke thanking the king as highly as they coulde for that he had doone so much for theim dyd take their leaue and sayled vnto Englande with all their
stone That Wynchester is nowe a towne full mery Caire Paladoure that nowe is Shaftesbury Where an Engel spake syttyng on the wall Whyle it was in workyng ouer 〈◊〉 ¶ In whiche citees he made then temples three And flaumes also as nowe these bishoppes been To kepe the rites after their moralytee Of there goddes as in there bookes was seen Of their fals lawes as thei dyd meen When he had reigned by thyrtye yere and nyne The dulful death made hym to earth enclyne The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Bladud kynge of Britayne had Logres and Albany He made an vniuersitee and a study at Stamforde a flaume and his temple at Bathe his citee whiche vniuersitee dured to the commyng of saynt Augustyne and the byshoppe of Roome enterdited it for heresyes that fell emong the Saxones and the Britons together mixte BLadud his soÌ„ne sone after hym did succede And reigned after then full .xx. yere Cair Bladud so that now is Bath I rede He made anone the hote bathes there infere When at Athenes he had studied clere He brought with hym .iiii. philosophiers wise Schole to holde in Brytayne and exercyse ¶ StaÌ„forde he made that SaÌ„forde hight this daye In whiche he made an vniuersitee His philosophiers as Merlyn doth saye Had scolers fele of greate habilitee Studyng euer alwaye in vnitee In all the seuen liberall science For to purchace wysedome and sapience ¶ In cair bla 〈…〉 m he made a temple right And sette a flamyne theirin to gouerne And afterward a* Fetherham he dight To flye with wynges as he could beest descerne Aboue the aire nothyng hym to werne He flyed on high to the temple Apolyne And ther brake his necke for al his great doctrine The .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Leyr of Brytaine gaue away with his doughter all his lande and had it all again and dyed kyng possessid HIs sooÌ„ne was kyng high sette in royaltee Of all Brytaynes by name that hight kyng Leyr Who Laiceter made after hym called to bee Cair Leyr his citee that buylded was full faire He had doughters three to been his heire The first of theim was called Gonorelle The next Ragan and the youngest Cordelle ¶ Emonges theim as Leyr satte on a daye He asked theim howe muche thei hym loued Gonorell saied more then my self ay And Ragan saied more then was after prouid For ioye of whiche the kyng was greately moued I loue you more then all this worlde so fayre He grauÌ„ted theim twoo of thre partes to bee heire ¶ Cordell the youÌ„gest then saied full soberly Father as muche as ye been in value So muche I loue you and shall sikirly At all my might and all my herte full trewe With that he greuid at hir and chaunged hewe Senne thou me loues lesse then thy sisters twain The leest porcion shalt thou haue of Bryteine ¶ With that Maglayn duke of Albaine Gonorell weddid and had the lande all out Euin of Walis and of Cornwayle ther by That duke was of those twoo landes stoute Ragan weddid to whiche twoo dukes no doubte Kyng Leyr gaue rule and gouernaunce Of all Bryteine for age and none puissaunce The .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Leyr made a temple and a Flamyne to rule at all Laiceter A Temple that in his citee of Kaireleir A Flamyne also as he a bishop were In name of Ianus the folke into repere And then he wente Gonorell to requier Of the greate loue that she aught hym so dere That of hir promyse she failed vnkyndly Wherfore he wente vnto Ragan in hye ¶ She failed also for all hir greate promyse And to Cordell that weddid was into Fraunce Long after that he wente in greate distres To helpe to wynne hym his inheritaunce She succurred hym anon with all plesaunce Bothe with gold syluer of right greate quaÌ„titee To gette his lande again in all suertee ¶ Aganippe hir lorde was kyng of Fraunce That graunt hym menne and goud sufficient And sent his wife with hym with greate puisauÌ„ce With all aray that to hir wer apent His heire to been by their bothes assent For he was olde and might not well trauell In his persone the warres to preuaile ¶ Kyng Leyr thus waÌ„ne his lande with all might again And riegned well there after full thre yere And died so buried at Kairleir menne sayn In Ianus temple in whiche tyme for age clere The kyng of Fraunce Aganype infere Dyed wherfore Cordell his ayre was soo To rule Brytaine alone with outen moo The .xxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Cordell quene of Fraunce and doughter of kyng Leyr reigned after the death of hir father COrdell quene of FrauÌ„ce and doughter to kyng Leyr Quene of EnglaÌ„de after hir fathers daye Fiue yeres reigned as for hir fathers heyre And gouerned well the realme all menne to paye His sister soonne then Morgan of Albanie And Condage also of Cambre and Cornewaile In battaill greate hir tooke and putte in baill ¶ For sorow then she sleugh hir selfe for tene And buried was by side hir father right In Ianus teÌ„ple whiche kyng Leyr made I went At Kairleyr so that nowe Laicester hight Thus died this quene that was of muche might Hir soule went to Ianus whome she serued And to Mynerue whose loue she had deserued The .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Morgan kyng of Albanie that claâ—nyd all Briteyne but this Isle of Britayne was departed for this kyng had but Albany MOrgan that eldest sooÌ„ne of Dame Gonorell Clamed Brytein as for his heritage Warred sone of Condage as I spell That kyng was of Cambre in younge age Duke of Cornewaile also for his homage But this kyng Morgan was kyng of Albany Soonne and heire of the eldest soonne varelie ¶ CoÌ„dage was kyng of CaÌ„bre that Walis is nowe And duke of Cornewaile his patrimonye Claymed Logres as soonne and heire to Regawe The myddill sister for his mothers proprete As she that aught to haue hir partourye At Glomorgane with Morgan did he meete In bataill sleugh hym there casten vnder fete The .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Condage kyng of Logres Cambre and duke of Cornewaile gatte all Bryteine againe and made a temple with a Flamyne at Bangor COndage was kyng of all greate Britaine And in his hande he seased all Albanie For his eschete that ought to hym againe Resorte of right and returne verelye He made a Flamyne a temple also in hye Of Mars at Perch that nowe his s Iohns towne In Albany that now is Scotlande region ¶ He made another temple of Mynerue In Cambre which now is named bangour The thyrde he made in Cornwayle for to serue Of Mercury in place where he was bore For his people to serue the goddes there Wherby he reygned .xxx. yere and three In rest and peace and all tranquilitee ¶ Ryueall his sonne that was pacificall Crowned was than easye of gouernaile In whose tyme the greate tempest dyd befall That dayes thre the flyes did hym assayle Enuenoned foule vnto the death
A man to haue bene in hye felycite And to fall downe by infortune agayne In myserye and fell aduersyte Howe maye a man haue a thyng more contraye Then to haue been well and after woo begone Incomperable to it bee paynes echone ¶ Wherfore good lord the peace euermore mainteine And ryottes all chastyce by prouisyon And lawe vpholde ryghtfully and sustene And ouer all thyng se there bee no deuisyon But reste and peace without discencyon For where a realme or a cytee is deuyded It maye not stand as late was verified ¶ In Fraunce as fell full greate diuision Through whiche that first Henry kyng of EnglaÌ„de Ouer rode their lande by greate prouision And conquered theim thei might not hym with staÌ„de All their citees were yeld into his hande For cause of their cruell descencion Emong theim sustened by contencion ¶ Roome Carthage and many other citees And many realmes as clerkes haue specified Haue been subuert and also many countrees By diuision emong theim fortified Wher vnite and loue had been edified Might theim haue saued in all prosperite Frome all hurt and all aduersite ¶ Whexfore good lord thynke on this lessoÌ„ nowe And teache it to my lorde of Marche your heire While he is young it maye bee for his prowe To thynke on it wheÌ„ that the wether waxeth faire And his people vnto hym dooeth repaire And litill hath theim to releue and pease Then maye it hap with it his people case ¶ For what sauour a newe shell is taken with When it is olde it tasteth of the same Or what kynd of ympe in gardein or in frith Ymped is in stocke fro whence it came It sauourith euer and it nothyng to blame For of his rote frome whiche he dooth out spryng He must euer tast and sauour in eatyng ¶ While he is young in wisedome hym endowe Whiche is full hard to gette without labour Whiche labour maye not bee with ease nowe For of labour came kyng and emperour Let hym not bee idill that shall bee your successor For honour and ease together maye not been Wherfore writh nowe the wand while it is grene ¶ Endowe hym nowe with noble sapience By whiche he maye the wolf werre frome the gate For wisedome is more worth in all defence Then any gold or riches congregate For who wanteth witte is alwaye desolate Of all good rule and manly gouernaunce And euer enfect by his contrariaunce ¶ Endowe hym also in humilitee And wrath deferre by humble pacience Through whiche he shall increace in dignitee And catch alway full greate intelligence Of all good rule and noble regymence And to conclude wrath will euer sette a side All maner of thyng whiche wisedome would prouide ¶ Behold Bochas what prices haue through pride Be cast downe frome all their dignitee Wher sapience and meekenes had bee guyde Full suerly might haue saued bee And haue stand alwaye in might greate suertee If in their hartes meekenes had bee ground And wisedome also thei had not be confound ¶ Nowe foloweth of the Englyshe kynges and Saxones The .xcix. Chapiter THis Cadwalader nowe laide in sepulture That some tyme was that kyng of great Brytain And of Westsex also ther with full sure To whome succedid Iuore his soonne certain Reignyng ouer Brytons that did remain In Wales then without any socour But onely he became their gouernour ¶ With whome Iue his cousin was at nede That warred sore the Englishe and Saxonye Many winters and nought preuayled in deede Sauyng thei reigned vpon the Vasselry That wer out castes of all Brytany But Ingils and Iue his brother dere In westsex reigned which CoÌ„rede his sonnes were ¶ Whom Englishe then and all the Saxonye Theim chose and made to bee their protectours Again Iuor and his cousin Iuy That were that tyme the Brytons gouernours To Wales fled for helpe and greate socours But Ingils and Iue of Englishe bloodde discent Then kept Englande full well by one assent ¶ A yere all whole and then this Ingils dyed And Iue was kyng of Westsex fully cround That reigned then full greately magnified Eyght and thyrty wynter full well and sounde With his brother and what alloen that stouÌ„de In whose tyme Theodore then dyed Of Cauntorbury archebishop signified ¶ Whiche Ingile Iue did call this lande Englande After Inglis as thei had harde afore After Engest it called was Engestes lande By corrupt speach Englande it hight therfore And afterwarde so that name it hath euer bore As Gurmound also afore it had so named Whiche sith that tyme hath been ful hougely famed ¶ Kyng Iue and Ingils in Westsex first began The yere sixe hundred foure score therto nyne So did Iuo and Iue in Wales then Ouer the Walshe that were of Brytons line In muche trouble and woo as fill that tyme Kyng Alfride in all Northumberlande Wittred and Welbard in Kent I vnderstande ¶ In Englande yet were kynges seuen Vnder kyng Iue that twenty battailes smote Vpon Iuor and Iue accompted euen But in the yere as Bede hath saied and wryte That euery manne his debte to kynd paye mote Kyng Iue dyed at Roome then was the yere Seuen hundred and seuen and twenty clere ¶ And at his death he gaue to Roome eche yere The Roome pence through Westsex all about Perpetually to bee well payed and clere For vnto Roome he went without doubt And with theim lordes and gentils a greate route In pilgrymage for Eld and impotence When he might not the lande well defence The C. Chapiter ¶ Etheldred kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned thyrty yere ETheldred in Westsex to hym gan succede And kyng was then and held the royalte Protector was of EnglaÌ„de their in deede And helde his tyme euer furth the souereingtee In heritage and perpetualitee That thyrten yere reigned in good astate Whiche cherished peace and chastised all debate ¶ Wher any wrath was growyng in his lande Emong prelates or lordes temporall In citees or in cuntrees wher he fande Accordid theim in euery place ouer all And in his tyme the kynges inspeciall Vnder his rule and sure proteccion He kept in peace by lawfull direccion ¶ Who dyed so of Christ his incarnacion The yere sixe hundreth fourty accompted tho Entombed at Bathe with sore lamentacion Of all Englande as well of frende as foo Which Bathe citee some tyme was called soo Achamany in Brytain language By Achaman that had it in heritage ¶ In his tyme was Oswyk in NorthumberlaÌ„d And dyed then to whome Colwolphe did succed Edbertpren in Kent I vnderstand And Ethelbald in Mers was theÌ„ I rede In Essex also was then reignyng Selrede And Ethelrede in Estangle that daye All these wer kynges and vnder hym alwaye ¶ So fro that tyme furth fro the Scottish sea To Sulwath â—loud and to the water of Tyne The Peightes had and kept without lee Wher kyng Edwin their kyng was by right line Rulyng that lande in peace and lawe
Harforde his citee And Offa then and Humbert as is breued Bishop of Lychefelde wher then was his see Whiche kyng and byshop with great royaltee Translate that tyme saynt Albone in shryne Of siluer gylt with stones fayre and fyne ¶ Whiche Offa died the yere of Christ full clere Seuen hundreth .iiii. score and thereto seuentene When he had reigned so ix and thyrty yere At Offa aye buried that tyme as well is sene With all honoure as to suche a kyng beseme To whom Egfride his sonne then gan succede And after hym Kynuphe reigned in dede ¶ Whiche Offa gaue through Mers the Rome peny Vnto the churche of Rome full longe afore Tharchebyshoprych from Cauntorburye Vnto Lychefeld translated for euermore By his will euer to abyde thore So stode it then for certeyn all his lyue As Flores sayth and doeth it so subscriue ¶ This Azdulphe kyng of Northumberlande Slew Wade his duke that again hym was rebel Besyde Mulgreue where as men vnderstande His graue is yet men saye vpon the fell For his falshed and treason as bookes tell Betwene Gysburgh and Whitby sothe to saye Where for treason he was layd in the hie waye ¶ In his fourth yere with duke Kylrike he fought And droaue hym to his shippes then agayn In Humbar so that he had not to his fraught But fewe persones were lefte alyue vnslayne And in his yere eleuen with mykell payne With Danes he fought againe yorkeshyre right where many thousaÌ„des he slewe that were ful wight ¶ And on a daye as he from huntyng came All hote chased his men bottelles founde In his chaumber in which was wyne of name Menne called that tyme Vernage of straunge land Whiche wine was poysoned as I vnderstande Of whiche he dranke and poysoned was anon Vnto the death and might no ferther gone ¶ He dyed the yere .vii. C .lxxx. and nyntene At Tewkisbury buryed in sepulture Of whose death Edburge that was quene Was blamed then for that mysauenture For she dyd make that drynke men sayde ful sure Certayne persones by venym to haue slayne That loued her nought and was her euer agayn But what for feare and what for speche she fled With great rychesse of passyng great measure In Fraunce vnto the kyng full fast she sped But of her rule thence forth I set no cure It was so lewde to reporte in scrypture I wyll not breake my brayne it to reporte For wemens wele the which I wolde comforte The C .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Egbert kyng of Westsex protectour of England that reigned .xxxv. yere dyed in the yere of Chryste viii hundreth thyrtye and thre as after shall appere EGberte cosyn to the sayde Segberte Kyng of Westsex was royally accepte with all honour that the lordes could aduert And eche man glad no creature excepte So graciously fortune then had hym kepte That all people ioyed his coronacyon For cause he was of Britons generacyon ¶ For downe he was from Asserake discent Kyng Ebrank sonne of consanguinytee Syth Cadwalader dyed and was dispent Was none ryght heyre of Brytons bloud but he As Chronycles tell lyke as a man maye se For systers sonne he was to kyng Sygbert Of Westsex hole as Flores coulde aduerte ¶ Also men sayde he came of Ingils bloude And very heyre he was to hym and Iue For whiche Englysh Saxons with him stode And helde with hym as for theyr bloude natyfe Protectour was he made there so belyue Of all Englande and Wales hole conquered And Cornewayle asso as it is chronicled ¶ Then toke he of all kynges leege homage Excepte Bernulphe that kyng of Mers was tho Woulde do hym none then for his herytage Wherfore he brent his lande did him mikyl wo And so they gathred great hoost on both sides tho Where Bernulphe then at Glenden hym met In Mers lande trowyng hym to ouerset ¶ But kyng Egberte had then the victory And slewe Bernulphe for all his boste and pryde To Ludican he gaue that lande in hye To holde of hym as other dyd on euery syde Through all Englande that was both longe wide Then droue he kyng Balrede out from all Kent And all his realme destroyed sore and brent ¶ But Ludican was false by foule treason Whome kyng Egbert then slewe in batayle sore For his falshode and his rebellyon And to Wylaffe he gaue that lande ryght thore Was Bernulphs sonne to haue for euermore To holde of hym of ryght and herytage By seruyce dewe of feaute and homage ¶ Then in his tyme the Danes sore destroyed The ysles of shepey and Tenet also And to the sea they went agayne vnanoyed And after sone in Northumberlande tho They dyd aryue and wrought full mekell woo With whome Egbert there faught with smal meny That oute of the felde they made hym to flye ¶ Kyng Egbert drewe south then into the lande And helde the felde to tyme his sonnes two Athylwolfe and Ethylbert I vnderstande With hoste full greate came ridyng to hym tho Where then he bare the crosse of golde ay so In his lefte hande and in his ryght a swerd With which he made his fooes therwith al aferd ¶ For there he had the felde and victorye And slewe Dardan a knyght full chyualrus The kynges sonne of Denmarke sekerly And all his hosâ—e that was full malicyous By vertue of the crosse patyfe precyous For whiche alwaye after in hys banner Of azuer whole the crosse of golde he bear ¶ Whiche armes so full after this daye Kyng Kinigyll of Westsex had them bore Fro his bapteme thenne afterwarde alwaye And all the kynges after so dyd euermore Of Westsex so in mynde of Christes lore His crosse his death and his holy passyon Whiche Iewes him wrought without compassioÌ„ When kyng Egbert had fyue and thyrty yere Reygned in lande and felt full great syckenesse Of whiche he dyed of Chrystes birth full clere The yere so then .viii. C. was expresse Foure and thyrty nother more ne lesse At Wynchester then royally buryed As Flores sayeth and well hath notifyed The C .v. Chapiter ¶ Athelwolfe kynge of Westsex reygned .xix. yere dyed the yere .viii. hundreth .liii. after Chrystes byrth AThelwolfe was king crowned at his citee Of Westchester in all royall estate To whome the kinges lordes made feaute And homage leege as was preordynate That reygned after .xix. yere fortunate And graunted the churche tythes of corne haye Of bestiall also through Westsex for aye ¶ In the yere eyght hundred thirty and eyght The Danes arriued with shippis fourscore thre Wher Athelstane his sonne did with theim feight And duke Wolfward by greate fortunitee Theim toke and sleugh with all felicitee But Athelstane in that battaile was slaine Of his warres that was the capitain ¶ And in the yere eyght huÌ„dred thirty and nyne The kyng faught sore with Danes at Mersyngton Wher erle Harbart was slain a prince full fyne But Danes all were take and slain their a doune
Without mercy cracked vpon the croune The kyng came home with honour and victorye As Flores saieth right in his memorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fourty and one The Danes watched thest sea cost throughout With diuers hostes for which that king made great mone All helples thē the Danes that were so stout In many places with many dyuerse rout All harmles went without hurt or pain By dyuers tyme that yere home again ¶ In the yere eyght hundred foure and fourtye At Carham then the kyng full sore did fight With Danes fell and had the victorye And at Alnewik he faught again furth right With Danes also wher kyng Redwolf that hight Of Northumberlāde and erle Alffride was slain And full greate parte of their hoost certain ¶ Kyng Athilwolf came to the South contree Wher Danes then in battaile with hym faught In Somersetshire wher he made many dye And gate the feld and sleugh all that he caught Wher great people that daye the death hath raught Tharchbishop with his full wise clergie Bysyde Sandwiche of Danes had victorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and one The Danishe hoost in Thamis did arriue Kent and Southray Sussex and Hāshire anone Distroyed sore and throughe that South gan dryue Wher muche folke thei sleugh bothe māne wife Whiche host the kyng with battaile slewe doune sore That home again retourned thei no more ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The kyng Edmond of Estangle began To reigne after Albert of greate beautee That holy was as his legend tell can But Athilwolf the kyng buryed then The kyng of Mers that had his doughter wed All Wales wan theim thought thei had well sped ¶ This Athilwolf to Roome toke his waye In pilgremage with hym his soonne Alurede Cardinall was of Wynchester that daye Wher then he had the bishoprike in deede A perfecte clerke he was as saieth sainct Bede A philosophier wise and well approued And by the bishop of Rome cōmēdid well loued ¶ And there thei were abydyng ful twoo yere And home thei came vnto the kyng of Fraunce And his doughter Indith ther weddid clere By assent of hym and all his hole puysaunce And so with worship and noble gouernaunce Fro thens he came sone into England With hir and with his soonne as I vnderstand ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The death his soule gan frome his body dryue Vnto the blisse eternall there to bee In heuen aboue wher is euerlastyng life To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Roome pence then of all Englande As Flores saieth as I can vnderstande ¶ He was then buryed at Winchester in royall wise As to suche a prince of reason should affere And with his wife as did full well suffice Foure soonnes he had worthy without pere Sir Athilwold Ethelbert Elfride the dere And Alrude the youngest of echone Afore theim all one bast had Athelston ¶ Athelbold was kyng after hym and heire And protector with all the prerogatif His stepdame wed menne saied it was not faire The churche him gan punishe and chastiue For cause he wed hir so vnto his wife Again the lawe and christen conciense Vnaccordant with his magnificence ¶ That reigned whole twoo yere and no more In greate sikenes and pain inmorderate Greately vexed and punisshed was right sore Menne saied it was for sinne inordinate With his stepdame that was so consociate But then he had as God would repentaunce For his trespas and misgouernaunce ¶ Afore he dyed he did full sore repent And for his synne stode to correccion Of holy churche for his amendement Submitted whole without obieccion And for to liue in clene perfeccion Departed were by lawe and deuorced Afore his soule was passed and vncorced The C .vi. Chapiter ¶ Ethelbert kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned fiue yere SIr Ethelbert his brother gan succede In whose dayes the Danes destroied sore The east parties of England then in deed And home againe they went harmeles therfore Destroyed the people and the lande right sore But sone ther after kyng Ethelbert them mette And sleugh theim downe in bataile sore and bet ¶ An other hoost then newe spoyled all Kent And by treaty wyntred within the Isle Of Tenet then by Kentishe mennes assent But at last thei with a subtell wyle Despoyled all Kent and falsely did beguyle And to their shipis went without delaye Into Denmarke with muche riche araye ¶ This Ethelbert reigned whole fiue yere And dyed the yere of verey Christ his date Eyght hundred whole and therto sixty clere As Flores saieth and hath it approbate But with sykenesse he was so alterate He dyed then and at Shirborne buryed With greate worship and honour laudified The C .vii. Chapiter ¶ Elfride kyng of Westsex protector of Englande reigned sixe yere and dyed in the yere of Christ eyght hundred lxvi ELfride was kyng after his brother then That reigned so with all the dignitee In Westsex whole and mightely began Protector was as was necessitee For Danes then of greate iniquite His lande foule brent wasted and destroyed That all Englande was combred and anoyed ¶ In the east cost of Englande specially In Estangle wher Edmond then was kyng Ther did greate hurte full cruelly In Northumberlande full felly warryng The people destroiyng and the lande brennyng Wher Danes then sleugh the kyng of that lande Byside Yorke so as Flores dooeth vnderstande ¶ Also thei sleugh in Northfolke all about The people doune and in Suffolke also The kyng Edmond thei sleugh without doubt Of Estangland with arowes sharpe tho Was shot to death with muche other woo That is a sainct honored this daye in blisse At Edmondes bury canonyzed I wisse ¶ Hungar and Vbba sleugh hyw full cruelly And brent abbeis throut all England that tyme By North and South and prestes full cursedly All holy folke fled out of that realme Thei sleugh all people that had take bapteme At Colyngham sainct Ebbe that was abbesse Their nonnes putte from theim in sore distresse ¶ For dred of the tyrauntes twoo full cruell And their people cursed and full of malice That rauished nōnes euer wher their herd tell In hir chaptre ordeined again their enemies Should not deffoule their clene virginitees She cut hir nose of and hir ouer lippe To make hir lothe that she might from hym slipe ¶ And counseled all hir susters to dooe the same To make their fooes to hoge so with the sight And so thei did afore thenimies came Echon their nose and ouer lipe full right Cut of anone whiche was an hogly sight For whiche tho fooes thabbey and nonnes brent For thei theim self disfigured had shent ¶ Frō Twede to Thamys abbais then thei brēt And churches hole and people sleugh right doune Wiues maydens widdowes and nonnes shent Through all the lande and the est region People sleyng in euery borough and towne The women euer thei diuiciate In
that countre slewe doune right The kyng then made a lord that Awbryke hight Erle of that countre that durst not Scottes withstande Wherfore he gaue Robert Mowbray that lande ¶ And made hym erle of Northumberland The kyng then sent vnto euery shire Iustices to sitte throughout all the land Of all lordshipis and knightes fees enquere What temporales he had to knowe he had desire And what perteined vnto his royall croune And what the churche had of deuocion ¶ Vnto his soonne eldest then generate All Normandy he gaue in heritage And England whole to Wyllyam nominate His second soonne gaue with all thauauntage And to Henry his third soonne young of age Therldome gaue then of Gloucester sea With the honour of slede for euer in certente ¶ He dyed the yere a thousand four score and ten And of his reigne twenty yere and four tho At Cane buried in thabbey that hight then Sainct StepheÌ„s abbey by Cane that staÌ„deth so His doughter Ade afore had maried tho Vnto therle StepheÌ„ of Bloyes a prince of might Of warres wyse and a full manly knight The C .xxiij. Chapiter ¶ Wyllyam Rufus kyng of England reigned thirtene yere and began to reigne in the yere of our lorde a thousand four score and ten dyed that yere a thousand one hundred three HIs sooÌ„ne Wylliam Rufus as he deuised Was crouned then with great solempnitee But after soone duke Robert was auised To clayme England by his priorite And Normandy also as for his proprete As he that was his eldest soone and heire With hoste full greate in England game repeire ¶ And made greate warre vpon his brother so Three yere all out betwene theim so continued Till at last thei bothe betwene theim twoo Did condiscende as well to theim perteined With whole herte and will nothyng feined The iudgement of kyng Philip of Fraunce To vndergo and bide his ordinaunce ¶ In whiche meane while his brother erle HeÌ„ry The castels all belongyng to the croune As high constable of England properly Then seazed had in his possession As his office by good dereccion Asked of right and of good consuetude To kepe theim sure to the crounes excelsitude ¶ The kyng Philip by his auised parliament Gaue iudgement betwene the brethren twoo As kyng Wyllyam their father full ment All Normandy Robert should haue euer moo And Wyllyam England frendes should bee so And liue in peace without any clayme And either other releace and whole disclayme ¶ Th erle Henry of England then constable Deliuered all the castels and citees right To kyng Wyllyam his brother enheritable As he was bound and fully so had hight Duke Robert then his brother a worthy knight To England came to sport hym with his brother At whiche tyme either was glad of other The C .xxiiij. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Malcolyn of Scotland warred in England for his wife 's right pretendyng that she was right heire of England and afterward he did homage to kyng wyllyam Rufus for the realme of Scotland His Malcolin of ScotlaÌ„d greatly claimed T To haue England then by his wifes right Margarete suster of Edgar heire ê“clamed Of England whole that expelled was by might Of kyng Wyllyam conquerour by vnright So for his right the Northland he destroyed And home he went again nothyng annoyed ¶ But then the kyng and his brethren twoo To Scotland rode and wasted sore the land Till Malcolyne came and did his homage By letter wrytten and sealed I vnderstand Whiche Hardyng gaue in to kyng Henryes haÌ„d Without reward or any recompence Of mayne labour his costagis and expence ¶ The duke Robert went home to Normandy And kyng Malcolyne his soonne then Edward Warred again Northumberland in hie But erle Robert that kepyng had and ward Of NorthuÌ„berland with hym then faught full hard Byside Alnwike at Malcolyne well were slain There Malcolyne and Edward his sooÌ„ne certain ¶ WheÌ„ quene Margret so of that tidynges knewe She eate neuer meate for sorowe dyed anone At Dunfermelyn buryed as then was dewe But nowe she is there shryned in fleshe and bone Workyng miracles as sayeth many one Entombed faire and in the firetree translate Of whiche abbey nowe is she aduocate ¶ The Scottes then made Dunwalde so their kyng Malcolynes brother that to it had no right But DunkaÌ„ sonne of Malcolyne that knowyng With helpe of kyng Wyllyam and royall might Of Scotlande so droaue hym awaye to flight And crouned was as chronicles vnderstande And homage made to wyllyam for his lande ¶ Sone after kyng Dunkan of Scotland slayn By treason was and Dunwall restitute Vnto the croune of Scotlande then agayne Whome Edgare then by succoure and refute Of kyng Wyllyam droue out all destitute Of any helpe and crouned was in Scotlande To kyng Willyam did homage for his lande ¶ Of whose homage Iohn Hardyng gaue that letter Full clerely made written well and sealed The whiche also with other letters better That by reason maye not be repeled The whiche yf he would haue enbeseled The kyng Iames vnto his waryson A M. marke hym hight of his discrecion ¶ And in his tyme Roes that Richarde hight The kyng of Wales in battayl strong was slayn Besyde the castell of Brekenham then full right Fro whiche tyme forthe theyr kynges seazed full playn And princes called they were soth to sayn The kyng with hoste on Robert Monbraye rode Who with the kyng faught of his traytourhode ¶ And discomfite helde Bamburgh castell then And the kyng enduryng full .vii. yere Consentyng with the lordes that so began For to depose the kyng of his croune clere And duke Robert his brother with great power To croune and make the kyng of all Englande With Normandy to ioyse I vnderstande ¶ The kynge exiled Anselme of Cauntorbury Tharchebyshop that withstode his wronges Doen to the churche and to the prelacie To the commons also that theim belonges SeueÌ„tene tounes with also many churches amoÌ„ges And abbeys foure he wasted and confounde The newe forest in Hamshire for to founde ¶ He buylded the Newcastell vpon Tyne The Scottes to gaynstande and to defende And dwell therin the people to enclyne The towne to builde and walle as did append He gaue theim ground golde ful great to spend To buylde it well and wall it all aboute And fraunchised theim to paye a free rent out ¶ The rentes frutes to tharchbishop ê‘teinyng And to the byshoppes of Wynchester Sarum And also .ix. abbeys lyuelod conteynyng In his handes leazed and held all and some But for his workes buylynges held eche crome With whiche he made then westmynster hall And the castel of Newecastell withall ¶ That staÌ„deth on Tyne therin to dwel in warre Agayne the Scottes the countree to defende Whiche as men sayd was to hym mekill deer And more pleasyng then otherwyse dispende And muche people for it did hym coÌ„mende For cause he dyd the commen wealthe sustene Of marchers vnnumerable to mayntene The
ladyes many were drowned as was sene And then the kyng wed Hadelyse the quene The duke Godfrey daughter that was of Loreyne Of his mournyng to comforte him agayne ¶ And in the yere a thousande fully accompte And an C. twenty and also fyue Themperour Henry the death surmounte And passed to God fro Maude that was his wife Who to her father king Henry came belyfe Abode with hym in Englande then â–ª two yere Maude Empryce was called then full clere ¶ And in the yere of Chrystes incarnacyon A thousande was an C. twenty and seuen When kyng Henry in greate prosperacyon His doughter Maude thempryce to neuen The earle Geffrey Plantagenet euen Earle of Angeou the sone of Fowke Tailboys So maryed had of fame that had the voyce ¶ On whome he gate a sonne that Henry hyght By surname called Henry fitz Empryce Then dyed his eme Alexaunder forth ryghte The kyng of Scottes a priÌ„ce of great enterpryce That homage dyd for Scotlande as suffyce So dyed then to whome Dauyd succede His brother was saint Margarete sonne in dede ¶ That to kyng Henry made his homage And then to Maude the foresayde Empryce By hole assent of all his Baronage By letter wryten and sealed as maye suffyce which Iohn HardiÌ„g in Scotland brought of pÌ„ce with many mo for foure C. marke and fyftye At biddiÌ„g coÌ„maundement of the with king Henry ¶ Cadwalan prynce of Wales at Wadeyet In batayle faught where kyng Henry him slewe And greate people of Wales that there forset Were slayne that daye to hym that were vntrewe Of whiche batayl Wales maye alway rewe The yere a thousande an C. and thyrtye And there tyll two as made is memorye ¶ Then went the kyng to Normandye agayne And there abode and kepte all Normandy To tyme he dyed of whome that lande was fayne But Englande then of it was full heuy When he had reygned so full worthy He dyed in the syxe and thyrtye yere At Boys Leon of his reygne then full clere ¶ Of Chrystes date was then a thousande yere An hundreth also and. ix and thyrtye moo Buryed at Redynge as well it doth appere In the abbaye whiche there he founded so Of monkes blake where euer they ryde or goo That pray for hym for quene Maude his wyfe Who eyther other loued withouten stryfe The C .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Stephan of Bloys kynge of Englande reygned .xix. yere beganne the yere of Chryst a thousande C. and. xxxix and dyed in the yere a thousande C .lviii. STephaÌ„ of Blois his sister soÌ„ne was crouÌ„d A manly maÌ„ was theÌ„ of great power And king was made of England that stound Withoute stryfe or any maner warre To Normandy he went and seazed all there and gaue it to his sonne syr Eustace And made hym duke therof with great solace ¶ Thus Eustace then duke of Normandy To Parys went to kyng lewys of Fraunce His homage made for his lande so in hye And put oute then with greate contraryaunce The offycers that dyd to Maude pleasaunce And wed the suster of kyng Lewes to wife For supowaill of it without strife ¶ The kyng StephaÌ„ to EnglaÌ„d theÌ„ home came And tidynges had howe kyng Dauid had distroied The North parties dooen full muche harme Wherfore he brent Edenburgh then and noyed And the countree aboute he sore accloyed For wiche Dauid his soonne to Henry then sent To bee his manne thens furth at his entent ¶ To whome kyng Stephan therldoÌ„ of HuÌ„tyngton Then gaue and erle therof hym so create Who then for it by verey due reason His homage did as it was ordinate Whiche HeÌ„ry dyed and neuer had kynges estate For whiche the Scottes seyn thei owe no seruice To Englishe kynges but onely of this wise ¶ Kyng Stephan then bet the castell doune In England so that stode hym to defence His menne thei gaue to their enheritesoun And all foon for cause of their offence He disherite with might violence Diuers erles and lordes he disherite And many other of his frendes enherite ¶ The yere of Christ a thousand was then gone An hundred thirty and eight also Kyng Stephan brake all his othes a none That he had made vnto the barons tho For whiche thei rose full sore again hym so And warred hym felly on euery side And he on them also with mikyl pryde ¶ The yere a thousande an C. thyrty and nyne Maude Empryce in England claymed her right With earle Robert of Gloucestre her brother fine And earle Randolf of Chester with all his might Syr Bygot earle of Northfolke then hyght Awbrey Ver then earle of Oxenforde And Willyam Bawne that then was earle of Herforde ¶ Willyam Legroos earle of Almarle tho Robert Louell Willyam lorde Percy Kyng Dauyd her eine and many other mo Of earls and barons that were full hardy The castell then Lyncolne gate on hye The cytee helde of Lyncolne with also With hoste full greate lyggyng with them so ¶ Where then the kyng yâ— castell seged longe Tyll he it had by treaty and conuencyon And bode therin with power greate and stronge Tyll Maude and he as made is mencyon With stronge batayles and great discencyon Besyde Lyncolne where then she had the felde And StephaÌ„ taken hurt sore through his sheld To Brystowe then earle Roberte Clare hym led And in the towre there kepte in stronge pryson The Empryce Mawde with power that she had To Wynchester then she rode segyng the towne Where the quene Maude as made is mencyon Kyng StephaÌ„ his wyfe it rescowed with batayl sore And toke the earle Clare his eme thore The C .xxviij. Chapiter ¶ Thenterchaunge of kyng Stephan and of tht duke Robert Clare duke of Glocester FOr which cause theÌ„ to haue hir eme again Themperesse and quene Maude accordid To enterchaunge that kyng so then full fain For erle Robert without more concordid This enterchaunge thus made and recordid The kyng hir sued vnto Oxenford Fro whens she went by night to Walyngford ¶ Vpon the frost in the wynter season In her smocke alone with hir vncle dere That none hir knewe of theim without the towne So like hir smocke and the snowe was in feer The kyng knewe not in what place that she wer For Oxenford he gate and Awbray slewe Of Oxenford that was an erle full trewe ¶ The kyng Stephan a castell then began At Wilton where kyng Dauid with power And erle Robert of Glocester that was then Hym droue awaye out of that place full clere And bet it downe to the ground full nere To Walyngford the kyng with power went Themperesse to sech was his entent ¶ Hir partie then droue hym then awaye With greate slaughter of menne and occâ—sion And euery lorde on other made greate affraye And spoyled other through al this region By greate impression and cruell sore raunson The kyng treated with erle Randolf full trewe But false then was his treaty as menne knewe ¶ For when
he came vnto his presence Anone he putte hym in sore prisone To tyme he had by his magnificence The castell of Lyncolne vnto his croune And putte hym then to fyne and greate raunsom So variaunt he was alwaye of hight Fro euē to morowe that no man trust hym might The fiftene yere of the same kyng Stephen Th erle Geffrey of Angeou decessid A noble prince as all menne did beleuen Henry his soonne of persone well encressed Of childishe wit also full relesed And of age he was then fiftene yere To Scotland came kyng Dauid to require ¶ Of his socour and of his supportacion England to gette that was his heritage Who made hym then full greate consolacion And with hym came without fee or wage With full assent of all his baronage Vnder baners kyng Dauid made hym knight Vpon the felde again kyng Stephen to fight ¶ But suche treaty was made and good accorde That kyng Stephen to Henry shoulde retourne As very heire without more discorde At his decesse to Henry whole retourne The croune of England without more soiourne Who died then after in his .xix. yere At Feuersham buried he was full clere ¶ Of Christes date was then a thousande yere And an hundreth fyftye and eyght also His wyfe and he there buried both in feer The whiche he found whyles he was lyuyng so And reigned here in muche trouble and wo And had this realme without any ryght For themprise Maude that fayre lady bright The C .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Henry fitz Emprice kyng of Englande and erle of Angeou duke of Normandye and Guyen by .xxxvi. yere and beganne to reygne the yere of oure Lorde a thousande a hundreth .lviii. and dyed the yere a thousande an hundreth and .xciiii. HEnry therle of Angeou was tho In this meane tyme had bē in Normādy And set his rule therin for frende or foo And crouned was at London worthely With all the lordes of his hye monarchie And made hym then theyr feautee and homage The prince of Wales also for his heritage ¶ He wedded then a lady fayre and bright Dame Alianor the dukes doughter of Guyen And heyre therof and lady by all right Possession had with all the profytes then And welbeloued was she with her men Deuorced fro the kyng Lewes of Fraunce That hyr had wed to wyfe of his puysaunce ¶ And on her gatte two doughters fayre gente But for sibrede and consanguinitee They were departed by papall iudgement On whome kyng Henry by Christes decree Gatte sonnes foure of great humanitee Henry Richarde Geffrey and Iohn also Elianor and Ihone his doughters two The C .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Malcolyne the seconde kyng of Scottes made homage for Scotlande for therldome of huntyngdon IN this meane whyle kyng Dauid then so dyed To whō Malcolyn Hēryes sōne was heire Whiche Henry was erle notified Of Huntyngdon without any dispayre Of that erldome bothe good and fayre And sonne was to this noble kyng Dauy That wedded had erle Waldens doughter onely ¶ To enioye therldome by her enheritaunce That gat on her this Malcolyne that was kyng Of Scotlande nowe of mighty hye puysaunce That homage made for his enherityng Vnto Henry that then was of Englande kyng For all Scotlande and also for Huntyngdon Whiche seruices both were due vnto the croune The C .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Henrye exiled Thomas becket byshop of Cauntorburye HE maried then his sonne the young Henry To the doughter of the kyng of Fraunce He exiled then Thomas of Cauntorbury Out of Englande and many of his aliaunce For cause of his rebellious gouernaunce And as he came fro Rome by Fraunce awaye With language fel he prayed the kyng that daye ¶ The poyntes to mende and so to Englād went For which the kyng was with hym sore displeased That then he sayd had I had men that ment Myne honeste I were not thus diseased With suche a clerke thus greued and vneased Therfore three knightes Raynold le Fitz Vrsy Hughe Moruyle hym slewe with Robert Tracy ¶ But kyng Malcolyne died that was full true Of his homage at Westchester ensealed To kyng Henry dooen so as it was due For it should not be gaynsayd ne counselled Nor afterwarde of Scottes be repeled To whiche Malcolyne Willyā his sonne heyre Was crouned kyng of Scotlande then full fayre The C .xxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kynge Wyllyam of Scotlande wente in to Normandye with kyng Henry of Englande the seconde as his liegeman THis kyng Wyllyam then rode with hoste full stronge The Northrē lād he brent sore distroyed By east and west of both Merches of Englande The lorde Vesty with it was anoyed The lorde Vnfreuyle with syckenesse so accloyed With power great at Alnwike with hym faught Wher he was takē in batayll sore and caught ¶ Whō to the kyng to Londō then thei brought Vnto kyng Henry with great honoure Then had the kyng tydynges he liked nought His sonne Henry by kyng Lewys socoure Besieged Roan with hoste great and rygoure For when the kyng to Normandy then went The kyng Wyllyam with hym his labour spent ¶ And Dauid also his brother with al his might That erle was then create of Huntyngdon And Robert ferers erle of Leycester so hight And Roger clare with theim of great renoume Of Gloucester that erle was in possession With other lordes and the siege sone remeued And his cytee of Roan full well rescued ¶ The siege and saute perdoned and forgeuen At the prayer of kyng Lewys of Fraunce Within fewe yeres in peace and rest to liuen He crowned his sonne without distaunce Kyng of Englande and gaue hym gouernaunce And at the feast of his coronacion He sewed afore hym for his consolacion The C .xxxiii. Chapiter ¶ This yonger Henry reigned but .iiii. yeres and died before his father wherfore he is not accompted as kynge because his father outlyued hym and reigned after his death ANd to hī said sōne thinke I do you honour A kynge to serue you thus nowe at youre meate He aunswered hym full vnthankefully that houre And sayd it was no reproue ne forfete An erls sonne to serue the kynges sonne at meate For whiche the father Henry to Irelande went Tyll young Henry the kyng was dead and spent Then came Henry and had the gouernement The father and kyng was then admytte agayn And reigned then and had the regiment And but .iiii. yere his sonne reygned soth to sayen Wherfore he is among kynges certeyne Not accoumpted by no chronicler For his father was kynge afore and after clere The C .xxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Wyllyam of Scotlande made his homage to kyng Henry the seconde THe kyng Wyllyam at his daye assigned To Yorke came to do there his homage That made it then nothyng it repugned But for his due dette then for his heritage Of Scotlande whole by veraye due knowlage Of his barons and by his euydence Agayne it founde he then no
bare with Iueles full royall And clothes ryche that were well ordynaté For that ylke feste and state imperyall Fro South vnto the Septentrionall Where then none suche accompted of rychesse As there were then as wryten is expresse The C .xxxviii. Chapiter ¶ How kyng William of Scotland made homage for Scotlande and then after his coronacyon at Westmynster he went to Fraunce and so to Ierusalem by the assent of the Kynge Phylippe THe bishop of Duresme on his right hande The bishop also of Bathe on his left syde The kīg of Scottes Willyā for Scotlād Made hym homage and feaute leege that tyde Kyng Rychard then to Fraūce with muche pride Anone so yode tharchebishop Bawdewyne With hym then went worthy clerkes and fyne ¶ Sir Rauf Fulgence erle of Perche then also Robert Ferrers erle of Lecester then With erles fell and barons many moo Of all this land went many a worthy then Of England and Scotland many a manne Of Ireland Wales Guyan and Normandy Then with hym went in that voyage on hie ¶ The kyng Philip shippid his hoste at Iene The kyng Rychard tooke the sea at Marsile With all his hoste without other meene Within short tyme arriued vp in Cisile Wher he full faire receiued was that while By kyng Tancred soonne of Wyllyam Whiche Wyllyā wed his suster Iohan by name ¶ The kyng Rychard twoo Isles ther cōquered Byside Cisile to his suster theim gaue To hir lyuyng and bade hir not bee fered For he should se hir dower she should haue Longyng to the right that she should craue And at Meschyne kyng Rychard then did make A Bastell strong the Sarsyns for to wake ¶ And sailed furth to Cipres then hy sea Wher his mother hym mete with dame Barnage The kyng his doughter of Nauerne faire free Whom ther he wed in lawfull mariage At Lymosyn in his pilgremage A citee great full of all habundaunce Whiche by assaute he gate of his puysaunce ¶ The kyng Rychard rode then to Nichosie And gate the citee with force and might The citee also of Cheryn mightely Wher his doughter and heire he toke full right To Buffenet and Baffe that were full wight To Dendamour and Candor his citees He went anone with greate felicitees ¶ He gate theim all all the realme throughout And toke the kyng Isaak and hym slewe And wed his doughter vnto the kyng full stout Of Ierusalem whose wife was dedde then newe That Sibill hight that doughter was mēne knewe Of Almarike kyng of Ierusalem The brother of Geffrey of Angeou hir eme ¶ This kyng Rychard that realme of Cipris wāne To whome the lordes echeone did their homage And anone by sea with many a manne To Acres wher in that ilke voyage He toke a ship of high and greate auantage Of ablementes for warre and ordinaunce The whiche he had with hym in gouernaunce ¶ But fiftene Sarsyns there he dreyncte And twoo hundred he kept that ship to gnie To Acres then wher kyng Philip full feyn◠Had sieged long without remedie But kyng Rychard of Acres toke in hie The stronger syde and gaue it greate affraies Late and erly bothe by nightes and dayes ¶ He gate it sone with his greate ordinaunce And on the walles his baners full hie he sette The kynges armes he sette vp also of Fraunce And kyng Guyes armes of Ierusalem well bette The duke of Oistrich Lympold without lette Set vp his armes after aboue theim all Whiche kyng Rychard did cast doūe ouer that wall ¶ With wages greate and riches manifold He ryched his mēne rode throughoute all Surry The citees all and castelles that he would He gate with force and came again in hie To castell Pilgrym whiche kyng Philip pleinly Beseged had full long and went his waye Whiche Rychard beseged in greate araye ¶ To the whiche there was no waye but one full straite On a cawsey with dikes depe and wyde Strongly walled with towres on to wayte With many drawe bridges wher none might go ne ryde Strongly cheined with barris on eche side Whiche castell then he gate in dayes ten With battaill sore wher he sleugh many menne ¶ The cheynes of yrone he stroke vp with his axe Bothe at Acres and at castell Pilgrym And brent theim all as thei had been of waxe Cheynes barres with muche might that tyme The Sarasyns also he slewe with muche gryme The kyng Philip fell sicke and home would gone To Fraunce anone and toke his menne echeone ¶ Vnto the duke of Burgoyn theim to lede To bide for hym vpon the warres there And home so went to Fraunce without drede Wher then he made greate warre and muche dere In Normandy and Guyan fouly hym bere Against his othe and his greate assuraūce At their passage by couenaunt and concordaunce The C .xxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Rychard sold the realme of Cipres to Statyn once an other tyme to the kyng Guy◠Lezinaunt to resorte to hym to his heires in de faute of issue of theim HE sold Cipresse to kyng Statyn of might An other tyme to Guy Lizenaūt full bold For great riches the resort again of right And for greate sommes of innumerable of gold His prisoners he raunsomed sore and sold But with his hoste full well he distribute All that he gate vnto their greate refute ¶ Ioppen he gate and it repaired newe He and the duke of Burgoyn full sore sought On the Soudan and felly did pursue To castell Assure fro whens he fled vnfought But kyng Rychard that of no perill rought Was hurt right ther with dartes venemous Fiue woundes sore mortall and perelous ¶ The droue hym then into Ierusalem And layed a sege about the citee rounde And kyng Rychard hard howe fro Egipt realme Came strong vitail and ryches in that stounde With full greate hoste the Christen to confounde By night he came and there theim discomfete With worship greate and farpassyng profite ¶ Gase he buylded full faire and Ascaloyn To the templers to whome afore thei longid He deliuered and made hym redy boun For to assayle the citee and haue fongid With might of menne laddirs full well hongid Engynes and gonnes greate stones for to cast Whiche to haue wonne thei were full like at last ¶ The Soudan out by night then stale awaye And Christen menne the citee gate anone And kyng Rychard with all the hoste his waye Toke to the Flum of Cedar on his foon He folowed fast with hoste as he might goon With the Soudan faught putte hym fro that feld And mightely fro hym he rest his sheeld The C .xl. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Rychard after he had putte hym to flight wonne his citee and castels in Surry Kyng Rychard gaue Ierusalem and that realme of Surry to his susters soonne Henry erle of Campanya with the heire Sibill to his wife and homewardwas takē prisoner in Oistrich but in his gift of Surrry 〈◊〉
his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
¶ Symond the soÌ„ne of earle Symond MouÌ„tfort Came oute of Fraunce for ferdnesse of that quene To kyng Henry whome he gaue great comforte He gaue hym then his man for ay to bene Of Leycester the earldome fayre and clene With the Stewarde of Englande in herytage Whiche is an offyce of greate priuelage ¶ And wed his doughter dame Elyanore To Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke After whose deathe she auowed chastyte for euermore But he her maryed and her betoke For all her vowe as sayeth the booke To Earle Symond Mountfort to be his wyfe Notwithstandyng that she vowed chastyte her lyfe ¶ Tho dyed Lewelyn the prynce of Wales then Betwene his sonnes Gryffyth and Dauid grewe Greate discencyon and stryfe ay when and when And dame Beatryce the kynges doughter trewe To earle Symonde of Britayne wedded newe The yere of Chryste a thousand was accompted Two hundreth moo fourty and one amounted The C .xlv. Chapiter ¶ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of Lancaster and of Leicester long after in the yere of his father one and thirty and in the yere of Christ M. iiC xli THe same yere then Edmond his sooÌ„ne was At LaÌ„castre that yere of Christ theÌ„ writeÌ„ A thousand whole twoo C and fourty mo bore And one therto in Flores as is wryten And in the yere next after then ouersetten The kyng his doughter Margaret then maryed To Alexaunder kyng of Scotland notified ¶ At Yorke citee wher he then did homage For Scotland whole and Isles apperteinyng Then dyed â—hemperour full sage Wherfore the lordes of Almaignie variyng Some chose Rychard kyng Henryes brother beyng And some that kyng of Castile would haue algate But erle Rychard of Menske had all the state ¶ Then rose discorde betwene the kyng Henry And certain lordes of mighty greate power Symond Mountfort vpon hym toke boldly To bee cheftein to hold the feld full clere At Lewis faught of christ then was the yere A thousand twoo hundred and sixty accompted And foure also so muche more amounted ¶ This erle Symond had then the kyng Henry And his brother Rychard themperour In his kepyng and ward wer hold strongly But prince Edward was sette in Herford toure And erle Henry of Herford that was floure Themperours soonne at Herford with hym laye A myle about disported theim euery â—aye ¶ Fro whens at last with horse thei brake awa 〈…〉 And to Wigmour castell thei came in hie To sir Roger Mortymer wher he laye That theim receiued then full gladly And so thei assembled with greate hoste manfully And held the feld the lordes fast to theim drewe And at Euesham thei stroke a battaill newe ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousand was tho Twoo hundred mo sirty also and fiue When prince Edward faught with his foo Symond MouÌ„tfort and raught hym fro his liue The feld discomfited there anone as bliue With help of erle Gilbert then called Clare And other lordes with hym that were thare ¶ He slewe many and some awaye exiled And some he held in prisone and distres He toke out then his father as is compiled His eme Rychard holden in greate dures And all his frendes of his hie worthynes He socoured euer and with his gold supported And wher it want with his woord theim coÌ„forted The C .xlvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Robert Ferrers erle of Darby was dishe rite and many other of their compaignie RObert Ferrers that erle was of Darby Disherite then for his insurreccion With many other at Chesterfeld in hie Faught with Edward of their presumpcion And fled awaye with greate confusion Vnto the Isle of Axholme and fro thens Vnto Lyncolne and spoyled the citezens ¶ Fro thens to Ely thei went anone Wher prince Edward thisle proudely assailed Thei fled fro it soone to Yorkeshire gan gone In freres clothis that were full long tailed Robbyng their fooes when thei of good failed And other some to Kilyngworth then fled To Henry Hastynges who then the castell had ¶ Wher then that kyng great siege laied all about But nought auailed so strongly thei defende And for ther was in euery shire throughout So greate robbery and nothyng amende The kyng was fain for lordes then to send By whose aduise he ordeined for that case That all disherite and exiled should haue grace ¶ All disherite should buye their landes again To paye for theim gold as thei might accorde With theowners so that no man should payen More then the land were worth by greate recorde In seuen yere whole and if thei might concorde For lesse money so it exceade a yere The value of the yerly rent full clere ¶ Robet Ferrers erle of Derby then The soonnes also of erle Symond exclude That perpetuall iudgement fully then Neuer to redeme their landes but been exclude So that theowners be not with theim delude Vnto a daye that fifty thousand pound Be paide of nobles whole and round ¶ Edmond the soonne of the same kyng Henry Was weddid first vnto dame Auelyn Erle Willyam his doughter of Almarle womaÌ„ly None issue had neither male ne feminine Then was he wed to Blaunche that quene full fyne Of Nauerne and so of Lancaster create With Leicestre also therle denominate The C .xlvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edward theldest sooÌ„ne heire of kyng Henry the third and his brother erle Edmond of Lancaster and of Leicestre went to IerusaleÌ„ with greate power whiche twoo princes were couÌ„ted the semeliest of all the hoste of Christendome HIs brother Edward and he associate To Ierusalem their voiage theÌ„ auowed Two semely princes together adioynate In all the world was none theim like alowed So large faire thei were eche manne he bowed Edward aboue his menne was largely seen By his shulders more hie and made full clene ¶ Edmond next hym the comeliest prince aliue Not croke backed ne in no wyse disfugured As some menne wrote the right lyne to depryue Through great falsehed made it to bee scriptured For cause it should alwaye bee refigured And mencioned well his yssue to preuaile Vnto the croune by suche a gouernaile ¶ But prince Edward and he held fourth their waye To Ierusalem so did themperour Rychard his eme and Henry his soonne full gay To Cisile came by sea through many a shoure Edward with hym then had his wife that houre Elianour doughter of the kyng of Aragon A princesse faire at his eleccion ¶ The kyng Lewes also then thither went And in his waye dyed and expired Sainct Lewes nowe is named by all assent Of holy churche as it is well enquired Approued trewe as reason well required But Edward prince and EdmoÌ„d abode two yere With werres greate and mighty strong power ¶ For nacions all vnto prince Edward drewe And to Edmond his brother for their semelines And greate maÌ„hode whiche in theim that thei knewe Sir Charles that brother of king Lewes doubteles Kyng of Cisile of noble worthynes By the Soudan was chasid without beld Whome prince Edward socoured had the
as the rose in Maye To Raufe was wed that was lorde Mortymer Of whome that earles of Marche become full clere ¶ Then went the kyng and quene to Gascâ—yne And Gwyan to set that lande in pees And so forth then he went to Aragon To sporte them with theyr father there no lees To Gwyan then agayne for his encrees He came anone and set in peace that lande And so came agayne to Englande The C .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyd atteynt his Iustices and sette enquery of peace breakers ryouters oppressours extorcyoners and of the vsurye of Iewes HIs Iustyces all by lawe he dyd attaynt For wrong domes false iudgement For couetyse that false were then faynt To helpe the poore coÌ„mons to theyr entent He set Iustyces in heyre by all assent That called was that tyme Troilebaston For to enquere of all extorcyon ¶ Of Ryouters fyghters and baratours Of market beters that raysed greate debates Of peace breakers and all the susteynours That were with theim of preuy assocyates Of oppressours of all the pore estates And all that were then founde culpable Emprysoned were or by theyr pursse excusable ¶ Of Iewes within this lande that was abidyng Great plaintes were made of Okoure and vsury Howe they dyd waste the folke by suche winning And preuy bondes made without measure In payne of double or elles forfeture The king theÌ„ voided for whiche that church a disme Hym graunted so dyd the coÌ„mons a quindecyme ¶ Rys Ap Madoke a warre in Wales gan take Agayne the kyng that great warres had sustened And prynce hym called of Wales without make Who then at Yorke by lawe full wel mainteyned On galous hye as to hym well apperteyned Was drawen and hanged his hed vpon the towre was set anon as rebell and traytoure The C .li. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmonde Earle of Lancaster and of Leycester kept Gwyan and wed quene Blaunche of Nauerne the kynges syster of Fraunce and therfore he bare the labell in his armes for dyfference fro the kynges of Englonde euer after KYng Edward sent his brother theÌ„ ful dere To kepe GuyaÌ„ and with him stroÌ„g chiualry Who gouerned there that land without pere To hye honoure as made is memorye In Fraunce sore dred amonge the aduersarye And other landes lyeng there all aboute Aboue all men he was there moste bedoute For euer he put them to the worse in felde In armes ay he had the victorye And in Parys at Iustes vnder shelde Far passyng was and dyd ay notably That for his manhode and famous chyualrye In so ferforth that all landes hym commende For his manhode whiche so in hym they kende ¶ He wed dame Blaunche of Nauerne that was quene King Philip sister that was ful good faire Of whome he gate Thomas of LaÌ„caster I wene And Henry his brother that afterwarde was heire And earles both they were without dispayre Of Lancaster and also of Leycestre As Flores hath expressed well by lettre ¶ For whiche weddyng and noble alyance He and his heyres bare for a difference Englande armes with labell hole of Fraunce By whiche all men maye haue intellygence That Edmonde was yonger in existence Then kyng Edward though some say that coÌ„trary And from the truth yet haue they wyll to vary The C .lii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the fyue portes toke the nauy of Fraunce on the seâ— in batell THe kyng of FrauÌ„ce a nauy great then seÌ„â— Vpon Englande to warre in great aray Which that .v. portes toke on the sea shent And people greate there slewe dreynt that daye Theyr shyppes all by batayl and affraye Were take and brought then into Englande With capitaynes many and lordes of that lande ¶ Kyng Philyp then at Parys in parlyament Somonde Edwarde afore hym to appere Surmittyng hym of robbery felonoment Vpon his flete so done by tymes sere For faute of aunswere foreiuged hym there Destroyed his land in eche place where he might But kyng Edwarde then went to Fraunce ryght ¶ And gate agayne his landes euerychone And sought ay where vpon the kyng of FrauÌ„ce But he fled euer and batayle wolde geue none Sone after so Philyp by ordynaunce A trewce toke by good ordynaunce For all his landes beyonde the sea To set in peace with all tranquilyte The C .liii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Morgan and Madoke his brother were sette in the towre for rebellyon in Wales made by comforte of kynge Phylip of Fraunce IN Wales Morgan made war great distaunce And Madoke also his brother ful vntrew For whiche the kyng with all his ordenauÌ„ce To Wales went faught with them all newe At straytes great whiche tho traytours knewe Yet were they take and put in sore pryson Within the towre for theyr rebellyon ¶ The kyng Philyp had sent then golde to waâ— On England then with sir Thomas Turbiruile Who was espyed by sotell meanes afferre And heded was anon for all his guyle His wyt not holpe hym then ne yet his wyle He dyed with shame repreef and vilany Engendred all of mede and surquedrye The C .liiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Earle Edmonde was Leuetenaunt of Guyan and warred vpon the kyng of Fraunce and defyed hym by letter for he brake the promyse made to Edwarde his brother kynge of Englande SIr EdmoÌ„d erle of Lancaster theÌ„ ful trewe LeuetenauÌ„t then of Guian all throughout On whom that king Philip then rode al new And brake the trewce with hostes great and stout Wherfore he went to hym without doubte To se howe that it myght be well defende He bade hym thus set to his knee and amende ¶ Wherfore in ire he gaue hym vp homage The whiche he ought for his lande that he helde And aunswered hym agayne of great corage From hens forwarde I shall you holde the felde And at my power eche daye vnder shelde Proue howe ye do vnto my lorde greate wronge The whiche I shall amende or it be longe And so departed withoute more langage And into Guyan came with all his myght And to his brother wrote made hym knowlage And bade hym come with power for to fyght With spere and bowe for other writ of ryght Maye not be got within the courte of Fraunce For to recouer his hye enherytaunce ¶ Eche day theÌ„ce forth with baÌ„ners hole displeyed He helde the felde and kyng Philyp warred And leters sent hym defyals and vmbrayde Of hys suraunce and othe that he had erred And castelles gate fâ—ll many not differred Kyng Edward sent his brother then suppowaile The Frenche partye to warre and assayle The C .lv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer was made Earle of Marche at Kyllyngworthe and set the rounde table of a thousande knyghtes and as many ladyes ANd in the yere a. M. was full then Two hundreth also syxty and nyntene When syr Roger Mortymer so began At Kelyngworth the rounde table as was sene Of a thousande knyghtes for disciplyne Of yonge men after he coulde deuyse Of turnementes and iustes to
mikell of Yorkshire discomfited that archebishop of Yorke his clergy at Milton on swale THe kyng Edward began to siege Berwyk like And wonne it had but false tales it let And tidinges newe that nought the kyng did For Robert Bruys the kyng of Scotlande mette With the bishop of Yorke and hym ouersette Wherfore he loste the siege and went awaye But Bruys had stroyed England in fell araye ¶ To Borough brydge by east and west he brent And home agayne with many a prysoner Without harme or lette of his entent With mykell good but in Myton medowe nere To Swale water laye then with great power Walter Wareyn among the hay kockes bushed Vpon the byshop sodenly with Scottes yssued ¶ And .xv. hundreth Englyshe there he slewe And home he went with kyng Edward full glad With prysoners many mo then men knewe The byshop fled fro the felde full woo bestad With his clerkes that then were full mad For whiche therle Thomas of Lancastre there And kyng Edward depatted halfe in werre The C .lxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe at the nexte parliamente after Thomas of Lancaster and Leycester erle and certayne lordes exiled the twoo Spencers out of the land but then that Spencers made great persecucion with the kyng agayn the lordes and slewe the erle of Lancaster and the other lordes AT the parliameÌ„t theÌ„ at westminster next hold Erle Thomas that then was called ful trewe Th erle Vmfrey of Herford that was bold Th erle of Marche full manly as men knewe The Monbrey also Percy and Clyfford drewe All armed came and two Spencers exiled Out fro Englande neuer to be reconsyled ¶ But sone the Spencers came to that kyng again Syr Hugh the lorde and syr Hugh his sonne And put therle of Marche in great disdayn Roger his sonne that with hym did wonne Appeched hym then of hye treason Agaynst the kyng wherfore the kyng hym sent Into the toure tabyde the parliament ¶ Then went the kyng and Spencers both two With hostes full great to Burton vpon Trent Where the lordes laye and sparled theim then so That north they went then wayes by one assente To rayse mo men they trust in theyr entent The Spencers two fully for to destroye Who all the realme full cruelly did noye ¶ At Borinbrig syr Andrewe Hertlaw met With erle Vmfrey of Herford and hym slewe And toke the erle Thomas without let And to the kyng that then to Pountfret drewe Where then were sette vpon hym iudges newe Th erle Edmound of Arondell for iustice And syr Robert Mapilthorpe his enemyes ¶ There he was headed anone vpon the hyll And buryed was there in a chapell fayre Henry his brother stode at the kynges wyll Whom the kyng graunted to bee his heyre That wedded then Alyce without despayre The doughter and heyre of therle Henry Lacy Of Lyncolne so graunted by the kynges mercy ¶ WyllyaÌ„ fitz Wareyn many another knight In diuers shyres some hanged and some head That hold with hym or with his compeers right Syr Bartholomewe Badelismore without rede Drawen and hanged and put to foul dead Roger Clyfford and Iohn Monbraye barons Headed then were for theyr rebellions ¶ Th erle of Marche syr Roger Mortymer His sonne Roger foriuged were for treason And by the kyng of death pardoned were And put were then in perpetuall pryson Into the towre for that same encheson Fro that tyme forth the Spencers other excede The quene was but an hand mayden in dede ¶ To tyme the kyng to her brother hir sent And also his sonne Edwarde to dooen homage For Guyen so to haue at his entente And for they dwelled so long in that viage The kyng theim had suspecte of theyr message By councell of the Spencers theim exiled As in chronicle pleynly is compiled ¶ The kyng then made and playnly did create Andrewe Hertlawe erle then of Carlele Whiche tyme the kyng Robert full fortunate Rode all the east Marche full proudly and well The byshopryke and Yorkeshire euery dele Andrewe Hertlawe erle of Carlele absent To Lancastre hym drewe in false entente ¶ The kyng Robert was passed home agayn With prayes greate and many prysoners Fro Humber north the people downe were slayn Of whiche the kyng and all his councelers Blamed therle Andrewe and his compeers For he had men enough with hym arayed The Scottes all that might haue slayn frayed ¶ He hight the kyng haue brought to hym great powers Into yorkshyre held nothing his hight Therfore the kyng by counsell of the Spencers Gaue charge to take hym either by daye or night Or kyl hym downe wher they mete with hym might To all shryues was sent this commaundement Fro Trent northwarde by writtes maundemeÌ„t The C .lxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe syr Roger Mortymer the younger wente oute of the toure of London went into Fraunce to the quene of Englande and to the prince Edwarde hir soonne and also howe the lorde Lucye tooke syr Andrewe Hertlawe erle of carlele and headed hym at Carlele for treason THen â—r Roger the yongest Mortimer Made his kepers dronke and went away Out of the toure by night other in feer And into Fraunce anone he toke his waye Vnto the quene Isabell in poore araye And bode with her at hyr gouernaunce All tyme that she was soiournyng in Fraunce ¶ And then Antony Lucye lorde of Cokirmouth Syr Robert Lowther with other many in feere At Carlele toune as knowe was full couth Toke syr Andrewe Hertlawe with mekill steeâ— They put on hym he toke royall power In truce takyng with therle of Murrey Withouten power in trayterous araye ¶ In wrongyng of the kynges hye estate And of his right full great derogacion And howe he toke greate golde immoderate Of kyng Edwarde through cauelacion To bryng hym power for his supportacioÌ„ Agayn the kyng Robert that then destroyed His lande full foule and had hym self anoyed ¶ And howe he had the people hole withdrawe With hym Westwarde by false confederacie Betwene hym and therle of Marrowe Couened fully before cast traytorie Wherfore they drewe hym first all openly And hanged after and to London sent Vnto the kynge his head for great present The C .lxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the quene Isabell treated mariage of one of the doughters of therle of Henaulde for hir sonne Edwarde to haue to wife by thauice of her brother kyng Charles came to Englande with great power and toke that kyng and slewe his counsell for treason THere by aduise and good consyderacion Of the kyng of Fraunce her brother dere Quene Isabell accorded for supportacion Hir sonne should wed one of the doughters clere Of therle of Henauld that fyue then were Through whose succour she hir sonne Edward Toke then the sea to Englande warde ¶ Erle Edmond of Kent then with her came Kyng Edwardes brother syr Aymer valence Erle of Penbroke whiche came with hir fro hame And Mortymer the yonger in hir presence Henauldes and Frenche with great
¶ Earle of Salisbury in kyng Edwardes soule there In lyke maner were sworne and biheste The .xix. daye then of Ianyuere The yere of Christ a. M. then was seste Thre hundreth and two and fourty at leest When these trues were taken so and sealed For afterwarde they shulde not be repeled The C .lxxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Henry duke of Lancaster went to Guyan in that yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth .xlv. And of the batayle of Cressy in the yere of Christe a thousand thre hundeeth fourtye and syxe ANd then Henry duke of Lancaster create Went to Guyen with many bolde baron Where then he gate the cytees of estate And castelles fele many a walled towne And made the lande Englyshe both vp doune And to the kyng Edwarde obeied as they ought And great worshyp and ryches there he caught ¶ And in the yere a thousande and CCC gone Syxe and fourtye kyng Edwarde at Cressy Met with Philyp of Valoyes there anone That kyng of Fraunce was by intrusery At whiche batayle Edwarde had the victorye And with honoure and myght there gate that felde And Philyp fled and caste there doune his shelde ¶ And his eldest sonne with hym went awaye With an hundreth banners in her company The kynges of Beme were slayne that daye And of Maliogres there full manfully The dukes of Alaunson also theim by And of Loreyn slayne were in batayle And earles fyue without any fayle ¶ Of Flaunders Bloys Harcourt Melayne Of gentyls and other without any Essayne And of Guntpre were there in batayle slayne Fyue score thousande the twenty daye certayne And syxe also of Auguste accompted playne The kyng Edwarde had all the victorye The kyng Philyp had all the vilanye ¶ The king Dauid theu of Scotland with power To Duresme brent where on saynt Lukes daye The archbyshop with his clergye clere And syr Gylbert Vnifreuyle in good araye The Lorde Percy the Neuyle then laye With all the north a lytell frome Duresme Wher then they faught on that king Dauid came ¶ And take he was that yere of Christe was then A thousande full thre hundreth fourty and syxe Full sore wounded full lyke he was a man And also of his lordes mo then fyue or syxe Brought to London priuely through Essex For lordes shulde not hym take with greate power From Iohn of Coupland that was his taker clere ¶ And in the towre of London then kept in warde To tyme the king were come home out of Fraūce That then in Fraunce mo castelles to regarde And townes walled goten by his hye puissaunce Then had the kyng Philip in gouernaunce And lyke was then all Fraūce to haue conquerde With his alies he made that lande afferde The C .lxxxii. Chapiter ¶ Of the greate pestylence in the yere of Chryste a thousand thre hundreth fortye and nyne and the yere nexte after the kynge wente vnto Fraunce and the prynce of Wales vnto Guyan ANd in the yere of Christ clerly accompted A thousande hole thre C. fourty nyne The pestilence was in England amoūted That kyng Edward newe warre ganne ymagine The nexte yere after agayne Fraunce fyne Thether he went prince Edward then went With greate power to Guien as Regent ¶ The kyng then put his sonnes yonge of age In Fraunce then forth in mighty gouernaunce Syr Lyonell Earle of Vlster in wage Regent of Fraunce hym made by ordynaunce Syr Iohn of Gaunt to haue hole attendaunce Of all the hoste as hye and greate constable To whiche he was accompte that tyme full able ¶ Sir Edmonde Langeley full of gentylnesse Sir Thomas Woodstok full of corage To their banners them put for worthynesse To haue rule in that worthy viage Whiche prynces fyue approued in yonge age There was no king christen had such sonnes fiue Of lyklynesse and persones that tyme on lyue ¶ So hye and large they were of all stature The leste of them was of persone able To haue foughten with any creature Singler batayle in actes marcyable The byshops wit me thinketh was cōmendable So wel coulde chese the princesse that them bare For by practyse he knewe it or by lare The C .lxxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kynge of Fraunce was taken prysoner at the batayle of Poyters the yere of Christe a thousande thre hundreth fyftye and syxe IN the yere of Christe a M accōpted right Thre hundreth and syxe and fyfty mo The prince Edward at Poytexs sore dyd fyght The .xix. day of September was tho Where kyng Iohn of Fraunce his sonne also He toke and had the felde with victorye His eldst sonne then fledde fro hym cowardly ¶ The kyng Dauyd died and lette his hostage For his raunsome lygge ay forth in Englande The yere a thousande CCC by knowlage Eyght and fyftye as I can vnderstande And payde not yet ne quyt not out his bonde Ne his hostage he wolde not so displease To delyuer ne putte theim fro their ease ¶ The quene Isabell the quene of Scotlande Her doughter was and kyng Dauyds wyfe Sone after dyed and buryed I vnderstande At the graye Freres in lande knewen full ryfe The whiche that quene Isabell founded in their lyfe Full fayre entombed wrought full rychely Where the two Quenes reste full honorably The C .lxxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the seconde pestylence and the greate wynde and earthquake the yere a thousande CCC lxi ANd in the yere of Christ a. M. wryten Thre hundreth also syxtye and one The .ii. pestylence reigned as was weten Duke Henry dyed for whome was mekyll mone Dame Blaunche his doughter full faire of fleshe and bone His heire was then whom Iohn of Gaūt did wed The duchy by hir had men saied he had well sped ¶ In that same yere was on sainct Maurys day The greate winde and earth quake meruelous That greately gan the people all affraye So dredfull was it then and perelous Specially the wind was so boistous The stone walles steples houses and trees Were blow doune in diuerse ferre coūtrees ¶ And in the yere a thousand three hundred also Sixty and foure kyng Iohn of Fraunce dyed In London then in Sauoy had been sicke The dukes palice of Lancastre edified Full royally as it is notified His boweles buryed at Poules with royaltee His corps in Fraunce with all solempnitee ¶ In that same yere sir Iohn Moūtfort of newe Duke of Brytain was by heritage As heire male his title was act trewe At Orrers faught again the Frenche linage Sir Charles de Bloys that clauned by mariage The duchy whole of Brytain by the might Of his wise wher he was slain by might ¶ Duke Iohn of Gaunt was at that battaile Sir Edmond also of Langley his brother dere Sir Iohn Chaundos treated without faill All daye and faught at eue through his aūswere Whiche treaty is yet oft remembred here For Chaūdos trewce that treted all daye to night And made bothe parties at eue together fight ¶ At whiche battaill duke
enquired At Westmynster buried in royall wyse As to suche a prince of reason ought suffice ¶ Who was the first of Englyshe nacion That euer had right vnto the croune of Fraunce By succession of bloode and generacion Of his mother without variaunce The whiche me thynketh should be of moste substaūce For Christ was kyng by his mother of Iudee Whiche sykerer side is ay as thynketh me ¶ And of his pedegre vnto the croune of Fraūce With his bloode wherof he is discent Within this booke without any varyaunce Mencion is made only to this entente That reders by all good auysemente The title of his right and heritage May well conceyue and haue therof knowlage The C .lxxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Richarde the seconde kyng of Englande and of Fraunce began to reigne the yere a thousand thre hundreth .lxxvii. and was deposed by parliamente in the yere a. M CCC .cxix. and the .xxii. yere of his reygne RIchard his heyre that sōne of prīce Edward Crowned was then with all solempnitee By all the lordes and barons hole award Obeying hole vnto his maiestee Who that tyme was in tendre iuuensee Of eleuen yere fully accompted of age When he had so his croune and heritage ¶ And kyng was called of Englāde of Fraūce In Iune the .xxii. daye full clene Of Christes death without variaunce A thousande was thre hundreth sixty to neuen And .xvii. yere therwith to beleuen When the two realmes fell to hym by discente As nexte heyre to kyng Edwarde thexellent ¶ And in the yere a thousande thre hundreth mo Sixty adioynt and therwith all nynetene The thyrde pestilence reigned in Englande so So sore that moste parte of the people clene Dyed awaye as through the realme was sene And of his reignes of Eglande and of Fraunce The thyrde yere was by very remembraunce ¶ And of his reigne in Iune then the .v. yere And of our Lorde a thousande then accompted Thre hundreth eke .iiii. score and one full clere The commons rose an hūdreth thousād amoūted Of Kent and Essex whiche that tyme surmounted The kynges power and all the hie estates For whiche the lordes fled then as exulates ¶ And lefte the kyng alone then in the toure With tharchbyshop of Cauntorbury there so And the priour to been his gouernoure Of Clerken well whiche the commons heded tho And brought the kyng forth with theim to go They asked hym all bondmen to bee free And taxe none euer after payed to bee ¶ They asked eke Iake Strawe Wat Tiler To bee made dukes of Essex and Kente To rule the kyng thens forth in peace and warre For they bee wyse of royall regiment Thus tolde they the kyng all theyr entent The whiche he graunte in all thyng by and by For he durste no poynt then theim denye ¶ Afore Iake Strawe that kyng thē stode hodlesse Of which Walworth the Mayre of Londō trewe Areasoned hym then of his greate lewdenesse With a dagger in Smythfelde then hym slewe The citezens with hym then strongly drewe And slewe theim downe and put theim to flight And brought the kyng into the citee right ¶ The cōmons brent the Sauoye a place fayre For eiuill wyll they had vnto duke Iohn Wherfore he fled northwarde in great dispayre Into Scotlande for socoure had he none In Englande then to whō he durste make moone And there abode tyll commons all were ceased In England hole and all the lande well peased ¶ The .xx. daye of Maye nexte folowyng And one therwith as calculers it knowe The date of Christ a thousande then beynge Thre hundreth also foure score two on rowe Th earth quake was whiche that tyme I sawe That castelles walles toures and steples fyll Houses and trees and cragges fro the hyll ¶ And in the yere afore kyng Richarde wed Quene Anne vpon saynt Agnes day that floure That doughter was as I haue sene and red Vnto the kyng of Beeme and Emperoure And suster also vnto his successoure Themperour of Rome that Segemond hight Who to kyng Henry in Englāde came full right The C .lxxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard wente into Scotlande in the yere a thousande three hundreth and .lxxxvi. and in his reygne the .x. yere and howe he create two dukes of Yorke and of Gloucestre ANd in the yere of Christ a thousande so Thre hūdreth also foure score .vi. ther tyl And of his reigne the .x. yere and mo The kyng Richard with hoste went at his wyl In to Scotlande his corage to fulfyll To Edinburgh and brent the lande also Without lettyng there of any foo ¶ At London so then at his parlyament He made therle of Cambrydge his vncle dere The duke of Yorke to be incontynent And so he was proclaymed there full clere That Edmonde hyght of Langley of good chere Glad and mery and of his owne ay lyued Without wronge as chronicles haue breued When all the lordes to councell and parlyament Went he wolde to hunte and also to hawekyng All gentyll disporte as to a lorde appent He vsed aye and to the pore supportyng Where euer he was in any place bidyng Without suppryse or any extorcyon Of the porayle or any oppressyon ¶ He made also the earle of Bokyngham Thomas Wodstoke that same daye and create His other vncle duke of Gloucester by name Proclaymed hole and so denominate With his brother to be consociate The foxe tayle he bare ay on his spere Where he so rode in peace or elles in warre ¶ The kyng then made that duke of yorke by name Maister of the mewhouse his haukes fayre Of his venery and mayster of his game In what countree he dyd repeyre Which was to hym without any dispeyre Well more comforte and great gladnesse Then bene a lorde of worldly greate rychesse ¶ His vncle Thomas the duke then of Gloucester And wed the doughter then of therle of Herforth By whiche he had by writyng by letter The Constablery of Englande then ay forth Both by South Est West and North By herytage of his wyues lande and ryght Of auncyent tyme by kynges graunt hyght ¶ And in the yere of kyng Richarde elleuen The duke Thomas that was of Gloucester Henry the earle of Derby dyd beleuen With hym by worde and also by his letter The earle Marshall did so then for the better Th erle Beanchampe of Warwyk by his name Of Arundell the earle dyd the same ¶ These lordes fyue together boldely sworne Agayne Robert Veer then duke of Irelande The kinges pleasure one of age both like borne Whom he loued moste as they could vnderstand With batayl stronge at Rotcot bryge toke on hād To fyght with hym where then he fled awaye Ouer Thamis without retourne for ay The C .xc. Chapiter ¶ Of the great parlyament where the fyue lordes foriuged that duke of Irelande and his compeers AT Lenton nexte accompted in the yere At London then the king set his parliamēt At westminster to hold
Northumberland But failed hym foule without witte or rede But to the kyng he came I vnderstand Holy submittyng hym vnto his royall hand Whom then he putte to hold in sore prisone With twoo menne of his owne in Bagyngton ¶ His castelles all his meÌ„ne held then full stroÌ„g To tyme the kyng had graunt hym plener grace But the lordes in counsaill then emong Hight hym to help the sixte yere at the Pasche But none durst come that tyme so fell the case But bishop Scrop and therle marshall The lord Bardolfe then of our lordes all The CC .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe in that yere of his reigne in that yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred and fyue master Rychard Scorpe archebishop of Yorke Thomas Mombrayâ—â—rle marshall sir Iohn Lamplewe and sir Wyllyam Plompton were hedded byside Yorke IN lenton after he came home to his land By perliameÌ„t whole deliuered and acquit And twoo yere after in peace I vnderstaÌ„d With kyng Henry full peasebly did sitte Then in the yere as menne remembre it Of his reigne the sixte the bishop Scorp went Th erle marshall with hym of one entent ¶ To Yorkes More and ther assembled power Of their owne and their frendes also Of therles menne of Northumberland that were To the nombre of twenty thousand tho Afore the daye assigned that was so By therle then of Northumberland That there Cheften with theim should haue staÌ„d ¶ With other lordes that were to theim assent But the bishop and therle marshall Wher slain afore the daye of assignement Betwene theim made afore in speciall Hedded were then nere Yorke as then did fall Sir Iohn Lamplewe and sir Wyllyam PlomtoÌ„ With the bishop were hedded there for treson The CC .v. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lord Hastynges the lord Fauconbridge and sir Iohn Coluile of the Dale and his make and sir Iohn Ruthyn were hedded at Duresme by the kyng for therles of Northumberland then he gate therles castelles and stroke of seuen heddes at Berwyke THe lord Hastynges at Duresme was then take The lord FaucoÌ„brige together in coÌ„pany Sir Iohn Coluile of the Dale his make Sir Iohn Ruthyn that knightes were full maÌ„ly To therle of Northumberland openly Were hedded there all foure vpon a daye And to Werkworth remeuid in greate araye ¶ Wher the castell with in a weke was yolde Vnto the kyng after assautes fell and sore The casteleyns to passe free wher thei would With horse and harnes without chalenge more Then to Alnwike the kyng remeued thore Wher the capitains vnto the kyng then sent Wyn Berwyke ones he should haue his entent ¶ So went he then to Berwyke without delaye With assaut and shotte of gonnis strong that were He had it then and ther hedded on a daye The barons sonne of Graistoke taken there Sir Henry Bowton and Blenkensop therfore And Prendirgest ran on the sea also And Tuwile with other squiers twoo ¶ To Alnwike then the kyng laied siege again Without assaute by whole conuencion Henry Percy of Athel with hert fain And Wyllyam Clifford without discencion The castell yeld at the kynges entencion With horse and harnes without enpechement Or forfeture or els impediment ¶ Prodhow Langley and also Cokirmouth Alnham Newsted deliuered were anone Thei remoued then furth in to the south Th erle of Northumberland was then gone Afore Northward to Scotland with great mone The lord Bardolf with hym thither went And there abode with their suppowelment ¶ The sommer next by sea to Wales thei went Vnto Glendour and after then to Brytain And so by sea to Flaunders or they stent The other sommer to Scotland came again By thest sea and ther thei did remain To the winter then of snowe full depe That thei were slain for whom that folke sore wepe ¶ The nynth yere was then of the kyng Henry In Feueryer afore the fastyngange Of Christ his date a thousand certainly Foure hundred and eight counted emong At Bramham more with speres sharp and long In Yorkshire so the Rokeby with theim mette Shrief of the shire with power that he gette The C. C .vi. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng his soonne of ScotlaÌ„d heire Iames was taken on the sea and brought vnto the kyng and then dyed Owayn and the kyng of Scotland THe same yere also that prince theÌ„ of ScotlaÌ„d Vpon the sea sailyng then in to Fraunce Was taken brought to that kyng of EnglaÌ„d Eleuen yere old was he then by remembrauÌ„ce Whom the kyng then putte in gouernaunce For like a prince as to a kyng appent In all honour as was conuenient ¶ The tenth yere then of the kyng his date The kyng of Scotland and Owayn of Glendor His soonne also the world forsoke then algate And dyed awaye of theim then was no more The prince of Scotland then was kyng therfore And Wales all became the kyng his menne In rest and peace without rebellion then ¶ In that same yere Gilbert Vmfreuile Lord was then of Riddisdale in keyme That passid not seuentene yere that while And ward was to the kyng that tyme But seuentene yere of age was that tyme At Arrays then faught full worthely Wth George Turnuile in lyestes syngulerly ¶ With axe and sworde and dagger vpon foote Twenty strokes with euery wepen smyten Vndeparted without any mote And on the morowe there they syten Twenty coursses with speres together hitten A quarter bare vnarmed and vnarayed Saue there serkes slewe with speres vnasayed The CC .vii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Robert Vmfreuile went into Scotlande and lay in the Scottishe sea .xiiii. dayes and euery daye faught with that Scottes somedaye on the northsyde and some daye on the southsyde and gatte .xiiii. greate shippes brent there Galiot with ordinaunce and sore battayll in the Scottishe sea afore Edynburghe and at the Blakenesse THe yere eleuenth of this same kyng Henry Syr Robert Vmfreuile toke the see With .x. sayles to kepe it notably When trewce was taken in specialtee Betwene Scotlande and vs in ceâ—tentee To the Scottishe sea both by sea and lande And to Monshole on our syde I vnderstande ¶ In the Scottishe sea with his shippes he laye Where .xiiii. shippes he toke with his manhede And faught full sore at full sea euery daye Sometyme vpon the northside so in dede And some tyme on the southsyde out of drede With the duke of Albany and of Fyffe And his proude scottes that faught then full ryffe ¶ With therle of Douglas and theim of LothiaÌ„ And brought his fiers brennyng vpon the sea In botes and cogges ordened by theim than With other botes with meÌ„ of armes in propertee And archers good well pauyÌ„shed in specialitee That brent theyr shippes and theyr galiot A shyppe of auantage was then God wote ¶ When he had ben there .xiiii. dayes to th ende With his prises he came to Englande Full of cloth wollen lynnen that land to amend Pytche and tarre both for fre and bonde For to amende the shepes of
then therle of Huntyngdon And Somerset the earle his wyues sonne The CC .xx. Chapiter Howe on Easter euen the duke of Clarence smote that batell of Bawgy in the yere of Christe a thousand .iiii. hundreth twenty and in the nynth yere of kyng Henry for that yere the feaste of the Annuncyacyon of oure Lady fell on Ester twysdaye and the date chaunged after that batayle in the Easter weke ANd nere at Bawge came Gylberte Vmfreuyle Marshal of Fraunce with .v. horse no mo And of good wyt counsayled hym that whyle To kepe the churche and goddes seruyce tho And after the feaste to seke vpon his foo And he aunswered hym yf thou be aferd Go home thy waye and kepe the churche yerde ¶ For thou haste bene with the kyng to longe To make me lese my worshyp and my name Thou haste ay gote the worshyp euer amonge And I haue none thus wolde thou lose my fame With suche wordes chidyng he dyd hym blame To whome he sayde yf that thou be afrayde And kepe the churche as thou me nowe hast saide ¶ With that he saide my lorde ye haue no menne With the enemyes thus hastely to fyght Youre men wot not of this ne howe ne whenne To semble to you of power ne of myght For trewly nowe my cousen Graye nowe right And I haue here but ten men and no mo But yet ye shall neuer saye we leaue you so ¶ So rode they furth ay chidyng by the waye Tyll they to Bawgy ouer the bridge were gone Where the enemyes were batayled in araye Where then they light faught with them anon The duke was slayne that day there with his foone With hym were slayne then therle Vmfreuyle And syr Iohn Graye the Earle of Tankeruyle The lorde Roos and syr Iohn Lumley With many other were with hym slayne that daye Whose names I can not wryte nor saye The Earles two of Huntingdon no naye Of Somerset also were taken there I saye For prysoners and put to greate raunson And laye full longe in Fraunce then in pryson ¶ Thenglishe power came when all was done And rescowed then the deed men where they laye And brought that lordes home fro thens theÌ„ ful sone That were there vpon the felde that daye And buryed them in Englande in good araye Echeone in his owne abbaye or colage Afore founded within his herytage ¶ At Cauntorbury the duke was of Clarence Besyde his father kynge Henry buryed With suche honoure costage and expence As the duches his wyfe coulde haue signifyed Whiche neded not to bene modifyed She was so well within her selfe auysed Of greate sadnesse and womanhede preuised The CC .xxi. Chapiter Howe the quene wente agayne to Fraunce lefte the quene in Englande with chylde and wanne dyuerse cytees townes and castelles in somer in the nyngth yere of his reigne THe kyng then let the quene in Englande byde In somer then the. ix yere of his date And into Fraunce agayne he went that tyde With heuy harte to Parys went algate The castell of Perfount soone he gate A royall place of all that men haue sene The greate cytee of Compyne also I wene ¶ The cytees also of Cassons Bray and Crayle Of Owsare also with many cytees moo And to Parys agayne without fayle In his castell of Lowre abidynge tho Tidynges then came to him full glad and mo That of a prynce delyuered was the quene Of whiche all men reioysed as was sene Saynt Dionis then and castell Boys Vynccent Corbell Pount Melanke and full great parte of Fraunce Burgoyne Artoys and Pycardy to hym sent To bene his men without contraryaunce And eche cytee to hym sworne in substaunce Walled townes and castelles euerychone As hye regent of Fraunce by hym one ¶ Then rode he furth to Bawgy and Orleaunce Wynnyng the tounes and citees in his waye And castelles all that were of greate defence Crepy Lawnesse and Milly with greate affraye Nongentle Roy he gatte with greate araye Pount Caranton with many other obeyed To his highnesse and were his menne conueghed ¶ The duke of Brytain then was his manne For fee belaste without rebellion The counte sainct Paule his manne was then The duke of Burgoyn without suspicion With many other his menne without collucion Were sworne theÌ„ whole the couÌ„trees in yâ— same wise Castelles and tounes eke as he couth deuise ¶ In August so of his reigne the tenth yere He toke sickenes and laye at Boy Vincent In pain strong as then it did appere Full like to passe wherfore in his entent The duke of Bedford he made hâ—e regent Of Fraunce and of his other landes all Beyond the sea as chief in generall ¶ And of his soonne Henry he made custode Thomas Beauford his vncle dere and trewe Duke of Excester full of all worthy hode To tyme his soonne to perfecte age grewe He to kepe hym chaungyng for no n 〈…〉 With helpe of his other eme then fu 〈…〉 The bishop of Wynchester of good a 〈…〉 ¶ Th erle then of Salisbury manly That Mountague then hight by surname He sette to kepe then all Normandie Vnder the regent as knight of full greate fame With other lordes full sage and worthy of name Th erle of Oxenford and of Suffolke also Of his counsaill to been with many mo The CC .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng dyed the last daye of August the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred two and twenty and of his reigne the tenth yere for all his rightwisnes and iustice that he did he had no conscieÌ„ce of vsurpement of the croune THe last daye of August then full clere Of Christ his date a thousand signified Foure hundred and twoo and twenty yere When that this prince of princes so dyed At Boys Vincent with death then victoried That neuer prince in earth might theÌ„ haue dooen But he alone that ruleth sonne and moonne ¶ With whose bones the quene came to EnglaÌ„d The kyng of Scottes Iames with hir also The duke of Excester as I can vnderstand Th erle of Marche Edmond Mortimer tho Rychard Beauchampe then erle of Warwike so Humfrey then erle of Stafford young of age And erle Edmond of Morten wise and sage ¶ O good lord God that art omnipotent Why streched not thy power and thy might To kepe this prince that sette was and consent With themperour to conuert Surrey right And with Christen inhabite it had hight Why fauoured so thyne high omnipotence Miscreaunce more then his beneuolence ¶ Aboue all thyng he keped the lawe and peace Through all England that none insurreccion Ne no riotes were then withouten lese Nor neighbour werre in faute of correccion But peasebly vnder his proteccion Compleyntes all of wronges in generall Refourmed were well vnder his yerd egall The CC .xxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe through 〈…〉 we and peace conserued was the encreaso of his conquest and els had he been of no power to haue conquered in out landes WHen he in Fraunce was dayly
cōuersaunt His shadowe so obumbred all England That peace and lawe kept continuaunt In his absence throughout all this land And els as I can seyne and vnderstand His power had been lite to conquere Fraunce Nor other realmes that well were lesse perchaūce ¶ The peace at home and lawe so well conserued Were croppe and rote of all his hie conquest Through whiche the loue of God he well deserued And of his people by North South Est West Who might haue slain y◠prince or downe him kest That stode so sure in rightfull gouernaunce For common weale to God his hie plesaunce The CC .xxiiii. Capiter ¶ Henry the sixte kyng of England and of Fraunce that fled in to Scotland without cause on Palmesondaye the thirty and nyne yere of his reigne and of Christ a thousand foure hundred three score and one began to reigne the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred twenty and twoo HEnry his soōne thē not .iii. quarters olde That borne was at s Nicholas daie afore At Windesore so as that realme thē would Vnto the croune succede as he was bore All England hole by might of lordes thore The duke of Gloucester then disired To haue the kepyng of the kyng enspired ¶ The bishop of Wynchester it withstode With all the lordes there hole of his assent Then would he haue been as for that next of bloode Leuetenaunt then of England and regent The bishop aye withstode all his entent That chaūceler was by that fifth kyng Henry made And so furth stode and in thoffice bade ¶ For cause he was so noyous with to dele And office would he haue and gouernaunce Wherfore thei made hym for the common wele Protectour of the realme by ordinaunce To kepe the land fro mischief and varyaunce The kyng of Fraunce for sorowe then dyed The quene his wife also as was notified ¶ The lord Cromwell lost therof nothyng For he had bothe theim in his gouernaunce And home then came when buryed was the kyng Charles of Fraunce with worthy ordenaunce Quene Isabell also with purueaunce Accordaunt well to their royall estate With costages greate as was preordinate ¶ The first daye of the moneth of Septembre He gan to reigne then was a thousand yere Foure hundred as I can remember Twenty and twoo accompted then full clere As I finde write in the chronicler But not crouned for tendernes of age Nor yet anoynte for dred of youthes outrage ¶ The duke of Bedford stode so furth ay regent The duke of Gloucester here was so protectour The bishop of Wynchester by perlyament Was chaunceller and hiest gouernour Of the kyng his persone and his greate socour His godfather and his fatheres eme And supportour was moost of all this realme ¶ The regēt then of Fraunce wed Anne his wife The duke his suster of Burgoyn good and faire The duke of Brytain hir suster knowen rife Had wed afore without any dispeire Whiche was lady of greate repeire ▪ Whiche dukes twoo were sworne and aliede With the regent to stand strongly fortified The CC .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe the regent with lordes of Englād smote the vattaill of Vernoyle in Perche in the third yere of kyng Henry that .vi. ¶ Th erle of Boughan and therle Douglas Th erle of Wigton with power of Scotland And lordes of Fraunce to gether assembled was Wher the regent with lordes of England At Vernoyle in Perche as I can vnderstand Faught with theim sore slewe the Scottes cruelly And bade theim thynke emong on Bawgy ¶ The regent had the felde and victorie With greate honour and laude full comfortable Therles were ther with hym of Salisbury Of Suffolke also that were full honorable The lord Wiloughby full fortunable The lord Scales of greate and hie corage With many other of the baronage ¶ Th erle of Ewe and his brother manly Faught in that feld and gate aworthy name And many mo did tho full doughtely I dare well saie was none therfore to blame All other also whiche that were worthy of fame I would haue wrytē if I had knowen their mede But to heraldes I will commit their deede ¶ Thei sleugh therles of Boughan Douglas And of Wigton of Scotland that wer there The lord of Enermeth of Scotland then was With greate people that dedde then there were Our Englishmenne full manly theim bere The regent was there that daye a lion And faught in armes like any champion The CC .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Mountague erle of Salisbury layde siege to Orle aunce and was slayne there THerle of Salisbury then Mountague With great power layd siege to Orliaūce Wher slayn he was for whō men sore gan rewe So manly was his knightly diligence He laboured euer in marciall excellence Vnto the tyme as would th ende of fate With a quarell was slayne infortunate ¶ And buried was in Englande that yere With greate worshippe and hie solempnitee Richard Neuell had wed his doughter clere And erle was made that tyme by her in fee The regent then of great nobilitee By counsell of the duke then of Burgoyn Kepte Fraunce full well without any essoyn ¶ Then died his wife and wed then sone agayn The countee seynt Paules sister of Fraunce That leegeman was to kyng Henry certayne To the regent sworne as by full greate assuraūce With true seruice and all trewe aliaunce He kepte bothe Fraunce and eke all Normandy In peace and rest full well and worthely ¶ Th erle Richarde of Warwike kepte the kyng By all this tyme sith the duke was dead Of Excester that first hym had in kepyng Th erle Richard in mykell worthyhead Enfourmed hym but of his symplehead He coulde litle within his brest conceyue The good from eiuill he could vneth perceyue The CC .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng was enoynted and crouned in England in the yere of Christe a thousande CCCC and .xxix. and of his reigne the .viii. yere And afterwarde he was crouned in Fraunce the yere a thousand CCCC and .xxxi. and of his reigne the .x. yere in whose presence the regent ceased of his office for whiche he was wroth with the cardinall is vncle for asmuche as the kynge was there presente therfore there shulde bee no regente THe kyng then in his .viii. yere in Englande At Westmynster vpō saynt Leonardes daye The sondaye then as I can vnderstande And of Christ was then a thousande full I saye Foure hundreth and .xx. and .ix. no naye He crouned was with all solempnitee By whole assent of lordes and commontee ¶ Then of his reigne accompte the .x. yere To Fraunce he went wher then at saynt Denys His fathers eme the cardinall full clere Hym crouned fayre with bishoppes there full wise The regent was there with suche seruice As was due of reason and to hym appent The duke of Burgoyne also obedient ¶ The duke also was there of Britayne The counte saynt Paule and the duke Embarre Th erle of Foys with other lordes of Guyan
Wherfore the duke loste his great auauntage And was no more then after defensour But then he fell in a greate errour Moued by his wyfe Elianor Cobham To truste her so men thought he was to blame ¶ He waxed then straunge eche day vnto that kyng For cause she was foriudged for sossery For enchaunmentees that she was in workyng Agayne the churche and the kyng cursedly By helpe of one mayster Roger Donly And into Wales he went of frowardnesse And to the kyng had greate heuynesse ¶ Wherfore the lordes then of the kinges couÌ„saile Made the kyng to set his hye parlyament At Burye then whether he came without fayle Where in parlesey he dyed incontynent For heuynesse and losse of regyment And ofte afore he was in that sykenesse In poynt of death and stode in sore destresse ¶ When of the kyng was .vii. and twenty yere Then he so dyed in full and h 〈…〉 creaunce As a christen prince of royall bloude full clere Contryte in herte with full greate repentaunce With mouth confessed to Goddes hye pleasaunce Vnto the earth that is all fleshe his neste His body went his soule to heauens reste ¶ And of the kyng the .xxix. yere In Maye â–ª the duke of Suffolke toke the sea On pilgramage to passe as dyd apere With Brigauntes then with compassed enmyte Hym slewe and heded with full great cruelte Agayne assuraunce of the kynges proteccyon That worthy were the death for insurreccyon ¶ That same yere then at the hye parlyament Was made a playne and a hole resumpcyon Of all the landes by sad and hole aduysement Whiche the kyng had geuen of his affeccyon To any wyght by patent or conccssyon Then taxe ceased and dymes eke also In all Englande then raysed were no mo The CC .xxxiii. Chapiter ¶ The duke of yorke was made protectour and chyef of councell the thyrty yere of kyng Henry the sixte and the Earle of Salisbury was chaunceller of Englande THe duke of Yorke then made was protectour And gouerned wel but .ii. yere not endured Discharged he was with passing great mur mour Of coÌ„mons hole amonge them theÌ„ ensured To helpe hym so with power auentured For he was set the comon wele to auayle By his laboure and his hole counsayle ¶ But ay the better that he to God was set The more were other by worde and dede The contrarye to laboure and to let His good purpose to pursue and to spede So that he had no hap for to procede For sotell menne hym let ay at the ende The coÌ„mon wele to mayntene and amende ¶ The Earle Richard also of Salisbury So was disposed in all thynges to the same Whiche was the cause of theyr death fynally For whiche of ryght ne muste folowe blame Their lyues well kepte had bene without shame For tho princes two died in their kynges right For the publike wele of eche Englishe wight ¶ The .xxx. yere this was then of the kyng When they the kyng then had in gouernaunce And ruled hym well in all maner thyng And made good rule and noble ordynaunce Auoyding all misrule and misusaunce For worshyp of the kyng and of his realme Without doubte or any other probleme The CC .xxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Earle of Northumberlande the duke of Somerset and the lorde Clyfforde were slayne at saynte Albones the thyrty and .iiii. yere of his reigne where that duke of yorke the Earle of Salisbury and the earle of Warwike toke the kyng 〈◊〉 kept hym in good rule the twenty two days of Maye that was then the Thursdaye next of Pen tecoâ—t the yere of Christ a thousand foure huÌ„dred lv THei were put by from all their good entent And strauÌ„ge were hold after many a daye To the thirty yere and thre by hole consent At sainct Albones then vpon the thursdaye Accompted then next afore Witsondaye Thei slewe the duke Edmond then of Somerset For cause he had the realmes we le so lette ¶ Th erle then of Northumberland was there Of sodein chaunce drawen furth with the kyng And slain vnknowne by any manne ther were The lord Clifford ouer busie in werkyng At the barres theim mette sore fightyng Was slain that daye vpon his owne assaut As eche manne saied it was his owne defaute ¶ Th erle of Wiltshire with fiue hundred menne Fled fro the kyng full fast that tyme a waye The duke of Buckyngham was hurte there then The kyng thei tooke and saued in good araye To Wistminster with hym thei tooke the waye And ruled hym well in all prerogatife As kyng of right without any strife The CC .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe that lord Audely faught with therle of Salisbury at Bloreheth at Mighelmas terme in the thirty and eight yere of his reigne ¶ Yet were these lordes voyde fro that kyng again The duke of Yorke and therle of Salisbury Th erle also of Warwike nought to layn Without cause I can not remembre why But at Bloreheth the lord Audely in hie With therle of Salisbury faught full sore Th erle preuailed and Audely slain was thore ¶ The thirty yere and eight of the kyng And so he went to Ludlowe on his waye The duke of Yorke in Wales had shippyng To Ireland then he went full well awaye Therles of March and Salisbury that daye And of Warwike as God it had purueighed To Calais went their waye no thyng denied The CC .xxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the battaill of Northampton wher the Earle of March therle of Warwike preuailed led the king to Westminster kept hym there the yere of his reigne right and thirty and the yere of Christ a thousaÌ„d foure hundred nyne and fiftie and slewe the duke of Bokyngham therle of Shrowisbury tresorer of England the lord Beaumont sir Thomas Percy lord Egremond and led the kyng with theim to London and gouerned hym full well and worthely the tenth daye of Iuly AT Couentree the king in his parlyament Proclaimed theim all thre for rebellours But afterward all three of one assent At Northampton came as worthy warriours In somer after to been the kyng his socours Wher then the duke of Buckyngham theim met With power greate and trust haue theim ouerset ¶ Th erle of Shrewesbury was with hym thore The lord Baumount with hym was also The lord Egremount full stout in feate of warre Whiche foure were slain with mikell people mo Beside Northampton on the Thursdaye tho The third daye of the moneth of Iuly And in the reigne of the kyng eight and thirty ¶ Thei saued the kyng kept hym sauf sound With greate honour therle of Marche Edward Th erle also of Warwike in that stound And with hym rode so furth to London ward Full worshipfully thei kept hym thens forward In all state royall as did append And as his menne vnto hym did attend The CC .xxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the battaill of Wakefeld wher the North partie preuailed was the fifth daye of Christmasse and of the kyng his reigne
armie Then the Duke of Burgoyne not contented that the earle shoulde bee holpen of the king of FrauÌ„ce agaynst king Edward prepared a great nauye of shippes aboute the costes of Normandye that he might take hym coÌ„ming towardes Englande yet neuerthelesse the Earle escaped all daungers and landed safe he and all his menne at Dartmouth frome the whiche place he sayled to Fraunce halfe a yere before After that the Earle came to lande he made a proclamacion in king Henry the .vi. name that all they that were of lawfull age shoulde make battayle agaynst Edwarde duke of Yorke whiche agaynste all ryghte and lawe at that tyme had the crowne The whiche when it was doon it cannot be spoken howe soone it went aboute all the realme that he was come and had made this proclamacy on at the whiche also is not to be expressed howe many thousandes of menne came to hym The Earle hauing all this power greate armie went streyght to London whome when Edwarde perceyued to drawe nighe he fledde for the tyme trustyng to haue hym at some vauntage but at the laste he was dryuen to that ende that he had no mynde to get any hoste to resyst his enemies but beyng in greate daunger of his owne lyfe fled with the duke of Gloucestre his brother vnto a towne night the sea called Lye and there taking shippe sayled into Flaunders to Charles the Duke of Burgoyne with greate daunger and parell of his lyfe by the reason of the boisterouse cruel winde Elizabeth his wyfe beyng then greate â—â—th childe dyd take sentuarye at Westmynster where she was broughte in bedde with a mâ—n chylde whose name was Edward After that the earl 〈…〉 newe of the going awaye of kyng Edward he made haste to London and hearing of the tumulte and busynesse that was in Kente and that all the villages and suburbes there were spoyled piteously a lytel before the going awaye of that kyng pacified theim and sette all thinges in good ordre agayne by the doing of the whiche benefyte he was the more louingly accepted of theim all and that doon came to the towre there deliuered kyng Henry the .vi. out of prisone geuing hym his robe of maiesâ—ye broughte hym to Poules the people reioysing on euery syde and there thanked God for that it had chaunsed as they wolde desired And this was the yere of our Lorde a. M .iiii. C. foure score and one that kyng Henry beganne to reigne So that king Henry so often vanquyshed began to reigne nowe likely shortely after to faule againe The which fortune chaunsed to hym by many mennes opinions because he was a very simple and innocent man and that he had rather in godlinesse vertue excell other then in honoure and rule so that for the loue that he had to religion he loked for no dignitee or honoure whiche chaunseth to fewe that wil not seke for it or regard kepe it when they haue it But his enemies saide he was a coward had not the herte or manlynesse to bee a kyng or meete for that offyce So that who soeuer despiseth that the coÌ„mune people alloweth maruaileth at is accompted for a mad man contrariwyse he that doeth agree to theim and in their tale he is a wise man where in dede suche wisdom as it is comeÌ„ly saide is foolishnesse before God Also some saide it was the will of God that it should so bee for his graundfather Henry the fourth gotte it by violencye and force of armes so that it coulde not bee longe enioyed of hym but that faute of the graundesire did redounde on the nephewes But nowe to that matter After this king Henry held his parlyament at Westmynster the .xxvi. daye of Nouembre in the whiche Edwarde is declared openly tray toure to his couÌ„tree bycause he had taken that crowne to him and all his goodes geuen away in like maner al theirs that did take his parte and so iudgement was geuen on theim to dye Furthermore all that decrees statutes and actes of that forenamed Edward were broken of none effecte And then that earle of Warwike as a man that had deserued much of his couÌ„tre was made gouernoure ouer all that realme to whoÌ„ he did take the duke of Clarence as felowe to hym So by that meanes that realme was brought to a new state cleane transformed altered To this parliament came the lorde Marques Mountacute the which excusing his treason that he did take kyng Edward his parte saing it was for feare of death had his pardone â–ª Truely yf this man had taken kyng Edwardes part had stand to his side manly he had not been so sore an enemie and hurted so much his frendes as he was being a false fained and coloured frende for those thinges that we be ware of and knewe before to bee pernicious dooe lesse hurte vs. But nowe quene Margarete being in Fraunce prayed euery daye from that time the Earle went into England for the victorie the whiche when she knewe was obteined by the king his letters that came to her shortely after did take shyppe towardes England but thorowe that sharpnesse of the wether and greate tempestes she was constrayned to lande and to differre her iourney to an other tyme. At the same tyme Gaspar the earle of Penbruch went to Wales to his Earledome where he founde lorde Henry the Earle of Richemonde his brothers sonne a chylde of ten yere olde there kepte prysoner but lyke a noble man of the erle willyam Harberte his wyfe whome we spake of before that Edwarde had made hym erle and then after taken in batayl was behedded at the coÌ„maundement of the earle of Warwike This is that Henry the whiche when Richard the thirde brother to Edward was ouercome and vanquished had the gouernaunce of the realme of whome this is to bee beleued that after that he came to his kingdoÌ„ sent as one by god to quench and put awaye the greate sedicion and stryfe that was betwixte Henry and Edwarde seyng that he minded nothyng so muche as that whome lady Margarete the onely doughter of Iohn the fyrste Duke of Somerset dyd bryng for the beyng but fourtene yeres of age the whiche althoughe she was maryed after to Henry the duke of Bucking ham his sonne and after that to the earle of Derby yet she neuer broughte for the chylde after as thought she had doone her parte when she hadde borne a manne chylde and the same a kynge of a realme Gasper the earle of Penbruch tooke thys chylde Henrye from the earle Harberte hys wife and brought hym soone after to London to king Henry the syxte whome when the kynge had beeholded longe holding hys peace and maruailing at the goodlye wytte of the chylde sayde in thys wyse to the nobles that were at that tyme present Loo thys is he thys is he I saye to whome both wee and oure aduersaries shall geue place to in possession And by
There were kylled at that vattaill with their fiue capitaines spoken of euen now of that partie about foure thousand Of the kynges part there were not halfe of theim whiche fought in the forewarde slain TheÌ„ was Lambert the child whiche was falsly reported to bee the Dukes soonne of ClareÌ„ce and his maister sir Richard Simond preest both taken but neither of theim putte to death because Lambert was yet but a child and did seme to dooe that more by compulsion of his maister theÌ„ of his owne will and the other was a preest whiche for his defaulte was cast into perpetuall prisone But this Lambert was taken into the Kynges kechin and after was made one of the kynges faukeners and is yet a lyue And thus was all that Margarete went about at this tyme turned to naught and to none effecte whiche thyng wheÌ„ she heard tell of in FlauÌ„ders she was verie lory at the hearte made greate mone And yet could she not bee conteÌ„t but immediately after inueÌ„ted an other thyng to vexe and trouble kyng Henry as it shal be shewed here after Kyng Henry when he had all thynges brought thus to passe and vtterly vanquisshed these his enemies thought hymself at one tyme deliuered from twoo eiuils together that is to saie from bothe feare that was present and also that was to come For it was not to bee thought that thei whiche were so fewe in nombre durste bee so bold to entre into the realme and make battaile against the kyng whom they knewe wel ynough would bryng with hym a great and well armed hooste but that they had other felowes of the same coniuracion whiche would mete and ayde theim all that they could in tyme and place conuenient Therefore when the kyng sawe the hoste of his enemies manifestly before his eyes he commaunded that no maÌ„ shoulde kyll the earle of Lincolne but that he should bee brought to hym alyue to the entent that he might shewe and bewraye all the other whiche were of the conspiracie But that the sowdyers would not do least the sauyng of hym should bee the destruccioÌ„ as it should haue been in dede of many other This battayle was fought in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousande foure hundreth foure score the secoÌ„de yere of this HeÌ„ryes reigne In the whiche yere also Thomas Burscher archebyshop of CaÌ„terburye died into whose roume succeded Iohn Morton late bishop of Ely whome Alexander of that name the sixte bishop of Rome made Cardinall Now to retourne to my purpose After this the kyng when he had gathered al the prayes and spoyles together and had buryed theim that there wer slain went forth to Lincolne and there taryed three dayes and had euerye daie one procession to thanke God almightie that he had the ouerhande of his enemies And incontynently sent his banner to Walsyngham to be consecrate to our Lady there to bee kepte for a perpetuall moâ—ument of victorie Then did he execucioÌ„ of suche rebellions as were there taken shortely after tooke his iorneye foorth to Yorke and there likewyse suche as were founde gyltye dyd he punyshe strayghtlye When all this was dooen he wente vnto Newcastle and frome thence sente into Scotlande Richarde Foxe whiche not longe before was made bishop of Exeter and Richarde Edgecombe knight as Ambassadoures to kynge Iames for a league of peace For this Henrye thought it a great pleasure and coÌ„moditee to bee in peace and concorde with kinges gouernours whiche laye aboute this his realme and specially and before all other with kyng Iames because that there no rebellions might trust whiche otherwise perchaunce woulde haue trusted to haue ayde or succoure at his hande so that thereby there durste none againe take weapon against hym The ambassadoures when they wer come into Scotland to the kyng were of hym both gently and after the moste louing fashion receiued and heard and then dyd he plainlye declare and open to theim that he hym selfe loued kyng Henrye and his no man 〈◊〉 but that that moste parte of his Scottes and subiectes could in no case agree with the English menne Wherfore excepte that he should offend or 〈…〉 se theim he desired the legates to bee conteÌ„t with truce for .vii. yeres in promesse but in dede he sayed that peace betwene theim on his parte shoulde neuer bee broken and or euer those seuen yeres should bee passed that he would geue truce for seuen yeres lenger so that kyng Henry and he would euer bee in peace and moste assured amytie And this did kyng Iames because he knewe that no facte of his people shoulde bee alowed When the Ambassadoures hearde this they tooke the yeres that were offered theim as concernynge peace and by and by retourned home to kyng HeÌ„ry againe and shewed hym all the mattier in ordre With the whiche tydynges he was veraye well contented Shortely after the kyng departed thence towarde London and in the waye at Leicetre mette hym Abassadoures from the Frenche kyng which shewed hym that their kyng Charles had recouered many tounes and cyties whiche before were possessed of kyng Maximilian and that he kepte battayle nowe with Fraunces the duke of Brytayne because he kepte and socoured in his dominion certaine that were traytours and rebellions against hym of the whiche the chief was Lewes duke of Orlyance and therfore he desyred hym of his frendship familiaritie that either he would helpe hym orelles medle of neyther partie But kynge Henrye althoughe he had founde muche frendship at the Frenche kynges hande yet for as muche as he spyed whereof this stryfe beganne with this message was not well contente For the cause that the Frenchemenne tooke battayle was because they sawe that the Duke was an olde manne and had neuer a chylde and thereby that they myghte brynge that Dukedome into their subieccion When kyng Henrye perceiued this and also howe louyng the Brytaynes had been euer to Englande and finally remembred the tendre loue which was betwene the duke and hym thought it best if nede wer to helpe the Britaynes Yet for as muche as he had founde the Frenche kyng veray kynde in tymes past and had partely by his helpe recouered his kyngdome he was veraye lothe to medle in so muche that he coulde not well tell what was best in this mattier to bee dooen But at the laste he fully purposed if necessitie shoulde require to helpe the duke in all that he might Yet least he should make of his highe frende hys extreme enemie his aunswere was to the ambassadoures that he did intende to make their kyng and the duke frendes again Wherfore assone as the Frenche kynges ambassadoures were dimissed he sent on message Christopher Vrswycke to Charles the kynge of Fraunce Firste to certifye hym that he was veraye glad of the victorye that he had vpon Maximilian secondarely what tumulte and insurreccion was made here in EnglaÌ„d thyrdly and especially to desyre hym to bee at one againe with the Duke of
Brytayne And then he commaunded this Vrswycke that if the kyng of Fraunce shoulde bee so contente to go foorthe immediatlye to the Duke and desyre hym lykewyse of the same But when the kyng was come againe to London there was ioye and myrthe for the victorye the he had on euery syde For not onely the kyng but also euerye one of his cytezyns reioysed veraye muche Wherfore the kyng shewed hym selfe both beraye humane and courteous toward all menne and also rewarded all theim that tooke paynes in that battaile moste bountefully And not long after delyuered Lord Thomas Marques out of the â—oure and loued hym veraye well In the meane season Christofer Vrswicke was come to the frenche kyng of hym after the most louing fassion that coulde bee receiued And as sone as he had shewed his message the kyng shewed him selfe to bee there with veray well pleased Then went the ambassadour streight thence as it was coÌ„maunded hym into Britain and shewed the duke what kyng Henry would haue dooen But the duke because hym self had been sicke a great while therby his memory wit was dâ—â—aied called to hym to heare the message bothe Lewes the duke of Orleaunce and other of his councell whiche Lewes in no wyse woulde haue any peace to bee made but saied that it was more mete that kyng Henrye seing he had founde suche kyndnesse at the Dukes hande and Britaine was suche a good defence to England to helpe to kepe battayle all that he might against the frenchmen Then retourned this Christofer againe into Fraunce declared to the king Charles what aunswer was made of the Britains and shortely after came into Englande againe But still in the meane time the Frenche kyng went aboute busely to ouercome the Brytains and the more he was nigh of his purpose so much the more did he exhorte desire kyng Henry to make peace betwene theim wherfore he seÌ„t Bernarde Daubeney knighte in all the haste to kyng Henrye to desire hym in any wise to make some ende of this coÌ„trauersy And therupon the kyng being desirous of the same chose thre oratours the Abbot of Abindon Iohn Lilie the bishop of Romes collectoure and Richard Tonshal a knight and a veray wise man to gooe firste to the Frenche kyng and then to the duke to make amitee and frendshyp againe betwene theim But or euer these ambassadoures proceded on their iourney Iohn Lilye fell sicke of the goute therfore for hym was chosen Christofer Vrswycke and they together wente as they were coÌ„maunded Firste into Fraunce to the kyng and thence withoute delaye into Britain But Fraunces the duke in no case would take suche condicyons as wer there offered wherfore they came back againe into Fraunce without their purpose and there tarieng signified to kyng Henry by their letters all that was dooen But or their letters came to the kynges handes Edward Woodilile a bold Champion came to hym desired veraye earnestly that he myght haue an host of men to helpe the Britains and leasire it should cause any dissencion betwene the Frenche kyng and hym he saied that he would gooe priuely and without a pasporte to th entent it might bee thought that he stole out of the land But the kyng for as much as he trusted that peace shoulde bee made woulde in no wyse graunt his peticion Wherfore this Edward weÌ„t streight into the ysle Veches which was in his dominacion there so sone as he had gathered his menne together about foure C sayled ouer to the Britaines ioyned hym selfe with theim against the FrenchmeÌ„ whiche thing when it was knowen in Fraunce made the ambassadours greatly afraid of their liues But whiles they were in this feare and the FreÌ„chemen thought it dooen maliciously of Kyng Henry there came other Ambassadours frome hym to the Frenche kyng certifieng hym declaring by most euident tokeÌ„s that it was nothing in dede as it was thought to haue been To the which message albeit the kyng had lytle credeÌ„ce yet he made as thoughe he had not bene angry at all So the Ambassadours renewed peace betwene their king hym for .xii. monethes and retourned home again shewed the kyng all such thinges that they had either hearde or sene there wherof he gathered that the Frenchmen did nothing lesse entend then to haue peace made Wherfore without delay he called a parliament there consulted of the aidyng of the Brytains then of the exspence that should bee therin made after of other mattiers And assone as the parliament was broken vp he caused musters to bee taken in euery toune thorowoute his realme Yet leaste peraduenture he might seme willingly to breake the amitee whiche was betwene the Frenche kyng and hym he sent Ambassadours into Fraunce to certifye the kyng that of late he had kepte a parliament and there that it pleased all the nobles that he should sende helpe to the Britains because they at all times had dooen more benefites to Englande then all other nacioÌ„s and therfore that he should either leaue of battail orelles that he shoulde not bee greued if he dyd obey the mindes of his Lordes and prelates and yet that he woulde promise hym this one thing that his should medle with hym no leÌ„ger then he was in Britain kepte battaile vpon theim With these commaundementes the ambassadours went foorth and declared to the French kyng all the minde and wyll of their kyng which thyng he litle cared for and thought as it came to passe in dede that the Englishemen there coulde lytle auayle In the meane season the Britains fought one felde at a place called sainte Albanes there sped beray euel For of theim Lewes duke of OrleauÌ„ce with many mo were taken and Edwarde Wooduile Iames Galeot an Italian and a veray good warryer with diuers other noble menne slaine Whiche thing when kyng Henry heard tell of he thinking it tyme to make haste sente spedely Roberte Brooke Lorde Iohn Cheinye Iohn Midelton Raufe of Helton Richarde Corbet Thomas LeightoÌ„ Richard Lacon Edmond Cornewell all lustye capitaines with .viii. thousand wel armed men to the Brytains to helpe theim in theyr nede whiche by reason the wind serued theim came thither so sone as they could desire But when the Frenche menne knewe of their comming whome they knewe so longe as they were freshe and lusty to bee in a maner inuincible at the firste wer blanke all and durste scarsely looke oute of their tentes but afterwarde trusting that they might wery theim they went many of theim together into diuers places and kepte many bikeringes with the English menne but they theim selfes euer bare the worste away howsoeuer the Englishmen sped they sped naught Whiles they this kynde of warre did exercise the Duke Fraunces died and then was all dasshed For the chyefe rulers of the Brytains being some of theim corrupted with money some sturred vp with ambicyon fell into deuisyon amonge theim selues and semed
people on bothe parties wer distressed and taken prisoners and aboue the nombre of thirty M. slaine In the .iiii. yere was Edmond de la Poole behedded and aboute the moneth of Auguste Syr Thomas Kneuet beynge chyefe capytaine of the kynges greate shippe called the regent and a few shyppes mo sette vpon a great Caricke and other shippes of the Frenche kyngs liyng then nere vnto a toune of Britaine named Brest where after a longe and cruell fight thesaide Caricke regent being clasped together with hookes and cheynes as the maner of fyghtinge vpon the see betwene enemies is sodeynly thesaied shippes with other were set on fyre and brent so feruently that before they mighte bee losed or disseuered the shippes with the men vpon bothe parties were consumed with violence therof so that fewe escaped whiche were of the poraill But thesaide sir Thomas Kneuet with many other gentlemen of this land and also of fraunce were brent on whose soules Iesu haue mereyt This yere also after haruest wheate roase sobeinly of pryce for where for the more parte of the yere it was not solde aboue sixe shilliÌ„ges .viii. d. a quarter After haruest for so muche as wheat was so sore blasted and striken was of so smal yelde it was solde for .xii. s. and .xiii. s .iiii. d. a quarter In the .v. yere the kyng besieged Turwin and discomfited the power of Fraunce at Boemy and tooke the citees of Turwyn and Turney But in the meane season the kyng of Scottes espiyng his tyme inuaded Englande with an hoste of an hundred thousande menne with whome the Earle of Surraye beynge the Kynges Leuetenaunte encountred and by the helpe of the Lorde Hawarde his soonne slewe the sayde kynge with a leuen Earles and wanne the felde For the whiche noble facte the kynge created hym afterwarde Duke of Norffolke and his soonne Earle of Surrey In the .vi. yere a peace was concluded betwene Englande and Fraunce And on saincte Denis daye the Frenche kyng maried the Lady Mary the kynges sister And he died on newe yeres daye after And therfore the kyng sente for her againe by the duke of Suffolke and other In this yere in the moneth of Februarye was borne Lady Mary the kynges doughter at Grenewiche In Aprill the Frenche Quene came in to Englande and was maryed to Lorde Charles duke of Suffolke This yere Ladye Margarete quene of Scottes and syster to the kynge fledde into Englande and laye at Harbottell And she was deliuered of a doughter named Margaret And came to London in Maye and taried there a hole yere In this yere was suche a froste that all menne myghte passe with cartes betwene Westmynster and Lambeth This yere on Maye euen was an insurreccyon of younge persones against Aliens of whiche diuers were put to execucion and the residue came to Westmynster Halle with halters aboute their neckes and were pardoned And the .xviii. daye of Mayeyquene of Scottes retourned into her countree againe This yere in Octobre the admiral of Fraunce came into England and Tourney was deliuered to the Frenche kyng In this yere at Frankforde Charles the fyfte was chosen Emperoure And the Earle of Surrey was sent to Ireland In this yere the kyng and the Frenche kynge met at the campe betwene Arde Guines where were greate triumphes And after the kynge and the Emperoure mette and the kyng went to Graueling with the Emperoure And the Emperoure came to Caleys with the kyng had greate chere and the kyng retourned This yere the duke of Buckyngham was beheaded at the toure hyll the .xvii. daye of Maye And in Iune the Cardinall weÌ„t to Calays to entreate a peace betwene themperoure the French kyng and â—aried there to Decembre without any thinge concluded This yere the fridaye before Penthecoste that is to wytt the sixte daye of Iune Charles the emperoure was honourably receiued into the Cytee of London of the Maire Aldermenne and cominaltye oure saied soueraigne Lorde accoÌ„paignieng hym And fro London he went to Windesore and sat in his stall of the Garter And from thens went to Hampton and sayled into Spaine Duringe whiche tyme the Earle of Surrey Lorde Admirall brent Morleys in Brytaine and after landed at Caleys and entred Picardye and brent tounes and castelles and besyeged Hesdyn but because of wynter he reysed his syege and retourned This somer the duke of Albany was entring England with a greate armye but when he heard that the Earle of Shrewisburye was comminge to fyghte with hym he tooke a truce for vi monethes In this .xiiii. yere Christian Kynge of Denmarke came into Englande in Iune Also the Earle of Surrey brent Iedworth and many other townes in Scotlande This yere also the Turke besieged the Rhodes and on Christmas daye he tooke it The Duke of Suffolke wente into Fraunce with ten thousand menne and passed the water of SomÌ„e withoute battayle and tooke and destroyed many townes and in Decembre retourned The same yere the duke of Albanye besieged the castell of Warke and hearing of therle of Surreys comming with a greate armye he cowardely sledde In the .xvi. yere there came oute of Scotlande the byshop of Dunkell and other ambassadours vnto that kynges maiestie And on saynt Mathews daye was the French kyng taken by themperour A mutyng in Norffolk and Suffolke for paymeÌ„t of mony A peas concluded betwene EnglaÌ„d and Fraunce And the French kyng was deliuered in Marche This yere was the coyne enhaunced In the .xviii. yeare the citee of Roome by the viceroy of Naples and the duke of Burbon the same dake beinge fyrste slaine was taken and almost distroied And ClemeÌ„t the .vii. than byshop of Rome diuers Cardinalles there found were taken and broughte in captiuitee and vnder the rule of Charles the Emperoure This yere also the Cardinall went into Fraunce with greate pompe In October the great master of Fraunce came to London with great triumphe In this xix yere was the sweatyng sickenesse for the which cause ther was no watch at midsomer In the .xx. yere was the Cardinall deposed of the chauncellourshyp and a peace betwene the Emperour and the kyng concluded In the .xxi. yere was holden a parlyament wher was refourmed diuerse enormitees of the clargye In the .xxii. yere was a man boyled in Smith feeld for poysoning The cardinal dyed on saynct Andrewes euen In the .xxiii. yere Gryffeth Rice was behedded for treason In October the kyng wente ouer the sea and met the Frenche kyng at Caleis In the .xxv. yere in Apryll was a Nonne called the holy mayde of Kent ii Monkes and two Freers hanged and behedded for treasoÌ„ blasphemye and ypocrysie This yere a peace was concluded wyth Scotlande In this xxvi yere was holden a Parlyamente at Westminster wherin emong other moost godly and necessary statutes it was ther decreed and enacted that the kynges maiestie should be from thensforth
reigned xxxiii yeres Ryueall reygned vxii yeres Gurgustius reygned xv yeres Scicilius reygned xiiii yeres Kyng Iago reigned x. yere Kyng Kimar reigned .xx. viii yere GorboniaÌ„ reigned .xi. yere Clotane with his feldes reigned xâ— yeres DuÌ„wallo reigned .xl. yeres DuÌ„wallo was the first king of Bryteine that was croned with golde This teÌ„ple was s Poules churche in LoÌ„don Bolyn Gurgwyn reigned xxx yeres Howe Irelande was hold of this kyng his heires Guytelyn reygned .x. yere Sicilius reygned .xxiiii. yeres * Rymar kynge * Danius kynge Moruyle reygned .xvii. yere Gorbonyâ— reygned .x. yere Arthegall * Eledoure kyng reygned v. yeres * Arthegall reygned 〈◊〉 yere Eledoure reigned xiii yere Iugen and Peredour reigned vii yere together Paradour reigned by hym self iiii yeres Eledour reigned .x. yeres GorboniaÌ„ kyng of Brytaine Morgan reigned .xiiii. yere Emnan kyng reigned .vii. yere Kyng Iuall reigned .xx. yere Kyng Rymo reigned xvi yere Kyng GereÌ„nes reigned xx yere Kyng Catellus reigned x. yere Kyng Coile reigned xx yere Kyng Porrex Kyng Cheryn Fulgen FulgeÌ„ce Eldred Androge Vryan Elynde Dedancius Detoâ—â— GurguÌ„cius Merian Bledudo Cappe Owen Sicilius all these reigned eche of theim .ii. yeres Bledud Gabred cantor Archiuall Eldoll Redon Redrike Samuel Pirry Penisell Capre eche of these reigned two yeres Howe Hely the soonne of Elyngwellus made the Isle of Hely Kyng Hely reigned .xl. yere Kyng Lud reigned .xl. yere This palays is nowe the bishop of LondoÌ„s palays beside Poules Cassibalayn reigned .xxxiii. yere Temancius reygned .xvii. yere Kymbelyne Guyder reigned xi iiii yere Aruiragus reigned xl.iiii yere 〈◊〉 Wher of Gloucester was so named Vaspasian Agrestes Howe Galway had fyrst the name of kyng Gadelus The regall of scotlande The subieccion of ScotlaÌ„d Coylus reigned xiii yere Lucyus kyng Seuerus kyng GetaÌ„ king of Britain chosen by that Romayns Bassian reygned vii yere Caranse reigned liii yeres * Allectus kyng reygned .iii. yere Asclepiadote reygned .x. yere Kyng Coylus reygned .xi. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng reygned xv yere Constantyne reygned .xxxiiii. yere Sorcerie ConstaÌ„tine first grauÌ„ted to the. b. of Româ— that primacye Octauius Kyng Traherne Maximian reigned in all xxx .iiii. yere The .xi. M. vyrgins Gracian kyng ConstaÌ„tyne reigned .x. yere ConstauÌ„ce kyng Vortiger kynge of Britayn reygned .xviii. yeres * Wednysdaye wherof it was named Vortymer kynge of Britayne The craft pollicye of Engist EnglaÌ„de wherof it was so named Vter PendragoÌ„ kyng of Brytain Kynge Arthure The saynt Graall what it is The death of kyng Arthure * Aurelius Conan kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere * Vortiper king of Britayne reygned vii yere Malgo kiÌ„g of Britayn reygned .xxii. yere * Carreys kiÌ„g of Britayne reygned thre yere Cursyng Howe that Britons were kyn glesse xx yere A lamen tacion of that maker of this booke to that lordes Mat â–ª xii The couÌ„cel of the maker to duke Richard of Yorke Homage of the Scottes A murder of MoÌ„kes Cadwall lxi yeres reigned The subieâ—cion of the Scottes SubiecctoÌ„ of Scottes Oswold Oswy kyng of NorthuÌ„berlande Kynge Cadwal Cadwalader kyng SubiercioÌ„ of that Scottes * A greate plage Mat .xii. Roome pence Etheldred Kyng Cuthred Segbert kyng Kynulph kyng IgnorauÌ„ce in those dayes Kyng Egberte 〈◊〉 Tythes firste grauÌ„ted to the clergy in Englande Kyng Ethel bert Kyng Elfride Alurede kyng Supersticion Superset cyonsnesse with daÌ„pnable ydolatrye Homage of the Scottes RebellyoÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Guy of Warwicke Kyng Eâ—moÌ„d reigned â—i yere Homage of the scottes Edrede kynge of EnglaÌ„de RebellioÌ„ of the Scottes Homage of the Scottes Edwyn kynge Edgare Homage of that Scottes Thoffice of a king Edwarde marter kynge of Englande Ethilrede kyng A wonderfull token Edmonde Ironesyde reigned kiÌ„g of EnglaÌ„d thre yere * Kno wt kynge of Englande and of DeÌ„marke Homage of that Scottes Herold Kyng Hard kno wt â–ª King Edwarde that 〈…〉 coÌ„fessou Th erle Goodwyn Homage of that Scottes Ignorance and supersticyon * Herolde kynge of Englande duke Good wins soÌ„ne Duke WillyaÌ„ of Normandye Homage of the Scottes Kyng Wâ—lliam Rufus Homage of the Scottes Homage of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Henry the first Homaeg of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes * Homage of that Scottes Kyng Stephan Homage of the Scottes kyng HeÌ„rye the seconde Homage of that Scottes Raynold fitz Vrsy Hughe Maruile Robert Tracy Homage of that Scottes Subieccion of that Scottes Homage of that Scottes Kyng Rycharde the fyrst called Cure de L◠〈…〉 Homage o the Scottes IhoÌ„kyng of Englande The piteous lameÌ„ table storye of king IhoÌ„ who by the Roomyshe byshop and his adhereÌ„tes was most sham fully vylanously abused as by this hystory doeth appeare Kyng Henry that thirde Homage of the Scottes Battaile of Lewes The battaill of Euesh 〈…〉 Kyng Edwarde the fyrst after that conquest The homage of that kynge of Scotlande to kyng Edwarde A restraint of laÌ„des to be geuen to the clergye Howe a chronicle was feygned to make Edmond the elder brother This was to Henry the fyfth Homage of the Scottes Submyssion of the Scottish kyng al his lords vnto kiÌ„g Edward the first Howe the Scottyshe kynge all the lordes of ScotlaÌ„d made homage vnto dyng Edwarde The deathe of Edward the first Kyng Edward the second The battaille of BaÌ„nokesburne Gilbert MideltoÌ„ robbed that cardinalles Edward the thyrde Homage of that Scottes Kyng Iohn of FrauÌ„ce A battaill in Spain Kyng Richard the seconde Insurrec * The batail of Rotâ—ote bridge * The batayl of Otturborne Blancke chartres Kyng Richard his voiage in to IrelaÌ„o Kyng Henry that fourth The kynges voiage into Scotlande The kynges voyages into Wales Robyn meÌ„dmarket The conceyte of the maker Lorde Coâ—ham King HeÌ„ry that sixte The duke of Gloucester protectour of EnglaÌ„d The duke of BedfordregeÌ„t of frauÌ„ce The coÌ„ceâ—â— of that maker touchynge kiÌ„g Iames. Kyng Richardes wife sent home again into â—raunce The casteâ— of Dunbretayne The tyme to beginne warre in Scotlande FroÌ„ Barwyke to DoÌ„barre .xx. Haddingtosie xii EdeÌ„burgh xii Lythko xii Sterlyng .xii. FroÌ„ EdeÌ„burgh to Leith i to Blaknesse .ix. to Sterling xiiii FroÌ„ Sterlyng to the doune of of Monteth .iiii. FroÌ„ Sterlynge to FalklaÌ„d .xxx. The first yere Howe HeÌ„ry that duke of Somersette lefte kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. and fled to kyng Edward and after repented fled againe to HeÌ„ry the .vi. The discomfitur of Henry the sixt The duke of Somerset taken beheded The takynge of HeÌ„ry the xyxte â–ª The coynynge of royalles nobles The sixt yere The .ix. yere King 〈◊〉 â—y 〈◊〉 vii The prophecye of Henrye the vi of kyng Henry the vii The .xix. yere * Tâ—e descripcion of Edward the fourth The descripcioÌ„ of Richarde the thyrde The exhortacyoÌ„ 〈◊〉 kynge Edward 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The descâ—ipcioÌ„ of Edward 〈◊〉 fourth 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ion 〈…〉 hâ—â—â—s wife The oration of that duke of BuckynghaÌ„ â–ª made â—o the cy 〈…〉 of London Howe and after what maner the two soÌ„nes of king Edward were destroyed The murtherynge of kynge Edward his chyldren The garde fyrste ordeined by kiÌ„ge Henry the vii The sweating sickenesse The coÌ„mocion made by the lord Louell and the lorde Stafforde Themurde ryng of the erle of NorthuÌ„berland 〈…〉 The kyng of Scottes slain of his subiectes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perkyn warbeck * The blacke Smyth The .xii. pere of HeÌ„ry the .vii. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 done The noble wise saiyng of HeÌ„ry the seuenth The .iii. yere The .iiii. yere The .v. yere The .vi. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 The .lx. yere The .x. yere The .xi. yere The .xii. yere The .xiii. yere The .xiiii. yere The .xv. yere 〈…〉 〈…〉 viii The .xix. yere The .xx. yere The .xxi. yere The. xxii yere The .xxiii. yere The. xxv yere The. xxvi yere The. xxvii yere 〈◊〉 xviii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxix yere The. xxx yere
their great damage It dooeth as me semeth ryght well appere That when pleaseth our king to send you thether Your house in hys ryght is appoynted by God To bee to the Scottes a sharpe scourge and rod Wherfore thys chronycle of Ihon Hardyng I haue thought good to dedycate to your grace Because the same in euery maner of thyng Doothe best set out the nature of that place With distaunce of tounes and euery myles space Besechyng your grace to take in good parte Myne honest labours and beneuolent harte The preface into the Chronycle of Iohn Hardyng EMonges all wryters that haue put in vre Their penne and style thynges to endite None haue behynd theim left so greate treasure Ne to their posteritee haue dooen suche delite As thei whiche haue taken peines to write Chronycles and actes of eche nacion And haue of thesame made true relacion ¶ By Chronycles we knowe thynges auncient The succession of tymes and menne The state of policies with their regiment Howe long eche partie hath ruled and when And what were all their procedynges then Chronicles make reporte of matiers dooen And passed many thousand yeres gooen ¶ By Chronycles we knowe in eche countree What men haue been of prowesse marciall What persones chiefly in actiuitee When and betwene whom warres haue befall Either ciuile or els externall Howe thesame haue been conueighed wrought Or els appeaced and to quiete brought ¶ Chronicles dooe recorde and testifye Euen from the worldes first beginninges And dooe kepe in continuall memorie The course and processe of all maner thinges The liues and maners of princes and kynges Aswell Gentiles as Iudaicall Aswell Iuste and godly as tyrannicall ¶ What persones to their prince and countree Haue been louing true and obedient And at all times of necessitee Haue serued thesame with good entent And constauntly therin haue their liues spent In Chronicles are regestred feithfully To their immortall honoure and glorye ¶ Contrarye wise who to their souerains Or to their countrees haue been wicked traitours Or by collusion and crafty traines Haue rebelled against their gouernours Or the same to helpe haue been slacke proctours Are sembleably sette out by name To their endelesse infamy reproche and shame ¶ These thinges and others a thousande mo Wherby realmes haue decaied or growen Chaunged in processe and altered to and fro Fruitefull and expedient to bee knowen Are in Chronicles so plainly shewen That thinges antique to vs bee as apparent As yf at their doinges we had been present ¶ Wherfore Goddes worde and holy scripture Whiche abandoneth all maner vanitee Yet of Chronicles admitteth the lecture As a thing of greate fruite and vtilitee And as a lanterne to the posteritee For example what they ought to knowe What waies to refuse and what to folowe ¶ The bible bookes of Iudges and kynges Althoughe moste full of high diuine misterie And farre surmounting all Ethnike dooynges Yet yf they bee read and take literally Hath the fourme and course of a plain historie What kynges serued God and who trangressed Whiche thereby prospered or wer oppressed ¶ The bookes of the kynges euery where Yf thinges seme touched ouer briefly To a larger storye dooeth vs referre Whiche were Chronicles of eche manne truely Sette out at length to our memorie Albeit those Chronicles as it is euident Are loste and dooe not remain at this present ¶ The bookes inscribed Paralipomena A perfecte membre and piece of the bible Is a summarye of the kynges of Iuda And therfore in Hebrue it hath the title And appellacion of a Chronicle The Machabees also by my deming Is a plaine historye of holy writing ¶ Whiche bookes if they had neuer been set out It had been a greate maime to our knowlage A lamentable lacke with outen doubte A greate cause of blindnesse to our age And to our faith inestimable damage But the spirite of God the authour was That those examples might bee our glasse ¶ Chronicles therfore of true reporte Whether of Christian realmes or no Are matier of pleasaunce fruite and comforte And for a thousande causes and mo Diligently to bee attended vnto Yea and all maner writers of the same Worthie laude thanke honoure immortal fame ¶ Neither is any one to bee reiected That in this behalfe hath dooen his endeuoure For though some bee such as might bee corrected Yet those that haue therein bestowed laboure Haue minded to profyte vs to their power Neither any is so full but somwhere dooeth faile Nor any so bare but dooeth somthing auaile ¶ And what an exceding benefite trowe ye Is it for eche manne to haue cognicion Of all actes bothe of his owne countree And also of euery forein nacion As yf he had liued when eche thing was dooen And to view the actes of antiquitee As though he did nowe presentlye theim see ¶ Chroniclers therfore I can highly cōmende And emonge others this authour Ihon Harding Who with all his power to this point did contēd To the vttermost extent of his learning That Englishe men might haue vnderstanding Of all affaires touching theirowne countree Euen to his dayes from olde antiquites ¶ And though his cōning were not so muche As some others nor his intelligence Yet his good minde entent and zele was suche That in hym lacked no pointe of diligence After suche bookes as he thought of credence Feithfully to describe suche thinges in rime As happened to Englande from tyme to tyme ¶ But in thinges dooen before his owne dayes He foloweth his authours at auenture Without choice or difference of the true wayes Nor well assured who were corrupte or pure Nor whether they were certaine orelles vnsure Whether fabulous or menne of veritee Whether vaine or of good authoritee ¶ But what soeuer in his owne time was dooen That he reporteth with all fidelitee Right so as eche thing ended or begonne Withoute any spotte of insynceritee Or dissimulation of the veritee He founde all meanes the veray trueth to know And what he knewe certainly that did he shewe ¶ From the beginning of Henry the fourth kyng Of this realme of Englande after the conquest Euen to Edwarde the fourthes reigning Whiche was thre score yeres and one at the leste He leaueth nothing vnwriten at the largest That was or semed to bee of importaunce Touchyng peace and warre wyth Scotlande or Fraunce ¶ Vnto the Scottes he coulde neuer bee frende Because he sawe theim towardes England False from the begynnyng to the last ende Neuer standyng to anye league ne bande Homage fealtee ne wryting of theyr hande Neuer so readie to make rebellyon As when thei promised moost subiection ¶ That if Ihon Hardyng bee a trew man And in this behalfe inspyred with prophecie Thei wyll neuer bee but as thei were than Falle to England suttle and craftie Entendyng myschiefe when thei shewe contrary Spoylers and robbers that amende wyll neuer Tyll our kyng shall haue made theim Englyshe for euer ¶ Neither is there anye that euer wrote Which
to whom they did homage ¶ Syr Iames Douglas erle Patrike Dūbare With all theyr helpe at the Candilmasse On Edwarde roase the Bailiol or he were ware And slewe all that they found doutlesse That fayn he was to Englande to flee helpelesse At Marche after he entred then Scotlande With thesame lordes then of the north lande ¶ On both sydes they rode and fast destroyed And to Berwike Edwarde Bailol came And sieged it and felly was annoyed To whiche Edwarde of Englonde with great fame Came with his hoost and laye there at thesame The Douglas then and Dunbare with power Northumberlande all through brent full clere The C .lxxix. Chapiter ¶ Of the battayle of Halidon hill and howe Edwarde Bayliol did homage leege to kyng Edwarde of Englande TO Halydon hill they came with their prayes Barwike castell and towne so to rescue Wher to oure hoste ful oft they made frayes Both day euen and morowes or day dewe But then the kyng of Englande to hym drewe The kyng also of Scotland with his might Full sore that daye in batayll did they fight ¶ Where Edwardes two had al the victorye The royaltes of all Scotlande there wer slayn Thyrty thousande with theim liggand by Of men of armes and archers dead certayn Then in the yere next after soth to sayn At newcastell Edwarde kyng of Scotlande His homage did to the kyng of Englande ¶ For whiche that cōmons of Scotlād on hym rose And slewe his men that he into Englande came And gatte an hoste and rode vpon his fooes Through Anand through Kylay Conyngham Carrike and Glascowe slewe al that he foūd at hame The kyng Edwarde of England with power Through Lowthian so did to Stryuelyn clere ¶ And both met there with great gladnesse And home they came destroiyng all the waye Another yere in Iule for to redresse Scotlande agayn with hostes they gan a fraye At saynt Iohns towne they met in great araye And ther they made therle of Athelis regent Whome the commons felly slewe and shent ¶ Kyng Edwarde sent after in another yere In Maye Henry Lancastre a noble knight To Scotlande with an hoste of good power And afterwarde he came with mekill might To saynt Iohns towne on the monthes right Through Murrey to Elgyne Giluernes Rosse Throughout mounteynes woddes myre mosse ¶ Kyng Edwarde then came home into Englāde And proclaymed his sonne Edwarde nominate The prince of Wales thens forth I vnderstande Henry Lancastre the younger he create Erle of Derby to beare the hole estate Wyllyam Mountague erle of Salisbury Of Northampton Wyllyam Bowne full manly ¶ Of Gloucester he made Hugh of Awdely Of Suffolke then he made Robert Hufforth Of Huntyngdon Wyllyam Clinton gay Whiche erles the kyng toke with hym forth With many a worthy knyght bothe of south and north And with the quene so vnto Andwarpe And there abode by all the wynter sharpe ¶ With great people and worthy chyualrye Agayn the kyng of Fraunce to clayme his right And wrote his title vnto that Romishe bishop on hie The duke of Barre and other lordes of might The quenes frendes then socoure had hym hight Where then the quene of hyr sonne Lionell Delyuered was as chronicles do tell ¶ He cherished then Flaundres that they forsoke Theyr naturall lorde and swore feautee To hym and his theyr power they betoke To byde and dwell vnder his souerayntee Because they sawe in hym suche humanitee He chaunged his armes in banners and penons And in his seale quartred of both regions ¶ And in the yere then of his reygne thyrtene His armes chaunged and called kyng of Fraūce He rode in Fraunce on warre as then was seen A thousande tounes he brent by his puysaunce The kyng of Fraunce without variaunce Sent hym worde that he wold with hym fight But at the poynt he did not as he hight ¶ For at that tyme in sonder they were a myle He fled awaye kyng Edward held the felde Two dayes after he sued and Vmfreuile Of hym had sight and then he founde his sheld By whiche he knewe his couenaunt he not held Wherfore the kyng to Brabant went agayn The dukes three of Barre Earle and Brabayn ¶ The parliamēt thē at Westmynster was hold Wher they graūted hym the .ix. lābe flees shaue Of the commons but the churche nomore wold Hym graunt but one dysme of theim to haue For which he graūted generall perdone and gaue The .ix. lambe slees shaue graunt was two yere To helpe the kyng his right to conquere The C .lxxx. Chapiter 〈◊〉 ¶ Howe kynge Edwarde smote the battayle on the sea at Sluse besyde Brydges howe the kyng firste rode into Fraunce and quartred his armes with the armes of Fraunce and sent to kyng Philip to trye the ryght betwene theim two ANd in his yere next after then fourtene At Sluse that kīg faught with the Frēch nauy Fro noone to eue to the morowe as was seen Where all wer drouned slayn myghtely And kyng Edward to Fraunce went hastely With hoste full great destroied the lande brent The cytee of Turnais besieged and shente ¶ Then wrote he to the kyng Philip of Fraunce Not namyng hym kyng of that lande But to Philip of Valoys for greuaunce Willyng alone they two to take on hande To fyght for the cause and for to stande Who hath the better for euer to holde Fraunce Withoute warre or any more dystaunce ¶ Or elles they two eyther with an C. knyghtes And yf these wayes please hym not to excepte Come with his hoste all his strongest wyghtes To the cytee of Tournay none excepte At a certayne daye iustly to be kepte And who the felde maye get brooke well Fraunce Withoute more stryfe or any varyaunce ¶ The kyng then wrote vnto kyng Edwarde agayne That he wolde not for the letters fight Whiche touche not kyng Philyp in certayne But Philyp Valoys as sheweth well to syght To whiche he wolde set neyther daye ne highte But when he thought it were for his honoure He shulde hym chase awaye without socoure ¶ Out of his land which wrongfully he sheweth Agayne his fayth feautye made and homage To his auncesters by letter as it sheweth Vnder his seale of hole and good knowlage For Guyan and his other herytage And fro Turnace into Brabane agayne The kyng Edwarde in wynter dyd remayne ¶ To byde the byshoppes rule and disposicyon Of good accorde for then two cardynalles To take a trewce by good prouisyon Duryng two yere betwene them generals And all theyr frendes that were princypalles Then came the kyng to Edwarde into Englande His offycers newe made I vnderstande ¶ To the trewce then taken at Maltrete The dukes two of Burgoyne and Burbone In the kynges soule of Fraunce swore and hete Truly to kepe for frendes or for foone And duke Henry of Lancaster sad as stone Willyam Bowne Earle of Northhampton And Willyam Mountague full hye of renoune
bowes bent Thei were with hym aye redy at his entent The C .xciii. Chapiter ¶ Howe in the tyme of kyng Rychard reigned ouer passyng pryde aduoutree and lechery as well in menne of the spiritualtie as in other of his hous TRuly I herd Robert Ireleffe saye Clerke of the grenecloth that to the houshold Came euery daye for moost partie alwaye Ten thousand folke by his messis tould That folowed the hous aye as thei would And in the kechin three hundred seruitours And in eche office many occupiours ¶ And ladies faire with their gentilwomen Chamberers also and lauenders Three hundred of theim were occupied then Ther was greate pride emong thâ—rfficers And of all menne farpassyng their compeers Of riche araye and muche more costious Then was before or sith and more precious ¶ Yemenne and gromes in cloth of silke arayed Sattyn and damaske in dublettes and gounes In cloth of grene and scarlet for vnpayed Cut werke was greate both in court and tounes Bothe in meÌ„nes hoddis and also in their gounes Broudur and furres goldsmith werke aye newe In many awise eche daye thei did renewe ¶ In his chapell were bishoppes then of Beame Some of Ireland and some also of Fraunce Some of England and clerkes of many a realme That litill connyng had or conisaunce In musike honorably God his seruice to auaunce In the chapell or in holy scripture On mater of Goddis to refigure ¶ Lewed menne thei were in clerkes clothyng Disguysed faire in fourme of clerkes wise Their peryshyns full litill enfourmyng In lawe deuine orels in God his seruise But right practyfe thei were in couetyse Eche yere to make full greate colleccion At home in stede of soules correccion ¶ Greate lechery and fornicacion Was in that house and also greate aduoutree Of paramoures was greate consolacion Of eche degre well more of prelacie Then of the temporall or of the chiualrie Greate taxe ay the kyng tooke through all the laÌ„d For whiche commons hym hated bothe free boÌ„d The C .xciiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the duke of Herford and the duke of Northfolke wer exiled out of England ANd in the yere M. and thre hundred clere Foure score and therwithall eightene And of his reigne the twenty twoo yere The duke Henry of Herford as was seen At Couentree in barres armed clene Again the duke of Northforke for treson Whiche bothe the kyng exiled fro his region ¶ The duke Henry exiled was for ten yere The other was also for terme of life That died duke at Venys leide on bere But duke Henry exiled was beliue Like as the chronicle can openly discriue For ten yere whole for to abide in Fraunce And to auoyde the realme without variaunce ¶ Vpon the pain of decollacion And hiyng sone before sainct Edwardes daye In Octobre called the translacion Vpon whiche daye he shipid fourth his waye At Calice londed and so rode on alwaye Vnto Paris wher he was faire recepte With lordes many and worshipfully was mette ¶ In lenton next duke Iohn his father dyed Of Lancaster of weakenes and of age Entombed faire at sainct Poules buryed His heire in fraunce should haue his heritage In Maye then next the kyng with baronage To Ireland went with hoste and greate power The wild Irishe to wynne and to conquere ¶ For then Roger therle of Marche was slain With wild Irishe in bushment for hym laye His soonnes then full young were bothe twein In ward were take vnto the kyng that daye And then the kyng made full fell araye In euery shire blanke charters to bee sealid For cause his actes should not bee repeiled In the yere of Christ a. M. was then clere Three C. also foure score and eke ninetene And of his reigne the twoo twenty yere Begynnyng at Midsomer then as I meane Whiche afterward turned hym to mikell tene He was then landed in Ireland with his hoste Of chiualrie and power with the moste The C .xcv. Chapiter ¶ Howe duke Henry of Herford and of Leicestre landed in Holdernesse in the same yere and Thomas Arundell archebishop of Cantorbury that before was exiled and howe duke Henry swore to therle of NorthuÌ„berland and to sir Henry Percy wardeyns of the Marches and to therle of Westmerland and to other lordes of that North. AT whiche tyme so that duke Henry toke land At ReueÌ„sporn i Yorkeshire as was knowe Tharchbishop Thomas I vnderstand Of Cauntorbury Arondell that was lowe Bothe of ryches and gold as menne sawe For the kyng had hym out of the land exiled Fro Cauntorbury neuer more to bee reconsiled ¶ In Holdernesse he landed with fourty menne Wher the lordes of Lyncolneshire hym mette Bothe Wyloughby Roos and Darcy then And BeaumouÌ„t also with Penouns proudly bette By ordinaunce of Henry Percy sette Erle of Northumberland and sir Henry His soonne wardeyns of the Marche seuerally ¶ To Dancaster he rode full manfully Wher bothe the wardeyns of the Marche mette Then with the duke with hostes great chiualry Th erle also of Westmerland was sette With his power as then it was his debt For he had wed the dukes suster dere A full good lady without any were ¶ Ther swore the duke vpon the sacrament To claime no more but his mothers heritage His fathers landes and his wife 's in good entent And to laye downe bothe taxe and tallage Whiles he might liue but of the baronage And all the states somouned in parlyament Thought it nedefull and therto whole assent ¶ He swore also the kyng in gouernaunce To be put by good and hole prouision And Chesshyre men for theyr misgouernaunce To voyde out of his house of eiuill condicion And officers of good disposicion To rule his house like his estate royall Thus was his othe there made in speciall ¶ Then rode they forth to Bristowe were theÌ„ lay Scrop and Busshe and also syr Henry Grene And headed theim but Baget fled away And then the kyng at Flynt as was sene Great monstres made of people that was kene Whiche toke his wage and came to duke Henry And rode ay forth with hym full redely ¶ In this meane whyle therle of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„de Treated with the kyng that tyme in Conwaye To mete with duke Henry then in Englande And brought hym then to hym in meke araye With litell speche to Chester then the waye They rode anone and put hym there in warde And so to London from thens came southwarde The C .xcvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe duke Henry of Lancaster was made kyng by resignacion renunciacion and deposayle and election of the parliamente and crouned at Westmynster on saynte Edwardes daye in Octobre ANd set hym in the toure where he resigned His right his realme his royall croune To duke HeÌ„ry which no maÌ„ theÌ„ repugned And there he made a playn renunciacion Of all his righte for whiche by prouision The parliament then for his misgouernaunce Deposed hym so then by greate ordinaunce ¶ Then went they to a free election
suche a prince of reason ought to bee ¶ And Motreux toke he then to syr Iohn Gray That then was made erle of TanoÌ„iruile A manly knight in armes proued aye And lorde Powes was by his wyfe that whyle And emes sonne vnto therle Vmfreuile Two better knightes I trowe there were not thaÌ„ Of theyr estate sith tyme that they began ¶ At siege of Meloyn and of all other citees After folowyng the kyng of Scotland lay The prince of Orenge withouten lees The duke Embarre his sonne and heire alway That suster sonne then was full freshe and gay To kyng Henry at Meloyn full well arayed The kyng of FrauÌ„ce with banner hole displayed ¶ The siege helde fro Midsomer to Christmasse When kyng Henry at his palayce royall Of Turnels fayre besyde the bastell pereles Of Saynt Antonye helde his hole imperiall Where then he feasted these kynges princes all Where then therles of Suffolke and of Kyme With ten men helde the iustes by all that tyme ¶ But whyles the kyng Henry was so in FrauÌ„ce The duke Robert that was of Albany Layd about Barwike of great puissaunce Sixty thousande of Scottes cruelly Assayled the towne echedaye by and by The capitayn was syr Robert Vmfreuyle A knight of the garter had ben long whyle The CC .xviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the duke of Albany besieged Barwske and therle Douglas Rokesburgh in heruâ—ste in the seuenth yere of the kyng and howe Henry Percy erle of Northumberland rescowed Barwike and Roliesburgh with .vii. score M. meÌ„ for trust it true there is no lorde in Englande that may de fende you agayn Scotlande so well as he for they haue the hertes of the people by North and euer haue had and doute it not the North parte bee your trewe legemen THey shot their gonnes and with their ladders scaled But nought auailed thei wer so wel of bet When they our hoste sawe anone they vnscaled That stale awaye by night without let For feare our hoste vpon theim shulde set At Baremore then with .vii. score thousande men For which the Scottes fled fro that duke home then ¶ Vpon the night and let hym there alone With his owne men and no mo of weike power Yet rode he to Norham nere theim anone And brent the towne our hoste and he then wer But two myle of and durst not come no nere Wherfore he rode home then into Scotlande Our hoste more sone retourned to England ¶ Then syr Robert Vmfreuile with the garyson Of Barwike with his countremen Folowed after the Scottes with his penoun On the hynder ryders and many of theim then He toke homewarde and slewe squyers ten Within Scotlande besyde Cherneside towne And to Berwike came with his garyson ¶ Th erle Douglas then hight syr Archebalde Whiche his one eye had lost at Hamyldon That semed hym well ay after manyfolde At Shrowysbury for his correccyon He loste one of his stones for his raunson His syege then lefte at Rokesburgh where he laye And with the duke of Albany rode awaye ¶ The Earles two of Douglas and Dunbarre For trewce sent to Roberte Vmfreuyle Wardeine of the este marche full wyse and warre He wolde none take with them then for no while Syth they the trewce had broken and did fyle He shuld them holde the warre to they were faine To seke peace then at the kyng agayne ¶ The kyng was then in Fraunce hole regent And Parys had and all the lande aboute Troies in Champaine Mews in Bry had hent With all citees townes and castelles stoute In all that lande and countree there throughout Of Mewis he made sir Iohn Graye capitayne That was lorde Powes by his wyfe certayne ¶ That tyme syr Raufe CroÌ„wel was gouernour Of kyng Charles and Isabell the quene By kyng Henry ordeyned theyr protectoure Who kept them at Boys vincent as was sene In royall wyse as to them dyd parteigne The kyng busy that tyme in his conqueste For to set rule in Fraunce coulde haue no reste ¶ In this meane whyle sir Robert Vinfreuyle Wardeine of the March thought then full great shame The king in FrauÌ„ce doing so well that while He made the warre on Scottes to haue a name Two yere complete he wrought theÌ„ mekell shame Thest Marche hole of Scotlande then he brent And market townes echeone or that he stente ¶ Howyk Selkirke Ied worth all Dunbarre Laudre also with all Laudre dale The forestes also fro Berwyk that were farre Of Eteryke Ied worth and eke all Teuidale And all the villages in them both great small And none helpe had but of his countre men Of the bishopryke of Northumberlande then ¶ In this mean time that Scottes had great paine Wherfore therls of Douglas and Dunbarre To London came and toke a trewce full fayne As Vmfreuyle them hight afore the warre That to the kyng they shulde it seke of farre Of whiche he kept his hoste then full two yere For with his warre he waste the marche full clere The CC .xix. Chapiter Howe the Kynge and the Quene came into Englaude in the eyght yere of his reigne THe .viii. yere of his reygne at CaÌ„delmasse The kinge came home and brought with hym the quene That he had wed at Troys in ChaÌ„pein doutlesse Afore the lordes of Fraunce as then was wel sene The duke of Clarence as men well it mene He made regent of Fraunce in his absence To occupye ryght as his owne presence ¶ The earle of Salisbury the Mountague He made gouernoure then of Normandaye Th erle of Kyme a knyght of his full trewe Marshall of Fraunce he made full openly The lordes all he ordeyned there to lye Hym to comforte and to bene attendaunt To hym in all that myght hym be pleasaunt ¶ This prynce of princes in England theÌ„ abode To somer after eche daye in busynesse To ordeyne for his passage and his rode To FrauÌ„ce agayne in which tyme then doutlesse I sawe two knightes afore hym then expresse That none might them accorde or treate to peace Ne iustyce none of fyghting might them cease ¶ The lordes then greatly counsayled the kyng To make them fynde suretye to kepe the peace The kyng answered anon without tarying I shal be youre borowe nowe or I cease For of this thyng I may not longe you prease But what case fall that slaine is one of you That other shall dye to god I make a vowe ¶ They heryng this anon they were accorde By frendes that treated that time betwene them two And after that they were no more at discorde This was a Iustice of peace that coulde do so His offyce kepte without borowes moo For when he dyed Iustyce of peace bode none But baratours theyr office kepte anone ¶ And at the Easter then in his xv yere The duke of Clarence thenemies had espyed At Bangy then for whiche his menne in fere He sembled and thyther faste he hyed On Easter euen he wolde not bene replyed With whome were
The prouoste of Parys with other great repaire Of lordes knightes and many ladyes fayre The gouernours of all the great citees And prelates fele and Barons for there fees The CC .xxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lorde Cromwell was chamberleyne in Fraunce at his coronacion and discharged at his commyng home in to Englande and the duke of Bedforde regent of Fraunce died and then that duke of Burgoyne was made regent a yere and then therle of Warwike was made regent a yere died at Roan in the castell THe lorde Cromwel was his chamberlayn Who was so wise he was of great record His homagers as to hym did perteyne In Fraunce that tyme by good and trewe accorde For his fees as they and he concorde Of Christes date was then a thousande yere Foure hundreth also and one and thyrty clere ¶ The regeÌ„t died for whoÌ„ was made great mone Then bothe councels of Englande and of FrauÌ„ce Chose the duke of Burgoyn then anone To regent of that lande for great affiaunce That kepte it well a yere in all assuraunce But sone thereafter with the dolphyn accorde And was his man as then was well recorde ¶ Th erle Richard of Warwike then conceyued Of the symplesse and great innocense Of kyng Henry as he it well perceyued Desired to be discharged of his diligence About the kyng and by his sapience Was sent to Fraunce and so was regent And kepte it well in all establishement ¶ Tyll that he dyed out of this worlde awaye For whom great mone was made and lamentacioÌ„ For his wisedome and for his manhode ay For his norture and communicacion He stode in grace of hie commendacion Emonge all folke vnto the daye he died Regent of Fraunce full greately laudified The CC .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the duke of Burgoyn besieged Calys and set vp his bastell there and howe the duke of Gloucester rescowed it THe duke of Burgoyn then to Calis came And set a bastell then afore the toune The which therle of Morteyn by his name Edmond Beaufort as made is mencion With soudyours it gatte and bet it downe The duke weÌ„t home and left the siege with shame When he our flete sawe saylyng on thesame ¶ The protectour with his flete at Calys then Did lande and rode into Flaunders a litle waye And litle did to counte a manly man But that the siege for hym then fled awaye The duke distracte sore sycke was many a daye For sorowe and shame he helde hym out of sight Many a yere he went not out to fight The CC .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Iames of Scotlande besieged syr Raulfe Gray in Renkesburgh and howe Henry Percy erle of Northumberlande rescowed it with seuen score thousande men IN that same tyme also of ScotlaÌ„d kiÌ„g Iames To ReÌ„kesburgh caÌ„ layd his siege about Syr Raulfe Graye theÌ„ kept it froÌ„ all shames Agayn his sautes that then were full stoute Th erle then of Northumberlande throughout Raysed vp the lande and when he came it nere The kyng trumped vp and went awaye full clere ¶ Who sawe euer afore two hostes royall So easely without stroke discomfite Of diuers landes and neither had a fall And on no parte smote no stroke perfite But for the shadowes that were imperfite Of our hostes so fled and sawe nothynge But vmbres two of our hoste then commynge ¶ But thus I deme tho princes wer forswore The kyng of Scottes the duke of Burgoyn eke That they not durst on no grounde abide therfore Their vntruthes made there hertes feynt seeke Truste neuer their manhode after worth a leeke That vncompelled forsworne or wilfully Shall neuer after haue honour ne victorie ¶ Take hede ye lordes of these great princes two What came of theim in shorte tyme after this The kyng murthered at home in Scotlande tho The duke was wod and frantike for his misse Thus vengeaunce fell vpon theim bothe I wysse Alas a prince shulde haue suche cowardise To be vntrewe or false in any wise ¶ Sith he nede nought so strecheth ay his power To kepe his trouthe and make his â—o thesame To kepe to hym with strength of sworde full clere Or els destroye his land and all his fame And put hym so to foule and open shame For periury occupied and lawe vnpreserued Caused many a man for to bee ouerterued The CC .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe therle of Stafforde was .ii. yere regent of Normandy and howe therle of Huntyngdon was other two yere and howe Richard duke of Yorke was regent of Normandy vii yere with holden and afterwarde was made liuetenaunte of Irelande BVt after then therle of Stafforde went With power strong to kepe all NormaÌ„dy Two yere with holde with all lordes assent Whiche well he keped and full honorably With litle losse of places fewe sodenly By enemyes won that might not longe ben holde And home he came when spended was his golde ¶ Then went therle thyther of Huntyngdon That kept that lad with sad and trewe seruice With great power truely vnto the croune For all the foes and eke the kynges enemyes And fewe places loste ne had no great supprise And home he came agayn at two yeres ende When his wages were gone and all hole spende And after hym the duke of Yorke full ying Thether was sent with great power royall And regent was of all that longed to the kyng And kepte full well Normandye in especyall But Fraunce was gone afore ingenerall And home he came at seuen yere ende agayne With mekell loue of the lande certayne ¶ The duke of Yorke sent was then to Irelande Leuetenaunt then he was there many a daye And greate thanke there and loue of all the land He had amonge the Iryshe alwaye And all the Iryshe beganne him to obey He ruled that lande full well and worthely As dyd afore his noble auncetrye The CC .xxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edmonde Duke of Somerset was made keper of Normandy THe kyng then made that marquis of Dorset EdmoÌ„d Beauford at the cardinals request Without delay then duke of Somerset And sent hym fourth anon withoute reste To Normandye to kepe it for his beste But in his tyme Fastolfe and Kyriell Discomfyte were in batayle sore and fell ¶ Where .vii. M. Englyshe were ouerthrowe Wherfore the Frenche assembled newe eche daye And gate the lande ay by and by on rowe For whiche the duke wrote his letters ay Vnto the kyng and his councell alwaye For more power elles he myght not byde To kepe the lande the French were of suche pryde ¶ He coulde none get this land was theÌ„ so pylde Through war of FrauÌ„ce they wolde not hiÌ„ releue So was the lande with Frenchmen wonne welde With siege eche daye and sautes fell and breue The Frenche nought reste that tyme a daye to eue We loste more then certayne within two yere Then kyng Henry gate in seuen clere ¶ Then was the kyng come vnto mannes age Wherfore the lordes wolde no protector
Of French nor Scottes ye get neuer to your pay Any treaty or trewce or good concorde But yf it be vnder your banner aye Whiche maye neuer be by reason any waye But yf youre realme stande well in vnyte Conserued well in peace and equyte ¶ Your marchis kepte also your sea full clere To FrauÌ„ce or Spaine ye may ride for your right To Portyngale Scotlande with your banner Whils your rerewarde in EnglaÌ„d staÌ„deth wyght Vnder your banner your enemies well you hight A better treaty within a lytell date Then in foure yere to your ambassate ¶ Remembred bene vnto youre excellence The tytles all that longe to youre regiment Of Scotlande hole with all my dilygence That third parte is of Britayne by extent And owe to bene at your coÌ„maundement And membre of your royall monarchye As Chroniclers haue made therof memorye ¶ Englande and Wales as to their soueraygne To you obey whiche shuld thinke shame of ryght To se Scotlande thus proudly disobeyne Agayne them two that bene of greate myght It is a shame to euery mannes syght Sith Iohn Baylioll his ryght of it resygned To kyng Edward why is it thus repugned ¶ Within thre yere theyr greate rebellyon Ye myght represse and vtterly restrayne And kepe them euer in youre possessyon For to obey youre might make them full fayne As kyng Edward dyd with hunger and with payne Them conquered hole to his subieccyon To byde euermore vnder his proteccyon ¶ Wherfore good lorde nowe girde you with your swerde And set vpon the frowarde heretykes That erren fro the two partes of the herde And strayen oute as they were litargykes Whiche haue forget their lorde as cronnatykes Hauyng no shame of theyr peruersyte Nor chaunge hewe for theyr falsyte ¶ And truste it well as God is nowe in heuen Ye shall neuer fynde the Scottes vnto you trewe Where they maye with youre enemies ay beleuen They wyll to you then alwaye be vnttewe Yet through your manhede it maye them rewe For lenger then ye haue them in subieccyon Truste neuer truth in them ne perfeccyon The CC .xli. Chapiter ¶ The kynges tytle to all his landes briefely reported with a mocyon to vnion Scotlande and Englande TO England haue ye right as ye maye se By Brutus chronycle SaroÌ„s NormaÌ„s To Wales that same ScotlaÌ„d also perde Who that the gifte and right well vnderstandes Of Iohn Bayloll howe he into the handes Of kyng Edwarde it gaue and resygned Why shulde it nowe be voyde and repygned ¶ To Fraunce youre title is writen well know For saynte Lowis to you by hole discente And Normandye all hole bothe hye and lowe Fro Willyam Conqueroure by hole entent Guyen and Poytowe withall to them appent For Elianour the mother of kyng Iohn Doughter and heyre to duke Willyam anon ¶ To Angeou also by Geffrey Plantagenet Father of Henry le fytz Empryce That of Angeou was Earle withouten let And of Mayne also a prynce of greate empryce To Irelande also by kyng Henry le fytz Of Maude doughter of fyrste kyng Henry That conquered it for theyr greate heresye ¶ To Casteil and to Lion also ye been Thenhe ritour also and verie heire By right of bloodde discended clere and clene Of Portyngale wher Lusshborne is full faire Fro kyng Petro without any dispeir For tho twoo bee the verie regions That named bee Castile and Legions ¶ Your graunsirez mother duchesse Isabell Full lady like faire and femenine To kyng Petro as I haue heard tell Was verie heire of theim by rightfull lyne To whom ye been heire as menne determyne By small hackeneys greate coursers men chastice As Arthure did by Scottes wanne all fraunchese ¶ Though scripture saieth of North all eiuill is shewed Me thynketh I can auauÌ„te it as properly That thei bee as manly learned and lewed As any folke and as muche pain maye dry Better menne of warre are not vnder the skye And of lyuyng Dauid saieth in his boke Of Scotland well who so that will it loke ¶ If ScotlaÌ„d were youres to Wales EnglaÌ„d Who hath power to make you resistence In any wise in any vncouth land Your rereward then scant in all sufficience To kepe England surely in your absence Make theim Albion and passe furth wher ye list To other landes ye nede none other trist The CC .xlii. ¶ Thexcusacion of the maker touchyng defautes of this booke and of the simplenes of it OF all maters I haue saied myne entent So as I couth espie in all wise enquere Whiche if it maye your highnes well coÌ„tent My hearte reioyseth to comfort your desire And of your grace euermore I you require For to consider my losse and my mayme in fere For Englandes right as well as I couth spere ¶ Besechyng ay vnto your royaltee If ought bee saied in this simple treatise Displeasyng to your hie nobilitee For to resume it in a better wise Hauyng my witte excused that neuer was wise And thinke I would haue meÌ„t vnto your plesauÌ„ce To whiche I lacke nothyng but suffisaunce ¶ Please it also vnto your royaltee The quene maye haue a vereie intellecte Of your eldres of greate antiquitee And of England of whiche she is electe Soueraigne lady full worthily protecte Vnder your rule and noble gouernaunce Whiche God ay kepe without variaunce ¶ The whiche should please her good femenite To reade vpon for her comfort and disporte To se and knowe the greate nobilite Of your eldres regalie and porte Whiche maye her glad alwaye and recomforte And if it maye please her souereingtie Of my labour I would reioysed bee ¶ For women haue femenine condicion To know all thynges longyng to their housband His high worship and his disposicion His hertes counsaill also to vnderstonde As at weddyng to her he made his bounde And moste of all his hertes priuetie And thestate of his good auncetrie ¶ O souereigne lorde that quene hath all fufficieÌ„ce As touchyng you but of your auncetrie In this treatise of all their excellence The quene maie se the worthy regence Of this your realme and noble monarchie Whiche hath been kept in greate nobilitee By your eldres of greate antiquitee ¶ This booke I call after my name Hardyng Sith God lent me that disposicion To enforme hym that laboured the wrytyng By plain language of small prouision Through Godes grace and his supposicion All destitute of language and science And desolate of rethoryke eloquence ¶ Moste cause was why I drew this ilke treatise To make your father haue had ê‘fecte knowlage And you also of Scotlande in all wise That percell was of your eldest heritage And of all landes moste nere your auauntage To haue it whole no more to bee dismembred Whiche might bee gote as it is afore remembred ¶ I had it leuer then Fraunce and Normandy And all your rightes that are beyonde the sea For ye maye kepe it euermore full sikirly Within your self and drede none enmytee And
takyng vpoÌ„ hym the croune gouernaunce of the realme accordyng to his right title laufully disceÌ„ded vnto hym to the laude of God profite surete of the laÌ„d vnto his grace so much the more honour lesse pain in that that neuer prince reigned vpon any people that were so glad to liue vnder his obeysaunce as the people of this realme vnder his When the protectoure had hearde the preposicion he looked very strangely thereat and made aunswer that albeit he knewe partely the thynges by theim alledged to be true yet suche entiere loue he bare to kyng Edward and his children and so muche more regarded his honoure in other realmes aboute then the croune of any one of whiche he was neuer desyrous so that he could not fynde in his hearte in this poincte to incline to their desyre for in all other nacions were the truthe not well knoweÌ„ it should paraduenture be thought that it were his owne ambicious mynde and deuice to depose the prince and to take hym self the croune with whiche infamye he would in no wise haue his honoure steyned for any croune in whiche he had neuer perchaunce perceaued muche more laboure pain then pleasure to hym that so would vse it as he that would not and were not worthy to haue it Notwithstandyg he not only perdoned theim the mocion that thei made hym but also thaÌ„ked theim for the loue and hartie fauoure thei bare hym praiyng theim for his sake to beare the same to the prince vnder whome he was and would bee contente to liue and with his laboure and couÌ„saill as ferre as it should like the kyng to vse it he would dooe his vttermost deuoyre to sette the realme in good estate whiche was all readye in the tyme of his protectourship lauded bee God well begonne in that the malice of suche as were before the occasion of the contrarie and of newe entended to bee were nowe partely by good policie partely more by Goddes specyall prouydence then mannes prouysion repressed and put vnder Vpon this aunswer geuen the duke of Buckyngham by the protectoures licence a lytle rounded aswell with other noble menne about hym as with the mayre and recorder of LondoÌ„ And after that vpon like perdon desyred opteyned he shewed alowde vnto the protectour for a fynall conclusion that the realme was apoynted that kyng Edwardes lyne shoulde no lenger reygne vpon theim bothe that they had so farre gone that it was nowe no suretie to retreate as for that they thought it for the weale vnyuersall to take that waye although they had not yet begon it Wherfore if it woulde like his grace to take the croune vpon hym they would humbly beseche hym thervnto and if he woulde geue theim a resolute aunswer to the contrarye whiche they would bee lothe to here then muste they seke and should not fayle to fynde some other noble man that would These woordes muche moued the protectoure whiche as euery manne of small intelligeÌ„ce maye wyt would neuer haue enclyned thereto but when he sawe there was none other waye but that he muste take it or els he and his bothe to go from it he sayde to the lordes and commoÌ„s sith it is we perceaue well that all the realme is so set whereof we be very sory that they wyll not suffre in any wyse kyng Edwardes lyne to gouerne theim whome no manne earthly can gouerne agaynste their owne wylles And we also perceaue that no manne is there to whome the croune can by so iuste tytle apperteyne as to our selfe as very right heire lawfully begotten of the body of our moste dread and dere father Rychard late duke of Yorke to which title is now ioyned your eleccion the nobles commoÌ„s of the realme whiche we of all tytles possible take moste effectuall we be content and agree fauourably to enclyne to your peticion request and accordyng to the same here we take vpon vs the royall estate of prehemynence and kyngdome of the two noble realmes Englande and Fraunce the one froÌ„ this daye forwarde by vs and oure heyres to rule gouerne and defende the other by Goddes grace and your good helpe to get agayne subdewe and establyshe for euer in due obedience vnto this realme of Englande thaduauncement wherof we neuer asâ—e of God lenger to lyue then we entende to procure and set foorth With this there was a greate crye and showte criyng kyng Richard and so the lordes went vp to the kyng and so he was after the daye called But the people departed talkyng dyuersly of the matter euery manne as his fantasie gaue hym but muche thei merueled of this maner of dealyng that the matter was on bothe partes made so straunge as thoughe neuer the one parte communed with the other parte therof before wheÌ„ they wyst that there was no man so dul that heard theim but he perceaued well ynoughe that all the matter was made betwene theim Howbeit some excused that agayne saiyng all thyng muste bee done in good ordre and men must sometyme for the maner sake not be acknoweÌ„ what thei knowe For at the consecracion of a byshop euery manne perceaueth by payment of his bulles that he enteÌ„deth to bee one yet when he is twise asked whyther he wil be a byshop he must saye naye and at the third tyme take it vpon hym as compelled therto by his owne wyll And in a stage playe the people knowe right well that he that playeth the sowdane is per case a sowter yet yf one of acquayntaunce perchaunce of lytle nurture should call hym by his name while he standeth in his maiestie one of his tourmentours might fortune breake his hed for marryng the playe And so they sayde these matters be kynges games as it were staige playes and for the mooste parte played vpon scaffoldes in which poore men be but lookers on and they that wise be wyll medle no ferther for they the steppe vp with theim wheÌ„ they can not playe their partes they disorder the playe and do theim selues no good ☞ ¶ Rychard the third RYCHARD THE THIRDE of that name vsurped the croune of England and opeÌ„ly tooke vpoÌ„ hym to be kyng the .xix. daye of Iune in the yere of our Lord a thousand foure hundreth and. lxxxiii in the .xxv. yere of Lewes the xi then beyng Frenche kyng and with greate solempnitee rode to Westmynster and there sate in the seate royall and called before hym the iudges of the realme streyghtly commaundynge theim to execute the lawe without fauoure or delaye with many good exhortacions of the which he folowed not one and then he departed towarde the abbaye and at the churche doore he was met with procession and by the abbot to hym was delyuered the sceptre of saint Edward so went offred to sant Edwardes shryne whyle the monkes sange Te deum with a faynt courage and from the churche he retourned to the palayce where he lodged tyll the coronacion
wealth partely that this Parkyn if his matters goo well forwarde would rewarde theim as thei would desire and enriche their realme moste plentefully by his liberalite partely also that Henry the kyng perceiuyng their kyng to assist hym would gladly paie tribute to hym for a peace and concord to bee had When this counsaill was gyuen the kyng did gladly folowe it and that his loue might bee more apparent to the people he caused ladie Katherine doughter to therle of Hūtley his nigh kinsemā to be maried to hym After this was dooen the kyng willyng that this Perkyn should reigne in Englāde hastened his iourney towarde the borders there cōmyng proclamed openly the all should bee pardoned the would beare with the duke of Yorke fight in his quarell and that mēne might for feare submitte theim selfes thei burned spoyled killed with out all mercie as ferre as thei did go but the kyng perceiuyng that no Englishemen came to aide this young duke that his souldiours wer so loden with praies spoiles that thei would not gladly go further he returned backe to Scotlād cariyng with hym infinite goodes riches And when this duke came to Scotlande again consideryng the greate distruccion and losse of the Englishmen that none came to aide hym to the entēt that his iuglyng of his countrefeict dignite might not be perceiued he saied verie craftely with a loude voice Oh wretch and stonie hearte that I am not moued with the losse and death of so many Englishemen of myne and at that woorde he desired the kyng that he would not molestate his realme herafter with suche cruel tormentyng and fieryng To whom the kyng shaped hym this aunswere right shortely Truely sir me thynke you take charge and thought of an other mannes realme and not of your owne because that I coulde se no manne that woulde take your parte and helpe you with his power whē you were now last emong theim And for this cause the kyng did litle esteme hym after that tyme countyng hym incōstant vnstable and speakyng woordes not agreyng to his promise When the English lordes and captaines hearde of this busines thei wer in greate feare fled for safegade of their life 's euery manne to his castell and holde and gatheryng an axmie to withstand their enemies certified the kyng in all post haste of the Scottes enterprise whiche hearyng prepared an armie in all the hast to fight against theim But the Scottes beyng lodē with their praies and spoiles that thei had were gone backe to their countre ere the Englishe menne could bee readie And this was the first commocion busines of the Scottes against the Englishemen When the Scottes were thus gone and the kyng certified of it he thought not to suffer theim lenger leste that by long tariyng deferryng of the matter thei should take heart and so with more fearsenes inuade the realme again And assemblyng his counsaill together shewed theim that it was for the proffite of the publique weale to warre against his enemies to whom thei all agreed right gladly and for the mainteinyng of this battaill there was leuyed a certain summe or tribute to be paid on euery mannes hed whiche paiment although it was but easie and small yet many of the commen people grudged to paie it At this parliament also and conuocacion there was certain lawes actes and statutes confirmed and made as thought moste expediēt for the publique weale And after this was dooen the kyng prepared to fight in all the haste and gatheryng an armie made Giles Dabeney graund capitain ouer theim and in his goyng to Scotlande there beganne sodenly ciuile battaill in the realme whiche was for the paiment of this money for that the Cornishemen whiche made this insurreccion beeyng but poore could not well paie this tribute And so they gatheryng all together one Michael Ioseph Smyth and Thomas Flāmoke did take vpon theim the gouernaunce of all this compainie And seyng theim greued sore that they should paye so muche did more and more incense theyr myndes againste their prynce Albeit they layde this faulte and cause of exaction to Ihon Mortō bishoppe of Cātorbury and Ruigenald Braye because they were chief of the kynges house Thus they preparyng theim selues to warre whē they had aswell sufficiente viandrye as all other thynges ready they tooke theyr iourney to Welles and from thence entended to go to London When the kyng was shewed of this by his auditours that they wer vp and that the lorde Twychet and the lorde Audely with other of the nobylitee had taken their partes he thought fyrste to scoure his realme of suche rebelles and traytours ere he would fight against the Scottes And therfore he caused Giles Dabeney to returne backe agayn then goyng vpon the Scottes whose armye he encreased and multiplyed with many pycked and freshe warryers that he might the better with lesse laboure ouercome these rebelles Also least that the Scottes might nowe hauyng good oportunite inuade the realme again in this time of ciuile battyle he caused lorde Thomas erle of Surrey a puissaunt and most redoubted warryer whome he had taken prysoner at the ouerthrowe of kyng Richard and a litle before that had set at libertie and made treasourer of Englāde after the death of Iohn Dynham to gather a bond of men at Durham there to kepe of the Scottes yf they should chaunce to come vntyll suche tyme that that Cornyshe menne beyng pacified and subdued he might send to theim the forenamed Giles agayne with all his power and armye When as the nobles hearde of this busynes they came to London euery mā with as many as they could make to ayde the kyng yf nede shoulde be In the which compaignie there was the erle of Essex the lorde Mongey the erle of Suffolke Richard Thomas William Say lorde Haward the erle of Surrey his sonne a noble young man of stoute courage Robert Lytton Thomas Bande Robert Clyfforde Wyllyam Dauers George Verye Thomas Terell Richard Fizlewes Ihon Baynsforth Thomas Mōtigomery Ihon Wyngfilde Roberte Brougthon Iames Terell Iames Huberte Ihon Wyndham Robert Fenys Wylliam Carye Robert Drurye Ihon Audely Robert Wyngfild with his brother Richarde Robert Brandon Thomas west de lauare Thomas Fenis Dacres Dauid Owen Henry Rosse Ihon Deuenysse Henry Selenger Ihon Paulet Ihon Burshere Thomas Woode Mathewe Broune Thomas Troys Wylliam Sandes Edmūde Graye of Wiltone Ihon Verney Thomas Brian Richard Poole Thomas Harecourte Ihon Hampden Edward Barkeley Willyā Bolongue with his sonne Thomas Henry Haydon Robert Clarence Philip Calthorpe Robert Louell Ihon Shaye Thomas Frouwike with many other of lower degree that wer moste noble cunnyng warryers In this meane space Charles the Frenche kyng commyng from the warres that he had at Naples with Ferdinande sente Ambassadours to the kyng for a peace and league of amitee to bee confirmed When the kyng was enformed of their cōmyng and that they were at Caleis he sente certayn of his nobilitie