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
C .xxv. Chapiter ¶ This kyng Willyam Rufus taxed so sore the commons that they'might not mayntene tilthe for whiche fell great derth and great myschiefe and moren of catel for defaute of food for whiche the commons wer glad of his death GReat tallage of England then was raysed In so ferforth that tilthe of land was leyd Of which sued mischiefe nothyng praysed For faute of food morayn of bestiall frayed And death of people for hunger sore arayed A kyng woteth not what harmeth housbandrye Housbande to pill and taxe outragiously ¶ To Godis dome haue no consyderacion Howe that this kyng on huntyng as he stoode Vnder a tree and as writynges maketh mencion Walter Tyrel at his game in that wood Shotyng at a dere of whiche he drewe no bloode But stroke the kyng vnto the dethes wounde That there anone he died vpon the ground ¶ At Wynchester then buried anone The date was then of his reygne .xiii. yere For whome the folke no sorowe made nor moone He hurte theim so with taxe and tallage here Of Christ a thousande an C. and three yere clere Whose death the folke in no wise did complayn Were they all therof bothe glad and fayn The C .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Henry the first kyng of Englande and duke of Normandy◠reigned .xxxvi. yere and died in the yere of Christe a thousande C. and .xxxix. HEnry his brother that first was of that name was crouned thē with al that honour might be He recōsiled saynt Anselne that cam hame Who crouned Maude his wyfe full fayre free That doughter was full of benignitee To kyng Malcolyne saint Margarete that quene Of Scotlande whiche afore that tyme had been ¶ On whom he gate Willyam Richard Mold Whose goodnesse is yet spoken of full wide If she were fayre hir vertuous manyfolde Exceaded farre and vices she set aside Debates all that engendred were of pride She staunched hole with all beneuolence And visited sycke and poore with diligence ¶ The presoners also wemen eke with childe And in gesene lyuyng ay where aboute Clothes and meate and beddyng newe vnfiled Wyne also and ale she gaue without doubte Where she sawe nede in countrees al throughout These crosses all that yet bee moste royall In the hye wayes with gold she made theim all ¶ Kyng Edgare thē hir brother was of Scotlād That to kynge Henry then made homage The byshop of Duresme then toke on hande The duke Robert to gone in message To make hym clayme Englande his herytage The whiche he dyd anon withoute delaye As they accorded vpon a certayne daye ¶ But Anselne byshop of Caunturbury And also quene Maude then made them well accorde The kyng to paye thre M. marke yerely To duke Robert withoute more discorde And counsayled then the kyng as was recorde To loue the lordes that made the discencyon Betwyxte his brother and hym by conuencyon ¶ The kyng Henry warred Robert Estenuyle The eldest sonne of Roger Mountgomery And his brother that was so called that whyle And create Earle of Shrewysbury Who his castell of Arundell helde for thy And Shrewysbury also and the cytee With other mo castels in his countre ¶ Whiche to the kyng he yelde by conuencyon He and his brother to passe to Normandye With all theyr men without discencyon To theyr father Roger Mountgomerye That earle was there of Bolesmo manly The kyng went then to Caue and to Baxhous Helde them with force and herte full couetous Whiche towres Robert the duke of Normandy Asked of hym to haue delyueraunce And his money of thre thousand marke yerely Whiche he ought hym by the hole concordaunce Whiche he agayne sayde and stode at variaunce Wherfore they fell on warre and toke the felde With hostes greate full sore faught vnder shelde ¶ At Tenarthbray that is in Normandye Where Nigell then of Albany that hyght Toke duke Robert in batayll manfully And brought him bound vnto the kyng with might For which that kyng anone there made him knight And gaue hym landes that were forfet afore By Robert Stutuyle in Englande for euermore ¶ He gate also a castell besyeged longe Whiche he scalyd with noble polycie And to the kyng it gaue though it were wronge For whiche the kyng gaue hym anon in hye The landes all that forfet were only By Robert Monbray earle of Northumberland In his brothers tyme as I vnderstande ¶ The same Nygell that hyght Albanye A sonne had then whome the kyng Henry Roger Monbray dyd call euer after ay Thus Albany was chaunged morally Vnto Monbray for the lyuelod onely Whiche Monbray had afore of herytage These Monbrayes nowe rose fyrst of hye corage ¶ This kynge Henry then seazed Normandye And made his sonne Willyam duke of that lande And home came to Englande then in hye And in the yere of Chryste to vnderstande A thousande hole an C. and ten on hande His doughter Maude he maryed to Henry That Emperour was then of Romanye He put his brother duke Robert in straite warde And many other that were of his cognisaunce Where he released couenauntes and forwarde Afore wryten of his enherytaunce That betwene them myght make any dystaunce And founde hym euer in all royall estate By good auyse and councell ordynate ¶ Whiche duke ordred was so for he forsoke The realme of al the lande of Ierusalem When he was chose therto and nought it toke For couetyse to haue this Englyshe realme For he forsoke that fortune as men dyd deme Agayne goddes wyll and his hye ordynaunce For chosen he was by all chrysten creaunce ¶ For at wynnynge of Ierusalem Where prynces many kynges and dukes were He was the worthyest of any realme And bare hym beste in knyghtly dede of warre At all assautes moste knyghtly dyd hym beare The honoure all and fame he had euermore And chosen was there to be kynge therfore ¶ Men saide that God gaue hym suche punyshmēt His brother to put hym in greate myserye Vnto his death agayne his owne entente For he forsake Chrystes owne monarchye In whiche he was borne for man lyste to dye The chrysten fayth to mayntayne and encrease For couetyse his brother to discreace ¶ The yere of Chryste a thousande was ful cle◠And an hundreth also and therwithall eyghtene When good quene Maude was deed laide on be◠At Westminster buryed as well was sene For heuynesse of whiche the kyng I wene To Normandy then went vnto his sonne The duke William there with hym dyd wonn◠¶ The third yere after to England came agay◠The duke his sonne Willyam of Normandye His brother Rycharde also the sothe to sayne And earle Rycharde of Chester in company With many other lordes in shyppes them bye Vpon the sea were dreynt in greate distresse Of the whiche the kyng had then great heuinesse ¶ Which duke Williā had wed y◠doughter then Of Fowke Tailboys Earle of Angeou had bene With whome a C .lx. knyghtes with many men And
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
trewe defense ¶ The kynge Henry then cōquered all Irelande By papall dome there of his royaltee The profytes and reuenues of the lande The dominacion and the souerayntee For errour whiche agayn the spiritualtee They helde full longe would not been correcte Of heresyes with which they were infecte ¶ He founded then the priory of Newstede Within Shirwod and Waltham founded newe Afore were secular without hede Whiche regular he made in order due And other two houses of order trewe He founded there for his soule to praye Where was holy seruyce kepte euery daye ¶ Geffreye his sonne the thyrde gotten and bore That duke of Britayne was hole create By his wyues right to enioye for euermore Whiche was a prince of royall great estate At Parys dyed that Arthure create To sonne and heyre and Isabell the fayre His doughter was without any dispayre ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousande clere An hundreth and sixty also and one Baudewyn the thyrde died taken priesoner By the Sarysens that were his mortall foone Of his body that yssue then had none To whome his brother Almarike did succede To Ierusalem and there was kyng in dede ¶ By treason of therle Triples then The Christen hoste that had foule betrayed When Bawdewyn was so taken through that false man That great people of Christē had thē reised And on the felde nothyng to be praysed To the Sarysyns went with all his power And discomfyt the chrysten hoost full clere The C .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Geffrey Plantagenet otherwyse called Plantageneth Earle of Angeou elder brother of Bawdewyne and Almaryk shoulde haue ben king of Ierusalem afore and so by consequens thys kynge Henrye shoulde haue be kynge of it BVt yf ryght had lynally procede Geffray Plantagenet Earle of Angeou The elder brother of Bawdwyn so in dede And of Almaryk with mykell blysse and ioye Whiche Geffray so Earle of Angeou Shulde haue be kyng afore of all that realme Both of Surry and also Ierusalem ¶ When duke Robert Ierusalem forsoke For couetyse to haue and ioyse Englande Godfray Boleyne the realme of Surry toke And of Ierusalem eke I vnderstande And erowned was to be kynge of that lande That duke had bene afore of all Loueyne A noble prynce and a worthy Chyefteyne ¶ A thousande was an hundreth sixty syxtene Withoute yssue of his body cōmynge Dyed to whome his brother as was sene Bawdwin succeded and of that realme was king That ruled the lande as was full well semyng Full worthy accompted amonge all estates That chrysten fayth susteyned without debates To whom his sonne king Bawdewin did succede The seconde was that had so borne that name A noble Prynce of all marcyall dede And in that lande greate honoure had and fame Whiche on his wyfe gate without blame A doughter then had vnto his heyre That lande to haue enheryte and repayre Whom then earle Fowke of Angeou wed to wife And kyng was of that lande then by her ryght On whome he gate thre sonnes in his lyfe Worthy knyghtes and men of greate myght The eldest Geffray Plantagenet hyght That gate this same Henry fytz Empryse Kyng of Englande of noble and hye enterpryse The .ii. sonne of Fowke was Bawdewin that thirde Dyed prysoner as it is expressed afore Without yssue of his body betyd The third sonne then of Fowke laste was bore Hyght Almaryk whiche two were kynges thore Where erle Geffrey their elder brother had ryght That suffred them to ioye that lande by myght ¶ Which Almaryk dyed kyng so of that realme After whome then reygned his sonne Bawdwyn That fourth was of that name of Yerlam That impotent was without medecyn To mayntayne warre he myght no more enclyne Who called was Bawdewyn Paraliticus For with the palsye stryken was he full hydeous The C .xxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe that kyng Henry the seconde was very heyre of Ierusalem and by consequens Rycharde of Yorke shoulde be the same Wherfore he sent to kynge Henry his crowne His banner also of his armes full fayre Of Ierusalem that were of great renowne As to hym that was then the very heyre Of earle Geffray eldest sonne full fayre Was to kyng Fowke and to his wyfe the quene Doughter and heyre to Baudewin the .ii. clene ¶ This fourth Bawdewyn called Paraliticus This message sent the yere of Christe a thousand An hundreth ful foure score and thre ryght thus When Henry was requyred to haue that lande Whiche he proroged and sent agayne his sounde He shulde be there yf that the kyng of Fraunce And he myght well accorde of gouernaunce ¶ He went so forth anon to Normandye With hoost full great with kyng Philyp to treat Of that voyage and warre accorded on hye But then the death hym felly ganne reherte Wherfore anon he satte vp in his seate And to his sonne Rycharde greate sōme he gaue Thether to go that holy lande to saue ¶ And then he dyed at Pount Euerard buryed The sorowe of herte and great contricyon A prynce chrysten fully notifyed Withouten pere in all comparyson Of worthy knygthode and manly renowne A thousande yere an C lxxx and fourtene And of his reygne was syxe thirty clene The C .xxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Richard king of England duke of Normādy earle of Angeou reygned .x. yere and beganne the yere of Chryst a. M. an C lxxxxiiii dyed the yere M CC. and .iiii. RYchard his sōne to kīg thē was crowned By Bawdewyn archbyshop primate Of Cauntorbury of England that stound That ruled the churche then by lawe ordynate His brother Geffray of baste so procreate Archbyshop was of Yorke then newe electe The Northren churche vnder him to be protecte ¶ The lorde Lueye that Godfray Lucye hight Afore hym bare a royall pyllyon And Iohn Marshal his spores of gold ful bright Willyam Maundeuile his mighty hye crowne That earle was then of Almarle vp and downe Of his wyues ryght willyam Marshal bolde Earle of Strigeyll the scepter bare of golde ¶ Willyam Patryk that was then Longspee That Earle was then create of Salysbury A staffe of golde for constable then was he Of Englande hole to haue the regeny By ryght of his offyce of constablery For yf the lande were voyde none heire knowe To kepe the realme by his offyce hym owe. ¶ This ylke Willyam was earle also create Of Gloucestre by whiche that offyce grewe To hym of ryght for he was generate Of Roberte Clare earle of Gloucestre trewe Foure Barons bare by theyr seruyce full dewe Aboue his hed then in processyon A cloth of golde by good direccyon ¶ Earle Dauyd then that tyme of Huntyngdon Brother of the kyng Willyam of Scotlande And Iohn the earle of Morten of renowne Kyng Rychardes brother as I vnderstone Ryght worthy lordes that tyme of this lande And Robert Ferrers earle of Leycester tho Thre swordes bare afore the kyng there so Syxe Earls then and Barons of estate A cheker
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
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
sorowe to the Englishe men for thei cried out of the kyng and saied it was not for his honour so to dooe but the kyng as a wise manne moste prudent prince saied it should be the death of many noble puisaunt capitaines if he should continue thesame battaill therefore it might be to his sore reproche if it wer in his power not to tendre as well the health of his coÌ„mons as his owne whiche saiyng did somewhat coule pacifye their grief And after this dooen the kyng returned backe to Calise for because it was enformed hym that one Richard the named hym self the sonne of kyng Edwarde had made an insurreccion in FlauÌ„ders through the counsaill of lady Margarete the quene to fight against hym which thyng kyng Henry consyderyng did the more spedely hasten to conclude a peace And the condicion of this peace to bee made was this that the Frenche kyng should paye to kyng Henry a certain summe of meny the whiche was leauyed by the ambassadours for the cost and charges that the kyng was put to in that battayll and also should yerely for a certain space paye or cause to bee payde to the kyng of EnglaÌ„d for a full recompence xâ—v thousand crounes The whiche Frenche kyng after that beyng in warre with the Italians payd the said tribute to the most noble prince and our souereigne lorde kyng HeÌ„rye the. vâ—â— sonne to Henry the seuenth for a full recoÌ„ 〈…〉 cion and frendship to bee had for euer This was the yere of our Lorde a thousand foure hundreth foure score and thirtene and the seueÌ„th yere of his reigne Also in this inuadyng besiegyng of Bonony whiche we spake of before there was none killed sauyng onely syr Ihon Sauage whiche goyng out of his tent with syr IhoÌ„ Riseley was taken priuely rydyng about the walles of the toune and there because he would not yelde was slain of the Frenche men albeit the other syr Ihon Rysely fled and escaped their daunger After this the kyng went froÌ„ Calis to England again yet that he might not be wtout some trouble or busynes quene Margaret of Spaine whiche euer watched to do hym a displeasure perceauyng that the erle with his coÌ„paignie could not haue suche successe in their businesse as she would haue wished theim she inueÌ„ted a new way to worke treason against him There was a certain youÌ„g maÌ„ of Tornace very beautiful faire in couÌ„tenaunce of a pregnaunt witte whiche youÌ„g maÌ„ was called Peter surnamed Warbecke for his cowardnes nycknamed of the Englishe men called Perkyn which youÌ„g maÌ„ trauaylyng many countrees could speake many laÌ„guages for his basenes of stocke birth was knowen of none almost Therfore the quene thynkyng this youÌ„g man to bee mete whoÌ„ she might feigne to be the duke of Yorke and soÌ„ne to her brother kyng Edward kept hym a certain tyme with her priuely and tellyng hym what he should be that he might the rather persuade meÌ„ to be the kynges sonne did send hym into IrelaÌ„de after what time she knewe that kyng Henry had apointed to fight against the Frenche kyng where he was honorably receaued taken of euery manne as a prynce for whose right they promysed all to fight and helpe hym in all that they could After this it came to the FreÌ„che kynges eare that such an one was in Ireland for whoÌ„ the kyng did send to see caused hym to be brought before him when he came into his pÌ„sence the kyng accepted hym gladly after a princely fashioÌ„ intreteined hym But after the he came in loue with the kyng of England the sayd Charles did dimisse the youÌ„g maÌ„ would no loÌ„ger kepe hym least that some inconueniencie or cause of strife should chaunce thorough it Wherfore the young manne went to Flaunders agayne to the quene Magarete whiche quene did receaue hym with suche gladnesse that she coulde not well rule her selfe for this cause onely she dyd shewe her selfe so ioyfull and merye that menne mighte perswade theim selfe that this was Richard the kynges soonne and vpon that cause truely men did the more reuerence to the younge manne and that more firmely beleue hym to bee the righte heire sonne to kyng Edwarde Also after this rumour blased abrode aswel in England Fraunce as Flaundres there beganne great sedicion to spryng and firste they that were long in sanctuary for the greate offences that they had commytted and other that wer cast in pouertie gathered a compaignie of meÌ„ and sayled ouer into Flaunders to the counterfaicte Edwarde otherwise named Peter also many of the noble men conspired together and to the entent they might bryng their purpose wel about they did send certain to the Quene Margarete to knowe when thesame Edwarde might come conueniently into Englande the thei beyng certified of thesame might the more easely receaue bryng hym into the realme So that by the consent and agrement of theim all syr Robert Clyfforde knight Wyllyam Barley wer sent to shewe all their myndes aduyce as concernyng the newe founde duke to the Quene Margarete Whome the Quene did accepte gladlye and persuaded theim that it was true that was publyshed of Rycharde the duke and streight vpon shewed theim thesame Peter whiche was muche lyke Richarde praysyng his vertues and qualitees that he had wonderfullye The said Robert wheÌ„ he had seen thesame youÌ„g manne beleued surely that he was of the kynges bloode and wrote to Englande to his coumpaignye and felowes of his conspiracie that he knewe hym to bee the kynges soonne by his face euery proporcion of his body And when these letters came vnto Englande the chief capitaynes of this businesse did openly diuulgate and publyshe that it was trewe that was spoken and saied abroad of the Duke but it was dooen by suche a crafte that no manne coulde tell who was the authoure of that rumoure When the kyng perceiued that many men did geue credence to his vaine fable he thought beste for his owne safegard to prouide a remedy for it also mystrusting that some conspiracye had bene made bicause that sir Robert Clifford had fled priuely into Flaundres commaunded certain knightes that were chosen and piked menne of warre with a bonde of menne to kepe the borders surely the no manne might escape or sayle ouer the sea without a pasporte or licence geuen by hym Also that men myghte not contynue in the false perswasion and belefe that they had conceyued of the duke he caused certain spies to search in all the citees of Belgike to knowe of what progenie this mysnamed Richarde was and to geue theim highe rewardes that would shewe the verite and truth of the same matter So that they sailynge into Fraunce euerye manne dyd gooe into a contraye quarter and enquired diligently for hym and at the length certain of theim came to a towne called Tornace and there were certifyed by the testymonye of
¶ The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre froÌ„ the first begynnyng of EnglaÌ„de vnto that reigne of Edwarde the fourth where he made an end of his chronicle And from that tyme is added with a coÌ„tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme now first emprinted gathered one of diuerse and soundrie autours of moste certain knowelage substanciall credit that either in latin or els in our mother toungue haue writen of the affaires of Englande ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni Mense Ianuarii 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RG ¶ The dedicacion of this present woorke vnto the right honorable lorde Thomas duke of Norffolke by thenprynter Richard Grafton LOrde Thomas of Norffolke duke moste gracious Of noble auncestrie and blood descended A captain right woorthie and auenturous And froÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d euen newely retended Wher Englandes querele ye haue reuenged In the behalf of our noble kyng Henry I wyshe you all health honour and victorie ¶ And because it hath pleased almightie God In the right title and quercle of Englande To vse your stocke as an iron rod Wherewith to scourge the falsehood of Scotland In whom is no truthe ne holde of any bande Ihon Hardynges chronicle as me thought was Moste mete to bee dedicated to your grace ¶ For Hardyng a true herted Englysheman An esquier valiaunt hardie and bolde And not vnlearned as the time was than Serched out of chronicles bothe late an olde All that euer by thesame hath bee told How froÌ„ the begynnyng ScotlaÌ„de dooeth reigne Vnder kynges of Englande as their soueram ¶ And Hardynges owne self hath the partie bee That from Scotlande oft tymes hath brought Their seales of homage and fealtee Vnto the kyng of Englande as he ought Vnto whom the Scottes then sued and sought Yeldyng to liue in humble subieccion Of Englandes gouernaunce and proteccion ¶ But that people of their propre nature Hath euen from the first been so vntowarde So vnstedfast inconstaunte and vnsure That nothyng maie possibly bee more frowarde So haue thei continued from thens foorthwarde Neuer gladde to bee in quiet and rest But to defeccion aye readie and prest ¶ Wherefore Thon Hardyng to his lorde maister Whom in his tyme he serued without blame Edwarde first duke of Yorke and after Kyng of this realme the fourthe of that name In this chronicle affermeth of thesame That thei will rebell till by prouision The kyng of EnglaÌ„d shall haue made theim both ¶ And in deede EnglaÌ„d hath oft been coÌ„streigned one The Scottes slackenesse in dooyng their homage To pricke forewarde wheÌ„ thei would haue refreined With that sharpe spurre of marciall forceage And to abate their wantonnesse of courage With the iron rodde of due correccion As oft as thei attempted defeccion ¶ For the Scottes will aye bee bostyng crakyng Euer sekyng causes of rebellion Spoyles booties and preades euer takyng Euer sowyng quereles of dissension To burne and steale is all their intencion And yet as people whom God dooeth hate curse Thei alwaies begynne and euer haue the woorse ¶ Englande hitherto hath neuer lacked power As oft as nede wer the Scottes to compell Their duetie to dooe and menne of honour Englande hath had as stories dooe tell Whiche whensoeuer the Scottes did rebell Wer hable at all tymes theim to subdue And their obedience to England renue ¶ EmoÌ„ges the whiche noumbre your noble father In the twelfth yere of Henry the seuenths reigne By aunciente recorde as I can gather Beeyng of suche credence as cannot feigne Yode into Scotlande their pryde to restrein With seÌ„bleable power as bookes dooen auowe And like commission as your grace had now ¶ That season he did so valiauntely The Scottes vanquishyng and puttyng to flight That thei ranne awaye moste shamefully Not hable of hym tabide the sight Nor hable to sustein the brunt of his might Soondrie castelles he raced down to the grounde Whiche to the honour of Englande did redound ¶ Kyng Iamy also makyng greate braggue and vauÌ„te Hauyng his armie not a myle of that daie Your father as a captain valyaunt Made in a moment for feare to runne awaye The Scottish kyng seÌ„ding foorth heraldes tway Chalenged your father with many a proude woorde Battayle to wage and trye it by the sworde ¶ And choose thou sir Earle ê™ kyng Iamy then Whether we shall fight armie against armie Orelles I and thou trye it manne for manne For sparyng bloodshed of either compaignie That if it chaunce me to haue the victorie Nought shall I demaunde for Englandes losse thine Sauig Barwike toune for euer to bee mine ¶ Then to the heraldes saied this noble knight Shewe to your kyng that in this place purposely Battayle for to wage my tentes haue I pight I am not come to flee but to fyght sharpely As where he standeth he maye see with his eye And fyrst where he would bloodshed saued to bee Therof am I no lesse desirous then he ¶ Secundarily where it is his likyng That I a poore Earle and of meane estate Maye combattre with hym beyng a kyng That our two fightes may ceasse all debate He dooeth me honour after suche highe rate That I must nedes grauÌ„t my selfe bound in this case Humble thankes to reÌ„dre to his grace ¶ Now as for the towne of Barwike it is knoweÌ„ Which your lorde requireth in case I bee slaine Is the kyng my souereins and not mine owne So that graunte therof in me dodeth not remain But thys maie ye bear worde to your lord again My person and lyfe aduenture I shall More precyous to me then the round worlde all ¶ When kyng Iamy by his heraldes twoo Spedefullye returnyng had due knowlage Muche otherwyse then he loked for thoo Of the Earles stout aunswer and message Fled out of hand and would no battayle wage So that your father retourned home victour With coumfort laude praise ioye and honour ¶ The same your father in the fyfth yere Of our moost noble kyng Henry the eyght When hys grace and his armie at Turney were And the same kyng Iamy of Scotland streyght Agaynst England his banner dyspleyght Vanquished the Scottes with your helpyng haÌ„d Slew there king Iamy and brought him to England ¶ Agayne in the .xv. yere of the same reygne Your selfe in proper personne full courageous Set forth against the Scottes without dysdeygne Lyke a captayne valyaunt and venturous Wher ye breÌ„t Iedworth a toune right populous Wyth diuers victories that your grace then had Whiche made all Englande to reioyse be glad ¶ The yere folowyng also as bookes testify The Scottes came with an houge power Of .lx. thousande men vnder the Duke of Albany Besiegyng Warke castel thynkyng it to deuour But heryng that your grace dyd approch that houe The Scottes trembled and so dyd theyr Duke And cowardly fled to their shame and rebuke ¶ Sembleably by thys your last viage Nowe thys last October and Nouember Made into Scotlande to
signe eche māne to knowe his naciō Frome enemies whiche nowe we call certain Sainct Georges armes by Nenyus enformaciō And thus this armes by Iosephes creacion Full long afore sainct George was generate Were worshipt heir of mykell elder date The .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Marius the kyng of Brytain reigned sixty yere and three howe the peightes inhabited firste in Albany that is Sotclāde nowe in these dayes in Catenes thei wer the North peightes and a parte of theim inhabited sone after bytwyxt the Scottes sea and tweid that were called South peightes MAryus his soonne was then intronizate And sette on high in trone of maiestie With croune of golde full royally coronate As worthy was vnto his royalte Who nourished was at Rome in his inuente With his mothers kynne the beest of the empire With Claudius also that was his oune graūdsir ¶ In whose tyme a peight hight Rodrike With power greate by sea came fro Sythy As proude and bryme as lyon marmerike Arreued so vp in Albanye Distroiyng whole the lande all sodainly With whome that kyng thē faught in greate battell And sleugh hym with oute any faile ¶ Wher then in signe of his high victorye He sette there vp a stone in remembraunce Of his triumph of his aduersatie Titled on it his fame for to auaunce Howe the peightes there brought to vttraunce Wher the redde crosse is nowe in Westmerlande In Stanys more as I canne vnderstande ¶ Then to the peightes left a liue he gaue catenese To dwell vpon and haue in heritage Whiche weddid wher with Irish as I gesse Of whiche after Scottes came on that linage For Scottes bee to saie their langage A collecciō of many into one Of whiche the Scottes were called so anone The .l. Chapiter ¶ Howe Scottes came of Scota kyng Pharois doughter that came after many daye into Albanye so that of peightes Irish of Pharois people collect togethers wer Scottes named For at the tauerne or at a gatheryng of people or of mony is called a scotte and so came first the name of Scottes which Scottes inhabited theim by twixt catnes the Scottishe sea BVt Mewynus the Bryton chronicler Saieth in his chronicles orther wise That Gadelus and Scota in the yere Of Christe seuenty and fiue by assise At stone inhabitte as might suffise And of hir name that countre there aboute Scotlande she called that tyme with outen doubt ¶ This Scota was as Mewyn saieth the sage Doughter and bastarde of kyng Pharao that daye Whome Gadele wedded and in his olde age Vnto a lande he went where he inhabited ay Whiche yet of his name is calle Gadelway And with the peightes he came into Albanie The yere of Christ aforsaid openlye ¶ And at hir death she left a precious stone In Albany on whiche Moses did preache And buryed there she was by hir self alone Whiche stone was holy as some menne then did teache And did miracles so was that cōmon speache In honour it was had bothe of greate and small And holden for a relique moost speciall ¶ This stone was called the regall of Scotlāde On whiche that Scottish kynges wer brechelesse set At their coronomente as I canne vnderstande For holynes of it so did thei of debte All their kynges vpon this stone was sette Vnto the tyme kyng Edward with long shankes Brought it awaye again the Scottes vnthākes ¶ At Westmonestery it offered to sainct Edward Where it is kepte and conserued To tyme that kynges of Englande afterward Should coroned bee vnder their fete obserued To this entent kept and reserued In remembraunce of kynges of Scottes alway Subiectes should bee to kynges of Englāde ay ¶ Also afore the fifte kyng Henryes daye Their siluer coigne was as it ought to bee The kynges face loked on side all waye To his soueraigne lorde of Englande as I see Whiche to been hetherwarde of egalite Vnto their lorde thei haue of newe presumed To looke euen furth whiche would nowe bee consumed ¶ Kyng Maryus kepte that realme in lawe peace Full of riches and of prosperyte And dyed so at Sarum buryed dowteles When he had reigned sixty yere and three His tribute payed full well to Roome citee Of Christes faith sumwhat he was enformid But muche more he neded to haue been reformid ¶ Coylus his soonne was kyng then crouned so Who mutryed was at Roome in greate vertue Held well his lawes egall to frende and foo And in his dooynges full iuste he was and trewe His life alwaye and rule in vertue grewe That full great name of hym was notifyed And in all landes of honoure multiplied ¶ The lordes gentiles yemen and commontee He cherished well and in no wise oppressed And to theim gaue wher was necessitee And tribute payde to Rome vndistressed And at his death with sickenesse impressed He buried was at Norwhiche then full clere When he reigned had fully .xiii. yere ¶ Somewhat in fayth of Christ he was instruct But not fully as was necessitee Like as he was in Rome with hym inducte So helde he forth in all stabilitee And as he harde in all symylitee Howe Ioseph had his graundser enformed With benyng herte and wil he hym confyrmed The .li. Chapter ¶ Lucius kyng of Britayn reigned .liiii. yere and was the seconde Christened kyng of Britayn by Faggan Dubyan that baptized all this lande and for the same cause bare the same armes after he was baptized Also he made of .iiii. archeflamynes in Britayn three archebyshoppes at London Yorke and Carlion AFter kyng Coile his sonne then Lucius So crowned was with royall diademe In all vertue folowed his father Coilus To compare hym in all that myght beseme He put his will after as his witte could deme In so farre forth that of Christentee He contynued so a Christen man to bee ¶ And in the yere of Christes incarnacion An C. foure score and tenne Eleuthery the first at supplicacion Of Lucyus sente hym twoo holy menne That called wer Faggan and Duuyen That baptized hym all his realme throughoute With hertes glad and laboure deuoute ¶ Thei taught that folke the lawe of Christ eche daye And halowed all the temples in Christes name All mawmentes and Idols caste awaye Through all Britayn of al false goddes thesame The temples flamynes the Idols for to shame They halowed eke and made bishoppes sees Twenty and .viii. at dyuers great citees ¶ Of .iii. archeflamynes thei made archbishoprikes One at London Troynouaunt that hight For all Logres with lawes full autentikes To rule the churche christentee in right Another at Carlyon a towne of might For all Cambre at Ebranke the thirde From Trent north for Albany is kyde ¶ All these workes Eugeny then confirmed The kyng then gaue to Faggan and Duuyen The ysle of Analoon and by cherter affirmed That was called otherwyse Mewtryen Also frely as Ioseph and his holy men Had it afore then forth for theyr dispence Wherof thei wer glad and
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
his doughter had wed And his treason perdoned had and hyd Of his brothers death when that he murthered had Whom then the kyng Somond coÌ„maunde bid Vpon his legeaunce whatsoeuer betid For to aunswer in his courte and amende Defautes all betwene theim might be kende ¶ At whose summons he would not then apeare But warred sore both he and his sonnes fyue For whiche the kyng theim exiled out all clere But after they landed and did aryue At Sandwiche so the kyng theim met belyue Where lordes then theim treated and accorded And afterwarde nomore they discorded The C .xx. Chapiter ¶ Howe Sywarde duke of Northumberlande slewe in battayle Maclom kyng of Scotlande and crowned Malclome kyng at Scome accordyng to saynt Edwarde the confessoures commaundement whiche Malclome did homage to saynt Edwarde as apeareth by his letters patent DVke Siwarde then was of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d In batayle slewe kyng Maclom so in dede Of Scotlande then that false was of his baÌ„d Whiche to the kyng he made who taketh hede Wherfore the kyng in Marian as I reade By his letters charged duke Siward take on haÌ„d To croune Malcolin that was of Comberland ¶ The whyche he dyd full myghtely anon At Skone abbey wher kynges were all crouned Vpon his hed he set the crowne anone And toke homage of hym vpon the grounde In Edwardes name as he of right was bounde For that ylke realme and as his elders dyd Suche fortune then to Englande was betid ¶ The kyng Gryffyn of Wales then was slayn That Herford shire spoyled had and brent His hed set vp at Gloucester full playne For his vntruthe and falshed that he ment And sone therafter his brothers hed was sent Vnto the kyng for his rebellion So wer they both foringed for treason ¶ And as kyng Edward in his palayce of pride Duke Goodwyne then sittyng at his table Sawe the butler on his one fote slyde And lyke to fall that other fote full stable As he was seruyng the kyng at his table Then held hym vp that he fell not to grounde Kyng Edward sayd to Gudwyn in that stounde ¶ As his one fote ye se helpe that other Full well and trewe I fynde it dayly nowe Had ye ne bene thus had helpe me my brother Th erle then to the kyng on side gan bowe And sayd if I wer cause I praye God nowe This breade passe not my throte but dead I bee And straungled here anone that ye maye see ¶ At his prayer anone with that he died For with that breade straungled was he that stound It might not passe his throte as men espied Wherfore the kyng then bad drawe out that hounde Vnder the boorde as he that false was founde On whome God shewed an hasty iudgement Approued well by good experiment ¶ Wher Herolde had therle Algare exiled Fro Leycestre where erle he was so then The kyng Eward agayn hym reconsiled And perdoned hym and toke hym for his man Of Couentre as Flores tell it can The lord he was and there thabbey founde And buried there is with his wyfe that stound ¶ This Algare was the sonne of erle Leofryke Whiche Leofrike was the duke Lofwynes sonne That erles had been there none afore theim like But duke Siwarde as he did wonne Syckenesse hym tooke and sore vpon hym ronne In whiche he dyd hym arme in all degree And had his axe in hand full lyke to dye ¶ He sayd vnto the lordes then hym about Thus semeth well in armes a knight to dye And not in bed to lye loure and loute Tyll death hym kyll with paynes cruelly As would God here were my moste enemye That I myght dye vpon hym nowe in right In armes thus arayed like a knight ¶ With that he died for paynes that he felt Vpon his fete standynge in that arays And shoke his axe while that his hert gan swelt And to the ground he fell in that afraye Who buried was at saynt Marie abbeye At Yorke citee with worshyp and honoure As likely was for suche a gouernoure ¶ The kyng Edward the duke of NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d To Tosty gaue the sonne of duke Goodwyn Vnder the name of erle as Flores doth vnderstaÌ„d After whiche tyme all haue been erles syne With landes and rentes both fayre and fyne Whiche estate suffice for princes ben both two In euery lande accompted where they go ¶ He disherited erle Waldyue his owne sonne Who erle was then create of Huntyngdon Of Northampton also as chronicles tell can A worthy prince of all this region That rule a realme coulde well then by reason Another prince was Loafrike that daye Erle of Leycestre and Couentry no naye ¶ Whiche Loefrike had a wyfe that Godiue hight That naked throughout all Couentree The tolles sore and seruage agayn right To redeme hole of her femynitee She in her heare hangyng beneth her knee Vpon a daye rode so through all the towne To bye it free by her redempcion ¶ For otherwise therle would not it free But yf that she rode naked through all the towne Vpon the daye that all men might her see Trustyng she would not for no waryson Haue doen it so by suche redempcion But thus by witte she kept her selfe vnshamed And freed the towne worthy was he blamed ¶ Kyng Edwarde sente then into Hungary For his cousyn the sonne of Emond Ironesyde Themperoure sent hym Edwarde gladly His brother sonne and folke with hym to ryde His sonne Edwarde Athelyng by his syde Margarete and eke Christine his doughter dere Whiche kyng Edward receyued with good chere ¶ He maried Margarete mighty with great riches To kyng Malcolyne of Scotland was that daye That on her gatte fiue sonnes of great noblinesse Edwarde Dunkan Edgare Alixander the gaye And Dauid also that kynges were all no naye Eche after other of Scotlande throughout Whose mother is now S. Margrete wtout doute ¶ At Dumfermlyn shryned and canonized On whom Malcolyne a doughter gate also Kyng Henryes wife the first full wel auised Quene Mawd that hight that well loued EnglaÌ„de tho These crosses fayre and roiall as menne goo Through all Englande she made at hic expense And dyuerse good orders throwe his prouidence ¶ Another sustre this same saint Margarete had That Christine hight kyng Edwarde theÌ„ ê“fessed In religion to lyue she was full glad To holy lyfe disposed and adressed An holy woman of lyfe and of god blessed Who at hir death hir soule then vncouered And to our lorde full mekely so it offred ¶ In his forest as he pursued a dere In Essex a palmer with hym met Askyng hym good whome gladly he dyd here He claue his ryng and in sonder it bette The halfe of whiche he gaue without lette To the Palmer that went awaye anone That other good to geue hym there had he none ¶ But after that full longe and many a daye Two pylgrames came vnto that noble kynge And sayde saint Iohn thappostell in pore araye Vs prayed and bad straytly aboue
all thyng To you present and take this halfe golde rynge Whiche ye gaue hym of almesse and charyte And bade vs say that ryght sone ye should him se ¶ Whiche ryng he set together there anone And that ylke place he called ay after hauerynge And that same place where they it braste alone He called ay after that tyme Claueryng In Essex be bothe fayre standynge Where that he made two churches of saint Iohn Theuangelyst and halowed were anon ¶ Sone after that he dyed and went to blysse But fyrste he made duke Herold protectoure Of his cousyne to gouerne and to wysse Edgar Athelyng full yonge a gouernoure Whome he ordeyned to be his successoure As very heyre to Edmonde Ironesyde But thus Herolde then set all that asyde When he had be kyng .xxiiii. yere He dyed the yere a thousande syxtye and fyue At Westminster canonyzed is full clere All newe he made the churche there in his lyue All were he not ryght heyre as men in stryue A confessoure he is full hye in heuen With God to dwell euermore and beleuen Herolde by strength then crowned was for kynge Forsworne that was vpon the euangelystes For to crowne Edgar Athelynge And hym protecte and defende in all wyse Vnto his age that none the realme suppryse This was his othe of whiche he was forswore All yf he made Edgar an Earle therfore ¶ The earle Tosty then of Northumberlande That brother was vnto the kyng Herolde By kyng exyled out of the lande To Englande came with kyng Herold full bold Of Norwaye then in Chronycle as is tolde But kyng Herolde of Englande with them met At Staūford brydge to death they both wer bet ¶ Besyde yorke was this batayl ful sore smyten Where kyng Herolde of Englande had the felde And slewe Herolde Harngrey as was wryten Kyng of Norwaye and earle Tosty vnder shelde That neuer after myght armes welde And thousandes fell of Danes and Norwayes He kylled there that daye as Flores sayes A yere he reygned whom Willyam Conquerou◠That duke was then of all fayre Normandye Hym slewe in batayle for his ymagyned erroure Agayne hym that he dyd so cruelly And not wolde mende ne yet satisfye The duke Willyan so the felde then conquered With strokes sore for whiche the lande was ferd This kyng Herolde at Waltam whiche he found Of foure score chanons full fayer was buryed At the hye aulter as a kyng was crownde All yf he were intrusor notifyed And in batayl slayne and victoryed Of gentylnesse the Conquerour bad so All yf he were afore his mortall fo ¶ Willyam Conquerour kyng of Englande and Duke of Nor mandye beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande .lxvi. and reygned .xxiiii. yere and dyed the yere a thousande lxxxx and the sayde Conqueroure founded the Abbaye of Batayle for the soules of the people slaine there the fourenene daye of October in the yere of Chryste a thousande thre score and syxe The C .xxi. Chapiter THe .xiiii. daye of October accompted The duke Wyllyam that was of Normandye At London was crowned and annoynted In trone royall to hauethe Monarchye By his conquest and his victorye Withoute tytle of ryght to hym discente But onely of his tryumphall entente ¶ The yere of Chryste was when Alurede hym crowned Tharchbyshop of Yorke hye primate A thousande hole .lxvi. well founde Quene Mawde his wyfe to hym assocyate He crowned also that tyme in her estate The abbay of batayle that then he bounded And for the soules there slayne he founded ¶ He called it so then for a memorye Of his batayle by whiche Englande he gate In token of his myghty victorye That Englande there he had so well ouerset To praye for the soules slayne as was his det Whiche abbaye is in Sussex in that stede Where the batayle was and the people dede ¶ The South part of England then he rode And dalt it largely vnto his menne The North again hym rebelled then abode With help of Danes in that countre were then And Scottes also that false wer when and whē But kyng Wyllyam that worthy conquerour Discomfite theim with long and sore labour ¶ To Normandy he went then right anone And with hym had Edgar called Athelyng Edwyn and Morkar afore that were his fooen For cause they should not then make more risyng In his absence while he were ther abidyng But at his home commyng with hym again He brough theim all of whiche the folke were fain ¶ Gospatrik that then was erle of Cumberland That not again stode king Malcolin in his werre When he distroyed therldome and his land But hym withdrewe out of waye full ferre Wherfore the kyng as saieth the chronicler Hym disherited and gaue to Rauf Mesthyne His erldo meto whom menne did enclyne The C .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Homage of Scotlande dooen to kynge Willyam conquerour at Birmithi in Scotland and also howe the kyng of Fraunce scorned the kyng Wyllyam he quit it hym after THen rode the kyng into Scotlād anone And brent the land vnto Abirnythy Where kynge Malcolyne submitted hym with great mone And homage leege hym did full humbly And amended there all his iniury Then went he furth to Duram wher he offred And to the churche he gaue great good vncoffred ¶ He thē his lawe and peace alwaye proclaymed Officers made in euery shire about And so held on to London vnreclaymed Wher his iustice he sett that land throughout The kyng of Fraunce thus scorned hym out of doubt That kyng Wyllyam in Gesine had lyen long And tyme hym wer been kyrked with good songe ¶ When he this hard to Fraunce he went anone There to bee kirked he offrid his candill bright A thousand townes he brent as he did gone At theim he prayed the kyng of Fraunce to light His candill then if that he goodly might Whiche at his kirkehale and puryficacion To Mars he thought that tyme to make his oblaciō ¶ Edwyn therle proclamed of Leicester After decesse of Algary his father dere And erle Morcare his brother that after Dyed bothe twoo Lucy their suster clere Of Leicester then and Lyncolne bothe in fere The coūtesse was whome kyng William maried To Iue Tailboys erle of Angeou magnified ¶ To kyng Wylliam then came full glad again At Wynchester he held his parliament Wher he then slewe for wrath and greate disdain The duke Waldiue that no harme to hym ment But onely for he counselled and consent To erle Edgar to gette his heritage Of England whole and made to hym homage ¶ Who duke was then of Northumberland And erle create was also of Huntyngton By chronicles olde as menne can vnderstand Entitled whole as of all Northampton Beheded was at Wynchester towne Whose hedde together grewe to the necke again Buried at Crowland for sainct the soth to sain ¶ The kyng then made as I vnderstand The bishop then of Duresme that Walter hight Erle proclamed of Northumberland Whom at Catteshede
feld ¶ And with the Soudan faught in bataill sore Discomfit hym and putte hym to the flight Wher Edward then was hurt and wouÌ„ded thore Of woundes fiue that mortall werre to sight His brother Edmond also wounded in that fight But as Edward in his bedde sicke then laye A Sarasyne came to hym vpon a daye ¶ To leche his hurtes with salues many one But false he was for with a knife full sore He strake hym foule as thei were then alone But yet that prince the knife fro hym gate thore And slewe hym then with it for euermore At Acres laye he then with woundes fele With medicyns to lech and to hele ¶ The lech so false was by the Soudan sent Hym to haue slain in any maner wyse For cause he had discomfite hym and shent And when he was all whole that he might ryse Message he had fro all the lordes wyse Of England then of his father dedde That praied hym home to come been their hede ¶ Kyng Henry had then made the minster faire Of Westminster as it is nowe at this daye The remnaunt he left vnto his heire To edifie and make in like araye Or els a some of money for to paye The whiche he graunted to the edificacion At his death then bequeth and assignacion ¶ Edward then toke a trewce for tenne yere With the Soudan and to Cisile saylid And landed at Rome wher theÌ„ he had good chere Bothe of the bishop and cardinalles not failed That sore had mourned and greately bewailed That curssed sore syr Guy Mountforte eche daye For the slaughter of Henry his cousyn gaye ¶ The sonne that was of Richarde themperoure Erle of Cornwayle whome at Veterbe he slewe Right in the churche for olde wrath and rancoure In Englande dooen his fathers death to renewe At masse knelyng horrybly hym all to hewe Fro Acres as he came as goddes knight Without cause of reason or of right ¶ But price Edward EdmouÌ„d his brother dere To Sauoye caÌ„ where iustes wer made tournameÌ„t And ther desired thei their knightes in fere With the duke of Sauoye and his there presente To iuste and proue eche other in good entente Theyr knightes younge to learne as dyd suffice In marcyall fete knighthode to exercyse ¶ Wher he foriust the duke full manly His brother also the dukes neuewe And bare hym downe both horse and man egerly And euery knight with other euer iusted newe Daye by daye whyles echeone other knewe By .xiiii. dayes enduryng and conteyned With feast solempne by the duke susteyned ¶ An hundreth ladyes of worthy good estate Were set on hye aboue within a tente By the duke of Sauoye well ordinate To geue the gree and thanke by iudgement Whiche then awarde playnely by hole assent To prince Edwarde erle Edmound his brother That had foriust the duke and many other ¶ The duke hym gaue gyftes of great honoure And to his brother gyftes of hye pleasaunce And to his knightes giftes of great valoure And conueyed hym into the lande of Fraunce Where of the kyng with worthy gouernaunce Receaued he was as prince full excellente And homage made to hym in good entente ¶ For his landes lyeng beyonde the sea The whiche was true as chronicles witnesse And home he came with great felicitee Of whose coÌ„myng the people had great gladnesse Hym to receaue in all kynde of worthynesse And of his brother Edmound also in feer They were full glad at all theyr hole power ¶ But kyng Henry was gone to God afore The yere of Christ a thousande hole accompted Two hundreth hole syxty and thirtene more On saynt Edmondes daye when he amounted This worlde leuyng full of trouble accompted Vnto the blysse of heauen for euer to reste Emong good soules where Christe so liked best The C .xlviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edwarde of Englande the first after the conqueste called Edwarde with the longe shankes beganne to reigne on the morowe after saynt Edmondes daye that kyng in the yere a. M CC. and .lxxiii. died the yere M CCC and .vii. the eyght daye of Iulye and the .xxxiiii. yere of his reygne EDwarde his sonne heire first generate With all honour by all the baronage Crouned was in all royall estate And of thestates receyued hole homage Kyng Alexander for his heritage Of Scotlande hole and ysles apperteynyng His homage did right then vnto the kyng ¶ The duke also of Britayne made homage For Britayn hole and there became his man Whiche princes two had wed in mariage His susters two Margarete and Beatrice then Margarete to Scotland Beatrice to Britayne Both two maried and wed in hye estate By their father full wysely ordinate ¶ A marchaunt toke the wife of prince Lewlyn Erle Symonds doughter of Leycester that had ben And to the kyng hir brought full femenyn Wherfore the prince by heste as then was seen To be his man and homage did full clere And led his wyfe to Wales in good entent By the kynges grace and by hole assent ¶ The kyng then did great right and iustice Vpon clippers and peirers of the coyne And newe money made that then might suffice Of syluer plate made out of Boloyne The grote half grote all in newe coyne He coyned fast peny halfpeny and ferthyng For porayll to bye with theyr leuyng ¶ That same tyme he made a newe statute That no man should graunt lande ne tenement To the churche ne geue nor constitute No maner grounde nor no maner rente Without licence of the lorde and his assent Of whome it is holden aboue in chiefe And els that church this realme had put in mischiefe ¶ The prince Lewlyn and of Dauid his brother Made warre vpon the kyng in greate araye The Marche brent and many harmes other In Englande did wherfore the kyng his waye To Wales held in all the haste he maye The lorde Mortimer toke then the prince Lewlyn And to the kyng hym brought for to enclyne ¶ The kyng hym headed and to the toure it sent The Walshemen made Dauid his brother then Prince of Wales by theyr commen assent Wherfore the kyng to warre on theim began And of the Walshemen slewe full many a man And had Dauid vnto his presence brought Hanged and drawen as then he had it sought ¶ Then seazed he Wales for euer into his hande And ordeyned that no prince therin should be But he or els his heyre I vnderstande And that no man of Wales hole countre One night shulde lye in castell nor cytee But voyde out fro sunne to sunne theÌ„ euery night Thus kept he Wales his tyme by royall might The C .xlix. Chapiter ¶ Howe Gladowys Dewy the doughter of Dauyd prynce of Wales was wedded to syr Raufe Mortymer of whom came the Earles of Marche GWenlyan that doughter was of Lewlyne Without chylde dyed a vyrgyne aye In a â—onnery of the order of Gylbertyne And Gladowys Dewy Dauyds doughter gaye Yonge freshe and lusty
hym noyed But werre theim aye to tyme thei were distroyed For he saied thus thou shalt neuer fynd theim trewe But whiles thei bee in thy subieccion dewe ¶ At Burgh vpon the sande he died anone And to London caried then daye by daye At Westminster buried with muche mone With quene 〈…〉 garete he had thē soōnes tway Thomas Bro 〈…〉 ton erle of Northfolke gay And marshall of England the other of Kent Edmond Wodstok was erle in all entent ¶ This noble kyng died in Iuly the third daye And toward heauen he then tooke his waye The yere of Christ a thousand south to saie Three hundred whole and seuen by calculacion And of his 〈…〉 ne and coronacion Fiue and thirty not fully whole complete When he so went vnto the blisse so swete The C .lxix. Chapiter ¶ Edward the second kyng of England began to reigne the yere a thousand three hundred and seuen the eyght daye of Iuly and was deposed the yere a thousand thre hundred twenty and sixe and of his reigne nyntene yere EDward his soōne prince of Wales lord At Carnaruan of his mother bore Was croūed kīg by good whole cōcord Of all the lordes that were assembled thore At Westminster as was his father afore And at the feast of thassumpcion Of our lady he sent for Peers Gauerston ¶ Whom then he made therle of Cornwaile Again the will of all the baronage Whom his father exiled for misgouernaile The third yere after for his misused outrage The lordes rose of ire and greate courage And heddid hym as for an hie traytour That wasted had and spent the kyng his tresour ¶ And in that mean while kyng Robert Bruys had ge◠All Scotland nere wherfore that kyng Edward To Scotland went at Bannokesburne thei me◠And faught full sore till slain was the vaward And discomfited was the midelward And to the rereward kyng Edward hym drewe For greate socour wher he had battayl newe ¶ Whiche kild was doune sauf fewe that led the kyng To Dunbarre then fleand with hym away Ther was therle of Gloucester slain fleyng The lord Clifford and all the lordes that daye Th erle of Herford to Bothuile fled his waye Th erle Edmond of Arundell and erle of Valence Therles of Warwike Oxenford take at defence ¶ This battaill was the yere of Christ smitten A thousand whole three hundred and fiftene On midsomer daye and of his reigne thē written The seuenth yere by chronicle as is seen Then was Vmfrey erle of Herford frethed clene And enterchaungid for kyng Robertes wife That holden was in England then full ryfe The C .lxx. Chapiter ¶ Of the relesse that kyng Edward made to Robert Bruys at Dūbarre whiche relesse Iohn Hardyng deliuered in to the tresorye in the dayes of kyng Henry the fifth at Boys Vincent in Fraunce with other for whiche he gaue hym Godyngton that the quene hathe nowe PAtrike Dūbarre erle of Marche that daye To kyng Edward was leege mā lōg afore To his father and trewe had been alwaye Sent kyng Edward to Barwik but therfore He toke of hym a relesse for euermore Of his seruice that due was to the croune Anentes kyng Bruys to execute his treason ¶ Whiche relesse the maker of this booke Iohn Hardyng brought with other euidence And to the kyng Henry the fifth it toke With other mo afore at Boys Vincent Perteignyng to England royall regiment And nought he hath vnto his sustenaunce As oft a fore here in his remembraunce The C .lxxi. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Robert Bruis toke all the lordes of England and sleugh many at Stryuelin bridge distroied the Marches and bete doune castelles therin KYng Robert Bruys toke Robert Vmfreuile Erle of Angeos Henry then lord Percy Th erle of Marche and also that lord Neuile Acton and Scropen and also the lord Lucy At Stryuelyn bridge fightyng mightely In the vaward of the forsaid battaill Taken prisoners and raunsomed for auaill ¶ Thē kyng Robert that Marchis whole distroied The castelles wanne and bet theim to the ground And all Scotland afore that he had noyed Obeyed to hym and were his lieges bounde And maintened well thē furth all Scotlād groūd The bishoprike of Duresme all throughout Northumberland he brent with hoste full stout ¶ Two cardinales that B. of Rome to Scotlād sent To treate a trewce a twene the kynges twoo And for to stall Lewes Beamount present Bishop of Duresme that then was sacred so Whose brother was Henry lord Beaumont tho Licensed and graunted by the kyng of Fraunce To bee liege menne to Edwardes whole plesaūce ¶ But sir Gilbert Midelton theim mette And sir Walter Selby misruled knightes A litell fro Duresme their waye forsett And robbed theim openly on the lightes And to Midford castell led theim fourth rightes And held theim ther in mighty and strong hold To tyme thei had their iwels and their gold ¶ Whiche knightes twoo robbed the lād about That castell held by force and rebellion A quarter of a yere with rebelles stout But thei were take within that garison And to the kyng sent by that enchesone That hanged were ▪ as traytours all should been On galowes hie that all might theim seen ¶ Then after soone sir Gosselyn Deynuile His brother Robert with twoo hundred in habite As thei were friers went about in exile Robbyng the land in full greate dispite The bishopes places of Duresme in circuite Thei spoiled clene leuyng nothyng in theim But walles bare whiche thei would not claime The C .lxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the lordes of England with powre royall dur 〈…〉 not ryde into Scotlande passyng fourtene mile England was so at vnder that tyme. THerle Edmond then of Arundell Wardein of the Marches then constitute Th erle Robert of Angeos Vmfreuile Of his landes hauyng no refute Th erle Dauid of Athell destitute Of his erldome the lord Percy full hardy The lord Neuell the lord Beaumont manly ¶ With all the power of the North contree Distroyed then Scotland and brent Vpon the March vnto Lyntell Lee Whome sir Walter Wareyn by whole assent Of Iames Douglas pursued as thei went With great power alwaye at their side That thei were fain again to England ride ¶ But sir Walter Wareyn and Douglas With their power brent all Northumberland Tyndale became Scottes and false then was And rode with theim brent through all the land To Alerton and so rode home to Scotland Through the West March brent it all through out And home thei went without any doubt ¶ The castell then of Berwyke and the towne Kyng Robert gatte after strong greate defence By treaty with peace Spaldyng and treason The Wendesoaye before Easters reuerence Wher that traitour without long suspence Betrayed the towne and into Scotland went By Scottes slain as to a traytour appent The C .lxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Edward laied siege to Barwyke and for sooke the siege and went South for Robert Bruys had destroyed
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
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
Seyng the youth then of the Mortimer That erle of the Marche by trewe direccion Was then and heire of England then moste nerâ— To kyng Richarde as well then did appere Consydred also the might of duke Henry They chose hym kyng there durst none it deny ¶ Th erle of Northumberlande then had sent His power home by councell of duke Henry So did his sonne Henry that truly ment Supposyng well the duke wolde not vary From his othe ne in no wyse contrary And he and his kepte all theyr power Tyll he was crouned kyng as it did appere ¶ Therles two then of Northumberlande Of Worcester and syr Henry Percy And theâ—â—e also of Westmerlande Councelled hym then fro his oth not to varye And though at eue he did to theim applie On the morowe by a pryue counsayl He would be crouned kyng without fayle The C .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the fourth kyng of Englande and of Fraunce was electe by that hole parliament the morowe after Michelmasse daye the yere of our Lorde a thousande thre hundreth foure score and nynetene and reigned .xiiii. yere died at Westmynster the .xix. daye of Marche in the yere of Christe a thousande foure hundreth and .xiii. and of his owne reygne the .xiiii. yere THis duke Henry by great loue of the land Of many lordes and of the commontee Tharchebyshop Arondell toke on hande To croune hym then in royall maiestee On saynt Edwardes day with great solempnitee But kyng he was the morowe after Mighelmesse His reygne begynnyng that day without distresse ¶ Th erle of Warwike and therle of Arondell That exiled were and the Lorde Cobham eke With all theyr frendes that kyng Richard did expell The dukes frendes of Gloucester nought to seke Whiche then began for to encrease and eke Through all the realme with kyng Henry to staÌ„d To croune hym kyng that tyme of all Englande ¶ An hundreth thousande cryed all at ones At Westmynster to croune hym for kyng So hated they kyng Rychard for the nones For his mysrule and wrong gouernyng For taxes and for blanke charters sealyng For murder of duke Thomas of Woodstoke That loued was well more then all the floke ¶ The great parliament then he made rehersed The dukes of Almarle Excestre and Surry He depryued and the iudgement reuersed That then was made gaue full wylfully Agayne Woodstoke and Warwyke for enuie Arondell and the lorde Cobham full trewe Whiche was reuersed and reuoked newe ¶ The duke of Almarle was then erle Rutlande The duke of Surry erle of kent was agayn And eke the duke of Excester I vnderstande Of Hungtyngdon therle was to be fayn The marques eke of Dorset was full bayn Of Somerset erle agayn to bene He chastised theim no feller as was sene ¶ Th erle of Gloucester was lord Spencer Then set agayn to his first estate The kyng then made his eldest sonne full clere The prince of Wales in parliament hole create Duke of Cornewayle and erle denominate Of Chester also that then was yong of age But yet he was that tyme of hye courage The C .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng gaue the Constablerie and the Marshalsee to therles of Northumberlande and Westmerlande wyth certayn landes and how syr Robert Vmfreuile was made knight of the Garter capitayn of Rokesburgh faught on fote on Fulhoplewe and wan the feld with victorie and was made lorde Vmfreuile AT this tyme that kyng grauÌ„ted by parliameÌ„t The Constablery certayn of Englande In heritage so at his coronoment To therle then of Northumberlande Also of Man thifle I vnderstande To holde of hym and of his heyres alwaye By seruyce royall as wrytten was that daye ¶ And to therle of Westmerlande also The Marshalsee of Englande then he gaue All Richemond fee that was in Englande tho By patent also for terme of life to haue The lordes all he pleased so God me saue With office ay orels with lande or rent With liberall herte as to a prince appent ¶ And whyles that parliament so did endure The Scottes rode by North and sore had stroyed In Cokedale then where Vmfreuyle had cure That with theim faught had theim sore anoyed At Fulhaplowe on fote he theim acloyed For there he toke syr Richard Rotherforde His sonnes fyue full fell of dede and worde ¶ Syr Wyllyam Stiwarde also he toke The lorde of Gordowne he put to flight And Willibarde the felde there then forsoke And prisoners brought home well mo at night Then he had men with hym the felde to fight For whiche the kyng hym had ay after in cherte Consyderyng well his knightly aperte The C .xcix. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng Henry remeued kyng Richard from place to place by night in preuey wise in whiche tyme theries of Kent Salisbury and Huntyngdon the lorde Spencer and syr Raulfe Lomley were headed THe kyng theÌ„ sent kyng Richard to Ledis There to be kepte surely in preuitee Fro theÌ„s after to Pykeryng weÌ„t he nedes And to Knauesburgh after led was he But to Pountfrete last where he did die Bothe therles of Kent and Salisbury Th erle of Huntyngdon and SpeÌ„cers sothelye ¶ And syr Raulfe Lomley with mo in company After Christmasse thought to haue slayn the kyng They were distured and fled awaye in hye But they were slayn at Circester fleyng By the commons with theim there fyghtyng Therles of Kent and of Salysbury And syr Raulfe Lomley in theyr companye ¶ The lorde Spencer take was vpon the sea At Bristowe was headed and decollate Th erle also of Huntyngdon did flee And brought vnto the countesse of estate Of Herforde then who had hym forth algate To Plasshe where she made men hym hede Without counsayll of any lorde or rede ¶ Syr Thomas shelly set full hye in pride And Mawbleyn with Ferebye drawe and honge Syr Barnard Brockeys was heded theim beside The byshop also of Carleile theim among In Westmynster his life there to prolonge Perpetually by iudgement was commytte Among his brethren in order for to sytte The CC. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard was brought deade froÌ„ Pountfret to Powles and after buried at Langley for menne shoulde haue no remembraunce of hym And howe syr Robert Vmfreuyle faught with that Scottes at Redeswere and had the felde and the victorye IN march next after kig Rychard theÌ„ was dede Fro Poumfret brought with great solempnyte Men sayde forhungered he was lapped in lede At Poules his masse was done and diryge In hers royall semely to royalte The kyng lordes clothes of golde there offerde Some .viii. some .ix. vpon his hers were proferde ¶ At Westminster then dyd they so the same When truste he shuld there haue buryed bene In that mynster lyke to a prynce of name In his owne tombe together with the quene Anne that afore his fyrste wyfe had bene But then the kyng hym faste to Langley sent There in the freres to be buryed secretement ¶ On Michelmasse day next after his coronacioÌ„
grouÌ„d wel whet Enuenemed sore to slee him if he had on them set ¶ Some made for hym diuers enchauntmentes To waste hym oute and vtterly destroye And some gaue hym batayle full felonoment In felde within his realme hym for to noye And on them selfes the hurte and all the anoye Ay fell at ende that honged were and heded As traytours ought to bene in euery stede ¶ This kyng dyed of his reygne in the yere Fourtene accompted of Marche that .xix. daye The sondaye was then by Kalendre Of whome the realme great ioye at first had ay But afterwarde they loued not his araye At his begynnyng full hye he was coÌ„mende With coÌ„mons then also lytell at the ende The CC .xi. Chapiter ¶ Henry the fyfth kyng of Englande and of Fraunce began to reygne the twenty daye of Marche that was saynte Cuthbertes daye and was crowned the ninth daye of Apryl the yere of Christe a thousande foure hundreth twenty two after he had reigned .ix. yere and an halfe And in the houre that he was crowned and anointed he was chaunged from all vyces vnto vertuous lyfe and lycensed the folke to offer vnto Richarde Scrop and buryed kyng Rychard at West mynster and graunted to Henry Percy his landes HEnry his soÌ„ne that prynce of wales was thaÌ„ On saynt Cuthbertes day in Marche folowynge Kyng was so as I remember canne On passyon sondaye after was this kyng Anoynted and crowned without taryeng The ninth daye it was of Apryll so With stormes fell and haylestones greate also ¶ In his fyrste yere the lorde Cobham heretike Confedered with lollers insapient Agayne the churche arose and was full lyke It to haue destroyed by theyr entendment Had not the kyng then made suppowelment And put hym fro the felde by good direccyon That sembled were by greate insurreccyon ¶ Then fled the lorde Cobham herrorious To Wales so with lollers many one Musyng in his opinyon venemous Howe that he myght destroye the churche anone But God that syt in heuen aboue alone Knowyng his herte naked of all good entent Let hym betake to haue his iudgement ¶ And put he was to prisone in the towre Of whiche he dyd escape awaye by nyght And take was agayne within an houre And after sone dampned by lawe and ryght For heresye by the clergy in syght And brent he was to ashes deed and pale Through cursed lyfe thus came he in greate bale ¶ The houre he was crowned and anoynt He chaunged was of all his olde condicyon Full vertuous he was fro poynt to poynt Grounded all newe in good opinyon For passyngly without comparyson Then set vpon all ryght and conscyence A newe man made by all good regimence ¶ He gaue leue then of good deuocyon All men to offer to byshop Scrop expresse Without lettynge or any questyon He graunted also of his hye worthynesse To laye the kyng Rycharde and Anne doutlesse His wyfe that was at Westmynster buryed As kyng Richard hym selfe had sygnifyed ¶ And fro the freres of Langley where he laye He caryed hym to Westmynster anone And buryed hym of royall greate araye With the quene Anne in tombe of marbel stone Full royally arayed as royals by them sone And to Henry Percy he grauÌ„ted his landes clere That to the duke of Bedforde then geuen were ¶ My lorde of Clarence fro GuyaÌ„ home agayne Came to the kyng with ioye greate pleasaunce The second yere of whome the kyng was fayne At Leycester then as made is remembraunce In his parlyament without varyaunce His brother Iohn duke of Bedforde create His brother vinfrey duke of Gloucester of estate ¶ Thomas Beauford that was earle of Dorcet He made duke then of Excester that whyle He gaue in charge that tyme withouten let Vnto syr Robert there Vinfreuyle By his wysdome and manhode that whyle To treate with the Scottes to get Henry Percy Layde in hostage by his grauntsirez foly The CC .xii. Chapiter ¶ Howe sir Robert Vmfreuile faught at Geteryng the third yere with the Scottes that had but seuen score speres and three hundreth howe 's on Madâ—lyn day and discomfited of theim .iiii. M. menne made chase twelfe mile on theim in to their owne land and went with the kyng to Harflite to the siege with whom I went thether THen was it warre betwene vs Scotland That sir Robert Vmfreuile might it spede But at Geteryng with Scottes haÌ„d for haÌ„d He faught on fote on Maudelyn daye in deede Wher eightene score Scottes were take I rede Three score sâ—ain a thousand putte to flight With four C. meÌ„ne discoÌ„fited theim fourth right ¶ Twelfe mile theÌ„ he made on theim great chase In to their land and home he came again To his castell of Rokesburgh in that case Whiche he had then in kepyng soth to sain Of his greate labour in harte beyng full fain With prisoners many one hurte full sore Hym self and his that then had wounded thore ¶ At Lammasse next the kyng then as he laye At Southampton therle of Cambridge toke The lord Scorp also and eke sir Thomas Graye And hedded theim the cause was who so looke Emong theim selfes for thei this counsaill toke And purposed therle of Marche to croune Kyng of England by their prouision The CC .xiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng weÌ„t in to NormaÌ„dy and steged Hareflete and gate it with greate peyn and losse of menne But who maye casâ— of rennyng houÌ„dis and many racches but he must lese some of theim THE kyng held furth by sea to Normandy With all his hoste at Kydcans landed theÌ„ And laied a siege to Hareflete myghtely On euery side by land and water wanne With bulwerkes stoute and bastell he began In whiche he putte therle of Huntyngton Th erle of Kent also of greate renoune ¶ Whiche erles twoo with other to theim assigned Cornwaile and Gray Steward also and Porter Full greate assautes made eche daye repugned Whiles at last thei bette the towne toures their And what the kyng with fagottes that there were And his connyng werching vnder the wall With his guÌ„nes castyng thei made that toure to fall ¶ And their bulwerke brent with shot of wildfyre At whiche place then therles twoo vp sette Their baners bothe without any hyre The kyng therwith his gonnes the walles bette The duke did so of Clarence without lette On the ferreside wher as he then laye Th erle Mountague did well ther alwaye ¶ The lord Gawcort that theÌ„ was their capitain Of Hareâ—lete tho with other of the toune Offred then the toune to the kyng full fain And he with other to stand at the kynges direccioÌ„ Then made he there his vncle of greate renoune Capitain of it duke of Excester than And homeward went through Fraunce like a maÌ„ The CC .xiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the kyng came homewarde through NormaÌ„dy and Picardie and s 〈…〉 ote the battaill of Agyncorâ— wher I was with my maister AN hundred mile to Calais had he then
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
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
dampnacion The CC .xl. Chapiter ¶ The mocion conceypte of the maker of this booke touchynge kynge Henrye the syxte his wife and his sonne to be gotten home and putte in gouernaunce with all that fled with hym cōsyderyng their trouth that forsoke their lyuelodes and welfare for his sake and fro they so gotten home that after they will be as trewe to you and els to geue sore iudgement vpon theim O Gracious lord kyng Edward fourth accompte Consydre howe kynge Henrye was admytte Vnto the croune of Englande that did amounte Not for desert nor yet for any witte Or might of hym selfe in otherwyse yet But onely for the castigacion Of kyng Richardes wicked peruersacion ¶ Of whiche the realme then yrked euerychone And full glad were of his deposicion And glad to croune kyng Henry so anone With all theyr hertes and whole affeccion For hatred more of kyng Richardes defection Then for the loue of kyng Henry that daye So chaunged then the people on hym aye ¶ Yet kept he aye therle of Marche full ying In erles estate as he that was his warde And brought hym vp in all maner thyng As his estate asked and coulde awarde And cheryshed hym in norture to regarde As his owne sonnes duryng all his lyfe To make hym loue hym without any stryfe ¶ Thus by wisedome his sonne Henry right so Hym cherished by good and wise counsayl Whiche he assigned vnto hym tho Of good rule that would not let hym faile For cause he should agayn hym not preuayle And into Fraunce in his hole estate Had hym with his brother associate ¶ All this he did of full good policie To wynne his loue and kept hym in direccion From entisement of all eiuill and folie To his pleasaunce without all suspection This was greate witte and circumspeccion To rule hym thus his heighnes to obaye Without stryfe to sitte in peace his daye ¶ O gracious lorde nowe of your sapience Consydre well this sixtye yere and three Your kyn and ye by all intelligence Haue been deuorced of all the royaltee To nowe that God of his specialitee Hath graūted you grace your rightes to recouer And your enemyes all to rule at ouer ¶ Considre well the benigne innocence Of kyng Henry that nowe is in Scotlande By Goddes dome of small intelligence For your preuayle as men can vnderstande Gette hym nowe home agayn into Englande With all the meanes ye maye of sapyence His wyfe and sonne with all your dilygence ¶ For truste it well yf they maye passe to Fraūce Or power get to theim in any wyse Eche yere they wyl you trouble and do greuaūce By Scottes assent and theyr exercyse To brag and boste as they wolde on you ryse To make your people and cōmons for to yrke Iackes and salades ay newe and newe to wirke ¶ For truste it well as God is nowe in heuen The Scottes wyll ay do you the harme they may And so they haue full ofte with odde and euen Afore that Christe was borne so of a maye As yet they do at theyr power euery daye Wherfor good lord brīg home these persons thre With all theyr men geue them grace all fre ¶ And loue them better for theyr great lewte That they forsoke theyr landes and herytage And fled with hym in aduersyte To byde in payne sorowe and seruage Good herte shulde rewe well more theyr trewe corage Then them that wold haue gone and durste nought Consyder howe thei shewed as they thought ¶ Yf ye might get them all for any good To be your men and haue theyr herytage And youre enemies that agaynst you stode Ye shulde make trewe men to your auauntage To passe with you in warres and hostage As trewe as they haue bene to kyng Henry And mekell trewce for your ryght auncetry ¶ For yf ye myght theim get nowe euery chone Youre warres were done thē might you syt in rest Without trouble of any lande alone For all youre lande throughout thē might ye trest Yf it were hole that ye nede not mistryst No prynce christen myght do you any dere But in his lande ye myght make him were ¶ Graunt Henry grace with all his owne liuelode The duchye hole of Lancaster that is his ryght Not as it is but of worthyhede Fyrste duke Henry had the noble knight At his laste daye that was of mikyll might His wyfe and sonne get home by ordynaunce And geue them councell for theyr gouernaunce ¶ Suche as you truste wyll rule them worthely To youre plesaunce in all tranquillyte In peace and reste with all good polyce For better were to haue them in suretye Than lette theim bene with your aduersyte With Scottes or French that wold se your destresse And helpe to it with all theyr busynesse ¶ And yf ye maye by no meane nor treate Get them home ordeine then faste youre flete On the easte sea into Scotlande in hye At Edenburgh so maye it with you mete With all vitayle and ordynaunce full mete And set vpon the castell they bene in Escape they maye not but ye shall them wyn ¶ For I haue sene theyr castelles stronge echone That strongest bene and worste to get and wyn Amonge them all for certayne is there none That may bene holde out longe when ye begyn Saue Dunbretayne the sea aboute doth ryn Eche daye and nyght twyce withouten doubte Whiche may be wonne by famyshyng aboute ¶ With shippes by sea siege vpon the lande Ye maye not fayle to haue it at the laste All other wyll bene yelde into youre hande So that ye haue by workemen well fore caste Youre ordynaunce and gonnes for to caste With abylementes of warre suche as ye nede No castell elles maye withstande in dede ¶ Therfore in what castell·that they bene in Go to the same withoute impedyment Not in wynter but in somer ye begyn When Iuyll moneth or Auguste is present That forage may begot as doth appent Of corne and grasse for horses sustenaunce And fayre wether to mennes hye pleasaunce ¶ O righteous prince bring home the scatred men To theyr pasture forsaken and forlore For of your breste shulde greate foyson ren To nedy men of grace and helpe euermore Consyder howe God hath you set therfore And ouer the flocke to seke the scatered shepe And laye them in your folde surely to slepe ¶ Consider nowe most gracious soueraine lorde Howe longe nowe that your noble auncetrye In welth and helth hath reigned of hye recorde That kepte lawe and peace continually And thynke they bene of all your monarchye The fayrest floures and highest of enterpryce And sonest maye youre foreyne foes supprice ¶ Consider also in this symple tretyse Howe kynges kepte neyther lawe ne peace Went sone awaye in many dyuerse wyse Without thanke of God at theyr decese And nought were dred wtin ne without doutlesse But in defaute of peace and lawe conserued Destroyed were right as they had deserued ¶ Consyder also moste erthly souerayne lorde
as were right secrete with bothe affyrme all this to be vntrue and other wyse meÌ„ne thynke it vnlykely the depe dyssymulyng nature of bothe these menne well consydered And what nede in that grene world the protectoure hadde of the duke and in what perell the duke stoode yf he fell once in suspycion of that tyraunte that other the protectoure would geue the duke occasyon of dyspleasure or the duke the protectoure occasyon of mystrust And surely menne thynke that if kyng Rychard hadde any suche opynyon conceaued in hym he would neuer haue suffred hym to aduoyd his handes or escape his power but verye true it is that the duke of Buckyngham was an high mynded man euell could beare the glorye of another so that I haue hearde of some that sawe it that he at suche tyme that the croune was set vpon the protectoures hedde his yie could neuer abyde the sight therof but wryed his hed another waye but men sayde he was not well at ease and that was both to kyng Richard well knowen and well takeÌ„ nor any demaunde of the dukes request vncurteously reiected but gentelye deferred but bothe he with greate giftes and high behestes in moste louyng and trustie maner departed from the kyng to Gloucester But sone after his commyng home to Brecknocke hauyng there by kyng Richardes commaundemeÌ„t doctour Moorton byshop of Ely who before as you haue hearde was taken at the councell at the towre waxed with hym very famylyer whose onlye wysedome abused his pryde to his owne delyueraunce the dukes dystruccion The byshop was a man of great natural wyt verye well learned and of honourable behaueoure lackyng no wyse wayes to wynne fauour He was fyrst vpon the parte of kyng Henry whyle that parte was in wealth and neyther left it nor forsoke it in no woo but fled the realme with the quene and the prince And while kyng Edward had kyng Henry in pryson he neuer retourned but to the felde at Barner After whiche felde loste vtterly subdued al parte takynges extynguished kyng Edward for his fast faythe and wysedome was not onelye coÌ„tent to receaue hym but also wooed hym to come and had hym froÌ„ thensforth both in secrete trust specyall fauoure whom he nothyng deceaued For he beyng after kyng Edwardes death fyrst taken by the tyraunt for his truthe to the kynge founde meane to sette the duke in his toppe and ioyned gentlemen together in ayde of the erle of Richemounde whiche after was named kyng Henrye the seuenth Fyrst deuysyng the maryage betwene the ladye Elizabeth daughter to kynge Edwarde the fourthe by the whiche his faythfull true seruyce declared to both his masters at once was with infinite benefite to the realme by the coniunccion of the bloddes of Lancastre and Yorke whose funerall tytles had longe inquyeted the realme This manne afterwarde escaped from the duke and 〈…〉 d the realme and went to Rome neuer myndyng to medle with the worlde tyl kyng henry the seuenth sent for hym and after made hym archebyshop of Cauntorbury and chauncelour of Englande and after was made cardinall and lyued well to all mennes iudgementes and dyed well But to retourne to the former purpose he by the long often alternate proffe aswel of prosperytee as aduerse of fortune had gotten by great experience the verey mother mastresse of wysedome a depe insight in pollytike worldlye driftes whereby perceauynge nowe the duke to coÌ„men with hym fed hym with fayre woordes and many pleasaunt prayses and perceauyng by the grefe of their communicacions the dukes pryde nowe and then to balke oute a lytle brayde of enuye towarde the glorye of the kynge and thereby feelynge hym easye to fall oute yf the matter were well handled he craftely soughte the wayes to prycke hym forwarde takynge alwayes the occasyon of hys commynge and also keepynge hymselfe cloose wythin hys bandes that he rather semed to folowe hym then to leade hym For when the duke beganne fyrste to prayse and boaste the kyng and shewe how muche profite the realme should take by his reigne Byshoppe Morton aunswered surely my lorde folye it were for me to lye for I am sure yf I woulde swere the contrarye ye would not once beleue me but yf the worlde would haue begone as I would haue wyshed that kyng Henryes soonne had had the croune and not kynge Edwarde then woulde I haue bene his true and faythfull subiecte but after that God had ordeyned hym to lose it and kyng Edwarde to reigne I was neuer so madde with a dead manne to stryue agaynst the quycke so was I euer to kynge Edwarde a faythfull and true chapeleyn and gladde would haue bene that his chyldren shoulde haue succeded hym howbeit yf the secrete iudgemente of God haue otherwyse prouyded I purpose not to spurne agaynste the prycke nor laboure to set vp that God pulleth downe And as for the late protectoure and nowe kyng and with that woorde he left sauynge that he saide that he hadde alreadye medled to muche with the worlde and would from that daye medle with his booke and bedes and no ferther Then longed the duke sore to heare what he woulde haue sayde because he ended with the kynge and there so sodeynlye stopped and exhorted hym famylyerly betwene theim bothe to bee bolde and to saye whatsoeuer he thought whereof he faythfullye promysed there shoulde neuer come hurte and paraduenture more good then he woulde were And that he hym selfe entended to vse hys faythfull secrete aduyce and counsayle which he sayed was the onlye cause for the whyche he procured of the kynge to haue hym in hys custodye where he myghte recon hym selfe at home or elles he hadde bene putte in the handes of theim wyth whome he shoulde not haue founde lyke fauoure The bishoppe right humblye thanked hym and sayed in good faythe my lorde I loue not muche to talke of prynces as of a thynge not all oute of perell althoughe the woorde bee without faute but as it pleaseth the prince to construe it And euer I thynke on Isopes tale that when the Lyon had proclaymed that on payne of deathe there shoulde no horned beastes come into the wood one beaste that had a bonche of fleshe growing oute of his hedde fledde a greate pace the Foxe that sawe hym flye with all the haste asked hym whether he fledde In fayth ê™ he I neither wote ne recke so I were once hence because of the proclamacyon made agaynste horned beastes What foole ê™ the foxe the Lyon neuer ment it by the for that whiche thou haste is no horne in thy hedde No mary ê™ he I wote that well ynoughe but yf he saye it is a horne where am I then The duke laughed merely at the tale saied my lorde I warraunte you neither the Lyon nor the bore shall pycke any matter at any thyng here spoken for it shall neuer come nere their cares In good faythe syr saied the Byshoppe yf it dyd the thyng that
been required by Thomas Hutton purposely sent to hym from kyng Richard in message with monye efte sones to imprisone the saied Henry erle of Richemoūt and there continually to kepe and holde the same frome cōminge into Englande yet with all gladnesse and fauoure inclined to the desyre of Henry and aided hym as he might with menne monye shypes and other necessaryes But Henry whyle he might accordynglye appoynte and furnyshe hym selfe remayned in Brytayne sendyng afore the foresayde Hughe Coneway and Thomas Ramney whiche two were to hym very trewe and faithful to beare tidynges into Englande vnto his frendes of his commynge to the ende that they myghte prouydentlye ordre all thynges aswell for the commodyous receauynge of hym at his comminge as also foreseynge suche daungers as myghte befalle and aduoydinge suche trappes and snares as by Rycharde the thyrde and hys complyces myght bee sette for hym and for all his other company that he should bryng with hym In the meane tyme the frendes of Henrye with all care studye and dilygence wroughte all thynges vnto their purpose belongynge And thoughe all this were as secretlye wrought and conueyed as emonge so greate a nombre was possible to be yet pryuye knowledge therof came to the eares of kyng Rychard who althoughe he were at the firste hearynge muche abasshed yet thought best to dyssemble the matter as thoughe he had no knowledge therof whyle he myghte secretly gather vnto hym power and strengthe and by secrete spyall emonge the people get more perfyght knowledge of the whole matters and chiefe autoures contryuers of the same And because he knewe be chiefe princypal of theim as vnto whō his owne conscience knewe that he hadde geuen moste iust causes of enemytee he thought it necessary first of all to dyspatche the same duke oute of the waye Wherfore vnto the duke he addressed letters enfarced and replenyshed with all humanytee frendshippe famylyaritee and swetenesse of woordes wyllyng and desyryng the same to come vnto hym with all conuenyent spede And ferther gaue in commaundemente to the messenger that caryed the letters that he shoulde in his behalfe make many high and gaye promyses vnto the duke by all gentle meanes persuade the same to come vnto hym But the duke mystrustyng the fayre woordes promyses so sodenly offred of hym of whose wylye craftes and meanes he knewe sondrye exsamples afore practised desyred the kynges perdon excusyng him self that he was deseased sicke and that he might be asserteined the if it possyble wer for hym to come he would not absent hym self frō his grace Thys excuse the kyng would not admitte but eftsones directed vnto the duke other letters of a more roughe sorte not wythoute manacynge and threatenynge onlesse he woulde accordynge to hys dutye repayer vnto hym at hys callynge whereunto the duke plainely made aunswer that he woulde not come vnto him whom he knewe to be hys enemye And immedyatelye the duke prepared hym selfe to make warre agaynst hym and perswaded all hys complyces and partakers of hys intente wyth all possyble expedycion some in one place and some in another to sturre agaynste kynge Rycharde And by thys meanes in maner at one tyme and houre Thomas Marques of Dorcester reysed an armye wythin the country of Yorke beyng hym selfe late come forthe of sāctuarye and by the meanes and helpe of Thomas Rowell preserued and saued frome perel of death Also in Deuonshyre Edwarde Courtenay wyth hys brother Peter byshoppe of Excetter reysed in lyke maner an armye and in Kent Rychard Guyl ford accompanied wyth certayn other gentylmen caysed vp the people as is a foresayde all thys was done in maner in one moment But the king who had in the meane tyme gathered together gret power strēgth thynkyng yt not to be best by pursuyng euery one of hys enemyes to dysparkle hys cōpaygnie in smal flokes determyned to let passe all the others withal his whole puisaunce to set vpon the chiefe heade that is to saye the Duke of Buckynghm̄ so takyng his iourneye from Londō he went towardes Salisbury to th entent that he might sette vpon the said duke in case he might haue perfight knowledge that the same laye in any felde embatailed And nowe was the kyng within twoo dayes iourney of Salisbury when the duke attempted to mete hym beyng accompaignied with great strength of Welshmen whom he had therunto en forced coherted more by lordly commaundement then by lyberall wages and hyre whiche thyng in deede was the cause that thei fell from hym and forsooke hym Wherfore beyng sodenly forsaken of his menne he was of necessite constrained to flee in whiche dooyng as a manne cast in sodeine and therfore greate feare of this the sodeine chaunge of fortune by reason of thesame feare not knowyng where to become nor where to hyde his hed nor what in suche case best to dooe he secretly conueighed hym self into the hous of Homffraye Banastar in whom he had conceaued a sure hope and confidence to finde faithfull and trustie vnto hym because thesame had been thē was his seruaunt entendyng there to remayne in secrete vntill he might either reise a newe armie or els by some meanes cōueigh hym self into Brytein to Henry erle of Rychemount But assone as theothers whiche had attempted thesame entrepryse against the kyng had knowledge that the duke was forsaken of his compaignie and fled and could not bee foūde thei beyng stryken with sodein feare made euery māne for hym self suche shift as he might and beyng in vtter despayre of their health and life either gotte theim to sāctuaryes or deserte places or els assaied to escape ouer sea many of theim in deede arryued sauely in Britain emong whom were these whose names ensue Peter Curteney bishop of Exceter with his brother Edward erle of Deuonshire Thomas marques of Dorcestre with his soonne Thomas beyng a verye yoūg chylde Ihō Bourshere Ihon Welshe Edward Wooduyle a stoute manne of armes and brother to Elizabeth the quene Robert Willoughby Gyles Dawbeneye Thomas Harondell Ihon Cheiny with his twoo brethren Wyllyam Berkeley Wyllyam Brandō with Thomas his brother Rychard Edgecome and all these for the moste parte knightes Also Ihon Halwell Edwarde Poyntz an excellēt good capitain Christopher Vrswicke but Ihon Moorton bishop of Ely at theself same tyme together with sondrye of the nobles and gentlemen sailed into Flaundres But Richard the kyng who was nowe come to Salisbury and had gotten perfight knowledge that all these parties sought to slie the realme with all dyligence and hast that might bee sent to all the porte tounes theraboute to make sure steye that none of theim might passe vntaken and made proclamacion that whosoeuer would bryng hym knowledge where the duke of Buckynghm were to bee had should haue for his rewarde if he were a bōdeman his frebome and if he were fre his pardon and besydes that a thousand pounde of moneye Furthermore because he vnderstode by
promysed hym ayde vpon the truste wherof he beganne to make redye his shippes that they might with all expedicion bee redy to sayle that no tyme should be loste In the whiche tyme kyng Richard was agayn retourned to London had taken dyuerse of theim that wer of this conspyracy that is to say George Browne Roger Clyfforde Thomas Selenger knyghtes Also Thomas Ramme Robert Clyfford and dyuerse other whom he caused to be put to death After this he called a parliament wherin was deereed that all those that were fled oute of the lande should be reputed and taken as enemyes to the realme and all their landes and goodes to bee forfayte and confiscate And not content with that preade which was no smal thyng he caused also a great taxe and some of monye to be leuyed of the people For the large giftes and lyberalytee that he first vsed to buye the fauoures frendshippes of many had now brought him in nede But nothing was more like then that Thomas Stanley shoulde haue bene reputed takeÌ„ for one of those enemies because of the woorkyng of Margarete his wife which was mother vnto Henry erle of RichemouÌ„t the which was noted for the chiefe hed worker of this coÌ„spyracy But for asmuch as it was thought that it was to small purpose that wemen coulde dooe Thomas beynge nothyng fauty was delyâ—ed and coÌ„mauÌ„ded that he should not suffre Margarete his wyfe to haue any seruauÌ„tes about her neither that she should not go abroad but be shut vp and that from thence foorth she should sende no message neyther to her soonne nor to any of her other frendes wherby any hurte mighte be wrought agaynst the kyng the whiche commaundemeÌ„t was accomplyshed And by the authoryte of the same perliament a peace was concluded with the Scottes whiche a lytle before had skyrmyshed with the borderers Which thyng brought to passe the kyng supposed all conspiracye to bee clene auoyded for asmuche as the duke with other of his compaignie were put to death and also certen other bannyshed Yet for all this kyng Richard was daylye vexed and troubled partelye mystrustynge his owne strength and partely fearyng the commyng of Henrye with his compaignye so that he lyued but in a myserable case And because that he would not so continue any lenger he determyned with hym selfe to put awaye the cause of this his feare and busynesse either by pollecye or elles by strength And after that he hadde thus purposed with hym selfe he thought nothyng better then to tempte the duke of Britayn yet once again eyther with money prayer or some other speciall rewarde because that he had in kepyng the erle Henry moste chiefly because he knewe that it was only he that might delyuer hym from all his trouble by delyueryng or imprisoning the sayed Henry Wherfore incontmentlye he sente vnto the duke certein Ambassadoures the whiche should promesse vnto hym besyde other greate rewardes that they broughte with theim to geue hym yerely all the reuenues of all the landes of Henry and of all the other lordes there beyng with hym yf he woulde after the receyte of the ambassadoures put theim in prysone The Ambassadoures beynge departed and come where the duke laye could not haue communicacion with hym for asmuch as by extreme sicknesse his wyttes were feble and weake Wherfore one Peter Landose his Treasourer a manne bothe of pregnaunte wytte and of greate authoritee tooke this matter in hand For whiche cause he was afterwarde hated of all the lordes of Britain With this Peter the Englishe ambassadoures had communicacion declaring to hym the kynges message desyred hym instantlye for asmuche as they knewe that he might bring theyr purpose to passe that he woulde graunt vnto kyng Richardes request and he shoulde haue the yerely reuenues of all the landes of the sayed lordes Peter considering that he was greatly hated of the lordes of his owne nacion thoughte that yf he myght bring to passe thoroughe kyng Richarde to haue all these greate possessyons and yerely reuenues he should then bee hable to matche with theim well ynough and not to care a rushe for theim whereupon he aunswered the ambassadoures that he would doo that Richard dyd desire yf he brake not promesse with hym And this did he not for any hatred that he bare vnto Henry for he hated hym not for not longe before he saued his lyfe where the earle Henry was in greate â—eoperdye But suche was the good fortune of Englande that this craftye compacte tooke no place for whyle the letters and messengers ranne betwene Peter and kyng Kichard Iohn Bishoppe of Ely beinge then in Flaundres was certifyed by a preest whiche came oute of England whose name was Christopher Vrswicke of all the whole circumstaunce of this deuyce purpose Wherupon with all spede the sayed byshop caused the saied preest the same daye to cary know ledge therof into Britayn to Henry erle of Richemounte willing hym with all the other noble men to dyspatche theim selues with all possible haste into Fraunce Henry was then in Veneti wheÌ„ he heard of this fraud without tariaunce sent Christopher vnto Charles the Frenche kyng desiring lycence that Henry with the other noble men myght safely come into Fraunce the which thing being sone obteigned the messenger retourned with spede to his lorde and Prince Then the earle Henry setting all his businesse in as good staye ordre as he mighte talked lytle and made fewe a counsail herof for the more expedicyon hereof he caused therle of Penbrucke secretly to cause all the noble men to take their horses dissembling to ride vnto the duke of Bretain but when they came to the vttermost partes therof they should forsake the waye that led theim toward the duke and to make into Fraunce with all that euer they might Then they dooing in euery thing as they were biddeÌ„ loste no tyme but so sped theim that shortely they obteygned and gate into the couÌ„tie of Angeou Henry then within .ii. dayes folowyng being then styll at Veneti tooke .iiii. or fyue of his seruauntes with hym and feigned as thoughe he woulde haue ryden therby to visyte a frende of his and forasmuche as there were many Englishmenne lefte there in the toune no manne suspected any thynge but after that he had kepte the ryghte waye for the space of fyue myles he forsooke that and turned streyghte into a woode that was thereby and tooke vpon hym his seruauntes apparell and putte his apparell vpon hys seruaunte and so tooke but one of theym with hym on whome he waited as thoughe he had bene the seruaunte and the other the maister And with all conuenyente and spedy haste so sette forthe on theyr iourney that no tyme was loste and made no more tariaunce by the way then onelye the baitynge of theyr horses so that shortly he recouered the coastes of Angeou where all his other companye was But within foure dayes after that the Earle was thus escaped
Peter receaued from kyng Richard the confirmacion of the graunte and promises made for the betreiyng of Henry and the other nobles Wherfore the saide Peter sente oute after hym horses and menne with suche expedicion and spede to haue taken hym that scacely the erle was entred Fraunce one houre but they were at his heles The Englyshe menne then beyng aboue the noumbre of thre hundreth at Veneti hearing that the Earle and all the nobles were fled so sodeinly and withoute any of their knowledge were astonyed and in maner despaired of theyr lyues But it happened contrary to theyr exspectacyon for the duke of Britaine taking the matter so vnkyndely that Henry should bee so vsed with hym that for feare he shoulde bee compelled to flee his lande was not a lytle vexed with Peter to whom althoughe that he was ignoraunte of the fraude and crafte that had been wrought by hym yet he layed the whole faute in hym and therfore called vnto hym Edward Poyninges Edward Wood vile deliuering vnto theim the foresayde monye the Henrye before had desyred the Duke to lende hym towarde the charge of his iourney and commaunded theim to conuey and conducte all the English menne his seruauntes vnto hym paying theyr expenses and to deliuer the sayde some of monye vn to the earle When the earle sawe his menne come and hearde this comfortable newes he not a lytle reioysed desiring the messengers that returned to shewe vnto the duke that he trusted ere long time to shewe him selfe not to bee vnthankeful for this greate kyndnesse that he nowe shewed vnto hym And within fewe dayes after the earle went vnto Charles the French kyng to whome after he had rendred thankes for the great benefites and kind nesse that he had receaued of hym the cause of his comming fyrste declared then he besought him of his helpe and ayde whiche shoulde bee an immor tall benefite to hym and his lordes of whome generallye he was called vnto the kyngdome forasmuch as they so abhorred the tiranny of kyng Rychard Charles promised hym helpe and bade him to be of good chere to take no care for he would gladly declare vnto hym his beneuolence And the same tyme Charles remoued and tooke with hym Henry and all the other noble menne Whyle Henry remained there Iohn Earle of Oxenford of whome is before spoken which was put in prisone by Edward the fourth in the castell of Hammes with also Iames Blounte Capteine of that castell and Iohn Forskewe knyghte Porter of the towne of Caleies came vnto hym But Iames the capitain because he lefte his wife in the castell dyd furnyshe the same with a good garison of men before his departure Henry when he sawe therle was out of measure glad the so noble a man and of greate experience in battayl and so valiaunt hardie a knight whom he thought to bee moste feithfull and sure for somuche as he had in the time of Edward the fourth continuall battail with hym in defending of Henry the syxte thought that nowe he was so well apointed that he coulde not desire to bee better and therfore coÌ„municated vnto hym all his whole affaires to bee ordred and ruled only by hym Not longe after Charles the Frenche kyng remoued again to Paris whome Henry folowed and there againe moued and besoughte the kyng as he had moste fauourably kindely entreteigned hym all this time not only in wordes but also in dedes that it would lykewise please hym yet so much further to extend his fauoure beneuolence vnto hym that nowe he woulde ayde and helpe hym forwarde in his iourney that not onely he but also all the lordes and nobilytee of Englande myghte iustely haue cause to knowlage and confesse that by the meane of his fauoure and goodnesse they were restored againe to the possessyon of their enherytaunces whiche withoute hym they coulde not well bryng to passe In the meane while his fortune was suche the many Englyshe menne came ouerdaylye oute of Englande vnto him and many whiche then were in Paris amonge whome were diuerfe studenteÌ„s that fell vnto his parte bothe more and lesse and specially there was one whose name was Richard Foxe a Preest beyng a manne of a synguler good wytte and learning whome Henry streyght waye reteigned and coÌ„mitted all his secretes vnto hym and whome also afterward he promoted to many hyghe promocyons and at the laste he made hym bishop of Winchester Richarde then hearyng of all this conspiracye and of the greate ayde that dayly wente ouer vnto Henry thought yet for all this that if he might bring to passe that Henry should not couple in maryage with the blood of king Edwarde that then he shoulde dooe well ynoughe with hym and kept hym from the possessyon of the croune Then deuysed he with hym selfe all the wayes and meanes that myghte bee howe to bryng this to passe And fyrste he thoughte it to bee beste with fayre woordes large promesses to attempte the quene whose fauoure obteygned he doubted not but shortelye to fynde the meanes to haue bothe her doughters oute of her handes into his owne and then rested nothynge but yf he hym selfe myghte fynde the meanes after warde to marye one of the same doughters whereby he thought he shoulde make all sure and safe to the vtter disapoyntinge of Henrye Wherupon he sente vnto the Quene then beynge in the Sanctuarye dyuerse and sondrye messengers that shoulde excuse and pourge hym of his facte afore dooen towardes her settynge forthe the matter with plesaunte woordes and hye promyses bothe to her and also her sonne Thomas lorde Marques of Dorset of all thynges that coulde be desyred These messengers beyng men of grauitee handled the quene so eâ—â—ftly that anone she beganne to bee alured and to herken vnto theim fauourably so that in conclusion she promysed to be obedient to the kyng in his request forgettyng the iniuries he had dooen to her before and on the other parte not remembryng the promesse that she made to Maigarete Henryes mother And first she delyuered both her doughters into the handes of kyng Rychard then after she sent preuely for the Lorde Marques her sonne beyng then at Parys with Henry as ye haue heard wyllyng hym to forsake Henrye with whome he was and spedely to returne into Englande for all thynges was perdoned and forgeuen she again in fauoure and frendship of the kyng and it should be highly for his aduauncement and honoure Kyng Richard wheÌ„ quene Elizabeth was thus brought into a fooles paradyce after he had receaued al his brothers doughters from the sanctuary into his palayce thought there nowe remayned nothyng to be dooen but only the castyng awaye and destroiyng of his owne wife whiche thynge he had wholy purposed and decreed within hym selfe And there was nothyng that feared hym so much from this mooste cruell detestable murder as the losyng of the good opynion the he thought the people had conceyued of hym for as
and also to arme theim selfes spedelye agaynste theyr enemies And so to come to our purpose agayn kyng Richard thorough the aforesaide tydynges beganne to bee more carelesse and rechelesse as who saye he had no power to withstand the desteny that honge ouer his hedde Suche is the prouydent iustyce of God that a manne dooeth leste knowe prouyde beware when the vengeaunce of God is euen at hande for his offences And to go forth at the tyme when Henry the earle of Richemounte remayned in Fraunce entretyng and suyng for ayde helpe of the Frenche men many of the chiefe noble men which had the realme in gouernaunce because of the young age of Charles the kyng fel somewhat at dissencion of the whiche variaunce Lewes the prynce of Orlyaunce was the chiefe and hedde whiche because he had maryed Iohanne the kynges syster looked to haue bene chiefe gouernoure of all the realme By the which meanes it came to passe that no one man had the princypall gouernaunce of the realme And therefore Henry the erle was constraigned to sue vnto all the nobles seuerallye one after another desyrynge and praiynge theim of aide and helpe in his purpose and thus the matter was prolonged In the meane tyme Thomas the Marques of Dorcet of whome we spake afore was preuely sent for to come home by his mother partely mystrustynge that Henrye should not preuayle and partly for the greate and large promesses that kyng Richard had made to her for hym before Whiche letters when the sayd Marques had receaued he beleuyng all thynges that his mother wrote vnto hym and also thynkyng that Henry should neuer preuayle and that the Frenchemen did but mocke and daylye with hym he sodeynly in the night tyme conueyed hym selfe out of Parys and with great spede made towardes Flaūders The whiche thyng when the erle and other of the Englishe lordes heard of thei wer sore astonned amased with all spede purchased of Charles the kyng a lycence and commaundement that the Marques might by steyed whersoeuer he wer found with in the dominion of Fraūce chiefly for that he was secrete of their councel and knewe all there purpose The cōmaundemēt was quickly obteyned postes made forth euery waye emōgest whom one Humfrey Cheyncy plaiyng the parte of a good blooddehounde so truely smelled out and folowed the trace that by and by he found out and toke the Marques and so handled persuaded hym with gentle and good woordes that shortely after he was content to retourne Then Henry beyng delyuered of this chaunce thought it best to prolonge the matter no farther least he should loose both the present oportunytee and also wery his frendes that looked for hym in Englande Wherfore he made haste and set forewarde with a small army obteyned of the Frenche kyng of whom he also borowed some money and some of other of his frendes for the whiche he left the Marques and Ihon Burchere behynde for a pledge And so setting forward came to Roan and whyle he taryed there and prepared shippyng at the hauen of Seyne tydynges cam to hym the kyng Richardes wyfe was deade purposed to mary with the lady Elysabeth kyng Edwardes eldest doughter being his nice that he had maried Cycile her syster to a mannes sonne of the lāde far vnderneth her degre At the whiche thyng Henry was sore amased and troubled thynkyng that by this meanes al his purpose was dashed for that there was no other waye for hym to come to the kyngdome but only by the maryage of one of kyng Edwardes doughters And by this menes also he feared least his frendes in Englande would shrynke frō hym for lacke of an honest title But after thei had consulted vpon the matter thei thought it best to cary a lytle to proue if they might gette more helpe and make mo frendes And among all other they thought it best to adioyne the lord Harbarte vnto theim whiche was a mā of great power in Wales and that should be brought to passe by this meanes for that the lorde Harbarte had a syster maryable whō Henry would be content to mary if he would take their part And to brīg al this matter to passe messengers were sent to Henry the erle of Northhumberlande whiche had maryed the other syster so that he should bryng this matter about but the wayes were so beset that the messengers could not come to hym And in the meane season came veray good tydynges from Ihon ap Morgan a temporall lawyer whiche signified vnto theim that syr Ryce ap Thomas a noble and valiaunt man and Ihon Sauage fauoured his parte earnestlye and also syr Reynolde Braye had prepared a greate summe of mony to wage battayl on his parte and to helpe hym and therfore he woulde they should make hast with all that euer they could and make towarde Wales Then Henry spedely prepared hym selfe because he would lynger his frendes no lenger And after that he had made his prayer vnto almightye God that he might haue good successe in his iourney only with two thousande menne and a fewe shyppes in the calendes of August he sayled from the hauen of Seyne and the seuēth daye after whiche was the .xxii. daye of August he aryued in Wales aboute sonne set lāded at Wilforde hauen in the parte whiche is called the Dale where he hearde that there was dyuerse layde in wayte for hym to kepe hym backe From thence in the mornyng betymes he remoued towarde a towne called Harford with in tēne myle of the Dale where he was very ioyfully receyued Here he had contrarye tydynges brought to that he hearde in Normādy afore that syr Ryce ap Thomas and Ihon Sauage wythal that euer they coulde make were of kyng Richardes parte Notwithstandynge they had suche tydynges sent theim frō the menne of Pembruche by a valiaūt gentlemā whose name was Arnold Butteler that it reioysed all their heartes whiche was that yf all former offences might bee remitted they woold bee in a redynesse to sticke vnto there owne Gespare the erle Then Henryes company by this meanes beeyng encreased departed frō Harforde fyue myle towarde Cardygane and then while he refreshed his menne sodenly came a rumoure vnto hym that the lorde Harbarte whiche dwelled at Carmerdyne was nye at hande with a greate armye of menne At the whiche rumoure there was a greate sturre amongeste theim euerye manne tooke hym selfe to his weapon and made theim selfes redye if nede were to fight and a lytle while they were all afrayed tyl such tyme as Henrye had sent out horsemen to trye the truthe whiche when thei came agayn declared that all thynges was quiet and that ther was no suche thyng But moste of all master Gryffythes a verye noble man did conforte theim and gladden their heartes whiche although before he had ioyned hym self to the lorde Harberte at that very tyme he cleued to Henry with suche companye as he had although they were but
tyme lo there came Wyllyam Stanley to aide theim with .iii. M. meÌ„ne and euen at the verie same tyme the residue of kyng Richardes men were put to flight TheÌ„ Richard fightyng alone in the middest of all his enemies was ouerthrowne slain In the meane tyme therle of OxeÌ„ford in the foreward after he had fought maÌ„fully a litle while put the residue to flight of whoÌ„ he slewe a greate noÌ„bre But agreate nombre more whiche folowed Richard more for feare then for loue helde their handes from fightyng went awaie without hurte for that thei loked not for his safegard but rather for his destruccion There were slain at this conflicte not many more then one thousand of the whiche these were noble menne Ihon duke of Norffolke Walter Feris Robert Brachyngbury Richard Radcliffe and many other more And within twoo daies after Wyllyam Catisby lawyer with certain other of his felowes was put to death at Leicestre and emonges those the ranne awaie was Fraunces Louell Humfray Stafford with Thomas his brother and other more that ranne into sanctuary at Colchestre in Essex There was of the captiues a greate nombre because that when Richard was slain euery manne cast doune his wepon and yeld hymself to Henry of the whiche the more parte would haue dooen so at the begynnyng if it had not been for feare of kyng Richardes spies whiche theÌ„ waÌ„dered in euery place And emongest these the nobles were the erle of Northumberlande the erle of Surrey of the whiche therle of Surrey was put in prisone this other as a frend was receiued in to fauour Henry at that felde loste not aboue an huÌ„dred menne emongest whom the chief was Wyllyam BraÌ„done whiche bare Henryes baÌ„ner This battaill was fought in the .xxii. day of the moneth of Auguste inthe yere of oure Lorde a thousand cccc .lxxxvi. the conflict indured more then .ii. howres Richard might as the fame went asaued hymself if he would afled awaie for those that were about hym when thei sawe his menne from the begynnyng fight but faintly and that some were ronne awaie vnto the other parte suspected treason and willed hym to flie and when the mater was manifest that all hope of victory was past thei brought hym a swiâ—te horse He puttyng a sied all hope and trust that was in fleiyng made as it was saied this aunswere that this daie he would haue ether an ende of battaill orels of his life suche was his greate audacite and manfulnes whiche because he did se certainly that in this daie he should ob 〈◊〉 the kyngdome quietely all daies of his life or â—â—s lose bothe for euer he entred in emoÌ„gest theim as it was declared before intendyng vtterly ether to lose all orels to wynne all And so the wretehe dyed hauyng the ende that all suche were wont to haue whiche in the stede of lawe honestie and all godlynes folowe their owne appetite vyllanye and all wyckednes And plainly this is an example whiche cannot be expressed to feare theim whiche will not suffer one howre to bee otherwyse speÌ„t then in cruelte mischief and all deuillishe fasshioÌ„s Henry when he had thus obtained the victorye he fell downe on his knees and with many praiers thankes referred all to the goodnes of God TheÌ„ after he stode vp beyng wounderfully replenished with ioye went vp vpoÌ„ alitle hill and there gaue two greate comendacions to his souldyours commaundyng theim that were hurte to be heled and the dede to bee buryed afterward he gaue immortall thankes to his noble capitains promisyng theim that he would neuer forgette their benifite The multitude in the meane tyme with one voyce one mynd proclaimed hym kyng WheÌ„ Thomas Stanley sawe the he toke kyng Richardes croune whiche was founde emongest the spoyle and by by putte it vpon his head as though he had been then created kyng by the eleccion of the people as it was wonte to bee in the olde tyme and this was the first token of his felicite After this kyng HeÌ„ry with his compaignie and carriage went to Lecestre toward night to bed whether after he had refresshed his compaignie well for the space of twoo daies that thei might the better goo toward London Kyng Richardes bodye was brought naked ouer a horse backe the hed and the armes haÌ„gyng on the one side and the legges on the other caried in to the grey freres of Lecester and surely it was but a myserable sight to loke vpoÌ„ yet it was good inough coÌ„sideryng his wretched leuyng and there without any solempnite was buryed twoo dayes after He raygned twoo yeres twoo monethes one daie he was but of a small stature hauyng but a deformed bodie the one shoulder was higher then the other he had a shorte face a cruell looke whiche did betoken malice guyle and deceite And while he did muse vpoÌ„ any thing staÌ„ding he would byte his vnder lippe continually whereby a maÌ„ne might perceiue his cruell nature within his wreched bodie striued and chaffed alwaie with in hym self also the dagger whiche he bare aboute hym he would alwaies bee choppyng of it in and out he had a sharpe and pregnaunt witt subtill and to dessimule and fayne verie mete He had also a proude and cruell mynde whiche neuer went from him to the houre of his death whiche he had rather suffer by the cruell sworde though all his compaignie did forsake hym then by shamefull flight he would fauoure his life whiche after might fortune by sickenes or other condynge ponyshemeÌ„t shortely to perishe ¶ Henry the seuenth HENRY THE SEVENTH OF that name kyng of England First after that he had obteined his kyngdome and heritage by force of armes entended to stablishe all thynges extynguish sedicioÌ„ and before he departed from Leycester caused ser Robert Willoughby knight to bryng the youÌ„g erle of Warwike the duke of ClareÌ„ces sooÌ„ne before his presence whom kyng Richard to that tyme had kept at SheryhuttoÌ„ in Yorke shire fearyng muche least that by this young erle some occasioÌ„ might bee taken of renuyng battaill whiche entended nothyng more then to liue in peace and quietnes And so this erle was brought to hym at his commaundement conueighed to London and there cast in holde In the self same place also of Yorke shire was Ladie Elizabeth eldest doughter to the fornamed kyng Edwarde whom kyng Rychard her vncle would haue maried sore against the mynde and consent of the same ladie In so muche also that the people were sore against it and accompted it not onely as a reproche infamie to the kyng hymself but also to his counsaill the did agre to his naughtie purpose Albeit God of his infinite mercy preserued the ladie whiche shorte tyme after was brought to London to her mother In this time the kyng drawing nighe to London was there accepted of his citezens streyghte after his coÌ„ming moste roially of all parties saluted after the moste louing fassion the they could
first hearyng of this the kyng was but litle moued but after that he was certified by the letters of his frendes that it was true he was in greate feare for that he had neyther an armye prepared nor harnyes for theim but because the mattier required haste least that by long taryeng his aduersaries power might bee encreased and multiplyed he commaunded the Duke of Bedforde to mete theim with three thousande meÌ„ne whiche were harnysed but barely for theyr breste plates were for the moste parte lether And he hym selfe in that meane tyme would gather vp an hoste where he might in euery place The duke hauyng his meÌ„ nigh to the teÌ„tes of his enemyes coÌ„sulted with certain of his coÌ„paignie by what waye he mighte traine theim to peace withoute bloodde shedyng After the whiche deliberation aduisement had it was decreed that certaine shoulde proclaime openly that all thei should haue their pardonne that woulde leaue battaile The whiche proclamation auayled muche for the Lorde Louell eyther for some feare or mystrust that he had in his people or feryng hym selfe of his owne behalfe fledde pryuely in a night from his compaignie to Lankeshire ther remained a space with syr Thomas Broghton knight And when hys army had knowledge therof thei also submittyng theim selfes all to the Duke asked pardonne for their heinous offence The Lorde Stafforde also hearyng this was in a great agony and for feare dyd take sanctuarye at Colname .ii. miles from Abindon But because that sanetuary was not a defence for traytours he was taken from that place and behedded and his brother was ê‘doned because he was thought not to haue done it of his owne will but thorowe the counsaill and perswasion of his brother After this businesse was asswaged and Yorke shyre set in peace and quietnes the Kyng went to London and shortelye after that to Wynchester where the Quene his wyfe was deliuered of a Prynce called Arthure and from Wynchester he retourned agayne to London Sone after it chaunsed that one syr Richard Symond preest borne by nature to be a traytour and sedicious personne and yet well learned had a chyld called Lambert Symenel to bee hys scholar by whome he inuented this crafte and disceat that he woulde make the chyld kyng of England and hym selfe archebyshoppe or some hygh potestate in the realme for he knewe verely that many menne supposed kyng Edwardes chyldren to bee fled into some straunge place and that Edwarde the Erle of Warwyke sonne to the Duke of Clarence ether was or should bee put to death shortly And to the ende he myght the better bryng hys purpose about he taught the chyld bothe learnyng good maners and also to order hym selfe as one linially descendyng from a hygh progenie Sone after the rumoure was that the younge Earle of Warwyke was dead in prysonne And when the preest heard of this he intendyng therby to bring his matters aboute chaunged the chyldes name and called hym Edwarde after the younge Earle of Warwyke the whiche were boothe of one age and then sayled into Irelande there opening his mynde to certain of the nobilitee whome he knew to beare but lytle fauoure to Kyng Henry where he was promysed ayde of the Lorde Gerardine chauncellour of all that countree and all that he coulde dooe Whyche Lorde fyrst callyng all hys frendes and louers together desyred their helpe in restoryng the yong Earle to his herytage And dyd sende certain into Englande to desire theym that were kynge Rychardes frendes to continue in their loue and faythfulnes towardes hym and helpe hys nephiewes chylde to his ryghte And that hys power myghte bee the stronger to ouercome hys enemyes he desyred Lady Margarete syster to kynge Edwarde and wyfe to the Duke of Burgondy to further hys purpose with her helpe whyche lady beyng then in Flaunders promised him by the messaungers that she would not onely maintaine his entente with large mony and substaunce but with all the laboure and peynes that she myght occasion other to be of the same conspiracie When kynge Henrye was certified of thys he was sore greued that by the meanes of suche a myscreaunte personne so great sedicion should bee neuerthelesse the kynge consideringe that it shoulde bee to the destruccion of manye menne yf that he shoulde fyghte with his enemies in open feelde called hys counsayle together at the Charter house besyde Rychemounde and there consulted to pacifie thys matter wythoute anye more dysturbaunce Where fyrste it was decreed that all thei shoulde bee pardoned for their offences and treasons latelye commytted whiche hath frome that tyme borne theim selfes vpryght towardes their kinge leaste that syr Thomas Broghton whyche kepte the Lord Louell from the king a great tyme wyth other despeyring of theyr pardon shoulde haue made some sodaine insurrection agaynst hym Further more that men shoulde not thyncke but that the Duke of Clarence was in Englande it was appoynted that he shoulde showe hym selfe abrode wherby the opynion that he was in Ireland myghte bee frustrate and accompted as a lye Also it was further determyned that the Ladye Elysabeth wyfe to kyng Edward the .iiii. shoulde lose al her landes because she had submitted her selfe and her doughters wholye to the handes of kynge Rychard contrary to the promyse made to the Lordes and nobles whyche at her desyre lefte al that they had in Englande and fledde to kynge Henrye in Brytayne and there dyd sweare hym to marye her eldeste daughter as she wylled theim to dooe But her purpose did not frame as God would Thys quene buylded a Collage in Cambrydge and gaue landes to the maynteyning of the same whiche at thys houre is called the quenes Collage When thys order and determynacion of the kynge was ended he wente to London and the nexte Sondaye folowynge he caused the young Earle to bee broughte out of the Tower through the streetes to Poules And there to shewe hym selfe to euerye bodye and taske with the chiefe and noble menne that were thoughte to haue conspyred agaynste kynge Henrye for thys cause that they myghte perceaue the Iryshe menne to moue battayle vnaduysedly and cause stryfe vppon no iuste occasion howebeit all thys nothyng auayled for the Earle of Lyncolne the Duke of Suffolkes soonne and nephewe to kynge Edwarde coulde not suffer kynge Henrye thus to reygne but as a traytoure sayled into FlauÌ„ders to the Ladye Margarete takynge wyth hym Syr Thomas Broghton with certayne other Where also the Lorde Louell landed twoo or three dayes before And there they beynge all together determyned that the Earle of Lyncolne and the Lorde Louell shoulde goo to Irelande and there attend vpon the counterfeyte Earle and brynge hym to Englande with all the power they myghte agaynste kynge Henrye So that yf their dooynges had good successe that then the foresayde Lambarte misnamed the Earle shoulde by the consente of the counsayle be deposed and the true Earle to bee delyuered oute of pryson and enherite his right and iuste
nomore to endeuoure to defende their commune weale but rather to destroy and vtterly extinguishe it Which thing the englishe menne perceiuing and also suffering muche colde were compelled of necessitee within fyue moonethes that their wente thyther to come backe agayne into Englande Then Charles the French kyng maried Anne the Dukes doughter and gat al Britayn by that meanes into hys hādes But of this it shal be spoken more here after It was decreed here in Englande before there were any souldyours sent into Brytayne that for the expence of that warre euery man should paye as thei were hable a tribute whyche the mooste parte of theim that dwelte in the byshopryke of Durhā and Yorke shyre dyd vtterly refuse to pay and complayned of the matter to their Lorde the Earle of Northumberland And he immediately signified to the kyng by his letters that the people dyd greatly lament and was sory saiyng that thei were neuer put to so muche coast as thei had been of late dayes nowe that ther was so much requyred of theim that neither thei were hable to pay so great a summe nor would pay it Yet for al that the kyng cōmaunded the Erle to get it on thē and make theim pay it whether thei would or not least peraduenture it myght be a cause that yf at any time a tribute agayne should bee required of thē to make an insurreccion Which thyng when the people hearde of by and by they ranne vnto the earle and as the authoure of the tribute paiyng kylled hym out of hande And when thei had so done thei chase Ihon Egremonknight a verey dicious personne to bee their captayne and so arraied them selfes and went agaynst the kyng makyng cries in euery towne that thei came to fight for no nother cause but to defēde that cōmon libertie But when the mattier shoulde come to blowes thei waxed colde all the sorte of theim and euerye one wished that this tumulte wer retracted which was nowe alredy begonne so that at the cōclusiō not one scacely scaped without his great discommodite For the kynge assone as he hearde of this insurreccion went downe with an hoost to Yorke wherof these slaues and traitours beyng greatly afraied fledde some hether and some thether and durst not abide and sustaine the power of the kynges army Wherfore thei wer sone taken and punished greuousely accordyng to their deseruyng euery one of theim But Ihon Egremont whiche was their captain fledde into Flanders to Margarete of whome we spake before And the kyng so sone as this busines was quēched tooke his iourny back again vnto London and committed the tribute whiche was in Yorke and about Yorke to bee taken vp holy to Richard Toustal And this was the yere of our lord a thousand foure hundred .xc. and the fourth yere of the reigne of this kyng Henry And in thys yere also the kynge of Scottes was sore vexed For his subiectes roase agaynst hym and made his sonne Iames whiche was as yet but a chylde their capitain Wherfore he sent to the kynge of Englande to the Frenche kyng and to the byshoppe of Roome Innocentius to desire theim to make some end of thys ciuile battayle and contencion whiche was betwene hys people and hym Whiche afterwarde sente theyr ambassadours as they were desired but all in vayne For the rude sort would nedes fight onlesse he would resygne his crowne wherfore shortely after thei fought and in that battayle kylled the kyng and gaue his sonne Iames whiche was the fourth of that name the crowne But the byshoppe of Romes legate Hadrian came to late For whyles he was in Englande with kyng Henry worde came that the kyng of Scottes was slayne in battayle and hys soonne made kyng And therfore he taried here in England for a space and was veray muche made of and hyghly commended to the kyng by Ihon Mortō archbyshop of Canterburie Whereby he came into so high fauour with kyng Henry that he made him bishoppe of Herforde and shortly after that least gaue hym the bishopprike boothe of Welles and Bathe And not longe after he retourned with these honours to Roome and there of Alexander was made Cardinall There beganne also of freshe certayne businesse as concernynge Brytaine before this geare was appeased whiche was that Maximilian beyng at that tyme without a wyfe would haue maried the duke of Briteines doughter and had one that wowed for hym which lady promisyng hym fayth trueth to the entent that she might not go from her word he vsed this way with her when she went to her bed the night after as to the bedde of wedlocke the wower that was hired putte one of his fete into the bed to the knee in the sight cōpany of many noble matrōs ladies for a token testimony that the mariage was consūmate thei .ii. as mā wife But this did nothing auaile for Char the Frenche kyng was desireous to marye her hearyng that Maximiliā was sure to her dyd the more busely set vpon the Britaynes to th entent he might both haue the ladye and the countree also at his wyll for he estemed that mariage to bee of no strength or force Neuerthelesse he feared kyng Henry muche least that he would stoppe his purpose whiche kyng had made a league and Ferdinande also the kyng of Spayne had made the same with the Britaynes to assist theim in all their ieoperdies and perilles that should chaunce to theim by foren countrees wherfore he sent in al post hast Francese Lucemburgense Charles Marignane and Roberte Gaguine to kyng Henry for a peace to bee confirmed and hadde desyrynge hym that their kyng might ordre the mariage of the Ladye Anne as wer thought best without any let or hynderaunce of it by hym but kyng Henry would not agree to theim that the lady should bee maried to hym consyderyng she was made sure to the kyng Maximilian for that it was against all right and lawe bothe of God and manne Albeit the kynge would gladly make a peace betwene theim bothe and so demissyng the kynges Ambassadoures with a large and ample rewarde sent Thomas Goldestone abbot of Cantorbury and the lord Thomas of Ormondye ambassadours streight after theim In this meane space Alexander B. of Rome the sixt of that name after Innocētius sent the bishop of Cōcordiense legate to the Frenche kyng for certayne mattiers and emong other for a peace and vnitee to bee confederate betwyxt hym and kyng Henry the whiche when he had easely obteyned he came to Englande and there beyng entretained moste roially of the kyng had his purpose and desire of hym The Englishe ambassadours then beyng with the Frenche kyng purposed to haue a peace concluded whiche first demaunded certain thynges of the kyng ere that it should bee made albeit the kyng would graūt theim nothyng and was sore moued with their request askyng So the shortly after the Frenche kyng sent to the noble menne of
many honest menne that he came but of a lowe and course parentage and he was named Peter War becke whiche thing also the kynges frendes certified hym by their letters and writynges to hym more plaine and euidentelye Therfore when the kyng had knowen the matter wholy aswel by his frendes as by his spies sent foorth purposelye for the same he caused it to bee proclaimed openly aswell in other regions countrees as in England that the disceate and deuelish crafte might appere euident to euery manne And firste he sent ambassadours to Philyp the chiefe capitaine in Flaundres and to his councell because he was but of a younge age whiche were sir Edward Poninges knight and sir William Varame preest and lawyer that they might shewe euidently howe falsely the younge manne hath vsurped the name of Richarde duke of Yorke whiche was kylled with his brother Edward in the Towre of London at the cōmaundement and will of kyng Richard his vncle as euery man coulde testifye and affirme most surely Also that he was borne of a poore stocke and an obscure famulie in Tornace and there named Perkin Warbecke and therfore that it woulde please hym his councel not to suffer theim selfes to bee blynded or seduced with suche mere impostures and craftie illusions nor yet to aide hym at any hande to cause sedicion or strife consideryng that he had no iuste title to the enheritynge of the same And that they would the rather bee his frendes nowe because that he helped Maximilian theyr kyng the yere before againste the power and violencye of the Frenche menne where as he of hym selfe was not hable to refyste theyr myghte and stronge power When the Ambassadours had dooen their message they were gentely entretayned of hym and had their request that he woulde not for the loue that he oughte vnto the kynge no nor any of his counsaile helpe thesame Perkin any thinge at all Neuerthelesse yf the quene Margaret would persiste and continewe in her malice towardes the kyng whome the Ambassadour sir William Varame had reproued and checked sore for bringing vp of suche monsters and commune plagues to the publike weale in his oration that he made vnto Philippe and his counsayle it was not in their power to withstande it for because that she might doo in her owne herytage all thinges at her owne wyll and pleasure Whiche quene entended fully to arme this Perkin with a stronge compaignye of menne against kyng Henry After that kynge Henrye dyd heare of this he purposed to pacyfye all this busynesse that was like to chaunce by wytte and policye and streight dyd sende foorthe certaine spies whiche shoulde fayne theim selfes to haue fledde vnto the Duke and by that meanes searche foorthe and knowe the whole entente of theyr coniuracion and after what waye they framed theyr matters Other also shoulde promyse a pardon and remyssyon vnto syr Roberte Clyfforde and Willyam Barley for their offence cōmitted to the kyng And when they had so dooen many of theim returned to Englande and broughte the names of certayne that were chief of the same conspiracye Other taried vntyll suche tyme that sir Robert Clifforde came to Englande agayne And when the kyng had knowen the chief capitaines of this tumulte by his spyes that were there with theim he caused all them to bee attached brought to London before his presēce whose names wer sir Iohn Ratclyffe syr Simon Monforde syr Thomas Thwarte knightes William Dabeney Roberte Ratcliffe Richard Lesey with many other Also certaine preestes and religious menne as sir William Richeford and Thomas Poynes bothe monkes of sainct Dominikes order sir William Sutton sir William Vrseley Deane of Poules Robert Layborne Other that were giltie of the same crime hearing that many of their compaignie wer taken fledde and did take sanctuarye And the other that were taken wer condempned all of treason of the whiche there was heded sir Simon Monford sir Robert Ratcliffe and William Dabeney as authours chiefe capitaines of this busines The other were pardoned and the Preestes also for their order that they had taken Also sir Iohn Ratcliffe was pardoned of his lyfe but after that he came to Calisse there caste in prisone he was behedded because he corrupted the kepers with many promises to haue escaped out of the same Shortly after sir Robert Clifford trusting to find fauour grace at the kynges hande came to England of whose cōming when the kyng was certified he went streight to the towre of London there taryed tyll suche tyme the syr Robert Clyfford came whiche thyng he vsed vnder this pretence that yf sir Robert Clifford had accused any man to hym of the treason that then euerie suche person mighte bee called thether withoute anye suspectiō of anie euel and there streight to bee cast in holde but before I goo furder I wyll shewe the opinion that many men conceaued of the knightes goynge to Flaunders Some men helde this opinion that kyng Henrye dyd sende hym as a spye to Flaunders and therfore he came the soner into his fauoure Neuerthelesse this is not lyke to bee true by diuerse reasōs Fyrst that it tourned to the great infamye and hurt both of hym selfe and his frendes Secondarly that he was not in so greate fauoure with the kyng as he had ben in tymes past for because that he was giltie in that part Therfore the saied sir Robert now comming to the king after his retourne into England kneled mekelye downe at his feet and desired pardō of his grace and after that beyng enquired of the coniuration and examined who wer the authours of this mischiefe he pronounced saied that William Stāly whome the kynge made Earle was one of the chief when he had so saied the kyng was greatly dismayed greued that he should offend whō he had made chief of his priuie chamber considering also that he had founde great kindenes hertofore at his hande and that he dyd ouercome kyng Rychard chiefly by his helpe and meanes So that the kyng coulde not bee perswaded that he was any suche offender had not it bene shewed him after by manifest tokens and apparēt argumentes the it was true as he saied Whom the king thē caused to be taken and examined of the matter after the which examinacion he was proued to be an offender Then the kynge doubtynge what to dooe with him dyd consult and breath a lytle with him selfe for he feared that his brother lord Thomas by whom he had shewed great kyndnesse woulde take it greuously also yf he shoulde remitte that faulte other would abuse his lemtee and trespace more highly Albe it at the laste he wylled that he shoulde suffer for his offence and so caused hym to bee behedded The cause that their loue as mē reporte dyd chaunge into hatred was this The lorde Wylliā consideryng that he saued the kyng and brought hym to this realme to be gouernour thought he could neuer bee recompensed for hys
woman and captiue to the kyng And the kyng sent her by and by accompanied with a goodly sort of matrons because she was so goodly a young woman to London to the quene as a true and sure token of vyctorie And whiles he taried there at Exeter supposyng with him selfe that he could haue no perfect victory vntyl he had gotteÌ„ Perkin him self which was the beginner of all this sedicion and strife sent forth two companies of menne to besiege the sanctuarye wher Perkin was that by no meanes he myght scape away and sent him worde also by certain trustie messengers that yf he would humblie submit him selfe he should be forgeuen of all that was committed Wherfore Perkin now seynge and ponderynge the state of miserie that he was in weÌ„t voluntarily out of the sanctuary and commytted hym selfe to the kynges pleasure Then was the kyng weray glad and toke his iourney immediatly after towarde London not without the great metyng of people whych came out of euery quarter to se this feloe as he were a monstre because he beyng but an aliente durst bee so bold to come in to this so noble a realme to make battaill and delude noble menne after suche a fassion But wheÌ„ the kyng was come to London he appointed certain menne to kepe hym bothe night daie verie vigilantly to th entent that he might neither conueigh hymself out of the lande ner goo any whether within this realme to make any like perturbacion and disquietnes After this the kyng perceiuyng the there were many as well in Somerset as in DeueÌ„shire whiche were helpers of the rebelles greatly bothe goyng foorth commyng homeward thought it good to punishe theim also least peraduenture thei might be the more bold to dooe a like thyng after And therfore he committed this busines to Amis Paulet knight and Robert Sherburne deane of Poules to be dooen Which in serchyng out all suche thoroweout bothe the shires wer verie exacte and diligent but thei wer fauorable to al such as did it for feare or compulsion Yet were thei to none so fauorable but thei were thought for their defaultes indifferently to be punished So that equitie therin was verie well executed In the same yere of a small matter befell greate strife betwene kyng Henry and Iames kyng of Scotlande whiche strife beganne of this fassion Certain younge menne of the Scottes came armed vnto Duresme castell beheld it wonderous circumspectly as though thei had been desierous to know what was there dooen But wheÌ„ the kepers of the castle could not perceaue that thei went aboute any hurte or displeasure seing theim go awaie of their owne accorde thei made no woordes but let theim alone But when thei came again the nexte daie vieued it likewise the kepers of the said castel demaunded of theim what was their intent Thei auÌ„swered theim like rude and vnmanerlie ientlemenne as frowardly as could bee thought in so muche that at the laste through muche altercacion of bothe parties thei fell together by the eares and there were some of the Scottes slain the residue put to flight Which wheÌ„ thei came home certified their kyng of thesame Wherwith he beyng sore moued to angre seÌ„t woorde to kyng Henry that he would wtout doubt reuenge his querell wherfore kyng HeÌ„ry being verie sorie not so much forfeare as for to liue in quietnes peace in his age made him auÌ„swere that it was not doeÌ„ through his default or couÌ„saill but rather by the rashenesse of his subiectes whiche if thei could bee ê“ued guiltie should be accordyng to the faulte punished Wherfore he desired him moste louingly to be coÌ„teÌ„ted But this was not hable to mitigate or swage the Scottes angre outrageousnesse For the whiche cause Richard bishop of Duresme whiche was more heuie then all other because his seruuÌ„ates were the beginners of this discord wrote many letters to kyng Iames to desire hym to kepe peace bee at quiet With the whiche letters the kynges rage was so quenched that he bothe sent verie kynd letters again to hym and desired hym hartely to come ouer and talke with hym Of the whiche tydynges the bishop was verie glad and went streight to kyng Henry to shewe hym the matter and had leaue of hym incontinenly to go ouer to hym When he came into ScotlaÌ„de he was receiued as louyngly as coulde bee thought of the kyng hymself at an abbey called Melrose and there after that he had complained muche of the crueltie that was vsed toward his menne here in EnglaÌ„de he beganne to commen secretly of other matters and especially of the amitie betwene kyng Henry and hym the whiche to bee for euer stablished and confirmed he desired that kinges doughter Margaret in mariage Of the whiche thyng albeit the bishop was glad in his heart yet he would make no perfect aunswere or sheweforth any sure hope of the same but saied that when he came home he would dooe the best in the matter that laie in hym Wherfore the kyng shortly after dimissed hym and desired hym ernestly to breake the same matter to kyng HeÌ„ry And wheÌ„ he was come home so he did and the proffer pleased the kyng verie well because he was a manne whiche was alwaies more delited with peace quietnes then with the troublesomnesse of battaill And now did approch the death of Perkin Warbeck and of Edwarde erle of Warwicke whiche had so long lyen all readie in the tower But PerkeÌ„ thought that he would saue hymself and therfore on a tyme he tooke his leggues and ranne awaie but so sone as the kyng harde tell therof he made menne after hym with all the spede the might bee with whose clamours and shoutes Perkyn was so feared that of necessitie he was compelled to go to an abbaie which was called BetheleÌ„ ther intreacted the abbot of the place to desire the kyng of his pardon that he might not dye Whiche thyng the abbot did for hym and obteined it Wherfore Perken was brought bounde feitered to Westminster and there stoode an whole daie in the sight of all menne to the great shame and reproche of hym self And after partely because the kyng had promised hym his life and partely because he should no more renne awaie he was coÌ„mitted to the towre Where his wickednes boylong so hote within his breit would not suffre hym to escape the veÌ„geauÌ„ce punishemeÌ„t of God but shortly after was moste iustly worthely put to deathe as herafter shal be shewed Then it chaunsed the a monke whose name was Patricke had a scholer whome he promised if he would folowe his counsaill should easely come to the kyngdome of Englande Whiche scholer when he had ones heard his maisters mynd was verie instaunte in the matter and desired his maister not to forget his purpose but rather begynne it as sone as was possible Wherfore when thei be twene theim selfes had taken deliberacion and counsailled of the thyng how it should be
brought to passe thei went bothe together into Kent And there beganne this young feloe to tell priuely to many that he was the erle of Warwicke and had gotte out of the tower by the helpe of this monke To the whiche when he perceiued credence geuen he declared it openly and desyred al men of helpe But or euer this sedicion beganne to goo foreward the heddes and principalles of thesame wer taken and casle into prysone Of whiche the one was condempned to death and the other condeÌ„pned to perpetuall pryson and darkenesse For at that tyme here in Englande was so muche attrybuted to prestes and al religious meÌ„ that though they had committed felonie murder yea or treason they should not haue bene therfore condempned to death Moreouer whosoeuer could reade though it wer neuer so lytle what crime soeuer he had committed saue treason should by his booke bee saued and therfore it was inuented that if the default wer so great that another manne shoulde suffer death for thesame he should onely be burnt in the hande wherfore he the had committed thefte should bee marked in the hand with this letter T. if he had committed murdre with M. and after that yf he were deprehended in lyke cryme then there should no fauour at all more then to other menne bee shewed Whiche acte was made and confyrmed by this kyng Henry in the second yere of his reigne and takeÌ„ of the Frenchemen whiche are wonte if thei take any suche to cutte of one of his cares and let hym go Whiche priuiledges of bookes made thefes both bolde plentie thorowe out all the coastes and parties of this his realme of Englande But nowe to my matier again Perkyn of whom we spake muche before whyles he was in the towre corrupted many of the kepers partly with giftes and partely with fayre promyses so that they were all agreed saue the leuetenaunt whome he fully determined to kyll that he and the erle of Warwike should gooe theyr waye out of the toure and afterwarde to make the best shyfte that they could for theim selfes But this his purpose came not to full effecte For it was knowne within shorte tyme after for the whiche he and his felowes all of the same counsayle were hanged by the neckes And the earle of Warwike because he was foundegyltie in thesame defaulte was behedded whiche was dooen in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and .xcix. and in the .xiii. yeare of this kyng Henry his reigne The nexte yere after was here in Englande a a greate plague wherof menne died in many places vereye sore but especiallye and mooste of all in London For there died in that yere aboue thyrtye thousande Wherfore the kynge sayled ouer to Caleis and there taryed a greate while In his beyng there came ouer to hym Philippe Erle of Flaunders and was receaued of hym as louyngly as could bee thought and also or euer they departed the league whiche was made betwene theim two not longe before was renewed Sone after when the plague was slaked the kyng returned agayne into Englande and was no soner come thyther but there met him one Gasper Pons sente from Alexander the byshoppe of of Roome which brought with hym indulgences and perdoâ—es whereby he made the kyng beleue that he and his should flye streight to heauen but those could not bee graunted withoute a greate somme of money the whiche the rather that he might obteyne he promysed parte of it to the kyng hymselfe so deceauyng both the kyng and the people In this same yere was burnt a place of the kynges whiche he after buylded vp againe and named it Richemount Aboute this tyme died three bishoppes here in England Ihon Morton bishop of Cantourbury Thomas Langton bishop of Wynchester and Thomas Rotherham bishoppe of Yorke Also in this yere there were greate maryages made for kyng Henry had geuen his doughter ladye Margarete to the kyng of Scottes and his sonne prince Arthur to Ladie Katherine doughter to Ferdinande kyng of Spayne whiche mariages were made specially for this cause that he might liue in peace with those kynges in his olde age After this prynce Arthure that came to LondoÌ„ purposely to bee maryed went to Wales agayne with his lady and wife to ouersee all thynges well there and to the entente he might not miscarye or go out of the waie in rulyng his domimon he had with hym many noble meÌ„ as first Richard Poole his nighe kynsman which was made chief of his priuie chaumbre and Dauid Philippe husher of his halle Also he had of his counsaill certayne knyghtes as Wyllyam Vdall Richarde Croft Peter Neuton Henrye Varnam Thomas Englefelde And other besides theim as Ihon Walestone Henry Marine Wyllyam Smyth preest chief of his couÌ„sayle late bishop of Lincolne syr Charles Booth a lawer then byshop of Herforde A litle before this mariage EdmuÌ„d Poole erle of Suffolke sonne to ladye Elizabeth the sysler of kyng Edward was accused for killyng of a maÌ„ although the kyng pardoned hym whoÌ„ he might iustely haue condeÌ„â—ed for that offence yet because he was rayned at the barre whiche he thought a great main and blemishe to his honoure tooke it heuely and shortely after fled to Flaunders wtout any passeporte or liceÌ„ce of the kyng to quene Margarete his aunte but he returned again so excused hymselfe before the kynge that he was founde fautles in any thyng that was obiected vnto hym Also when this mariage was kepte at London with great pompe soleÌ„nitee this Edmunde fled again to Flaunders with his brother Richard either for that he had been at great charges at thesame mariage and so farre cast in debte that he was not hable to paye either because the quene Margarete his aunte had allured hym orels for eiuill will enuie that the kyng should prosper so well WheÌ„ it was knowen that he was gooen the kyng certified there of he feared that some busynes should ryse by his meanes was sory that he had pardoned hym for his offeÌ„ce lately coÌ„mitted But sone after that the erle came from Flaunders syr Robert Cursone knight capitaine of HaÌ„mes castel feignyng hym selfe to bee one of that conspiracye wente purposely to espye what the quene entended against kyng Henrye whyche afterwarde for his so doynge was in greate fauoure wyth hym For the kynge was so vigylaunte and circumspecte in all his matters that he dyd knowe theim namelye that either bare hym eiuill will or woorked any in theyr mynde whom he caused to bee attached and caste in holde And emong theim Wyllyam the erle of Deuonshyres sonne whiche maried ladie Catheryne daughter to kyng Edward was taken and another Wyllyam brother to Edmonde earle of Souffolke Iames Tyrell Ihon Wyndham But these two wylliams were taken rather of suspection then for any offence of gyltines Wherefore Wylliam this Earles sonne of Deuonshyre after the death of kynge Henrye was deliuered had in
dyd lye And shortlye after folowed his wife quene Iohan. After they two had coÌ„moned of many thinges together at the laste they beganne to treate of a league and perpetuall amitee to bee had And firste Kynge Henrye desired to haue Edmonde Poole banished man vnder his captiuitee and bondage To whome the Earle aunswered saied that it was not in his power to restore hym yet after muche entreating and praiyng the kyng graunted at the laste that he shoulde hee sente to hym righte shortly After thus for prolonginge of time that he might haue his desyre he brought Philyp the Earle to London and there shewing hym his citie retourned frome thence with hym Then Edmonde Poole seyng that there was no more hope to bee had in foren Princes and trusting that kyng Henry would put hym at libertee came to Englande willingly to proue his gentlenes that yf vpon this expectacyon and hope he were deceiued yet he might at the laste dye and be buryed in his natiue countree weare when he had receyued this garment he did send Balthesar Castillio a Mantuan borne vnto kyng Henry whiche receiued of the knightes a garter in token that he should be a knight of the same ordre When this busines was dooen Lewes the Frenche kyng mistrustyng that he shoulde neuer haue manchild maryed his eldest doughter Lady Anne to Frances Valese Dolphine Duke of Engosye which was sure a litle before to Charles the kyng of Castell And when kyng Henry knewe of this he thought beste to mary his doughter Lady Mary to this Charles kyng of Castell which mariage was confirmed and made at Calise by the byshop of Winchester the ambassadours of Flaunders the Ladye beyng but .x. yeres of age And now were the thre yeres expired at whiche tyme kyng Henry thought his fatal daye to draw nyghe Therfore to the entente that the people myghte wyshe and praye for hym after his deathe for his kindnesse that he shewed to theim he caused a generall pardon to bee geuen vnto all offendours sauinge onely theues and murderers because that they dyd not offende hym but another manne For this goodnesse shewed to the people processyon was in euerye place of the Realme for the safegarde of the kyng Neuerthelesse his time was come the God would haue hym so that he died the .xxi. daye of Apryll in his palaice of RichemouÌ„de the whiche was the yere of oure Lorde a thousand fyue hundreth and eyght His corps was buryed at Westminster in a chappell the whiche he caused to bee buylded He reigned thre and twentye yeres and more then seueÌ„ monethes liued .lii. Also he had by his wife the quene .viii. children .iiii. menchildren .iiii. women children of the whiche .iii. remained aliue HeÌ„ry prince of Wales ladie Margaret ladie Marie He was a manne of bodie but leane spare albeit mightie strong therwith of personage stature some what higher then the meane sorte of menne be of a wondrefull beautie and faire complexion through al his bodie of a merie laughyng countenaunce especially in his coÌ„municacioÌ„ thinne tethed thinne heared of witte in all thynges like Salomon of a princely redoubted stomake and in greate affaires and matters of weightie importaunce verie wittie For suche thynges as he went aboute he did theim warely not without greate deliberacion breathyng Besides this he was sobre moderate buxome bounteouse without all pride highnes of stomake in so muche that he was hard rough with theim the were noted of that crime for no man had so great autorite with him that either durst or could dooe any thyng as his owne faÌ„tasie did serue hym without the consent agrement of other Yea he kept this point so wel that he would not suffre his owne mother to haue her will For this was his saiyng * that a kyng was a ruler that should rule not be ruled He was also verie iust defended the matters causes of many poore people froÌ„ the power of greate menne And so liuyng all his tyme in vertue renowne glorie and valiauntnes of merciall prowesses gaue vp his ghoste at the laste whiche vndoubtedly is in that place where euerlastyng ioye and gladnes remaineth for euer and euer ¶ Henry the eyght OVRE MOSTE GRACIOVS souereigne lorde kyng Henry the eyght the soonne of Henry the seuenth beganne his reigne the .xxiiii. daie of Appryll in the yere of our Lorde M ccccc ix was crouned at Westminster in the feast of the natiuite of saâ—net Ihon Baptist then nexte folowyng Aboute the midle of the moneth of Iuyn the 〈…〉 nges highnes was maried and the .xxi. daie of thesame moneth he came froÌ„ Grenewiche by land so roade through Graschurch strete to the towre with whom came many noblemen and gentlemen well apareled but specially the duke of BuckynghamÌ„ whiche roade in a goune of goldsmythes woorke a thyng of greate richesse and so the kyng â—ested there from Thursdaie till Saterdaie in the whiche season he created certain knightes of the Bathe And vpon Saturdaie aboute foure of the clocke at after noone the kyng came ridyng through cornehill in moste honourable wise before whom roade thesaid knightes of the Bathe in blewe loÌ„g gounes with hoodes vpoÌ„ their shoulders spreade after the maner of masters of arte and tasselles of white and blewe silke fastened vpon one of their shouldres The duke of BuckynghamÌ„ roade next before the kyng except the mayre of London certain sergeauntes and herauldes The whiche duke roade in a long goune of nedle woorke right costly and riche bare a litle white staffe of siluer in his hand in signe and token that he was high and chief steward of the feast of coronacion And thesaid duke had aboute his necke a broade and flat close chein of a newe deuise not before vsed fret with precious great rubies and other stones of greate value And ouer the kyng was borne a riche canapie by the foure barones of the foure portes and there folowed seuen foloers wherof the first was trapped in the armes of sainct Edwarde the second in the armes of sainct Edmond the third in the armes of S. George the fourth in the armes of EnglaÌ„d the fifth in the armes of FrauÌ„ce the sixth the. vii in sondry trappors of riche cloth of gold with costely deuices After the foloers came a gentlemaÌ„ ledyng a spare horsse moste richely garnisshed And after hym sir Thomas Brandon then maister of the kynges horsse right well goodly apointed and well horssed and richely trapped the whiche horsse with the apparell was to the kyng belongyng And when the coÌ„paignie was thus with all honoure passed ymediatly ensued a goodly compaignie of gentlemen well apointed And after theim came the quene sittyng in a horsse litter alone clothed in a riche mantell of tissue in her heare with a circulet of silke golde and perle aboute her head But wheÌ„ her grace was a litle passed
ioye and triumphant actes to the principall laude of this our moste excellent and christen prince and after to the worship of all the other aswell chalengeours as defendoures and greate comforte of all the beholders ended these moste excellyng iustes that euer was before that daie seen in Englande and that for twoo causes specially as first the present deede of the excellencie of the kynges personne whiche neuer before that daie as I thynke was seen in propre personne And secondarely for the excedyng coste of apparell whiche these twoo daies was shewed with other manifolde charges of pageauntes and other sumpteous thynges the whiche by wise mennes estimations coste not so litle by the space of these two dayes as .xx. M. â—i Whiche two marciall dayes were accomplyshed by the actes of these foure chalengeours the is to saye The moste redoubted prince Henry the eyght of that name kyng of Englande Fraunce IrelaÌ„d c. Syr Thomas Kneuet lord WyllyaÌ„ of Deuonshire and master Edward Neuell And of the defendours there were .x. in nombre whose names came not al into my handes and therfore haue I omytted theim After these royall iustes was made a solempne and sumpteous banket the order of whiche I ouerpasse because it would bee to long to reherce The .xxiii. daye of Februarij nexte foloyng dyed at Richemounte Henrye the kynges soonne which was borne there vpon newe yeres day last past as before is shortelye touched In the thirde yere of his reigne aboute the monethes of Iune and Iulij the Scottes made sondrie entres vpon the borders of England and had out certain shippes wel manned and vitayled and kepte with theim the narowe sees to the great displeasure of the kynges grace and hurte of some of his subiectes specially of his merchauntes the whiche rouers were named to be bannyshed men But the kynges highnes consyderyng the daylye hurte that thei did vnto his subiectes and frendes as takyng of vitaile at Sandwich other places vpoÌ„ the see coastes and that no remedye was purueyed by the kyng of Scottes to call theim home His grace in all goodly haste manned and vitayled certain shippes and vnder the gouernaunce of the lorde Hawarde as hed and chief capitain sente the saide shippes to scoure the see the whiche in shorte processe after aboute th ende of Iulij mette with the saide Scottes and gaue vnto theim a sharpe and fearce fight in so much that in th ende thenglyshe menne drowned one of the Scottishe shippes and tooke two of the chiefest shippes of that â—lote and in theim one hundreth and fourtie Scottes with their hedde capitayne named Hob of Barton The whiche Scottes with theyr sayd capitayne were caste into sondrye prysonnes and as the fame wente in the foresayde fighte was slayne as many of the saide Scottes as were taken prysoners and of thenglyshe menne fewe or none And vpon the seconde daye of August wer the forsayde two Scottishe shippes brought vnto the blacke walle within Thamys But afterward the saide Scottes were by the kynges commaundement brought vnto tharchbyshoppes palays besyde Westmynster and there kepte at the kynges coste Aboute this season or lytle before the Frenche kyng that had moste parte of this yere kept warre again Iulius the secound of that name byshop of Rome forced thesaid bishop to forsake the cytie of Bonony to fle for his safegarde toward Rome not withoute losse of some of his people This bishoppe had deputed one Iherome Bonuise a Lukener borne and before tyme had bene a merchauÌ„t and factoure for merchauntes of his nacion in London the whiche by his insolencie and exercysyng of dice wyth lordes and other he brake and came so behynde the hande that he was compelled to aduoyde the citie also the realme In the tyme of whiche absence he purchased suche grace of the fornamed bishop that he made hym a lorde after sent hym into this laÌ„de as his proctour hauyng a trayne after hym lyke vnto a byshop by the â—auourable letters whyche the byshoppe wrote for hym vnto the kyng his grace had hym in good fauoure and dayly resorted vnto his grace for mattiers touchyng the bishoppe by meane wherof he had knowledge of the bishops councell and also of the kynges In this tyme also were here certeyne ambassadours of the Frenche kynges the whiche lay here a long ceason for matters concernyng their prince to whom this forenamed Iherome secretly drewe by nyght tyme and innaturally and falsely dyscouered vnto theim all the byshoppes and kynges councell For the whiche he was awaited and lastly takeÌ„ in the companie of one of the sayd Ambassadours vpon LondoÌ„ wall about mydnyght and so brought vnto the counter of the pultrye frome whence by the kynges coÌ„maundement on the morowe he was remoued vnto the Towre where he remayned styll as a prysoner In this time also was wonderfull warre betwene the byshop of Rome Iulius the seconde of that name and the French kyng in so muche that he wanne from the sayd B. the citee of Bonony put the B. to flight layed such articles agayne hym that he enteÌ„ded to put him downe make another bishop the circuÌ„staunce wherof I passe ouer coÌ„syderyng the manyfolde tales and writynges sente vnto the merchauÌ„t straungers of thesame in the which letters were variable and diuerse reportes In the later ende of this yere the Scottes before taken by the knyghtly prowes of the lord Hawarde and syr Edward his brother were delyuered fre and franke to whome the kyng of his bouÌ„teous largesse gaue vnto euery of theim competeÌ„t sommes of money to coÌ„ueigh theim home to their owne countrey In this yere also was holden a parlyament at Westmynster the .iiii. daye of Februariâ— wherein were made and ordeined dyuerse statutes and ordynaunces Duryng the whiche parlyament a seruaunt of the kynges yomanne of the croune and one of his garde named Newbolt slewe within that palayce of Westmynster a seruaunt of one master Willoughby in the begynnyng of the moneth of Marche For the which offence notwithstandyng that the kyng had hym in his synguler fauour for that he was a speciall archer of all other yet for ytâ—eynous and detestable murder the kynges grace comaunded a newe payre of galoes to be set vp in thesame place wher the said seruaunt left his life and vpon thesame shortlye after was there put to death and to the feare of other suffred hym to haÌ„ge there by the space of two dayes two nightes afâ—â—r for whiche iudgement the kyng wanne greate honoure and fauoure of his commons By the autoryte of this parlyament was graunted vnto the kyng two fyftenes of the temporaltee and by the conuocacion holden by the clergye two dismes VpoÌ„ good friday which this this yere fell vpon the .ix. daye of April was a cruell and sterne battaile betwene the bishoppe of Romes hoste the Frenche kynges partie which continued from the saied fridaye by sondry encouÌ„tres and metinges by occasyon wherof much
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
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
Sir Robert then my mayster Vmfreuyle At Redeswyres withoute excusacyon With Richarde Rotherforde fought that whyle And toke the stewarde as I can compyle And Iames Douglas with the lorde Seton And prisoners many for to geue raunson ¶ Two hundreth men vpon that felde were slayne Thre hundreth fled some hole some maymed sore That dyed at home with sorowe and with payne Some died homeward the home they came nomore Where so he fought vnto his men right thore A mery worde he wòlde saye or they met To glad theyr hartes enemyes to ouerset ¶ The .ii. yere of his reygne then he went In haruest tyme so into Scotlande And Edenburgh with the countre brente In whiche tyme the Scottes brent our lande All Bamburgh shyre in Northumberlande For both wardeyns with the kyng were gone No wardeyne there but husbandes by their owne The CC .i. Chapiter ¶ Howe Owen of Glendoure rose in Wales againe the king and made warre on the lorde Gray Ruthin and toke the lorde Graye and syr Edmonde Mortymer THe king came home and to London went At Michelmasse wher thē he had message That Owen Glendoure then felly blent In Englande sore and did full great damage For cause the lorde Graye helde his herytage And to the kyng of it full sore had playned No remedye gate so was he then demeaned ¶ The lorde Gray Ruthin did hym great wrong Destroyed his lande and he did hym the same So both Marches destroyed were full longe But Owen wanne him selfe eche day great name Of vasselrie of gentyls and of fame That he them did for whiche to him they drewe And became his men to him were full trewe ¶ So on a daye the lorde Graye and he met With great power vpon eyther syde Where then they faught in batayle sore bet And toke hym then his prysoner that tyde And there the felde he had with mikyll pryde Greate people toke and slewe home he went The lorde Graye he raunsomed at his entent ¶ Syr Edmonde then Mortimer warred sore Vpon Owen and dyd hym mekyll tene But at laste Owen laye hym before Where in batell they faught as well was sene Where Owen toke him prisoner as then ful kene With mekell folke on eyther syde slayne And set Edmonde in prysone and great payne ¶ He wrote vnto the kyng for great socoure For he had made with Owen his fynaunce To whom that kyng wolde graunt then no fauoure Ne nought he wolde thē make him cheuesaunce For to comforte his foes disobeysaunce Wherfore he laye in feters and sore prysone For none payment of his greate raunsone The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ The Earle of Northumberlande his sonne Henry Percy stroke the batayle of Hamildon with the Scottes toke syxe Earles and discomfyte .xl. thousande Scottes IN the .iii. yere Th erle of Fyffe Murrey Of Athell and Angos Douglas also And of Menteth with barons fell that daye The nomber was .xl. thousande and mo Had brent the lande by south Northward tho To Homildon where on holy rode daye The earle them met in good stronge araye ¶ His sonne also Henry Percy was there George of Dunbar was in theyr company And with the Scottes that daye fought full sere Discomfyted them and had the victorye Six earles taken and .xl. thousande playnly Some fled some died some maimed there for euer That to Scotlande agayne came they neuer ¶ The kyng Henry thryce to wales went In the haye tyme and haruest dyuers yere In euery tyme were mystes and tempestes sent Of wethers foule that he had neuer power Glendour to noye but euer his caryage clere Owen had at certayne straites and passage And to our hoste dyd full greate damage ¶ The king had neuer but tempest foule raine As longe as he was ay in Wales grounde Rockes mystes windes stormes euer certaine All men trowed that witches it made that stounde The cōmens all then of all Englande grounde Warred his gate to Wales euery yere For haye and corne were loste both two in fere Whiche made greate derth of catell morayne And euen ay in hylles and in mountaynes Kepte him ful strong that king ay wrought in vaine The king might not but euer more held that pleines And waste his owne lord shippes his demaines And full great parte Owen had and occupyed By processe so in Wales and victoryed ¶ Th erle Henry then of Northumberland Brought to the kyng his owne prisoner Th erle of Fyffe was then I vnderstand Heire vnto the duke of Albany clere Regent that was of Scotland without pere But sir Henry his soonne then would not bryng His prisoners in no wise to the kyng ¶ But the kyng he prayed for Mortimer That raunsomed might he been with his frendes so He saied hym nay for he was taken prisoner By his consent and treson to his foo Whom he would not comfort for to ouergoo The prince his landes ne his owne to destroye For ay he had greate trust that he should hym noye ¶ The kyng hym blamed for he toke not Owen When he came to hym on his assuraunce And he aunswered then to the kyng again He might not so kepe his affiaunce To shame hym self with suche a variaunce The kyng blamed hym for his prisoner Th erle Douglas for cause he was not there ¶ And saied he should hym fette but he hym sēde Sir Henry sawe no grace for Mortimer His wifes brother he went awaye vnkende To Berwyk so and after came no nere Afore thei mette at Shrowesbury in fere Wher then thei faught for cause of his entent He purposed had Mortimer his coronoment ¶ The lordes all of England had hym hight And Owayn also on seuerne hym to mete Except therle of Stafford young to fight By their letters vnder their seales mete But in the poinct thei brake all their behete And he was slain and all the cause conselid Why he the feld tooke and the kyng appelid The CC .iii. Chapiter ¶ Howe for therle of Marche his right sir Henry Percy and sir Thomas Percy his vncle erle of Worcester faught with the kyng and were slain at the battaill of Shrewesbury wher all the lordes deceiued them the yere of Christ a thousand foure hundred and thre and of his reigne the fourth yere that were bounde to theim by their seales except therle of Stafford whiche letters I sawe in the castell of Werkeworth when I was constable of it vnder my lord sir Robert Vmfre uile who had that castell of kyng Henry his gift by forfeture of therle of Northumberland ON Madleyn euen was on the Saterdaye After long trete the prince began to fight The yere of Christ a thousād was no nay Foure hundred also and three therto full right When the battaill was streken of mikell might And of the kyng then was the fourth yere Of his reigne accompted well and clere ¶ His vncle dere was with hym there dedde His father came not out of
I was aboute to saye taken aswell as before God I mente it coulde deserue but thanke and yet taken as I wene it would myghte happen to turne me to lytle good and you to lesse Then longed the duke muche more to were what it was wherupon the byshop saied In good faith my lord as for the late protectoure â—ith he is now kyng in possessyon I purpose not to dispute his title but for the welthe of this realme whereof his grace hathe nowe the gouernaunce and wherof I my selfe am a poore membre I was aboute to wysh that to those good habilitees wherof he hath already righte many litle nedyng my prayse yet mighte it haue pleased God for the better store to haue geuen hym some of suche other excellent vertues mete for the rule of the realme as oure Lord hath planted in the persone of your grace there lefte of againe Of whiche woordes the duke perceauyng that the byshop bare vnto hym his good hearte and fauoure mystrusted not to entre more plaine coÌ„municacion with hym so farre that at the laste the byshoppe declared hym selfe to bee one of theim that would gladly helpe that Richard who then vsurped the croune mighte bee deposed if he had knowen howe it myghte conuenientely bee broughte to passe the suche a persone as had true title of inheritaunce vnto the same might bee restored therunto Vpon this the saied duke knowing the bishoppe to bee a manne of prudence and fidelitee opened to hym all his whole hart and entent saying my lorde I haue deuised the waye howe the bloodde both of kyng Edward and of kyng Henry the syxte that is lefte beyng coupled by maryage and affinitee maye bee restored vnto the croune being by iuste and true title due vnto theim both for kyng Richard he called not the brother of kyng Edwarde the fourth but his enemye and mortall fooe The waye that the Duke had deuysed was this that they shoulde with all spede and celerytee fynde meanes to sende for Henry earle of Rich mounte whome the rumoure wente immediatlye vpon knowledge of kynge Edwardes deathe to haue bene deliuered oute of prysone with Fraunces Duke of Brytaine the same Henry to helpe with all their power and strength so that the saied Henry woulde fyrste by his feithfull othe promise that ymmediatly vpon obteigning the croune he woulde mary and take to wyfe Elyzabeth the elder doughter of Edward the fourth The byshop of Ely ryghte well alowed bothe the deuyce and purpose of the duke and also the maner and waye howe the matter shoulde bee broughte to effecte and founde meanes that Reynold Breye seruauÌ„r with Margarete mother of the saied Henry then maried to Thomas Stanley came to the duke in to Wales and the dukes mynde throughlye perceaued and knowen with greate spede retourned to the saied Margarete aduertisyng the same of all thinges which betwene the duke and hym concerning aswell the coÌ„mon weale of the realme as also the aduauncemente of her and her bloodde had been debated Nowe it came so to passe that the duke of Buckyngham and the ladye Margaret mother to the saied Henrye had bene in communicacyon of the same matter before and that the saied lady Margarete had deuised the same meane and waye for the deposycion of kynge Rycharde and bringyng in of Henry her sonne the whiche the Duke nowe brake vnto the byshop of Ely wherupon theâ—e rested no more forasmuche as she perceaued the duke nowe willyng to prosecute and further the sayed deuice but that she should fynde the meanes that this matter myghte bee broken vnto Quene Elizabeth the wyfe of kyng Edwade the fourthe then beynge in the Sanctuarye And hereupon she caused one Lewes that was her physicyan in his owne name and as thoughe it came of hym selfe to breake this matter vnto the quene saying that yf she would consent and agree therunto a meane might bee founde howe to restore agayne the blood of kyng Edwarde and kyng Henrye the syxte vnto the croune and to bee aduenged of kynge Rycharde for the murther of kyng Edwardes chyldren and then declared that there was beyonde that see Henry Earle of Richemounte whiche was of the blood of Henry the sixte whome yf she woulde be content that he marye Elizabeth her eldest doughter there shoulde of his syde bee made righte many frendes and she for her parte myghte helpe in lyke maner wherby no doubte it shoulde come to passe that he shoulde possesse the croune by moost rightfull inheritaunce Whiche matter when she heard it it liked her excedingly well in so much as she counceled the saied phisicyan to breake the same vnto his maistresse the ladye Margaret knowe her mynde therein promisyng vpon her woorde that she would make all the frendes of kyng Edwarde to take parte with the sayed Henrye yf he woulde be sworne that when he came to the possessyon of the croune he woulde immediately take in maryage Elyzabeth her eldest doughter or elles yf she lyued not that tyme that then he would take Cicile her yongest doughter Whereupon the sayde Lewes retourned vnto the ladye Margarete hys maystresse declarynge vnto her the whole mynd and entent of the quene So that theÌ„ it was shortly agreed betwene these two wemen that wyth al spede thys matter shold be set forwarde in so much that the lady Margarete brake thys matter vnto Reynolde Bray wyllynge hym to moue and set forwarde the same with all suche as he shoulde perceaue eyther hable to doo good or wyllynge thereunto Then had the quene deuysed that one Chrystopher whome the foresayde Lewes the Physicyan had promoted into her seruyce shoulde bee sente into Brytayne to Henrye to geue hym knowledge of theyr myndes here and that he shoulde prepare and apoynt hym selfe redye and to come into Wales where he shoulde fynde ayde and helpe ynonghe readye to receaue hym But then shortly after yt came vnto her knowledge that the Duke of Buckingham had of himselfe afore entended the same matter whereupon she thoughte yt should be mete to sende some messenger of more reputacyon and credyte then was thys Chrystopher and so kepte hym at home and then sente Hughe Conewaye wyth a greate some of monye wyllynge hym to declare vnto Henrye all thynges and that he should hast hym to come and to lande in Wales as is aforesayde And after hym one Rycharde Guilforde oute of Kente sente one Thomas Ramey wyth the same message the whyche two messengers came in maner bothe at one tyme into Brytayn to the Earle Henrye and declared vnto hym all theyr commyssioÌ„s The whiche message when Henry had perceaued and throughly heard it reioysed his harte and he gaue thankes vnto God fully purposyng with al conuenyente spede to take his iourney towardes England desiryng the aide and helpe of the duke of Brytayne with promise of thanckfull recompence when God should sende hym to come to his ryghte The duke of Britayne notwithstanding that he had not longe after
Thomas Hutton newely retourned oute of Britein of whom afore is mencioned that Fraunces duke of Brytain would not onelye holde Henry Erle of Rychmount in prisone for his sake but also was readie to helpe thesame Henry with menne money and shippes in all that he might against hym he sette dyuerse and sondry shippes in places conuenyent by all the seacostes to Brytain ward that if Henry should come that waye he might either bee taken before his arriuall or els might bee kept froÌ„ landyng in any coaste of England And furthermore in euerie coaste and corner of the realme laied wondrefull wayte and watche to take partely any other of his enemies and specially thesaid duke of BuckynghmÌ„ Wherupon thesaid Homffrey Banaster were it for mede or for losyng his life and goodes disclosed hym vnto the kynges inquysyâ—ours who ymediatly tooke hym and foorthwith all brought hym to Salisbury where kyng Rychard was The duke beyng dylygently examined vttred without any maner refusall or styckyng all suche thynges as he knewe trustyng that for his plain confession he should haue lybertee to speake with the kyng whiche he made moste instauÌ„t and humble peticion that he might dooe But assone as he had coÌ„fessed his offence towardes kyng Rychard he was oute of hande behedded And this death the duke receaued at the handes of kyng Rychard whom he had before holpen in his affayrs and purposes beyonde all Gods forbode Whyle these thynges wer in hand in England Henry Erle of Richmount made readye his hoste and strength to the nombre of fiue thousand Brytones and fiftene shippes the daye apoynted of his departure beyng nowe come whiche was the twelfe daye of the moneth of Octobre in the yere of our lorde God a thousand foure hundred .lxxxiiii. and the seconde yere of the reigne of kyng Richard and hauyng a fayre wynde hoysed vp the sayles setforwarde but towarde the night came suche a tempest that thei were dispersed one from another some into Britain and some into Normandy But the ship in whiche Henry was with one other ship tossed all the night with the waues of the sea and tempest when the mornyng came it waxed somewhat calme and faire weder and thei were come toward the South parte of England by a hauen or porte called Poole where thesaid Henry sawe all the shores or bankes sette full of harnessedmen whiche were souldyours apoynted there to wayte by kyng Rychard as we haue saied before for the comyng landyng of the erle While Henry there abode he gaue commaundement that no manne should land before that comyng of the other shippes And in the meane tyme that he wayted for theim he sent a litle bote with a fewe in it a laÌ„d to knowe what thei were that stoode on the shore his freÌ„des or enemies To whom those souldyours beeyng before taught what thei should saie aunswered that thei were the frendes of Henry and were appoynted by the duke of BuckynghmÌ„ there to abide his commyng and to conducte hym to those castelles and holdes where his tentes pauylyons and arâ—â—llary for the warre laie and where remayned for hym a greate power that entended nowe with all spede to set vpon kyng Rychard while he was nowe sleâ— for feare and cleane without prouision and therfore besought hym to come alande Henry suspectyng this to bee but fraude after that he saw none of his shippes apered hoysed vp the satles hauyng a meruelous good wynde euen apoynted hym of God to delyuer hym from that great ieopardy and sayled backe agayn into Nor mandy And after his landyng there he and his compaignie after their laboures arested theim for the space of .iii. dayes determynyng to go from thence afoote into Brytayne in the meane while sent messengers vnto Charles the Frenche kynge the sonne of Lewes that a lytle before departed be sechyng hym of lybertee and lycence to passe thorough NormaÌ„dy into Brytayn The young kyng Charles beeyng sory for his fortune was not onlye ready and well pleased to graunt his passage but also sent hym moneye to helpe hym foorthe in his iourneye But Henry before that he knewe the kynges mynde not doubtyng of his great humanytee and gentlenes had sent awaye his shippes towardes Britayne and had set hym selfe forwardes in his iourneye but made no greate haste tyll the messengers retourned whiche greate gentlenes when he receaued from the kyng reioysed his hearte and with a lustye stomacke and good hope set forwarde into Brytayne there to take ferther counsayle of his affayres And when he was in Brytayn he receaued froÌ„ his frendes out of Englande knowledge that the duke of Buckyngham was behedded and that the Marques of Dorcestre with a greate nombre of the noble men of Englande had bene there a lytle before to seke hym and that they wer now in Veneti a cytie in Brytayne The whiche thynges beynge knowen to the erle he on the one parte did greately lament the death and euel chaunce of his chiefe and princypall frende but yet on the other parte he greatlye reioysed in that he had so many noble menne to take his parte in the battayll And therfore conceauynge a good hope and opinion that his purpose shoulde well frame and come to passe determyned with hym selfe with all expedycion to set foorth warde and therupon wente to a place in Brytayn called Rhedon and from thence sent to the Marques with all the other noble men that they should come vnto hym Then when they hearde that Henrye was safe returned into Brytayne reioysed not a lytle for thei had thought he had landed in Englande and so fallen into the handes of kyng Richarde and they made not a lytle haste tyll they wer come vnto hym The whiche when they met after greatloye and gladnesse aswell of their parte as of his they began to talke of their prepensed matters and nowe was Christmasse come on the whiche daye they altogether assembled in the churche and there sware fayth and truthe one to another And Henry sware first promysyng that assone as he should possesse the croune of England that he woulde marye Elyzabeth the doughter of Edward the .iiii. and after warde they sware feaultie homage vnto hym eueÌ„ as though he had already bene kyng and so from that tyme foorthe dyd take hym promysyng hym that thei would spende bothe their lyfes and goodes with hym that Richard should no leÌ„ger reigne ouer theim When this was dooen Henry declared all these thynges to the duke of Britayne praiynge desyryng hym nowe of helpe and that he woulde ayde hym with a greater nombre of menne also to lende hym a frendly honest somme of moneye that he might nowe recouer his right and enheritaunce of the croune of England vnto that which he was called desyred by al the lordes nobilitee of the realme whiche God wyllyng he was moste assured to possesse and after his possessioÌ„ he would moste faythfully restore the same again The duke
deuyse geuing thankes to God with solempne procession for that he had sent theim a king to gouerne the realme which before was ruled by a cruel hateful TiraÌ„t After this gratulacion and thank esgeuing the kyng at a daye appointed assembled his counsail to the ende he mighte marie the Ladie Elizabeth thorowe the which mariage aswell the nobilitee as coÌ„munes of the realme wer brought in good hope that all thinges should bee redressed an end made of all sedicion and strife for euer And at this Parliament holden kept at WestmiÌ„ster he was created kyng the day of October in the yere of oure Lorde a. M. foure C .lxxxvi. Whiche kyngdome he enioyed as of god enointed for as menne dooâ— reporte aboute seuen hundreth foure score and seuentene yeres paste Cadwallader laste Kynge of Englande prophecied that his progenye shoulde beare rule and dominion again So that by this meanes men did fully perswade theim selfes that he was pÌ„â—estinate to it And the rather also they did beleue it because that kyng Henry the sixte did foresaye the same and in like maner prophecy of hym Therfore he being thus proclaimed as true enheretour of the crowne and at the same Parliament created kyng did first cause to bee published that all suche should bee pardoned that would submit theim selfes to his grace as faithful people doo to hym due allegiaunce other that absented theim selfes to bee takeÌ„ as rebelles traitours After the whiche proclamacion hard many the were in holde and sanctuaries came for pardoÌ„ and safetie of life to him which persones so submitting theim selfes â—er pardoned enhaunced to honoure euery man after his owne deserte as the kyng his counsaile thought best And first considering his chiefe frendes and nyghe kinsemen made Gaspar his vncle Duke of Bedforde sir Thomas Stanley knight Earle of Derby Giles Dabeney sir Robert Willoughby and Robert Brooke Lordes Edward his eldest sonne duke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholy to all that king Richard had depriued hym of at what tyme he with other wer banished Also actes statutes stablished confirmed by Richard as thought expedient and veray necessary at that time for the publike weale wer by hym aboundoned infringed euery one After these thinges doen he prouided with all scelerite and expedicion to redeme the Lorde Marques Dorcet Iohn Burscher whome he had lefte at Paris as a pledge suertie for certaine money that he had borowed there and Iohn bishop of Ely for like det out of Flaunders Furthermore to the ende the his realme might bee in a better staye he coÌ„maunded that if any maÌ„ had iniury shewed at any tyme the same persone shoulde putte vp his matter to hym of whome he should both haue and finde redresse And for these matters and causes to bee hearde he made of his councell the Erle of Oxford the duke of Bedford therle of Derby the Lorde Strange w e his sonne and william the lorde his brother chief of the priuie chaumber the lorde Broke chief steward and lord graund maister of his house Renould Braye Iohn Morton Byshoppe of Ely Richarde Foxe Iohn Dinham whome after he made treasourer of Englande Giles Dabeney Richarde Gildeforde Lorde Cheiny Richarde Tunstall Richard Edgecombe Thomas Louell Edwarde Poninges with other wise men as Richard ap Thomas a Welsheman aswell circumspecte as wise Morgane Kidnel Lord Gray Marques Dorcet Lord Talbot Erle of Shrewesbury Iohn Risley lord Thomas Earle of Ormonde an Irisheman Henry Warney William Say William Ody Gilbert Talbot Willyam Vdall Thomas Troys Richarde Naufaute Capitaine of Calis Roberte Point Iames Hubert Charles Somerset Thomas Hawarde Earle of Surrey a manne of wisdome grauitee and constantnesse most coÌ„mendable The earle of Essex descending of an high and noble parentage Lorde William Blounte Iohn Burscher Iohn Fineux Peter Edgecombe Hew Conuey Thomas Terell Sir Henry Wiat Robert Throgmorton Thomas Brandon sir Iohn Winkefelde sir Edmond Dudley Edward Belknape Richarde Hemson Also bishoppes Henry Deney bishoppe of Cauntourbury Oliuer kyng byshoppe of Bathe and Welles William BaroÌ„s bishop of London that dyed shortely after he was bishoppe Also William that succeded nexte after Henry Archebyshop of Cauntourbury Richarde of London and Richarde Bishop of Norwiche When the kyng had taken these menne to bee of his councell for the wealth of his realme he maried Ladye Elizabeth doughter to kyng Edward as he had promised for the which he had the heartes of many menne So that afterwarde he had no nede to feare the assaultes of any persones or the coniuracions of rebelles Neuerthelesse considering the chaunce he had before and the falshode the is in many menne from their youth made yomen of the garde for his bodye the whiche he firste of all Englyshe Kynges caused to bee and as it is thought he did take it of the Frenche kyng Also after this he caused a parliament to bee had wher in was made and decreed certayne lawes actes statutes for the wealthe of his realme In this yere a newe sickenesse did reigne and is so sore and painfull as neuer was suffered before the whiche was called the burning sweate And this was so intollerable that men coulde not kepe their beddes but as lunatike persons oute of their wittes ranne about naked so that none almoste escaped the wer infected therwith At the length after the great death of many a thousande menne they learned a presente remedye for the same dysease that is yf he were sycke of that sweate in the daye that he should streyghtelye downe with his clothes and vestures yf in the nighte that he should not rise for the space of .xxiiii. houres and eate no meate at all yf he coulde forbeare and drinke as litle as he mighte This disease reigned throughout all England wherof also ensued a plague as a token and as the people iudged a plaine argument that kyng Henrye shoulde neuer bee oute of feare and dreade of some mischaunce seing that he was in suche great vexacyon at the sedicyous tumulte that was rysen al the claimynge of the crowne WheÌ„ all thynges wer apeaced in London and ordered after his owne mynd he rode Northward in progresse to pacifie all his realme and especially those partes where the firste commocion was and where also wer priuie and cloked frendes of his aduersaries But because it was nigh Easter he tooke his waye to Lincolne and there tariyng was certified that the Lorde Louell and Humfre Stafforde were gone from the sanctuary in Colchester but to what place or whether no maÌ„ could tell whiche message the kyng litle regardyng weÌ„t foorth as he apointed to Yorke and when he came there it was shewed hym that the lorde Louell was at hand with a strong power of menne and woulde inuade the cytie also that the said lorde Stafforde and his brother wer in Glocestre and there had made an insurreccion and set menne on euery parte to defende the gates and walles of the citie At the