nere vnto a moore called Cole moore The whych was long and sore foughten by the Saxons by reason that the sayde moore closyd a parte of theyr hoste so strongly that the Brytons myght not winne vnto them for dauÌ„ger of theyr shot All be yt that fynally they were chasyd and many of theÌ„ of coÌ„straynt drowned and swalowed in the sayde moore And ouer and besyde these foure pryncypall bataylles Uortimerus had wyth the Saxons dyuers other conflictes as in Kent at Thetfoord in Northfolke and in Essex nere vnto Colchestre lefte not tyll he had byrafte from them the more parte of such possessyons as before tyme they had wonne and kepte them onely to the yle of Thanet the whych Uortymer ofteÌ„ greuyd by such nauy as he then hadde when that Ronowen doughter of Hengiste apperceyued the great myschyâ—f that her fader and the SaxoÌ„s were in by the mraciall knyghthode of Uortymer she sought suche meanes that shortly after as testyfyeth Gaufryde and other Uortimer was poysoned when he had ruled the Britons after moste concorde of wryters seuen yeres THE LXXXIX CHAPITER UOrtigernus fader of Uortymerus last dede was agayn restoryd to the kyngdome of myche Brytayne in the yere of oure lordes incarnacyon foure huÌ„dred .lxxi and the .xi. yere of Childericus then kyng of Fraunce the whyche all the tyme of the reygne of his sonne Uortimer had restyd hym in the couÌ„tre of Cambria or walys where in this passe tyme after some writers he buyldyd a stroÌ„ge castel in a place called GeneronÌ„ or Gwayneren in the west syde of walys nere vnto the riuer of Gwana in an hyll or vpon an hyll called Cloarcius But the olde cronycle before spoken of sayth y â— this Uortiger was kept somwhat vnder rule of certayne tutours to hym assygned in y e towne of Caerlegion or Chester and demeaned hym so well towarde hys sonne in aydynge of hym wyth hys counsayll and otherwyse that the Brytons for it cast to hym such a fauoure that they after the deth of Uortimer made hym agayne kynge It was not longe after that Uortiger was thus set in authoryte but that Hengistê° percyd this land with a great multytude of Saxons wherof herynge Uortyger in all haste assembled his Brytons and made towarde them And when Hengistus hadde experyence of the great hoste of Brytons he then ordeyned meanes of treaty and peas where lastly yt was concluded that a certayne noÌ„ber of Brytons and as many of Saxons shuld vpon a Maye day assemble vppon the playne of Ambrii now called Salesbury whyche daye certaynly prefyxyd Hengistus vsynge a new maner of treason chargyd all his Saxons by him appoynted that eche of them shulde putte secretely a longe knyfe in theyr hose at suche season as he gaue to theÌ„ this watche or by worde Nempnyth your sexis that eueryche of them shulde drawe hys knyfe and slee a Bryton not sparynge any one except Uortiger y e kyng And at y e day before appointed the kynge wyth a certayne of Brytons not ware of this purposed treason came in peasyble wyse to y e place before assygned where he fande redy Hengistus wyth hys Saxons The whyche after due obeysaunce made vnto the kynge receyued hym with a couÌ„tenauÌ„ce of all loue where after a tyme of coÌ„munycacyon had Hengiste beynge mynded to execute his former purposed treason shewed his watche word By reason wherof anon the Brytons were slayne as shepe amonge woluys hauynge no maner of wepyn to defeÌ„de them self excepte y t any of them myght by his manhode and strength get the knyfe of his enymye Amonge the nomber of these Brytons was an Erle called Edoll or Edolf erle of Caerlegion or Chestre y e whych seynge his felowes and frendes thus murdered as affermeth myne authoure Gaufryde and other he by his manhode wanne a stake in the hedge or ellys where wyth the whyche he knyghtly sauyd his owne lyfe and slewe of the Saxons .xvii and fledde to the cytye or towne of Ambry nowe named Salysburye After whyche treason thus executyd the kynge remayned wyth Hengistus as prysoner Of the takynge of Uortyger and sleynge of the lordes of Brytayne an authoure called Guillelmus de regibus sayth that Hengistê° agreed wyth Uortyger and hys Brytons and that he shulde enioye the castell by hym before made wyth a certayn of lande therunto adioynynge for hym and his SaxoÌ„s to dwell vpon And when the sayde agrement was suerly stablyshed this Hengiste entendynge treason desyred the kynge wyth a certayn nomber of his lordes to come to hym to dyner wythin his sayde castell The whych of y e kynge was graunted And at the daye assygned the kyng with his lordes came to the sayde Thongcastell to dyner where he wyth his was well and honourably receyued and also deyntely serued But when the kynge his lordes were in theyr moste myrth this Hengiste had commaunded before y t his owne knyghtes shuld falle at varyauÌ„ce among theÌ„ selfe whych so done the remenaunt of his Saxons as yt were in partynge of frayes shulde fall vppon the Britons slee theym all oute take onely the kynge The whyche was done lyke as ye haue before harde deuysed and the kynge was holden as prysoner THE XC CHAPITER HEngistus then hauynge the kynge as prysoner a great parte of the rulers of Britayne thus as before is sayd subdued was some deale exalted in pryde and compellyd the kynge to gyue vnto hym as wytnessyth Policronica thre prouynces in the eest parte of Brytayne whych thre prouynces shuld be KeÌ„t Southsaxon or Sussex and Eestanglys whych is to meane Norff. and Suff. as affermeth the authoure of the floure of hystoryes But Guydo de columna sayth that the foresayde thre prouynces was Kent Eestsaxon or Essex and Eestanglys which is Norff. and Suff. Of the whyche sayde prouynces when Hengist was possessyd he suffred the kynge to go at his lybertye And then Hengiste beganne his lordshyppe ouer the prouynce of Kent and sent other of his SaxoÌ„s to beweld the other two prouynces that is to saye Eestanglys and Eestsaxons tyll he hadde sente for other of his kynnesmen y t he enteÌ„dyd to gyue the sayd ê“uynces vnto The kyngdome of Kent here begynnyth THE XCI CHAPITER THus Hengistus beynge in the possessyon of this prouynce of Kent comaunded hys Saxons to call yt Hengistus lande wherof as some authours meane the hole lande of Brytayn toke his fyrst name of Englande But that sayeng shall appere coÌ„trary as shal be shewed hereafter in the storye of Egbert kynge of westsaxons The whych after he had subdued y e more parte of the kyngedomes of SaxoÌ„s made of all but one monarchye he then coÌ„maundyd this lande to be called Anglia his Saxons Anglys whych after by corrupcyon of speche was called Englande and the people Englyshemen This lordshyppe or kyngedome of Kent had his begynnyng vnder Hengiste in the yere of oure lorde after moste concordaunce of wryters and by reason of y e time
coÌ„forted enforced y t Britons wyth so sharpe fyght that they were compelled to forsake the felde and toke theym to flyght whom the Frenchemen chasyd and slewe wythout mercy In the whyche chase Cramyris wyth hys wyfe and chyldern were taken and presentyd vnto Lotharius The whyche shortly after settynge a parte all faderly loue compassion and pytye causyd a great fyre to be made into the whyche he commaunded to be caste the sayde Cramyris with also hys wyfe and chyldern Or as wytnessyth the frenche cronycle they were all enclosyd in a house and the house and they to gether consumyd wyth fyre Thus the moste cruell father without pyte chastysyd y e inobedyent son to the example and lernyng of other to bere dewe obedyeÌ„ce vnto theyr parentes After this vyctory and cruell chastysement executed by Lothariê° he retourned into Fraunce And so to the sepulcre or shryne of saynte Martyne yeldynge to god and hym thankes of thys vyctorye and offeryd there many ryche gyftes And after spedde hym to Soisons where he as kynge of all Fraunce excepte the lordshyppe of Austracy whyche Theobald sonne of his brother sons Theodorich then helde The father of this Theobald was Theodobert Then Lotharius seynge hys lande in reste and quyetnesse gaue hym to huntynge and chace of wylde bestes a game of great vse amoÌ„g all FreÌ„che prynces In whyche dysporte he beyng one daye greatly trauayled caught some surfet of the whyche ensued a mortall sykenes so that he dyed shortely after when he hadde reygned as before is specifyed ouer the lordshyppe of Soysons and other by the terme of .l. wynter full And was after buryed at Soisons with great pompe leuynge after hym foure sonnes GuÌ„thranus Aribertus Chilpericus Sigebertus It is testyfyed of mayster Robert Gagwyne that saynte Radegunde borne of the countre of Thurynge of a pagan father named Bernigarius was wyfe to this LotharÌ„ whose vertuous lyfe Antoninê° in his boke called SmÌ„ Antonini in the .viii. chapyter .xii. tytle of the seconde parte of his worke shewyth coÌ„peÌ„dyously Anglia THE CIIII. CHAPITER ARthurê° the sonne of Uter Pendragon a strepelynge of .xv. yeres of age beganne his reygne as kynge of Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde v. hundred and .xvii and the thyrde yere of Lotharius then kynge of Fraunce or of a parte therof as before is declared Of this Arthure is by Gaufryde recyted a longe storye and alowed by the englysh cronycle the whyche from other wryters ys greatly dyscordaunte But yet all authours agreen that he was noble an victoryous in all his dedys Fayne I wolde declare the fame of this noble prynce to the comforte of other to folowe his marcyall dedis so that I myght somwhat iustly fye my reporte by some authoure of authoryte But the more I am in doute bycause of the sayenge of Ranulphe monke of Chestre whyche vouchyth yt vppon wyllyam wryter of hystoryes of kynges as ys rehersed at length in the .vi. chapyter of the .v. boke of PolicronicoÌ„ which is there open to euery man that ys desyrous to knowe the sayde reporte or opynyon the whyche for the leÌ„gth therof I ouerpasse And somwhat to the honour of so great a champyon as was thys Arthur I shall lay vnto the reder that he may wyth authoryte shewe vnto the herers and ther wyth gladde the welsheman that he shuld desceÌ„de of so noble a vyctour whych so many dedys of honour executed in his dayes Then as testyfyeth Polycronycon and other Arthur faught .xii. no table batayllis agayne the Saxons and of them all was victour wherfore the fyrste was vpon the ryuer of Cleuy and .iiii. the nexte were foughten vpon the ryuer Douglys which rynneth vnder the town of wygan vpon ten myles from the ryuer of Merse in Lancashyre The .vi. batayll was vppon the ryuer called Bassa The .vii. besyde LyncolnÌ„ in a wood called CelidonÌ„ The .viii. and the .ix. were foughten about yorke The .x. was about Nycolf towne whyche is named warwyk as after some wryters The .xi. was at Bathe where he longe besegyd Cerdicus kynge of westsaxons The .xii. and last was at a place called Badon or Babowe hyll in which he slewe many Saxons But that notwythstandynge he myght not clerely voyde them his lande but that they kepte theyr couÌ„tes which they were before possessyd of as Kente Southerey and Norff all be it that some authours testyfy that they held these countres as trybutaryes vnto Arthure Thys noble warryour as wytnessyth holy Gildas slew with his own hande in one daye by y e helpe of our ladye saynte Marye whose picture he bare peynted in his shelde a hundred and .xl. Saxons whyche shelde he called PrydwenÌ„ his swerd was called Caliboure and his spere was called RonÌ„ after the brytyshe tunge or speche The thyrde or fourth THE CV CHAPITER ABout the .v. yere of this Arthur after the agrement of moste wryters beganne the lord shyppe of westsaxoÌ„s vnder y e Saxon called Cerdicus Kenricus hys sonne For Denys and other wytnesse that this lordshyppe or kyngdome shulde haue his begynnynge the .lxxi. yere after the fyrste commynge of Hengiste or the yere of oure lorde fyue hundred .xxii. which agreeth wyth the .v. yere of Arthure aforesayde Thys lordshyppe conteyned the weste countre of Englande as wylt wyltshyre Somersetshyre Berkê Dors. and other as Deuonshyre and Cornewayll and hadde in the Eest syde Southampton in y e north Thamys the famouse ryuer in the south and weste the see Occean This foresayde Cerdicus whyche of some authours is named Childricus laÌ„ded fyrst at Cerdyshore which nowe is called yermouth an hauen towne in the countre of Norff. And by helpe of other Saxons then inhabyted in that countre then called eest Anglys the sayd Cerdicus at leÌ„gth obteyned the foresayde countre and named yt westsaxon or westsaxonia and reygned therin as lorde or kyng a certayne of yeres and Kenricê° his sonne after hym The fyrste chrysten kynge of this prouynce was named Kyngilsus and coÌ„uertyd by meanes of that blessed man Berinus byshoppe of Dorchester To whom Quichelinus brother of the foresayd Kyngilsus gaue the sayd cytye to make there hys see after he also had receyued baptyme of the sayde Berinus And as Guydo wytnessyth the sayde Quichelinus gaue after to the byshoppe of wynchester .vii. myles compasse of lande to buylde there a byshoppes see the whyche was accomplyshed and finyshed by Kenwalcus his son Thys kyngdome enduryd longeste of all the other whyche were .vii. in nomber or .vi. besyde thys Some wryters accompte the terme of the duraunce of thys kyngdome from Cerdicus to Egbert and some to the laste yere of Aluredus But Guydo accomptyth the enduraunce of thys kyngdome from the fyrste yere of Cerdicus vnto the laste yere of Edwarde the coÌ„fessour By reason wherof yt shuld endure fyue hundred and .liiii. yeres But moste accordyngly yt shulde be rekened from the fyrst yere of Cerdicus to the laste yere of Aluredus For he
orderyd in his lande deuyded his sayd lande in foure partes That is to meane the fyrst princypall which at those dayes was westsaxon he helde vnder hys owne gydyng Eestenglande whych coÌ„teyned Norff. Suff. he betoke to the rule of y e erle Turkyllê° a Dane of whome somwhat is in the .iii. chapyter of y e story of Egelredê° Mercia he betoke to the subtell erle Edricus And the .iiii. Northumberlande vnto a Dane named Hircius But lyke as the man of Inde at no tyme chauÌ„ged his colour so this Edricus chauÌ„ged neuer his fals maners But not wythstandynge the great benefytes that he dayly receyued of his prynces there as he to other hadde ben false and dysceyuable in dayes past euen so nowe he demeaned hym agayne Canutus wherfore he beynge accused proued wyth defaute was commauÌ„ded of the kyng to haue iudgement The whyche was done immediatly his hedde for dyuerse causes smyten of and yt wyth the bodye for spyte caste into a fowle and fylthy place But Ranulf sayth that he was slayne by the kynges agrement wythin his paleys at London and his body wyth the hed throwne after into the towne dyche Thus wyth shame he ended that in falshode dyssymulacyoÌ„ had contynued myche of his lyfe Aboute the .ix. yere of his reygne Canutê° called a parliament at Oxenford where amonges other thynges yt was enacted that Englyshmen Danys shuld holde the lawes of Edgar lately kynge In this pastyme dyed Swanus brother to Canutus kynge of Denmarke wythout issue wherfore that lande fyll to Canutus For the which cause he wyth a stronge army sayled thyther to take the possessyon and to set the countrey in an order or after some wryters to apeas wythstande the wandelys y t then had perced that lande and done therin myche harme where GoodwynÌ„ the erle whose doughter Edwarde the confessour after maryed wyth a certayne nomber of Englyshmen fyll vpon y e wandalys by nyght dystressed theym in suche wyse that Canutus had of them his pleasure For this dede the kyng had erle GoodwynÌ„ euer after in good fauoure and loued Englyshmen more specyally And when he was returned into Englande he shortely after or before maryed Emma the wyfe lately of Egelredus Of the whych he receyued in processe of tyme a son named hym Hardicunitus or after some Hardykynitus after the Englyshe boke Hardyknough And aboute this tyme fyll voyde y â— see of Lyndesser or Durham to the whyche by dyuyne inspyracyon and knowlege receyued by a voyce from the tumbe of saynt Cuthbert blessed EdmuÌ„de after thre yere of vacacyon was electe to that see But ye shal vnderstande that thys was not saynte Edmunde of Ponteney For he was archbyshoppe of Caunterbury in the dayes of Henry the thyrde THE CXCVI. CHAPITER CAnutus about the .vii. yere of his reygne by exhortacyon of Egelnothus then archbishop of CauÌ„terbury translated the body of saynt Elphegus late archbyshoppe of the sayd see martyred by the Danys as before is shewed in the seconde chapiter of the storye of Egelredus and shryued hym in hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury foresayde In the tyme also of thys Canutus aboute the .xvi. yere of hys reygne the Scottes rebelled agayne hym wherfore he with a great army entred Scotlande at length ouercame the kynge of that lande named then Malcolyne and brought them agayne to hys subieccyon as is recorded in the bokes of Marianus the Scot. By reason of whych vyctory Canutus was then kynge of .iiii. kyngdoms of England of ScotlaÌ„d of Denmarke and Norwaye Then as wytnessyth dyuerse authours after he had betaken this lande of Englande to the gydynge of Leofricus Egelnothus and other he then returned into Denmarke And from theÌ„s he yode to Rome in the .xv. yere of his reygn made there great offerynges to saynte Peter and Poule redemed the scole of Saxons fre of all former trybute graunted as before in the storyes of Iue and Offa and other kynges of Saxons is som deale more touched whyche redempcyon of tribute as sayth Guydo was called Rome Scot. But it shall seme in that sayenge some douteth for so myche as at thys daye in dyuers places of EnglaÌ„d as in Northamptonshyre and other the peter pens are yet gaderyd Canutus also after he had in Rome accomplyshed his purpose he in hys returne towarde Englande executed wonderfull dedes of almes in releuynge of the poore and other goftly workes payde great good for raunsom of crysten prysoners amonges other of his dedes It is wytnessyd that he shulde agree with the pope that was called Benet the .viii. of that name pay to hym certayne summes of money that his archbyshoppes after y t daye myghte haue the pall wythoute payenge of money therfore And wheÌ„ he was comen in the citye of Papia in Italy in hys way home warde he there brought the arme of saynte Augustyne the doctour for a hundred pounde of syluer and a talent of golde And here is to be noted that there be thre maners of taleÌ„tes The fyrst and grettest is of y â— weyght of .vi. score pounde weyghte the seconde of the weyght of .lxxii pounde and the thyrde and leest of .l. pounde weyght Then yf we reken this talent with the leest in a pouÌ„de of gold after troye weyght is .xii. vuces and in .l. pounde is .vi. huÌ„dred vnces and euery vnce of fyne golde is worth xl s. By whyche reason this talent shulde be in value to the summe of xii hundred pounde This precyous relyque y e kyng gaue vnto his trusty frende Leofricus y e whych he myche loued and trusted and remayned at Couentre many yeres after whyle Canutus was occupyed in thys iourney coÌ„playnt was brought vnto hym of some mysse demeanurs and rule that were occupyed and exercysed in his absence wythin this realme wherfore he wrote home letters to the lordes chargynge theym straytely that all such defautes were redressed agayne hys coÌ„myng home Thys kynge as wythnesseth Guydo was of great magnyfycence and vsed suche iustyce and temperaunce that in his dayes in the weste partes of the worlde was no prynce of renowne as was Canutus And ouer that he was gretly beloued dradde of hys subiectes In the tyme of this Canutus as tessyfyeth Guillelmus de pontificibus a munke of GlasteÌ„bury named Bryghtwolde whyche was after bysshop of wylton beynge in hys contemplacyon and prayer bethoughte hym on the lynage of Englyshe kynges And in that thought fyll into a slumber in whyche tyme of his slepe he sawe saynte Peter the apostle standynge by hym and holdynge in hys hande Edwarde the sonne of Egelredus which then was in Normandy the whyche to his thynkynge he saw saynte Peter saker y e sayde Edward as kynge of Englande And shewed to hym farther how holy this Edwarde shulde be in hys lyuynge and how he shuld reygne as kynge .xxiii. yeres Then thys monke frayned saynt Peter of the ofsprynge of thys Edwarde and who shulde be
whyche serche they demeaned theym so vndyscretely that they slewe a cytezyne of Douer By meane wherof the people arose and in the questyonynge of thys mannes deth ran at length vppon the erles company and slewe .xx. of hys men and wounded many mo Hastely the erle apperyd and toke his mennys parte But in conclusyon he was fayne to wythdrawe hym selfe with a few persons and rode vnto the kynge then beyng at Glouceter and made vnto hym a greuous complaynte of the men of Douer Then erle Goodwyne for so moch as to hym was commytted the rule of Kente was charged to ryde thyther and to take wreche of the inhabytauÌ„tes of that towne But he with sayde that commaundement and counsayled the kyng to sende for the wardeyns of the castell of Douer and rulers of the towne for to answere to suche maters as were layde agayne them and yf they were gylty to punyshe them and ellys not This answere of GoodwynÌ„ pleased nothynge the kynge nor suche as were aboute hym wherfore many mo lordes were sent for Amonge the which Leofricus erle of Chester and Sewarde erle of Northumberland of myne authour ben named After whych assemble of y e lordê erle Goodwyne had suche monycyon of some of y e counsayll y t he wythdrewe hym from the courte and gadered to hym strength of knyghtes out of dyuers shyres as west Saxon Kent and houed at BeuerstonÌ„ tyl his sonnes came vnto him with more peple Soone after came vnto hym his eldest son named Swanus brought wyth hym a fayre companye that he hadde arreyred in Oxenfordeshyre Gloucetershyre and Harolde hys other sonne wyth a feleshyppe that he had assembled in eest Englande and HuntyngdonÌ„shyre so that of these people was made a great hoste Then GoodwynÌ„ to the kyng was accused for gaderynge of so great an hoste But he excused hym and sayde yt was done to wythstand the walyshmen The whyche contrary proued he was coÌ„maunded to sende awaye the people and to come wyth a certayne nomber vnto the courte But that he refused Then the kyng wyth hys counsayll beynge at London Goodwyn and Harold was eft sent for and charged to come to the courte wyth .xii. persones wythoute mo and to render into the kynges handes all knightes fees that he and Harolde his sonne hadde wythin Englande To thys by theym was answered that they myghte not come to the counsayll of treachours and gylefull men and that also wyth so fewe men in nomber they mygthe not wythoute parell or shame passe by the countrey In thys whyle a parte of Goodwyns knyghtes wythdrewe theym and hys power beganne to mynyshe and the kynge in thys whyle hadde gaderyd a stronge hoste Then proclamacyons were made that Goodwyne shuld come to the courte as before is sayd or auoyde the land with in fyue dayes wherfore Goodwyne consyderyng the ieopardy y t he was in toke wyth hym .iii. of his sonnes that is to meane Swanus Tosty Gurthe and sayled into Flaundres â–ª where he was receyued of the erle Baldwyn after some wryters whose doughter Swanus his sonne hadde before spoused was named Iudeth And Harolde and Leofricus two of his other sonnes with a few shyppes sayled out froÌ„ Brystow into Irland when the kynge was ascertayned that erle Goodwyne wyth hys fyue sonnes was in thys maner departed oute of his lande he shortly after called a parlyament and by authoryte of the same outlowed Goodwyne hys .iii. sonnes that were gone wyth hym And that done he put his owne wyfe and doughter of GoodwynÌ„ into the abbaye of warwell wyth one mayden as sayth Marianus And so GoodwynÌ„ and hys sayde sonnes contynued two yeres outlawed In the whyche season he or hys retynue toke dyuers tymes prayes in y e marches of Englande and in the ende drewe to hym suche strength that he was purposed to haue entred the lande wyth force and to haue warred vppon the kynge But by medyatours that fauoured erle Goodwyn a peace was made betwene y e kynge and hym so that in processe he was receyued to grace wyth hys sonnes hys doughter restored to her fyrste and former honoure And for thys peace to be contynued for Goodwyns parte was delyueryd for pledkes a sonne of hys called wylnotus and a sonne of Swanus named Hacum or Hacun The whyche .ii. pledges kynge Edwarde sent vnto wyllyam duke of Normandy to be kept And Algarus the sonne of Leofricê° erle of Chester to whbme the kynge had gyuen the erledome of Harold ruled yt dyscretely in tyme of his absence at hys returne delyuered yt to him again gladly without grudge THE CCXII. CHAPITER DUrynge the tyme of this out lauwry of Goodwyne wyllyam bastarde duke of Normandye came with a goodly coÌ„pany into this land and was honorably receyued to whom the kyng made great chere And after he hadde taryed here a certayne of tyme to his agrement and pleasure he retourned to hys owne wyth great gyftes pleasures And Emma the kinges moder dyed shortly after and was buryed a wynchester And Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwyne went to Hierusalem and from thens towarde Lycia and dyed by the waye of colde that he had taken of goynge barefote Then the Normans that had gyuen to the kynge euyll counsaylles agayne Englyshemen were by Goodwyne and his frendes exyled Among the whyche Robert archebyshop af Caunterbury that hadde spoken sore agayne theym was one whych after went to Rome to complayn to the pope then LeonÌ„ the .ix. or Uyctour the seconde And wheÌ„ he had receyued letters of y e pope directed to y e kyng he returned to his abbay of Gemeticum in Normandye where he somtyme had ben munke and abbot and there dyed After hym Stigandus was made his successoure the whyche as sayth Policronicon had before tyme lefte the byshopryche of Shyrborne and toke the see of wynchester by streÌ„gth He also vsed fayres of holy chyrche thynges and was a lewde or vnlettred man as the more part of the bysshoppes of Englande at those dayes were And ouer that he passed other in ryches and dyssymulacyon But yet he neuer had y e palle from Rome though there be great sale that maketh many maystryes Then was openly spoken that he was not worthy a byshopryche that coude vse y e bragge or pompe of the worlde the vse of voluptuosyte of glotony and Lechery the shynynge araye of clothynge the countenaunce of knyghtes and the gaderynge of horsemen and thynketh full lytell on the profyte of soules And yf men sayde to theym that a byshoppe shulde be chosen for holynesse of lyuyng and for hys good clergye and not for couetyse of money they wold answere as foloweth Nunc aliud tempus alii pro teÌ„pore mores The whyche verse maye be englyshed in thys maner As tyme requyreth so men done theym vse In wynter warme clothes in somer lyght and lesse In tyme of sadnesse men done gamys refuse And in myrthe tyme men myrthes theym
neuew vnto Edward the confessour as before is shewed beganne hys domynyon ouer thys realme of Englande the .xv. daye of October in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon a thousand .lxvii and y e ix yere of the fyrste Phylyppe then kyng of Fraunce and was crowned kynge of the same vppon Crystmas daye nexte folowynge of Aldredus archbyshoppe of yorke for so myche as at that tyme Stigandus archbysshoppe of Caunterbury was then absent or durste not come in the pÌ„sence of the kynge to whome he ought no great fauour as in the sequele shall appere when wyllyam had sette in quyet a great parte of thys lande he betoke the gydyng therof to his brother the byshop of Bayon and in lent folowynge sayled into Normandye and led wyth hym the chefe rulers of England for doute of sturryng in tyme of his absence Amonge the whyche the two erles Marcarê° and Edwyne rulers of Northumberlande Mercia were two wyth also Stigandus and Edgare Ethelynge To the why the Stigandus wyllyam shewed great reuerence and couÌ„tenaunce of fauoure But all proued to great dissymulacyon after as was shewed by the depryuynge of the sayd Stigandus and prysonment of hym in wynchester towne by a longe terme and season In the next wynter whan wyllyam had sped hys besynesse in Normandy he retourned into England wyth greate pompe and sette a greuous trybute vpon the Englyshmen By reason wherof some partyes of the lande rebelled agayne hym and specyally the cytye of Excetour the whyche defended hym for a certayne of tyme. But lastly by force he wanne the sayde cytye and punysshed the cytesyns greuously For thys and other sterne dedes of wyllyam Marcharus erle of Northumberlande wyth Edgare Athelynge and dyuers other as hys moder and two systers Margarete and Crystyan sayled into Scotlande But another cronycle telleth y t Edgare entendynge wyth Agatha hys moder and hys two systers to haue sayled into Almayne where he was borne was by tempest of the see dryuen into Scotlande where of Malcolyne than kynge of Scottes they were ioyously receyued And in processe of tyme the sayde Malcolyne caste suche loue vnto the sayd Margaret that he toke her to wyfe as before is touched in the fyrste chapyter of the story of Canutê° Of the which Margaret the sayde Malcolyne receyued .ii. doughters and .vi. sonnes wherof thre named Edgare AlexauÌ„der Dauyd were kynges of Scotlande nexte folowynge theyr fader And Molde one of y e foresayd doughters was after maryed vnto the fyrst Henry kynge of Englande And the other doughter Mary was maryed to Eustace erle of Bolongii Of Molde the fyrste doughter Henry receyued .ii. sonnes named wyllyam and Rychard the whych bothe dyed before theyr fader as after in y e story of the sayd Henry shall appere And he receyued also two doughters named Molde and Mary whych Molde or Mawde was maryed to y e fyfte Henry emperour of Almayne After whose deth she was agayne maryed to Godfrey of Geoffrey PlaÌ„tagenet erle of Aungeowe Of whom descended Henry surnamed shorte mantell and kynge of Englande called Henry the seconde And the other doughter Mary was maryed vnto the erle of Blaynes of whoÌ„ descended Molde or Mawde that was wyfe vnto kynge Stephen Than it foloweth that thys wyllyam after thys foresayd trybute so leuyed of the Englysshemen and knowynge of the depertynge of the lordes foresayde kepte the other the streyter But it was not longe after that Marcharus was reconsyled to the kynges grace and fayled agayn as folowynge shall be shewed For thys and other causes whyche were tedyous to shewe wyllyam exalted the Normans and gaue vnto them the chyefe possessyons of the lande so that they dayly encreased in great honour and welth and the Englysh men as faste decayed Kynge wyllyaÌ„ also made .iiii. stronge castels where of two be sette at yorke the thyrde at Lyndetyngham or Notynghm and manned them wyth Normans and the .iiii. at Lyncolne About the thyrde yere of his reygne Harolde Canutus sonnes of Swanus kynge of Denmarke came on lande in the North of Humber wyth a stronge nauy and in all haste drew them towarde yorke Than the Normans whyche hadde the rule of the towne and castelles feryng that the Englysshemen wolde ayde the Danys and wyth the houses of the suburbes of the towne haue fylled the towne dyches sette the suburbes on fyre wherof y e flame was so bygge and wyth the wynde so stronge that it toke into the cytye brent a parte therof wyth the mynster of saynt Peter In tyme wherof the Danys by fauour of some of the citesyns entred the cytye and slewe more than thre thousande of the Normans But it was not longe or kynge wyllyam chased the Danys to theyr shyppes and toke so greate dyspleasure wyth the inhabytauntes of that prouynce that he destroyed the land lyenge bytwene yorke and Durham in suche wyse that .ix. yeres after or there about the lande laye vnlabored vntylled onely out taken saynt IohnÌ„s lande of Beuerley the which was for borne by reason of a wreche done by dyuyne power vpon one of kynge wyllyams knyghtes The whych as he was besyed in wastyng and spoylynge of the sayde countre fyll sodeynly wyth hys horse so that hys horse brake hys necke and the knyghtes face was turned to his backe And of the famyne that the people of that countre susteyned wonders are reported that they shuld eate all maner of vermyn as cattes rattes dogges other so harde they were kepte by the warre of the kyng And in that yere also Molde or Mawde the wyfe of kynge wyllyaÌ„ was crowned quene of England of Aldredus archebysshop of yorke In the .iiii. yere of the reygne of thys kynge the Scottes with Malcolyne theyr kynge entred Northumberlande and wasted and destroyed sore that countre and slewe there in myche people and many they toke prysoners helde theÌ„ as bonde men But in the .vi. yere of hys kyngdome wyllyam made such warre vppon the Scottes that he lastely forced the sayde Malcolyne to swere to hym bothe homage and feauty as it is wytnessed of wyllyam of Malmesbery and other wryters THE CCXX CHAPITER Kynge willyam by counsayle of the erle of Hortford and other caused the abbeyes of Englande to be serched And what money in them at that season was founde he caused it to be brought to hys treasour For the whyche dede after the exposycyoÌ„ of some authours the sayd erle was punysshed as after shall be shewed Soone vpon thys in the tyme by twene Easter and wytsontyde was holden a solempne counsayle at wynchester of the clergy of Englande At the whyche counsayle were presente two cardynalles sent from y e second Alexaunder than pope In thys couÌ„sayle Stygandus archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury was depryued from his dygnytye and that for thre skylles The fyrste was for that he had holden wrongfully that bysshopryche whyle Robert the archebysshop was lyuynge The seconde cause was for that he hadde receyued the Paule
feuours amonges the people and also great huÌ„ger and barreynes of y e erth Also in this yere great hurt was done in many places of y e lande by fyre and specyally in the cytye of London where vpon the .vii. day of the moneth of Iulii sodayne fyre began the whyche brent a great parte of the chyrche of saynte Paule wyth also a great parte of the cytye Then kynge wyllyam beynge in Normandye was syke and kept his â—hamber at RoanÌ„ a longe time wherfore Phylyppe the Frenche kynge in hys game sayde that wyllyam lay in chyldbeddeâ— and noryshed hys fatte wombe The whyche wordes when they were blowen to kynge wyllyaÌ„s crys he was greuously dyscontent and sayde when I am chyrched I shall offer to hym a thousande candellys lyghte wyth the whyche he shall holde hym smally contented The whyche promyse he after performed For in the moneth of Iuly wheÌ„ Corne fruyt and grapes were moste florishynge he entred Fraunce with a great army and sette on fyre many cytyes and townes in the west syde of Fraunce and lastely came to the cytye of Meaus and fyred yt brent a parte therof wyth the chyrch of our lady wherin he brent a womaÌ„ beyng closed in the walle of the sayd chyrch as a recluse But of this thynge speketh not the cronycle of Fraunce Nor yet for the more parte of any thynge that soundeth to theyr dyshonour done vnto theym by Englyshemen In this hete or as some wryters haue by y e lepyng of an horse kyng wyllyam toke such a dysease or sykenes that yt was the cause of hys deth And when he felt hym thus greued he called his sonnes before hym and exhorted theym in his beste maner that they shulde charytably loue and fauoure euery of them the other and holde to gyder as louyng bretherne after made his testameÌ„t and therin ordeyned wyllyam Ruffus or wyllyam the rede to be kynge of England And Normandye he beset vnto Rober Curthose And to Henry his yongest sonne he bequethed his treasour and mouable goodes And that done he enfourmed hys two eldest sonnes of the dysposycyon of both peoples and warned wyllyam to be louynge and lyberall to his subiectes and Robert to be sterne and sturdy vnto his Then he was moued with myldenes and delyueryd from prison hys own brother the byshop of Bayon Marcharus erle of NorthuÌ„berlande wylnotus the sonne of Harolde or after some the sonne of Goodwyne that was sent to wyllyaÌ„ by Edwarde the confessour to remayne for a pledge for his sayde fader Goodwyn And shortely after these thynges wyth other done he dyed in Normandye and was buryed in y e cytye of CaanÌ„ when he had reygned as kyng of Englande .xxi. yeres and vppon .x. monethes in the moneth of Iuly and the yere of hys duchery the .lii. when wyllyam was dede men spake of hym as they do of other prynces and sayd that he was wyse and gylefull ryche and couetous loued well to be magnifyed and praysed a fayre speker a greatr dyssymuler a man of skylfull stature but somdeale fatte in the bely sterne of face and stronge in armys and therwyth bolde and had therwyth great pleasure in huntyng and in makyng of great festes But he passed al other in leuyenge of taskes whyche condycyon hys subiectes construed .iii. maner of wayes and saydeyt was to the entente that he wolde excell all other in rychesse or ellys for to withstaÌ„de and defende his enymyes or ellys to staunche the appetyte of his couetyse mynde He buylded .ii. abbayes in Englande one at batayl in Sussex where he wanne the felde agayne Harolde and is at thys daye called the abbay of Batail y e other he sette besyde London vppon the south syde of Thamys and named yt Barmoundesay And in Normandye he buylded two also Thys man made the newe forest in the countrey of Southampton the whyche to brynge aboute he caste downe dyuers chyrches by the space of .xxx. myles and replenyshed yt wyth wylde bestes and made harde and sharpe lawes for the encreasyng of them as losyng of eyen and other And he helde Englyshemen so lowe that in hys dayes was almoste no Englyshe man that bare any offyce of honoure or rule But yet somedeale he fauoured the cytye of London and graunted to the cytezens the fyrste charter that euer they had the whych is wryten in Saxon tunge and sealed wyth grene waxe and expressed in .viii. or .ix. lynes THE CCXXIII. CHAPITER Wyllyam Rufus or wyllyam the erede the second sonne of wyllyam Conquerour beganne hys reygne ouer Englande in the moneth of Iulye and the yere of our lorde a thousande .lxxxix and the xxxi yere of the fyrste Phylyppe then kynge of Fraunce Ranulfe monke of Chester sheweth in hys boke of Polycronycon y t Robert Curthose eldest sonne of wyllyam Conquerour was at the tyme of hys fathers deth absent The whyche heryng that his father hadde preferred hys yonger brother to y e kyngdome of Englande was therwyth greatly amoued in so myche that he layde his dukedome to pledge to his brother Henry and wyth that good gatheryd to him a stronge army and so landed at HamptonÌ„ wherof wyllyam hys brother beynge warned in all haste sent vnto hym messangers to whome he gaue coÌ„myssyon to say in maner as foloweth Thy brother wyllyam prayeth y t to take no grefe with y t he hath done for he clepeth hym selfe not kynge but as vnder kynge to reygne vnder the and by helpe of the that arte gretter then he better rather borne And yf thou consyder yt well he hath nothynge mysused hym agayn the. For he hath taken vppon hym for a tyme bycause of thyne absence But for he is nowe in authoryte by thy sufferaunce he prayeth y t he may vnder the so contyue payeng to the yerely .iii. thousande marke wyth coÌ„dycyon that who so ouer lyueth may enioye the kyngdome when Robert had harde that message to the ende he wagged hys hedde as he that conceyued some doublenesse in thys reporte But for he was lyberall and allowed more the honour then he dyd hys profyte as in other thynges folowyng of his dedes yt shall appere therfore he lyghtely assented to all that was desyred and returned shortly after into Normandye wyth pleasaunt wordes wythout profyte Thys wyllyam was crowned the xxvii daye of September vppon the daye of saynte Cosma and Damyan and was well ayded of LamfraÌ„k whyle he lyued He was dyuers unstable of maners so y t betwene hym his lordes was ofteÌ„ dyssencyoÌ„ In y e spryngyng of somer folowyng hys coronacyon Odo byshoppe of BayoÌ„ whych as before ye haue hard was delyuered out of pryson by wylliam CoÌ„querour came into EnglaÌ„d whom the kynge ioyously receyued and gaue vnto hym shortly after the erledome of Kent But he toke vppon hym in processe of tyme to rule in suche wyse as the kynge grudged wyth hys doynge And for thys the kynge and his sayde vncle fyll at vnkyndnesse
an holde ferynge the rescue of Englishmen and Normans leste that castell by that meane myghte fall in theyr handes sent his commyssyon vnto the rulers of that countrey chargynge theym wyth all dylygence to assaute that place And yf they myght wynne yt to put the executours of that murder vnto moste shamefull deth whyche commaundement receyued from the kynge stronge assaute cruell was made manfully yt was defended But the losse ran to theym of the castell so that in processe of tyme when this willyam conceyued well that he myght not contynue the defence therof he began to treate agreed that yf he myghte haue free yssue for hym and hys assuraunce that he wyth his knyghtes myght go quyetly vnto a place that he wold chose he wold then delyuer the castell wyth all that was therin The whyche requeste of dyuerse of the hedde captaynes was graunted and sworne But so soone as the castell was delyuered and the Frenchemen entred the multytude not wythstandynge the former promyse and othe fell vppon the sayde wyllyam and his soudyours them put vnto deth by many cruell tormētes fynally caste all theyr careyns into the ryuer of Sayne vppon the brynke wherof the sayde roche and castell was standynge And shortely after this ensued the warre betwene this Lewys kynge Henry of Englande as yt is before shewyd in y e .x. yere of y e sayde Henry And after the warre ended betwene these two prynces Hugh Puyssake a man of great myght at those dayes in Fraunce rebelled agayne y e kyng and warred greuously vppon or agayn the countesse of Chartres and robbed and pylled the chyrches of y e countrey as well as other places so that the sayd coūtesse with her yonge sonne Thybaude were fayne to seke socoure of the kynge wherfore the kynge called a counsayll at hys citye of Meleyne where agayne the sayd Hugh many greuous complayntes were put But for so myche as y e sayd Hugh at that tyme was not present to make answere vnto such thynges as then was layde to his charge the kynge commaunded that the castell of Terry or of Thoree in all haste shulde be manned vytayled to the ende that by the comforte strength of that castell the kynge yf nede requyred myght lay syege to the castell of Puyssake for so mych as that one was nere adioynynge vnto y e other In whych passe tyme the sayd Hugh was somoned to appere before the kynge and his counsayll but he refused to appere when the kynge was enfourmed of the garnyshyng of y e castell of Thorre and of the disobedyence of Hugh he assembled a stronge hoste and cōpassed the castell of Puyssake with a syege and set Thybaude son of the countesse vppon that syde that stode towarde the prouynce of Chartres so that stronge assautes and cruell warre was made on euery parte what shulde I make longe processe to tell of the ferefull shot of the gonnys vppon bothe partyes or of the sharpe shot of Arowes the castynge of stonys or scalynge of the wallys or fyllynge of the dyches the fyryng of the gates or yet the mortall and cruell fyght on bothe partes nor of y e manyfold dede bodyes maymed by reason of y e sayd assautes or yet y e manasses or mockes or great bosus or crakes vsed of the souldyours durynge this syege But fynally after the kynge hadde lyen before the sayd castell a certayne of tyme he wanne yt by pure force and toke the sayde Hughe wyth hys accessaryes The whyche he commaunded to be kepte as prysoners in the castell of Thorre for a season Then the kynge caste downe the sayde castell of Puyssake to the grounde excepte a lytle towre made of tymber the whyche he reseruyd for a lodgynge And that done some of the forsayd prysoners he put to deth and some he dysherityd after the grefe of theyr offence And so this foresayd countesse of Charters with her sonne Thybaude was in quyete of theyr countrey and castell of Puyssake belongynge to the sayde erledome But howe yt was in processe of tyme folowynge thys Thybaude entended to haue reedyfyed there a newe castell wherby as the kinge was enformed he wold haue encroched thynges appertaynynge to the crowne of Fraunce wherfore the kynge wythstode yt For this a grudge fell betwene the kynge and erle Thybaude so that in processe dedely warre was made betwen thē The whyche contynued in such wise to theyr both damages that fynally the warre was agayne reuyued betwene kynge Lewys and kynge Henry as in the .xvii. yere of the reygne of the sayde Henry is declared by meane of thys warre betwene the kynge and this erle Thybaude wherof the cyrcumstaunce wold axe a longe leysure to reherse as yt is shewyd in the frenche storye But fynally this erle Thybaude loste none honour all be yt that the frenche cronycle wonderfully fauoreth y e party of the Frenche kynge that the reader maye well apperceyue Quis pin xit leonem THE CCXXXI CHAPITER THis Lewys also hadde great warre wyth Henry the fourth of that name emperour the whyche maryed Molde the doughter of Henry the fyrste kynge of England as before is shewed whefore the occasyon was as sayth the Frenche cronycle for so myche as the sayd Henry the emperour hadde before tyme ben accursed of Gelasius the seconde of that name then pope at Raynes a citye in Fraunce For the whych cause as there is surmytted the sayde emperoure assembled an huge hoste of Almaynes and Italyens and entred the lande of Fraunce and dyd therin myche harme But in the ende when he knew of the great prouisyon y e Lewis made to mete him of his great power he then as affermeth y e frēch cronycle wythdrewe hym and so auoyded the lande of Fraūce wythout stroke strykyng But of this speketh nothyng the authour that wrote the story of this Henry the emperour After this the erle of Flaundres named Charlys the systers sonne of kynge Lewys nexte duke after Baldewyn whych dyed as before is sayd in the thyrde chapyter of the story of kyng Henry of a woūde in his face this foresayd Charlys was sore hated of the prouoste of Brudgys The whyche to bryng his malyce to some effecte counsayled wyth hys adherentes how he myght slee the sayde Charlys By whose coūsayle a meane was founde to brynge the erle to Brudgys a towne of Flaundres for the we le of the sayde towne After whose commynge vppon a daye he beynge in a chyrche and herynge his dyuyne seruyce was slayne of y e sayd prouoste and his complycys wherof herynge kynge Lewys anon wyth a great army entred Flaundres and besyeged the town of Brudges and lastely toke the sayde prouoste The whyche fyrst was bounden to a post then his eyen wyth a reede stryken out of hys hed And then shot wyth arowes lastely set vppon a whele where he remayned tyl he dyed And a felowe of hys named Bartopus y e
erledome of Aungeou and two hundred knyghtes prysones of Normans and Englyshe wyth a great summe of money It was not longe after that the duke of Brytayne was departyd from the kynge but that he wyth suche power as he myght make entred the countrey of Aungeou to take therof possessyon where in shorte space he was encountred of kynge John̄ and fought to geder a cruell batell In the whyche in the ende the duke was put to the worse for the more parte of hys people were slayne and hym selfe wyth Hugh le Bruns Godfrey de Lesygnan and many other nobles of Fraunce and also of Brytayne were taken prysoners wyth whyche tydynges the Frenche kyng was greuously dyscontentyd And where as at that tyme he had becleped y e castell of Arches wyth a strong syege he remoued from thens and and yode to the citye of Towres and brent a part therof But as testifyeth the frenche cronycle he taryed not the commynge of kynge Iohn̄ But for that wynter was commynge towarde he ceasyd of hys warrys for that yere and so drewe hym into Fraunce ⸫ In the yere folowynge whyche was the yere of this Phylyp .xxiiii of kynge Iohn̄ the .iiii. yere y e warre newely began whyche I ouer passe for as mych as yt shall be shewyd in the storye of kynge Iohn̄ In the .xxvi. yere thys Phylyppe Almaricus a studyent of Paris held certayne opynyons of heresye Of the whyche when he was abiured he toke suche thought that he dyed shortely after It was not longe after but that other clerkys and studyauntys helde an other erronyous opynyon cōcernynge y e vnyon of the trynyte Of the whyche nomber Peter byshoppe of Parys and one Garyne a man of great connynge were two the whyche were degraded after cōsumyd wyth fyre and the body of the forenamed Almaricus was agayne taken oute of the erthe and after brent Nere about the .xxx. yere of the reygne of thys Phylyppe for consyderacyon as sayth the frenche boke that Iohn̄ kynge of Englande had exylyd dyuerse of hys byshoppes and taken from them theyr possessyons and goodes the whyche to this kynge Phylyp were comen for ayde and socour he therfore mouyd with pytye assembled a great hoste and entendyd to haue sayled into Englande to haue refourmed these maters wyth the whyche hoste he passed tyll he came to Grauenynge by lande where he appoynted hys nauey to mete wyth hym And to the same place also Ferrande then erle of Flaundres had affermely promysyd to come wyth the ayde of hys Flemynges where the kynge for hym taryed a certayne of tyme. But shortely after the kynge was ascertayned that the sayde erle was alyed wyth kynge Iohn̄ hys enymye and purposed to ayde hys partye in all that he myghte wherof the occasyon was as affermeth the sayde Frenche cronycle for so myche as Lewys eldest sonne of kynge Phylyppe helde from the sayde Farrande two castellys or townes named saynte Omer and Are. when kynge Phylyppe apperceyued that he was thus of the erle dyspoynted he by coūsayll of his Baronye putte by hys iourney into Englande and assayled the countrey of Flaundres and so yode vnto Cassyle a lytell from Grauelynge wyth sharpe assaute wanne the sayd towne and so from thens to Brugys and commaunded hys nauy to be brought vnto the hauē of Sluse whyche is wythin shorte waye of Brugys And when he hadde executed hys pleasure at Brugys leuyng a certayn of his peple for to strength hys Nauy he yode vnto Gaunte and there rested hym and hys people In whyche season Regnolde erle of Boleyne Guyllyam longe Espe or Guyllyam wyth the longe sworde wyth a crewe of Englyshe men aryued in Flaundres to whom shortely drewe Ferraunde the erle wyth a great power of Flemynges The whyche shypped theym in small caruyles and barkes and other shyppys of aduaūtage and wyth a fyerse corage sette vppon the Frenche kynges nauey lyenge at Sluse as before is shewed where was foughten a stronge and cruell batayll But in the ende the Flemynges hadde the vyctorye and hadde the rule of all the frenche flote the whyche in nomber as testyfyeth the sayd frenche cronycle were a thousande ten sayle The whyche for nomber and greatnesse myghte not all lye wythin the hauyn but spradde a great parte of the ryuer besyde whyche so lyenge wythout the hauen the Flemynges conueyed thens and after layde ordinaunce to the towne of Sluse and assyeged yt Kynge Phylyppe herynge of the losse of hys nauye and of the assautynge of the towne of Sluse in all haste spedde hym thyther and there in suche wyse resysted hys enymyes that he slew of them vpon two thousande and toke of theym dyuerse prysoners and rescued the towne But for he sawe he myght not recouer hys shyppes beynge wythin the hauyn he causyd theym to be dyscharged of vytell and other necessaryes and after set them on fyre and the towne also and that done toke certayne hostages of Brugis of Gaunte and of Ipre and so retourned into Fraunce THE CCXLV CHAPITER WHen kynge Phylippe was returned into Fraunce yt was not longe after that by the meanes of some well dysposyd persones he was reconcyled and toke to hym his lawfull wyfe Ingeberta or Ingebert doughter of the kynge of Denmarke whyche was great comforte to all hys people And thys yt nowe apperyth that the sayde Ingebert was from her lorde or husbande by the terme of .xvi. yeres and more as before yt is touched in the seconde chapyter of thys storye In the yere of grace .xii. hūdred .xiiii. as sayth the frenche boke whyche maketh the yere of the reygne of this Philyppe .xxxv Otho the .iiii. of that name and duke of Saxony whyche of some of the electours was chosen for emperour in the quarell of kyng Iohn̄ intred y e prouince of Henaude and there beynge accompanyed with Reygnolde erle of Boleyne Farraunde erle of Flaundres and dyuerse other nobles as well of Englande Saxonye and other places made prouysyon to fyght wyth kynge Phylyppe whyche then warred in Flaūdres so that the Frenche kynge was at the castell of Peron and Otho was at the castell of Ualensyens or Ualenseus About Mary Madgdaleyns tyde the Frenche kynge in wastyng y e coūtrey of Flaūdres came vnto the town of Turney and Otho returned from the foresayde castell and came vnto the castell or towne named Mortenge the whyche was but .vi. myle from Turney wherof herynge the kynge entendyd to haue set in shorte tyme vppon hys enymyes But by the aduyse of hys barons he was letted for so myche as the wayes and places were streyghte and narowe towarde hys enymyes For the whyche consyderacyon by counsayll of hys sayde barones he was letted and retourned towarde Henawde for to haue more larger playnes So that after saynte Iamys daye he retourned purposynge that nyghte to haue lyen and also his hoste at the castell called Lylly But he was letted of hys purpose For Otho whych was warned of hys remouynge demed
hys reygne ouer England the xvii daye of Nouembre the morowe after saynt Edmond the archbisshop in the yere of our lorde M.CC lxxii the .ii. yere of the .iii. Phylype than kynge of Fraunce reygned nobly yeres .xxxiiii. fo lv Elyanoure mother to kyng Richard was enlarged fo iiii Edmounde Crouchbak was maried to the doughter of y e erle of Amnarle as apereth in fo xliiii EdmouÌ„d wodstocke wroughte treason fo lxxxviii Edward the sonne of Henry foresayd distressed the barons as it is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde forsayd dystressed the Barons the seconde tyme as is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde the holy kyng and confessour was translated as it shewed in folio xliiii Edwarde was crossed into the holy lande and of hys feates there done folio xlv Edwarde of Carnaruan as apereth folio lviii Edward the second called Edwarde Carnaruan the sonne of the fyrst Edwarde began hys domynyon ouer Englande in the moneth of Iuly and yere of our lorde god M.iii. C. vii and the .xxi. yere of the .iiii. Phylyppe or Philip the fayre than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres full xix fo lxxiiii Edwarde the fyrst maryed to hys .ii. wyfe the Frenche kynges syster folio lxv Edwarde the .iii. of that name sonÌ„ of Edwarde the secoÌ„de and of dame Isabell the doughter of Philippe le Beawe or the .iiii. Phylyp late kyng of Fraunce whych Edwarde aboute the age of .xv. yeres began hys reygn ouer the realme of England the .xxv. daye of Ianuary in the yere of grace M.iii. C. .xxvi and the .iiii. yere of Charles the fayre thaÌ„ king of FrauÌ„ce the whyche reygned yeres .li. folio lxxxvi Edwarde Carnaruan was myserably slayne as is shewed fo lxxxvii Edwarde Bayloll was made kynge of Scottes fo lxxxviii Edwarde the .iii. sayled into Braban wyth hys wyfe loke in fo xci Edward the .iii. chaleÌ„ged y e hole kingdome of Fraunce fo xciii Edward the eldest sonÌ„ of the duke of yorke was electe for king of EnglaÌ„d loke in fo cc.vi. Edwarde the .iiii. of that name and eldest sone of Rychard duke of yorke whych was proclaymed heyre paraÌ„t to the crowne began hys domynyon ouer the realme of Englande in the iiii day of Marche in y e yere of grace M.iiii C.lx the .ii. yere of the .xi. Lowys than kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned at that tyme .viii. monethes yeres viii fo cc.xiiii Edwarde the .iiii. beforenamed wan the felde of Barnet vpon Ester daye agayne kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. in the yere of grace M.iiii C.lxxi yere of Lowys the French kyng aforesayd and reygned after that day .x. monethes and yeres .xii. So that fyrste laste he reygned ouer .vii. monethes assygned to Henry the .vi. dayes .xxxvi. monethes yeres .xxi. or wyth the sayde monethes of Henry the .vi. set to Edwardes reygne make .xxii. yeres and odde dayes fo cc.xx. Edwarde the .v. of that name sonne of Edward the .iiii. of the age of .xiiii. yeres and lasse began to reygne as kyng of EnglaÌ„d the .x. daye of Apryll yere of our lord M. iiii.lxxxiii the xxxv yere of the .xi. Lowys thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce and reygned tyll the .xx. day of Iuly next folowyng in which season passed dayes .lxxii. folio cc.xxiiii Elizabeth the holy womaÌ„ doughter of the kyng of Hungery fo xxi Eleanoure quene of her progenye loke in fo lxi Emperoure of Almayne came into England fo c.lxvii Emperour forsayd came agayn into thys lande fo c.lxxii Enuye of Frenchmen fo v Enguerram was put to deth folio lxxxiii Epytaphye of Rychard the fyrste as apereth in fo x Epytaphye of Frederyke the emperour fo xxv Epytaphye of Edward the fyrst loke in fo lxviii Epytaphye of Edward the .iii. folio cxvi Epytaphye of kyng Rycharde the .ii. loke in fo clxvi Erthquake fell in EnglaÌ„d fo xxv Erle of Penbroke was ouerset with Frenchmen other fo cxiii ExpressemeÌ„t of the grudges atwene kyng Rychard the fyrst the FreÌ„che kynge fo iiii Eugeny pope and of hys actes folio clxxxvii FAlse Cryst was crucyfyed as is shewed in fo xix False clerke of Oxenforde whych fayned hym selfe madde came to wodstocke enteÌ„dyng to haue slayne king Henry the .iii. fo xxii Faytes or actes of warre done at DoÌ„stable fo xcvi Fysshes wonderfull takeÌ„ in the .xxxv yere of kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. fo cci FlorenÌ„ of golde was made by kynge Edward the .iii. fo xcvii Fryers mynors came fyrst into Englande loke in fo xix Fryers Augustynes in the .xxxv. yere of kynge HeÌ„ry the .iii. buylded theyr house in a place in walys called wodhous as is shewed fo xxvi Fryers were put to deth loke in folio clix Frenche kyng sent for hys doughter that was kynge Rychardes wyfe folio clix FreÌ„ch nauy dyscoÌ„fyted fo clxxiiii Froste excedyng loke in fo clxviii GAscoynes make warre agaiÌ„st FrenchmeÌ„ borderers in kyng Charles the .v. days as is shewed in folio lxxxvi Gabell or taxe reysed vppon salte in Fraunce loke in fo cxix Guynes castell was yoldeÌ„ to Englishmen loke in fo ci Grudge betwene Baldwyn and his monkes fo vii Grudge arose betwene kyng IohnÌ„ hys lordes fo xvi Grudge and dyspleasure betwene y e bysshop of wynchester and the duke of Glouceter it is shewed in folio clxxxi Grudge and murmure toke place amonge the nobles of Fraunce as appereth fo cc.xxviii HArme done by thonder as appereth in fo cvii Hawâ—e wythout reuerence of the sacrament was slayne in the churche folio cxli Hastynges lord Chamberleyne was sodeynly put to deth fo ccxxiiii Henry the thyrd of that name sonnÌ„ of king IohnÌ„ a chyld of .x. yeres began to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the moneth of Octobre and yere of oure lorde M.CC. .xvii and the .xxxvii. yere of Phylype thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .lvi fo xviii Henry Bolyng broke y e .iiii. of y e name and sonne heyre of IohnÌ„ of Gaunt duke of LaÌ„castre the whyche IohnÌ„ was secoÌ„d sonne of Edwarde the .iii. lyuyng after theyr father or the .iii. sonne to rekyn prynce Edward this Henry after the deposicioÌ„ of Rychard in the ende of the moneth of SepteÌ„bre begaÌ„ to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxxx xix and the .xix. yere of Charles y e .vii than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xiii. fo clxiii Henry the .vi. of that name sonnÌ„ of Henry the .v. of y e name sonne of HeÌ„ry the .iiii. began hys reygne ouer the realme of EnglaÌ„d vppon the morne after saynt Cuthbertys day or y e â—xi day of Marche in the ende of y e yere of grace M.iiii C. .xiii and y e â—xxii yere of Charles the .vii. than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ix. fo .clxx HeÌ„ry the .v. dame Kateryne doughter of Charles the .vi. or .vii. a chylde of halfe yere of age begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce in the ende of the moneth of Iuly and yere
shewed in folio clxxiiii Lorde Talbot was slayne as appereth fo cc Lorde Egremonde was commytted to Newgate as is shewed fo ccii Lorde wellys conspyred agayne the kynge folio ccxviii Lorde chamberlayne beheded as is shewed fo ccxx Losse of Normandy as is shewed folio cxcviii Lowys sonne vnto the French kyng warred in Englande fo xvii Lowys retourned into Fraunce as appereth fo xviii Lowys sayled into the holy lande folio xxv Lowys gaue sentence agayne the barons fo xxxvi Lowys the .ix. of that name and son̄ of Phylyp the seconde beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of oure lorde M.CC. and .xxiii and the .vi. yere of the thyrde kynge Henry than kyng of Englande and reygned yeres .iii. By thys kynge retourned the blode of Charles into y e possessyon of the crowne of Fraunce folio xlvi Lowys the .x. of that name a chylde of .xii. yeres and sonne of the abouenamed the .ix. Lowys whyche is named saynt Lowys began his reygne ouer Fraunce in the yere of our lord M.CC. and .xxvi and the .ix. yere of the iii. Henry than kinge of Englād and reygned yeres .xliii as appereth folio xlvii Lowys the .xi. by accompt and sonne of Phylyp the .iiii beganne to reygn ouer Fraunce in the yere of our lord M.CCC and .xv and the .viii. yere of the seconde Edwarde than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .ii. folio lxxxiii Lowys the .xii. of y e name afte the accōpt of thys boke .x. after the frēche accōpt wherof y e cause is before shewed son̄ of the laste Charles begā to rule y e Frenchmē in y e yere of our lord M.iiii C. and .lviii .xxxvi. yere of Hēry the .vi. thā kyng of Englande reygned yeres .xxvi. fo ccix Lowys refused lordes company and counsayll fo ccix Lowys rescueth Parys fo ccx Losse of townes and castelles in Normandy folio cxxxvii MAruayles sene in the fyrmament folio xii Mayre of London presenment loke in folio xxvii Mayr and hys bretherne foūd gylty in hurtyng the cōmons fo xxix Mayre and cytezeyns agreed to the lordes fo xxxi Macys of syluer were fyrste graūted to offycers of London fo xci Men of Norwyche enraged fo xlv Manhode of Mathew de Roya foli liiii Marchaunte straungers encroched vpō the cytezyns of Lōdon and were punysshed fo lix Maddocke a walshman rebelled as it is shewed fo lxi Mariage of the .ii. Edward fo lxxiiii Malyce sprange amonge the lordes of Flaunders fo lxxxv marueylous heyle fylle fo lx Mychaell Tony mayre of London adiuged loke in fo lvi mortmayne was fyrst enacted fo lvi Mortymer was howgely auaunced folio lxxxvii Mortymer was put to deth as it is shewed fo lxxxviii money borowed of the cytye of London folio xcii Martyn Pysdo Parycyen was put to cruell deth fo cxxxv maner of cysme in the church of Rome loke in fo cxxxviii Maner of the metyng of the kynges of Englande of Fraunce fo cxlvii many knyghtes of the bathe made folio clxiii Maruayles of Thamys fo clxx masses ordeyned by kyng Henry the fyfte as it is shewed in folio clxxviii Maner of treaty betwene the landes of Englande and of Fraunce loke in folio clxxxviii maryage was dyspoynted fo cxcii Maryage concluded fo cxciii manhode of chalons fo cxcv Maximilian and the Frenche kynge dyscorden fo ccxxviii Margaret syster vnto Edwarde the iiii departed from London towarde the see fo ccxvii monycyon dyuyne was gyuen to the Frenche kynge fo clviii Mountague a noble man was slayn folio clx mummyng made for treason as is shewed fo clxv Murder was punysshed fo clxvii NOumbre of wardes in y e citye of London fo ii Names of twelfe perys of England folio xxx New tolle was brought vp fo xliiii Nycholas Brembre wyth other was put to deth fo cxliiii Nauye of Frenchemen dystressed as is shewed fo lv Newe coyne of syluer was stryken folio lvii New dyspleasure kynge Rycharde toke agayne y e cytye of London fo cl Newe coyne of golde smitten as appereth in fo clxx OCtoboon the popes legate was pursued of the clergy of Englande for causes shewed in fo xxii Occasyon of the fraye in Fletestrete folio cxlv Occasyon of dyspleasure betwene kynge Rycharde and the duke of Glouceter fo cxlix Of the chere and curious receyuyng of kyng Henry by the Frēnche kyng folio xxxii Offycers charged and dyscharged as it is shewed folio xxxiii Of kyng Iohn̄s pledges fo cviii Ordre of seruytoures in the tyme of quene Katherins coronaciō fo clxxvi Orleaunce that cytye was besyeged folio clxxxii Othes sworne by the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce for peace kefolio cvii Olyuer Dāman and Danyell sometyme chyef counsayllours of Lowys the Frenche kynge were hanged as appereth fo ccxxviii PReface of thys werke as apereth fo I Peace was taken betwene the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce folio xi Phylyp kynge of Fraunce warred vpon kyng Iohn̄ fo xi Phylyp brake the peace fo xii Pope Innocente sente vnto kynge Iohn̄ fo xiii Parlyamente holden at London folio xix Pyers of Pountfret for hys vertue put to deth fo xvii Parlyament holden at Mertone folio xxii Periurye was punysshed as appereth fo xxv Parlyament holden at Oxenforde as apereth fo xxx Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xxxi Parlyament holden at Oxenforde as is shewed fo xxxvi Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xxxviii Parlyament holden at westmynster folio xlv Peace was made betwene the kynge and Gylbert de Clare as is shewed folio xliii Punysshement of Londoners as is shewed fo xl Phylyp the thyrde of that name and sonne of saynte Lowys was made kynge of Fraunce in the yere of our lorde M.CC.lxx and the .liii. yere of the thyrde Henry than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xv. fo li Phylyp the .iiii. of that name and son̄ of the .iii. Phylyp la beawe or fayre began to reygne ouer Fraunce in y e yere of our lorde a M.CC.lxxxvi the .xiiii. yere of the fyrste Edwarde than kyng of England and reygned yeres .xxxix. fo lxviii Phylyp the .v. of that name and surnamed the longe sonne of the fourth Philyppe and brother to Lowys the xi by accompt begā hys reygne ouer Fraunce in the yere of grace a M.iii C. and .xvii the .x. yere of Edwarde the .ii. than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .v. fo lxxxiii Phylyppe de Ualoys erle of Ualoys and the sonne of Charlys de Ualoys brother to the fourthe Philippe was nat wythoute some stryfe chosen and ordeyned for protectoure of the lande of Fraunce and after kyng of the same the .ii. daye of February in the yere of oure lorde M.iii. C. and .xxviii and the .ii. yere of Edwarde the .iii. than kyng of Englande and reygned in greate trouble yeres .xxii. fo cxvi Phylyppes actes in Italye as appereth folio liiii Parlyament holden at westmynster folio lvi Plees remoued from London as is shewed fo lvi
payd in one yere but by deuided porcions in .iii. yeres ensuyng And of the lay fee or temporall men of EnglaÌ„de he had grauÌ„ted to hym the .x. peny of theyr mouables the which was payd in .ii. yeres next ensuyng And thys yere in y e moneth of Marche was drawen hanged at London for treason done in Fraunce a knyghte called syr Thomas Turbeuyle And aboute y e tyme of Easter whan Charlys de Ualoys as ye before in that other yere haue harde had lyen longe at the castell of Ryon myght nothyng wynne vpoÌ„ the Englyshmen but dayly loste of the best of hys knyghtes he sent for more ayde and socoure At whyche tyme came vnto hym syr Rauffe Nele constable of Fraunce with a fressh company and thaÌ„ assawted it of new But whan they had lyen there a season sawe they preuayled nothynge agayn theyr enemys they yode vnto an holde there by named Poudency and it assauted for so moche as the more nombre of the sowdyours there were Normans and after .viii. days by appoyntemente or otherwyse gat the sayd holde so that all the Englisshemen had theyr lybertye goodes and the Normans taken as prysoners the whyche they brought after vnto the castell of Ryon and there in syghte of the sowdyours hanged al or the more partye of the sayde Normans whan the Gascoynes beynge wythin the towne and castell of Ryons sawe then theyr cosyns and couÌ„trey men hanged before theyr eyen they caste in theyr myndes that yt was done by treason of the Englysshmen and that they wolde at length deale wyth them in lyke maner By reason wherof stryfe and varyauÌ„ce arose betwene the EnglysshemeÌ„ and the Gascoygnes so that eyther of theym feryd the treason of the other For the whyche cause syr Iohan Seyn Iohan syr IohnÌ„ de Britayn syr Robert Typtoft syr Rauffe TaÌ„ny syr Hugh Bardolfe syr Adam Cretynge with dyuers other fledde by see and in that maner saued them selfe and soone after the sayd towne and castell of Ryons was wonne by the Frenchemen and the inhabytauÌ„tes of the same sworne vnto the freÌ„ch kynge ye haue harde before in the .xxii. yere of thys kynge howe after the dethe of Alexander kyng of Scottes many questyons fyll amonge y â— sayd scottes who by ryght of enherytauÌ„ce shulde be kynge of that lande consyderynge that the sayde Alexander had lefte after hym thre doughters the whyche lyuyng theyr father were maryed The fyrste to syr Iohan Bayloll the seconde to Roberte le Bruze and the thyrde to one named Hastynges Many of the lordes of Scotlande wolde haue crowned syr Iohan Bayloll by reason that he maryed the eldest of the doughters But the frendes of Robert le Bruze withstode it with all theyr power And other there were that heâ—de with Hastynges so that after greate stryfe and longe varyaunce the matter was broughte before kynge Edwarde as chyef lord and soueraygne of that lande promysinge to hym to abyde all suche determynacyon and iugemente as he shulde sette therin Than kynge Edwarde to the ende that the scottes shulde knowe perfytely that the kyng of EnglaÌ„de ought of ryghte to be there chyefe hede and soueraygne shewed vnto theym suche olde wrytynges as he lyttell tofore had caused to be serched and founde in the whyche it was conteyned by the auctorytye of olde cronycles and wryters as Maryanus y e scotte wyllyam of Malmesbury Roger of Huntyngdon and other that in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.xx kynge Edwarde the elder made subget vnto hym the kynges of Cumbrys and scottes Also in the yere of grace .ix. C. and xxi the foresayd scottes Cumbrys chase the sayd Edwarde the elder to be theyr chyefe lord and patron And in y e yere of our lord .ix. C.xxvi Ethelstane than kynge of Englande subdued constantyne than kyng of scottes and after admytted the sayd Constantyne to reygne as kynge vnder him by othe of obeysauÌ„s with feaute and homage Also Edredus brother to the sayde Ethelstane subdued of newe the scottes with the Northumbrys and receyued of them agayne othe and homage And ouer that it is founde in the sayd cronycles that Edgar ouercame Alphunius the son of Kynadus kynge of Scottes and receyued of hym feawty homage and helde hym vnder hys obeysauÌ„ce as he had done hys father Kynadus before tyme. Moreouer it is there wytnessed that Canutus in the .xvi. yere of hys reygne subdued Malcolyne than kyng of scottes and receyued of hym feawty and homage Furthermore wyllyam Conquerour in the .vi. yere of his reygne subdued Malcolyne kyng of Scotlande the whyche before tymes had receyued the sayde kyngdome of the gyfte of Edwarde kynge and confessoure And wyllyam the rede dyd in lykewyse vnto the sayde Malcolyne and vnto hys two sonnes that reygned in Scotlande the one after the other Also Dauyd kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Stephane than kyng of Englande And wyllyam kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Henry the thyrde at the tyme of hys coronacyon and after came vnto hys father Henry the seconde whan the forenamed HeÌ„ry was deed in Normandy made hys homage to hym agayne Thys Henry that was sonne vnto Henry the seconde is of many wryters named Henry the thyrd for so moche as he was the .iii. kyng that was crowned of that name But for he dyed before hys father hys dedes ben lytell spoken of so that of some wryters he is nothyng mynded And it foloweth in the story howe that AlexaÌ„dre kyng of Scottes in y t .xxxv. yere of HeÌ„ry the thyrd or son of kyng IohnÌ„ maryed at yorke Margarete doughter of the sayd Henry and dyd vnto hym homage for the realme of Scotlande and bouÌ„de hym and hys heyres kynges of Scotlande by hys letters patentes to be trewe vnto the sayd HeÌ„ry vnto his heyres kynges of Englande lyke as before tyme wyllyam kyng of Scottes had oblyged hym vnto the seconde Henry as before in the .xxii. yere of hys reygne is more manyfestly shewed And more to them was shewed y â— popes bulles the whych were sent before tymes into Scotlande by auctoryte wherof the kynges of ScotlaÌ„de were accursed for they wolde nat be obedyent to theyr lordes kynges of Englande WHan all these presedentes were sene by y e Scottes a day was assygned of metyng at NorhmÌ„ in the marches betwene Englande and Scotlande whyther vnto the kyng came the chief rulers of the Scottes where they excused them to be bouÌ„de vnto the kyng for the obseruynge of the kynges ordenaunce for so moche as they lacked a kynge an hede by whome all suche ordenaunces shuld be maynteyned and holdeÌ„ But after by aduyce of bothe parties agremeÌ„t was made by the scottes that they shuld be bounde to obey the kynges iugement wheruppon bondes were made vpon bothe partyes that is to meane the kyng was bounde to theÌ„ in an hondreth thousande pounde y t within .ii. monethes after he had receyued the possessyon of the lande he shulde gyue it vnto
translated into a ryche shryne in the monastery of saynt Denys y e whych the yere before of Bonyface the .viii. thaÌ„ pope for hys great myracles was wrytten in the Cathologe or nombre of sayntes In the .xi. yere of hys reygne syr Robert of Artoys entred the towne of saynt Omers toke therin many Burgonions other as prysoners soone after mette wyth Guy duke of Burgoyne at a towne called Furnes where betwene theym was foughten a stronge fyghte and many men slayne vppon eyther syde But lastly the victorye fyll to syr Robert of Artoys so that he put the duke to flight toke there prysoners Henry erle of Dabencourt syr Guyllyam de Uyllers other After whyche vyctorye by hym thus opteyned y e sayd towne of Furnes was yolden vnto hym a greate parte of the vale of Cassyle In thys yere also the warre betwene thys kynge Phylyp and Edwarde the fyrste than kynge of Englande was put in vre for so moche as the sayde Edwarde toke partye wyth the sayde duke or erle of Flaundres as it is at length sette out in the xxii xxiiii.xxvi yeres of the sayde Edwarde wherefore here nowe I passe it over In the .xiii. yere of thys Phylyp whaÌ„ the trewce before sette betwene kyng Edwarde hym and the erle of FlauÌ„dres was expired he seÌ„t syr Charles de Ualoys his brother with great power into FlauÌ„dres y e whych made sharpe warre vppon the Flemynges and toke from theym the townes of Douay and Bethune after yode towarde the haueÌ„ towne of Dam or Dan \ where he was encouÌ„tred of Robert sonne vnto y e erle where atwene them was foughten a cruell fyght to the great scathe of bothe partyes for eyther departed from other without great auaunte or bost ThaÌ„ the sayd Robert with his company drewe towarde Gaunt and the sayd syr Charles after the departynge of the sayde Robert layd hys syege vnto the foresayd towne of DaÌ„me In this passe tyme the archebysshop of Orleaunce was slayne by a knyghte called syr Gautier for somoch as the sayd bysshop as y e fame than went had dyfflorysshed a mayden and doughter of y e sayd syr Gautier And for hym was chosen to that dygnyte mayster BarthraÌ„de doctour of diuinyte Than to retourne where we lafte of the foresayd warre of Flaundres the sayd syr Charles so sharpely assauted the towne of Dam y t in short proces after it was yoldeÌ„ vnto hym And than he prepared hym to lay his syege aboute the forenamed towne of Gaunt wherof whan Guy erle of Flaunders was ware consyderynge he myght nat shortly be ayded of the kynge of Englande whiche thaÌ„ warred vpon the Scottes as iÌ„ the .xxvii. yere of Edwarde the fyrst it doth appere he than made meanes vnto the sayd syr Charles de Ualoys that he woldc be a meane to the kynge that he myght be accepted vnto his grace and mercy So that by his meanes the sayde syr Guy with Roberte his sonne vpon certayne conuencyons in shorte tyme after was reconcyled vnto the Frenche kynge But whyle these conuencyoÌ„s were perfourmed the sayde erle with his sonne Robert were kepte in a lyberall pryson And the countye of Flaundres by the assygment af the kynge for the whyle was commytted vnto the rule of Iaques de saynt Paule knyghte The whiche entreated y e coÌ„munes of that laÌ„de sternly oppressed theÌ„ with imposycyons taskes in so moche y t in y e .xvi. yere of the kynge a certayne of y e towne of Courtray in Flaundres after certayn skyrmysshes loueday made the coÌ„mune people in a nyghte slewe y e foresayd syr Iaques and as many FreÌ„chmeÌ„ as they myght fynde within the towne After whiche murder was knowen in Brugys and in other townes of FlauÌ„dres anone by yll couÌ„sayll they also chased al suche FreÌ„chemeÌ„ as by y e foresayde Iaques were put in dyuers offyces within y e sayd townes made them stroÌ„ge to make defence agayne y e FreÌ„ch kyng wherof whaÌ„ y e FreÌ„che kynge was ascertayned he sente thyder with a stronge companye the erle of saynt Poule the erle of Boleygne syr Robert erle of Artoys Robert y e sonne of the erle of Cleremount with dyuers other noble meÌ„ of FrauÌ„ce The whiche sped theÌ„ towarde Brugys in y e playnes atwene Courtray and Brugys pyght there pauylyons and tentes For they myght not come no nere vnto Brugys for so moche as y e Flemynges had brokeÌ„ y e brydge ouer the ryuer y t there ruÌ„neth the whiche lastly nat without great slaughter of meÌ„ of both partyes was by y e FreÌ„che meÌ„ reedified made so y t the FreÌ„che hoste passed y e ryuer layde theyr or denauce nere to y e towne of Brugys But the Flemynges had so garnysshed theyr towne with defence of sowdyours that they fered the Frenche men lytell or nothynge And of one thynge they bare theym the bolder for soo moche as they hadde within the towne one of the sonnes of Guy theyr erle the whiche before was scaped from y e FreÌ„che kynges prysoÌ„ Thus the Frenchemen lyenge before the towne many frayes and bykerynges were made atwene the Flemynges and them to theyr both paynes Lastly a day of batayll by y e prouocacyon and dyspyteous wordes of the FrenchmeÌ„ was appoynted to be holden atwene them vpon the wednysday beynge than the .vii. day of y e moneth of Iulii At whiche daye the Flemynges beynge confessed and reconciled to god as they shulde forthwith haue deê‘ted out of this worlde in sober wyse grouÌ„dynge them vpon a ryghtfull and good quarel that day to lyue and dye for the defence ryght of theyr countre yssued out of y e town in good ordre beryng before them certayne relyques of sayntes in the whiche they had great truste allyance Anone as the nobles of Fraunce behelde the countenauÌ„ce of theyr enemyes dysdaynynge them as vylaynes artyfycers trustynge so moche in theyr streÌ„gthes that they thought shortly to ouer ryde theym bere theÌ„ downe with streÌ„gthe of theyr horses and without ordre ran with great ire vpon theyr enemyes thynkynge to haue oppressed them at y e fyrst broÌ„te But the Flemynges with theyr arbalasters and theyr longe mareys pykes set aslope before them wounded so theyr horses that they lay tumbelynge one in the others necke so that they were the letters of the other whiche were on fote that they myght not exercyse theyr feat of armes And also the shotte that was shotte on the Frenche partye dyd asmoche harme to those horse meÌ„ as it dyd vnto theyr enemyes So that in shorte whyle y e felde was all spred with slayne horses and clene armed men wherof syr Roberte Erle of Artoys beyng ware and seynge these noble speres thus slayne vpon the felde auauÌ„ced hym with his company and slewe wouÌ„ded of the Fleminges great nombre so y t they fledde before hym as shepe before the wolfe put further backe that hoost of Flemynges
by ordre of lawe or iustyce In thys yere also floured y e holy man called Robert a chanon of the house of Brydlyngtone the whyche of some wrytters is accompted for a prophete for verses that he made of thynges to come after in Englande whyche I passe ouer at thys tyme. Anno domini M.CCC.viii  Anno domini M.CCC.ix  wyllyam Basynge  Nycholas Faryngdone  Anno .ii.  Iohn̄ Butler  IN thys .ii. yere kyng Edward callynge to mynde the dyspleasure done vnto hym and to hys famulyer Pyers of Gauestone by the bysshoppe of Chester mayster walter Lanton as before is towched in the xxviii yere of the reygne of Edwarde hys father commaunded hym vnto the toure of London where he was streyghtely kepte many dayes after Than the lordes of the lande and specyally syr Henre Lacy syr Guy syr Aymer de Ualance erle of Lyncolne of warwyke of Penbroke to whome y e noble prince Edwarde y e .i. had gyuē so great charge y t Pyers of Gauestone shuld no more come into Englande sawe the rule of the lāde and howe the kynges treafoure by meane of the sayd pyers was wasted assembled them in counsayll of one assent with ayde of other lordes of y e realme spake so with the kynge that contrary hys pleasure he was auoyded the lande and banisshed into Irelande for that yere But the kynge sent vnto hym oftentymes secret messangers and comforted hym wyth many ryche gyftes or made hym hys chyef ruler of the countre Anno domini M.CCC.ix  Anno domini M.CCC.x.  Iamys of saynt Edmunde  Thomas Romayne  Anno .iii.  Roger Palmer  IN thys .iii. yere dyuers grudges began to moue sprynge betwene the kyng and his lordes for the exilynge of Pyers of Gauestone wherfore to contente amyte betwene hym them the sayd Pyers about y e feast of the natiuite of our Lady was fette home agayne and so contynued to the more myschyef of y e realme About thys tyme as testifyeth Cronica Cronicarum other the knyghtes of the ordre of saynte Iohn̄ Baptyste called saynt Iohn̄ of Hierusalē by theyr knyghtly manhode put out of the I le of Rodes or Rodhis y e Turkys and infidelis that to that day occupyed the sayd I le after that wanne vpon the sayd Turkys dayly and yerely so that at thys day they haue in theyr domynyon moche of the landes whyche at that day and longe after was in the power of the sayd Turkes Thys relygyō also was greatly preferryd by the fall of the templers whose possessyons and lādes were to them gyuen as it is before expressed in the thyrde chapytre and .xxi. yere of Phylyp the fayre Thys yere also after some wryters the crowched freres came fyrste into Englande Anno domini M.CCC.x.  Anno domini M.CCC.xi  Symon Croppe  Rycharde Roffham  Anno .iiii.  Petyr Blacnay  IN thys fourthe yere the rule and power of Pyers of Gaue stone more and more encreasynge in so moche that he hauynge the guydynge of all the kynges iewellys and treasoure yode vpon a day vnto west mynster and there out of the kynges iewell house toke a table a payre oftrestyllys of golde and conueyed them wyth other iewellys oute of the lande to the greate inpouerysshyng of the same and ouer that broughte the kynge by meane of hys wanton condycyons to manyfolde vyces as auoutry and other wherfore the foresayde lordes seynge the myschyefe that dayly encreased by occasyon of thys vnhappy man toke theyr counsayll togyther at Lyncolne and there concluded to voyde hym agayne out of Englande so that shortly after he was exyled into Flaunders to the kynges great dyspleasure Anno dn̄i M.CC.xi  Anno dn̄i M.CC.xii.  Symon Merwode  Iohn̄ Gysours  Anno .v.  Rycharde wylforde  IN thys .v. yere vpon the day of saynt Bryce or the .xiii. daye of Nouembre was borne at wyndesore the fyrst or eldest sonne of kyng Edwarde y t after hys father was kynge of Englande and named Edwarde the thyrde And this yere was agayn reuoked by the kynge Pyers of Gaueston out of Flaunders the whych after hys agayne commyng demeaned hym worse than he before dyd In so moche that he dysdayned the lordes of Englande and of them had many dyspytous and sclaunderouse wordes wherfore the lordes of one mynde assented to put this Pyers to deth soone after assembled theyr powers and besyeged hym in the castell of Scarburgh in proces wan that castell toke hym and brought hym vnto Gauersede besyde warwycke and there the .xix. daye of Iunu smote of hys hede wherof whan the kynge hadde knowlege he was greuously dyspleased agayne the sayd lordes and made hys auowe y e hys deth shuld be reuenged By meane of thys the rancoure that before betwene the kynge and hys lordes was kendeled now began further to sprede so that after thys day the kyng sought occasyō agayn hys lordes howe he myght put theym to greuaunce and dyspleasure In thys whyle dyed syr Henry Lacy erle of Lyncolne the whych lyeng vpon his dethe bedde requyred syr Thomas erle of Lācastre that had maryed hys doughter that he wolde stande with the other lordes in theyr defence for the weale of Englande The whyche request the sayd erle graunted and so fermely kepte or obserued it that at length he wyth many other loste theyr lyues as after in the story shall be shewed Anno dn̄i xiii C.xii.  Anno dn̄i xiii C.xiii.  Iohn̄ Lambyn  Iohn̄ Pontenay  Anno .vi.  Adam Lutekyn  IN thys .vi. yere the kyng held hys great court or counceyl of parlyamēt with the lordes spirituall temporall at London where by the aduyces of theym many good ordenaunces and statutes were made to oppresse the ryottouse and other myscheues that at those days were vsed Than the kyng was sworne to kepe those ordenaunces and after all his lordes to theyr powers After the whyche othe so takyn Robert archebysshope of Caunterbury blessed all theym that vphelde the sayde statutes and accursed all such as attēpted to breke any of the same It was nat longe after that worde was broughte vnto the kynge howe Robert le Bruze was retourned into Scotlande and hadde caused the Scottes to rebell of newe ye haue before harde in the .xxxiiii. yere of Edwarde the fyrste howe the sayd Edward chased the forenamed Roberte le Bruze oute of Scotland into Normandy But whenne he had harde of the mysguydynge of the realme of Englande and specially of the dyuysyon betwene the kynge and hys lordes he anone wyth a small ayde of the Norgans or Norwayes retourned into Scotlande where he demeaned hym in suche wyse to the lordes of Scotlāde that he in shorte processe was agayne made kynge of that realme and warred strongely vppon the kynges frēdes and wanne from theym castelles and strōge holdes and wrought vnto Englysshe men moche sorowe and
y e other syde laye in howge nombre for to defende the passage of the Frenchmen In whyche tyme season fell suche plenty of rayne that the ways waxed noyous foule in all that countrey By reason whereof vytayll whyche thā was as aboue is sayd scant was than more scars And ouer y e the feelde where the hoste laye was so wete myry that men and beastes were to greuously noyed wherefore in conclusyō y e kyng consyderyng those great hynderaunces harmes to hys lordes comōs that he myght in no maner wynne ouer to hys enemyes he retourned as other before times had done with lytell honour into Fraūce to y e great losse of y e kynges ordenaūce other stuffe that myght nat be caryed thēs by reason of depenes of the way For whych cause causes the kyng was so soore displeased y t he made then a great othe that yf he myght lyue tyll the yere folowyng y t he shuld be sette so the Flemynges y t they shuld nat escape hys daūger y t he shuld neuer take treatye nor ende with thē except they wolde fully holy put thē in his grace mercy But in the yere folowynge about y e feest of Pentecoste whē the sayd Lewys had scantly reygned ii yeres he dyed at Boys in Uyncent the .vi. daye of Iunii honorablye was buryed at saynt Denyse leuyng after hym none issue male wherfore hys brother Phylype succeded hym in the kyngdome Francia PHylyp the .v. of that name and brother of the forenamed Lewys whyche for his heygth was surnamed Phylyp the longe began hys reygne ouer y e Frēchmē in y e yere of our lorde M.CCC and .xvii and the .x. yere of Edwarde the seconde than kynge of Englande But fyrste he reygned but as regent of Fraūce for so moche as Clemence the wyfe of kynge Lewys was left of her sayd husbande with chylde The whiche in processe of tyme was delyuered of a man chylde named Iohan that dyed shortly after After whose dethe y e sayd Phylyp was forthwith proclaymed kynge of Fraunce and crowned at Parys aboute Chrystmas folowynge al be it y t the duke of Burgoyn with other for a whyle with sayd that coronacyon and wolde haue preferred the doughter of Lewys last deed But other of the lordes and nobles of Fraunce wolde not be agreable y t a woman shulde enheryte so great a kyngdome By meane wherof vnkyndnes kyndled atwene the kynge and the sayd duke But by wyse medyatoures they were after acorded in suche wyse that the sayd duke maryed the eldest doughter of y e kynge In this passe tyme suche meanes were made by the Flemynges that an vnyte and accorde was stablysshed atwene Fraunce and them for y e tyme that it helde whiche peace as testyfyeth the Frenche cronycle was laboured and ended by a cardynall named Iosselyn sent frome y e .xxii. Iohan than pope so that by medyacyon of the sayd cardynall the erle of Flaūdres was receyued vnto y e kynges grace and at Parys dyd vnto y e Frenche kynge his homage sware vnto hym feawtye In the thyrde yere of the reygne of this Phylyp the prouost of Parys hauyng in his pryson a Pycarde a man of great rychesse whiche for felony or lyke cryme was iudged to be hanged The sayd prouoste for great benefyte to hym doone and payment of great summes by y e sayd Pycarde toke an other poore innocent man put hym to dethe in stede of the sayd Pycarde Of the whiche offence whā due profe of it was made before the kynges counceyll the sayd prouoste for the same dede was put vnto lyke iudgment In the fyfth yere of the sayd Phylyp all the lazaryes of the countrey of Langadocke were brente for so moche as they were accused of theyr owne confessyon proued that they had poysoned and entended to haue poysoned all the welles of that countrey And for many Iewes were vnto them consentynge therfore many of them suffered lyke iudgment In this yere also for somoche as in those dayes in dyuers places of Fraunce a fonde prophecy was broughte vp amōge the comune people that shepherdes and herdes shulde wynne the holy lande Than they assembled thē selfe in dyuers places and companyes and lastly came togyder at Parys where they were so many in nombre by reason of other of the comune people that fell vnto them that the Prouost of Parys was not of power to withstande thē so that they brake prysones and toke out suche persones as them pleased and from thens wente beggynge and robbynge tyll they came into Langedocke where they fel vpon the Iewes and robbed theym of all suche mouables as they myght fynde and slewe of theym also wherfore the other of the Iewes ferynge the sayd comunes gathered them with theyr wyues chyldren to the noūbre of .v. C. into a towre and thought to defende them theyr wyues and chyldren from the sayd herdes But anone as they hadde wyttynge therof they assawted the sayd towre so egerly that in the ende seynge they myght not escape for very despyte they threwe theyr chyldren downe at theyr hedes after slewe eyther other for they shulde not fall in the handes of theyr enemyes or elles to auoyde y e peynes of the fyre whiche the herdes hadde begunne to fasten vpon the sayd towre whā the sayd Herdes hadde thus robbed and slayne y e Iewes of Langdocke they departed thens and yode towarde a a countrey called Carcasson entendynge lyke robbery as they before had vsed wherof y e countrey beynge warned stopped kepte so the passages withstode them with suche power and strengthe that they dysseuered thē selfe by small companyes so that many of them were taken and hanged the other fled in saue gardynge them selfe and so this folysshe prophecy was ended with synne and shame Kynge Phylyppe by meane of yll coūseyle sette a great taske vpon his comunes that is to meane the fyfth parte of theyr mouable goodes For the whiche consyderynge he had no charg of warres ī no place they murmured grudged wonder sore But how it was or this taxe was leuyed he fell in a feuer quarteyne a great flyx whiche sekenesse fell vpon hym by prayer of the comunes after the Frenche boke for leuyenge of y e sayd greuous taxe Than for hym was made many solempne processyons other prayers How be it in lōge processe he dyed whan he had languysshedde from the begynnynge of August tyl the .viii. day of Ianuary Upon whiche day he dyed whan he had reygned .iiii. yeres .vii. monethes odde dayes leuynge after hym none heyre male wherfore the crowne dyscēded vnto his brother Charles erle of the Marches Francia ¶ Charles the fyfth CArolus the fyfth or Charles the yongest of the thre bretherne or sonnes of Philyppe le Bewe begāne his reygne ouer y e Frenchmē in y e moneth of Ianuary yere of our lorde M.CCC and .xxii and the .xv. yere of
and that he shuld agayn be restored vnto hys kyngdome whereunto yt was answered by the Englyssh ambassadours that theyr coÌ„myssyon stretched nat so farre nor that theyr prince had gyuen vnto theÌ„ any suche auctoryte wherefore all y e former comunycacyoÌ„ was reuoked adnulled they retourned into Englande wythoute any conclusyon takynge Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxiiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxv  walter Mordon  Reynolde at Cunduyte  Anno .x.  Rycharde Upton  IN thys .x. yere for so moche as no conclusyon of vnyte peas myght be had betwene the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce therfore warre was proclaymed vpon bothe partyes The whyche warre was greatly procured by the meane of syr Robert of Artoys as in the story of Phylyp de Ualoyes shal be after shewed Then eyther prynce sought y e wayes and meanes howe eyther of theym myghte discontent other in so moche that the Frenche kynge sente soone after into Scotlande a crewe of Frenchemen to ayde suche enemyes as kynge Edwarde there had By reason whereof the sayde Scottes made sharpe warre vppon the kynges seruauÌ„tes and frendes and putte the lande to greate vexacyon and trouble in so moche that y e kyng was forced to assemble hys power to spede hym agayne thyther Than about mydsomer the kynge entred Scotlande by the see warred vpoÌ„ the Scottes and FrenchemeÌ„ Of the whych no notary batayl is specified except in that iournay the kyng subdued hys enemyes toke there dyuerse prysoners Amonge the which one called erle of Morreta Frencheman was chyefe y â— after was with other in ê“cesse of tyme there deliuered in exchauÌ„ge for y e erle of Namur another freÌ„ch lord whych thaÌ„ was takeÌ„ by gyle of Scottê as he was comyng towarde saynte Iohfis towne for to ayde the partye of kynge Edwarde whaÌ„ kyng Edward had agayn pacifyed the Scottes and takeÌ„ homage of suche as before rebelled he than as testyfyeth the Frenche cronicle stablysshed y e fore named Edward Bayloll as kyng of Scottes commytted the rule of the lande vnto hym as he before tymes had done Than the Scottes for the greate kyndenesse whyche they had founde in the kyng in recoÌ„peÌ„semeÌ„t of the great charge whych he by sundrye tymes had had in the defendyng of theyr enemyes graunted bounde them vnto hym to hys heyres kynges of England that they shuld ayde assyste hym agayne all prynces And whan so euer he had warre or any kynge of EnglaÌ„de beynge ryghtfull enherytoure agayn any prynce other wythin hys lande or without y e Scottes at theyr propre costes expenses shuld fynde iii. C. horsemeÌ„ well armed and a M fotemen well suffycyently arrayed for the warre the whiche .xiii. C. men the Scottes shulde wage for an hole yere And yf the kynge of Englande ended nat hys warre within the yere than he to hyre and wage the sayde Scottes as he doth the other of hys souldyours After whyche grauntes made bondes for the suertie therof receyued by y e kynge as wytnesseth the Frenche cronycle the kynge leuynge at Edenborough a certayne of hys knyghtes to strength y t Scottes agaynste the FrenchemeÌ„ whych compassed all the wayes they myght to brynge Dauyd the sonne of Robert le Bruze in possessyon of that laÌ„de he shortlye after retourned into Englande Anno domini M.CCC.xxxv  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvi  wyllyam Brykelsworthe  IohnÌ„ Pontnay  Anno .xi.  IohnÌ„ Northall  IN thys xiâ— yere y e kynge remeÌ„brynge the greate charge y t he had with the warre in ScotlaÌ„de and also for the charge y t he dayly had in Guyan more contynually shulde haue in defeÌ„dyng of y e freÌ„chmeÌ„ wynnyng of hys right he therfore gathered treasour vpoÌ„ euery syde by dyuerse sundry ways wherof y e maner is nat expressed But so great plente came to hys vse y t it was scaÌ„t thorow out y e realme By reason of whyche scarcytie vytayll moche other Mercimonies were exceding good chepe For at LoÌ„doÌ„ a quarter of whete was solde for .ii. s a fat oxe for .vi. s. viii. d a fat shepe for .vi. d. .viii. d. vi peioÌ„s for a peny a fatte goos for .ii. d a pygge for a peny so al other vytayl after y e rate This yere also vpoÌ„ holy Rode day or y e .xiiii. day of SepteÌ„bre dyed syr IohnÌ„ of ElthaÌ„ erle of Corne wayl brother vnto y e kyng without issu wherfore y e sayd erldoÌ„ fell into y e kynges haÌ„de This maÌ„ lyeth buryed at westmynster vpoÌ„ y e right haÌ„de of y e hygh aulter In this yere also apered Stella cometa in englysshe named y e blasyng starre in an huge stremyng maner wherof many dyuerse construccioÌ„s were had amoÌ„ge the comoÌ„ people whych I passe ouer Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvi  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xxxvii  walter Neale  Henry Darcy  Anno .xii.  Nycholas Crane  IN thys .xii. yere y e kynge helde hys parlyament at westmynster about the tyme of lent Durynge the whych he made of the erledâ—m of Cornewayle duchy gaue it with the erledam of Chestre vnto Edward hys sonne And at thys parlyamente were made .vi. erles that is to say of Derby of Northampton of Hâ—Ì„tyngdon of Salysbury of Glouceter of Suff â–ª as Henry of Lancastre was created erle of Derby or after somme wryters of Leyceter wyllyam de Bothum erle of NorthamptoÌ„ wyllyam de Clynton erle of HuÌ„tyngedon wyllyam de MouÌ„tague erle of Salysbury Hugh of Audeley erle of Glouceter Robert of Ufforde erle of Suffolke And in thys parlyamente was an acte enacted that no man shulde were no maner of sylk in gowne cote or doublet but yf he myghte spende of good rente an hundreth â—â— by yere whyche acte was nat longe holden In thys yere also the kynge amonge dyuerse pryuyleges grauÌ„ted vnto y e cytezeyns of London that the offycers of the mayres sheryfes shulde from that day forthwarde vse marys of syluer parcell gylte The kynge of Fraunce thys yere for so moche as he was credybly enfourmed that kyng Edwarde wolde entre the lande of FrauÌ„ce to make warre vpoÌ„ thesame he therfore made great purueyaunce to resyste hym For the coÌ„mon fame ranne thanne in FrauÌ„ce y t kyng Edward enteÌ„ded nat onely to clayme Gascoyne Guyan but also all Fraunce as hys propre rightfull enherytaunce in the ryghte of hys mother wherefore the French kynge assembled an huge hoste and commytted the rule of it vnto the kynge of Nauerne and to the erle of Alenson brother vnto the sayde Frenche kynge â–ª whyche sayde capytaynes wyth theyr people awayted dayly the kynge of Englandes commynge whyche theym for that yere dyspoynted But as testyfyeth the same Frenche cronycle kynge Edwarde in thys whyle sent into Flaunders a knyghte called syr Barnarde de Brette for to treate of an amyâ—e betwene hym and the Flemynges For this cause the erle of Flaunders whych was
retourne to thys Charlys lykely it is that he was nat y e naturall sonne of the forenamed Charlys for as moche as hys sayd father ordeyned and wylled the realme of FrauÌ„ce vnto Katheryne hys doughter and wyfe vnto kynge HeÌ„ry the .v and agreed wyth the consente of the more parte of y e lordes of hys realme bothe spyrituall temporall that duryng hys lyfe the sayd kynge Henry shuld be regeÌ„t of FrauÌ„ce after hys deth to be kyng of the sayd regâ—oÌ„ as more at lengthe before I haue shewed vnto you in the .vii. yere of the sayd Henry the .v. But whether he be hys legyttymat sonne or nat where uppoÌ„ I purpose no leÌ„ger to stande trouth it is that he was by his father admitted made dolphyne of Uyen by reason wherof he was in a greate auctoryte wan to hym fauoure of som lordes of FrauÌ„ce whych stroÌ„gly maynteyned hys partye durynge the lyfe of kyng HeÌ„ry the .v after all y t season whyle the duke of Bedforde occupyed there as regent of that regyoÌ„ was of some parties of FrauÌ„ce reputed for kyng Howe be it he was neuer crowned so loÌ„ge as the sayde duke of Bedforde lyued Neuerthelesse he by meane of polycy hys freÌ„des so defended hym selfe that lytle by the EnglyshemeÌ„ was wonne vpoÌ„ hym of suche laÌ„des as he fyrste was in possessyon of But polytykely he defended theym lytle and lytle so preuayled agayne them that in the ende he all onely wanne nat to hym the possessioÌ„ of that prouince y t which is named FrauÌ„ce but also he wanne to hym in the ende the kynge of Englandes olde enherytaunce that is Normandy wyth all domynyons to the same apperteynynge The maner of wynnynge of them I woll nat in thys story speke of for so moche as in the former yeres of kynge Henry the .vi. I haue there expressed the maner of somme parte therof But that I shall speke of theÌ„ shal be of thynges done betwene hym other prynces And for that I before in the .viii. yere of HeÌ„ry the vi promysed in the .vi. yere of thys Charles to shewe vnto you som what of the maydeÌ„ or pucel which y e FreÌ„ch men named la pucelle de dieu her for a messenger from god to be sente reputed I shall here folow y e saying of Gaguyne whyche sayeth as foloweth In the .vi. yere or there aboute to rekyn from the deth of thys Charles father a weÌ„che or mayden beyng bred in a strete or vyllage called in latyne Ualli color in thys tyme beynge sproÌ„ge to the age of .xx. yeres or there about hauing to father a poore man named Iakes Delarch and hyr mother Isabell she also berynge the name of Iane or Iohan required by dyuers sundry tymes an vncle of hyrs beyng prefecte of the foresayde vyllage that he wolde presente hyr vnto the FreÌ„che kynge for thynges coÌ„cernyng greatly the weale of hym of hys realme whyche sayd prefect after many delayes for so moche as in hyr wordes he had lytle truste yet at leÌ„gthe hyr sayd vncle beynge named Robert Baudryncourt sent hyr wyth a coÌ„uenyent company vnto the kyng wyth letters certyfyenge hym of all the maner of thys mayde wherof the sayd Charles beynge asserteyned thought he wold vse som meane to knowe the vertue of thys wenche And for he had perfyghte experyence that before tymes thys woman had neuer sene hys persone he thoughte he wolde chaunge hys rome and habyte to se whether she by hyr vertue coulde knowe hym frome other and that done he standynge amonge other of his familiers as one of them she was called into the chaumber demaunded yf euer before tyme she had sene the kynge And after she hadde answered nay she was byddeÌ„ to espye oute the kynge whych there stode amonge that companye The whyche anone wythout dyfficulte him fande and saluted as king And all be it that he refused hyr reuereÌ„ce sayd y t she erred in hyr choyse yet she parseuered kneling at his fete and sayde that by goddes purueyauÌ„ce she was taught that he was hyr very soueraygn prince none other wherfore the kynge all hys lordes had in hyr the more affyauÌ„ce that by hyr the laÌ„de shulde be releuyd whych at that daye was in passyng mysery Than after dyuers questyoÌ„s to hyr made what was the cause of hyr thyther commynge she answered sayd that she was sent frome god to stablisshe the kynge in hys realme and that by hyr she beynge leder capytayne of hys people by dyuine grace onely the kynge shulde shortely subdue hys enemyes By reasoÌ„ of which wordes the kyng wyth hys lordes were somedeale comforted Upon thys armour sword was sought for this maydeÌ„ the whych as sayeth my sayd auctour was fouÌ„den myraculously wherof the processe to me appereth so darke faÌ„tastycall y t therewith me list nat to blot my boke but suffre it to passe by Than thys weÌ„che being purueyed of all thinges necessary to the warre a company of knyghtes soudyours to hyr by the kynge was assygned And so she rydynge as a man in maÌ„nes habyte contynued by the space of .ii. yeres more and dyd many wonderful feates and gat from the Englysshemen many stroÌ„ge townes and holdes wherefore amonge Frenchemen she was wordshypped for an auÌ„gell or a messynger sent frome god to releue theyr great myserye And as affermeth the sayd auctour she by hyr prouydence caused the sayd Charles as kynge of Fraunce to be crowned at Raynes in the yere of oure lord M. foure hundreth and .xxix. All be it nouther the Frenche cronycle nor other whyche I haue sene testyfyeth that but affermyn that he was nat crowned duryng the lyfe of the duke of Bedforde But almyghty god whyche for a season suffereth suche sorcery and deuelyssh ways to prospere reygne to the correccyon of synners lastely to shewe hys power and that good men shuld nat fall into any erroure he sheweth the clerenesse of suche mystycall thynges and so he dyd in thys For lastely she by a knyghte Burgonyon was taken after sent to Roan and there breÌ„t for her demerytes as in the .viii yere of Henry the .vi. is more at leÌ„gth shewed ThaÌ„ the tyme forth passyng and coÌ„tynuall warre betwene Englande FrauÌ„ce contynuyng among many trybulacions by thys Charles susteyned one that was hys owne sonnÌ„ named Lewys comforted and assysted by the dukes of BurboÌ„ and AleÌ„son wyth other meÌ„ of name rebelled agayne hys father and warred vppon hym and by strengthe wan frome hym certeyne townes strong holdes For remedy whereof the sayde Charles made warre vppon the forenamed duke of Burbon and wasted wyth iron and fyre the countreyes of the sayde duke of Burbon By meane whereof after thys vnkyndely warre hadde duryd by the space of syxe monethes or more a peace and vnyte betwene the father sonne was treated by meanes of the erle of Ewe a coÌ„corde vnite betwene
Guyldhall or other places symple and vndyscret persons shuld haue the voyce and the worshypfull meÌ„ lytell or nothyng regarded wherof ensuyd dayly myche vnhappynes and sorow as after shall appere The Barons then to obteyne the more fauour of y e cytye wyllyd them to shewe yf they hadde any of theyr libertyes wythdraweÌ„ that they myght agayne to theym be restored and also to dyuyse some new to theyr weale and profyte and they wolde laboure to the kynge that they myghte haue theym graunted For the whych comforte of the lordes the mayre called the commons to the Guyldhall and shewed to them the beneuoleÌ„ce of the sayd lordes willed them that euery ofâ—ycer for hys offyce to deuyse such thynges as myght be benefycyall for the cytye wheruppon they counsaylled to gyther and made a note in paper of dyuers statutes prouysyons and ordynaunces to be graunted whyche myght more properly be named abhomynacyons For they were deuysed to theyr synguler profyte to y e great hurt of all other marchauÌ„tes commynge to the citye and to all other fayres and markettes of Englande and also preiudycyall to the vnyuersall weale of the realme The whyche when they were ouersene by the heddes of the cytye yt was shewyd vnto the sayd coÌ„mons that theyr ordynaunces were not lefull nor charytable orderyd and therfore they knewe well they shulde not be admytted wyllyng theÌ„ to deuyse other But all was in vayne By meane wherof both those other that were ryght necessary for the coÌ„mon weale of the cytye were reiected put of Then y e Barons vpon the morowe folowynge saynt Iamys daye departed from London towarde wyndesore to se the gydynge of the castell where at theyr commynge they putte out the foresayde allyauntes before set in by syr Edward the kinges son the whyche assocyat wyth other yode vnto Fulham where the kynge then lay and shewyd to hym that the Barons had spoyled them of suche goodes as they hadde and that wythout cause But the kynge put them of for that season and warned them to sue to hym agayne about Mychelmasse when more of his couÌ„sayll was with hym then they shuld haue iustyce Uppon the second daye folowyng the feaste of saynte Mathew or the xxiii daye of september the kynge the quene with his sonnes and other nobles of thys land toke shyppyng and sayled into Fraunce to be present at the Frenche kynges parlyaament then holden at Bonony And the morow after the octabis of saynt Mychaell he landed agayne at Douer And the frydaye folowynge he came vnto London And vppon the tuesday folowyng passed a queste of .xii. knyghtes of Mydd sworne vpon a iury betwene the abbot of westmynster and the cytye for certayne pryuyleges that the cytesyns of London claymed wythin westmynster where by the sayde iurye it was founden before Gylbert of Prestone then chefe Baron of the kynges excheker that the sâ—ryues of London at those days myght lawfully enter into the town of westmynster and all other tenemeÌ„tes that the abbot then hadde wythin Myddelsex vnto the gate of the sayd abbay and there to make summons and dystrayne for lacke of apparaunce all and eueryche tenaunte of the sayde abbot About the quindena of saynt Mychaell the fourmer complaynt of the allyauntes and other whyche as aboue ye haue harde was shewed before the kyng and y e lordes in the parlyament holden at westmynster where lastely yt was sentencyd that the Barons shulde restore all suche goodes as they and theyr companye hadde taken from all suche persons before that daye as well to allyauntes as other both spyrytuall and temporall and also that suche menyall seruauntes as shulde be dayly in the kynges house and about his person shulde be suche as the kynge wolde chose and admyt hym selfe the whyche ii artycles the Barons vtterly denyed wherfore the olde rancoure toke place and dyssencyon kyndled his fyre of malyce agayn betwen the kynge and his lordes feruently Anno domini M.CC.lxii  Anno domini M.CC.lxiii  Robert Moumplere  Thomas fyz Thomas  Anno .xlvii.  Robert de Suff.  IN thys .xlvii. yere by procurement and styrynge of the Barons the commons of the cytye of London chase vnto theyr mayre for that yere Thomas fyz Thomas and wythout counsayll of the aldermen sware at Guyldehall vppon the day of Symon and Iude and made no presentement of hym vppon the morowe folowynge nother to the kyng nor yet to the Barons of the kynges excheker as they of ryght ought to haue done For the whych presumpcyon the kynge was greuously dyscontentyd agayne the cytye Soone after the kynge aduertysynge well y t the citye wolde take the Barons partye and causyd syr Edwarde his son to take the castell of wyndesore by a trayne wherof when he knewe that he was in possessyon the kynge erly in a mornynge a lytell to fore Crystemas departed from westmynster rode vnto the sayde castell whyther shortely after came also many of the lordes that were vppon the kynges partye And as faste the lordes and knyghtes whych helde wyth the erle of Leyceter drew them toward Lonlon so y t on eyther partye was mych people assembled In the whyche passe tyme some well dysposyd laboryd a concorde betwene the kynge hys lordes By whose meanes fynally yt was agreed by bothe partyes that all maters concernynge the fore sayde artycles of statutes and ordynauÌ„ces made at Oxenford and after by the .xii. Perys that the Frenche kynge shuld deme and iudge whych shulde be holden and whyche not And as he demyd both partyes promysed assuredly to abyde Upon whiche agrement copyes were made of the sayde statutes and wyth letters shewynge the effecte of the fourmer agrement sent vnto the sayde kynge of Fraunce then beynge saynt Lewys And in the Crystmas weke folowynge the kyng toke shyppynge with syr Edward his son and other of his counsayll and sayled into Fraunce for the foresayde cause And for the partye of the sayd Barons was sent ouer syr Peter de Mountforde and other Then before Lewys kynge of Fraunce those statutes were sore argued vppon both parties How be yt in the ende the Frenche kynge callynge before hym both parties vpon the day before y e conuersyon of saynt Paule or the .xxiiii. daye of Ianuary syttynge in iudgement gaue expresse sentence that all and eueryche of the sayde statutes and ordynaunces shulde be from y e daye foreward vtterly foredone and set at noughte and all suche bandes and promyses that the kyng or any other had made for the mayntenaunce of the same shulde be adnulled cancellyd and the kynge and all other for any mater concernynge those statutes set at lybertye After whyche sentence thus gyuen the kynge retourned into Englande so that he came to London the .xv. daye of Februarye But the Barons beynge sore amoued wyth this sentence notynge greate parcyaltye vnto the Frenche kynge departed from London westwarde so into the marchys of walys
where they drew to them great power and warred vppon the landes and castellys of syr Roger Mortymer threw some of them vnto the grounde and spoyled of hys what they myghte fynde and ouer that brent of hys manours and houses In whose ayde syr Edwarde the kynges sonne commynge hys people were dystressyd and he almoste taken For redresse of whyche maters a newe parlyameÌ„t was appoynted to be holdeÌ„ at Oxenforde in the quindena of Eester nexte folowynge whyche came neuer to effecte All be yt an other cronicle sayth that from this parlyament then holden at Oxenforde the kynge and his lordes parted all dyscorded Then the barons drewe towarde London the kynge remayned at woodstok And then newe assuraunce by wrytynge endentyd was made betwene the comynaltye of the cytye and the Barons wythoute consent of many of the rulers of the sayde cytye wherfore the commons as men enraged made of theym self two capytaynes whych they named constables of the cytye y t is to say Thomas de Pyweldon Stephan Bukerel At whose commaundement by tollynge of the great belle of Paules all the cytye shulde be redy shortely in harnes to gyue attendaunce vppon theyr sayd capytaynes About the begynnynge of lent the constable of the towre syr Hughe le Spenser came wyth a fayre company of men of armys before hym into the cytye and desyred assystence of the forenamed constables The whyche commaunded the sayd belle to be â—olled By meane wherof the people shyt theyr shoppes and came out in harneys in great multytude The whyche after proclamacyon made that they shulde â—olowe theyr capytaynes wythout knowlege what to do or whyther to go folowed theyr sayde capytaynes and so yode vnto Thystelworth vppon two myles beyonde westmynster there spoyled the manour of the kynge of Romaynes and sette yt after vppon a fyre And that done hys water mylles other commodities that he there had put theym to vtter ruyne And after wyth great noyse and crye returned vnto London This dede as sayth myne authour was cause of the mortall warre folowynge For where before tyme the sayde kynge of Romaynes hadde ben for allyaunce that was betwene hym and the erle of Glouceter a treatye of peace to be hadde betwene the kynge and his Barons after that dede done he was enymy vnto them to the vttermoste of his power The kynge herynge of thys ryâ—â—gaderyd vnto him great power And for he harde that syr Peter de MouÌ„t forde was at Northampton gatherynge of people to strength the Barons partye he spedde hym thyder and wanne the towne vppon hym by force and slewe many of hys men and fynally toke hym syr Symon the son of the erle of Leyceter wyth dyuers other on lyue the which with many burgeyses of that towne that hadde take theyr partyes the kynge sent vnto dyuers prysons and some he closyd wythin the castell of y e same towne In thys passe tyme on Palmesondaye weke all the Iewes in London were spoyled and robbed the nomber of .v. huÌ„dred of them were slayn and dyuers of theyr mansyons brent and destroyed and suche as of them were saued were conueyed for great mede vnto the towre and there kept from the fury of the commons wherof the occasyon was for so myche as a Iewe wolde haue forced a crysten man to haue gyueÌ„ to hym more then ii d. for the vsure of .xx. s. for a weke For ye shall vnderstand that at those dayes by lycence graunted vnto the Iewes of the kynge they myght take by vsury of euery man y t of theym wolde borowe money .ii. d. of a pouÌ„d for a weke lendyng and so of greter of smaller summes after that rate And soon after the Iewes were thus punyshed many houses of relygyon wythin y e citye and nere there about were serched for goodes of alliauÌ„tis and myche founde wherof a parte was brought vnto the lordis but the more parte was stolen and brybed In whyche season the kynge passed by diuers couÌ„treys and lastely came into Southsex with a strong power wherof herynge the lordes made preparacyon to go towardes hym In all whyche tyme the wardeyns of the v. portes kepte the see wyth shyppes that no straungers shulde entre the lande to ayde the kynge agayne the Barons Then in the ende of Apryll the Barons wyth a multytude of the cytye whyche they put in vawarde departed from London takyng theyr iourney towarde the kynge And when they were well onwarde vpon they re way worde was brought vnto them that the kynge wyth an huge power was at Lewys wherfore they by an hole assent dyuysed a letter and sent yt in y e name of all the Barons vnto the kynge whose names here vnder folowe but not all Syr Symonde de Mounforde erle of Leyceter and hyghe stewarde of Englande Syr Gylbert de Clare erle of Glouceter Syr Robert Ferres erle of Derby Syr Hugh le Spenser chefe iustice and syr Henry de Mountford son and heyre to the erle of Leyceter Syr Rycharde Gray Syr Henry Hastynges Syr IohnÌ„ fyz IohnÌ„ Syr Robert de Uenpount Syr IohnÌ„ Gyuyle Syr Robert Roos Syr wyllyam Marmyon Baldwyne wake Syr Gylbert Gyfforde Syr Nycholas de Megraue Syr Godfrey de Lucy Syr IohnÌ„ de Ueysy Syr wyllyam de Mounthdesey whyche letter sealed wyth the seales of the sayde erle of Leycester and of Glouceter conteyned as foloweth TO the most excellent lord the kynge Henry by the grace of god kynge of Englande lorde of Irlande and duke of Gwyan the Barons other faythfull your seruauntes theyr fydelyte and othe to god and to you coueytynge to kepe sendyng to you due salutyng with all reuerence and honour vnder due obeysaunce Lyketh yt youre hyghnes to vnderstaÌ„de that many beyng about you haue before tymes shewyd vnto your lordshyppe of vs many euyll vntrewe reportes and haue founde suggestyons not alonely of vs but also of your selfe to brynge this your realme vnto subuersyon Know your excellency that we entende nothyng but helth and suerty to your person to the vttermoste of our powers and not onely to our enmyes but also to yours and of all this youre realme we entende vtter greuaunce and correccyon Besechynge your grace her after to gyue vnto theym lytell credeÌ„ce for ye shall fynde vs your trew and faythfull subiectes to the vtter moste of our powers And we erle of Leyceter and erle of Glouceter at the request of other and for our selfe haue put to our seales the .x. day of the moneth of May. The answere vnto this foresayde letter HEnry by y e grace of god kyng of Englande lorde of Irland and duke of Guyan to Symonde de Mountforde Gylbert de Clare theyr coÌ„plyces where as by warre generall ê‘turbauÌ„ce in this our realme by you begon contynued wyth also brennynges and other hurtes and enormytyes that euydently apperyth that your fydelyte to vs due ye haue not kept nor y e suerty of our person ye haue