suncke all their Ships King Edward vanquishes the French Kings great Navie slew 30 thousand men and landed with as great glory as such a victorie the greatest that ever before was gotten by the English at Sea could yeeld Most of the French rather then to endure the Arrowes and sharpe swords of the English or be taken desperately leape into the Sea Whereupon the French Kings Iester set on to giue him notice of this overthrow which being so ill newes none else willingly would impart on the suddaine said and oftentimes re-iterated the same Cowardly Englishmen Iean Tillet Dasterdly Englishmen Faint-hearted Englishmen The King at length asked him Why For that said he They durst not leap out of their ships into the Sea as our braue French-men did By which speech the King apprehended a notion of this overthrow which the French attribute to Nicholas Buchet one of their chiefe Commanders who had armed his Ships with men of base condition content with small pay and refused Gentlemen and sufficient Souldeirs in regard they required greater wages and it osten happens that the Auarice of Commanders haue beene the occasion of great defeits But this losse much abated the power of the French King who notwithstanding in these Martiall times was soone supplyed both out of his owne Dominions and those of his Confederates and makes a mighty head against this victorious powerfull and freshly furnished King of England who suddainely sets downe before Tourney with King Edward and sends hic Challenge to the French King all his owne and his adherents forces And from Chyn a place neere-by where hee lodged sends his Cartell the 17 of Iuly to Phillip de Valois lodging at S. Andrew les Aire with his puissant army Declaring how he with the power of his owne Kingdome and aide of the Flemmings was come to recever his right in the Kingdome of France uniustly detained from him contrary to the Lawes of God and Man and that seeing no other meanes would serue hee was forced in this manner to haue recourse to his sword Notwithstanding seeing the businesse was between them two hee offers for the avoiding of Christian bloud à nd devastation of the Country to try the same by combat in close Campe body to body or each of them accompaned with 100 choyce persons which if the said Phillip refused then to strike battell within ten daies after before the Cittie of Tourney Phillip de Valois returnes answer the last of Iuly in this manner Phillip by the grace of God King of France to Edward King of England Wee haue perused your letters sent to the The French Kings answer to the Challenge Court of Phillip de Valois containing certaine requests to the said Phillip and for that it appeareth hose letters and requests were not written or made vnto vs wee will in no sort answer you But seeing by those letters and otherwise wee understand how you led by Wilfulnesse without all reason haue entred our Kingdome of France with armed power and committed no small dammage in the same and on our people contrary to the duety of a Liegeman having lalely sworne homage vnto us acknowledging us as by right King of France and haue promised that obedience which is due from the Vassall to his Liege-Lord as is manifest by your letters Patents under your great Seale which we haue with us and you likewise ought to haue the same with you And therefore our intention is as becomes our Honour to chace you out of our Kingdome as we firmely hope in Christ from whom we haue our power to do For that by this your warre most wickedly begunne our Iourney undertaken for the East is hindred no small number of Christians there murthered the holy service neglected and the Church dishonoured And whereas you alledge you possesse the aide of the Flemmings wee are assuredly perswaded that they with the Communalty of their Countrie will so beare themselues towardes our Cosen their Earie and vs their superiour Lords as they will not omit to obserue their honour and fidelity whatsoeuer hath beene by some through ill counsell perpetrated for their owne priuate contrary to the common good The French write how King Phillip with this Letter sent worde to King Edward how by his Cartell hee aduentured nothing of his owne but onely exposed the dominion of another which was without all reason If hee would hazard the kingdome of England though it were lesse against the kingdome of France the said King Phillip would enter combate in close campe with him on condition the Victor should enioy both kingdomes But that they say King Edward would not doe Three moneths the siege of Turney had continued and nothing effected but the waste of the Countrie about all the eyes of Christendome bent vpon this action both kingdomes deeply ingaged expecting with anxiety the doubtfull euent thereof when Iane de Valois sister to Phillip widdow of William late Duke of Haynault and mother A mediation for peace to Phillippa wife to King Edward a Princesse of excellent vertue came from Fountenelles where shee had rendered herselfe a Nun vowed to God to mediate a peace betweene these two intaged Kings her brother and her sonne in lawe and labours to stay the sword of destruction lift vp for blood trualying from one to the other stubbornly bent to their intentions and neuer left them though often denyed till shee had with great patience and wise counsell quallified their boyling passions in such sort as she obtained day and place for both Kings to parle together A memorable worke to bee effected by a woman especially in such an age of Iron as that was This parle brought forth a truce for one yeare and both these great Armies A Truce concluded are dissolued The French King returnes home and so doth the King of England with his Queene who had remained in those parts three yeares and had there Anno Reg. 15. brought forth two sonnes Lionell afterwards Duke of Clarence and Iohn borne at Gant who first was Earle of Richmond and after Duke of Lancaster But King Edwards condiscending to this sudden truce had indeed no other motiue thē the want of his supplies of treasure which came short to his expectation notwithstanding those mighty impositions which were laid on his subiects And whereas hee had vpon his last returne into England in great displeasure remoued his Chancellor and imprisoned his Treasorer with other Officers most of them Cleargy-men and still held them in durance Iohn Stratford Archbishoppe of Canterbury on Iohn Strarford Archbishop of Canterbury his Letters to King Edward whom the King laid the blame of his wants writes him a most bolde and peremptory Letter to this effect first shewing him how it was for the safety of kings and their Kingdomes to vse graue and wise Counsailors alledging many examples out of holy Writ of the flourishing happinesse of such as tooke that course and their infelicity who followed the
of this Kingdome which could not but be likesome to the State in generall and all preferments and dignities conser'd on his to be either by vacancies or displacing others which must needs breed very feeling grieuances in particular And yet wee finde no great men thrust out of their roomes but such as put themselues out by reuolting after his establishment and their fealtie giuen as appeares by the controuersie betweene Warren the Norman and Sherburn of Sherburn Castle in Norfolke which castle though the King had giuen to Warren yet when Sherburn alledged How hee neuer bare Armes against him Cambden Nors that hee was his subiect as well as the other and held his Lands by that Law which he had established amongst all his subiects the King gaue iudgement against Warren and commanded that Sherburn should hold his Land in peace So that it seemes hee contented himselfe and his for the time onely with what he found here ready and with filling vp their places who were slaine in the battell or fled as many were with the sonnes of Harald out of the Kingdome Such Gentlemen as he could not presently preferre M. S. and had a purpose to aduance hee dispersed abroad into Abbeys there to liue till places fell out for them and 24 he sent to the Abby of Eley whereby he not onely lessened the multitude of attendants and suitors at Court eased that eye-sore of strangers but also had them a watch ouer the Clergie who then were of great and eminent power in the Kingdome and might preuaile with the people But the English Nobility incompatible of these new concurrents found notwithstanding 1067. Anno. Reg. 2. such a disproportion of grace and darkning of their dignities by the interposition of so many as must needs lessen their splendour that many of the chiefest doubting to be more impayred in honour and estate conspired together and fled some into Scotland and some into Denmarke to trie if by ayde from abroad they might The English Nobility forsake the kingdome recouer themselues and their lost fortunes againe at home Amongst which the chiefe was Edgar Atheling termed Englands Dearling which shewed the peoples zeale to his bloud who with his mother Agatha and his two sisters Magaret and Christin intending to retire into Hungarie their natiue Country were driuen by tempest on the coast of Scotland where they were in all Hospitable manner entertained by Malcolin the third whose former suffrings in his exile had taught him to compassionate others like distresses and whom it concerned now to looke to his owne his neighbours house being thus on fire and to foster a pattie against so daungerous an in-commer that was like to thrust them all out of doore Which induced him not onely to entertaine this Prince dispossest of his right but to enter league with him for the publique safetie And to inchaine it the stronger hee takes to wife Margaret the The King of Scots enters league with the English Nobility and marries Edgars sister sister of Edgar a Ladie indued withall blessed vertues by whom the bloud of our auncient Kings was preserued and conioyned with the Norman in Henry the second and so became English againe Vnto Edgar in Scotland repaired the Earles Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatric Siward with others and shortly after Stigand and Aldred Arch-bishops with diuers of the Clergie who in the third yeare of this Kings raigne raised very great commotions in the North beyond Humber and wrought most egarly 1068. Anno. Reg. 3. to recouer their lost Country but being now to late and the occasion not taken before the settling of the gouernment whilst it was new and branling they preuailed nothing but gaue aduantage to the Conquerour to make himselfe more then hee was For all conspiracies of subiects if they succeed not aduance the soueraigntie and nothing gaue roote to the Norman planting here more then the petty reuolts made by discattred troupes in seuerall parts begunne without order and followed without resolution whereas nothing could be done for a generall recouery but by a generall sulleuation of the people for which all wary preuention was vsed and they had waites enough laide on to hold them downe And though these Lords imbroiled themselues and held him doing in the North yet hee hauing all the South parts setled vnder his domination with well practized and prepared forces there could bee little hope of good whilst all their great estates furnisht the Normans both in state and meanes to ruine them The Earledome and all the Lands which Edwin held in See the Charter in the Appendix Yorkeshire were giuen to Alain Earle of Brittaine kinsman to the Conqueror The Arch-bishopricke of Canterburie confer'd on Lanfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Yorke on Thomas his Chaplaine and all the rest both of the Clergie and others which were out had their places within supplied by Normans And after King William had appeased a Commotion in the West which the sonnes of Harald with forces out of Ireland had raised also repressed the rebellions of Excester and Oxford he takes his iourney in person Northward with all expedition least the enemy there should grow to high in heart and opinion vpon the great slaughter of his people made at Yorke and the defeiture of his Brother and Leiuetenant Robert Earle of Mortaigne slaine with seuen hundreth Normans at Durham where at his first comming he so wrought that he either discomfeited or corrupted the Generals of the Danicque forces newly arriued to ayde the Lords sent by Swaine King of Denmarke vnder the conduct of his two sonnes Harald and Knute with a Nauie of three hundreth saile and after sets vpon the Army of the Lords weakened both in strength and hope by this departure of their Confederates and puts them to flight Which done he vtterly wasted and laide desolate all that goodly Countrey betweene Yorke and Durham the space of 60. miles as it might be no more a succour to the enemy And the like course he used on all the Coasts where any aptlandings lay for inuasions and so returnes to London Most of the Lords after this defeit came in vpon publique faith giuen them and were conducted to Barkehamsted by the Abbot Fredricke where vpon their submission and Oath of Allegeance re-taken they had their pardon and restitution of grace graunted by the King who it seemes was so willing to acquiet them that againe he takes his personall Oath before the Arch-bishop Lanfrancke and the Lords To obserue See the Appendix the Auntient Lawes of the Realme established by his Noble Predecessors the Kings of England and especially those of Edward the Confessor Whereupon these stormy dispositions held calme a while But long it was not ere many of these Lords whether vpon intelligence of new 1074. Anno. Reg. 8. hopes from Prince Edgar who was still in Scotland or growne desperate with new displeasures at home finding small performance of promises made rupture
mutinous Earles and by their instigation was set into that flame as he raised all his vtmost forces to be reuenged on his brother The King touched in Conscience with the fowlenesse of a fraternall war which the world would take he being the mightier to proceed out of his designes stood douotfull what to doe when Pope Paschall by his Letters written with that eloquence saith Malmesburie wherein hee was quicke perswaded him That herein hee should not make a ciuill Warre but doe a Noble and memorable benefit vnto his Countrey Whereby paide for remitting the Inuestitures hee held himselfe countenanced in this businesse Whereon now he sets with more alacrity and resolution And after many difficulties and losse of diuers worthy men in a mighty battaile neere the Castle of Tenechbray his England wins Normandic enemies with much adoe were all defeated Whereby England won Normandy and on the same day by Computation wherein forty yeares before Normandy ouer-came England such are the turnings in the affaires of men And here Robert who stood in a faire possibility of two Crownes came to bee depriued 1106. Anno. Reg. 7. of his Dutchy and all hee had brought prisoner into England and committed to the Castle of Cardiffe Where to adde to his misery hee had the misfortune of a long life suruiuing after he lost himselfe 26 yeares whereof the most part he saw not hauing his eyes put out whereby he was onely left to his thoughts a punishment barbarously Robert Duke of Normandy is imprisoned by King Hen. inflicted on him for attempting an escape He was a Prince that gaue out to the world very few notes of his ill but many of his Noblenesse and valour especially in his great voyage wherein hee had the second command and was in election to haue beene the first preferred to the Crowne of Ierusalem and missed it hardly Onely the disobedience in his youth shewed to his Father which yet might proceed from a rough hand borne ouer him and the animation of others rather then his owne Nature sets a staine vpon him and then his profusion which some would haue liberality shewed his impotency and put him into those courses that ouerthrew him All the Reuenues of his Dutchy which should serue for his maintenance hee sold or engaged and was vpon passing the City of Roan vnto the Cittizens which made him held vnfit for the gouernment and gaue occasion to his Brother to quarrell with him And thus came Henry sreed from this feare and absolute Duke of Normandy had King Henry Duke of Normandy many yeares of quiet gathered great Treasure entertained good intelligence with the Neighbour Princes Scotland by his Match and doing their Princes good hee held from doing him hurt clearing them from vsurpations Wales though vnder his Title yet not subiection gaue him some exercise of action which he ordered with great wisdome First he planted within the body of that Countrey a Colony of Flemings who at that time much pestred this Kingdome being admitted heere in the raigne of King William the first marrying their Country woman and vsing their helpe in the action of England where they dayly encreased in such sort as gaue great displeasure to the people But by this meanes both that grieuance was eased and the vse of them made profitable to the State for being so great a number and a strong people they made roome for themselues and held it in that sort as they kept the Welch all about them in verie good awe Besides the King tooke for Ostages the chiefe mens sonnes of the Country and hereby quieted it For France hee stood secure so long as Phillip the first liued who wholly giuen ouer to his ease and Luxury was not for other attempts out of that course but his sonne he was to looke vnto whensoeuer he came to that Crowne With the Earle of Flanders he had some debate but it was onely in words and vpon 1107. Anno. Reg. 8. this occasion King William the first in retribution of the good his father in law Baldouin the fift had done by ayding him in the action of England gaue him yearely three hundred markes and likewise continued it to his sonne after him Now Robert Earle of Flaunders of a collaterall line returning empty from the Holy warres and finding this summe paide out of England to his Predecessors demaunds the same of King Henrie as his due who not easie to part with money sends him word that it was not the custome of the Kings of England to pay tribute If they gaue pensions they were temporary and according to desert Which answere so much displeased the Earle that though himselfe liued not to shew his hatred yet his Sonne did and ayded afterward William the sonne of Robert Curtoys in his attempts for recouery of the Dutchy of Normandy against King Henry Thus stood this King in the first part of his raigne in the other hee had more to doe abroad then at home where hee had by his excellent wisdome so setled the gouernment as it held a steady course without interruption all his time But now Lewis le Grosse succeeding his father Philip the first gaue him warning to looke to his State of Normandy and for that he would not attend a quarrell he makes one taking occasion about the City of Gisors scituate on the Riuer Epre in the confines of Normandy King Henry quarrels with the King of France whilst Louys was trauailed with a stubborne Nobility presuming vpon their Franchises within their owne Signories whereof there were many at that time about Paris as the Contes of Crecy Pissaux Dammartin Champaigne and others who by example and emulation would bee absolute Lords without awe of a Maister putting themselues vnder the protection of Henry wo being neere to assist them fostred those humors which in sicke bodies most shew themselues But after Louys by yeares gathering strength dissolued that compact and made his meanes the more by their confiscations Now to entertaine these two great Princes in worke the quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour ministred fresh occasion The Emperor Henry the fift hauing 1108. Anno. Reg. 9. by the Popes instigation banded against his Father Henry the fourth who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse as hee died toucht afterwards with remorse of this act and reproach of the State for abandoning the rights of the Empire leauies sixty thousand foote and thirty thousand horse for Italy constraines the Pope and his Coledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo the fourth had done to Otho the second and before that The Popes Oath to the Emperour Adrian to Charlemaigne according to the Decree of the Counsell of Rome and made him take his Oath of fidelity betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Counsell nullifies this acknowledgement as done by
doe but so long as you shewed him fatherly Grace hee would loue you as a Father reuerence and cherish the Church as his Mother And humbly obay your sacred Decrees sauing his owne Dignity and that of his Kingdome and if of late hee hath not respected you with any reuerence the cause was that hauing with all his affection and all his powre stood to you in your necessitie hee was not answered worthily to his deserts vpon his recourse to you by his Ambassadours but in euery petition had the repulse And for hindring any which are willing to visit your Holinesse hee answeres hee will not nor hath hitherto done But for Appeales by the ancient custome of the Kingdome Hee chalenges that honour and cumber to himselfe that no Clergie man for any ciuill cause shall goe out of the Land till hee hath tried whether hee may obtaine his right by his Royall Authority and Iustice at home which if hee cannot hee may without any hinderance when hee will make his Appeale Wherein if any way hee doth preiudice Your Honour hee offers by the helpe of God to correct it as it shall bee ordred by the Councell of the whole Church of his Kingdome And for the Emperour though hee knew him a Scismatique hee neuer vnderstood hee was excommunicate But if hee bee by vs informed thereof or hath entred vnlawfull league with him or any other hee promises likewise to redresse the same by the sayd Ecclesiasticall Councell of his Kingdome And for our Father the Lord of Canterbury hee sayth that hee neuer expelled him out of his Kingdome but as hee went out of his owne accord so that at his pleasure it was free for him to returne to his Church in peace prouided that his Maiestie might bee satisfied concerning those complaints of his and haue him to obserue his Royall Dignity And if it can bee proued that any Church or Churchman hath beene opprest by the King or any of his hee is ready to make full satisfaction as shall bee thought fit by the whole Councell of the Church of his Kingdome This say they wee haue receiued in answere from our Lord the King and wish wee could haue had it fully according to your desire but these things wee thought good to notifie to your Highnesse that your Discretion may perceiue what is like to bee the conclusion of this businesse The King stands vpon the iustification of his owne cause ready to obey the Councell and iudgement of the Church of England Whereupon wee thought good to beseech your Highnesse that you would moderate for a time that zeale which by the fire of the deuine Spirit is worthily inkindled to reuenge any iniury done to the Church of God and forbeare to pronounce any sentence of interdiction or that last iudgement of abscision whereby inumerable Churches may bee miserably subuerted and both the King and an infinite number of people with him irreuocably which God forbid auerted from your obedience Then they tell him That better it were to haue a member bad then cut off abscision brought desperation a skilfull Chirurgion might recouer an infected part and how it were filter to imploy meanes to heale the wound then by cutting off a most noble part of the Church of God to bring more disturbance to the same that hath to much alreadie Though the King were stiffe they ought not dispare of the grace of God that a Kings stomacke was then to bee wonne when hee had wonne and might not blush to yeelde when hee had ouercome Patience and Meekenesse must pacifie him c. And inconclusion wee speake foolishly say they but yet withall Charitie if it come to passe that the Lord of Canterbury loose both his goods and liue besides in perpetuall exile and England which God forbid fall away from your obedience were it not better to forbeare for a time then with such zeale of seuerity to foster vp a party what if persecution cannot seperate many of vs from you yet will not there want knees to bow to Baall and receiue the Pall of Canterbury at the hands of an Idoll without choyce of religion or Iustice neither will there want suppliers of our Chayres that will obey him with all deuotion and already many deuoure these hopes wishing that scandalls may come and streight waies bee made crooked Thus much out of their letters which are the best peeces of History in the world and shew vs more of the inside of affaires then any relations else And by this wee truely see what barres kept these two mighty powers back from their wills and yet how lowde they threaten and both a feard of each other But the King of England stood safe ynough and was like to haue his businesses runne in a strong and intire course when by casting to make things safer then fast he layes open a way both to disioynt his owne power and imbroyle his people with diuision which was by the association of his sonne Henry in the gouernment an act without example in this Kingdome and strange that a Parliament an assembly of the State Prince Henry crowned King conuoked for the same businesse would in so wise times consent to communicate the Crowne and make the Common-wealth a Monster with two heads But it seemes the 1170. Anno. Reg. 16. strong desire of the King was such for the loue he bare his sonne as he would not bee denied in this motion nor hold it a sufficient Security to haue twice before caused all the Kingdome to take an Oath of Fealty vnto him to haue designed vnlesse he were Crowned King as he was with all vsuall solemnities the 14 day of Iune 1170. by Roger Archbishop of Yorke and had homage done vnto him that day by the King of Scots Dauid his brother and all the Nobility of England But now with what reseruations this was done wee are not particularly informed whether there was an equall participation of rule or onely but of Title and that the Father notwithstanding this Act was to haue the especiall manage of the Gouernment and the Sonne though a King yet a Sonne with a limited powre Howsoeuer this young King shewed shortly after That a Crowne was no State to bee made ouer in trust and layd much griefe and repentance vpon his Fathers forwardnesse What mooued the King with this precipitation to be before hand with his Graue may be deemed the iealosie he had apprehended by his Mothers example who for all the Oath of Fealtie sooften taken for her succession was yet put by it through the working of the Clergie and now considering in what termes hee stood with them and that although he had wonne some few Bishops vnto him was sure they loued him not and what they might worke with the people if himselfe should faile made him ouer doe his worke The King of France vnderstanding that his daughter was not Crowned with her husband which by reason of her tender age was deferred tooke it
desires hee might not receiue detriment whence hee expected fauour as a brother and friend Adding in the end that if the King would be aduised by him hee would by powre free this Kingdome from that vniust tribute which Innocentius the 3 and other Popes had layde vpon it These letters pleased the Assembly and animated them the rather to deny the Popes Mandate The interposition of this businesse tooke vp so much time as nothing else was done in this Parliament onely they granted an Ayde to the King for the marriage of his daughter twenty shillings of euery Knights fee and that with much adoe and repetition of all former Aydes After this vpon a light occasion the King vndertakes an expedition of great charge against Alexander King of Scots for which euery Baron which held in Capite Spirituall and Lay were commanded to bee ready withall Military prouision due for that seruice Whereunto likewise repaires Thomas Earle of Flaunders with three score Knights and a hundred other seruants thirsting for the Kings money whose vnnecessarie Another Greeuanees of the Barons comming was ill taken by the Barons of Eng. as if the strength of the Kingdome without him were not sufficient for that Action which was as sodainely ended as vndertaken by a faire conclusion of Peace with King Alexander a Prince highly commended for his vertues by the Writers of that time Vpon his returne againe that Winter he assembles another Parliament wherein hee moues for an Ayde vpon a designe he had for Wales and to supply his wants and pay 13 Parliament his debts which were vrged to be so great as he could not appeare out of his chamber for the infinite clamor of such to whom he owed for his Wine Wax and other necessaries of House But they all to his face with one voyce refused to grant him any thing Wherevpon other violent courses are taken An ancient quarrell is found out against the city of London for which they are commanded to pay fifteene thousand Markes And Passeleise the Kings Clerke is imployed with others in a most peremptory commission to inquire of all such lands as had beene inforrested and either to fine the occupiers An inquirie about Lands inforested which bred great greeuances thereof at their pleasure or take it from them and sell the same to others Wherein such rigor was vsed as multitudes of people were vndone So vnsafe are priuate mens estates where Princes fall into so great wants Passeleue for his good seruice in this businesse should haue beene prefeired to the Bishopricke of Chichester but the Bishop withstood the king therein Now in regard to shew the King the Estate of his kingdome and the oppression of Popes Inquiry was made of the reuenues which the Romans and Italians had in England which was found to be annually sixty thousand Markes being more then the An inquiry of the Popes reuenues in Eng yearely reuenues of the Crowne of England which so moued the King as hee caused the same to be notified withall other exactions by his procurators to the general councell now assembled at Lyons Which with the ill vsage of Martin so vexed the Pope as he is said to haue vttered these words It is fit that wee make an end with the Emperor that 1245. Anno. Reg. 29. we may crush these Petty Kings for the Dragon once appeased or distroyed these lesser snakes wil be soone troden downe Which impious speech proceeding from such a mouth whence the Oracles of peace and charity ought to be vttered was as ill taken bred great scandall and gaue warning to Princes of preuention who though they maligned the corruptions of the Court of Rome they were yet euer at one with the Church And the Clergy of England were most forward to vindicate the State from that miserable oppression which of late by degrees they were drawne vnto through the humility of their zeale For such is the nature of Domination wheresoeuer it sits that finding an yeeldingnes to indure it neuer thinkes it hath power sufficient vnles it hath more then enough for if the Popes the professed souraignes of piety vpon the aduantage of mens zeale and beliefe grew to make their will and their power equall so that to question their sanctions was taught to be sinne against the Holy Ghost no meruaile if secular Princes whose consciences are vntyed striue to breake out into the wildnesse of their wills from those bounds wherein by the law of the state they are placed But vpon the Popes reiecting the consideration of these greeuances of England which were particularly deliuered in this councell at Lyons and dispising the Kings Vide Append. message who he said began to Frederize it was absolutly here ordayned vnder great penalty that no contribution of money should be giuen to the Pope by any subiect of 1246. Anno. Reg. 30. England and the King for a time bustles against these forraine exactions in such sort as it gaue some hope of redresse But being of an irresolute and wauering nature and a feard of threats soone womanlike giues ouer what hee manfully vndertooke so that the Pope continues his former rapine though hauing by the continuall exclamations of the Clergy bene brought to promise neuer to send any more Legats into England yet imployes he other ministers vnder the the title of Clarkes who had the same power as had his former Agents and effected vnderhand his desires Now the other part of the state haue new occasions of complaynt offered Peter of Sauoy Earle of Richmond brings ouer certaine maydes to be married to young noble 1247. Anno. Reg. 31. men of England the Kings Wards of which Edmond Earle of Lincoln hath one and Richard de Burgh another And the same yeare 3. of the Kings brothers by the mother Guy de Lusignan William de Valence and Athelmar Clarke are sent for ouer to be prouided of Estates in England Thomas of Sauoy sometimes Earle of Flanders by right of his wife comes with his sister Beatrix Countes of Prouince the Queenes Mother 1248. Anno. Reg. 32. and they are againe feasted and guifted for which the King is taxed in the next Parliament conuoked at London in Candlemas Tearme and besides sharply reprehended for his breach of promise vpon his requiring of another ayde hauing vowed and declared vpon his last supply by his Charter neuer more to iniury the state in that kinde Besides 14 Parliament they blame him for his violent taking vp of prouisions for dyet Wax Silkes robes c. and especially for wine contrary to the will of the sellers whereby Merchants both of this and other That he tooke from his subiects quicquid habuerlint in esculentis poculentis Rusticorum enim Equos Bigas Vina Victualia ad libitum capit Rishanger Kingdomes withdraw their commoâ—ities in so much as all traffique and commerce vtterly cease to the detriment and infamy of the Kingdome That his Iudges were sent in
was most welcome to his mother who herein had her desier and being wholly bent to reuenge whereof none are saide to bee more eager then women found there besides her great partie in England those who nourished that humour in her amongst whom was chiefe Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmor lately escaped out of the towre of London a gallant young Gentleman whom shee especially fauoured The Bishop of Exceter perceiuing some plots to be in hand and their The Bishop of Exceter discovers the Queens plots close consultations made without him withdrawes secretly from thence and discouers to the King so much as hee obserued of their courses The King sends presently for the Queene and Prince soliciting withall the King of France to hasten their returne which when hee saw was neglected and delayed hee caused them openly to be proclaimed enemies to the kingdome banishing them and all their adherents out of the The Queene proclaimed enemy to the Kingdome Land and withall causes all the Ports to bee strongly kept and sends three Admiralls to attend on seuerall coasts to oppose their landing The Queene to inflame her the more is informed of a plot laid to murther her and the Prince and either doubting how much the money of England might worke in those should be tempted therewith or else finding little forwardnesse in her brother to aide or countenance her course against her husband withdrawes to the Earle of Haynault being then a Prince of great meanes and likewise Earle of Holland to whose daughter Phillippa she contracts her sonne the Prince and gets aide and mony of him to transport her into England Arriving at Harwich with the Prince the Earle The Queene returnes with forces of Kent the Kings brother whom she brought with her from the Court of France the Earle of Pembrooke the Lord Roger Mortimer and Iohn brother to the Earle of Heynault with 2500 Henowayes and Flemings she was received with great ioy and concourse of all the discontented Nobility and others and especially by the Bishops of Hereford and Lincolne who soone resorted unto her as men who had lost to recover their fortunes The King vpon notice of this sodaine and safe arrivall of the Queene demands aide Reg. 19. Anno. 1326. of the Citie of London which returnes answer That they would with all dutie honour the King Queene and Prince but their gates they would shut against all forreiners and traytors to the Reatme and with all their power withstand them The King with his small Councell The King demands aide of the Citie of London about him reposing no assurance in this answer after Proclamation made that none vpon paine of death should aide the Queene and commandement given to destroy all her adherents onely her own person the Prince and his brother the Earle of Kent excepted and that whosoever brought the head of Roger Mortimer should haue 1000 pounds he leaues the Citie committing the keeping of the Tower to Sir Iohn Weston with the guard of his yonger sonne Iohn of Eltham and his Neece the Countesse of Glocester first wife to Pierce Gaueston now of Hugh Spencer the younger a Lady vnfortunate by the over great fortunes of both her husbands and departs towards the West hoping to finde aide in those partes as formerly he had done against the Barons but he saw the world was altered and no man there to regard him The King departs towards the West The Queene advertised of his course marched after him growing daily greater as she marched and comes to Oxford where the Bishop of Hereford Preached before her and the whole assembly and delivers the cause of her proceeding taking for his The Queene followes Text My Head aketh my Head aketh and concludes most undevinely that an aking 2. King 24. and sick Head of a Kindome was of necessity to be taken of and not otherwise to be cured A most execrable doctrine and repugnant to the Sacred Word which in all corrupted times is evermore produced to abuse mens Credulity and iustifie Impiety in whatsoever Ambition or Malice shall attempt a sinne beyond all other that can bee committed vpon earth And the more to countenance the Queenes proceeding it was noised two Cardinals were seene in her Campe sent by the Pope to excommunicate such as tooke Armes against her and the cause of hers to be for the delivering the kingdome from the misleaders of the King the Spencers the Lord Chancellour and their adherents all others to be safe And here proclamation is made that nothing should bee taken from any subiect without paying ready mony and a penalty imposed on whomsoever The Queenes Proclamation did the contrary as for the value of three pence to loose a finger sixe pence the hand twelue pence the head and that whosoever brought to the Queene the younger Spencers head should haue 2000 pounds Thus is a bad cause defended with shew of Iustice and an vunaturall presumption made to seeme right by power and authority An impotent woman led with passion and abused by wicked counsell is brought to make head against her owne head to conduct an innocent sonne against the father to vndertake an action she knew not how to manage and to put her selfe into their hands who having other ends then hers would work beyond though under her authority what pleased themselues And though the event as commonly it doth in such attempts proue worse then the intention of the vndertaker yet howsoever the infamy of all what was acted lyes foule and open vpon her Memorie and no Apologie extant any way to cover it and therefore we must leaue the same as wee finde it And better had it been for the honour of the state of England to haue beene without her great dowre then to haue had her example the worst of a Queene it ever yet had The miserable King having his reputation the maine support of Maiestie blowne vp with the hurlewinde of his pursuers found few or no hands to aide him So that after hee had put Hugh Spencer the father into the Castle of Bristoll with what defence could be prouided for the guarding thereof hee leaues to trust the Land and commits himselfe to a more vnfaithfull Element the Sea with purpose either to hide himselfe a while in the Isle of Lundie or to passe ouer into Ireland The King betakes him to the Sea but tost to and fro with contrary windes after Sir Thomas Blunt his Steward with others were shrunke from him hee lands in Wales in Glamorgan shire where though hee found not saftie hee found loue and was hidden in the Abbey of Neth The Queene with her Armie from Oxford goes to Glocester where the Lords Percie and Wake with ayde from the North met her and thence to Bristoll assailes and winnes the Castle puts to death the defender Hugh Spencer Earle of Winchester without forme or tryall of Law causing him to bee drawne and hanged on the common
they had the Ifle of Thanet allowed them to inhabite then the whole Countrie of Kent was made ouer to Hengist by transaction Hengist and Horsa the Leaders of the Saxons vnder couenant to defend the Land against the Picts and Scots And vpon the mariage of Vortigern with the Daughter or Neece of Hengist an exceeding beautifull Lady brought ouer of purpose to worke on the dotage of a dissolute Prince larger priuiledges were granted so that by this allyance and the fertillity of the Land were drawne in so many of this populous and military nation that Kent in short time grew too narrow for them and Hengist to distend their power into other parts aduised Their first plantation Vortigern to plant a Colony of them in the North beyond Humber to be a continuall guard against all inuasions that way Which being granted he sends for Otha his brother and sonne Ebusa with great supplies out of Saxony to furnish that designe And so came the Saxons to haue first domination in Kent and Northumberland which contained all the Countrie from Humber to Scotland And now became they of seruants maisters to contemne their entertainours and Vortigern is deposed commit many insolencies Whereupon the Brittish nobility combine themselues depose Vortigern the Author of this improuident admission and elect Vortimer his sonne Vortimer elected King of Brittain a Prince of great worth who whilst hee liued which was not long gaue them many fierce incounters but all preuailed not for the Saxons being possest of the principall gate of the Land lying open on their owne Countrie to receiue all supplies without resistance had the aduantage to weare them out of all in the end And besides force they are said to haue vsed treachery in murthering three hundred of the Brittish Nobility at an assembly of peace at Amesbury where they tooke their King prisoner and would not release him but vpon the grant of three Prouinces more Also the long life of Hengist a politique leader of almost forty yeares continuance made much for the settling here of their estate which yet they could not effect but with much trauaile and effusion of blood For the Brittaines now made martiall by long practise and often battailes grew in the end so inraged to see their Countrie surprized from vnder their feet as they solde the inheritance therof at a very dearcrate Wherein we must attribute much to the worthinesse of their Leaders whence the spirit of a people is raised who in these their greatest actions were especially Ambrosius the last of the Romans and Arthur the noblest of Brittaines A man in force courage aboue man King Arthur and worthie to haue been a subiect of truth to posterity and not of fiction as legendary writers haue made him for whilst he stood hee bare vp the sinking State of his Countrie and is said to haue encountred the Saxons in twelue set battailes wherein he had either victory or equall reuenge In the end himselfe ouerthrowne by treason the best men consumed in the warres and the rest vnable to resist fled into the mountaines and remote desarts of the West parts of the Isle and left all to the inuadors daily growing more and more vpon them For many principall men of Saxony seeing the happy successe and plantation here of Hengist entred likewise on diuerse coasts to get Estates for themselues with such multitudes of people as the Brittains making head in one place were assaulted in another and euery where ouerwhelmed with new increasing numbers For after Hengist had obtained the dominion of Kent which from him became to be a kingdome and Otha and Ebuse possest of all the North-countries from Humber The severall entries made by the Saxons to Scotland Ella and his sonnes conquered the South-East parts and beganne the kingdome of the South Saxons contayning Sussex and part of Surrey Then Cerdic and his sonnes landed at Portsmouth inuadeth the South and West parts and began the kingdome of the West Saxons which after contained the Countries of Hamshire Berkeshire Wiltshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire and Devonshire And about the same time Vffa invaded the North-East parts and beganne the Kingdome of the East Angles containing Northfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Erkenwin beganne the Kingdome of the East Saxons containing Essex Middlesex and a part of Hartfordshire Having thus in a manner surrounded the best of the whole State of Brittaine they after invaded the inner and middle part And Cridda beganne the Kingdome of Mercna-land or middle Angles contayning Lincolnshire North-hamptonshire Huntingdonshire Rutlandshire Bedford Buckingham Oxfordshire Cheshire Derbie Nottingham and Staffordshire with parts of the shires of Hereford and Hartford Warwicke Shropshire Lancaster and Glocestershire And with all these Princes and Leaders before they could establish their dominions the Brittaines so desperately grappled as plant they could not but vpon destruction and desolation of the whole Country whereof in the end they extinguished both the Religion Lawes Language and all with the people and name of Brittaine Which having beene so long a Province of great honour and benefit to the Roman Empire could not but partake of the magnificence of their goodly structures Thermes Aquaducts High-waies and all other their ornaments of delight ease and greatnesse all which came to bee so vtterly razed and confounded by the Saxons as there is not The Brittaines vtterly subdued by the Saxons left standing so much as the ruines to point vs where they were for they being a people of a rough breeding that would not bee taken with these delicacies of life seemed to care for no other monuments but of earth and as borne in the field would build their fortunes onely there Witnesse so many Intrenchments Mounts and Borroughs raised for tombes and defences vpon all the wide champions and eminent Hills of this Isle remaining yet as characters of the deepe scratches made on the whole face of our Countrey to shew the hard labour our Progenitors endured to get it for vs. Which generall subversion of a State is very seldome seene Invasion and devastation of Provinces haue often beene made but in such sort as they continued or recovered with some commixtion of their owne with the generation of the invadors But in this by reason of the vicinage and innumerous populacie of that Nation transporting hither both sexes the incompatibility of Paganism and Christianity with the immense bloud-shed on both sides wrought such an implacable hatred as but one Nation must possesse all The conquest made by the Romanes was not to extirpate the Natiues but to master them The Danes which afterward invaded the Saxons made onely at the first depredations on the coast and therewith for a time contented themselues When they grew to haue further interest they sought not the subversion but a community and in the end a Soveraignty of the State matching with the women they here found bringing few of their owne with them The
Normans dealt the like with the Province of Nuestria in France who also after they had the dominion what the victorie would yeeld them in England were content to suffer the people here to haue their being intermatched with them and so grew in short space into their body But this was an absolute subversion and concurred with the vniversall mutation The absolute subversion of Brittaine concurred with the generall mutation of other States of the world which about that time happened in all these parts of the world whereof there was no one Countrey or Province but changed bounds inhabitants customes language and in a manner all their names For vpon the breaking vp of the Roman Empire first devided into two and then by faction disioynted in each part imploying the forces of many strange Nations to fortifie their sides were made so wide ruptures in the North and North-east bounds of that Empire as there burst out infinite streames of strange people that over-ranne and laid open the world againe to liberty other formes and limits of State wherevpon followed all these transmigrations and shiftings of people from one Country to another The French and Burgognons dispossest the Gaules and gaue the name of France and Burgogne to their Province The Gaules transplanted themselues on some coasts of Spaine where they could finde or make their habitation and of them had Gallicia and Portugall their name The Hunnes and Auari subdued Pannonia and thereto gaue the name of Hungarie The Longbeards a people of Germany bordering vpon Lumbardie so called of the Longberds the Saxons entred Italy got the greatest part thereof and left there their name to a principall Prouince remayning to this daie The Gothes and Vandales miserably afflicted the rest sackt Rome and after subdued peopled and possest Spaine So that it was not in the fate of Brittaine alone to bee vndone but to perish almost with the generall dissolution of other States which happened about the same age Wherefore we are now here to beginne with a new Bodie of people with a new State and gouernment of this Land which retained nothing of the former nor held other memory but that of the dissolution thereof where scarce a Citie Dwelling Riuer Hill or Mountaine but changed names Brittaine it selfe was now no more Brittaine but New Saxonie and shortly after either of the Angles the greatest people of the inuadors or of Hengist called Engist-Land or England The distance made by the rage of warre lay so wide betweene the conquering and conquered people that nothing either of Lawes Rites and Customes came to passe ouer vnto vs from the Brittaines nor had our Ancestors any thing from them but their Country which they first diuided into eight kingdomes all which continued to the last extermination of the Brittaines vnder Caretius their King with whom they were driuen ouer Seuerne 136. yeares after the first entertainment of Hengist And soone after the Saxons encroching vpon each others parts or States which neuer held certaine bounds and the stronger vsurping vpon their weaker neighbours reduced them to seauen kingdomes that of the Northanimbrains being made one of two and then to sixe the West Saxons taking in the kingdome of Sussex to their dominion And so it continued about 250 yeares At the first by the space of 150 yeares they were meerely gouerned by their owne Lawes without mixture of any other But after Augustine the Monke sent with fortie others by Pope Gregorie had conuerted AEthelbert King of Kent and some other they all shortly after receiued the Christian faith and had their Lawes and Rites ordered according to Ecclesiasticall constitutions Many of their Kings when their sterne asperitie grew molified by humility of the Religion beganne to raise presently so many and great monuments of their piety in all parts of the Land as if they striued who should exceed therein and had no other glorie Diuers of them renounced their temporall dignities for Spirituall solitude and became Monkes as Aetheldred and Kinred Kings of Merena-Land Offa King of the East Saxons Kadwalla and Ina Kings of the West Saxons Eadberte King of Northumbrians c. At length the kingdomes of Merc-naland and West Sax so farre ouer-grew the others in power as betweene them two it lay who should haue all For Ina a martiall wise and religious Prince gouerning the West Saxons first aduanced that Kingdome to a preheminencie and did much to haue subdued Merc-naland but yet Offa afterwards King thereof was in faire possibility to haue swallowed vp both the West Saxons all the rest of the Kingdoms For whilst he liued which was in the time of Carolus Magnus which whom he held league amity he was esteemed as the especiall King of the Land But the many wrongs he did and the murther committed in his house vpon Aethelbert K. of the East Angles comming to him vnder publique faith and a suitor to his daughter were iustly reuenged vpon his posteritie which after him declining in the end lost al. For Egbert discended from Inegild the brother of Ina attayning the kingdome of the West Saxons beganne the way to bring all the rest into subiection And being a Prince who from a priuate fortune wherein he liued below with and not aboue other men had learned sufferance and moderation and by the Estate of an exile experience grew to haue great aduantages ouer the time and others borne-fortunes and rose by these meanes Ina his great Vncle renouncing the world with his kingdome and dying without issue left the succssion imbroiled and out of the direct royall lyne as hee found it So that those foure Kings of the West Saxons who seuerally succeeded him Ethelard Sigibert Kinulph and Britric were rather Kings by election and their owne power then by right of discent And Britric knowing the weakenesse of his title and the much promising forwardnesse of Egbert with his propinquitie in bloud to the former Kings practized to haue him made away which hee perceiuing fled first to Offa King of Mercna-land where finding little security in regard Britric had to strength himselfe married the daughter of the King hee escaped into France and there remayned till the death of Britric and then returning obtaines that kingdome of the Westsaxons subdues Cornewall inhabited by the Brittaines and after sets vpon Bernulph newly inuested in the Kingdome of Mercna-land a State by the rupture of the Royall line likewise growne tottering For Egferth the sonne of Offa enioyed but foure monethes the inheritance of his fathers immanitie whereby that Kingdome discended collaterally to Kennulph who left it to Kenelme a childe after murthered by his sister Quinred Ceolulph brother to Kennulph succeeding after his first yeares raigne was expeld by Bernulph and Bernulph by Egbert who made that Kingdome tributarie Egbert obteyned the kingdome which by him was named England to the West Saxons as he did after that of the South and East Saxons with the Kingdome of Northumberland And by