quod hac aetate nostra dici rectissimè posse arbitror Cùm enim omnes vndÃque terrae grauissimis bellis affligantur discordiarum iactentur fluctibus soli nos celsitudine tua clauum moderante in pacatissimo portu nauigamus ab orbe malorum disiuncti in coelum quodammodo foelicitatis sublati videmur Quod est ergô officij nostri primùm deo Opt. Max. gratias agimus line 40 cuius vnius bonitati omnem hanc quantacùnque est beatitudinem acceptam referimus precamùrque vt eam nobis propriam perpetuam esse velit deinde celsitudini tuae serenissima regina cuius opera cura solicitudine partam hanc nobis foelicitatem tot annos conseruatam agnoscimus Laetamur hoc aspectu tuo gratulamur incredibili studio quod tum ex meo ipsius sensu loquor tum omnes qui iam vndique confluxerunt line 50 Nordouicenses tui à me dici postulant Atque vtinam in haec pector a posses oculos inserere ocultos animorum nostrorum sinus perlustrare videres profectò inclusam intus quae tantis angustijs erumpere non potest infinitam molem voluntatis Fidem omnem studium obseruantiam quae tantae principi debentur vt haectenus promptissimè detulimus ita studiosissimè semper deferemus si quando casus aliquis inciderit quod Deus omen auertat line 60 sacrosanctae maiestatis tuae aut istius florentissimi regni vel salus in discrimen veniat vel dignitas periclitetur non solùm bonorum omnium ac facultatum effusionem sed laterum nostrorum oppositus corporum pollicemur Rogamus deinde obsecramus excellentiam tuam illustrissima regina vt hoc nostrum qualecunque officium à summa beneuolentia animóque quà m gratissimo profectum boni consulas de nobis Nordouicensibus sic existimes ad lautiores te fortasse subditos venisse saepe adlaetiores nunquam The oration of Stephan Limbert publike schoolemaister to the most magnificent prince Elisabeth of England France and Ireland queene c before the gates of the hospitall of Norwich IT is reported most gratious queene that Aegypt is watered with the yerelie ouerflowing of Nilus and Lidia with the golden streame of Pactolus which thing is thought to be the cause of the great frutefulnes of these countries but vpon vs and further ouer all England euen into the vttermost borders manie and maine riuers of godlinesse iustice humilitie and other innumerable good things in comparison of the which gold is vile and naught worth doo most plentifullie gush out and those not from Tmolus or other hilles I know not which but from that continuall and most aboundant welspring of your goodnesse And that of those infinit goodnesses I maie lightlie touch one for that neither place time nor my abilitie dooth permit to speake of manie with what praises shall we extoll with what magnificent words shall we expresse that notable mercie of your highnesse most renowmed queene and vncredible readinesse to relieue the need of poore men than the which of manie vertues none can be more acceptable vnto God as Homer writeth neither anie vertue in a mightie prince more woondered at amongst men This hospitall of poore men is most famous which will be a monument of princelie vertue and beneficence amongst all posteritie instituted by the most mightie king Henrie your highnesse father confirmed with the great seale by the most noble king Edward your brother but by your maiestie which deserueth no lesse praise of late notablie increased and amplified by the lands and possessions of Cringleford that you maie not now worthilie reioise so much in others ornaments as your owne vertues For you are said for your singular wisdome and learning to haue studied that diuine law of the most wise Plato which he left written in the eleuenth booke of lawes Such your great bountie therefore so exceeding and incredible mercie ô most vertuous prince in what bookes shall we comprehend With what duties or with what voice shall we testifie the good will of a thankefull mind For when we diligentlie seeke all the most exquisit and curious means of thankesgiuing we cannot so much as atteine vnto the greatnesse of this one benefit by the which we acknowledge our selues bound and streictlie holden to your most roiall maiestie We shall be ouercome euen with this one and singular benefit so much the lesse hope haue we then in anie point to counteruaile the huge sea of the rest of your benefits which ouerfloweth on euerie side as well publikelie generallie ouer all your subiects as properlie and particularlie vpon this citie We certeinlie now inhabit and lead our liues in those most happie Ilands of the which Hesiodus maketh mention which not onelie abound with all maner of graine wooll cattell and other aids of mans life but much more with the most pretious treasure of true religion and the word of God in the which onlie the minds of men haue rest and peace There be that call England another world which I thinke maie be most true in this our age For whereas all lands on euerie side of vs are afflicted with most grieuous warres and tossed with the flouds of dissention we onelie your highnesse gouerning our sterne doo saile in a most peaceable hauen and seuered from a world of mischiefs doo seeme after a sort to be taken vp into a heauen of happinesse We therefore according to our bounden dutie first giue thanks vnto God almightie vnto whose goodnesse onelie with thanks we referre all this our happinesse how great soeuer it be praie that he would vouchsafe to make the same proper and perpetuall vnto vs. And afterwards vnto your highnesse ô most gratious queene by whose studie care and diligence we confesse this blessednesse to be gotten and so manie years preserued vnto vs. We are glad in this beholding you and we reioise with desire more than maie be beleeued which as I speake of mine owne thought so also all the subiects of Norwich desire me to saie the same in their behalfe And I would to God you could pearse these our breasts with your eies and throughlie view the hidden and couered creeks of our minds Then vndoubtedlie should you behold an infinit heape of goodwill closelie shut vp within which cannot breake out of so narrow straits All the faith studie and obedience which are due to so great a prince as hitherto we haue most willinglie imploied so will we alwaies most diligentlie performe the same and if at anie time anie chance shall happen which fortune God turne from vs that â—he state of thy blessed maiestie or of this flourishing realme should come in danger or the worthinesse line 10 therof be in hazard we do not onlie protest the effusion of all our goods and substance but also the putting foorth and brunt of our strengths and bodies therein Finallie we desire and beseech
the first to estéeme greatlie of the offer made to him by the Englishmen who had thus written ouer vnto him blaming generallie all the English Nobilitie for that while he was abroad in the seruice of the christian common-wealth against the infidels they would suffer him to be in such wise defrauded of his fathers inheritance by his brother through their vntruth and negligence yet although he meant to delaie the matter and thought it rather better to dissemble with them for a time than to commit the successe of his affaires and person to their inconstancie shortlie after being set on fire and still incouraged by the persuasion of Rafe bishop of Durham who by a woonderfull wilie shiâ—t about the first of Februarie had broken out of prison with all speed possible he gathered an armie purposing out of hand to passe ouer with the same into England and to hazard his right by dent of sword which was thus by plaine iniurie most wickedlie deteined from him King Henrie in the meane time vnderstanding his meaning assembled likewise his power and rigged foorth a great number of ships appointing them to lie in a readinesse to stop his brothers comming to land if it might be He himselfe also lodged with his maine armie neere the towne of Hastings to giue him battell if he landed thereabouts Duke Robert also meaning to set foreward sent certeine of his ships before to choose some conuenient place where he might land with his armie which ships by chance fell into the danger of the kings nanie but yet absteining from battell they recouered the wind and returned backe to the duke signifieng from point to point how they had sped in this voiage The duke as he was of a bold courage and of so gentle a nature that he beleeued he should win their good wils with whom he should haue any thing to doo passed forward and approching to the kings nauie vsed such mild persuasions that a great part of the souldiours which were aboord in the kings ships submitted themselues vnto him by whose conduct he arriued in Portsmouth hauen and there landed with his host about the begining of August Now when he had rested a few daies refreshed his men he tooke the way towards Winchester a great number of people flocking vnto him by the way The king hauing knowledge as well of the arriuall of his enimies as also of the reuolting of his subiects raised his campe and came to lodge neere vnto his enimies the better to perceiue what he attempted and purposed to doo They were also in maner readie to haue ioined battell when diuers Noble men that owght good will to both the brethren and abhorred in their minds so vnnaturall discord began to entreat for peace which in the end they concluded vpon conditionallie that Henrie who was borne after his father had conquered the realme of England should now enioy the same yeelding and paieng line 10 yeerelie vnto duke Robert the summe of iij. M. marks Prouided that whose hap of the two it shuld be to suruiue or outliue he should be the others right and lawfull heire by mutuall agreement Conditionallie also that those English or Normans which had taken part either with the king or the duke should be pardoned of all offenses that could be laid vnto them for the same by either of the princes There were twelue Noble men on either part that receiued corporall othes for performance of this agréement line 20 which being concluded vpon in this sort duke Robert who in his affaires shewed himselfe more credulous than suspicious remained with his brother here in England till the feast of S. Michaell and then shewing himselfe well contented with the composition returned into Normandie In the second yeare of this kings reigne the Quéene was deliuered of hir daughter Maud or Mathild so called after hir owne name who afterward was empresse of whom yée shall heare by Gods grace anon in this historie line 30 year 1102 The king being now rid of forren trouble was shortlie after disquieted with the seditious attempts of Robert de Belesme earle of Shrewsburie sonne to Hugh before named who fortified the castell of Bridgâ—north and an other castell in Wales at a place called Caircoue and furnished the towne of Shrewsburie with the castels of Arundell Tickehill which belonged to him in most substantiall maner Moreouer he sought to win the fauour of the Welshmen by whose aid he purposed to defend himselfe line 40 against the king in such vnlawfull enterprises as he ment to take in hand But the king hauing an inkeling whereabout he went straitwaies proclaimed him a traitor wherevpon he got such Welshmen and Normans together as he could conuenientlie come by with whom and his brother Arnold he entred into Staffordshire which they forraied and wasted excéedinglie bringing from thence a great bootie of beasts and cattell with some prisoners whom they led foorthwith into Wales where they kept themselues line 50 as in a place of greatest safetie The king in the meane time with all conuenient spéed raised a power first besieging the castell of Arundell and then planting diuerse bastillions before it he departed from thence and sending the bishop of Lincolne with part of his armie to besiege Tickehill he himselfe went to Bridgenorth which he enuironed about with a mightie armie made out of all parts of his realme so that what with gifts large promises and fearefull threatnings at the last he allured line 60 to his side the fickle Welshmen and in such wise wan them that they abandoned the earle and tooke part against him Wherevpon the king within 30. daies subdued all the townes and castels which he held out of his hands and banished him the relme and shortlie after confined his brother Arnold for his traitorous demeanour vsed against him whereby their attempts were brought vnto an end After this at the feast of saint Michaell Anselme archbishop of Canturburie held a councell at Westminster whereat were present the archbishop of Yorke the bishops of London Winchester Lincolne Worcester Chester Bath Norwich Rochester and two other bishops latlie elected by the king namelie Salisburie and Hereford the bishop of Excester was absent by reason of sicknesse At this councell or synod diuers abbats and priors both French and English were depriued of their promotions and benefices by Anselme bicause they had come vnto them otherwise than he pretended to stand with the decrées of the church as the abbats of Persor Ramsey Tauestocke Peterborow Middleton Burie and Stoke the prior of Elie and others The chéefest cause of their deposing was for that they had receiued their inuestitures at the kings hands Diuers constitutions were made by authoritie of this councell but namelie this one 1 That preests should no more be suffered to haue wiues which decree as saith Henrie of Huntingdon séemed to some verie pure but
plead their causes whither he promised shortlie to send his ambassadours and so he did appointing for the purpose Herbert bishop of Norwich and Robert bishop of Lichfield being both of his priuie councell and William Warlewast of whom mention is made before who went on their waie and came to Rome according to their commission After them also folowed Anselme archbishop of Canturburie Gerard archbishop of Yorke William the elect of Winchester whom the pope receiued with a courteous kind of interteinement But Anselme was highlie honored aboue all the residue whose diligence and zeale in defense of the ordinances of the sée of Rome he well inough vnderstood The ambassadours in like maner declaring the effect of their message opened vnto the pope the ground of the controuersie begun betweene the king and Anselme with good arguments went about to prooue the kings cause to be lawfull Upon the otherside Anselme and his partakers with contrarie reasons sought to confute the same Whervpon the pope declared that sith by the lawes of the church it was decreed that the possession of any spirituall benefice obteined otherwise than by meanes of a spirituall person could not be good or allowable from thencefoorth neither the king nor any other for him should challenge any suth right to apperteine vnto them The kings ambassadours hearing this were somwhat troubled in their minds wherevpon William Warlewast burst out and said with great vehemencie euen to the popes face Whatsoeuer is or may be spoken in this maner to or fro I would all that be present should well vnderstand that the king my maister will not lose the inuestitures of churches for the losse of his whole realme Unto which words Paschall himselfe replieng said vnto him againe If as thou saiest the king thy maister will not forgo the inuestiture of churches for the losse of his realme know thou for certeine and marke my words well I speake it before God that for the ransome of his head pope Paschall will not at any time permit that he shall enioie them in quiet At length by the aduise of his councell the pope granted the king certeine priuileges and customes which his predecessours had vsed and enioied but as for the inuestitures of bishops he would not haue him in any wise to meddle withall yet did he confirme those bishops whom the king had alreadie created least the refusall should be occasion to sowe any further discord This businesse being in this maner ordered the ambassadours were licenced to depart who receiuing at the popes hands great rewards and Gerard the archbishop of Yorke his pall they shortlie after returned into England declaring vnto the king the popes decrée and sentence The king being still otherwise persuaded and looking for other newes was nothing pleased with this matter Long it was yer he would giue ouer his claime or yéeld to the popes iudgement till that in processe of time ouercome with the earnest sute of Anselme he granted to obâ—ie the popes order herein though as it should appeare right sore against his will In this meane time â—he king had seized into his hands the possessions of the archbishop of Canturburie and banished Anselme so that he staied at Lions in France for the space of one yeare and foure moneths during which time there passed manie letters and messages to and fro The pope also wrote to king line 10 Henrie in verie courteous maner exhorting him to call Anselme home againe and to release his claime to the inuestitures of bishops wherevnto he could haue no right sith it apperteined not to the office of any temporall magistrate adding furthermore if the king would giue ouer that vngodlie and vsurped custome that he would shew such fréendlie fauour in all things as by the sufferance of God in any wise he might be able to performe and further would receiue not onelie him but also his yoong sonne William line 20 whom latelie it had pleased God to send him by his vertuous wife queene Maud into his protection so that who so euer did hurt either of them should be thought to hurt the holie church of Rome In one of the letters which the said pope wrote vnto Anselme after that the king was contented to renounce the inuestitures aforesaid he willed Anselme according to the promise which he had made to assoile as well from sinne as from penance due for the same both the king and his wife queene Maud line 30 with all such persons of honour as in this behalfe had trauelled with the king to induce him to be agréeaable to his purpose year 1104 Moreouer the earle of Mellent and Richard de Riuers who had counselled the king to stand stoutlie in the matter and not to giue ouer his title of such inuesritures sith his ancestors had vsed them so long a time before his daies by reason whereof in renouncing his right to the same he should doo a thing greatlie preiudiciall to his roiall estate and princelie maiestie line 40 were now earnest labourers to agree the king and the pope in so much that in the end the king was persuaded by Anselme and them to let go his hold resigning the inuestitures with staffe and ring notwithstanding that he reserued the right of elections and such other roialties as otherwise apperteined to to his maiestie so that such bishops as had doone homage to the king were not disabled thereby but quietlie permitted to receiue their iurisdictions About this time Robert duke of Normandie came line 50 into England to see his brother who through the sugred words and sweet enterteinment of the king released the yeerelie tribute of 3000. markes which he should haue had out of the realme vpon agreement as before ye haue heard but cheefelie indéed at the request of the queene being instructed by hir husband how she should deale with him that was knowne to be frée and liberall without any great consideration what he presentlie granted Now hauing béene here a certeine time and solaced line 60 himselfe with his brother and sister he returned into Normandie where shortlie after he began to repent him of his follie in being so liberall as to release the foresaid tribute wherevpon he menaced the king and openlie in his reproch said that he was craftilie circumuented by him and flatlie couzened Diuerse in Normandie desired nothing more than to set the two brethren at square and namelie Robert de Belesme earle of Shrewsburie with William earle of Mortaigne these two were banished the realme of England The earle of Shrewesburie for his rebellious attempts as before you haue heard and the earle of Mortaigne left the land of his owne willfull and stubborne mind exiling himselfe onelie vpon hatred which he bare to the king For being not contented with the earledome of Mortaigne in Normandie and the earledome of Cornewall in England he made sute also for the earledome of Kent
some another Hugh Bigot erle of Norfolke a valiant chieftein entred into Norwich Baldwin Reduers tooke Excester Robert Quisquere got certeine castels also into his hands King Stephan hearing what his enimies had doone though he was somewhat mooued with this alteration of things yet as one nothing afraid of the matter he said merilie to those that stood about him We are aliue yet God be thanked and that shall be knowne to our enimies yeâ— it be long Neither doubted he any thing but some secret practise of treason and therfore vsing all diligence he made the more hast to go against his enimies whose attempts though streightwaies for the more part he repressed yet could he not recouer the places without much adoo that they had gotten as Excester and others which when he had obteined he contented himselfe for a time and followed not the victorie any further in pursuing of his enimies Wherevpon they became more bold afterward than before in somuch that soone after they practised diuerse things against him whereof God willing some in places conuenient shall appeare howbeit they permitted him to remaine in quiet for a time But whilest he studied to line 10 take order in things at home perceiuing how no small number of his subiects did dailie shew themselues to beare him no hartie good will he began by little and little to take awaie those liberties from the people which in the beginning of his reigne he had granted vnto them and to denie those promises which he had made according to the saieng That which I haue giuen I would I had not giuen and that which remaineth I will kéepe still This sudden alteration and new kind of rough dealing purchased line 20 him great enuie amongst all men in the end About the same time great commotions were raised in Normandie by meanes of the lord Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to Maud the empresse setting the whole countrie in trouble but yer any newes thereof came into England king Stephan went against Baldwin Reduers who being latelie though not without great and long siege expelled out of Excester got him into the I le of Wight and there began to deuise a new conspiracie Howbeit the king comming suddenlie into the I le tooke it at the first assault line 30 and exiled Baldwin out of the realme Hauing thus with good successe finished this enterprise and being now aduertised of the businesse in Normandie he sailed thither with a great armie and being come within two daies iournie of his enimie the earle of Aniou he sent foorth his whole power of horssemen diuided into three parts which were not gone past a daies iournie forward but they encountred the earle finding him with no great force about him Wherevpon giuing the charge vpon him line 40 they put him to flight and slue manie of his people Which enterprise in this maner valiantlie atchiued euen according to the mind of king Stephan he ioined in freendship with Lewes the seuenth king of France and hauing latelie created his sonne Eustace duke of Normandie he presentlie appointed him to doo his homage vnto the said Lewes for the same Now whereas his elder brother Theobald earle of Blois at that time in Normandie found himselfe line 50 greeued that Stephan the yoonger brother had vsurped the lands that belonged to their vncle king Henrie rather than himselfe Stephan to stop this iust complaint of his brother and to allaie his mood agréed with him couenanting to paie him yearelie two thousand marks of such currant monie as was then in vse Furthermore wheras Geffrey the earle of Aniou demanded in right of his wife the empresse the whole kingdome of England to be at an end with him king Stephan was contented to satisfie line 60 him with a yearelie pension of fiue thousand marks which composition he willinglie receiued Thus when he had prouided for the suertie of Normandie he returned againe into England where he was no sooner arriued but aduertisement was giuen him of a warre newlie begâ—n with the Scots whose king vnder a colour of obseruing the oth to the empresse made dailie insurrections and inuasions into England to the great disturbance of king Stephan and the annoiance of his people Wherwith being somewhat mooued he went streightwaies toward the north parts and determined first to besiege Bedford by the waie which apperteined to the earledome of Huntington by gift made vnto Henrie the sonne of king Dauid and therevpon at that present kept with a garison of Scotish men This place did the king besiege by the space of 30. daies togither giuing thereto euerie daie an assault or alarme in somuch that coÌ„ming thither on Christmasse daie he spared not on the morow to assaile them and so at length wan the towne from them by méere force and strength King Dauid hearing those newes and being alreadie in armour in the field entred into Northumberland and licensed his men of warre to spoile and rob the countrie thereabout at their pleasure Herevpon followed such crueltie that their rage stretched vnto old and yoong vnto preest and clearke yea women with child escaped not their hands they hanged headed and slue all that came in their waie houses were burnt cattell driuen awaie and all put to fire and sword that serued to any vse for reléefe either of man or beast ¶ Here we see what a band of calamities doo accompanie and waite vpon warre wherein also we haue to consider what a traine of felicities doo attend vpon peace by an equall comparing of which twaine togither we may easilie perceiue in how heauenlie an estate those people be that liue vnder the scepter of tranquillitie and contrariwise what a hellish course of life they lead that haue sworne their seruice to the sword We may consider also the inordinat outrages of princes their frantike fiersenes who esteeme not the losse of their subiects liues the effusion of innocent bloud the population of countries the ruinating of ample regions c so their will may be satisfied there desire serued And therefore it was aptlie spoken by a late poet not beside this purpose Reges atque duces dira impelluntur in arma Imperiúmque sibi miserorum caede lucrantur O caeci ô miseri quid bellum pace putatis Dignius aut melius nempe hoc nil turpius nil Quod magis humana procul à ratione recedat Candida pax homines trux decet ira feras But to our storie King Stephan hearing of this pitifull spoile hasted forward with great iournies to the rescue of the countrie The Scots put in feare of spéedie comming to encounter them drew backe into Scotland but he pursued them and entring into their countrie burned and destroied the south parts of that realme in most miserable maner Whilest king Stephan was thus about to beat backe the forren enimies and reuenge himselfe on them
side and perceiuing the citie would not be woone within any short time began to wax wearie and to repent himselfe as afore for taking in hand so chargeable and great a warre for another mans quarell Wherevpon he caused William bishop of Sens and Theobald earle of Blois to go to king Henrie and to promise vpon forbearance from warre for a time to find means to reconcile him and his sonnes betweene whome vnnaturall variance rested Whereof K. Henrie being most desirous and taking a truce appointed to come to Gisors in the feast of the natiuitie of our ladie there to meet king Lewes that they might talke of the matter and bring it to some good end The French king so soone as he knew that truce was taken raised his siege and returning home within a few daies after according to the appointment came to Gisors and there communed with king Henrie but bicause he could not make any agréement betwixt him and his sonnes at that time he appointed another time to meet about it King Henrie the father whilest the truce continued with the French king and his sonne Henrie went to Poictou where his sonne Richard whilest his father had beene occupied in other places had gotten the most part of the countrie into his possession But now hearing of his fathers comming and that a truce was taken with the French king and with his brother he considered with himselfe that without their assistance he was not able to withstand his fathers power Howbeit at length choosing rather to trie the matter with force of armes than cowardlie to yéeld he prepared for defense furnishing diuerse townes and castels with garisons of men and assembling togither all the other power that he was able to make câ—me into the field pitched his tents not far off from his father In the meane while which way soeuer his father passed the townes and castels submitted themselues vnto him so that Richard began to despaire of the matter insomuch that he durst line 10 not approch néere his father but kept aloofe doubting to be entrapped At length when he had considered his owne state and weled how vnthankefullie the French king and his brother had dealt with him in hauing no consideration of him at such time as they tooke truce he determined to alter his purpose and hauing some good hope in his fathers clemencie thought best to trie it which he found to be the best waie that he could haue taken For oftentimes it chanceth that latter line 20 thoughts are better aduised than the first as the old saieng is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herevpon Richard laieng armour aside came of his owne accord vnto his father on the 21. of September and asked pardon His father most courteously receiuing him made so much of him as though he had not offended at all Which example of courtesie preuailed much to the alluring of his other sons to come to a reconciliation For the bringing whereof line 30 to speedie effect he sent this Richard vnto king Lewes and to his other sonne Henrie to commen with them of peace at which time earle Richard did so effectuallie his message that he brought them both in good forwardnesse to agree to his fathers purpose so that there was a daie appointed for them to meet with their father betwixt Towres in Touraine and Ambois King Henrie reioising hereat kept his daie being the morrow after the feast of S. Michaell and line 40 there met him both king Lewes and his two sonnes Henrie and Geffrey where finallie the father and the sonnes were accorded he promising to receiue them into fauour vpon these conditions 1 First the prisoners to be released fréelie without ransome on both sides and their offenses which had taken either the one part or the other to be likewise pardoned 2 Out of this article were excepted all those which before the concluding of this peace had alreadie line 50 compounded for their raunsomes as the king of Scots the earles of Leicester and Chester and Rafe Fulgiers with their pledges 3 It was also agréed that all those castels which had beene builded in time of this warre should be raced and throwne downe and all such cities townes castels countries and places as had beene woone by either part during these wars should be restored vnto those persons that held the same and were in possession of them 15. daies before the departure of the line 60 sonnes from king Henrie the father 4 That king Henrie the father should assigne to his sons more large reuenues for maintenance of their estates with a caution included that they should not spend the same riotouslie in any prodigall sort or maner 5 To the king his sonne he gaue two castels in Normandie with an increase of yearelie reuenues to the summe of 15. thousand pounds Aniouin 6 To his sonne Richard he gaue two houses in Poictou with the one halfe of all the reuenues of the countie of Poictou to be receiued and taken in readie monie 7 And to his sonne Geffrey he granted in monie the moitie of that which he should haue by the mariage of earle Conans daughter and after he had maried hir by licence purchased of the pope he should enioy all the whole liuings and reuenues that descended to hir as in hir fathers writing therof more at large was conteined 8 On the other part king Henrie the son couenanted to with the king his father that he would performe and confirme all those gifts which his father should grant out of his lands also all those gifts of lands which he either had made and assured or hereafter should make and assure vnto any of his men for any of their seruices likewise those gifts which he had made vnto his sonne Iohn the brother of king Henrie the sonne namelie a thousand pounds in lands by yeare in England of his demaine and excheats with the appurtenances and the castell and countie of Notingham with the castell of Marlebrough the appurtenances Also a thousand pounds Aniouin of yearelie reuenues in Normandie and two castels there And in Aniou a thousand pounds Aniouin of such lands as belonged to the earle of Aniou with one castell in Aniou and one in Touraine and another in Maine Thus were the father and sons agréed and made freends the sonnes couenanting neuer to withdraw their seruices and bounden dueties from their father but to obeie him in all things from that day forward Herewith also the peace was renewed betwixt king Henrie and king Lewes and for the further confirmation a new aliance was accorded betwixt them which was that the ladie Adela the daughter of king Lewes should be giuen in mariage vnto earle Richard the sonne of king Henrie who bicause she was not yet of age able to marie she was conueied into England to be vnder the guiding of king Henrie till she came to lawfull
Long time after the death of this damsell in the said abbeie was shewed a cofer that sometimes was hirs of the length of two foot in the which appeared giants fighting startling of beasts swimming of fishes and flieng of foules so liuelie that a man might woonder at the fine deuise thereof Moreouer king Henrie was noted not to be so fauourable to the liberties fréedoms of the church as he might haue béene For besides the persecuting of the foresaid Thomas archbishop of Canturburie he would not suffer the legats sent from the pope to enter within the bounds of his dominion till they had sworne that they should doo nothing preiudiciall to the customs of his kingdome neither by prescribing orders nor any other maner of act or meanes He was thought to be negligent in aiding the christian common-wealth in the holie land For though he had appointed twice or thrice to go thither in person yet being letted by light occasions he staied at home and sent small reléefe thither though he was earnestlie called vpon for the same His estimation was such amongst forren princes that Philip king of France being newlie entred into the gouernement of that realme after his fathers deceasse committed line 10 himselfe and his kingdome to the disposition and order of king Henrie as if he had béene regent of his realme and gouernour of his person There liued in the daies of this king Henrie the second diuerse honourable personages and capteins of great fame for their approoued valiancie and experience in warlike enterprises as Robert earle of Leicester Hugh Bigot earle of Northfolke Reignold earle of Cornewall Robert Ferreis earle of Darbie Richard Lacie Roger Mowbray Rafe de Fulgiers Humfrey Bohun conestable of England line 20 Ranulfe Glandeuille William Uesey Bernard de Ballioll Also there flourished in his time here in this land men of singular learning in arts and sciences as Nicholas Breakespeare Serlo surnamed Grammaticus William Rheualensis Adam de Euesham Thomas of Munmouth Adelbertus Leuita Geruasius Cicestrensis Odo Cantianus Ealred Rhieuellensis Iohannes Sarisburiensis Clemens Lanthoniensis Walter Daniell Robert line 30 Knought alià s Camtus Robert Folioth William Ramsey Senatus Brauonus Robert the Scribe Odo Miremuth Hugh of Reading Richard of Douer William of Peterburough Cicerciensis Bartholomew Iscanus and Gilbert de Sempringham with others ¶ And here to make an end with this high and mightie prince Henrie the second I haue thought good to make you partaker of an epitaph which we find in Matthew Paris and others written of him as line 40 followeth Epitaphium in Henricum secundum regem mortuum hîc sepultum REx Henricus eram mihi plurima regna subegi MultiplicÃque modo dúxque comésque fui Cui satis ad votum non essent omnia terrae Climata terra modò sufficit octo pedum Qui legis haec pensa discrimina mortis indè line 50 Humanae specula conditionis habe Quod potes instanter operare bonum quia mundus Transit incautos mors inopina rapit Aliud TVmuli regis superscriptio breuis exornaâ— Sufficit hic tumulus cui non suffecerat orbis Res breuis est ampla cui fuit ampla breuis An epitaph vpon king Henrie the second dead and heere intoomed OF late king Henrie was my name which conquerd manie a land And diuerse dukedoms did possesse and earledoms held in hand And yet while all the earth could scarse my greedie mind suffice Eight foot within the ground now serues wherein my carcase lies Now thou that readest this note well my force with force of death And let that serue to shew the state of all that yeeldeth breath Doo good then here foreslowe no time cast off all worldlie cares For brittle world full soone dooth faile and death dooth strike vnwares An other SMall epitaph now serues to decke this toome of statelie king And he who whilome thought whole earth could scarse his mind content In little roome hath roome at large that serues now life is spent ¶ Here may be thought that the reigne of the Normans and French men ouer the realme of England tooke end a hundred twentie two yeares after the comming in of the Conquerour for those that reigned after this Henrie the second we may rightlie estéeme to be Englishmen bicause they were borne in England and vsed the English toong customes and maners according to the nature and qualitie of the countrie Thus farre the succession and regiment of the Frenchmen ouer this Iland namelie Stephan of Bullongne and Henrie the second Richard the first second sonne to Henrie the second RIchard the first of that name and second sonne of Henrie the second began his reigne ouer England the sixt day of Iulie in the yere of our Lord 1189. year 1189 in the seauen and thirteeth yeare of the emperour Frederike the first in the eleuenth yere of the reigne of Philip the second king of France and king William surnamed the Lion line 10 as yet liuing in the gouernement of Scotland This Richard immediatlie after the solemnities of his fathers funerals were ended made hast to Rouen where he was ioifullie receiued and proclamed duke of Normandie receiuing the inuesture according to the custome on the twentith day of Iulie Then studieng to set all things in good order on that side the sea he made search where his fathers treasure was preserued and therevpon attached Stephan de Turnham who was seneschall or gouernour as we line 20 may call him of Aniou and committing him to prison compelled him to make deliuerie of all such summes of monie as he had hid and laid vp in certeine castels by the commandement of the late king his father Whilest he was thus occupied his brother Iohn came to him to whom he ioifullie gaue the welcome and besides all other things which his father had bequeathed vnto him by his testament in England amounting to the value of foure thousand pounds of line 30 yearelie rent with the earledome of Mortaigne he procured a marriage for him being now a widower for his further aduancement with the ladie Isabell daughter to Robert earle of Glocester which earle had appointed the said Iohn to be his heire as before is mentioned although Baldwine the archbishop of Canturburie forbad the mariage bicause they were coosens in the third degree of consanguinitie To Robert earle of Leicester also he restored all his lands which had béene taken from him and such persons line 40 as his father had disherited he restored likewise to their former rights and possessions howbeit those had forsaken his father and taken part with him against his said father he séemed now so much to mislike that he remooued them vtterlie from his presence and contrariwise preferred such as had continued faithfull vnto his father in time of the troubles At length king Richard remembring himselfe of his mother quéene Elianor who had béene separated
had and an honorable dowrie assigned foorth of the lands that belonged to the said Arthur for the said ladie to inioy during hir life in case she suruiued hir husband And if it so chanced that by the death of either of them the mariage could not take place then should king Richard restore the same twentie thousand ounces of gold againe But beside these twentie thousand ounces of gold thus giuen by king Tancred for the mariage of his daughter he gaue other twentie thousand ounces to king Richard for an acquitance and quite claime of all manner of duties rights and demands which either he or his sister might pretend either by reason of anie bequest dowrie or anie other manner of waie England seeketh to haue some quarell whie he may refuse to marrie with my sister For these are but forged matters and no truth resteth in them When the king of England vnderstood this maner of answer he replied in this wise That as for the French kings sister he might not marrie for as much as he was able to produce good witnesse to prooue that his father had lien with hir and got a child of hir And as for his priuie procéeding and practise with Tancred he néeded no further testimonie than line 10 his owne hand and his seale the partie himselfe being present who receiued them the messenger also being not far off that carried them betwéene both the parties When the French king was throughlie informed of the first point through counsell of the earle of Flanders and others he pacified himselfe and was contented to release the king of England of his faith giuen by oth for the contract made with his sister Alice in consideration of which releasement and deliuerance the king of England couenanted to giue line 20 yearelie to the French king two thousand marks of starling coine for the terme of fiue yeares togither and at his returne home it was agreed that he shuld also deliuer vnto the French king his sister the said ladie Alice with the towne of Gisors and all other things which the French king had granted to him with his said sister On the other part the French king granted that the dutchie of Britaine should apperteine to the dominion of the dutchie of Normandie so as the duke of Britaine should be accompted line 30 the liege man of the duke of Normandie and that the duke of Normandie should answer the French king for both the dutchies as well of Britaine as Normandie These agréements were ratified and confirmed with solemne oths receiued and charters giuen vnder their hands and seales vpon the 30. of March About this time the French king now that the season of the yeare was come set forward toward the holie land leauing king Richard behind him in line 40 Sicile and the two and twentith day after his setting foorth from Messina he arriued at the siege of Acres or Acon The same day also that the French king departed from Messina queene Elianor the mother of king Richard arriued there bringing with hir the ladie Berengaria the daughter of Sanctius the king of Nauarre and the fourth day after quéene Elianor tooke leaue of hir sonne king Richard and departed homeward towards England taking hir line 50 iournie by Rome about the businesse of Geffrey the elect of Yorke as to intreat the pope that he would confirme and consecrate him archbishop or to authorise some other to doo it in his name The ladie Berengaria remained behind with the kings sister Ioane quéene of Sicile After this in the moneth of Aprill on the wednesday in the passion weeke king Richard after he had finished and made an end of all conclusions with king Tancred did also set forward with his sister Ioane who tooke with hir the ladie Berengaria line 60 daughter to the king of Nauarre affianced to him long before as aboue is partlie mentioned His nauie consisted in thirteene mightie great ships with triple sailes an hundred carikes or rather hulkes and fiftie gallies He was no sooner abroad in the maine sea but a great tempest arose wherewith his whole nauie was sore tossed and turmoiled vp and downe the seas and at length driuen on the coast of Cypres where séeking to take harbour to come on land the Cypriots would not suffer him but shewed countenance to driue him backe and to resist his landing Also whereas six of his ships were so driuen by force of tempest from the residue that thrée of them perished and three being cast vpon the shoare of Cypres before the kings arriuall there the souldiers and other people in the same were compelled to come on land for sauing their liues where otherwise they stood in danger of drowning the people of the I le assailing them in right cruell sort slue diuerse and tooke the residue prisoners and so deteined them for a certeine season King Richard then vnderstanding this iniurie to him doone by the Cypriots perceiuing they would resist his landing prepared himselfe and his people to enter vpon them by force The king of Cypres Isakius or Cursach whome Houeden nameth emperour of Cypres had assembled the most part of all the power of men that he might make though few of them were armed or had any great skill in feats of warre and caused them to set boords logs of wood benches formes and great chests afore them as a defense and as it were in steed of a wall that by succour thereof they might the better kéepe off their enimie from landing But K. Richard so incouraged his men by his presence hartened them with such comfortable words as he vttered vnto them that rowing to the shoare with their galies and small botes hauing the archers afore them they easilie got to land droue their enimies backe and so farre pursued them being but footmen weatherbeaten wearie and weat as conuenientlie they might for the shortnes of time King Richard hauing thus got foot on land approched the towne of Limezun which he with his souldiers entred and finding it emptie of people which were fled awaie but full of riches and great plentie of victuals as corne wine oile and flesh he seized therevpon The same day also the kings sisters and the ladie Berengaria with the residue of the kings nauie entred the hauen of Limezun In the meane time the king of Cypres hauing escaped from the battell got togither his men which were fled and dispersed sundrie waies and incamped within six miles of king Richard threatning that the next day he would eftsoones giue battell which when king Richard vnderstood he caused his people to be armed the next morning long before day and so comming by guides vnto the place where the Cypriots with their king were lodged suddenlie they assailed them yer they had anie warning of his marching towards them by reason whereof they were slaine like beasts in great numbers Howbeit their king and a few other escaped and fled away
of the French king by couenants that should passe betwixt them he determined therefore with himselfe to commit his whole safetie to his naturall brother and to no man else perceiuing that the French king made not so great accompt of him after the losse of his castels in England as he had doone before Herevpon comming to his brother king Richard he besought him to pardon his â—â—â—ense and though he had not dealt brotherlie towards him yet that he would brotherlie forgiue him his rebellious trespasse adding furthermore that whereas he had not heretofore beene thankefull for his manifold benefits which he had receiued at his hands yet he was now most sorie therefore and was willing to make amends wherewith he acknowledged the safegard of his life to rest in him for the which he was bound to giue him thanks if he would grant thereto The king mooued with his words made this answer as it is said that he pardoned him indéed but yet wished that he might forget such iniuries as he had receiued at his hands which he doubted least he should not easilie doo Herewith erle Iohn being yet put in good hope of forgiuenesse sware to be true euer after vnto him and that he would endeuour himselfe to make amends for his misdeeds past and so was shortlie after restored vnto his former degree honour and estimation in all respects line 10 But by some writers it should appeare that earle Iohn immediatlie vpon conclusion of the first truce came from the French king and submitted himselfe to his brother and by mediation of the quéene their mother was pardoned receiued againe into fauour and serued 〈◊〉 after against the French king verie dutifullie séeking by new atchiued enterpises brought about to the contentation of his brother to make a recompense for his former misdemeanor reputing it meere madnesse to make means to further line 20 mischeefe for stultum est hostem iritare potentem Atque malum maius tumidis sibi quaerere verbis But at what time soeuer he returned thus to his brother this yeare as Roger Houeden saith he was restored to the earledoms of Mortaigne in Normandie and Glocester in England with the honour of Eie the castels onelie excepted and in recompense of the residue of the earledoms which he had before inioied togither with certeine other lands his brother line 30 king Richard gaue vnto him a yeerelie pension amounting to the summe of eight thousand pound of Aniouin monie ¶ Now here to staie a while at matters chancing here about home I will speake somewhat of the dooings of Leopold duke of Austrich who as one nothing mooued with the pestilence and famine that oppressed his countrie in this season but rather hauing his hart hardened began to threaten the English hostages that they shuld loose their liues if king Richard kept not the couenants which he had line 40 vndertaken to performe by a day appointed Wherevpon Baldwin Betun one of the hostages was sent by common agréement of the residue vnto king Richard to signifie to him their estate King Richard willing to deliuer them out of further danger sent with the same Baldwin his coosen the sister of Arthur duke of Britaine and the daughter of the emperour of Cypres to be conueied vnto the said duke of Austrich the one namelie the sister of Arthur to be ioined in marriage with the dukes sonne and the line 50 other to continue in the dukes hands to bestow at his pleasure But in the meane time on saint Stephans day duke Leopold chanced to haue a fall beside his horsse and hurt his leg in such wise that all the surgions in the countrie could not helpe him wherevpon in extreame anguish he ended his life And whereas before his death he required to be absolued of the sentence of excommunication pronounced against him by the pope for apprehending of king Richard in line 60 his returning from his iournie made into the holie land he was answered by the cleargie that except he would receiue an oth to stand to the iudgement of the church for the iniurie doone to king Richard and that vnlesse other of the Nobilitie would receiue the like oth with him if he chanced to die whereby he might not fulfill that which the church héerein should decrée that yet they should see the same performed he might not otherwise be absolued Wherefore he tooke the oth and the Nobles of his countrie with him and therewithall released the English pledges remitted the monie that yet remained behind of his portion aforesaid and immediatlie therewith died After his deceasse bicause certeine péeâ—es of the countrie withstood the performance of the premisses his bodie laie eight daies longer aboue ground than otherwise it should haue doone for till such time as all the pledges were perfectlie released it might not be buried Also Baldwin de Betun approching neere to the confines of Austrich when he heard that the duke was dead returned with the two ladies vnto his souereigne lord king Richard Thâ—s as ye haue heard for feare of the censures of the church were the pledges restored and the residue of the monie behind released ¶ All this was â—â—th pleasant and profitable for king Richards soules helth as may 〈◊〉 thought bicause he tooke occasion therof to amend hiâ— owne former 〈◊〉 by considering how much he might be repreheâ—â—eâ— for his sundrie faults committed both against God and man A maruellous matter to â—eare how much froÌ„ that time forward he reformed his former trade of liuing into a better forme order Moreouer the emperour gaue to the Ciâ—teauâ— moonks 3000 marks of siluer parcell of king Richards ransome to make siluer censers in euerie church throughout where they had any houses but the abbats of the same order refused the gift being a portion of so wrongfull and vngodlie a gaine At which thing when it came to the knowledge of K. Richard he greatlie maruelled at the first but after commended the abbats in their dooings and cheeflie for shewing that they were void of the accustomed gréedinesse of hauing which most men supposed them to be much infected withall King Richard this yeare pardoned Hugh Nouant bishop of Couentrie of all his wrath and displeasure conceiued toward him and restored to him his bishoprike for fiue thousand marks of siluer But Robert Nouant the same bishops brother died in the kings prison at Douer Also whereas the archbishop of Yorke had offended king Richard he pardoned him and receiued him againe into fauour with the kisse of peace Wherevpon the archbishop waxed so proud that vsing the king reprochfullie he lost his archbishoprike the rule of Yorkeshire which he had in gouernment as shiriffe the fauour of his souereigne and which was the greatest losse of all the loue of God For Nemo superbus amat superos nec amatur ab illis Vult humiles Deus ac mites habitátque libenter Mansuetos animos procul
suertie had vpon the promise of Amedie earle of Sauoy they were set at libertie with these conditions that they should deliuer into the French kings hands their daughter which was so affianced vnto K. Edwards sonne and further couenanted not to conclude any league with the king of England but in line 20 all points t' obserue a certeine peace which was concluded with Ferdinando earle of Flanders in the yeare 1225. And if earle Guie brake the same peace then should he be excommunicated and all his countrie of Flanders interdicted by the archbishop of Reims and the bishop of Senlis iudges appointed herein by authoritie of the pope The earles daughter being sent for and brought vnto Paris the earle and his wife were released and suffered to returne into Flanders and shortlie after line 30 the earle made earnest suit to haue his daughter restored vnto him againe insomuch that he procured pope Boniface to be a meane for him to the French king but all would not serue no though as some say the pope accurssed the French king for reteining hir answer being made that matters perteining to worldlie gouernement belonged not to the pope to discusse Finallie earle Guie perceiuing he could not preuaile in that suit to haue his daughter againe vpon high displeasure concluded to ioine in line 40 league with king Edward his confederats Herevpon at an assemblie or councell kept at Gerardmount there was a solemne league made and agréed betwixt Adolph the emperour of Almaine Edward king of England Guie earle of Flanders Iohn Duke of Brabant Henrie earle of Bar both sonnes in law to king Edward and Albert duke of Austrich against Philip king of France and Iohn earle of Henault his partaker The merchants of Flanders procured the earle to line 50 conclude this league with king Edward as some write the rather in respect of the great commodities which rose to their countrie by reason of the intercourse of merchandize vsed betwixt England and Flanders and for that through aid of the Englishmen they might the better withstand the malice both of the French and of all other their enimies This league being proclaimed in England there were sent ouer into Flanders the treasurer of the excheker and diuerse other noble men to fetch hostages line 60 from thence and to giue to the earle fifteene thousand pounds of siluer toward the fortifieng of his castels and holds King Philip being hereof aduertised by counsell of the peeres of his realme sent two honorable personages as the capteine of Mounstrell and the capteine of Belquerke which should attach the earle of Flanders by his bodie and summon him to yéeld himselfe prisoner at Paris within the space of fifteene daies next insuing This attachment made and summons giuen the earle of Flanders sent his full defiance vnto the French king by the abbats of Gemblois and Senefles vnto whome he gaue sufficient letters procuratorie to authorise them thereto dated at Male in the yeare of Grace 1296 after the accounts of the chronicles of Flanders which begin their yere at Easter and so this chanced in the fiue and twentith yeare of king Edwards reigne the wednesdaie next after the feast of the Epiphanie Herevpon was the earle accurssed Flanders interdicted by the archbishop of Reims and the bishop of Senlis comming vnto Terwane for that purpose about the fifteenth day of Iune in the yeare 1297. But the lord Robert the earles sonne appealed from that interdiction to the pope and so the Flemmings tooke themselues frée out of danger of the same Earle Guie also obteined of king Edward that it might be lawfull for them of Bruges to buy wools through England Scotland and Ireland as freelie as the Italians might by their priuilege and grant But to returne now to the dooings of king Edward who in this meane time hauing perfect knowledge of the league concluded betwixt the king of France and the king of Scotland prepared an armie and first sent ambassadors into Scotland to giue summons to king Iohn to appeare at Newcastell within certeine daies that he might there shew the cause whie he had broken the league and further to declare vnto him that he was deceiued if he thought he might serue two maisters contrarie to the words of the gospell and according to the old saieng which seldome neuer faileth in consequence Defuit ambobus qui vult seruire duobus For how much fauour as he purchased at the hands of the Frenth king so much displeasure might he assure himselfe to procure at the hands of the king of England whome to obeie it should be most for his aduantage The ambassadors that were sent did their message throughlie but king Iohn was so farre off from answering any thing that might sound to the maintenance of peace that shortlie after he sent letters of complaint vnto king Edward for wrongs which he alledged he had susteined by his means and at his hands Herevpon king Edward by aduise of his councell determined to set forward with his armie into Scotland In the meane time Robert Ros capteine of Warke castell reuolted to the Scotish king mooued therevnto through the loue of a Scotish gentlewoman whome he meant to marrie notwithstanding he had sworne fealtie vnto king Edward Where vpon his brother William de Ros giuing knowledge to king Edward required to haue some aid whereby he might defend the castell against the Scotishmen King Edward sent vnto him a thousand souldiers Polydor saith an hundred the which as they lodged one night in a towne called Prestfen were slaine by the Scotishmen of the garison of Rockesborough that were led and guided by the said Robert Ros some of them although but few escaped awaie by flight King Edward aduertised hereof hasted foorth and came to the said castell glad of this as is reported that the Scotishmen had first begun the warre meaning as it should seeme by their procéedings to follow the same for vpon Good friday diuerse Scotishmen entring the borders burnt sundrie villages and spoiled the abbeie of Carham Furthermore whilest king Edward kept his castell at Warke seauen earles of Scotland as Bouchan Menteth Stratherne Lennox Ros Atholl and Mar with Iohn Comin the maister of Badenaw hauing assembled an armie togither of fiue hundred men of armes on horssebacke and ten thousand footmen in Annandale vpon monday in Easter wéeke entred England and putting all to fire and sword approched to Carleill and laid siege therevnto on each side passing the water of Eden by a foord vnder Richardston and did so much preuaile that they burned the suburbes and assaulted the gates at which enterprise a gentleman of Galloway as he ventured somewhat neere to the gate was drawne vp by an iron hooke of those that stood aloft vpon the gates to defend the same and there slaine and thrust through with speares In the meane time a spie
his commandement went into Scotland but shewed themselues slow inough to procure those things that perteined to peace and quietnesse In the meane time whilest these things were a doing the bishop of Carleill and other which laie there vpon the gard of that citie and castell hauing some mistrust of the loialtie in Robert Bruce the yoonger that was earle of Carrike by his mother they sent him word to come vnto them at a certeine daie bicause they had to talke with him of matters touching the kings affairs He durst not disobeie but came to Carleill togither with the bishop of Gallowaie there receiued a corporall oth vpon the holie and sacred mysteries and vpon the sword of Thomas Becket to be true to the king of England and to aid him and his against their enimies in all that he might and further to withstand that the said king receiued no hurt nor damage so far as in him might lie This doone he returned againe into Scotland and for a colour entred into the lands of William Douglas and burnt part of them bringing the wife and children of the same William backe with him into Annandale but shortlie after he conspired with the Scotish rebels and ioined himselfe with them not making his father priuie to the matter who in the meane while remaind in the south parts of England He would haue persuaded such knights gentlemen and other as held their lands of his father in Annandale to haue gone with him but they would not breake their faith giuen to the king of England and so left him The earle of Surrey assembling togither his power in Yorkeshire sent his nephue the lord Henrie Percie with the souldiers of the countrie of Carleill before into Scotland who passing foorth to the towne of Aire went about to induce them of Gallowaie into peace and hearing that an armie of Scotishmen was gathered togither at a place about foure miles from thence called Irwin he made thitherward and comming neere to the Scotish host might behold where the same was lodged beyond a certeine lake In that armie were capteins the bishop of Glasco Andrew de Murreie steward of Scotland and William Waleis which as it should seeme were not all of one mind There was in the same armie a knight named sir Richard Lundie which neuer yet had doon homage to the king of England but now flieng from his companie he came to the English armie and submitted himselfe with his retinue vnto the king of England saieng that he ment not to serue amongst them any longer that could not agrée togither The residue of the Scotishmen sued for peace vpon condition to haue liues members goods cattels and lands saued line 10 with a pardon of all offenses past The lord Percie vpon pledges writings heerof deliuered was contented to grant their requests so that the king his maister would be therewith pleased who being hereof certified bicause he would not gladlie be staied of his iournie into Flanders granted vnto all things that were thus required Then after that the earle of Surrie was come to the English campe bicause William Waleis ceassed not in the meane time to assemble more people line 20 the Englishmen doubting some treason resolued to giue battell but whilest they were in mind thus to do the bishop of Glasco and William Douglas to auoid the note of disloialtie and treason came and submitted themselues and so the bishop was committed to ward within the castell of Rokesborough and William Douglas in the castell of Berwike It is to be noted that euen in the verie time that the treatie was in hand betwixt the lord Percie and the Scotish capteins the Scots of Gallowaie and other set vpon that part of the English campe where the line 30 trâ—sâ—e and baggage laie which they spoiled and ransacked slaieng aboue fiue hundreth persons what of men women and children but the alarum being raised the Englishmen came to the rescue and chasing the Scots slue aboue a thousand of them and recouered the most part of their owne goods with more which they tooke from their enimies In this meane time king Edward at the feast of Lammas held a councell at London where he receiued the archbishop of Canturburie againe into his line 40 fauor restoring vnto him all his goods and lands He appointed him and the lord Reinold Grey to haue his eldest sonne prince Edward in kéeping till his returne out of Flanders But Nicholas Triuet writeth that the said prince Edward being appointed to remaine at home as lieutenant to his father there were appointed vnto him as councellors Richard bishop of London William earle of Warwike and the forenamed lord Reinold Grey with the lord Iohn Gifford and the lord Alane Plokenet men of line 50 high wisedome grauitie and discretion without making mention of the archbishop of Canturburie in that place The two earles Marshall and Hereford being commanded to attend the king into Flanders refused excusing themselues by messenger After this the king caused sir Rafe Monthermer whom his daughter the countesse of Glocester in hir widowhood had taken to husband without knoledge of hir father to be deliuered out of the castell of Bristow wherein he had béene kept prisoner a certeine line 60 time vpon displeasure for the marriage but now he was not onelie set at libertie but also restored to his wife and to all the lands perteining to the earledome of Glocester appointing him to find 50 men at armes to serue in that iournie into Flanders He also deliuered the earles of Cassels and Menteth Iohn Comin and diuers other Scotishmen appointing them also to go with him into Flanders Finallie hauing assembled his armie ouer the which he made the lord Thomas Berklie constable and Geffrey Ienuille marshall he went to Winchelsey and whilst he laie there before he tooke the sea there was presented vnto him from the earles a writing which conteined the causes of the gréefe of all the archbishops bishops abbats earles lords barons and of all the communaltie as well for summoning them to serue by an vndue meane as also for the vnreasonable taxes subsidies impositions paiements which they dailie susteined and namelie the impost augmented vpon the custome of wooll seemed to them verie greeuous For whereas for euerie sacke of whole wooll there was fortie shillings paid and for euerie sacke of broken wooll one marke it was well knowne that the wooll of England was almost in value esteemed to be woorth halfe the riches of the realme and so the custome thereof paid would ascend to a fift part of all the substance of the land The kings answer therevnto was that he could not alter any thing without the aduise of his councell of the which part were alreadie passed ouer into Flanders and part were at London and therfore he required the said earles that if they would not attend
reason of the exceeding great weat that fell in that season they could not kéepe on their iournie into Douglasdale and to Aire as they had appointed but hauing remained in Scotland twelue daies they returned altogither vnto Carleill Edward Balioll was not with them in this iournie but remained still in England The Scots in reuenge hereof made diuerse rodes into England withdrawing still with their prey and booties before the English power could assemble to giue them battell About Alhallontide the Scots besieged the castell of Edenburgh but the bishop of Carleill the lord Randoll Dacres of Gillesland with the power of the counties of Cumberland and of Westmerland and the king of Scots Edward Balioll with the lord Anthonie Lucie and such companie as they brought from Berwike meeting at Rockesburgh marched foorth vnto Edenburgh and chasing the Scots from the siege tooke order for the safe keeping of the castell from thencefoorth and returned into England In this meane time things happened so well to the purpose of king Edward that by practise he alienated the hearts of the Flemings from the obedience of their earle being altogither an earnest fréend to the French king He therefore vnderstanding the minds of his people sought to winne them by some gentle treatie and so did euen at the first concluding an agréement with them of Gaunt which were fullie at a point to haue entred into league with the king of England as with him whose fréendship by reason of the traffike of merchandize and namelie of the English wools they knew to be more necessarie for their countrie than the French kings Although by the helpe of the bishop of Tournie the earle of Flanders caused them to staie from concluding or ioining in anie such bonds of amitie with the king of England for that time yet he doubted the arriuall of some power out of England and therevpon appointed his bastard brother Guie of Rijâ—kenburgh and certeine other noble men and capteins with a crue of men of warre to lie in the I le of Cadsant to defend the passage there and to see that no English ships should come or go that waie by the seas whereof the king of England being aduertised sent thither the earle of Derbie the lord Lewes Beauchampe the lord Reginald Cobham also the lord William sonne to the earle of Warwike the lord Walter de Mannie an Hanneuier and other lords knights and capteins with a power of fiue hundred men of armes and two thousand archers the which comming to the foresaid I le of Cadsant line 10 found the Flemings about fiue thousand in number readie arranged on the towne dikes and sands in purpose to defend the entrie which they did a certeine space right valiantlie but in the end they were discomfited and three thousand of them slaine in the stréets hauen and houses Sir Guie the bastard of Flanders was taken with diuerse other knights and gentlemen the towne was burnt and the goods with the prisoners were carried into England This chanced on a sundaie the daie before the feast of saint line 20 Martine in Nouember Where the lord Walter de Mannie might haue had 11 thousand pounds sterling for the ransome of the said sir Guie and other prisoners the king bought them of him in the fouretéenth yeare of his reigne for eight thousand pounds sterling as by records in the tower it appeareth About the feast of saint Martine in winter there came vnto London two cardinals sent by the pope to treat for a peace betwixt the kings of England and France ¶ The archbishop of Canturburie with line 30 the bishops of Winchester Elie Chichester Couentrie the coÌ„moners of the citie of London met them on Shooters hill The duke of Cornewall with the earle of Surrie and manie other of the nobilitie receiued them a mile without the citie The king himselfe receiued them at the lesser hall doore of his palace at Westminster and brought them into the painted chamber where they declared their message wherevpon the king caused a parlement to be summoned at London to begin the morrow after Candlemasse line 40 day The king held his Christmasse at Gildford and within the octaues of the same feast he tooke his iournie towards Scotland year 1339 or rather as other haue he sent thither the earles of Salisburie Glocester Derbie and Anegos with three barons the lords Percie Neuill and Stafford the which with twentie thousand men besieged the castell of Dunbar This siege began euen in the beginning of the twelfth yeare of king Edwards reigne and continued for the space of nineteene wéeks with small gaine line 50 and lesse honour to the Englishmen in so much that the same brake vp vnder a colour of a truce when there was no hope of winning the place and that the noble men that laie there at siege hasted to make an end that they might attend the king in his iournie ouer into Brabant The morrow after Candlemasse day the parlement began in which there was a grant made to the king by the laitie of the one halfe of their woolles through the whole realme for the next summer which he receiued and likewise he leuied of the line 60 cleargie the whole causing them to paie nine marks of euerie sacke of the best wooll But after the rate of the one halfe he tooke in whose hands so euer it was found aswell merchants as others After this he tooke a fiftéenth of all the communaltie of his realme in wooll the price of euerie stone conteining fouretéene pounds rated at two shillings The one and twentith of March the two cardinals tooke the sea at Douer and in their companie went ouer the archbishop of Canturburie and the bishop of Durham to treat of a peace if by any good means the two kings might be made fréends But as it appeared their trauell was in vaine for although they abode togither for a time on the frontiers dooing their best indeuor yet their trauell nothing auailed as by that which followeth is most manifest The Flemings that fauoured king Edward were put in such comfort by the late victorie obteined by the Englishmen in the I le of Cadsant that falling to their former practise one Iaques or Iacob â—an Arteueld an hommaker of the towne of Gant was chosen amongst them to be as it were the defender of the people and namelie of the weauerâ— and other clothworkers Finallie his authoritie grew so hugelie amongst all the whole number of the commons in Flanders that he might doo moâ—e with them than their earle and yet the earle to reconcile the people to his fauour ceassed not to vse all courteous means towards them that he could deuise as releasing customes and duties of monie pardoning offenses forfeitures and other such like but all would not auaile him The king of England had so woon them by the meanes of the said
front of his volume in letters of red vermilon as desiring to haue his name notoriouslie knowne to the world Autoris nomen capitales litterae pandunt He I say in that copious treatise hauing spoken as line 40 maliciouslie viperouslie as he might both of Wickliffes life which he concludeth to be lewd of his opinions which he auoucheth to be hereticall and of his fauourers and followers to whom at his pleasure he giueth vnreuerent epithets all which to prosecute at length as by him they are in ample sort laid downe would but detect the mans malignitie and procure an ouerthrow of credit to be attributed vnto his declarations he maketh vp his mouth with a tristichon of poeticall imitation to bring Wickliffe line 50 and his adherents into perpetuall obloquie and defamation saieng as followeth in verse and prose Si totum membrana solum calamus nemus omne Et Thetis encaustum scriptor omnis homo Istorum facinus scribere non poterunt Maledictus conuentus eorum quoniam pertinax propterea Deus destruat eos in finem euellat emigrare faciat de tabernaculis fidelium suorum radicem eorum de terra regni hoc videant iusti laetentur vt dicere possint Ecce populus qui se exaltauit super electos doctores Domini line 60 sperauit in multitudine vanitatis suae confundantur pereant cum doctrina eorum in aeternum c. But of Wickliffes life and doctrine to read at large I remit the reader to the acts and monuments of the church published by maister Iohn Fox and now will we returne to matters of state and policie There went foorth this yeare a verie great nauie of ships to the sea vnder the guiding of the earle of Buckingham the duke of Britaine the lord Latimer the lord Fitz Walter sir Robert Knolles and other valiant capteins meaning to haue intercepted the Spanish fléet that was gone to Sluse in Flanders but thorough rage of tempest and contrarie winds they were driuen home although twise they attempted their fortune but sir Hugh Caluerlie deputie of Calis slept not his businesse dooing still what displeasures he could to the Frenchmen Shortlie after Christmasse he spoiled the towne of Estaples the same daie the faire was kept there to which a great number of merchants of Bullougne were come to make their markets but the sellers had quicke vtterance for that that might easilie be caried awaie the Englishmen laid hands on and caused the owners to redéeme the residue with great sums of monie which they vndertooke to paie or else sir Hugh threatned to haue burnt all that was left togither with the houses Yée haue heard how at the first the duke of Lancaster was one of the chéefe about the yoong king in gouernement of his person and realme who prudentlie considering that sith there must néeds be an alteration in the state doubting least if any thing chanced otherwise than well the fault and blame might be chéefelie imputed to him and thanks howsoeuer things went he looked for none he gaue therefore the slip obteining licence of the king to depart and so got him home to his castell of Killingworth permitting other to haue the whole swaie for before his departure from the court there were with his consent ordeined such as should be attending on the kings person and haue the rule and ordering of matters perteining to the state as William Courtnie then bishop of London though shortlie after remooued to the archbishops see of Canturburie Edmund Mortimer earle of March diuerse other of whome the people had conceiued a good opinion but yet bicause the bishop of Salisburie and the lord Latimer were admitted amongst the residue the commons murmured greatlie against them The earle of Northumberland resigned his office of lord marshall in whose place succeeded sir Iohn Arundell brother vnto the earle of Arundell ¶ The duke of Lancaster although retired from the court yet desirous to haue the monie in his hands that was granted the last parlement at length obteined it vpon promise to defend the realme from inuasion of all enimies for one yeares space he therefore prouided a great nauie to go to the sea hiring nine ships of Baionne to assist his enterprise herein the which in making saile hitherwards incountred with the Spanish fléet and tooke fouretéene vessels laden with wines and other merchandize But in the meane time one Mercer a Scotishman with certeine saile of Scots Frenchmen and Spaniards came to Scarburgh and there tooke certeine ships and led them awaie to the sea as it were in reuenge of his fathers imprisonment named Iohn Mercer who before being caught by certeine ships of the north parts and deliuered to the earle of Northumberland was committed to prison within the castell of Scarburgh Iohn Philpot that worshipfull citizen of London lamenting the negligence of them that should haue prouided against such inconueniences made foorth a fléet at his owne charges stronglie furnished with men of warre and munition necessarie the men of warre méeting with the same Mercer accompanied with his owne ships and fiftéene other Spaniards that were newlie ioined with him set vpon them and so valiantlie behaued themselues that they tooke the said Mercer with all them that were then in his companie so recouering againe the ships that were taken from Scarburgh besides great riches which were found aboord as well in the fiftéene Spanish ships as the other that were of the old retinue belonging to the same Mercer Iohn Philpot was afterwards blamed of the lords for presuming thus far as to set foorth a nauie of men of warre without the aduise of the kings councell but he made his answer in such wise vnto the earle of Stafford and others that laid the fault to his charge that he was permitted to depart without further trouble for that matter Before all such prouision as the duke of Lancaster prepared for his iournie to the sea could be readie the earles of Salisburie and Arundell sailed ouer into Normandie where by such composition as was taken betwixt the king of England and the king of line 10 Nauarre who of new was become enimie to the French king the towne of Chierburg was deliuered vnto the said earles who sending knowledge thereof backe into England there were sent ouer such as should haue in charge the kéeping of that towne and so the two earles returned ¶ We find that the king of Nauarre hauing beene heere in England with the king and his councell had agréed with the king for a certeine yearelie rent to demise vnto him the said fortresse of Chierburg whereby the Englishmen line 20 might haue frée entrie into Normandie when they would as well to aid the king of Nauarre in his necessitie as to worke anie enterprise that should be thought expedient to the aduantage of the king of England as occasion serued But the obteining of possession of
The Gauntiners still mainteined warre against the earle of Flanders during his life and after his deceasse against Philip duke of Burgogne by such aid and comfort as they had from time to time of the king of England till finallie this yeare about the eightenth daie of December a peace was concluded betwixt the said duke and the towne of Gaunt and sir Iohn Bourchier that had laine a long season there as capteine vnder the K. of England and Peter de Bois one of the chéefe capteins of the Gauntiners before the concluding of this peace were safelie conducted to Calis by vertue of the duke of Burgogne his safe conduct and so they came ouer into England and the king gaue vnto Peter de Bois a pension of an hundred marks sterling yearelie to be paid to him out of the staples of the woolles in London This yeare king Richard holding his Christmasse at Eltham thither came to him Leo king of Armenia whose countrie and realme being in danger to be conquered of the Turks he was come into those west parts of christendome for aid and succour at the hands of the christian princes here The king honorablie receiued him and after he had taken counsell touching his request he gaue him great summes of monie and other rich gifts with a stipend as some write of a thousand pounds yearely to be paid to him during his life After he had remained here two moneths space he tooke leaue of the king and departed The chiefest point of his errand was to haue procured a peace betwixt the two kings of England and France but destinie would not permit so good a purpose to take effect for the hatred which either nation bare to other would not suffer their loftie minds to yeeld in any one point further than seemed good in their owne opinions In this ninth yeare of king Richard though by other writers it should séeme to be rather in the yeare following the duke of Lancaster with a great power of men of warre went into Spaine year 1386 and lead with him thither his wife the ladie Constance a daughter which he had by hir named Katharine and two other daughters which he had by his former wife He had béene about the preparing of an armie and all furniture necessarie for this iournie two or thrée yéeres before and therefore hauing now seauen gallies and eightéene ships sent to him out of Portingale which arriued at Bristow he caused all such vessels as he had prouided to resort likewise thither where making his generall assemblie when all his men of warre were come togither he bestowed them aboord with all their horsses and purueiances and causing sailes to be hoissed vp set forward on his line 10 long wished iournie This was in the moneth of Maie when the seas were calme the aire swéet and the winds pleasant and agréeable to his purpose He appointed for admerall of his whole fléet sir Thomas Percie and sir Iohn Holland that was after created earle of Huntington and had married one of his daughters was ordeined constable of the hoast and sir Thomas Moreaux hauing married his bastard daughter was one of his marshals There were that attended him in this iournie manie line 20 other lords and knights of honor as the lord Lucie the lord Talbot the lord Basset the lord Willoughbie the lord Fitz Walter the lord Poinings the lord Bradston the lord of PoÌ„miers a Gascoigne the lord Yonne fitz Warren Henrie lord Beaumont William lord Beauchampe sir Richard Burlie that was another of the marshals of the armie sir Hugh Spenser sir William Windsore sir Iohn Daubreticourt sir Hugh Hastings sir William Farrington sir Thomas Tresham sir Mauburin line 30 de Liniers sir Thomas Worcester sir Iohn Sowtrie sir Robert Clinton sir Philip Tirrell sir Lewes Rochester Huguelin Caluerlie Dauid Holgraue Thomas Alerie Hobequin Beaucester and diuerse other they were in all to the number of fifteene hundred men of armes whereof a thousand at the least were knights and esquiers besides foure thousand archers and other men of warre so perfectlie appointed and arraied as could be thought méet and conuenient Of this chosen companie attendant vpon the line 40 duke of Lancaster of this his voiage into Spaine the said C. Okland speaketh no lesse trulie according to the report of our annales than honorablie Ocyus instructa pro bello classe futuro Milite stipatus generoso traijcit aequor Fluctisonum cum vxore pia natÃsque duabus c. ¶ Henrie Knighton reporteth of this voiage as followeth in somewhat a differing sort from this alreadie laid downe On Easter daie saith he Iohn the duke of Lancaster with his wife came to the king line 50 to take their leaue to the which duke the king gaue a crowne of gold and the quéene likewise gaue an other crowne of gold to the duchesse Besides this the king commanded his people that they should call him king of Spaine and doo him honour in all things He had with him a power of 20000 chosen men of which number noted in the marshals bill or scroll 2000 were men of armes and 8000 were archers As they passed by Britaine they landed at Brest the capteine whereof at that time named sir Iohn line 60 Roche finding himselfe greatlie annoied by the Frenchmen that were lodged in two bastides erected before the castell declared to the duke in what state he stood Wherevpon he caused the said bastides to be assailed which was doone by the lord Fitz Walter and others who bare themselues so manfullie that the bastides were woone broken downe and a great preie with prisoners obteined although not without losse of diuerse valiant personages Thus were they within Brest castell deliuered of their vnfreendlie neighbours by the duke of Lancaster and his people Who hauing doone their feat tooke the seas and sailed foorth till they came on the coasts of Gallis where on S. Laurence eeuen they arriued in the hauen of Groigne otherwise called Coron and there they vnshipped all their prouisions determining to inuade the countrie on that side ¶ Héere bicause it is not vnprofitable to know the absolute truth of things doone by the collection of writers I haue translated the beseeging of Brest as the same is set downe by Henrie Knighton in his annales in a larger and more ample sort with a fuller certificat of circumstances than hath hitherto béene declared At the same time saith he the duke of Britaine had laid siege both by sea and land to a certeine towne in Britaine in old time subiect to the king of England which was called Brest with a great multitude of Frenchmen and Britains Now on the twelfth of the kalends of Iulie he began to build a fort before the said towne of Brest of a woonderfull bignesse the walles thereof being ten foot thicke and seauen towres about it A thousand workemen did worke daie by daie vpon it
sléepe and hoong heauie in some mens hands by the space of two yeares and in others thrée yeares without a chapman For it was enacted in a certeine parlement that the merchants of England should not passe out of the land with wooll and other merchandize but should bring the same vnto twelue places within the realme appointed for the same purpose that the merchants strangers might haue recourse thither with their commodities and so by exchange should transport our merchandize for theirs By meanes whereof the merchants of England did forbeare to buy wooll and other wares vntill the next parlement insuing wherein it was granted them to traffike whither they would with their commodities In these daies wooll was dogcheape for one stone of good wooll of the chosen and piked sort was sold for thrée shillings and in Leicester and Kent at some times for two shillings or two and twentie pence This scarsitie of victuals was of greatest force in Leicester shire in the middle parts of the realme And although it was a great want yet was not the price of corne out of reason For a quarter of wheat when it was at the highest was sold at Leiceister for 16 shillings 8 pence at one time and at other times for a marke or fourteene shillings at London and other places of the land a quarter of wheat was sold for ten shillings or for litle more or lesse For there arriued eleuen ships laden with great plentie of victuals at diuerse places of the land for the reliefe of the people Besides this the citizens of London laid out two thousand marks to buy food out of the common chest of orphans and the foure and twentie aldermen euerie of them put in his twentie pound a peece for necessarie prouision for feare of famine likelie to fall vpon the citie And they laid vp their store in sundrie of the fittest and most conuenient places they could choose that the néedie and such as were wroong with want might come buy at a certeine price so much as might suffice them and their familie and they which had not readie monie to paie downe presentlie in hand their word and credit was taken for a yeares space next following and their turne serued Thus was prouision made that people should be relieued and that none might perish for line 10 hunger On Christmasse day a dolphin that came foorth of the sea vp the Thames vnto London-bridge was espied of the citizens as he plaied in the water and being followed pursued with much adoo was taken He was ten foot long and a monstrous growne fish so as the sight of him was strange to manie that beheld him He was thought by his comming so farre into the landward to foreshew such stormes and tempests line 20 as within a wéeke after did raginglie follow Ye haue heard how the matter for a treatie of peace had béene first broched by the French king year 1392 by sending ambassadors to the king of England to mooue the same Which motion being throughlie considered of the estates assembled in this last parlement it was decréed that it should go forward as before ye haue heard and so about Candelmasse the lord Thomas Persie sir Lewes Clifford and sir Robert Briquet with diuerse other in their companie were sent ouer to the French king and comming to line 30 Paris found him lodgd in his house of Loure where they declared to him the good affection of the king their maister toward peace And the better to bring it to passe they shewed that king Richards desire was to haue some place and time appointed for commissioners to méet with authoritie to treat and conclude vpon articles as should be thought expedient The French king greatlie honored these ambassadors in feasting and banketting them for the space of six daies togither and for answer concluded with line 40 them that he himselfe with his vncles and other of his councell would be at Amiens by the middest of March next insuing there to abide the king of Englands comming and his vncles if it should please them thither to come The English ambassadors said there was no doubt but that either the king himselfe or his vncles shuld be there at the day assigned with full authoritie to conclude anie agréement that should seeme reasonable line 50 and so those ambassadors returned with great gifts presented on the kings behalfe to ech of them sir Robert Briquet excepted vnto whome it séemed the French king bare no great good will for that being a Frenchman borne he had euer serued the Nauarrois or Englishmen and was now one of king Richards priuie chamber The king of England as some write was once minded to haue passed the seas himselfe to haue met the French king at Amiens at the time appointed but finallie the duke of Lancaster line 60 the bishop of Durham and others were sent thither with a traine néere hand of a thousand horsses At their comming into France they were roiallie receiued for the French king had made no lesse preparation for the duke of Lancasters comming than if he had béene emperor The duke of Lancaster verelie was estéemed to be a verie mightie prince and one of the wisest and sagest princes in all christendome in those daies so that it séemed the French king reioised greatlie that he might come to haue conference with him There were with the French king héere at Amiens his brother the duke of Thoureigne his vncles the dukes of Berrie Burbon and Burgognie a great number of earles lords and other nobles of the realme of France Before the Englishmens comming for auoiding of strife and debate that might arise betwixt the English and French a proclamation was set foorth conteining certeine articles for the demeanor which the French men should obserue towards the Englishmen Whilest they there remained all the Englishmens charges were borne by the French king from their setting foorth from Calis till they came backe thither againe As touching their treatie manie things were proponed diuerse demands made and some offers though to small purpose for they tooke not effect insomuch as they departed without concluding anie thing further than that the â—ruce which was to end at Midsummer next was prolonged to continue one yéere more that in the meane time the lords and estates of the realme of England might assemble and with good aduise deliberate whether it were more expedient to agrée vnto a determinate peace or to pursue the doubtfull chances of warre And such was the end of that roiall ambassage to the furnishing foorth whereof the king demanded an aid as well of the abbats and priors as of the cities and good townes through the whole realme Anon after the returne of the duke of Lancaster and other the ambassadors that had béene at Amiens a councell of the lords and chiefe states of the realme was called at Stamford the which as if it had béene vnto
haue and worship as if fitteth and séemeth so worthie a prince and princesse to be worshipped principallie before all other temporall persons of the world 2 Also we shall not distrouble diseason or let our father aforesaid but that he hold and possede as long as he liueth as he holdeth and possedeth at this time the crowne and dignitie roiall of France with rents and profits for the same of the sustenance of his estate and charges of the realme And our foresaid moother also hold as long as she liueth the state and dignitie of quéene after the manner of the same realme with conuenable conuenient part of the said rents and profits 3 Also that the foresaid ladie Katharine shall take and haue dower in our realme of England as queenes of England here tofore were woont for to take and haue that is to saie to the summe of fortie thousand scutes of the which two algate shall be a noble English 4 And that by the waies manners and meanes that we without transgression or offense of other made by vs for to speake the lawes customes vsages and rights of our said realme of England shall done our labour and pursuit that the said Katharine all so soone as it maie be doone be made sure to take and for to haue in our said realme of England from the time of our death the said dower of fortie thousand scutes yearelie of the which twaine algate be worth a noble English 5 Also if it happe the said Katharine to ouerliue vs we shall take and haue the realme of France immediatlie from the time of our death dower to the summe of twentie thousand franks yearelie of and vpon the lands places and lordships that held and had Blanch sometime wife of Philip Beasaill to our said father 6 Also that after the death of our said father aforesaid and from thence forward the crowne and the realme of France with all the rights and appurtenances shall remaine and abide to vs and béene of vs and of our heires for euermore 7 And forsomuch as our said father is withholden with diuerse sickenesse in such manner as he maie not intend in his owne person for to dispose for the néeds of the foresaid realme of France therefore during the life of our foresaid father the faculties and exercise of the gouernance and disposition of the publike common profit of the said realme of France with councell and nobles and wisemen of the same realme of France shall be and abide to vs so that from thencefoorth we maie gouerne the same realme by vs. And also to admit to our counsell and assistance of the said nobles such as we shall thinke méet The which faculties and exercise of gouernance thus being toward vs we shall labour and purpose vs spéedfullie diligentlie and trulie to that that maie be and ought for to be vnto the worship of God and our said father and moother and also to the common good of the said realme and that realme with the counsell helpe of the worthie and great nobles of the same realme for to be defended peased and gouerned after right and equitie 8 Also that we of our owne power shall doo the court of parlement in France to be kept and obserued in his authoritie and souereignetie and in all that is doone to it in all manner of places that now or in time comming is or shall be subiect to our said father 9 Also we to our power shall defend and helpe all and euerie of the péeres nobles cities townes communalties and singular persons now or in time comming subiects to our father in their rights customes priuileges freedomes and franchises longing or due to them in all manner of places now or in time comming subiect to our father 10 Also we diligentlie and truelie shall trauell to our power and doo that iustice be administred and doone in the same realme of France after the lawes customes and rights of the same realme without personall exception And that we shall kéepe and hold the subiects of the same realme in tranquillitie and peace and to our power we shall defend them against all manner of violence and oppression 11 Also we to our power shall prouide and doo to our power that able persons and profitable béene taken to the offices as well of iustices and other offices belonging to the gouernance of the demaines and of other offices of the said realme of France for the good right and peaceable iustice of the same and for the administration that shall be committed vnto line 10 them and that they be such persons that after the lawes and rights of the same realme and for the vtilitie and profit of our said father shall minister and that the foresaid realme shall be taken and departed to the same offices 12 Also that we of our power so soone as it may commodiouslie be doone shall trauell to put into the obedience of our said father all manner of cities townes and castels places countries and persons within the realme of France disobedient and rebels line 20 to our said father holding with them which beene called the Dolphin or Arminacke 13 Also that we might the more commodiouslie suerlie and fréelie doone exercise fulfill these things aforesaid it is accorded that all worthie nobles and estates of the same realme of France as well spirituals as temporals and also cities notable and communalties and citizens burgesses of townes of the realme of France that béene obeisant at this time to our said father shall make these othes that followen line 30 14 First to vs hauing the facultie exercise disposition and gouernance of the foresaid common profit to our hests and commandements these shall meekelie obedientlie obeie and intend in all manner of things concerning the exercise of gouernance of the same realme 15 Also that the worthie great and noble estates of the said realme as well spirituals as temporals and also cities and notable communalties and citizens and burgesses of the same realme in all manner line 40 of things well and trulie shall kéepe and to their power shall doo to be kept of so much as to them belongeth or to anie of them all those things that béene appointed and accorded betwéene our foresaid father and moother and vs with the counsell of them whome vs list to call to vs. 16 And that continuallie from the death and after the death of our said father Charles they shall be our true liegemen and our heires and they shall receiue and admit vs for their liege and souereigne and line 50 verie king of France and for such to obeie vs without opposition contradiction or difficultie as they béene to our foresaid father during his life neuer after this realme of France shall obey to man as king or regent of France but to vs and our heires Also they shall not be in counsell helpe or assent that we léese life or limme or be take with euill taking or that we suffer
and good will of his chiefe councellors he gaue great pensions amounting to the summe of sixteene thousand crownes a yeere that is to saie to his chancellor to the lord Hastings his chiefe chamberleine a man of no lesse wit than vertue and of great authoritie with his maister and that not without cause for he had as well in time of aduersitie as in the faire flattering world well and trulie serued him and to the lord Howard to sir Thomas Montgomerie to sir Thomas Sentleger to sir Iohn Cheinie maister of the kings horsses to the marques Dorsset sonne to the queene and diuerse other he gaue great and liberall rewards to the intent to keepe himselfe in amitie with England while he wan and obteined his purpose and desire in other places These persons had giuen to them great gifts beside yearelie pensions For Argenton his councellor affirmed of his owne knowledge that the lord Howard had in lesse than the tearme of two yeares for reward in monie and plate foure and twentie thousand crownes at the time of this méeting he gaue to the lord Hastings the kings chiefe chamberleine as the Frenchmen write an hundred markes of siluer made in plate whereof euerie marke is eight ounces sterling But the English writers affirme that he gaue the lord Hastings foure and twentie doozen bolles that is to saie twelue doozen gilt twelue doozen vngilt euerie cup weieng seuentéene nobles which gift either betokened in him a great liberall nature or else a great and especiall confidence that he had reposed in the said lord chamberleine Beside this he gaue him yearelie two thousand crownes pension the which summe he sent to him by Piers Cleret one of the maisters of his house giuing him in charge to receiue of him an acquittance for the receipt of the same pension to the intent that it should appeare in time to come that the chancelor chamberleine admerall maisters of the horsses to the king of England and manie other of his councell had bin in fée and pensionaries of the French king whose yearelie acquittances the lord Hastings onelie excepted remaine of record to be shewed in the chamber of accounts in the palace of Paris When Piers Cleret had paied the pension to the lord Hastings he gentlie demanded of him an acquittance for his discharge Which request when he denied he then onlie asked of him a bill of thrée lines to be directed to the king testifieng the receipt of the pension to the intent that the king your maister should not thinke the pension to be imbeselled The lord Hastings although he knew that Piers demanded nothing but reason answered him Sir this gift commeth onelie of the liberall pleasure of the king his maister and not of my request if it be his determinat will that I shall haue it then put you it into my sléeue and if not I praie you render to him his gift againe for neither he nor you shall haue either letter acquittance or scroll signed with my hand of the receipt of anie pension to the intent to brag another daie that the kings chamberleine of England hath béene pensionarie with the French king shew his acquittance in the chamber of accounts to his dishonor Piers left his monie behind and made relation of all things to his maister which although that he had not his will yet he much more praised the wisdome and policie of the lord Hastings than of the other pensionaries coÌ„manding him yearlie line 10 to be paied without anie discharge demanding When the king of England had receiued his monie and his nobiliâ—ie their rewards he trussed vp his tents laded his baggage and departed towards Calis But yer he came there he remembring the craftie dissimulation and the vntrue dealing of Lewes earle of saint Paule high constable of France intending to declare him to the French king in his verie true likenesse and portrature sent vnto him two letters of credence written by the said line 20 constable with the true report of all such words and messages as had béene to him sent and declared by the said constable and his ambassadours Which letters the French king gladlie receiued and thankefullie accepted as the cheefe instrument to bring the constable to his death which he escaped no long season after such is the end of dissemblers When king Edward was come to Calis and had set all things in an order he tooke ship and sailed with a prosperous wind into England and was roiallie receiued vpon line 30 Blackheath by the maior of London and the magistrates and fiue hundred commoners apparrelled in murrie the eight and twentith daie of September and so conueied through the citie of Westminster where for a while after his long labour he reposed himselfe euerie daie almost talking with the queene his wife of the marriage of his daughter whome he caused to be called Dolphinesse thinking nothing surer than that marriage to take effect according to the treatie The hope of which marriage caused him line 40 to dissemble and doo things which afterward chanced greatlie to the French kings profit smallie to his About the same season the French king to compasse his purpose for the getting of the constable into his hands tooke truce with the duke of Burgognie for nine yeares as a contractor in the league and not comprehended as an other princes alie The king of England aduertised hereof sent ouer sir Thomas Montgomerie to the French king offering line 50 to passe the seas againe the next summer in his aid to make warres on the duke Burgognie so that the French king should paie to him fiftie thousand crownes for the losse which he should susteine in his custome by reason that the woolles at Calis bicause of the warres could haue no vent and also paie halfe the charges and halfe the wages of his souldiers and men of warre The French king thanked the king of England for his gentle offer but he alledged that the truce was alreadie concluded so that he could not line 60 then attempt anie thing against the same without reproch to his honour But the truth was the French king neither loned the sight nor liked the companie of the king of England on that side the sea but when he was here at home he both loued him as his brother and tooke him as his freend Sir Thomas Montgomerie was with plate richlie rewarded and so dispatched There returned with him the lord Howard and sir Iohn Cheinie which were hostages with the French king till the English armie were returned into England King Edward hauing established all things in good order as men might iudge both within his realme and without was yet troubled in his mind for that Henrie the earle of Richmond one of the bloud of king Henrie the sixt was aliue and at libertie in Britaine therefore to attempt eftsoones the mind of Francis duke of Britaine he sent ouer vnto the said duke one
to studie and knowledge So that vnto these hopes was much helping the manner of the election being made in his person sincerelie and line 10 without simonie or suspicion of other corruption The first act of this new pope was his coronation which was represented according to the vsage of his predecessors in the church of saint Iohn de Lateran The pompe was so great both of his familie and his court and also of the prelates and multitudes that were there togither with the popular and vniuersall assemblies of people that by the opinion and iudgement of men the pride and maiestie of that action did farre surpasse all the celebrations doone in Rome line 20 since the tyrannies of the Goths and sauage nations In this same solemnitie the Gonfalon of the church was caried by Alfonso de Este who hauing obteined a suspension of his censures paines was come to Rome with great hope that by the clemencie and facilitie of the pope he should be able to compound for his affaires The Gonfalon of the religion of Rhodes was borne by Iulio de Medicis mounted vpon a statelie courser armed at all points by his nature he bare an inclination to the profession of line 30 armes but by destinie he was drawen to the life ecclesiastike in which estate he maie serue as a wonderfull example of the variation of fortune One matter that made the memorie of that daie wonderfull was this consideration that the person who then in so high rare pompe was honored with the most supreme and souereigne dignitie of the world was the yéere before and on the verie same daie miserablie made prisoner The great magnificence that appéered vpon his person and his expenses confirmed in the generalitie and multitude of men line 40 the expectation that was had of him euerie one promising that Rome should be happie vnder a pope so plentifullie indued with the vertue of liberalitie whereof that daie he had giuen an honorable experience his expenses being aboue an hundred thousand duckats But wise men desired in him a greater grauitie and moderation they iudged that neither such a maiestie of pompe was conuenient for popes neither did the condition of the present time require line 50 that he should so vnprofitablie disperse the treasures that had beene gathered by his predecessour to other vses The vessell of amitie betwéene the king of Enggland the French being first broched by this popes letters the French king by an herald at armes sent to the king of England requiring of him a safe conduct for his ambassadors which should come to intreat for a peace and attonement to be concluded betwixt them and their realmes Upon grant obteined thereof the French king sent a commission with the line 60 president of Rome and others to intreat of peace and aliance betwixt both the princes And moreouer bicause they vnderstood that the mariage was broken betwéene the prince of Castile and the ladie Marie they desired that the said ladie might be ioined in mariage with the French king offering a great dowrie and suerties for the same So much was offered that the king mooued by his councell and namelie by Woolsie the bishop of Lincolne consented vpon condition that if the French king died then â—he should if it stood with hir pleasure returne into England againe with all hir dowrie and riches After that they were accorded vpon a full peace and that the French king should marrie this yoong ladie the indentures were drawen ingrossed sealed and peace therevpon proclamed the seuenth daie of August the king in presence of the French ambassadors was sworne to kéepe the same and likewise there was an ambassage sent out of England to see the French king sweare the same The dowrie that was assigned vnto the bride to be receiued after hir husbands deceasse if she suruiued him was named to be 32000 crownes of yearelie reuenues to be receiued out of certeine lands assigned foorth therefore during all hir naturall life And moreouer it was further agreed couenanted that the French king should content and paie yearelie vnto king Henrie during the space of fiue yeares the summe of one hundred thousand crownes By conclusion of this peace was the duke of Longuile with the other prisoners deliuered paieng their ransoms and the said duke affied the ladie Marie in the name of his maister king Lewes In September following the said ladie was conueied to Douer by the king hir brother the queene and on the second daie of October she was shipped and such as were appointed to giue their attendance on hir as the duke of Norffolke the marquesse Dorset the bishop of Durham the earle of Surreie the lord de la Ware the lord Berners the lord Monteagle the foure brethren of the said marques sir Maurice Berklie sir Iohn Pechie sir William Sands sir Thomas Bulleine sir Iohn Car and manie other knights esquiers gentlemen and ladies They had not sailed past a quarter of the sea but that the wind arose and seuered the ships driuing some of them to Calis some into Flanders and hir ship with great difficultie was brought to Bullen not without great ieopardie at the entering of the hauen for the maister ran the ship hard on shore But the boats were readie and receiued the ladie out of the ship and sir Christopher Garnish stood in the water and tooke hir in his armes and so caried hir to land where the duke of Uandosme and a cardinall with manie other great estates receiued hir with great honor From Bullen with easie iournies she was conueied vnto Abuile there entered the eighth of October where she was receiued by the Dolphin with great honour she was apparelled in cloth of siluer hir horsse was trapped in goldsmiths worke verie richlie After hir followed 36 ladies all their palfries trapped with crimsin veluet embrodered After them followed one chariot of cloth of tissue the second cloth of gold the third crimsin veluet embrodered with the kings armes hirs full of roses After them followed a great number of archers and then wagons laden with their stuffe Great was the riches in plate iewels monie apparell and hangings that this ladie brought into France On the morrow following being mondaie and S. Denise day the mariage was solemnized betwixt the French king and the said ladie with all honour ioy roialtie both apparelled in goldsmiths worke Then a great banket and sumptuous feast was made where the English ladies were honorablie interteined according to the dignitie of the persons and to the contentment of them that had no dregs of malice or misliking settled in their harts For vnpossible it is that in a great multitude meeting togither though all about one matter be it of pleasure and delight there should not be one of a repugnant disposition and though not apparantlie perceiued trauelling with grudge malignant mind as we sée some apples
that in maner all good persons abhorred and disdeined it as altogither degenerating from the example of Christ his poore traine of whome in name and title they séemed to be professors but of their maners and trade of life open defiers yea in such manifest sort both in apparell and diet as also in all other respects that few there were if they perceiued anie thing by discretion but saw the euident abuses of their behauiours tending greatlie to the dishonour of the place which they possessed as also to the no small offense of the modester sort of the cleargie wherof some did so well like of this ruffling and masking presbyterie that they abhorred it as strong poison in their broth It fortuned that the archbishop of Canturburie wrote to the cardinall anon after that he had receiued his power legantine the which letter after his old familiar maner he subscribed thus Your brother William of Canturburie With which subscription bicause the archbishop wrote him brother he was so much offended as though the archbishop had doone him great iniurie that he could not temper his mood but in high displeasure said that he would so worke within a while that he should well vnderstand how he was his superiour and not his brother When the archbishop being a sober wise man heard of the line 10 messenger that bare the letter how the cardinall tooke it not well but so as it might seeme there was a great fault in the letter and reported the tale as one that misliked the cardinals presumption herein Peace said the archbishop knowest thou not how the man is become mad with too much ioy And thus the cardinall forgetting to hold the right path of true laud and praise sought to be feared rather than beloued of all good men In this meane time the French king greatlie coueting line 20 to redeeme the citie of Tornaie out of the hands of the king of England and knowing that he must make waie therevnto thorough the cardinals fréendship ceassed not with high gifts to win his good will and moreouer in often writing to him exalted him with titles of honor and so magnified him that the cardinall as one tickled with vaine-glorie more than can be imagined thought that he could not doo pleasure enough to the French king that did estéeme so much of him Herevpon the French king line 30 hoping to compasse his desire after he perceiued the cardinals good will towards him signified his meaning vnto the said cardinall who found meanes to breake thereof to the king in such wise as he was contented to heare the French kings ambassadors that should be sent hither to talke of that matter The French king then vnderstanding the king of England his pleasure sent ouer the lord Boniuet high admerall of France and the bishop of Paris as chéefe ambassadours accompanied with a great line 40 sort of lustie gentlemen of the French kings court to the number of foure score and aboue on whome attended such a companie of other of the meaner sort that the whole number amounted to twelue hundred one and other which were thought to be manie for an ambassage ¶ On mondaie the twentie seuenth daie of September the earle of Surrie high admerall of England in a coat of rich tissue cut on cloath of siluer on a great courser richlie trapped and a great whistle of gold set with stones and pearle hanging line 50 at a great and massie chaine baudricke wise accompanied with an hundred and sixtie gentlemen richlie apparelled on goodlie horsses came to Blackeheath and there amiablie receiued the ambassadours of France The yoong gallants of France had coats garded with one colour cut in ten or twelue parts verie richlie to behold and so all the Englishmen accoupled themselues with the Frenchmen louinglie togither and so road to London After the two admerals followed foure and twentie of the French line 60 kings gard accompanied with foure and twentie of the English gard And after them a great numrer of archers to the number of foure hundred And in this order they passed thorough the citie to tailors hall and there the chéefe ambassadours were lodged and the remnant in merchants houses about When these lords were in their lodgings then the French harder men opened their wares made the tailors hall like the paund of a mart At this dooing manie an Englishman grudged but it auailed not The last daie of September the French ambassadours tooke their barge and came to Greenewich The admerall was in a gowne of cloath of siluer raised furred with rich sables and all his companie almost were in a new fashioned garment called a shemew which was in effect a gowne cut in the middle The gentlemen of France were brought into the kings presence where the bishop of Paris made a solemne oration which being ended answer made thereto the king highlie interteined the admerall and his companie and so did all the English lords and gentlemen The ambassadours after this were dailie in councell till at length an agréement was concluded vnder pretense of a marriage to be had betweene the Dolphin of France and the ladie Marie daughter to the king of England in name of whose marriage monis Tornaie should be deliuered vnt◠the French king he paieng to the king of England for the castell which he had made in that citie six hundred thousand crownes to be paid in twelue yeares space that is to saie fiftie thousand euerie yeare during that terme And if the marriage chanced not to take effect then should Tornaie be againe restored to the king of England For performance of which article hostages should be deliuered that is to wit monsieur de Montmorancie monsieur de Montpesac monsieur de Moie monsieur de Morret Moreouer the French king should paie to the lord cardinall of England a thousand marks of yearelie pension in recompense of his reuenues before time receiued of the bishoprike of Tornaie and likewise to other of the kings councell he should also giue certeine summes of monie as yearelie pensions in like maner as his ancestors had doone to the councellors of the kings of England before time The French K. agreed to call backe the duke of Albanie out of Scotland that the suertie of K. Iames might the better be prouided for and lesse occasion of trouble ministred to the king of England And further the French king was contented that the said king Iames should be receiued as a confederat in this peace When all things were concluded the king and the ambassadours road to the cathedrall church of saint Paule in London from Durham place where the cardinall of England sang the masse in most pompous maner and after that masse was ended doctor Pace the kings secretarie made an eloquent oration in praise of peace and that doone the king and his nobles with the ambassadours went to the bishops palace and there dined and after dinner the king rode
On fridaie the thirteenth daie of Iulie the emperour did intend to haue departed from Calis but the counsell was such that he departed not that night On saturdaie the fouretéenth of Iulie the emperour tooke his leaue of the queene of England his aunt and departed toward Graueling being conducted on his waie by the king of England to a village towards Flanders called Waell and there line 30 they imbraced and tooke their leaue either of other in most louing maner They did not altogither spend the time thus while they were togither in vaine pleasures and sporting reuels for the charters before time concluded were read ouer and all the articles of the league tripartite agréed betwixt the emperour the king of England and the French king were at full declared to the which the French king had fullie condescended And for the more proofe thereof and exemplification of the same he sent monsieur de Roch line 40 with letters of credence to signifie to the emperour that in the word of a prince he would obserue fulfill performe and kéepe all the same articles for him his realme and subiects Shortlie after that the emperour and the king had taken leaue each of other and were departed the king shipped and with the quéene and all other the nobilitie returned safelie into England The king kept his Christmas at Greenwith this yeare with much noblenesse and open court And the tenth daie of Februarie in his owne person iusted line 50 with all commers On Twelfe daie his grace and the earle of Deuonshire with foure aids answered at the tourneie all commers which were sixtéene persons noble and rich was their apparell but in feats of armes the king excelled the rest About this time the king hauing regard to the common welth of his realme year 1521 considered how for the space of fiftie yeares past and more the nobles and gentlemen of England being giuen to grasiâ—â— of cattell and kéeping line 60 of shéepe had inuented a meane how to increase their yearelie reuenues to the great decaie and vndooing of husbandmen of the land For the said nobles and gentlemen after the maner of the Numidians more studieng how to increase their pastures than to mainteine tillage began to decaie husband tacks tenements and to conuert arable ground into pasture furnishing the same with beasts and shéepe and also deere so inclosing the field with hedges ditches and pales which they held in their owne hands ingrossing woolles and selling the same and also shéepe and beasts at their owne prices and as might stand most with their owne priuate commoditie Hereof a thréefold euill chanced to the common wealth as Polydor noteth One for that thereby the number of husbandmen was sore diminished the which the prince vseth chieflie in his seruice for the warres an other for that manie townes and villages were left desolate and became ruinous the third for that both wooll and cloth made thereof and the flesh of all maner beasts vsed to be eaten was sold at far higher prices than was accustomed These enormities at the first begining being not redressed grew in short space to such force and vigour by euill custome that afterwards they gathered to such an vnited force that hardly they could be remedied Much like a disease which in the beginning with litle paine to the patient and lesse labour to the surgeon maie be cured whereas the same by delaie and negligence being suffered to putrifie becommeth a desperate sore and then are medicines nothing auailable and not to be applied according to his opinion that said Helleborum frustra cùm iam cutis aegratumescit Poscentes videas venienti occurrite morbo The king therefore causing such good statutes as had beene deuised and established for reformation in this behalfe to be reuiued and called vpon tooke order by directing foorth his commissions vnto the iustices of peace and other such magistrats that presentment should be had and made of all such inclosures and decaie of husbandrie as had chanced within the space of fiftie yeares before that present time The iustices and other magistrates according to their commission executed the same And so commandement was giuen that the decaied houses should bée built vp againe that the husbandmen should be placed eftsoones in the same and that inclosed grounds should be laid open and sore punishment appointed against them that disobeied These so good and wholesome ordinances shortlie after were defeated by meanes of bribes giuen vnto the cardinall for when the nobles and gentlemen which had for their pleasures imparked the common fields were loth to haue the same againe disparked they redéemed their vexation with good sommes of monie and so had licence to keepe their parks and grounds inclosed as before Thus the great expectation which men had conceiued of a generall redresse prooued void howbeit some profit the husbandmen in some parts of the realme got by the moouing of this matter where inclosures were alreadie laid open yer mistresse monie could preuent them and so they inioied their commons which before had beene taken from them After that this matter for inclosures was thus dispatched the cardinall boiling in hatred against the duke of Buckingham thirsting for his bloud deuised to make Charles Kneuet that had beene the dukes surueior and put from him as ye haue heard an instrument to bring the duke to destruction This Kneuet being had in examination before the cardinall disclosed all the dukes life And first he vttered that the duke was accustomed by waie of talke to saie how he meant so to vse the matter that he would atteine to the crowne if king Henrie chanced to die without issue that he had talke and conference of that matter on a time with George Neuill lord of Aburgauennie vnto whome he had giuen his daughter in marriage and also that he threatned to punish the cardinall for his manifold misdooings being without cause his mortall enimie The cardinall hauing gotten that which he sought for incouraged comforted and procured Kneuet with manie comfortable words and great promises that he should with a bold spirit and countenance obiect and laie these things to the dukes charge with more if he knew it when time required Then Kneuet partlie prouoked with desire to be reuenged and partlie mooued with hope of reward openlie confessed that the duke had once fullie determined to deuise meanes how to make the king away being brought into a full hope that he should be king by a vaine prophesie which one Nicholas Hopkins a monke of an house of the Chartreux order beside Bristow called Henton sometime his confessor had opened vnto him The cardinall hauing thus taken the examination line 10 on of Kneuet went vnto the king and declared vnto him that his person was in danger by such traitorous purpose as the duke of Buckingham had conceiued in his heart and shewed how that now there is manifest
vpon the table nothing but gilt plate and vpon a cupbord and in a window was set no plate but gold verie rich and in the councell chamber was all white and parcell gilt plate and vnder the table in baskets was all old broken siluer plate and bookes set by them purporting euerie kind of plate and euerie parcell with the contents of the ounces thereof Thus were all things prepared giuing charge of all the said stuffe with all other remaining in euerie office to be deliuered to the king to make answer to their charge for the order was such that euerie officer was charged with the receipt of the stuffe belonging to his office by indenture To sir William Gascoigne being his treasuror he gaue the charge of the deliuerie of the said goods and therwithall with his traine of gentlemen and yeomen he tooke his barge at the priuie staires and so went by water vnto Putneie where when he was arriued he tooke his mule euerie man tooke their horsses and rode streight to Asher where he and his familie continued the space of three or foure weekes without either beds shéets table cloths or dishes to eat their meat in or wherwith to buie anie the cardinall was forced to â—orow of the bishop of Carleill plate and dishes c. After this in the kings bench his matter for the premunire being called vpon two atturneis which he had authorised by his warrant signed with his owne hand confessed the action and so had iudgement to forfeit all his lands tenements goods and cattels and to be out of the kings protection but the king of his clemencie sent to him a sufficient protection and left to him the bishoprikes of Yorke and Winchester with plate and stuffe conuenient for his degrée The bishoprike of Duresme was giuen to doctor Tunstall bishop of London and the abbeie of saint Albons to the prior of Norwich Also the bishoprike of London being now void was bestowed on doctor Stokesleie then ambassadour to the vniuersities beyond the sea for the kings mariage The ladie Margaret duches of Sauoy aunt to the emperour and the ladie Lâ—is duchesse of Angolesme mother to the French king met at Cambreie in the beginning of the moneth of Iune to treat of a peace where were present doctor Tunstall bishop of London and sir Thomas Moore then chancellor of the duchie of Lancaster commissioners for the king of England At length through diligence of the said ladies a peace was concluded betwixt the emperour the pope and the kings of England and France All these met there in the beginning of Iulie accompanied with diuerse great princes and councellors on euerie part And after long debating on both sides there was a good conclusion taken the fift daie of August In the which was concluded that the treatie of Madrill should stand in his full strength and vertue sauing the third and fourth and the eleuenth and fourtéenth articles which touch the duchie of Burgognie and other lordships 1 Item it was agréed that the French king should haue his children againe paieng to the emperour two millians of crownes of gold whereof hée should paie at the deliuering of the children twelue hundred thousand crownes 2 Item that the French king should acquit the emperour against the king of England of fourescore and ten thousand crowns which the emperour owght line 10 to the king of England and the king of England to deliuer all such bonds and gages as he had of the emperours 3 Item as touching the remnant which was fiue hundred and ten thousand crownes the emperour should haue fiue and twentie thousand crownes rent yearelie for which he should haue the lands of the duchesse of Uandosme lieng in Flanders and Brabant bound 4 Item that Flanders and diuerse other countries line 20 should not behold in chiefe nor haue resort to the crowne of France 5 Item that the realme of Naples the duchie of Millan and the countie of Ast should for euer remaine to the emperour 6 Item that the French king should withdraw all such souldiors as he had out of Italie 7 Item that the ladie Eleanor should be brought into France with the French kings children and in time conuenient should be maried to the French line 30 king 8 Item that the French king should aid the emperour with twelue gallies to go into Italie 9 Item that all prisoners on both parties should be acquited 10 Item that the French king should not aid Robert de la March against the bishop of Luke 11 Item that all the goods mooueable and vnmoouable of Charles duke of Burbon should be restored to his heires they paieng to lord Henrie marquesse of Dapenete and earle of Nassaw lord chamberleine line 40 to the emperour ten thousand ducats which he lent to the said duke of Burbon 12 Item that Iohn earle of Panthieure should be remitted to all such goods as were earle Rene his fathers 13 Item the lord Laurence de Gorowood great master to the emperor should be restored to the lordships of Chalmont Monteualle which he bought of the duke of Burbon or to haue his monie againe 14 Item Philip de Chalon prince of Orenge and line 50 viceroy of Naples to be restored to all his lands in Burgognie 15 Item that the duches of Uandosme and Lois earle of Nauers should haue all such right and actions as they should haue had before the warre began In the emperours countries when all things were written sealed and finished there was a solemne masse soong in the cathedrall church of Cambreie the two ladies ambassadors of the king of England sitting in great estate and after masse the peace was line 60 proclamed betwéene the thrée princes and Te Deum soong and monie cast to the people and great fires made through the citie The same night the French king came into Cambreie well and noblie accompanied and saluted the ladies and to them made diuerse bankets and then all persons departed into their countrie glad of this concord This peace was called the womens peace for bicause that notwithstanding this conclusion yet neither the emperour trusted the French king nor he neither trusted nor loued him and their subiects were in the same case This proclamation was proclamed solemnelie by heralds with trumpets in the citie of London which proclamation much reioised the English merchants repairing into Flanders Brabant Zeland and other the emperors dominions For during the wars merchants were euill handled on both parties which caused them to be desirous of peace On the foure twentith of Nouember was sir Thomas Moore made lord chancellor the next day led to the Chancerie by the dukes of Norffolke and Suffolke and there sworne At the daie appointed the parlement began on which daie the king came by water to his place of Bridewell and there he and his nobles put on their robes of parlement and so came to
Fitzalane earle of Arundell Warren was with others made protector of England in this sort At a parlement holden at London in the tenth yeare of Richard the second being the yeare of Christ 1386 were certeine gouernors of the kingdome elected because the treasure of the realme had beene imbesiled lewdlie wasted nothing to the profit of the king and kingdome by the couetous and euill gouernment of the deposed officers which were Michaell de la Poole earle of Suffolke lord chancellor Iohn Fortham bishop of Durham lord treasuror diuerse other persons that ruled about the king Now the gouernors elected by this parlement were in number thirtéene and by name Thomas Arundell bishop of Elie then made lord chancellor Iohn Gilbert bishop of Hereford made lord treasuror and Nicholas abbat of Waltham at that time made kéeper of the priuie seale William Courtneie archbishop of Canturburie Alexander Neuill archbishop of Yorke Edmund Langleie duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstocke duke of Glocester William bishop of Winchester Thomas bishop of Ercester Richard Fitzalane erle of Arundell Iohn lord Deuereux and Reinold lord Cobham of Starborow These were thus by parlement chosen to haue vnder the king the whole ouersight and gouernment of the realme as by their commission in the statutes of the tenth yeare of the said Richard the second it dooth in the printed booke appeare Edmund Langleie duke of Yorke vncle vnto Richard the second was in the eighteenth yeare of the said Richard being about the yeare of our redemption 1395 ordeined lord gardian of England in the kings absence in the realme of Ireland This protector caused a parlement to be assembled at Westminster where he dealt so effectuallie notwithstanding the vntowardnesse of the burgesses that a tenth was granted by the cleargie and a fiftéenth by the temporaltie but not without protestation line 10 that those paiments were granted of a méere fréewill for the loue they bare to the king and to haue the affaires in Ireland to succéed the better After this about foure yeares king Richard the second in the two and twentith yeare of his reigne in the yeare of Christ 1399 making another viage into Ireland being the last and most vnhappie that euer was to him for before his returne he had in effect lost his realme which after his comming he lost in deed did againe in his absence substitute line 20 this Edmund duke of Yorke as cheefe gouernor of England Who in the absence of the king assembled a power of men against Henrie of Bullingbrooke now entered into the land to challenge the dukedome of Lancaster after the death of his father Iohn of Gaunt and vnder that colour to vsurpe the crowne Which Edmund passing into Wales in the thrée and twentith yeare of Richard the second was receiued into the castell of Barkleie there remained vntill the comming of Henrie line 30 of Bullingbrooke Whom when he perceiued for the power which the said duke of Lancaster had assembled from all parts of the realme that he was not of sufficiencie to resist he came foorth into the church that stood without the castell and there fell to parâ—ée with the duke of Lancaster after which he did neuer forsake the duke of Lancaster vntill he came to the crowne Who if he had faithfullie stood vnto his nephue might perhaps haue saued vnto him both his crowne and life Of this man is more said line 40 in my treatise of the dukes of England Ione de Namures sometime dutches of Britaine widow to Philip Montfort as saith Hypodigma but Walsingham in his historie casteth him Iohn duke of Britaine being also the widow of king Henrie the fourth was substitute gouernor of the realme by hir son in law king Henrie the fift king of England in the third yeare of his reigne being the yeare from the birth of the Messias 1415 when the said Henrie the fift tooke his iournie into line 50 France to conquer the same This woman in the seuenth yeare of Henrie the fift which was in the yeare of Christ 1419 being suspected as saith Iohn Stow to practise witchcraft against the king was committed to the custodie of Iohn Wellam or rather Iohn Pelham who appointed nine seruants to attend vpon hir and brought hir to Peuenseie castell to be gouerned vnder his prouidence But shortlie after cléering hir selfe she was deliuered This ladie died at Hauering at the bowre in Essex line 60 the ninth of Iulie in the seuentéenth yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the sixt being the yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred thirtie and seuen and was buried at Canturburie with hir husband king Henrie the fourth Iohn duke of Bedford son to Henrie the fourth brother to K. Henrie the fift was in the fourth yeare of the reigne of the said Henrie being the yeare of our redemption 1416 by parlement appointed regent of the realme to inioie the same office so long as the king was imploied in the French wars Which place he possessed accordinglie and in the ninth yeare of the victorious prince king Henrie the fift being gardian of England he with Henrie Beauford bishop of Winchester vncle to Henrie the fift and Iaqueline duches of Holland remaining then in England were godfathers and godmother to Henrie after king by the name of Henrie the sixt the son of Henrie the fift Henrie Chichleie archbishop of Canturburie baptising the child In the tenth and last yeare of Henrie the fift this Iohn with a strong power conueied quéene Katharine wife to Henrie the fift from Southampton into France This man being duke of Bedford earle of Richmond and of Kendall conestable of England and warden of the marches of Scotland died the fourtéenth daie of September at Rone in Normandie who hauing also béene regent of France a most valiant gentleman and one that kept the parts beyond the seas in great obedience to the crowne of England had for his yearelie pension 20000 crownes at the least After whose death all things went backeward and the English lost all that they had beyond the seas Calis those dominions onlie excepted This man I saie died in the yeare of our redemption 1435 being the thirtéenth yeare of the vnfortunat gouernment of the deposed king Henrie the sixt and was honorablie buried at Rone in our ladie church there Touching whome it shall not gréeue me to set downe the answer of a French king latelie in our age made to one of his nobilitie saieng vnto the king then being in the said ladie church of Rone and beholding the toome of this Iohn of Bedford that it were conuenient that the same toome were defaced and pulled downe since he was the onelie man that wrought the greatest damage that euer happened vnto France To whom the king said Hold thy peace foole God forbid that euer we should doo such reproch to him being dead whome the proudest of our nation durst not looke in the face when he was liuing This
Walter Braie bishop of Yorke in the yeare of our redemption 1214 being about the sixtéenth yeare of king Iohn and died suddenlie at Peterborrow the first daie of Maie in the yeare of Christ 1226 being the tenth yeare of king Henrie the third after that he had béene bishop of Durham nine yeares of whom a moonke of Durham made this epitaph in formall deuise as you see following Culmina qui cupi tis laudes pompásque siti tis Est sedata si tis sime pensare veli tis Qui populos regi tis memores super omnia si tis Quòd mors immi tis non parcit bonore poti tis Vobis praeposi tis similis fueram bene sci tis Quod sum vos eâ—i tis ad me currendo veni tis And here sith I am entered into the surname of Marischus I will set downe what I found ingrauen on the wall of the doore of the chapter house of the monasterie of Bath almost defaced with the wether written in Gréeke Saxon characters ✚ Hic iacet Alexander de Alueto Ernbuerga vxor eius Fulco de Alueto filius eorum Lucia de Mariscis silia eoâ—uÌ„ Iordanus de Mariscis filius eiusdem Luciae Wilhelmus de Mariscis filius eiusdem Iordani Which name of the Marishes Marshes or Moores if it like them to expound it as I doubt not but manie will quiddle therevpon was as great a name in Ireland as it was in England Rafe Neuill was confirmed as it séemeth chancellor by the whole consent of the nobilitie in the yeare that the word became flesh 1226 being about the tenth yeare of king Henrie the third after which he was made bishop of Chichester in the eleuenth yeare of king Henrie the third being the yeare of our redemption 1227 or as hath Matthew Westm. he was made bishop of Chichester in the yeare of Christ 1223 being before chancellor After which the king in the two and twentith yeare of his reigne offended with Neuill tooke from him the great seale deliuered it to Gefreie of the temple as hath Matthew Paris and to Iohn de Lexinton although that the said Neuill remained still chancellor and receiued the profits thereof to whom the king would after haue regiuen the seale in the yeare of Christ 1239 being the thrée and twentith yeare of the said king Henrie but Neuill would not receiue it This man died in the yeare of Christ 1243 being the seuen and twentith yeare of king Henrie the third at his palace at London not far from the new temple Geffreie the Templer Iohn de Lexinton were made keepers of the great seale But shortlie after this Geffreie had the seale taken from him bicause he grew in mislike of the nobilitie in continuall prouoking them to anger Hugh Pateshall chanon of Paules is by Matthew Paris fol. 656 called chancellor in the thrée and twentith yeare of king Henrie the third which I much doubt to be true Of this man shall be more said in the treasurors of England Simon the Norman kéeper of the great seale in the three twentith yeare of king Henrie the third being the yeare of our Lord 1229 he had the seale shortlie after taken from him and was banished the court bicause he would not seale the patent wherby Thomas earle of Flanders might take foure pence for custome of euerie sacke of wooll that came out of England into Flanders This Simon died in the yeare of Christ 1249 being the thrée and thirtith of king Henrie the third Richard Grasse or Grossus abbat of Euesham the said Simon expelled had the keeping of the great seale in the thrée and twentith yeare of king Henrie the third he kept the seale thrée yeares and being chosen bishop of Chester he resigned the same in the yeare of Christ 1242 being the six twentith yeare of king Henrie the third he died being wise learned in the canon and ciuill law in the same yeare in Gascoine in a citie called in Latine Riola or Regula where he was buried Iohn de Lexinton was againe made keeper of the seale in the six and twentith yéere of king Henrie the third being the yeare of our redemption 1242 to execute that office Rafe Neuill being in life and still chancellor but in the kings disgrace shortlie after which this Neuill died This Iohn Lexinton died 1257 being the 41 yeare of Henrie the third Ranulfe Briton as I read is said to be chancellor line 10 and treasuror of the chamber about the seuen and twentith yeare of Henrie the third being the yeare of our Lord 1242. I suppose that he onelie had the keeping of the great seale as the rest had before him during the life of Rafe Neuill and so I leaue him to the iudgement of others sith Matthew Paris continuallie nameth him treasuror and once chancellor who suddenlie died after dinner beholding plaiers at dise in the yeare of Christ 1246 being the thirtith yeare of the reigne of king Henrie the third of whom thus writeth the said Matthew Paris in his line 20 greater historie fol. 954. Ranulphus Brito quondam domino familiarissimus regi reginae multis posthabitis nobilibus eiusdem cancellarius specialis quum post mensalem refectionem aleatores certatim inspexisset colludentes laetalis apoplexiae inexpectato vulnere corruit sugillatus Syluester de Euersden receiued the great seale the nine and twentith yeare of Henrie the third being the yeare that the son of God became flesh one thousand two hundred fortie and six he was vicechancellor consecrated bishop of Carleill being a line 30 man most cunning in the custome of the chancerie in the yeare of Christ 1247 being the one and thirtith yeare of Henrie the third Iohn Mansell treasuror of Yorke parson of Maidstone in Kent and parson of Wigan chancellor of Paules master or ruler of Beuerleie chiefe iustice of England one of the priuie councell to Henrie the third his chapleine ambassador into Spaine and a worthie souldier crossed to go to Ierusalem who at one feast had two kings two quéenes and I line 40 know not how manie noble men and whose spirituall liuings were about foure thousand marks of yerelie reuenues as I haue gathered he was at the will and instance of the king made kéeper of the great seale as vicechancellor for Matthew Paris saith Custodiam sigilli regij accepit cancellarij vices acturus officium about the one thirtith of king Henrie the third in the yeare that God tooke on him the forme of a seruant 1247 he built a house of regular canons at Romneie two miles from the sea To this line 50 man king Henrie the third in the thirtith yeare of his reigne did grant that his towne of Wigan should be a burrow Iohn de Lexinton being after chiefe iustice of the forest from the riuer of Trent southward was againe kéeper of the
aduentured lim and life line 10 against the enimies of the English commonwelth and therefore in respect of his excellent seruices deserued no lesse remembrance than is alreadie extant of him in print whereof this following is a parcell satrapas praeclarus fortis audax Elisabetha tui speciosi corporis acer Et fidus custos discrimen adire paratus Quodlibet inuicto Mauortis pectore campo Cui virtus persaepè herbam porrexit Hibernus Quem pugnis fulgâ—ns ornat victoria parta line 20 Sanguineis sed laus huic maxima iudicis aequi Edmund Grindall doctor of diuinitie archbishop of Canturburie deceassed at Croidon in Surrie on the sixt daie of Iulie was there buried This good man in his life time was so studious that his booke was his bride and his studie his bridechamber whervpon he spent both his eiesight his strength and his health and therefore might verie well not actiuelie but passiuelie be named as he was Grindall for he groond himselfe euen to his graue by mortification line 30 Of whome much might be spoken for others imitation siâ—h the vse of the historie is to instruct succéeding ages but this shall suffice that as his learning vertue were inseparable companions so the reward of both is the good name which he hath left behind him as a monument perpetuall bicause vertue was the founder of the same according to the true saieng of the late poet importing no lesse Virtutis merces eadem labor illa tropheum est Soláque dat nigrae vincere mortis iter line 40 Nam nisi virtutis quaeratur gloria factis Omnis in extremos est abitura rogos Barnard Randolfe esquier common sargeant to the citie of London deceassed on the seauenth of August This man in his life time somewhat before his death gaue and deliuered to the companie of the Fishmongers in London the summe of nine hundred pounds of good and lawfull monie of England to be imploied towards the conducting of Thames water cesterning the same in lead and castelling line 50 with stone in the parishes of saint Marie Magdalene and saint Nicholas cold abbeie néere vnto old Fishstréet seauen hundred pounds The other two hundred pounds to paie for euer yearelie the summe of ten pounds that is towards the maintenance of a poore scholar in the vniuersitie of Oxenford yearelie foure pounds Towards the mending of the high waies in the parish of Tisehurst in the countie of Sussex where the said Barnard was borne euerie yeare foure pounds And to the poore people of the line 60 parishes of saint Nicholas Oliue in Bredstréet and saint Marie Magdalene néere to old Fishstreet fortie shillings to wit twentie shillings to either parish for euer More he willed and bequeathed by his last will and testament to be bestowed in land or annuities to the reléefe of the poore inhabiting in the wards of Quéenehiue and castell Bainard in the citie of London and in the aforesaid parish of Tisehurst in the countie of Sussex the summe of one thousand pounds This yeare in the moneth of Iune were sent to the seas a ship called the barke Talbot and a small barke both manned with a hundred men vnder the charge of William Borough esquier clerke of hir maiesties nauie for the apprehending of certeine outragious searouers who for that they were manie in number and well appointed contemning the small strength that was set out against them so boldlie behaued themselues as that shortlie after it was confidentlie bruted that they had vanquished in fight the said ship and barke But within few daies after beyond all expectation they were by the said William Borough and his companie discomfited and taken to the number of ten saile whereof three were prises some of the chiefe pirats namelie Thomas Walton alià s Purser Clinton Atkinson William Ellis William Ualentine alià s Bagh Thomas Beuen and foure more on the thirtith of August were hanged at Wapping in the ooze besides London Walton as he went to the gallowes rent his venecian breeches of crimsin taffata and distributed the same péecemeale to such his old acquaintance as stood néere about him but Atkinson had before giuen his murrie veluet dublet with great gold buttons and the like coloured veluet venecians laid with great gold lace apparell too sumptuous for sea-rouers which he had worne at the seas wherein he was brought vp prisoner from Corse castell in the I le of Porbeke to London vnto such his fréends as pleased him before he went to Wapping ¶ This Clinton Atkinson a personable fellow tall of stature and well proportioned of acceptable behauiour when he kept shop for himselfe being a free man of London and like enough to doo well if he had taken good waies had his name of the late earle of Lincolne now deceassed who christened him being an infant by whose speciall meanes being growne a proper man he was not long before saued from the like death and yet thorough want of grace making relapse fell within danger of law He descended of honest parents his father speciallie being a man of verie honest name one that loued the truth for the testimonie wherof he forsooke his owne natiue countrie leading a hard life with his familie beyond the seas in queene Maries daies returning to England at the inthronization of our gratious queene Elisabeth in the seat roiall was made minister in which vocation he died in Gods fauour and the good opinion of his neighbors leuing behind him among other sonnes this his eldest sorted as you sée to the shame which malefactors of that qualitie and so conuinced can not auoid This auoweth he that knew the man as well as the right hand from the left Where to conclude we are to marke that it is not alwaies true that good parents haue good children for here is an example of degeneration procured not by euill education for this Clinton wanted no good bringing vp but by bad companie and libertie the verie spoile of many a one that otherwise might liue thriue Wherin by the way we are to woonder at the counsels of God who suffreth children so much to varie from their parents in qualitie as if they had not receiued their birthright but were bastards changlings but to end with the prophet Dauids saieng Intima consilij non penetranda Dei On the eighteenth daie of September Iohn Lewes who named himselfe Abdoit an obstinate heretike denieng the godhead of Christ and holding diuers other detestable heresies much like to his predecessor Matthew Hamont was burned at Norwich On the two and twentith of September Albertus de Lasco palatine of Siradia in Poland before spoken of now when he had well viewed the order of our English court and nobilitie with other places of this realme especiallie the vniuersitie of Oxenford c taking leaue of hir maiestie and of the nobilitie he departed towards Poland But before we make
the same citie on horssebacke in a verie great number Then afterwards he sent earles and barons a great manie to the same end then his two vncles last of all went the king himselfe to meet him and saluting him called him by the name of The most worthie warrior of all christendome the inuincible woorthinesse of the king onelie excepted And the duke had seauentéene daies by couenant to compasse this treatie of peace at last he returned hauing attendant vpon him in his traine the bishop of Durham and the sonne of the duke of Yorke the earle of Rutland with a thousand horssemen set foorth in a woonderfull sumptuous sort with goodlie furniture ¶ Also conditionallie a whole tenth and a whole fiftéenth were granted to him if it chanced that he made anie iournie that yeare against the Scots ¶ In this yeare the duke of Gelderland sent to the king of England letters of commendation praise wherein also were prouocations and stirrings vp to warre and warlike actiuitie and to the exercise of kinglie noblenesse the tenor whereof followeth The tenor of the said dukes letter to king Richard MAgnifice princeps innata vobis probitas prudentum consilia vt opinamur simul agerent in officium quòd singula haereditaria iura quae ex natalitio vestram magnificant regiam maiestatem temporibus vestrae discretionis altissima prouidentia munirentur illaesa etsi quaeuis oppugnaret violentia clypeo militari studeat regalis industria fortiter defendere sua iura Et quòd vestram regiam personam coÌ„tingamus in affinitate ni vetet Deus ipse quin semper parati erimus vobis in vestris iuribus defendendis assistere cum duobus milibus lancearuÌ„ quando quotiens disponemini ad bellica conuolare Nec perire debeant iura propter verba aut prâ—missa quomodolibet ad hoc laborat versutia Gallicorum Sanè serenissime princeps in orbem volat fama nec ambigitur quòd propter lanam innumerabilia vestra singularia commoda sine quibus non viuit oriens neque auster regna singula in pecunijs vos salutant In comparatione igitur ad alios reges vobis confert Deus ipse diuitias centuplatas Probitas etiam militaris arcuum asperitas line 10 sine pari taliter huc vsque extulere gentem magnanimam occidentis quòd timor non paruus vestros inuadit aduersarios ad hunc diem impariter victoriosè dimicauit cum Gallicis Angliae gens austera In pusillanimitate igitur potenâ—issime princeps contra naturam non obdormiat cor leonis sed quales vobis contulit vires natura ipsas applicare dignemini actibus bellicosis in defensionem reipublicae iuris haereditarij sustentationem line 20 augmentúmque meriti incomparabiliter chronicabilem probitatem cordis magnanimi tanti regis The same letter in plaine phrase verbatim Englished by A. F. MOst mightie prince your roiall prowesse and the counsels of the line 30 sage should altogither as we thinke moue you in dutie by the most profound deepe foresight of your discretion in time to mainteine and defend all and singular your rights inheritance vnharmed which by birth doo magnifie and make great your roiall maiestie and if anie violence whatsoeuer gainstand assault the same your kinglie diligence should indeuor with the shield of a warrior valiantlie to defend your title line 40 and right And bicause we are neere you doo as it were touch your roiall person in aliance vnlesse God himselfe doo forbid and hinder vs we will alwaies be readie in all your rights to assist and aid you with two thousand pikes when and how often soeuer you shall be disposed to rush out to battell Your right ought not to be lost for words and promises howsoeuer the craftinesse of the French labor to this purpose line 50 Trulie most excellent prince your renowme doth flie into the world neither is it doubted but for your wooll sake and other your singular commodities being innumerable without the which the east and the south can not liue all realmes with their coines doo greet you In comparison therefore of other kings God himselfe hath bestowed vpon you riches a hundred fold Your warlike prowesse also the roughnesse line 60 of your bowes being peerelesse haue hitherto so extolled the couragious nation of the west that no small feare dooth inuade your aduersaries and to this day the sterne people of England haue none like them victoriouslie incountered with the French Therefore ô most puissant prince let not the hart of a lion sleepe in cowardlinesse against nature but what force and valiantnesse nature hath giuen you the same vouchsafe to put in practise with feats of armes in defense of your common wealth the maintenance of your right by inheritance the increase of your desert and the peerelesse prowesse of so great a kings couragious hart right worthie to be chronicled The price of corne that had continued at an high rate almost for the space of two yeares began to fall immediatlie after haruest was got in to the great reliefe of the poore which before through immoderate eating of nuts and apples fell into the disease called the flix whereof manie died and suerlie as was thought the death and dearth had beene greater if the commendable diligence of the lord maior of London had not béene in relieuing the commons by such prouision as he made for corne to be brought to London from the parties of beyond the seas where otherwise neither had the countrie béene able in anie thing to haue sufficed the citie nor the citie the countrie H. Knighton referreth this scarsitie to the yeare 1390 and maketh a large discourse both of the miseries which it brought with it as also of the cause whereby it was procured and of the notable meanes whereby the same in most places was remedied In this yeare saith he was a great dearth in all parts of England and this dearth or scarsitie of corne began vnder the sickle and lasted till the feast of saint Peter ad vincula to wit till the time of new corne This scarsitie did greatlie oppresse the people and chieflie the commoners of the poorer sort For a man might sée infants and children in stréets and houses through hunger howling crieng and crauing bread whose mothers had it not God wot to breake vnto them But yet there was such plentie and abundance of manie yeares before that it was thought and spoken of manie housekéepers and husbandmen that if the séed were not sowen in the ground which was hoordâ—d vp and stored in barnes lofts and garners there would be inough to find and susteine all the people by the space of fiue yeares following But the cause of this penurie was thought to be the want of monie in a great manie For monie in these daies was verie scant and the principall cause hereof was for that the wooll of the land lay a