trewe defense ¶ The kynge Henry then cōquered all Irelande By papall dome there of his royaltee The profytes and reuenues of the lande The dominacion and the souerayntee For errour whiche agayn the spiritualtee They helde full longe would not been correcte Of heresyes with which they were infecte ¶ He founded then the priory of Newstede Within Shirwod and Waltham founded newe Afore were secular without hede Whiche regular he made in order due And other two houses of order trewe He founded there for his soule to praye Where was holy seruyce kepte euery daye ¶ Geffreye his sonne the thyrde gotten and bore That duke of Britayne was hole create By his wyues right to enioye for euermore Whiche was a prince of royall great estate At Parys dyed that Arthure create To sonne and heyre and Isabell the fayre His doughter was without any dispayre ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousande clere An hundreth and sixty also and one Baudewyn the thyrde died taken priesoner By the Sarysens that were his mortall foone Of his body that yssue then had none To whome his brother Almarike did succede To Ierusalem and there was kyng in dede ¶ By treason of therle Triples then The Christen hoste that had foule betrayed When Bawdewyn was so taken through that false man That great people of Christē had thē reised And on the felde nothyng to be praysed To the Sarysyns went with all his power And discomfyt the chrysten hoost full clere The C .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe Geffrey Plantagenet otherwyse called Plantageneth Earle of Angeou elder brother of Bawdewyne and Almaryk shoulde haue ben king of Ierusalem afore and so by consequens thys kynge Henrye shoulde haue be kynge of it BVt yf ryght had lynally procede Geffray Plantagenet Earle of Angeou The elder brother of Bawdwyn so in dede And of Almaryk with mykell blysse and ioye Whiche Geffray so Earle of Angeou Shulde haue be kyng afore of all that realme Both of Surry and also Ierusalem ¶ When duke Robert Ierusalem forsoke For couetyse to haue and ioyse Englande Godfray Boleyne the realme of Surry toke And of Ierusalem eke I vnderstande And erowned was to be kynge of that lande That duke had bene afore of all Loueyne A noble prynce and a worthy Chyefteyne ¶ A thousande was an hundreth sixty syxtene Withoute yssue of his body cōmynge Dyed to whome his brother as was sene Bawdwin succeded and of that realme was king That ruled the lande as was full well semyng Full worthy accompted amonge all estates That chrysten fayth susteyned without debates To whom his sonne king Bawdewin did succede The seconde was that had so borne that name A noble Prynce of all marcyall dede And in that lande greate honoure had and fame Whiche on his wyfe gate without blame A doughter then had vnto his heyre That lande to haue enheryte and repayre Whom then earle Fowke of Angeou wed to wife And kyng was of that lande then by her ryght On whome he gate thre sonnes in his lyfe Worthy knyghtes and men of greate myght The eldest Geffray Plantagenet hyght That gate this same Henry fytz Empryse Kyng of Englande of noble and hye enterpryse The .ii. sonne of Fowke was Bawdewin that thirde Dyed prysoner as it is expressed afore Without yssue of his body betyd The third sonne then of Fowke laste was bore Hyght Almaryk whiche two were kynges thore Where erle Geffrey their elder brother had ryght That suffred them to ioye that lande by myght ¶ Which Almaryk dyed kyng so of that realme After whome then reygned his sonne Bawdwyn That fourth was of that name of Yerlam That impotent was without medecyn To mayntayne warre he myght no more enclyne Who called was Bawdewyn Paraliticus For with the palsye stryken was he full hydeous The C .xxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe that kyng Henry the seconde was very heyre of Ierusalem and by consequens Rycharde of Yorke shoulde be the same Wherfore he sent to kynge Henry his crowne His banner also of his armes full fayre Of Ierusalem that were of great renowne As to hym that was then the very heyre Of earle Geffray eldest sonne full fayre Was to kyng Fowke and to his wyfe the quene Doughter and heyre to Baudewin the .ii. clene ¶ This fourth Bawdewyn called Paraliticus This message sent the yere of Christe a thousand An hundreth ful foure score and thre ryght thus When Henry was requyred to haue that lande Whiche he proroged and sent agayne his sounde He shulde be there yf that the kyng of Fraunce And he myght well accorde of gouernaunce ¶ He went so forth anon to Normandye With hoost full great with kyng Philyp to treat Of that voyage and warre accorded on hye But then the death hym felly ganne reherte Wherfore anon he satte vp in his seate And to his sonne Rycharde greate sōme he gaue Thether to go that holy lande to saue ¶ And then he dyed at Pount Euerard buryed The sorowe of herte and great contricyon A prynce chrysten fully notifyed Withouten pere in all comparyson Of worthy knygthode and manly renowne A thousande yere an C lxxx and fourtene And of his reygne was syxe thirty clene The C .xxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Richard king of England duke of Normādy earle of Angeou reygned .x. yere and beganne the yere of Chryst a. M. an C lxxxxiiii dyed the yere M CC. and .iiii. RYchard his sōne to kīg thē was crowned By Bawdewyn archbyshop primate Of Cauntorbury of England that stound That ruled the churche then by lawe ordynate His brother Geffray of baste so procreate Archbyshop was of Yorke then newe electe The Northren churche vnder him to be protecte ¶ The lorde Lueye that Godfray Lucye hight Afore hym bare a royall pyllyon And Iohn Marshal his spores of gold ful bright Willyam Maundeuile his mighty hye crowne That earle was then of Almarle vp and downe Of his wyues ryght willyam Marshal bolde Earle of Strigeyll the scepter bare of golde ¶ Willyam Patryk that was then Longspee That Earle was then create of Salysbury A staffe of golde for constable then was he Of Englande hole to haue the regeny By ryght of his offyce of constablery For yf the lande were voyde none heire knowe To kepe the realme by his offyce hym owe. ¶ This ylke Willyam was earle also create Of Gloucestre by whiche that offyce grewe To hym of ryght for he was generate Of Roberte Clare earle of Gloucestre trewe Foure Barons bare by theyr seruyce full dewe Aboue his hed then in processyon A cloth of golde by good direccyon ¶ Earle Dauyd then that tyme of Huntyngdon Brother of the kyng Willyam of Scotlande And Iohn the earle of Morten of renowne Kyng Rychardes brother as I vnderstone Ryght worthy lordes that tyme of this lande And Robert Ferrers earle of Leycester tho Thre swordes bare afore the kyng there so Syxe Earls then and Barons of estate A cheker
Wherfore the duke loste his great auauntage And was no more then after defensour But then he fell in a greate errour Moued by his wyfe Elianor Cobham To truste her so men thought he was to blame ¶ He waxed then straunge eche day vnto that kyng For cause she was foriudged for sossery For enchaunmentees that she was in workyng Agayne the churche and the kyng cursedly By helpe of one mayster Roger Donly And into Wales he went of frowardnesse And to the kyng had greate heuynesse ¶ Wherfore the lordes then of the kinges couÌ„saile Made the kyng to set his hye parlyament At Burye then whether he came without fayle Where in parlesey he dyed incontynent For heuynesse and losse of regyment And ofte afore he was in that sykenesse In poynt of death and stode in sore destresse ¶ When of the kyng was .vii. and twenty yere Then he so dyed in full and h 〈…〉 creaunce As a christen prince of royall bloude full clere Contryte in herte with full greate repentaunce With mouth confessed to Goddes hye pleasaunce Vnto the earth that is all fleshe his neste His body went his soule to heauens reste ¶ And of the kyng the .xxix. yere In Maye â–ª the duke of Suffolke toke the sea On pilgramage to passe as dyd apere With Brigauntes then with compassed enmyte Hym slewe and heded with full great cruelte Agayne assuraunce of the kynges proteccyon That worthy were the death for insurreccyon ¶ That same yere then at the hye parlyament Was made a playne and a hole resumpcyon Of all the landes by sad and hole aduysement Whiche the kyng had geuen of his affeccyon To any wyght by patent or conccssyon Then taxe ceased and dymes eke also In all Englande then raysed were no mo The CC .xxxiii. Chapiter ¶ The duke of yorke was made protectour and chyef of councell the thyrty yere of kyng Henry the sixte and the Earle of Salisbury was chaunceller of Englande THe duke of Yorke then made was protectour And gouerned wel but .ii. yere not endured Discharged he was with passing great mur mour Of coÌ„mons hole amonge them theÌ„ ensured To helpe hym so with power auentured For he was set the comon wele to auayle By his laboure and his hole counsayle ¶ But ay the better that he to God was set The more were other by worde and dede The contrarye to laboure and to let His good purpose to pursue and to spede So that he had no hap for to procede For sotell menne hym let ay at the ende The coÌ„mon wele to mayntene and amende ¶ The Earle Richard also of Salisbury So was disposed in all thynges to the same Whiche was the cause of theyr death fynally For whiche of ryght ne muste folowe blame Their lyues well kepte had bene without shame For tho princes two died in their kynges right For the publike wele of eche Englishe wight ¶ The .xxx. yere this was then of the kyng When they the kyng then had in gouernaunce And ruled hym well in all maner thyng And made good rule and noble ordynaunce Auoyding all misrule and misusaunce For worshyp of the kyng and of his realme Without doubte or any other probleme The CC .xxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Earle of Northumberlande the duke of Somerset and the lorde Clyfforde were slayne at saynte Albones the thyrty and .iiii. yere of his reigne where that duke of yorke the Earle of Salisbury and the earle of Warwike toke the kyng 〈◊〉 kept hym in good rule the twenty two days of Maye that was then the Thursdaye next of Pen tecoâ—t the yere of Christ a thousand foure huÌ„dred lv THei were put by from all their good entent And strauÌ„ge were hold after many a daye To the thirty yere and thre by hole consent At sainct Albones then vpon the thursdaye Accompted then next afore Witsondaye Thei slewe the duke Edmond then of Somerset For cause he had the realmes we le so lette ¶ Th erle then of Northumberland was there Of sodein chaunce drawen furth with the kyng And slain vnknowne by any manne ther were The lord Clifford ouer busie in werkyng At the barres theim mette sore fightyng Was slain that daye vpon his owne assaut As eche manne saied it was his owne defaute ¶ Th erle of Wiltshire with fiue hundred menne Fled fro the kyng full fast that tyme a waye The duke of Buckyngham was hurte there then The kyng thei tooke and saued in good araye To Wistminster with hym thei tooke the waye And ruled hym well in all prerogatife As kyng of right without any strife The CC .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Howe that lord Audely faught with therle of Salisbury at Bloreheth at Mighelmas terme in the thirty and eight yere of his reigne ¶ Yet were these lordes voyde fro that kyng again The duke of Yorke and therle of Salisbury Th erle also of Warwike nought to layn Without cause I can not remembre why But at Bloreheth the lord Audely in hie With therle of Salisbury faught full sore Th erle preuailed and Audely slain was thore ¶ The thirty yere and eight of the kyng And so he went to Ludlowe on his waye The duke of Yorke in Wales had shippyng To Ireland then he went full well awaye Therles of March and Salisbury that daye And of Warwike as God it had purueighed To Calais went their waye no thyng denied The CC .xxxvi. Chapiter ¶ Of the battaill of Northampton wher the Earle of March therle of Warwike preuailed led the king to Westminster kept hym there the yere of his reigne right and thirty and the yere of Christ a thousaÌ„d foure hundred nyne and fiftie and slewe the duke of Bokyngham therle of Shrowisbury tresorer of England the lord Beaumont sir Thomas Percy lord Egremond and led the kyng with theim to London and gouerned hym full well and worthely the tenth daye of Iuly AT Couentree the king in his parlyament Proclaimed theim all thre for rebellours But afterward all three of one assent At Northampton came as worthy warriours In somer after to been the kyng his socours Wher then the duke of Buckyngham theim met With power greate and trust haue theim ouerset ¶ Th erle of Shrewesbury was with hym thore The lord Baumount with hym was also The lord Egremount full stout in feate of warre Whiche foure were slain with mikell people mo Beside Northampton on the Thursdaye tho The third daye of the moneth of Iuly And in the reigne of the kyng eight and thirty ¶ Thei saued the kyng kept hym sauf sound With greate honour therle of Marche Edward Th erle also of Warwike in that stound And with hym rode so furth to London ward Full worshipfully thei kept hym thens forward In all state royall as did append And as his menne vnto hym did attend The CC .xxxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the battaill of Wakefeld wher the North partie preuailed was the fifth daye of Christmasse and of the kyng his reigne
full sore anoyed All redy so in batayle for to fyght within yorkeshyre where Edwin was slaine right And all his realme was wasted and subuerte By kyng Penda that a Paynym was peruerte ¶ The same yere then for cause of warre stryfe Saint Paulyn went to Kent there to dwell With Ethelburge that was kyng Edwyns wyfe That welcome were as Bede surely doth tell At Rochester as that tyme befell Saint Paulyn was vnto the sea translate And byshop therof then denominate ¶ Kyng Cadwall reygned full hole agayne In Britayne lande as prynce without pere Aboue Englyshe as lorde souerayne Ouer Saxons Scottes peightes clere And Englyshe also as clere did appere And Eufryde then and Osdryk paynimes fell Northumberlande then helde as Bede doth tell ¶ Whome Cadwall and Penda felly slewe From tyme they two had reygned but a yere Oswolde theyr cosyn as knowen was full trewe That in Scotlande noryshed was full clere To Englande came with mighty greate power And gate his ryght and all his herytage With helpe and socoure of his Baronage The .xciii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Oswolde kynge of Englande reygned ouer Brytons Scottes and Peightes Iryshe and ouer all Logres and Cambre THis kyng Oswolde in Englāde gan succede The yere of Christ vi .c. was thē clere Thirty and fiue replete of all manhed And afterwarde full clerely did apere As to suche a prince of nature should affere That Yorke minster repaired then all newe Of lyme and stone as Christen prince and trewe ¶ Who for ayde then into Scotlande sent An holy monke he was and religious And bishop sacred after Christes entent In Christes doctrine he was full laborous Whome for teachyng and preachyng vertuous He made hym bishop of all Northumberlande Whose sea was chief then at the holy Isse lande ¶ In that same yere Oswold to Westsex rode For Christ his loue at prayer of sainct Biryne Wher thei the kyng Kynygill of paynymhode Baptized and made a Christen manne full fyne And sette Westsex vnder tribute syne For to bee payed to hym and his heires Perpetually by yere at certeine feires ¶ Sainct Biryne bishop thei made furth right Of all Westsex at Dorchester was his sea Frome Oxenforde but litill waye to sight Kyng Oswold wedded Beblam his wife to bee Kyng Kynygilles doughter full faire to see And on hir he gatte a soonne hight Cidilwold In Deyre reigned vnder his father Oswold ¶ And in the yere sixe hundrith thyrty and sixe Kyng Penda sleugh Ordewold of Estanglande In bataile strong and mighty gan to vexe That wastid sore about hym euery lande As tyraunt fell wher he the Christen fonde He sleugh theim downe and cruelly ouer ran Sparyng nother wife childe ne manne ¶ The kyng Oswold so mighty was in deede That ouer Scottes Peightes and Brytaines Irish Westsex and English I rede And ouer Logres and all the Saxons None so mighty aboue all regions As Flores and Bede hath wrytten thus Whose wrytynges are full vertuous ¶ As he at meate did sitte vpon a daye At Bamburgh a palmer came to his gate Asked some good for Christ his loue alwaye To whome he sent his dishe of syluer plate For cause he had not els for his astate The poore manne to refresh and comforte Sainct Bede of hym thus clerely dooeth reporte ¶ An holy manne within his hermitage Desired sore in his meditacion If any better of any maner age Wer in the lande of any nacion To whome was said by reuelacion That kyng Oswold more holy was of life Notwithstandyng he had weddid a wife The .xciiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe an hermite proued sainct Oswold his wife at his desire by biddyng of sainct Oswold WHerfore he came vnto the kyng Oswold And prayed hym he might knowe his life And of his reuelacion then hym told Wherfore he toke to hym his ryng by life And bade hym saye the quene that was his wife To dooe with hym on nightes twoo or three As she was wonte at home to dooe with me ¶ This token had he he satte with hir at meate His meate drynke when he would haue the best But water and brede he might none other gette And then at night she leide hym for to rest Right with hir self so well hir self she trest And when he was ought sette to dooe amisse In water he was cast his fleshe to keele and lisse ¶ But when the daye came he was full fain And of the quene full soone he toke his leue Vnto the kyng he went anone again And prayed hym fast he might passe home at eue For of his life he would no more preue Whiche more holy was one daye and night Then all his life he euer been might ¶ But Cadwall the kyng of Brytons sent The kyng Penda to warre on kyng Oswold Whome Oswold mette with greate assemblemēd In battaile strong at Heuenfeld as God would Wher people fled with people manyfold To kyng Cadwall who with Penda anone Assembled an hoost on Oswold for to gon ¶ Oswold thei mette on Marfeld that tyde Wher he was slain the yere of Christ was than Sixe hundred whole and fourty and twoo beside His hedde and armes as Bede the holy manne In his chronicle hath write who so rede it can Vpon a tre was hong many a daye That rotted not nor in this world neuer maye ¶ Oswy then in all Northumberlande The croune had and all the royalte With Cadwallo he hight allwaye to stande As souereigne lorde of Bryton then was he And ouer all other had then the mageste But this Oswy made Humwald for to kyll The kyng Oswyn that feloe was hym tyll ¶ For cause he rose on hym with multitude And nought for thy when thei together mette All his people of full greate fortitude He withdrewe then and with Humwald sette In pryue wise without any lette But false Humwald priuely hym slewe On whome he trusted and trowed had bee trewe ¶ Quene Eufled that was kyng Oswys wife Kyng Edwyn his doughter full of goodnesse For Oswyns soule a minster in hir life Made at Tynmouth and for Oswy causeles That hym so bee slain and killed helpeles For she was kyn to Oswy and Oswyn As Bede in chronicle dooeth determyn ¶ This Oswyn nowe is canonized in shryne Saynt Oswyn called at Tynmouth gloriously But kyng Oswy to Cadwall did enclyne And Oswalde his hed and arme had leue to burye Whiche he betoke to quene Bebla in hye Who closed theim in siluer fayre and clene And theim betooke to saynt Aydan I wene ¶ This kyng Cadwall his feast at Londō made To hym all kynges as souerayne lorde obeyed Saue kyng Oswy at home that tyme abade For whiche he trowed that he hym disobeyed Wherfore he sent to Penda and hym prayed To warre on Oswy without delaye And make hym to his souerayne lorde obey ¶ In which meane tyme this Penda slewe Anne Of Estangle that long had ben kyng A Christen prince and a full manly manne And
ladyes many were drowned as was sene And then the kyng wed Hadelyse the quene The duke Godfrey daughter that was of Loreyne Of his mournyng to comforte him agayne ¶ And in the yere a thousande fully accompte And an C. twenty and also fyue Themperour Henry the death surmounte And passed to God fro Maude that was his wife Who to her father king Henry came belyfe Abode with hym in Englande then â–ª two yere Maude Empryce was called then full clere ¶ And in the yere of Chrystes incarnacyon A thousande was an C. twenty and seuen When kyng Henry in greate prosperacyon His doughter Maude thempryce to neuen The earle Geffrey Plantagenet euen Earle of Angeou the sone of Fowke Tailboys So maryed had of fame that had the voyce ¶ On whome he gate a sonne that Henry hyght By surname called Henry fitz Empryce Then dyed his eme Alexaunder forth ryghte The kyng of Scottes a priÌ„ce of great enterpryce That homage dyd for Scotlande as suffyce So dyed then to whome Dauyd succede His brother was saint Margarete sonne in dede ¶ That to kyng Henry made his homage And then to Maude the foresayde Empryce By hole assent of all his Baronage By letter wryten and sealed as maye suffyce which Iohn HardiÌ„g in Scotland brought of pÌ„ce with many mo for foure C. marke and fyftye At biddiÌ„g coÌ„maundement of the with king Henry ¶ Cadwalan prynce of Wales at Wadeyet In batayle faught where kyng Henry him slewe And greate people of Wales that there forset Were slayne that daye to hym that were vntrewe Of whiche batayl Wales maye alway rewe The yere a thousande an C. and thyrtye And there tyll two as made is memorye ¶ Then went the kyng to Normandye agayne And there abode and kepte all Normandy To tyme he dyed of whome that lande was fayne But Englande then of it was full heuy When he had reygned so full worthy He dyed in the syxe and thyrtye yere At Boys Leon of his reygne then full clere ¶ Of Chrystes date was then a thousande yere An hundreth also and. ix and thyrtye moo Buryed at Redynge as well it doth appere In the abbaye whiche there he founded so Of monkes blake where euer they ryde or goo That pray for hym for quene Maude his wyfe Who eyther other loued withouten stryfe The C .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Stephan of Bloys kynge of Englande reygned .xix. yere beganne the yere of Chryst a thousande C. and. xxxix and dyed in the yere a thousande C .lviii. STephaÌ„ of Blois his sister soÌ„ne was crouÌ„d A manly maÌ„ was theÌ„ of great power And king was made of England that stound Withoute stryfe or any maner warre To Normandy he went and seazed all there and gaue it to his sonne syr Eustace And made hym duke therof with great solace ¶ Thus Eustace then duke of Normandy To Parys went to kyng lewys of Fraunce His homage made for his lande so in hye And put oute then with greate contraryaunce The offycers that dyd to Maude pleasaunce And wed the suster of kyng Lewes to wife For supowaill of it without strife ¶ The kyng StephaÌ„ to EnglaÌ„d theÌ„ home came And tidynges had howe kyng Dauid had distroied The North parties dooen full muche harme Wherfore he brent Edenburgh then and noyed And the countree aboute he sore accloyed For wiche Dauid his soonne to Henry then sent To bee his manne thens furth at his entent ¶ To whome kyng Stephan therldoÌ„ of HuÌ„tyngton Then gaue and erle therof hym so create Who then for it by verey due reason His homage did as it was ordinate Whiche HeÌ„ry dyed and neuer had kynges estate For whiche the Scottes seyn thei owe no seruice To Englishe kynges but onely of this wise ¶ Kyng Stephan then bet the castell doune In England so that stode hym to defence His menne thei gaue to their enheritesoun And all foon for cause of their offence He disherite with might violence Diuers erles and lordes he disherite And many other of his frendes enherite ¶ The yere of Christ a thousand was then gone An hundred thirty and eight also Kyng Stephan brake all his othes a none That he had made vnto the barons tho For whiche thei rose full sore again hym so And warred hym felly on euery side And he on them also with mikyl pryde ¶ The yere a thousande an C. thyrty and nyne Maude Empryce in England claymed her right With earle Robert of Gloucestre her brother fine And earle Randolf of Chester with all his might Syr Bygot earle of Northfolke then hyght Awbrey Ver then earle of Oxenforde And Willyam Bawne that then was earle of Herforde ¶ Willyam Legroos earle of Almarle tho Robert Louell Willyam lorde Percy Kyng Dauyd her eine and many other mo Of earls and barons that were full hardy The castell then Lyncolne gate on hye The cytee helde of Lyncolne with also With hoste full greate lyggyng with them so ¶ Where then the kyng yâ— castell seged longe Tyll he it had by treaty and conuencyon And bode therin with power greate and stronge Tyll Maude and he as made is mencyon With stronge batayles and great discencyon Besyde Lyncolne where then she had the felde And StephaÌ„ taken hurt sore through his sheld To Brystowe then earle Roberte Clare hym led And in the towre there kepte in stronge pryson The Empryce Mawde with power that she had To Wynchester then she rode segyng the towne Where the quene Maude as made is mencyon Kyng StephaÌ„ his wyfe it rescowed with batayl sore And toke the earle Clare his eme thore The C .xxviij. Chapiter ¶ Thenterchaunge of kyng Stephan and of tht duke Robert Clare duke of Glocester FOr which cause theÌ„ to haue hir eme again Themperesse and quene Maude accordid To enterchaunge that kyng so then full fain For erle Robert without more concordid This enterchaunge thus made and recordid The kyng hir sued vnto Oxenford Fro whens she went by night to Walyngford ¶ Vpon the frost in the wynter season In her smocke alone with hir vncle dere That none hir knewe of theim without the towne So like hir smocke and the snowe was in feer The kyng knewe not in what place that she wer For Oxenford he gate and Awbray slewe Of Oxenford that was an erle full trewe ¶ The kyng Stephan a castell then began At Wilton where kyng Dauid with power And erle Robert of Glocester that was then Hym droue awaye out of that place full clere And bet it downe to the ground full nere To Walyngford the kyng with power went Themperesse to sech was his entent ¶ Hir partie then droue hym then awaye With greate slaughter of menne and occâ—sion And euery lorde on other made greate affraye And spoyled other through al this region By greate impression and cruell sore raunson The kyng treated with erle Randolf full trewe But false then was his treaty as menne knewe ¶ For when
enquired At Westmynster buried in royall wyse As to suche a prince of reason ought suffice ¶ Who was the first of Englyshe nacion That euer had right vnto the croune of Fraunce By succession of bloode and generacion Of his mother without variaunce The whiche me thynketh should be of moste substaūce For Christ was kyng by his mother of Iudee Whiche sykerer side is ay as thynketh me ¶ And of his pedegre vnto the croune of Fraūce With his bloode wherof he is discent Within this booke without any varyaunce Mencion is made only to this entente That reders by all good auysemente The title of his right and heritage May well conceyue and haue therof knowlage The C .lxxxviii. Chapiter ¶ Richarde the seconde kyng of Englande and of Fraunce began to reigne the yere a thousand thre hundreth .lxxvii. and was deposed by parliamente in the yere a. M CCC .cxix. and the .xxii. yere of his reygne RIchard his heyre that sōne of prīce Edward Crowned was then with all solempnitee By all the lordes and barons hole award Obeying hole vnto his maiestee Who that tyme was in tendre iuuensee Of eleuen yere fully accompted of age When he had so his croune and heritage ¶ And kyng was called of Englāde of Fraūce In Iune the .xxii. daye full clene Of Christes death without variaunce A thousande was thre hundreth sixty to neuen And .xvii. yere therwith to beleuen When the two realmes fell to hym by discente As nexte heyre to kyng Edwarde thexellent ¶ And in the yere a thousande thre hundreth mo Sixty adioynt and therwith all nynetene The thyrde pestilence reigned in Englande so So sore that moste parte of the people clene Dyed awaye as through the realme was sene And of his reignes of Eglande and of Fraunce The thyrde yere was by very remembraunce ¶ And of his reigne in Iune then the .v. yere And of our Lorde a thousande then accompted Thre hundreth eke .iiii. score and one full clere The commons rose an hūdreth thousād amoūted Of Kent and Essex whiche that tyme surmounted The kynges power and all the hie estates For whiche the lordes fled then as exulates ¶ And lefte the kyng alone then in the toure With tharchbyshop of Cauntorbury there so And the priour to been his gouernoure Of Clerken well whiche the commons heded tho And brought the kyng forth with theim to go They asked hym all bondmen to bee free And taxe none euer after payed to bee ¶ They asked eke Iake Strawe Wat Tiler To bee made dukes of Essex and Kente To rule the kyng thens forth in peace and warre For they bee wyse of royall regiment Thus tolde they the kyng all theyr entent The whiche he graunte in all thyng by and by For he durste no poynt then theim denye ¶ Afore Iake Strawe that kyng thē stode hodlesse Of which Walworth the Mayre of Londō trewe Areasoned hym then of his greate lewdenesse With a dagger in Smythfelde then hym slewe The citezens with hym then strongly drewe And slewe theim downe and put theim to flight And brought the kyng into the citee right ¶ The cōmons brent the Sauoye a place fayre For eiuill wyll they had vnto duke Iohn Wherfore he fled northwarde in great dispayre Into Scotlande for socoure had he none In Englande then to whō he durste make moone And there abode tyll commons all were ceased In England hole and all the lande well peased ¶ The .xx. daye of Maye nexte folowyng And one therwith as calculers it knowe The date of Christ a thousande then beynge Thre hundreth also foure score two on rowe Th earth quake was whiche that tyme I sawe That castelles walles toures and steples fyll Houses and trees and cragges fro the hyll ¶ And in the yere afore kyng Richarde wed Quene Anne vpon saynt Agnes day that floure That doughter was as I haue sene and red Vnto the kyng of Beeme and Emperoure And suster also vnto his successoure Themperour of Rome that Segemond hight Who to kyng Henry in Englāde came full right The C .lxxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Richard wente into Scotlande in the yere a thousande three hundreth and .lxxxvi. and in his reygne the .x. yere and howe he create two dukes of Yorke and of Gloucestre ANd in the yere of Christ a thousande so Thre hūdreth also foure score .vi. ther tyl And of his reigne the .x. yere and mo The kyng Richard with hoste went at his wyl In to Scotlande his corage to fulfyll To Edinburgh and brent the lande also Without lettyng there of any foo ¶ At London so then at his parlyament He made therle of Cambrydge his vncle dere The duke of Yorke to be incontynent And so he was proclaymed there full clere That Edmonde hyght of Langley of good chere Glad and mery and of his owne ay lyued Without wronge as chronicles haue breued When all the lordes to councell and parlyament Went he wolde to hunte and also to hawekyng All gentyll disporte as to a lorde appent He vsed aye and to the pore supportyng Where euer he was in any place bidyng Without suppryse or any extorcyon Of the porayle or any oppressyon ¶ He made also the earle of Bokyngham Thomas Wodstoke that same daye and create His other vncle duke of Gloucester by name Proclaymed hole and so denominate With his brother to be consociate The foxe tayle he bare ay on his spere Where he so rode in peace or elles in warre ¶ The kyng then made that duke of yorke by name Maister of the mewhouse his haukes fayre Of his venery and mayster of his game In what countree he dyd repeyre Which was to hym without any dispeyre Well more comforte and great gladnesse Then bene a lorde of worldly greate rychesse ¶ His vncle Thomas the duke then of Gloucester And wed the doughter then of therle of Herforth By whiche he had by writyng by letter The Constablery of Englande then ay forth Both by South Est West and North By herytage of his wyues lande and ryght Of auncyent tyme by kynges graunt hyght ¶ And in the yere of kyng Richarde elleuen The duke Thomas that was of Gloucester Henry the earle of Derby dyd beleuen With hym by worde and also by his letter The earle Marshall did so then for the better Th erle Beanchampe of Warwyk by his name Of Arundell the earle dyd the same ¶ These lordes fyue together boldely sworne Agayne Robert Veer then duke of Irelande The kinges pleasure one of age both like borne Whom he loued moste as they could vnderstand With batayl stronge at Rotcot bryge toke on hād To fyght with hym where then he fled awaye Ouer Thamis without retourne for ay The C .xc. Chapiter ¶ Of the great parlyament where the fyue lordes foriuged that duke of Irelande and his compeers AT Lenton nexte accompted in the yere At London then the king set his parliamēt At westminster to hold
brought to passe thei went bothe together into Kent And there beganne this young feloe to tell priuely to many that he was the erle of Warwicke and had gotte out of the tower by the helpe of this monke To the whiche when he perceiued credence geuen he declared it openly and desyred al men of helpe But or euer this sedicion beganne to goo foreward the heddes and principalles of thesame wer taken and casle into prysone Of whiche the one was condempned to death and the other condeÌ„pned to perpetuall pryson and darkenesse For at that tyme here in Englande was so muche attrybuted to prestes and al religious meÌ„ that though they had committed felonie murder yea or treason they should not haue bene therfore condempned to death Moreouer whosoeuer could reade though it wer neuer so lytle what crime soeuer he had committed saue treason should by his booke bee saued and therfore it was inuented that if the default wer so great that another manne shoulde suffer death for thesame he should onely be burnt in the hande wherfore he the had committed thefte should bee marked in the hand with this letter T. if he had committed murdre with M. and after that yf he were deprehended in lyke cryme then there should no fauour at all more then to other menne bee shewed Whiche acte was made and confyrmed by this kyng Henry in the second yere of his reigne and takeÌ„ of the Frenchemen whiche are wonte if thei take any suche to cutte of one of his cares and let hym go Whiche priuiledges of bookes made thefes both bolde plentie thorowe out all the coastes and parties of this his realme of Englande But nowe to my matier again Perkyn of whom we spake muche before whyles he was in the towre corrupted many of the kepers partly with giftes and partely with fayre promyses so that they were all agreed saue the leuetenaunt whome he fully determined to kyll that he and the erle of Warwike should gooe theyr waye out of the toure and afterwarde to make the best shyfte that they could for theim selfes But this his purpose came not to full effecte For it was knowne within shorte tyme after for the whiche he and his felowes all of the same counsayle were hanged by the neckes And the earle of Warwike because he was foundegyltie in thesame defaulte was behedded whiche was dooen in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and .xcix. and in the .xiii. yeare of this kyng Henry his reigne The nexte yere after was here in Englande a a greate plague wherof menne died in many places vereye sore but especiallye and mooste of all in London For there died in that yere aboue thyrtye thousande Wherfore the kynge sayled ouer to Caleis and there taryed a greate while In his beyng there came ouer to hym Philippe Erle of Flaunders and was receaued of hym as louyngly as could bee thought and also or euer they departed the league whiche was made betwene theim two not longe before was renewed Sone after when the plague was slaked the kyng returned agayne into Englande and was no soner come thyther but there met him one Gasper Pons sente from Alexander the byshoppe of of Roome which brought with hym indulgences and perdoâ—es whereby he made the kyng beleue that he and his should flye streight to heauen but those could not bee graunted withoute a greate somme of money the whiche the rather that he might obteyne he promysed parte of it to the kyng hymselfe so deceauyng both the kyng and the people In this same yere was burnt a place of the kynges whiche he after buylded vp againe and named it Richemount Aboute this tyme died three bishoppes here in England Ihon Morton bishop of Cantourbury Thomas Langton bishop of Wynchester and Thomas Rotherham bishoppe of Yorke Also in this yere there were greate maryages made for kyng Henry had geuen his doughter ladye Margarete to the kyng of Scottes and his sonne prince Arthur to Ladie Katherine doughter to Ferdinande kyng of Spayne whiche mariages were made specially for this cause that he might liue in peace with those kynges in his olde age After this prynce Arthure that came to LondoÌ„ purposely to bee maryed went to Wales agayne with his lady and wife to ouersee all thynges well there and to the entente he might not miscarye or go out of the waie in rulyng his domimon he had with hym many noble meÌ„ as first Richard Poole his nighe kynsman which was made chief of his priuie chaumbre and Dauid Philippe husher of his halle Also he had of his counsaill certayne knyghtes as Wyllyam Vdall Richarde Croft Peter Neuton Henrye Varnam Thomas Englefelde And other besides theim as Ihon Walestone Henry Marine Wyllyam Smyth preest chief of his couÌ„sayle late bishop of Lincolne syr Charles Booth a lawer then byshop of Herforde A litle before this mariage EdmuÌ„d Poole erle of Suffolke sonne to ladye Elizabeth the sysler of kyng Edward was accused for killyng of a maÌ„ although the kyng pardoned hym whoÌ„ he might iustely haue condeÌ„â—ed for that offence yet because he was rayned at the barre whiche he thought a great main and blemishe to his honoure tooke it heuely and shortely after fled to Flaunders wtout any passeporte or liceÌ„ce of the kyng to quene Margarete his aunte but he returned again so excused hymselfe before the kynge that he was founde fautles in any thyng that was obiected vnto hym Also when this mariage was kepte at London with great pompe soleÌ„nitee this Edmunde fled again to Flaunders with his brother Richard either for that he had been at great charges at thesame mariage and so farre cast in debte that he was not hable to paye either because the quene Margarete his aunte had allured hym orels for eiuill will enuie that the kyng should prosper so well WheÌ„ it was knowen that he was gooen the kyng certified there of he feared that some busynes should ryse by his meanes was sory that he had pardoned hym for his offeÌ„ce lately coÌ„mitted But sone after that the erle came from Flaunders syr Robert Cursone knight capitaine of HaÌ„mes castel feignyng hym selfe to bee one of that conspiracye wente purposely to espye what the quene entended against kyng Henrye whyche afterwarde for his so doynge was in greate fauoure wyth hym For the kynge was so vigylaunte and circumspecte in all his matters that he dyd knowe theim namelye that either bare hym eiuill will or woorked any in theyr mynde whom he caused to bee attached and caste in holde And emong theim Wyllyam the erle of Deuonshyres sonne whiche maried ladie Catheryne daughter to kyng Edward was taken and another Wyllyam brother to Edmonde earle of Souffolke Iames Tyrell Ihon Wyndham But these two wylliams were taken rather of suspection then for any offence of gyltines Wherefore Wylliam this Earles sonne of Deuonshyre after the death of kynge Henrye was deliuered had in
¶ The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre froÌ„ the first begynnyng of EnglaÌ„de vnto that reigne of Edwarde the fourth where he made an end of his chronicle And from that tyme is added with a coÌ„tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme now first emprinted gathered one of diuerse and soundrie autours of moste certain knowelage substanciall credit that either in latin or els in our mother toungue haue writen of the affaires of Englande ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni Mense Ianuarii 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RG ¶ The dedicacion of this present woorke vnto the right honorable lorde Thomas duke of Norffolke by thenprynter Richard Grafton LOrde Thomas of Norffolke duke moste gracious Of noble auncestrie and blood descended A captain right woorthie and auenturous And froÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d euen newely retended Wher Englandes querele ye haue reuenged In the behalf of our noble kyng Henry I wyshe you all health honour and victorie ¶ And because it hath pleased almightie God In the right title and quercle of Englande To vse your stocke as an iron rod Wherewith to scourge the falsehood of Scotland In whom is no truthe ne holde of any bande Ihon Hardynges chronicle as me thought was Moste mete to bee dedicated to your grace ¶ For Hardyng a true herted Englysheman An esquier valiaunt hardie and bolde And not vnlearned as the time was than Serched out of chronicles bothe late an olde All that euer by thesame hath bee told How froÌ„ the begynnyng ScotlaÌ„de dooeth reigne Vnder kynges of Englande as their soueram ¶ And Hardynges owne self hath the partie bee That from Scotlande oft tymes hath brought Their seales of homage and fealtee Vnto the kyng of Englande as he ought Vnto whom the Scottes then sued and sought Yeldyng to liue in humble subieccion Of Englandes gouernaunce and proteccion ¶ But that people of their propre nature Hath euen from the first been so vntowarde So vnstedfast inconstaunte and vnsure That nothyng maie possibly bee more frowarde So haue thei continued from thens foorthwarde Neuer gladde to bee in quiet and rest But to defeccion aye readie and prest ¶ Wherefore Thon Hardyng to his lorde maister Whom in his tyme he serued without blame Edwarde first duke of Yorke and after Kyng of this realme the fourthe of that name In this chronicle affermeth of thesame That thei will rebell till by prouision The kyng of EnglaÌ„d shall haue made theim both ¶ And in deede EnglaÌ„d hath oft been coÌ„streigned one The Scottes slackenesse in dooyng their homage To pricke forewarde wheÌ„ thei would haue refreined With that sharpe spurre of marciall forceage And to abate their wantonnesse of courage With the iron rodde of due correccion As oft as thei attempted defeccion ¶ For the Scottes will aye bee bostyng crakyng Euer sekyng causes of rebellion Spoyles booties and preades euer takyng Euer sowyng quereles of dissension To burne and steale is all their intencion And yet as people whom God dooeth hate curse Thei alwaies begynne and euer haue the woorse ¶ Englande hitherto hath neuer lacked power As oft as nede wer the Scottes to compell Their duetie to dooe and menne of honour Englande hath had as stories dooe tell Whiche whensoeuer the Scottes did rebell Wer hable at all tymes theim to subdue And their obedience to England renue ¶ EmoÌ„ges the whiche noumbre your noble father In the twelfth yere of Henry the seuenths reigne By aunciente recorde as I can gather Beeyng of suche credence as cannot feigne Yode into Scotlande their pryde to restrein With seÌ„bleable power as bookes dooen auowe And like commission as your grace had now ¶ That season he did so valiauntely The Scottes vanquishyng and puttyng to flight That thei ranne awaye moste shamefully Not hable of hym tabide the sight Nor hable to sustein the brunt of his might Soondrie castelles he raced down to the grounde Whiche to the honour of Englande did redound ¶ Kyng Iamy also makyng greate braggue and vauÌ„te Hauyng his armie not a myle of that daie Your father as a captain valyaunt Made in a moment for feare to runne awaye The Scottish kyng seÌ„ding foorth heraldes tway Chalenged your father with many a proude woorde Battayle to wage and trye it by the sworde ¶ And choose thou sir Earle ê™ kyng Iamy then Whether we shall fight armie against armie Orelles I and thou trye it manne for manne For sparyng bloodshed of either compaignie That if it chaunce me to haue the victorie Nought shall I demaunde for Englandes losse thine Sauig Barwike toune for euer to bee mine ¶ Then to the heraldes saied this noble knight Shewe to your kyng that in this place purposely Battayle for to wage my tentes haue I pight I am not come to flee but to fyght sharpely As where he standeth he maye see with his eye And fyrst where he would bloodshed saued to bee Therof am I no lesse desirous then he ¶ Secundarily where it is his likyng That I a poore Earle and of meane estate Maye combattre with hym beyng a kyng That our two fightes may ceasse all debate He dooeth me honour after suche highe rate That I must nedes grauÌ„t my selfe bound in this case Humble thankes to reÌ„dre to his grace ¶ Now as for the towne of Barwike it is knoweÌ„ Which your lorde requireth in case I bee slaine Is the kyng my souereins and not mine owne So that graunte therof in me dodeth not remain But thys maie ye bear worde to your lord again My person and lyfe aduenture I shall More precyous to me then the round worlde all ¶ When kyng Iamy by his heraldes twoo Spedefullye returnyng had due knowlage Muche otherwyse then he loked for thoo Of the Earles stout aunswer and message Fled out of hand and would no battayle wage So that your father retourned home victour With coumfort laude praise ioye and honour ¶ The same your father in the fyfth yere Of our moost noble kyng Henry the eyght When hys grace and his armie at Turney were And the same kyng Iamy of Scotland streyght Agaynst England his banner dyspleyght Vanquished the Scottes with your helpyng haÌ„d Slew there king Iamy and brought him to England ¶ Agayne in the .xv. yere of the same reygne Your selfe in proper personne full courageous Set forth against the Scottes without dysdeygne Lyke a captayne valyaunt and venturous Wher ye breÌ„t Iedworth a toune right populous Wyth diuers victories that your grace then had Whiche made all Englande to reioyse be glad ¶ The yere folowyng also as bookes testify The Scottes came with an houge power Of .lx. thousande men vnder the Duke of Albany Besiegyng Warke castel thynkyng it to deuour But heryng that your grace dyd approch that houe The Scottes trembled and so dyd theyr Duke And cowardly fled to their shame and rebuke ¶ Sembleably by thys your last viage Nowe thys last October and Nouember Made into Scotlande to
soonne was of good kyng Edwarde That wedded dame Blaunch ful of feminytee Duke Henryes doughter and heire afterwarde Of Lancastre by lawe of kynde and forwarde Who gat and bare the fourth kyng Henry That kyng Rycharde deposed wrongfully ¶ Who gatte Henry the fyfth lyke conqueroure Of Normandy and mykill parte of Fraunce That excelled bothe kyng and Emperoure In marcyall actes by his gouernaunce Who gatte Henry the sixte at Gods pleasaunce Of suche symplenesse and disposicion As menne maye se by his discrecion 〈◊〉 For when Henry the fourth first was crouned 〈…〉 ny a wyseman sayd then full commenly 〈…〉 third heyre shuld not ioyse but be vncrouned And deposed of all regalitee To this reason they dyd there wittes applye Of euill gotten good the third should not enioyse Of longe agone it hath bene a commen voyse ¶ Howe the maker of this booke saieth his auyse in briefe for the duke of Yorke ¶ O my lorde of Yorke God hath prouyde In this for you as men sayen commenly So that no slouth you from his grace deuyde But take it as he hath it sent manly And rule well nowe ye haue the remedye But neretheles let euery man haue the right Both frende and foo it may encrease your might ¶ Treate well Percy of marchys lyne discended To helpe your right with might and fortifye By tender meanes to holde hym well contented Remembryng hym by wyttie polycye Howe by processe of tyme and destenye Your right might all bene his as nowe is yours Through gods might make thē your successours ¶ Edmoūde was then the .iiij. sonne at Langlay Borne as knowen was well in the lande A noble prince after as men might say At battayle of Orray that fought sore with his hāde And Iohn of Gaunt his brother I vnderstande That fought ful sore for Ihō of Mountfortright Agayne Charles of Bloys a manly knight ¶ This Edmoūde was after duke of Yorke creat And had a sonne that Edward had to name Whom kyng Richarde made to be denominate In all his writtes exaltyng his fame Kyng of Portyngale his father yet at hame Lyuyng in age I trawe of .lxxx. yere A fayre person as a man might se any where ¶ Thomas Woodstoke the .v. sonne was in dede Duke of Gloucester that tyme made and create By kyng Richarde murdered whom for his mede Kyng Henry quyt with death preordinate By Goddes dome and sentence approbate Who sleeth so shall he be slayne by his sentence Well more murder whiche asketh ay vengeaunce ¶ Who laye afore Paris amoneth daye With hoste royall without any batell Of all enemyes moste dred he was alwaye And Scottes moste hym bred without any fayle For as they trowed by theyr owne rehersaile Of prophecyes he shulde theyr lande conquere And make the kyng to Englande homegere ¶ Nowe haue I made vnto your owne knowlege A remembraunce of Edwardes sonnes fyue Your exampler to geue you a corage So noble princes I trowe were none alyue After my wytte as I can discryue The eldest sonne whose lyfe I haue lefte oute Who that in Fraunce all landes was moste doute ¶ Of the ryghte and tytles that my Lorde of Yorke hath to Fraunce and Spayne with Portingale other landes by yonde the sea Ierusalem and other landes ¶ At batell of Poytiers tooke kynge Iohn With greate honoure triumphe and vyctory By merciall actes and verteous life aloone And in Spayne as made is memorie The kyng Petro by knightly victorie To his kyngdome he did restore again By his brother putte out with muche pain ¶ The appoinctement bytwixt duke Iohn duke Emund who should bee kyng of Castle and Lyon and what the maker of this booke sawe and red at Londō to syr Robert Vmfrewill then lorde Vmfrewill ¶ This kyng Petro to giue hym to his mede Had nothyng els but doughters twoo full faire Whiche he betooke to that prince in deede For his wages for cause thei where his heire With whome he did to Englande so repaire And Constaunce wedde vnto his brother Iohn Emund his brother the younger had anone ¶ Dame Isabell the younger hight by name Bytwene these brethren was appoinctment The first heire male whiche of the sisters came The kyng should been and haue the regiment To you my lorde of Yorke this dooeth appent For your vncle Edwarde was first heire male To whome your father was heire with out faile ¶ So kyng of Spayne and also of Portyngall Ye should nowe bee by lyne of bloodde discent By couenaunt also and appoinctement whole As I haue seen of it the mununent Vnder seale wryten in all entent Whiche your vncle to my lorde Vmfrewill At London shewed whiche I red that while ¶ For Spayne Portyngale beare the renoume And commen name as I haue herde expressed Both to the realmes of Castyll and Lyon And so the kynge of Spayne hath aye adressed His royall style in wrytyng well impressed Kyng of Castill and also of Lyon Accompted both so for his region ¶ Nowe be ye knowe of your title to Englande By consequens to Wales and Scotlande For they perteyne as ye maye vnderstande Of auncient tyme to the crowne of Englande By papall bull ye haue the right to Irelande Gascowe Paitowe and Normandye Pountyf Bebuile Saunxie and Sauntignye ¶ And all the lande beyonde the charente Of Dangolesme Dangolismoys Luyre zyne Of Caoure Caourenō Pyridor Pirygūt coūtre Of Rodis Ronegeauis Dagō Dagenoyse that fine Tharbe Wigor Gaure shoulde to you enclyne With all the fraunchyses and all souerayntie As hath the kyng of Fraunce in his degre ¶ Nō that I Ihon Hardyng maker of this booke delyuered to kyng Henry the syxte the copie of the treatie of this land as kyng Edward the thyrd treated and had them after the battayll of Poytours ¶ Calys Marke Colne Hāmys Oye Wale Sandegate Guysons with all the whole coūtre With all the landes and townes betwene thē all With all fraunchyses and royall souerayntie All those of right be yours in propertie What by treate and what by veraye right As kyng Edwarde them had of mykyll might ¶ To Ierusalem I saye ye haue great right For erle Geffraye that hight Plantagenet Of Aungeoy erle a prince of passyng might The eldest sonne to Fouke and first begette Kyng of Ierusalem by his wife dewly sette Whose sonne Geffray foresaide gatte on his wyfe Henry the seconde that knowen was full ryfe ¶ Yet haue ye more fro Bawdewyn Paraliticus Kyng afterward to thesame kyng Henry The croune sente and his banner precious As veraye heyre of whole auncestrie Descent of bloode by tytle lynyally From Godfray Boleyn and Robert Curthose That kynges were therof and chose ¶ He sente hym also the Sepulture keyes Resygnyng wholy vnto hym all his ryght For to defende the lande from Sarizenes For he was sicke and had therto no might And all the lande destroyed was to sight By the
¶ He gaue to thambassatours royall giftes and sent his letters with his ambassatis to passe to Roome with theim in coÌ„paignie he with his hoost folowed sone after theim THe kyng then gaue vnto that hie ambassate Full riche giftes golde enough to spend And bad theim giue their lordes in whole senate His letters so whiche he then to hym send And bad theim saie that soner then he wend He should hym se before the daye assigned In trust of whiche theim with his seale assigned ¶ This noble kyng Arthure his princes prayed And barons all and knightes honorable To passe with hym at wagis to bee payed With their power and their retenue able For to directe his right full resonable Marciall actes thempire to obtein To whome thei all consented whole and clene ¶ And with the kyng thei passed forth anone Into Brytain wher Howell then was kyng Wher then he hard yâ— countre make greate mone For a Gyaunt horrible in all thyng That rauished had by his cruell werkyng Kyng Howell sister Elein without pere Bytwene his armes was slain and layed on bere ¶ For whiche that kyng to mount Michell theÌ„ weÌ„t With that Gyaunt that faught a bataile sore With Caliborne his sweord or that he stint He sleugh hym there to death for euermore And charged Kay for his victorie thore To smyte his hedde of then for memorye In worship of his worthy victorye ¶ In whiche mount kyng Howell hir toÌ„be made A chapell faire theron edefied Sith that tyme hether vpon that place abade Wher that Gyaunt and she were homycied But all his hoost and people hym magnified And all the landes about wholy enioyed Of that Gyauntes death so felly anoyed ¶ The kynges all of Portyngale and Spain Of Nauerne also and eke of Catheloyne Vnto hym came and dukes of Almaigne The dukes of Sauoy and of Burgoyne Douze peres of Fraunce and the duke of Lorain The kynges also of Denmarke and Irelande Of Norwey Iselande and of Gotelande ¶ Through FrauÌ„ce Burgoyn Sauoye Lumbardie Into Italy and so through all Tuskayn Fro Tuskayn then so into Romany To Awbe ryuer kyng Arthure came so than And loged on that water as manne Wher with Lucius he faught in battaile strong Either other proued with strokes sore emong ¶ But kyng Arthure and the princes all His knightes also there of the round table So manfully theim bare that daye ouer all That neuer their better were seen nor more able So were Romaynes that daye full coÌ„mendable Ne none might dooe better in any wise So worthely thei faught without feyntise ¶ And at the last the Brytons bare the bell And had the felde and all the victorye Wher Arthure sleugh as chronicles dooeth tell Themperour Lucius Hibery And toke his feloe contributorye But Lucyus hedde to Roome for his truage He sent his corps also for their arerage The .lxxxii. Chapiter ¶ Howe the senate and the citee of Roome mette hym in seuen processions and crouned hym and there wintred hym by all the whole winter THe senate sent vnto the kyng Arthure And prayed hym thempire to admit Whiche became hym semed hym of nature As Constantyne did in the honour sitte And al truage forthward thei would remitte Of greate Brytain neuer to aske it more But make it free as it was euer before ¶ To whiche prayer kyng Arthure did consent And came to Roome in royall high astate Wher the citee by good and whole assent Full richely hym mette and the senate With greatest laude that might been estimate And euery gate his triumphe and his glorie Full curyously was wrought in greate storie ¶ The seuen orders in procession Full solemplye at Peters churche hym mette The wifes whole by good discrecion The wydowes after full deuoutly sette In order came then nexte as was there dette The virgyns then of pure virgynitee And then thynnocentes of tender iuuentee ¶ Thorders all of good religion The preastes and clerkes seculer The byshop and cardinalles in vnyon With the sacrement and lightes clere And Belles ryngyng therewith in fere Euery order with laude and reuerence Reioysed greatly of his magnificence ¶ At the Capytole in the sea imperiall They crowned hym with crownes thre of golde As Emperoure moste principall And conquerour that daye moste worthy holde Wher then he fested the citee manyfolde Of Rome the byshop and all his cardinals The senatours with other estates al 's The .lxxxiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe that tydynges came to the kynge at Roome that Mordred had wedded his wyfe and vsurped the crowne of Englande for the whiche he came home agayne and gaue Mordred batayll at Douer where Arthure preuayled and after again at Wynchester wher the round table began and fell for euer ALl that wynter at Rome he did soiourne In palays of Mayns palacium The somer caÌ„ that home he might retourne At whiche somer so when it was come Tydynges came to Arthure hole and some That duke Mordred was kyng of all Britayn And wedded Gwaynour to his wyfe certayn ¶ For whiche at Rome he made his ordenaunce To rule that lande and all the hole Empire And home in hast with full great purueyaunce To Britayne came to venge hym on that sire That trayterously agayn hym did conspire To rauyshe his wife by stronge and mighty haÌ„de And also for vsurpyng the crowne of his lande ¶ At porte Rupyn whiche nowe Douer hight He landed then where duke Mordred hym met And fought full sore by all a daye to night Wher syr Gawen Anguzell were sore bet And slayne both two so sore they were ouer set But Arthure had the felde and Mordred fled To Wynchester that night full fast hym sped ¶ The kyng folowed fast vpon the chace And there he fought agayn with hym full sore Where many princes and lordes in that case Were slayn on bothe sydes for euermore Of the round table that longe had been afore Many worthy knightes there were spended For Arthures loue that might not been amended ¶ The rounde table at Wynchester beganne And there it ended and there it hangeth yet For there were slayn at this ylke battayl than The knightes all that euer did at it sitte Of Britayne borne saue Launcelot yode quyte And with the kyng folowed on the chase When Mordred fled to Cornwayle for that case The .lxxxiiii. Chapiter ¶ The battayll of Camblayn where Arthure preuayled and sâ—ewe Mordred and Arthure had his deathes wounde and howe Arthure died and was buried in the Blacke chapel of Glastenbury WHer on the water that called was Camblayne Mordred abode with mightie hoste stronge With Arthur fought that day of hie disdayne Full oft alone euer as they met amonge But Arthure slewe Mordred with his knyfe long That Calibourne was called of suche vertue That whomsoeuer he smote therwith he slewe ¶ But this Mordred gaue Arthure deaths wouÌ„d For whiche he yode his woundes to medifie Into thysle of Aualon that stound And gaue Britayne that was
Iohn to vexe and noye wylfryde But tender loue they helde on eyther syde The .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ How Cadwalader fel in greate impotencye that he might not gouerne the lande wherfore in defaute of lawe peace fell Barons warre and ciuyle discorde in all the realmes THe kyng Cadwaladre beyng impotent So euery daye helde no gouernaunce Nether lawe ne peace wtin his regiment Wherfore Britons dred none ordynaunce But eche one toke on other great vengeaunce Fro that time forth eche countre on other warred And euery cytee agaynste other marred ¶ Thus in defauee of lawe and peace conserued Cōmon profyte was wasted and deuoured Percyall profyte was sped and obserued And Venus also was cōmonly honoured For lechery and aduoutry was moste adoured Amonge them was cōmon as the carte waye Ryot robbery oppressyon nyght and daye Of which came then manslaughter homicide And cyuyle stryfe with sore contencyons Through Britons land euery where on eche side With batayles greate and fell discencions As Bede wryteth amonge his mencyons They dred nother the kyng ne god almyght Wherfore he sent vengeaunce on them full ryght That through the warre the tylth was all destroied Churches all and husbandrye vnoccupyed That with hunger the people were sore anoyed That people great in stretes and feldes dyed And muche folke as Bede hath specifyed The fayth of Chryste for hunger then forsoke And drowned thē selues so sore the payne thē toke ¶ Their catell dyed for faute of fode eche daye Without meate or any sustenaunce In townes and feldes and the cōmon waye Through which their enfecte was with that chaūce That multitude of folke in greate substaunce On hepys laye full lyke vnto mountaynes That horryble was of sight aboue the playns Vnburyed hole withoute Sacrament By pestylence also many one dyed Some woode some raynage went And some were in lytargie implyed An other some with batayle mortifyed With murther also amonge themselues dispent Full many were that none an other lament Through which defautes not amēded nor correct The bishoppes fled the prestees clerkes anoyed To Walys went there to be protecte In cauys hyd accombred and accloyed Full heuely deseased and full greatly anoyed With saynctes bones and relyques many one Morning full sore and makyng there their mone ¶ Then fel a yere of pardone and of grace At Rome where the kyng Cadwaladrus All desolate and sory for that case In pylgrymage thyther purposed thus With herte deuoute and wyll beneuelous With his Brytons together consociate Of worthy bloude so borne and generate ¶ To haue pardone and playne remissyon Of theyr trespasse synnes and neglygence That they put nought reddour ne punissyon By lawe payne and discrete prouidence On trespassours that dyd violence Through which their land they were so mischeued That with law kept might wel haue bene acheued To Rome they came of whom the bishop was glad Sergio that hyght who them graunt remissyon Of all their synnes with herte and wyll glad Saue onely then of their omissyon And neglygence of hole punissyon That they put nought vpon the trespassoures Of cōmon people that were destroyours Whiche was not in his power to relese Without amendes made and restitucyon To common weale and theyr due eucrease As they were hurte in faute of due punissyon He charged them for theyr playne remissyon The cōmonte to supporte and amende Of as 〈…〉 te good as they were so offende In the meane whyle whyls they at Rome so were The Saxons hole and Englyshe consociate Toke all theyr lande liuelod and other gere To Saxon they sente ambassyate To Angulo to be assocyate With many mo of theyr countree men For Britons all at Rome were bidyng then ¶ And bad them come in haste and tary nought For theyr owne helpe and for their waryson The whiche they dyd and hither fast they sought The Brytons lande they toke in possessyon And kepte it forth with many a garyson For Brytons came no more therto agayne For king Cadwallader thē dyed at Rome certain His Brytous also dyed homewarde by the waye In dyuerse places and some went to Britayne Other some to Fraunce there to abyde for aye And some also to Normandy and to Spayne That to theyr owne they came no more agayne But Saxons hole and Englyshe it occupyed Euer more after and strongly edifyed ¶ Some chroniclers saye he had by visyon No more to come into Britayne the more But to the bishop of Rome with great contricion Confesse hym and take his penaunce thore And absolucyon for his synnes sore And howe the bishop of Rome buryed him royally And on his tombe set his Epitaphye ¶ In laten letters in marble stone well graue Declared hole his conuersacyon Forsakyng all the worlde heuen to haue And howe the byshop of Rome by his confyrmaciō Called hym Peter whome Bede by relacyon Calleth a saynt in blysse hole disposed Fro whiche he may in no wyse be deposed ¶ This Cadwalader of Britons was the kyng That reygned full as souereygne lorde .xii. yere And in the yere .vi. hundreth and nynte beyng And dyed so as sayeth the chronyclere That of westsex then had be kyng two yere Of whome walshemen holden opinyon Of Englande yet to haue the reuercyon ¶ When that his bones be brought fro rome again Amonge them all haue suche a prophecye And Englande then efte synce called Britayne Thus stande they yet in suche fonde matesye In truste of whiche vayne fantasye They haue full ofte Englande sore anoyed And yet they wyll proue yf it maye be destroyed The .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ The lamentacyon of the maker of this booke and his counsayle to my Lorde of Yorke for good rule in the realme of Englande O Gracyous lorde O very heyre in ryght Of great Britayne enclosed with a sea O very heyre of Logres the now England hyght Of wales also of scotland which all thre Britayne so hyght of olde antiquyte O very heyre of Portyngale and Spayne Whiche castell is and Lyons soth to sayne ¶ O very heyre of Fraunce and Normandye Of Guyan Peytowe Bayen Man Angeoy Membrys of Fraunce of olde warre openly O very heyre of Ierusalem and Surry All this meane I by you that should enioye Ye or your heyres my lorde of Yorke certayne That wrongefully haue bene holde out to seyne ¶ But O good lorde take hede of this mischieue Howe Cadwaladore not kepyng lawe ne peace Sufferyng debates and cōmon warrys acheue And fully reygne and put hym nought in preace By lawe nor myght to make it for to cease For whiche there fell so great diuisyon That he was put vnto deheryteson ¶ Not he alone but all his nacyon Deuolued were and from theyr ryght expelled Full fayne to flee with greate lamentacyon From greate Britayne in which they had excelled In which their aūcetour afore lōg time had dwelled And knew their foes mortal shuld it occupy For euermore without remedye ¶ Which is the payne most fell aboue all payne
Without mercy cracked vpon the croune The kyng came home with honour and victorye As Flores saieth right in his memorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fourty and one The Danes watched thest sea cost throughout With diuers hostes for which that king made great mone All helples thē the Danes that were so stout In many places with many dyuerse rout All harmles went without hurt or pain By dyuers tyme that yere home again ¶ In the yere eyght hundred foure and fourtye At Carham then the kyng full sore did fight With Danes fell and had the victorye And at Alnewik he faught again furth right With Danes also wher kyng Redwolf that hight Of Northumberlāde and erle Alffride was slain And full greate parte of their hoost certain ¶ Kyng Athilwolf came to the South contree Wher Danes then in battaile with hym faught In Somersetshire wher he made many dye And gate the feld and sleugh all that he caught Wher great people that daye the death hath raught Tharchbishop with his full wise clergie Bysyde Sandwiche of Danes had victorye ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and one The Danishe hoost in Thamis did arriue Kent and Southray Sussex and Hāshire anone Distroyed sore and throughe that South gan dryue Wher muche folke thei sleugh bothe māne wife Whiche host the kyng with battaile slewe doune sore That home again retourned thei no more ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The kyng Edmond of Estangle began To reigne after Albert of greate beautee That holy was as his legend tell can But Athilwolf the kyng buryed then The kyng of Mers that had his doughter wed All Wales wan theim thought thei had well sped ¶ This Athilwolf to Roome toke his waye In pilgremage with hym his soonne Alurede Cardinall was of Wynchester that daye Wher then he had the bishoprike in deede A perfecte clerke he was as saieth sainct Bede A philosophier wise and well approued And by the bishop of Rome cōmēdid well loued ¶ And there thei were abydyng ful twoo yere And home thei came vnto the kyng of Fraunce And his doughter Indith ther weddid clere By assent of hym and all his hole puysaunce And so with worship and noble gouernaunce Fro thens he came sone into England With hir and with his soonne as I vnderstand ¶ And in the yere eyght hundred fifty and three The death his soule gan frome his body dryue Vnto the blisse eternall there to bee In heuen aboue wher is euerlastyng life To Peter and Pole he graunted infenitife The Roome pence then of all Englande As Flores saieth as I can vnderstande ¶ He was then buryed at Winchester in royall wise As to suche a prince of reason should affere And with his wife as did full well suffice Foure soonnes he had worthy without pere Sir Athilwold Ethelbert Elfride the dere And Alrude the youngest of echone Afore theim all one bast had Athelston ¶ Athelbold was kyng after hym and heire And protector with all the prerogatif His stepdame wed menne saied it was not faire The churche him gan punishe and chastiue For cause he wed hir so vnto his wife Again the lawe and christen conciense Vnaccordant with his magnificence ¶ That reigned whole twoo yere and no more In greate sikenes and pain inmorderate Greately vexed and punisshed was right sore Menne saied it was for sinne inordinate With his stepdame that was so consociate But then he had as God would repentaunce For his trespas and misgouernaunce ¶ Afore he dyed he did full sore repent And for his synne stode to correccion Of holy churche for his amendement Submitted whole without obieccion And for to liue in clene perfeccion Departed were by lawe and deuorced Afore his soule was passed and vncorced The C .vi. Chapiter ¶ Ethelbert kyng of Westsex protector of Englande that reigned fiue yere SIr Ethelbert his brother gan succede In whose dayes the Danes destroied sore The east parties of England then in deed And home againe they went harmeles therfore Destroyed the people and the lande right sore But sone ther after kyng Ethelbert them mette And sleugh theim downe in bataile sore and bet ¶ An other hoost then newe spoyled all Kent And by treaty wyntred within the Isle Of Tenet then by Kentishe mennes assent But at last thei with a subtell wyle Despoyled all Kent and falsely did beguyle And to their shipis went without delaye Into Denmarke with muche riche araye ¶ This Ethelbert reigned whole fiue yere And dyed the yere of verey Christ his date Eyght hundred whole and therto sixty clere As Flores saieth and hath it approbate But with sykenesse he was so alterate He dyed then and at Shirborne buryed With greate worship and honour laudified The C .vii. Chapiter ¶ Elfride kyng of Westsex protector of Englande reigned sixe yere and dyed in the yere of Christ eyght hundred lxvi ELfride was kyng after his brother then That reigned so with all the dignitee In Westsex whole and mightely began Protector was as was necessitee For Danes then of greate iniquite His lande foule brent wasted and destroyed That all Englande was combred and anoyed ¶ In the east cost of Englande specially In Estangle wher Edmond then was kyng Ther did greate hurte full cruelly In Northumberlande full felly warryng The people destroiyng and the lande brennyng Wher Danes then sleugh the kyng of that lande Byside Yorke so as Flores dooeth vnderstande ¶ Also thei sleugh in Northfolke all about The people doune and in Suffolke also The kyng Edmond thei sleugh without doubt Of Estangland with arowes sharpe tho Was shot to death with muche other woo That is a sainct honored this daye in blisse At Edmondes bury canonyzed I wisse ¶ Hungar and Vbba sleugh hyw full cruelly And brent abbeis throut all England that tyme By North and South and prestes full cursedly All holy folke fled out of that realme Thei sleugh all people that had take bapteme At Colyngham sainct Ebbe that was abbesse Their nonnes putte from theim in sore distresse ¶ For dred of the tyrauntes twoo full cruell And their people cursed and full of malice That rauished nōnes euer wher their herd tell In hir chaptre ordeined again their enemies Should not deffoule their clene virginitees She cut hir nose of and hir ouer lippe To make hir lothe that she might from hym slipe ¶ And counseled all hir susters to dooe the same To make their fooes to hoge so with the sight And so thei did afore thenimies came Echon their nose and ouer lipe full right Cut of anone whiche was an hogly sight For whiche tho fooes thabbey and nonnes brent For thei theim self disfigured had shent ¶ Frō Twede to Thamys abbais then thei brēt And churches hole and people sleugh right doune Wiues maydens widdowes and nonnes shent Through all the lande and the est region People sleyng in euery borough and towne The women euer thei diuiciate In
all thyng To you present and take this halfe golde rynge Whiche ye gaue hym of almesse and charyte And bade vs say that ryght sone ye should him se ¶ Whiche ryng he set together there anone And that ylke place he called ay after hauerynge And that same place where they it braste alone He called ay after that tyme Claueryng In Essex be bothe fayre standynge Where that he made two churches of saint Iohn Theuangelyst and halowed were anon ¶ Sone after that he dyed and went to blysse But fyrste he made duke Herold protectoure Of his cousyne to gouerne and to wysse Edgar Athelyng full yonge a gouernoure Whome he ordeyned to be his successoure As very heyre to Edmonde Ironesyde But thus Herolde then set all that asyde When he had be kyng .xxiiii. yere He dyed the yere a thousande syxtye and fyue At Westminster canonyzed is full clere All newe he made the churche there in his lyue All were he not ryght heyre as men in stryue A confessoure he is full hye in heuen With God to dwell euermore and beleuen Herolde by strength then crowned was for kynge Forsworne that was vpon the euangelystes For to crowne Edgar Athelynge And hym protecte and defende in all wyse Vnto his age that none the realme suppryse This was his othe of whiche he was forswore All yf he made Edgar an Earle therfore ¶ The earle Tosty then of Northumberlande That brother was vnto the kyng Herolde By kyng exyled out of the lande To Englande came with kyng Herold full bold Of Norwaye then in Chronycle as is tolde But kyng Herolde of Englande with them met At Staūford brydge to death they both wer bet ¶ Besyde yorke was this batayl ful sore smyten Where kyng Herolde of Englande had the felde And slewe Herolde Harngrey as was wryten Kyng of Norwaye and earle Tosty vnder shelde That neuer after myght armes welde And thousandes fell of Danes and Norwayes He kylled there that daye as Flores sayes A yere he reygned whom Willyam Conquerou◠That duke was then of all fayre Normandye Hym slewe in batayle for his ymagyned erroure Agayne hym that he dyd so cruelly And not wolde mende ne yet satisfye The duke Willyan so the felde then conquered With strokes sore for whiche the lande was ferd This kyng Herolde at Waltam whiche he found Of foure score chanons full fayer was buryed At the hye aulter as a kyng was crownde All yf he were intrusor notifyed And in batayl slayne and victoryed Of gentylnesse the Conquerour bad so All yf he were afore his mortall fo ¶ Willyam Conquerour kyng of Englande and Duke of Nor mandye beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande .lxvi. and reygned .xxiiii. yere and dyed the yere a thousande lxxxx and the sayde Conqueroure founded the Abbaye of Batayle for the soules of the people slaine there the fourenene daye of October in the yere of Chryste a thousande thre score and syxe The C .xxi. Chapiter THe .xiiii. daye of October accompted The duke Wyllyam that was of Normandye At London was crowned and annoynted In trone royall to hauethe Monarchye By his conquest and his victorye Withoute tytle of ryght to hym discente But onely of his tryumphall entente ¶ The yere of Chryste was when Alurede hym crowned Tharchbyshop of Yorke hye primate A thousande hole .lxvi. well founde Quene Mawde his wyfe to hym assocyate He crowned also that tyme in her estate The abbay of batayle that then he bounded And for the soules there slayne he founded ¶ He called it so then for a memorye Of his batayle by whiche Englande he gate In token of his myghty victorye That Englande there he had so well ouerset To praye for the soules slayne as was his det Whiche abbaye is in Sussex in that stede Where the batayle was and the people dede ¶ The South part of England then he rode And dalt it largely vnto his menne The North again hym rebelled then abode With help of Danes in that countre were then And Scottes also that false wer when and whē But kyng Wyllyam that worthy conquerour Discomfite theim with long and sore labour ¶ To Normandy he went then right anone And with hym had Edgar called Athelyng Edwyn and Morkar afore that were his fooen For cause they should not then make more risyng In his absence while he were ther abidyng But at his home commyng with hym again He brough theim all of whiche the folke were fain ¶ Gospatrik that then was erle of Cumberland That not again stode king Malcolin in his werre When he distroyed therldome and his land But hym withdrewe out of waye full ferre Wherfore the kyng as saieth the chronicler Hym disherited and gaue to Rauf Mesthyne His erldo meto whom menne did enclyne The C .xxii. Chapiter ¶ Homage of Scotlande dooen to kynge Willyam conquerour at Birmithi in Scotland and also howe the kyng of Fraunce scorned the kyng Wyllyam he quit it hym after THen rode the kyng into Scotlād anone And brent the land vnto Abirnythy Where kynge Malcolyne submitted hym with great mone And homage leege hym did full humbly And amended there all his iniury Then went he furth to Duram wher he offred And to the churche he gaue great good vncoffred ¶ He thē his lawe and peace alwaye proclaymed Officers made in euery shire about And so held on to London vnreclaymed Wher his iustice he sett that land throughout The kyng of Fraunce thus scorned hym out of doubt That kyng Wyllyam in Gesine had lyen long And tyme hym wer been kyrked with good songe ¶ When he this hard to Fraunce he went anone There to bee kirked he offrid his candill bright A thousand townes he brent as he did gone At theim he prayed the kyng of Fraunce to light His candill then if that he goodly might Whiche at his kirkehale and puryficacion To Mars he thought that tyme to make his oblaciō ¶ Edwyn therle proclamed of Leicester After decesse of Algary his father dere And erle Morcare his brother that after Dyed bothe twoo Lucy their suster clere Of Leicester then and Lyncolne bothe in fere The coūtesse was whome kyng William maried To Iue Tailboys erle of Angeou magnified ¶ To kyng Wylliam then came full glad again At Wynchester he held his parliament Wher he then slewe for wrath and greate disdain The duke Waldiue that no harme to hym ment But onely for he counselled and consent To erle Edgar to gette his heritage Of England whole and made to hym homage ¶ Who duke was then of Northumberland And erle create was also of Huntyngton By chronicles olde as menne can vnderstand Entitled whole as of all Northampton Beheded was at Wynchester towne Whose hedde together grewe to the necke again Buried at Crowland for sainct the soth to sain ¶ The kyng then made as I vnderstand The bishop then of Duresme that Walter hight Erle proclamed of Northumberland Whom at Catteshede
that countre slewe doune right The kyng then made a lord that Awbryke hight Erle of that countre that durst not Scottes withstande Wherfore he gaue Robert Mowbray that lande ¶ And made hym erle of Northumberland The kyng then sent vnto euery shire Iustices to sitte throughout all the land Of all lordshipis and knightes fees enquere What temporales he had to knowe he had desire And what perteined vnto his royall croune And what the churche had of deuocion ¶ Vnto his soonne eldest then generate All Normandy he gaue in heritage And England whole to Wyllyam nominate His second soonne gaue with all thauauntage And to Henry his third soonne young of age Therldome gaue then of Gloucester sea With the honour of slede for euer in certente ¶ He dyed the yere a thousand four score and ten And of his reigne twenty yere and four tho At Cane buried in thabbey that hight then Sainct StepheÌ„s abbey by Cane that staÌ„deth so His doughter Ade afore had maried tho Vnto therle StepheÌ„ of Bloyes a prince of might Of warres wyse and a full manly knight The C .xxiij. Chapiter ¶ Wyllyam Rufus kyng of England reigned thirtene yere and began to reigne in the yere of our lorde a thousand four score and ten dyed that yere a thousand one hundred three HIs sooÌ„ne Wylliam Rufus as he deuised Was crouned then with great solempnitee But after soone duke Robert was auised To clayme England by his priorite And Normandy also as for his proprete As he that was his eldest soone and heire With hoste full greate in England game repeire ¶ And made greate warre vpon his brother so Three yere all out betwene theim so continued Till at last thei bothe betwene theim twoo Did condiscende as well to theim perteined With whole herte and will nothyng feined The iudgement of kyng Philip of Fraunce To vndergo and bide his ordinaunce ¶ In whiche meane while his brother erle HeÌ„ry The castels all belongyng to the croune As high constable of England properly Then seazed had in his possession As his office by good dereccion Asked of right and of good consuetude To kepe theim sure to the crounes excelsitude ¶ The kyng Philip by his auised parliament Gaue iudgement betwene the brethren twoo As kyng Wyllyam their father full ment All Normandy Robert should haue euer moo And Wyllyam England frendes should bee so And liue in peace without any clayme And either other releace and whole disclayme ¶ Th erle Henry of England then constable Deliuered all the castels and citees right To kyng Wyllyam his brother enheritable As he was bound and fully so had hight Duke Robert then his brother a worthy knight To England came to sport hym with his brother At whiche tyme either was glad of other The C .xxiiij. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Malcolyn of Scotland warred in England for his wife 's right pretendyng that she was right heire of England and afterward he did homage to kyng wyllyam Rufus for the realme of Scotland His Malcolin of ScotlaÌ„d greatly claimed T To haue England then by his wifes right Margarete suster of Edgar heire ê“clamed Of England whole that expelled was by might Of kyng Wyllyam conquerour by vnright So for his right the Northland he destroyed And home he went again nothyng annoyed ¶ But then the kyng and his brethren twoo To Scotland rode and wasted sore the land Till Malcolyne came and did his homage By letter wrytten and sealed I vnderstand Whiche Hardyng gaue in to kyng Henryes haÌ„d Without reward or any recompence Of mayne labour his costagis and expence ¶ The duke Robert went home to Normandy And kyng Malcolyne his soonne then Edward Warred again Northumberland in hie But erle Robert that kepyng had and ward Of NorthuÌ„berland with hym then faught full hard Byside Alnwike at Malcolyne well were slain There Malcolyne and Edward his sooÌ„ne certain ¶ WheÌ„ quene Margret so of that tidynges knewe She eate neuer meate for sorowe dyed anone At Dunfermelyn buryed as then was dewe But nowe she is there shryned in fleshe and bone Workyng miracles as sayeth many one Entombed faire and in the firetree translate Of whiche abbey nowe is she aduocate ¶ The Scottes then made Dunwalde so their kyng Malcolynes brother that to it had no right But DunkaÌ„ sonne of Malcolyne that knowyng With helpe of kyng Wyllyam and royall might Of Scotlande so droaue hym awaye to flight And crouned was as chronicles vnderstande And homage made to wyllyam for his lande ¶ Sone after kyng Dunkan of Scotland slayn By treason was and Dunwall restitute Vnto the croune of Scotlande then agayne Whome Edgare then by succoure and refute Of kyng Wyllyam droue out all destitute Of any helpe and crouned was in Scotlande To kyng Willyam did homage for his lande ¶ Of whose homage Iohn Hardyng gaue that letter Full clerely made written well and sealed The whiche also with other letters better That by reason maye not be repeled The whiche yf he would haue enbeseled The kyng Iames vnto his waryson A M. marke hym hight of his discrecion ¶ And in his tyme Roes that Richarde hight The kyng of Wales in battayl strong was slayn Besyde the castell of Brekenham then full right Fro whiche tyme forthe theyr kynges seazed full playn And princes called they were soth to sayn The kyng with hoste on Robert Monbraye rode Who with the kyng faught of his traytourhode ¶ And discomfite helde Bamburgh castell then And the kyng enduryng full .vii. yere Consentyng with the lordes that so began For to depose the kyng of his croune clere And duke Robert his brother with great power To croune and make the kyng of all Englande With Normandy to ioyse I vnderstande ¶ The kynge exiled Anselme of Cauntorbury Tharchebyshop that withstode his wronges Doen to the churche and to the prelacie To the commons also that theim belonges SeueÌ„tene tounes with also many churches amoÌ„ges And abbeys foure he wasted and confounde The newe forest in Hamshire for to founde ¶ He buylded the Newcastell vpon Tyne The Scottes to gaynstande and to defende And dwell therin the people to enclyne The towne to builde and walle as did append He gaue theim ground golde ful great to spend To buylde it well and wall it all aboute And fraunchised theim to paye a free rent out ¶ The rentes frutes to tharchbishop ê‘teinyng And to the byshoppes of Wynchester Sarum And also .ix. abbeys lyuelod conteynyng In his handes leazed and held all and some But for his workes buylynges held eche crome With whiche he made then westmynster hall And the castel of Newecastell withall ¶ That staÌ„deth on Tyne therin to dwel in warre Agayne the Scottes the countree to defende Whiche as men sayd was to hym mekill deer And more pleasyng then otherwyse dispende And muche people for it did hym coÌ„mende For cause he dyd the commen wealthe sustene Of marchers vnnumerable to mayntene The
bare with Iueles full royall And clothes ryche that were well ordynaté For that ylke feste and state imperyall Fro South vnto the Septentrionall Where then none suche accompted of rychesse As there were then as wryten is expresse The C .xxxviii. Chapiter ¶ How kyng William of Scotland made homage for Scotlande and then after his coronacyon at Westmynster he went to Fraunce and so to Ierusalem by the assent of the Kynge Phylippe THe bishop of Duresme on his right hande The bishop also of Bathe on his left syde The kīg of Scottes Willyā for Scotlād Made hym homage and feaute leege that tyde Kyng Rychard then to Fraūce with muche pride Anone so yode tharchebishop Bawdewyne With hym then went worthy clerkes and fyne ¶ Sir Rauf Fulgence erle of Perche then also Robert Ferrers erle of Lecester then With erles fell and barons many moo Of all this land went many a worthy then Of England and Scotland many a manne Of Ireland Wales Guyan and Normandy Then with hym went in that voyage on hie ¶ The kyng Philip shippid his hoste at Iene The kyng Rychard tooke the sea at Marsile With all his hoste without other meene Within short tyme arriued vp in Cisile Wher he full faire receiued was that while By kyng Tancred soonne of Wyllyam Whiche Wyllyā wed his suster Iohan by name ¶ The kyng Rychard twoo Isles ther cōquered Byside Cisile to his suster theim gaue To hir lyuyng and bade hir not bee fered For he should se hir dower she should haue Longyng to the right that she should craue And at Meschyne kyng Rychard then did make A Bastell strong the Sarsyns for to wake ¶ And sailed furth to Cipres then hy sea Wher his mother hym mete with dame Barnage The kyng his doughter of Nauerne faire free Whom ther he wed in lawfull mariage At Lymosyn in his pilgremage A citee great full of all habundaunce Whiche by assaute he gate of his puysaunce ¶ The kyng Rychard rode then to Nichosie And gate the citee with force and might The citee also of Cheryn mightely Wher his doughter and heire he toke full right To Buffenet and Baffe that were full wight To Dendamour and Candor his citees He went anone with greate felicitees ¶ He gate theim all all the realme throughout And toke the kyng Isaak and hym slewe And wed his doughter vnto the kyng full stout Of Ierusalem whose wife was dedde then newe That Sibill hight that doughter was mēne knewe Of Almarike kyng of Ierusalem The brother of Geffrey of Angeou hir eme ¶ This kyng Rychard that realme of Cipris wāne To whome the lordes echeone did their homage And anone by sea with many a manne To Acres wher in that ilke voyage He toke a ship of high and greate auantage Of ablementes for warre and ordinaunce The whiche he had with hym in gouernaunce ¶ But fiftene Sarsyns there he dreyncte And twoo hundred he kept that ship to gnie To Acres then wher kyng Philip full feyn◠Had sieged long without remedie But kyng Rychard of Acres toke in hie The stronger syde and gaue it greate affraies Late and erly bothe by nightes and dayes ¶ He gate it sone with his greate ordinaunce And on the walles his baners full hie he sette The kynges armes he sette vp also of Fraunce And kyng Guyes armes of Ierusalem well bette The duke of Oistrich Lympold without lette Set vp his armes after aboue theim all Whiche kyng Rychard did cast doūe ouer that wall ¶ With wages greate and riches manifold He ryched his mēne rode throughoute all Surry The citees all and castelles that he would He gate with force and came again in hie To castell Pilgrym whiche kyng Philip pleinly Beseged had full long and went his waye Whiche Rychard beseged in greate araye ¶ To the whiche there was no waye but one full straite On a cawsey with dikes depe and wyde Strongly walled with towres on to wayte With many drawe bridges wher none might go ne ryde Strongly cheined with barris on eche side Whiche castell then he gate in dayes ten With battaill sore wher he sleugh many menne ¶ The cheynes of yrone he stroke vp with his axe Bothe at Acres and at castell Pilgrym And brent theim all as thei had been of waxe Cheynes barres with muche might that tyme The Sarasyns also he slewe with muche gryme The kyng Philip fell sicke and home would gone To Fraunce anone and toke his menne echeone ¶ Vnto the duke of Burgoyn theim to lede To bide for hym vpon the warres there And home so went to Fraunce without drede Wher then he made greate warre and muche dere In Normandy and Guyan fouly hym bere Against his othe and his greate assuraūce At their passage by couenaunt and concordaunce The C .xxxix. Chapiter ¶ Howe kyng Rychard sold the realme of Cipres to Statyn once an other tyme to the kyng Guy◠Lezinaunt to resorte to hym to his heires in de faute of issue of theim HE sold Cipresse to kyng Statyn of might An other tyme to Guy Lizenaūt full bold For great riches the resort again of right And for greate sommes of innumerable of gold His prisoners he raunsomed sore and sold But with his hoste full well he distribute All that he gate vnto their greate refute ¶ Ioppen he gate and it repaired newe He and the duke of Burgoyn full sore sought On the Soudan and felly did pursue To castell Assure fro whens he fled vnfought But kyng Rychard that of no perill rought Was hurt right ther with dartes venemous Fiue woundes sore mortall and perelous ¶ The droue hym then into Ierusalem And layed a sege about the citee rounde And kyng Rychard hard howe fro Egipt realme Came strong vitail and ryches in that stounde With full greate hoste the Christen to confounde By night he came and there theim discomfete With worship greate and farpassyng profite ¶ Gase he buylded full faire and Ascaloyn To the templers to whome afore thei longid He deliuered and made hym redy boun For to assayle the citee and haue fongid With might of menne laddirs full well hongid Engynes and gonnes greate stones for to cast Whiche to haue wonne thei were full like at last ¶ The Soudan out by night then stale awaye And Christen menne the citee gate anone And kyng Rychard with all the hoste his waye Toke to the Flum of Cedar on his foon He folowed fast with hoste as he might goon With the Soudan faught putte hym fro that feld And mightely fro hym he rest his sheeld The C .xl. Chapiter ¶ Howe the Soudā toke a trewce with kyng Rychard after he had putte hym to flight wonne his citee and castels in Surry Kyng Rychard gaue Ierusalem and that realme of Surry to his susters soonne Henry erle of Campanya with the heire Sibill to his wife and homewardwas takē prisoner in Oistrich but in his gift of Surrry 〈◊〉
his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
desiring him to folow his couÌ„cel that he should not think this to be done of any rashnes shewed hym how warely through his pollicie all his matters were wroughte desired him that he would cast with him selfe how to bring such a weyghtie matter to passe wherby al thinges may be prouided before hand to whom after many great promises he offered his daughter then of ripe age to be maried to him The duke throughe the councell and greate desieryng of therle of Warwike was contented to dooe all thynges as he would haue hym After that therle had this communicacion with the duke he purposed to goo to Caleis of the whiche toune he was then chief capitain and wher his wife and doughters wer then inhabityng but to th end that this sedicion might bee the soner begonne where with all EnglaÌ„d was sore troubled a greate tyme he had apoinâ—ted that sone after he was gone to Caleis his brother tharchebishop the lord marques should make an insurreccion in Yorke wherby the battaill might bee begonne while he was so farre frome theim When all these thynges were prepared for and his counsaill well alowed and taken he went streight with that duke of Clarence to Caleys And ther after that the duke had promised by an othe that he would euer bee true he maried lady Isabell the erles eldest doughter that whiche wheÌ„ it was dooen thei bothe consulted together that more spedily for that that insurreccion was made in Yorke as it was commaunded and appoincted The whiche coÌ„paignie begoÌ„ne first to spoile with out all mercie or respect of any thyng For ther was at Yorke an old and a riche hospitall of sainct Leonard where the poore and impotent persones wer harboured the sicke menne comforted and this hous was founde of that charitee of the couÌ„tree whiche did geue yerely certain of wheate as that first fruites of all their corne to the sustenaunce and mainteynyng of theim to the whiche noumbre of grayne certain housband menne of the countree did refuse to gyue any part through the counsaill of therle of Warwikes compaignie saiyng plainly that the poore and sickely people had it not but thei that had that rule and gouernaunce of the hous and after that the procters of the hospitall claimyng it as dewe vnto theim sought for their right And for that cause greate tumulte was and muche conspiracie made so that within fewe dayes there was gathered aboute a fiftene thousand whiche compaignie came towardes Yorke But after that it was knowne in the citee that suche a compaignie of menne had risen the citizens watchyng euer for feare was in doubte whether thei should mete theim and trie it in open felde or tary in the citee and kepe theim frome the walles But the lord Marques chief of that couÌ„tre did put theim streight out of all feare and doubte the whiche takyng good deliberacion and aduisement metre theim cuÌ„myng at the gates of that citee where after a sharpe coÌ„flicte he tooke Robert Hulderne duke and by and by chopped of his hedde the whiche wheÌ„ he had dooen he receiued into the citee at the midde night all his souldiours that wer there The people beyng nothyng abashed at the death of their capitain but rather the more eger fearce consideryng that thei could not ouercome Yorke without ordinaunce whiche thei lacked weÌ„t streight forth to London And as for that the lord marques putte to death that duke and capitain of that coÌ„mons beyng also one of his coÌ„spiracie did it for this intent that either he would not bee aknowen faultie of this coÌ„mocion or els that he had vtterly determined to holde with kyng Edward of whom as it dooeth after appere he did get perfect amitie but after the kyng knewe the mynd and purpose bothe of therle of Warwike and the duke of Clarence his owne brother also certefied by dyuerse meÌ„nes letters that the armie was drawyng nigh to London he sent by and by Wyllyam Harberte whome he made twoo yeres before duke with a greate power of Walshe menne commaundyng hym if he could conueniently bydde battaill to his enemies The erle makyng hast towardes Northampton hard saie that the Northrenmenne had gotte it where also he sette his tentes and the next daye folowyng fought with theim in the whiche battaill he was putte to flight in a momeÌ„t and cleane discomfited The Yorkeshire menne beyng glad of this victorie wer streight couled went no ferder but hauyng their handes full of spoyles prayes went backe ward again lookyng when the erle of Warwike would come the whiche shortely after came from Calais with the duke of Clarence his soonne in lawe to the hoost commeÌ„dyng highly the capitaines and reioisyng gladly that thei had the victorie did spedyly prepare an other armie Yet kyng Edward beeyng nothyng abashed that therle of PeÌ„bruch had so eiuill sped seÌ„t hym forth again with a greater armie whiche he had readie at all tymes what so euer should chaunce he hym self he did folowe with a small coÌ„paignie and that he might bee readier for all thynges in his iourneye did encrease his armie with many that came to hym of his secte saiyng that his entent was to destroie that route of misliuers and flagicious persones and then therle of Warwike perceauyng that his aduersaries came vpon hym sent in all the hast to the duke of Clarence whiche was nigh by hym with an hoost that he would bryng his armie in all the hast to hym meanyng that bataill was at hand The duke when he hard it came streight to therâ—e So thei bothe commyng together went to Banberie where thei perceaued their enemyes teÌ„tes wer pitched there buckelyng together tooke the erle oâ— Penbruch prisoner and killed and discomfited all his menne and emonges other of his nobles theâ— was killed Rychard the erle of Ryuers the father of Elizabeth the quene his soonne Iohn Woduile And towardes euenyng kyng Edward drewe nigh and heryng of the death and soden betyng doune of his menne taried at a toune fiue myle frome that place Th erle of Warwike went to his chief toune with all his hoost and there within twoo dayes caused therle of PeÌ„bruch with certain other states taken at that tyme to bee behedded In the meane season there begonne awaie to bee fouÌ„d for peace for the whiche letters wer wrytten too and fro herauldes sent from the kyng to therle and frome the erle to the kyng again wherby the kyng trustyng verely that all was pacified was lesse ware of hym self and feared lesse his aduersaries the whiche thyng when it was knowen and shewed to the erle by certain spies he went furth in a night as priuely as he could with a strong power to the kyng his tentes ther killyng theim that kepte watche tooke the kyng vnware brought hym to Warwike and to the entent the kyng his frendes might not knowe wher he was conueighed hym priuely from thens in the night to a toune
nomore to endeuoure to defende their commune weale but rather to destroy and vtterly extinguishe it Which thing the englishe menne perceiuing and also suffering muche colde were compelled of necessitee within fyue moonethes that their wente thyther to come backe agayne into Englande Then Charles the French kyng maried Anne the Dukes doughter and gat al Britayn by that meanes into hys hādes But of this it shal be spoken more here after It was decreed here in Englande before there were any souldyours sent into Brytayne that for the expence of that warre euery man should paye as thei were hable a tribute whyche the mooste parte of theim that dwelte in the byshopryke of Durhā and Yorke shyre dyd vtterly refuse to pay and complayned of the matter to their Lorde the Earle of Northumberland And he immediately signified to the kyng by his letters that the people dyd greatly lament and was sory saiyng that thei were neuer put to so muche coast as thei had been of late dayes nowe that ther was so much requyred of theim that neither thei were hable to pay so great a summe nor would pay it Yet for al that the kyng cōmaunded the Erle to get it on thē and make theim pay it whether thei would or not least peraduenture it myght be a cause that yf at any time a tribute agayne should bee required of thē to make an insurreccion Which thyng when the people hearde of by and by they ranne vnto the earle and as the authoure of the tribute paiyng kylled hym out of hande And when thei had so done thei chase Ihon Egremonknight a verey dicious personne to bee their captayne and so arraied them selfes and went agaynst the kyng makyng cries in euery towne that thei came to fight for no nother cause but to defēde that cōmon libertie But when the mattier shoulde come to blowes thei waxed colde all the sorte of theim and euerye one wished that this tumulte wer retracted which was nowe alredy begonne so that at the cōclusiō not one scacely scaped without his great discommodite For the kynge assone as he hearde of this insurreccion went downe with an hoost to Yorke wherof these slaues and traitours beyng greatly afraied fledde some hether and some thether and durst not abide and sustaine the power of the kynges army Wherfore thei wer sone taken and punished greuousely accordyng to their deseruyng euery one of theim But Ihon Egremont whiche was their captain fledde into Flanders to Margarete of whome we spake before And the kyng so sone as this busines was quēched tooke his iourny back again vnto London and committed the tribute whiche was in Yorke and about Yorke to bee taken vp holy to Richard Toustal And this was the yere of our lord a thousand foure hundred .xc. and the fourth yere of the reigne of this kyng Henry And in thys yere also the kynge of Scottes was sore vexed For his subiectes roase agaynst hym and made his sonne Iames whiche was as yet but a chylde their capitain Wherfore he sent to the kynge of Englande to the Frenche kyng and to the byshoppe of Roome Innocentius to desire theim to make some end of thys ciuile battayle and contencion whiche was betwene hys people and hym Whiche afterwarde sente theyr ambassadours as they were desired but all in vayne For the rude sort would nedes fight onlesse he would resygne his crowne wherfore shortely after thei fought and in that battayle kylled the kyng and gaue his sonne Iames whiche was the fourth of that name the crowne But the byshoppe of Romes legate Hadrian came to late For whyles he was in Englande with kyng Henry worde came that the kyng of Scottes was slayne in battayle and hys soonne made kyng And therfore he taried here in England for a space and was veray muche made of and hyghly commended to the kyng by Ihon Mortō archbyshop of Canterburie Whereby he came into so high fauour with kyng Henry that he made him bishoppe of Herforde and shortly after that least gaue hym the bishopprike boothe of Welles and Bathe And not longe after he retourned with these honours to Roome and there of Alexander was made Cardinall There beganne also of freshe certayne businesse as concernynge Brytaine before this geare was appeased whiche was that Maximilian beyng at that tyme without a wyfe would haue maried the duke of Briteines doughter and had one that wowed for hym which lady promisyng hym fayth trueth to the entent that she might not go from her word he vsed this way with her when she went to her bed the night after as to the bedde of wedlocke the wower that was hired putte one of his fete into the bed to the knee in the sight cōpany of many noble matrōs ladies for a token testimony that the mariage was consūmate thei .ii. as mā wife But this did nothing auaile for Char the Frenche kyng was desireous to marye her hearyng that Maximiliā was sure to her dyd the more busely set vpon the Britaynes to th entent he might both haue the ladye and the countree also at his wyll for he estemed that mariage to bee of no strength or force Neuerthelesse he feared kyng Henry muche least that he would stoppe his purpose whiche kyng had made a league and Ferdinande also the kyng of Spayne had made the same with the Britaynes to assist theim in all their ieoperdies and perilles that should chaunce to theim by foren countrees wherfore he sent in al post hast Francese Lucemburgense Charles Marignane and Roberte Gaguine to kyng Henry for a peace to bee confirmed and hadde desyrynge hym that their kyng might ordre the mariage of the Ladye Anne as wer thought best without any let or hynderaunce of it by hym but kyng Henry would not agree to theim that the lady should bee maried to hym consyderyng she was made sure to the kyng Maximilian for that it was against all right and lawe bothe of God and manne Albeit the kynge would gladly make a peace betwene theim bothe and so demissyng the kynges Ambassadoures with a large and ample rewarde sent Thomas Goldestone abbot of Cantorbury and the lord Thomas of Ormondye ambassadours streight after theim In this meane space Alexander B. of Rome the sixt of that name after Innocētius sent the bishop of Cōcordiense legate to the Frenche kyng for certayne mattiers and emong other for a peace and vnitee to bee confederate betwyxt hym and kyng Henry the whiche when he had easely obteyned he came to Englande and there beyng entretained moste roially of the kyng had his purpose and desire of hym The Englishe ambassadours then beyng with the Frenche kyng purposed to haue a peace concluded whiche first demaunded certain thynges of the kyng ere that it should bee made albeit the kyng would graūt theim nothyng and was sore moued with their request askyng So the shortly after the Frenche kyng sent to the noble menne of
wealth partely that this Parkyn if his matters goo well forwarde would rewarde theim as thei would desire and enriche their realme moste plentefully by his liberalite partely also that Henry the kyng perceiuyng their kyng to assist hym would gladly paie tribute to hym for a peace and concord to bee had When this counsaill was gyuen the kyng did gladly folowe it and that his loue might bee more apparent to the people he caused ladie Katherine doughter to therle of Hūtley his nigh kinsemā to be maried to hym After this was dooen the kyng willyng that this Perkyn should reigne in Englāde hastened his iourney towarde the borders there cōmyng proclamed openly the all should bee pardoned the would beare with the duke of Yorke fight in his quarell and that mēne might for feare submitte theim selfes thei burned spoyled killed with out all mercie as ferre as thei did go but the kyng perceiuyng that no Englishemen came to aide this young duke that his souldiours wer so loden with praies spoiles that thei would not gladly go further he returned backe to Scotlād cariyng with hym infinite goodes riches And when this duke came to Scotlande again consideryng the greate distruccion and losse of the Englishmen that none came to aide hym to the entēt that his iuglyng of his countrefeict dignite might not be perceiued he saied verie craftely with a loude voice Oh wretch and stonie hearte that I am not moued with the losse and death of so many Englishemen of myne and at that woorde he desired the kyng that he would not molestate his realme herafter with suche cruel tormentyng and fieryng To whom the kyng shaped hym this aunswere right shortely Truely sir me thynke you take charge and thought of an other mannes realme and not of your owne because that I coulde se no manne that woulde take your parte and helpe you with his power whē you were now last emong theim And for this cause the kyng did litle esteme hym after that tyme countyng hym incōstant vnstable and speakyng woordes not agreyng to his promise When the English lordes and captaines hearde of this busines thei wer in greate feare fled for safegade of their life 's euery manne to his castell and holde and gatheryng an axmie to withstand their enemies certified the kyng in all post haste of the Scottes enterprise whiche hearyng prepared an armie in all the hast to fight against theim But the Scottes beyng lodē with their praies and spoiles that thei had were gone backe to their countre ere the Englishe menne could bee readie And this was the first commocion busines of the Scottes against the Englishemen When the Scottes were thus gone and the kyng certified of it he thought not to suffer theim lenger leste that by long tariyng deferryng of the matter thei should take heart and so with more fearsenes inuade the realme again And assemblyng his counsaill together shewed theim that it was for the proffite of the publique weale to warre against his enemies to whom thei all agreed right gladly and for the mainteinyng of this battaill there was leuyed a certain summe or tribute to be paid on euery mannes hed whiche paiment although it was but easie and small yet many of the commen people grudged to paie it At this parliament also and conuocacion there was certain lawes actes and statutes confirmed and made as thought moste expediēt for the publique weale And after this was dooen the kyng prepared to fight in all the haste and gatheryng an armie made Giles Dabeney graund capitain ouer theim and in his goyng to Scotlande there beganne sodenly ciuile battaill in the realme whiche was for the paiment of this money for that the Cornishemen whiche made this insurreccion beeyng but poore could not well paie this tribute And so they gatheryng all together one Michael Ioseph Smyth and Thomas Flāmoke did take vpon theim the gouernaunce of all this compainie And seyng theim greued sore that they should paye so muche did more and more incense theyr myndes againste their prynce Albeit they layde this faulte and cause of exaction to Ihon Mortō bishoppe of Cātorbury and Ruigenald Braye because they were chief of the kynges house Thus they preparyng theim selues to warre whē they had aswell sufficiente viandrye as all other thynges ready they tooke theyr iourney to Welles and from thence entended to go to London When the kyng was shewed of this by his auditours that they wer vp and that the lorde Twychet and the lorde Audely with other of the nobylitee had taken their partes he thought fyrste to scoure his realme of suche rebelles and traytours ere he would fight against the Scottes And therfore he caused Giles Dabeney to returne backe agayn then goyng vpon the Scottes whose armye he encreased and multiplyed with many pycked and freshe warryers that he might the better with lesse laboure ouercome these rebelles Also least that the Scottes might nowe hauyng good oportunite inuade the realme again in this time of ciuile battyle he caused lorde Thomas erle of Surrey a puissaunt and most redoubted warryer whome he had taken prysoner at the ouerthrowe of kyng Richard and a litle before that had set at libertie and made treasourer of Englāde after the death of Iohn Dynham to gather a bond of men at Durham there to kepe of the Scottes yf they should chaunce to come vntyll suche tyme that that Cornyshe menne beyng pacified and subdued he might send to theim the forenamed Giles agayne with all his power and armye When as the nobles hearde of this busynes they came to London euery mā with as many as they could make to ayde the kyng yf nede shoulde be In the which compaignie there was the erle of Essex the lorde Mongey the erle of Suffolke Richard Thomas William Say lorde Haward the erle of Surrey his sonne a noble young man of stoute courage Robert Lytton Thomas Bande Robert Clyfforde Wyllyam Dauers George Verye Thomas Terell Richard Fizlewes Ihon Baynsforth Thomas Mōtigomery Ihon Wyngfilde Roberte Brougthon Iames Terell Iames Huberte Ihon Wyndham Robert Fenys Wylliam Carye Robert Drurye Ihon Audely Robert Wyngfild with his brother Richarde Robert Brandon Thomas west de lauare Thomas Fenis Dacres Dauid Owen Henry Rosse Ihon Deuenysse Henry Selenger Ihon Paulet Ihon Burshere Thomas Woode Mathewe Broune Thomas Troys Wylliam Sandes Edmūde Graye of Wiltone Ihon Verney Thomas Brian Richard Poole Thomas Harecourte Ihon Hampden Edward Barkeley Willyā Bolongue with his sonne Thomas Henry Haydon Robert Clarence Philip Calthorpe Robert Louell Ihon Shaye Thomas Frouwike with many other of lower degree that wer moste noble cunnyng warryers In this meane space Charles the Frenche kyng commyng from the warres that he had at Naples with Ferdinande sente Ambassadours to the kyng for a peace and league of amitee to bee confirmed When the kyng was enformed of their cōmyng and that they were at Caleis he sente certayn of his nobilitie