great for our enimies had burnt all the line 50 bridges as well on the one side of Tholouse as the other except the bridges with in Tholouse for the riuer runneth through the towne And the constable of France the marshall Cleremont and the earle of Arminac were with a great power within the towne the same time And Tholouse is a great towne strong faire and well walled and there was none in our host line 60 that knew the foord there but yet by the grace and goodnesse of God we found it So then we marched through the seigniorie of Tholouse tooke manie good townes inclosed and burnt and destroied them and all the countrie about Then we entred into the seigniorie of Carcason and we tooke manie good towns before we came to Carcason which towne we also tooke which is greater stronger fairer than Yorke And as well this towne as all other townes in the countrie were burnt and destroied And after we had passed by manie iournies through the countrie of Carcason we came into the seigniorie of Narbon and we tooke manie townes and wasted them till we came to Narbon which towne was holden against vs but it was woone by force and the said towne is little lesse than London and is situat vpon the Greekish sea for that the distance from the said towne vnto the Greekish sea is not past two leagues and there is an hauen and a place to arriue at from whence the water coÌ„meth vp to Narbon And Narbon is not but eleuen leagues distant from Mountpellier eighteene from Eguemortz thirtie from Auignion And may it please you to vnderstand that the holie father sent his messengers to my lord that were not past seuen leagues froÌ„ him and they sent a sergeant at armes that was sergeant at armes attendant on the doore of our holie fathers chamber with their letters to my lord praieng him to haue a safe conduct to come to declare to his highnesse their message from the holie father which was to treat betwixt my L. and his aduersaries of France and the said sergeant was two daies in the host before my lord would see him or receiue his letters And the reason was bicause he had vnderstanding that the power of France was come forth of Tholouse toward Carcason so that my lord was driuen to turne backe towards them suddenlie and so did On the third daie when we should haue come vpon them they had knowlege giuen before day and so retiring got them to the mounteins hasting fast toward Tholouse and the countrie people that were their guides to lead them that waie were taken as they should haue passed the water And bicause the popes sergeant at armes was in my keeping I caused him to examine the guides that were so taken and for that the guide which was thus examined was the constables guide and his countrieman he might well see and know the countenance of the Frenchmen vpon this examining him And I said to the same sergeant that he might well declare to the pope and to all them of Auignion that which he had heard or seene And as touching the answer which my lord made to them that were sent to treat with him you would be well apaid if you vnderstood all the maner for he would not suffer in any wise that they shuld come neerer vnto him But if they came to treat of any matter he would that they should send to the king his father for my lord himselfe would not doo any thing therin except by commandement from my lord his father And of my lords turning backe to follow after his enimies and of the passage of the riuer of Garonne and of the taking of castels and townes in this iournie and of other things which he hath doone against his enimies in pursuit of them in this iournie being things right worthie and honorable as manie know verie well in like maner as sir Richard Stafford sir William Burton can more plainelie declare than I to you can write for it were too much to put in writing And my lord rode thus abroad in the countrie of his enimies eight whole weekes and rested not past eleuen daies in all those places where he came And know it for certeine that since this warre began against the French king he had neuer such losse or destruction as he line 10 hath had in this iournie for the countries and good townes which were wasted at this iournie found to the king of France euerie yeare more to the maintenance of his warre than halfe his realme hath doon beside except the exchange of his monie which he maketh euerie yeare and the aduantage and custome which he taketh of them of Poictou as I can shew you by line 20 good remembrances which were found in diuerse townes in the receiuers houses for Carcason and le Moignes which is as great as Carcason and two other townes in the coasts of Carcason found to the king of France yeerelie wages for a thousand men of armes and beside that 100000 old crowns to mainteine the war And know you that by the remembrances line 30 which we found that the townes in Tholouse which are destroied and the townes in the countrie of Carcason and the towne of Narbonne and Narbonnois did find euerie yeare with the sums aforesaid in aid of his war foure hundred thousand old crownes as the burgesses of the great townes other people of the countrie which ought to know it haue told vs. And so by Gods assistance if my lord had line 40 wherewith to mainteine this warre and to make the kings profit and his owne honor he should well inlarge the English marches and gaine manie faire places for our enimies are greatlie astonied And at the making heereof my lord hath appointed to send all the earles and baronets to abide in certeine places on the marches to make roads and to annoie his enimies line 50 Now my lord at this present I know none other newes to send but you may by your letters command me as yours to my power My right honorable lord God grant you good life ioy and health long to continue Written at Burdeaux the tuesdaie next before Christmasse The tenor of an other letter written by sir Iohn Wingfield directed to sir Richard Stafford line 60 knight who had beene in Gascoigne and there leauing his familie was now returned into England RIght deare sir and right louing freend touching newes after your departure you may vnderstand year 1356 that there be taken and yeelded fiue townes inclosed to wit port saint Marie Cleirac Tonings Burgh saint Pierre Chastiell Sacret or Satrat and Brassake Also seauenteene castels to wit Coiller Buset Lemnake two castels called Boloines which ioine the one neere so the other Mounioy Uâ—resch Frechenet Mountender Pudeschales Mounpoun Montanac Ualeclare Cenamont Leistrake Plassac Cont Destablison and Mounriuell And will it please you to know that my lord Iohn Chandois my lord Iames Audeley
vnderstand that after his comming to London hée rested there but one daie or two at the most taking his iournie foorthright into Kent with all his armie folowing the bastard and other his complices to suppresse them if they were in anie place assembled againe to resist him But after they were once dispersed they durst not shew themselues againe in armor those onlie excepted that were withdrawne vnto line 10 Sandwich with the bastard which for the more part were mariners about eight or nine hundred beside certeine other euill disposed persons that accompanied him as his souldiers and men of warre with whose assistance the bastard kept that towne by strength hauing in the hauen seuen and fortie ships great and small vnder his gouernance But vpon the kings approching néere vnto those parties they sent to him for pardon promising that vpon a reasonable appointment for the safegard of line 20 their liues and other indemnities to be had for their benefit they would become his faithfull subiects and deliuer into his hands all the ships Their offer the king vpon great considerations and by good deliberate aduise of counsell thought best to accept and therevpon being at that time in Canturburie hée granted to their petitions and sent immediatlie vnto Sandwich his brother Richard duke of Glocester to receiue them to mercie togither with all the ships which according to their promise they deliuered into line 30 his hands But notwithstanding that as some write the bastard Fauconbridge and other of his companie that were got to Sandwich had thus their pardons by composition at the kings hand we find neuerthelesse that the said bastard Fauconbridge being afterwards at sea a rouing belike as he had vsed before came at length into the open hauen at Southhampton and there taking land was apprehended and shortlie after beheaded This chanced as should appeare line 40 by Fabian about the latter end of October Moreouer Roger Uaughan that had béene sent by king Edward into Wales anon after Teukesburie field being a man of great power in that countrie to intrap and surprise by some secret sleight the earle of Penbroke the said earle being thereof aduertised tooke the same Roger and without delay stroke off his head After this was the earle besieged in the towne of Penbroke by Morgan Thomas but the siege was line 50 raised by Dauid Thomas brother to the said Morgan a faithfull friend to the earle and then the earle by his helpe was conueied to Tinbie where he got ships and with his nephue the lord Henrie earle of Richmond sailed into Britaine where of the duke they were courteouslie interteined with assurance made that no creature should doo them anie wrong or iniurie within his dominions King Edward visiting diuerse places in Kent sate in iudgement on such as had aided the bastard in the last commotion line 60 of whome diuerse were condemned and executed as Spising one of the capteins that assaulted Algate whose head was set vp ouer the same gate and so likewise was the head of one Quintine a butcher that was an other capteine amongest them and chiefe of those that assaulted Bishops gate as some write Moreouer at Canturburie the maior of that citie was executed and diuerse other at Rochester Maidston and Blackeheath for the lord marshall and other iudges being appointed to hold their oier and determiner in that countrie of Kent there were aboue an hundred indicted and condemned Diuerse also of Essex men that had béene partakers in this rebellion with the bastard holpe to set fire on Bishops gate and Algate were hanged betwixt Stratford and London Manie also of the wealthie commons in Kent were put to grieuous fines Now when the king had made an end of his businesse in that countrie he returned to London comming thither againe vpon Whitsun éeuen being the first of Iune And hauing thus within the space of eleuen wéekes recouered in maner the whole possession of his realme being relieued of the most part of all his doubtfull feare he ment to remooue all stops out of the waie Wherefore he sent the archbishop of Yorke brother to the earle of Warwike and to the marques Montacute ouer to Guisnes there to be kept in safe custodie within the castell where he continued a long season till at length be was by friendship deliuered and shortlie after through verie anguish of mind departed this life whome Laurence Bath and after him Thomas Rotheram in the sée of Yorke did ordinarilie succeed Beside this Iohn earle of Oxford which after Barnet field both manfullie and valiantlie kept saint Michaels mount in Cornewall either for lacke of aid or persuaded by his friends gaue vp the mount and yeelded himselfe to king Edward his life onelie saued which to him was granted But to be out of all doutfull imaginations king Edward also sent him ouer the sea to the castell of Hammes where year 1472 by the space of twelue yeeres hée was in strong prison shut vp and warilie looked to King Edward was not a litle disquieted in mind for that the earls of Penbroke Richmond were not onlie escaped out of the realme but also well receiued and no woorsse interteined of the duke of Britaine he sent therefore in secret wise graue close messengers to the said duke the which should not sticke to promise the duke great and rich rewards so that he would deliuer both the earles into their hands and possession The duke after he had heard them that were sent made this answer that he could not with his honor deliuer them to whome he had giuen his faith to sée them preserued from all iniurie but this he said he would doo for the king of England that they should be so looked vnto as he néeded not to doubt of any attempt to be made against him by them or by their meanes The king receiuing this answer wrote louinglie to the duke of Britaine that he would consider his fréendship with conuenient rewards if it should please him to be as good as his promise The duke perceiuing gaine comming by the abode of the two English earles in his countrie caused them to be separated in sunder and all their seruants being Englishmen to be sequestred from them and in their places appointed Britains to attend them In the thirtéenth yeere of his reigne king Edward called his high court of parlement at his palace of Westminster in the which all lawes and ordinances made by him before that daie were confirmed and those that king Henrie had abrogated after his readeption of the crowne were againe reuiued Also lawes were made for the confiscation of traitors goods and for the restoring of them that were for his sake fled the realme which of his aduersaries had béene atteinted of high treason and condemned to die Moreouer towards his charges of late susteined a competent summe of monie was demanded and fréelie
England Which error I suppose they haue commited in that they finding him chancellor at the time of the building of his college in the said fiue and twentith yeare of king Henrie the sixt haue taken him to be chancellor of England when he was then but chancellor of Oxford although in deed afterward he was chancellor of England in the fiue and thirtith yeare of the said king as after shall appeare Iohn Kempe bishop of Yorke and cardinall was the second time made lord chancellor in the eight and twentith of king Henrie the sixt being about the yeare of our redemption one thousand foure hundred and fiftie in which oâ—â—â—ce he died being bishop of Canturburie in the yeare of our redemption as saith Matthew Parker one thousand foure hundred fiftie and thrée being the two thirtith yeare of the reigne of the simple king Henrie the sixt This man was first bishop of Rochester next of Chicester thirdlie of London then of Yorke where he sat eight and twentie yeares and lastlie he was archbishop of Canturburie Richard Neuill earle of Salisburie the sonne of Rafe Neuill earle of Westmerland and father to the valiant Richard Neuill earle of Warwike was line 10 after the death of Iohn Kempe by parlement made lord chancellor in the two thirtith yeare of K. Henrie the sixt though others make it to be in the three thirtith yeare of the same king in which place he continued not long For in the yeare following an other was substituted and he remoued Thomas Bourchier brother to Henrie Bourchier earle of Essex bishop of Elie and bishop of Canturburie was made chancellor in the three thirtith yeare of the gouernement of king Henrie the sixt in which he remained much about two yeares In line 20 whose time as saith Matthew Parker about the yeare of our redemption one thousand foure hundred thréescore and one was the art of printing inuented at the citie of Argentorat in Germanie About the which matter and especiallie for the exact certeine time thereof manie writers although their count about one time doo disagree yet at the inuention of that woorthie thing were these verses composed in the commendation of the same most excellent art line 30 O foelix nostris memoranda impressio tectis Inuentore nitet vtraque lingua tuo Desierat quasi totum quod fundis in orbe Nunc paruo doctus quilibet esse potest Omnes te homines igitur nunc laudibus ornent Te duce quando ars haec mira reperta fuit William Patan or Paten borne of gentlemanlie familie being commonlie called William Wanfled of the place of his birth and being prouost of Eaton and bishop of Winchester was lord chancellor line 40 in the fiue and thirtith six and thirtith and the seuen and thirtith yeare of the vnfortunat king Henrie the sixt as haue the records of the excheker By which appeareth the error of those as I haue before noted that mistaking the fiue and twentith of king Henrie the six in which time he was but chancellor of Oxford for the fiue and thirtith of the said king in which he was chancellor of England George Neuill the sonne of Richard Neuill earle of Salisburie and brother to Richard Neuill line 50 earle of Warwike being made bishop of Excester came to that sée in the yeare of our redemption one thousand foure hundred fiftie and fiue in which sée he continued ten yeares and was remoued to Yorke in the yeare that God became man one thousand foure hundred three score and fiue he was made lord chancellor in the eight thirtith yeare of the reigne of the after deposed K. Henrie the sixt in which office he remained about eight yeares then was remoued in the seuenth yeare of the woorthie K. Edward line 60 the fourth being the yeare that the word became flesh one thousand foure hundred thréescore seuen He was a great friend to saint Albons procured Edward the fourth in the fourth yeare of his reigne to giue confirme to Iohn Whethamsted abbat of saint Albons the priorie of Penbroke This bishop Neuill did after in the thirtéenth yeare of king Edward the fourth grow in such disgrace with the king that he was spoiled at one time of twentie thousand pounds as in his life shall be more at large declared To this man did Hugh Ueine giue the manour of Hener Cobham and Hener Brokas in Kent in the fourth yeare of king Edward the fourth He died at Blithlaw comming from Yorke being almost fortie yeares old and was buried at Yorke And heere I thinke it not amisse to note the mistaking of time of such historiographers as haue set downe that Edward the fourth did in the fourth yeare of his reigne take the chancellorship from the bishop of Excester brother to the earle of Warwike which must néeds be this George Neuill gaue the same to the bishop of Bath For by that which I haue seene this Neuill liued vntill the seuenth yeare of Edward the fourth and that for this time I suppose to be the truest Robert Kirkeham maister of the rolles was made lord kéeper of the great seale vppon the remouing of George Neuill in the moneth of Iulie in the said yeare of Christ one thousand foure hundred threescore and seuen being the seuenth yeare of king Edward the fourth Robert Stillington doctor of the lawes kéeper of the priuie seale in the third yeare of Edward the fourth bishop of Bath Wels being made chancellor in the seuenth yeare of king Edward the fourth did still so continue as I gather vntill the thirtéenth yeare of the said king Henrie Bourchier earle of Essex and first aduanced to that title of honor by Edward the fourth came in place of the last chancellor about the fourtéenth yeare as some vntrulie haue noted of Edward the fourth But in my poore opinion the same was in the thirtéenth yeare of the said Edward the fouth in which place he remained not much more than one Trinitie terme For in the said thirtéenth yeare about the moneth of August was Booth lord chancellor of England Laurence Booth sometime maister of Penbroke hall bishop of Durham and after of Yorke was made lord chancellor about August or rather before betwéene that and Trinitie terme after Henrie Bourchier in the said thirteenth yeare of the valiant king Edward the fourth after his redemption of the kingdome of England This bishop being brother to William Booth sometime bishop of Yorke did build the bishop of Yorks house at Baterseie which manour he before bought of Nicholas Stanleie whome Leland the minser and refiner of all English names dooth most curiouslie in Latine call Nicholaum Stenelegium He continued in the sée of Yorkâ— thrée yeares nine moneths and died at Southwell in the yeare of our redemption one thousand foure hundred and foure score being the twentith yeare of king Edward the fourth Thomas Scot surnamed
awaie from his master and was often taken brought to him againe His master to correct his peruerse and froward conditions did manie times shut him as prisoner in some close place of his house and manie times caused him to be chained locked and clogged to staie his running awaie Yet all was in vaine for about the third yeare of hir maiesties reigne for his last farewell to his poore master he ran awaie from him and came to London to séeke his aduentures He was then constreined to seeke what trade he could to liue by and to get meat and drinke for his bellie and clothes for his backe His good hap in the end was to be interteined in place of seruice aboue his desert where he staied not long but shifted himselfe diuerse times from seruice to seruice and from one master to another Now he began to forget his old home his birth his education his parents his friends his owne name and what he was He aspired to greater matters he challenged the name and title of a great gentleman he vanted himselfe to be of kin and alied to noble and worshipfull he left his old name which he did beare and was commonlie called by in his childhood during all the time of his abode in the countrie which was William ap Harrie as the maner in Wales is And bicause he would séeme to be in déed the man which he pretended he tooke vpon him the name of Parrie being the sirname of diuerse gentlemen of great worship and hauiour And bicause his mothers name by hir father a simple priest was Conwaie he pretended kinred to the familie of sir Iohn Conwaie and so thereby made himselfe of kin to Edmund Neuill Being thus set foorth with his new name and new title of gentleman and commended by some of his good fauorers he matched himselfe in mariage with a widow in Southwales who brought him some reasonable portion of wealth She liued with him but a short time and the welth he had with hir lasted not long it was soone consumed with his dissolute 〈◊〉 wastfull maner of life He was then driuen to his woonted shifts his creditors were manie the debt which he owed great he had nothing wherewith to make paiment he was continuallie pursued by sergeants and officers to arrest him he did often by sleights and shifts escape from them In this his néedie and poore estate he sought to repare himselfe againe by a new match in mariage with another widow which before was the wife of one Richard Heiwood This matter was so earnestlie followed by himselfe and so effectuallie commended by his fréends and fauourers that the sillie woman yéelded to take him to husband a match in euerie respect verie vnequall and vnfit Hir wealth and yearelie liuelihood was verie great his poore and base estate worse than nothing he verie yoong she of such age as for yeares she might haue beene his mother When he had thus possessed himselfe of his new wiues wealth he omitted nothing that might serue for a prodigall dissolute and most vngodlie course of life His riot and excesse was vnmeasurable he did most wickedlie defloure his wiues owne daughter and sundrie waies pitifullie abuse the old mother he caried himselfe for his outward port and countenance so long as his old wiues bags lasted in such sort as might well haue sufficed for a man of verie good hauiour and degrée But this lasted not long his proud hart wastfull hand had soone powred out old Heiwoods wealth line 10 He then fell againe to his woonted shifts borowed where he could find anie to lend and ingaged his credit so far as anie would trust him Amongst others he became greatlie indebted to Hugh Hare the gentleman before named Who after long forbearing of his monie sought to recouer it by law For this cause Parrie conceiued great displeasure against him which he pursued with all malice euen to the seeking of his life In this murtherous intent he came in the night time to M. Hares chamber in line 20 the Temple broke open the doore assaulted him and wounded him grieuouslie and so left him in great danger of life For this offense he was apprehended committed to Newgate indicted of burgularie arreigned and found guiltie by a verie substantiall iurie and condemned to be hanged as the law in that case requireth He standing thus conuicted hir maiestie of hir most gratious clemencie and pitifull disposition line 30 tooke compassion vpon him pardoned his offense gaue him his life which by the law due course of iustice he ought then to haue lost After this he taried not long but pretending some causes of discontentment departed the realme and trauelled beyond the seas How he demeaned himselfe there from time to time and with whome he conuersed is partlie in his owne confession touched before This is the man this is his race which he feared should be spotted if he miscaried in the execution of his traitorous enterprise this hath béene the course of his life these are line 40 the great causes of his discontentment And whereas at his arreignement and execution he pretended great care of the disobedient popish subiects of this realme whom he called catholikes and in verie insolent sort séemed to glorie greatlie in the profession of his pretensed catholike religion the whole course and action of his life sheweth plainelie how prophanelie irreligiouslie he did alwaies beare himselfe He vaunted that for these two and twentie yeares past he had béene a catholike and during all line 50 that time neuer receiued the communion yet before he trauelled beyond the seas at three seuerall times within the compasse of these two and twentie years he did voluntarilie take the oth of obedience to the queenes maiestie set downe in the statute made in the first yeare of hir highnesse reigne by which amongst other things he did testifie and declare in his conscience that no forreine prince person prelat state or potentat hath or ought to haue anie iurisdiction power preeminence or authoritie ecclesiasticall line 60 or spirituall within this realme and therfore did vtterlie renounce forsake all forren iurisdictions powers and authorities and did promise to beare faith and true allegiance to the quéenes highnesse hir heires and lawfull successours With what conscience or religion he tooke that oth so often if so be he were then a papist in deed as since the discouerie of his treasons he pretended let his best freends the papists themselues iudge But perhaps it may be said that he repented those his offenses past that since those thrée oths so taken by him he was twise reconciled to the pope and so his conscience cleared and he become a new man and which is more that in the time of his last trauell he cast awaie all his former lewd maners that he changed his degrée and habit and bought or begged the graue title of
castell of Newmarch and sent foorth the lord Geffrey with a strong power to win the castell of Anger 's Duke Henrie aduertised hereof departing from the place where he soiourned hasted foorth to succour his people that were besieged but the castell of Newmarch was deliuered to the French king through treason of those that had it in kéeping before the duke could come to their rescue Wherevpon the said duke hauing knowledge by the waie that he should come too late thither he encamped line 20 first vpon the fide of the riuer of Andell and wasted a great part of the countrie of Ueuxin or Ueulquesine surnamed Le Normant which lieth betwixt the riuer of Epte and Andell This countrie belonged somtime to Normandie but Geffrey earle of Aniou the dukes father had resigned it to the French king to the end he should not aid king Stephan The duke also burned the castels of Bascheruisle Chitrey Stirpiney and the castell of Fort that belonged to Hugh de Gourney with diuerse other line 30 About the end of August he left his townes in Normandie sufficientlie furnished with garisons of souldiers and went into Aniou where he besieged the castell de mount Sotelli till he had taken it and all those that were within it amongst whome was the lord thereof named William The French king on the other side entring into Normandie burnt part of the borough of Rieule and either then or shortlie after that duke Henrie was gone ouer into England he tooke the towne and castell of Uernon line 40 Whilest these things were thus a dooing in France K. Stephan would haue caused the archbishop of Canturburie diuerse other bishops whom for that purpose he had assembled to crowne annoint and confirme his sonne Eustace king ouer the realme of England But the archbishops and bishops refused so to doo bicause the pope by his letters sent to the archbishop had commanded to the contrarie namelie that he should in no wise crowne the kings son bicause his father king Stephan had got line 50 the possession of the land against his oth receiued in behalfe of the empresse The father and sonne being not a litle offended herewith committed most of his bishops to ward séeking by threats and menacings to bring them to his purpose The bishops also were in no small perplexitie for according to the truth the king neuer seemed greatlie to fauor churchmen bicause of their strength as in former times by his rigor vsed against the bishops of Salisburie and Lincolne it plainelie appeared and yet would not line 60 these men yéeld to his pleasure wherevpon although they were set at libertie they were neuerthelesse depriued of their temporall possessions which notwithstanding afterwards vpon the kings owne motion were restored vnto them Howbeit the archbishop of Canturburie persisting still in his opinion was forsaken of diuerse of the bishops who throgh feare durst not stand against their princes pleasure But the archbishop when he perceiued how the matter went that all the blame was like to light and rest on his shoulders he got himselfe by a maruellous hap ouer the Thames and with spéed riding to Douer passed the sea to auoid both the fathers and sonnes reuengefull displeasure Herevpon the king seized into his hands all the lands possessions that belonged to the archbishop This yeare quéene Maud wife to king Stephan departed this life at Hangey castell that belonged to earle Alberike de Uéer about the third daie of Maie and was buried in the abbeie of Feuersham which she with hir husband king Stephan had latelie founded This yeare through great and immoderate raine that fell in the summer the growing of corne was so hindred that a great death of people insued This yeare also was the battell of Monadmore fought in Ireland where the flower and chiefest personages of Mounster and Leynister were slaine Moreouer one Iohn a moonke of Sagium was made the second bishop of the I le of Man the first bishop that was there instituted hight Wimond a moonke of Sauinie who for his importunate misdemenour in some respects had his eies put out and was displaced Iohn Papirio a cardinall being sent from the pope as legat into Ireland ordeined foure archbishops there one at Dublin an other at Ardmach the third at Cassels and the fourth at Connach The sée of Dublin he changed into an archbishops sée one Gregorie at that time possessing the same to whom he gaue the first and chiefe pall and appointed the church of the blessed Trinitie to be church metropolitane As this cardinall passed through England he receiued an oth of fealtie vnto king Stephan The same yeare also king Stephan by siege and force of assault did win the castell of Newberie not far from Winchester This doone he went to Wallingford and besieging the castell he builded at the entring of the bridge a fortresse to stop them within from issuing out and likewise from receiuing any reliefe or succour by their fréends abroad The defendants perceiuing themselues so hardlie laid at sent to the duke of Normandie in whose name they kept that castell desiring him either to succour them or else giue them licence to yéeld vp the castell to the king Herevpon duke Henrie hauing dispatched his businesse on the further side of the sea began to be kindled with a feruent desire once againe to attempt his fortune here in England for recouerie of that kingdome and so with three thousand footmen 7. score horssemen with all spéed possible failed ouer into England where he landed about the 12. daie in Christmasse He was no sooner arriued but a great number of such as tooke part with his mother came flocking in vnto him wherevpon being now furnished with a great and puissant armie he marched foorth to Malmesburie where in the castell was a great garison of soldiers placed by king Stephan Duke Henrie planted his siege about this castell the thirtéenth daie of Ianuarie and enforced himselfe to the vttermost of his power to win it Now king Stephan hearing of his enimies arriuall with all hast possible got his armie on foot and comming suddenlie towards the place where his enimies were pitched he caused duke Henrie to raise his siege and following after offered him battell But duke Henrie knowing that his enimies were far more in number than he was at that present and also conceiuing with himselfe that by prolonging of time his owne power would increase absteined from fighting and kept him within the closure of his campe ¶ Thus haue some written but other authors write that Henrie kept himselfe indeed within his campe and refused to giue battell but yet remoued not his siege till the king departed from thence after he saw he could not haue his purpose and then did duke Henrie win the castell of Malmesburie or rather the maister tower or chéefe dungeon of that castell
she had issue a daughter named Deuorgoill which Deuorgoill was married to Iohn Balioll by whom she had issue Iohn Balioll that was afterward king of Scotland The second named Isabell was married to Robert le Bruis The third named Mawd died without issue And the fourth called Alda was married to Henrie Hastings But bicause the land perteining to the earledome of Chester should not go amongst rocks and distaues hauing such roiall prerogatiues belonging thereto the king seized them into his owne hands and in recompense assigned other lands to the forsaid sisters as it had beene by way of exchange Now sith the earles of Chester I meane those of the line of Hugh Lupus tooke end in this Iohn Scot I haue thought it not impertinent for the honor of so noble a linage to set downe the descent of the same earles beginning at the foresaid Hugh the first that gouerned after the conquest as I haue seen the same collected out of ancient records according line 10 to their true succession in seauen descents one after another as here followeth The true genealogie of the famous and most honourable earles of Chester HUgh Lou or Lupus first earle of Chester after the conquest nephue line 20 to William Conquerour by his sister Margaret wife to Richard Uicount of Auranches married a noble ladie named Armetruda by whom he had issue Richard that succeeded him in the earledome Robert abbat of saint Edmundsburie and Otuell He departed this life about the yeere of our Lord 1102 when he had beene earle about 40 yeeres 2 Richard Lupus eldest son to Hugh line 30 Lupus and second earle of Chester married Maud the daughter of Stephan erle of Blois Charters and Champaigne and sister to K. Stephan This Richard with his brother Otuell was drowned in the seas in the yeere of our Lord 1120 as before hath beene shewed after he had beene earle about ninteene yeares 3 Ranulfe or Randulfe the first of that line 40 name called Bohun and otherwise Mestheins the sonne of Iohn de Bohun and of Margaret sister to Hugh Lupus succeeded Richard as cousin and heire to him in the earldome of Chester and was the third earle in number after the conquest He married Maud the daughter of Auberie de Uere earle of Gisney and Oxenford by whome he had issue Ranulfe surnamed line 50 Geruous the fourth earle of Chester He died about the yere of our Lord 1130 after he had continued earle eight yeares 4 Ranulfe or Randulfe Bohun the second of that name and fourth erle in number after the conquest surnamed Geruous succeeded his father and married Alice daughter to Robert erle of Glocester base sonne to king Henrie the first by whome he line 60 had issue Hugh Keuelocke the fift earle of Chester He deceassed about the yeare of our Lord 1153 when he had beéne earle 29 yeares 5 Hugh Bohun otherwise Keuelocke the sonne of the said Ranulfe was the first earle of Chester after the conquest and second of that name He married Beatrice daughter to Richard Lucie lord cheefe iustice of England by whom he had issue Ranulfe the third of that name and foure daughters Mawd married to Dauid that was earle of Angus and Huntington and lord of Galloway Mabell maried to William Dalbegnie earle of Arundell Agnes maried to William Ferrers earle of Derbie and Hauisa ioined in marriage with Robert Quincie a baron of great honour This Hugh died about the yeare 1181 when he had beene earle eight and twentie yeares 6 Ranulfe Bohun the third of that name otherwise called Blundeuille the sonne of Hugh Keuelocke was the sixt earle of Chester after the conquest He was also earle of Lincolne as next cousine and heire to William Romare earle of Lincolne He had three wiues as before yee haue heard but yet died without issue about the yeare of our Lord 1232 after he had beene earle 51 yeares 7 Iohn Scot the sonne of Dauid earle of Angus Huntington was in the right of his mother the seuenth earle of Chester after the conquest He died without issue as before yee haue heard by reason whereof the erldome came into the kings hands in the yeare 1237. Thus much may suffice with that which is said before touching the descent of the earles of Chester And now to proceed The same yeare that Iohn Scot died cardinall Otho by some writers named Othobon about the feast of S. Peter and Paule came into England from pope Gregorie He was receiued with all honour and solemne reuerence as was decent yea and more than was decent the king meeting him at the sea side His comming was not signified afore to the nobles of the realme which caused them to mislike the matter and to grudge against the king seeing that he did all things contrarie to order breaking law faith and promise in all things He hath coupled himselfe said they in mariage with a stranger without consent of his freends and naturall subiects and now he bringeth in a legat secretlie who will take vpon him to make an alteration in the whole state of the realme But this legat shewed himselfe a verie sober and discréet person not so couetous as his predecessors in so much that he refused diuerse gifts which were offered vnto him though some he receiued and indéed commanded the other to be reserued for him He also distributed liberallie the vacant rents vnto such as he brought with him as well persons worthie as vnworthie and pacified such controuersies as were sproong betwixt the nobles and peeres of the realme so that he made them fréends ¶ An act memorable to be kept in record that the instrument and seruant of so bad a maister as he serued namelie the pope should be the procurer of so good a worke considering that from the sée of Rome full tides and violent streames of seditions haue flowed and verie sildome any occasion or means made to plant peace among men which is the daughter of loue and the worthiest thing that is as one saith verie well in these words Gignit amor pacem pax est dignissima rerum The bishop of Winchester the earle of Kent Gilbert Basset Stephen Siward others were by him accorded who had borne secret grudge ech to other a long time which hatred was at point to haue broken foorth and shewed it selfe in perilous wise at a tornie holden at Blie in the beginning of Lent where the Southernmen stroue against the Northerne men and in the end the Southerne men preuailed and tooke diuerse of their aduersaries so that it séemed not to be a triumphant iustes but rather a sharpe challenge and incounter betwixt enimies But amongst all others earle Bigot bare himselfe verie stoutlie After that the legat had thus agréed the noblemen he assembled a synod at London the morrow after the octaues of S. Martin wherein manie ordinances were newlie constituted for the state of the cleargie but not altogither verie acceptable
Othobone held a synod and according to line 60 that he had in commandement pronounced all the kings aduersaries accurssed and namelie all the bishops which had aided the barons against the king in time of the late warres of whome afterward he absolued the most part But Iohn bishop of Winchester Henrie bishop of London and Stephan bishop of Chichester were sent to Rome to purchase their absolution of pope Clement the fourth as well for other points of disobedience as chéeflie for that where the quéene had procured a cursse of pope Urbane the fourth that was predecessor to this Clement to accursse all the barons and their supporters which warred against the king hir husband the said bishops to whome the commission was sent to denounce that cursse for feare of the barons deferred the execution Walter bishop of Worcester chancing to fall sicke at that time died about the beginning of Februarie confessing first that he had greeuouslie erred in mainteining the side of the erle of Leicester against the king and therefore directed his letters to the popes legat requiring to be absolued which his petition the legat granted Moreouer in this councell at Northampton there was published by the cardinall a grant made to the king by the pope of the dismes of the english church for one whole yeare then next insuing A little before the kings departure from London now in this last time he ordeined sir Iohn Linde knight and maister Iohn Waldren clearke to be gardians of the citie and tower by the names of seneshals or stewards but such earnest suit was made to the king to obteine a perfect pardon for the Londoners that at length after the aforesaid seneshals had taken suerties for the paiment of their fine the K. caused his charter of pardon to be made vnder his broad seale and sent it vnto them wherein all former trespasses committed by them in the last warres was cleerelie pardoned certeine persons whose bodies and goods were giuen vnto his eldest sonne Edward excepted out of the same pardon This charter was dated at Northampton the tenth day of Ianuarie in the fiftith yere of king Henries reigne year 1266 Then also were discharged the foresaid seneshals and the citizens of themselues chose for maior William Fitz Richard and for shiriffs Thomas de la Fourd and Gregorie de Rockesleg Whilest the king laie at Northampton the lord Simon de Montfort put himselfe vpon the doome and order of the legat Othobone and was therefore permitted to be at large in the kings court but at the kings comming to London he suddenlie departed out of the court and rode to Winchelsie where he associated himselfe with rouers and after some prices taken departed from them and went into France where he offered his seruice to the French king and was receiued Thus saith Matthew Westminster and other But Polydor saith that by Othobons means he was reconciled to the kings fauour and therevpon to auoid occasion of further displeasure he commanded that the castell of Killingworth should be restored vnto the king which the capteine refused to deliuer hauing fortified it with all manner of prouision and things necessarie to defend a siege The wardens of the cinque ports which during the time of the barons warre had doone manie roberies on the sea as well against the Englishmen as other were at length reconciled to the king who was faine to agrée with them vpon such conditions as they thought good bicause at that time as the cōmon fame went they had the dominion of the sea in their owne hands But in some writers we find it thus recorded that when certeine prisoners which were kept by the barons of the cinque ports in the castell of Douer heard how all things prospered on the kings side they got possession of a tower within the same castell and tooke vpon them to defend it against their keepers whereof when aduertisement was giuen to the king and to his sonne the lord Edward they hasted forth to come succour their freends The kéepers of the castell perceiuing themselues beset with their enimies sent to the king for peace who granting them pardon of life and limme with horsse armour and other such necessaries the castell was yeelded vnto his hands From thence prince Edward departing visited the sea coasts punishing diuerse of the inhabitants within the precinct of the cinque ports and putting them in feare receiued diuerse to the king his fathers peace The inhabitants of Winchelsie onelie made countenance to resist him but prince Edward with valiant assaults entred the towne in which entrie much guiltie bloud was spilt but yet the multitude by commandement of prince Edward was spared And thus hauing woone the towne he commanded that from thencefoorth they should absteine from piracies which they had before time greatlie vsed Thus were the seas made quiet and those of the cinque ports brought to the kings peace and throughlie reconciled line 10 In this meane while diuerse of the disherited gentlemen sore repining at the sentence and order giuen against them had taken the Ile of Oxholme in Lincolneshire whither a great number of euill dooers immediatlie resorted and began to doo mischéefe in all the countries next adioining They tooke and sacked the citie of Lincolne spoiled the Iewes and slue manie of them entred their synagog and burnt the booke of their law At length prince Edward or as other saie his brother earle Edmund was sent line 20 against them who compelled them by force to come to the kings peace which to obserue they receiued an oth shortlie after at London but neuerthelesse were as soone readie to breake and renounce the same and began a new broile in sundrie parts of the realme Diuerse of them fortified the castell of Killingworth prouiding themselues of all things necessarie for defense out of the countries adioining The king aduertised hereof sent vnto them a purseuant commanding them to cease frō such rebellious attempts line 30 but the messenger had one of his hands cut off and so with a contemptuous answer was sent back againe Prince Edward in passing through the forrest of Aulton got sight of sir Adam Gurdon one of the disherited men with whome he coped and tooke him prisoner with his owne hand yet sauing him and pardoning the offense of rebellion in respect of the valiancie which he tried by proofe to rest in him but his soldiers and complices being there taken he caused to be hanged vpon trées within the same forrest Robert line 40 earle Ferrers contrarie to his oth of late receiued accompanied with the lord d'Euille and others did much hurt by way of open war against the kings freends in the north parts Against whom the lord Henrie sonne to the king of Almaine was sent with a great power the which comming to Chesterfield fell vpon his enimies in such wise on the sudden that
of the said Robert Holland their side was much weakened it was concluded that they should go to the castell of Dunstanborough and there remaine till they might purchase the kings pardon sith their enterprise thus quailed vnder their hands and herewith setting forward that waie foorth they came to Borough bridge where sir Andrew de Herkley with the power of the countesse of Cumberland and Westmerland had forlaid the passage and there on a tuesdaie being the 16 of March he setting vpon the barons in the end discomfited them and chased their people In this fight was sâ—aine the earle of Hereford the lord William de Sullie with sir Roger de Bourghfield and diuerse others And there were taken Thomas earle of Lancaster the lord Roger Clifford son to that lord Roger which died in the battell of Bannockesborne in Scotland the lord Gilbert Talbot the lord Iohn â—owbraie the lord Hugh de Willington the lord Thomas â—anduit the lord Warren de Lisle the lord Phillip Darcie the lord Thomas Wither the lord Henrie de Willington the lord Hugh de Knouill the lord Philip de Beche the lord Henrie de Leiborne the lord Henrie de Bradborne the lord Iohn de Beckes the lord Thomas Louell the lord William fitz William Robert de Wateuille Iohn de Strikeland Odnell Heron Walter Pauelie of Stretton and a great number of other esquires and gentlemen This battell was fought on the fiftéenth day of March in the yeare 1322 after the accompt of them that begin the yeare at the Circumcision line 10 which was in the said fiftéenth yé ere of this kings reigne The bodie of the earle of Hereford was sent to Yorke two friers of the order of preachers being appointed to looke to it till the king tooke order for the burieng of it The lord Clifford also bicause he was wounded with an arrow was sent vnto Yorke At the same time the lord Henrie Percie tooke the lord Henrie Tieis and Iohn de Goldington knight with two esquires and within a few daies after Donald de Mar tooke the lord Bartholomew de Badelismere line 20 the lord Hugh Audelie the yoonger the lord Iohn Gifford the lord William Tucheâ— and in maner all those which escaped by flight from this battell were taken in one place or other by such of the kings seruants and fréends as pursued them Upon the one and twentith of March came sir Andrew de Harkley vnto Pomfret bringing with him the earle of Lancaster and other prisoners The king was come thither a few daies before and had the castell yeelded to him by the constable that not manie daies past was line 30 appointed to the kéeping thereof by the earle which earle now being brought thither captiue was mocked scorned and in derision called king Arthur On the morrow after being mondaie the two and twentith of March he was brought before these noble men Edmund earle of Kent Iohn earle of Richmond Aimer earle of Penbroke Iohn erle of Surrie Edmund earle of Arundell Dauid earle of Atholl Robert earle of Anegos the lord Hugh Spenser line 40 the father the lord Robert de Malmesthorp iustice and others with them associate before whome he was arreigned of high treason for that he had raised warre against the king and defended the passage of Burton bridge for the space of thrée daies togither against him and after when it was perceiued that the king had passed the riuer he with Humfrie de Bohun earle of Hereford and other their complices like traitors set fire on the said towne and cruellie burnt part of the houses and men of the same towne and after the said earle of Lancaster with his complices line 50 arranged himselfe in field with his armie and banners displaid readie to fight against the king till that perceiuing the kings power to be ouerstrong for him his partakers to resist he togither with them fled committing by the waie diuerse felonies and robberies till they came to Burrough bridge where finding certeine of the kings faithfull subiects readie to resist them they assailed the said faithfull subiects with force of armes and banners displaied slaieng line 60 diuerse of them till finallie the said earle of Lancaster was caught and other of his complices some taken some slaine and the residue put to flight so that there wanted no good will in the said earle of Lancaster and others whie the king should not haue béene vanquished Which treasons murthers burning of houses destroieng of the kings people being plainlie manifestlie knowne to the earls barons lords and other people of the land the said earle of Lancaster was therevpon adiudged to die according to the law in such cases prouided that is to be drawne hanged and headed But bicause he was the queenes vncle and sonne to the kings vncle he was pardoned of all saue heading and so accordinglie therevnto suffered at Pomfret the two and twentith of March. Thus the king séemed to be reuenged of the displeasure doone to him by the earle of Lancaster for the beheading of Peers de Gaueston earle of Cornewall whom he so déerelie loued and bicause the erle of Lancaster was the chéefe occasioner of his death the king neuer loued him entirelie after ¶ So that here is verified the censure of the scripture expressed by the wisedome of Salomon that the anger and displeasure of the king is as the roring of a lion and his reuenge ineuitable Wherefore it is an hie point of discretion in such as are mightie to take héed how they giue edge vnto the wrath of their souereigne which if it be not by submission made blunt the burthen of the smart insuing will lie heauie vpon the offendor euen to his vtter vndooing and losse perhaps of life In this sort came the mightie earle of Lancaster to his end being the greatest péere in the realme and one of the mightiest earles in christendome for when he began to leauie warre against the king he was possessed of fiue earledomes Lancaster Lincolne Salisburie Leicester and Derbie beside other seigniories lands and possessions great to his aduancement in honor and puissance But all this was limited within prescription of time which being expired both honour and puissance were cut off with dishonour and death for O mutable state Inuida fatorum series summÃsque negatum Stare diu On the same day the lord William Tuchet the lord William fitz William the lord Warren de Lisle the lord Henrie Bradborne and the lord William Chenie barons with Iohn Page an esquire were drawne and hanged at Pomfret aforesaid and then shortlie after Roger lord Clifford Iohn lord Mowbraie and sir Gosein d' Eeuill barons were drawne and hanged at Yorke At Bristow in like manner were executed sir Henrie de Willington and sir Henrie Montfort baronets and at Glocester the lord Iohn Gifford and sir William Elmebridge knight and at London the lord Henrie Teies baron at Winchelsie sir Thomas
it was found how the earle of Warwike had confessed himselfe guiltie of treason line 30 and asked pardon and mercie for his offense but the earle denied that euer he acknowledged anie such thing by woord of mouth and that he would prooue in what manner soeuer should be to him appointed Therein was also the appeale found of the dukes of Aumarle Surrie and Excester the marquesse Dorset the earles of Salisburie and Glocester vnto the which ech of them answered by himselfe that they neuer assented to that appeale of their owne frée wils line 40 but were compelled thereto by the king and this they affirmed by their othes and offered to prooue it by what manner they should be appointed Sir Walter Clopton said then to the commons If ye will take aduantage of the processe of the last parlement take it and ye shall be receiued therevnto Then rose vp the lord Morlie and said to the earle of Salisburie that he was chiefe of counsell with the duke of Glocester and likewise with king Richard so discouered the dukes counsell to the king line 50 as a traitor to his maister and that he said he would with his bodie prooue against him throwing downe his hood as a pledge The earle of Salisburie sore mooued héerewith told the lord Morlie that he falslie béelied him for he was neuer traitor nor false to his maister all his life time and therewith threw downe his gloue to wage battell against the lord Morlie Their gages were taken vp and deliuered to the constable and marshall of England and the parties were arrested and day to them giuen till another time line 60 On mondaie following being the morrow after All soules day the commons made request that they might not be entred in the parlement rols as parties to the iudgement giuen in this parlement but there as in verie truth they were priuie to the same for the iudgement otherwise belonged to the king except where anie iudgment is giuen by statute enacted for the profit of the common-wealth which request was granted Diuers other petitions were presented on the behalfe of the commons part whereof were granted and to some there was none answere made at that time Finallie to auoid further inconuenience and to qualifie the minds of the enuious it was finallie enacted that such as were appellants in the last parlement against the duke of Glocester and other should in this wise following be ordred The dukes of Aumarle Surrie and Excester there present were iudged to loose their names of dukes togither with the honors titles and dignities therevnto belonging The marquesse Dorset being likewise there present was adiudged to lose his title and dignitie of marquesse and the earle of Glocester being also present was in semblable maner iudged to lose his name title and dignitie of earle Moreouer it was further decréed against them that they and euerie of them should lose and forfeit all those castels lordships manors lands possessions rents seruices liberties and reuenues whatsoeuer had beene giuen to them at or since the last parlement belonging aforetime to any of those persons whom they had appealed and all other their castels manors lordships lands possessions rents seruices liberties and reuenues whatsoeuer which they held of the late kings gift the daie of the arrest of the said duke of Glocester or at any time after should also remaine in the kings disposition from thencefoorth and all letters patents and charters which they or any of them had of the same names castels manors lordships lands possessions and liberties should be surrendred vp into the chancerie there to be cancelled Diuerse other things were enacted in this parlement to the preiudice of those high estates to satisfie mens minds that were sore displeased with their dooings in the late kings daies as now it manifestlie appéered For after it was vnderstood that they should be no further punished than as before is mentioned great murmuring rose among the people against the king the archbishop of Canturburie the earle of Northumberland and other of the councell for sauing the liues of men whom the commons reputed most wicked and not worthie in anie wise to liue But the king thought it best rather with courtesie to reconcile them than by cutting them off by death to procure the hatred of their freends and alies which were manie and of no small power After that the foresaid iudgement was declared with protestation by sir William Thirning iustice the earle of Salisburie came and made request that he might haue his protestation entered against the lord Morlie which lord Morlie rising vp from his seat said that so he might not haue bicause in his first answer he made no protestation and therefore he was past it now The earle praied day of aduisement but the lord Morlie praied that he might lose his aduantage sith he had not entered sufficient plee against him Then sir Matthew Gournie sitting vnderneath the king said to the earle of Salisburie that Forsomuch as at the first day in your answers ye made no protestation at all none is entered of record and so you are past that aduantage and therefore asked him if he would saie any other thing Then the earle desired that he might put in mainprise which was granted and so the earle of Kent sir Rafe Ferrers sir Iohn Roch sir Iohn Draiton knights mainprised the said earle bodie for bodie For the lord Morlie all the lords and barons offred to vndertake and to be suerties for him but yet foure of them had their names entered that is to saie the lords Willoughbie Beauchampe Scales and Berkelie they had day till the fridaie after to make their libell After this came the lord Fitzwater and praied to haue day and place to arreigne his appeale against the earle of Rutland The king said he would send for the duke of Norffolke to returne home and then vpon his returne he said he would proceed in that matter Manie statutes were established in this parlement as well concerning the whole bodie of the common-wealth as by the booke thereof imprinted may appeare as also concerning diuerse priuate persons then presentlie liuing which partlie we haue touched and partlie for doubt to be ouer-tedious we doo omit But this among other is not to be forgotten that the archbishop of Canturburie was not onelie restored to his former dignitie being remooued from it by king Richard who had procured one Roger Walden to be placed therein as before ye haue heard but also the said Walden was established bishop line 10 of London wherewith he séemed well content Moreouer the kings eldest sonne Henrie alreadie created as heire to his father and to the crowne prince of Wales duke of Cornewall and earle of Chester was also intituled duke of Aquitaine and to auoid all titles claimes and ambiguities there was an act made for the vniting of the crowne vnto king
not as line 40 yours Well faire sonne said the king with a great sigh what right I had to it God knoweth Well said the prince if you die king I will haue the garland and trust to kéepe it with the sword against all mine enimies as you haue doone Then said the king I commit all to God and remember you to doo well With that he turned himselfe in his bed and shortlie after departed to God in a chamber of the abbats of Westminster called Ierusalem the twentith daie of March in the yeare 1413 and in the yeare of his age line 50 46 when he had reigned thirteene yeares fiue moneths and od daies in great perplexitie and little pleasure or fouretéene yeares as some haue noted who name not the disease whereof he died but refer it to sicknesse absolutelie whereby his time of departure did approach and fetch him out of the world as Ch. Okl. saith whose words may serue as a funerall epigramme in memoriall of the said king Henrie Henricus quartus bis septem rexerat annos Anglorum gentem summa cum laude amore line 60 I à mque senescenti fatalis terminus aeui Ingruerat morbus fatalem accerserat horam We find that he was taken with his last sickenesse while he was making his praiers at saint Edwards shrine there as it were to take his leaue and so to procéed foorth on his iournie he was so suddenlie and greeuouslie taken that such as were about him feared least he would haue died presentlie wherfore to reléeue him if it were possible they bare him into a chamber that was next at hand belonging to the abbat of Westminster where they laid him on a pallet before the fire and vsed all remedies to reuiue him At length he recouered his spéech and vnderstanding and perceiuing himselfe in a strange place which he knew not he willed to know if the chamber had anie particular name wherevnto answer was made that it was called Ierusalem Then said the king Lauds be giuen to the father of heauen for now I know that I shall die heere in this chamber according to the prophesie of me declared that I should depart this life in Ierusalem Whether this was true that so he spake as one that gaue too much credit to foolish prophesies vaine tales or whether it was fained as in such cases it commonlie happeneth we leaue it to the aduised reader to iudge His bodie with all funerall pompe was conueied vnto Canturburie and there solemnlie buried leauing behind him by the ladie Marie daughter to the lord Humfrie Bohun earle of Hereford and Northhampton Henrie prince of Wales Thomas duke of Clarence Iohn duke of Bedford Humfrie duke of Glocester Blanch duchesse of Bauier and Philip quéene of Denmarke by his last wife Iane he had no children This king was of a meane stature well proportioned and formallie compact quicke and liuelie and of a stout courage In his latter daies he shewed himselfe so gentle that he gat more loue amongst the nobles and people of this realme than he had purchased malice and euill will in the beginning But yet to speake a truth by his proceedings after he had atteined to the crowne what with such taxes tallages subsidies and exactions as he was constreined to charge the people with and what by punishing such as mooued with disdeine to see him vsurpe the crowne contrarie to the oth taken at his entring into this land vpon his returne from exile did at sundrie times rebell against him he wan himselfe more hatred than in all his life time if it had beene longer by manie yeares than it was had beene possible for him to haue weeded out remooued And yet doubtlesse woorthie were his subiects to tast of that bitter cup sithens they were so readie to ioine and clappe hands with him for the deposing of their rightfull and naturall prince king Richard whose chéefe fault rested onlie in that that he was too bountifull to his fréends and too mercifull to his foes speciallie if he had not béene drawne by others to séeke reuenge of those that abused his good and courteous nature ¶ But now to returne to the matter present The duke of Clarence immediatlie vpon knowlege had of his father king Henrie the fourth his death returned out of Guien into England with the earle of Angolesme and other prisoners Now will were hearse what writers of our English nation liued in the daies of this king That renowmed poet Geffrie Chaucer is woorthilie named as principall a man so exquisitlie learned in all sciences that his match was not lightlie found any where in those daies and for reducing our English toong to a perfect conformitie he hath excelled therein all other he departed this life about the yeare of our Lord 1402 as Bale gathereth but by other it appeareth that he deceassed the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1400 and lieth buried at Westminster in the south part of the great church there as by a monument erected by Nicholas Brigham it doth appeare Iohn Gower descended of that woorthie familie of the Gowers of Stitenham in Yorkeshire as Leland noteth studied not onelie the common lawes of this realme but also other kinds of literature and great knowledge in the same namelie in poeticall inuentions applieng his indeuor with Chaucer to garnish the English toong in bringing it from a rude vnperfectnesse vnto a more apt elegancie for whereas before those daies the learned vsed to write onelie in Latine or French and not in English our toong remained verie barren rude and vnperfect but now by the diligent industrie of Chaucer and Gower it was within a while greatlie amended so as it grew not onelie verie rich and plentifull in words but also so proper and apt to expresse that which the mind conceiued as anie other vsuall language Gower departed this life shortlie after the deceasse of his déere and louing freend Chaucer to wit in the yeare 1402 being then come to great age and blind for a certeine time before his death He was buried in the church of saint Marie Oueries in Southwarke line 10 Moreouer Hugh Legat borne in Hertfordshire and a monke of saint Albons wrote scholies vpon Architrenius of Iohn Hanuill and also vpon Boetius De consolatione Roger Alington chancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxford a great sophister an enimie to the doctrine of Wickliffe Iohn Botrell a logician Nicholas Gorham borne in a village of the same name in Hertfordshire a Dominike frier first proceeded master of art in Oxenford and after going to Paris became the French kings confessor and line 20 therefore hath béene of some taken to be a Frenchman Iohn Lilleshull so called of a monasterie in the west parties of this realme whereof he was gouernour Walter Disse so called of a towne in Norfolke where he was borne first a Carmelite frier professed in Norwich and after going to Cambridge he there
thinking that notwithstanding the answer before made yet because the most part of the citizens were of their opinions and of the like affections in religion would not resist them as also that they had manie friends within the citie more readie to ioine with them than to follow the maior if they might haue the choise what to doo they came being in number about two thousand persons to the citie vpon the second of Iulie 1â—49 first making proclamation that if the citie would not yeeld line 60 and ioine with them they would enter with force and take the spoile of it so then they vpon the deniall compassed the same round about and gained vnto them at the first all the suburbs And hereof they conceiued such a vaine hope to haue their full desire vpon the citie that not onelie the number in hope did dailie more more increase but also manie of them brought their wiues horsses and pâ—niers persuading themselues and promising them by such a daie and vpon such a daie to enter into the citie and then to measure veluets and silks by the bow and to lade their horsses home with plate monie and other great riches The maior and his brethren forecasting the perils which might in such a case insue doo prouide all things necessarie and méet wherewith to defend themselues and to annoie the enimie The citie therefore is viewed for armor men are mustered soldiers are reteined capteins in euerie ward appointed warders for the daie and watchmen for the night assigned great péeces of ordinance laid in euerie gate and placed in all conuenient places of the wals mounts in sundrie places erected as well for laieng of ordinance as for sauing of the soldiers watchmen from the enimies shot and nothing was left vndoone which in anie respect that present state and necessitie required The rebels likewise intrench the high waies plash downe trées breake downe bridges kéepe watches and wards in euerie place so that no man could passe to or from the citie without their sufferance The markets are stopped vittels are kept from it and all dealings and intercourses shut and cut off and hauing as they bragged penned and shut vp the townesmen in a coope or mew they plant their ordinance against euerie gate and in all other such places as best to serue their turne and to hurt them within they burnt the gates they brake vp the pipes and conduits aswell for the taking awaie of the water comming to the citie as also to haue the led to serue for their shot and pellets But for the burning of the gates there followed rather a benefit than a hurt thereof for foorthwith there were made certeine rampiers within the gate which were farre stronger and of more defense than the gates as also there were fiers continuallie kept euerie night betwéene the rampiers and the gates and as for water the citie so standeth vpon a little hill that it is full of springs in euerie quarter within the same and by that means full and plentifull of euerie good and swéet waters Also they in sundrie places did vndermine the wals minding thereby with gunpowder and with other matters fit for fier to haue blowne vp the wals and so to haue entered in that waie but herein they were also preuented by this means and in this maner The citie it selfe as is before said is set vpon a little hill and lieth verie stéeping towards two of the gates And at one of these named the west gate the said rebels had vndermined on the one side and filled the place with certeine barels of powder pitch and other stuffe méet and apt to receiue fier and had appointed the night when the same should be set on fier and so to haue blowne the wals vp At the same time there was a certeine tinner in the citie whose dwelling was at Teingemouth named Iohn Newcombe who depended much vpon the goodwill and fréendship of maister William Hurst one of the aldermen of the citie and he vnderstanding of such an vndermining to be in working aduertised the same to maister Hurst and maketh him priuie how he would preuent the same which was doone in this maner For whereas he by a noise vnder the ground did suspect the vndermining to be in working he tooke a pan of water did put the same on the ground by shaking of the water in the pan he by remoouing the pan from place to place came at length to the verie place whereas the miners were working and foorthwith he countermined against the same and wrought so néere vnto it vntill that he might and did sée looke into it That â—oone he caused all the wals and tirpits in the citie towards euerie stréet hauing a fall that waie to be drawne at one time and euerie man to fill therewith a great tub of water at his foredoore which being 〈◊〉 he caused them all at one instant to be cast out and emptied which water running in great abundance towards the said west gate was conueied into the place countermined so entered and drowned the place which before was mined at which time also by the goodnesse of God there fell a great showre as the like for the time had not beene séene manie years before and which at that instant greatlie serued this turne The rebels perceiuing themselues disappointed of their purpose gaue ouer to deale anie further in those attempts howbeit otherwise they left nothing vndoone which might be to annoie the citizens For sometimes they made alarums as though they with all might and maine would haue giuen the line 10 scale and indeed they had prouided ladders for the same purpose Sometimes they by policies would séeke to come to the gates to burne them and herein they vsed this stratagem They prouided carts laden with old haie driuing the whéeles before them would come to the gate without danger and so set fier in the gate But notwithstanding they escaped not scotfrée for both at the west gate and at the south-gate their commings being perceiued the great port péeces were charged with great bags of flint-stones line 20 and haileshot and as they were approching vnto the gates the gates were secretlie opened and the said port péeces discharged and so they were spoiled diuerse of them by that means they had small pleasure to follow those deuises as also the citizens to preuent the same did from thensefoorth kéepe the gates open Likewise they would kéepe themselues close in sundrie houses in the suburbs neere the wals and would so watch the garrets that if anie within the citie would looke out at the garrets was line 30 in the danger of their shot and some thereby were killed and manie hurt Upon which occasion the citizens set some part of the suburbs on fier and some part which was next to the wals they beat and brake downe and so draue the rebels out
strangers Which brutish beastlie opinion then seemed to me reason and wrought in me such effects that it led me headlong into the practise of this detestable crime of treason But now being better persuaded and vnderstanding the great commoditie honor which the realme should receiue by this marriage I stand firme and fast in this opinion that if it should please the queene to be mercifull vnto me there is no subiect in this land that should more trulie and faithfullie serue hir highnes than I shall nor no sooner die at hir graces féet in defense of hir quarrell I serued hir highnesse against the duke of Northumberland as my lord of Arundell can witnesse My grandfather serued most truelie hir graces grandfather and for his sake was set vpon the racke in the tower My father also serued king Henrie the eight to his good contentation and I also serued him and king Edward his son And in witnesse of my bloud spent in his seruice I carrie a name I alledge not all this to set foorth my seruice by waie of merit which I confesse but dutie but to declare to the whole world that by abusing my wits in pursuing my misaduised opinion I haue not onelie ouerthrowne my house and defaced all the well dooings of me and my ancestors if euer there were anie but also haue béene the cause of mine owne death and destruction Neither doo I alledge this to iustifie my selfe in anie point neither for an excuse of mine offense but most humblie submit my selfe to the queenes maiesties mercie and pitie desiring you my lord of Sussex and you maister Hastings with all the rest of this honorable bench to be meanes to the quéenes highnesse for hir mercie which is the greatest treasure that maie be giuen to anie prince from God such a vertue as God hath appropriate to himselfe Which if hir highnesse vouchsafe to extend vnto me she shall bestow it on him who shall be most glad to serue truelie and not refuse to die in hir quarrell For I protest before the iudge of all iudges I neuer meant hurt against hir highnesse person Then said the quéenes attorneie Maister Wiat you haue great cause to be sorie and repent for your fault whereby you haue not onelie vndoone your selfe and your house but also a number of other gentlemen who being true men might haue serued their prince and countrie yet if you had gone no further it might haue beene borne withall the better But being not so contented to staie your selfe you haue so procured the duke of Suffolke a man soone trained to your purpose and his two brethren also by meanes whereof without the quéenes greater mercie you haue ouerthrowne that noble house And yet not so staied your attempt hath reached as far as in you laie to the second person of the realme in whom next to the quéenes highnesse resteth all our hope and comfort wherby hir honor is brought in question and what danger will folow and to what end it will come God knoweth of all this you are the author Wiat answered As I will not in anie thing iustifie my selfe so I beseech you I being in this wretched estate not to ouercharge me nor to make me séeme to be that I am not I am loth to touch anie person by name but that I haue written I haue written Then said the iudge Maister Wiat maister attornie hath well mooued you to repent your offenses and we for our parts with you the same Then said sir Edward Hastings maister of the quéens horsse Maister Wiat doo ye remember when I and maister Cornwallis were sent vnto you from the quéenes highnesse to demand the cause of your enterprise and what you required Were not these your demands that the quéenes grace should go to the tower and there remaine and you to haue the rule of the tower and hir person with the treasure in kéeping and such of hir councell as you would require to be deliuered into your hands saieng that you would be trusted and not trust Which words when Wiat had confessed then said the quéenes solicitor Your presumption was ouer great your attempt in this case hath purchased you perpetuall infamie and shall be called Wiats rebellion as Wat Tilers was called Wat Tilers rebellion Then said the attorneie Maister Wiat were you not priuie to a deuise whereby the quéene should haue béene murthered in a place where she should walke I doo not burthen you to confesse this for thus much I must saie on your behalfe that you misliked that deuise That deuise said Wiat was the deuise of William Thomas whome euer after I abhorred for line 10 that cause Then was a letter shewed which Wiat being in Southworke had written to the duke of Suffolke that he should méet him at Kingstone bridge and from thense to accompanie him to London although he came with the fewer number Wiat at the first did not séeme to remember anie such letter but when it was shewed him he confessed his hand Then was it demanded of him among other things whie he refused the queenes pardon when it was offered line 20 him My lords quoth he I confesse my fault and offense to be most vile and heinous for the which first I aske God mercie without the which I cannot chalenge anie thing such is my offense alreadie committed And therefore I beséech you to trouble me with no more questions for I haue deliuered all things vnto hir grace in writing And finallie here I must confesse that of all the voiages wherein I haue serued this was the most desperat and painfull iorneie that euer I made And where you asked whie I receiued not the quéenes pardon when it was offered line 30 vnto me Oh vnhappie man What shall I saie When I was entred into this diuellish desperat aduenture there was no waie but wade through with that I had taken in hand for I had thought that other had béene as farre forward as my selfe which I found farre otherwise So that being bent to keepe promise with all my confederats none kept promise with me for I like a moile went through thicke and thin with this determination that if I should come line 40 to anie treatie I should séeme to bewraie all my friends But whereto should I spend anie more words I yéeld my selfe wholie vnto the quéenes mercie knowing well that it is onelie in hir power to make me as I haue deserued an open example to the world with Wat Tiler or else to make me participant of that pitie which she hath extended in as great crimes as mine most humblie beséeching you all to be means for me to hir highnesse for mercie which is line 50 my last and onelie refuge The will of God be doone on me Upon this confession without further triall he receiued the iudgement accustomed in cases of treason which was to be hanged drawne and quartered And the
stranger that she might go out of the realme with hir portion some saieng one thing and some another A lord who shall be here namelesse being there at last said that the king should neuer haue anie quiet common wealth in England vnlesse hir head were stricken from the shoulders Wherevnto the Spaniards answered saieng God forbid that the king and maister should haue that mind to consent to such a mischéefe This was the courteous answer of the Spaniards to the Englishmen speaking after that sort against their owne countrie From that daie the Spaniards neuer left off their good persuasions to the king that the like honor he should neuer obteine as he should in deliuering the ladie Elizabeths grace out of prison whereby at length she was happilie released from the same Here is a plaine and euident example of the good clemencie and nature of the king and his councellors towards hir grace praised be God therefore who mooued their harts therein Then herevpon she was sent for shortlie after to come to Hampton court But before hir remoouing awaie from Woodstocke we will a little staie to declare in what dangers hir life was during this time she there remained First thorough fire which began to kindle betwéene the boords séeling vnder the chamber where she laie whether by a sparke of fire gotten into a cranie or whether of purpose by some that meant hir no good the Lord dooth know Neuerthelesse a worshipfull knight of Oxfordshire which was there ioined the same time with sir Henrie Benefield in kéeping that ladie who then tooke vp the boords and quenched the fire verelie supposed it to be doone of purpose Furthermore it is thought and also affirmed if it be true of one Paule Penie a keeper of Woodstocke a notorious ruffian and a butcherlie wretch that he was appointed to kill the said ladie Elizabeth who both saw the man being often in hir sight and also knew thereof Another time one of the priuie chamber a great man about the queene and chiefe darling of Stephan Gardiner named maister Iames Basset came to Blandenbrige a mile from Woodstocke with twentie or thirtie priuie cotes and sent for sir Henrie Benefield to come and speake with him But as God would which disposed all things after the purpose of his owne will so it happened that a little before the said sir Henrie Benefield was sent for by post to the councell leauing strict word behind him with his brother that no man whatsoeuer he were though comming with a bill of the queenes hand or anie other warrant should haue accesse to hir before his returne againe By reason whereof it so fell out that maister Benefields brother comming to him at the bridge would suffer him in no case approch in who otherwise as is supposed was appointed violentlie to murther the innocent ladie In the life of Stephan Gardiner we declared before pag. 1787 how that the ladie Elizabeth being in the tower a writ came downe subscribed with certeine hands of the councell for hir execution Which if it were certeine as it is reported Winchester no dout was deuiser of that mischéefous drift And doubtlesse the same Achitophell had broght his impious purpose that day to passe had not the fatherlie prouidence of almightie God who is euer stronger than the diuell stirred vp master Bridges lieutenant at that time of the tower to come in hast to the quéene to giue certificat therof to know further hir consent touching hir sisters death Whervpon it folowed that all that deuise was disappointed Winchesters diuelish platforme which he said he had cast thorough the Lords great goodnes came to no effect Where moreouer is to be line 10 noted that during the prisonment of this ladie and princesse one maister Edmund Tremaine was on the racke and maister Smithwike and diuerse other in the tower were examined and diuerse offers made to them to accuse the giltlesse ladie being in hir captiuitie Howbeit all that notwithstanding no matter could be prooued by all examinations as she the same time lieng at Woodstocke had certeine intelligence by the meanes of one Iohn Gaier who vnder a colorable pretense of a letter vnto mistresse line 20 Cleue from hir father was let in and so gaue them secretlie to vnderstand of all this matter Wherevpon the ladie Elizabeth at hir departing out from Woodstocke wrote these verses with hir diamond in a glasse window verie legiblie as here followeth Much suspected by me Nothing prooued can be Quoth Elizabeth prisoner And thus much touching the troubles of ladie Elisabeth at Woodstocke Wherevnto this is more to line 30 be added that during the same time the lord of Tame had labored to the quéene and became suretie for hir to haue hir from Woodstocke to his house and had obteined grant thereof Wherevpon preparation was made accordinglie and all things readie in expectation of hir comming But through the procurement either of maister Benefield or by the dooing of Winchester hir mortall enimie letters came ouer night to the contrarie whereby hir iornie was stopped Thus this woorthie ladie oppressed with line 40 continuall sorrow could not be permitted to haue recourse to anie friends she had but still in the hands of hir enimies was left desolate and vtterlie destitute of all that might refresh a dolfull hart fraught full of terror and thraldome Wherevpon no maruell if she hearing vpon a time out of hir garden at Woodstocke a certeine milkmaid singing pleasantlie wished hir selfe to be a milkemaid as she was saieng that hir case was better and life more merier than was hirs in that state as she was line 50 Now after these things thus declared to procéed further where we left before sir Henrie Benefield and his soldiors with the lord of Tame and sir Rafe Chamberleine garding and waiting vpon hir the first night from Woodstocke she came to Ricot In which iourneie such a mightie wind did blow that hir seruants were faine to hold down hir clothes about hir in so much that hir hood was twise or thrise blowen from hir head Wherevpon she desirous to returne to a certeine gentlemans line 60 house there néere could not be suffered by sir Henrie Benefield so to doo but was constreined vnder an hedge to trim hir head as well as she could After this the next night they iourneied to maister Dormers so to Colbrooke where she laie all that night at the George and by the waie comming to Colbrooke certeine of hir graces gentlemen and yeomen met hir to the number of three score much to all their comforts which had not séene hir grace of long season before not withstanding they were commanded in the quéenes name immediatlie to depart the towne to both their and hir graces no little heauinesse who could not be suffered once to speake with them So that night all hir men were taken from hir sauing hir gentleman vsher thrée
thy excellencie most renowmed queene well to accept of this our dutie howsoeuer it be proceeding from a singular good will and a most thankefull mind and so to thinke of vs citizens of Norwich that perhaps you haue manie times come to people more wealthie but to more ioifull neuer Immediatlie after the beginning of the oration line 20 hir maiestie called to hir the French ambassadors whereof there were three and diuerse English lords and willed them to harken and she hirselfe was verie attentiue euen vntill the end thereof And the oration ended after she had giuen great thanks therefore to maister Limbert she said to him It is the best that euer I heard you shall haue my hand and pulled off hir gloue and gaue him hir hand to kisse which before kneeling on his knees he arose and kissed and then she departed to the court without anie line 30 other shew that night but that she sent backe to know his name The next night being thursdaie there was an excellent princelie maske brought before hir after supper by maister Goldingham in the priuie chamber it was of gods and goddesses both strangelie and richlie apparelled The first that entred was Mercurie then entred two torchbearers in purple taffata mandillions laid with siluer lace as all other the torchbearers were then entred a consort of musike to wit six musicians all in long line 40 vestures of white sarsenet girded about them and garlands on their heads plaieng verie cunninglie then two torchbearers more then Iupiter and Iuno then two torchbearers more then Mars and Venus then two torchbearers more then Apollo and Pallas then two torchbearers more then Neptune and Diana and lastly Cupid concluding the matter Thus when they had once marched about the chamber Mercurie dischargeth his message in these words to the quéene The good meaning maior and line 50 all his brethren with the rest haue not rested from praieng vnto the gods to prosper thy comming hither and the gods themselues mooued by their vnfained praiers are readie in person to bid thée worthilie welcome and I Mercurie the god of merchants and merchandize and therefore a fauourer of the citizens being thought méetest am chosen fittest to signifie the same Gods there be also which cannot come being tied by the time of the yeare as Ceres in haruest Bacchus in wines Pomona in orchards Onelie line 60 Hymineus denieth his good will either in presence or in person notwithstanding Diana hath so counterchecked him therfore as he shall hereafter be at your commandement For my part as I am a reioiser at your comming so am I a furtherer of your welcome hither and for this time I bid you farewell Feare not oh queene thou art beloued so As subiects true will trulie thee defend Feare not my power to ouerthrow thy wo I am the God that can ech misse amend Thou doest know great Iupiter am I That gaue thee first thy happie souereintie I giue thee still as euer thou hast had A peerelesse power vnto thy dieng daie I giue thee rule to ouercome the bad And loue to loue thy louing subiects aie I giue thee heere this small and slender wand To shew thou shalt in quiet rule the land Is Iuno rich No sure she is not so She wants that wealth that is not wanting heere Thy goods get friends my wealth wins manie a fo My riches rust but thine shine passing cleere Thou art beloued of subiects farre and uie Which is such wealth as monie cannot buie Farewell faire queene I cannot giue thee ought Nor take awaie thy good that is so bound Thou canst not giue that I so long haue sought Ne can I hold the riches thou hast found Yet take this gift though poore I seeme to be That thou thy selfe shalt neuer poorer be Where force dooth fiercelie seeke to foster wrong There Mars dooth make him make a quicke recoile Nor can indure that he should harbor long Where naughtie wights manure in goodlie soile This is the vse that aids the force of warre That Mars dooth mend that force dooth seeke to marre And though oh queene thou beest a prince of peace Yet shalt thou haue me fastlie sure at need The stormes of strife and blustering broiles to cease Which forren foes or faithlesse friends may breed To conquer kill to vanquish and subdue Such fained folke as loues to liue vntrue These words were ingrauen vpon the kniues To hurt your fo and helpe your frend These kniues are made vnto that end Both blunt and sharpe you shall vs find As pleaseth best your princelie mind In vaine faire queene from heauen my comming was To seeke to mend that is no waie amis For now I see thy fauour so dooth passe That none but thou thou onelie she it is Whose beautie bids ech wight to looke on thee By view they may another Uenus see Where beautie boasts and fauour dooth not faile What may I giue to thee O worthie wight This is my gift there shall no wo preuaile That seekes thy will against thy willes delight Not where they will but where it likes thy mind Accept that friend if loiall thou him find The doue being cast off ran directlie to the queene and being taken vp and set vpon the table before hir maiestie sate so quietlie as if it had béene tied Then after they had marched againe about Apollo presented his gift which was an instrument called a bandonet and did sing to the said instrument this short and pithie dittie as he was plaieng therevpon It seemeth strange to see such strangers heere Yet not so strange but strangers knowes you well Your vertuous thoughts to gods doo plaine appeere Your acts on earth bewraies how you excell You cannot die loue here hath made your lease Which gods haue sent and God saith shall not cease Uertuous desire desired me to sing No subiecs sute though suters they were all Apollos gifts are subiect to no king Rare are thy gifts that did Apollo call Then still reioise sith God and man saie so This is my gift thou neuer shalt haue wo. Most worthie wight what wouldst thou haue of me Thou hast so much thou canst inioie no more I cannot giue that once I gaue to thee Nor take awaie the good I gaue before I robbed was by natures good consent Against my will and yet I was content A Pallas thou a princesse I will be I queene of losse thou goddesse which hast got I sometime was thou onelie now art she I take thou gauest that â—ucke that was my lot I giue not thee this booke to learne thee aught For that I know alreadie thou art taught What art thou queene that gods do loue thee so Who woon their wils to be â—o at thy will How can the world become thy cruell fo How can Disdaine or Malice seeke to kill Can sea or earth deuise to hurt thy hap Sith thou by gods doost sit in fortunes lap
Parrie the same mondaie in the euening though not so knowne to him should be sent vnto maister secretaries house in London he being then there who according vnto such direction as he receiued from hir maiestie did let him vnderstand that hir highnesse in respect of the good will she knew he line 40 bare vnto the said Parrie of the trust that Parrie did outwardlie professe to repose in maister secretarie had made especiall choice of him to deale with him in a matter that concerned hir highlie and that the doubted not but that he would discharge his dutie towards hir according vnto that extraordinarie deuotion that he professed to beare vnto hir And therevpon he told him that hir maiestie had béene aduertised that there was somewhat intended presentlie against hir owne person wherwith she line 50 thought he could not but be made acquainted considering the great trust that some of hir woorst affected subiects reposed in him and that hir pleasure therefore was that he should declare vnto him his knowledge therein and whether the said Parrie himselfe had let fall anie spéech vnto anie person though with an intent onelie to haue discouered his disposition that might draw him in suspicion as though he himselfe had anie such wicked intent But line 60 Parrie with great and vehement protestations denied it vtterlie Whervpon maister secretarie the rather to induce him to deale more plainelie in a matter so important declared vnto him that there was a gentleman of qualitie euerie waie as good or better than himselfe and rather his friend than enimie that would auouch it to his face yet Parrie persisted stubbornelie in his former deniall and iustification of his owne innocencie and would not in anie respect yéeld that he was partie or priuie to anie such motion enterprise or intent Being lodged that night at M. secretaries house the next morning he desired earnestlie to haue some further spéech with maister secretarie which granted Parrie declared to him that he had called to remembrance that he had once some spéech with one Neuill a kinsman of his so he called him touching a point of doctrine conteined in the answer made to the booke intituled The execution of iustice in England by which booke it was resolued that it was lawfull to take awaie the life of a prince in furtherance of the catholike religion but he protested that they neuer had anie speech at all of anie attempt intended against hir maiesties person Which deniall of his at two sundrie times after so much light giuen him dooth set forth most apparantlie both the iustice and prouidence of God his iustice for that though he was one of a sharpe conceipt he had no power to take hold of this ouerture thereby to haue auoided the danger that Neuils accusation might bring him into by confessing the same as a thing propounded onelie to féele Neuils mind whome before he had reported vnto maister secretarie he found a person discontented and therefore his confession might to verie great purpose haue serued to haue cléered himselfe touching the intent his prouidence for that of his great mercie he would not suffer so dangerous and wicked a member to escape and liue to hir maiesties perill The same daie at night Parrie was brought to the earle of Leicesters house and there eftsoons examined before the said earle of Leicester maister vicechamberlaine and maister secretarie he persisted still in his deniall of all that he was charged with Wherevpon Neuill being brought before him face to face iustified his accusation against him He notwithstanding would not yet yéeld to confesse it but verie proudlie and insolentlie opposed his credit against the credit of Neuill affirming that his no was as good as Neuils yea as by way of recrimination obiected the crime to Neuill himselfe On the other side Neuill did with great constancie affirme all that he had before said and did set downe manie probable circumstances of the times places and maners of their sundrie conferences and of such other accidents as had happened betwéene them in the course of that action wherevpon Parrie was then committed to the Tower and Neuill commanded by their honors to set downe in writing vnder his hand all that which before he had deliuered by words which he did with his owne hand as followeth Edmund Neuill his declaration the tenth of Februarie 1584 subscribed with his owne hand WIlliam Parrie the last summer soone after his repulse in his sute for the maistership of saint Katharins repaired to my lodging in the White friers where he shewed himselfe a person greatlie discontented and vehementlie inueighed against hir maiestie and willed me to assure my selfe that during this time and state I should neuer receiue contentment But sith said he I know you to be honorablie descended and a man of resolution if you will giue me assurance either to ioine with me or not to discouer me I will deliuer vnto you the onelie meanes to doo your selfe good Which when I had promised him he appointed me to come the next daie to his house in Feuterlane repairing thither accordinglie I found him in his bed wherevpon he commanded his men foorth and began with me in this order My lord said he for so he called me I protest before God that thrée reasons principallie doo induce me to enter into this action which I intend to discouer vn to you the replanting of religion the preferring of the Scotish title and the aduancement of iustice woonderfullie corrupted in this common-wealth And therevpon entred into some discourses what places were fit to be taken to giue entrance to such forren forces as should be best liked of for the furtherance of such enterprises as were to be vndertaken And with these discourses he passed the time vntill he went to dinner after which the companie being retired he entered into his former discourses And if I be not deceiued said he by taking of Quinborough line 10 castell we shall hinder the passage of the quéenes ships foorth of the riuer Wherevnto when he saw me vse no contradiction he shooke me by the hand Tush said he this is nothing if men were resolute there is an enterprise of much more moment and much easier to performe an act honorable and meritorious to God and the world Which séeing me desirous to know he was not ashamed to vtter in plaine termes to consist in killing of hir maiestie wherein saith he if you will go with me I will line 20 loose my life or deliuer my countrie from hir bad and tyrannous gouernment At which spéeches finding me discontented he asked me if I had read doctor Allens booke out of which he alledged an authoritie for it I answered no and that I did not beléeue that authoritie Well said he what will you saie if I shew further authoritie than this euen from Rome it selfe a plaine dispensation for the killing of hir wherein you shall find