though it séemed right dangerous to the assailers yet was it not more wiselie deuised by the councell than valiantlie and willinglie executed of the lord marshall the others For euen there taking their leaues of the councell the said line 20 lord marshall requiring onelie that if it went not well with him the dukes grace would be good to his wife children he said he would méet those Scots and so with their bands the foresaid capteins tooke their waie and made towards the enimie By this time were the fore-wards on either part aduanced within two flight shoots in sunder The Scots came on so fast that it was thought of the most part of the Englishmen they were rather horssemen than footmen line 30 The Englishmen againe were led the more with speed to shew that they were as willing as the Scots to trie the battell The master of the ordinance to their great aduantage pluckt vp the hill at that instant certeine péeces and soone after planted two or thre canons of them welnigh vpon the top there wherby hauing so much the helpe of the hill he might ouer the Englishmens heads shoot niest at the enimie As the lord protector had so circumspectlie taken order for the araie and station of the armie and for line 40 the execution of euerie mans office beside he being perfectlie appointed in faire armour accompanied onelie with sir Thomas Chaloner knight one of the clearkes of the kings priuie councell got him to the hight of the hill to tarrie by the ordinance where hée might best surueie the whole field and succour with aid where most he saw néed and also by his presence to be a defense to the thing that stood weakest in place and also most in daunger the which how much it stood in stead anon ye shall heare further line 50 As he was halfe vp the hill the erle of Warwike was ware the enimies were all at a sudden staie and stood still a good while so that it séemed to him that they perceiuing now their owne follie in leauing their ground of aduantage had no will to come anie further forward but gladlie would haue bin whence they came The reasons were these First bicause at that time beside the full muster of the English footmen of whome they thought there had béene none there in field but all to haue béene either shipt or a line 60 shipping then they saw plaine that the Englishmen were sure to haue the gaine of the hill and they the ground of disaduantage out of their hold and put from their hope and hereto for that their herald gaue the lord protector no warning the which by him if they had ment to fight it out who would not haue presumed that for the estimation of their honor they would little haue stucke to haue sent and he againe and it had beene but for his thousand crowns would right gladlie haue brought Well yet how so euer their meaning changed finallie considering belike the state they stood in that as they had left their strength too soone so now to be too late to repent vpon a change of countenance they made hastilie forward againe and as it séemed with no lesse stoutnesse of courage than stronglie in order whose maner armour weapon and order in fight in those daies and also before though now somewhat changed as well as amongest other nations was as insueth Harquebutters had they few and appointed their fight most commonlie alwaies on foot They vsed to come to the field well furnished with iacke and skull dagger buckler and swords all notablie brode and thin of excéeding good temper and vniuersallie so made to slice as hard it is to deuise the better hereto euerie man his pike and a great kercher wrapped twise or thrise about his necke not for cold but for cutting In their araie toward the ioining with the enimie they thrust so nie in the fore-ranke shoulder to shoulder togither with their pikes in both hands streight afore them and their followers in that order so hard at their backes laieng their pikes ouer their foregoerrs shoulders that if they doo assaile vndisseuered no force can well withstand them Standing at defense they thrust shoulders likewise so nie togither the fore-ranks well nie to knéeling stoope low before for their fellowes behind holding their pikes in both hands and therewith in their left their bucklers the one end of their pike against their right foot the other against the enimie breast high their followers crossing their pike points with them before and thus each with other so nie as place and space will suffer through the whole rankes so thicke that as easilie shall a bare finger pearse through the skin of an angrie hedgehog as anie incounter the front of their pikes Thus prouided they I meane the Scots addressed themselues to incounter inflamed with a heat of furious hatred but not aduised whether the cause were iust or vniust for the which they were vp in armes which foolish madnesse the poet pointeth at and painteth out saieng Arma Scotus poscit valida contendere vi vult Is nec habet pensi sit it aequum an prorsus iniquum The lord marshall notwithstanding whome no danger detracted from dooing his enterprise with the companie and order afore appointed came full in their faces from the hill side towards them Herewith waxed it verie hot on both sides with pitifull cries horrible rore and terrible thundering of guns beside the daie darkened aboue head with smoke of the artillerie the sight and appeerance of the enimie euen at hand before the danger of death on euerie side else the bullets pellets and arrowes flieng each where so thicke and so vncerteinelie lighting that no where was there anie suretie of safetie euerie man striken with a dreadfull feare not so much perchance of death as of hurt which things though they were but certeine to some yet doubted of all assured crueltie at the enimies hands without hope of mercie death to flie and danger to fight The whole face of the field on both sides vpon this point of ioining both to the eie and to the eare so heauie so deadlie lamentable furious outragious terrible confuse and so quite against the quiet nature of man as if to the nobilitie the regard of their honor and fame to the knights and capteines the estimation of their worship and honestie and generallie to them all the naturall motion of bounden dutie their owne safetie hope of victorie and the fauour of God that they trusted vpon for the equitie of their quarrell had not béene a more vehement cause of courage than the danger of death was cause of feare the verie horrour of the thing had beene able to haue made anie man to forget both prowesse and policie But the lord marshall and the others with present mind and courage warilie and quicklie continued their course towards them The enimies were in a fallow field whereof the furrowes
obeie new lords and new lawes as our poet saith dominorum serua nouorum Accipit ecce nouas Henrico principe leges But now I must returne to speake of the dooings in the North parts betweene the Englishmen and Scots Whilest the king was occupied in his warres against France in the summer of this yeare as before is mentioned yée haue heard how the king of Scots sent his letters vnto the king as then lieng at the siege before Terwine and what answer was made thereto by the king Immediatlie vpon the sending of those his letters conteining in effect a defiance the king of Scots assembled his people to inuade the English confines but before his whole power was come togither the lord Humes that was lord chamberleine of Scotland on a day in August entered England with seuen or eight thousand men and getting togither a great bootie of cattell thought to haue returned therewith into his countrie But as he came to passe through a field ouergrowne with broome called Milfield the English men vnder the leading of sir William Bulmer and other valiant capteins hauing with them not past a thousand souldiers being laid within that field in ambushment brake foorth vpon him and though the Scots on foot defended themselues right manfullie yet the English archers shot so wholie togither that the Scots were constreined to giue place There were of them slaine at this bickering fiue or six hundred and foure hundred or more taken prisoners the lord chamberleine himselfe escaped by flight but his banner was taken This was called by the Scots the ill rode In the meane time was the whole power of Scotland assembled with the which king Iames approching to the borders and comming to Norham castell laid siege thereto hauing there with him an hundred thousand men After he had beaten this castell with his ordinance for the space of six daies togither the same was deliuered vp into his hands for the capteine was so liberall of his shot and powder spending the same so freelie before he had cause so to doo that when it shuld haue stood him in stead he had none left to aid him so that in the end he yeelded himselfe without more resistance In which meane time the earle of Surreie being lieutenant of the north parts of England in absence of king Henrie had giuen order to assemble a power of six and twentie thousand men and comming to Alnwike the third of September being saturdaie taried there all the next day till the whole number of his people were come which by reason of the foule way were staied and could not come forward with such spéed as was appointed This fourth daie of September then being sundaie his sonne the lord admerall with a thousand souldiers and able men of warre which had beene at sea came to his father whereof he greatlie reioised for the great wisedome manhood and experience which he knew to be in him Then the earle and his councell with great deliberation appointed his battels in order with wings and with horsmen necessarie First of the fore-ward was ordeined capteine the lord Howard admerall of England as well with such as came with him from the sea as others First the lord Clifford the lord Coniers the lord Latimer the lord Scroope of Upsall the lord Ogle the lord Lomlie sir Nicholas Appleyard maister of the ordinance sir Stephan Bull sir Henrie Shirburne sir William Sidneie sir Edward Ichingham sir William Bulmer with the power of the bishoprike of Durham sir William Gascoigne sir Christopher Ward sir Iohn Eueringham sir Thomas Metham sir Walter Griffith and manie others line 10 Of the wing on the right hand of the fore-ward was capteine sir Edward Howard knight marshall of the host with him Brian Tunstall Rafe Brearton Iohn Laurence Richard Bold esquiers sir Iohn Booth sir Thomas Butler knights Richard Done Iohn Bigod Thomas Fitz Williams Iohn Claruis Brian Stapleton Robert Warcop Richard Cholmleie with the men of Hull and the kings tenants of Hatfield and others Of the wing on the left hand was capteine sir Marmaduke line 20 Constable with his sonnes and kinsmen sir William Persie and of Lancashire a thousand men Of the rere-ward was capteine the earle of Surreie himselfe and with him the lord Scroope of Bolton sir Philip Tilneie sir George Darcie sir Thomas Berkleie sir Iohn Rocliffe sir Christopher Pikering Richard Tempest sir Iohn Stanleie with the bishop of Elies seruants sir Brian Stapleton Lionell Persie with the abbat of Whitbies tenants Christopher Clapham sir William Gascoigne the line 30 yoonger sir Guie Dawneie maister Magnus maister Dalbies seruants sir Iohn Normanuile the citizens of Yorke sir Ninian Markanuile sir Iohn Willoughbie with others Of the wing on the right hand was capteine the lord Dacres with his power Of the left hand wing was capteine sir Edward Stanleie knight with the residue of the power of the two counties palantine of Chester and Lancaster Thus was the host appointed and diuided into wards and wings at the first line 40 though afterward vpon occasion this order was somewhat altered And now that euerie man knew what to doo the earle of Surrie with his power comming toward the place where he thought to find the Scotish host was informed how king Iames being remooued six miles from Norham laie imbattelled vpon a great mounteine called Floddon a place of such strength as it was not possible for the Englishmen to come néere him but to their great disaduantage for at the foot of the same hill on the line 50 left hand there was a great marish ground full of réed and water On the right hand it was defended with a riuer called Till the course whereof being so swift and the chanell in some places so deepe that it might not conuenientlie be passed On the backe halfe there were such craggie rocks and thicke woods that it was not possible to assaile him to anie aduantage that waie foorth And on the forepart of the campe where nature had left an easie entrie for men to come to the line 60 same all his ordinance was planted aloft vpon the sides of such trenches as he had caused to be cast for defense on that part The earle of Surrie herevpon considering with himselfe that vnlesse he might deuise some policie to cause the Scotish armie to descend the hill it were not possible for him to accomplish his desire he called about him his councell and with them tooke aduise in this point At length it was concluded and determined among other things to send Rouge Crosse purseuant at armes with a trumpet to the king of Scots with a message and certeine instructions which in substance was to shew and declare vnto the said king of Scots that where he contrarie vnto his oth and league and vnnaturallie against all reason and conscience had entered and inuaded this his brothers realme of England and done
of two and thrée in the after noone went from his lodging by a posterne through the garden which is néere to the Louure accompanied with the said lords de la Moth Fenelon de Curton and Grignan togither with the sier de Gondie the said de Marle and de Gonaix and found the capteins of the regiment line 60 of the kings gard making two ranks on either side of the stréet beginning from the posterne to the Louure gate who welcōmed him in the kings behalfe Without the gate of the said Louure he was receiued by the lieutenants of the great prouost of France his archers at the Louure gate by the sier de Montegnie capteine thereof to his maiestie and his archers which archers togither with those of the great prouost made two ranks from the said gate of the Louure to the foot of the staiers From the foot of the staiers his lordship was receiued by the sier de Perdillon the French lieutenant of the Swissers of the kings gard which from the foot of the said staiers to the doore of the hall made two ranks for his lordships passage At the entrie of the hall his lordship was receiued by the sier de Chasteau viaux knight of the holie ghost and capteine of the archers of the kings gard who likewise from the said doore vnto the doore of the antichamber made two ranks From the doore of the antichamber his lordship was receiued by the sier de Combault of the holie ghost chiefe master de hostell to the king and by the other masters of the hostell to his maiestie and by his gentlemen waiters and there in the said antichamber all the said earle of Derbies officers and gentlemen wearing liueries were appointed to staie and the quéenes seruants that procéeded next after them and before the said earle went still forward At the entrie of the chamber of estate his lordship was receiued by the sier de Liencourt knight of the holie ghost chiefe escuir of the kings escuir and the other escuires of the escuir togither with the lieutenant of the hundred gentlemen of his maiestie who made likewise two ranks for his lordships passage from that chamber doore to the chamber of audience euerie of them bearing halberds in their hands At the entrance of the antichamber his lordship was receiued by the duke Ioieulx accompanied with the gentlemen of the kings chamber ordinarie who made two ranks from that chamber doore to the doore of the chamber roiall Into the said chamber roiall first entred all the gentlemen the quéenes maiesties seruants the lords that had receiued and accompanied the said earle and lords and the said duke de Ioieulx accompanied the said earle of Derbie euen vnto the bars that stood about the edge of the haltpase or mounting floore 〈◊〉 the same chamber where the king stood at his beds féet accompanied without the said barriers on his right hand with the cardinals of Bourbon Uandosme and Ioieulx and on the left hand with the lords the princes of Contie the countie de Soissons and duke Montpensier princes of the bloud the dukes de Neuers Delbeufe de la Tremouille de Retz monsieur le chancellor sier de Uilequier du Bouchase de la Ualette Dantragues de la Chapelle aux Ursins Chauignie la Uauguion countie de Mauleurier Clermont Dantragues de Larchaut and other knights of the holie ghost and councellors of the estate in great number The said earle with the lord ambassador ordinarie of England alonelie entered within the said haltpase within the barriers vnto his maiestie of whom they were receiued with great courtesie as amiable countenance as could be And the earle deliuered the quéenes maiesties letters vnto the king with great reuerence and then making rehearsall of that he had in charge to saie the said ambassador presented vnto the king the lords Sands and Windsor with other the English knights and gentlemen which all one after an other mounted vpon the haltpase kissed their hands did their reuerence vnto the king Then the erle tooke his leaue and was conducted by all the lords capteins that had before receiued him and conueied him vnto the place where they had first receiued him Afterwards he went to salute the quéene mother and at the entrance into hir antichamber he was receiued by monsieur de Lansac knight of the holie ghost and knight of honour vnto the same queene whome he found accompanied with hir néece the princesse of Loraine standing at hir beds head the princesses of Conde and Iontie and the duches of Neuers standing at the beds féet the duchesses Dusez and of Rez and other ladies and gentlewomen in great number From thense his lordship was conueied to the quéene Regents chamber at the entrance whereof he was receiued by the countie de Fiesque knight of the holie ghost and hir knight of honour finding hir accompanied with the duchesses of Montpensier and Ioieulx who stood at hir beds féet the ladie of Roiden hir ladie of honour and other ladies and gentlewomen also in great number and then returned to the foresaid hostell de Longueuille On mondaie the fiftéenth of Februarie the king by monsieur le Moth Fenelon told the lord ambassador his mind touching the receipt of the order that he intended to receiue it on thursdaie following in the after noone at the Augustine friers which was doone line 10 accordinglie with a mantle of blew veluet and a hood and collar of the order with a booke of the statutes of the order which all were inuested vpon the king in a place called maison de Nautralles but the oth was ministred vnto the king in the friers church Magnificat being then soong or singing On sundaie the eight and twentith of Februarie the ambassador with his traine tooke their leaue at whose returne from the court to his lodging he was presented that night with a rich cupboord of plate woorth twelue line 20 hundred pounds at the least and vnto maister Clarenceaux was giuen a chaine of gold woorth one hundred and twentie pounds and better of two hundred thirtie and six links to maister Sumerset a chaine of one hundred and fiftie links woorth one hundred marks and to Thomas Mils a chaine of the same value On the thursdaie following the earle with his traine set forward homewards from Paris vnto saint Denise and so were lodged all the waie in the line 30 same lodgings that before they had béene receiued in and arriued prosperouslie in England from Bullogne to Douer on fridaie the twelfe day of March and on the tuesdaie following were brought to the quéenes maiesties presence at Greenewich who gratiouslie welcommed them home This yeare on the second daie of March being tuesdaie William Parrie was drawne from the Tower thorough the citie of London to Westminster line 40 and there in the palace court hanged boweled and quartered for high and horrible treasons by
fierce assault of the English but were either beaten downe or else constreined to saue themselues by flight The king with a few other who at the first had begun the battell was taken Also manie of the Scots who being far off and yet hearing of the skirmish came running toward the place were taken yer they could vnderstand how the matter had passed This taking of the king of Scots was on a saturdaie being the seuenth of Iulie The English capteines hauing thus taken the Scotish king in the midst of his armie conteining the number of 80000 men returned to Newcastell greatlie reiâ—ising of their good successe aduertising king Henrie the father hereof with all speed who as then was come ouer from Normandie and was the same day that the Scotish king was taken at Canturburie making his praiers there before the sepulture of the archbishop Becket as after it shall appéere In the meane while and somewhat before this time the earle of Leicesters men which laie at Leicester vnder the conduct of Robert Ferreis earle of Darbie as some write or rather of Anketille Malorie line 10 constable or gouernour if we shall so call him as Roger Houeden saith came to Northampton where they fought with them of that towne and getting the victorie tooke two hundred prisoners and slue or wounded néere hand as manie more and so with this good successe in that enterprise returned againe to Leicester from whence they first set foorth The kings horssemen herevpon came streightwaies to Northampton and following the enimies could not ouertake them line 20 Robert Ferreis earle of Darbie being now come vnto Leicester in aid of them that laie there staied not past ten daies but finding meanes to increase his number of horssemen suddenlie made to Notingham which Reignold de Lucie had in kéeping and comming thither earelie in the morning tooke it droue out the kings souldiers that laie there in garison burned the towne slue the inhabitants and diuided their goods amongst his souldiers which thing put the countrie about in such feare that manie of line 30 the inhabitants submitted themselues vnto him King Henrie the sonne being hereof aduertised by letters oftentimes sent vnto him by this Robert Ferreis and other his fréends here in England estsoones conceiâ—ed some good hope to obteine his purpose and therefore determined to prepare for the warre Herevpon he purchased aid of king Lewes who bicause the truce which he had taken with king Henrie the father was now expired thought it was reason to further his sonne in lawes enterprise so line 40 farre as in him laie Wherfore he made his prouision at Graueling and there incamping with his people staied till his ships were readie to transport him and his armie which consisted of certeine horssemen and of a number of Brabanders King Henrie the father being informed both of his sonnes purpose and of the dooings in England with all possible spéed determined to passe ouer into England and therefore got his souldiers a shipboord among whom were certeine bands of his Brabanders line 50 and so soone as the wind blew to his mind he caused the sailes to be hoised vp and the nauie to set forward Being landed he repaired first vnto Canturburie there to make his praiers doubting least the bloud of the archbishop Thomas Becket being shed through his occasion did yet require vengeance against him for that fact From Canturburie he came to London and tooke order for the placing of capteins with their bands in certeine townes about the coast to defend the landing places where he line 60 thought his sonne was like to arriue Then went he to Huntington and subdued the castell there the 19. of Iulie for the knights and other souldiers that were within it yéelded themselues to the kings mercie their liues and lims saued After this assembling his people on all sides he made his generall musters at S. Edmundsburie and determined to besiege the castels of Bunghey and Fremingham which the earle Hugh Bigot held against him who mistrusting that he was not able to defend himselfe and those places against the king agréed with the king to haue peace paieng him the summe of a thousand markes by composition This agréement was concluded the 25. of Iulie Herevpon a multitude of the Flemings which Philip earle of Flanders had sent into England as before is mentioned vpon their oth receiued not afterwards to come as enimies into England had licence to returne into their countrie Also the bands of souldiers that came into the realme with Rafe de la Haie departed without impechment by the kings sufferance The king hauing thus accomplished that which stood with his pleasure in those parties remoued from thence and drew towards Northampton To which towne after his comming thither the king of Scots was brought with his féet bound vnder the horsses bellie Thither also came the bishop of Durham and deliuered to the king the castels of Durham Norham and Allerton Thither also came to the king Roger Mowbraie and surrendred to him the castell of Treske and Robert earle Ferreis deliuered vp into his hands the castels of Tutburie and Duffield and Anketill Mallorie and William de Diue constables to the earle of Leicester yeelded to the king the castels of Cicester Grobie and Mountsorell to the intent that he should deale more courteouslie with the earle their maister Also William earle of Glocester and earle Richard of Clare submitted themselues to the king and so he brought all his aduersaries within the realme of England vnto such subiection as he himselfe wished so that the king hauing atchiued the vpper hand of his enimies returned to London ¶ All this hurlie burlie and bloudie tumult was partlie to be ascribed to the king himselfe who ouer tenderlie fauouring his sonne did deiect and abase himselfe to aduance the other partlie to the ambitious disposition of the youth who was charged with roialtie before he had learned sufficient loialtie else would he not haue made insurrections against his father that himself might obteine the monarchie and the old king doo him homage and partlie to the quéenes discontented or rather malicious mind whose dutie it had béene notwithstanding such dishonour doone hir by the king in abusing his bodie vnlawfullie so little to haue thought of stirring commotions betwixt the father and the sonnes that she should rather haue lulled the contention asléepe and doone what she possiblie could to quench the feruent fier of strife with the water of pacification But true it is that hath béene said long ago Mulier nihil nouit nisi quod vult Et plenum malorum est onus But what insued herevpon euen by waie of chastisement but that which commonlie lighteth vpon tumult-raisers namelie either losse of life or at least restraint of libertie For the king after this happie atchiuement of his warlike affaires being ruled
place Afterward when the earle of Flanders and the earle of Blois with diuerse other earles and barons of the Realme of France laid their armor aside protesting openlie that they would not put on the same againe to make warre against any christian till they should returne from their iournie which they had vowed into the holie land the French king destitute line 30 of men to serue him made sute once againe to king Henrie that they might méet and talke of peace which was hardlie granted and so they met on the morrow after saint Faithes daie or the seauenth of October at Chatellon where they entreated of a forme of peace so that the French king should haue restored all that he had taken within the countries belonging to king Henrie and likewise Richard earle of Poictou should deliuer vp vnto the earle of saint Giles otherwise called earle of Tholouse line 40 all that he had taken from him since the breach of the last truce But when king Henrie would not deliuer the castell of Pascie in pledge to the French king they departed in sunder as before without any thing concluded The king of France after this tooke the castell of Paiuell Upon the eightéenth day of August the two kings came againe togither about a new treatie of peace betwixt Bonsemblance and Sukennie where the French king offered king Henrie to restore to him line 50 all that he had taken by his last warres if his sister Alice might be ioined in marriage with Richard erle of Poictou now eldest sonne aliue to king Henrie and that all king Henries subiects might doo homage and sweare fealtie to the same Richard But king Henrie after the old prouerbe Ictus piscator sapit hauing bought his experience with the féeling of smart bearing in memorie the iniuries done to him by his sonne Henrie after such his aduancement to kinglie degrée would not grant the French kings request line 60 herein Wherevpon a further mischeefe happened for his sonne earle Richard taking displeasure that his father should denie him that honour which made altogither for his more assurance to succeed him as king fell from his said father manifestlie and became the French kings man dooing homage to him also without consent of king Henrie for all those lands that belonged to his said father on that further side the sea The French king for his homage and fealtie gaue him Chateau Raoull and Ysoldun with all the honour thereto belonging ¶ Some write that the cheefest cause which mooued king Henrie to refuse to ioine his sonne earle Richard and the ladie Alice daughter vnto the French king in marriage togither was for that he was linked in the combersome chaine of hot burning loue with the same ladie and therefore he sought all the shifts of excuses delaies that might be imagined so that it appeared he had no mind to part with hir The truth was as writers affirme he had alreadie persuaded hir to satisfie his lust insomuch that he liked hir so well that he ment to be diuorsed from his wife quéene Elianor and to marrie this yoong ladie which if he might bring to passe and haue children by hir he purposed to disherit those which he had by Elianor and to make the other which he should haue by Adela his legitimat and lawfull heires Yet before they departed from this communication a truce was taken to endure till the feast of S. Hilarie And Henrie bishop of Alba a cardinall that was sent from the pope to end this controuersie betwixt these two mightie princes accursed Richard earle of Poictou for that by his meanes the troubles rose and were continued betwixt them The towne of Beuerley with the church of saint Iohn the archbishop was in maner wholie consumed with fire on the 20. of September Also the same yeare died William of Sempringham the author and first founder of the religious order of Sempringham Moreouer Gilbert de Ogerstan a knight templer put in trust by king Henrie with others to gather the tenths towards the reléefe of the holie land was prooued to vse falshood in the receipt and so was deliuered vnto the maister of the temple at London to be punished according to the statutes of his order Also this yere in the vigill of S. Laurence there was séene at Dunstable by diuerse persons a figure of the crosse verie long and large in the aire with the shape of a crucifix thereon and streames of bloud to their sight seemed to run out of the wounds of the feet hands and sides This strange appearance continued in sight from noone till almost night ¶ Some will déeme this a méere fable and saie it sauoureth of grosse superstition and idolatrie wherevpon they will conclude that no such fragments poudered with papistrie should be inserted into a chronicle But to auoid all suspicion of iustifieng the fansies of men note you this that in the ecclesiasticall historie no small number of things no lesse strange and true than this seemeth vaine and false are recorded yea euen touching the verie crosse But considering that this our age is verie nice and deintie in making choise of matter pleasing their owne humor we will not wade too farre in this kind of argument which we know may as soone offend as it is taken as a thorne may pricke or a netle sting when it is touched Neuerthelesse we would not wish that the forme of a thing should be quite condemned for some scandalous peoples pleasures whome nothing will please vnlesse it come out of their owne drieuat or casket of conceits King Henrie held his Christmas at Saumur in Aniou but manie of his earles and barons were gon from him and tooke part with the French king and with his sonne Richard earle of Poictou Now when the day was come in which the truce expired the Britains which had a charter of couenants of the French king and earle Richard that if they conclude◠any peace with king Henrie the Britains should be partakers in the same entred into the confines of those countries which still continued their due obedience towards king Henrie spoiling and wasting the same on each side with barbarous crueltie At which time also a legat came from the pope named Iohn de Anagnia who assaied both by courteous meanes and also by threats and menacings to reduce the parties vnto peace and concord insomuch that by his procurement they met this yeare after Easter néere vnto Fler◠Bernard twise within a few daies togither to trie if by talke they might sort to some reasonable conditions of agreement The last time of those their meetings was in the Whitsunwéeke at what time the French king required not onelie to haue his sister Alice deliuered vnto earle Richard for wife according to the former couenants but also some assurance giuen vnto the same earle Richard that he should inherit his fathers lands after his deceasse
their walles bulworks gates and other fortifications King Richard though he perceiued that this offer of peace tended vnto this point cheefelie that Saladine would thereby adnihilate whatsoeuer the christian armie had doone in the holie land since his the French kings arriuall so that by the said peace he should gaine more than by the edge of his sword did somewhat staie at this offer and demand as a thing greatlie dishonourable to the christians to lose by treatie of peace so much or rather more than they got by force of warres a meere token of faint and féeble courage yet considering that in such necessitie both of his departure from thence and also of lacke of other succors to resist the puissance of the enimies after his comming awaie he iudged it best to take the offer at the enimies hands in auoiding of some greater euill Herevpon therefore was a peace concluded to endure for thrée yeares thrée moneths thrée wéeks thrée daies and three houres to begin at Easter next insuing And among other articles it was couenanted that the christians should haue frée passage to come and go vnto the citie of Ierusalem to visit the holie sepulchre there which was granted so that amongst a great number of christians that presentlie vpon this conclusion went thither Hubert bishop of Salisburie was one who had continued about the king during the time of all his iournie till this time King Richard hauing thus concluded with Saladine tooke the sea and comming againe into Cypres sent his wife queene Berengaria with his sister Ioane late quéene of Sicile into England by the long seas but he himselfe not minding to lie long on the seas determined to take his course into Grecia and so by land to passe homewards with all speed possible Howbeit yer he could atteine his purpose his chance was to be driuen by tempest into the coast of Istria not farre from Aquilia where he stood in some doubt of his life For if he had beene knowne and taken they would surelie haue killed him bicause of the slander that went of him as guiltie of the death of Conrade the marquesse of Montferrato who indéed was slaine by two of the Assassini in the citie of Tyrus whilest king Richard was in the holie land as before yée haue heard He therefore hauing here made shipwracke and doubting to fall into the hands of any person in those parts that bare good will vnto the marquesse against whome he had indéed shewed himselfe not freendlie in a quarrell betwixt the said marquesse and Guido the king of Ierusalem made the best shift he could to get away yet knowledge being had of him and serch made after him by one Meinard of Gorezein he lost eight of his seruants and so came to a towne within the bishoprike of Saltzburge called Frisake where he was estsoones in danger to haue beene taken againe by one Frederike de saint Soome who notwithstanding tooke six of his men but yet he himselfe with three other of his companie made shif◠to get away Finallie comming to Uienna in Austrich and there causing his seruants to prouide meat for him more sumptuous and fine than was thought requisit for so meane a person as he counterfeited then to beare out in countenance it was streightwaies suspected that he was some other maner of man than he pretended and in fine those that marked more diligentlie the maner of him perceiued what he was and gaue knowledge to the duke of Austrich named Leopold being then in the citie of Uienna what they had seene His page that had the Dutch toong going about the towne to change gold and buy vittels bewraied him hauing by chance the kings gloues vnder his girdle wherevpon comming to be examined for feare of tortures confessed the truth The duke streightwaies caused the house where he was lodged to be set about with armed men and sent other into the house to apprehend him He being warie that he was descried got him to his weapon but they aduising him to be contented and alledging the dukes commandement he boldlie answered that sith he must be taken he being a king would yéeld himselfe to none of the companie but to the duke alone and therefore if it would please him to come he would yéeld himselfe into his hands The duke hearing of this spéedilie came vnto him whom he meeting deliuered vp his sword and committed him vnto his custodie The duke reioising of such a preie brought him vnto his palace and with gentle words enterteined him though he meant no great good towards him as well inough appeared in that he committed him to the keeping of certeine gentlemen which without much courtesie looked streightlie inough line 10 to him for starting awaie in somuch that they kept him in cold irons as some authours doo write He was taken after the maner aforesaid in December vpon S. Thomas éeue in the yéere of our Lord 1192. and in the fourth yeare of his reigne The duke of Austrich owght the king no good will bicause he had cast downe his ensignes pitcht vp in a turret at Acres which he had woone at the verie time when that citie was deliuered by the Saracens for while they were in tretie on the one side the line 20 duke on the other not knowing anie thing thereof gaue the assault vnto that part of the towne which was appointed vnto him to besiege And so being entred the towne and perceiuing that by treatie it was to be deliuered he retired into the turret which he had first woone and entred and there set vp his standard and ensignes which king Richard as the Dutch writers affirme comming thither threw downe and trode vnder his féet But Geruasius Dorobornensis declareth this matter line 30 somewhat otherwise as thus After that the said citie of Acres was rendred into the christian mens hands saith he diuerse lords tooke their lodgings as they thought good and hanged foorth their ensignes And as it chanced the duke of Austrich placing himselfe in one of the fairest palaces of all the citie put foorth his ensigne whereof king Richard being warie came thither with a companie of hardie souldiers about him and threw downe the dukes ensigne so displacing him out of that so pleasant and beautifull line 40 a lodging For this cause and also surmizing that king Richard should be guiltie of the death of the marques Conrade the duke of Austrich shewed such discourtesie towards him But concerning the mutther of the marques the chéefe gouernour of those Saracens called Assassini cleared king Richard by a letter written and directed vnto the duke of Austrich in manner as followeth A letter directed to the duke of Austrich wherein king Richard is cleared of the death of the marquesse of Mountserrat whereof he was vehementlie suspected LVpoldo duci Austriae Vetus de Monte salutem Cùm plurimi reges principes
get the vpper hand there should haue a ram for the price which the steward had prepared At the day appointed there was a great assemblie and the steward had got togither out of all parts the best wrestlers that might be heard of so that there was hard hold betwixt them and the Londoners But finallie the steward vpon desire of reuenge procured them to fall togither by the eares without any iust cause so that the Londoners were beaten and wounded and constreined to flée backe line 30 to the citie in great disorder The citizens sore offended to see their people so misused rose in tumult and rang the common bell to gather the more companie to them Robert Serle maior of the citie would haue pacified the matter persuading them to let the iniurie passe till by orderlie plaint they might get redresse as law and iustice should assigne But a certeine stout man of the citie namedConstantine Fitz Arnulfe of good authoritie amongst them aduised line 40 the multitude not to harken vnto peace but to seeke reuenge out of hand wherein he shewed himselfe so farre from true manhood that he bewraied himselfe rather to haue had a womans heart quod vindicta Nemomagis gaudet quà m foemina still prosecuting the strife with tooth and naile and blowing the coles of contention as it were with full bellowes that the houses belonging to the abbat of Westminster and namelie the house of his steward line 50 might be ouerthrowne and beaten downe flat with the ground This lewd counsell was soone receiued and executed by the outragious people Constantine himselfe being cheefe leader of them cried with a lowd voice Mount ioy mount ioy God be our aid and our souereigne Lewes This outragious part comming to the notice of Hubert de Burgh lord chéefe iustice he gat togither a power of armed men and came to the citie with the fame and taking inquisition of the cheéfe offendors found Constantine as constant in line 60 affirming the déed to be his as he had before constantlie put it in practise wherevpon he was apprehended and two other citizens with him On the next day in the morning Fouks de Brent was appointed to haue them to execution and so by the Thames he quietlie led them to the place where they should suffer Now when Constantine had the halter about his necke he offered fifteene thousand marks of siluer to haue béene pardoned but it would not be There was hanged with him his nephue named also Constantine and one Geffrey who made the proclamation deuised by the said Constantine The crie also which Constantine vsed to the setting forward of his vnlawfull enterprise in the name of Lewes most of all offended the kings fréends as the lord cheefe iustice and others who not satisfied with the death of the three before remembred persons but also entring the citie againe with their hands of armed men apprehended diuerse of those whome they tooke to be culpable not onelie putting manie of them into prison but also punishing other of them as some with losse of a foot some of an hand and other of their eie-sight The king furthermore to reuenge this matter deposed all the magistrats of the citie and ordeined new in their roomes Which caused great hartburning against diuerse of the Nobilitie but cheefelie the lord Hubert and Fouks de Brent on whome in time they hoped to haue reuenge As this broâ—le vexed the citie of London so in this yeare there chanced great tempest of thunder lightning and raine whereby much hurt was doone in diuerse parts of the realme and at sundrie times as by throwing downe of steeples churches and other buildings with the rootwalting of trées as well in woods as orchards verie strange to consider chéefelie on the eight day of Februarie at Grantham in Lincolneshire where there chanced beside the thunder such a stinke and filthie fauour to follow in the church that the people fled out for that they were not able to abide it Likewise in the day of the exaltation of the crosse a generall thunder happened throughout the realme and thervpon followed a continuall season of foule weather and wet till Candelmas next after which caused a dearth of corne so as wheat was sold at twelue shillings the quarter Likewise on the day of saint Andrew an other terrible tempest of thunder happened through the realme throwing downe and shaking buildings in manie places in so much that at Pillerdeston in Warwikeshire in a knights house the ladie thereof and six other persons were destroied by the same And a turbarie thereby compassed about with water and marresse was so dried vp that neither grasse nor mire remained after which insued an earthquake Moreouer on the euen of saint Lucie a mightie wind raged which did much hurt in sundrie places of the realme Furthermore about this time there appeared in England a wonderfull comet or blasing starre The sea also rose with higher tides and springs than it had beene accustomed to doo All which woonders were afterward iudged to betoken and signifie the losse which the christians susteined the same yeare in Aegypt when they were constreined to surrender the citie of Damieta into the Saracens hands which latelie before as yée haue heard they had woone with long and chargeable siege After the yéelding vp of Damieta William de Albenie earle of Arundell whome Ranulfe earle of Chester left behind him in the holie land with manie souldiers and men of warre when he returned from thence came now homewards towards England and died by the waie About the same time Iohn the sonne of Dauid earle of Anguish in Scotland sisters sonne vnto Ranulfe earle of Chester married the daughter of Leolin prince of Wales as it were to procure a finall accord betwéene the said Leolin and Ranulfe After which marriage king Henrie held his Christmasse at Oxenford and shortlie after the twelftide came to London where assembling a councell of his barons year 1223 he was earnestlie required by the bishop of Canturburie and other peeres to confirme the liberties fraâ—chises and frée customes of the realme for which the warres in his fathers time had béene mooued which to denie as the archbishop seemed to alledge shuld haue béene ashamed so to open his mouth to the disaduantage of his souereigne but that it is likelie he forgat the old posie namelie that Imago rex est animatae Dei he might not with anie reason sith he had couenanted and all the baronage with him to sée the same obserued by the articles of the peace concluded with Lewes when the same Lewes departed the realme Herevpon William Brewer one of the kings councell hearing the archbishop so earnest in these matters told him that sith these liberties were procured extorted rather by force than otherwise of line 10 the king being vnder age they were not to be obserued Wherevnto
of England with him these we find as principall Iohn de Britaine Iohn de Uescie Otâ—s de Grantson and Robert de Bruse besides other Of his noble chiualrie there atchiued yée shall find a bréefe note in the description of the holie land and therefore here we omit the same Howbeit this is to be remembred that whilest the lord Edward line 20 soiorned there in the citie of Acres he was in great danger to haue béene slaine by treason for a traitorous Saracen of that generation which are called Arsacidae and latelie reteined by the same lord Edward and become verie familiar with him found means one day as he sat in his chamber to giue him three wounds which suerlie had cost him his life but that one of the princes chamberleins staied the traitors hand and somewhat brake the strokes till other seruants came to the rescue and slue him there in the line 30 place ¶ There be that write how prince Edward himselfe perceiuing the traitor to strike at his bellie warded the blowe with his arme and as the Saracen offered to haue striken againe he thrust him backe to the ground with his foot and catching him by the hand wrested the knife from him and thrusting him into the bellie so killed him though in strugling with him he was hurt againe a little in the forhead and his seruants withall comming to helpe him one line 40 of them that was his musician got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor as he laie dead on the ground and was blamed of his maister for striking him after he saw him once dead before his face as he might perceiue him to be Some write that this traitor was sent from the great admerall of Iapha on message to the prince Edward and had béene with him diuerse times before now making countenance to take forth letters got foorth his knife and attempted so to haue wrought his feat Whatsoeuer line 50 the man was the prince was in great danger by reason of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded so that it was long yer he could be perfectlie whole These Saracens called Arsacidae are a wicked generation of men infected with such a superstitious opinion that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them if they can by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion suffer themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised ¶ Prince Edward after he was whole and recouered line 60 of his wounds perceiuing that no such aid came into those parts out of christendome as was looked for tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith and returned towards England as hereafter shall be shewed year 1272 On the fourth nones of Aprill as some saie or in the moneth of Februarie as other write in the six and fiftith yeare of K. Henries reigne at Berkhamstéed died Richard king of Almaine and earle of Cornewall and was buried in the abbeie of Hailes which he himselfe had founded he was a worthie prince and stood his brother king Henrie in great stead in handling matters both in peace and warre He left behind him issue begotten of his wife Sanctla two sonnes Edmund and Henrie This Edmund was he that brought the blood of Hails out of Germanie for as he was there vpon a time with his father it chanced that as he was beholding the relikes and other pretious monuments of the ancient emperors he espied a box of gold by the inscription whereof he perceiued as the opinion of men then gaue that therein was conteined a portion of the bloud of our sauiour He therefore being desirous to haue some part thereof so intreated him that had the kéeping of it that he obteined his desire and brought it ouer with him into England bestowing a third part thereof after his fathers deceasse in the abbeie of Hailes as it were to adorne and inrich the same bicause that therein both his father and mother were buried and the other two parts he did reserue in his owne custodie till at length mooued vpon such deuotion as was then vsed he founded an abbeie a little from his manour of Berkhamsteed which abbeie was named Ashrug in the which he placed moonks of the order of Bonhommes being the first that euer had beene seene of that order here in England And herewith he also assigned the two other parts of that bloud to the same abbeie Wherevpon followed great resort of people to those two places induced therevnto by a certeine blind deuotion Henrie the brother of this Edmund and sonne to the foresaid king of Almaine as he returned from Affrike where he had beene with prince Edward was slaine at Uiterbo in Italie whither he was come about businesse which he had to doo with the pope by the hand of Guie de Montfort the sonne of Simon de Montfort earle of Leicester in reuenge of the same Simons death This murther was committed afore the high altar as the same Henrie kneeled there to heare diuine seruice The foresaid Guie vpon that murther committed fled vnto his father in law the earle of Anguilare then gouernour of Tuskain There was at Uiterbo the same time Philip king of France returning homewards from the iournie which his father made into Affrike where he died Also Charles king of Sicill was there present whome the said Guie then serued Both those kings were put in much blame for that the murther and wilfull escape was doone and suffred in their presence and no pursuit made after the murtherer Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie when he had ruled the sea seauen and thirtie yeares departed this life and after his deceasse about two yeares or more was one Robert Kilwarbie appointed in his place by pope Gregorie which Robert was the six and fortith archbishop that had gouerned the sée of Canturburie About the moneth of Iune there fell great debate and discord betwixt the moonks of Norwich and the citizens there which increased so farre that at length the citizens with great violence assaulted the monasterie fired the gates and forced the fire so with reed and drie wood that the church with the bookes and all other ornaments of the same and all houses of office belonging to that abbeie were cleane burned wasted and destroied so that nothing was preserued except one little chapell The king hearing of this riot rode to Norwich and causing inquirie to be made thereof thirtie yoong men of the citie were condemned hanged and burnt to the great greefe of the other citizens for they thought that the priour of the place was the occasion of all that mischéefe who had got togither armed men and tooke vpon him to kéepe the belfraie and church by force of armes but the prior was well inough borne out and defended by the bishop of Norwich named Roger who as it is likelie was the maister
appointed to receiue it to furnish him with a nauie to the seas But before this paiment might be granted there was much adoo line 60 hard bold for where the said earle of Suffolke then lord chancellor at first had demanded of the commons in the kings name foure fiftéens for with lesse said he the king could not mainteine his estate and the warres which he had in hand the whole bodie of the parlement made answer thereto that without the king were present for he was then at Eltham they could make therein no answer at all and herewith they tooke occasion at length to say further that except the said earle of Suffolke were remooued from the office of chancellorship they would meddle no further with any act in this parlement were it neuer of so small importance The king being aduertised hereof sent againe to the commons that they should send vnto Eltham where he laie fortie of the wisest and best learned of the common house the which in the name of the whole house should declare vnto him their minds And then the house was in no small feare by reason of a brute that was raised how the king sought meanes to intrap and destroie them that followed not his purpose Herevpon aswell the lords of the vpper house as the commons of the lower assembled togither and agréed with one consent that the duke of Glocester and Thomas Arundell bishop of Elie should in the name of the whole parlement be sent to the king vnto Eltham which was doone and the king was well contented that they should come When they came before his presence with humble reuerence they declared their message which consisted in these points That the lords and commons assembled at that present in parlement besought him of his lawfull fauour that they might liue in peace and tranquillitie vnder him They further declared that one old statute and laudable custome was approued which no man could denie that the king once in the yeare might lawfullie summon his high court of parlement and call the lords and commons therevnto as to the highest court of his realme in which court all right and equitie ought to shine as the sunne being at the highest whereof poore and rich may take refreshing where also reformation ought to be had of all oppressions wrongs extortions enormities within the realme and there the king ought to take counsell with the wise men of his realme for the maintenance of his estate and conseruation of the same And if it might be knowen that any persons within the realme or without intended the contrarie there must also be deuised how such euill weeds may be destroied There must also be studied and foreséene that if any charge doo come vpon the king and realme how it may be honorablie borne and discharged Further they declared that till that present his subiects as was thought had louinglie demeaned themselues towards him in aiding him with their substance to the best of their powers that their desire was to vnderstand how those goods were spent And further they said they had one thing to declare vnto him how that by an old ordinance it was enacted that if the king should absent himselfe fourtie daies not being sicke and refuse to come to the parlement without regard to the charges of his people and their great paines they then may lawfullie returne home to their houses and therefore sith he had béene absent a long time and yet refused to come among them it was greatlie to their discomfort To this the king as we find made this answer Well we doo perceiue that our people and commons go about to rise against vs wherefore we thinke we cannot doo better than to aske aid of our cousine the French king and rather submit vs vnto him than to our owne subiects The lords answered that it should not be good for him so to doo but a waie rather to bring him into extreame danger sith it was plaine inough that the French king was his ancient enimie and greatest aduersarie who if he might once set foot in the realme of England he would rather despoile and dispossesse the king of his kingdome than put his helping hand to relieue him He might they said call to remembrance how his noble progenitour king Edward the third his grandfather and prince Edward his father had trauelled in heat and cold with great anguish and troubles incessantlie to make a conquest of France that rightfullie apperteined vnto them and now to him in which wars he might likewise remember how manie lords noble men and good commons of both realmes had lost their liues and what charges both the realmes likewise bare in mainteining those warres and now the more pitie greater burthens were laid vpon the necks of the English subiects for the supportation of his charges by reason whereof they were so low brought said they that they haue not to paie their rents and so by such meanes was his power decaied his lords brought behind hand and all his people sore impouerished And as that king cannot be poore that hath line 10 rich people so cannot he be rich that hath poore commons And as he tooke hurt by such inconueniences chancing through euill councellors that were about him so the lords and noblemen susteined no lesse hurt each one after his estate and calling And if remedie were not in time prouided through his helping hand the realme must needs fall in ruine and the default should be imputed to him and to those his euill councellors By these and the like persuasions the king was line 20 induced to come to the parlement and according to his appointment he came indeed Soone after his comming was Iohn Fortham bishop of Durham discharged of his office of lord treasuror and in his place was appointed one Iohn Gilbert bishop of Hereford that was a frier of the order of preachers a man more eloquent than faithfull as some reported of him Also the earle of Suffolke was discharged of his office of lord chancellor and Thomas Arundell bishop of Elie placed in his roome by line 30 whole consent of parlement The same earle of Suffolke was charged with manie verie great enormious crimes frauds falshoods and tresons which he had practised to the great preiudice of the king and realme and therevpon was committed to ward in the castell of Windsore Notwithstanding they adiudged him not to death as some write nor disgraded him of the honor of knighthood but condemmed him to paie a fine of twentie thousand marks and also to forfeit one thousand pounds of yéerlie rents line 40 which he had purchased But other write that notwithstanding the king was sore offended for the accusations brought against the said earle of Suffolke and others whome he loued and was loth to heare anie euill of yet he was constreined at length after he had shifted off the matter by sundrie
any certeine place whither to go in that vnknowne countrie but by chance they happened vpon a beaten waie white in sight by the which they were brought vnto a little village where they were refreshed with meat and drinke somewhat more plentiouslie than they had béene diuerse daies before Order was taken by commandement from the king after the armie was first set in battell arraie that no noise or clamor should be made in the host so that in marching foorth to this village euerie man kept himselfe quiet but at their comming into the village fiers were made to giue light on euerie side as there likewise were in the French host which was incamped not past two hundred and fiftie pases distant from the English The cheefe leaders of the French host were these the constable of France the marshall the admerall the lord Rambures maister of the crosbowes and other of the French nobilitie which came and pitched downe their standards and banners in the countie of saint Paule within the territorie of Agincourt hauing in their armie as some write to the number of thréescore thousand horssemen besides footmen wagoners and other They were lodged euen in the waie by the which the Englishmen must needs passe towards Calis and all that night after their comming thither made great cheare and were verie merie pleasant and full of game The Englishmen also for their parts were of good comfort and nothing abashed of the matter and yet they were both hungrie wearie sore trauelled and vexed with manie cold diseases Howbeit reconciling themselues with God by hoossell and shriff requiring assistance at his hands that is the onelie giuer of victorie they determined rather to die than to yéeld or flée The daie following was the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1415 being then fridaie and the feast of Crispine and Crispinian a day faire and fortunate to the English but most sorrowfull and vnluckie to the French In the morning the French capteins made thrée battels in the vaward were eight thousand healmes of knights and esquiers foure thousand archers and fifteene hundred crosbowes which were guided by the lord de la Breth constable of France hauing with him the dukes of Orleance and Burbon the earles of Ewe and Richmond the marshall Bouciquault and the maister of the crosbowes the lord Dampier admerall of France and other capteins The earle of Uandosme with sixtéene hundred men of armes were ordered for a wing to that battell line 10 And the other wing was guided by sir Guichard Dolphine sir Clugnet of Brabant and sir Lewes Bourdon with eight hundred men of armes of elect chosen persons And to breake the shot of the Englishmen were appointed sir Guilliam de Saueuses with Hector and Philip his brethren Ferrie de Maillie and Alen de Gaspanes with other eight hundred of armes In the middle ward were assigned as manie persons line 20 or more as were in the formost battell and the charge thereof was committed to the dukes of Bar and Alanson the earles of Neuers Uaudemont Blamont Salinges Grant Prée of Russie And in the rereward were all the other men of armes guided by the earles of Marle Dampmartine Fauconberg and the lord of Lourreie capteine of Arde who had with him the men of the frontiers of Bolonois Thus the Frenchmen being ordered vnder their standards and banners made a great shew for line 30 suerlie they were estéemed in number six times as manie or more than was the whole companie of the Englishmen with wagoners pages and all They rested themselues waiting for the bloudie blast of the terrible trumpet till the houre betwéene nine and ten of the clocke of the same daie during which season the constable made vnto the capteins and other men of warre a pithie oration exhorting and incouraging them to doo valiantlie with manie comfortable words and sensible reasons King Henrie also line 40 like a leader and not as one led like a souereigne and not an inferior perceiuing a plot of ground verie strong méet for his purpose which on the backe halfe was sensed with the village wherein he had lodged the night before and on both sides defended with hedges and bushes thought good there to imbattell his host and so ordered his men in the same place as he saw occasion and as stood for his most aduantage First he sent priuilie two hundred archers into a line 50 lowe medow which was néere to the vauntgard of his enimies but separated with a great ditch commanding them there to keepe themselues close till they had a token to them giuen to let driue at their aduersaries beside this he appointed a vaward of the which he made capteine Edward duke of Yorke 〈◊〉 of an haultie courage had desired that office and with him were the lords Beaumont Willoughbie and Fanhope and this battell was all of archers The middle ward was gouerned by the king himselfe line 60 with his brother the duke of Glocester and the earles of Marshall Oxenford and Suffolke in the which were all the strong bilmen The duke of Excester vncle to the king led the rereward which was miâ—ed both with bilmen and archers The horssemen like wings went on euerie side of the battell Thus the king hauing ordered his battels feared not the puissance of his enimies but yet to prouide that they should not with the multitude of horssemen breake the order of his archers in whome the force of his armie consisted ¶ For in those daies the yeomen had their lims at libertie sith their hosen were then fastened with one point and their iackes long and easie to shoot in so that they might draw bowes of great strength and shoot arrowes of a yard long beside the head he caused stakes bound with iron sharpe at both ends of the length of fiue or six foot to be pitched before the archers and of ech side the footmen like an hedge to the intent that if the barded horsses ran rashlie vpon them they might shortlie be gored and destroied Certeine persons also were appointed to remooue the stakes as by the mooueing of the archers occasion and time should require so that the footmen were hedged about with stakes and the horssemen stood like a bulwarke betwéene them and their enimies without the stakes This deuise of fortifieng an armie was at this time first inuented but since that time they haue deuised caltraps harrowes and other new engins against the force of horssemen so that if the enimies run hastilie vpon the same either are their horsses wounded with the stakes or their féet hurt with the other engins so as thereby the beasts are gored or else made vnable to mainteine their course King Henrie by reason of his small number of people to fill vp his battels placed his vauntgard so on the right hand of the maine battell which himselfe led that the distance betwixt them might scarse
the bastard Tremoile and manie other valiant capteins Wherefore sir Iohn Fastolfe set all his companie in good order of battell and pitched stakes before euerie archer to breake the force of the horssemen At their backes they set all the wagons and carriages and within them they tied all their horsses In this line 20 maner stood they still abiding the assault of their enimies The Frenchmen by reason of their great number thinking themselues sure of the victorie egerlie set on the Englishmen which with great force them receiued and themselues manfullie defended At length after long and cruell fight the Englishmen droue backe and vanquished the proud Frenchmen compelled them to flée In this conflict were slaine the lord William Steward constable of Scotland and his brother the lord Dorualle the lord Chateaubriam line 30 sir Iohn Basgot and other Frenchmen and Scots to the number of fiue and twentie hundred and aboue eleuen hundred taken prisoners although the French writers affirme the number lesse After this fortunate victorie sir Iohn Fastolfe and his companie hauing lost no one man of anie reputation with all their cariages vittels and prisoners marched foorth and came to the English campe before Orleance where they were ioifullie receiued and highlie commended for their valiancie and worthie line 40 prowesse shewed in the battell the which bicause most part of the cariage was herring and lenton stuffe the Frenchmen called it the battell of herrings The earle of Suffolke being thus vittelled continued the siege and euerie daie almost skirmished with the Frenchmen within who at length being in despaire of all succours offered to treat and in conclusion to saue themselues and the citie from captiuitie of their enimies they deuised to submit the citie themselues and all theirs vnder the obeisance of Philip duke of Burgognie bicause he was extract out of the stocke line 50 and bloud roiall of the ancient kings of France thinking by this means as they did in deed to breake or diminish the great amitie betwéene the Englishmen and him This offer was signified by them vnto the duke of Burgognie who with thanks certified them againe that he would gladlie receiue them if the lord regent would therewith be contented Herevpon he dispatched messengers to the duke of Bedford who though line 60 some counselled that it should be verie good and necessarie for him to agrée to that maner of yéelding yet he and other thought it neither conuenient nor honourable that a citie so long besieged by the king of England should be deliuered vnto anie other prince than to him or to his regent for that might be a verie bad president to other townes in anie like case Herevpon the regent answered the Burgognian ambassadors that after so long a siege on his part and obstinat a resistance of theirs he might not receiue rendring and conditions at their appointment At this answer the duke hoong the groine as conceiuing that our side should enuie his glorie or not to be so forward in aduancing his honour as he would haue it In time of this siege at Orleance French stories saie the first wéeke of March 1428 vnto Charles the Dolphin at Chinon as he was in verie great care and studie how to wrestle against the English nation by one Peter Badricourt capteine of Uacouleur made after marshall of France by the Dolphins creation was caried a 〈◊〉 wench of an eightéene yeeres old called Ione 〈◊〉 â—y name of hir father a sorie shéepheard Iames of Are and Isabell hir mother brought vp poorelie in their trade of kéeping cattell borne at Domprin therefore reported by Bale Ione Domprin vpon Meuse in Lorraine within the diocesse of Thoule Of fauour was she counted likesome of person stronglie made and manlie of courage great hardie and stout withall an vnderstander of counsels though she were not at them great semblance of chastitie both of bodie and behauiour the name of Iesus in hir mouth about all hir businesses humble obedient and fasting diuerse daies in the weeke A person as their bookes make hir raised vp by power diuine onelie for succour to the French estate then déepelie in distresse in whome for planting a credit the rather first the companie that toward the Dolphin did conduct hir through places all dangerous as holden by the English where she neuer was afore all the waie and by nightertale safelie did she lead then at the Dolphins sending by hir assignement from saint Katharins church of Fierbois in Touraine where she neuer had béene and knew not in a secret place there among old iron appointed she hir sword to be sought out and brought hir that with fiue floure delices was grauen on both sides wherewith she fought did manie slaughters by hir owne hands On warfar rode she in armour cap a pie mustered as a man before hir an ensigne all white wherin was Iesus Christ painted with a floure delice in his hand Unto the Dolphin into his gallerie when first she was brought and he shadowing himselfe behind setting other gaie lords before him to trie hir cunning from all the companie with a salutation that indeed marz all the matter she pickt him out alone who therevpon had hir to the end of the gallerie where she held him an houre in secret and priuate talke that of his priuie chamber was thought verie long and therefore would haue broken it off but he made them a signe to let hir saie on In which among other as likelie it was she setout vnto him the singular feats forsooth giuen hir to vnderstand by reuelation diuine that in vertue of that sword shée should atchiue which were how with honor and victorie shee would raise the siege at Orleance set him in state of the crowne of France and driue the English out of the countrie thereby he to inioie the kingdome alone Héerevpon he hartened at full appointed hir a sufficient armie with absolute power to lead them and they obedientlie to doo as she bad them Then fell she to worke and first defeated indéed the siege at Orleance by and by incouraged him to crowne himselfe king of France at Reims that a little before from the English she had woone Thus after pursued she manie bold enterprises to our great displeasure a two yeare togither for the time she kept in state vntill she were taken and for heresie and witcherie burned as in particularities hereafter followeth But in hir prime time she armed at all points like a iolie capteine roade from Poictiers to Blois and there found men of warre vittels and munition readie to be conueied to Orleance Héere was it knowne that the Englishmen kept not so diligent watch as they had beene accustomed to doo and therefore this maid with other French capteins comming forward in the dead time of the night and in a great raine and thunder entred into the citie with all their vittels artillerie
regni 28. After which proclamation thus published a gentleman of Kent named Alexander Eden awaited so his time that he tooke the said Cade in a garden in Sussex so that there he was slaine at Hothfield and brought to London in a cart where he was quartered his head set on London bridge and his quarters sent to diuers places to be set vp in the shire of Kent After this the king himselfe came into Kent and there sat in iudgement vpon the offendors and if he had not mingled his iustice with mercie more than fiue hundred by rigor of law had beene iustlie put to execution Yet he punishing onelie the stubborne heads disordered ringleaders pardoned the ignorant and simple persons to the great reioising of all his subiects ¶ But saith another the king sent his commissioners into Kent and caused inquirie to be made of this riot in Canturburie where for the same eight men were iudged and executed and in other townes of Kent and Sussex was doone the like execution This yeare the commons also in diuerse parts line 10 of England as in Sussex Salisburie Wiltshire and other places did much harme to manie persons among the which on the nine and twentith of Iune William Ascoth bishop of Salisburie after he had said masse at Edington was by his owne tenants drawne from the altar in his albe with his stole about his necke to the top of an hill and there by them shamefullie murthered and after spoiled to the naked skin they renting his bloudie shirt tooke euerie man a péece and made boast of their wickednesse line 20 The daie before his chariot was robbed to the value of ten thousand markes Soldiours made a fraie against the maior of London the same daie he tooke his charge at Westminster at night comming from saint Thomas of Acres after he had béene at Paules The French king vnderstanding all the ciuill discord and rebellious sturs in England made therof his foundation hoping to get into his hands and possession the duchie of Aquitaine and therevpon sent the earles of Ponthienure and Perigort to laie line 30 siege to the towne of Bergerat situate vpon the riuer of Dourdon of which towne was capteine Iohn Gedding who vpon reasonable conditions rendred the towne But yet the lord Camois sir George Seimor and sir Iohn Arundell with diuers other valiant capteins hauing gouernance of the countrie manned townes gathered people and recomforted the fainting harts of the Gascoignes in all that they could and withall sent letters ouer into line 40 England certifieng to the kings maiestie that without spéedie aid and readie succours the whole countrie was like to be conquered and woone out of the Englishmens possession Manie letters were sent and manie faire answers were brought but reléefe neither appeared nor one man of warre was thither shipped by reason whereof the Frenchmen pursuing the victorie got the fortresses of Iansacke and S. Foie with diuerse other péeces of importance thereabouts Also about line 50 the same time the lord Doruall third sonne to the lord de la Breth with a great number of men as well on horssebacke as on foot departed from Basas to conquer and destroie the I le of Medoc Wherevpon the maior of Burdeaux issuing out and incountring with his enimies was vanquished losing six hundred Englishmen and Gascoignes albeit the Frenchmen gained not this victorie with cléere hands for there were slaine of them to the number of eight hundred persons line 60 After this the bastard of Orleance with his brother Iohn earle of Angolesme year 1451 which had béene long prisoner in England and manie other valiant capteins besieged the castell of Montguion which to them was rendered Afterwards they besieged the towne of Blaie standing on the riuer of Garonne the which in conclusion by verie force was conquered and woone The bastard of Kendall capteine of the castell séeing the towne lost vpon certeine reasonable conditions deliuered his fortresse to the bastard of Orleance the French kings lieutenant After this the townes of Burgh and Liborne after fiue wéekes siege were likewise yéelded to the Frenchmen Then was the citie of Acques besieged by the erle of Fois and the vicount de Lawtrec his brother and other noble men So likewise was the strong towne of Rion by the earle of Arminacke extreame enimie to the realme of England for breach of the mariage concluded betweene king Henrie and his daughter The earle of Ponthienure laid siege to Chatillon in Perigort and the earle of Dunois inuironned with great puissance the towne of Fronsacke The Englishmen perceiuing in what state they stood within the towne couenanted with the said earle that if the towne were not succoured and the Frenchmen fought with before the feast of the natiuitie of saint Iohn Baptist next insuing that then the towne of Fronsacke should be yéelded to them which was the strongest fortresse in all that countrie and the verie keie of Guien Héereof were pledges deliuered and writings made sealed Which agréement once blowne through the countrie the citie of Burdeaux and all other townes except Baion made the like agréement So did all the noble men and gentlemen which were subiects and vassals to the crowne of England Euerie daie was looking for aid but none came And whie Euen bicause the diuelish diuision that reigned in England so incombred the heads of the noble men there that the honor of the realme was cléerelie forgotten so that to conclude the daie appointed came but succour looked for came not By reason whereof all the townes of Aquitaine except Baion deliuered their keies and became vassals to the French nation yet the citizens of Burdeaux in hope of rescue required a longer daie of battell which was granted But at the daie appointed when no reléefe came they rendred themselues and the citie to their aduersaries their liues and goods saued with licence and safe conduct to all persons which would depart and saile into England Then finallie was the citie of Baion besieged and with mines and batterie constreined to yéeld it selfe into the Frenchmens hands Beside the agreements taken and made with the townes diuerse noble men made seuerall compositions as Gaston de Fois Capdaw de Bue◠whome king Henrie the fift made earle of Longeuile and knight of the garter whose ancestors were euer true to England Which agréed that he and his sonne Iohn de Fois whome king Henrie the sixt made earle of Kendale and also knight of the garter should enioy all their lands in Aquitaine giuen to them by the kings of England or by the dukes of Aquitaine And sith their intent was still to serue the king of England they agréed to deliuer into the custodie of the earle of Fois the sonne and heire of the said earle of Kendale being of the age of thrée yeares to the intent that if he at his full age denied to become subiect to the French king or before
Wilshire and the lord Fitzwater in two long gownes of yellow sattin trauersed with line 50 white sattin and in euerie band of white was a band of crimsin sattin after the fashion of Russia or Rusland with furred hats of graie on their heads either of them hauing an hatchet in their hands and boots with pikes turned vp And after them came sir Edward Howard then admerall and with him sir Thomas Parre in dublets of crimsin veluet voided low on the backe and before to the chanell bone lased on the breasts line 60 with chaines of siluer and ouer that short cloakes of crimsin sattin and on their heads hats after dansers fashion with feasants feathers in them they were apareled after the fashion of Prusia or Spruce The torchbearers were apparelled in crimsin sattin and gréene like Moreskoes their faces blacke and the king brought in a mummerie After that the quéene the lords ladies such as would had plaied the said mummers departed and put off the same apparell and soone after entered into the chamber in their vsuall apparell And so the king made great cheere to the quéene ladies and ambassadours The supper or banket ended and the tables voided the king in communication with the ambassadours the queene with the ladies tooke their places in their degrées Then began the dansing and euerie man tooke much heed to them that dansed The king perceiuing that withdrew himselfe suddenlie out of the place with certeine other persons appointed for that purpose And within a little while after there came in a drum and a fife apparelled in white damaske gréene bonnets and hosen of the same sute Then certeine gentlemen followed with torches apparelled in blue damaske purfelled with amis greie fashioned like an albe and hoods on their heads with robes and long tippets to the same of blue damaske in visards Then after them came a certeine number of gentlemen whereof the king was one apparelled all in one sute of short garments little beneath the points of blue veluet and crimsin with long sléeues all cut and lined with cloth of gold And the vtter part of the garments were powdered with castels and sheafes of arrowes of fine ducket gold the vpper parts of their hosen of like sute and fashion the nether parts were of skarlet powdered with timbrels of fine gold on their heads bonnets of damaske with siluer flat wouen in the stole therevpon wrought with gold and rich fethers in them all with visors After them entered six ladies whereof two were apparelled in crimsin sattin and purple embrodered with gold and by viniets ran floure delices of gold with maruellous rich strange tiers on their heads Then two ladies in crimsin and purple made like long slops embrodered and fret with gold after antike fashion and ouer that garment was a short garment of cloth of gold scant to the knee fashioned like a tabard all ouer with small double rolles all of flat gold of damaske fret with frised gold and on their heads skarfs and wrappers of damaske gold with flat pipes that strange it was to behold The other two ladies were in kirtels of crimsin purple sattin embrodered with a viniet of pomegranats of gold all the garments cut compasse wise hauing but demie sléeues naked downe from the elbowes and ouer their garments were vochets of pleasants rolled with crimsin veluet and set with letters of gold like characts their heads rolled in pleasants and tipets like the Aegyptians embrodered with gold Their faces necks armes and hands couered in fine pleasants blacke some call it Lumbardines which is maruellous thin so that the same ladies seemed to be Nigers or blacke Mores Of these foresaid six ladies the ladie Marie sister vnto the king was one the other I name not After that the kings grace and the ladies had dansed a certeine time they departed euerie one to his lodging In this yeare also came ambassadors not onelie from the king of Arragon and Castile but also from the kings of France Denmarke Scotland and other places which were highlie welcomed and noblie interteined It happened on a daie that there were certeine noble men made a wager to run at the ring and parties were taken and which partie atteined or tooke awaie the ring oftnest with certeine courses should win the wager Whereof the kings grace hearing offered to be on the one partie with six companions The ambassadors hearing thereof were much desirous to see this wager tried and speciallie the ambassadours of Spaine who had neuer séene the king in harnesse At the daie appointed the king was mounted on a goodlie courser trapped in purple veluet cut the inner side whereof was wrought with flat gold of damaske in the stoole and the veluet on the other side cut in letters so that the gold appeared as though it had beene embrodered with certeine reasons or posies And on the veluet betwéene the letters were fastened castels and sheafs of arrowes of ducket gold with a garment the sléeues compassed ouer his harnesse and his bases of the same worke with a great plume of feathers on his head péece that came downe to the arson of his saddle and a great companie of fresh gentlemen came in with his grace richlie armed and decked with manie other right gorgeouslie apparelled the trumpets before them goodlie to be hold whereof manie strangers but speciallie the Spaniards much reioised for they had neuer séene the king before that time armed line 10 On the other side came in another band of gentlemen freshlie apparelled and pleasant to behold all apparelled in cloth of gold checkered with flat gold of damaske poudered with roses and so euerie man ran but to conclude the prise was giuen vnto the king Euerie man did run twelue courses the king did beare away the ring fiue times and atteined it thrée And these courses thus finished the Spanish ambassadours desired to haue some of the badges or deuises which were on the kings trapper His grace line 20 therof knowing commanded euerie of them to take thereof what it pleased them who in effect tooke all or the more part for in the beginning they thought they had béene counterfeit and not of gold as they were On Maie day then next folowing in the second yeare of his reigne his grace being yoong and willing not to be idle rose in the morning verie earlie to fetch maie or greene boughs himselfe fresh richlie apparelled and clothed all his knights squiers and gentlemen in white sattin and all his gard and yeomen of the crowne in white sarcenet and so went euerie line 30 man with his bow and arrowes shooting to the wood and so repaired againe to the court euerie man with a gréene bough in his cap. Now at his returning manie hearing of his going on maieng were desirous to sée him shoot for at that time his grace shot as strong and as great a length as anie of his gard
vnperished and othersome wormeaten albeit one bough beare them and one trée giue them say ¶ On the tuesdaie being the tenth daie of October all the Englishmen except a few that were officers with the said quéene were discharged which was a great sorrow for them for some had serued hir long in hope of preferment some that had honest roomes left them to serue hir and now they were without seruice which caused them to take thought in so much some died by the waie returning and some fell mad but there was no remedie After the English lords had doone their commission the French king willed them to take no longer paine and so gaue to them good rewards and they tooke their leaue of the queene and returned Then the Dolphin of France called line 10 lord Francis duke of Ualois and by his wife duke of Britaine for the more honour of this mariage before the Englishmen departed from Abuile caused a solemne iusts to be proclamed which should be kept at Paris in the moneth of Nouember next insuing Namelie that he with his nine aids should answer all commers being gentlemen of name and of armes First to run fiue courses at the tilt with péeces of aduantage also fiue courses at randon with line 20 sharpe speares and twelue strokes with sharpe swords and that doone he and his aids to fight at the barriers with all gentlemen of name and of armes First six foines with hand speares and after that eight strokes to the most aduantage if the speare so long held and after that twelue strokes with the sword and if anie man be vnhorssed or felled with fighting on foot then his horsse and armour to be rendered to the officers of armes and euerie man of this chalenge must set vp his armes and name vpon line 30 an arch triumphant which shal be made at the place where the iustes shal be and further shall write to what point he will answer to one or to all When this proclamation was reported in England by the noble men that returned from the mariage the duke of Suffolke the marquesse Dorset and his foure bretheren the lord Clinton sir Edward Neuill sir Giles Capell Thomas Cheneie and other sued to the king to be at the chalenge which request he gratiouslie granted Then the lords and line 40 knights prepared all things necessarie for their enterprise and shipped there horsses and harnesse and did so much by iourneie that they came to Paris at the end of October which were hartilie welcomed of the king and the Dolphin but most of all of the French queene which then laie at saint Denise and was not yet crowned nor entered into Paris The Dolphin desired the duke of Suffolke and the lord marquesse Dorset to be two of his immediat aids which thereto assented line 50 Therefore was erected an arch of widnesse at the tornels beside the stréet of saint Anthonie directlie before the bastell on the which were set foure targets or scutchions the one siluer and he that set his name vnder that shield to run at tilt according to the articles He that put his name vnder the golden target should run with the sharpe speares and fight with sharpe swords They that put their names to the blacke shield should fight on foot with speares and swords for the one hand And he that touched the tawnie line 60 shield should cast a speare on foot with a target on his arme and after to fight with a two hand sword On this arch aboue stood the armes of the king the queene and beneath them stood the armes of the Dolphin and his aids and vnderneath stood the foure scutchions that you haue heard of and vnder them all the armes and names of such as set their names to anie of the said foure scutchions While all these things were preparing the ladie Marie of England the fift daie of Nouember then being sundaie was with great solemnitie crowned queene of France in the monasterie of S. Denise and the Dolphin all the season held the crowne ouer hir head bicause it was of great weight to hir greeuance at which coronation were the lords of England all according to their degrées well interteined On mondaie the sixt daie of Nouember the said queene was receiued into the citie of Paris after the order that followeth First the gard of the citie met with hir without saint Denise all in coats of goldsmiths worke with ships gilt and after them met hir all the priests and religious esteemed to be thrée thousand The quéene was in a chaire couered about but not ouer hir person in white cloth of gold the horsses that drew it in cloth of gold on hir head a coronall all of great pearles hir necke and brest full of iewels Before hir went a gard of Almans after their fashion and after them all noblemen as the Dolphin the duke of Alanson the duke of Burbon the duke of Uandosme the duke of Longeuile and the duke of Suffolke the marquesse Dorset fiue cardinals and a great number of estates about hir person rode the kings gard which were Scots Thus was this queene receiued into Paris and so conueied to the cathedrall church and there offered from thence to the palace where she offered at the holie chappell and from thence she went to hir lodging for that night for whome was prouided a great supper and the heralds cried a largesse and had to them giuen a ship of siluer and gilt and other plate to the value of two hundred marks and after supper began dansing and pastime On the morow began the iusts and the Dolphin with his aids entered the field the apparell and bards were cloth of gold cloth of siluer and crimsin veluet kanteled togither all in one sute they shewed themselues before the king and quéene who were on a goodlie stage and the queene stood so that all men might sée hir and woondered at hir beautie but the king was feeble laie on a couch for weakenesse Then entered the counter part by a raile for combring the place These iusts continued thrée daies in the which were answered thrée hundred and fiue men of armes and euerie man ran fiue courses and with sharpe speares diuerse were slaine not spoken of At the randon and turneie the duke of Suffolke hurt a gentleman so that he was like to die The Marques Dorset stroke monsieur Grue an Albanois with his speare persed his headpéece and put him in ieopardie The duke of Suffolke in the turneie ouerthrew a man of armes horsse man and so did the lord Marquesse another and yet the Frenchmen would in no wise praise them At this turneie the Dolphin was hurt in the hand so that he could not performe his chalenge at the barriers and put one of his aid in his roome The next daie after began the fight at the barriers And bicause the Dolphin was not present the
of Maie and then taking leaue of the king and of his aunt the queene departed to Sandwich where he tooke his ships and sailed into Flanders The same daie the king made saile from the port of Douer and landed at Calis about eleuen of the clocke and with him the quéene and ladies manie nobles of the realme His grace was receiued into the checker and there rested The fourth of Iune the king and quéene with all their traine remooued from Calis to his princelie lodging newlie erected beside the towne of Guisnes the most noble roiall lodging that euer before was seene ¶ For it was a palace the which was quadrant and euerie quadrant of the same palace was thrée hundred and twentie eight foot long of assise which was in compasse thirtéene hundred and twelue foot about This palace was set on stages by great cunning sumptuous worke At the entering into the palace before the gate on the plaine gréene was builded a fountaine of unbowed worke gilt with fine gold and bice ingraâ—led with antike works the old god of wine called Bacchus birling the wine which by the conduits in the earth ran to all people plentiouslie with red white and claret wine ouer whose head was written in letters of Romane in gold Faicte bonne chere qui vouldra On the other hand or side of the gate was set a piller which was of ancient Romane worke borne with foure lions of gold the pillers wrapped in a wreath of gold curiouslie wrought and intrailed and on the summit of the said piller stood an image of the blind god Cupid with his bow and arrows of loue readie by his séeming to strike the yoong people to loue The foregate of the same palace or place with great and mightie masonrie by sight was arched with a tower on euerie side of the same port rered by great craft and imbattelled was the gate and tower and in the fenesters and windowes were images resembling men of warre readie to cast great stones Also the same gate or tower was set with compassed images of ancient princes as Hercules Alexander and other by intrailed worke richlie limmed with gold and albine colours and well and warilie was made ouer the gate loups and inforced with battelments and in the same gate a lodge for the porter which there appeared and other sumptuouslie apparelled like vnto kings officers By the same gate all people passed into a large court faire and beautifull for in this court appeared much of the outward beautie of this place for from the first water table to the raising or reisin péeces were baie windowes on euerie side mixed with cleare stories curiouslie glased the posts or moinels of euerie window was gilt Thus the outward part of the place lumined the eies of the beholders by reason of the sumptuous wâ—â—ke Also the tower of the gate as séemed was builded by great masonrie and by great engine of mans wit for the sundrie countenances of euerie image line 10 that there appeared some shooting some casting some readie to strike and firing of gunnes which shewed verie honorablie Also all the said quadrants baies and edifices were roiallie intrailed as â—aâ—re as vnto the same court apperteined And direct against the gate was deuised a halpas and at the entrie of the staire were images of sore and terrible countenances all armed in curious worke of argentine The baie of the same halpas pendant by craft of timber vnder it antike images of gold inâ—â—roned line 20 with verdor of olifs cast in compasse mounâ—â—ring their countenances toward the entring of the palace The staire of the said halpas was cast of passage by the wents of brode steps so that from the first foot or lowest step anie person might without paine go vnto the highest place of the same halpas On euerie hand was their chamber doores and enterings into the chambers of the same palace which were long and large and well proportioned to receiue light and aire at pleasure the roofes of them line 30 from place to place and chamber to chamber were sieled and couered with cloth of silke of the most faire and quicke inuention that before time was séene For the ground was white ingraild embowed and batoned with rich clothes of silkes knit and fret with cuts and braids and sundrie new casts that the same clothes of silke shewed like bullions of fine burned gold and the roses in losenges that in the same roofe were in kindlie course furnished so to line 40 mans sight that no liuing creature might but ioy in the beholding thereof For from the iaw péece of the said sieling which péece was gilt with fine gold were workes in pane paled all the walles to the crest incountering the cleare stories the same crest which was of large deepnesse the worke was antike knots with bosses cast and wrought with more cunning than I can write all which works and ouerages were gilt and to set it the more to the glorie the flourishing bise was comparable to the rich ammell Also at the foot of the same palace was another crest line 50 all of fine set gold whereon hanged rich maruelous clothes of arras wrought of gold and silke compassed of manie ancient stories with which clothes of arras euerie wall and chamber were hanged all the windowes so richlie couered that it passed all other sights before séene In euerie chamber and euerie place conuenient were clothes of estate great and large of cloth of gold of tissue and rich embroderie with chaires couered with like cloth with pommels line 60 of fine gold and great cushins of rich worke of the Turkie making nothing lacked of honourable furnishment Also to the same palace was reared a chappell with two closets the quire of the said chappell sieled with cloth of gold and thereon fret ingrailed bent clothes of silke all was then silke and gold The altars of this chappell were hanged with rich reâ—esture of cloth of gold and tissue embrodered with perles Ouer the hie altar was hanged a rich canopie of maruellous greatnesse the altar was apparelled with fiue paire of candlesticks of gold and on the altar an halpas and thereon stood a crucifix all of fine gold and on the same halpas stood twelue images of the bignes of foure yeares of age all gold All the copes and vestments were so rich as might be prepared or bought in the citie of Florens for they were all but of one péece so wouen for the purpose cloth of tissue and powdered with red roses purpled with fine gold The Orfris set with pearles and precious stones And all the walles and deskes of this chappell were hanged with right cloth of gold thrée rich great crosses were there readie to be borne at festiuall times and basens and censers gospellers paxes crewets holie water vessels and other ornaments all of gold Also in the first closet was a
might make account of and further to haue the armor and weapons séene and viewed Nothing left he vndoone that tended to the foreséeing and preuenting of a mischiefe to insue line 10 which in a prince is counted a vertue because such prouidence and circumspection is reputed no lesse in a priuat ordinarie man as the poet Plautus saith Virtus est vbi occasio admonet dispicere Sir William Forman knight at that present maior of London was commanded to certifie the names of all the able men within the citie and liberties thereof betwéene the ages of thrée score and of sixtéene with the number of armors and weapons of all kinds of sorts Wherevpon the said maior and his brethren ech one in his ward by the oth of the line 20 common councell and constable tooke the number of men armor and weapons And after well considering of the matter by view of their bookes they thought it not expedient to admit the whole number certified for apt and able men and therefore assembling themselues againe they chose forth the most able persons and put by the residue speciallie such as had no armor nor for whom anie could be prouided But when they were crediblie aduertised by line 30 Thomas Cromwell lord priuie seale to whome the citie was greatlie beholden that the king himselfe would see the people of the citie muster in a conuenient number and not to set forth all their power but to leaue some at home to kéepe the citie then eftsoons euerie alderman repaired to his ward and there put aside all such as had iacks cotes of plate of maile and brigandines and appointed none but such as had white armor except such as should beare morish pikes which ware no armor but sculles and line 40 there was no stranger although he were a denisine permitted to be in this muster Euerie man being of anie abilitie prouided him selfe a cote of white silke and garnished their basenets with turues like caps of silke set with owches furnished with chaines of gold and feathers or caused their armor to be guilt and likewise their halberds and pollaxes Some and especiallie certeine goldsmiths had their whole armor of siluer bullion The lord maior the recorder the aldermen and euerie line 50 other officer beside were gorgeouslie trimmed as for their degrees was thought séemelie The maior had sixteene tall fellowes on foot attending on him with guilt halberds apparelled in white silke doublets and their hose and shooes were likewise white cut after the Almaine guise pounsed and pulled out with red sarsenet their ierkins were of white leather cut and chains about their necks with feathers and brooches in their caps The recorder and euerie alderman had about him foure halberders trimmed line 60 also in warlike sort The chamberleine of the citie the councellors aldermens deputies were appointed to be wiflers on horssebacke which aloft on their armor ware white damaske cotes mounted on good horsses well trapped with great chaines about their necks and proper iauelins or battell axes in their hands and caps of veluet richlie trimmed The wiflers on foot being in number foure hundred proper light persons were clad in white ierkins of leather cut with white hose and shooes euerie man with a iauelin or slaughsword in his hands to kéepe the people in arraie They had chaines about their necks and fethers in their caps The minstrels were in white with the armes of the citie and so was euerie other person at this muster without anie diuersitie the lord maior recorder and aldermen onelie excepted who had crosses of veluet or satin pirled with gold The standard bearers were the tallest men of euerie ward for whome were made thirtie new standards of the deuise of the citie beside baners Euerie alderman mustred his own ward in the fields to sée that euerie man were in furniture prouided as was requisite The eight of Maie being the daie appointed for to shew themselues before the king euerie alderman in order of battell with those of his ward came into the fields at Mile end and then all the gunners seuered themselues into one place the pikes into another and the archers into an other and likewise the bilmen and there cast themselues in rings and other formes of battell which was a beautifull sight to behold for all the fields from white Chapell to Mile end and from Bednall greene to Ratcliffe Stepnie were all couered with armour men and weapons and especiallie the battell of pikes séemed to be as it had béene a great forrest Then was euerie part diuided into thrée battels a for-ward a midle-ward and a rere-ward About seauen of the clocke marched forward the light péeces of ordinance with stone and powder After them followed the drums and fifes and immediatlie after them a guidon of the armes of the citie Then followed master Sadler capteine of the gunners on horssebacke armed and in a cote of veluet with a chaine of gold and foure halberders about him apparelled as before is recited Then followed the gunners foure in a ranke euerie one going fiue foot in sunder which shot altogither in diuerse places verie liuelie and in speciallie before the kings maiestie which at that time sat in his new gatehouse at his palace of Westminster where he viewed all the whole companie In like maner passed the other companies of all the three battels in good and séemelie order The foremost capteine at nine of the clocke in the morning by the little conduit came and entered into Paules churchyard and from thense directlie to Westminster and so through the sanctuarie and round about the parke of S. Iames and vp into the field comming home through Holborne and as the first capteine entered againe to the little conduit the last of the muster entered Paules churchyard which was then about foure of the clocke in the afternoone The number beside the wiflers and of other waiters was fiftéene thousand ¶ The eight of Iulie Griffith Clearke vicar of Wandsworth with his chapleine and his seruant frier Waire were all foure hanged and quartered at S. Thomas Waterings The tenth of Iulie sir Adrian Fortescue and Thomas Dingleie were beheaded The ninth of September the nunnerie of Clerkenwell and diuerse others were suppressed This yeare the sixtéenth of September came to London duke Frederike of Baniere the Palsgraue of the Rhine and the eightéenth of the same moneth came to London the marshall of Hans Frederike prince elector of Saxonie and the chancellor of William duke of Cleue Gulicke Gelderland and Berghen The Palsgraue was receiued and conducted to Windsore by the duke of Suffolke and the other were accompanied with other noble men and the thrée and twentith of the same moneth they all came to Windsore where eight daies togither they were continuallie feasted and had pastime shewed them in hunting and other pleasures so much as might be The Palsegraue shortlie after departed homewards
shillings Strangers as well denizens as other being line 40 inhabitants doubled this summe and euerie stranger not bring an inhabitant that was sixteene yéeres of age and vpwards paid foure pence for euerie poll And for lands fées and annuities euerie one borne within the kings dominions paid eight pence of the pound from twentie shillings to fiue pounds And from fiue pounds to ten pounds sixtéene pence From ten pounds to twentie pounds two shillings And from twentie pounds and vpwards thrée shillings line 50 strangers still doubling this summe The cleargie granted a subsidie of six shillings the pound to be paied of their benefices in perpetuities in three yeares insuing and euerie priest hauing no perpetuitie but an annuall stipend paid yearelie during the said thrée yeares six shillings and eight pence About the same time the king and the emperour sent Garter and Toison Dor kings at armes to demand the performance of certeine articles of the line 60 French king which if he denied they were commanded then to defie him but he would not suffer them to come within his land so they returned Whervpon the king caused the said demands to be declared to the French ambassador at Westminster And in Iulie the king sent ouer six thousand men vnder the leading of sir Iohn Wallop appointed to haue the generall conduction of them accompanied with diuerse other knights esquiers and gentlemen right hardie and valiant Sir Thomas Seimer was marshall of that armie sir Robert Bowes treasuror sir Richard Cromwell capteine of the horssemen and sir George Carew his lieutenant There were likewise sir Thomas Palmer sir Iohn Reinsforth sir Iohn saint Iohn and sir Iohn Gascoigne knights that were capteines of the footmen They were appointed to ioine with the emperours power and so to make warre into France They departed from Calis the two and twentith of Iulie The third of August open warre was proclamed in London betwixt the emperour and the king of England on the one part and the French king on the other as enimie mortall to them both and to all other christian princes beside as he that had confederated himselfe with the Turke The armie that was sent ouer vnder the leading of sir Iohn Wallop passed foorth from the marches of Calis and keeping alongst betwixt the borders of the French and Burgonion pales and confines and ioining with the emperors forces Spaniards Wallons and Dutch came at length before Landerseie a towne latelie fortified by the French within the borders of the emperors dominions to the which they laid a strong siege At length the emperour hauing dispatched his wars against the duke of Cleue who had submitted himselfe vnto him came now to the siege of Landerseie with a mightie power of sundrie nations so that the towne was sore constreined and in danger to haue béene lost if at that present the French king had not likewise with an huge armie of Frenchmen Switzers Lantsquenets Italians and others come to the rescue pitching downe his campe making countenance as if he ment presentlie to giue battell and verelie it was thought that two such powers as were there at that time so néere togither should neuer haue departed without battell The emperor thinking suerlie to fight raised his siege and drew his people into the field The Frenchmen thereby espieng their aduantage put as well fresh men as vittels and all kind of munition necessarie into the towne and in the meane while kept the emperours people occupied with hot skirmishes But now after the towne was thus reléeued which thing the French king onelie wished to accomplish the next daie when the emperor was readie with his armie ranged in battell to haue fought with his aduersaries the French king put his armie also in order but hauing no mind to come forward he trifled foorth that daie and in the night following secretlie departed with as much haste as was possible When the next morning had discouered the Frenchmens flight for manie so termed this their sudden retire it was no néed to bid diuerse troops of the emperours armie to hie after them but some made too much haste For the French king suspecting what would insue appointed his eldest sonne Henrie the Dolphin to remaine behind with the rereward accompanied with diuerse noble capteins which ordered their people in their retire with such warinesse and héedfull skill as the reason of warre required that such of the emperours campe as aduentured ouer rashlie and shewed themselues more forward than wise fell within danger of such ambushments as were by the waie couertlie laid in places of aduantage and so diuerse were taken as sir George Carew sir Thomas Palmer knight porter of Calis Edward Bellingham and others But neuerthelesse a great number of such Frenchmen as could not make waie and kéepe pase with their maine troops were snapped vp slaine and taken in no small numbers by their enimies who followed them as egre as tigers and as the describer of that pursute saith Imbuit gladios manante cruore Britannus This was after Alhalowentide so that now by reason the winter was farre entred and the weather waxing extreame foule and contrarie to an armie that should lie in the fields the emperour brake vp his campe and licenced the most part of his people to depart home into their countries for all hope to win Landerseie at that time was cleane cut off sith it was vittelled and newlie furnished with fresh men and munition After that the warres were once open betwixt England and France sundrie enterprises were attempted by the parties on either side in the marches of Calis and Bullognois in which for the most part the Englishmen got the vpper hand of their enimies line 10 At one time the Frenchmen to the number of eight hundred comming in the night season to enter into the English pale by the turne pike at Hammes in purpose to make some spoile in the countrie there were assailed vpon the sudden by sir George Summerset and sir William Walgraue latelie before come ouer with two hundred men out of Suffolke to strengthen the English pale against the enimies and at this time did behaue themselues so valiantlie that they disappointed the enimies of their purpose line 20 For whereas they were entered into a lane inclosed with hedges on either side sixtéene archers getting into the grounds on the backe side of the hedges lieng alongst the lane through which the Frenchmen were marching placed themselues as they saw their aduantage and so bestowed their shot that they galled the Frenchmen in such wise that they were forced to recule in so great disorder that other of the Englishmen comming vpon them easilie slue and tooke of them no small number line 30 Beside this at sundrie times the Englishmen inuading the countrie of Bullognois wasted the townes and villages brought awaie great booties of goods and cattell to the great impouerishing of the countrie They burnt at one
conuoie of vittels from Calis to Bullogne Whilest he there remained manie princes and great lords came from the court that laie at an abbeie called forrest Montier eleuen leagues from Bullogne beyond Muttrell on the waie towards Abuille in hope that battell should haue followed bewixt the English and French armies Among other that came thither are these remembred as principall monsieur Danguien monsieur Daumalle monsieur le duc de Neuers monsieur le conte de Lauall and monsieur de la Trimouille Monsieur Daumalle eldest sonne to the duke of Guise being lodged in the vantgard that was gouerned by monsieur de Brissac chanced on a daie to be present at a skirmish where shewing himselfe verie forward he was striken through the sight of his helmet with a light horssemans staffe that pearsing in betwixt his nose and his eie entred halfe a foot into his head as monsieur de Langeie writeth and breaking off a two singers beneath the iron the same iron remained still within his head but yet escaping out of the English mens hands he came backe to the campe had the truncheon and iron pulled out of his head and being dressed was conueied in a litter to Piquignie where he laie for two or thrée daies in such danger that no man looked that he should haue escaped with life There were manie of these skirmishes wherin the Englishmen bare themselues so valiantlie that the Frenchmen went awaie oftentimes with losse of manie of their noble men and best souldiers At one time they lost the lord Menaintuille brother to the lord de Tillebonne being slaine with stroke of lance and pike At another time they lost likewise a yoong lord of Picardie called le seigneur de Fretoie At length after their new fort or bastiâ—lion was brought in some strength they furnished it in most defensible wise with men munition and vittels naming it Monpleastre Herewith monsieur de Biez departing from mount Lambert with part of the armie came downe towards Calis and entring into the English pale beside Grauelin wan certeine bulworks and incountring diuerse new bands of Leicestershiremen and others latelie before sent ouer distressed them and after burnt certeine villages forraied the countrie almost to Marke and afterwards in great hast with their bootie and pillage they turned This enterprise was exploited by the French men about S. Matthews daie in September There were with monsieur de Biez at this enterprise the lord of Brissac who gouerned the vauntgard and had with him his owne companie of men of armes and the light horssemen of whome he had the generall conduct There was also the companie of men at armes that belonged to the constable of France led by the lord Guich fiftie men of armes vnder the gouernance of the lord of Helleie the companie also of the lord of Boisie the companie of the lord Escars and that of the lord de la Roch du Maine others There was also monsieur de Taies generall of the French footmen and manie yoong princes and lords of high estate as monsieur Francis de Bourbon duc Danglien Francis de Lorraine duke Daumalle latelie recouered of his hurt the duke of Neuers and the earle de Lauall that in this voiage was hurt with an harquebush shot in the arme The three and twentith of Nouember a parlement began at Westminster in the which was granted to the king a subsidie of the spiritualtie of six shillings the pound to be paid in two yeares next insuing and of the temporaltie two shillings and eight pence of the pound in goods and foure shillings of the pound in lands to be paid likewise within two yeares Also in this parlement all colleges chanteries and hospitals were committed to the king to order by altering or transposing the same as to him should séeme expedient which at the prorogation of the same parlement line 10 he promised should be doone to the glorie of God and the common profit of the realme The foure and twâ—ntith of December the said parlement was proroged on which daie the king comming into the house to giue his roiall assent vnto such acts as were passed the speaker made vnto him an eloquent oration to the which although the custome hath euer beene that the lord chancellor should make answer it pleased the king at that present to make the answer himselfe which he vttered as here ensueth line 20 The kings oration in the parlement house ALthough my chancellor for the time being hath before this time vsed verie eloquentlie and substantiallie to make answer to such orations as hath béene set foorth in this high court of parlement yet is he not so able to open and set foorth line 30 my mind and meaning and the secrets of my heart in so plaine and ample manner as I my selfe am and can doo Wherefore I taking vpon me to answer your eloquent oration maister speaker saie that where you in the name of our welbeloued commons haue both praised and extolled me for the notable qualities that you haue conceiued to be in me I most hartilie thanke you all that you haue put me in remembrance of my dutie which is to indeuour my selfe to obteine and get such excellent qualities line 40 and necessarie vertues as a prince or gouernour should or ought to haue of which gifts I recognise my selfe both bare and barren but of such small qualities as God hath indued me withall I render to his goodnesse my most humble thanks intending with all my wit and diligence to get and acquire to me such notable vertues and princelie qualities as you haue alledged to be incorporated in my person These thanks for your louing admonition and good line 50 counsell first remembred I eftsoones thanke you Againe bicause that you considering our great charge not for our pleasure but for your defense not for our gaine but to our great cost which we haue latelie susteined aswell in defense of our and your enimies as for the conquest of that fortresse which was to this realme most displesant and noisome and shal be by Gods grace hereafter to our nation most profitable and pleasant haue fréelie of your owne minds granted to vs a certeine subsidie here in an line 60 act specified which verelie we take in good part regarding more your kindnesse than the profit thereof as he that setteth more by your louing harts than by your substance Beside this hartie kindnesse I cannot a little reioise when I consider the perfect trust and confidence which you haue put in me as men hauing vndoubted hope and vnfeined beléefe in my good dooings and iust proceedings for you without my desire or request haue committed to mine order and disposition all chanteries colleges hospitals and other places specified in a certeine act firmlie trusting that I will order them to the g lorie of God and the profit of the common-wealth Surelie if I contrarie to your expectation should suffer
Chatillon now comming towards this enterprise Wherevpon one of the same Englishmen named Carter that had aforetime giuen intelligence to the said sir Nicholas of the Frenchmens dooings so farre as he might learne and vnderstand the same would gladlie haue aduertised sir Nicholas Arnalt of the Frenchmens purpose at this time but monsieur de Chatillon kept the matter so secret that Carter nor any of the other Englishmen had knowledge thereof till they were line 30 now marching forward so that Carter could not get awaie from them till they were approched within lesse than a quarter of a mile of Bullognberg and then slipping aside from among them came running so fast as he might towards the fort crieng Bowes bowes as lowd as his voice would serue so gaue the alarum to them within the fort One of the soldiers called Morgaine Deaton that chanced to be there at hand in scout with three or foure other streight knew him and brought him to line 40 the draw-bridge where sir Nicholas Arnalt caused him to be drawen vp betwixt two pikes vnto whome he declared how the Frenchmen were at hand meaning to assaile his fort now vpon the sudden in hope so to surprise it Herewith it néeded not to will sir Nicholas to bestirre him to cause euerie man to make readie and place themselues as was thought most expedient And vndoubtedlie the noble courage of that worthie gentleman furthered much to cause euerie capteine and soldier vnder him to put awaie line 50 all feare and to haue a regard to doo his dutie for the receiuing of the enimies so as they séemed glad of the occasion whereby they might shew proofe of their accustomed manhood against the enimie that thus came to steale on them without warning in purpose to kill euerie man that fell into their hands if their intention had taken place making now such hast forward that before the Englishmen could â—e well readie with their armour and weapons in their appointed places the Frenchmen were got to the ditches line 60 and appointing thrée thousand of their numbers the most part gentlemen and double paies with targets battell axes and pistols to haue the first scale saluted them within vpon their verie approch with seuen hundred harquebuts shot at the first volée The Englishmen by order giuen by sir Nicholas kept themselues close till the Frenchmen by their sealing ladders which they brought with them and had quickelie raised against the walles began to mount vp and enter vpon them at which instant off went the flankers Those of sir Nicholas Arnalts monts discharged verie well at the first but at the second volee the morters burst Albeit there were two brasse peeces that were planted aloft on the same mont of the which the one discharged fiue twentie shot by the maister and the other seuen and twentie by his maiestie Sir Nicholas Arnalt here being accompanied with his capteins and soldiers about him stood at defense so stoutlie as was possible dooing so valiantlie that their fame deserueth to liue for euer There were burst vpon the faces of the enimies ouer and beside the shot that was bestowed among them to the number of fiftéene hundred pikes and blacke bils The Frenchmen verelie stucke to it to the vttermost and did what laie in the verie last point of their powers to enter vpon the Englishmen supplieng still the places of their dead and wearie men with fresh succors Carter that came to bring word of their comming with a pike in his hand stood at the place of the bulworke where they thus gaue the assault fought right valiantlie giuing manie wounds and receiuing some againe for he was hurt both in the thigh and arme who suerlie of a priuat soldier if he were priuat and ordinarie séemed verie seruiceable at all assaies considering into what desperat aduentures and hazzards he did as it were cast himselfe estéeming lesse the losse of life and lim than the reproch and dishonor of his countrie the glorie renowme wherof aboue all worldlie things which are but temporall all men are naturallie bound with might maine both to séeke and saue as one verie well saith Nascimur vt patriam vitáque operáque iuuemus Sir Nicholas Arnalt himselfe was hurt with a pike in the nose Capteine Warren standing on the same bulworke with sir Nicholas receiued two shots in his corselet and one of them droue two or three links of his chaine into his necke Capteine Broughton had there sixtéene of his armed men euerie of them hauing their corselets persed through The number of the Englishmen that were slaine was reckoned to be fiue and twentie and hurt eight and fiftie Of Frenchmen there were slaine a great number beside those that were hurt and at length through shot casting downe of stones and timber vpon their heads scalding water and handblowes they were repelled retiring out of the trenches shortlie after the breake of the daie hauing continued the assault from midnight till that time still renewing their forces in hope to atchiue their wished preie but being thus beaten off they gathered togither their dead men and lading fiftéene waggons with their carcasses they returned backe without making anie further attempt at that time And so by the high valiancie of sir Nicholas Arnalt and the other capteins that serued in that fort vnder him and chieflie by the assistance of almightie God the giuer of all victories the enimies were repelled to their great dishonor and the péece reserued to the immortall renowme of the defendants Within a daie or two after the generall of the Frenchmen sent to know of prisoners taken but sir Nicholas Arnalt answered the messenger that he knew of no warre and therefore if anie had attempted to make a surprise of his péece by stealth they were serued accordinglie to their malicious meanings Indéed said he we haue taken none of your men but we haue got some of your braue guilt armour weapons Well said the messenger it is not the cowle that maketh the moonke and no more is it the braue armour or weapon that maketh the man of warre but the fortune of warre is such sometime to gaine and sometime to lose Sir Nicholas receiuing him into the fort made him good chéere and gaue him fiftie crownes in reward and so he departed But concerning the liberalitie of sir Nicholas I might here speake further thereof how bountifullie he rewarded the souldiers for their great manhood shewed at that time in defending so sharpe an assault to their great honour and no lesse confusion of the aduersaries The daie after the said assault there came to Bullognberg from Guisnes a supplie of thrée or foure hundred men vnder the leading of sir William Cobham now lord Cobham and others Within a while after sir Nicholas Arnalt sent forth thrée hundred footmen and fiue and twentie horssemen conducted by the said sir William Cobham capteine Mutton of the
the said citie but the bailiffes reteining their old and ancient custome doo kéepe the like courts and in the like causes distinctlie from the maior by themselues at all time and times the mondaies and festiuall daies excepted as it shall please them to assigne and with their court is called by the name of the prouost court Thus the maior and bailiffes both iointlie and seuerallie line 10 haue iurisdiction to decerne and determine in ciuill matters But if the matters doo touch and concerne the prince the crowne the common peace anie criminall matter or the publike state of the citie and common-wealth of the same then the same are decided by the maior and iustices or by the maior and common councell or by the maior himselfe or by some other officer or officers according to the nature and qualitie of the cause and offense But bicause it requireth a large and speciall course to describe the line 20 gouernement of this citie and common-wealth of the same the charge of euerie officer the diuersitie of officers their seuerall iurisdictions and a number of other things incident vnto their charges there is a particular booke imprinted and at large the same is set out in such order as is requisite and apperteining to the gouernement whereby euerie man may know his office and charge and what to him dooth apperteine And let it suffice that partlie through good gouernement and partlie of a good inclination line 30 the people of this citie haue béene alwaies dutifull and obedient to the king and the lawes and haue in great awe and reuerence their gouernours and magistrats for the time being And this one thing is not so strange as worthie to be noted that euen from the beginning from time to time they haue béene carefull for their common-wealth and vigilant for the preseruation of the same And as in times of peace and quietnesse the same hath beene well gouerned so in times troublesome and vnquiet line 40 it hath béene most valiantlie defended against the inuasions and assaults of the enimies as by sundrie histories it may appeare whereof for example these few may serue line 1 First Aruiragus king of this land then named Britaine minding to staie the land in his ancient estate fréedome and libertie did withdraw and denie to paie vnto the Romans the tribute which they did require and demand wherefore Claudius the emperor sent Uespasian then duke of the Romane armie line 50 into this realme with a great hoast either to recouer the tribute or to subdue the land This Uespasian is he who in the foure and twentith yeare after this his iourneie did destroie Ierusalem Wherfore this duke landing in Torrebate then named Totonesium littus came to this citie laid siege vnto it and gaue continuall assaults therevnto for eight daies continuallie togither Aruiragus the king being then in the east parts of the land and hearing of this with a great armie and power marcheth towards this citie to remooue line 60 the siege and incountereth with the enimie The Romane after long fight and not able to preuaile is contented to come to parlée and in the end a composition was concluded as if dooth appeare and is set downe and written by sundrie historiographers The chronicle of the cathedrall church of the said citie hath these words Anno Domini 49 Vespassanus cum Romano exercitu ciuitatem nunc vocatam Exeter â—cto diebus obsedit sedminimè praeualuit Aruirago rege ciuibus auxilium praestante Geffreie of Monmouth hath these words Vespasianus à Claudio missus est vt Arâ—iragum vel pacificaret vel Romanae subiectioni restitueret Cùmigitur inportu in Rutâ—pi applicare voluisset Vespasianus obuâ—aâ—it ei Aruiragus atque prohibuit nâ— portum ingrederetur Retraxit itaque se Vespasianus à portu illo retortisque velis in littore Totonesio applicuit Nactus deinde tellurem Caier â—enhulgoite quae nunc Exonia vocà tur obsessurus eandem adiuit cùmque octo diebus eandem obsedisset superuenit Aruiragus cum exercitu suo praeliùmque commisit die illa valde laceratus fuit vtrorùmque exercitus sed neuter est victoria potitus mane autem facto mediante Geâ—aâ—issa regina concordes effecti sunt Matthew of Westminster writeth Aruiragus Britannorum rex in tantam proâ—apsus est superbiaÌ„ quòd Romanae potestatis noluit diutiùs subiectiom parere Vespasianus igitur à Claudio missus cùm in Rutupi portu applicare incepisset Aruiragus illi â—buius prohibuit ne ingrederetur At Vespasianus recortis velis in Totonesio littore applicuit ciuitatem quae Britannicè Caier Penhulgoite nunc autenâ— Exonia appellatur obsedit elapsis inde septem diebus Aruiragus superuenit praeliùmque commisit vtrorùmque exercitu valde lacerato mediante Genwissa Claudij filia duces amici facti sunt In the historie intituled Noua historia de gestis Anglorum a Britonibus vsque ad Henricum sextum is written the like in effect Vespasianus à Claudio missus est vt Aruiragum pacificaret vel Romanae ditioni restitueret cui obuians Aruiragus probibuit ne terram suam ingrederetur timens Vespasianus armatorum cohortem retraxit sese retortisque velis in Totonesio littore est appulsus atque vrbem Exoniae obsedit post septem dies superuenit Aruiragus praelium committitur laceratùrque vtrorùmque exercitus sed neuter potitur victoria demum mediante Genewissa regina reconciliati sunt It was also in manie troubles and great perplexities in the vncerteine and troublesome states of this realme when sometimes the Romans sometimes the Picts sometimes the Scots sometimes the Saxons and sometimes the Danes made their incursions and warres within this land by reason whereof the records and memorials in those daies for the most part were lost and consumed And yet Matthew of Westminster writeth that it was besieged by Penda king of Mertia in the yeare line 2 of our Lord 632 in the time of Cadwallin one of the last kings of the Britons The historie is this Edwin the Saxon king of the Northumbers â—auing wars against Cadwallin or Cadwallâ— did so preuaile and had such conquests ouer him that Cadwallo was driuen to forsake his realme of Waleâ— and to flie into Ireland where he being was 〈◊〉 carefull and pensifull how to recouer his countrie againe Wherefore he repareth his armie and gathereth a new force and gaue sundrie â—ttempts to atchiue to his purpose but all was in vaine 〈…〉 could neuer set foot on land in his countrie 〈◊〉 win was alwaies at hand and in a readinesse to 〈◊〉 and resist the same for this Edwin had about him in his seruice a man named Pellitus who was a magician and verie skilfull in necromancie and who by his art and science did foreshew and declare vnto Edwin what things were a dooing and attempted against him Cadwallo hauing continuallie euill successe was in vtter despaire and distrust to
citie into his faith marched with his armie to the said Ile tooke the same as also the earle himselfe whome he foorthwith banished But Mawd the empresse afterwards remembring this citie for such their seruice as she well liked did inlarge the liberties of this citie for whome yearelie euer after was an anniuersarie kept at the charges of the citie It was also in great troubles in the eleuenth yere of king Richard the second Anno 1387. For a controuersie line 9 being fallen betwéene the king his two vncles the dukes of Yorke Glocester none were then so highlie in the kings fauour as were Robert Uere marques of Dublin and Michaell de la Poole earle of Suffolke others of their faction To these the king gaue in commandement to collect and muster an armie as it were for his defense against his said vncles which when they had partlie doone whether it were bicause they mistrusted their owne parts or whether they doubted of the sequele of their dooings they left their iourneie towards London as it was first appointed and came towards this citie The two dukes who stood vpon their owne gard and defense hauing aduertisement hereof followed and persuaded them with all haste and spéed and hauing ouertaken them at this citie they ioined the fight with the marques and the earle But they trusting more to their feet than to their hands secretlie gaue the slip and fled awaie making no staie before they came to Scotland and from thence into Flanders where they died It was moreouer in troubles in the tenth yere of line 10 king Edward the fourth Anno 1469 when the states of this king and of king Henrie the sixt were doubtfull and the whole realme diuided some following king Henrie and some king Edward In time of which troubles the duches of Clarence the lord Dineham the lord Fitzwaren and the baron of Carew who followed and tooke part with king Henrie came to this citie being accompanied and stipated with a thousand fightingmen The duches was great with child and lodged in the bishops palace but the lords were in other houses within the close among the chanons and here staied themselues But sir Hugh Courtneie knight who then fauoured and was on the part of king Edward hearing of this assemblie raiseth an armie of his friends and alies approcheth therewith vnto this citie besiegeth it breaketh the bridges and stoppeth all the waies leading to the same and by which means no vittels could bée brought to the markets and being thus incamped about this citie sendeth to the maior requiring him line 10 either to open the gates and to giue him entrie or to deliuer vnto him the gentlemen that were therein On the other side the gentlemen which were within they either mistrusting the maior and citizens or not willing to stand to his courtesie and be vnder his gouernement required the keies of the citie gates to be deliuered vnto their custodie and that all things to be doone by their order and appointment In these doubts and perplexities consulting what were best to be doone they did at length resolue conclude line 20 neither to yeeld to the requests of them who were without nor yet to satisfie the demands of them which were within the citie but pacifieng both parties with such good words and in such good order as they might did reserue to themselues the kéeping and safe custodie of the citie being the chamber of the king parcell of the reuenues of the crowne to the onlie vse of the king and crowne as to them in dutie and allegiance did apperteine And therefore forthwith they rampired vp the citie gates fortified line 30 the walles appointed souldiers and did set all things in such good order as in that case was requisit leauing nothing vndoone which might be for the preseruation of the state commonwealth of the citie But yet for want of forecasting in processe of time the prouision within the citie waxed short and vittels to be scant whereof it was doubted there would insue some famine which the common people neither could nor would indure if some remedie were not in due time had and prouided The magistrats line 40 did their best indeuor euerie waie aswell by diligence in following as by counselling in persuading euerie man to continue firme and true to the publike state and their owne priuate common-weale And albeit the common people were vnpatient to abide troubles and loth to indure the present state of want and famine yet they had that respect to their owne truth faith and safetie as euerie man yeelded himselfe contented to abide and indure the time of their deliuerance and by the good will line 50 of God it followed and the same tooke good effect For about twelue daies after this sturre begun by waie of intreatie and mediation of certeine chanons of the cathedrall church of this citie the siege was remoued and raised wherevpon verie shortlie after did insue the field of Edgecourt where the duke of Clarence and the earle of Warwike being put to the worst did flée vnto this citie and made their entrie into the same the third daie of Aprill 1470 and laie in the bishops palace for a few daies vntill line 60 they had caused to be prouided ships at Dartmouth for their passage ouer into Calis The king being aduertised which waie his enimies were gone followed and pursued them with an armie of fortie thousand men and came to this citie the fourtéenth of Aprill 1470 hauing with him in his companie sundrie diuerse great lords and estates as namelie the bishop of Elie lord tresuror of England the duke of Norffolke earle marshall of England the duke of Suffolke the earle of Arundell the earle of Wiltshire son to the duke of Buckingham the earle of Shrewesburie the earle Riuers the lord Hastings the lord Greie of Codner the lord Audleigh the lord Saie the lord Sturton the lord Dacres the lord Mountioie the lord Stanleie the lord Ferris the baron of Dudleigh with a number of knights and gentlemen But they all came too late for the duke and the earle were both departed and gon to the seas before their comming Wherefore the king after that he had rested and reposed himselfe here thrée daies he departed and returned to London It was also in great troubles line 11 being besieged in the twelfe yeare of king Henrie the seuenth by one Perkin Warbecke 1470 who in the beginning of the moneth of September came to this citie and incamped about it with his whole armie with ordinance battered the walls fired the gates vndermined it and with mightie ladders scaled them and left nothing vndoone which might be to compasse their attempt thinking and supposing that small would be the resistance against them But such was the noble courage and valiant stomach of the citizens that they manfullie resisted and defended those forces and indured the
great feare on all men This noise was as it had beene the noise of a great storme or tempest which to some séemed to be heard from aboue like as if a great deale of gunpowder being inclosed in an armorie and hauing caught fire had violentlie broken out But to some againe it seemed as though it had béene a great multitude of horssemen running togither or comming vpon them such a noise was then in the eares of all men albeit they saw nothing Whereby it happened that all the people being amazed without any euident cause and without anie violence or stroke striken they ran awaie some into the ditches and puddles and some into the houses thereabout Other some being affraid with the horrour and noise fell downe groueling vnto the ground with their pollaxes halberds and most part of them cried out Iesus saue vs Iesus saue vs. Those which tarried still in their places for feare knew not where they were And I my selfe which was there present among the rest being also affraid in this hurlie burlie stood still altogither amazed looking when anie man would knocke me on the head It happened here as the euangelists write it did to Christ when the officers of the high priests Phariseis comming with wepons to take him being astonied ran backe fell to the ground In the meane time whilest these things were thus in dooing the people by chance spied one sir Anthoâ—ie Browne riding vnto the scaffold which was the occasion of a new noise For when they saw him comming they coniectured that which was not true but notwithstanding which they all wished for that the king by that messenger had sent his vncle pardon and therfore with great reioising and casting vp their caps they cried out Pardon pardon is come God saue the king Thus this good duke although he was destitute of all mans helpe yet he saw before his departure in how great loue and fauour he was with all men And trulie I doo not thinke that in so great slaughter of dukes as hath béene in England within this few yeares there was so manie weeping eies at one time and not without cause For all men did sée in the decaie of this duke the publike ruine of all England except such as indeed perceiued nothing The duke in the meane time standing still both in the same place and mind wherin he was before shaking his cap which he held in his hand made a signe vnto the people that they should kéepe themselues quiet which thing being doone silence obteined he spake to them the second time in this maner The second speech of the duke of Summerset to the people DEerelie beloued friends there is no such matter in hand as you vainlie hope or beleeue It seemeth thus good to almightie God whose ordinance it is meet necessarie that we be all obedient vnto Wherfore I praie you all to be quiet and without tumult for I am euen now quiet and let vs ioine in praier vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our noble king vnto whose maiestie I wish continuall health with all felicitie and abundance all maner of prosperous successe wherevnto the people cried out Amen Moreouer I wish vnto all his councellors the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule althings vprightlie with iustice vnto whome I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also verie necessarie for you vnder the paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation and safegard of the kings maiestie And forsomuch as heretofore I haue had oftentimes affaires with diuers men that it is hard to please euerie man that hath beene offended or iniuried by me I most humblie require and aske them forgiuenesse but especiallie almightie God whome thoroughout all my line 10 life I haue most greeuouslie offended And vnto all other whatsoeuer they be that haue offended me I doo with my whole heart forgiue them And once againe dearelie beloued in the Lord I require that you will keepe your selues quiet and still least thorough your tumult you might cause me to haue some trouble which in this case would line 20 nothing at all profit me neither be anie pleasure vnto you For albeit the spirit be willing and readie the flesh is fraile and wauering and thorough your quietnesse I shall be much more the quieter but if that you fall vnto tumult it will be great trouble no gaine at all vnto you Moreouer I desire you to beare me witnesse that I die heere in the faith of Iesus line 30 Christ desiring you to helpe me with your praiers that I maie perseuere constant in the same vnto my liues end Then he turning himselfe about knéeled downe vpon his knées vnto whome doctor Cox which was there present to counsell and aduertise him deliuered a certeine scroll into his hand wherein was conteined a briefe confession to God Which being read he stood vp againe on his féet without anie trouble of mind as it appeared and first bad the shiriffes farewell line 40 then the lieutenant of the tower certeine other that were on the scaffold taking them all by the hands Then he gaue the executioner monie which doone he put off his gowne and knéeling downe againe in the straw vntied his shirt strings and then the executioner comming to him turned downe his collar round about his necke and all other things which did let and hinder him Then he couering his face with his owne handkerchiefe lifting vp his eies vnto heauen where his onelie hope remained laid line 50 himselfe downe along shewing no maner of trouble or feare neither did his countenance change but that before his eies were couered there began to appéere a red colour in the middest of his cheeks ¶ Thus this most méeke and gentle duke lieng along and looking for the stroke bicause his doublet couered his necke he was commanded to rise vp and put it off then laieng himselfe downe againe vpon the blocke and calling thrise vpon the name of Iesus saieng Lord Iesu saue me as he was the line 60 third time repeating the same euen as the name of Iesu was in vttering in a moment he was bereft both of head and life and slept in the Lord Iesus being taken awaie from all the dangers and euils of this life and resting now in the peace of God in the preferment of whose truth and gospell he alwaies shewed himselfe an excellent instrument and member and therefore hath receiued the reward of his labours Thus gentle reader thou hast the true historie of this worthie and noble duke and if anie man report it otherwise let it be counted as a lie This duke was in high sauour and estimation with king Henrie the eight of whome he receiued sundrie high great preferments by reason that the the said king had married ladie Iane his sister by whome he had issue king Edward the
as well sundrie waies foresee and prouide for our owne safegards as anie of you by betraieng vs can doo for yours But now vpon the onelie trust and faithfulnesse of your honors whereof we thinke our selues most assured we doo hazzard our liues Which trust and promise if yée shall violate hoping thereby of life and promotion yet shall not God count you innocent of our blouds neither acquite you of the sacred and holie oth of allegiance made fréelie by you to this vertuous ladie the queenes highnesse who by your and our intisement is rather line 40 of force placed therein than by hir owne séeking and request Consider also that Gods cause which is the preferment of his word feare of papists entrance hath beene as ye haue here before alwaies laid the originall ground wherevpon ye euen at the first motion granted your goodwils and consents therevnto as by your handwritings appeareth and thinke not the contrarie but if ye meane deceit though not foorthwith yet hereafter God will reuenge the same line 50 I can saie no more but in this troublesome time wish you to vse constant hearts abandoning all malice enuie and priuat affections And therewithall the first course for the lords came vp wherefore the duke shut vp his talke with these words I haue not spoken to you in this sort vpon anie mistrust I haue of your truths of which alwaies I haue euer hitherto conceiued a trustie confidence but I haue put you in remembrance thereof what chance of variance so euer might grow amongst you in mine absence and this I praie you wish me not worsse good spéed in this line 60 iorneie than yée would haue to your selues My lord saith one of them if yee mistrust anie of vs in this matter your grace is farre deceiued for which of vs can wash his hands cleane thereof And if we should shrinke from you as from one that were culpable which of vs can excuse himselfe to be giltlesse Therefore herein your doubt is too farre cast I praie God it be quoth the duke let vs go to dinner and so they sat downe After dinner the duke went in to the quéene where his commission was by that time sealed for his lieutenantship of the armie and then tooke his leaue of hir and so did certeine other lords also Then as the duke came through the councell chamber he tooke his leaue of the earle of Arundell who praied God be with his grace saieng he was sorie it was not his chance to go with him and beare him companie in whose presence he could find in his heart to spend his bloud euen at his féet Then the earle of Arundell tooke Thomas Louell the dukes boie by the hand and said Farewell gentle Thomas with all my heart Then the duke with the lord marquesse of Northampton the lord Greie and diuerse other tooke their â—â—rge and went to Durham place and to White 〈◊〉 where that night they mustered their men and the next daie in the morning the duke departed with the number of six hundred men or thereabouts And as they rode through Shordich said the duke to the lord Greie The people prease to see vs but not one saith God spéed vs. The same daie sir Iohn Gates and other went out after the duke Now as the duke went forward on his waie with his commission from the whole councell and his warrant vnder the broad seale of England without mistrust of that which after fortuned to his owne destruction as in the historie of quéene Marie shall appeare accompanied with no small number of lords and gentlemen hauing notwithstanding his times prescribed and his iourneies appointed by the councell to the intent he would not seeme to doo any thing but vpon warrant what a doo there was what stirring on euerie side what sending what riding and posting what letters messages instructions went to and fro what talking among the souldiers what hartburning among the people what faire pretenses outwardlie inwardlie what priuie practises there were what speeding and sending foorth ordinance out of the tower yea euen the same daie that quéene Marie at euen was proclaimed quéene what rumors and comming downe of souldiers as there was from all quarters a world it was to see and a processe to declare enough to make as saith master Fox a whole volume euen as big as an Ilias The greatest helpe that made for the ladie Marie was the short iourneies of the duke which by commission were assigned vnto him before as aboue is mentioned and happilie not without the politike forecast of some in fauour of the ladie Marie for the longer the duke lingered in his voiage the ladie marie the more increased in puissance the hearts of the people being mightilie bent vnto hir Whervpon she in the meane time remaining at Fremingham and hearing of this preparation against hir gathered togither such power of the noblemen other hir fréends in that countrie as she could get And first of all the noblemen that came vnto hir aid were the earles of Sussex Bath and Oxford the lord Wentworth sir Thomas Cornewallis sir Henrie Ierningham sir William Walgraue with diuerse other gentlemen and commons of the counties of Norffolke and Suffolke Here as master Fox noteth the Suffolke men being the first that resorted to hir promised hir their aid and helpe to the vttermost of their powers so that she would not go about to alter the religion which hir brother had established and was now vsed and exercised through the realme To this condition she agréed with such promise as no man would haue doubted that anie innouation of matters in religion should haue followed by hir sufferance or procurement during hir reigne but how soone shée forgat that promise it shall shortlie after plainelie appeare In this meane season the lord Windsor sir Edmund Peckham sir Robert Drurie and sir Edward Hastings raised the commoners of the shire of Buckingham vnto whome sir Iohn Williams which afterward was lord Williams of Thame and sir Leonard Chamberleine with the cheefe power of Oxfordshire And out of Northamptonshire came sir Thomas Tresham and a great number of gentlemen out of diuerse parts whose names were too long to rehearse These capteins with their companies being thus assembled in warlike manner marched forward towards Norffolke to the aid of the ladie Marie and the further they went the more their power increased ¶ About this time six ships well manned that were line 10 appointed to lie before Yarmouth and to haue taken the ladie Marie if she had fled that waie were by force of weather driuen into the hauen where one maister Ierningham was raising power on the ladie Maries behalfe who hearing therof came thither Whervpon the capteins tooke a bote and went to the ships but the sailers and souldiers asked master Ierningham what he would haue and whether he would haue their capteins or no and he said yea Marrie
And with hir weightie foot breake superstitions head While loue of subiects shall rebellion distresse And with zeale to the prince insolencie downe tread While iustice flattering toongs and briberie can deface While follie and vaine glorie to wisedome yeeld their hands So long shall gouernement not swarue from hir right race But wrong decaieth still and rightwisenesse vp stands Now all thy subiects hearts ô prince of peerelesse fame Do trust these vertues shall mainteine vp thy throne And vice be kept downe still the wicked put to shame That good with good may ioy and naught with naught may mone Which verses were painted vpon the right side of the same pageant and the Latine thereof on the left side in another table which were these héere following Quae subnixa altè folio regina superbo est Effigiem sanctae principis alma refert Quam ciuilis amor fulcit sapientia firmat Iustitia illustrat relligióque beat Vana superstitio crassa ignorantia frontis Pressae sub pura relligione iacent Regis amor domat effraenos animósque rebelles Iustus adulantes doniuorósque terret Cùm regit imperium sapiens sine luce sedebunt line 10 Stultitia atque huius numen inanis honor Beside these verses there were placed in euerie void roome of the pagent both in English Latine such sentences as aduanced the seat of gouernance vpholden by vertue The ground of this pageant was that like as by vertues which doo abundantlie appeare in hir grace the quéenes maiestie was established in the seat of gouernment so she shuld sit faâ—t in the same so long as she imbrased vertue and held vice vnder foot For if vice once got vp the head it line 20 would put the seat of gouernement in perill of falling The queenes maiestie when she had heard the child and vnderstood the pageant at full gaue the citie also thanks therefore most gratiouslie promised hir good indeuor for the maintenance of the said vertues and suppression of vices and so marched on till she came against the great conduit in Cheape which was beautified with pictures and sentences accordinglie against hir graces comming thither Against Soper lane end was extended from the one line 30 side of the stréet to the other a pageant which had three gates all open ouer the middlemost whereof were erected thrée seuerall stages whereon sat eight children as hereafter followeth On the vppermost one child on the middle three on the lowest foure each hauing the proper name of the blessing that they did represent written in a table placed aboue their head In the forefront of this pageant before the children which did represent the blessings was a conuenient standing cast out for a child to stand which did line 40 expound the said pageant vnto the quéenes maiestie as was doone in the other before Euerie of these children were appointed and apparelled according vnto the blessing which he did represent And on the forepart of the said pageant was written in faire letters the name of the foresaid pageant in this manner The eight beatitudes expressed in the fift chapter of the gospell of saint Matthew applied to our line 50 souereigne ladie queene Elisabeth Ouer the two side ports was placed a noise of instruments And all the void places in the pageant were furnished with prettie saiengs commending touching the meaning of the said pageant which was the promises blessings of almightie God made to his people Before that the queenes highnesse came vnto this pageant she required the matter somwhat to be opened vnto hir that hir grace might the better vnderstand what should afterward by the child be line 60 said vnto hir Which so was that the citie had there erected the pageant with eight children representing the eight blessings touched in the fift chapter of saint Matthew Whereof euerie one vpon iust considerations was applied vnto hir highnesse and that the people thereby put hir grace in mind that as hir good dooings before had giuen iust occasion why that these blessings might fall vpon hir that so if hir grace did continue in hir goodnesse as she had entered she should hope for the fruit of these promises due vnto them that doo exercise themselues in the blessings which hir grace heard maruellous gratiouslie and required that the charriot might be remooued towards the pageant that she might better perceiue the childs words which were these the quéenes maiestie giuing most attentiue eare and requiring that the peoples noise might be staid The verses were as follow Thou hast beene eight times blest ô queene of worthie fame By meekenesse of thy spirit when care did thee beset By mourning in thy griefe by mildnesse in thy blame By hunger and by thirst and iustice couldst none get By mercie shewd not felt by cleannesse of thine heart By seeking peace alwaies by persecution wrong Therefore trust thou in God sith he hath helpt thy smart That as his promise is so he will make thee strong When these words were spoken all the people wished that as the child had vttered so God would strengthen hir grace against all hir aduersaries whome the queenes maiestie did most gentlie thanke for their so louing wish These verses were painted on the left side of the said pageant and other in Latine on the other side which were these héere insuing Qui lugent hilares sient qui mitia gestant Pectora multa soli iugera culta metent Iustitiam esuriens fitiénsue replebitur ipsum Fas homini puro corde videre Deum Quem alterius miseret Dominus miserebitur huius Pacificus quisquis filius ille Dei est Propter iustiti am quisquis patietur habétque Demissam mentem coelica regna capit Huit hominum generi terram mare fidera vouit Oâ—mipotens horum quisque beatus erit Besides these euerie void place in the pageant was furnished with sentences touching the matter and ground of the said pageant When all that was to be said in this pageant was ended the queenes maiestie passed on forwards in Cheapside At the standard in Cheape which was dressed faire against the time was placed a noise of trumpets with banners and other furniture The crosse likewise was also made faire and well trimmed And néere vnto the same vpon the porch of saint Peters church doore stood the waits of the citie which did giue a pleasant noise with their instruments as the quéenes maiestie did passe by which on euerie side cast hir countenance and wished well to all hir most louing people Soone after that hir grace passed the crosse she had espied the pageant erected at the little conduit in Cheape and incontinent required to know what it might signifie And it was told hir grace that there was placed Time Time quoth she And time hath brought me hither And so foorth the whole matter was opened to hir grace as hereafter shall â—e declared in the description of the
assalt the sun And whie bicause it is impregnible We content to inioie the light yée to eclipse it we to rest vnder the féet yée to run ouer the head we to yéeld to that which nothing can conquer you to conquer that which maketh all men captiues But were it possible that head could deuise courage attempt or hand execute anie thing that might shew the depth of our vnspotted loialtie soonâ— should be séene and for your selues too soone that your enterprises should be of as small account then as now they are of likelihood so déepe an impression is ingrauen in our thoughts for the maiestie of that sun which now persing our eies hath fullie subdued our hearts that we are prest in hir defense to offer the whole world defiance In proofe whereof I am charged to throw downe this gantlet which who so dareth take vp shall féele both the heat of their iust conceiued quarrell and the reproch of their owne line 10 deserued follie not by riding in breaking a few staâ—es to end the strife but at tourneie or what else soeuer they can deuise or dare aduenture to win the benefit of Beautie Thus most renowmed diuine Beautie whose beams shine like the sun haue Adam Eue aduentured to defend the sun The same I call Beautie the light of the world the maruell of men the mirrour of nature on which their incounter if those fauourable gleames may fall they will not onlie thinke to haue doone good herein but to be restored line 20 againe to paradise The one meaneth to repose his trust in a woman who like Eue cannot be beguiled the other to rest on a saint which by a serpent will not be tempted Thus being placed in the garden of your graces O of all things most gratious where vertues grow as thicke as leaues did in paradise they will take héede to tast of the forbidden fruit contented to behold not coueting to take hold And for that it hath beene long argued and no arguing can end whether the first offense came by the crudelitie line 30 of Adam or the simplicitie of Eue the one defending his fault by sound arguments the other excusing hirs by sharpe answers they most humblie sue for this that either by six courses betwéene them the quarrell may be ended or by your hignesse peremptorie sentence determined For they both being in the world are desirous that one might beare the blame of both And what herein your excellencie shall set downe there is none shall gainesaie for whensoeuer the question shall be mooued no other reason line 40 shall be allowed or liked than this Elizabetha dixit This speach being thus ended sir Thomas Perot and master Cooke procéeded backward on the otherside of the tilt And when master Ratclife came likewise against the queene one of his pages pronounced these spéeches in his masters behalfe to hir maiestie So manie were the misfortunes most renowmed and beautifull princesse of the desolate knight my master as neither the shortnesse of the time will line 50 suffer me to repeat nor the greatnesse of the mysterie to remember But let this suffice that some there were and so manifold that geometrie whereon the bodie of man hangeth could not beare being intollerable nor the mind which consisteth in arithmetike number being infinit Thus alwaies crossed by fortune whose crossing is no blessing he determined to separate himselfe as far from societie as his actions were from successe who wandering through manie deserts yet finding as he thought no place desolate line 60 happened at the last to come to a clifâ—e adioining to the maine sea couered all with mosse whereon he was walking much delighted with the solitarie seat but not well liking the cold situation he suddenlie sunke into a hollow vault surprised at the first with feare but séeing it at the last a place of succour he accounted his former miseries méetlie appeased by this present fortune In this den he vsed for his bed mosse for his candle mosse for his céeling mosse and vnlesse now and then a few coales mosse for his meat a drie food God wot and a fresh but so moistened with wet teares and so salt that hard it was to coniecture whether it were better to féed or to fast Here he gaue himselfe to continuall meditation separating his mind from his bodiâ— his thought from his hart yea diuorcing himselfe from himselfe in so much that with his strange diet and new concâ—its he became so inchanted that neither the remembrance of others nor a thought touching himselfe could enter into his mind an alteration seldome heard of that the place whereas he was shrowded in should make him to forget who he is Liuing thus a long timâ— for that no lim should seeme short rising according to his maner to walke in the mosse in the grisping of the day he espied vpon the shore certeine men either cast awaie by shipwracke or ouer boord by pirates vnto whome he went and perceiuing by their plaints one which laie dead amongst them to be their master inquired â—hense they were But thâ—y not willing to repeat their misfortunes opened the bosome of the gentleman and pulled out a scroll conteining a claime a challâ—nge naie a conquest of Beautie At the sight whereof suddenlie quoth he Beautie and therewithall appalled paused entring by litle and litle out of his present melancholies into his former misfortunes who as one awaked out of a long dreame began thus to bebate O Beautie where thy fortrâ—sse is founded I know but what these brethren should meane I maruell for as I am assured that to win thée none could be so fortunate so did I thinke that to claime thée none could be so fond when as thou O diuine Beautie art of euerie one to be desired but neuer to be conquered of Desire But as the eagle beholding the sunne coueteth to build hir nest in the same and so dimmeth hir sight so they vewing the brightnesse of Beautie are incensed to conquere it by Desire And what then Bicause she is inuincible shall I be indifferent No I will forsake this caitife cottage and will take arms to defend that Beauties castell Nothing shall remooue me from mine attempt which being performed nothing can mooue me Yea but she haâ—h seruants alreadie a number I but vnles I be there not the whole number but manie were famous but none more faithfull yet alas if thou go thou shalâ— euer be infortunat better alwaies infortunat than once disloiall Which words being ended he demanded whether they would in like case aduenture with one of no lesse courage than their master but certeinlie of greter affection whose seruice he hauing vpon small intreatie obteined for that belike they were desirous to see the euent for the which they had suffered such aduentures he departed to his caue hewing a shield out of the hard cliffe inriched onelie with soft mosse a double signe of his desire thinking
victa iacent The one and twentith of Iune in the night the lowest images which were of Christs resurrection of the virgin Marie and of kings and bishops of this realme about the crosse in Cheape being six square on all the sides were broken and defaced where vpon two daies after proclamation was made thorough out the citie that who so would bewraie the dooers thereof should haue fortie crownes for their labour but nothing came to light The seauen and twentith of Iune Thomas Butcher brewer was conuicted in the Guildhall of London for that he as principall and others as accessaries to the number of a thousand persons on the fiue and twentith of Iune last past about ten of the clocke in the night with force of armes in west Smithfield of London other stréets of the citie congregated themselues and with diuerse exclamations prouoked the people in maner of a rebellion contrarie to the peace statutes of the realme On the eight and twentith of Iune the same Thomas Butcher being areigned at the Iustice hall in the old Bailie was found giltie and had iudgement to be whipped on the next market daie from Newgate thorough Smithfield Long lane Aldersgate street saint Martins le grand so thorough the citie to the bars without Aldgate then to be committed to Newgate On the 30 of Iune the same T. Butcher being deliuered vnto Iames Mase and other beadles to haue receiued execution as is aforesaid he being whipped from Newgate into west Smithfield was there rescued taken from the beadles and sent to shift for himselfe abrode for the which fact the one twentith of Iulie William Downe I. Hand T. Harres and T. Appowell thrée shoomakers and a brewer were whipped from Newgate to the middest of Smithfield and there set on the pillorie whereon they stood from ten of the clocke till twelue and from thense againe committed to prison The thirtéenth of Iulie Richard Cox doctor of diuinitie sometime schoolemaister to king Edward the sixt deane of Westminster and of Christs college in Oxenford and of late bishop of Elie deceassed and was buried at Elie whose epitaph alluding to his name and the execution of his charge wherein he was iust hereafter followeth Vita caduca vale salueto vita perennis Corpus terra tegit spiritus alta tenet In terra Christi gallus Christum resonabam Da Christe in coelis te sine fine sonem This yeare were to be séene in London two Dutchmen of strange statures the one in height seauen foot seauen inches in bredth betwixt the shoulders thrée quarters of a yard and an inch the compasse of his brest one yard an halfe and two inches about the wast one yard quarter and one inch the length of his arme to the hand a full yard a comelie man of person but lame of his legs for he had broken them with lifting of a barrell of béere The other was in height but thrée foot had neuer a good foot nor anie knée at all and yet could he danse a galliard line 10 he had no arme but a stumpe to the elbow or little more on the right side on the which singing he would danse a cup and after tosse it about thrée or foure times and euerie time receiue the same on the said stumpe he would shoot an arrow néere to the marke flourish with a rapier throw a bowle beat with an hammar hew with an ax sound a trumpet and drinke enerie daie ten quartes of the best béere if he could get it About the seauenteenth of Iulie I saw these men in the parish of saint Peter vpon line 20 Cornehill the taller sitting on a bench bareheaded the lesser stood on the same bench and hauing on his head a hat with a feather was yet the lower Also the taller man standing on his féet the lesser with his hat feather on his head went vpright betwéene his legs and touched him not The eightéenth of Iulie Euerard Hance alià s Ducket a seminarie priest was in the sessions hall in the old Bailie of London arreigned where he before the quéenes iustices affirmed that himselfe line 30 being now in England was subiect to the pope in ecclesiasticall causes and that the pope hath now the same authoritie here in England that he had an hundred yeares past and which he hath now at Rome with other traitorous spéeches for the which he was condemned to be drawne hanged and quartered and was executed accordinglie on the last of Iulie At the same sessions were brought from the Fléet the Gatehouse Newgate and the Counters sundrie prisoners indicted for refusing to come to church line 40 all which being conuicted by their owne confession had iudgement according to the statute to paie twentie pounds for euery moneth of such wilfull absence from the church The first of Nouember monsieur Francis duke of Aniou the Frencâ— kings brother and other nobles of France hauing latelie arriued in Kent came to London and were honourablie receiued and reteined at the court with banketting and diuerse pleasant shewes and pastimes of whome more hereafter in place conuenient line 50 On mondaie being the twentith of Nouember Edmund Campion Rafe Sherwin Lucas Kerbie Edward Rishton Thomas Cotcham Henrie Orton Robert Iohnson Iames Bosgraue All these before named persons were brought vnto the high barre at Westminster where they were seuerallie and altogither indicted vpon high treason the sum whereof followeth in briefe as thus That these persons contrarie both to loue and dutie for sooke their natiue countrie to liue beyond the seas vnder the line 60 popes obedience as at Rome Rheimes and diuerse other places where the pope hauing with other princes practised the death and depriuation of our most gratious princesse and vtter subuersion of hir seat kingdome to aduance his most abhominable religion these men hauing vowed their allegiance to the pope to obeie him in all causes whatsoeuer being there gaue their consent yea vttermost furtherance they might to aid him in this most traitorous determination And for this intent and purpose they were sent ouer to seduce the hearts of hir maiesties louing subiects and to conspire and practise hir graces death as much as in them laie against a great daie set and appointed when the generall hauocke should be made those onelie reserued that ioined with them This laied to their charge they boldlie and impudentlie denied Wherevpon a iurie was impanelled their owne confessions their owne writings and credible witnesses Vina voce produced to their faces approouing them giltie of the former allegations as hereafter followeth After the indictment was read vnto them and their answer that it was beyond their power to prooue them faultie in such matters so stiffâ—lie they stood in their apparant impudencie first was mooued to them sundrie treasons past attempted against hir maiestie by those of their sect and disposition yet notwithstanding the vttermost of
passing by the ward there he went to the place that is right ouer against the mint before the which there was a huge and monstrous seahorsse of twentie foot high vpon whom sat a nymph called Concord bearing a shield wherein was painted a booke and a rod which was named the Rule of truth In hir hand she bare a flag wherein was written Faithfull aliance This monster of the sea was named Tyrannie and he had a bridle in his mouth line 50 with double reines of iron chained called Law and Reason Whereby the dukes highnesse was doone to vnderstand that he as a true Perseus was to deliuer that countrie from all tyrannie and afterward to gouerne it by iustice and reason Ouer against the mint gate where the stréet is narrowest were two obeliskes or round spires and betwéene them a triumphall arch with his pillers of Corinthian worke gilded and inriched with his releefe vnder him Upon the forefront were his highnesses arms line 60 and likewise on the sides were other armes with banners torches and cressets Under the armes of his highnesse were written these verses following Full mightie is that common weale and in a happie case And blest with all commodities through Gods most heauenlie grace Where prince behaues himselfe as head and commons him obeie As members either carefullie regarding others staie From this triumphall arch vnto the palace that is to wit all along saint Michaels stréet which is a mile in length stood on either side thrée score and ten pillers with a space of two and twentie foot betweene piller and piller Euerie piller was twelue foot high and vpon the pillers was a continuall tarras on euerie ech other piller was a cresset and on the pillers betwéene were the armes of Brabant Aniou and Antwerpe diuided according to the spaces betwéene the said pillers And the pillers were crested about with garlands of iuie On the side of the street towards the palace was a pageant with banners torches and pyramides vpon the vppermost part of one of the sides whereof was a crane and vpon the other side a cocke giuing knowledge as well to the heads as to the members that watchfulnesse is needfull A little spaniell betokening faithfulnesse a little lambe betokening peace were painted accompanied with the Sybils which represented wisedome loue faithfulnesse obedience vertue and honor without the which no true peace can continue And all these were guided by the light of the holie ghost which was resembled by a certeine brightnesse that discouered the chiefe instruments of discord namelie Enuie and Slander who péered out behind Enuie gnawing hir owne heart and Slander hauing double heart double toong and double face howbeit with small effect For on the two sides of this pageant were two counterfets on the one side Hercules on the other Dauid as it were in copper hauing gotten the vpper hand of Goliah betokening strength and stowtnesse and vnderneath was Concord who held Discord in a chaine with collars about his necke which Discord offering with his one hand an apple of gold and with his other hand threatning men with his force and tyrannie was yet neuerthelesse driuen into the dungeon of sorrow where he is kept prisoner by Concord who kéepeth the doore fast shut betokening the same thing which the countrie looketh for at his highnesse hand according to his posie Cherisheth and Chaseth Upon the forefront of the compartement made of Phrygian worke were these verses following painted out in most liuelie forme O let the earth the kissings sweet of peace and iustice see And let hir powre hir riches foorth in all mens bosoms free Let godlines and faithfulnes go matched arme in arme And let the bond of endles loue keepe all things knit from harme Before the duke came at saint Michaels where the palace was prepared for his highnesse the daie was so farre spent that they were faine to light vp their cressets torches which cast so great and cléere a light through the whole towne that the dukes highnesse and the princes and lords which accompanied him and likewise the souldiors with their glistering armors were séene more cleerelie than at anie time of the daie And as the multitude of people was verie great in the citie so the néerer that his highnesse drew to his palace the greater still did the number grow So at length the duke of Brabant and Aniou entred into his palace in the order afore mentioned hauing moreouer a two or thrée hundred as well of offendors as of banished folke which followed him bareheaded and fettered crauing mercie The heralds did cast péeces of gold and siluer abrode as they had doone at the méetings of all the stréets as they passed through them At the entrie of the palace was an arch of twentie foot high resting vpon thrée pillers of Phrygian worke and vpon the top thereof was a compartement wherein were the thrée graces that is to wit Uertue Glorie and Honor who offered vnto his highnesse an olife branch in token of peace a laurell bough in token of victorie and a crowne which was sent him from heauen And vnder the compartement were written these verses O prince whose merits passe his praise whose vertues haue no peeres Whose mind surmounts his fortune far whose thews exceed his yeeres Take gentlie heere this oliue branch this laurell bough and crowne Three presents giuen thee by three nymphs and sent from heauen downe ¶ The oth made by Francis duke of Brabant to the line 10 members of the right renowmed citie of Antwerpe and the oth made by them againe vnto his highnesse The duke of Brabant being come into his palace caused a peale of a twentie or thirtie thousand harquebusses to be shot off and then all the companies sauing those which were to watch that night began to withdraw themselues appase Which thing was doone in such order and with such silence that in lesse than halfe an houre all the citie was disarmed line 20 after which maner they had also armed themselues in lesse than an houre without anie noise in the morning The princes also and the lords withdrew themselues to their lodgings and then was all the great ordinance of the towne shot off twise as it had béene at the dukes first comming to the citie that all the towne séemed to be on fire Cressets were lighted and fires made for ioie through all the stréets and méetings waies and vpon the stéeples in so great number and so continuallie that all the night resembled line 30 the daie in so much that when they that were without the towne looked vp into the skie they thought the element was all on fire These bonefires continued euerie night vntill the next thursdaie on which daie his highnesse tooke his peculiar oth to the towne of Antwerpe in dooing whereof these solemnities insuing were obserued The amptman boroughmaisters and skepons of Antwerpe came to the said
realme than to suffer the iustice line 60 of hir lawes to be executed against them although they haue deserued the same in the highest degrée hath giuen power to vs of hir maiesties priuie councell others by commission and warrant vnder the great seale of England bearing date the fiftéenth daie of this present month of Ianuarie to sée this hir purpose and determination for their banishment put in execution By vertue whereof we haue procéeded therevnto and haue committed to the charge of these bearers William Bolles one of hir maiesties yeomen of hir chamber and Anthonie Hall the persons whose names doo follow that is to saie Iames Bosgraue Iohn Hart Edward Rushton Iaspar Heiwood William Tedder Samuell Coniers Arthur Pits William Wharmington Richard Slake William Hartlie Richard Norris William Dean William Bishop Robert Nutter Thomas Stephanson Iohn Coliton Christopher Tomson Thomas Worthington Iohn Barns William Smith clearks being Iesuits seminaries and other wandering and massing priests and Henrie Orton gentleman all which haue béene apprehended in this realme to be by them imbarked and transported beyond the seas according to such direction as they haue receiued in that behalfe These shall be therefore by the authoritie aforesaid to will and require you and in hir maiesties name strictlie to charge and command you and euerie of you hir maiesties officers as well within the realme of England and Iceland as in anie other parts of hir maiesties dominions and countries to whome it may and shall apperteine not onelie to suffer them to passe vnder the charge of the said William Bolles and Anthonie Hall but also that in case by contrarietie of winds or extremitie of weather they shall be after their imbarking driuen into anie port or creeke within anie of your iurisdictions that vpon the sight of this pasport ye aid and assist the said Bolles and Anthonie Hall if they shall so require you in séeing them safelie reteined committed kept in custodie if they shall come aland till such time as they the said William Bolles and Anthonie Hall may with safetie put againe into the sea to transport them to such place beyond the sea as by our direction they are appointed and to suffer them eftsoones to imbarke and depart without staie or interruption Foreseeing that they the said Iesuits and seminaries and other the wandering and massing priests aforesaid nor anie of them nor the said Henrie Orton be suffered to conueie or transport out of the realme anie thing that by the lawes be prohibited or forbidden Whereof as of the rest commanded herein we require you not to faile as you will answer to the contrarie at your perils Giuen vnder our hands at Gréenewich the twentith daie of Ianuarie in the seuen and twentie yeare of hir maiesties reigne ¶ Now followeth a certificat of the maister that transported the forenamed one and twentie banished persons as followeth To the right honorable lords and others of hir maiesties most honorable priuie councell and all other officers to whome it may apperteine THese may be to certifie c that William Bolles yeoman vsher of hir maiesties chamber and Anthonie Hall of London skinner hauing imbarked at the Tower wharffe of London the one and twentith daie of Ianuarie 1584 one and twentie persons being banished men into my barke called the Marie Martin of Colchester to be transported and conueied into Normandie for sixtéene of which said one and twentie persons they had compounded with me aforehand The same William Bolles and Anthonie Hall haue satisfied and paid me for all their passages and vittels and haue also hired at Douer an experimented pilot for the coasts of Normandie which said Bolles and Hall with the said banished men in their charges after their being by contrarie winds driuen to staie against Erith at Grauesend in Tilberie hope at Lée at the Spaniard at the Downes at Douer and at Rie were by force of weather and chase of pirats driuen to Bullen and there arriued all safelie the second day of Februarie 1584 and thense sent the said banished men some by horsse but most on foot with conducts to Abbiuile in the coasts of Normandie Witnesse my hand herevnto this fift of Februarie 1584. ¶ By me Matthew Strut An other certificat written and directed into England by the said banished men TO all magistrats officers ministers within the realme of England or elsewhere to whome it may in anie wise apperteine line 10 this may be to giue certification that we whose names are here vnder written who were imbarked at the Tower wharffe of London the one and twentith daie of Ianuarie 1584 and there receiued into the charge of maister William Bolles and maister Anthonie Hall by commission from their lordships and other hir maiesties most honorable priuie councell haue béene by them the said William Bolles and Anthonie Hall verie friendlie honestlie intreated and with carefull diligence line 20 safelie conducted transported conueied to the prouince of Normandie by them left this third daie of Februarie according to the English computation in the yeare of Christ 1584 which said Bolles and Hall haue in our presence paid the maister of the barke which transported vs for his whole fraught and vittels in the ship for the time of our remaining abroad and generallie so well vsed vs in all respects that we can not but acknowledge our selues much beholding to them fullie satisfied in hauing béene line 30 committed to the charge of so courteous officers sith the case standeth so with vs that we are banished our countrie contrarie to our desires wherein we take no little griefe of mind For testimonie wherof we haue herevnto set our seuerall hands this present third daie of Februarie 1584. Iaspar Halwood Edward Rushton Iohn Hart c. ¶ O Lord what a mercifull quéene is this in such sort to forgiue and forget iniuries yea treasonable iniuries as by banishment onelie to chastise them line 40 that deserued extreame punishment Yea with a banishment scarse fitlie to be so termed sith in the execution thereof there was such clemencie shewed as that the banished by their owne confessions haue left acknowledged vnder their owne handwriting a notable kind of courtesie receiued by the meanes of hir maiestie And therefore they cannot but in conscience commend hir highnesse tender affection so gratiouslie exchanged for seuere affliction insomuch that it may rightlie be reported of hir gighnesse line 50 which the poet spake of Caesar that is to saie Est piger ad poenas princeps ad praemia velox CuÃque dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Henrie earle of Darbie appointed to be hir maiesties ambassador to Henrie the third French king and to inuest him with the order of the garter tooke his leaue of the quéenes maiestie at Greenewich on the twentith daie of Ianuarie and with him such gentlemen as were present were admitted to kisse hir highnesse hand Maister Robert Cooke
driuen to depart thense vnto the Camber at Rie which then was a notable good rode though now vtterlie decaied or into the Isle of Wight For in a sudden flaw or storme of wind at southeast there haue beene seuen or eight ships broken all to péeces in one daie vpon the said cliffes To reléeue and amend the same harborough and somewhat to mitigat the foresaid inconuenience line 10 there was a round tower builded by one Iohn Clarke préest maister of the maison de Dieu about the yeare one thousand fiue hundred at the southwest part of the said baie which serued somewhat to defend the ships from the rage of the southwest wind but especiallie to moore the ships which were tied therevnto For manie great ringles were fastened to the same tower for that purpose as it maie yet be séene sith it standeth there at this houre And hereby that part of the baie was made so pleasant as euer after line 20 that corner hath béene named and is at this daie called Little paradise Neuerthelesse this was thought verie insufficient in respect of the place for the safegard of such a multitude of ships as vsuallie laie for harbour in that rode For besides all strange botes which commonlie repaired thither it appeareth in the booke of Doomesdaie that Douer armed yearelie at his proper charges twentie vessels to the sea by the space of fiftéene daies with one and twentie able men in ech ship line 30 Now about the yeare of Christ one thousand fiue hundred fiftie and two one sir Iohn Thomson clarke parson of the parish of saint Iames in Douer being a man ingenious and séeing the conueniencie and possibilitie of a good hauen to be made in that place consulted with the cheefe and best mariners of the towne Among whome it was agréed that humble sute should be made to the kings maiestie by the state of the towne for his gratious fauour and aid toward the making of a good hauen there And it was also line 40 by them all thought meet that the said sir Iohn Thomson should exhibit their petition to his highnesse whervnto he agréed and drew a plot and prepared a supplication in the name and behalfe of the towne conteining the necessarie causes and reasons deuises and instructions for the erection and building thereof But he told them he was poore and therefore vnable of his owne proper charges to follow the sute In which respect they collected among themselues and deliuered vnto him foure pounds ten shillings which line 50 he accepted and foorthwith repaired to the court where he so demeaned himselfe as he had present accesse to the king who heard his sute with great fauor and debated with him about the contents of his plot and liked so well of his informations that he willed him to repaire home and without delaie to returne to his presence accompanied with some of the best mariners or seamen of the towne and so with commendations dismissed him for that time When the maisters of the towne vnderstood his graces pleasure they immediatlie assembled themselues line 60 and made choise of Edward Maie Robert Iustice Richard Cowchie and Iohn Steward as the fittest and skilfullest persons to vse conference and to be imploied in that cause being all mariners of good experience These foure and the said sir Iohn Thomson without further staie resorted to the court with whom when the king had communed he conceiued of the necessitie of a hauen to be there had and of the probabilitie and likelihood of good successe in the enterprise to be performed according to their suggestion And because his maiestie vnderstood the poore estate of the towne he granted his gratious aid for the supplie of their want of monie deliuering at that time out of his owne cofers vnto them the summe of fiue hundred pounds wherewith he willed them to make a beginning of the worke At which time he bestowed on the said sir Iohn Thomson the maistership of the maison de Dieu of Douer which was a hospitall valued at one hundred and twentie pounds by the yeare the custome and dutie of the which house was as the ancient townesmen informe me to interteine and reléeue souldiors and others which came from beyond the seas hurt or distressed who were allowed some reléefe there by the space of certeine daies gratis which though I find not directlie set downe in record yet doo I know assuredlie the same to haue beene put in execution wherewith the verie name of the house is agréeable and as it were a credible witnesse The king at that time also appointed the said sir Iohn to be principall surueior of the works and vnder him the other foure to be ouerseers of the same Now am I to giue you to vnderstand that the drift and deuise of the said sir Iohn Thomson was to erect a huge wall which he termed by the name of a pierre from Arcliffe chapell being the southwest part of the baie directlie towards the east into the maine sea about 131 rods in length so as by that meanes the harborough was to be garded from the rage of all weather comming from the north northeast northwest and southwest and so the entrance onelie at east southeast whereinto when the ships were once brought they might there lie safe in all weather at the one side or the other But the pierre was not finished by 350 foot so far as the foundation thereof which he called the Molehead was laid which foundation consisted of great rocks brought from a place néere hand called Hakcliffe or the castell Raie and Folkestone This pierre was begun on S. Annes daie 1533 and it was compiled of two rowes of maine posts great piles of fiue or six twentie foot long set at each side close togither which were let downe and put in certeine holes hewed in the great rocks laid for that purpose but some of those piles were shod with iron and driuen into the maine rocke of chalke with a great engine called a ram These posts and piles were combined and held togither with iron bolts and were filled with mightie stones of chalks as also with beach and other earth but the bottome consisted altogither of great rocks of stone which if they had not béene brought thither by a speciall deuise must néeds haue béene extreame chargeable for manie of them were of twentie tun a péece and few vnder The practise of this charge is now common but it was before that time rare vnknowne in England and inuented there by a poore simple man named Iohn Yoong who first with a nutshell after with an egshell lastlie with a small vessell made proofe what weight those things could raise beare in the water and hauing by that experiment made triall or at least a probable coniecture that stones of great weight might be raised and carried in the water by greater vessels he