by the commaundement or conâ—iuence of King Edward the fourth And hee also escaped not free for hee dyed not without many 〈…〉 suspicions of poisonâ— and after his death his two sonnes were disinherited imprisoned and butchered by their cruell Vnckle the Duke of Gloucester who beeing a tyrant and vsurper was lawfully slaine in the field and so in his person hauing no issue the tragedie did end Which are most rare and excellent examples both of comfort to them that are oppressed and of terrour to violent dealers that God in his secret iudgement dooth not alwayes so certainely prouide for our safetie as reuenge our iniuries and harmes and that all our vniust actions haue a daye of payment and many times by waye of retaliation euen in the same manner and measure wherein they were committed And thus was King Richard brought to his death by violence and force as all wrighters agree although all agree not vppon the manner of the violence Hee was a man of personage rather well proportioned then tall of great beautie and grace and comlinesse in presence hee was of a good strength and no abiect spirit but the one by ease the other by flatterie were much abased He deserued many friends but found fewe because hee sought them more by liberalitye then vertuous dealing He 〈◊〉 merueilous 〈◊〉 in all his actions which may verye well bee 〈◊〉 to his negligence and sloath for hee that is not prouident can seldome prosper but by his loosenesse will loose whatsoeuer fortune or other mens 〈…〉 hee was driuen is such distresse that 〈…〉 it as a benefite to bee disburdened of his royall dignitie for which other men will not sticke to put theyr goods and liues and soules in hazarde Hee liued three and thirtie yeares and reigned two and twentie His dead body was embaulmed and 〈…〉 couered with Lead all saue his face and carryed 〈…〉 and in all the chiefe places by the waye his face was 〈…〉 that by viewe thereof no doubt should bee made concerning his death At London hee had a solemne obsequie kept in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paulâ— the King beeing present and all the chiefe 〈…〉 Then hee was conueyed to Langley Abbey in Bucking ham shire about 〈…〉 myle from London and there obscurely 〈◊〉 by the Bishop of Chester the Abbot of S. Albones and the Abbot of Waltham without presence of noble men without coâ—â—â—uence of the common people and without the charge of a dinner for celebrating the 〈…〉 but afterward on the commaundement of King Henry the fifth his body was taken vp and remooued to Westminster and honourably entombed amongst his auncesters with Queene Anne his wife in expiation as it is like of his Fathers violent and vnfaithfull dealing So hee whose life was alwaies tumultuous and vnquiet could not readily finde rest for his bones euen after death It was not amisse in regard of the common wealth that he was dead yet they who caused his death had small reason to reckon it among theyr good deedes And thus doe these and the like accidents dayly happen to such Princes as will be absolute in power resolute in will and dissolute in life This yeere Hunfrey the sonne and heyre of the Duke of Gloucester dyed of the plague as he returned out of Ireland where King Richard had 〈◊〉 him prisoner and shortly after the Duchesse his mother with violence of griefe ended her dayeâ— this yeere also dyed Thomas Moâ—bray the exiled duke of Norfolke whose death would much haue been lamented if he had not furthered so many lamentable deaths but he ouerliued his honour saw himselfe accounted a person infamed and of no estimation Likewise about this 〈…〉 Duke of Brittaine deceased who had taken to wife Mary daughter to King Edward the third and by her had no issue but by Ioan his second wife he left behinde him three sons Iohn Richard Arthur this Ioan was afterwards maried to K. Henrie as hereafter shall appeare Also this yeere Edmund Duke of Yorke departed this life his honour not stayrred his fame not touched he was a man very circumspect and wary in his cariage not carelesse of a good fame nor greedy after a great of other mens wealth not desirous liberall of his owne and of the common sparing he did not by obstinate opposing himselfe against the current of the time rashly hasten eyther his fame or his fall but by moderation attayned safely that degree of praise and honour which others aspiring vnto by desperate courses wanne with ambitious death without any other profit at all He left behinde him two noble sonnes expresse resemblencers of his integritie Edward who succeeded in his dignitie and before was called Duke of Aumerle and Richard Earle of Cambridge Edward in the change of the state neither constantlye kept his fidelitie nor stoutlie maintained his treason Richard tooke to wife the daughter and heyre of Roger Mortimer whose mother Phillip was sole daughter and heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the thyrd by which title and discent his posteritie claimed the Crowne and kingdome of this realme from the successours of King Henrie as heereafter more at large shall be declared Charles King of Fraunce lost no time all this while in making preparation to inuade England and to that end had now raysed an armie royall which was brought downe into Picardie and in a readinesse to haue beene transported But it is verye like that this hast for the deliuerance of King Richard did the more hasten his death vppon newes whereof the Frenchmen perceiuing their purpose for his restitution to be to no purpose gaue ouer the enterprise some being grieued that the occasion was lost of making spoile of so plentifull a countrie others being well content to be discharged of that hope together with the hazard whervpon it depended Shortlie after the French King sent a solemne Embassage into England to treate or rather intreate that Lady Isabell his daughter who had bin espoused to King Richard might with her dowrie bee restored to him againe King Henrie most honourablie receiued these Embassadours and gaue in answere that he would speedelie send his Commissioners to Calice which should fullye commune and conclude with them both of this and other weightie affayres concerning both the realmes Not long after he sent Edward Duke of Yorke and Henrie Earle of Northumberland to Calice Also the French King sent the Duke of Burbone and certaine others to Bulleine These Commissioners did often meete sometimes at one place and sometimes at another the Frenchmen especially required that Lady Isabell should be restored shewing that King Charles her Father had giuen in charge that this before all matters and without this nothing should be concluded On the other side the Englishmen desired that she might be married to Henry Prince of Wales King Henries eldest Sonne a man answerable to her in equall degree both of bloud and of yeeres but the French King denyed that
Henry the third but they were not able yet were they able to depose King Edward the second and to constitute his young sonne Edward King in his steade these are not all and yet enough to cleare this action of rarenesse in other countries noueltie in our The difficulty indeede is somewhat because the excellencie is great but they that are affraide of euery bush shall neuer take the bird your selfe had once some triall hereof when without battaile without bloud or blowes you had the King at such a lift as he held his Crowne at your courtesie euen at that time when his grieuances were neither for greatnes nor continuance so intollerable as now they are growne and by reason of his tender yeres not out of al compasse both of excuse for the fault and of hope for an amendement And as concerning the lawfulnesse Nay said the Duke where necessity doth enforce it is superfluous to vse speach either of easinesse or of lawfulnesse necessitie will beate thorow brasen Walles and can be limited by no lawes I haue felt verie deeply my part in these calamities and I would you knew with what griefe I haue beheld your for what other reward haue I receiued of all my trauailes and seruices but the death of my vncle and dearest friends my owne banishment the imprisonmeut of my children and losse of my inheritance and what haue beene returned to you for your bloud so often shed in his vnfortunate warres but continuall tributes scourges gallowes and slauerie I haue made sufficient proofe both of pacience in my owne miseries and of pittie in your remedy them hither to I could not If now I can I will not refuse to sustain that part which yonr importunitie doth impose vpon me if we preuaile we shall recouer againe our libertie if wee loose our state shall be no worse theÌ„ now it is and since we must needs perish either deseruingly or without cause it is more honorable to put our selues vpon â—he aduenture eyther to winne our liues or to dye for deserte and although our liues were safe which in deede are not yet to abandon the state ane sleepe still in this slauerie were a poynt of negligence and sloath It remaineth then that we vse both secrecie and celeritie laying hold vpon the oportunitie which the Kings absence hath now presented vnto vs for in al enterprises which neuer are commended before they bee atchieued delayes are daungerous and more safe it is to be founde in action then in counsaile for they that deliberate onely to rebell haue rebelled already So the messengers departed into England to declare the Dukes acceptance and to make preparation against his arriuall both of armour and of subiection and desire to obey Presently after their departure the Duke signified to Charles king of Fraunce that he had a desire to goe into Brittaine â—o visite Iohn Duke of Brittaine his friend and kinsman The King suspecting no further fetch sent letters of commendation in his fauour to the Duke of Brittaine but if he had surmised any dangerous drift against King Richard who not long before had taken his daughter to wife in stead of letters of safe-conducte he would haue founde lettes to haue kept him safe from disturbing his sonne in lawes estate Assoone as the Duke was come into Brittaine he waged certaine souldiours and presently departed to Calice and so committed to sea for England giuing forth that the onely cause of his voyage was to recouer the Duchie of Lanchaster and the rest of his lawfull inheritance which the King wrongfully deteyned from him In his companie was Thomas Arundell the Archbishop of Canterburie and Thomas the sonne heire of Richard late earle of Arundell who was very yong and had a little before escaped out of prison and fled into France to the Duke The residue of his attendants were very few not exceeding the number of fifteen lances so that it is hard to esteeme whether it was greater maruaile either that he durst attempt or that he did preuaile with so smal a company but his chiefest coÌ„fidence was in the fauour assistance of the people within the realme So he did beare with England yet not in a streight course but floated along the shoare making head sometimes to one coast and sometimes to another to discouer what forces were in a readines either to resist or to receiue him As he was in this sort houering on the seas L. Edmund duke of Yorke the kings vncle to whom the king had committed the custody of the Realme during the time of his absence called vnto him EdmuÌ„d Stafford bishop of Chichester L. Ghancellour W. Scroupe earle of Wiltshire L. Treasurour of the Realme also Sir Iohn Bushie Sir Henry Greene Sir William Bagot Sir Iohn Russell and certain others of the kings Priuy councell and entred into deliberation what was best to be done At the last it was concluded deceitfully by some vnskilfully by others and by all perniciously for the king to leaue the sea coasts and to leaue London the very walles castle of the Realme and to goe to S. Albons there to gather strength sufficient to encounter with the duke It is most certaine that the dukes side was not any wayes more furthered then by this dissembling and deceiuable dealing for open hostility and armes may openly and by armes be resisted but priuy practises as they are hardly espied so are they seldome auoided And thus by this meanes the duke landed about the feast of Saiud Martin without let or resistance at Rauenspur in Houldernesse as most writers affirme Presently after his ariual there resorted to him Lord Henrie Pearcie Earle of Northumberland and Lord Henry his son Earle of Westmerland Lorde Radulph Neuill Lorde Rose Lord Willoughby many other personages of honor whose company encreased reputation to the cause and was a great couutenance and strength to the Dukes further purposes And first they tooke of him an oath that hee should neither procure nor permit any bodily harme to be done vnto King Richard whereupon they bound themselues vpon their honours to prosecute all extremities against his mischieuous counsailers And this was one step further then that which the Duke pretended at the first when hee tooke shipping at Callice which was only the recouery of his inheritance but that was as yet not determined nor treated and of some perhaps not thought vpon which afterwardes it did ensue and so was that place easily insinuated into by degrees which with maine and direct violence would hardlier haue bin obtained Then the common people desperate vpon newe desires and without head head-long to matters of innouation flocked very fast to these noble men the better sort for loue to the common-wealth some vpon a wanton lenetie and vaine desire of change others in regard of their ownâ— distressed and decayed estate who setting their chiefe hopes and deuises vppon a generall disturbance were then most safe when the common state was
the king with regard of the dangerous and discontend times the duke with respect of his duty and faith and so partly by her entreaty and aduise partly by their inclination bending to the 〈◊〉 course all apparancy of displeasure on the one part and a 〈◊〉 on the other was for that time layed aside The same yere Michael Dâ—lapoole was made Clancellour of England and created earle of Suffolke and Robert Veerâ— earle of Oxford was created Marquesse of Dubline being the first man within this realme that was eâ—obled with that 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 they grew in honour sordid they 〈◊〉 hate for many noble men did infinitely stomacke their vndeserued aduancements and with these the fauour of the people generally went but the kings intemperate affection was peremptory 〈…〉 not regarding 〈…〉 could not resist it The yeere next following Robert Veere the new Marques was created duke of Ireland This yere the Knights and burgesses of 〈◊〉 put vp many complaints against the Earle of suffolke vpon which they 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 triall namely 〈◊〉 he 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 in taking of him to farme all the profits 〈…〉 crowne thow wantonly he wasted the treasure of the land in 〈◊〉 liberalitie and vnnecessary charges how deepe he had diued into the kings debt how carelesse and 〈…〉 in his office how greatly he had 〈◊〉 deceived and 〈◊〉 the king in 〈◊〉 dealing and 〈◊〉 particularly 〈◊〉 with diuers other 〈…〉 dishonor and dishonesty both in priuate actions and in office This 〈◊〉 was a merchants sonne in London and growing mighty on the sudden he could not gouerne himselfe in the change but 〈◊〉 lay 〈…〉 of his minde which were suppressed and 〈…〉 rulleâ—â—ng 〈◊〉 with 〈…〉 he made 〈◊〉 of his 〈…〉 Yet the king was willing either secretly to dissemble or openly to 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 and so passed them ouer with a short audience as his maner was in matters of 〈◊〉 weight 〈…〉 with the complaint Afterwards a 〈…〉 but answere was made that this needed not since the kings wants might be furnished with the debts which were owing him from his Chancellour neither was it to any purpose so long as the 〈…〉 ordered by such 〈◊〉 as before it had beene 〈…〉 was like 〈…〉 the matter against the 〈…〉 and the king perswaded 〈…〉 honourable not safe to beare him out that to priuate men it was sufficient if themselues abstaine from wrong but a prince must prouide that none do wrong vnder him for by mainteining or wincking at the vices of his officers he maketh them his owne and shal surely be charged therewith when first occasion doth serue against him At the last vpon instant importunity of both houses the king did consent that a commission should goe forth to certaine noble men giuing them authority to heare and determine all matters which were obiected against the L. Chancellour and then was a Subsidie graunted with exceptiâ—n that the money should be expended by the Lords to the benefit and behalfe of the realme The king did further demaund that the heires of Charles Blâ—ys who made claime to the duchy of Britaine should be sold to the French men for thirty thousand marks and the money granted to the duke of Ireland for recouery of those possessions which the king had giuen him in Ireland this was likewise assented vnto vpon condition that before Easter then next ensuing the duke should depart into Ireland and there remaine at so high a price did they value the riddance of him out of the realme The charge of the Subsidie money was committed to Richard earle of Arundell Commissioners for the earle of Suffolke were appointed Thomas duke of Glocester the kings vncle and the sayd earle of Arundell but during the time of their proceeding the king kept all off in places farre distant either to manifest thereby the dissent of his minde or to auoid the griefe which his neerenesse would increase And now was the Chancellour left vnto himselfe to answere to those demeanures wherein he made the kings blinde fauour his priuiledge and protection supposing neuer to see the same either altered or ouer-ruled In the end being conuict of many crimes and abuses he was deposed from his office his goods were confiscated to the kings Exchequer himselfe was adiudged woorthy of death Yet was execution submitted to the kings pleasure and vnder sureties he was permitted to goe at large At the same time Iohn Fâ—â—rdâ— Bishop of Duresme another of the Kings dainties was remoued also from being Lord Treasorer of England he was a man of little depth either in learning or wisedome but one that had the Arte of seeming in making the best shewe of whatsoeuer he spake or did and rising from meane estate to so high a pitch of honour hee exercised the more excessiuely his ryote auarice and ambition not able to moderate the lustes and desires which former want had kindled When this businesse was blowne ouer the King â—â—turned againe to London and did presently receiue the Earle of Suffolke with the Duke of Ireland and the Archbishop of Yorke to greater grace and familiaritie then at any time before These Triumuirs did not cease to stirre vp the Kings stomake against those Noble men whose speciall excellencie had made matter of fame and regarde partly for the disgraces which they had receiued partly vpon malicious emulation to see the other so fauoured and themselues so odious and that their priuate choller and ambition might beare some shewe of publike respect they suggested vnto the King that he was but halfe yea not halfe a King in his owne Realme but rather the shadow and picture of a King for if we respect sayd they matters of state you beare the sword but they sway it you haue the shewe but they the authority of a Prince vsing your name as a colour and countenance to their proceedings and your person as a cypher to make them great and be your selfe nothing Looke to the dutie of your subiectes and it is at their deuotion so that you can neither commaunde nor demaunde any thing but with such exceptions and limitations as they please to impose come now to your priuate actions your liberalitie the greatest vertue in a prince is restrained your expences measured and your affections confined to frowne and fauour as they doe prescribe What Ward is so much vnder gouernment of his Gardian Wherein will they next or can they more abridge you Except they should take from you the place as they haue done the power of a Prince and in this we thinke they may iusty be feared hauing so great might ioyned with so great aspiring mindes For power is neuer safe when it doth exceede ambition is like the Crocodile which groweth so long as he liueth or like the Iuie which fastning on the foote of the tallest Tower by small yet continuall rising at length will climbe aboue the toppe it is already growne from a sparke to a flame from a twigge to a tree and high
the next parliament which he appointed should begin the third day of February then next ensuing as well you as they shall be present and iustice indifferently done vnto all In the meane time he tooke all parties into his protection that none should endanger or endammage another desiring the Lordes to beare in minde that as princes must not rule without limitation so subiectes must vse a meane in their libertie Then he caused the duke and the Earles which all this time kneeled before him to arise and went with them into his priuate Chamber where they talked a while and drunke familiarly together afterwards with a most friendly farwell he licenced them to depart They of the contrarie faction were not present at this meeting and if they had it was thought that the presence of the King should little haue protected them This act of the King was diuers waies taken some iudged him fearefull others moderate rather in sparing the bloud of his subiectes The Lordes were verie ioyfull of his good-will and fauour which as by base or bad meanes they would not seeke so being well gotten they did highly esteeme Yet they thought it the safest course not to seperate themselues suspecting the mutabilitie of the King and the malice of their enemies of whome they knewe neither where they were nor what they did entend and being men of great wealth and great power and greatly bent to hurtfull practises they were feared not without a cause for the Duke of Ireland either by setting on or sufferance of the King was all this time mustering of Souldiours out of Cheshire and Wales where hee gathered an armie both for number and goodnesse of men sufficient if another had beene generall to haue maintained the side When the Lordes were aduertised hereof they deuided themselues beset all the waies by which the Duke should passe to London determining to encounter him before he did increase his power and countenance his actions with the puissance or name of the King At the last he was met by the Earle of Derby at a place called Babbelake neere to Burforde and there the Earle put his men in array resoluing with great boldnesse to hazard the battaile his Souldiers also were ful of courage and hart disliking nothing more then delay as a loosing of time and a hinderance to the victorie but the Duke being a man not fit for action yet mutinous and more apt to stirre strife then able to stint it vpon newes of an enemie would presently haue fled There was then in the armie as a principall Commaunder one Sir Thomas Molineux Constable of Cheshire a man of great wealth and of good proofe in seruice vpon whose leading all that countrie did depend he perswaded the Duke that this was but a part of the forces that were against them and led onely by the Earle of Derby a man of no speciall name at that time among the Lordes and if they could not beare through that resistance it was but in vaine to attempt any great atchiuement by armes Hereupon the Duke stayed his steps but his faint spirits were mooued by this speech rather to desire victory then to hope it his souldiers also were dul silent sad and such as were readier to interpret then execute the captaines commandement So they ioyned battell but scarse ten ounces of bloud was lost on both sides before the duke of Ireland set spurres to his horse and forsooke the field His souldiers seeing this threw away their vnfortunate weapons more for indignation then for feare ruffling their rancks and yeelding to the Earle the honour of the field Sir Thomas Molineux in flying away was forced to take a Riuer which was neere and as he was comming foorth againe a certaine Knight whose name was Sir Thomas Mortimer pulled off his helmet and stabbed him into the braines with his dagger The rest submitted themselues to the discretion of the victorours making them lords ouer their life and death but their yeelding was no sooner offered then it was accepted the Earle presently commaunding that none should be harmed but those that did make resistance or beare armour the Souldiours also being willing to shew fauour towardes their countreymen as ledde into this action partly vpon simplicitie partly to accompany these which came vpon feare Then the Gentlemen were still reteined in the Earles company the common souldiers were dispoiled of their armour onely and so returned againe to their peaceable businesse at home And this was the first acte whereby reputation did rise to the side and the greatnes began whereunto the Earle afterwards attained The Duke of Ireland at the beginning of his flight was desirous to haue passed the riuer which ranne by and comming to a bridge he found the same broken from thence he posted to another bridge which he found guarded with Archers At the last his fearefulnesse being feared away as nothing maketh men more desperate vpon a doubtfull danger then feare of that which is certaine he aduentured to take the streame in the midst wherof he forsooke his horse and swam to the other side and so by benefit of the night escaped and fled into Scotland and shortly afterpassed the seas into Flanders and from thence traueiled into France where the continuall gall of his griefe soone brought his loathed life to an end His horse was taken with his brest-plate his helmet and his gauntlets whereupon it was generally supposed that he was drowned and as in great vncerteineties it often happeneth some affirmed that they sawe his death which men either glad to heare or not curious to search did easily beleeue whether this were thus contriued of purpose or fell so out by chance it was a great meanes of his escape by staying the pursute after him which otherwise had bene made His coach also was taken and certaine of the Kings letters found wherein he desired the Duke to come to London with all the power and speede hee could make and he would be ready to die in his defence so vnskilfull was he in matters of gouernment that to pleasure a few he regarded not the discontentment of all the rest The Earle of Suffolke vpon this accident shaued his beard and in base and disguised attire fled to Calice and either for feare or for shame neuer after returned into England he was a cruell spoiler and a carelesse spender in war contemptible in peace in supportable an enemie to all cousaile of others and in his owne conceite obstinatly contentious of a good wit and ready speach both which hee abused to the cunning commending of himselfe and crafty deprauing of others he was lesse loued but better heard of the King then the Duke of Ireland the more hurtful man the more hateful the Duke beeing charged with no great fault but onely the Kings excessiue fauour in their course of good and bad fortune both of them were famous alike Also the Archbishop of Yorke Iustice Trisiliane and
among those of the contrarie part hauing caused the death of no man but onely in the fielde Then was an oath exacted of the King to stand to the gouernment of the Lordes and also an oath was taken of all the Subiects within the Realme to be true and faithfull vnto the King The king in taking this oath of the Lordes bewrayed his inward conceite by his open countenance looking pleasantly on those he fauoured and angerly on those whome hee hated by which vntimely discouery hee made them more heedefull and himselfe more hatefull which were occasions afterwarde both to preuente the reuenge which he much desired and to procure the mischiefs which hee little feared Lastly a subsidie was graunted and to the King comming as it were to a capitulation with the lordes hee to haue the name of a King and they the authority and maiesty the contention for that time ceased All this was done in the xj yeere of the kings reigne he being yet vnder age and in gouernement of others But the yeere following he beganne to take vpon him more liberty and rule and vpon extreame disdaine that both his pleasure and his power were by the Lords thus restrained he did euer after beare a hard minde against them And first he assembled them in the Councell chamber and there demanded of what yeeres they tooke him to be they answered that he was somewhat aboue one and twenty then sayd he I am of lawfull age to haue the regiment in mine owne hand and therefore you doe me wrong to holde me still vnder gouernement as though the condition of a king were harder then of a subiect This the Lords were neither willing to grant nor able to denie and therefore they either kept silence or spake little to the purpose Well sayd the king since I am no longer an Infant I heere renounce your rule and take vpon me such free administration of the Realme as the Kings thereof my predecessours heeretofore haue lawfully vsed Then presently he began his Phaetons flourish and commaunded the Bishop of Elie being L. Chancellour to resigne his seale which the king receiued and put vp and therewith departed out of the chamber but soone after he returned againe and deliuered the same to William Wickham bishop of Winchester constituting him L. Chancellour thereby Many other officers he likewise deposed and placed new in their roome partly to manifest his authority and partly to satisfie his displeasure Also he remooued the Duke of Gloucester the Earle of Warwicke and many others from his Priuy councell and tooke those in their places which more regarded the humour of the King but lesse his honour Soone after it was suggested to the King that the Duke of Gloucester was gathering of forces against him but vpon examination there was found not onely no trueth but no shew or colour of any such matter The Duke would not quietly haue disgested the raysing of these reportes but the King whether vpon a generall delight to be tickled in the eares with such tales or vpon particular desire to haue some quarell against the Duke charged him to silence In the 13. yeare of the Raigne of King Richard the Citizens of Genua desired his ayde against the Barbarians of Afrike who with dayly incursions infested and spoyled all the Sea coasts Ilands of Italy and Fraunce which fronted vppon theÌ„ The King sent a choyse companie of Souldiers ynder the coÌ„duct of Henrie Earle of Derby who behaued himselfe in this charge with great integritie courage inciting his men the good by prayse the bad by example rather then reproofe as more ready to commend the vertues of the one then to vpbraide the vices of the other And first hee passed into Fraunce and there ioyned himselfe to certaine French forces appointed likewise for this seruice then with might and minds vnited they sayled together into Afrike At their arriuall the Barbarians were ready in armes to keepe them from landing but the Earle commaunded his Archers to breake through and make passage dispising the enemie whome he knew to be weake and vnskilfull in seruice and not to haue that aduantage in place which hee had in men the Frenchmen also sharply set in seconded the English and so whilest both companies contended the one to be accompted a helpe the other to seeme to neede no help the enemies were forced to flie and leaue the shoare vnto the Christians In this conflict three Dukes of the Barbarians and aboue three hundred Souldiers were slaine and in the flight fower Dukes were taken and a great yet vncertaine number of common people Then the Christians marched directly towards Tunis the head Cittie of that Countrie this they besieged in short time tooke chiefely by the prowes of the English souldiers who first scaled the Wals and reared thereon the Earles banner When they were entred the Towne the Englishmen bent their endeuour to the housing of their enemies and beating downe of such as made resistance but the Frenchmen straight waies turned to their lasciuious pleasures so that there was presented a spectacle both pitiful and shamelesse in one place butchering of men in another ryoting with women here streames of bloud heapes of slaughtered bodies hard by dissolute and licentious wantonnesses in some all the miseries of a cruell warre and the loosenesse of a secure peace Here were slaine and taken aboue fower thousand Barbarians the Kings brother also was slaine but the King himselfe fled into the Castle which was strongly scited and well fortified and furnished with men The Christians laide siege to this Castle the space of fiue weekes during which time they lost many of their men yet not by sword but by sickenesse the Barbarians also were distressed with want of victuall hauing but litle prouision and many vnprofitable mouthes to consume it herevpon they sent vnto the Christians to desire peace offering them a great summe of money to depart out of their countrie this the Christians accepted vpon condition that they might also freely carry with them all their pray and prisoners and that the Barbarians should from thenceforth surcease from making spoyle vpon any of the coastes of Italy or Fraunce Thus had this voyage a prosperous and speedie end the onely seruice as I suppose which the English and Frenchmen performed together without iotte of iarre And yet the Earle abused not the fortune of this successe to vaine vaunting or brauing in words but moderately imâ—arted to the rest the honour of the exployt so by valyanâ—y performing his charge and sparingly speaking thereof his glorie encreased without bit of enuie In the fifteenth and sixteenth yeres of the reigne of King Richard certaine causes of discontentment did grow betweene the King and the Londoners which set the fauour of the one and the faith of the other at great separation and distance One was for that the King would haue borrowed of them a thousand poundes which they feeling much
too weake for warre did many times preuaile by peace that now they had got into their handes many Townes and Holdes appertaining to the crowne of England they were willing to conclude a peace to exclude the King thereby from his possessions but whensoeuer occasion shoulde change for their aduantage they would be then as ready to start from the friendshippe as at that present they were to strike it that the French Kings daughter being but a child was very vnmeet for the marriage of King Richard as well for disparitie of age as for that the King had no issue by his first wife and was not like to haue any by this except perhappes in his olde and withered yeeres When the Duke saw that with these motiues he did nothing preuaile he suborned the Londoners to make petition to the King that seâ—â—g there was peace with France he would release them of the Subsidie which they had graunted to him in regard of those warâ—es This suite was instantly followed and much perplexed the King vntill the Duke of Lancaster declare to the people that the King had beene at the charge and dispense of three hundred thousand poundes in his voyage into France for the procuring of this peace whereupon they were pacified and desisted from their demaund The yeere following Guido Earle of S. Pauls was sent into England by Charles King of Fraunce to visit and salute in his name King Richard and Queene Isabell his wife the French Kings daughter To this Earle the King did relate with what feruencie the Duke of Gloucester contended to make disturbance of the peace betweene England and France how because his minde was not therein followed hee mooued the people to seditious attempts bending himselfe wholly to maintaine discord and disquiâ—t rather in his owne countrey then not at all He further reported what stiffe strifes in formertâ—â—es the Duke had stirred which howsoeuer they were done yet as they were declared they sounded very odious and hard When the Earle heard this he presently answered that the Duke was too daungerous a subiect to be permitted to liue that greatnesse was neuer safe if it grow excessâ—ue and bolde that the King must not affect the vaine commendation of clemency with his owne perill and that it touched him both in honour to reuenge the disgraces which he had receiued and in policy to preuent the daungers which he had cause to feare These words of sharpened the Kings displeasure that from thencefoorth he busied his braines in no one thing more then how to bring the Duke to his end Now he began to pry more narrowly into his demeanour to watch his words to obserue actions adn alwayes to interpret them to the woorst framing himselfe to many vaine and weedlesse feareâ— Often times he would complaine of him to the Duke of Laâ—ster and the Duke of Yorke how fierce and violent he was in his speeches and crosse to him in all matters The Dukes would make answere that the Duke of Gloucester their brother was in deed more hoat and vehement then they did commend yet his fiercenesse was ioyned with faithfulnesse and his crosnesse proceeded from a care least the Common-wealth should decrease either in honour or in possessions and therefore the King had neither need to feare nor cause to disslike About that time the Dukes of Lancaster and of Yorke withdrewe themselues from the court to their priuate houses the duke of Gloucester also went to ly at Plashey neere Chelmessorde in Essex vpon aduantage of which seperation the King stoode distracted in minde betweene feare to differ and shame to auow the destruction of the Duke least he might happily bee disapointed by the one or dishonoured by the other Hereupon he entred into counsaile with Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington his halfe brother and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Notingham howe the Duke of Gloucester might be suppressed or oppressed rather the cruclty which was but wauering in the King yea wanting by nature was soone confirmed by euill aduise and being once inclined to bloud he did not faile either of example ofâ—ewd action to followe or direction of cruell counsaile what to doe so the plotte was contriued and according thereto the King and the Earle of Noâ—tingham rodâ— together into Essex as though it were to disporte themselues in hunting when they were in the middest of the Forrest the Earle made stay and the King passed forth with a smal and vnsuspicious company to the Duke lying at Plashey there he stayed dinner and then pretending occasion of present returne he desired the Duke to accompany him to London the faire entreatie of a Prince is a most forceable commaunde therefore the Duke supposing that onely to bee intended in deede which was pretended in shewe 〈◊〉 to horse-backe with the King taking such small attendance as vpon the sudden could be in a readinesse and appointing the rest to come after him to London So they rode together vsing much familiar talke by the way vntill they came neere the place of await then the King put his horse forwarde and the Duke comming behinde was suddenly intercepted and stayed crying aloud and calling to the King for his helpe the King continued his iourney as though he had not heard and the Duke was violently carried to the Thames and there shipped in a vessell layed for the purpose and from thence conueyed ouer to Calice When the King came to London he caused the Earle of Warwicke also to be arrested and sent to prison the same day that hee had inuited him to dinner and shewed good countenance and promised to be gracious Lord vnto him Vpon the like dissembled shewe the Earle of Arundell and his sonne and certaine others were arrested also and committed to prison in the Ile of Wight The common people vpon the apprehending of these three noble men whome they chiefely and almost onely fauoured were in a great confusion and tumult and there wanted but a head to drawe them to sedition euery man sorrowed murmured and threatned and daring no further stood waiting for one to leade them the way all being readie to followe that which any one was loath to beginne The Duke of Lancaster and of Yorke gathered a strong armie and came therewith to London where they were readily receiued by the citizens although the King had commaunded the contrarie but this seemed to be done rather for garde to themselues then regarde to any others The king all this time kept at a village called Helhame within foure miles of London hauing aboute him a great power of armed men which he had gathered out of Cheshire and Wales and to paciâ—â—â— the common people hee caused to be proclaimed that the Lordes were not apprehended vpon olde displeasures but for offences lately committed for which they should be appealed by order of law and receiue open triall in the Parliament next following the like message was sent to the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Yorke lying
at London to whome the King made faith for the safetie of their persons and indemnitie of their goods and that nothing should be attempted without their priuitie and aduise all this was as rashly belieued as it was craftely giuen out whereupon the Dukes dissembled their feares and dissolued their forces and remained in expectancie what would ensue A little before the feast of Saint Michael the Parliament began at London wherein Sir Iohn Bushie Sir William Bagot and Sir Heâ—rie Greene were principall agents for the Kings purpose These were then in all the credite and authoritie with the King and his chiefest Schoole-masters both of crueltie and deceite they were proude arrogant and ambitious and vppon confidence of the Kings fauour professed enemies to men of auncient Nobilitie to the ende that being lately start vp they might become more famous by maintaining contention with great persons And first by their importunate trauaile all the Charters of pardon graunted by the King were in this Perliament annulled and reuoked Then the prelates did constitute Sir Henrie Percie their procurator and departed the house because they might not be present in iudgement of bloud Lastly the Earle of Arundell and the Earle of Warwicke were arraigned and for the same offences for which they had bene pardoned namely for encroaching to themselues royall power in iudging to death Simon Burlye Iohn Berneis and others without the Kings consent were condemned to be hanged drawne and quarterâ—d but the King so moderated the seueritie of this sentence that the Earle of Arundell was onely he headed and the Earle of Warwicke committed to perpetuall imprisonment in the Ile of Man The Duke of Gloucester was so greatly fauoured that it was thought a point both of policie and peace notto bring him to his open answere but to put him to death secreately so he was strangled vnder a fether bedde at Calice by the Earle of Notingham being then Earle Marshall which death howsoeuer he deserued yet dying as he did not called not heard he died as guiltlesse In this same Parliament Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterburie was also accused for executing the commision against Michaell Delapoole Earle of Suffolke for which cause his temporalties were seazed his lands and goods forfeited as well in vse as in possession and himselfe was adiudged to exile charged to depart the realme within sixe weekes then next ensuing So hee went into Fraunce where afterwardes he became a principall meane of the reuolt which followed Also the Lord Cobham was exiled into the Ile of Gernsey and Sir Reinolde Cobham was condemned to death not for entring into any attempt against the King but because he was appointed by the Lords to be one of his gouernours and of his counsaile in the 11. yeare of his raigne Now the King falsely supposing that he was free from all daungers and that the humour against him was cleane purged and spent conceiued more secreate contentment then he would openly bewraye as more able to dissemble his ioy then conceale his feare being so blinded and bewitched with continuall custome of flatteries that hee perceiued not that the state of a Prince is neuer stablished by cruelty and crafce On the other side the common people were much dismayed hauing nowe lost those whome they accompted their onely helpes and their onely hopes both for their priuate affaires and for supporting the state and because these mishapes hapned vnto them for maintaining a cause of common dislike the peoples stomacke was stirred thereby to much hate and hearte-burning against the King And to make their deathes the more odious the Earle of Arundell was reputed a martyr and pilgrimages were dayly made to the place of his buriall the rumour also was current but without either authour or grounde that this his head was miraculously fastened againe to his body this whilest all men affirmed and no man knewe the King caused the corpes to bee taken vp and viewed ten daies after it was interred and finding the cause to be fabulous hee caused the ground to be paued where the Earle was layde and all mention of his buriall to be taken away forbidding publickly and such speaches of him afterwardes to bee vsed but this restrainte raysed the more and they who if it had beene lawefull woulde haue saide nothing beeing once forbidden coulde not forbeare to talke It was also constantly reported that the King was much disquieted in his dreames with the Earle who did often seeme to appeare vnto him in so terrible and truculent manner that breaking his fearefull sleepe he would curse the time that euer he knew him In the one and twenty yeare of the raigne of K. Richard Henry Earle of Darby was created Duke of Herforde at which time the King created foure other Dukes to wit Duke of Aumerle who was before Earle of Rutland Duke of Southrey who was before Earle of Kent Duke of Excester who was before Earle of Huntington and Duke of Norfolke who was before Earle of Notingham This degree of honour long time after the conquest of the Noâ—mans whose chiefest rulers had no higher title was accompted too great for a subiect to beare the fourme of the common-wealth beeing framed by the victors farre from equallity of all and yet the King excepted without eminencie of any At the length King Edward the third created his eldest Sonne Edward Duke of Cornewale and made this honour hereditary conferring it vnto many since which time diuerse princes of this lande haue bene either put or kept or hazarded from their estate by men of that quallity and degree The King likewise created the Countesse of Norfolke Duchesse of Norfolke the Earle of Sommerset Marquesse of Sommerset the Lorde Spencer Earle of Gloucester the Lorde Neuill Earle of Westmerland the Lorde Scroupe Earle of Wiltshire and the Lord Thomas Darcy his steward Earle of Worcester Among these hee made diuision of a great parte of the landes of the Duke of Gloucester and of the Earles of Arundell and warwicke supposing by this double liberality of honour and possessions to haue purchased to himselfe most firme friendships but bought friendes for the most parte are seldome either satisfied or sure and like certaine Rauens in Arabia so long as they are ful doe yeeld a pleasant voyce but being empty doe make a horrible crie Now the Duke of Hereford raysed his desires together with his dignities and either vpon disdaine at the vndeserued fauour and aduancement of some persons about the Kingâ— or vpon dislike that the King was so dishonourably both abused and abased by them or else perhaps vppon desire to manifest his owne sufficiencie in matters of controwlement and direction being in familiar discourse with Thomas Mowbraye Duke of Norfolke he brake into complaint how the King regarded not the noble princes of his bloud and Peeres of the Realme and by extreamities vsed to some discouraged the rest from entermedling in any publique affaires how in steade of these hee was
some at this present and many hereafter will accompt my case lamentable either that I hane deserued this deiection if it be iust or if it be wrongfull that I could not auoide it Indeede I doe confesse that many times I haue shewed my selfe both lesse prouident and lesse painfull for the benefite of the common-wealth then I should or might or intended to doe hereafter and haue in many actions more respected the satisfying of my owne particular humour then either iustice to some priuate persons or the common good of al yet I did not at any time either omit dutie or coÌ„mit grieuance vpon natural dulnesse or set malice but partly by abuse of corrupt councellers partly by errour of my youthfull iudgement And now the remembrance of these ouer-sights is so vnpleasant to no man as to my selfe and the rather because I haue no meanes left either to recompence the iniuries which I haue done or to testifie to the world my reformed affections which experience and stayednesse of yeares had already corrected would dayly haue framed to more perfection But whether all the imputations wherewith I am charged be true either in substance or in such qualitie as they are layd or whether being true they be so heinous as to inforce these extremities or whether any other Prince especially in the heate of youth and in the space of two and twentie yeares the time of my vnfortunate raigne doth not sometimes either for aduantage or vppon displeasure in as deepe maner grieue some particular subiect I will not now examine it helpeth not to vse defence neither booteth it to make complaint there is left no place for the one nor pitie for the other and therefore I referre it to the iudgement of God and your lesse distempered considerations I accuse no man I blame no fortune I complaine of nothing I haue no pleasure in such vaine and needlesse comforts and if I listed to haue stood vpon tearmes I know I haue great fauourers abroad and some friends I hope at home who would haue beene ready yea forward on my behalfe to set vp a bloudy and doubtfull warre but I esteeme not my dignitie at so high a price as the hazard of so great valure the spilling of so much English bloud and the spoile and waste of so flourishing a Realme as thereby might haue bene occasioned Therefore that the Common-wealth may rather rise by my fall then I stand by the ruine thereof I willingly yeeld to your desires and am heere come to dispossesse my selfe of all publike authority and title and to make it free and lawfull for you to create for your King Henric Duke of Lancaster my cousin germaine whom I know to be as worthie to take that place as I see you willing to giue it to him Then he read openly and distinctly the forme of his cession wherein he did declare that he had discharged his subiectes from their oathes of fealtie and homage and all other oathes whatsoeuer and of his owne will free motion did abdicate the title dignitie and aucthoritie of a King and rendred vp the possession of the Realme with the vse and title thereof and all the rights thereunto appertaining To this the King subscribed and was sworne and then hee deliuered with his owne hands the Crowne the Septer and the Robe to the Duke of Lancaster wishing vnto him more happinesse therewith then had euer happened vnto himselfe Then he did constiture the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford his procurators to intimate and declare this his resignation to all the states of the realme which should be assembled together in Parliament Lastly he gaue all his riches and goods to the summe of thee hundred thousand pounds in coyne besides his Iewels plate for satisfaction of the iniuryes that hee had done desiring the Duke al the rest that were present seuerally by their names not altogether to forget that he had beene their King nor yet too much to thinke vpon the same but to retaine of him amoderate remembrance and in recompence of the ease that hee had done them by his voluntarie yeelding to permit him to liue safely in a priuate and obscure life with the sweetenesse wherof he was so possessed that froÌ„ theneforth he would preferre it before any preferment in the world All this was deliuered and done by the King with voyce and countenance so agreeable to his present beauinesse that there was no man to vnmindefull of humane instabilitie which was not in some measure moued thereat insomuch as a fewe secrete teares melted from the eyes of many that were present in whose mindes a confessed and obscure alteration alreadie gâ—nne to beginne So proâ—e and inclinable are mento pitie miserie although they haue procured it and to enuie prosperitie euen that which they haue raysed Vpon Munday next following the Parlament began at Westminster and the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford the Kings Atturneys for this purpose declared openly to the states there assembled the Kings voluntarie resignation and demaunded whether they would assent and agree therevnto the Barons of the realme by seuerall and particular consent the commons with one generall voyce did expreslye accept and admit the same Then it was thought meet that certaine defects and misdemeanures concerning matters of gouernment should be obiected against the King for which he should be adiâ—dged as vnworthy as he seemed vnwilling to reteine the kingdome To this purpose certaine articles were engrossed and openly read in which was conteyned how vnprofitable the King had bin to the realme how vniust and grieuous to the subiectes contrarie both to his honour and to his oath The chiefest of which articles are these that follow 1 FIrst that King Richard did wastefully spend the treasure of the realme and had giuen the possessions of the crowne to men vnworthy by reason whereof new charges were dayly laide on the neckes of the poore comminaltie 2 Item where diuers Lords as well spirituall as temporall were appointed by the high court of Parlament to commune and treate of matters concerning the state of the realme and the commonwealth of the same they being busied about the same commission he with others of his affinitie went about to impeache them of treason 3 Item that by force and menace he compelled the Iustices of the realme at Shrewsburie to condiscend to his opinion for the destruction of the said Lords Insomuch as he began to raise warre against Iohn Duke of Lancaster Thomas Earle of Arundell Richard Earle of Warwicke other Lords contrarie to his honor and promise 4 Item that he caused his vnckle the Duke of Gloucester to be arrested without lawe and sent him to Calice and there without iudgement murthered him and although the Earle of Arundell vpon his arraignement pleaded his charter of pardon he could not be heard but was in most vile and shamefull manner sodainly put to death 5 Item he assembled certaine
spoyling the goods and spilling the bloud of the vnhappy people besides the ruynes and deformities of many Citties and holdes vntill his lawful inheritance was to him assured It terrifieth me to remember how many florishing Empires and Kingdomes haue bin by meanes of such contentions eyther torne in peeces with detestiue diuision or subdued to forren Princes vnder pretence of assistaunce and ayde and I neede not repeate howe sore this realme hath heertofore beene shaken with these seuerall mischieues and yet neyther the examples of other countries nor the miseries of our own are sufficient to make vs to beware O English men worse bewitched then the foolish Galathians our vnstayed mindes and restlesse resolutions doe nothing els but hunt after our owne harmes no people haue more hatred abroad and none lesse quiet at home in other countries the swoord of inuasion hath been shaken against vs in our owne land the fire of insurrection hath bin kindled amongs vs what are these innouasions but whetstones to sharpen the one and bellowes to blowe vp the other Certainely I feare that the same will happen vnto vs which Aesope fableth to haue been fallen vnto the Frogges who beeing desirous to haue a King a beame was giuen vnto them the first fall whereof did put them in some feare but when they saw it lye still in the streame they insulted thereon with great contempt and desired a king of quicker courage then was sent vnto them a Storke which stalking among them with stately steps continually deuoured them The mildenesse of king Richard hath bred in vs this scorne interpreting it to be cowardise and dulnes of nature the next heyre is likewise reiected I will not say that wyth greater courage we shall finde greater cruelty but if eyther of these shall heerafter be able to set vp theyr side and bring the matter to tryall by armes I do assuredly say that which part soeuer shall carry the fortune of the field the people both wayes must goe to wracke And thus haue I declared my minde concerning this question in more wordes then your wisedome yet fewer then the weight of the cause doth require and doe boldly conclude that wee haue neyther power nor policy eyther to depose king Richard or to elect Duke Henrie in his place that king Richard remaineth still our Soueraigne Prince and therefore it is not lawfull for vs to giue iudgement vpon him that the Duke whom you call king hath more offended against the king and the relame then the king hath done eyther against him or vs for being banished the realme for ten yeeres by the king and his counsaile amongst whome his owne Father was chiefe and sworne not to returne againe without speciall lycense he hath not onely violated his oath but with impious armes disturbed the quiet of the land and dispossessed the Kyng from his royall estate and now demaundeth iudgement against his person without offence proued or defence heard if this iniury and this periury doth nothing moue vs yet let both our priuate and common dangers somwhat withdraw vs from these violent proceedings This speach was diuerslie taken as men were diuersly affected betweene feare hope and shame yet the most parte did make shew for king Henrie and therevpon the Bishop was presently attached by the Earle Marshall and committed to prison in the Abbey of S. Albones Whose counsaile and coniecture then contemned was afterwardes better thought vpon partly in the life time of king Henrie during whose raigne almost no yeare passed without great slaughters and executions but more especially in the times succeeding when within the space of xxxvi yeares twelue set battailes vpon this quarrell were fought within the realme by English men only and more then foure score Princes of the royall bloud slaine one by another Then it was concluded that king Richard should be kept in a large prison with all manner of Princely maintenance and if any persons should conspire to reare warre for his deliuerance that he should be the first man who should suffer death for that attempt Then the Actes of the Parlament holden at Westminster in the xi yeare of King Richard were reuiued and the Parlament houlden the xxi yeare of king Richard was wholy repealed and they who were attainted by that Parlament were restored againe to their fame and honour and to their landes without suing lyuerie and to such goods whereof the King was not answered except the rents and issues which had beene receiued out of their lands in the meane time Herevpon Richard Earle of Warwicke was deliuered out of prison and the Earle of Arundelles sonne recouered his inheritance many others also that were banished or imprisoned by King Richard were then fullye restored againe to their Countrie libertie and estate It was further prouided that none of those which came in ayde of King Henrie against King Richard should for that cause be impeached or troubled Also the King gaue to the Earle of Westmerland the Countie of Richmond and to the Earle of Northumberland he gaue the Ile of Man to be houlden of him by the seruice of bearing the sworde wherewith he entred into England Diuers other of his followers he aduaunced to offices of highest place and charge some vpon iudgement and for desert but most part to win fauour and perhappes proiecting a plot for friends if times should change for in many actions men take more care to preuent reuenge then to leade an innocent and harmlesse life It was further agreed that the procurers of the death and murther of Thomas late Duke of Gloucester should be searched out and seuerelie punished And iudgement was giuen against the appellants of the Earle of Warwicke and the Earle of Arundell that the Dukes of Aumerle Sussex and Exceter the Marquesse of Dorset and the Earle of Gloucester who were present should loose their degree of honour for them and their heyres that they should likewise loose all the Castles Mannors Lordshippes c. then in their hands which sometimes apperteined to those whom they did appeale and that all the letters patents and charters which they had concerning the same should be surrendred into the ChaÌ„cerie and there be cancelled that for all other their Castles Mannors Lordships possessions and liberties they should be at the grace and mercie of the King that they should giue no liueries nor keepe any retinue of men but onely such officers as were meerelie necessarie for their degree that if any of them should adhere to Richard the deposed King in giuing him ayde or encouragement against the iudgement of his deposition then he should incurre the paines and forfeitures of high treason And because it was a clamorous complaint among the common people that many officers had committed greeuoâ—s extoruons and wrongs eyther by the open maintenance or secret conâ—itiuence of these Lords First those officers were remoâ—ued and that corruption taken away with integritie which briberie hâ—d wrought in placing for money men of bâ—d
qualitie in high degrees of office and seruice then proclamations were made that if any man had been oppressed by these Lords or by any officers vnder them he should prooue his complaint and receiue recompence It was made a question whether it was not meete that these noble men should be put to death the importunitie of the people and the perswasion of many great men drew that way but policie was against it and especially the opinion of clemencie which seemed needfull to the setling of a new risen state In this parlament also the Lorde Fitzwater appealed the sayd Duke of Aumerle sonne to the Duke of Yorke vpon points of high treason likewise the Lord Morley appealed Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisburie and moe then twentie other appeilants waged battaile but the king purposing to laye the foundation of his realme by fauour and not by force gaue pardon and restitution alike to all vppon sureties and band for their alleageance and in a sweet and moderate oration he admonished and as it were intreated the one part that ould griefes and grudges should not be renued but buried together with the memorie of former times wherein men were forced to doe many things against their mindes the other part he desired to be more regardfull of their actions afterward and for the time past rather to forget that euer they were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was laide vppon any saue onely the Earle of Salisburie and the Lord Morley who had beene in especiall grace and fauour with King Richard these two were committed to prison but at the sute of their friends they were soone released the rest the King receiued freelye to fauour but most especially the Duke of Aumerle and the Duke of Excester Lord Gouernour of Calice The Duke of Aumerle was cousen germane to both the kings Iohn Holland Duke of Exceâ—â—â— was halfe brother to King Richard and brother in lawe to King Henrie whose sister the Lady Elizabeth he had taken to wise The greatest matter that was enforced against them was their loyaltie vnto King Richard a grieuous crime among rebels because they did not onlie stomacke and storme at his deiection but stirre also more then others and assaye to raise forces on his behalfe The Dukes bouldly confessed the accusation that they were indeed vnfortunately faithfull to King Richard but as those who once are false doe seldome afterwards prooue soundly firme so they that haue shewed themselues true to one prince may the better be trusted by any other The King did rather admit this as a defence then remit it as a fault affirming that such examples were not to be misliked of Princes so he entred with them into great termes of friendship and put them in place neerest his person endeauouring by courtesie and liberalitie to make them fast and faithful vnto him this fact was diuerslie enterpreted according to mens seueral dispositions some admiring the kings moderation others disliking and disallowing his confidence and indeed although these meanes haue to this purpose preuailed with some yet the common course may mooue vs commonly to coniecture that there is little assurance in reconciled enemies whose affections for the most part are like vnto Glasse which beeing once cracked can neuer bee made otherwise then crazed and vnsound Furthermore to qualifie all preiudice and hard opinion which other princes might chaunce to conceiue King Henrie dispatched Embassadours to diuers countries neere vnto him to make it knowne by what title and by what fauour and desire of all the people he atteyned the kingdome To the court of Rome hee sent Iohn 〈◊〉 Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheyney Knight and Iohn Cheyney Esquire into Fraunce hee sent Waker Shirlowe Bishop of Durham and Lord Thomas Pearcy Earle of Worcester into Spaine he sent Iohn Treuor Bishop of S. Assaphâ—â— and 〈◊〉 William Parrâ— and into Almaine he sent the Bishop of Bangor and certaine other Most of these Princes as in a matter which little concerned eyther their honour or their harme seemed eyther not to regarde what was doone or easely to bee perswaded that all was doone well But Charles King of Fraunce was so distempeâ—ed at this dishonourable dealing with his sonne in lawe King Richard that by violence of his passion he fell into his oulde panges of phrensie and at the last by helpe of Phisicke returning to the sobrietie of his sences he purposed to make sharpe warre vpon that disloyall people as he termed them for this iniurie against their lawfull and harmlesse Prince Many noble men of Fraunce shewed themselues verye forwarde to enter into the seruice but especially the Earle of Saint Paule who had maryed King Richards halfe Sister So letters of defiance were sent into England and great preparation was made for the warre Likewise the newes of these nouelties much abashed the Aquitanes who were at that time vnder the English subiection and plunged their thoughts in great perplexities Some were greiued at the infamous blemish of the English nation who had disteyned their honour with the spot of such disloyall dealing others feared the spoyle of their goods and oppression of their liberties by the Frenchmen against whose violence they suspected that the realme of England beeing distracted into ciuill factions eyther would not attend or should not be able to beare them out but the Citizens of Burdeaux were chiefely anguished in respect of King Richard partlie fretting at his iniurie and partlie lamenting his infortunitie because he was borne and brought vppe within theyr Cittie And thus in the violence some of theyâ— anger some of theyr griefe and some of their feare in this sort they did generally complaine O good God sayd they where is the world become saintes are turned to Serpents and Doues into diuels The English nation which hath been accompted fierce onely against theyr â—oes and alwayes faithfull to their friends are now become both fierce and faith lesse against their lawfull and louing Prince and haue most barbarouslie betrayed him Who would euer haue thought that Christians that ciuill people that any men would 〈◊〉 haue violated all religion all lawes and all honest and orderlie demeanure And although the heauens blush at the view and the earâ—â— sweat as the burthen of 〈…〉 and all man proclaime and exclaime open shame and confusion against them yet they neither feele the horrour nor shrinke at the shame nor feare the reuenge but stand vpon tearmes some of defence for the lawfulnesse of their dealing and some of excuse for the necessitie Well let them be able to blinde 〈◊〉 worlde and to resist 〈…〉 yet shall they neuer be able to escape 〈…〉 desire to be powred vpon them Alas good King Richard thy nature was too gentle and they gouernement too milde for so stiffe and stubborne a people what King wil euer repose any trust in such 〈…〉 them with lawes as theeues are with 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 hee 〈◊〉 can recouer theyr credite What time wyll
maine might to breake and beare downe one another The courage and resolution of both sides was a like but the Welshmen were superiour both for number and direction for they were conducted by one knowne leader who with his presence euery where assisted at neede enflaming his Soldiours some with shame and reproofe others with praise and encouragement all with hope and large promises but the Englishmen had no certaine generall but many confused commaunders yea euery man was a commaunder to himselfe pressing forward or drawing backe as his owne courage or feare did mooue him Insomuch as no doubt they had taken a great blowe that day by theyr ill gouerned bouldnesse had not Owen Glendor presently vppon the breaking vp of the field ceased to pursue the execution and shewed himselfe more able to get a victorie then skilfull to vse it But euen to his side the victorie had cost bloud and many of those which remayned were eyther wounded or wearie the night was neere also and they were in their enemyes countrie by which meanes our men had libertie to retire rather then runne away no man being hoat to follow the chase They lost of their company about a thousand men who sould their liues at such a price that when manhood had doone the hardest against them certaine mannish or rather deuilish women whose malice is immortall exercised a vaine reuenge vppon their dead bodyes in cutting off theyr priuie partes and theyr noses whereof the one they stuffed into theyr mouthes and pressed the other betweene their buttocks and would not suffer their mangled carcasses to be committed to the earth vntill they were redeemed with a great summe of money By which cruell couetuousnesse the faction lost reputation and credite with the moderate sorte of their owne people suspecting that it was not libertie but licentiousnesse which was desired and that subiection to such vnhumaine mindes would bee more insupportable then anye bondage In this conflict the Earle of Marche was taken prisoner and fettered with chaines and cast into a deepe and vile dungeon The King was solicited by many noble men to vse some meanes for his deliuerance but hee would not heare on that eare hee could rather haue wished him and his two sisters in heauen for then the onely blemish to his title had beene out of the way and no man can tell whether this mischaunce did not preserue him from a greater mischiefe Owen Glendor by the prosperous successe of his actions was growne now more harde to be dealt with and hautelie minded and stood euen vppon termes of equalitie with the King wherevpon he proceeded further to inuade the Marches of Wales on the West side of Seuerne where he burnt many villages and townes slew much people and returned with great prey and praises of his adherents Thus he ceased not this yeere to infest the borderers on euery side amongst whom he found so weake resistance that he seemed to exercise rather a spoile then a warre For King Henrie was then detained with his chiefest forces in another more dangerous seruice which besides these former vexations and hazards this first yeere of his reigne happened vnto him For the Scottes knowing that changes were times most apte for attempt and vppon aduantage of the absence of all the chiefe English borderers partly by occasion of the Parlament and partlie by reason of the plague which was very grieuous that yeere in the North partes of the realme they made a roade into the countrey of Northumberland and there committed great hauocke and harme Also on a certaine night they sodainly set vppon the Castle of Werke the captain wherof sir Thomas Gray was then one of the knights of the Parlament hauing slaine the watch partly a sleepe partlye amased with feare they brake in and surprised the place which they held a while and at the last spoyled and ruined and then departed Whilest further harmes were feared this passed with light regarde But when great perrils were past as if noe woorse misfortune could haue befallen then was it much sorrowed and lamented And in reuenge thereof the Englishmen inuaded and spoyled certaine Ilandes of Orkney and so the losse was in some sorte repayred yet as in reprisals of warre it commonlye falleth out neyther against those particular persons which committed the harme nor for those which suffred it but one for another were both recompenced and reuenged Againe the Scottes set foorth a fleete vnder the conduct of Sir Robert Logon with direction to attempt as occasion should be offered his first purpose was against our Fishermen but before hee came to any action he was encountred by certaine English ships and the greatest part of his fleete taken Thus peace still continuing betweene both the realmes a kinde of theeuish hostilitie was dayly practised which afterwardes brake out into open warre vppon this occasion George of Dunbarre Earle of the Marches of Scotland had betrothed Elisabeth his daughter to Dauid the sonne and heyre apparant of Robert King of Scottes and in regardc of that marriage to bee shortlie celebrated and finished hee deliuered into the Kings hands a great summe of money for his Daughters dowrie But Archibalde Earle Dowglasse disdayning that the Earle of Marches bloud should be preferred before his so wrought with King Robert that Prince Dauid his sonne refused the Earle of Marches Daughter and tooke to wife Mariell Daughter to the Earle Dowglasse Earle George not vsed to offers of disgrace could hardlye enforce his pacience to endure this scorne and first hee demaunded restitution of his money not so much for care to obteyne as for desire to pieke an occasion of breaking his alleageance The King would make to him neyther payment nor promise but trifled him off with many 〈◊〉 and vaire delayes Whcrevppon hee fled with all his familie into England to 〈◊〉 earle of Northumberland intending with open disloyaltie both to reuenge his indignitie and recouer his losse The Englishmen with open armes enterteyned the opportunitie with whose helpe and assistance the Earle made diuerse incursions into Scotland where he burnt many 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 much people and daylye purchased with his sworde great aboundance of 〈◊〉 and spolle Heerevppon King Robert depriued the Earle of his honour seazed all his goods and possessions and wrote vnto King Henry as hee would haue the much betweene them any longer to continue eyther to deliuer vnto him the Earle of Marche and other â—aytours to his person and state or else to banish them the realm of England King Henrye perceiuing such iarres to iogger betweene the two realmes that the peace was already as it were out of ioynts determined not to loose the benefit of the discontented subiects of his enemie wherevppon hee returned aunswer to the Heralde of Scotland that hee was neyther wearie of peace not fearefull of warres and ready as occasion should change eyther to holde me one or hazard the other but the worde of a Prince was of great weight and
therefore sithe hee had graunted a safe conduct to the Earle of Marche and his companie it were an impeachment to his honour without iust cause to violate the same Vppon this answere the King of Scottes did presently proclaime open warre against the King of England with bloud fire and sworde King Henry thought it policie rather to begin the warre in his enemies countrie then to expect it in his owne because the land which is the 〈◊〉 of the warre dooth commonly furnish both sides with necessarie supply the friend by contribution and the enemie by spoyle Therefore sending certaine troopes of horsemen before him both to espie and to induce an vncertaine terrour vppon the enemie hee entred into Scotland with a puissant armie wherewith hee burnt many Villages and Townes cast downe diuerse Castles and ruined a great part of the Townes of Edenborough and Lith sparing nothing but Churches and religious houses so that in all places as he passed the spectacle was ouglie and grislie which hee left behind him bodyes torne in peeces mangled and putrified limmes the ayre infected with stincke the ground imbrued with corruption and bloud the countrie wasted the Grasse and Corne troden downe and spoyled insomuch as a man would haue sayde that warre is an exercise not of manhood but of inhumanitie They that fledde before the armie filled all places with feare and terrour extolling aboue truthe the English foreces to deminish thereby their shame in running from them In the end of September the King besieged the Castle of Maydens in Edenborough wherein were Dauid Duke of Rothsaye Prince of the realme and Archibaldâ— Earle Dowglasle the inconstancie of the one and ambition of the other were principall causes of all this warre During this siege Robert Duke of Albonye who was appointed gouernour of the Realme because the King was sicke and vnable to rule sent an Herauld vnto Henrie assuring him vppon his honour that if hee would abyde but sixe dayes at the most hee would giue him battaile and eyther remooue the siege or loose his life The King was well pleased with these tidings and rewarded the Herauld with a gowne of silke and a chaine of gould and promised him in the worde of a Prince to abide there and expect the gouernour during the tyme by him prefixed The sixe dayes passed almoste sixe tymes ouer and no more newes was heard of the Gouernour eyther by presence or by messenger Winter came on and victuaile fayled the Country was colde and fruitelesse and it rayned euery day in great aboundance so that partly by hunger partlye by distemperature of the weather the Soldiers began to dye of the Flixe it is verie like that these accidentes stayed the Gouernour from performing his promise for pollicy was against it to hazard his men in the fielde when winter and want two forceable foes had giuen the charge vpon his enemyes certaine it is that they mooued the King to remooue his fiege and to depart out of Scotland without any battaile or skirmish offred Both the Wardens of the Marches were all this time in Scotland with the King vpon which aduantage the Scots did breake into Northumberland and burnt certaine townes in Bamborough shire The English men were speedilie vp in armes but the Scottes more speedily made theyr returne or else no doubt they had been met with and encountered Agayne when King Henry had discharged his armie the Scottes beeing desirous not so much of lyfe as of reuenge made a sodayne roade into England vnder the conduct of Sir Thomas Halsbarton of Dirleton and Sir Patricke Hebburne of Hales but all the harme which they wrought dyd rather waken then weaken the Englishmen and they themselues were somewhat encouraged but nothing enryched by that whych they got Not long after Sir Patricke Hebburne beeing lifted vp in desire and hope resolued to vndertake a greater enterprise the people which are 〈…〉 by prosporous successe in great companies resorted to him but hee was loath to haue more fellowes in the spoyle then hee thought should neede in the daunger therefore with a competent armie of the men of Loughdeane he inuaded a Northumberland where hee made great spoile and loaded his Souldiours with prisoners and pray There was no question made what perill might bee in the returne Therefore they marched loosene and 〈…〉 as in a place of great securitie not keeping themselues to their ensignes and order but the Earle of Northumberlands Vice-warden and order Gentlemen of the borders in good arraye set vppon them at a towne in Northumberland called 〈◊〉 The scottes rallied as well as the soddainnesse did serue and valliantlie receiued the charge so that the battaile was sharpe and 〈◊〉 and continued a good time with great mortalitie In the ende the enemyes ranckes grew thinne as being rather confusedly shuffled together then orderly and firmlie compacted and when the Vice-warden 〈◊〉 them weake in the shock and yeelding vnder his hand with a companie which purposelâ—e reteyned about him for sodaine dispâ—teneâ— and chaunces of warre he flercely charged and disordered them Sir Patricke Hebburne being cleane destitute both of counsaile and courage ranne vp and downe from one place to another commaunding many things and presently forbidding them againe and the lesse of force his directions were the oftener did hee change them anone as it happeneth in lost and desperate cases euerye man became a commaunder and none a putter in execution so the ranket loosed and brake and could not bee reunited the victor hoatly pursuing the aduantage Then might you haue 〈◊〉 a grieuous spectacle pursuing killing wounding and taking and killing those that were taken when better were offered euery where weapons and dead bodyes and mangled limâ— laye scattered and sometimes in those that were slaine appeared at their death both anger and valure Sir Patricke Hebburne thought of nothing lesse then eyther fleeing or yeelding but thrusting among the thickest of his enemyes honourably ended his life Many other of his linage and the flower of all Loughdeane were likewise slaine There 〈…〉 side no great number was slaine and those of no great seruice and degree And with these troubles the first yeere of King Henrie the fourth ended ⸫ FINIS LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head alley neere the Exchange 1599. Crastino purificationis 1388 1389 1390. 1392 1393 1397 1398 Tranquil in caligula Tacitus in proaemio Ierem. 25. 9. Ezech. 29. 18. Ierm 29. 7. Baruch 1. 11. So did Dâ—mitian put to death Epaphroditus Neroes libertine because he helped Neroe although in loue to kill himselfe So did Seuerus kill all the killers of Pertinax his prodecessour and likwise Vitellius did put to death all the murtherers of Galâ—a Theophilus Emperour of Grecia caused all those to be slaine who had made his Father Emperour by killing Leo Armenius And Alexander the great put to cruell execution those that had slaine Darius his mighty and mortall enemy Deut. 17. 12. Psal 105. Exod. 22. 28. Act. 23. 5. Rom. 13. 1. 13. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet 2. 13 14. 17. 1. Tim. 2 2. Rom. 1â— 2. Iohn 19. 〈◊〉 Cap. â—5 1. 2. Chro. 36. 22. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Psal. 28. Sap. 6. Quintil in declam Cic. offic lib. 1. Nehem. 9. 37. Alphons a cast in lib. de haeresi in verb. Tyrannus Dominie Soto lib. 5. de iust et iur q. 1. artic 3.