and of Holdernes William de Fortibus maried Hawse or Avice the daughter and heire of the aforenamed Stephen and was in her right created Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernes by King Stephen William de Fortibus their sonne succeeded and was Earle of Albemarle and of Holdernesse William de Fortibus his sonne was Earle of Albemarle and Holdernes and dyed without issue Male. R. 2. Thomas Plantagenet otherwise called Thomas of Woodstock a yonger sonne of King Edward the Third was by his Nephew King Richard the Second created Earle of Albemarle Holdernes Darby Lancaster and Leicester Henrie Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Albemarle Holdernes Darby Lancaster and of Leicester R. 2. Edmund Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund of Langley another of the yonger sonnes of King Edward the Third and Duke of Yorke was by king Richard the Second his Cosen created Earle of Rutland and Duke of Albemarle Thomas Plantagenet Duke of Clarence and sonne to King Henrie the Fourth was by him created Earle of Warwick and of Albemarle Arundell Conq. ROger Mountgomery was by William the Conquerour created Earle of Arundell and of Shrewsbury Hugh Mountgomery his sonne succeeded him and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Belesme succeeded and dyed without issue Wiliam de Albeney was by Mawld the Empresse created Earle of Arundell Mauld and Sussex because he tooke her part against King Stephen he maried Adeliza the widdow of King Henrie the First and was confirmed in his honors H. 2. by king Henrie the Second William de Albeney his sonne succeeded in those honors R. 1. William de Albeney his sonne was by King Richard the First restored to the said Earledomes which for displeasure had been kept from him by Henrie the Second William de Albeney his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes Hugh de Albeney was Earle after his brother and dyed without issue H. 3. William de Albenetto was created Earle of Arundell by king Henrie the Third and dyed without issue E. 1. Richard Fitz-Alen maried Isabel who was one of the daughters of the last Earle William and was by king Edward the First created Earle of Arundell hee was before that time Lord of Clun and Oswaldstry Edmund Fitz-Alen their sonne was Lord of Clun and Oswaldstry and succeeded in the Earledome of Arundell but was beheaded on displeasure and by the commandement of Queene Isabel the wife of king Edward the second Richard Fitz-Alen his sonne succeeded in all those honors hee was also Earle of Warren and of Surrey Richard Fitz-Alen his sonne was Lord of Clun and Oswaldstry and Earle of Arundell Warren and of Surrey hee was also Lord of Bromfield and Yale and was beheaded at Bristow whilst king Richard the second liued Thomas Fitz-Alen his sonne was Lord of Clun Oswaldstry Bromflet and Yale and Earle of Arundell Warren and of Surrey and died without issue Male. Iohn Fitz-Alen and Lord Maltrauers H. 6. being the next heire Male to the said Thomas was by King Henrie the sixt created Earle of Arundell and Duke of Torayne Humfrey Fitz-Alen his sonne was Earle of Arundell and dyed without issue William Fitz-Alen his Vncle and brother to the last Earle Iohn was Lord of Clun and Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell Thomas Fitz-Alen his sonne succeeded and was Lord of Clun and Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell William Fitz-Alen his sonne was Lord of Clun and Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell Henrie Fitz-Alen his sonne was Lord of Clun and Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell and dyed without issue Male. Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey and the fourth and last Duke of Northfolke maried Marie one of the daughters and coheires of the said Henrie Fitz-Alen and was in her right Lord Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell The other moytie descended to the Lord Barkley Philip Howard his sonne was Lord Maltrauers and Earle of Arundell and of Surrey Thomas Arundell his sonne is Lord Maltrauers K. Ia. and Earle of Arundell to which honours hee was restored by the mightie Prince King Iames. Bathe PHilbert de Chandew a Britton borne H. 1. was by King Henrie the first created Earle of Bath he dyed without issue Male. Iohn Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstock in Deuon being the sonne of Foulke Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warren who was the sonne of William Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warren who was the yonger sonne of William Bourchier H. 8. Earle of Ewe in Normandie who was the yonger brother of Henry the first Earle of Ewe was by king Henry the eight created Earle of Bath Iohn Bourchier his sonne was Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstock and Earle of Bath William Bourchier the sonne of Iohn Bourchier who was the sonne of the said Iohn last Earle of Bath is now Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstock and hath issue one sonne only who is named Edward Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstock Bedford E. 3. INgram Lord Concy a Frenchman borne maried Isabel the daughter of king Edward the third and being by him created Earle of Bedford he dyed without issue Male. Iohn Plantagenet the third sonne of king Henrie the fourth was by his father created Duke of Bedford H. 4. and whilst king Henrie the sixt liued to whom he was Vncle he was Regent of France Ruled it with great wisedome and valour and dyed without issue George Neuil was by king Edward the fourth created Duke of Bedford E. 4. and dyed without issue Iaspar Tuthar surnamed Iaspar of Hatfield sonne to Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine the widdow of king Henrie the fifth was by his halfe brother king Henrie the sixt created Earle of Pembroke H. 7. and was after by his Nephew king Henrie the seuenth created Duke of Bedford and dyed without issue Iohn Russel was by king Henrie the eight made Lord Russel and by king Edward the sixt E. 6. he was created Earle of Bedford Francis Lord Russel his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Bedford Edward Lord Russel his sonnes sonne viz. the sonne of Francis third sonne to the said Earle Francis is now Earle of Bedford Bridgewater GIles Dawbeney was by king Henrie the Seuenth made Lord Dawbeney H. 8. and his sonne Henrie was after his fathers death created Earle of Bridgewater by king Henrie the Eighth and died without issue But Alice his sister and heire was maried to Iohn Bourchier Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstocke in Deuon from whom William Lord Fitz-Warren of Towstocke and Earle of Bath is descended Buckingham WAlter Gifford Earle of Longuile in Normandie Conq. and cosen to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Buckingham and Pembroke Walter Gifford his sonne succeeded and died without issue Thomas Plantagenet surnamed Thomas of Woodstocke the sixth sonne of King Edward the Third was by his nephew King Richard the Second created Earle of Buckingham Northampton and Essex R. 2. and afterwards he made him Duke of Glocester And for his good counsell to the same King he was sent prisoner to
Edward Plantagenet surnamed The Blacke Prince E. 3. was by his father king Edward the Third in Parliament created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester Richard Plantagenet sonne to the blacke Prince E. 3. was by his Grandfather king Edward the Third created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester which hee enioied vntill he was King Richard the Second Henry Plantagenet the eldest sonne of king Henry the Fourth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill he was king Henry the Fifth Edward the sonne of king Henry the Sixth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and was murdered Edward the sonne and heire apparant of King Richard the third was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Arthur Tuther the eldest sonne of king Henry the Seuenth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester and died without issue Henry Tuther his brother enioied the Principalitie of Wales the Duchie of Cornwall and the Earledome of the Palatinate of Chester vntill he was king Henry the Eighth Edward Tuther the sonne of king Henry the Eighth was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill hee was King Edward the Sixth Henry Stewart the eldest sonne of King Iames the First was Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle Palatine of Chester vntill hee died without issue Charles Stewart his brother is Earle Palatine of Chester Duke of Rossay Yorke and Cornwall and Prince of Wales Cumberland Conq. RAlphe Meschynes a Norman was by the Conquerour created Earle of Cumberland and Carlile H. 8. Henry Lord Clifford Bromflet and Vessey was by King Henry the Eighth created Earle of Cumberland George Lord Clifford Bromflet and Vessey being his sonne was Earle of Cumberland and died without issue male Francis Lord Clifford his brother is Earle of Cumberland Darbie Conq. WIlliam Peuerell base sonne to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Darbie and of Nottingham William Peuerell his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes K. Steph. Robert de Ferrers Lord of Tedburie and Earle of Ferrers and of Nottingham was also Earle of Darbie William de Ferrers succeeded his father in those honours William de Ferrers his sonne was Lord of Tedburie Chartley and Groby and Earle of Ferrers Nottingham and of Darbie Robert de Ferrers his sonne possessed his fathers dignities Hee was disherited because he sided with the Barons against King Henrie the Third Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster second sonne to King Henry the Third and brother to king Edward the First H. 3. was by his said father created Earle of Lecester and of Darbie Thomas Plantagenet his sonne being Earle of Lancaster Lecester Lincolne and Salisburie was by descent Earle of Darbie and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was dignified with all those honours Henry Plantagenet his sonne enioying those Earledomes together with the Earledomes of Albemarle and Holdernes was by king Edward the Third created Duke of Lancaster E. 3. And his daughter and heire named Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of the same King Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt being Duke of Lancaster Earle of Leicester Lincolne and Salisbury was also Earle of Darby Henrie Plantagenet surnamed Bullingbroke being his sonne was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and Earle of Leicester Lincolne and of Salisbury he was likewise Earle of Darby and was king by the name of king Henrie the Fourth Thomas Stanley Lord Stanley whose Father Thomas was by king Henrie the Sixth made Lord Stanley was by king Henrie the Seuenth created Earle of Darby H. 7. Thomas Stanley his Grand-child viz. the sonne of his sonne Henrie who married Ione the daughter and heire of Iohn Lord Strange and Knoking being Lord Stanley and Strange was also Earle of Darby Edward Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Darby Henrie Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne was Earle of Darby Ferdinando Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking being his sonne was Earle of Darby and dyed without issue Male. William Lord Stanley Strange and Knoking his brother is now Earle of Darby Deuonshire RIchard de Bruer surnamed Richard of the Heath being a Norman was by the Conqueror created Earle of Deuonshire Conq. hee dyed without issue Adela de Bruer his sister and heire Conq. was by the Conqueror created Viscountesse of Deuonshire Baldwine de Riuers being Earle of Exeter H. 2. was by King Henrie the second created Earle of Deuonshire Richard Riuers his sonne succeeded in those honors Baldwine Riuers his sonne was Earle after him and dyed without issue Richard Riuers his brother was Earle and dyed without issue William Riuers surnamed de Valentia was their Nephew and heire was after them Earle of Deuonshire Baldwine Riuers his sonne was Earle of Deuon Iohn Riuers his sonne being Earle dyed without issue Isabel Riuers surnamed de Fortibus being the Generall heire of the Earles of Deuonshire did enioy the said Earledome Shee married one who was named William de Fortibus Earle of Albemarle and Lord of Holdernes by whom shee had a plentifull issue But King Edward the Third would not permit them to enioy the said Earledome of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney Knight who was descended from the before named Earles of Deuonshire E. 3. was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney his sonne was Earle after him Edward Courtney surnamed the Blinde who was the sonne of Edward the sonne of the last Hugh Courtney was Earle of Deuonshire Hugh Courtney his sonne was Earle of Deuonshire Thomas Courtney his sonne being Lord of Okehampt in Deuon was also Earle of Deuonshire Hee tooke part in the warres with King Henrie the sixt and being taken prisoner at the battaile of Towton in Yorkeshire he lost his head E. 4. Humfrey Stafford Esquire was by King Edward the Fourth first made Lord Stafford of Southweeke and afterward Earle of Deuonshire and because he cowardly left the field at Banbury in the ciuill warres at Bridgewater hee was beheaded by the commandement of the said King Edward Courtney Lord of Hackham being Cosen and heire to the said Thomas Courtney H. 7. was by king Henry the seuenth created Earle of Deuonshire William Courtney his sonne married the Lady Katherine one of the daughters of king Edward the Fourth and was Earle of Devonshire Henrie Courtney his sonne was Earle of Deuonshire and by his Cosen German king Henrie the Eight H. 8. hee was created Marques of Exeter but lost his head Q. Ma. Edward Courtney his sonne was by Queene Marie restored to the Earledome of Deuonshire but dyed at Padua without issue K. Ia. Charles Blunt Lord Mountioy was by King Iames the First created Earle of Deuon he dyed without issue
the Second created Lord of Wallingford Earle of Cornwall and Glocester and died without issue being executed by the Barons Hugh Spencer the younger was by King Edward the Second created Earle of Glocester and was executed at London E. 3. Hugh Awdley Lord Awdley of Helie Castle was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Glocester and died without issue R. 2. Thomas Plantagenet surnamed Thomas of Woodstocke the sixth sonne of King Edward the Third was by his father created Earle of Essex Buckingham and Northampton and by King Richard the Second his nephew hee was created Duke of Glocester but was murdered at Calice in prison for reprouing the King friendly of his faults R. 2. Thomas Lord Spencer the grand-childe of the aforenamed Hugh Spencer was by King Richard the Second created Earle of Glocester and died without issue male H. 4. Humfrey Plantagenet the fourth sonne of king Henrie the Fourth being Earle of Pembroke was by his father created Duke of Glocester and died without issue E. 4. Richard Plantagenet the sonne of Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and brother to King Edward the Fourth was by the same King created Duke of Glocester Hee was also King Richard the Third and died without issue Hartford H. 2. ROger de Clare Earle of Clarence was by King Henrie the Second created Earle of Hartford Richard de Clare his sonne enioied both those Earledomes Gilbert de Clare his sonne was Earle of Clare Hartford and of Glocester Richard de Clare his sonne enioied those three Earledomes Gilbert de Clare his sonne succeeded in those honours Gilbert de Clare his sonne succeeded and died without issue male Ralphe de Mounthermer who maried Ione of Acres one of the daughters of king Edward the First E. 1. was by him created Earle of Glocester and of Hartford he dyed without issue Edward Saint-Maure alias Seymour H. 8. was by king Henrie the Eight made Viscount Beauchamp and Earle of Hartford hee was Vncle and Protector to king Edward the Sixt by whom hee was created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Edward Saint-Maure alias Seymour his sonne Q. Eliz. was by Queene Elizabeth created Viscount Beauchamp and Earle of Hartford and he now liueth Hereford WIlliam Fitz Osborne Conq. who first perswaded the Conqueror to vndertake that weightie businesse was by him created Earle of Hereford and Lord of the Isle of Waight because he made the first Conquest thereof Roger Fitz-Osborne his sonne who succeeded was attainted of Treason and dyed a prisoner without issue Miles Fitz-Water was by King Henrie the First H. 1. created Earle of Hereford Roger Fitz-Water his sonne succeeded and dyed without issue Walter Fitz-Water his brother was Earle and dyed without issue Henrie Fitz-Water his brother succeeded and dyed without issue Humfrey Bohun was by king Henrie the Third H. 3. created Earle of Hereford and of Essex Humfrey Bohun succeeded his father in those Earledomes Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle after him Humfrey Bohun his sonne was his successour in those Dignities Iohn Bohun his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue Hurmfrey Bohun his Nephew viz. the sonne of William brother to the said Iohn was Earle of Hereford Essex and Northampton and dyed without issue Male. Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of king Edward the Third E. 3. married Eleanor the eldest sister of the said Humfrey and was by his Father created Earle of Hereford Essex Buckingham and Northampton he was afterwards by his Nephew king Richard the Second created Duke of Glocester and was murdred in prison at Calice because he informed the king friendly of his faults Humfrey Plantagenet his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue Male. Henrie Plantagenet surnamed Bullingbroke the sonne and heire apparant of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster being Earle of Darby was by his Cosen R. 2. king Richard the Second created Duke of Hereford and was afterwards king Henry the Fourth Humfrey Stafford was Earle of Stafford Northampton and Hereford and was by king Henrie the Sixt created Duke of Buckingham but he lost his head Huntington Conq. WAldolf a Saxon married Iudith the Conquerors Neece and was by him created Earle of Huntington hee dyed without issue Male. Simon de S. Lize otherwise Saint-Leger married Mawld one of the daughters of Waldolf Rufus and was by William Rufus created Earle of Huntington and Northompton and hauing issue Simon hee dyed Dauid Prince of Scotland and sonne to Malcolme the Third being Earle of Northumberland Steph. and Cumberland was by king Stephen made Earle of Huntington for Simon was but a child and vniustly kept from his Inheritance Henrie Prince of Wales assoone as Dauid his father was king of Scotland enioyed the Earledomes of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington After the death of King Stephen the said Simon being sonne to the said Simon entred into his Earledomes of Huntington and Northampton and enioyed the same in peace during his life Malcolme Prince of Scotland and sonne to the before named Henrie because the rightfull Earle of Huntington was in his minoritie was by king Henrie the Second H. 2. made Earle of Huntington as he was Earle of Northumberland and of Camberland William his brother being Prince of Scotland and Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and of Huntington made warres vpon King Henrie the Second after he was king of the Scots and was taken prisoner in the field ransomed and lost those honors Simon de S. Lize otherwise Saint-Leger the third of that name was by king Henrie the Second restored to his Earledome of Huntington and was also Earle of Northampton and died without issue Dauid the brother of the aforenamed William was by the fauour of king Richard the Second restored to the Earledome of Huntington R. 1. Iohn his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Huntington and died without issue male He was surnamed Scot. William Clinton was by king Edward the Third created Earle of Huntington and died without issue E. 3. Guischard a Gascoigne borne in Angolesme R. 2. was by king Richard the Second created Earle of Huntington and died without issue Iohn Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second R. 2. was by him created Earle of Huntington and Duke of Exeter and lost his head for conspiring against king Henrie the Fourth Iohn Holland his sonne was restored to his Earledome by King Henrie the Fifth H. 5. and by king Henrie the Sixth to his Duchie of Exeter Henry Holland his sonne was attainted when king Edward the Fourth raigned and was drowned on the coast of Calice Thomas Grey sonne in Law to king Edward the Fourth was by him created Marquesse Dorset and Earle of Huntington Thomas Grey his sonne succeeded in those honours William Herbert the eldest sonne of William Herbert whom king Edward the Fourth had made Earle of Pembroke E. 4. was by the same King made Earle of Huntington George Hastings Lord Hastings Botreaux and Molines was by king Henrie the Eighth created Earle of Huntington H. 8. Francis Hastings his sonne succeeded in those honours Henry Hastings his sonne being Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaux Molines and Moeles was also Earle of Huntington George Hastings his brother succeeded and
a child without issue Edward Fines Lord Clinton was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Fines Lord Clinton the sonne of the said Edward was Earle of Lincolne after his Father and yet liueth March EDwin a Saxon at the time of the Conquest was Earle of March hee with Marcarus and Swardus kept the Isle of Waight against the Conqueror and was banished Roger Mortimer Lord Mortimer of Wigmore E. 3. was by king Edward the Third created Earle of March and was executed for Treason Roger Mortimer the sonne of Edmund Mortimer who was the sonne of the said Earle Roger E. 3. was by the same king restored to the Baronie of Wigmore and to the Earledome of March. Edmund Mortimer his sonne married Philip the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of king Edward the Third and was Earle of March and from them two did descend the heires of the Familie of Yorke Roger Mortimer their sonne was Earle of March and of Vlster in Ireland and by king Richard the Second was proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne of England and was slaine long after in Ireland Edmund Mortimer his sonne was Earle of March and after one and twentie yeares imprisonment in Wales and elsewhere he died without issue Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge was the sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fift sonne of King Edward the third hee maried Anne the sister and heire of the said Edmund daughter to the said last Earle Roger and in her right he was Earle of March and they two had issue Richard Duke of Yorke who was father to King Edward the fourth Richard Plantagenet sonne to Richard Earle of Cambridge was Earle of March and Duke of Yorke and had issue Edward the fourth Edward his sonne was first Earle of March then by his Fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and by his victorie at Barnet field hee attained the Kingdome of England and was King Edward the fourth Mountgomery K. Ia. SIr Philip Herbert Knight the second sonne of Henry late Earle of Pembroke and younger brother to William Lord Herbert now Earle of Pembroke was by K. Iames created Earle of Mountgomery Northfolke RAlph Waer at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Norfolke and Suffolke and fled for treason Conq. Ralph Bygot President of the East Angles was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northfolke but hee was disherited for conspiring against him H. 1. Hugh Bygot was by King Henry the first created Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne was Earle after him Hugh Bygot his sonne was Earle of Northfolke Roger Bygot his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Roger Bygot his Nephew vizt the sonne of his brother Robert was Earle of Northfolke and dyed without issue E. 2. Thomas Plantagenet surnamed Brotherton who was a yonger son to King Edward the first and brother to King Edward the second was by his brother created Earle of Northfolk he had one daughter and heire who was named Margaret Iohn Lord Segraue maried the said Margaret they two had issue Margaret R. 2. which Margaret was by King Richard the second created Duchesse of Northfolke after her husbands death and then she maried Iohn Lord Mowbray Thomas Lord Mowbray their sonne R. 2. was by King Richard the second created Earle of Nottingham Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke hee dyed without issue Hee complained of Henry of Bullinbrooke to King Richard the second and should haue fought a combate with him but died at Venice in his banishment Thomas Lord Mowbray his sonne was neuer Duke of Northfolk but was in his fathers life time only Earle of Nottingham and was executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke by King Henry the fourth and his brother Iohn succeeded their father and was Marshall of England Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey High Marshall of England and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Lord Mowbray his sonne succeeded his father in all those honourable Dignities he died and had issue Anne Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and second sonne to King Edward the fourth was maried in his childhood to the said Anne and was in her right possessor of all those honors But he was murdred by his Vncle King Richard the third and died without issue The said Anne also died without issue whereby all the Lordshippes of the Mowbrays by course of inheritance was devolued to Iohn Lord Howard and to William Lord Barkley Iohn Lord Howard who by his mothers side R. 3. was discended from the before named Mowbrayes was by King Richard the third created Duke of Northfolke and lost his life in the said Kings quarell at Bosworth field H. 8. Thomas Howard his sonne who by King Richard the third was made Earle of Surrey was created Duke of Northfolke by King Henry the eighth Thomas Howard his son succeeded and was Duke of Northfolk Thomas Howard the sonne of Henry who was the sonne of the last Thomas Duke of Northfolke was Duke of Northfolke and Earle Marshall of England He was also in the right of his wife Marie the eldest daughter of Henry Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundell Northumberland MArcarus at the time of the Conquest was Earle of Northumberland and Lincolne he with others kept the I le of Wighte against the Conqueror and was taken dyed in prison and had no issue Conq. Robert de Cumine was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but was slaine by the Northumbers Conq. Gospatrick was created Earle of Northumberland by the Conqueror but he tooke it from him againe Conq. Waldrofe was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but lost his head for treason Conq. Walcher Bishop of Durham bought the Earledome of Northumberland of the Conqueror and died without issue Conq. Robert de Mowbray was by the Conqueror created Earle of Northumberland but he rebelled and lost it Steph. Dauid Prince of Scotland sonne to King Malcolme the third was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington Henrie his sonne assoone as his father was King enioyed all those Earledomes Malcolme his son was Earle of Northumberland and of Cumberland and Huntington William his brother succeeded him in his Kingdome and was Earle of Northumberland Cumberland and Huntington he warred against King Henry the second was taken Prisoner ransomed and lost those honors R. 1 Hugh de Puddsey Bishop of Durham was by King Richard the first created Earle of Northumberland and died without issue R. 2. Henry Percy was by King Richard the second created Earle of Northumberland hee was father to Henry surnamed Hotspurre who was slaine in their rebellion against King Henry the fourth H. 5. Henry the sonne of Henry Hotspur was by King Henry the fifth restored to the Earledome of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne was Earle of Northumberland Hee and his
son Henry tooke part with King Henry the sixt and in his quarrell he was slaine at Towton field but Henrie his sonne fled with the king into Scotland Iohn Lord Mountacute brother to Richard Earle of Warwick was by king Edward the fourth created Earle of Northumberland E. 4. but the said Henry Percy obtained the kings fauour by his friends mediation so that Iohn Lord Mountacute surrendred his Patent to the King And was created Marques Mountacute Henry Percy was by King Edward the fourth E. 4. restored to the Earledome of Northumberland and was slaine by the Common People there because he leuied a tax for the King which much displeased them Henry Percy Lord Percy Crockermouth Petworth Poynings Fitz-Payne and Brian his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Northumberland Henry Percy his sonne enioyed all those honorable titles and possessions and died without issue Iohn Dudley Earle of Warwick and Viscount Lissle Lord Basset Tyes was created Duke of Northumberland by King Edward the sixt and lost his head in the raigne of Queene Mary Thomas Percy being the heire male of the house of the Earles Percies was restored by Queene Mary Q. Ma. to the Earledome of Northumberland and for default of issue male of his bodie it was entayled to his Brother Henry Percy and to the heires males of his body And whilest Queene Elizabeth raigned the said Thomas died without issue male Henry Percy his brother according to the aforesaid entailement was Earle of Northumberland and died Henry Percy his sonne is now Lord of Petworth Crockermouth Poynings Fitz-Paine and Brian and Earle of Northumberland Nottingham VVIlliam Peuerel base sonne to the Conqueror Conq. was by him created Earle of Nottingham and of Darby William Peuerel his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and Darby Robert Earle of Ferrers in Normandie K. Steph. and Lord of Tedbery in Staffordshire was by King Stephen created Earle of Nottingham William his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and by King Iohn he was also created Earle of Darby Iohn de Mowbray was by King Richard the second R. 2. created Earle of Nottingham and died without issue Thomas de Mowbray his brother was by K. Richard the second R. 2. first created Earle of Nottingham and then Duke of Northfolk hee was challenged by Henry of Bullingbroke Duke of Hereford to a single combate for his false reports to the King and was banished and died in his exile Thomas Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham and executed for treason with Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke In the Raigne of King Henry the fourth Iohn Mowbray his brother was by King Henry the sixt created Earle of Nottingham H. 6. and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne was Earle of Nottingham Warren and Surrey and Duke of Northfolke Iohn Mowbray his sonne enioyed all those honours and died without issue male R. 3. William Lord Barkley being one of his Generall heires was by King Edward the fourth made Viscount Barkley and by King Richard the third he was created Earle of Nottingham and by King Henry the seuenth Marques Barkley Henry Fitz-Roy the base sonne of King Henry the eighth and of Elizabeth Blount was by the same King created Earle of Nottingham H. 8. and Duke of Richmond and died without issue Charles Lord Howard of Effingham was by King Iames created Earle of Nottingham Oxford EDgar Atheling the sonne of Edward the Out-law who was the sonne of Edmund Ironside was at the Conquest Earle of Oxford and was by the Conqueror depriued of that honour Mauld Awbrey de Vere was by Mauld the Empresse created and by her sonne King Henry the second confirmed Lord High Chamberlaine of England in feee and Earle of Oxford Awbrey de Vere his sonne enioyed those honors and dyed in the dayes of King Iohn without issue Robert de Vere his brother was High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford and sided with the Barons in their warres against King Iohn when they tooke part with the Dolphin of France by reason of the Popes Curse Hugh de Vere his sonne was high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford he was Viscount Bolbeck and Lord Samford Robert de Vere his sonne succeeded in those Honors Robert de Vere his sonne enioyed the same and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Alphonsus de Vere brother to the last Robert was Lord Samford Vicount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Thomas de Vere his sonne held all those honorable dignities Robert de Vere his sonne being Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck Earle of Oxford and high Chamberlaine of England was by king Richard the Second created Marques of Dublin and Duke of Ireland he died without issue Awbrey de Vere his Vncle was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxford But the inheritance of his high Chamberlainship of England hee voluntarily surrendred to king Richard the Second who gaue it to his halfe brother Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter Richard de Vere his sonne was Lord Samford Viscount Bolbeck and Earle of Oxferd Iohn de Vere his sonne enioyed those Honors He and his eldest sonne Awbrey de Vere were attainted and executed in the time of king Edward the Fourth Iohn de Vere his sonne was by King Henry the Seuenth H. 7. restored to the honors of Bolbeck Samford and Scales was made high Chamberlaine of England and Earle of Oxford Iohn de Vere his Nephew by George his brother succeeded him in all those Honors and dyed without issue Iohn de Vere the sonne of Iohn de Vere who was the sonne of Robert de Vere who was brother to Iohn de Vere the twelfth Earle of Oxford of that name who was Father to the before named George enioyed all those dignities Iohn de Vere being the heire male of that Familie was the sixth Earle of that Christian name He was also Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck and high Chamberlaine of England Edward de Vere his sonne enioyed all those Honors Henrie de Vere his sonne is Lord Samford and Badilsmere Viscount Bolbeck High Chamberlaine of Engl â—d and Earle of Oxford Pembroke WAlter Gifford was by the Conquerour Conq. created Earle of Pembroke and Buckingham Walter Gifford his sonne succeeded and died without issue Gilbert de Clare was by King Stephen created Earle of Pembroke Richard de Clare surnamed Strongbow being his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and died without issue male K. Iohn William Marshall Earle Marshall of England was by King Iohn created Earle of Pembroke William Marshall his sonne enioied all those honours and died without issue Richard Marshall his brother succeeded him and was slaine and died in Ireland without issue Gilbert Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue Walter Marshall his brother was Earle Marshall and of Pembroke and died without issue William de Valentia the sonne of King Iohns wife Isabel and of her
second husband Hugh de Brun H. 3. was by his halfe-brother King Henrie the Third created Earle of Pembroke Aymer de Valentia his sonne was Earle of Pembroke and was by King Edward the First made Vice-roy of Scotland and died without issue Laurence Lord Hastings was by King Edward the Third created Lord of Abergauenny and Earle of Pembroke Iohn Lord Hastings and Abergauenny was Earle of Pembroke Iohn his sonne succeeded and died without issue Humfrey Plantagenet the youngest sonne of King Henry the Fourth H. 5. and brother to King Henry the Fifth was by his brother created Earle of Pembroke and Duke of Glocester He was also Protector to his Nephew King Henrie the Sixth and died without issue H. 6. William de la Pole was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Earle Marquesse and Duke of Suffolke Iaspar of Hatfield the second sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife widow to King Henry the Fifth and being halfe-brother to King Henry the Sixth H. 6. was by him created Earle of Pembroke and by King Henry the Seuenth Duke of Bedford He died without issue E. 4. William Herbert was by King Edward the Fourth made Lord of Cardisse and Earle of Pembroke and was slaine at Banbarie field William Herbert his sonne succeeded and resigned the said Earledome to King Edward the Fourth Edward the Prince being sonne and heire apparant to King Edward the fourth E 4. was by his father created Earle of Pembroke Flint and March He was King Edward the Fifth Anne Bullen H. 8. who was afterwards maried to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Marchionesse of Pembroke and lost her head William Lord Herbert sonne to Richard Herbert who was brother to the last Earle William E. 6. was by King Edward the Sixth created Earle of Pembroke Henry Lord Herbert his sonne succeeded in those honours Williom Lord Herbert his sonne is Lord of Cardiffe Fitz-Hugh Marmion and S. Quintens and Earle of Pembroke Richmond EVdo was by the Conqueror made Lord of Middleham and Earle of Richmond Conq. Allen Fergaunt surnamed The Red being his sonne was Lord of Middleham and Earle of Britaine and of Richmond He died without issue Allen surnamed The Blacke being his brother succeeded him and died without issue Stephen his brother possessed all those honours Allen his sonne by descent enioied the said dignities Conan his sonne succeeded him and had issue Constance Geoffrey Plantagenet the third sonne of King Henry the Second maried the said Constance and was in her right Earle of Richmond Arthur Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Richmond and died without issue Ralphe Blundeuile being Count Palatine of Chester K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Richmond Peter Earle of Sauoy who built the Sauoy H. 3. was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux Duke of Britaine sonne to Iohn the first Duke of Britaine was by King Edward the First created Earle of Richmond E. 1. Iohn de Dreux his sonne was Earle of Richmond Iohn de Dreux his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert de Arthoys sometimes Earle of Arthoys but disinherited by Philip de Valoys the French King E. 3. was by King Edward the Third created Earle of Richmond Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of King Edward the Third being surnamed Iohn of Gaunt being Duke of Lancaster E. 3. was by his father created Earle of Richmond Henry of Bollingbroke his sonne was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and Earle of Richmond vntill he was King Henry the Fourth Ralphe Lord Neuil of Rabie Castle the first Earle of Westmorland was by King Henry the Fourth created Earle of Pembroke for his life only H. 4. Iohn Plantagenet Duke of Bedford and brother to King Henry the Fifth H. 4. was by his father created Earle of Richmond He died without issue H. 6. Edmund of Hadham called Edmund Tuthar the eldest sonne of Owen Tuthar and of Queene Katherine his wife the widow of King Henry the Fifth and daughter to Charles the Sixth of France and halfe brother to King Henry the Sixth was by him created Earle of Richmond He maried Margaret the daughter and heire of Iohn Beauford Marquesse Dorset and Duke of Somerset who was the sonne of Iohn Beauford who was the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his third wife and had issue Henry who was king Henry the Seuenth Henry Tuthar their sonne was Earle of Richmond vntill hee obtained the Crowne and was King Henry the Seuenth H. 8. Henry Fitz-Roy base sonne to King Henry the Eighth was by him created Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and died without issue in the sixteenth yeare of his age Rutland EDward Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund of Langley the fifth sonne of King Edward the Third and Duke of Yorke was by his cosen King Richard the Second created Earle of Rutland R. 2. and Duke of Albemarle After his fathers death he was Duke of Yorke and was slaine at Agencourt field Edmund Plantagenet brother to Edward who was afterward King Edward the Fourth was Earle of Rutland and died in his childhood without issue being slaine H. 8. Thomas Mannors Lord Roos of Hamlake Beluoyr and Trusbut was created Earle of Rutland by King Henry the Eighth Henry Mannors his sonne succeeded his said father Edward Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue male Iohn Mannors his brother succeeded him Roger Mannors his sonne enioied those honours and died without issue Sir Francis Mannors his brother is now Lord Roos Hamlake and Trusbote and Earle of Rutland Ryuers RIchard Wooduile of Grafton Knight maried Iaquet the widow of Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France and daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh Earle of S. Paul He was by King Henry the sixth made Lord Ryuers Afterwards king Edward the Fourth maried his daughter the Ladie Elizabeth Grey the widow of Sir Iohn Grey deceased by whom he was made Lord Treasurer of England and Earle Ryuers He and his sonne Iohn were slaine by the Commons in an vprore Anthonie Wooduile his sonne being Lord Scales and Earle Ryuers was by King Richard the Third beheaded vniustly at Pomfret Castle and died withour issue Richard Wooduile his brother succeeded him in that Earledome and died without issue Salisburie STephen Patrick of Eureux was by the Conquerour created Earle of Salisburie Conq. William his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and died without issue male William Longspée the base sonne of King Henry the Second by the faire Rosamond Clifford his Concubine R. 1. was by King Richard the First his halfe-brother created Earle of Salisburie William Longspee his sonne was Earle of Salisburie after his father and was slaine in the warres in the Holy Land Henry Lacy was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Salisburie H. 3. and died without issue Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund
Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster was also Earle of Salisburie Lecester and Lincolne and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Salisburie Lecester Lincolne and Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne was created Duke of Lancaster He was also inheritor to all those Earledomes His daughter and heire called Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt and from them descended the house of the Lancastrians E. 4. William Mountague Lord of the I le of Man was by King Edward the Fourth created Earle of Salisburie William Mountague his sonne being Lord of the I le of Man and Lord Mounthermer was also Earle of Salisburie and died without issue Iohn Mountague sonne to Sir Iohn Mountague brother to the said William was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Hee with others conspired the death of King Edward the Fourth at Oxford and was slaine Thomas Mountague his sonne was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuil the second sonne of Ralphe Neuil who was the first Earle of Westmorland H. 6. maried Alice the eldest daughter and coheire of the said Thomas and was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Salisburie He was taken prisoner in the battaile of Wakefield by Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the Sixth and lost his head Richard Neuil his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and of Warwicke also in the right of Anne his wife who was the daughter and heire of William Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke This was that great Earle of Warwicke who deposed and raised King Henry the Sixth and was slaine at Barnet Field by King Edward the Fourth Richard Pole a Knight of Wales maried Margaret Plantagenet the daughter of George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth which the said George begot on Isabel the eldest daughter and coheire of the last Richard Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie She was by Parliament in the fifth yeare of King Henry the Eighth restored to those Earledomes H. 8. but in Parliament in the one and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the Eighth shee with Gerthrude the widow of Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exeter Reynold Pole Cardinall being her sonne and others were attainted of treason and she lost her head She was the last of the name and royall stocke of the Familie of the Plantagenets out of which had issued successiuely fourteene Kings of England Robert Cecil the second sonne of William Cecil Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England was by King Iames created Lord Cecil of Essendeu in Rutlandshire Viscount Cranborne in Dorsetshire and Earle of Salisbury William Cecil his sonne is now Lord of Essenden Viscount Cranborne and Earle of Salisbury Shrewsburie EDrick a Saxon sirnamed the wilde being Earle of Shrewsbury was by the Conqueror dishinherited Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Belesme in Normandy Conq. was by the Conqueror made Earle of Arundel and of Shrewsbury Hugh de Mountgomery his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Shrewsbury and of Arundel was taken by king Henry the first and depriued of his eyes Iohn Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnivall and Verdon H. 6. was by Henry the sixth created Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Iohn Talbot his sonne was Lord c and Earle of Shrewsbury George Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Shrewsbury Francis Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Salisbury George Lord Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Gilbert Lord Talbot his sonne is Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnival and Verdon and Earle of Shrewsbury Somerset OSmond Bishop of Salisbury was by the Conqueror Conq. made earle of Somerset William de Mohun was by King Henry the first H. 1 created Earle of Somerset Reynold de Mohun in King Iohns time K. Ioh. receiued the inheritance of his Grandfather Earle William and was created Earle of Somerset he was disinherited by King Henry the third because he tooke part against him with the Barons in their warres Iohn Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his thitd wife was by King Richard the second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset but the latter of those two hee voluntarily did renounce H. 5. Henry Beauford his sonne was Earle after him Iohn Beauford his brother was created Earle of Somerset by K. Henry the fifth H. 6. Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henry the sixt was created Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and was slaine at Saint Albons by Richard Duke of Yorke Henry Beauford his sonne was Duke of Somerset hee revolted from King H. the sixth to King Edward the fourth and afterward from King Edward the fourth to King H. the sixth and was by the Yorkish faction taken Prisoner at Hexhamfield and lost his head Edmund Beauford his brother was Duke of Somerset and being taken prisoner at Tewkisbery-field by king Edward the fourth he lost his head and had no issue H. 7. Edmund Tuther a yonger sonne to king Henry the seuenth was at fiue yeares of his age created Duke of Somerset and died without issue at that age Henry Fitz-Roy base son to king H. the eight was created earle of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset and Richmond and died without issue Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford was by his Nephew King Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Sir Robert Carre was by king Iames created Viscount Rochester Earle of Somerset Southampton BEavoys was at the Conquest Earle of Southampton E. 1. H. 8. William Gobion was by Kng Edward the first created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male William Fitz-William was by King Henry the eight created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male E. 6. Thomas Wryothesley Lord Chancelor of England was by King Henry the eighth created Baron of Tichfield in Hamshire and by King Edward the sixt hee was created Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne was Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne is Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southamton Stafford RAlph Stafford was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Stafford Hugh Stafford his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Thomas Stafford his Grandchild by Ralph his sonne was Earle of Stafford William Stafford his brother was Earle of Stafford after him Edmund Stafford his brother was Earle and died without issue Humfrey Stafford his sonne was Earle and by king Henry the sixt he was created Duke of Buckingham and was slaine in Yorkeshire in the said kings quarrell Humfrey Stafford his son was dignified with those honors Humfrey Stafford his sonne H. 7. succeeded and was beheaded by king Richard the third Edward Stafford his son was restored by king Henry the seuenth and lost his head in the raigne of king Henry the eighth Suffolke RAlph Glandvile Lord of Bromhelme H. 2. was by king Henry the second created Earle
of Suffolke William Glandvile his sonne being Lord of Bromhelme was Earle of Suffolke Gilbert Glandvile his sonne enioyed those Honors Ralph Glandvile his son was Lord Bromhelme and Earle of Suffolke and died without issue William de Vessey who maried Mauld his Daughter and Heire E. 2. was by King Edward the second created Earle of Suffolke Robert de Vfford who married Sarah daughter and heire of the said William was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Sufolke William de Vfford his son being Lord of Eay and Framlingham was Earle of Suffolke Michael de la Poole a man more rich then honorably discended R. 2. was Chancelor to king Richard the second R. 2. and by him created Earle of Suffolke and was banished as a corrupter of him by his lewd counsell he died with griefe at Paris Michael de la Poole his son was Lord Wingfield and Earle of Suffolke and dyed at the siege of Harflew Michael de lâ— Poole his son succeeded his father but died within one moneth after H. 6. William de la Poole his brother was Lord Wingfield and Earle of Suffolke he was by king Henry the sixt created Earle of Pembrooke then Marques of Suffolke and last of all Duke of Suffolke hee was banished taken at Sea and lost his head on a boats side Iohn de la Poole his sonne was Lord Wingfield Earle of Pembrooke and Duke of Suffolke Edmund de la Poole his sonne was of a turbulent disposition in the fifth yeare of Henry the eighth he was executed for treason H. 7. Charles Brandon the sonne of Sir William Brandon knight who was Standard-bearer to the Earle of Richmond in Bosworth field was slaine by king Richard the third was by Henry the seuenth made Viscount Lisle H. 8. and hauing maried king Henry the eight his second sister Mary Queen Dowager of France he was by Henry the eight created Duke of Suffolke Henry Brandon his sonne was Earle of Lincolne and Duke of Suffolke and died without issue Henry Grey Lord Ferrers of Groby Lord of Astley Harington Bonvile being also Marques Dorset and hauing maried Francis who was one of the Daughters and Coheires of Charles Brandon E 6. was by king Edward the sixth created Duke of Suffolke and was attainted of treason whilest Queene Mary raigned their daughter was the Lady Iane who maried Guilford Dudley the fourth son of the Earle of Northumberland K. Ia. who lost her head Thomas Lord Howard of Walden second sonne to Thomas the last Duke of Northfolke was by king Iames created Earle of Suffolke Surrey Rufus William Warren Earle of Warren in Normandie maried one of the Conquerors daughters named Goundred and was by king William Rufus created Earle of Surrey William Warren his sonne succeeded and was Earle of Surrey William Warren his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue male William de Blois sonne to king Stephen being Earle of Mortaigne Bolloigne and Eagle and being Lord of Lancaster maried Isabel the daughter and heire of the last Earle William and was in her right Earle of Surrey and died without issue Hamlyn Plantagenet brother to king Henry the second maried the said Ladie Isabel and was in her right Earle of Surrey and king Henry the second created him Earle of Warwick William Plantagenet their sonne was Earle of Surrey and of Warwicke Iohn Flantagenet his sonne was Earle of Surrey Warren and Sussex and died without issue male Iohn Flantagenet his brother succeeded him in those Earledomes and died without issue Edmund Fitz-allen Earle of Arundel maried Alice the daughter of the aforesaid William and was in her right Earle of Surrey and of Warren Richard Fitz-allen their sonne was earle of Arundel Surrey and Sussex Richard Fitz-allen his sonne was earle of Arundel Surrey and Sussex Thomas Fitz-allen his sonne was earle of Surrey Arundel and Sussex and died without issue Thomas Holland R. 2. halfe brother to king Richard the second was by him created earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey Edmund Holland his sonne was earle and Duke Iohn Lord Mowbray sonne to the Duke of Northfolke was discended from the earles of Warren and Surrey H. 6. and was by king Henry the sixth dignified with those honors and also after his fathers death he was Duke of Northfolke Thomas Howard the sonne of Iohn Howard R. 3. whome King Richard the third had created Duke of Northfolke was by the same King created earle of Surrey and by king Henry the eighth Duke of Northfolke Thomas Howard his sonne E. 4. by Anne daughter to king Edward the fourth was by the same King created earle Marshal of England and earle of Surrey Henry Howard earle of Surrey was in his fathers life time attainted and executed and had issue Thomas Thomas Howard his sonne was Duke of Northfolke Q. Ma. and earle of Surrey after his Grandfathers death being restored by Q. Mary Philip Howard his sonne was Earle of Surrey and of Arundel Thomas Howard his sonne is Earle of Arundel and of Surrey Sussex H. 2. VVIlliam de Albaney was Earle of Sussex and of Arundel by his mariage with Queene Adeliza the widdow of king H. the first which Earledomes were her joynture and those honours were giuen to him by king Henry the second William de Albaney their sonne succeeded and was Earle VVilliam de Albaney his sonne was Earle of Sussex and of Arundel William de Albaney his sonne succeeded his father Hugh de Albaney his brother enioyed those Earledomes and died without issue Iohn Plantagenet the seuenth Earle of Surrey was Earle of Sussex and died without issue male Iohn Plantagenet his brother enioyed those honours and died without issue H. 8. Robert Ratclife Lord Fitzwater Egremount and Burnel was by King Henry the eighth created Viscount Fitzwater and Earle of Sussex Henry Ratclife his sonne enioyed all those honors Thomas Ratclife his son was Lord Viscount and Earle and died without issue Henry Ratclife his brother succeeded in those dignities Robert Ratclife his sonne is Lord Egremount and Burnel Viscount Fitz-water and Earle of Sussex Warwicke TArquinius a Saxon was Earle of Warwick at the Conquest hee was banished and died without issue Conq. Henry Beamount alias Newburgh brother to Robert Earle of Millent and of Leicester was by the Conqueror created Earle of Warwick Roger Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwick William Beamont alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwick Walteran Beamount alias Newburgh his brother was Earle of Warwicke after him Henry Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne was Earle of Warwicke Thomas Beamount alias Newburgh his sonne succeeded his father Iohn Marshall maried Margerie the sister and heire of the said Thomas and was Earle of Warwicke in her right but died without issue Iohn de Plessetis the second husband of the said Margerie was in her right Earle of Warwicke Hugh de Plessetis their sonne succeeded and died without
issue William Maledoctus otherwise Manduyt Lord of Hanslop cosen and heire to the said Margerie Countesse of Warwicke was Earle of Warwicke and died without issue William de Beauchampe maried Isabel sister and heire to the said William and had issue William William Beauchampe their sonne was Earle of Warwicke Guido de Beauchampe his sonne succeeded his father Thomas de Beauchampe his sonne was Earle of Warwicke Thomas de Beauchampe his sonne was Earle of Warwicke Richard de Beauchampe his sonne was Earle of Warwicke He was Lieu-tenant of Munster in Ireland and a great Warriour in France in the daies of King Henry the Fifth and King Henry the Sixth Henry Beauchampe his sonne was Earle of Warwicke and by King Henry the Sixth he was created Duke of Warwicke H. 6. Hee died without issue male Richard Neuil the eldest sonne of Richard Neuil Earle of Salisburie maried Anne the daughter and heire of Richard Beauchampe and was in her right Earle of Warwicke Hee is termed The great Earle of Warwicke for he was so powerfull that he aduanced King Edward the Fourth deposed King Henry the Sixth and made him King againe but was at last slaine by King Edward the Fourth at Barnet Field George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence and brother to King Edward the Fourth maried Isabel the eldest daughter of the said Earle Richard and was in her right Earle of Warwicke They had issue Edward who was beheaded by King Henry the Seuenth and Margaret maried to Sir Richard Pole She lost her head in the one and thirtieth yeare of the raigne of King Henry the Eighth Edward Plantagenet their sonne was Earle of Warwicke He liued a prisoner from his infancie and was beheaded by King Henry the Seuenth because he sought to escape with Perkin Warbecke out of the Tower and died without issue Iohn Dudley Lord Somery Basset and Tays and Viscount Lisle was by King Edward the Sixth created Earle of Warwicke E. 6. and Duke of Northumberland But in Queene Maries daies hee lost his head Iohn Dudley his sonne died in his fathers life time but was Earle of Warwicke and had issue Ambrose Ambrose Dudley his sonne was Lord Somery Basset and Tays and Earle of Warwicke and died without issue Westmorland RAlphe Neuil Lord Neuil of Rabie Castle Standrop and Branspeth was by King Richard the Second created Earle of Westmorland Ralphe Neuil his grand-childe viz. the sonne of Sir Iohn Neuil was Lord Neuil of Rabie Standrop Branspeth Warkworth and Sherrie-hutton and was Earle of Warwicke Ralphe Neuil his Nephew by Sir Iohn Neuil his brother succeeded his vncle in all those honours Ralphe Neuil his grand-childe by Ralphe Lord Neuil his sonne enioied those Lordships and was the fourth Earle of Westmorland Henry Neuil his sonne was Lord Neuil of Rabie Standrop Branspeth Warkley Sherrie-hutton and Middleham and Earle of Westmorland Charles Neuil his sonne succeeded in all those honours and was in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth attainted of Treason by Parliament with others Wilshire R. 2. WIlliam le Scrope was an euill Counsellor to King Richard the Second and was by him created Earle of Wilshire But hee lost his head Aymer Butler the sonne and heire apparant of Iames Butler the fourth Earle of Ormond in Ireland H. 6. was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Wilshire He died without issue Iohn Stafford the younger sonne of Humfrey the first Duke of Buckingham was by K. Edward the Fourth created Earle of Wilshire E. 4. Edward Stafford his sonne was Earle after him and died without issue Henry Stafford of the house of Buckingham H. 8. was by King Henry the Eighth created Earle of Wilshire Thomas Bullen was by King Henry the Eighth made Viscount Bullen and Earle of Wilshire H. 8. Hee was father to Queene Anne Bullen and grandfather to Queene Elizabeth William Pawlet was by King Henry the Eighth made Lord S. Iohn of Basing E. 6. and by King Edward the Sixth he was created Earle of Wilshire and Marquesse of Winchester Iohn Lord S. Iohn his sonne enioied all those honours William Pawlet his sonne succeeded his father and was Lord S. Iohn of Basing Earle of Wilshire and Marquesse of Winchester William Pawlet his sonne is Lord S. Iohn of Basing Earle of Wilshire and Marquesse of Winchester Winchester CLyton a Saxon was at the Conquest Earle of Winchester and was banished and died without issue Saer de Quincy Lord Quincy of Groby K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Winchester Ralphe Quincy his sonne was Earle after him and died without issue male Hugh Lord le Despencer E. 2. was by King Edward the Second created Earle of Winchester and died without issue being beheaded Lewys de Burgh a Burgundian and Lord of Granthouse was by King Edward the Fourth in Parliament created Earle of Winchester E. 4. because hee had highly fauoured and releeued King Edward when he fled from the great Earle of Warwicke and from King Henry the Sixth This Earledome he afterwards surrendred to King Henry the Seuenth William Pawlet was by King Henry the eighth made Lord S. Iohn of Basing and by King Edward the Sixth Earle of Wilshire E. 6. and Marquesse of Winchester Iohn Pawlet his sonne succeeded in those honours William Pawlet succeeded and was Lord Earle and Marquesse William Pawlet his sonne is Lord S. Iohn of Basing Earle of Wilshire and Marquesse of Winchester Worcester Rufus VRsus de Abtot was by King William Rufus created Earle of Worcester Walteran de Beamount Earle of Millent in Normandie was by King Stephen created Earle of Worcester K. Steph. Thomas Percie brother to Henrie the first Earle of Northumberland R. 2. was by King Richard the Second created Earle of Worcester Hee conspired with his Nephew Henry Hotspurre against King Henry the Fourth and lost his head H. 5. Richard Beauchampe was by King Henry the Fifth created Earle of Worcester and died without issue male H. 6. Iohn Lord Tiptost was by King Henrie the Sixth created first Viscount and then Earle of Worcester but was beheaded for taking part against the said King with Edward Earle of March who was afterwards king Edward the Fourth E. 4. Edward Tiptost his sonne was by King Edward the Fourth restored to his Viscountship and to the Earledome of Worcester and died without issue H. 8. Charles Somerset Lord Herbert and Gower was by King Henrie the eighth created Earle of Worcester Henry Somerset his sonne was Lord Herbert Chepstow Ragland and Gower and was also Earle of Worcester William Somerset his sonne succeeded in all those honours Edward Somerset his sonne is Lord Herbert Chepstow Gower and Ragland and Earle of Worcester Yorke EDrick a Saxon was Earle of Yorke at the Conquest He lost his eies and died a prisoner H. 1. Robert Escouyle was by King Henry the First created Viscount of Yorke Robert Escouyle his sonne was Viscount of Yorke Edmund Plantagenet
his Brother King Richard and Edward the young Prince beleeuing nothing what was written and deepely disdaining that Subiects should rule and correct their Soueraigne Lord and Master and determining to reuenge those disgraces which their stomacks no longer could endure proclaymed an vtter defiance to the Barons and with their Armie met them in Sussex neere to the Towne called Lewys The battaile of Lewis where betwixt them was fought so fierce and so cruell a battaile that the father spared not the sonne nor the sonne the father All kindred and alliance was there forgotten 47. 1262. the common Souldior held himselfe to be as good a man as the greatest Lord. Honour was there set at nought and Manhood being oppressed with Multitude could make no shew Hee who was most valiant was soonest made breathlesse and the Coward found no oportunitie to runne away He who could strike deepest wound manie and kill most obtained the chiefest praise Pitie and Compassion were skorned and laughed at and all remorse was vtterly exiled from them None mediated betwixt them but their swords and their best Reconciler was death Lamentable were the sighes and the groanes the plunges and the pangs of such as bleeding breathed forth their liues and euerie man fought with such an obstinate resolution as if but one onely man at the last should be left aliue At length the two kings The two Kings and the Prince with manie others are taken prisoners Prince Edward and manie Knights and Gentlemen of choice account and of the best worth were taken prisoners and more than twentie thousand men were slaine in this Battaile And thus Furie triumphing in bloud was contented at length to hearken vnto Reason and they who could scarcely set their feete vpon the ground by reason of the multitude of dead carkasses which as thicke as stones lay before them 20000 men are slaine were now pleased to take breath and to conferre vpon conditions of Peace And in the end it was agreed That the King should by new Articles A new conclusion for Peace and by the renewing of his Oath confirme the authoritie graunted to the Twelue Peeres and all the said Ordinances and Lawes with this Caution notwithstanding That two Lords of the Spiritualtie and two Lords of the Temporaltie should take a strait examination and view of them and if in their judgements it were needfull that anie of them should be reformed full power to them was giuen to alter and to change what they thought fit And if they dissented in their opinions it was then further ordered that the Duke of Britaine as Vmpier should haue power to arbitrate and to end the doubt The two Kings are set at libertie Hâ—stages giuen and the Prince was one This being on both parts consented to and concluded the two Kings left both their eldest sonnes for hostages with the Barons who sent them to the Castle of Douer where they remained about nine moneths Then did the King with all conuenient expedition summon his High Court of Parliament In which so strongly was the continuance of the said Lawes and Ordinances made at Oxford vrged A Parliament that they were then againe ratified and confirmed and the king though much against his will tooke an Oath to maintaine them and the authoritie of the Twelue Peeres The former Lawes and Ordinances are againe confirmed vntill according to the said former referment they should be reformed if anie thing in them were found to be amisse And all such as in those Warres or otherwise had in anie sort maintained them receiued their pardon from the king And hereupon the two yong Princes were enlarged The Hostages are enlarged But not long after so great a variance touching those Ordinances grew betwixt the two Earles of Leicester and of Glocester the two Generals of the Barons Faction that nothing but mortall Warre had decided their controuersie Discord betweene the Earles of Leicester and of Glocester if the King had not interposed his authoritie and mediation to make them friends A faire oportunitie well watched and taken But the young Prince Edward taking much aduantage by reason of this jarre departed secretly from the Kings Court consorted to his companie the Earles of Glocester and Warreyne Sir Roger Mortymer and manie other renowned men for the Warre And all these raysed a new Armie in Wales The Prince rayseth an Armie ANNO 48. 1263. The Barons doe the like And the Earle of Leicester conceiuing that his surprisall and ruine was conspired to preuent his owne danger and misfortune did the like And not long after the two Armies met neere to Euersham in Worcestershire and fought together so maliciously and with such bloudie resolutions that in short time manie thousands among them were slaine For Death taking part with both spared neyther but striuing to make her gaine by their losse The battaile of Euersham insulted proudly in the Armie and bragged most when she did most harme But in the end the Barons were discomfited The Barons are ouerthrowne and Symon Earle of Leicester with his eldest sonne and Sir Hugh le Spencer and manie others of great account were slaine and the rest fled The common souldiors that preuailed despightfully mangled the dead carkasse of the Earle cutting off both hands and feete and sending them into diuers Shires to their friends as Trophies of their Victorie And others among them being more inhumane and barbarous cut off his head and his priuie members and placed them on eyther side of his nose This ouerthrow did vtterly defeat the Barons and depriued them of all their hopes and it so reuiued the melancholie King that now he began againe to be sensible of his owne strength and resolued with all speede possible to breake those chaynes with which so lately hee was so strongly bound And for the effecting thereof A Parliament hee assembled his High Court of Parliament In which no man dared to speake otherwise than as the King spake So that those former Ordinances and Lawes which were made at Oxford in the Madde Parliament The former Decrees are all made void and the authoritie of the Twelue Peers and all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoeuer which tended to the establishing or ratifying of those affaires were by the Kings expresse commaundement brought forth and were publikely damned cancelled and made void And thus King Henrie regained his former libertie and power to say and to doe in all things as he pleased The King resolueth to burne the citie of London When this Parliament was ended the King perhaps by the instigation of his brother Richard King of the Romans who was cruelly wronged by the baser sort of the inhabitants of London without anie cause by him giuen as before it is mentioned resolued vtterly to wast and to consume with fire his Citie of London because as hee alledged the Rulers and the Inhabitants thereof had alwaies despised him and
Dorset Conq. OSmond a Norman being by the Conquerour created Earle of Dorset dyed without issue Thomas Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Iohn of Gaunt called all his Children by that Wife by the name of Beaufords by Katherine Swinsford his third wife was by king Richard the Second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset which latter dignitie was taken from him in Parliament in An. 1. H. 4. Iohn Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset only and was afterward by king Henrie the Fourth created Marques Dorset H 4. and by king Henrie the Sixt hee was created Duke of Somerset His daughter and heire named Margaret was married to Edmund Tuther Earle of Richmond and they two had issue king Henrie the seuenth Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henrie the Fifth hee was created Earle of Mortoigne in Normandie and by king Henrie the Sixt Marques Dorset H. 6. and Duke of Somerset Henrie Beauford his sonne was Earle of Mortaigne Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and dyed without issue Thomas Grey the sonne of Sir Iohn Grey knight and of the Lady Elizabeth his wife and widdow who was afterwards married to king Edward the Fourth E. 4. was by the same king created Marques Dorset he was also Lord of Groby Astley Bonduile and Harrington Thomas Grey succeeded his Father in those honors Henrie Grey his sonne being Lord Ferrers of Groby Lord Harrington Bonduile and Astley was after his fathers death Marques Dorset and by king Edward the Sixt he was created Duke of Suffolke and was executed in Queene Maries raigne Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst and Lord Treasuror of England was by king Iames created Earle of Dorset K. Ia. Robert Sackvile his sonne was Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Richard Sackvile his sonne is Lord Buckhurst and Earle of Dorset Essex GEoffrey de Magna Villa otherwise Mandevile K. Steph. was by king Stephen created Earle of Essex Geoffrey his sonne was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue William his brother was Earle of Essex and dyed without issue Geoffrey Fitz-Pearce otherwise Ludgarshall married Beatrice the heire of the said William Mandevile K. Ioh. and was by king Iohn created Earle of Essex shee had by him two sonnes Geoffrey and William whom at his wiues request hee named Mandeviles according to the name of their Grand-father Geoffrey Mandevile their sonne was Earle and dyed without issue William Mandevile his brother was Earle and died without issue H. 3. Humfrey Bohun was by King Henrie the Third created Earle of Essex and of Hereford Humfrey Bohun his sonne succeeded in those honors Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle after him Humfrey Bohun his sonne was Earle of Essex and of Hereford Iohn Bohun his sonne was Earle and dyed without issue Humfrey Bohun the sonne of William Bohun who was the sonne of the last Humfrey was Earle of Essex Hereford and Northampton and died without issue Male. And Eleanor his eldest sister was maried vnto Thomas of Woodstock one of the sonnes of king Edward the Third E. 3. Thomas of Woodstock the sixt sonne of King Edward the Third was by his father created Earle of Essex Buckingham Hereford and Northampton and by his Nephew king Richard the Second he was created Duke of Glocester and murdred in prison at Calice because he had warned the king friendly of his faults Humfrey Plantagenet his sonne succeeded in those Earledomes and dyed without issue Male. Henrie de Bargo Caro otherwise Bourchier being Earle of Ewe in Normandie who was the sonne of William Bourchier who by king Henrie the Fift was at Maunt in Normandie created Earle of Ewe was by king Edward the Fourth E. 4. created Viscount Bourchier and Earle of Essex his sonne William had issue Henrie and dyed whilest his father liued Henrie Bourchier was Viscount and Earle and died without issue H. 8. Thomas Cromwel was by King Henrie the eighth made Lord Cromwel and was by him created Earle of Essex but lost his head H. 8. William Parre was by king Henrie the eighth made Lord Parre of Kendall and Earle of Essex and by king Edward the Sixt he was made Marques of Northampton and dyed without issue Walter Deuereux Lord Ferrers of Chartly and Viscount Hereford was by Queene Elizabeth Q. Eliz. created Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was Lord Ferrers of Chartly Viscount Hereford and Earle of Essex Robert Deuereux his sonne was restored to all his fathers honors by king Iames the First K. Ia. and now liueth Exeter Iohn Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second R. 2. was by him created Earle of Huntington and Duke of Exeter Hee was executed because he conspired against King Henrie the Fourth Thomas Beauford one of the sonnes of Iohn of Gaunt H. 4. by his third wife Katherine Swinford was by his brother K. Henry the Fourth created Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exeter He died without issue Iohn Holland the sonne of the aforenamed Iohn H. 6. was by King Henrie the Fifth restored to his Earledome of Huntington and by King Henrie the Sixth to his Duchie of Exeter Henry Holland his sonne was attainted when King Edward the Fourth raigned and was drowned on Calice Sands Henry Courtney Earle of Deuonshire H. 8. was by king Henrie the Eighth created Marquesse of Exeter and lost his head Thomas Cecil Lord Burleigh K. Iames. was by King Iames the First created Earle of Exeter and yet liueth Glocester WIlliam Fitz-Eustace Conq. being by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester died without issue Robert Fitz-Hamon Lord of Astreuile in Normandie Conq. was by the Conquerour created Earle of Glocester William Fitz-Hamon his sonne was Earle of Glocester Robert de Millent base sonne to king Henry the First H. 1. was by him created Earle of Glocester He died without issue H. 2. Iohn Plantagenet the sonne of king Henry the Second was by his father created Duke of Glocester But hee was afterwards King of England Geoffrey Mandeuile the last of that name Earle of Essex K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Almericus Earle of Eureux K. Iohn was by King Iohn created Earle of Glocester and died without issue Gilbert de Clare being Earle of Hartford H. 3. was created Earle of Glocester by King Henry the Third Richard his sonne was Earle of Clare and Glocester and Hartford Gilbert de Clare his sonne had those three Earledomes Gilbert de Clare his sonne was Earle of Hartford Clare and Glocester and died without issue male E. 1. Ralphe Mounthermer who maried Ione of Acres one of the daughters of King Edward the First and who was widow to the last Gilbert de Clare was by the same King created Earle of Hartford and Glocester and died without issue E. 2. Pierce Gaueston a Gascoigne borne was by King Edward
preferred before Warre yet he willingly entred at all times into the Lists of Warre when necessitie or good reason persuaded him to arme When his estate was most quiet The King exercised his souldiors in warlike negotiations in the time of greatest peace and freest from Warres abroad or ciuill disturbances at home hee would now and then vpon the suddaine raise an Armie and transport them either into Normandie or into Britaine Angeou or other places subiect to the Dominion of himselfe or of his sonnes And himselfe in person vsed to goe with them And in those places he exercised them in fortifications trainings and lyings in the field and with other Martiall discipline By meanes whereof he setled those Countries in peace and with good Gouernment made warlike businesses familiar to his Souldiers and then returned without blowes into England The commoditie of his so doing By these meanes when troubles hapned he little feared because his men were aptly inured to those things which most properly belong vnto the warres 1174. Henry the second Conquereth Ireland In the nineteenth yeare of his Raigne because the Irish Nation attempted to depriue him of certaine Territories in that Iland which were left vnto him by his predecessors hee sailed thither with a mightie Armie and fought many victorious battailes against fiue Kings which at that time raigned there All which he subdued and made subiect vnto himselfe and became the sole Lord of all that Countrie and annexed that Title vnto the Title of his Crowne The Kings sonne twice Crowned King in his fathers dayes and returned honourably into England Such was the surpassing loue of this worthie King to his eldest sonne Henrie That he caused him and his wife Margaret the daughter of the French King to be twice solemnly Crowned in the presence of his people himselfe the second time for that day leauing the Title of a King and seruing as a Sewer at his sonnes table whereat his proud sonne made no wonder A proud and an vnthankfull Sonne but publikely affirmed That his father was nothing thereby dishonoured For that he was onely the sonne of an Empresse But he himselfe was the sonne both of a King and also of a Queene Warres betwixt England and France Many Iarres and quarrels in his later dayes arose betwixt King Henry the father and Lewys the French King which at length were decided by sharpe and bloudy warres In all which most vnnaturally Henry Geffrey and Iohn the Kings sonnes and most vndutifully Robert Earle of Leicester Vnnaturall children and Hugh Earle of Chester together with William then King of Scots tooke part with the French against the King In all which notwithstanding King Henry by noble valour and courage did preuaile and vpon submission granted Pardon to his sonnes and all the rest Yet were his sonnes after grieuously punished by God God plagued them For Henry died before his father in the prime and flower of his strength And Iohn his sonne who was after King was poysoned by a Monke Yet these vnnaturall Rebellions by his owne children vnto whom he had extended if wee may beleeue reports more then the loue and affection of a worthy father King Henrie sorrowing for his childrens rebellions dieth so inwardly perplexed his minde that surfeiting vpon bitter passions occasioned by their reuolt he fell into a dangerous Feuer which the more vexed him because Richard his sonne had then raised an other broyle against him And within foure dayes after hee died in Normandie when he had Raigned almost fiue and twentie yeares and was buried at Founteuerard in France The historie of this Kings Raigne King Henries description approueth him to haue been learned wise politicke iust and valiant And that which not a little augmenteth the number of his praises albeit hee were oftentimes engaged in many businesses Some of them concerning his warres in France Normandie Angeou Ireland and in other places A rich King who taxed not his people And some of them respecting his politicke rule and Gouernment at home yet he neuer imposed nor leuied vpon his Subiects any extraordinarie taxe or payment whatsoeuer Yet left he vnto his successor more then nine hundred thousand pounds in siluer and in gold besides his Plate Iewels Houshold-stuffe 900000. l. and prouision for the warre And though in most things prosperitie made him happie His vnhappinesse yet in three things especially he was most vnfortunate and vnhappie The first was the vnnaturall disobedience and rebellious reuolts of his owne children The second was his inordinate fauour and vnquenchable lust towards Rosamond his vnseparable Concubine His incontinencie with the faire Rosamond his Concubine who being admirably faire but wantonly conditioned alienated and estranged his best affections and loue wholly from the Lady Elianor his most renowned wife and made his desires subiect nay slauish vnto her will So that whilst shee liued shee was seldome from his right-hand And being dead hee caused her with great solemnitie and pompe to bee sumptuously buried at Godstow besides Oxford Fixing on her Tombe this Epitaph Rosamonds Epitaph Hic iacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi Non Rosa-munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet And the third was the irreconciliable dissension and strife The Historie of the Kings troubles with Thomas Becket which hapned betwixt himselfe and Thomas Becket the proud and insolent Archbishop of Canterburie The which beginning in the tenth yeare of his Raigne was prosecuted seuen yeares after with great asperitie and bitternesse on either partie as briefely it shall appeare Theobald Archbishop of Canterburie for what desert few did know in such sort fauoured Thomas Becket a Londoner borne of ordinarie parentage that he made him Archdeacon of his owne Church And beeing able to obtaine anie thing of the King which he did reasonably craue hee procured him to be remoued from one Dignitie vnto another vntill at length he was made Lord Chancelor of the Realme Thomas Becket made Lord Chancelor This high honour so puffed vp Thomas Becket with the winde of Pride and vaine-glorie that now he thought few or none exceeded him for his honour and for his vertues Yet did he carrie himselfe with such regardfull obseruance and dutie to the King that he augmented his Estate with the gift of large Territories and Possessions which daily made him the more confident of the continuance of his great fortunes Thomas Becket is made Archbishop of Cāterbury His vnthankfulnesse He is inuested at Rome He is made the Popes Legate He proudly surrendreth his Chancelorship the great Seale At length Theobald died and the King preferred Thomas Becket to succeed him But he being most vnthankfull and resolued as it seemed to play his prankes secretly and without leaue trauelled vnto Rome and was inuested by Pope Innocent the second of whome hee receiued his Pale and was made a Legate And then he returned into England and
French king vntill at length taking a priuate view of the besieged Castle of Chalons neere to Lymoys The King warreth in France he was descried by a common souldior who so grieuously wounded him with an arrow that within three dayes after he died when he had raigned almost nine yeares and was buried at Founteuerard in France at his fathers feet He is slaine After hee was wounded as is before mentioned hee wonne the Castle by terrible assaults and caused all such as he found therein to be slaine except the malefactor who being demanded by him how he dared to shoot vnto the person of a king made answere That in those Warres he had lost his father and his brother Vltio Diuina and that he was exceeding glad that fortune had so assisted him in his reuenge Then when he expected nothing but a present terrible death The King pardoneth him who slew him the king gaue him his pardon and caused him to be safely conducted out of his Armie In the beginning of this Kings Raigne certaine Out-lawes to the number of one hundred and more being resolued and desperat men whose chiefest leaders were named Robin Hood and Little Iohn robbed and spoyled in diuers places of this Land Robin Hood and Little Iohn They neither hurted nor much wronged anie except they would runne themselues into danger by resistance They attempted against none Honest Theeues but against such as being rich gayned by vsurie or gaue no entertainement by good Hospitalitie to their Neighbours and to the poore They spared all women and were bountifull benefactors to such as stood in need Thus they continued diuers moneths vntill their chiefest Leader Robin Hood by meanes of a sharpe sicknesse being let bloud and being betrayed bled himselfe to death And then the whole Rout of this theeuish Companie was dispersed and the Malefactors secretly repaired home to their owne houses THE HISTORIE OF KING IOHN IOHN PLANTAGENET Earle of Lancaster in his owne Right and Earle of Glocester in the right of his wife and being the yongest sonne of King Henrie the second succeeded and was crowned king albeit that Arthur Plantagenet his nephew Arthur Plantagenet was lawfull heire and sonne to Geoffrey his elder brother was then liuing The whole course of this Kings Gouernment was accompanied with continuall troubles and his two Persecutors were Pope Innocent the third The Kings two persecutors and Philip the second then King of France The French King feared the greatnesse of Englands strength and the prosperitie of this Kingdome was hurtfull vnto his eyes The French king taketh part with Arthur against King Iohn and glad he was if at anie time the least occasion would offer him some seruice to further his designes against King Iohn For proofe hereof he protested a world of loue to the said Arthur informed him of his Title to the Crowne of England and of his vndoubted right to the Duchies of Normandie and of Britaine animated him to rayse his spirits and to aduance his courage to winne them all If he were destitute of Friends which might aduise and counsell him he and his Nobles would supplie that want if he stood in need of Siluer and of Gold to feede and to nourish the great bodie of that Warre he should be supplyed with sufficient store And if he would haue valiant men to fight for him and for those his Rights hee would supplie him with manie thousands who should aduenture to spend their best bloud in his Quarrels These large and friendly proffers which indeede proceeded rather from a jealousie which the French King had of himselfe by reason of King Iohns Greatnesse than from anie inward affection or heartie loue which hee bare vnto Arthur the lawfull and the rightfull Heire of this Crowne and the longing desire which made this young Gallant hopefull of those great atchieuements persuaded him verie easily not onely to accept of the French Kings friendship but also to vse his aide So that partly by the helpe of the Normans and partly by the French Kings meanes Arthur Plantagenet leuieth an armie hee leuied a puissant Armie and wonne diuers places both of Worth and of Strength in Normandie But the Kings Lieutenant and his other Agents in that Duchie defended themselues valiantly persisted in their Duties and fought it out diuers times King Iohn goeth into Normandie with an Armie vntill King Iohn himselfe came into that Countrey with a strong Armie and fought manie cruell Battailes with his Nephew But oftentimes it falleth out that by Warre which is the enemie of Peace Peace it selfe is procured For when those two Princes had exchanged store of blowes and when their Armies had made hauocke each of other and death had drenched her selfe in their bloud they entred into certaine Capitulations for Peace A peace is concluded which for a short time gaue them some respit of breathing But the same was againe interrupted by Philip the French King The peace is broken by the French kings meanes who promised Arthur a doubling of his strength and fed him with much assurance of prosperous successe and made him confident to renew those Warres And hereupon the French King carried a faire Armie into Normandie with which hee spoyled ransacked and depopulated manie places in that Duchie But King Iohn who wanted nothing but money to encounter with so peruerse an enemie was warned by his Lords Gentlemen and the inferiour sort of his common people That shame would wait vpon him for his neglect in suffering his Honour to be trampled on and his Territories in such sort without blowes to be taken from him And to whet the dull edge of his courage The Englishmens forwardnesse to buckle with the French deiected by reason of his wants they voluntarily and freely granted him a large Taxe to support his necessitie and euerie lustie Ladde boldly proffered his seruice to buckle strongly with the French By these meanes King Iohn was quickly furnished and strengthened both with Money and with Men King Iohn passeth into Nâ—rmandie the second time with an Armie and with a strong Armie he landed in the Duchie of Normandie where his numbers were euerie day augmented by the repaire of manie thousands who were well appointed and did resolue with him to expect the same lot and the same fortune And not long after the two Armies met and fought together with such desperate boldnesse The two Armies fight that each of them tooke pleasure to giue blowes wounds death Each of them rejoyced in the ruine of the other and those solemne spectacles of sorrow which would haue made others sad gaue them occasion of much mirth But things which are violent cannot long endure This fearefull storme must bee changed into a pleasant calme The Frenchmen flye And so it was For the Frenchmen were discouraged and fled and Arthur the Kings Nephew and the rightfull Heire vnto his Crowne Arthur is sent
and boarded her and found in her the King and Sir Hugh Spencer the sonne whome they so much desired and brought them to the Queene who presented them before the Castles view and vpon the sight of them the besieged yeelded the possession of their Fort into the Queenes hands Then were the heads of Sir Hugh Spencer the father Earle of Winchester and of Iohn Earle of Arundell whose daughter was married to the younger Spencer smitten off And the King being committed vnto honorable and safe keeping the Queene with the young Prince her sonne beeing accompanied with the Barons and a strong Armie marched towards London carrying with them Sir Hugh Spencer the sonne as a slaue before whom certaine vnworthie and base Fidlers vpon Pypes which they had made of Reedes skornfully played skipped and sung in euerie Towne which they passed through And being come to the Citie of London hee was fast bound vpon the top of an high Ladder and his priuie members and his heart being seuered from his bodie and burned his head was forthwith cut off and set vpon London Bridge A iust reward for their wickednesse Thus GODS judgements pursued those two vngodly and ambitious caitiues by whose lewd aduice and euill counsell the King forsooke the bed and companie of the Queene his wife liued wickedly made hauocke of his Nobilitie neglected his common People permitted his Enemies to his disgrace to triumph and to insult ouer him and gouerned more like a Tyrant than a King And thus those times of Trouble being now againe blessed with a happie Peace Sir Iohn of Henault and his companie are feasted and rewarded the Queene bountifully feasted and rewarded Sir Iohn of Henault Lord Beaumont and all his associates who taking leaue departed and were receiued into their Countrey with much joy and great honour And then the Queene and the young Prince to reforme such things as were amisse A Parliament and to settle a better course of Gouernment within this Land assembled an High Court of Parliament at Westminster In which the King by a generall consent was deposed The King is deposed Prince Edward crowned King and being verie honourably respected and attended he was committed to the Castle of Killingworth and Prince Edward was crowned King And not long after the King being remoued to the Castle of Corff was wickedly assayled by his Keepers who through a Horne which they did put into his fundament pierced his guts with a burning Spit and murdered him The old King is murdered when hee had raigned almost nineteene yeres THE HISTORIE OF KING EDVVARD THE THIRD EDVVARD the third being of the age of fifteene yeares and crowned King whilest his deposed father liued was chiefely directed in his younger yeares by the aduice and counsell of Queene Isabell his mother and of his vncle Edmund of Woodstock Earle of Kent and of Sir Roger Mortymer Sir Roger Mortymer wickedly procured the murder of the old King which knight to interesse himselfe more especially in the Queenes loue traiterously conspired and procured the murder of the last king by the monstrous villanie and barbarous crueltie before mentioned In the second yeare of this kings Raigne Robert le Bruse the busie vsurping king of the Scots denounced Warres against him and his kingdome which occasioned the leuying of a strong Armie King Edward inuadeth Scotland which consisted of foure and fiftie thousand men with which the king himselfe being accompanied with Sir Iohn of Henault Lord Beaumont and fiue hundred Lords Knights and Gentlemen strangers his associates marched into Scotland The Scots flye into the Woods and Mountaines Where he hunted and chased his enemies from Marish to Marish from Wood to Wood from Hill to Hill and from Mountaine to Mountaine for the space of one moneth and more yet by reason of the Scots cowardise which made them to skulke and runne from place to place tyring out the English Armie The King returneth The King marrieth Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault A Parliament Persons attainted A dishonorable peace with Scotland Their tenure is released The Charter called Ragman deliuered vp A marriage with Scotland Sir Roger Mortimer created Earl of March He is too familiar with Queen Isabel He procureth the Kings vncle to be beheaded Articles against Sir Roger Mortimer The King with his whole companie not hauing performed any memorable seruice returned home and shortly after took to wife the Ladie Philip yongest daughter to William Earle of Henault his cousen german in the third degree and assembled his high Court of Parliament at Northampton in which among other passages the two deceased Spencers and Walter Stapleton the late Bishop of Exeter were attainted of high treason And then the King by the directions of his mother and of Sir Roger Mortimer concluded a dishonorable peace with the Scots and released to them their homage fealtie and seruices to him due for that Kingdome and deliuered vp to them the Grand Instrument or Charter called Ragman which vnder the hands and seales of their late King and of the Nobilitie of Scotland testified their tenure and subiection to the Kings of this Realme and then hee married his sister Iane vnto Dauid the sonne and heire apparant of Robert le Bruse the vsurping Scottish King and created Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March whereat his Nobles were exceedingly discontent And such was this new Earles inward malice and hatred vnto the Kings vncle the Earle of Kent and so powerfull was he with the King by reason of his too much familiarity with his mother Queen Isabel that he neuer desisted from his wicked and vngodly plottings vntill he had bereaued him of his head But God permitted not this wretched man to sway long in his vngodly courses For within few moneths after he was accused by the State for these horrible and hainous crimes 1. Imprimis For that hee had wickedly plotted and procured the murther of the Kings father 2. Item For that by his false accusations and sinister counsaile he had caused the King to cut off the head of his said vncle who was truly Noble Religious valiant honest and a strong pillar to the Common-weale 3. Item For that too too familiarly he conuersed with Queene Isabel the Kings mother to her iust reproach and the dishonor of the King 4. Item for that hee receiued of the Scots a bribe of twentie thousand pounds for which he procured the Kings retreat out of Scotland and the releasement of his Signiorie and homage due for that Kingdom 5. And lastly because hee had deceitfully cousened and beguiled the King of his Wards and Treasure conuerting all to his owne vse For these his wicked Treasons and horrible transgressions Sir Roger Mortymer attainted and Executed Queene Isabel sequestred The Kings Homage for Guyan required The King would not doe Homage in such sort as it was required The French King is angrie The Kings Homage againe required It is sent
Prince Edward of England the great Lord and master of those Countries Malum consilium consultori pessimum And to effect what therein hee did intend hee called a generall Councell of the Lords and great men of those Territories and appointed the place of their meeting to bee at Sluce where hee also procured the presence of king Edward and of the Prince his sonne To draw these States together he proposed nothing publikely but the necessitie of a sound conference touching their proceedings with the King of England against France And within the Hauen there the place of Councel was in King Edwards great ship called the Katharine But vnexpectedly to the Flemish Lords Iaques Dartuell discoursed boldly and at large of the great Honour Prowes and valour of King Edward and of the yong Prince his Sonne And by many circumstances and deuised arguments hee endeauoured to extenuate the worth of their owne Earle as being altogether vnfit and vnable to be a Lord of so great a coÌ„mand and in the conclusion of his speech hee strongly striued to perswade them all to depose the Earle Loys and his posteritie and to adde an inuincible strength to their Estates by electing and chusing the Prince of England to be their Master and great Lord. The Nobles and the great men of Flanders being now made eare witnesses of Iaques Dartuells attempt Displeasing Counsell And inwardly detesting to leaue vnto a future age a memoriall of such treacherous infidelitie and wrong made answere that albeit no people in the world did more then they respect King Edward Nor more affect the aduancement and the Honour of the Prince his Sonne Yet this motion could not preuaile except the Natiues and common people of those Countries who had as large an interest as they in the deposing of the said Earle and in the disposing of his Lordship and command would willingly assent thereto And though in their heartes they intended and ment nothing lesse yet to make faire weather for the present time They told the King that they liked the motion exceeding well and that they would foorthwith depart vnto the seuerall places of their habitations and would informe the people of this proiect and do their best endeauours to perswade and to incourage them to consent thereunto And hauing promised the King that at the end of one Moneth they would returne againe with their full answere to the said motion And hauing mutually performed all complements requisite for a kind farewell they departed thence But when this newes was diuulged and when it was publikely knowne what Iaques Dartuell had proposed No trusting to the peoples fauour Iaques Dartuell is hated and murdred both he and his practise were inwardly detested and so hated that he was not esteemed to be a true borne Fleming who had the least inclination to giue any furtherance thereunto Yet notwithstanding such was the great confidence which this great Commaunder reposed in the fauour of the common people and such was the resolution of him whose authoritie before that time was vnlimited and whose prosperitie was equall to the greatnesse of a potent King that his presence would worke wonders and change the minds of the common people That to make triall of his power in that behalfe he came to Gaunt But as he passed through the streetes he might well perceiue that his entertainment was nothing correspondent to his former wel-comes and that the countenances of the Inhabitants bewrayed their inward contempt and loathing both of him and of his despised motion And no sooner was hee entred into his house but by many thousands of mutenous and armed Swaggarers it was compassed round about and then was hee rayled on with the foulest words and reuiled with the most bitter termes that either their hearts could deuise or their tongues vtter So that hee perceiued that it auailed him not to looke bigge nor to presume by his authoritie to appease their rage Wherefore at a great window of the house hee began mildly and with humble termes to pleade in his owne excuse and promised to giue them a full satisfaction vpon what grounds points and reasons he had vnaduisedly conceiued that motion But the sight of him whom in former times they loued and honoured as an Angell was now so lothsome and so vile and his words were so vnpleasing to them that with dirt and stones they beate him from the window King Edward looseth many powerfull friends assaulted his house brake it open entred in and slaughtered him with a thousand wounds And thus died that great Commander of the Flemings who for his power and absolute authoritie among them had neuer his equall in those Countries And by these meanes King Edward not onely lost a sound and a potent friend But euer after that time the hearts of the Flemings more fauoured the French King then they did him At the same time also his noble and worthy friend and vncle Sir Iohn of Henalt Sir Iohn of Henalt reuolteth to the French Lord Beamont reuolted from him and adheared to the French King because King Edward vpon some priuate vnkindnesse conceiued did with-hold and keepe from him a Pension which for his faithfull and good seruice hee had formerly giuen and duly paid vnto him And though King Edward did daily growe more strong in his hopes A valiant King to possesse himselfe of the Crowne of France yet the losse of some great friends being his associates in those Warres made him indeede more weake yet those his misfortunes so little auailed to discourage him that it increased his magnanimitie and his resolutions to maintaine those his Warres with the greater helpes of his owne strength ANNO. 20 Aguillon is besieged by 100000. men Now was the King informed that Iohn the eldest Sonne of the French King had strongly besieged the Castle of Aguillon in Gascoyne wel-neere with an hundred thousand men within which were the Noble Earle of Pembroke and the renowned Knight Sir Walter of Manny and diuers others of especiall note and place The King transporteth an Armie into Normandy Whereupon King Edward leuied the number of fourteene thousand men which he and the Prince his Sonne being accompanied with eight Earles fifteene Barrons and a great number of braue Knights and gallant Gentlemen by the aduice and counsell of Sir Godfray Lord Harcourt a French banished Noble man of great wisdome and wonderfull valour in the Warre caried into Normandie and with them he besieged the rich and strong Towne of Harflew Harflew is taken but because the English Armie seemed terrible in the sight of the Inhabitants it was not defended but the King tooke it without blowes and gaue the spoyle thereof to his common Souldiers so that he filâ—ed their Purses with Crownes and thereby prepared them with the greater courage Diuers towns and Castles are taken and resolution for more dangerous attempts So that within few dayes after hee wonne rifled and spoyled the
discontented King The historie of the Kings euill gouernment at home is pursued The petition of the Nobilitie The Kings fiue euill Counsellors whome his Lords with all humilitie and submissiue modestie petitioned and desired Newly to ratifie and to confirme his former promise and his Oath and to thrust from him Michael de la Pole Robert de Vere Alexander the lewd Archbishop of Yorke Robert Treselian his chiefe Iustice and Sir Nicholas Brembre of London who were generally tearmed to be the Kings wicked counsellors and to banish out of the Land all those soothing and flattering Iudges who to please the King had subscribed to the Nullitie of the said Commission and had censured all such as procured it to be traitors to the King and to his Crowne But the Kings affections were so strongly riueted and annexed vnto those fiue and so confident was he that both himselfe The King denyeth their petition and they and his said Iudges had done well in their proceedings at Nottingham and at Couentrie that in plaine tearmes hee denyed them their request And thereupon the Lords for their owne safetie and to support the peace and to preuent the ruine and the destruction of the Commonweale raysed a strong Armie of their friends and of such as vtterly disliked those disorders in the King The Nobilitie rayse an Armie and came to the Citie of London being fully resolued that they themselues would put in execution those things which the King vpon their reasonable and just request and petition had refused to yeeld vnto Wicked aduice giuen by the fiue wicked Counsellors But whe◠〈◊〉 fiue wicked Counsellors perceiued throughly what was p◠〈…〉 and meant they then endeuoured to persuade the King to â—â—â—â—ender Callice and all his other Lordships and Territories in Bâ—â—â—â—ce to the French King and confidently to relye vpon his aide â—â—assuring him That in so doing hee should obtaine two glorious and pleasing victories the one ouer all his Warres by setling of his Estate in a perfect peace and the other ouer his Noblemen who striued as lewdly they pretended to make him subject and seruile to their wils The King would not hearken to that counsell And though in all things besides their counsels were his Oracles yet the King would not at anie hand hearken to this motion and yet he was determined by one meanes or other to curbe and to abridge the strength of his Nobilitie who striued to reforme such things as were amisse And that his purpose might therein be effected especially he enquired of the Maior of London The King requireth an Armie from the Londonners How manie able armed men that Citie could conueniently set forth who certified him That fiftie thousand such might easily and in a short time be prepared and spared there Whereupon the King commaunded him with all expedition to send him such an Armie which forthwith he endeuoured to performe The graue 〈◊〉 Citizens o◠〈◊〉 London 〈◊〉 resist the 〈◊〉 vnwise Mâ—â—or But when the grauest and the wisest Citizens had maturely considered of this businesse they interrupted his proceedings and told the King That they might not be employed in warlike manner against his Lords who for his Majestie and Honor and to preserue his Kingdome from ruine and from destruction had vsed all faithfull and good meanes to remoue from his Person those his wicked Counsellors who onely for their owne commoditie and aduancement had hazarded the whole estate of his Kingdome by aduising and by counselling of him to rule and to gouerne vnaduisedly according to their pleasures and after their lewd and lawlesse wills The Kings gentle message to the Lords The King perceiuing by this Message that his inferiour subjects would in those Troubles adhere vnto the Lords seemed a little to restraine his violent affections and did informe the Lords That he would assemble his High Court of Parliament in which those fiue fauorites of his should be answerable to all Objections whatsoeuer and should if they were conuicted receiue such punishment as should by the publike censure of the House be inflicted on them This vnexpected and good Message so throughly contented the Barons The Lords doe cassâ—er their armie The King performes not his promise He licenceth the Duke of Ireland to raise 5000 men to defend himselfe The Lords do renew their armie The Duke swimmes on horsebacke ouer the Thames He is slaine by a wilde Beare How the King honored his dead corps that presently they disfurnished themselues of all their warlike Forces and were most thankfull for it to the King But as the Winde so was he suddainely changed For in stead of performing what hee had promised hee freely licenced Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland to leuie fiue thousand men for his owne particular guard and defence And the Barons perceiuing thereby that it was high time for them to looke vnto their owne safetie with incredible celeritie and expedition renewed their strength and vpon the suddaine so strongly enuironed the said Duke betwixt their armie and the Riuer of Thames that they compelled him for the preseruation of his life by swimming on horsebacke to passe ouer vnto the other side from whence he presently fled into France in which Kingdome about fiue yeares after as he hunted hee was slaine by a wilde Boare But such was the Kings affection towards him whilest he liued that he caused his dead carkasse to be embalmed and to be brought into England and to be apparrelled in princely Ornaments and Robes His necke to be compassed with a massie chayne of Gold his fingers to be couered with Rings and his Funerals to be solemnized with all magnificence and pompe Now when the said Duke of Ireland was compelled by swimming on horsebacke as you haue heard to saue himselfe and was fled into France the Barons executed some of his chiefest consorts for an example vnto others Some of the said Dukes consorts executed The Barons armie is with ioy receiued into London but suffered the multitude to disperse themselues and required them with all speed to repaire to their owne houses But the said Barons conducted their owne armie to London where they were receiued with much joy And such was the bountifull entertainment which they found there that they might thereby assure themselues of their heartie welcome The King who kept his Court in the Tower of London was well pleased to admit of a conference with the Lords In which it was concluded That a Parliament should be summoned A Parliament Which being orderly assembled the Kings wicked Counsellors and some of the aforesaid Iudges were required personally to appeare But they came not thither The fiue wicked Counsellors and the Iudges condemned as Traitors yet were they after great debating and disputing of that businesse condemned of high Treason to the King and to the Commonweale And not long after Sir Iohn Earle of Salisburie and Sir Nicholas Brembre lost their heads
and Robert Tresilian the chiefe Iustice was hanged at Tiborne and the rest of those Iudges had beene hanged in like sort Execution if vpon the importunate and vncessant request of the Queene their liues had not beene redeemed by their banishment Banishment And thus were the threatnings of ciuil wars conuerted into some assurance of prosperitie and of peace ANNO. 12 The Scots do inuade But the next yeare following the Scots inuaded this realme and did much harme against whom great preparations were made by the King who resolued to recompence his owne damage by iust and seuere reuenge A Truce betwixt England France and Scotland for seuen yeares ANNO. 13 Iohn of Gant goeth with an Armie into Spaine But the wisdome and discretion of manie great Estates were such that a Truce was concluded to endure for three yeares betwixt England France and Scotland which shortly after was enlarged for foure yeares more So that now all matters betwixt those three Kingdomes and their Kings being blessed with tranquilitie and with peace the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was suffered by the King to leuie a strong Armie which hee transported into Spaine where he demanded his right to the Kingdome of Castile in the behalfe of Constance his wife who was the eldest daughter of Peter the deposed and slaine king ANNO. 14 How his bran attempts succeeded there His two Daughters are married to the Kings of Spaine and of Portingall In those Warres the Duke and his Armie performed manie honourable seruices and with the assistance of the king of Portugale so preuailed that to conclude a sued for peace the king of Spaine married with Constance the Dukes eldest daughter by his said wife and gaue vnto him eight Waggons loaden with massie Gold and secured him and his wife of the yearely payment of ten thousand Markes during both their liues And then the Duke went into Portugale where he married Anne his yonger daughter to the king of that Countrie and then returned into England with great riches and much honour ANNO. 16 Lawes against the Popes vsurped Authoritie This time of peace betwixt England other nations bred some quarrelling betwixt the king and the Pope who vsurped too too much authoritie and iurisdiction within this Realme Wherefore to preuent such mischiefes as this intolerable sufferance mght beget in a Parliament vpon graue and great aduise it was enacted That the Popes pretended authoritie within this kingdom should cease and be determined and that no appeale for anie matter or cause whatsoeuer should from thenceforth bee made to the See of Rome vpon the penaltie of a premunire which did extend to perpetuall imprisonment and to the forfeiture of the Lands and goods of such as contrarie to that law presumed to offend ANNO. 17 In the seuenteenth yeare of king Richards Raigne his faire and vertuous Queene Anne died ANNO. 19 And about two yeares after the king married the Ladie Isabel daughter to the French king Charles the sixth By reason whereof a peace was concluded betwixt those two kings King Richard marrieth the French kings daughter A Peace for thirtie yeares Brest is yeelded vp The Duke of Glocester reprooues the King for it The death of the Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle is plotted A Machauillian pollicie Ambition makes euill Princes confident that their Vertues doe deserue much The King intendeth the destruction of his Barrons being gulled with an vntrue report Certaine Lords surprised A ParliameÌ„t A grosse flâ—ttering Speaker The Archbishop of Canterburie is accused of Treason How the king wronged the Archbishop to endure for thirtie yeares And king Richard being too kind but too little aduised of his owne accord and free will surrendred and gaue vp to the Duke of Brittaine the strong Towne and Castle of Brest which verie much grieued and discontented his Nobilitie especially his Vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who told him plainly that it was not conuenient that without blowes with the said Duke of Brittaine hee should haue departed with that strong Towne and Castle which his ancestors had wonne with the expence of much bloud Whereat the king was so much displeased that in his heart hee causelessely vowed seuere reuenge and in this his hastie passion he was abused and furthered by such of his Fauourites as enuied the estate the vertues and honour of the Duke causing strangers to informe the king flateringly and malitiously that diuers of the Princes Electors intended to haue made him Emperor had not some others of them gainsaid it and alleadged that he was altogether vnfit to gouerne the dispersed Segniorieâ— and Dominions of the Empire who could not rule and command his owne subiects at home The greedie desire which king Richard had to bee magnified and made great by being dignified with the name and power of the Empire and his strong reliance vpon the vntrue report which was suggested vnto him by such as only endeuoured to whet his anger against his Lords armed him with subtletie and with a heartie desire to circumuent his Barons though it were done with the breach of his oath and with the shipwracke of his honour So that pretending much loue and fauour towards them but especially to the Duke of Glocester his Vncle and to the two Earles of Arondell and Warwicke hee caused them to be apprehended when as they imagined they had least cause to feare And hauing so done he assembled his High Court of Parliament In which his basest and his grossest flatterer the speaker of the Lower House named Sir Iohn Bush who was a man of a most proud insolent and aspiring spirit irreligiously profanely and dishonestly in a formall and in a tedious speech attributed vnto the King the highest titles of diuine honour and therefore condemned almost to Hell all such as traiterously had conspired against his Maiestie Among whom hee particularly impeached Thomas Lord Archbishop of Canterburie sitting next vnto the King who made no answere at all thereto because the King himselfe vnder pretence of more then ordinarie loue and fauour had priuatly enioyned him vnto silence and vnto future absence from that Assembly promising and protesting that nothing should be attempted or done against him by anie meanes Yet notwithstanding for want of his presence and of his answere to the said vntrue obiections he was with the Kings consent banished this Realme He is banished Warwicke and Arundell are condemned as Traytors Arundell is beheaded Salisburie is banished and dieth miserably The Duke of Glocester murdered at Callice by Thomas Mowbray Earle of Notingham A weake parliament to grant such an vnreasonable Commission And the two Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke were also condemned of High Treason and shortly after the former of those two lost his head And so had Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke if by his humble confession of thinges vntrue and vpon his great submission steeped in teares and much
sorrow he had not procured a mitigation of his punishment For hee was confined into the I le of Wight where contrarie to the Kings promise hee endured such miserie and was so grieuously oppressed with the griefe which hee sustained by reason of his great wants that he quickly died But the good Duke of Glocester the Kings Vncle being vnsentenced was sent to Callice where according to the Kings directions Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham betwixt two feather-beds caused him to be smothered to death for which good seruice he was afterwards made a Duke This being done the King procured the Vpper and the Lower Houses of Parliament to make an example without precedent by granting full and absolute authoritie vnto six or eight such persons as he should nominate finally to determine all such causes and to enact them as then remained vndiscussed and not ended there This act not only made him proud but to serue his present turnes he nominated for that purpose such as to please his humour decreed manie thinges which were dishonourable to the King and hurtfull to the Common-weale The King will be called Prince of Cheshire The King also to please his Guard who for the most part were Cheshire men of ordinarie parentage and of base birth caused himselfe verie ridiculously to bee stiled Prince of Cheshire as if it had beene more honourable for him to be such a Prince then to be the King and Monarch of the whole Realme And to adde more strength and liking vnto those thinges which then were done amisse the King bestowed manie honorable dignities vpon some of his best liked Noble-men So that his Cousin Henrie of Bullingbrooke sonne and heire apparant to the Kings fourth Vncle Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and who was at that time Earle of Darby was by him created Duk of Hartford his Cousin Edward Plantagenet being Earle of Rutland Creation of Noblemen was created Duke of Aubemarle and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Marshall of England and Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Kent was created Duke of Surrie and Sir Iohn Holland his brother being Earle of Huntington was made Duke of Exeter and the Earle of Somerset was created Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Spencer was made Earle of Glocester the Lord Neuil Earle of Westmerland the Lord William Scrope Earle of Wilshire and the Lord Percie was created Earle of Worcester and vpon all these he bestowed many great Lordships Mannors and large reuenewes which of late did belong to his murdred vncle Thomas of Woodstock sometimes Duke of Glocester and vnto the said two deceased Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke He also granted his free pardon to all offendors whatsoeuer A craftie Pardon which inabled the King to much mischiefe fifteene only excepted whom he would not nominate By which vngodly and craftie pollicie hee hedged his Nobilitie â—ound about with continuall feare and made them most seruile and most base For if anie one of them in anie high measure had offended him hee would then pronounce him to bee one of those fifteene who were excepted out of his free and generall pardon and then would put his life vpon triall for supposed and surmised Treason It happned about this time ANNO. 22 that Henrie Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and Cousin to the King The Kings Cousin desireth reformation in the King by his friend Tho. Mowbray Duke of Norfolke whom the King did fauour extraordinarily was much grieued daily to heare such slanderous reports as were too commonly noysed of the King partly vpon his too much libertie which beyond the Lawes hee challenged in the course of his Gouernment and partly by reason of his vniust and vnskilfull managing of the weightie affaires and businesses of his Kingdome And though affection by meanes of his neere consanguinitie with the King moued him heartily to wish for and to desire a present reformation of those euills yet could hee not better deuise how hee might effect that which hee so much craued than by making vse of his great familiaritie and acquaintance with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke who had an extraoâ—dinarie interest in the Kings fauour Wherevpon very priuately and in great secrecie as vnto a most kind and louing friend he imparted the causes of his griefe in that behalfe vnto the said Duke and earnestly entreated him vpon fit opportunitie and at his leasure and as from himselfe seriously to informe the King of the said reports and withall to entreate his Highnesse to extend more grace and more fauour to those Lords who for his honour and the Kingdomes good had both incurred his displeasure and also were with too much extremitie condemned of High Treason But the Duke of Norfolke who more respected his owne preferment than the kings honour and strongly presumed that hee had now gotten fit meanes to advance himselfe by his friends fall related all his sayings to the King A false and an vnfaithfull friend in the rudest and most vnciuill maner which he could deuise and added manie things to his relation which were vntrue and neuer spoken thereby aggrauating an offence which was not committed and incensing the king with high indignation to vow reuenge and punishment when the Duke of Hartfords fidelitie and loyall seruice deserued great thankes and a good reward The King is angrie The Duke of Hartford answereth for himselfe The king was so much vexed and enraged by meanes of these tidinges that nothing could giue him anie contentment in anie thing vntill his Cousin the Duke had made his answere therevnto And being sharply pressed thereunto by the king Such things as in that secret and friendly manner hee had desired might bee reformed he both confessed and iustified But the vntrue suggestions which falsly and malitiously were added he denied The Combat challenged and accepted And to cleare himselfe of them hee challenged the Duke of Norfolke to a single Combate which was by him accepted and consented vnto by the king But when the appointed day was come and the two Dukes were within the Lists readily prepared and aduanced themselues each toward the other for the encounter The King would not permit them to proceed but banished the Duke of Norfolke for euer Banishment who shortly after died at Venice and his Cousin the Duke of Hartford hee exiled for six yeares King Charles the sixt Whereupon Hee sayled into France and was honourably receiued by King Charles the sixth Father to the Queene of England King Richards wife who so effectually iustified him in his said actions and doings and so highly affected his Descent his Personage his Wisdome his Vertues and his right Noble Conditions that he would haue bestowed vpon him in marriage the Daughter of his Vncle the Duke of Berrie if his Sonne-in-law King Richard by extraordinarie sollicitations and by vnusuall meanes had not beene the hinderer thereof Iohn of Gant dieth Not long after this Dukes Banishment his
made him Duke of Norfolk he being altogether vnworthie of so great honor 8. Item that the King to further his last Expedition for Ireland without law without iustice tooke from the Clergie and many Religious houses great store of monie plate iewels and rich ornaments not hauing the owners consent so to doe 9 Item that in the same iournie without the approbation of his Counsell of Estate hee carried with him into Ireland the plate and rich iewels belonging to the Crowne which might haue tended to the great inpouerishment of this Realme 10 Item that in euerie Shire he had secret Intelligencers vpon whose bare information that ane man had repined at the Kings bad gouernement the partie so accused without examination or triall was enforced to procure his pardon by the payment of a grieuous fine 11 Item that by the lewd aduise of his wicked Counsellours hee had deuised manie subtle and craftie Oathes by meanes whereof manie of his honest Subiects had beene vndone 12 Item that by the like aduise and counsell he procured Ruffians and desperate companions to accuse rich but weake men of sundrie falsly-supposed crimes and imagined offences and by meanes thereof enforced them to redeeme the combate with much monie 13 Item that he gaue large gifts vnto wicked and lewd companions who malitiously to aduance their owne Estates animated him against diuers of his Barons who only desired a good reformation of his euill gouernment and imposed diuers Taxes vpon his people to enrich them 14 Item that hee had procured such Records to bee cancelled and imbeselled as testified his extortions and his oppressions vniustly imposed vpon his people 15 Item that he had oftentimes said that the Lawes of his Kingdome were in his owne breast and that vpon this opinion hee had put to death manie of his noble men and some of his inferiour subiects without iust cause 16 Item that most of his writings and letters vnto foraigne Princes and Estates were so craftie ambiguous doubtfull and vncertaine that they could not relie confidently vpon anie thing which he had written 17 Item that in his Parliament holden in the one and twentieth yeare of his Raigne his Cheshire Guard who onely were permitted and suffered to weare weapons committed many Robberies and Murders and yet not one of them was punished or reproued for the same 18 Item that to insinuate fauour with those loose and lewd companions the King had basely and fondly dishonoured his High Estate and Soueraigntie by entitling himselfe The Prince of Cheshire 19 Item that whereas in the same Parliament sundrie great Lords intended liberally and dutifully to haue spoken of such things as were not well ordered to the end that they might haue beene reformed the King in such sort threatned them that for feare of ensuing dangers they held themselues silent and spake not at all 20 Item that hee exacted great fines from the wealthiest of his Subiects for adhearing to the Barons notwithstanding that in full Parliament he had before granted them his free pardon 21 Item that by himselfe and his owne authoritie he had displaced diuers Burgesses of the Parliament and had placed such other in their roomes as would better fit and serue his owne turne 22 Item that contrarie to his solemne Oath and instrument in writing vnder the great Seale of his Kingdome Hee had not only disallowed the Commission granted in the same Parliament to the thirteene Lords to enquire of and to reforme the great abuses and the apparant misgouernment of the Common-Weale But also had exiled beheaded and otherwise executed diuers Noble Men and others who for the Kings honour and for the safetie and welfare of the Common-Weale had procured the said Commission or had executed the said Authoritie according to the trust and confidence in them reposed 23 Item that whereas hee had caused certaine Lawes in the same Parliament to bee made for his owne gaine and to serue his owne turne hee procured the Popes Bulles to curse such as should withstand or disobey them which thing greatly tended to the derogation of his Crowne and was done expressely against his owne law made against the Authoritie of the Pope within this Realme but seuen yeares before 24 Item that hee had displaced lawfull and good Shiriffes and had elected others whom he suffered to continue and to hold the said Office two yeares together and more because their vniust oppressions augmented and encreased his gaine King Richard confesseth all the Articles The transcript of all these Articles and Obiections were by both the Houses of Parliament authentically sent vnto the king who not only confessed them to bee true and acknowledged his owne insufficiencie to rule and to gouerne better but also by a plaine He resignes his Crowne King Richard is deposed Henrie Duke of Lancaster is made King Thomas Arundell restored to the Archbishopprick of Canterburie and exact instrument in writing vnder his hand and Seale hee resigned his Crowne and kingdome to his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Lancaster which being read publikely and beeing generally ratified approoued and confirmed by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and by the Commons in the same Parliament assembled they deposed king Richard and made the said Duke king And his true and faithfull friend and his companion in Banishment Thomas Arundell Archbishoppe of Canterburie being then and there restored to his place and dignitie installed the said Henrie in the kingly Throne And the late King Richard was sent to Pomfret Castle there to bee safely kept and with Princely honour to bee maintained but verie shortly after by the new kings direction and commaundement who feared least his Estate might bee shaken so long as Richard liued hee was wickedly and villanously assaulted in his Lodging King Richard is cruelly murdered by Sir Pierce Exton and eight other armed men from one of which with a Princely courage hee wrested a browne-Bill and therewith slewe foure of his Mischieuous and Vngodly Assailants He was very valiant and with admirable resolution fought with all the rest vntill comming by his owne Chaire in which the base Cowardly Knight himselfe stood for his owne safetie hee was by him striken with a Polle-axe in the hinder part of his head Though hee were an euill King yet no religion warranted those vniust proceedings so that presently he fell downe and died And thus was hee wicredly and treacherously murdered and his bodie buried at Langley but was afterwardes remoued vnto Westminster where it now lieth THE HISTORIE OF KING HENRIE THE FOVRTH ALTHOVGH the Crowne of England ANNO. 1. 1399. in right if Richard the deposed king should die without issue was by succession to descend vnto Edmund Mortimer Earle of March the Son and heire of Edmund Mortimer by Philip his wife who was the daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third Yet his Cousin Henrie of Bullinbrooke Duke of Hartford and
suffered to passe through the English Armie they miserably perished for want of food betwixt the Gates and the Trenches of their enemies And vpon New-yeares day after the Citie had beene long visited with this famine there issued out at the Bridge-Gate certaine Commissioners Commissioners craue conference with the king who craued conference with some man of authoritie in the English Armie vnto whome the Earle of Huntingdon who was quartered in that part of the Citie sent Sir Gilbert Vmfreuyle their errand was To procure speedie accesse and free returne from King Henrie The commissioners repaire to the King The King was well pleased that twelue of them should bee kindly entreated if they came So the next morning foure Knights foure learned men and foure of the choisest Burgesses of the Towne being all clothed in blacke repaired to the King who beheld them with a countenance beautified with extraordinarie Majestie and Grace and vnto him one of them boldly spake as followeth A proud Speech of a Frenchman to King HENRIE REnowned and great Prince the world is taught to know by good Experience that Kings and Noble Captaines doe winne their chiefest Reputation for their valour and for their fortitude by mastring and subduing of proud enemies and of valiant men by martiall violence and with the Sword and that it is and euer hath beene a notorious Badge of cowardly basenesse in a Prince to make them seruile by Famine and by the scarsitie of food in which kind of crueltie there is neither found Manhood to praise him nor Wit which may in anie sort commend him To the end therefore that your Highnesse may make your selfe equally famous with the greatest Princes for your generous disposition in taming of vs the Souldierie of this Citie by the Sword suffer I pray you the multitude of our diseased and sick folkes and the weaker sort of our men women and Children safely and charitably to passe through your Armie and then if you dare assault our Fortresses and our Walls and if by your valour you fortune to become our Lord you may vse vs at your pleasure and make your self truly and heroically famous among great Men who doe scorne all base attempts and can rellish nothing but vnspotted honor When the King with a troubled mind had heard and considered of this bold bragge he stoutly made this answere The KINGS discreete ANSVVERE FAntasticall and fond Frenchmen thinke you that I am so weake a Scholer in the Art of Warre that I haue not yet learned the Principles in that Science Are not the Sword Fire and Famine the three Instruments with which worthie and renowned Kings Princes and the best Captaines euer haue done and doe still endeuour to subdue their Enemies Doe not all Histories accord in one That the greatest Monarchs and the Grand Commanders of the World haue still atchieued their chiefest Conquests by those three Is not either of them powerfull and able to torment and to afflict the proudest foes And are they not all three being ioyned together of sufficient force to ouercome and to ouerthrow the greatest Nation in the world It was my clemencie and gentlenesse to forbeare to assault your walls because I would not willingly hasten the death of anie except they would wilfully further their owne destruction Neither doe I intend to consume so faire a Iewell as this Citie is in the fire because I desire to preserue it the same being mine owne Inheritance and my Right If then I vse the mildest of these three namely Famine to correct you and to frame and fashion you to my will then may you redeeme your selues from her seueritie if you be so disposed by surrendring of this mine owne Citie into my hands Which thing if obstinately you refuse to doe then would I haue you know That Kings may not bee instructed in Martiall Policies by euerie bold companion who dareth impudently to speake Neither may they permit a Bookish vnexperienced souldior to read vnto them a Lecture of warlike proceedings especially if he be their Enemie as you are mine You desire nay sawcâ—y you require That with my leaue and fauour your sick and starued people may passe into the Countrey through mine Armie and that then I should if I dared by meane assaults attempt the winning of your Towne The world will wonder at your crueltie who haue barbarously and vncharitably thrust out of your Gates multitudes of harmelesse poore and distressed People beeing of your owne Bloud Kindred and Countrey to the intent that I should mercilessely slay and consume them yet such hath beene my clemencie and gentlenesse towards them that oftentimes I haue relieued them with mine owne store But because I doe now finde that your obstinacie is not yet qualified and corrected I will from henceforth abstaine from giuing vnto them anie further comfort and if they perish with extreame famine as they needes must doe their bloud will be required by GOD at your hands who doe most wickedly expose them to those calamities and not at mine who would willingly preserue them if my fauors in that behalfe would not hinder mee from the recouering of my Right Resolue your selues therefore that seeing you remaine still froward they shall not passe through mine Armie but die at your Gates except your hearts beeing mollified you will relieue them and suffer them to spend some part of your victualls And when I shall see cause your Towne shall be assaulted to your paine But your aduise and directions shall not appoint the time for it shall be and rest wholly and only at my pleasure And in the meane time I would haue you know That he who dareth to enter into and thus to passe through all your Countries He who hath alreadie taken though not as large yet as strong Townes as this and hee who by the destruction of your Nobles Captaines and brauest men at Armes hath opened the way thus to besiege your Towne dares also to assault it and little doubts to winne it when he will Thus when the King had spoken and ended his Speech he commanded that those French Commissioners should dine among his great Officers of State and with a frowning countenance hee departed from them and went into his chamber They desire to speake with the King againe When Dinner was fully ended vpon a new consultation had betwixt themselues the Frenchmen became humble Sutors to speake once more with the King who gently admitted them to his presence and then with much submission and humilitie they craued a stay from further violence and a Truce for eight daies that more deliberate aduise might instruct them to resolue what course was fittest for the Towne to take A Truce granted for eight daies the King who loathed all seueritie if mildnesse might obtaine him victorie granted their request and then they departed being thereby much comforted into the Citie Daily and hourely throughout those eight daies the Frenchmen resorted vnto the English Armie and
Counsell But because the most of them were Clergie-men they afforded no manner of redresse where at the Protector was much displeased But to requite him with more vexation and a greater trouble they caused the Lady Eleanor his wife The Protectors wife condemned for witchcraft to be accused and conuicted for conspiring of the Kings death with Witches and such like gracelesse people for which shee was inforced three times to doe publike Penance in the Citie of London and afterwards shee was committed to perpetuall Imprisonment But diuers of her condemned associates were Executed and put to sundrie kinds of death And now to returne to the French Warres King Henrie in regard of former seruices and of future hopes of the like performance Created the Lord Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie Iohn created Earle of Shrewsbury A worthy Captaine and sent him into Normandie with three thousand selected men for the better securing of that Duchie In which expedition hee worthily demeaned himselfe and wonne much Honour This yeare the Countesse of Coming in Guyen died without issue and her inheritance was claimed by the French King And likewise the Earle of Arminacke pretended himselfe to be her next heire A mariage offered to King Henrie And to strengthen himselfe the better to gaine his right he offered his Daughter in marriage to King Henrie with the gift of much money and with the surrendring into his hands of all such Territories and possessions within the Duchie of Aquitaine and Guyen as either by Conquest or by discent did belong vnto him The King is offered to the Earle of Arminaks daughter This offer was willingly hearkned vnto and accepted by the King who by his Ambassadors was publikly offered to the said Lady But the French King minding rather to preuent dangers before they come then to remooue them after they were hapned so suddenly inuaded the said Earles Countries and Dominions with an Armie that with small or no resistance hee quickly made himselfe the Owner of them all The King refuseth her The newes whereof so altered and changed the minde and the affections of King Henrie towards his offered Lady that he would neuer after be perswaded to hearken vnto or to thinke vpon that match The grieued compassion which forraine Princes tooke vpon the lamentable distresse of poore France because the bloud of Christians was so vnmeasurably and so vnmercifully shed in those warres incited them to mediate both these Kings to make a friendly peace which was not effected according to their endeuours and desires A truce for eighteene moneths The Earle of Suffolke solliciteth another mariage for King Henry without authority giuen to him A dishonorable match propounded and concluded Reasons why this match was disliked but a truce only was concluded for eighteene moneths In the handling whereof the Earle of Suffolke not warranted by his Commission nor making his associates acquainted with his purpose sollicited a mariage betwixt his Lord and master King Henry and the Lady Margaret cosen to the French King and daughter vnto Reyner Duke of Angeow being the titularie King of Sicilie Naples and Ierusalem With her hee made no demand for any money because her father was but poore nay which was much worse hee consented that if the said mariage might be effected King Henry should freely and frankly release vnto her father all his right and title to the said Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne The Lords of France were quickly wonne to hearken to this motion and King Henry was glad at the heart that he should haue for his wife such a faire and fresh Lady as the Earle of Suffolke could neuer praise enough But the Protector strongly opposed himselfe against this match terming her descent to be but Titularie and vrging much the pouertie of her father and told the King that his honour and reputation would receiue many scandals if he should reiect the Earle of Arminaks daughter vnto whom with all due ceremonies he was publikely affied and also that his losse would be lamentable if he released his lawfull and iust title to the Dutchie of Angeow and to the Country of Mayne according to the Earle of Suffolkes vnaduised offer But all his reasons as friuolous were reiected and his counsell was not cared for But the King to gratifie and to please such of his Noble-men as therein enclined themselues to his humour Creation of Lords bestowed on them new Dignities and honours For Iohn Lord Holland Earle of Huntingdon was created Duke of Exeter as his father had beene Humfrey Earle of Stafford was made Duke of Buckingham Henry Earle of Warwicke was made Duke of Warwicke and the said Earle of Suffolke was created Marques of Suffolke Which Marques being very honourably accompanied with great troupes of Lords The new Marquesse fetcheth the yong Queen The King is maried Ladies and other personages of great worth and honour went richly prouided into France and according to his condition receiued the Lady Margaret from the French King and from Reyner her father and conueied her with great pompe and princely magnificence into England where within few daies after she was maried to the King and crowned Queene Now as the prefixed time for the truce drew towards an end so King Henry perceiued that this his new alliance with the French King promised him not any certaintie that it should be enlarged or that he should haue peace For in France fresh supplies were hourely prouided to reuiue the former warre and euery day offered euident demonstrations that nothing was more to be expected then blowes Wherefore to encounter those preparations with the like prouisions the King assembled his high Court of Parlament A Parliament The Marquesse of Suffolks oration His motion in which the Marques of Suffolke in a powerfull glozing and tedious Oration extolled his owne deserts aboue the skies as well in his seruice in the French warres as also in mouing and in concluding the late truce and the Kings mariage He also admonished his Highnesse and the two houses there assembled what preparations for warre were made in France and how behoouefull it was for the King to doe the like And vpon this motion proceeding from his haughtie pride and ambitious minde the whole assemblie became humble suters to his Maiestie A Record made of his acts that not only his said admonition and aduice but also all his said former seruices and doings might in most ample sort be registred among the Rolles of Parliament for the perpetuallizing of his honour and of his name which with wonderfull applause was consented vnto and shortly after he was created Duke of Suffolke He is made a Duke Yet for all this before many yeares were expired he was in the same place accused conuicted and condemned for sundrie treasons Humana caduca misprisions and offences for which he was exiled taken and without law put to death as hereafter wee shall
things at her pleasure could not be contented vntill the said three great Lords either by strength or policie were cut off yet outwardly she seemed in some measure to affect them and with her cheerefull countenance and smoothing words shee made them a little to be credulous of her loue A subtill policie but discouered But to effect what earnestly she intended she caused the King for recreation and for his healths sake to make his progresse towards the North hunting hauking vsing many other pastimes and delightfull sports in the middest of all which pretending businesses of great import shee caused letters to be written to those three Lords requiring them to come to a speedie conference with the King whereupon those Lords not suspecting any guilefull treacherie to be conspired against them did as they were commanded and were with all cheerefull familiaritie receiued by the King and Queene But being secretly informed by their friends that their destruction was neere at hand the Duke of Yorke fled from thence into Wales the Earle of Salisburie to his owne Countrey and his sonne the Earle of Warwicke vnto Callice and yet by their daily messengers and letters sent mutually the one to the other New proiects were deuised and put in practise shortly after The King being aduised by his Counsellors that these mortall iarres at home would incite his enemies abroad to attempt much mischiefe against him and his kingdome The King laboureth for vnitie and peace How both the Factions met at London endeuoured by gentle perswasions to reconcile his discontented Nobles and to vnite their hearts in true friendship and in loue For this purpose hee appointed a generall meeting of all his Lords at London whither they resorted but were attended on by multitudes of their meniall seruants and by such as for that time were desirous and willing to strengthen them with their best seruice The Lancastrian Faction lodged themselues in the Suburbes and consulted daily what course was best for them to take The Yorkish Confederates soiourned within the walles of the Citie and met daily and aduised themselues how all things should be ordered in this businesse But neither of the aduerse parties came neere vnto the other And the Citizens of London being Neuters and fearing the euent of blowes furnished euery street with armed men both by day and night to maintaine and to preserue the Kings peace Thus whilest euery houre bred much suspicion and when iealousie among the Noble-men made the hearts of the Commons to be vnstable the Arch-bishop of Canterburie and sundrie other Clergie-men by fitting perswasions and arguments of great force and consequence so preuailed that the King the Queene and all the Lords were pleased A dissembled friendship in friendly and in kinde sort to meet and to entertaine each other and all iarres and discontented humours were outwardly in words but not inwardly in heart reconciled and instruments in writing for future amitie and loue were mutually subscribed sealed and deliuered And for the greater solemnitie of this new friendship a religious procession was made thorow the Citie of London in which the Kings head was adorned with the Imperiall Crowne and whereon the Duke of Yorke often times looked with a scornefull eie And one Lord of either Faction marched together hand in hand The Duke of Yorke lead the Queene and with great familiaritie and gracefull honour seemed to be highly respected and esteemed by her The King likewise reioiced much at this Vnion the Lords made shewes of much applauding and the multitude being ignorant that secret rancour was dawbed ouer with counterfeited dissimulation skipped leaped and gaue great shouts for ioy But within few daies after it hapned that vpon a sudden debate and falling out betwixt one of the Kings seruants and a gentleman belonging to the Earle of Warwicke A dangerous affray an affray was made neere vnto the Kings Court in which the Kings seruant was grieuously wounded and the other fled Hereupon the Yeomen of the Kings Gard with Holberds and Swords and the skullerie with Spits and Forkes The Eâ—rle of Wâ—rwiâ—â—e 〈◊〉 assaulted assaulted the Earle and his followers as he came from the Counsell Boord to take his Barge Betwixt them many a rude blow was giuen much bloud was shed but no man slaine The Queene who was forward to picke a quarrell to the Earle vpon any small occasion and knowing that in a whirrie he was passed into London gaue strait command for his apprehension and commitment to the Tower But by reason that his secret friends had forewarned him to looke vnto himselfe hee poasted with all expedition into Yorkeshire He posteth into Yorkeshire where hee discouered to his father and to the Duke of Yorke the great iniurie and wrong which was done vnto him by the Kings seruants and the intention of the Queene notwithstanding the late reconcilement and friendship which was concluded with great protestations and much solemnitie betwixt them And lest some Carpet fauourite might expulse him for his place of trust and Captainship of Calice He saileth vnto Calice hee forthwith sailed thither and assoone as he was gone his father the Earle of Salisburie marched towards the Kings Court with an Armie of fiue thousand men An Armie raised to complaine vnto his Highnesse not onely of the violence and wrong which his meniall seruants had done vnto his sonne but also of the sugered and secret dissimulation of the Queene But when the Queene had certaine notice of his resolued purpose she commanded the Lord Awdley to encounter him on his way with ten thousand men which she had leuied and peremptorily she required him to bring vnto her the said Earle quick or dead Bloar-heath field Her selfe also with another Armie came after him and in Shropshire in Bloar-heath the said Earle and the Lord Awdley met each other where the one fought for honour but the Earle for his life neither of them intending to yeeld or to steppe backe But at length the Earle his followers being in despaire of good successe or pardon if they maintained not the encounter with bold hearts and strong armes fought with such resolution and vnconquerable stomackes The Lord Awdley is ouerthrowen by the Earle of Salisburie that the Lord Awdley with foure and twentie hundred of his souldiers and associates were slaine the rest fled and the Earle of Salisburie was Lord and master of the field By these practises the Duke of Yorke perceiued plainly that the liues of him and of his Complices were secretly hunted for The Duke of Yorke raiseth an Armie and claimes the Crowne and therefore he now determined no longer to hide and couer his purpose as formerly he had done but by armes in the open field to maintaine his claime and title to the Crowne And therefore himselfe with the Earle of Salisburie marched into Wales and thither the Earle of Warwicke repaired to them and brought with him for their
them The Londoners refuse to receiue the Lord Scales and told the Lord Scales that hee was able enough without his helpe or counsell to keepe that Citie which by the King was committed vnto his charge whereat he was much displeased and went to the Tower from which hee much wronged and damnified the inhabitants of London The King to defend himselfe The King marcheth towards the Lords and to master his rebellious enemies being accompanied with the Dukes of Somerset and of Buckingham and many other Lords Knights Gentlemen and a strong Armie marched towards them And though the King himselfe for necessities sake was personally present yet his minde and cogitations were more religiously bent to his praiers and his desires affected nothing more then quietnesse and peace But the Queene whose heart was manly The Queene encourageth and threatneth and whose anger threatned death with souldier-like termes and speeches cheared vp her followers debased their enemies promised rewards if they deserued well and the seuerest of all punishments to such as fled At length neere vnto the Towne of Northampton the two Armies met the Earle of March being very frolicke The Armies doe meet The battaile of Northampton and in the heat and flower of his youth by the aduice and counsell of the Earle of Warwicke ordered his Armie for the battaile The Queene and her adherents did the like The fight quickly beganne and fiercely continued somewhat more then two houres but at length the Earles became victors The King is ouerthrowen Ten thousand men slaine Slaughter slew more then ten thousand men on the kings part among which were Humfrey Duke of Buckingham Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewesburie Thomas Lord Egremont Iohn Viscount Beamond and many others The Queene with the Duke of Somerset and diuers others Flight taking with them the young Prince fled into the Bishopricke of Durham where they hoped to raise a new Armie or resolued in default thereof to goe into Scotland and to remaine there vntill fortune and their friends should inable them to recouer what they had lost The King taken prisoner The Tower is deliuered to the Lords The King who was left behinde was taken prisoner and conueied by the Earles with great pompe and much honour vnto London and at their comming thither the Tower was deliuered into their possession by the souldiers against the liking and good will of the Lord Scales who attempted to flie from thence disguised in a Whirrie But being discouered by the Water-men he was by them taken The Lord Scales beheaded by the Water-men Tho. Thorpe taken and imprisoned The Duke of Yorke commeth into England A Parliament What the Duke of Yorke did and said in the Parliament house The Duke of Yorkes title and made shorter by the head and his body was negligently left vpon the sands And Thomas Thorpe the second Baron of the Exchequer who mortally hated the house of Yorke purposing in the habit of a Monke with a shauen Crowne to flie vnto the Queene was taken and brought to the Earle of Warwicke who sent him to the Tower where hee remained long after The Duke of Yorke being speedily informed of this victorie left Ireland and came to London and procured a Parliament to be assembled in the Kings name and in the presence of all the Lords in the Vpper House hee sate himselfe downe in the Imperiall Seat and in an eloquent and powerfull Oration hee discouered to the Nobles his rightfull claime and title to the Crowne he being the sonne and heire of Anne the daughter and heire of Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heire to Philip the sole daughter and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the Third and elder brother to Iohn of Gaunt who was father to the Vsurper King Henry the Fourth who was father to King Henry the Fifth who was father to the King who was vntruly named King Henry the Sixth Englands plagues He also related vnto them that because God blessed not his vnlawfull gouernment therefore the Common-weale of England had beene plagued with many mischiefes As first by the murdering and by the executing of many honourable and great Lords Secondly by the slaughter of thousands of the common people in France Normandie and elsewhere Thirdly by ciuill and bloudie warres at home Fourthly by the losse of all Territories beyond the Sea belonging to the Crowne of England excepting Calice and the Marches thereof Fifthly by sudden incursions made by the Frenchmen and by the Scots And lastly by all manner of violence 1460. extortion and oppression practised vpon the poorer sort And in his conclusion hee craued no fauour vnlesse that iustice gaue them warrant The title to the Crowne settled by act of Parliament nor quiet possession of the Crowne except they found his descent and title to be infallibly true When the Lords and the Commons there assembled had with mature deliberation and good aduice debated soundly of this important businesse it was by them all enacted that King Henry should so long as he liued retaine the name and honour of a King and that the Duke of Yorke should be proclaimed to be the heire apparant of the Crowne and should be the Lord Protector both of the Kings person and also of his dominions and countries and that the said Duke should haue the present possession of the Crowne of this Realme deliuered vnto him if at any time King Henry or his friends allies or fauourites in his behalfe attempted the infringing of the said Acts which were agreed and confirmed by their oathes The Duke of Yorke hauing by these meanes gotten the gouernment of the Kings person and of all his dominions into his hands The Lords in Scotland refuse to come to the Duke of Yorke dispatched his letters into Scotland in the Kings name requiring the Queene the Dukes of Somerset and of Exeter the Earle of Demonshire the Lords Clifford and Rosse and such other great men as were fled and remained in that Kingdome to repaire with all expedition to the Kings presence They come on with a great Armie But they all not onely refused to obey this peremptorie command but with an Armie of eighteene thousand Englishmen Scots they marched boldly towards the Kings Court. Whereupon the Duke of Yorke with his younger sonne the Earle of Rutland and the Earle of Salisburie leauing the King in the custodie of the Duke of Norfolke and of the Earle of Warwicke and being accompanied with no more then fiue thousand men directed his iourney towards the Queene They are encountred The battaile of Wakefield Haste made waste The Duke of Yorke ouerthrowen and slaine A blâ—udie fact and met her neere to the Towne of Wakefield where no perswasions or good aduice could preuaile but the Duke of Yorke who euery houre expected the approch of Edward Earle of March his eldest sonne with a strong Armie would forth with
came for his repose into the Lordship and Manour of Grafton where the Ladie Iaquet daughter to Peter of Luxenburgh late Earle of S. Paul and sometimes the widow of Iohn the renowned Duke of Bedford and wife to Sir Richard Wooduile Lord Ryuers then lay vpon whom there attended her daughter the faire and fresh Ladie Elizabeth the widow of Sir Iohn Grey who was slaine as hee fought for King Henry at S. Albons in the last yeare of his raigne The King in his absence marieth the Lady Elizabeth Grey This Lady was on the sudden so liked so loued so fawned and doated on by the lustie and young King that for dalliance sake hee resolued to make her his wanton play-fellow if he might But her constant modestie and amorous denials repulsing him from his vnchaste hopes he to obtaine the fruits of his desires without any further delay aduice or counsell tooke her to his wife and created the Lord Ryuers Creation of Lords her father Earle Ryuers and made him high Constable of England Her brother Anthony whom he had made Lord Anthony was by his procurement maried to the sole and only daughter and heire of Thomas Lord Scales and was in her right dignified with that honour Her sonne Sir Thomas Grey was created Marquesse Dorset and was by the Kings motion maried to the Ladie Cicilia the only daughter and heire to the Lord Bonuyle and of Harrington And though this his mariage with the Queene were pleasing for a time yet was it most vnhappie and vnfortunate in the end Euill effects of the Kings mariage For it occasioned his expulsion out of this Realme Secondly the deaths of his true friend Richard the most eminent and valorous Earle of Warwicke and of the Marquesse Montacute his brother Thirdly the slaughter and execution and the murdering of many Nobles Gentlemen and braue souldiers Fourthly the destruction of the Kings two sonnes and almost the vtter ruine and destruction of the Queenes kindred and of her bloud as hereafter in this Historie it shall appeare When the sudden newes of King Edwards hastie mariage was published in France 1464. 4 euery person whom it concerned was highly displeased at this frumpe which thereby hee gaue to his worthiest and dearest friend the Earle of Warwicke The Earle of Warwicke hateth the King and the Earle himselfe by reason thereof conceiued such an inward hatred against the King that in his heart he resolued when time should serue to depose him if he might yet notwithstanding he made faire weather He dissembleth for a time and at his returne seemed rather to make sport at his own disgrace then to take any discontented notice of it The King also who chiefly by this Earle was seated and setled in his Throne endeuoured secretly to abridge him of his authoritie and power because hee feared lest his greatnesse might doe him harme And the Earle although hee staied a while at the Court after his returne out of France yet as long as hee remained there he imagined that he stood on thornes Wherefore hee asked leaue of the King to depart vnto his Castle of Warwicke for his repose and for recreations sake But being come thither his head was busied with new proiects and all his thoughts were imployed how and by what meanes hee might subdue and depose the King The Lady Elizabeth borne And at this time was borne the Lady Elizabeth who was afterwards the wife of King Henrie the seuenth and mother vnto king Henrie the eight The King purposing to gaine the loue of forraine Princes that by meanes thereof he might with the more securitie defend himselfe against Lewis the French King A truce with the Scots who threatned to bee reuenged for the iniurie which by King Edwards marriage was done to him and to the sister of his Queene concluded a Truce for fifteene yeares with the King of Scots Notwithstanding that by the deliuerie of the Queene Margaret hee detained from him his strong Castle of Barwicke He also sent vnto Henrie King of Castiell and vnto Iohn King of Arragon many Cotshall Sheepe English sheep sent to the Kings of Castiell and of Arragon which neuer before vpon any entreatie or request they nor any other Prince could obtaine From which Sheepe such a multitude haue increased that it hath since turned to the vnspeakable preiudice and hurt of this kingdome and Common-weale The King also contrarie to the opinion and good liking of the Earle of Warwicke contracted and afterwards married his Sister the Lady Margaret vnto Charles the Duke of Burgoine The Duke of Burgoine marrieth the Kings Sister as formerly he had done two other of his Sisters to the Dukes of Exeter and of Suffolke The Earle of Warwicke who secretly thirsted for reuenge and thought the time to be long before hee had restored king Henrie the sixt to his libertie and Crowne by faire promises and insinuating perswasions wonne his two brothers the Archbishop of Yorke The Marques of Montacute was still a secret friend to king Edward and the Marques Montacute to take his part But the Marques who was exceeding hardly induced to giue his consent to so ill an intended action performed all things with an vnwilling minde which in the end turned to his owne ruine and to the destruction of his brethren The Earle likewise being right wel assured that the Kings brother George Duke of Clarence secretly enuied the King because he had preferred Anthonie the Queenes brother in marriage with the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Scales The Duke of Clarence ioyneth with the Earle of Warwicke against his brother the King and Sir Thomas Gray her Sonne in marriage with the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Bonuile and Harrington and the Lord Hastings to the sole daughter and heire of the Lord Hongerford was carelesse of his aduancement by such a match watched a fit opportunitie to complaine to the Duke of Clarence of the Kings sullen vngratefulnesse towards him Why quoth the Duke can you my Lord thinke that the King will be thankfull to his friend who is too too vnkind to his owne brethren Thinke you that friendship or good deserts can worke in him more vertuous effects then nature hath afforded him Is hee not now so highly mounted that hee vouchsafeth not to cast downe an eye vpon such as are of his owne bloud Nay who lay in his owne Mothers wombe Are not the allies and kinsfolkes of his Wife preferred by him to all Promotions Dignities Offices and good places And are not his owne brothers and his truest friends who haue fought in many assaults skirmishes and battailes to make him a Soueraigne King neglected vnrewarded and vncourteously shaken off Were my brother of Glocester of mine humour and disposition my Lord we would with your assistance and aide make him to know himselfe better and to set a difference betwixt his auncient and truely dignified Nobilitie and such
Common-weale But to preuent that mischiefe manie of the Nobilitie endeuoured day and night to mediate A parly for peace and to conclude a Peace so that Letters were written from the one part to the other Heralds of Armes were sent and the word of Peace was so pleasing to them all that euerie circumstance seemed to giue warrant that all things should bee qualified and set in tune This parly made the King too secure The King is taken in his Bed By meanes of this parlie King Edward became more carelesse of himselfe and of his charge then was fitting VVhereof when the Earle of Warwick was informed hee resolued though disloyally and dishonestly to make an aduantage thereby vnto himselfe so that in the midst of the Night when securitie suspected none euil the said Earle being accompanied with manie of his friends well armed and thorowly appointed rushed into the Kings Campe slew his Watches He is sent Prisoner to the Archbishop of Yorke and tooke him in his Bed and as secretly as hee could he sent him as a Prisoner to the Castle of Middleham in Yorkshire there to be safely kept by the Archbishop his brother who either repenting what hee had done against the King or being wonne by large promises of great fauour and good rewardes suffered him with his Garders to hunt and to hawke at his pleasure The King escapeth By meanes whereof fit opportunitie for a rescue was giuen to Sir William Stanley Sir Thomas Burgh and some others of his faithfull friends who not only did set him free but also by their carefull helpe The King commeth to London and assistance conueighed him from place to place vntill the Earle of Warwick was certainly informed that hee was within the Citie of London This his deliuerance much encumbred the said Earle the Duke of Clarence and their Confederates with new troubles and daily consultations what course was fittest for them to take For they had dissolued their Armie and permitted the kings to depart from them vntouched when he was taken supposing that by his Captiuitie there had beene a finall end of all those Ciuill wars But at length they resolued to rayse another Armie vnder colour of some Rebellion in the North and the King on his part was determined by one meanes or other to make them better minded and more dutifull or else to roote them and their Posteritie out of the Land Thus whilest all things were in a Combustion and nothing but Ciuill war was threatned in euerie place The Common Lawes were neglected Iustice was laid a sleepe Robberies and oppressions were too too rife and open violence without correction was practized vpon the weaker sort The Lords and Great men of the Land once more endeuoured to preuent this future mischeif and and vpon solemne oathes receiued for a quiet and friendly enteruiew An enteruiew the King and the confederated Lords met kindly in the great Hall at Westminster where the obiections of good deserts and of vnthankfull requitals were with such proud and bitter words repeated and maintained by the Earle of Warwicke that in a great furie they all departed one from another The parley broken off An Armie raised by the Lords Whereupon the King went to Canterburie and the confederated Lords into Lincolnshire where they raised an Armie of which they made Captaine Sir Robert Welles sonne and heire apparant to the Lord Welles because hee was a man right valiant and of good direction and iudgement in the Art of warre An Armie raised by the King The King who was inwardly vexed with this new preparation was by necessitie enforced to leuie another Armie which when he had done he sent for the Lord Welles who with his brother in law Sir Thomas Dymocke comming towards the King tooke Sanctuarie at Westminster because their hearts failed them to goe forward A cruâ—â—l aced for that they heard that the King was exceeding angrie But vpon the Kings solemne word and promise that no wrong should be done vnto them they came into his presence and were by him required to command the Knight to desist from his rebellious purpose and to repaire to the Kings Armie for his seruice and they accordingly tooke much paine and trauell to that purpose But as the King marched forth towards the Rebels he was informed that the said Sir Robert Welles was resolued to perseuere in that action whereat the King was so exceedingly enraged and so forgetfull of his princely promise that in his vnaduised furie he caused the heads of the said Lord Knight to be smitten off for which crueltie hee was euilly spoken of by many Nobles and inferiour men who otherwise wished him good successe in all his affaires and actions When both these Armies had pitched themselues neere to each other The battaile of 〈◊〉 Sir Robert Willes for a while doubted whether he should begin the fight or stay till the repaire of the confederated Lords who were within a daies iourney of him with an Armie But in the end deepe hatred to reuenge his Fathers and his Vncles deaths and an ardent desire which inflamed his heart with a small number to win much honour bred in him a constant resolution to begin the fight which forthwith hee did and for a long time maintained it with great discretion and true valour But the Kings numbers being farre the greater so tired out the Rebels by their fresh supplies that they began to flie and the King by violent pursuit followed after vntill he clearly won the honour of that day The Rebels oueâ—throwen This meeting was called the battaile of Loose-coats because the Rebels threw off their coats that they might therby make themselues more actiue and more nimble to run away In this battaile were slaine aboue 10000. men 10000. men slaine Execution And Sir Robert Welles with some others of good account being taken prisoners lost their heads The Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwicke being informed of this mishap although they were guarded with a huge Armie of desperate and wilful people yet fearing left this ouerthrow would make them faint-hearted Clarence and Warwicke dâ—e flie from their Armie and come befâ—re Calice mutable and vnconstant they left their charge and secretly fled to the Citie of Exeter and from thence to Dartmouth where they shipped themselues and came before Calice with their friends The King was much grieued because they had not been slaine or taken but especially the safetie of the Earle of Warwicke perplexed his minde because he knew him to be exceeding gratious and in much fauour with the common people Warwicke is exceedingly beleued by the common people who indeed were perswaded that the Sunne shined not cleare any where but where he was and that they could not miscarrie in any danger if he himselfe were present Now to preuent his future landing in England with a forraine power the King by his letters intreated his brother
inheritable to the Crowne This lesson with the daily repetitions of his heroicall Pedegree hee so inculcated into his young Scholar that hee was as able and as ready to discourse thereof as if by inspiration that knowledge had beene infused to him from aboue The Irish were too credulous Thus when this subtill Priest had prepared his Pupill for his purpose he transported him into Ireland where hee first vented and spred abroad this false and vntrue noueltie among the wilder and more barbarous sort of that fickle and busie Nation who being too too credulous and flexible to any change gaue to the youth all honour and reuerence as vnto their soueraigne and liege Lord. And within few daies after diuers of the Nobilitie of that Countrey were taken in the same net of follie and beleeued as the Commons did among whom the Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas Gerandine was the chiefe who hauing had much familiar conference with the young counterfet and finding his amiable aspect the trimme composure of his bodie his princely presence his pregnancie of wit his sufficient learning his ingenious capacitie his quicke spirit his discreet speech and seemely complements to be answerable and fitting to a Prince not onely censured him to bee the true and the vndoubted sonne and heire of the Duke of Clarence and pitied his estate but endeuouring to doe him good disbursed vnto him for the enlargement of his expenses traine and honour diuers and sundrie great summes of money and perswaded many other great Lords of Ireland to doe the like He also with great speed and secrecie informed the Ladie Margaret The malice of Margaret Duchesse Dâ—wager of Burgoine to K. Henry sister to King Edward the Fourth and Duchesse Dowager vnto Charles the deceased Duke of Burgoine and the supposed Aunt of this counterfet of his being there And albeit that shee was well assured that this newes was false yet because being of the house of Yorke shee mortally hated and enuied King Henry who was the head and the chiefe of the Familie of Lancaster she not only gladded her heart to heare thereof but also pleased her conceits with infinite delectation that now an opportunitie was presented to her to execute her furie vpon King Henry and that shee might by this plot if it succeeded well enlarge her true Nephew the young Earle of Warwicke and make him King First of all therefore shee caused the false report of this young counterfet to bee noised thorowout England that thereby shee might vnsettle the mindes of such as were credulous and might be inclined to take his part She also published that the Irish Nobilitie and Nation had not onely receiued him for their Lord and Soueraigne and would take his part but also that shee her selfe would strengthen his attempts with money men and armes to the vttermost of her power These vaine and fabulous reports carried vnto her into Flanders Francis Lord Louel and her nephew the Earle of Lincolne sonne and heire to Iohn de la Pole Duke of Suffolke and of Elizabeth one other of the sisters of King Edward the Fourth The Traitors land in England Sir Thomas Broughton and some others and after many speeches and much conference touching those affaires and businesses the Duchesse caused to be leuied in her Country about two thousand men which were conducted by Martin Sward an approued Captaine of great resolution and much skill All these with quicke expedition sailed into Ireland and ioined with Sir Thomas Gerardine the Chancellor who was in a readinesse with more then two thousand men of his owne Nation and they all determined to transport themselues into England with all speed Wee may not imagine that King Henry who was valiant prouident and wise was secure carelesse or negligent in these affaires and weightie businesses A politicke act For to the end that certainly it might bee knowen that Lambert was but a counterfet hee caused Edward the young Earle of Warwicke to be publikely brought thorow the streets of London from the Tower vnto Pauls Church where infinite numbers of the Nobilitie Gentrie and Commons of this Kingdome had the sight and view of him and many of them spent some time in conferring with him The King prepareth against Lambert Lambert landeth in England He also made great preparations to repell and to subdue all such as in Lamberts aide should either attempt any ciuill warre or inuade his land And thus when he had ordered all things well these forraine powers arriued neere vnto Lincolne where they expected more succour then they found or were in any possibilitie to haue But when the King was informed that they were come he marched towards them with a constant resolution to trie the vtmost of his fortune in the field insomuch that it was now too late for those Inuaders to step backe for vrgent necessitie did require The battaile of Stoke that either they must flie fight or yeeld But the truth is though they were not strong yet they were no cowards The Irish people were strangely actiue and passing valiant but they wanted Armes and their braue resolution so animated their courage that with haughtie stomackes and Lions hearts they ioined in battaile with the King But within lesse space then one houre Lambert is ouerthrowen the vnprouided and vnfurnished Irish with their Captaines the Earle of Lincolne Francis Lord Louel Sir Thomas Gerardine Martin Sward Lambert is made a Skullian and then the Kings Faulconeâ— and Sir Thomas Broughton were all slaine and the rest submitted themselues to the King who pardoned their offence and committed the Priest Sir Richard Symond vnto perpetuall imprisonment and his counterfeited Pupill being first abased in the Skullerie was within few yeares after chiefe Faulconer to the King Then was the Kings wife with all honour and princely solemnities crowned Queene The Queene is crowned D. Morton made Archbishop of Canterburie and Lord Chancellor and a Cardinall and Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterburie died and was succeeded by Iohn Morton Bishop of Elie who was also made Lord Chancellor of this Kingdome and not long after hee was dignified with the Hat and habit of a Cardinall by Pope Alexander the Sixth Now though King Henry through the benefit of a generall peace at home was made fortunate and happie yet forraine iarres among his neighbours prouoked him to new imploiments vpon this occasion The French King quarrelleth with the Duke of Britaine Charles the French King hauing warred successefully against Maximilian King of the Romans complained that he was much wronged by Lewys Duke of Orleance who had married the Ladie Iane his sister and was his next heire apparant to the French Crowne for that hee with some others tooke part against him with his enemie But in the end when King Charles had affied himselfe to the Ladie Margaret daughter to Maximilian and had concluded a peace betweene themselues the said Duke of Orleance and his complices
good respects hee cheerefully consented to his request First because by all likelihood and probable coniecture this mariage would establish a perpetuall peace betwixt those two Kingdomes And secondly because if issues males and females failed of the bodies of his two sonnes then the Kingdome and the Crowne of this Realme descending to the said Ladie Margaret and to her issue would draw the Scottish King into England as vnto an estate of greater power magnificence honour and riches whereas if she were ioined to a Prince equall or exceeding her father in those respects this Kingdome would then wait vpon the greater and more worthie and so might be guided gouerned directed and commanded by a Deputie or a Substitute which would bee derogatorie from the maiestie of such a Monarchie and Common-weale These Halcyon daies Prince Arthur dieth which made King Henry fortunate and happie were suddenly exchanged into daies of heauinesse and of sorrow for Prince Arthur within fiue moneths after he was maried departed out of this troublesome and transitorie vale of miserie and was buried with great pompe and incredible lamentation both of the Nobles Gentlemen and common people in the Cathedrall Church within the Citie of Winchester by whose decease without issue his brother Henry Duke of Yorke without Creation was Prince of Wales 1502. as vnto him of right that dignitie did belong and appertaine and the next yeare after he was created Earle of Chester by his Father The King not long after by an honorable attendance of Lords Knights Ladies and men and women of especiall note and qualitie sent his eldest daughter the Ladie Margaret into Scotland to her espoused husband Iames the Fourth who receiued her vpon the limits of his owne Kingdome from the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and was the next day maried to her in his Citie of Edenburgh 1503. to the great reioicing of the people of both those Nations Now when King Henry had thus ouercome his enemies and the Rebels and had settled himselfe in peace 1504. hee determined to plucke downe the high stomackes and stout courage of his people The King taketh aduantage of forfeitures vpon Penall Lawes supposing that their wealth and riches occasioned their rebellions and was the cause that many enormous insolencies were done and committed in the Common-weale And by that meane hee also intended to enrich himselfe And the plot whereby he intended to effect it was by taking of the aduantage of the breach of Penall Lawes Empson and Dudley And the principall charge of that polling businesse hee committed to Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley men learned in the Law but ready enough to execute the Kings commands in a worser matter if occasion did so require These two being attended by troupes of base Informers Promoters Catch-poles Cheaters Knaues and cousening Rascals Many are vndone prosecuted and persecuted many of the Kings good Subiects to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow insomuch that many people in euery Shire of this Kingdome by their oppressions waxed poore and were vtterly decaied in their estates But the Kings Coffers were filled his Bagges were stuffed and those two gracelesse and cruell Cormorants got to themselues the Deuill and all But no remedie there was to cure this maladie for the King authorized them and they so rigorously and so vnconscionably executed their tyrannie that no man could assure himselfe that hee was free and without the danger of their lash 1605. In the 21. yeare of K. Henries raigne Elizabeth Q. of Castile wife to Ferdinando K. of Aragon and Spain died without issue male of her bodie so that her Kingdom not being deuidable among sisters according to the custome of that Countrie discended to her eldest daughter the Ladie Iane The King and Queene of Castile doe come into England by a storme wife to Philip Arch-Duke of Austria and Duke of Burgoine so that hee being King of Castile in her right prepared a Nauie of strong and well appointed ships and entred into the Sea purposing to take the possession of his new Kingdome But by the violence of an outragious storme himselfe with his Queene was driuen into Waymouth in Dorset shire where at his landing hee was receiued by Sir Thomas Trenchard a worthie Sir Thomas Trenchard entertaineth them at his house and a compleate Knight who instantly importuned the King to accept of the entertainment of his house vntill King Henrie were certified of his being there which courteously he did Whereof when he had louingly accepted hee was conducted thither and feasted like as hee was a King The Knight forthwith sent diuers Posters to King Henrie who being much gladded by this newes because the said King and he were vnfained and faithfull friends They are entertained by the King forthwith sent for his better direction and attendance the Earle of Arundell and some others who inuited him and his Queene and their Companie to the Kings Court which was then at his Castle of Windsor of which great courtesie he accepted with a kind hart and as he came within fiue miles of the Castle he was met by the Noble Henrie Prince of Wales who was accompanied by diuers Earles Lords Knights and Gentlemen of choice reckoning aad account and within halfe a mile of his iournies end the King himselfe with the greatest part of his Nobilitie Ladies and Personages of great worth and honour being richly apparrelled and brauely mounted met him likewise where kind salutations and friendly greetings proceeded from the heart and were performed with most exquisite complements of loue that by any could be imagined From the Kings Castle of Windsor the King conducted him and his Queene to the Citie of London where nothing was omitted that anie deuise or cost could make sumptuous thereby to expresse the heartie welcome of such beloued guests And thus when with great contentment mirth and pastime the King and he had spent some dayes they renewed the League which was betwixt them and taking kind farewels each of other the said King and Queene imbarked themselues againe lanched into the Sea and safety arriued according to their owne wils But not long after King Philip and his wife died and that Kingdome discended to Charles his eldest sonne From this time forwards King Henrie waxed sickly weake 1506. and infirme and by meanes thereof the two scourgers of the Common-weale Empson and Dudley tooke larger libertie to extend their villanies then was giuen to them and did oppresse torment and vex the People of this land But when the King perceiued that his time was short 1507. hee depriued them of their authoritie remitted and pardoned all offences committed against his penall Lawes and enlarged all prisoners The King waxeth sickly His deeds of charitie which were in durance for any offence treason and murder excepted only he also paid the debts of all such as for trifling and smal summes were prisoners in any Ward and gaue certaine
store of money and of faults By the same authoritie Wolseys intollerable pride hee also sequestred vnto himselfe the probate of all Wils and Testaments and such was his intollerable pride by reason of his Legantine authoritie that when before and after meat he washed his greasie fists he was at his Lauatorie attended and serued by Dukes and Earles for that purpose This his example of hawtinesse made the Clergie of this Land so prowd and insolent that their industrious labours which formerly they applyed to the studies of morall Vertues and of Diuinitie were now imployed to deuise curious fashions in their behauiour in their apparell and in their dyet 1520. King Henrie and his Queene in the twelfth yeare of his Raigne resolued to trauaile into France for loue and friendships sake to glad themselues with the societie of the French King King Henrie and his queen goe into France Francis the first and of his Queene For which iourney it cannot well bee reported what cost in apparell what prouision for attendance what furniture for horses what charges for iewells and what preparations for rare banquetings and Princely gifts were made both in England and in France And when the appointed time drew neare the King and the Queene being accompanied with the Cardinall of Yorke and with many Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen and faire Ladies of principall reckoning and accompt sayled from Douer and safely came to Calice and the French King and his Queene with their Royall and goodly traine came to Arde. And because it was intended that the peace which was betwixt the two Kings should be inlarged and confirmed King Henrie appointed the Cardinall to goe before him to the French King and to conferre with him touching that matter For which purpose hee gaue vnto him by his Letters Patents Two large commissions vnder the great Seale of his Kingdome of England full power and absolute authoritie in all points to doe therein as he himselfe listed The Cardinal going to the French king The Cardinall being infinitely prided by reason of this vnreasonable and vnlimited authoritie and power which hee had gotten tooke his iourney towards Arde being attended on by some hundreds of Lords Knights Esquires and Gentlemen all which were clothed in crimson Veluet and ware chaines of gold and with as many Yeomen and Groomes whose apparell was made of rich Skarlet Now when he came vnto Arde hee was Royally entertayned by the French King and also by all the Nobilitie of his Court who gaue their attendance on the King But when the French Counsell had viewed his Commission and the vnlimited extent thereof The French King by their aduise and counsell graunted to him the like authoritie and commission A Princely meeting in all respects vnder the great Scale of France which hee dissemblingly refused vntill hee was licenced by King Henry to accept thereof After this great honour vnto him done both the said Kings and their Queenes met together diuers daies in the Valley of Andren where they feasted banqueted cheered and gladded each other and with great bountie communicating their rich gifts each one to the other and to the great men and Ladies of each others Nation they tooke an vnwilling and a friendly leaue and King Henry with his Queene and honorable traine returned to Calice and from thence into England where they were receiued with much ioy But in the meane time the Cardinall so earnestly gaped after honour and the reuerence of the people that hee did little or nothing touching the said peace Now must wee vnderstand that all places and all Countries were filled with the frequent reports of warre to be made betwixt the Emperour and the French King The Cardinals â—arâ—e Commission with both which Princes King Henry was in league by meanes whereof King Henry sollicited amitie and peace Whereupon it was concluded that the Commissioners of those three great Princes should meet together at Calice where that matter should be debated and concluded if possibly it might be King Henry the more to honour and to exalt his Cardinall gaue vnto him and to the Earle of Worcester and to the Lords S. Iohn Ferrers and Harbert and to the Bishops of Durham and Elie and to Sir Thomas Bulleine Sir Iohn Peche Sir Iohn Hussey Sir Richard â—yngfield and Sir Henry Guilford Knights and vnto such others as hee made Commissioners for that purpose as large and as ample power and authoritie touching that businesse as by any meanes could be deuised or by any words be vttered and then being fully furnished and prouided this proud Cardinall with his Colleagues whom hee respected as his vnderlings passed to the Tower Wharfe thorow the Citie of London The Carâ—â—naâ—â— is â—â—â—ored and in his passage was met by the Lord Maior Aldermen and by the Companies in their seuerall Liueries who did vnto him all honour and reuerence and then proceeding forwards he with the rest of the Commissioners and their Attendants tooke their Barges landed at Grauesend and comming to the Citie of Canterburie the Arch-bishop The Cardinal is receiâ—ed with Prâ—â—â—ssiâ—n The King 〈◊〉 he should bee honoured and the prime ones of the Clergie of England met the proud Cardinall without the Cities Gates with a solemne Procession and magnified him as a King Then being shipped at Douâ—r he with his companie safely arriued at Calice where hee was too much elated and made too arrogantly proud by receiuing of too much reuerence and honour yet all was done by the Kings command Thither also resorted the other Ambassadors and betwixt them often conferences were had But the Commissioners of the Emperour were stiffe and the French were stout The Cardinall goeth to the Emperors Court The proud Cardinall not contenting himselfe with such honors as formerly had beene giuen to him would needs proclaime and publish his greatnesse in the Emperour Maximilians Court at Brudges where hee hoped to receiue the greater esteeme because hee had with him the Great Seale of the Kingdome of England He had the great Seale of England with him which neuer before that time any Chancellor dared to transport beyond the Seas out of this Realme For this purpose hee entreated some few daies absence of the Commissioners of the two other Princes that in the meane time he might visit the Emperour for hee pretended that their personall presence and conference might greatly further and expedite that businesse Wherefore being accompanied with foure hundred and threescore horse hee passed by Graueling His great state The Emperor meeteth him Dunkerke Newport and by Odenburgh and was euery where met and saluted by the Noblemen and Gentrie of those Countries And comming towards Brudges hee was met one mile out of the Towne by the Emperour himselfe and by the Prime and Flower of all his Court where the Emperour did him the more reuerence principally for two causes First because hee was informed of the large extent of his
her vpon the bodie of the Ladie Katherine Aunt to the Emperour and who had sometimes beene his brother Prince Arthurs wife And from this doubt and from this scruple which before that time was not thought on infinite vexation and trouble did ensue as in this discourse it shall appeare For thereupon the Kings Confessor Doctor Longland Bishop of Lincolne and many other profound Diuines informed the King that almost twentie yeares hee had liued incestuously with the Queene and that now for his conscience sake he ought truly and heartily to repent for that great sinne and to leaue her bed The Cardinallis Ambassador for France The Cardinall who as hee thought had a long time laien lazily at home would now be gadding into France in an Ambassage to the French King the substance whereof was only knowen to the King and him And at his departure the King in the presence of all his Lords embraced him as his familiar friend He is made proud And at that time such was his great estate that passing thorow the Citie of London he was attended by twelue hundred horse And when he came to Calice hee was receiued with as much honour as by the Towne and Garrison could be presented vnto him And at Bulleine among many other deuices to magnifie his greatnesse hee was entertained with two ridiculous Pageants Two ridiculous Pageants 1. In the one of them there was a Nunne called the holy Church vnto whose person and chastitie three Spaniards and three Amaines attempted to offer violence but by a Cardinall she was rescued and deliuered from them all 2. And in the other there was represented a Pope lying on the ground and an Emperour sitting in an Imperiall Throne but a Cardinall plucked him from his seat raised the Pope and placed him therein The French king meeteth him From Bolleine as he came towards Amyens he was met vpon the way by the Prouost and the most substantiall Citizens on horsebacke and by them he was saluted and reuerenced as a King And when he came within halfe a mile of the Citie the King himselfe with his Nobles met him cheerefully embraced him and in a wonderfull and magnificent pompe conducted him to his lodging on the gates whereof was written in large and faire letters Cardinalis pacificus The peaceable Cardinall or The Cardinall of peace And at their departure the proud Cardinall would haue vouchsafed to haue brought the King to his Court but the King would not suffer him so to doe Thus Kings Nobles Times and Places conspired if it had beene possible to haue made him more proud whose heart was so haughtie that he supposed he could neuer be humbled and brought low Then daily almost for the space of three weekes together the French King his Counsell and the Cardinall with his Associates who were obscured by his greatnesse He concludes a peace as the Moone is by the direct opposition of the Sunne conferred seriously and in the end he concluded a peace betwixt the two Kings in the honour whereof and of the proud Cardinall the instrument in which the Articles of the said peace were contained was sealed with a seale purposely made of fine gold whereof he boastingly bragged the next Terme in the Starre-chamber affirming before the whole Assemblie that the peace which by him was concluded was such an absolute perfect and sound peace that it would continue in secula seculorum world without end But the people mutteringly repined thereat saying that England neuer long enioied any benefit by any peace which was concluded with the French whose propertie it was for their aduantage without cause to start aside from any thing which they had said and sworne to performe They also said that to enter into a fained league with the French King the Emperour and his friendship was abandoned and that old enemies were entertained and old friends were vnaduisedly by the Cardinals meanes cast off And therein they spake truly for by the Cardinals enticement and secret perswasions the King without good cause shewed himselfe an enemie to the Emperour and to the Flemings and vnto others of his people although the Emperour by all fitting and beseeming meanes had wooed him to obtaine and to keepe his loue By these iarres thus cunningly broached by the Cardinall in fauour of the Pope and of the French King the question touching the lawfulnesse or nullitie of the Kings mariage was smoothered for a while But not long after The mariage in question such as seemed to bee tender ouer the Kings conscience and prouident to establish the true succession of this Kingdome in a lawfull heire reuiued the scruple and therewithall so busied the Kings cogitations and thoughts that a religious sorrow began to seise vpon him And to auoid the continuance in that incestuous sinne vntill by a iudiciall sentence the doubts were cleared hee refrained from the Queenes bed And the Cardinall to make himselfe more great then he was procured a commission from the Pope to bee directed to him A power Legantine is granted and vnto his ancient brother Campeius that before them as supreme Iudges that question by legall processes and proceedings might bee heard debated on and censured according to the Lawes of God and the Lawes of man These two Legates hauing receiued this commission informed the Queene of their authoritie and power Wolsey is accused and shee in some passion accused Wolsey as the principall brocher of that doubt and the maintainer of that contention partly to bee reuenged thereby vpon her Nephew the Emperour because he would not make him Pope as secretly he had requested him and partly because often times in a most secret louing and gentle fashion shee had admonished and warned him of his couetousnesse and tyrannie of his extortions and oppressions and of his pride and lecherie But hee excused himselfe as if he had beene an honest man The Queene chooseth Counselors The King pretending nothing in this businesse but Truth sinceritie and iustice according to the Lawes of God and Man was well contented that the Queene should make choise of the greatest Clerkes and of the best learned men within his Kingdome to defend and to maintayne her cause Whereupon hee elected William Warham Archbishop of Canterburie And Nicholas West Bishop of Ely who were Doctors of the Lawes and Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Henrie Standish Bishop of Alssaph who were Doctors of Diuinitie and some others And they as occasions did require did for her asmuch therein as by wit and learning could be done Now for the prosecuting of this businesse the two Legates caused a stately Court to be erected at the Black-fryers in the great Hal In which for them were placed two Chaires and two great Cushions The King and Queene are summoned couered ouer with cloth of gold And at the appointed day the two Legates tooke their places but the Cardinal of Yorke as his custome was preferred his
of the Kings royall person And this conceit so pleased him that he now and then would babble and reueale it to some of his inward and familiar friends and some of them discouered it to his destruction and vtter ouerthrow Likewise this hope framed him to a more ambitious course in his cariage and made him negligent of his seruice and dutie to the King insomuch that his Maiestie by his Letters required him with all conuenient expedition priuately to repaire vnto the Court But as he was in his Barge vpon the Thames hee was by Sir Henry Marney Captaine of the Kings Guard who had with him an hundred of the Kings Yeomen subiect to his command attached and arrested of high treason and as a prisoner conueied to the Tower And being afterwards legally and according to the due forme of Law indicted by sundrie Knights and Gentlemen for that as much as in him lay he had conspired and contriued the Kings death to make himselfe his successour hee was brought to a Barre at Westminster Hall before the Duke of Norfolke high Steward of England and his chiefest Iudge And hauing holden vp his hand he was arraigned of treason vpon the said indictment and pleaded thereunto that hee was not guiltie and did referre himselfe for his triall to God and to his Peeres who were these the Duke of Suffolke the Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Oxford Deuon Darbie Shrewesburie Essex Worcester and Kent and the Lords De la Ware Fitz-Warren Willoughbie Harbert Cobham Brooke and Morley These Noble men in the presence of the Prisoner had witnesses face to face who were all prisoners for concealments of the same offence and deposition in writing which when they had done they arose from the Bench retired into a priuate roome and after a short absence returned againe to their places and the Duke of Buckingham being againe brought vnto the Barre the said Lords one by one protested with great solemnitie and protestations on their honour that they thought him to bee guiltie according to the indictment And thereupon the Lord high Steward with many teares pronounced against him that iudgement which against meaner offenders in that nature is giuen Whereupon hee was taken from the Barre and hauing an Axe borne before him with the edge thereof turned towards him because he had his iudgement to die he was conueied by water to the Temple staires and was there receiued on land by Sir Nicholas Vaux and Sir William Sands both Baronets who conducted him thorow the Citie of London to the Tower and within two or three daies after he was beheaded on a Scaffold at the Tower Hill About the same time the King himselfe wrote and published in the Latine tongue a booke against Martin Luthers Assertions The King writeth against Martin Luther Disputes and Arguments touching Indulgences and the Sacraments of the Church for which cause he was by the Pope enstiled Defensor Fidei Defender of the Faith Yet some doe affirme that he was so entituled in requitall of the aide and succour which by the gift of excessiue summes of money when he and his Cardinals were prisoners to the Emperour was extended to him and them Defensor Fidei We haue alreadie heard how that Cardinall Wolsey being sent to Calice to ratifie and to confirme the Peace which not long before was concluded there betwixt the Emperor the two Kings The French King first breaketh the peace did therein little good And wee must now know that the first breach of that peace was made by the French King who began to warre sharply on the Emperor both by Sea and Land And because he suspected that King Henrie partly for affinities sake and partly by reason of the condition of part-taking annexed to the said peace did secretly side with the Emperor against him therefore he dealt thus vnkindly with King Henrie 1 First of all contrarie to his faith and promise hee sent Iohn Duke of Albanie into Scotland to raise new warres The French King wrongeth King Henry and many mischiefs against this Realme to the end that the King might not haue any leisure to ioyne with the Emperour and to make warre vpon him 2 Secondly he detayned and kept from the King that yearely Tribute which for Normandie Aquitaine and other the Kings inheritance in those Countries was due and payable by the Kings of France 3 Thirdly contrarie to his promise and safe conduct giuen to the Marchants of England no warre betwixt the two Kings being proclaimed he seised on all their wares and marchandizes in Burdeaux and committed them to prison 4 Fourthly vpon the Seas he riffled robbed and spoiled the Marchants of England daily and vpon complaints promised liberall restitution but made none 5 Fiftly he refused to pay to Queen Mary Dowager of France her yearly pension contrarie to the agreement made betwixt king Henrie and the whole estate of France 6 And last of all neglecting his Hostages and making a wilfull breach of his promise he would not pay those summes of money which were concluded to be paid for the surrendring and yeelding vp of the Citie and Castle of Tourney into his hands King Henries course for requitall These iniuries and wrongs first of all procured the King to make generall Musters through his whole kingdome and then to apparell prouide and furnish his Nauie Royall and to commit them to the charge and gouernment of the Earle of Surrey his high Admirall the scourger of the French King for all his faults To him hee gaue ample and large commission to vexe and to annoy the French King and his Subiects both by Sea and Land He also restrained the French Embassador of his libertie not permitting him to goe abroad without his leaue He also caused the marchandizes wares goods and money of all Frenchmen within his kingdome not being Denizens to be attached to his owne vse Also hee committed their bodies to Gaoles and Prisons vsing them in the like sort as his Subiects and Marchants were misvsed in France A French Armie vanisheth King Henrie being informed that the French King hauing leuied an Armie houered vp and downe neare vnto the marches of Calice to preuent danger and to meet with him at all assaies sent many thousands of gallant and braue Souldiers to the Sea which were by the Admirall receiued into his Fleet so that vpon any occasion or neede they might quickly bee set on land But when they perceiued that Calice was not in any hazard for that the French Armie was vanished and dissolued then the Admirall because he loathed to be idle landed many of his men vpon the coast of Brittaine Morleys taken burnt and with great confidence and resolution conducted them to Morleys where a principall gate of the Citie being battered and beaten open with some great shot the braue English men boldly entred in riffled ransacked and spoiled the town and by the cōmandement of the Admirall they consumed it
of Richmond And at the same time the Lord Henrie Courtney Cosen german to the King was made Marques of Exeter the Lord Henrie Brandon the eldest sonne of the Duke of Suffolke and of the French Queene Marie his wife being but two yeares old was created Earle of Lincolne Sir Thomas Manners Lord Roos was made Earle of Rutland and Sir Henrie Clifford was created Earle of Cumberland and Sir Robert Ratclife Lord Fitz Water was made Earle of Sussex and Sir Thomas Bullein the Treasurer of the Kings houshold was made Lord Rochford And thus in regard of great seruices honorably performed the king requited them with such honours as were answerable to their deserts and callings The French were humble to serue their owne turnes The Queene Regent of France foreseeing what present misery was likely to ruinate that Estate and Kingdome if in time by carefull prouidence it were not preuented sent Monsieur de Bryond chiefe President of Paris and some other Lords Ambassadors into England who not only according to their commission in a most submissiue and an humble sort confessed the iniuries and the wrongs done by the French Nation to King Henry and to his subiects both by sea and land in the absence of King Francis but for a requitall and satisfaction thereof and for the arrerage of his tribute they made offer to pay vnto the King the summe of twenty hundred thousand crownes whereof fiftie thousand pounds sterling should be paid in hand and fitting securitie should bee giuen for the rest they also promised the continuance of the said tribute and assumed to pay Queene Marie her dowrie and all the arrerages thereof if the King would grant them peace and receiue them into his loue and fauour The King and his Counsel hauing seriously considered of these motions and large offers for many important causes assented to their requests Peace concluded and caused those his conclusions and agreements to be proclaimed solemnely both in England and in France and receiued both money and good securitie accordingly But betwixt King Henrie and his nephew the Emperour by the subtill practises and craftie jugglings of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall of Yorke warres were denounced with euill termes Warres betweene the Emperor and King Henry but little or nothing was done thereon sauing that in England Spaine and in the Low-Countries the Merchants of either Nation and their goods and substance were attached to the infinite losse and damage of them all but vpon seuerall truces oftentimes concluded and againe broken they were released and againe arrested Merchants vexed wherby the ancient saying of the Poet was truly verified Quicquid Delirant Reges Plectuntur Achiui When Princes iarre and for reuenge doe seeke The meaner sort must pay for their dislike But in this place we must now obserue That in regard of those often concluded truces and in regard of the peace which vnited the kingdomes of England France and Scotland in one minde little or nothing worthie of our discourse more then hath formerly beene written hapned in sixe of the next ensuing yeares for the greater part of that time was spent and consumed in debatings enquirings ordering handling and disposing of the businesse of the Kings marriage with the Ladie Katherine of Spaine sometime his brothers wife And now the King who in a manner was wholly guided and directed by the priuate aduice and counsell of his chiefe fauorite Thomas Cromwel somtimes seruant to Cardinall Wolsey whom he had made a Baron and a Counseller of State The Popes authoritie curbed proceeded daily more and more to diminish nay by succeeding degrees clearely and absolutely to abrogate and to make voide the claimed power and authoritie of the Pope within this Realme In so much that in his Parliament he procured it to be enacted for a law That the penaltie of the Premunire should bee inflicted vpon the bodies lands and goods of euery such person as for any matter thing or cause whatsoeuer appealed to the See of Rome or did procure from thence any Processe Citation Inhibition Suspension Sentence or Iudgement whatsoeuer And in the next Session of the same Parliament to please and to content him the whole Clergie of this kingdom freely submitted themselues to the King touching their Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall affaires and busines and the Pope was vtterly depriued of all Annates and first fruits which formerly for Bishoprickes and other spirituall promotions and dignities had vsually been payed vnto him and likewise to establish and to confirme the lawfulnes of his marriage with Queene Anne and to settle the inheritance of his Crowne vpon her issue he procured it by Parliament to bee enacted That his former mariage with his brothers wife was absolutely void The Kings marriage made voide The Crowne entailed and of none effect in Law because it was contrarie to the Law of God and that the Popes dispensation had none effect or power to make it good and by the same Act the Crowne of this kingdome was entailed to the King and to his heires of his bodie out of which the Ladie Marie was inclusiuely excluded and to this Act all the Lords Burgesses there present were particularly sworne B. Fisher sauing Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore Knight sometimes Chancellor of England who some few yeares before disliking the Kings proceeding against Queene Katherine Sir Thomas Moore and against the authoritie and iurisdiction of the Pope had deliuered vp the great Seale of England into the kings hands These two not only refused to sweare as the rest did but publikely contested and protested against the said Act of Parliament which nullified the kings said first mariage by reason of the Popes dispensation giuen to inable the same and to make it lawfull For which causes the said Bishop and Knight were sent vnto the Tower where they remayned vntill as Traitors they lost their heads They are beheaded for denying of the kings Supremacie in Ecclesiasticall things and causes and attributing it to the Pope of Rome of which the kings supremacie a Statute was made in Parliament the next yeare after About this time diuers treasonable practizes by malicious and lewd Conspirators were surmised and intimated to haue beene intended and contriued against the kings person by the Lord Dacres of the North. The Lord Dacres And thereupon he was Indicted and arraigned but the guiltlesse and well affected Lord with such a temperate boldnesse and with such a modest courage so discreetly and so wisely defended his innocencie against those false suggesters that he was freely acquited and discharged from all suspition and from all blame But by the whole Parliament Elizabeth Burton nick-named the holy maid of Kent and her Companions in mischiefe who vnder an hipocriticall shew and shadow of Religious deuotion The holy maid of Kent and of holinesse had conspired the Kings death being attainted and condemned were executed as Traitors according to
all submissiue and humble contrition they confessed their late rebellion Earle of Tyron and treasons and so gratious was the King vnto them both that hee not only gaue them his free pardon but in hope of future seruice according to their promise he created him Earle of Tyron and made his sonne Lord of Duncan The Scots who for a long time had beene quiet did now beginne to swagger and by sodaine invasions to hurt Contention with the Scotish King and damnifie the Subiects of this Land which occasioned the King 1 To require of their king Iames the Fifth and Nephew to the king these things First That the said king Iames should doe his homage and his fealtie to king Henrie for his kingdom of Scotland as his Auncestors in former times had often done But the Scottish king with great obstinacie and with froward messages refused to yeeld thereunto 2 King Henrie likewise required the deliuerie of some small and triffling Territories bordering close vpon the inheritance of the said Scottish king And for the proofe of his rightfull Title therevnto Hee caused certaine auncient and old euidences to bee shewed forth But the Scottish Commissioners with taunts and skornes reiected them Saying that they were written and sealed by Englishmen who for their owne profit and gaine might write and seale what they listed 3 Vpon these and some other grieuances king Henrie who rather desired a friendly reconciliation betwixt himselfe and his Nephew then by the dint of sword to shed Christian bloud concluded to meet and to conferre with king Iames in kinde manner vpon the borders of either kingdome For which purpose king Henrie made his Progresse vnto Yorke and was there certified that the Scottish king intended not according to his promise to meet with him But would by Commission authorize some of his Counsellors of estate to conferre and to conclude with his Maiesties Commissioners of England touching the matters then in difference betwixt them two 4 The king though he were thus deluded yet did he not expresse any touch of impacience for that wrong but authorizing certaine Commissioners in that behalfe hee ended his Progresse and returned home All these Commissioners met but whilest they were in Parlee two notorious and great despights were offered to king Henrie 5 For though the Commissioners daily communed of vnitie and of peace yet at the same time the Scots invaded the Westerne marches of this Realme burnt slue spoiled and riffled beyond charitie and reason and yet no warre was then denounced betwixt the said two kings For this iniurie and for this wrong sufficient and liberall amends and recompence was promised by the said Commissioners but no manner of restitution or satisfaction was made in that behalfe 6 And lastly although the King of Scots commission was very large and ample and authorized those his Agents to doe almost whatsoeuer they themselues pleased yet did the said Commissioners so strictly stand vpon sundrie points which were too too much vnreasonable and dishonorable for king Henrie to yeeld vnto that by the English Commissioners who had throughly viewed and pervsed their authoritie and power they were condemned as enemies to the peace and to their owne Countrie For that by the meanes of their frowardnesse there would be warres Whereupon the Scottish Commissioners to cleare themselues of this blame imputed to their obstinacie and follie shewed forth their priuate instructions from their King which for feare of death they dared not to exceede By which instructions it appeared plainly that their authority expressed in their said Commission was in all things curbed and made of little or of no force except the said English Commissioners would yeeld to such demands as were vnprofitable and dishonourable to their king Warres in Scotland These notorious iniuries and wrongs and this daliance and craftie dissimulation enforced King Henrie to send an Armie of twentie thousand men into Scotland vnder the command of the Duke of Northfolk who was accompanied by the Earles of Shrewsburie Darby Cumberland Surrey Hertford Angus and Rutland and with the greatest part of the Lords Knights and Gentlemen of the North All these marched on their iourney and for eight daies space being vnresisted and vnfought with they killed riffled burned forraged and spoiled the Scottish Townes Castles Fortresses Houses and Fields with as much crueltie violence and furie The English Armie returneth as the extremitie of warres could execute in so short a time Which when they had done the Armie retyred was dissolued and euery man repaired loaden with spoiles to his owne home The Scots inuade England With this deserued and seuere reuenge the King of Scots was infinitely grieued and perplexed at the heart In so much that he caused with all expedition to be raised an Armie of fifteene thousand men which was sent into the West marches of this kingdome where they began to spoile and did much mischiefe But Thomas the Bastard Dacres William Musgraue and the Lord Thomas Wharton hauing at a short warning collected a small number of approued A notable ouerthrow and valiant men at armes taking with them some part thereof and leauing the rest for a secret stale or ambush to annoy their enemies when time should serue encountred vnexpectedly with the Scots vpon whom in the Rereward the said ambush valiantly issued which did so terrifie and affright them that they supposed verily the Duke of Norfolke with a great Armie did fall on them wherefore to saue themselues they fled and in the pursuite there were taken prisoners the Earles of Cassels Prisoners and Glancarne the Lords Maxwel Fleming Sommerwel Oliphant Gray and Oragy and the Lord Carre of Gredon two hundred Gentlemen and about eight hundred common Souldiers so that euery English man had two or three prisoners to recompence their adventerous paines and trauaile The Englishmen also tooke brought away foure and twentie peeces of Ordinance and foure Carts loaden with Speares this ouerthrow many men then imputed and peraduenture truly to the Scottish Kings vnaduised and indiscreet direction Disdaine who made so meane a Springall the Generall in that armie in which so many Lords Earles and worthy Captaines were who scorned to be commanded by such an Vnderling and therefore hazarded their owne liues by a willing flight rather then by obtayning the Victorie to lay on him such honour as they knew he was not able to deserue Of these prisoners foure and twentie of the chiefest were sent to the Tower of London from whence after two dayes they were remoued and committed to the care and custodie of diuers Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of worth at whose hands they receiued such kinde welcome and bountifull entertainment that with multiplyed wordes of extraordinary praise and commendation they ceased not to extoll their friendly and good vsage to the skies This vnexpected strange The King of Scots dieth and vnfortunate ouerthrow of so faire an Armie with so small a
Earle of Surrey was no idle person in this businesse But being aided and assisted by his eldest sonne the Admirall who vnderstanding of his Fathers preparations for those warres came from the Sea to New-castle and brought with him one thousand Mariners and lustie fighting men and by the Lords Dacres Clifford Conyers Latymer Scrope Ogel and Lomley and by Sir Edward Stanley Sir William Bulmer Sir Nicholas Apple-yard Sir William Sydney Sir Stephen Bull Sir Iohn Everningham Sir Henrie Sherborne Sir Thomas Metham Sir Marmaduke Constable Sir William Percy Sir Christopher Ward Sir Philip Tylney Sir William Gascoyne Sir Thomas Barkeby Sir Walter Griffeth Sir George Darcy Sir Christopher Pickering Sir Thomas Butler Sir Guy Dawney Sir Iohn Booth Sir Iohn Rowcliffe Sir Iohn Stanley Sir Iohn Normauile Sir Lionel Percie Sir Iohn Willoughby Sir Edward Echingham and Sir Brian Stapleton Knights and by Ralfe Brearton Iohn Laurence Brian Tunstall Richard Bold Iohn Donne Iohn Bygod Iohn Claruis Thomas Fitz-Williams Brian Stapleton Robert Warcop and Richard Cholmley Esquires and by many other Gentlemen or worthie reputation and great valour 26000. fighting men And hauing in his Armie six and twentie thousand men able and fit for warre he marched towards the King of Scots and vpon the ninth day of September in the yeare of our Lord God 1513. in a Field which was called Flodden Flodden field both the Armies came in view each of other The English forces being marshalled in good order made two maine battailes both which were politickly and strongly guarded by their wings And the Scottish Armie was diuided into foure battailes The Scots are ouerthrowen All these after some few skirmishes and the expence of much shot both small and great ioined together pell mell and fell to handie strokes and made such an incredible expression of their manhood by the indifferent exchange of blowes and wounds that many a strong and lustie man was quickly depriued of his life Nobilitie and Gentrie were no priuiledges to protect any man from danger nay from death insomuch that King Iames himselfe fighting couragiously among his people as a common souldier The King of Scots is slaine triumphed ouer the dead carcases or such as by his sword hee had prepared for the graue But in the end he himselfe was also slaine and so were two Bishops twelue Earles fourteene Lords and twelue thousand Knights Esquires Gentlemen and common souldiers of the Scottish Nation And on the English part fifteene hundred and no more were slaine Thus was this Field wonne by the blessing of Almightie God and by the victorious courage and true manhood of the Earle of Surrey and of his sonne and of such Nobles Knights Gentlemen and braue souldiers as in that battaile approued themselues hardie and strong in Armes And the suruiuing Scots finding their chiefest helpe and safetie to consist in the agilitie and nimblenesse of their light heeles forsooke the Field and with more then posting speede they fled and returned with heauie hearts into their owne Countrey King Henry after his returne into England bountifully rewarded such as in France and against the Scots in England Noblemen created had done him the best seruice and some of them he aduanced to higher places by giuing to them an increase of dignitie and of honour For he created Thomas Howard who was then Earle of Surrey Duke of Norfolke and the Admirall his sonne was made Earle of Surrey Sir Charles Brandon being Viscount Lysle was made Duke of Suffolke Sir Charles Somerset being then Lord Harbert and Chamberlaine to the King was created Earle of Worcester Sir Edward Stanley was made Lord Mountegle And the Kings Almoner Thomas Wolsey was created Bishop of Lincolne which fauour hee vnthankfully requited The enclosures about London throwen downe to his owne ruine as hereafter wee shall see In the end of this yeare the inhabitants of Islington Hoxston Shordich and of other Townes and Villages bordering neere to the Citie of London inclosed their Champion Fields in which the Citizens were accustomed for their recreation and pastimes sake to walke runne shoot leape and to vse such like sports at their willes and pleasures with high hedges and wide ditches because they would more priuately appropriate the commodities of those grounds vnto themselues But multitudes of the meaner sort of the Citizens issued forth with mattockes spades shouels and such like tooles of husbandrie with which they ouerthrew the said hedges filled vp those ditches and leuelled the said grounds vsing in them their former exercises and pastimes and so they are enioied at this day 1514. 6 Not long after the Kings returne into England the before named Prior Iohn with his Gallies and some Foists being well manned and prouided Prior Iohn landeth but is well beaten arriued in Sussex and landed in the night and burnt a poore Village named Brigh-helmston But being discouered himselfe wounded in the face with an arrow and diuers of his men slaine he with the rest were compelled to runne into the Sea out of which being drawen into their vessels they returned with small gaine Spoiles in Normandie by Sir Iohn Wallop But to requite their boldnesse the Lord Admirall of England with some few ships and eight hundred souldiers besides the Mariners sent Sir Iohn Wallop to the Sea whose often landing in Normandie was very preiudiciall to the inhabitants for he burnt one and twentie of their Villages and Townes and many boats and ships which were ancoured in Traport and in other Hauens ransacked the Countrey and slew much people And much wondring there was how with so small a number he could land so often and performe such great things A peace concluded The French king marieth with the Kings sister The old French King Lewys the twelfth vnderstanding that the Flemings would not according to their former agreements receaue into their Countrie the goodly faire and vertuous Ladie Marie sister to King Henrie to be espoused vnto Charles the yong Prince of Castile because the Spaniards had not consented to that match by his Embassadors craued peace and became an earnest suter to the King that shee might be his wife whereupon to settle loue and amitie betwixt those two Kings and their kingdomes and to make the said Lady so great a Queene and that shee might be endowed with an yearely pension of ten thousand marks during her life and might againe returne into England if the French King died The King and the said Ladie consented and yeelded to his request And therupon the Duke of Longvyle and such other Frenchmen as had beene taken at the battaile of Tyrwyn were now released and set free And within few dayes after the said Ladie being by the King and Queen accompanied to Douer and there shipped and attended on by Thomas Duke of Norfolke Thomas Marques Dorset and his foure brethren the Earle of Surrey the Lords De la ware Barnes and Mountegle Sir Mawrice Barkley Sir Iohn
Peche Sir William Sandes Sir Thomas Bulleyn Sir Iohn Carre and by many other Knights Gentlemen and Ladies of great worth Shee landed at Bollen where with great magnificence and honor shee was receiued by the Dolphin and by many Lords of France who brought her to Abuyle where shee met with and was married to the King And within few dayes after at Paris The French King dyeth Francis the First The French Queen returneth into England The peace with France renewed shee was crowned Queene The French Nation thinking their King and Countrie to bee happie who to their Queene had the fairest Ladie in the world And at her Coronation the Dolphin vpon a generall challenge formerly made by himselfe Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke Thomas Gray Marques Dorset his foure brethren and two others against all commers erected many honorable and martiall games as the lusts Turnay Barriers and such like All which were performed with great valour and to the great pleasure of the King and Queen But within twelue weeks after the said mariage King Lewys dyed and Francis the first succeeded him in that kingdome And by the Duke of Suffolke the said Queene Mary was brought againe into England where he won her loue All the deeds and actions of Cardinall Wolsey touching this storie are here set together because the discourse of the rest would otherwise by them be too much interrupted and maried her with the Kings consent In the seuenth yeare of King Henries raigne the former peace betwixt him and King Lewys the twelfth was renewed and confirmed with King Francis the first and great amitie and loue was exchanged betweene those two kings It now so chanced that Thomas Wolsey who was borne of base Parentage in the Towne of Ipswich and was first made the Kings Almoner then Bishop of Lincolne and then of the Priuie Counsell succeeded the Archbishop and Cardinall of Yorke who was named Doctor Benbrike in the said Archbishoprick And not long after hee was made Cardinall of Yorke by the mediation and procurement of those two Kings And now because the Kings affections towards him were extraordinarie His authoritie aboue all others eminent his couetousnesse insatiable and his excessiue Pride and Ambition boundlesse and vnlimitted which made him bold and peremptorie to doe all in all From henceforth for many years all things were cōmanded and gouerned according to his directions will vntill his monstrous oppressions and sawcie practizes brought him to ruine and to destruction And least his deedes and his actions by often interviewing should interrupt the other discourse of other occurrences and negotiations hapning in this Kings Raigne We haue therefore thought it conuenient yea necessarie to prosecute the Historie of his proceedings to a conclusion before wee intermedle much with the Narration of other passages and things He intermedles in other mens offices This prowd Cardinall so egerly hunted after authoritie and power to rule and to command all others that not contenting himselfe with his owne offices though they were great Hee intruded malepertly into the Enquirie and determining of such things as properly belonged vnto others but especially into the Chancelorship of this Realme He is made Lord Chancelor The Archbishop of Canterbury vnto whom it appertayned was much troubled with those his intermedlings But being old and perceiuing that the Kings affections were fast bound to his humours and that to crosse with him it was the readie way to crosse himselfe he therefore deliuered vp the Great Seale into the Kings hands who no sooner accepted of it but hee bestowed it vpon Wolsey which fauour and dignitie might well haue satisfied his prowd humour but nothing could For now he being an Archbishop a counsailor of Estate a Cardinall Chancelor of England and the Kings especial Fauourite directed all commanded all and did all He being thus imperiously great Required an accompt of the Captaines Treasurors and other Officers of the kings warres so that some of them who by the Kings conniuence had gotten much by excessiue Bribes excusing themselues He demands accompts and enriched him selfe thereby Hee erecteth new Courts Inriched him and left themselues poore Others whose Estates were more powerfull to please him shared that which vniustly they had gotten And some others who had deceiued the King and had prodigally spent all had nothing left and therefore were punished publikely and exposed to open shame He also erected sundrie Courts of equitie which might more truly be termed Courts of Iniquitie vnder a colour and pretence to heare and to determine the cases of distressed and poore people By meanes whereof the seates of Iustice belonging to the cōmon Lawes were little frequented for a while and by them he gained a masse of treasure to himselfe vntill the people perceiuing that by them hee waxed rich and they poore and that the Sentences and Iudgements of those Courts were not finall but controlable They of their owne accord forsooke them and commended their Controuersies to the censure of the common Lawes In the ninth yeare of King Henries raigne 1517. 9 Pope Leo sent vnto him Cardinall Campeius as his Legate to solicite him as likewise he had done to the Kings of France Spain By subtiltie he is made a Legate and the Princes of Germanie to make warre vpon the Turks But so outragious was the ocean of Wolseys pride that because he knew that Campeius in regard of his power Legantine was to haue the Precedency of place when they two met hee cunningly informed him by certaine Bishops who went vnto him to Calice vnder a fained colour to visite him that his iourney would not be successefull but come to none effect except Wolsey were ioyned in equall authoritie with him in that businesse wherevpon Campeius with all expedition dispatched Messengers vnto Rome by whom within fortie dayes hee receiued a new Commission by which Wolsey was also made the Popes Legate and Commissioner as well as he Cardinall Campeius Then was Campeius admitted to come into this Realme and both those two Legates within few dayes after repayred to the Kings Court at Greenwich hauing two siluer Crosses and two Pillars of the same mettel two Axes gilted with fine gold two imbrodered Cushions borne before them But the Cardinall of Yorke preferred his elder brother to the inferiour place And by an eloquent Oration which by an Italian was made vnto the King he was informed of the substance of their message But to make answere therevnto The King desired respit for a few dayes in which he might be advised and counselled in that matter The Court Legantine Then did Wolsey by his authoritie Legantine erect an honorable Court without the Kings notice or licence and called it the Legantine Court By the authoritie whereof he visited all Bishops and their Diocesses and other Clergie men punishing such as were poore and vnable to giue bribes but enriching himselfe by the enforced bountie of such as had
died without issue Henry Hastings the sonne of Francis Hastings who was the sonne of the said George now liueth and doth enioy the said Lordships and Earledome of Huntington Kendall GAscoigne de Fois a Gascoigne borne was at Maunt in Normandie created by king Henrie the Fifth Earle of Longuile and Kendall He reuolted and became French H. 5. Iohn de Foys his sonne maried the Neece of William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke H. 6. by whose mediation he was by king Henrie the Sixth restored But he became French H. 6. Capdaw de Beuffs was by king Henry the Sixth created Earle of Kendall But he reuolted to the French King Kent WIlnotus at the Conquest being brother to King Harold was Earle of Kent But for feare he fled into Denmarke and died without issue Conq. Odo Bishop of Bayon and halfe-brother to the Conquerour was by him created Earle of Kent and he died without issue K. Steph. William de Ipre Earle of Flanders was by King Stephen created Earle of Kent and died without issue Hubert de Burgh being Lord chiefe Iustice of England was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Kent H. 3. and died without issue male Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Edmund of Woodstocke being sonne to king Edward the First E. 2. and brother to king Edward the Second was by his brother created Earle of Kent but lost his head in the raigne of his nephew king Edward the Third R. 2. Thomas Holland halfe-brother to King Richard the Second was by him created Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey Thomas Holland his sonne was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue Edmund Holland brother to the said Thomas was Earle of Kent and Duke of Surrey and died without issue William Neuil Lord Fawconbridge a younger brother to Ralphe Neuil E. 4. the first of that Familie Earle of Westmorland was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent and died without issue male Edmund Grey Lord Grey of Ruthen was by king Edward the Fourth created Earle of Kent E. 4. Richard Grey his sonne succeeded and died without issue Reynold Grey who was descended lineally from the said Edmund Q. Eliz. was restored to the Earledome of Kent by Queene Elizabeth and died without issue Henry Grey his brother is now Earle of Kent Lancaster IOhn Plantagenet brother to king Richard the First R. 1. was by him created Earle of Lancaster Lecester and Darbie Hee was afterwards King of England Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowch-backe the second sonne of king Henry the Third was by his father created Earle of Lancaster H. 3. Lecester and Darbie He maried Blanch the Queene of Nauarre and had issue by her Thomas and Henry Thomas Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lancaster Lecester Lincolne Salisburie and Dorset and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was dignified with all those honours Henry Plantagenet his sonne enioying all those Earledomes together with the Earledomes of Albemarle and Holdernes was by king Edward the Third created Duke of Lancaster E. 3. His daughter and heire named Blanch maried Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt enioied all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne surnamed Bolingbroke held all those Earledomes and was Duke of Lancaster and Hereford and was king Henry the Fourth by deposing of king Richard the Second Lecester LEofrick was Earle of Lecester when Edward the Confessor liued Algarus his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Edwin his sonne was Earle at the Conquest Robert de Beamont was created Earle of Lecester by king Henrie the First H. 1. Robert de Beamont his sonne was Earle after him Robert his sonne surnamed Blanch-Maynes was his successor Robert his sonne was Earle and died without issue Simon de Mountfort was by king Iohn created Earle of Lecester K. Iohn and was slaine at the siege of Tholouse Simon de Mountfort was Earle of Lecester He tooke king Henrie the Third prisoner in the Barons warres But the young Prince Edward set his Father at libertie and slue this Simon with many more at the battaile of Eversham and his possessions were confiscate to the king Edmund Plantagenet surnamed Crowchback second sonne to king Henrie the Third was by his Father created Earle of Lecester Lancaster c. Thomas Plantagenet his sonne succeeded and died without issue Henrie Planagenet his brother possessed all those honors Henrie Plantagenet his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and was by King Edward the Third E. 3. created Duke of Lancaster his daughter and heire named Blanch was married to Iohn of Gaunt Iohn Plantagenet surnamed Iohn of Gaunt the fourth sonne of king Edward the Third married Blanch and was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster Henrie of Bullingbroke his sonne was Earle of Lecester c. and Duke of Lancaster and of Hereford and was afterwards king Henry the Fourth Robert Sutton otherwise Dudley a yonger sonne to Iohn Duke of Northumberland was by Queene Elizabeth created Earle of Lecester and dyed without any lawfull issue Lincolne MArcarus being Earle of Lincolne and Northumberland at the time of the Conquest rebelled and dyed in prison without issue Rufus William de Romara was by King William Rufus created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Steph. Gilbert de Gaunt was in the right of Avis his wife created Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Male. Lewis Gilbert de Gaunt in the troublesome times of King Iohn was created Earle of Lincolne by the Dolphin Lewes son to the French King Ralf de Meschynes surnamed Blundevile being the sixt Earle of Chester H. 3. was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne and of Richmond because he tooke his part against the Barons he dyed without issue Iohn Lacy Baron of Haulton was by king Henrie the Third created Earle of Lincolne Henrie Lacy the sonne of Edmund Lacy sonne to the said Iohn succeeded and was Earle of Lincolne Thomas Plantagenet the sonne of Edmund Crowchback was Earle of Lancaster Leicester Darby and Salisbury Hee married Alice the daughter and heire of Henrie Lacy and was in her right Earle of Lincolne and died without issue Iohn de la Pole the sonne of Iohn de la Pole the second of that name Duke of Suffolke was created Earle of Lincolne E. 4. by king Edward the Fourth and dyed without issue Henrie Brandon the sonne and heire apparant of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke was by his Vncle king Henrie the eighth H. 8. created Earle of Lincolne he dyed