This doctor Storie saith he being an Englishman by birth and from his infancie not onelie nuzled in papistrie but also euen as it were by nature earnestlie affected to the same growing somewhat to riper yeares in the daies of quéene Marie became a most line 50 bloudie tyrant and cruell persecutor of Christ in his members as all the stories of martyrs almost doo declare Thus he raging all the reigne of the foresaid quéene Marie against the infallible truth of Christs gospell and the true professors thereof neuer ceased till he had consumed to ashâ—â— two or thrée hundred blessed martyrs who willinglie gaue their liues for the testimonie of his truth And thinking their punishment in fire not cruell inough he went 〈…〉 line 60 〈…〉 raging against Gods saints with fire and sword Insomuch as he growing to be familiar and right deere to duke Dalua in Antwerpe receiued a speciall commission from him to search all the ships for goods forfeited and for English bookes and such like And in this fauour and authoritie he continued there for a space by the which meanes he did much hurt and brought manie a good man and woman to trouble and extreme perill of life through his bloudthirstie crueltie But at the last the Lord when the measure of his iniquitie was full procéeded in iudgement against him and cut him off from the face of the earth according to the praiers of manie a good man which came to passe in order as followeth It being certeinlie knowne for the brute thereof was gone foorth into all lands that he not onelie intended the subuersion and ouerthrow of his natiue countrie of England by bringing in forren hostilitie if by anie means he might compasse it but also â—ailie and hourelie murthered Gods people there was this platforme laid by Gods prouidence no doubt that one maister Parker a merchant should saile vnto Antwerpe and by some means to conueie Storie into England This Parker arriuing at Antwerpe suborned certeine to repaire to doctor Storie and to signifie vnto him that there was an English ship come sâ—aught with merchandize and that if he would make search thereof himselfe hée should find store of English bookes and other things for his purpose Storie hearing â—his and suspecting nothing made hast towards the ship thinking to make the same his preie and comming aboord searched for English hereticall books as he called them going downe vnder the hatches bicause he would be sure to haue their bloud if he could they clapped downe the hatches hoised vp their sailes hauing as God would a good gale and sailed awaie into England where they arriuing presented this bloudie butcher and traitorous rebell Storie to the no little reioising of manie an English heart He being now committed to prison continued there a good spaceâ— during all which time he was laboured and solicited dailie by wise and learned fathers to recant his diuelish erronious opinions to confirme himselfe to the truth and to acknowledge the quéenes maiesties supremasie All which he vtterlie denied to the death saieng that he was sworne subiect to the king of Spaine and was no subiect to the quéene of England nor shée his souereigne queene And therefore as he well deserued he was condemned as a traitor to God the quéenes maiestie and the realme to be drawne hanged and quartered which was performed accordinglie he being laid vpon an hurdle and drawne from the tower along the streets to Tiburne where he being hanged till he was halfe dead was cut downe and stripped And which is not to be forgot when the executioner had cut off his priuie members he rushing vp vpon a sudden gaue him a blow vpon the eare to the great woonder of all that stood by And thus ended this bloudie Nemrod his wretched life whose iudgement I leaue to the Lord. The eighteenth of Iune in Trinitie terme there was a combat appointed to haue beene fought for a certeine manour demaine lands belonging therevnto in the I le of Hartie adioining to the I le of 〈◊〉 in Kent Simon Lâ—w Iohn Kimâ—were plaintifs and had brought a writ of right against Thomas Paraâ—â—re who offered to defend his right by battell Whervpon the plaintifs aforsaid accepted to answer his challenge offering likewise to defend their right to the same manour and lands and to proue by battell that Paramore had no right noâ— good title to haue the same manour and lands Herevpon the said Thomas Paramore brought before the iudges of the common plees at Westminster one George Thorne a big broad strong set fellow the plaintifs Henrie Nailer maister of defense and seruant to the right honourable the earle of Leicester a proper slender man not so tall as the other Thorne cast downe a gantlet which Nailer tooke vp vpon the sundaie before the battell should be tried On the next morow the matter was staied the parties agréed that Paramore being in possession shuld line 10 haue the land was bound in fiue hundred pounds to consider the plaintifs as vpon hearing the matter the iudges should award The quéenes maiestie abhorring bloudshed as the poet verie well saith Tristia sanguinei deuitans praelia campi was the taker vp of the matter in this wise It was thought good that for Paramores assurance the order should be kept touching the combat and that the plaintifs Low and Kime should make default of appearance but that yet such as were suerties for Nailer line 20 their champions appearance should bring him in and likewise those that were suerties for Thorne should bring in the â—ame Thorne in discharge of their band and that the court should sit in Tuthill fields where was prepared one plot of ground of one and twentie yards square double railed for the combat Without the west square a stage being set vp for the iudges representing the court of the common plées All the compasse without the lists was set with line 30 scaffolds one aboue another for people to stand and behold There were behind the square where the iudges sat two tents the one for Nailer the other for Thorne Thorne was there in the morning timelie Nailer about seauen of the clocke came thorough London apparelled in a dublet and gallie gascoine bréeches all of crimsin sattin cut and rased a hat of blacke veluet with a red feather and band before him drums and fifes plaieng The gantlet cast downe by George Thorne was borne before the said Nailer line 40 vpon a swords point and his baston a staffe of an ell long made taper wise tipt with horne with his shield of hard leather was borne after him by Askam a yeoman of the queenes gard He came into the palace at Westminster and staieng not long before the hall doore came backe into the Kings stréet and so along thorough the Sanctuarie and Tuthill street into the field where he staied till past
reckoning neuer to returne againe in so much that some of his councellours told him plainelie that he did not well in making things awaie so freelie to the dishonoring of his maiestie and preiudice of his successour vnto whom he answered that line 50 in time of néed it was no euill policie for a man to helpe himselfe with his owne and further ioined hereto these words that if London at that time of néed would be bought he would surelie sell it if he might méet with a conuenient merchant that were able to giue him monie inough for it Another way he had also to gather riches and that was this He had a licence of pope Innocent the third to dispense with such as pleased him within his realme for their vowes made to go into the holie line 60 land although they had taken on them the crosse for that purpose namelie such as he should appoint to remaine behind him for the defense of his countrie and of these also he tooke abundantlie and diuerse other he compelled to fine namelie to the end that he might get their monie likewise that hereby he obteined no small summe toward the furniture of his iournie But both pope prince forgat in the meane while that Boni pastoris est tondere pecus non excoriare This yeare also in the moneth of Nouember as Matthew Paris saith Iohannes de Anagnia a cardinall and legat from the pope arriued here in England comming on land at Douer and bicause the king was as then in the north parts the same cardinall was prohibited on the behalfe of the kings mother queene Elianor to passe any further without the kings commandement And so he staied there thirtéene daies at the charges of the archbishop of Canturburie till the king came to those parties by whose wisedome a direction was taken for the quieting of the controuersie betwixt the archbishop and the moonkes of Canturburie for the chappell church of Hakinton now called S. Stephans In the same moneth of Nouember by the kings appointment Geffrey the elect of Yorke who was the kings brother with other barons and lords of Yorkeshire receiued William king of Scotland at the water of Tweed and from thence with all due reuerence and honour they brought him vnto Canturburie where the king had called a councell of the lords of his realme both spirituall and temporall in the which euerie of them tooke an oth to be true to the king and to continue in due obedience vnder him and his lawes which oth also the king of Scots receiued being there present and likewise king Richards brethren earle Iohn and Geffrey the archbishop of Yorke The king of Scots therefore hauing receiued this oth and thinking the time to serue his purpose for redéeming of those castels which were deliuered to king Henrie as gages for his ransome paid now vnto king Richard ten thousand markes and had restitution of the same that is of Berwike Roxburgh Sterling and Edenburgh But William Paruus saieth that Edenburgh was restored to him in the daies of king Henrie by reason of his wife which he tooke in the parties beyond the seas and herewith agréeth the Scotish chronicle King Richard also assigned to queene Elianor his mother the accustomed dower with manie lordships and honours beside as an augmentation thereof About which time died William de Mandeuille earle of Albemarle at Rouen and Hugh de Putsey the nephue of the bishop of Durham died at Acâ—et and was buried at Durham Also Formalis archbishop of Trier died at Northampton and was there buried in the church of S. Andrews In the meane time king Richard still desirous to furnish himselfe with monie deuised yet another shift and feigned that he had lost his seale wherefore he commanded a new to be made which being doone he caused it to be proclaimed and published in euerie countrie that those to whome he had granted any thing by his déed or charter meaning to inioy the same in suertie should not thinke it much to come and haue it confirmed by his new seale least afterward the other being lost their lawfull titles might be called into question Wherevpon manie that could not come to him whilest he was in England were glad to follow him and saile ouer into Normandie and there to fine at his pleasure for the new seale to the end that their writings might be confirmed thereby and made so much the more sure to them and their successours For the same businesse also Remigius the prior of S. Albons and manie other went ouer to their great costs charges and trauell after he was transported into France I find moreouer about the same time that the kings brother earle Iohn exhibited a sore complaint against the Romane legat and other bishops for that the archbishop of Canturburie after the appeale made vnto the apostolike seaâ— had put his lands vnder interdiction for his mariage made with the earle of Glocesters daughter which when the legat heard he foorthwith confirmed the appeale and released the earles lands of the aforesaid interdiction The same time also the tenth part of all the mooueable goods thorough the realme of England was leuied to the aid of the warres in the holie land And this collection passing vnder the name of an almes was extended vpon the goods as well of the spirituall men as temporall After all this K. Richard desirous to set order in the gouernment of his realme appointed Hugh bishop of Durham to haue the rule of the north parts as cheefe iustice from Humber northwards toward Scotland deliuering vnto him also the kéeping of line 10 Winchester castell the residue of the kingdome with the custodie of the towre he assigned to the gouernance of William Longchampe bishop of Elie whome he had made cheefe iustice of that part and chancellour of the realme a man of great diligence and knowledge in the administration of things but verie factious and desirous of rule honour and riches farre aboue all measure And with these two he ioined in commission Hugh Bardulfe William Marshall earle of Chepstow or rather Penbrooke Geffrey Fitz Peter William Brewer men of great line 20 honour wisedome and discretion On the fift day of December he departed from Canturburie and went to Douer there to take water and so on the eleuenth day of December he passed ouer vnto Calice where he found Philip earle of Flanders readie to receiue him who attended vpon him till he came into Normandie where the king held his Christmas at Burun and immediatlie he came to an enteruiew with the French king at Gue S. Remige year 1190 where they concluded peace togither to line 30 be kept betwixt them their countries on ech part the which was put in writing and confirmed with their oths and seales in the feast of saint Hilarie Furthermore about the purification of our ladie Elianor the quéene mother and the
Immediatlie line 60 herevpon queene Elianor and the archbishop of Rouen sent vnto those legats Hugh bishop of Durham requiring them to release that sentence of interdiction so pronounced against the steward and countrie of Normandie in the kings absence but they would not except they might be receiued into Normandie howbeit the pope being sent vnto released it and caused the legats to release it also and yet they entred not into Normandie at all This yeare whilest the seneschall of Gascoigne laie sicke the earle of Pieregort and the vicount of March and almost all the lords and barons of Gascoigne began to waste and destroie the lands of king Richard And though the seneschall manie times by messengers required a peace or at the least some truce yet could he not haue any grant thereof wherfore vpon his recouerie of health he inuaded the lands of the said earle tooke the castels and fortresses and some of them he fortified and kept to the kings vse and some of them he raced downe to the ground He also inuaded the vicounts countrie and subdued it to the kings gouernement Shortlie after came the brother of the king of Nauarre with eight hundred knights or men of armes to the seneschals aid and so they two togither entring into the lands of the earle of Tholouse tooke diuerse castels and fortresses within the same of the which some they fortified and some they raced and rode euen to the gates of Tholouse and lodged in maner vnder the walles of the citie A little before Christmas also diuerse of those that had béene in the holie land with king Richard came home into England not knowing but that king Richard had beene at home before them and being asked where they thought he was become they could say no more but that they had seene the ship wherein he first went aboord arriuing at Brendize in Puglia At length when newes came that he was taken and staied as prisoner the archbishop of Rouen and other the rulers of the realme of England sent the abbat of Boxeley and the abbat of Roberts-bridge with all spéed into Almaine to speake with him and to vnderstand his state and what his pleasure was in all things Who comming to Germanie passed through the count ◠into Baierland where at a place called Oxefer they found the king as then on his iournie towards the emperour to whom as yée haue heard the duke of Austrich did send him The said abbats attended him to the emperours court and remained there with him till the emperour and he were accorded in manner as after shall be shewed and then after Easter they returned with the newes into England Upon report hereof order was taken for manie things but cheefelie for the state in which dealings forsomuch as those which had the rule of the land stood in great doubt of things for the inconstant nature of earle Iohn was of them much suspected first they caused a new oth of allegiance to be made to king Richard and receiued of the people They fortified also such townes and castels as were of importance both with repairing the walles and other defenses about the same and furnishing them with men munition and vittels Thus was the land brought into some order In the meane while the French king being aduertised that king Richard was deteined as prisoner reioised not a little thereat and with all speed by secret messages did send for his brother earle Iohn who was readie to come at his call And being come he exhorted him not to suffer so conuenient an occasion to passe but to take the gouernement of the realme of England now into his hands promising him all such aid as he could of him reasonablie require with other like talke still tending to the prouocation of the earle to forsake his allegiance vnto his brother And to say the truth earle Iohn was easilie persuaded so to doo and therefore vpon his immediat returne into England assembled an armie and with the same and such strangers as he brought with him began to prooue maisteries first winning the castels of Windsore Wallingford Notingham and diuerse other and fortifieng the same to his owne vse and defense The barons of the land iudging such vnlawfull doings not to be anie longer suffered first besieged the castell of Windsore and after preparing to leuie a greater force did put them within in such feare that they yéelded vp the same séeking to escape by flight some into one place and some into an other the which yet being apprehended were put to worthie execution But this was not doone without continuance of time without great trouble charges to the realme for whereas there was a practise betwixt the French king and earle Iohn that a great power of strangers namelie Flemings should haue come into the realme for whose transporting a great number of ships were brought togither at Witsand yet the high prouidence and goodnesse of God disappointed line 10 their purpose For their messengers being taken which were sent hither into England the treason was reuealed and by the queene mothers appointment who cheefelie then ruled the land a great companie of knights men of armes and commons of the countrie watched the sea coasts ouer against Flanders to keepe the enimies from landing They began thus to watch in the passion wéeke and so continued till a certeine time after Easter Howbeit earle Iohn came secréetlie ouer in hope to haue not line 20 onelie the assistance of the Welshmen and of manie other his freends in England but also of the Scots howbeit the king of Scots would not meddle He therefore with such Welshmen and other as he had brought ouer and such Englishmen as he could get to take his part began such attempts as before ye haue heard to the disquieting of the whole realme and great displeasure of the king Moreouer beside that power of the barons which laid siege to Windsor castell there were Noble men line 30 also in other parts of the realme that were readie to resist him And amongst other Geffrey the archbishop of Yorke with Hugh Bardolfe one of the kings iustices and William de Stuteuille assembled an armie and comming to Doncaster fortified the towne but when the archbishop would haue gone forward to besiege the castell of Tickhill which earle Iohn had in possession the other two his associats would not consent to go with him bicause they were seruants and reteined with earle Iohn Herewith line 40 the archbishop being sore offended departed from them calling them traitors to their king and enimies to the realme About the same time did the French king enter into Normandie with an armie comming to the towne of Gisors besieged it the which one Gilbert de Uascoll or Guascoill capteine thereof to his high reproch yéelded vp vnto him with an other castell also called Nefle which he had likewise in kéeping After this the
season for the space of 15 daies togither as a signe of some misfortune to succeed On S. Hughs daie died Margaret countesse of Penbroke the widow of Gilbert Marshall late earle line 50 of Penbroke year 1245 sister to the king of Scots and shortlie after the bishop of Excester William de Brewer likewise deceased as yet being in his florishing age a man in manners parentage and knowledge right honorable and highlie commended ¶ On the daie of S. Marcellus was the queene deliuered of a man child which at the font was named Edmund In Lent following néere to the castell of Mountgomerie in Wales three hundred Welshmen were line 60 slaine by them that lay in garrison there by a policie of the capteine which faining a counterfeited flight drew the Welshmen within danger of an ambush which he had laid to surprise them vnwares as it came euen to passe according to his deuise Dauid that tooke himselfe for king of Wales coueting to be reuenged of this displeasure â—cassed not daie nor night to make incursions and to exploit enterprises to the damage of the marchers the which valiantlie resisted the enimies and droue them oftentimes into the mounteines woods bogs and other places of refuge and oftentimes the enimies hauing the aduantage of place did much displeasure to the Englishmen Upon a time as they being got to the heigth of an hill to cast downe stones and throw darts vpon the Englishmen that assailed them beneath chanced amongst other to slea with a mightie stone which they threw downe by the side of the hill sir Hubert Fitz Matthew a right valiant knight and a man of great accompt for his knowledge and seruice in warres Thus the wars continued betweene the parties and oftentimes the Welshmen by the sudden inuasions got the better their prince Dauid comming to the castell of Monthault besieged it and within a short time wan it slaieng or taking all those whome he found within it The owner thereof the lord Roger de Monthault by chance was not at home which happened well for him where otherwise he had béene in great danger but néere to the castell of Mountgomerie the Welshmen yet were eftsoons ouerthrowne and 200 of them slaine by an ambush that brake forth vpon their backs About the middest of Lent the prelats of England were summoned to come to a generall councell the which pope Innocent had appointed to be holden at the feast of S. Iohn Baptist next following It chanced that about this time a post comming from the pope with letters to his Nuncio maister Martin conteining instructions how he should procéed for the gathering of monie was staied at Douer by the practise of such noble men as were gréeued to sée anie such summes of monie to be conueied out of the realme in sort as was vsed He was had into the castell and his letters taken from him wherein such secrets were conteined for the getting of monie as ought not to haue beene reuealed Maister Martin hearing that the post was thus staied and imprisoned made a gréeuous complaint vnto the king so that the post was set at libertie had his letters to him restored so came vnto master Martin and deliuered them vnto him that he might vnderstand the popes pleasure which others to his griefe vnderstood now as well as himselfe The king this yeare caused inquisition to be made through euerie countie within the realme to vnderstand the true valuation of all such benefices and spirituall promotions as were in the hands of anie incumbents that were strangers borne and such as had béene preferred by the court of Rome and the whole summe of all their reuenues was found to be sixtie thousand marks On Whitsundaie the king made the earle of Glocester Gilbert de Clare knight and 40 other yoong gentlemen that attended vpon him And perceiuing by the late inquisition what great reuenues the beneficed strangers had and possessed within the realme and againe considering the excéeding great summes of monie which the court of Rome had recouered of his subiects he began to detest such couetous dealing And herevpon a letter was deuised by the whole bodie of the realme wherein were conteined the sundrie extortions and manifold exactions of the popes legats and other of his chapleines which vnder colour of his authoritie they had vsed There were appointed also to go with these letters vnto the generall councell certeine honorable and discreet personages as Roger Bigod earle of Northfolke Iohn Fitz Geffrey William de Cantlow Philip Basset and Ralfe Fitz Nicholas with other the which presenting the same letters vnto the said assemblie should declare the greefe of the whole realme and require some redresse and easement therein Moreouer it chanced that there was a great number of lords knights and gentlemen assembled togither at Dunstable and Luiton to haue kept a martiall iusts and triumphant tornie but they had a countercommandement from the king not to go forward with the same wherevpon when they were disappointed of their purpose heerin Upon occasion of their being altogither on the morrow after the feast of Peter Paule they sent from them Fouke Fitz Warren to declare vnto maister Martine the popes Nuncio as then lodging at the temple in London in name as it were of all the whole bodie of the realme that he should immediatlie depart out of the land Fouke dooing the message somewhat after a rough manner maister Martine asked him what he was that gaue foorth the said commandement or whether he spake it of himselfe or from some other This commandment line 10 saith Fouke is sent to thée from all those knights and men of armes which latelie were assembled togither at Dunstable and Luiton Maister Martine hearing this got him to the court and declaring to the king what message he had receiued required to vnderstand whether he was priuie to the matter or that his people tooke it vpon them so rashlie without his authoritie or no To whome the king answered that he had not giuen them any authoritie so to command him out of the realme but line 20 indéed saith he my barons doo scarselie forbeare to rise against me bicause I haue mainteined and suffered thy pilling and iniurious polling within this my realme and I haue had much adoo to staie them from running vpon thee to pull thee in peeces Maister Martine hearing these words with a fearefull voice besought the king that he might for the loue of God and reuerence of the pope haue free passage out of the realme to whome the king in great displeasure answered The diuell that brought thée in carrie thée out line 30 euen to the pit of hell for me Howbeit at length when those that were about the king had pacified him he appointed one of the marshals of his house called Robert North or Nores to conduct him to the sea side and so he did but not without
discharged by Iohn Mansell one of the kings iustices afore whom and other the kings councell the inquisition was taken and then was the custodie of the citie assigned vnto the constable of the tower and in place of the shiriffes were appointed Michaell Tonie and Iohn Audrian At length the maior shiriffes and Aldermen that were accused perceiuing the kings displeasure towards them submitted themselues wholie to his mercie sauing to them and to all other the citizens their liberties franchises and so in the excheker chamber at Westminster afore the king there sitting in iudgement vpon the matter they were condemned to paie their fines for their offenses committed and further euerie of them discharged of his ward and office Shortlie after was William Fitz Richard by the kings commandement made maior and Thomas Fitz Thomas and William Grapisgate shiriffes The archbishop of Yorke was accurssed by the popes commandement through all England with booke bell and candle that by such terror his constancie might he weakened But the archbishop saith Matthew Paris informed by the example of Thomas Becket and by the example and doctrine of saint Edmund sometime his instructor and also taught by the faithfulnesse of blessed Robert late bishop of Lincolne despaired not of comfort from heauen in bearing patientlie the popes tyrannie neither would he bestow the wealthie reuenues of his church vpon Italians being vnworthie persons and strangers neither would he obeie and incline to the popes will like a faint-harted person by leaning and setting apart the rigor of the law least therby he might séeme to result from his pastorlike office and animate the woolfe of Rome to breake into the shéepfold of the church whose purpose was to sucke the verie bloud quite and cleane out of euerie veine yea to bite out bowels and all Which qualitie to rest in him wofull experience hath taught and the testimonie of written verities hath shewed among which this one for the truth thereof is worthie to be reported euen to the praise of the deuiser for his prettie deuise therein comprised and here set downe as fit for the purpose Non pontifex sed potifex Non potifex sed panifex Non panifex sed carnifex Est papa pater pontifex About â—he beginning of the two and fortith yeare of king Henries reigne the lord Iames Audelie that had béene ouer with the king of Almaine and was latelie returned home in companie of the lord Henrie sonne to the said king who came backe from his father about the feast of saint Michaell last past vnderstanding how the Welshmen in his absence had burnt wasted and destroied his lands possessions and castels which belonged vnto him in the confines of Wales he meant to be reuenged of those iniuries and inuading them he slue a great number of them so reuenging the death of those his freends seruants and tenants whome they before had murthered The Welshmen were not so discouraged herewith but that they brake vpon him out of their starting-holes and places of refuge through the marishes and slaieng their enimies horsses put them backe to their power ceassed not to doo what mischeefe they could line 10 by spoiling killing and burning houses and castels where they might come vnto them and so the realme of England was dailie put to losses hinderances For out of Wales England was accustomed to be furnished with horsses cattell and other things to the great profit of both the countries About the same time there was an ambassage sent from the king of England to the French king by the bishop of Worcester the elect of Winchester the abbat of Westminster the earle of Leicester Hugh Bigod earle line 20 Marshall with Peter de Sauoy and Robert Walcron The effect of their message was to require restitution of those countries lands cities and townes which had bene euicted out of the hands of king Iohn and others apperteining by right of inheritance to the king of England These lords did their message but as was thought they had no towardlie answer but rather were put off with trifling words scornefull â—awnts so that they returned shortlie againe all of them the abbat of Westminster onelie excepted line 30 who remained there behind for a fuller answer not â—nelie to those requests exhibited on the part of the king of England but also on the behalfe of the king of Almaine The marshes towards Wales in this season were brought almost desert by reason of the continuall wars with the Welshmen for what with fire sword neither building nor liuing creature nor any other thing was spared that fire sword might bring to ruine line 40 In this yeare was an exceeding great dearth in so much that a quarter of wheat was sold at London for foure and twentie shillings whereas within two or thrée yeares before a quarter was sold at two shillings It had beene more déerer if great store had not come out of Almaine for in France and in Normandie it likewise failed year 1258 But there came fiftie great ships fraught with wheat and barlie with meale and bread out of Dutchland by the procurement of Richard king of Almaine which greatlie releeued the poore for proclamation was made and order line 50 taken by the king that none of the citizens of London should buy any of that graine to laie it vp in store whereby it might be sold at an higher price vnto the needie But though this prouision did much ease yet the want was great ouer all the realme For it was certeinelie affirmed that in three shires within the realme there was not found so much graine of that yeares growth as came ouer in those fiftie ships The proclamation was set foorth to restreine the Londoners from ingrossing vp that graine and not without cause for the wealthie citizens were euill spoken of in that season bicause in time of scarsitie they would either staie such ships as fraught with vittels were comming towards the citie and send them some other way foorth or else buy the whole that they might sell it by retaile at their plesure to the needie By means of this great dearth and scarsitie the common people were constreined to liue vpon hearbs roots and a great number of the poore people died through famine which is the most miserable calamitie that can betide mortall men and was well marked euen of the heathen but notablie by Ouid who making a description of famine setteth hir foorth in most ouglie and irkesome sort intending therby the dreadfulnes of that heauie plague saieng Quaesitámque famem lapidoso vidit in antro Vnguibus raris vellentem dentibus herbas Hirtus erat crinis caua lumina pallor in ore Labra incana situ scabrirubigine dentes Dura cutis per quam spectari viscera possent Ossa sub incuruis extabant arida lumbis Ventris erat pro ventre locus pendêre putares Pectus à spinae tantummodo
dominabitur in populo The which our lord grant that he may prosperouslie reigne vnto the pleasure of God and wealth of his realme Amen After the archbishop had ended wishing that it might so come to passe and the people answered Amen line 60 the king standing on his féet said vnto the lords and commons there present I thanke you my lords both spirituall and temporall and all the states of this land and doo you to wit that it is not my will that any man thinke that I by the waie of conquest would disherit any man of his heritage franches or other rights that him ought to haue of right nor to put him out of that which he now inioieth and hath had before time by custome or good law of this realme except such priuat persons as haue béene against the good purpose and the common profit of the realme When he had thus ended all the shiriffes and other officers were put in their authorities againe to exercise the same as before which they could not doo whilest the kings roiall throne was void Moreouer a proclamation was made that the states should assemble againe in parlement on mondaie then next insuing being the feast daie of saint Faith which is the sixt of October and that the monday then next following being the 13 of the same moneth and the feast day of saint Edward the king and confessor the coronation should be solemnized and that all such as had to claime any seruice to be doone by them at the same by any tenure they should come to the White-hall in the kings palace before the steward and constable of England on saturdaie next before the same day of the parlement and presenting their petitions that were due rightfull they should obteine that to them apperteined Excuse was also made on the kings behalfe for calling of a parlement vpon so short a warning so as the knights and burgesses were not changed but onelie appointed to assemble againe as if the other parlement had rather beene continued than dissolued The cause was alledged to be for easing of the charges that would haue risen if ech man had béene sent home and new knights and burgesses called These things doone the king rose from his place and with a cheerefull and right courteous countenance regarding the people went to White-hall where the same day he held a great feast In the after nâ—one were proclamations made in the accustomed places of the citie in the name of king Henrie the fourth On the morrow following being wednesdaie and first of October the procurators aboue named repaired to the tower of London and there signified vnto king Richard the admission of king Henrie And the aforesaid iustice William Thirning in name of the other and for all the states of the land renounced vnto the said Richard late king all homage and fealtie vnto him before time due in maner and forme as apperteined Which renuntiation to the deposed king was a redoubling of his greefe in so much as thereby it came to his mind how in former times he was acknowledged taken for their liege lord and souereigne who now whether in contempt or in malice God knoweth to his face forsware him to be their king So that in his heuinâ—s he might verie well haue said with a gréeued plaintife Heu quantae sortes miseris mortalibus instant Ah chari quoties obliuia nominis opto O qui me fluctus quis me telluris hiatuâ— Pertaesum tetricae vitae deglutiat ore Chasmatico Thus was king Richard depriued of all kinglie honour and princelie dignitie by reason he was so giuen to follow euill counsell and vsed such inconuenient waies and meanes through insolent misgouernance and youthfull outrage though otherwise a right noble and woorthie prince He reigned two and twentie yeares three moneths and eight daies He deliuered to king Henrie now that he was thus deposed all the goods that he had to the summe of three hundred thousand pounds in coine besides plate and iewels as a pledge and satisfaction of the iniuries by him committed and doone in hope to be in more suertie of life for the deliuerie thereof but whatsoeuer was promised he was deceiued therein For shortlie after his resignation he was conueied to the castell of Leeds in Kent froÌ„ thence to Pomfret where he departed out of this miserable life as after you shall heare He was séemelie of shape and fauor of nature good inough if the wickednesse naughtie demeanor of such as were about him had not altered it His chance verelie was greatlie infortunate which fell into such calamitie that he tooke it for the best waie he could deuise to renounce his kingdome for the which mortall men are accustomed to hazard all they haue to atteine therevnto But such misfortune or the like oftentimes falleth vnto those princes which when they are aloft cast no doubt for perils that maie follow He was prodigall ambitious and much giuen to the pleasure of the bodie He kept the greatest port and mainteined the most plentifull house that euer any king in England did either before his time or since For there resorted dailie to his court aboue ten thousand persons that had meat and drinke there allowed them In his kitchen there line 10 were thrée hundred seruitors and euerie other office was furnished after the like rate Of ladies chamberers and landerers there were aboue thrée hundred at the least And in gorgious and costlie apparell they exceeded all measure not one of them that kept within the bounds of his degrée Yeomen and groomes were clothed in silkes with cloth of graine and skarlet ouer sumptuous ye may be sure for their estates And this vanitie was not onelie vsed in the court in those daies but also other people abroad in the towns line 20 and countries had their garments cut far otherwise than had beene accustomed before his daies with imbroderies rich furres and goldsmiths worke and euerie daie there was deuising of new fashions to the great hinderance and decaie of the common-welth Moreouer such were preferred to bishoprikes and other ecclesiasticall liuings as neither could teach nor preach nor knew any thing of the scripture of God but onelie to call for their tithes and duties so that they were most vnworthie the name of bishops line 30 being lewd and most vaine persons disguised in bishops apparell Furthermore there reigned abundantlie the filthie sinne of leacherie and fornication with abhominable adulterie speciallie in the king but most chéefelie in the preâ—acie whereby the whole realme by such their euill example was so infected that the wrath of God was dailie prouoked to vengeance for the sins of the prince and his people How then could it continue prosperouslie with this king against whom for the â—owle enormâ—ties wherewith line 40 his life was defamed the wrath of God was whetted and tooke so sharpe an edge
preiudiciall to Iohn Catesbie knight Thomas Reuell and William Ashbie esquiers in of vpon the manour of Kirkebie vpon Wretheke in the countie of Leicester nor in of and vpon anie other lands and tenements in Kirkebie aforesaid Melton Somerbie Thropseghfield and Godebie which they had of the gift feoffement of Thomas Dauers Iohn Lie And further notwithstanding this atteindor diuerse of the said persons afterwards were not onelie by the king pardoned but also restored to their lands and liuings Moreouer in this present parlement he caused proclamation to be made that all men were pardoned and acquited of their offenses which would submit line 10 themselues to his mercie and receiue an oth to be true and faithfull vnto him wherevpon manie that came out of sanctuaries and other places were receiued to grace and admitted for his subiects After this he began to remember his speciall freends of whome some he aduanced to honour and dignitie and some he inriched with goods and possessions euerie man according to his deserts and merits And to begin his vncle Iasper earle of Penbroke he created duke of Bedford Thomas lord Stanleie was line 20 created earle of Derbie and the lord Chendew of Britaine his especiall fréend he made earle of Bath sir Giles Daubeneie was made lord Daubeneie sir Robert Willoughbie was made lord Brooke And Edward Stafford eldest sonne to Henrie late duke of Buckingham he restored to his name dignitie possessions which by king Richard were confiscat and atteinted Beside this in this parlement was this notable act assented to and concluded as followeth to the pleasure of almightie God wealth line 30 prosperitie and suertie of this realme of England and to the singular comfort of all the kings subiects of the same in auoiding all ambiguities and questions An act for the establishing of the crowne in the line of Henrie the seauenth BE it ordeined established and enacted by this present parlement that the inheritance of the crown of this realme of England also of France with all the preheminence and dignitie roiall to the same apperteining all other seigniories to the king belonging beyond the sea with the appurtenances thereto in anie wise due or apperteining shall rest remaine and abide in the most line 50 roiall person of our now souereigne lord king Henrie the seuenth and in the heires of his bodie lawfullie comming perpetuallie with the grace of God so to indure and in none other Beside this act all atteindors of this king enacted by king Edward and king Richard were adnihilated and the record of the same iudged to be defaced and all persons atteinted for his cause and occasion line 60 were restored to their goods lands and possessions Diuerse acts also made in the time of king Edward and king Richard were reuoked and other adiudged more expedient for the common wealth were put in their places and concluded After the dissolution of this parlement the king remembring his fréends left in hostage beyond the seas that is to wit the marquesse Dorset sir Iohn Bourchier he with all conuenient spéed redéemed them and sent also into Flanders for Iohn Morton bishop of Elie. These acts performed he chose to be of his councell a conuenient number of right graue and wise councellors ¶ This did he that he might the more roiallie gouerne his kingdome which he obteined and inioied as a thing by God elected and prouided and by his especiall fauour and gratious aspect compassed and atchiued Insomuch that men commonlie report that seauen hundred nintie seauen yéeres passed it was by a heauenlie voice reuealed to Cadwalader last king of Britains that his stocke progenie should reigne in this land beare dominion againe Wherevpon most men were persuaded in their owne opinion that by this heauenlie voice he was prouided ordeined long before to inioy obteine this kingdome Which thing K. Henrie the sixt did also shew before as it were by propheticall inspiration at such time as the earle of Penbroke presented the said Henrie at that time a proper child vnto Henrie the sixt whome after he had beheld and a good while viewed the comelinesse of his countenance and orderlie lineaments of his bodie he said to such peeres as stood about him Lo suerlie this is he to whome both we and our aduersaries leauing the possession of all things shall hereafter giue roome and place so it came to passe by the appointment of God to whose gouernement gift and disposing all realmes and all dominions are subiect as king Dauid confesseth saieng Omnia sunt regno subdita regna Dei Now although by this meanes all things séemed to be brought in good and perfect order yet there lacked a wrest to the harpe to set all the strings in a monocord and perfect tune which was the matrimonie to be finished betweene the king and the ladie Elizabeth daughter to king Edward Which like a good prince according to his oth promise he did both solemnize consummate shortlie after that is to saie on the eightéenth daie of Ianuarie By reason of which marriage peace was thought to descend out of heauen into England considering that the lines of Lancaster and Yorke were now brought into one knot and connexed togither of whose two bodies one heire might succeed to rule and inioie the whole monarchie and realme of England year 1486 which before was rent and diuided into factions partakings whereby manie a mans life was lost great spoiles made of peoples goods wast of wealth worship and honor all which ended in this blessed and gratious connexion authorised by God as our Anglorum praelia saith Hoc Deus omnipotens pacis confecerat author CiuilÃsque habuit tandem contentio finem Shortlie after for the better preseruation of his roiall person he constituted and ordeined a certeine number as well of archers as of diuerse other persons hardie strong and actiue to giue dailie attendance on his person whom he named yeomen of his gard which president men thought that he learned of the French king when he was in France For it is not remembred that anie king of England before that daie vsed anie such furniture of dailie souldiers ¶ In this same yéere a new kind of sickenes inuaded suddenlie the people of this land passing through the same from the one end to the other It began about the one and twentith of September and continued vntill the latter end of October being so sharpe and deadlie that the like was neuer heard of to anie mans remembrance before that time For suddenlie a deadlie burning sweat so assailed their bodies and distempered their bloud with a most ardent heat that scarse one amongst an hundred that sickened did escape with life for all in maner as soone as the sweat tooke them or within a short time after yéelded the ghost Beside the great number which deceassed within the citie of London two
French king the lord Bernard Daubeneie a Scot borne which on the French kings behalfe required K. Henrie to make some maner of end of those Brittish warres whatsoeuer it were King Henrie being desirous of the same sent ouer againe into France Iohn the abbat of Abingdon sir Richard Edgecombe knight and the forenamed Christopher Urswike with full and perfect commission long instructions how to procéed in driuing of some agréement betwixt the Frenchmen and the Britons These orators according as they had in commandement first went vnto the French king and after they had communed with him sir Richard Edgecombe and Christopher Urswike departed streight to the duke of Britaine in full hope to conclude a peace vpon such offers and articles as they had to propone vnto him But all their hope was vaine for the duke refused to agree vpon anie such articles and conditions as they offered and so without concluding anie thing with the duke they returned backe into France and from thence signified to the king of England by letters all that they knew or had doone year 1488 But in the meane time Edward lord Wooduile vncle to the quéene sued to king Henrie that he might haue a power of men appointed to him with the which he would steale priuilie ouer without licence or passeport so that euerie man should thinke that he was fled the realme without knowledge of the king for that no warre should arise by his meanes betwixt the realmes of France and England and yet should the duke of Britaine be aided against the power of the Frenchmen which sought to vanquish him that they might ioine his countrie vnto the dominion of France which in no wise ought to be suffered considering what annoiance hurt the same might bring to the realme of England in time to come Although this request was vtterlie denied and that the lord Wooduile was streightlie commanded by the king to make no such attempt yet could not all that staie him but that withdrawing him into the I le of Wight whereof he was made ruler and capteine he there gathered togither a crue of tall hardie personages to the number of 400 with prosperous wind weather arriued in Britaine and ioined himselfe with the Britons against the Frenchmen The French king aduertised herof was not well plesed in his mind towards the king of England till K. Henrie by new messengers informed him how guiltlesse he was in the matter and that by plaine and euident prâ—ofes With the which excuse the French king séemed to be the better pacified and was content to dissemble the matter Then the English ambassadors renewing the league and amitie betwixt king Henrie the French king for the space of twelue moneths they returned into England and shewed the king all things that they had either heard or séene so that he perceiued that the French king dealt craftilie in this matter of Britaine still motioning peace when he meant nothing else but warre He therefore called his high court of parlement in the which it was not onelie determined that the duke of Britaine should be aided with a power of men against the wrongfull inuasions of the Frenchmen but also there were diuerse summes of monie granted to the furnishing foorth and maintenance of the same And immediatlie hervpon the king sent his ambassadors into France to certifie the French king what the estates assembled line 10 in parlement here in England had decréed Wherefore he required him either to surceasse the warres which he had in hand against the Britons or else not to be gréeued though he condescended to the iudgement and determination of the lords both spirituall and temporall and commons of his realme in taking vpon him the defense of the duke of Britaine promising neuerthelesse that the English armie should onelie take land within the duchie of Britaine and séeke to defend the same against all those line 20 that did inuade it and not to make anie warre within the French dominions This message was nothing regarded of the French king in so much that the French armie procéeded in oppressing the Britons destroieng the countrie and besieging townes At length on the seuen and twentith or as the chronicles of Aniou haue the eight and twentith daie of Iulie the duke of Britains armie gaue battell to the French host néere to a towne called saint Aulbin hauing apparelled a thousand and seuen hundred of the line 30 Britons in coates with red crosses after the English fashion to make the Frenchmen beleeue that they had a great number of Englishmen although they had but foure hundred onelie with the lord Wooduile The victorie in this battell fell to the Frenchmen so that almost all the Englishmen were slaine with the lord Wooduile beside six thousand Britons The duke of Orleance and the prince of Orainge were taken prisoners which were there on the Britons part The Frenchmen lost twelue hundred men and amongst line 40 other that valiant Italian capteine Iames Galeot These newes being brought into England caused king Henrie to make hast in sending foorth his armie and therefore was the lord Brooke with sir Iohn Cheinie sir Iohn Middleton sir Rafe Hilton sir Richard Corbet sir Thomas Leighton sir Richard Laton and sir Edmund Cornewall sent ouer into Britaine with all conuenient speed hauing with them an eight thousand men well armed and furnished in warlike wise to aid the duke of Britaine against the line 50 Frenchmen These lustie capteins being arriued in Britaine after they had a little refreshed them marched forward and comming neere to their enimies pitched downe their field not farre from the Frenchmens campe The Frenchmen by experience knowing the Englishmen so long as they be fresh and lustie in maner to be inuincible thought not good to match with them in open battell till they were somewhat wearied with lieng and lingering abroad in the field And therefore line 60 at the first they sought to wearie them with light skirmishes appointing their horssemen to giue them alarmes some skirmishes in the which the Frenchmen by reason of the English archers which galled both men and horsses were euer put to the worsse But behold the mutabilitie of worldlie chances Whiles this warre was thus set forward Francis duke of Britaine departed this life then the cheefe rulers of Britain falling at dissention among themselues tendered not the defense of their countrie but rather minded the destruction thereof Herevpon the Englishmen perceiuing in what danger they were and considering that it was in the middest of winter a time not meet for men of warre to lie in the cold and frostie fields they returned into England within fiue monethes after their first setting foorth So that finallie the French king got the vpper hand of the Britons and did incorporate that duchie to his realme and crowne of France as in the historie of France it may appeere at
gaue the pope to drinke of the same wine which Ualentinois had sent who arriuing while his father was drinking drunke also of the same wine being but iust that they both should tast of the same cup which they had brued for the destruction of others All the towne of Rome ran with great gladnesse to saint Peters about the dead bodie of the pope their eies not satisfied to sée ded and destroied a serpent who with his immoderate line 50 ambition and poisoned infidelitie togither with all the horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstruous couetousnesse selling without distinction both holie things and prophane things had infected the whole world And yet was he accompanied with a most rare almost perpetuall prosperitie euen from his yoong age to the end of his life desiring alwaies great things and obteining most often that he desired An line 60 example of much importance to confound the arrogancie of those men who presuming to know and sée perfectlie with humane eies the depth of Gods iudgements doo assure that what happeneth either good or ill to mortall men procéedeth either of their merits or faults as though we saw not dailie manie good men vniustlie tormented wicked persons aboue their deseruings liue in case and honour wherein who makes an other interpretation derogates the iustice and power of God the greatnesse of which being not to be conteined within any scripts or tearms present knoweth how well and largely to discerne in an other time and place the iust from the vniust and that with rewards and eternall punishments In the meane time he powreth out his vengeance vpon the imaginers of mischéefe in this life so prouiding as that they are caught in their owne snares and ouertaken with such destruction as they had prepared for others according to that saieng of the Psalmist Effodit puteum foueámque eduxit ab imo Et miser in latebras incidit ipse suas In verticem ipsius recurrit Pernicies recidúntque fraudes At the same time died Giles lord Dawbenie the kings chéefe chamberleine whose office Charles bastard sonne to Henrie last duke of Summerset occupied and enioied a man of good wit and great experience Soone after the king caused Guidebald duke of Urbine to be elected knight of the order of the garter in like maner as his father duke Frederike had béene before him which was chosen and admitted into the order by king Edward the fourth Sir Gilbert Talbot and the other two ambassadors being appointed to kéepe on their iournie vnto pope Iulie the second elected after the death of the said Pius the third bare the habit and collar also vnto the said duke Guidebald which after he had receiued the same sent sir Balthasar Castalio knight a Mantrian borne as his orator vnto king Henrie which was for him installed according to the ordinances of the order This yeare that worthie prelate Thomas Sauage archbishop of Yorke departed this life at his castell of Cawood a man beside the worthinesse of his birth highlie estéemed with his prince for his fast fidelitie and great wisedome He bestowed great cost in repairing the castell of Cawood and the manor of Scrobie His bodie was buried at Yorke but he appointed by his testament that his hart should be buried at Macclesfield in Cheshire where he was borne in a chapell there of his foundation ioining to the south side of the church meaning to haue founded a college there also if his purpose had not béene preuented by death After him succeeded doctor Benbridge in the archbishops sée of Yorke being the fiftie and sixt archbishop that had sat in that see About this same time Lewes the French king the twelfe of that name who succéeded Charles the eighth that died at Amboise the night before the eighth daie of Aprill of a catarrhe which the physicians call an apoplexie the same rising in him with such aboundance as he beheld a match plaied at tennisse that in few houres he ended at the same place his life during the which he had with greater importunitie than vertue troubled the whole world with great apparance of danger to kindle eftsoones new fiers of innouation and troubles maried his eldest daughter named Clare vnto Francis de Ualois Dolphin of Uienne and duke of Angolesme which ladie was promised vnto Charles the king of Castile wherevpon by ambassadors sent to and fro betwixt king Henrie and the said king of Castile a mariage was concluded betwixt the said king of Castile and the ladie Marie daughter to king Henrie being about the age of ten yeares For conclusion of which mariage the lord of Barow other ambassadors were sent into England from the emperor Maximilian which with great rewards returned ¶ William Browne mercer maior of London this yeare deceassed year 1508 and foorthwith sir Laurence Ailmer draper was chosen and sworne and went home in a graie cloake with the sword borne before him on the eight and twentith daie of March. Item he tooke his oth at the Tower and kept no feast William Capell was put in sute by the king for things by him doone in his maioraltie Also Thomas Kneisworth that had beene maior of London and his shiriffes were sent to the kings Bench till they were put to their fines of foureteene hundred pounds In the moneth of Iune the citie of Norwich was sore perished neere consumed with fier that began in a Frenchmans house named Peter Iohnson a surgian in the parish of saint George Stephan Genings merchant tailor maior of London founded a free grammar schoole at Wlfrunehampton in Staffordshire with conuenient lodgings for the maister and vsher in the same place where he was borne He gaue lands sufficient line 10 for the maintenance leauing the ouersight thereof to the merchant tailors in London who haue hitherto iustlie dealt in that matter and also augmented the building there Maister Nichols who maried the onelie daughter and heire of the aforesaid Stephan Genings gaue lands to mainteine the pauements of that towne Also Iohn Leneson esquier about Anno 1556 gaue lands whereof foure pounds should be dealt euerie yeare on good fridaie to the poore people of Wlfrunehampton and six and twentie line 20 shillings eight pence yéerelie towards the reparation of the church there Moreouer about Anno 1566 sir Iohn Ligh a préest which had serued in that church there the space of thréescore years for fiue pounds six shillings eight pence the yeare without anie other augmentation of his liuing who would neuer take anie benefice or other preferment gaue twentie pounds to purchase twentie shillings the yeare lands the same to be giuen yearelie for euer to the poore of Wlfrunehampton line 30 vpon good fridaie twelue pounds thirteene shillings foure pence to purchase a marke a yeare lands the same to be giuen to the poore of Chifnall in the countie of Salope where the said Ligh was borne This man liued
poore The poore by impotencie Poore by casualtie Thriftlesse poore 1 The poore by impotencie are also diuided into three kinds that is to saie 1 The fatherlesse poore mans line 60 child 2 The aged blind and lame 3 The diseased person by leprosie dropsie c. 2 The poore by casualtie are of thrée kinds that is to saie 4 The wounded souldier 5 The decaied housholder 6 The visited with gréeuous disease 3 The thriftles poore are three kinds in like wise that is to saie 7 The riotor that consumeth all 8 The vagabond that will abide in no place 9 The idle person as the strumpet and others For these sorts of poore were prouided thrée seuerall houses First for the innocent and fatherlesse which is the beggers child and is in déed the séed and breeder of beggerie they prouided the house that was late Graie friers in London and now is called Christes hospitall where the poore children are trained in the knowledge of God and some vertuous eâ—ercise to the ouerthrowe of beggerie For the second degrée is prouided the hospitall of saint Thomas in Southworke saint Bartholomew in west Smithfield where are continuallie at least two hundred diseased persons which are not onelie there lodged and cured but also fed and nourished For the third degrée they prouided Bridewell where the vagabond and idle strumpet is chastised and compelled to labour to the ouerthrow of the vicious life of idlenes They prouided also for the honest decaied housholder that he should be relieued at home at his house and in the parish where he dwelled by a wéekelie reliefe and pension And in like manner they prouided for the lazer to kéepe him out of the citie from clapping of dishes and ringing of bels to the great trouble of the citizens and also to the dangerous infection of manie that they should be relieued at home at their houses with seuerall pensions Now after this good order taken and the citizens by such meanes as were deuised willing to further the same the report therof was made vnto the kings maiestie and his grace for the aduancement hereof was not onelie willing to grant such as should be the ouerséers and gouernors of the said houses a corporation and authoritie for the gouernement thereof but also required that he might be accounted as the chiefe founder and patrone thereof And for the furtherance of the said worke and continuall maintenance of the same he of his méere mercie and goodnesse granted that where before certeine lands were giuen to the maintenance of the house of the Sauoie founded by king Henrie the seuenth for the lodging of pilgrims and strangers and that the same was now made but a lodging of loiterers vagabonds and strumpets that laie all daie in the fields and at night were harboured there the which was rather the maintenance of beggerie than the reliefe of the poore gaue the same lands being first surrendred into his hands by the maister and fellowes there which lands were of the yearelie value of six hundred pounds vnto the citie of London for the maintenance of the foundation aforesaid And for a further reliefe a petition being made to the kings maiestie for a licence to take in mortmaine or otherwise without licence lands to a certeine yearelie â—alue and a space left in the patent for his grace to put in what summe it would please him he looking on the void place called for pen and inke and with his owne hand wrote this summe in these words foure thousand marks by yeare and then said in the hearing of his councell Lord God I yeeld thée most hartie thanks that thou hast giuen mée life thus long to finish this worke to the glorie of thy name After which foundation established he liued not aboue two daies whose life would haue béene wished equall to the patriarchs if it might haue pleased God so to haue protracted the same But he was too good a prince for so bad a people and therefore God remooued him and translated him to his owne kingdome foreséeing the euent of something which in his secret counsell he had purposed against a nation that knew not the benefit of the acceptable time of grace wherein God by this péerelesse princes means ment all good to this land as might be gathered by the reformation of religion wherin the kings care was exceeding great as his desire to establish Gods glorie was zealous according to that notable allusion of Iohn Leland recorded in praise of this most excellent prince as followeth in this epigram Quisquis Eaduerdum Romano expresserat ore Custodem fidei dixerit esse sacrae Hoc ego crediderim puero feliciter orto A superis nomen coelitùs esse datum Est pater antiquae fidei defensor amicus Degener nullo tempore natus erit But to returne where we left By example of the charitable act of this vertuous yoong king sir William Chester knight and alderman of London and line 10 Iohn Calthrop citizen and draper of the said citie at their owne proper costs and charges made the bricke walles and way on the backeside that leadeth from the said new hospitall vnto the hospitall of saint Bartholomewes and also couered and vauted the towne dich from Aldersgate to Newgate which before was verie noisome and contagious to the said hospitall This hospitall being thus erected and put in good order there was one Richard Castell alià s Casteller line 20 shoomaker dwelling in Westminster a man of great trauell and labor in his facultie with his owne hands and such a one as was named the cocke of Westminster for that both winter and summer he was at his worke before foure of the clocke in the morning This man thus trulie and painfullie labouring for his liuing God blessed and increased his labours so abundantlie that he purchased lands and tenements in Westminster to the yearelie value of fortie and foure pounds And hauing no child with the line 30 consent of his wife who suruiued him was a vertuous good woman gaue the same lands wholie to Christs hospitall aforesaid to the reliefe of the innocent and fatherlesse children and for the succor of the miserable sore and sicke harbored in the other hospitals about London whose example God grant manie to follow ¶ The third of August at Midlenton eleuen miles from Oxford a woman brought foorth a child which had two perfect bodies from the nauill vpward and line 40 were so ioined togither at the nauill that when they were laid in length the one head bodie was eastward and the other west the legs for both the bodies grew out at the midst where the bodies ioined and had but one issue for the excrements of both bodies they liued eightéene daies and were women children The eight of August were taken at Quinborow thrée great fishes called dolphins the weeke following at Blackewall were six more taken and line
London towards Rome as ambassadors sent from the king and quéene to confirme this new reconciliation to the pope A yoong stripling whose name was William Fetherstone a millers sonne about the age of eightéene yeares named and bruted himselfe to be king Edward the sixt whereof when the quéene and the councell heard they caused with all diligence inquirie to be made for him so that he was apprehended in Southworke or as other haue at Eltham in Kent the tenth of Maie line 50 and brought before the councell at Hampton court and there examined And it was demanded of him why he so named himselfe To which he counterfetting a maner of simplicitie or rather frensie would make no direct answer but praid pardon for he wist not what he said affirming further that he was counselled so to saie and to take vpon him the name whereof he accused certeine persons but his talke was not found true wherefore he was committed to the Marshalseie as a lunatike foole line 60 On the eight and twentith daie of Maie next following the aforesaid counterfet prince was brought in a cart from the Marshalseie thorough the citie of London with a paper ouer his head wherein was written that he named himselfe king Edward And from thense was conueied to Westminster being led round about the hall and shewed to all the people there and afterward he was taken out of the cart and stripped and then whipped round about the palace at the same carts taile and then thorough Westminster into Smithfield and then banished into the north in which countrie he was borne and had béene sometime lackie to sir Peter Mewtas and without more punishment was discharged and set at libertie But the next yeare following for that he had spred abroad that king Edward was aliue and that he had spoken with him he was againe apprehended and arreigned of high treason whereof being condemned he shortlie after was drawne vnto Tiburne and there hanged and quartered the thirtéenth of March ¶ Here as in a fit and conuenient place the obseruation of the daie and moneth offering no lesse it is not amisse to set downe the speech of quéene Marie vttered to sundrie of hir lords touching a motion which no doubt certeine popish prelats had put into hir mind the effect whereof followeth as I find it in master Fox Before I passe this moneth of March saith he I cannot but leaue a little memorandum of the words or consultation of quéene Marie vsed to certeine of the councell the eight twentith daie of the said moneth of March touching the restoring againe of the abbeie lands Who after she had called vnto hir presence foure of hir priuie councell the daie and moneth aforesaid the names of which councellors were these William lord marquesse of Winchester high treasuror of England sir Robert Rochester knight the queenes comptrollor sir William Peter knight secretarie sir Francis Inglefield knight master of wards the said queene Marie inferred these words the principall effect summe whereof here followeth You are here of our councell and we haue willed you to be called to vs to the intent yee might heare of me my conscience and the resolution of my mind concerning the lands and possessions as well of monasteries as other churches whatsoeuer being now presentlie in my possession First I doo consider that the said lands were taken awaie from the churches aforesaid in time of schisme and that by vnlawfull means such as are contrarie both to the law of God and of the church For the which cause my conscience dooth not suffer me to deteine them and therefore I here expresselie refuse either to claime or to reteine the said lands for mine but with all my heart fréelie and willinglie without all paction or condition here and before God I doo surrender and relinquish the said lands and possessions or inheritances whatsoeuer doo renounce the same with this mind and purpose that order and disposition thereof may be taken as shall séeme best liking to our most holie lord the pope or else his legat the lord cardinall to the honour of God and wealth of this our realme And albeit you may obiect to me againe that considering the state of my kingdome the dignitie thereof and my crowne imperiall cannot be honorablie mainteined and furnished without the possessions aforesaid yet notwithstanding I set more by the saluation of my soule than by ten kingdoms and therefore the said possessions I vtterlie refuse here to hold after that sort and title and giue most hartie thanks to almightie God which hath giuen me an husband likewise minded with no lesse good affection in this behalfe than I am my selfe Wherefore I charge and command that my chancellor with whom I haue conferred my mind in this matter before and you foure to morrow together doo resort to the most reuerend lord legat and doo signifie to him the premisses in my name giue your attendance vpon him for the more full declaration of the state of my kingdome and of the foresaid possessions accordinglie as you your selues doo vnderstand the matter and can informe him in the same This charge as the sequele gaue proofe was followed with no lesse diligence of the lords than it was imposed with willingnes vpon them by the quéene insomuch that shortlie after as anon you shall heare the performed hir promise to â—he pith But to leâ— this matter passe till due time place require a declaration of the conclusion thereof I am héere saith master Fox as occasion serueth to intreat of pope Iulius death for so much as he made his end about the latter end of this foresaid moneth of March. Concerning the déeds and acts of which pope to make a full declaration it were not so much tedious to the reader as horrible to all good eares Under this Iulius florished the archbishop of Beneuentanus a Florentine named Iohannes a Casa deane of the popes chamber and chéefe legat to the line 10 Uenetians who well declaring the fruit of that filthie see so farre forgat both honestie and nature that he shamed not onelie to plaie the filthie Sodomite himselfe and to boast openlie of the same but also tooke vpon him most impudentlie in Italian metre to all mens eares to set foorth the praise and commendation of that beastlie iniquitie saieng that he himselfe neuer vsed other and this booke was printed at Uenice by one Troianus Nauus And yet the pope could suffer this so great iniquitie and shamelesse line 20 beastlinesse euen vnder his nose in his owne chamber which could not abide the true doctrine of Christ in christian bookes Amongst other pranks and déeds of this foresaid pope in his Iubilée and in the synod of Trent and in confirming of the idoll of Lauretane this is also reported of him in his life that he delighted greatlie in porke flesh and peacocks Upon a time when he
mortis habet On the seuenth of Februarie were arreigned at Westminster Iames Fenne George Haddocks Iohn Munden Iohn Nutter and Thomas Homerford all fiue were found guiltie of high treason and had iudgement to be drawne hanged bowelled and quartered and were executed at Tiborne on the twelfe daie of Februarie ¶ In this yeare 1584 euen at the prime of the yeare namelie in Aprill maister Walter Raleigh esquier a gentleman from line 20 his infancie brought vp and trained in martiall discipline both by land and sea and well inclined to all vertuous and honorable aduentures hauing built a ship and a pinesse set them to the sea furnished with all prouisions necessarie for a long viage and committed the charge of them to two gentlemen his owne seruants the one called Philip Amadis the other Arthur Barlow with direction to discouer that land which lieth betwéene Norembega and Florida in the west Indies who according to their line 30 commission made as sufficient a discouerie thereof as so short a time would permit for they returned in August next following and brought with them two sauage men of that countrie with sundrie other things that did assure their maister of the goodnesse of the soile and of great commodities that would arise to the realme of England by traffique if that the English had anie habitation and were planted to liue there Wherevpon he immediatlie prepared for a second viage which with all expedition nothing line 40 at all regarding the charges that it would amount vnto did presentlie set in hand This countrie of Norembega aforesaid and the land on this side of it sir Humfrie Gilbert brother to sir Walter Raleigh a man both valiant and well experienced in martiall affaires did attempt to discouer with intention to settle an English colonie there in the yeare 1578 hauing in his companie his two brethren Walter and Carew Raleighs Henrie Knolles George Carew William Careie line 50 Edward Dennie Henrie Nowell Miles Morgan Francis Knolles Henrie North and diuerse other gentlemen of good calling and ten sailes of all sorts of shipping well and sufficientlie furnished for such an enterprise weighed anchor in the west countrie set to the sea But God not fauoring his attempt the iourneie tooke no good successe for all his ships inforced by some occasion or mischance made their present returne againe that onelie excepted wherein his brother Walter Raleigh was capteine who being desirous to doo somewhat woorthie honor tooke line 60 his course for the west Indies but for want of vittels and other necessaries needfull in so long a viage when he had sailed as far as the Ilands of Cape De Uerde vpon the coast of Africa was inforced to set saile and returne for England In this his viage he passed manie dangerous aduentures as well by tempests as fights on the sea but lastlie he arriued safelie at Plimouth in the west countrie in Maie next following Sir Humfreie Gilbert notwithstanding this vnfortunate successe of his first attempt enterprised the said viage the second time and set to the sea with thrée ships and pinesses in the yeare 1584 in the which iourneie he lost his life but in what sort no man can witnesse For being by force of foule weather separated from his companie he was neuer heard of afterwards ¶ In this yeare and the twentith daie of Maie departed out of this life that famous father of physicke and surgerie the English Hippocrates and Galen I meane doctor Caldwell and was buried on the sixt of Iune immediatlie following at S. Benets church by Paules wharfe at the vpper end of the chancell his bodie was verie solemnelie accompanied to the church with a traine of learned and graue doctors besides others of that facultie the heralds of armes dooing him such honour at his funerall as to him of dutie apperteined Of this mans rare loue to his countrie hath béene spoken before where mention is made of the institution of a surgerie lecture perpetuallie to be continued for the common benefit of London and consequentlie of all England the like whereof is not established nor vsed in anie vniuersitie of christendome Bononie and Padua excepted and therefore the more to be esteemed Indéed the like institution was in towardnesse whiles Francis the French of that name the first liued but when he died as the court that he kept in his time was counted a vniuersitie but after his deth made an exchange thereof with another name so likewise discontinued or rather vtterlie brake off that purposed institution of a surgerie lecture at Paris so that in this point London hath a prerogatiue excelling the vniuersities This D. Caldwell in his last will and testament gaue manie great legacies to a great number of his poorest kinsfolkes as also vnto others nothing alied vnto him He gaue in his life time two hundred pounds to be lent gratis foreuer to the Clothiers in Burton whereby clothing might be mainteined the poore artificers set on worke and the poore citizens in Lichfield also benefited the corporation of the said towne being bound for the receiuing and deliuering thereof euerie fiue yeares to the yoongest and poorest occupiers He gaue great summes of monie to the poore towneships in Staffordshire where he was borne both towards the reléeuing of their priuat estate as also to the reparing of their bridges and amending of their high waies for the commoditie of all the countrie He left large sums of monie to be emploied by his executors at their discretion where charitie moued as also to the publishing of such learned bookes of physicke and surgerie with sundrie chargeable formes grauen in copper and finished in his life as he meant if he had liued to sée extant Diuerse good works in his daies he had doone and hath left order to be doone after his death which was verie mild and still not vnlike the deceasse of a babe in the cradle hauing béene assailed with no extremitie of sicknesse his ordinarie infirmitie excepted which was intermissiue that either might wring him or wearie him to make him vnpatient So that he died as sléeping hauing left behind him both credit of lerning cunning other good ornaments the very beautie of his age which was exactlie found by true computation to be threescore and fouretéene in which yeare he died as may be gathered by his counterfet so naturallie conueied into colours with his white beard the hollownesse of his cheekes the wrinkels of his browes the liuelie sight of his eies and other accessaries and all within a module the circumference whereof excéedeth not six inches if it amount to so much in exact measure as a man beholding the said representation would swer◠that it were not possible for art to draw more néere in imitation to nature So that this doctor dieng in so ripe an age was committed to holie ground where he rested in peace his cote
testudo relinquit Sic immundiciem linquit vbique suam Monstrum tale vorax absorbeat ergo barathrum Atque Deo poenas tempus in omne luat When this Gregorie was deceased shortlie after least the ouerlong vacancie of the sacred and apostolike sée should preiudice the Romish prelasie and cleargie the succession came to Sixtus Quintus who according to the disposition of his predecessors indeuoring line 10 to mainteine the title of his supremasie and to beare rule ouer mens consciences as though peremptorie authoritie had by priuilege passed vnto the bishops of that sée to controll and giue the checke to all christendome one iot or minute whereof the beast now residing at Rome not meaning to relinguish but rather to fortifie and aduance vndertooke to intermedle with princes of renowme as proffering to bring them within the compasse of his iurisdiction insomuch that falling to the extreame point of his antichristian power he let flie but as paper-shot line 20 his excommunications thinking that if anie thing were able to daunt and appall the courages of mightie men this were the waie But herein Sixtus Quintus was foolified for proofe whereof behold an answer to the excommunication latelie denounced and published by the said Sixtus Quintus pope of Rome so called against two christian princes vndermined and sent to Rome as followeth The answer of Henrie king of Nauarre and Henrie prince of Conde to the excommunication of Sixtus Quintus now pope c. HEnrie by the grace of God king of Nauarre prince of Bearne chiefe péere and prince of France opposeth himselfe against the excommunication of Sixtus line 40 Quintus terming hmselfe pope of Rome auouching the same to be false and appealeth to the court of péeres of France of whome he hath the reputation to be the first in degrée And as concerning the crime of heresie whereof he is falslie accused by the said excommunication he auoweth and affirmeth that my lord the pope sauing his holinesse and reuerence hath therein most falselie and wickedlie lied and that the pope himselfe is an heretike which he offereth to prooue publikelie in a generall or common councell lawfullie assembled Where if he shall refuse line 50 to appeare and submit himselfe as by his owne canons and decrées he is speciallie bound the said king dooth and will hold and repute him a verie antichrist and in that qualitie of antichrist denounceth perpetuall warre against him protesting in the meane time the popes wicked sentence to be vnlawfull and insufficient and to prosecute against him and his successors for reparation of honor reuenge of the iniurie thereby offered to him and all the princes of his bloud as the lewdnesse of the act and the present line 60 necessitie doo require For if in times past the princes and kings his progenitors haue béene able to chastise the insolencie and arrogancie of such companions as the pope is when they forgaâ—â—heir duties and excéeded the limits of their vocaâ—ion and place confounding and intermixing their spirituall iurisdiction with the temporall the said king of Nauarre being in state nothing inferior to them dooth hope that God will giue him the grace to reuenge the wrong and iniurie hereby doone to his souereigne his familie and bloud and to the supreame courts and seats of iustice and parlement in France vpon the said pope and his successors and to that end and purpose he imploreth the aid succour and assistance of all true christian kings princes â— common-weales whome this case dooth concerne together with the alies and confederats of the crowne of France against the tyrannie and vsurpation of the said pope and of the associated conspirators against the state of their souereigne enimies to God France and the common peace and quiet of christendome The like protestation is also made by Henrie of Burbon prince of Conde vnto whome the excommunication likewise reacheth ¶ Fixed and set vp vpon the Pasquile at Rome to the view of all men ¶ Thus farre of two popes who though they be but prophane priests méere foreners to England both by birth and beleefe yet sith they haue beene ouerbold to busie themselues with the affaires not onelie of other christian princes but also with the state of our nation wherinto they haue had too far an insight by the aid of certeine vnnaturall and degenerat people manie of them being fugitiues and carieng about them euen in their bosome a conscience bespotted with sinnes of excéeding horror and heinousnesse in consideration hereof as also of other practises tending to an vniuersall desolation of truth and louers of truth as also to the dissolution of ciuill policie and destruction of our most gratious souereigne ladie quéene Elisabeth the lords annointed and lieutenant principall within hir owne dominions what faithfull subiect can but note them howbeit none otherwise than the repors of them haue passed vnder manie eies and through manie hands printed euen in forren speach before the same were published in English At which popes meaning now to make a stop we will come againe to matters of our owne ¶ In this yeare 1585 euen in Aprill at the pleasant prime sir Walter Raleigh knight being incouraged by the reports of his men of the goodnesse of the soile and the fertilitie of the countrie which they had discouered this yeare last past and now by hir maiestie called Uirginia with knightlie courage counteruaileable to his double desire of honour by vndertaking hard aduenturs furnished to his great charges eight sailes of all sortes and immediatlie set them to the sea ordeining sir Richard Gréenfield his kinsman a gentleman of verie good estimation both for his parentage and sundrie good vertues who for loue he bare vnto sir Walter Raleigh togither with a disposition that he had to attempt honorable actions worthie of honour was willing to hazard himselfe in this voiage his lieutenant inioining him either to tarrie himselfe or to leaue some gentleman of good worth with a competent number of soldiers in the countrie of Uirginia to begin an English colonie there Who with the ships aforesaid hauing in his companie sir Iohn Arundell Thomas Candish Rafe Lane Edward Gorges Iohn Stuklie Edward Stafford Philip Amadis Arthur Barlow Thomas Heriot and diuerse other gentlemen with a competent number of souldiers departed from London in Aprill aforesaid But after they had sailed certeine numbers of leagues at the sea by force and violence of fowle weather they were separated one from another so that sir Richard Gréenefield being singled from his fléet all alone arriued in the Iland of Hispaniola in the west Indies about the middest of Iune following where he determined resolutelie to remaine vntill he had built a bote for he had lost his owne bote in the tempests aforesaid Wherevpon immediatlie after his landing finding a place to his liking he esconsed himselfe in despite of the Spaniards who by all possible means did there best
land Howbeit the said lords by means of other accidents line 20 of importance staid at the court and went not that iourneie Neuerthelesse the lord Cobham lord warden of the cinque ports one of hir maiesties priuie councell repairing thither accompanied with diuerse knights and gentlemen of great worship did take the view both of the worke finished and also conferred about the businesse then in hand Now for so much as that which is alreadie doone is a perfect and an absolute worke to the perpetuall maintenance of a hauen in that place being such a monument as is hardlie to be found written in anie record it might line 30 séeme absurd that no mention thereof should be made in this chronicle and that the cost and businesse thereabouts imploied hath not beene vnnecessarie maie appeare by the reasons insuing First Douer hath béene euer reputed the keie and locke as Matthaeus Parisiensis reporteth or as rather he should haue said the verie doore and entrance into the realme of England either for fréend or so and also the readie passage vnto all nations but especiallie into France from whense it is not distant about thirtie line 40 English miles and is commonlie passed in fiue or six houres at the most and in a prosperous wind within halfe the time Secondlie it standeth in the most conuenient place of all this land to offend the enimie and to defend either domesticall or forren fréend Thirdlie a meane harbor would be there in the opinion of all skilfull mariners more beneficiall commodious for the nauigation of England than an excellent hauen placed anie where else about the coast thereof Fourthlie all our passengers through the narow seas being line 50 distressed by violence of weather or by inconuenience of pirasie or else by force of the common enimie in the time of warre might there haue present succor and refuge and both spéedie and easie passage thereinto or otherwise be best rescued Fiftlie of late yeares the considerations aforesaid haue mooued some noble princes of this land to bestow infinit tresure to gaine a harborough or hauen in that place to their great honor fame and commendation to the woonderfull contentment of all their subiects and for the good and benefit line 60 of all the neighbors adioining and strangers passing these narrow seas Finallie it hath pleased our most noble queene Elisabeth to vndertake it who in all good actions and necessarie works for the benefit of the realme commonwealth of England hath béene so liberall carefull and prouident as thereby hir glorie and renowme is spread ouer all the face of the earth and reacheth vnto heauen where the king of kings sitteth and heareth the praises and praiers not onelie of hir owne people but of all christians liuing in hir behalfe for whose good it séemeth she was brought foorth and preserued in this world And now I saie for so much as hir highnesse hath at this present time taken order for the building of a new hauen in this place and bountifullie imploied great 〈◊〉 of monie vpon the same being begun with more probabilitie iudgement and circumspection and accompanied with better successe than euer anie of hir highnesse predecessors haue heretofore had in this case wherin the most difficult and dangerous worke is alreadie accomplished so as there is now and euer hereafter will be a verie good hauen except extrâ—me negligence be vsed in mainteining the same I thought it a most necessarie maâ—ter to be here recorded â—o hir maiesties perpetuall â—ame and partlie also to giue light and incouragment to hir successors in the crowne of England to attempt and vndertake and the better to execute and accomplish the like famous enterprise For actions of far lesse importance are made memorable by historiographers as in euerie chronicle maie appeare In this discourse I thought méet to passe ouer the antiquitie of the towne and port of Douer with the liberties thereof which togither with the ruines and misfortunes of fire are to be found extant in the perambulation of Kent written by William Lambard esquier Of Douer castell somewhat might here be said but for so much as maister Lambard hath so largelie discoursed therevpon in his booke which is likelie to remaine of continuance I will make bold with the reader to referre him there vnto and onelie giue this note to wit that wheras he iustlie complaineth of the miserable ruines thereof it hath pleased hir maiestie in respect of the necessarie maintenance of the same to bestow more charge of late in reparing and reedifieng of it than hath béene spent thereabouts as it seemeth since the first building thereof whether the same were doone by Iulius Cesar the Romane emperor or by Aruâ—ragus then king of the Britains king Edward the fourth onelie excepted who as Iohn Rosse reporteth did throughlie repare it bestowing thereon 10000 pounds insomuch as it is now reduced to be a peece of great force and importance and verie beautifull to behold Wherein the honorable disposition of the lord Burghleie lord high treasuror of England is to be commended who was a principall furtherer thereof and whose forwardnesse in all militarie affaires is had in admiration among all the best souldiors of England although he himselfe an aged and a most graue councellor And in these commendations if I should omit the praises of the honorable lord Cobham lord warden of the cinque ports and constable of the castell of Douer c I should doo him great wrong For by his prouidence and mediation togither with the diligent trauell and industrie of Richard Barrie esquier lieutenant of the said castell that worke is accomplished to the comfort and benefit of the whole realme Within the wals whereof is now also raised such a mount at the north side thereof as thereby the castell is double so strong as before But omitting all other occasions and matters concerning Douer I will now passe to my purpose But yet before I enter into these last works I must giue you to vnderstand that the verie situation of the place ministreth incouragement to the executioners and yeeldeth great fauor and occasion to the attempt For Douer cliffes stand to the sea north and east the towne being placed at the foot of the northerne cliffes the castle on the top of the easterne cliffes called the Castell Raie so as there is a naturall baie through the which from by north issueth a proper riuer entring into the same baie thense runneth through the hauen into the sea In times past vntill of late yeares that onelie â—aie hath serued them for a rode and at manie times in some sort hath stood the nauie but especiallie the fisher botes in good sted For in a great northerlie and westerlie wind the ships were driuen from the Downs and the foreland to repaire thither where they might lie safelie vntill the wind blew great from by east or south then were they