time to appear and all publique Affairs happily succeeded henceforward both to the King and his People Doctor Walter k Holinst Eng. Chron. p. 1002. Burleigh or Burley who had been bred up in Merton College in the famous University of Oxford was at this time of such Fame for learning and piety that he was taken into Queen Philippa's Service at her first coming into England and became her Almoner still encreasing in great Estimation at Court Insomuch that when this Young Prince Edward was able to learn his Book this Doctor was appointed to be his Tutor whereupon Simon Burley who was son to Sr. John Burley a near Kinsman of the Doctors was admitted among other young Gentlemen to be School-fellow with this Hopefull Prince By which occasion he wan so much upon the Princes Favour that afterwards by his means he was advanced to great Honour being in time made Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and also had the Government and Education of the Prince's Son Richard of Bourdeaux comitted to his Trust As for the Young Prince Edward the King his Father by l Ashmole p. 670. Sand-Geneal Hist p. 181. ex Cart. 7. Ed. 3. m. 4. ex Pat. 7. Ed. 3. p. 1. m 13. his Charters dated the Eighteenth of May in the Seventh Year of his Reign when he was but in the Third Year of his Age granted unto him by the Title of Edward his most Dear and Eldest Son the County of Chester the Castles of Chester Beston Rothelan and Flint and all his Lands there as also the Cantred and Land of Englefield with their Appurtenances to him and his Heirs Kings of England together with all Knights-Fees Advowsons Liberties Royalties and all other things belonging to the said County Castles Lands and Cantreds as well in England as in Wales and the Marches thereof as fully and under the same Conditions as himself had received them before he was King from which time he had the Title of Earl of Chester added to his Style But intending to enable him yet better to maintain this his Dignity the next day the King gave him all the Corn as well in Granges as growing on the Ground as also all the Arms Victuals Cattle Goods and Chattels in all the said Castles Lands and other Places to him before granted together with all Debts Arrearages of Accounts and other Services due to himself But in the m Cart. 11. Ed 3. n. 55. Eleventh Year of his Reign and the Seventh of this Princes Age upon the Death of John of Eltham Earl of Cornwall the King created him Duke of Cornwall as appears by his Charter of Creation bearing Date the 17 of March the same Year investing him by the Sword only which was the first Precedent for the Creation of the Title of Duke with us in England At the same time the King setled upon him divers Mannors and Franchises expresly set down in the said Charter for the better support of his Ducal State and Honour all which thô some lay in other Counties were thereby made part of the Dutchy of Cornwall And further by Letters Patents dated the same day he granted unto him the Stanneries in Cornwall together with the Coinage of Tynn and all the Issues and Profits thence arising as also the Profits and Perquisits of the Courts of the Stanneries except only a 1000 Marks granted to William Montagu then Earl of Salisbury and his Heirs out of the Issues thereof till Lands were provided for the said Earl of that yearly Value And afterwards granted that all the Castles Honours Mannors Lands and Tenements belonging to the Dukedom or Earldom of Cornwall which were held in Dower or for term of Life or Years whose Reversions belonged to the King should remain to this Prince as Duke still as they fell and to the Eldest Sons of him and his Heirs as Dukes of the foresaid Dukedom After this in the Parliament held in the Seventeenth of this King his Father he n 12 Maii Car. 17. Ed. 3. m. 24. n. 27. Created him Prince of Wales and invested him with a Coronet a Gold Ring and a Silver Rod And the better to support his State as Prince of Wales he gave him several Lands which are all particularly enumerated in a Writt directed to William Emeldon to deliver them unto this Prince or his Attourney He also gave him all Debts and Arrears of Foreign Rents due to himself for what cause soever in North-Wales and South-Wales to the time of his being created Prince of Wales as also all Victuals Arms Horses and other Cattel Goods and Chattels in all the Castles and Lands which he held by the Kings Grant. After all which this Noble Prince was made Knight of the Garter at the First Institution of that Famous Order and lastly Prince of Aquitain in France and for his Courage and Conduct his Policy and Courtesie became in time the most Renowned Captain in the World being for his Dreadfull Deeds in War as most agree sirnamed by the French le Neoir or the Black-Prince VI. In these Days the Young King of England finding himself a Father began indeed to play the Man and thô he was then but 18 Years of Age takes a resolution to govern his Realm no more by Others but Himself in Person hearing and learning the Truth in weighty Affairs and distributing Justice and Mercy to such who should lay the best claim to either But while Mortimer held his present Station 't was not possible the King should be Master of his own Purposes Now therefore to him we hasten who seems already to have been too long free from that Vengeance which always pursues ambitious and bloody Traitors Of his Treachery and Cruelty we had no small Instances before But by a certain fatal Ordinance that wicked Men must of themselves advance and further their own Ruine his insupportable Arrogance and too opiniative Security thence proceeding was the chief Occasions of his suddain Downfall In the Quindenes of St. Michael the King holding a Parliament at Nottingham Mortimer appear'd in such splendour and so well attended that he became both the Envy and Terror of all the Kings Friends no man durst name him by any other Title than his new-acquired but much-envy'd one the Earl of March And his Interest and possessions bound those to him whom his Power could not move For in these days he bore such sway that he obtain'd whatever he had a mind to as appears by these following Grants from the Young King who by his o Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 146. Cart. 4. Ed. 3. n. 64. Charter dated this Year besides all he had got before granted unto him the Castle and Mannor of Hanley with the Chaces of Malverne and Cors in the Counties of Worcester and Glocester also the Town of Wiche in Worcestershire with the Castle of Clifford and Mannor of Glasebury part of the Possessions of Hugh Spencer the younger not yet free from
Vol. p. 192. b. Others say to Robert Lord Vere Earl of Oxford thô the Truth is that Earl being her first Husband and dying the next Year she was afterwards taken in Marriage by the foresaid Lord Berkley Maud the Fifth Daughter of this Mortimer was married to John Son and Heir of Sr. John Charleton Lord of Powis the Sixth Daughter Blanch to Peter Lord Grandesson and lastly the Lady Beatrix was first wife to Edward Son and Heir of Thomas of Brotherton Earl of Norfolk and the Kings Uncle after whose immature Decease she was married to Sr. Thomas Lord Braose But all these Possessions and Strength of Allyance were too weak to secure him from the Wrath of an Injur'd King and the Vengeance that his Immoderate Ambition drew upon him After this Sentence thus pronounced on Mortimer the Earls and Barons with one Voice declared in Parliament that Sr. Simon Bereford e M.S. R.P. p. 10. §. 2. S. Rob. Cotton p. 6. c. Stow p. 230. Knighton p. 2558. §. 50. Brother to Justice Bereford whom others by mistake call Bedford was ever consulting assenting and assisting to the said Roger in all his Seditions Treasons Felonies and Misdemeanours and was equally with him guilty of the Murther of the late King and his principal Abettor in all other Wickedness Wherefore the like Judgment being pronounced on him the Lord Marshall in like manner saw him Executed on the Monday next after St. Thomas the Apostle being the f M.S. R.P. ib. 24 of December and Christmass Eve thô the 16 day of January is set down in g Knighton ib. Knighton whose Works swarm with such Mistakes of Names and Times and Numbers by reason of the old and imperfect Copies whence the Edition was made The same Judgment was given against Sr. John Maltravers senior Sr. Thomas h M.S. R.P. ib. §. 5. Sr. Râ—b Cotton c. Gournay and Sr. William Ogle who were all fled for Murdering the late King and large Promises were made to those should apprehend them but as for Sr. John Maltravers it was proclaim'd that whoever brought him in alive should have a thousand Marks or for bringing his Head five hundred The like Judgment passed upon i M.S. Sr. Rob. Cottons Abridgm ibid. Sr. John Daverill Captain of Corfe Castle who had been instrumental in contriving the Death of the King's Uncle late Earl of Kent and accordingly he was k Speed p. 568. b executed as he well deserved 'T is said l Stâ—w p. 230. this Sr. John Daverill was desirous to make open Confession of the manner of the late Kings Death but by the cunning of some who feared to be touched therein he was not permitted Besides all these one Sr. m M.S. Sr. Rob. Cotton ibid. Bogo of Bayonne mention'd in the preceding Confession of Edmund late Earl of Kent and so by all likelihood concerned in the Plot against the said Earls Life was by Proclamation required to be apprehended and a considerable Reward set for him that should bring him in alive or dead But that ever he was taken I do not find thô Sr. Thomas Gournay was this very Year taken at Marseilles in France and as they were bringing him over for England was by secret Order from some at Court who feared to be touched in his Confession beheaded on the Sea. In this Parliament it was n M. S. ibid. § 6. Sr. Rob. Cotton ibid. Enacted That thô the Lords and Peers of the Realm had for this time in the Kings Presence proceeded as Judges to give Judgment upon those that were no Peers yet hereafter this should be no Precedent to draw them to give Judgment on any Other but their Peers in case of Treason or Felony It was o §. 7. also Enacted That William Merton Archbishop of York Stephen Gravesend Bishop of London William Abbot of Longdon William Lord Zouch of Mortimer and many Others who had been agreed with Edmund late Earl of Kent to work the Delivery of King Edward the Second and had been thereof impeached should now be wholly Acquitted and fully Restored to all their Goods and Possessions Also p §. 8. That whosoever had took Arms with Henry Earl of Lancaster at Bedford or had been concerned in the Matter of Edmund late Earl of Kent should be released of all Fines for that reason laid upon them and that their Lands which were therefore seized into the Kings Hands should be restored with the main Profits saving that if they have any Lands of the Kings Gift the same be of the like Condition as Others who have Lands of his Gift And therefore the King pardoneth Henry q §. 9. Earl of Lancaster and all those who took part with him all Fines and Ransoms whatsoever Accordingly we find that soon r Knighton p. 2558. n. 60. after upon the fame of Mortimers Fall and the knowledge of this Pardon Sr. Thomas Lord Wake Hugh Lord Audely Henry Lord Beaumont Sr. Thomas Rosselin Sr. William Trussel Sr. Thomas Withers and the Rest whom Mortimers power had forced beyond the Seas returned from France to London where they were received as became their Loyalty being by the King freely restored to all their Lands Honours and Possessions The Å¿ M.S. p. 11. §. 10. Sr. Rob. Cotton c. Mayor of London complaining that some of the said Earl of Lancaster's Company being now pardon'd did threaten such of the Citizens as had before resisted them the King thereupon commandeth that neither Party should presume to seek any Revenge on pain of Imprisonment Edmund the t §. 11. Parl. Anno 4. Ed. 3. p. 1. M. S. ibid. §. 12. Paten 5. Ed. 3. Eldest Son of Edmund late Earl of Kent and Margaret his Mother Countess of Kent by their several Petitions require that the Record made against the said Earl of Kent may be for the Errors therein wholly Reversed Whereupon the King restores the said Edmund the Son to the Blood and Lands of the said Earl his Father whereof he died seised in Fee with Dower to the Countess saving to the King the Keeping and Wardship of the same during the Nonage of the said Edmund the Son. And to put u §. 13. Sr. Rob. Cotton a stop to all malicious and perjur'd Informers as well as to give a publique Security to Men's Minds it was now Enacted that no Peer of the Land nor other Person who had any way assisted in procuring the Death of the said Edmund late Earl of Kent should hereafter be Impeached thereof excepting only the foresaid Earl of March Sr. Simon Bereford Sr. John Maltravers senior Sr. Bogo of Bayonne and Sr. John x In M.S. Bervervil per incatiam Amanuensis apud Sr. Rob. Cotton Berveroile c. Daverill Here y M.S. p. 12. §. 14. Sr. Rob. Cotton p. 7. Richard Fitz-Alan Eldest Son of Edmund late Earl of Arundel who by the Queen Mother had been beheaded
Belleville the City and Castle of Sainctes and all the Land and Country of Sainctogne on this side and on that side the Charente l This Clause omitted in Du Chesne's Copy sed ea Johannis Regis Franciae Recapitulatione alâ—is addo res â—â—sa prebat la Rochelle Angis traditam with the Town and Castle of Rochelle and their Appurtenances The City and Castle of Agen and the Land and Country of Agenois The City and Castle and the whole Earldom of Perigeux and the Land and Country of Perigort The City and Castle of Limoges and the Land and Country of Limosin The City and Castle of Cahors and the Land and Country of m i.e. Quercy Cahorsin The City Castle and Country of Tarbe The Land Country and Earldom of Bigorre The Earldom Land and Country of Gaure The City and Castle of Angoulesme and the Earldom Land and Country of Angoulesmâ—is The City and Castle of Rodes and the Land and Country of Rovergue And if there are any Lords as the Earl of Foix the Earl of Armagnac the Earl of L'Isle the n Hunc addo eâdem ratâ—one quâ clrâ—sulam super◠〈◊〉 Vicount of Carmaine the Earl of Perigort the Vicount of Limoges and Others who hold any Lands or Places within the Bounds of the said Places they shall make Homage to the King of England and all other Services and Duties due because of their Lands or Places in like manner as they have done in time passed 2. Item That the King of England shall have all that which the King of England or any of the Kings of England anciently held in the Town of Monstrevil on the Sea. 3. Item the King of England shall have the Earldom of Ponthieu all entirely saving and excepting that if any things of the said County and its Appurtenances have been alienated by the Kings of England which have been to other Persons than to the King of France then the King of France shall not be obliged to render them to the King of England And if the said Alienations have been made to the Kings of France which have been for the time without any o i.e. Middle Person Mean and the King of France holds them at present in his Hand he shall leave them to the King of England entirely excepting that if the Kings of France have had them in Exchange for other Lands the King of England shall deliver to the King of France that which he had by Exchange or quit those things so alienated But if the Kings of England which have been for the time have alienated or conveyed any things to other Persons than to the King of France he shall not be obliged to restore them Also if the things abovesaid owe Homages the King shall give them to another who shall do Homage to the King of England and if the things do not owe Homage the King of France shall put in a Tenant who shall do him Service within a Year following after he shall be gone from Calais 4. Item That the King of England shall have the Castle and Town of Calais The Castle Town and Lordship of Merk the Castles Towns and Lordships of Sangate Cologne Hames Wale and Oye with the Lands Woods Marishes Rivers Rents Lordships Advousons of Churches and all other Appurtenances and Places lying between the Limits and Bounds following That is to say to the Border of the River before Graveling and so by the same River round about Langle and by the River which runs beyond the Poil and by the same River which falls into the great Lake of Guisnes as far as Fretun and thence by the Vally about p i.e. Chalkhill Calculi Hill enclosing that Hill and so to the Sea with Sangate and all its Appurtenances 5. Item That the King of England shall have the Castle Town and the whole Earldom of Guisnes entirely with all the Lands Towns Castles Fortresses Places Men Homages Lordships Woods Forests and Rights thereof as entirely as the Earl of Guisnes last deceased had them in his Time and that the Churches and the good People being within the Limitations of the said Earldom of Guisnes of Calais and Merk and of other Places abovesaid shall obey the King of England in like manner as they obey'd the King of France or the Earl of Guisnes for the time being All which things of Merk and Calais being contained in this present Article and the Article next preceding the King of England shall hold in Demaine except the Heritage of the Churches which shall remain to the said Churches entirely wheresoever they be and so except the Heritages of other People of the Country of Merk and Calais seated without the said Town of Calais unto the value of an Hundred Pounds per annum of currant Money of that Country and under Which Inheritances shall remain to them even to the Value abovesaid and under But the Habitations and Inheritances being within the said Town of Calais with their Appurtenances shall remain to the King of England in Demain to order them after his Pleasure And also to the Inhabitants in the Countie Town and Land of Guisnes shall remain all their Demains entirely and fully and shall return to them again forthwith save what is said of the Frontiers Metes and Bounds in the last preceding Article 6. Item It is accorded that the said King of England and his Heirs shall have and hold all the Isles adjacent to the Lands Countries and Places above-named together with all other Islands which the King of England holdeth at this present 7. Item It is accorded that the said King of France and his Eldest Son the Regent for them and for all their Heirs and Successors as soon as may be and at the furthest by the Feast of St. Michael next coming in one Year without fraud or deceit shall render yield and deliver to the said King of England and to all his Heirs and Successors and shall convey unto them all the Honours Obediences Homages Allegiances Vassalages Fiefs Services Recognisances Rights mere and mixt Empire and all manner of Jurisdictions High and Low Resorts Safeguards Advousons Patronages of Churches and all manner of Dominions and Superiorities and all the Right which they have or may have had which did appertain doth appertain or might appertain by any Cause Title or Colour of Right to them to the Kings and to the Crown of France by occasion of the Cities Counties Castles Towns Lands Countries Isles and Places before-named and of all their Appurtenances and Dependances wheresoever they shall be and of every of them without retaining or holding back any thing to them to their Heirs or Successors or to the Kings or to the Crown of France And also the said King and his Eldest Son shall command by their Letters Patents all Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates of Holy Church and also all Earls Vicounts Barons Nobles Citizens and Others whatsoever of the Cities Counties Lands
Damsels and Virgins Dehonestation of Married Women and Widows Burning of Towns Abbeys Mannors and Edifices Robberies and Oppressions a Disuse of the Roads and Ways Justice faileth the Christian Faith is waxen cold and Merchandise decayeth and so many other Mischiefs and horrible Deeds have ensued thereupon that the Numbers thereof cannot be said nor written Whereby those of our Realm and of other Realms in Christendom have sustained many Afflictions and Irreparable Losses Wherefore We considering and revolving the Evils aforesaid and how it is probable that Worser may follow in time to come and having great Pity and Compassion of our Good and Loyal People who so firmly and Loyally have bore themselves for so long a time in true Constancy and Obedience towards Vs by exposing their Bodies and their Goods to all Dangers without declining expences or charges whereof We ought to keep a perpetual Remembrance We have therefore several times yielded to a Treaty of Peace chiefly by means of the Honourable Fathers in God several Cardinals and Messengers of our Holy Father the Pope our Beloved and Faithfull the Abbot of Cluigny Father Simon de Langres Professor in Divinity Master of the Order of Fryars-Preachers and Hugh de Geneve Lord of Autun who were then with the said King of England in his Host and went and came so often between Charles our most Dear Eldest Son and between the said King of England our Brother and in sundry places held Treaties on the one Part and on the Other to Confer and Treat of a Peace between Vs who were then in England and the said King of England and the Realms of the One and of the Other And at last they assembled the Treaters and Procurators on the part of Vs and of our said Son for the Matters above written and the special Deputies Procurators and Treaters of our Nephew the Prince of Wales Eldest Son of the said King of England our Brother having Power and Authority from his said Father in that part at Bretigny near Chartres At which place it was conferred treated and accorded by the Treaters and Procurators of the One Part and of the Other concerning all the Discords Dissentions and Wars which We and the said King of England our Brother have had One against the Other The Which Treaty and Peace the Procurators of our Son for Vs and for Him and our said Nephew the Prince of Wales Eldest Son of the said King our Brother for his Father and himself sware on the Holy Gospels to hold and maintain And after that our said Son sware solemnly for Vs and for Himself and our said Nephew the Prince of Wales having Power thereto sware for his said Father our Brother and for Himself and We after these things thus done and unto Vs reported and declared considering that the said King of England our Brother had agreed and consented to the said Treaty and would hold keep and accomplish that and the Peace on his part the same Treaty and Peace being undertaken by advice and consent of sundry of our Blood and Lineage Prelates of Holy Church Dukes Earls as well Peers of France as others Clergy and Men of the Church Barons Knights and other Nobles Burgesses and other Wise Men of our Realm to appease the Wars and the Evils and Griefs aforesaid wherewith the People had been so hardly used rather than for our Deliverance to the Honour and Glory of the King of Kings and for Reverence of Holy Church of our Holy Father the Pope and of his said Messengers have consented and do consent unto and ratifie admit and approve thereof And whereas by the said Treaty and Peace We ought to deliver and resign and do give deliver and resign as is contained in our other Letters made therefore more fully unto our said Brother the King of England for ever for Him and his Heirs and Successors to hold perpetually and for ever all those things which follow in like manner as We and our said Son or any of our Ancestors Kings of France have held them in time past That is to say what is in Sovereignty to hold in Sovereignty and what in Demaine to hold in Demaine namely the City Castle and Earldom of Poctiers and all the Land and Country of Poictou also the Fief of Thoüars and the Land of Belleville the City and Castle of Sainctes and all the Land and Country of Sainctogne on this and on that side the Charente the Town and Castle of Rochelle and their appurtenances the City and Castle of Agen and the Land and Country of Agennois the City Castle and Earldom of Perigeux and the Land and Country of Perigort the City and Castle of Limoges and the Land and Country of Limosin the City and Castle of Cahors and all the Land and Country of Quercy the City Castle and Country of Tarbe the Land Country and Earldom of Bigorre the Earldom Land and Country of Gaure the City and Castle of Angoulesme and the Earldom Land and Country of Angoulesmois the City and Castle of Rodes and the Land and Country of Rouvergue and moreover that which the King of England or any of the Kings of England anciently held in the Town of Montrevil upon the Sea and its appurtenances Item the County of Ponthieu all entirely save and except according to the Tenor of the Article contained in the said Treaty which makes mention of the said County Item the Town and Castle of Calais the Town and Lordship of Merk the Towns Castles and Lordships of Sangate Coulogne Hames Wale and Oye with the Lands Woods Marishes Rivers Rents Lordships and other things contained in the said Article Item the Castle Town and Earldom of Guisnes all entirely with all the Lands Towns Castles Forts Places Men Homages Lordships Woods Fees and Rights according to the Tenour of the Article making mention thereof more fully in the said Treaty and the Isles adjacent to the Lands Countries and Places aforenamed together with all other Islands which the said King of England holdeth at present or held at the time of the said Treaty And whereas by the Form and Tenor of the said Treaty and Peace We and our said Brother the King of England owe and have promised by Faith and by Oath One to the Other and are bound We and our said Brother and our Eldest Sons aforesaid by obligation and promises by Faith and by Oath made on the One Part and on the Other certain Renunciations the One to the Other according to the Form and Tenor of two Articles contained among others in the said Treaty and Peace the Form whereof is this Item it is accorded that the King of France and his Eldest Son the Regent for them and for their Heirs and for all the Kings of France and their Successors as soon as may be and at the farthest by the Feast of St. Michael next coming in one Year without fraud or deceit shall render yield and deliver to the said King of
Charges of the Government §. 9. the Lords and Commons grant unto the King the like Subsidy of Woolls Skins and Wooll-Fells as was granted in the last Parliament to endure for Three Years from the Feast of St. Michael then next ensuing Then an Order was devised by the Commons §. 10. that the King should have at least Ten or Twelve Counsellours without whom no weighty Matter should pass and for small Matters at least Six or Four of them Whereunto the King granted provided that the Chancellour Treasurer and Keeper of the Privy Seal should by q His M. Sm. Corrigo ex Sr. Rob. Cotton their selves end all Matters belonging to their Offices and that these Counsellours should take no Rewards That no other of the Kings Officers and Ministers do take any Reward for any thing touching their Offices §. 11. That Report of Matters of Council shall be made to the King by some One or Two of the Council appointed §. 12. and by no others That all Ordinances made by the King and his Council shall be by all the Kings Officers Executed §. 13. That the Ordinance forbidding any Man within London §. 14. or elsewhere to sell sweet Wine by Retail is Repealed and that every Freeman may sell such Wines in London by Retail so as always the Lord Mayor have the Disposing of the Price thereof After this the Commons in full Parliament making Protestation of their due Allegiance to the King §. 15. declared That if he had Faithfull Counsellours and Officers he could not but have passed all other Princes in Treasure considering that the Ransoms of the Kings of France and of Scotland were to him paid besides the great Subsidies here And therefore they require that the Falshoods and Deceits of certain of the Kings Council and other Persons may be enquired after and punished whereby he might long maintain his Wars without any Imposition on the Commons and namely if due Enquiry be made as to Three Things viz. First §. 16. of such of the Council as convey Staple Ware and Bullion to other Places than to Calais for their own private turn Secondly of such as made shifts for Money for the King deceitfully Lastly of such as of Coven between certain of the Council and them bought of sundry the Kings Subjects Debts due by the King to them for the Tenth and Twentieth Peny Here Richard Lyon §. 17. Merchant of London was accused by the Commons of divers Deceits Extortions and other Misdemeanours as well for the time that he had repair to certain of the Kings Council as for the time that He was Farmer of the Kings Subsidies and Customs and namely for obtaining Licences to convey over great r Ibi Foizen i.e. Copia Quantities of Wooll and Staple-ware for devising the Change of Money for making the King for one Å¿ Chevisance i.e. Merces Mercimenium c. Chevisance of twenty Marks to pay 30 l. For buying of Divers Mens Debts due t To in M.S. c. sed puto non rectè from the King for small Value For taking special Bribes to pay the Kings due Debts by way of Broakage all which it should seem he must do not without secret practice with some of the Council To some part of which Articles the said Richard answereth §. 18. and touching the Rest submitteth himself to the Kings Pleasure as to Body Lands and Goods Whereupon the said Richard is committed to Prison §. 19. during the Kings Will and all his Lands Tenements and Goods order'd to be seised to the Kings Use And as to the Extortion done §. 20. while He was Farmer of the Subsidies and Customs Order was taken that by Commission throughout England it should be enquired into And further the said Richard Lyon was disfranchised William Lord Latimer was openly accused by the Commons for divers Oppressions §. 21. by him done as well while he served under the King in Bretagne as for the time he was Chamberlain to the King and of his Council Namely for that in Bretagne He and his Officers had taken of the People there in Victuals and Ransoms against the Kings Will to the Value of 24000 l. and at another time an Hundred Thousand u Sr. Roh Cotton Essentes pro Escutes Scutes of Gold whereof was never answer'd to the King One Peny The particulars of all which are to be seen in the Records The same Lord Latimer was also accused for Victuals sold in Bretagne to the Value of Ten Thousand x Itâ M.S. sed Franks apud Sr. Rob Cotton Marks as also for the Loss of the Town and Fort of St. Saviour in Normandy whilst He was Captain there and likewise of the Town of Becherel in Bretagne and of other Towns and Forts §. 22 23. §. 24. Besides all which it was urg'd that He was partaker of all the Crimes of Richard Lyon aforesaid y Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 32. and that he had withheld from the King divers great Sums of Money which he had received for the Kings behoof §. 25. while he was Governour of Becherel in Bretagne that whilest he was of the Kings Council he had unnecessarily expended his Treasure and likewise that He had obtain'd Letters Patents to transport Woolls into other Places besides the Staple at Calais and laid Impositions upon Woolls without consent of Parliament to the prejudice of that Staple To all which the said Lord Latimer §. 26. saving the Tryal of his Peers offer'd to answer any particular Person but that the Commons would not allow insisting on this general Charge only Whereupon the said Lord answer'd every Objection §. 27. and as it should seem by the Record very well voided them in open Parliament Notwithstanding a Dugd ibid. â—â—â—ipso Recorde at the Desire of the Lords and Commons He was not only put out of all his Offices and Employments but Order'd to be committed to the Marshalsea §. 28. untill he should make Fine and Redemption for the same at the Kings Pleasure Besides all which an Order was made * §. 36. that the Prior of Egglefield an Alien should exhibit his Bill of Complaint against the said Lord Latimer concerning the Parsonage of Egglefield which the said Lord had wrongfully recover'd against the said Prior. But to avoid the Fury of this Tempest the Lord Latimer prudently submitted for the present only as to his Imprisonment he found certain Lords and others * § 29.30 his Mainprisers for the forth coming of his Body during the Parliament as by a Schedule doth appear Wherein his Mainprisers are found to have been One Archbishop Three Bishops One Prior of St. John Three Earls Fifteen Lords and Thirteen Knights all their Degrees of the best Renown Upon which Mainprise the Marshal of England offer'd him to be at large So that after all this upon the ending of
Lancaster founds an Hospital at Leicester The Pope's Opinion about the Souls of the Departed The Lord Douglas dies in Spain Edward Bailiol claims the Crown of Scotland Hector and Buchanan found tardy King Edward represses certain Outlaws A Parliament The Earl of Oxford dies John of Luxemburgh King of Bohemia conquers in Italy From p. 55. to p. 65. Chap. V. A Parliament The true Grounds of the Scotch War. A Recapitulation of the Scotch Affairs The Scots Preparations against the War from England King Edward's preparations against Scotland A Parliament at York The Earl of Gueldre marries King Edward's Sister Edmund the young Earl of Kent dies Queen Philippa deliver'd of a Daughter From p. 65. to p. 70. Chap. VI. The Lord Robert of Artois flies into England King Edward summons the Scotch King to his Homage and on his refusal defies him and lays siege to Barwick The Ancestry of James Cecil the present Earl of Salisbury A Combat The Battle of HALIDOUN where King Edward obtains a mighty Victory King Bailiol prosecutes the War in Scotland King David flies into France King Bailiol plays the King in his Absence The Death of an Archbishop a Bishop and a Lord. From p. 70. to p. 83. Chap. VII A Parliament at York King Bailiol does Homage to King Edward as likewise the Duke of Bretagne A Council at Nottingham A Parliament at Westminster King Edward designing for the Holy Land sends Ambassadors to the French King. King Bailiol displeases his Friends and growing weak thereupon reconciles them and recovers King Edward goes towards Scotland The Lord Edward Bohun drown'd From p. 83. to p. 88. Chap. VIII King Philip of Valois undertakes the Croisade but doubting King Edward sifts Him first He rejects K. Edward's Conditions The first Seeds of the French War. Hugh Courtney made Earl of Devonshire A Parliament at York King Edward's Scotch Expedition The Earl of Namur taken by the Scots and the Earl of Murray by the English John Earl of Cornwall's Success in Scotland King Philip of Valois tryes King Edward again The Scotch Nobles submit to King Edward King Philip makes frustrate their Agreement David Earl of Athol slain Two Prodigies with the Death of two great Barons From p. 89. to p. 101. Chap. IX Certain English Lords besiege Dunbar but in vain King Edward orders King Bailiol to take the Field and soon after joyns him King Philip sends a Fleet against England King Edward commissions his Admirals to defend the English Seas He heaps up Money for the War but makes fair Overtures for Peace His Considerations on the French War and the Opinion of his Council thereon His Embassy to the Earl of Hainalt The two Kings put themselves in a Posture John Earl of Cornwall dies A Scotch Tale of his death refuted The Earl of Lincoln dies The Queen of England deliver'd of her Second Son William of Hatfield A Comet with other Prodigies From p. 101. to p. 108. Chap. X. King Edward's second Embassy to the Earl of Hainalt Five hundred English Voluntiers under a Vow King Edward's Methods to reduce the Flemings The Rise and Power of Jacob van Arteveld King Edward makes his Son the Black-Prince Duke of Cornwall and creates seven Earls A Parliament Affairs of Ireland All Aliens Lands seised into the Kings Hands and let to Farm. The Earl of Hainalt dies King Edward challenges the Crown of France and makes Friends in the Empire King Philip attempts the Flemings in vain He sets a Garrison in Cadsant which King Edward beats out King Edward treats with King Philip but finding no good there treats with his Allies The Pope interceeds From p. 108. to p. 120. Chap. XI A Parliament The Cardinals with King Edward's Commissioners return into France Their Overtures rejected King Edward at Antwerp summons his Allies with whom he holds a Parliament and another at Halle He sends to the Emperour and invites his Queen over She is deliver'd at Antwerp of her Third Son Prince Lionel Thomas of Brotherton the King's Vncle dies Naturalization An Enterview between the Emperour and King Edward who is made Lieutenant of the Empire King Edward holds a Parliament in Brabant A Day limited for the Confederate Lords to joyn King Edward who keeps his Court at Antwerp The Duke of Brabant makes fair with the French King. The Black-Prince holds two Parliaments in his Father's Name and obtains a mighty Aid for him The English Navy reinforced From p. 120. to p. 125. Chap. XII King Edward prepares to open the Campaign His Letters to the Pope and Cardinals setting forth his Right to the Crown of France The Pope's Answer thereto From p. 126. to p. 133. Chap. XIII King Edward summons the German Lords to meet at Mechlin They altogether send their Defiances to King Philip. The Lord Walter Manny begins the War. The Earl of Salisbury makes an Incursion into the Bishoprick of Liege The French King's Preparations The French burn Southampton K. Edward lays siege to Cambray And on King Philip's approach rises to meet him The two Kings face one another at Vironfoss A Day appointed for a Decisive Battle King Philip steals away King Edward returns to Antwerp sends for his Eldest Son and keeps Christmass there The Pope's Letters to King Edward The King's Answer Two Parliaments at Westminster From p. 134. to p. 153. Chap. XIV King Edward holds a Parliament at Brussels where he assumes the Arms and Style of France The Reasons why he did so The Queen of England deliver'd of her Fourth Son at Gaunt King James the Second his Pedigree from him by the Mothers Side A Copy of King Edward's Letters Monitory to his French Subjects He returns into England informs the Pope of his Reasons for using the Style and Arms of France The Pope's Answer From p. 154. to p. 162. Chap. XV. The Lord Oliver Ingham routs a French Army King Philip reinforces his Navy and sends to wast the Lord John of Hainalt's Lands The Lord Walter Manny's Brother slain The French King orders an Invasion upon the Lands of the Earl of Hainalt who therefore sends him a Defiance and having revenged himself on the French makes an Allyance with King Edward John Duke of Normandy invades Hainalt King Philip procures the Pope to interdict Flanders Jacob van Arteveld invites the Earl of Salisbury to joyn him before Tournay the said Earl and the Earl of Suffolk's Eldest Son taken Prisoners sent to the French King their Lives saved by the Old King of Bohemia The Duke of Normandy's Success in Hainalt he returns to Cambray Mutual Inreads into France and Hainalt The Duke lays siege to the Castle of Thine l'Evesque The Earl of Hainalt goes to raise the Siege From p. 162. to p. 177. Chap. XVI A Parliament King Edward being inform'd of the strength of the French Navy makes himself strong takes the Sea and engages the French Fleet. His Victory at SCLUCE Neale Loring Knighted for his Valour King Edward's Letters to his Clergy How King
her Lands in that Kingdom had also been seized on From which Sr Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmore who having been clap'd into the Tower for Treason had made his escape into France as he was a most Politick and Vindicative Person took occasion to insinuate himself into the Queens Favour and by pretending to take her part against the Spencers the great Favourites of her Husband whom she extreamly hated involved her before she was aware into a Rebellion from which she could never extricate her self till she had ruin'd the King her Husband It is no way pleasant to me to relate the whole progress of that execrable Treason nor how the King of France being warned by King Edward durst not entertain any longer within his Dominions the Queen his Sister with this her Son Edward so that she was forced to flee to strangers for succour who being won by her charming tears adventur'd thô but a Few into this Kingdom where quickly encreasing their Numbers by a rash defection of the Giddy multitude they proceeded to the utmost Violations of Faith and Honour In short the old King at last was violently and illegally Depos'd and imprison'd thô with promise of security to himself AN. DOM. 1325. and the allowance of an Honourable Pension during life And our young Edward his eldest Son thô he could never be x Walsing hâ—st p 105. Hâ—â—â—nshead p 881. perswaded even to a Crown till he was made to believe his Father had desired it being at last won by the sight of his Father's seeming-voluntary Resignation which yet was extorted by fraudulent Promises and severe menaces took upon him the Crown and Government of this Kingdom III. Before this while the Realm was yet unsetled and the old King lay as then conceal'd in Wales y Sandford p. 158. He was by an Usurped Authority in an Assembly z Speed p. 564. Ashmole p. 644. of Lords met at Hereford the Queen and Sr Roger Mortimer being present made Custos or Lord Warden of the Kingdom by a common Decree bearing date the 20 of October whereupon all the Lords made him Homage and took an Oath of Allegiance to be Loyal to him as Lord Warden of England And on the twenty sixth of November following the Great Seal sent from the King his Father was deliver'd unto him at Martley Whereupon a a Walsingh hist p. 106. Sr The. de la Mere p. 8. l. 41. Parliament was summon'd to meet at Westminster about the Feast of Epiphany being called indeed in the old King's Name but the Briefs of Citation were signed by the Prince as Lord Warden of England In this Parliament thus called by his own Authority was the old King illegally depos'd when they had extorted his own consent to it by fair and foul means making so the young Prince believe that his Father had freely and willingly resign'd the Government of which matter we shall speak more largely when we come to relate the Murther of the said King Edward the Second But because many of our Historians lay some imputation upon the Name of King Edward the Third as if he was not wholly innocent of these Proceedings against his Father we are to consider the tenderness of his Age he being not then fourteen years old whereby he might very easily be impos'd upon by the treacherous subtlety of Mortimer and his Complices who were always about him also we should cast our eyes upon the severity he shew'd this same Mortimer when he understood the whole Treason nor is it a small sign of his innocence as to this point that he himself lived long and Reigned happily being blest with many Dutifull Children and that no other circumstance of his whole life can furnish us with any thing from whence we may suspect that he could be capable of so black and unnatural a Treason However b Ashmole p. 644 now the old King having resign'd the Crown great Preparations were made for this young Prince's Coronation he being on the 25 of January or the Conversion of St Paul and a c Lit. Dom. D. Sunday proclaimed King of England by Order and Consent of Parliament and Proclamations d Dugd. Warw. p. 165. a. were issued out in his Name declaring to the People that his Father the late King had made a Voluntary and free Resignation of his Regal Dignity to him as being his Eldest Son. And a week after by the direction of those who were Contrivers of this Revolution he was advis'd to Publish his Peace to the whole Kingdom which was done in these words Edward e Walsingh hist p. 105. Speed p. 565. Claus 1. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 28. by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain to N. Sheriff of S. Greeting Whereas the Lord Edward our Father late King of England by Common Council and Assent of the Prelates Earls Barons and other Lords as well as that of the whole Commonalty of the Realm did voluntarily resign the Government thereof willing and granting that We as his Eldest Son and Heir should take upon Us the Rule and Government of the Kingdom And We by the consent and advice of the Prelates Earls and Barons aforesaid yeelding herein to our Fathers good Pleasure have taken upon Us the Government of the said Realm and received as the manner is the Fealties and Homages of the said Prelates and Barons Desiring therefore that our Peace should be inviolably kept to the quiet and benefit of our Liege People We will and command that presently upon sight of these Presents you cause our Peace to be Proclaim'd thrô all your Bailywick charging all and every one in our Name under pain and peril of Disherison and loss of life and limb not to presume to infringe or violate our said Peace but every one to prosecute his Actions and Causes without any outrage whatsoever according to the laws and customs of our Kingdom For We are ready and ever shall be to exhibit and afford to all and singular Plaintiffs as well poor as rich full Justice in our Courts according to due Course of Law. Witness Our Self at Westminster l mo Februarii Annóque Regni nostri Primo On the f Sandford p. 158. H. Knighten p. 2550. Pat. 1. Ed. 3. p. 2. n. 13. same day being Sunday and the Vigil of the Purification was the young King by the hands of his Cozen Henry Earl of Lancaster first girded with the Sword of Knighthood at which time the King himself Knighted many others among whom were three g Sandford p. 109. Catal. Hono p. 575. Dagd 1. Vol. p. 145. 147. Sons of the Lord Mortimer That day he was Crowned at Westminster by the hands of h Ashmole calls him William by mistake vid. Godw. Catal. Bps. c. Walter Reginald Archbishop of Canterbury and thereupon as an Earnest of the many Advantages his People were to reap from his prosperous Reign a General Pardon
your Highness understand That I have unto me assenting almost all the Great Men of England with all their Apparel that is to say with Armour and Treasure exceeding much for to maintain and help your Quarrel so far forth that you shall be King again as you were before And thereto they have all sworn to me upon a Book as well Prelates as Earls and Barons c. This Letter Mortimer presently shew'd to the Queen telling her that Earl Edmund design'd to depose her Son wherefore she went to the King her Son and having shew'd him the Letter charged him on her Blessing to be avenged on him as on her deadly Enemy Upon her Importunities the King sent for him to Winchester where he was arrested thô it appears that in all the foresaid Proposals mention'd in his Confession which was thus made unto him by several Hands there was little or nothing of real Truth only these Emissaries invented those improbable Tales to abuse him or were by the same arts abused themselves so that it appears evidently but a contrivance against his Life Now to drive the matter home b Leland Coll. 1 Vol. p. 686. M.S. Vet. Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. c. 220. ubi tota hujus rei series accuratissimè describitur Sr. John Daverill Constable of Corfe Castle discover'd that Letter written by the said Earl to his Brother the King supposing him still living which Letter being produc'd by his inveterate Enemy the Earl of March in open Parliament he was found guilty by his Peers and had Judgment of Death passed on him Now when the Earl was condemned and remanded unto Prison c M.S. id ibid. the Lord Mortimer went straight to the Queen Mother's Appartment whom he found at Dinner and having obtain'd a private Conference told her how the Earl was condemned by way of Law to forfeit Life and Limb and his Heirs to be disinherited for ever upon his own plain Confession in full Court saving the Kings gracious Favour Wherefore said he I think it best for his Execution to be hasten'd without the Kings knowledge for if he once understand the whole Matter he 'll forgive him his Death and that will turn to our great Disadvantage if not utter Confusion because he was empeached by our means Whereupon Queen Isabell being thus urged by Mortimer caused a Warrant the next morning to be sent to the Bayliffs of Winchester to see speedy Execution done for his Brother the Earl-Marshall would by no means as his Office required concern himself in that matter and he was easily dispens'd withall as well by reason of his Relation to him as for Suspicion of him For it d Joh Harding c. 178. fol. 177. b. §. 8. 9. appear'd that he was infinitely dissatisfied as were all the Lords but those of Mortimers Faction thô being terrified by so great an example they durst not intercede with the King nor shew their displeasure But as we said Command was sent to the Bayliffs of the Town to see the Work done yet none could be procur'd to perform the ungratefull Office upon him e Knighton p. 2555. n. 40. Lit. Dom. G. from morning till the evening when a Wicked ribald out of the Marshalsea to save his own life thereby severed his Head from his Body on the 19 day of March being the Eve of St. Cuthbert and a Monday Besure Mortimer so well watch'd the King that day that no body could approach to inform him either of his Condemnation or of that Warrant for his so speedy Execution For when being done he heard of it with f Dudg Bar. 2 Vol. p. 93. b. l. 3. M. S. ibid. great sorrow he caused his Body to be decently interred in the Fryers Preachers at Winchester With whom also for form were accused Stephen Gravesend Bishop of London and William Abbot of Longdon who were acquitted but Sr. g Walfingh hist p. 110. Robert Taunton with some certain Carmelite Fryers and Predicants for a cloak to the Sham were condemned to perpetual Imprisonment the Provincials of the White h Stow p. 229. Carmelite Fryers and of the Black Preaching Fryers being banished Precepts also were issued out by command of Parliament to the i Dugd. Worw p. 699. a. id Bar. 1 Vol. p. 677. b. Sheriffs of Warwickshire Dorsetshire and Hantshire for the speedy Apprehension of Sr. John Peche whose Lands also were seised but both he and they shortly after restored Beside this William Archbishop of York and William Lord k Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 153. Zouch of Mortimer were impeached but soon after acquitted and their Goods and Lands restored Sr. l Dudg 1 Vol. 445. Fulk Fitz-Warine also had his Castle of Whitington seised but the next Year the King restor'd him to the possession thereof Nay the great Henry Earl of m Knighton p. 2555. n. 40. Lancaster with several of his Friends was apprehended by order from the Old Queen and the Earl of March but whether the Matter would hold no further or that they would seem to have respect to his Age and Nobility or by chance he escaped their Hands So that not one of all this Number was brought to Death upon this Account but only this Worthy and Heroick Prince who had least knowledge of the Matter Yet when by all this great Bussle they thought they had sufficiently established the Reputation of a Plot n Dudg 2 Vol. p. 93. Proclamations were presently issued out into all the Counties of England to give Notice that the Earl was put to death and for what Reason Thus fell this Mighty Prince the King 's own Uncle and a man of Extraordinary Courage and Integrity in the Flower of his Age for he had hardly compleated twenty o Nat. Augusti 5 to An. Dem. 1302. Walsing hist p. 48. Eight Years by the Contrivances of those whom He himself before he was aware had raised to that Power It is agreed on all hands He was innocent of the matter whereof He was accus'd and that if he had not he had never yet been made guilty of Treason but by those who had been guilty of Deposing and Murdering the Old King. Yet let us a little confider whether the Hand of God might not be in all this since at first he neglected to assist his own Brother against the Rebellious insolence of his Subjects but p Walsing hist p. 101. emnes rather countenanced all their Actions with his Presence that himself should thus pay for his Inadvertency in first rashly engaging to the Dissolution of his own Brothers Authority which afterwards he more inconsiderately endeavoured to raise out of the Grave As for his own Person I find no real Stain fix'd upon him by any and the manner of his Execution shews q Knighton p. 2555. n. 40. how Dear he was to the People not to say that by the Character of those who were his Enemies we may discern him to have been Loyal and
he would not as we shew'd before permit them to pass thrô his Land into that Realm he became so displeas'd at their presumption that by Advice of his Council he caused all the Castles Mannors and Lands belonging to the Lord Henry Vicount Beaumont the Chief of these Undertakers scituate and lying in the Counties of Warwick Leicester Nottingham and Derby to be seised into his Hands Thô soon after at the Parliament then sitting at Westminster upon further examination he had a full Restitution of all again Thus much can truly be said concerning this King's Reputation as to his Faith in this Matter Nor yet did he when the Term of the Truce was expired first seek an occasion against his Young Brother in Law. For we find that in his Parliament holden again at Westminster this Year on the Day h M.S. p. 18. Sr Rob. Cotton p. 12. §. 3. after the Nativity of our Lady being the Ninth of September and a Wednesday whereas the Parliament was only called as the Chancellor John Stratford Bishop of Winchester declared about the Irish Affairs and the King 's Personal Expedition thither for that was again resum'd and the French Voyage put off there was suddenly terrible News brought from the North of a Scotch Invasion which immediately turn'd all their Minds that way So that in a great Hurry the Parliament was Adjourn'd to York there to meet on the 25 of the said Month which was the Fryday before the Feast of St. Michael But before they brake up that Session the Prelates i M. S. p. 18. §. 3.4 Sr Rob. Cotton p. 13. § 3. by themselves the Lords by themselves and the Knights by themselves by their Petitions Advised his Majesty and Requested him not to depart the Land for any Affairs of Ireland only to send thither a new supply of Men and Money and himself to March with an Armed Power toward the North there to watch the Motions of Scotland Towards which Exploit they k M. S. ibid. Sr Rob. Cotton ibid. Walsing hypod p. 112. granted to the King one Fifteenth of the Temporality and a Tenth of all Cities and Burroughs so as the King would please to live of his own without grieving his Subjects by outragious Prises or such like Whereupon the King revoked the New Commissions for rearing of Tallages and promiseth from henceforth to * In Sr. R. Câ—â—ten 't is remise in M.S. raise remise the same according to the old Rate III. But that we may the better understand the Business in Hand it seems not unnecessary to give a short Account of the Scotch Affairs since the Invasion of Edward Bailiol the Conquerour of which we have made some Relation already in the Year foregoing After those frequent and memorable Victories the said Edward Bailiol was Proclaimed King of Scotland and Crowned at Scone in Opposition to King David His English Assistants were the Chief that both encouraged and in a manner enforced him to take this Title upon him they alledging That they fought for his Right to the Crown of that Kingdom which if now after such fair Beginnings he had not the Courage to own he would not deserve to obtain it But that if he accepted the Title of King it would confirm the Hands of his Friends and weaken those of his Enemies Besides 't was not unlikely to bring over many great Ones to his Party On these and other the like Considerations he accepted the Crown as we shew'd before and accordingly most of the Scotch Nobility came in to him Thô some did but dissemble to secure their own Estates till a Fairer occasion might be offer'd to declare themselves with more Advantage Soon after his Coronation that he might secure the Crown unto himself which he had taken upon him l Walinâ—â— â—â—st p. 114 Buchan l. 13. p. 288. he marched with his gallant little Army from Scone and had another Victory over the Rebel Scots at Roxborough where he took the Lord Andrew Earl of Murray and sent him prisoner to Durham These thick and manifold Losses thô able to have broke the Spirits of any but the hardy Scots did only make them more cauteous and put them almost against their nature upon subtle Contrivances now they saw how unsuccessfull their Forceable Opposition proved Whereupon m Knighton p. 2562. Walsing ibid. Patrick Earl of Dunbar Archimbald Douglas and Sr. John Randulph son to the Lord Thomas Randulph late Protector of Scotland with certain other Lords that were still in their hearts firm to King David's Interest did with subtlety require of King Edward Bailiol a Truce till the n 2 Febr. Feast of the Purification following that then by peaceable Treaty in full Parliament a perfect Union and Agreement might be made among these different Parties of the Scottish Nation The unwary Prince willing by any means to stop the further Effusion of his Subjects blood presently swallows this Bait accepts with joy this deceitfull Overture and either to shew his Confidence in his People or to create in them a confidence of his peaceable Inclinations freely dismisses the greater part of his Forces The Parliament was pretended to be held at Anan the chief Town in Anandale about 15 miles from Caerlile o 〈…〉 i.e. 25 Deâ—â—emb Buchan p. 2 â—â— vid. M.S. Vet. Ang. in â—â—bl C.C.C. c. 223. whither the perfidious Scots on Christmas Day being ten days before the Parliament was to sit coming suddenly upon their new King made a lamentable slaughter of his Friends who were about him he himself hardly escaping away on an Horse without either Bridle or Saddle But there he lost his only Brother the Lord Henry Bailiol a Man of singular valour with the Lords Walter Cumin and Richard Kirkeby only Alexander p Buchâ—n l. 13. p. 286. Bruce Earl of Carrick and Galloway had his Life spared at the intercession of the Lord John Randulph who was his Kinsman as well upon the account of his relation to King David as because he was one of the latest that yielded to the Bailiol But surely the Lord John Moubray of England was not now slain as Hector falsly affirms for we find q Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 127. a. b. by undoubted Records that he died not till 29 years after this time And here I must not omit to take further notice of the vanity of this Hector Boetius r Hector p. 314. who to advance his Nations Honour as he thinks sticks not to averr by a most notorious falshood that this Victory was obtain'd by a just Battle and after a long and doubtfull Fight Whereas not to mention that never any King went into battle deliberately with his Horse unbridled nor that it appears by Records that several of King Bailiols chief Abettors and Friends without whom he neither could nor would maintain a field particularly that the Lord Å¿ M.S. p. 17. §. 18. Sr. Rob. Câ—tton p. 12. §. â— Henry Beaumont was then
like unto Cherries but without any Stones let who can tell the Meaning of the Prodigy says Walsingham CHAPTER the TENTH The CONTENTS I. King Edward sends a fresh Embassy to the Earl of Heinalt with an account of 500 Gentlemen Voluntiers whose Captains were the Lord Walter Manny and the Lord James Audley with the success of the Ambassadors II. King Edward endeavors also to bring over the Flemings the Earl of Flanders puts to death the Lord Sigar of Courtray whereby he looses the Affections of his People who vanquish him in battle and put him to flight III. The Rise of Jacob van Arteveld in Gaunt his Popularity Power and Interest IV. The English Ambassadors make use of him to bring over the Flemings to the King their Master with their Success V. The King in Parliament creates his Son the Prince Duke of Cornwall and makes seven Earls the Prince at the same time dubbs twenty new Knights with other things relating to that Parliament and the Affairs of Ireland All the Lands of the Priors Aliens throughout England seised into the Kings Hands and by him let to farm VI. William the Good Earl of Heinalt dies an instance of his Justice and an account of a Divine Judgment upon an unnatural Sister William Son to the Good Earl succeeds the Countess Dowager goes into a Nunnery VII King Edward sends to demand the Crown of France and makes many Potent Friends in High-Germany and elsewhere King Philip seeks to draw off the Flemings to himself but in vain VIII King Philip sets a Garrison in Catsand to intercept the English Commissioners King Edward beats them out IX King Edward holds a Treaty of Peace with Philip and with his Allies for further enabling him in the War. X. The Pope intercedes The King calls a Parliament I. KING Edward the mean while not to slack his Business a 16 Decemb. Pat. 10. Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 6. Ashmole p. 646. sends a Commission to the Earl of Heinalt wherein he is stiled William Earl of Heinalt Holland and Zealand and Lord of Friseland our Father-in-Law and thereby constitutes him his Proctor to treat and agree with such Noblemen Persons of Note as he should think best touching both Alliances and Retainers He also sent Commissions with the like Power and under the same Date to William Marquis of Juliers the Kings Brother-in-Law he b Rittershusius in Tab. Com. Hollandiae Selandiae c. having married Joan Sister to Queen Philippa to Sr. John Montgomery Knight and to Doctor John Waweyn Canon of Darlington his Liegers in those Parts In April following a like Commission bearing Date the 19 of the said Month AN. DOM. 1337. An. Regni XI was issued to Henry Bishop of Lincoln William Lord Montagu and William Lord Clinton then newly made Earls and they immediately dispatch'd to the Earl of Heinalt on another Embassy far more honourable than before For it consisted of ten Great Batons and fourty other Knights c Frois c. 28. fol. 17. b. who were all fully instructed to treat further with the Earl and to article and conclude with such Lords of the Empire as by the said Earl had been nominated When they were come to Valenciennes each of them kept a great State and Port sparing for no Expence no more than if the King of England had been there in Person whereby they were highly extolled and respected by the People of those Parts In the Company of these English Knights there was a gallant Troop of young English Batchelors who had all their left Eyes hoodwink'd and clos'd up with a piece of Silk It was talk'd as if they had made a Vow to their Mistresses in England That they would never take off those Patches till they had passed into France and there performed some notable Exploit of Arms upon that Nation Some say d Lord Montaigne in his Essays l. 2. c. 25. that for all this they could never hear of any great Matter performed by any of them If not certainly 't is for want of Reading or Understanding For of this Resolute Company were no less than 500 Captains whereof were reported the young Lord Walter Manny that afterwards did Wonders in France and was the first that begun the War as we shall shew presently the young Lord Thomas Holland and also the noble Lord James Audely e Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 748. b. then not three and twenty Years of Age of whose valiant Acts and Heroick Exploits in the French Wars the Histories of both Nations make very honourable Mention In his Minority being under the Guardianship of Roger Lord Mortimer first Earl of March he was by him cheated into a Recognisance of ten thousand Marks which Debt as a Chattel became due to the King upon the Attaindure of the said Mortimer But his Majesty being soon convinced of his high Merit for thô so young he accompanied the King in all his Wars at his own Expences freely discharged him of that Summ. He bore for his Arms Gules a Fret Or and was afterwards one of that most honourable Company whom King Edward chose for his First Companions of the most Noble Order of the Garter and particularly in the Field of Poictiers he behav'd himself so eminently well that he obtain'd this Testimony of John then King of France to have best approved himself of any Knight whether French or English in Battle that day But I must not forestall the Reader by too long a Digression only this I thought necessary in order to refute the Lord Montaigne and to shew what kind of Gentlemen these were and that at least some of their Actions were not inferior to their Promises However this f Frois c. 28. f. 17. b. Vow of theirs was rumor'd as the occasion of those honourable Patches while they were at the Court of Earl William at Valenciennes thô they themselves would by no means acknowledge any such thing because the War was not yet declared These English Lords with their Company having thus for a while kept together in great splendor did notwithstanding all the while ply their Masters Business so well that by the g Ashmole p. 647. ex Rot. Aleman 11 Ed. 3. m. 9 10 11. 24 of May ensuing they had fully engaged divers of the Nobility and Others in Heinalt Gueldre and the Marquisate of Juliers to appear in the Kings Assistance against the French and withall settled the Proportion of Men and Arms wherewith each of them were to furnish the King in that Service together with the Stipends and Wages to be paid them in lieu thereof The mean time the h Frois ibid. Bishop of Lincoln taking some of the Chiefs with him rode to John Duke of Brabant who entertained them with much Honour and lighty accorded to their Motion Promising to sustain the King of Englands Quarrel to the best of his Power as well by Council as by Force of Arms That his Country should be open to his
even by the Law of Nature which neither any Prince nor any Law ought to infringe Besides it is now publiquely known every where how in Our Dukedom of Aquitain he has invaded and violated Our Rights flying upon our Lands and wasting those he could take Which having joyned to those he had seised before and without any Fear of God saying that he has Law at Will he still most injuriously detains As for the Scots whom the Rights of Ancient Times had made subject to Our Crown they by the Disloyal madness of Rebellion kicking against their Natural Lord were guilty of High Treason a Fault which they have continued down from Our Predecessors even unto Us. Yet with these that they might be the more enabled to offend Us he has in despight of Us enter'd a League Cherishing and Maintaining them in so ungratefull and black a Crime against Us thô by Right of Blood and Nature he ought rather to stand on our side And when all these Premises did not satisfie his unsatiate desire of abusing Us having collected all the Forces he could possibly bring together he prepared unawares to swallow Us up with the torrent of his Anger desiring to remove Us out of the World because perhaps by his own evil Designs against Us he measured Ours against him Thô none can justly collect or measure Our Intentions by meer Conjecture since we have not done any Act meriting such an Opinion Moreover not well resenting the Gift of Divine Providence bestowed on Us he seems to reckon it an Injury done to him that we live and Reign in Our Kingdom of England and over what else the Lord gave Us to Rule in Prosperity at least but for him in Peace And all this we imagine he hath done only because the People that serveth Us or rather whom we by Our indefatigable Cares do constantly serve have hitherto by the Gift of God continued in Great Glory and Renown Yet these things thô heard and known did not presently move Us but we past them by with a Charitable dissimulation sparing no Labour nor cost to appease his Persecuting Violence against Us and to make as much as in Us lay Our Reign to pass peaceably with him Until we saw his Sword even ready unsheath'd for the Destruction of Us and Ours and prepared for Our utter Extermination And now will any Body perswade Us that such an Uncle so well known to Us and a Prince of such Power thô We were then busied in other Wars ought to be neglected Who being armed with the Right of his own Will and surrounded with a Mighty Power collected from all Parts that he might more freely persecute Us at his Pleasure deserts even the Cause of Christ which he had sworn to maintain What therefore should not a King that even now sees himself and his State in apparent Danger endeavour to do for his own Right and Security Surely he only can tell who knows what such a Man ought not to do who contends only to avoid Injuries and Losses especially in those things that so nearly concern his very Life being Or can that be said to be a light and idle Fear which could shake the Constant Courages even of Noble and Valiant Princes Our Allies only for Our Sakes Much more then ought it to Alarum Us whom only the Preparations of all these terrible things did concern For this Cause therefore even by Natural Impulse being made not voluntary but necessary Defenders of Our own Rights and those of Our Subjects and seeking for the most Prudent Course of Proceeding according to the Military Precepts of the most Illustrious Captains of Antiquity since Hostile Preparations are more dangerously expected at our own Doors than repelled to those of our Enemies We thought it better to meet them that they might not fall upon Us unprepar'd but be stifled where first they had their Birth Not only following the advice but using the Assistance of those whom Consanguinity and Affinity hath joyned unto Us and to whom it as well belonged to prevent together with Us Our Downfall which would even to them have proved little less than Fatal According to these Counsels and by these Aids We resolvedly endeavour to secure Our Selves committing into the Hands of God our Righteous Cause which once We were willing to have refer'd to Your Apostolick See or to any other Good Men indifferent and free from prejudice nothing doubting but that He who sees all things from on High will give a most just Sentence and bring it to pass with the Power of his Sword. Nor do we believe Holy Father that any Equal Umpire or Just Judge can so Interpret or wrest this our Act that what We have done for Our own Defence and the Security of Our Just Rights t t One Clause of which I could make no serse left out he should esteem an Injury or Offence Nay rather we believe and are sure that the true Intention of Our heart will be consider'd and that such a One will weigh in the Balance of unbyass'd judgement what we go about and why we undertake this arduous Affair◠That as the Sanction of the Law teacheth the Deed may not be censur'd from the Words but from the Deed the Words may be consider'd ſ ſ Hic etiam Clausulam emitte eâdem ratione ductus Let therefore all vain Surmises about our Actions be laid aside and let them only take Place in what appears certain but not in uncertain Matters And now perhaps an Accuser who is but a bad Interpreter of Our Actions because We have enter'd Friendship with a Man against whom the Church or the Vicar thereof is said to have proceeded will be apt to say that We do not perform the part of a Brother or an Ally because forsooth We are gaining to Our side such necessary Power whereby We may defend Our Selves from the Dangers that threaten our Ruine and may be enabled to contend for the just obtaining of Our Rights But in the mean time such a One forgets to say that We intend to defend Our Selves and to strive for what is Our own which is the real Truth of the Matter For We are so far from opposing him or favouring any of his Opposers that We should rather of Our Selves without any respect of Danger expose Our Selves for his Honour as becomes the Catholick Piety of Kings Yet thus He accuses Us when yet as the intention of all Equity allows the Final Cause of every Action or the Reason is to be principally attended and from a Knowledge of the Will and Purpose there should arise a distinct and certain Knowledge of the Deed call'd in question and as to humane Actions only the Real Act not the Verbal Conception ought to be weigh'd He forgets to say that of this Matter We only make a shield against him who levell'd a deadly blow at Our Head And that We have done after the Example of a Wise Physician who by his
it and to conclude this matter nothing as to a final Peace could be agreed but only the Triennial Truce to endure as before without violation II At this Treaty it is said that the Pope thinking to terrifie King Edward spake to some of his Agents to this purpose i Fox Acts and Mon. p. 502. ex Chron. Alban Walsing hist p. 154. That Lewis of Bavaria who had before Excommunicate having now entirely submitted himself unto the Arbitration of the Apostolick See had therefore merited at his Hands the Benefit of Absolution And that now he had justly and graciously restored unto him the Empire which before he had unjustly usurped Which when King Edward heard being as full of Courage as Indignation he said aloud If the Emperour also shall agree and combine with Philip of Valois I am ready to fight with them both in Defence of my Right That the Pope might say thus much in terrorem or as a piece of Bravery I will not deny and that Lewis of Bavaria made more then one Offer of Submitting himself to the Popes Discretion is k Vid. Odoric Rain ad an 1344. §. 10. c. ubi illius Literx ad Papam Card. most apparent But it is not so evident by what I can find in Rainaldus his Collections that he was ever wholly Restored and Absolved thô not a few Authors averr so much However at this time it appears that the Pope having received by the Hands of Dr. Andrew Hufford another Letter from King Edward concerning the matter of Provisions return'd him his Answer thereto l Odoric Rain ad bunc annum §. 55. usque ad 60. wherein among other things he shews That the Ordinance of Parliament which was made in Opposition to Reservations and the like was too rash and contrary to the Holy Constitutions and that the Dignity of the Primacy of the Roman Church was not to be question'd and that by endeavouring to respect and honour and advance it he would engage the Grace of God unto himself But that otherwise he for his part should find himself obliged no longer to dissemble those Affronts done to Holy Church but to apply a Remedy according to his Duty Dat. Avin v. Id. Jul. Anno Pontif. 3. And on the m Odoric Rain ibid. Kalends of October following he sent Nicholas Archbishop of Ravenna and Peter Bishop of Astorga his Nuntio's into England with Power to call a Synod of the English Prelates in order to remove all Innovations against the Apostolick See And by repeated Letters he exhorted King Edward to revoke what he had done against the Liberties of the Church He also excited the two Queens Isabella the Kings Mother and Philippa his Consort Henry Earl of Darby and the Chief Peers of the Realm to move the King to restore Matters to their Pristine State. John Archbishop of Canterbury was suspected by the Pope to have been the Occasion of all this Controversie who when he attempted to wash away this Opinion with many plausible Excuses was required by the Pope to clear himself by his Actions and to induce the King to rescind what had been done And William de la Zouch Archbishop of York Richard Bury Bishop of Durham and several other Prelates were urged to use their utmost endeavour in this Affair But whether upon this I cannot tell however the Pope from henceforward gat ground in what he aim'd at thô not without a Check now and then from the King. III. Althô I am sensible that this Great English Monarch did not institute the Famous Order of the Garter till Five years after this Time or the 23 Year of his Reign yet because now he began the Order of the Round Table at Windsor which gave occasion to that of the Garter I shall in this place once for all take leave to say something concerning so solemn and Royal a Subject The Castle of Windsor n Ashoncle p. 127. Scituate at the East point of the County of Berkshire being Anciently called Windleshore from the Windings of the shore thereabouts is by some o Frois l. 1. c. 100 reported to have been built by the Famous King Arthur of Britain thô surely the present Name is of p Wyndleshora Saxon Original It is q Ashâ—ale p. 127. Speed Maps Barkshire §. 8. certain that King William the Conquerour being greatly enamoured of the pleasant scituation of the Place which appeared exceeding Commodious because it lay so near the Thames the Wood so fit for Game and the Country yielding other Opportunities both proper and convenient for the Pleasure and Exercise of Kings and therefore a place very fit for his Reception made an Exchange with Edwin then Abbot of Westminster and his Monks for King r Mâ—nâ—st Angl. Tom. 1. p. 61. Edward the Confessor had made a Donation of Windleshore and all its appurtenances to the Monastery of St. Peters at Westminster of certain Lands in Essex and elsewhere in lieu thereof And so Windsor revolved to the Crown again where ever since it hath remained The Conquerour being thus Lawfully possest of Windsor forthwith built a Fair Castle upon the Hill containing half a Hide or Carucate of Land being parcell of the Mannor of Clure After him King Henry the First reedified the said Castle beautifying it with many goodly Buildings and as it were to experience the Pleasure thereof in the Å¿ Hen. Huntingd. l. 7. p. 379 n. 40. France f. 1601. Eight Year of his Reign having overcome his Enemies kept his Easter there with great Triumph and Glory as also two * Id. ibid. n. 50. Years after he summon'd thither all his Nobility where he held his Whitsuntide with Princely State and Magnificence This t Cambden in Atrelâ—â— Castle from an high Hill which riseth with an easie and gentle Assent yields a most delightfull prospect round about for from the Front it overlooks a fruitfull Vale which lying out far and wide is adorned with Corn-fields flourishes with delightfull Meadows is flanked on each side with pleasant Groves and water'd with the Calm and Wealthy Streams of the Royal River of Thames Which hasting with a nimble but smooth speed from Oxford runs along on the Edge of Barkshire as if resolving to visit this Capitol of our English Kings Behind the Castle several Hills shoot up which being neither too rough nor over high are so bedecked with frequent Woods as if Nature had even dedicated them to the game of Hunting Within this place was our King Edward born whence he was commonly called Edward of Windsor as his Father was of Caernarvon whereby the Affection he bore thereto became so great that he seem'd to prefer it by much to all his Royal Palaces and Mansions For this Year first he began to hold a Round-Table therein of which by and by and after that he Instituted the Honourable Order of the Garter here and even until the Fourty Eighth of his Reign
Villant p. 862. l. 12. c. 53. September he went from Dort in Holland with a great Fleet of Valiant Souldiers gather'd from Hainalt Flanders Brabant Holland Guelderland and Juliers to take Revenge of his Rebells of Friseland For he claimed to be Lord thereof and it was indeed his by Right if the Frisons had not been of Barbarous and Unreasonable Principles But here at last it was his ill Fortune to be met by the Frisons in a narrow passage near Staveren where being unknown he was presently slain before any of his Friends could come up to his Assistance He was a Prince of high Merit and a most Famous Souldier whereof for the short time he lived u Tâ—â—e's stcrehouse p. 721. he gave many good Testimonies in his Wars against the Saracens and Moors in the Kingdom of Granada and against the French in the behalf of his Brother in Law the King of England also in his Victories in Lithuania and Livonia and against the Russian Infidels where he loaded himself with Honour and his Men with spoil and booty Lastly in his Conquest of Vtrecht and his frequent Victories over the Frisons till this unhappy encounter wherein he lost his Life He died without Issue whereupon he was succeeded by his Eldest Sister Margaret the Empress whose Son William of Bavaria was Earl after her Decease Which William Married the Lady Mathilda Daughter to Henry Plantagenet now Earl but then Duke of Lancaster by whom yet he had no Issue There was slain at the same time with this Young Valorous Earl of Hainalt his Sisters Son William x Giov. Villani p. 862. c. Marquess of Juliers and Earl of Cambridge a Lord of great Power and Valour and while he lived a sure Friend both to him and King Edward His Uncle Sr. John of Hainalt Lord of Beaumont was y Frois c. 116. not in Friseland at the time of this woefull chance but soon after coming thither when he was told of the Death of his Nephew he rag'd like a Man distracted and would immediately have taken the Field against the Frisons But he was hinder'd by his servants and especially Sr. Robert Gluves who was his Armour-bearer and by a Dutifull Violence forced him into his Ship against his Will. So he return'd into Holland with a small Company and came to St. Geertruydenberg where he found the Young Lady his Niece late Wife to the said Earl named Joan the Duke of Brabant's Eldest Daughter who being informed of this heavy loss went and lived disconsolate in the Land of Binche about three Leagues Eastward of Mons z Vid. c. 10. §. 6. p. 114. which had been assign'd her for her Dowry The Government of Hainalt was menag'd by the Lord John till the Empress Margaret his Niece came thither to take Possession in her own Person VIII After this News was spread abroad in France King Philip whom it became to be vigilant about this own Advantage began to think how he might bring over the Lord John of Hainalt to his Side now the Earl was dead with whom since his Invasion of his Lands he could never have hopes of Reconciliation But the Lord John's Resentments he knew were not so deep wherefore he spake to Guy Earl of Blois who had married the Lord John's Daughter and had by her three Sons Lewis John and Guy besides the Lord Charles whom he had by a former Venter to use his Interest with him to bring him over to the French Side and he himself also by his Royal Letters assured unto him greater Revenues in France than he had in England which he promised to assign unto him in Lands where he should think best himself But to all these Arguments the Noble Lord was wholly Deaf for he consider'd that he had spent all the slower of his Youth in the King of Englands Service and ever found great Favour and Love from him wherefore now he had no mind to leave him When the Earl of Blois saw there was no sixing on him this way he resolved to try another and first to win the Lord of Saginelles his Chief Companion and Counsellour and so by his means to work further upon the Lord of Beaumont This Man being soon gain'd as one that had no such Obligation to England it was agreed between him and the Earl of Blâ—is to make the Lord John believe that King Edward would no longer pay him his usual Pension but had absolutely refus'd upon Demand to pay it to his Use as he had been wont This Device took for the Lord John without enquiring into the Bottom of it was so displeas'd at this supposed Unkindness that he forthwith renounced his Service and Good-will which hitherto he had born to King Edward The French King hearing hereof sent immediately sufficient Deputies to him and chose him of his Council and retained him in his Service for War at certain Wages assigning him moreover in France as much Land or more than he had in England But to require the Loss of these four Friends of King Edward's Earl William his Uncle John the Marquess of Juliers and Jacob van Arteveld about a Frois c. 114. this very time came over to his Side the Couragious and Politick Lord Godfry of Harcourt Lord of St. Saviour le Vicount and Brother to John Earl of Harcourt He had been once as Dear to King Philip of France as any Lord of his whole Realm but on b Fabian p 271. Occasion of a Quarrel between his Brother and Sr. Robert Bertram Marshal of France which was hugely fomented by Partakers on both Sides he so greatly displeased King Philip that if he could have got him into his Power 't was concluded he had found no better usage than the Lord Clysson had done before But he having timely Notice from his Friends withdrew into Brabant to the Duke his Cousin by whom when all his Lands were seised on by King Philip he was advised to go into England and proffer his Service to the King there He did so and was welcome to the King who received him with large Demonstrations of Good-will and made much use of him in his following Wars And this Displeasure of his cost the Realm of France dearly especially the Dukedom of Normandy for there the sad Effects thereof were seen an hundred years after IX In the Close of the foregoing Year it may be remembred c c. 22. §. 1â— p. 312. how we spake of the Deliverance of John Earl of Montford who claim'd the Dukedom of Bretagne from Prison And that by Vertue of the Truce King Philip was obliged in a manner to give him his Liberty but it was done with this Proviso that he d â—â—bian p. 270. should not go into Bretagne nor make the least offer to intermeddle with the Affairs of that Country Notwithstanding this Tye of his Promise Earl Montford took the first Opportunity to make his Escape into England as he did about
p. 85. n. 4. Sr. Rob. Cotton p. 90. ibid. which was on the Wednesday being St. Catharine's Day or the 25 of November the Lord Chief Justice Sr. William Shareshull declared in the Presence of the King Lords and Commons how it was his Majesties Pleasure that Sr. Walter Manny should make Declaration to the whole Assembly of the Kings Affairs as one that had the most Knowledge therein whereupon the said Lord e William in M.S. Sr. Rob. Cotton malè cùm in Recordo W. tantùm sit scriptum quare corrigendum ex Hist Walter began to declare How the King had treated of a Peace with the French and how for the Accomplishment thereof he had sent the Duke of Lancaster and Others as his Ambassadors to the Court of Rome at Avignon where by means of the Frenchmens Obstinacy Matters could not be brought to any Issue How that during the said Duke 's Abode at f M.S. Sr. R. Cotton Rome malè ex Histoy inscitiâ pro Court of Rome c. Avignon the King of Navarre had complained to the same Duke of sundry Dammages done to him by the French King and by Oath affirmed how he would most willingly enter into a League with the King and for Assurance of the same would with as great a Power as he could enforce himself to meet the King at Jersey How the King upon the return of the said Duke and knowledge had of these Things with a great Navy and Army hastned himself from the River of Thames towards Jersey but being put back by contrary Winds was driven with great hazard to Portsmouth where he abode till News came that the said King of Navarre had made his Peace with the French King. Whereupon the King being advertised that the French King made himself strong toward Calais with a great Army and thinking there to have some present Battle offer'd him addressed himself thither being accompanied with his own Forces and also certain of his Allies whom he found there viz. Sr. Henry of Flanders Sr. Frank van Hall and many other Germans How the King on All-Souls Day last past marched towards his Enemy and proffer'd to give him Battle which his Enemy by all means refused Whereby the King wasting and spoiling the Country and seeing his own Army for Want to languish returned to Calais where he made Honourable Peace and now was returned into the Realm to his Parliament After all which Sr. William Shareshull required the Commons to weigh and consider the Kings unweariedness and Constancy in labouring for their Defence and that he was now ready to repell the Insolence of the Scots who had taken the Town of Barwick as News had been brought to the King And he willeth them also forthwith to advise how he might be the best enabled not only to make a full Victory over that People but also attain to his long-deferred Peace with France to his own Honour and to their quiet and advantage The Friday after which was the 27 of November the Lords and Commons after a short Conference had granted unto his Majesty for Six Years following the Subsidy of Wooll namely g M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 229. §. ult 50 s. of every Sack that should be exported during that time so as all that while no other Aid or Imposition be laid upon the Commons By which sole Grant h Holinsh Engl. Chron. p. 951. Stow p. 255. it was thought how the King might dispend more than a Thousand Marks Sterling per diem for six Years together such Vent of Woolls had the English Merchants in those Days there being then above an 100000 Sacks transported yearly Petitions of the Commons with their Answers That the Great Charter and the Charter of the Forest in all points shall be kept That the Statute that the Staples shall always be kept within the Realm shall be observed The Statute made for yearly removing of Sheriffs shall be observed The Statute made for the Pourveyors shall be kept That whereas the Commons have granted to the King 40 s. of every Knights Fee in Aid to make his Son Knight the Exchequer demandeth the same as well of i i.e. Domini qui Vassallos seu Beneficiarios sub suâ ditione habent sed tamen in superioris Domini sunt Clientelâ V. Cowell Skinneri Etymol Ling. Angl. in Voc. Forens ad hoc verbum Mesne Mesne Lords as of the Tenants in Demesne against Reason Wherefore they pray Remedy The Right use of the Exchequer is to be kept That no Mans Lands being bought in the time of Henry III which was before the Statute of Prerogative may be seised into the Kings hands by Escheators Let this be more particularly declared unto the King. That the Justices of the Peace may determine Weights and Measures The Statute made shall be observed Such Justices shall make no Deputies neither shall the Sheriff Coroner or such like be from henceforth a Justice It is Enacted That no Sheriff Constable of any Castle or Goal be any Commissioner where Men are to be imprison'd That the Points of Confederacy may be declared considering how the Judges judge rashly thereof None shall be punished for Confederacy but where the Statute speaketh expresly upon the point contained in the same statute That the Justices of Goal-Delivery on an Inditement of the Coroner coming before them may award the Exigent The old Law shall stand That such Persons of the Far North-Countries as upon Appeals Joyn-Issue on good or evil may try the same by Nisi Prius considering that the Jury will not appear in the Kings Bench. The Old Law used shall be kept That Remedy may be had against such as to defraud their Creditors before Judgement do convey away their Lands and Goods The Statute therefore made shall be observed That Writs of Attaints may be had of Verdicts given in the Exchequer as of Verdicts given in other Courts The Old Law shall be observed Such as be Indited before the Justices of the Peace shall make Attourneys have the hearing of their Presentments and Answer thereunto Enacted VIII Thus ended this Parliament and about the time of its ending viz. at the going out of November the k Frois c. 155. f. 76. Mezeray 2 Par. 3 Tom. p. 42. Assembly of the Estates of France began to sit at Paris Before whom the Chancellour of France recited in the Parliament-Chamber the State of the Wars desiring them thereupon to take Advice what convenient Aid ought to be given to the King their Lord toward the Maintenance of his Wars and the Defence of his Realms and he added that whereas the King understood how his Subjects were sore aggrieved at the Alteration of Money his Majesty offer'd now to make good and durable Money so that they would grant him sufficient Aid to furnish his Wars To which the Three Estates reply'd with one Consent That is the Clergy by the Mouth of the
Wherefore his Men apprehending they should grapple with the Difficulties of a second Winter and the Defendants fearing to be utterly famished the Treaty was thereupon promoted with more vigour on both sides And as for the Duke's Oath Sr. Bertram Clequin one of the six Knights that menaged the Treaty found out an Expedient to save that Which was that he should enter the Town with Nine more and his Colours should stand on the Gate for some hours Without this Device as it proved he must have been obliged to depart without fulfilling his Oath for presently after even on that same Day being the last of June the King of England's Letters aforemention'd came to his Hands wherein he was commaned immediately to leave the Siege Thô by good Fortune he had first got his Mony and made full Agreement Which Agreement according to Orders set down in the King's Letters was after that advanced into a Truce y Frois c. 213. f. 108. a. between the Earl of Montford and Charles of Blois and their Adherents to endure untill the First Day of May An o MCCCLXI V. At the same time z Knighton p. 2616. n. 40. c. there were certain Men of Arms and Archers belonging to divers Castles in Garrison both in Bretagne and Gascogne of whom more than 600 joyning together went into Normandy to further the Affairs of Philip of Navarre where in a short space they took by Stratagem the strong Town of Honfleur which is directly opposite to Harfleur on the other side the Seyne and began to fortifie it for themselves But soon after the Marshal of France Robert Clermont came upon them with 800 Men of Arms and 5000 Foot and made a fierce Assault upon the Town wherein yet he lost no less than 500 Men And still the English defended themselves and the French laboured hard at the Walls to carry the Place by Force But while thus the Fight continued Sr. Robert Knolles and Sr. James Pipe who a Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 109. were the Duke of Lancaster's Lieutenants in Normandy came suddenly on the Frenchmens Backs and with the slaughter of a Thousand more of them put the Marshal and the rest to flight VI. Now the strong b Frois c. 176. Castle of Eureux in Normandy which was a part of the Natural Inheritance of King Charles of Navarre and whence he bore the Title of Earl had some while since been seised into the Frenchmen's hands and was still by them detained to the exceeding Regret of the Citizens of Eureux and others Subjects and Friends of the said King of Navarre Among others William Lord of Granville resented it extreamly ill that the King his Master should be thus basely imprisoned and this his Castle and other Places of his injuriously detained by his Enemies This Lord had an House and Lands within two Leagues of the City and could without any Suspicion go in and out at his pleasure because as yet he had never bore Arms for Prince Philip or the English against the French for fear of losing those Lands which he held thereabout And besides when King John wan that Place he took an Oath of Fidelity from all those who held any thing in those Parts or else all had been seised to his own Use And thus King John held the Country but King Charles reign'd in the Hearts of the People And yet if the French King had been now at home all had been well enough But his Captivity and the Confusion of the French Affairs thereupon gave more Courage to the Enemies of France to undertake Matters which otherwise they durst not have thought on Especially because it was well known that the Three Estates themselves were desirous of the Liberty and Prosperity of the King of Navarre Upon these Considerations this Lord William of Granville began to form a notable and a bold Enterprise on the Behalf of the King his Master which now we shall exactly relate The Liberty he had of going to Eureux at his pleasure he made use of chiefly to visit a great Alderman of that City whom he knew in former times to have been very firm and loyal to the King of Navarre This Alderman had a particular esteem also for him upon the same and other Accounts and entertain'd him always with the best sort of Provisions and with much freedom of Discourse relating to several Matters but still they would now and then have a Touch about the King of Navarre's being seised and thrown into Prison whereat they were both highly displeased But at last the Lord William said in private to the Alderman If you will be of my Mind and give me your Furtherance I will undertake soon to recover both this Town and Castle to the use of our Lord the King of Navarre How can that be said the Alderman For the Captain of the Castle is so true a Frenchman that we can never expect to make him consent to any such thing And without the Castle nothing can be done for 't is that over-aws the Town Well said the Lord William I 'll tell you now First of all you must try to get five or six substantial Citizens to your side and every one of you must then secretly provide a certain Quota of Men of Arms to be ready by such a Day in your Houses And when you can assure me of thus much I 'll engage upon my Life that you shall enter the Castle without any Danger by a Stratagem which I have thought on The Business being thus concluded the Alderman handled the Matter so discreetly that he wan an Hundred substantial Citizens to be of his side presently all who provided certain Armed Men who were to be ready on such a Day in their houses When the Lord William knew that all things were Ripe he fixed the Day and informed the Alderman what Measures to take and so prepared himself to put his Plot in Execution Early in a Morning he arm'd himself and over his Armour put on a Coat and over the Coat a short Cloak and so putting a short Battle-Ax close under his Arm he walked forth with his Man after him toward the Castle Being now near he walked in a careless manner to and fro before the Gate as he had often done before by way of Preparation till at last the Captain of the Castle came down and opened the Wicket of the Gate and as it was his daily use stood there and looked about him to see if the Coast was clear When Sr. William espied him he walk'd as it were by Chance that way till being something near he gave the Good Morrow to the Captain who stood still and civily returned his Bon-jour and so Sr. William drawing a little nearer they began to enter into Converse The Frenchmen of all other People are hugely desirous of News but especially when any ways they are debarred from going abroad as those are who keep Garrisons Wherefore first of all in subtlety
both Us and our Heirs and Successors all that is in Demain in Demain and all that is in Fee in Fee by the Times and in the Manner hereafter specified that is to say the City Castle and County of Poictiers and all the Land and County of Poictou with the Fief of Thoüars and the Land of Belleville the City and Castle of Sainctes and all the Land and Country of Saintogne on both sides the River Charente with the Town and Fortress of Rochelle and their Appurtenances The City and Castle of Agen and the Country of Agenois the City and Castle of Poictiers and all the Country thereto belonging the City and Castle of Limoges and the Lands and Country of Limosin the City and Castle of Cahors and the Land and Country of Quercy the City Castle and Country of Tarbe the Land Country and Earldom of Bigorre the County Land and Country of Guare the City and Castle of Angoulesme and the County Land and Country of Angoulesmois the City and Castle of Rodes and the Land and Country of Rouvergue and if there be any Lords in the Dutchy of Guienne as the Earl of Foix the Earl of Armagnac the Earl of Lisle the Vicount of Carmaine the Earl of Perigort the Vicount of Limoges or Others holding any Lands within the foresaid Bounds they shall do Homage and all other Services and Duties due and accustomed for their Lands and Places unto Us in like manner and form as they have done in time passed as We or any other Kings of England anciently have had And also Å¿ Å¿ Article 2. in the Town of Monstrevil upon the Sea we are to have as either We or other Kings of England in time past have had and in the Lands of Monstrevil our Brother of France promiseth to make a Declaration thereof unto Us as speedily as he can after his coming into France And also the County t t Article 3. of Ponthieu entirely save and excepted if any thing be alienated away by any of the Kings of England in time past whereby the said County and Appurtenances have been holden by other Persons than the French Kings neither our said Brother nor his Successors shall be obliged to render them unto Us. But if the said Alienations have been done by the French Kings for the time being without any Mean and our said Brother now have them in his Possession he shall leave them entirely to Us except that the French Kings have had them in Exchange for other Lands But if the Kings of England for the time being have alienated or conveyed any thing to any other Person than to the French Kings and they peradventure are now devolved into the hands of our said Brother then he shall not be obliged to restore them unto Us. He is also to render unto Us all such things as ought to pay any Homage to Us and to our Successors and if they owed not Homage unto Us and to our Successors then he shall put in a Tenant who shall do Us Service within a Year after he shall be departed from Calais Also u u Article 4. the Castle and Town of Calais the Castle Town and Lordship of Merks the Towns Castles and Lordships of Sangate Coulogne Ham Wale and Oye with the Lands Woods Marishes Rivers Rents Revenues Lordships Advousons of Churches and all other Appurtenances and Places lying within the Bounds and Limits following that is to say from Calais to the River before Graveling and also from the River that falleth into the great Lake of Guisnes as far as Fretun and thence along the Valley about Calculi-Hill enclosing that Hill and so to the Sea with Sangate and all its Appurtenances Also the x x Article 5. Castle Town and whole Earldom of Guisnes with all the Towns. Castles Forts Lands Places Homages Men Seignories Woods Forests and all Rights to them belonging as entirely as the Town of Calais of Merks and other Places before-named as well to obey Us as they have obeyed our said Brother or the Earl of Guisnes for the time being And that the Churches of the good People being within the Limitations of the said Earldom of Guisnes of Calais and Merk and of other Places abovesaid shall obey the King of England in like manner as they have obey'd either the King of France or the Earl of Guisnes All which things of Merk and Calais being contained in this present Article and the Article next preceding We to hold in Demain except the Heritage of the Churches which shall still remain entirely to the said Churches wheresoever they be and also except the Heritage of other People of Merk and Calais under the value of an 100 l. Land per annum of Money currant in that Country which Inheritances shall remain to them even to the Value abovesaid and under But the Habitations and Inheritances within the Town of Calais with their Appurtenances shall abide still to the Inhabitants And also in the Lands Towns and Earldom of Guisnes all their Demains shall still remain unto them except what hath been said before of the foresaid Limits and Bounds in the Article of Calais Also y y Article 6. all the Isles adjacent to the Lands Countries and Places before-named with all other Isles the which we held at the time of the said Treaty And it is agreed z z Article 7. that our said Brother and his Eldest Son should renounce all manner of Soveraignty Resort and Rights that he or either of them should have and that We shall hold them as his Neighbour without any Resort or Soveraignty to our said Brother or to the Realm of France and all the Right that our said Brother hath in the foresaid Things he yieldeth and conveyeth unto Us for ever And also it is agreed that We likewise and our said Son do expresly renounce all things that ought not to be granted unto Us by this Treaty and especially the Name Right and Title to the Crown of France and to the Realm and to the Homage and Soveraignty thereof as also to the Demain of the Dutchy of Normandy of the County of Touraine of the Counties of Anjou and of Maine and of the Sovereignty and Homage of the Dutchy of Bretagne except the Right of the Earl of Montford which he ought to have or might have in the Dutchy and Country of Bretagne the which we reserve and by express Words put clean out of this Treaty Saving that We and our said Brother when we come to Calais shall order that Matter by Advice of our Councils there as we hope so as to settle Peâ—ce and Concord between the said Earl of Montford and our Cousin the Lord Charles of Blois who challengeth and demandeth the Right to the Heritage of Bretagne And We renounce all other Demands that we do or may make whatsoever they be except such things aforesaid as ought to remain unto Us and to be deliver'd unto Us by Vertue
and reasonable for the Prince to take upon him the Protection of the King of Spain and thereupon Credential Letters were framed directed from the King of England and his Council to the Prince of Aquitaine and his Council and the Duke of Lancaster had leave to go over to visit and confer with the Prince his Brother whom he desired to serve in this Expedition So the Messengers returned with these Letters and the Duke in their Company and came to Bourdeaux where they found the Prince and Don Pedro to the former of whom they deliver'd their Letters from the King his Father Upon this a new day was forthwith assign'd for the Parliament to sit again at which time there assembled at Bourdeaux all the forenamed Lords of Aquitaine and Others that were Summon'd thereto And then the King of England's Letters were openly read in full Parliament The Purport was this That the King and his Council were well pleased that the Prince his Son should in the Name of God and St. George seriously undertake to restore King Don Pedro to his Throne and Heritage which his Bastard-Brother had wrongfully taken from him without either Law or Reason and as it appeareth traiterously deposed him That the King thought himself obliged to wish his Son to do thus much for his Cousin the King of Castille not only for the sake of Justice and Honour but also for the Common Interest and Right of Kings and especially because of certain Alliances Treaties and Confederations heretofore made between them which imported a mutual Assistance in case of Necessity if either Party were thereto required Wherefore he desired all his good Friends and Subjects in those Parts to be Aiding and Assisting to his Son the Prince in that Matter as well as if he himself were there and undertook the Expedition in his own Person When the Nobles and Captains of Aquitaine heard these Letters read dictinctly and perceived the pleasure of the King and of his Son the Prince their Lord then they all readily gave in their answer with one consent Sir We shall gladly obey the Command of our Sovereign Lord the King of England and of Your Royal Highness it being our Duty so to do and therefore We now declare that in this Expedition We shall readily serve both Your Highness and also King Don Pedro. But Sir We desire to know from whom We are to expect our Wages for it will be difficult to oblige Men of War to go abroad into a strange Country without such kind of Considerations Then the Prince turned his Face to Don Pedro and said My Lord O King You hear what our Subjects say Pray please to answer them Your self as to this point For it is your Concern so to do To this Don Pedro answer'd Most Dear Cousin as far as the Gold Silver and other Treasure which I have brought hither with me and I 'll assure You 't is not the Thirtieth Part of what I 've left behind as far as that will go I shall now immediately resign that entirely to your Dispose to be bestowed among our Friends your Subjects And for what shall remain if God Almighty send Us Success I shall make full amends in all things of this Be this Honourable Assembly my Witness Sir said the Prince You say well and as Circumstances stand We can expect no more of You. As for the Remainder therefore I my self will be indebted to these Gentlemen and pay them as occasion shall require all which my Lord O King I shall lend unto You expecting to be repaid upon our good Success in Castille Hereupon Don Pedro renew'd his Promise to be more than Just in all manner of liberal Retributions acknowledging with many fair expressions of Gratitude the extraordinary Favour Grace and Courtesie which the Prince had been pleased to shew unto him X. Now in this Council there were many Noble Personages of great Experience in Affairs of that Nature and who especially understood the difficulties usually attending an Expedition into Spain Such as the Lord John Chandos the Lord John Greilly Captal of Busche the Earl of Armagnac the Lord of Pamiers and others who had been more than once in Spain to help the Good King Alphonso against the Moors These all concluded that it was absolutely necessary if they resolved to go into Spain to bring over the King of Navarre to their side For they could not pass but thrô his Country over the Pyrenean Mountains by the streights of Roncevaux Which Passage it was doubted whether they might obtain because Charles the Present King of Navarre and Don Henry the Bastard had lately made a strict Alliance together After much altercation upon this point also the Parliament was prorogued to another day when they were to meet in the City of Bayonne about six Leagues from the Confines of Navarre and the Prince was by his Ambassadors to request the King of Navarre's Presence at that Assembly So the Prince sent unto him the Lord John Chandos and the Lord Thomas Felton who behav'd themselves with such Discretion and gave him such Reasons that he faithfully engaged both by word of Mouth and also under his Hand and Seal not to fail on the appointed day of being present at the Parliament at Bayonne And with this News the two Knights returned to the Prince The day appointed being come there came to Bayonne King Don Pedro Edward Prince of Aquitaine and of Wales the Captal of Busche the Earl of Armagnac the Lord of Albret and all the Barons of Gascogne Guienne Poictou Quercy Rovergue Sainctogne and Limosin and thither also came Charles the King of Navarre in Person to whom the Prince and King Don Pedro shew'd extraordinary respect the rather because they design'd to prepare him for their opinion This Parliament sat thus at Bayonne five days together For the Prince and his Friends had much adoe to perswade the King of Navarre he being a Person of that temper as to be stiff and almost inexorable when he saw any One stand in need of him But at last when he consider'd the great Power of the Prince and that He who now desired him if too much provoked might compell him on certain considerations he was content to renounce the League he had made with Henry the Bastard and sware and promised under his Hand and Seal Peace Love and firm Alliance and Confederation to King Don Pedro as likewise Don Pedro did unto Him by the Prince of Wales his menagement and contrivance The Latter as true King of Castille engaging by Covenant then Engrossed and Sealed to give and restore unto the King of Navarre and to his Heirs for ever all the Land of y An Oregne Groigne as it lies on both sides the River and also all the Lands of Salvatierra with the Town Castle and all the Appurtenances Also the Town of St. John Piè du Port and the Marches thereabout which Lands Towns Castles and Seigniories he had before violently
Ah! Thrice Dear Sir for Godsake refrain your Anger and take not this Summons in such evil part neither be displeased at us Sir we are but Servants sent by our Lord the FrenchKing whom we are bound to obey as your Subjects in like manner ought to obey You. And as it was our Duty to obey his Commands so Sir whatsoever you shall please to give us in Charge to say we will fully declare it unto the King our Lord and Master Nay said the Prince Sirs I am not displeased with you but with them that have sent you hither And the King your Master is lead by weak Counsel and simple Information thus to offer to combine himself with our Subjects or to make himself a Judge where he hath nothing to do by any manner of Right or Title For it shall be evidently shew'd that in the Rendring up and putting the King my Father into Possession of the Dutchy of Aquitain both his Father and He for Them and their Heirs for ever utterly disclaimed and quitted all manner of Resort or Jurisdiction So that those who have occasion'd this Summons to be made against me have no other Resort of Right but in the Court of England before the King my Dear Father and before it shall be otherwise I assure you it shall cost the Lives of an 100000 Men. And with that the Prince flung away into another Room and left the Frenchmen still there to whom certain of the Prince's Servants who understood his Pleasure came and said Gentlemen you may e'n go about your business when you please You have duly performed your Errand But you are to look for no other Answer than what you have heard With that the Knight and the Doctor went to their Inn and having there dined made ready their Carriages in all hast and took Horse with all their Servants and went from Bourdeaux the way to Tholouse-ward for they design'd to shew the Duke of Anjou what they had seen and done The Prince was extreamly displeased at the Insolence of these Summons and so were all the Lords and Knights of his Council most of whom had advised Him to hang the two Messengers for their Pains thô the Prince charged them to the contrary and yet he had many a shrew'd Imagination against them But when it was told him how that they were gone without any other Licence then what was given by word of Mouth and how they took their way toward Tholouse he called unto him Sr. Thomas Felton Seneschal of Aquitain and Sr. Thomas Wake Seneschal of Rouvergue his Chancellor the Bishop of Rodez Sr. Richard Pontchardon and Sr. Thomas Percy of whom he demanded whether the French Messengers had any safe Conduct or no and they answer'd how they knew of none they had No more have they said the Prince shaking his Head but sure it is not convenient that they should thus easily get off and go and make their jangling to the Duke of Anjou who is but a small Friend of ours and will laugh heartily that they have thus summon'd Vs in our own House I believe all things consider'd they are rather Messengers from my own Subjects as the Earl of Armagnac the Lord of Albret the Earl of Perigort Cominges and Carmain than from the French King. Wherefore because of the signal Affront that hath been put upon Vs We wish they were overtaken and clapt up in prison At this Motion all the Prince's Council were well pleased only they said Sir we fear You have been too slow as to this Resolve Immediately the Seneschal of Agenois was commanded to take along with him Sr. William Molineux a Worthy English Knight and so ride Post after the French Messengers and stop them till further Order These two and certain of their Men took Horse accordingly and pursued so diligently that at last they overtook them in the Land of Agenois and so arrested them pretending another Occasion for when they seized them they spake not a word of the Prince's Command but said how their Host where they lay last complained of them for an Horse which he said they had changed The Knight and the Doctor wonder'd much at this Accusation and began seriously to excuse themselves but all in vain for they were presently brought back to the City of Agen and there clapt up in Prison But several of their Servants were suffer'd to go their way who passing thrô the City of Tholouse told the Duke of Anjou of all that was done At which he was not a whit sorry For he knew that from hence another Occasion of Hatred and Dissension being given things would at last be brought to Extremity and accordingly he prepared for War thô with all the Caution and Dissimulation imaginable Certain of these Pages soon after went to Paris and told the French King of all the Premises whereat he took great Indignation especially when he heard the Words wherewith the Prince had threatned him saying how he would come and make his Personal appearance before his Vncle but that should be with his Helmet on his Head and 60000 Men at his Heels To withstand all which the French King made covertly vast preparation for he well knew it was no light Matter to wage War against the King of England and his Power Seeing in times past he had put his Predecessors to so much pain and difficulty Upon which account he was at first so backward to begin the War but he was so importun'd by the Lords of Gascogne and also hardly prest by many of his own Council who shew'd unto him the Extortions and other frequent Oppressions of the English and that they were dayly like to grow more insupportable as likewise that King Edward was in his Declining Age and his Son the Prince sick of an Incurable Disease that at last he yielded to the War thô much against his Will considering the Destruction of many thousand poor souls which he saw would necessarily ensue thereby Upon this he ventur'd first to send his Summons which every Man knew would never be obey'd but would occasion a Breach of the Peace between the two Realms And now because of this fierce Answer of the Prince King Charles and his Council made vast preparation but as secretly as was possible Thô for all his fine Conveyance the Prince of Wales who ever had his Eyes open toward that Quarter since the Lords of Gascogne had been entertain'd in the Court of France saw all along the close train of these subtle Devices and m Walsing hist p. 177. n. 43. sent in good time his Letters to his Father into England warning him not to give too much Credit to any smooth Words or fair Overtures of the French King for he saw evidently that he intended nothing but a Breach of the Peace and only had not yet begun the War for want of a fit opportunity But King Edward could not think that Charles n Mezeray p. 80. who was no Man of
found his Adversary of France wanted no Cunning nor Industry whereby to oppose him And he heard particularly how the Scots also had engaged against him in a new Alliance with the French King and design'd to give him a Diversion at the Back-door Whereat he was grievously displeased for he doubted the Scots more than the Frenchmen not only because they were a more implacable and obstinate People and kept their former Losses in mind but also because they were his near Neighbours and could do him an Injury more easily and escape Revenge more securely Wherefore first he sent a considerable Number of Men of Arms Archers and Others to the Frontiers of Scotland as to Newcastle to Caerlile to Barwick to Roxborough and other Places Besides which he rigged forth a good Fleet which was to ply about Southhampton Jernsey and the Isle of Wight For he heard how the French King was setting forth a great Navy to Sea which was to come and invade England or as others said Ireland wherefore thither also he was obliged to send no small Reinforcement under the Command of the Lord William Windsor d Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 509. ex Pat. 43. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 27. who being at the same time constituted Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had in consideration thereof for his better Support in the Kings Service a Grant of a 1000 Marks per annum to be paid him out of the Kings Exchequer untill such a time as the King should settle upon him Lands and Rents of that Value for Him and his Heirs for ever and immediatly thereupon he had a Grant of the Mannor and Castle of Dungarvan as also the Castle called the Black-Castle to Him and the Heirs of his Body With him went in this Irish Expedition e Dugd. 2 Vol. p. 4. ex Pat. 43. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 32 the Lord Thomas Fauconberg and other Persons of Rank and Conduct for King Edward not knowing on which side the storm would fall was obliged to take Care on all Sides Though indeed he himself was not without some anxious Thoughts by reason of the unexpectedness of this Alarum But having thus for the present provided for all as well as he could he calls together his High Court of Parliament f M.S. Rot. Par. p. 103. Sr. Rob. Cottons Abridg. p. 108. which according to the Summons met at Westminster in the Octaves of the Holy Trinity At which time William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England declared in the Painted Chamber in Presence of the King Lords and Commons the Reasons of their present Assembly saying How the King had always in his greatest Affairs used their Advice and Counsel and especially in making the last Peace with the French which was yet made on Condition that by such a Day the French King should surrender up unto him certain Countries beyond the Seas that within such a time he should pay unto the King certain Sums of Money and that he should never pretend for the future to any Jurisdiction or Soveraignty over Gascogne or the Parts thereabouts in Consideration whereof the King of England should from thenceforth lay by the Stile of France which he had accordingly done That whereas he for his Part had not slacked his Duty the French King had done the quite Contrary for neither had he made a full and due Payment of the said Monies and also he had summon'd the Earl of Armagnac the Lord of Albret and Others who were of the Kings Allegiance to answer to certain Appeals at Paris nay further he had summon'd the Prince of Aquitain himself who was also of the Kings Allegiance to appear among the Rest Besides all which he had sent certain Troops into Ponthieu where he had surprised several of the Kings Garrisons and Forts Whereupon the Prince of Wales and of Aquitain by Advice of his Council had sent to the King his Father wishing him to Resume the Title and Stile of France And therefore the Chancellor desired the Lords and Commons to take Counsel in the Matter and to advise the King to the best of their Power about the Premises Then there were appointed Receivers of Petitions for England Ireland Wales and Scotland and also for Gascogne and other Foreign Places and Isles and after that Triers of the said Petitions for all the said Places On the Wednesday after the Bishops Lords and Commons answered the King with one Consent That considering the Premises He might with a Good Conscience take up again the Stile and Name of King of France and use his Arms as before Accordingly the King at that instant took upon him the Name Stile and Dignity of France and on the Eleventh Day of June being a Monday and St. Barnabas Day his Seal of England being safely laid up another Seal engraven with the Stile and Arms of France was taken and used and several Patents Charters and Writs therewith sealed and the same Day all the Kings other Seals were Changed one g Ashmole p. 665. being circumscribed with the Word Franciae in the first Place and the other with Angliae as at the Beginning From which Time even to this Day the Kings of England his Successors continue their Arms Quarter'd with France in token of that Right to which King Edward so justly now renew'd his Claim After this upon a full Account given of the Kings great Necessities the Lords and Commons granted unto him for Three Years following of Denizens for every Sack of Wooll Fourty Three Shillings Four Pence of every Twenty Dozen of Fells Fourty Three Shillings Four Pence and of every Last of Skins Four Pounds But of Aliens for every Sack of Wooll Fifty Three Shillings Four Pence of every Twelvescore Fells as much and of every Last of Skins Five Pounds Six Shillings Eight Pence over and above the Old Customs Then it was Enacted That all the Kings Forts and Fortresses should be surveyed repaired and edified And it was caution'd by another Statute that no Religious Aliens should be left in a Capacity to discover the Secrets of the Realm and now again were all the Lands of Religious Aliens seized into the Kings Hands and lett to Farm to the Sovereigns of the same That Remedy may be had against the excessive Selling of Armour and the unreasonable Demands of Horse-Coursers The King will appoint the Officers of every Town to provide therefore That the Time of Prescription may be from the Coronation of King Edward the First The Old Law shall stand That Sylva Caedua may especially be declared The Statute shall be observed That Sheriffs be no further charged than they shall receive The Party grieved upon Complaint shall have Remedy That the Indicted upon any Trespass or Felony may upon Issue joyned have a Nisi Prius against the King. So the same concerneth Treason the Chancellor or Keeper of the Privy Seal shall therein do Right That such as dwell upon the Sea-Coasts may set up Poles
certain of the Kings Subjects to be their own and so by sinister means have obtained the same The Grieved upon suit to the Council shall have Right That no Lands or Tenements be seised by any of the Kings Officers of any Person not attainted of Treason or Felony in his Life time Let this be more fully opened That no Sheriff Under-Sheriff or Goaler be Justice during their Offices neither that they be put in any Commission other than what Concerns their Offices It pleaseth the King. That the Bishops do certainly appoint what shall be taken for a Probate of a Testament and for an Acquittance upon the Account The Statutes therefore made shall be kept That for Goods of Felons found by Office every Man may traverse such Offices and upon the Reversing of the same be discharged The Law shall stand as it doth That no Man be charged upon an account in the Exchequor of Scottish Money sweet Wine sold without Licence Corn Lead Tin Worsted Butter and such like whereby no Profit comes to the Prince For Scottish Money Remedy was provided Ano. 47. Ed. 3. tit 19. For sweet Wines Remedy was appointed the last Parliament And for the rest Care shall be taken the first Opportunity That the Clerk of the Mercate of the Kings Houshold do not by Extortion take Fines in Gross or certain of any Towns and that there may be appointed a Certainty of Measures and weight according to the Standard He shall see punishment done according to the Quality of the Fault without any such Fines taking there where he doth not his Office And the Measure shall be according to the Standard and Statute made That no Patent of any Lands found by the Escheators Inquest be granted so as the Party will stand bound to answer the King the Profits thereof if upon Tryal it be found for the King. The King will be advised That the Chancellour upon the Writ of z Vid. Cowell Skinner Champartie may grant forth Writs at the suit of the Party and that he may recover Damages in his suit The King will be advised until the next Parliament They Require Remedy against Reservation of Benefices from the Court of Rome The Bill is elsewhere answer'd That the Lord Steward and Marshal of the Kings Houshold do hold no other Pleas than are contained in the Statute called Articuli super Chartas That for twelve Miles they may be certainly limited whether from the Kings Presence or the Place of his Houshold and not from both unless they be together And that the Steward do keep his Session within three Miles about the Presence of the King as it hath been accustomed They shall have Jurisdiction from the Place where the King himself is or from the Place where the Houshold is kept twelve Miles in circuit and not from the One and the Other at one time And further the Statute therefore made shall stand That every Man in the Exchequor being impleaded may wage his Law as in other Courts where Wage doth lie They shall not wage their Law in the Exchequor as in other Courts where the King is not Party That the Chirographer may be sworn that neither He nor none of his Clerks do take for the engrossing of a Fine but only Four Shillings The Statute made therefore shall stand Then there was prefer'd a a M.S. Rot. Par. p. 127. n. 85. Srâ— Rob. Cotton's Abridgm p. 128. Fox Acts c. p. 552. long Bill against the Usurpations of the Pope as which were the Cause of all the Plagues Injuries Famine and Poverty of the Realm so as thereby was not left the Third Person or other Commodity within the Realm as lately was That the Tax paid to the Pope of Rome for Ecclesiastical Dignities doth amount to five fold as much as the Tax of all the Profits as appertain to the King by the Year of this whole Realm and for some one Bishoprick or other Dignity the Pope by Translation and Death hath three four or five several Taxes That the Brokers of that sinfull City for Money promote many Caitiffs being altogether unlearned and unworthy to a thousand Marks living yearly whereas the Learned and Worthy can hardly obtain twenty Marks whereby Learning decayeth That Aliens Enemies to this Land who never saw nor care to see their Parishioners have those Livings whereby they despise God's Service and convey away the Treasure of the Realm and are worse than Jews or Saracens It is therefore to be considered that the Law of the Church would have such Livings bestowed for Charity only without Praying or Paying That Reason would that Livings given of Devotion should be bestow'd in Hospitality That God hath given his Sheep to the Pope to be pastured and not shorn or shaven That Lay-Patrons perceiving this Simony and Covetousness of the Pope do thereby learn to sell their Benefices to Beasts no otherwise than Christ was sold to the Jews That there is none so Rich a Prince in Christendom who hath the Fourth Part of so much Treasure as the Pope hath out of this Realm for Churches most sinfully After a Repetition of their Zeal for the Honour of the Church it was declared that all the Plagues there particularized have justly fallen upon this Realm for suffering the Church of England thus to be defaced and that these Mischiefs will dayly encrease without Redress Whereupon followeth an earnest Persuasion to reedifie and reform the same and the rather for that this was the Year of Jubilee the Fiftieth Year of the King's Reign the Year of Joy and Gladness than the which could be no greater The means how to begin this was to write two Letters to the Pope the one in Latine under the Broad Seal the other in French under the Seals of the Nobles importing these Particularities and requiring Redress And for a further Accomplishment hereof to Enact that no Money be carried out of the Realm by Letter of Lombardy or otherwise on Pain of Forfeiture and Imprisonment and to Enact the Articles hereafter ensuing The King hath heretofore by Statute provided sufficient Remedy and otherwise pursueth the same with the holy Father the Pope and so mindeth to do from time to time untill he hath obtained the same as well for the Matters before as for the Articles ensuing they being in a manner all one Then it was remonstrated that the Pope's Collector and other Strangers the King's Enemies and only Leiger-Spies for English Dignities and disclosing the Secrets of the Realm ought to be discharged That the same Collector being also Receiver of the Pope's Pence keepeth an House in London with Clerks and Officers thereunto belonging as if it were one of the King 's Solemn Courts transporting yearly to the Pope 20000 Marks and most commonly more That Cardinals and other Aliens remaining at the Court of Rome whereof one Cardinal is a Dean of York another of Salisbury another of Lincolne another Archdeacon of Canterbury another Archdeacon of
little longer and let them go on in Gods Name for thus they will never be able to wrest your Kingdom from You They will weary and spend themselves to no purpose but long they cannot subsist For behold when a Storm or Tempest ariseth if Men will but keep within Doors it wasteth away of it self without much harm doing and thus you shall see it will happen to these Englishmen And here we shall take our leave for the present of the Duke of Lancaster and what remains of this Expedition till we have Dispatched other Matters that fall in this place XIV It may be remembred y Frois c. 311. fol. 191. b. how we spake lately of Sr. Robert Knolles that he came to his Castle of Derval which was his Inheritance and that he wholly cancell'd and brake off the Treaty made between his Men and the Duke of Anjou who also laid claim to the same Castle as which had been formerly given unto him by the Lord Charles of Blois when he took to Wife the said Lord Charles his Daughter Thô after the Death of the said Lord Charles John of Monford the true Duke of Bretagne gave it to Sr. Robert Knolles a Knight of England to him and his Heirs for ever in Requital of his many signal Services done unto him in all his Wars Therefore now the Duke of Anjou went in Person before Derval resolving by Siege or Assault to win the Place But about the time he first came thither the French King sent hastily unto him to the Constable to the Lord Clisson and all the Knights of Bretagne Poictou and the low Marches and the rest that lay with the Duke before Derval commanding them to return with all their Power into France to assist his Brother the Duke of Burgundy in coasting and cutting short the Duke of Lancaster who was then marching thrô France Upon this the Duke of Anjou sent to those within Derval urging them to make haste and yield up their Castle as they had promised But when the Day was come and past whereon it was to be deliver'd and yet no such thing once offer'd the Duke began to wonder what they meant for thô he knew how Sr. Robert Knolles was got in with some Succour both of Men and Provision yet he hop'd they would not break the Obligation to which they were bound and thereby expose the Lives of their Hostages However not daring to linger much here because of the French Kings Letters he sent an Herald to Sr. Robert Knolles and especially to Sr. Hugh Bright who had made the Agreement with him which Herald being admitted into the Castle said Gentlemen my Lords have sent me hither to know the Reason why you don't take care to acquit your Hostages and deliver up the Castle according to Covenant to which Sr. Hugh you are bound by Oath To this Sr. Robert Knolles answer'd Herald tell your Masters that without my leave my Men could make no Composition concerning the Delivery of what was not their own Go to them again and tell them so from me The Herald return'd with this Answer and was sent back again with this Message Gentlemen my Lords send you once again word by Me how the Composition was that you should not receive any one into your Fortress till the day prefixed and yet since that Agreement was made and before the appointed term of two Months was ended they have admitted you Sr. Robert Knolles into their Fortress which they ought not to have done Wherefore Sir know for certain that unless you yield up the Castle forthwith your Hostages shall lose their Heads Herald answer'd Sr. Robert for all the Menacing of your Masters I will not lose my Castle so by God! Tell them they may do their worst but if so be that the Duke put my Men to Death let him know that I shall serve him like for like For here within I have both Knights and Esquires of France my Prisoners and thô I might have an 100000 Franks for their Ransom yet they shall surely die every Man of them if he offers to do so to the Hostages With this Answer the Herald went his way and reported what he had heard Presently whereupon the Duke of Anjou all enflam'd as he was with Anger call'd for the Executioner and caused the Hostages being two Knights and an Esquire of England to be brought before the Castle whose Heads were all immediately struck off in sight of Sr. Robert and his Men. Then the enraged Sr. Robert Knolles caused a broad board to be thrust out at one of the Hall Windows and four Prisoners which he had there with him Three Knights and One Esquire for whom he might have had a great Ransom all these he order'd to be brought thither and so the Executioner struck off their Heads flinging down their Bodies one way and their Heads another into the Ditch After this unhappy sight the Frenchmen brake up their Siege and went all into France the Duke of Anjou returning to Paris to the King his Brother But the Constable the Lord Oliver Clisson and the rest rode toward the City of Troyes in Champaigne for the English were then in the Marches thereabout having passed the Marne and directing their Course toward Auxerre XV. Now since the Christian Religion which might chiefly expect to be Defended by the Arms of the French and English being destitute almost of all Aid was in a manner overwhelmed by the Victories of the Infidels it is to be remembred that Pope Gregory XI had the last Year induced the Two Kings to hold a Treaty at Calais But that being dissolved without any good effect he again prevail'd with them to hold another at Bruges this Year and therewithall z Greg. XI Tâ—m 2. Epist sâ—â— p. 237 238 239. Vid Odâ—r Râ—â—nâ—l â—d hâ—â—c 〈◊〉 §. 22. sollicited both Edward and Charles to embrace peaceable Counsels To which that he might prepare the Minds of those Nobles who were to be on both sides at this Treaty in the Names of the Two Kings he directs his Letters also to them wherein having set forth the Miseries of Christendom in General arising from this Discord he gives them a shrew'd innuendo that those of them who shall be found to be in Fault if Peace doth not ensue are to expect no less then the Utmost the Church can inflict GREGORY the Bishop servant of the servants of God to his Dear Sons in Christ the Ambassadors of our Most Dear Son in Christ Edward the Illustrious King of England Commissioned to treat of and to reform a Peace between Him and our most Dear Son in Christ Charles the Illustrious King of France at Bruges in the Dioecese of Tournay Greeting and Apostolical Benediction Considering how much the Hostile Commotion of the Two Kings so long radicated and so hurtfull to the whole World hath been and is prejudicial to the Affairs of the Holy Land and not only induces the Babylonish Tyrant to
the Destruction of Christians but hath also lately administred unto many Infidels the Courage to seise on the Lands of Christians and to extinguish the a a Lat. aliàs ad Religionem Christiani Nominis extinguendam Name of the Christian Religion and that if the said Infidels shall perceive that Discord shall endure between the said Kings of England and France and Concord shall be banished of their wonted madness they will arise more Couragiously and boldly against the Christians and their Lands and will assume the greater Confidence to bring upon Christian Kings Kingdoms and People more heavy and pernicious Troubles than before to the Execution whereof the foresaid most wicked Infidels do already as is said prepare and dispose themselves And not being able any longer to endure the like War and Discord as also weighing and often revolving that We and our Predecessors Popes of Rome by frequent sending both Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and divers other Nuntio's of the Apostolick See to those Parts have in this point shewn what Diligence We could since We cannot see any further Remedy if this Concord and Peace cannot be perfected We intend not any longer to delay but forthwith to proceed without any Favour Justice always being our Guide against that Party of the two which shall appear to be the Occasion thereof and all its Favourers Counsellers and Assistants whatsoever by Ecclesiastical Censures and other Remedies of Law. Dat. Aven III Non. Jan. Ano. Pont. II. The same b Tom. 2. Episecret p. 237. Vid. Odoric Runald ibid. Letters only mutatis mutandis were sent to the Ambassadors of the French King at the same time But the Rancour of their Minds was too great and the Difficulty of adjusting Affairs to both their satisfaction too impracticable to admit of any tolerable Agreement at this time Thô Simon of the Title of St. Sixtus and John of the Title of the Four-Crowned-Saints being sent unto the Two Kings and much stirr'd up by the Popes Letters are reported to have spared no pains in the Affair This was in the beginning of the Year as appears by the Date of the Pope's Letters but now when the Duke of Lancaster was thus upon his March thrô France and all things tended to a Desperate War the Pope sent again into France his two Legates the Archbishop of Rouën and the Bishop of Carpentras to treat of a Peace if possible between the Two Kings These Pious Prelates took much Pains in riding too and fro between the French King and his Brethren on the One Part and the Duke of Lancaster on the other but all to no purpose For all the while the English Duke rode forward as we have partly shew'd piercing thrô and ravaging from Artois and Picardy thrô Champaigne Burgundy Beaujolois le Forestes Auvergne and Limosin by the Loire even to the Lot Dordogne and Garonne Rivers of Guienne XVI Much part c Frois Gallicè fol. 257. a. of this long way being at that time the whole extent of the Kingdom of France gave indeed great trouble to the English besides those few Losses We have related for not to mention the many Difficulties incident to such a long March especially when Provision was so hard to be got the Duke of Lancaster lost many both Men and Horses thrô some secret indisposition From which neither were the Frenchmen free for there died several of them and particularly three Lords of Hainalt as the Lord Fatieres of Berlammont the Lord Bridol of Montagne and the Begue of Werlan But there was no such Matter as some Historians too rashly report namely that the Duke of Lancaster's Army of 30000 was reduced only to 6000 by that time he came to Bourdeaux unless it be meant that he had no more Horses left For of them it must be confessed how there perished a great Number for want of Fodder as well because all Provender was convey'd away into strong Places as because the French King by his several flying Parties kept them from Foraging So that whatever they got was dearly bought and not fetch'd in to the Army without many Hands Wherefore more wisely doth Honest d Fabian p. 258. Fabian say from the French Writers themselves that thô indeed this Expedition was Honourable to the English because they rode thrô the whole Realm of France unfought withall yet was it also exceeding troublesome and chargeable unto them considering the many mischiefs they met withall in their long March especially the great Loss of Horses When the Duke of Lancaster had past the Loire about Roanne he was informed how the Frenchmen prepar'd to entertain him as they should find opportunity with sundry Ambuscadoes Wherefore he presently e Polyd. Virg. Holinsh p. 994. set his light Horsemen with a Division of Archers in the Front and in the Main Battail where he himself was with the Duke of Bretagne the whole Force of his Footmen and Men of Arms on each side for Wings to cover them The Rest of the Horse with the other Division of Archers he appointed to be in the Reer and having commanded them all to March close together in this Order he thus frustrated all further attempts of his Enemies and came in safety into Poictou where in Revenge of their Defection from England he began a new spoil killing and ransoming the people wasting the Country and firing the Towns where-ever he came till at last he arrived at Bergerac in his way to Bourdeaux the Frenchmen always following till he came thither at the tail and coasting him as they saw occasion without any further Advantage than what we have mention'd But the Duke of Anjou having left Paris and joyn'd the Constable rode above towards Rouvergue Rodez and Tholouse but at last they return'd to Perigort where the two Legates then were having rode between the two Parties preaching and laying many sound Reasons before them to bring them to some Agreement but they were both so harden'd that neither would admit of Peace without some apparent Advantage which the other would not grant So about the beginning of November the Duke of Lancaster came to Bourdeaux where both he and the Duke of Bretagne lay all that Winter and the Lent following only some few taking their leave now the Campaine was over among whom the Lord Ralph Basset of Sapcote with his Retinue went back into England whereat the King was much displeas'd and chode him severely that he would offer to return without his Lord and General Of this Expedition we are to observe that some thrô largeness of speech have made it to begin in Flanders whereas it is to be understood as We have shewn at Calais which confines on Flanders And so Sr. William Dugdale is to be expounded who speaks of an Expedition this Year made into Flanders wherein he f Dugd. 1 Vol. p. 396. says were present the Lord Edward Spencer the Lord * Id 2 Vol. p. 173. John