at Caerbrank or yorke to haue theyr aduyse what he shuld do wyth the prynce of Denmark In y e whych counsayle yt was concludyd that the foresayd Guylthdacê° shulde holde and do homage to the kynge of Britayn for the land of DeÌ„mark and yerely bere to hym a certayne tribute whyche done wyth suerty and hostages taken the sayde Guylthdacus wyth his loue was sette at lybertye and leue to retourne into his owne countre whych yerely tribute as testyfyeth the englyshe cronycle was a thousande pounde THE XXX CHAPITER Then yt foloweth in y e hystory when Belyn hadde thus vyctory of this enemyes and was alone possessoure of this realme of Brytayne the lawes before made by his father he coÌ„fermed and ordeyned iustyce to be mynystred thorough the lande And for so myche as the .iiii. wayes begon by his fader were not perfyghtyd and endyd he therfore causyd workmen to be called and set theym to paue wyth stone the sayde wayes that they myght suffycyently be knowen of all waygoers or traueyllers of the countres as hereafter ensuyth The fyrst of these .iiii. wayes was named Fosse the whyche stretchyd oute of the southe into the north and begynneth or at that dayes beganne at the corner of Totnesse in Cornewayle and passed forth by Deuynshyre Somersetshyre so forth by Tutbury vpon Cotteswolde besyde CoueÌ„tre vnto Leycestre from thennes by wylde playnes towarde Newerke and endyth at the cytye of LyncolnÌ„ The second waye was named watlyngstrete the which stretcheth ouer thwarte y e wayes of Fosse out of the southest into the northest This beganne at Douer and passeth by the myddell of Kente ouer Thamys besyde London by weste of westmynster and so forth by saynte Albanys in the weste syde of Dunstable of Stratford of Towceter and of we don by south Kyllyngburne of KyllebournÌ„ by AthicstonÌ„ vnto Gylbertes hyll that now is named wrekyn and so forth by SeuarnÌ„ passynge besyde wrokceter forth vnto StrattonÌ„ to the myddell of walys vnto a place called Cardycan at y e Irysh se. The thyrde waye was named Ermyngstrete The whyche stretcheth out of the weste northweste vnto the eest southeest bygynneth at Menema the whych is in saynt Dauies lande in weste walys and so stretcheth forth vnto south HamptonÌ„ The fourth and last waye is called or was called Kykenyldis strete The which stretcheth forth by worceter by wycombe by Birmyngham by Lychefyld by Derby by Chesterfyeld by yorke And so forth vnto Tymmouth y e whych was suffycyeÌ„tly made He grauÌ„ted confermed theÌ„ all suche priuyleges as before were grauÌ„ted by DuÌ„uallo his fader The whych priuyleges with other lawes by hym made who y t is desyrous to know let hym rede ouer y e traÌ„slacyon y e holy Gildas made of Mulmutius lawes out of Brytyshe speche in to latyne and there he shall se the circumstaunce of euery thynge In this whyle that Belyn was thus occupyed aboute the nedes of his land his brother Brenne beyng as before is sayde in a prouynce of Gallia takynge sore to mynde hys expulsyon from his naturall couÌ„tre not hauynge any comforte how he myght attayn to his former dignite lastely resorted wyth .xii. persones onely accompanyed vnto the duke or ruler of that prouynce or countre For ye shall vnderstande that at those dayes as testyfyeth Eutropiê° and other wryters the Gallis occupyed dyuers countres And therfore Titus Liuius whych wrote y e actes and dedes of the Romayns made disstynccyon of the Gallis and nameth them that BreÌ„ne ladde when he beseigyd the cytye of Rome and after y e capitoyll Cenonenses Galli which is to name the Gallis of that couÌ„tre where the cytye of Cena than stode yet doth as testyfyeth the authour of cronica cronicaruÌ„ and other in a countre of Italy named at this day Etruria The whiche cytye as affermen the sayde authours was fyrste buylded of the foresayde Gallis in y e tyme of Brenne beyng theyr duke or leder before the commynge or incarnacyon of Cryste .iii. hundred .lxxx. vi yeres whyche maketh the yere of the worlde folowynge the accompte of this worke .iiii. thousand .viii. hundred and .xiii. yeres Then yt foloweth in y e story when Brenne was comen to the presence of the duke named by myne authour Gaufride Seginê° duke of Alebrog the whyche is to vnderstande duke of Armorica now named lytell Brytayne as by Policronica and the englyshe cronycle is suffycyently declared and shewed vnto hym his aduersyte trouble y e sayd duke receyued hym into his courte And for he was personable well maneryd hauyng great experyence in hawkynge and huntynge and other propertyes apperteynynge to a gentylman he had hym in shorte whyle in especyall fauour before any noble man of hys courte By meane wherof he lastly maryed his doughter vpon condycyon that yf he dyed wythout Issue-male that he then shuld be ruler of y e countre And yf yt happened hym to haue an heyre male that then yt not withstaÌ„dyng to ayde and helpe hym to recouer his lande before loste The whych condycyons well and suerly vpon the dukes partye by the assent of y e nobles of his laÌ„de assured the said duke within coÌ„pas of y e same yere dyed After whose deth when by a conuenyent terme yt was knowen that the duchesse his wyfe was not wyth chyld all the lordes to BreÌ„ne dyd homage became his men To the whych lordes the more to wynne theyr loues he departed mych of his tresour and shortly after with theyr assente gadered a great armye and so in all hast sayled into Britayne to make new warre vppon his brother Belyne after a certayn tyme there landed Of whose landyng when Belyne was enfourmed he in all haste gaderyd his Brytons in great nomber made towarde hym as to hys mortall enemye But the moder of the two brethern named CoÌ„nuueÌ„na or after the englysh boke Cornewey consyderynge y e mortall hateryd attwene her two chylder and in partye of theyr both persones of a moderly and naturall pyty went attwene her two sonnes and vsyd her in such dyscrete maner and moderly coÌ„passyon as shewyng her brestes and other demeanures that at length she accorded them After whych accorde both bretherne with theyr lordes and frendes sped them vnto Troynouant or London and there after many thynges orderyd and made for the weale of y e land they coÌ„descended agreed to lede theyr both hostes into Gallia for to subdue to them the sayde countre And in as goodly haste as they might pÌ„pare for y e iourney they toke shyppyng so sayled into a parte of Gallia brennyng wastynge y e conntre without pyty And as wytnessyth myn authour Gaufryde in a shorte whyle they subdued a great parte of Gallia Italy and Germania But here I entend to leue the farther ê“cesse of myn authour Gaufrid for so myche as here he varieth from other writers of authority as Eutropius Titus Liuiê° other that dyd great dilygence in writynge
thys yere dyed also the olde quene Elyanore wyfe vnto HeÌ„ry the thyrde and mother to thys kyng Edwarde whose herte was buryed at the graye freres in London and her body at Ambrysbury in the house of Nunnes Anno domini M.CC.xcii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CC.xciii  Henry Bale  Rauffe Sandewyche  Anno .xxi.  Elys Russell  IN thys .xxi. yere the kyng helde hys great courte of parlyament at London to the whyche with dyuers lordes of that prouince came the kyng of Scottes And after he had contynued there a conuenyente season he was coÌ„ueyed with dyuers lordes ferre vpoÌ„ hys iourney towarde hys owne countre And in thys yere as one Rychard Bagle offycer of the sheryfes of London was ledynge a prysoner towarde the Gayole the whyche he before had arrested thre men rescowed the sayde prysoner and toke hym from the offycer The whych were pursued and taken and by iugemente and lawe than vsed broughte into westchepe and there had theyr ryghte handes smyten of by the wrestes Anno dnÌ„i M.CC.xciii  Anno dnÌ„i M.CC.xciiii  Robert Rokysley  Rauffe Sandewyche  Anno .xxii.  Martyn Awbry  IN the .xxii. yere of kynge Edwarde vpon the daye of saynt Tyburce and Ualeryan or the .xiiii. daye of May fyll a woÌ„derfull snow and therwith and excedynge wynde By vyolence wherof greate harme was done in sundry places of Englande In remembraunce whereof a Metrycyan made these verses folowynge Crastino Tiburci sanctorum Valeriani Nix cadit immanis ventus vehemens boriasis Euulsit siluas vulsit quas reperit herbas â—des dampnose detexit impituose Quas clam prostrauit sic plurima daÌ„pna paraâ—it The whyche verses may thus be Englysshed as here after foloweth The morow folowynge Tiburce Valerian The blessed sayntes of snow fyll suche plentie That at that day was no lyuyng man That myght remembre of so great quantyte The Northyn wynde blewe wyth such fyerste That houses trees with herbys it ouer cast And many other harmes by sande eke by see Of that wynde came the whyse that it dyd laste IN thys yere also about y e ende of the moneth of Iulu dyed freer Pekham than archebysshop of Caunterbury In whose see was after stalled mayster Robert of wynchester And aboute the myddes of Septembre folowynge the erle of Barre a frenche man maryed Elyanore y e kynges doughter in y e towne of Brystowe And about the ende of thys yere dyed Alexandre kyng of Scottes where soone after ensuyd great warre and trouble for the enherytaunce of that lande as in some parte shall after appere And thys yere whete was solde at London for .ii. s. a busshell In this yere also as wytnesseth the Frenche cronycle Phylyp le Beawe thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce made warre in Gascoyne and Guyau for the cause as there is shewed sayeng that kyng Edwarde vnder coloure to haue made a vyage into the holy lande gathered a great army and sodeynly entred into Normandy bothe by lande and water dyd moche harme in spoylynge and takyng dyuers shyppes of Fraunce and brynnyng and spoylyng diuers townes of the same and after came vnto the towne of Rochell where to it the Englysshemen made dyuers assautes wherby the dwellers also the towne susteyned moche harme wherof the kynge of Fraunce beynge enfourmed sent vnto kyng Edward monisshing hym to come vnto hys parlyamente also to make satysfaccyon for suche harmys as hys people had done within hys domynyon of Fraunce and Normandy But for that kyng Edwarde refused that to do therfore y e sayd Phylyp le Beawe sent Rauffe de Neell thaÌ„ coÌ„stable of Fraunce into Gascoygne with a greate myghty power the whyche made sharpe warre vppon y e Gascoynes But the Gascoines with helpe of the Englysshemen defended theym in suche wyse that great hurt was done vpon bothe partyes ThaÌ„ fynally as testifyeth the sayd frenche cronycle to the entent that kyng Edwarde myghte make the better clayme to al the hole duchy of NormaÌ„dy he sent the Frenche kynge worde y t he wolde gyue ouer into hys handes the duchye of Guyan holde no lande of the kyng of Fraunce Anno domini M.CC.xciiii  Anno domini M.CC.xcv  Henry Boxe  Syr IohnÌ„ Bryton  Anno .xxiii.  Richarde Glouceter  IN thys .xxiii. yere the walshemen by styrryng of one named Madok rebelled agayne the kynge wherfore he in all haste spedde hym vnto westchester and about the feast of saynte Nycholas wan frome the walshmen the ile called Anglesya or the I le of Manne and buylded newe the cytye castell of Beau Maryse and broughte the vnstedfast walshemen to newe reclayme then caused the woodes of y e countre to be hewyn downe wherein before tymes they vsed to hyde theym as a cony dothe in hys claper and repayred so the castelles and stronge holdes with buyldynge of some newe that he caused the walshmeÌ„ to thryue agayne theyr wylles For by the strengthe of those castelles they were kepte from theyr olde accustomed rauyns and stelynges and put so in execucyon by the rulers of the sayd castelles stronge holdes that they fyll vnto occupacyon and to byenge and sellyng and gathered treasoure and beganne to lyue after the maner of EnglisshemeÌ„ so that more and more that countre grewe to more restefulnesse and peace In thys yere also the frenchemen arryued at Douer wyth a certayne of shyppes beynge vnder the rule of syr Mathew de mounte morency and of syr Iohan Harcourte knyghtes and spoyled that towne and brent a parte of yt In whych skyrmysshe was slayne or martyred an holy man named saynte Thomas of Douer And in this yere as testifieth y e frenche cronicle Charles de Ualoys brother vnto kyng Phylyp of Fraunce was sent by hys sayd brother into Gascoygne with a greate hooste The whyche Charles layde hys syege vnto the castell of Ryon wherin at that tyme were syr Iohan Seyn IohnÌ„ IohnÌ„ de Brytayne the whych manfully vygorously defendyd the sayd castel agayne the Frenchmen all that yere and more as in the next yere shall appere Anno domini M.CC.xcv  Anno dnÌ„i xii C.xcvi  IohnÌ„ Dunstable  Syr IohnÌ„ Bryton  Anno .xxiiii.  Adam Halyngbery  IN this .xxiiii. yere the kyng for the great warre y t he had wyth the Frenche kyng and els where coÌ„maunded a new subsidie to be leuied vpon all the sarplers of wolle goyng out of Englande with all fellys and hydes in lyke maner And ouer that all suche money as before was grauÌ„ted by the clergy of Englande towarde the defence of the holy lande the kyng then for reporte that he hadde from Rome of the popes maners thaÌ„ Bonyface the .viii coÌ„maunded it to be brought vnto hys tresoury And by a coÌ„uocacioÌ„ made of the sayd clergye he had graunted towarde hys nedes halfe of theyr spyrytuall temporall landes begynnyng at .xx. marke benifice so ascendyng vpward the whych was nat
wysedome the whych forecastynge the great shedynge of chrysten mannes blode with many other inconuenyences lykely to haue ensued of this varyaunce atwene these two dukes made suche affectuous labour that with great diffyculte he pacifyed them agayne for that tyme and brought them to personall communicacyon and lastely to amyable and frendely departynge After whiche concorde and amyte thus agayn concluded the duke of Burgoyne departed into Pycardy leauynge behynde him the fore named Peter Essayr to rule the cytie of Parys The whiche shortely after drewe to hym suche persones as before tyme had vexed and distourbed y e duke of Orleyaunce frendes seruauntes with in that cytie By whose meanes the sayd Peter sought fyrste occasyon agayne a knight named Uenyt Thorney and by false suggestyon smote fyrste of his hede and after dyd hys body to be hanged vpon the coÌ„mon gybet of Parys in dyspyte of y e sayd duke as testifyeth myne Auctoure wherwith y e duke beynge wondersly amoued resembled his knyghtes spedde hym towarde a towne named And for to strengthe another towne named he sente a certayne nombre of his knyghtes chargyng them with the dwellers to withstande the force of his enemies Of this hearynge the duke of Burgoyne anone gathered vnto him the noumbre of .xvi. M. flemynges and Pycardes and sped hym vnto the sayde towne of And so with his instrumentes of warre assayled the gate of the sayde towne whyche leadeth towarde saynt Quintyne y t in shorte space the sayde Flemynges wan the entre of the towne In whyche meane season the dwellers wyth the other soudyours by a backe way or water wherof the maner by thys auctoure is nat expressyd lefte the towne yode vnto the duke of Orleyaunce beynge as yet at the foresayde towne of whan the Flemynges were entered the towne fouÌ„de it deserte of people and pillage were it for that they lacked theyr praye or for other cause here nat shewed they toke suche vnkyndenes agayne the duke that for prayer nor yet for manasses they wolde nat with hym any lenger tary but returned them home in all hastely spede towarde theyr owne countrey So that the duke was fayne to withdrawe and for the more suretie to aske ayde and helpe of Englysshemen and so was holpen by the prynces comforte Henrye sonne of Henry the .iiii as after shall be touched in the .xii. yere of the .iiii. Henry IN the .xxxi. yere of thys kynge Charles whiche was the .xii. yere of the .iiii. Henry than kynge of Englande the duke of Orleyaunce seynge his enemye was turned from Parys caused suche Brydges as before by his said enemye were broken to be reedyfyed By the whyche he passed the ryuer tyll he came to saint Denys where as than he fande a capytayne a noble man named syr IohnÌ„ Cabylon of the dukes of Burgoyne there lefte by hym to strength the towne The whiche syr IohnÌ„ coÌ„sideryng y e wekenes of y e said towne with also his lacke of streÌ„gth yelded him the towne vnto the duke swerynge to him by solempne othe that after y e daye he shulde neuer bere armes agayne hym In this pastyme an other capytayne of the Burgonyons called Gancourt secretely by night wan vpon the frenche men the brydge of saynte Clodalde But nat longe after the duke of Orleaunce sent thyther certayne Brytons the whiche agayne recouered the sayde brydge helde it vnto y e sayd dukes vse In whyche tyme and season the duke of Burgoyne recouerynge hys strength passed the brydge of Melent so came vnto the cytie of Parys and the daye folowynge wyth helpe of the cytesyns recouered the abouesayd brydge of saynt Clodald and dystressed vpon a M. Brytons whyche had the warde of the same Then the duke of Orleaunce made out of saynte Denys ouer Sayne brydge towarde Parys wherof that other duke beynge warned refused the cytye and with the kynge than there beynge present remouyd wyth the Dolphyne to the towne called Stamps and sent y e erle of Marche named Iamys wyth a certeyne knyghtes to a towne named to strength it ageyne the duke of Orleaunce The whyche of the sayde dukes knyghtes was encountred with and taken and so sent to pryson wherof herynge the duke of Burgoyne in shorte processe after retourned vnto Parys wyth the kyng and dolphyne and the duke of OrleauÌ„ce yode to a towne called Seyntclowe And in the .xxxii. yere of thys sayd kynge Charles by counceyll of the duke of Berry and other seyng that the sayde cytye of Parys was so let agayne hym wyth also the kynge the dolphine sent a noble man of his hoste named Alberte vnto Henry the iiii yet kynge of Englande to requyre hym of ayde to withstande the tyrannye of the duke of Burgoyne that wyth hys complyces entendyd to subuerte the realme of Fraunce To this requeste kynge Henry gaue good eare and lastely graunted to hys petycyon sent thyder as sayth the Frenche cronycle Thomas hys sonne duke of Clarence also y e duke of yorke wyth IohnÌ„ erle of Cornewayle accompanyed wyth .viii. C. knyghtes and sowdyours a thousande archers The whych company when they were landed in Fraunce herde y t the French lordes were in treaty of peace no man to theÌ„ gaue wages as they tofore were ê“mysed fell vpon a towne called and it ryffled therin toke as prysoners the abbot of that monastery wyth other and coÌ„ueyed theÌ„ to Burdeaux and after into Englande where for theyr fynaunce other money due of olde by the Frenche kynge as affermeth Gagwyne they remayned many yeres after And that the Englysh men were thus departed albeit that in the Englysshe cronycle and .xiii. yere of the forenamed kynge Henry of them is other report made the lordes of Fraunce retourned to theyr olde disceÌ„cyon contynued in longe stryfe wherof the cyrcuÌ„staunce were longe and tedyouse to tell to shewe the vnstablynesse of them how some whyle the duke of Orleaunce was fauoured of the kynge and the dolphyne and there agayne the duke of Burgoyne cleyne out of conceyte The which coÌ„tencyoÌ„ thus enduryng kyng Henry y e iiii dyed and Henry his son y e .v. Henry was admitted for kyng of Englande after hym that shortly after sent his ambassadours vnto the Frenche kynge arynge of him his doughter Katheryne in maryage as affirmeth the frenche boke But dyuers other wryters shewe y t he asked the hoole landes due to him within the realme of FrauÌ„ce by reason of the composicion made in tyme passed atwene his progenytour Edwarde the thyrde IohnÌ„ than king of Fraunce And for he was dysdeynously answered he therfore made vpoÌ„ them sharpe warre as in the .iii. yere of y e sayd HeÌ„ry after some deale dothe appere By reason of whyche warre the cyuyle batayle or stryfe y e longe whyle had coÌ„tynued amonge the frenche men than dyd aswage For in the .iii. yere of this Henry whiche was the .xxxv. yere of this Charles the said Henry inuaded y e
Dioclecyan kyng of Sirye as in the englyshe cronycle is affermyd For in all olde storyes or cronycles is not founde that any suche kynge of that name reygned ouer the Syriens or yet Assyriens nor yet any suche storye that his .xxx. doughters shuld slee theyr .xxx. husbandes as there is surmysed was put in writynge whyche yf eny such wonder hadde ben there wrought shulde not haue ben vnremembred of the wryters auctours of that partyes consyderynge that many lesse wonders are put in writynge by the sayde wryters wherfore it ys more apparant y t yt toke that fyrst name of Albyon as aboue is sayde then of Albyne doughter of the sayde Dioclecyon And as to the GeauÌ„tes that Brute founde in this yle at his arryuayll they myght be brought into this laÌ„de by some meane of shyppes or other wyse rather then to be borne of those women as there also is imagyned Of this yle the auctours Alpherd and Beda tell many wonders which in the fyrst boke of Policronycon are suffycieÌ„tly towched where it is sayd y t this yle is called an other worlde For as sayth Solinus the edge of the Frenche cliffe shuld be the ende of the world yf this yland ne were not Many other thynges ben there specyfyed the whyche I passe ouer Thys yle is closyd on all sydes with y e see stretcheth in length out of the sowth into the north hauynge in the sowthest syde Fraunce in the south y e land of Spayne in the north y e couÌ„tre of Norway in y e weste the couÌ„tre of Irland And hath in length from Totnesse to Catenessey .xv. myles beyonde Mychell Stowe in Cornewayle vpon .viii. hundred myles And to reken the brede from saynte Dauyds lande in walys called Menema to Douer clyffes it coÌ„teyneth after moste wryters .iii. hundred myles And yf yt be rekened from y e sayd place in walys vnto parmouthe in Norfolk not so much but lesse by .lx. myles after some wryters And Beda saith it coÌ„teineth ouer CC. miles And this I le was fyrste as aboue ys sayde named Albyon and secundaryly Britayne after Brute thyrde 〈…〉 of Anglis by coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„t of Egberte kynge of Anglys and of westsaxons all be yt that after some wryters yt was called Anglia after the name of the quene of this lande name Anglia albe it that therof is founde lytell authoryte This ile was fyrst coÌ„queryd by y e Romayns and so contynued vnto them as trybutary and vnder theyr rule as after in the ende of the story of Gracianus shall appere ouer .iiii. huÌ„dred yeres secondely by the SaxoÌ„s thyrdely by y e Danys fourthly by the Normans and was deuyded fyrst by Brute in thre partes as in the storie shall appere folowynge THE II. CHAPITER BRute of the auncyent and noble blode of Troyans dyscendyd of Eneas a Troyan and of the doughter of Pryame kynge of the Troyans whyche Eneas receyued of his sayde wyfe a sonne named Ascanius the whych was kynge of the countre of Italye nexte after hys father Eneas For so yt was that after the foresayde cytye of Troy was as before is sayde by the Grekes subuertyd Eneas whyche entendyd to haue sauyd from dethe the fayre Polixena doughter of kynge Pryam was for that dede by Agamemnon duke or chyefe leder of the Grekes exyled froÌ„ Troy the whyche accoÌ„panyed wyth a great nomber of Troyans wythin iii. yeres after his departynge from Troye landed in y e couÌ„tre of Italye And there after dyuerse conflyctys and bataylles hadde wyth Latynus then kynge of Italye he maryed by the agrement of the sayde Latinus hys doughter named Lauina Uppon y e which he gatte a sonne and named hym Syluius Posthumus of the whych after some wryters descendyd Brutus fyrste kynge of Albyon But for a more concordaunce of this worke and conuenyencye of yeres As testyfyeth Policronia Guydo de ColuÌ„na wryter of storyes other Ascanius the fyrste sonne of Eneas gotten vppon hys fyrste wyfe hadde a sonne named Siluius whyche after some wryters is named Siluius Eneas this Siluius Eneas was father to Brute Of this is dyuers opinyons whereof some are manyfestly shewed in the .xxvii. chapyter of the seconde boke of Polycronycon Then yt foloweth in y e story this Brute beyng of the age of .xv. yeres slewe his father in shotyng at a wyld beste And as some authours haue he slewe also hys moder in tyme of his byrth But for the laste dede by agrement of all wryters he was banyshed the countre and after by fortune landed wyth his conpanye in a prouynce of Grece where at y e tyme reygned a kyng named Pandrasus or after some wryters Pandarus y e whyche kynge as affermyth Geffrey of Monmouth was lynyally descendyd of the blode of Achylles In this prouynce Brute founde many Troyans as captiuys thrall to the Grekes wyth the whyche he conspyred faughte wyth y e Grekes sondry tymes lastely for a fynall concorde toke to wyfe the doughter of the sayd Pandrasus name Ignogen After whyche maryage solemnysyd the sayde Brute by couÌ„sayle of y e Troyans with a certayne of shyppes well vytaylled departed out of Grece and soughte his aduenture whyche after many daungers of the passed he landed wyth his company in a parte or yle of Affrica named as sayth Guydo and other Lergesia wythin whyche yle at those dayes stode an old temple dedycate in y e honoure of Diua or Diana a goddesse of mysbyleued people The whyche temple when Brute had apê‘ceyuyd anon he yode into yt where knelyng before the aulter wyth great deuocyon sayde these versys folowynge Diua potens nemorum terror syluestribus apris Cui licet amfractus ire per aethereos Infernasque domos terestria iura resolue Et dic quas terras nos habitare velis Dic certam sedem qua te venerabor in aemon Qua tibi virgineis templa dicabo choris The whyche versys are to be vnderstanden in our moder tonge as after is expowned Celestyall goddesse that weldest fryth a woode The wylde bore bestes thou feryst by thy myght Guyder of shypmen passynge the ragyone flode The infernall howses for and the erth of ryght Beholde and serche and shewe where I shall fyght Tell the certayne place where euerlastyngly A temple of virgyne to the Iâ—Balledyfpe After whyche prayer obseruaunces after y e pagan ryte with great deuocyon done and exercysed aboute y e auter of y e sayd goddesse or idolle in those days vsed Brute fill in a slepe In tyme of whyche slepe apperyd to hym the sayd goddesse and sayd to hym in maner forme as foloweth Brute sub occasum solis trans Gallica regna Insula in oceano est vndeque clausa mari Insula in oceano est habitata gigantibus olins Nunc deserta quidem gentibus apta tuit Hic de prose tua reges nascentur ipsis Totius terrae subditus orbis erit Hanc pete nanque tibi sedes erit in illa
he dyed and was enteryd or buryed at TroynouaÌ„t or London THE V. CHAPITER LOcrinus or Locryne y e fyrst or eldest son of Brute was made kynge of Brytayne of y e countre of Logiers the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .lxxx. and .vii. The whych helde to his parte as sayth Policronicon and also Guydo de Columna the countre that stretcheth from the south see vnto the ryuer of Humbre as before is expressyd whyle this Locrinus thus reygned in Logiers his brother Albanactus beynge ruler as before is sayd of Albania or Scotlande was warreyd by a duke whome the cronycle of EngaÌ„ld nameth Humbre y e which slewe Albanakt in playne batayll ye shall vnderstande y t this Humber at the daye of his commynge into Albania was not named Humber but after olde wryters he was called kynge of Hunnys or kyng of Sithia without other addicyon This kyng as before is sayde after he thus subduyd Albanactus held the lande of Albania tyll after y e Locrinus wyth his brother Cambre gathered a gret power of men of armys and yode agaynst the sayde kynge of Hunnys and by strength of theyr Britons chasyd and subduyd the sayde HuÌ„nys so sharpely that many of theÌ„ with theyr kyng were drowned in a ryuer which departyth England and Scotland And for so myche as to the wryter of the storye of Brytons his name was declared to be Humber therfore the sayde auctor affermyth that the sayd Humber y e ryuer toke the fyrste name of hym whyche yet contynueth to this daye Furthermore testyfyeth the sayde auctour that after this victory thus obteyned by these two forsayde brotherne this Locrinus enamowred hym selfe vppon a fayre wenche named Estrylde and doughter of the forenamed Humber and her kept vnlefully by a certayne of tyme. where wyth his wyfe named Guendoloena beynge sore dyscontent excyted her fader and freÌ„des to make warre vppon the sayde Locryne her husbande In the whyche warre lastly he was slayne when he hadde reygned or ruled Loegria or Logiers after the concordaunce of moste writers .xx. yeres and was buryed by his fader in the cytye of Troynouaunt leuyng after hym a yonge sonne gotteÌ„ vppon his wyfe named Madan THE VI. CHAPITER GUeÌ„doloena or GueÌ„doleyne the wyfe of Locrinus doughter of Corineê° duke of Cornewayle for so myche as Madan her sonne was yonge to gouerne the lande was by coÌ„mune assent of all y e BrytoÌ„s made ruler of the yle of Brytayne the yere of the world .iiii. thousande a huÌ„dred and .vii. And so hauyng possession of the sayde yle we le and dyscretly she ruled yt to the comfort of her subiectes tyll the tyme her sonne Madan came vnto hys lawfull age At the whiche season she gaue ouer the rule and domynyon to hym after she had ruled as before ys sayde thys yle xv yeres THE VII CHAPITER MAdan the sonne of Locryne of GueÌ„dolyne before named was made ruler of Britayne in the yere of y e world iiii thousande C. and .xxii. Of thys is lytell or no memory made by any wryters excepte that some wryte of hym that he vsed great tyranny amonge his Brytons Neuerthelesse all or the more ê‘te of writers agreen that he ruled this I le of Britayn by y e terme of .xl. yeres At y e ende of which terme he beynge at his dysporte or huntyng was of wyld bestes or woluys slayne or deuouryd and left after him two sonnes as sayth Policronica named Menprecius Manliê° THE VIII CHAPITER MEnprecius the eldest sonne of Madan was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii thousande C.lxii. But he reygned not loÌ„ge in peace For his yonger broder Manlius of a malycyous and couetyse mynde entendynge to be kynge and to expell or subdue his brother excyted the Britons in such wyse to rebell agayne Menprecius y e great and dedly warre contynued longe amonge them Howe be yt lastely by mediacyons of frendes a daye of communycacyon in louynge maner ner attwene these two bretherne was appoynted At whyche daye of assemble Menpriciê° by treason slewe his brother Manlius after whose deth he lyued in more tranquylite and rest where through he fyll into slowth and by meane of slowth into vnlefull lykynge and lechery and by that vyce into hatered of his subiectes by takynge of they re wyues and chylder and fynally became so vnhappy y t he forsoke his lefull wyfe and concudynes and fyll into the synne of Sodomye Thus from one vice he grew into a nother so that he became odyble to god and man and lastely goyng on huntynge and lost of his people was distroyed of wyld bestes when he had reygned .xx. yeres leuyng after hym a goodly yonlynge begoten of his lefull wyfe named Ebranke THE IX CHAPITER EBranke the sonne of Menprecius was made ruler of this lande of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde foure thousande a hundred lxxx and .ii and had as testyfyeth Policronica Gaufryde other wryters .xxi. wyues of the whych he receyued .xx. sonnes and .xxx. doughters wherof the fayrest was named Gwales or after some Gualea He sent these doughters to Albia Siluius whych was the .xi. kynge of Italye or the .vii kynge of Latynes to the ende to haue them maryed to the blood of Troyans This Ebranke was also a man of fayre statute of great strengthe by his power and myght he enlarged his domynyon in so myche that he wanne and occupyed a great parte of Germania by y e ayde and helpe of the Latynes and retourned theÌ„s wyth great pray ryches After whych retourne he buylded the cytye of Caerbrank now called yorke whych shulde be as sayth the authour named Flos historiaruÌ„ or the Floure of historyes wryten in frenche in the .xxiii. yere of y e reygne of the sayd Ebranke which accompt to folow yt shuld seme that Troynouant or LoÌ„don was buylded before the sayd cytye of yorke about an hundred and .xl. yeres supposyng the cytye of London to be begonne in the seconde yere of Brutes reygne Also he buylded iÌ„ Albania or Scotlande the castell of Maydens the whych is called Edynborgh After which edyfyces ended and made he wyth a great armye sayled into Gallia nowe Fraunce and subdued the Gallis and retourned wyth great triumphe and rychesse And when he had guyded this lande of Brytayne nobly by the terme of .lx. yeres after moste concordaunce of wryters he dyed and was buryed at Caerbrank or yorke leuynge after hym for hys heyre his eldest sonne as sayth Gaufryde named Brute Greneshyelde THE X. CHAPITER BRute Greneshyelde the sonne of Ebranke was made gouernour of this lande of Brytayne the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .ii. huÌ„dred and xlii Of this Brute is no memory made touchynge any fame excepte y e Gaufryde sayth that he ruled this lande of Brytayne his fader lyuynge a certayne tyme after his fader by the terme of .xii. yeres The whyche yeres expyred or endyd he dyed and lyeth buryed
Gaufryde and beraft hym the gouernaunce of the land vppon certayne coÌ„dycyons to be contynued for terme of lyfe the whyche in processe of tyme more and more were minyshyd as well by Maglaunus as by HeÌ„ninus husbaÌ„des of the forenamed Gonorild Ragan But moste dyspleased Leyr the vnkyndnesse of his two doughters consyderynge theyr wordes to hym before spoken and sworne and now founde prouyd them all contrarye For the whyche he beyng of necessyte constrayned fledde his lande sayled into Gallia for to be comforted of his doughter Cordeilla wherof she hauyng knowlege of naturall kyndnesse coÌ„forted hiÌ„ after shewynge all the maner to her husbande by his agrement receyuyd hym his to her lordes courte where he was cherished after her beste maner Longe yt were to shew vnto you y e circumstaunce of y e vtterans of the vnkyndnesse of his two doughters and of the wordes of comfort gyuen to hym by Aganippus and Cordeilla or of the couÌ„saile and purueyauÌ„ce made by the sayde Aganippus his lordes for restorynge of Leyr agayn to his dominyoÌ„ But fynally he was by the helpe of the sayde Aganippus restored agayne to his lordshyp and so possessed lyued as ruler gouernour therof by the space of .iii. yeres after In whych season dyed Aganippus And when this Leyr had ruled this lande by the terme of .xl. yeres as affermeth dyuerse cronycles he dyed and was buryed at his towne of Caerleir or Leycestre leuynge after hym for to inheryte the lande his doughter Cordeilla THE XVI CHAPITER COrdeilla the yongeste doughter of Leyr was by assente of the Brytons made lady of Brytayn in the yere of y e world .iiii. thousande iii. hundred lxxxxviii the whyche guyded the lande full wysely by the tyme or space of .v. yeres complete The whyche tyme expyred and roÌ„ne her .ii. neuewes called Margan and Cunedagiê° sonnes of her .ii. susters came vpon her land and made therin great waste and destruccyon and at the laste toke her and cast her into a stronge pryson where she beynge dyspayred of y e recouery of her estate as testyfyeth Gaufryde slewe her selfe whenne she hadde reygned as before is declared by the terme of fyue yeres THE XVII CHAPITER CUnedagius and Marganus neuewes as before is sayde of Cordeilla departyd this lande of Brytayne betwene them in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousand .iiii. hundred and .iii. That is to wyt the couÌ„trey ouer and beyond Humber fyll to Margan towarde Catenessey and the other parte of the lande towarde weste as reherseth Gaufride fyll to Cunedagius After two yeres were ronne ended some euyll dysposyd came vnto Margan and sayde that to hym yt was great reproche and dyshonour consyderynge that he was comen of Gonorilla the elder suster of Maglaunus her husbande Cunedag was descended of Ragan the yonger and Hemnius her husbande that he had not y e rule of all y e land to which sedycyous ê‘sons Margan gyuynge credence was supprysed with pryde and couetyse and anon by theyr couÌ„sayle assembled a great hoste made warre vpon his sayde brother brennynge and destroyeng his land with out mercy wherof Cunedag beynge ware in all hast gaderyd his people after certayne message sent to hym of the reconcylyacyon seynge there was no peace to be made but by the iudgement of batayll he mette wyth his brother in playne felde where y e goddes were to hym so fauourable that he slewe myche of the people of his brother and coÌ„pellyd hym to fle After whyche vyctory thus had he pursued Margan from couÌ„tre to couÌ„tre tyll he came wythin the countre or prouynce of Cambria or walys in the whyche couÌ„tre the sayde Margan gaue one other batayll vnto his brother Cunedag but for he was farre the weker he there was ouercomen and slayne in the felde whyche felde or couÌ„tre where the sayd Margan fought was slayne is to thys daye called Glaumargan whych is to meane in our vulgare tung Margan lande And thus was Margan slayne whan he hadde regned wyth his brother two yeres THE XVIII CHAPITER CUnedagius before named the sonne of Hemnius and Ragan yoÌ„ger doughter or myddell doughter of Leyr was made ruler and lorde of all Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .iiii. hundred .v. Of the whyche is nothyng worthy memorye lefte in wrytyng but that he guyded y e lande after the deth of his brother well and honorably by the terme of .xxxiii. yeres After which terme ended he dyed and was buryed at Troynouant or London leuynge for his heyre a sonne as testyfyeth Gaufryde named Riuallo or Rinallo or after some wryters Reyngnolde THE XIX CHAPITER BIuallus the sonne of Cunedagius was made gouernoure of the Brytons in the yere of the world .iiii. thousand .iiii. hundred and .xxxviii the whyche of wryters is called fortunat and restfull This Riuallus ruled y e BrytoÌ„s with great sobernesse kepte the lande in great welthe and prosperyte all be yt that of hym is lefte no specyall memorye of acte done in his tyme except myn authour sayth that in y e tyme of his reygne yt reyned blood by the space of .iii. days contynually wythin the lande of Brytayne After the whych reyne ensued so great excedynge noÌ„ber of multitude of flyes the which were to the people so noyous and coÌ„tagyous that they slewe myche people And after that as sayth an olde authour whose name is vnknoweÌ„ ensued great sykenesse and mortallytie to the great desolacyon of thys sayde lande Then yt foloweth in the story wheÌ„ this Riuallus hadde reygned after moste coÌ„cordaunce of writers by the terme of .xlvi. yeres he dyed was buryed as testyfyeth the sayde olde authour at Caerbrank or yorke leuynge after hym a sonne as wytnessyth Gaufride named Gurgustius In the tyme of the reygne of thys kynge after moste concorde of wryters y e famous cytye of Rome shuld be buylded as is shewed more playnly in the treatyse in the begynnyng of this warke THE XX. CHAPITER GUrgustius the sonne of y e fore named Riuallus was made ruler of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousane .iiii. hundred lxxxiii This in y e cronicle of EnglaÌ„d is named Gorbodiam sonne of Reygnold Of the which is lytell memory made other of his regne or of his dedes by any authours or wryters of y e hystorye of Brytayne excepte the aboue named olde authoure and the authoure called the floure of hystoryes wytnessyth that he reygned xxxviii yeres leuynge after hym none heyre of his bodye begotten and lastely dyed and was buryed by his fader at Caerbrank or yorke Rome as aboue ys towched was fyrst buylded edyfyed in the tyme of Riuallus and after moste writers In the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousande .iiii. hundred .lxx after the buyldyng of TroynouaÌ„t or London .iiii. huÌ„dred .vii. yeres whych folowyng that accompte shulde be in the .xxxii. yere of the forsayde Riuallus THE XXI CHAPITER SIsillius or after
Moste virgynall floure of all moste excellent Persynge of angelles the hyest Hierarchy Ioye and be glad for god omnipotent Hath the lyft vp and sette moste worthily Aboue the nomber and gloryous company Of his blessyd sayntes wyth moste hye dignite Nexte after hym moste honoured to be This fyrst parte to be accompted from the fyrste yere of Brute vnto the laste yere of the foresayde dyscorde or vnto the fyrste yere of Mulmutius includyth of yeres .vii. hundred and foure ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste parte THE SECONDE PARTE THE XXVIII CHAPITER MUlmutius Dunuallo or as some haue Dunuallo Mulmutius the sonne of ClotenÌ„ as testyfyeth the englyshe boke also Gaufride was venquesshour of y e other dukes or rulers and began his reygn ouer the hole monarchy of Brytayne in the yere of the worlde .iiii. thousand vii hundred .xlviii. This is named in the englyshe cronycle Donebant the whyche was a noble man causyd to be made wythin the cytye of Troynouant a temple and named it the temple of peace The whyche after some opynyons is that place or feld where y e market of wollen cloth is holden called or named Blakwelhall He also made many good laws the which were long after vsed called Mulmutiê° lawes These lawes holy Gyldas wrote wyth great dylygence out of the brettishe speche into latyne And longe tyme here after y e Aluredus kynge of England turned those lawes oute of latyne into englyshe He also gaue pryuylege to temples to plowghes cytyes and to the wayes ledynge to y e same And as some authours wytnesse he beganne the foure hye wayes of Brytayne the whych were fynyshed and perfyted of Belinus his sonne as after at length shall be declared The olde cronycle testyfyeth y t this Mulmutius whyche he in his boke nameth Molle made the two townes of Malmesbury and Uyes And all other writers afferme that this Mulmutius after he hadde stablyshyd his lande and sette his Brytons in good and conuenyent order by the aduyce of his lordes he ordeyned hym a crowne or dyademe of gold caused hym selfe to be crowned wyth great solempnyte after the vsaunce of pagane lawe then vsed And for this cause after the opynyon of some wryters he is named the fyrste kyng of Britayn And all y e other before rehersyd are named rulers dukes or gouernours Then yt foloweth in the storye when Mulmutiê° had guyded y e land well and honorably by the terme of xl yeres he dyed and was buryed in the foresayde temple of peace within Troynouant or LoÌ„don leuynge after hym two sonnes named Belinus and Brennus THE XXIX CHAPITER BElinus and Brennê° the two sonnes of Mulmutius beganne to raygne ioyntly as kynges of Brytayne in the yere of the world iiii thousande .viii. C. viii so that Belinus held to hym Loegria or Logiers walys and Cornewayll and Brennus held to his parte all y e land ouer beyonde Humber with which partycyon eyther of them was coÌ„tentyd pleasyd as testyfyeth Polycronica by the terme of .v. yeres After the whyche terme endyd and expired Brennus entendynge to haue more lande or all arose agaynste his brother Belyne and made vppon hym mortall warre In the whych warre Brennus was ouersette and was coÌ„pelled to flye the land and sayle vnto Armorica now named lytell Britayn or as sayth Gaufryde into a countre called Allebrog as after shal be more playnely declared and there allyed hym after the foresayde terme as before is sayd of .v. yeres was expyryd as affermeth Policronica For Gaufryde sayeth in his boke made of the hystory of Brytons y t after y e terme of .v. yeres afore sayde were expyred and runne Brennus by sterynge of yonge and euyll counsayll enteÌ„dyng as before is sayde sayled vnwetyng his brother into Norway and there maryed the doughter of Elfunge or Elfynge then ruler or duke of Norwaye when this was shewed vnto Belyn consyderynge the sodayne departyng in all haste he seasyd Albania and all the other lande apperteynyng to Brenne into his owne hand and strengthed the cytyes and other stronge places wyth his owne sowdyours wherof when Brenne was warned he in all possyble haste assembled a great people of the Norwayes and toke hys shyppynge to sayle into Brytayne And as he was kepynge his course vpon the see he was encountred wyth Guilthdacus kynge of Denmarke the whych had lyen in awayte for hym for loue of y e wenche y t Brennus had maryed for before tyme he had requyred her of Elfungeher fader wheÌ„ those .ii. flotê were mette strong shotte and fyght was vppon both partyes But fynally the Danes ouercame the Norwayes or Norganys and toke the shyppe by strength whych the weÌ„che was in y t whych anone was brought vnto the shyppe of Guilthdake and Brenne wyth a fewe of his shyppes lefte was fayne to sauegarde hym selfe by flyght when Guilthdake hadde thus obteyned y e vyctorye entendynge to haue sayled towarde Denmarke in shorte whyle after y e tempestes came so hydous vppon the see that hys nauye was deuyded and scatered that one frome the other in suche wyse that he was in fere to haue ben drowned And at the ende of fyue dayes not wetynge where he was wyth fewe shyppes landed in the couÌ„tre of Northumberlande where at that tyme was Belyn prouydyng defence agayne his brothers coÌ„myng wherof when word was brought vnto Belyn of the landynge of the fore sayde Danoys prynce wyth a small company he reioysed yt and coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym wyth his shyppes company to be put in sure holde kepynge It was not long after but BreÌ„ne hadde reculyd and gaderyd to gyder the more parte of hys nauye before as ye haue harde chased And when he hadde theym newely ryggyd and vytayled he herynge of the aryuayll of Guilthdacus in NorththuÌ„berlaÌ„d with his wife sent wordê of manace vnto his brother Belyn wyllyng hym to sende vnto hym his wyfe wroÌ„gfully rauyshed by Guilthdacus also to restore vnto him his land patrymony or ellys he wold shorthely inuade his lande yt for to waste his enymy to destroye The whych desyre or request of Belynus was playnely and shortely denyed whych knowlege had Brennê° shortly after landed in a parte of Albania and made towarde his brother and his brother towarde hym so y t theyr hostes met nere vnto a wood named at that day Calater or Calaterium where betwene them was a mortall batayll in so myche that mych people fyll vpon both partyes But lastly the Brytons wanne the felde and chasyd the Norganys or Norways vnto theyr shyppes chasynge sleyenge them without pyty And as affermeth myne authour y e fyght was so cruell and sharpe that there was slayne to the nomber of .xl. M. men After this dyscumfyture Brenne was constrayned to flee and wyth fewe in nomber recoueryd the lande of Gallia Belinus hauyng thus victorye of his enemyes after thankes and oblacyons made vnto his goddes after the pagane law he then assembled his lordes
and retourned vnto Rome where after he had a season restyd he was by the senate of Rome assygned for his sternesse vnto the rule of Brytayne wyth the ayde of .iii. legyoÌ„s of knyghtes And so beynge garnyshed wyth all abyly mentes of warre entred this yle of Brytayne and wyth great trauayle subdued them to the empyre and so contynued the lyues tyme of the emperour Bassianus But so sone as he was assertayned that y e emperour was slayne at Edessa as before in the story of Bassianê° is shewed thynkynge that amonge the Romaynes shuld growe stryfe dyssencyon for the electyon of a new emperour by reason of whych stryfe he myght the rather lyue so farre froÌ„ them wythout any correctyon confederyd wyth the Scottes and certayne other of the Britons and slew many of the Romaynes suche of theÌ„ as he thought wolde not consent to his treason and by that meane fynally was made kynge of Brytayne And so contynued as affermeth the sayde authour to accompte from his fyrst hauyng rule vnder the Romaynes vnto the tyme y t he was slayne of Alectus .viii. yeres not wythout exercysynge of his olde accustomed tyrannyes and other vnsyttynge condycyons THE LXIIII. CHAPITER ALectus a duke or consull of Rome sent as before is sayd from the senate begaÌ„ne to rule the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. hundred .xxvi. This in the englysh cronycle is named Allec whych wheÌ„ he had restoryd the lande to the subieccyon of Rome he theÌ„ pursued certayne of the BrytoÌ„s that had fauoured Carassiê° agayne the Romayns And in that doynge vsed and exercysyd many tyrannyes and exaccyons by reason wherof he fyll in greate grudge of y e Brytons wherfore they entendynge to oppresse and subdue the power of the Romaynes purchasyd and excyted a noble man of y e Britons called Asclepiodotus and duke of Cornewayle The whyche gatheryd a great hoste of the Brytons and made warre vppon the Romaynes and chasyd them from couÌ„tre to couÌ„tre from towne to towne and lastly Alectus wyth his Romayns drew hym to London and there kept hym for his most suertye wherof beynge warned Asclepiodotus he with his Brytons came nere vnto the sayde cytye where by meanes of prouocacyon on eyther partye vsed lastely y e Romaynes issued oute of the cytye gaue batayll to the Brytons In the which fyght many fyll on eyther partye but y e more on the party of y e Romaynes amonge the whyche was also slayne Alectê° wherfore a captayn of the Romaynes called Liuius Gallus aduertysynge this myschyef the great dauÌ„ger that the Romayns were in drewe backe into the cytye with the Romaynes that were lefte on lyue and defendyd yt wyth theyr powers Thus then appereth that Alectus was slayne of the Brytons whyche was by most accorde of writers wheÌ„ he had ruled this lande vnder y e Romaynes by the terme of .vi. yere THE LXV CHAPITER ASclepiodotus duke of Cornewayle as sayth Gaufryde but after the sayeng of Eutropius and Beda he was presydente of the Pretory of Rome began his domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde two hundred and .xxxii. The whych as before is sayde wyth his Brytons gyrt the cytye of London wyth a stronge syege and kepte the forsayde Liuius Gallus and his Romayns in streyte holde finally as affermyth myne authour Gaufride with knyghtly force violeÌ„ce entred the sayde cytye and slewe y e forenamyd Liuius Gallus nere vnto a broke there at that daye rynnynge and hym threwe into the sayd broke By reason wherof long after yt was called Gallus or wallus broke And at this day y e strete where some tyme ranne the sayde broke is nowe called walbroke And after he hadde thus venquyshed the Romayns he helde this lande a certayn of tyme in peasyble wyse and ruled the BrytoÌ„s wyth good iustyce in rewardynge exaltynge the good men and punysshynge of the euyll In this whyle by styrynge of dysclaunderous dyuylyshe persons a grudge was arreryd attwene the kynge and a duke of his land called Coill or Coillus the whyche was duke or erle of Kaercolym or Colchester wherof the cause is not apparaunt But how it was great people were assembled on both parties and fynally mette in the feld where was faughteÌ„ a great and stronge batayll In the whyche Asclepiodotus was slayne when he had reygned to the concordaunce of other histories and after the affermaunce of the olde cronycle by the space of .xxx. yeres THE LXVI CHAPITER COelus erle of Colchester began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of the incarnacyon of Cryste .ii. houÌ„dred .lxii. This in the englyshe boke is called Coyll the whiche guyded the lande to the pleasure of the Brytons a certayne tyme. But as wytnesseth Gaufryde when the senate of Rome had vnder standynge of the deth of Asclepiodotus they were ioyous of the deth of hym for so myche as he hadde euer ben an enemye to y e empyre But for so mych as at that dayes was great dyssencyon amonge them selfe as wytnesseth y e cronycle of Rome they coude not conuenyently sende any armye of knyghtes for to warre vppon this Coelus wherfore he contynued y e longer in reste good peas After the cronycle regestred within the monastery of saynt Alboon the sayd holy martyr suffered his passyoÌ„ in the yere of our lorde .ii. houndred lxxx .vi whych shulde be the .xxiiii. yere of this present kynge But thys dyscordeth from suche wryters as affermen the holy man to be martyred in the .x. persecucyon vnder Dioclesian and Maximian emperours Neuerthelesse at length was sente from y e senate a noble wyse man called Constancius the whiche as affermeth the forenamed auctour had before tyme subdued to the empyre a great part of the couÌ„tre of Spayne But that sayenge dysagreeth to the wrytynge of Eutropius For the couÌ„tre of Spayne was not subdued by hym tyll after y t he was emperour Than it foloweth whan this Constancius was arryued in Brytayne with his army anone Coelus assembled his Brytons But for he dredyd the strength and fame of thys ConstaÌ„cius he sent to hym an enbassad affyrmynge vnto hym coÌ„dycyons of peace wyth graunte of paymentes of the trybute whych before was denyed or ellys as meaneth Polycroniâ—a wythin a moneth after the landynge of this Constancius Coelus was dede wherfore the Brytons to haue the more peace wyllyd this knyghte to take to wyfe Heleyn the doughter of Coelus wyth the possessyon of the lande of Britayne which by hym was graunted Then as before is sayde Coelus dyed when he had ruled the Brytons after most accorde of wryters .xxvii. yeres THE LXVII CHAPITER COnstancius a senatoure of Rome as sayth Policronica beganne to rule the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde two hundred .lxxx. and .ix. This as before is shewed maryed Heleyn the doughter of Coelus last kyng of Brytayne But ye shall vnderstande that this Constancius was fyrste maryed vnto Theodora
from thens to Uerdune or Uerdoune Theodoberte hauynge knowlege of hys malycyouse brothers purpose gaderyd in Austracy a greate hoste and so sped hym tyll he came to the cytye of Toull where bothe hostes shortely after met and in the feldes or playnes nere to the cytye foughte a stronge batayle In the which was slayne greate people vppon bothe sydes but the more parte vppon the syde of Theodobert wherfore he fynally was compelled to forsake the felde and fled vnto Coleyne where he gaderyng a newe powar fought agayne wyth hys brother In the whyche fyght he had lyke fortune was agayn chasyd to hys grete shame and losse whom Theodoricus as hys mortall enemye folowed fyrynge and wastynge the countreys as he went in so myche that the inhabytauntes of the couÌ„treys fell before hym besechynge his grace that for the offence of one man he wolde not destroye so many innocentes assurynge hym forthermore that they wolde become hys lyegemen and holde theyr lande of hym for euer At whyche request he sayde gladly he wolde to them graunte theyr petycyon yf that they wolde presente to hym the hedde of hys brother After the whych answere by them of Theodorych receyued they amonge them selfe appoynted out a certayne of persones moste apte to theyr purpose and wyllyd theym to go vnto Theodobert to execute theyr entent The whyche sped theyr iourney tyll they came to the presence of Theodobert shewyd vnto hym that yf he wolde be agreable to departe wyth suche stuffe and iewellys as he had of hys faders so that Theodoryche myghte be partener therof he shulde haue perfyght amyte and rest wyth hym To the whyche wordes he gyuynge confydence and truste called wyth hym the sayde persones and brought them into y e howses where the sayd stuffe and iewellys lay And whyle he was busyed to deuyde out and appoynte y e porcyon of hys one of the sayde persons slewe hym sodeynly and after of one agrement strake of hys hed and in secrete wyse caused yt to be conueyed vnto hys brother whan Theodoryche hadde receyued the hed of hys brother he sped hym to Coleyne where this treason was wrought and receyued the cytye into hys possessyon wyth all y e kyngdome of Austracy to hys brother belongynge And when he had there ordred hys nedes after hys mynde wyth two sonnes and an excedynge fayre doughter of Theodobert he spedde hym vnto Mees the chefe cytye of Austracy where wyth hym met hys graundmoder Brunechyelde The whyche perseuerynge in all malyce and myschefe caused y e sayd two sonnes to be shortly slayn Theodorych then restoryd or delyuered vnto Clothayre all such laÌ„des as to hym he had before promysed Theodoryche thus endynge hys warre the whyche by a longe season spent hys tyme in kepynge of concubynes was nowe rauyshed wyth the beaute of his brothers doughter the whyche he hadde brought from Coleyne But that doyng Brunechyeld wythstode wyth all her power because the mayde was so â—eâ—e of hys kynne For the whych he beyng with herfore dyscoÌ„tent sayde o thou most wycked false woman dyd not thou make me to beleue that Theodobert was not the sonne of my father but that he was the sonne of a gardyner For what cause hast thou caused me to ê‘secute my brother and lastely to â—lee hym After the whyche wordes he wolde haue slayne her yf he of his lordes hadde not ben letted whyche dede not forgotten of this vngoodly woman euer after imagyned howe she myght brynge Theodoryche out of lyfe And lastely she hyryd such as were about hym to consent to her iniquyte so that vpon a season when he came out of his stew or bayn he axyd drynke by y e force wherof he was poysoned â—yed soone after wheÌ„ he had reygned .xviii. yeres Howe be yt Antoninus in the .vi. chapyter .xii. tytle of the seconde parte of hys worke sayth that he was brent wyth fyre by the dyuyne power THE CXXVI CHAPITER NOw that I haue shewed vnto you the fyne ende of these two bretherne by reason of whose deth the hole pryncypate of Fraunce fell vnto the abouenamed Clothayr I shall now expresse vnto you the dedys by hym done after he hadde all the rule onely So yt was that y e forenamed Brunechyelde malygned euer agayn Lothayr And to the fortherauÌ„ce of her malyce â–ª she behauyd her in such wise wyth some of the rulers lordes of Austracy that she caused them to admytte owne named Sygebert to be ryghtfull enherytoure of that lande â–ª But for that some of them had good experyence of theyll dysposycyon of this woman they therfore sent two noblemen of that lande name Pepyn and Arnold vnto Clothayre willynge hym to sende hastely into that prouynce After the whyche message by these two lordes reported Clotharius shortely after spedde hym into Austracy and at a castell called Cathomat he lodgyd hym with hys people whereof herynge Brunechielde sent vnto hym gaue vnto hym monicyon that he shuld voyde the land for so myche as Sygebert the eldest sonne of Theodoryche was therof ryghtefull enherytour ye haue harde before that Theodoryche vsyd lemmans of the whyche he receyued foure sonnes y t is to say Sygebert Corbe Chyldebert and Merone wherfore y e foresayde Brunechyelde entendynge to dystourbe Lothayre and all the lande fortyfyed the sayd Sygebert to clayme the lande of Austracye And when Clothayre hadde receyued knowlege of this maundemeÌ„t from Brunechielde or Bruncheuste he sent to her answere that he wolde assemble the lordes of Austracy and be demed by theym whyther thys land belonged to hym or Sygebert And she ferynge that sentence excyted people of the prouynce of Germanye to strength her partye wyth all the people that she myght make of the sayde countre of Austracy And that to bryng about she sente one Garnery an other Albon Of this Garnery she hadde suspeccyon that he shuld fauour y e partye of Lothayre wherfore to Albone hys felowe she sente letters that he shulde put the sayde Garnery away wheÌ„ Albone had ouer rad the letter he brake yt in peces threwe theym from hym And afterwarde a frende of Garneryes gaderyd the peces and so ioyned theym that he conceyuyd the sentence of the letter and forthwyth shewyd yt vnto Garnery when Garnery perceyued the malycyous entent of Brunechielde he kepte yt secrete to hym selfe all be it that he by his secrete meanes caused the Germanyes that they shuld take no partye wyth Brunechyelde And that done he retourned into Burgoyne where wyth her and in her coÌ„panye he solycyted so the lordes of Burgoyne that some of them abhorred the crudelite of that woman And when Garnery hadde in thys wyse compassed hys maters he sent vnto Lothayr shewyd that yf he myght haue hys grace and safecondute he wolde come to hym and shew to hym thynges concernynge hys aduauntage All the whyche was graunted Then Clothayre by counsayle of y e sayd Garnery assembled his power shortly sente a
theyr enemyes Of thys message the kynge was ryght fayne and forthwith sped him tyll he came to Roan wher he was accordynge to hys honour receyued For the whyche cause he sent in all hast vnto Arnulfe erle of FlauÌ„ders monassynge hym that he sease of his warres in Bayon tyll he receyued farther knowlege The kyng thus restyng in Roan deuysed hys maters at hys pleasure so that the Normayns obeyed them to all hys requestes And for y e good aberynge that Barnarde the Dane was of agayne the kynge he graunted to hym the gydynge of the yonge duke And whan he shulde departe he ordeyned as hys deputye one named Raoull or Rauf The whyche after the kynges departure behaued hym so cruelly to the Normans that they were very irke of hym And ouer thys the foresayd Barnard ferynge the kynges retorne and other more greuous punysshement than they before hadde susteyned sent his messengers vnto Grolle kynge of Denmarke than beynge at Chyerbourk wyllyng hym to assemble his people and to make of them two hostes wherof to sende y e one by lande and that other by water so to entre the couÌ„tre of Normandy in wastyng and spoylynge it by reason wherof he myghte brynge the kynge to some coÌ„munycacyon whych all was done as the sayd Barnarde had deuysed whan the kynge had wyttyng of the Danys that wyth so grete a multytude were entred the prouynce of Normandy he assembled hys hoste and sped hym thytherwarde and in processe of tyme came vnto the cytye of Roane where by hys counsayle it was condyscended that a metynge and frendly communycacyon shulde be had bytwene the kynge the sayd Grolle at a place called in Frenche Herlycum where at the day appoynted bothe prynces mette wyth bothe hostes standynge or hauynge a lytell dystauÌ„ce of And whyle the two prynces were there in communycacyon of the deth and murder of duke willmÌ„ a Dane markynge Herloyne For whose causes as before is shewed duke willmÌ„ was slayne with a spere wounded hym so greuously that he dyed forthwyth whych dede hys brother called Lambert wyth other of y e Frenchmen entendynge to reuenge wyth theyr wepons fylle vppon the Danys whyche them receyued with greate vyolence So that of that a fraye ensued a skyrmysshe and after the skyrmysshe a sore batayle For bothe hostes ioyned on bothe sydes and faught cruelly eyther with other a longe whyle But in the ende the Frenchmen had the worse and were compelled to flee And the kynge to saue hys lyfe fledde also whyche by reason of hys vntrusty horse was taken and kepte secrete a certayne of tyme by his taker But lastly he was discouered and brougth to the cytye of Roane as a prysoner The kynge thus beynge in holde vnder the kepynge of the Danys Engeberge hys wyfe makynge for hym grete dole and sorowe toke her iourney to the kynge of Germany whose doughter she was besechyng hym to prouyde for the delyuerye of her lorde and husbande But of hym had she no socour but rather dyscoÌ„fort shewyng to her that the trowble that her husbande susteyned he had well deserued for his vnstedfastnesse that he agayne wyllyam the duke Rycharde hys sonne had vsed wherfore the quene beynge thus answered of her father rode vnto Hugh le graunde besechyng hym of helpe in this greate nede The which at the request of the quene sent vnto Barnard erle of Senlys requiryng to moue some wayes to the Danys for the enlargynge of the kynge By whose labour and meanys lastely a counsayle was kepte at saynt Clere vpon the ryuer of Ept. where after many argumentes reasons made fynally it was agreed that the kyng shulde be enlarged tyll an other day of coÌ„munycacyon layenge for pledges hys sonne and heyre named Lothayr the bysshop of Senlys and y e bysshop of Beauuayze whyche done the kynge was set at large and forth wyth rode vnto the cytye of Laon. where he abode the other daye of coÌ„munycacyon whyche after was holden at y e foresayd ryuer of Ept. And concluded a peas whyche lasted but a shorte whyle after Thys peas thus confermed Grollo the kynge of Danys wyth greate gyftes was retorned from whens he was desyred And Richarde the yonge duke toke vpon hym the rule of hys owne Signory and grewe and encreased forthwardly wherof Hugh the graunde takyng hede and beholdynge hys wyse demeanure and conuersacyon made suche labour and meanes vnto Barnarde erle of Senlis y t he maried to him his doughter named Emmacet wherof beynge enfourmed the French kynge caste in hys mynde thys greate alyaunce bytwene the yonge duke and two grete perys of hys lande and thoughte y t these .iii. knâ—t in amyte and alyaunce shulde dysturbe hym whan them lyked wherof he called to hym Arnold erle of Flaunders by whose counsayle he sent the sayde Arnolde vnto Ottho kynge of Germany requyrynge hym of ayde to warre vpon y e Normayns and to breke thys affynyte of thys yonge duke of Hugh le graunde and of Barnarde erle of Senlys and for his labour he shuld haue to hym and to hys heyres the prouynce or lordshyp of Lorayne Ottho wyth thys couetous promesse deceyued asseÌ„bled his knyghtes and at the day and place appoynted met wyth the kynge and wyth theyr people sped them to Roan and layde siege vnto y e cytye And whyle the kynges were occupyed in wastynge and brennynge the vylages nere vnto the cytye to put the Normans in the more fere Ottho sent hys neuewe wyth a certayne of hys people in secrete wyse to the gates of the cytye But whan he was comen to the gate that opened towarde the ryuer of SaynÌ„ and thoughte there to wynne hys enterpryse y e cytesyns issued out vppon hym sodeynly and gaue to hym batayle and slewe hym and many of hys company and the remenaunt they chased froÌ„ the walles of the cytye whan Ottho had wyttyng of the ouerthrowe of hys men and deth of his neuew whom he entyrely loued he made inward heuynesse and caste in his minde how he myght reuenge the deth of hys neuewe But whan he approched the cytye and behelde the strength therof wyth also the fyersnesse of the NormaÌ„des he repented hym of enterprysyng of that iourney and torned all hys hatered vnto Arnolde erle of Flaunders by whose sterynge and counsayle that vyage was fyrste begon in so mych that he sought the meanes to brynge y e sayd Arnolde into the handes of the Normans wherof Arnolde beynge warned trussed his stuffe and harneys secretly and in the nyght stale away and so retorned into Flaunders with his retynew The whych thyng knowen to the two kynges in as secrete wise as they myghte departed also from y e siege But yet therof theyr enmyes beynge ware pursued them slewe many of theyr company And or the yere that thys was done in had roÌ„ne hys full compas Lewys the kynge dyed and was buryed in the temple of the holy bysshoppe saynte Remygius wythin the cytye of
whyche serche they demeaned theym so vndyscretely that they slewe a cytezyne of Douer By meane wherof the people arose and in the questyonynge of thys mannes deth ran at length vppon the erles company and slewe .xx. of hys men and wounded many mo Hastely the erle apperyd and toke his mennys parte But in conclusyon he was fayne to wythdrawe hym selfe with a few persons and rode vnto the kynge then beyng at Glouceter and made vnto hym a greuous complaynte of the men of Douer Then erle Goodwyne for so moch as to hym was commytted the rule of Kente was charged to ryde thyther and to take wreche of the inhabytauÌ„tes of that towne But he with sayde that commaundement and counsayled the kyng to sende for the wardeyns of the castell of Douer and rulers of the towne for to answere to suche maters as were layde agayne them and yf they were gylty to punyshe them and ellys not This answere of GoodwynÌ„ pleased nothynge the kynge nor suche as were aboute hym wherfore many mo lordes were sent for Amonge the which Leofricus erle of Chester and Sewarde erle of Northumberland of myne authour ben named After whych assemble of y e lordê erle Goodwyne had suche monycyon of some of y e counsayll y t he wythdrewe hym from the courte and gadered to hym strength of knyghtes out of dyuers shyres as west Saxon Kent and houed at BeuerstonÌ„ tyl his sonnes came vnto him with more peple Soone after came vnto hym his eldest son named Swanus brought wyth hym a fayre companye that he hadde arreyred in Oxenfordeshyre Gloucetershyre and Harolde hys other sonne wyth a feleshyppe that he had assembled in eest Englande and HuntyngdonÌ„shyre so that of these people was made a great hoste Then GoodwynÌ„ to the kyng was accused for gaderynge of so great an hoste But he excused hym and sayde yt was done to wythstand the walyshmen The whyche contrary proued he was coÌ„maunded to sende awaye the people and to come wyth a certayne nomber vnto the courte But that he refused Then the kyng wyth hys counsayll beynge at London Goodwyn and Harold was eft sent for and charged to come to the courte wyth .xii. persones wythoute mo and to render into the kynges handes all knightes fees that he and Harolde his sonne hadde wythin Englande To thys by theym was answered that they myghte not come to the counsayll of treachours and gylefull men and that also wyth so fewe men in nomber they mygthe not wythoute parell or shame passe by the countrey In thys whyle a parte of Goodwyns knyghtes wythdrewe theym and hys power beganne to mynyshe and the kynge in thys whyle hadde gaderyd a stronge hoste Then proclamacyons were made that Goodwyne shuld come to the courte as before is sayd or auoyde the land with in fyue dayes wherfore Goodwyne consyderyng the ieopardy y t he was in toke wyth hym .iii. of his sonnes that is to meane Swanus Tosty Gurthe and sayled into Flaundres â–ª where he was receyued of the erle Baldwyn after some wryters whose doughter Swanus his sonne hadde before spoused was named Iudeth And Harolde and Leofricus two of his other sonnes with a few shyppes sayled out froÌ„ Brystow into Irland when the kynge was ascertayned that erle Goodwyne wyth hys fyue sonnes was in thys maner departed oute of his lande he shortly after called a parlyament and by authoryte of the same outlowed Goodwyne hys .iii. sonnes that were gone wyth hym And that done he put his owne wyfe and doughter of GoodwynÌ„ into the abbaye of warwell wyth one mayden as sayth Marianus And so GoodwynÌ„ and hys sayde sonnes contynued two yeres outlawed In the whyche season he or hys retynue toke dyuers tymes prayes in y e marches of Englande and in the ende drewe to hym suche strength that he was purposed to haue entred the lande wyth force and to haue warred vppon the kynge But by medyatours that fauoured erle Goodwyn a peace was made betwene y e kynge and hym so that in processe he was receyued to grace wyth hys sonnes hys doughter restored to her fyrste and former honoure And for thys peace to be contynued for Goodwyns parte was delyueryd for pledkes a sonne of hys called wylnotus and a sonne of Swanus named Hacum or Hacun The whyche .ii. pledges kynge Edwarde sent vnto wyllyam duke of Normandy to be kept And Algarus the sonne of Leofricê° erle of Chester to whbme the kynge had gyuen the erledome of Harold ruled yt dyscretely in tyme of his absence at hys returne delyuered yt to him again gladly without grudge THE CCXII. CHAPITER DUrynge the tyme of this out lauwry of Goodwyne wyllyam bastarde duke of Normandye came with a goodly coÌ„pany into this land and was honorably receyued to whom the kyng made great chere And after he hadde taryed here a certayne of tyme to his agrement and pleasure he retourned to hys owne wyth great gyftes pleasures And Emma the kinges moder dyed shortly after and was buryed a wynchester And Swanus the eldest sonne of Goodwyne went to Hierusalem and from thens towarde Lycia and dyed by the waye of colde that he had taken of goynge barefote Then the Normans that had gyuen to the kynge euyll counsaylles agayne Englyshemen were by Goodwyne and his frendes exyled Among the whyche Robert archebyshop af Caunterbury that hadde spoken sore agayne theym was one whych after went to Rome to complayn to the pope then LeonÌ„ the .ix. or Uyctour the seconde And wheÌ„ he had receyued letters of y e pope directed to y e kyng he returned to his abbay of Gemeticum in Normandye where he somtyme had ben munke and abbot and there dyed After hym Stigandus was made his successoure the whyche as sayth Policronicon had before tyme lefte the byshopryche of Shyrborne and toke the see of wynchester by streÌ„gth He also vsed fayres of holy chyrche thynges and was a lewde or vnlettred man as the more part of the bysshoppes of Englande at those dayes were And ouer that he passed other in ryches and dyssymulacyon But yet he neuer had y e palle from Rome though there be great sale that maketh many maystryes Then was openly spoken that he was not worthy a byshopryche that coude vse y e bragge or pompe of the worlde the vse of voluptuosyte of glotony and Lechery the shynynge araye of clothynge the countenaunce of knyghtes and the gaderynge of horsemen and thynketh full lytell on the profyte of soules And yf men sayde to theym that a byshoppe shulde be chosen for holynesse of lyuyng and for hys good clergye and not for couetyse of money they wold answere as foloweth Nunc aliud tempus alii pro teÌ„pore mores The whyche verse maye be englyshed in thys maner As tyme requyreth so men done theym vse In wynter warme clothes in somer lyght and lesse In tyme of sadnesse men done gamys refuse And in myrthe tyme men myrthes theym
with y t she beganne to syghe and sorow sayd alas this daye is my soule comen to the laste sorow And so after that she had spoken those wordes a messanger came to her and sayde that her son and all her mayny was dede sodaynly Then she was conueyed to her owne and was full syke wherfore in haste she sent for an other son of hers that was a monke a doughter y t was a nunne at whose coÌ„myng she sayd to them in thys wyse I am the woman that haue vsed yll crafte and enyll lyuynge and in vayne I hoped to haue ben saued by your bedes and prayers But now I praye you that ye woll releue my tourmentes and paynes for of my soule the iudgement is gyuen wherfore in case that ye maye kepe my body from tourment sewe it in an hartes skyn and laye it in a troughe of stone and hyll it wyth lede close and iuste and after do bynde it wyth barres of iron in moste strongest and sure wise and cause ye .xl. ê‘sons to synge psalmes by nyght and vppon the morne as many masses And yf I lye so stylle iii. nyghtes than burye my body on the .iiii. daye But all thys was for noughte For the fyrste nyght whyle the psalmes were in sayeng y e stroÌ„ge bandes were sodaynly to brokeÌ„ and one wyth a gresely loke was sene vppon an horse backe all blacke cast thys woman behynde hym so rode forth wyth so greate crye and noyse that it was harde as sayth Polycronycon .iiii. myles thens Thys wolde I not haue shewed but that I fynde it wryten and recorded of diuers authours Than to retourne to our fourmer story as wytnessyth myne authoure Ranulfe about y e .xx. yere of y e reygne of kynge Edwarde Harolde sayled towarde Normandye to vysyte hys brother wylnotus and Hacun hys neuewe the which as ye before haue harde were layde there for pledges for the peas to beholden vppon erle Goodwyns syde agayne the kynge But he in his course of saylyng was weder dryuen by tempeste into the countre or prouynce of Pontyfe or more verely into the puynce of PouÌ„tyth where he was taken as a prysoner and sent vnto duke wyllyam of Normandy The whyche forced hym to swere that he in tyme folowynge shulde marye hys doughter that after the deth of kynge Edward he shulde kepe the lande of England to hys behofe accordyng to the wyll and mynde of Edwarde after some wryters And after the opynyon of a nother cronycle wryten in latyn the sayd Harolde for to be in the more fauour of duke wyllyaÌ„ shewed to hym that kynge Edwarde in presence of hys barony had admytted the sayde wyllyam for his heyre and couenauÌ„ted wyth hym that yf he ouerlyued the kyng he wold in saue wyse kepe the lande to hys vse For the whyche tydynges promyse wyllyam grauÌ„ted to hym hys doughter to wyfe y t than was wythin lawfull yeres of maryage wyth greate dower And for to cause Harolde to be the more stabler in hys promyse kepynge he delyuered to hym Hacun hys neuew and sonne of hys brother Swanus whyche he myche desyred and kepte styll wylnotus the brother of y e sayd Harolde After whiche couenauntes suffycyentely stablysshed and enacted Harold departed from duke wyllyam wyth greate and ryche gyftes and in processe of tyme landed in Englande And at hys comynge to the kynges presence he shewed to hym all that he had done in the foresayde maters where wyth the kynge was well coÌ„tented as affermeth the sayd latyne cronycle THE CCXIIII CHAPITER IN the .xxii. yere of kynge Edwarde as testyfyeth Ranulfe Tostius the brother of Harolde was for cause not shewed disconted in the kynges courte and went vnto Harforde in the marche of walys where at that tyme the seruauntes of Harold by coÌ„mauÌ„dement of theyr mayster were besyed to make prouysyon for to receyue the kynge But whan thys Tostius was thyder comen he cruelly slewe the sayde seruauÌ„tes of hys brother hacked them in small pecys and caste them after in meresowce or salte And that done sent worde vnto the kynge y t yf he wolde come vnto hys feest he shulde lacke no powdered mete what so euer he hadde besyde Thys cruell dede sprange wyde so that for it he was hated of all meÌ„ in so mych that hys owne tenauntes the men of NorthuÌ„berland of which prouynce he than was lorde of arose agayne hym and toke froÌ„ hym that he hadde and lastely chaced hym into Flaunders wyth a fewe persons than a waytynge vppon hym But y e vertuouse kyng Edward not beyng contented wyth the comons doynge consyderynge it to be done wythout hys aduyce and coÌ„mauÌ„dement sent thyder Harolde to do correccyon vppon the heddes or capytayns of the Northumbers wherof they beynge acerteyned coÌ„tynued theyr strength and mette wyth Harolde hys people and sent hym to vnderstaÌ„de that they were frely borne and frely nourysshed that they myght nat suffer no cruelnesse of dukes Also they had lerned of theyr elders soueraynes to meyntayn fredom or to suffer deth and to lyue in quyetnesse vnder an easy duke whan Harolde had receyued thys message and aduertysed y e strength of the NorthuÌ„bers he perceyued well that wythout greate effusyon of blode he myghte not correcte the mysse doers wherfore it semed to hym better to fauour the couÌ„tree than to take hede of the synguler profyte of hys brother so that he retorned to the kynge wyth thys answere and purchased theyr pardon of hym and also procured so y e kyng y e he assygned to them an other duke or erle that was named Malcarus And Tostius hys brother wyth hys wyfe chyldern remayned in Flaunders durynge the kynges lyfe Kynge Edwarde in the .xxii. yere of hys reygne syttyng at mete vpon Eester day in his paleys of westmynster sodaynly lowghe whan other dyd talke and eate whan thys blessyd man had dyned and was entred into his chamber his famylyers asked of hym y e cause of hys lawghyng To whom he answered for y e same selfe tyme sayd he .vii. slepers that in the mount Seleon besydes Ephesym in Asya the lasse had slepte two hundred yeres or there about vpon the ryght syde the selfe same tyme they tourned them and shall slepe agayne vpon that other syde .lxxiiii. yeres Though thys be tolde of Ranulphe other syth in thys sayenge appereth some dyscordaunce wyth other wryters also wyth the former sayenge of the sayde Ranulphe in the .xxii. chapyter of hys .iiii. boke of PolycronycoÌ„ where he sayth that the sayd .vii. slepers were closed in y e caue the fyrst yere of Decius and so sleped contynuyngly to the laste tyme or yeres of Theodocius the youger than emperour by whyche reason they shulde slepe about y e season or space of .ii. hundred yere as aboue is sayd and than arose and shewed them to that sayd Theodocius emperour and many other dyed soone after as wytnessyth
Edwarde the confessoure and hys neuewe The seconde was to take wreche of his deth cruell murdour of hys neuew Alfrede and brother of y e blessyd kynge Edwarde that was slayn of erle Goodwyne and his adherentes as before ye haue harde in the storye of Hardykinitus the whyche dede he ascrybed chefely vnto Harolde And the thyrde was for to auenge the wronge done vnto Robert archebyshop of Caunterburye whych as he was enformed was exiled by the meanes and labour of Harolde in the tyme of Edwarde the coÌ„fessour as before is shewed THE CCXVII CHAPITER DUke wyllyam kepynpe hys course landed in processe of tyme at Hastynge in Sussex in a place called Peuenessey And in hys goynge oute of his shyp and takyng the land hys one fote slode and that other stacke faste in the sande The whych espyenge one of his knyghtes y t was nere vnto hym cryed alowde and sayd now syr duke thou holdest Englande and thou shalte soone be tourned from a duke to a kynge The duke of this made game and entred further into the lande and made his proclamacyons and cryes that no man shuld take any prayes or do any force to the people For he sayde that yt was reasonable that he shuld spare that thynge that shulde be hys owne Harolde in thys whyle was in the North partes of Englande and had wittynge of the landynge of the Normayns and sped hym towarde them in all that he myghte and gatheryd his strength by the countreys as he came But the duke made so good spede that he came to LoÌ„don before the kynge where he was holden out tyll he had made good suertye that he and hys people shulde passe thorough the cytye wythout taryenge The whyche was obseruyd And so he passyng the cytye passed the bridge and went ouer into Sussex Kynge Harolde entendynge to know the streÌ„gth of his enmyes sent espyes into the dukes hoste the whyche made reporte vnto the kynge that all duke wyllyams soldyours were prestes For they had theyr ouer lyppes and chekes shauen and the Englyshmen at these dayes vsed the here of theyr ouer lyppes shadde and not shauen But Harold to that answered and sayde they be no prestes but are stalworth and sturdye knyghtes Then Gurth or Surth one of the yongeste bretherne of Harolde counsayled hym that he shulde stande a parte and suffer hym wyth other of hys lordes to fyght with y e NormaÌ„s for so myche as he was sworne to the duke and they were not aledgynge furthermore that yf they were ouerthrowen y t yet he myght defende hys quarell and fyghte for the countrey In this meane tyme wyllyam sent a monke vnto Harold and proferred to hym thre maner of wayes and to chose one of the thre The fyrste that accordynge to his othe he shulde render the lande or delyuer yt vnto the possessyons of wyllyam And y e done to take yt agayne of hym and hold yt of hym as in fee so to reygne vnder hym for terme of hys lyfe and after his deth to retourne yt to the sayd wyllyam or to suche one of his sonnes as he wolde assigne it vnto Or secondly leue the kyngedome without more stryfe Or thyrdely in exchewynge of shedynge of the more plenty of Crysten meÌ„nes blood that he wold defende his quarell in hys owne persone agayne the duke and they two onely to trye the mater by dynte of sworde But Harolde refused these offers and sayde he wolde trye his quarell by dynt of swordis and not by one sworde and that he and hys knyghtes wolde defende theyr couÌ„trey agayn all strauÌ„ge nacyons prayenge to god to deme the ryghte betwene them twayne when duke wyllyam hadde receyued this answere from Harolde and same well that there was no meane but fortune in batayll he charged his people y t myght watche to occupye theym in prayer and specylly the prestes and the religious people where the Englyshemen gaue them all to drynke and songe Then vppon the morowe beynge saterdaye and the .xiiii. daye of Occtober and the daye of saynte Calyxte the pope bothe hostes assayled other in that place where as nowe standeth the abbay of Batayll in Sussex In the begynnyge of thys batayll a banner or a banneret called Thylfer a Norman splayed before the hoste of Normans and slewe an Englysheman or knyghte that came agayne hym and after that one other and so the thyrde and was slayne at the laste Then the seltrons smote to gyther wyth a great noyse and crye and faughte sore a longe season And the Englyshmen defended them manfully and the better for that that they kepte theym hole to gyther wythoute scaterynge or spryngynge a brode The whyche when wyllyam apperceyued he gaue a sygne vnto hys knyghtes that they shulde gyue backe and make countenaunce as they dyd flee Then the Normans imbatelled the fote men and sette horse men for wynges on euery syde By the whyche wyle the Englyshemen were descueryd and soone oute of araye and the Normans tourned agayne vpon y e Englyshemen and slewe theym downe on euery syde Thys batayll was sore foughten of the Englyshemen that duke wyllyam was thryse felled that day by reason that thre horse were that daye slayne vnder hym Lastely Harolde was wounded in the eye wyth an arowe and fyll to the grounde and was slayne and hys people scatered so that well was hym that myghte saue hym selfe by fleynge Then duke wyllyam buryed hys men that there were slayne and fuffred hys enymyes to do the same Of the deth of thys Harolde ys dyuersly wryten For Geraldus Crambrens in hys boke called Itinerarius sayth y t after Harolde had receyued many woundes and loste hys lefte eye he fledde from that felde to the countrey of Chester and lyued longe after an holy lyfe as an ancre in the selle of saynte Iamys faste by saynt IohnÌ„s chyrch made there an holy ende when y e deth of Harold was knowen to the erles of Mercia and of Northumberlande the whyche for streytnesse of waye myght not bryng theyr people to that felde or ellys for that that they wylfully wythdrew theym selfe from Harolde bycause he none otherwise departed y e prayes amonges them and theyr knyghtes at the former feld of Norgaynes then they drewe the next waye to London and take Agatha Haroldê wyfe and sent her to Chester And they and Aldredus byshoppe of yorke with the Londoners agreed and promysed eyther vnto other that they wold make Edgare Athelynge kynge and defende hys ryghte to the vttermoste of theyr powers But that promyse not wythstandynge when they harde of the great strength that dayly fell to duke wyllyam and of hys prouysyons they were fayne to breke that appoyntement And the sayd erles submytted them and gaue vnto hym pledges and became to hym his lyege men by homage and feautye And thus when Harolde hadde ruled the lande from the .v. daye of Ianuary to the .xiiii. daye of October he was slayne when he had reygned ix
subtyle meanes to be agreable vnto theyr vntrouth whyche erle had to name walref But at length when thys erle walref hadde knowen the fyne of theyr entent he went vnto Lamfranke and shewed to hym the hole mater By whose counsayll he shortely after sayled vnto the kyng then beynge in Normandye and dysclosed the mater to hym and putte hym holy in hys grace and mercye when the kynge had harde of these tydynges he made good semblaunt vnto this erle walref and sped hym the faster into Englande But howe so yt was the forenamed two erles were warned of dysclosynge of this mater in such wyse y t they gaderyd to theym suche strength that y e kyng coude not haue them at his pleasure but as he was fayne by stronge haÌ„de to chase and outlawe theym And for he fayled of his purpose of them he emprysoned erle walref at wynchester and lastely caused hym to be hedded more of tyranny then of iustyce as affermeth myne authoure whose corps was buryed at the abbay of Crowlande In the .xi. yere was holden a great counsayll or synode of the clergye of the lande in saynt Paules chyrche of London where amoÌ„ges many thynges ordeyned for the rule of y e chyrch of England dyuers byshoppes sees were transported from one place to another as Selwey to Chychester KyrtonÌ„ to Exeter welles to Bathe Shyrbourne to Salysbury Dorchester to Lyncolne and the see of Lychefelde to Chester whyche thynges thus ordered wyth many other for the chyrche the sayde counsayll was dyssolued In the .xiii. yere of hys reygne after the deth of Herman byshoppe of Salysbury succeded OsmuÌ„de y e kynges chaunceller The whyche buylded there a new chyrch and brought thyther clerkes that were garnyshed wyth vertue and connynge And he hym self wrote bounde bokes that were occupyed in the dyuyne seruyce of the chyrche as the ordynall or consuetudynary the whyche at this daye is occupyed in the more partye of Englande wyth walys and Irlande and is nowe named Salysbury vse or the ordynary after Salysbury vse In the .xv. yere of his reygne Robert the eldest sonne of kynge wyllyam the whyche was surnamed Curthose or Shorthose and shorte bote also for he myght not haue the duchy of Normandy whych his father hadde somtyme assygned and gyuen vnto hym and after for hys wyldenesse hadde agayne resumed yt he wyth fauoure and ayde of y e French kynge Phylyppe and of Lewys hys sonne toke prays in that duchy and put hys father to myche trouble in so myche that at length the father the sonne met in playne felde with .ii. great hostes and eyther wyth other faught a cruell batayll It is radde that durynge thys batayll wyllyam was throweÌ„ from his horse and in great ieopardy of hys lyfe wherof hys sonne Robert beyng ware was so moued wyth pytye y t he rescowed his father and delyuered hym free from all daunger of his enymyes But howe so yt betyde of the kynge trouth yt is that many of his men were slayn his second son wyllyam the rede sore hurte so that in the ende kynge wylliam was fayn to refuse the felde and gatte at that tyme none aduauntage of his sayde sonne For the whiche dede and rebellyon thus made by the sonne y e fader accursed hym after the opynyon of some wryters whyle kyng wyllyam was thus occupyed in Normandy the Northumbers waxte sterne rebell and slewe in theyr rage walkerus the bishop of Durham but for what cause myne authour expressyth not Aboute thys tyme warynge erle of Shrewesbury made two abbayes in the worshyp of god and saynte Mylborgh wherof one was set in the suburbes of Shrewesbury and y e other at wenioke In the .xvii. yere of kyng wyllyam a cursed stryfe was arered betwene Thurstone abbot of Glastenbury a Norman and his munkes wherof a part of the cause was that the abbot despysed wold haue set a part such songe and offices as by pope Gregory and Augustyn his dyscyple of old tyme to them was assygned wolde haue compelled them to haue folowed the vse of one wyllyaÌ„ of FescampÌ„ And ouer that this Thurstone wasted and speÌ„ded the goodes of y e place inordynatly in lechery and by other insolent meanes and wythdrew froÌ„ the munkes theyr olde accustomed dyet For the whyche causes fyrst beganne great wordes wyth chydyng and after strokes and fyghtes so y t the abbot gat vnto hym armed men and fyll vppon hys munkes slewe two of them at y e hygh alter and wouÌ„ded of theym .xviii. And the munkes wyth fourmes and candelstyckes defended theym in suche wyse that they hurte many of the armed men Then the complaynte was brought before the kyng by whose iudgemeÌ„t Thurstone was agayne returned vnto Cadony froÌ„ wheÌ„s he was brought and the muÌ„kes were spredde abrode into dyuers houses thorough Englande But yt is sayde that in the tyme of wyllyaÌ„ the Rede this ThurstonÌ„ obteyned the rule of that abbay agayne for the pryce of .v. hundred pounde In the .xix. yere of his reygne kyng willyam then raysed a new maner of trybute For he caused to be gadered thorough England of euery hyde of lande .vi. sÌ„ An hyde of lande conteyneth .v. yerdes and euery yerde conteyneth foure acres And so an hyde of lande conteyneth .xx. acres an acre conteyneth .xl. perches in length and .iiii. in brede .iiii. acres make a yerde and .v. yerdes make an hyde and .viii. hydes make a knightes fee. By the whyche reason a knyghtes fee shuld welde a hundred .lx. acres and that is demed for a plough tyll a yere And not longe after he caused to be serchyd howe myche lande eche of hys barons helde how many knyghtes fees how many townes what nombre of men and of bestes were wyth in this lande wherof he commaunded a boke to be made whyche all was done For the whyche dede this lande was after greued wyth many sondry plages as after shall appere In the .xx. yere of the reygne of kynge wyllyam Canutus kynge of Denmarke wyth helpe of the Flemmynges to whome he was called wyth a great armye came towarde Englande But by the prouysyon of the kynge they were so fered that they were let of theyr iourney Then kyng wyllyam gaue vnto .iii. of his champyons .iii. byshopryches To Moryce he gaue London to willyam he gaue Thetforde and to Robert he gaue Chester whych Robert was after remoued to Couentre Of this Robert reporteth Ranulfe that he scraped froÌ„ one beme of his chirch in Couentre .v. huÌ„dred marke to fyll wyth y e hande of kyng wyllyam For erle Leofricus y t was duke of Mercia in the tyme of Edwarde the coÌ„fâ—ssour had adourned that chyrch with great ryches of golde syluer other precyous iewelles In thys yere Edgare Ethelynge whych was reconcyled vnto the kynges fauoure by lycence of the kynge sayled into Apulia Then beganne the forsayde plages to sprynge For greate morayne fell vppon the brute bestes and brennyng
to the entent he myght fortyfye theym wyth his knyghtes to wythstande the empresse whose cūmynge he euer fered And y e yere folowynge he wāne wyth strength the castellys of Glowceter of Herford of webley of Brystowe of Dudley of Shrewesburye for the whyche cause Robert erle of Glouceter began to wythdrawe hys allegeaunce from kynge Stephan This Robert was the son of Henry the fyrst by reason of baste and for thys dyspleasure sent letters vnto Molde the empresse hys syster promysynge to her great ayde to wynne her ryght In the meane whyle that the empresse made prouysyon for her iourney kynge Stephan concluded a maryage betwene Eustace his sonne and Constaunce the kynges syster of Fraunce doughter of Lewys the great the whyche contynued the amyte betwene England and Fraūce Then in the moneth of Iuly and vi yere of Stephan Molde the empresse as testyfyeth Henry the chanon in hys .ix. boke entred this land by the porte of Portesmouthe and so kepte on her iourney tyll she came to Brystowe and dyd great harme by the meane of her passage through the countrey In whyche tyme of her sayde landynge kyng Stephan laye at the syege of walyngforde castell But as soone as he harde of the landynge of the empresse he anon sente oute commyssyons for more strength and so drewe towarde hys enymyes But in this tyme and season Robert erle of Glowceter and Ranulfe erle of Chester wente vnto the empresse wyth all the power that they might make The empresse herynge the great power commynge wyth the kynge drewe to the cytye of Nycoll now called Lyncolne and there helde her a longe season for all that the kyng myght do But lastely the empresse wyth her people escaped and the kynge was possessyd of the cytye and there bode tyll Candelmas After whyche season erle Robert and Ranulfe before named with a great power of walshmen y e power of the empresse came agayn the kynge where as when bothe hostes were nere ioynyng the erle Ranulfe of Chester spake to his knightes and sayd I requyre you that I that am cause of your parell may be the fyrst that shall entre into the parell Then answered erle Robert and sayd yt is not vnworthy to the y t axeste the fyrst stroke and dignyte of this fyght For to the yt is syttynge for noblesse of blood and vertue of strength in the whyche thou passest other men But the kinges false othe moueth men to warre and to fyght where we muste now wynne the mastry or be ouercomē And he y t hath none other socour is cōstrayned to defende hym by knyghtly and stronge dedes of armes of manhode And so shall we now agayne theym that by entryked wyth gyle wyckednesse as Robert erle of Mellent the erle also of Albemarll and Symon of Hampton the which is a man of great boste and of small myght Then kyng Stephan prepayred to set forwarde hys people and erle Baudewyne had wordes of comfort to the kynges peple sayde Men y t shall fyghte to theym is behouefull thre thynges The fyrst is ryght of y e cause leste men fal in parell of soule The second is quantyte of men of armys leste men be oppreste wyth excedynge nomber And the thyrde is the effecte corage of strēgth of knightes y t the quarel shuld not fayle for lacke of hardy and assured fyghtynge As touchynge whyche thre poyntes I truste we be well sped But ye take hede farthermore what enymyes we haue fyrste we haue agayne vs Robert erle of Glouceter whyche vseth great manasses and executeth lytle or small dedys In mouth he is a lyon but in harte he is a shepe He is pompous in speche and darke in vnderstandyng There is also Ranulfe erle of Chester a man wythout reason and full of folehardynesse redy and preste to all conspyracy and vnstedfastnesse of maner and dedes hasty and furyouse of hart and vnware of parellys He assayeth oft to acheue great dedes but he bryngeth none to effecte And what he fyrsly and fresshely begynneth he cowardely and fayntly forsaketh as vnhappy and vngracyous in all his dedys and is ouercomen in euery place For he holdeth wyth hym banyshed men scullers And the mo of them that be in a company the soner they be ouercomē and weke they be in fyghtyng for eyther of theym putteth truste in his felowe whyle hym selfe is ouerthrowen But or he myght haue finyshed his wordes to moste mennys audyence the crye of the enymyes wyth noyse of trumpettes and gruntyng of horsys approched and smote to gyther and forth go the arowes and gresely cruell fyghte was contynued vppon bothe sydes for the whyle y t yt enduryd where through the grene feld was turned into a perfyte redde so that many a pale wan vysage was there sene yeldynge the gooste wyth armys and legges disseueryd and departed A longe whyle thys fyghte stode in questyon whyther partye shulde obteyne vyctorye But in the ende kynge Stephans partye gaue backe and fledde and he full knyghtly abode on felde wyth a fewe of his knyghtes and was taken and so was brought vnto the empresse the whyche commaunded hym to be conueyed vnder sure kepyng vnto Brystowe where he was kepte as a prysoner from the sayde tyme of Candelmasse vnto holy Roode daye next ensuynge Aboute this tyme was founded the Abbay of Stratforth Langthorne wythin .iiii. myles of London by a knyght called syr wyllyam de Moūtfychet THE CCXXXIII CHAPITER WHen the empresse hadde wonne this vyctorye and had commytted the kyng to warde as before ye haue harde she was not therwith a lytle exalted but thoughte in her mynde that she was in a suerty of the possessyon of the hole realme But she was disceyued for Kent toke partye wyth kynge Stephan But yet after this victory thus obteyned the empresse came vnto wynchester and after to wyltone to Oxenforde to Redynge and to saynte Albonys into the whyche cytyes and townes she was receyued wyth all honoure And fynally she came to London for to entre the state of the lande At her whyche there beynge the quene made assyduat laboure for the delyuerye of the kynge her husbande promysynge that he shulde surrender the lande into her possessyon and he to be come a religyous man other ellys a pylgryme to hys lyues ende But all was in vayne for she myght purchace no grace as then vppon no maner of condycyons The cytezens of London also made great laboure that they myghte vse the lawys of Edwarde the confessoure as they were graunted by wyllyam Conqueroure and not the lawys of her father whyche were of more straytnesse wherof in no wyse they of her coūsayll myght haue any graunte For this the cytezens were dyscontentyd and knowynge that the countrey of Kent wolde strength theyr partye ordeyned to haue taken her But she beynge therof warned departed in haste and lefte behynde her hyr store of housholde and so fledde vnto Oxynforde where she
The fyrste yere of hys reygne he subdued Irlande And soone after Thomas Beketh whyche after was byshoppe of Caunterbury was made chaunceller of Englonde This kynge caste downe dyuers castellys that before in tyme of kynge Stephan were buylded other for dyspleasure of the owners or ellys for the fere they shulde be strengthed agayne hym And also he banyshed many of the lordes and gentylmen that kynge Stephan hadde in hys fauoure Aboute the thyrde yere of hys reygne in the moneth of October were sene in the fyrmament two sunnys and in the mone was sene a redde crosse But of thys wonder sheweth the authoure of Cronica cronicaruÌ„ and sayth that aboute thys tyme in Italy in the moneth of Nouember appered thre sunnys by the space of thre owres in the weste and the yere folowynge appered thre monys whereof the myddle mone hadde a redde crosse ouerthwarte the face whyche there ys noted for a prodygy or a token of the scysme that after fell amonges the cardinallys for eleccyon of the pope AlexaÌ„der the thyrd whyche scysme by meane of the fyrste Frederyke then emperoure endured almoste .xx. yeres Also aboute this tyme Adryan the fourthe of that name was pope an Englysheman borne in the towne of saynte Albon of whome is more declared in the begynnynge of the .xxii. chapyter of the .vii. boke of Polycronycon Also in thys yere the kynge wente wyth a stronge armye into walys and after he hadde sette that countrey in an order and quyet he buyldyd a stronge castell at Rutlande and founded the abbaye of Basyngewerke In the .vi yere of hys reygne thys Henry maryed hys seconde son Henry vnto the kynges doughter of FrauÌ„ce that is to meane Lewys the viii whyche the sayde Lewys receyued of hys seconde wyfe named Constaunce the doughter of the kyng of Spayne as before ye haue harde in the seconde chapyter of y e story of the sayd Lewys This mayden was named Margaret By reason of whych maryage was appeased the warre that was begonne betwene Fraunce and Englande for the landes of Poyâ—owe and other the whyche kynge Henry helde by reason of hys wyfe In y e whych warre mych harme was done and more wolde haue ensued yf yt hadde not by thys meane haue ben agreed In the .vii. yere of his reygn Theobalde archbyshoppe of Caunterbury dyed and Thomas Beket chaunceller of Englande was archebysshoppe â–ª after hym of whome more shall folowe In the same yere kyng Henry with a stronge hoste yode to Scotlande and made so cruell warre vppon willyam kynge of that lande that lastely he was taken and dyd to the sayd Henry recompensacyon in yeldynge vnto hym the cytye of Carlell the castell of Bamburghe the newe castell vpon Tyne wyth dyuers other holdes and a great parte of Northumberlande the whyche he hadde wonne from the borderers And after fewtye and homage done by the sayde wyllyam vnto the kynge and a certayne summe of money by hym promysed wythin .ix. monethes folowynge the kynge suffred hym to go at large But an other authour sayth that the kynge of Scottys was not taken but strongely besyeged in a towne or castell so that fynally he was forced to agree to the foresayde couenauntes In the .viii. yere the cytye of CauÌ„terburye was fyred by neglygence a great part therof brente And in that season the archbyshoppe Thomas beganne to replye agayne y e kynges mynde for thynges that the kynge dyd exercyse agayn the liberties of the chyrche THE CCXXXVII CHAPITER IN the .ix. yere of hys reygne the kynge for dyuerse causes coÌ„cernyng y e nedes of his realme called a parliament at hys towne of Northampton Durynge whyche parlyament dyssencyon fell betwen the kynge and Thomas archbyshop of Caunterburye for dyuerse actes and ordinaunces that the kyng there procured to passe agayne the lybertyes of holy chyrch the whych Thomas gaynstode and denyed wherfore the kynge toke a great dyspleasure with Thomas in so myche that shortely after he was fayne to flee the lande and in processe of tyme spedde hym to Rome where he complayned hym to Alexaunder the .iii. of that name then pope and there contynued and in Fraunce and in other places in poore estate by terme of .vi. yeres and more when kynge Henry hadde certayne vnderstandynge that Thomas was thus departed out of hys lande he seased his maners and temporall landes into hys hande so that hys mouable goodes were spoyled and rauenyd amonge the kynges offycers In the .xiiii. yere of his reygne the kynge crowned Henry hys eldest sonne then lyuynge kynge of Englande at westmynster whyche was done to the derogacyon or harme of the archbyshoppe Thomas as yt is wytnessyd in hys legende and for that doynge Roger archbyshoppe of yorke whyche crowned hym was accursed But an other authour sayth that the kynge crowned Henry hys sonne to the ende he myght haue ful power and authoryte to rule thys lande and the people of the same whyle hys father was occupyed in Normandye and other countreys where hys landes laye In myche of thys season that thys blessyd man Thomas was thus banyshed the lande the kynge sente ouer byshoppes and proctours to complayne vppon hym to the pope for well nere all the bishoppes of Englande were agayne hym And yf any toke hys parte they durste not speke for the displeasure of theyr temporall lorde so that this blessed man defended the quarell of the chyrche alone In the .xvi. yere of y e reygne of kyng Henry Lewys the kynge of FrauÌ„ce agreed kynge Henry and the archbysshoppe the kynge then beynge in Normandye Uppon whyche agrement thys blessyd man came to hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury and there so restynge hym sente for such persones as had spoyled and taken perforce the goodes of the chyrche aduertysynge theym by fayre meanes to restore the sayde goodes and to be reconcyled to the chyrche as trewe crysten men shulde But when he sawe that he myght not reconcyle theym by fayre meanes he then vsed compulsaryes and denounced them accursed but if they restored the goodes of the chyrche by a certayne day wherewyth the partyes beynge agreued sayled ouer to the kynge into Normandye and shewyd vnto hym greuous complayntes and more greuouse then the cause or mater requyred For the whych the kynge which hadde not yet quenched the bronde of malyce in hys harte the whyche he bare agayne thys holy man gaue lyght credence vnto those complayntes and was sore ferueÌ„tly amoued agayne the holy man Thomas in so myche that vppon a daye herynge the complayntes of this blessyd mannes aduersaryes he sayd in oppeÌ„ audyence of hys knyghtes that yf he had any good knyghtes about hym he had ben adueÌ„ged of that traytour longe or that tyme. At the tyme of whyche wordes vtterynge was present syr wyllyam Bryton syr Hugh Moruyle syr wyllyam Tracy and syr Regnolde fytz Urle whych foure knyghtes thynkyng that they shuld to theyr mayster do a synguler pleasure yf they slewe thys blessyd man hastely takynge aduyse
e sayd ryght and tytle But yt was not longe or she were frō hym deuorced for cause of alyaūce of gossypred or otherwise Howe be yt in processe of tyme after the said Iugebert was to him agayn ioyned by the authoryte of Pope Innocent the thyrd of that name in the yere of grace .xii. hūdred and .ix. and yere of reygne of this Philyppe .xxx so that the sayde Iugebert was deuorced frome her lorde by the terme of .xvii. yeres or theruppon In whych tyme and season the sayd Phylyppe had maryed the doughter of Phylyppe duke of Sweuy that then was returned vnto her father THE CCXLIII CHAPITER Kynge Phylyp for dyspleasure whych he bare towarde kyng Rycharde made sharpe and cruell warre vpon the Normans and wan therein dyuerse holdes and townes and fynally layde syege vnto the cytye of Roan wherof herynge Iohn̄ erle of Huntyngeton or after some erle of Oxenforde brother to kynge Rycharde whome the Frenche boke nameth Iohn̄ withoute lande wyth the erle of Arundell and other noble men spedde hym into Normandye and so ayded the cytezens and the soldyours of Roan that as testyfyeth the frēche cronycle the French kyng was so moued wyth the warre and defence of the same towne that in a passynge fury consyderyng the wynter season drewe vppon and that he myght not carye awaye his gunnes and other great ordynaunces he set all vppon a fyre and so wyth great agony departed And within thre monethes after he layde syege vnto the castell of Uernyel where whē he had lyen .iii. wekes or more a messynger came vnto hym and sayde that the cytye Euroux was taken of the Normans and the people therof taken prysoners wherfore in all haste he departed and rescued the sayd cytye and prysoners and that done retourned to the foresayde syege and assyeged yt so strōgely that lastely he had yt delyueryd by appoyntement By thys season was kynge Rycharde delyueryd out of the handes of the duke of Ostryge And then beganne the warre to be more cruell whych here I passe ouer for so mych as I entende to shew the effecte therof in the storye of kynge Rycharde folowynge Aboute the .xviii. yere of the reygn of thys Phylyppe fell such plenty of water that the groūde was therwith so bucked and drowned that corne other frutes by reason therof greatly decayed and scanted in such wyse that whete was shortly after at .xx. s a quarter after sterlynge money In the .xx. yere of the reygn of this Phylyppe dyed Rycharde kynge of England to whom was heyre Iohn̄ before named his brother The whyche cōcluded a trewce wyth this Philyppe for certayne yeres as after in the storye of this Iohn̄ shall more clerely appere And soone there after meanes were made to kyng Phylyp that he shuld receyue agayne vnto his company Iugebert hys wyfe and to renounce Mary doughter of the duke of Sweuy or after some authours the doughter of the duke of Bohemy But the kynge wyth this mocyon was nothynge contentyd nor yet agreable to folow any such mocion or request wherfore the prelasy of the lande assemled theym in counsayll and by a full and hole authoryte seynge they myghte not induce the kynge to no conformyte or agrement to resume hys lawfull wyfe and to refuse that other they denounsed hym and hys realme accursed wherwith the kyng was so amoued and vexed that he depryued certayne bysshoppes from theyr sees and also toke in hys possessyon the spyrytuall goodes and prysoned many prestes and other relygyous men and ouer that closed the sayde Iugebert wythin the castell of Sampys and forthermore greued hys comons wyth greuous exaccyons and taxys Than wythin a shorte terme after Iohn̄ de saynte Poule cardynall and Athā or Othemon bysshoppe of Osty and legate of the pope of Rome wyth the archebysshoppe of Burdeaux and other by the commaundement of the pope than Innocent the thyrde kepte a greate counceyle in the cytye of Sorsore where the kynge was monysshed to apere for so mych as before he hadde graunted to be reconcyled vnto hys fyrste wyfe where thys mater hynge in argument before the spyrytuall iudges by y e space of .xv. dayes wythout sentence gyuynge wherfore the kynge beynge wyth the delayes dyscontented sodenly wyth hys wyfe departed wythout takynge of them any congye or leue sendynge them vnderstandyng that as yet he wolde be aduysed or he were dysseuered from hys wyfe wherof whan the sayd Iohn̄ cardynall and the other bysshoppes hadde wyttynge accomptynge theyr laboure loste they retourned shortely after vnto Rome and shewed vnto the pope all as they hadde done And soone there after kyng Iohn̄ was honorably receyued of thys kynge Phylyppe as in the story of the sayd Iohn̄ shall be more playnly shewed And in the yere folowynge which shulde be in the begynnynge of the xxiii yere of thys Phylyppe dyed Mary hys wyfe whyche he wrongfully had holden cōtrary to the law of the chyrche by the terme of tenne yeres or there vppon Of the whyche Mary he hadde receyued a man chylde and a doughter the whyche after were made legyttymate by Innocent the thyrde though some noble men of Fraunce there agayne grudged THE CCXLIIII CHAPITER IT was not longe after that y e kyng assembled greate people and entendyd to haue entred the landys of the erle Rossell o◠Roger de Rose of the whyche he hadde broughte before hym many greuous complayntes of greate extorcyons and exaccyōs that the sayd erle and Roger hadde executed and done vppon the chyrches nere to the valey of Soysons and wolde not refrayne for all the kynges cōmaundement wherfore he rygged hys armye and drewe towarde them But as soone as they were aduertysed of the kynges comynge anone they submytted them to the kynges grace oblygynge them selfe to make restytucyon accordynge to the kynges pleasure to all suche places and persons as they hadde offended And thys acte thus fynysshed kyng Phylyppe returned vnto a place bytwene Uerdon and the I le Audely in the whyche place the kynge hadde appoynted a great counsayle or parlyament where amonge other maters yt was concluded that Iohn̄ kynge of Englande shulde be somoned to appere as the Frenche kynges lyege man at the same parlyament to be holden at parys wythin xv dayes of Ester to answere suffycyently to the kyng vppon such questyons as there shulde be purposed vnto hym for the duchy of Normandye for the coūtrey of Aungeou and of Poytyers But for y t kynge John̄ came not at that day appoynted nor none for hym accordynge to the monyshement to hym gyuen therfore thys kynge Philypppe not withstandynge the amytye and trewce before confermed assembled hys hoste and entred the duchye of Normandye and made therin sharpe and cruell warre and wanne a castell therein named Bonte or Bowte and brused or crased the castellys of Gentylyne and Gurney and seased all y e landes whyche Hugh de Gurney helde and gyue theym vnto the duke of Brytayne And also he gaue vnto hym the
hys reygne ouer England the xvii daye of Nouembre the morowe after saynt Edmond the archbisshop in the yere of our lorde M.CC lxxii the .ii. yere of the .iii. Phylype than kynge of Fraunce reygned nobly yeres .xxxiiii. fo lv Elyanoure mother to kyng Richard was enlarged fo iiii Edmounde Crouchbak was maried to the doughter of y e erle of Amnarle as apereth in fo xliiii EdmouÌ„d wodstocke wroughte treason fo lxxxviii Edward the sonne of Henry foresayd distressed the barons as it is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde forsayd dystressed the Barons the seconde tyme as is shewed folio xxxix Edwarde the holy kyng and confessour was translated as it shewed in folio xliiii Edwarde was crossed into the holy lande and of hys feates there done folio xlv Edwarde of Carnaruan as apereth folio lviii Edward the second called Edwarde Carnaruan the sonne of the fyrst Edwarde began hys domynyon ouer Englande in the moneth of Iuly and yere of our lorde god M.iii. C. vii and the .xxi. yere of the .iiii. Phylyppe or Philip the fayre than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres full xix fo lxxiiii Edwarde the fyrst maryed to hys .ii. wyfe the Frenche kynges syster folio lxv Edwarde the .iii. of that name sonÌ„ of Edwarde the secoÌ„de and of dame Isabell the doughter of Philippe le Beawe or the .iiii. Phylyp late kyng of Fraunce whych Edwarde aboute the age of .xv. yeres began hys reygn ouer the realme of England the .xxv. daye of Ianuary in the yere of grace M.iii. C. .xxvi and the .iiii. yere of Charles the fayre thaÌ„ king of FrauÌ„ce the whyche reygned yeres .li. folio lxxxvi Edwarde Carnaruan was myserably slayne as is shewed fo lxxxvii Edwarde Bayloll was made kynge of Scottes fo lxxxviii Edwarde the .iii. sayled into Braban wyth hys wyfe loke in fo xci Edward the .iii. chaleÌ„ged y e hole kingdome of Fraunce fo xciii Edward the eldest sonÌ„ of the duke of yorke was electe for king of EnglaÌ„d loke in fo cc.vi. Edwarde the .iiii. of that name and eldest sone of Rychard duke of yorke whych was proclaymed heyre paraÌ„t to the crowne began hys domynyon ouer the realme of Englande in the iiii day of Marche in y e yere of grace M.iiii C.lx the .ii. yere of the .xi. Lowys than kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned at that tyme .viii. monethes yeres viii fo cc.xiiii Edwarde the .iiii. beforenamed wan the felde of Barnet vpon Ester daye agayne kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. in the yere of grace M.iiii C.lxxi yere of Lowys the French kyng aforesayd and reygned after that day .x. monethes and yeres .xii. So that fyrste laste he reygned ouer .vii. monethes assygned to Henry the .vi. dayes .xxxvi. monethes yeres .xxi. or wyth the sayde monethes of Henry the .vi. set to Edwardes reygne make .xxii. yeres and odde dayes fo cc.xx. Edwarde the .v. of that name sonne of Edward the .iiii. of the age of .xiiii. yeres and lasse began to reygne as kyng of EnglaÌ„d the .x. daye of Apryll yere of our lord M. iiii.lxxxiii the xxxv yere of the .xi. Lowys thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce and reygned tyll the .xx. day of Iuly next folowyng in which season passed dayes .lxxii. folio cc.xxiiii Elizabeth the holy womaÌ„ doughter of the kyng of Hungery fo xxi Eleanoure quene of her progenye loke in fo lxi Emperoure of Almayne came into England fo c.lxvii Emperour forsayd came agayn into thys lande fo c.lxxii Enuye of Frenchmen fo v Enguerram was put to deth folio lxxxiii Epytaphye of Rychard the fyrste as apereth in fo x Epytaphye of Frederyke the emperour fo xxv Epytaphye of Edward the fyrst loke in fo lxviii Epytaphye of Edward the .iii. folio cxvi Epytaphye of kyng Rycharde the .ii. loke in fo clxvi Erthquake fell in EnglaÌ„d fo xxv Erle of Penbroke was ouerset with Frenchmen other fo cxiii ExpressemeÌ„t of the grudges atwene kyng Rychard the fyrst the FreÌ„che kynge fo iiii Eugeny pope and of hys actes folio clxxxvii FAlse Cryst was crucyfyed as is shewed in fo xix False clerke of Oxenforde whych fayned hym selfe madde came to wodstocke enteÌ„dyng to haue slayne king Henry the .iii. fo xxii Faytes or actes of warre done at DoÌ„stable fo xcvi Fysshes wonderfull takeÌ„ in the .xxxv yere of kyng HeÌ„ry the .vi. fo cci FlorenÌ„ of golde was made by kynge Edward the .iii. fo xcvii Fryers mynors came fyrst into Englande loke in fo xix Fryers Augustynes in the .xxxv. yere of kynge HeÌ„ry the .iii. buylded theyr house in a place in walys called wodhous as is shewed fo xxvi Fryers were put to deth loke in folio clix Frenche kyng sent for hys doughter that was kynge Rychardes wyfe folio clix FreÌ„ch nauy dyscoÌ„fyted fo clxxiiii Froste excedyng loke in fo clxviii GAscoynes make warre agaiÌ„st FrenchmeÌ„ borderers in kyng Charles the .v. days as is shewed in folio lxxxvi Gabell or taxe reysed vppon salte in Fraunce loke in fo cxix Guynes castell was yoldeÌ„ to Englishmen loke in fo ci Grudge betwene Baldwyn and his monkes fo vii Grudge arose betwene kyng IohnÌ„ hys lordes fo xvi Grudge and dyspleasure betwene y e bysshop of wynchester and the duke of Glouceter it is shewed in folio clxxxi Grudge and murmure toke place amonge the nobles of Fraunce as appereth fo cc.xxviii HArme done by thonder as appereth in fo cvii Hawâ—e wythout reuerence of the sacrament was slayne in the churche folio cxli Hastynges lord Chamberleyne was sodeynly put to deth fo ccxxiiii Henry the thyrd of that name sonnÌ„ of king IohnÌ„ a chyld of .x. yeres began to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the moneth of Octobre and yere of oure lorde M.CC. .xvii and the .xxxvii. yere of Phylype thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .lvi fo xviii Henry Bolyng broke y e .iiii. of y e name and sonne heyre of IohnÌ„ of Gaunt duke of LaÌ„castre the whyche IohnÌ„ was secoÌ„d sonne of Edwarde the .iii. lyuyng after theyr father or the .iii. sonne to rekyn prynce Edward this Henry after the deposicioÌ„ of Rychard in the ende of the moneth of SepteÌ„bre begaÌ„ to reygne ouer EnglaÌ„de in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxxx xix and the .xix. yere of Charles y e .vii than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xiii. fo clxiii Henry the .vi. of that name sonnÌ„ of Henry the .v. of y e name sonne of HeÌ„ry the .iiii. began hys reygne ouer the realme of EnglaÌ„d vppon the morne after saynt Cuthbertys day or y e â—xi day of Marche in the ende of y e yere of grace M.iiii C. .xiii and y e â—xxii yere of Charles the .vii. than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ix. fo .clxx HeÌ„ry the .v. dame Kateryne doughter of Charles the .vi. or .vii. a chylde of halfe yere of age begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d FrauÌ„ce in the ende of the moneth of Iuly and yere
wretched nygh all the lande But so faste as thys innaturall or euyll dysposyd man besyed hym to vex and greue the crysten men in England so fast besyed this good kyng Rycharde to vexe dere the infydels of Sury So y t dayly he wanne of theym or at the leste putte theym from the wynnynge of suche townes and holdes as they by theyr great strength entendyd to haue wonne Anno domini M.C.xciiii  Anno domini M.C.xcv.  Roger Duke  Balliui  Anno quinto  Rycharde fyz Aleyn  IN the ende of September and begynnynge of the fyfte yere of kynge Rycharde Guy de Lesyngeman laste crysten kynge of Hierusalem dyed Choras a noble Crysten man captayne of a towne called Sur was shortly after slayne by the Turkes whose wyfe for as mych as she was ryghtfull enherytour of the crowne of HierusaleÌ„ the kyng gaue her in maryage vnto y e erle of Champayne And for kynge Rycharde perceyued well yÌ„e cristen hoste mynyshed dayly as well by infyrmytyes as lacke of vytayll and otherwyse he sought meanes of a peace or trewce for a tyme and had yt graunted for thre yeres The whyche peace stablyshed and proclaymed in the hoste and countrey nere about kynge Rycharde betoke the rule and guydyng of the Cristen vnto the erle of Champayne promysynge hym or y e trewce were endyd to come wyth a stronger hoste and wyth goddes myght to set hym in possessyon of the cytye of Hierusalem as the ryght of his wyfe Then Hubert byshop of Salysbury yode forth hym selfe from y e kyng to the holy citye and offeryd there an hoste and retourned agayne to the kynge After whose returne y e kynge takynge leue of the erle of Champayne and other toke his shyppyng at Acrys or Acon whyche ys named Tholomayda also and so returned to the yle of Cypre or Cyprys Thens the kynge sent the quene hys wyfe and her syster wyth y e more parte of hys people vnto Scycyll and he wyth a small company for he myghte not endure the softenesse of the see toke his shyppynge in the moneth of September and sayled wyth a stronge wynde towarde a couÌ„trey callyd Histria But he was dryuen by force of wederynge betwene Uenyse and Aquinilia or Aquilegia and houyd there a season and costed hyther and thyther so that lastely he was espyed and taken of the duke of Ostrychys men Anno domini M.C.xcv.  Anno domini M.C.xcvi  wyllyam fyz Isabell.  Balliui  Anno sexto  wyllyam fyz Arnolde  ABout the moneth of October .vi. yere of hys reygne thys good kynge Rycharde was taken in fourme folowynge As he lay thus as before is sayde betwene Uenyce and Aquilegia a ê“uynce of the duke of Ostrych one Meynart of Gorezeyn ruler of that countrey vnder the foresayde duke made out certayne souldyours for to haue taken hym But he by hys prouydence and manhode escapyd y e sayd Maynarde or Maynart how be yt that some of hys knyghtes were there takyn Then kynge Rycharde passed y e couÌ„trey secretly tyll he came to a towne named Frysake In thys towne was then prouoste or ruler a knyght called Frederyk de saynt Soom y e whyche also dyd hys deuoure to take the kynge and toke .vi. of his knyghtes prysoners but hym selfe wyth the remenaunt of hys company escaped Then the kynge seynge that he was in daunger of hys enymyes drewe more into the way towarde Almayn But thys was soone knowen of hys enymyes so that by the meanes of one called Duke of Lymple and cosyn to the emperoure all the wayes were closyd in suche wyse that in the ende kynge Rycharde was taken by the seruauntes of the sayd duke nere vnto a citye or towne called Menne or Meune wythin the lande or terrytory of the emperoure and after brought vnto the sayde duke Lymple or after some to the duke of Ostriche y e which spoyled hym of all y t he hadde and after caste hym in prison and there streyghtely kepte hym by the space of a moneth and at the monethes ende sente hym vnto Henry the .vi. of that name or after some wryters the .v. sonne of the fyrst Frederyke then emperour of Almayne the whyche helde hym in more vyle pryson from that tyme tyll lent after and couenauntyd wyth the duke of Ostryche to haue the thyrde parte of the profyte that came of kynge Rycharde About the sonday of Palmys the emperour brought forth the kynge before the lordes of Almayne there to gyue answere vnto suche thynges as shuld be layde vnto hym where he came forth wyth so good a couÌ„tenaunce also answered so dyscretely and dyrectely to all maters layde vnto hys charge that the emperoure was not alonely bende to shewe to hym mercy but also he dyd to hym honour and worshyppe and helde hym at more libertye after that daye It is redde of thys Rycharde that durynge the tyme of hys imprysonement he shuld sle a lyon and tere the harte oute of hys bodye where thorough he shulde deserue the name of Rycharde Cure de Lyon and y t he shuld wyth a stroke of his fyst sle the emperours sonne and also deflorysh the emperours doughter But these are fablys ymagined by englysh tale tellers to auaunce theyr kynge Rycharde as the Brytons by theyr fayned talys auaunced theyr kynge Arture In this passetyme wyllyam Longeshamp byshop of Ely contynuynge his crudelyte and tyrannye wythin Englande was lastely by strength of the lordes put oute of the lande Then he came to the kynge beynge prysoner shewyd for hym self the beste he coude But when he saw he myght not begyle the kynge wyth his sugryd wordes he hadde small truste of the kynges fauour returned into Fraunce to tarye there the kynges commynge Thys yere IohnÌ„ the kynges brother by excityng of the French kyng when he harde of the takyng and imprisonynge of hys brother began to make warre within y e lande toke by strength y e castelles of wyndesour and of Notyngham other And the frenche kyng vpon his partye made strong warre in NormaÌ„dy as it is before shewed in the story of the second Phylyppe than kynge of Fraunce Anno domini M.Cxcvi  Anno domini M.C.xcvii  Robert Besaunt  Balliui  Anno .vii.  Iokell Iosne  IN the .vii. yere of kynge Rycharde Hubert byshoppe of Salysbury the whych hadde accompanyed the kynge in that voyage and was sente wyth the quene into Scycyll retourned or came to the kyng where he was prysoner whom the kynge sente soone after into Englande to haue the guydynge therof and also to treate wyth the lordes and commons of hys realme howe he myghte be sette at lybertye It was not long after the coÌ„myng home of this Hubert but the muÌ„kes of the house of Cristes chyrch of CauÌ„terburye chase hym to the archebysshoppes see and hadde the palle and was stallyd soone after This was easy to the muÌ„kes how well y e
sharpnes of Baldwyne had somdeale greued theym And though thys Baldwyne were a good man holy in his lyuynge yet one thyng he dyd to the derogacyon of the munkes of Caunterburye for he purposyd to put the prerogatiue of the eleccyon of the archbishoppe from the munkes And because therof he beganne to buylde great houses nere vnto the munkes chyrche by fauour of the kynge Henry the seconde but not wythout shedynge of blood and there entendyd to haue set in secular chanons with prebendys and suffraganes of bysshoppes for to treate wyth the sayde chanons of the foresayde eleccyon to put by the mūkes clerely But the munkes when they sawe they myght no lenger resyst Baldwyn they then appealed to the pope Innocent the thyrde by whose cōmaundemēt that worke ceasyd and so stode vnfynysshed tyll the sayde Baldwyne was dede After whose deth the munkes made that worke playne wyth the grounde Treuisa translatoure of Policronycon sayth yt was wonder that Baldwyn wolde in that maner deale wyth the munkes consyderyng he was fyrst archdeacon then white munke and then abbot after byshop of worceter and last archbysshoppe to brynge men of more imperfyte lyfe into y e place of men more perfyte to chaunge religyous men for seculer men But yet the sayde Treuisa allowyth Baldwynes dede or entent for good For he sayth that Criste was the hedde of holy chyrch and callid and made his apostles bysshoppes but none of them was munke or yet frere wherfore Baldwyne dyd better to preferre the relygyon whyche Cryste made then the relygyon whyche was instytuted and ordeyned by man Anno domini M.C.xcvii  Anno domini M.C.xcviii  Gerarde de Antiloche  Balliui  Anno .viii.  Robert Duraunt  IN in the moneth of Ianuary and .viii. yere of the reygne of kynge Rycharde when the sayde Rycharde had sufferyd harde prysonement vppon the terme of a yere and thre monethes he was deliuered out of Pryson for the summe of an hundred thousande pounde of sterlynge money For pledge wherof he lefte in the kepynge of the emperoure the bysshoppes of Roan and of Bathe But not for all for a great parte was payed or the kynge were delyueryd For payment of whyche raunsom all the wolle of whyte munkes chanons was taken and solde rynges and crosses of prelates wyth vessels and chalyces of all chyrches thorough y e land ouer that .xxvii. shrynes were scraped or spoylyd of y e gold syluer that vppon theym before tyme was layd for no pryuylege of holy chyrch nor other persone at that season was sparyd Then kynge Rycharde came vnto Swyne in Flaūdres and taryed there two monethes other to abyde the wynde or ellys to make prouysyon for thynges whych he neded There the emperours men had almost taken him agayn So the emperour forthought y e deliuery of king Rychard as Pharao forthought the delyuery of the chyldren of Israel Then the kyng toke shippyng and lāded in y e ende of Marche at Sandwyche from thens came streyghte vnto Lōdon where he was receyued wyth all ioye and honour And when he had a season rested hym there he wyth a certayn nomber of knyghtes rode to Nothyngam wan y e castell and after the castell of Tykhyll by force of armes and set the wardeyns of theym in warde And that done he called a counsayll of hys lordes at wynchester where by authoryte of the sayd coūsayll he depryued Iohn̄ hys brother then beynge in Fraunce of all honour and toke from hym al suche landes as he before had gyuen to hym crowned hym soone after agayn kyng of England in the sayd cytye of wynchester After the whych coronacyon he called a parlyament by vertue wherof he resumyd all parētes and annuytees fees and other grauntes before hys voyage by hym solde and graunted and caused the partyes to be contentyd wyth such reuenous and profytes as they had receyued of the sayde offyces or landes in tyme of hys absence and sparyd not any persone for any sufficience of wrytyng y t to hym before was made when kynge Rycharde hadde by these foresayd meanes gaderyd some money he then in the moneth of Iuly sayled into Fraunce and besegyd a castell callyd Arques and spedde there as wytnessyth Polycronyca dyuersly whyche worde dyuersly may well here be spoken For who so redyth the frenche cronycle he shall fynde that the Frenche kynge was vyctor But and he rede the englyshe boke than shall he fynde kynge Rycharde vyctour wherfore me thynketh Ranulphe sayde well when he sayde they spedde dyuersely For yt is so dyuerse by the reporte of wryters that the certayntie to whom the honoure shulde be gyuen is harde to be knowen All be yt that in the countrey of Bloys as wytnessyth y e sayde frenche cronycle kynge Rycharde scaryd the Frenche hoste and toke the kynges somer horse wyth parte of hys treasour But in shorte whyle after a trewce was concludyd betwene these two kynges for a yere Then Iohn̄ whyche hadde tourned to the Frenche kyng agayne his owne brother seynge that the fame and honoure of hys brother feblenesse of his own power made meanes to Elyanoure hys mother by whose medyacyon he was recōcyled to hys brother the kynge after became hys trew knyght when the kynge and hys brother Iohn̄ were thus agreed they rode ouer the lande to vysyte y e countreys and se howe they were guyded by the offycers of the kynge Amonge other two there were whyche shewyd that they wolde do many thynges to the kynges profyte the one was abbot of Cadonence wythin Normandye and that other was named wyllyam wyth the longe berde The abbot warned the kynge of the fraude of hys offycers wherby he thought by the ponyshement of hys offycers he shulde wynne great fauoure of the people Then thys abbot gate a warrant of the kynge and at London callyd dyuerse offycers before hym for to yelde to hym theyr accompte But he dyed shortly so that hys purpose came to small effecte And wyllyam wyth the longe berde shewyd to the kynge the outrage of the ryche men whych as he sayd sparyd theyr owne and pyllyd the poore people It is sayd that this willyam was borne in London purchasyd that name by vse of hys berde He was sharpe of wytte and somedeale lettred a bold man of speche and sadde of countenaunce and toke vppon hym greatter dedes then he coulde welde and some he vsyd cruelly as apperyth in appechynge of hys own brother of treason the whyche was a Burges of London and to hym hadde shewed great kyndnesse in his youthe This willyam styred and excyted the cōmon peple to desyre loue fredom̄ and lybertye and blamed the excesse and outrage of ryche men By suche meanys he drew to hym many great companyes and wyth all hys power defended the poore mennys cause agayne the ryche and accused dyuers to the kynge shewyng that by theyr meanys the kynge loste
the Borderers of Fraunce but of hys vyctoryes I fynde lytle wryten Anno domini M.CC.iiii  Anno domini M.CC.v.  water Browne  Balliui  Anno .v.  wyllyam Chaumberleyn  IN this yere that is to saye the .v. yere of kynge Iohn̄ by reason of the vnreasonable wederynge that in the last yere fell whete was solde for .xv. s. a quarter Kyng Iohn̄ in the somer folowyng maryed hys bastarde doughter vnto Lewelin prīce of walys gaue with her the castell and lorshippe of Elyngesmere beynge in the marches of South walys In Morgans land in walys soon after a knyght apered after his deth to one callid master Moris to whom by hys lyues tyme he hadde ben specyall louer and frende The whyche knyght by his dayes was well letteryd and vsyd for hys recreacyon to make versys wyth this mayster Morys so that the one shulde begynne the metyr and the other shulde ende yt At whyche tyme of his apperaūce the knyght sayde to mayster Moris mayster Morys I woll y t thou ende thys verse Destruet hee regnum rex regum Nay sayd mayster Moris ende thou yt for thou haste all moste made the hole thy selfe Then sayd the knyght for that I se now thou arte olde and slow I wyll ende yt my sefe Destruct hoc regnum rex regum dupliciplage The whyche verse maye be englysshed as foloweth The kynge of kynges that lorde that ruleth all And in whose power all thynges is conteyned Thys realme for synne he destroye shall wyth dowble plage be therof ascertayned Excepte the people here after be refrayned From synne and them to vertuous lyfe alye And vyce before vsyd utterly renye Thys yere the pope sente letters of recommendacyon vnto kynge Iohan shewynge that he hadde fauorablye harde hys proctours for all suche maters as they hadde layde agayne the archebyshoppe of Caunterburye and some of hys munkys that he shulde not of ryght be admyttyd to that see But for the sayde maters of obieccyon were by hym and hys courte thoughte insuffycyent he therefore exorted and wyllyd hym to accepte the sayde archebyshopppe to hys grace and suffre hym to enioye the frutes of hys benefyce and the munkes by hym exyled to retourne vnto theyr proper abbay But the more hys lordes and frendes aduysed hym to folowe the popes mynde the more was he mouyd to the contrarye in suche maner that the popes messengers returned wythoute spede of theyr message yet haue ye harde before how the Frenche kynge laye about the castell of Gayllarde and myght not wynne yt by the space of a moneth wherfore he after sente for newe ordynaunce and assayled yt so fyersly that wythin .xx. dayes after he wanne the sayd castell to the great losse of men on partyes and toke prysoners there wythin .xxxvi. knyghtes besyde the other nomber of yomen and arblasters and that done seasyd the countrey there about and strengthed the sayde castell wyth hys owne men and then wyth great pryde returned into Fraunce Anno domini M.CC.v.  Anno domini M.CC.vi.  Thomas Haueryll  Balliui  Anno .vi.  Hamonde Bronde  ABout that season after Mychelmas in the vi yere of the reygn of kyng Iohn̄ came downe a streyght commaundement from the pope that excepte the kynge wolde peasybly suffer the archbyshoppe of Caunterbury to occupy hys see and the munkes theyr abbay thay y e land shulde be enterdyted chargynge these foure bishoppes folowyng that is to saye wyllyam then byshoppe of London Eustace byshoppe of Ely walter byshoppe of wynchester and Gylys byshoppe of Herforde to denounce the kynge and his lande accursyd yf he y e cumaundement dysobeyed Then these foure byshops wyth other to thē assocyate made instaunte labour to the kynge for the obseruynge of the popes commaundement and to exchewe the sensours of the chyrche But all was in vayne wherefore the .iiii. sayed bysshoppes accordyng to the popes wrytynge to them sent the morow folowynge our ladye day annūcyacyon or the .xxvi. daye of Marche denouncyd kynge Iohn̄ wyth his realme of Englande accursyd and shyt faste the dores of the chyrches and other places where dyuyne seruyce before was vsyd fyrste in London and after in all placys as they wente thorough the lande The kyng for thys dede was so amouyd wyth the sayde foure byshoppes that he seased all the temporalties to them belongyng into hys handes and put theym in such fere that they forsoke this land and sayled to the archbyshop of Caūterburye In thys yere at Oxēforde in Suff. was taken a fyshe in y e see of forme lyke to a man and was kepte .vi. monethes after vpon lande wyth rawe fleshe and fyshe and after for they coude haue no speche of yt they caste yt into the see agayne Anno domini M.CC.vi.  Anno domini M.CC.vii  Iohn̄ walgraue  Balliui  Anno .vii.  Rycharde of wynchester  IN the moneth of nouēber and vii yere of the kynge one named Hugh Oysell for treason at Lon was drawen and hanged And thys yere in y e moneth of May the French kynge entryd into Normandy wyth a strōge power and wanne there the castellys of Faloys and Dafyount or Danffrount and after seasyd all the landes to the sayde castell belongynge and so tyll he came to a place called saynte Mychaell in the parell of the see when the Normannes sawe that kynge Phylyppe thus subdued the stronge holdes of Normandye and that kynge Iohn̄ to the countrarye made no defence y e capytayns of Cōstaunce of Bayoux or Bayon of Lyseux of Anreuches and Enroux yelded them all to the French kyng and became hys lyege men so that he was in possessyon of the substaūce of the duchye of Normandye excepte Roan and other few castellys Then kynge Phylyppe seynge these stronge holdes thus yeldyd vnto hym layed hys syege to the cyty of Roan where after he hadde lyen a season the capytayne of the towne desyred a respyte of .xxx. days gyuynge pledges and hostages that yf the cytye were not by kynge Iohn̄ or hys assygnes rescwyd wyth in the foresayde terme they wolde yelde the cytye vnto the French kynge And in lyke wyse was appoyntement taken for the castellys named Arquys and Uermeyll In whyche tyme for that no socoure came both cytye and castellys were delyueryd into the Frenche kynges handes And thus hadde thys seconde Phylyppe the possessyon of Normandye whyche no Frenche kynge hadde sen the tyme of Charlys the symple whyche gaue the same duchye to Rollo leder of the Normannys wyth Gylla hys doughter in maryge synne the whyche tyme hadde passed ouer iii. hundred yeres when the Frenche kynge had thus brought into his subiccyon y e duchye of Normandye he then about saynt Laurence tyde yode into the countye of Guyan and wanne there the cytye of Poytyers wyth all the castellys and townes to the sayde cytye belongynge and when he hadde sette that countrey in an order and rule he spedde hym into
chamber at hys maner of woodstoke entendynge to haue slayne the kynge But he was espyed by a woman and taken and so conueyed to Couentre and there arreygnyd of that dede where after lawfull prouys of hys malycyous entent made he for the same was there drawen hanged And in thys yere vppon the euen of saynte Botolphe or the xxvi daye of Iuny was borne at westmynster Edward that after was surnamed Longeshanke This after his father was kynge Anno domini M.CC.xxxix  Anno domini M.CC.xl.  Remonde Bengly  wyllyam Ioynour  Anno .xxiii.  Rafe Aschewy  IN this .xxiii. yere of kyng Henry before the tyme of the eleccyon of the shryues of London one Symōde fyz Mary whych before in the .xvii yere of the kynge had ben in that offyce had purchased a cōmaundement of the kynge dyrected to the mayre and rulers of the cytye y t they shulde cause hym to be electe to that offyce for that yere folowynge But the mayre wyth the heddes of the cytye consyderynge that commaundement to be a derogacyon vnto the lybertyes of y e cytye wythstode yt and chase the forenamed Rafe Ashwy put the sayde Symonde by for the whyche he complayned hym to the kynge Then the kynge sente for the mayre and the rulers of the city and hadde vnto theym many wordes of dyspleasure for the dysobeyenge of his cōmaundement and fardermore discharged willyam Ioynour which that yere was agayne chosen newely to be mayre for the yere folowynge and chargyd the cytesyns to procede to a newe eleccyon for theyr mayre whyche then to satysfye the kynges pleasure chase Gerarde Batte By whose meanys and good polycye the sayde mayr wyth the cytesyns demeaned theym so well to the kynge that they obteyned hys gracious fauour and causyd the forsayde Symonde to fayle of his purpose and was not after admyttyd to that offyce tyll he hadde submyttyd hym to the rule of the mayre and rulers of the same cytye The whyche Symonde behaued him so well after that he was admyttyd for an alderman But in short processe after he demeanyd him so yll and so contraryously vnto the weale and good order of the cytye that he was dyscharged of hys aldermanshyp and dyschargyd from all rule and counsayll of the cytye as in the .xxxiiii. yere of thys kynge folowynge is touched Anno domini M.CC.xl.  Anno domini M.CC.xli  Iohn̄ Gysors  Gerarde Batte  Anno .xxiiii.  Mychaell Tony.  IN thys .xxiiii. yere of kynge Henry saynte Paulys chyrch of London was newely halowyd And the great Chaan of Tartarys before in the seconde yere of kynge Iohn̄ myndyd or touched of theyr begynnynge in thys yere after he had from the Turkys wonne myche of the Eest landes he sent an hoste into the lande of Hūgary the whych held the people of that countrey so shorte that as witnessyth the authour of Policronica and other they were constrayned of necessyte to ete theyr own chyldren and other vnlefull metys But the authoure of Cronica cronicarum sayth that this mysery fell to the peple of Hungary in the yere of our lorde .xii. hundred and .xxi. whyche after that sayenge shulde be in the fyfte yere of thys kynge Anno domini M.CC.xli  Anno domini M.CC.xlii  Iohn̄ Uyoll  Remonde Bengley  Anno .xxv.  Thomas Duresyne  IN this .xxv. yere of kynge Henry Gerarde Batte was agayn chosen mayre for this present yere And after whose eleccyon he was by the worshipfull of the citye conueyed vnto woodstoke and presentyd after the custome vnto the kynge But the kynge enfourmed of hys laste yeres dealynge by suche as ought to hym no good wyll sayde that he wolde not admytte hym to that offyce tyll such tyme as he came to westmynster wyth whyche answere the sayde Gerarde wyth his companye returned vnto London It was not longe after or the kyng came to westmynster where accordynge to theyr dutye the cytesyns of London agayn awayted vppon the kynge to know his pleasure where the kynge callyd before hym the sayde mayre and after certayne questyons to hym put he caused hym to be sworne in his presence After whyche othe to hym geuen the kynge charged hym by vertue of the same that he shulde not take of the bakers and bruers and other vytellars of the cytye .xl. pounde whyche other of his predecessours and also he that laste yere hadde taken And also that he incontynently after hys commynge to London shuld restore vnto the sayd vytellars and other cytesyns all suche money as he hadde wyth wronge in that precedyng yere taken of the comynaltye of the citye But for the sayde Gerarde allegyd for hym certayne consideracyons be sechynge the kynge to pardon hym of that restytucyon the kynge in dyspleasure swore a great othe that he shulde not that yere be mayre nor at any tyme there after And so the commons certyfyed of the kynges pleasure chase in his place or stede Reyner de Bungaye And this yere the kynge yode into walys wherof herynge Dauid then prynce of walys mette wyth the kyng at Ruthlande and submyttyd hym to the kynges grace Also this yere the blessyd Edmunde archebyshoppe of Caunterbury beynge at Pountnay in the prouynce of Burgoyne dyed and there was buryed was after translatyd into y e same place within .x. yeres after his deth by commaundement of Innocent the fourthe then pope of Rome because of his manyfolde myracles whyche god shewyd for hym after hys deth All be yt in hys legende yt is shewyd that he dyed twentye myle from Pountnay called Soly and was after buryed and translated at Poūtnay Of this blessed man Polycronycon shewyth many vertuyes in the .xxxv. chapiter of his .vii. boke whyche here I ouer passe for lengthynge of the tyme. And thys yere one wyllyam of the Marshe was at London for treason drawen and hanged Thys yere also were alder men fyrste chosen wythin the cytye of London whyche then hadde the rule of the cytye and of the wardes of the same and were then yerely chaūgyd as now the shryues be chaūged Anno domini M.CC.xlii  Anno domini M.CC.xliii  Iohn̄ fyz Iohn̄  Remonde Bongley  Anno .xxvi.  Rafe Ashewy  IN this .xxvi. yere of kyng Henry Bonyface was sacryd archbyshoppe of Caunterbury And this yere the kyng wyth a fayre company saylyd into Normandy whyche vyage as sayth y e frenche cronycle was made by the styrynge of a Frenche man named erle of the Marche for so myche as y e sayd erle refusyd to do homage vnto Alphons brother vnto Lewys the .x. of that name and surnamed saynte Lewys then kynge of Fraunce Thys Lewys the yere before hadde maryed his sayde brother vnto the doughter of the erle of Tholouse and hadde gyuen to his sayde brother the erledome of Poyteau wyth all the landes of Aluerne By reason wherof he wold haue causyd the sayd erle of Marche to haue done
of the castell y t they wolde yelde the castell theyr lyues and goodes saued And finally it was agreed theyr bodies onely to departe to be cōueyed .x. miles vpon theyr waye towarde such place as they wolde appoynt vpō y e which appoyntement .ii. knyghtes Brytons y t is to saye syr Syluester de la Fulle and syr wyllm̄ de Stratton receyued them in theyr cotes and cōueyed thē with great payne nat without losse of some For theyr enemies of y e hoste caste stones at theym and bete them so with theyr staues that dyuers of theym dyed the remenaunt were broughte nere vnto a castell than in the power of Englysshemen named Quyntyne But whan the commōs of y e town there nere harde of the cōmynge of suche Englysshmen vnder saufe conduyt the whiche before in the batayl of the roche of Arian where syr Charles de Bloys was taken had slayne theyr lord that is to meane the lorde of Quyntyne anone they issued oute of the towne and for they fonde lytel resystence in theyr guydes they slew theym there excepte one whych was capytayne of the Englyshmē whych one of y e sayd knyghtes caused to be set vpon hys horse so fledde frō the peryll And whā the cruell Brytons had thus shamefully slayne the Englyshmen they gadered y e cariens vp on an hepe suffered theym there so to lye to y e ende that beastes foules myght deuoure them And in shorte tyme after y e erle of Flaūdres by meanes of the Frēch kyng left the doughter of kynge Edwarde and was maryed vnto the doughter of y e duke of Brabant In the .xx. yere of Phylyp y e town of Calays was goten lyke as the circumstaūce thereof is declared in the xxii yere of kyng Edward the thyrd And in the same yere the mortalite or sykenes whych after reygned in Englande reygned nowe feruentely in Fraunce and moste specially in the cytye of Auynyon by force wherof y e thyrde parte of the people of y e cytye dyed And frome thens it came vnto saint Denys and so vnto Parys In which coost it was so feruent y t there dyed in those .ii. townes ouer the nōbre of .lvi. M. within y e space of .xviii monethes And in thys yere the dolphyne of Uyen named syr ymberte solde hys dolphynage vnto the Frēch kyng became a freer at Lyon vpō the rosne of the ordre of the freer prechours or blacke freers In the .xxi. yere of thys Phylyp Charles the fyrste begotten sonne of Iohn̄ duke of Normādy eldest sonne of thys Phylip toke possession of the sayd dolphynage of Uyen And in the moneth of August folowyng dyed y e duchesse of Normādy and mother of the sayd Charles And in the moneth of Decembre folowynge dyed dame Iane quene of Fraūce doughter of Robert duke of Burgoyn And in thys yere was the treason wroughte by syr Godfrey de Charny to haue agayne wonne the towne of Calays lyke as I to you before haue shewed in the .xxiiii. yere of kyng Edward y e iii. And in y e moneth of Ianuary next ensuynge .ix. day of the same kyng Phylyp spoused hys .ii. wyfe Blaūche somtyme y e doughter of y e quene of Nauerne lately dyscesed whyche was syster vnto the erle of Foyze whyche espousayles were secretely done in the manour of Robert erle of Bray And so the sayde kyng Philip was wydowe frome the .xii. daye of Decembre to the nynthe daye of Ianuary whyche was by the space of xxviii dayes And vpon the .ix. day of the moneth of February Iohn̄ duke of Normandy eldeste sonne of thys Philippe spoused hys seconde wyfe Iohanne Countesse of Boloygne at a towne called Miriaux nere vnto Meulene And so he morned for hys wyfe whych was named y e good Duchesse of Normandy by the terme of vi moneths .ii. dayes lackynge In the .xxii. yere of kyng Philip moneth of Iuly syr Thomas de Agorne befornamed was by chaūce medly slayne of a Brytō knyght called syr Raufe de Cuours And vpon the .xxiii. daye of August folowynge dyed syr Phylyp de Ualoys kyng of Fraūce whā he had reygned ouer y e Frēchmen in great vexaciō trouble by the space of .xxii. yeres lackynge v. monethes odde dayes and was after enterred at saynt Denis by his fyrste wyfe left after hī Iohn̄ duke of Normandy for hys heyre ¶ Of kynge Iohn̄ IOhn̄ the fyrste of that name sonne of Phylype de Ualoys began to raygne ouer the Frenchmē in the moneth of August yere of our lord M.CCC and .l .xxiiii. yere of Edwarde the .iii. than kyng of Englande was crowned at Raynes the xxvi day of Septembre folowynge wyth dame Iohanne hys wyfe In tyme of the whych solempnite kyng Iohn̄ dubbed hys eldeste sonne dolphyne of Uyen and Lowys hys .ii. sonne erle of Alēson knyghtes with other noble men And vpon the .xvi. daye of Nouēbre folowynge syr Rauffe erle of Ew and cōstable of Guynes whā it was Frenche the whych was newly commen out of Englande where he had ben longe prysoner was accused of treason and so commaūded vnto pryson at Parys within whyche pryson he was shortly after byheded in y e presence of the duke of Burgoyne and other nobles In the thyrde yere of kyng Iohn̄ viii day of Ianuary Charles kyng of Nauerne caused to be slayne with in the towne of Aygle in Normandy syr Charles de Spayne cōstable of Fraūce For the whych murdre sourdyd great warre betwene kynge Iohan the sayde kynge of Nauerne whych contynued many yeres after natwithstādyng that the sayd kynge of Nauerne had maryed the doughter of y e sayd kyng Iohn̄ Thā by meditaciō of frendes a peas was dryuē betwene theym so that kyng Iohan shuld gyue vnto y e kyng of Nauerne for contētacyon of certayne summes of money yet owynge vnto hym for the dower of hys wyfe certayne landes within the duchy of Normandy and ouer that the Frēche kyng shuld pardone all suche persones as were consentynge to the deth of the constable before murdred After whych treaty thus concluded the kynge of Nauerne vnder assuraunce of hostage came vnto kyng Iohn̄s presence at Parys And after he had taried there a season he departed with dyssymulacion on eyther partye vsed as after shall appere In the .iiii. yere of kyng Iohn̄ syr Godfrey de Harecourt whych wyth hys sonne other hadde ben consentynge vnto the deth of the constable of Fraunce were reconsyled agayne to the kynge The whyche ensensed hym agayne the kynge of Nauerne by meanes of theyr sinister report so that the peace betwene theym before cōcluded was dysapoynted brokē And soone vpon thys syr Robert de Loryze that was chamberlayn vnto kynge Iohn̄ auoyded the courte for fere leste the sayde syr Godfrey hadde shewed of hym any thynge to the kynge and so yode vnto the kynge of Nauerne in Normandy After whose commyng the kynge of Nauerne departed
ryght well the state whan thou by meanes whyche were inordynat Put vnto deth many an innocent man By cruell malyce and well remembred than That of lowe byrth Flaundres thy mother the fledde And taught the a crafte the here well to shaue Lutecia that cytye where thou thy lyfe ledde wytnesseth the a seruaunt therin thy lyuynge to craue And for thy dayes an honest lyfe to haue But whan thou were in Lowys court vp brouht Than had thou no mynde that thou were come of nought But lyke the helle hounde thou waxed full furyous Expressynge thy malyce whan thou to honour styed Thynkynge for so moche as that prynce bounteuous Hys hed and berde to the he nought denyed And wyth all worldly pleasure he also the allyed The before hys prynces makynge hys gouernour Thy selfe thou blyndest wyth wordly vayne honour whyche made the so proude thou sonne of harde Neron That none myght lyue that thou accused of cryme No man was cursed nor none had punyssyon That wolde thy hande wyth golde of gyftes lyme And who that nat hys gyfte offred in tyme Other deth or exyle to hym was soone applyed For as iuge and hangman thou all thynge excercysed Thou reygned longe ynough but now are sprongeÌ„ newe Sterrys to the worlde and fled is nowe clerely The scelerat flokke wherfore thou barbour yet rewe Thyne odyous actes whyche haue the sodaynly Cast downe from welth in snares vytterly For also Daniell thy moste odyous fere Dampneth the of cryme whyche wyth the dyeth here I knowe nat what of the the vpper bodyes aboue Haue defyned whether by sworde or by gybet Thou shuld ende the lyfe But one thynge I approue The sentence hooly of the people is sette That on a galowe thou shuld paye deth hys dette Inwardly therfore bewayll so thyne offence That by thys deth to god thon mayste make recompence THus execucyon of thys Damman hys felowe ended and fynysshed to the lytell compassion of the people wythin fewe dayes after another of the affeccionat seruauÌ„tes of kyng Lowys named IohnÌ„ Doyacon for trespasse and hatered by hys occasyon and deserte vnto the common people was wyth all shame brought vnto y e market place of Parys there beraft of bothe hys erys After whych vylony to hym done he was there ryght banysshed the court for euer And thus two of the moste special and derest beloued seruauntes and counsayllours of kyng Lowys were shortly after hys deth broughte vnto confusyon By reason wherof as affermeth myne auctoure Gaguyne arose a prouerbe among the Frenche men sayeng Principibus obsequi haereditariuÌ„ non esâ—e The whyche is to meane the seruyce of princes is nat hereditable Thys tyme thus passed wyth many other matyers whych I ouer passe the season approched that variaunce and â—nny began to moue amoÌ„g some nobles of the laÌ„de in so moche that y e duke of Orleaunce dysdayned that Anne syster to the kynge wyth suche as she wolde call to counsayll hadde all the rule about the kyng wherfore he entendyng to haue the sayde rule for so moche as he had maryed that other doughter of Lowys gadered vnto hym strength of knyghtes purposely to remoue from the kyng such as he lyked and to sette aboute hym suche persones as he thought conuenyente But how it was for lacke of wyse orderynge of hys people or other neglygence at a place called saint Albynys he was taken of hys aduersaryes so by the kyng commaunded to pryson to the castel of ByturiceÌ„ce where he remayned loÌ„ge tyme after It was nat longe after that Marymylyan the whych had maryed duke Charles doughter of Burgoyne gathered hys soudyours to haue releued the foresayd duke of Orleaunce out of pryson but he preuayled nat Durynge whyche warre Fraunceys duke of Brytayn dyed whose doughter named Anne enherytour of that duchye Maxymylyan hadde before trouth plyted for hys lawfull wyfe wherfore he herynge of the deth of y e sayd Fraunceys shortely entred the terrytory of Brytayne and seased it for hys But Charles with his FreÌ„chmen wythstode hym by suche force y t he was constrayned to axe helpe of our soueraygne lord kynge Henry y e vii The whyche in moste bounteous maner ayded assysted hym bothe wyth men and money to the kynges excedyng great charge and coste Howe be in the ende the French kyng had his entent than maryed y e said Anne duchesse of Brytayne and refused Margarete y e doughter of Maâ—imylyan whyche he before had maryed at Ambasy as before I haue shewed to you in the ende of the story of hys father Lowys After whych vyctory thus opteyned by thys Charles in Brytayn he made clayme and pretence vnto the lande of Scicilia or Scicilie And by the exortacion and styrryng of the pope AlexaÌ„der the .vi. he wyth a strong hoste entred y e same bothe by lande and by water To whome was a great ayde the duke of Mylayne by whose meanes he shortly wan a stroÌ„ge citie or towne named Campania and diuers other townes and in processe Naples the chyef citie that belonged vnto the kyng of Naples In so moche that he constrayned Alphounce that than was kynge of Naples and of Scicile to forsake that countre and so had the dominioÌ„ of the more parte of bothe the sayde countrees The whyche when he had set in suche order as he thoughte conuenyent he toke hys iournaye home warde into FrauÌ„ce thorough Italy In whyche passage thys Charlys was beset of the Uenecyans other Italyans the whyche entendyd to haue stoppyd hys waye and metyng wyth hym at a place called in latyne Fornouiences gaue vnto hym batayle wherof as sayth myne authour he wan the vyctory to hys greate honour consyderynge his fewe sowdyours agayne theyr multytude and strength But to thys sayenge repugne the Italyans dwellyng in London and say that yf the sayd Charlys had not spedde hym fastly into Fraunce he had not comen there that yere But how so it was he eetourned home in sauete And soone after pope AlexaÌ„der foresayd toke such dyspleasure agayne y e sayd Charlys that he styrred almost all crysten prynces of the worlde agayne hym he hadde such hatred to the great honoure of y e FreÌ„che kynge as sayth myne authour Gagwyne y t whyche in all hys werkes extolleth the dedes of Frenchemen forther thaÌ„ maye be veryfyed in moch of his wrytynge But what so he wryte of the pope it is to be demyd that he wolde not take so great partye agayne this Charlys and exite other prynces to do the same excepte it hadde ben for great and vrgeÌ„t causes and not for malyce as he affermeth onely And thus the sayde Gagwyne endeth the story of the sayd Charlys in the yere of our lorde god M.iiii C. xcv and the .xi. yere of the reygne of the same Charlys thanne presently reygnynge and guydyng the realme of Fraunce whyche was the .x. yere of our most redoutyd prynce kynge Henry the .vii. Henry the seuenth HEnry the
payd in one yere but by deuided porcions in .iii. yeres ensuyng And of the lay fee or temporall men of EnglaÌ„de he had grauÌ„ted to hym the .x. peny of theyr mouables the which was payd in .ii. yeres next ensuyng And thys yere in y e moneth of Marche was drawen hanged at London for treason done in Fraunce a knyghte called syr Thomas Turbeuyle And aboute y e tyme of Easter whan Charlys de Ualoys as ye before in that other yere haue harde had lyen longe at the castell of Ryon myght nothyng wynne vpoÌ„ the Englyshmen but dayly loste of the best of hys knyghtes he sent for more ayde and socoure At whyche tyme came vnto hym syr Rauffe Nele constable of Fraunce with a fressh company and thaÌ„ assawted it of new But whan they had lyen there a season sawe they preuayled nothynge agayn theyr enemys they yode vnto an holde there by named Poudency and it assauted for so moche as the more nombre of the sowdyours there were Normans and after .viii. days by appoyntemente or otherwyse gat the sayd holde so that all the Englisshemen had theyr lybertye goodes and the Normans taken as prysoners the whyche they brought after vnto the castell of Ryon and there in syghte of the sowdyours hanged al or the more partye of the sayde Normans whan the Gascoynes beynge wythin the towne and castell of Ryons sawe then theyr cosyns and couÌ„trey men hanged before theyr eyen they caste in theyr myndes that yt was done by treason of the Englysshmen and that they wolde at length deale wyth them in lyke maner By reason wherof stryfe and varyauÌ„ce arose betwene the EnglysshemeÌ„ and the Gascoygnes so that eyther of theym feryd the treason of the other For the whyche cause syr Iohan Seyn Iohan syr IohnÌ„ de Britayn syr Robert Typtoft syr Rauffe TaÌ„ny syr Hugh Bardolfe syr Adam Cretynge with dyuers other fledde by see and in that maner saued them selfe and soone after the sayd towne and castell of Ryons was wonne by the Frenchemen and the inhabytauÌ„tes of the same sworne vnto the freÌ„ch kynge ye haue harde before in the .xxii. yere of thys kynge howe after the dethe of Alexander kyng of Scottes many questyons fyll amonge y â— sayd scottes who by ryght of enherytauÌ„ce shulde be kynge of that lande consyderynge that the sayde Alexander had lefte after hym thre doughters the whyche lyuyng theyr father were maryed The fyrste to syr Iohan Bayloll the seconde to Roberte le Bruze and the thyrde to one named Hastynges Many of the lordes of Scotlande wolde haue crowned syr Iohan Bayloll by reason that he maryed the eldest of the doughters But the frendes of Robert le Bruze withstode it with all theyr power And other there were that heâ—de with Hastynges so that after greate stryfe and longe varyaunce the matter was broughte before kynge Edwarde as chyef lord and soueraygne of that lande promysinge to hym to abyde all suche determynacyon and iugemente as he shulde sette therin Than kynge Edwarde to the ende that the scottes shulde knowe perfytely that the kyng of EnglaÌ„de ought of ryghte to be there chyefe hede and soueraygne shewed vnto theym suche olde wrytynges as he lyttell tofore had caused to be serched and founde in the whyche it was conteyned by the auctorytye of olde cronycles and wryters as Maryanus y e scotte wyllyam of Malmesbury Roger of Huntyngdon and other that in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.xx kynge Edwarde the elder made subget vnto hym the kynges of Cumbrys and scottes Also in the yere of grace .ix. C. and xxi the foresayd scottes Cumbrys chase the sayd Edwarde the elder to be theyr chyefe lord and patron And in y e yere of our lord .ix. C.xxvi Ethelstane than kynge of Englande subdued constantyne than kyng of scottes and after admytted the sayd Constantyne to reygne as kynge vnder him by othe of obeysauÌ„s with feaute and homage Also Edredus brother to the sayde Ethelstane subdued of newe the scottes with the Northumbrys and receyued of them agayne othe and homage And ouer that it is founde in the sayd cronycles that Edgar ouercame Alphunius the son of Kynadus kynge of Scottes and receyued of hym feawty homage and helde hym vnder hys obeysauÌ„ce as he had done hys father Kynadus before tyme. Moreouer it is there wytnessed that Canutus in the .xvi. yere of hys reygne subdued Malcolyne than kyng of scottes and receyued of hym feawty and homage Furthermore wyllyam Conquerour in the .vi. yere of his reygne subdued Malcolyne kyng of Scotlande the whyche before tymes had receyued the sayde kyngdome of the gyfte of Edwarde kynge and confessoure And wyllyam the rede dyd in lykewyse vnto the sayde Malcolyne and vnto hys two sonnes that reygned in Scotlande the one after the other Also Dauyd kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Stephane than kyng of Englande And wyllyam kynge of scottes dyd homage vnto Henry the thyrde at the tyme of hys coronacyon and after came vnto hys father Henry the seconde whan the forenamed HeÌ„ry was deed in Normandy made hys homage to hym agayne Thys Henry that was sonne vnto Henry the seconde is of many wryters named Henry the thyrd for so moche as he was the .iii. kyng that was crowned of that name But for he dyed before hys father hys dedes ben lytell spoken of so that of some wryters he is nothyng mynded And it foloweth in the story howe that AlexaÌ„dre kyng of Scottes in y t .xxxv. yere of HeÌ„ry the thyrd or son of kyng IohnÌ„ maryed at yorke Margarete doughter of the sayd Henry and dyd vnto hym homage for the realme of Scotlande and bouÌ„de hym and hys heyres kynges of Scotlande by hys letters patentes to be trewe vnto the sayd HeÌ„ry vnto his heyres kynges of Englande lyke as before tyme wyllyam kyng of Scottes had oblyged hym vnto the seconde Henry as before in the .xxii. yere of hys reygne is more manyfestly shewed And more to them was shewed y â— popes bulles the whych were sent before tymes into Scotlande by auctoryte wherof the kynges of ScotlaÌ„de were accursed for they wolde nat be obedyent to theyr lordes kynges of Englande WHan all these presedentes were sene by y e Scottes a day was assygned of metyng at NorhmÌ„ in the marches betwene Englande and Scotlande whyther vnto the kyng came the chief rulers of the Scottes where they excused them to be bouÌ„de vnto the kyng for the obseruynge of the kynges ordenaunce for so moche as they lacked a kynge an hede by whome all suche ordenaunces shuld be maynteyned and holdeÌ„ But after by aduyce of bothe parties agremeÌ„t was made by the scottes that they shuld be bounde to obey the kynges iugement wheruppon bondes were made vpon bothe partyes that is to meane the kyng was bounde to theÌ„ in an hondreth thousande pounde y t within .ii. monethes after he had receyued the possessyon of the lande he shulde gyue it vnto