named by dyuers names in this maner they came forth and were borne horryble gyauÌ„tes in Albyon And they dwelled in caues and in hylles atte ther wylle And hadde the londe of Albyon as them lykyd vnto the tyme that Brute arryued and came to Tornes that was in the yle of Albyon And there this Brute coÌ„quered and dyscomfyted the gyauntes abouesayde ¶ Explicit prima pars ¶ Here begynneth now how Brute was goten how he slewe first his moder after his fader And how he conquered Albyon that after he named Brytayne after his owne name that now is callyd Englonde after the name of Engyst of Saxonie ¶ This Brute came in to Brytayne aboute the .xviii. yere of Hely BE it knowen that in the noble cytee of grete Troy there was a noble knyght a man of grete power that was called Eneas And whan the cyte of Troy was loste destroyed thrugh them of Grece Thys Eneas wyth all his meyne fledde theÌ„s came to Lombardy That theÌ„ was lorde gouernoure of the londe a kyng that was called Latyne And an other kynge there was that was called Turocelyne that strongely warred vpon this kynge Latyne that oftentymes dyde hym moche harme And whaÌ„ this kynge Latyne herde that Eneas was come he receyued hym with moche honour him with helde for as moche as he had herde of hym wyst wel that he was a noble knyght a worthy of hys body of his dedes This Eneas helped kyng Latyne iÌ„ his warre And shortely for to telle so well and so worthely he dyde that he slewe Turocelyne and discomfyted hym and all his people And whan all this was done kynge Latyne gaaf all that londe that was Turocelynes to thys noble man Eneas in maryage wyth Lauyne his doughter the moost fayrest creatue that ony man wyst And so they lyued togyder in yoyâ— myrthe all the dayes of ther lyftyme ¶ And after Ascanius sone to Eneas wedded a wyf vpon her he gate a sone that was called Silueyne And this Silueyne whan he coude some reason of man vnwetynge his fader and aenst his wyll aqueyted hym with a damoysell that was cosyn to Lauyne that was kynge Latynes doughter the quene that was Eneas wyf and brought the damaysell with chylde And whan Ascanius his fader it wyst anone lete enqueyre of the wysest maysters of the grettest clerkes what chylde the domoysell sholde brynge forth they answerde sayd that she sholde brynge forth a sone that shalde kylle bothe his fader also his moder And so he dyde For his moder deyed in berynge of hym And whan this childe was borne his fader lete calle hiÌ„ Brute And the maysters sayd that he sholde do moche harme sorowe in many dyuers places and after he sholde come to grete honour and worshyp This kyng Ascanius deyed whan god wolde and Silueyne his sone receyued the londe made hym wonderly well beloued amonge his people And so whaÌ„ Brute that was Silueynes sone was .xv. yere olde he wente vpon a day with his fader for to play solace And as Brute sholde haue shot vnto an herte his arowe myshappe and glaÌ„ced and so there Brute slewe hys fader ¶ How Brute was dreuen out of the londe and how he helde hym in Grece ANd whan this myschauÌ„ce was befall all the people of the londe made sorowe ynough were sore an angred And for enche son there of they droue brute out of the loÌ„de wolde not suffre hym among them And whaÌ„ he sawe that he myght not there abyde he weÌ„ from thens in to Grece and there he founde .vii. thousande men that were of the lygnage and kynred of Troy that were come of grete blood as the story telleth as of men and wymmen and chyldern the whyche were all hollde in thraldome and bondage of the kynge Pandras of Grece for the dethe of Achilles that was betrayed and slayne at troy This brute was a wonder fayre man and a stronge and a huge of his age and of gladde there and semblaunt and also worthy of body was well beloued amonge his people Thys kyng Pandras herde speke of his goodnes his condicions and anone made hym dwelle wyth hym soo that brute became wonder preuy moche beloued with the kynge soo that longe tyme brute dwelled with the kynge So at the laste they of Troy and brute spake togyders of kynred and of lygnage of acquayntaunce there playned them vnto Brute of ther sorowe of ther bondage of many other shames that the kynge Pandras had them done And vnto brute they sayde vpon a tyme. ye be a lorde of our lygnage a strong man a myghty â— ye be our capytayne lorde and gouernoure we wyll become your men your coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes doo in all maner of thynges brynge vs out of this wretchednesse and bondage we wyll fyghte with the kynge for trouthe with the grace of the grete god we shal hym ouercome and we shall make you kyng of the londe and to you doo homage and of you we shall holde euer more Brute had tho grete pyte of theyr boÌ„dage that they were brought iÌ„ And preuâ—ly wente then from the kynges courte and tho them that were of Troy wente and put them in to woodes and in to mouÌ„taynes and them there helde And sente vnto kynge Pandras that he sholde gyue them leue sauely for to weÌ„de out of the londe for they wolde noo lâ—nger dwelle in his bondage The kynge Pandras wexed tho sore anoyed and tho swore that he sholde slee them euerychone and ordeyned a grete power and wente to warde them all for to fyght But Brute and his men maÌ„ly them defended and fyerfly fought and slewe all the kynges men that none of them escaped and toke the kynge and helde hym in pryson and ordeyned counsell bytwen them what they myghte done And some sayde that he sholde be put to dethe and some sayde that he sholde be exiled out of the londe And some sayd that he sholde be breÌ„te And tho spake a wyse kynght that was called Mempris and sayd to Brute and to alle tho of Troy yf kynge Pandras wolde yelde hym and haue his lyf I counsell that he gyue vnto Brute that is our duke our souerayne his doughter Gennogen to a wyf and in maryage wyth her an hoÌ„dred shyppes well arayed and all his tresoure of golde syluer of corne of wyne as moche as we nede to haue of â—o thyng other thenÌ„e go we out of this londe ordeyned vs a londe elles where For we nenoÌ„e of our kynred that come after vs shall neuer haue peas in this londe amoÌ„ge theym of Grece For we haue slayne so many of ther knyghtes and of other freÌ„des that euer more warre and contake sholde be among vs Brute tho and all his folke consented well to that counseyll And this thynge
meny And then he sholde sende to her lorde the kyng feyne that he were come for to speke with hys doughter hym for to se so he dyde And whan the kynge and the quene herd that they came with moche honoure they hym receyued And the kynge of fraunce then lete lende thrugh al the realme coÌ„maunded that al men sholde be as entendauÌ„t to kynge Leyr the quenes fader in all maner of thynges as it were vnto hymselfe whaÌ„ kynge leyr had dwelled there a moneth more he tolde to the kynge to the quene his doughter how his two eldest doughters hadde hym serued Agampe anone lete ordeyne a grete hooste of FrensshmeÌ„ sente in to Brytayne with Leyr the quenes fader for to coÌ„quere his loÌ„de agayne his kyngdome And Cordeill also came with her fader in to Brytayne for to haue the realme after her faders dethe And anone they wente to shyppe passed the see came in to Brytayne fought with the felons theÌ„ dyscomfyted slewe then had he his loÌ„de agayne after lyued .iii. yere helde his realme iÌ„ peas after warde dyed so Cordeill his doughter thenne let enter him with moche honour at Leycestre ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iii. C.xlix Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .viii. C liii AMasius sonne to Ioam regned on the Iewes .xxix. yere after the whiche the kyngdom of Iewes was without kynge .xiii. yere This man worshypped the goddes of Seyr vt pêª .ii. para .xv. ¶ Ieroboam sone to Ioam regned on Israel .xli. yere the whiche was manly and vyctoryous For he ouercame the kynge of Sirie restored Israel Damaske after the worde of Iono the prophete But he was not good Therfore sayth austyn if good men regne they profyte many a man And yf ylle men regne they hurte many men· ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iii. C.lxxxviii Et ant xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .viii. C.xi. Ozias or Azarias sone to Amasie regned on the Iury .lii. yere the whiche lyued wel afore oure lorde of hym is none euyl thynge wryten but that he vsurped the dygnyte of preesthode vnder Azari the whiche he forbode hym For that whiche cause our lorde stroke hym with a leper vt pêª .ii. para ¶ Ozee bysshop prophete was this tyme the fyrst of the .xii. that is sende astaynst the .xii. tribus ¶ Ioel the secoÌ„de of the .xii. prophecyed of Iuda Ananias the thyrde prophecyed agaynst many people Abdias the fourth of the .xii. prophecyed agaynst Edom ¶ zacharius sonÌ„e to Ieroboam regned in Israel .vi. monethes the whiche began to regne the .xxxviii. yere of Ozias was nought iÌ„ his lyuynge as his predycessours were And Sellum slewe hym regned a moneth And Manahen slewe hym toke his kyngdome vt pêª .iiii. reguÌ„ This Manahen regned .x. yere the whiche began to regne the .xxxix. yere of Ozias \ he ruled hym myscheuously And our lorde toke hym in the power of the kynge of Assuriorum And he payed to hym a thousande talentes of syluer vt pêª .iiii. reguÌ„ ¶ Phaseia sonÌ„e to Manahen regned in Israel .ii. yere he began to regne the .l. yere of Ozias and he was nought in his lyuynge ¶ Phase slewe phaseia regned .xx. yere he began to regne the .lii. yere of Ozias dyde as other cursed men dyde Plura vide .iiii. reguÌ„ And after this Israel was without ony kynge .viii. yere ¶ How Morgan and Conedag that were neuewes to Cordeill warred vpon her And put her in pryson NOw as kynge Leyr was deed Cordeil his yongest doughter regned the .x. yere of Ozias kynge of Iury. And after her regned Conedag the .xv. yere of Ozias Cordeil that was Leyrs yongest daughter after the deth of her fader had all the londe .v. yere And in the meane tyme deyed her lorde Agampe hat was kynge of FrauÌ„ce after his dethe she was wydowe And there came Morgan and Conedag that were Cordeils systers sones to her had enuyte for as moche as theyr aunte sholde haue the londe So that bytwene them they ordeyned a grete power and vpon her warred gretely And neuer they rested tyll they had her taken and put her vnto deth And tho Morgan and Conedag seased all the londe departed it bytwene them And they helde it .xii. yeres And whan that those .xii. yeres were gone there beganÌ„e bytwene them a grete beatel so that they warred stroÌ„gely togyders And eueryche of theym dyde other moche dysease For Morgan wolde haue all the londe frome beyonde Humbre that Conedag helde But he came agaynst hym wyth a grete power so that Morgan durste not abyde but fledde a waye in to walys And Conedag pursued hym and toke hym slewe hym And tho came Conedag agayne and seased all the londe in to his honde and held it And regned after xxxiii· yere And thenne he deyed and lyth at newe Troy ¶ And by cause the matere conteyneth moost comodyously togyder of the kynges of Brytayne now called Englonde for the tyme of them is not certaynly knoweÌ„ what tyme of the wrolde the kynges folowen regned Therfore they shall be togyder tyll it be comen vnto Guentolen kyng of Brytayne now called EngloÌ„de ¶ How Reynolde that was Conedags sone regned after his fader in his tyme it rayned blood thre dayes in to kenynge of grete deth ANd after thys Conedag regned Reynolde hê sone that was a wyse knyght a hardy curteyes that wel nobly gouerned the londe wonder welle made hym beloued of all maner of folke And in hys tyme regned blood that lasted thre dayes As god wolde soone after ther came a grete dethe of people For hostes wythout nombre of people fought tyll that almyghty god ther of toke mercy and pyte tho gaÌ„ it cesse And this Reynolde regned .xxii. yere deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How Gorbodian regne in peas that was Reynoldes sone AFter thys Reynolde that was Conedags sone regned Gorbodian that was thys Reynoldes sone ·xv yere and thenne he deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How Gorbodian had .ii. sones how that one slewe the other for to haue the herytage how ydoyne ther moder slewe that other wherfore the londe was destroyed SO whan thys Gorbodian was deed hys two sones that he had be came stoute and proude and euer warred togyder for the londe And that one was called Ferres and that other Porres ¶ And thys Ferres wolde haue all the londe but that other wold not suffre hym This Ferres had a felonous herte thoughte thrugh treason to slee his brother But pryuely he wente in to Fraunce and there abode with the kynge Sywarde tyll vpon a tyme whan he came ayen and fought wych his brother Ferres But full euyll it happed tho he was slayne fyrste whan ydoyne ther moder wyst that Portes was deed she made grete sorowe for by cause that she loued hym more than
that other And thought hym for to slee pryuely And pryuely she came to her sone vpon a nyght with two knyues and ther with kytte his throte and the body in to smale peces who herde euer suche a cursed moder that slewe with her owne hondes her owne sone And longe tyme after lasted the repreef shame to the moder that for by cause of the one sone she murdred the other so lost them bothe ¶ How foure kynges curtously helde all Brytayne and what were ther names ye shall here after AS the two brethern were deed they lefte not behynde them nother sonne ne dougter ne none other of the kynred that myghte haue the herytage And for as moche as the stroÌ„gest meÌ„ droue descomfyted the febleit toke all ther loÌ„des so that iÌ„ euery couÌ„tre they had grete ware and stryfe vnder them but amonge all other thynge there were amonge them in the counther that ouercame all the other and though ther myghte and strengthe they toke all the londes and euery of them toke a certayne countree in hys contree lete calle hym kyng one of theÌ„ was called Scater he was kyng of Soctlonde that other was called Dawalier he was kynge of Loegers of al the loÌ„de that was Lotris that was Brutes sone the thyrde was called Rudaâ— he was kiÌ„ge of walys the fourth was called Cloten was called kynge of Cornewayle But this Cloten sholde haue had all the londe by reson for by cause that there was no man that wyste none so ryght an heyre as he was But they that we strongest sette lytel by them that were of lesse estate and therfore this Cloten hadde noo more londe amonge them but Cornewaylle ¶ Of kynge Donebant that was Clotens sone wanne the londe THis Cloten had a sone that was called Donebant that after the dethe of hys fader became an hardy man and a fayr and a curteis so that he passed al the other kiÌ„ges of fayrenesse of worthynesse anoÌ„e a he was knyghte he wyste well that whaÌ„ hys fader lyued he was moost ryghtfull heyre of all the londe and shold haue had by reasoÌ„ But the other kynges that were of a moche more strengthe than he was toke from hym his londe And after warde this Donebant ordened him a grete power and conquered fyrste all the londe of Loegers after he wolde haue conquered all the londe of ScotloÌ„de walys And Scater came with his men yaue hym batayll And Rudac cam ayen wyth his walysshmen for to helpe hym â–ª but so it befel that Rudac was slayn also scater in playne batayll And soo Donebant had the victory conquered alle the londe well mayntened it in peas in quyete that neuer before it was so well mayntened ¶ How Donebant was the fyrst kyng that euer bare crowne of golde in Brytayne THis Donebant lete make hym a crowne of golde wered the crowne vpon his heed as neuer kyng dyde before and he ordened a statute that a maÌ„ had done neuer so moche harme myÈe come iÌ„ to the Temple there sholde no man hym mysdo but go there in sauete in peas and after go in to what londe or couÌ„tree that hym pleased wythout ony harme and yf ony man sette ony hoÌ„de vpon hym He thenÌ„e sholde lese his lyf And this DonebaÌ„t made the towne of Malmesbury and the towne also of the Vyse And whan he had regned well and worthely .xl. yere thenÌ„e he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ How Brenne and Belin departed bytwene them the londe after the deth of Donebant ther fader And of the warre bewixt them ANd after that this Donebant was deed his sones that he had departed the londe bytwene them as ther fader had ordeyned so that Belin his eldest sone had the al the londe of brytayne from Humber South warde And his brother Brenne had all the londe from Humber vnto Scotlond ¶ But for as moche that Belin had the better parte Brenne therfore wexed wroth and wolde haue had more of the lond belin his brother wold grauÌ„te hym no more wherfore coÌ„take warre arose amonge them two But Brenne the yonger brother had no myght ne strength ayenst Belin therfore Brenne rhrugh couÌ„sel of his folke went from thens in to Norwaeye to the kynge Olsynges prayed hym of helpe socour for to conquere all the londe vpon Belin hys brother vpoÌ„ that couenauÌ„t that he wolde haue his doughter to wyf and the kynge Olsynges hym graunted And Belin anone as hys brod was gone to Norweye he seased in to his honde all the londe of Northoumberlonde and toke al the castelles lete them be arrayed kepte the costes of the see that Brenne sholde not arryue in noo syde but that he were taken· †¶ The kynge Olsynges lette assembel a grete hoste and delyuered hys doughter to Brenne and all the people that he had assembled And thys damoysell Samie had longe tyme loued a kynge that was called Gutlagh and to hym she tolde all her couÌ„sel how that BrenÌ„e sholde her haue and her lede with hym for euer more and so he sholde lese her but that she myght for sake Brenne And whan Gutlagh had herde this tydynges he lay for to aspye BrenÌ„e with as many shyppes as he myght haue Soo the two fletes mette togyder and longe tyme they faught soo that Brennes men tourned ayen were dyscomfyted And kynge Gutlagh toke Samie put her in to his shyppe And BreÌ„ne shamefully fledde thens as a man dyscomfyted And this kyng Gutlagh wold haue gone in to his owene couÌ„tree but there came vpon hym suche a grete tempest that fyue dayes lasted soo that thorugh that tempest he was dryuen in to Brytayne with thre shyppes and no moo and tho that kepte the costes of the see toke Gutlagh and Samie and all his folke and them presented to Belin And Belin put them in pryson ¶ How Belin droue out of his londe kyng Gutlagh of Denmerk and Samie IT was not longe after that Brenne came agayne with a grete nauy sent to his brother Belin that he shold yeld ayen his londe to his wyfe and his folke and his castelles also Or elles he wolde destroye his londe ¶ Belin dradde noo thyng his malyce wolde no thynge do after that he hadde sayd wherfore Brenne came with his folke and foughte with Beline And then Brenne was discomfyted and his folke slayne hym self fledde wiâ—h .xii. men in to Fraunce And this Belin that was Brenne brother wente thenue to yorke and toke couÌ„seyll what he shold do with kyng Gutlagh For kynge Gutlagh proferde to become his man for to holde his londe fo him yeldynge yerely M.li. of syluer for euermore and for surenesse of this couenaut to be kepte Gutlagh shoâ—de brynge hym good hostage to hym sholde doo homage his folke yet he sholde swere
vpon a booke that it sholde neuer be broke ne fayled Belin tho by counseyll of his folke grauÌ„ted him his axenge so Gutlagh be came his maÌ„ Belin vndertoke of him his homage by an othe by wrytynge the same couenauÌ„tes And vpoÌ„ these couenauÌ„tes kyng Gutlagh toke Samie his folke wente thens torned ayen to Denmak Euer more after were the couenauÌ„tes holden the treuage payed tyll the tyme that Honelus was kyng of Denmarke also of his lond thorugh his wyf Gildebuâ—h that he had spoused for she was ryghe heyre of his londe ¶ This Belin dwelled tho in peas worshyp fully hym helde amoÌ„ge his barons and he made foure ryall wayes one from the eest in to the weest that was called watlynge strete and an other frome the north vnto the south and that is callen Ikelme strete And two other wayes he made in bossynge thrugh out the loÌ„de that one is called fosse that other Fosse dyke And he mayntened well the good lawes that Donebant his fader had made ordeyned in his tyme as befor is sayde ¶ How acordemeÌ„t was made bytwene BreÌ„ne Belin thorugh Cornewen ther moder BRenne that was Belins brother hadde longe tyme dwelled in FrauÌ„ce there had conquered a grete lordshyp thrugh maryage For he was duke of Bourgoyne thrugh the dought of the duke fewyn that he had spoused that was ryght heyre of the lond And this Brenne ordened a grete power of hys folke also of Fraunce came in to this londe for to fyght with Belin his brother And belin came ayenste hym with a grete power of Brytons and wolde tho haue yeuen hym batayll But ther moder Cornewen that tho lyued had that one brother wolde haue destroyed that other and wente bytwene her sones and them made acorde with moche payne So that at the laste tho two brethern with moche blysse wente togyder in to newe Troy that now is called LoÌ„don and there they dwelled a yere And after they toke theyr counseyll for to goo conquere all Fraunce And so they dyd and brente towne destroyed the londe both in length and in brede And the kyng of FrauÌ„ce yaue them batayl with his power but he was ouercome yaue trauge vnto Belin to his brother And after that they wente forth vnto Rome â— conquered Rome all Lombardy Garmany tooke humage feaute of erles bacons of all other And after they came in to thys lond of brytayne and dwelled there wyth brytons in Ioye and rest And tho made brenne the twone of brystowe and after he wente ouer to his owne lordshyp and theyr dwelled he all his lyf And belin dwelled at newe Troy and there he made a fayre gate that is called belynges gate after his owne name And whan thys belin hadde regned nobly .xi. yere he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ How kyng Cormbratê° slewe the kynge Cenmark for by cause that he wolde not paye his truage as he shold ANd after thys belin regned hys sone Cormbratus a good man and a worthy And the kyng of Denmark wolde not pay to hym his truage that is to saye a thousande pounde as he had sworne by othe for to paye it and also by wrytynge recorde to belin his fader wherfore he was euyll appayed wrothe and assembled a grete hoste of bryâ—ons wente in to Denmark slewe the kynge Gutlagh and brought the londe in subgecâ—ion all newe And toke of the folke feautes and homage and after wente ayene in to his owne londe And as he came fothe by Orkeney he fouÌ„de .xxx. shyppes full of men and wymmen besyde the coste of the see the kynge ared what they were And an Erle that was mayster of them all curteysly answered vnto the kyng sayd That they were exieled out of Spane soo that they had traueyled halfe an yere and more in the see to wyte yf they myghte fynde ony kynge in ony londe that of them wold haue pyte or mercy to gyue them ony loÌ„de in ony countree where in they myght dwuell and hauerest and become his lyege men and to him wolde do homage and feuate whyle that he lyued to his heyers after him and of hym of his heyres holde that londe And whan the kynge this herde he had pyte of hym yaue them an yel all wyldernesse there that no man was dwellynge sauf oonly wylde bestê And the Erle thanked moche the kynge and became hys man dyde him homage and feaute and toke all his folke and wente in to the same yle And the Erle was called Irlamall and therfore he lete calle the londe Irlonde after his owne name This kyng Cormbratus came ayen in to his londe and regned .xxv. yere and after he deyed and lyeth at newe Troy ¶ Anno muÌ„di iiii·M.iiii C.xl. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitatem .vii. C.lvi. IOathan sone to Osias regned in the Iury .xvi. yere of this Ioathan no thynge is wryten of but that he toke not awaye excelsa as other dyde vt pêª .ii. para ¶ Amarias was bysshop And ysayas the noble prophete was in his dayes ¶ Olympias with the Grekes began the fyrste yere of Ioathan after Iosephus And after Beda Troy was destroyed foure hondred yere afore the fyrste Olympias began vnder Esalo a Iuge of Athens In whiche Coribus gate the chyualry amongê all men Olympus is the name of an hylle in Grecia the whiche for hys precyousnesse is called the hylle of god· And after Ierom one Olympias conteyneth fully foure yere in the whiche foure yere foure yerely prynces are made And these Olympiades are places ordeyned tothe worshyp of Iupater vnder the hylle of Olympo And the lawe of this That who someuer is beste in ony chyualry what someuer he desyreth he shall haue ¶ Anno muÌ„di .iiii. M.iiii C.lvi. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitetem .vii. C.xliii ACham the sone of Ioathan regned on the Iewes .xvi. yere of this Acham no thinge that is good is wryteÌ„ for he forsoke oure lorde And our lord stroke him wyth hys owne people strongly and with the kynges of Tirri vt pêª .ii. para xx viii ¶ Achicob this tyme was bysshop Ozee kynge of Israell regned ·ix yere the whiche beganne to regne the .xii. yere of Acham kyng of Iewes This Ozee dradde not god for he lyued noughte And he was the laste kynge of Israell· And in the .ix. yere of hys regne he was taken of Salmanasar And Israell was translated in to Assirias vt habetur .iiii. regum .xvii. ¶ Anno mundi .iiii. M.iiii C.lxii. Et ante xpÌ„i natiuitateÌ„ .vii. C.xl. ¶ Rome AFter Euseby Rome was made in the hyl of Palatin the fourth yere of AchaÌ„ kyng of Iewes of two brethern Romulus and Remus .xi. Kal. Man the .vii. Olympiades begynnynge Iosephus Beda sayen the .vi. Olympiades so they defferre a yere Neuertheles it is redde other men to haue regned about that place myghtly in
fayth Thenne he sende his precher by dyuerse prouynces by whome crysten relygyon was myghtely encreased ¶ He ordeyned the feest of Lenton afore Eester and Aduent and the Emerynge dayes to be fasted of all crysteÌ„ people in to the myrrour of the fyrste and seconde comynge of our lorde Ihesu ¶ ThenÌ„e whan he had be pope at Rome .xxv. yere .vii. monethes and ·viii dayes He was slayne of Nero Eiê° pla oê‘a vide actibus aplorum ¶ Baius this tyme was Emperour at Rome regned .iii. yere .x. monethes This Gaius was fyrst vicyous in lyuynge for two of his owne sesters he mysused and on one of them he gaâ—e a doughter whyche chylde he sette betwext the knees of Iupyter in the Temple and feyned after warde that Iupyter had goten her wherfore he dyde crye thrugh the couÌ„tree that alle men sholde worshyppe her as a goddesse This man also made an ymage lyke hymself and sente it to one Patronie Presydent at Ierusalem vnder the Romayns commaundynge hym that he shold compell the Iewes to do worshyp therto And fore thyse enormytees many other oure lorde suffred hym to be slayne at Rome in his owne Palays Of kynge Gynder that was Kymbalyns sone that wolde not paye the truage to Rome for the londe that Cassybolon had graunted and how he was slayne of a Romyne ANd after the dethe of thys Kymbalyn regned Gynder his sone a good man and a worthy and was of soo hygh herte that he wolde not paye to Rome that trybute that kynge Cassybolon had grauÌ„ted vnto Iulius Cezar wherfore themperour that was tho that was called Claudius Cezar was sore anoyed And ordeyned a grete power of Romayns came in to this londe for to conquere the tribute thrugh strengthe and for to haue it on the kynge· But thys kynge Gynder and Armager his broder assembled gadred a grete host togyd of Brytons yaue batayll to the Emperoure Claudius and slewe of the Romayns gerte plente The Emperour had after warde one that was called Hamon that sawe the people there fast slayne pryuely cast a waye his owe armes toke the armes of a deed Bryton and armed hym wyth hys armour came in to the bataylle to the kynge sayd in this maner Syr be of a good hert for goddes loue for the Romayns that ben youre enmyes anone shall be slayn dyscomfyted euerychone And the kynge gaf no kepe to his wordes ne to his speche forbi cause of the armes that he hae vpoÌ„ hym and demyd that he hadde ben a Bryton But the traytour euer helde hym next the kynge And pryuely vnder the sholder of his armes he smote the kynge wherfore the kynge deyed and felle downe to the erth ¶ whan Armager sawe his brother so deed herast awaye his arasmes and toke to him his brothers armes come in to the batayl amonges the brytons and badde them hertly for to fyght and fast laye a downe the Romayns And for the armes they wende it had be kyng Gynder that afore was slayne that they wyst not Thenne began the Brytons fyersly for to fygth slewe the Romayns So at the last the Emperour forsoke the felde and fledde as fast as they myght with his folkein to wynchestre And the fals traytour Hamon that had slayne the kynge fast anone beganne for to flee with all the hast that he myght And Amager the kynges brother pursued hym full fyersly with a fyers herte droue hym vnto a water there he toke hym And anoÌ„e smote of both honde and feet heed and hewed the body all to peres and thenne lete cast hym in to the water wherfore that wat was called Hamons hauen And after there was made a fayre towne that yet stondeth that is called Southampten And after Armager wente to wynchestre for to seke Claudius Cezar the Emperour of Rome And there Armager hym tooke And Claudius the emperour thorugh counseyl of the Romayns that were wyth hym left a lyue made peas with Armager iÌ„ this maner as ye shall here That is to saye How that Claudius the Emperour sholde yeue vnto Armager Gennen his fayr doughter for to haue vnto his wyf Soo that this londe from that tyme for warde sholde he in the Emperours power of Rome vpoÌ„ suche couenauÌ„t that neuer after warde no Emperour of Rome sholde take none other trybute of thys londe but only feaute And they were accorded And vpoÌ„ this couenaunt Claudius Cezar sent to Rome for his doughter Gennen And as she was come Claudiê° Cezar yaf her vnto Armager to wyf Armager spowsed her at LoÌ„don with moche solempnyte myrth And thenne was Armager crowned made kynge of Brytayne ¶ Of kynge Armager in whose tyme. saynt Peter preched iÌ„ Anthyoche with other apostles in dyuers couÌ„trees THis Armager regned well and worthely and gourned the londe ryght worshypfully ¶ And Claudius Cezar in remembrauÌ„ce of this accorde and for reuerence and honoure of hys doughter made in this londe fayre town a castell and lete calle the towne after his name Clauestren the whiche now is called Gloucestre â–ª thenÌ„e whaÌ„ all this was done the Emperour toke his leue thenÌ„e weÌ„te to Rome ayen And Armager thenne was kinge and gouerned the londe well and worthely all his lyues tyme. And this Armager gate a sene on his wyf whiche was callyd westmer And while that this Armager regned saint Peter preched in Anthioche And there he made a noble chirche In the whiche he satte fyrste in hys chayre And ther he dewelled .vii. yere and after he wente to Rome and was made pope tylle that Nero the Emperour lete martyr hym And then preched openly all the apostles in dyuerse londes the ryght fayth ¶ And whan Armager hadde regned .xxxiiii. yere he dyed and lyeth at the auncyente cyte of London ¶ How kynge westmer gaaf to Berynger an ylonde forlet And there this Berynger made the towne of Berwyke ANd after this Armager regned his sone westmer that was a good man and a worthy of body and well gouerned the londe It befell so that tydynges came to hym vpon a daye that the kynge Roderyk of Gascoyne was come in to thys londe wyth an hughe host of peple was dwellyng in Scanys more whaÌ„ kyng westmer herde those tydynges he lete assemble an huge host of Brytons came to the kynge Roderyk yaue hym batayll And kynge westmer slewe kynge Rodoryke wyth hys owne hondes in playne baytaylle ¶ And whan kyng Roderyks men sawe that ther lorde was slayne they yelded them all to kyng westmer became his men for euer more And he gaf them a couÌ„tree that was forleteÌ„ wherin they myghte dwelled ¶ And thyther they wente And dwelle there alle theyr lyues tyme and .ix. hondred men there were of theym nomoo lefte at that batayll· Theyr gouernour prynce was called Berynger And anone he began a towne that they myght ther in dwelle haue resorte
receyue bapâ—ym in the name of god torne to the ryght fayth byleue Eulentre seÌ„te two Legates that were called Pagan an other Elybam in to this londe baptysed the kyng all his meyne And after wente from towne to towne baptysed the people tyll all the londe was baptysed And this was in the yere an hondred .lvi. after the Incarncyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste And this kyng Lucie made tho in thys londe two Archibysshops one at Caunterbury an other at yorke other many bisshops that yet beÌ„ in this londe And whan these two Legatê had baptysed all this londe they ordeyned prestes for to baptyse chyldern and for to make the sacramente and after they wente ayen to Rome And the kynge dwelled in his londe and regned wyth moche honoure .xii. yere and after deyed and lyeth at Gloucestre ¶ How this londe was longe without a kynge and how Brytons chose a kynge THis kyng Lucie had none heyre of his body begoteÌ„ that was after warde grete harme sorowe to the londe For after thys kynge Lucies deth none of the grete lordes of the londe wolde suffre an other to be kynge but lyued in warre debate amoÌ„ges them self .l. yere without kyng But it befell after warde that a grete prince came from Rome iÌ„ to thê londe that was called Seuerie not for warre but for to saue the ryght of Rome But neuer theles he had not dwelled halfe a yere in thys londe but that the Brytons slewe hym And whan they of Rome wyst that Seueri was so slayne they sente an other grete lord in to this londe that was called Allec that was a stronge man a myghty of body dwelled in thys londe longe tyme dyde moche sorowe to the Brytons So that after for pure malyce they chose a kynge amonge theym that was called Astelepades And assembled a grâ—aee hoste of Brytons wente to London to seke Allec there they fouÌ„de hym slewe hym all his felowes And one that was called walon deffended hym fyersly fought longe with the Brytons but at the last he was dyscomfyted and the Brytons tooke hym and bonde hys hondes feet and cast hym in to a water wherfore that water was called euer more walbroke Tho regned Astelepades in peas tyll one of his Erles that was called Coill made a fayr towne ayenste the kynges wyll lete calle the towne Colchestre after hys owne name wherfor the kyng was full wroth thought to destroy him And began to warre vpon hym and brought grete power of men and yaf the Erle batayll And the Erle defended hym fyersly wyth hys power slewe the kynge hymself in that batayll And tho was Coill crowned made kyng of this londe This Coill regned and gouerened the londe well nobly for he was a noble man and well be loued amonged the Brytons ¶ whan tho of Rome herde that Astelepades was slayne they were wonder gladde sente an other grete prynce of the Romayns that was called CoÌ„stance And he came to the kyng Coill for to chaleÌ„ge the trybute that was woÌ„te to be payed to Rome And the kynge answered well wisely sayde that he wolde paie to Rome all that ryght and reason wolde with good wyll And so they accorded tho with good wyll and without ony coÌ„take And so both they dwelled togyd in loue ¶ Kynge Coill yaaf to hym his doughter Eleyne for to haue her to his spowse that was bothe fayre wyse good well lettred this CoÌ„stance spowsed her there with moche honoure And it befell soone after that thys kynge Coill deyed in the .xiii. yere of hys regne and lyeth at Colchestre entyred ¶ Of kyng Constance that was a Romayne that was chosen kyng after the deeh of Coill for as moche that he hadde spwsed Eleyne that was kynge Coils doughter AFter this kynge Coill Constance was made kynge and crowned for asmoche as he had spowsed kynge Coils doughter that was heyre of that londe The whiche CoÌ„stance regned well and worthely gouerned the londe And he begate on his wyf Eleyne a sonne that was called ConstaÌ„tyne And this kynge bare true fayth And truly dyde vnto them of Rome all his lyf And whan he had regned .xv. yere he deyed and lyeth at yorke ¶ How CoÌ„staÌ„tine that was kiÌ„ge ConstaÌ„ce sone the sone of Saynt Eleyne gouerned ruled the londe was Emperour of Rome AFter kynge Constance dethe regned Constantyne hys sone and the sone of saynt Eleyne that fouÌ„de the holy crosse in the hooly londe And how Constantyne be came Emperour of Rome ¶ It befell soo in the tyme there was an Emperour at Rome that was a Sarrasy a tyraunt that was called Maxence that put to dethe all that byleued iÌ„ god destroyed hooly chirche by all his power sleweall Crysten miÌ„ that he myght fynde And amoÌ„ge all other he lete martyr Saynt Katheryne And many other crysten people that had drede of deth fledde came in to this londe to kynge Constantyne And tolde hym of the sorowe that Maxence dyde to the Crystyanytee wherfore Constantyne had pyte made grete sorowe assembled a grete hoste a gret power and wente ouer vnto Rome and there tooke the cyte and slewe all that there was iÌ„ that were of mysbyleue that he myghte there â—ynde And tho was he made Emperour and was a good man gouerned hym so wel that all â—ondes to hym were attendaunt for to be vnder his gouernaunce· ¶ And this deuyll tyâ—aun Maxence that tyme was in the londe of Greâ—e herde these tydyngs sodeynly became wood and sodeynly he deyed and so he ended hys lyf ¶ whan Constantyne went from thys londe vnto Rome he tooke wyth hym hys moder Eleyne for the moche wysedome that she coude and thâ—e other grete lordes that he moche loued the one was called Hoell an another was called Taberne and the thyrde Morhyn And toke alhys londe to kepe vnto the Erle of Corne wayle that was called Octauyan And soo anone as thys Octauyan wyste that hys lorde dwelled at Rome IncoÌ„tynent he seased all the londe in to hys honde therwyth dyde all hys wyll amonge hyghe lowe they hellde hym for kynge ¶ whan these tydynges came to Constantyne the Emperoure he was wonder worthee towarde the Erle Octauyan And sent Taberne wyth ·xii M. men for to destroye the erle for hys falsenesse And they arrayued at Por tesmouth ¶ And whan Octauyan wyst that he assembled a grete power of Brytons and dyscomfyted Taberne Taberne fledde thens in to Scotlonde and ordeyned there a grete power and came ayne in to thys londe another tyme to yeue batayll to Octauian ¶ whan Octauian herde that he assembled a grate power came to warde Taberne as moche as he myght soo that those two hostes mette togyders vppon Stanesmore and strongely smote togyder tho was Octauian dyscoÌ„fyted
men whan he wente to conquere lytell Brytayne And in the same tyme the ye here now telle was saynt Albon martryd thrugh the woâ—d tyrâ—â—â— Dyoclesyan in the same place where is nowâ— an abbaye made of saynt Albon whyles that he was a paynym But he conuerted hym to god thrugh the predicacyon of clerke a wyse man that was called Anâ—â—ble that was â—â—rbourghed a nyght in hys hous And this was after thyn carnacyon of Ihesu Cryste ·ii hondred .xxvi. yere And men shalle vnderstonde that saynt Albon suffred his martyrdom before that saynt Edmonde was martryd therfore is saynt Albon called the fyrste martyr of Englond ¶ This Gowans brother and hys folke that were sarrasyns weÌ„t thrugh the loÌ„de destroyed al thynge that they fouÌ„de no thynge they spared· whan these tydynges came to rome how the kynge Gowan had begon for to destroye this londe the Emperour of come sent a stroÌ„ge maÌ„ of greate power that was called Gracian with ·xxiiii M. well fyghtynge men for to caste out those sarrasyns of thys londe And all they arryued at Portsmouth Maximian myght not come hymself for as moche as he was chosen Emperour after the deth of Constantyne that was Saynt Eleyns sone whan this Gracian was arryued with his hoste he lete sapye preuely where kyng Gowan myght be founde And he sette vpon them sodenly as they laye in theyr beddes and discoÌ„fyted hym and slewe them in ther beddes euerychone that none of them scaped sauff Gowan that fledde in to his owne countree with moche sorowe and grete payne ¶ Soone after it befelle that Maximian was slayne atte Rome thrughe treason And whan Gracian wyste that tydynge he lete crowne hym kynge of this londe ¶ How Gracian made hym kynge whan Maximian was slayne after warde the Brytons slewe hym for his wyckednesse THis Gracian whan he began to regne he became so wycked soo sterne so moche sorowe dyde to the Brytons that they slewe hym amonge them ¶ Tho whan kynge Gowan vnderstode that Gracian was slayne done to dethe he assembled a grete power came ayen in to this londe And yf he had fyrste done harme tho dyde he moche more For tho destroyed he all this londe the crysten peple that were in moche Brytayne so that no man was so hardy for to name god he that so dyde anone he was put to strange deth ¶ But the bysshop of London that was that was called Gosselim scaped went thens to them of Rome to seke socour to helpe to dystroy the sarrasyns that hadde destryed this londe And the Romayns sayd that they had ben so often enoyed for ther sendinge people in to Brytayne all for to helpe the BrytoÌ„s they wolde nomore soo do and soo the Bysshop Gosselin wente thens wythout ony socoure or helpe And tho wente he to the kynge of lytell Brytane that was called Aldroye this was the thyrde kynge after Gowan Meryedok as before is sayde ¶ The bysshop prayed this Aldroye of helpe socoure the kynge had pyte in his herte whan he herde how the bysshop fledde how that the crysten men were soo slayne in grete Brytayne thrugh the paynyms sarrasyns he grauÌ„ted hym coÌ„stantyne his broder him for to helpe wyth power of folke And then dyde arraye hors armour shyppes al thynges that neded to that vyage And whaÌ„ al thinge was redy he called the bysshop to hym sayde I take you here CoÌ„stantyne my broder vpon this couenauÌ„â— That yf god gyue hym grace the paynems that sarrasins to destroye that ye then make hym kynge And the bysshop grauÌ„ted wyth good wyll ¶ Constantyne the bysshop toke leue of the king Aldroye betoke him to god toke men .xii. thousande went to ther shyppes saylled to warde grete Brytayne arryued at Totnesse ¶ whan the Brytons herde these tydyngê that to theÌ„ came socoure they were strongely holpen ordeyned theÌ„ an huge noÌ„bre of people came to them receyued them with moche honoure ¶ Gowan anone as he wyst of these tydynges he asseÌ„bled all the Sarrasyns cam ayenst them yaue theÌ„ batayle Anâ— CoÌ„stantyne slewe hym with his owne hoÌ„des And all those other Sarrasyns were dyscomfyted slaine that noÌ„e of them escaped but those that were coÌ„uerted vnto almyghty god ¶ How Constantyne that was the kynges brother of lytell Brytayne was crowned kyng of grete Brytayne for hys grete vertue and hys grete worthynesse ANone after the batayll they weÌ„te to LoÌ„don crowned there CoÌ„stantyne made hym kyng of this loÌ„de And the bysshop Gosselyn sette the crowne on his heed anoynted hym as it befalleth for a kynge to be And tho began crystendome ayen in this londe And anone this kyng Constantyne as he was crowned Anone after he spowsyd hys wyf thrugh couÌ„seyll of the BrytoÌ„s And he begate thre sones on her The fyrst was called CoÌ„stance that other Aurilambros the thyrde Vter This CoÌ„stance the elder brother â–ª whan he cam to aege he made hym a monke atte wynchestre This Constantyne theyr fader thrugh treason was slayne ¶ For it befel on a time that a Pehite came to hym vpon a day in message as yt were And said that he wold speke with the king preuely in couÌ„seyll The kyng lete voyde his chambre of the men that were there with in ther abode no moo but that kyng the Pehite he made a couÌ„tenauÌ„ce as though he wold haue spoken with the kynge in his eere And there he slewe him with a loÌ„ge knyf And after that he wente meruaylously out of the chaÌ„bre in to a nother chaÌ„bre so at the last no man wyst where he was become ¶ whan the kynges meÌ„ wyst that theyr lorde was so deed they made then so moche sorowe that they wyst not what to do For as moche as his two sones Aurilambros Vter were so yonge that they myght not be kynge and the thyrde was a moÌ„ke as is sayd before But Vortiger that was Erle of westsex thoughte preuely in hys herte thrugt queyntaunce for to be kyng hymselfe And went to wynchestre where that Constance was monke and sayde vnto hym Constance sayde he your fader is deed your two brethern that ben wyth Gosselyn the bysshop of London to nourysshe be so yonge the none of theÌ„ may be kyng wherfore I counsell you that ye forsake your habyte come wyth me And I shall make suche a meane vnto the Brytons that ye shall be made kynge ¶ Of Constance that was kynge ConstaÌ„tynes sone that was a monke at wynchestre and how he was made kynge after his faders deth thorugh counseyll of Vortyger that was Erle of westsex for as moche a Aurylmabros and Vter hys two brethern were but yonge of aege And Vortyger lete slee hym for to be kynge hymselfe THys Vortyger couÌ„selled thys Constance so moche tyll he forsoke hys
abbot weÌ„te with him And anone after he was crowned kynge by thassent of the Brytons Thys kynge Constance whan he was crowned and made kyng he wyst ne knewe but lytell of the worlde ne cude nothynge what knyghthode axed· And he made vortiger his chyef mayster and couÌ„seyller gaf hym all his power for to-ordeyne do as moche as to the reame aperteyned So that hymself no thynge entermedled but only bare the name of kynge whan Vortiger sawe that he had all the londe in his warde gouernall he thought a preuy treason to slee Constance the kynge that he myght hym self be crowned made kynge regne And lete sende after an hoÌ„dred kynghtes of Pehites the worthyest of all the londe them helde with hym for to dwelle \ as to be kepers of hys body as he wolde goo thorugh the londe to ordeyne thinges that apperteyned to a kyng And this Vortiger honoured so moche the hondred kynghtes soo moche yaue them of golde syluer and so ryche Iewelles robes horses and other thynges plente wherfore they helde hym more lorde than they dyde the kynge And Vortyger tolde them yf he myght be kynge ye as it were thrugh treason he wolde make them rychest of the londe Soo at the laste thrugh grete gyftes that he had gyuen largely they cryed thrugh the courte that Vortyger were beter worthy to be kynge than Constance wherfore Vortiger made semblaunt as he had ben wrothe And he departed thens from the courte sayde he must goo elles were for thynges that he hadde to do And soo the traytour sayde for by cause that they sholde slee hym that ys to saye Constance ¶ whan thys Vortyger was gone yt befell soone after that tho hondred kynghtes of Pehyces brake the doores of the kynges chambre and there they hym slewe smote of hys heed aÌ„d bare it to Vortiger there that he dwelled And soo whan vortiger sawe that heed he wepte full tenderly with his eyen and neuer theles he was som deale glad in hys berte of his deth· ¶ And anone this vortiger toke those hondred kenghtes of Pehytes and badde hys seruauntes bynde theyr hondes behynde them and ladde them to London and ther they were dampned vnto dethe as fals traytours And anone after all the Brytons of the londe by the comyn assente crowned vortiger and made hym kynge of the londe ¶ Anno dmÌ„ C.lxxiiii SOther a martyr was pope after Anycetum .ix. yere the whyche decreed that a Nonne sholde not touche the pale of the awter nor put in sence therto And that she shold were a wymple about her heed And many perylles he sawe aboute matrymony Therfore he ordeyned that noo woman sholde be callen a lefull wyf but yf she were blessyd of the preest ¶ Elentherus a martyr was pope after Sother .xv. yere the whyche ordeyned that crysten men sholde refuse no meete resonable that was mannes mete Nota ¶ Also that noo man vnaccused in cryme sholde be put from his dygnytee or degree tyll he were conuycted thorugh ensample of cryst the whyche kepte styll Iudas Scaryoth not accused and Crist knewe hym gylty And what someuer he dyde amonge the apostles for the dygnyte of his seruyce abode ferme stable· And he sente also Legates vnto Lucie the kyng of Brytayne the whiche baptysed hym his peple And Fagus and Domianus legate the whyche the pope sente fyrst preched in Englonde and this crystendome dured in Brytayne two hoÌ„dred yere vnto the tyme of Dyoclesyan the Emperour whan saynt Albon was martred ¶ Marcus Anthonius Luciê° Comodê° were Emperours but Marcus deyed anone Lucius Comodus regned Comodus was called prouffytable of scorne for he was to euery man vnprouffytable He was yeuen vtterly to lechery Many Senatours Crysten men he made to be slayne He dampned his owne wyf to deth for aege He deyed a sodeyne deth with struglynge amonge maydens ¶ Helius Pertinax after this man was Emperour .vi. monethes and was a man of grete discrecyon whome Iulian the grete lawer slewe And he entred the Empyre was slayne the .vii. moneth of Seuerus ¶ Victora martyr was pope after ElentheriuÌ„ .x. yere for the discorde of the paschall tyme he called a couÌ„sell iÌ„ Alexand where he was presente that tyme many other where he decreed that Eesters daye shold be kepte on the Sonday but he must kepte the chauÌ„ge of the moone of Apryll that was to dyfferre fro Iewes for many bysshops of the eest abode that tyme the same daye that the yewes dyd halowe that feest ¶ Also he ordeyned that in the tyme of nede childern mystht be cristened in euery place in euery water ¶ zepherinê° a martyr a Romayne was pope after victor .ix. yere This man ordeyned that Crysten peple of .xii. yere of aege aboue sholde receyue his god on Eeester daye ones oo yere also he ordeyned that all the vessels of the awter sholde be glasse or tynne and not tree as in olde tyme the consecracyon of the glorious blood was made in tree vessell· And this tyme past the worshyp of the chirche grewe glasen vessell were forbode Vt patet de conse de pri ca. ¶ Origenes the noble clerke was thys tyme he wrote so moche that saynt Ierome sayde I haue redde of Origenes werkes .iiii. thousaÌ„de volimes without pystles He translated the Byble from Hebrwe in to Greke dyde many other grete thinges And of this Origenes Sampson Salomon and Traian is a grete question amonge doctours yf that they ben dampned or saued Therfore those thynges that with out perell we ben not bouÌ„de to knowe nor the chirche is not certifyed of them And therfore lete them alonly commytted vnto god ¶ Calistus a martyr a Romayne was pope after zepherinê° â—o yere and he ordeyned the Cimiteri in via apia where many a thousande martyr is buryed ¶ Also he ordeyned the feest of the Eemerynge dayes to be kept ¶ Anthoniê° Aurelius was Emperour .iii. yere And thys man lacked no kynde of lechery at the laste he was slayne amonge a greate multytude of peple for hys myscheuous lyuynge Anthonius Marcê° regned after hym .vii. yere This man lyued abstynatly therfore he was slayne as was his predecessour ¶ Alisander was Emperour after Anthoniê° regned .xiii. yere This man at the InstauÌ„ce of his moder a crysten woman the techyng of Origenes the whyche came to Rome to conuerte her was made so good vnto crysten men that he suffred them to haue ther couÌ„seylles theyr prayers by themself but neuertheles in this tyme the cursed offycers of hym made many martyrs ¶ Anno dmÌ„ CC.xliiii VRbanus was pope after Calistê° .viii. yere and olde and yonge he was very vertuous And all the halowed vesselles of the chyrche he made of golde or syluer This man lefte his popehede and went to Agryppa and .xi. thousande virgyns wyth hym And the clergy sayd he lefte not
Alexandrum episcopum qui negauerunt in chrysto veram carnem fuisse et etiam negabant carnis nostre resurrectionem ¶ And after he hadde made many notable sermons and epystles he decessed ¶ Marcianus and valentianus were Emperours thys tyme .vii. yere In whose tyme was the grete Synody afore reherced whan Eusticem and Dyoscorus were condempned IN the tyme that Macianus was Emperour vortyger was kynge in Brytayne now called Englond In whose tyme ye. Saxons came in to Brytoyne made many kynges That is to wyte as is playne by the Cronyeles .vii And by cause it is tedyous to mannes reason to reherce many dyuers names to gyder as .vii. kynges of Englonde and in one tyme the Emperours and Popes Therfore the Cronycles of Englonde shall be sette togyder tylle that we shall treate of Alured In whose tyme the Danes came in to Englonde And the Popes and ye. Emperours and other kynges deed the same tyme shall be seâ—â—â— togyder ¶ Circa annuÌ„ dmÌ„ CCCC xlix ¶ How the wardeyns that had those chyldern to kepe that were Constanstynes ladde theym to lytell Brytayne for the treason and the falsenesse of vortiger Hyre begynneth the fyfth parte durynge to the comynge of the Danes THys tyme came ye. Saxons that were pagans fyrste in to Brytane now called Englonde vnder vortiger the whyche was crowned kinge of this londe This tyme those that had these two childern in kepinge the whyche were CoÌ„stantynes sons That is to saye Aurilambros and vter thrugh ordynance of Gosselin that was bysshop of London after the faders deth that is to saye Constantyne durst not dwelle in this londe with those childern but conueyed them vnto the kynge of lytell Brytayne For as moche as he tho wist the treason of vortiger that tho was made kynge Thorugh who me Constance the elder brother was slayne wherfore the hondred knyghtê of Pehites were put to dethe and bore all the blame as that vortiger hadde not wyst ther of ne consented And so the kepers of those two chyldern dradde lest vortiger sholde put them to deth thrugh his treason and falsenesse As he had done the brother before And therfore they were ladde ouer in to lytell Brytayn and the kyng them receyued with moche honour and lete them to nourysshe And there they dwelled tyll they became fayre knyghtê stronge and fyers And thourght to be auenged vpon Constaunce theyr brother whan they sawe theyr tyme and so they dyde as ye shalle here telle after warde ¶ It was not longe after warde that the tydynges came ouersee to the kynred of the hondred knyghtê of Pehites that were dampned put to deth thrugh Vortiger in thys londe therfore they were wonderly wrothe and swore that they wolde be auenged of theyr kynnes mens deth And came in to this londe with a greate power and robbed in many places slewe dyde all the sorowe that they myght whan Vortiger it wyst he made moche sorowe and was sore anoyed And in an other place also tydynges came to hym that Aurilambros and Vter his brother assembled a grete hoste to came in to moche Brytayne that is to saye in to thys londe for to be auenged vpon Constance theyr brothers deth Soo in that one half and in that other he was brougho in to so moche sorowe that he ne wyst whether to go ¶ How Engist and an .xi. thousande meÌ„ came in to this londe to whom vortiger yaue a place that is callde Thongcastell ANd soone after this sorowe tydinges came to vortyger that a grete nauy of strauÌ„gers were arryued in the couÌ„tree of Cent he wyst not wheÌ„s they were ne wherfore they were come in to this londe ¶ The kynge sent anone a messager thyder that some of sholde come and speke wyth hym for to wyte what folke they wert and what they axed and in to what couÌ„tree they wolde ¶ There were two brethern maysters and prynces of that stronge company that one was called Engist and that other Horne Engist wente to the kynge and tolde hym the cause wherfore they were come in to this londe and sayde Syrewe ben of a countree that is called Saxonne that is the londe of Germayne wheryn ys so moche sorowe That of the people ben soo many that the londe maye not them susteynes And the maysters and prynces that haue the londe to gouerne and rule They made to come before them men and wymmen that boldest ben amonge theym for to fyghte and that beste maye trauayll in to dyuerse londes And soo they sholde them yeue horse and harnes armour and all thynge that they nedeth And after they shall saye to them that they go in to an other countree where that they mowelyue as theyr And cetrees dyde them before ¶ And therfore syr kynge yf ye haue ought to doo wyth our company we ben comen in to youre londe And wyth good wylle you wolde serue your londe kepe helpe and defende from your enmyes yf that ye nede ¶ whan vortyger herde these tydynges he sayde gladly he wolde theym wyth holde vppon suche couenanuce yf they myghte delyuer hys londe of hys enmyes he wolde yeue theym resonable loÌ„des where they sholde dwelle for euer more ¶ Engyst thanked hym goodly and in thys maner he and his coÌ„pany a .xi. thousande sholde dwelle wyth the kynge vortiger And moche they dyde thrugh theyr boldenesse they delyuered hys londe of his enmyes clene ¶ Tho prayed Engyst the kynge of so moche londe that he myghte make to hym a Cyte and for hys meyne ¶ The kynge answered it was not to doo wythoute the coancell of Brytons ¶ Engist prayed hym eftsones of as moche plyce as he myghte compace with a thonge of a skynÌ„e wherupon he myghte make a. Mancer for hym to dwelle in And the kynge hym graunted freely ¶ Tho toke Engist a bulles skynne and kytte it as smaâ—e as he myghte all in to oo thonge all a rouÌ„de And ther with compaced he as moche londe as he myght thenÌ„e make vpon a fayre castell And so whan this castell was made he lett calle it Thongcastell for as moche as the place was marked with a thonge ¶ Of Ronowen that was Engistes douhter and how the kynge Voreiger spowsed her for her beaute SO whan this castell was made full well arayed Engist pryuely dyd sende by letter iÌ„ to the couÌ„tree where he cam fro after an C. shyppes fylled with men the were strong also well fyghtynge in all bataylles the they sholde also brynge wyth them Ronowen hys doughter that the fayrest creture that a man myghte see ¶ And whan those people were come that he hadde sente after he tooke them in to the castell wyth moche Ioye And hymself vpon a daye went vnto the kynge prayed hym there worthely that he wolde come and see hys newe maneer that he had made in the place that he had compassed wyth the thonge of the skynne The kynge anone graunted hym
wente before assayled the reede dragon angerly helde hym soo sore that he myght not ayenste hym endure but withdrewe hym rested And after came ayen the whyte dragon and strongly fought wyth the reede dragon bote hym euyl ouercame that he fledde from thens and nomore came agayne ¶ Of the sygnycacyon of those two dragons that were in the botome of the ponde that fought togyder THis kynge vortyger and hys men that sawe thys batayll had grete meruaysle and prayed Merlyn to tell him what it myght betoken Syr quod Merlyn I shall telle you The reede dragon betokeneth yourselfe and the whyte betokeneth the folke of Saxon that fyrste ye toke helde in your londe that fyght ayenst you and you haue dryuen enchaced ¶ But Brytons of ynure lygnage ouercame them and droue them a waye And sythen at the comynge ayen of the Saxons they recouered this londe and helde it for euer more And droue out the Brytons and dyde wyth this londe all they wyll and destroyed crystēdom thrugh out thys londe ye had fyrste grete Ioye wyth theyr comynge But now yt ys torned to you grete damage and sorowe For tho brethern of Constance that was kynge the whiche ye lete slee shal come before a quīzeme passed with a grete power from lytell Brytayne shall auenge the deth of theyr brother And they shal brenne you fyrst wyth sorowe and after they shall slee a grete parte of Saxons shall dryue out all the remenaūt of the londe And therfore abyde ye here noo lenger to make castell nor other werke But anone goo elles where youre lyues alle for to saue To god I you betake trouthe I haue sayde to you of thynges that shalle befalle ¶ And vnderstande ye welle that Aurilambros shalle be kynge But he shalle be enpoysoned and lytell tyme shall he regne ¶ Of kynge Aurilambros how that he pursued vortiger and Engist and how they deyed MErlyn and hys moder departed frome the kynge and torned agayne to Carmardyn And soone after tydynges came to the Brytons that Aurilambros and vter his brother were arryued at Totnesse wyth a greate hoste And anone the Brytons assembled thē and wente to receyue Aurylambros and Vter wyth grete noblesse And had them vnto London and crowned Aurylambros made hym kynge and dyde vnto hym homage And anone he axed where Vortyger that was kynge myght be founde for he wolde be auenged on his brothers dethe and after he wolde warre vpon paynems And they tolde hym that Vortyger was in walys soo they ladde hym thyther warde ¶ Vortiger wyste welle that tho brethern came hym to conquere And fledde thens in to a castell that was called Gerneth that stode vppon an hyght mountayne and there hym helde Aurilambros and Vter hys brother and theyr folke had besyeged the castell full long tyme for the cagell was stronge and well arrayed ¶ So at the laste they casted wylde fyre and brente howses and men all theyr araye and as moche as was wythin the castell Soo that Vortiger was brente amonge all other and soo he deyde wyth moche sorowe ¶ Tho was Engist in Kente and regned there ane herde thys tydynges and anone fledde and wolde haue gone in to Scotlonde for to haue had socoure But Aurilambros and his men mette with hym in the north coūtre and yane hym batayl And Engist and his men defended whyles that they myghte But he and his folke were discomfyted and slayne And Octa his sone fledde vnto yorke And Aurilambros hym folowed egerly And. Octa a lytell whyle withstode hym But after warde he put hym to his mercy And aurilambros receyued hym and to hym and to hys men gaafthe countree of Galewaye in Scotlonde and there they dwelled ¶ The kyng aurilambros wente thorugh out the londe and put awaye the name of Englonde that Engist after hys name had called it befoere Tho lete he it calle agayne grete Brytayne and lete make ayen cherches houses of religyon castelles cytees and broughs And towones that the. Saxons hadde destroyed And came to London and lete make the walles of the cyte whyche Engist and his folke hadde castedowne ¶ The Brytons ladde hym vnto the mount of Ambrian that somtyme was an hous of relygyon that tho was destroyed thrughe the paynems ¶ wherof a knyght that was called Ambri sometyme was founder of that house And therfore the same hylle was called the mount of Ambrian And after it was called Ambresbury And shall be so for euermore◠¶ How Aurilambros dyde redresse the londe of greate Brytayne that whyche was destroyed thorugh the Saxons before sayde HOw the kynge Aurilambros lete amende and redresse the house of Ambresbury and there in put monkes But now there ben Nonnes a lytell fro the place that was called Salysbury are that the Saxons slewe the Brytons where Engist and they shold haue made a laue daye In the whyche tyme were slayne a thousande knyghtes .lxi. thrugh treason of Engist· The kynge therof had grete pyte and thoughte to make in mynde of them a monument of stone that myght endure to the worldes ende And of thys thynge they tooke ther counseyll what therof was best for to do ¶ Tho spake to the kynge the bysshop of London that was called Ternekyn that he sholde requyre after Merlyn For he coude best telle how this thyng myght best be made And merlyn after was sought and founde and came to the kyng And the kynge tolde hym hys wyll of the monumente that he wolde haue made Merlyn answered to the kynge sayd There ben grete stones in Irlonde and longe vpon the hylle of Kyan that men called Gyauntes karoll And yf they were in this place as they ben there they wolde endure for eurer more in remembraunce of those knyghtes that here be entyred ¶ Per may foy sayd the kynge as harde stone ben in my londe as in Irlonde ¶ Soth sayde Merlyn But in all your londe ben none suche For gaūtes sette them for grete good of themself For atte euery tyme that they were woūde or in ony maner hurte they wysshe the stones with hote water And thenne they wysshe them ther with and anone they were hoole ¶ How the Brytons wente for to seke the grete stones in Irlonde AS soone as the. Brytons had herde of this thynge they yede and swore amōge them they wolde go seke those stones And toke with them Vter the kynges broder to be thyef capytayne and .v. thousande men and Merlyn counselled them for to go vnto Irlonde and soo thye dyde And whan the kynge of Irlonde that was culled Guillomer herde tell straungers were arryued in his londe he assēbled a grete power fought ayenst them But he his folke were dyscomfyted ¶ The Brytons went before tyll they came to the mount of Kyan and clymmed vp vnto the mounte But whan they sawe the stones the maner how they stode they had grete meruaylle and
people had grete despyte that a kynge lyenge in a letere had the ym besyeged And they toke counseyll among them for to stande vp in the morowe erly and come out and yeue batayll to the kynge soo they dyde And in that batayle were both Octa and Ossa slayne all the other the escaped a lyue fledde in to Scotlonde made Colegyn theyr chyeftayne the Saxons that were a lyue escaped fro the batayll brougth ayen a grete streÌ„gth amoÌ„ge theÌ„ they sayd that if kyng Vt were deed they sholde well conquere the londe and thought to enpoysen the kynge ordeyned men for to do this dede yaue them of yef t is grete plente this thynge to do And they ordeyned them thyderwarde there that the kynge was dwellyng and clothed them in poore wede the better all for to spede theyr fals purpose But neuertheles all theyr falsenes subtylte they myght neuer come to nygh the kyng But so at the last they aspyed that the kynge dranke noo other lycoure but only water of a clere wel thaâ— was nyghe besyde the fals traytours vpon a daye preuely wente to the welle put therin poyson soo that all the water was enpoysoned And anone after as the kynge had dronke of that water he began to swelle and soone after he deyed and as many as dranke of that water deyed also And anone as thys was aspyed folke of the towne lette stoppe the welle of euermore ¶ whan the kynge was deed his folke bare hym to Stonhenge wyth grete solempnyte of bysshops and barons that were there hym to burye besyde Aurilambros hys broâ—her And after torned ayen tho euerychone and sent after his sone and they made him kyng of the londe with moche reuerence after his faders deth the .xvii. yere of his regne ¶ How kynge Arthur that was the sone of Vter was crowned after his faders deth and how he droue Colegryn and the Saxons and Cheldriâ— of Aâ—mayne out of this londe As Arthur was made kyng of the londe he was but yonge of aege of .xv. yere but he was fayr and bolde and doughty of body And to meke folke he was good and curteys and large of spendinge made hym welle beloued amonge them there that yt was nede whan he began to regne heswore truely that ye. Saxons neuer shold haue reste ne peas tyll that he hadde dryuen them out of â—he londe And asseÌ„bled a greate hoste and fought wyth Colegryn the whyche after the tyme that Octa was deed the Saxons mayntened And thys Colegryn was dyscomfyted fledde vnto yorke tooke the towne there hym helde And the kyng besyeged hym there but he myght no thynge spede for the cyte was so strong And they wythin the towne kept the cyte well orpedly ¶ And in the mene tyme Colegryn lette the towne to Bladulf fâ—ledde hymselfe to Cheldryk that was kynge of almayne for to haue of hym socour And the kynge assembled a grette power came arryued in Scotlonde with .xv. hondred shyppes And whaÌ„ Arthur wyst of these tydynges that he had not power strength ynough to fyght ayenst Cheldrik he lete be the syege went to London sent anone his letters to the kynge of lytell Brytayne that wys called Howell hys neuewe hys systers sone that he sholde come to hym with all the power that he myghte And he assembled a grete hoste and arryued at Southampton And whan kynge Arthur it wyst he was gladde ynough wente ayenste them them receyued wyth moche honour Soo that those two hostê mette assembled them tooke theyr waye euen vnto Nycholl that Cheldryk had besyeged But it was not taken And they came vpon cheldrik his people or they wyst where that they were and them egerly assaylled ¶ The kynge Cheldrik and his men defended hym manly by theyr power But kyng Arthur hys men slewe so many Saxons hat neuer was seen suche slaughter Cheldrik hys men that were left alyue fledde a waye And kynge Arthur them pursewed and droue them out in to a wood tha they myghte no ferder passe ¶ Cheldrik hys meÌ„ sawe well that they were brought in to moche dysease them yelded to kynge Arthur in thys manner wys That he sholde take theyr horses theyr armour all that they had and they must only go on foot in to theyr shyppes And so they wolde goo home in to theyr owne londe and neuer come ayen in to this londe ¶ And vpon assuraunce of thys thynge they yaue hym good hostages ¶ And Arthur by counseyll of his men graunted this thynge receyued the hostages therupon that other wente to theyr shyppes And whan they were in the hyghe see the wynnde chaunged as the deuyll it wolde they torned theyr nauy cam ayen in to this londe arryued at Totnesse wente out of the shyppes and tooke the londe and clene robbed it and moche people slewe and tooke all the armour that they myghte fynde And soo they wente foorth tyll they came vnto Bathe But the men of the towne shytte faste theyr yates and wolde not suffre theym to come wy thinthe towne· And they deffended theÌ„ well and orpedly ayenst them ¶ How Arthur yaue bataylle vnto the Saxons whan they came agayne in to this londe had besyeged the towne of Bathe and them ouercame ANone as Artur herde thys tydynges he lete hange the hostages leâ—t Howell of Brytayne his neuewe for to kepe the marche to warde Scotlonde with halfe his people and hymself wente to helpe rescowe the towne of Bathe whan he â—â—me thyther he yaue a strong batayll to Cheldrik and slewe almoost all the people that he had· For no man myght hym wythstonde ne endure vnder the stroke of his swerde And there bothe were slayne Colegryn and Bladulf hys brother and Cheldryk fledde thens wold haue gone to hys shyppes ¶ But whan Arthur it wyst he toke .x. thousande knyghtes to Cador that was erle of Corne waylle for to lette stoppe hys comynge And Arthur hymself wente towarde the marche of Scotlonde For messengers tolde hym that the Scottes had besyeged Howell of Brytoyne there that laye syke therfore he hasted hym thyther warde ¶ And Cador purse wed after Cheldryk toke hym er he myght come to his shyppes slewe Cheldrik and his people And whan Cador had done thys vyage he hasted hym ayen to warde Arthur as faste as he myghte founde hym in Scotlonde there that he had rescowed Howel of Brytayn but the Scottes were ferre wythyn Nounref there they helde them a whyle But Arthur them pursewed And they fledde thens in to Limoigne that were in that countre .xl. Iles grete plente of byrdes and grete plente of Egles that were wonte to crye and fyght togyders and make greate noyse whan folke came to robbe that londe and warne as moche as they myght so
chambre that was his cosyn But neuer they had childern togyder And neuertheles kyng Arthur loued her wonder well deyrly And anone as wynter was passed he lete assemble a grete host and all his Barons and sayd that he wolde goo in to Irlonde for to conquere the londe And he trayed not longe that he passed ouer in to Irlone ¶ And Guillomer the kynge lete assemble a grete hoste yaue bataylle to kynge Arthur but Guyllomer was dyscomfyted and yelded hym ot the kynge and became his man and to hym dyde fewte and homage and of hym helde alle that lond fro that tyme for warde And after peaskynge Arthur ferthermore conquered But londe and Islonde and toke homage of the folke and of the londe and there dwelled .xii. yere in peas regned wyth Ioye myrthe And there warred no man ne woman vpon hym And he became so curtys and large honorable that the Emperours courte of Rome ne none other thrugh out all the worlde was not accouÌ„ted to kyng Arthurs that ony maÌ„ wyst of ne none soo well praysed· And therfore the beste knyghtê of all maner a londes came vnto hym there for to dwelle And he theym receyued with good wyll and reuerence ¶ And all the knygehtes were so good that noo man knewe the werste And therfore kyng Arthur made a rounde table that whan they sholde sytte at ther meete all sholde be ylyke hyghe and euenly serued at the table that noÌ„e of them sholde make auauÌ„t that one of them were hygher thanne an other And kynge Arthur hadde at that table Brytons Frenshmen Normans and Flemynges Burgoyns Mausers Lotherins and of all the londes a thys halfe the mount Goryt and of hys londe of Brytayne and of the grete Corne wayle of walys and of Irlonde and of Scotlonde And shortly to tell of all the londes that woldes worshyp chyualry suche came to kynge Arthurs courte ¶ How kynge Arthur yede into Fraunce and conquered that londe of Froll that was a Romayne and how he slewe hym Syth it befell that thrugh counsell of hys barons and lordes kynge Arthur wolde conquere alle Fraunce that tho was called Galle thrugh Romaynes that tho helde the londe in theyr power in theyr gouernnuÌ„ce And the Romayns had taken that londe to a noble knyÈt and a worthy of body that was called Froll And whan he wyst that Arthur came he ordeoned an host of a grete power fought with the kynge And he his folke were dyscomfyted and fledde vnto Parys entred the cyte and closed the yates there helde them ¶ whan Arthur wyst that Froll was gone to Parys he pursued after came thyder hym besyeged But the cyte was so stronge well arayed tho that were therin deffended theym well and manly ¶ Kynge Arthur dwelled there more than amonethe And there was so moche people in the cyte that they dyspended all theyr vytayle that they had wythin and so grete hungre became amonge them that they deyed wenderly thycke within the cyte for hoÌ„gre And came vnto Froll prayed hym to be accorded with kynge Arthur for to haue peas they wolde yelde theym vnto hym the cyte also ¶ Froll sawe that he myght no lenger holde the towne ayenst theyr wyll \ trusted gretely vppon his owe strenth and sent to the kynge Arthur that he shold come fyght with hym body for body so sholde they departe Fraunce bytwene them two ¶ Kynge Arthur anoÌ„e grauÌ„ted yt And wolde not that none of hys people vndertoke the batayle for hym ¶ And vpon the morne both came wel arayed without Parys there that they sholde fyght anone they smote togyders so fyersly so wel they fough on both sydes that no man demed the better of them and soo it befell the Froll yaue Arthur suche a stroke that he kneled to the grounde wolde he nolde he And as Froll wounded kynge Arthur in the forhede that the blode felle downe by his eyen his face Arthur anone sterre vp hertely whan he felte hym hurte as a man that semed almoost wood And he toke taburne hys good swerde drewe it vpon hyghe and yaaf Froll suche astroke that thyr with he claue his hede downe to the sholders so that his helme myght not be his warraunt so he fel downe deed in the place And thenne tho of the cytye made grete sorowe for Froll And euerychone yelded them to kynge Arthur and the towne also became hys men dyd to hym homage and feaute And he receyued them tooke of them goodly hostages And kynge Arthur after that wente forthe with his hoste conquered Augien Angyers Gascoyne Pehito Nauerne and Burgoyne Berry Lotherne Turyn and Peythers and all the other londes of Fraunce he conquered all hooly whan he had conquered taken by homages and feautes he torned ayen to Parys and there he dwelled longe tyme ordeyned peas longe tyme ouer all the couÌ„tree thrugh al FrauÌ„ce ¶ And whaÌ„ peas was made ouer all thrugh hys noble knyghthode that he hadde and also for hys owne worthynes And no man were he neuer so grete a lorde durste not meue warre ayenst hym nother to aryse for to make the londe of FrauÌ„ce inquyete And in peas he dwelled there .ix. yere and dyde many greate wonders and repreued many proude men and euyll tyrauÌ„tes theym chastysed after theyr demerytes ¶ How kynge Arthur auaunced all his men that had trauaylled in his seruyce ANd after warde yt befel thus at Ester there that he helde a feest at Paras rychely he gan auauÌ„ce his knyghtes for the seruyce that they had hym holpen in hys coÌ„quest He yaue to hys stewarde that was called Kay Augien Angoers And he yaue to Bed were his Butler Normandye that tho was called Neustrye And to HoldeÌ„ in hys chambrelayn he yaue Flaunders Mance And to Dorell hys cosyn he yaue Bolayne And to Rycharde hys enewe he yaue Pountyf and to all other he yaue large londes and fees after they were of estate And whan Arthur had thus his knyghtes feoffed at Aperyll next after suynge he came ayen in to Brytayne hys owne londe And after at wytsontyde sewynge by counseyll of his Barons he wolde be crowned kynge of Glomergon and helde a solempne feest And lete somone barons erls and knyghtes that they shold come thyder euery chone and there was Scater kynge of Scotlande Cad were kynge of South waylys Guiliomer kyng of North walys Maded kyng of Irlonde Malgamus kynge of Gutlonde Achelles kynge of Islonde Aloth kyng of Denmarke Gone was kynge of Norwaye and Hell hys cosyn kynge of Dorkeney Cador kynge of lytell Brytayne Mor with Erle of Cornewaylle Mauran erle of Gloucetre Guerdon erle of wynchestre Boell erle of Hartforde Vrtegi erle of Oxforde Cuisall erle of Bathe Ionas Erle of Chestre Enerall erle of Dorchestre Kymare Erle of Salysbury waloth erle of Caunterbury Iugerne
.xii. yere he felle in to a grete sykenesse thenne was there a greate dyscorde bytwene the lordes of the londe that euery of them warred vpon other And yet in that tyme there fell so grete derth scarsyte of corn other viteylles in this londe that a man myghte go .iii. or iiii dayes fro towne to towne that he sholde not fynde to bye for golde ne syluer brede wyne ne none other vitayle where wich a man myght lyue But onely the people lyued by rotis of herbes for other lyuynge had they none so moche was it faylled all aboute Fysshes wylde bestes all other thynge soo that yet to this mysauenture there felle soo greate mortalyte and pestelens amonge the people by the corrupcyon of the ayre that the lyuynge people suffysed not to burye the deed bodyes For they deyed soo sodenly bothe grete and smalle lorde seruaunt in etynge goynge spekynge they fell downe and deyed so that neuer was herde of more sodeyne deth amonge the people For he that wente for to burye the deed body with the same deed body was buryed And soo they that myght flee fledde forsoke theyr londes and houhes as welle for the grete hungre derth scarsyte of corne other vitayll as for the grete mortalyte pestylence in the londe wente into other londes for to saue theyr lyues and lefte the londe all deserte wast so that there was noman for to trauayle tylthe the londe So that the londe was barayne of corne all other fruytes for defawte of tyllyers and this mysauenture dured .xi. yere and more that noman myght ere ne sowe ¶ How Cadwaldre wente out of this londe in to lytell Brytayne CAdwaldre sawe grete hungre mortalyte pestylence and the londe all poore faylynge cornes aÌ„d other vytaylles and his folke perysshed sawe also the mooste partye of his londe all wasted voyde of people He apparelled hym and his folke that were lefte alyue and passede ouer in to lytell Brytayne with a lytell nauy vnto kynge Alayne that he moche loued that was his cosyn and that his fader hadde moche loued in his tyme. And as they sayled in the see he made moche lamentacyon and so dyde alle tho that were with hym and sayde Dedisti nos domine tanquanâ— oues escaruÌ„ et in gentibus dispersisti nos ANd thenne began Cadwaldre to complayne hym to his folke pyteously and sayd· Alas sayd he to vs wretches caytyues is sorowe for our grete synnys the whiche we wolde not amende vs whyle we had space now repentaunce is comen vpon vs throughe my sauenture whiche chaced vs out of oure reame and propre soyle And out of the whiche somtyme Romayns Becottes Saxons neyther Danys myght not exyle vs. ¶ But what auaylleth it now to vs that before tyme oft tymes haue goten many other londes syth it ys not the wyll of god that we abyde and dwelle in our owne londe God that is very Iuge yat all thynges knoweth before they ben done or made he seeth that we wolde not cesse of oure synnes and that our enmyes myghte not vs ne our lygnage exyle fro and out of our reame He wolde that we amende vs of oure folyes and that we see our propre defautes And therfore hath shewed to vs wrathe and woll chastyse vs of our mysdedes Syche that he doth vs with out batayll or strength of our enmyes by grace companyes wretcchedly to leue our reame propre londe ¶ Torne ayen ne ye Romanys torne agayne ye Scottes torne agayne ye Saxxons torne agayne ye FrauÌ„soys Now seweth to you Brytayne all deserte the whiche your power myght neuer make deserte ne yet oure power hathe not put vs now in exyle But onely the power of the kynge allmyghty whom we haue often offended by our folyes the whiche we wolde not leue vntyll he chastyced vs by dyuyne power ¶ Amonge the worldes lamentacyon that the kynge Cadwhldre made to his folke they arryued iÌ„ lytell Brytayne and came to kynge Alayne before sayd ¶ And the kynge receyued hym with grete Ioye and made hym to be seruede wonder nobly And there abode they longe tyme after ¶ The Englesshe people that were left a lyue and were escaped the grete hungre and mortalyte lyued in the best wyse that they myght And moche people sprange and came of them ¶ And they sente in to Saxonye where that they were borne to ther frendes for men wyemen and chyldren to restore the cytees with people and the townes that were all voyde of people and for to laboure traueyll and tylthe the erthe ¶ whan the Saxons herde these tydynges they came in to the londe wonder thyeke in grete companyes and herborowed therselfe in the countree all aboute where that they wolde for they founde no man them for to lete ne withstonde And so they waxed multeplyed gretely And vsed the maners and customes of the countree wherof they were come And they vsed also the lawes and the langages and speche of theyr owne londe that they came fro And also they chaunged all the names of Cytyes twones castelles brought yaue them names and called as they nowe ben called And they helde the Counrees Baronages lordeshyps in manere as the Brytons before tyme had compassed them And amonge other grete companyes that came frome Germayne in to this londe came the noble quene that was called Seâ—burga with men wymmen without nombre· And arrayed in the couÌ„tree of Northumberlonde and tooke the londe frome Ilbion vnto Cornewaylle for her for her folke For there was none that myght theÌ„ lette for alle was desolace voyde of people but it were a fewe poore Brytons that were lefte on mountayns woddes vntyll that tyme ¶ And fro that tyme forthe loste the Brytons this reame for all theyr dayes And the Englysshe people begane to regne and departed the loÌ„de bytwene them And they made many kynges aboute by dyuerse partyes of the londe as here ben dyuyded The fyrst of westesexe The secondâ— Merchenriche The thyrde Estangle the fourthe Kente the fyfth Southsex All those regned in this londe after the Cadwaldre was passed out of this londe dwelled in lytell Bryten with kynge Alayne his cosyn and true frende And whan he had longe dwellede there and had knowynge that the mortalyte and pestelence was ouerpassed that the londe was replenysshed ayen wyth people he thought to torne ayen in to his londe And prayed kynge Alayne his cosyn of socour helpe that he myghte be restored ayen to his owoe propre reame and fyrste dygnyte And kynge Aleyne graunted hym his askynge ¶ Thenne dyde he appareylle hym to take his wayt and vyage in to this londe And prayed god allmyghty deuoutly that he wolde make to hym demonstracyon yf his prayer to this londe were too hyme plesaunt or none for ayenste the wyll of god allmyghty he wolde no thynge do ¶
whaÌ„ he had thus deuoutly made his prayer avoys fro heuen to hym sayd And hadde hym leue the Iurney a waye in to Englonde and that he sholde goo to the pope of Rome for it was not the wyll of almyghty god that the Brytons sholde regne more in Brytane ne neuer recouered it vnto the tyme of the prophecye that Marlyn sayd before he fuâ—fylled And that sholde neuer be vnto the tyme were come that the relyques of his body shall be broughte fro Rome translated in to Brytayne And whan the ralykes of other sayntes that haue ben hedde for the persecucyon of the paynem folke shall be founde openly shewed thenn shalle they recouer theyr londe agayne the whyche they haue soo longe tyme loste throughe theyr desertes ¶ whane Cadwaldre hadde herde this answere he maruayled gretely and tolde it to the kynge Aleyne ¶ Thene kynge Aleyne dyde sende for the clergye of his londe and made them to brynge the storyes and prophecyes that Merlyn and Sybyll had sayd in theyr prophcyes And whan he knewe that the prophycye that Festom had prophecyed of the Egle. And other prophecyes accorded to the dyuyne aunswere that Caddewalldre had herde He counselled hym ryght faythfully desyred hym to leue his people and his nauy submytte hym to the dyspocysyon of god and do all that the aungell had coÌ„mauÌ„ded hym ¶ Thenye Cadwaldre called yâ—or his sone and ymori his cosyn that was his systers sone sayd to them Taketh sayde he my folke my nauy that is here all redy passe into walys and be ye lordees of Brytons that no dyshonoure come to them by interrupcyon of the Paynem folke for defaute of lordes ¶ And thene hymselfe lefte his reame of Brytayne and his folke for euer more and tooke his waye vnto the pope of Rome Sergius the whyche worshypede hym moche and so he was confessed and toke penaunce for hys synnes And he had not longe dwelled there that he ne deyed the .xii. Kalendis in Maye â— the yere of grace .v. C.lxxii ¶ How kynge Offa was souerayne aboue all the kynges of Englonde and how euery kynge warred vpon other IT befell so that all the kynges in that tyme that were in thou londe as they of westsex Marchenryche Estangle of kente and of Southsex and of other costes eche warred vpon other And he that moste myght toke the londe of hym that was mooste feblest ¶ But there was a kynge amonge them that was called Offa that was saynte Oswaldes brother This Offa conquered all the kynges of the londe and regned all aboue them all ¶ And sâ—â— gret was the that warre in euery there bytwene grekes that no maÌ„ myght wyte how the lond wente But abbottos pryours men of Relygyon wrote that lyues dedes of kynges how longe euery of theym regned in what couÌ„tre in what manere euery kynge deyed of bysshops also And therof made grete bokys and lete calle them Cronycles And the good kyng Alured had that booke in his warde And lette brynge it vnto wynchestre and lete it be faste tacked to a pylar that men sholde it not remeue ne bere it thens so that euery man sholde it see therupon loke For therin ben the lyues of all the kynges that euer were in Englonde ¶ How the kynge of Northumberlonde Osbryght forlaye the wyf of Buerne Bocarde thrugh strength and after this Buerne conquered the kyng with power and strength ANd thus it befell in the same tyme that there was a kyng in Northumberlond â—e that was called Osbryght and soyourned atte yorke ¶ And this kynge wente hym vppon a daye in to a wood hym for to dysporte And as he came ayen he wente pryuely in to a good mannes house that was called Buerne and the good man of that place was gone that tyme to the see ¶ For oftentymes there he was wonte to spye theues and robbers that oftentymes were wonte to come in to the londe to robbe brenne and slee The lady that was Buernes wyfe was a wonder fayre woman ¶ And the kynge came vnto her whan that herhusbode was absente and she trusted none harme vnto the kynge and welcomed hym with moche honour and worthely hym serued in all thynge ¶ whan the kynge hadde eten he tooke the lady by the honde and â—adde her in to a chambre and sayde He wolde speke with her a counseyll And all the folke he made voyde fro the chambre saue only the lady and he But the lady wyst not wherfore he it dyde tyll that he had done alle hys wyll And whan he hadde done this dede He torned agayne to yorke And the lady he lefte there sore wepynge for the dede that the kynge to her had done ¶ And whan heâ— lorde was came home and sawe her wepe and suche sorowe and mornynge make he axed of her what she hadde done and why she made suche sorowe ¶ Syre she sayde subtylly and falsely the kynge Osbryghtâ— hathe doo me shame and vylanye ayeast my wyll And tolde hym all the truthe how the kynge had â—orlayne her with strengthe wherfore she sayde she hadde leuer to be deed than tolyue ¶ Fayre loue be stylle sayde he for ayenst strengthe feblenesse is yltell worthe and therfore of me shalte thou neuerthelesse beloued and namely for thou hast tolde me the treuthe And yf almyghty god grauÌ„t to me my lyf I shall the aueng ¶ This Buerne was a grete man and a myghty lorde and was well beloued and grete frendes hadde And lete sende for the grettest lordes of the londe and to them made hes complaynte of the despyte that the kynge to hym hadde done and sayde he wolde be auenged how euer yt were And all hys frendes counseylled hym that he sholde goo vnto yorke there that the kynge was hym to defye And Buerne toke his mayne and came to the kynge whan the kynge hym sawe he called hym curtously Buerne by name And Buerne hym answerred to hym sayde Syre I you defye and yelde vp feautes homages and londes and as moche as I haue holden of you fro this tyme for warde I wyll neuer of the nothynge holde And soo he departed fro the kynge without more speche or ony abydynge and tooke leue of his frendes and went in to Denmarke and playned to the kynge Godern tolde hym of the despyte of that the kynge Osbryght to hym hadde donne of his wyfe And prayed hym of socour and helpe hym for to auenge ¶ whan kynge Godern of Denmarke and the danys hadde herde the complaynt of thys Buerne and the prayer that he badde they were ryght wonder glasde in theyr hertes for as moche as they myght fynde a cause for to goo in to Englonde for to warree vpon Englesshe men and for to aenge Buerne of the despyte that the kyng Osbryght hadde done vnto hys wyf And for as moche as Buerne was sybbe vâ—to the kynge of Denmarke anone they lette
two yere .xv. dayes ¶ Benedictus the fourth a yere and two monethes ¶ Leo the fourthe was .xl. dayes ¶ Xpristoforus the fyrste .vii. monethes All these .viii. popes were but lytell tyme therfore we can not tell of them none notable thynges But yf we sholde wryte sclauÌ„dre of them that myght be fonÌ„de for the vnharde stryfe contencion in that holy appostles sete For one stroue ayenst an other and repreued the dedes of an other And for to tell how they stroue it were no grete honour to shewe for the hooly appostles sete ¶ Lodouicus the thyrde was emperour after Arnulphus .vi yere This man had not the popes blessynge for the vnstablenesse of them that whiche regned in ytaly· And he was constreyned to expulse Berynge And this man was the laste Emperour of alle the kynred of Karolus kynge of fraunce ¶ This tyme the Empyre was remeued and translated and dyuyded For the Frenshemen halpe not the chyrche the whiche theyr faders had edifyed and fortefyed but destroyed ne halpe not the Romayns ayenst Lombardes the whiche vexed the Romayns ryght sore Therfore by the comyns assente they were excluded fro the Empyre and the ytalyens beganne to be Emperour in ytaly and the Almayns in Almayne vntyll Ottanen the whiche regned in bothe the places The Frenshemen were constrayned to abyde in theyr owne countree and no more to be emperour for theyr mysheuous lyuynge ¶ Beringarius the fyrst ¶ Conradus and Beryngarius the seconde Hugo were Emperours after Lodouicus But they are not nombred amonge the Emperours For some were but in Almayne and some were in yralye ¶ Of kynge Edward that was kynge Alucedes sone ANd after this Alured regned hys sone Edwarde and was a good maÌ„ a wyse that was called Edwarde and was wonder curteys ¶ The danys dyd moche sorowe in the londe and theyr power encreaced and began for to were frome daye to daye For the Danys came often wyth theyr companyes in to this londe And whan the kynge sawe that he myght no better do then he toke peas wyth them grauÌ„ted them this trewes And neuerthelesse the trewes dured not longe that the Danys ne began strongly for to warre vpon the Englysshmen and dyde them moche sorowe wherfore kynge Edwarde dyd assemble a grete hoste for to fyght with them· And then this kyng Edwarde deyed whan god wolde This kynge Edwarde regned .xxiiii. yere and lyeth at wynchestre besyde his fader ¶ Anno dmÌ„ .ix. C.xiiii SErgius the thyrde was pope after Xpistoforê° .vii. yere This man was a Cardynall of Rome and was expulsed by Formosus the pope and then he went to the Fernsshemen And so thorugh the helpe fauour of theÌ„ he came agayne to Rome and anone expulsed sed Xpristoforus the pope ¶ And thenne was pope hymselfe And for to auenge and werke his exyle he tooke out the body of pope Formosus where that he was buryed And arryed hym in the popes arraymente and caused hym to be heeded and to be caste in the water of Tybre by Rome Thenne fysshers founde hym and broughte hym in to the chyrche And the hooly ymages of sayntes bowed downe to hym whan the body of hym was broughte in to the chyrche that all men myght see and honourably hym halsyd yet Sergius destroyed all that thinge the whiche the holy man had ordeyned ¶ Anastasius was pope after hym two yere ¶ Laudo was pope .v. monethes and lytell they dyde ¶ Iohannes the .x. was pope thenÌ„e This Iohanes was the sone of Sergius pope doth of nature of maners And he was pope by myghty And wretchedly slayne of Guidois knyghtê for they put on his mouthe a pylowe and stopped his brethe And after hym was a nother put in but anone he was out therfore he is not named as pope ¶ Henricus the duke of Saxone was Emperour of Almayne xvii· yere this Henricê° was a noble man but he is not nombred amonge themperours for he regned but aloonly in Almayne And he had a very holy woman vnto his wyf her name was Matylda on whom he gate two sones that is to saye Otto Harry And Otto succedded hym in the Empyre And Harry had moche londe in Almayne And he gate an other sone that hyghâ— Brimen he was a very holy man was bysshop of Coleyne And he founded the monastery of Panthalâ—oÌ„ ¶ Of kynge Adelstone NOw after this Edwarde regned Adelstone his sone· And whaÌ„ he had regned foure yere he helde batayll ayenst the Danys And droue kynge Gaufride that was kyng of the Danys and all his hoste vnto the see â—ested by Scotlonde toke strongely al the countree an hoole yere And after that tho of Comberlonde of Settes of westmerlonde begaÌ„ne to warre vpon kyng Adelstone And he gaue theÌ„ so stronge batayll that he slewe so many of them that no man conde tell the nombre of them And after that he regned but thre yere and he regned in all .xxv. yere lyeth at Malmesbury ¶ Of kynge Edmonde THenne after this Adelstone regned edmoÌ„de his brother For kyng Adelstone had no sone and this EdmoÌ„de was a worthy man and a doughty knyghte of body and aâ— noble also And the thyrde yere after that he was kynge he wente ouer Homber in to that countree in the whiche couÌ„tree he fonude two kynges of Danys That one was called Enelaf And that other Renant· This kynge Edmonde droue them bothe fro the londe and after wente and toke a grete proye in Comberlonde This Edmonde regned but .vii. yere and lyeth at Glastenbury ¶ Of kynge Eldred ANd after this EdmoÌ„de regned Eldred his broder that auenged Edwarde his fader of his enmyes that dyde hym slee And after he seased all Northumberlonde in to his honde And made the Scottes for to bowe and meke vnto his wyll And in the seconde yere of his regne came Arnalaf Guyran that was kynge of Denmarke and seased all Northumberlonde and helde that londe two yere And after that came kynge Eldred and draue hym out of this londe And this kynge Eldred was a noble man and a good Of whoo 's goodnes Saynt Dunstane preched And this kynge Eldred regned .xi. yere lyeth at whynchester ¶ Of kynge Edwyn ANd after this Eldred regned Edwyn the sone of Edmonde And he was a symple man to warde god and the people For he hated folke of his owne londe and loued honoured straunge men And sette lytell by holy chyrche And he toke of hooly chirche all the tresour that he myght haue That was greate shame vylany to hymself and peryll to hys soule And therfore god wolde not that he sholne regne no lenger than foure yere and deyed and lyeth at wynchestre· LEo the syxt a Romayne was pope .vi. monethes ¶ Stephanus the .vii. was after hym two yere ¶ Iohannes the .xi. a Romayne was pope thre yere ¶ Stephanus the .viii. a germayne was pope after hym .viii. yere ¶ Martinus the thyrde
elder brother lyued a fayre man a stronge a large of body gentyll and curteys of condycyons so that all men hym loued And this Edwarde in the Cronycles is called amonge the Englysshmen Edwarde the outlawe ¶ And whan as he was made knyght the kynges doughter of HuÌ„gry hym moche loued for hys goodnes hys fayrnes that she him called her derlyng The kynge that was her fader perceyued well the loue that was betwixt them two and had no heyre but only that doughter and the kyng vowche sauf his doughter to no man so well as he dyde to hym that she loued soo well he her yaue her vnto hym with a good wyll and Edwarde her spowsed with moche honour The kynge of hungry sente after all hys baronage and made a solempne feest a ryche weddynge And made all meÌ„ to vnderstande that this Edwarde sholde be kynge of that londe after the decesse of hym And of that tydynges they were all full gladde This Edward begate vppon his lady a sone that was called Edgar Helynge afterwarde a doughter that was called Margarete that afterwarde was quene of Scotlonde And by the kynge of Scotlonde that was called Mancolin she had a doughter that was called Maude that was quene afterwarde of Englonde thrugh kynge Henry that was the fyrste sone of the conquerour that her wedded And he begate on her a doughter that was called Maude that afterwarde was Empresse of Almayn And of this Maude came the kynge of Englonde that vnto thys daye is called Henry the Empresse sone And yet hadde thys Edwarde an other doughter by hys wyfe that was called Crysten and she was a Nonne ¶ How kynge Knoght that was proude man conquered Normandy how he became afterwarde meke and mylde NOw haue we herde of Edmonde Irensydes sones that kynge Knoght wende they had ben slayne as he had commaunded walgar before· And this kynge Knoght hadde in his honde all the reame of Englonde denmarke And after that they wente vnto Norwaye that londe for to conquere But the kynge of the lond that was called Elat came with his people wende his londe to haue well kepte defended soo there he faught wyth hym tyll at the laste he was slayne in that batayll And tho this Knoght toke all the londe in hys honde And whan he had conquered Norway and taken feaute homages there he came ayen into Englonde and helde hym self so grete a lord that hym thought in all the world hys pere noo man was And he came soo proude hauteyne that it was grete wonder ¶ And so it befell vpon a daye as he had herde masse at westmestre and wolde haue gone in to hys palays the wayes of the Tamyse so swyftely ayenst hym came that almoost they touched his feet Tho sayd the kynge with a proude herte I coÌ„maunde the water to torne ayen or elles I shall make the \ The wawes for his coÌ„maundemente wolde not spare but flowed euer in heyght more and more ¶ The kynge was so proude of herte that he wolde not flee the water and bete it with a rodde that he had in hys honde and coÌ„maunded the water that it sholde go no ferder But for all his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the water wolde not cesse but euer wexed more and more on hygh so that the kyng was all wete stode depe in the water And whan he sawe that he had abyden there to longe the water wolde no thynge do his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t tho soone he with drewe hym and tho stode he vpon a stone and helde his hondes on hyghe sayde these wordes herynge alle the people ¶ This god that maketh the see thus aryse is kynge of all kyngê and of all myghtes moost And I am a catyf and a man deedly and he maye neuer deye all thynge dothe hys commaundement to hym obedyent ¶ To that god I praye that he be my warraunt For I knowlege me a caytyf feble and of no power And therfore I wyll goo vnto Rome without ony longe lettynge and my wyckednesse for to punysshe and me to amende For of god I clayme my londe for to holde and of none other And anon made redy his heyre and hym selfe wente to Rome withoute ony lettynge And by the waye dyde many almesse dedes and whan he came to Rome also And whan he hadde be there for his synnes doo penaunce he came ayen in to Englonde and became a good man and a holy And lyued and lefte alle manere pryde and stoutenes lyued an hooly lyfe after and made two abbayes af saynt Benet one in Englonde and an other in Normandye for as moche as he loued saynte Benet more specyally thanne other sayntes And moche he loued saynt Edmonde the kynge And ofte he yaue greate yeftes to the how se wherfore it was made ryche ¶ And whan he hadde regned .xx. yere he deyed and lyeth at wynchestre ¶ Anno dmÌ„ M.xviii BEnedictus the .ix. was pope after Iohannes and he was a grete lechour therfore he was dampned and he apperyd to a certayne man vnder a meruaylous fygure an horryble His heed his tayle was lyke an asse that other parte of his body lyke a bere And he sayd to this man to whom he apperyd Be not aferde for I was a man as ye now be but I apeyre now for I lyued vnhappely in olde tyme lyke a beest whan I was pope In this mannes tyme there was grete dyuysyon sclauÌ„der to the chirche for he was put out in two tymes ¶ And here Tholomeus noteth that the pryde of bysshops hadde euer an euyll ende And it was euer the occasyon of moche vnrest and batayll ¶ Conraduâ— the fyrst was Emperour after Henricus .xx. yere This man made many lawes and commaunded peas to be kepte moost straytly of ony man But the erle of Ludolf was accused he fledde frome his londe desyred more to lyue lyke a churle than lyke a gentyll man yet meruayllously his sone was made Emperour by the coÌ„maundemente of god ayenst the wyll of Conradus And at the laste they were accorded And he toke Corodis doughter to his wyf ¶ Of kynge Harold that leuer had goo on foot than ryde on hors THis Knoght of whom we haue spoken of before hadde two sones by his wyf Emme that one was called Hardyknoght and that other Harold And he was so lyght of foot that men called hym moost comynly Harolde Hare foot And this Harold had no thynge the condycyons the maners of kyng â—noghte that was his fader For he sette but lytell pryce of chyualrye ne noo curteyse nother worshyp but only by hys owne wyll And he became soo wycked that he exyled hys moder Emme And she went out of the loÌ„de in to FlauÌ„dres there dwelled with the erle wherfore after there was neuer good loue betwixt hym his broder For his broder hated hym deedly â— and whan he
had regned two yere and lytell more he deyed and lyeth at westmestre ¶ Of kynge Kariknoght that was Haroldes brother AFter this Harold Hare foot Regned his brother Hardiknoght a noble knyghte and a worthy man and moche loued chyualry and all maner of goodnes And whan thys Hardiknoght had regned a lytell whyle he lette vncouere hys brother Harold smote of his heed that was his brother att westmestre lete cast the heed in to a gonge the body in to Tamyse And after came fysshers toke the body with theyr nettes by nyght and bare hym to saynt Clementes chyrche and there hym caryed And in this maner auenged hym Hardiknoght of hys broder for in none other maner he myght be auengeb· This kyng Hardiknoght was so large a yeuer of meete drynke that his tables were sete euery daye thre tymes full ryall meetes drynkes for his owne meyne and for all that came vnto hys courte to be rychely serued of ryall meetes And thys kynge Hardiknoght sent after Emme his moder made her come ayen iÌ„ to Englonde for she was dryuen out of Englonde whyle that Harold Hare fâ—ot regned thrugh counseyll of the erle Godewin that tho was the grettest lorde of Englonde next the kyng moost myght do thrugh oute all Englonde what he wolde hys coÌ„mauÌ„dement for as moche as he had hys spoused doughter of the good kyng Knoght that was a Dane whiche doughter he had by hys fyrste wyfe ¶ And whan this quene was dryuen out of Englonde and come to the Erle of Flaundres that was called Balde wyne her cosyn he founde her there all thynge that her neded vnto the tyme that she went ayen in to Englonde that the kynge Hardiknoght had sente for her that was her sone and made her come ayen with moche honour This kynge Hardyknoght whan he had regned fyue yere he deyed and lyeth at westmestre ¶ Of the vylany that the Danyâ— dyde to the Englysshmen wherfore fro the tyme after was no Dane made kynge of this londe ANd after the deth of this kynge Hardyknoght for as moche as he hadde noo thynge of hys body begoten The erles barons assembled made a couÌ„sell that neuer more after noo man the was a Dane though he were neuer so grete a man amonges them he sholde neuer be kynge of Englonde for the despyte that the Danes hadde done to Englysshmen For euermoore before yf it were so that the Englysshmen and the Danys hapened for to mete vpon a brydge the Englysshmen sholde not be so hardy to meue ne styre a foot but stande styll tyll the Dane were passed for the. And more ouer yf the Englysshmen had not bowed downe theyr heedes to doo reuerence vnto the Danys they sholde haue ben beten defoylled And suche maner despytes vylany dyde the Danys to our Englysshmen wherfore they were dryuen out of the londe after tyme that kynge Hardyknoght was deed for they had no lord the theym myght mayntene ¶ And in this maner auoyded the Danys Englonde that neuer they came ayen ¶ The erles barons by theyr comyn assent by theyr counselles sent unto Normandy for to seke those two brethern Alured Edwarde that were dwellyng with the duke Richharde that was theyr came in entente for to crowne Alured the elder brother hym make kynge of Englonde And of this kynge to make an ende the erles barons made theyr othe But the Erle Godewin of westsex falsely traytoursly thought to slee the se two brethern anone as they sholde come in to Englonde in entent to make hys sone Harolde kynge the whyche sone he had begote vp on his wyf the whiche was kynge Knoghtes doughter that was a Dane And so this Godewin pryuely hym wente to South hampton for to mete there the two brethern whan that they sholde come vnto london ¶ And thus it befell the messengers that went in to Normandy fouÌ„de but oonly Alured that was the elder brother For Edwarde hys brother was gone in to huÌ„gry for to speke with his cosyn Edwarde the outlawe that was Edmonde sone with the Irensyde The messengers tolde sayde Alured how that erles barons of Englonde sente after hym that he boldely sholde come in to Englonde and receyue the reame For kynge Hardiknoght was deed and all the Danes dryuen out of the londe ¶ How Godewin the fals traytour toke Alured vppon Gyldesdowne whan that he came from Normandy to be kynge of Englonde and how he caused hym to be martyred in the yle of Ely AS Alured herde these tydynges he thaÌ„ked god And in shyppe went with all the hast that he myght passed the see arryued at Southhampton there Godewin the fals traytour was And whan this traytour sawe that he was come he welcomed hym and receyued hym with moche Ioye sayd that he wolde lede hym to London there the all the barons of Englonde hym abode to make hym kynge And so they went on theyr waye to warde London And whan they came on Gyldesdowne tho sayd the traytour Godewin vnto Alured Take kepe aboute you both on the left syde ryght syde of all ye shall be kynge and of suche and hondred more Now forsothe sayd Alured I behyght you yf I be kynge I shall ordeyne make suche lawes wherfore god and man shal◠〈◊〉 â—ell pleased Now had the traytour coÌ„m◠〈…〉 al his men that were with hym That wh 〈…〉 re come vpon Gyldesdowne that the 〈…〉 lee all that were Aluredes coÌ„pany that â—â—re with hym fro Normandy and after that take Alured lede hym in to the yle of ely after put out hys eyen of his heed afterwarde brynge hym to the deth so they dyde For they slewe al the coÌ„pany that there were the noÌ„bre of xii gentylmen that were come with hym fro NormaÌ„dy after toke they Alured in the yle of Ely they put out his eyen rent hys wombe toke the chyef of his bowels put a steke in the grouÌ„de an ende of the bowels ther to fastened with nedles eylesse of yren they prycked the good chylde so made hym to go about the stake tyll that al his bowels were draweÌ„ out of his body so dyed Alured there thrugh treason of the erle Godewin ¶ Whan the lordes of Englond had herde wyst how Alured that shold haue be theyr kyng was put to deth thrugh the fals traytour Godewin they were wonder wroth And swore bytwene god theÌ„ that he sholde deye a more wors deth than dyde Edrith of StrattoÌ„ that had betrayed his lord Edmonde Irensyde they wolde haue pute hym to deth but the theyf traytour fledde thens in to Denmark there helde hym foure yere and more and lost all his londe in Englonde SIluester the thyrde was pope after Benedictus ¶ Thys Siluester was chose and Benedictus was expulsyd And after warde was he expulsyd and Benedictus
of Caunterbury VIctor the seconde was pope after Leo And of hym lytell is wryten ¶ Henry the seconde was Emperour after the fyrste Henry .xvii. yere this man was cosyn to Conradus he was borne in wood twyes takeÌ„ for to be slayne whan he was a chylde but god defended hym euermore whan he was made Emperour many amonastery he made in the same place in the wood where he was borne This maÌ„ was a victoryoê° maÌ„ he entred iÌ„ to ytaly there he toke Padulphus the prynce of Campany ¶ Stephanus the .ix. was pope after Victor .ix. monethes ¶ Benedictus after hym he toke the dygnyte of the pope Stephanus by strengthe kepe it .ix. monethes theÌ„ne decessyd ¶ Henry the thyrde was Emperour after Henry the seconde This Henry was an Inquyete man and many times troubled that hooly man Gregorius the .vii. And fyrst he axed foryeuenesse was assoyled· But he perceyuered not longe but brought in to an other pope ayenst hym sayd he was an heretyke And Gregoriê° cursyd hym And the chesers of the Emperoure they those the duke of Baxon for to be Emperour whom thys Henry in batayll ouercame And thenÌ„e he came to Rome with his pope pursewed pope Gregorius the Cardynalles also ¶ And thenÌ„e anone Robert the kyng of Naples droue hym theÌ„s delyuered the pope his Cardynalles Neuerthelesse yet he was a man of grete almesse .iii. tymes he faught in batayll at the last he deyed wrytchedly for he was put there by his owne sone For so as he dyde to other men so was he done vnto ¶ Nicholaê° the seconde was pope after Benedictê° two yere this Nicolaê° called a couÌ„seyll ayenst that Archedeken of Turonoseus the whiche was an heretyk taught ayenst the fayth For he erred in the sacrameÌ„t after he was coÌ„uerted was an holy man but he coude neuer conuerte his dyscyples ¶ Nota ¶ Alexander the secoÌ„de was pope after hym xii yere this Alexander was an holy man he ordeyned that vnder payne of cursynge that noo man sholde here a preestê masse whom men knewe had a lemman Vt pêª .xxxii. pÌ„cer hoc He had stryue with one Codulo but he expulsyd hym as an vsurper put hym out as a symonyer ¶ How Harolde that was good wyns sone was made kynge and how he escape from the duke of Normandy AS saynt Edwarde was gone oute of this worlde was passed to god and worthely enteryd as to suche a grete lorde oughte the barons of the londe wolde haue had Edwarde Elygus sone to Edwarde the outlawe that was Edmonde Irensydes sone to be kynge For as moche as he was moost kyndest kynges blood of the reame ¶ But Harolde sone thrugh the erle Godewyn the strengthe of his fader Godewyn and thrugh other grete lordes of the reame that were of his kynne vnto hym sybbe seased all EngloÌ„de in to hys honde anone lette crowne hym kynge after the enterement of Saynt Edware This Harolde that was Godewynes sone the seconde yere afore that saynt Edwarde was deed wolde haue gone in to Flaundres but he was dryuen thrugh tempest in to the couÌ„tree of Pountyse and there he was taken brought to duke wyllyam And this Harolde wende that tho thys duke wyllyam wolde haue be auenged vpon hym for by cause that the Erle Godewyn that was roldes fader had lete slee Alured that was saynt Edwardê brother and pryncipally for by cause that Alured was quene Emmes sone the was Rychardes moder duke of Normandy that was aiÌ„enll to the duke wyllyam And neuertheles whan the duke wyllyam had Harolde in pryson vnder hys power for asmoche as this Harolde was a noble wyse knyght a worthy of body that hys fader he was accorded with good kynge Edwarde therfore wolde not mysdo hym But all manere thynges that betwext them was spoken and ordeyned Harolde by hys good wyll swore vpon a boke vpon â—oly sayntes that he sholde spouse wedde duke wyllyams doughter after the deth of saynt Edwarde that he sholde besely doo his deuour for to kepe and saue the reame of Englonde vnto the profyte and auantage of duke wyllyam ¶ And whan Harolde hadde thus made his othe vnto the duke wyllyam he lette hym goo and yaue hym many a ryche yeftes And he tho wente thens and came in to Englonde and anone dyde in this manere whan Saynte Edwarde was deed and as a man falsly for sworne He lette crowne hym kynge of Englonde and falsely brake the coue name that he hadde made before wyth duke wyllyam wherfore he was wonder wroth wyth hym and swore that he wolde vppon hym be auenged what some euer hym befell ¶ And anone duke wyllyam lette assemble a grete hoste and came in to Englonde to auengâ— hym vppon Harolde and to conquere the londe yf that he myght ¶ And in the same yere that Harolde was crowned Haralde Herestynge kynge of Denmarke arryued in ScotloÌ„de and thought to haue be kynge of Englonde and he came in Englonde and robbed and destroyed all that he myght tyll that he came to yorke and there he slewe many men of armes a thousande and a hondred preestes whaÌ„ this tydynges came to the kynge He assembled a grete power and wente for to fyght with Haralde of Denmarke and wyth hys owne hondes de hym slewe and the Danes were dyscomfyted and tho that were lefte a lyue wyth moche sorowe fledde to theyr shyppes And thus kynge Harolde of Englonde slewe kynge Haralde of Denmarke ¶ Anno dmÌ„ M.lxvi. ¶ How wyllyam Bastarde duke of Normandy came in to Englonde slewe kyng Harolde ¶ Here come Normans and expulsyd Harolde a Saxon. ANnd whaÌ„ this bataylle was done Harolde be came so proude wolde no thynge parte with his people of the thynge that he had goten but helde it all to hym self wherfore the moost parte of his people were wrothe and frome hym departed soo that oonly with hym abode no moo but his soldyurs And vpon a daye as he sate atte meete a messager came to hym and sayde that wyllyam bastarde the duke of Normandy was arryued in Englonde with a greate hoste had take all the londe about Hastynge also myned the castell whaÌ„ the kynge had herde this tydynges he wente thyther with a lytell power in all the hast that he myght for there but fewe people wyth hym lefte And whan he was come thyder he ordeyned to yeue batayll to duke wyllyam But the duke axed him of these thre thynges yf that he wolde haue his doughter to wyf as he made swore his othe behyght or that he wolde holde the londe of hym in truage or he wolde determyne thys thynge in batayll This Harolde was a proude man a stronge and trusted wonder moche vpon his strength and faught with duke wyllyam and with his people But Harolde his men in this batayll were
the kynge of Englonde was come in to Normandy all the grete lordes of Normandye torned vnto the kynge of Englonde and helde ayenst the duke theyr owne lorde and hym forsoke and to the kynge them helde and all the good castelles and townes of Normandy And soone after was the duke taken and ladde with the kynge in to Englonde And the kynge lette put the duke in to pryson and this was the vengeaunâ—e of god ¶ For whanne the duke was in the holy londe god yaue hym suche myghte and grace that he was chosen for to haue be kynge of Iherusalem and he forsoke it and wolde not take it vpon hym And therfore god sente hym that shame and dyspyte for to put in hys brothers pryson Tho seased kyng Hery all Normandye in to hys honde and helde it all hys lyfe tyme ¶ And in the same yere came the bysshop Ancelmus for the courte of Rome in to Englonde ayen And the kynge and he were accorded ¶ And in the nexte yere comynge after there began a grete debare bytwene the kynge Phylyppe of Fraunce and kynge Henry of Englende wherfore kynge Henry wente in to Normandye and there was stronge warre bytwene them two And tho deyeâ— the kynge of FrauÌ„ce lowys his sone was mad kyng anone after his deth And tho went kyng Henry ayen into Englond maryed Maude his doughter vnto henry the emê‘our of Almayne ¶ Of the debate that was betwixt kynge Lowys of FrauÌ„ce kynge Hery of Eenglonde how kynhe Henryes two snes were loste in the hyghe seâ— AS kynge Henry had be kynge .xvii. yere a grete debate arose betwixt kynge Lowys of Fraunce and kynge Henry of Englonde for by cause that the kynge had sente in to Normandy to hys men that they sholde be helpynge vnto therle of Bloys as moche as they myght in warre ayenst the kyng of FrauÌ„ce And that they sholde be as redy to hyâ— as they were to theyr owne lord for by cause that therle hadde spowsed hys syster dame maude And for this cause the kynge of Fraunce dyde moche sorowe to Normandy wherfore the kynge of Englonde was wonder wroth in hast wenâ—e ouer the see with a grete power came in to NormaÌ„dye for to defende that londe And the warre bytwene them lasted two yere tyll at the laste they two faught to geder And the kynge of Fraunce was dyscomfyted vnnethes escaped awaye wyth moche payne the moost partye of his men were taken And the kynge dyde with theym what hym best lyked And some of them he lette go freely and some he lete be put vnto the deth But afterwarde those two kynges were accorded And whan kynge Henry had oonly all the londe of Normandy dyscoÌ„fyted his enmyes of Fraunce he torned agayne in to Englonde with mocheÌ„ honour And his two sones wyllyam and Richarde wolde haue come after the fader wente to the see with a grete company of people But are that they myghte come to londe the shippe came ayenst a roche and alle were drowned that were there in saue oo man that was in the same shyppe that escaped And this was vpon saynt Katheryns daye and these were the names of them that were drowned Wyllyam and Richarde the kynges sones the Erle of Chestre Ottonell his brotger Geffroy Rydell Walter Emurci Godefray Archedeken the kynges doughter the couÌ„tesse of Perches the kynges nece the countesse of Chestre many other ¶ Whan kynge Henry and other lordes arryued in Englonde and herde these tydynges they made sorowe ynough And alle theyr myrthe and Ioye was torned in to mornynge and sorowe ¶ How Maude the Empresse came ayen in Englonde how she afterwarde wedded to Geffroy therle of Angoy ANd whan that two yere were agone that the Erle had dwelled wyth the kynge the erle went from the kyng and begaÌ„ to warre vpon hym dyd moche harme in the londe of Normandy toke there a stronge castell there he dwelled all that yere And tho came to hym tydynges that Henry the Emperour of Almayne that had spowsed Maude hys doughter was deed and that she dwelled no lenger in Almayne that she wold come ayen in to Normandy to her fader And whaÌ„ that she was come vnto hym he toke her tho to hym came ayen in to Englonde made the Englysshemen to do othe and feaute to the Empresse And the fyrste man that made the othe was wyllyam the Archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury And that other Dauid kyng of ScotloÌ„de and after hym all the barons and erles of Englonde ¶ Also after that the noble man therle of Angoy that was a worthy knyghte sent vnto the kynge of EngloÌ„de that he wolde grauÌ„t hym for to haue his doughter to spowse that is to saye Maude the Empresse And for by cause that her fader wyst that he was a noble man the kynge hym graunted consented ther to And tho tooke he his doughter ladde hir in to Normandy came to the noble knyghte Geffroy there he spowsed the forsayde Maude wyth moche honour the Erle begâ—te vpon her a sone that was called Henry the Empresse sone ¶ And after whan al this was done kynge Henry dwelled all that yere in Normandy after the loÌ„ge tyme a greuous sykenesse toke him where thorugh he deyed And this kyng Henry regned .xxxv. yere foure monethes And after deyed as is before sayd in Normandy And his herte was enteryd in the grete chirche of our lady in Rouen his body was brought with moche honour in to Englonde enteryd at Redynge in the abboye of the whyche abbaye he was begynner and founder HEnrycus the fourth was Emperour in Almayne after Harry the thyrde .xv. yere This man put his owne fader in pryson there helde hym tyll he deyed And tooke pope Paschall wyth hys Cardynalles presente them as it is sayd afore For the whiche cause as it is supposed he lacked yssue For he wedded the kynges doughter of Englonde Maude But after warde he came to grace and all the lawes of the chirche freely he resyned to Calixtus the pope And besought hym to yeue hym in penauÌ„ce that he sholde neuer come ayen to his Empyre that he myghte haue remyssyon of his trespaas And after the oppynyon of many a man he was wylfully exyled and deyed and hys wyfe bothe at Chestre in Englonde ¶ Gelasius was pope after Paschall two yere And fledde frome Henry the Emperour in to Bourgoyne and there decessyd Thys Emperour those Benedyctus a Spanyarde to be pope the whiche stroue with Calixtus ¶ Calixtus was pope after hym two yere and fyue monethes Thys Calixtus was the sone of the duke of Bourgoyne was chosen in the place of Gelasius And whan he sholde come to Rome he toke the for sayd Benedictus and made hym to ryde afore hym shamefully For he on a mule torned hys face to the tayle of the mule helde the tayle in
myghtely howe Ierusalem myght be wonne ayen but anone he decessyd ¶ Clemens the thyrde was pope after hym thre yere and lytyell he dyde ¶ Of kynge Rycharde that conquered ayen al the holy londe that the crysten men had loste ANd after this kyng Henry regned Rycharde his sone a stowte man a stronge a worthy also bolde And he was crowned at westmestre of the Archebysshop Baldewyn the thyrde daye of Septembre ¶ And in the seconde yere of his regne kyng Rycharde hymself and Baldewyn the Archebysshop of Caunterbury and Hubert bysshop of Salysbury and Radulf erle of Glocetre and other many lordes of Englonde went in to the holy londe And in that vyage deyed the Archebysshop of Caunterbury And kynge Rycharde wente before in to the hooly londe rested not tyll that he came forthe in his waye vnto Cypres and tooke it with grete force And after that kynge Rycharde went forth to warde the hooly londe gate there as moche as the crysten men had there before lost And conquered the londe ayen thoruhh grete myght saufe only the holy crosse And whan kynge Rycharde came to the cyte of Acres for to gete the cytee ther arose a gret debate bytwene hym the kynge of Fraunce so that the kyng of FrauÌ„ce went ayen in to Fraunce was wroth towarde kyng Rychard but yet for all that are kyng Rycharde wente ayen he toke the cyte of Acres whan he had take it he dwelled in the cyte a whyle But to hym came tydynges that the erle IohnÌ„ of Oxenforde hys brother wolde haue seased all Englonde in to his honde and Normandy also and wolde lette crowne hym kynge of all the londe ¶ And whan kynge Rycharde herde telle of these tydynge he wente ayen towarde Englond with all the spede that he myghte But the duke of Ostryche mette with hym and toke hym and brought hym vnto the Emperour of Almayne And the Emperour hym brought vnto pryson And afterward he was delyuered for an Huge raunson that is for to saye an hundred thousande pounde And for the whiche raunson to be paied eche other chalyce of Englonde was molten and made in to moneye And all the monkes of the ordre of Cysteaux yaue alle theyr bookes thrugh oute all Englonde for to doo them to selle and the raunson for to paye ¶ How kynge Rycharde came agayne from the holy londe auenged hym of his enmyes SO as this kyng Rycharde was in pryson the kynge of Fraunce warred vpon hym strongly in NormaÌ„dye and IohnÌ„ his broder warred vpon hym in Englonde But the bysshops and the baroÌ„s of Englonde with stode hym with all theyr power that they myghte gete tooke the castell of wyndesore and other castelles And the forsayde IohnÌ„ sawe that he had no myght ne power ayenst the barons of EngloÌ„de for to fyght But anone went hym ouer the see vnto the kynge of FrauÌ„ce ¶ And whan Rycharde came out of pryson was delyuered and came in to Englonde anone after Candelmasse in grete haste he went vnto Notyngham the castell of Notyngham to hym was yolden and tho dyscomfyted he hys brother Iohan and tho that with hym helde And after he wente vnto the cyte of wynchestre there he lete hym crowne kynge of Englonde And after he wente vnto Normandy for to warre vpon the kyng of FrauÌ„ce And the kynge of Fraunce came with .vi. hondred knyghtis to warde Gisors And kynge Rycharde mette hym and tho wolde haue yeuen hym bataylle But the kynge of Fraunce fledde tho and hondred knyghtes of his were taken and two hondred stedes that were trapped wyth yren ¶ And anone after wente kyng Rycharde for to besyege the castell Gaillarde â— And as he rode vpon a daye by the castell for to take a uysemente of the castell an arbarlaster somte hym with a quarell that was enuynymmed And the kyng drewe out the shafte of the quarell but the quarels heed abode styll in hys heed And it began for to rancle that he ne myghte not helpe hymselfe ne meue his armes And tho he wyst that he had dethes wonde vpon hym that he myght not be hoole for noo manere of thynge ¶ He coÌ„mauÌ„ded anoÌ„e sharpely all his men for to assoyle the castell Soo that the castell was taken or he deyed And soo manly his men dyde that al the people that were in the castell were taken the kynge dyde wyth them what he wolde And commauÌ„ded his meÌ„ that they sholde brynge before â–ª hym the man that hym so hurt so wounded And whan he came before the kyng the kyng axed hym what was his name And he sayd my name is Bertham Gurdon wherfore sayd the kynge haste thou me slayne syth I dyd the neuer none harme Syr sayd he Though ye dyde me neuer none harme ye your self with your owne honde slewe my fader my broder And therfor I haue quyte now your trauaylle Tho sayd kyng Rycharde He that dyed vpon the crosse to bryng maÌ„nes soule fro payne of helle foryeue that my deth and I also foryeue it the. Tho coÌ„maunded he that no man sholde hym mysdo But for all the kyngê defendynge some of the kyngê men hym folowed and pryuely hym slewe And the .vi. daye after the kyng dyde shryue hym sore repentaunce hauynge of hys mysdedes was houseled and enoynted ¶ Rud this kyng regned but .ix. yere and .xxx. wekes and deyed lyeth besyde his fader at Fontenerad HEnyicus the fyfth was Emperour .viii. yere This Henricus was sone to frederyk he wedded Constaunce the kyngê doughter of Cecyle though the occasyon of her he subdued alle the kyngdome of Apulye he droue all the people out the enhabyte that londe ¶ Celestinus the thyrde was pope after Clemens almost thre yere This man was crowned vpon Eester daye the daye folowynge he crowned Henry the emperour And he made a palays at saynt Peters decessyd ¶ Innocencius the thyrde was pope after hym .viii. yere .v. monethes this man was wel lettred he made a boke of the wretchydneste of maÌ„nes coÌ„dicoÌ„n he made speculuÌ„ misse he mad many coÌ„stytucyons This man daÌ„pned the boke of IohnÌ„ Ioachim that whiche he made ayeÌ„st mayster Peyrs Lombarde the maker of the Sentence This tyme decessyd the Emperour Henry And the prynces of almayne discorded for some chose Otto some chose Phylyppe brocher to Henry Thenne Phylyppe was falsely slayne Gtto was crowned of Innocencius in FrauÌ„ce that whiche anone afught with the Romayns for they yaue hym no dewe honour And for that cause ayenst the popes wyll he toke the kyngdom of Apulye frome Frederyk wherfore the pope cursyd hym Thenne after the fourth yere of his regne the prynces of Almayne made Frederyk Emperour and victoryously he subdued Otto ¶ wyllyam of Parys this tyme began the ordre of the freres Austyn the whiche ben called fratres mendicantes Franciscus an ytalyon
chartre of oblygacyon and our warraunt for euer more be ferme and stable without ony gaynsayenge we shall fronte this daye afterwarde be true vnto god and to the moder of holy chyrche of Rome \ and to the pope Innocencius the thyrde and to all that cometh after hym· And the realme of Englonde and of Irlonde we shall maynten truely in alle manere poyntes ayenst alle manere men by our power thrugh goodes helpe ¶ How the clerkes that were outlawed came agayne how kyng Iohan was assoylled SO whan thys chartre was made and ensealed the kynge receyued agayne his crowne of Pandulfus honde And sete anone vnto the Archebysshop Stephen and to all his other clerkes and lewede men that he had exyled out of thys londe that they sholde come ayen in to Englonde and haue agayne theyr londes and allo theyr rentes And that he wolde make restytucyon of the goodes that he had taken of theyrs ayenst theyr wyll ¶ The kynge hymself tho and Pandulf and erles and barons went unto wynchestre ayenst the Archebysshop Stephen ¶ And whan he was come the kynge wente ayenst hym and fell adowne to his feet and thus to hym sayde Fayre syre ye be welcome And I crye you mercy by cause that I haue trespassed ayenst you ¶ The Archebysshop toke hym vp tho in hys armes and kyssyd hym curteysly oftentymes and after ledde hym to the doore of saynt Swythunes chyrche by the honde and assoylled hym of the sentence and hym reconsyled to god to holy thyrche And that was on saynt Margaretes daye And the Archepysshop anone wente for to synge masse And the kyng offred at the masse a marke of golde ¶ And whan the masse was done all they wente for to receyue theyr londes without ony manere gaynsayenge ¶ And that daye they made all myrth Ioye ynough But yet was not the enterdytynge releaced by cause the pope had sette that the enterdytynge sholde not be done tyll the kynge had made full restytucyon of the goodes that he had taken of the holy chyrche And that hym self sholde do homage to the pope by a certayn Legate that he sholde sende in to Englonde ¶ And thenne tooke Pandulf his leue of the kynge and the Archebysshop and went agayne vnto Rome ¶ And the Archebysshop anone lete come before hym prelates of holy chyrche at Redynge for to treate counseyll how moche and what they sholde axe of the kyng for to make restytucyon of the goodes that he had taken of theym And they ordeyned sayd that the kyng sholde yeue to the Archebysshop thre thousande marke for the wronge that the kynge had done vnto hym And also by procyons to other clerkes .xv. thousande marke ¶ And the same tyme Nycolaus bysshop of Tuscam Cardynall Penytenciarius of Rome came in to Englonde thrugh the popes conmaundement the fyfth kalendas of Octobre and came to London the fyfth Nonas of Octobre for by cause that kynge Iohan and alle the kynges that came after hym sholde euer more holde the reame of Englonde and of Irlonde of god and of the pope payenge to the pope by yere as it is aboue sayd ¶ How the enterdytynge was vndone in EngloÌ„de and of the debate that was bytwene kynge Iohan and the barons of the reame AS kynge Iohan had done his homage to the Legate that shewed hym the popes letter that he sholde paye to Iulyan yelne ayen that was kynge Rychardes wyfe the thyrde parte of the londe of Englonde and of Irlonde that he had withholde syth that kyng Rycharde deyed ¶ Whan kynge IohnÌ„ herde this he was wonder wroth For vtterly that enterdytynge myght not be vndone tyll that he had made greâ— and restytycyon to the forsayd Iulyan of that she asked The Legate went thenne agayne to the pope after Crystmasse And the kynge sente ouer see to Iulyan that was kynge Rychardes wyf for to haue a relate of that she axed of hym ¶ And so it befell that Iulyan deyed anone after Eester And in so moche the kynge was quyte of that thynge that the axed ¶ But thenne at the feest of saynt Iohan that came nexte after thorugh the popes commaundemente the enterdytynge was fyrst releasyd thrughout alle Englonde 〈…〉 daye of Iulii And .vii. yere was the londe â—terdyted And on the mornynge mâ—n rough sayd masse thorugh out all London and so â—â—ter thorugh out all Englonde· ¶ And the neâ—â— yere after there began a grete debate bytwene kynge Iohan and the lordes of Englonde â—or by cause that he wolde not graunte the lawâ—â— and holde the whiche saynt Edwarde had ordeynâ—d and had ben vsed holden vnto that tyme that he had them broken For he wolde holde noo lawe but dyde all thynge that hym lyked and dysheryted many men without consente of lordes and perys of the londe And woâ— dysheryte the good erle Radulf of Chestre for by cause that he vndertoke hym of hys wyckednesse for by cause that he dyde so moche shame and vylany to god and to holy chyrche â–ª And also for he helde and haunted hys owne brothers wyfe and laye also by many wymmen greate lordes doughters For he spared no woman that hym lyked for to haue wherfore all the lordes of the londe were wrothe toke the cyte of London To cesse this debate the Archebysshop and lordes of the londe assenbled before the feest of saynt IohnÌ„ Bapâ—yst in a medowe besyde the towne of Stanys that is called Romney mede And the kynge made them there a chartre of fraunchyse suche as they wolde axe and in suche manere they weâ—e accorded and that accordement lasted not full longe For the kynge hymself soone after dyed ayenst the poyntes of the same chartre that he had made wherfore the moost parte of the lordes of the londe assembled and began to warre vppon hym ayen and brenned his townes robbed his folke and dyde all the sorowe that they myght made them as stronge as they myght with all the power they hadde and thought to dryue hym oute of Englonde and make Lowys the kyngê sone of Fraunce kynge of Englonde ¶ And kyng IohnÌ„ sente tho ouer see and ordeyned so moche people of Normans of Pycardes of Flemynges soo that the londe myghte not susteyne them but with moche sorowe ¶ And amonge alle this people â— there was a man of Normandye that was called Fawkis of Brent and thys NormaÌ„ and his company spared nother chirches ne houses of relygyon but they brente â—obbed it and bare a way aâ—l that they myght take so that the londe was all destroyed what one syde and other ¶ The barons lordes of Englonge ordeyned amonge theym the beste spekers and wysest men and sente them ouer the see to kynge Phylyp of FrauÌ„ce and prayed hym that he wolde sende Lowys hys sone in to Englonde to be kynge of Englonde and to receyue the crowne ¶ How Lowys the knges sone of Fraunce came
kyng of Cecyle fro his kyngdome And after he had done many bataylles ayenst men of mysbyleue many trybulacoÌ„ns suffred he decessyd dyd many miracles ¶ Nycholaê° delira a noble douctour of dyuyte was thys tyme at Parys this man was a Iewe of nacyon he was coÌ„uerted myghtely profyted in the ordre of frere Mynours he wrote ouer all the Byble Grelles he was in the yere of our lord M·CCC xxx some man say he was a Braban that his fader his moder were crystne but for pouerte he vysyted the scole of the Iewes so he lerned the Iewes langage or elles thys Nycholaê° was informed of the Iewes in hys yonge aege ¶ Honorius the fourth was pope after Martynê° two yere lytell of hym ys wryten but that he was a temperat man a dyscerte ¶ Nicholaus the fourth was pope after hym foure yere this man was a frere Mynor although he was a good man in himself yet many vnhappy thynges fell in his tyme to the chirche For many a batayll was in the cyte thrugh his occasyon for he drewe to moche to the one parte And after hym thre was no pope two yere and .vi. monethes ¶ How kynge Edwarde that was kynge Henryes sone ANd after this kyng Henry regned Edwarde hys sone the worthyes knyght of the worlde in honour for goddes grace was in hym for he had the vyctorye of hys enmyes as soone as hys fader was deed he came to London with a noble company of prelates erles and barons and all meÌ„ dyd hym moche honour For in euery place the syr Edwarde rode in London the stretes were couered ouer hys heed with sylke of tapiscery and other riche couerynges And for Ioye of his comynge the burgeys of the Cyte caste out at theyr wyndowes golde and syluer hondes full in tokenynge of loue and worshyp seruyce and reuerence And out of condyte of Chepe ranne whyte wyne and reed as stremes both of the water and euery man dranke therof the wolde at theyr owne wyll this kyng Edwarde was crowned and enoynted as ryght heyer of Englonde with moche honour And after masse the kynge wente in to his place to holde a ryall feest amoÌ„ge them that dyde hym honour And whan he was sette to meete The kynge Alexander of Scotlonde came to do hym honour and reuerence with a qâ—eyntesye an hondred knyghtes with hym well horsyd arayde And whan they were alyght of theyr stedes they lete theym go whether they wolde who that myght take them tooke at theyr owne wyll wythout ony chalenge·r And after came syre Edmonde kynge Edwardes brother a curteys knyght a gentyll of renowne the erle of Corne wayllle and the erle of Glocestre And after thenne came the erle of Penbroke the erle of Garenne And eche of them by themself ladde in theyr honde an hondred knyghtes gayly dysgysed in theyr armes And whan they were alyghted of theyr horses they lete them go whether that they welde who that myght them catche them to haue styll without ony chalenge And whan all this was done kyng Edwarde dyde his dylygence his myghte for to amende and dresse the wronges in the beste manere that he myght to the honour of god holy chyrche to mayntene his honoure and to amende the noyannce of the comyn people ¶ How ydeyne that was Lewelyns doughter of walys prynce Aymer that was the erles brother of MouÌ„forde were taken in the see THe fyrste afterwarde the kynge Edwarde was crowned Lewelyn prynce of wales sent in to Faraunce to the erle MouÌ„forde that thorough couÌ„seyl of his frendes the erle sholde wedde his doughter And the erle tho auysed hym vpoÌ„ this thynge and sent vnto Lewelyn and sayd that he wolde sende after hys doughter so he sent Aymer his broder after the damoysell Lewelyn arayed shyphes for his doughter and for Syre Aymer and for her faare company that sholde goo with her And this Lewelyn dyd grete wronge for it was couenauÌ„ted that he sholde yeue hys doughter to no manere man without counsell consente of kyng Edwarde And so it befell that a Burgeys of Brystow came in the see with wyne laden and mette them toke them with myght and power And anone the Burgeys sent theym to the kyng And whan Lewely herde this tydynges he was very wroth and also sorowfull· and gan to warre vpon kynge Edwarde and dyde moche harme vnto Englysshmen and bete downe the kynges castels and began for to destroye kynge Edwardes londe And whaÌ„ tydynges cam vnto the kyng of this thyng he wente in to walys and so moche he dyde thorough goddes grace and his grete power that he drofe Lewelyn vnto grete myschyef that he fledde all maner of strength came yelded hym vnto kyng Edwarde yaue hym .l. marke of syluer to haue peas And toke the damoysell all his herytage made an oblygacoÌ„n to kynge Edwarde to come to his parlyamente two tymes of the yere And in the seconde yere after that kynge Edwarde was crowned he helde a generall parleamente att westmestre there he made the statutes for defaute of lawe by the comune assent of all his baronage and at Ester nexte sewenge the kynge sente by his letter vnto Lewelyn prynce of wales that he sholde come to his parlemeÌ„t for his londe and for hys holdynge in wales as the strenthe of his letter oblygatory wytnessyd Tho Lewelyn had scorne and dyspyte of the kynges commaundement And for pure wrache ayen began warre vpon kyng Edwarde and destroyed his londe And tho whan kynge Edwarde herd of these tydynges he wexed wonder wrothe vnto Lewelyn in hast assembled his people went hym to warde wales And warred so vpon Lewelyn the prynce tyll that he broughte hym in moche sorowe dysease And Lewelyn sawe that is defence myghte hym not auaylle and came ayen and yelded hym to the kynges grace cryed hym mercye and longe tyme kneled before the kynges fote The kynge had of hym pyte coÌ„maunded hym for to aryse And for his mekenes foryaue hym hys wrathe and to hym sayd that yf he trespassed to hym a nother tyme that he wolde dystroye hym for euermore ¶ Dauid that was Lewelyns brother that same tyme dwelled with kynge Edwarde and was a felle man and a subtyll and enuyous and also ferre castynge and moche treason thoughte· and euermore made good semblame and semyd soo true that noo man myght perceyue his falsnes ¶ How Lewelyn thrugh eggynge of his brother Dauyd werryd agayn vpoÌ„ kyÌ„g Edward IT was not longe after that tyme the kynge Edwarde yaaf to Dauyd Lewelyns broder the lordshyppe of Frodesham made hym a knyght and so moche honour dyde he neuer after to maÌ„ of walys by cause of hym kynge Edwarde helde his parlemente at London whan he hadde do in walys that he wolde and chaunged his moneye that was
desyre came to him for to goo in to Englonde ayen And whan he was come ayen he fouÌ„de so many playntes made to hym of his Iustyces of his clerkes that had done so many wronges falsnesse that wonder it was to here and for whiche falsnesse syre Thomas waylond the kynges Iustyce for swore Englonde at the toure of London for falsnesse that meÌ„ put vpon hym wherfore he was atteynt proued fals· And anone after whan the kyng had done his wyll of the Iustices tho lete he enquere espye how the Iewes dysceyued and begyled his people thorugh the synne of falsnesse and of vsury And lete ordeyne a preuy parlement amonge his lordes And they ordeyned amonge theym that all the Iewes sholde voyde out of Englonde for theyr mysbyleue and also for theyr fals vsury that they dyde vnto crysten men And for to spedde and make an ende of this thynge all the comyn alte of Englonde yaue vnto the kynge the .xv. peny of all theyr goodes meuable and soo were the Iewes dryuen oute of Englonde And tho went the Iewes in to Fraunce And there they dwellyd thorugh leue of kynge Phylyp that tho was kynge of Fraunce ¶ How kynge Edwarde was seased in alle the londe of Scotlonde through coÌ„sente and graunte of all the lordes of Scotlonde· IT was not longe after that Alexandre kynge of Scotlonde was dede and Dauyd the erle of Huntyngdon that was the kynges brother of Scotlonde axed claymed the kyngdom of Scotlond after his brother was deed for cause that he was ryghtfull heyre But many grete lordes sayd nay Wherfore greate debate arose bytwene theym there freÌ„des for asmoche as they wolde not consente to hys coronacyon and the meane tyme the forsayd Dauyd deyed so it befell that the sayd Dauyd had thre doughters that worthyly were maryed the fyrst doughter was maryed to Bayloll the seconde to Brus and the thyrde to Hastynges The forsayd Bayloll Brus chalenged the londe of Scotlonde greate debate stryf arose bytwene them by cause eche of them wolde haue be kynge· And whan the lordes of Scotlonde saw the debate bytwene them came to kynge Edwarde of Englonde seased hym in all the londe of Scotlond as chyef lord whaÌ„ the kyng was seased of the forsayd lordes the forsayd Baylol Brus Hastinges came to the kynges courte axyd of the kyng whyche of them shold be kynge of Scotlonde And kyng Edwarde the full gentyll true lete enquyre by the Cronycles of Scotlonde and of the gretest lordes of Scotlonde whiche of them was of the eldest blood And it was fouÌ„de that Baylol was the eldest And that the kyng of Scotlond sholde holde of the kynge of Englonde do hym frauce and homage And after this was done Baylol went in to ScotloÌ„de and there was crowyed kynge of Scotlonde ¶ And the same tyme was vpon the see grete warre bytwene the Englysshemen and the Normans But vpoÌ„ a tyme the Normans arryued all at Douer and ther they martred an holy maÌ„ that was called Thomas of Douer And afterwarde were the NormaÌ„s slayne that there escaped not one of theÌ„ ¶ And so afterwarde kynge Edwarde sholde lete the duchye of Gascoyne thrugh kynge phylyp of FrauÌ„ce thrugh his fals castynge of the Dousepers of the londe wherfore syr Edmond that was kynge Edwardes brother yaue vp his domage vnto the kynge of FrauÌ„ce ¶ And in the tyme the clerkes of Englond graunted to kynge Edwarde half â—eale of holy chirche goodes in helpynge to recouer his londe agayne in gascoyne And the kyng sent thether a noble company of hys bachelers And hymself wolde haue gone to Portelmouth but he was let thrughe one maddok of walys that had seased the castell of Swandon in to his honde for that cause the kynge torned to walys at Cristmasse by cause that the noble lordê of Englond that were sent in to Gascoyne had no comforth of there lorde the kynge they were take of syr Charlys of FrauÌ„ce that is to say syr IohnÌ„ of brytayne syr Robert Tiptot syr Raufe Tanny syr Hugh Bardolfe and syr Adam of Cretynge And yet att the assensyon was Maddok take in walys a nother that was called Morgan And they were sent to the tour of London and there they were byheded ¶ How Syre Iohan Baylol kyng of Scotlonde with sayde his homage ANd whan syre IohnÌ„ Baylol kynge of Scotlonde vnderstande the kynge Edwarde was werred in Gascoyne to whom the reame of Scotlond was delyuerd Falsly tho ayenst his othe with sayd his homage thrugh procurynge of his folke sent vnto the court of Rome thrugh a fals suggestyon to be assoylled of that othe that he swore vnto the kyng of Englonde soo he was by letter enbulled ¶ Tho chose they of Scotlonde dousepers for to brnyge Edward of his ryght ¶ And in the tyme came two Cardynalles from the cource of Rome fro the pope Celestme to trete of acorde bytwene the kyng of EngloÌ„d as tho cardinalles spake of accorde ThaÌ„ as turbeluyll was takeÌ„ at Lyons made homage to the warde of Parys put his sones in hostage thought to go in to Englonde aspye the countre tell them whan he came to Englond that he had broken the kynges pryson of Fraunce by ryght said that he wolde do that all Englysshmen walshemen sholde aboute the kynge for to brynge to the ende he swore vpon thys couenaunt dedes were made bytwene them that he sholde haue by yere a thousand pouÌ„des worth of londe to byrnge this thynge to an ende This fals traytour toke his leue wente thens came in to Englonde vnto the kynge seyd that he was broke oute of pryson that he had put hym in suche peryll for his loue wherfore the kyng cowde hym moche thanke full gladde was of his comynge ¶ And the fals traytoure fro that daye aspyed all the doynge of the kynge also his counselle for the kyng loued hym full welle and with hym full preuy But clerke of Englonde that was in the kynges how 's of Fraunce herde of this treason and of the falsnesse and wrote to another clerke that tho was dwellynge with Edwarde kynge of Englonde all how Thomas Turbeluyll hadde done his fals câ—niectynge and all the counselle of Englonde was wryte for to haue sende vnto the kynge of Fraunce ¶ And thoruhhe the forsayde letter that the clerke hadde sente fro Fraunce it was founde vppon wherfore he was ledde to London and hangyd and drawe there for his treason And hys two sones that he hadde put in Fraunce for hostage were thenne beheeded ¶ Of the Conquest of Berwyke SO whan the twoo Cardynalles were gone agayne in to Fraunce for to trete of the peas of cambroy the kynge sent thether of his erles and barons This is to saye syr Edmonde his broder erle of Lancastre and of Lecetre syr Henry Lacy erle of Nychol
that londe and robbyd it and slewe meÌ„ wymmen chyldren that laye in there cradyls brent also holy chyrche and destroyed crystendome toke bare Englysshe mennys godes as they had ben sarasyns or paynems And of the wyckydnesse that they dyde all the worlde spake of it ¶ How the Scottes wolde not a mende theyr trespasse and therfore Scotlonde was enterdyted SO pope Iohan the .xxii. after saynt Petir herde of the grete sorowe and mâ—che yâ— that the Scottes wrought he was wonder sorye that crystendome was so dystroyed thrughe the Scottes namely they destroyed soâ— holy chyrches wherfore the pope sente a generall sentence vnder his bulles of lâ—ed vnto the Archebysshop of Caunterbury And to tharchebysshoppe of yorke that yf Robert the Brus of Scotlonde wolde not be Iustyfyed make amendes vnto the kynge of Englonde Edwarde theyr lorde make amendes of hys losse of his harmes that they had doon in Englonde And also restore the goodes that they had taked of holy chyrche that the sentence shold be pronouncyd thorughe out alle Englonde And whan the Scottes herde this they wolde not leue theyr malyce for the popes commaundemente wherfore Roberte the Brus. Iamys Douglas and Thomas Radulf erle of Moref and all tho that with theym comyned or them helpe in worde or dede were accursyd in euery chirche thrugh out all Englonde euery day at masse .iii. tymes And no masse shold be songe in holy chyrche thrugh out all Soctlonde but yf the Scottes wolde make restitucyon of the harmes that they hadde made vnto holy chyrche wherfore many a good prest and holy men therfore were slayne thrugh the reame of Scotlonde bycause they wolde not synge masse ayenst the popys coÌ„maundemet ayenst his wyll and to do fulfyll the tyrauntes wyll ¶ How syre Hughe Spensers sone was made the kynges chamberlayne And of the bataylle of Mitone ANd it was not longe after warde that the kynge ordeyned a parlemente atte yorke And there was syr Spensers sone made Chambrelayne And the meane tyme whyle the werre lasted the kynge wente ayen in to Scotlonde that it was wonder for to wytte beseged the towne of Berwyk but the scottes wente ouer the water at Sole wath that was thre myle frome the kynges hoste and pryuely they stole a way by nyght came in to EngloÌ„de robbyd dystroyed all that they myght and sparde no manere thynge tyll that they came vnto yorke whan the englysshmen that were left at home herde thyse tydiÌ„ges all tho that myghte traueyll as well monkê prestes freres chanons seculers came mette wyth the Scotes at Myton vp swale the .xii. day of Octobre Alas for sorowe for the Englysshe husbonde men that coude no thynge of that werre kyllyd drowned in an arme of the see And the cheyftyenes syre wyllyam of Melton Arche bysshop of yorke the abbot of selby wyth there stedes fledde came to yorke and that was theyr owne foly that they had that myschaunce For they passed the water of Swale And the Scottes sette a fyre the staâ—kes of hey and the smote ther of was so huge that the Englysshmen myght not se the Scottes And whaÌ„ the englisshmen were gone ouer the water tho came the Scottes wyth theyr wynge in maner of a shelde and came to warde the EnglyssmeÌ„ in araye And the Englysshemen fledde For â—neth they hadde ony men of armys For the kynge hadde them almoost lost at the syege of Berwyk and the Scottes hobylers went bytwene the brydge and the Englysshmen And whan the grete host them mett the englysshemen fled bytwene the hobylers the gret hoste And the Englysshmen almoost were there slayne he that myght go ouer the water were saued But many were drowned Alas for there were slayne many men of relygyon seculers preestes clerkes with moche sorowe tharchebysshop escaped therfore the Scottes callyd that batayll the whyte batayll ¶ How kynge Edwarde dyde alle manere thynge that syr Hugh Spenser wolde· NOw as kynge Edwarde herde this tydynges he remeued his sege from Berwyk came agayn into Englond But Syr Hugh Spenser that was the kynges Chamberlayne kept so the kynges chambre that no maÌ„ myghte speke with the kynge But he had made with hym a fret for to do alle his nede that ouer mesure And this Hugh bare hym so stowte that all men had of hym scorne and dyspyte and the kynge hymself wolde not be gouerned ne rulyd by no manere of man but only by his fader by hym And yf ony knyghte of englonde hadde wodes maneyrs or londes that they wolde coueyte anone the Kyng must yeue it them or elles the man that ought it sholde be falsly endyted of forfeyt or felony And thrugh suche doynge they dysheryted many a bachelere and so moche londe he gate that it was grete wonder and whan the lordes of enlonde sawe the grete couetyse falsnesse of syr Hugh Spenser the fader of syr Hugh the sone they come to the gentyll erle of lancastre axyd hym of counseyll of the dysese that was in the reame though syr Hugh Spenser his sone in hast by one assente they made pryue asseÌ„ble at shirburneâ— Elmede they made there an othe for to breke dystouble the doinge bytwene the kynge and syr Hugh Spenser and his sone vpon theyr power And they went in to the marche of walys and dystroyed the londe of the forsayd syr hughes ¶ How syr hugh Spenser and his fader were exyled out of Englonde· SO whan kyng Edwarde sawe the grete harme and dystruccyoÌ„ that tho BaroÌ„s of Englonde dyde vnto syre hugh Spensers londe and to his sone in euery place that they came vpon the kynge tho thrugh hys counseyl yll exyled syr Monbraye syr Roger Clyfforde syr Gosselyn Dauyll many other lordes that were to theym consente wherfore the barons dyde tho more harme than they dyde before whaÌ„ the kynge sawe that the barons wolde not sesse of theyr cruelte the kyng was sore adradde lest they wolde dystroy hym his reame for his mayntenauÌ„ce but yf he assented to them And so he sente for theÌ„ by hys letters that they sholde come to London to hys parlement at a certaine daye as in his letters were conteyned they came with thre bataylles well Armyd at al poyntes euery batayl had cotarmours of grete clothe And therof the ryght quarter was yelowe wyth whyte bendes wherfore the parlemente was callyd the parlement of the whyte bende And in the company was syr Hunfrey de bohoune erle of Herford syre Roger Clyfforde syr Iohan Monbray syr Glosselyn Dauyll syr Roger Mortymer vncle of syr Roger mortymer of wygmore syr Henry of Trays syr IohnÌ„ Gyffarde syre Barthylmewe of Badelessemore that was the kynges stewarde that the kynge had sente to Shyrborne in Elmede to the erle of LaÌ„castre and to all that with hym were for to trete
squyres kept manly the water of seyn fought with theyr enmyes oft tymes And on that other syde of Seyn laye the erle of Hontyngdon master Neuyll the erles sone of westmer london and syr Gylbert Vmâ—reuyll erle of Keme and syr Rycharde erle of Arundell the lorde Feryers wyth theyr retenue before porte du pouÌ„te and eche of these lordes had stronge ordynauÌ„ce the kynge dyde make at PouÌ„tlarge ouer the water of Seyn a stronge and amyghty chayne of Iron put yt thrught grete pylis fast pyght in the grounde that wente ouer the Ryuer of Seyn that no vessell myght passe that in to kynde And aboue that chayn the kynge lete make a brydge ouer the water of Seyn that man hors all other caryage myght go to and fro at all tymes whaÌ„ nede were And than came the erle of warwyke and had goten DouÌ„fronte vnto kynge Henry of Englonde And anone the kynge sent the erle of warwyk to Cawdebeke for to be seyge yt And whan he came before the towne he sente his Heraudes vnto the Capytayne and badde hym yelde vp the towne vpon payne of dethe and anone he layde his sege And the Capytayne besought the erle that he myght come vnto hys presence and it pleased hym speke wyth hym and soo the good erle grauÌ„ted hym for to come And than he came oute and foure other burgeys came wyth hym entreated soo wyth this erle that this same towne was vnder composycyon to be done as the Cyte of Rome dyde and the Erle graunted and consented thoâ—to vpoon thys condycyon that the kynges nauye of Englonde wyth hys ordynaunce myghte passe by theym in saufte with out ony manere of lette or dysturbaunce And to his composycyon they sete to theyr seales And the shyppes passed vp by them in saufte and came before the Cytee of Rone in to an hondred shyppes there they caste theyr ankers and thanne thys Cyte was besyeged bothe by londe and by water And whan all this was done and the shyppes comen vp than came the erle of warwyke ayen to the kyng and lodged hym bytwene the abbaye of saynt Katherynes and the kyng tyll that the abbaye enteraced and so was yolden vnto the kynge And thanne he remeued hym thens and lodged hym before the porte Martenuylye and tho was the erle of Salysbury commaunded by the Kynge for to make hym redy for to ryde but there came hasty tydynges and made hym to abyde And soo he retorned ayen and lodged hym besyde the good Erle of Huntyngdon tylle that syege was ended ¶ And thenne came the good duke of Gloucestre the kynges brother from the syege of Chyrbourghe the whiche he hadde goten and stuffid it agayne vnto the kynges behoue and profyte vnto the crowne of Englond And whan he was comen to the kynge before Rone he lodged with greate ordynaunce before the porte Saynt Hyllary more nerer the towne and hys enmyes thenne ony other laye by .xl. roddes of lenthe within shote of quarell And wyth hym laye the Erle of Southfolke and the Lorde of Bergeyeney wyth all hys retenue and stronge ordynaunce and manly and proudly faughte euery day wyth theyr enmyes euer whan they yssued out of the cyte ¶ And thanne came the pryoure of Kylmayne of Irlonde ouer the see to the kynge wyth a fayr meny of armes of theyr owne countree gyse the somme of .xvi. hondred good mennys bodyes and the kyng welcomed theym and made theym goode there ¶ And thanne came thydynges vnto the kynge that the kynge of FrauÌ„ce and the Dolphyn with the duke of Burgoyne wolde come downe and rescowe the Cyte of Rone with a stronge power of all manere of nacyons and breke the syege And casteth hym to entre on the northe syde of the hooste by cause that there was the beste entrynge and moost playne and there for the kynge assyned the pryoure of Kylmayne wyth his power and lodged hym on the northe syde of the hoste for to stoppe theyr passage and was by the foreste of Lyons and of this ordynaunce they were full gladde so they went forthe in all haste kepte the grounde and the place that the kyng his counseyll had assygned and they quyte them as good warryours vnto thyer kynge ¶ Now wyll I tell you whyche were the chyef Capytayns gouernoure of the Cytee of Rome Monsyr â—uy Boteler was cheyf Capytayne bothe of the cyte and of the castell And Mon syre Teymygan he was Capytayne of porte Canx Mon syr de al Roche he was Capytayne of the Dysners Mon syr Anthony he was LyuetenauÌ„t to Mon syr Guy Botyler Henry Chantfyen he was the Capytayne of the porte dela Pounte· Iohan Materuas was Capytayne of the porte de la Castell Mon syr de Preant he was Capytayne of the porte of Saynt Hyllary The bastarde of Tyne he was Capytayn of the porte Martenuylle And graunt Iakes a worthy warryoure he was Capytayne of al meÌ„ of warre and he wys gouernour outwarde both on horsbacke and on foot of all men of armes whan they yssued out of the cytee of all the portes than he arayed them al they sholde encountre with our menye And eche of the Capytayns ladde fyue thousande men of armes and some moo And of the fyrste comynge of our Kynge theyr were nombred by Heroudes in to thre hundred thousande of meÌ„ and womeÌ„ chyldren what yonge and olde amonge all these was many a man full man of his hondes and so the preued them whan they yssued out of the cytee both on horsbacke and on foot for they came neuer att one gate allone but at thre or foure gates and atteÌ„ euery gate two or thre thousande of good mennys bodyes armed manfully encouÌ„tred with our EnglyssmeÌ„ and moche people slayne dyuerse tymes wyth gonnes quarelles and other ordynaunce And this syege dured ·xx wekes and euery they of the towne trusted to haue be rescowed but there cam none so att the laste they kepte towne soo lange that there deyed many a thousaÌ„des within the towne for defaute of mete of men and chyldren for they had eten theyr horses dogges and cattes that were in the towne And often tymes the men of armes drofe out the pore people out att the gates of the towne for spendynge of vytaylles and anone our Englysshmen drofe theym into the towne ayen Soo at the laste the Capytayne of the towne sawe the myschyef and that they were not rescowed and also the scarsyte of vytaylle and that the people deyed soo for defaute of meete euery daye many thousandes And also sawe yonge chyldren lye and souke theyr moders pappes were deed ¶ Than anone they sente to the kynge besechynge hym of hys grace and mercye and broughte the keyes of the towne vnto the kynge and delyuered the towne to hym al the soudyours voyed the towne with theyr horses and harnes and the comunes of the towne for to
Thenne the worlde shall be so vnstable and so dyuerse and varyable that the vnstablenes of thoughtes shall be bytokeneth by many manere dyuersytees of clothynge ¶ Here foloweth the dyscrecyon of the londe of wales ca. xvi NOwe this boke taketh on honde Wales after Englonde So take I my tales And wende into wales To that noble blood Of Pryamus blood Knowleche for to wynne Of greate Iupyters kynne For to haue in mynde ✚ Dardanus kynde In these foure tytles I fonde To tell the state of that londe â— Cause of the man I shall telle And thenne prayse the londe and well †Thenne I shall wryte with my pen. All the maners of the men Thenne I shall fonde â— To telle meruaylles of the londe ¶ Of the name and wherfore is named wales ca. xvii WAles nowe is called wallia And somtyme it heet Cambria For Camber Brutes sone Was prynce there dyde wone Thenne wallia was to mene For Gwalaes the quene Kynge Ebrancus chylde Was wedded theder mylde And of that lorde Gwalon With draweth of the sonnâ— And put to l.i a. â— And thou shalte fynde wallia ✚ And though this londe Be moche lesse than Englonde As good glebe is one as other In the doughter in the moder ¶ Of the coÌ„modytes of the londe of wales Capitulo xviii THough that londe be luyâ— It is full of corne and of fruyte And hath grete plente ywys Of flesshe and eke of fysshe Of beestes tame and wylde Of hors sheepâ— oxen mylde Good londe for all sedes For corne gras and herbes that spredes There ben woodes and medes Herbes and floures there spredes There ben Ryuers and welles Valeyes and also hylles Valeyes brynge forth flood And hylles metals good Cooll groweth vnder londe And gras aboue at honde There lyme is copyous And slates for hous Hony and mylke whyte There is deynte and not lyte Of braket meete and ale ✚ Is grete plente in that vale And all that endeth to the lyue That londe bryngeth forth ryue But of grete ryches to be drawe And close many in shorte sawe It is a corner small As though god fyrste of all Made that londe so fele To be selere of all hele Wales is deled by A water that heet Twy North wales from the south Twy deleth in places full couch The south heet Demicia And the other Venedocia The fyrste shoteth and arowes deres That other deleth all with spere In wales how it be Were somtyme courtes thre At Carmerthyn was that one And that other was in Mone The thyrde was in Powysy In Pegwern that nowe is Shrowesbury There were bysshops seuen And nowe ben foure euen Vnder Saxons all at home Somtyme vnder prynces of that londe ¶ Of the maners and rytes of the walsshmen ca. xix THe maner lyuynge of that londe Is well dyuerse frome Englonde In mete and drynke and clothynge And many other doynge They be clothed wonder well In a shyrte and in a mantell A cryspe brethe well saynâ— Dothe in wynde and in rayne In this clothynge they by bolde Though the weder be ryght colde without shetes alway Euermore in this araye They go fyght plye and lepe Stande sytte lye and slepe without surtoâ— gowne cote and kyrtyll without â—open tabarde clok or bell without lace and chaplet that her lappes without hode hatte or cappes Thus arayd gone the segges And alwaye with base legges They kepe none other goynge ⸫ Though they mete with the kynge with arowes and shorte speres They fyght with them that them deres They fyght better yf they neden Whan they go than whan they â—yden In stede of castell and coure They take woode and mareys for socour whan thâ—y seen it is to do In fyghtynge they wolde be a go Gyldas sayth they ben varyable In peas and not stable yf men aâ—e why it be It is no wonder for to se Though men put out of londe To put out other wolde fonde But all for nought at thys stonde For all many woodes ben at gronde And put the see amonge â—en castels buylded stronge The men may dure longe vnete And loue well conume mete They can ete and ben mury without greate cury They ete brede colde and hote Of â—arly and of ote Brode cakes rounde and thynne As well semeth so grete kynne Selde they ete brede of whete And selde they done one ete They haue gruell to pâ—tage And lekes kynde to com panage Also butter mylke and chese y shapeend londe and corner wyse Suche messes they ete snell And that maketh hem drynke well Meâ—e â—d ale that hath myght Theron they spende daye and nyght Euer the redder is the wyne They holde it the more fyne Whan they drynke atte ale They tyll many lewde tale For whan drynke is in handlynge They ben full of Ianglynge Atte meete and after eke Her solace is salte and leke The husbonde in his wyse Telleth that a grete pryce To gyue a gaudron with growele To hem that sytten on his mele He deleth his meete at meele And gyueth euery man his dele And all the ouer pluse He kepeth to his owne vse Therfore they haue woo And myshappes also They eten hote samon alwayâ— All though physyk say nay Her houses ben lowe with all And made of yerdes small Not as in cytees nyghe But fâ—rre a sonder and not to hyghâ— Whan all his eten at home Then to theyr neyghbours wyll they ronne And ete what they maye fynde and se And then torne home ayen The lyf is ydele that they ledes In brennynge slepynge and suche dedes Wallshmen vse with her myght To wesshe theyr ghestes fete a nyght yf he wesshe her fete all and somme Then they knowe that they be welcome They lyue so esely in a route That felde they bere purs aboute At her breche out and home They honge theyr money and combe It is wonder they beso hende And hate crak at nether ende And without ony core Make theyr wardrope at the dore They haue in grete mangery Harpe tabour and pype for mynstralsy They bere corps with sorywes grete And blowe londe hoenes of gheet· They prayse faste Troyau blood For ther of come all her brode ⸫ Nygh kyn they wyll be Though they passe a hondred degree Aboue other men they wyll hym dyght And worshyp preste with her myght As angels of heuen ryght They worshyp seruauntes of god almyght Ofte gyled was this brode And yerned batayll all for woode For Merlyns prophecye And ofte for sortelegye Beste in maners of Brytons For company of Saxons Ben torned to better ryght That is knowen as clere as lyght They tyllen gardyns felde and downes And drawe hym to good townes They ryde armed as woll god And go yhosed and yshoode And sytten fayre at her mele And slepe in beddes fayre and in fele So they seme nowe in mynde More Englysshmen than walsshe kynde yf men axe why they now do so More than they wonte to do They lyuen in more
they dyde For the Scottes were to grete rauenours that they tooke all that they myghte fynde in the londe of Lymoygne wythout ony sparynge and there with charged ayen the folke in to Scotlonde for to wende ¶ How kynge Arthur axed of Merlyn the aduentures of .vi. of the last kynges that were to regne in Englonde how the londe shold ende Syr sayd Merlyn In the yere of the Incarnacyon Ihesu Cryste M·CC xv shall come a lambe out of wynchestre shall haue a whyte tonge and true lyppes and he shal haue wryten in his herte holynes This lambe shall make many goddes houses he shall haue peas the moost parte of his lyfe And he shall make one of the fayrest places of the worâ—de that in his tyme shall not fully â—e made an ende of ¶ And in the ende of his lyf wulf of a straunge londe shall doo hym moche harme and sorowe thrugh warre But at the ende the lambe shall be mayster thrugh helpe of a reede foxe that shall come out of the North west hym shall ouercome and the wulf shall deyâ— in water And after that tyme the lambe shall lyue noo whyle but he shall deye ¶ His heed shall be in a strauÌ„ge londe And the londe shall be wythout a gouernour a lytell tyme ANd after this shall come a dragoÌ„ medled with mercy also with woodnesse And that shall haue aberde as a gote that shal gyue in Englonde a shade we and shall kept the londe fro colde hete and hys owne fooâ— shall be sette in wyke that other in London And he shall enbrace Inhabitaunces And he shall open his mouth to warde walys And the tremblynge of the hydour of his mouthe hys â—eres shall stretche to warde many habytacyons and countrees And his breth shall be full swete in strauÌ„ge londe And in his tyme shall the ryuers renne blood and with brayne And he shall make iÌ„ places of his londe walles that shall do moche harme vnto hys seed after hys tyme. ¶ And thenne shall there come a people out of the North west durynge his regne that shall be ladde thrughout a wycked hare that the dragon shall do crowne kynge that afterwarde shall flee ouer the see wyth out comynge ayen for drede of the dragon ¶ And in that tyme the sonne shall be as reed as an blood that see thorughout all the worlde that shall betoken grete pestylence dethe of folke thorugh dynt of swerde And that people shall be faderles tyll the tyme that the dragon deye thrugh an hare that shal meue ayenst hym warre vnto the ende of his lyf that shall not fully be ended in his tyme ¶ This dragon shall be holde in his tyme the best body of the worlde and he shall deye besyde the marches of a strauÌ„ge londe and the londe shall dwel faderles wythout a good gouernour and men shall wepe for his dethe from the yle of Shepey to the hauen of Marcyll ¶ wherfore Alas alas shall be theyr songe of faderles folke that shall ouer lyue in his londe destroyed ANd after this dragon shall come a gote out of Kar that shall haue hornes a berde of syluer and there shall come out of his nosethryll a dompe that shall betoken hungre and sorowe and grete dethe of the people And moche of his londe in the begynnynge of hys regne shall be wasted ¶ Thys gote shall go ouer vnto FrauÌ„ce and shall open the floure of his lyf and deth ¶ In his tyme there shal aryse an Eâ—â—e in Corne wayâ—e that shall haue fethers of goâ—e that of pryde â—haâ— be without pere of the londe And he shall despyâ—e lordes of blood And aâ—â—er he shall flee shamefully by a beer at Gâ—uerâ—eâ—h and after shall be made brydges of men vpon the costes of the â—ee and stones shall falle from castelles many other townes shall be made playne ¶ In his tyme shall seme that the beer shall brenne and a batayll shall be done vpon the armes of the see in a felde ordeyned as a sheld And at that batayl shall deye many whyte heedes wherfore thys batayll shall be called the whyte batayll And the forsayd beer shall do thys gote moche harme it shall come out of the South west of his blood Thenne shall the goâ—e lese moche of hys londe tyll that the tyme that frenshyp shall hym ouercome And thenne shall he close hym in a lyons skynne thenne shall he wynne that he had before lost more therto For a people shall come out of the North west that shall make the gote so sore aferde thet he shall be in grete perplexite And he shal aduenge hym on his enmyes thrugh couÌ„seyll of two owles that fyrste shall be in peryll for to be vndone But the olde owle shall wende away a certayne tyme after he shal come ayen in to this londe These two owles shall do grete harme to many one and soo they shall counseyll the gote to arere warre ayenst the forsayd beer And at the last the goâ—e and the owles shall come at Burton vppon Trent and shall go ouer and for drede the beer shall â—â—ee a swanne wyth hym fro his company to Burton warde the north and there they shall be with an harde shoure And thenne shall the swanne be take slayne wiâ—h sorowe and the beer taken heeded al ther next his â—est that shall stande vpon broken brydge on whom the sonne shall cast hys beemes And many shall hym seke for vertue that from hym shall come ¶ In the same shall deye for sorowe â—â—are apâ—ple of his londe soo that londes shall be vpon hym the more boâ—der after warde And those two owles shall doo moche sorowe to the foresayd floure of lyf her shall lede in to dystrestre so that shall passe ouer the see into Fraunce for to make peas bytwene the gote and the flouredelyse and there she shall dwelle tyll a tyme that her sede shall come and setâ—e her â— they shall be styll tyll a tyme that they shalle them clothe wyth grache And they shall fethe the owles and shall put them to dyspytous deth And after shall this gote be broughte to dysease and great Anguysshe and in sorowe he shall lyue all his lyf AFter thys gote shall come out of wyndesore a boore that shall haue an heed oâ— a whyte lynons herte and pyteous lokynge ¶ His vysage shalle be reste to lyke men Hys breeste shall be staunchynge of thyrste to tho that be thrysty His worde shall be gospell hys herynge shall be meke as a lambe· In the fyrste yere of his regne he shall haue grete payne to Iustefye theÌ„ that ben vntrue ¶ And in his tyme shall hys londe be multeplyed wyth alyauntes And this boore thorugh fyresnesse of hys herte that he shal haue shal make wulues to become lambes he shall be called thorugh out of the worlde Boore of holynesse fyersâ—esse of noblynesse and of
mekenesse And he shall mesurably al that he shall do vnto the brough of Ierusalem ¶ And he shall whette his teeth vpon the yates of Pards and vpon foure londes Spayne shall tremble for drede Gascoyne shall swete In FrauÌ„ce he shal put his wynge His grete tayle shall reste in Englonde softly Almayne shalle quake for drede of hym ¶ This boore shal yeue bantelles to two townes of Englonde and shall make the Ryuer renne wyth blood brayne And he shall make many medowes reede and he shall gette as moche as his auncetours dyd And er that he dyed he shall bere thre crownes and he shall put a londe in greate subiecyon And after it shall be releued but not in his tyme. ¶ This boore after he is deed for hys doughtynesse shall be entyred at Coleyne And his loÌ„de shall be fulfylled of all good AFter this boore shall come a lambe that shalle haue fâ—et of leed and an heed of brasse and herte of loppe a swynes skynne And an harde And in hys tyme hys londe shal be in peas the fyrste yere of his regne he shall do make a cytee that all the worlde shall speke there of ¶ This lambe shall lese in his tyme a grete parte of his londe thrugh an hydeous wulfe but he shall recouer it and yeue a lordshyp to an Egle of his londe and this egle shal welle gouerne it tyll the tyme that pryde shall hym ouercome Alas the sorwe For he shalle deye of hys brothers swerde And after shall the londe falle to the forsayd lambe that shall gouerne the londe in peas all hys lyues tyme. And after he shall deye and the londe be fulfylled of all maner of good AFter this lambe shal come a mold warpe cursyd of goddes mouth a caytyf a cowarde an haare He shall haue an elderly skynne as a gote vengeaunce shall falle vpon hym for synÌ„e ¶ In the fyrst yere of his regne he shall haue of all good gret plente in hys londe and to warde hym also And in hys londe he shall haue grete praysyge tyll the tyme that he shal surffre his people lyue in to moche pryde without chastysynge wherfor god wyl be wrothe· ¶ Thenne shall aryse vp a dragon of the North that shall be full fyerse and shal meue warre ayenst the forsayd mold warpe shal yeue hym batayle vpon a stone This dragon shall gadre ayen in to his company a wulfe that shall rome out of the west to meue warre ayenst the forsayd mold warpe in hys syde so shall the dragon and bynde theyr tayles to gyders ¶ ThenÌ„e shall come a lyon out of Irlonde that shall falle in company wyth them And thenne shall tremble the londe that shall becalled Englonde as an aspen leyf And in that tyme shal castelles be felled downe vpon Tamyse And ye shall seme that Seuerne shal be drye for the bodyes that shall falle deed there in The foure chyef floodes in Englonde shall renne in blood And grete drede shall he anguysshe that shall aryse ¶ After the mold warpe shall flee and the dragon The lyon and the wulf shall them dryue a waye and the lon shall be wythout them And the mold warpe shall haue no maner of power sauf only a shyppe wherto he maye wynder ¶ And after that he shall goo to londe where the see is wythdrawe And after that he shall yeue the thyrde parte of hys londe for to haue the fourth parte in peas and in reste And after he shall lyue in sorowe all his lyftyme· ¶ And in his tyme the hâ—â—r bathes shal become colde And after that shall the mold warpe deye auenturously and sodenly Alas for sorowe for he shall be drowned in a flood of the see His seed shall be come faderles in straunge loude for euer more And then shall the londe be departed in to thre partes that is to saye to the wulf to the dragan and to the lyon And soo shall it be for euermore· And thenne shalle thys londe be called the â—de of Conquest And so shall the ryghe heyres of Englonde ende ¶ How Arthur ouercame Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde And how the Scottes became his men THenÌ„e whan Guillomer that was kynge of Irlonde herde tydyges the kynge Arthur was entred at Glastenbury he ordeyned agrete pewer of Irysshmen and came to the see wyth his Irysshe people soo came in to Scotlonde ouer the see arryued fast there by that kynge Arthur was with his hoste a none as he wyst therof he went to warde hym and yaue hym bataylle ouercame hym anone ryght And Guillomer fledde wyth hys meÌ„ agayne in to Irlond And whan thys was done and dyscomfyted hym Arthur torned hym ayen there that he was in to the place there that he had lefte the Scottes and wolde haue them all slayne But the bysshopes abbottes and other folke of the countree and ladyes open heeded came before kynge Arthur and cryed hym mercy and sayde Syre gentyll kynge myghty haue mercy and pyte vpon vs. And as yourself be of the ryght lawe to holde and mayntene Crystendome For full grete dyshoudur yt shold be to slee hym that byleueth in almyghty god as ye do And for goddes loue haue mercy and pyte on vs suffre vs. For we haue hadde moche sorowe and payne For the Saxons haue many tymes passed thrugh our londe But that is not ynough to you for often tymes they haue done vs sorowe dysease For our castelles they haue taken and our beestes slayne eten and moche harme they haue vs done And yf ye wolde vs now slee it were none honour to a kynge to slee them that crye hym mercy For ynough ye haue done to vs haue vs ouercome And for the loue of god that ye wyll suffre vs for to lyue haue mercy on crysten people that byleue in Cryst as ye do ¶ whaÌ„ kynge Arthur herde this sorowe he had pyte of them yaue them lyf lymme without ony more harme And they fell downe to his feet thanked hym and became his lyege men and he toke of them homage ¶ And after the kynge Arthur torned ayen wyth hys hoste the came vnto yorke and made there hys bydynge durynge that vyage And tho gaue he al Logrys to Aloth that had spowsed his syster and other gyftes grete plente· And tho was Gawen his cosyn but of youge â—ege And to all hys other men that hym had serued in hys warre he gaue ryche gyftes and thanked them moche of all theyr good seruyce ¶ How kynge Arthur spowsed GuÌ„nor that was GuÌ„nors cosyn Erle of Corne wayle and after he conquered of Guillomer all Irlonde ANd whan Arthur hadde broughth ys lond in peas and rest and in good state and all was well in euery countre Tho toke and wedded a wyf that was called GuÌ„nor and made her quene a fayre lady and a gentyll that Cador the Erle of Corne wayle hadde nourysshed iÌ„ his
had leuer to be deed than with hym to deale soo moche payne sorowe I haue whan he me â—oclyeth ¶ whan Kay and. Bed were had all that thys woman theÌ„ tolde they torned ayen came to kynge Arthur and tolde hym all that they had seen and herde ¶ Arthur anone toke them bothe wit hym and wente pryuely by nyght that none of his hoste wyste and came on the morowe erly to the. Gyaunt and faught wyth hym strongely and at the laste hym slewe And Arthur badde Bed were smyte of hys heed and brynge it to the host to shewe it for a wonder for it was soo grete and huge ¶ whan they came ayen to the hoste they tolde wherfore they hadde ben out and shewed to them the heed and euery man was gladde and. Ioyefull of the worthy dede that kynge Arthur had done that was theyr lorde And Howell was full sorowfull for his nece that was so loste And after warde whan he had space he lete make a fayre chapell of our lady ouer Eleyns tomebe ¶ How kynge Arthur yaue bataylle to the Emperperour in the whyche bataylle the Emperour hymself was slayne ARthur and his people herde tydynges that the. Emperour had assembled a greate power as well of sarasyns as of paynyms and crysten men wherof the nombre was .lxxx. thousande hors men with foot meÌ„ ¶ Arthur and his people ordeyned faste forth theyr waye towarde the. Emperour and passed Normandy and. Fraunce vnto Burgoyne and wolde haue gone vnto the hoste For men tolde hym that the. Emperours host wolde come to Lucie ¶ The Emperour and hys hoste in the begynnynge of August remeued from Rome and came forthe ryght the waye â—o warde the hoste ¶ Tho came kyng Arthur spyes and sayde yf that Arthur wolde he sholde fynde the Emperour there faste by put they sayd that the Emê‘our had so grete power wyth hym of kinges of the loÌ„de of Paynems also cristen peple that it were but folyt to kyng Arthur to mete with theÌ„ For the spyes tolde that the emê‘our had fyue or six men ayenst one of his ¶ Kyng Arthur was blody hardy and for noo thynge hym nysmayed and sayede Goo we boldely in goddes name ayenste the. Romayns that wyth them lede Sarrasyns and. Paynems that noo maner truste they haue in god But only vpon theyr strengh Go we now and seke them sharply in the name of almyghty god slee we the â–ª Paynems and crysten men that ben ayenst vs with theÌ„ for to destroye CrysteÌ„ men And god shall vs helpe theÌ„ to ouercome For we haue the ryght â—penyon and therfore haue we truste in god And we so that the enmyes that be to crystendome and to god may be destroyed and ouercome that men maye recorde the worthynesse of knyght hode whan kynge Arthur hadde thus sayd they cryed all wyth an hyghe voys ¶ God that is fader almyghty worshypped be thy name without ende Amen And graunt vs grace well for to do and to destroye oure enmyes that ben ayenst crystendome In the name of the fader the sone and holy ghost Amen And god yeue hym neuer grace ne worshyp in the worlde ne mercy of hym to haue that thys daye shall faynte well for to smyte and egerly And so they rode softly ordeyned his wynges well wysely ¶ The Emperour herde telle that kynge Arthur his folke were redy appaerylled for to fyght with hym and how they were comynge He lete ordeyne hê wynges iÌ„ the best wyse that he cowde And more trusted vpon his strenght than in god almyghty that was seen afterwarde· For whan the two hostes mette the. Emperour lost four of hys folke ayenst one of Arthur And so many were slayne \ what on the one party on that other that it was grete pyte to wyte to be beholde ¶ In thys batayll were slayne thrugh kynge Arthurs fyue kynges of the Paynems and of other wonder moche people and kyng Arthurs men fought so well that the Romayns and paynems hadde nomore strengthe to wythstonde them than .xx. shepe ayenst fyue wulues ¶ And so it befelle that in thys batayll in the shoure that was wonder harde longe durynge in that one syde and in that other the. Emperour amonge them there was slayne but ther was no man that wyste for very so the who hym slewe ¶ How kynge Arthur lete entyere his knyghtes that he had lost there in batayll and how he sente the. Emperours body to Rome that there was slayne in batayll SO whan the. Romayns wyst that the Emperour was deed they forsoke the felde the paynens also And kynge Arthur after them chaced tyll it was nyght soo many of them slewe that it was wonder to tell And the torned kynge Arthur ayen whan it was nyght thanked god of hys victorye And on the morowe he lete loke and serche all the felde for his knyghtes that he there lost That is to saye Borell Erle of Maunt. Bed were and Kay and. Lyegiers Erle of Boleyne Vortiger Erle of Baac Aloth Erle of wynchestre Cuisall Erle of Chestre and after Holden Erle of Flaandres These were the grete lordes that kynge Arthur loste in that batayll wyth other worthy knyghtes them amonge And some he lete entere in abbayes by the countree some he lete to be borne in to theyr owne couÌ„tree ¶ And the Emperours body he lete take put vpon a beyr sente it to Rome And sayde to the Romayns that for Brytayne FrauÌ„ce whiche he helde other truage wolde hen one paye ¶ And yf they axeâ— hym ony other truages ryght suche truage he wolde theym payne ¶ The kynge lete bere Kay to Kenen his owne castel there hym entered And Leygier was borne to Boleyne there he was lorde And Holden was borne to Flaunders there he was entered And all the other he lete entere wyth moche honour in abbayes in houses of relyon in the couÌ„tre that they were slayne ¶ And Arthur hymself soiourned that same yere in Bourgoyne with his hoste thoughte the same yere folowynge to passe the mount Ioye haue gone to Rome also to haue taken the Cyte and haue put the Romoyns in subiecyon but the wycked tyraunt Mordred hym lette as afterye shall here ¶ How the traytour Mordred to whome kynge Arthur tooke hys londe to kepe and his castelles helde them ayenst hym â–ª AS Arthur had taken to Mordred hys reame to kepe gone ayenst the Emperour of rome was passed the see Mordred anoÌ„e toke homages feates of all theym that were iÌ„ this londe wolde haue had this londe to his owne vse toke castelles about lete theÌ„ be arayed after thys falsenesse he dyde an other grete wronge for ayenst the lawe of crysteÌ„ te he tooke hys owne emys wyf as a traytour shold ordeyned him a grete host ayeÌ„st arthurs comyng to hold the londe ayenst hym with streÌ„gthe for euer more
at ther owne wyll And they wolde haue made newe kyngis lordes but they myght neuer assent to haue only oo kynge for to be to them attendaunt therfore they made many kynges in dyuerse shyres as it was in Engistes tyme. The fyrste kyngdome was Kente that othe Southsexe and the thyrde westsex the fourth Eestsex the fyfth NothuÌ„berlonde and the sixth Estangle that is to saye Northfolke and Southfolke and the seuenth Mercheryche and that is the Erldoste of Nycholl HuÌ„tyngdon Herforde Gloucetre wynlchestre wer wyke Derby and so departed all Englond in to .vii. partyes ¶ And after that it befell that tho kyngê warred oft tymes togyder And euer he that was strongest toke hym that was feblest and soo it was longe tyme that they had noo kynge crowned amonge theym ne no crysten man was tho amonge them ne crystendome nather But were paynems tyll that saynt Gregory was pope of Rome that had seen childern of the nacyon of Englonde in the cyte of Rome that were wonder fayre creatures had grete wyll and desyre theym to beholde And axed of the marchauÌ„tes whens they were and of what nacyon And men tolde hym that they were of Englonde and Inglysshe they were called but they all the people of Englonde were paynems and byleued not vpon god ¶ Alas sayde saynt Gregory well maye they be called Englysshe for they haue the vysages of angels and therfore well ought they to be crystened And for this cause saynt Gregory theresente saynt Austyn in to EngloÌ„de .xl. good meÌ„ with hym that were of good lyf holy men to preche teche to comuetre the Englysshe people them to torne to god that was in the .vi. yere that saynt Gregory had be pope of Rome that is to saye ofter thyn carnacyon of our lorde Ihesu Cryste .v. C.lxxxv yeres as the Cronycle telleth ¶ How saynt Austyn baptysed and conuerted kynge Adelbryght and the bysshoppes that he made his felowes AS saynt Austyn came fyrste in to Englonde he arryuen in the yle of Tenet and so passed forth came vnto Caunterbury and there soyourned And kynge Adelbryght of Kent that was the lygnage of Engist goodly receyued saynt Austyn hys felowes wyth moche honour and them fouÌ„de all that them neded And more ouer he yaue theym a fayre place that now is called the abbay of Shynt Austyn in whiche place he lyth hym self shryned ¶ This kynge Adelbryght was a good man wyth good wylle herde saynt Austyns predycacyons and yaue hym leue to preche thrughout all hys londe before sayd of Kente to torne and conuerte to hym all the people that he myght ¶ It befelle soo after thorugh goddes grace that in lytell tyme the kynge hymself was conuerted to god and all hys peop of his londe were baptysed And in the meane whyle the peple torned them to god ¶ Saynt Austyn came to Rochestre there he preched the worde of god And the paynems therfore hym scorned and caste vpon hym reygh taylles so that all his mantell was hanged full of these reygh tayles and for more dyspyte they caste vpon hym the guttes of reyghes other fysshe wherfore the good man Saynt Austyn was sore anoyed and greued And prayed to god that all tho chyldern of that cyte that sholde be borne after warde that is for to saye in the of Rochestre myght haue taylles and soo they hadde And whan the kynger herde of this vengeaunce that was falle thrugh saynt Austyns prayer He lete make an house in the honour of almyghty god wherin wymmen sholde be delyuered of theyr childern at the bryges ende In the whiche hous yet wymmen of the cyte ben delyuerde of chylde ¶ whan that saynt Gregory hadde hrede tell how the Englysshe people were torned to god comuerted he sente vnto saynt Austyn his pallyon by a bâ—sshop that was called Paulin and made hym Prymate Archebysshop of Englonde And sente worde that he sholde ordeyne make dysposynge the londe And anone Austyn had the pallyon of the dygnyte of the Archebysshyp He made two bysshops of his felowes that came with hym fro Rome one was called Mellite he dwelled at London that other was called Iustin that helde the dygnyte at Rochestre And this bysshop Mellite tho went to preche in to Estsex and erystened the kynge of the countree that was called Sicwith that was kynge Adlebrytes cosyn hys systers sone ¶ Thys Iustyn wente to preche in Southseâ— and torned moche of the people to god And Saynt Austyn hymselfe preched thorugh out Englonde ¶ How saynt Austyn wente in to waels there the Brytons were how they wolde not beobedyent tothe Archebysshop of CauÌ„terbury SO whan all Englonde was crystened and torned to god saynt Astuyn went in to that londe there that the Brytons were for to kepe them frome Englysshmen that is â–ª to saye in to ways And there he founde monkes abbayes and .vii. bysshops For the Brytons alwaye destroyed the crysten people that saynt Austyn had conuerted And he sayde to the bysshops that he was a Legate of Rome Prymate of all Englonde that they sholde by all reason to hym be obedyenc they sayde they nolde but to the. Archebysshop of Carlyon they wolde They wolde neuer for noo maner thynge be obedyent to the Englysshe men For the Englysshemen they sayde ben our aduersaryes our enmyes haue dryuen vs out of our countree weben crysten men euer haue be And the Englysshemen haue euer be paynems but now of late that they ben conuerted ¶ Saynt Austyn of them myght haue none answere otherwyse but sayd pertly that they wolde neuer them meke to hym ne to the pope of Rome And saynt Austyn torned ayen tho to kynge Adelbryght that was kynge of Kent and tolde hym that hys folke wolde not be to no man obedyent but to the. Archebysshop of Carlyon And whan the kynge herde thys he was sore anoyed sayd that he wolde them destroye and sent to Elfryde kynge of Northunberlonde that was hys frende that he sholde come to hym with al the power that he myght and that he wolde mete hym at Leycetre and fro thens they wolde go in to walys and there destroye the Archebysshop of Carlyon and all tho that had refused saynt Austyn ¶ How kynge Adelbryght and the kynge Elfryde slewe Brecinall that was a kynge of Brytons that helde the countree of Leycetre IT be tell soo that there was a kynge of Brytons that helde the countree of Leycetre and alle the countree aboute hys name was Brecinall And this Bryton herde telle that tho two Englysshe kynges wolde mete there at Leycetre for to goo in to walys He lete ordeyne all the power that he had for to goo fyght with these two kynges but lytel it auayled hym for his folke that he had were slayne and hymself fledde loste his londes for euer more ¶ And
the kyng and came to his courte at his coÌ„maundement And the erle demed sauely for to come And the kyng anon lete take hym put hym in to pryson And myght neuer for no thynge come out tyll that he had yelded vp to the kynge the castell of Nicholl the whiche he had taken from the kynge with his strengthe in the .xv. yere of his regne ¶ And Gaufride the erle of Angoy yaue vp vnto Henry his sone all Normandy And in the yere that nexte ensewed deyed the erle Gaufryde And Henry his sone tho anoÌ„e torned ayen to Angoy there was made erle wyâ—h moche honour of all hys men of the londe And to hym dyde feaute homage the moost party of the londe And tho was thys Henry the Empresse sone erle of Angoy also duke of Normandy ¶ In the same yere was made a dyuorce bytwnene the kynge of Fraunce and the quene hys wyfe that was ryght heyre of Gascoyne For bycause that it was knowen and proued that they were sybbe and nyghe of blood And tho spowsed her Henry the Empresse sone erle of Angoy and the duke of Normandy and duke of Gascoyne ¶ In the .xviii yere of thys Stephen thys Henry came in to Englonde with a stronge power began for to warre vpon this kyng Setphen toke the castell of Malmesbury dyde moche harme And the kynge Stephen had so moche warre that he wyst not whyther for to go But at the laste they were accorded thrugh the Archebysshop Theobaldus thrugh other worthy lordes of Englonde vpon this condycyon that they sholde departe the Realme of Englonde but wene theym two so that Henry the Empresse sone sholde hooly haue the half of all the londe of Englonde And thus they were accorded peas was cryed thrughout al Englonde And whan the accorde was made bytwene tho two lordes kynge Stephen became so sory for bycause that he had lost half Englonde felle in to suche a malady and deyed in the .xix. yere and .viii. wekes and .v. dayes of his regne all in warre and in contake And he â—yeth in the abbaye of Feuersham the whyche he lets make in the .xvi. yere of his regne CElestynus the seconde was pope after Innocencius .v. monethes And lytell he dyde ¶ Lucius was after hym lytell proffyted for they deyed both iÌ„ a pestylence ¶ Eugenius the seconde was pope after hym .v. yere foure monethes Thys man fryst was the dyscyple of saynt Bernarde after the abbot of saynt Anastasius by Rome And came to the chirche of saynt Cesary and was chosen pope by the Cardynalles he no thynge knowynge therof And for drede of the Senatours he was consecrated without thys cyte thys man was an holy man suffred trybulacyon And atte the last he decessyd and lyeth at saynt Peters And after anone decessyd Saynt Bernarde ¶ Petrus Lombardus the bysshop of Parys brother to Graciam compyled the foure bokes of the Sentence this tyme. ¶ Petrus CoÌ„mestor brother to GraciaÌ„ and to Pyerrs Lombardus made Hystoriam Scolasticam and other bokes ¶ Fredericus primus after Conradus was emperour in Almayne in Rome ·xxxiii yere This man after the deth of Adryan the pope the whyche crowned hym dyde cursydly wyth Alexander to hym grete preiudyce For he dyd helpe foure that stroue ayenst the appostles sete And he faught myghtely ayenste the kynge of Fraunce through power of the Danys other nacyons But Rycharde the kynge of Englonde halpe for to expoulse hym And he destroyed medyolanuÌ„ to the grounde Of the whiche cytee the walles were hygher than the walles of yny other cytee This man at the laste after that he had done many vexacyons to the pope he was recounsyled for he dradde leste the Lombardes wolde haue rebelled ayenste hym he axed for yeuenes of the pope And toke the crosse vpon hym and wente vnto the holy londe and dyde many meruayllous thynges there almoost as moche as euer dyde Karolus magnus And there he came by a towne that men calle Armeniam and in a lytell water he was drowned and at Tyrum he was buryed ¶ Anastasius was pope after Eugenius foure yere and more This man was abbot of Rufy and thenne he was chose Cardynall and after pope ¶ Of kynge henry the seconde that was the Empresse sone in whose tyme saynt Thomas of Caunterbury was Chaunceller ANd after thys kynge Stephen regned Henry the Empresse sone and was crowned of the Archebysshoppe Theobaldus the .xvii. daye before Crystemas And in the same yere Thomas Beket of london Archebysshop of caunterbury was made the kynges Chaunceller of Englonde ¶ The seconde yere that he was crowned he lete caste downe all the newe castels that were longyngt to the Crowne the whiche kynge Stephen had yeue vnto dyuerse men them hade made erles barons for to holde with hym to helpe hym ayenst Henry thempresse sone ¶ And the fourth yere of his regne he put vnder his owne lordshyp the kyng of walis And in the same yere the kyng of Scotlond had in his owne honde that is to saye the cyte of Karleyll the castell of Bambrugh and the newe castell vpon Tyne and the erledom of Lancastre ¶ The same yere the kyng with a grete power wente in to walys lete caste downe woodes and made wayes made stronge the castell of Rutlonde Basyngwark And amonge the castels he made an howse of the Temple ¶ And in the same yere was Rycharde his sone borne that afterwarde was erle of Oxforde And the fourth yere of his regne he made Gaufryde erle of Brytayne And in that yere he chaunged his moneye And the .vi. yere of hys regne he ladde a grete hoste to Tolouse conquered it And the .vii. yere of his regne deyed Theobaldus the Archebisshop of Caunterbury and tho almoost al the cyte of CauÌ„terbury through myschyef was breÌ„te The .ix. yere of his regne Thomas beket that was his ChauÌ„celler was chosen Archebysshop of Caunterbury· And vpon saynt Bernardes daye he was sacred And in that yere was borne the kyngê doughter Eelenore ¶ And in the .x. yere of his regne saynt Edwarde the kyng was translated wyth moche honour ¶ And the .xi. yere of hys rgne he helde his parlameÌ„te at Northampton and fro thens sledde saynt Thomas Archebysshop of Counterbury for the grete debate that was betwixt the kynge hym For yf he had be fouÌ„de on the morowe he had be slayne therfore he fledde thens wyth thre felowes on foot oonly that no man wyste where he was \ wente ouer the see to the pope of Rome And this was the pryncypall cause For asmoche as the kynge wolde haue put clerkes to deth that were ataynt of felonye without ony preuelegye of holy chyrche ¶ And the .xii. yere of his regne was Iohan his sone borne ¶ And the .xiii. yere of his regne deyed Maude the Empresse that was
hauÌ„tyd ¶ And also Merlyn tolde and sayd that this gote shold seke the floure of lyf and of deth and he sayd sothe For he spowsyd Isabell the kyngê syster of FrauÌ„ce And in his tyme Merlyn sayd that there sholde be made brydges of folke vpon dyches of the see and that was well seen at Bannockysborne in Scotlonde whan he was dyscoÌ„fyted there of the Scottes And Merlyn tolde also that stones sholde fall from castels and many townes sholde be made playne And he sayd sothe For whan that kynge Edwarde was dyscoÌ„fyted in Scotlonde came tho south warde the Scottes besegyd the castels dyde them moche harme brent townes in to the herde erth ¶ And after ward Merlyn tolde that an Egle sholde come of Corne wayle that sholde haue feders of golde that of pryde shold haue no pere he shelde dyspyse lordes of blod after he sholde dey throgh a beer at Gauersych that prophecye was full well knowe funde sothe For by the egle vnderstonde syr Pers of ganaston that tho was erle of Corne wayle that was a wonder proude man that dyspysed the baronage of Englonde but after warde he was heeded act Gauersich thrughe the erle of Lancastre and thrugh therle of warwyk ¶ And merlyn tolde that in his tyme it sholde seme that the beer sholde brenne that batayll sholde be vpon an arme of the see in an felde arayed lyke a shelde where sholde deye many whyte hedes And he sayd sothe For by the brynnynge of the beer yt betokenyd grete drede thrugh kyttyng of swerdes at that bataylle of Myton for there came the Scottes in manere of a sâ—elde in maner of a wynge and slewe men of relegyon prestes seculers wherfore the Scottes callyd that batayll in dyspyce of the Englyssmen the whych batayll And after Merlyn sayde the forsayde beer sholde do the gote moche harme and that sholde be vpon the south west also vpon hys blode And sayde also that the gote sholde lese moche deale of his londe tyll the tyme the shame sholde hym ouer come them he sholde clothe hm in a lyons skynÌ„e sholde wynne ayen that he had lost and more thrugh people that sholde come out of the Northwest that sholde make hym to be a ferde And hym auenge vppon his enmyes thrugh counsell of two owles the fyrst sholde be in paâ—yll to be vndone And that tho two owles shold go ouer see in to strauÌ„ge lond And there they sholde dwelle vnto a certayne tyme. and thenne they sholde come in to Englonde ayen And tho owles sholde doo moche harme vnto many one And that they sholde counsell the gote to meue warre ayenst the forsayd beer And the gote and the owles sholde to an arme of the see at Burton trente sholde go ouer that for drede the beer sholde flee with a swanne in companye to Bury towarde the. North. thrugh an vnkynde outpulter and that the swanne thenÌ„e shall be slayne wyth sorowe and the beer sholde be slayne ful nyghe his owne nest that sholde stonde vppon pounfret vpon whom the sonne shall shede his beemes And many folke hym shalle seke for vertue And he sayd sothe For the good erle Thomas of Lancastre was borne in the Northwest And cosyn to the kynge his vncles sone and by lawe he made the kynge lese moche londe the whiche he had purchacyd wylfully tyll at the last the kyng toke therof shame hym self slewe with cruelte And after he gate ayen that he had lost and moche more thrugh folke that he â—ette asseÌ„ble out of the Northwest thaâ— made hym to be adradde And auengyd hym on his barons thrugh counsell of syr Hugh Spenser the fader and of syr Hugh the sone that before were outlawed for theyr wyckydnesse· But afterwarde they came ayen in to Englonde syr â—e werâ—â— vpon Thomas of Lancastâ—â— Soo that the kynge and the Spensers the erle of Arundell and theyr power mette wyth Thomas of Lancastre 〈◊〉 Burton vpon trente and hym there dyscomfyted and syr Vmfroy erle of her forde was in his company And after fledde the forsayd Thomas and Humfroy with theyr coÌ„pany to burbrugge metinge with syr Andrew of Herkela that is callyd the vnkynde outpulter and also syr â–ª Symonde warde erle of yorke came and mette with Thomas of Lancastre with an huge power and theÌ„ dyscomfyted in that scomfyture the erle of Herforde was slayne vpoÌ„ the brydge cowardly wyth spere in the foundement and the erle Thomas was take ladde vnto PouÌ„fret and tho was heedyd besyde his owne castell But afterwarde many hym sought for myracles that god dyde for hym ¶ And in that tyme Merlyn sayd for sorowe and harme shold deye a people of his londe wherfore many londes shold be vpon hym the more bolder and he sayd sothe for bycause of his barons that were doone to dethe for sayÌ„t Thomas quarell of Lancastre peple of many londes became the bolder for to meue werre vpoÌ„ the kyng for theyr blood was torned to many nacyons And afterwarde Merlyn tolde sayd that the forsayd owles sholde doo moche harme vnto the flour of lyf and deth and they shold brynge her to moche dysese So that she sholde go ouer see into Fraunce for to make peas to the floure delyte there sholde abyde tyll a time her sede sholde come and fetche her and tho they sholde abyde bothe tyll the tyme that they sholde clothe them wyth grace tho two owles she sholde seke And put theÌ„ to pyteuous deth And that prophecy was full well knowe and was full sothe for syr Hugh Spenser the fader and syr Hugh the sone dyde moche sorowe persecucyon vnto the quene Isabel thrugh theyr procurement to her lorde the kynge So they ordeyned amonge them that she was wagys That is to saye .xx. shelynges in the daye wherfore the kynge of FrauÌ„ce her brother was sore anoyed and sente into Englonde by his letters vnto kynge Edwarde to come vnto hys parlement to Parys in Fraunce But kynge Edwarde was sore adradde to come there for he wende to haue be arestyd tyll that he had made amendes for the trespase the syr Hugh Spenser the fader and the sone had done and for the harme that they had done vnto quene Isabell hâ—â— syster wherfore thrughe hys ordynaunce and consente of the. Spensers the quene Isabell went ouer see in to Fraunce for to make accorde betwene kynge Edwarde and the kynge of Fraunce her brother And ther dwellyd she in Fraunce tyll Edwarde her Eldest sone came her for to seke and so they dwellyd there both tyll that alyaunce was made bytwene theÌ„ and the gentyll erle of Henaude that yf they wyth ther vertue myght dystroye and ouercome the venym and the falsnesse of the Spenser that syr Edwarde sholde spowse dome Phylyp the worshypfull lady the erles doughter of Henaude wherfore the quene Isabel and Edwarde her sone and syr Edwarde of wodstok
quyte hym ayenste his aduersary For he caste hors and man into the felde and the kyng for his manhode at that tyme dubbed hym knyght And on the fyfte day there came an other man of armes of the Henaudes partye into the felde and to hym came in Syr Iohan stewarde knyght and manfully he quyt hym in all maner poyntes had the better And on the syxte daye after came an other Henaunde and to hym came Wyllyam porter squyre and manfully he quyte hym and had the better in the felde and the kynge dubbed hym knyght that same tyme. And on the seuenthe day after came an other man of armes of Henaude in to the felde to hym came Iohan standisshe squyre and manfully he quyte hym on his aduersarye and had the better of hym in the felde and there the kynge dubbyd hym knyghte that same daye And on the same daye came an other man of armes of Henaude and to hym came a squyre of Gascoyne and proudely and manly he quyte hym of hys aduersary had the better of hym in the felde and anone the kynge dubbed hym knyght ¶ And on the .viii. daye came into the felde two other men of armes of Henaude and wyth them mette two souldyours of Calays the whiche were two bretheren that were called Burghes they well and manly quyte them selfe vpon theyr aduersaryes and haddeÌ„ the better of theym in the felde and thus ended these chalenges wyth many grete lordshyppes And thenne the kynge att the reuereÌ„ce of these worthy straungers made a greate feest gaafe vnto theym many grete and ryche gyftes and thenne they toke theyr leue and went home ayeÌ„ into theyr owne countree ¶ And in the .xi. yere of kynge Henryes regne the fourthe there was a grete batayl doo in smythfelde bytwene two squyres that one was called Gloucestre that was the parlement And Arthur was the defendaunte and well manly they foughten togyder longe tyme the kyng for theyr manfulnesse and of his grace toke theyr quarel into his honde and made theym to go out of the felde at ones so they were deuyded of the batayl and the kynge gaf them grace ¶ And in the .xii. yere of kynge Henryes regne the fourth Rysdye a squyre of wales that was arybelle a ryseâ— supporter to OmeÌ„ of Glendre that dyde moche dystruccyon to the people of wales was taken and brought to London there he came afore the Iustices and was dampned for his treson and than he was layd on an hurdell soo drawen to Tyburne thrugh the cyte and there he was hanged and lete downe ayeÌ„ his heed smiteÌ„ of and the body quartred sente vnto foure townes and his hede sete on London brydge ¶ And in the .xiii. yere of kynge Henryes regne tho deyed syre Iohan Beauforde erle of Somersette that was Capytayne of Calays and was buryed at the abbaye of the Tour hyll on whos soule god haue mercy Amen And in the same yere the lorde Thomas kynge Henryes sone wedded the Countesse of Somersette ¶ And in this same yere cam the embassatours of Fraunce in to Englonde frome the duke of Burgoyne vnto the prynce of Englonde kynge Henryes sone heyre for to haue helpe and socour of men of armes and archers ayenst the duke of Orlyaunce And tho went ouer see the erle of Arundell syr Gylbert Vmfreuyll erle of Keme and the lorde Cobham syr IohnÌ„ Oldecastelle and many other god knyghtes and worthy squyres men of armes and good archers in to Fraunce and came to Parys to the duke of Burgoyn And there he receyued welecomed these Englysshmen the lordes all other meny And than it was done hym to wete that the duke of OrlyanÌ„ce was comen to Semttlowe fast by Parys wyth a grete noÌ„bre of armes and arbalasters thyder went our Englysshmen foughte wyth them gate the brydge of Semâ—clowe there they slewe mochâ— people of Frensshmen arbalasters the remenaunte fledde wolde not lenger abyde And than our EnglysshmeÌ„ came ayen to Parys there they toke theyr leue of the duke and came ayen in to Englonde in saufte and the duke gaafe them grete gyftes anone folowynge the duke of Orlyaunce sent enbassatours in Englond to kynge Henry the fourth bese chynge hym of hys helpe socure ayenst hys dedely enmye the duke of Burgoyn And than the kynge made Thomas hys sone duke of Clarence And hys other sone IohnÌ„ duke of Bedforde and hys other sone Humfrey duke of Gloucestre Syr Thomas Beauferd erle of Dorset the duke of Awe marle he made duke of yorke And thaÌ„ the kynge ordeyned his sone syr Thomas the duke of Clarence Thomas Beauforde erle of Dorset syr IohnÌ„ cornwyll with many other lordes knyghtes squyres and men of armes archers for to go ouer see iÌ„ to FrauÌ„ce in helpynge and strengthynge of the duke of OrlyauÌ„ce And these whothy lordes with ther retenue shypped att Hampton saylled ouer the see in to Normandye londed at Hogges And there mette with theym the lorde Hambe at theyr londynge wyth .vii. thousande men of armes of Frensshmen thre Serge auntes of armes with them and all were put to flyght taken of theym ·vii hondred men of armes and .iiii. hondred horses with out tho that were slayne in the felde And so they rode forth thrugh out all FrauÌ„ce and token castels and townes and slewe moche peple of frensshmen that with stode them toke many prysoneere as they roden And so they passed forth tyll they came to Burdeux there they rested theim a whyle set the couÌ„tre in peas reste tyll the wynde was redy for to sayll ¶ And than the duke with his menye come home in to Englonde in saufte thanked god And in the same yere was the kynges coyn chaunged thrugh oute Englonde by the kynge his counseyll that is to saye the noble half noble and ferthynge of golde ¶ And the .xiiii yere of kyng Henryes regne the fourth he lete make Galays of warre for he had hoped to haue passed the grete see so forth to Iherusalem there to haue ended hys lyf but god vysyted hym so soone after with Infyrmytees grete sekenesse that he myght no well endure no whyle so feruently he was taken brought in bedde at westmynster in a fayre thambre And as he laye in his hed he asked hys chaÌ„berlayll what they called that chambre that he laye in he answered sayd Iherusalem And than he sayde that the prophecye sayd that he shold make an ende deye in IherusaleÌ„ And than he made him dyd vnto god dysposed all his wyll And so on after he dyed was caryed by water from westmynster in a barge vnto Feuersham and from thens he was caryed to Caunterbury by londe with moche torche lyght brennynge into the abbaye of Crechyrche and there he was entered buryed besyde saynt
Thomas of Caunterburyes shryne thus ended the worthy kynge Henry about mydlente sondaye in the yere of oure lorde a. M. CCCC and .xxi. vppon whoo 's soule god haue mercy Amen MArtyn the .v. was pope after IohnÌ„ .xiii. yere this man was chosen by the counseyll of Constantynoble the other was deposed that strof and so came peas in the chyrche the whiche longe tyme afore was desyred necessarye for the defence of the fayth This was the myghtyest pope that euer was of rychesse a grete Iuge He edefyed townes walles stretes he destroyed heresyes he dyde moche good thrughe the noble prynce Sygysmonde And he gadred moche moneye for to geten the holy londe ayen but deth came vppon hym letted hym he made a counseyll afore his deth for the mater there he decessyd ¶ Eugenius was pope after Martyn .xvii. yere this Eugenius was chosen peasyble after the deth of Martyn no man doubted but he was pope but soon after he was expulsed frome Rome for it was so that he fledde naked also he was cyted to the counseyll of Basylyens deposed but he dyscharged hym not and for that begaÌ„ the stryffe ayen the whiche stode to his deth And those that fauoured hym sayde he was worthe moche louynge the contrary sayde those that were ayenst hym but what someuer he was after he had taken the dygnyte vpon hym afore he was of grete obstynaunce of gode fame what he dyde after that I leue to the Iugement of god· ¶ Circa AnnuÌ„ dmÌ„ M. CCCC.xxi ¶ Of kynge Henry the fyfte that was kynge Henryes sone ANd after the deth of kynge Henry the fourth regned kyÌ„ge HeÌ„ry his sone that was borne at Monmouthe in wales that was a worthy kynge and a gracyous maÌ„ and a grete conquerour ¶ And in the fyrste yere of hys regne for grete loue goodnesse he sente to the ferres of Langley there as his fader had do burye kinge Rychard the secoÌ„de lete take his body out of the erthe ayen and dyde brynge it to westmynster in a ryal chare couered with blacke veluet baners of dyuerse armes aboute all the hors drawynge the chare were trapped in blacke beten with dyuerse armes many a torche brennynge by all the waye tyll he came to westmynster and there he lete make for hym a ryall and solempne enteremente and buryed hym by quene Anne his wife as his owne desyre was on ferther syde of saynt Edwardes shryne in the abbaye of saynt Peters in westmynster on whos soule god haue mercy Amen ¶ And in this same yere were a certayne of lollers taken and fals herytykes that had purposed thrugh fals treason for to haue slayne oure kyng and for to haue destroyed all the clargye of the reame and they myghte haue had theyr fals purpose But our lorde god wolde not suffre it for in haste our kynge hadde warnynge therof and of alle theyr fals ordynaunce and werkinge and came sodenly with his power to Saynt Iohans withoute smythfelde and anone they toke a certanye of the Lollers and fals herytykes and broughte them to the kynges presence and there they tolde all there fals purpose ordynaunce howe they wolde haue doo and wrought yf they myghte haue regned and hadde theyr wyll and there they tolde whyche were theyr Capytayens and gouernours and than the kynge commaunded theym to the Towre of London and thanne toke moo theym bothe within the Cytye and wythoute and sente them too Newgate and to bothe counteers And thanne they were broughte in examycyon before the clergye and the kynges Iustyces and there they were conuycted for theyr fals heresie and dampned before the Iustyce for theyr fals treason ¶ And this was theyr Iugement that they sholde be drawen frome the Towr of London to Saynt Gelys felde and there to be hanged and brente on the galowes ¶ And there was taken syr Roger Acton knyghte for heresye and eke for treason ayenste the kynge and the Reame and he came afore the clergye and was conuyâ—te for his heresye and dampned before the Iustyce too be drawen frome the Towre of London thrughe the Cyte to Saynt Gelys and to be hanged and brente ¶ And in the seconde yere of Kynge Henryes regne the fyfthe he helde a counseylle of alle the lordes of the reame atte westmynster and there he putte hym this demaunde and prayed and besought them of theyr goodnesse and of theyr gode counseyll and wylle to shewe hym as touchynge the tytle of the ryghte that he hadde to Normande Gascoyne and Guyhen the whiche the kynge of Fraunce wythelde wrongfully and vntyghte fully the whyche hys auncestrees before hym hadde by trewe tytle of conquest and ryghte heretage the whiche Normandye Gascoyn and Guyhen the good Kynge Edwarde of wyndesore and hys auncestres before hym hadde holden all theyr lyues tyme. And his lordes gaaf hym counseyl to sendde enbassatours vnto the kynge of Fraunce and hys counseyll that he sholde gyue vp vnto hym hys ryght herytage that is to saye Normandye Gascoyne Guyhen the whiche his predecessours hadde holden afore hym or els he wold it wynÌ„e wyth strength of swerde in shorte tyme with the helpe of almyghty god ¶ And thanne the Dolphyn of Fraunce answered to oure enbassatours and sayde in thys manere that the Kynge was ouer yonge and to terder of aege for comak ony warre as ayenste hym and not lyke yet to be a good warroure to doo and make suche aconqueste there vppon hym And somwhat in scorne and dyspyte he sente to hym a tonne fulle of tenes balles bycause he wolde haue som what for to playe wyth alle for hym and for his lordes for that wolde be come hym better thenne for toâ— mayntene ony warre ¶ And thenne anone oure Lordes that werre enbassatours tooke theyr leue and came in to Englonde ayen tolde the kynge hys counseyll of the vngoodly answere that they had of the Dolphyn of the present the whyche he had sent to our kynge ¶ And whan the kynge had herde theyr wordes the answere of the Dolphyn he was woÌ„der sore agreued ryght euyll apayed towarde the Frensshemen towarde the kyng the Dolphyn thought to auenge hym on them as soone as god wold sende him grace myght anoÌ„e lette make tenes balles for the Dolphyn in all the hast that myght be and they were grete gonstones for the Dolphin to playe with all And than anone the kynge sente for all hys lordes helde a grete counseyll at westmynster tolde vnto them the answere that they had of the Dolphyn of the worthy preseÌ„te that he sent to hym and to his lordes to playe with all And there the kyng his lordes were accorded that they sholde be redy in armes wyth ther powâ—r in the best araye that myght be done and gete men of armes archers that myght be goten all other