and the like was granted to the Queene of Ierusalem and her sonne Lewis for Anjou and Mayne the Duke of Britaine being their Proxie for the obtaining the same From Alanson the Earle of Salisbury was sent to Falays to view the strength thereof and to keepe the inhabitants from comming forth the King with his Army followed and entrenched themselves to avoide excursions and incursions The King made his approaches to his best advantage and though it was in the hard of Winter made provision sufficient for his men both against cold and hunger whereupon the besieged concluded if succour came not before the second of Ianuary next following to yeeld the Towne the succour not comming the Towne was yeelded but the Castle held out into which the Governour and most of the best able men were gotten but being fiercely followed and kept in continuall action by assaults and myning they were driven to make composition of surrender if not reskued before the sixt of February the souldiers to depart with their lives only and the Captaine to bee ransomed The prefixed time come the Castle was surrendred and the Captaine detained prisoner untill the Castle was sufficiently repaired his name was Oliver de Many The King leaving for Captaine there Sir Henry Fitzhugh returned to Cane to put in execution a Proclamation formerly made that if the inhabitants of Normandy that were fled returned not by a day to them prefixed to grant their lands to his souldiers thereupon hee gave to the Duke of Clarence during life the Vicounties of Ange Orber and Pontinz Oe Mere with all the lands of those that were not returned according to Proclamation All the whole Lent the King lay at Bayeux with part of his Army but the residue were volant upon exploits abroad The Kings Navy still kept the seas scowring the Coasts daily taking the French Bottomes they met but upon the sixteenth of Iuly such a storme took them that had they not by Gods good favor falne in with Southampton the whole Navy had beene in great danger yet in that Haven two Ballingers and two great Carrickes laden with Merchandize were drowned and the Mast of one of the great shippes was with the storme blowne over the Towne wall when the fury of the tempest was past the Earles of March and Huntington waâ—…ted over to Normandy and landing there marched up the country to the King The Earle of Warwicke and the Lord Talbot besieged the strong Castle of Dampfront The Duke of Clarence at that time tooke Courton and Burny and in the first placed Captaine Aubyn and Captaine William Houghton in the other hee likewise appointed in Chombis Captaine Iames Nevill in Bechelovin for Captaine the Earle Marshall in Harcourt Captaine Richard Woodvile in Fantgernon for Captaine Iohn Saint Albon in Crevener Sir Iohn Kirby to whom the same was after given for ever in Anvillyers Captaine Robert Hornby in Bagles Sir Iohn Arthure was made Captaine and also of Fresny Sir Robert Brent lately made Vicount was Captaine The Duke of Glocester with the Earle of March and the Lord Codnor march into the Isle of Constantine wherein hee likewise placed Captaines of such places as hee tooke in as at Corentine the Lord Botreux at Saint Lowe Captaine Reignold West at Valoignes Captaine Thomas Burgh at Pont done Captaine David Howell at Hay de paps Sir Iohn Aston at Saint Savior Sir Iohn Robsert lately made Vicount at Pantarson Sir Robert Gargraus at Hambery the Earle of Suffolke to whom afterwards the King gave that and Brokevill at Auranchos Sir Philip Hall at Vire the Lord Matreius who was likewise Captaine of Saint Iames de Bumeron And so having taken in the whole Iland except Chereburg hee returned to the King but was sent backe to the siege thereof which held out about the space of five moneths though in the meane time all warlike stratagems and meanes were used to take it at last they made composition that if not rescued within threescore and two dayes to surrender and stand to the mercy of the King In the meane time the Duke caused his Campe to bee strongly fenced with Rampiers and Bulwarkes leaving nothing for the safeguard thereof either unforeseene or unprepared And whilst hee was providing thus the Dolphin and the Duke of Burgoigne by the mediation of the Pope and his Cardinalls were fully reconciled and began to consult about the relieving their besieged Friend The King to prevent any danger that might betide his brother had taken order with the Lieutenant in the West-country of England to send over two thousand men out of those parts whom when the besieged at Chierburgh perceiued at Sea to approach they presumed of succour but their hope failing they surrendred both the Towne and Castle whereof the Lord Gray of Codnor mas made the Kings Lieutenant for the time but afterwards the King made Captaine thereof Iohn Bromley Esquire and for his hardy valour and commendable forwardnesse both at this siege and other places hee gave him the order of Knighthood gave him faire possessions in the Iland and made him Constable of Bossevile de Rosse This was the same partie that at Corby by his valour recovered the Lord Staffords Colours from the French and for the remembrance of that service had an honourable adjunct to his armes The King intending to prosecute his intendments to the full being of equall spirit to dare and power to doe had sent for his Vncle the Duke of Exceter who with fifteene thousand men within few dayes of Trinity Sunday came to the King by whom hee was commanded to besiege the Citie of Eureux which hee tooke in and appointed Captaine thereof Sir Gilbert Halsall The Earle of Ryme then also tooke in the strong Castle of Milley le Vesko The siege of Roan was the next thing attempted which place was now fully fortified and furnished for defence both with men and amunition Thither for the more safetie had all the neighbours conveyed all their riches as being their sole place of refuge now The King to have his passage cleere layed siege to the Citie of Loveirs which upon these conditions that if they were not relieved within seven dayes then the souldiers to serve King Henry the inhabitants to remaine there as subjects to England only all such Gunners as had discharged any piece of Ordnance to bee hanged no succour appearing at the day the Covenants were performed accordingly The King marched to Pont de Larch where hee arrived the seven and twentieth of Iune There was a stone-bridge which hindered the approach to Roane being exceeding strongly guarded King Henry devised therefore floates of wicker covered with beasts hides by which the Duke of Clarence with his quarter passed the River and then layd siege to the Towne on that side but to prevent the inconvenience that might come by the River dividing the Army there were more such Floates made and other devises with
haec licentia sit omninò irrita Gulielmus Haywood Capell dom RR. P. Archiep. Cant. A CONTINVATION OF THE HISTORY of ENGLAND Liber tertius RICHARD the Second RIchard the second borne at Burdeaux sonne of Edward the blacke Prince and Ioane the daughter of Edmond Earle of Kent and grandchild to Edward the third being eleven yeares olde was crowned King at Westminster the 21. day of Iune 1377. by Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury at the time of whose Coronation the Duke of Lancaster per nomen Iohannis Regis Castiliae Legionis Dux Lancasteur put his clayme as Earle of Lecester to have the place of Earle Marshall of England as Duke of Lancaster to carry the Sword at the Coronation called Curtana as Earle of Lincolne to be Carver that day all which to be executed by himselfe or his sufficient Deputie which with the fees thereunto belonging were confirmed unto him and hee accordingly did them and there in person execute the place of high Marshall at such years As this King was then of the minde of man is like unto the potters earth apt to be wrought into any fashion and then which way soever it hardeneth by custome it seldome swerves from the same The gouernance of the King at the first was committed to certaine Bishops Earles Barons and Iustices but either by nicenesse and feare of discontenting the King or negligence to discharge their duty or both every one was more ready to please him with delightfull conceits then with profitable counsell to doe him good for smoothe and pleasing speeches need small endevour and alwayes finde favour whereas to advise that which is most meet is a point of some paines and many if not most times but a thanklesse office Hereupon two dangerous evills did ensue Flattery brake in and private respects as eversince it hath done did passe vnder publike pretences At his Coronation he Created foure Earles Thomas Woodstocke King Edward the thirds youngest sonne Earle of Buckingham and Northampton Thomas Mowbray younger brother of Iohn Lord Mowbray was created Earle of Nottingham Gifford Angolisme a Gascoigne Earle of Huntington and Henry Piercie sonne of Henry Lord Piercy was Created Earle of Northumberland In the beginning of this Kings raigne the French on the one side and the Scots on the other did cruelly infest this Land the one making depredations in the Isle of Wight harying the same and attempting the Castle from whence they were manfully repulsed by a Captaine whose name I will forbeare because in some Authors I finde him stiled by another appellation The other forraged the Country round about and burnt the Towne of Rocksborough This course of each side spoyling the English they both French and Scots combining continued by sea untill Iohn Philpot Citizen and Alderman of London lamenting the misery of the times occasioned by common neglect of scouring the Coasts and scouring the seas whereby the Merchant durst not traffique abroad for feare of Pyrats which hovered in every corner but especially of one Mercer a Scottish Rover who had drawne together a great flect of French Scottes and Spaniards and with them did robbe and spoyle all they met and did great mischiefe complayned hereof to the Kings Councell and demonstrated to them the daily wrongs sustained by the sayd Mercer imploring their ayd but receiving from them no reliefe he at his owne proper costs victualed and manned forth a company of tall shippes himselfe in person going with them to sea and in short time tooke the sayd Mercer and recovered all the prises formerly taken with fifteene Spanish Bottoms well fraught with riches besides many French and Scottish ships For which action hee encurred the hard censure of most of the Noble men from whom hee seemed to have snatcht by this his fortunate attempt the native cognisance of true nobilitie Amongst whom Hugh Earle of Stafford nettled with the generall commendations given to Philpot for this designe publikely at the Councell table objected against him the vnlawfulnesse of the act without authoritie being but a private man to attempt to levy armes But Philpot with a kinde of vndaunted resolution not only justified the act as though not altogether lawfull yet very expedient being done for the honour of God and the King and the security of the republicke but retorted the objection of improvidence and slothfull neglect upon the Earle and the rest of the Councell so that they were much to seeke for a reply and hee returned with the generall applause of the Citizens and most of the Courtiers The King of France presuming of the Kings minoritie with some Spanish ayde landed in the Southwest part of England and ransackt and burnt the townes of Plymmoth Dartmoth Portsmoth Rye and diverse other Coast townes and marched further into the mayne untill by the Earle of Cambridge the Kings vncle and the Earles of Salisbury and Buckingham and their forces they were encountred and beat backe unto their shippes About that time also by the King of France his instigation Alexander Ramsey a brave Scot with forty of his country-men in the night surprised the Castle of Barwicke and intended to have falne upon the Towne But the inhabitants suspecting some treason by the noyse they have endevoured to prevent mischiefe hewed downe the stayes of the draw-bridge on the towne side so that when the Scots let fall the Bridge the chaynes breaking the Bridge fell into the ditch by meanes whereof the Scots were imprisoned by their owne conquest yet as well as they were able they fortified them in the Castle which presently was besieged and assaulted and though valiantly defended was with some losse at length surprised upon the taking whereof not one man but the Captaine Ramsey was spared In the third yeare of this Kings raigne it was concluded that to avoide unnecessary charge the tutelage of the King should bee committed but to one man and by the whole consent of the Parliament dissembled this office was deputed to Lord Thomas Beuchampe Earle of Warwicke and a competent pension was assigned him out of the Kings Exchequer for his paines and care thereabouts to be taken But the King being plunged in the gulfe of pleasure did immoderately bend himselfe to advance and favour such persons as were reprovable for life and generally condemned for deboshment and this was the cause of two great inconveniences for many of the younglings of Nobilitie observing the secret favours and distastes of the King gave over themselves to a dissolute and dishonest course which findeth some followers when it hath no furtherancers much more when it doth flourish and thrive by countenance and abetement The King also by favouring these was himselfe little favoured and lesse loved by many For it is as dangerous to a Prince to have evill and despised adherents as to be evill and despicable himselfe The chiefe actors in this scene were Nevill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Uear Earle of Oxford Michael Delapoole Robert
more strong in King Stephen then they are now in the Duke of Lancaster for King Henry the first being at libertie neither restrained nor constrained the people assented to this designement and thereupon without feare or force he was annointed and crowned King Yet Henry Fitzempresse having a neerer right to the Crowne by his Mother notwithstanding his Father was a stranger and hee borne beyond the Seas never ceased the prosecution of bloody warres to the great effusion of blood and spoyling the Countrey untill his lawfull inheritance was assured him It terrifieth mee but to thinke how many flourishing kingdomes have beene by such contentions either rent by intestine division or subdued to forraine Princes under pretence of assistance and aide This Kingdome hath had too wofull experience of these severall mischieves and yet neither examples of other Countries or miseries of our owne are sufficient to make us bee wary Certainly I feare it will betide us as it did to Esops Frogges who being desirous to have a King had a beame given them the first fall whereof affrighted them but when they saw it lie still they contemptuously insulted thereon and desired a King of more active spirit Then a Storcke was sent them which stalking amongst them daily devoured them King Richards mildnesse hath bred in us this scorne interpreting it to bee cowardise and dulnesse of nature I dare not say yet give mee leave to suspect with greater courage wee may finde greater crueltie And thus have I declared my opinion with more words you may perhaps conjecture then wisdome yet fewer then the waight of the cause doth require and I doe resolutely conclude that wee have neither power nor pollicie either to Depose King Richard or in his place to Elect Duke Henry That King Richard remaineth still our Soveraigne Lord and therefore it is not lawfull for us to give judgement against him That the Duke whom you are pleased to stile King hath more transgressed the King and Realme then Richard hath done either against him or us For hee being banished the Realme for tenne yeares by the King and Councell amongst whom his owne Father was chiefe and given oath not to returne without speciall licence Hee hath not only broken his oath but disturbed the peace of the Land dispossessed the King of his Royall estate and now demandeth judgement against his person without offence proved or defence heard if this perjurie and this injury move not yet let both our private and publike dangers somewhat withdrawe us from these violent proceedings This speech was diversly taken as mens affections were diversly hurried betwixt hope feare and shame but the most part did seeme to stand for Duke Henry Whereupon the Bishop was attached by the Earle Marshall and committed to the keeping of the Abbot of Westminster but presently after to Prison in the Abby of Saint Albones His Counsell and conjecture then contemned was after approved of when too late both in the Kings time during whose raigne no yeare passed without slaughter and executions but more in the time succeeding when within the space of thirty sixe yeares twelve set battells upon this quarrell were fought within the Realme by natives only and above fourescore Princes of the blood Royall fell by each others sword It was concluded notwithstanding what the Bishop had spoken that King Richard should bee kept in a large Prison with all manner of Princely maintenance And if any should attempt to rere warre for his deliverance that hee should bee the first man should suffer for that attempt The Acts of Parliament of the eleventh yeare of King Richard were revived and those of the one and twentieth wholly repealed and all in that Parliament attainted were restored to their Titles and inheritances without suing livery And also to such goods whereof the King had not beene answered except the rents and issues of their lands Hereupon Richard Earle of Warwicke is delivered out of prison and the Earle of Arundels sonne restored to his inheritance others also that stood banished or were in prison recovered their libertie and estate it was enacted that none that came with Henry against Richard should bee impeached or troubled To the Earle of Westmerland the King gave the Countie of Richmond to the Earle of Northumberland the Isle of Man to hold of him by the service of bearing the Sword wherewith hee entred into this Kingdome before him Divers others his followers hee advanced to places of highest note some for desert but most to win their favour and perhaps projecting a plot for partakers if times should change For in many actions men take more care to prevent revenge then to lead an innocent life It is likewise ordered that the plotters and procurers of the Duke of Glocesters murther should bee strictly enquired after and severely punished And judgement was given against the Appellants of the Earles of Warwick and Arundel and that the Dukes of Aumerles Sussex and Exceter the Marquesse Dorset and the Earle of Glocester who were there present should lose their Titles of Honour and forfeit their estate in all the lands they had which was formerly belonging to the Appellees and that all their Letters patents concerning the same should bee surrendred into the Chancery to bee cancelled and for their owne inheritance to bee at the mercy of the King That they should give no Liveries to retainers nor keepe more then should bee necessary That if any of them did adhere or assist the Deposed King Richard against the Decree of his Deposition That they should suffer as in high treason And for that many of the common people did murmure That many the Officers had grievously extorted either by connivency or secret support of the Lords those Officers were removed and the corruption purged Then were Proclamations made that if any man had by strong hand beene oppressed by any of the Lords or by any under-officers to them beene wronged or abused his complaint proved the delinquent should give him plenary recompence The execution of these Nobles was much questioned The importunitie of the people and the perswasions of many great ones drew that way but pollicie was against it especially the opinion of Clemency which seemed needfull in a new not well settled estate In this Parliament the Lord Fitzwater appealed the Duke of Aumerle upon points of high Treason the like did the Lord Morley to the Earle of Salisbury and above twentie Appellants more gaged battell but the King purposing to lay the foundation of his government by favour and not by force gave pardon and restitution alike to all upon securitie for their allegiance and moderately admonished and as it were intreated the one part that old griefes and grudges should not bee renewed but altogether buried The other part hee desired to bee afterwards more circumspect of their actions and for the time past rather to forget they ever were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was
round about The Scots under the leading of Archibald Dowglasse about the number of twenty thousand with barbarous crueltie entred into Northumberland making havocke by the way but at a place called Homildon they were encountred by the English under the leading of Henry Lord Piercy surnamed Hotspur and George Earle of March on holy-rood day in harvest who put them to flight and tooke prisoners after the slaughter of ten thousand of them five hundred whereof Mordack Earle of Fife the sonne of the Generall who in the fight lost one of his eyes Thomas Earle Murry Robert Earle of Angus the Earles of Atholl and Mentits were chiefe and amongst the slaine were Sir Iohn Swinton Sir Adam Gordon Sir Iohn Leviston Sir Alexander Ramsey of Dalehowsey and twenty three other Knights Piercy having put his prisoners in safe keeping entred Tividale wasting all in the way and there besieged the Castle of Cockclawes of which Sir Iohn Greenlow was Captaine who upon condition that if hee were not relieved within three moneths compounded to surrender the Castle The first two moneths were past and no reskue nor likelihood thereof appeared But before the expiration of the third moneth the souldiers were sent for to attend the King in his expedition as before against Glendour and so they raised the siege and departed with a plentifull bootie The French King to backe Glendour in his trayterous designes not so much for love of him as hatred to King Henry sent twelve hundred men of qualitie to bee Captaines and Commanders to those rebellious disorderly troopes but the windes were so contrary and the violence of the storme such that they lost twelve of their best ships with their fraught and the rest with great difficultie returned to France The English deriding the whilst the French Kings ill successe whose enterprises though they threatned much yet they alwayes vanished to nothing The report whereof so exasperated his resolutions that forthwith hee sent into Wales twelve thousand men who safely landed and joyned with the Welch But upon notice of the English Armies approach suspecting their owne strength or their partakers fidelitie amazed and heartlesse they ran to their shippes and without any service done disgracefully turned home King Henryes Embassadours lately sent into Britaine for the Lady Iane de Navar Dutchesse of Britaine the relict of Iohn de Mountford surnamed the Conqueror with whom the King by procurators had contracted matrimony in the beginning of February returned with her in safetie The King met her at Winchester where the seventh of February the Mariage was solemnized In the meane time Valerian Earle of St. Pauls out of a malitious hatred to King Henry with seventeene hundred men of warre from Harâ—…ew landed in the Isle of Wight where burning two Villages and some few Cottages in token of triumph hee made some Knights But hearing the people of the Island to have assembled hee hasted to his shippes and retired About that time Iohn Earle of Cleremont the heire of Bourbon wonne from the English the Castles of Saint Peter and Saint Mary and the new Castle The Lord de la Bret wonne the Castle of Calafyn of great consequence for the honour of England to bee questioned The Piercies Earles of Northumberland and Worcester with Henry Hotspur which in the initiation of King Henryes attempts had beene both advisers and coadjutors about this time began to turne retrograde to obedience their reason was for that the King not only refused at their request to redeeme their kinsman Mortimer from Glendours slavery though often by them and their friends to that purpose solicited But likewise contrary to the law of the field and Martiall custome as they pretended had challenged as of right pertaining to him all such prisoners as by their martiall prowesse had beene taken of the Scots either at Homeldon or Nesbyt of which they formerly whether of curtesie or duty by them it was disputable only had delivered unto him Morduk the Duke of Albanyes sonne Neverthelesse they came to the King at Windsor where of purpose to prove him they required that either by ransome or otherwise hee would procure the liberty and inlargement of their cousin german Edmond Mortymer â—…avishly shackled and abused as they affirmed for being true to him The King made answer That the Earle of March was not taken prisoner in defence of his Title nor in his service but willingly suffered himselfe to bee taken because he would not withstand the attempts of the Traytor Owen and his Complices and therefore neither would relieve nor ransome him Whereupon Henry Hotspur brake forth and in passion said The heire of the Realme is bereaved of his right and the robber will not allow him part of his owne for his redemption and therewith the Piercies departed the Kings presence and presently procured Mortymers delivery and to adde more waight to King Henrye's displeasure they entred into a league offensive and defensive with Glendour And by their Proxies in the house of the Archdeacon of Bangor they agreed upon a tripartite Indenture under their hands and seales respectively to bee made to divide the Kingdome into three parts whereby all England from Severne and Trent South and Eastward was assigned for the portion of the Earle of March all Wales and the lands beyond Severne Westward were assigned to bee the portion of Owen Glendour and all the remainder of land from Trent Northward to bee allotted to Lord Piercy This was devised or advised say some by Glendour whom they would make a Southsayer by occasion of a Prophesie as though King Henrie was the Mowldwarpe cursed of Gods owne mouth and they three must bee the Lyon the Dragon and the Wolfe which should divide the land among them But the event proved those blinde fantasticall dreames of the Welch Southsayers to bee Deviationes non divinationes In the meane time King Henry not acquainted with these Conspiracies caused a Proclamation to bee made intimating thereby that the Earle of March had voluntarily caused himselfe to bee taken prisoner That the Rebells having him in their custody and company might pretend some colour wherewith to varnish such conspiracies as secretly they had complotted and contrived against his Crowne and him And therefore his discretion for his safetie advised him not to hearken to any motion for his being redeemed Hereupon the Piercies assisted with a company of Scots whom they by setting their Scottish Prisoners at libertie had procured drew to their partie the Earle of Stafford and Richard Scroope Archbishop of Yorke brother to the beheaded Earle of Salisbury and many others and with them purposed to joyne with the Captaine of the Welch And to set the better glosse to their treasonable attempts they framed by way of accusation certaine Articles against the King which they published and to this effect sent them unto him in writing Articles against King Henry 1. IN primis That when hee returned from his Exilement hee made faith only
beat him from his horse whom the Kings guard notwithstanding the King cryed out to the contrary slew out-right and with his fall the maine battaile of the French first gave ground then turned their backes and lastly flung away their weapons and fled The Kings rere being come up they all fell upon the rereguard of the French which confisted of the greater number but the weakest men and the worst armd but their courage with long standing was dropt to their knees so that many of them humbled themselves thereon and submitted to mercy the rest presuming that the English with three houres fight for so long the battaile continued could not be able to follow manfully ran away In the mean time certaine of the French horsemen of those that ran first away led on by Robinet Bondile and the Captaine of Agincourt presuming to redeeme their credit from running away from souldiers by fighting with boyes set upon the Pages and Laundresses and sicke souldiers that were left in the Campe who gave such a lamentable shreeke that King Henry supposed either that the Constable had reallied his troopes or that some fresh succours had beene come howsoever he supposed he must have a second fight he caused therfore all the arrowes that were sticking in the field to bee gathered and the stakes to bee plucked up and prepared ready to bee againe used amongst whom was found the Duke of Yorke miserably hacked and slaine the sight whereof and the danger of a second charge made King Henry give order that the prisoners should bee all slaine saving such as were principall men and those were all bound backe to backe and so left neither could the King be for this justly taxed of cruelty for this killing his enemies in cold blood when the number of the prisoners exceeded his souldiers and the uncertaintie of either their honestie or the enemies hardiment that were then expected to charge them could give the King no assurance of safetie without their slaughter Then the King againe embattelled his weary but willing souldiers upon whom the Earles of Marle and Fauconbridge with six hundred brave men at armes which had stood still all day gave a brave charge and had they had more number they would have troubled K. Henry but being so few and the stakes having galled so many of their horses they were quickly dispatched but to their honour it is recorded that they fought valiantly and died honourably all being slaine or taken and slew more of the English then the whole Army had done The King being satisfied by the skowtes that no enemy was to bee seene caused the Army in their array as they were to give God thankes for the victory causing the Clergie present to sing the Psalme of David in exitu Israel de Egypto and made Proclamatïon that every one at the verse non nobis domine sed nomini tuo da gloriam to kneele upon their knees and the horsmen to bow their bodies and then singing te deum and other holy hymnes they marched to the enemies Campe where they found plenty of all things with which having well refreshed themselves the King gave them liberty to make booty and take the spoyle Next day came Mountjoy and foure Harralds more to have leave to give the dead buriall and to know the number of the slaine which after hee had feasted them at their Country-mens cost he granted unto them with whom the English Harrolds were appointed to search who made returne that there were slaine 10000. and odde whereof 126. were of the Nobilitie bearing Banners of Knights and Gentlemen of Coat-armour 7874. whereof 500. were Knighted the night before the battaile and of the common souldiers about 1600. amongst the slaine of the Nobilitie were Charles le Brets high Constable Iaques of Chatilon Admiral of France the great Master of France the Master of the Crosse-bowes the Dukes of Alanson Brabant Bar the Earles of Neuers Marle Vaudmount Beamont Grand per Rousey Fauconbridge Foys and Lestreuck There were taken prisoners Charles Duke of Orleance Iohn Duke of Burbon the Lords Donvert Fosseux Humiers Roy Cawny Hamcourt Noell Bonciqualt and many others On the English part were slain Edw Duke of York the Earle of Suffolk and not full 600. of all who were all buried in Christian buriall But Philip Earle Choroloys was out of charity enforced at his own cost to bury in a square plot of ground of his owne of 1500. yards in three graves by poll accounted 5800. odde souldiers yet sent many yet alive though grievously wounded to Vall mersens de dieu King Henry having well refreshed himselfe and souldiers and laden them all with spoyles of great valew and rich prisoners in faire order marched to Callice From whence on the sixt of Nouemb. with his prisoners which according to their oathes rendred themselves from Harflue as those taken at Agincourt with the dead corpes of the Duke of York and the Earle of Suffolke whereof one was buried afterward at Fordinghey the other at new Elme He set sayle and arrived at Dover the same day after his landing he gave straight order that no ballad or songs should be made or sung more then of thanks-giving to the Lord for his happy victory and safe returne and that nothing that might tend to ostentation or boasting of the valiant or cowardly act of any in that service should be either said or sung Neverthelesse the shame of his ildaring thoughts did so vilely vex the Dalphin that he died suddenly Thomas Duke of Exceter Captaine of Harflue with three hundred English made a road into Normandy and returning laden with prey was encountred by the Earle of Arminacke with five thousand horse who tooke their booty from them over-night but in the morning when they endevoured from out the vantage of a thicke enclosed Orchard wherein they had rested all night to march away They were eftsoones charged by the French whom with a desperate resolution they entertained and in that manner behaved themselves that they not only escaped safe to Harflue but recovered a great part of the lost bootie and made a great slaughter of their enemies and returned without much losse Sigismond the Emperour cousin German to King Henry accompanied with the Archbishop of Remes Embassadour from the French King arrived at Callice to whom were sent thirty great shippes to waft him over At Dover the Duke of Glocester with a brave company of Gallants upon his approaching to land with their swords drawne stept up to the knees in water saying If hee came as the Kings friend or for his honour to move ought hee should bee welcome But if as Emperour hee claimed any jurisdiction they were ready to resist him to the death Whereupon the Emperour renounceth all Imperiall authority and is received with all befitting honour he was afterwards with Albert Duke of Holland who was lately likewise arrived at Windsor elected Companions of the noble order of the
France by impartially administring justice to all That King Henry in places of Iustice and charge should place persons generally taken for wise faithfull and fit to administer and manage those things unto them committed That King Henry should speedily endevour to reduce the Dolphin and the Earle of Arminacke and all their confederates to their due obedience to the Crowne of France That King Henry should cause all persons of what degree condition or qualitie soever to take a corporall oath for their true obedience to K. Charles during life and after his death to King Henry and his heires and to admit no other King or Regent nor conspire any thing against his or their Persons or estates but disclose all mischiefes plotted or intended for his or their hurt or losse That all possessions King Henry should gaine from any Rebell to King Charles except in Normandy should bee to the use and benefit of the French King But upon voluntary taking the before-mentioned oathes to be tendred and taken then to retaine their possessions freely That after the death of King Charles the Dutchie of Normandy and what else had beene conquered by King Henry should returne to the obeysance of the Crowne of France That King Henry should not overburden his Subjects of France with impositions but in cases of urgent necessitie and then the same to bee assessed and levied according to the Custome and manner of France and not otherwise That after the death of King Charles the two Realmes of France and England should Soveraignely be ruled but by one man and not to admit two Kings and that neither Crowne should bee subject to other but each of them to retaine and enjoy their particular customes priviledges liberties immunities lawes and preheminencies That diligent observation be used to retaine both Nations in fraternall concord and mutuall friendship as brethren and friends That neither King should conclude any peace or make any truce with the Dolphin except they and the Duke of Burgoyne all three consented thereto That none shall bee placed about the French Kings person but French-men such as hee by his Councell should make choice of and should reside wheresoever in the kingdome at his pleasure And lastly that both the Kings under their great Seales and all their Peeres Prelates Cominalties Gentry and Corporations under their usuall seales shall ratifie and confirme the Articles of agreement and shall all sweare to observe them to their uttermost abilities and power These thus concluded were proclaimed publikely both in England and France the Kings with their Nobilitie present solemnly sworne to the observation of them This caused a solemne Procession upon the fourteenth of Iune following in London and a Sermon at Pauls Crosse being Friday wherein the Preacher amongst other things affirmed that for perpetuall manifestation of this so honourable an accord that the old Seale was to bee broken and a new great Seale to bee made wherein the Kings Title as Regent of France and heires apparant to the Crowne thereof and three Flowre-de-luces instead of sixe formerly borne in the Scutcheon of armes was to be engraved There was likewise a private League contracted betweene king Henry and the Duke of Burgoyne to this effect That the Duke to the uttermost of his best abilities should endevour the continuation of the former agreements That one of the Dukes Sisters should bee matched to one of the Kings Brothers that after the death of Charles hee should doe fealtie to the King of England That King Henry should prosecute the murtherers of the Dukes Father with all extremitie And that if any of them or the Dolphin should in any place be taken that they should not bee delivered without condigne punishment without the consent of the two Kings and the three estates of both kingdomes That the Duke should have assurance of lands for the annuall payment of the fee of twenty thousand pounds Paris to him and his Wife and the heires males betwixt them to be begotten And that King Henry upon the receiving his homage should confirme the same This thus finished King Henry invites the King and Queene of France with the Duke and Dutchesse of Burgoyne with all the Nobles of France there to a stately banquet the Ceremonies whereof ended hee made unto them so pithy and patheticall Oration declaring therein the utilitie of the union of the two kingdomes his right to them on the surer side with protestation of as true love and affection to France as if a native thereof and promises of tender regard to bee alwayes by him extended towards them with all filiall respect and dutifull observance to his Father and Mother-in-law and the true performance of all and every part of the Agreement And so perswading them to mutuall love and friendship amongst themselves and truth and loyalty to their Soveraigne And so with an expression of detestation of the late murther of the Duke of Burgoyne and giving assurance of his desire to procure the revengement thereof he concluded The next day following Iames the young King of Scots arrived And upon the fourth day of Iune King Henry with the French King the King of Scots the Duke of Burgoyne the Prince of Orange one and twenty Earles five and fouâ—…y Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen with an Army consisting of French English Scottish Irish and Dutch to the number of sixe hundred thousand marched towards the Dolphin and upon the seventh day layd siege to the Towne of Seins that sided with the Dolphin which after foure daies siege yeelded and thereof the Lord Benvile was made Captaine From thence they removed having the Duke of Bedford in their company who had brought out of England large supplies of men and money to Monstreau en falte Yon which was taken by Escalado here the murthered Duke of Burgoyne being buried and from thence his Sonne caused his boues to be taken up and carried to Digeon in high Burgoyne and there enterred by his Father Philip The Castle held out and during the siege thereof King Henry Created an Officer of armes to bee king of Herolds over the English men and entituled him Garter whom hee had formerly sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by the Captaine thereof reproachfully upbrayded for punishment of which his presumption a gibbet was erected and in view of Mounsieur Guitry the Castle Captaine twelve of his friends were executed Whereupon the Castilians treated for peace but the King in eight dayes together would not vouchsafe a parle so that after they had borne the brunt of six weekes siege they were enforced with saving of lives simply to yeeld The Earle of Warwicke was appointed to examine by poll all the prisoners and others that yeelded to find out any that had bin privy or parties to the murther of the Duke of Burgoine and was afterward made Governour both of Castle and Towne From thence the King marched to Melun upon Seine which was besieged the
thirteenth of Iuly the Captaine whereof was Barbason a Gascoyne a skilfull souldier and of approved valiancy And as Hanniball in warre was not more ready to invent stratagems then Quintus Fabius to prevent them so King Henryes counsell could not bee more wily to winne then Barbason was warie to defend The King by land and water stopped all passages making use of his before-mentioned floates to passe his souldiers over the River yet Barbason sallied out and fell upon the Earle of Warwickes quarter where if hee had not beene the more valiantly resisted The Duke of Burgoynes men had tasted of their fury The Duke of Bavier another of King Charles Sonin-lawe but his Dutchesse was dead with seven hundred well-appointed Horse-men came to the Campe which were presently listed under the Kings pay Barbason countermined some and stopt other mines made by the English and fought hand to hand in the Barryers with King Henry yet notwithstanding all his circumspect care and praise-worthy diligence when hee found hee was to fight against the two bitter arrowes of Gods wrath Famine and Pestilence hee humbled himselfe to the King who pardoned all that were not guilty of the forenamed murther whereof Barbason being suspected and others that were found faultie were sent to Paris under the conduct of the Duke of Clarence whom King Charles made Captaine of Delea that Citie and was accordingly admitted into the possession of all the strength thereof And presently thereupon both the Kings with their Queenes the Duke of Burgoyne and his Dutchesse with a royall traine came thither where they were most magnificencly entertained the French King was lodged in the house of Saint Paul and the King of England in the Castle of Louer Here the three States of France anew under their hands and seales in most authenticke manner ratified the former agreement the instruments whereof were delivered to the King of England who sent them to bee kept in his Treasurie at Westminster Now King Henry began to exercise his Regency and as a badge of his authoritie hee caused a new coyne which was called a Salute to bee made whereon the armes of France and England were quarterly stamped Hee there heard the Appeale of the Dowager of Burgoine against the Dolphin whose Advocates in his behalfe made large offers for satisfaction but they were adjourned to another day Hee placed and displaced divers officers and appointed the Duke of Exceter with five hundred men to the guard of Paris Sir Gilbert Vmfrevile was made Captaine of Melun and the Earle of Huntington of Bloyes de Vinces King Henry awarded out Processe against the Dolphin to appeare at the Marble table at Paris which hee not obeying sentence was denounced against him as guilty of the murther of the Duke of Burgoyne and by the sentence of the Parliament the Dolphin was banished the Realme The King with his beloved Queene Katherine the sixt of Ianuary left Paris and came to Roane where hee received homage of all the Nobilitie aswell such as were enobled by descent of the French as such as were dignified by desert of the English And making Thomas Duke of Clarence Lieutenant generall of France and Normandy and his Deputie in Normandy the Earle of Salisbury Having finished his Christmas he with his Queene went to Amiens and from thence to Callice and thence landing at Dover came to Canterbury and afterward thorow London to Westminster where the Queene upon Saint Mathewes day the fourth of February with all ceremonies rites and accustomed solemnities was Crowned The King of Scots sitting at dinner in his Estate but on the left hand of the Queene the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Kings Vncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand all were serued with covered messes of silver but all the Feast was fish in observation of the Lent season King Henry by his ghostly father being instructed that the surest stone that can bee layd for the foundation of future felicitie must bee digged out of the quarry of Pietie first visited many places for devotion by way of Pilgrimage and then tooke his Progresse thorow the Land and knowing that great evills may grow out of the smallest causes if neglected hee by the way reformed all misdemeanours whereof he received notice hearing with a diligent eare the complaints of his poore subjects taking order for the administring of Iustice to high and poore neither sparing the great for might nor the meane for misery And shewing that Examples are the best Lectures and Vertue the best example after hee had set his ministers a copy thereof Hee gave meeting to the Queene at Leicester where they kept their Easter In the meane time the Duke of Clarence making a road into Aniou with the garrisons of Normandy came to the City of Ampers where hee knighted Sir William Rosse Sir Henry Goddard Sir Rowland Vider Sir Thomas Bewford his naturall Sonne And retutning home laden with prey was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage hee therefore sent the skowt-Master Andrew Fogosa to discover the face of the enemy who being a trecherous Lombard and having beene corrupted by the enemy at his returne reporteth their number to bee but small meanly armed and worse ordered so that if presently charged there could bee no resistance The Dukes credulitie caused him to draw all his horses together leaving the strength of the field his Bowes and Bills behind with them hee makes towards the enemy the traitour leading to a straight where by his appointment an ambush was layed that the Duke could neither retreat nor flee which perceiving the Duke with a valiant courage told the Earle of Tanckervile that their chance was very hard when no meanes was left but to sell their lives at the dearest rate to their enemies and so setting spurres to his horse charged upon the enemy but over-layed with multitude and over-wearied with fight The Duke of Clarence the Earle of Tanckervile the Lord Rosse the Earle of Angus Kyme Sir Iohn Lumley and Sir Iohn Verend with above two thousand English slaine The Earles of Somerset Suffolke and Pearch Sir Iohn Berckley Sir Ralph Nevile Sir William Bowes and threescore Gentlemen were taken prisoners The Bastard Clarence having an inckling of the Lombards treachery brought on his Archers whom the French perceiving to approach fled with their Prisoners leaving the dead undispoyled by which meanes the Lord Fitzwater and some others were found wounded and almost stifled amongst the carkasses The bodyes of the dead were by the foot-men buried except the Duke of Clarence who by Sir Iohn Beauford his base sonne the Duke dying without other issue wac conveyed to England and buried at Canterbury besider his father This happened upon Easter Eeve The King was at Beverly when he had notice of his brothers death and presently thereupon hee dispatced away Edmond Earle of Mortaigne into Normandy making him Lieutenant thereof Then calls hee his
Queen with the Duke of Somerset some few others taking with them the young Prince fled to the Bishoprick of Durham The King was taken and as a prisoner conveyed to London At their comming thither the Tower of London is yeelded unto the Earle of Warwicke by his souldiers the Lord Scales in disguised apparell endevoured to escape is taken by the Watermen and by them without due course of Law or orderly proceeding beheaded and his corps carelesly left upon the sands Tho Thorpe one of the Barons of the Exchequer upon whose advise the Lancastrians much relyed in the habit of a Monke his or owne shorne purposely to fly to the Queen is taken and committed prisoner to the Tower The Duke of York at this time being neither idle nor asleepe being advertised of this good successe leaveth Ireland and posts to London where by the advise and consent of the York faction he thought fit to discover the head of that ambitious serpent that hitherto had bin covered in the grasse of reformation and so that in the Kings name he summoneth a Parliament which being assembled in the presence of the Lords in the upper House he placeth himselfe in the Imperiall seate and with great courage and a confident brow hee layeth open his rightfull claime and Title to the Crowne of England as being the Sonne and heire of Anne Daughter and heire of Roger Mortimer Earle of March Son and heire of Philip the sole Daughter and heire of Lionell Duke of Clarence the third Son of Edward the third and elder Brother of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Father of the usurper Henry the fourth grand Father to Henry the fift who was Father to him that untruly stileth himselfe King Henry the sixt He further related that God had not blessed this unlawfull usurpation for by meanes thereof the Common-wealth had suffered so many and so grievous calamities that had not God been the more mercifull the same had bin overwhelmed by the multitude and grievousnesse thereof that though Henry the fift had made many conquests in France and Normandy yet as of ill-gotten possessions his heire could not take any benefit by them And how much heaven is at this time offended with his government wee may well feare if wee but call to mind the cruell butchering of so many honourable great Lords in defence of his title abroad the slaughter of so many thousand of his loyall subjects in maintenance of his quarrell the inutterable exhaust of the treasure unnecessarily consumed in France Normandy and else-where The civil broiles at home the losse of all formerly got in France and those parts the losse occasioned by the excursion and depredations of the Scots and French And lastly the oppressions extortions and violence daily unsufferably practised by the tiranny of an insolently ambitious woman upon the meaner sort of people And then concluded that he craved no favour from them except that justice did warrant his claime nor would expect or desire the possession of the Crowne except his descent were undisputable and his Title without just exception and for his owne particular he presumed that since vertue might be as bold to challenge its due as vice is apt to borrow of insinuation he might without offence put in his claime and demand allowance thereof This being a businesse of import required deliberation and mature consideration but in conclusion the Duke having before hand by his agents prepared the Lords Spirituall and few of the Nobilitie present that were not on his part the Burgesses were easily perswaded and that was generally resolved and enacted accordingly That King Henry during his life should retaine the name and honour of a King That the Duke of Yorke should be proclaimed Heire apparant to the Crowne and the Protector of the Kings person his Land Dominions and Country That at any time any King Henryes Friends Allies or Favourites in his behalfe should attempt the disanulling of this act that then the Duke should have present possession of the Crowne No sooner was the Parliament dissolved when the Duke dispatcheth Letters into Scotland requiring in the Kings name the Queene the Dukes of Somerset and Exceter and all other of the Nobilitie that remained in that kingdome with all speed to repaire to his Presence to London But they were otherwise resolved And having gotten together of English and Scots to the number of eighteene thousand men they marched into England The Duke of Yorke with his younger Sonne the Earle of Rutland with the Earle of Salisbury leaving the King in the custodie of the Duke of Norfolk and the Earle of Warwicke marched towards the Queene and approaching neere her Army at Wakefield the Dukes Scowâ—…s being returned certified him that the enemy farre exceeded their power in number and all warlike preparation Whereupon the Earle of Salisbury advised the Duke to retire and attend the comming of the Earle of March who was gone into Wales to raise the Marchmen But it being appointed that here his ambitious desires should come to a period The pride of his former victory and overweening of his souldiers valours made him deafe to all counsell of forbearing the field and hastened on by his destiny from Sandall Castle hee marched to Wakefield greene where the Lord Clifford on the one side and the Earle of Wilts on the other were placed in ambuscado The Duke of Yorke supposing that the Duke of Somerset who had the battell had no more forces but what were with him valianly and in good order marcheth towards him but being entred within their danger the Ambushes on both sides broke out upon him and slew him and three thousand of his side the rest with number and confusion overborne fled the Earle of Salisbury is taken prisoner and harmelesse Rutland that came thither but to see fashions is made a sacrifice for his Fathers transgression and kneeling upon his knees instructed by his infant feares with teares begging life is unmercifully stabbed to the heart by the Lord Clifford in part of revenge as he sware of his Fathers death The Queene unwilling to bee behind hand in crueltie as unlike a mercifull woman as he an honourable gentleman in cold blood without due forme of tryall causeth the Earle of Salisbury and as many as were taken prisoners to bee beheaded at Pomfret Castle and to have their heads as it were in scorne to be placed on poles about the walls of the Citie of Yorke an incitement as it were to make all interessed in the shame to adde spurres to the speedy course of vindicative desires and to draw on revenge to the uttermost This Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury was third Sonne of Ralph Nevill first Earle of Westmerland by Ioane his second wife Daughter of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster hee married Elianor Daughter and heire of Tho Montague Earle of Salisbury had issue foure Sons six daughters 1. Richard the eldest was restored and
shee went on shore but speedily resorted againe to shipbord and by tempest was beaten to Barwicke Erom whence with the encrease of some few Scots leaving the Prince at Barwicke she with the king her husband marched into the Bishopricke of Durham having by the way in Northumberlaine somewhat more encreased their army To them resorteth the so late reconciled and now newly revolted Duke of Somerset Sir Ralph Peircy and divers of King Henryes welwishers who altogether made shew of a competent army But their disorderly burning and spoyling wheresoever they went whatsoever they could come at lost the goodwill of many and purchased the ill will of more King Edward to be prepared to meet the enemie at every turne makes preparation both by Sea and Land he sends Vicount Mountacute into Northumberland with Commission to raise forces whom King Edward in person followeth with his whole power leasurely but hasts some Companies after the Vicount to prevent any attempt of the Bishopricke men in case they should prove trecherous with these the Vicount marcheth towards King Henry and by the way encountreth the Lord Hungerford at Hegley-More but he with the Lord Rosse upon the first charge ran away leaving Sir Ralph Peircy alone with his owne regiment who there with them died valiantly fighting Mountacute having intelligence that King Henry was encamped in Levels plaine neer the River of Dowell in Hexamshire marcheth thither by night and set upon him in his Campe. The Northerne men with a desperate resolution receive the charge But were in the end with great slaughter overthrowne Henry Bewford Duke of Somerset the Lords Rose Mollins Hungerford Wentworth Hussey and Sir Iohn Finderne Knight with many others are taken prisoners King Henry escaped but very hardly The Duke of Somerset was presently beheaded at Exham he was never married but had a naturall sonne named Charles Somerset who was afterward created Earle of VVorcester The other prisoners were sent to New-Castle and there beheaded Thus was the White Rose in every place dyed red with the blood of the Nobilitie and the red Rose turnd pale with the horror to view the calamities occasioned by this dissention King Edward came to Durham and from thence sent the Earle of VVarwicke and others into Northumberland to reduce such Castles and forts as yet held out for King Henry which effected King Edward marched to Yorke King Henry shifting from place to place is at length discovered and in the manner of a notorious offender with his legges tyde under the horse belly without other company then Doctor Manning Deane of Windsor taken with him is by the Earle of Warwicke brought to the Tower of London a suddaine and strange alteration of estate when he that was the most potent Monark for Dominions that ever England had was not now the Master of a Molehill nor owner of his owne liberty so various are the changes and chances of this transitory life His distressed and disconsolate Queene with her sonne are driven once againe to fly for shelter into France K. Edward to raise some with ruine of others distributeth the Lands and Possessions of those that held with King Henry amongst his owne favorites and followers having the better to palliate his proceeding therein first made Proclamation that whosoever of the contrary faction would come in and submit should be received to grace and restored to their patrimonies King Edward having as it were a breathing from martiall imployments knowing that he was to deale with a people more easily to be drawne then driven addicted his courses altogether to endeer himselfe to their good affections and the better to settle in their minds a good opinion of his after-government he applied himselfe to accomplish those things whereof report had given out his predecessors have beene neglective in And first he began to set the beame even that was to carrie the scale of Iustice in equall point of right and to that end in Michaelmas terme in the second yeare of his raigne three dayes together hee sat publickly with his Iudges in Westminster-Hall on the Kings-bench to acquaint himselfe with the orders of that Court and the proceedings therein and to observe what deserved reformation in that Court either at bench or at barre He likewise ordered the Officers of his Exchequor to take more moderate fees and to be more intentive of their duties for the benefit of the subject then their owne unjust gaine And not under colour of preserving the Kings revenewes to enrich themselues and undor the subjects thereby wronging both King and people Then he complies himselfe to the multitude and publickly with such extraordinary shewes of unusuall congies and complements from a Soveraigne entertaines them That he thereby tyes their pliable tongues to set forth his uncessant commendation drawing out their loves to the largest extent He daily frequentes the Councell Table which he furnished for the most part with such as were most gracious amongst the Citizens and were most facile either to give dispatch or Court holy water to petitioners These he imployes about references and businesses of private consequence whilst misteries of state were intimated only to such whom he selected to be of his more private Cabinet Councell with whom now he adviseth how to encrease his forraine correspondence and advance his estate with some linck of faire alliance with such that might stand him instead and be a comfort or countenance in his proceedings as occasion should fall out For which purpose the fittest meanes is concluded to be some match to be made with France By which all meanes of succour might be withdrawne from his femall persecutor Queene Margaret and assistance drawne to persecute her husband and such as should oppose his Soveraignty For the better effecting whereof the Earle of Warwick is made choice of and imployed by the King into France to treate of a match betwixt King Edward and the Lady Bona daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and sister to the Lady Carlote Queene of France Vpon the first proposition this motion was readily embraced and was willingly assented unto on all parts And Mounseir Dampmortyn with some others are incontinently sent into England for the full accomplishment thereof but before his arrivall the game is changed and a new triumph turned For upon the first of May the King had taken to wife the Lady Gray the widdow of Sir Iohn Gray of Groby slaine at the last battaile of Saint Albons a Lancastrian she was daughter of Richard VVoodvile Baron of VVymington and Iaquet daughter of Peter of Luxenborough Earle of Saint Paul the widdow of Iohn Duke of Bedford sometimes Regent of France a sharer with her daughter of troubles to ensue upon their marriage for as the marriage of the mother gave the first cause of distast to the Duke of Burgoyne whose severing after from the English was partly if not principally the overthrow of our Conquest in France so this match of the daughter
Dutchy was likewise settled upon him notwithstanding the primogeniture of Edward and his heires The Crowne of England was likewise entayled for want of heires males of the body of King Henry upon Duke George and his heires for ever so proclive was the Parliament to give consent to whatsoever by the Earle of Warwicke on the behalfe of King Henry in which Well hee alwayes interwove some threds that might seeme for the strengthening of his Sonne-in-lawes good respect towards him was proposed By which meanes Clarence was kept within the Verge hitherto of the Earle of Warwickes devotion Iasper Earle of Penbrooke and Iohn Earle of Oxford are fully restored to Honour and lands Clarence and Warwicke are made Governours of the King and kingdome and all things both in Parliament Court and Councell consented unto and concluded on as they would propose and appoint The Queene is sent for into France but shee as if appointed not to tast any of the cup of her Husbands fairer fortunes is kept backe by contrary windes so that during the Winter season against the Kings will and her owne desires shee is kept on the other side the Sea Elizabeth Queene to King Edward is in the meane time in the Sanctuary at Westminster delivered of a Sonne christened by the name of Edward Warwicke that nothing might seeme to bee left undone that might conduce to the good of the Common-wealth and advantagious to their proceeding sent divers Companies over to Callice from thence to infest the Duke of Burgoines Dominions And it is not unworthy the observation the peoples levitie that whom as yesterday they had proclaimed Traitour and despightfully traduced That the bruite of his returne into England was no sooner spread but the Earle of Warwickes Cognizance the Beare and the ragged Staffe was worne in every mans cap yea Monsieur Vocleere was contented to surrender his new Patent and accepted of his former deputation now confirmed and weare the Earles Livery which he was pleased to vouchsafe him notwithstanding his former uncivill and unrespective demeanour both towards him and the Ladyes in his company The Duke of Burgoyne being sensible of this storme which was likely to fall upon him both from the French King and the Calliceans if not warily prevented wisely so wrought with the Duke of Clarence That the truce formerly concluded betwixt him and King Edward should in all things bee ratified and confirmed the Kings name only altered to Henry But with this cautionary restriction that no ayde should bee given to his Brother-in-law King Edward And hereof assurance by oath is given Neverthelesse within short time after whither by the Duke or Dutchesses meanes it is doubtfull but by one of theirs Edward was furnished with eighteene tall ships and two thousand Dutchmen and with fifteene thousand Florens of gold Thus furnished hee tooke land at a place called Ravenspur in Yorkshire in which place hee found but cold entertainment Neverthelesse as one that had no other hope left but that little stay hee had taken hold of hee made a wary march to Yorke where likewise hee found no great expression of welcome so that he was enforced most unlike himselfe to make use of the Divels sophistry and by most execrable oathes to winne beliefe the sooner amongst the Inhabitants of Yorke hee seriously vowed according as hee had prepublished in his passage thither That hee only challenged the benefit of his birth-right which was the Inheritance of the Dutchy of Yorke unlawfully with strong hand with-held against him utterly disclaiming any intention hee had to lay any claime to the Crowne of England which hee seemed ingeniously to acknowledge to bee King Henryes indubitable right The Citizens credulitie was such that they upon these protestations and upon taking the Sacrament to use the Citizens fairely and to bee true liegeman to King Henry permitted him entrance which before they utterly denyed him But hee was no sooner entred but that hee gave them a sufficient taste of his intendment which was not to want any thing whereof in that place hee might bee by any meanes furnished And having well refreshed his men and furnished himselfe with what men money and victuals the Citie could affourd him having left a sufficient garrison to keepe the Citie to his owne use Hee marched towards London waging by the way all the souldiers that either threats promises or money could winne or procure The Marquesse Mountacute whose actions and carriage were alwayes reserved and obscure from the vulgar yea so disputable and doubtfull amongst his owne Brothers and Allyes That none but himselfe could expatiate them Hee now when hee had power sufficient to doe it did not impeach King Edwards passage about Pomfret but suffered him to passe by him not fought with for which hee was much condemned by his Brother and deservedly for had Edward beene then but a little shaken hee had dyed at roote Being come to Nottingham divers of the Nobilitie came to him making tender of their service but with this proviso that hee would resolutely take upon him the stile and Title of King and accordingly take his State which hee without much contradiction was contented his former oath to the contrary being no scruple to his conscience to consent unto And as a river running farre from its first rising is still augmented by the accesse of other brookes and waters falling into it so King Enwards Army encreased by marching onward to a great number The Earle of Warwicke upon notice of these proceedings leaving King Henry at London hasted towards his Towne of Warwicke from whence he sent to the Duke of Clarence to advertise him of these occurrences desiring his speedy accesse thither where hee would abide his comming But the Duke lingring out the time and made not that speed that was expected and the businesse in hand required which gave cause of suspition of his tergiversation whereupon Warwicke with his forces withdrew toward Coventry where hee strongly entrencheth and fortifies himselfe whither King Edward followeth him and often provoked him to issue forth But hee wisely not being very confident of his souldiers fidelitie or courage as yet untried refused keeping himselfe close within his Trenches Whereupon King Edward marcheth to VVarwicke perswading himselfe that that course if any thing could would draw the Earle to fight But when that prevailed not hee bent his course towards the Duke of Clarence who with his forces made show to give him battell But when both their Armies were in sight the Duke of Glocester so wrought betweene them that they were both overtly reconciled as they privately were before and their forces were conjoyned The three brothers now by faire promises and liberall offers assayed to win the Earle of VVarwicke to embrace faire offers of favour and reconcilement but hee readier to bee broken then bent in stead of embracing these proffered courtesies upbraided the Duke of Clarence with perjurie and degenerate cowardlinesse returning them answer
where advised thereto by his Councell hee sent great Warwickes Brother the Archbishop of Yorke to bee kept prisoner in the Castle of Guisnes and the Earle of Oxford who had submitted himselfe upon pardon of life only to the Castle of Hams and layed all the Ports for the stopping of the Earle of Penbrookes going out of England which hee neverthelesse afterwards did with the young Earle of Richmond King Edward much displeased with the escape of the Earle of Penbrooke but more of that of Richmond by how-much the one could but abet the other might lay claime sent his Letters over to the Duke of Britaine whither those two Earles had found meanes to convey themselves and were in Britanny by him kindly entertained intimating therein his earnest desire either to have them sent over to him or at least watchfully kept from attempting any thing which he had iust causte to suspect they would to his prejudice by their being at liberty with many promises of thankfull respect for this courtesie if granted and for an earnest thereof sent him a token worthy the receiving which so prevailed with the Duke that the two Earles were debard each others company and all their English attendants taken from them and Britons appointed in their places which somewhat satisfied the King of England but gave no content to the English Gentlemen in France A Parliament is called at Westminster wherein all acts formerly made by him are confirmed And those that King Henry after his redemption of the Crowne had abrogated were revived And an ordinance made for the confiscation of all their lands and goods that had taken part against him and were fled with a restauration of all such as for his part had beene attainted both to blood and patrimony Towards his charges in this Parliament a competent summe of mony is voluntarilie given and in respect thereof a generall pardon is granted The Duke of Burgoyne not willing that his courtesies formerly done to his brother in law should be thought upon and willing to ingulph him in the warres of France That he in the meane time might have the better opportunitie to worke some malicious stratagem against the French king sends over Embassadors with ample instructions to solicit the King of England to set on foot his title to the Crowne of France making great offers with protestations to ayd and assist him therein both with purse and person The Embassadors have audience and after much debating the poynt amongst the privy Councell it was thus amongst them concluded 1 That the Crowne of France was not ambitiously affected But the title thereof legally Challenged as the unquestionable right of the now King of England 2 That the French warres if orderly pursued alwayes enriched English Souldiers 3 That France being made the seat of the war it would keepe them from making invasion on England and hinder them from supporting any against the King of England 4 That the French King had in an unsufferable fashion given an affront to the King of England in ayding and abetting Queene Margaret and her trayterous complices against him and prohibiting any his true subiects to reside within his territories And in continually sending combustible stuffe to feed the fire of rebellion which had so disquieted the common-wealth of England 5 That the King of France infested the Duke of Burgonies Countries with warres who was a friend and Collegue with the King of England and one that was in league with him both offensive and defensive Therefore this proposition from the Duke of Burgoin to vndertake the warres against France was to be approved of as being both lawfull and behoofefull for the honour of the King and the good of the Kingdome But the meanes how to pursue the warre being once undertaken was an other cause considerable For treasure the sinewes of warre was wanting and to procure a supply by Parliamentary courses would take up too much time They were therefore driven to find out and set on foote a proiect till then unheard of which was to draw by way of benevolence from the subject a seeming voluntary howsoever often very unwillingly payed contribution Thereby to supply the want of mony for the pursuance of these warres To this end divers Commissioners are assigned with letters to the knights and Gentlemen and severall instructions are sent into every County who did therein so effectually Comply themselues to doe the King service that by their perwasions most men of abilitie did enlarge their contributions to this so faire an enterprise and readily departed with their mony And a Kings kys to a sparing and therefore a rich widdow amongst many others drawne in by Court holy water to make oblation brought in twenty pounds more then was demanded for that being but twenty she gave forty It is almost a matter of admiration in these dayes how in those dayes The King could out of this little Island be furnished with able men for his warres old men women and children with sufficient meate to put in their mouthes the Cleargy and Schollers with competent maintenance and the markets with necessary provision considering the infinite number of those in the late Civill broyles slaughtered the paucitie of Ploughmen and husbandmen the want of farmers and the indigency of Cattell wherewith to stocke their farmes infinite quantities of ground lying unmanurde or tilled and the pastures and downes without sheepe or Cattell The generall spoyle and wastment which the Souldiers wheresoever they came and that was almost every where in this kingdome made and the generall ceasing and neglect of commerce or trafficke the shipping not daring to stir abroad the danger being so great to be robbed and spoyled either by hombred pirates or forraine foes yet such was Gods great mercies that every one of these respectively were supplied and did subsist without any notable defect or extraordinary want Henry Holland Duke of Exceter and Earle of Huntington dishinherited by act of Parliament with Henry Duke of Somerset and Thomas Earle of Devonshire in the fourth yeere of King Edward the fourth was this yeare found dead stript naked betwixt Dover and Callice but how hee came by his death no inquiry could bring to light he married Anne daughter of Richard Duke of Yorke and sister to Edward the fourth but had no issue by her she was after married to Sir Thomas Saytleoger and had issue by him a daughter to George Mannors Lord Rosse of Hâ—…mlack Provision for this French expedition of all things necessary being throughly made aad order taken for the quiet government of the kingdome in his absence and the stop of incursiones if any should by the Scots be made King Edward with an army of fifteene hundred men at armes and all of the nobility and Gentry gallantly mounted and wel attended with fifteene thousand archers on horsebacke eight thousand common souldiers whereof five thousand were sent to Brittaine and three thousand pioners to attend the ordnance and
King that the Duke of Gloucester was raising a power against him which the King in private questioned the Duke about but upon examination it was found a tale the Duke would not have pocketted up such dangerous reports but that the King either delighting to be tickled with such false rumours or upon some particular desire to picke a quarrell to the Duke upon his allegeance injoynes him not to expostulate the matter or to question the reporters The Citizens of Geneva implore ayde against the Barbarians of Africke The King sends a company of choyce souldiers under the conduct of Henry Earle of Darby who with them passed into France and there joyned with the French forces when with might and mindes united they sayled together into Africke at their arrivall the Barbarians were ready on the shoare to impeach their landing But the Earle commanded his Archers to beate the enemy from the shoare while he landed his other forces The French seconded the English And so whilst both Companies contended the one to bee accounted an helpe and the other to seeme to need no helpe The enemies were forced to flye and leave the shore to the Christians In this conflict were slaine and taken seven Dukes of the Barbarians and an infinite number of common people The Christians marched directly to Tunis which they layd siege to and in short time tooke the English first skaling the walls and reared thereon the English colours in this Citie were taken and slaine above foure thousand Barbarians the Kings brother also was slaine but hee himselfe fled into the Castle which was strongly scite'd well fortified and furnished with men and amunition sufficient for a competent number for some good space This they besieged by the space of sixe weekes in which space they lost many of their men by sicknesse The Barbarians also were distressed for want of beverage having too too many unprofitable mouthes to consume it They sent to the Christians to desire peace offering them a great summe of money to depart their Countrey This was accepted upon condition that they might freely carry with them all their prey and prisoners and that the Barbarians should from thenceforth surcease pillaging the coasts of Italy and France This voyage had a prosperous and speedy end The only service which the English and French performed together without breach of amitie or jarre in good quarter keeping About these times certaine discontentments grew betwixt the King and the Londoners which set the favour of the one and the faith of the other at great distance The one was denying of the King the loane of one thousand pound though offered to bee lent by a Lombard which received but a harsh language for his forwardnesse another came upon the neck of that thus one of the Bishop of Salisburies servants tooke a loafe of horse-bread out of a Bakers basket in the open street and by the rude demaund of the one and the rough denyall of the other choller was kindled and the Bakers head bled the neighbours would have stayed the Bishops man but hee fled into the Bishops house The Constable came and demaunded a peaceable delivery of the offendor The Bishops men shut the gates and made resistance then many threatned to fire their way and began to use violence but the Maior and Officers upon notice presently repayred thither and partly by perswasions that it was not courage but outrage that they shewed and chiefly by their presence and authoritie they repressed the multitude and preserved the Kings peace for that time hitherto the harme was but small and all night have beene quieted without much adoe had not the Bishop kindled the fuell of unkindnesse afresh for the Londoners were not only secretly suspected but openly noted to bee favourers and followers of Wickliffs but then new broched opinions for which doing they were much maligned by the Clergie especially by Iohn Bishop of Salisburie Lord Treasurer who made a grievous complaint hereof to Thomas Archbishop of Yorke and the Lord Chancellor affirming that if upon every light pretence the Citizens might be suffered in this sort to insult upon the Bishops without reproofe and punishment they would bring into hazzard not only the dignitie and state but the libertie also of the whole Church Hereupon they went to the King and so incensed his displeasure against the Citizens being prepared thereto by former provocations that he was once resolved to make spoyle of the Citie and utterly raze it But being perswaded to some more moderation in revenge hee caused the Maior Sheriffes and Aldermen to bee convented who were at first resolved to have justified their innocencie and to that end had plighted faith each to defend other but there was falshood in fellowship and one peached the other and were all committed to prison and then all the liberties of the Citie were seized and taken into his owne hands ordaining that no Maior should from thenceforth bee elected but it should bee at his pleasure to appoint a Warden This Office was first conferred upon Sir Edward Darlington who for his gentlenesse towards the Citizens was shortly removed and Sir Baldwyne Radington a man of a more rugged disposition placed in his roome The King likewise induced by the Archbishop of Yorke did remove the termes and Courts of Iustice from London to bee kept at Yorke where they continued from Midsummer Anno 1393. untill Christmasse following to the great hindrance of the Citizens of London At last the King at the earnest entreatie of the Dukes of Lancaster and Gloucester called the Londoners before him to Windsor and there hee caused all their priviledges of the Citie both old and new to bee brought forth whereof he restored some and restrained the rest that might prove any way advantagious unto him Neverthelesse the Londoners were not fully received to favour neither recovered they at that time the Title or dignitie of their Maior But shortly after the King came to London where the Citizens entertained him with such showes of triumphs and rich presents As if it had beene the day of his Coronation for they supposed with their curtesies and cost to have removed his displeasure yet were they not fully restored to their liberties againe untill they had payed ten thousand pound Thus did they manifest in tâ—…emselves a strange diversitie of disposition the inferiors licentiously to commit offence and the Superiours patiently to endure punishment having rashnesse and rage tempered with obedience so were they at last easily punished that could not at first possiblie bee ruled The King passed over to Callice the King of France came downe to Arde betweene the two Townes a place was appointed and tents erected for the Kings meeting where after interchange of complement and expences a cessation of armes betweene them for thirtie yeares was concluded And the King espowseth Isabel the French Kings Daughter of the age of eight yeares The Duke of Gloucester was so offended both
by the King as friendly taken as they were freely and friendly intended many mischiefes had beene avoided but both failed For though the Duke of Norfolke had formerly sided with the Lords yet afterwards affecting rather to bee lifted amongst great then good men hee made sale of his honour with his honestie to nurse his pleasure and hold grace with the King wherein he was so seated that the murthering of the Duke of Glocester and the execution of the Earle of Arundel was committed principally to his care and charge and now the more to wind himselfe into the Princes favour he exaggerated the late relation and intermixed with some truth many lies making the truth seeme worse then it was whereby the King not enduring the searching of his sores by any private observer endevoured rather to punish the boldnesse then examine the truth of these reports his eares being so duld with continuation of flatteries that he accounted all too sharp that was but savourie approving only that which was presently pleasant though afterwards it proved most poisonous This observation from hence may arise that no strange accident doth at any time happen but it is some way either foreshowne or foretold But because these warnings are oftentimes either not marked or misconstrued or contemned the events are accounted inevitable and the premonition vaine The King being touched with one Duke and tickled by another was not at first resolved what to doe At length hee convokes the Dukes before his Councell demands of Norfolke if hee would publickly avouch what hee had secretly suggested Norfolk thinking it at that time no point of wisdome to shrinke from or shuffle in his tale repeated with a confident brow all whatsoever he had formerly related But the Duke of Hereford who could not be dasht out of countenance when he was in a good cause After a short pawse as seeming rather amazed at the strangenesse of the matter then abashed at the guilt humbly thanked the King that hee had not given over-hasty credit to matters of such tender touch desiring him to continue yet awhile the respight of his displeasure and to reserve his judgement from prejudicating Then he orderly repeates the truth of the passages in the primer conference the occasion and the end thereof and what was related more then what hee now repeated he resolutely denyes affirming it falsly surmised by his adversary either upon malice to picke a quarrell or sycophancy to picke a thanke for which hee pronounced him a false unworthy forger of scandalous and seditiouslyes thereby trecherously machinating to seduce the King to destroy his Nobilitie and to raise some disturbance in the Kingdome which by his Soveraignes permission hee offered to justifie against him by order of the field Norfolkes stomacke not inured to undergoe scornes could not disgest these termes of disgrace but stiffly stood in defence of his relation and for the maintaining thereof accepted and craved the combat The King made shew as though hee would have otherwayes quieted the contention but when the Dukes persevered resolutely to demand the tryall by Duell and that thereupon they had flung downe their gages The King gives way thereunto assignes the place at Coventry the time the moneth of August following against which time preparation was made accordingly At the day prefixed the parties appeared well associated with friends and allyes The Duke of Anmerle was appointed for that time high Constable the Duke of Surry high Marshall who came to the lists honourably attended in sutable liveryes each of their servants carrying tipstaves for cleering the field and ordering thereof About the time of prime the Duke of Hereford mounted upon a white Courser his Caparison of blew and greene Velvet embrodered thicke with Swannes and Antelops armed at all points with his sword drawne approcheth the lists To whom the Constable and Marshall addressed themselves making demand who hee was Hee answered I am Henry Duke of Hereford and am come to doe my devoyre against Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke as a traytor to God the King the Realme and mee And then taking his oath upon the Evangelists that his quarrell was right and just hee desired libertie to enter which graunted he put up his Sword pulld downe his Bever signed himselfe on the forehead with the Crosse taketh his Speare and passing the Barriers dismounted and sate downe in a chayre of greene Velvet placed in a Travers of greene and blew Velvet at one end of the lists King Richard enters the field with great pompe accompanied with the Earle of Saint Paul who came purposely out of France to see the Combat The King was attended with all his Nobles and a guard of ten thousand men in armes to prevent all sudden and sinister tumults His Majestie being seated a king at Armes makes proclamation in King Richards name that no man except such as were appointed to marshall the field should touch any part of the lists upon paine of death which ended another Herold cryeth Behold here Henry of Lancaster Duke of Hereford Appellant who is entred into the Lists royall to doe his devoyre against Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke upon paine to bee accounted false and recreant When the Duke of Norfolke mounted the Caparisons of his horse of crimson Velvet embrodered with Lyons of silver and Mulberry trees proper taking his oath before the Constable and the Marshall that this quarrell was just and true entred the field crying alowd God ayde the right and then lighted from his horse placing himselfe in a chayre of crimson Velvet opposite at the other end of the Lists The Marshall viewed their Speares and carryed the one himselfe to the Duke of Hereford and sent the other by Sir Albericke Tressell to the Duke of Norfolke This done Proclamation was made to addresse themselves to the encounter The Dukes speedily mounted and closed their Bevers casting their Speares into their rests when the Trumpets sounded and the Duke of Hereford put his horse forward But before Norfolke stirred the King cast downe his Warder and the Combatants had their Speares taken from them and returned to their Chaires where they remained by the space of two houres whilst the King was in Councell Atlast Sir Iohn Bonray after silence proclaymed read their doome which was that in asmuch as the Dukes Appellant and defendant had honourably appeared in the royall Lists and were not only ready but forward to derayne the Combat For that this was a businesse of great Consequence for the avoyding the effusion of Christian blood the King by the advice of his Councell had decreed that Henry Duke of Hereford should within fifteene dayes depart the Realme and within the space of ten yeares not to returne upon paine of death without the Kings speciall leave first obtained Then upon a second Proclamation the Secretary pronounced the decree of Banishment against the Duke of Norfolke for that hee had used seditious words whereof he could produce no proofe and that the
King should take the revenews of his land untill he was satisfied of such sommes of money as hee had received out of the Kings coffers for the payment of the garrison of Calice And he further sayd That the King commanded upon paine of his high displeasure that no man from thenceforth should presume to petition the King in behalfe of either of those Dukes to alter this Decree The sentence thus read the King called the exiles before him and tooke of them a solemne oath that they should never converse together nor willingly come into each others company lest common discontent should draw first reconcilement and after desire of revenge But this pollicie is ever weake to prevent such purposes for oathes are often spurnd aside when they lye like rubbeâ—… to stoppe the way to honour or revenge Therefore the Princes of the Realme have with more safetie for the most part abolished the use of abjuration and either by death extinguish the power or by pardon alter the will of great offendors from entring into desperate and dangerous attempts which men in miserie and disgrace with more vehemency begin and with more obstinacy continue When the Samnites had so enclosed the Roman Legions that they had neither space to fight nor meanes to flye and without fight had enforced them to yeeld they sent for advise to one Pontius an antient Ruler of their State what to doe with them His answer was that the Romans should bee permitted to depart without losse or derision But this not pleasing those that were either cruell or covetous Pontius was the second time consulted with whose answer then was That the Romans should bee generally slaughtered and not one spared This contrarietie of advise brought Pontius into suspition of dotage which he suspecting came in person and maintained both to be advantageous The first by an unexpected favour might provoke the Romans to a perpetuall friendship the second would deferre the warres for many yeares The third Counsell quoth he there cannot be given that may be fafely followed yes say the Samnites to grant them their lives but to take away their armes and bootie This is a way replies old Pontius which can neither win friends nor weaken enemies but may increase fury but not diminish force So that that course of punishment is out of course which doth neither reclaime the minde of man nor restraine the might from mischievous endevours The Duke of Norfolke with great griefe and perturbation of minde now â—…ving it to bee true that greatnesse abused by whispering untruthes draweth if discovered certaintie of destruction departed into Almaine and from thence travailed to Venice where shortly after hee ended his dayes It is observed that this Duke was banished the same day of the yeare wherein the Duke of Yorke by his contriving was strangled at Calice The Duke of Hereford tooke his leave of the King at Eltham where foure yeares of his exilement were strooke off The Dukes deportment was with that moderation that in his countenance he made shew neither of sorrow or stupiditie and at his departure let not fall any either intemperate or unseemely sillable The Commons much lamented his departure not sparing to exclaime that it was against the Law of armes the custome of the Realme and all Iustice that hee should bee exiled who had honourably endevoured to maintaine his appeale according to the law of the field Their affection was the more excessive by reason the ground of his speech was against those that the people hated and he was the only survivor of the popular faction The Duke of Hereford sayleth to Callice and from thence to Paris where hee was honourably received by the King of France and in short time found that favour with him that hee was offered for wife the only Daughter of Iohn Duke of Berry Vncle to the French King But the King of England upon notice thereof made such meanes that the Mariage was stopt Many things hapned this yeare which were interpreted to presage the revolt of the people which hapned the yeare following observation likewise was taken that when King Richard brought his first wife with him out of Beanne shee was no sooner on shore but such a tempest arose as the like thereof had not beene seene in many yeares before wherein many shippes and amongst them the ship the Queene came in was cast away The like storme and the like losse did betide when the King brought his second wife out of France Many prodigies are likewise storied to appeare about these times both strange and fearefull I dare not avouch them all to be true neither will I detract all truth from such things so antiently reported Many are perswaded that these things which are fatally allotted though they are unavoidable yet are they some times foreshowne not so much that we may prevent them as that we should prepare our selves against them About this time died Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who was buried on the North side of the high Altar of the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London he was a man advised and wary liking better safe courses with reason then happy by hazzard neither unrespective nor ambitiously carefull of his owne glory Hee carried himselfe towards the King in termes honourable enough for a moderate Prince and yet not so plausible as an uncollected man might desire whereby nothing hapned unto him extraordinary either in prejudice or preferment This Iohn of Gaunt so named of the place where hee was borne fourth sonne of Edward the third did write in his stile Iohn sonne to the King of England Duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster Earle of Richmond of Darby Lincolne Leicester and high Constable of England hee married three Wives Blanch Daughter and coheire of Henry first Duke of Lancaster by whome hee had issue Henry afterwards King of England Philip married to Iohn King of Portugal Elizabeth married to Iohn Holland Duke of Exceter His second wife was Constance daughter and one of the Coheires of Peter King of Castile by whom he had issue Katherinâ—… married to Henry son of Iohn King of Spaine His third Wife was Katherine daughter of Payne Rurt King of armes and Widow of Sir Otes Swinford Knight by whom hee had issue Iohn Bewford Earle of Somerset and Marquesse Somerset Henry Bewford Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bewford Earle of Dorset and Duke of Exceter Ioane married to Ralph Nevill Earle of Chester and afterwards to Robert Ferrers Lord of Ousley all these Children though borne before espousall by a Bull from Rome were made legitimate hee lyeth buryed in Pauls After his death the Dutchy of Lancaster did lineally descend to his eldest sonne the Duke of Hereford But as the nature of man is prone to hate those whom hee hath injured the King seized all the lands and goods of the deceased Duke and endevoured to perpetuate the banishment of the young Duke revoked the Letters patents granted and consented unto