setting him vp lest in acting his part vpon that infectiue stage hee put the land to as much trouble as the arreared Duke Richard of Yorke had done after hee was ordained heire apparant which Title produced the Tragedy of his raiser King Henry the sixt and now hauing him and his Abetters vpon the aduantage the better to secure his owne Estate hee caused the heades of this Lord Marquesse with the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neuill to bee cut off vpon Tower-hill 105 The King then a Widdower since the death of Queene Iane who departed this life two yeeres before meant to 〈◊〉 whâ—… hee had done maugre all 〈◊〉 better â—…o effect by the Counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sought and obtained the 〈◊〉 the Princes of 〈◊〉 and heard the motion for marriage with the Lady Anne sister to William Duke of 〈◊〉 whose other sister Fredericke Duke of 〈◊〉 had espoused a great fauourer of the Gospell and 〈◊〉 of Martin Luther the zealous Preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof But whether for the death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that hee would haue his wiues sister bestowed neerer at home which thing hee pretended a great hindâ—…er hee was of that match But the Lady sent into England and married vnto King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing pleasing in his eye which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Bishoppe of Winchester percâ—…ing thought it a fitte subiect for him to worke vpoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord Cromwell the maker of the mâ—…ch hee therefore instigated iealousies dayly into the Kings 〈◊〉 first exasperating the hatred of the Princes of 〈◊〉 ny to him-wards and especially of Duke Fredericke his compulsiue brother in Law the Emperor French Kings Scots and the Pope all seeking at once to raise their powers against England The ciuill tumults lately passed and new commotions greatly to be feared hee letted not to remember and all to nip the spring of the new spreading Gospell whereby this wise Politician in the end got six such Articles against it as the Consistory of Hell could deuise no worse Whose cruelties were such that not long after and in the dayes of this King some of those Acts were againe repealed and some of them qualified as too sharpe and searching into the bloud of the Kings best Subiects 106 The fruite of these bloud-thirsty instigators the Lord Cromwell and Lady Anne of Cleue soon tasted of he by imprisonment and death and she by disgrace and diuorce hauing been his wife from lanuary to Iune in all which time the King refrained the mutuall knowledge of her body for the dislike hee had of her person euen at the first sight as himselfe called to witnesse the Lord Cromwell then Prisoner in the Tower for whose report hee wrote a Letter with his owne hand and shee good Lady no other cause alleadged was diuorced by Parliament when also it was enacted that shee should no longer bee styled Queene The Lord Cromwell was charged by the Lord Rich and Sir George Throgmortâ—… with speaking of certaine generall words not excepting therein the Kinges person which neuertheresse were thought so sleight and insufficient to take away his life that his enemies feared to put it to the triall of his Peeres lest he should bee acquitted by them as the Lord Dacres of the North not many yeeres before had beene wherfore there was a Bill drawne to attaint him of hereâ—… and Treason in generall words rather then in particular proofes which when hee was dead passed in both houses of Parliament with the Kinges assent 107 Howbeit Sâ—…ders that seldome speakeâ—… well of the Gospels professors will haue him to die for the breach of a Law made by himselfe which was that one appeached of treason should not come in the Kings presence till he had tried himself not guilty but besides that wee find no such Act by him made his inditement doth not charge him with treason but with setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of treason and hereâ—… for fauouring and maintaining the transation of hereticall bookes into English for bearing out Barnes and other hereticall Preachers that himselfe was an heretike and had spoken words great wordâ—… for the vpholding of his said religion which were that the King should not change it if hee would for these things he was 〈◊〉 by Parliament of high Treason and that grounded either vpon a Stâ—…ute made in the fiâ—…e and twenty of Edward thâ—… third or else by the explanation of that Act which referreth the exposition of Treasons to the 〈◊〉 and so no way did 〈◊〉 deuise or make any law of treason which himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that partiall Romanist hath said 108 But most sure it is that the Kingâ—…â—…on altogether guided by the 〈◊〉 obiect 〈◊〉 â—…other point in the Compasse to fire his 〈◊〉 eye besides that onely which by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touched by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and thâ—… 〈◊〉 to bee the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ward the brother of Thomas Dukâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Cromwell standing in the defence of 〈◊〉 Anne and vsing words of disâ—…ke 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 distastfull vnto the King was thereupon apprehended his enemy so 〈◊〉 and vpon the twenty eight of Iuly suffered 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 of the Axe vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beheaded the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 quietly dying for his offence committed 〈◊〉 109 The sword thus vnsheathed vpon the necks of the Nobility strucke off the head of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heâ—…re vnto George Duke of Clarence and mother vnto Reynold Poole Cardinall being neither arraigned nor tried but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had bin And the Lord Leonard Gray in this present yeere lost his head for treason the twenty eight of Iune And the next day following Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyborne for killing a priuate man in a fray Neither was it put vp vntill that the heades of Queen Katherine Howard and the Lady Iane Rochford were stricken off the one for Adultery the other for concealement as was alleadged the parties offending were Fraâ—…it Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before shee was Queene and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tiburne the tenth of December and the twelfth of February following Mistresse Katherine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainture 〈◊〉 is called who had beene stiled and receiued Queene for the space of sixe moneths and fouâ—… dayes with the Lady Iane then widow and late wife vnto 〈◊〉 Bullen Lord Rochford were both of them brought vnto a Scaffold raised vppon the hill within the Tower where they in lamentable passions suffered death 110 Howsoeuer those times afforded such Queenes to the Kings bed or himselfe vnfortunate in making his choise yet many of no meane iudgement haue rather accused King Henry for his changing and variable affections then thinke them guilty in the breach of Matrimony Of Anne wee haue seene what
BRITANNIA A ROMANE A SAXON A DANE A NORMAN THE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAINE Under the Conquests of the ROMANS SAXONS DANES and NORMANS Their Originals Manners Warres Coines Seales with the Successions Lives acts Issues of the English Monarchs from IULIUS CAESAR to our most gracious Soueraigne King IAMES by IOHN SPEED IMPRINTED AT LONDON Anno Cum Privilegio 1611 And are to be solde by Iohn Sudbury Georg Humble in Popes head alley at the signe of the white Horse THE PROEME TO THE LEARNED AND LOVERS OF GREAT BRITAINES GLORY HAuing thus farre trauelled in the protract and description of this famous Empire of GREAT BRITAINE I might here haue rested and claimed the priuiledge that yeeres and imbecillitie haue brought me vnto had not a further desire in others â—…ged it a matter incident historically to lay downe the originals of those Nations and successions of those Monarchs which either by birth or conquest haue aspired to the Imperiall Crowne And albeit I finde my selfe both tired in the former and most vnfit to prosecute this latter yet will I endeuour to giue herein my best assayes though as my labours so my wants also thereby will be made more vulgar to the world For if those men were blame-worthy against whom Heraclite exclaimeth who with long toile and great trouble finde a little pure substance in a great deale of base earth how shall I then free me from the like imputatioâ—… that from so many mines of pure mettals haue gotten so little Oare and the same neither well tried in my defectiue fornace nor yet artificially cast off through the default of the mould wanting both skil for to fashion and measure to performe the true proportions that in such a proiect is to be required and how often these my defects haue disswaded my proceedings is best knowne to him that is the searcher of the heart But by what fate I am inforced still to goe forward I know not vnlesse it be the ardent affection and loue to my natiue Countrey wherein I must confesse that Nature in those gifts hath bene both liberall yea and prodigall though Fortune as sparing fast-handed against me euer checking the Bit with the Raines of necessity and curbing the meanes that should illustrate my labours which moues me sometimes to thinke that if the great Philosopher Theophrastus had cause on his death-bed to accuse Nature for giuing man so long a lesson and so short a life then I against Fortune may as iustly exclaime that hath assigned me so great a labour and so little meanes And therefore let it not seeme offensiue that I draw my waters from the Cesterns of others who am not able to fetch them at the spring-head my selfe Neither that I strike vpon the same Anuile vnto their sound though nothing so loud nor with the like strength wherein yet this fruit at least wil I hope redound of my endeuours that I shall incite the more learned if not otherwise yet in emulation of me to free the face drawne by Apelles from the censure of the fault or defect in the foot and not onely to amend but euen to new-mould the whole Which thing though my dayes are neere spent and with Barzillai I may say that musicke to me is now vnpleasing yet doth my eare thirst after the set of that straine as Socrates thoughts ranne euer on his Booke who the night before he was to suffer death was desirous to learne musicke because he would die learning still something Moses when he foresaw the destruction of his Common-wealth which whilst it stood was the glory of the earth and a paterne to all kingdomes succeeding left this for a Law among the rest and euen to remaine for euer that the fathers should teach their children and should commit vnto writing those things which the Lord in their dayes had done and enioyned the children Likewise to enquire of the times that were past euen from the first creation of man For when as Empires and Kingdomes Common weales and Cities do end and perish yet the Histories thereof do remaine and liue And that made Cicero to say as he did that Salamina should be vtterly forgotten before the things that were done in Salamina should perish And therefore as among the wise answeres of Thales the Histories of Countreis are to be accounted for principals either as Cicero calleth them the Mistres of life and expositions of Times so likewise let vs from the lyricall Poet Simonides learne this further That he is perfectly happy which knowes his natiue countrey to be truly glorious And as Cassidorâ—… calls him a worthy Citizen that seeketh the commodity of his countrey So contrariwise he is by Bale esteemed but a fruitles clod of earth that sucks the sappe of his soile onely to himselfe whose memoriall shall perish as the dispersed smoake in the clouds though for a time he mount aloft in his swelling pride This naturall loue and true affection to our natiue Countrey we may further learne from the ancient Patriarks and Fathers themselues who besides a desire that they had to theirs continually to liue therein during life commanded their bodies to be buried therein after death from whose Bowels they first had assumed their breathes and in whose bosome they layd their bones as in their last bed of rest Yea of the vnreasonable creatures the Birds and Beasts we may learne this loue that alwayes are willing towards their home And if it happen that Countreys grow vnkinde as Homers did that in his old age and blind suffred him to beg his bread or that a Prophet in his owne countrey is not esteemed as Ieremy felt it and CHRIST IESVS taught yet did the one for his peoples captiuity wish his eyes a fountaine of teares and the other for his countreys destruction lamented and wept holding it vnlawfull to take the childrens bread and to giue it vnto others That this our Countrey and subiect of History deserueth the loue of her inhabitants is witnessed euen by forraine writers themselues who haue termed it the Court of Queene Ceres the Granary of the Westerne world the fortunate Island the Paradise of pleasure and Garden of God whose Typographicall descriptions for the whole Iland and Geographical surueyes for the seuerall parts exceed any other kingdome vnder the cope of Heauen that onely excepted which was conquered and diuided by Iosuah And for fruitfulnes and temperature may be accounted another Canaan watered with riuers that doe cleaue the earth as the Prophet speaketh and make the land as rich and beautiful as was that of Aegypt Our Kings for valour and Sanctity ranked with the worthiest in the world and our Nations originals conquests and continuance tried by the touch of the best humane testimonies leaue as faire a Lustre vpon the same stone as doeth any other and with any nation may easily contend saith Lanquet both
whom he knew to be the God of Hosts and whom euer he had serued and whose aid had hitherto neuer failed him whereupon boldly incouraging his men he accepted of the Field But the Battle furiously begunne fell so sore against him that ten thousand of his Souldiers were presently slaine and the rest despairing ready to flie himselfe at that instant had beene surprized had not God turned the heart of Arbitio a Captaine of his Enemies suddenly to come to his side and to rescue him Theodosius much daunted by these vnfortunate beginnings yet conceiued better hopes of the following successe trusting to the vprightnesse of his Cause and the helpe of his God which still he implored till the Heauens were propitious to his earnest desires 5 For suddenly a violent tempest arose and a raging winde rushed so extreamly on the faces of his Enemies that they were in no wise able to withstand it the power thereof beating backe againe their darts into their owne sides whereas the arrowes shot from the Emperors part were thereby forced with double strength to pierce through the Rebels Iron plates whereby a most glorious victory was obtained and Eugenius taken who lay grouelling at the Emperors feete deploring his estate and crauing his pardon but euen as hee kneeled with cries and teares the Souldiers standing by strucke off his Head And Arbogastes the Author of these euils by flight escaping two daies after ran himselfe vpon his Sword and so reuenged on himselfe his owne wicked actions This victory was atchieued the sixth of September in the yeere of grace three hundred ninety six by Socrates account and was so famous that besides the Records of Christian Historians Claudius a Heathen Poet thus eternizeth the same in his Heroick Poeme Gods darling deare the heauens thy souldiers were in arms And windes conspired to aid and follow thy allarms 6 Theodosius thus deliuered repaired vnto Millan where worne with yeeres and trauels shortly after he sickened vnto death And sending for his Son Honorius made him Emperor of the West and to Arcadius gaue the East wherein hee had before made him his Caesar. The Prouince of Africa he assigned to the gouernment by one Gyldus in his Sonnes behalfe and in the Non-age of Arcadius appointed Rufinus for Constantinople and Stilicho Tutor to young Honorius in Italie three most worthy men vndoubtedly had the greatnesse of their spirits beene contained within the lists of their trust and places 7 This last named Flauius Stilicho famous for a long time and an inward companion with Theodosius had beene imploied in the Britaines warres against the inroades of the Scots Vandals and Picts and therein had borne himselfe with fortunate successe as the Poet Claudian implieth where he bringeth in Britaine thus speaking Me quoque vicinis pereuntem Gentibus inquit Muniuit Stilicho totam quum Scotus Hibernem Mouit infesto spumanit remige Thetis Illius effectum curis ne bella timerem Scotica nec Pictum tremerem ne littore toto Prospicerem dubijs venientem Saxona ventis And I saith she that ready was by bordering foes to perish When Scots did cause the Irish stirres then Stilicho did me cherish When Seas did foame with strokes of Oares that beat the bellowes backe His force effecting with his cares preuented still my wracke He bad me feare no forraine powers that Scots or Picts could make Nor of the Saxons that on Seas vncertaine courses take So that being by him freed from those many dangers and all her enemies ouerthrowne shee singeth her security by the same Poet. Domito quod Saxone Thetis Mitior aut fracto secura Britannia Picte My Seas though rough are calm'd sith Saxons conquer'd are And I securely rest now Picts are queld in warre But this her ioy through the Treasons of these three Gouernours was soone turned into laments and teares and the whole Empires glory brought to a fatall period as presently it will appeare 8 This Theodosius for his Princely parts by all writers is ranked among the very best of all the Emperours And as he is likened to Traian for his feature and personage so may he be compared in wisedome to Marcus Aurelius In temperance with Antoninus Pius For his Christian profession and deuotion with Constantine the Great and for his meeknes equall to any Wherof among many other we haue one example very remarkeable vpon an offence cōmitted by the Inhabitants of Thessalonica hee commanded most seuere punishment to bee inflicted which was so vnaduisedly executed that as well the innocent as the offenders were inuolued therein He then comming to Millan would haue entred the Church to haue communicated with other Christians in their sacred deuotions which Ambrose the great Doctor and Bishop of that Sea though otherwise a man of admirable mildnesse resisted and forbad in which estate the Emperour stood for eight moneths continuance and then with great humility submission acknowledgeing his offence was absolued and againe receiued into the congregation For preuenting of the like rash offences by him committed he then enacted a Lawe that thirty daies should passe betwixt the sentence of death and the execution of the Malefactor And to suppresse his hasty choller whereunto he was much subiect his vsuall manner was to recite the Greeke Alphabet before hee vttred any speech sauering of that humour 9 He died Ianuary the seuenteenth the yeere of the worlds happines three hundred ninety fiue when he had raigned seuenteene yeares and liued sixty as Aurelius Victor writeth with whom he ends his History His first wife was Flacilia a religious Lady the Mother of Arcadius and Honorius by his second wife hee had a daughter named Placidia Galla first married vnto Athaulpus King of the Gothes and after his death vnto Constantine whom Honorius her brother made Augustus and his fellow Emperour ARCADIVS Emperours HONORIVS CHAPTER LIII FAtall was the Act of Theodosius in his Election of the three foresaid Protectors whose greatnes carried with a glutted prosperity grew to a surfet after his death in their ambitious thoughts and was the downefall of the now aged and drooping Empire first Gildus in Africa not contented with the title of Comes or Earle cast off all subiection and as an absolute Lord acknowledged neither Arcadius nor Honorius for his Soueraigne 2 Against these proceedings his owne brother Mastelzerius opposed himselfe and both in words and acts assayed to set him in his wonted place of obedience which by no other means could be brought to passe but by assistance sent him from Honorius with which though much too weake he marched against the Emperours Enemy and as Paulus Orosius writeth more by force of praiers to God then power of men in his encounter preuailed and beheaded Gildus for his Treason But himselfe becomming mightie and forgetting that which in others hee remembred himselfe vsurped the command of
is by the same Writer reported to be his brother and the supposed sonne also of Vulfhere the King Their murthers as he saith was committed the ninth Calends of August which is with vs the foure and twenty of Iuly vpon which day there was yeerely celebrated a solemne memoriall of their martyrdomes in the same place where they both suffered and where their Monument was then remaining 9 Wereburg the daughter of King Vulfhere and Queene Ermenhild was in her childhood committed to the bringing vp of Queene Etheldrid her mothers Aunt in the Monastery of Ely by whose perswasion she professed virginity and returning to her Country in the raigne of King Ethelred her Vncle was by him made ouerseer of all the Monasteries within his dominions She deceased at Trickingham now called Trentham in Stafford-shire and was buried at Hanbery Her body was afterwards remooued to Westchester where Leafrik the Earle built in honour of her a goodly Church called S. Wereburgs which to this day is the Cathedrall Church of that Citie ETHELRED THE SEVENTH KING OF MERCIA AND TVVELFTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS ACTS WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXIIII EThelred the third sonne of King Penda and brother to the last declared Vulfhere in the yeere of Christ Iesus six hundred seuenty fiue beganne his raigne in the kingdome of Mercia and at the same time in the Monarchy of the Englishmen being the seuenth King among them that ware their Diademe and the twelfth person that bare the Imperiall title of the whole his claime was not immediately nor next in succession young Kenred his Nephew standing betwixt him and the Crowne But himselfe a child in yeeres and in them also addicted vnto a priuate life he gaue his Vncle way to vndergo so publike a charge which without contradiction was likewise accepted of the subiects 2 His entrance was with warre against the Kentish Lothaire whose Country he destroied sparing neither Churches nor religious Abbeys the King not daring to appeare in field The Citie Rochester felt also his fury whose Citizens were ransacked their buildings ruinated and their Bishop Putta driuen to such distresse that he became a Teacher of good Arts and Musicke in Mercia to maintaine his aged yeeres from the necessity of perishing want These stirres saith Beda happened in the yeere of grace six hundred seuenty seuen and the next following so fearefull a Blazing starre as was wonderfull to behold first discouered in the moneth of August and for three moneths together continued rising in the morning and giuing forth a blazing pile very high and of a glittering flame 3 The remorse of conscience for the bloud he had spilt and the places of Oratories by him destroied besides his intrusions into another mans right strucke so deepe a wound into King Ethelreds breast that euer hee bethought him what recompence to make First therefore building a goodly Monastery at Bradney and that most fruitfully seated in the County of Lincolus thought that not sufficient to wash away the scarres of his foule offence but determined in himselfe to forsake the world for that was the terme attributed to the monasticall life wherein notwithstanding in lesse cares they liued and their persons more safe from all dangers attempted then when they publikely administred their lawes to their people the iust executions whereof many times breed the ouerthrow of their Princes and their Persons neuer secure amidst their owne gards 4 But such was the religion then taught and the godly zeale of the good Princes then raigning whose works haue manifested their vertues to posterities and faith in Christ the saluation of their soules in whose Paradise we leaue them and Ethelred to his deuout intent who to reconcile himselfe first vnto Kenred bequeathed the Crowne solely to him although he had a sonne capable thereof then putting on the habit of religion became himselfe a Monke in his owne Monastery of Bradney where he liued a regular life the terme of twelue yeeres and therein lastly died Abbat of the place when hee had raigned thirty yeeres the yeere of Christs natiuity seuen hundred sixteene His Wife 5 Offryd the wife of King Ethelred was the daughter of Oswy and of Lady Eanfled King and Queene of Northumberland She was married vnto him in the yeere of our Lord six hundred seuenty seuen being the third of his raigne and the twentieth of her age Shee was his wife twenty yeeres and passing thorow the North parts of Mercia she was set vpon and slaine by the people of that Country in reuenge of the death of Peada their King who had long before bin murthered by Alkefled his wife and her half sister as we haue said And thus strangely came shee to her vntimely end the yeer of our Lord six hundred ninety seuen the twenty three yeere of her husbands raigne and the fortieth of her owne age His Issue 6 Chelred the sonne of King Ethelred and of Queene Offryd his wife was the heire apparant of his fathers kingdome and of sufficient yeeres to haue succeeded him when he entred into religion but that it was his fathers will to make amends to his Nephew Kenred sonne to his elder brother King Vulfhere that now he might raigne before his sonne who should haue raigned before himselfe KENRED THE EIGHTH KING OF MERCIA AND THE THIRTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XXV KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere because of his minoritie at his Fathers death was defeated of his dominions by his Vncle Ethelred and vntill it pleased him to resigne his Crown liued a priuate life whereunto by nature hee was most inclined But King Ethelred for the wrongs to him committed and to redeeme the time that in warre and wealth he had prodigally spent yeelded the Scepter vnto his hand and set his seeming ouer-heauy Crowne vpon his Nephew Kenreds head who began his raigne at one and the same time both ouer the Mercians and Monarchy of the Englishâ—… which was the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred and foure 2 He is in account the eighth King of that Prouince and the thirteenth Monarch since Hengist the Saxon. He raigned in peace the space of foure yeeres then weary of gouernment and desirous of contemplation after the example of his Vncle sought a more priuate and religious life and thereupon appointing Chelred his Cosen germane to rule in his place in the fifth yeere of his raigne abandoned his kingdome and Country and departed for Rome accompanied with Offa King of the East-Saxons and with Edwine Bishop of Worcester where both these Kings were made Monks in the time of Pope Constantine the first Iustinian the younger then wearing the Imperiall Crowne and in a Monastery at that citie both these penitent Conuerts in the Coules and Orders of Monks spent the rest of their liues and therein died and were enterred this Mercian King Kenred hauing had
thousand men and Harold in Souldier-like exequies borne vnto Waltham in Essex there honourably enterred as we haue said William the Conqueror for so now may wee stile him returned to Hasting and thence set forward with spoile of the Country ouer Thamesis towards London 2 Where Edwine and Morcar the Brethren of the Queen were in working the English that one of them should be King or rather saith Simon of Durham to crowne Edgar Etheling the rightfull heire in such esteeme with the People that he was commonly called Englands Darling vnto whose side most of the Nobles aâ—…ered with the Citizens of London and the Nauall forces to which part also ioined Aldred Archbishop of Yorke though presently he fel off and stuckt to the stronger for the Prelates though secretly affecting the right claime yet terrified with the flashing thunderbolts of the Papall curse durst not goe forward with their purpose so powerful was the Pope euen then to defeat the rightfull heires of kingdomes but refused to side with the Lords whereupon all their designements were suddainely quashed 3 For William hauing wasted through Kent Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkshire came vnto Wallingford and crossing there the Thamesis passed through the Counties of Oxford Buckingham and Hertford where staying at Berkhamsted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Walter Bishop of Hereford with the Earles Edâ—… and Morcar yea and Edgar himself yeelded their allegiance vnto the Duke This curse so preuailing farre engaged William to the Pope 4 William intending for London being on his way found the passage stopt vp with multitudes of great trees which by the policy of Frethericke Abbot of S. Albanes a man descended from the Saxons noble bloud as likewise from Canutus the Dane to secure his Monasterie from the destruction of the Normans were so cut downe whereat the Duke both wondring and fretting sent for the Abbot vnder his assurance of safe returne and demanding the cause why his woods were so cut Frethericke answered very stoutly I haue done said he the duety both of my birth and profession and if others of my ranke had performed the like as they well might and ought it had not beene in thy power to haue pierced the land thus farre 5 Wâ—…lliam hearing the bold answere of this Prelate and knowing it was now a time fitter to pacifie then exulcerate the English spirits gaue way to the present necessity and withall hastned as good policy required his coronation which at Westminster was solemnized vpon Monday being the day of Christs Natiuity and yeere of saluation 1066. where he receiued the crowne at the hands of Aldred Archbishop of Yorke causing the Bishops and Barons to take the oath of allegiance vnto him and himselfe likewise at the altar of S. Peters tooke a solemne oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good lawes and to see iustice vprightly administred as became a good King and thereupon chose for his counsell such men as he knew to bee of great wisedome and experience next applying his thoughts for the security of his new gotten Empire fortified such places as lay open to danger bestowed strong Garrisons vpon the coasts ships to ride in those Harbours which were most exposed to inuasion 6 And the better to assure the south of the land best seruing his purpose if any new troubles should arise hee tooke his way towards Douer the locke and key of the Kingdome as Mathew Paris terms it that so hee might commaund the seas from his enemies arriuage and ouer-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Prouince When Stigand therfore Archbishop of Canterbury and Eglesine the Politicke Abbot of Saint Augustines being the chiefest Lords and Gouernours of Kent vnderstoode of his approch they assembled the Commons at Canterbury laying forth the perils of the Prouince the miseries of their neighbours the pride of the Normans and the wronges of the Church all which now were too apparantly seene the English till then they sayd were borne free and the name of bond-men not heard of among them but now seruitude only attend vs if wee yeeld sayd they to the insolency of this griping enemy These two Prelates therefore after the example of the vndaunted Machabees offered themselues to die in the defence of their Country whose forwardnesse drew the people vnto the like resolution which by their aduertisements were assigned to meet at a day the place was Swanscombe two miles west from Graues end 7 Where accordingly conuening and keeping secret in the woods they waited the comming of the Conquerour all iointly agreeing for that no way lay open saue onely a front to carry in their hands great branches of trees wherewith they might both keepe themselues from discouery and if need were impeach the passage of the Normans which deuice tooke so strange an effect that it daunted the Duke euen with the sight at his approch who being as he thought free from the enemy was now suddainly beset on all sides with woods whereof seeing some before him to moue he knew not but that all the other vast woods were of like nature neither had hee leasure to auoide the danger The Kentish inclosing his Army about displaied their banners cast downe their boughes and with bowes bent prepared for battle so that hee which euen now had the Realme to his seeming in his fist stood in despaire of his owne life of which his sodaine amazement the reuerend Prelates Stigand and Eglesine taking notice also aduantage presented themselues before him and in the behalfe of the Kentish thus spake 8 Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are comeforth to meete and receiue you as their Soueraigne requiring your Peace their own free condition of estate and their ancient lawes formerly vsed if these be denied they are here presently to abide the veraite of battaile fully resolued rather to die then to depart with their lawes or to liue seruile in bondage which name and nature is and euer shall be strange vnto vs and not to be endured The Conquerour driuen into this strait and loath to hazard all on so nice a point their demaunds being not vnreasonable more wisely then willinglie granted their desires and pledges on both parts giuen for performance Kent yeeldeth her Earledome and Castle of Douer to their new King William 9 All things established for Englands securitie and subiection now to the Normans hee ordained his halfe brother by the surer side Odo Bishop of of Bayeux whom he created Earle of Kent and his cosen William-Fitz-Osburne by him made Earle of Hereford to bee Gouernours in his absence ouer the Realme and in the Lent following sailed into Normandy leading with him many pledges for their fidelity besides other Nobles especially such as he feared to be too potent amongst whom Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury the two great Earles
the same estate as in which King Richard found it 40 But the King of England though hee had very far excelled all the Christian Princes in great exploites at that iourney because* he had neither conquered Salaadine nor Ierusalem did mourne and parted pensiue In the holy-land hee left Henry Earle of Champaine who vpon taking the said Baruck was to haue beene crowned King of Ierusalem which Guido had resigned and hee left Guydo de Lusignian the late King of Ierusalem in Cyprus to whom hee had passed it in exchange for the other to aduance his Kinseman the said Earle of Champain which vpon that Title the familie of Lusinian for many descents after did possesse and enioy Thus Richard hauing ordered his affairs in the East parts sets saile homeward The Queenes Berengaria his wife and Ioan his sister with the Captiue Lady Daughter of the Cypriot Emperour vnder the conduct of Stephen de Turnham hearing of the Kings most heauie fortune soiourned at Rome about sixe moneths for feare of Richards enemies afterward came safe by Marsilia in Poictou 41 God whose cause was onely pretended in this voyage of the Christians did not seeme to approue the said truce for hee scattered the English with a terrible tempest and the opportunity of Conquest was so lost that hitherto it could neuer bee regained and the King of England letting it slippe when God had almost put the same into his hands did miserably fall into his enemies hands Certainelie the name of Richard was at that time growne terrible to Saladine who had receiued diuerslosses foiles and ouerthrowes at his haudes Moreouer the Saladines whole estate being endangered by such of his own sect as reputed him a meer vsurper hee could not long withstand the double impression of the Christian Cheualrie and of his owne Allies and Countrimen as indeed not long after* he died leauing his Empire fowly but iustly distracted by ciuill confusions whereas by this Truce the crafty Turke made the world see that the powers of two so potent Monarkes had in a manner effected nothing Richard could neuer haue time to return for accōplishment of his designs for which all Christendome hath at this howre reason to bee sorrowfull and hereofhimselfe* was very sensible so that hee would oftentimes crie out that hee was not alwayes wise alluding to this occasion lost 42 But the noble King hoping to pierce with speed through Germanie in disguise tooke to him the name of Hugo a Merchant the haire of his head and beard growne very long being the fitter to conceale him but in his iourney ouer land was neere to Vienna vnhappily discouered by the profusenesse of his expenses when hee saw he could not escape them in contempt of his fortunes he put on roiall garments and refused to yeeld but onely to the Duke himselfe who came with ioy as to a prey which he sore longed for but the rascall multitude cried things worthy of themselues calling him O barbarisme Traitour and some saying stone-him some cut off his head others hang him and because the inhumanity of this vsage may be suited with rimes as rude and ragged you shall in such heare the cause of this Arch-dukes malice growing first at Accon where the Author speaking of King Richard saith He gate it soone with his great Ordinance And on the walles his Banners full high set The Kings Armes he set vp also of France And King Guyes Armes of Ierusalem well bet The Duke of Oistrich Limpold without let Set vp his Armes after aboue them all Which King Richard did cast downe from the wall 43 And though it is certaine that this Author faines not this fact for that some such matter and told by * some with more disaduantage to Richards cause is by others related yet the grauest Authors agree that next to the common enuie at his vertues the greatest pretence was the murther of the Marquesse Conrad committed at Tyre by two cursed Assasines a* certaine sect in the East liuing vnder a Senior or Ruler whom they honor as a Prophet by whom they are sent forth to murther such Princes as fauor them not promising themselues the reward of immortality by obeying him in all things though with the losse of their owne liues Of which barbarous fact Henrie the Emperour and Leopold the Arch-duke whose neer kinsman Conrad was would seeme to beleeue that Richard was the Author though therin they toucht his princely reputation and integrity * most iniuriously for that the chiefe of that sect by their owne publike * letters written with the bloud of the shel-fish called Murex wherewith Scarlet vsed to be dyed acknowledging the fact declared the true cause thereof which was a particular Act of iniustice in Conrad himselfe There wanted not sundry other pretences as in such cases is vsuall as * that Richard had entred league with Tancred King of Sicilia the Emperours enemy and that hee had thrust the Cypriot their kinsman out of the Empire and kept his onely daughter Captiue But this booty being too great for a Duke the Emperour got into his custody meaning to coine much gold and siluer out of his most vniust affliction by sharpe imprisonment which could not make him in any act or speech or gesture of his shew beneath the Maiestie of a victorious Prince and King of England 44 The dismall newes thereof flying through the world presently disclosed who were sound or vnsure sorrow and dismay was euery where among his owne His carefull mother and other his fast friends sweare the realme to be true to King Richard watch the coasts and prouide for the security of the State with singular vigilancie assuring the Cities good Townes with Bulwarkes Walles and Munition On the contrary Earle Iohn being by the cunning inueigling and suggestions of his brothers professed foes not onely put out of all hope of his releasement but also incensed against him for intending the Crowne to his Nephew Arthur entred into an vnbrotherly attempt against his Soueraigne Lord the summe whereof take in the words of Thomas Walsingham who saith that Iohn with promises allured many to him through the whole Kingdom did carefully and speedily fortifie his holds in England and passing the seas entred into league with the King of the French that he might vtterly put his Nephew Arthur Duke of Britaine from that hope which the Britaines had conceiued of his promotion The Normans giuing any way to his disloiall practises hee swears fealty to Philip King of France his brothers most mortall enemie and also that he would take to wife the Lady Alice King Philips sister though polluted by his owne Father and for that cause reiected by King Richard Out of Normandy he posts into England sollicites Peeres and people and was loyally resisted but hee not quieted so labors to stirre the Scot and Welsh to
King made humble supplications to the Lord Pope that hee would vouchsafe in a touch of pious compassion to support the English Church being at the point of ruine At whose earnest sollicitation the tender-hearted Pope grieuously lamenting the desolation of the Kingdome of England decreed by solemne sentence That King Iohn should bee deposed from his Kingdome and that the Pope should prouide some other who should bee deemed worthyer to succeed To effectuate the former clause Innocentius eagerly pursued the latter sending speedy letters to whom but King Iohns most mortall enemy Philip King of France requiring him to vndertake the labour of the dethroning King Iohn with no lesse reward then pardon for all his sins and enioying of the English Crowne to him and his heires for euer A goodly large patent both for a Spiritual and Temporall Kingdome which more like Mars his Priest then Christs Vicar he meanes to seale with a deluge of Christians bloud For not thus yet satiated hee transmits his Letters generall To all Potentates Souldiers men of warre of all nations to signe themselues with the Crosse and to follow their Captaine Philip for the deiection of King Iohn assuring all that their assistance whether in Person or Contribution shall bee no lesse meritorious then if they visited our Sauiours Sepulchre That this Pope vnder colour of such Crusadoes did formerly cloake his own Auarice his owne Monkes auerre but here hee cloakes therewith both his Pride and a far more sauage vice the thirst not of mens gold but of their bloud In which seruice with King Philip hee vsed the same English Prelates for his Negotiators which were before his Solicitors thereunto with whom also he sent his Factour Pandulph giuing him in priuate secret instructions how to manage euery particular of the whole designe to the most behoofe of the holy See 47 The French King likewise receiuing from the Archbishoppe and his Associates in a councel the Apostolike sentence was very apprehensiue of that imployment whereto not so much the Papall commaund as his owne ancient malignity and the English Barons traiterous requests had prepared him both which he was now willing to maske with the speous pretext of iustice and deuotion Vnder which colors hee had speedily marshalled an immense Army at Roan drew a mighty Nauy richly furnished to the mouth of Seyn al his Dukes Earls Barons Knights souldiers being sūmoned to the exploit vnder pain of hie Treason and disherizing who therforeboth in feare hope of spoile came flocking without number 48 A preparation of so great importance that all Christendom tooke notice of could not long be hidden from King Iohn whose care by reason of his now doubled opposition forrain domestick could be no lesse for his owne and his Kingdoms safety then was his Enemies for impugning both Wherfore his Summons being sent to all his officers both for Sea and land for speedy furnishing both of a Nauie an Army equiualent to encounter so powerfull an Inuasion such innumerable multitudes swarmed to Douer and other harbours for landing that the Chiefe-leaders for want of prouision dismissing the rest encamped at Barham-Downes onely with 60000. choice valiant and well appointed men who if they had carried all one mind and true affection towards their King and safegard of their Country there breathed not any Prince vnder heauen whose assault England had not beene able to repell And being no worse appointed for a Sea-fight his intent was to graple first with the French Fleet making no doubt of sinking them all so secure and confident was he in expectation of all Inuaders In which braue addresse whiles both shores of the Sea are thus belaid with both those Kings puissant Armies the one waiting for the Enemy the other for faire windes and more forces behold Pandulphus the Popes Pragmaticke hauing first desired safe conduct of King Iohn arriues at Douer to put in execution those secret Instructions which his Lord who made his aduantage of the Foxe-skinne as well as of the Lions had expresly prescribed He there vnfoldes to the King the innumerable multitude both of King Philips shippes and of his Souldiers Horse and Foote all in readinesse to passe and yet more expected to follow to bereaue him of his Kingdome by Apostolicall authority and to enioy it himselfe with his Heires for euer That with him were also comming all the English Exiles both Clergy and Lay they by his forces to repossesse their estates maugre the king and hee from them to receiue allegiance as from his sworne Subiects That hee had the fealty of almost all the English Peeres obliged to him by their owne Charters which made him distrustlesse of attayning easily his wished successe which calamities the more vnsufferable because imposed by his insulting enemie and his owne Subiects he might yet euade and retaine his Crowne which by Sentence hee had already lost if penitently hee would submit himselfe to the Churches iudgement Doubtlesse the straites whereinto the King saw himselfe plunged were very dreadfull so many deadly enemies abroad to assault him so few trustie friends at home to guard him which droue him into this sad cogitation that those his perfidious Peeres would now with their followers abandon him in the field or betray him ouer to the Sword of his Enemies Yet not vnlikely other motiues also might forcibly perswade him to relent the remembrance of the Emperour Otho whom this very Pope not without foule blot of Iniustice and Leuity had both eagerly aduanced and furiously dis-empyred the boundlesse furies of the Crusado promulged against him wherewith this Pope vsed to ouerflow as with a mercilesse Ocean all such Princes as withstood his will which once broken in would neuer end but with the end and ruine of all Thus thinking it better to yeeld to the time with assurance both of his Crowne and of the Popes fauour then desperatelie to hazard Life Crowne and all to his immortall foes hee redeemes his safety on such conditions as tiable that with money eyther paid or promised hee might be wrought like waxe and made plyable to all wicked actions Thus hauing the true length of the Popes foot he fittes him accordingly with rich presents and golden promises crauing by such mouing Rhetoricke not his aide onely but his Curse also against the Archbishoppe and Barons who so vncessantly distressed him But Innocentius forward of himselfe without any Motiues to put in vre those his Papall vertues and the execution of his late-vsurped power vpon the first gladsome newes of Englands Vassallage to his See had presently dispatched for England an Agent of greater port then Pandulph a Subdeacon Nicholas Bishoppe of Tusculum with no meaner credence and instructions for preseruing what the Pope had guilefully gotten then Pandulph had to purchase what hee ambitiously gaped
S. Salomon Rochester chiefe Iustice of Assises 4000. M. S. Richard Boyland 4000. Marks S. Thomas Sodentone 2000. Marks S. Walter de Hopton 2000. Marks S. William Saham Iustice 3000 Marks Robert Littelburie Clerk 1000. Marks Roger Leicester Clerk 1000. Marks Adam de Stratton beside other riches incredible 32000. Markes But with one Sir Thomas Weyland the Kings chiefe Iustice being found belike most false he dealt farre more sternely for he not only seised vpon all his moueable goods and Iewels which he had done to others but also vpon his immoueable and banisht him moreouer out of the Kingdome At which time the King constrained all his Iustices to sweare that from thence forth they would take no pension fee or gift of any man except only a breakfast or the like present O diuine and still necessary seuerity onely able to breake the pernicious combination of men that vnder the profession of law offices of Iustice make merchandize of honor iustice law and conscience which cannot in the end but ◅ring forth ruine and confusion 18 That tempest now which * Thomas Ersilton a Scottish Rimer is said to haue obscurely prophecied alluding to the troubles of Scotland by reason of King Alexanders death hapned about these times which raised so great and bloody contentions that it had almost blowne vp the regalitie of that kingdome by the very rootes For when by the violent fall from his horse King Alexander had most vnfortunately lost his life that Realme was wofully destitute of any apparent heire sundry persons stāding in competition for the same These things were thought to be foreshewed from heauen by many fearefull presages as extraordinary Meteors Flouds Fires and Pestilence But King Edward intending to sway that affaire and being vpon his way toward the borders the death of his royall consort and Queene which he lamented while himselfe did liue called him backe to the celebration of her funerals as her excellent virtues did well deserue To our Nation shee was a louing mother saith one the Column and pillar as it were of the whole Realme In her honour the King her husband who loued her aboue al worldly Creaturs caused those many famous tropheis or crosses to be erected wheresoeuer her noble coarse did rest as it was conueyed from Lincolneshire to buriall in Westminster Nor coulde any thing but the respect to other weighty matters now presently in hand with-holde our pen from paying to her memory a farre more copious commendation 19 Those mourning offices as mournfully performed the King repaires into Northumberland whither the greatest and sagest persons of the Scottish nation being come themselues hauing sought to him Edward makes claime to the superiority of Scotland and requires that the Competitors woud quietlie assent to his award alleaging that the Crowne of that Realme was held of him for more credit to which assertion he vouched sundry books and actss whereunto the Scots replied That they were ignorant that any such superiority belonged to the King of England neither could they make answere to such things without a King the head vpon whom it lay to heare such a denunciation and protested that other answere they ought not as then to giue in regard of their Oath which after the death of Alexander their King they had made one to the other and the same to keepe vnder paine of excommunication Whereupon the King deliuered to them his letters Patents in which he acknowledged that the comming of those Scots on this side the water of Twede should not be at any other time vrged to preiudice them for comming againe into England that is That their example should not so be drawne to an argument of King Edwards right ouer them as if they were to come againe vpon dutie so prudentlie iealous were these Patriots of their Countries liberty 20 The names of the Competitors were these according to Walsingham Erick King of Norway who appeared by his Attorneys Florence Earle of Holland Robert le Brus Lord of Annandale Iohn de Baliol Lord of Galway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeuenny Iohn Comin Lord of Badenaw Patrick de Dunbar Earle of March Iohn de Vesci on his Fathers behalfe Nicholas de Sules William de Rosse These all peaceably submitted themselues for so much as concerned their seuerall titles to the Scottish Crowne to the finall award and arbitration of King Edward passing thereof an authentick Instrument vnto him who hauing giuen caution to restore the realme of Scotland within a certaine prefixed time to that party to whom the Crowne thereof should be adiudged had seisin deliuered to him the better to put the sentence in execution or say the writers of that nation they giuing him power to constraine the parties to stand to this sentence The whole carriage of which weighty businesse being so diuersly related and censured by the writers of both nations though for the present it be not material both Kingdoms now blessedly acknowledging one absolute Superiour wee will so trace the steps of truth in a middle way as resoluing neither to impeach the action of that glorious vmpier nor preiudicate the right of our noble sister nation The State of Scotland now was not without manifest perill for the Scots denying that their Kingdome was in anie point subalterne to the Crowne of England and King Edward either perswaded that it was so or resoluing and plotting now to make it so would not neglect the aduantage of this Akphalisis or want of a known head in Scotland 21 Vpon full ventilation therefore and scanning of all rights the maine doubt rested vpon Lord Brus and Baliol for the residue might seeme rather to affect the honour of hauing pretended title in blood to a Diademe then to haue colour to contend with either of them Great was the aduise and deliberation as there was cause which King Edward tooke therein for not trusting to his owne iudgement hee caused saith Hector Boetius twelue of the best Clerks or learned men of Scotland and twelue of England to concurre as Assessors with him in that great decision 22 While this weighty cause was in debatement there fell out deadlie strife betweene the English and Normans occasioned by one of them casually slaine by the English which mischiefe the King of France forwardly nourisht as thirsting for the dutchy of Gascoigne which best he might attain by troubling the forreine affaires of King Edward whom they saw now entangled at home in so weighty emploiments Whereupon the Normans slew sundry of the English and hung vp one vpon the mast of a Shippe whom they had taken at Sea but ere long after threescore English ships encountring with two hundreth saile of Normans laden with wines after a most bloody battel wherein many thousands of the French were slaine tooke with their whole fleete their full reuenge and brought them into England 23 At last yet King Edward returning to
to the English campe great numbers of Welsh souldiers with whom he releeued many of the English footemen tyred with seruice sending them backe into England Thither also came the Earles of Vlster with bands of Irish. 30 The King of England prospering thus passeth with his army ouer the Scottish Sea where while he kept the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist at Perth or Saint Iohns Towne there came messengers from Baliol and the Lords his factors to sue for mercy which was granted vpon condition that they should render themselues to him as his subiects Hector Boetius saith that after this agreement wherein Anthonie Bishop of Durham was vsed Iohn Comin brought Baliol void of all kingly habiliments with a white rod in his hand to the English campe at Montros where he resigned his whole right that he either had or might haue to the Crowne of Scotland into king Edwards hands and made thereof a formall Charter in French and at the same time also for feare of life gaue his sonne Edward for hostage and assurance of his fealtie by which final disclaime the Lord Bruces right might seeme now vnquestionable But this resignation being thus made king Edward returnes to Berwick where all the Nobles of Scotland at a Parliament there holden were sworne to be loyall and true subiects to king Edward for euer after and hereof a solemne instrument was sealed by the said Lords of whom Iohn Comin of Badenaw was first bearing date at Berwick in the twentie fifth yeere of the reigne of their Souereigne Lord King Edward 31 Iohn the late King was sent to the Tower of London and there was honourably attended hauing liberty for twenty miles about The Scottish Lords were confined within Trent ouer which Riuer they might not passe toward Scotland vpon paine of life The custody of Scotland was committed to Iohn de Warrenn Earle of Surrey and Sussex and the Treasurershippe thereof to Hugh de Cressingham but William de Ormesby was ordained Iusticiar with this particular commandement that hee should take the homages and fealties of all such as held lands of the King And the more to shew his purpose vtterly to dissolue the distinct Regality of Scotland and to vnite it to the English Monarchie as hee had done Wales hee tooke out of Edinbrough the Crowne Scepter and Cloath of Estate offering them vp at Saint Edwards shrine in Westminster if the Author mistake not for at Saint Thomas at Canterbury hee offered vp Baliols Crowne saith another and besides many other Acts tending to the abolishment of the Scottish Name which Hector relates as the burning their Records abrogating their lawes altering their forms of diuine seruice and transplanting all their learnedst men thence vnto his Vniuersity of Oxford hee tooke out of the Abbey of Scene the Marble Chaire in which the Kings of Scotland were wont to bee crowned and sent the same to Westminster for Priests to sit therein at Celebration This Chaire is the same vpon which was engrauen the famous Propheticall Distichon Ni falat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Inuenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem If Fates goe right where ere this stone is pight The Regall race of Scots shall rule that place Which by whomsoeuer it was written we who now liue finde it happily accomplished But these great Acts of this yeere brought to the Commons of England small commodity vpon whom the charge of the warres lay heauily and it is not often found that the people gaine much by their Princes Conquests 32 The force of Scotland with a greater force being thus for the present broken who would suppose that it could once again haue lifted vp the head and that chiefly by the particular vertue of a priuate man as it after hapned which hee had the more oportunity to doe for that the King of England was diuersly diuerted by occasion of warres in Gascoigne for recouery of his owne and for aid of his friends in Flanders whom the French did afflict in hostile manner The Captaine of the reuolted troupes in Scotland was one William Wallace the sonne of Sir Andrew Wallace of Cragie Knight though some vpon hearesay write contemptibly of his course of life as of a publike robber who by the assistance of such as were outlawed for refusing to doe their homage to King Edward draue William de Ormesby the Kings Iusticiar out of Scotland Which King Edward hearing discharged Iohn Comin of Badenaw and the Earle of Bucquhan from their confinement to the entent that hee might by their endeuours the sooner settle matters but withall hee gaue Iohn de Warren Earle of Surrey commission to leuie an Army and the king loath to bee hindred from his other destinations easily yeelded to such requests as were propounded on the Scots behalfe for that time The voyage which hee had then in hand was to transport from Winchelsea an Armie to assist the Earle of Flanders his confederate 33 England at this time was not without great discontentments which Humphrey de Bohun Earle o◅ Hereford and Essex Constable of England and Roger Bigot Earle of Norfolke Marshall of England did countenance for present satisfaction whereof the King yeelded among other things to confirme Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta and that there should no Subsidie nor taxation bee leuied vpon the people without the consent of the Prelates Peeres and people But before this time and while the King was absent out of the land the Scots vnder the leading of VVilliam VVallas put to flight the Earle VVarren and all the English Forces which were with him taking them at aduantage as they were passing ouer a narrow Bridge neare vnto the Castle of Striuelin the slaughter of the English was not smal There Hugh de Cressinghām Treasurer of Scotland for King Edward feel in battell whose dead body for speciall hatred borne vnto him the Scots did flea diuiding his skinne among them The King hearing of this ouerthrow commands the Lordes of England by his letters to bee ready to assist the said Earle VVarren his Custos or Guardian of Scotland with their Forces in the Octaues of S. Hilary at Yorke and also to proclaime such of the Scottish Lords as came not thither enemies of the State but they kept themselues within Scotland and came not Whereupon the English Captains marched to the rescue of the Castle of Rocksbrough whence VVilliam VVallace fled vpon notice of their approach to raise his siege But King Edward aduertised of these accidents hauing taken a truce for two yeeres with the King of France by mediation of Bonifacius the Pope who interposed himselfe non tanquam Iudex sed amicabilis Compositor saith VValsingham not as a Iudge but as a friendly Composer made hast into England where his presence was extremely wanting but in his way home at a Towne called Ardeburg all the Scots almost which hee had brought with
for a fee-farme whereof himselfe receiued threescore and ten and some such other To pacifie these great Lords the Lord Chancellour is disgraced and the seale taken from him against the Kings will and giuen to Thomas Arundell Bishop of Elye and then the houses of Parliament yeelded to giue halfe a Tenth and halfe a Fifteenth but vpon condition that it should be disposed of as the Lords thought fit for defence of the Realme The money was thereupon deliuered to the Earle of Arundell to furnish himselfe for that purpose to the Sea But to rid the Duke of Ireland out of the realme the Lords were willing he should haue those thirtie thousand markes for which the heires of Charles of Bloiâ—… who heretofore challenged Britaine were transacted to the French vpon condition that the sayd Duke should passe into Ireland before the next Easter 67 The Parliament was no sooner dissolued but the King recals the Earle of Suffolk to the Court keeps both him the Duke of Ireland and Alexander Neâ—…ile Archbishop of Yorke about his person in greater fauour then before Insomuch that at Christmas he made De-la-Pole to sit at his owne Table not in the vsuall garment of a Peere but Princely robed Surely therein not well for some of those great Lords though not by so sweet meanes as were fit did desire to waken him out of Courtly drowsinesse and as men that knew not what peace meant to put him into actions worthy of his name and greatnes These other persons were not so friended or qualified that they could support a King against an vniuersal mislike But the King vpon a stomacke doth it so that saith Walsingham here first grew the Kings hatred against the Peeres that from thence forth he neuer as it is said regarded them but fainedly So much more dangerous sometime is the remedy then a very greeuous maladie 68 King Richard whose age and place stood in need of wiser instructions not thus contented to haue whetted the displeasures of the greater Peeres as if he had said to himselfe Rumpatur quisquis rumpitur inuidiâ is further drawne as was said to plot the death of his vncle Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloster and other enemies of De-la-pole who together being inuited to a feast by the bloody deuise of Sir Nicholas Brambre late Lord Maior of London should together haue perished But the present Lord Maior Nicholas Exton whom the conspirators would haue had their Partaker if it may be beleeued honestly refused to assent The Lords hereupon hauing admonition refrained to come 69 The persons which were in the publike enuie for their ouer-swaying grace with the King were as you haue heard Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland Michael de la Pole Earle of Suffolke the said Archbishop Sir Simon Burley Knight and Sir Richard Stury These men hearing that Richard Earle of Arundel and Thomas Earle of Nottingham Marshall of England had encountred with a great Fleete of Frenchmen Flemmings Normans and Spaniards and taken aboue one hundreth saile of ships and in them nineteene thousand tunnes oâ—…â—…ine depraued the victorie saying that the vanquished were but Merchants whose loues had beene more profitable to our Countrey then so to stirre them to inexorable hatred But these saith one who thus iudged were rather the Knights of Venus then Bellona fitter for a Canapie then a Campe for language then a lance as they who were awake to discourse of martiall actions but drowâ—…e when they should come to doe them Such therefore câ—…ersing with the King not * without suspition of fowle familiaritie neuer tooke care to put into his mind any matter which beseemed so potent a Prince wee say not quoth our Authour as concerning the vse of Armes but not euen concerning those very recreations which most of all become great spirits as hunting hawking and the like But the Earles did more then meddle with Merchants who yet were able to make dangerous resistances for they landed at Brest in Britaine and with great difficulty deliuered it againe from so bad neighbours as the two woodden Forts neerely built where the other had stood one of which they fired and the other they mand with the English Garrison of Brest Then stuffing it with all sorts of prouisions for a yeere and furnishing the wants of the Souldiers with all necessaries they returned hauing worthily wonne the loue and praises of the people Which as they were also due to them from the king yet comming to his presence they by these mens euill offices had so cold entertainement as they eftsoones withdrew themselues from Court to liue quietly vpon their owne at home After them the braue young Henry Hotspur Lord Percy was sent ill prouided to the Sea neuerthelesse he ventred and returned when his commission was expired with honour 70 One thing done by the Duke of Ireland was surelie full of wickednesse and indignitie For he hauing to wife a young faire and noble Ladie and the Kings neere kineswoman for shee was Grandchild to king Edward by his daughter Isabel did put her away and took one of Queene Annes women a Bâ—…hemian of base birrh called in her mother tongue Lancecrone This intollerable villanie offered to the blood royall King Richard did not encounter neither had the power some say who deemed that by witchcrafts and sorceries practised vpon him by one of the Dukes followers his iudgement was so seduced and captiuated that he could not see what was honest or fit to doe But where Princes are wilfull or slouthfull and their fauorites flatterers or time-seruers there needs no other enchantments to infatuate yea and ruinate the greatest Monarch 71 The Duke of Glocester tooke the matter more to heart resoluing to be reuenged for the infamy and confusion which was brought thereby vpon his noble kinsewoman Meanewhile the king as if he meant to conduct his deare friend the Duke toward Ireland went with him into Wales There the King deuiseth with him the Earle of Suffolke Sir Robert Tresilian and others who were equally affrayd of the Lords how to destroy the Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundel Warwicke Derby Nottingham and such others as from whom they thought fitte to bee cleare Much time being trifled thus away in Wales they come together as if the Dukes appointed voyage or rather banishment into Ireland were quite forgotten to the Castle of Nottingham there more freely to deliberate A fearefull estate of a Monarchie Hee among a few generally ill beloued and ill aduised and ill prouided for their whole strength was the king and these emulations made that force feeble both to him and them the Lords potent martiall rich and popular he at Notingham they not neere him but abroad farre-off the Duke of Lancaster with the flower of the English forces and mighty neighbours watching for the ruine of all The course agreed vpon by the King and that ill-chosen Senate was first to haue the
odious to the English died at Paris in exile bequeathing such goods as hee had there to Robert Duke of Ireland who also breathed out his griefes in banishment and died at last in Brabant 83 The Duke of Lancaster the meane while returnes into Gascoigne out of Spaine and not long after into England The successe of that voyage being made to claime the Crowne of Castile and Leon was briefly this Iohn King of Castile alledged that Constance the Dukes wife was not right heire but he For albeit the Lady Constance was eldest daughter and heire to Peter sonne of Alfonse whose father Fernand the fourth was sonne of Sanchez the fourth and he sonne of Alfonse the tenth all Kings of Spaine successiuely yet that neither Constance Peter Alfonse Ferdinand nor Sanchez had the right His reason was for that Alfonse the tenth chosen Emperour of Almaine had before he begat the said Sanchez an elder sonne called Ferdinand de la Cerda who married Blanch the daughter of Saint Lewis King of France from whom descended Alfonse de la Cerda who entituled himselfe King but died without issue and Fernand who had a daughter married to Iohn sonne of the Infant of Portugall Emmanuel mother to the Lady Ioane wife of King Henry the second father of Iohn King of Castile defendant 84 This Apologie made by the Castilian would not serue for kingdomes are not vsed to be pleaded for by Bil and Answere The English and Portugals ioine their forces To the Duke by reason of his wiues presence manie did voluntarily submit themselues all did not for Don Aluarez de Perez on the behalfe of his Lord the King of Spaine offred to stop the Duke in his march to Burgos and was ouerthrowne Other aduentures that warre afforded but sicknesse hapning in the English Armie consumed many of the principall and among them the Lord Fitzwalter with other Lords Knights Esquires and men of armes almost three hundreth Moreouer the penurie was such that sundrie reuolted to the enemy to get reliefe which being seene of the King of Portugal he told the Duke he would set vpon them as Enemies but hee said no for that he knew they did it onely for lacke of foode Thus hauing said he held downe his head as he sate on horsebacke and wept most bitterly secretly powring forth his praiers to almighty God and most humbly beseeching mercy From which time forward his affaires in Spaine succeeded happily 85 The warres had beene â—…harpe and tedious but the end acceptable For Don Iuan king of Castile a Prince of no euill conscience seeing the right which the Duke of Lancaster vrged and foreseeing what calamities might happen hereafter if as was feared the French should match with him sought and obtained a firme peace The Principall conditions were That the Lord Henry his sonne and heire should marry the Lady Katherine daughter and heire to the Duke and Constance his wife That the Lord Henry during his fathers life should be called Prince of Asturia and Katherine his wife Princesse That for default of issue betweene the young Princely couple the Crowne should come to the Lord Edward Duke of Yorke who had married the other daughter of King Peter That the king of Spaine should lade eight Cars with wedges of gold for the Duke or as some write pay two hundreth thousand nobles toward the defrayment of the Dukes huge charges That finallie he should giue sufficient Caution for an Annuitie of ten thousand pounds during the liues of the said Duke and Dutchesse to be duly paid to their vses at the City of Bayon in Gascoigne 86 The King at such time as the Duke of Lancaster returned was at Reading whither he had commanded the Peeres to repaire To that meeting the Duke makes hast aswell to present his dutie to his Soueraigue as to be an authour of loue and peace betweene the king and Lords against some of whom the King was not thought to be verie fauourably disposed Which he gratiously effected as seeming to addict his mind to offices of piety and publike benefit Certainely the wisdome and moderation of the Duke of Yorke his brother were such in all the late and other tumults that he is not so much as once named among the factious which Christian spirit if it had raigned in all the rest England had neuer beene polluted with such infinite bloodshed of her noblest Children neither had the goodlie fabricke of state laden with innumerable trophees falne vnder that most hideous Chaos which succeeding ages saw and sighed for 87 The King vpon the Duke of Lancasters returne whether hee felt the keeping of Aquitaine an vnprofitable burthen or the absence of his vncle the Duke a thing worthie to be purchased at anie rate certaine it is that in a Parliament held at London he vested in him that famous Dutchy by deliuering the Cap of State and Ducal Rod whither hee shortly went to take possession His sonne Henrie of Bullingbroke Earle of Derbie loath to spend his houres in sloath but desirous to pursue renowne by martiall Acts in forreine parts sailed ouer to the warres in Prussia where in sundry enterprizes against the Lithuanians he wan great honor which by comparison of King Richards Calmnes prepared a way for him in the Englishes affections to points more eminent 88 The Pope now vnderstood that the English State began againe to be sensible of Romish encroachments and as in a former Parliament they had enacted against all Collations of Bishoprickes and dignities by the Pope with banishment to all which did accept such Collations and death to al that brought in any excommunications from the Pope to hinder the execution of that Act so in this last Parliament another seuere Act was made against such as went to the Pope to procure any such prouisions A Proclamation also was made at London * that all beneficed men then being in the Court of Rome should returne by a day prefixed or loose all their liuings The Pope himselfe saith Walsingham troubled with so great a thunder-clap sent with all speed into England to perswade the King that such Statutes as had beene thus made in their preiudice who followed the Court of Rome and such other clauses as tended to the dammage of that See should be made void whereto the Kings answere was that the Popes Nuntio must expect till the next Parliament At which Parliament the King as also the Duke of Lancaster seemed to haue some respect to the Pope whose messenger was their Present but the Knights of the house would not in any wise giue their consents that such Rome-gadders should without due punishment pursue their wonted course longer then till the next Parliament To furnish the Duke of Lancaster into France to treat of a peace and vpon condition that the King should that yere inuade Scotland large contributions were there made
Lieutenant of Ireland hauing in the yeere before while he too much trusted to his owne Forces been slaine with very many others by O-Brin and the Irish of Leinster at a place called Kenlis King Richard determines in person to reuenge the bloud of his Noble kinsman being the man to whom hee meant the Crowne of England if issue failed to himselfe Hee remembred not how broken an estate hee had in England where the peoples hearts were strongly alienated not onely for the death of the late great Lords and banishment of the Duke of Hereford whose calamitie encreased his popularity or for the like passed exasperations but for that to furnish his Irish voyage he had extorted money on al hands taking vp carriages victuals and other necessaries without any recompence whereby the hatred of his gouernment grew vniuersall 106 But the euill fortune which hung ouer his head laid forth an alluring baite to haste his destruction by occasion of the Duke of Lancasters decease which hapned about Candlemas and the absence of his banished sonne and heire Lord Henry The king most vniustly seizeth vpon the goods of that mighty Prince his vncle as if all things now were lawfull which but liked him he determines to banish the new rightfull Duke of Lancaster Henrie not for a few yeeres but for euer for which cause hee reuoked his Letters Patents granted to the said Henry by which his Atturnyes were authorised to sue his Liuerie and to compound for the respite of his homage at a reasonable rate whereby he made it seem plaine to the world that hee had not banished him to auoid dissentions but as many said to fill vp the breaches which his riote had made in the roiall treasures with plentifull though an vndue Escheate as that of his deceased vncles fortune 107 The one stedfast base and buttresse of all lawfull Empire is Iustice that supports the kinglie throne This he ouerthrew and how then could himselfe hope to stand long He lands at Waterford in Ireland with a Nauie of two hundreth ships hauing with him the sonne of the late Duke of Glocester and of the now Duke of Lancaster to secure himselfe the rather His forces consisted much of Cheshire men But that king is deceiued who reposeth his safetie in violence It was no great matter hee did there that which fell out to bee done elsewhere was great indeed His warre in Ireland was more dammagefull then fishing with an hooke of gold for here the baite and hooke was not onely lost but the line rod and himselfe were drawne altogether into the depthes of irrecouerable ruine Duke Henry sees the aduantage which King Richards absence gaue him and vseth it In his Companie were Thomas Arundel the banished Archbishoppe of Canterbury and his Nephew the sonne and heire of the late Earle of Arundel and not aboue fifteen Lanciers His strength was where the Kings should haue beene in the peoples hearts Neuerthelesse the Duke did not sodainely take land but houered vpon the Seas shewing himselfe to the Country people in one place now and then in another pretending nothing but the recouery of his rightfull Heritage 108 Edmund Duke of Yorke whom King Richard had left behind him to gouerne England hearing this cals vnto him Edmund Stafford Bishoppe of Chichester Lord Chancellor the Earle of Wiltshire Lord Treasurer and the Knights of the Kings Councell Bushie Bagot Greene and Russell Their conclusion was to leuie a force to impeach Duke Henries entrance The assembly was appointed to bee at S. Albans which came to worse then nothing for the protestation that they would not hurt the Duke whom they knew to bee wronged was generall This made the Treasurer Sir Iohn Bushie and Sir Henrie Greene flie to the Castle of Bristoll Sir William Bagot to Chester from whence he got shipping into Ireland Meane while Duke Henry lands at a village heretofore called Rauenshire to whom repaired Henry Earle of Northumberland his sonne Henry Lord Percie lands at Neuill Earle of Westmerland and many others who saith Walsingham greatly feared King Richards tyrannie With an Armie of about threescore thousand multitudes offering their seruice they come to Bristoll besiege the Castell take it and in the same the foresaid Treasurer Bushie and Greene whose heades at the cries of the Commons were the next day after their surrender seuered from their bodies 109 King Richard was in the City of Dublin when these most heauie newes arriued His courage which at no time seemed great was shortly none at all Somewhat must bee done hee leaues the sons of Duke Henry of his late vncle of Glocester which hee retained as pledges for his owne indemnity in the Castell of Trim and returnes himselfe into England entending to encounter the Duke before his force should bee too much established The great names which accompanied him were his late noble Creatures the young Dukes of Aumarle Excester and Surrey the Bishops of London Lincolne and Carleol and many others There had beene some more hope for vpholding his right if hee had not made the worlde know that tenne yeers space was not able to burie in him the appetite of reuenge which made many forget their owne loyalty to him and the Crowne Princes see in him the vse of obliuion but some conscience of euill deserts seeming to haue taken from him all confidence he dismisseth his Armie bidding his Steward Sir Thomas Percy others to reserue themselues for better dayes 110 His last refuge is in Parlea For that cause there repaired to him at the Castell of Conway in Northwales for thither he was now come the late Archbishoppe of Canterbury and the Earle of Northumberland at the Kings appointment The sum of his demaundes were that if hee and eight whome he would name might haue honourable allowance with the assurance of a quiet priuate life he would resigne his Crowne This Northumberland did sweare should be whereupon he forthwith departs to the Castle of Flint in their company After a short conference there had with the Duke they all ride that night to the Castell of Chester being attended by the Lancastrian Armie If to spare his peoples bloud he was contented so tamely to quit his royall right his fact doth not onely not seeme excusable but glorious but men rather thinke that it was sloth and a vaine trust in dissimulation which his enemies had long since discouered in him and for that cause both held his amendment desperate and ran themselues into these desperate Treasons 111 The King did put himselfe into the Dukes hands vpon the twentieth day of August beeing but the forty and seuenth from the Dukes first landing From thence they trauell to London where the King lodged in the Tower Meane while writs of Summons are sent out in King Richards name for a Parliament to bee holden at Westminster Crastino Michaelis The tragicall forme of Resignation you haue had already in Edward the second of whom this
regalia qui violauit Fabians English of them The Church he fauoured casting the proud to ground And all that would his roiall State confound The said Author therefore Robert Fabian obseruing the scope of those lines to dampe their force doth vnderwrite and annex this Stanza with much greater discretion then elegancie But yet alas though that this meeter or rime Thus doth embellish this noble Princes fame And that some Clerke which fauoured him sometime List by his cunning thus to enhance his name Yet by his Story appeareth in him some blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their liues to exercise in vertuous constancie More tart and seuere is the censure of Gower vpon this Prince one of whose verses Stow giues vs thus So God doth hate such rulers as here viciously do liue That beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a chaire of estate at the vpper end of the Quier in Saint Peters at Westminster is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was in outward lineaments 20 King Henry to diuert the humors and eyes of the people from the remembrance of this Tragedie prepareth now a puissance therewith to inuade Scotland some subiects whereof together with their Admirall Sir Robert Logon a Scotish Knight were taken at Sea by certaine English ships But K. Henry may seeme to haue done any thing rather then to haue made a warre for albeit hee did some hurt by wasting the Country yet did not the Scots offer battel and the rest will wel appear in these words of Boetius He did small iniuries to the people thereof for he desired nought but his banner to bee erected on their wals He was euer a pleasant enemy and did great humanity to the people in all places of Scotland where he was lodged Finally hee shewed to the Lords of Scotland that hee came into their Realme rather by counsell of his Nobles then for any hatred he bare to Scots Soone after hee returned into England Whether the remembrance of the curtesies shewed to his Father Duke Iohn or the feare of his owne great state so neere to an ouerthrow by the late furious conspiracy wrought these gentle effects it was not long before the euent shewed that his prouidence in not creating new acerbities was therein needfull 21 For albeit the face of England seemed smooth yet God thrust a thorne into King Henries side when and where he little expected for the Welsh whom former Kings of England had so yoaked and subiected did contrary to all mens expectation breake forth into open acts of hostility vnder the conduct of a Gentleman of that Nation surnamed Glendowr of the Lordship of Glendowr in Merionithshire whose owner he was the wrath and iustice of heauen is alwayes so well furnished with meanes to exercise the mightiest those chiefly at whose amendment God aimes by chastisement The originall of so great an euill was in the seed but little as but this Owen Glendowr whom the Welsh call the sonne of Gruffith Vachan descended of a yonger son of Gruffith ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield was at first a Student of the common laws and an Vtter Barister but not therefore an apprentise of law as Doctor Powell mistakes for an apprentise of the law is hee that hath been a double Reader did afterward serue the late King Richard in place of an Esquier was well beloued of him but in King Henries time retiring himselfe as it seemes to his Mannour of Glendourdwy the L. Gray of Ruthen entred vpon a peece of common which lay betweene Ruthen and Glendowr which Owen despite the Lord Gray while Richard continued King had formerly holden though not without contention Owen a man of high courage and impatient of force armes hereupon and encounters the Lord Gray in the field where he scattered the said Lords people and tooke him prisoner as hereafter will else-where bee touched 22 It seemes herein that hee had forgotten the lawes which he had formerly studied and wherin hee had been a licentiate for shortly after as hee had troden law vnder foot so did he also cast off loyaltie burning destroying the Lord Grays inheritances and killing sundry his seruants The King aduertised hereof passeth with an Army into Wales burnes kils and takes such reuenge as that time would permit Meanewhile Owen whom pride folly armed to the farther ruine of his Country with his trustiest friends which were not few withdrawes into the inexpugnable fastnesses of Snowdon where during this tempest he kept his head safe Shortly after the King with such riches and spoiles as those Parts had afforded returnes His next most noted action was peaceable For one of the house of Paâ—…logus and Emperour of Constantinople came into England to pray some succour against the Turke and vpon the day of S. Thomas the Apostle was met at Blackeheath by King Henry highly feasted richly presented and his charges borne till departure But as Tilius saith of his successe in France verbis promissis tantum adiutus est so here his speed was not much better the point of armed aides being only therein assisted with words and promises 23 In a Parliament held the next yeere by reason of the numbers of Lolards so called encreasing the punishment for them enacted was burning And in the same yeere also the Articles of peace beeing first agreed vpon betweene the two Nations English and French notwithstanding that they had denied to match with the young Prince of Wales because the former marriage with Richard thriued so badly the Lady Isabel who had beene crowned Queene of England as Spouse of the late King was now sent backe into France after a most princely maner shee being not as yet twelue yeeres old had no dowrie allowed her in England for that the marriage was neuer consummated Before shee was restored to her friends the Lord Henry Percie before the Ambassadors of both the Nations where they were met betweene Caleis and Boloigne protested That the King of England his Master had sent her to be deliuered to her Father cleare of all bonds of marriage or otherwise and that hee would take it vpon his soule that shee was sound and entire euen as shee was the same day shee was deliuered to King Richard and if any would say to the contrary hee was ready to proue it against him by combat But the Earle of Saint Paul saying hee beleeued it to be true the Lord Percie tooke her by the hand and deliuered her vnto the Earle and then the Commissioners of France deliuered certaine letters of receipt and acquitall She was afterward married to Charles Duke of Orleance 24 Owen Glendowr persisting in his pride and disobedience made incursions vpon the English doing them great harme and returning himselfe without any but K. Henries danger was greater at home for treason had crept into his most secret Chamber In his
bed there lay hidden a Galtrop or Engine with three small yron pikes long slender and passing sharpe all of them with their points set vpward but God so disposing it the King before hee laid himselfe downe perceiued them and thereby auoided that hidden mischiefe but who was actor therein it doth not appeare 25 This appeares that the splendors of his new regality had drawne vp many thicke and poisonous cloudes of enuie and practise to darken if it were possible the farther brightnesse thereof Neither was it long before it grew to some extremity For Owen Glendowr vpon the causes beforesaid wasting the Lord Reynald Grayes lands was encountred by him as presuming that Owen and his friendes might easily be ouercome but the contrary hapned for there in fight hee lost very many of his companie and was himselfe taken Prisoner This fortune made the swelling mind of Owen ouerflow in vaine hopes who compelling the said Lord to marry his daughter yet obtained hee not his liberty the sooner but died say some in the power of Owen if perhaps our Author mistake not the Lord Gray for Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March who indeed did marrie so after hee was also ouerthrowne by the said Owen with the slaughter of aboue a thousand principall persons of Herefordshire assembled vnder his conduct to resist the Welsh inuasions and there also himselfe was by trecherie taken prisoner 26 Walsingham doth write that about this time sundrie conspiracies were discouered in the yolke as it were or embrion the whole hopes whereof rested vpon calumniations and forgery for by the first they traduced in libels Henries actions so to make him hatefull and by the second they diuulged that Richard was still aliue thereby to raise an head of separation Henry thus galled in his honour and endangered in the main resolued to spare none vpon whom the crime or concealement was found The first of them that fell vnder his iustice was a Priest of Ware with whom was taken a list or roll of names which hee had gathered supposing them such as in regard of benefites receiued would liue and die for King Richard which vanitie of his created trouble to many till it appeared that he had therein wronged them as persons who were vtterlie ignorant both of the man and matter Whereupon hee was drawne and hanged The like fate had Walter Baldocke Prior of Lawnd who confest that he had concealed others counsels against the King though himselfe had acted nothing A Frier Minor also being taken with some other of his Order for like intendments was asked What hee would doe if King Richard were aliue and present hee confidently answered that hee would fight for him till death against any whosoeuer which cost him his life being drawn and hanged in his Fryars weeds Neither did this hard fortune fall onely vpon the Clergy for Sir Roger Claringdon Knight reputed the base sonne of Edward late Prince of Wales together with an Esquier and seruant of his finished the affection which they bare to the deceased Richard by hanging Not long after eight Franciscan Fryars or Minorites were taken conuicted hanged and headed for the like causes which made the King an heauy Lord to that whole Order It is said that somewhat before this knot was discouered the diuell appeared in the habit of a Minorite at Danbury Church in Essex to the incredible astonishment of the parishioners for at the same time there was such a Tempest thunder with great fire-bals of lightning that the vault of the church brake and halfe the Chancell was carried away 27 But howsoeuer these out-branches were pared away the rootes of all the practise lay deeper out of sight for the Percies Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Earle of Worcester and Henrie Hotspur Lord Percy because perhaps they thought they had done wickedly in helping to set vp Henry beganne to imagine that bloudy mischiefe which afterward was prosecuted This malice the late successe of Owen Glendowr against the Lord Mortimer Earle of March taken prisoner as is said with no little slaughter of his Herefordshire men did perhaps nourish for that hee saw an enemie appeare who was not vnlikely to proue an able member of a greater rebellion Certainely the King hauing in September led an Armie into Wales to take reuenge vpon his Rebels was in great danger to haue perished with sodaine stormes and raines the like whereof none of his people had euer felt or seene so that after he had done some wasts vpon the Country hee returned The common fame went that Owen was a Coniurer and had raised those hideous tempests by hellish arts they seemed so excessiue which whether true or false did yet impart no little strength to the Welsh faction 28 The Kings fortune was happier in the North where his Lieutenants had two faire victories the one at Nisbet and the other at Halidowne-hill neere to a village called Woller And although the first was not a small one yet the other deserued the name of a iust battell and garland To the Scots hauing with aboue ten thousand men vnder conduct of Archibald Earle of Dowglas whom the Scots nick-named Tyne-man because he neuer wanne field though no sort of true manhood was wanting in his person made great spoiles in England as farre as to Newcastle and were now vpon returne Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland the noble Henry Hotspur Lord Percie his sonne and George Earle of Dunbar who fled as you haue heard out of Scotland with the forces of the Countries there about not meaning to let them to passe in so slight a sort opposed themselues The chiefe feare was wrought by the English Archers who first with their stiffe close and cruell stormes of arrowes made their enemies footmen breake and when the noble Dowglasse descended to the charge with his choisest bands himselfe being in a most rich and excellently tempered armour and the rest singularly well appointed the Lord Percies Archers making a retreat did withall deliuer their deadly arrowes tam viuidè tam animosè tam grauitèr saith our Monke so liuely so couragiously so grieuously that they ranne through the men of Armes bored the helmets pierced their very swords beate their lances to the earth and easily shot those who were more slightly armed through and through There were taken prisoners the Earle of Dowglas himselfe who notwithstanding his armour of the best proofe had fiue wounds and lost an eye Murdake Stewart Earle of Fife eldest sonne to Robert Duke of Albanie George Earle of Angus the Earles of Murrey and Orkney the Lords Montgomerie Erskin and Grane with about fourscore Knights besides Esquiers and Gentlemen There were slaine the Lords Gourdon and Swyntonn Belindens Boetius cals them Knights with sundrie other men of honour and marke beside store of common souldiers The riuer Tweed to shew it selfe meere English did likewise fight for them by
the King replied that as the offence was capitall so should it bee examined by the Peeres and therefore willed him to rest contented vntill the next Parliament Thus by his great wisdome he satisfied his father from further suspition and recouered his loue that neerely was lost Hetherto of Henry as he was Prince some other of whose youthly actions we also touched in his fathers raigne and now to his Acts after he was King 11 Henry ordained successor and ouerseer of his dying Fathers Testament had in his entrance so fortunate proceedings as hee seemeth to exceed all his Predecessors his Nobles proffering the oath of their Alleagiance before himselâ—…e had made his for the iust gouernment of the Common-weale which so farre was from acceptation that hee desired God neuer to admit him to the Crowne vnlesse he should to his glory raigne and rule the Scepter to the good of the Subiect The day of his entrance and of his Fathers death being the twentieth of March and yeere of Christs Incarnation according to our account 1412. on the ninth of Aprill following hee was solemnly crowned at Westminster Thomas Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterbury performing the roiall Ceremonies which no sooner was ended but to beginne a good gouernment hee beganne with himselfe banishing from his presence and Court the vnbridleled youthes which had beene his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or neuer to approch within ten miles where hee lay Then chose hee worthy and prudent men for his Councell of Estate and aduanced his Clergie with dignity and power being himselfe as zealous in deuotion as liberall in building and indowing of places for deuotion of others His Iustice was found of all that sought it for euery day after dinner for the space of an houre his custome was to leane on a cushion set by his cupbord and there himselfe receiued petitions of the oppressed which with great equity he did redresse And for a further testimony of his tender and compassionate heart the slaughtered body of K. Richard ouer-meanely enterred at Langley in great â—…state he remoued into Saint Peters Church at Westminster and there laid him enshrined by Queene Anne his first wife as himselfe had desired and prepared founding a weekely memoriall to bee celebrated and six shillings eight pence thereon distributed vnto the poore and yeerelie twentie pounds giuen vpon his anniuersarie day besides foure tapers to burne before his monument day and night for euer And so neerely did his death touch this innocent King that hee sent to Rome to bee assoyled from that guilt of his fathers Act by the Popes holinesse then accounted another God whose penance enioined he willinglie performed and afterwards purposed to haue made warre in Palestina against the enemies of Christ for which end hee sent Sir Hugh de Lauoy of Henault to Ierusalem to discouer the state of things there but before his returne he was departed to the heauenly Ierusalem himselfe 12 The obsequies of his Father being solemnized at Canterbury and the King in person attending the Corps fitte occasion was giuen vnto Archbishoppe Arundell to complain of the Wicklifians then termed Lollards great rubs in the wayes of the Clergies pride and proceedings whereof Sir Iohn Oldcastle was thought a chiefe who by his marriage contracted with a kniswoman of the Lord Cobhams of Cooling in Kent obtained the title thereof a man strong and valourous and in especiall fauour with his Prince This Knight in their Synode assembled at London immediately after the Kings Coronation was accused by them to haue rent Christs seamelesse coat in maintaining VVickliffes doctrine to bee taught especially in the Diocesse of London Rochester and Hereford against whom also some choise Inquisitors at Oxford appointed for Heresies though that whole Vniuersity had formerly vpheld both Wickliffe and his doctrine informed and presented his name with two hundred forty sixe conclusions which they had collected to be hereticall 13 The King incensed by the Archbishoppes suggestions against these discontented discipliners was further made beleeue that they themselues had set vp billes in diuers places threatning that an hundred thousand persons were ready for armes against all that withstood their reformation and among these that Oldcastle his Knight was reputed the chiefe The King graciously inclined heard the Archbishops complaint and being at Kennington promised to conferre with the Lord Cohham himself which accordingly hee did instantly willing him to submit himselfe to the censure of the Church and obedience of the Archbishoppe but Cobham no turne-coate from his profession humbly told the King he owed his subiection only vnto his Maiesty whom God had placed in these his Dominions as his onely Vice-gerent to gouerne his people and Subiects and that himselfe forced nothing Romes leaden sword vnsheathed by the Pope that Antichrist against the Lords seruants nor would suffer the key of Canterbury to open the closet of his conscience where the spirite of God was residing bearing witnesse with his that hee stood in the truth for whose defence as his Champion he was ready to liue or die 14 This answere receiued was so deliuered vnto the Archbishoppe with power to cite examine and punish as their owne Canons in such cases had decreed The Lyon thus laid for whose paw they still feared was serued by processe to appeare in the Archbishops Court and the same deliuered by one Butler a seruant of the Kings Priuy Chamber for that the bold Sumner durst not doe it himselfe and the Archbishoppe diligent lest he should forget the day caused his letters citatorie to be set vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester which were presently torne down and others againe set vp were againe pulled off to the great offence of the Clergies eye and the rather for that the Actor could not be knowne The Knight not appearing as knowing their malice and his own danger was condemned of contumacie and afterwards in a Synode at Rochester was by the Archbishop pronounced an Heretike where himselfe then enacted that hereticall decree that the holy scriptures should not bee translated into the English tongue But marke the iudgement that fell vpon his own tongue whose rootes and blade shortly after as is recorded grew so big in his mouth and throate that he could neither speake nor swallow downe meat but in horror lay languishing till lastly he so dyed starued by famine 15 In the meane time the Lord Cobham wrote his Beliefe which was very Christianlike and presented it himselfe to the King who being much prepossessed in no wise would receiue it but suffered him to bee summoned in his presence and priuie Chamber when the Knight for his purgation offered an hundred knights and Esquires which would not be accepted then according to his degree of Order and law of Armes he required the single Combat to fight for life or death with either
any of aboue fifteene The great number of the slaine is not the measure of a victory but the vse and effects which it drawes The Duke of Alanson himselfe was taken prisoner with about two hundred others of speciall worth The English paid for this noble victory the bodies of about two thousand of their souldiers which lost life there for it was fought vpon faire termes in the open fields and carried by meere manhood That which followeth till the siege of Orleance Paul Aemylius comprehendeth in some few lines The fierce Conquerour besiegeth Mants in Main and with Ordinance beates downe part of the wals It yeelds heereupon The English Garrison left therein after the taking not being sufficient to containe the Towne in due subiection is compelled to flie to a Tower for their safetie the enemies which were admitted into it by the Burgers enioying the rest The Lord Talbot the most noble Captaine of the English presently arriues to the rescue and puts the malefactors to death The English Empire extends it selfe to the Riuer of Loyr Charles they call in scorne the King of Berry Thus roundly he In nine Articles and capitulations drawne and concluded at the yeelding of Mâ—…nts this was one as perhaps it was in euery like occasion That if any persons were found within the City which had beene consenting to the murther of Iohn Duke of Burgoin father to Philip Duke of Burgoin in full reuenge whereof he had hither to adhered to the English that they should simply bee at the Regents mercy 8 The chiefe things which passed in England during these happy proceedings in France were briefly these Iames Steward the young King of Scots hauing beene casually taken vpon the Sea in the reigne of King Henry the fourth and after his fathers death not sufficiently tendered nor respected by the Scots remained still a Prisoner The rather therefore to hinder the Scots that was the hope from aiding the French it was now thought fit by the Councell of England to enlarge him Which was accordingly done vpon pledges Not long after the which he married the Ladie Iane daughter to Iohn Earle of Sommerset neere cosen to King Henry Principall setters forward of this marriage as by likelihood of his liberty also to honour their family with a Kingly alliance were the Earle of Sommerset and the Bishop of Winchester both of them Beauforts who together with sundry other of the English Nobility conducted the new married Couple to the Scottish Borders Much of his ransome was abated and his new kinsemen bestowed vpon him store of plate gold and siluer among other gorgeous Ornaments suit of hangings in which the labors of Hercules were most curiously wrought But this wise King hauing had the benefit of excellent and Princely education in England did not suffer any obligations contracted in the time of his durance to preponderate with him the Generall state of Scotland whose freedome did much depend vpon the fortune of France whereby the maine drift of his enlargers was not much aduanced The reason notwithstanding which lead this action was probable and so much the more commendable for that it was tempered with humanity The forreine mischiefe thus howsoeuer intended hereby to be auoided or qualified Sir Iohn Mortimer a dangerous firebrand at home being Prisoner in the Tower was arraigned for many treasonable speeches vsed to a yeoman seruant to Sir Robert Scot keeper of the Tower of London to draw the said yeoman to let him escape promising him great matters The points of his speeches were as that fellow charged vpon him in open Parliament 1. That the said Mortimer meant to flie into Wales to the Earle of March and with an armie of forty thousand men to enter England and strike off the Protectors head and the Bishop of Winchesters 2. That the Earle of March ought by right to bee King of England and if the Earle would not that then hee himselfe was next heire 3. That if he could not safely reach to the Marches he would saile to the Daulphin of France and there serue with honor which he was assured of For these ouertures of escape and conspiracie the Knight was drawne hanged and headed Of whose death no small slander arose Perhaps he that writes so doth meane that the whole was but a stratageme to rid him out of the way Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March the party whom the said knight mentioned was sent not long after with many other Lords and competent numbers of men into Ireland where he deceased without issue whose great patrimony descended to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge the fatall disturber of the Realme of England vpon the pretence of Mortimers title to the Crowne 9 The amity with the Duke of Burgoin which the English had hitherto found so auailable toward their Conquests hauing otherwise receiued some few slight flawes was now in danger of vtter breaking vpon this occasion Humfrey Duke of Gloucester Protector of the Realme following councell vnworthy of his person and place contracted himselfe with the Lady Iaqueline of Baâ—…aria Inheretrix of Holland Zeland Henaâ—…lt and many other faire dominions in the Netherlands notwithstanding that Iohn Duke of Brabant her former husband was then liuing and that the suit of diuorce commenced by Iaqueline depended still betweene them The Duke of Burgoin held with Brabâ—…t This bred bitter humor in the Duke of Glocester who being not vsed to meet with any rubs or confrontments and now when in person he came with an armie to take seison of Henault in right of his supposed wife finding himselfe hard set vnto by the aids which Burgoin ministred to the Duke of Brabant he challengeth Combat of the Duke of Burgundy calling him traitour It was accepted and the lie strongly thrust vpon Gloucester who leauing the light Lady at her Towne of Monts in Henault returned into England doing nothing of that for which at that time he came Mediation tooke vp the quarrell afterward betweene the Duke of Burgundy and him Not long after the returne of the Duke of Gloucester into England the first marriage which had beene made and consummated betweene the Duke of Brabant and the said Lady Iaqueline was pronounced lawfull by Pope Martin the fifth Hereupon the Duke of Glocester hauing susteined many losses aswell of friends as treasure in punishment of that great sinne in taking anothers wife forthwith marries Eleanour daughter to Reignald Lord Cobham of Sterborough whereby he made her amends for that vnlawfull familiarity which had formerly passed betweene them Meanewhile the Court of England doth well shew that the King was an infant for it was full of dangerous emulations and sidings the Duke of Gloucester whose high office it was to tender the welfare of the King and State laying sundry grieuous accusations against the Cardinall Beaufort sonne of Iohn Duke of Lancaster Bishop of Winchester and Lord
heauen to witnesse and record But of the thing it selfe that is to Crowne the Duke of Yorkey they make not the least mention what wanted in these men to the height and depth of humane malice They preuaile with the multitudes a shallow braind but a great and many headed beast The Lord Fawconbridge is sent to sound their affections and to draw the purulent matter to an head he finds great forwardnesse The Earles of March Warwicke and Salisburie aduertised of all things land in Kent But the people onely were not deluded for Thomas Bourchier Archbishoppe of Canterbury and other graue men beleeued they meant sooth which that they might the rather doe the Earle of Warwicke made open oath vpon the Crosse of Canterbury that they had euer borne true faith and alleagiance to King Henry A strange humor in the English that could neither brooke bad nor benigne Princes The King had before their comming quit the City of London as not greatly trusting the affections which the people thereof bare toward such as the Yorkish faction had made odious about him and appointed the Rendeuow of his forces at Northampton where he abode The enemy shewing friend aduanceth thither It is a shame to reade that some of the great Prelates would simply bee drawne to countenance such an enterprise but their intentions were different they hoped to reconcile enmities the Earles to make Yorke King Meanewhile their complices labour to take the Tower of London within which there were for King Henry these loyall Nobles The Lord Scales Hungerford Vescie Louel Delaware and Candal a Gascoigne with sundry others 78 At Northampton things were carried thus The King meaning there to abide his aduersaries when it was not thought meete to admit the Earle of Warwicke to his presence which thing was coulourably sued for to raise a ground of iustification for battell they prepare on both parts The Earles of March and VVarwicke with like or greater cunning then they had desired admission to the Kings speech let cry through the field that no man should lay hand vpon the King nor common people but vpon the Lords Knights and Esquiers 79 The hoasts ioy ne No stroke they gaue but seemes to wound vs also Let vs swiftly turne our eyes from so vnnaturall slaughters The L. Grey of Ruthen began the discomfiture of the Kings side for hee let the world iudge with what commendation hauing the point did quit his place and fled to the Earles The kings armie is defeated and vtterlie broken Many were slaine and drowned Polydor and Grafton say ten thousand The chiefe of the Nobles who there lost their liues were the Duke of Buckingham Iohn Earle of Shrewsburie a most hopefull young Gentleman and in all points like his heroicke Ancestors Iohn Vicount Beaumont Thomas Lord Egremond and among sundry other prime men Sir William Lucie who making hast to the fight was vpon his first approach chopt downe with an axe The Kings Ordinance could not play there fell so great a raine 80 This wofull battell was fought vpon the ninth of Iuly The King as a man borne to all calamities and miseries though he not therefore the lesse but the more happy through that excellent fortitude of mind with which hee inuincibly sustained them comes into his enemies hands but the Queene and the Prince and the remains of their scattered fortunes flie into the North there to re-enforce their powers and to subdue as shee caused them to be proclamed the Kings Rebels and enemies The Tower of London after this misfortune renders it selfe The Lord Scales is wickedly murthered vpon the Thames by Wherrimen belonging to the Earle of Warwicke as hee intended to passe to Sanctuary at Westminster The Earles when they were possessed of the King continued their admirable hypocrisies which God will terribly plague them for thereby to leade the people on and had to him these words 81 Most noble Prince displease you not though it hath pleased God of his grace to grant vs the victorie of our mortall enemies who by their venemous malice haue vntruly stirred and moued your Highnesse to exile vs out of the land and would haue put vs to finall â—…me and confusion wee come not to vnquiet or grieue your said Highnesse but to please your noble person desiring tenderly the high welfare and prosperity thereof and of all your Realme and to be your true Liegemen while our liues shall endure Our soules are amazed at these arts and men blush to publish to the world things so vnworthy 82 The Florentine Secretary was scarse borne at this time but the Diuell was as great a Master then as afterward The King and Earles in the meane time goe to London where a Parliament was summoned in his name to be holden in October following The Duke of Yorke aduertised of his victorie speedes from Dublin the chiefe City of Ireland to bee at that Parliament where wee shall at last see the true face of his purpose his owne selfe taking away the maske which hitherto concealed it 83 Scotland by reason of late affinity with the house of Beaufort whose chiefe and toppe was the Duke of Sommerset descended from Iohn Duke of Lancaster by the Lady Katherine was a speciall backe and Second to King Henry in all his tempestuous aduersities but now that refuge was also hazarded for King Iames the second partly in fauour of King Henry and partly as making vse of the troubles in England laieth siege to Rocksbrough Bellenden the Scot calleth the same Castle Marchmont being in the custody of King Henries enemies where while himselfe whose skill and delight in shooting of Ordinance was great comming down the trenches to see the Lion a new great piece which had lately beene cast in Flanders and the other Artillery discharged one of them brake and with a shiuer therof slew the king and dangerously wounded the Earle of Angus This vnhappy accident hapned vpon a Sunday the third day of August The Queen of Scotland neuerthelesse maintaineth the siege and aswell obtaines that place as the Castle of Warke both which shee in reuenge threw to the earth Iames the third a child of seuen yeers old succeeded to his father aswell to the cherishment of the distressed English as to the Crowne 84 The Parliament being begunne about the * eight of October at Westminster in King Henries name thither comes with flying speed Richard Duke of Yorke who brake open the Kings lodging Chamber and placed himselfe therein suffering the King to prouide elsewhere Then makes hee his claime to the Crown of England and publisheth it in open Parliament together with his pedigree The whole house such among them excepted as were priuie to the Dukes intention was greatly dismayed both for that hee did set himselfe in the Kings seate and for this his vnexpected challenge But the Duke though at first hee greatly meant to haue
and Sommerset and the Earle of Deuonshire with an hundred and forty moe were attainted also and disherited so fortune dallieth in setting the dice of her fauours or frownes 12 Queene Margaret stored with men but in want of money with her French powers made into Scotland whose comming was most welcome to the two Kings there and thence with great shew of enterprize hoised her sailes for England but hauing touched the â—…y of Tinmouth whether vpon better aduise or feared with their owne shadowes shee with her French put backe to the Sea where such a sore tempest tooke them as had not Queene Margaret in a small Caruell got vnto Barwicke shee had not liued to vexe the new King nor seene the vnfortunate losse of her husband her son and Realme nor the miserable calamities of her owne old age her French by Bastard Ogle were heaâ—…e into Holy Iland many slaine and foure hundred of them put to their ransomes 13 This â—…inting French enterprize though it dulled the edge of some spirits yet did it nothing daunt the courage of the Queene her better hopes being fixed vpon the Scots valour so leauing Prince Edward for safetie in Barwicks with her husband and Scots shee entred Northumberland tooke the Castle of Bamburgh and so passed forward vnto the Bishopricke their forces daily increasing through the confluence of such English 〈◊〉 fauoured King Henrie 14 King Edward hearing these stirres in the North made his preparation both by Sea and Land and with his brethren and Nobles came to Yâ—…rke from whence he sent Iohn Neuil Lord 〈◊〉 with a power of men as some what mistrusting the loialties of the Northumbrians who passing forward vpon Hâ—…gely-Moore was sodeinely encountred by the Lords Hungerfâ—…rd and Roâ—…s with whom was Sir Ralph Ferciâ—… a most valiant Knight but Montaâ—… accompanied with such as would neither looke backe nor stand gaâ—…ing on â—…hode the encounter and at the first push put back the two â—…ords and 〈◊〉 slew the said 〈◊〉 who no waieâ—… would depart out of the field but in dying said I have saued the 〈◊〉 in my â—…rest meaning this oath mâ—…e to King 〈◊〉 15 valiantly 〈◊〉 their Camp as after great slaghter saith Grafton hee fled into Scotland which is more likelie 16 Edward thus cleered of the Cloud threatning storme thought best ere others did light to prouide for himselfe and therefore he raised Bulwarks built new Fortresses in places of danger put forth his espials vpon the Marches of Scotland and commanded that none should keepe Henrie or Margaret in secret whose sight he feared would draw the affections of many which otherwise stood in case of obedience But ouer-borne Henrie whether past al feare or inforced by destinie in disguised apparell past into England where he was soone apprehended by one Caâ—…tlow but Stow saith by Thomas Talbot in Cletherwood besides Bungerley Hipping stones in Lancashire being betraied in Waddington Hall as he sate at dinner and thence brought to London with his legs bound to the stirrups arrested by Warwicke his guilt spurres taken off and committed Prisoner to the Tower of London 17 The Lyon thus pent his pawes cut or pared and Queene Margaret in France with her father Reiâ—…er King Edward now quiet set his minde vpon Gouernment for the good of his Realme In his Court of Kings Bench he vsed to sit in person certaine daies together to see how his lawes proceeded with Iustice ordained penall Statutes against excessiue pride in Apparell especialle against long picked shooes then vsually worne which grew to such an extreme that the pikes in the Toes were turned vpward and with siluer chaines or silke laces tied to the knee But among many good prouisions one proued very bad as the sequell shewes for concluding a league with King Henrie of Castile and Iohn King of Arragon he granted a licence to transport certaine numbers of Câ—…teswold Sheepe which are since growne to such an exceeding increase as the Clothes made of their woolles is a great hindrance to our Marchants which aduenture in the Leuant Seas 18 His next care was to finde a fit Queene both for the hope of issue to succeed and for alliance and power to assistâ—…ed were against Henries claime Fist therefore minding to send into Scotland to desire in marriage the Ladie Margaret sister to king Iames the third thereby to frustrate Hâ—…tes further hope was made to belieue that the said Ladie was by reason of sickenesse not capable of conception which altogether declined his affection from that way Next as some say a motion was made for Lady Elizabeth sister and heire apparant vnto Henrie king of Castile as a much most conuenient considering king Edward had thereunto a Claime whose great Grandmother was one of the heires of Castile being the daughter of Don Peter the king besides which high match and combination of Alliances â—…hope was conceiued that the Dutchies of Guien and Aquitaine might be recouered by the assistance of these Castilians without great charge or trauell to the English But the tender spring of the one and the lusty growth of the other would not be grafted into one stocke to 〈◊〉 fruitâ—… shee little aboue 〈◊〉 and he about twenty three 〈◊〉 unfit to â—…taine till shee could giue him content 19 A third Princesse 〈◊〉 against whom feared This match being most approued in counsell none was held more fit to solicite the businesse then Lord Richard Neuil the great Earle of Warwick a man esteemed for power a Demy-King and for magnificence and hospitality matchlesse in whose house at London as some haue verified sixe oxen were spent euery day and most Tauernes in the City full of his meat 20 Warwicke in great state arriued at Tours his message knowne was accordingly entertained in the French Court where he wrought the Queen her selfe to be the chiefest Agent who drew on her sister Bona with recommending the state and stile of a magnificent Queene a sound very tunable in a Ladies eare and her husband Lewis with assurance of a potent and wise Allie a pleasing theame to soft natured Princes as the French King was And indeed to all shee vndertooke all good contentments so as on that side all things were cleare and Warwicke dismissed with Courtly French complements the Earle Damp-martin was to passe into England for the finall confirmation 21 But whilest Warwicke had beene industriously wooing in France King Edwards affection in England was working another way for being on hunting in the Forrest of Wychwood beside Stony-Stratford hee there found other game that made game in his eye which was the Lady Elizabeth Gray attending the Dutchesse of Bedford her mother who then soiorned at his Mannour of Grafton whither hee repaired for his recreation She had beene attendant vpon Queene Margaret the wife of King Henry the sixt and had
he had created Earle of Pembrooke to be his Generall in the North who partly to deserue the Kings liberality in aduancing him to such honour and partly in emulation he bare toward Warwicke being the sole obstacle as he tooke it why he obtained not the wardship of the Lord Bonuils daughter and heire for his eldest sonne did not a little reioice of that his imploiment And therefore accompanied with Sir Richard Herbert his brother and eighteene thousand well furnished Welshmen marched towards the enemie and after him was sent Humfrey Lord Stafford with sixe thousand Archers to second him in his warres These Lords meeting together â—…ad notice by espials that the Northern made forwards towards Northampton to intercept whom the Lord Stafford lately made Earle of Deuonshire was imploied and Sir Richard Herbert who with two thousand horse laid themselues couertly by the side of a wood and sodeinely set vpon the rereward the rest hauing passed but the Northern verie nimbly turned about and bad the Welshmen such welcome as few of them returned to tell of their entertainement 33 The King vnderstanding of this hard beginning mustred his subeicts on euerie side intending to cope with the Northern himselfe And Earle Warwicke as forward to forward his fortunes gathered his friends with purpose to encounter with Pembrooke and his Welsh But before any supplies came to either of both it chanced the Armies to meete at vnawares vpon a faire plaine called Danes more neere to the Towne Hedgecot three miles from Banburie and presently fell to a bickering wherein Sir Henrie Neuill Knight sonne of the Lord Latimer vpon a lusty courage venturing somewhat too farre was taken prisoner and notwithstanding he yeelded himselfe to his Takers was cruelly slaine which vnmartiall act rested not long vnrepaied with the losse of most of the Welsh the next day For the field withdrawne the Lord Stafford repaired to Banberie and there tooke his lodging where his affections were much enamoured vpon a faire damsell in the Inne But the Earle of Pembrooke comming to the same Towne tooke into the same Inne and commanded the Lord Stafford to prouide him elsewhere contrary to their agreements made before whereat Stafford was displeased and departing thence with his whole Band left the Earle naked of men in the Towne and disabled the field of the Archers whereby the day was lost vpon the kings part for which he shortly lost his owne head 34 The Northern enflamed for the death of young Neuill the next morning most valiantly set vpon the Welshmen and by the force of Archers draue them from their ground of aduantage which Pembrooke wanting supplied with his owne prowesse and Richard his brother with his Pollaxe twice made way through the battell of the Northern without anie mortall or deadly wound so that by their valours it was verily supposed the field had beene wonne had not Iohn Clappam an Esquire and seruant to Warwicke displaied his Lords Colours with his white-beare and from an eminent place cried a Warwicke a Warwicke whereat the Welsh were so terrified as they turned and fied leauing their General and his brother alone in the field who valiantly figh ting were incompassed and taken with the 〈◊〉 of fiue thousand of their men The Earle with hâ—… brother Sir Richard Herbert were brought to Banbery where with ten other Gentlemen they lost their heads Conyers and Clappam being their Iudges 35 This second victory thus got and the Northern now fleshed vnder the leading of Robbin of Riddisdale hasted to the Kings mannor of Grafton where the Earle Riuers father to the Queene then lay whom with his sonne Iohn they sodeinely surprized and in Northampton strucke off their heads without any iudgement The deathes of these Lords the King greatly lamented and sought to reuenge first therefore writing his Commissions for the apprehension of Lord Humfrey Stafford of Southwicke who by diligent search was found at Brentmarch and beheaded at Bridgewater as he worthily deserued next he prepared a mighty Armie and with the same marched towardes Warwicke his company increasing euer as he went 36 King Edward set downe his tents at Wolney foure miles from Warwicke where the Duke and the Earle of Warwickes host lay readie for Battell but by the mediation of friends a peace was intreated and letters written from either parties expressing the griefes and wrongs sustained with proffers of redresse in amending all and in shew so farre it proceeded as the King conceiuing a certaine hope of peace rested secure not fearing any foule-play which politique Warwicke by his spiall perceiuing thought it not wisdome to loose the aduantage and thereupon in the dead of the night with a selected Company he entred the Kings Camp killing them that kept the watch tooke the king in his bed and brought him his prisoner to his Castle of Warwicke and thence by easie iourneys in the night had him conueyed to Midelham Castle in Yorkeshire not farre from Richmond where vnder the custody of his brother George Neuill Archishop of Yorke hee was reteined 37 His vsage was Princely and according to his estate which he often acknowledged to the Archbishop with all kind thankes and complements of wordes whereby he wrought himselfe into such trust and fauour as he had the Forrests to hunt in and the parkes for his pleasure whose pales are well knowne vnsufficient wals to pen the lyon in as appeared by this King who being abroad and on hunting Sir VVilliam Stanly with Sir Thomas Burgh brought him fresh horse and such a crew of followers that his keepers more feared their owne liues then were forward to force him backe againe to prison and so let the game goe without further chase King Edward thus escaped VVarwicke like a wild man furiously raged but seeing no remedy made vse of necessity and gaue forth that himselfe so caused it hauing power to make Kings and to vnmake them againe 38 The King forthwith repaired to Yorke where with great honour hee was ioifully receiued and abode certaine daies which made him well hope of a further supply of friends and men but fayling thereof and fearing the Archbishops pursuite with a small traine he posted to Lancaster where he found the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine well accompanied for his Conuey his spirits then reuiued and traine daily increasing with speedie iourneyes hee came vnto London where all his studies and consultations were how to be reuenged vpon these disloiall Lords his brother and Earle VVarwicke and they againe fretting at the Archbishoppes follie sought to make stronger their factions against the King 39 The Land thus rent by these vnnaturall diuisions and no estate sure to enioy what was theirs the Nobles anew began to sollicite the parties vnto a Peace hauing first obtained libertie to post to and fro without their impeachments and so effectually laid downe the state of the Land whose ruines now
a damsell belonging as shee said to the Dutches of Clarence who signified vnto Monsieur Vawclere that shee came from King Edward with a declaration of peace which hee fearing to impart the conditions to other had made her the instrument the better to passe without any suspect and he glad to heare for the Earles sake whom he entirely affected gaue her his safe conduct vnto the Duke of Clarence then at Amboys where hauing priuate accesse vnto him shee told that it was neither naturall nor honourable for him to take part against the house of Yorke that the house of Lancaster was not onely by the whole Court of Parliament debarred to bee the indubitate Heire of the Kingdome but that K. Henrie himselfe had discharged his Issue from claime as it standeth said she vpon Record to be seene contrary to which as he might well perceiue this marriage of Prince Edward with the Earles daughter did onely aime and intend to the vtter extinct of the house of Yorke whereof himselfe was one and in neere possibility of the Crowne Edwards Issue young and not many and the King very wanton a sinne commonly punished with want of posterity which if it so chanced then hee or his were the next These reasons wayed so ouer-wayed the Dukes further designes that hee promised thereafter a more brotherlike affection as saide hee Edward should find with which good newes shee returned into England Warwicke vtterly ignorant what was said or done 47 All now in a readinesse for the return ships money and men supplied by the French King the Admirall of France was sent to secure them from the Duke of Burgundies Fleet which with an extraordinary number and power lay in the mouth of Seyne to fight with Warwicke when he should loose out of Harborow but see how the heauens fauoured and frowned vpon the parties for the night before they should hoise saile such a stormy tempest tooke the Dukes Fleete lying more remote from the Lee that they were scattered asunder some into Scotland some into Denmarke and many of them drowned But the Seas calmed and the wind seruing faire the English set saile and landed at Dartmouth whence they had shipped into France almost six moneths before 48 King Edward relying vpon Burgundy abroad and thinking all friends who fawned at home gaue himselfe daily to follow the hound and the hawke and nightly to his court pleasures in dancings and daliances with damsels little minding their approach that meant to marre his mirth for Warwicke now landed proclaimed King Henry commanding all from sixteene to sixty vpon a great penalty to take Armes against Edward Duke of Yorke the most vniust vsurper of Henries rightfull Crowne and vncredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who ere-while applauded approued none but King Edward Thus making towards London his company daily encreased which the youthfull King seemed little to regard but verily supposing hee had now Warwicke in his trappe wrote to Burgundie to secure the seas lest he should escape againe into France and to his Lords of England to attend him in his wars but very many neglected his commaund and few or none made their repaire Which when Edward perceiued hee was strucke into a great feare and with his brother of Glocester the L. Hastings his Chamberlaine and the Lord Scales the Queenes brother hee hasted towards Nottingham there to determine what was to be done 49 In the mean while the bastard Faulconbridge in the west and the Earle of Pembroke in Wales euery where proclaimed King Henry and to forward the matter D. Godard preaching at Pauls Crosse declared by reading of Billes and diuers other proofes that King Henry was the vndoubted and true heire vnto the English Crowne Neither is the L. Montacute now the man that he was who hauing mustered sixe thousand in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham on the sodaine drew backe his forces alleadging that Edward was vngratefull regardlesse of his friends as himselfe said himselfe was the example who hauing serued him in many bloudy battels was rewarded with a verball word Marquesse without any maintenance at al no not so much as Pyes poor nest therfore he had iust cause neuer to draw his sword in his quarrell any more and them that did hee assured them should receiue the like reward in the end 50 These with the like distastures diuulged among the rude multitude it was a world to see the face of this new World for in euery streete Bonfires were made in euery Church bels rung Ditties were sung at euery meeting and euery man cried K. Henry King Henry whose Eccho likewise redoubled a Warwicke a Warwicke and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot as King Edward hearing the rumor thought it not safe any longer to stay therefore with those trusty Lords and some others hee fled from his hoast besides Nottingham passing the Washes towards Lynne with greater difficulties then was befitting a Prince to aduenture and thus without any order taken for his Realme in two Hulkes of Holland and one English shippe destitute of all necessary prouisions set sayle toward Burgundy and in the way was encountred by the Easterlings Englands great Enemies hauing much adoe to cleare himselfe from their surprise 51 In these times of misery the Queene whose marriage was the onely cause of all these stirres vpon the first of October had stolne out of the Tower and taken Sanctuary at Westminster where like a woman forsaken shee solitarily remained and on the fourth of Nouember following was deliuered of a sonne which without all pompe more like a priuate mans child then a Prince was there also baptized by the name of Edward who after his fathers death a while was King of England as shall be said other Sanctuaries were full of King Edwards friends that praied deuoutly for his prosperous health and well hoped the world would againe turne as shortly it did One King thus fled and the other in prison the Kentish whose conditions are mutable at the change of Princes came to seeke prey in London where they knew it was to bee had Ratcliffe S. Katherins and Southwarke they robbed and within the City did some hurt besides yea and surely more had done had not Earle Warwicke in good time come to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before 52 Earle Warwicke accompanied with his brother the Archbishoppe of Yorke the Prior of Saint Iohns the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Shrewsburie Bastard Faulconbridge Lord Stanley and other Gentlemen some for loue some for feare some to gaze at this wauering world vpon the sixt of October entred the Tower of London wherein King Henry had beene retained prisoner almost the space of nine yeeres and there again elected him for their lawfull King and
Princes fauour the Duke of Gloucester turned vnto their destruction and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappy building For whomsoeuer he perceiued either at variance with them or bearing himselfe their fauour he brake vnto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor in any wise to be suffered that the young King their Master and kinseman should be in the hands and Custody of his mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their Company and attendance of which euery one ought him as faithfull seruice as they and many of them farre more honorable part of kin then his mothers side whose blood quoth he sauing the Kings pleasure was farre vnmeet to bee matched with his which now to be as who say remoued from the king and the lesse noble to be left about him is quoth hee neither honorable to his Maiestie nor vnto vs and also to his Grace no suretie to haue the mightiest of his friends from him and vnto vs no little ieopardy to suffer our well proued euill-willers to grow in ouer great authority with the Prince in youth who is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Ye remember I trow K. Edward himselfe albeit he was a man of age and discretion yet was he in many things ruled by the bend more then stood either with his honor or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except only the immoderate aduancement of themselues Which whether they sorer thirsted after their owne weale or our woe it were hard I weene to gesse and if some folkes friendship had not held better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might perhaps easily haue intrapped and brought some of vs to confusion ere this why not as easily as they haue done some other alreadie as neere of his roiall blood as we But our Lord hath wrought his will and thankes be to his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if we suffer this young King in our enemies hand which without his knowledge might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our vndoing which thing God and good prouision forbid 12 Of which good prouision none of vs hath any thing the lesse neede for the late made attonement in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties wils nor none of vs I beleeue is so vnwise ouer soone to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that an howerly kindnes sodeinly contracted in one houre continued yet scarce a fortnight should be deeper setled in their stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these wordes and writings and such other the Duke of Gloucester soone set afire them that were of themselues apt enough to kindle especially two Edward Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings Chamberlaine both men of honor and of great power The one by long succession from his Auncestry the other by his office and the Kings fauour These two not bearing each to other so much loue as both of them hatred vnto the Queenes part in this point accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would vtterly remoue from the Kings Company all his mothers friends vnder the name of their enemies 13 Vpon this conclusion the Duke of Gloucester vnderstanding that the Lords which at that time were about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such power of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a great assembly of people and in manner of open warre whereof the end hee wiste well was doubtfull and in which the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a Rebellion he secretly therefore by diuers meanes caused the Queene to be perswaded and brought in minde that it neither were need and also should be ieopardous the King to come vp strong 14 For whereas now euery Lord loued other and no other thing studied vpon but about the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lords of her kindred should assemble in the Kings name much people they should giue the Lords of the contrary faction cause to feare and suspect least they should gather this people not for the Kings safegard whom no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regard to their old variance then their new attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other party much people againe for their defence whose power shee wist well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall on an vproare and of all the hurt that thereof should insue which was likely not to be a little the most harme like to fall where shee least would all the world would put her and her kindred in the blame and say that they had vnwisely and vntrulie also broken the amity and peace which the King her husband so prudently made betwixt his kin and hers on his death bed and which the other party faithfully obserued 15 The Queene in this wise perswaded sent such word vnto her sonne and vnto her brother being about the King besides the Duke of Glocester him selfe and other Lords the chiefe of his bend wrote vnto the King so reuerently and to the Queenes friends there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought vp the King in great hast but not in good speed with a sober company Now was the King in his way to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behind the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrow to follow the King and bee with him at Stony-Stratford twelue miles thence earely ere he departed So was there made that night much friendlie cheare betwixt these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great while but incontinent after that they were openly with great curtesie departed and the Lord Riuers lodged the Dukes secretly with a few of their most priuy friends set them down in Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night at their rising in the dawning of the day they sent out priuily to their seruants in their Innes and lodgings about giuing command to make themselues shortly ready for their Lords were to horse-ward vpon which messages many of their folke were attendant when many of the L. Riuers seruants were vnready 16 Now had these Dukes taken into their custodies the keyes of the Inne that none should passe forth without their licence and besides this in the high-way towards Stony-Stratford where the King lay they had bestowed certaine of their men that should send backe againe and compell to returne any man that were gotten out of Northampton towards Stony-Stratford till they had further order forasmuch as the Dukes themselues intended for the shew of their diligence to bee the first that should that day attend vpon the
you haue no need of a Priest yet and therewith laughed vpon him as though hee would say yee shall haue soone But so little wist the other what hee meant and so little mistrusted his present perill as hee neuer was merrier nor neuer so full of good hope in his life which selfe thing is often seene a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe me then the vaine surety of mans mind so neere his death Vpon the very Tower-wharfe so neere the place where his head was strooke off soone after there met he with one Hastings a Purseuant of his owne name And of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance of another time in which it had happened them before to meet in the like manner together in the same place At which other time the L. Chamberlaine had been accused vnto King Edward by the Lord Riuers the Queenes brother in such wise as hee was for the while but it lasted not long farre fallen into the Kings indignation and stood in great feare of himselfe And forasmuch as hee now mette this Purseuant in the same place that ieopardy so well passed it gaue him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom hee had before talked therof in the same place while he was therein And therefore he said ah Hastings art thou remembred that I met thee once here with a heauy heart yea my Lord quoth hee that remember I well and thanked bee God they got no good nor you no great harme Thou wouldest say so quoth he if thou knew so much as I know which few know else as yet and more shall shortly That ment hee by the Lords of the Queenes kindred which were taken before and should that same day bee beheaded at Pomfret which hee well wist but was nothing aware that the axe hung ouer his owne head In faith man quoth he I was neuer so sorry nor neuer stood in so great dread of my life as I did when thou and I met here And loe how the world is changed now stand my enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I neuer in mylife so merry nor neuer in so great surety Oh good God the blindnes of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suretie when he reckened himselfe surest he lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honorable man a good Knight and a gentle of great authority with his Prince of liuing somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemies and secret to his friends easie to be beguiled as he that of good heart courage forestudied no perils a louing man a passing well beloued very faithful and trusty enough trusting indeed too much Now flew the fame of this Lords death swiftly through the Citie and from thence further like a winde in euery mans eare 47 But the Protector immediately after dinner intending to set some colour vpon the matter sent in all hast for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower at whose comming thither himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in olde rusty briganders such as no more man should weene that they would vouchsafe to haue put on their backes except that some suddain neces sity had constrained them thereto And then the Protector shewed them that the Lord Chamberlaine and others of his conspiracy had contriued to haue suddainly destroied him and the Duke there the same day in Counsell And what they intended further was not yet well knowne Of which their treason he neuer had knowledge before ten of the clocke the same forenoone which suddain feare droue them to put on for their defence such harnesse as came next to hand and so had God holpen them that the mischiefe returned vpon them that would haue done it and this he required them to report 48 Euerie man answered him faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which oftruth no man beleeued yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minde he sent immediately after dinner in all haste an Herauld of Armes with a Proclamation to be made through the City in the Kings name conteining that the Lord Hastings with diuers others of his traiterous purpose had before conspired the same day to haue slaine the Lord Protector and Duke of Buckingham sitting in the Councell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the King and the Realme at their owne pleasures thereby to pill and spoile whom they listed vncontrolled And much matter there was in that Proclamation deuised to the slander of the Lord Chamberlaine as that he was an euill Counseller to the Kings father entising him to many things highly redounding to his great dishonour and to the vniuersall hurt of his Realme by his euill company sinister procuring vngratious example aswell in many other things as in the vicious liuing and inordinate abusion of his body both with many others and especially with Shores wife who was one also of his most secret Counsell in this hainous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night last past before his death so that it was the lesse maruell if vngracious liuing brought him to an vnhappy ending which he was now put vnto by the most dread commandement of the Kings highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Counsell both for his demerits being so openly taken in his falsely conceiued treason as also least the delaying of his execution might haue encouraged other mischieuous persons partners of his conspiracy to gather and assemble themselues together in making some great commotion for his deliuerance whose hope being now by his wel-deserued death politickely repressed all the Realme should by Gods grace rest in good quiet and peace 49 Now was this Proclamation made within two houres after that he was beheaded and was so curiously indited and so faire written in parchment in so well a set hand and therewith of it selfe so long a processe as euery child might perceiue that it was prepared before For all the time between his death and the proclaiming could scant haue suffised vnto the bare writing alone had it beene but in paper and scribled forth in hast at aduenture So that vpon the proclaiming thereof one that was Schoole-master of Paules of chance standing by and comparing the shortnes of the time with the length of the matter said vnto them that stood about him Here is a gay goodly cast foule cast away for hast and a Merchant answered him that it was written by Prophecie Now then by and by as it were for anger not for couetousnesse the Protector sent the Sheriffes of London into the house of Shores wife for her husband dwelled not with her and spoiled her of all that shee had aboue the value of three thousand markes carrying her through London vnto the Tower and there left her Prisoner where for fashion sake he laid
the short time wherein he continued the name of a King which onlie was two monthes and sixteene daies and in them also he sate vncrowned without Scepter or ball all which Richard aimed at and perfidiously got before they could come to his head or into his hands His age at the death of his father and entrance into his throne was eleuen yeeres fiue monthes and fiue daies and within three monthes after was with his brother sin othered to death in the Tower of London as shall be shewed in his Raigne of whom we are now by order of succes sion to write RICHARD THE THIRD KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE SIXTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS RAIGNE ACTS ISSVE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XIX RIchard the third sonne of Richard Duke of Yorke born at Fotheringhay Castle in the County of Northampton was first honoured with the title of Glocester being the third Duke of that number consequently by vsurpation crowned King of England the third of that name a name indeed noted to the Kings so called to bee euer ominous and the title of Glocester to those Dukes euer fatall all of them both dying violent and vntimely deathes which ought to haue beene the more fearefull vnto Richard now hauing possession and interest in them both But that not regarded or destiny enforcing his aspiring mind gaue him no rest till his restlesse body found it lastly in the graue For his brother deceased when his life was most desired no man in shew tooke his death so heauily as himselfe or tendered the young King with a more honourable respect when as God knowes his mind ranne vpon deepe reaches how to compasse the wreath for his owne head which the better to fashion hee withdrew a while into the North and at Yorke in most sad and solemne manner obserued the Funerals of the dead King but howsoeuer the Maske couered this subtle Dukes face from the eie of the multitude yet Buckingham well knew the ambitious desire of his aspiring heart and indeed was the Dedalus that made him the wings wherwith he mounted so neere vnto the Sun as that the wax melting like the high-minded young Icarus he caught his last fall 2 What intendments they had before the Kings death is vncertaine though it may be suspected but sure it is he now gone the Duke of Buckingham twice sollicited Gloucester by his messengers in the North met him at Northampton himselfe accompanied him to London forwarded him in Counsell and was the first Actor in this following tragedy For first making him Protector procuring his young Nephew forth of Sanctuary disabling the young King bastardizing them both perswading the Citizens working the Nobility and all this done to set the Crowne vpon crookt Richards head and so moulded their minds vnto the man as they all became humble petitioners vnto him for to accept of the same who in the meane while had well conned his owne part by profuse liberalitie by passing great grauity by singular affability by ministring of iustice and by deepe and close deuises whereby hee wonne to himselfe the hearts of all but the Lawyers especially to serue best his turn which was so affected that in the name of all the States of the Realme a Petition was drawne and presented him to accept the wearing of the Crown the true copy wherof as we find it recorded in the Parliament Rol we haue inserted is as followeth In Rotulo Parliamenti tenti apud Westm. die Veneris Vicesimo tertio die Ianuarii An. Regni Regis Richardi 5. primo inter alia continetur vt sequitur Memorandum quod quaedam billa exhibita fuit coram Domino Rege in Parliamento praedicto in haec verba Where late heretofore that is to say before the consecration coronation and inthronization of our soueraigne Lord the King Richard the third a roll of parchment containing in writing certaine Articles of the Tenor vnderwritten on the behalfe and in the name of the three Estates of this Realme of England that is to witte of the Lords Spirituall Temporall and of the Commons by name and diuers Lords Spirituall and Temporall and other Nobles and notable persons of the Commons in great multitude was presented and actually deliuered vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the intent and effect expressed at large in the same roll to the which Roll and to the considerations and instant petition comprised in the same our said Soueraigne Lord for the publike weale and tranquility of this land benignely assented Now forasmuch as neither the said three Estates neither the said persons which in their name presented and deliuered as it is aforesaid the said Roll vnto our said Soueraigne Lord the King were assembled in forme of Parliament by reason whereof diuers doubts questions and ambiguities beene moued and engendred in the minds of diuers persons as it is said Therefore to the perpetuall memory of the truth and declaration of the same be it ordained prouided and established in this present Parliament that the Tenor of the said roll with all the contents of the same presented as is abouesaid and deliuered to our foresaid Soueraigne Lord the King in the name and in the behalfe of the said three Estates out of Parliament now by the same three Estates assembled in this present Parliament and by authority of the same bee ratified enrolled recorded approued and authorized into remouing the occasions of doubts and ambiguities and to all other lawfull effects that shall now thereof ensue So that all things said affirmed specified desired and remembred in the said rol in the tenor of the same vnderwrittē in the name of the said 3. Estates to the effect expressed in the same roll be of the like effect vertue force as if al the same things had bin so said affirmed specified desired remembred in a full Parliament and by authority of the same accepted approued The Tenor of the said Roll of parchment wherof aboue is made mention followeth is such To the high and Mighty Prince Richard Duke of Glocester Please it your noble Grace to vnderstand the considerations election and petition vnderwritten of vs the Lords Spirituall temporalll and Commons of this Realme of England and thereunto agreably to giue your assent to the common and publike weale of this land to the comfort and gladnese of all the people of the same First we consider how that heretofore in time passed this land many yeers stood in great prosperity honour and tranquilitie which was caused forsomuch as the King then raigning vsed and followed the aduise and counsell of certaine Lords spirituall and temporall and other persons of approued sadnesse prudence policy experience dreading God and hauing tender zeale and affection to indifferent ministration of iustice and to the common and publike weale of
yeeres were yet added to her life but whether in conceit for sorrow or of poison I cannot say she died shortlie after and was solemnely buried in the Abbey of Westminster 43 The King thus deliuered from the bands of Matrimony and now a widower at liberty to choose where he would cast glances of loue towards the Lady Elizabeth his owne brothers daughter and began to court her for his second Queene but the thing was so offensiue to the law of nature and so directly against the Law of God as all men abhorred the motion and most of all the maiden her selfe which Richard perceiuing hee forbare ouer earnest pursuite to gaine his time and all fit occasions but most especially hauing no leasure to woo his subiects on al sides daily reuolting and his Nobles more and more had in suspect among whom one was Lord Thomas Stanley Earle of Darby who had married Lady Margaret Countesse of Richâ—…nd Earle Henries owne mother him therefore hee most mistrusted and before he would admit his departure from Court he commanded him to leaue his sonne and heire George Stanley the Lord Strange for his hostage which he did though it little auailed to binde Darbies affection vnto his side 44 In this while King Richard hearing that Oxford had escaped out of the Castle of Hammes and that he with the Captaine thereof Iames Blunt were fled into France and ioined with Richmund thought it high time to quench the sparkes in those parts before they should rise to a higher flame and therefore hee appointed which was presently accomplished the Garrison at Callis to strait the said Castle with a hard siege being well assured that many welwillers to the Earles proceedings lay there harboured who vpon the least aduantage would be ready to play But Henry not vnmindfull of his distressed friends nor Oxford forgetting his kinde Hostesse Captaine Blunts wife made vnto the Peece and on the sudden put Thomas Brandon with thirty approued Souldiers into the Castle who from the walles plaied vpon the beseigers whiles Oxford annoied them vpon their backes so that presently they offered and came to a composition which was that they within should safely depart but the Castle to remaine in Subiection to the King 45 Hammes thus restored in danger to be lost and nothing had thence besides a woman and a few suspected persons King Richard thought himselfe now sure of all and fearing no inuasion at home imagined that much harme could not bee done abroad for Henry in France as he thought found very few friends and was fully perswaded that the French Kings assistance stood more of words then in deedes And indeed some occasion of such suspition was ministred for King Charles but young and the Princes at variance Earle Henry was enforced to make suite vnto them man by man Besides Thomas Marquesse Dorset sent for by his mother the Queene suddenly in the night made an escape from Paris with purpose for England which stroke great feare among Earle Henries part chiefely for that all their Counsels were knowne vnto the Marquesse which if he should reueale their designes were made desperate To preuent which hee was posted after and brought backe againe though much against his will These things considered King Richard to lessen his great charges discharged his Nauy at seas commanding the Welsh to watch the shoare Beacons to be built and armour to bee ready at euery call then giuing his affections leaue to entertaine more security saw not the sword that hung ouer his head 46 But Earle Henrie deliuered from the feare of the Marquesse thought it not best to prolong time lest others vpon like purposes should bewray his intents and thereupon obtaining a small aide of the French with a certaine summe of money for which the Lord Marquesse whom he much mistrusted and Sir Iohn Bourchier were left in pledge hee set forward to Roâ—…n and prepared his shipping in the mouth of Seyn whither tidings was brought him of Queene Annes death that King Richard purposed to marry Lady Elizabeth a feare indeed farre exceeding the former shee being the Princesse by whom hee must claime whereupon much distemperature arose euery mans braine working vpon the newes But after much consultation it was held the best to make ouer into England to interpose the proceedings ere the match was fully made whereupon Earle Richmund with two thousand men onely and a small number of ships set sayle from Harflent the fifteenth of August and the seuenth day following arriued at Milford hauen in Wales where taking land hee came vnto Dale and thence the next day marched to Hereford west ten miles into the Maine from thence he marched to Cardigan where he had newes that the Countrey was forelaid against him but finding that vntrue he made still forward beating downe such Houlds as held against him then sending secretly to Lady Margaret his mother to the Lord Stanley Talbot and others signified vnto them he meant to passe Seuerne at Shrewesbury and thence to march directly towards London In his way to Shrewesbury there mette him Sir Rice ap Thomas a man of great command in Wales with a number of men to side in his quarrell which Henry afterwards requited in making this his first aider the Gouernour of Wales 47 The Earle more boldly from Shrewsburie held on his march to the Towne of Newport whither Sir Gilbert Talbot with two thousand strong from the young Earle of Shrewsbury gaue him his aide Then passed he forward to Stafford and had conference there with Sir William Stanley and proceeding forward was honourably receiued into the City Lichfield where Thomas Earle of Darby with fiue thousand armed men had beene some few daies before but hearing of Earle Henries approach remoued to Anderson to auoide suspition of the jealous King that kept his sonne Hostage for his further truth 48 King Richard at this time helde his Court at Notingham where being informed that Earle Henrie with a small company was landed in Wales made small account of what he could doe altogether relying vpon the Lord Walter Herbert and Sir Rice ap Thomas two principall men in whom hee conceiued no little trust yet lest this new risen spring might gather in more heads he sent to Iohn Duke of Norfolk Henry Earle of Northumberland and Thomas Earle of Surrey willing them with a selected power to represse the insolency of this head-strong Earle moreouer he sent for Sir Robert Brakenburie Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Thomas Bourchier and Sir Walter Hungerford Knights all of them in great iealousie and mistrust commanding them with their forces to come and attend vpon his person which accordingly they set forward to doe meane while sending his Spials to know the way Henrie went had intelligence that hee was past Shrewsbury without any impeachment whereat storming in choller and cursing their vntruthes whom hee had
and that he put to death the Kings best subiects for these the Lord Deputie was commanded into England in whose absence Osory his enemie was againe chosen Lord Deputie by the Kings Counsell but himselfe none of the wisest for polliticke Gouernment was altogether therein ruled by his wife and shee made it no courtesie to abuse her husbands honour against her natural brothers folly who now in England must answer his demeanour before the Lords of the Counsell and to their Table was hee brought where the Cardinall Lord Chauncellor made his faults nothing lesse and thus addressed himselfe against the Earle of Kildare 56 I wot well my Lord that I am not the meetest at this boord to charge you with these treasons because it hath pleased some of your Pew-fellowes to report that I am a professed enemy to all Nobilitie and namely to the Giraldines but seeing euery shrewd boy can say as much when he is controuled and these points so weighty that they should not be dissembled of vs and so apparant that they cannot be denied of you I must haue leaue notwithstanding your stale slander to be the mouth of these honourable Lords at this present and to trumpe your treasons in your way howsoeuer you take me First you remember how the lewde Earle of Desmund your kinseman who passeth not whom he serueth might he change his Master sent his Confederates with letters of credence vnto Francis the French King and hauing but cold comfort there went 〈◊〉 Charles the Emperour proffering the helpe of Mounster and Conaught towards the Conquest of Ireland if either of them would helpe to win it from our King How many letters what precepts what messages what threats haue beene sent you to apprehend him and yet not done Why so Forsooth I could not catch him Nay nay Earle forsooth you would not watch him If hee bee iustly suspected why are you partiall in so great a charge If not why are you fearefull to haue him tried Yea for it will bee sworne and deposed to your face that for feare of meeting him you haue winked wilfully shunned his sight altered your course warned your friends stopped both eares and eies against his detectors and whensoeuer you took vpon you to hunt him out then was he sure afore hand to be out of your walke Surely this iugling and false play little became either an honest man called to such houour or a Noble man put in so great trust had you lost but a Cow or a Horse of your own two hundred of your retainers would haue come at your Whistle to rescue the prey from the vttermost edge of Vlster all the Irish in Ireland must haue giuen you the way But in pursuing so needfull a matter as this was mercifull God how nice how dangerous how wayward haue you beene One while hee is from home and another while hee keepeth home sometimes fled sometimes in the Borders where you dare not venture Ywisse my Lord there bee shrewd bugges in the borders for the Earle of Kildare to feare the Earle nay the King of Kildare for when you are disposed you raigne more like then rule in the land where you are pleased the Irish foe standeth for a iust Subiect hearts and hands liues and lands are all at your courtesie who fawneth not thereon cannot rest within your smel and your smell so rancke that you tracke them out at pleasure Whilest the Cardinall was speaking the Earle chafed and changed colour at last brake out and interrupted him thus 57 My Lord Chauncellor I beseech you pardon me I am short witted and you I perceiue intend a long tale if you proceed in this order half my purgation wil be lost for lack of carriage I haue no Schoole trickes nor art of memory except you heare me while I remember your words your second processe will hammer out the former The Lords associate who for the most part tenderly loued Kildare and knew the Cardinall his manner of taunts so ready being inured there with many yeeres together humblie besought his grace to charge him directlie with particulars and to dwell in some one matter vntill it were examined throughly 58 That granted It is good reason quoth the Earle that your Grace beare the mouth of this boord but my Lord those mouthes that put these things into your mouth are very wide mouthes such indeed as haue gaped long for my wracke and now at length for want of better stuffe are faine to fill their mouthes with smoake what my Cosen Desmond hath compassed as I know not so I beshrew his naked heart for holding out so long If he can be taken by mine agents that presentlie wait for him then haue mine aduersaries bewraied their malice and this heape of heinous wordes shall resemble a scarre-Crow or a man of straw that seemeth at a blush to carry some proportion but when it is felt and peized discouereth a vanity seruing onely to feare Crowes and I verily trust your honours shall see the proofe by the thing it selfe within these few daies But goe to suppose he neuer be had What is Kildare to blame for it moâ—…e then my good brother of Osorie who notwithstanding his high promises hauing also the Kings power is yet content to bring him in at leasure Cannot the Earle of Desmond shift but I must be of Counsell Cannot he hide him except I winke If he be close am I his mate If he be friended am I a traitor This is a doubtie kind of accusation which they vrge against me wherein they are stabelled and mired at my first deniall You would not see him say they who made them so familiar with mine eie-sight Or when was the Earle within my view Or who stood by when I let him slip Or where are the tokens of my wilfull hudwinke But you sent him word to beware of you who was the messenger Where are the letters Conuince my negatiuâ—… see how loose this idle geare hangeth together Desmond is not taken well you are in fault why Because you are who proueth it No body What Coniectures So it seemeth To whom to your enemies Who told it them They will sweare it What other ground None Wil they 〈◊〉 it my Lord why then of like they know it either they haue mine hand to shew or can being forth the messenger or were present at a Conference or priuie to Desmond or some body bewraied it to them or they themselues were my Carriers or vicegerents therein which of these parts wil they choose for I know them too well To reckon my selfe conuict by their bare wordes or headlesse sayings or franticke oathes were but meere mockerie My letters were soone read were any such writing extant my seruants and friends are ready to be sifted of my Cosen of Desmond they may lie loudly since no man here can well contrary them Touching my selfe I neuer noted in them much wit or so fast faith that I would haue
aspired greatnesse who now commanded the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie the Dutchie of Millan the Seigniorie of Ioan the Countie of Ast and other possessions in Italie the whole Country of Germany being the greatest part of Christendome already either totally in his Enacted in the Church of Saint Peter in Anion May 7 Anno 1530. The Determination of the Vniuersity of Burges We the Deane and facultie of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Burges after the example of Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles begin with praier to the quieting of the conscience to whom this our writing shall come the Question moued is whether the brother taking the wife of his dead brother the marriage consummated and perfect be a thing lawfull or no. We by much labour and turning of Bookes euery one of vs a part by himselfe free from corruption the better to obey the truth finde it forbidden by the Leuiticall law which is Gods and that such marriage is an abhominable discouering of his brothers shame which cannot be allowed by the authority of any man which our determination we haue caused to be signed with the seale of our faculty the tenth day of Iune and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The opinions of the Diuines in the Vniuersity of Bonony All wee Doctors of Diuinity in this Vniuersity vnto whom this Question was propounded whether it was forbidden only by the Ordinance of the Church or else by the Law of God that a man might not marry the left wife of his brother departed without children and hauing examined the matter euery one of vs alone lastly came altogether and as it were line by line and rule by rule brought forth the reasons for the contrary part with those of the most Reuerend Father Cardinall Caietaine yea and of the dispensation for raising vp seed to his brother spoken of in Deuteronomie thus we determine giue iudgement and say and confidently doe hold and witnes that such marriage is horrible accursed and to be cried out vppon and vtterly abhominable not only for a Christian man but for an Infidel vnfaithfull or heathen and that it is prohibited vnder greeuous paines and punishments by the Law of God of Nature and of man and that the Pope though he may doe much vnto whom Christ gaue the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen hath no power to a dispensation to anie man to contract such marriage In witnes whereof we confirme this our iudgement both vnder the Seale of our Vniuersity as also with the Seale of our Colledge of Doctors of Diuinity and haue substribed it in the Cathedrall Church of Bonony this tenth of Iune the yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Padua Seeing that certaine great Orators and Ambassadors did humbly require of vs that wee would vouchasafe to search out with all diligence this question following whether to marry the wife of our brother departed without children is forbidden onely by the Law of the Church or by the Law of God also and if forbid by both the Lawes whether the Pope may dispence with any man for such Matrimony or no which Question we haue discussed and as farre as we can haue made it cleere both priuate euery man by himselfe and after al together openly we say iudge decree witnesse and for truth affirme that such marriage is no marriage yea and that it is abhorred and cursed of euery Christian man and to be abominate as a greeuous sinne and that it is cleerely forbidden vnder cruell penalty by the Lawes of nature of God and of man and that the Pope vnto whom the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen are committed by Christ the Sonne of God hath no power to dispense by the right of Law for any cause suggestion or excuse that any such Matrâ—…ny should be contracted In witnesse whereof wee 〈◊〉 made this writing and haue authorized it with the accustomed Seale of our Vniuersity dated at Padua in the Church of the Heremites of Saint Augustine the first of Iuly and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Tholouze It was treated in our Vniuersity of Tholouze whether it were lawfull for a brother to marry her which had beene wife to his brother now departed and without children as also whether the Pope which hath the cure of Christs flocke allowing it by his dispensation it be lawful to resolue which the best Doctors of Diuinity and the Laws did sweare that they would obey the sacred Counsels and would follow the holy Decrees of the Fathers and falling to conclusion stucke fast vpon this point that it is lawfull for no man neither by the Law of God nor by the Law of nature to take her to wife that his brother hath left neither can the Pope dispence with this law of God as touching the commandement in Deuteronomy that the brother should marry his wife to raise vp seede vnto him that his name should not perish among the Tribes of Israel we answere that that Law was but a shadow and figure of things to come which vanished away as soon as the substance of the Gospell appeared Thus haue we giuen our sentence which wee haue signed with our Authenticall Seale of this Vniuersity Yeouen at Tholouze the Calends or first day of October the yeere of our Lord 1530. These and many more were read by the Lord Chauncellor vnto the lower house of Parliament that they might report in their countries the Kings iust cause of diuorse To forward which as was thought Cardinall Wolsey the said Lord Chancellor was sent Ambassadour into France laden with Crownes as Guicchardine saith and with surpassing Pompe as London behelde who with 900. Horse passed the Bridge toward Douer and so into France But rumors in England still spreading of the good Queens diuorse about a yeere after K. Henry to satisfie all sent for his Nobles his Councellers Iudges and many wise Commoners vnto whom he made a most pithy Oration shewing them with what care he had ruled almost twenty yeeres with honour and victory which as he said would shortly be clouded if he should die and leaue them a litigious Heire examples he shewed of the wofull experience of Lancaster and Yorke in whose dissentions the Realme was like to haue beene vtterly destroied and although saith he we haue a daughter to the great comfort of her mother and me yet it is told vs by great Clearkes our marriage is not lawful but that she stands in case of illegitimation and we both are said to liue in abominable Adultery thinke you my Lords that these words doe not touch my very soule the perill whereof we venture as you doe also your inheritance for which cause I haue asked counsell of the greatest Clearkes in Christendome and haue likewise heard the opinion of mine owne But as touching the Queene if it bee iudged by the Law of God that she is my lawfull wife there shall be nothing more
Thomas Audley Lord Chancellor the Duke of Norfolke and Thomas Cromwell Secretary her bringers desiring God so to helpe her as sne was guiltlesse of those things whereof shee was accused beseeching those Lords to bee Petitioners vnto his Maiesty in her behalfe who lamenting her case left her Prisoner with Sir William Kingston Constable of the place 88 I will in no wise excuse her guilt hauing had iudgement and death by law though others and that vpon iust occasions before mee haue done but will speake from them what they haue said and namely one that wrote thereof vnto a worthy and reuerent person in whose defence his wordes are these Iâ—…seemeth very plaine that the crimes supposed against this Christian Queène Anne were matters contriued by the deuise of the Pope and his Instruments her enemies None of them all that were accused in the same Treason confessing the Act euen vnto death but haue left direct Testimonies in writing to the contrary one meane Groome excepted namely Marke Smeton made confession vpon some promise of life belike but had his head cut off before hee was aware or had time to recall what he had said The like did Cromwell the Secretary signifie to the King after the prisoners had beene throughly examined in the Tower by the Councell who wrote thus in his letter on the same day many things haue been obiected but nothing confessed onely some circumstances haue been acknowledged by Marke And so doth Cranmer Archbishoppe of Canterbury in his letter of comfort vnto the King who sore lamented that such a starre was fallen if her gilt could bee proued and willed his Highnesse to stand in defence of the Gospell as shee had done without any report of confessing or acknowledging any such Acts as were obiected which as Sleidon writeth were Adultery and incest but vniustly saith he as it is supposed and proued since With her were executed certaine Gentlemen of the Kings Priuie Chamber namely Norris Weston Brewton and one Marks which contrary to his conscience as it is reported for hope of preferment subscribed to a bill whereby hee condemned both himselfe and all the rest 89 For vpon the seuenth of May her brother George Bullen Lord Rochford for his supposed offence with these foure before named were all of them beheaded vpon the Tower hill but none of them confessing the Action I haue heard it reported that Rochford the Queenes brother comming to her bed side to solicite a suite leaned thereupon to whisper her in the eare which the Spials gaue forth that hee did so to kisse the Queen howsoeuer they are dead and the Queene must die who two dayes before had beene arraigned in the Tower the Duke of Norfolke being her Iudge to her inditement shee answered so effectually that shee seemed to cleare all matters laid to her charge yet was shee found guilty and vpon the nineteenth day of May was brought to a Scaffold erected on the Greene within the saide Tower where in presence of many noble men the Lord Mayor of London the Shiriffes and some principall commoners shee is said to haue spoken these words in their presence 90 Good Christian people I am come hither to die for according to the Law and by the Law I am iudged to death and therefore I will speake nothing against it I come hither to accuse no yee shall be iudged heereafter to be shedars of some of Crystyn blood and destroiers of your euyn Crysten From Robart Aske chiefe Captaine of the Comynalty assembled in pilgrimage For the Barony and Cominalty of the same By mee Robert Aske yn the name of all the Comynalty and Barony Of such terrour and haughty spirit was this Captaine Aske that when Lancaster an Herald at Armes was sent to declare the Kings message in Pomfret Castle which the Rebels had got by surrender from the Lord Darcy hee so blustred out his answers that the daunted man excusing himselfe to bee but a messenger fell before him on his knees till the Archbishop of Yorke tooke him vp saying it was not beseeming the Coate hee wore to prostrate to any but onely to his Soueraigne Reade likewise if you please this strange Mandate from some meane man among them the false suggestion that they possessed the ignorant with and the Oath whereunto these holy Pilgrimes were sworne as I finde them recorded by themselues in these very words To the Commyns of Hawkeside parish Bailiffs or Constables with all the Hamlets of the same Welbeloued we greet you well and whereas our brother Pouerty and our brother Rogers goith forward is openly for the aide asistance of your faith and holy Church and for the reformation of such Abbeys and Monasteries now dissolued and subpressed without any Iust cause Wherefore gudde brethers For asmuch as our sayd brederyn hath send to vs for ayde and helpe wee doe not onely effectualy desire you but also vnder the paine of deadly sinne wee comaunde you and euery of you to bee at the stoke Greene beside Hawkeside-kirke the Saturday next being the xxviij day of October by xi of the Clokke in your best array as you will make aunswer before the heigh Iudge at the dreadfull day of Dome and in the payne of pulling downe your Houses and leasing of your gudds and your bodies to be at the Capteyns will For at the place aforesaid then and there yee and we shall take further direction concerning our faith so farre decayed And for gudde and laudable Customes of the Country And such naughty inuentions and strange Articles now accepted and admitted so that our said brother bee subdued they are lyke to goe furthwards to vtter vndoing of the Commyn welth 97 And the more to drawe forward the rude multitude which were forward enough of themselues they set forth in writing these slanderous vntruths against the King 1 The first is that no infant shall receyue the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bott onlesse an trybett to bee payd to the King 2 The second is that no man vnder xx1. Landes shall eyte no brede made of Wheate ner Capon chekyn gois ner pigge bott onlesse to pay a trybett to the King 3 The third is that for euery ploghe land the King will haue en trybett with other diuerse extreme vrgent causes and hertely fareye well The Oath of the holy Pilgrimes Ye shall nat enter into this our Pilgrimage of Grace for the Commyn welth but only for the loue that you doe bere vnto Almyghty Godde his faith and to holy Churche militant the maintenance thereof to the preseruation of the Kings person his issew to the purifying of Nobilitie and to expulse all vilayne blode and euill Councellers agaynst the Commyn welthe from his Grace and the priuie Counsel of the same and that ye shall nat enter into oure said Pilgramege for no particuler proffite to your selfe nor to doe no displeasure to no priâ—…ey person but by
vnexpected content so deepely touched her tender heart that foorth with shee fell into great feares laments and a most heauy melancholy and was in such danger of death that the King came to visit her hauing not gone foorth of his Chamber of many dayes before whereat shee so reioiced as shee began to 〈◊〉 and to acknowledge her like loue and duty the next night following repaired to the Kings Bed-chamber accompanied onely with the Lady Herbert her sister and the Lady 〈◊〉 the Kings neece carrying the Candle before her of whose presence the King seemed to be most desirous and presently falling in talke of Religion began to debate some question thereof with the Queene demanding to haue her resolutions therein but shee knowing that his nature was not to be crost and the sorenesse of his legge to encrease his cholâ—…er made him answere that she was a woman accompanied with many imperfectioâ—…s but his Maiesty wise and 〈◊〉 of whâ—…m shee must learne as of her Lordand Head for so God hath appointed you said shee the Supreame Head of vs all of whom next vnto him I will euer learnt Not so by Saint Mary said the King you are become a Doctor Kate to instruct vs and not to be instructed by vs as often heeretofore we haue seeme Indeede said 〈◊〉 if your Maiestie haue so conceiued I haue beene mistaken in my meaning who haue euer held it preposterous for a woman to instruct 〈◊〉 Lord. And whereas I haue heeretofore held talke with your highnesse touching Religion it was to leâ—…ne of your Maiesty some excellent 〈◊〉 which my selfe stood in doubt of and sometimes to the end that you might with lesse griefe passeouer this paineful time of your infirmity wherein if by my ouermuch boldnesse I haue failed in the latter yet haue I not 〈◊〉 in the former to my no small benefit and comfort And is it euen so sweet heart quoth the King why then are me friends and so kissing her gaue her leaue to depart But the day drawne on for her apprehension and the King disposed to take the â—…yre sent for the Queene to walke in the 〈◊〉 himselfe accompanied onely with two Gentlemen and shee with the three foresaid Ladies Whenas suddenly the Lord Chancellor with forty of the Guard came into the Garden with purpose to hâ—…e apperhended and carried the Queene to the Tower whose malepâ—…rt approach the King greatly misliked and â—…ernely beholding him slept aside 〈◊〉 him with the names of 〈◊〉 foole and 〈◊〉 bidding 〈◊〉 out of presence The Queene seeing the King chased but knew not the cause indeauoâ—…ed by all meanes to 〈◊〉 his Maiestie and iâ—…treted for the Lord Chancellour whose faultas shee thoughtand alleaged was rather through misimprision then will and therfore said she I wil become an humble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him vnto your Highnesse Ah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoth the King 〈◊〉 little 〈◊〉 Kate 〈◊〉 euill he 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 at thy hands of my word sweet heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in following this trâ—…ct of blood â—…owed from the fountaine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—…ticles wee haue stepped ouer some other occurrences that happened somewhat before this time vnto which with thy patience goodReader we will returne againe 114 King Henrie by order of Parliament hauing assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland with the submission of most of the Irish Nobiâ—…ty Iames his Nephew King of Scotland tooke it not well forthat as Liâ—…ley saith a great part of Ireland especially in the North had been in possession of the Scotishmen for many hundred of yeeres before These discontents conceiued King Henrie well perceiued and because hee would haue no ill will so neere him that had so many enuiers abroad he sent vnto King Iames that it would please him to repaire vnto the City of Yorke where he would meet him to conferre for the wealth of both the Realmes which at first was granted but vpon better aduise vnaccomplished his Counsellors moouing the dangers and his Clergy the feares lest their Religion should be changed to the offence of his confederates the Pope the Emperour and the French King 115 The vnkindnes growing from this small sparke was presently kindled into great flames for Commissioners being sent from both Kings to view the limits of either Kingdome they fell at ods about a small peece of ground and from that tooke occasion of emulations and warres to prosecute which King Henry prepared an Armie and sent them into Scotland vnder the Conduct of the Duke of Norfolke accompanied with the Earles of Shrewsbury Darby Câ—…mberland Surrey Hertford Augus and 〈◊〉 land These passing the English Marches did much hurt in the Kingdome of Scotland To withstand whom King Iaâ—…es gathered a power of fiue and thirty strong and at Faâ—…aw more meant to haue bidden the Duke battell which as that writer relaxed was not then minded to doe but made againe into England and passing the water Tweâ—…d sustained great losse by the couragious pursuit of the Lord Huntly King Iames vpon a lusty courage meaning to repaire the Scotâ—… losses with the English spoiles was very forward to follow the Duke into their Borders but the Scotish Nobility wisely waying the danger of warre by no meanes would either assent or assist him out of his owne kingdome affirming it honour sufficient to haue forced the English backe with no little losse 116 King Iâ—…es discontented at his Nobles danials made towards the Burders himselfe where mouing the Lord Maxewell Lord Warden of the West Borders with many other men of speciall fauour and account to inuade England whereunto they gaue their consents These passing the Riuer Eske did some small dammage vpon the Westerne Borderers whereof Thomas 〈◊〉 Dacres and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hollinshed cals them sent word to Thomas Wharton Lord Wardeâ—… for the King vpon the West Marches But the Scotâ—… comming forward they were forced to prepare for â—…ight before the Lord 〈◊〉 could come and out of their 〈◊〉 company lest a stand vpon the side of a hill 117 The Scots aduanced forward with no little hope were presâ—…ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—…ght of these men and verily thought 〈◊〉 the Lord 〈◊〉 had assembled 〈◊〉 Charge or 〈◊〉 the Duke of 〈◊〉 with a great Army were come to their 〈◊〉 whereupon they began to consuâ—… what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be done and demanding who was deputed 〈◊〉 by the King Oliuer 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor honorable 〈◊〉 being lifted vp vpon the Shoulders of two Souldiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Commission wherein himselfe was appointed their Generall and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that so many more worthy honourable and approued Capâ—… of the 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 by this his 〈◊〉 but â—…o 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 In whose 〈◊〉 and for the 〈◊〉 of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly lost the 〈◊〉 118 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the twenty fourth
of Nouember at a place beyond Carliel called Solem-mosse where were taken Prisoners the Earles of Cassils and Glencarne the Lords Maxwell Flemming Summerwell Oliphant and Grey Sir Oliuer Sinclere and others to the number of one and twenty men of account who were conueighed to London and committed to the Tower For griefe of which losse and suspition of his Nobility King Iames fell into a melancholy Passion which the birth of his new borne Princesse rather increased then gaue him any coÌ„fort so as hee deceased the foureteenth day of December following foreshewing saith Leslie great troubles to follow in Scotland 119 Newes brought neere at one instant of the death of King Iames birth of the Princesse his daughter King Henry intended to doe that by the match of a marriage which long had beene assayed by the sword of Mars all things so consorting as it did he hauing one onely sonne then aboue fiue yeres of age and Scotland no heire beside this new borne daughter their yeeres suiting a consent for marriage the whole Iland offering both the ioynter and dowry and that which most moued their chiefe Nobility in his owne hands to be moulded for this designe as if heauen it selfe had bid the banes 120 Those Prisoners therefore which had remained in the Tower only two daies vpon the twenty one of December he sent for to Westminster the Earles and Lords all suited in Gownes of blacke damaske furred with Cunny whereafter some words of friendly reproofe they were bestowed among the English Nobility who vsed them according to their estates and the third day in Christmas were inuited to the Court at Greenewich where they went before the King to 〈◊〉 Chappell were royally feasted and the motion then made for the establishing of peace by the Coniunction of the two Princes whereunto the Scotish were as willing as the English proffered all forward assistance to haue it accomplished So that these Nobles were deliuered without other ransome and richly rewarded at their departure from Court 121 These returned into Scotland declared what they had done and so effectually followed the busines that in a Parliament assembled of the three Estates the marriage was confirmed and a peace proclaimed to continue betwixt the two Realmes the space of tenne yeeres which agreements were sent into England by honourable Ambassadors and there interchangeably sealed betwixt these Potent Estates But Cardinall Betâ—… Archbishop of Saint Andrewes fearing least Scotland would change the Church Orders 〈◊〉 England had done the Bible already read in their owne language and the Popes vsurped power called in Question as then it began to be by the feruent preaching of Friet Guiliam to the great liking of most of the Lord made some exceptions against the Earle Arraine the new chosen Gouernour and second person in the Land being neerest in blood to the young Queene And the French King not liking this vnion with England sought by all meanes to 〈◊〉 the same match to effect which he sent the Eaâ—…le of Lennox to perswade with the Gouernour with great proffers and promises of assistance but finding him faithfull vnto King Henry presently made faction for the French wherein hee drew the Queene mother the Earles Huntly Argile Mâ—…trosse Menteith and many more Peeres the Cardinall amongst them euer the chiefe 122 Earle Lennox thus growne into credite with the Queene mother 〈◊〉 made strong by her adherents that fauoured the French presently claimed to be Gouernour of Scotland being the second person of degree in the Realme and withall to haue the custody of the young Queene who with heâ—… mother were forth with taken from 〈◊〉 vnder the charge of the Gouernour Arraiâ—…e and brought vnto Striueling strongly guarded with the continuall presence of the Lords 〈◊〉 Erskâ—… Fleâ—…ing and Ruthwen least Queene Mary should be conueyed into England vnto King Henry These violent courses caused great Emulations among the Scotish Nobility each of them siding as their affections were setled but lastly agree to set the Crowne on their young Queenes head prepared for the solemnity whereunto all the Lords came excepting those that stood for England and from them the Gouernour with much adoe was drawne to be present at the Coronation but that accomplished and the state affaires consulted vpon it was agreed that the French Kings suite should be fauoured and that the Earle Arran should be Gouernour still whereat Earle Lennox conceiued such displeasure as he became wholy for King Henrie ioined himselfe with the Earles of Augus Gleâ—…carne and Cassils the Lords Maxwel Summeruell Gray and others that stood with the English for the match with Prince Edward 123 King Henry then hearing what was done and intended sent presently into Scotland to demand the Custody of the young Queene and that certaine Scotish Noblemen might be appointed to guarde her in England vntill shee came to yeeres of consent according to Couenants formerly concluded which no waies would be granted and thereupon he prepared an Army thetherward vnder the Conduct of Lord Edward Seiâ—…er Earle of Hertford Lieutenant Generall by Land accompanied with the Earle of 〈◊〉 and a Fleete of two hundred saile by Sea whereof Sir Iohn Dudley Vicount Lisle was Admirall 124 To the aide of the Scots the Peopes holinesse was very forward who sent them the Patriarch of Venice as his Legate Orator to perswade their Resolutions with whom the French King sent Monfieur la Broche and Monfieur Menager to lead them to fight and fifty thousand Crownes of the Sun to suâ—…taine the Charge with munition worth ten thousand Crownes more It seemeth by Lesly that part of this siluer fell into the Earle Lennâ—… his hand and that therewith he made head against the Gouernor but not able to match him sent vnto King Henry for aide with proffer of his seruice against the French side which so well was accepted of Henry as he made him his Nephew by giuing the Lady Margaret his sisters daughter to be his wife 125 Thâ—… English thus seconded with this vnlooked for Allyance Cardinall Beton thought good to binde all to the Gouernour who with the Authority of the Queene Dowager proclaimed Lennox an Enemy to the State But in the meane while the Admirall of England was entred the Frith and at new Hauen landed his men where ioining his to the land Seruice they altogether marched thence towards Lâ—…th himselfe leading the Vaward Shrewsbury the Rereward and the Lord Lieutenant the maine Battell These comming to Lieth spoiled the Town and thence to Edenbrough burnt the City and wasted the Country for seauen miles about this done they set fire vpon Haddington and 〈◊〉 and then the whole Army returned vnto Barwicke 126 Whilst things thus passed in Scotland and the maine purpose resting in suspence King Henry well knew where the greatest rub did lie in his way which was the French
King the chiefest A better of the Scots whom he euer vpheld to hold him tacke at home least otherwise he should 〈◊〉 with France for his owne right And therefore hauing ioined with the Emperour against the French sent his Herald Garter King at Armes to demand certaine couenants which if he refused 〈◊〉 proclaime defiance vnto open warres but he not suffered to doe his message to the King returâ—…ed and 〈◊〉 prepared an expedition into France wherein he imploied the Dukes of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Earleâ—… of Aâ—… Oxfâ—…rd and Surâ—…ey the Lords Râ—…ssell Grey 〈◊〉 rers 〈◊〉 and Sainâ—…-Iohn besides many other seruiceable Knights and Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed high Admirall for the Seâ—… Of these some 〈◊〉 with the Emperials and shewed their value in the siege of Mattrell 127 The Duke of Suffolke in the meane while strucke downe his Standerds on the East side of Bolloigne and with many sharpe skirmishes entred the base Towne which siege King Henry himselfe in person seconded who hauing passed the Seas from England vpon the sixe twentith of Iuly encamped before Bolloigne on the East-side whence his Canons so rent the Wals and Bulwarke as their mounted tops lay vpon the Ground and his great morter peeces were discharged with so skilfull a Compasse that their bullets falling downe right beate all buildings downe vpon the Enemies heads Whereby saith Sleidane in short time he got that which neither his Father nor the Kings in former times could neuer winne For thereupon the Town was surrendred and cleared of the French souldiers women and children 128 The King like a Conquerour with his sword borne before him entred the Gate where the Duke of Suffolke presented him with the keyes of the Towne the Trumpets still sounding and nothing wanting that might applaud his fame The Towne thus wonne the English meant still to keep for the strengthening whereof the King commanded the faire Church of Saint Maries to be taken downe and in the same place a mount to be raised for the planting of Ordinance to annoy any siege But being thus busied in Bolloignes affaires the Emperour without his knowledge or consent came to a peace with the French King whereat King Henrie was sore displeased and the sooner left France leauing Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle his deputy in Bolloigne and landed at Douer the first day of October to his great honor and ioy of his Subiects 129 The French King chafed with this late and great losse sought to trie fortune in further attempts and that not onely for the recouery of Bolloigne which with twenty thousand well appointed hee assaied but also in assayling the English dominions as the I le of Wight and those parts of Sussex that lay vpon the Seas though with losse of many Captaines and thousands of Souldiers that neuer returned to tell him what intertainement they had as likewise in sending aide vnto Scotland where Monsieur Mungumry of the Order of France with 5000 strong entred to maintaine the breach betwixt them and K. Henry which was so followed on both parts as the English making a Roade towards Gedworth got praise for their valour but reproch for their spoiles and the Scots renowne for killing the Lord Eure Lord Warden of the East-Marches with many other Captaines in defence of their Countrey 130 Hereupon an Army of twelue thousand strong was sent into Scotland whereof the Earle of Hertford was Generall with these he forraged the Borders before him and burnt many Townes in the Middle-Marches with Kelsey Coldingham Abbey the French not hastie to stay the incursion lay still and let them vnfought with depart for England 131 But the warres remoued againe into France the Reingrâ—…e with a great power came to victuall a Fort built neere vnto Bolloigne to impeach which the Earle of Surrey then Lieâ—…tenant of the Towne made forth but was discomfited in the enterprize and Sir Edward Poyâ—…ings Captaine of a Band slaine with fifteene other Captaines besides many Officers and Common Souldiers These Princes wars in these violent proceedings became very fearfull least they would grow to the Common hurt of Christendome and therefore many other potentates whereof the Emperour was first sollicited these Kings vnto a peace which the sooner was heard and imbraced for that they were both of them old and King Henry diseased in body Commissioners therefore appointed certaine articles were agreed vpon the first thereof was that the French King should pay vnto King Henry eight hundred thousand Crownes in eight yeeres space and then to râ—…nter vpon Bollâ—…igne but in the meane time it to remaine vnder the English to accomplish which peace Mounsieur Danebalt high Admiralâ—… of France was sent into England and Sir Thomas Cheynie Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports to be the Kings Agent at the Font for the Baptisme of the Dolphins new borne daughter 132 Notwithstanding these Complements the sight of Bolloigne was a great sore in the French mens eies insomuch that Monsieur Chatillon Captain of Mountplaisier beganne to make a new Bastilion neere vnto the Towne euen in the very mouth of the Riuer which the Lord Grey of Wilton perceiuing certified the King what inconuenience would happen if that were made strong and the same discussed at the Counsell-Table it passed with one voice that the Peace with France was not to be infringed notwithstanding this French attempt to which end a prohibition drawne whereunto King Henry also set his hand that no let should be made against Chatillon in his Fort. Howbeit the King commanded Sir Thomas Palmer imploied in this busines to bid the Lord Grey to impeach the new worke and to flat so much as was raised thereof vnto the Earth This commission read with the report of Command to the Contrary the Counsell of State thought it most meete to follow their instructions in writing least the words might either be mis-deliuered or mistaken But the Lord Grey causing the messengers words to be writ and subscribed with all their hands that were present at the report suddainely and vnlooked for came to the Fort and in foure houres space cast downe what had beene in raising three moneths before which when the King heard off he asked his Counsellors what they thought of this that Chatillâ—…-garden was cast downe amongst whom one of them answered the dâ—…er thereof was worthy to loose his head I had rather said the King loose a dozen of such heades as thine is then his that had done the deed and immediately sent the Lord Grey his pardon with many great thankes 133 But now the dâ—…te of his time almost run and he preparing towards the way of all flesh the great and faire Church of the Gray Friers London lately suppressed by himselfe he caused againe to be opened and to be made a Parish Church giuing the reuenewes thereof vnto the Citie of London towards the reliefe
was borne of the Virgine Mary and was giuen vpon the Crosse for our Redemption therefore we will haue Masse celebrated as it hath beene in times past without any man communicating with the Priests for asmuch as many rudely presuming vnworthily to receiue the same put no difference betweene the Lords body and other kind of meate some saying that it is bread before and after some saying that it is profitable to no man except hee receiue it with many other abused termes Item we will haue in our Churches reseruation Item wee will haue holy bread and holy water in the remembrance of Christs precious Body and Blood Item we will that our Priests shall sing and say with an audible voice Gods seruice in the Quier of the Parish Churches and not Gods seruice to be set forth like a Christmasse play Item for asmuch as Priests be men dedicated to God for ministring and celebrating the blessed Sacrament and preaching of Gods word we will that they shall liue chast without marriage as Saint Paul did being the elect and chosen vessell of God saying vnto all honest Priests be yee followers of mee Item we will that the sixe Articles which our Soueraigne Lord King Henry the eight set forth in his later daies shall bee vsed and so taken as they were at that time Item we pray God saue King Edward for we be his both body and goods 23 To these their Demands the King sent this answere therein pittying their ignorance and blaming their folly and therewithall his Generall pardon to as many as would desist whiles it was time First he reproued them for their presumptions thus contumeliously to rise against their dread Soueraigne to the disturbance of his loyall Subiects peace whose simplicity they had notoriously abused in vsing his name to draw them into action of Rebellion and no lesse likewise in the grounds of their demands As in their first Article for Baptisme where it was well knowne the same was admitted as necessity required or rather commanded by the Booke of Common praier published by authority of Parliament and as themselues knew in present practise But touching the Sacrament in their second Article how impudently they did belie the true receiuers thereof was manifest who make so much difference in that holy administration that they account no profit in Common bread besides the nourishment of their naturall Bodies but this blessed bread to be the food of their soules vnto eternall life And as you are seduced in these saith the admonition so in confirmation also they carrie your simplicities captiue for the truth teacheth no otherwise then themselues beleeue namely that a Child baptized and dying before confirmation is nethelesse in state of Grace else are themselues causers of their childrens damnation so the seruice of God brought from an vnknowne tongue cannot surely offend any reasonable man which is onely to make him vnderstand that which before he knew not and to giue his consent to those prayers whereof he hath most need and giueth the neerest touch to his owne feeling conscience for God requireth the heart onely which with an vnderstanding seruice we must sacrifice vnto him But most of all saith this good King we maruell at your demand for the sixe Articles restored to haue them in power as formerly hath beene Doe you know what you aske or in obtaining doe you know what you get They were lawes indeed lately made but quickly repented too cruell for you and too mercilesse for vs who would haue our Raigne written with milke and not with blood and because they were bloody we took them away with the same authority by which they were made least reteining them our sword should be too often drawne and rigour extended vpon our true and well-deseruing subiects We for our parts seeke no longer to liue then to be a father vnto our people and as God hath made vs your rightfull King so hath he commanded you vnto obedience by whose great Maiestie we sweare you shall feele the power of the same God in our sword which how mighty it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuate man can iudge and how mortall no English heart can thinke therefore embrace our mercy while it is offered least the blood spilt by your meanes cry vengeance from the Earth and be heard in the eares of the Lord in Heauen 24 All this notwithstanding the Rebels persisted in their traiterous attempts against whose seditions Sir Iohn Russell Lord Priuy Seale was appointed Generall of the Kings Army vnto whose assistance was ioined the Lord Grey of Wilton vnder whom serued a band of Italians intended against Scotland these lay at Bristow attending the comming of the Lord Generall who now was marched Westward to Honiton where daily looking for more supply those which he had began to shrinke away whereby the Rebels were emboldned to make towards him and came as far as Fenington-bridge within three Miles of Honiton and in a faire Meadow there spread their Colours The Lord Russell though weake in comparison of them holding it more honour to assaile then to be assaulted made forward euen vnto the Bridge at whose sight the Enemies prepared themselues to fight and with a strong guard maintained the Bridge besides which there was passage ouer the Riuer that held his course betwixt the two Armies 25 Great were the attempts the Lord Lieutenant gaue and manfull was the resistance that the Rebell made yet lastly the way was wonne and followed vnto the battell of the disloyals where presently beganne a most cruell fight and a while was maintained to the losse of their blood but the false hearts failing and the true subiects courage increasing the Cornish immediately gaue backe and fled whereat the Kings souldiers out of Order fell to the spoile minding nothing lesse then that which presently ensued for the Cornishmen perceiuing their disordered carriage suddainely returned and began a new fight when the Lord Russell likewise ordered a new his Army these furiously ioining a sharpe and cruell encounter ensued with the losse of much blood and the liues of three hundred Rebels who lastly tooke to their heeles and left the field the chase a while followed and the souldiers scattered a fearefull crie suddainely arose that all the Commons were vp which caused the Lord Generall to returne vnto Honiton whether shortly came the Lord Grey of Wilton hauing in pay Spiniola an Italian Captaine with three hundred shott 26 The Lord Russels forces augmented his greatest care was to releeue the City Excester whither vpon the third of August he hasted from Honiton being a thousand strong and passing ouer the Downes toward Woodbury lodged his Campe that night neere to the Wind-Mill whereof the Rebels hauing intelligence raised themselues from Saint Mary Clift and made amaine vnto the Downes thinking to surprise the Lord Generall before hee was ready but
1346. * Grafton * Serres King Edwards Charity The French deuise to succour Calais The English victory at Potiers 19. Sep. 1356. * Serres Polyd. Vergâ—… saith his name was Innocentius * Serres The French king taken prisoner * Froissard * Serres * Fabian out of the French Chronicles * Ypod. Neust. * Serres The Prince doth things more commendable then his victory * Paul Aemyl * Poly. Verg lib. 19. * Holinsh. omnes * Bolyd Verg. lib. 19. * 5 Mâ—… A. D. 1357. Ypod. Neust. A Lord Maior feasted foure kings at once The two Prisoner kings lodged * Adam 〈◊〉 King Dauid set at liberty after 11 yeeres durance * Fourdon A. D. 1357. * 27. Nouemb. * Guil. Tilliâ—… * Serres Tillâ—… An. D. 1358 A. reg 32. * VVals in Edward 3. fol. 173. * Armacâ—… in Defensoriâ—… curatorâ—… Fox Martâ—…log in Edward 3. * 〈◊〉 iâ—… * Sabelli Ennead 9 l. 6. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. King Edward 2. gaine in France 24. October * Paul Aemil. * Serres * Paradiâ—… in les Annals de Burgo * Froissard Paulus Aemilius saith 100000. crownes * Iud. 19. 11. 25. and 26. * Tho. Wals. * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. * Tho. VVals An. D. 1360. The English before Paris Foure hundred Knights made at one time * Polyd. Verg. * Serres and Polyd. Verg. * Paul Aemyl * Tho. VValsing * Serres Paul Aemyl * Tho. Wals. Ran. Cestr. * Fabian * Tiâ—… Articles of peace * Paul Aemyl 〈◊〉 Iohan. 〈◊〉 * Serres Fabian Holinsh. Paul Aemyl * Tho. Walsing * Paul Aemyl Polyd. Uerg. Froissard The huge ransome of Iohn King of France * Tho. VVals Fabian The City of Paris gaue toward this ransome one hundreth thousand roialâ—… Edw. Griâ—… his English Serres * 24. October 1360. * 〈◊〉 par 7. Caxton * Inuentorie of France in Charles the 5. Serrâ—… Paul Aemyl in Car. 5. * Serres rashly affirmes he did * Pol. Virg. in E. 3. The points charged vpon the English In Charles 5. Serres The dealings of the English defended against P. Aemilius An. D. 1369 Iohn Duke of Lancaster sent to inuade France * Polyd. Verg. in Edw. 3. Froissard * Ypod. Neust. * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 Holinsh. in Edw. 3. An. D. 1370 Sir Robert Knolles sent Generall into the parts about Britaine * Tho. Walsing in Edw. 3. * Paul Emyl in Car. 5. * Paul Emyl Iac. Meir Holinsh. * Tho. Walsing in fine Edw. 3. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. * Holinsh. * Serres * Holinshed * Serres an Author distrusted An. D. 1372 * Holinshed The Flemish Name distressed by the English * Ypod. Neust. Rochel besieged by the French The English Nauie distressed by the Castilian * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 King Edward at sea to relieue Rochel is blown backe * Tho. Walsin * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. A. D. 1373 Rochel continueth English * Tho. VVals * Tho Wals. lib. 19. * 1. Tillius Chron. * Miller p. 992. * Idâ—… ib. * Lib. Eliens * Cambd. Erit in Essex * Milles. p. 381. Idem p. 428. * Milles. p. 441. * Idem p. 689. Monarch 50 Richard II. A. D. 1378. The Coronation of the King 〈◊〉 MS. apâ—…d Dâ—… Rob. Cotton Seruices by â—…a on of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coroâ—…ion found and â—…ed in that 〈◊〉 The Court of higâ—… Sâ—…wardship A. D. 1379. The Britons dislike of the French Gouernment matter of new troubles The commons spared in the subsidie * Siâ—…plex Capellaâ—… Walsing A mâ—…morable example of a noble young gentlemans faith keeping Aids sent into Britain drowned Other aids pierce into Britaine from 〈◊〉 by land An. D. 1380. * Io. Tilâ—… in Chron. French troubles profitable to the English The Earle of Northumberland countermanded from pursuit of the Scots The Parliament at Northampton A. D. 1381. The Earle of Cambridge sent with an Armie into Portugall * Râ—…der Santiâ—… part 〈◊〉 hist. Hisp. cap. 2â—… * Polyd. Vergil 〈◊〉 l. â—…0 The dangerous rebellionâ—… of Wat. Tyler Iacke Straâ—… others * L. S. Alban MS * Hist. Ang. l. 20. * Ioh. Stow. VVat. Tyler the Idol of the Clownes Iohn Cumber-towne once Lord Maior of London confined and confiscated * Thoâ—… VValsing Ypod. p. 539. Polyder Vergil not to be rashly beleeued Sir Iohn Aâ—…eys reputation redeemed from slander * Reâ—… hee is called Ypod. Neust. Aâ—… 13â—…0 * Henry Knightoâ—… Can. of Lâ—…c Aâ—… apud Holinsh. * Thâ—… UUals. in Richard 2. Hatred increaseth betweene the Duke and Count Northumberland Berwick recouered by the Earle A. D. 1385. The Souereignty of Flanders offeâ—…red to king Richard by the Flemmings * Iohn Tylliâ—… in Chron. * Paul Aemyl saith 40000. in in fight and in â—…ight and that in those whole ciuill warres there perished â—…00000 * In Rich. 2. ad A. D. 1386. The Duke of Lancaster stands vpon his keâ—…ping Thâ—… VValsing in Rich. 2. ad â—…unc ann The French prepare an inuasion against England * Ex Record apâ—…d Tiliuâ—… * Paul Aâ—…myl * Polyd. Uerg. lib. bist Angl. 20. Paul Aemyl Frâ—…issard Iâ—… Meir * Paul Emyl Three hundreth thousand English men in armes together * Seruientes ad arma * Paul Aemyl in Carol. 6. The Kings mother dyeth being denied a pardon for her sonne the Lord Iohn Holland * Ypod Neust. The Duke of Lancaster suspected for perswading the King to passe the Scottish Sea The vertue of priuatâ—… men in the publikâ—… cause * Iohn Tilliâ—… The Portugeseâ—…â—…d the English * Iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…xal S. Crâ—… 14. Septemb. The bad euent of this French designe for an inuasion The attempt of the Laity to dispossesse the Clergie of their temporall estates * Tâ—…o VVals King Richard the Clergies friend The first Marquesse made that euer was in England * Ex libr. Monast. de Melsa ex Record apud Guil Cambd. in Torkesh A. D. 1386. A. reg 6. * Ypod. Neust. * â—…olinsh * Tho. VValâ—… p. 321. The noble army of thâ—… Duke of Lancaster for Spaine * Heur Knighton Oklands Ang. prael * Holinsh. ex Hen. Knigh. p. 449. * Uigil S. Lauren. The Lord Henry Percie by-named Hotspur sent to Calis * Magister Gunnarius A Parallelization of the English and French States in these times * Paul Aemyl * Ypod. Neust. The first seeds of the ciuil wars * Sam. Dan. in his ciuill warres * Remaines * Tho. Walsing in Rich. 2. * Ypod. Neust. * Marâ—…al The Lord Maior of London refuseth to be of conspiracy against the Duke of Gloster An. D. 1387. * Aprilis 24. * Ypod Neust A description of King Richards chiefe fauorites Tho. VValsin in Richard 2. ad A. D. 13â—…6 The malignant construction made of the Earle of Arâ—…dels seruice The Duke of Ireland puts away his wife the Kings cosen * Tho. Walsin in Rich. 2. * Sellarij Filia a Sadlers daughter some aay a Ioyners Walsing A new â—…tion of the King how to bring the popular Lords to a triall The
Alain Chartier * Vpon Easter Eue. Enguerrant de Monstrelet Enguerrant de Monstr His death Tho. Wals. * Augusti 30. Fabian * Some reckon but 11. dayes Stow addeth fiue monethes more Boet. l. 16. c. 19. Polydor. Ioh. Stow. Aâ—…ls His works of deuotion * Ioh. Rossus * Th. Gascoign in Dict. Theolog. Tho. Wals. Stow. Annal. The manner of his bringing into England * France England Ireland Legend des Flamens Monarch 53 Henry VI. * Dan. cap. 2. v. 21 Henry the sixth began his raigne the last day of August being the day of his Fathers death Anno 1422. * Tit. 〈◊〉 * Ioh. Til. Chr. * Stowes Annal. * Polyd. Verg. hist. lib. 23. * Paul Aemyl in Car. l. A Parliament at Westminster * The leuie therof was 5. Nobles on euery sacke of wool * Polyd. Verg. bist lib. 23. The Regents Oration to the French * Paul Aemyl in Car. 7. * Crauant saith Polyd. who placeth this action in the following yeere The bounds of the English Regency in France * Stows Annal. * Polyd. Verg. l. 23 * Stows Annals * Polyd. Verg. l. 23 The whole field-forces of the English in France vnder the Duke of Bedford * Rob. Fab. * Polyd. Vâ—…rg lib. 23. * Gagwin * Paul Aemil. * Hect. 〈◊〉 l. 16. The Regentâ—… victory at Verâ—…il in Perch * Stowes Annâ—…l * Hect. Boâ—…t li. 16. This battell was fought 7. of Aug. Anno Domini 1425. saith Stow. * Poly. Verg. li. 23. * Iâ—… Carol. 7. The murtherers of Iohn Duke of Burgoin excepted in capitulations * Rob. Fab. Chroâ—… Iames the first King of Scots set at liberty out of England * Hect. â—…oct l. 17. Grafton * Rob. Fab. 1. Câ—… The title of Mortimer to the Crowne sought to be crusht * Hal. Chron. Camb. 〈◊〉 The Duke of Glocester rashly marieth another mans wife * Gâ—…r Histâ—… by Edw. Griâ—…st The Duke of Burgoin challenged by the Duke of Glocester to fight * Stowes Annal. An. D. 1425. A. Reg. 4. * Stowes Annal. Court-factions in England * See Foxe his Martyrologe in H. 6. * Polyd. Verg. Lib. 23. The new Constable of France miscarrieth in his first enterprize * Hoâ—… The Duke of Bedford returneâ—… into England to appeâ—…se the Court factions The Protector and the Bishop made â—…ends * Holâ—…sh The King receiueâ—… Knighthood and dubbeth Riâ—…ard Duke of Yorke A. D. 1427. A. reg 5. The Regent and the Lord Talbot with fresh forces passe into France Talbotâ—… 〈◊〉 * â—…agwin * Pâ—…l Aâ—…ll The siege of Orleance * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl * Polyd. Virg. l. 23 The Earle of Salisbury â—…aine with a great shot before Orleance * 〈◊〉 * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl * Fabiâ—… The siege continued notwithstanding the Earles death Orlâ—…ce offers to become Burgundian but the English would not admit thereof * Serres â—…amlet by Edward Grimsâ—… Ioan the martial maid miraculously sent to deliuer Orleance and Frâ—… * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Serres Inuentar * Poly. Uerg. * Serres Inuentar * Polyd. Verg. * Gerard. Seg de Haillin some other French Authors Serres out of the Originall Copie translated by Edw. Grimstâ—… The Viragâ—… her letter to the English General before Orleance * Serres The description of Ioan la Pucelle de Dieu or the maid of God The siege of Orleance raised * Sâ—…wes Aâ—…ls The reflux or ebbe of the English greatnesse in France Polyd. Verg. * Stows Annal. The L. Talbot taken in battel * Polyd. Verg. Charles crowned King of France at Rheimes * Pâ—…l Aemyl Ioh Til. Chr. Ioan taken prisoner Chron. de Bretaig apud Holinsh. p. 604. * Serres saith by the bastard of Vandome Holinshed She is burnt for a witch at Roan * Tit. Lâ—… Pataâ—… Dâ—…cad 1. * See Holinsh. in Hen. 6. The French got this sentence to be reuersed by the Pope 26. yeeres after * Stow. K. Henry in to come in person into France Richard Duke of Yorke made Constable of England A. D. 1431. A. Reg. 10. Henry crowned King of France in Paris * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Ioh. Tyl Chr. * Polyd. Verg. * Gaâ—…orum to distinguish it seemeth from the former meere titular of Galliâ—… Rex so also the French Kingâ—… vsually stile themselues * In Custodia Io. Guillâ—…m Hâ—…raldi peâ—…iss Dat. H. 6. 7. * Inter Chartâ—… Collegâ—… Etâ—… The King returnes into England The Protector breakes an insurrection at Abington in the Shell * Stowes Annal. A mutinie beginning in Callais appeased The Duke of Bedford marrieth the Earle of Saint Pauls daughter * Holinsh. * Serreâ—… * Ioh. Til. Chron. * Paul Aemil. Renate Duke of â—…rrain and Barre taken prisoner * Polyd. Verg. l. 23. * Paul Aemil. The miserable face of France by occasion of thâ—…se warres * Poly. Verg. * Serres Inuent The Commons of Normandy rise against the English * Holinsh. * Polyd. Uerg. The Earle of Arundel slaine * Paul Aemyl * Iâ—…ent of Fr. * Eâ—…nius 4. 〈◊〉 â—…ners of â—…he English French and Burgundians Holinsh. * Polyd. Verg. lib. â—…3 Serres in Char. 7. Serres * Serres The French and Burgundian agree 24 Sept. 1435 * Polyd. Verg. * In Câ—…l 7. The incredible rate at which K. Charles purchased the Burgundians good * Paul Aemyl * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl A. D. 1435. A. reg 14. The Burgundian renounceth to the Regent his friendship with England * Inuent of Fr. The Duke of Bedford Regent of France dieth at Paris * Cambden in Bedfordshire saith he was slaine in battell before Veâ—…noyle * Master Cambden loc citâ—…t * Stowes Annals but Master Cambden saith it was Charles 8. Cambd. ibid. King Lewis his Princely testimony of the late Regents vertues Richard Duke of Yorke made Regent of France * Holinsh. Stow Annal. The Parisians conspire to dispossesse the English * Paul Aemyl * Serres Inuent by Edw. Griâ—…st The City of Paris yeelded vp to the French * Rob. Fabians Chronicle Gagwin * 27. Feb. A. D. 1436. The new Regent comes with an Army into France * Stows Annal. Calais besieged by the Burgundian The Protector of England rescues Calais with a great Fleet and hoâ—…t * Polyd. Verg. l 13 He returns with honâ—…ur into England * Serres Rob. Fab. * Serres * Polyd. Verg. l. 23. An. D. 1437 Katherine Queen 〈◊〉 of England * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Polyd. Verg. King â—…nry the 7. her Grandchild * Stowes Annals The Dutchesse Dowager marrieth Woodâ—…le Elizabeth wife to Edward 4. 〈◊〉 daughter of that bed The murder of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of Scotland * Hect. Bâ—…et l. 17. The new Regent doth nothing * Iauent of Fr. * Stow. p. 616. Harflew recouered by the Dukâ—… of Sommerset The Earle of Warwâ—…cke comes Regent into France and Yorke returneâ—… A. D. 1438. The Duke of Yorke Regent againe King Charles and his sonne recon ciled against the English The siege of Pâ—…ntoyse * Serres King Charles pursued by the Duke of Yorke Pontoys
among the Nobles 20 Lastly that whereas the Lords assembled at London onely to consult vpon a charitable communication to be had with the Protector for his misgouernment of the King and Realme hee contrariwise sent letters of credence to many places and persons that the said Lords were no lesse then high Traitors to the King and great disturbers of the whole realme All these accusations notwithstanding the young King so labouring it he was released from the Tower the sixt of February following vnto his free liberty though not vnto his former authority and so remained vntouched for the space of two yeeres and two dayes 61 Whilest these his and other troubles were commencing in England the Lord Grey of Wilton left Lieutenant of the North remained in Scotland where many feates of warre were vndergone and many Forts fortified and some taken such were Lowden Hadington and Yester at whose assault certaine opprobrious speeches in most contemptuous manner were vttered by a Scotish man against King Edward of England whereat the Lord Grey was so offended as vpon composition for the deliuerie of the Castell all were let goe with life onely that person excepted and his name knowne to bee Newton was appointed to die for the same but hee denying the words imposed them vpon one Hamilton a man valorous inough and wrongfully touched who denied the accusation and challenged Newton the combat which hee accepted and in performance slew Hamilton though more at disaduantage then for lacke either of courage or strength The victor was rewarded with a great chaine of gold and the gowne that the Lord Grey ware at the present though many maligned and accused him still to bee the vtterer of those base words 62 The English keeping foot still in Scotland burnt Dawketh and Muskelburgh and fortified Hadington both with munition and men spoyling the Country saith Bishoppe Lesly all about Edenburgh Lowthian and Mers repairing of Forts and placing of Garrisons as if they meant there to remaine and abide but their young Queene being conuaied into France and the Scots aided with the assistance of the French so quit themselues that they voided their land of the English and recouered of them all they had lost In which times of variable successe the King but a child the Nobles at variances and the combustuous Commons obedient to neither the French sought to recouer the holds that the English had in their Country and first by stealth meant to surprise the fortresse of Bulloigâ—…berg vnto which enterprise seuen thousand were chosen vnder the conduct of Monsieur Chatillon 63 These secretly marching in the night with ladders and furniture meete for the enterprize approached within a quarter of a mile vnto Bullingberg fort amongst whom was an English Souldier discharged out of their pay for that he had taken a French woman to wife This Carter for so was his name got entertainement vnder Chatillon and now vnderstanding whereabout they went hastily made from his Company and gaue the Alarum to his Countrimen within the Fort where Sir Nicholas Arnalt Captaine of the peece caused him to bee drawne vp betwixt two pikes to the height of the wall vnto whom hee declared the attempt in hand among them stood so valiantly in defence of the fort that hee gaue many a wound and â—…ed some himself by him and this meanes the Peece was quit from surprisall and the slaughter of the French so great that fifteene Wagons went laden away with dead Corps 64 This losse sustained and the English masters in those parts of their Maine the French sought to trie fortune for their Isles in the Seas namely â—…nesey and Iersey possest and subiect to King Edwards Crowne their preparations were great and their Marshallists many which notwithstanding with such losse were beaten backe from their 〈◊〉 as a thousand men at Armes were â—…ine in the attempt the successe so vnfortunate as the French for feare of further discouragement forbad â—…e report and made an inhibition not to mention the expedition of that iourney 65 Neuerthelesse the French King ceased not his desired purposes till hee had got by â—…nder 〈◊〉 Blackâ—…sse Bulloignberg and the town of Bulloigne it selfe though bought at a deare rate and deliuered with great griefe to the English vnto such a lamentable state and dishonourable composition was the good King Edward brought by the bandings of his great Counsellors and insurrections of his vnruly Commons after which calamities a great and mortall disease followed namely the sweating sicknesse that raged extreamely through the land wherein died the two sonnes of Charles Brandon both of them Dukes of Suffolke besides an infinite number of men in their best strengths which followed onely Englishmen in forraine Countrey no other people infected therewith wherby they were both feared and shunned in all places where they came 66 And to fill vp the dolours of these dolefull times the good Duke of Sommerset was againe apprehended euen when the least suspition was of any vndirect workings for vpon his first releasement to linke a firme loue betwixt him and the potent Earle of Warwicke his most malignant a marriage was contracted betwixt the Lord Lisle his eldest sonne heire and the Lady the Earles eldest daughter which was solemnized with great ioy at Sheene in presence of the young King this amity was outwardly carried with all faire shewes for a time thogh inward hatred lay secretly hid as by the sequell incontinentlie appeared for after a solemne creation of many Estates wherein the Earle of Warwicke had his style raised to bee Duke of Northumberland vnto whose rayes at that time most of the Courtiers cast their eyes the sparkes of emulation began presently to breake forth where the simplicity of the one gaue aduantage to the other to compasse that which long had beene sought 67 The Duke of Sommerset not well aduised and yeelding too much vnto Sycophant flatteries was put in feare of some sodaine attempt intended against him and therefore counselled to weare vnder his garment a coate of defence which hee accordingly did and being so armed came vnto the Councell Table supposing no man had known of any such thing but his bosome being opened and the Armour perceiued hee was forthwith apprehended as intending the death of some Counsellor and by Northumberland so vehemently taxed who in Counsell was euer the principall man that hee was forthwith attached and sent to the Tower vpon the sixteenth of October with the Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Michael Stanlâ—…p Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Mileâ—… Partridge and the next day the Dutchesse his wife was likewise committed all of them for suspition of treason and fellonie and he standing so indited vpon the second of December following was arraigned at Westminster attended with the Axe of the Tower Billes Halberds and Pollaxes a great number 68 His inditement was for
treason and fellony and the same vrged vnto extremity with many amplifications and bitter inuectiues especially that hee had sought and pretended the deathes of the Duke of Northumberland the Lord Marquesse and Pembroke where after many mild answeres to these matters obiected he put himselfe to be tried by his Peeres who acquitted him of treason but found the inditement of felloniâ—… when presently the Aâ—… was commaunded away whereat the shout of the people shewed the great affection that was boâ—…e to the Duke little mistrusting that the sentence of death was pâ—…ounced against him or that the kiâ—… vncle should die as a fellon neither did Staâ—… intend any such thing as some are of opinion but rather was purposely made for the suppression of â—…bellions and vnlawfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein such as should seeke or procure the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—…sellor should be guilty as in case of felloniâ—… But such was the pleasure of the all ordering power 〈◊〉 he which knew no theft should die for that sinne so that neither himselfe nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demaunded the benefite of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would haue saued his life if it had beene required 69 His sentence thus pronounced hee was againe sent backe to the Tower wherein he kept a very sad Christmas yea and that in the Court inclined to little mirth the King lamenting the condemnation of his vncle had not some witty disportes broke off his passions which how and by whome they proceeded let others report and vs continue the Tragedie of this Duke who vpon the two twenty of February following being Friday was brought to the Scaffold vpon Tower-hil by eight in the morning where turning himselfe towardes the East he spake to the people as followeth 70 Dearely beloued friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King neither in word nor deed and haue alwayes been as faithfull and true vnto this Realme as any man hath been but for somuch as I am by law condemned to die I doe acknowledge my selfe as well as others to be subiect thereunto wherefore to testifie mine obedience which I owe to the lawes I am come hither to suffer death where unto I willingly offer my selfe with most hearty thanks vnto God that hath giuen me this time of repentance who might through sodaine death haue taken away my life that I neither should haue acknowledged him nor my selfe 71 These words vttered besides others exhortatory that the people would continue constant in the Gospell sodainly was heard a great noyse wherby the assembly was strucke into great feare some thinking that a storme or tempest descended from aboue some supposed that the barrels of Gunpowder in the Armorie had taken fire were all blowne vp into the Aire others thought that they heard a noise of horses prepared to battell some againe affirmed confidently that it did thunder and others thought verily it was an earth-quake and that the ground moued vnto such confusion and terrour were they presently brought which saith Stow was none other but that certaine men from the Hamlets warned with weapon to guard the Tower-hill came thither somewhat after the hower appointed whose formost seeing the Prisoner on the Scaffold beganne to runne forward themselues and call to their fellowes to come away which word away sounding as an Eccho in the peoples eares they thought that rescue had come to the Duke to take him away and seeing the Bil-men to make forward so fast beganne themselues to shrinke backe from the hill euery man seeking to saue one and by this accident and confused cries this feare among them fell and beganne This stirre scarce ended another ensued by the running of the people towards the Scaffold who seeing Sir Anthony Browne riding thitherward supposed a pardon had come from the King so that a sodaine shout arose apardon apardon God fane the King by which it onely appeared in what loue hee was had and how much his life was desired of the Commons 72 The Duke whose mind being altogether prepared for death was little moued either to hope or feare and thereupon addressed his second speech to the people and with no deiected countenance spake againe and said Beloued friends there is no such matter intended as you vainely hope and belieue It seemeth thus good to the Almighty vnto whose ordinance it is meet that wee all bee obedient wherefore I pray you bee quiet and without tumult for I am quiet and let vs so ioyne in prayer vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our Noble King vnto whose Maiesty I wish câ—…uall health with all felicitie and abundance of prosperous successe Moreouer I wish to his Counsellers the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule all things vprightly with Iustice vnto whom I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also very necessarie for you vnder paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation of the Kings Maiesty And thereupon asking euery man forgiuenesse freely forgaue euery man against him and desiring the people to bee quiet lest the flesh should be troubled though his spirit was willing hee meekely laide downe his head to the Axe and receiued at one stroke his rest by death 73 Howsoeuer this Dukes cause was ballanced by law and him taken away that stood betwixt some and their Sunne yet was his death heauily disgested by the people that spake very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland but most especially the young King sore mourned and soone missed the life of his Protector thus vnexpectedly taken away who now depriued of both his vncles howsoeuer the times were passed with pastimes playes and shewes to driue away dumpes yet euer the remembrances of them sate so neere vnto his heart that lastly he fell sicke of a Cough which grieuously increasing ended with a consumption of the lungs 74 His sicknesse continuing with great doubt of his life vpon purpose saith Grafton to alter the succession of the Crowne three marriages were in one day solemnized whereof the first was betwixt the Lord Guilford Dudley fourth sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Iane eldest daughter of Henry Duke of Suffolke the second was betwixt the Lord Herbert sonne and heire to William Earle of Pembroke and the Lady Katherine the yonger daughter of the said Duke of Suffolke and the third was betweene Hanry L. Hastings sonne and heire of Frances Earle of Hantington and Katherine the youngest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland which tending saith he to the diâ—…erison of the rightfull heires they proued nothing prosperous for two of them were presently made frustrate the one by death and the other by diuorce 75 The policy established and languishing sicknesse of the King gaue way vnto such as sought the euersion of the State alienation of the Crown In whose eye no head was scene fitter for that faire Diademe