from his subiectes by such petitions or demaundes but liue of his owne and continue his warre for as it was aunsweared there his owne goods pertayning to the crowne sufficed both to the finding 1378 of his house and mayntayning of his warres of the same were bestowed by fitte ministers and for the kéeping of the money two Citizens of London were appointed William Walworth and Iohn Philpot. The English men hearing of a number of Spanishe shippes to remayne at sluce for wante of winde assembling a great companye of armed men and a great nauie meant to take the seas their chiefe Captaynes were Thomas of Woodstocke Erle of Buckingham the duke of Brytaine the Lord Latimer the Lord Robert Fitz Walter sir Robert Knowles and many other valiaunt personages who being entred the Sea tasted Fortune disfauourable for by a tempestuous winde that rose theyr shippes were scattered in sunder theyr mastes are broken downe theyr sayles rent and many of the small vessels that were victuallers were drowned at length the shippes got togither againe and arriued in Englande and being nowe rigged are eftsoones freight with men and to the Sea they go About y â— same time sir Hugh Caluerley making a iourney towards Bulloign found a Barge in y â— hauen of y e town y â— bare y e name of the towne another that was the French Kings a xxvj other vessels more and lesse all the which with a great part of the suburbes of Bulloigne he caused to be dispoyled taking with him whatsoeuer was there to be desired with certayne prisoners he droue afore him also a gret bootie of shéepe and beastes whiche he founde pasturing néere the towne which might well serue to victuall Caleis for a great time he recouered the same day the castel Marke of which through negligence before had bin lost The English fléete whereof we spake returned without any great good successe they toke an eyght Spanish shippes in the Brytish coastes neare to Brest and more had takeÌ„ if there businesse had bin so well done as was pretended and therefore the fléete returned home so tossed with stormes and contrarie weather and after with intestine discorde that it séemed there wanted among them gods fauour The Lorde Percy this fléete remaining for the mending of his shippes whilest the other were abrode went now to the sea wyth a great ship and some smaller vessels and méeting with fiftie ships laden with French wares and marchandize of whiche some were of Flaunders some of Spaine he set on them al who beholding his bolde enterprice and thinking that he hadde some ayde at hande gaue ouer to make resistaunce and so xxviij escaping by flight xxij yéelded themselues to the sayd Thomas Lord Percy Sir Hugh Caluerley with a power secretly armed wente to the towne of Staple where the fayre was then to the which were come manye Merchauntmen from Bulloigne Mutterel Amience and Paris where he falling on them that were vnarmed slewe many toke many to be put to their ransomes sacked al the goods and set fire in the town so that it was wholy consumed few places excepted This done he returned to Caleis with his men in safetie bringing from that faire wares which turned to the greate profit of the Calisians many yeares after The men of Winchelse and Rie gathered a gret number of people togither and imbarqued themselues towardes Normandie desirous to requite y e losses which before they had receiued and so in the night arriuing in a Town called Peters Hauen entred the same slaying so many as they met those whom they thinke able to pay raunsome they carry to their shippes they spoyled the houses with the Churches where they founde many rich spoyles which sometime had bin by the French men fet from Ric and especially the belles and such like which they shipped set the rest on fire and theÌ„ they land at Wilet not far from thence wher they practised y e like cheuance so with theyr riche spoyle returned home About the same time Iohn duke of Lancaster requested y e y e mony granted to the K. by y e cleargie laitie might be coÌ„mitted to his custodie affirming y t he would kepe y e enimies of from the coastes of England by the space of one yeare with y t mony moreouer bring to passe some further great commoditie to whose importunate petitioÌ„ the Lords although against theyr willes agréed They appoint therfore y e firste day of Marche to méete in counsel in which euery of those shold go forth on this iourney least y e sea should in y e mean time want those y â— shold kéepe it there wer ix ships hired of theÌ„ of Baion to defend y e sea land froÌ„ incursions of the FreÌ„ch others These ships being furnished with sufficieÌ„t nuÌ„bers of armed meÌ„ w ein a short time coasting y e seas met the nauy marchandice of y e Spaniards entring battayle with them in short time take xiiij of their ships laden w t wines other marchandize returne to England ioyfully vnto sir Robert Knowles captain of Brest they giue the firste fruites of theyr pray an C. tunne of their beste wines as they passed by him homewardes In the meane time Henrie y e bastard calling himself King of Spain hearing y â— they of Baion had done such harme vnto his people that the D. of LaÌ„caster had prepared a gret nuÌ„ber to enter y e sea he was sore afraid thinking y e he minded not only to defeÌ„d the sea but rather to séeke his kingdome which by right of his wife y e lawful inheritour of Spaine he ment to chalenge wherfore y e said Henrie coÌ„manded a nauie to be prepared of al his land y t he might stay the said D. from entring his country if he might to take him prisoner which happily they had done if y e king of Portingale w t almost an inumerable nuÌ„ber had not entred y e kingdome of Spain y e self same time y t the bastard Henrie prepared him selfe against y e D. but the D. deferring his iourney from day to day they y â— wer appointed captains ouer the nauie w e certain meÌ„ of war got theÌ„ to y e sea there to stay for the Dukes comming estéeming it more glorious to liue on the sea by prayes taking froÌ„ the enimies than to liue by spoile of their owne countreymen at home When they had certain dayes waâ—ted vp downe the Seas the Spaniardes met with them with an armed company of men so that either part in hope of pray ioyned togyther in fighte but oure menne hauyng the winde and weather contrary to them lost the victory to theyr enimies some escaping by flight and some being taken amongst the which sir Hugh Courtney a noble Knight was one About the same time Iohn Mercer a Scotte gathering togither no small number of French men Scots and Spaniards set vpon certaine ships of Scaborow
King Edward with great triumph rode through the Citie of London 1461 to Bishops Gate and so toke his iourney towarde the Northe where betwéene Shirburne in Elmet and Todcaster all the Northe partye mette hym and on Palme Sondaye the. xxix of Marche fought a greate battaile betwéene Towton and Saxton in which were slaine Henrie Percy Erle of Northumberlande Iohn Lorde Clifforde Iohn Lord Neuil Leo Lorde Welles Ranulph Lorde Dacre and many other on both parties to the number of fiue and thirtie thousand seauen hundred and eleauen persons but King Edwarde gatte the fielde Many of the Bones of these men were buried Iohn Leyland in the Churchyard of Saxton they were firste buryed in fiue pittes halfe a mile off by North in Saxton fielde yet appearing Towton village is a mile from Saxton where a gret Chappell was begonne by Richarde the third but not finished in whiche Chappel were buried also many of the men flaine at Palmsonday fielde This fielde was as muche in Saxton Parishe as in Towton yet it bare the name of Towton The Duke of Excester the Duke of Somerset the Lorde Roos the Hungerford and many other fled to Yorke to king Henrie and then they with the King Quéene and Prince King Henry fled into Scotlande fled towarde Scotlande to Barwicke and so to Edenborough King Edwarde wente to Yorke and then to Durham and when he had quieted the Countrey returned Southwarde Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire was taken and beheaded in Yorke Castell Iames Butler Earle of Wilshire was beheaded at Newcastell the Lord Fitz Walter was drowned at Ferybridge The town of Barwicke was deliuered to the Scots by king Henrie the sixth on Saint Markes daye The. xxvj of June the Mayor of London with the Aldermen in Scarlet and the Commons in gréene broughte King Edwarde from Lambeth to the Tower of London where he made eight and twentie Knightes and on the morrowe he dubbed foure mo and on the eight and twentith of June he was crowned at Westminster with greate solempnitie of Bishops and other temporall Lordes And on the morow after the King was crowned againe in Westminster Abbay in the worship of God Saint Peter and on the next morow he went Crowned in Paules Church of London in the honour of God and Saint Paule there an Angell came downe censed him at which time was so great a multitude of people in Paules as euer was séene in any dayes And soone after his Coronation the King made his States created brother George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence and his other brother Richard duke of Glocester WilliaÌ„ Stafford Esquier Lord Stafford of Southwike sir William Hebert Lorde Herbert and after Earle of Penbroke and the sayd Lord Stafford Earle of Deuonshire After this he made Edward Lord Grey of Ruthen Earle of Kent Henrie Lorde Bourcher Earle of Essex Iohn Lorde of Buckingham Lorde of Mountioy sir Iohn Heyward Lord Heyward William Hastings Lord Hastings and after that great Chamberlaine Richard Woodvile Lord Riuers Denham Esquier Lord Denham c. Not long after Iohn Dauy had his hand striken of in Cheape the Coronation of King Edward one Iohn Dauy had his hand striken off at the Standard in Cheape because he smote a man before the Judges in Westminster Hall contrarie to the Lawe George Ireland Iohn Locke the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Hughe Wiche Mercer the 28. of October The. iiij of Nouember began a Parliament at Westminster wherein King Henrie his Quéene and his sonne were disherited of the Crowne Henrie Duke of Excester Henrie Duke of Somerset Thomas Earle of Deuonshire c. to the nuÌ„ber of 140. were attainted disherited Shortly the Earle Anno. reg 2. of Oxford and Awbrey his sonne sir Thomas Tudenham Knight William Tirrell and Iohn Mongomerie Esquiers 1462 were detect and at seuerall times beheaded at the Towre hyll and after that many other The. xxvij of Marche King Edward went Northwarde so farre as Stamforde where he was informed that King Henrie had procured the Frenchmen and Scots to enter this land in resisting whereof King Edwarde sent his Priuie Seale through England to moue men to giue him a certaine suÌ„me of money which they graunted liberally The Lord Fauconbridge Earle of Kent was appointed to kéepe the Seas with the Lorde Audeley Lorde Clinton Sir Iohn Heyward sir Richard Walgraue and other to the number of ten thousand which landed in Britaine and wanne the towne of Conqnet with the Isle of Reth c. In Michaelmas Terme king Edward sat in the Kings bench thrée dayes together in open court to vnderstande how his lawes were executed William Hampton Barthelmew Iames the 28. of Sep. Sherifes Maior Thomas Coke Draper the 28. of October Quéene Margaret wyfe to Henrie the sixt landed in the North where hauing but small succour and euill fortune she was faine to take the Sea againe by tempest of weather was driuen to Barwicke where she landed but lost hir shippes and goods In December King Edwarde laide siege to the Castels of Bambrugh Dunstonbrugh Alnewike Henrie Bowfort Duke of Somerset sir Ralph Percie and other yéelded Bambrugh on Christmas euen and were taken to the Kings fauour King Edward graunted to the Duke of Somerset a. 1000. marks by the yéere where of he was neuer paid the Earle of Penbroke sir Thomas Fyndern and other went into Scotland On S. Iohns day Dunstonburgh was yéelded On y â— Twelfe euen Peirsâ—e Brasile the great warrior of Normandie came to helpe the Quéene Margaret with Frenchmen xx thousande Scots to remoue King Edwardes men from Alnewike siege and the residue of other Castels there By whose comming King Edwardes men were afearde of the Scottes as reculing from the siege and the Scottes afearde of Edwardes men least they had reculed to bring them into a trap And Henries meÌ„ issuing out of too much boldnesse gaue Edwards meÌ„ opportunitie to enter into the Castle on the morow after the Twelfe day the Earle of Warwike made xv knights Anno reg 3. these iij. Castels were committed to y e kéeping of sir Ralph Grey and after againe King Henrie with his Quéene and 1463 their felowship entred them and kept them About Midsomer the Scots with many French Englishmen laid siege to the Castle of Norham but were forced to leaue it as they found it The Earle of Warwike wan the towne of Barwike where he made fiue Bannertes xxij knights and went into Scotland where he burnt Lawghmaban Iedeworth Galowey and many other Townes and returned to Barwike The Minster of Yorke the stéeple of Christes Church in Norwiche were brent Robert Basset Thomas Muschampe the 28. of Sept. Sherifes Maior Mathew Phillip Goldsmith the 28 of October In the moneth of Aprill King Edwarde made great Anno. reg 4. 1464 preparation against King Henrie and on Saint Markes day Ralph Percie Lorde Hungerforde with a great power purposing
toke them and led them into Scotlande this he did in reuenge of his Fathers iniurie who was before taken by the English men and kept prisoner in the Castel of Scarborow Iohn Philpot a CitizeÌ„ of London a maÌ„ of iolly wit very rich in substance considering the want of y e Duke of Lancaster and other Lords that ought to haue defended y e realm Anno reg 2. and lamenting the oppressions of the inhabitauntes hyred wyth his owne money to the number of a thousand souldiours the whiche mighte take from the sayde Iohn Mercer both his shippes and goods whiche he had by reuenge takeÌ„ and defended the Realme of England from suche incursions and it came to passe within a small time that his hyred meÌ„ toke the sayde Iohn Mercer with all his ships which he had violently taken from Scarborow and fiftéene Spanish shippes that were laden with muche riches and were with hym in ayde at that present There was greate ioy made among y e people all men praysing that worthy mans bountifulnesse and loue towards the king The Earles and Barons séeing so laudable an acte atchieued by Iohn Philpot tooke it grieuously althoughe they knewe themselues guiltie firste they secretly lye in awayte to do him some displeasure and after they spake against him openly saying it was not lawfull for him to doe such things without the counsell of the King and Realme certayne of the Lordes but the chiefe being Hugh Earle of Stafforde that rehearsed these things thus against him were aunsweared by the same Iohn Philpot sir know sayth he that I neyther sente my money nor men to the daunger of the Seas that I shoulde take from you or your fellowes the good renoume of Chilualrie and winne it to me but being sorrowfull to sée the peoples myserie in my Countrey whych nowe through your slouthfulnesse of the most noble Lady of Nations is brought to lye open to the spoyling of euerye vilest nation when there is not one of you that doth put hys hande to the defence thereof I haue therefore set forth my selfe and mine for the sauing of my nation and Countrey the Earle had not to aunswere The. xi of August certaine wicked persons of the Kings Murder in the Church of VVestminster Tho Walsing house being armed at high Masse tyme entred the Churche of Westminster Abbay and there set vppon two valiaunt Esquiers Iohn Schakel and Robert Hawley whyche had escaped out of the Tower of London to the sayde Abbay for refuge of Sanctuarie they slewe the sayde Robert Hawley in the quire before the Priours stal and slewe a Monke which intreated them to spare the sayde Robert in that place Syr Ralph Ferreis and sir Alan Buxule Captain of the Tower some say the Lord Latimer wer the captaines of this mischiefe The aforesayd two Esquires Robert Hawley and Iohn Shakell in the battayle of Nazers in Spaine toke the Erle of Dene poisoner who deliuered vnto him his soÌ„ for a pledge and bycause they would not present the sayde Earles son to the King who woulde giue them little or nothing for hym the foresayde Allen Buxule with other were sent to do thys myschiefe who slewe the one and caste the other in prison Iohn Boseham Thomas Cornewalis the. 28. of Septem Sherifes Maior Iohn Philpot his charitie Sir Iohn Philpot Grocer the. 28. of October This Iohn Philpot Maior of London gaue to the same Citie certaine tenementes for the which the Chamberlain payeth yearely to xiij poore people euerye of them seauen pence the wéeke for euer and as any of those thirtéene persons dyeth the Maior appointeth one and the Recorder another The Scottes beganne to Rebell and a Squire of theirs 1379 Tho. Walsing called Alexander Ramsey with fortye persons in a nighte toke the Castell of Berwicke but the ninth day following the Erle of Northumberland recouered it and slew the Scots that were therein The Marchauntes of London wickedly slew a rich marchaunt of Genua for that he woulde carry to a better market the spices that he had promised to bring into this Country the doers wherof were after apprehended and some for that fact executed as after shal appeare So great a mortality of men hapned in the North parts Pestilence in the North. Tho. Wals of England as neuer had bin séene before which the Scots séeing raunged through and slewe with the sworde them that were sicke of the plague and so pursued them that had not the plague that they droue out of the Countrey almost all the able men In a Parliament at London it was decréed that euerye Taxe Duke should pay ten markes to the King the Archbishops the like Earles Bishops and mitered Abbots shoulde giue sixe markes and euery Monke xl pence no religious person man or woman Parson Uicar or Chapleine escaped this taxe Iohn Mountfort Duke of Brytaine returned to his countrey where he was receyued with great honour A bushel of Wheate was solde for sixe pence a gallon of Anno reg 3. VVheat and VVine cheape white Wine sixe pence and a gallon of red Wine for foure pence Iohn Heylisdom William Barret the. 28. of September Sherifes Maior Tho. Walsing S. Iohn AruÌ„dale drovvned Iohn Hadley Grocer the. 28. of October Iohn of Arundale brother to the Earle of Arundale was sent to helpe the Duke of Brytaine with manye other noble knightes and Esquires who beginning their voyage wyth spoyling their own Countrey rauishing wiues widowes and Uirgins and robbing of Churches were by tempeste driuen on the rockes of a certaine Islande in Ireland when they were al most miserablye drowned with their treasure and prouisions which was of inestimable value Sir T. Banister Cro. Matoris Lon. sir Roger Trumpington sir Nicholas Kâ—riel sir Thomas Dale sir Iohn Sentcler and sixe other knightes perished there the sixtéenth of December In a Parliamente at London was graunted to the Kyng 1380 a tenth of the Ecclesiastical persons and a fiftéenth of the secular vpon condition that no other Parliament shoulde be holden from the Calendes of March til Michaelmasse A combat was foughte at Westminster in the kings presence A combat at VVestminster betwéene Iohn Ausley knight and Thomas Catrington Esquire whom the forsayde knight had appealed of treson for selling the Castel of Saint Sauiours whiche the Lord Chandos had builded in the I le of Constantine in France and the knight ouercame the Esquire Thomas of Woodstocke Earle of Buckingham Thomas Percy Hugh Caluerley Robert Knowles Lorde Basset sir Iohn Harleston William of Windsore approued and tryed Knightes were sent with a great power to ayde the Duke of Brytaine who were conuayed to Caleis and from thence rode aboute throughe Fraunce spoyling the Countrey and slaying the people to the borders of Brytaine and entred the same without losse eyther of man or beast In this iourney sir Iohn Philpot Citizen of London Iohn Philpot his good seruice deserued great commendations
but none came to helpe them and so they dyed there After a number of them hadde sacked the new Temple The ende of the Rebels what with labour and what with wine they lay down vnder the wals and howsing and were slaine like swine and one of them killed another for olde grudge and hatred and others also made quicke dispatch of them Watte Tiler being killed Iacke Strawe and other theyr principal Captaines hanged the hope and confidence of the commons decayed but bycause the mindes of the King and Nobles was yet wauering séeing the people readie to mischiefe they graunted to them Charters of manumission and suffered them to departe the whiche being done the king caused an army to be assembled from London and sente into al Countryes that those who were his friendes should make haste to come to hym to London furnished with horsse and armour and it came to passe that wythin thrée dayes he had a. xl thousande horssemen about him in séemely sort armed he mustered them on Blacke Heath himselfe ryding on a greate courser with hys standarde borne before hym when therefore so myghtye an armye was assembled the Kyng was aduertised that the Kentishe men had eftsoones conspyred wherevppon hée forth wyth sette forewarde but by the mediation of the Nobles and greate men of Kente that vndertooke for them he was stayde and pacisied wyth them and then firste Iustices were sente to séeke and inquire of malefactours and that Countrey became quiet at the sight of them Then the Maior of London sitting in iudgement caused the malefactours to be tryed as well of the Citie as also of Kente Essex Southsex Norffolke and Suffolke and other Countryes that might be taken within the liberties of the Citie and all those whome he founde guiltie of the foresayde Treason he caused to hoppe headlesse among the which were Iacke Strawe Iohn Kirkesty Alen Threder c. also Iohn Starling of Essex that gloryed to haue beheaded the Archbishoppe was beheaded hymselfe The king remayned nowe at London nowe at Waltham with a greate armye of armed menne considering what was to be done for the commoditie of the realme At length the Counsell thoughte good to sende the Kings commission into euerye shire for the resisting of the disquieters of the peace of the kyngdome These commissions did muche comforte the faythfull subiectes and troubled the false for they were nowe compelled to séeke corners that before toke vpon them to doe all things abroade lawyers nowe durst come forth of their dennes and those which before fledde from the tyrannie of the time looked for thâ—se that nowe feared iudgement and iustice to bée done on them The commons being thus feared but not in all places alike they of Essex gathering a newe multitude togither at Byllarica a village neare to Hatfielde Peuerell decréed eyther to inioye lybertye gotten by force or to dye in fyghting for the same they sente to the Kyng then béeyng at Waltham messengers to knowe if hée thoughte good to permitte them to inioye their permitted Anno reg 5. lybertie lyke to theyr Lordes and that they shoulde not be coÌ„pelled to come to Courts but only to gret Léetes twice in the yeare vnto the which the King answered thus Oh miserable and hateful both to Land and Sea not worthy to liue Do yée require to be equall to your Lordes yée were worthy to be put to moste shamefull death But fith yée are come as Messengers yée shall not dye nowe to the ende yée may declare your answeares to your fellowes declare to them therfore on the Kyngs behalfe that as they were Husbandmen and bondmen so shall they remaine in bondage not as before but more vile without comparison far vnto thys Whilest we lyue and by Gods sufferaunce shal gouerne the Kingdome with Wit Strength goods we wil endeuour our selues to kéepe you vnder so that the duety of your seruice may be an example for posteritie and that your matches both present and that shall succéede may euer haue before their eies and as it were in a Glasse your misery and to you matter to curse and feare to commit the like When the Messengers were gone there was sente straightwayes into Essex Thomas of Woodstocke Earle of Buckingham and sir Thomas Percy brother to the Earle of Northumberlande to represse the boldnesse of the sayde commons These Commons hadde fortified themselues wyth ditches and carriages neuerthelesse although there was a great number of them with small businesse they were scattred into the woods where the Lordes enclosed them least any of them might escape it came to passe that v. C. of them were slain viij C. of their horses taken the other y â— escaped this slaughter being gotteÌ„ togither hasted to Colchester began to stir the townesmen to a new tumult and when they profited not there they weut to Sudbury but the Lord Fitz Walter sir Iohn Harlestone followed them and slewe as many of them as they list shut vp the rest in prisons The king came to his Manour of Hauering at Boure after to Chelmesford where he appointed sir R. Trisilian his Iustice to set enquire of the malefactours wherfore y â— Essex men séeing the euils y â— hung ouer their heades there came aboue 500. humbly to the King barefooted bareheaded beséeching him of pardon and mercie To whom pardon was graunted with condition to delyuer the styrrers of the sayd trouble It came therefore to passe that many were committed to worde vpon whome the Iustice charged xxiiij men of their conscience to say the truth and many being condemned were put to execution by drawing and hanging nine or tenne being hanged on one beame The Iustices that before had sitte in Essex Kent London and other places for all the multitude that were to be executed vsed to head the commons till now it séemed not a kinde of death answerable to so many and manifest crimes These things were done in Essex the King being present the like by his Iustices was done in other Countreys Iohn Ball Priest being taken at Couentrie was brought Iohn Ball hanged to Saint Albons and there before the King condemned drawne and quartered the fiftéenth of Iuly He woulde not aske the King forgiuenesse but vtterly despised him Iohn Rote Iohn Hinde the 28 of September Sherifes Maior Iohn Northampton Draper the 28. of October About the feast of All Sainctes a Parliamente was beganne which endured long to small purpose by reason of contention among the Lords especially the Duke of Lancaster and the Earle of Northumberland whose quarrell in the ende was taken vp by the King and then the Lordes procéeded to treate of the Kings businesse and the Realmes but they lingered so long in vayne that nothing was brought to effect for hearing of the new Quéenes comming to Caleis the ParliameÌ„t was proroged There were diuers of y e Nobles sent to méete the Bride and she was conuayde with all
warde passing their bands and libertie vsed of olde time by diuers subtile and vntrue meanes and actions falselye fained taking great sée at their lust in great hurt of the people on all the Shire of Kent 13 Item the people of the saide Shire of Kent may not haue their frée election in the chosing Knights of the Shire but letters bene sent from diuers estates to the great Rulers of all the Country the which enbraceth their tenaunts and other people by force to choose other persons than the common will is 14 Item where as Knightes of the Shire should chose the kings collectors indiffereÌ„tly without any bribe taking they haue seÌ„t now late to diuers persons notifying them to be collectors wherevpon giftes and bribes be taken and so the collectors office is bought and sold extortionously at the Knightes lust 15 Item the people be sore vexed in costes and labour called to the Sessions of peace in the sayd Shire appearing froÌ„ the farthest vttermost part of the West vnto the East the which causeth to some men v. dayes iourney where vpon they desire the saide appearaunce to be deuided into two partes the which one part to appeare in one place an other part in an other place in releuing of the gréeuaunce and intollerable labours and vexations of the said people The requestes by the Captaine of the great assemble in Kent INprimis desireth the Captaine of the commons the welfare of our soueraigne Lord the King al his true Lords spirituall and temporall desiring of our saide soueraigne Lorde and of al the true Lordes of his counsell he to take in al his demaines that he may raigne like a King royall according as he is borne our true Christian King annoynted and who so will saye the contrarye we all will liue and die in the quarrell as his true liege men Item desireth the said Captaine that he will auoide al the false progenie and affinitie of the Duke of Suffolke the whiche béene openlye knowne and they to be punished after the custome and Lawe of this Land to take about his noble person the true Lordes of his Royal bloud of this his Realme that is to say the high and mightie Prince y e duke af Yorke late exiled from our saide Soueraigne Lordes presence by the motion and stirring of the traiterous and false disposed the Duke of Suffolke and his affinitie the mightie Princes Dukes of Excester Buckingham and Norfolke and all the Earles and Barons of this land and then shal he be the richest King Christen Item desireth the said Captaine commons punishment vpon the false traitors the which contriued and imagined the death of the high mightful excellent Prince the Duke of Glocester the whiche is too much to rehearse y e which duke was proclaimed as traitor Upon the which quarrell we purpose all to liue and die vpon that it is false Item the Duke of Excester our holy father the Cardinal the noble Prince Duke of Warwike and also the Realme of Fraunce the Dutchie of Normandie Gascoyne and Gwiâ—â— Anioy and Mayne were deliuered and lost by the meanes of the sayd traytors and our true Lords Knights and Esquiers and many a good yoman lost and sold ere they weÌ„t y e which is great pitie to heare of the great and gréeuous losse to our Soueraigne Lorde and his Realme Item desireth the sayd Captayne and Commons that all the extortions vsed dayly among the Common people might be layde downe that is to say the Gréene Waxe the which is falsely vsed to the perpetuall destruction of the kings true Commons of Kent Also the kings Bench the which is too gréefefull to the shire of Kent without prouision of our Soueraigne Lord and his true Counsell And also in taking of Wheate and other graynes Béefe Mutton and all other victual the which is importable to the sayde Commons without the briefe prouision of our saide Soueraigne Lorde and his true Counsell they may no longer beare it And also vnto the statute of laborers and the great extortioners the which is to say the false traytors Slegge Crowmer Isle and Robert Este These bylles when the Counsell had well perused they did not onely disalowe and condemne them the authors as proude and presumptuons but also perswaded the King rather to suppresse those rebels by force than by fayre promises Whervpon the King remoued from Westminster vnto Greenewiche from whence he woulde haue sent certayne Lordes with a powre to haue destressed the Kentishmen but the men sayde to their Lordes they would not fight against them that labour to amend the common Weale wherevppon the Lordes were driuen to leaue their purpose And because the Kentishmen cryed out against the Lorde Say the Kings Chamberlayne he was by the King committed to the Towre of London Then went the King agayne to London King Henrie vvent against the Kentishmen vvith a great povver and within ij dayes after went against the Kentishmen with xv thousand men well prepared for the warre but the sayd Kentishmen fled the night before his comming into the wood countrey néere vnto Senocke wherevpon the King returned againe to London and sent sir Humfrey Stafforde Knight with William Stafford his brother and other Gentlemen to follow the KentishmeÌ„ who finding them at Senock set vppon the rebels and fought with them a long time but in the ende both the Staffordes were slaine with many other King Henries povver ouercome of their people When Iacke Cade had thus ouercome the Staffordes he forthwith apparelled himself with the knightes apparell and after he had refreshed his people he returned to the Blackeheath and there pight agayne his fielde and lay there from the. xxix daye of June tyll the first day of July in which season came vnto him the Archbyshop of Caunterburie and the Duke of Buckingham with whom they had a long communication and founde him ryght discrete in his aunsweres Howbeit they coulde not cause him to submit himselfe and lay downe his people In the meane while the King and Quéene hearing of the increasing of his rebels and also the Lordes fearing King Henrie vvent to Killingvvorth their owne seruaunts least they would take the Captaines part remoued from London to Killingworth leauing the Citie without ayde except onely the Lorde Scales which was left to kéepe the Towre and with him a manly and warly man named Mathewe Gowghe Then the Captaine of Kent thus houering at Blackeheath to bring himselfe the more in fame that he kept good Justice beheaded there a petie Captayne of his named Paris for so muche as he had offended agaynst such ordinaunces as he had established in Captaine of Kent his Kâ—ttishmen entred the Citie of London his hoste and hearing that the King and his Lordes were thus departed drewe him néere vnto the Cittie so that vppon the first of July he entred the Borough of Southwarke then beyng Wednesday and lodged him there at
might in any wise grow vnto me hereafter And this I haue here promised and sworne procéedeth of myne owne desire and frée volunte and by no constraynyng or coaction In witnesse of all the which things aboue written I Richarde Duke of Yorke aboue writ subscribe with mine owne hand and seale This oth he also toke at Westminster and at Couentrey at sundry times Anno. reg 31 Sherifes Maior Richard Lee Richard Alley the 28. of September Godfrey Filding Mercer the 28. of October On the Twelfth day after Christmas the King holding a Robert Fabian 1453 solempne feaste at Westminster made his two bretherne on the mothers side Knightes he also made Edmunde the elder Earle of Richemonde and Iasper the yonger Earle of Penbrooke In the moneth of Marche as witnesseth Gagwine was the Towne of Harflewe wonne by the Frenchmen And soone after the Citie of Bayons was giuen vppe by appointment that the souldioures shoulde leaue theyr armoure behinde them The one and twentith of July Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie wyth his sonne Lorde Lisle and Syr Edwarde Hull Knight was slaine besides Burdeaux and the Lorde Molins was taken prisoner who was after deliuered for a greate raunsome On Bartholmewe daye at the Wrestling neare vnto Clearken well a Gentleman belonging to the Prior of Saint Iohns made a rumour or tumulte for the whiche by the commaundement of the Maior he was arrested by Richard Alley one of the Sherifes and deliuered to Paris a Sergeant but suche resistance was made by partes taking that the Sherife was faine to craue help of the Maior who with his brethren the Aldermen arose from the game strengthned the Sherifes and for the rescue of the said Gentleman one named Calleis came out of Saint Iohns with a greate strength of Archers to resiste the Maior in the which fray a Yeoman of Saint Iohns was â—laine and many other sore hurte the Maior himselfe escaped hardly for his Cap was smitten from his head with an arrowe but the Maior with his Citizens putte the other to flight sente the principall of them to Newgate and then toke his place again til y e games were ended by which time the Citizens had gathèred them selues in greate nuÌ„ber and fetched him home neuer Maior so strongly nor so honorably Anno reg 32 This yeare the King lay longsicke at Claringdon was in greate daunger to haue ended his life The thirtéenth daye of October the Quéene at Westminster was deliuered of hir firste sonne who was named Edwarde Iohn Waldren Thomas Cocke the 28. of September Sherifes Maior 1454 Iohn Norman Draper the 28. of October Before thys time the Maiors Aldermen and Commoners of the Cytie of London were wonte all to ride to Westminster when the Maior shoulde take hys charge but this Maior was rowed thyther by water for the whiche the watermen made of hym a song Rowe the boate Norman c. The ninth of Marche in the nighte was a greate fire nexte wythout Ludgate in a Cordwayners house whyche Cordwayner wyth hys wife thrée yong men and a mayde were all burnte the prisoners of Ludgate were remoued to Newgate bycause they were almoste smouldered An reg 35. Sherifes Maior Iohn Fielde William Tayler the 28. of September Stephen Foster Fishmonger the. 28. of October A greate Fray at London by the Sanctuarie men of Saint Martins le graunde who issued forth and hurte dyuerse Citizens but it was appeased by the Maior and hys brethren The one and twentith of May king HeÌ„ry taking his iorney 1455 from Westminster toward Saint Albons to mete with the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie lodged that nighte at Wateforde or Wadeforde on thys side Sainte Albons and on the morning earely he came to Saint Albons wyth hym assembled on hys partye the Dukes of Somerset and of Buckingham the. Earles of Penbroke Northumberlande Deuonshire Stafforde Dorset and Wiltshire the Lordes Clifforde Sudley Barons and Roos wyth diuerse Knights Esquiers Gentlemen and Yeomen to the nuÌ„ber of 2000. and more And at the same time were there assembled Richard Duke of Yorke Richarde Earle of Warwicke Richarde Earle of Salisburie with diuerse Knightes and Esquiers in the fielde called Keyfielde beside Saint Albons The King hearing of the dukes comming with the Lords aforesaid pight his banner in a place called Goselowe which place was sometimes called Sandforth in Saint Peters stréete commaunded in strong manner to kéepe the wardes and Barriers of the same Towne The Duke of Yorke knowing the strength made againste him abyding in the fielde afore sayde from seuen of the clocke in the morning vntill it was almost ten of the Clocke without any stroke smitten on eyther parte by the aduise of hys Counsell sente vnto the King vnder these wordes following Wordes in writing by the Duke of Yorke to the King PLease it vnto your excellente grace Richarde Duke of Yorke to take hym as your true liege manne and humble subiecte and to consider and tender at the reuerence of God and in the way of Charitie the true intent of my commyng and to be good and gratious Soueraigne vnto me and all other your true liege menne whych that with all their power and mighte will be readye to lyue and dye with you in your right and to do al things as shal like your Maiestie royal to commande vs if it be to the worship of the Crowne of England and the welfare of this your noble Realme Moreouer gratious Lorde please it vnto youre Maiestye Royall of youre greate goodnesse and rightewisenesse to encline youre will to heare and féele the rightwise parte of vs youre true Subiects and Liege men Fyrste praying and beséeching to oure Soueraigne Christe Jesus of hys hyghe aod mightye power to giue the vertue of Prudence and that throughe the prayer of the glorious Martyre Sainct Albon gyue you verye knowledge of oure trothes and to knowe the intent of our assembling at this time For God that is in Heauen knoweth oure intent is rightfull and true And therefore we praye vnto that mighty LORDE in these woordes Domine sis clypeus defensionis nostrae wherefore gracious Lorde please it your Maiestie royal to deliuer such as we will accuse and they to haue like as they haue deserued And this done you to be honorably worshipped as moste rightfull King and our true gouernour And if we shoulde nowe at this tyme be promised as afore thys time is not vnknown haue bin promises broken whiche haue bin full faithfully promised and therevpon greate othes sworne we will not nowe cease for no suche promises nor othe tyl we haue them which haue deserued death or else we to dye therefore The aunswere by the King to the Duke of Yorke I King Henrie charge and commaunde that no manner person of what degrée estate or condition soeuer he be abyde not but that they auoyde the field and not be so hardie to make resistaunce against me
in my owne realm For I shall knowe what traytour dare be so bolde to arise anye people in mine owne lande where through I am in great disease and heauynesse by that Faith I owe vnto Saint Edwarde and vnto the Crown of England I shal destroy them euery mothers son and eke they to be hanged drawn and quartered that may be taken afterward of them in example to make all suche traytours to beware for to make anye rising of people within mine owne land and so trayterously to abyde theyr king and gouernour And for a conclusion rather than they shall haue any Lorde that here is with me at this time I shall this day for their sake in this quarrell my selfe liue and dye The wordes of the Duke of Yorke to all Gentlemen and other assembled with hym SIrs the king our soueraign Lord wil not be reformed at our beséeching ne prayer nor wil not in no wise vnderstaÌ„d the intente wherfore we be here asseÌ„bled gathered at this time but only is in ful purpose to destroy vs al and there vpon a great othe hath made that there is none other waye but that he with all his power will pursue vs and if we be taken to giue vs a shamefull death léesing our liuelodeand goods and also our heyres shamed for euer Therfore sirs now sith it will none otherwise be but y t we shall vtterly die better it is to vs to die in the field than cowardly to be put to an vtter rebuke and shamefull death for the right of England standeth in vs. Considering also in what perill it standeth at this time and for to redresse the mischiefe thereof let euery man helpe to his power this daye and in that quarrell to quite vs like men to the crowne of England praying and beséeching vnto that Lord the which is eternal that raigneth in the glorious kingdome celestial to kéepe and saue vs thys day in our right and throughe the giftes of his holy grace we may be made strong to withstaÌ„d the greate abhominable and horrible malice of them that purpose to destroy vs and the realme of England and put vs to a shamefull death praye we therefore vnto that Lord to be our comfort and our defendour saying these wordes Domine sis clipeus defensionis nostri And when these wordes were sayde the Duke of Yorke and the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie with their hoste betwéene eleauen and twelue at noone breake in in thrée seueral places of the sayd stréete The King theÌ„ being in the place of Edmond Westby Hundreder of the sayde Towne of Saint Albons hearing of the saide Dukes comming commaunded his hoste to slaye all manner Lordes Knightes Squiers Gentlemen and yeomen that might be taken on the party of the foresayd Duke of Yorke Thys done the Lorde Clifforde kepte so strongly the barriours of the same Towne that the forsayde Duke of Yorke might in no wise with all the power that hée hadde enter nor breake into the sayde Towne The Earle of Warwicke knowyng thereof tooke and gathered hys menne togyther wyth hym and brake in by the Garden side into the sayde Towne betwéene the signe of the keye and the Exchequere in Holywel stréete and anone as they were within the fayde Towne they blew vppethe Trumpet and cryed with an high voyce a Warwicke a Warwicke that maruayle it was to heare And tyll that tyme the Duke of Yorke might neuer haue entry into the Town and then with strong hande they brake vp the Barriers and foughte a fierce and cruell battayle in the whiche were slayne Lordes of name Edmonde Duke of Somerset the Earle of Northumberlande the Lorde Clifforde sir Barton Entewsell Knighte William Souche Iohn Botreaux Ralphe Balithorpe and his sonne William Coruin WilliaÌ„ Cotton receyuer of the Dutchie of Lancaster Gilbert Faldinger Reignalde Griffin Iohn Dawes Ellis Wood Iohn Cytâ—e Robert Woodwarde Gilbert Scarlocke and Ralph Willowby Esquires a Gentleman of the Courte Roger Mercraft the Quéenes messanger Hawbin the Kings Porter Malener Padington and William Butler Yeomen and fiue and twentie moe whose names were not knowne and of them that were slayne bene buryed at Saint Albons eighte and fourtie persons And at that battayle were wounded Lordes of name the King was shotte into the necke wyth an arrowe The Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Sudley in the visages wyth arrowes the Earle of Stafforde in the right hande with an arrowe the Earle of Dorset was so sore hurte that he might not goe but was fayne to be carried home in a carte and Syr Iohn Wenloke Knighte in likewise hurt and carried from thence in a Chayre and diuerse other Knightes and Esquiers sore hurt and the substaunce of the Kyngs hoste dispoyled of theyr harneis at their owne requeste made deliuerye to the Dukes hoste for sauation of theyr liues and fled The Earle of Wiltshire and Thorpe with many other fled and cast away their harneis in ditches and woods This done the Duke of Yorke the Erles of Warwicke and Salisburie came vnto the King where hée was and besoughte hym on theyr knées of grace and forgiuenesse of that they had done in his presence besoughte him of his highnesse to take theÌ„ to grace as his true liege men The king desired them to cease their people that there shoulde be no more hurte done and to obey hys commaundemeÌ„t did cause to be proclaymed in the Kings name that all maner of people shoulde cease off theyr malice and not to smite one stroke more and so ceased the battayle And vpon the day next after the King and the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie came to London and were lodged in the Bishoppes Pallaice of London where they kepte theyr Whitsontide with great ioye and solemnitye concluding there to holde a Parliament the same to begin on the ninth of July next following This yeare in the moneth of June appeared a comet or starre called Stella Cometa betwixt the North and the East extending his beames towards the South In the Parliament begun the ninth of July as is afore saide Richarde Duke of Yorke was made protectour of the realme The Earle of Salisburie was made Lord Chauncellour of Englande and Richarde Earle of Warwicke was made Captaine of Caleis Iohn Yong Thomas Owlgraue the. 28. of September Anno. reg 34 Sherifes Maior William Marrow Grocer the 28. of October This yeare by meanes of the Quéene and the Lordes of hir Counsell the Duke of Yorke was discharged of the Protectourship and the Earle of Salisburie of the Chauncellourship and being called by priuie seale to Couentrie they were like to haue bene intrapped there and hardlye escaped In the moneth of Maye an Italians seruaunte walkyng 1456 Robert Fabian throughe Cheape of London wyth a dagger hangyng at hys gyrdle a Merchauntes seruaunt that before tyme had bin in Italy and there blamed for wearing of the like weapon chalenged the straunger howe hée durst be so bolde
to beare weapon consydering he was out of hys natiue Countrey knowyng that in his Countrey no straunger was suffered to wear y â— like To the which questioÌ„ such answere was made by the straunger that the Merter toke from him hys dagger and brake it vpon his heade wherevpon the stranger complayned to the Maior who on the morrow sent for the yong man to y e Guilde Hall wherfore after his aunswere made vnto the complaynt by agréemente of a full Courte of AldermeÌ„ he was sent to ward and after the Court was finished the Maior and Sherifes walking homewarde thoroughe Cheape were there mette by suche a number of Mercers seruauntes and other that they mighte not passe for ought they coulde speake or doe till they hadde deliuered the yonug manne that before was by them sente to prison And the same daye in the afternoone sodainely was assembled a multitude of lewde and pore people of the City which without heade or guide ranne vnto certaine Italians houses and especially to the Florentines Lukesses and Venetians and there toke and spoyled what they founde and dyd great hurt in sundry places but moste in foure houses standing in Breadstreete warde whereof thrée stoode in Saint Bartholmewes Parishe the little and one in the Parish of Saint Beniâ—s Finke The Maior Aldermen and worshipful Commoners of the Citie with all theyr diligence resisted them what they coulde and sente diuerse of them to Newegate and fynallye not wythout shedding of bloude and mayming of diuerse Citizens the rumour was appeased The yong manne beginner of all thys businesse tooke Sanctuarie at Westminster and not long after the Duke of Buckingham with other noble menne were sente from the Kyng into the Cytie who there charged the Maior by Uertue of a Commission that inquirie shoulde hée made of thys ryot and so called an Oyer determyner at the Guilde Hall where satte for Judges the Maior as the Kyngs Lieuetenaunte the Duke of Buckingham on hys ryghte hande the chiefe Justice on the lefte hande and manye other men of name where whyle they were enpanelyng theyr inquestes the other Commons of the Citie manye of them secretly putte them in armour and ment to haue roong the common bell so to haue raysed the whole force of the Citie and so to haue deliuered such persons as before for the robberie were committed toward But this matter was discretely handled by the counsel and labour of some discrete Commoners which appeased their neighbours in such wise that all this furie was quenched but when worde was brought to the Duke of Buckingham that the commonaltie were in harnesse he with the other Lordes tooke leaue of the Maior and departed and so ceased the inquirie for that day Upon the morrow the Maior commaunded the common counsell with the Wardens of fellowships to appeare at the Guild Hall where by the Recorder in the Kings name and the Maiors was commaunded euery 〈…〉 den that in the afternoone eyther of them should asseÌ„ble his whole fellowship at their coÌ„mon Halles and there to giue straight commaundement that euery maÌ„ sée the kings peace kept within the Citie After which time the Citizens were brought to such quietnesse that after that day the enquirie was duly perused and. iij. persons for the said ryot put in execution and hanged at Tyborne whereof ij were Sanctuarie men of Saint Martins le graunde the other Anno reg 35 a shipman for robbing of Anthony Mowricine and other Lumbardes Iohn Steward Raph Verney the 28. of September Sherifes Maior Thomas Canings Grocer the 28. of October In the moneth of Nouember in the I le of Portland not farre from the towne of Weymouthe was séene a Cocke comming out of the Sea hauing a great crest vpoÌ„ his head and a great red beard and legges of halfe a yarde long he stoode on the water and crewe iij. times and euery time turned 1457 him about and beckened with his head toward the North the South and the West and was of colour like a Fesaunt Robert Fabian and when he had crowed iij. times he vanished away And shortly after were taken at Erithe within xij myles of London iiij great and wonderfull Fishes whereof one was called Mors Marina the second a Sworde Fishe the other two were Whales The. xxvitj day of August Peter Brice Steward of Normandie Iohn Maior with a flete of Frenchmen landed at Sandwiche and with fyre and sword wasted the Towne to ashes and slewe the inhabitauntes almost to the last man Also Fowey in Deuonshire was spoyled by Pirates in the moneth of August In this yeare was a great fray in the Northe Countrey Robert Fabian betwéene the Lorde Egremond and the Earle of Salisburies sonnes whereby many were maymed and slaine but in the ende the Lorde Egremonde was taken who was by the Kings Counsell found in great default and therefore condemned in great summes of mony to be payde to the Earle of Salisburie and in the meane time committed to Newgate Not long after this sir Thomas Percie Lord Egremount and sir Richard Percie his brother beyng prisoners in Newgate condemned in a great summe to the Earle of Salisburie as is aforesaid brake out of prison by night and went to the King the other prisoners tooke the leades of the gate and Regester of Maior defended it a long while against the Shriues and all their officers in so much that they were forced to call more ayde Anno reg 36 Sherifes Maior of the Citizens whereby they lastly subdued them William Edwards Thomas Reyner the 28. of September Godfrey Boleyne Mercer the 28. of October Maister Reginald Pecocke Byshop of Chichester a secular Doctor of Diuinitie that had labored many yéeres to translate the holy Scripture into Englishe was accused to haue passed the bonds of Diuinitie and of Christian beléefe in certaine Articles of the which he was conuict before the Archbyshoppe of Counterburie and other Byshoppes and Clerkes and after vtterly abiured reuoked and renounced those Articles openly at Paules Crosse in his mother tongue on the fourth day of December as followeth In the name of the Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost I Reynold Pecocke Byshoppe of Chichester vnworthie of myne owne power and will without any manner coertion or dread coÌ„fesse and knowledge that I here before this time presuming of myne naturall witte and preferring my iudgement and naturall reason before the newe and the olde Testament and the authoritie and determination of our mother holy Churche haue helde written taught otherwise than the holy Romane and Uniuersall Churche teacheth preacheth or obserueth And one is against the true Catholike and Apostles faith I haue written taught and published many and diuers perilous doctrines bookes workes and writings conteining Heresies and errors contrarie to the fayth Catholike and determination of holye Church and especially these Heresies and errours following that is to say In primis quod non est de necessitate fidei
wherevnto we haue euer bene and will be as true as any of his subiectes aliue wherof we call God our Lady S. Marie and all the Saintes in heauen vnto witnesse and record In the meane time the Earle of Wilshire treasurer of England The Earle of VVilshire and other spoyled Nevvbery the Lorde Scales and the Lorde Hungerforde went to Newberie whiche longed to the Duke of Yorke and there made inquisition of all them that in any wise had fauoured the sayde Duke whereof some were founde guiltie and were drawen hanged and quartered and all the inhabitauntes of the Towne were spoyled of their goods From thence the Earle of Wilshire went to Southampton where vnder The Earle of VVilshire stale ouer the Seas colour to take the Earle of Warwicke he armed fiue gret Caraks of Iene with souldioures taking victuals of the Kings price without payment and put a great part of hys treasure into the sayde Caraks and after sayled about in the sea and at laste stale into Dutchlande sending backe againe hys souldiours into Englande Then were the Kings Priuie seales for money priuie seales directed to all Bishops Abbots Priours and other states to lende the Kyng money therewith to wage souldiours to kéepe the Sea coasts but the commons of KeÌ„t dreading the like vengeance to be taken vpon them as was done vpon them of Newberie sent priuily messangers to Caleis The men of Kent sent to Galeis for the Earles to the foresayde Earles beséeching them in all haste possible to come to theyr succour whervpon the said Erles sent ouer into Kent the lord Fawconbridge to know if their déedes woulde accorde with theyr wordes and anone the people of Kent and other shires adioyning resorted to the sayde Lorde Fawconbridge in greate number When the Earles knewe the wylling heartes of those people they prepared to come into thys lande againste whose comming a long Ballet was fixed vpoÌ„ the gates of Canterburie made in fauour of the Duke of Yorke and the sayde Earles beginning thus In the daye of fast and spirituall affliction The celestiall influence of bodies transitorie c The Erles of March Warwick and Salisburie arriued at Sandwich where met wyth them Thomas Bourcher Archebyshop of Canterburie The Earle entred into London who with hys crosse borne before him and a greate number of other people accompanyed them to London into the whiche Citie they entred on the seconde of Julye wyth them came the Popes legate to treate of peace if néed wer Thâ—n was a conuocation of the Clergie holden in S. Paules Church where the sayde Earles being present the Earle of Warwicke recited the cause of their comming into the lande with the misgouernements thereof and then made open othe vpon the crosse of Canterburie that they had euer borne true faith and alegiaunce to King Henry Then the Earles of March and Warwicke with the Lords Fauconbridge Clinton Borser Priour of Saint Iohns Audley Burgavennie Say and Scrope the Archbyshop the Popes legate the Bishops of Excester Ely Salisburie and Rochester addressed theÌ„ forth to the King at Northampton leauing the Earle of Salisbury to be gouernour of the Citie in their absence The Lorde Scales and Hungerforde that before the comming of the Earles were in the Citie of London and would haue had the gouernance thereof went to the Towre of London and with them the Lordes Vessy Louel Delaware Kendale a Gascoigne Knightes sir Edmond Hampden Thomas Brune Sherife of Kent Iohn Bruyn of Kent Geruayes Clyfton treasurer of the King house Thomas Tyrel the Dutchesse of Excestex many other Then was the Tower of London besieged both by water and lande that no victualles might come to them And they that were within the Towre cast wilde fire into the Citie and shotte manye small Gunnes whereby they brent and slew meÌ„ women and children in the stréets also they of the Citie layde greate Gunnes on the furtherside of the Thamis against the Tower and brake the Wals in diuerse places The King lying in the Friers at NorthaÌ„pton ordayned a strong and myghtie fielde in the Meddowes beside the Nunrie hauing the riuer at his backe The Earles with their power comming to Northampton sent certaine Byshops to the King beséeching him to admit y â— Erle of Warwicke to come to his presence to declare their innocencie which request being denyed by the Duke of Buckingham the Earles sent an Heralde of Armes desiring to haue hostages for his safe comming and going but he might not be heard The thirde time the Erle of Warwicke sent worde to the King that at two houres after noone he would speake with him or dye in y â— field The Bishop of Hereford a white Frier the kings Confessour incouraged the kings parte to fight wherfore after the battayle he was committed to the Castelf of Warwicke where he was long prisoner The teÌ„th of July at two of y â— clocke after nooâ—re y â— Earles of March Warwicke let cry through the field y â— no man should lay hand vpon the King â—e on y â— coÌ„mon people but on the Lordes Knights Espuiers then both hosts incountred foughte halfe an houre the Lord Grey that was the Kings vaward breake the fielde and came to the Earles partie and was a great helpe to them in obtayning the victorie many on the kings side were flayn many y â— fled were drowned in y e riuer y â— Duke of Buckingham the Erle of Shrowesburie y e Lorde Beaumont the Lord Egremont were slain by y â— Kings â—eÌ„t w t many Knights Esquires y e kings ordinaunce of Guns might not be shot there was so gret rayne that day When the field was done the Earles had the victorie they came to the King he being in his tent said in this wise Most noble prince displease you not though it haue pleased God of his grace to grant vs the victorie of our mortal enemies y â— which by their venemous malice haue vntxuely stirred moued your highnesse to exile vs out of your land woulde haue vs put to finall shame and confusion we come not to y â— intent for to vnquiet ne grieue your sayde highnesse but for to please your noble person desiring tenderly the high welfare prosperitie therof of al your realme and to be your true liegemen while our liues shall endure The King of these words was greatlye recomforted anone was led to Northampton with procession where he rested thrée dayes came to London the sixtéenth of July and was lodged in the Byshops Pallaice The nintéenth of Julye they that were in the Tower of London for lacke of victualles yéelded and came forth of the which afterward some were drawn and headed The Lorde Scales late in an euening entred a Wherry with thrée persons and rowing towarde Westminster there to haue taken Sanctuarie was descried by a woman and anone the Wherry men fel on him killed him
the King intended to bring him vp to his coronation accompanied with suche power of their friends that it should be harde for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a greate assemble of people and in manner of open warre whereof the ende he wiste was doubtfull and in whiche the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a rebellion he secretly therfore by diners meanes caused the Quéene to be perswaded and broughte in the minde that it neyther were néede and also shoulde be ieopardous the King to come vppe strong For whereas nowe euerye Lorde loued other and none other thing studyed vppon but aboute the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lordes of hir kyndred shoulde assemble in the Kings name muche people they shoulde giue the Lordes at wixte whom and them hadde bin sometime debate to feare and suspect leaste they shoulde gather this people not for the Kings safegarde whome no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regarde to theyr olde variaunce than their newe attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other partie much people againe for theyr defence whose power she wiste wel farre stretched And thus shoulde all the Realme fall on a â—ore And of all the hurte that thereof shoulde ensue which was likely not to be little and the moste harme there lyke to fall where she leaste woulde all the worlde woulde put hyr and hyr kyndred in the wight and saye that they hadde vnwisely and vntruely also broken the amitie peace that the Kyng hyr â—usbande so prudentlye made betwéene his kinne and hyrs in his death bed and which the other partie faithfully obserued The Quéene being in this wise perswaded suche worde sente vnto hir sonne and vnto hir brother béeing aboute the Kyng and ouer that the Duke of Glocester hymselfe and other Lordes the chiefe of his bende wrote vnto the King so reuerentlye and to the Quéenes friendes there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought the King vp in greate haste not in good spéede with a sober companye Now was the King in hys waye to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behinde the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrowe to followe the King and be with him at Stonie Stratforde xij myles thence earelye or he departed So was there made that nighte muche friendlye cheare betwéene these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great whyle But incontinent after that they were openlye with greate curtesie departed and the Lorde Riuers lodged the Dukes secretely with a fewe of theyr moste priuie friendes set them down in counsaile wherein they spent a great parte of the nighte And at theyr rising in the dawning of the day they sente out priuilye to theyr seruantes in theyr Innes and lodgings about giuing theÌ„ commaundement to make theÌ„selues shortly readie for their Lordes were to horssebackewarde Uppon whyche messages manye of theyr folke were attendaunt when manye of the Lord Riuers seruauntes were vnreadye Nowe had these Dukes taken also into theyr custody the Keyes of the Inne that none shoulde passe forth without their liceÌ„ce And ouer thys in the highe waye towarde Stonie Stratforde where the King laye they hadde bestowed certaine of theyr folke that shoulde sende backe againe and compell to returne anye man that were gotten out of Northampton towarde Stonie Stratforde tyll they shoulde giue other licence For as much as the Dukes theÌ„selues inteÌ„ded for the shew of theyr diligence to be the firste that shoulde that daye attende vpon the Kings highnesse out of that Towne thus bare they folke in hande But when the Lord Riuers vnderstoode the Gates closed and the wayes on euery side beset neyther his seruauntes nor himselfe suffered to goe out perceiuing wel so great a thing without his knowledge not begun for naughte comparing thys manner present wyth hys last nights chéere in so fewe houres so great a change maruellously misliked Howbeit sith he coulde not gette awaye and kéepe himselfe close he would not least he should séeme to hyde himself for some secrete fear of his own fault wherof he saw no such cause in hymself He determined vpon the suretie of his own conscience to go boldelie to them and inquire what this matter mighte meane whome as sâ—one as they sawe they beganne to quarrel with him and saye that he intended to set distaunce betwéene the Kyng and them and to bring them to confusion but it should not lye in hys power And when he beganne as he was a very wel spoken man in goodly wise to excuse himselfe they tarryed not the ende of his aunsweare but shortly tooke hym The L. Riuers put in vvarde and put him in warde and that done forthwyth wente to horssebacke and tooke the waye to Stonie Stratforde where they founde the King wyth hys companye readie to leape on Horssebacke and depart forwarde to leaue that lodging for them bycause it was to straighte for both companyes And as soone as they came in hys preseÌ„ce they light adown with all their companye about them To whom the Duke of Buckingham sayd go afore Gentlemen and yeomen kéepe your roomes And thus in goodly aray they came to the King and on theyr knées in verye humble wyse salued his grace whiche receyued them in very ioyous and amiable maner nothing earthlye knowing nor mistrusting as yet But euen by and by in his presence they piked a quarrell to the Lorde Rycharde The Lord Grey Gray the Kings other brother by his mother saying that he with the Lorde Marques his brother and the Lorde Riuers his Uncle had compassed to rule the King and the Realme and to set variance among the states and to subdue and destroye the noble bloude of the Realme Toward the accomplishing whereof they sayd that the Lorde Marques had entred into the Tower of London and thence taken out the Kyngs Treasure and sente menne to the Sea All which things these Dukes wist well were done for good purposes and necessarie by the whole counsaile at London sauing that somewhat they must say Unto which words the King aunswered What my brother Marques hath done I cannot saye But in good faith I dare well aunsweare for mine vncle Riuers and my brother here that they be innocent of any suche matter Yea my liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they haue kept theyr dealing in these matters farre fro the knowledge of your good grace And forthwyth they arested the Lord Richard and sir Th. VaughaÌ„ Knight in the Kings presence and brought the king and al back vnto Northampton where they tooke againe further Counsell And there they sent away froÌ„ the King whoÌ„ it pleased theÌ„ and set new seruaunts about him such as liked better theÌ„ than him At which dealing he wept and was nothing content but it booted not And at dinner the Duke of Glocester sente a dishe from his
owne table to the Lord Riuers praying him to be of good cheare all should be well ynough And he thanked the Duke and prayed the messenger to beare it to his nephew the Lord Richard with the same message for hys comforte as one to whome such aduersitie was strāge but himselfe had bin all his dayes in vre therewith therfore could beare it the better But for all this cōfortable curtesie of the Duke of Glocester he sent the Lord Riuers the The death of the L. Riuers and others Lord Richarde with sir Thomas Vaughan into the Northe Countrey into diuerse places to prison and afterwarde all to Pomfraite where they were in conclusion beheaded In this wise the Duke of Glocester toke vppon hymselfe the order and gouernaunce of the yong King whom with muche honoure and humble reuerence hée conueyed vpward toward the Citie But anone the tydings of this matter came hastily to the Quéene a little before the midnighte following and that in the sorest wise that the King hir son was taken hir brother hir sonne and other friends arrested and sente no man wist whether to bée done with God wot what With which tydings the Quéene in great flight and heauinesse bewayling hir childes raigne hir friendes mischaunce and hir owne infortune damning the time that euer she disswaded the gathering of power aboute the Kyng gatte hyr selfe in all the haste possible wyth hir yōger Sonne and hyr daughters out of the Pallaice of Westminster in whiche she then laye into the Sanctuarie The Qu. taketh Sanctuarie lodging hyr selfe and hyr companye there in the Abbots place Now came there one likewise not long after midnighte from the Lorde Chamberlayne vnto the Archbishoppe of Yorke then Chancellour of Englande to his place not far frō Westminster And for that he shewed his seruauntes that hée had tydings of so great importaunce that hys maister gaue him in charge not to forbeare his reste they letted not to wake him nor he to admitte this messenger into his bedde side Of whome he hearde that these Dukes were gone backe wyth the Kings grace from Stonie Stratforde vnto Northampton Notwythstanding Syr quoth he my Lorde sendeth your Lordshippe worde that there is no feare for he assureth you that all shall be well I assure him quoth the Archebishoppe be it as well as it will it wyll neuer be so well as we haue séene it And therevpon by and by after the messenger departed he caused in all the haste all his sernauntes to be called vp and so with his owne housholde about him and euerye man weaponed he tooke the greate seale with him and came yet before daye vnto the Quéene About whom he founde much heauinesse rumble hast and businesse cariage and conueyaunce of hyr stuffe into Sanctuarie chestes coffers packes fardels trussed all on mens backes no man vnoccupied some lading some going some discharging some comming for more some breaking down the walles to bring in the next way and some yet drewe to them to helpe to carry a wrong way The Quéene hir selfe sate alone alowe on the rushes al desolate and dismayde whome the Archebishoppe comforted in the beste manner he coulde shewing hir that he trusted the matter was nothing so sore as she toke it for and that he was putte in good hope and out of feare by y e message sent him from the Lord Chamberlaine Ah wo worth hym quoth she for he is one of them that laboureth to destroye me and my bloud Madam quoth he be yée of good chéere for I assure you if they Crowne any other King than your son whom they nowe haue with them we shall on the morrowe Crowne hys brother whom you haue here with you And here is the greate seale whyche in likewise as that noble Prince your husbande deliuered it vnto me so héere I deliuer it vnto you to the vse and behoofe of your sonne and therewith he betooke hir the greate seale and departed home againe yet in the dawning of the daye By whiche time he mighte in his chamber windowe sée all the Thamis full of boates of the Duke of Glocesters seruauntes watching that no man shoulde go to Sanctuarie nor none could passe vnsearched Then was there great commotion and murmur as well in other places about as specially in the Citie the people diuersly diuining vpō this deling And some Lords Knightes and Gentlemen eyther for fauour of the Quéen or for feare of themselues assembled in sundry companies and wente flockmeale in harneys and manye also for that they reckoned thys demeanour attempted not so speciallye against the other Lords as against the King himselfe in the disturbaunce of his Coronation But then by and by the Lordes assembled togither towarde whiche méeting the Archbishoppe of Yorke fearing that it woulde be ascribed as it was indéede to his ouermuch lightnesse that he so suddainely hadde yéelded vppe the greate seale to the Quéene to whom the custodie thereof nothing perteyned wythout speciall commaundement of the King secretely sent for the seale againe and brought it with him after the customable manner And at this méeting the Lorde Hasting whose trouth toward y e king no man doubted nor néeded to doubt perswaded the Lordes to beléeue that the Duke of Glocester was sure and fastly faithfull to his Prince that the Lord Riuers and Lorde Richarde with the other Knightes were for matters attempted by them against the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham put vnder arest for their suretie not for the Kings ieopardie and that they were also in safegarde and there no longer shoulde remayne than till the matter were not by the Dukes onely but also by all the other Lords of y e Kings counsayle indifferently examyned by other discretions ordered and eyther iudged or appeased But one thing he aduised them beware that they iudged not the matter too farre forth ere they knew the trueth nor turning theyr priuate grudges into the common hurte yrking and prouoking men vnto anger and disturbing the Kings coronation toward which the Dukes were cōming vp that they might peraduenture bring the matter so farre out of ioynte that it shoulde neuer be broughte in frame againe Whiche strife if it should happe as it were lykely to come to a fielde though both parties were in all things equal yet shoulde the aucthoritie be on that side where the King is himselfe With these perswasions of the Lord Hastings whereof part himselfe beleeued of parte he wist the contrarie these commotions were somwhat appeased but specially by that that the Dukes of Glocester and Buckinghā wer so néere and came so shortly on with the king in none other manner with none other voyce or semblance than to his coronation causing the fame to be blowen about that these Lords and Knights which were taken had contriued the destruction of the dukes of Glocester and Buckingham and of other the noble bloud of the Realme to the end that thēselues would alone demeane
onely y ◠wound w t the wind but wise men also some Lords eke to marke the matter muse thereon so farre forth that the Lorde Stanley that was after Earle of Darbie wisely mistrusted it and sayde vnto the Lorde Hastings that he muche mislyked these two seueral Councels For while we quoth he talke of one matter in y e one place little wote we wherof they talke in the other place My Lorde quoth the Lorde Hastings of my life neuer doubt you for while one man is there which is neuer thence neuer can there be thing once moued that should sound amisse toward me but it shoulde be in mine eares ere it were well out of their mouthes This ment he by Catesby whiche was of hys néere secrete Catesbie counsell and whom he verie familiarly vsed and in his most weightie matters put no man in so speciall trust reckening himselfe to no man so liefe sithe he well wyste there was no man so muche to him beholden as was this Catesby which was a man well learned in the lawes of this land and by the speciall fauour of the Lorde Chamberlaine in good authoritie and much rule bare in all y e Countie of Leycester where the Lorde Chamberleynes power chiefely laye But surely great pitie was it that he had not had eyther more truth or lesse wit For his dissimulation onely kept all that mischiefe vp In whom if the Lorde Hastings had not put so speciall trust the Lorde Stanley and he had departed with diuers other Lordes and broken all the daunce for many yll signes that he sawe which he now construes all to the best So surely thought he that there coulde be no harme toward him in that Councell intended where Catesby was And of truth the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham made verie good semblaunce vnto the Lorde Hastings and kept him much in companie And vndoubtedly the Protector loued him well and loth was to haue lost him sauing for feare least his lyfe shoulde haue quaiied their purpose For which cause he moued Catesby to proue wyth some wordes cast out a farre off whether he coulde thinke it possible to winne the Lorde Hastings vnto their part But Catesby whether he assayed him or assayed him not reported vnto them that he founde him so fast and heard him speake so terrible words that he durst no further breake And of trueth the Lorde Chamberlayne of verye trust shewed vnto Catesby the distrust that other began to haue in the matter And therefore hée fearing least theyr motion might with the Lorde Hastings minishe his credence wherevnto onely all the matter leaned procured the Protector hastily to rid him And much the rather for that he trusted by his death to obtayne muche of the rule that the Lorde Hastings bare in his Coūtrey the onely desire wherof was the allectiue that induced him to be partner and one speciall contriuer of all this horrible treason Wherevpon soone after that is to wit on the Fryday the thirtéenth day of June many Lordes assembled in the Tower and there sat in Councell deuising the honourable solemnitie of the Kings Coronation of which the tyme appoynted then so neare approched that the Pageantes and subtiltyes were in making daye and night at Westminster and much vitayle kylled therefore that afterward was cast away These Lordes so sitting together communing of thys matter the Protector came in amongst them first about ix of the clocke saluting them courteously and excusing hymself that he had bene from them so long saying merily that he had bene a sléeper that day And after a little talkyng with them he sayde vnto the Byshop of Elie My Lorde you haue verye good Strawberies at your Garden in Holborne I require you let vs haue a messe of them Gladly my Lorde quoth he woulde God I had some better thing as readie to your pleasure as that And therwith in all the hast he sent hys seruant for a messe of Strawberies The Protector set the Lordes fast in communing therevpon praying them to spare him for a little while departed thence And soone after one houre betwéene x. and xj he returned into the Chamber among them all changed with a wonderfull soure angrie countenance knitting y e browes frowning fretting gnawing on his lippes so sat hym downe in his place all the Lordes much dismayde and sore maruelling of this manner of sodaine change what thing should him aile Then whē he had sitten still a while thus he began What were they worthy to haue that compasse and imagine the destruction of mée beyng so néere of bloud vnto the King and Protector of his Royall person and his Realme At this question all the Lordes sat sore astonyed musing much by whom this question shoulde be ment of which euery man wyst himselfe cleare Then the Lord Chamberlaine as he that for the loue betwéene them thoughte he might be boldest with him aunswered and sayde that they were worthy to be punished as heynous traytors whatsoeuer they were And all the other affyrmed the same That is quoth he yonder sorceresse my brothers wyfe and other with hir meaning y e Quéene At these words many of y e other Lords were greatly abashed y ◠fauoured hir But y e Lord Hastings was in his minde better content y ◠it was moued by hir thā by any other whō he loued better Albeit his hart somwhat grudged y t he was not afore made of counsel in this matter as he was of the taking of hir kinred of their putting to death which were by his assent before deuised to be beheaded at Pomfret thys self same day in which he was not ware y t it was by other deuised y t himself should be beheaded y e same day at London Then saide the Protector ye shall all sée in what wise that sorceresse and that other Witch of hir counsell Shores wife with their affinitie haue by their sorcerie and witchcrafte wasted my body And therewith he plucked vp his dublet sléeue to his elbow vpō his left arme where he shewed a werish withered arme and smal as it was neuer other And thervpō euery mans minde sore misgaue them wel perceiuing y ◠this matter was but a quarrel For they well wist y ◠the Quéene was too wise to goe about any such folly And also if she would yet would she of all folke least make Shores wife of counsell whom of all women she most hated as that Concubine whome the King hir husbande had most loued And also no manne was there present but well knew that his arme was euer suche since hys byrth Naythelesse the Lorde Chamberlayne which from the death of Kyng Edward kept Shores wyfe on whom he somewhat doted in the Kings lyfe sauing as it is sayde he that while forbare hir of reuerence toward the K. or else of a certayn kind of fidelitic to his friend aunsweared and sayd certaynly my Lord if they haue so
happe to heare more hereafter and I neuer in my life so mery nor neuer in so great suretie O good God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suretie when he reckened himself surest he lost his life that within two hours after Thus ended thys honourable man a good Knight and a The description of the Lord Hastings gentle of greate aucthoritie with hys Prince of lyuing somewhat dissolute playne and open to hys enimie and secrete to his friend easie to beguile as he that of good hearte and courage forestudied no perilles a louing man and passing wel beloued very faithful and trustie ynough trusting too much Now flew the fame of this Lords death swiftlye through the Citie and so forth further about like a winde in euery mans eare But the Protector immediately after dinner intending to sette some colour vpon the matter sent in all hast for many substantial men out of the Citie into the Tower And at theyr comming himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stoode harnessed in olde yll faring Briganders such as no man shoulde wéene that they would vouchsafe to haue put vpon their backes except that some sodain necessitie had constrained them And then the Protectour shewed them that the Lorde Chamberlaine and other of his conspiracie had contriued to haue sodainely destroyed hym and the Duke there the same daye in the Counsel And what they intended further was as yet not well knowne Of whiche their Treason hée neuer had knowledge before tenne of the clocke the same forenoone which sodain feare droue them to put on for their defence suche harneys as came next to hande And so hadde God holpen them that the mischief turned vpon them that woulde haue done it And thys he requyred them to report Euery man aunswered him fayre as though no manne mistrusted the matter which of trothe no manne beléeued Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minde he sent immediately after dinner in al hast an Herault of armes wyth a Proclamation to be made throughe the Citie in the The Protectors proclamation Kyngs name conteyning that the Lord Hastings with diuerse other of his trayterous purpose had before conspired the same daye to haue slaine the Lorde Protectour and the Duke of Buckingham sitting in the Counsell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the King and the realme at theyr pleasure and thereby to pill and spoyle whome they list vncontrolled And much matter there was in that proclamation deuised to the slaunder of the Lorde Chamberlayne as that he was an euil Counsayler to the Kings father inticing him to manye things highly redounding to the minishing of his honour and to the vniuersall hurte of his Realme by his euill companye sinister procuring and vngracious ensample as wel in manye other things as in the dicious liuing and inordinate abusion of hys bodie both wyth manye other and also speciallye wyth Shores wise whiche was one also of hys moste secret counsaile of thys heynons treason with whom he laye nightlye and namely the night last past nexte before his death so that it was the lesse maruayle if vngratious liuing broughte him to an vnhappy ending whiche he was nowe putte vnto by the moste dread commaundemente of the Kings highnesse and of his honorable and faythfull counsayle bothe for hys demerites being so openly taken in hys falslye conceyued treason and also leaste the delaying of his execution might haue encouraged other mischieuous persons partners of his conspiracie to gather and assemble themselues togither in making some greate commotion for hys delyueraunce whose hope being nowe by his well deserued death politikely repressed al y e realm should by gods grace rest in good quiet and peace Now was this proclamation made wythin two houres after that he was beheaded and it was so curiously indited and so faire written in parchment in so well a sette hand and therewith of it selfe so long a processe that euery childe might well perceyue that it was prepared before For all y e time betwéene his death and the proclayming coulde skant haue sufficed vnto the bare writing alone all had it béene but in Paper and scribled forth in haste at aduenture So that vpon the proclayming thereof one that was scholemaster of Paules of chaunce standing by and comparing the shortnesse of the time with the length of the matter sayd vnto them that stoode about him here is a gay goodly cast foule cast away for haste and a Merchaunt aunsweared him that it was written by prophecie Nowe then by by as it were for anger not for couetise the Protectour sent into the house of Shores wife for hir husbande dwelled not with hyr and spoyled hir of all that euer she had aboue the value of two or thrée thousande marke and sent hyr body to prison And when he had a while layde vnto hyr for the manner sake that she wente aboute to bewitch him and that she was of counsaile with the Lord Chāberlaine to destroy him in cōclusion when that no colour coulde fasten vppon these matters then he layde heynously to hir charge y ◠thing that hir selfe could not denye that all the world wist was true and that naythelesse euery manne laughed at to heare it then so sodainely so highly taken that she was nought of hir body And for this cause as a good continent Prince cleane and faultlesse of himselfe sente out of heauen into this vicious world for the amendment of mens manners he caused the Bishop of London to put hyr to open penaunce going before the Crosse in Procession vpon a Sonday with a Taper in hir hande In whiche she went in countenance and pace demure so womanly and albeit she were out of al array saue hir kyrtle onlye yet wente she so faire and louely namely while the wondering of the people caste a comely rudde in hir chéekes of which she before had most misse y t hir great shame wanne hir much prayse among those that wer more amorous of hir bodie than curious of hir soule And manye good folke also that hated hir liuing and glad were to sée sin corrected yet pitied they more hir penaunce ethan reioyced therein when they considered that the Protector procured it more of a corrupt intent than any vertuous affection This woman was borne in London worshipfullye friended The description of Shores vvife honestly brought vp and very wel maried sauing somwhat too soone hir husband an honest Citizen yong godly and of good substāce But for as much as they were coupled ere she were wel ripe she not very feruently loued for whō she neuer longed which was happily the thing that y e more easily made hir incline vnto the Kings appetite when hée required hir Howbeit the respect of his royaltie the hope of gay apparell ease pleasure and other wanton wealth was able soone to pierce a soft tender hearte But when the king had abused hir anone hir
the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor were not the very children of y e duke of Yorke but begotteÌ„ vnlawfully by other persoÌ„s by aduoutrie of the Dutches their mother And that also dame Elizabeth Lucy was verily the wife of King Edward and so the Prince and al his children Bastards that were begotteÌ„ vpon the Quéene According to this deuise Doctor Shaa y â— Sonday after at Paules Crosse in a greate audience as alway assembled great number to his preaching he tooke for his Theame Spuria vitulamina non agent radices alt as That is to say Bastarde slippes shal neuer take deepe roote Therevppon when he had shewed the great grace that God giueth secretly infundeth in right generation after y â— lawes of matrimonie theÌ„ declared he y â— coÌ„monly those children lacked y â— grace for y e punishment of their pareÌ„ts were for y e more part vnhappy which wer gotteÌ„ in base specially in aduoutrie Of which though some by the ignorance of the world and the truth hid from knowledge inherited for the season other mens landes yet God alway so prouideth that it continueth not in their bloud long but y e truth comming to light the rightfull inheritors be restored and the bastard slip pulled vp ere it can be rooted déepe And when he had laid for the proofe and confirmation of this sentence certaine ensamples taken out of the old Testament and other auncient histories then beganne he to descend into the praise of the Lorde Richarde late Duke of Yorke calling him father to the Lorde Protector and declared the title of his heires vnto the Crowne to whom it was after the death of King Henrie the sixt entayled by authoritie of Parliament Then shewed he that his verie right heyre of his body lawfully begotten was onely the Lord Protector For he declared then that King Edward was neuer lawfully marryed vnto the Quéene but was before God husband vnto Dame Elizabeth Lucie and so his children bastardes And besides that neither King Edwarde himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence among those that were secrete in the housholde were reckened verie surely for the children of the noble Duke as those that by their fauours more resembled other knowne men than him From whose vertuous conditions he sayde also that King Edward was farre off But the Lorde Protector he sayd the verie noble Prince the speciall paterne of Knightly prowes as well in all Princely behauiour as in the lineamentes and fauour of his visage represented the very face of the noble Duke his father This is quoth he the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenaunce the verie print of his visage the sure vndoubted Image the plaine expresse likenesse of that noble Duke Nowe was it before deuised that in the speaking of these words the Protector shoulde haue come in among the people to the Sermon warde to the end that those words méeting with his presence might haue bene taken among the hearers as though the holy ghost had put them in the preachers mouthe and shoulde haue moued the people euen there to crie King Richarde King Richarde that it myght haue béene after sayde that he was specially chosen by God and in manner by myracle But this deuise quayled eyther by the Protectors negligence or the Preachers ouermuch diligence For whyle the Protector founde by the way tarying least he shoulde preuent those wordes and the Doctor fearing that he shoulde come ere hys Sermon could come to these wordes hasted his matter thereto who was come to them and paste them and entred into other matters ere the Protector came Whom when he beheld comming he sodainely lefte the matter with which he was in hande and without any deduction thervnto out of al order and out of all frame beganne to repeate those wordes agayne this is the very noble Prince the speciall patrone of Knightly prowes which as well in all Princely behauiour as in the liâ—iamentes and fauour of his vsage representeth the verie face of the noble Duke of Yorke his father this is the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenaunce the very print of his visage the sure vndoubted Image the playne expresse lykenesse of the Noble Duke whose remembrance can neuer dye whyle he liueth While these wordes were in speaking the Protector accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham went through the people into the place where the Doctors commonly staud in the vpper storie where he stoode to hearken the Sermon But the people were so farre from crying King Richarde that they stoode as they had béene turned into stones for wonder of this shamefull Sermon After which once ended the Preacher gat him home and Preacher neuer after durst looke out for shame but kepte hym out of sight lyke an Owle And when he once asked one that had béene his olde friend what the people talked of him al were it that hys owne conscience well shewed him that they talked no good yet when the other aunswered him that there was in euery mannes mouth spoken of hym much shame it so strake him to the heart that within fewe dayes after hée withered and consumed away Then on the Tuesday folowing this sermon there came into the Guild hall in London the Duke of Buckingham accompanyed with diuerse Lordes and Knightes more than happily knewe the message that they brought And there in the East end of the hall where y e Maior kéepeth the Hustings the Maior and all the Aldermen beyng assembled aboute him all the Commons of the Citie gathered before them after silence commaunded vppon great payne in the Protectors name the Duke stoode vp and as he was neyther vnlearned and of nature maruellously well spoken he said vnto the people with a cleare and a loude voyce in this manner of wise FRiendes for the zeale and heartie fauour that we beare The Duke of Buckinghams Oration you wée be come to breake vnto you of a matter ryght great and weightie and no lesse weightie than pleasing to God and profitable to all the Reame nor to no part of the Realme more profitable than to you the Citizens of this noble Citie For why that thing that we wote wel ye haue long tyme lacked and sore longed for that ye woulde haue giuen great good for that ye would haue gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost aduenture or ieoperdie What thing is that Certes the suertie of your owne bodyes the quiet of your wynes and your daughters the sauegarde of your goods of all whych things in tymes paste ye stoode euer more in doubte For who was there of you all that woulde recken him selfe Lorde of his owne good among so many grens and traps as was set therfore among so much pilling polling among so many taxes tallages of which there was neuer end oftentimes no néede or if any were it rather grew of royot vnreasonable wast thaÌ„
at the last in the neather end of the Hall a bushment of the Dukes seruauntes and Nashfieldes and other longing to the Protector with some prentises and laddes that thrust into the Hall among the prease beganne sodainly at mens backes to crye out as loude as theyr throtes woulde gyueâ— King Richarde King Richarde and threwe vp their cappes in token of ioy And they that stoode before cast backe their heads maruelling thereof but nothing they sayde And when the Duke and the Maior sawe this manner they wiselye turned it to theyr purpose and sayde it was a goodly crye and a ioyfull to heare euerye man with one voyce no man saying nay Wherefore friendes quoth the Duke since that we perceiue it is all your whole myndes to haue this Noble man for your K. wherof we shall make his grace so effectuall report that we doubt not but it shall redounde vnto your great weÌ„ale and commodytie wee require ye that ye to morow go with vs and we with you vnto his Noble graced to make our humble request vnto him in maner before remembred And there with the Lords came dowâ—e and the company dissolued and departed the more part all sad some with glad femblance that were not very merrie and some of those that came thither wyth the Duke not able to dissemble their sorrow were faine at his barke to turne their face to the wall while the dolour of their heart burst out of their eyes Then on the morrowe after the Maior with all the Aldermen The Maiors comming to Baynards Castell and chiefe commoners of the citie in their best maner apparelled assembling themselues together resorted vnto Baynardes Castell where the Protector lay To which place repayred also accordyng to theyr appoyntment the Duke of Buckingham with diuerse Noble men wyth him besyde many Knightes and other Gentlemen And therevppon the Duke sent worde vnto the Lorde Protector of the being there of a great and honorable companie to moue a great matter vnto his grace Wherevpon the Protector made difficultie to come out vnto them but if he first knewe some part of their errand as thoughe he doubted and partly distrusted the comming of a number vnto him so sodenly without any warning or knowledge whether they came for good or harme Then the duke when he had shewed this vnto the Maior other that they might therby sée how little the Protector looked for this matter they sent vnto him by the Messenger suche louing message againe and there with so humbly besought him to vouchsafe that they might resort to his presence to purpose their intent of which they woulde vnto none other person part disclose that at the last he came forth of his Chamber and yet not downe vnto them but stoode aboue in a Gallerie ouer them where they might sée him and speake to him as though be woulde not yet come too néere them tyll he will what they ment And there vpon the Duke of BuckinghaÌ„ first made humble position vnto him on the behalfe of them all that his grace â—ould pardon them and licence them to purpose vnto his â—â—â—â—â— the intent of â—oâ—â— comming without his displeasure without which pardon obteined they durst not be bolde to moue him of that matter In whiche albeit they ment as muche honour to his grace as wealthe to all the Realme beside yet were they not sure howe his grace woulde take it whom they woulde in no wyse offende Then the Protector as he was verie gentle of himselfe and also longed sore to witte what they ment gaue him leaue to purpose what him lyked verily trusting for the good minde that hée bare them all none of them any thing woulde intende vnto him warde wherewith he ought to be grieued When the Duke had thys leaue and pardon to speake then waxed hée bolde to shew him their intent and purpose with all the causes moouing them therevnto as ye before haue heard and finally to beséeche his grace that it woulde like him of his accustomed goodnes zeale vnto the realme nowe with his eye of pitie to beholde the long continued distresse and decaye of the same and to set his gracious handes to redresse and amendment thereof by taking vpon him the Crowne and gouernaunce of thys Realme accordyng to his ryght and tytle lawfully descended vnto him and to the laude of God profite of the Lande and vnto hys grace so muche the more honour and lesse payne in that that neuer Prince raygned vppon any people that were so glad to lyue vnder hys obeysaunce as the people of thys Realme vnder his When the Protector had hearde the proposition he looked verie straungely therat answered that albeit it were y e he partly knewe the things by them alledged to be true yet such entire loue he bare vnto King Ed. and his children y â— so much more he regarded his honor in other realmes about than the Crowne of any one of whiche hée was neuer desyrous y â— he coulde not finde in his heart in this poynt to enclyne to theyr desire For in all other Nations where the truth were not well knowne it shoulde peraduenture be thoughte that it were his owne ambitious minde and deuise to depose the Prince and take himselfe the Crowne with which infamie he woulde not haue his honour stayned for any Crowne in which he had euer perceyued much more labour and payne than pleasure to hym that would so vse it as he that woulde not were not worthie to haue it Notwithstanding he not onely pardoned them the motion that they made him but also thanked them for the loue and heartie fauour they bare hym praying them for hys sake to gyue and beare the same to the Prince vnder whom hée was and woulde bée content to lyue and with hys labour and counsell as farre as should lyke the King to vse him he would doe his vttermost deuoyre to set the Realme in good state whyche was alreadie in this lyttle whyle of hys Protectorshippe the prayse gyuen to God well begunne in that the malice of suche as were before occasion of the contrarie and of new intended to bée were nowe partly by good policie partly more by Gods speciall prouidence than mans prouision repressed Uppon this aunswere giuen the Duke by the Protectours licence a lyttle rowned aswell wyth other Noble men aboute hym as with the Maior and Recorder of London And after that vppon lyke pardon desired and obteyned he shewed aloude vnto the Protector that for a finall conclusion that the Realme was appoynted King Edwardes lyne should not any longer raygne vpon them both for that they hadde so farre gone that it was nowe no suertie to retreate as for that they thoughte it for the weale vniuersall to take that waye althoughe they had not yet begonne it Wherfore if it would lyke his grace to take the Crowne vppon hym they woulde humbly beséeche him therevnto If he woulde giue them a resolute aunswere to
deceyued for whyche of vs can washe hys handes cleane thereof and if we shoulde shrincke from you as from one that were culpable which of vs can excuse himselfe to be guiltlesse therefore herein your doubt is too farre caste I praye God it be quoth the Duke let vs go to dinner and so they sate downe After dinner the Duke wente in to the Quéene where his Commission was by that tyme sealed for his Lieutenantshippe of the army and then tooke his leaue of hir and so didde certaine other Lordes also Then as the Duke came through the Councell Chamber he tooke his leaue of the Earle of Arundale who prayed God be with his Grace saying he was sorie it was not his chance to goe with him and beare him companye in whose presence he could finde in hys hearte to spende hys bloâ—de euen at his féete then the Earle of Arundale tooke Thomas Louell the Dukes boy by the hande and saide farewel gentle Thomas with al my heart Then the Duke with the L. Marques of Northampton the Lorde Grey and dyuers other tooke their Barge and went to Dirham place and tâ— White hall where that night they mustred theyr men and the next day in the morning the Duke departed with the number of 600. menne or there aboutes And as they rode thorough Shordiâ—che saith the Duke to the Lorde Grey the people preasse to sée vs but not one sayeth God spéede vs. The same daye sir Iohn Gates and other went oute aâ—â—â—â— the Duke By this time worde was broughte to the Tower that the Lady Mariae was â—â—ed to Framingâ—aâ— Castell in Suffolke where the people of the Country almoste wholly resorted to hâ—â— â— that â—â—â— Edmond Pecâ—am sir Edward Hastings and the Lorâ— Windsore with otherâ— were 〈◊〉 Quéene Marie â—â— Bâ—ckinghamshire sir Iohn Williams in Oxfordshire c. About this time sixe ships well manned that were aâ—poynted to lye before Yarmouth and to haue taken the Lady Mary if she had fled that way were by force of weather driuen into the Hauen where one Maister Iernigham was raysing power on the Ladye Maries behalfe who hearing thereof came thither wherevppon the Captaines tooke a boate and wente to the Shippes but the Saylers and souldiors asked Maister Iernigham what he woulde haue and whether he would haue their Captaines or no and he said yea Mary saide they ye shall haue them or we will throwe them into the bottome of the Sea but the Captaines saide forthwith that they would serue Quéene Mary willingly and so broughte forth their men and conueyed with them their great ordinaunce Of the commyng of these Shippes the Ladye Mary was wonderfull ioyous and afterwarde doubted little the Dukes puissaunce but when newes therof was broughte to the Tower eche manne there beganne to draw backward and ouer that word of a greater mischiefe was broughte to the Tower that is to saye that the Noblemens tenaunts refused to serue their Lords against Quéen Marie The Duke thoughte long for his succoures and wrote somewhat sharplye to the councell at the Tower in that behalfe as well for lacke of men as of munition but a flender aunsweare had he againe And from that time forward certaine of the Councell to wéete the Earle of Pembrooke and sir Thomas Cheyney Lorde Warden and other sought to gette oute of the Tower to consulte in London but coulde not yet The sixetéenth of Iuly being Sonday Doctor Ridley Bishoppe of London by commaundement of the Councel preaâ—hed at Paules Crosse where he vehementlye perswaded the â—eople in the title of y e Lady Iane late proclaimed Quéene â—nd inueyed earnestly againste the title of Lady Mary c. The same sixetéenth of Iuly the Lorde Treasurer was â—â—ne oute of the Tower to his house in London at nighte and â—â—rthwith about seauen of the clocke the Gates of the Tower vpon a sodayne were shut vppe and the kayes borne vp to the Lady Iane which was for feare of some packing in the Lorde Treasurer but he was fetched agayne to the Tower about twelue of the clocke in the night The xviij daye the Duke perceyuing that the succours promised came not to him and also receyuing from some of the Councell Letters of discomforte he returned from Bury backe agayne to Cambridge The ninetéenth of July the Counsell partelye moued with the right of the Lady Maries cause partly considering that the moste of the realme was wholy bent on hir side changed theyr minds and assembled themselues at Bainardâ— Castel where they communed with the Earle of Pembrooke and immediately with the Maior of London certaine Aldermen the Sheriffes Garter King at Armes and a Trumpet came into Cheape where they proclaymed the Ladye Mary daughter to King Henry the eyght and Quéene Katherine Quéene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande Dofendor of the Faith c. and the same night the Earle of Arundele the Lord Paget rode in poste to Quéene Mary The xx of July Iohn D. of Northumberlande hauing sure knowledge y â— the Lady Mary was by the nobilitie others of the Councell remayning at London proclaymed Quéene aboute fiue of the clocke the same night he with suche other of the Nobilitie as were in his company came to the Market Crosse and callyng for an Harrault hymselfe proclaymed Quéene Mary and among other he threwe vppe hyâ— owne Cap and wythin an houre after he had Letters from the Councell as he said that he shoulde forthwith dismissâ— his army and not to come within tenne myles of London foâ— if he did they woulde fight wyth hym the rumour whereâ— was no sooner abroade but euerie man departed And shortlye after the Duke was arrested in the Kings Colledge 〈…〉 one Maister Slegge Sergeant at Armes At the laste letters were brought from the Councell at London that al 〈…〉 shoulde goe eche his way Wherevpon the Duke sayde 〈…〉 them that kepte him yée doe me wrong to withdrawe my libertie sée you not the Counsels letters wythoute exception that all men shoulde go whither they would At which wordes they that kepte hym and the other Noblemen sete them at libertie and so contynued they for that night insomuche that the Earle of Warwicke was readye in the morning to haue rode away but then came the Erle of Arundel froÌ„ the Quéen to y e Duke into his Chamber who went out to méete him as soone as he saw the Earle of Arundale he fel on hys knées desired hym to be good to him for the loue of God coÌ„sider saith he I haue done nothing but by the coÌ„sents of you and all the whole Councell My Lorde quoth the Earle of Arundale I am sente hither by the Quéenes Maiestie and in hir name I doe arreast you and I obey it my Lorde quoth he I beséeche you my Lorde of Arundale quoth the Duke vse mercy towardes mée knowing the case as it is my Lorde quoth the Earle yée shoulde haue sought for mercie sooner I muste doe accordyng to my commaundement and