the right side of King Edward the Confessor 61 Ad◅licia or Alice the second wife of King Henry was the daughter of Godfrey the first Duke of Louaine by the daughter of the Emperour Henrie the fourth and sister to Duke Godfrey and Iocelin of Louain Shee was married vnto him the nine and twentieth of Ianuary in the twentie one of his raigne and yeere of Christ 1121. and was crowned the morrow after being Sunday Shee was his wife fifteene yeeres but euer childlesse and suruiuing him was remarried to William Daubeny Earle of Arundel and was mother of Earle William the second Rayner Godfrey and Ioan married to Iohn Earle of Augi c. His Issue 62 William the sonne of King Henry and Queen Maud his first wife was born the secōd of his Fathers Raigne and of Christ 1102. When he came to age of foureteene yeeres the Nobility of England did him homage and sware their fealties vnto him at Shrewsburie The third yeere after hee married the daughter of Foulk Earle of Aniou and the same yeere hee was made Duke of Normandy doing his homage for the same to Lewes the Grosse King of France and receiued the homage and oathes of the Nobility of that Country but in his returne for England hee was vnfortunately drowned neere vnto Barbfleet vpon the twenty sixt of Nouember the yeere of Grace 1120. and eighteenth of his owne age without any issue to the great griefe of his Father 63 Maud the daughter of King Henry and of Queene Maud his first wife was borne the fourth yeere of her Fathers raigne She was the second wife of the Emperour Henrie the fourth espoused at sixe yeeres of age and at eleuen with great solemnity was married and crowned his Empresse at Mentz in Germany 6. Ianuary Anno 1114. the ninth of her husbands and foureteenth of her Fathers Raignes Shee was his wife twelue yeeres and suruiued him without any issue of him comming into England a widdowe she had fealty sworne vnto her by the Nobility and was remaried to Geffrey Plantaginet Earle of Aniou sonne of Foulke King of Ierusalem vpon the third of Aprill and yeere of Grace 1127. by whom shee had issue Henry the Second King of England Geffery Earle of Nantes in Britanie and William who was called Earle of Poyto she was his wife twenty three yeeres and suruiuing him also continued a widdowe the last seuenteene yeeres of her life which she ended in the City of Roan the tenth of September 1167. the foureteenth of the raigne of King Henry her sonne and was buried in the Abbey of Bee in Normandy 64 Richard a second sonne to King Henry and Queene Maud by the testimony of Geruasius the Monke of Canterbury who maketh Maud their eldest Child William the second and lastly Richard and then saith he she left bearing but Malmsbury saith she had but two Children one of each sexe 65 Eufem also another daughter and fourth Child by Hector Boetius the Scottish Historian is said to be borne vnto the Beauclearke by Queene Maud the credite of the two last I leaue to the reporters who onely thus name them without any further relation His Naturall Issue 66 Robert the naturall sonne of King Henry was Earle of Gloucester and married Ma◅l daughter and heire of Robert Fitzhamon Lord of Glamorgan by whom hee had issue William Earle of Gloucester Richard Bishop of Bayon Roger Bishop of Worcester and Maud the wife of Randolph Gernon the mother of Hugh Keueliot Earle of Chester and Richard his brother Earle William married Auis daughter of Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester and had issue three daughters and heires of that Earledome which by Au◅s the second of them in the end descended to Clare Earle of Hertford This Earle Robert died the last of October in the twelfth yeare of King Stephen and was buried at Bristow in the Church of S. Iames which hee had founded and his body laide in the midst of the Quire vnto him William Malmsbury dedicated his Booke called Historia Nouella 67 Richard another naturall sonne of King Henry was as it seemeth by an ancient Register of the Monastery at Abington borne in the raigne of King William Rufus of the widow of Anskill a Nobleman of the Country adioining to the said Monastery and it seemeth hee is that Richard that was drowned in the Norman Seas neere Barbfleet among the rest of King Henries children 68 Raynold the naturall sonne of King Henry was borne of a daughter vnto Sir Robert Corbet Lord of Alcester in Warwickeshire by the gift of the King in fauour of her who was after married to Henry Fitz-herbert his Chamberlaine This Raynold was created Earle of Cornwall and Baron of Castle comb with consent of King Stephen and had issue foure Daughters of whom haue sprung many faire branches 69 Robert another of that name was borne of Edith the sister of Iue sonne and daughter of Forne the sonne of Sigewolfe both of them great Barons in the North which Edith afterwards King Henry gaue in marriage to Robert D◅lie Baron of Hook-Norton in Oxfordshire and with her gaue him the Mannor of Eleydon in the County of Buckingham by whom he had issue Henry Doylie Baron of Hook-Norton who oftentimes mentioneth this Robert in his Charters euer calling him Robert his brother the Kings sonne 70 Gilbert another naturall sonne of King Henry is named in the additions to the story of William Gemeticensis the Norman Monke in the Chronicle of that country written by Iohn Taylor being a Translator of that worke out of Latine into French and lastly in the Treaties betwixt England and France written in the French tongue by Iohn Tillet Secretarie to their late King Henry the second and yet in them not any other mention is made but only of his name 71 William also a narurall sonne of Henry the King had giuen vnto him the Towne of Tracie in Normandy of which hee tooke his surname and was called William of Tracie But whether he were the Progenitot of the Tracies sometime Barons in Deuonshire or of them that now be of the same surname or whether Sir William Tracie one of the foure Knights that slew Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury were any of his posterity is not certainely reported nor any thing else of him more then that hee died a little after his Father which was in the yeere of Christ 1135. 72 Henry another naturall sonne of King Henry was borne of the Lady Nesta daughter of Rees ap Tewdor Prince of South-Wales who was the Wife of Sir Gerald Windsor and of Stephen Constables of the Castles of Pembrooke and Abertinie in Wales and Progenitors of the Families of the Fitz-geralds and the Fitz-Stephens in Ireland he was borne and breed and liued and married in Wales hauing issue two sonnes namely Meiler and Robert of which Meiler the elder married the daughter of Hugh Lacie Lord of Methe in Ireland
Tikhill Marlborow and Ludgarfall with many other great Seigniories and aboue them all was also Lord of Ireland and at the last succeeded his brother Richard in all his-Dominions and was King of England 108 Maud the eldest daughter of King Henry and Queene Eleanor borne in the third yeere of her fathers raigne married to Henrie surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxonie Lothar that died yong Otho the fourth German Emperour and William borne at Winchester progenitor of the Dukes of Brunswicke who bare for their Armes the Coat of England with the two Lions as King Henrie his Grandfather bare before the match with Queene Eleanor and Maud married to Geffrey Earle of Perch Shee suruiued him and died in the first yeere of the raigne of her brother King Richard and was buried by her husband in the Church of S. Blase at Brunswicke 109 Eleanor the second daughter of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor was borne at Roan in Normandy in the eight yeere of her fathers raigne 1162. She was married to Alfâ—…se the ninth of that name surnamed the Good King of Castile in Spaine and had issue by him Saâ—…ches that died in his infancie Ferdinando that died in his youth Henry King of Castile after his Father Blaunch Queene of France wife to King Lewis the 8. and mother of Saint Lewis Berengar married to Alfonso king of Lion Vrraca Queene of Portugall and Eleanor wife of Iames king of Arragon 110 Ioane the third and yongest daughter of king Henry and Queene Eleanor his wife was born at the City of Angiers in France in the moneth of October the 13. yeare of her Fathers raigne which was the yeere of our Lord 1166. when shee was eleuen yeeres of age shee was with great honour conueied to the City of Palermo and there married to William the second of that name king of Sicil Duke of Apulia and Prince of Capua vpon Sunday the 13. day of Februarie 1177. and was crowned Queene the same day at the same place Shee had a sonne by him named Boamund whom his Father when hee was returned from his Christning created Duke of Apulia but the child died first and the Father after leauing no issue And she suruiuing married againe and was the third wife of Raimund the fourth of that name Earle of Tholouz by him shee had Issue Raimund the last Earle of that house Bertrand Lord of Branquell Montelore and Saluiac and a daughter married to Berald of Elbeine Prince of Orenge His Naturall Issue 111 William the Naturall sonne of king Henry born of Rosamund the daughter of Walter Lord Clifford which Lady for her incomparable beauty was reputed with allusion to her name Rosa-mundi the Rose of the world the deare affection the king bare her caused both burning iealousie in the Queene and fatall ruine to her selfe albeit the amorous king for her secresie and security but what walles will not a iealous eye pierce through had built for her a most artificiall Labyrinth at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire with such cunning windings and intricate passages as had not Fate and Heauens reuenge on Adultery shewed the way the enraged Queen had not so soone beene rid of her Riuall nor that wanton Dame of her life Shee was buried in the Nunnery of Godstow by Oxford with this Epitaph Hac iacet in Tumba Rosa 〈◊〉 non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quaredolere solet Rose This Tombe doth here enclose the Worlds most beâ—…teous Rose passing sweet ere while Now â—…ght but edour vile But Hugh called the Saint Bishop of Lincolne thought the Hearse of a Harlot no fit spectacle for a Quire of Virgins to contemplate therefore himselfe in person caused her bones to be cast foorth of the Church which yet those chast sisters afterward recollected and placed there againe with much honour â—…cting a goodly Crosse thus inscribed to the honour of her memory Qui meat hac oret Signumque salutis adoret Vtque tibi detur requies Rosamunda precetur All you which passe this way This Crosse adore and pray That Rosamunas Soule may True rest possesse for â—…ye The first Sonne which by her King Henry had was the said William surnamed in French Longespee in English Long-Sword He was Earle of Salisburie in right of Ela his Wife Daughter and hâ—…ire of William Earle of that County son of Earle Patrick by whom hee had Issue William Earle of Salisbury Stephen Earle of Vlster Ela Countesse of Warwicke Ida Lady Beucham of Bedford and Isabell Lady Vescie his sonne Earle William the second had Earle William the third Father of Margaret Wife of Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne hee died in the Castle of old Salisbury and was buried in the Cathedrall Church of the New City in the ninth yeare of the raigne of king Henry the third 112 Geffrey an other Naturall sonne of king Henry was borne of the Lady Rosamund aforesaid This man in his tender youth was by his Fathers procurement made Archdeacon of Lincolne and after Bishop of that See which hee held aboue seauen yeeres without consecration and then resigning it in the yeare 1181. into the hands of Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and his Father hee was made Chancellour of England and afterward by his brother king Richard hee was aduanced to the Archbishopricke of Yorke being consecrated at Tours in France An. 1191. which See he gouerned with good approbation But in the time of his Brother King Iohn hee vnderwent many difficulties by opposing the Kings purposes who therefore made seisure of his whole state and An. 1207. he left the Land and after fiue yeeres banishment died viz. Ann. 1213. 113 Morgan an other Naturall sonne of King Henry is thought by some because so small mention is made of him to haue beene of no long life after his birth and to haue beene borne of some woman in Wales where this Christian name is most commonly vsed and whither this King vpon many occasions sometimes resorted But some others whose studious paines deserue much thankes of posteritie report that hee was gotten on the wife of one Rodulph Bloeth or Blewet a knight and liued both to bee Prouost of Beuerley and to be elected to the Bishopricke of Durham when comming to Rome for a dispensation because his Bastardie made him otherwise vncapable the Pope willed him to professe himselfe Blewets lawfull son and not the Kings Naturall promising to consecrate him on that condition but he vsing the aduise of one William Lane his Clerke told the Pope that for no worldly promotion he would renounce his father or deny himselfe to bee of roiall bloud so blind were some Prelats of those times who esteemed spirituall functions to be but worldly promotions RICHARD THE FIRST DVKE OF NORMANDY GVYEN AND AQVITAINE c. THE FORTIE FOVRTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER VI. RICHARD succeeding to his deceased Father Henrie brought forth that wonder which a Writer ofthat age
that name and last of that house who died without Issue male she had also by him two daughters Elenor married to Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Margaret to Hugh Courtney the first Earle of Deuonshire Shee was this Earles wife foureteene yeers liued thirty three deceased in the ninth yeere of the raigne of king Edward her brother A. D. 1316. and was buried in the Church of S. Iames at the Abbey of Saffron VValden in Essex 69 Beatrice the eight daughter of King Edward and Queene Elenor bare the name of Beatrice Dutchesse of Britannie her fathers sister she is by some Genealogists mentioned to haue liued till she was marriageable but yet no mention being made of her match it seemeth she died vnmarried 70 Blanch the ninth daughter of king Edward and the last of Queene Elenor is so mentioned by Thomas Pickering and some others but not at all by Thomas Ebraham a Monke who made a Pedegree of the Kings of England but shee is by the rest reported to haue died in her childhood 71 Thomas the fifth sonne of king Edward and the first of Queene Margaret his second wife was borne at a little village in Yorkshire called Brotherton Iune 1. in the nine and twenteth yeere of his fathers raigne Ann. 1300. hee was created Earle of Norfolke and Earle Marshal of England which Earledomes the last Earle Roger Bigod leauing no Issue left to the disposition of the King his father He had two wiues of which the first was Alice the daughter of Sir Roger Hayles of Harwich in Suffolk by whom hee had issue Edward who married Beatrice the daughter of Roger Mortimer the first Earle of March but hee died before his father without Issue and two daughters Margaret twice married first to Iohn Lord Segraue by whom shee had Elizabeth Dutchesse of Norfolke wife of Iohn Lord Mowbray from whom the Mowbrayes Howards Dukes of Norffolke and Earles Marshall descended secondly to Sir VValter Manny a Knight of Cambray and by him had Anne wife of Iohn Hastings the elder Earle of Pembroke and mother of Earle Iohn the yonger that died without Issue his yongest daughter Alice was married to Sir Edward Montacute and had by him three daughters Elizabeth and Ioan married to VValter and VVilliam two of the Vffords and Maud that died vnmarried The second wife of this Earle Thomas was Mary the daughter of VVilliam Lord Ros and widow of Sir Ralph Cobham who suruiuing him without Issue by him shee was married the third time to VVilliam Lord Brerose of Brember 72 Edmund his sixt sonne by Queene Margaret was borne at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire August 5 in the thirtieth yeare of the raigne of his Father A. 1301. Hee was created Earle of Kent and married Margaret daughter of Iohn and sister and sole heire of Thomas Lord VVakes of Lydel in the County of Northampton by her he had Issue two sonnes and one daughter Edmund his eldest sonne was Earle of Kent after his father and died vnder age without wife or issue Iohn the yonger was Earle also after his brother he maried Elizabeth the daughter of the Duke of Gulike and died like vise without Issue His daughter was Ioan for her beauty called the faire Maid of Kent first maried to William Mountacute Earle of Salisbury and from him diuorced and remarried to Sir Thomas Holland in her right Earle of Kent and by her father of Thomas and Iohn Holland Duke of Surrey and Earle of Huntington and lastly shee was the wife of Edward of Woodstocke the Blacke Prince of Wales and by him mother of King Richard the second This Earle Edmund was beheaded at Winchester the 1â—… of March in the fourth yeere of King Edward his Nephew 73 Eleanor the tenth daughter fifteenth child of King Edward and the last child of Queene Margaret his second wife was borne at Winchester the sixt day of May in the fiue and thirtieth and last yeere of her fathers Raign being the yeere of our Lord 1306. shee deceased in her Child-hood and was buried in S. Peters Church at Westminster by her brother Iohn Henry and Alfons vnder the monument before named with her picture ouer it EDVVARD THE SECOND LORD OF IRELAND AND DVKE OF AQVITAINE c. THE FORTIE-EIGHTH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XI THat the Mind is not deriued from Parents certainely the second Edward called of Caeernaruon might if nothing else abundantlie shew being of a most valiant wise and fortunate father an vnlike sonne yet not to beginne our description of his courses with preiudice of his person we will so temper our stile that by his owne actions sincerely related rather then by any verball censures the man may bee iudged This cannot be denied that whereas from the Conquest till his time England though it endured by Gods iust iudgements many bitter sad and heauy stormes through some headinesse ambition or other sicknesses of mind in the Princes thereof yet had she Men to sway and gouerne her and those distempers were as the perturbations incident to vigorous dispositions whereas vnder this Edward who could neither get nor keepe it seemed to endure the leuities of a Child though his yeeres being about twenty and three might haue exempted him from so great infancie of iudgement as his raigne discouered 2 Neuer came Prince to the crowne with more generall applause then he so great hopes of doing well his Victorious father Edward of VVinchester had left vpon him besides the right of succession whose last warning and terrible adiurations you haue heard with the vtter contempt and breach whereof to the destruction of himselfe and his friends hee in a manner auspicated his gouernement 3 After that Edward had in his best maner prouided for the affaires of Scotland where at Domfrees many of the Scottish Lords did their homage to him as they had to his Father the first taske which hee gaue of his future behauiours at home was a rigorous reuenge taken by him vpon Walter de Langton Bishoppe of Chester Treasurer of England and principall Executor of the last Will of the deceased King whose body was not as yet interred but by the care of the Executors conueied with funerall pompe to VValtham and after sixteen weekes to VVestminster where vnder a plaine monument the same at this present rests The Bishoppes crime was a kind of good freedome which hee vsed in the late Kings daies in grauely reprouing the Prince for his misdemeanors and shortning his waste of coine by a frugall moderation and particularly for that he had complained of Peirs Gaueston wherupon ensued Prince Edwards imprisonment and the others banishment and therefore comming now to the Crowne hee arrested the Bishoppe by Sir Iohn Felton Constable of the Tower and imprisoned him in VVallingford Castle seising vpon all his temporall goods and credites there being not a man in the Realme who durst speake a word on his behalfe so
Glequin makes his vse of all occasions and workes much harme to the English party in Guien and Britaine But in Britaine Sir Robert Knols did so nobly acquit him selfe on the behalfe of his Souereignes sonne in law the Duke that he only seemed a fit parallel to Glequin like as hee stopt the current of his fortune was borne at Gaunt the chiefe Towne of Flaunders Anno 1340. and 14. of his fathers raigne In his Childhood he was created Earle of Richmond which title was afterward recalled in and bestowed vpon Iohn Duke of Britanny who married his sister to whose Dutchy it had formerly belonged Hee had three wiues the first Blanch daughter and Coheire and in the end the sole heire of Henry Duke of Lancaster sonne of Edmund surnamed Crooch-back in whose right he was at the first Earle and after Duke of the same and with that Dutchy also Earle of Leicester Derby and Lincolne and high Steward of England He had issue by her Henry of Bullingbrooke Earle of Derbie after Duke of Hereford and lastly King of England named Henry the fourth who first placed the Crowne in the house of Lancaster Philip wife of Iohn the first King of Portugall and Elizabeth married first to Iohn Holland Earle of Huntingdon brother of Thomas Duke of Surrey and after him to Sir Iohn Cornwall Baron of Fanhope His second wife was Consiance the eldest daughter of Peter King of Castile and Leon in whose right for the time he entituled himself King of both these realmes by her he had issue one onely daughter named Katherine married to Henry the third sonne of King Iohn in possession before and in her right after King of both the said realmes His third wife was Katherine the widow of Sir Hugh Swinford a Knight of Lincolnshire eldest daughter and Coheire of Payn Roet a Gascoigne called Guien King of Armes for that Countrey his yonger daughter being married to Sir Geoffrey Chaâ—…cer our Laureat Poet. By her hee had issue borne before matrimony and made legitimate afterward by Parliament holden in the twentieth yeere of King Richard the second Iohn Earle of Sommerset Thomas Duke of Excester Henry Bishop of Winchester and Cardinall and Ioane who was first married to Robert Ferrers Baron of Wemme and Ouesley in the Counties of Salop and VVarwicke and secondly to Raph Neuil the first Earle of Westmerland Shee and all her brethren were surnamed Beaufort of a Castle which the Duke had in France where they were all borne in regard thereof bearing the Porculleys of a Castle for the cognizance of their family This Duke in the thirteenth yeere of his Nephew King Richard at a parliament holden at London was created Duke of Aquitaine but in the sixt yeere after hee was called home and this Title recalled in and in the third yeere after the sixtieth of his age Anno 1399. he dyed at Ely house in Holborne and lyeth honourably entombed in the Quire of Saint Paul Edmond their 5. sonne surnamed of Langley was created Earle of Cambridge Anno 1362. in the same Parliament wherein Lionel was created Duke of Clarence Hee was afterward made Duke of Yorke Anno 1386. and married Isabel daughter and Coheire to Peter King of Castile and Leon. His sonne Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke took to wife Anne Mortiâ—…er heire of the foresaid Lionel elder brother to Edmund Langley William another of their sonnes surnamed of Wynsore where he was borne dyed yong and is buried at Westminster Thomas the youngest sonne of King Edward and Queene Philip surnamed of Woodstocke where hee was borne was first Earle of Buckingham created by his Nephew King Richard the second on his Coronation day An. 1377. by whom after also he was made Duke of Glocester 1385. The Earledomes also of Essex and Northampton and the Constableshippe of England fell to him by right of his wife Eleanor the only daughter and heire of Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex Hee was a man of valour wisdome and vigilancy for the behoofe of the King his Nephew and the State but those noble vertues distempered with too much wilfulnesse froward obstinacy bred him first Enuy and afterruine For the King surmising him to bee a too seuere obseruer of his doings consulted with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke how to make him away whom Mowbray vnawares surprizing conuaied secretly to Callis where he was strangled 1397. 20. of his Nephewes raigne Himselfe in his life had prouided a goodlie tombe at Playsie in Essex his owne Towne and the vsuall seat of the great Constables of England where hee founded a Colledge whither his body was brought and laid with all funerall pompe but afterward it was translated to Westminster where also lyeth Eleanor his wife who dyed 1399. Their issue was Humfrey Earle of Buckingham who dyed at Chester of the pestilence An. 1400. Anne married first to Edmund Earle of Stafford by whom shee had Humfrey Duke of Buckingham secondly to William Bourchier Earle of Eue by whom she had Henry Earle of Essex Philippa Ioane Isabell who died all issulesse Isabel the eldest daughter and second childe of K. Edward and Queene Philip was married at Windsore with great pompe to Ingelram of Guisnes Lord of Coucy Earle of Sâ—…ysons and after Arch-Duke of Austria whom K. Edward his father in law created also Earle of Bedford 1365. by whom shee was mother of two daughters Mary married to Henry of Barre to whom shee bare Robert de Barre and Ioane the wife of Lewis of Luxemburg Earle of S. Paul and Philip the wife of Robert de Veere Earle of Oxford Duke of Ireland and Marquesse of Dublyn this Robert in the heigth of his fortunes forsooke his noble Ladie and married one Lancerona a Ioyners daughter by report which came with King Richard the seconds wife out of Boheme and being for his pride and abusing the Kings eare to the hurt of the State driuen out of the land by the nobles hee dyed at Louain in great vexation of mind and extreme penury An. 1392. Isabel his wiues mother was buried in the Church of Fryars Minorites neer Algate in London Ioane their second daughter and third child was borne 9. of her fathers raigne An. 1335. Bâ—…ng 14. yeres of age shee was desired in marriage by solemne Embassage from Alphons the eleuenth King of Castile and Leon sonne of King Ferdinando the 4 was espoused by Proxie intituled Queene of Spaine and conueyed into that Countrey where shee presentlie deceased of a great plague that then raigned so as the King comming to meete her to solemnize the espousals with great griefe accompanyed her to Church only at her funerall 22. of her fathers raigne An. 1348. Blanch the 3. daughter died yong and lieth buried at Westminster Mary their 4. daughter was married to Iohn Montford Duke of Britaine Margaret their youngest daughter was the first wife of Iohn de Hastings Earle of Pembroke but shee dyed without
swallowing about fiue hundreth in his vnknowne depthes as they who fled from the battell sought to passe This victory hapned vpon Holyrood in haruest The troubles which afterward hapned did not onely hinder the Lord Percie from farther prosecution of such a victorie but eclypsed the honour hee had gotten now and gaue his dayes a bloudy foule Catastrophe 29 The Lord Edmund Mortimer Earle of March next generall heire in bloud to the Crowne of England after the death of Richard the second hauing through feare of Owen whose prisoner hee was or hope of recouering his right or for reuenge because the King did not ransom him married Owens daughter by which hee must necessarily declare himselfe an enemie to King Henrie entertained intelligence with his neere kinsmen the Percies and sundry other his friends in Cheshire and elsewhere to what purpose will shortly appeare The night in which this Lord Mortimer though some referre it to Owens birth was born all the horses in his fathers stable are said to haue bin found standing Belly-deep in bloud A fearefull prodigie as euen then it seemed but verified afterward in the farre more fearefull euents when vpon the quarrell of Mortimers title by which the house of Yorke claimed the horses of warre did not onely stand belly-deepe in bloud but also swam therein The mischiefe was already begun for Henry Earle of Northumberland when now his owne and his houses strengths were mightily encreased by this late victory against the Scots which he vnder-hand seemes to haue conuerted to his secret priuate ends closely animated his brother the Earle of Worcester and his fiery spirited son against the King to both their confusions 30 The King tooke to wife the Lady Iane of Nauarre widdow of Iohn de Montfort Duke of Britaine named the Conquerour who died the yeere before by whom she had issue both sons and daughters but by the King none He met and married her at Winchester and crowned her Queene at Westminster The King was not trusted with the custody of any her three sonnes Iohn Richard Arthur who remained in France 31 Euents are the best interpreters of prophesies and prodigies Strange was that which Walsingham hath written of a fatall Spectrum or Apparitions in the summer time betweene Bedford and Bickleswade where sundry monsters of diuers colours in the shapes of armed men were often seene to issue out of the woods at morning and at noone which to such as stood farre off seemed to encounter one the other in most terrible manner but when they drew neer nothing was to be found Of another nature were the fiery attempts of the Percies The first of them who discouered in armes his mortall hatred was the noble Hotspur who vnder colour of the Scottish warre made head about Chester and the marches of Wales To him by the priuitie of Hotspurs father repaires the naughtie old man the Earle of Worcester leauing the young Prince of Wales and the Princes houshold ouer both which for their better Gouernment the King had placed him Now was the torch of warre lighted vp and began to blaze for though the chiefe plot-master the Earle of Northumberland was not ioined to them as hee did intend yet were their numbers growne mightily with which they meant to enter the Towne of Shrewsbury to make thereof a Seat of warre 32 Colourable causes of their armes were the ordinarie paintings of the like attempts Care of common-wealths reformation and their owne safeties for hauing first protested their intentions not to be the breach of loyaltie they pretend and by letters sent about doe signifie 1. That the publike monie was not employed vpon the pretended defence of the kingdome but vnduly wasted 2. That by reason of bad tongues about the King they durst not approach him to declare their innocency vnlesse the Prelates and Peeres of the Realme did first intercede for them 3. That they tooke armes onely to guard their owne heads and to see the Kingdome better gouerned These Articles had the place of the Huske but the kernell of the enterprize had principallie these 1. To thrust King Henry out of his seat and consequently to depriue him of life 2. To aduance the title of the Lord Mortimer Earle of Mâ—…ch their neerest Allie for the Earle of Northumberland had married Elizabeth the daughter of the Lord Edmund Mortimer the elder Earle of March by Philip daughter to Lionel Duke of Clarence 3. To take reuenge of King Henry for seeking to drawe the chiefe benefit to himselfe of the victory at Halidowâ—… hill whose principall prisoners he required and for such other priuate grudges 4. To share the Kingdome betweene Mortimer Percy and Owen Glendower Concerning which partition it is in some found written that Indentures tripartite were sealed showing that South-England should remaine to Mortimer North-England to Percy and Wales beyond Seuern to Glendower But Archembald Earle of Dowglas who did his Countrey good seruice by making one in our Combustions by common consent was allowed for his share to be free from ransome and to haue Berwicke 33 This in our English Adages is called to reckon without our host or to count our chickens before they are hatched But though at this time God would haue it so yet who doth not easily see what a wild horse a kingdome so gotten is and how hard to sit and not to manage onlie Yet it seemeth that if Mortimer hauing so iust a title to the Crowne had openlie professed the cause of his attempt against King Henry it might iustlie haue beene exempted from all staine of disabilitie But this partition is said to haue beene wisely built vpon a sound Welsh prophesie of Merlins as if King Henry were the Mowldwarp cursed of Gods owne mouth and Mortimer Percy and Glendower the Dragon Lyon and Wolfe which should diuide this Realme betweene them Surely the Welsh hauing any hand in such a partition it is not likelie they could thinke it had the right feete if it stood not vpon the supposed Merlins his ridiculous cosenages and riddles The English not to be behind in leasings doe in the meanetime euery where spread that Richard was safe aliue and in the Castle of Chester Who can wonder that this name should be so gratious as if alone it were enough to haue shaken Henry out of his State when Nero himselfe had so many fauorites that twenty yeeres after his death an obscure fellow faining himselfe Nero was so backt and countenanced by the Parthians and others that not without much difficulty the Romans could get him into their hands 34 On the other side King Henry assailed with so vnexpected ieopardies defends his cause by letters and strongly puts the blame vpon the accusers saying That he maruelled exceedingly seeing the Earle of Northumberland and Henry his Sonne had the greatest part of the publike moneys deliuered to them for defence of the borders against
of the French King his Master who should more fully informe his Maiestie and giue his safe-conduct for a further conference in these affaires and so wisely this counterfeit worded his message that the King and Nobles liked well the ouerture and thereupon granting a safe-conduct sent with him an English Herauld to receiue the like and other assignements from the French King 94 But when the Duke of Burgundy vnderstood that a peace was trauersed betwixt Edward Lewis he stormed not a little and with no small hast from Lutzenburgh accompanied with sixteene horse only came to his brother King Edward and in a great rage reproued him of breach of promise and vncourteous requitall of his former kindnes that thus would enter amity with his great foe and in outward semblance more ready to bite then to barke burst into these reproofes Haue you quoth hee brother passed the Seas entred France and without killing of a poore flie or burning of a silly Sheepecote taken a shamefull truce Oh S. George did Edward your noble Ancestor euer make Armie into France and returned without battell or Conquest That victorious Prince King Henry the fifth as neere of kinne vnto you as me whose blood you haue either rightfullie or wrongfully God knoweth extinguished and destroied with a small puissance conquered Normandy kept it and neuer would come to composition till he had the whole kingdome of France offrâ—…d him and was made heire apparant vnto that Crowne Contrariwise you without any thing done proffer of battell or gaine of honor haue now condiscended vnto a pâ—…ce as profitable for Englâ—… â—…s is a poore peascod haue I thinke you for my particular vse drawne the English forces into France which am able of my selfe to defend mine owne cause I tell you plainly no but rather to aid you to recouer your ancient Territories wrongfully withholden and that you shall wel know I need not your aide I will heare of no truce with the French till 〈◊〉 moneths after your arriâ—…ge in England at the least And â—…reupon furiously arising he threw downe the Chaire wherein he had sare and offred to depart 95 Nay stay brother Charles quoth K. Edward sith I with patience haue heard you speake what you would you shall now perforce heare from me what you would not First therefore for my thus entrance into France no man knoweth the occasion better then your selfe for mauger your owne great power you speake of you doe remember I know how the French King tooke from you the faire Towne Amiens and the strong Pile Saint Quintins with diuers other peeces which you neither durst nor were able either to rescue or defend since which time he hath gotten from you your best bosome friends and secret Counsellors so as your selfe stood in doubt determining to besiege Nusse whether the losse would be greater in your absence the French King waiting as a fox for his pray or gaine more in Germany by your power and presence and to keepe this wolfe from your fold was the principall cause why you so earnestly praied me and continually sollicited me to passe ouer the Seas promising mountaines but performing not a Mole-hill bragging a supply both of horse and foote but neuer sent me a hoofe nor a lackie Thinke you brother if wee had entred this enterprize in our owne quarrell we would haue expected your aide I assure you nothing lesse for if we had intended any such Conquest we would with Souldiers fire and sword haue so infected the aire with the flames and slaine of France as should haue annoied your Countreys of Flaunders and Brabant and giuen you leasure to sit still and tell of our euer atchieued great victories nothing doubting but to haue gotten and kept with like manhood and in as great glorie as any of our Ancestors before vs had done But the occasion of warre being yours and you wilfully I will not say cowardly neglecting the same I meane not to prosecute for â—…e French King neuer offended me nor my Subiects except in fauouring Warwicke against me nay I may say against you and now offreth such honorable ouertures of peace which I by Gods grace meane not to forsake but will obserue and keepe God send you ioy thereof quoth the Duke and so abruptly departed from the King 96 The peace thus resolued vpon betwixt the two kings of England and France the place appointed for conference was neere vnto Amiens and the parties assigned for the French were the Bastard of Bourbon Admirall of France the Lord S. Pierre and the Bishop of Eureux For the English were the Lord Howard Sir Thomas St. Leger and Doctor Mâ—…ton Lord Chancellor of England These meeting presentlie fell to a conclusion of peace the conditions whereof were That the French King should forthwith pay to the King of England seuenty two thousand Crownes That the Daulphin should marrie Lady Elizabeth King Edwards eldest daughter and that shee should haue for her maintenance the Dutchy of Guienâ—… or else fifty thousand Crownes yeerely to be paid in the Tower of London for nine yeeres space This peace was so acceptable to King Lewis as he sent sixteene thousand Crownes to bee distributed amongst the English Souldiers with plate and great presents to men of any sort indeed gaue them such entertainment in Amiens as was most bounteous whereof if any desire further to know let him read Comines vpon the same text 97 To graft which peace with a louing beginning the two Kings were desirous to see each others for which end Commissioners were sent to aâ—…gne the place and lastly agreed that the Tow ne 〈◊〉 about three leagues from Amiens seated in a bottome through which the Riâ—… Some ranne was the fittest ouer which a strong bridge was built and in the 〈◊〉 thereof a grate made ouer-thwart with barres no wider asunder then a man might well thrust in his Arme couered with boords ouer head to auoid the raine the bridge so broad that twelue might stand in a rancke on both sides 98 The day approched and the two Kings come to the place hee of France came first to the Grate accompanied with twelue personages as was the appointment wherof Iohn Duke of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother were the chiefest King Edward entring the bridge on the other end with his brother the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Northumberland the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine and the Lord Chancellor himselfe apparelled all in cloth of gold with a rich Iewell of precious stones in forme of a Flower de Luce aduanced forward and within fiue foote of the Grate put off his cap and bowed his knee within halfe a foote to the ground King Lewis as readily doing his likely reuerence vnto Edward Where after imbracements through 〈◊〉 Grate the Chancellour of England who was Prelate and Bishop of Ely made an eloquent and learned Oration which done he
they were gone to account to God and his feare for the maine quite banished the king did not let loose the reines to his immoderate desire of hauing which yet was not more sinnefull then the meanes vnder him practised were odious For Empson and Dudley that followed being persons that had no reputation with him otherwise then the seruile following of his owne humors gaue him way and shaped him meanes to those extremities whereby himselfe was touched with remorse at his death and which his successor disauowed And this we take to be a true iudgement To bee particular in the recitall of thinges worthy to die in forgetfulnesse is not onely to recite but in a sort to teach them also as some who by broad inuectiues haue as it were read a lecture of those vices against which they haue pretended to inueigh But publike and shamefull Arts may more safely be deliuered The instruments whome the King set on worke or who pâ—…aps set the King on worke were * two Lawyers Richard Empson afterward knighted and Edmund Dudley Esquier their emploiment was to cal the richer subiect into queon for breach of old penall lawes long before discontinued and forgotten whereby they brake in vpon the people as it were at vnaware like a kind of authorized robbers masked vnder the pretext of seruice for the King and the names of Delators or Promoters a familiar sicknesse in the times of ancient Tyrannies But the courses to execute their employment were voide of all conscience and colour For one of them was to outlaw persons secretly and then to seise their estates driuing them to chargefull compositions with the King and heauy bribes to the Authors of their trouble More detestable was another practise of theirs For there were false Iurors and ring leaders of false Iurors who would neuer giue any verdict against the will of their patrons the said Empson and Dudley so that if any durst stand out vpon triall the destiny of their causes was squared forth by the leaden rule of those fellowes consciences which to bee a truth the expiatory punishment which K. Henry the eight tooke of them in the first yeare of his raigne doth clearely conuince By these meanes many honest and worthy subiects were rigorously fined imprisoned or otherwise afflicted which filled the land with sorrow and repinings Among very many others thus abused Sir William Capell Alderman of London was eminent as from whom in the tenth yeer of the kings raign had beene scruzed vnder the colour of moth-eaten and vnreuiued Lawes aboue sixteene hundreth pounds sterling and was now againe plaide at afresh and another hand drawne vpon him for two thousand pounds which because he would not pay hee was by Dudley commaunded prisoner to the Tower but by the death of the King which ensued all such prisoners were released If any perhaps will slight the hard vsage extended to Citizens and to the like they are vnwise therein neither thinke as Patriots ought For though it may so fall out that the personall vexation of some few merits no great pitty yet the example is pestilent and it is a part of the cunning to choose out at first such for patternes as vpon whose persons least compasâ—…on may fall which examples may afterward bee extended to whomsoeuer These reuels and rages against the wealthier sort continued till it pleased God to sting the Kings heart with iust compunction toward the horror of his death who had the fauour from heauen as to lie sicke of a consuming disease which wasted him by such insensible degrees as gaue him the vse of his whole selfe as it were till the last gaspe whereby hee had meanes to recollect himselfe after those many soule-wounding assaults which attend regall greatnesse and to submit his thoughts to such ghostly admonishments touching another life whereunto in dayes of health the hearts or eares of great Princes are seldome attentiue 71 About the yeere of his death hauing vnderstood that Lewis King of France despairing of issue male had annulled the Contracts made betweene Charles King of Spaine sonne of the late King Philip and afterward elected Emperour by the name of Charles the fifth and the Lady Claudia his eldest daughter whom he newly betrothed to Francis of Valois Dolphin of France and Duke of Angolesme King Henry whose care for preseruation of the common quiet and good of his Country by forrain alliances was euer holy in him and awake thought it a faire occasion for him to match his younger daughter the Lady Marie The French King to haue the aduise of Iames the fourth King of Scots in the bestowing the said Madam Claudia his eldest daughter had before sent Bernard Steward Lord Dobignie and the President of Tholouz Ambassadors for that purpose who finally in effect receiued this answere That the said King Iames thought it best that his eldest daughter should be married within his owne Realme of France for if she were married vpon any forraine Prince it might giue colour to claime title to the said Realme afterward And if he did marrie her at home rather to him the said Francis whom he had appointed to succeed then any other Which resolution was very acceptable to K. Lewis because it iumped with his owne purpose and it was followed accordingly King Henry therefore hearing that King Charles might bee obtained so pursued the poâ—… by the prudent managing of Richard Fox now Bishoppe of Winchester his Ambassadour that King Charles his Ambassadors comming out of Flanders where hâ—… was educated and meeting him at Caleis the affâ—… was opened disputed concluded and the Lady Mary then about ten yeeres of age as King Charles himselfe was by solemne contract assured to him for wife 72 Now therefore his sonne Henrie Prince of Wales being heire of the Crowne and married his eldest daughter the Lady Magaret Queene of Scotland the Lady Mary his youngest prouided for so highly though in the end it came to nothing all likelihood of perill by competitors or busie Factionists buried in the Tower by the emprisonment of Edmund Earle of Suffolke his people tractable and calme his coffers full and the state of things ripe for a successour death the executioner of the Almighties sentence was ready to discharge him of the prison of his flesh Before he departed well disposed persons tendering the health of his soule did both in sermons and otherwise informe him of the exclamations against informers Wherefore he of his blessed disposition granted to all men generall pardons certaine onely excepted In his life time hee founded the goodly Hospitall of the Saudy built sixe religious Houses for Franciscan Friers three of them for Obseruants and the other three for Conuentuals Of his building also was Richmund Pallace and that most beautifull peece the Chappell at Westminster the one the place of his death and the other of his buriall which formes of more
curious and exquisite building he and Bishoppe Foxe first as is reported learned in France and thence brought with them into England He died about the age of fiftie two yeeres vpon the two and twentieth of April hauing raigned twenty three yeeres and eight moneths A right noble wise victorious and renowed King and one whose piety would haue beene farre more eminent then all his other vertues if from the beginning the malignant quality of the times would haue permitted him to liue in quiet He specially honoured the remembrance of that Saint-like Man Henry the sixth the founder of his Family and Propheticall fore-teller of that fortune which now hee died seised of whom also he laboured to haue Canonized for a Saint but that Pope Iulio held that honour at two high a rate It is reckoned by some writers of that age among his principall glories that three Popes Alexander the sixth Pius the third and Iulius the second did in their seuerall times with authority and consent of the Cardinals elect and chose him for chiefe defensor of Christs Church before all other Christian Princes In his last will and Testament after the disposition of his soule and body hee deuised and willed Restitution should bee made of all such moneis as had vniustly beene leuied by his Officers A most pious and truly Christian care wherby also appeareth that hee hoped the wrongs done vnder him were not so enormous nor innumerable but that they might fall within the possibility of redresse The description of his whole man is had in the beginning of his life and the course thereof described in his Actions There remaine of his wisdome many effects and those as his fame likely to continue for euer His Wife 71 Elizabeth the first Childe Legitimate and eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth was at the age of nineteene vpon the eighteenth of Ianuarie and yeere of Christ Iesus 1485. married vnto King Henry the seuenth whereby was vnited the long contending Families of Lancaster and Yorke and the Roses red and White ioined into one to the great ioy of the English Subiects Shee was crowned at Westminster vpon the fiue-and twentieth of Nouember the third of her husbands Raigne and of Grace 1487. Shee was his wife eighteene yeeres and twenty foure daies and died in childe-bed in the Tower of London the eleuenth of February euen the day of her owne Natiuity the eighteenth of her husbands Raigne and yeere of our Saluation 1503. and is buried at Westminster in the most magnificent Chappell and rich Monument of Copper and gilt where shee with her husband lie entombed His Issue 72 Arthur the eldest sonne of King Henrie the seauenth and of Queene Elizabeth his wife was borne at Winchester the twentith day of September the yeere of Grace one thousand foure hundred eighty sixe and the second of his Fathers raigne In whose fifth yeere he was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall and Earle of Chester and at the age of fifteene yeeres one month and twenty fiue daies vpon the foureteenth of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and one espoused the Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinando King of Spaine shee being then about eighteene yeeres of age in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul London and presently sent into Wales the better to gouerne that principality by his owne Presence enioyed his marriage bed onely foure moneths and ninteene daies departing this life at Ludlow the second of Aprill the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and two of his Fathers raigne seuenteene and of his owne age fifteene yeeres sixe moneths and thirteene daies His body with all due funerall solemnities was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Maries in Worcester where in the South side of the Quire he remaineth entombed in Touch or Iette without any remembrance of him by picture 73 Henrie the second sonne of King Henrie the seuenth and of Queene Elizabeth was borne at Greenwich in the Countie of Kent the two and twentieth of Iune in the yeere of Grace one thousand foure hundred ninety and one being the seuenth of his Fathers raigne In his Infancy he was created Duke of Yorke and Marshall of England and so trained vp in his youth to literature as hee was rightly accounted the best learned Prince in Europe and by the death of his brother succeeded his Father in all his Dominions whose Raigne and Acts are presently to be related 74 Edmund the third sonne of King Henry and of Queene Elizabeth was borne in the yeere of Christ one thousand foure hundred ninetie fiue and in his young yeeres was created Duke of Sommerset which Title hee no long time enioyed being taken away by death at Bishops Hatfield before hee attained fully to fiue yeeres of age the yeere of Grace one thousand foure hundred ninetie and fiue and fifteenth of his Fathers Raigne and his body lieth interred at Saint Peters in Westminster 75 Margaret the eldest daughter of King Henrie and of Lady Elizabeth his Queene was born the nine and twentieth day of Nouember the yeere of Christ 1489. and fifth of her fathers raigne shee at the age of foureteene was married vnto Iames the fourth King of Scotland the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and three vnto whom shee bare Iames the fifth Arthur and Alexander and a Daughter which last three died all of them young and after the death of King Iames being slaine at Flodden Field in fight against the Engglish shee was remarried vnto Archibald Douglas Earle of Anguisse in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and foureteene vnto whom shee bare Margaret afterward espoused vnto Mathew Earle of Lennox Father by her of the Lord Henrie who died at the age of nine moneths and lyeth interred in the vpper ende of the Chancell in the Parish Church of Stepney neere London vpon whose Graue is engrauen in brasse as followeth Heere lieth Henry Steward Lord Darle of the age of three quarters of a yeere late Sonne and Heire of Mathew Steward Earle of Lennoux and Lady Margaret his wife which Henrie deceased the XXV III. day of Nouember in the yeere of our Lord God 1545. Whose Soule Iesus perdon Her second sonne was Henrie Lord Dernley a Noble Prince and reputed for person one of the goodliest Gentlemen of Europe who married Marie Queene of Scotland the royall Parents of the most roiall Monarch Iames the first King of great Britaine and of the Britaine World And her third sonne was Charles Earle of Lennox father vnto Lady Arbella 76 Elizabeth the second daughter of King Henry and Lady Elizabeth his Queene was borne the second day of Iuly one thousand foure hundred ninety two and died the foureteenth of September and yeere of Christ one thousand foure hundred ninetie fiue and is interred at Westminster 77 Mary the third blossome of the Imperiall Rose-tree of England was first wife to Lewis King of France who liued not
serued his brother Egfrid against Ethelred king of the Mercians to the great griefe of them both the yeere of Christs natiuity six hundred seuentie nine 12 Elfled the eldest daughter of king Oswy and queene Eanfled was borne in the month of September the yeere of grace six hundred fiftie foure being the twelfth of her fathers raigne and when she was a yeer old by him committed to the custodie bringing vp of the renowned Lady Hilda Abbesse of Streanshall wherein she liued vnder her a Nun and after her death did succeed her Abbesse of the place and in great holinesse and vertue spent therein her life vnto the day of her death which was the yeere of Christ Iesus seuen hundred fourteene and of her owne age sixtie being interred in S. Peters Church within the same Monasterie 13 Offrid the younger daughter of king Oswy and queene Eanfled was borne about the fifteenth yeere of her fathers raigne which was the yeere of our Lord six hundred sixtie seuen and when she was fully twenty was married vnto Ethelred king of Mercia the twelfth Monarch of the Englishmen in the third yeere of his raigne and of Christ six hundred seuenty seuen 14 Alkfrid the naturall sonne of king Oswy did first succeed his cosen Ethelwald sonne of king Oswald his Vncle in part of Northumberland and held the same by force against his Father which afterwards he peaceably inioyed both with him and his halfe brother King Egfrid whom lastly hee succeeded in the whole kingdome of Northumberland as more at large in the same story we haue declared 15 Alâ—…fled the naturall daughter of king Oswy borne before her father was king in the yeere of Christs incarnation six hundred fiftie three and the eleuenth of her fathers raigne was married to Peâ—…d the sonne of Penda that by his permission had gouerned some part of Mercia and by Oswy his gift with this Alfled all the South of that Prouince She was his wife three yeers and is of most writers taxed to be the actor of his death being wickedly murthered in the feast of Easter the yeere of grace six hundred fiftie sixe and the fourteenth of her Fathers raigne VVLFHERE THE SIXTH KING OF THE MERCIANS AND THE ELEVENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXIII VVulfhere after the murther of his brother Peada aduanced against Oswy by the Nobles of Mercia maintained his title and kingdome for twelue yeeres continuance in the life time of that Northumbrian Monarch and after his death translated the Monarchy from those Kings and Country vnto himself and his successors the Mercians who now wore the Imperiall Diademe without reuersement vntill such time as great Egbert set it vpon the West-Saxons head He was the second sonne of Penda King of Mercia and the sixth in succession of that kingdome beginning his raigne the yeere of Christ his Incarnation six hundred fiftie nine and twelue yeeres after Anno six hundred seuenty one entred his Monarchy ouer the Englishmen and was in number accounted the eleuenth Monarch of the Land 2 His entrance was with trouble against the Northumbrians for vnto Egfrid their King he had lost the possession of the Iland Linsey and was expelled the Country yet three yeeres after he fought against the West-Saxons with better successe whose Country with conquest he passed thorow and wan from Redwald their King the I le of Wight which Iland he gaue to Edilwach the South-Saxons King whom he receiued his God-sonne at the font-stone notwithstanding himselfe had lately been a prophane Idolater and most cruell Heathen as by the Liger booke of the Monastery of Peterborow appeareth whose story is this 3 King Vulfhere of Mercia remaining at his Castell in Vlferchester in Stafford-shire and vnderstanding that Vulfald and Rufin his two sonnes vnder pretence and colour of hunting vsually resorted to reuerend Chad to bee instructed in the fruitfull faith of Christ Iesus and had at his hands receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme at the perswasion of one Werebod suddenly followed and finding them in the Oratory of that holy man in deuout contemplations slew them there with his owne hands Whose martyred bodies Queene Ermenehild their mother caused to be buried in a Sepulchre of stone and thereupon a faire Church to be erected which by reason of the many stones thither brought for that foundation was euer after called Stones and now is a Market Towne in the same County But King Vulfhere repenting this his most vnhumane murther became himselfe a Christian and destroied all those Temples wherein his heathen Gods had been worshipped conuerting them all into Christian Churches and religious Monasteries and to redeeme so hainous an offence vnderwent the finishing of Medisâ—…am his brothers foundation enriching it largely with lands and possessions notwithstanding hee is taxed by William of Malmesbury with the foule sinne of Symony for selling vnto Wyna the Bishopricke of London 4 He raigned King ouer the Mercians the space of seuenteene yeeres and Monarch of the English fully foure leauing his life in the yeere of our Lord six hundred seuentie foure and his body to be buried in the Monastery of Peterborow which was of his brothers and his owne foundation His Wife 5 Ermenhild the Wife of King Vulfhere was the daughter of Ercombert the seuenth King of Kent and sister to Egbert and Lothair both Kings of that Countie Her mother was Sexburg daughter to Anna the seuenth King of the East-Angles whose sisters were many and most of them Saints She was married vnto him in the third yeere of his raigne and was his wife fourteene yeeres After his decease she went to her mother Queene Sexburg being then Abbesse of Ely where she continued all the rest of her life and therein deceased and was buried His Issue 6 Kenred the son of King Vulfhere and of Queen Ermenhild being the heire apparant of his fathers possessions was vnder age at his fathers decease and by reason of his minority was withheld from the gouernment which Ethelred his Vncle entred into without any contradiction of this Kenred who held himselfe contented to liue a priuate life notwithstanding Ethelred taking the habit of a Monke left the Crowne to him who was the right heire 7 Vulfald a young Gentleman conuerted to the Christian faith by Bishop Chad and martyred for profession of the same by King Vulfhere is reported by Water of Wittlesey a Monke of Peterborow in a Register which he wrote of that Monastery to bee the supposed son of King Vulfhere himselfe and to haue been slaine by him in his extreme fury before he was a Christian or could indure to heare of the Christian faith He was buried in Stone as we haue said where his father built a Colledge of Canons regular which was afterwards called S. Vulfaldes 8 Rufine the fellow martyr of Vulfald
likelyhoods to induce that she was his lawfull Queene 11 Elfleda the second wife of King Edward was the daughter as Mathew of Westminster reporteth of an Earle named Ethelhelme and Asser the Bishop of Sherborne maketh mention of an Earle in Wiltshire among the West-Saxons of the same name who was in great fauour with King Elfred the father of this King by whom hee was sent Ambassador to carry his Almes to Stephen the sixt of that name Bishop of Rome in the yeare of our Lord 887 and by all probable conference of name time and place hee seemeth to bee the man that was father to this Queene 12 Edgina the third wife of King Edward was the daughter and heire of Earle Sigeline Lord of Meapham Culings and Leanham in Kent who was there slaine in battaile against the Danes Anno 927. She was married vnto King Edward about the fourteenth yeare of his raigne being the yeare of Grace 916. She was his wife ten yeares and after his death she liued a widdow all the times of the raignes of King Ethelstan her sonne in law of King Edmund and King Edred her owne sonnes of King Edwy her Grand-child and was liuing in the Raigne of King Edward another of her Grand-children almost fortie yeares after the death of her husband It is writ of her that in the yeare of Grace 959. Shee offered her lands and euidences to Christ vpon his Altar at Canterbury She deceased the twenty fift of August in the fourth yeare of the said King Edgar and of Christ 963. His Children 13 Ethelstan the eldest sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina was borne and growne to good yeeres in the time of the raigne of his Grandfather King Elfred who with his owne hands gaue him the order of Knighthood after a very honourable manner of creation as William the Monke of Malmsbury a great obseruer of such things hath left in writing who reporteth that he put vpon him a Purple Robe and girt him with a girdle wrought with pearle and a Saxon sword in a scabard of gold hanging at the same He was the Successor of his Father in the West-Saxons dominions and the English Monarchy 14 Elfred the second sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina is warranted by the testimony of the story of Hyde to haue been loued of his Father aboue all his other children that he caused him in his owne lifetime to bee crowned King and to sit with him in his Seat of Estate as his Partner in the Kingdome and that he enioyed that great honour but for a small time deceasing shortly after his creation and long before his fathers death and was buried in the New Monastery at Winchester which afterwards was remoued to Hyde 15 Editha whom the Scotish Writers call Beatrite the daughter of King Edward and the Lady Eguma with great honour was maried to Sythrick the Danish King of Northumberland in the first yeere of the raigne of her brother King Ethelstane being the yeere of grace 915. Within one yeere after her mariage her husband deceased and his sonne Guthfrid succeeded him in his Kingdome Wherefore she forsaking that Country obtained of her brothers gift the Castell of Tamworth in the County of Warwicke where she began a Monastery of Nunnes and therein liued died and was interred and both the Monastery and Body afterwards was remoued from thence vnto Pollesworth 16 Elsward the third son of King Edward the first of Queen Elfleda his second wife was born as it seemeth about the beginning of his Fathers raigne He was carefully brought vp in the study of Liberall Arts and in all other princely qualities so that it was expected he should haue succeeded his Father in the Kingdome but presently vpon his fathers decease he deceased himselfe in Oxford and was buried at one time and in one place with him in the New Monastery at Winchester in the yeere of Christ Iesus 924. 17 Edwine the fourth sonne of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was very young when his father was buried and his brother Ethelstane crowned Notwithstanding a deep ielosie possessing the King that his title was too neere the Crowne he caused him to be put into a little Pinnesse without either Tackle or Oares one only page accompanying him that his death might be imputed to the waues whence the young Prince ouercome with griefe and not able to master his owne passions cast himselfe headlong into the sea and his dead body being driuen vpon the coasts of Flanders was taken vp by Adulphe Earle of Boloine his cosen-germane and honourably buried in the Monastery of Saint Bertin in the Towne of S. Omers Which fact was much lamented by King Ethelstan who greeuously punished the suggestions of his owne ielosie and the procurers of his brothers death sending great thanks to the Earle that buried him and rich presents to the Monastery which entombed him and to appease the ghost of his innocent brother built the Abbey of Mialeton in the County of Dorset 18 Elfleda the second daughter of King Edward and the first of Queene Elfleda his second Wife entred into the orders of Religion and tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity in the Monastery of Rumsey situated vpon the Riuer Test in the County of Southampton In which Monastery she was first a Nunne and afterward Abbesse during the whole time of her life which was there spent and ended and her body in the said Abbey buried 19 Eguina the third daughter of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was the second Wife to Charles the third surnamed the Simple King of France son to King Lews the brother of Iudith Queene of England before mentioned She had issue by him Lewis the third surnamed Beyond-sea because he was brought vp here in England with his Vnkle King Ethelstan and Gillet Duchesse of Normandy maried to Rollo the Dane who in regard of his marriage was allowed to bee the first Duke of that Country This Queene suruiued King Charles her Husband and afterwards was remaried to Herbert the younger Earle of Vermandoys which marriage was taken for so great an indignity because Earle Herbert the elder father to this Earle had caused the King her Husband to die in prison that King Lewis her sonne presently pursued her apprehended and committed her to the strait custody of Queene Gerberge his wife so as shee had no recourse vnto him nor issue by him 20 Ethelhild the fourth daughter of King Edward and the third of Queene Elfleda his second Wife followed the example of her elder sister Elfleda and became a Nunne in the Monastery of Wilton which was sometime the head Towne giuing name to the whole County of Wiltshire and antiently called Ellandon 21 Edhild the fifth daughter of King Edward and the fourth of Queene Elfleda
signified to Rollo choosing out the tallest and goodliest persons of his company and such as were of greatest wisedom with them he very ioyfully meeteth the King is entertained presents him with great gifts but receiueth greater Then sitting downe to talke and commune 12 I am saith King Alstenus right gladde most worthy Duke Rollo to see you in this my Court. The renowne of your Nation hath beene related to mee a Martiall kind of Peopleyee are and infight vnconquerable And you your selfe also for your prowesse are not vnnoted among the rest of your famous Worthies your valiant exploits are well knowne vnto vs It is right pleasing vnto vs to enter with such men into amitie Behold our whole kingdome is before you choose out a seate for your selfe and your people wheresoeur you best like for wee will haue an euerlasting league between vs. 13 Rollo glad of so faire promises replied Most worthy and renowmed King I highly esteem of your bountifull and most liberall proffers God grant a happy successe of our affaires I doe thinke myselfe most bounden deuoted to your worthines and if destinie euer answer to our desires we will not be vnthankfull for this your so great benignity To seate ourselues in your kingdome though indeede we are very willing and your Royall proffers do much more incite vs yet Fate doth not permit it I haue determined and will certainly performe to goe into France For your gifts bestowed on me I esteeme them in the highest degree and right well content I am to haue a perpetuall League with you that the like Fortune may betide vs both the one to be a safeguard to the other This I both offer and accept of I his League God grant may to vs both proue happy and fortunate 14 With such like interchanges the time much spent and night drawing on they were brought to banquet And early the next morning comming forth of their lodgings most louingly embraced each other when each gaue receiued presents best suting with their estates and occasions Neither doth Krantzius stay his penne there but proceedeth to particular affaires betwixt these two Princes without the concurrence of any of our owne writers 15 As how the English rose in Armes against Alstenus their King taking oportunity of the time for that Rollo whom they knew to bee ioined in a most strait confederacy with their Soueraigne beeing then imployed in the warres of France could not come or send to his aide Alstenus therefore oppressed with a tumultuous kingdome remembred Rollo his faithful friend and sending Ambassadors declared vnto him what distresse he was in who not vnmindfull of the firme league betwixt them left his French wars and prepared for England with all his Forces where entring the Iland he easily quieted the tumultuous rebels ransacking their Cities curbing their wildenes and so reducing them at last to an orderly subiection For which his great loue care pains the King not vnthankful resolued to requite him with the halfe of his kingdom appointing the Cities and limiting the bounds which each of them should rule and gouerne as their owne possessions 16 Rollo in the meane time as carefull of the peaces continuance as regardlesse of so great remunerations taketh pledges of the Rebels for securing their loialtie to the King and peaceable bearing towards himselfe vpon accomplishment whereof repairing to Alstenus he thus bespake him 17 Seeing King Alstenus you haue so highly rewarded me both with princely entertainment and bountifull presents I can doe no lesse then willingly bestow vpon you these my paines for your safetie it iâ—… no more then your deserts doe challenge neither will I accept or seeme so vncourteous as to expect for my paines any part of your dominion Your selfe now may well gouerne it for France calles for my presence keepe therefore those your Pledges brought to you by your Subiects and there is no doubt but you shall hence-forward gouerne your Kingdome in a setled and contentfull quietnesse 18 The King could not containe those his eies which now beheld in a stranger so strange and vnexempled kindnes from resoluing into teares giuing him both hearty thanks and rich gifts seeing hee could not fasten on him any portion of his Kingdome of whom all that Rollo desired was this that he would giue licence to such voluntary Souldiers as would goe with him into France whereto Alsten ready in all things to gratifie his desire gladly condescended and furnished him with attendants 19 But leauing Krantius the Dane as likewise Gemeticensis the Norman to fauour their Country these their reports to the best liking of the iudicious most certaine it is that the French King Charles commonly called the Simple gaue the Duchie of Normandy with his daughter Gilla whose mother was Aeguina the daughter of Edward the Elder King of England vnto Rollo the Dane as is recorded in an old manuscript belonging to the Monastery of Angiers And when Rollo was baptized Charles receiuing him for his God-sonne at the Font he was there required to doe homage for his Dukedome receiued and inioined therein to kisse the Kings foot which hee did but with some disgrace to King Charles and bound it with an oath that hee did not receiue it vpon courtesie 20 This Rollo by his second wife Popee for Gilla died childlesse daughter to the Earle of Bessin and Baileulx had a sonne named William surnamed Longespee and a daughter called Girlâ—…ta who was afterwards married to the Duke of Guyan 21 William Long-espee so called of the Long Sword he vsually wore the second Danish Duke of Normandy took vnto wife Spâ—…rta the daughter of Hubert Earle of Seâ—…tlis by whom hee had onely Richard his sonne this William receiuing baptisme receiued therewith a new name and was thenceforth called Robert who hauing gouerned his Dukedome with great moderation the space of twenty yeeres was guilefully murthered by the working of Lewes King of France to the great griefe of his people who so far followed the reuenge that they intercepted Lewes in the Citie Rothâ—…mage and deteined him their prisoner till he agreed to these Articles That young Richard should succeed his slaine Father in the foresaid Dukedome and that thenceforth when the King Duke should conferre together the Duke should bee girt with his Sword and the King disabled either of Sword or knife to which Lewes yeelded vpon his corporall oth 22 Richard thus established gouerned his Dukedome the space of fifty two yeeres Hee was a man of an admirable fortitude and therefore was called Richard the Hardy His first wife was Agnes daughter to Hughle Grand Earle of Paris Lord Abbat of Germans and Father to Hugh Capet of France but she dying issuelesse he secondly married Gâ—…or a Gentlewoman of the Danish bloud whom he had kept his Concubine before by whom he had three sonnes and three daughters the first was Richard that succeeded in his dominions the second
of the Cathedrall Church where there remaineth a monument of him with an inscription entitling him a Duke and some suppose of Bologne 70 William the third Son of King William and Queene Maud was borne in Normandy in the 21. yere of his Fathers Dukedom ten yeeres before he was King 1159. hee was surnamed of the Red colour of his haire in French Rows in Latine Rufus he was brought vp vnder Lanefranke the learned Lumbard who was Archbishoppe of Canterbury of whom he receiued both instructions of knowledge and the order of Knighthood he serued vnder his Father at the battaile of Gerbereth in Normandy 1079 wherein hee was wounded and hee alwaies framed his actions so pleasing to his Fathers humor as that hee thought him much worthier then his elder brother to succeed in his Kingdome 71 Henry the fourth and yongest sonne of King William and Queene Maud his wife was borne in England at Selby in Yorkeshire the third yeere of his Fathers raigne and of our Lord God 1070 his childhood was trained vp in learning at Cambridge saith Caius but the ancient Annales of Saint Austins in Canterbury say he was Philosophiâ peregrè informatus instructed beyond Sea in Philosophy where for his notable knowledge in the Liberall Sciences he was surnamed by the French Beauclerk that is the fine Scholler Vpon his return he was made Knight being 16. yeers old by his Father at Westminster in Whitsontide the nineteenth yeer of his Raign Anno 1086. and thogh at his Fathers death he had nothing bequeathed him but Treasure yet afterward he succeeded his Brothers both in the Kingdome of England and Dutchie of Normandy 72 Cecilie the Eldest daughter of King William and Queene Maude his wife was borne in Normandy brought vp in England and carried againe into Normandy where in the ninth yeere of the Kings Raigne and the yeere of our Lord 1075. shee was by her Father on Ester day with great Solemnity offered vp in the Church of Feschampe vailed to be a Nunne in the Monastery there but was afterward elected by the Nunnes of our Lady at Cane to be Abbesse of their Monasterie founded by her Mother which she gouerned and where she died and was enterred 73 Constance the second daughter of King William and Queene Maud was the first wife of Allayne Earle of little Britaigne surnamed in the British Fergent in English Red. In regard of which marriage and his seruice done at the conquest of England his Father in law gaue him all the lands of Earle Edwine whereon he built the Castle and wherof he made the Earledome of Richmond which long after belonged to the Earles and Dukes of Britaigne his Successors although he had his children by an other wife for she died very yong and without issue and was buried in the Abbey of Saint Edmundsbury in Suffolke 74 Alice the third daughter of King William Queen Maud was married to Stephen Earle of Bloys in France and had issue by him William an Innocent Thibaud surnamed the Great Earle of Blois and Champain Stephen Earle of Mortain and Boleine who was King of England Henry a Monke of Cluny after Abbot of Glastenbury and Bishop of Winchester Mary married to Richard Earle of Chester and Emme wife of one Harbert an Earle of France and mother of Saint William Archbishop of Yorke Shee suruiued Earle Stephen her husband and in her widowhood tooke vpon her the profession of Religion in the Priorie of Nunnes at Marciguy in France where she ended her life 75 Gundred the fourth daughter of King William and of Queene Maud was married to William of Warrein a Nobleman of Normandy who was the first Earle of Surrey in England by whom shee had issue William the second Earle Progenitors of the Earles that followed and Rainold of Warren her second sonne who had also Issue Shee died in Child-bed three yeeres before her husband at Castleaker in Norfolke the 27. of May in the 20. yere of her fathers raigne being the yeere of our Lord 1085. and is buried in the Chapter-house of Saint Pancrase Church within the Priory at the town of Lews in the County of Sussex 76 Ela the fifth daughter of King William and his Queen Maud in her Child-hood was contracted in marriage to Duke Harald when he was in Normandy being then a yong Widower Notwithstanding hee refusing her tooke an other wife and vsurped the Kingdom of England after the death of King Edward whereby hee occasioned his owne ruine and Conquest of his Country which afterward ensued when her Father sought reuenge so much as some write to the discontentment of this Lady that for griefe of these mischances shee euer after refused marriage and led a single and solitarie life though others vpon better warrant collect that shee died yong and before William her Father set forth for England Harald himselfe pleading that hee was free from all couenants and promises to Duke William by reason of the death of this his daughter 77 Margaret the sixth and yongest daughter of King William and Queene Maud was in her childhood giuen in marriage to Alphonso King of Gallicia in Spaine that afterward was so renowned for the Conquest of the City Lysbon for his victories against the Mores and for the slaughter of their fiue Kings and was the founder of the Kingdome of Portugall the first King thereof and the first bearer of the fiue Shields of the said fiue Kinges which are to this day the Armes of the same But this Lady being thus contracted deceased before those things hapned and before shee came to yeeres of lawfull consent to the marriage VVILLIAM THE SECOND SVRNAMED R VFVS THE FORTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS ACTS RAIGNE AND VNTIMELY DEATH CHAPTER III. WIlliam posting for England Archbishop Lanfrank his earnest soliciter by liberall gifts giuen and promises made to abrogate the ouer hard lawes of his Father had the readier passage into the opinions of them that could doe most and the more to notifie his intended mild gouernment with other his noble inclinations to princely vertues as eye-witnesses of his fauours towards the English hee brought with him from Normandy Morcar the stout Earle of Chester and Wilnoth the sonne of King Harold both of them released out of prison and then held in especiall fauour with him But most of the States standing for Robert Curtoise his elder Brother a man deemed of a more liberall disposition and better temperature towards the Subiects their titles had beene tried by swords had not Lanfrank and Wulstan both wise reuerend Prelates by their Counsels and Mediations staied their hands 2 Consent thus gotten and all voices giuen for William he was crowned their King at Westminster vpon Sunday the twenty sixt day of September and yeere of Saluation 1087. by the hands of Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury vnder whom he had beene educated
Christs faith and therefore such should come to subdue them and take their possessions when he said a Stag which hee kild had neuer the lesse fatte though he neuer heard a Masse they charged him hee doubted of the Resurrection of the dead and in saying hee neuer sped well after his yeelding to the Pope that hee said hee was vnfortunate since hee was reconciled vnto God that when hee gaue leaue to a seruant of his owne to enter any religious Order he gaue him leaue to bee of what Religion and Faith hee list That moreouer hee offered his Kingdome to a Sarazen and would embrace the Turkish faith though this tale were told by one Robert of London a wicked Masse-Priest or rather a Monster hauing a face like a Iew with one arme long and another short his fingers deformedly growing together two and two with such senseles improbabilities as that hee found that Moorish King reading of Saint Paules Epistles and that hee refused the Kingdom of England being offered him with the like That lastly it was reuealed to a Monke King Iohn was in Hell though a Poet for so saying is by M. P. who ◅de no doubt of King Iohns saluation censured for a Reprobate These all are demonstrations of so incredible hatred as should rather alleuiate their Authors credite then the Kings whose Raigne had it not fallen in the time of so turbulent a Pope so ambitious Neighbour Princes so disloyall Subiects nor his Story into the handes of exasperated Writers hee had appeared a King of as great renowne as misfortunes His works of deuotion inferiour to none as his Foundations declare at Beauley Farrington Malmsbury and Dublin and that other for Nunnes at Godstow by Oxford for which some haue interpreted that Prophesie of Merlin as meant of him Sith Virgin giftes to Maids he gaue Mongstblessed Saints God will him saue His Acts and Orders for the Weale-publike were beyond most hee being eyther the first or the chiefest who appointed those noble Formes of Ciuill gouernment in London and most Cities and Incorporate Townes of England endowing them also with their greatest Franchises The first who caused Sterling money to bee h◅re coyned The first who ordayned the Honourable Ceremonies in Creation of Earles The first who setled the Rates and Measures for Wine Bread Cloth and such like Necessaries of Commerce The first who planted English Lawes and Officers in Ireland and both annexed that Kingdome and fastned Wales to the Crowne of England therby making amends for his losses in France Whose whole course of life and actions wee cannot shut vp with any truer E◅loge then that which an ancient Author hath conferred on him Princeps quidem Magnus erat sed minus foelix atque vt Marius vtramque fortunam expertus Doubtlesse he was a Prince more Great then happy and one who like Marius had tried both sides of Fortunes wheele His Wiues 64 Alice the first wife of King Iohn was the eldest of the two daughters and heires apparant at that time of Humbert the second Earle of Maurien now called Sauoy her Mother was Clemence daughter of Berthold the fourth Duke of Leringen who had been the diuorced wife of Henry the Lyon Duke of Saxonie This marriage was in their childhoode cōcluded by their Parents at Mountferrant in Auerne in February Anno 1173 he should haue had with her her Fathers Earledome but all altered by her vntimely death and after ensued the death of her Mother the new marriage of her Father and issue male of the same whereof the Dukes of Saxonie are descended 65 Isabel his second wife by some called Hawisia or Auis though the youngest of the three Sisters yet was in regard of this marriage the sole Heire of William Earle of Gloucester sonne of Earle Robert the Naturall sonne of King Henry the first her Mother was Hawis the daughter of Robert Bossu Earle of Leicester Shee was married vnto him when hee was Earle of Mortaine in the first yeere of his brother Richards raigne and after ten yeeres hauing no issue by him was the first yeere of his Raigne diuorced from him vnder pretence of Consanguinity and married to Geffrey Mandeuill Earle of Essex and lastly to Hubert de Burgo Earle of Kent but died without any Issue by them 66 Isabel also his last wife was daughter and heire of Aymer Earle of Angolesme her Mother was Alice daughter of Peter Lord of Courteney fifth son of Lewis the Grosse King of France Shee was married vnto him in the first yeere of his Raigne crowned by Hubert Archbishoppe of Canterbury 8. Id. Octob. Anno 1200. and suruiuing him was married to Hugh Brun Earle of March and Lord of Lusignian and Valence in Poytou to whom first she should haue beene married but yet as seemeth continued her affection to him till now By him shee had diuers Children greatly aduanced by the King Henry 3. their halfe brother and as greatly maligned by his Subiects Hugh Earle of March and Angolesme Guy of Lusignian slain in the battell at Lewise William of Valence Earle of Pembroke Aymer of Valence Bishoppe of Winchester Geffrey of Lusignian L. of Hastings His Issue 67 Henry the eldest Sonne of King Iohn and Isabell his last wife was borne at Winchester 1. October 10. of his Fathers Raigne Anno 1208. K. Iohn dying at Newarke whither hee was broughtina Horselitter from Swynshead the Barons malice was ended their offence amended Lewis of France reiected and the yong Prince seated on his Fathers throne 68 Richard his second son by the same Queene was borne the next yeere after Henry by whom afterward hee was made Knight created Earle of Cornwall and appointed Earle of Poytou After the death of William Earle of Holland Emperour of the West hee was by the Electours chosen to succeed him in the Empire and crowned King of Romanes of Almayn at the City of Acon in Germany by Conrade Archbishoppe of Coleyne Maij 27. being the Ascention day Anno 1257. deceasing at the Castle of Berkhamsted April 20. Ann. 1271. the 13. yeere of his Empire his body was buried in his Monastery of Hayles in Gloucestershire but his Heart at Oxford in Reuly Abbey founded by him vnder a Pyramis of admirable worke Hee had three wiues the first was Isabel daughter of William Marshall Earle of Pembroke widdow of Gilbert Clare Earle of Gloucester by whom hee had issue Henry slaine at Viterbo in Italy and Iohn both dying without Issue His second wife was Senches daughter of Raimond Earle of Prouince sister to Queene Eleanor his brothers wife who was crowned with him at Acon and had issue by him Edmund Earle of Cornwall and others His last wife was Beatrice Niece to the Archbishoppe of Coleyne who seemeth to haue suruiued him and to haue no Issue by him 69 Ioane the
Berwicke hauing with him the said twenty foure Assessors as it were a iury of either nation and with the good will and assent of the Scottish Lords gaue solemne iudgement with Baliol as being descended of the eldest daughter of Dauid Earle of Huntington a yonger sonne of Scotland whose issue the line of the elder brother being extinct was to inherite without question But the strife being betweene the descendents of the said Dauid of which the Lord Robert Bruce was also a principall reasons of importance were produced which drew many mens iudgements to incline to him as hauing a neerer interest to that Crowne But according to the sentence Baliol was solemnly crowned King of Scotland vpon S. Andrews day and in Christmas following repaired to King Edward at Newcastle vpon Tyne and there against the minds of many Scots did homage vnto him for the whole Kingdome of Scotland 24 Meanetime the French King pursued the reuenge of the Normans demanding restitution and citing King Edward iudicially to appeare to answere such wrongs as were done in Aquitaine who desirous to settle his owne affaires at home or as some write eager vpon a match for himselfe in France while he discouered either his vnwillingnes to appeare in that kind or to warre suffered himselfe by a French deuise to be meerely deceiued and put out of his possession of Gascoigne to the great mischeife and disaduantage of the English whereupon K. Edward highly incensed called a Parliament at London where Iohn king of Scotland was present and had the full consent of the whole Realme to regaine that honestlie by the sword which was craftilie gotten away by a cunning trick renouncing to the French his homage for Aquitain Wales also was at the same time full of troubles but the fires of rebellion there rashly kindled were not long after quencht with the blood of the Actors and thousands of their Complices 25 Baliol hauing thus obtained the Crowne of Scotland and finding his party by the homage which he had made to King Edward much empaired among the Scots who greatly repined thereat for regaining their loues attempted a secret combination with the French against the English which Edward ignorant of and requiring him by vertue of his homage to aid him with all his powers against the King of France discouered by Baliols delaies and trauerses the said conspiracie Whereupon he aduanced forward against the Scots with a puissant armie to Newcastle vpon Tyne The first blood which was drawne was of the English of whom the Scots slew almost one thousand in a village vnder the leading of one Robert de Ros who had fled from King Edward The City of Carlile likewise was assaulted and the County of Cumberland spoiled by seuen Earles of Scotland and their companies which to Edward was not greatly displeasing as was said for that the first hostile acts were done by them whom he had a full purpose to subdue that at last he might bee sole in Albion which had not God reserued for other times we might wonder he effected not 26 King Edward therefore presented himselfe before the strong Towne of Berwick with a mighty host there to auspicate his entrance to a conquest of Scotland and after summons sent to the Towne abode one whole day without offer of violence The Townesmen refusing to render had a victory of the English Marriners who rashly entring with twentie and foure Ships into the harbour were repelled with the losse of foure of their vessels which was soone reuenged by the forceuble taking of Berwick where Hector Boetius saith there was exercised great cruelty by the English In the Towne the Flemish Merchants who were smothered by the English with fire had a very strong house in the maner of a Tower from whence they leueld at the entring of the English with darts and iauelins one of which casually slew Richard of Cornewal a gallant Gentleman brother to the Earle of Cornwal which in an army heated with former contumelies for the Scots vpon the slaughter and repulse which they had made of the English marriners published certaine rimes in derision as VVhat wenys King Edward with his Longshancks To haue wonne Berwicke all our vnthancks c. together with the remembrance of many fresh shrewd turnes might stirre vp bloody effects After the Towne was thus taken the Castle after stood not long out but rendred it selfe Sir William Dowglas captaine therof was detained prisoner and as some write Sir Robert Bruce others were suffered to depart vpon oath to beare no armes from thenceforth against the King of England The losse of this important Towne and Castle was very great for it was the key and common Bulwarke of Scotland 27 While the English at this place were busie to cast a very deepe ditch to hinder the sodeine inroades of their enemies Iohn King of Scotland sent two religious men to the King of England with letters in which alledging that he was by Oath bound to defend his owne kingdome and people he renounced his homage and fealtie as extorted by violence and void in it selfe being made without assent of the three estates of his Realme The resignation was admitted King Edward commanding his Chancellor to record the same for perpetuall memorie as a iustification of his proceedings 28 The Scots hereupon vnder the conduct of the Earles of Bucquhan Menteth Strathern Ros Athol Marr and other of their nobility made an incursion into England whence with the spoiles of two religious houses and other booties they returned But Patrick Earle of Dunbarre came to King Edwara submitting himselfe and the Castle of Dunbarre by this submission being vnder King Edwards protection was regained by Scots For recouerie or surregaining whereof the King sent Iohn Earle of Surrey and Sussex and William Earle of Warwick who were entertained with battel by the Scottish nation of whom the English after cruell fight obtained a victory of great importance the chase holding about eight miles in which the slaughter was not small The siege of Dunbarre being reinforced King Edward had it yeelded vnto him at his comming wherein were taken three Earles sixe or seuen Barons besides many knights and Esquires which were all sent prisoners to diuerse Castles of England and if some say true not put to the sword as Hector transported perhaps with hatred to Edward writes contrary to his word and faith giuen 29 King Edward knowing as well how to vse a victorie as to get it hauing a present spirit vpon all aduantages and turnes of fortune takes the Castle of Rocksbrough and for a finall end to this affaire marcheth to Edenburgh it selfe the chiefe Towne of Scotland which was shortly rendred Then tooke they Striueling also and draue Baliol to the Castle of Forfar where Iohn Comin Lord of Strabogie submitted himselfe to King Edward About this time there came
blush and tremble as often as they shall dare to insinâ—…ate any thing against Gods wisdome in the Fabrick of the world as if the Craggy and desert places thereof had no vse in nature when omitting all other reasons of their being the conseruation of kingdomes and nations was thus by them effected We had an Herward in the Conquerours time as well as the Scots had a Walleys in this and we might perhaps at this houre haue beene without French mixtures if God had prouided our Country of such Wastes and deserts as either they or the Welshmen did enioy who for manie hundreths of yeeres after the ruine in Saint Peters Church at Westminster the twentieth day of Nouember in the first year of his Fathers raign Ann. Dom. 1272. in the same place and vnder the same Tombe where his brother Iohn lies with his picture also in the Arch aboue it 60 Alphons the third sonne of Edward and Queene Elenor was borne at the Towne of Maine in Gascoigne as his father and mother were in their returne towards England from Ierusalem Nouember 23. in the second yeare of his fathers raigne 1273. hee deceased at Windsor August 4. in the twelfth yeere of his age 1285. and was buried at Westminster in Saint Peters Church by Saint Bennets Chappell where his body lieth vnder the Tombe of his Brothers Iohn and Henry his Image also there portraied with theirs 61 Edward the fourth sonne of King Edward and Queene Elenor was borne April 25. in the thirteenth yeere of his fathers raigne 1284. at Caernaruan in Northwales and after the death of Lewelin ap Griffith in regard of the place of his Natiuity was by his fathers Creation with the consent of the Welsh made Prince of Wales the first of the sonnes and heires apparant of the Kings of England that bare that Title which afterward became ordinary to most of the rest hee was also Earle of Ponthieu and Chester and being made Knight by his father at London on Whitsunday in the thirty fourth yeere of his Raigne 1306. succeeded him the same yeer in the Kingdome of VVales 62 Elenor the eldest daughter of King Edward and Queene Elenor was borne at Windsor in the fiftieth yeare of King Henry her Grandfather shee was married with all Ceremonies of Proxie to a Deputy for Alphons King of Arragon sonne of King Peter who deceased A. Do. 1292. before the solemnization of marriage leauing his Kingdom to his brother Iames and his new wife to another husband who was married at Bristow in the two and twentieth yeere of her fathers raigne 1293. to Henry the 3. Earle of Barrie whose Earledome lay in the East-borders of Champaigne in France Shee had Issue by him Edward Earle of Barrie from whom descended the Earles and Dukes of that Country whose inheritance by Heires generall deuolued to the Kings of Arragon and from them again to the Dukes of Aniou that were Kings of Sicill Henrie another sonne of hers was Bishoppe of Troys in Champagny Helen her Daughter was marrird to Henry Earle of Bloys and Ioan to Iohn Warren Earle of Surrey she was his wife fiue yeeres and deceased 27. of her fathers raigne A. D. 1298. 63 Ioan the second daughter of King Edward and Queene Eleanor was borne in the first yeere of her fathers raigne 1272. at a City in the holy land sometime named Ptolomais commonly called Acon and Aker where her mother remained during the warres that her father had with the Saracens Shee was at eighteene yeeres of age married to Gilbert Clare called the Red Earle of Glocester and Hereford by whom shee had issue Earle Gilbert slaine in Scotland without issue Eleanor married first to Hugh Spencer in her right Earle of Glocester and after to William Zouch of Ricards castle Margaret first maried to Peter Gaueston Earle of Cornwal after to Hugh Audeley Earle also of Glocester and Elizabeth Lady of Clare married first to Iohn son and heire to Richard Burgh Earle of Vlster in Ireland mother of William Burgh Earle of Vlster and Grandmother of Elizabeth Dutchesse of Clarence secondly to Theobald Lord Verdon and lastly to Sir Roger Damary This Ioan suruiued her husband and was remarried to Sir Ralph Monthermere a Baron father to Margaret the mother of Thomas Mountacute Earle of Salisbury of whom the now Vicount Mountacute is descended shee liued thirty eight yeeres and deceased in the first yeere of her brother King Edwards raigne and is buried at the Fryer Austines in Clare 64 Margaret the third daughter of King Edward and Queene Elenor was borne at the Castle of Windsor in the third yeare of her fathers raigne and of our Lord 1275. When shee was fifteene yeeres of age shee was married at Westminster Iuly 9. in the eighteenth yeere of herfathers raign A D. 1290. to Iohn the second Duke of Brabant by whom shee had issue Duke Iohn the third father of Margaret wife of Lewis of Mechlin Earle of Flanders and mother of the Lady Margaret the heire of Brabant and Flanders who was married to Philip Duke of Burgundie 65 Berenger the fourth Daughter of King Edward Queen Elenor was born the 4. of her fathers raigne An. 1276. as Iohn Eueresden the Monke of S. Edmundsburie in Suffolke hath recorded in his booke of English Annales but other mention there is none but onely from him whereby it is likely that shee did not liue to be married but that shee died in her childhood 66 Alice the fifth Daughter of king Edward and Queene Elenor is by Thomas Pickering of the Monastery of Whitby who wrote the large Genealogie of the Kings of England and their issue reported to haue deceased without Issue 67 Marie the sixt daughter of king Edward and Queene Elenor was borne at Windsor April 22. in the eight yeare of her fathers raigne 1279. and at ten yeeres of age A. D. 1289. September 8. shee was made a Nunne in the Monastery of Ambresberie in Wiltshire at the instance of Queen Elenor her Grandmother who at that time liued there in the habite of the same profession although her Parents were hardly enduced to yeeld their consents to that course 68 Elizabeth the seuenth Daughter of king Edward and Queene Elenor was borne at the Castle of Ruthland in Flintshire in the thirteenth yeere of her fathers raigne An. 1284. When she was foureteen yeeres of age shee was married at London to Iohn the first of that name Earle of Holland Zeland and Lord of Freezeland who died within two yeeres after without Issue and shee was remarried to Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex Lord of Breknoke and high Constable of England by whom shee had Issue Iohn and Humfrey both Earles successiuely after their Father Edward that died in Scotland without issue and William who being created Earle of Northampton while his Brothers liued after their deceases was also Earle of Hereford and Essex Lord of Breknok and high Constable of England and father of Earle Humfrey the tenth of
King that many more went voluntary then constrained All which puissance was notwithstanding thus eluded 12 About this time died strucken with leprie Robert Bruce King and recouerer of Scotland and the most approued Warriour of the world in that age by whose losse it was soone found how much the vertue and fortune of one man are worth in any Nation But before hee died that peace was made with the Scots by the meanes of the Queene and the Lord Mortimer which is so much dispraised by our Writers and in the end proued capitall to the principall Actor Mortimer 13 For at this treaty it was that the King then in his Minority sealed Charters to the Scots at Northampton whose contents were contriued by the Queene the said Lord Mortimer and Sir Iames Dowglasse without the priuity of the English There was also deliuered to them that famous Euidence called the Ragman Roll and the King acquited them of all claime and pretence of right to the Superiority of Scotland rendring backe sundrie Iewels taken by the English from the Scots among the which was one speciall called the Blacke Crosse of Scotland There was it also granted that all Englishmen should leese their lands in Scotland vnlesse they would inhabite vpon them and becom Liege-men to the King therof besides many other things to the high discontentation as was the humor of those times of the English Subiects Moreouer vnder the specious colour of restitution of dammages King Robert was to pay to King Edward thirty thousand Marks sterling with which as the meed of treason the Lord Mortimer was afterward publikely charged and for the same and other his crimes was executed as a Traitour Finally vpon the seuenth of Iuly Dauid Bruce Prince of Scotland a child of seuen or eight yeeres old and sonne and heire to King Robert married Ioan sister to K. Edward at Berwicke by which peace the English were made-obnoxious to some reproaches the Scottish Nation in scorne calling the said Lady Iane Make-Peace 14 And therefore saith one of this part of King Edwards raigne that drawne aside with euill aduise by reason of his age hee committed many foule errors in State at the beginning of his Gouernment which is also the generall opinion of all our Writers whereunto this verse is by some applied Vae pueri terrae saepissimè sunt ibi guerra Where Children Rulers are There oft is woe and war 15 There died likewise about this time Charles the Faire King of France to whom King Edward had not long before done homage for his Dutchie of Gascoigne the third and last sonne of Philip the Faire King of France by whose decease the Crown of that noble Kingdome deuolued to this our Edward King of England in right of his mother Queene Isabel And because vpon this Title king Edward did afterward claime the said Crowne wee will here once for all instruct you in the iustice thereof 16 Three sonnes there were of King Philip the Faire to wit Lewis Hutin Philip le long and Charles the Faire who all successiuely raigned in France one after the other and none of them leauing any Issue at such time as king Edward made his claime the whole right seemed to be in Isabel the onely Child of the said Philip which had any issue for an other sister which shee had died an Infant 17 The case thus seeming plaine was not for such accepted by the French who receiued to the Crowne Philip of Valoys whose father Charles of Valois was yonger Brother to Philip the Faire aduancing the Brothers sonne before the daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but the meliority of sexe vpon which ground they had also freshly put by Ioan daughter of Lewis Hutin preferring Philip le long her vncle The French in barre to her interest pretended a fundamentall law or entaile by which no woman was inheritable to the Crown of France and in defence of that opinion withstood King Edward afterward with so much losse and calamity though that very law made Edwards title the stronger as himselfe truely pleaded hee being the Male albeit his right descended by the Female 18 This Title to so glorious a Monarchy though it accrewed to the English by this match with Queen Isabel yet doth Walsingham freely pronounce That neither that affinity nor any other contracts with the French was euer auaileable or brought any benefite to England which opinion as it may seeme strange so will it answere a wise Readers paine in the fruit to obserue through the course of our stories whether the said graue Writer had iust occasion so to speake or no. Another conceit there was of this Edwards marriage with Philippa the Earle of Henaults daughter which about this time was consūmated though Philip de Valoys king of France by intrusion as our Annales repute him was her vncle her mother being his owne sister 19 There stood now at home against the stream of the Queene and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great personages who did not wholy allow their doings among which was the Kings vncle Edmund Earle of Kent whose death they shortly procured Meane-while the more to despite and dare their ouerlookers Roger Mortimer was created Earle of the Marches of Wales at a Parliament holden at Salisburie at which time also Iohn of Eltham the Kings Brother was made Earle of Cornwall and the Lord Butler of Ireland Earle of Ormond From whence the Lord Henry Earle of Lancaster and sundry other of the Peeres seeing the King troden as it seemed to them vnder foot did absent themselues meditating ciuill armes for redresse who notwithstanding by the labour of Simon de Mepham Archbishop of Canterbury was reconciled This Archbishoppe very worthily also excommunicated all such as had any hand in the sacrilegious parricide of that noble and loiall Prelate Walter Bishoppe of Excester or any waies violated him their aiders complices or abettors whosoeuer But after the Coronation of Philip the yong Queene in another Parliament at Winchester the said Earle Edmund was condemned for conspiring to deliuer his brother late King of England whom likely inough by Mortimers practise he was drawne into an absurd beliefe to bee still aliue Thus for deuising to set a dead man at liberty this noble Earle Edmund the kings half vncle had his head strucken off though from Noone till fiue at night hee stood at the place of death without the Castle-gates none being found to behead him till a base wretch of the Marshal-sea was sent and did it so little conscience did the malice and ambition of his potent aduersaries make of shedding the Roiall bloud which by Gods iuster iudgement was not long vnreuenged 20 To supply which losse to the regal stemme with a very large amends the young Queene Philip at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire vpon 15. Iune being Friday brought forth her first begotten
odious to the English died at Paris in exile bequeathing such goods as hee had there to Robert Duke of Ireland who also breathed out his griefes in banishment and died at last in Brabant 83 The Duke of Lancaster the meane while returnes into Gascoigne out of Spaine and not long after into England The successe of that voyage being made to claime the Crowne of Castile and Leon was briefly this Iohn King of Castile alledged that Constance the Dukes wife was not right heire but he For albeit the Lady Constance was eldest daughter and heire to Peter sonne of Alfonse whose father Fernand the fourth was sonne of Sanchez the fourth and he sonne of Alfonse the tenth all Kings of Spaine successiuely yet that neither Constance Peter Alfonse Ferdinand nor Sanchez had the right His reason was for that Alfonse the tenth chosen Emperour of Almaine had before he begat the said Sanchez an elder sonne called Ferdinand de la Cerda who married Blanch the daughter of Saint Lewis King of France from whom descended Alfonse de la Cerda who entituled himselfe King but died without issue and Fernand who had a daughter married to Iohn sonne of the Infant of Portugall Emmanuel mother to the Lady Ioane wife of King Henry the second father of Iohn King of Castile defendant 84 This Apologie made by the Castilian would not serue for kingdomes are not vsed to be pleaded for by Bil and Answere The English and Portugals ioine their forces To the Duke by reason of his wiues presence manie did voluntarily submit themselues all did not for Don Aluarez de Perez on the behalfe of his Lord the King of Spaine offred to stop the Duke in his march to Burgos and was ouerthrowne Other aduentures that warre afforded but sicknesse hapning in the English Armie consumed many of the principall and among them the Lord Fitzwalter with other Lords Knights Esquires and men of armes almost three hundreth Moreouer the penurie was such that sundrie reuolted to the enemy to get reliefe which being seene of the King of Portugal he told the Duke he would set vpon them as Enemies but hee said no for that he knew they did it onely for lacke of foode Thus hauing said he held downe his head as he sate on horsebacke and wept most bitterly secretly powring forth his praiers to almighty God and most humbly beseeching mercy From which time forward his affaires in Spaine succeeded happily 85 The warres had beene â—…harpe and tedious but the end acceptable For Don Iuan king of Castile a Prince of no euill conscience seeing the right which the Duke of Lancaster vrged and foreseeing what calamities might happen hereafter if as was feared the French should match with him sought and obtained a firme peace The Principall conditions were That the Lord Henry his sonne and heire should marry the Lady Katherine daughter and heire to the Duke and Constance his wife That the Lord Henry during his fathers life should be called Prince of Asturia and Katherine his wife Princesse That for default of issue betweene the young Princely couple the Crowne should come to the Lord Edward Duke of Yorke who had married the other daughter of King Peter That the king of Spaine should lade eight Cars with wedges of gold for the Duke or as some write pay two hundreth thousand nobles toward the defrayment of the Dukes huge charges That finallie he should giue sufficient Caution for an Annuitie of ten thousand pounds during the liues of the said Duke and Dutchesse to be duly paid to their vses at the City of Bayon in Gascoigne 86 The King at such time as the Duke of Lancaster returned was at Reading whither he had commanded the Peeres to repaire To that meeting the Duke makes hast aswell to present his dutie to his Soueraigue as to be an authour of loue and peace betweene the king and Lords against some of whom the King was not thought to be verie fauourably disposed Which he gratiously effected as seeming to addict his mind to offices of piety and publike benefit Certainely the wisdome and moderation of the Duke of Yorke his brother were such in all the late and other tumults that he is not so much as once named among the factious which Christian spirit if it had raigned in all the rest England had neuer beene polluted with such infinite bloodshed of her noblest Children neither had the goodlie fabricke of state laden with innumerable trophees falne vnder that most hideous Chaos which succeeding ages saw and sighed for 87 The King vpon the Duke of Lancasters returne whether hee felt the keeping of Aquitaine an vnprofitable burthen or the absence of his vncle the Duke a thing worthie to be purchased at anie rate certaine it is that in a Parliament held at London he vested in him that famous Dutchy by deliuering the Cap of State and Ducal Rod whither hee shortly went to take possession His sonne Henrie of Bullingbroke Earle of Derbie loath to spend his houres in sloath but desirous to pursue renowne by martiall Acts in forreine parts sailed ouer to the warres in Prussia where in sundry enterprizes against the Lithuanians he wan great honor which by comparison of King Richards Calmnes prepared a way for him in the Englishes affections to points more eminent 88 The Pope now vnderstood that the English State began againe to be sensible of Romish encroachments and as in a former Parliament they had enacted against all Collations of Bishoprickes and dignities by the Pope with banishment to all which did accept such Collations and death to al that brought in any excommunications from the Pope to hinder the execution of that Act so in this last Parliament another seuere Act was made against such as went to the Pope to procure any such prouisions A Proclamation also was made at London * that all beneficed men then being in the Court of Rome should returne by a day prefixed or loose all their liuings The Pope himselfe saith Walsingham troubled with so great a thunder-clap sent with all speed into England to perswade the King that such Statutes as had beene thus made in their preiudice who followed the Court of Rome and such other clauses as tended to the dammage of that See should be made void whereto the Kings answere was that the Popes Nuntio must expect till the next Parliament At which Parliament the King as also the Duke of Lancaster seemed to haue some respect to the Pope whose messenger was their Present but the Knights of the house would not in any wise giue their consents that such Rome-gadders should without due punishment pursue their wonted course longer then till the next Parliament To furnish the Duke of Lancaster into France to treat of a peace and vpon condition that the King should that yere inuade Scotland large contributions were there made
bed there lay hidden a Galtrop or Engine with three small yron pikes long slender and passing sharpe all of them with their points set vpward but God so disposing it the King before hee laid himselfe downe perceiued them and thereby auoided that hidden mischiefe but who was actor therein it doth not appeare 25 This appeares that the splendors of his new regality had drawne vp many thicke and poisonous cloudes of enuie and practise to darken if it were possible the farther brightnesse thereof Neither was it long before it grew to some extremity For Owen Glendowr vpon the causes beforesaid wasting the Lord Reynald Grayes lands was encountred by him as presuming that Owen and his friendes might easily be ouercome but the contrary hapned for there in fight hee lost very many of his companie and was himselfe taken Prisoner This fortune made the swelling mind of Owen ouerflow in vaine hopes who compelling the said Lord to marry his daughter yet obtained hee not his liberty the sooner but died say some in the power of Owen if perhaps our Author mistake not the Lord Gray for Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March who indeed did marrie so after hee was also ouerthrowne by the said Owen with the slaughter of aboue a thousand principall persons of Herefordshire assembled vnder his conduct to resist the Welsh inuasions and there also himselfe was by trecherie taken prisoner 26 Walsingham doth write that about this time sundrie conspiracies were discouered in the yolke as it were or embrion the whole hopes whereof rested vpon calumniations and forgery for by the first they traduced in libels Henries actions so to make him hatefull and by the second they diuulged that Richard was still aliue thereby to raise an head of separation Henry thus galled in his honour and endangered in the main resolued to spare none vpon whom the crime or concealement was found The first of them that fell vnder his iustice was a Priest of Ware with whom was taken a list or roll of names which hee had gathered supposing them such as in regard of benefites receiued would liue and die for King Richard which vanitie of his created trouble to many till it appeared that he had therein wronged them as persons who were vtterlie ignorant both of the man and matter Whereupon hee was drawne and hanged The like fate had Walter Baldocke Prior of Lawnd who confest that he had concealed others counsels against the King though himselfe had acted nothing A Frier Minor also being taken with some other of his Order for like intendments was asked What hee would doe if King Richard were aliue and present hee confidently answered that hee would fight for him till death against any whosoeuer which cost him his life being drawn and hanged in his Fryars weeds Neither did this hard fortune fall onely vpon the Clergy for Sir Roger Claringdon Knight reputed the base sonne of Edward late Prince of Wales together with an Esquier and seruant of his finished the affection which they bare to the deceased Richard by hanging Not long after eight Franciscan Fryars or Minorites were taken conuicted hanged and headed for the like causes which made the King an heauy Lord to that whole Order It is said that somewhat before this knot was discouered the diuell appeared in the habit of a Minorite at Danbury Church in Essex to the incredible astonishment of the parishioners for at the same time there was such a Tempest thunder with great fire-bals of lightning that the vault of the church brake and halfe the Chancell was carried away 27 But howsoeuer these out-branches were pared away the rootes of all the practise lay deeper out of sight for the Percies Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Earle of Worcester and Henrie Hotspur Lord Percy because perhaps they thought they had done wickedly in helping to set vp Henry beganne to imagine that bloudy mischiefe which afterward was prosecuted This malice the late successe of Owen Glendowr against the Lord Mortimer Earle of March taken prisoner as is said with no little slaughter of his Herefordshire men did perhaps nourish for that hee saw an enemie appeare who was not vnlikely to proue an able member of a greater rebellion Certainely the King hauing in September led an Armie into Wales to take reuenge vpon his Rebels was in great danger to haue perished with sodaine stormes and raines the like whereof none of his people had euer felt or seene so that after he had done some wasts vpon the Country hee returned The common fame went that Owen was a Coniurer and had raised those hideous tempests by hellish arts they seemed so excessiue which whether true or false did yet impart no little strength to the Welsh faction 28 The Kings fortune was happier in the North where his Lieutenants had two faire victories the one at Nisbet and the other at Halidowne-hill neere to a village called Woller And although the first was not a small one yet the other deserued the name of a iust battell and garland To the Scots hauing with aboue ten thousand men vnder conduct of Archibald Earle of Dowglas whom the Scots nick-named Tyne-man because he neuer wanne field though no sort of true manhood was wanting in his person made great spoiles in England as farre as to Newcastle and were now vpon returne Henrie Percie Earle of Northumberland the noble Henry Hotspur Lord Percie his sonne and George Earle of Dunbar who fled as you haue heard out of Scotland with the forces of the Countries there about not meaning to let them to passe in so slight a sort opposed themselues The chiefe feare was wrought by the English Archers who first with their stiffe close and cruell stormes of arrowes made their enemies footmen breake and when the noble Dowglasse descended to the charge with his choisest bands himselfe being in a most rich and excellently tempered armour and the rest singularly well appointed the Lord Percies Archers making a retreat did withall deliuer their deadly arrowes tam viuidè tam animosè tam grauitèr saith our Monke so liuely so couragiously so grieuously that they ranne through the men of Armes bored the helmets pierced their very swords beate their lances to the earth and easily shot those who were more slightly armed through and through There were taken prisoners the Earle of Dowglas himselfe who notwithstanding his armour of the best proofe had fiue wounds and lost an eye Murdake Stewart Earle of Fife eldest sonne to Robert Duke of Albanie George Earle of Angus the Earles of Murrey and Orkney the Lords Montgomerie Erskin and Grane with about fourscore Knights besides Esquiers and Gentlemen There were slaine the Lords Gourdon and Swyntonn Belindens Boetius cals them Knights with sundrie other men of honour and marke beside store of common souldiers The riuer Tweed to shew it selfe meere English did likewise fight for them by
said he hath made it meere wrong which with better regard of the Sex alloweth the woman to inherite her fathers possession as we see in the practise of that state whereof Christ himselfe is called king where the fiue daughters of Zelophehad for want of heires males were admitted to succeed in their fathers inheritance allotted them in the Tribe of Manasses and a law made by the Lord himselfe that if a man died and had no sonnes then his inheritance should be transferred vpon his daughters Neither is it to be doubted but that the daughter of Shesham was the sole heire vnto her fathers patrimony he dying without issue male though shee married an Egyptian whose posterity had their possessions among the Tribe of Iudah euen to the Captiuity of Babilon so that if such a law were as in truth there was no such better were the breach by the warrant of diuine direction then the continuance by colour of such prescription seeing God hath ordained aswell for the daughter as for the sonne 20 The Archbishops vnexpected but not vnpremeditated Oration thus ended so stirred the blood of the young Couragious King that his heart was all on a flame and so tickled the eares of his Auditory as they presently conceiued that France was their owne the Title whereof descending from Isabell the mother of the famous third Edward and shee the daughter and suruiuing heire vnto Philip the faire his right was lineally deriued thence as followeth first Philip by Ioane his first wife intituled Queene of Nauarre had three sonnes and one daughter namely Lewis Philip and Charles all three successiuely Kings and this Lady Isabell by whom the English claime his second wife was Constance the daughter of the King of Sicil who bare him a sonne after his owne decease which liued not many daies after his father Lewis his eldest sonne and tenth of that name succeeded Philip in the Kingdome of France and by Margaret his wife the daughter of Burgundy had his daughter Iane intituled Queene of Nauarre who made claime also vnto the French Crowne but neuer attained it so that her Title fell with her death Lewis by his second wife Clemence of Sicil had a sonne named Iohn borne vnto him but presently both father and sonne departing this life left the Scepter to his second brother who by the name of Philip the fift a while wore the Emperiall Crowne of France his wife was Iane the daughter of Burgoine who bare vnto him only foure daughters 21 Vnto King Philip succeeded his brother Charles the faire the fourth of that name whose first wife was Blanch detected of incontinency and brought him no fruite his second wife was Marie daughter to Henry Luxenbourg the Emperour who bare him a sonne that dyed soone after birth and the mother likewise shortly came to her graue Margaret the daughter to the Earle of Eureux was his third and last wife who at his death hee left with Child and thus the three sonnes of Philip were branched raigned and died whom Queene Isabell their sister suruiued and in that right her sonne King Edward the third by his royall consanguinity whilst the Crowne stood thus at suspence till a Prince should be borne claimed to be Regent in the Interregnum and in the nonage of the looked for issue against which Philip de Valois sonne of Charles the hardy who was brother to Philip the faire being a second branch from Hugh Capet and first Prince of the blood of France maintained that the Regency of the male if so he were borne as also of the Realme if a daughter or the sonne dyed belonged onely vnto him as the next in blood The state thus standing and a daughter borne Philip was saluted and proclaimed King no other right alleaged then this foisted and falsely termed fundamentall law Salique for no otherwise doth Ottoman the French famous Lawyer esteeme of that vngodly and vniust Ordinance if any such had beene ordained 22 The Kings right thus apparant and sufficient possessions to be had in France the Bill of complaint against the Clergies excesse was quite dasht and all mindes addicted for the affaires that way thinking it vnreasonable to pull the Prouisions from their natiues and brethren when as the Circuit of their inheritanee extended more large in compasse and therefore with the Danites they determined no longer to sit so pent with increase seeing God had giuen them another Kingdome but would free their own straitnesse by dint of sword and spread their Tents wider in the Continent of France Neither was there any motiue more forceable in conference then was the successe of those intruding Princes who assaied the Crowne by that vniust claime of law Salique 23 For did not the sword of God rather then man in the hand of King Edward the claimer cut downe the flower of France in the Battell of Crecie with the slaughter of Lewis King of Bohemia of Charles the French Kings brother of Iames Dolphin of Viennois the Dukes of Lorrayne and Burbon the Earles of Aumarle Sauoy Montbilliard Flanders Niuers and Harecourt the Grand Priour of France the Archbishop and Zanxinus and Noyone of Lords Barons and Gentlemen to the number of 1500 with 30. thousand of the French Souldiers and Philip not able of himselfe to defend himselfe inciting Dauid of Scotland to inuade and weaken England therein did but only vexe his owne spirit for in that attempt the Scottish King was taken prisoner and brought so to London leauing Philip to struggle with his hard fortunes in France which with bad successe hee did to the day of his death 24 Iohn his sonne by the same title and claime felt the same stroake of iustice from the hand of that thunderbolt in warre Edward surnamed the blacke Prince the sonne of Englands Mars who farre inferiour to the French in number farre exceeded them in marshall power when at the battell of Poitiers the French royall Standard was stroke downe an hundred Ensignes wonne by the English the Constable Marshall and great Chamberlaine of France with fifty two Lords and seuenteen hundred Gentlemen slaine in the field King Iohn himselfe his sonne Philip two Bishops thirteene Earles and one and thirty Lords taken prisoners by the Prince to his great praise and confirmation of his iust cause 25 Nor was the punishment of the father any whit lessened in King Charles the sonne then raigning who besides the intestine warres in his own dominions was by Gods iust iudgement strucke into a Lunacy being vnable to gouerne himselfe much lesse his Kingdome vpon which aduantage as the French would haue it King Henry now plaied though it be most certaine he sought his right farre otherwise for so it standeth vpon record dated the ninth of February and first of Henry the fift his raigne that he sent his Ambassadors vnto the French King who could not bee admitted to his presence and him whom they imployed to procure
he had created Earle of Pembrooke to be his Generall in the North who partly to deserue the Kings liberality in aduancing him to such honour and partly in emulation he bare toward Warwicke being the sole obstacle as he tooke it why he obtained not the wardship of the Lord Bonuils daughter and heire for his eldest sonne did not a little reioice of that his imploiment And therefore accompanied with Sir Richard Herbert his brother and eighteene thousand well furnished Welshmen marched towards the enemie and after him was sent Humfrey Lord Stafford with sixe thousand Archers to second him in his warres These Lords meeting together â—…ad notice by espials that the Northern made forwards towards Northampton to intercept whom the Lord Stafford lately made Earle of Deuonshire was imploied and Sir Richard Herbert who with two thousand horse laid themselues couertly by the side of a wood and sodeinely set vpon the rereward the rest hauing passed but the Northern verie nimbly turned about and bad the Welshmen such welcome as few of them returned to tell of their entertainement 33 The King vnderstanding of this hard beginning mustred his subeicts on euerie side intending to cope with the Northern himselfe And Earle Warwicke as forward to forward his fortunes gathered his friends with purpose to encounter with Pembrooke and his Welsh But before any supplies came to either of both it chanced the Armies to meete at vnawares vpon a faire plaine called Danes more neere to the Towne Hedgecot three miles from Banburie and presently fell to a bickering wherein Sir Henrie Neuill Knight sonne of the Lord Latimer vpon a lusty courage venturing somewhat too farre was taken prisoner and notwithstanding he yeelded himselfe to his Takers was cruelly slaine which vnmartiall act rested not long vnrepaied with the losse of most of the Welsh the next day For the field withdrawne the Lord Stafford repaired to Banberie and there tooke his lodging where his affections were much enamoured vpon a faire damsell in the Inne But the Earle of Pembrooke comming to the same Towne tooke into the same Inne and commanded the Lord Stafford to prouide him elsewhere contrary to their agreements made before whereat Stafford was displeased and departing thence with his whole Band left the Earle naked of men in the Towne and disabled the field of the Archers whereby the day was lost vpon the kings part for which he shortly lost his owne head 34 The Northern enflamed for the death of young Neuill the next morning most valiantly set vpon the Welshmen and by the force of Archers draue them from their ground of aduantage which Pembrooke wanting supplied with his owne prowesse and Richard his brother with his Pollaxe twice made way through the battell of the Northern without anie mortall or deadly wound so that by their valours it was verily supposed the field had beene wonne had not Iohn Clappam an Esquire and seruant to Warwicke displaied his Lords Colours with his white-beare and from an eminent place cried a Warwicke a Warwicke whereat the Welsh were so terrified as they turned and fied leauing their General and his brother alone in the field who valiantly figh ting were incompassed and taken with the 〈◊〉 of fiue thousand of their men The Earle with hâ—… brother Sir Richard Herbert were brought to Banbery where with ten other Gentlemen they lost their heads Conyers and Clappam being their Iudges 35 This second victory thus got and the Northern now fleshed vnder the leading of Robbin of Riddisdale hasted to the Kings mannor of Grafton where the Earle Riuers father to the Queene then lay whom with his sonne Iohn they sodeinely surprized and in Northampton strucke off their heads without any iudgement The deathes of these Lords the King greatly lamented and sought to reuenge first therefore writing his Commissions for the apprehension of Lord Humfrey Stafford of Southwicke who by diligent search was found at Brentmarch and beheaded at Bridgewater as he worthily deserued next he prepared a mighty Armie and with the same marched towardes Warwicke his company increasing euer as he went 36 King Edward set downe his tents at Wolney foure miles from Warwicke where the Duke and the Earle of Warwickes host lay readie for Battell but by the mediation of friends a peace was intreated and letters written from either parties expressing the griefes and wrongs sustained with proffers of redresse in amending all and in shew so farre it proceeded as the King conceiuing a certaine hope of peace rested secure not fearing any foule-play which politique Warwicke by his spiall perceiuing thought it not wisdome to loose the aduantage and thereupon in the dead of the night with a selected Company he entred the Kings Camp killing them that kept the watch tooke the king in his bed and brought him his prisoner to his Castle of Warwicke and thence by easie iourneys in the night had him conueyed to Midelham Castle in Yorkeshire not farre from Richmond where vnder the custody of his brother George Neuill Archishop of Yorke hee was reteined 37 His vsage was Princely and according to his estate which he often acknowledged to the Archbishop with all kind thankes and complements of wordes whereby he wrought himselfe into such trust and fauour as he had the Forrests to hunt in and the parkes for his pleasure whose pales are well knowne vnsufficient wals to pen the lyon in as appeared by this King who being abroad and on hunting Sir VVilliam Stanly with Sir Thomas Burgh brought him fresh horse and such a crew of followers that his keepers more feared their owne liues then were forward to force him backe againe to prison and so let the game goe without further chase King Edward thus escaped VVarwicke like a wild man furiously raged but seeing no remedy made vse of necessity and gaue forth that himselfe so caused it hauing power to make Kings and to vnmake them againe 38 The King forthwith repaired to Yorke where with great honour hee was ioifully receiued and abode certaine daies which made him well hope of a further supply of friends and men but fayling thereof and fearing the Archbishops pursuite with a small traine he posted to Lancaster where he found the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine well accompanied for his Conuey his spirits then reuiued and traine daily increasing with speedie iourneyes hee came vnto London where all his studies and consultations were how to be reuenged vpon these disloiall Lords his brother and Earle VVarwicke and they againe fretting at the Archbishoppes follie sought to make stronger their factions against the King 39 The Land thus rent by these vnnaturall diuisions and no estate sure to enioy what was theirs the Nobles anew began to sollicite the parties vnto a Peace hauing first obtained libertie to post to and fro without their impeachments and so effectually laid downe the state of the Land whose ruines now
aspired greatnesse who now commanded the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicilie the Dutchie of Millan the Seigniorie of Ioan the Countie of Ast and other possessions in Italie the whole Country of Germany being the greatest part of Christendome already either totally in his Enacted in the Church of Saint Peter in Anion May 7 Anno 1530. The Determination of the Vniuersity of Burges We the Deane and facultie of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Burges after the example of Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles begin with praier to the quieting of the conscience to whom this our writing shall come the Question moued is whether the brother taking the wife of his dead brother the marriage consummated and perfect be a thing lawfull or no. We by much labour and turning of Bookes euery one of vs a part by himselfe free from corruption the better to obey the truth finde it forbidden by the Leuiticall law which is Gods and that such marriage is an abhominable discouering of his brothers shame which cannot be allowed by the authority of any man which our determination we haue caused to be signed with the seale of our faculty the tenth day of Iune and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The opinions of the Diuines in the Vniuersity of Bonony All wee Doctors of Diuinity in this Vniuersity vnto whom this Question was propounded whether it was forbidden only by the Ordinance of the Church or else by the Law of God that a man might not marry the left wife of his brother departed without children and hauing examined the matter euery one of vs alone lastly came altogether and as it were line by line and rule by rule brought forth the reasons for the contrary part with those of the most Reuerend Father Cardinall Caietaine yea and of the dispensation for raising vp seed to his brother spoken of in Deuteronomie thus we determine giue iudgement and say and confidently doe hold and witnes that such marriage is horrible accursed and to be cried out vppon and vtterly abhominable not only for a Christian man but for an Infidel vnfaithfull or heathen and that it is prohibited vnder greeuous paines and punishments by the Law of God of Nature and of man and that the Pope though he may doe much vnto whom Christ gaue the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen hath no power to a dispensation to anie man to contract such marriage In witnes whereof we confirme this our iudgement both vnder the Seale of our Vniuersity as also with the Seale of our Colledge of Doctors of Diuinity and haue substribed it in the Cathedrall Church of Bonony this tenth of Iune the yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Padua Seeing that certaine great Orators and Ambassadors did humbly require of vs that wee would vouchasafe to search out with all diligence this question following whether to marry the wife of our brother departed without children is forbidden onely by the Law of the Church or by the Law of God also and if forbid by both the Lawes whether the Pope may dispence with any man for such Matrimony or no which Question we haue discussed and as farre as we can haue made it cleere both priuate euery man by himselfe and after al together openly we say iudge decree witnesse and for truth affirme that such marriage is no marriage yea and that it is abhorred and cursed of euery Christian man and to be abominate as a greeuous sinne and that it is cleerely forbidden vnder cruell penalty by the Lawes of nature of God and of man and that the Pope vnto whom the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen are committed by Christ the Sonne of God hath no power to dispense by the right of Law for any cause suggestion or excuse that any such Matrâ—…ny should be contracted In witnesse whereof wee 〈◊〉 made this writing and haue authorized it with the accustomed Seale of our Vniuersity dated at Padua in the Church of the Heremites of Saint Augustine the first of Iuly and yeere of our Lord. 1530. The determination of the Vniuersity of Tholouze It was treated in our Vniuersity of Tholouze whether it were lawfull for a brother to marry her which had beene wife to his brother now departed and without children as also whether the Pope which hath the cure of Christs flocke allowing it by his dispensation it be lawful to resolue which the best Doctors of Diuinity and the Laws did sweare that they would obey the sacred Counsels and would follow the holy Decrees of the Fathers and falling to conclusion stucke fast vpon this point that it is lawfull for no man neither by the Law of God nor by the Law of nature to take her to wife that his brother hath left neither can the Pope dispence with this law of God as touching the commandement in Deuteronomy that the brother should marry his wife to raise vp seede vnto him that his name should not perish among the Tribes of Israel we answere that that Law was but a shadow and figure of things to come which vanished away as soon as the substance of the Gospell appeared Thus haue we giuen our sentence which wee haue signed with our Authenticall Seale of this Vniuersity Yeouen at Tholouze the Calends or first day of October the yeere of our Lord 1530. These and many more were read by the Lord Chauncellor vnto the lower house of Parliament that they might report in their countries the Kings iust cause of diuorse To forward which as was thought Cardinall Wolsey the said Lord Chancellor was sent Ambassadour into France laden with Crownes as Guicchardine saith and with surpassing Pompe as London behelde who with 900. Horse passed the Bridge toward Douer and so into France But rumors in England still spreading of the good Queens diuorse about a yeere after K. Henry to satisfie all sent for his Nobles his Councellers Iudges and many wise Commoners vnto whom he made a most pithy Oration shewing them with what care he had ruled almost twenty yeeres with honour and victory which as he said would shortly be clouded if he should die and leaue them a litigious Heire examples he shewed of the wofull experience of Lancaster and Yorke in whose dissentions the Realme was like to haue beene vtterly destroied and although saith he we haue a daughter to the great comfort of her mother and me yet it is told vs by great Clearkes our marriage is not lawful but that she stands in case of illegitimation and we both are said to liue in abominable Adultery thinke you my Lords that these words doe not touch my very soule the perill whereof we venture as you doe also your inheritance for which cause I haue asked counsell of the greatest Clearkes in Christendome and haue likewise heard the opinion of mine owne But as touching the Queene if it bee iudged by the Law of God that she is my lawfull wife there shall be nothing more
draw Gods indignation against me which I feare wee haue already done in that hee hath sent vs no Issue male and them that were begot in this nuptiall bed no sooner came into the world but were taken againe thence and hopelesse now of more issue by her it behoueth me to consider the state of this Realme and the danger that may follow for lacke of a lawfull Prince to succeed This burden too weighty for my weake conscience not in any dislike of the Queenes age or person with whom I desire onely to continue if our marriage may stand with the law of God I haue in this place assembled you our graue Prelates and learned Diuines to determine of and will God willing submit my selfe to your iudgements My doubts in this case I moued in confession to you my Lord of Lincolne and ghostly father whereof your selfe being somwhat trobled said you would aske counsell of you all my Lords Then of you my Lord of Canterbury being Metropolitane I got licence to put the matter in question to which graâ—… you all put your seales as here in this Court the same is to bee seene True it is said the Lord of Canterbury and I doubt not but that all my brethren here present will acknowledge the same Not so my Lord said the Bishoppe of Rochester you neuer had my hand to that Instrument nor neuer shal Indeed said Canterbury you did it not your selfe but admitted mâ—…e to subscribe your name and allowed mee your Seale vnder your correction said Rochester that is not so Well well quoth the King you are but one man against whom at this time we will not dispute and so rose vp and the Court adiourned ned to England but he tooke his way towards the Emperour to whom the cause somewhat appertained being then at Vienna in his expedition against the Turke vnto whose learned men he offered disputation and in priuate conference so satisfied Cornelius Agrippa the most respected for learning in the Emperours Court as he held the Proposition most true Whereupon others learned were discouraged to dispute and suffered Cranmer to depart without any further proceedings 80 The matter thus manifested in most parts of Christendome this Gordians knot was lastly vnloosed by King Henrie himselfe who now besides this his marriage beganne to call in question what authority the Pope had in his dominions which being afterwards debated in Parliament an Act passed against his vsurped Hierarchy and all persons forbidden to appeale or to make any paiments vnto Rome The Kings marriage with Lady Katherine was by the same Parliament dissolued and his separation from her made by the Archbishop of Canterburie to stand good and effectuall by Law and that Queene Katherine from thenceforth should be called Princesse Dowager which doings shee tooke so to hart as shee procured the Popes curse against King Henrie and his Realme which curse was set vp at Dunkirke in Flaunders for that the bringer thereof durst come no neerer And the Pope in reuenge of himselfe being set in his Consistory accompanied with his Cardinals proceeded to the Censure of these great Princes marriage which he then adiudged to stand most firme and Canonicall and enioyned King Henry to hold matrimoniall society with the said Katherine his lawfull wife and Queene and in that estate to account and maintaine her as it became a King and louing husband to doe and if he refused to accomplish these premisses then to be compelled thereunto and neuer after to be heard in any Court as touching the inualiditie of the said marriage and to pay the expences of the said trauerse as he the holy father should limit and thinke meete This was done a yeere after that the King had married Queen Anne and bare date from Rome the 23. of March and yeere of Christ 1534. For in the meane while King Henry had set his affection vpon the Lady Anne Bullen a Phenix indeed in his Princely eye and another Hester for Englands saluation both in her selfe and roiall Bud succeeding as the heauens and world doe witnes to this day Shee was the daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen Viscount Rochford Earle of Wiltshire and of Ladie Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke This Earle Thomas her father was the sonne of Sir William Bullen whose wife was Lady Margaret the second daughter and Coheire of Thomas Butler Earle of Ormond and the said Sir William was the sonne of Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London who lieth buried in Saint Laurence Church in the Iewrie pictured in his winding sheete vpon a Plate of Brasse and about his Graue-stone vpon a border of brasse in many places these words are written Now thus Now thus Now thus whose Charity was extended vpon the poore housholders of that Citie in distributing among them a thousand pounds His Lady was Anne eldest daughter and Coheire vnto Thomas Lord Hâ—… and Hasting and his discent out of the house of the Bullens an ancient Family in the Countie of Norfolke accursed therefore be the pen that slanderously bringeth this rose from a defiled Bed whose Serpents mouth to vphold his God the Pope hath spewed out his poison of vntruthes and made his tongue a sharpe sword against the Lords annointed let him therefore receiue his portion with the Serpent of deceit and his reward with Satan the father of Lies 81 This Ladies religion was different from all Papall indulgences imbracing the Gospell that then began in our vulgar language to bee read for which cause saith Sleidan she was accounted a Lutheran cause enough to bee enuied at by the Bishops of that time 82 Her the King inuested Marchionesse of Pembroke with Mantle and Coronet both in regarde of her Nobilitie and many vertues for so runne the wordes of her Patent which done he tooke the seas for France accompanied with such a traine of his Nobles as the like had not been seen and among many Ladies Anne Bullen was one where hee complained to the French King of the great wrongs offered him by the dull Pope as hee called him who would haue Kings in person to attend his leasure at Rome and contrary to their Kingly dignities to expose themselues and affaires at his will there to bondage and great danger and therefore he earnestly requested that the Pope might bee summoned to a Councell to answere the many abuses that hee had offered vnto most of the Princes in Christendome and vnto himselfe not the least who for his part had allowed him threescore thousand Angels monethly to maintaine an Army for his deliuerance out of the Castle of Angell where the Emperials vnder the Prince of Orenge kept him Which his businesse being ended in France and the King againe returned into England he presently though priuily married the said Lady Marchionesse in his Closet at White-hall in the presence of many the Lady Anne
an high Basement like a Sepulchre and on the sides whereof shal be made the story of Saint George and ouer height of the Basement shall bee made an Image of the King on Horsebacke liuelie in Armor like a King after the Antique maner shewing in countenance and looking on the said two Images lying on the said Tombes Item on the right hand and left hand of the said two Tombes shall bee foure Pillers of the foresaid Orientall stones that is to say on either side two Pillers and vpon euery Pillar shall bee a like Basement of white Marble with partitions for Scriptures as shall be aboue the other Pillers And on the same foure Basements of the said Pillers shall bee made foure Images two of Saint Iohn Baptist and two of Saint George with foure little children by them casting roses as is aforesaid Item ouer the said Image of the King on Horsebacke shall bee made an Arch triumphall of white Marble wrought within and about it and vpon the same Arch in maner of a Casement of white Marble garnished with like Orientall Stones of diuers colours as the pattern sheweth and on the two sides of the said Casement shall be made and set of brasse guilt the story of the life of Saint Iohn Baptist and one hight of the said Casement shall bee made fiue steps euery one more then other downeward of like Orientall stones as the said Pillers shall shew Item on the foure corners of the said Casement shall be made the Images of the foure Cardinal vertues hauing such Candlestickes in their hands as is aboue said Item on the toppe of the highest step of the said fiue steps on the one side shall be an Image of the Father hauing in his left hand the Soule of the King and blessing with his right hand with two Angels holding abroad the Mantle of the Father on either side Item in like wise shall bee made on the other side the said Image of the Father hauing the soule of the Queene in his left hand blessing with his right hand with like Angels The height of the same worke from the Father vnto the Pauement shall be xxviij foot Item the breadth and largenes of the said worke shall be xv foote and the Pillers of the Church in greatnes v. foote and so the largenes of the said worke from the vttermost part of the two great Pillars shal be xx foote Item euery of the Images of the xiiij Prophets shall containe euery Image V. foote in length and the Angels shall containe two foote and a halfe in length Item euery of the xx Pillers shall containe in length X. foot Item euery of the Images of the Apostles Euangelists and Doctors shall containe in length V. foote and the Angels as is abouesaid Item in likewise euery of the xx Angels of the quire shall containe in length two foot and a halfe and in likewise the Images of the Children two foot and a halfe Item the foure Images of St. Iohn Baptist and St. George and all the figures of the father and Angels on the V. steps shall be V. foote Item the foure Images of the King and the Queen shall be of the Stature of a man and woman and the foure Angels by them of the stature of a man euery one Itē the Image of the King on Horseback with his Horse shall be of the whole stature of a goodly man and large Horse Item there shal be a Cxxxiiij figures Xliiij Stories and all of Brasse guilt as in the patterne appeareth 135 This magnificent Monarch was of presence Maiesticall and of Personage more then ordinarily t◅l faire of Complexion and Corpulent of body very wise and very well learned of a sudden and ready speach in youth very prodigall and in his age very liberall pleasant and affable but not to be dallyed with bolde in attempting and euer thirstie of potent glory an expert Souldier and fauouring such as were actiue or seruiceable according to the then vsuall saying King Henrie loues a man and indeed somewhat too wel the delights with women as by his many wiues heere ensuing may well appeare His Wiues 136 Katherine the first wife to King Henry was the daughter of Ferdinando the sixt King of Spaine and widow dowager of Prince Arth◅r his elder brother as hath beene said she was married vnto this King the third of Iune and first of his Raigne the yeere of saluation 1509. being solemnely crowned with him vpon the twenty fourth day of the same and was his wife aboue twenty yeeres and then diuorced from him by the sentence of the Archbishop of Canterbury liued three yeeres after by the name of Katherine Dowager Shee deceased at Ki◅balton in the County of Huntington the eight of Ianuary and yeere of Christ 1535. and lieth interred on the North-side of the quire in the Cathedrall Church of Peterborow vnder a hearse of Blacke Saye hauing a white Crosse in the middest 137 Anne the second wife of King Henry was the second daughter of Sir Thomas Bullen Earle of Wiltshire and Ormond Shee was solemnly at Windsore created Marchionesse of Pembrooke the first of September and twenty foure of his Raigne hauing one thousand pound giuen her by yeere to maintaine her estate Shee was married vnto king Henry in his Closet at White-Hall vpon the twenty fift day of Ianuary and yeere of Christ Iesus 1533. being the foure and twentith of his Raigne and was Crowned with all due obseruances at Westminster vpon Whitsunday the first of Iune where the Crowne of Saint Edward was set vpon her head the scepter of Gould deliuered into her right hand and the Iuory rodde with the Doue into her left Shee was his wife three yeeres three monthes and twenty fiue daies when being cut off by the sword the nineteenth of May her body was buried in the Quire of the Chappell in the Tower leauing her accused fame to bee censured as affections best pleased the vncharitable minded and her bed to bee possest of a vertuous Lady 138 Iane the third wife of King Henry was the daughter of Iohn Seimer Knight and sister to Lord Edward Seimer Earle of Hertford and Duke of Sommerset Shee was married vnto him the twentieth of May euen the next day after the beheading of Queene Anne and the twenty eight of his Raigne Shee was his wife one yeere fiue monthes and twenty foure daies and died in Child-bed the foureteenth of October to the great griefe of the King who not onely remoued from the place but kept himselfe priuate and wore the Garment of mourning euen in the Festiuall time of Christmas her body was solemnely conueied to Windsore the eight of Nouember following where she was interred in the middest of the Quire of the Church within the Castell 139 Anne the fourth wife of King Henry and sister to William Duke of Cleue was married vnto him the sixth of Ianuary in the thirty one yeere of his Raigne the yeere of Grace
1540. shee was his wife sixe moneths after which time certaine Lords of the vpper House of Parliament came into the nether and alleaged cause for which that marriage was vnlawfull whereunpon shee was diuorced and by Statute enacted that shee should no more be taken for Queene but should be called the Lady Anne of Cleâ—…e See remained in England long after the Kings death though small mention is made of her by any of our Writers only we finde that she accompanied the Lady Elizabeth through London at the solemnizing of Queene Maries Coronation 140 Katherine the fifth wife of King Henry the eight was the daughter of 〈◊〉 and Neece vnto Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke Shee was married vnto him the eight of August and yeere of â—…race 1540. being the thirtie two of his Raigne at Hampton Court and continued his Queene the space of one yeere sixe moneths and foure daies and for her vnchaste life was attainted by Parliament and for the same beheaded within the Tower of London the twelfth of February and her body buried in the Chauncell of the Chappell by Queene Anne Bullen 141 Katherine the sixth and last wife of King Henry was the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendall and sister to Lord William Parre Marquesse of Northampton shee was first married to Iohn Neuill Lord Latimer and after his decease vpon the twelfth of Iuly maried vnto the King at Hampton Court the yeere of Saluation 1543. and thirtie fiue of his Raigne Shee was his wife three yeeres sixe months and fiue daies and suruiuing him was againe married vnto Thomas Seimer Lord Admirall of England vnto whom she bare a daughter but died in the same Child-bed the yeere of Grace 1548. His Issue 142 Henrie the first sonne of King Henry by Queene Katherine his first wife was borne at Richâ—…d in Surrey vpon the first of Ianuary and the first of his fathers Raigne whose Godfathers at Font were the Lord Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie and the Earle of Surrey his Godmother Lady Katherine Countesse of Deuonshire daughter to King Edward the fourth This Prince liued not fully two months but died in the same place wherein he was borne vpon the two and twentieth of February and his body with all due obsequies buried in Westminster 143 A sonne not named was borne vnto King Henrie by Lady Katherine his first Queene in the month of Nouember and the sixth yeere of his Raigne who liued not long and therefore no further mention of him can bee made the deathes of these Princes King Henrie tooke as a punishment from God for so he alleaged it in the publike Court held in Blacke-friers London they being begot on his owne brothers wife 144 Marie the third childe and first daughter of King Henrie by Queene Katherine his first wife was born at Greenewich in Kent the eighteenth of Februarâ—… in the yeere of Christs humanity 1518 and the eighth of his Raigne Shee was by the direction of her mother brought vp in her Childe-hood by the Countesse of Salisbury her neere kinswoman for that as some thought the Queene wished a marriage betwixt some of her sons and the Princesse to strengthen her Title by that Aliance into Yorke if the King should die without issue Male. In her yong yeeres shee was sued to be married with the Emperour the King of Scots and the Duke of Orleance in France but all these failing and shee succeeding her brother K Edward in the Crowne at the age of thirtie sixe yeeres matched with Phillip King of Spaine to the great dislike of many and small content to her selfe hee being imploied for the most part beyond the Seas for griefe whereof and the losse of Calice shee lastly fell into a burning feauer that cost her her life 145 Elizabeth the second daughter of King Henrie and first childe by Queene Anne his second wife was borne at Greenwich vpon Sunday the seuenth of September the yeere of Christ Iesus 1534 and twenty fiue of her Fathers Raigne who with due solemnities was baptized the Wednesday following Archbishop Cranmer the old Dutches of Norfolke and the old Marchionesse of Dorset being the witnesses at the Font and the Marchionesse of Excester at the confirmation Shee succeeded her sister Queene Marie in the Monarchy of England and was for wisdome vertue piety and Iustice not onelie the Mirrour of her Sexe but a patterne for Gouernment to al the princes in Christendome whose name I may not mention without al dutiful remembrance and whose memory vnto me is most deare amongst the many thousands that receiued extraordinary fauours at her gracious and most liberall hand 146 Another man childe Queene Anne bare vnto King Henry though without life vpon the nine and twentieth of Ianuary and twenty seuen of his Raigne to the no little griefe of the mother some dislike of the King as the sequel of her accusation and death did shortly confirme 147 Edward the last childe of King Henry and first of Queene Iane his third wife was borne at Hampton Court the twelfth of October the yeere of Grace 1537. and twenty nine of the Kings Raigne being cut out of his mothers wombe as is constantly affirmed like as Iulius Caesar is said to haue been his Godfathers at the Font was Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Norfolk his sister Lady Mary being Godmother saith Grafton Sixe daies after his birth he was created Prince of Wales and at the death of his Father succeeded him in all his Dominions of whom more followeth heereafter His Naturall Issue 148 Henrie Fitz-Râ—…ie the naturall sonne of King Henrie the eight was begotten of the Lady 〈◊〉 called Elizabeth Blunt and borne in the Mannor of Blackâ—…moore in Essex about the tenth yeere of his Raigne at the age of sixe yeeres he was created Earle of Nottingham and in the fiue and twentieth of his Fathers Raigne vpon the eighteenth of Iune in the Kings Pallace of Bridewell was made Duke of Richmond and Sommerset Lord Warden of the East West and Middle-Marches against Scotland and Lieutenant Generall of all the parts of England Northward he was a Prince very forward in Marshal Actiuities of Good literature and knowledge in the tongues vnto whom the learned Antiquary Leland dedicated a Booke He married Marie daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and Lord high Treasurer of England with whom he liued not long but died at Saint Iames by Westminster the two and twentieth of Iuly in the yeere of Christ Iesus 1536. and was buried at Framingham in Suffolke THe tempestuous 〈◊〉 in the Raigne of this King Henrie the eight and the violent deluge raised against the Church-state of his times bare downe so many religious strong foundations and were the destruction of so many beautifull Monasteries as the onely relation of their numbers and names would haue much interrupted the narration of his history Wherfore to reteinâ—… their memorials though their walles are laid
treason and fellony and the same vrged vnto extremity with many amplifications and bitter inuectiues especially that hee had sought and pretended the deathes of the Duke of Northumberland the Lord Marquesse and Pembroke where after many mild answeres to these matters obiected he put himselfe to be tried by his Peeres who acquitted him of treason but found the inditement of felloniâ—… when presently the Aâ—… was commaunded away whereat the shout of the people shewed the great affection that was boâ—…e to the Duke little mistrusting that the sentence of death was pâ—…ounced against him or that the kiâ—… vncle should die as a fellon neither did Staâ—… intend any such thing as some are of opinion but rather was purposely made for the suppression of â—…bellions and vnlawfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herein such as should seeke or procure the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—…sellor should be guilty as in case of felloniâ—… But such was the pleasure of the all ordering power 〈◊〉 he which knew no theft should die for that sinne so that neither himselfe nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demaunded the benefite of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would haue saued his life if it had beene required 69 His sentence thus pronounced hee was againe sent backe to the Tower wherein he kept a very sad Christmas yea and that in the Court inclined to little mirth the King lamenting the condemnation of his vncle had not some witty disportes broke off his passions which how and by whome they proceeded let others report and vs continue the Tragedie of this Duke who vpon the two twenty of February following being Friday was brought to the Scaffold vpon Tower-hil by eight in the morning where turning himselfe towardes the East he spake to the people as followeth 70 Dearely beloued friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I neuer offended against the King neither in word nor deed and haue alwayes been as faithfull and true vnto this Realme as any man hath been but for somuch as I am by law condemned to die I doe acknowledge my selfe as well as others to be subiect thereunto wherefore to testifie mine obedience which I owe to the lawes I am come hither to suffer death where unto I willingly offer my selfe with most hearty thanks vnto God that hath giuen me this time of repentance who might through sodaine death haue taken away my life that I neither should haue acknowledged him nor my selfe 71 These words vttered besides others exhortatory that the people would continue constant in the Gospell sodainly was heard a great noyse wherby the assembly was strucke into great feare some thinking that a storme or tempest descended from aboue some supposed that the barrels of Gunpowder in the Armorie had taken fire were all blowne vp into the Aire others thought that they heard a noise of horses prepared to battell some againe affirmed confidently that it did thunder and others thought verily it was an earth-quake and that the ground moued vnto such confusion and terrour were they presently brought which saith Stow was none other but that certaine men from the Hamlets warned with weapon to guard the Tower-hill came thither somewhat after the hower appointed whose formost seeing the Prisoner on the Scaffold beganne to runne forward themselues and call to their fellowes to come away which word away sounding as an Eccho in the peoples eares they thought that rescue had come to the Duke to take him away and seeing the Bil-men to make forward so fast beganne themselues to shrinke backe from the hill euery man seeking to saue one and by this accident and confused cries this feare among them fell and beganne This stirre scarce ended another ensued by the running of the people towards the Scaffold who seeing Sir Anthony Browne riding thitherward supposed a pardon had come from the King so that a sodaine shout arose apardon apardon God fane the King by which it onely appeared in what loue hee was had and how much his life was desired of the Commons 72 The Duke whose mind being altogether prepared for death was little moued either to hope or feare and thereupon addressed his second speech to the people and with no deiected countenance spake againe and said Beloued friends there is no such matter intended as you vainely hope and belieue It seemeth thus good to the Almighty vnto whose ordinance it is meet that wee all bee obedient wherefore I pray you bee quiet and without tumult for I am quiet and let vs so ioyne in prayer vnto the Lord for the preseruation of our Noble King vnto whose Maiesty I wish câ—…uall health with all felicitie and abundance of prosperous successe Moreouer I wish to his Counsellers the grace and fauour of God whereby they may rule all things vprightly with Iustice vnto whom I exhort you all in the Lord to shew your selues obedient the which is also very necessarie for you vnder paine of condemnation and also most profitable for the preseruation of the Kings Maiesty And thereupon asking euery man forgiuenesse freely forgaue euery man against him and desiring the people to bee quiet lest the flesh should be troubled though his spirit was willing hee meekely laide downe his head to the Axe and receiued at one stroke his rest by death 73 Howsoeuer this Dukes cause was ballanced by law and him taken away that stood betwixt some and their Sunne yet was his death heauily disgested by the people that spake very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland but most especially the young King sore mourned and soone missed the life of his Protector thus vnexpectedly taken away who now depriued of both his vncles howsoeuer the times were passed with pastimes playes and shewes to driue away dumpes yet euer the remembrances of them sate so neere vnto his heart that lastly he fell sicke of a Cough which grieuously increasing ended with a consumption of the lungs 74 His sicknesse continuing with great doubt of his life vpon purpose saith Grafton to alter the succession of the Crowne three marriages were in one day solemnized whereof the first was betwixt the Lord Guilford Dudley fourth sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and the Lady Iane eldest daughter of Henry Duke of Suffolke the second was betwixt the Lord Herbert sonne and heire to William Earle of Pembroke and the Lady Katherine the yonger daughter of the said Duke of Suffolke and the third was betweene Hanry L. Hastings sonne and heire of Frances Earle of Hantington and Katherine the youngest daughter of the Duke of Northumberland which tending saith he to the diâ—…erison of the rightfull heires they proued nothing prosperous for two of them were presently made frustrate the one by death and the other by diuorce 75 The policy established and languishing sicknesse of the King gaue way vnto such as sought the euersion of the State alienation of the Crown In whose eye no head was scene fitter for that faire Diademe
to confirme vs of their Profession and doth shew the badge of that ages Christianitie But the famous Monasterie of Banchor as a College of diuine Philosophers and by Clariuallensis truly acknowledged to be the Mother of all other in the world and her Monkes distributed into seuen seuerall parts euery part numbring three hundred soules and earning their bread by their daily labours doth notably witnesse to all succeeding ages that Christian Religion was then both planted and preached in this Iland And in the Synod held at Austins Oake were seuen old Britaine Bishops besides other Doctours who met with that Romane Legate and not in points of doctrine but rather in their seuerall rites and ceremonies did varie by any thing that in that Assemblie appeared For as it is most vndoubted that if we speake properly Ierusalem is the Mother of vs all and of all Churches and our former allegations doe euince that the first Plantation of the British Faith was altogether by Iewes and others of the Easterne Church so the very rites of this Religious College of Banchor do euidently proue that their first institution in Religion came from the East Beda shewing that in all of them they dissented from the Romane Church yea and that they neuer did nor then would acknowledge any authoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer them in matters of the Church and seruice of God All which accordeth right well with that before cited out of Zachary that the waters of life should issue from Ierusalem And S. Hierome who spake most properly in saying the Britaines leauing Paganisme had turned their faces to Ierusalem in the East The foundation of the said College is ascribed to King Lucius from whose time vnto the entrance of this Austin the Monke foure hundred thirty eight yeeres were expired in all which space we haue seene that the Christian Faith was both taught and embraced in this Iland notwithstanding the continuall persecutions of the Romans Huns Picts and Saxons which last made such desolations in the outward face of the Church that they droue the Christian Bishops into the deserts of Cornwall and Wales In which number were Theomis and Thadioceus Bishops of London and Yorke chusing rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season By whose labours the Gospell was plentifully propagated among those vast mountaines and those parts especially aboue all other made very glorious by the multitudes of their holy Saints and learned Teachers 21 Lastly for the close of all that these testimonies are sincerely by vs produced for the first preaching and planting of the Gospell and by such meanes and men as we haue declared and particularlie by Ioseph of Arimathca and his associates the consent of all Writers both forraine and home-bred doth sufficiently approoue and the reuerend regard had of the place with the many Charters thereof to this day remaining are strong inducements for those our first Apostles Residencies and Burials whereof one exemplified vnder the Seale of King Edward the third is to be seene at this day reciting that the Abbey of Glastenburie being burned in the time of King Henrie the second while it was in his hands at the request of the Patriarke of Ierusalem then present in England instigated further both by the Bishops and Nobilitic hee did reedifie the same causing diligent search to bee made for the ancient Charters of that foundation and among many recited in that exemplification in one of them it is called Origo Religionis in Anglia in another Tumulum Sanctorum ab ipsis discipulis Domini aedificatum fuisse venerabilem Also in the same Charter amongst many other Kings there is mention made of King Arthur to be a great Benefactor vnto that Abbey whose Armes vpon the stone walles both in the Chapell called S. Ioseph and in diuers other places of the Abbey are cut which is an Eschucheon whereon a Crosse with the Virgin Mary in the first quarter is set and is yet to this day remaining ouer the Gate of entrance and is held to be also the Armes of that Abbey This place is said to haue beene giuen to Ioseph and his brethren by Aruiragus then King of Britaine and from hence were those two diuine Doctors sent to Elutherius by King Lucius as by their Epithetes doth appeare the one of them called Eluanus Aualonius or of Glastenburie and the other Meduuinus of Belga that is Welles neere vnto this place And to these persons and place Polydore Virgil that dwelled among vs and had perused most of our Antiquities ascribeth the originall and precedencie of our Christian Faith in these words Haec omnia Christianae pietatis in Britannia extitêre primordia quam deinde Lucius Rex accendit adauxit c. And our other latter Writers likewise with him agree of this place further affirming that at first but poore and without all pompe it was their Oratorie built only of wrethen wands as both Capgraue Bale Maior Scroope Harding Thorne and others affirme Afterwards by diuers Princes raised vnto greater glory with many large priuileges Charters granted to wiâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Conquerour Rufus and others all which were diligently perused by King Henry the second as we haue said that Rectorie in these Charters continually termed The Graue of Saints The mother Church â—…he Disciples foundation and dedicated vnto Christ as the first place in this Land wherein hiâ—… Gospell was fiâ—…st preached and embraced 22 To conclude this digresson growen much greater then was intended we see it is most apparant that the Britaine 's had a settled opinion in 〈◊〉 before the sound thereof was heard from â—…me and that the Lord had heere set vp his Standard whereunto these Ilanders resorted as to the Tower of their strength and was the first Kingdome of the Gentiles that are said to bring their sonnes thus in their armes and their daughters thus vpon their shoulders vnto the Lords Sanctuarie whose knowledge continually increasing hath hitherto to Englands great ioy and fame beene still continued though the spirituall sparkes thereof for a season haue sometimes beene couered in the cinders of the Pagans desolations or with the superstitious worships of mans inuentions both which now dispersed as clouds before the Sunne the light appeareth in his full strength and the most pure waters of the word run vntroubled This Iland then in this thing made happy before the most the Inhabitants became Instructers of others and in their earthly vessels bare this heauenly liquor which thorow their golden Conduits ran into many other Countries and filled their Cesternes with this water of life For from hence was Netherland conuerted to Christianitie as testifieth the story of Swithbertus Burgundie by our Columbanus saith Sigebert Scotland by Brandanus as Bernard the French Monke affirmeth Swedia by
nothing but hypocrisie was in the face deceit in the heart and guile in the tongue whereby mischiefe was euen full at the brimme then began the heauy hand of God to visit vs c. Where he proceedeth and sheweth that the greeuous sinnes of the Christians was the cause of drawing downe these iudgements on their heads 17 And so this wicked Tyrant accordingly was but as Gods Instrument and Iron-threshing-flaile to bruise the precious wheat and seed of the Gospell and to crush that outward glory of the Christian profession which then was flourishing in most parts of the world 18 But long the Lord deferred not their release nor that Tyrants end For after the First yeere of their persecutions and twentith of his Raigne the thirteenth day of Aprill in the yeere of Christs Natiuitie three hundred and three hee with his Fellow Emperor both of them by the reuenging hand of God stricken with a mad humor saith Eusebius renounced the Empire and descending from the Tribunall put off their Purple and Imperiall robes whereby they againe became Priuat men 19 Dioclesian retired into Dalmatia where in the Citie Salonia hee poisoned himselfe as Aurelius Victor affirmeth and Eusebius saith that no small disease ouertooke him for that hee died mad His consort Maximianus escaped not vnpunished but died for attempting the Murther of Constantius and as Eusebius auoucheth hee hanged himselfe in the citie Marsillis such ignominious deaths followed these two persecuting Tyrants whereof Dioclesian had formerly made himselfe a God and by an Edict commanded his Foote to bee kissed a practise pretily since imitated by his Successors who haue reuiued the wounded Head of the Beast and haue trod his steppes in wounding and persecuting the true members of Christ. FLAV. VALER CONSTANTIVS CHLORVS C. GALERIVS VALERIVS MAXIMIANVS CHAPTER XLV DIoclesian and Maximianus resigning vp their Soueraignties as is said at the Citie Nicomedia in Bithynia cōmitted the charge thereof and the defence of the Common-weale vnto Gallerius and Constantius who had been their Caesars vpon which occasion great peace followed in the Church of Christ and most especially vnto these Westerne Prouinces For those Emperors confirmed by the Senate presently diuided the Empire betwixt them as two Seuerall Estates and not subiect to one Gouernment as formerly had been exercised which as Eusebius hath noted was the fatall end of the Imperiall Glory 2 Vnto Gallerius fell the gouernment of Sclauonia Macedonia Thracia Egypt and the Prouinces in Asia who tooke for case of that burden these two whose Coines we haue here expressed 2 C. Galerius Valer. Maximinus and Aurel. Valer. Seuerus his sisters sonnes whom in the yeere of Christ three hundred and six hee elected Caesars and after Augusti which honours the last enioied not long for he was slaine at Rome by the treachery of Maxentius after one yeere And the other when he had foure yeeres gouerned as Caesar and three as Augustus in the East died at Tharsis in Cilicia 3 And to the lot of Constantius who much at one time with his Copartner elected his sonne Constantine so famous in christian historie Caesar fell Italy France Britannie Spaine Germany and most of the Prouinces in Africke which seeming to him who rather chose to gouerne well then much too spatious gaue vp to Gallerius all that in Africke as too remote from the Seat of his residence and eie of his direction 4 This good Emperor was for his Palenesse surnamed Chlorus by birth a Roman his Father named Eutropius his Mother Claudia Neece to the Emperor Claudius Himselfe had attained the dignitie of a Senator and was both Wise Valiant Noble and Vertuous whose parts Eusebius doth thus commend Constantius was a man of singular clemencie towards men and pietie towards God He did not partake with him in crueltie whose partaker he was in Soueraigntie neither staining his Raigne with the bloud of the Saints nor destroying our Churches and places of Praier as Maximianus furiously did but rather he reuerenced and highly honoured those who truly honoured God For which God so blessed him that this godly Father left a more godly Sonne Constantine the Heire of his well-gotten Empire 5 To which his vertues other Authors adde that he was of great affabilitie louing and gentle little regarding his Priuate Profit but altogether raigning to inrich his Subiects and to that end would often say That it was more be h◅full for the Weale publike that the wealth of the Land should bee dispersed into the commons hands then to lie locked vp in Princes coffers In which kind so auerse he was from all superfluities that hee may be adiudged faulty the other way for vpon Feastinall daies and in his Entertainments of Strangers he was faine to borrow Plate of his friends for such many times are richer then their Soueraignes to furnish his Table and Cupbords 6 But aboue all other vertues was his louing countenance and protection to the late persecuted Christians making his Court their Sanctuarie and his Chapell their Oratorie And to winnow the Chaffe from the Wheat he vsed the like policie as Iehu King of Israel sometime had done against the Priests of Baal For he commanded all his Officers to offer sacrifice to the Idoll-Gods pretending to dis-court all such as refused but contrariwise those that obeied hee put from him with this reproofe that hee who is disloyall to his God will neuer be true nor trustie to his Prince 7 When he was first made Caesar he was forced to forsake his first wife Helena by whom hee had his vertuous sonne Constantine and to take Theodora daughter in Law to Maximianus for a further confirmation of friendship 8 Helena by birth was a Britaine the daughter of Coelus a British Prince as saith Eutropius though Nicephorus make her of Bithynia and Beda tearmes her his Contubine some an Inne-holder and others for her person and parentage stand very doubtfull to meet with whom let vs heare the censure of Times Chiefe Secretarie the learned Cambden in his Britannia Constantius saith hee what time hee serued in Britaine vnder Aurelian tooke to wife Helena daughter of Coelus or Coelius a British Prince on whom he begat that noble Constantine the Great in Britaine for so together with that great Historiographer Baronius the common opinion of all other Writers with one consent beare witnesse vnlesse it bee one or two petty Greeke Authors of late time and those dissenting one from the other and a very learned man grounding vpon a corrupt place of Iul. Firmicus Howbeit compelled he was by Maximianus to put her away for to mary Theodora his daughter This is that Helena which in Antique Inscriptions is called VENERABILIS and PIISSIMA AVGVSTA and for Christian Pietie for cleansing Ierusalem of Idols for building a goodly Church in the place where our Lord suffred and for finding the sauing Crosse is so highly commended
is by the same Writer reported to be his brother and the supposed sonne also of Vulfhere the King Their murthers as he saith was committed the ninth Calends of August which is with vs the foure and twenty of Iuly vpon which day there was yeerely celebrated a solemne memoriall of their martyrdomes in the same place where they both suffered and where their Monument was then remaining 9 Wereburg the daughter of King Vulfhere and Queene Ermenhild was in her childhood committed to the bringing vp of Queene Etheldrid her mothers Aunt in the Monastery of Ely by whose perswasion she professed virginity and returning to her Country in the raigne of King Ethelred her Vncle was by him made ouerseer of all the Monasteries within his dominions She deceased at Trickingham now called Trentham in Stafford-shire and was buried at Hanbery Her body was afterwards remooued to Westchester where Leafrik the Earle built in honour of her a goodly Church called S. Wereburgs which to this day is the Cathedrall Church of that Citie ETHELRED THE SEVENTH KING OF MERCIA AND TVVELFTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS ACTS WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXIIII EThelred the third sonne of King Penda and brother to the last declared Vulfhere in the yeere of Christ Iesus six hundred seuenty fiue beganne his raigne in the kingdome of Mercia and at the same time in the Monarchy of the Englishmen being the seuenth King among them that ware their Diademe and the twelfth person that bare the Imperiall title of the whole his claime was not immediately nor next in succession young Kenred his Nephew standing betwixt him and the Crowne But himselfe a child in yeeres and in them also addicted vnto a priuate life he gaue his Vncle way to vndergo so publike a charge which without contradiction was likewise accepted of the subiects 2 His entrance was with warre against the Kentish Lothaire whose Country he destroied sparing neither Churches nor religious Abbeys the King not daring to appeare in field The Citie Rochester felt also his fury whose Citizens were ransacked their buildings ruinated and their Bishop Putta driuen to such distresse that he became a Teacher of good Arts and Musicke in Mercia to maintaine his aged yeeres from the necessity of perishing want These stirres saith Beda happened in the yeere of grace six hundred seuenty seuen and the next following so fearefull a Blazing starre as was wonderfull to behold first discouered in the moneth of August and for three moneths together continued rising in the morning and giuing forth a blazing pile very high and of a glittering flame 3 The remorse of conscience for the bloud he had spilt and the places of Oratories by him destroied besides his intrusions into another mans right strucke so deepe a wound into King Ethelreds breast that euer hee bethought him what recompence to make First therefore building a goodly Monastery at Bradney and that most fruitfully seated in the County of Lincolus thought that not sufficient to wash away the scarres of his foule offence but determined in himselfe to forsake the world for that was the terme attributed to the monasticall life wherein notwithstanding in lesse cares they liued and their persons more safe from all dangers attempted then when they publikely administred their lawes to their people the iust executions whereof many times breed the ouerthrow of their Princes and their Persons neuer secure amidst their owne gards 4 But such was the religion then taught and the godly zeale of the good Princes then raigning whose works haue manifested their vertues to posterities and faith in Christ the saluation of their soules in whose Paradise we leaue them and Ethelred to his deuout intent who to reconcile himselfe first vnto Kenred bequeathed the Crowne solely to him although he had a sonne capable thereof then putting on the habit of religion became himselfe a Monke in his owne Monastery of Bradney where he liued a regular life the terme of twelue yeeres and therein lastly died Abbat of the place when hee had raigned thirty yeeres the yeere of Christs natiuity seuen hundred sixteene His Wife 5 Offryd the wife of King Ethelred was the daughter of Oswy and of Lady Eanfled King and Queene of Northumberland She was married vnto him in the yeere of our Lord six hundred seuenty seuen being the third of his raigne and the twentieth of her age Shee was his wife twenty yeeres and passing thorow the North parts of Mercia she was set vpon and slaine by the people of that Country in reuenge of the death of Peada their King who had long before bin murthered by Alkefled his wife and her half sister as we haue said And thus strangely came shee to her vntimely end the yeer of our Lord six hundred ninety seuen the twenty three yeere of her husbands raigne and the fortieth of her owne age His Issue 6 Chelred the sonne of King Ethelred and of Queene Offryd his wife was the heire apparant of his fathers kingdome and of sufficient yeeres to haue succeeded him when he entred into religion but that it was his fathers will to make amends to his Nephew Kenred sonne to his elder brother King Vulfhere that now he might raigne before his sonne who should haue raigned before himselfe KENRED THE EIGHTH KING OF MERCIA AND THE THIRTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XXV KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere because of his minoritie at his Fathers death was defeated of his dominions by his Vncle Ethelred and vntill it pleased him to resigne his Crown liued a priuate life whereunto by nature hee was most inclined But King Ethelred for the wrongs to him committed and to redeeme the time that in warre and wealth he had prodigally spent yeelded the Scepter vnto his hand and set his seeming ouer-heauy Crowne vpon his Nephew Kenreds head who began his raigne at one and the same time both ouer the Mercians and Monarchy of the Englishâ—… which was the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred and foure 2 He is in account the eighth King of that Prouince and the thirteenth Monarch since Hengist the Saxon. He raigned in peace the space of foure yeeres then weary of gouernment and desirous of contemplation after the example of his Vncle sought a more priuate and religious life and thereupon appointing Chelred his Cosen germane to rule in his place in the fifth yeere of his raigne abandoned his kingdome and Country and departed for Rome accompanied with Offa King of the East-Saxons and with Edwine Bishop of Worcester where both these Kings were made Monks in the time of Pope Constantine the first Iustinian the younger then wearing the Imperiall Crowne and in a Monastery at that citie both these penitent Conuerts in the Coules and Orders of Monks spent the rest of their liues and therein died and were enterred this Mercian King Kenred hauing had
all which were presented vnto King Elfred at his returne to London who out of his princely magnanimity sent backe to Hastings his wife and two sonnes because said hee shee was no warriour and his two sonnes were his God-children whereupon Hastings repaired his Castle and ioined with the other Danes that lay at Apulder 22 Those then that had fled but lately from Excester in their returne met with other their consorts and rouing about the coast for their prey fell lastly vpon the ancient City Chester which presently they beganne to sacke and burne But the country inhabitants comming to the rescue begirt them about with their hoast and forestalled the passages of all supply of victuals so that for want of food the Danes were constrained to eate vp their horses and vpon composition thence to depart 23 Thence fetching a compasse all along the coasts of Wales in the same yeare they arriued in Essex being the twenty foure of King Elfreds raigne and in the Winter following drew their ships by the Thamesis into the riuer Lea by which they passed in those light Pinnaces twenty miles North-ward into the land and built them a fortresse at the place called Weare thither forthwith the King repaired and pitched his tets before his enemies in the same place who seeing their strength and the danger of long siege did that by policy which power could not so sodainely do for he diuided the riuer into sundrie streames whereby the Chanell was made vnnauigable and the Shippes bedded in the mudde lay rather to their annoiance then defence the former experience of their hunger-starud besiege made thē the more fearefull to fall into the like and therfore in great hast departed their fortresse leauing their wiues and children to the mercy of the English Neither stayed they till they came vnto the borders of Wales when at Cartbridge vpon Seuerne they built another Castle and lay there all the next winter 24 Long there they stayed not without dislike of their lodgings and cold entertainments but that they returned to their wonted spoiles and diuiding themselues some to Northumberland and some into East-Anglia like Locusts eate vp all as they went whose breath as it were so infected the aire that for three yeares following a great mortality raigned both vpon men and beasts and ended not much before the death of this incomparable Prince which hapned to the great sorrow of his subiects vpon wednesday the twenty eight of October when hee had raigned twenty nine yeares and sixe moneths of his age fifty one and yeare of Christ Iesus nine hundreth and one 25 The vertues of this Prince are matchable to any that euer raigned before him and exceed the most that euer raigned after him both in seruice of God whose Substitutes they are in defence of his Country which charge they all beare in prouiding good lawes the sinewes of Kingdomes and care of posterities from which no man is exempted The day and night containing twenty foure howers he designed equally to three especiall vses and them obserued by the burning of a taper set in his Chappell or Oratory eight howres hee spent in contemplation reading and prayers eight in prouision for himselfe his repose and health and the other eight in the affaires of his common-wealth and state His Kingdome hee likewise diuided into Shires Hundreds and Tithings for the better ordering and administring of iustice and for the abandoning of theeues which had formerly increased by the meanes of long warres whereby notwithstanding the multitude of souldiers continually imploied it is reported that a Virgin might trauaile alone in his daies through all his dominions without any violence offered and that bracelets of gold were hanged in the high waies and no man so hardy as to take them away Hee was a most zealous and studious protector and prouider for the Clergy Widdowes and Orphans liberall of his goods wise temperate and iust valiant patient in aduersities and euer relgious in the seruice of God A most learned Prince a skilfull Musition and an excellent Poet the best lawes beefitting his Subiects he translated into the English tongue as also the Pasterall of Gregory the history of Beda and Boetius his consolation of Philosophy the Psalmes of Dauid whose godly raigne he proposed to himselfe for imitation hee likewise began to translate but died before hee could finish the same And so great a desire had he vnto learning that as Alfredus Riuallensis witnesseth he published this Act We will and command that all Freemen of our Kingdom whosoeuer possessing two hides of land shall bring vp their sons in learning till they be fifteene yeares of age at least that so they may be trained to know God to bee men of understanding and to line happily for of a man that is borne free and yet illiterate we repute no otherwise then of a beast or a brainelesse body and a very sot And for the furtherance of this his roiall intent consorted with Aserius Meneuensis Grimbald Iohn Scot and others neither permitted he any in office in Court or elsewhere vnlesse he were learned which incited his Nobles to the earnest pursuit of learned Arts and to traine vp their children in good letters his buildings were many both to Gods seruice and other publicke vse as at Edelingsey a Monastery at Winchester a New-Minster and at Shaftsbury a house of Nunnes wherein hee made his daughter Ethelgeda the Abbesse But the foundation of the Vniuersity of Oxford which hee began in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred ninety fiue and whose lectures he honoured with his owne presence surmounteth all his others to the continuance of posterities a liuing spring and gratious fountaine whence issue the streames of all knowledge that abundantly haue watred both this and other kingdomes 26 His body was first buried in the Cathedrall Church of S. Peters at Winchester vnder a faire Monument of most pretious Purphory afterwards because the lewd-religious Chanons giue it out to work some feat of their vsual imposture that his Ghost did walk euery night from house to house both it and the Monument were taken vp and by his son the Kings commaund in detestation of those sorceries remoued into the Church of the new Monastery and lastly his body Monument Church and Monastery were taken thence and remoued without the North-gate of the City since called Hyde 27 Some alleadge that the malice of those Chanons against him was for displeasure that he placed ouer thē a rude Swineheard named Denewlphus whom he made their Bishop but the ground of that assertion seemeth vnwarrantable by the relation of Wigornensis also of Tho. Rudburne the first of which saith that Elfred caused him to be trained vp in learning and the later that after long study he attained to the degree of a Doctor of Di◅inity in the Vniuersity of Oxford and was afterward made Bishop of Winchester
by the King For doubtlesse at that time the Bishops of Rome had not deuested our Kings of that prerogatiue His Wife 28 Elswith the wife of King Elfred was the daughter of Ethelred surnamed Mâ—…hel that is the Great an Earle of the Mercians who inhabited about Gainesborough in Lincolnshire her mother was Edburg a Lady borne of the Bloud-roiall of Mercia She was married vnto this King in the twentieth yeare of his age being the second of the raigne of his brother King Ethelred and was his wife twenty eight yeares and liuing after him foure died in the year of grace nine hundred and foure and was buried in the Monastery of Nunnes which shee had founded at Winchester out of which afterwards King Henry the first took to his wife Maâ—…d the daughter of Malcolme King of Scots by whom the roiall bloud of the ancient Kings of England became vnited to the Normans whereby he wanne much loue of the English nation His Issue Edward the eldest sonne and second child of King Elfred and Queene Elsewith was borne about the beginning of his Fathers raigne in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred seuenty one hee was brought vp in his Fathers Court and carefully attended and instructed by men of great vertue and knowledge in learning and in all other qualities and exercises conuenient for Princes He was maried and had diuers children hee was thirty yeeres of age before his Father deceased and then he succeeded him in his Kingdome and Monarchy Ethelward the second son fift and last child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith was borne about the midst of his Fathers raigne and about the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and eighty Hee was in his youth by his Fathers appointment and for the example of other young Nobles brought vp in the study of good Arts at the vniuersity of Oxford where saith Th. Rudburne and the Annales of Winchester he became a man very learned and a great Philosopher he had of his Fathers gift by his last Wil great liuings in the Counties of Deuon Sommerset South-Hampton â—…he proued a man of great iudgement and wisedome and liuing vntill he was aboue forty yeres old hee died the sixteenth day of October in the two and twenty yeare of his brother King Edwards raign Anno nine hundred twenty two and was buried at Winchester Elfleda the eldest daughter and first child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith his wife was married to Ethelred Duke of Mercia who in respect of this mariage was suffered to haue all roiall iurisdiction ouer that Country in as ample maner as the Kings thereof had enioied and after the decease of her husband which happened in the yeare of our Lord nine hundred and twelue shee continued the gouernement in the same sort eight yeares with such resolution and valiant resistance of the common enemy the Danes that she stood her brother Edward in great stead as in the relation of his life shall be further shewed She died the fifteenth of Iune nine hundred and nineteene and was buried in S. Peters Church at Gloucester leauing issue a daughter named Elswin whom King Edward her brother depriued of that Duchy which her owne mother enioied and he his crowne by her assistance Ethelgeda the second daughter and fourth child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith was neuer married but tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity and was by her fathers appointment made a Nunne of Shaftsbury in the County of Dorset in the Monastery there founded by him who is also accounted the first of the Towne it selfe Shee was afterward Abbesse of the house and therein spent and ended her life and was there also buried Elfride the yongest daughter and child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith his wife was married to Baldwin the second surnamed the Bald Earle of Flanders sonne of Earle Baldwin the first and Queene Iudith his wife the widdow of King Ethelwolfe her Grandfather Shee was his wife thirty yeares and more shee suruiued him and was a widdow eleuen yeeres she died the seuenth of Iune in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred twenty nine being the fift of the raigne of King Ethelstan her Nephew She is buried by her husband in the Chappell of our Lady within the Monastery of S. Peter at the City of Gaunt She had issue Arnulfe the third Earle of Flanders progenitor of all the Earles of Flanders since his time Adâ—…lfe Earle of Bolâ—…igne and Terwiâ—… EDVVARD SVRNAMED THE ELDER THE TWENTIE FOVRTH KING OF THE WEST SAXONS AND TWENTY FIFT MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXVII NO greater were the griefes conceiued for the death of worthy Elfred then were the hopes of the people in his sonne Prince Edward whose valour had beene often approued against the raging Danes whose vertues were both many and princely not so learned as his Father neither so patient to vndergoe his chance but as glorious in martiall prowesse and as fortunate in al his fights vnder whose hand the Danes euery where fell and vnder his Monarchy all the English did stoope excepting the Northumbrians 2 He entred his raigne the yeare of Christs natiuity nine hundred and one and at Kingston vpon Thames was crowned and annointed with holy oyle The Danish warres continuing in a successiue maner fell as it were hereditaryly from the Father vnto the Sonne and ripened dayly towards their wished haruest Besides Ethelwald the sonne of Ethelbert the vncle to this King Edward young at his fathers decease and therefore perhappes held vncapable of gouernment shewed now the blossoms of vnder-sucking plants whose fruits are neither plenteous nor pleasant in tast for his humours euer working vpon discontents drew his thought onely how to make the possessor fall 3 He then entring action of rebellion tooke the towne of Winborne neere vnto Bathe and besides the allegiance due to his Prince in sacrilegious manner brake the hests of holy Church in deflowring and taking a Votarist to wife Edward the elder so called it may be in regard of this his Opposite with a selected Army repaired to Bathe and thence prepared for the field whose sight was so cockatrice-like to his cosen-Germans eye that in the night he bade his Nun and Winborne adew posting to Northumberland and proffering his seruice to the Danes that lay for aduantage of rapine and spoile 4 Him as a fitte instrument they created their King and forward in hope of some prosperous successe passed through the East-Saxons the East-Angles and the Mercians Countries and laden with robberies came to Crikelade in Wilt-shire whence they departed ouer Thamesis to Basingstoke and harrying the land before them with triumph returned vnto East-Anglia Edward thus endangered by these dreadfull enemies gaue them no aduantage by lingering delaies but followed their tract vnto Saint Edmunds Ditch whence in his returne the Danes gaue
aduenture himselfe among the Danish host as a base Minstrell and Contemptiblemakesport till hee had perfectly learned their secrets and after with his sword through the thickest of those Enemies made a way to his owne most glorious Monarchie 13 To speake nothing of the desolations left in euerie Prouince Towne and Place where they came laying all leauell with the ground as prints of their foote-steppes where they had troden Their cruell and mercilesse dealings towards holy and religious persons with the ruination of Churches and other places for Oratorie is most lamentable to bee rehearsed or remembred and among many others the faire beautifull Monasteries of Bradney Crowland Peterborow Ely and Coldingham were made subiect to their desolations In the last whereof Lady Ebbe with her chast Nunnes to auoid their sauage and filthie pollutions cutte off their owne noses and vpper-lippes least the baite of their beauties should prooue the bane of their honours honestie The most greeuous tribute and exactions laied vpon the poore Inhabitants in generall and great sums of money paied in such afflicted vnseasonable times imposed by the name of Dane-gilt did from ten thousand arise to forty thousand pounds yeerely gathered for them in England Their sturdy behauiour and Lord-like carriage against the English in all places where euer they soiourned was with such subiection of the poore Owners that they abused both wife daughter and maide and were of all called the Lord-Dane till lastly they were Lords indeede of the Land and swaied the Scepter at their owne pleasures which how it was attained vnto wee haue before declared and how it was worne and continued wee are now presently to speake CANVTVS THE FIRST DANISH KING RAIGNING INENGLAND AND THE THIRTIE FOVRTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS ACTS RAIGNE WIVES AND ISSVE CHAPTER III. THe sailes of the Danes thus ouer-filled with the gales of their swelling fortunes and themselues arriued at the Port of their long sought soueraignety cast anker as it were at the hauen of their wished desire and prepared themselues to a setled rest for Canutus possest of halfe the Kingdome by composition with Edmund now after his death seazed vpon the whole and that all things as was pretended might proceed with iustice and concord he called a Counsell of the English Nobility at London wherein was propounded whether in the agreement betwixt Edmund and him any claime of title to the Crowne had beene reserued for King Edmunds brethren or sonnes The English that had paid a very deere rate for their ouerbold resistance before not daring now to buy with too late repentance the wrath of this Dane absolutely answered No and hauing learned to appease Princes with flattery offered their swords against any such claimes and tooke themselues the Oath of alleagiance vnto Canutus who beeing a very wise and politike Prince thought neuer the better of them for such their doings whose truths thus failing towards their naturall Princes could neuer hee well knew stand firme for him or his forreine posteritie 2 But being thus cleered of all other opposites hee prepared with great roialty for his Coronation which was performed at London by the hands of Lyuingus surnamed Elstane Archbishop of Canterburie in the yeere of Christ Iesus 1017. beeing the second King of Denmarks of that Name the first of England and the thirty fourth Monarch of this Land His first designes for the establishment of the Crowne to himselfe and Danish issue was a care to preuent others neere vnto the claime and therefore taking counsell with Edrike banished Edwin who for his melancholy and regardlesse deportment was commonly called the King of Charles son of King Ethelred and brother of Edmund notwithstanding hee was guilefully recalled and treacherously murthered by his owne men whose bodie they buried at Tauestocke in Deuon-shire 3 One cloud thus ouer-blowne two others appeared far more dangerous in Canutus sight namely Edward and Edmund the sonnes of the Iron-side whom albeit their yongue yeeres might haue freed from suspition of conspiracies and their gentle dispositions from enuying his glory yet the bright raies of a Diadem so dazeled his ielous eie that euer he saw to his owne seeming the reflection thereof shine from their faces but ashamed saith Higden to lay hand on them himselfe sent them to his halfe brother of Sweden to be made away as we haue said In the doubtfull times betweene Edmund and Canute when the scale of warre was held of either hands alike Queene Emma had sent Edward and Alfred her sonnes by King Ethelred vnto her brother Duke Richard of Normandy whereby wee see the Land was emptied of the English bloud Roiall and the Crowne left for the Dane without competition 4 Who now seeking to hold fast the Scepter thus grasped sought the alliance of the Norman Duke by the espousing of his sister faire Emma a suite sounding but harshely in the eares of the English yea and most of all vnto her selfe as deeming the linke of loue verie slender that might bee broken by the same hand which was the death of her Husband Notwithstanding after good deliberation knowing him childlesse of any lawfull successor vpon couenants agreed that the issue of her body by him should inherite the English Crowne the suit was granted hoping also if that failed betwixt them to establish her other sonnes by King Ethelred This prouident respect so pleased the subiects that it both drew the hearts of the English vnto Canutus and their loue vnto Emma in a surpassing measure as the booke penned to her praise and written in that age intituled Encomium Emmae sufficiently doth shew 5 Neither was her louing care limitted onlie to her sonnes but further extended towards the Common-wealth being much pestred then with his Danes that lay lazie and idle as drones in the hiue who at her instigations were sent into Denmarke lest they should through discontents make any stirres either here or there had a largesse to buy their contentment of fourescore and two thousand pounds 6 Canutus his next care for the maintenance of his owne safety and the continuance of his new got Empire was the establishment of good lawes which if duly executed are the very sinewes and strongest guards of all States to be administred and practised both on the English and Dane alike wherefore calling a Parliament of his Peeres vnto Oxford there established many wholsom Acts both for the Clergy and Laitie to obserue some of which were diuulged by the praise-worthy care of a studious Antiquarie and a few as touching Religion as a relish of the rest we thinke it not amisse to giue the Reader a tast of 7 And first for the celebration of Gods most diuine seruice it was ordained that all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reuerence and deuotion should be vsed as need required That vpon the Lords Sabbath publike Faires Markets Synods Conuenticles Huntings
all secular actions should not bee exercised vnlesse some weighty and vrgent necessity required it That euery Christian should thrice in the yeere addresse himselfe to the receiuing of the blessed sacrament of the Lords Supper That if a Minister of the Altar killed a man or else committed any notorious crime hee should be depriued both from his order and dignity That the married woman conuicted for adultery should haue her nose and eares cut off That a widow marying within the space of twelue moneths after her husbands decease should lose her iointer 8 These many other were made wherby sinne was much restrained and this realme peaceably and iustly gouerned As likewise sundry other Countries were by his godly and roiall care as in especiall is recorded of a yong Gentleman of the Danish roiall bloud named Odiâ—… whom King Canute brought ouer with him into England to be here trained vp in learning where he profited so well as also by his trauaile through France whereby hee much encreased both his knowledge and experience that he attained the surname of Sapient and the Philosopher and therefore was called Odin-char for the deere esteeme wherein all men held him This man by his preaching in Finland Zeland Scandia and Sweuland conuerted great multitudes to the faith of Christ. 9 But in Denmarke things proceeded not so wel for in the absence of Canutus and yeer of Christs humanity 1019. the Vandals sore annoied his subiects hee therefore in the third of his raigne with a great host of the English passed ouer the seas and bad his enemies battaile which as Mathew of Westminster writeth went sore against him the first day and preparing againe for the next Earle Goodwine who was Generall of the English attempted a great enterprize for in the dead of the night hee with his souldiers set vpon the Campe of the Vandals and with a great slaughter of their souldiers made the two Princes Vlfus and Anlaâ—…e to flie the field Canute ignorant of this acted enterprise had notice in the morning that the English were fled for that their station was left and not a man found wherfore following the tract euen to the enemies campe by streames of bloud and dead bodies of the Vandals hee saw the great ouerthrow that the English had giuen them for which he euer after held them in great estimation 10 Albertus Krantius the Danish historian reporteth that Olanus King of Sweyden hauing assisted Canute against Edmund the Ironside and seeing himselfe to be neglected in the composition betwixt them moued such stirres in Denmarke that Canutus was forced thither againe where by the prowesse of his English hee repulsed Olanus who lastly was slaine by his owne subiects 11 William of Malmesbury and Mathew of Westminster record that in the yeere 1032. he vndertooke an expedition into Scotland with prosperous successe against Malcolme the King thereof with two other Princes called Melbeath and Ieohmare But being at length ouerburdened as it were with his own greatnesse and surfeited with glory which somtimes he had so greedily desired as euen the greatest earthly delights haue their fulnes hee resolued on a more placable course of life and to affect a higher and heauenly glory which hath neuer satiety or end And therefore his deuotion being great vnto God-ward on a zealous intent such a zeale as S. Paul commended in the deuout Israelites hee tooke a iourney to Rome to visite the sepulchres of S. Peter and Paul in the fifteenth yeere of his raign thence sent his letters to his English Bishops and Nobility beginning thus 12 Canute King of all England Denmarke Norway and Sweyden to Ailnothus Metropolitan c. Wherein hauing first set downe the reason of his pilgrimage to Rome which was especially to honour S. Peter as hee had beene taught by Wisemen that S. Peter had receiued from Christ the great power of binding and loosing and was also the Key-bearer of heauen-gates for which cause left S. Peter should not open the same vnto him when hee should come thither he held it most behouefull for him to procure his Patronage more then all the rest of Saints then making relation of his honourable entertainement with the Emperour Pope and other forreine Princes sheweth what complaint hee had made against the excessiue exactions and huge summes of money extorted by the Pope from the English Arch-Bishops at such time as they receiued their Palles from Rome for redresse whereof and of other abuses the Pope in a solemn assembly of foure Arch-Bishops twenty Bishops and an innumerable multitude of Princes and Nobles obliged himselfe And thence proceedeth in vowing the whole remainder of his life and reigne to the onely seruice of God and due administration of Iustice to his people to which end hee first giues command to his Counsellours that thence forward they dare not for whatsoeuer respect to giue way or conniuence to any the least iniustice in his Kingdom and next to his Officers of Iustice that as they tender his roiall fauour and their own liues they swerue not from Equity in execution of their places in respect of any man whosoeuer no not for the enriching of the Kings owne Cophers because saith hee I hold it not needefull that treasure should bee heaped together for mee by any vniust exactions and so concludeth with a strict charge to all his Bishops and Iustices vpon their allegiance both to God and himselfe to take order in his absence that Gods Church and his Ministers bee not defrauded of their Tithes and rights whereof he vowes at his returne to take a most seuere account 13 By this his great care of his owne saluation and his peoples tranquillity we may see the zeale of those darke daies to haue beene accompanied with the workes of true pietie whose carnall applications of the spirituall texts may well condemne these cleerer times and daies of more brightnes wherein wee know that this Key-keeper of heauen is no other but the verie Christ who hath the Key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth And that this Kings zeale might bee further seene by his magnificke workes he beganne to manifest it euen at Rome where giuing many large gifts vnto S. Peters Church hee also made free the Saxons Schoole from all tributes 14 In Essex hee built the Church of Ashdon where hee had the victory against King Edmund In Norfolke the Abbey of S. Benets which Saint he greatly reuerenced and in Suffolke with an especiall deuotion built and endowed the Monastery of S. Edmund which Saint he most dreadly feared for it is reported that the seeming-ghost of Edmund often affrighted him for which cause as also to expiate the sinnes of his father who had done great dammage to his possession hee inuerged the same with a deepe ditch and offered vp his Crowne vpon the
hee was at the conflict in the I le of Anglesey betweene Magnus the sonne of Harold Harfager King of Norway and Hugh of Mountgomery Earle of Arundell and Shrewsbury wherein hee was slain as some say with the said Earle Anno 1197. 73 Maude the Naturall daughter of King Henry was Countesse of Perche and the first wife of Earle Rotroke the first of that name sonne of Arnolfe de Hesding the first Earle of that County Shee had issue by him one onely daughter named Magdalen wife to Garcy the fourth King of Nauarre mother of King Sanches surnamed the wise from whom all the Kings of Nauarre are descended Shee died vpon Friday the twenty sixth of Nouember in the twentith of her Fathers raign and yeere of Grace 1120. being drowned in the Sea with her brother Duke William 74 Maude another of that name and naturall daughter of King Henrie was married to Conan the first of that name surnamed the Grosse Earle of little Britaine in France sonne of Earle Alan by Ermengard his second wife by Alan shee had issue Howell pronounced illegitimate and disherited by his supposed father Constance that died without issue and Bertha the wife of Eudes Earle of Pâ—…rohet mother of Earle Conan the yonger who by Margaret sister of William King of Scots had issue Constance maried to Geffrey sonne of King Henry the second 75 Iulian likewise an other naturall daughter of King Henry was married to Eustace the illegitimate sonne of William Lord of Breteâ—…il in Normandy who was the sonne and heire of William Fitz-Osborne and elder brother of Roger both Earles of Hereford in England and this Eustace had hee beene lawfully borne in wedlocke had been heire to the Earledomes of Hereford and Iuerie notwithstanding he had as small a part in that inheritance of the Town of Pacie from which he tooke his surname being commonly called Eustace of Pacy and had issue by this Iulian his wife William and Roger of Pacy his sonnes 76 A naturall daughter of King Henry recounted by the continuer of the History of William Gemeticensis and by Iohn Tillet his follower is reported by them to haue beene married to one William Goet a Norman but in neither of these writers is any mention made of her name or of his estate issue or other relation 77 Another naturall daughter of King Henrie is without name recited by the said Authors and by them reported to be married to the Vicount of Beaumont which is a Towne within the County of Maygne Shee had issue by him as Roger of Houeden writeth Richard Vicount Beaumont Father of Queen Ermengard the wife of King William of Scotland and Robert the Abbot of Mount-Saint Michael mentioneth another of her sonnes named Ralphe who as he saith was Bishop of Angiers 78 Another naturall daughter also of King Henry is recited by the Normane and French writers before auouched and reported by them to be married to Mathew of Mountmorancy the sonne of Bouchard of Mountmarancy from whom perhaps descended the House of Mountmorancy who after came to be Earles and Dukes being growne to be one of the greatest houses in France next to the Princes of the bloud for possessions alliances and honour 79 Elizabeth the last naturall daughter of King Henry recounted by the former Authors was vnmarried in the time of the one and her husband vnknowne to the other but both of them agree that she was borne of Elizabeth the sister of Walleran Earle of Meulan who was sister also of Robert Bossue Earle of Leicester wife of Gilbert Earle of Pembrooke and mother of Earle Richard Strangbow the Conquerour of Ireland STEPHEN THE TVVO AND FORTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER V. THough the Empresse Maud had fealty sworne vnto her in the life time of her Father and againe both her selfe and issue ordained to be his successors in Englands Throne as hath beene said yet so powerfull is Ambition where the obiect is a Diademe and so weake are all assurances which are built on the wauering Multitude that King Henries prouidence was soon defeated and with his death al fealties reuersed and that by him onely who had * contended to bee the formost of the Laitie in taking that oath euen Stephen Earle of Mortaine and Bolloine a man whose descent was very Noble being the third sonne of Stephen Earle of Bloys and Champaigne who was the sonne of Earle Eudes and he of Earle Theobald the sonne of Gerlon the Dane the companion of Rollo Duke of Normandy his mother was Adelicia the third daughter of William the Conqueror by Queen Maude his wife And himselfe was aduanced to bee Earle of Mortaigne by King Henry his vncle whose Crown he now endeauoured to vsurpe being otherwise for his many princely parts worthy to weild a Scepter if his claime thereto had beene iust and warrantable 2 For as soone as Natures course had brought King Henry where Princes and poorest Subiects are all equall forthwith hee was working to dispossesse his Issue which onely now rested in Maud and her Children in which attempt it hapned fortunately for him if any thing may bee counted fortunate which is ioined with impietie that his yonger Brother Henry was then Bishop of Winchester a very potent man in the State who had industriously stirred himselfe in making way to his entrance and vpon assurance of all liberties to the Church and Common-wealth had drawne on also William Archbishop of Canterbury the very first man that had sworne vnto Maude the Empresse by whose example many others were winded into the like periurie * traiterously auowing that it was basenesse for so many and so great Pâ—…eers to be subiect vnto a Woman And to helpe forward those audacious beginnings Roger Bishoppe of Salisbury the late Kings Treasurer protested Malmsburie who reports it himselfe heard it from him that they were free from the oath made to the Empresse for that without con sent of the Barons she had married out of the Realm but that which wrought most was the testimony of Hugh Bigot Senescall vnto King Henry departed who comming ouer with Stephen tooke his corporall oath that the King on his death-bed vpon some offence taken against his daughter Maude disinherited her and appointed this Stephen his nephew to be his successour These colourable instigations so moued the too credulous Archbishop and the Peeres that they all swore fealty vnto him and became his Leigemen 3 His first landing in England being at Whitsand-bay by a tempest of thunder so wonderfull terrible that the people thought verily the ende of all was at hand did prognosticke the storms of troubles which his periurie brought with him for euen then both Douer Canterbury fortified themselues against him though London gaue better leaue to his entrance whose Person and presence drew euer the affections of the beholder being in all
against the other whereof must needs follow an vnnaturall warre betwixt them of dangerous consequence euen to him that conquested With these and the like allegations at last Stephen beganne to bend and a parley fâ—… peace was signified vnto the Duke Henry already warme for the battaile and his thoughts fixed on nothing lesse then peace could hardly moderate his youthfull affections yet at his friends importunity hee yeelded to conferre with King Stephen 45 The place for conference was so appointed that the riuer Thamesis parted the presence of these two Princes so that from either banke they saluted each others and after a long conference agreeing on a truce and vpon faire tearmes of amity departed commaunding all weapons and attempts of warre to be laid aside 46 But Eustace who hitherro had attended Fortune for the Crowne and now hopelesse to haue as his Fathers Successor was greatly displeased with this new moulded friendship and in a fury departed the field purposing to raise himselfe by his owne meanes and comming to Bury vrged the Monks of Saint Edmunds for money to set forward his heady designes But the wiser amongst them vnwilling to bee wagers of new warres which though ill for all sorts yet proued euer worst to the Clergie mens possessions denied his request wherewith enraged hee commanded his men to carry their corne and other prouision into his owne Castle situated hard by But being set at dinner wee reade of him saith mine Author that euen the verie first bit that hee put in his mouth draue him into a frensie whereof shortly after hee died whose body was interred at Feuersham in Kent 47 The death of Prince Eustace so much aduantaged Duke Henry that thereupon the truce in likelihood expiring many fell off vnto him and many Castles were deliuered as Bertwell Reading Warwicke Stamford and others whereat Stephen was not a little displeased and thinking to entrappe the yong venturous Duke with a strong Army followed him vnto Wallingford But God himselfe looking down from heauen saith Mathew of S. Albans made there an end of those long calamities by stirring the minds of chiefe men in the land to labour for peace such was Theobald Archbishoppe of Canterbury and Henrie Bishop of Winchester who hauing troubled the realm with fire and sword moued now to repentance wrought so effectually with his brother that hee enclined vnto a wished peace contented to adopt the Duke for his Son and Successor and so comming both together to Oxford a blessed sight to so distressed and distracted a Kingdome there did all the Nobles do fealty to him as to the vndoubted Heire of the land and the Duke to acknowledge this as a fauour yeelded him the honour of a Father and the roialtie of all Kingly power during his life 48 Notwithstanding the cleere Sunneshine of these faire daies was somewhat darkened with a cloud of treacherie and lewd attempts of the Flemings who enuying Englands peace vpon Barham Downes intended to surprise Prince Henry in his returne from Douer and presence of King Stephen In this conspiracie was William the Kings son though but yong who himselfe meaning to haue one cast at the Crowne instantly before it should haue been effected was through the wantonnes of his horse cast to the ground and with the fall brake his legge to whose assistance whiles euery one gathered and lamented Henry vpon secret notice of the treason hasted vnto Canterbury and thence to London and soone after ouer the seas into Normandy 49 And Stephen now after he had raigned eighteene yeeres ten moneths and odde daies departed this life at Douer in the Monastery of the Monkes of an Iliacke passion mixed with his olde disease the Emrods the twenty fiue of October and yeere of Christs Natiuity 1154. A most worthy Souldier saith Paris and in a word one who wanted nothing but a iust title to haue made him an excellent King in his ordinary deportment very deuout the fruites wherof weâ—… shewed in erecting with sufficient endowments â—…he Abbeyes of Cogshall in Essex of Furnesse in Lancashire the houses of Nunnes at Carew and Higham an Hospitall at Yorke and the Monastery of Feuersham in Kent where his Queene his sonne and lastly himselfe were enterred but since his body for the gaine of the lead wherein it was coffined was cast into the riuer So vncertaine is man yea greatest Princes of any rest in this world euen after buriall and restlesse may their bodies be also who for filthy lucre thus enuie to the dead the quiet of their graues His Wife 50 Maud the Wife of King Stephen was the daughter of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne the brother of Godfrey and Baldwin Kings of Ierusalem her Mother was Mary sister to Maud Queene of England wife of King Henrie her husbands Predecessor Shee was crowned at Westminster vpon Sunday being Easter-day and the two and twenty of March in the first yeare of her husbands raigne and of Grace 1136. and being Queene fifteene yeeres she died at Heningham Castle in Essex the third of May and yeere of Christ 1151. and was buried in his Monastery at Feuersham in Kent His Issue 51 Baldwin the eldest sonne of King Stephen and Queene Maud bearing the name of King Baldwin his vncle was born in the time of the raign of K. Henry his fathers vncle and died in his infancy during the raign of the same King He was buried at London in the Church of the Priorie of the Trinity within Algate which was a house of blacke Canons of the Augustinian order founded by Q. Maud the first wife of the foresaid King Henry the first 52 Eustace the second sonne of King Stephen of Queene Maud his wife being the heire apparant to them both when his Father was King was created Earle of Bolloigne which dignity was the inheritance of his mother Hee married Constance sister of Lewis the seuenth King of France daughter of King Lewis the Grosse who afterward was remarried to Raimond the third Earle of Tholouze for Eustace died before her without Issue by her the tenth day of August in the eighteenth yeere of his Fathers raigne and of Grace 1152. Hee was buried by his mother in his Fathers Monastery at Feuersham in Kent 53 William the third and yongest sonne of King Stephen and Queene Maud maried Isabell daughter and heire of William Warren the third Earle of Surrey with whom hee had that Earledome hee was in his Fathers life time Earle of Surrey Lord of Norwich and Peuensey in England Earle of Mortayne and Lord Eagle of Normandy After his fathers death King Henry the second made him Knight resumed those things that hee held of the Crowne restored him to all that his Father held before hee was King And so he was Earle of Bolloigne Surrey and Mortaine and being with him in his iourney to Tholouze died without issue in his returne home-Ward
him for Normandy Aquitane Angiou Main and Tourain which partly were his patrimony and partly the inheritance of Elianor his wife 6 His domesticke enemies being subdued or appeased hee put his brother Geffrey by force to a pension the summe whereof if it be any thing to the purpose to know was 1000. l. English and 2000. l. Aniou by yeere wringing out of his possession all such territories as by their Fathers last Will and Testament were bequeathed to him in France But Geffrey did not long enioy the said annuity or his brothers friendship for in the third yeare death brought a discharge and Henry was disburdened of those paiments For his violence in taking away those lands King Henry might alledge he was eldest brother but that allegation might bee auoided with his owne consent which once hee gaue but the great Elixar called Reason of State though falsly so called vnlesse it bee seasoned with Iustice and Religion hath so transmutatiue a faculty as to make Copper seeme Gold right wrong and wrong right yea when all Pleas faile it will stand for good while there are forces to support it 7 This accord between the two brethren being thus howsoeuer established the King repaires into England and at Chester enters amity with Malcolme King of Scots on such termes as his Grandfather had done yet Saluis omnibus dignitatibus suis sauing to himselfe all his dignities and the said Malcolme restored to Henry the City of Karleol Newcastle vpon Tyne c. and Henry restored to him the Earledome of Huntington in England And so iustly dreadfull did the growing puissance of this young Monarch appeare to his greatest enemies that Hugh Bigod Earle of Norfolke who had potent means to doe mischiefe rendred his Castle to bee at his disposall 8 The Welsh notwithstanding forsooke not themselues but did some memorable matters vnder conduct of the valiant Prince Owen against the English in defence of North-Wales and their Countries liberty to the losse of the English and extreame danger of the Kings owne person whose Standard roiall was cowardly abandoned and the King reported to be slaine for which Henrie de Essex the Kings Standard-Bearer at that conflict was afterward accused by Robert de Montford his neere Kinsman and in single battaile within lists was vanquished at Reading where the said Henry de Essex was shorne a Monke and died Mathew Paris relates the whole voiage of King Henry summarily thus That Henry prepared a very great Army against the Welsh with full purpose to ouercom them both by land and sea that hee cut vp the woods and forrests and laid open a way that hee recouered the Castle of Ruthlan and other fortresses taken from his Ancestors that hee repaired the Castle of Basingwerke and that hauing brought the Welsh to his will hee returned with triumph into England 9 After this himselfe and his wife Queene Elienor beeing openly crowned vpon Christmas day some say Easter day at the Citie of Worcester they both at the Offertorie laid their Diademes vpon the high Altar vowing neuer to weare them after this beeing now the third time in which at three seuerall places Westminster Lincolne and Worcester he had beene crowned This deuout act of his did flow perhaps out of some such speculation as that of Canutus who thought none truly worthy the name of King but God alone or that vpon which Godfrey of Buillion refused to weare a crowne of gold in Hierusalem where our Lord and Sauiour had beene crowned with thornes For this King had at times the pangs and symptoms of mortification and piety and did heerein acknowledge the onely giuer and taker-away of kingdoms God-almighty putting himselfe and Realme vnder the protection of that Maiestie of whom hee held paramount and professing as it were that from thencefoorth hee would direct his actions to the glorie of his omnipotent Master which is indeede the only finall cause of all true monarchie 10 Not long after hauing established his affaires in England hee crost the Seas into Normandie where successiuely sundrie matters of importance fell out as the seisure of the City of Nants in Britaine after his brother Geffreis death his iourney to Paris beeing inuited thither by Lewis and his wife the Queene the vnprofitable siege of Tholouze laid by King Henrie where Malcolme King of Scots was in companie with him the vnripe marriage of his sonne Henrie to Margaret the French Kings daughter whom Thomas Becket then Lord Chancellor had formerlie conducted with verie great State from Paris by consent of parents for that purpose the offence taken at those spousals by Lewis for that the children were but infants and that himselfe was a looser thereby the warre heereupon attempted by Lewis fortifying Chaâ—…mount which the French hauing quit the Field by flight King Henrie recouered with aduantage the Armies of both these great Kings being afterward at point as it were to ioine dispersed vpon reconciliation of the two Kings by reason of a marriage concluded vpon betweene Richard King Henries second son and Alice the French Kings daughter All which and some other not drawing with them any extraordinarie sequell nor offording much matter for ciuill document must not preponderate the handling of things more rare and considerable 11 For after these accidents beganne the famous controuersies betweene the King and his Arch-bishop Becket a man of an inuincible stomack and resolution in his life and after death reputed by some for a great Saint or Martyr as is likewise noted of Henrie that he was the most politike martiall rich and honoured Prince of all his time This Prelate by birth a Londoner though his mother a Sarazen say some by profession a Ciuilian was by Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterburie both made his Arch-deacon and also placed about the person of Duke Henrie who beeing now King aduanced him in the verie first yeere of his raigne to bee Lord Chancellor of England in which high honor he carried himselfe like another King and afterward vpon the death of Theobald though the Monks obiected against Becket that neither a Courtier nor a Souldier as hee had beene both were fit to succeede in so high and sacred a function yet the King gaue him that Arch-bishopricke partly in reward and partly in further hope of his ready and faithfull seruice Which to be true a Legender of his Miracles can best relate Nonnullis tamen c. Many saith hee iudged his promotion not Canonicall because it was procured more by the importunity of the King then by the voices of Clergie or People and it was noted as presumption and indiscretion in him to take vpon him to guide the Sterne who was scarce fit to handle an Oare and that beeing skild onely in worldly affaires hee did not tremble to ascend vnto that sacred top of so great dignitie Whereto agreeth the reports of two
King Henry to whom he had beene sometime disobedient and God affording him gracious leasure till hee had thus disposed of all the venemous vapour ascended to his heart and draue the spirite forth with whom say * Authors the glory and honor of Militarie skill exspired 70 There hath been an opinion or fancy that this King was called Cordelyon because hee encountred a Lyon in prison at the Emperours Court but saith one very truly these are fables imagined by English tale-tellers to aduance their King Richard as the Britaines by the like aduanced their King Arthur The like deuice though more lofty and Mathematicall may theirs seeme who coniecture hee was called so of the famous Starre called Cor Leonis But how the conceite of killing of a Lion should come vp as iâ—… is not worth the while to enquire so certainely Hugo de Neuile one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to haue slain a Lion in the holy-Land driuing first an arrow into his breast and then running him through with his sword whence perhaps that atchieuement is transferred from the man to the master and the story applide to the by-name of King Richard whereof the true reason is that which * Thomas Walsingham mentioneth saying That for the magnanimity of his heart grossitudinem praestans saith an other meaning as it seemes that his materiall heart it self was bigge and massiue which another also saith was inexpugnable this King was both by the English Normans stiled Caeur de Lion His Wiues Alice the daughter of Lewis the seuenth King of France by Queene Alice daughter of Earle Thibald of Champaigne is by some reputed the first wife of King Richard though indeede she were onely contracted to him being both children and committed to his Father but when he demanded her his father refused to deliuer her or she to com to him or both Wherefore being King conceiuing displeasure against King Philip her brother and more then suspecting her continency with his owne father by whom he alledged she had a child he refused to take her yet gaue a hundreth thousand pounds to Philip pro quieta clamantia to be quite freed from her She became the wife of William Earl of Ponthieu and had issue Queene Ioan of Castile the mother of Queene Eleanor wife to King Edward the first Berengaria the second wife of King Richard was the daughter of Sanches the fourth of that name King of Nauarre sonne of King Garcie the fourth her mother was Beatrice daughter of Alphonso the seuenth King of Castile called the Emperour of Spaine She was conueied by Eleanor the kings mother vnto the king in Sicily and married to him in Cyprus whence she accompanied him to the Holy land The king vpon what cause we find not neglected her company for a while but vpon more setled thoughts he resumed her againe to his loue and society but had no issue by her His naturall Issue Philip the naturall son of king Richard seemeth to haue been begotten while he was Earle of Poytou of a Gentlewoman Poytouin and to haue had of his fathers gift a towne in Poytou named Sumac to haue taken also his surname and title of the same towne and to haue beene the Progenitour of a familie of Gentlemen of the same surname title in the same Country Isabel by * some who mention not Philip at all is reputed the Naturall Daughter of king Richard whose mother the Author nameth not and that she was married to Leoline Prince of Wales Three other Daughters Bastards no doubt he is said to haue of whose names and matches wee will report as we finde recorded Whiles hee was in France imployed in his warres against king Philip Fulco a French Priest came vnto him telling him he had three very bad Daughters which he wished him to bestow away from him in marriage or else Gods wrath would attend him when the king denied he had any daughter yes quoth the Priest thou cherisest three daughters Pride Couetousnesse and Lecherie The king apprehensiue of his meaning called his Lords there attending and saide My Lords this Hypocrit hath found that I haue three Daughters which I maintaine viz. Pride Couetousnes and Lecherie which he would haue me bestow forth in mariage and therfore if any such I haue I haue found out most fit husbands for them all My Pride I bequeath to the haughty Templars Hospitallers who are as proud as Lucifer himselfe My Couetousnesse I giue to the white Monks of the Cisteaux Order for they couet the Diuell and all But for my Lechery I can bestow it no where better then on the Priests and Prelates of our times for therein haue they their most felicity Doubtlesse these mariages proued so fruitfull that their issue hath now ouerflowed all kingdomes of the earth IOHN DVKE OF NORMANDIE GVYEN AND AQVITAINE c. THE FIRST STILED LORD OF IRELAND THE FORTIE-FIFTH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER VIII THe lustre of Diadems and Soueraignety so dazeleth the eyes and bewitcheth the hearts of ambitious beholders that whiles they fondlie deeme the greatest content to bee in highest Titles running after a seeming Happines they often cast themselues headlong and whole Kingdoms into irrepairable ruine as the calamities which after the death of the noble Ceur-de-Lyon lighted on the Pretenders to his Crowne and on this miserably distracted State will yeeld vs too ruful a President To the full acting of which Tragedy for such it was and so we must now present it in this our Theatre concurred as principall Actors the two though these Patients rather as the issue proued vnfortunate Corriuals for the Crowne Iohn Earle of Moreton Brother to the late King and his Nephew Arthur the Posthumous sonne of Geoffry Duke of Britaine the Earles eldest Brother their two Female and therefore more emulous and restlesse Solicitors Queen Eleanor and Lady Constance each ambitious of their owne in their Sonnes aduancements their two reuengefull Abettors Otho the Emperour for Iohn and Philip King of France for Arthur thereupon the two vniust Intruders on the Crowne Lewis the French Kings Sonne and Innocentius the Pope the one by vnprincely forces the other by vnpriestlie fraud and lastly their two sorts of treacherous Instruments of the Laitie for the one and Clergie for the other all which like so many Tragicke fire-breathing Furies set this State in so horrible combustion as that the smoake is not as yet so many ages after quite allayed 2 Earle Iohn the very Centre in which those calamities met had from his infancy beene fedde with high and royall hopes as being his Fathers onely darling from whome hee had the possession of the Irish and intendment also of the English Kingdom and in his brothers time whose return from the holy warres all men despaired had by gracious deportment
eldest Daughter and Child of K. Iohn and Queene Isabel his last wife was the first wife of Alexander the second King of Scots married vnto him in Yorke Iunij 25. Anno 1221. who returning into England to visite her Brother deceased at London and was buried in the Nunnery at Tarent in Dorsetshire 4. Martij in the 21. yeare of her Brother king Henries raigne in England and the 23. of king Alexander her husbands in Scotland Anno 1236. 70 Eleanor their second daughter was first married to William Marshall the yonger Earle of Pembroke and after his decease without issue and seuen yeeres Widow-hood remarried to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester sonne of Simon Earle Montfort in France by Amice Daughter of Robert Blanchman Earle of Leicester who maintaining the Barons warres against King Henry her brother was slaine at the battaile of Euesham in the 19. yeere of her brothers raigne 1265 after whose death shee and ◅er Children were forced to forsake England she died in the Nunnery at Montarges in France Henry her eldest sonne was slaine with his father at Eueshan Simon the second was Earle of Bigorre and ancestor to a Family of Mountfords in those parts of France Almaricke her third sonne was first a Priest and Treasurer of the Cathedrall Church in Yorke and after a Knight and a valiant seruitour in sundrie warres beyond the Seas Guy the fourth Sonne was Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitour of the Mountfords in Tuscaine and of the Earles of Campo bachi in the Kingdome of Naples Richard the fift sonne remained priuily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was ancestor of the family of Wellesbornes in England She had also a daughter named Eleanor borne in England brought vp in France and married into Wales to Prince Lewellen ap Griffith 71 Isabel their yongest daughter was born An. 1214 when shee was 21. yeeres of age shee was married being the 6. and last wife to the Emperour Frederick the second at the City of Wormes in Germany 20. of Iuly 1235. Shee had issue by him Henry appointed to bee King of Sicily and Margaret wife of Albert Landgraue Thurin shee was Empresse 6. yeeres and died in Childbed Decemb. 1. of her husbands Empire 31. of her brothers raign 38. Anno 1241. 72 Iane or Ione the daughter naturall of King Iohn by Agatha Daughter of Robert Ferrers Earle of Darby marryed to Lewin Prince of Wales Anno 1204. her Father gaue with her the Castle Lordshippe of Elinsmore in the Marches of Southwales she like a most louing Child gaue her Father secret intelligence of the Treasons intended against him by the Welsh and English 73 Geoffrey Fitz-Roy a base son who transported some Souldiers into France when Archbishoppe Hubert forbad the King his father to goe thither 74 Richard who married the daughter heire of Fulbert de Douer who built Chilham Castle in Kent which Castle hee had with her and had Issue by her of which som families of good esteem are descended stant Lords at Newarke where the Generall assembly for that seruice was appointed The whole Army after the Musters rested there some dayes which they spent not in vanities but in deuotions receit of the Sacrament humbling themselues before the offended Maiestie of God and so all of them saith Paris being prepared resolue eyther to return victorious or to die in defence of their country their Soueraignes right and their owne Liberties and possessions all which seemed now to lie at stake To giue them the greater edge and spirite Wallo with great solemnity accurseth Lewis and his Coadiutors and thus the Army marcheth towards Lincolne and the Lewisians there in siege of the Castle the King himselfe being left with a strong guard at Stow about eight miles short of Lincolne accompanied with Wallo and others there without perill of his person to attend Gods pleasure in the euent of the enterprise Vpon their approch if the Counsell of some English Lords had beene followed the Lewisian Army had issued forth of the City giuen them battle in the opē field but the Earle of Perch the French Generall thinking the Kings party to bee greater then it was for that the Noblemen and Bannerets thereof had each of them two Ensignes the one born with themselues the other aduanced among the Carriages which doubled the shew of their numbers they did thereupon change that course closed the Gates of the City and plyed their endeauours against the Castle more fiercely then before The Earle of Pembroke therefore lets Falcasius slip in at the Castle-posterne with his Arbalasters whiles others breake vp the South-gate of the City at which the Kings Army most couragiously entring and they of the Castle sallying out in Flancke of the Enemy scattered and vtterly defeated the Lewisians The Earle of Perch their Generall being enuironed with the Royalists and willed to render himselfe sware that hee would neuer become Prisoner to any English vpon which refusall he was run through the sight of his helmet into the braines and so dyed without speaking any word In this conflict being on Saturday in Whitson-weeke the force of naturall propension was apparent for notwithstanding the fierie resolutions of the Kings People yet when they saw the faces of their kinsmen friends countrimen on the other side that fury relented so strōgly that the most part of the reuenge fell vpon the Horses and not vpon the Horsemen whom onelie they laboured to make their Captiues The whole riches of the Lewisian Campe of the City of Lincolne became the booty and spoile of the Kings Armie whereupon this discomfiture was called Lewis Fair Neither did the Clergy of the place escape for the Popes Legate had commaunded that they also should be rifled to a penny as persons excommunicated in partaking with Lewis The Chase was but coldly fainedly followed vpon the flying Barons otherwise not a man could haue escaped wherein yet the chiefest Barons were taken with about 400. Knights besides Esquiers and of other sorts without note or number though some say that this number of Knights were slaine matrons and women of the towne flying by boate which they had no skill to gouerne were drowned Such as escaped the fight were not therefore past the danger for the Country people fell vpon them as they fledde killing great numbers so that almost all the footmen tooke vp their last lodgings before they could reach to London where Lewis was The Marshal of France the Chastellan of Arras and about two hundreth Knights came safely thither but were not otherwise then sowerly welcome of the Prince who laid vpon their cowardise the losse of all the rest His feare of being taken Prisoner iustly encreasing hee fortifies London by the best meanes hee can and dispatcheth Posts into France for more reliefe This great victory was much the stranger if as some write the fame
11 The King gouerned after Marshals death by Peter Bishoppe of Winchester and such other whom the Bishoppe had procured to ioyne in administration of publik affairs seeming now to haue a setled and calme estate resolues for good hopes sake to bee crowned againe which was performed by Stephen Archbishoppe of Canterbury at Westminster with the attendance and confluence of all the Prelates Peeres and People Vpon the* Saturday before his Coronation the new worke of the Abbey Church at Westminster Paris calles it the Chappell of our Lady was begunne whereof the King himselfe in person laid the first stone as if hee ment the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to raise the glory of God This calme but new beginning was almost as speedily distempered and disturbed by sodaine stormes by reason that while the King kept his Christmas with great royalty at Oxford in the company of the Prelates and Peeres of England William de Fortibus Earle of Aumarl incited by Falcasius de Brent and the like riotous Gentlemen sodainely departed frō the Court without leaue whither it were vpon discontentment because the King had against the Earles will the last yeere taken some Castles into his hands or out of an euill ignorance how to liue in quiet he mannes the Castle of Biham victuals it with the Corne of the Chanons of Bridlington spoiles the Towne of Deeping and vnder shew of repayring to the Parliament seiseth on the Castle of Fotheringhay committing many other furious riots in contempt of the King and breach of his peace many others in other places following his lewd example Yet at length the Earle comming in vnder the conduct of Walter Archbishop of Yorke was at the suite of Pandulph who succeeded Wallo in the place of Legate pardoned and the like hurtfull clemency was extended toward his Complices and Retinue whom the King in regard belike of some former better deserts set free without punishment or ransome And to preuent any further disturbances of that nature Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent for his rare integrity and fidelity approued in all King Iohns troubles was also made gouernour of the Kings Person and Chiefe Iustitiar of England with the generall allowance of all the States What need the land then had of a seuere proceeding wee may iudge by this that Foulk de Brent held the Earledomes of Northampton Oxford Bedford and Buckingham with the Castles and Holds Philip de Marc the Castles of Peke and Nottingham Nottinghamshire and Darbishire and others detained other portions without any other right then that which the iniquity of the late tumults gaue 12 It was no small addition to the troublesomnesse of this time that certaine Lords of Wales and as some say Prince Lewelin himselfe desirous to ridde their Marches of the English rose in Armes laide siege to the Castle of Buelt which inuited king Henry to draw thither with an Armie but the worke was made easie by the voluntary departure of the Welsh vpon the fame of the Kings approch which appearances of some ensuing stirres moued the king to thinke of strengthning himselfe with faithfull alliances and not long after Alexander King of Scots came to Yorke who in the yeere before had met King Henry at the same place and there tooke to wife the Lady Ioan King Henries sister and Hubert de Burgh in presence of both the Kings married the Lady Margaret sister to Alexander Boetius saith that two great Lords of England married two sisters of King Alexander at that place About which time Isabel Queen Dowager of Englād without the leaue of her sonne the King or of his Councell crost the seas and tooke to husband the Earle of March in France The young King supposing his estate at home now somewhat setled and his eyes beginning to grow cleare-sighted by the benefite of experience forgets not to looke about his affaires abroad and first sends Sauarie de Malleon to bee his Lieutenant in Aquitaine where yet the English held the greater part and dispatcheth Ambassadors to Philip King of France for restitution according to the Articles with Lewis whereunto answere was made that nothing ought to bee restored which by right of warre had beene atchieued but as it seemes there was a Truce for fowre yeeres agreed vpon betweene the two Monarches concerning the County of Poictou 13 The State both of Church and Common-wealth in those troubled daies seeme to haue much resemblance euery man daring to attempt in either what his own audaciousnes would suggest or others conniuency permit But Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury who himselfe was lately the ring-leader of disorders both in State and Church is now beecome very diligent in his Prouinciall Synode at Ox to in rage of this vnexpected reuocation like a braue Romane threw the Popes letters into the fire yet durst not disobey the Contents And whereas the message it selfe had beene scanned and sifted to the very branne both here and in France and iudged to sauour of so vniuersall an oppression as might cause a generall discession from the Church of Rome the King in presence of his Prelates and Peeres turned off the Popes couetous demaund with this thrifty answere The things which the Pope would perswade vs vnto doe stretch themselues as farre as the Christian world is wide and because England is but an Out-Angle thereof therefore when we see other Kingdomes giue vs an example hee shall then finde vs the more forward to obey 21 That difficultie so auoided the King was earnestly bent to make a voyage in person to the aide of his brother Earle Richard who pursued the affaires of Gascoigne which though by the late Earle of Sarisburies death it receiued some maime yet by the fortitude and counsell of other noble persons it did still prosper This intention and desire was staide by the receit of letters out of France which declared the Earle his brothers health and the good successe of affaires The King some say among his Counsellors of State had one William de Perepound a great Astrologer who fortold that Lewis King of France should not preuaile and this affirmation did the rather withhold him at that present There is who writes that King Henry vpon the Popes letters forbare to attempt any thing in France at that time lest he should hinder Lewis who was then vpon an enterprise against the remaines of the Albigenses in Languedoc Prouince and the parts about These men were traduced for Heretikes and so condemned by the See of Rome but what their Heresie was a * Fryer who writes against them reports saying they were of all other the most pernicious Sect for antiquity some holding they were from the Apostles time for generality there scarse being any Nation where they are not and lastly for shew of piety in that they liue iustly before men and
England not they who were attendant on the Queen her selfe in neerest place being spared all matters by her negotiation and suite were quieted vpon condition that King Edward should giue to his sonne Edward of Windsor afterward King the Dutchy of Aquitaine and Earledome of Pontine for which the king of France was pleased to accept his said young Nephewes homage 53 This was done and the Prince sent ouer for that purpose to his mother to the vtter vndoing of the King his Father and of all his fauourites For the heire of England being in forraine parts among the contrary faction all the consultation was vnder colour of ruining the Spensers to accomplish farther matters The Prince hauing at Boys de Vincens done his homage for that Dutchie and County to his vncle Charles de Valois King of France was as also the Queene his mother sent for backe by the King about Michaelmas but the Queenes conspiracie being not yet ripe shee deferred to obay detaining her sonne still 54 There went ouer with the young Prince among many others Walter Stapleton Bishoppe of Excester who perceiuing into what familiarity the Lord Roger Mortimer was growne with the Queene which seemed greater then either stood with her honour or dutie and seeing both him and other of the Kings enemies and fugitiues enioy that priuacie in counsell which was assigned to himselfe who was now as being none of theirs excluded returned secretly though vnsent for into England faithfully as it became a good man declaring his knowledge 55 The King now clearely beholding his errour in his dangers solicited the King of France to send home his wife and sonne but that not succeeding he caused them openly in London to be proclaimed enemies of the Kingdome banishing them with all their adherents out of the same For his more assurance also hee caused the Ports to bee most narrowly watcht Finally to draw all his dangers to a short dispatch there was as was supposed a plot laid for making away the Queene and Prince but Gods will was to frustrate it 56 The Queen on the other side fearing that the Spensers gold had laid traines to blow her whole proceedings vp in France kept herselfe out of the way till with the Prince the Lord Roger Mortimer and other their adherents they were safely gotten into Henault There might bee some other reason also and necessary to moue Queene Isabel to depart out of France beside the doubt of that kind of corruption in the Peeres thereof as to turne off a warre from thence being her natiue Country which for her cause was afflicted in the Sea-strengthes therof for Sir Iohn Oturwin Sir Nicholas Kiried and Sir Iohn de Felton with the Nauie of the Ports and of other places had by commission from the King so scowred the narrow Scas that they within a short time brought into England as lawfull prize an hundreth and twenty Norman shippes or vessels Moreouer whereas those two Bishoppes which the Pope had sent were returned sorrowfull out of England not onely without doing any good on her behalfe but also without hope of doing any shee might easily be perswaded that the sword must doe it or nothing 57 But in Henault shee found most honourable and louing welcome of the Earle where therefore without the consent or aduise of the Peeres of England shee ensured saith our Author that delight and terrour of the whole world her sonne being then about foureteene yeeres old to Philippa the said Earles daughter and with the money of her portion waged souldiers out of Henault and Germany to transport into England There her friends expected her arriuall dayly of which the Bishoppes of Hereford and Lincolne were not meanest Her men and Nauie being now readie shee with her sonne the Prince the Lord Edmund Earle of Kent his vncle Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembroke the Lord Iohn of Henault the Earle of Henaults brother a valiant Gentleman the Lord Roger Mortimer and many other English-men of name and note with aboue two thousand and seuen hundred Henowayes and Germans vnder the leading of the said Lord Iohn arriued at Orwell in Suffolke vpon the Friday before Saint Michaels day 58 Her arriuall being reported to the King who was poore Prince not onely destitute of friends and meanes but as it seemes of courage and counsell also it did not at first seeme credible The truth appearing he demaunded assistance of the City of London whose answere was That they would honour with all dutie the King the Queene and Prince but would shut their gates against forreiners and traitors to the Realme and with all their powers withstand them In this answere the King and his few friends reposing no assurance he committed an errour worse then that former of sending his sonne out of England by retiring himselfe into the West with his inseparable fauourites the Spensers Baldocke and others there to raise a force against the Queene but before hee went hee left his other sonne the Lord Iohn called of Eltham in the Tower of London with the Coūtesse of Glocester the Kings Neece wife to the yonger Spenser Earle of Glocester committing the Tower it selfe to Sir Iohn de Weston who was well prouided of men and victuals Hee commanded all men also to destroy and kill the Queenes partakers none excepted but her selfe her sonne and Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings brother by the Father and that none vpon paine of death and losse of all that they might leese should aid or assist them and that hee should haue a thousand pound who did bring the Lord Mortimers head Thus tooke hee his last leaue of London and in a maner also of his Rule or Domination 59 On the contrary part there repaired to the Queene the Earle Marshall and Henry Earle of Leicester the Bishops of Lincolne Hereford Ely and of Barons Knights and armed Souldiers no small multitude whom aswell to retain as to draw more letters and rumors flew about declaring though falsly that the King of France had in the aide of his sister sent so many Dukes Earles and others that England could scarse suffice to feed them This for such whom the opinion of warlike strength would winne but those whom shew of Religion might moue it was as cunningly and as falsly spread that the Pope had excommunicated all such as did take armes against the Queene and the more to countenance the fiction that two Cardinals imployed about the Premisses were seen in the Queens Campe. Then was it proclaimed that the causes of her comming were to deliuer the Realme from the misleaders of the King which were named to be the Spensers Roger Baldock Bishoppe of Norwich Lord Chancellor and their Fautors all others to be safe and that nothing should bee taken from any other subiect without true payment but finally that he who broght the yonger Spensers head should haue two thousand pounds These things
The Sea-Force wherof spoyled the Coasts on both sides of the Forth or Scottish Sea and putting on land in Saint Colms they spoyled the Abbey which Sacrilege Hector notes was seuerely punished the whole Fleete being battered with tempest and some of the ships perishing At another time also the like sacrilege being perpetrated there hee saith that the shippe wherein the vnlawfull prize was sunke sodainely to the Sea-ground without any tempest The King himselfe comming to Perth to order the Scottish affaires whiles hee abode there the Earle of Murray one of the Gouernors was taken Prisoner who was after deliuered vpon Exchange for the Earle of Namur whō the Scots by like Art had taken or as Hector wil haue it for the Earle of Salisbury 35 By the mediation of the French the Scots had a short truce granted them But about the end of May the King sent his cosen the Lord Henry sonne to Henry Earle of Lancaster with a great Army to the aid and seruice of the Lord Edward Balliol King of Scotland which wasted all the Countries about Perth where while they lay the King with a very small Company came sodainely vnto them and from thence pierced farther one way then euer his Grandfather Edward had done suffering fire death the common furies of warre to worke vpon all that might suffer destruction to establish a Conquest Hee marcht vp as farre as Elgin and Buquhan and in his return to Marre burnt the Towne of Aberden in reuenge for Sir Thomas Rosselin a Knight whom the Townes-men thereof had slaine The Lord Robert Steward had great landes in those parts for Murrey and Buquhan were his which also the young Prince Edward many Earles and great Captaines with a gallant Company of men of war sailed to Antwerpe whom Lewis the Emperour met at the City of Colein where amity was confirmed and King Edward was constituted his Lieutenant with full authority to gouerne in his name on this side Colein By reason of which Vicegerencie King Edward made out his commandements and did many things to his aduantage and profit Howsoeuer it neither lasted long for Lewis within a while dishonourably reuoked it and did vndoubtedlie scarce quit the cost for the brauery of that meeting was so exceeding great as Edward easily wan the general opiniō of a very noble puissant king Polydor writes that Edward refused not the office yet would not exercise the same because he would not displease Pope Benedict whose enemy the Bauarian was 49 This Emperour whom belike the Pope hated for being as proud as himselfe tooke it ill as report went that the King of England humbled not himselfe at their meeting to the kisse of his foot But it was answered that the King of England was a King annointed and had life and member in his power and therefore ought not to submit himselfe so much as an other King that was not annointed After his returne to Antwerpe with his new power hee seriously prosecuted his affaire of confederation with the Lords and people of Dutchland among whom with great loue and fauour he and his royall family abode aboue an whole yeere The principall Nobles which entred into this league against the French were these The Archbishoppe of Colein Prince Elector The Duke of Brabant The Duke of Gelderland who had married the Lady Isabel King Edwards owne sister and about this season was of an Earle created a Duke The Marquesse of Gulick c. And finally the Hanse townes 50 The Flemings being the most necessary part of this association in regard of their neerenes to the French would not engage themselues in an offensiue warre against the Crowne of France vnlesse King Edward would first assume the Title and Armories of that Realme as the onely lawfull King therof This Proposition was throughly debated and the law of Armes allowing it hee with the common assent of the Flemings and others tooke the Stile and quartered the Flower de Lize with the Leopards or Lions of England as here we see annexed albeit wee see his former Seale also adorned with two Lize or Lillies whether in token of his mothers French descent or as a couert note of his own right to the Frenchcrown it is vncertaine 51 Polydor Virgil must haue a warie and fauourable Reader or hee will bee thought to bee of opinion that William the Conqueror bare his Leopards quartered then which nothing is more vntrue nor more vnlikely Others againe may suppose that we haue not here described them according to their right bearing as certainly according to their present bearing wee haue not but the truth is the golden Lillies of France which now are borne in triangle were in those dayes born and aduanced Semi 52 And whereas the Armories of France are placed here in the dexter and more honorable quarter yet there are probabilities that it was not so at this their first coniunction For in the* Seale of Queen Isabel this King Edwards mother the Armories of England as being the Armories of the husbands line and therefore to haue precedence were marshalled where now the Flower de Luces shine But whether to gratifie the French or because that was the more ancient and greater Monarchie they were in this Kings raigne disposed as here we see 53 When King Edward had thus assumed the Title and Armes of that Realme hee published the same vnder his seale setting the name of England first and sent his Letters Patents to the frontiers of the enemies Dominions fixing them vpon the dores of Churches aswell to declare the right and reason of his doings as to exempt such from the danger of the comming storme who vpon this notice would acknowledge him their Lord and rightfull Soueraigne These proclamations or admonishments thus diuulged he burnt and spoiled the North parts of France vp as farre as Turwin though the time of the yeere were very vnseasonable and contenting himselfe therewith for a beginning gaue place to the sharpenesse of Winter returning to the Queen his wife at Antwerpe where hee kept a roiall Christmas In which City this yeere was Lionel afterward Duke of Clarence borne 54 His affaires growing ripe in those parts he leaues his Queene and Children in Brabant as an assured pledge of his returne and about Candlemas shippes himselfe for England where in a Parliament at Westminster he obtained liberall aids for supportation of his intended Conquest In lieu of which louing assistances hee granted a generall large pardon both for trespasses and of all Aides for making his sonne Knight and for marriage of his daughter during all his time forgiuing also all arrerages of Farmers and Accountants till the tenth yeer of his Raigne and all old debts due to any of his Predecessors Finally hee confirmed that famous Magna Charta and of the Forest with some other 55 There was no talke now but of conquering France
reuenge was not without wonder prohibited so to doe by letters from the King that is from such as were about the King 16 But how coldly soeuer the publike affaires were followed the want of money for supplies was still pretended And therefore in a Parliament holden at Northampton was granted to the King a generall supplie of money the pretended occasion of monstrous mischiefe which followed by reason of a clause in that grant of Subsidie that euery one of ech sexe being aboue a certain age should pay by the head or per Pol as they call it twelue pence 17 The English Cheualry began now againe to display it selfe farre off to gratifie the priuate ends of Iohn Duke of Lancaster who claimed the Crown of Castile and Leon in right of Constance his wife For Iohn King of Portugal had a defensiue warre against Iohn then King of Castile who challenged the Crowne of Portugall in right of Beatrix his wife by whom hee had no issue the onely daughter of Ferdinand king of Portugall which this other Iohn a bastard sonne of Ferdinands had by faction vsurped There were sent to his aide the Lord Edmund de Langley Earle of Cambridge the Kings vncle and sundry Knights and others of good experience with an Armie These arriuing in Portugall valiantly defended the same for about two yeeres and were the chiefe cause of giuing the Spaniards an ouerthrow in battell where they lost ten thousand men At last the two Kings agreeing together bare the charges of conueighing home the English in common that their Countries might bee freed from them being both alike iealous of their puissance In this time Edward sonne to the Earle of Cambridge vncle to Richard king of England married the daughter of the king of Portugall but afterward neither would the Earle leaue his sonne behind as suspecting the Portugeses faith nor the other entrust his daughter to the Earle so as they remained disioined in body howsoeuer vnited by Ceremonie 18 Not long after the time of that Earles imployment into Spaine there fell out accidents which doe plainely conuince their error to bee great who thinke that any madnesse is like that of an armed vngouerned multitude whereof these times by a kind of Fate proper to childrens raigne gaue a most dangerous document The extreme hatred borne by the people to Iohn Duke of Lancaster calling himselfe king of Castile and Leon and the discontentment taken at an extraordinary taxe leuied per Pol vpon all sorts of people who were aboue sixteene yeers of age which as all other the euils of the time they imputed to the Duke the maner being to count them the authors of euils who are supposed to haue the greatest power of doing them moued the enraged multitudes vpon slight and small beginnings to runne together in so fearefull a Torrent that it seemed the King and kingdome were sodainely falne vnder their most wicked fury There were in this most rebellious insurrection the Commons and Bondmen who aspiring by force to a free manumission principally those of Kent and Essex whose example was followed in the Neighbour Shires of Surrey Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge and other places by incredible heards and droues of like qualified people who specially in Norfolke forced sundry principall Gentlemen to attend them in their madding 19 They of Kent embattelled themselues vnder two Banners of Saint George and about threescore and tenne Penons vpon Blacke-heath by Greenewich and from thence came to London where the generality of people inclining to them they are masters The Priory of S. Iohns without Smithfield they kept burning for about seuen dayes and the goodlie Palace of the Sauoy belonging to the Duke with all the riches therein they consumed by fire in a kind of holy outrage for they threw one of their fellowes into the flame who had thrust a peece of stolne plate into his bosome The Rebels of Essex came to Lambeth burnt all the Archbishops goods and defaced all the Writings Rowls Records and Monuments of the Chancerie as hauing a speciall hatred to the Lawyers little to their disgrace for that they shared herein with good men also whom they hated But their desperate wickednesse extended it selfe beyond the spoile of houses and substance laying bloudy hands vpon the most eminent and worthy men in the kingdome for that they had disswaded the King to put himselfe into their hands at Greenwich where hee talked with them out of his Barge and thereby had their maine designe disappointed Simon Tibald Archbishoppe of Canterburie and Chancellour of England a right worthy Prelate and Sir Robert Hales a Knight of high courage Lord Prior of Saint Iohns and Treasurer of England with others they without respect to the Maiestie of the King or priuiledge of their most honourable dignities most barbarously murthered by beheading them vpon Tower-Hill among infernall showtes diuelish yels For the Tower it selfe from whence they had haled them the young King being there in person was open to their execrable insolencies Neither doth the authority of Polyd. Vergil affirming that they were not haled forth but onely stayed by the Rebels to whom hee saith they were sent induce vs rather to credite him then Authors liuing about those very times There was no little store of other innocent bloud shed by them in these tumults Nor was the Kings own person without manifest perill against whose life they had damnably conspired It were long to reckon vppe the kinds of such villanies as they wrought but endlesse to recount the particulars The common Annals set forth this whole Tragicall businesse very diligently 20 They had many Captaines of mischiefe but two principall Wat Tyler of Maidstone in Kent whom Walsingham pretily cals the Idoll of Clownes and Iacke Straw who together had followers to the number as they were estimated of about one hundreth thousand and at one Sermon made to them by Iohn Ball Walsingham saith there were about twise as many Their Petitions were full of pride and malice but easily granted by the King the necessity of the times extorting them They had a Chaplaine as gracelesse as themselues one Iohn Ball an excommunicated Priest who with his wicked doctrine nourished in them their seditious furies to his own iust destructiō in the end but when a great multitude accepting the Kings mercy were gone Wat Tyler and his Campe departed not but vpon pretence of disliking the Articles of peace sought to winne time till he might put into full execution his incredible Treasons which as Iacke ◅traw at the time of his execution confessed were vpon that very night of the day wherein Wat Tyler was slain to murder the King and chiefe men and to erect petty Tyrannies to themselues in euery shire and already one Iohn Littistar a Dyer in Norwi◅h had taken vpon him at Northwalsham in Norfolke the name of the King of the Commons and Robert Westbroome in Suffolke to whom Iohn
would haue a yeerely pension of a thousand Marks out of the Temporalities belonging to that Abbey But the King hauing heard both parts commanded the Petitioners to silence and the Petition to bee razed out saying He would maintain the English Church in the quality of the same state or better in which himselfe had knowne it to bee when hee came to the Crowne The Archbishop hereupon hauing consulted with the Clergy came to the King and declared that hee and the Clergy had with one consent willingly prouided to supplie his Maiesties occasions with a Tenth This grant the King tooke so contentedly as he openly affirmed hee was better pleased with this free contribution of one Tenth for the present then if hee had gotten foure by compulsion 56 Robert de Vere Earle of Oxford a young Gentleman in speciall grace with the King was at this Parliament created Marquesse of Dublin in Ireland which moued great despight against him those rough times being impatient to beare the vnequall aduancement of fauourites Neuerthelesse though the gentle King was thought herein to please his owne fansie rather then to reward merite yet did hee so sweetly temper it as there was no iustice nor reason to enuie to him that solace which hee tooke in his friends encreased honour for at the same time hee aduanced two of his vncles Thomas of Woodstocke Earle of Buckingham to the title of Duke of Glocester and Edmund of Langley Earle of Cambridge he created Duke of Yorke allotting seuerall proportions of pension to be paide out of his Exchequer In Vere there was ancient Nobilitie to iustifie his new degree the better but in making the Lord Chancellor Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke with the yeerelie pension of 1000 Markes was matter of more enuie because he was not descended of such honourable Parents a defect if it bee a defect which none more willingly vpbraid to men of worth then who themselues are not alwayes the most worthy The first raiser of this familie of De la Pole was Edward the third who made William de la Pole of a braue Merchant a Knight Baneret and gaue him great possessions in requitall of an extraordinary and voluntary loane of treasure aduanced by him to supply the King in a time of speciall necessity when money could stand him in more steed then a thousand men of Armes no little merite in a subiect nor a slender reward of a most munificent Prince 57 Henry Spenser the martiall Bishop of Norwich found grace with the King at this Parliament to bee restored to his temporalities at the speciall suite of Thomas Arundell Bishoppe of Ely whiles the Bishoppe of Ely thus besought his Maiesty of Grace the said Michael de la Poole Lord Chancellor and Earle of Suffolke stood by and brake out with much offence into these words What is that my Lord which you aske of the King Seemes it to you a small matter for him to part with that Bishops temporalities when they yeeld to his Coffers aboue one thousand pounds by yeere Little neede hath the King of such Counsellors or of such friends as aduise him to acts so greatly to his hinderance Whereunto the Bishop of Ely not lesse truly then freelie replide What saith your Lordship my Lord Michael Know that I require not of the king that which is hiâ—… but that which hee drawne thereunto either by you or by the Counsell of such as you are withholds from other men vpon none of the iustest titles and which as I thinke will â—…euer doe him any good as for you if the Kings hinderance bee the thing you weigh why did you so greedily accept of a thousand markes by yeere at such time as he created you Earle of Suffolke The Chancellour was hit so home with this round retort that hee neuer offered any further to crosse the restitution of the Bishops temporalties 58 After this the King being with his Queen at their manour of Eltham in Kent there came thither Leo King of Armenia a Christian Prince whom the Tartars had expelled out of his Kingdome The pretence of his negotiation was to accord the realms of England and France that the Princes thereof might with ioint forces remoue the common enemy from Christendome Therein hee could effect nothing but his iourney was not otherwise vnfruitful to himselfe for King Richard a Prince to speake truly full of honour and bountie gaue him besides a thousand pounds in a ship of gold letters Pattents also for a thousand pounds yeerely pension during life 59 The time now was come wherein K. Richard should see himselfe deliuered of all that feare and iealousie which the greatnesse of his vncle the Duke of Lancaster stirred in him His Forces were now ready and his Nauie encreased with seuen Gallies and eighteene shippes sent out of Portugall attended at Bristoll to transport him toward Spaine for Castile is high Spaine the crowne whereof hee claimed in right of Constance his second wife daughter of Dom Peter the cruell Before hee set forth the newes came that such English as were already in Portugall with their friendes had ouerthrowne the Spaniards French and Britons at a battell in Spaine This was a spurre to quicken the Dukes enterprise which Pope Vrban the sixth by granting plenarie remission of sinnes to all such as gaue the Duke aid did specially fauour as against them who did partake with his enemy the Antipape but the frequent grant of such pardon and releasement was now growne so vile and contemptible amongst the people that few were found open handed towards this Cruceato Admiral of this Fleete was Sir Thomas Percie Sir Iohn Holland who had married one of the Dukes daughters afterward created Earle of Huntington was Constable of the host and Sir Iohn Mereaux who had to wife one of the Dukes illegitimate children was one of his Marshals There were in this noble and excellently-well appointed Army the Lords Talbot Basset Willâ—…ghby Fitz-walter Poinings Bradston Fitzwarren Beaumont Beauchampe the Lord Pomiers a Gascoin c. with very many worthy knights valiant Esquiers and a choise number of men of Arms Archers and other Souldiers to the number of twenty thousand The Duke tooke also with him his wife the Lady Constance and two daughters which hee had by her as * one relateth 60 It was now the moneth of May when the great Duke of Lancaster comming to take leaue had of the kings gift a Diademe of gold and his Dutchesse of the Queene another he also commanded the English to call and hold his vncle for a King and to doe him answerable honour But after all this hee lay for a wind so long till his whole prouisions were almost spent at length yet hee set forward The first land they touched was neere to Brest in Britaine where Sir Iohn Roch the Gouernour against the French complained of two Forts built about him to empeach his quiet
him to draw his comfort out of holy meditations as one whose violent death ensued before long and turne ouer to his politike and martiall Successor 117 Yet in our way wee may not quite ouerpasse a cursory consideration of the affaires of the Church vnder this King which for auoiding often interruptions of other argument we haue put off to this last place For albeit the Kingdome indured great crosses in the affaires of State yet some haue thought that it found as great blessings in matters of religion which in those daies tooke so deepe root in this our land by the preaching of Iohn Wicliffe that the branches thereof did spread themselues euen ouer the Seas Nor were the common people only allured with his doctrine though the Londoners fauouring of him is thought by Walsingham to haue deterred the Prelates from proceeding against him and a scholler of his in Leicestershire is said to haue drawn by his preaching all the Laymen in that Countrey but as the same Authour reporteth sundrie of the Fryars themselues fell to him and imbraced his opinions amongst whom one being also the Popes Chaplaine so discouered by preaching the murders luxuries and treasons of Fryars of his owne Habit that the common people were astonied with the horror thereof and cried out to haue them all vtterly destroied which his accusations he particularlie iustified by publike writing professing he came forth of that Order as out of the Diuels nest But that which Walsingham much more admires is that Wicliffes opinions were not onlie entertained in ordinary Cities but euen in the Vniuersity of Oxford it selfe where was the very top of wisdome and learning and where not only two Chancellors successiuely Doctor Nicholas Hereford and Robert Rugge were most earnest maintainers of Wicliffes doctrine but also when the pope to suppresse the same doctrine sent his Bull to the Vniuersity threatning the priuation of all their priuileges the Proctors and Regents thereof were very doubtfull whether they should receiue the Popes Bull with honour or rather reiect it with open disgrace Yea the whole body of that glorious Vniuersitie as the Pope there cals it in his Bull gaue a glorious Testimony vnder their publike seale of Wicliffes religious life profound learning orthodoxe opinions exquisite writings all farthest from any staine of heresie 118 And therefore no marueile if not onely the Duke of Lancaster with sundry Peeres and great ones but King Edward 3. himselfe were as Capgraue testifieth a fauourer of him and King Richard 2. and the whole Parliament did according to his instructions much labour to abrogate the Popes Transcendent power which was a principall cause of the Popes hatred against him Notwithstanding to discountenance the truth which he taught in defence of Regall Supremacy against Papall Vsurpation as also against the Masse Transubstantiation Merit against Adoration of the Hoast of Saints Images and Reliques against Fryarly Orders Pilgrimages Indulgences many lewd opinions by misconstruction as his bookes yet extant euince are fathered on him yea some so monstrous and diabolicall as that Men ought yea that God himselfe ought to obay the Diuell that that any man which heareth them will presently belieue without further perswasion that they are but malicious figments This famous Doctor dying of a palsie hath this charitable Euloge or Epitaph bestowed on him by a Monke The Diuels Instrument Churches Enemy Peoples Confusion Heretikes Idole Hypocrites mirrour Schismes broacher hatreds sower lyes forger Flatteries sincke who at his death dispaired like Cain and stricken by the horrible iudgement of God breathed forth his wicked soule to the darke mansion of the blacke diuell Whereby Gods best children may learne not to regard whiles they liue the malice of the wicked nor to respect after their death ought else but their slanderous rancor And thus we conclude the raigne though not the life of King Richard His first wife 119 The first wife of King Richard the second was Anne daughter vnto the Emperour Charles the fourth and sister to Wenceslaus Emperour and King of Bohemia who was crowned Quene the 22. of Ianuary 1384. Hauing beene tenne yeeres his wife shee dyed without any issue at Sheen in the County of Surrey 1394. whence her body was conuayed and buried at Westminster the seuenth of the Ides of Iune His second Wife 120 Isabell daughter vnto Charles the sixth King of France was a virgin about seuen yeers of age when shee was affianced vnto King Richard 1396. Neither had her husband it seemeth anie nuptiall fruition of her by reason of her tender age before such time as his traiterous Lords to compasse their owne disloyall purposes and gratifie an vsurpers ambition had dethroned him What became of this young Ladie we shall further see in the ensuing storie HENRIE THE FOVRTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE ONE MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XIIII HENRIE of that name the fourth hauing thus obtained the title of king in full accomplishment of all rites peculiar to Maiesty had the Crowne of England set vpon his head with all worldly magnificence and honour at Westminster by Thomas Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterbury vpon the selfe day twelue moneth in which hee had formerly beene banished vnder Richard the second Power and fauour can set vp and maintaine a King though they cannot create aright But such transcendent courses deuiating from all due regulation of Iustice haue been too frequent in this Kingdome What right had William surnamed the Conquerour what right we speake of a right of Equity had his sonnes William the second and Henry the first while their elder brother liued what right had that valiant and princely Stephen what was the interest of Henry the second during the life of his mother Mathildis or that of King Iohn till his Nephew Arthur Duke of Britaine died yea or that of Henry the third till Arthurs sister died in her prison at Bristow How beit in this present case not only Richard the late king but the house of Mortimer claiming from the onely daughter* and heire of Lionel Duke of Clarente an elder brother of Iohn D. of Lancaster doubly might haue withstood the legall challenge of this Prince That obstacle which grew by Richard was in apparance greatest but the other was onely dangerous Richard had no issue but the line of Mortimer engraffed by marriage into the house of Yorke feeling it selfe vnable to preuaile and during Richards life time hauing no right secretly fostered in it selfe those fires which afterward brake forth and taking hold of the roofe-tops of both the royall houses neuer left burning till no one principall timber was vnconsumed in either all the Male-Issues which could claime by a direct line vtterlie lopt downe thousand friends at Pomfret they proceed to Wallingford then to Abingdon and so to Circester The rumors vsed by
regalia qui violauit Fabians English of them The Church he fauoured casting the proud to ground And all that would his roiall State confound The said Author therefore Robert Fabian obseruing the scope of those lines to dampe their force doth vnderwrite and annex this Stanza with much greater discretion then elegancie But yet alas though that this meeter or rime Thus doth embellish this noble Princes fame And that some Clerke which fauoured him sometime List by his cunning thus to enhance his name Yet by his Story appeareth in him some blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their liues to exercise in vertuous constancie More tart and seuere is the censure of Gower vpon this Prince one of whose verses Stow giues vs thus So God doth hate such rulers as here viciously do liue That beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a chaire of estate at the vpper end of the Quier in Saint Peters at Westminster is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was in outward lineaments 20 King Henry to diuert the humors and eyes of the people from the remembrance of this Tragedie prepareth now a puissance therewith to inuade Scotland some subiects whereof together with their Admirall Sir Robert Logon a Scotish Knight were taken at Sea by certaine English ships But K. Henry may seeme to haue done any thing rather then to haue made a warre for albeit hee did some hurt by wasting the Country yet did not the Scots offer battel and the rest will wel appear in these words of Boetius He did small iniuries to the people thereof for he desired nought but his banner to bee erected on their wals He was euer a pleasant enemy and did great humanity to the people in all places of Scotland where he was lodged Finally hee shewed to the Lords of Scotland that hee came into their Realme rather by counsell of his Nobles then for any hatred he bare to Scots Soone after hee returned into England Whether the remembrance of the curtesies shewed to his Father Duke Iohn or the feare of his owne great state so neere to an ouerthrow by the late furious conspiracy wrought these gentle effects it was not long before the euent shewed that his prouidence in not creating new acerbities was therein needfull 21 For albeit the face of England seemed smooth yet God thrust a thorne into King Henries side when and where he little expected for the Welsh whom former Kings of England had so yoaked and subiected did contrary to all mens expectation breake forth into open acts of hostility vnder the conduct of a Gentleman of that Nation surnamed Glendowr of the Lordship of Glendowr in Merionithshire whose owner he was the wrath and iustice of heauen is alwayes so well furnished with meanes to exercise the mightiest those chiefly at whose amendment God aimes by chastisement The originall of so great an euill was in the seed but little as but this Owen Glendowr whom the Welsh call the sonne of Gruffith Vachan descended of a yonger son of Gruffith ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield was at first a Student of the common laws and an Vtter Barister but not therefore an apprentise of law as Doctor Powell mistakes for an apprentise of the law is hee that hath been a double Reader did afterward serue the late King Richard in place of an Esquier was well beloued of him but in King Henries time retiring himselfe as it seemes to his Mannour of Glendourdwy the L. Gray of Ruthen entred vpon a peece of common which lay betweene Ruthen and Glendowr which Owen despite the Lord Gray while Richard continued King had formerly holden though not without contention Owen a man of high courage and impatient of force armes hereupon and encounters the Lord Gray in the field where he scattered the said Lords people and tooke him prisoner as hereafter will else-where bee touched 22 It seemes herein that hee had forgotten the lawes which he had formerly studied and wherin hee had been a licentiate for shortly after as hee had troden law vnder foot so did he also cast off loyaltie burning destroying the Lord Grays inheritances and killing sundry his seruants The King aduertised hereof passeth with an Army into Wales burnes kils and takes such reuenge as that time would permit Meanewhile Owen whom pride folly armed to the farther ruine of his Country with his trustiest friends which were not few withdrawes into the inexpugnable fastnesses of Snowdon where during this tempest he kept his head safe Shortly after the King with such riches and spoiles as those Parts had afforded returnes His next most noted action was peaceable For one of the house of Paâ—…logus and Emperour of Constantinople came into England to pray some succour against the Turke and vpon the day of S. Thomas the Apostle was met at Blackeheath by King Henry highly feasted richly presented and his charges borne till departure But as Tilius saith of his successe in France verbis promissis tantum adiutus est so here his speed was not much better the point of armed aides being only therein assisted with words and promises 23 In a Parliament held the next yeere by reason of the numbers of Lolards so called encreasing the punishment for them enacted was burning And in the same yeere also the Articles of peace beeing first agreed vpon betweene the two Nations English and French notwithstanding that they had denied to match with the young Prince of Wales because the former marriage with Richard thriued so badly the Lady Isabel who had beene crowned Queene of England as Spouse of the late King was now sent backe into France after a most princely maner shee being not as yet twelue yeeres old had no dowrie allowed her in England for that the marriage was neuer consummated Before shee was restored to her friends the Lord Henry Percie before the Ambassadors of both the Nations where they were met betweene Caleis and Boloigne protested That the King of England his Master had sent her to be deliuered to her Father cleare of all bonds of marriage or otherwise and that hee would take it vpon his soule that shee was sound and entire euen as shee was the same day shee was deliuered to King Richard and if any would say to the contrary hee was ready to proue it against him by combat But the Earle of Saint Paul saying hee beleeued it to be true the Lord Percie tooke her by the hand and deliuered her vnto the Earle and then the Commissioners of France deliuered certaine letters of receipt and acquitall She was afterward married to Charles Duke of Orleance 24 Owen Glendowr persisting in his pride and disobedience made incursions vpon the English doing them great harme and returning himselfe without any but K. Henries danger was greater at home for treason had crept into his most secret Chamber In his
of England whose glorious life and acts next insue 56 Thomas Duke of Clarence President of the Councell to King Henry the first his brother and Steward of England He was slaine at Beaufort in Anion without any issue He married Margaret daughter to Thomas Holland Earle of Kent the widow of Iohn Beauford Earle of Somerset 57 Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France in the time of King Henry the sixt Duke also of Anion and Alanson Earle of Cenomannia Harecourt of Kendall and Dreux Viscount Beaumont He married first with Anne daughter to Iohn Duke of Burgundy Secondly with Iacoba daughter to Peter de Luxemburgh Earle of Saint Paul And died without any issue 58 Humfrey was by his brother King Henry the fifth created Duke of Glocester was Protectour of the Kingdome of England for 25. yeeres in the time of King Henry the sixt in whose first yeere hee styled himselfe in his Charters thus Humfrey by the grace of God sonne brother and vncle to Kings Duke of Glocester Earle of 〈◊〉 Holland Zeland and Pembroke Lord of Friestand Great Chamberlaine of the Kingdome of England Protector and Defendor of the same Kingdome and Church of England Hee was a man who nobly deserued of the common wealth and of learning as being himselfe very learned and a magnificent Patron and benefactor of the Vniuersity of Oxford where hee had beene educated and was generally called the Good Duke Hee married first Iacoba heire to William Duke of Bauaria Earle of Holland who as after was knowne had first beene lawfully troth-plighted to Iohn Duke of Brabant and therefore was afterward diuorced from the said Humfrey His second wife was Elianor daughter to Reginald Baron Cobham de Scarborough Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the sixt repining at his great power in swaying the King state socretly wrought his ruine hee being murthered in his bed at Burie dying without any issue 1446. His body was buried at Saint Albans yet the vulgar error is that he lyes buried in Saint Pauls 59 Blaunch married to William Duke of Bauaria and Emperour 60 Philip married to Iohn King of Denmarke and Norway HENRIE THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE TWO AND FIFTIETH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XV. AMongst the many Monarchs of this most famous Empire none is found more complete with all heroicall vertues then is this King of whose life by order and successe of story wee are now to write which is Henry of that name the fifth the renowne of England and glory of Wales Of whom what was spoken of Titus in the flourishing times of the Romans may for the time of his raigne be truly verified in him both of them being the-louely darlings and delightfull ioy of Mankind But as Titus is taxed by his story-Writers in youth to haue been riotous profuse wastfull and wanton for which as he saith with the dislikes of men he stept into the throne so if wee will beleeue what others haue writ Henry was wilde whiles hee was a Prince whose youthfull prankes as they passed with his yeers let vs haue leaue here to rehearse and leaue them motiues to our owne vse as hee made them for his 2 His birth was at Monmouth in the Marches of Wales the yeer of Christs assuming our flesh 1388 and the eleuenth of King Richards raigne his father then a Subiect and Earle of Derbie Leicester Lincolne afterwards created Duke of Hereford in riâ—…ht of his wife then of Lancaster by the death of his father and lastly by election made the Soueraigne of England that vnfortunate Richard being deposed the Crowne His mother was Mary second daughter and coheire of Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Northampton high Constable of England as we haue said 3 His young yeeres were spent in literature in the Academie of Oxford where in Queenes Colledge he was a Student vnder the tuition of his vncle Henry Beauford Chancellour of that Vniuersity afterwards Bishoppe of Lincolne and Winchester and lastly made Cardinall by the title of Eusebius But his Father obtayning the Crowne and himselfe come to the age of twelue yeeres had the succession thereof entailed on him by Parliament and accordingly was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester and presently had the Title of the Dukedome of Aquitaine conferred vpon him the better to effect the thing then intended which was to haue obtained in marriage young Queene Isabel late wife to the murthered King Richard daughter of Charles the sixt King of France 4 From Oxford Prince Henry was called to Court and the Lord Thomas Perey then Earle of Worcester made his Gouernour but being himselfe false to the Father could giue no good example vnto the sonne whose hostile attempts in the field of Shrewsburie cost that disloyall Earle his head and almost had done Prince Henry his life who in battell against him was wounded in the face with an arrow This marke of his manhood with the ouerthrow of Hotspur in that bloody conflict were hopefull signes of his following successe which presently were seconded with as fortunate proceedings against Owen Glendowr that scourge of his Country and Arch-rebell vnto Englands peace whom this Prince so pursued through the vast mountaines of Wales that from the Dennes of those deserts hee durst not shew his face but therein perished by famine natures other wants though the Prince had then scarcely attained vnto sixeteene 5 But growne from his tutors command or controll and come to the yeers for dispose of himselfe as his youth stood affected so were his consorts and those many times whose conditions were none of the best whether led by an inclination of youth which commonly lets the raine loose vnto Will or to know that by proofe which other Princes doe by report I will not determine yet vnto the latter doe I rather incline knowing that Salomon the wisest of Kings did so himselfe and rather by Rosse I am lead who writeth that Prince Henry in Oxford had in great veneration such as excelled in vertue or learning and among many two hee nameth Thomas Rodban of Merton Colledge a great Astronomer by him preferred to the Bishopricke of S. Dauids in Wales and Iohn Carpenter of Oriel Colledge a learned Doctor of Theologie whom hee aduanced to the See of Worcester But let vs heare how his wilde oates were spent and with what increase the haruest was got The translater of Liuie who wrote the storie of this worthy Prince and dedicated his paines to King Henry his sonne affirmeth for truth that many actions he did farre vnfitting his greatnesse of birth and among other doth taxe him with no better then theft who in the raigne of his Father accompanied with such as spent their wits vpon other mens spoiles laide waite in the way for his Rents receiuers and robd them of that which
is the greatest it may be also the happiest Monarchie of Europe For the cleere accomplishment of which worke there rests now nothing but the depressing of the Daulphin who is by your doome already not only depriued of that dignity but of succession to the Crowne and prosecuted as a Traitor to the State and of whom this we must be assured that while he liues France cannot but be in a perpetuall combustion For preuenting whereof I both need and intreate both your Counsels and aide nothing doubting of your readines in either for how can we expect any safety or you any goodnes at his hand who in his young yeeres did so perfidiously murder the Duke of Burgundy his vncle I am now you see your Regent in present and Successour to the Crowne in hope Let it not therefore sticke in your hearts that I am an Englishman borne for you know I haue much French blood in my veines which warmes my affections as well to French as English but looke on me as the lawfull heire to the Diademe both by iust Title and your owne consents who therefore am and ought to be wholly yours and your kindnes and iust dealing bind me so to be Yours also am I now by fresh alliance as sonne in Law to your King vnto whom I will performe all offices of loue and honor as to mine owne father and you his subiects shall I loue and cherish as mine owne children and will defend France and the French so long as you defend my right with your louing aide and will deserue my loue with your loiall affection 55 These affaires thus accomplished at Troyes the Kings the Queenes and the rest of the Peeres in great estate rode vnto Paris where all faire countenances were shewed and great entertainement giuen to the English But the Daulphin and his followers neither feared nor fainted though the present courses pleased not their palat Their first Counsell therefore was how to preserue themselues in so eminent danger to sit still and doe nothing they knew it was but to increase and aduance the successes of the English and to rise without strength was to fall into further misfortunes hauing no meanes to hold warre with so potent an Enemy In this distraction their voice was best heard that spake most for the safety of the Daulphin whose only life gaue breath vnto the after-hopes of France and for the strengthening of those places which might be of most aduantage to themselues and offence to the Enemie This then past by decree in that Counsell of warre that the Daulphin should at no time hazard his person in field and that a leuy of Souldiers should be had to lie in Garrison in places conuenient for Time which neuer stands still they well hoped might yet turne the rice for them fortune being said they as subiect to fawne as to frowne in which resolution each man tooke to his charge and all to withstand the doings of Henry 56 As these consulted for the state of the French so in Paris a Parliament of the three estates was assembled wherein such as were guilty of the death of Burgundy were iusticed the disherizing of the Daulphin confirmed and warres prepared against these Townes which held for him Against Sens the two Kings with their Queens Clarence and Burgundy marched which after 12. daies was rendered vpon composition of life those excepted as were guilty of the Duke of Burgundies death Monstreau was the next which by force was entred where the body of the Duke of Burgundy vndecently buried by the Daulphinois was taken vp and by his sonne Philip sent in great pompe to Diion in his Dutchy and there honorably interred The Towne being taken the Castle held out vnto whose Captaine twenty Captiue Gentlemen were sent whose liues from King Henries mouth say the French were sentenced to death vnlesse they could perswade the Castellan to surrender but those men say our English to mollifie that seuere doome were all especiall friends of that Captaine and such as had giuen opprobrious words to the Kings Herauld being sent vnto them in the siege of Monstreau Howsoeuer in this extremity they sollicited Guiluy vpon their knees vrging their owne deaths and his great danger if he held out but Guiluy a true Frenchman and friend to the Daulphin withstood the assault and thereupon these Gentlemen Petitioners were presently hanged in the sight of the defendants so bloody is Mars to maintaine his owne Lawes and so eager was Henry of his full Conquest of France whose thirsting sword had hereto fore beene some what ouerlauish in blood but neuer more perhaps then in this bloody act which I wish might be obliterated from the number of his other glorious actions Yet at length was that Castle enforced to surrender vpon composition of life excepting the guilties of Burgundies death 57 Then was the siege remoued to Melun a Towne of great strength and made more strong by the valours of her commanders who were Seigneur Barbafon an absolute souldier Pierre de Bourbon a Prince of the blood Preaux and Bourgeois whose Garrison was seuen hundred Daulphinois and indeed no default in defence could anie wise be imputed but the Canon opening a breach the English and Burgundians made an entry into the Bulwarke and ouer the Riuer Seine built a bridge with Boates so that from either quarter they had passage one to the other without impediments and encamped themselues for their best aduantage vpon whom the enemie neuerthelesse made diuers sallies with the losse of either parties King Henry inforced his siege to the vtmost and made a myne vnderneath the wals which being perceiued the defendants countermined against him where the King too forward as the very first man entring his myne and Barbason likewise his within the Towne met each other at point of sword where they performed nobly the parts of priuate souldiers nobly indeed if priuate souldiers they had been but Princes should remember they are not such till lastly they agreed to discouer themselues and first Barbason made known his name then King Henry did his whereupon the French Lord suddainely getting backe caused the Barriers to be closed and Henry returned to his Campe. 58 This enterprize failing King Charles himselfe came into the Campe to induce the defendants to render at the presence of their naturall Lord which neuerthelesse was little respected for answere was made that if their King were at liberty and free from King Henries power they would doe him the duty of naturall subiects and yeeld him their charge as their Liege Lord but being as he was they desired to be excused for to the mortall enemy of France they would not yeeld 59 Whilest King Henry lay at the siege of Melun the Duke of Bauier who was Palsegraue of Rhyne Elector came to King Henry hauing married his sister and thence sent a defiance vnto the Daulphin his kinseman by Queene
any of aboue fifteene The great number of the slaine is not the measure of a victory but the vse and effects which it drawes The Duke of Alanson himselfe was taken prisoner with about two hundred others of speciall worth The English paid for this noble victory the bodies of about two thousand of their souldiers which lost life there for it was fought vpon faire termes in the open fields and carried by meere manhood That which followeth till the siege of Orleance Paul Aemylius comprehendeth in some few lines The fierce Conquerour besiegeth Mants in Main and with Ordinance beates downe part of the wals It yeelds heereupon The English Garrison left therein after the taking not being sufficient to containe the Towne in due subiection is compelled to flie to a Tower for their safetie the enemies which were admitted into it by the Burgers enioying the rest The Lord Talbot the most noble Captaine of the English presently arriues to the rescue and puts the malefactors to death The English Empire extends it selfe to the Riuer of Loyr Charles they call in scorne the King of Berry Thus roundly he In nine Articles and capitulations drawne and concluded at the yeelding of Mâ—…nts this was one as perhaps it was in euery like occasion That if any persons were found within the City which had beene consenting to the murther of Iohn Duke of Burgoin father to Philip Duke of Burgoin in full reuenge whereof he had hither to adhered to the English that they should simply bee at the Regents mercy 8 The chiefe things which passed in England during these happy proceedings in France were briefly these Iames Steward the young King of Scots hauing beene casually taken vpon the Sea in the reigne of King Henry the fourth and after his fathers death not sufficiently tendered nor respected by the Scots remained still a Prisoner The rather therefore to hinder the Scots that was the hope from aiding the French it was now thought fit by the Councell of England to enlarge him Which was accordingly done vpon pledges Not long after the which he married the Ladie Iane daughter to Iohn Earle of Sommerset neere cosen to King Henry Principall setters forward of this marriage as by likelihood of his liberty also to honour their family with a Kingly alliance were the Earle of Sommerset and the Bishop of Winchester both of them Beauforts who together with sundry other of the English Nobility conducted the new married Couple to the Scottish Borders Much of his ransome was abated and his new kinsemen bestowed vpon him store of plate gold and siluer among other gorgeous Ornaments suit of hangings in which the labors of Hercules were most curiously wrought But this wise King hauing had the benefit of excellent and Princely education in England did not suffer any obligations contracted in the time of his durance to preponderate with him the Generall state of Scotland whose freedome did much depend vpon the fortune of France whereby the maine drift of his enlargers was not much aduanced The reason notwithstanding which lead this action was probable and so much the more commendable for that it was tempered with humanity The forreine mischiefe thus howsoeuer intended hereby to be auoided or qualified Sir Iohn Mortimer a dangerous firebrand at home being Prisoner in the Tower was arraigned for many treasonable speeches vsed to a yeoman seruant to Sir Robert Scot keeper of the Tower of London to draw the said yeoman to let him escape promising him great matters The points of his speeches were as that fellow charged vpon him in open Parliament 1. That the said Mortimer meant to flie into Wales to the Earle of March and with an armie of forty thousand men to enter England and strike off the Protectors head and the Bishop of Winchesters 2. That the Earle of March ought by right to bee King of England and if the Earle would not that then hee himselfe was next heire 3. That if he could not safely reach to the Marches he would saile to the Daulphin of France and there serue with honor which he was assured of For these ouertures of escape and conspiracie the Knight was drawne hanged and headed Of whose death no small slander arose Perhaps he that writes so doth meane that the whole was but a stratageme to rid him out of the way Edmund Lord Mortimer Earle of March the party whom the said knight mentioned was sent not long after with many other Lords and competent numbers of men into Ireland where he deceased without issue whose great patrimony descended to Richard Plantagenet Earle of Cambridge the fatall disturber of the Realme of England vpon the pretence of Mortimers title to the Crowne 9 The amity with the Duke of Burgoin which the English had hitherto found so auailable toward their Conquests hauing otherwise receiued some few slight flawes was now in danger of vtter breaking vpon this occasion Humfrey Duke of Gloucester Protector of the Realme following councell vnworthy of his person and place contracted himselfe with the Lady Iaqueline of Baâ—…aria Inheretrix of Holland Zeland Henaâ—…lt and many other faire dominions in the Netherlands notwithstanding that Iohn Duke of Brabant her former husband was then liuing and that the suit of diuorce commenced by Iaqueline depended still betweene them The Duke of Burgoin held with Brabâ—…t This bred bitter humor in the Duke of Glocester who being not vsed to meet with any rubs or confrontments and now when in person he came with an armie to take seison of Henault in right of his supposed wife finding himselfe hard set vnto by the aids which Burgoin ministred to the Duke of Brabant he challengeth Combat of the Duke of Burgundy calling him traitour It was accepted and the lie strongly thrust vpon Gloucester who leauing the light Lady at her Towne of Monts in Henault returned into England doing nothing of that for which at that time he came Mediation tooke vp the quarrell afterward betweene the Duke of Burgundy and him Not long after the returne of the Duke of Gloucester into England the first marriage which had beene made and consummated betweene the Duke of Brabant and the said Lady Iaqueline was pronounced lawfull by Pope Martin the fifth Hereupon the Duke of Glocester hauing susteined many losses aswell of friends as treasure in punishment of that great sinne in taking anothers wife forthwith marries Eleanour daughter to Reignald Lord Cobham of Sterborough whereby he made her amends for that vnlawfull familiarity which had formerly passed betweene them Meanewhile the Court of England doth well shew that the King was an infant for it was full of dangerous emulations and sidings the Duke of Gloucester whose high office it was to tender the welfare of the King and State laying sundry grieuous accusations against the Cardinall Beaufort sonne of Iohn Duke of Lancaster Bishop of Winchester and Lord
same place Gentleman That hee and his complices did imagine the Kings death at his Coronation The combat was granted and in Smithfield the Duke of Yorke exercising the office of high Constable they fought in lists In the end the Kings name was vsed to part and forgiue them It is a vice to suspect too farre The Duke of Yorke a most subtle man seemes neuer in heart to haue beene a true subiect to King Henry yet no man saith hee was any author in this Henrie the common wealth hauing yeelded to liber all grants of money is now ready to enter Paris England remained vnder the gouernment of the Duke of Glocester 20 There is no doubt that the English there at their Kings presence set forth their greatnes to the full shew The yong King attended vpon with two English Cardinals Yorke and Winchester and great Princes of his blood Dukes Earles Barons Prelates and the flower of our nation with many aswel French and Burgonians as Normans and others excellentlie well appointed makes a triumphant entry into the head City of that most noble Monarchy There was no signe in the People but of ioy and welcome the showes were many and magnificent Vpon the seuenth day of December he was solemnely Crowned King of France by the Cardinall of Winchester his great vncle in the Chiefe Church of Paris called of our Lady The Duke of Bedford entertained the minds of the Assembly with a set speech wherein he declared King Henrie his Nephewes vndoubted title to that Crowne and commended the same to their fidelities adding ample promises of honour and emolument Such of the French Nobilitie as were present did their homage The people had good and gratious words giuen vnto them and certaine quantities of money Corne and wine in the nature of a donatiue liberally distributed among them Proclamations were made that all Frenchmen who came in by a day there named should be protected The Kings Patents and grants touching French matters passed vnder the seale and stile of Henry King of the Frenchmen and of England which Seale for variety we haue prefixed as we found it annexed * to a writing directed by the King to his Court of Requests in his Pallace at Paris but for English affaires he vsed another Seale being in euery point like vnto that of King Henry the fourth and as some thinke the very same stamp which therefore we haue here omitted as likewise some Charters of his there are whereunto he affixed the seale of his father Charles of France esteemed not himselfe the lesse a King for all this but pursues his affaire His people tooke the City of Chartres by a stratagem the Bishop whereof because a Burgundian they also put to the sword with others Neither were the English idle Iohn Duke of Norfolke Thomas Earle of Arundel Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke the Earle of Suffolke and others made vp this losse with aduantage Their actions are placed by some as done before the Coronation which is likely The King hauing thus taken possession of France not long after tooke his farewell thereof His returne was by Roan and so ouer land to Callais from whence vpon the eleuenth day of February hee arriued safe at Douer His vncle the Duke of Glocester was able to giue an honest and good account of the Gouernment during the kings absence The suppressiō of an insurrection beginning at Abingdon in Oxfordshire was not the least seruice A weauer the Baliffe of the Towne was the vlcerous head to which that corruption gathered who had changed his own name and called himselfe Iacke Sharpe of Wigmores land in Wales The speciall colour of his attempt was to haue massacred Priests whose heads he said hee would make as cheape as Sheepes-heads that is two or three or ten for a penny But the mention of Wigmores lands the ancient inheritance of Mortimer then the possession of the fatall Duke of Yorke who afterward in the right of that name challenged the Crowne of England from King Henry insinuates somewhat further The varlet forfeited his head and foure quarters for his attempt It is to be wondred that the Councell of Estate vnder King Henry hearing that title so often glanced at prouided not better against the mischiefe But the eies and hearts of the wise are blinded when God hath a purpose to reserue a scourge or to hide the fire which shall afterward be vsed to consume a nation Vnquiet humors were aswell abroad as at home The souldiers of Callais discontented with their wages as to little began to be mutinously troublesome The Regent comes thither in person in Easter weeke where he exerciseth necessary discipline seuerely Foure the most faulty lost their heads one hundred and ten are cashered and banisht from the Towne as sixe score others had formerly beene Why dwell we vpon so petty accidents The losse of the Kingdome of France is imminent Let vs diligently note the degrees which God found out to depriue our Nation of that honor In this iourney of the Regent King Henries interest was not aduanced The Regent a widdower roade from thence to Turwin where without the Burgundians priuity he married the Lady Iaquet aged about seuenteene yeeres daughter to Peter of Lutzembourg Earle of S. Paul no friend to the Burgundian This was nothing prosperous to the English affaires For Anne the Regents former wife sister to the Duke of Burgundy being while shee liued a strong reason and assurance of amitie weakened the same by her death and this second marriage not pleasing the Burgundian did yet more diminish it These were but degrees In the meane space the accidents of warre between the English and French were manifold and perplext now wee now they leesing or gaining as opportunity serued which vncertainties brought forth their ordinary progenies fearefull outrages and s◅rcitie of all things needfull for the vse of man It would be wearisome and not much necessary to recount the particular lesser actions neitheir indeed is it easie for who can readily tell the sieges surprises skirmishes and the like being so confusedly set down by Authors wherein diuers of both Nations wanne to themselues much honour and serued the vses of those times and their owne The vttermost effect of those great labours was that the English Regency fell not forthwith into nothing Permanent leaders in those publike seruices were the Regent himselfe their maine Pillar and Chiefe life Thomas Earle of Arundel Richard Earle of Warwicke Henry his Sonne the Lord Willoughby the thrice noble Iohn Lord Talbot who was now at liberty the Lord Scales besides Knights Esquires and other valiant Captaines a multitude 21 The fortune of Renate Duke of Barre is not to be omitted for that afterward our King vnluckely married into his house He had to wife Isabell the daughter and heire of Charles Duke of Lorraine by whom he had issue two sonnes
so sharpe teeth nor so full engorgement as before Townes and people are taken on both sides The Countie of Amiens was spoiled by the English Lords Willoughby and Talbot The Regent and the Duke of Sommerset march into Angiou where they charged their carriages with much spoile and returned Then the Duke of Sommerset seuers himselfe and doth sundry exploits in and about Britaine Diep in Normandy being besieged was rescued by the Dolphin of France to our losse The contemplation of these mutuall violences touched all Christendome for the Turke common enemie thereof encreased Ambassadors are sent from all parts to determine these bloody differences William de la Pole Earle of Suffolke was chiefe for the English A truce was hereupon taken for eighteene months between King Henry and King Charles and an hope of perpetuall amity weakely grounded vpon a match which the Earle of Suffolke contracted for King Henry with Margaret the daughter of Renate titulary King of Sicile Naples and Ierusalem Duke of Angiou and Lorrain Prince of the blood To effect this the Earle couenanted that the English should abandon the possession of Angiou and Main to her father A strange purchase of a wife who though shee brought youth beauty and hope of a perpetuall peace with France the more profitable opportunity whereof the English had more brauely then happily neglected yet was shee otherwise without portion The Earle notwithstanding whose drift herein could not be without manifest ambition to make himselfe one of the greatest of England by this gratification of the French with his Masters charge and dishonour is not abashed to expect publike thanks for this high seruice and an whole fifteene for the charge of her transportation Sundry Lords of Councell and the King himselfe thought him worthy and according to his deuise and ouerture the whole affaire was carried Suffolke made Marquesse is sent ouer with many honorable persons both men and women to conduct the faire and goodly but most vnfortunate and fatall Bride into England Polydore giues vs no vnfitting Character of this Lady Shee was prouident enough very desirous of glory abounding in discourse counsell gracious behauiour and manly courage but not free from womens humour which saith he is vsually vehement and apt to change In England ye may easily suppose that shee was most roially entertained Humfrey Duke of Gloucester among others meeting her with a traine of fiue hundred horsemen in a liuery that worthy Poet Iohn Lydgate Monke of Burie deuising the speeches for such gratulatory triumphs as were made at her entrance into London The King being married lawfully enioyes her embracements from which he was often afterward violently separated by the miseries of a most crueil warre wherein shee had her piteous portion Suffolke in the meane time hauing the most assured fauour of the Queen pursues his ambitious purposes Shee in the meane time was solemnly Crowned Queene of England at Westminster vpon the thirtieth of May. 39 Would to God it stood now with the quality of this argument to turne our eies from the view of those actions which ensued for here the mournefull tragedies of our poore Countrey began But we cannot but open those olde and most execrable sores that in their example all true English blood may the rather be tender ouer their bowels beholding such effects as the diuell and all the furies of hell were by Gods seuere permission Actors in Fabian giues vs the causes and contents of those effects in these graue and few words 40 It appeareth that God was not pleased with that marriage For after this day the fortune of the world began to fall from the King so that he lost his friends in England and his reuenues in France For shortly after all was ruled by the Queene and her Counsell to the great disprofit of the King and his Realme and to the great mauger it is Fabians word and obloquie of the Queene who as since hath beene well proued had many a wrong and false report made of her All which miserie fell for BREAKING OF THE PROMISE made by the King vnto the Earle of Armenacks* daughter as most writers agree Which misery in this Story shall some-deale appear by the loosing of Normandy as all things else except Callais which the English held in France the diuision of the Lords within this Realme the rebellion of the comminalty against their Prince and Soueraigne and finally the King deposed and the Queene with the Prince faine to flee the land and lost the rule thereof for euer Thus he but all this farre short of the euils that were the brood and ofspring of the following times The Parliament in the meane time grants aides of money that vpon expiration of the truce there might bee present abilities to maintaine warre The Duke of Yorke is reuoked and the Duke of Sommerset in an euill houre is sent in his place with such prouisions as were reputed competent 41 Humfrey the renowned Duke of Gloucester Lord Protector felt the first stroke of the euill Angell which was sent to punish England and to roote out her Nobles This Duke was much hated of the Queene and her faction as the onely man who by his prudence as also by the honor and authoritie of his birth and place seemed to empeach that soueraigne command which they pretended to settle in the Kings owne person but meant indeed as the manner is vnder soft Princes to reigne themselus in anothers name Many great Lords were drawne on at the time of a Parliament then holden at Saint Edmunds Bury to concurre for his ruine not perceiuing that thereby they pluckt vp the floodgate at which the Duke of Yorke entered ouerwhelming all of them in a deluge of blood Whether they had any true or iust feare of Gloucester himselfe least perhaps he should take reuenge vpon some particular persons among them is doubtfull though it be probable enough that they had Heare some things that forewent this Parliament About fiue or sixe yeers before the Dutchesse of Gloucester Eleanor was conuented for witchcraft and sorcerie and afterward endited of treason in the Guild-Hall in London before the Earles of Huntington Stafford Suffolke and Northumberland and certaine Lords as Faâ—…hope and Hungerford with others and Iudges of both benches of which crimes shee was appealed by one Bâ—…lingbrook an Astronomer and Thomas Southwell a Chanon which Southwell was charged to haue said Masses ouer certaine instruments by which the Astronomer should practise Necromancy against the life of the King These being taken accused her as accessarie shee hauing desired the helpe of their Art to know what would befall her Some part hereof shee confessed for which shee was put to publike and solemne penance in London vpon three seueral daies with wonderfull shame to her person and after shee was committed to perpetuall prison vnder the ward of Sir Thomas Stanley in the Castle of Chester but from thence remoued
meant nothing vnto him but good faith vpon the morrow ride to London where in Iuly immediately following a Parliament is holden in King Henries name The fore-runner whereof was a Comet or blazing starre which appeared in the moneth of Iune the beams whereof extended themselues into the south The first popular act of this assembly was to restore the memory of Humfrey Duke of Glocester to honour declaring him to haue beene a true subiect to the King and Realme 65 The next prouisions which the Yorkists made were for themselues and their owne security willing and commanding that the Duke of Yorke his partakers should incur no blame by reason of the iourney at Saint Albans the whole fault whereof was laid vpon the dead Duke of Sommerset the Lord Chiefe Baron and one William Ioseph Esquier who say they kept from the King a pacificatory letter which the Duke of Yorke had sent It is a wonder and a shame to reade how officiously these violent Lords meaning nothing lesse behaued themselues to the King of whose maiesty they will needs seeme to be the onely Champions and conseruators The Duke of Yorke in the same Parliament creates himselfe Protector of England the Earle of Salisbury is made Lord Chancellour and the Earle of Warwicke his sonne Captaine of Caleis they spared as yet to touch King Henries life because the people did wonderfully honour esteeme and reuerence him for his singular holinesse and for that he had great friends left aliue and a sonne In the meane space that they might without trouble and at their pleasure vncrowne or kill him they by little and little displaced the ancient Counsellors and substituted their ass◅ed fauourites Another Act of that absolute force and fraud which they exercised in this dreadfull perturbation of all things was the drawing of Ionn Holland Duke of Excester out of Sanctuarie at Westminster conuaying him to Pomfret Castle in the North. 66 Henry Beauford Duke of Sommerset sonne of the former the Duke of Buckingham whose sonne and heire the Earle of Stafford was slaine at S. Albans and other the Kings friends perceiuing whereunto this faire shew tended consult with the Queene at Greenewich concerning her husbands danger and how to preuent it Hereupon the Duke of Yorke is displaced from the Protectorship a ridiculous title to be assumed where the king was aged about fiue and thirtie and had no other fault or vnfitnes but that he was too good to liue among them The Earle of Salisbury was also depriued of his Lord Chancellorship 67 The King hauing thus recouered his dignity and authoritie but not sufficient meanes to suppresse his dangers the French take courage at our intestine diuisions and landing at Sandwich with fifteene thousand men part of their forces they kill the Maior Bailifs and other Officers of that Towne with sundrie Gentlemen of the Countrey spoile all they could lay hand vpon and among all they rob two great vessels laden with merchandise which lay there bound for London and departed Another part of them burnes Foway and certaine other townes in Deuonshire On the other side the Scots hostillie entred into Northumberland but vpon notice that the Duke of Yorke approached with a power they returned hauing not as yet done any great harme 68 These indignities and losses might haue vnited the disioined affections of true English hearts which was greatly desired by such as loued their Countrey For which purpose the King Queene and their chiefe friends being at Couentrie the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Salisbury and Warwicke are sent for by the Kings letters vnder his priuie Seale to giue their attendance whither they come but they either warned of some plot contriued against them or fearing it or faining to feare sodeinely leaue the Court without leaue the Duke departing to Wigmore in the Welsh marches the Earle of Salisburie to his Castell of Midleham in the North-Countrey and the Earle of Warwicke to Calleis whose bodies though thus diuided their mindes continued most firmely factionated But the King a patterne of Christian goodnes being tender ouer the generall estate of his Countrey and wonderfully desirous to reconcile differences among his subiects that they might the better withstand their imminent forrein enemies returnes to London there to consult how to effect his holy wishes The great Lords are perswaded to meere there which they did but yet not without store of followers for the Duke brought with him foure hundred men the Earle of Salisburie fiue hundreth the Earle of Warwicke sixe hundreth The Dukes of Excester and Sommerset eight hundreth the Earle of Northumberland the Lords Egremond and Clifford fifteene hundreth This was the fashion of that swording age 69 In March the king and Queene with a very roiall company alight at Westminster to accomplish if it were possible this charitable and necessary worke of attonement and reconciliation Godfrey Bolein was at that time Lord Maior of London being the ancestor of two renowned and vertuous Queenes of England Anne second wife to King Henry the eight and Elizabeth their daughter through whose great vigilancie and prouidence the City stood so well guarded that the Kings peace was dutifullie kept notwithstanding the great Lords of both the factions Yorkists and Lancastrians were with so great troupes of followers lodged within and about the same for during the whole time of their abode he had fiue thousand Citizens in Harnesse himselfe riding daily about the City and suburbs to see the publike quiet preserued and for the night watch there were assigned to three Aldermen two thousand corslet-men 69 During this watch a great Councell was holden by the King and Lords where at length by the diligent trauaile good exhortation and prudent aduise of the Archbishoppe of Canterbury and of other learned and godly Prelates the parties offended were induced to a communication and afterward to a finall accord the points whereof considering they held so short a while for as one saith truly the dissimuled loue day hung but by a small threed it were friuolous to dwell in their rehearsall The King himselfe a singular testimonie of the opinion which all parties had of his integritie was whole arbitrator of their differences Certaine satisfactions were awarded to be made by the Duke of Yorke with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury for the death of Edmund Duke of Sommerset and others slaine at S. Albans And the same Duke of Sommerset the Earle of Northumberland and Lord Clifford slaine in that battell by the Yorkists are declared for true liegemen to the King at the day of their deathes aswell as the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Warwicke and Salisburie So both parts stand iustifide and recti in curia Many other articles and awards were made to solder and glue together their alienated harts and affections The reioicement caused by this seeming peace which on the behalf of the kings persō was
beene married vnto Iohn Gray Esquier knighted and slaine at the battell of S. Albans vpon King Henries part who now was a suiter vnto the King for something taken away in the extremity of that time to bee restored towards the maintenance of her 〈◊〉 But howsoeuer her suit pierced his eare her sweetly composed feature strangely affected his heart more formall shee was and louely in countenance then either tall or exceedingly faire yet both sufficient to meete in one person of an excellent witte a sober demeanour a modest looke a 〈◊〉 smile and her speech vttered in such a â—…turall eloquence as her answeres euer set on edge King Edwards desires which howsoeuer diâ—…full to the appetite of his wanton bed affâ—…ming with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ee accounted herselfe most vnworthy of the name of his Queene so shee held her selfe of mort worth her chast honour dearer then to bee his Câ—…bine yet held they him in chase till shee had 〈◊〉 â—…im in the snares of her loue 22 Their many meetings and 〈◊〉 complements made the old Dutchesse of Yorke the Kings mother much to suspect it would bee a match to hinder which with a parâ—… authority shee entred discourse alleadging it honourable 〈◊〉 and of much profite to linke with some great Princesse in â—…raine 〈◊〉 both for the 〈◊〉 of poâ—…ions abroad and as the â—…se stood to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at home that 〈◊〉 had gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suite in Frâ—… as if in himselfe nâ—…w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their displâ—…res would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To marry his Subiect 〈◊〉 held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…cially one without 〈◊〉 alliance or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other thing mouing but a wanton doâ—…ge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and although that in Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 yet was there nothing so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moâ—… 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 tought of a 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 quoth she is most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 side whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23 owne desires and knew himselfe to bee out of his mothers rule partly in earnest and partly in pleasance made her this reply That marriage being a spirituall type ought rather to be conioyned where God had framed the parties to consent as this of his was then in regard of any temporall respect whatsoeuer That his choice was pleasing to himselfe and would be to his subiects he certainly knew whose amity before all other Nations hee most preferred and desired neither could he giue them better occasion of loue then in this that being their Soueraigne hee disdained not to marry into their Tribes and so likewise for his Issue there could not any Prince be better beloued then he that was their naturall Prince so borne of both parents That if forraine alliances were so needfull hee had many of his kin to contract them and that with content of all parties but for himselfe to marry for possessions or to please others with displeasing his own affections hee saw it no wisdome hauing already sufficient of the one and the other offended euen sweet pleasure would seeme sowre pils especially the choice that is made by another mans eye That there are many comparable to her said hee I make no question and am the more glad let them haue them that like them I will not repine neither I hope will any abridge mee of that which I allow vnto others the Prouerbe is Mother that marriage goes by Destiny but to be wiued against a mans own liking is an earthly Purgatâ—…ry And therefore my Cosen Warwicke I am sure neither loueth me so little to grudge at that I loue nor is so vnreasonable to looke that I should in choise of a wife rather be ruled by his eye then by mine owne as though I were a Wâ—…rd that were bound to marry by the appointment of a Gardian I would not bee a King with that condition to forbeare mine owne libertie in choise of mine owne marriage As for poâ—…ty of more inheritance by new affinity in 〈◊〉 land it proues oftner the occasion of more trouble then profite and wee haue already title by that meanes to so much as sufficeth to get and keep well in one mans dayes That she is a widdow and hath already children by Gods blessed Lady I am a Bachelour yet haue some too and so each of vs hath a proofe that neither of vs is like to bee barren And therefore Madam I pray you bee content I trust in God shee shall bring a young Prince that shall play on your lappe to your â—…eat pleasure and your selfe shall blesse the wombe that bare such a â—…be and as for your obiection of 〈◊〉 let the Bishop hardly lay it in my way when I come to take Orders for I vnderstand it is forbidden a Priâ—… but I neuer wist that it was forbidden a Prince 24 The Dutchesse seeing the King so set on his owne choice that she could not pull hiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such 〈◊〉 that vnder 〈◊〉 oâ—… her for which act vnder 〈◊〉 of a contract with 〈◊〉 owne coâ—…ce which was the 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stacle as either the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 proceed to the solemnizâ—… of this wedding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were clearely purged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King tooke to wife this later beloued Lady Elizabeth Grey who had beene formerly married vnto his enemy and many times prayed full heartily for his losse in which God loued her better then to grant her her boone reseruing greater honour for her selfe and her posterity 25 She was honourably descended especially by the surer side whose mother was Iaquellin daughter to Peter of Lucemburg Earle of S. Paul and Dutchesse to Iohn Duke of Bedford Regent of France after whose death shee married Sir Richard Wooduile knight and among others bare vnto him this Elizabeth Englands faire Queene who being priuately married at the Manour of Grafton was afterwardes crowned Queen at Westminster with all due celebrations vpon the sixe and twentieth of May Anno 1465. Her father then by this new made sonne in law and Soueraigne Lord was created Lord Riuers and made high Constable of England her brother Lord Anthony married to the sole heire of the Lord Scales and her sonne Thomas Grey borne to her first husband was created Marquesse Dorset and married to the heire of the Lord Bonuile 26 But when Warwicke had knowledge the wanton King had got a new wife and his courting of Lady Bona to bee but a ball to make Edwards play hee stormed not a little whose credite hee tooke to be crackt in the French Court and himselfe rather thought to haue dallyed in this motion then to deale by commission from his King for which cause hee conceiued so inward an indignation that his affection was withdrawne from King Edward and thenceforth ranne vpon Henrie retained in prison to which end he temporized with the present king applauded the Queene and bare countenance in Court with no
discontented shew The King as wary as Warwicke was cast no eye of dislike or of any suspition gaue him countenance in Court and in familiar conference heard him before others yet lest the stem of his greatnesse should ouertop his crown and his brethren the spreading branches shadow his designes hee tooke the Chancellorshippe from George Neuill the one of them then Bishoppe of Excester afterward Archbishoppe of Yorke and from the other Iohn Neuill Baron Montacute the Earledome of Northumberland bestowing the same at the suite of the Northumbrians set on by himselfe vpon Henry Percy whose father was slaine at Touton and himselfe at that present fled into Scotland for safety Whereupon Montacute was remoued and to auoid suspition was created Marquesse a greater name but farre lesse in power And to haue a stake in store howsoeuer the dice chanced to turne hee sought to ioine friendshippe with forraine Princes hauing offended France for the refusing of his Queenes sister so as hee sought and obtained the amity of Henry King of Castell of Iohn King of Arragon and tooke a truce with his neighbour the Scotish King for fifteen yeers following 27 But these confederates for the more part too farre to be called for by whistle fortune beyond expectatiō set him another euen at his elbow which was Philip Duke of Burgundy Prince of Flanders Brabant and Zealand whose onely sonne legitimate Charles Earle of Charoloys a widdower and without any sonne hee sought to conioine to King Edwards faire sister not so much for any loue hee bare to the house of Yorke himselfe being a Lancastrian by his mothers side as to bandy against Lewis King of France whom he had lately ouercome in a battell at Montleherry and as then stoode vpon his defence as hee was sure King Edward did This motion king Edward and his Councell well liked only Warwicke withstoode it in fauour of the French but the Lady Margaret sent ouer according to her estate and Warwicke left fuming with a discontented mind after some complements of mirth with his brethren the Archbishoppe and Montacute at his Towne of Warwicke brast forth into warlike consultations for the deposing of Edward and restauration of Henry whose wrongs as he alleadged did crie for right at their hands The Bishoppe lightly consented to side for King Henry but the Marquesse would hardly bee drawne from King Edward which Warwicke perceiuing laid his lime twigges yet another way 28 For being à man of a deepe reach and witte hee well saw that George Duke of Clarence the Kings second brother bare not the best liking to the sway of the times him therefore hee sought to allure to his fist which once mand Edward should loose the best Faulcon for his game him therefore by Problemes hee meant first to proue and according to their digest purposed to proceed So falling in familiar conference with Clarence beganne to complaine of some vnkindnes in the King both in breach of some promises and staine of his honour in the French Court The Duke as discontented as Warwicke interrupted his tale before it was told why my Lord quoth Clarence doe you looke that a Leopard should haue no spots in his skinne or a Camelion no colours but one in faith you are deceiued and loose but your labour to wash the naturall Blackamore for will you haue him kind that is by nature vnkind and to be respected of him that respects not his owne bloud or thinke you a Cosen and Allie to be raised by him that seeth if not seeketh his owne brethrens fals For the heire of the Lord Scales you see hee hath married to his wiues brother the heire of the Lord Bonuill and Harington to his wiues sonne and affianced the heire of the Lord Hungerford to the Lord Hastings marriages indeede more meete for his two brethren and kinne then for such new fondlings as hee hath bestowed them vpon But by my George I sweare if my brother of Glocester would ioyne with mee wee would make him know that wee are all three one mans sons and of one and the same mother 29 Earle Warwicke hauing that which hee greedily sought after seconded the resolution with his owne assistance imparting now boldly what confederates he had made and to ioine more faithfully in this his designe hee proffered Clarence his eldest daughter Lady Isabel in marriage faire and well qualified with the one halfe of his wiues inheritance she being sole heire vnto Henry Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke her brother and nothing inferiour to any of those whom Edward had bestowed vpon others which no sooner was spoken but was as presently embraced and the plotte conferred how to proceed which was concluded forthwith to saile vnto Calleis whereof the Earle was Captaine and where the virgine Lady lay aswell to confirme the contract betwixt them as to be absent whē the commotion should beginne as the safer from suspition and the surer to strike when the Ball came to hand to stir which the Archbishoppe and Montacute were appointed for the North. 30 The occasion pickt to make Malecontents was the abuse of Charity vnto an hospitall dedicated to Saint Leonard in the City of Yorke whose reuenew stood most vpon corne yeerly receiued from Farmers in the Country as an oblation of their first graine This the factious made their onely ground vnder a holy pretext forsooth that the poore were defrauded and the Master and Priests onely fed waxen fat To redresse which one Robert Hulderne entred in action and with fifteene thousand strong enterprised for Yorke in which City the Lord Marquesse Montacute was President for King Edward who with a small number but well chosen issued out against the enemy put them backe and stroke off the head of their Captaine before the gates of Yorke but whether hee did it in policie to grow more in trust with the King or else of duety of oblige not moulded throughly to the commotion is vncertain But certaine it is the Rebels were nothing daunted at Huldernes death but rather made resolute to continue what they had begunne 31 To which end they choose them two Chieftaines of greater account and eminent calling which were Henrie sonne and heire to the Lord Fitz-hugh and Sir Henrie Neuill sonne and heire to the Lord Latimer the one of them being Nephew the other Cosen-germane vnto the Earle of Warwicke these but young and not altogether experienced in Armes choose for their Tutor Sir Iohn Conyers a Knight of such courage skill and valiantnes as in the North-parts few were his like who meaning to strike at the head determined to march forthwith to London proclaiming in his way that Edward was neither a iust Prince vnto God nor a profitable King vnto the Common-weale 32 King Edward hearing of these Northern proceedings and that his brother and Warwicke were preparing against him sent for the Lord Herbert whom
were so eminent by these intestine warres that the Natiues lamented the Forrein reioiced and God they saw highly displeased whose sword thus giuen into their hands was to be feared would be the destruction of the English as Nabucaednezzars of Babell was of Iudea and indeed so effectually wrought that the Duke and Earle vpon perfect confidence came to London accompanied with a small number in respect of their great danger where falling into conference with the King he tasked them with disloialtie and they him with ingratitude so that their splenes were nothing appeased but much more increased and with high wordes departed the King vnto Canterbury and they againe to VVarwicke 39 The stout Earle whose stomacke must haue vent otherwise the Caske must needs breake caused new stirres to be raised in Lincolnshire vnder the leading of Sir Robert VVels an expert souldier and sonne of the Lord VVels who with thirtie thousand Commons disturbed the Countrey and in euerie place proclaimed King Henrie setting downe his battel not farre from Stamford meaning to abide the encounter of his opposers which when the King heard of he sent for the Lord VVels his father commanding him to write to his sonne to surcease the warres and so marching toward Stamford tooke VVels in his companie with a good hope that the sonne would not beare armes against his own father in field but howsoeuer he had writ or the King conceiued Sir Robert went on in his former designes which so sore moued Edward that he beheaded Lord VVels with Sir Thomas Dimocke that had married his daughter although he had giuen them promise of safety and life 40 Young VVels then hearing of his fathers death sought the reuenge vpon this vntrusty Prince and not staying for VVarwicke who was in preparing to come set manfully vpon the King and his power where betwixt them was performed a most bloody fight till at last Sir Robert was taken with Sir Thomas Deland and others whereat the Lincolnshire men were so terrified that casting off their Coates they all ranne away in regard whereof this battell to this day is called the battell of Loscoat field wherein were slaine ten thousand men at the least after which victory the King commanded VVels with many other of note to be put to death as the chiefe causers of these dangerous Commotions 41 This vntimely conflict and vnfortunate ouerthrow made Clarence and VVarwicke at their wits end who vnprouided to field against Edward gaue way to necessity and from Dartmouth in Deuonshire embarked themselues and wiues for France both to instigate king Lewis no friend vnto Edward and to secure themselues in Callis whereof VVarwick was captaine till fortune had changed the hand of her play These crossing the Seas cast Anchor before the Towne of Callis and gaue notice they were ready to land but the Lord Vawclere a Gascoigne whom VVarwicke had substituted his deputie discharged diuers peeces of Ordinance against them and sent word flatlie they should not come there meane while the Dutches of Clarence fell in trauell and was there on Shippe-board deliuered of a faire sonne which Child the Earles deputie would scarcely suffer to be baptized in the Towne nor without great entreaty permit two flagons of wine to be conueyd aboard to the Ladies lying in the hauen For which his good seruice King Edward by his letters Patents made Vawclere chiefe Captaine of Callis and discharged the Earle as a Traitor or Rebell against him 42 Charles Duke of Burgundie being then at S. Omers owing Earle Warwicke an old grudge for gainestanding his marriage thought now a fit time to requite the discourtesie and therefore sent many thankes vnto Vawcler with promise of a thousand Crownes pension by yeere if he stood firme for his wiues brother King Edward himselfe laying the Coast to impeach his arriuage But how Mounsieur Vawclere stood affected whatsoeuer shew he made Comines the French Kings Historian doth tell who sent Warwicke word the danger he stood in of the said Duke and of Duras the Kings Admirall so as to land would be his finall confusion His Counsell therefore was that he should make into France vnto whose King he should be most welcome and as for the town of Callis he willed him to take no thought but promised to make him a good reckoning thereof when time should best serue Whereupon the Earle waied anker for Normandy and in his way tooke many rich Ships of the Duke of Burgundies subiects which netled him not a little but yet found no docke to rub out the smart 43 King Lewis hearing of the arriuage of Warwicke and knowing his troubles to arise for his Ambassage to Bona and faith vnto France sent certaine Princes to conduct him to the Castle of Amboys where a supply was made against all necessities and himselfe and traine most honorablie intertained whereat the Duke of Burgundy sore repined and sent Lewis word that he disliked his doings with threats of reuenge if he aided him against his wiues brother This notwithstanding the French King gaue all comforts to these fugitues and prepared his assistance for their restorations and the raising againe of godly King Henrie 44 Queene Margaret hauing fled England and soiourning in France with her Father Reiner a King in name but scarcely able to beare the State of an Earle saw now the Iron hot and ready to be strucke therefore with her sonne Prince Edward Iohn Earle of Oxford and Iasper Earle of Pembrooke who latelie had escaped out of prison in England came vnto Amboyse where by meanes of the French King a combination of Alliance was confirmed betwixt the Prince of Wales young Edward and Anne the second daughter to the Earle of Warwicke then present with her mother and sister in France That King Henry should be againe restored the Duke of Clarence and the Earle tooke a solemne Oath neuer to desist whiles they had power and in the nonage of the Prince they iointly were to be deputed his Protectors and the Lands sole Gouernors 45 Edward in England hearing what Queen Margaret his brother Clarence stout Warwicke in the French Court had done was strucke into a sodaine dumpe being as doubtfull of friends as fearefull of foes and therefore such as were alied to the Lancastrians or fauourits of the down-cast K. Henrie he began somewhat roughly to deale with many therefore that were guilty daily tooke Sanctuarie or yeelded themselues to his mercie among whom Iohn Marques Montacute brother to Warwicke was one who with fairest words of promises was receiued into fauor and vpon whose example many others came in which notwithstanding meant to stand out if occasion should serue But no busier was Edward to keepe the Crowne on his head then these Lords in France were resolute to strike it off in midst of whose consultations behold how it happened 46 There came from England to Calleis
Needle both of them very short to supply her great wants This vnmercifull and almost vnhumane vsage was the more extremely followed for that Oxford himselfe his father and brother had euer sided with the Lancastrians And her selfe being sister vnto Richard Duke of Warwicke the Capitall obstacle against king Edwards proceedings was held either dangerous if her wealth ballanced her birth and estate or else vnworthy of his fauour whose good fortunes as was suggested shee euer maligned 86 But much more miserable was the estate of Lord Henry Holland Duke of Excester and Earle of Huntington who flourished so long as king Henries pillar stood crowned on his base and the Lancastrians of whose house himselfe was ouerswaid the times he being the sonne of Lady Elizabeth the second daughter of Iohn of Gaunt and hauing married the sister of Edward the then raigning King was notwithstanding driuen to such want as he may serue an example to all how vncertaine Adams sons are of any continuing greatnes For saith Philip Comines I once saw the Duke of Excester runne on foote bare legged after the Duke of Eurgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake but he vttered not his name he being the neerest of the house of Lancaster and brother in law vnto King Edward and being knowne what he was Burgundy gaue him a small pension to maintaine his estate 87 But when King Henrie was againe restored the Title of the Crowne laid vpon the successe of Barnet-field this man Lord Henrie bare himselfe most brauely against king Edward and in fight was strucke downe and left for dead where in his bleeding woundes he lay most part of the day but yet recouering and got to Westminster he there tooke Sanctuary to saue his life for which he became Suiter vnto the king but his wife Lady Anne sister vnto king Edward sued as earnestly for a diuorce which with great instancy shee lastly obtained against him How he released himselfe from the wrath of the king is vncertaine and how he came by his death no man can tell for his body was found cast vpon the shoare of Kent as though he had perished by shipwracke vpon the Sea 88 Now Edward to finish all factions thought best to lop off both bough and branch that gaue any shadow to the Lancastrians designes to which end he rather picked then found occasion of treason in George Neuill Archbishop of Yorke whose goods lands and Lordships he seized vpon got possession of his rich plate and Iewels whereof one in his Miter was of such valew as the King caused it to be set in his Imperiall Crowne and the Archbishop to be sent ouer Sea to the Castle of Hames where he remained a Prisoner a long time after with no such curteous intertainement as himselfe had vsed to Edward when he was Prisoner 89 But the escape of Pembrooke and Earle Richmond troubled the King not a little the onely men now left to bandy against them and therefore were most followed with a suspicious eye In somuch as Edward wrote vnto the Duke of Britaine their receiuer with promises of heapes of gold to haue them sent backe and deliuered vnto his hands but the Duke that had giuen them his safetie before answered the English Ambassadors that it stood not with honour so to betray these distressed Princes fled to him for relief yet he faithfully vndertook that they should be so followed as King Edward should sleepe quiet from their molestations which being no better Edward notwithstanding made the best of it 90 All now in quiet and Edward raigning without any Competitor or malignant disturber caused a high Court of Parliament to be assembled at Westminster wherein he reestablished those Acts which Henrie had abrogated and abrogated those that were made against his fauourites at which season the Duke of Burgundie sent his Ambassadors vnto Edward crauing his aide against the French King which was the more willingly heard and granted as well for his fauors receiued of the Duke in time of his necessitie as for spleene against Lewis who had aided Warwicke 〈◊〉 dispossesse him of his Crowne And indeed this â—…s a sparke that was likely to set the hearts of the English on fire to recouer France lost by Henrie the last King 91 All things in a readinesse King Edward repaired to Douer and there embarked himselfe for Callis â—…with the greatest Army that euer from England set sailes into France for he had in his Companie fifteen hundred Noble-men and men at Armes all of them mounted and most of them barbed who with the Archers on horsebacke also made vp the number of fifteene thousand besides a great number of footemen and others to pitch Tents to attend the Artillerie and inclose their Campes Before the Kings departure from England he had sent Gartar King at Armes vnto King Lewis with a letter of defiance whose contents demanded no lesse then the whole Realme of France which if he refused â—…ee threatned to inuade his dominions with 〈◊〉 and sword 92 The letter receiued and read in secret by Lewis himselfe he priuately sent for and conferred with the Herald telling him that it was not Edward but Burgundy that raked abroad these dying sinders who as a man discomfited vnfurnished for warre would draw in the English by his slie dealings to their inestimable Charges to supply his defects that Burgundy being of the house of Lancaster hated most deadly the family of Yorke and more for feare then loue married Edwards sister As touching the Constable he told him though Edward had married his Neece yet hee would deceiue him as he had done his owne Master of France who had heaped manie and extraordinary benefits vpon him And lastly with the gift of three hundred Crownes and the promise of a thousand more he instigated the Herald to worke a peace Gartar very thankefullie tooke the French gold and counselled Lewis to send a Herault vnto his Master King Edward to demand a safe-conduct for conference and so openly rewarded with thirtie Elles of Crimson-veluet he departed 93 King Lewis nothing so pompous as other Princes are nor attended with Heraulds continually in his Court was therefore inforced vnto this present shift he caused a seruant of the Lord Hales to be arraied like an herauld in a trumpets banner and sent him in hast into King Edwards Camp where hauing audience he shewed the great desire the King his Master had of peace whose amity with England he had euer held excusing his receit of Warwicke with the necessity of time whom he aided not against Edward but against Burgundy who as he instantly alleaged had now drawne the English to this excessiue charges that he might thereby conclude a better composition for himselfe and to amend the broken state of his owne affaires lastly he desired that the King of England would grant a safe-conduct vnto the Ambassadors
a Parliament begun at Westminster the fifteenth of Ianuary he was attainted of high treason but whether guiltie or guiltles to men saith Grafton that haue made large inquisition yea and of such as were of no small authority in those daies the certaintie thereof was hid and could not truly be disclosed but by coniectures which as often deceiue the imaginations of fantasticall folke as declare truth to them in their conclusions 105 I am not ignorant that some haue alleaged the cause of this Noble mans death to arise from a foolish prophecie whereof saith Comines the English-men are neuer vnfurnished this as the Cabâ—…sts who vsed to make an art of their letters gaue forth forsooth that a G. should raigne after an E. which must needes be George Duke of Clarence though Gloucester more craftie lay in winde for the game This indeed troubled the King not a little but the Queene and her blood much more and therefore of both King and Queene Duke George was mistrusted and greatly maligned in all that he did Who now a widower for Warwicks daughter was dead sent vnto his sister Margaret the Dutchesse of Burgundie to worke a marriage for him with her husbands daughter the Lady Marie Against which the Queene most earnestly interposed her selfe and sollicited the Ladie in the behalfe of Lord Anthonie Earle Riuers her brother whereby great discontent was ministred to the Duke and new iealousies daily bred in the Kings breast 106 Iohn Serres the French Historian interlacing the life of King Lewis with the Acts of K. Edward and his brethren saith confidently that the English King so much affected the league and alliance with France as that he caused his brother Clarence to be put in prison because he intended to haue past the Seas to succour the Dowager of Burgundie Ladie Margaret his sister vpon whose Territories King Lewis encroached after the death of Duke Charles her husband slaine at the battell of Manâ—…y 107 But howsoeuer Clarence had offended certaine it is that he was found guilty by the foresaid Parliament and the eleuenth of March following after he had offered his Masse-penny in the Tower of London was drowned in a But of Malmesey whose body was buried at Tewkesburie in Glocestershire by the bodie of his Dutchesse Ladie Isabell Countesse of Warwicke who being with Child died of poison a little before And although the King had consented to his death yet no sooner was it done but that he wished it againe vndone and was so greeued at the remembrance as when anie made suite for the life of a condemned he would openly say Oh â—…fortunate brother for whose life no 〈◊〉 would make â—…ite This good Duke for so was he called left issue behind him Edward Earle of Warwicke and Margaret afterwards Countesse of Salisbury both of them infants and followers of their fathers fortunes he a continuall Prisoner at foure and twentie yeeres of age vnder Henry the seauenth was beheaded vpon the Tower-hill and shee at sixtie two lost hers within the Tower and time of King Henrie the eight 108 But how dainty soeuer King Edward was of the breach of amitie betwixt him and the French King in regard whereof he suffered Mary the yong Dutchesse of Burgundy the daughter of his owne sisters husband to bee molested by 〈◊〉 of the French and all in fauour of the contract commenced betweene the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter yet did 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouâ—… 〈◊〉 For Ambassadors â—…ploied 〈◊〉 accomplishing â—…of they of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…he new were sent without 〈◊〉 while indeed Lewis 〈◊〉 working for his sonne another way First to match him with Mary Dutches of Burgundy but that refused with Margaret of Flaunders daughter to Duke Maximilian sonne to Fredericke the Emperor and to hold the world from suspition in the meane while Ladie Elizabeth the Infanta of England was in the French Court vsually called Madame the Daulphin and all things in France so soundly carried as Edward suspected no leake in the Caske for now growne fat and vnable for paines he both gloried in his nine famous victories at home atchieued and seemed sufficientlie satisfied that his yeerely tribute from France was so truly paied 109 At the same time Iames the third of that name King of Scotland sent his Ambassadors vnto Edward to obtaine the Lady Cicelie the Kings second daughter to be ioined in marriage with his sonne Iames the young Prince which was well listened vnto by Edward and his Counsell and least the motion should goe backe a great summe of money lent to the Scottish King with this condition that at a certain time appointed it should be at K. Edwards choise whether his daughter should match with that Prince or else to haue the said summe againe repaid Against which alliance and league as Lesly reporteth Lewis of France much repined and to annihilate the same sent Dr. Ireland a certaine knight and another religious man to moue King Iames to make warre against England 110 These no Peace-makers for Christ but firebrands of Belial blew the smothered sparkes of dissention into a flame of bloody warre which fell the more heauy vpon Scotland for that K. Iames much wedded vnto his owne will and altogether ruled by men of meane worth whom himselfe had aduanced from nothing had not only neglected by their instigations the loue of his Nobles but also banished the Realme of Scotland Alexander Duke of Albany his second brother and had caused the veines of Iohn Earle of Marre his other brother to be opened whereby he bled to death these and other discontents alienated his Subiects hearts from him which laid the land more open vnto the English Inuaders and yet to draw them more deadly against him relying vpon his ownevalor and the assistance of France he sent word vnto Edward that he should not aid his owne sister of Burgundy against K. Lewis being the Scots Allie as also with threats of warre commanded him to deliuer to his Ambassadors the Duke of Albanie then residing in the English Court and lastlie to make good and repay dammages done vpon the Scottish Borders 111 King Edward not a little inraged at these double dealings euen in the winter season mustered his men prepâ—…ed his artillery and rigged his ships that nothing should be vnready at the next Spring which no sooner was come but that he ordained for his Lieutenant his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester who with Henrie Earle of Northumberland Thomas Lord Stanley the Lord Louell Gâ—…stock and others the Duke of Albany marching vnto Gloucesters banner with twenty thousand strong repaired into the North and first â—…sieged the strong Towne Berwick then enâ—…ing the chiefe City Edenborough vrged K. Iames to performe his couenants concerning the marriage betwixt Prince Iames his sonne with Lady Cicely before agreed vpon
for the loue that our Lord beareth to vs all from this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you loue others which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard either God or your King affinitie or kindred this Realme your owne countrey or your owne surety 115 And therewithall the King no longer induring to sit vp layd him downe on his right side his face towards them who with weeping eyes words as fitted the time recomfited the sicke dying King ioyning their hands and outwardly forgiuing that which inwardly they meant not to forget The King ouer-ioyed to see their willing reconcilements spake not many wordes after but commending his soule vnto God in their presence departed this life at his Pallace of Westminster vpō the 9. day of April and yeere of Christs appearance 1483. at the age of forty one when he had worne the royal Diademe two and twenty yeeres one moneth and fiue dayes and was buried at Windsor in the newe Chappell whose foundation himselfe had layd 116 Of personage hee was the goodliest Gentleman saith Commines that euer ◅ine eyes beheld faire of complexion and of most princely presence couragious of heart pol◅ke in counsell in aduersitie nothing abashed in prosperitie rather ioyous then proud in peace iust and mercifull in warre sharpe and fierce and in field bold and venturous yet no further then wisedome would and is no lesse commended where he auoided then is his manhood when he vanquished eight or nine battels he won wherein to his greater renowne he fought on foote and was euer victor ouer his enemies much giuen hee was to the lusts of youth and in his latter time growne somewhat corpulent which rather adorned his grauer yeeres then any waies disliked the eies of his beholders His Wife 117 Elizabeth the daughter of Richard Wooduill Earle Riuers by his wife ◅aquelana Dutchesse of Bedford who was the daughter of Peter Earle of S. Paul and he the sonne of Peter de Luxembourg was first married vnto Sir Iohn Grey slaine at S. Albans where he was knighted the day before his death by King Henry the sixt vnto whom shee bare two sonnes and a daughter after whose death shee was priuately remarried vnto K. Edward the fourth the first day of May at his mannor of Grafton in Northamptonshire Anno 1464. and in the next yeere following vpon the sixe and twentith of May was crowned Queen at Westminster with al due solemnities Shee was his wife eighteene yeeres eleuen moneths and nine daies no more fortunate in attaining to the height of all worldly dignity then vnfortunate in the murther of her sonnes and losse of her owne liberty For in the beginning of K. Edwards raigne shee was forced to take Sanctuary at Westminster wherein her first sonne Prince Edward was borne and at his death did the like in feare of the Protector and lastly hauing all her lands and possessions seized vpon by K. Henrie the seauenth liued in meane estate in the Monastery of Bermondsey in Southwarke where not long after shee left the troubles of her life and inioied a quiet portion or burying place by her last husband King Edward at Windsore 118 Elianor Butler as we find it recorded vpon the Parliament Role was contracted vnto King Edward but how true considering the occasion and time of the Act we leaue for others to iudge onely this is most certaine that this Lady Elianor was the daughter of Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury and the wife of Sir Thomas Butler Knight sonne and heire to Ralph Butler Baron of Sudley which Elianor died the thirtieth of Iune the yeere of Christ Iesus 1466. and the eight of King Edward the fourth his raigne His Issue 119 Edward the eldest sonne of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was borne in the Sanctuary at Westminster the fourth of Nouember and yeere of grace 1471. being the tenth of his fathers raigne at that time expulsed the Realme by the powerfull Earle Warwicke but fortune changed and the father restored the sonne the first of Iuly and yeere of Christ was ◅eated Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester and had not the ambitious hand of his vncle beene defiled in his innocent blood he might haue worne the Diademe manie yeeres whereas he bare the Title of King not many daies 120 Richard the second sonne of K. Edward the fourth by Elizabeth his Queen was borne at Shrewsbury and in his infancy was created Duke of Yorke he was affianced vnto Anne daughter and heire to Iohn Mowbray Duke of Norfolke by which he was intituled Duke of Norfolke Earle-Marshall Warren and Nottingham but inioying neither Title wife or his owne life long was with his brother murthered in the Tower of London and in the prison of that Tower which vpon that most sinfull deed is euer since called the bloody Tower their bodies as yet vnknowne where to haue buriall 121 George the third sonne of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was also borne in Shrewsburie and being a yong Child was created Duke of Bedford but liued not long after and lieth buried at Windsore 122 Elizabeth the first daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Elizabeth his Queene was borne at Westminster the eleuenth of Februarie and fifth of her fathers raigne being the yere of Saluation 14◅6 Shee was promised in marriage to Charles Daulphin of France woed and Courted by her vncle Crouchbacke when he had murdered her brothers and vsurped the Crowne but better destiny attending her shee was reserued to ioine the vnion and marriage with the onely heire of Lancaster which was Henrie of Richmond afterward King of England from whom is branched the roiall stemme that spreadeth his beauty in this North-West world euen Iames our dread Soueraigne and great Brittaines Monarch 123 Cicely the second daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was sought vnto by Iames the third of that name to be ioined in marriage with Iames his sonne Prince of Scotland and Duke of Rothsay which match was promised vpon conditions and choise of K. Edward who lastly brake off from further proceeding and the Lady married vnto Iohn Vicount Wels whom shee out-liued and was againe remarried but by neither husband had any issue and therefore lesse noted her body lieth buried at Quarrena in the Isle of Wight 124 Anne the third daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was married vnto Lord Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and high Treasurer of England vnto whom shee bare two sonnes both dying without issue and her selfe without more fruit of wombe left her life and lieth buried at Fra◅ingham in Norfolke 125 Bridget the fourth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth was borne at Eltham in Kent the tenth of Nouember and yeere of Grace 1480. being the twentieth of her fathers Raigne Shee tooke the habite of Religion and became a
Nun in the Nunnery of Dartford in the same County founded by K. Edward the third where shee spent her life in contemplations vnto the day of her death 126 Marie the fift daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was promised in marriage vnto the King of Denmarke but died before it could be solemnized in the Tower of Greenewich the Sunday before Pentecost the twentieth two of her fathers raigne and yeere of Grace 1482. and was buried at Windsore 127 Margaret the sixth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth died an Infant without other mention in our Authors 128 Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife and the last of them both was married vnto William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Ochaâ—…pton vnto whom shee bare Lord Henrie after the death of his father Earle of Deuonshire who by King Henrie the eight was created Marquesse of Excester in Anno 1525. His Concubines 129 Elizabeth Lucie is certainly known to haue been King Edwards Concubine though nothing so certainly mentioned whose Ladie or of what Parentage shee was that shee was conceiued by him with child is before declared but who that child was is as obscurely laid downe therefore in these things we must be silent and leaue the doubts to be resolued by others Three other concubines this king had whereof Shores wife was not the least beloued whose life falleth further to be spoken of in the Raigne of the vsurper Richard where her storie shall be shewed more at large His naturall Issue 150 Arthur surnamed Plantagenet the naturall sonne of K. Edward the fourth whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucie was created Viscount Lisle by King Henrie the eight at Bridewell in London the twentie sixth of Aprill and yeere of Saluation 1533. which title was confâ—…red vpon him in right of his wife Lady Elizabeth sister and heire vnto Iohn Gray Viscount Lisle and the late wife and then widdow of Edmund Dudley who bare vnto this Viscount three daughters which were Bridget Frances and Elizabeth all of them afterward married This Arthur Lord Lisle was made Lieutenant of Callis by the said K. Henry which Towne some of his seruants intended to haue betraied to the French for which their fact himselfe was sent to the Tower of London but his truth appearing after much search the King sent him a rich ring from his owne finger with such comfortable wordes as at the hearing thereof a sudden ioy ouercharged his heart was so immoderately receiued that the same night it made an end of his life whose body was honorably buried in the same Tower 151 Elizabeth the naturall daughter of K. Edward the fourth was married to Sir Thomas Lumley Knight the sonne of George Lord Lumley who died before his father shee bare vnto the said Sir Thomas Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend EDVVARD THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FIFTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XVIII THe father thus dying in the strength of his yeeres and the sonne left to rule before he was ripe the Synders of dissensions which the sicke King had lately raked vp presently brake forth into a more raging flame for the king and Queenes blood that should haue supported young Edwards estate the one side being suspicious and â—…e other prouoked by the execrable desire of soueraignty left the tender king a Prince of such towardnes as his age could conteine destitute and vnarmed which if either kind or kindred had holden place must needes haue beene the surest pillars of his defence The raigne of this King if we may so cal the shorttime of his Soueraignty began the same day that his father died though he was neuer Crowned nor yet commanded the affaires of the Kingdome as an absolute Monarch his young brothers fortunes being ballanced with his 2 For Richard Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their Protector to their Father beholden to themselues by Oath and Alleagiance bounden all bands broken that holdeth man and man together without any respect of God or the World vnnaturally contriued to bereaue them not onlie of their dignity but also theirlines But forsomuch as the Dukes demeanour â—…reth in effect all the whole matter whereof the raigne of this yong and fift Edward must intreat itâ—… therefore conuenient somewhat to shew you ere we goe further what man this was and from whom he descended that could find in his heart so much mischief to conceiue 3 Know first then that Richard Duke of Yorke a noble man and a mighty beganne not by warre but by law to challenge the Crowne putting his claime into the Parliament where his cause was either for right or fauour so farre foorth aduanced that King Henries blood albeit he had a goodly Prince was vtterly reiected the Crowne by the authoritie of that high Court intailed to the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediately after the death of King Henrie But the Duke not induring so long to tarrie intending vnder pretext of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vpon him the rule in King Henries life was with many other Nobles slaine at Wakefield leauing three sonnes Edward George and Richard all of them as they were great states of birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy and ambitious of authority and impatient of partners 4 For Edward reuenging his fathers death depriued king Henry and attained the Crowne The second George Duke of Clarence was a goodly Noble Prince and in all things fortunate if either his owne ambition had not set him against his brother or the enuie of his enemies his brother against him For were it by the Queen and Lords of her blood which highly maligned the Kings kindred as women commonly not of malice but of nature hate them whom their husbands loue or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at least-wise hainous treason was laid to his charge and finally were he faulty were he faultlesse attainted he was by Parliament and iudged to death as we haue saide 5 Richard the third sonne of whom we now entreat was in wit and courage equall with either of them in body and prowesse farre vnder them both little of stature ill-limmed and crook-backed his left shoulder much higher then his right very hard fauoured of visage and such as in States is called warly in other men otherwise he was malicious wrathfull and enuious yea and from afore his birth euer froward For it is for truth reported that the Dutchesse his mother had so much adoe in her trauaile that shee could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the
Kings Highnesse out of that Towne Thus bare they folke in hand but when the Lord Riuers vnderstood the gates closed the wayes beset neither his seruants or himself suffered to goe out considering well so great a thing without his knowledge could not bee done for nought and comparing this present manner with his last nights cheare in so few howres to haue so great a change marueilously misliked it How beit sith hee could not get away nor keepe himselfe close hee would not lest hee should seeme to hide himselfe for some secret feare of his own fault wherof he saw no such cause in himselfe hee determined vpon the surety of his owne conscience to goe boldly vnto them and to enquire what this matter might meane whom as soone as they saw they beganne to quarrell with saying that hee entended to set distance betweene the King and them and to bring them to confusion but it should not lie in his power And when he beganne as hee was a very well spoken man in seemely wise to excuse himselfe they carried not the end of his answere but shortly took him put him in ward and that done forthwith went to horsebacke and tooke the way to Stony-Stratford where they found the King with his Company ready to leape on horsebacke and depart forward to leaue that lodging for them because it was too strait for both companies 17 And as soone as they came in his presence they alighted downe with all their company about them to whom the Duke of Buckingham said Go afore Gentlemen and Yeomen keepe your rooms In which goodly array they came to the King and on their knees in very humble manner saluted his Grace who receiued them in very ioyous and amiable manner nothing knowing nor mistrusting as yet what was done But euen by and by in his presence they picked a quarrell to the Lord Gray the Kings other brother by his mother saying that he with the Lord Marquesse his brother and the Lord Riuers his vncle had compassed to rule the King and the realm and to set variance among the States and to subdue and destroy the noble bloud of the Realme towards the accomplishing whereof they said that the Lord Marquesse had entred into the Tower of London thence taken out the Kings treasure and had sent men to the sea All which things these Dukes well knew were done for necessary and good purposes by the whole Councell at London sauing that somwhat they must say 18 Vnto which words the King answered what my brother Marquesse had done I cannot say but in good sooth I dare well answere for mine vncle Riuers my brother here that they are inocent of any such matter yea my liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they haue kept their dealings in these matters farre from the knowledge of your good Grace And forth with they arrested the Lord Richard Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawt Knights in the Kings presence and brought the king and all his company backe vnto Northampton where they tooke againe further counsell And there they sent away from the King whome it pleased them and set new seruants about him such as better liked them then him At which dealing the king wept and was nothing content but it booted not and at dinner the Duke of Glocester sent a dish from his owne Table to the Lord Riuers bidding him be of good cheere for all should bee well But the Lord Riuers thanking the Duke prayed the Messenger to beare it to the Lord Richard with the same message for his comfort as one to whom such aduersity was strange but himselfe had beene all his dayes inured therewith and therefore could beare it the better but for all this comfortable courtesie of the Duke of Glocester he sent the Lord Riuers and the Lord Richard with Sir Thomas Vaughan into the North Country into diuers places to prison and afterward all to Pomfret where they were in conclusion beheaded 19 In this wise the Duke of Glocester tooke vpon himselfe the Order and Gouernance of the yong King whom with much honour and humble reuerence he conuaied towards London But anone the tidings of this matter came hastily to the Queene a little before the midnight following and that in the sorest wise that the King her sonne was taken her brother her sonne and other friends arrested sent no man wist whither to bee done with God wot what With which tidings the Queen in great fright heauinesse bewailed her childes raigne her friendes mischance and her owne misfortune damning the time that euer shee disswaded the gathering of power about the King got her selfe in all hast possible with her young sonne and her daughters out of the Palace of Westminster in which shee then lay into the Sanctuary lodging her selfe and company there in the Abbots place 20 Now came there one likewise not long after night from the Lord Chamberlaine vnto the Archbishoppe of Yorke then Chancellor of England to his place no â—…re from Westminster and for that hee shewed his seruants that he had tidings of great importance that his M. gaue him in charge not to forbeare his rest they letted not to awake him nor hee to admit the Messenger vnto his bed side Of whom hee heard that these Dukes were gone backe with the Kings Grace from Stony-Stratford vnto Northampton notwithstanding Sir quoth he my Lord sendeth your Lordshippe word that there is no feare for hee assureth you that all shall bee well I assure him quoth the Archbishoppe bee it as well as it will it will neuer bee so well as we haue seene it And thereupon by and by after the messengers departure hee caused in all hast all his seruants to bee called vp and so with his owne houshold about him euery man weaponed hee tooke the Great Seale with him and came yet before day vnto the Queene About whom he found much heauinesse rumble hast and businesse carriage and conueiance of her stuffe into Sanctuary chests coffers packes and fardels trussed all on mens backs no man vnoccupied some lading some going some discharging some comming for more some breaking down the wals to bring in the next way and some drew to them to helpe to carry a wrong way The Queene her selfe sate alone alow on the rushes all desolate and dismayed whom the Archbishop comforted in the best manner hee could shewing her that hee trusted the matter was nothing so sore as shee tooke it for and that hee was put in good hope and out of feare by a message sent him from the L. Chamberlaine Ah woe worth him quoth the Queene hee is one of them that laboureth to destroy mee and my bloud 21 Madam quoth hee bee of good cheare for I assure you if they crowne any other King then your sonne whom they haue now with them we shal on the morrow crown his brother whom
his purpose and put himselfe in possession of the Crown ere men could haue time to deuise how to resist But now was all the study by what meanes the matter being of it selfe so hainous might be first broken to the people in such wife as it might bee well taken To this counsell they tooke diuers such as they thought meet to bee trusted likely to bee induced to that part and able to stand them in stead eyther by power or policy Among whom they made of counsell Edmond Shaa Knight then Maior of London who vpon trust of his owne aduancement wherof he was of a proud heart highly desirous should frame the City to their appetite Of Spiritual men they tooke such as had wit and were in authoritie among the people for opinion of their learning and had no scrupulous conscience Among these had they Iohn Shaa Clerke brother to the Maior and Fryer Pinker Prouinciall of the Augustine Friers both of them Doctors in Diuinity both great Preachers both of more learning then vertue and of more fame then learning for they were before greatly esteemed of the common people but after that neuer Of these two the one made a Sermon in prayse of the Protector before the Coronation the other after both so full of tedious flattery as no mans eare could abide them 53 Pinker in his Sermon so lost his voice that he was forced to leaue off and came downe in the middest Doctor Shaa by his sermon lost his honesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world into which he durst neuer after come abroad But the Fryer forced for no shame and so it harmed him the lesse Howbeit some doubt and many thinke that Pinker was not of counsell in the matter before the Coronation but after the common manner fell to flattery after namely sith his sermon was not incontinent vpon it but at S. Maries Hospitall in the Easter weeke following But certaine it is that Doctor Shaa was of counsell in the beginning so farre forth as they determined that he should first breake the matter in a Sermon at Paules Crosse in which hee should by the authority of his preaching incline the people to the Protectors ghostly purpose But now was all the labour and study in the deuise of some conuenient pretext for which the people should bee content to depose the Prince and accept the Protector for King In which diuers things they deuised but the chiefe thing and the weightiest of all the inuention rested in this that they should alleadge bastardy either in K. Edward himself or in his children or both So that hee should seeme disabled to inherite the Crowne by the Duke of Yorke and the Prince by him To lay bastardie in King Edward sounded openly to the rebuke of the Protectors owne mother who was mother to them both for in that point could bee none other colour but to pretend that his own mother was an adultresse which notwithstanding to further the purpose hee letted not but yet hee would that point should bee lesse and more fauourably handled not fully plaine and directly but that the matter should be touched aslope and craftily as though men spared in that point to speake all the truth for feare of his displeasure But the other point concerning the bastardie that they deuised to surmise in K. Edwards children that would hee should bee openly declared and enforced to the vttermost The colour and pretext whereof was a contract pretended to bee made by King Edward vnto the Lady Lucy whereof we haue spoken in the raigne of the said King which inuention how simple soeuer yet it liked them to whom it sufficed to haue somewhat to say while they were sure to be compelled to no larger proof then themselues list to make 54 Now then it was by the Protector and his Councell concluded that Doctor Shaa should signifie in his sermon aforesaid that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begot nor were the very Children of the Duke of Yorke but begot vnlawfully by other persons by adulterie of the Dutches their mother And also that dame Elizabeth Lucy was verily the wife of K. Edward and so the Prince and all his other children begot by the Queene were all of them bastards And according to this deuise Doctor Shaa vpon Sunday the nineteenth of Iune at Pauls Crosse in a frequent assembly took for the theme of his sermō this saying Spuria vitulamina non agent radices altas Bastard slips shall neuer take deepe root Whereupon when he had shewed the great grace that God giueth and secretly infundeth in right generation after the lawes of Matrimonie then declared he that commonly those children lacked that grace and for the punishment of their parents were for the more part vnhappy which were begot in base but specially in adultery Of which though some by the ignorance of the world and the truth hid from knowledge inherite for the time other mens lands yet God alwaies so prouideth that it continueth not in their blood long but the truth comming to light the rightfull inheritors be restored and the bastards slip pulled vp ere it can take any deepe roote And when he had laid for the proofe and confirmation of this sentence certaine examples taken out of the old testament and other ancient histories then he began to descend into the praise of the Lord Richard late Duke of Yorke calling him the father to the Lord Protector and declared the title of his heires vnto the Crowne to whom it was after the death of King Henry the sixt entailed by authority of Parliament Then shewed he that the verie right heire of his body lawfully begotten was only the Lord Protector For he declared then that King Edward was neuer lawfully married vnto the Queene but was before God husband vnto Dame Elizabeth Lucy and so his children bastards And besides that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence among those that were secret in the houshould were reckoned very certainly for the children of the Noble Duke as those that by their features resembled other knowne men more then him from whose vertuous conditions he said also that King Edward was farre off But the Lord Protector he said the very Noble Prince the speciall patterne of Knightly prowesse aswell in all Princely behauiour as in the lineaments and fauour of his visage representing the very face of the noble Duke his father This is he quoth he the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the verie print of his visage the very vndoubted Image and plaine expresse likenesse of that noble Duke 55 Now it was before deuised that in the speaking of these words the Protector sould haue come in among the people to the sermon ward to the end that those words meeting with his presence might haue beene taken among the hearers as though the holy Ghost had put them
in the Preachers mouth and should haue moued the people euen then to crie King Richard King Richard that it might haue beene after said that he was specially chosen by God and in manner by miracle But this deuise quailed either by the Protectors negligence or by the Preachers ouer much diligence for while the Protector found by the way tarrying lest he should preuent those wordes and the Doctor fearing least he should come ere his sermon could come to these wordes hasted his matter thereto who was come to them and past them and had entred into other matter ere the Protector came Whom when hee beheld comming he suddainly left the matter with which he was in hand and without anie deduction thereunto out of all order and out of all frame began to repeate those wordes againe This is the verie Noble Prince the speciall paterne of Knightly prowesse which aswell in all Princely behauiour as in the lineaments and fauour of his visage representeth the very face of the Noble Duke of Yorke his father this is the fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the very print of his visage the sure vndoubted Image the plaine expresse likenesse of the noble Duke whose remembrance can neuer die while 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 stand in an vpper story where he stood to heare the sermon But the people were so farre from crying King Richard that they stood as if they had beene turned into stones for wonder of this shamefull sermon After which once ended the Preacher got him home and neuer after durst looke out for shame but kept himselfe out of sight like an Owle And when he once asked one that had beene his old friend what the people talked of him albeit that his own conscience well shewed him that they talked no good yet when the other answered him that there was in euery mans mouth spoken of him much shame it so strucke him to the heart that within few daies after he withered and consumed away 56 On the tuesday following this sermon there came into the Guild-hall in London the Duke of Buckingham accompanied with diuers Lords Knights more perchance then knew the message which they brought And there in the East end of the Hall where the Maior keepeth the hustings the Maior and Aldermen being assembled about him and all the commons of the City gathered before him after silence commanded in the Protectors name vpon great paine the Duke stood vp and as he was neither vnlearned and of nature maruellously well spoken hee said vnto the people with a cleare and loud voice in this manner Friends for the zeale and harty fauour that we beare you we be come to breake vnto you a matter of great weight and no lesse weighty then pleasing to God and profitable to all the Realme nor to no part of the Realme more profitable then to you the Citizens of this noble City For why the thing that we wot well you haue long time lacked and so longed for that you would haue giuen great good for that you would haue gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost aduenture or ieopardie What thing is that Certes the surety of your owne bodies the quiet of your wiues and your daughters the safeguard of your goods of all which things in times past you stood euermore in doubt For who was there of you all that could account himselfe Lord of his owne goods among so many snares and traps as were set therefore among so much pilling and polling among so many taxes and tallages of which there was neuer end and often times no need or if any were it rather grew of riot and vnreasonable wast then any necessary or honorable charge So that there was daily pilling from good men and honest great substance of goods to be lashed out among vnthrifts so farre forth that fifteens sufficed not nor any vsual maner of known taxes but vnder an easie name of beneuolence and good will the Commissioners so much of euerie man tooke as no man could with his good will haue giuen As though that name of beneuolence had signified that euery man should pay not what himselfe of his owne good will list to grant but what the King of his good will list to take Who neuer asked little but euery thing was haunsed aboue the measure amercements turned into fines fines into ransomes small trespasses into misprision misprision into treason Whereof I thinke no man looketh that we should remember you of examples by name as though Burdet were forgotten who was for a worde in haste spoken cruely beheaded by the misconstruing of the Lawes of this Realme for the Princes pleasure with no lesse honour to Markham then chiefe Iustice that left his office rather then hee would assent to that iudgement then to the dishonesty of those that eyther for feare or flattery gaue that iudgement What Cooke your owne worshipfull neighbour Alderman and Maior of this noble Citie who is of you either so negligent that hee knoweth not or so forgetful that hee remembreth not or so hard hearted that hee pittieth not that worshipfull mans losse What speake we of losse His vtter spoile and vndeserued destruction only for that it happened those to fauour him whom the Prince fauoured not Wee need not I suppose to rehearse of these any mo by name sith there be I doubt not many heere present that either in themselues or in their nigh friends haue knowen aswell their goods as their persons greatly indangered either by fained quarrels or small matters agrieued with heinous names And also there was no crime so great of which there could lacke a pretext For sith the King preuenting the time of his inheritance attained the Crowne by battel it sufficed in a rich man for a pretext of treason to haue beene of kindred or aliance neer familiaritie or longer acquaintance with any of those that were at any time the Kings enemies which was at one time or other more then halfe the Realme Thus were your goods neuer in suretie and yet they brought your bodies in ieopardie beside the common aduenture of open warre which albeit that it is euer the will and occasion of much mischiefe yet it is neuer so mischieuous as where any people fall at distance among themselues not in no earthly nation so deadly so pestilent as when it happeneth among vs and among vs neuer so long continued distention nor so many battels in that season not so cruell and so deadly fought as was in that Kings dayes that dead is God forgiue it his soule In whose time and by whose occasion what about the getting of the Garland keeping it loosing it and winning againe it hath cost more English blood then hath twice
him and the Earle and therefore sore offended at Landose whom he suspected to be deepe in the deed he sent for Edward Wooduile and Edward Pownings two English Esquires vnto whom he deliuered a summe of money which he had promised to Earle Henrie with a conuey vnto all the rest of the English to depart Vannes bearing all their charges till they came to their Earle in France Neither was King Charles backward to forward Earle Richmond against the Tyrant and Vsurper of the English Crowne And the more to ioy Henry Iohn Earle of Oxford imprisoned by King Edward the fourth in the Castle of Hammes with Captaine Blunt his keeper and Sir Iohn Fortescue Porter of Callis came vnto Earle Henry to take their fortunes in following of his This Earle of Oxford as we haue seene was a continuall aider of King Henry the sixt against his opposite K. Edward and had done many seruices in the Lancastrians cause till destiny had cast downe the hopes of their side Him therefore Earle Henry made his chiefe Counsellor for warre as for experience policy valour and faith in that busines no man was more meete Whose prowesse further appeared when Earle Henry wan the wreath at Bosworth field where in the Front of that Battell he lead the band of Archers and euer after liued in great fauour with this King Henry the seuenth and in great honour died the fourth yeere of King Henry the eight In the like trust for Counsell and fauour with these Kings was Richard Fox Doctor of Diuinitie who being then a student in Paris was found by Earle Richmond to be the chiefest man for imploiment in his French busines which he so prudently and faithfully effected as the Earle being King acknowledging him one of his principall aduancers made him of his Priuie Councell Lord Priuie Scale and raised him to very great places in Church and Common-wealth and lastly to testifie in what deere esteeme hee held him made him Godfather to his sonne Prince Henrie who was after King of England with whom in great reuerence he liued a long time euen till his eye-sight failed through age and did many workes of piety whereof Copus Christi Colledge in Oxford is and shall be for euer a noble witnes and his honorable care of reuerend antiquity in preseruing the bones of many Saxon Kings and by him bestowed in faire Monuments in the Cathedrall Church of Winchester shall neuer want due celebration amongst all that honour antiquity and glorious studies But from these worthy Subiects we returne againe to their soueraigne King Henry 41 Whose beginnings thus forwarded by the Duke of Britaine and the French King drew many English into France and filled the heart of the Vsurper with an extreme feare therefore to accomplish by pollicy what was doubtfull by armes he sought to baite his hooke yet another way The title hee knew stood with the daughters of King Edward his sonnes being murdered and among them to Ladie Elizabeth the eldest whose marriage he well saw must bring Henry the Crowne But that once diuerted his streame of it selfe could beare no great floate nor bring any inundation into the Land and therefore Queene Elizabeth in Sanctuary must be Courted that her daughters might come to Court and there be regarded according to their degrees This so cunningly was carried by men that could carry themselues to fit womens affections that the King was purged of the murder of her sonnes shee made to beleeue that her selfe was respected a Dowager Queene and sister in law to the present King and that himselfe had a Prince and many Princely Peeres most fit matches for those Princes her daughters that her sonne Thomas Marquesse Dorset whilst he followed the Runaway Henry left his honorable preferments intended to himward and lastly requiring a reconciliation with the Queene forgaue all iniuries vttered against him out of her womanish passions with a most willing heart and indeed these messengers were such Crafts-masters as they brought Queene Elizabeth into a fooles Paradise and made her beleeue that their words were his heart Whereupon forgetting all things passed before as the murder of her sonnes the dishonour of her husband the bastardy of their Children and her owne scandall for Sorcery nor remembring the faithfull promise shee made to Lady Margaret Earle Henries mother shee deliuered her fiue daughters as lambes committed to the rauening wolfe in which act of hers is seene the weakenes of that Sexe and the ambition whereunto by nature they are inclined for presently vpon the deliuery of her daughters shee sent priuily for the Lord Marquesse Doset her sonne then residing in Paris willing him to desist from the Earles Faction and come vnto King Richard who promised him preferment and that her selfe and daughters were in high fauour all iniuries on both parts forgiuen and forgotten 42 This entrance made vnto the Tragedy intended to furnish the stage and finish the Scene of her owne life the next Actor must be Queene Anne who onely now stood in the Tyrants way her death he meant should giue life to his intruded regencie and adde a further Claime and strength to the possession which he already had by matching with his Neece the next heire vnto the Crowne the Lady Elizabeth the let onely resting that himselfe had a wife her death therefore must immediately bee sought yet so as the honorable repute of his name should no waies be impeached euer carrying himselfe in outward semblance for a good religious honest man and much desirous that his people should account him so First therefore he began to lament the barrennes of his wiues wombe and the great dangers that the Realme was like to sustaine if himselfe should die Issulesse complaining often thereof vnto his Nobility but most especially vnto Archbishop Rotherham lately released out of prison whereby the Prelate coniectured Queene Anne had not long to liue Then refrained he her bed vnder pretext of Penancy taking her defect as a scourge for his owne sinnes which day and night he sought to expiate by praiers His next pollicy was how her death might be wrought with the least suspect of wrong and how taken when shee was gone Therefore as an assay to the Peoples taste he caused it to be giuen forth that Queene Anne was dead which was so commonly divulged that the rumour thereof came to her owne eare and shee hauing had sufficient experience of her husbands proceedings feared this to be one of his plots mistrusting and not without cause that her life was in danger whereupon all dismaid with a lamentable countenance shee came to the King and with weeping teares demanded what offence shee had done that the sentence of death was giuen against her already Richard made it strange to see her so perplext and with louing words and smiling semblance bad her liue to scandalize report and to thinke that many
yeeres were yet added to her life but whether in conceit for sorrow or of poison I cannot say she died shortlie after and was solemnely buried in the Abbey of Westminster 43 The King thus deliuered from the bands of Matrimony and now a widower at liberty to choose where he would cast glances of loue towards the Lady Elizabeth his owne brothers daughter and began to court her for his second Queene but the thing was so offensiue to the law of nature and so directly against the Law of God as all men abhorred the motion and most of all the maiden her selfe which Richard perceiuing hee forbare ouer earnest pursuite to gaine his time and all fit occasions but most especially hauing no leasure to woo his subiects on al sides daily reuolting and his Nobles more and more had in suspect among whom one was Lord Thomas Stanley Earle of Darby who had married Lady Margaret Countesse of Richâ—…nd Earle Henries owne mother him therefore hee most mistrusted and before he would admit his departure from Court he commanded him to leaue his sonne and heire George Stanley the Lord Strange for his hostage which he did though it little auailed to binde Darbies affection vnto his side 44 In this while King Richard hearing that Oxford had escaped out of the Castle of Hammes and that he with the Captaine thereof Iames Blunt were fled into France and ioined with Richmund thought it high time to quench the sparkes in those parts before they should rise to a higher flame and therefore hee appointed which was presently accomplished the Garrison at Callis to strait the said Castle with a hard siege being well assured that many welwillers to the Earles proceedings lay there harboured who vpon the least aduantage would be ready to play But Henry not vnmindfull of his distressed friends nor Oxford forgetting his kinde Hostesse Captaine Blunts wife made vnto the Peece and on the sudden put Thomas Brandon with thirty approued Souldiers into the Castle who from the walles plaied vpon the beseigers whiles Oxford annoied them vpon their backes so that presently they offered and came to a composition which was that they within should safely depart but the Castle to remaine in Subiection to the King 45 Hammes thus restored in danger to be lost and nothing had thence besides a woman and a few suspected persons King Richard thought himselfe now sure of all and fearing no inuasion at home imagined that much harme could not bee done abroad for Henry in France as he thought found very few friends and was fully perswaded that the French Kings assistance stood more of words then in deedes And indeed some occasion of such suspition was ministred for King Charles but young and the Princes at variance Earle Henry was enforced to make suite vnto them man by man Besides Thomas Marquesse Dorset sent for by his mother the Queene suddenly in the night made an escape from Paris with purpose for England which stroke great feare among Earle Henries part chiefely for that all their Counsels were knowne vnto the Marquesse which if he should reueale their designes were made desperate To preuent which hee was posted after and brought backe againe though much against his will These things considered King Richard to lessen his great charges discharged his Nauy at seas commanding the Welsh to watch the shoare Beacons to be built and armour to bee ready at euery call then giuing his affections leaue to entertaine more security saw not the sword that hung ouer his head 46 But Earle Henrie deliuered from the feare of the Marquesse thought it not best to prolong time lest others vpon like purposes should bewray his intents and thereupon obtaining a small aide of the French with a certaine summe of money for which the Lord Marquesse whom he much mistrusted and Sir Iohn Bourchier were left in pledge hee set forward to Roâ—…n and prepared his shipping in the mouth of Seyn whither tidings was brought him of Queene Annes death that King Richard purposed to marry Lady Elizabeth a feare indeed farre exceeding the former shee being the Princesse by whom hee must claime whereupon much distemperature arose euery mans braine working vpon the newes But after much consultation it was held the best to make ouer into England to interpose the proceedings ere the match was fully made whereupon Earle Richmund with two thousand men onely and a small number of ships set sayle from Harflent the fifteenth of August and the seuenth day following arriued at Milford hauen in Wales where taking land hee came vnto Dale and thence the next day marched to Hereford west ten miles into the Maine from thence he marched to Cardigan where he had newes that the Countrey was forelaid against him but finding that vntrue he made still forward beating downe such Houlds as held against him then sending secretly to Lady Margaret his mother to the Lord Stanley Talbot and others signified vnto them he meant to passe Seuerne at Shrewesbury and thence to march directly towards London In his way to Shrewesbury there mette him Sir Rice ap Thomas a man of great command in Wales with a number of men to side in his quarrell which Henry afterwards requited in making this his first aider the Gouernour of Wales 47 The Earle more boldly from Shrewsburie held on his march to the Towne of Newport whither Sir Gilbert Talbot with two thousand strong from the young Earle of Shrewsbury gaue him his aide Then passed he forward to Stafford and had conference there with Sir William Stanley and proceeding forward was honourably receiued into the City Lichfield where Thomas Earle of Darby with fiue thousand armed men had beene some few daies before but hearing of Earle Henries approach remoued to Anderson to auoide suspition of the jealous King that kept his sonne Hostage for his further truth 48 King Richard at this time helde his Court at Notingham where being informed that Earle Henrie with a small company was landed in Wales made small account of what he could doe altogether relying vpon the Lord Walter Herbert and Sir Rice ap Thomas two principall men in whom hee conceiued no little trust yet lest this new risen spring might gather in more heads he sent to Iohn Duke of Norfolk Henry Earle of Northumberland and Thomas Earle of Surrey willing them with a selected power to represse the insolency of this head-strong Earle moreouer he sent for Sir Robert Brakenburie Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Thomas Bourchier and Sir Walter Hungerford Knights all of them in great iealousie and mistrust commanding them with their forces to come and attend vpon his person which accordingly they set forward to doe meane while sending his Spials to know the way Henrie went had intelligence that hee was past Shrewsbury without any impeachment whereat storming in choller and cursing their vntruthes whom hee had
it were obliged to them both could acknowledge no lesse Charles more ambititiously then iustly desired exceedingly to annex Britaine to the Crowne of France taking occasion of the time and other circumstances which all seemed to conspire with his affections The Duke old and the father of one onely daughter suruiuing till marriage Maximilian King of Romans and riuall of King Charles in the same desires aswell for the Dutchy as the daughter feeble in meanes and King Henry aswell obnoxious to the French for benefits as busied in his particular at home and the Duke of Britane by succouring Lewis Duke of Orleance and other French Lords whom King Charles reputed his aduersaries ministred to the French an occasion or colour at least of warring vpon Britaine and so by the apt concurrence of circumstances to annexe it by conquest if by treaty hee could not Henrie of England now knowne to bee victoriously setled seemes worth the Courting Ambassadors come from the French who lay open the wrong offered by the Britaines in succouring the enemies of France put Henrie in minde of passed benefits and pray his assistance or at the least a neutrality but altogether concealing the mystery of this warre which was to annexe Britaine to the Crowne of France Howsoeuer Henry though he well enough knew that a King must euer bee the best part of his Councell for what are others opinions if himselfe want the happinesse or iudgement to choose the best propounds the points to his priuy Councell whereupon he Christianly offers himselfe a Mediatour betweene the French and Britaine an office in which it was apparant he might best satisfie all obligations and duties both to God and them The French pretend liking but in the meane time follow their designe hard Henry sends his Chaplen Master Christopher Vrswicke a man * whom he very often imploied The French maske on Things come to some extremities It becomes manifest that King Charles abused the King of Englands credulity for the City of Nant's in Britaine was brought by siedge to point of yeelding while messengers and packets outwardly osled with the name of peace slide to and fro and the French doubt nothing so much as lest the English should stirre before their victorie had made Britain irrecouerable The Lord Wooduile as without the Kings will or priuity slips ouer into Britaine with three or foure hūdred choise men to assist the Duke and came time enough to bee slaine with almost all his Souldiers at the battel of Saint Albin where the French wanne the day notwithstanding that the Britains the rather to appall their enemies had apparelled seuenteene hundred of their owne Souldiers in white Coates with redde Crosses after the English manner and made thereby a shew of two Regiments of English The Britaines had a great losse in that battel wherein they were made fewer by sixe thousand The Duke of Orleance and Prince of Orange who then were British in faction were taken Prisoners in the same fight The French lost about twelue hundreth and their Generall an Italian So that the state of Britaine seemed ripe for a fall 25 But King Henry hauing long since suspected and foreseene what the vttermost marke of the French might be and seeming to haue enough suffered the interest which they might expect in him as a man to be abused by their practises to the preiudice of his other friend the Duke of Britaine who forgate not to sollicit and vrge that point had made the quality of this affaire known to the body of State in open Parliament for that purpose assembleb as meaning by authority thereof to purge himselfe from all imputation if as a King he did that which the reason of Gouernment required which would not assent that Britaine should be made French lest by that accession their Neighbourhood might grow intollerable Britaine hauing so many Sea-townes and Out-lets to mischiefe the English trafficke Himselfe was otherwise also sufficiently resolued that the general good ought to predominate the particular and that his priuate obligations ought not to entangle or preiudice the publike seruice The Parliament therefore considering that which stood for the Common-weale decrees aide of men and money on behalfe of the Duke of Britaine it being besides all other respects a perillous example to suffer the great to deuoure the lesser Neighbour States vpon pretences of iustice or reuenge Forces are leuied but for respect of King Charles and in hope that the shew of preparations would stoope him to equall conditions not yet so roundlie as the Britons necessities expected Meane while that no formality or Princely Ceremony should be vnaccomplished King Henry by his Ambassadours certifies King Charles of his Parliaments decree praies him to desist from farther Hostilitie otherwise that he must assist the Duke but yet for the French Kings sake with this reseruation of pursuing his subiects no where but in Britaine Charles made small account of these ouertures because hee truly perswaded himselfe that the English aides would not arriue in season which fell out accordingly for before that time the French had gotten that victorie whereof euen now wee spake at the Battell of Saint Albin Vpon newes whereof the English Regiments were immediatly sent ouer vnder Robert Lord Broke Generall Sir Iohn Cheiney Sir Iohn Midleton Sir Ralfe Hilton Sir Richard Corbet Sir Thomas Leighton Sir Richard Lacon and Sir Edmund Cornewall Knights and Coronels The whole Army contained eight thousand men These march toward the enemy who acquainted with the temper of the English whiles they are fresh as being then almost inuincible containe themselues within their Campe but yet molest the English with continuall skirmishes on horsebacke in seueral places at once smally to the profit of the French who were alwaies put to the worse the Archers receiued them with such perpetuall stormes In the meane space Francis Duke of Britaine dies leauing in effect one only daughter the Lady Anne for the other being the younger deceased not long after This altered the whole state of the case The British Nobility vnder their young Mistresse immediatly fall at variance among themselues and the English thereby were on euery hand in danger so that God as it appeared by the sequele had destined Britain◅ to bee annexed to the Crowne of France for the English after fiue moneths stay were in wisdome compelled to returne the rather for that Winter now was come vpon them and Britaine destitute of competent defence her Rulers disagreeing among themselues was finally by the marriage of King Charles with the Lady Anne made a parcell of the French Monarchy as heereafter will appeare 26 King Henry the while was againe in danger to haue had present vse of Souldiers at home Wee shewed what care was heeretofore taken by him to weede the North and free it from lurking enemies That notwithstanding when the Earle of Northumberland Lieutenant of
the spousall sheetes that ceremony seeming to amount to a Consummation Charles King of France notwithstanding these solemnities and his owne particular engagement with the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximilian whom for the purpose of marriage he had already entertained into France did so ambitiously and vehemently couet to gaine Britaine that vpon confidence of his force hee resolued to breake through all respects and not only to offend all his forreine friends but to make them his iust enemies rather then to faile in effectuation Instruments are therefore very secretly set on worke and batterie is placed with bags of gold at all the opportunities which might let in his purpose Ambassadors also the Lord Frances of Lutzenburg Charles Marinian and Robert Gagwine Generall of the Order of the holy Trinitie are dispatched to Henrie praying that with his good will he might dispose of the body of the Lady Anne in marriage according to the right which he had thereunto as the chiefe Lord of whom shee held the Dukedome Henry denied the request but yeelded notwithstanding to send Ambassadors into France there to Capitulate about a peace The French carried this affaire with notable Art for to diuert the world for looking into the depth of their drift King Charles still detained the young Lady Margaret Maximilians daughter so as at most it could be but suspected that Charles meant to match her with some of his blood and all the entercourse of Orators and Ambassadors vsed in the meane time tended but to hold the English busied vpon other obiects till they had wrought their feate in the Court of Britaine For Maximilian to let the world see what iniuries shall be offered euen to Kings that are not strong him they altogether neglected King Henry they plaied with and Ferdinando King of Castile who was ready to ioine with Maximilian and Henrie against the French they resolue to appease with rendring vp vnto him the Counties of Ruscinoon and Perpinian as accordingly they did without reembursement of one penny of those 300000. Crownes for which Iohn King of Arragon father to Ferdinando had morgaged them The young Ladies doubts rising either out of religion or point of honor his cunning Agents and Emissaries wipe away with these solutions That Maximilianâ—… daughter was not of yeeres to consent and therefore the contract betweene King Charles and her did not binde either in law or conscience That her owne contract with Maximilian was void for that it was done without the consent of her Soueraigne Lord King Charles whose ward or Client shee was The Ladie vanquished in her iudgement with these reasons attracted with the present greatnes of King Charles and loath by refusall to make her Countrey the seat of a long and miserable warre secretly yeelded to accept of another husband Thomas Goldstone Abbot of S. Augustines in Canterbury and Thomas Earle of Ormond in Ireland King Henries Ambassadors into France hauing beene dandled by the French during these illusiue practises returned without other fruite of their labors 29 What could now the most patient doe lesse then take sword in hand vpon so palpable and vnworthy illusion But Maximilians wrongs were too impudent and intollerable for Charles sent home the Lady Margaret and married the Inheretrix of Britaine annexing it to his owne Realme whereas King Henrie found himselfe rather mockt then otherwise empaired Iames Contibald hereupon comes Ambassador from Maximilian and obtained his request which was that they with ioynt forces should by a certaine day prefixed inuade the French in full reuenge of these their bold prouocations Maximilian for his part promising to support that warre with at least ten thousand men for two yeeres King Henry hauing formerly in abundant manner prouided himselfe of treasure was ready before the day with a roiall army but Maximilian whose will to worke the vttermost mischiefe to France was not doubted being sent vnto by King Henry signifying his forwardnes was found vtterly vnfurnished Causes of Maximilians weakenesse in state were the rebellions and dislikes of his Flemish Subiects cherished by the French the Iealousie of Princes neighbourhood making them vniustly glad either of others molestations For subduing whereof though King Henry had heretofore giuen him good and successefull assistance vnder the conduct of Giles Lord Dawbeney Gouernour of Callis the Lord Morley and others whereby he the rather ouercame yet was hee the feebler as then by reason of so fresh exhaustures King Henry with good cause was not a little troubled at these newes secretly signified by his trustie Almner Mr. Christopher Vrswick and Sir Richard Risley knight his Ambassadors to Maximilian For hee was very loath to vndergoe so great an Action vpon his particular strengths though he doubted not to finde a potent party among the Britaines whose affections were as yet but loosely setled toward King Charles and yet farre more loath to deceiue the expectation of his owne people who had so largely contributed Chiefly the City of London out of which euen in those daies he receiued for his furniture in that voiage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and as it seemes by our Author two hundreth pounds besides from euery Alderman where the same King could not but with some difficulty leuie in the third yere of his Reigne a loane of foure thousand pounds whereof three of the best Companies are noted as for hauing done and deserued extraordinarily to haue lent aboue nine hundred And verily this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was vnto him humored that people with all forces of popularities for himselfe did not onely come among them and cause himselfe to be entred a brother in one of their Companies but ware the habite at a publike feast and sate as Maister as is verie credibly reported out of the Records of their Hall His wisdome therefore saw that in giuing ouer the inuasion of France he should sloathfully abandon a goodly occasion of making himselfe vniuersally acceptable to his people His resolutions therefore are by him at leastwise pretended to continue and for that cause he sufficiently encreaseth his numbers that he might seeme able to goe through with that enterprize alone and though the time of yeere were too farre spent for he landed not at Caleis till the sixth day of October yet marcheth he with his whole forces toward Boloigne being wel assured that with this trowell he should at once plaister two wals that is humor his English subiects and for a peace draw to himselfe store of Crownes from the French 30 He had with him besides the flower of his Nobility and Captaines answerable numbers of People fit for the seruice The most named persons were these Iasper Duke of Bedford Lieutenant Generall of the Army Thoâ—…as Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Arundell Oxford Suffolk Shrewsburie Derby Kent Deuonshire and Ormond sundry Barons as Dawbeney Abergenny Delaware South Hastings
Lady Margaret his eldest daughter as a pledge of indissoluble amitie The Bishoppe promised his best diligence and accordingly after his returne laboured therein with King Henry who most gladly hearkened thereunto Whereupon the Scotish King sent the Archbishoppe of Glasco the Earle of Bothwell and others to demand the Lady in marriage Their entertainement was hearty and princely But when the proposition came to scanning at the Councell table it had not currant passage at first for there were who obiected as an inconuenience That by this marriage the Crowne of England might come to the Scotish line by the issue of Lady Margaret Whereunto it is said King Henry made this answere What if it should for if any such thing should happen which Omen God forbid I see it will come to passe that our Kingdome shall leese nothing thereby because there will not bee an accession of England to Scotland but contrarily of Scotland vnto England as to that which is farre away the most noble head of the whole Iland seeing that which is lesse vseth to accrue to the ornament and honour of that which is much the greater as Normandy heretofore carue to be vnder the dominion and power of the English our forefathers When this was said the whole boord of councell receiued it as an Oracle it went cleare about That Margaret should be married to the King of Scotland With this answere and other instructions the Scottish Ambassadors were sent home who afterward returned into England with full authority satisfaction to all Henries propositions whereupon ensued the before said publishment of assurances at Paules Crosse. It was a principall Article in this agreement That no Englishman should enter Scotland nor Scot into England without commendatory letters from their Soueraigne Which Article was reputed a speciall meane to preserue the peace inuiolable 65 But ere the young Lady her selfe was conuaied into Scotland her brother Prince Arthur died and in * February next ensuing their mother also Queene Elizabeth as shee lay in Child-bed within the Tower of London The King to repaire his mind with fresh consolations in aduancing his onely remaining sonne Henry Duke of Yorke created him suddainely Prince of Wales Earle of Chester Flint within few dayes after his mothers decease Thus was Arthurs losse supplied howsoeuer Henry made Prince espoused soone after though with much reluctation the Lady Katherine his elder brothers widdow vpon the fiue and twentieth of Iune at the Bishoppe of Salisburies house in Fleetstreet And in this wise by prouiding so worthy a wife for him though to say truth her great Dowet was the chiefe motiue the king thought that the estate of England was sufficiently setled wherfore conuerting his cares to the accomplishment of affinity with Scotland hee most sūptuously furnished his deerest eldest daughter for her iourney himself in person trauelled frō Richmund as farre with her as C◅leweston beside Northampton where his mother the Countesse lay after certaine dayes spent in solace the King gaue her his blessing with fatherly counsell and exhortation and committed the guard and conduct of her person principally to the Earles of Surrey and Northumberland and to such Ladies and Gentlewomen as were appointed to that seruice a great company of Lords Knights Esquiers men of Marke attending them as farre as Berwicke At S. Lamberts Church in Lamer Moore within Scotland the King attended by the principall of his Nobles receiued her from the hands of the Earle of Northumberland and the next yeere after married her at Edenborough in the presence of all his Nobility The King gaue great entertainement to the English and shewed them iusting and other pastimes after the Scotish fashion The Scotishmen saith the Bishoppe of Rosse were not behind but farre aboue the Englishmen both in apparrell rich Iewels and massie chaines many Ladies hauing their habiliments set with Goldsmith worke garnisht with Pearle and Stone of price with gallant and wel trapped horses Diuerse Ladies also and young Gentlewomen of England attending Queene Margaret remained there and were well married to certaine Noblemen of Scotland whose progenie liues honourably there euen at these dayes The effect of this marriage is grauely described by the same Bishop in these words There was perfect peace and sincere amity betweene the two Realmes of England and Scotland a long time after And verily during the life of King Henry the seuenth no cause of breach was ministred by either of the Princes but they continued in great loue and friendshippe and mutuall societie contracting of marriages continuall enterchange of Merchandize betwixt the Subiects of both the Realmes as they had beene AL vnder the obedience of ONE PRINCE where through Iustice Policy and Riches did flourish and abound throughout the whole Isle of Albion And of this marriage is Iames the sixth descended being that ONE PRINCE vnder whose obedience AL are now gouerned as vnder the sole and lawfull lineall Monarch of great Britaine for this Iames the fourth had Issue Iames the fifth hee had Issue Queene Mary shee had issue our present Soueraigne the great grandchild of the said Queene Margaret eldest daughter of K. Henrie the seuenth 66 Which effects of peace and riches as they could not but bee comfortable to so wise a King as Henry they being the fruit as it were of his owne iust labours so let vs now obserue the last worldly cares of his raigne and vpon what obiects hee fixed his mind freede from the awe of open challenges of the Crowne and from throwes at his maine which with what art valour and felicity hee at first atchieued and with how great hazards troubles and bloudie businesses he brought it to such passe that neighbour Kinges reputed it safe to entermarry with his family wee haue already heard Two principall points tooke vp the last Scenes of his life for the rest of his time hee wholy employed either in the seruice of Almighty God wherin hee was so diligent that euery day he was present after the deuotions of those times at two or three Masses oftentimes hearing godly Sermons or in building wherewith hee kept his senses busied The one of the two chiefe points was to watch ouer the waies of his wiues kindred the remaining branches of the turbulent and vnfortunate house of Yorke whose growth and greatnesse hee supposed might at some time or other ouertoppe his owne the other was vnder opinion of iustice to encrease his treasure out of the common purses wherby he seemed onerous to many somwhat obscured the brightnes of his former glory at leastwise diminished his opinion with the generality Concerning his courses holden with his wiues kindred the laterall issues and staddles of the Plantagenets it fell out thus which by * occasion of the accidentall landing of Philip King of Spain at this time wherby the Earle of Suffolkes taking was procured we thought it best to handle here together
long after and died without issue by her Her second husband was that Martiall and pompous Gentleman Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke 78 Katharine fourth daughter of this seuenth Henry and of Elizabeth his Queene was borne vpon Candlemas day in the yeere of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and three and in the eighteenth yeere of her fathers raigne who was called to her part in a far better Kingdome within a short while after HENRIE THE EIGHT OF THAT NAME KING OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. THE FIFTIE EIGHT MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH HIS RAIGNE ACTS WIVES AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXI THe rich and wise King Henry the seuenth gone as is said the way of all flesh his sonne bearing the same name a most magnanimous heroical Prince succeded in his Throne ouer al his dominions as the only true heir vnto the Crowne by both the houses of Lancaster and Yorke His birth was at Greenwich in the yeere of Grace 1491. the twentieth two of Iune and his youth so trained vp in literature that he was accounted the most learned Prince of all Christendome indued with parts most befitting a King both in lineaments of body and liberality of minde besides his ripe knowledge in politicke affaires and was made the more agreeable to the affections of men by the consideration of his flourishing age as hauing not attained vnto nineteen at his fathers death In his infancy hee was created Duke of Yorke at twelue yeeres his brother deceased Prince of Wales and at eighteene became sole Monarch of the land when at Westminster vpon Sunday the twenty fift of Iune euen the festiuall of Saint Iohn Baptist and yeere of Christ Iesus 1509. hee with his beauteous Queene Katherine receiued their Crowns at the hands of William Warham Archbishoppe of Canterbury no Prince giuing better hopes vnto iustice or seeking the wealth of his subiects more then himselfe 2 His Counsellors he chose of the grauest diuines and the wisest Nobility with whom hee not onely often sate to the great encrease of his politicke experience but would also yeeld his authority to their graue and farre inseeing wisdomes Of whom the plaints of Petitioners were so mouingly regarded that Proclamations went forth with promise of restitution to them that had beene wronged by Dudley or Empson two persons that had abused the authority of K. Henrie his Father by enriching their owne coffers with the vrter vndoing of many better subiects These men King Henry the seuenth had made his Instruments for the finding out of offenders in his penall Statutes themselues being learned in the lawes and apt inough to execute their Commissions to the full for by their daily informations and recouering of fines they digged and brought a filuer Mine into the Kings Exchequer some veines whereof by the way ranne also into their owne coffers to the great vexation of all and vtter vndoing of many whereat the Noblemen grudged the Gentility repined the Commons lamented and all of them felt the teeth of these rauening Wolues But the father King departed and his sonneset on his throne the complaintes of the oppressed so oppressed the King and his Councell that Dudley and Empson were sent prisoners to the Tower and both of them by Parliament attainted of Treason 3 Edmund Dudley by descent was a Gentleman and by profession a Lawyer hauing both wit and wordes at will had hee not abused both to his own destruction Richard Empson his inferiour by birth was the sonne of a poore Sieue-maker but yet had hee stepped before him to the degree of a Knight These night-sprung Mushrumps that sucked the earthes fatnesse from far better plants then themselues saw not the many hands ready to plucke vp them by the rootes when the season should serue to cleare the land of such weedes for albeit they had their discharge vnder the Kings owne hand to doe what they did and their seruice knowne Crowne seruice a matter impugnable yet no sooner were they left to stand vpon their owne basis but that they felt the weight of their done wrongs too importunable for them any longer to beare for so importune were all degrees against them that Dudley forthwith in Guild-hall London was arraigned and condemned to die and King Henry in progresse through the cry of the people could take no pleasure til he had sent for Empson into Northamptonshire where among them hee was arraigned and receiued sentence of death which was so desired and followed as to satisfie his Subiects the King sent a speciall writ for their executions which with great ioy of all was performed vpon Tower hill by taking from them their heades when they left their riches to be spent by others and their names to remaine vpon Record for the Caterpillers of those times whose like if any such liue shall leaue their hatefull remembrance to the like staines of reprochfull infamy how pleasing soeuer the promotion so gotten in their owne eyes shall seeme or the employments in their selfe conceites accounted profitable to the State 4 This iustice of King Henry wanne him great praise of his people and his charity extended towards London when that City was sore distressed with famine by sending sixe hundred quarters of corne great loue so that neuer any King entred his raigne with better hopes then himselfe That his person was tall is not to bee doubted though not like vnto Soules as some haue alleadged whose report is that at the siege of Bulloigne he was higher by the head then any in his Campe and euery ioint proportionable to so royall a stature but that hee was strong his many Iusts and Tilts and fights at Turnay most dangerously performed was manifested vpon them that vnderwent his heauy hand for at Tilt hee bare downe a man at Armes both horse and all and threw Sir William Kingston a Knight of great strength to the ground at Barryers with battell-axe he combated against one Giot a Germane very strong and tall and lent him better blowes then he could againe repay 5 His glorie thus mounted the Trophie of fame and young Henry the onely morning starre in this Westerne Orbe Pope Iulius the second fearing the further incroch of the French who then had entred into some part of Italy thought this Prince the strongest pillar whereunto to trust and the fittest Carde to trumpe the French King well knowing the Title that the English Kings had vnto France and the readinesse of his Subiects to forward that way wherupon writing his letters vnto King Henry complained against Lewis the French king and twelfth of that name who neither as hee alleadged esteeming of God good fame nor conscience detained the reuenewes of the Clergy supported the Cardinall William to aspire the Papacy aided in the siege of Bonen Alfonso of Ferrara and the Benteuoly both traitors to the Papal Sea where hee
Church though vnsufficient for so great a worke doe powre forth the cogitations of our heart that the Catholike faith without which no man can attaine to saluation may receiue continuall increase and that those good lawes and constitutions decreed by the wisdome and learning of such as are in authority especially the faithfull in Christ for restraining the attempts of all that labour to oppresse the same or by wicked lyes fictions seeke to peruert and obscure it may prosper with perpetuall increase doe bestow our paines and vtmost endeuour in our office and Ministery And like as the Romane Bishops our Predecessors were wont to shew especiall fauour to Catholike Princes according as the quality of matters and timesrequired especially to them that in troublesome times when the madnesse and perfidious dealing of Schismatikes and heretikes most of all abound did abide constant and vnmoueable not onely in soundnesse of faith and pure denotion to the holy Romane Church but also as the most legitimate sonnes and valiant Champions of the same opposed themselues both with mind and body against the furious madnes of Schismatikes and heretikes so likewise also doe wee desire to extoll your Maiesty with worthy and immortall praises for your high and immortall deserts and labours towards vs and this holy See wherein by Gods permission wee sit to grant vnto it those things for which it ought to watch and driue away the Wolues from the Lords flocke and to cut off with the materiall sword rotten members which infect the mysticall body of Christ and to confirme the hearts of the faithfull in soundnesse of beliefe Now where of late our beloued sonne Iohn Clarke your Maiesties Orator with vs being in our Consistory before our venerable brethren of the holy Romane Church the Cardinals and many other Prelates of the same exhibited a booke vnto vs to bee examined and allowed of vs which booke your Maiesties selfe who doth all things with diligence and nothing amisse enflamed with charity and zeale to the Catholike faith and with ardent deuotion toward vs and this holy See hath composed as a most worthy and soueraigne Antidote against the errors of diuers heretikes often condemned by this holy See and of late stirred vp and brought in by Martin Luther And your said Orator hath also largely declared vnto vs that your Maiesty is ready and purposeth like as you haue confuted the notorious errors of the said Martin by true reason and inuincible authorities of sacred Scripture and Ancient fathers so you will punish to the vttermost of your power all those of your whole Kingdome that shall presume to follow or defend them and we haue diligently and exactly perused and viewed the admirable doctrine of your said booke watered with the dew of heauenly Grace and doe heartily thanke Almighty God from whom euery good and perfect gift doth come who hath vouchsafed to inspire your Noble mind inclined to euery good thing and to endue you with so great Grace from heauen as to write those things whereby you are able to defend his holy faith against such a new Innouator of damned errors and also incite by your example all other Christian Kings and Princes to be willing to fauour and further with all their best aides the Orthodoxall faith and Euangelicall truth whensoeuer it bee brought into danger or doubt And wee thinke it also meete that they who haue vndertaken such godly labours for the defence of the faith of Christ should haue all prayse and honour of vs and wee are desirous that not onely the things themselues which your Maiesty hath written being both of most sound doctrine and no lesse eloquence should bee extolled and magnified with condigne commendations and allowed and confirmed by our authority but also that your Maiesty should bee graced with such an honour and such a Title as that both for our time and euer hereafter all men might perceiue how gratefull and acceptable this gift of your Maiesties hath been vnto vs especially offered vnto vs now at this time Wee who be the true successors of Peter whom Christ at his ascension into heauen left his Vicar on earth and to whom hee committed the care of his flocke We I say who sit in this holy seate from which all dignities and titles doe flow vpon mature deliberation had with our said brethren about these things haue by the generall agreement and consent of them decreed to bestow vpon your Maiestie this title namely THE DEFENDER OF THE FAITH And accordingly by these Presents doe instile you with such a title commaunding all faithfull Christians that they name your Maiesty with this Title and when they write to you that after the Word KING they adioine DEFENDER OF THE FAITH And truely wee diligently considering and weighing your singular merits were not able to bethinke vs of a name more worthy and conuenient for your Maiesty then the excellency and dignity of this Title which so often as you shal heare and reade so often you may call to mind this your singular vertue and great desert nor may you by this Title puffe vp your self in pride but according to your wonted prudence become more humble and bee more valiant and constant in the faith of Christ and in denotion to this holy See by which you haue beene exalted reioycing in the Lord the giuer of all good things leauing this as a perpetuall and immortal monument of your glory to your children shewing them the way vnto the like that if they shall desire to be graced 55 Whilest these things were in working at Rome arose great troubles in Ireland the Kerns casting off all obedience and killing the Kings subiects where they found them against whom Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Lord Lieutenant of that kingdome made foorth his power and followed them himselfe with such danger of life that the visor of his Helmet was shot off as hee pursued the enemy through the desert woods but these Rebels cut off by his high valour and warres proclaimed at one time against Scotland and France the Lord Lieutenant was recalled into England and Piers Butler Earle of Osorie made Deputie of Ireland in his stead betwixt whom and Girald Fitz-Girald Earle of Kildare whose sister hee had married arose no little strife and debate which grew to that height as King Henry sent Commissioners to trie and examine the differences which was so cleered on Kildares behalfe that Osorie was discharged of his Office and the Lord Fitz-girald sworne deputy in his place whereat Cardinal Wolsey whose hand chiefly steered all states affaires a deadly enemy to the Earle of Kildare was highly offended and to vndermine the foundations of this his new Gouernment gaue eare vnto Osorie who accused the new deputie of many misdemeanors among which these were the principall that he winked at Desmonds escape whom he should haue attached by order from the King that he grew ouer familiar with the natiue Irish
of the Land and Supremacy of the Crowne The abuse of the first was solemnly shewed at Pauls Crosse in London vpon Sunday the twenty foure of February by Doctor Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester where the Roode of Boxley in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace made with diuers vices to bow downe and to lift vp it selfe to shake and to stirre both Heads hands and feet to rowle the eies mooue the lippes and to bend the browes was then broken and pulled in peeces So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set and besprinkled with Iewels and Gemmes with diuers others both of England and Wales were brought to London and burnt at Chelsey before the Lord Crumwell Then the Axes of the hewers began to cast downe the walles of all Monasteries whose number as Cambden doth account them were sixe hundred fourty fiue besides fourscore and tenne Colledges them of Oxford and Cambridge not accounted of Hospitals one hundred and tenne and of Chaunteries and free Chappels two thousand three hundred seuenty foure all of them almost were then borne downe with the sudden deluge of those tempestuous times whilst the world stood amazed King Henrie proceeded and the Clergy men groaned vnder their owne destructions among these the Shrine of Thomas Becket was defaced which did abound with more then Princely riches whose meanest part was pure gold garnished with many precious stones as Erasmus that saw it hath written whereof the chiefest was a rich Gemme of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained you may be sure he buying it so deare that no passenger betwixt Douer and White-sand should perish by shipwracke his bones by Stephen Langton had beene laide in a golden Shrine his name canonized and the day of his death made annually holy such concurse of Pilgrime such pressing to touch him and such creeping and kneeling to his Tombe that the prints of their deuotion in the Marble stones remaines to this day euery Pillar resounding the miracles of this reputed Martyre and the Church it selfe dedicated to Christ forced to giue place to the name of Saint Thomas The Timber worke of this Shrine was couered with plates of gold damasked and embossed with wires of gold garnished with broches images angels precious stones and great Orient Pearles all these defaced filled two Chests and were for price of an vnestimable value But in steede of these Dagons the Bible in English was commanded to bee read in all Churches and Register Bookes of weddings Christenings and Burials in euery of them to be kept 101 The yeerely reuenewes of these as they were valewed by the Commissioners at their subuersions amounted to an vnestimable summe as appeareth by the Original Booke itselfe presented to the King whereof more shall be spoken in the end of this chapter and yet most of them rated at Robin-hoods penny-worthes what their rents were a libell scattered abroad and read to the king by demonstration did proue wherein was accounted that vnto the fiue Orders of Friers euery housholder paying them fiue pence the Quarter the summe of fourty three thousand three hundred thirty three pound sixe shillings and eight pence sterling was paid them by yeere besides the reuenewes of their owne lands which was not a little so that not without cause many entred into a Monasticall life rather to liue at ful and without cares of this world then to feede the flocke of Christ or to winne them and not theirs after the example of the Apostle For the Testament of Christ was vnto most of these as a booke sealed with seauen seales and their mouthes vnmuzled they did deuoure but not tread out the Corne so that the Sunne by their doctrine seemed to be darkened as with smoke and themselues to be the Locustes that ouerspread the superficies of the Earth whose faces were like men pretending humanity their haire like women in shew of modesty their Crownes of counterfeited gould signifying their vsurped authoritie their teeth like Lyons shewing their Tyrannie their force like horses prepared for battell their habergions of Iron betokening their strength the sound of their wings the thundering out their mandates like to the rumbling of Chariots in warre their Tailes 〈◊〉 Prophets hauing stings like vnto Scorpions aâ—…â—…heir King the bad Abaddon euen the Angell of the Bottomelesse pit All those allusions most aptly sitting these Cloistered Friers who now grown to the height of their sinnes their skirts were discouered that their shame might appeare being the only men then laid open to the world 102 Against whose doctrine besides many others in other forreine parts two in the daies of K. Henry the fourth the first English King that put anie to death for the doctrine of Rome omitting Sir Iohn Oldcastle and others that died for the Gospels defence in the daies of King Henry the fift foure in the raigne of innocent Henrie the sixt One in the daies of King Edward the fourth and tenne in the time of King Henry the seauenth sealed the doctrine against the papall religion with their bloud all of them being martyred before that Martin Luther wrote And in the raigne of this King twenty sixe suffered the fire before the flames thereof could be quenched which a while was done by the meanes of good Queene Anne till afterwards they mounted higher when the sixe Articles were made but because this Ecclesiasticke text is handled elsewhere and seemeth vnsociable to our begunne Subiect we will referre the Reader for these matters vnto the industrious paines of that worthy and euer venerable man M. Fox taken in his Acts Monuments of Ecclesiasticall history 103 The Monasteries thus dissolued and the Reuenewes thereof conuerted to temporall vses King Henry ranne in great obloquie of many forraine Potentates but most especially of the Pope who with Cardinall Poole instigated diuers Princes in Christendom to inuade England thus fallen from his faith Yea home-borne Subiects disliking the course for Papisticall subuersion by secret working sought to depriue King Henry and to raise vp Reynold Poole vnto the Regall dignity as by their inditements appeareth The persons conuicted were Lord Henry Courtney Marquesse of Excester Earle of Deuonshire the sonne of Lady Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth Henrie Poole Lord Montacute with Sir Geffrey his brother and Sir Edward Neuill brother to the Lord of Abergauenny These Pooles were the sonnes of Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury the onely daughter of George Duke of Clarence and of these 〈◊〉 Poole once Deane of Excester and now Cardinalâ—… at 〈◊〉 was accounted the onely man 104 And this foresaid Lord Marquesse had formerly beene in such fauour with King Henry that at his going into France he ordained him his Heire apparant though at his returne vpon graue deliberation hee saw it better policy to plucke him down then was vsed in
setting him vp lest in acting his part vpon that infectiue stage hee put the land to as much trouble as the arreared Duke Richard of Yorke had done after hee was ordained heire apparant which Title produced the Tragedy of his raiser King Henry the sixt and now hauing him and his Abetters vpon the aduantage the better to secure his owne Estate hee caused the heades of this Lord Marquesse with the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neuill to bee cut off vpon Tower-hill 105 The King then a Widdower since the death of Queene Iane who departed this life two yeeres before meant to 〈◊〉 whâ—… hee had done maugre all 〈◊〉 better â—…o effect by the Counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sought and obtained the 〈◊〉 the Princes of 〈◊〉 and heard the motion for marriage with the Lady Anne sister to William Duke of 〈◊〉 whose other sister Fredericke Duke of 〈◊〉 had espoused a great fauourer of the Gospell and 〈◊〉 of Martin Luther the zealous Preacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereof But whether for the death of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that hee would haue his wiues sister bestowed neerer at home which thing hee pretended a great hindâ—…er hee was of that match But the Lady sent into England and married vnto King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing pleasing in his eye which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Bishoppe of Winchester percâ—…ing thought it a fitte subiect for him to worke vpoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord Cromwell the maker of the mâ—…ch hee therefore instigated iealousies dayly into the Kings 〈◊〉 first exasperating the hatred of the Princes of 〈◊〉 ny to him-wards and especially of Duke Fredericke his compulsiue brother in Law the Emperor French Kings Scots and the Pope all seeking at once to raise their powers against England The ciuill tumults lately passed and new commotions greatly to be feared hee letted not to remember and all to nip the spring of the new spreading Gospell whereby this wise Politician in the end got six such Articles against it as the Consistory of Hell could deuise no worse Whose cruelties were such that not long after and in the dayes of this King some of those Acts were againe repealed and some of them qualified as too sharpe and searching into the bloud of the Kings best Subiects 106 The fruite of these bloud-thirsty instigators the Lord Cromwell and Lady Anne of Cleue soon tasted of he by imprisonment and death and she by disgrace and diuorce hauing been his wife from lanuary to Iune in all which time the King refrained the mutuall knowledge of her body for the dislike hee had of her person euen at the first sight as himselfe called to witnesse the Lord Cromwell then Prisoner in the Tower for whose report hee wrote a Letter with his owne hand and shee good Lady no other cause alleadged was diuorced by Parliament when also it was enacted that shee should no longer bee styled Queene The Lord Cromwell was charged by the Lord Rich and Sir George Throgmortâ—… with speaking of certaine generall words not excepting therein the Kinges person which neuertheresse were thought so sleight and insufficient to take away his life that his enemies feared to put it to the triall of his Peeres lest he should bee acquitted by them as the Lord Dacres of the North not many yeeres before had beene wherfore there was a Bill drawne to attaint him of hereâ—… and Treason in generall words rather then in particular proofes which when hee was dead passed in both houses of Parliament with the Kinges assent 107 Howbeit Sâ—…ders that seldome speakeâ—… well of the Gospels professors will haue him to die for the breach of a Law made by himselfe which was that one appeached of treason should not come in the Kings presence till he had tried himself not guilty but besides that wee find no such Act by him made his inditement doth not charge him with treason but with setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of treason and hereâ—… for fauouring and maintaining the transation of hereticall bookes into English for bearing out Barnes and other hereticall Preachers that himselfe was an heretike and had spoken words great wordâ—… for the vpholding of his said religion which were that the King should not change it if hee would for these things he was 〈◊〉 by Parliament of high Treason and that grounded either vpon a Stâ—…ute made in the fiâ—…e and twenty of Edward thâ—… third or else by the explanation of that Act which referreth the exposition of Treasons to the 〈◊〉 and so no way did 〈◊〉 deuise or make any law of treason which himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that partiall Romanist hath said 108 But most sure it is that the Kingâ—…â—…on altogether guided by the 〈◊〉 obiect 〈◊〉 â—…other point in the Compasse to fire his 〈◊〉 eye besides that onely which by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touched by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and thâ—… 〈◊〉 to bee the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ward the brother of Thomas Dukâ—… of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Cromwell standing in the defence of 〈◊〉 Anne and vsing words of disâ—…ke 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 distastfull vnto the King was thereupon apprehended his enemy so 〈◊〉 and vpon the twenty eight of Iuly suffered 〈◊〉 with the 〈◊〉 of the Axe vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beheaded the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 quietly dying for his offence committed 〈◊〉 109 The sword thus vnsheathed vpon the necks of the Nobility strucke off the head of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heâ—…re vnto George Duke of Clarence and mother vnto Reynold Poole Cardinall being neither arraigned nor tried but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had bin And the Lord Leonard Gray in this present yeere lost his head for treason the twenty eight of Iune And the next day following Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyborne for killing a priuate man in a fray Neither was it put vp vntill that the heades of Queen Katherine Howard and the Lady Iane Rochford were stricken off the one for Adultery the other for concealement as was alleadged the parties offending were Fraâ—…it Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before shee was Queene and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tiburne the tenth of December and the twelfth of February following Mistresse Katherine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainture 〈◊〉 is called who had beene stiled and receiued Queene for the space of sixe moneths and fouâ—… dayes with the Lady Iane then widow and late wife vnto 〈◊〉 Bullen Lord Rochford were both of them brought vnto a Scaffold raised vppon the hill within the Tower where they in lamentable passions suffered death 110 Howsoeuer those times afforded such Queenes to the Kings bed or himselfe vnfortunate in making his choise yet many of no meane iudgement haue rather accused King Henry for his changing and variable affections then thinke them guilty in the breach of Matrimony Of Anne wee haue seene what
hath beene said and of this Queene let vs heare what shee protested after her condemnation to 〈◊〉 White Bishoppe of 〈◊〉 her last Confessor and by him deliuered to a noble young Lord of her name and neere alliance Her words were these As to the Act my 〈◊〉 Lord for which I stand condemned God and his holy Angels I take to witnesse vpon my soules 〈◊〉 that I die 〈◊〉 neuer hauing so abused my Soueraignes 〈◊〉 what other sinnes and follies of youth I haue 〈◊〉 I will not excuse but 〈◊〉 assured that for these God hath brought this punishment vpon me and will 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them for which I pray you pray with me vnto his sonne and my Sâ—…iour Christ. 111 As these then in case of Treasons eyther acted or intended ended their liues so others in case of conscience though diuersly affected câ—…e to their deathes and that by foâ—…ce of the Statutes enacted vnder this King whereof one was the abolishing of the Pope and the oath of Supremacy the reâ—…sers of either made offenders in stare of high Treason and the other in 〈◊〉 of religion when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articlâ—… enacted by Parliament was made Heresie and death to such as held or taught the conâ—… which Arâ—…cles were thus concluded in both the houses of Parliament with consent of the King 1 That after the words of consecration spoken by the Priest the reall and naturall body and bloud of Christ as hee was conceiued and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other substance consisting in the forme of 〈◊〉 and wiâ—…e besides the substance of Christ God and man 2 That the communion in both kinde was not necessarie vnto 〈◊〉 the flesh onely in forme of bread sufficient for the Laity 3 That Prieâ—… 〈◊〉 they haue receiâ—…ed â—…ders might not marry by the law of God 4 That the vowes of chastity either in 〈◊〉 or woman ought by Godâ—… law to be 〈◊〉 and by which they are exempted from other 〈◊〉 of Christian people 5 That priuâ—… Masses was necessâ—…ry for the people and agreeable to the law of Goâ—… 6 That auricular confession was â—…pedient 〈◊〉 be reteined and continued 〈◊〉 the Church of God These Statutes I say aswell the one as the other brought many to their ends which otherwise were very good Subiects and worthy instruments in the common weale for offending in the first there died Bishoppe Pisher and Sir Thomas More besides many Abbots Priors and Friers and among them in Smithfield the Welsh rode set Frier Forrest on fire according to the prophecy very rife in their mouthes that this holy rode should set a whole forrest on fire For the other suffered in flames many godly Christians whereof Robert Barnes a reuerend Doctor and worthy minister of Christ the first reducer as M. Fox reporteth of the Vniuersity of Cambridge from rudenesse and barbarity vnto good literature and learning was with the first And Anne Askew a Gentlewoman of an incomparable dexterity one of the last who aboue the weakenesse of her sexe most valiantly stoode against the violence of the time 112 Her birth was worshipfull and education accordingly bestowed in marriage vnto Iohn Kyâ—…e a Gentleman in 〈◊〉 and commended by Bale for her rare wit and elegant beauty which her pars the pensill of N. D. with his vneuen hand euer ouerhard to shadow the truth hath slanderously blurred and measured those graces in her by his owne loose affections and those want on 〈◊〉 which in the height of sinne haue changed the naturall vse of women against nature This young heifer saith hee abiding no yoake a coy dame and of very euill fame left the company of Master Kyâ—…e to 〈◊〉 vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gospelling and Gâ—…ssipping where 〈◊〉 might and ought not but especially in London and 〈◊〉 the Court now shee being faire and but twenty 〈◊〉 yeers old at her death doth 〈◊〉 shew what may be suspected of her life and the mysticall speeches and demands of the Kings Coâ—…sell touching her departure from her 〈◊〉 were grounded vpon somewhat especially in that shee called her selfe 〈◊〉 Askew alias Kyâ—…e Thus 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 man hath accused this holy Anne by the outward appearance of her youth and beauty as holy Anne by Eli was accused of drunkennesse when her heart was most seruent in supplications to her God and his partiall peâ—… made the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of her holy conuersation to finde out some chaffe whereof none is free nor is â—…ee to be condemned vpon the imagerie of his suspicious head who vndoubtedly would haue â—…old all if any thing could haue beene found whereas shee in the vigour of beauty and weakenesse of her Sexe 〈◊〉 the gaine-saiers of the truth with her dearest blood testifying from the Prisons her faith and constancy and from the Racke preached Christ whereon most vnhumanely and against kind shee was twice tormented and lastly sealed her 〈◊〉 in Smithfield through the 〈◊〉 of fire being borne to the place of her death in a Chaire her bones so 〈◊〉 by the Râ—…cke that shee could 〈◊〉 113 The 〈◊〉 N. D. whose affection to Chriâ—… Gospeâ—… 〈◊〉 to the English Crowne hath sufficiently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make her no 〈◊〉 and that her 〈◊〉 did demerit the Racke saith that the King himselfe commanded that torture to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with her erroneous doctrine his Court his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughters and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth tels vs that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to racke her the second 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Lord Chancellor who did it himselfe to bee complained of to the King who immediately tooke Boate and told the whole Tragedy whereof King 〈◊〉 seemed to be sore offended for vsing a woman with such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had the Popes 〈◊〉 vnder the 〈◊〉 of the Church and wing of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 not to follow the appeale of 〈◊〉 euen 〈◊〉 that slept in 〈◊〉 owne 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parre espoused vnto him 〈◊〉 three yeeres before and 〈◊〉 as this States intelligeÌ„cer doth confesse he meant to haue burned had he longer liued For the truth is saith hee that the Kings sickenesse and death shortly ensuing was the chiefe cause of her escape and the error of the Lord Chancellor Wriothesley who let fall out of his bosoâ—…e the Kings hand and commission for carrying her to the Tower gaue occasion the paper found and brought her to goe and humble her selfe to the King the principal occasion against her was Heretical Books found in her closet both brought sent her by Anne Askew wherof thewitnesses were the Lady Herbert Lady Iane Lady Tyawit and others Indeed it is true that by Gods prouidence such papers were let fal out of the Lord Chancellors bosome conteining certaine Articles against her with a warrant to commit her to the Tower whereunto the Kings hand was subscribed which being found was presently brought vnto the Queene whereof the
King the chiefest A better of the Scots whom he euer vpheld to hold him tacke at home least otherwise he should 〈◊〉 with France for his owne right And therefore hauing ioined with the Emperour against the French sent his Herald Garter King at Armes to demand certaine couenants which if he refused 〈◊〉 proclaime defiance vnto open warres but he not suffered to doe his message to the King returâ—…ed and 〈◊〉 prepared an expedition into France wherein he imploied the Dukes of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Earleâ—… of Aâ—… Oxfâ—…rd and Surâ—…ey the Lords Râ—…ssell Grey 〈◊〉 rers 〈◊〉 and Sainâ—…-Iohn besides many other seruiceable Knights and Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed high Admirall for the Seâ—… Of these some 〈◊〉 with the Emperials and shewed their value in the siege of Mattrell 127 The Duke of Suffolke in the meane while strucke downe his Standerds on the East side of Bolloigne and with many sharpe skirmishes entred the base Towne which siege King Henry himselfe in person seconded who hauing passed the Seas from England vpon the sixe twentith of Iuly encamped before Bolloigne on the East-side whence his Canons so rent the Wals and Bulwarke as their mounted tops lay vpon the Ground and his great morter peeces were discharged with so skilfull a Compasse that their bullets falling downe right beate all buildings downe vpon the Enemies heads Whereby saith Sleidane in short time he got that which neither his Father nor the Kings in former times could neuer winne For thereupon the Town was surrendred and cleared of the French souldiers women and children 128 The King like a Conquerour with his sword borne before him entred the Gate where the Duke of Suffolke presented him with the keyes of the Towne the Trumpets still sounding and nothing wanting that might applaud his fame The Towne thus wonne the English meant still to keep for the strengthening whereof the King commanded the faire Church of Saint Maries to be taken downe and in the same place a mount to be raised for the planting of Ordinance to annoy any siege But being thus busied in Bolloignes affaires the Emperour without his knowledge or consent came to a peace with the French King whereat King Henrie was sore displeased and the sooner left France leauing Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle his deputy in Bolloigne and landed at Douer the first day of October to his great honor and ioy of his Subiects 129 The French King chafed with this late and great losse sought to trie fortune in further attempts and that not onely for the recouery of Bolloigne which with twenty thousand well appointed hee assaied but also in assayling the English dominions as the I le of Wight and those parts of Sussex that lay vpon the Seas though with losse of many Captaines and thousands of Souldiers that neuer returned to tell him what intertainement they had as likewise in sending aide vnto Scotland where Monsieur Mungumry of the Order of France with 5000 strong entred to maintaine the breach betwixt them and K. Henry which was so followed on both parts as the English making a Roade towards Gedworth got praise for their valour but reproch for their spoiles and the Scots renowne for killing the Lord Eure Lord Warden of the East-Marches with many other Captaines in defence of their Countrey 130 Hereupon an Army of twelue thousand strong was sent into Scotland whereof the Earle of Hertford was Generall with these he forraged the Borders before him and burnt many Townes in the Middle-Marches with Kelsey Coldingham Abbey the French not hastie to stay the incursion lay still and let them vnfought with depart for England 131 But the warres remoued againe into France the Reingrâ—…e with a great power came to victuall a Fort built neere vnto Bolloigne to impeach which the Earle of Surrey then Lieâ—…tenant of the Towne made forth but was discomfited in the enterprize and Sir Edward Poyâ—…ings Captaine of a Band slaine with fifteene other Captaines besides many Officers and Common Souldiers These Princes wars in these violent proceedings became very fearfull least they would grow to the Common hurt of Christendome and therefore many other potentates whereof the Emperour was first sollicited these Kings vnto a peace which the sooner was heard and imbraced for that they were both of them old and King Henry diseased in body Commissioners therefore appointed certaine articles were agreed vpon the first thereof was that the French King should pay vnto King Henry eight hundred thousand Crownes in eight yeeres space and then to râ—…nter vpon Bollâ—…igne but in the meane time it to remaine vnder the English to accomplish which peace Mounsieur Danebalt high Admiralâ—… of France was sent into England and Sir Thomas Cheynie Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports to be the Kings Agent at the Font for the Baptisme of the Dolphins new borne daughter 132 Notwithstanding these Complements the sight of Bolloigne was a great sore in the French mens eies insomuch that Monsieur Chatillon Captain of Mountplaisier beganne to make a new Bastilion neere vnto the Towne euen in the very mouth of the Riuer which the Lord Grey of Wilton perceiuing certified the King what inconuenience would happen if that were made strong and the same discussed at the Counsell-Table it passed with one voice that the Peace with France was not to be infringed notwithstanding this French attempt to which end a prohibition drawne whereunto King Henry also set his hand that no let should be made against Chatillon in his Fort. Howbeit the King commanded Sir Thomas Palmer imploied in this busines to bid the Lord Grey to impeach the new worke and to flat so much as was raised thereof vnto the Earth This commission read with the report of Command to the Contrary the Counsell of State thought it most meete to follow their instructions in writing least the words might either be mis-deliuered or mistaken But the Lord Grey causing the messengers words to be writ and subscribed with all their hands that were present at the report suddainely and vnlooked for came to the Fort and in foure houres space cast downe what had beene in raising three moneths before which when the King heard off he asked his Counsellors what they thought of this that Chatillâ—…-garden was cast downe amongst whom one of them answered the dâ—…er thereof was worthy to loose his head I had rather said the King loose a dozen of such heades as thine is then his that had done the deed and immediately sent the Lord Grey his pardon with many great thankes 133 But now the dâ—…te of his time almost run and he preparing towards the way of all flesh the great and faire Church of the Gray Friers London lately suppressed by himselfe he caused againe to be opened and to be made a Parish Church giuing the reuenewes thereof vnto the Citie of London towards the reliefe
of Durham After in our time Sir Thomas Pope knight       Lincolne Colledge Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincolne       S. Albans Hall       Broadgate Hall       All-Soules Colledge Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury tempore H. 5.       New Inne       Bernard now S. Iohn Baptist Colledge Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury tempore H. 5. After in our time Sir Thomas White L. Maior of London       Sancti Iohannis Hospitale now Mary Magdalen Colledge Fundator Henricus Rex Afterward William Wainflet B. of Winchester       Magdalen Hal. William Patten alias Wainflet       Brasen Nose Col ledge William Smith Bishop of Lincolne tempore H. 7. Doctor Nowell Dean of Paâ—…les Benefactor       Corpus Christi Colledge Richard Fox B. of VVinchester Hugh Oldaâ—… B. of Excester Benefactor       Iesus Colledge Hugh Price Doctor of the Lawes       Wadham Colledge Wadham an Esquier and his wife       Banbury H Saint Iohn 0015 01 10 ob o Banbury C Beate Mariae 0048 06 00 oo o Brackele P Saint Mary Blacke Canons      Bruern M Saint Mary Nicholas Basset White Monkes 0124 10 10 oo o Burcester vulgo Bissetâ—…r Saint Eadburgh Gilbert Basset and Egelina Courtney his wife tempore Henrici Secundi 0167 02 10 oo o Burford P 0013 06 06 oo o Chiping Norton in Ecclesia 0007 14 00 oo o Clattercote M Sancti Leonardi 0034 19 11 oo o Coges P Blacke Monkes      Dorchester M Saint Peter and Saint Paul Birinus the Apostle of the West-Saxons and after by Nicholas Huntercombe heire of William Huntercombe Blacke Canons 0219 12 00 oo o Ewelme or New Elme H William de la Pole Duke of Suffolke 0020 0 0 o o Eynsham M Saint Marie Athelmar a Nobleman King Aethelred confirmed it A. D. 1005. Blacke Monkes Benedictines 0421 16 01 oo o Godstowby Oxf. N Saint Mary Dame Ida a rich Widow Repaired by K. Iohn Blacke Nunnes 0319 18 08 oo o Goring N Saint Marie Blacke Nunnes 0060 05 05 oo o Lidmore alias Littlemore N Fundator Domini Regis Progenitor Blacke Nunnes 0033 06 08 oo o Norton P Domini Regis Progenitor Reginald Earle of Boloigne gaue 108½ Acres to it Richard Sergeaux Blacke Canons      Saucombe P Saint Marie Blacke Canons      Stodeley N Saint Mary Peter Corbyzen and William de Cantelop 0102 06 07 oo o Tame M Saint Mary Alexander Bishoppe of Lincolne the great builder of Castles White Monkes 0256 13 07 ob o Wroxton P Saint Mary Master Michael Bylet for Heruey Bylet his Father and confirmed by K. Iohn Canons 0078 14 03 o o RICHMOND-SHIRE Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Value     l. s. d. ob q Richmond M Saint Agath Roaldus Constable of Richmond and Gracian his wife Fundator Antecessor Dom. Scroope A. D. 1152. 0188 16 02 oo o Richmond H Saint Nicholas 0010 00 00 oo o Couerham alias Somerham M First founded at Swaynsie by Halwisia daughter of Ralph Glamâ—…ill wife to Ralph Lord of Midleham but remoued after to Couerham A. D. 1182. Chanons Praemonstratenses 0207 14 08 oo o Cander M 0064 03 09 oo o Ellerton N Saint Mary William Fitz-Pier Nunnes 0015 14 08 oo o Furnesse M Saint Mary First Stephen Earle of Bolleyn Anno Dom. 1127. After William de Mowbray gaue lands to it which lands hee had of Richard Moruill and Amie his wife King Henry the 1. confirmed it VVhite Monkes 0966 07 10 oo o Fountaines M Saint Mary Thurstin Archbishoppe of Yorke A. D. 1132. White Monkes 1173 00 07 ob o Gilling N Nunnes      Ieruall M Saint Mary Stephen Earle of Britaine and Richmond White Monkes Cistertians 0455 10 05 oo o Iuxta Kendall H 0006 04 03 oo o Neere Knaresbrough F Saint Robert Richard King of Romains Earle of Cornwall A. D. 1218. Friers 0035 10 11 oo o Maryke N Askes Nunnes 0064 16 09 oo o Middleham or Barnards Castle Richard Duke of Yorke      Nun-Munketon N Fundator Antecessor Gâ—…ll Gascoign Militis Nunnes 0085 14 08 oo o Rybleston Commendary 0207 09 07 oo o Rypon Eccles. Collegiat 0035 03 08 oo o Rypon H S. Mary Magd. 0024 00 07 o o Rypon H S. Iohn Baptist. 0016 14 04 oo o Seton N Fundator Antecessor Henrici Kirkeby Nunnes 0013 17 04 oo o Welles H S. Michael Ralph Lord Nâ—…ill A. D. 1367. 0020 17 11 oo o RVTLAND-SHIRE Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Ualew     l. s. d. ob q Occham vnder the custodie of a Prior of Saint Anne Carthusians by Couentree Saint Iohn H Euangelist H William Dalby of Extâ—… 2 Chaplens 12 poore each 30. s. yeerely      Brooke S. Mary the Virg. P  0043 13 04 oo o SHROPSHIRE Places Dedication Founder and Time Order Value     l s. d. ob q. Shrewsbury M Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Melb. Roger Earle of Mountgomery Anno Dom. 1081. Blacke Monkes 0615 04 03 ob o Shrewsbury Eccles Collegiat Saint Chadds 0014 14 04 oo o Shrewsbury Ecc. Colleg. Saint Mary 0013 01 08 oo oo Shrewsbury F Carmelites or white Friers      Shrewsbury F Blacke Friers      Shrewsbury F Geffrey Lord of Powis Grey Friers      Abberbury giuen to Al-Soules in Oxford by the King P Alien Fundator Domini Regis Progenitor      Battlefield C King Henry the fourth 0054 01 01 oo o Bildewas M Saint Marie Roger Bishop of Chester Black Monkes Cistertians 0129 06 10 oo o Brewood M 0031 01 04 oo o â—…ridgenorth H F Iohn Earle of Shrewsbury Cosen and Heire to Ralph Strange Originall Founder Grey Friers 0004 00 00 oo o Bâ—…umfeild Blacke Monkes      Chirbury P 087 07 04 oo o Halisowen M King Iohn Peter de Rupibus Bishoppe of Winchester 0337 15 06 ob o Haughmond M Saint Mary S. Iohn Euang. William Fitz-Alane White Canons 0294 12 90 oo o Ludlow F Sir Laurence Ludlow Knight An. Dom. 1349. Carmelites or White Friers      Ludlow F Edmundus de Pontibus siue Briggman Benefactor Augustine Friers      Ludlow H Saint Iohn 0017 03 03 o o Lyleshull M Beaâ—…meis Family Blacke Canons 0327 10 00 oo o Stone P Saint Michael Blacke Monkes      Tonge C Saint Bartholmew Isabel wife of Fulke de Penbridge Chenalier 0022 08 01 oo o Wenlocke P Saint Milburg
1346. * Grafton * Serres King Edwards Charity The French deuise to succour Calais The English victory at Potiers 19. Sep. 1356. * Serres Polyd. Vergâ—… saith his name was Innocentius * Serres The French king taken prisoner * Froissard * Serres * Fabian out of the French Chronicles * Ypod. Neust. * Serres The Prince doth things more commendable then his victory * Paul Aemyl * Poly. Verg lib. 19. * Holinsh. omnes * Bolyd Verg. lib. 19. * 5 Mâ—… A. D. 1357. Ypod. Neust. A Lord Maior feasted foure kings at once The two Prisoner kings lodged * Adam 〈◊〉 King Dauid set at liberty after 11 yeeres durance * Fourdon A. D. 1357. * 27. Nouemb. * Guil. Tilliâ—… * Serres Tillâ—… An. D. 1358 A. reg 32. * VVals in Edward 3. fol. 173. * Armacâ—… in Defensoriâ—… curatorâ—… Fox Martâ—…log in Edward 3. * 〈◊〉 iâ—… * Sabelli Ennead 9 l. 6. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. King Edward 2. gaine in France 24. October * Paul Aemil. * Serres * Paradiâ—… in les Annals de Burgo * Froissard Paulus Aemilius saith 100000. crownes * Iud. 19. 11. 25. and 26. * Tho. Wals. * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. * Tho. VVals An. D. 1360. The English before Paris Foure hundred Knights made at one time * Polyd. Verg. * Serres and Polyd. Verg. * Paul Aemyl * Tho. VValsing * Serres Paul Aemyl * Tho. Wals. Ran. Cestr. * Fabian * Tiâ—… Articles of peace * Paul Aemyl 〈◊〉 Iohan. 〈◊〉 * Serres Fabian Holinsh. Paul Aemyl * Tho. Walsing * Paul Aemyl Polyd. Uerg. Froissard The huge ransome of Iohn King of France * Tho. VVals Fabian The City of Paris gaue toward this ransome one hundreth thousand roialâ—… Edw. Griâ—… his English Serres * 24. October 1360. * 〈◊〉 par 7. Caxton * Inuentorie of France in Charles the 5. Serrâ—… Paul Aemyl in Car. 5. * Serres rashly affirmes he did * Pol. Virg. in E. 3. The points charged vpon the English In Charles 5. Serres The dealings of the English defended against P. Aemilius An. D. 1369 Iohn Duke of Lancaster sent to inuade France * Polyd. Verg. in Edw. 3. Froissard * Ypod. Neust. * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 Holinsh. in Edw. 3. An. D. 1370 Sir Robert Knolles sent Generall into the parts about Britaine * Tho. Walsing in Edw. 3. * Paul Emyl in Car. 5. * Paul Emyl Iac. Meir Holinsh. * Tho. Walsing in fine Edw. 3. * Tho. Wals. in Edward 3. * Holinsh. * Serres * Holinshed * Serres an Author distrusted An. D. 1372 * Holinshed The Flemish Name distressed by the English * Ypod. Neust. Rochel besieged by the French The English Nauie distressed by the Castilian * Polyd. Verg. l. 19 King Edward at sea to relieue Rochel is blown backe * Tho. Walsin * Polyd. Verg. lib. 19. A. D. 1373 Rochel continueth English * Tho. VVals * Tho Wals. lib. 19. * 1. Tillius Chron. * Miller p. 992. * Idâ—… ib. * Lib. Eliens * Cambd. Erit in Essex * Milles. p. 381. Idem p. 428. * Milles. p. 441. * Idem p. 689. Monarch 50 Richard II. A. D. 1378. The Coronation of the King 〈◊〉 MS. apâ—…d Dâ—… Rob. Cotton Seruices by â—…a on of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coroâ—…ion found and â—…ed in that 〈◊〉 The Court of higâ—… Sâ—…wardship A. D. 1379. The Britons dislike of the French Gouernment matter of new troubles The commons spared in the subsidie * Siâ—…plex Capellaâ—… Walsing A mâ—…morable example of a noble young gentlemans faith keeping Aids sent into Britain drowned Other aids pierce into Britaine from 〈◊〉 by land An. D. 1380. * Io. Tilâ—… in Chron. French troubles profitable to the English The Earle of Northumberland countermanded from pursuit of the Scots The Parliament at Northampton A. D. 1381. The Earle of Cambridge sent with an Armie into Portugall * Râ—…der Santiâ—… part 〈◊〉 hist. Hisp. cap. 2â—… * Polyd. Vergil 〈◊〉 l. â—…0 The dangerous rebellionâ—… of Wat. Tyler Iacke Straâ—… others * L. S. Alban MS * Hist. Ang. l. 20. * Ioh. Stow. VVat. Tyler the Idol of the Clownes Iohn Cumber-towne once Lord Maior of London confined and confiscated * Thoâ—… VValsing Ypod. p. 539. Polyder Vergil not to be rashly beleeued Sir Iohn Aâ—…eys reputation redeemed from slander * Reâ—… hee is called Ypod. Neust. Aâ—… 13â—…0 * Henry Knightoâ—… Can. of Lâ—…c Aâ—… apud Holinsh. * Thâ—… UUals. in Richard 2. Hatred increaseth betweene the Duke and Count Northumberland Berwick recouered by the Earle A. D. 1385. The Souereignty of Flanders offeâ—…red to king Richard by the Flemmings * Iohn Tylliâ—… in Chron. * Paul Aemyl saith 40000. in in fight and in â—…ight and that in those whole ciuill warres there perished â—…00000 * In Rich. 2. ad A. D. 1386. The Duke of Lancaster stands vpon his keâ—…ping Thâ—… VValsing in Rich. 2. ad â—…unc ann The French prepare an inuasion against England * Ex Record apâ—…d Tiliuâ—… * Paul Aâ—…myl * Polyd. Uerg. lib. bist Angl. 20. Paul Aemyl Frâ—…issard Iâ—… Meir * Paul Emyl Three hundreth thousand English men in armes together * Seruientes ad arma * Paul Aemyl in Carol. 6. The Kings mother dyeth being denied a pardon for her sonne the Lord Iohn Holland * Ypod Neust. The Duke of Lancaster suspected for perswading the King to passe the Scottish Sea The vertue of priuatâ—… men in the publikâ—… cause * Iohn Tilliâ—… The Portugeseâ—…â—…d the English * Iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…xal S. Crâ—… 14. Septemb. The bad euent of this French designe for an inuasion The attempt of the Laity to dispossesse the Clergie of their temporall estates * Tâ—…o VVals King Richard the Clergies friend The first Marquesse made that euer was in England * Ex libr. Monast. de Melsa ex Record apud Guil Cambd. in Torkesh A. D. 1386. A. reg 6. * Ypod. Neust. * â—…olinsh * Tho. VValâ—… p. 321. The noble army of thâ—… Duke of Lancaster for Spaine * Heur Knighton Oklands Ang. prael * Holinsh. ex Hen. Knigh. p. 449. * Uigil S. Lauren. The Lord Henry Percie by-named Hotspur sent to Calis * Magister Gunnarius A Parallelization of the English and French States in these times * Paul Aemyl * Ypod. Neust. The first seeds of the ciuil wars * Sam. Dan. in his ciuill warres * Remaines * Tho. Walsing in Rich. 2. * Ypod. Neust. * Marâ—…al The Lord Maior of London refuseth to be of conspiracy against the Duke of Gloster An. D. 1387. * Aprilis 24. * Ypod Neust A description of King Richards chiefe fauorites Tho. VValsin in Richard 2. ad A. D. 13â—…6 The malignant construction made of the Earle of Arâ—…dels seruice The Duke of Ireland puts away his wife the Kings cosen * Tho. Walsin in Rich. 2. * Sellarij Filia a Sadlers daughter some aay a Ioyners Walsing A new â—…tion of the King how to bring the popular Lords to a triall The
courage Holinshed Hist. of Ireland Kildar receiued into Dublin with procession The French king imprisoned at Madril Gâ—…ard Queene mother soliciteth King Henry Dislikes 〈◊〉 the Emperour and K. Henry Peace betwixt England and France Signed with 〈◊〉 ovvne 〈◊〉 in Ann. 1526. The great Dominions of the Emperour Guicchard Rich. Turpin G. Câ—… A. D. 1528. The Kings Oration to his Nobility Edward Hall The Kings complaint The commendation of Queen Katherine George Couen Learned men assembled to decide the Kings marriage The testimonies of many Vniuersities sent vnto Rome Iohn Stow. pag 9â—…1 Cardinall Campeiu commeth into England The King and Queene summoned to appeare personally in the Court at Blacke Fryers Queene Katherines speech to the King Queene Katherine departed the Court. The Kings report of his Queene The King excuseth the Cardinall King Henries conscience and care The Bishoppe of Rochester contradicteth the Archbishop of Canterbury Cornelius Agrippa yeeldeth to the proposition The Popes vsurpation forbid by Parliament â—…x Parl. 24 H. 〈◊〉 K. Henries marriage dissolued by Parliament Fox Mart. 1197. Katherine Dowager Holinsh. pag 93â—… Pope Clement 7. adiudgeth the marriage lawfull The thunderings of Pope Clement 7. Sleidan com li. 9. The discent of Anne Bullen Sir Godfrey Bullen Lord Maior of London Anne 1457. Sanders in Schis Angl. Anne Bullen religion Sleid. com lib. 9. Anne Bullen Created Marchionesse of Pembrooke A. D. 1532. Octob. 11. K. Henrie complaineth of the dull Pope King Henrie allowed the Pope 60000. Angels monethly Iohn Stow pa. 946 Anne Dom. 1533. Nouâ—…mb 14. Vpon S. Erkenwalds day saith Hollinshd and Groston King Henry maried Anne Bullen * The Pope Elizabeth Barton the false Oracle or the Romanists The assisters of this false Propheâ—…esse Read Statue in Anne 25. of King H. 〈◊〉 The counterfetings of Elizabeth Barton Edward Hall Ioh. Stow. Holinsh. Cranmer Cromwell Latimer * Elizab. Barton Edward Bocking Richard Deering Richard Risby Richard Maister Henry Gould Two Monkes Iohn Stow. Edward Duke of Buckingham beheaded Holinshed The vaine feare of Prior Bolton The Pope inciteth Iames King of Scotland against England Iohn Lesly High treason The Pope giues England to him that could get it Queene Anne crowned Lady Elizabeths birth A. D. 1533. Fox Martyr 1366. Statut. Parl. H. 28. cap. 10. Queene Anne a great louer of the Gospell A. D. 1536. Ian. 29. Queene Anne deliuered of a deaâ—… Child Queene 〈◊〉 sent to the Tower Mâ—…ch Sandt The 〈◊〉 of Queene Anne Cromwels letter to the King vnder his own hand Archbishop Cranmers let 〈◊〉 to the King Sleidans Com. l. 10 L. Rochford Noâ—…is West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marks beheaded May 15. Queene Anne condemned and beheaded Robert Greene. Queene Annes speech at her death Ex MS. The audacious dealings of the Rebels Slanderous vntruths against the King The oath of the Pilgrims The Earle of Shrewsbury maketh against the Rebels Ex MS. R. Coe Thomas Duke of Norfolke Lord Lieutenant of the North. Pardon and peace offered to the Rebels Ex Original MS. The demands of the Commons The whole drift was to down with the Gospel An vncharitable and vnchristian motion Holinsh. pag. 944. Aske executed Luk. â—…2 36. Spirituall men Commotioners Monkes hanged for rebellion Idols and Monasteries suppressed by Parliament A. D. 1538. The Roode of Grace broken at Pauls Crosse. Lamb. Peram in Boxeley Our Lady of Walsingham and other Images burnt Cambd. Brit. 645. Monasteries in England 90. Colledges 110. Religious Hospitals 2374. Chaunteries and free Chappels Eras. Dialogue W. Lamb. Peram The state and opinion of Tho. Beckets Shrine Iohn Stow. The great riches of Beckets Shrine The great reuenewes of the Monasteries Supplication of Beggars The great reuenewes of the Friers 2. Cor. 12. 14. Dâ—…ut 25. 4. Apoca. 9. Iere. 13 26. Many suffered death for the Gospell before that Martin Luther wrote Queene Anne Bullen a fauourer of the Gospell staied the rage against the Professours King 〈◊〉 doings displeased many Chriâ—… Princes Camb. Brit. Lord Marquesse and others beheaded A. D. 1539. Ian. 9. Ioh. 〈◊〉 King Henry married Anne of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. An. 1540. 〈◊〉 Mart. 1296. The sixe Articles deuised 32. H. 8. chap. 10 35. H. 8. cap. 5. Lord Cromwell imprisoned In a letter writâ—… ten by himselfâ—… Ex MS. Anâ—… 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. â—…5 Queene 〈◊〉 diuorced by Parliament Cromwell affect his death 〈◊〉 ted by 〈◊〉 ment Ex MS. D. 〈◊〉 No such things as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poseth 〈◊〉 Cromwell Nâ—… 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 well to cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. D. 1540. 〈◊〉 A. D. 1541. May 17. Margaret Coun tesse of Salisbury beheaded Lord Dacres hanged Stat. in 33. of H. 〈◊〉 cap. 21. Since the eight of August 〈◊〉 Queene Katherine and the Lady Iane Rochford beheaded The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cted Sâ—…t H. 8. 28. c. 10. 〈◊〉 H. 8. 3â—… c. 4. The fixe bloody Articles enacted Iohn Fisher. Sir Thomas Moore beheaded Fox Mart. pap 1363. Anne Askew her story Io. Bale Cent. 8. â—…ol 669. Rom. 1. 16. Three conuersions by N. D. pag. 495. Anne accused by no rule of Christianity 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 compared The Counter Newgate and the Tower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ned in Smithfield 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 suppose Three 〈◊〉 on s pag. 493. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Queene 〈◊〉 rines life laid 〈◊〉 Ibid. coâ—… p 494. 〈◊〉 three conâ—…ersions The Lord Chancellor lost his commission The Queene seeth the sentence of her death Queene Katherine visiteth the King who falleth in conference with her about 〈◊〉 Act. and Mon. Queene Katherines wise answer The Lord Chancellors purpose to apprehand the Queene Henry assumeth the name of King of Ireland A. 154 confirmed by Parl. 35. Hen 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 The Kings of England and Scotland appoint to meet at Yorke A. D. 1542. An expedition into Scotland The Scotish noblemen refuse to inuade England The Lord 〈◊〉 of the Weâ—…-Borders yâ—…eld to the Kings perswasions * Williâ—… 〈◊〉 saith Stow. The mistaking of thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings 〈◊〉 Generall The Scotish Noâ—… in 〈◊〉 of their generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solem-mosse Graâ—…n saith foure and twentie The death of K. 〈◊〉 of Scotland A marriage intended betwixt Prince Edward and the young Queene of Scotland The Scotish prisoners honourably entertained The Scotish Prisoners released without Ran. some Ioâ—… 〈◊〉 The marriage of Prince Edward and Queen Mary concluded by Parliament Cardinill 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 ringe with England The French King setâ—… faction in Scotland The Queene and Queene mother conueyto ed 〈◊〉 Queene Marie of Scotland crowned The Earle of Lennox falleth from the Queene mother King Henry dâ—… mandeth the young Scotish Queene An Army 〈◊〉 into Scotland Ioâ—…n Leslie Iohn Leslie The Pope and French King send aide into Scotland Math. Earle of Lennox marrieth Lady Margaret Earle Lennox proclaimed an enemie to the state The English enâ—… Scotland A. D. 1544. Defiance sent into France Ioâ—… Stow. Bolloigne besieged Ioâ—… Sleidâ—… 〈◊〉 Bolloigne wonne R. Graâ—…con Iohn Serres
The French inuade the I le of Wight and the coasts of Sussex A Roade made into Scotland Lord 〈◊〉 slaine A. D. 1546. A great losse of English in France 〈◊〉 Serres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 7. Peace concluded betwixt England and France Holinshed Chastiâ—… raiseth a fort neere â—…nto Bolloigne King Henries comand against his own writing The Lord Grey flaâ—…teth Chatillâ—… â—…ort A. D. 1547. King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 in Suruey London 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of December and 〈◊〉 of his raigne King Henries death A. D. 1533 A. D. 1532 A. D. 1536. A. D. 1540. 〈◊〉 p. 183. Iohn Stow. A. D. 1519. Iohn Stow. 〈◊〉 Thomas Milleâ—… Holinshed saith 〈◊〉 Thetford in Norfolke p. 1237. Monarch 59 Edward VI. A. D. 1547. R. Graston Edward created Prince of Wales presently after his birth Alluding to the Crest of her father a Phoenix in flames within a Crowne By his will dated the 30. of December A. D. 1546. Salomon and Henry compared in their sinnes and in their Issue Articles of the Rebels Sacrament of Baptisme Confirmation Consectation of the Lords body Holinshed Reseruation of the Lords Body consecrated Holy Bread and Holy water Priests ' not to be married The sixe Articles The Kings answere and generall pardon The first article answered The second article answered The third article answered Their other obiections answered Answere to the sixe articles King Edwards lawes written in miâ—…ke and not in blood Spoken like a King Forces sent against the rebels Iohn Hooker in description of Excester The rebels make toward the Lord generall The valiant attempt of the Lord Russell The rebels put to flight The rebels returne and maintaine the fight And againe put to flight The Rebels againe ouer-throwne M. Fox in Act. and â—…on The Crucifixe brought in a cart into the field The Rebels againe ouer-throwne The Captaines of the Rebels executed The Maior of Bodmin hanged A Millers man hanged for his master Commotions for Inclosures A. D. 1549. Commotions in Norfolke Grene. Iohn Flowerdew and Robert Ket the caulers of the commotions Ket made Captains of the Commotion Sir Edmund Windam in danger Monshold the place of the randeuoâ—… The inhumanities of the Commotioners Supplies of the commotioners Many good subiects forced to attend vpon the Rebels The tree of Reformation The Kings pardon contemned Norwich 〈◊〉 by the Rebels * George Stradlon George Stradlon his Oration Iohn Stow The L. Protector committed to the Tower M. 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Articles drâ—…wne against the Lord Protector The Protector released from the Tower Vlpian Fulwell A combate fought betweene two Scottishmen before the Lord Grey The English forced out of Scotland The French intend to surprise Bulloignoberge The good seruico of Carter an English souldier A great slaughter of the French The French assault the Isles of Garnesey and Iersâ—…e 〈◊〉 vpon composition deâ—… liuered to the French Iohn Caixâ—… A. D. 1550. The sweating sickenes A sained reconcilement Iohn Stâ—… The Duke of Sommerset priusly armed Rich. Grafton The Duke of Sommerset sent to the Tower Stow. A. D. 1551. * Sâ—…w saith the first The Duke of Sommersets inditement * Of 〈◊〉 William Herbert The Duke condemned of 〈◊〉 Rich. Graf Iohn Stow. Holinsh. The Duke of Sommersets speech at his death A great feare without any cause Ioh. Stow in Annales The Duke entirely beloued of the Commons The Dukes second speech vpon the Scaffold Duke of SoÌ„merset soone mist and sore lamented King Edward falleth sicke Rich. Grafton Three marriages entended to reuert the succession Lady Iane made successor by sicke King Edward Vide Stat. in an 35. de R. â—… â—… M. Fox in all Mâ—… Sir Iames Halles refused to subscribe to K. Edwords Will. K. Edwards prayer The vertues of King Edward The report of Hieronymus Cardanus ex Fox His learning His Memory His Care His Mercy K. Edwards zeale to Christs Gospell K. Edwards letter to Lady Mary D. Ridleies sermon before King Edward The conference betwixt the King and Bishoppe Ridlay K. Edwards great care for the poor King Edwards 〈◊〉 deliuered to the L. Maior The Kings great liberality for the poore in London
was maried to Hugh surnamed the Great Earle of Paris Grand-master and Constable of France in the yeere of our Lord 926. being the third of her brother King Ethelstanes raigne This Hugh was the sonne of Robert brother to Endes King of France and father of King Hugh Capet progenitor of the Kings of France eueâ—… sithence vnto this day but shee died before him without any issue by him 22 Edgith the sixth daughter of King Edward and the fifth of Queene Elfleda was the first wife of Otho the first surnamed the Great Emperour of the West sonne to the Emperor Henry surnamed the Falconer By him she had issue Ludolfe Duke of Swabe William Arch-bishop of Mentz Ludgard married to Comâ—…d Duke of Lorrayn and Mechthild Abbesse of Quedlingburg in Saxonie in which Citie she deceased the seuen and twenty of August in the yeere of Christs Natiuity 947. the eleuenth of her husbands Empire and the first of her brother King Edreds raigne in England She was buried at the East end of the North side of a Chapell which her selfe had founded in the same Citie 23 Elgiua the seuenth daughter of King Edward and the sixth of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was by King Ethelstan her brother with her sister Egith sent to the Court of the Emperor Henry the first King of the Saxons in Germany who honourably entertained her brought her vp with his owne daughters and after he had maried her elder sister to his eldest sonne he placed her also in marriage with a Duke of Italy obout the Alpes who is not named of our Writers but may easily be coniectured by the honourable disposition of the maker of the match to haue been a Prince of note and account worthy of her estate and parentage 24 Edmund the fifth sonne of King Edward and the first of Queene Edgiua his third and last Wife was borne in the twentieth yeere of his fathers raigne being the yeere of the worlds saluation 921. and at his fathers death little more then three yeeres of age was notwithstanding by the carefull prouision of his mother brought vp with all princely education conuenient for his yeeres and estate insomuch as there was generally a great expectation amongst the people conceiued of him in the life of his brother King Ethelstan vnder whom he learned some experience of seruice in warre and after whom hee succeeded in the Kingdome of England 25 Edred the sixth sonne of King Edward and the second of Queene Edgiua his third Wife and the youngest sonne of them both was borne about the two and twentieth yeere of his fathers raigne and yeere of grace 923. which was not long before the death of his father who left him a little infant in the custody of his mother by whom hee was carefully brought vp and prooued a Prince of so great vertue and valour as after the death of King Edmund his brother in regard of the minority of his Nephews hee was with the generall consent and liking of the whole nation chosen to be his brothers successor in the kingdome and gouernment ouer them 26 Edburg the eight daughter of King Edward and the first of Queene Edgiua in her child-hood had her disposition tried and her course of life disposed by her Father in this manner he laid before her gorgeous apparrell and rich Iewels in one end of a chamber and the new Testament and Bookes of princely instruction in the other willing her to make her choise of which she liked best she presently tooke vp the bookes and he her in his armes and kissing her said Goe in Gods name whither God hath called thee and thereupon placed her in a Monastery at Winchester wherein shee did most vertuously spend 〈◊〉 whole life and in that Abbey was bariâ—…d 27 Edgiua the ninth daughter of King Edward and the second of his last Queene whose name thee bare is reported in the history of the Monastery of Hyde by Winchester and other Writers of our Country to haue beene married to Lewes Prince of Aquitane in France which not long before had beene a Kingdome of it selfe sometime allotted to the portion of Lewes the third sonne of the Emperour Charles the Great of which house it seemeth this Lewes was afterward it became a Dukedome and the possession of an other Family by whom it came to be the inheritance after the Conquest to the Kings of England which were descended of the house of Angeow ETHELSTAN THET VVENTIE FIFT KING OF THE VVEST SAXONS AND THE TWENTIE SIXT MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND SVPPOSED ISSVE CHAPTER XXXVIII EThelstan the eldest sonne of King Edward as hath beene said for the great hopes conceiued of him was crowned with a greater solemnity then any of his ancestors euer before him The place was Kingston vpon Thamesis in the County of Surrey the yeer of Christ Iesus 924. where in the midst of the town a high Scaffold was built and thereon the coronation performed to the open view of all by Athelmus Archbishop of Canterbury with shouts of ioy as that of Salomon 2 His beginnings were with troubles and that rather by reason of friends then force of foes for it is recorded that Elfred a nobleman either in fauour of King Edwards other sonnes holding Ethelstan a Bastard or else vpon an ambitious hope blinded of himselfe intended at Winchester to haue pluckt out the eyes of his Soueraine but his treason being knowne before the seed could shew blade he was apprehended sent to Rome to purge himselfe by oth where before the Altaâ—… of S. Peter and Pope Iohn the tenth he there abiured the act and thereupon fell sodainly down to the earth so that his seruants tooke and bare him into the English Schoole where within three dayes after he died the Pope denying him christian buriall vntill he knew King Ethelstans pleasure 3 These stormes ouerpast as great a cloud seemed to arise vnto Ethelstans sight whose eye of iealousie euer followed the ascent and his eare euer opened vnto the instillations of Parasites amongst whom his Cup-bearer was a chiefe who brought daily more and more suspition into the Kings head that lastly as wee haue shewed hee consented to young Edwins death though with too late a sorrow hee repented the same for besides his seauen yeares penance voluntarily vndergone to pacifie the ghost of his betraied brother hee built the two Monasteries of Midleton and Michelnesse as for the most part such seed-plots were euer sowne in the furrowes of bloud which hapned vpon this occasion It chanced his Cup-bearer in his seruice vpon a festiuall to stumble with the one foote and recouering himselfe with the other pleasantly to say you see how one brother helpeth another vpon which speech the King with griefe and touch of heart called to mind the death of his innocent brother and forthwith commanded execution to
issue RICHARD THE SECOND KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIETH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND TROVBLES CHAPTER XIII RIchard of Burdeaux sonne to that Great Star of English Cheualrie Edward by-named the Blacke Prince and grand-child to the most renowned Edward the third both of them lately deceased was crowned in the eleuenth yeare of his age and vpon the sixteenth day of Iuly Seldome hath been seen so magnificent a Coronation as that of this young King but the thing which gaue a better lustre of hope at his beginning then the shine and maiesty of that publike Act was the wise course which in this his childhood was taken to wit the reconciliation of the Lord Iohn Duke of Lancaster and the Citizens of London with the restitution of Sir Peter de la Mare Knight Speaker in the late Parliament whom King Edward had committed to prison at the instigation of Dame Alice Peeres now banisht and confiscated not onely to former liberty but likewise to fauour and honor extraordinary 2 At this Coronation which as matters not vnworthie to bee kept aliue wee following the immethodicall order of the Record haue here for perpetuall memory thought good to abridge out of authentike Monuments Iohn the Kings eldest vncle vnder the stile of Iohn King of Castile and Leâ—… and Duke of Lancaster by humble petition to the King claimed to bee now Steward of England in right of his Earledome of Leicester and as he was Duke of Lancaster to beare the Kings chiefe sword called Curtana and as Earle of Lincolne to cutte and carue at the royall Table before the King His petitions being found iust were confirmed to him and to his Assignes the two Earles of Derby and Stafford the first to beare the Sword while the Duke should be busied about other offices as Steward and the other to cut and carue The Duke then in great estate held this the Kings high Court of Stewardship in the VVhite-hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster Knight the Constable thereof which yet the Earle of Northumberland vpon the ninth day after recouered by force putting those who had surprized it to the sword 9 Neither was the spirit of the English after it began to requicken idle elsewhere for as Sir Robert Rous had diuers wayes vexed the French and taken Olâ—…uer the brother of that renowned Bertrand de Glequin prisoner so Sir Iohn de Harleston Captaine of Cherbrough after him slew and took diuers French in a skirmish These the few foregoing drops of greater approaching showers For Sir Hugh Caluerlee and Sir Thomas Percy made admirals of the narrow Seas tooke many rich prizes and exploited sundry other things very praise worthily bringing home the acceptable newes of the dislike which the Britons had conceiued against the French Kings Gouernment for he commanded them to render vp to him all their strengths Castles and walled Townes and many of them who refused to obey hee put to death 10 These emploiments and fresh designes for other like found need of pecuniary supplies whereupon in a Parliament holden at London it was agreed that for supply of the Kings wants the Commons should be spared and the burthen be wholie vndergone by the able The rates then of that taxe were these Dukes Archbishops Earles and Bishops at ten marks each mitred Abbots at as much besides fortie pence for euery Monke vnder their subiection Briefly saith Thomas Walsingham there was no religious person man or woman Iustitiar Sheriffe Knight Esquire Parson Vicar or Chauntry Priest free from this taxâ—… rated according to the value of their yeerely receiptâ—… 11 We formerlie mentioned how Iohn Shakell the other companion of Robert Haulee so execrablie murdered in Gods-house was taken He now vpon condition that the King besides 500. markes in money should giue him lands to the yeerely value of one hundreth markes and should also found and sufficiently endow at the Kings costs a Chantrie with fiue Priests for their soules whom the kings Officers had wickedly murthered he rendred vp his Hostage the eldest but naturall sonne of the said Earle of Dean At the discouery and bringing-forth of whom all men were stroken with wonderfull loue and admiration for the yong Gentleman hauing giuen his faith not to disclose himselfe appeared in the shape of a base groome in which vnknowne to all the world but his Master hee had of his owne accord lurked An example of such a point of perfect honestie as cannot be forgotten without iniurie 12 The same yeere the Lord Iohn Mountford whom the French had driuen out being inuited home by his Barons returned into his Dutchy of Britaine accompanied with the valiant Knights Caluerley and Percy aforesaid where he his friends and followers were receiued with singular honor Soone after Sir Iohn of Arundell brother to the Earle of Arundell being sent into Britaine to aid the Duke was with many other valiant Knights and Esquires drowned It is imputed by our Author to a iust effect of Gods anger against the said Sir Iohn and his houshold for their manifold vices and outrages practised by him and them before they set out from England for which they had the bitter curses of the people and the Angell of destruction to execute those imprecations vpon the delinquents 13 But the action of â—…iding did more deepely import then that it should bee abandoned for the losse of that vnfortunate fellowship and the exceeding riches which were with them therefore the Lord Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham with Caluerlee Percy Knols Windleshores or Windsor verie valiant knights other competent forces was sent to assist the Duke of Britaine But because the French Galleys houered vpon the narrow Seas they landed at Calleys and from thence march through France spoiling Countries burning townes the French not daring to empeach them and killing people till they and their whole equipage came safe into Britaine 14 There were about these times ciuill diuisions in France for the Duke of Burgundie younger brother of King Charles lately dead being made Guardian of the person and dominions of his Nephew Charles then in minority had the Duke of Aniou being an elder brother to the Duke of Burgundie a mortall enemie Their bloudy quarrels fell out luckily for the English aides in the Dutchie of Britaine out of which as Duke Iohn had beene driuen for adhering to his father in law the late king Edward so the English did their best to vphold him in it as there was cause 15 The French in these extremes are releeued by their ancient diuersion for the Scots entring about that time with fire and sword into Cumberland and Westmerland and the forrest of Inglewood draue away much Cattle slew the Inhabitants rifled the booths and houses of Perith in the Faire time killing and taking many and driuing away the rest The Earle of Northumberland preparing a bloudy