a doubtfull and a notable fight he was conquered and slain but his followers were pardoned A great Example of the Kings Mercy In the mean time Warre grew between the French King and the Pope Henry admonished the French man to desist and when he could not prevail with him he proclaimed Warre against him and made a Confederacy with Maximilian the Emperour and with Ferdinand King of Spain The Spaniard had intreated Henry to send an Army into Biscay and joyning his Forces with his that he should make the French work from that part Whereupon presently Thomas Gray Marquess of Dorset is sent thither with other Nobility and 10000 Souldiers he when he came thither did not long wait for the Spaniards assistance For the Duke of Alba took in the mean time by Force the Kingdom of Navarre from the French endeavouring the profit of his own King But the English that they might not seem to do nothing in Guyan subduing some Towns that were not considerable fell into that necessity of provision the Spaniard affording them none that many of them died miserably for hunger contracting also diseases by such unusual diet and the rest break forth into open Rebellion The Lord Howard who had the disposing of all affairs whilst the Marquess was sick hardly escaped from being slain Wherefore he was forced to provide Ships and to bring these sactious people home again Edward Howard Admiral at Sea did wonderfully depopulate Britanny by fire and sword and vanquished the Forces of the Britans in Battel though they farre exceeded those he had and so with his Ships laden with the spoil he sailed towards the Isle of Wight whilst Henry at London recreated himself with Tiltings and other courtly delights In the mean time in France in the Brittish Sea there was almost an equal fight for loss between the English and the French Ships and the Victory was doubtfull After this the English set upon the French Ships very indiscreetly in the very Haven with a great losse to themselves and their Admiral whereby they were forced to sound a retreat and be gone Whereupon the French began to wax more insolent to do mischief on the Coasts of England and to burn some Cities untill by the vigilancy of Howard who was put into the others place they were kept in Henry was resolved to make a Warre indeed with France and sent George Talbot before with the principal Nobility and 8000 Souldiers only to Callis then he sent Charles Sommerset and other Lords with 6000 Souldiers he himself being to come after them When the Admirals met they fell upon Tarvenne with joynt Forces Henry shortly after came to them with 9000 Souldiers and with a great number of Pioneers Also Maximilian the Emperour which was a rare example took Pay under King Henry Yet though he served under the English he was received as an Emperour should be and for the honour of his Majesty Then the French Horse purposing to relieve the City with provision were repulsed by the English the Duke of Longovil being taken and 240 more whereupon a wonderfull fear and despair fell upon the Townsmen so the English pressing them sore they were forced to surrender The Souldiers had leave to depart with their Arms the Wals were laid level with the ground the City excepting the chief Church and the Palace were consumed with fire Then he marched to Tourney and beleaguer'd the City they refusing to yeeld he quickly became Master of it causing the Citizens to take an Oath of fidelity And when he provoked the French to fight and could not make them accept of it because the Winter was now hard by he made Poyning Governour of it and returned himself for England In the mean while the Scotch at the instigation of the French fell upon the English Frontiers Their General was the Lord Humes who with seven or eight thousand men wasted the Borders But Edward Bulmer suddenly came upon him and took all the booty from him he himself hardly escaped six hundred of his men being slain and four hundred taken But James with an Army of sixty thousand men entred the skirts of England who was met by the Earl of Surrey Henry his Deputy in those parts at Bramston with six and twenty thousand men and joyning Battle the English wan the day by their great valour and the Scots lost it by their great confidence James himself with two Earls three Bishops and eight thousand Souldiers was slain no fewer was taken nor was this Victory wan by the English without losse of bloud it was fought in the year 1513. Henry coming out of France made the Earl of Surrey because he had so well managed his business Duke of Norfolk and other Lords who had done good service received Honours as they deserved He gave also to Thomas Wolsey the Bishoprick of Lincoln This man to be often named by us came from a poor parentage to great Honour and at last was made a Cardinal and governed the Commonwealth of England very wisely Pope Julius the second at this time gave to Hâ—â—ry great Honour sending unto him a Cap of Maintenance a Sword and the Title Of the most Christian King which Grace Henry received with Tiltings and other pompous Shews wherein he himself did alwayes bear the principal part In the interim Mary the Kings Sister was espoused to the Prince of Spain but because the Embassadours of Spain made delayes she was betrothed to the French desiring it and having had their fill of Warre But before the matter was published John the Admiral of the French first ruined one Village in England and John Wallop in revenge of this injury burnt one and twenty in France But at last a League was made and they ceased from Warre The French man lived not above three moneths after his Marriage and the lascivious old man being dead Mary by Henries consent was married to the Duke of Suffolk Wolsey about this time was honoured with a Cardinals-Cap and is created by the King Chancellour of England And Cardinal Campeius was sent to Henry to desire assistance to make Warre against the Turk but he lost his labour for that cheat of raising money was grown stale But Matthias the Cardinal being sent by the Emperour Maximilian for the same purpose prevailed at the request of Wolsey At that time Henry was in great danger of his life For as he went a Hawking the Pole broke that he leaped over the Ditches withall and he was almost smoothered in mire and dirt but his Lâ—ckey drew him out in time and saved his life In the mean while a Sedition grew at London between the Citizens and strangers not without blood-shed which was qualified by the death of the Ring-leaders and pardon to the rest Tourney at this time upon Conditions and under colour of Matrimony between the Dolphin and Mary King Henries Daughter is delivered up to the French and Hostages being given a League is confirmed between them Maximilian being dead
French King a Maid of eight years old being betrothed to King Richard For Anna his former Wife was deceased The Duke of Glocester by an importune word blaming the Kings negligence fell into his displeasure and fearing some ill issue of it with his Brothers forsook the Court and entring into a Conspiracy with some friends he attempted to change the state of the Kingdom But the King under-feeling it with his Brother the Earl of Huntington took a progress to the Castle of the Duke of Glocester his Fathers Brother when he came there at night he found the Duke rising out of his Bed and presently going to meet him he was taken by the Earl Marshall and carried Prisoner to Callis and there was hanged miserably Also the Earl of Arundel the chief Conspiratour and some principall Noblemen are east into Prison And he afterwards in a Parliament being questioned for his life had his head cut off the rest being condemned either to be banished or to perpetual Imprisonment And thus Richard by the bloud of the Nobility thought to make good his Kingdom The Dukes of Norfolk and Hereford without any other witness appeaching one the other of Treason are admitted to fight a Duell but when they were both ready to fight they were commanded to forbear and so to spare blood they were both sent away to divers places into Banishment Norfolk went first for Germany then to Venice where he died of meer sorrow and grief But Hereford who had sail'd into France and there being instigated by the Counsel of the Archbishop of Canterbury who was banished for the same Conspiracy returned privately home under a pretence of his Patrimony to be redeemed which the King had brought into the Exchequer after his Fathers death against all Right and Equity but indeed that joyning with the Nobility he might order the Kings Insolence He was scarce landed but the Nobility came from all parts to him and he waxed very strong And having now a sufficient Army he took some Cities and beheaded the Kings chiefest Counsellours Richard in the interim was in Ireland and did his best to subdue the Irish When a Messenger came to him of the Commotions in England he was troubled at it yet made no haste according as the danger required At length the Earl of Salisbury was sent into England before him that he might levy what Forces he could the King promising in six dayes to be with him As soon as the Earl set foot in England he raised with ease a mighty Army of Welsh but the King not appearing a rumour was given that he was dead so part of his Forces went one way some another but a few stood to their Colours The King at last so soon as contrary windes would let him came to them But when he found so much of the Countrey to be fallen to Hereford and the Duke of Lancaster also by the death of his Father he quite fainted in his minde and bad all those men that came to help him to go whither they pleased yet they continuing their fidelity he with the Earl of Exeter and some others fled to the Castle of Conve where he found the Earl of Salisbury Here the Duke of Worcester who was Governour of the Kings House breaking his white Staff a sign of his Office and so renouncing his fidelity fell off from the King to the Lords Conspiratours Then the Earl of Northumberland is sent to the King who from that Castle conveyed him to another place saying also that he came to treat with the King for Conditions of Peace which the King did not refuse But in the way the Earl of Rutland coming upon him he is forced to go to Flint-Castle whether shortly after Henry the Duke of Lancaster came who was guilty and friendly received by the King and then he related the cause of his coming which was that he might receive his Rights and Goods The King granted and ratified all so they went to drink together and afterwards mounting on Horsback they ride towards London in a continued voyage in so great haste that the King had no leisure given him to change his cloaths Then was the King put into the Tower the Castle for the Nobility and was diligently watched there And a Parliament was called by the Command of Lancaster though it were falsly given out in the Kings Name wherein Richard was accused of divers crimes Namely That he had wasted the goods of the Kingdom That he had borrowed a vast summe of Money and not yet repay'd it That he had made all the Laws Arbitrary as he pleased That he had changed the Members of Parliament when he would That he had Tyrannically taken Power to himself over the Subjects Estates That he had corrupted the Judges That he had caused his Vncle Earl of Glocester to be barbarously murdered at Callis That he had imprisoned the Members of Parliament That beyond Right and Equity he had put the Earl of Arundel to extream Terture That be had depopulated his own Kingdome That be had pawned the Ornaments of the Kingdome and Kings out of the Kingdom and so forward For which faults they thought fit to deprive him of all his Honours and Title of King But he that he might seem to desire what he would have avoided willingly resigned all his Right to the Kingdom and freely gave it to Henry of Lancaster whom he nominated to succeed him which was ratified and confirmed by the Great Seal Then Richard being brought to Pomfret-Castle was discharged of his Crown Henry having thus got the Kingdome and not enduring any Competitour one day lamenting was heard to cry out Is there any man will free me from that hatefull man And presently one Peter Exton a Knight that he might winne the Kings favour with such a wickednesse went with eight more unto Richard whom he set upon to kill him being at Dinner but Richard rising hastily wresting the Ax out of the hands of one of his Executioners killed four of them and at last by this Peter Exton he was knocked down dead himself by an unhappy blow on the Head which the Parricides lamented when it was too late Thus the unhappiest and most well-favoured of the Kings of England ended his life and Kingdom HENRY the fourth King of England and France Anno 1399. HENRY of Lancaster who was nominated to succeed was crowned King but that he might not be thought to usurp that Kingdom which he had by Election he endeavoured to be established in his own Right vaunting that he was the next Heir being directly descended from Henry the third but that was false and counterfeit for Roger Mortimer Earl of Marsh deriving his Pedigree from the eldest Sonne of Henry the third had a better Title To this he added his Right of Force whereby he made good the Succession he could not have done by Inheritance Be it what it will be he maintain'd it by his Sword He gave good example when his
business prosperously for the Duke of Burgundy and being highly rewarded they went back for their Country the Warre being as then not ended between the Burgundian and the Duke of Orleans But he knowing that the hearts of the English were therefore set against him requesting their assistance obtained it from King Henry but when there was a scattered report that they were both agreed the auxilliary English staying by the Loyre expected their wages which when they could not obtain they being incensed plundered a Town that was hard by called Bellilocum and the Monastery and after that being called away by the Duke of Clarence they march toward Gasconye for the Duke of Orleans and plunden all as they go along and when the Duke of Orleans had paid them their wages they were pacified and returned for England But Henry now for a good while having ended his Civil Warre and intending an expedition for Palestina preparing a Fleet for that purpose died very suddenly at Westminster when he had reigned about 14 years About the time of his death James Stuart the eldest Sonne of Robert for David was dead whilst he was taking a voyage into France was taken by the English and was brought to London being exceedingly entertained by the King but his Father supposing his Sonne was now lost died for meer grief and sorrow shortly after whom his Brother Robert succeeded in the Throne HENRY the fifth King of England and France Anno 1413. THis King was inaugurated with a wonderfull applause and desire of the Lords and Commons and he not willing to disappoint his subjects of the hope they conceived of him gave presently a sign of his excellent Government sending away from him those ministers of lascivious youth amongst whom he had been formerly bred and least by sluggishness his valiant heart should languish he sets his whole care how to recover his right in France having narrowly looked into it First he sent Heraulds and demanded his Kingdom from King Charles promising to Marry his Daughter and threatning also that if Charles would not do it he would come with an Army and take his Patrimony by force Charles laughed at his Embassadours whereby he so enraged the minde of Henry that he presently mustering a mighty Army with about 1200 Ships he sails into France first he besieged Harflet and in a few daies compelled it to yield Then passing to Somma at the Temple of Maxentius the enemy met him wherefore he pitched his Tents But when he saw the enemy not very greedy to fight he skirmished lightly and so passed on to Callis The French man in the mean time when it came into his minde sent Heraulds to Henry to challenge him to fight who was not unwilling to accept it he dismissed them with rewards and passing over a River presently news came that the enemy was at hand wherefore he hastily makes himself ready for the Battell though he were farre inferiour in forces they presently fall on but Henry joyning industry to his vertue giving such a violent charge that after a terrible fight on both sides he put the French at last to their heels He himself being in the midst of the enemies forces dismounted the Duke of Alenson who was presently slain by the English souldiers they had so many prisoners that they farre exceeded the Conquerours wherefore he commanded to kill them all least they should rise against them that had subdued them There was a wonderfull multitude of Dukes Earls and Lords that were destroyed and not above 600 of the English wanting amongst which one was the Duke of York This Battell was fought at Dagincourt which gave a good omen to great Victories afterwards Henry by this Victory cast such a terrour on the French that Lewis the Dolphin taking grief of minde died shortly after Such was the constancy of Henries heart that he forbad his souldiers on pain of death to sing any scurrilous songs in derogation of the French but rather to sing Psalmes and Hymns to the glory of God In that time Sigismund the Emperour came to England to treat of Peace between the French and the English nor was Henry slow in the business but when the French in the interim besieged Harflet he was so angry that no man afterwards durst mention peace and presently sending the Duke of Bedford to raife the siege with the Earl of Marsh Oxford and other Earls and 200 Ships he fought a bloody Battell at Sea at Harflet Haven with Borbon the French Admiral wherein the English wan the day sinking 500 Ships of the French and so freed the Town But Caesar finding the perfidiousness of the French did not only forbear ever after to make mention of any peace but made a firm League with the English against all opposers and so returned back into Germany The French in the mean time not to be idle hired some great Ships of Genoa and besieging the Haven of Harflet endeavoured to hinder all relief from the Town But the Earl of Huntington coming suddenly upon them after a fierce fight dispersed them and vanquished the rest He took the Duke of Borbon a Bastard and so returned Conquerour for England Then the King with his chief Nobility sailed into Normandy and Conquered the Fort Tucha whilst the Earl of Salisbury wan Albervill which place the King gave freely to him and his heirs After that he wan Caen which City when the Towns men defended with great obstinacy he made mines secretly through which the most forward of the souldiery entred the City the Duke of Clarence leading them on and setting on the Guard put them all to flight and so the whole Army found entrance some of the principall for their perversness were put to death and the plunder of the City was given to the Souldiers The Governour had not yet yielded the Fort but when the King sware he would spare none if they continued resolute at last he gave it up The French in the mean while being in Civil broils all things went with the English as they pleased He sent the Duke of Clarence to besiege the Town of Bayon which he quickly wan whilst he staid at Caen he restored to the people of Lyons a mighty mass of Treasure that was found in the Castle which the frighted people had brought thither upon condition that they should be constant in their obedience for the future This was a pattern of his wonderfull piety Then he removed to Corfen and in three daies won the Town Then he subdued Argentanians after that Alencon then Falesia and so returned Victor to Caen. He had almost the like success at Sea vanquishing many Ships of the enemy but his own Fleet was tossed long in a tempest whilst he strove to sail to South-hampton yet he lost but two Ships In the mean while the Earl of Warwick and Talbot conquer the Castle of Dumfrise and Clarentius mastered Curton and many other Towns Then the King laies siege to Roan and at last
by famine he forced the obstinate Citizens to submit which Town being the chief was an example for the rest to follow so that shortly he wan all Normandy which was lost by the carelesness of his Predecessors The Duke of Burgundy finding all the English desired to succeed thought it concerned him to procure peace between both Kings and at last he obtained a meeting between Henry and the French Queen for the King was fallen into his usuall doting yet there was nothing enacted The Queen had brought her most beautifull Daughter Katharine that she might ensnare the Kings minde with her allurements nor was it in vain for Henry when he saw her was wonderfully taken with her and when they departed doing nothing the King laid a charge on the Duke of Burgundy that unless all he asked together with the Kings Daughter were granted him he would by force take from the Duke his Dukedom and from the King his Kingdom They were so frighted with these threats that they fell to a new Parly But the Dolphin by reason of this newly conceived hatred and burning with former envy commanded the Duke of Burgundy to be killed basely not long after though he begged his life from him on his knees and so the slaughter of the Duke of Orleance committed before by Burgundy was expiated Nor is peace yet concluded untill the French were forced to it by a further loss A meeting was appointed at Trecas and there was Katherine betrothed to Henry and the right of succession was confirmed to him after the death of Charles whereupon all the Nobility of France swear to be Loyall to him and so the Salique Law in France was broken The Dolphin who had not consented to these conditions is made Warre against by the Kings of France and England and divers Towns that took part with him are conquered and when as he came not upon his citation to appear at Paris before the Marble Table as they call it upon the day appointed he was banished Henry also using his Authority commanded Money to be coyned with the Arms of France and England which he called the Soveraign Then leaving the Duke of Clarence Governour of France and Normandy he returned for England But Clarence making an expedition against Aniou and spoyling them as he came back laden with the prey he was betraied in his passage by one Andrew Fogosus and though he fought valiantly yet was he slain by the Duke of Alenson with the chief Nobility and 2000 English men The Earls of Sommerset and of Suffolk and other Lords were taken prisoners The King to revenge his Brothers death lands in France with a mighty Army and freed Chartres from a siege of the Dolphin for when he heard of the Kings approach he retreated to Towrs whilst the Scotch King with the Duke of Glocester conquer Drocas Henry pursues the Dolphin from place to place yet could not overtake him though he took all Towns in his way so that he joyned in a short time all the Island of France to the rest In the interim the Queen was delivered of a Sonne at Windsor who was Christned Henry of whom King Henry spake as a Prophet Good God saith he I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and shall prevail much but Henry of Windsor shall Reign long and shall lose all but the will of God be done About that time the Dolphin had besieged those of Narbon Henry marches quickly thither to free them and making too much haste he took a Feaver by over-heating himself wherefore he was forced to stay but the Duke of Bedford was dispatcht who not only freed them of Narbon but also drove the Dolphin towards Aquitan who from thence in mockery was called King of Aquitan But a flux of the belly coming upon Henries disease which increased every day he was carried to Boy de Vincennois where within a few daies he died Christianly Anno 1421. first giving to his Brother the Duke of Bedford the Title of Regent of Normandy and France and his other Brother the Duke of Glocester he made Governour of England He was not yet over 36 years old and so he died in the top and flower of his age and honour having reigned nine years and five moneths The most famous Conquerour of all the Kings and best beloved of his subjects that he was so lamented of them which is not usuall that they could not forbear to weep for him The Doctrine of Wytcliff was eminent in this Kings reign for which John Huss and Hierom of Prague were at Casars command afterwards burnt alive HENRY the sixth King of England and of France Anno 1422. HEnry of Windsor the sole Heir of Henry the fifth obtained the Kingdom after his Fathers death being nine moneths old who when he came to years was not like to his Father either for Vertue or Fortune He was proclaimed King at Paris by the Authority of the Duke of Bedford all the Lords of the Kingdom swearing fidelity to him But King Charles the sixth dying a little after Henry his Sonne Charlis the seventh hoped to regain by Valour and Industry what the French had lost by cowardise First he wan the Pont Malanus which City by Montacute his vertue was again won from him Then they fought with a doubtfull success at Crepan where about 2000 French were slain amongst whom were many Nobles and the Town was taken But Charles overcame many of the English driving a great Herd of Cattell toward Normandy and took the prey from them and freed the Temple of St Michel from a siege Then the chance of Warre being altered he is again put to the worst at Vernols But the fidelity of the men of Orleans was notable who levelling their Suburbs with the ground held play with the Earl of Salisbury a most valiant Commander who had beleaguerd them and when they were almost famished and were ready to yield themselves to the Duke of Burgundy Salisbury disdaining the honour should be taken from him refused the conditions but he whilst he was not wary enough in viewing the sciâ—uation of the City was slain with a bullet from the Walls In the interim the Duke of Glocester did not a little stain his Honour marrying Jacoba the Countess of Holland which had formerly married to John Duke of Brabant but she being surprized by craft was brought back to her Husband but again disguising her self in mans apparell she escaped into Holland and there she waged Warre against her Husband and when she was too weak for him and the Pope would not grant her a Divorce the Duke of Glocester rejected her and she afterwards married to Francus Borsely a Dutch Knight but he being cast into prison by the Duke of Burgundy she afterwards led a miserable life In the mean time the English were often fortunate in Battell against the French and recovered divers Towns but those of Orleans having help as it were from God brought to them did not
York when his Adversary was dead commands his Followers to abstain from fighting and goes with the King to London Then a Parliament was called and he is freed from all fault and made Protector of the King and Kingdome The Earl of Sarisbury was made Chancellour and Warwick Governour of Callis For procuring which places every one was very watchfull But the Queen not enduring the Authority of York she never left urging Buckingham with the Death of his Son and young Sommerset with the Death of his Father and when she had sufficiently incensed them she goes to Greenwich and there she holds a Councel commanding York and his Confederates to renounce their Places But they refused to do it Then with subtilty mingled with flattery she intercepts them and did all the mischief she could but all in vain yet they least they might give cause of greater troubles retire themselves some to one place some to another But sending Messengers one to another they came all to London with their Forces provided and by the Mediation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and others there was an Act of Oblivion granted for all that had been done and Peace was concluded on both sides and all is confirmed with a solemn Shew of Religion Yet they held not long for occasion being taken from a quarrel that happened between one of the Kings and of the Earl of Warwicks Servants they endeavoured to lay hold on Warwick but he fore-seeing the danger with Post-horse makes haste to York to the Duke and to his Father Earl of Sarisbury whom he acquainted with the business but he going on board the Navy that was ready by the shoar for he was Admiral of the Sea made haste to Callis In the mean time Sarisbbury goes to the King with 5000 souldiers that he might acquaint him with the injury done to his Sonne and of the inveterate hatred of the Queen which was now apparent But Audley who at the command of the Queen and of the Duke of Buckingham had raised an Army of 10000 men went against him and was beaten 2400 were slain the rest fled to save themselves York supposing it was in vain to dally any longer raising an Army with the Earls of Sarisbury and of Warwick he provides for Warre but a Treaty being had between both sides and a pardon granted by the King for all faults many forsook the Dukes and all the Counsels of the Conspirators were detected with which York was brought to desparation and fled with his younger Sonne Earl of Rutland first into Wales then into Ireland When the private souldiers had procured pardon the Earls of Marsh Sarisbury and Warwick took their voyage for Callis but some of the principall were put to death and a Parliament being called they were all convinced and condemned for Treason Also Sommerset at the Queens intercession was made Governour of Callis but when he thought to enter upon his Government he was shot at from the Town and was forced to betake himself to some other place The Queen hearing this began to rage and commanded all the Ships that were in Sandwich-Haven to be fitted for Callis But John Dynham for the Earl of Marsh his sake took them all and with Riverius their Admiral brought them to Callis The Earl of Warwick also sail'd into Ireland to York and consulting with him returned safe for Callis Simon Montfort was Warden of the Cinque-ports and guarded all the Inrodes that Warwick might not come into England but he being admonished of it by the Spies he had fastning upon his Navy not yet ready he plundered Sandwich and brought Simon with a great booty to Callis And when he understood that the Kentish men desired his presence he came the second time to Sandwich where the Lord Cobham with a great multitude of the Nobility joyned with him Wherefore being appointed with an Army of 25000 Men be marched presently to London and possessed himself of the Tower whereby he afterwards did the Londoners a great deal of mischief But hearing that his Father the Earl of Sarisbury was coming on he passed over the Thames and joyned with him The King with the Dukes of Buckingham and Sommerset and a well appointed Army marches against them at Northampton he came in sight of the Enemy The Battel began on both sides and they fought vehemently Humphrey Duke of Buckingham with John Talbot the Earl of Shrewsbury Thomas Lord Egremont John Bellomont and others were slain and on one and the other side ten thousand men This was in the year 1460. The Queen escaped with the Duke of Sommerset and his Sonne but the King more mindfull of his prayers than of the Battel was taken and brought prisoner to London Warwick presently got possession of the Tower and Scales the Lieutenant whilest he thought to get away crossing the Thames in a disguise was discovered taken and beheaded The Duke of York receiving Message of this Success leaving Ireland came Post for London where at a solemn meeting he layes open his Right to the Crown of England deriving his Pedigree from Lyonel the third Son of Edward the third the elder brother of John of Gaunt the Father of Henry the fourth the Usurper But he desired not the Kingdom unless his Right were made clear to all men Wherefore a Councel being held the Title of a King is granted to King Henry so long as he lived and York is named to succeed him The Queen all this while mustering an Army in Scotland invades England daily York with his younger Sonne of Rutland and with the Earl of Sarisbury went against her leaving for a Guard to King Henry the Earls of Warwick and Norfolk but he being circumvented by treachery was slain and 3000 of his Souldiers with him nor did she spare the Earl of Rutland a childe of twelve years old though he begged for his life with tears Sarisbury who was taken alive and as many as were taken with him were by the fury of a Woman all beheaded This was the end of Richard Plantaganet Duke of York The Earl of Marsh hearing of his Fathers death managed his business with more vehemency now than before raising an Army of 23000 Men he overcame the Earls of Pembroke and Ormont alive he took Owen Tewdor alive who had married Katharine Mother to Henry the sixth and chopped off his Head But the Queen insulting at the death of the Duke of York marched toward London with her Forces and was met by the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Warwick who durst have given her Battel but by the treachery of their followers that forsook them they were forced to flie for to save themselves King Henry by that Victory came again into the Queens Power But in the mean time Edward Earl of Marsh by the general Vote of all Orders was crowned King according as it was enacted in Parliament and gathering a great Army at Tanton he met the King and the Queen and joyning Battel with them he
of the Battell brought fresh Forces and joyned with Henry whereby he was not a little animated for otherwise he was farre inferiour to Richard in men and so takes heart again The King himself at last entred the fight who after he had given wonderfull tokens of his Valour had killed Henries Standard-bearer put Henry himself in danger he was surrounded by multitudes of souldiers and fighting valiantly was slain Henry got the Victory by Richards death for the Earl of Northumberland who brought up the tear of Richards Army as he came against his will so he refused to fight any longer Not above 1000 were slain of the Kings side and of Henries side hardly 100. The Nobility that yielded were pardoned and Henry had forthwith the Crown set on his Head which they had taken from Richards Head and he is saluted â—ing by all with a generall acclamation Richards body was found amongst the dead and was buried with no Honour at Leicester HENRY the seventh King of England and France Anno 1486. HENRY came to the Kingdom both by Right and Valour and was Crowned at Westminster Anno 1486 the day before the Calends of November Then calling a Parliament he is discharged of the Treason Richard laid to him and he gave Rewards and Honours to some that were grieved He married Elizabeth the Daughter to Edward the fourth and by that Marriage the old quarrell between the White Rose and the Red was ended At his first entrance he kept a strong Guard about him either for his power or Majesty which custom is continued to our daies The English Sweat was rife about this time a disease never known before it destroyed abundance of men but the sharper the disease was the shorter time it lasted Then new troubles arose in the North of England which were easily vanquished by Lovels flight and Staffords death But a new tumult that grew from meer opinion and perswasion gave cause for new cares for one Simon a Priest reports falsly that a Scholar of his who was very like which made the Priest the bolder to give it out was the Sonne to Edward Duke of Clarence which was cast into prison a little before by Henry and he said with him into Ireland and prevailed so much amongst the Peers there that the youth was saluted King at Dublin Then obtaining help from Margaret wife to Burgundy he comes inâ—o England to whom those Lords that favoured the cause of Plantagenet joyned themselves though they knew the fraud yet they hoped to bring on the design But Henry went against them in time and after a most eager fight he slew the Earl of Lincoln and other of the chief men that followed him But he spared Lambert this counterfeit Earl by reason of his youth and innocency and he was made the Kings servant Simondus escaped because he was a Priest Then sending Embassadours into Scotland he treated for peace but when he could not procure it in regard of the malice of the subjects a Truce was made for seven years But a difference rifing between Charles King of France and Francis Duke of Brittany Henry that he might displease neither side being engaged to both made himself Umpire to end the quarrel between them but when he could do nothing by his Embassadours they fell to Arms. Edward Lord Vdevill the Queens Uncle without the knowledge of the King assisted the Duke of Brittany with 400 choice men but the French afterwards getting the Victory the Duke and they were all slain The Duke being dead the contest ended In the mean time in Yorkshire troubles arose because of Tribute required one John Chambers was the Authour of them Henry Earl of Northumberland Governour of that Country was basely slain by one of the factions multitude then they came on by Troops John Egrimont Knight being their Leader But the King fell on them presently and easily dissipated the tumultuous rabble punishing severely the Authors of it But Egrimont fled to Margaret into Burgundy which was the common place of refuge for the Rebels yet there was nothing abated of the Tribute to be paid A great Tumult about that time fell in Scotland the subects rising against James King of Scotland and they forced his Sonne James to take part with them Henry King of England Charles King of France and the Pope could not reconcile this quarrel and when the subjects gave a harsh answer the Battell began at Strevelin where the subjects got the Victory and the King himself though his Sonne was against it was cruelly slain in a Mill. Then a jarring arose between Frederick the Emperour and some Cities in Flanders the French came to assist the Emperour But Henry not enduring the French so near to Callis sent the Lord Morley with a supply of a thousand men who with two thousand of his souldiers vanquished eight thousand of the enemies but he himself was slain The French to revenge this loss had almost won Newport but being frighted at the coming of the English they lost the Victory Maximilian the Emperour when he endeavoured to marry Anne Daughter to Francis Duke of Brittany which he had betrothed by Embassadours he is hindred by the French King to whom he had espoused his Daughter Margaret for he divorcing Margaret gaping after the Dukedom of Brittany by force got Anne into his power and solemnly made her his Wife Henry was wonderfully offended at this fraud and asked Subsidies from his Parliament taking counsell to make a Warre upon the French King At length he landed at Callis with a small Army and besieged Bononia but finding Maximilian unprepared for whose sake he had undertaken this Warre he easily yielded to make Peace obtaining from the French a great summe of money and a yearly revenue and so returned for England Margaret Wife to the Duke of Burgundy alwaies studied mischief against the English for she bred up for some moneths in her Court a tertain young man who was called Peterkin or Perkin Warbech and obtruded him upon the English Nation for Richard the Sonne of Edward the fourth who was said to have been stifled Many of the Nobility of England either deceived by the appearance or because they desired innovation joyn with that supposed Richard amongst whom was William Stanley who helped Peter with money Stanley was taken convicted and lost his Head though he were the principall cause whereby Henry came to the Crown Peter in the mean time having got a tumultuous number of men landed in Kent where there were taken of his men 160 amongst whom were five Captains who first landed they were hanged at London and other places Peter when he little prevailed there sails into Ireland where he was magnificently entertained by the Inhabitants who much honoured the name of the Plantagenets But when he could expect little help thence from a poor weak people he makes haste into Scotland The Scot had him in high esteem and being deceived by his presence or courtly Carriage which Margaret