reygned yeres xiiii ca. c.xii. fo xlvii Careticus a Bryton of vncowthe byrth began hys tyraÌ„ny ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lord .v. C.lxxx .vi .xxii. yere of Chylperyche than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and tyrannysed yeres .iii. ca. c.xviii fo liii Here it is to be noted that after y e sayd Careticus was expulsed out of Brytayne the BrytoÌ„s abode in Cambria these partes fought ofteÌ„with the SaxoÌ„s Of whose captaynes fro thys Careticus vntyll Cadwan the story remeÌ„breth none yet by y e coÌ„cordauÌ„ce of other cronycles hystories it apereth y t betwene the laste yere of Careticus begynnyng of the reygn of Cadwan there passed about .xxiii. yeres as apereth by y e sequell Furthermore in this tyme Ethelbert king of Kent receyued the fayth about the yere of oure lorde .v. C.xcvi Thys Ethelbert bylded Poules church And about the yere of our lord .vi. C.xiii. began the kyngdome Estsaxons vnder Sebertus Lotharius or Clotharius y e sonÌ„ of Chylpericus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .v C.lxxxviii the .ii. yere of Careticus than kynge of Brytayne reygned yeres .xliii. ca. c.xxii fo lvi Cadwanus duke of Northwalis was of y e Brytons chosen kyng and begaÌ„ to reygne ouer a parte of BrytoÌ„s in the yere of our lorde .vi. C. and viii the .xxv. yere of the secoÌ„de Clothayre reygned yeres .xxii. In this kynges tyme the kyng done of Mercia began vnder Penda ca. c.xxviii folio lxiiii Dagobertus y e fyrst of y e name sonnÌ„ of y e secoÌ„d Clothayre begaÌ„ hys dominioÌ„ ouer y e FreÌ„chemeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vi. C. .xxxi y e .viii. yere of Cadwan than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .xiiii. Saynt Denys with hys felowes were fouÌ„d by this king by myracle ca. c.xxxi fo lxv Cadwallus the sonÌ„ of CadwanÌ„ began hys reygne ouer a parte of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .vi. C. xxxv and the .iiii. yere of the fyrste Dagoberte than kynge of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xlviii. ca. c.xxxiii folio .lxvii. Elodoueus the yoÌ„ger sonnÌ„ of Dagobertus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vi. C. .xlv and the .x. yere of Cadwall than kyng of Brytayn reygned yeres .xvi. ca. c.xxxvi fo lxxi Clotharius y e thyrde of that name and sonne of Clodoueus was made kyng of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord vi C.lxii and the .xxvi. yere of Cadwall than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .iiii. ca. xxxvii fo lxxii Theodoricus the brother of y e fornamed Lothayre began hys reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde vi C.lxvi and the .xxx. yere of the fore sayd Cadwall than kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xxxviii fo lxxii Chylderycus or Hylderycus y e .iii. sonne of Clodoueus began his reygne ouer the Frenchmen in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxix y e .xxxiii. of Cadwall yet kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.xxxix fo lxxii Cadwaladrus or after Bede Cedwalla sonne of Cadwallo began to rule the BrytoÌ„s in the yere of oure lorde .vi. C.lxxx and .iii the .xii. yere of Theodoricus thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xl. folio .lxxiii. Of the tyme of the raygne of this Cadwalader autours write diuersly and shew of him as of .ii. seuerall persones â–ª For Galfryde other say that whan he had reygned .xii. yeres he went to Rome thereof pope Sergius was made a monk and dyed in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxxix which sayeng differeth farre from other authours For Guido de caluÌ„ma sayeth in hys worke that he shortly gathered of the kynges of Brytayne that whan Cadwallader that also is named Cadwalla sonne of Cadwallon had peassably gouerned Brytayne iii. yeres he went to Rome of pope Sergius was made monk ended hys lyfe in the yere of our lord .vi. C.lxxxix whych sayng Policronicon in hys .v. boke .xx. chapyter affermeth where he nameth the sayd Cadwalader king of Brytons and westsaxoÌ„s and that kyng Iew or Iue was hys successour And so by these authours other which PolicronicoÌ„ alledgeth for hym as Beda other whych name thys Cadwalader Ced walla it apereth that it was one person that thys tyme he reygned ouer the Brytons and westsaxones whyche was last kyng of the stok of the Brytons And because the kynges of westsaâ—oÌ„ in proces of tyme subdued all the other kinges therfore I wyll obserue the order of them vntyll I haue broughte thys ilande to one monarchy Here endeth the lyne of the kynges of Brytayne whyche contynued froÌ„ the fyrst Brute by M.viii C. .xxii. yeres Thus endeth the fyft parte whyche includeth CC.liii IEwe or Iue of y e blod of Saxons or after som writers Iuo beganne hys reygne ouer the westsaxones to rekyn after the departing of Cadwalader in the yere of oure lorde .vi. hundreth .lxxx. and .vii and the .xvi. yere of the seconde Theodoricus thanne kynge of Fraunce and reygned yered .xxxvii. ca. c.xli. folio .lxxvi Clodoueus the .iii. of that name secoÌ„d sonne of the second Theodoricus was made kyng of FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord .vi. C.xc and the .iii. yere of Iewe thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxones reygned yeres .iii. ca. c.xlii folio .lxxvi. Chyldebertus the second sonnÌ„ of Theodoryche begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chemeÌ„ in y e yere of our lord .vi C.lxxx .xiii the .vi. yere of Iue yet kyng of westsaxones reygned yeres .xvii. ca. c.xliii fo lxxvi Dagabertus y e secoÌ„d of y e name sonne of Chyldeberte was auctorysed kyng of FreÌ„chmeÌ„ in y e yere of our lord .vii. C. .x and the .xxiii. yere of Iewe yet kyng of westsaxones and reygned yeres .xi. ca. c.xliiii fo lxxvi Daniell y t was named Chylperyk a clerke was made kyng of Frenche men in the yere of our lorde .vii. C. xxi the .xxiiii. yere of Iewe yet king of westsaxons and reygned yeres .v. ca. c.xlv. fo lxxvi Ethelardus the neuewe of Iewe begaÌ„ his reygne ouer y e westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxiiii the thyrde yere of Daniell than king of Fraunce and reygned yeres .v. ca. c.xlvi. fo lxxvii Theodoricus the secoÌ„d of y e name and sonne of the seconde Dagobert began hys reygne ouer Frenchmen in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxvi the seconde yere of Ethelardus than king of westsaxones and reygned yeres .xiiii. ca. c.xlvii fo lxxvii Cutbertus y e neuewe of Ethelard began to reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xxix the thyrd yere of the secoÌ„d Theodoricus and reygned yeres .xvi. ca. c.xlviii fo lxxix Hyldericus or Chyldericus the seconde of y e name sonne of Theodoricus was made kyng of FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .vii. C. and .xl the .xi.
feuours amonges the people and also great huÌ„ger and barreynes of y e erth Also in this yere great hurt was done in many places of y e lande by fyre and specyally in the cytye of London where vpon the .vii. day of the moneth of Iulii sodayne fyre began the whyche brent a great parte of the chyrche of saynte Paule wyth also a great parte of the cytye Then kynge wyllyam beynge in Normandye was syke and kept his â—hamber at RoanÌ„ a longe time wherfore Phylyppe the Frenche kynge in hys game sayde that wyllyam lay in chyldbeddeâ— and noryshed hys fatte wombe The whyche wordes when they were blowen to kynge wyllyaÌ„s crys he was greuously dyscontent and sayde when I am chyrched I shall offer to hym a thousande candellys lyghte wyth the whyche he shall holde hym smally contented The whyche promyse he after performed For in the moneth of Iuly wheÌ„ Corne fruyt and grapes were moste florishynge he entred Fraunce with a great army and sette on fyre many cytyes and townes in the west syde of Fraunce and lastely came to the cytye of Meaus and fyred yt brent a parte therof wyth the chyrch of our lady wherin he brent a womaÌ„ beyng closed in the walle of the sayd chyrch as a recluse But of this thynge speketh not the cronycle of Fraunce Nor yet for the more parte of any thynge that soundeth to theyr dyshonour done vnto theym by Englyshemen In this hete or as some wryters haue by y e lepyng of an horse kyng wyllyam toke such a dysease or sykenes that yt was the cause of hys deth And when he felt hym thus greued he called his sonnes before hym and exhorted theym in his beste maner that they shulde charytably loue and fauoure euery of them the other and holde to gyder as louyng bretherne after made his testameÌ„t and therin ordeyned wyllyam Ruffus or wyllyam the rede to be kynge of England And Normandye he beset vnto Rober Curthose And to Henry his yongest sonne he bequethed his treasour and mouable goodes And that done he enfourmed hys two eldest sonnes of the dysposycyon of both peoples and warned wyllyam to be louynge and lyberall to his subiectes and Robert to be sterne and sturdy vnto his Then he was moued with myldenes and delyueryd from prison hys own brother the byshop of Bayon Marcharus erle of NorthuÌ„berlande wylnotus the sonne of Harolde or after some the sonne of Goodwyne that was sent to wyllyaÌ„ by Edwarde the confessour to remayne for a pledge for his sayde fader Goodwyn And shortely after these thynges wyth other done he dyed in Normandye and was buryed in y e cytye of CaanÌ„ when he had reygned as kyng of Englande .xxi. yeres and vppon .x. monethes in the moneth of Iuly and the yere of hys duchery the .lii. when wyllyam was dede men spake of hym as they do of other prynces and sayd that he was wyse and gylefull ryche and couetous loued well to be magnifyed and praysed a fayre speker a greatr dyssymuler a man of skylfull stature but somdeale fatte in the bely sterne of face and stronge in armys and therwyth bolde and had therwyth great pleasure in huntyng and in makyng of great festes But he passed al other in leuyenge of taskes whyche condycyon hys subiectes construed .iii. maner of wayes and saydeyt was to the entente that he wolde excell all other in rychesse or ellys for to withstaÌ„de and defende his enymyes or ellys to staunche the appetyte of his couetyse mynde He buylded .ii. abbayes in Englande one at batayl in Sussex where he wanne the felde agayne Harolde and is at thys daye called the abbay of Batail y e other he sette besyde London vppon the south syde of Thamys and named yt Barmoundesay And in Normandye he buylded two also Thys man made the newe forest in the countrey of Southampton the whyche to brynge aboute he caste downe dyuers chyrches by the space of .xxx. myles and replenyshed yt wyth wylde bestes and made harde and sharpe lawes for the encreasyng of them as losyng of eyen and other And he helde Englyshemen so lowe that in hys dayes was almoste no Englyshe man that bare any offyce of honoure or rule But yet somedeale he fauoured the cytye of London and graunted to the cytezens the fyrste charter that euer they had the whych is wryten in Saxon tunge and sealed wyth grene waxe and expressed in .viii. or .ix. lynes THE CCXXIII. CHAPITER Wyllyam Rufus or wyllyam the erede the second sonne of wyllyam Conquerour beganne hys reygne ouer Englande in the moneth of Iulye and the yere of our lorde a thousande .lxxxix and the xxxi yere of the fyrste Phylyppe then kynge of Fraunce Ranulfe monke of Chester sheweth in hys boke of Polycronycon y t Robert Curthose eldest sonne of wyllyam Conquerour was at the tyme of hys fathers deth absent The whyche heryng that his father hadde preferred hys yonger brother to y e kyngdome of Englande was therwyth greatly amoued in so myche that he layde his dukedome to pledge to his brother Henry and wyth that good gatheryd to him a stronge army and so landed at HamptonÌ„ wherof wyllyam hys brother beynge warned in all haste sent vnto hym messangers to whome he gaue coÌ„myssyon to say in maner as foloweth Thy brother wyllyam prayeth y t to take no grefe with y t he hath done for he clepeth hym selfe not kynge but as vnder kynge to reygne vnder the and by helpe of the that arte gretter then he better rather borne And yf thou consyder yt well he hath nothynge mysused hym agayn the. For he hath taken vppon hym for a tyme bycause of thyne absence But for he is nowe in authoryte by thy sufferaunce he prayeth y t he may vnder the so contyue payeng to the yerely .iii. thousande marke wyth coÌ„dycyon that who so ouer lyueth may enioye the kyngdome when Robert had harde that message to the ende he wagged hys hedde as he that conceyued some doublenesse in thys reporte But for he was lyberall and allowed more the honour then he dyd hys profyte as in other thynges folowyng of his dedes yt shall appere therfore he lyghtely assented to all that was desyred and returned shortly after into Normandye wyth pleasaunt wordes wythout profyte Thys wyllyam was crowned the xxvii daye of September vppon the daye of saynte Cosma and Damyan and was well ayded of LamfraÌ„k whyle he lyued He was dyuers unstable of maners so y t betwene hym his lordes was ofteÌ„ dyssencyoÌ„ In y e spryngyng of somer folowyng hys coronacyon Odo byshoppe of BayoÌ„ whych as before ye haue hard was delyuered out of pryson by wylliam CoÌ„querour came into EnglaÌ„d whom the kynge ioyously receyued and gaue vnto hym shortly after the erledome of Kent But he toke vppon hym in processe of tyme to rule in suche wyse as the kynge grudged wyth hys doynge And for thys the kynge and his sayde vncle fyll at vnkyndnesse
Andrewe Trollop dysceyued the lordes folio cciii A letter sent by Edward the .iii. vnto the kyng of Fraunce fo xciiii Agrement was made with the Scottes folio lxiii Answere made by the French kynge to kyng Edwardes letter fo xcv Answere made by the French kynge to kynge Henry fo clxxi Ambassade sent by the French kynge into Englande fo lxxxix Ambassade sent agayne by the sayde kynge folio lxxxix Ambassade sent into Fraūce fo lxxxix Ambassade sent frō the pope fo ccviii A parte of London brydge fylle into Thamys fo lxxxix Ayde graunted by kynge Iohan. folio cxxiii Ayde was graunted by the inhabytauntes of the countre of Languedok folio cxxiiii Archebysshoppe of Orleaunce was slayne fo lxx Archbysshop of Caunterbury was slayne folio cxlii Archebysshop of Caunterbury maketh a collacyon folio cliiii Archebysshop of yorke wyth other was taken in batayle fo clxvii Artycles of treason layde agayne syr Roger Mortymer fo lxxxviii Artycles of peace ratyfyed bytwene kynge Edwarde and kynge Iohn̄ folio cvi Artycles of dyspleasure shewed in wrytynge by the duke of Glocester agayne the bysshop of wynchester folio clxxx Archebysshop of yorke ouerturneth the Scottes folio xcix Artycles of peace concluded bytwen the erle of Flaunders and hys subiectes folio cxxxix Assembles made by lordes fo cxliiii Annyuersary honourable was foūden in Poulys chyrche fo cxi Auoutry was espyed fo ccxiii BArons warre began to grow in the .xli. yere of kyng Henry the thyrde folio xxx Barōs warre receyued and of newe kyndeled in the .xliiii. yere of Henry the thyrde folio xxxiii Barons assembled theyr companyes in the marches of wales in the .xlvi yere of the sayd kynge fo xxxiiii Barons entred the cytye of London folio xxxv Barōs dyscorded among them selfe folio xxxviii Barons were chasyd the .xiiii. yere of Edwarde the seconde fo lxxix Batayle of Lewys bytwene kynge Henry the .iii. the barons fo xxxvii Batayle called the whyte batayle loke in the .xi. yere of Edwarde the seconde folio lxxvii Batayle of Burbrydge bytwen king Edwarde the seconde and the barōs in hys .xiiii. yere fo lxxix Batayle very cruell agaynste the Scotte called Halydon fo lxxxix Batayle of Swyn or Sluce vppon the see bytwene the Frenchmen and Edwarde the thyrde in the .xv. yere of hys reygne fo xciii Batayle of Cressey in the .xxi. yere of Edwarde the thyrde fo xcviii Batayle of Potyers bytwene kynge Edwarde the thyrde and the French kynge folio ciii Batayle bytwene kynge Phylyp of Fraunce and the towne of Cassile in Flaunders fo cxvii Batayle of Shrowysbery in the .iii. yere of Henry the fourth fo clxvii Batayle at Blak pole in the .vi. yere of Henry the .iiii. fo clxvii Batayle of Agyncourt in the thyrde yere of Henry the .v. fo clxxii Batayle of saynte Albons fyrste the xxxiii yere of Henry the .vi. fo cc. Blore heth felde apperys in y e .xxxvii yere of kynge Henry the .vi. fo cciii Batayle of Ludlowe as it doth appere in folio cciii Batayle of Northamton as appereth in folio cciiii Batayle of wakefelde apperys and the batayle of sayn Albons fo ccv Batayle of yorke or Towton or Shyrborne fo ccvi Barnet felde fo ccxix Batayle of Tewkesbury fo ccxx Bartrā de Cleycō warred in Spayn and chasyd the kynge fo cix Blasynge sterre apperys in folio .xc. and fo cxviii and fo clix Blanke charters vses in Eng. fo cli Brekyng of peace bytwen England and Fraunce loke in the .xliii. yere of kynge Edwarde the .iii. fo cxi Brest a stronge towne of Brytayne besyeged fo cxiii Benyuolence was fyrste foūded and graūted in Edwarde the .iiii. dayes folio ccxxv Bysshop Groostehede and of his actes apperyth in y e .xxxiii. yere of kyng Henry the thyrde folio xxvi Bysshop of Exceter was beheded apperyth in the .xviii. yere of Edwarde the seconde folio lxxxii Bysshop of Norwyche made warre in Spayne by the popes cōmaundement in the .vi. yere of Rycharde the seconde folio cxliii Bysshop of London hath a memory of the cytesyns of London fo cxlvii Bysshop of wynchester lent to kyng Henry the fyfte .xx. thousand poūde folio clxxvii Bysshop of wynchester foresayd created cardynall folio clxxx Bysshop of Salysbury was slayne in the ende of .xxviii. of Henry the .vi. as more playnly is shewed fo cxcviii Bysshop of Chychester called Reynolde Pecok was abiured of heresye folio ccii Boke of prophecy was founden by a Iewe in Spayne folio xxiiii Blode of Cryste was broughte into westmynster by kynge Henry the .iii. folio xxv Bonifacius pope of hys cōdycyons folio lxxi Bull of the pope manyfested at Poulys crosse folio xxxiii Busshe Baggot and Grene and of theyr actes folio cli Brytōs resyst y e Frenchmē fo xxxix CHarles the .v. of that name surnamed the fayre and brother to Phylyp surnamed the longe sonne of the .iiii. Phylyp began hys reygne ouer the realme of Fraunce in the yere of grace M.iii. hundreth and .xxii and the .xv. yere of the secōd Edwarde kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .vi. folio lxxxiiii Cardynalles that were sent into Englande from the pope were robbed appereth in the .ix. yere of Edwarde the seconde folio lxxvi Caen a stronge towne in Normandye besyeged by kynge Edward the thyrde and won it folio xcviii Calys besyeged and gotten by kyng Edwarde the thyrde folio xcix Cardynall sent from the pope laboured for peas folio ciii Castell of Pount was yolden vp by appoyntement folio cxxv Careckes .iii. were taken by the duke of Clarence and the erle of Kente folio clxvii Charyte of kynge Lewys folio i. Charles de Ualoys brother to Phylyppe le Beawe vncle vnto Charles the .v. foresayd dyed folio lxxxvi Charles de Bloys was slayne in the batayle bytwene syr Iohn̄ Mountforte and the sayd Charlys fo cix Charles the .vi. of that name sonne of Iohn̄ bēganne to rule the French men in the yere of our lorde M.iii. C.lxiiii .xxxviii. yere of the thyrde Edwarde kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xvi. folio xxxvi Charles the .vii. of y e name a yonge chylde and sonne of the .vi. Charlys began hys reygne ouer Fraunce in the moneth of september and yere of our lorde a thousand .iii. hūdreth and lxxx and the thyrde yere of the secōde Rycharde then kyng of Englande reygned yeres .xlii. folio clv. Charles the .viii. of that name and sonne vnto Charles the .vi. as sayen the Frenche authours but the Englysshe wryters sheweth the cōtrary as in the story of thys Charles shall appere thys began to reygne ouer y e Frenchmen in the yere of our lorde thousande .iii. hūdreth and .xxii and the laste yere of Henry the .v. thenne kynge of England reygned yeres xxxvi folio ccvii Chauntryes foūded in Poulys churche in London fo cxi Cerymonyes for the coronacyon of kynge Henry the .iiii as appereth folio clxiii Creacyō of dukes by kyng Rychard the .ii. fo cxliii Clement pope
in hys .xx. yere reygned after .xv. yeres they haue accoūted the .xv. yere whyche he reygned as crysten kynge and haue lette passe the other .xx. yere And so is it to be thought that the forsayd auctour Peter pictauiens dyd whych reason beynge alowed the sayde table maye agre wyth the sayd Peter wythoute any greate dyfference whyche testyfyeth y e sayd Lucius to reygne .lxxvii yere as kynge After whose deth in so moche that he dyed wythout any lawfull heyre a great contēcion sprange amonge the Brytons that endured by .xv. yeres as shall apere by the sequel Trouth it is after all histories that Seuerus a Romayne succeded Lucius in Brytayne But because y e tyme is nat certaynly sette whan the sayd Seuerus subdued the Brytōs therfore it is to noted that whanne it was shewed to the Romaynes of the sedicion and discorde of the Brytōs of the sleyng of the Romayns than beyng in Brytayn the senate sentte thyder the forsayd Seuerus wyth .ii legions of men whych bare thē selfe so manfully that in shorte whyle he compelled the Brytons to obey to the senate whyche Policronicon affermeth to be about the yere of our lord C.xcv. In whyche yere as hath Iacobus Philippus the sayde Seuerus began to raygne ouer the Romayns But that dysagreeth from other Cronycles For Eutropius Matheolus the forsayde Iacobus Philippus sayth that whan the sayde Seuerus had subdued the Arabyes Parthys and Gallys after many battayls he came into Brytayn where he beynge troubled wyth dyuers chaunces at laste died in y e towne of yorke where by it is to be supposed that in y e ende of hys reygn he came hether about the .xii. yere of hys reygne ouer the Romayns which was the yere of our lorde .ii. C.vii. and that after he reygned ouer the Brytons .v. yere wherefore it euydētly apereth that the forsayd dyscord dured .xv. yeres whych tyme Brytayne was wythoute a kynge Thus endeth the thyrde parte which conteyneth CC.lvi yeres SEuerus emperour of Rome as before is shewed in the .xii. yere of hys empyre and yere of oure lord .ii. C. .vii beganne hys reygne ouer the Brytōs and yere of y e world and reygned as kynge yeres .v. The fyrst persecucyon of the chrysten men was vnder this Seuerus about the yere of our lord .ii. C.x ca. lxi fo xxii Bassianus the sonn̄ of Seuerus began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C.xii the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxii folio xxii Carassius a yonge and lusty Brytayne of vnknowē blode by meanes as in hys story sheweth began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .ii. C. and .xviii. and yere of the worlde ruled yeres .viii. ca. lxiii fo xxiii Here agayn authours forget y e yeres of the kynges folowyng Of whyche I nat greatly maruyll For in thys tyme muche discencyon was among the Romayne prynces also amonge the Brytons cyuyll warre ceased nat For they were so styrred wyth dyscencyon and warre y t none coulde occupy the kyngedome any determynate tyme. For whyche cause and suche lyke authours coude nat assyne any certeyne tyme to the prynces as me semeth But that we maye come to some knowlege Policronicon sheweth that constantius y t was father to Constantine the great was sente by the senate into Brytayne about the yere of our lord .ii. C.lxxix and in the seconde yere of Probrus emperour that he shuld subdue to y e Romayns Coelus than there kyng From the whych tyme of the coming of the sayde Constantius vntyll the last yere of Bassianus accountynge bakwarde there passed .lxi. yeres In the tyme of whych yeres there reygned in thys Ilelande these .iiii. kynges that is to say Carassius Alectus Asclepiodotus and Coelus Allectus a duke or senatour of Rome began hys domynyon ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .ii. C.xxvi of the worlde reygned yeres .vi. ca. lxiiii fo xxiii Asclepeodotus or after the Englysshe boke Asclepades began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lorde god CC.xxxii And the yere of the worlde and reygned yeres .xxx. The syxt persecucyon of crysten men was about the yere of our lorde CC.xxxviii vnder Maximian The .vii. persecucyon was in y e yere of oure lorde CC.lv. vnder Decius In y e whych pope Fabyan was martyred The .viii. persecucion was in the yere of our lord CC.lx. vnder Ualeryan whych was the .xviii. yere of thys Asclepiodotus ca. lxv folio xxiiiii Coelus or Coyll erle of Colchester by exytyng of the Brytōs was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of oure lord CC.lxii reygned yeres .xxvii. Thys kyng after most wryters made the towne of Colchester in Essex ca. lxvi fo xxiiii Constancius a senatoure of Rome by reason of maryage knyt wyth Eleyn doughter of Coelus beganne to reygne as kyng of Brytayne in y e yere of our lord CC.lxxxix and of y e worlde and reygned yeres xxx The .ix. persecucyon of the crystēmen was vnder Aurelianus Saint Albon prothomartyr in the tyme of thys Constancius as some haue in y e x. persecucyō whych was vnder Dioclesian and Maximian was martyred ca. lxvii fo xxiiii Constancius surnamed the great sonn̄ of Constancius and of the holy Heleyne began his reygne ouer Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C.xix and of the worlde and reygned as kyng yeres .x. ca. lxviii folio xxv Octauius duke of Iesses or Iewesses and after named westsaxōs by extorte power began hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of oure lorde .iii. C. .xxix. and of the worlde and reygned yeres .liiii ca. lxxi fo xxvii Of thys kynge folowynge called Maximius or after some Maximianus wryters dyuersly speke so that some say he raygned few yeres But in the concordaunce of cronycles it playnly apereth that the sayd Maximis began to reygn ouer the Brytōs in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxii that he was slayn of Theodosius the elder in the thyrd yere of his reygne whych began to reygne in the yere of our lord .iii. C.lxxxviii And so it appereth playnly that he reygned ix yeres Maximius or Maximianus the son̄ of Leonyne brother to Trahern̄ vncle to Helcyne began hys reygne ouer Brytayn in the yere of our lord iii. C.lxxxii and reygned yeres .ix ca. lxxii fo xxvii Saynt Ursula wyth her felowes in thys kynges tyme were martyred of Enanus and Melga Gracianus an offycer or feede knyght of Maximius began to oppresse the Brytons in the yere of our lorde .iii. C.xc and tyrannysed yeres iiii ca. lxxiiii fo xxviii The storyes agre that after that Gracian was slayne Brytayne was vexed a longe whyle wyth oftē dyscēsions cyuyll warre But how longe thys dyscord dyd last authours trete diuersly for some say it lasted .l. yere some .xl. some .xxx. Therfore to know y e certeynty it is requisite that we dylygently serche howe many yeres passed frō the
last yere of GraciaÌ„ vntyll the begynnynge of the reygne of Constantyne or the certayn tyme whan ConstaÌ„tyne was made kyng who as witnesseth Guydo was crowned at Cicester in the yere of our lord iiii C.xxxv. The floure of hystoryes sayth also that in the thyrde yere of Theodocius the yonger emperour Constantyne began to rule the Brytons whych Theodocius begaÌ„ne to reygne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.xxxi wherby it apereth that from the last yere of GraciaÌ„ vntyll the begynnyng of Constantyne there passed about .xl. yeres But the very trewrule is y t in the yere of grace .iiii. C.li. the Saxons fyrst perced Brytayne and in the thyrd yere of Uortigern From whych takyng awaye for the reygne of Uortigern .ii. yeres fro the reygn of ConstaÌ„cius .v. yere fro the reygn of ConstaÌ„tyne .x. yere it foloweth y t the sayd dyssencion or mysery of the Brytons lasted .xxxix. yeres full And here ended the trybute that was payd to the Romayns that had endured aboue .iiii. C.lx. yeres Thus endeth the fourth parte that encludeth CC.xxv yeres ¶ The line of the kynges of Fraunce PHaramundus the sonÌ„ of Mercomirus began hys reygne as fyrst kyng of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .iiii. C.xx and the mysery of the Brytons the .xxvi. yere reygned yeres .xi. ca. lxxviii folio xxxi Clodius or Clodio or after some Crynitus and Capillatus the sonne of Pharamude was ordeyned the seconde kyng of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .iiii. hundreth and .xxxi the .xxxvii. yere of the myserye of the Brytons and reygned yeres .xix. capi lxxix folio xxxi Here begynneth the fyfthe parte COnstantinus the brother of Aldroenus kyng of lytell Brytayne beganne hys reygn ouer moche Brytayne Anno domini iiii hundreth and .xxxiii and the yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce the thyrd yere and reygned yeres .x. capi lxxx folio xxxii Constantinus the sonne of Constantyne before tyme a monke was made kynge of moche Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth and .xliii and the .xiii. yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .v. ca. lxxxi folio xxxii Uortigerus or Uortigernus duke of Cornewayll or Consull of Iesses was by treason made kynge in the yere of our lorde foure hundreth and lxviii and the .xviii. yere of Clodio than kynge of Fraunce and reyned yeres .xvii. The Saxons or Englysshemen in the thyrde yere of this kynges reygne fyrste entred thys Ilande capi lxxxii folio xxxii Meroneus neuewe or next allye vnto Clodio was made kynge of Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde iiii hundreth and .l and the seconde yere of Uortiger than kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .x. capi lxxxv folio xxxiiii Meroneus neuewe or next of Allye vnto Clodio was made kynge of Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde iiii C. and .l and the seconde yere of Uortiger than kyng of Brytayne reygned yeres .x. ca. lxxxv fo xxxiiii Chyldericus or Hylderycus the sonne of Meroneus was ordeyned kyng of Fraunce in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. C. and .lx and the .xii. yere of Uortiger than kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .xxiiii. ca. lxxxvi folio xxxv Uortimerus the sonnÌ„ of Uortiger was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxxiiii the iiii yere of Chylderych than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .vii. ca. lxxxviii fo xxxvi Uortigernus before named was agayne restored to the kyngdome in the yere of our lord .iiii. C.lxxi and y e xi yere of Chylderyche than kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .ix. In thys kynges tyme aboute the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxvi the kyngdome of Kent the fyrste kyngdome of the SaxoÌ„s began vnder Hengystas appereth fo xxxvii ca. lxxxix folio xxxvi Aurelius Ambrosius the seconde sonne of Constantyne and brother to Constancius the monke slayne by reason of Uortiger was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of oure lorde iiii C.lxxxi and the .xi. yere of Chylderych than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xix. In thys kynges tyme about the yere of our lorde .iiii. C.lxxxii beganne the kyngedome of Southsaxones vnder Ella and hys sonnes And also in thys kynges tyme that is to saye in the yere of our lorde .iiii. C. lxxx.xii begaÌ„ne the kingdome of Estangles vnder Uâ—fa But Guydo sayeth it beganne in the yere of oure lorde .v. hundreth .lxx. as appereth capi xciiii fo xxxviii Clodoueus the sonne of Chyldericus or Hyldericus before named was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth lxxxiiii and the thyrde yere of Aurelius thanne kynge of Brytayne and reygned yeres .xxx. Thys was the fyrste crysten kynge whyche receyued the fayth of saynt Remygius aboute the yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundreth .xcix. whereby it appereth that the fayth came into Brytayne aboue iii. hundreth yere before it came into Fraunce capi xcvii fo xxxix Uter surnamed Pendragon the yongest sonne of Constantyne brother to Aurelius was made kyng of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C and the .xvi. yere of Clodoueus thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres xvi ca. c. fo xli Clotharius or Lotharius the sonÌ„ of Clodoueus beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of our lorde .v. C. and .xiiii and the yere of Uter than kyng of Brytayne and reygned yeres .l. ca. c.i. fo xlii Arthurus the sonÌ„ of Uter begaÌ„ne hys rygne ouer the BrytoÌ„s in y e yere of our lorde .v. C. and .xvii the .iii. yere of Lotharius thanne kynge of Fraunce and reygned yeres .xxvi. In thys kynges tyme the kyngdom of SaxoÌ„s begaÌ„ vnder Serdicus about the yere of our lord .v. C.xxiii ca. c.iiii. fo xliiii Constantius the sonne of Cador began hys reygne ouer the lande of Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .xliii and the .xxix. yere of Lotharius than kynge of Fraunce reygned yeres .iii. Totila kyng of Ostragathoris about this time spoyled Rome other cytyes in Italy ca. c.vii. folio xlv Aurelius Conanus the neuewe of CoÌ„stantyne begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer Brytayne in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .xlvi and y e .xxxii. yere of Lotharius forenamed reygned yeres .ii. In thys kynges tyme the kyngdome of Northumbers began vnder Ida about the yere of our lord .v. C. xivii ca. c.viii fo xlvi Uortiporius the sonÌ„ of Aurelius Conanus began to rule the BrytoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .v. C. .xlviii the yere of Clothare kyng of FrauÌ„ce xxxiiii and reygned yeres .iiii. ca. c.x. fo xlvii Malgo the brother of Uortiporius begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the Brytons in the yere of our lord .v. C. and lii .xxxviii. yere of Lothayre fornamed reygned yeres after moste accorde of wryters .xxxv. ca. c.xi. folio xlvii Chilpericus the .iii. sonnÌ„ of Clotharius began hys reygne ouer the FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lorde .v. C. .lxiiii the .xiiii. yere of Malx thaÌ„ kyng of Brytayne
yere of Cutbert than kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres .x. Here endeth the lyne of Meroneus begynneth the lyne of Pepyn ca. c.xlix folio .lxxix. Sygebertus the neuewe of Cutbert began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. xlv the .v. yere of Hyldericus the second than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.l. fo lxxx Kenulphus of the blode lyne of Cerdicus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lord .vii. C. .xlviii and y e .vii. yere of Hyldericus thaÌ„ king of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxxi. ca. c.li fo lxxxi Pipinus the secoÌ„d sonne of Charles Martellus was fyrst made king of FrauÌ„ce of y e blode in y e yere of our lord .vii. C. .l and the second yere of Kenulphus thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxoÌ„s reygned yeres .xviii. ca. c.liii fo lxxxi Carolomanus wyth Charlys surnamed y e great sonnes of Pepyn began to reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of our lord .v. C.lxviii the .xx. yere of Kenulphus and reygned yeres ioyntly and Charles alone .xlvii. This Charles was y e fyrst emperour of Romayns of the stok of the FreÌ„ch men and reygned .xiiii. yeres ca. c.liiii fo lxxxiii Brightricus of the forenamed blod of Cerdicus was made kyng of westsaxons in the yere of our lord .vii. C.lxxvii and y e .x. yere of Charles than king of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xvii About the .ix. yere of thys kynge the Danes fyrste entred this ile as more playnly apereth in y e story folowyng ca. c.lvii fo lxxxvi Egbertus or after the Englysshe boke Edbryght the sonÌ„ of Alumundus begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in y e yere of our lord .vii. C.lxxx and .xv iÌ„ the. .xxvii. yere of Charles than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxxviii. Thys kyng coÌ„maunded the SaxoÌ„s to be Anglys Brytayn to be named Anglia that in EnglaÌ„d ca. c.lviii fo lxxxvi Lodouicus the fyrste of y e name sonne of Charles the great beganne to reygne as emperour and kyng of FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lord .viii. C and .xv y e .xx. yere of Egbertus thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .xxvi. ca. c.lix fo lxxxvii Adeulphus or Ethelwolphus the sonne of Egbertus began hys reygn ouer the westsaxoÌ„s and other in the yere of our lord .viii. C. and .xxxii and the .xvi. yere of Lowys the fyrst than kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xxii ca. c.lxii fo xci Charles the second of that name yongest sonne of the fyrste Lowys surnamed Balled beganne to reygn ouer the west parte of Fraunce in the yere of our lord .viii. C. .xli the .ix. yere of Adeulphus and reygned yeres .xxxviii. The countre of Flaunders in thys Charles dayes began fyrste to bere name as after in the ende of hys story is shewed ca. c.lxiii fo xcii Ethelwaldus the eldest sonne of Adeulphus began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our â—ord viii C. .lv and the .x. yere of Charles the Balled than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned but one yere ca. c.lxvii folio .xcvi. Ethelbertus the seconde sonne of Adeulphus was auctorysed kynge of westsaxoÌ„s in the yere of our lorde viii C. and .lvi the .xi. yere of Charles the Ballyd yet kyng of Fraunce and reygned yeres .vi. In the tyme of thys kynges reygne the .vii. Iohan whyche was a womaÌ„ was admitted for pope aboute the yere of oure lorde .viii. C.lviii as sayth Iacobus Phylyppus ca. c.lxviii fo xcvi Etheldredus the thyrde sonne of Adeulphus was made kyng of westsaxons wyth other in the yere of our lorde .viii. C. .lxiii the .xviii. yere of Charles forenamed yet kynge of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .viii. In the tyme of thys kynges reygne saynte Edmond kynge of Eest Angles was martyred of the princys Danus and Martyrus ca. c.lxix fo xcvi Aluredus or Alphredus the .iiii. sonne of Adeulphus in y e yere of our lorde .viii. C.lxxii began hys reygne ouer the westsaxoÌ„s the .xxxi. yere of Charles forenamed yet kynge of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .xxviii. ca. clxxi fo xcviii Lowys Balbus the secoÌ„d of that name sonne of Chales the balled began hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in y e yere of grace .viii. C.lxviii and the .vi. yere of Alerude thaÌ„ kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres .ii. ca. c.lxxiiii fo ci Lowys Charles the sonnes of Lowys Balbus beganne to reygne ioyntly ouer y e FrenchmeÌ„ in the yere of our lord .viii. C. .lxxx the .viii. yere of Alurede than kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .v. ca. lxxv folio c.ii. Lowys the .iiii. of y e name sonne of Charles last remeÌ„bred began hys reygn ouer FrauÌ„ce in y e yere of grace viii C.lxxx and .vi the .xiiii. yere of Aluredus yet kyng of westsaxons reygned yeres viii ca. lxxvii fo c.iiii. Eudo or Oddo the sonÌ„ of Robert erle of Angeowe began hys reygne ouer the FreÌ„chmen in the yere of our lord .viii. C.lxxx .xv and the .xxiii. yere of Aluredus yet kyng of westsaxons and reygned yeres .ix. ca. lxxviii folio c.iiii. Edwarde surnamed the elder sonne of Alurede or Alphrede began hys reygne ouer the more part of Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. C. and one the .vi. yere of Eudo than kynge of Fraunce reygned yeres xxiiii ca. c.lxxix fo c.iiii. Charles surnamed the Simple sonnÌ„ of the .iiii. Lowys beganen hys reygne ouer the realme of FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde .ix. C.iiii y e .iii. yere of Edward than kynge of Englande and reygned yeres .xxiiii. ca. c.lxxxi fo c.vi Radulphus the sonne of Rychard duke of Burgoyne began his reygn ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lorde ix C. .xxii the .xxi. yere of Edward yet kyng of Englande reygned yeres .xii. ca. lxxxiii fo c.viii Ethelstanus the sonnÌ„ of Edward the elder begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer the more partye of England in y e yere of our lord .ix. C. .xxv. the thyrde yere of Rauffe thaÌ„ kyng of FrauÌ„ce reygned yeres .xvi. Thys kyng broughte Brytayne or EnglaÌ„de to one monarchy But yet after some wryters Alurede dyd it ca. c.lxxxiiii fo c.viii Lowys the .v. of that name and sonne of Charles the Symple begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer FrauÌ„ce in the yere of our lord .ix. C. .xxxiiii y e .ix. yere of Ethelstane thaÌ„ kyng of EnglaÌ„d reygned yeres .xxi. ca. c.lxxxvi fo c.x. EdmouÌ„d the brother of Ethelstane sonne of Edward the elder began hys reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d in the yere of our lord .ix. C. .xli. the .vii. yere of y e .v. Lowys than kyng of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .vi. ca. c.lxxxviii folio c.xiii Edredus the brother of EdmouÌ„d begaÌ„ his reygne ouer EnglaÌ„d in the yere of our lorde .ix. .xlvii and y e .xiii yere of y e forenamed Lowys yet king of FrauÌ„ce and reygned yeres .ix. ca. c.lxxxix
folowynge y e accompte shuld be in the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxxii and in the seconde yere of Aurely then kynge of Brytayne This kyngdome or lordshippe had in the eestsyde Kent in the south the see and the yle of wyght in the west Hampsyre and in the northe Southrey and conteyned as wytnessyth Guydo Southampton Somersetshyre Deuenshyre and Cornewayl Of whyche sayde kyngdome Ethelbaldus or Ethelwaldê° was the .iiii. kynge and the fyrste crysten kynge Thys kyngdome endured shorteste season of all the other kyngdomes and passyd soonest into the other For yt endured not aboue an hundred and .xii. yeres vnder .v. or .vii. kynges at moste THE XCV CHAPITER THen to returne where we left Aurely whyche as before ye haue harde helde and occupyed the myddell parte of Brytayne wyth CaÌ„bria or walys dyd hys dylygence to repayre ruynous places as well temples as other and caused y e seruyce of god to be sayde and done whyche by meane of the Saxons was greatly decayde thorough all Brytayne And after this Aureliê° beseged y â— Saxons in y e hyll of Badon or Badowe where he slewe many of theym But dayly the Saxons encreasyd landed in myche Brytayn as after shall appere For shortely after a Saxon named Porth landed wyth his two soÌ„nes at an haueÌ„ in Southsex After whome as some authours meane y e haueÌ„ was after called Portismouth whyche kepeth the name at this day And in lykewyse they came to lande in dyuers places of Britayne so that Aurelius had wyth them many conflyctys and bataylles in the whych he spedde dyuersly for he was somtyme vyctour and some season ouer set It is wryteÌ„ of hym in y e englyshe cronicle and other that he by y e helpe of Merlyn shuld fetche the great stones now standynge vpon the playne of Salysburye and called the stone henge oute of Irlande and caused theym to be sette there as they nowe stande in remembraunce of the Brytons that there were slayne and buryed in the tyme of the communycacyon had with Hengiste and his Saxons as before in the storye of Uortiger is touchyd But Polycronica alledgyth y t honour vnto Uter Pendragon his brother In the tyme of this Aurelius as wytnessyth also y e sayde Policronica dyed Hengist in his bed when he had reygned ouer y e Kentysh Saxons .xxiiii. yeres After whose deth Octa or Osca his sonne ruled y e sayd kyngdome other .xxiiii. yeres All be yt that the brytyshe bokes and also the cronycles of Enlande sheweth that after that Aurelius had in batayll slayne Hengiste he toke vnto his grace Octa his son gaue vnto hym a dwellynge place in the countre of Galewey for hym his SaxoÌ„s then lefte on lyue which semeth not to be true for mater that shall after ensue and also for y â— that before is touchyd of the Pictes and Scottes in the tyme of the myserye of the Brytons Then yt foloweth this Octa nother augmented nor mynyshed his lordshyp but helde hym therwyth contented as his fader had to hym lefte yt Lastely in the ende of the reygne of Aurely Pascentius the yongest son of Uortiger whiche after y e deth of his fader was fledde into Irland for fere of Aurely purchasyd ayde of Guilamour kyng of IrlaÌ„de And wyth a great armye inuadyd thys lande of Brytayne by the countre of walys in takynge the cytye of Menenia and in wastynge the sayd couÌ„tre wyth iron and fyre In the which season and tyme Aureliê° laye syke in his cytye of Kaerguent or wynchester For whych cause he desyred hys brother Uter to gather an hoste of BritoÌ„s to appease y e malice of Pascencius his adhereÌ„tis The whych accordyngly preparyd his hoste at length ouercame the hoste of PasceÌ„cius and slewe hym and the forenamed Guillamour in the same fyght In this whyle and season that Uter was thus gone agayne Pascentius a Saxon or other strauÌ„ger feynynge hym a Bryton a connyng man in physyke by the intycemet of Pascencius came vnto Aurely where he lay syke by his subtyle false meanes purchasyd such fauour wyth those y t were nyghe vnto the prynce that he was put in truste to mynystre medycines vnto the kyng This is named of writers Coppa or of some Eoppa The whyche when he had espyed his tyme coÌ„uenyent to brynge about his false purpose he gaue to Aureliê° a pocyon enpoysoned by vyolence wherof he shortely after was dede when he hadde reygned after moste wryters vppon .xix. yeres The thyrde or fyfte THE XCVI CHAPITER IN the tyme of y e reygne of this Aurelius as wytnesseth the authour of Policronica other y e kyngdome of Eestanglis began vnder a Saxon named Uffa about the yere of our lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and xii and the .xi. yere of Aurelius The whych kyngdome conteyned Norlf and Suff. nowe called This hadde in this eest and north sydes the see in the northweste Cambryge shyre and in the weste saynte Edmundes dytche and Hertfordshyre and in the southe Essex This lordshyppe was called fyrste Uffynys lordshyp and the kynges therof were named Uffynys or after some authoures the people But fynally they were named eest Anglys The fyrst cristen kyng of this pryncypate was Redwaldus the thyrde kynge but he was not so stedfaste as belonged to his relygyon His sonne named Corpwaldus was more stedfaste whyche after was slayne of a mysbyleuynge man and for Crystes fayth as some wryte But Guydo sayth that Sebertus was fyrste cristen kynge of this lordshyppe that he made saynt Poulys chyrch of LoÌ„don This vnder .xii. kynges endured tyll the martyrdome of blessyd saynte Edmunde laste kynge therof the whych was martyred nere about the yere of our lord .viii. huÌ„dred and lxix By the whyche reason yt shuld folowe that this kyngdome shulde endure by the terme of .iii. C.lxxvii yeres And of this lordshyp at that dayes was Elman or Thetforde the chyfe towne But after Guydo this lordeshyppe shulde begynne the yere of Grace .v. hundred .lxx then shuld yt endure but .ii. hundred .iiii. score and .xix. yeres Francia THE XCVII CHAPITER CLodoueus the sonne of Childericus or Hildericus before named was after the deth of his fader ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in y e yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and .iiii and the thyrde yere of Aurelius then kyng of Brytayne This of some wryters is named Clodoueê° Lowys The whyche shortely after that he of this realme was authorysyd for kynge heryng reporte of the beaute and grete vertue of Clotildis neuewe to Cundebald kynge or ruler of Burgoyne sente vnto hym a knyght named Aurelius to treat a maryage betwene the kynge and Clotyld or Crotild The which Cundebald more for fere then for loue assentyd The cause wherof as myn authour sayth was for y t thys Crotyld was enherytour vnto the sayde lande of Burgoyne and that she be reason of y t maryage shuld recouer her ryghte and put hym from the
beatus Carne tenet tumulum mentis honore posunt Vir cui dura nihil nocuerunt fata sepulchri Viuit enim nam mors quam tulit ipsa timet Creuit ad hue pocius iustus post funera nam quâ— Fictile vas fucrat gemma superba micat Huius opeÌ„ ac merituÌ„ mutis data verba loquuÌ„tur Redditus caecis praedicatore dies Nunc vir apostolicus rapiens de carne tropheum Iure triumphale confidet arce throni The whych verses in our mother tunge maye thus be expounded in meters as foloweth Myrrour to the chyrche and of the countrey the strength Compassyon of gylty to them shewynge mercy A fader and a leche an herde and louer at length Of hys people cosyn to vertue and of allye In fayth and in herte and eke in mouth holy Of whom the flesshe now holdyth thys sepulture But the spyryte is in heuen euer to endure To thys nothynge noyed nor faute of sepulture He lyueth southly for deth whyche he not drede Hath hym hense tane But yet he hoped sure Thys ryghtwyse man though somtyme he were ladde As a bryttell vessell whych myth the erth was cladde And somewhyle felle yet ofte he rose anone Wherfore he now shyneth as doth an Orient stone By helpe and meryte now hath the dumbe hys speche Of thys blessyd man and to the blynde hys syghte Restoryd of god as thys daye doth vs teche And he of the flesshe hath gotten now the fyght And vpperhande wyth a tryumphant myght By vertue wherof he lyke a conquerour Of the hygh heuyn nowe fytteth in the tower Thus maye ye well apperceyue and knowe that as erthly men fauoure so woll they wryte as nowe shewyth by thys superscrypcyoÌ„ But to god all thyng is manyfestyd and knowen and nothynge to hym hyd whatsoeuer erthly man wryteth or demyth to whom all the premysses I remytte Anglia THE CXVIII CHAPITER CAreticus or Lareticus after y t wrytynge of Guydo of whom nother y t progeny nor yet other addicyon of honour is of wryters of hym remeÌ„bred began to rule the Brytons the yere of our lord .v. hundred .iiii. score and .vi. as the sayde authour recordyth and y e .xxii. yere of Chylperyche than kynge of Fraunce and also the ix yere of Ceawlmus then kynge of westsaxons Thys as wytnessyth all wryters was a louer of cyuyle batayle was worst of all men so y t he was odible to god and his subiectes in suche wyse that they excyted the Saxons to warre vpon hym as testyfyeth Guydo chasyd hym from cytye to cytye towne to towne tyll they had berafte hym the mostâ— parte of suche lande as hys predeces soure Malgo had holdeÌ„ before hym But PolycronycoÌ„ Gaufryde and other adde more there vnto sayen y t for as mych as the Saxons knew of the discensyon betwene Careticus and hys Brytons they in all haste sent into Irelande for the kynge called Gurmundus Affricanê° y e which of some wryters are named two persons as GurmuÌ„dus and Affricanê° But by the rehersall that Ranulfe monke of Chester maketh in y e .xxiii. chapyter of hys fyrste boke of PolycronycoÌ„ it shulde seme that he shuld be named Gurmundus the whyche by hys meanynge shulde warre in Brytayne and Fraunce whyle hys brother Turgecius regned as kyng in Irelande as in the sayd chapyter is more at lengthe declared whyche fayd Gurmundus with the strength of y e Saxons warred so sore agayne the BrytoÌ„s that lastly the sayd Careticus was fayne to take the towne of Kaersegent now called Sichester therein besegyd hym wyth hys Brytons by a certeyne of tyme where by dayly skyrmysshes and assautes he loste mych of hys people when Careticus had a season assayed and prouyd the strength of his enemyes and sawe that they encreasyd and hys knyghtes lassed mynysshed he sodenly lefte that towne and with a certeyne of Brytons toke ouer Seuarne water and so into walys then callyd CaÌ„bria whych shuld be after moste accorde of wryters y e iii. yere of y e reygne of this Careticê° About thys tyme as meaneth Antoninus the great Gregory then beyuge a monke and after pope sawe at Rome childyrn of Anglis or Saxons to sell at Rome And wheÌ„ he had aryd of them what couÌ„trey they were of and it was answered to hym that they were named Anglis he sayde y e Alleluya shulde be songe in that couÌ„tree that so fayre chylderne were borne in Alleluya before in the .iiii. score and .viii. chapyter rehersyd ys there takeÌ„ after y e exposycyoÌ„ of saynt Austayne for ayde and helpe of god But here it is ment for louynge and praysynge of god as to hym y e laude and thankes shulde be gyuen vnto that sendyth to men so fayre frewte wherfore as after shal be shewyd the sayd Gregory beynge Pope sent y t holy man Austayne wyth other for to preache to the sayde Anglis the fayth of Cryste Then to retourne to Careticus whom the Englysh cronycle nameth Cortife Trouth it is that after he wyth his Brytons were dryuen into Cambria or walis yet he lefte not contynually to make reyses and assautes vppon the Saxons nexte to hym adioynaunte In thys tyme or soone after ruled Ethelfridus the north Saxons For as wytnesseth the foresayde authour Guydo he began the reygne of Deira and Brenicia in the yere of oure lorde .v. C.lxxx .xiii. This is Ethelfridus son of Ethelricus y e pursued so sore the Brytons slewe so great a nomber of y e monkes of the towne of Bangor as is before rehersyd in the C. and .ix. chapyter of this worke The whyche dayly warred vpon the Brytons the Brytons vpon hym so y â— he destroyed or subuerted myche of Crystes fayth wyth the helpe of y e foresayd Gurmunde thorough Loegria or myddle England in so mych that the bysshoppes of London and yorke wyth other mynysters of the chyrche wyth such goodes relykes as they myght cary fled into dyuerse countrees so that theyr chyrchdores were shytte after them or ellys occupyed in worship of theyr fals goddes Thus the fayth that had endured in Brytayne from the tyme of Luciê° fyrst crysten kynge in Brytayne tyll thys daye nere vppon the season of iiii C. yeres and odde was well nere extyncte thorough all the lande And when y e forenamed GurmuÌ„de had fynysshed hys tyrannye wythin the land of Brytayne he then sayled into Fraunce where he was after slayne as wytnessyth PolycronycoÌ„ all be it y e french cronycle speketh nothyng of any such man duryng thys persecucyon as wytnessyth Guydo The chyrche or monastery before buylded in Uerolamy nowe called saynte Albanes was by the sayde myscreauntes beten downe whyche there was buylded of the BrytoÌ„s in the honoure of y e holy prothomartyr saynt AlboÌ„ with diuerse many other the whyche are loste out of memory Duryng also this trouble bytwene the Saxons BrytoÌ„s the lordshyp or kyngdome of Eest Saxon
saynte Cutbert of Durham About the .ix. yere of this kynges reygne the holy vyrgyne saynt Fredeswide dyed Of her yt is sayde for vylanye that to her shulde haue ben done by a kynge in Oxynford that kynges of England at the seasons syns haue sparyd to entre that towne for drede of myshappe who so wyll knowe the cyrcuÌ„staunce of the mater and the holynesse of her lyfe lette hym serche the workes of holy Gyldas where he shall be suffycyently informed Soone after thys tyme and season Colwolphus kynge of NorthuÌ„berlande when he had reygned .viii. yeres he resygned his domynyon to his cosyn Egbertus and was shorne a monke in the abbay of Geruy or after some wryters in the abbay of Lyndesar or holy ylande Thus for as mych as lytle is shewyd of the dedis of Cutbert kynge of westsaxons therfore I haue made the more rehersayll of other chynges done in his tyme. For of hym is nothynge lefte in wrytynge worthy to be remembryd or mynded sauynge that he often and many tymes made warre vppon Ethelwalde kynge of Mercia and spedde therin diuersly lastely dyed when he had reygned after moste wryters .xvi. yeres Francia THE CXLIX CHAPITER HIldericê° or Childericus y e second of that name sonne of Theodoricus began his reygne ouer the Frenshemen in y e yere of our lordes incarnacyon .vii. huÌ„dred and xl and the .xi. yere of Cutbertus then kynge of westsaxons Of the whych for his dulnesse and hys other enormytes in hym exercysed lytle or no thynge of his actes or dedes are put in memorye ye haue before in the story of Theodoryche harde of the puyssaunt and stronge dedys of Charlis Martell the whyche styll durynge his lyfe coÌ„tynued in great honour to the great suertye of the realme of FrauÌ„ce and to the great terrour and fere of theyr enymyes wherof to reherse all the cyrcumstaunce yt wolde occupye a longe tyme. wherfore shortely to conclude lastely after hys manyfolde trauayllys susteyned for the weale of the realme of Fraunce he dyed leuynge after hym thre sonnes that is to wytte Charlemayne Pepyn and Gryffon to the whyche he bequethed his possessions and goodes But for the yongest named Gryffon helde hym not contentyd wyth suche bequest as hys father to hym gaue he therfore made warre vppon hys other two bretherne The whyche behaued theym so wysely that wythout notable batayll they toke theyr sayde brother and putte hym in a safe kepynge And that done the sayde two bretherne assemblyd theyr knyghtes and spedde theym agayn Hanualde duke of Guyan then rebellyng agayn the crown of FrauÌ„ce The whych duke with the countrey they brought vnder theyr fyrste obeysaunce After the whyche victorye of the sayde couÌ„trey obteyned the sayd two bretherne spedde them to the cytye of Poytyers where they by aduyse of the nobles of the lande consyderynge the vnablenesse of Hilderyche y e kynge that he was vnsuffycyent to rule so great a charge dyuyded the lande of Fraunce betwene theym So that eyther of them shuld vnder the kynge rule and gouerne suche porcyon as then there was to them appoynted After the whyche porcyon Charlmayne herynge of the dyuysyon and stryfe amonge the Almaynes as thynge belongynge to hys charge spedde hym thyther in all haste And after a parte of that countrey wastyd and spoylyd and dyuerse of theyr stronge holdys caste playne wyth the erthe he brought theym to due subieccyon And soone after he went agayne the Bauarys y e whyche by his knyghtely strength he appeased in lykewyse In all whyche tyme and season Pepyn hys brother was occupyed in defendynge of the other partyes of Fraunce Then this foresayde Charlmayne steryd by dyuyne inspyracyon or as some authours meane as he before tyme hadde auowyd sodeynely renouncyd and gaue ouer all worldely prosperyte and domynyon and with pure deuocyon yode to Rome where of the pope then named zacharias he wyth all honour and ioy was receyuyd and of hym shorne a munke and dwelled a season in an abbaye of hym selfe buylded in the mounte Sarapte But for he sawe that dayly drewe to hym many great lordes of Fraunce by meane wherof he was lette from hys dyuyne seruyce and contemplacyon he therfore yode thens to the mounte Cassyne there endyd his naturall lyfe After whose thus departynge or gyuynge ouer of the sayde Charlemayne Pepyn as onely ruler toke vppon hym the charge of the hole realme In thys passe tyme Gryffon the yonger brother was enlargyd from prysone and by fauoure of hys bretherne was assygned to suche possessyons as to hym was demed suffycyent to lede an honorable lyfe How be yt when he sawe that hys brother Pepyn hadde all the rule and he nothynge he dysdayned hys sayde brother and thoughte no lenger to contynue in that maner but to be partener of the rule of the lande as Charlemayne hys brother hadde ben And this to brynge to hys purpose he fledde vnto the Saxons whyche as after shall appere were named Normans And with the prynce of theym made alyaunce so that wyth theyr ayde he mouyd warre agayne his brother and assembled a stronge hoste wherof Pepyn beynge warnyd gaderyd hys people and passynge thorow came to the ryuer of Sunaha or after the latyne tonge Smussaha and Gryffon sped hym tyll he came to a ryuer called Onacre wheÌ„ these .ii. hostes were thus nere meanes of treatye were soughte on both partyes Durynge whych communycacyon Gryffon hauynge susspeccyon to the Saxons that were on his parte leste they wold betraye hym and yelde hym into the handes of his brother made for that tyme a sleyght agrement and shortly after departyd from the sayd SaxoÌ„s and fled to the Bauarys or into Bayon where he allyeng hym wyth dyuerse nobles and barons of Fraunce vexyd and distourbed sore the duke and lorde of that countrey called Tassylon and lastly dysceasyd hym of that lordshyppe wherof Pepyn beynge warned spedde hym thyther wyth great strength and so bare hym that he had the better of his brother and restoryd the sayd Tassylon vnto his right after retourned into FrauÌ„ce ledynge wyth hym his brother Gryffon as his prysoner But ye was not long after that by medyatours the sayde Gryffon was reconcilyd to his brother And for he shuld be coÌ„tent haue no more cause to vary with his broder there was assygned to hym as wytnessyth y e freÌ„ch cronicle and other xii erldomes with in the realme of Fraunce wyth the whyche bounteous gyfte he not beynge coÌ„tente the selfe same yere fled vnto y e duke of Guyan named Gayffer and wyth hym newly conspyred agayne his sayde brother But lastely he was there slayne as after shall appere Pepyn then consyderynge in hys mynde in what daunger and trouble hys father before hym had ruled the lande he now for his tyme in lyke agony and trouble and the kynge to whome belonged all the charge kepte hys paleys folowed all his delytes and pleasures wythoute takynge of any payne wherfore consyderynge
story a marques of Italy For thys Barnarde wyth one Helberde had before tyme taken from the chyrche of Rome certeyne possessyons whyche by meane of thys Lewys the sentence of the chyrche denounced agayne them by the foresayd pope IohnÌ„ were agayn restored and the partyes also reconcyled But now of newe thys Barnarde rebelled agayne wherfore the pope as to Lewys for the defensour of the chyrch of Rome sent for ayde for as before I haue shewed you thys Lewys of the sayde pope IohnÌ„ was authorysed for emperoure But for he was not crowned at Rome wyth the imperyall dyademe he is not accoÌ„pted amonge y e emperours For thys newe rebellyon of Barnarde Lewys assembled hys armye at CoÌ„payne foresayd and froÌ„ thens rode to y e cytye of Troyes in UinceÌ„t where he was taken wyth sodayne malady of y e whyche he dyed shortly after and not wythout suspeccyon of venym whan he had ben kynge of Fraunce fully two yeres leuyng after hym two sonnes that is to saye Lewys and Charlys or after some wryters Charlemayne THE CLXXV CHAPITER LEwys and Charlys the sonnes of Lewys Balbus or Lewys y e stamerer began theyr reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of oure lordes incarnacion .viii. C.lxxx and the .viii. yere of y e reygne of Alurede than kynge of Englande The whyche for they were yonge of age were put vnder tuyssyoÌ„ and gydyng of Barnarde the erle of Auuergii to whom the father by hys lyfe had theÌ„ commytted wherfore the sayd Barnarde wyth other of hys affynyte assembled shortly after at Meaux in Lorayne thyder called vnto them the lordes of the lande to treate maters for the comon weale of y e same In those dayes was a man of grete myght in FrauÌ„ce named GosseleynÌ„ the whyche enuyed the foresayd erle Barnarde other for certayne harmes to hym by them done in tyme be fore passed In auengynge wherof the sayd GosseleynÌ„ intended to putte hym and other from the rule of the land whych he knew well they shuld occupye whyle the sayd two childern had rule of the same And thys euyll purpose to brynge to effecte he went vnto Conrade erle of Parys and shewed to hym moche of his wyll And amonge other thynges lette hym wytte that yf Lewys kynge of Germany myght with hys helpe be made kynge of FrauÌ„ce that he shulde by hym be greatly auaunced By whych meanes he caused the sayde Conrade to take hys parte so that he other of hys affynyte whan they came vnto the foresayde counsayle at Meaux sayde that Lewys kynge of Germany was more apte to rule the lande of FrauÌ„ce than any other was And also after some wryters these Lewis and Charlys afore sayde were not the legyttymate sonnes of the forenamed Lewis Balbê° but gotten in baste of a concubyne of the sayd Lewys Thys mater thus debated and argued amonges the couÌ„sayle lastly by moste in nomber it was agreed that Lewys kynge of Germanye shulde be by ambassade requyred to come and take vppon hym the rule of the lande of myddell Fraunce The whych wyth small request was agreable and in shorte tyme after came vnto the sayd cytye of Meaux and after to Uerdune But as soone as the knowlege was come to Barnarde and other of hys affynyte by counceyle of Hughe and Terry two nobles of Fraunce the bysshop of Orlyaunce with an erle and other were sent to Uerdune vnto the sayd kynge of Germany wyth thys message That yf he were contente to take vnto hym all suche parte of the prouynce of Lorayne as Charlys the Balled kepte from hys fader Lewys wythout more clayme of the lande or realme of Fraunce he shuld gladly haue it And yf nat he shulde abyde the iugement of Mars and hys batayle wyth whyche offer Lewys was well contented and beyng of it in a suertye departed agayne into Germanye Thorough that doynge the forenamed Gosselyne and Conrade with other of theyr freÌ„dê were with yt sore dyscoÌ„tentyd of the departure of Lewys forsayde But the sayd Bernarde with other of his syde in goodly hast after coÌ„ueyed the sayd two chyldren vnto the citye of Ferrer there crowned and proclaymed theym for kynges as wytnessyth mayster Robert Gaguyne But the forenamed Gosselyne and Conrade not leuynge so the mater sente messengers vnto y e quene of Germanye coÌ„playnynge theym vnto her of the vnstablenesse and tymerousnesse of her lorde wherby he had not alonely loste the possessyon of the realme of Fraunce but also he hadde put them and all theyr frendes in great fere and daunger wherof herynge the quene in her mynde was sore dyscontentyd wyth her lorde and husbande and as she durste shewyd yt to hym as his reproche and dyshonour And fynally to satysfye the myndes of the sayde GosselynÌ„ and Conrade she sent into Guyan her brother named Boso by whose aydes and assystence he was of that prouynce proclaymed kynge Endurynge whyche trouble 's the Danys entred the lande and came vnto the ryuer of Lyger and robbed and spoyled the countrey wythoute mercy wherfore the kynges assembled theyr people and gaue to them batayll nere vnto the ryuer of Uyen where they dystressyd the sayde Danys and slewe of them .ix. thousand and drowned of theÌ„ ouer that a grete multytude in the sayde ryuer After whyche vyctory by the kynges obteyned a new vexacyon trouble was to them ascertayned y t Lewys kyng of Germany with a great puysaunce was comen vnto a place called Ducy and to hym was gone the forenamed GosselynÌ„ and Conrade with all the power that they myghte make by theyr ledynge was from thens coÌ„ueyed vnto Rybemaunt But howe so yt was for lacke of performaunce of promyse made by the sayde two erles vnto the kyng of Germany not obserued he herynge of the kynges of Fraunce drawynge towarde hym wyth stronge hoste coÌ„cluded a peas and retourned into Germany And the two bretherne rode to gyder vnto the citye of Damens or Demeus where they deuyded the lande of Fraunce betwene theym So that Lewes held to hym the couÌ„trey nere about Parys with the prouince of Neustria or Normandye and Charles had vnto his part Burgoyn and Guyan with promyse made assured on eyther partye that eyther of them shulde ayde and assyste other THE CLXXVI CHAPITER AFter this partycyon betwene the two bretherne thus made by the meanes of Lewys kynge of Germany the foresayde erles GosselynÌ„ Conrade were vnto the sayde bretherne recouncyled and agreed And for to theym redy worde was brought y â— Bose before named kyng of Guyan hadde wonne the cytye of Uyen therin lefte his wyfe whyle that he occupyed y e hylles and mountaynes beynge there aboute they ioyntly assembled theyr knyghtes sped theÌ„ thyther layde theyr seage aboute the cytye But durynge this syege the Danis often wasted y e land of Fraunce wherfore Lewys the elder brother departed froÌ„ that syege leuynge there his brother Charlys But or the sayde Lewis myght wyn to
and fette there his aimes hys sayde wyfe then lyenge at the castell of warwyke not knowynge of any man what he was tyll lastely he was visited with so sore sykenes that he knew well that he shuld dye wherefore he sente hys weddynge rynge vnto hys wyfe requyrynge her in all haste to come and speke wyth hym whych she obeyed in humble wyse and sped her vnto the sayd Heremytage wyth all womanly dylygence and fande hym deed at her commynge whom she besprent with many a salt tere And as she was enfourmed of the messenger as he dyed she buryed hym ryghte there And more ouer as saith my sayd authour he monyshed her by the sayd messenger that she shulde prouyde for her selfe for she shuld also alter her mortall lyfe the .xv. day folowyng which also she obeyed and made suche prouisyon that she was in that place buryed by hym All whyche mater the sayde Dane Iohn̄ Lydgate affyrmeth that he toke out of the boke of Gerarde Cambres̄ whyche wrote mych of the dedes and storyes of the prynces of Englande as Policronica and other authour testyfyen and as the sayde Lydgate in the ende of his sayde treatyse wytnessyth as by the mater folowynge appereth For more authorite as of this mater This translacyon such as in sentēce Out of laten made by the cronycler Called of old Gerardus Cambrēce whyche wrote the dedes wyth great dylygence Of them that were in weste Saxon crowned kynges Greatly cōmendyd for theyr knyghtly excellence Guy of warwyke in hys famouse wrytynges AL whyche sayde treatyse is shewyd at length in meter of viii stauys after the maner of the precedentes by the dylygent labour of the sayde Dane Iohn̄ Lydgate The whyche I haue here sette in for so mych as yt concernyth mater that was done in the tyme of the reygne of thys Ethylstane The whyche after the accorde of moste wryters ▪ broughte thys lande agayne to one monarchye and reygned as kynge therof by the full terme of .xvi. yeres and was buryed at the monastery of Malmysbury leuynge after hym no chylde wherfore the rule of the land fyll vnto Edmunde his brother Francia THE CLXXXVI CHAPITER LEwys the sonne of Charlis y e symple beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchmen in y e yere of our lorde ix hundred and xxxiiii and the .ix yere of Ethelstane then kynge of Englande ye haue harde before in the ende of the storye of Charlys y e symple how Elgina the quene wyth Lewys her yonger sonne was fledde into England to her father Edward the elder wherfore y e lordes of Fraūce not knowynge where she with the Chylde was gone chose the forenamed Rauf for theyr kynge After whose deth the said lordes of Fraūce beynge ascertayned of the beynge of the sayd Lewys in England sent vnto hym the archbyshop of Senys Hughe surnamed le graunde desyrynge hym to restore into Fraunce and take therof possessyon Then Elgina herynge the message of the lordes and trustyng vnto thē by counsayll of her frendes made her redy wyth her son sayled shortly after into Fraunce where she was receyued wyth myche honour shortly after crowned her sonne Lewys kynge at the cytye of Laon̄ This Lewys is named y e .v. Lewys In the thyrde yere of whose reygne fyll a scarcytye of corne vytayll by reason wherof ensued a great famyn in so myche that people voyded the realme many dyed for defaut For as wytnesseth the frenche cronycle a quarter of whete was then worth .xx. poūde of y e money which is of value after sterlynge money .l. s. or there about This kyng beryng in mynd the murder and treason done agayn his father by Hebert as before in the storye of Charlis the symple is declared cast and ymagined in his mynde how he myght wythout shedynge of blood reuenge the deth of his fader and after many ymagynacyons and thought is reuolued in his mynde he lastely dyuysed a letter the whych he charged a seruaunt of his to brynge to hys presence when he was sette amonge his lordes in counsayll when kynge Lewys hadde compassed this in hys mynde he for nedes of hys realme called a great coūsayll of his barony at Laon̄ whyther amonges the other the sayde Heberte erle of Uermendoys was warned to come And when the kynge was ascertayned of theyr commynges he apoynted a secrete cōpanye in harnes to be in a secrete chamber nere vnto the place of the sayde counsayll and at conuenient tyme after yode vnto the same and all his lordes wyth hym And when he hadde a season commoned wyth hys lordes of suche maters as hym lyked sodeynly came one to hym and sayd that a man was cōmen wyth a letter dyrected to hys grace oute of Englande the whych he commaunded to be broughte vnto hys syghte when the kyng hadde vnfolde the letter and radde a parte therof he smyled whereof the lordes beynge ware purposed the kynge to haue receyued some iewyllys or ioyous nouellys oute of Englande whyle the kynge was aboute to delyuer this letter to his scribe or secretory one of hys lordes sayde vnto hym Syr we truste ye haue some iocande mery tydynges oute of Englāde that ye haue cause of smilyng I shall shewe the cause to you sayde the kyng There is dwellyngin England a kynnesman of myne named Harman the whych is a man of gret myghte and myne especyall frende He shewyth me by this letter that an husbandeman or a vyleyne badde or requyred hys lorde vnto his howse to dyner and vnder the coloure therof he slewe hys sayde lorde And for the sayde Harman thynketh the law of that lande to fauourable for such an haynous dede hetherfore writeth to me to haue myne aduyse in thys mater wherfore sens ye be all present I praye you shewe to me your opynyons in this mater whych with one voyce sayde y t the murderer was worthy to suffer the moste shamefull and cruell deth to be hanged and strangled in a rope But for y e kynge wolde be certaynely enfourmed of the consentes of theym all he began at the hygest and so pursued theym tyll he came to Hebert erle of Uermēdoys the whych alowed the sentēce as the other hadde done Then the kynge made a token to y e walshemen betwene hym them before appoynted so y e anon they were present sette sure hold vppon the sayde Hebert To whom the kynge sayd Hebert thou art the husbondman or vilayne y t I haue spoken of whych slew his lord vnder colour of byddynge or gestynge hym in hys house For traytoursly thou dydeste requyre my lorde and father vnder thyne house or castell of Peron̄ and there not remembrynge the kyndnes to the by hym before dayes shewyd nor thyne allegyauntes and trouthe that toward hym thou shuldest haue borne kept hym lyke a prysoner and lastely murderyd hym to the greate daunger agayne god to the world shame wherfore accordynge to thy desert and after thyne own sentence and iudgemēt take now
Raynys whan he had reygned in great trouble .xxi. yeres leuynge for hys heyre a sonne named Lothayr Anglia THE CLXXXVIII CHAPITER EDmunde y e brother of EthelstanÌ„ and sonne of Edwarde the elder of Ethelwyda the thyrde wyfe of the sayd Edwarde begaÌ„ hys reygne ouer Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .xl and the .vii. yere of the .v. Lewys thaÌ„ kynge of Fraunce In the fyrste yere of hys reygne the Danys of Northumberland rebelled agayne hym And for to make theyr party the stroÌ„ger they sent for a prynce of Danys named Aulaffe than beynge in Irlande The which brought wyth hym an other prynce or ruler of Danys named Reygnald wyth a great hoste of Danys other strauÌ„ge nacyons and entred the foresayd countre and warred vppon the next borders in wastynge and spoylynge the inhabytauÌ„tes of the same wherof whan kyng Edmund was warned anone he assembled his people and sped hym toward y e countre and lastly faught wyth the two sayd prynces of the Danys or at the leest chaced them from towne to towne tyll he forsyd them wyth all theyr coÌ„pany of straunge nacyons to forsake vtterly that prouynce and bet down that countre of Cumberlande y t had mych fauoured and ayded the sayde enmyes agayne hym and toke therin greate prayes and deuyded them amoÌ„ges hys knyghtes And y e done other for the good seruyce that MalcolynÌ„ kynge of Scotlande hadde in thys vyage done vnto the kynge or for the trowth and allegyaunce that he in tyme folowyng shulde bere vnto hym or for bothe the kynge gaue there to the sayd MalcolynÌ„ the countre of Cumberlande and seased all y e resydue of the kyngdom or lordshyp of Northumberlande and ioyned it vnto hys owne kyngdome But yet y e Danys retorned agayn in the tyme of Edredus the nexte kynge as after shal be shewed so that as yet the fyne or ende of thys kyngdome is not accompted In thys Edmundus dayes the authour of Polycronyca sayth that whan Edmunde hadde ended hys iourney and set that countree in an order he toke wyth hym the bones of the holy abbot Colfrydus and of that holy abbesse Hylda brought theym vnto Glastenbury and there shryned theym This Colfryde was abbot of Bedas abbey or of the abbey of Gyrwye Hilda was abbesse of Stenshalt or whytby And as affermeth y e sayd authour both places ben in y e North partyes of England Thys kynge Edwarde had a noble woman to wyfe named Elgina of whom he receyued two sonnes named Edwyne and Edgar And as testyfyeth Henry archedekeÌ„ of Huntyngdon thys Edward had ofte warre wyth the Danes the whyche as he affermeth helde than many good townes in myddle England as LyncolnÌ„ NothinghmÌ„ Derby Stafforde Laycetour y e which by his knyghtly manhode he wanne from them And by the helpe of holy Dunstan he ameÌ„ded many thynges within his realm y t had beÌ„ loÌ„ge tyme misordered by meane of y e Danys Of the ende or fyne of thys Edmunde dyuers opynyons there be For Marianus the Scot sayth that whyle thys kynge Edmunde endeuered hym selfe to saue his sewer froÌ„ the dauÌ„ger of hys enemye that wold haue slayne hym at Pulkerchyrche the kynge in ryddynge of the fraye was wounded to the deth and dyed shortly after But wyllyam de regibus sayth that the kynge beynge at a feest at y e foresayd towne or place vppon the daye of saynte Augustyne espyed a felon syttyng in y e halle named Leof whych he before tyme for hys felony hadde exyled and lept ouer the table and plucked that thefe by the here of the hedde to the grounde In whych doynge the sayd felon wyth a knyfe wounded the kynge to the deth and also wyth the same knyfe wounded many other of the kynges seruauntes and at length was all to hewen dyed forthwyth If this be trewe it shulde seme that kynges at those dayes vsed not the honour that they nowe haue and exercyse But whych of these two meanes was vsed in the kynges deth by agreemeÌ„t of all wryters thys kynge dyed whan he had reygned .vi. yeres and more was buryed at Glastenbury the whyche before he hadde sumptuously repayred and lafte after hym two yonge sonnes as before is remembred Edwyne and Edgar But for they were to yonge to rule the lande therfore y e rule therof was coÌ„mytted to Edredê° theyr vncle brother to theyr fader THE CLXXXIX CHAPITER EDredus y e brother of EdmuÌ„de and sonne of Edwarde the elder and of Ethylswyda hys thyrde wyfe began his reygne ouer the realme of Englande in the yere of our lorde .ix. hundred and .lxvii and the xiii yere of the fyfte Lewys thaÌ„ kyng of Fraunce The whych as before is towched was admytted kyng by authoryte of hys barony For so myche as the two forenamed chylderne of Edmunde Edwyn and Edgar were thought to yonge and insuffycyent to take vpon them so great a charge The whyche Edrede was enoynted kynge of Oddo archbyshop of CauÌ„terbury in y e towne of Kyngestowne And soone after he warred vpon the Danys that then were reentred into Northumberland or after some wryters there dwellynge vnder trybute of the kynge subdued before of Edmunde hys brother and bette theym downe and caused theym to holde and obeye vnto theyr former couenauntes And the Scottes than began to varye which he also brought vnto due obedyence After a certayne terme y e Danys of Northumberlande whyche euer contynued full of gyle and dowblenesse not beyng content to holde the couenauÌ„tes before made promisses vnto Edredus the kynge called vnto theym theyr olde accessaryes and helpers and bereuyd from the kynges subiectes the cytye of yorke and other stronge townes and castelles to the great hurte of the couÌ„trey and vtter dyspleasure of the kynge wherfore he beynge therof aduertysed in goodly and conuenyent haste assembled hys people and spedde hym thyther and destroyed myche of the lande And in that fury brent the abbey of Rypon whyche the Danys kept for a fortresse and strength and wan from them myche of the strengthes that they to fore had woÌ„ne and broughte theym agayne vnder hys subieccyon when this kynge Edrede had thus spedde hys iourney and was retournynge into Englande nothynge suspectynge the sayde Danys a company of them by the excytyng of Hyrcus a kyng or prynce of the Danys theÌ„ folowyd the kinges hoste and on thys halfe yorke fyll vppon the kynges rerewarde and destroyed slew many a man For the whyche doyng the kynge was sore amoued tourned hys people agayne entendynge to haue destroyed y e countrey vtterly wherof the Danys beynge ware so lowely meked theym vnto hym gaue to hym suche gyftes that the kyng refrayned hym of the great yre that he had purposed to theym But amonges other articles y t he bounde them vnto one was that they shuld banyshe and vtterly refuse theyr fore sayde duke or kynge called Hyrcus whyche thynge with dyuers and many other graunted
orderyd in his lande deuyded his sayd lande in foure partes That is to meane the fyrst princypall which at those dayes was westsaxon he helde vnder hys owne gydyng Eestenglande whych coÌ„teyned Norff. Suff. he betoke to the rule of y e erle Turkyllê° a Dane of whome somwhat is in the .iii. chapyter of y e story of Egelredê° Mercia he betoke to the subtell erle Edricus And the .iiii. Northumberlande vnto a Dane named Hircius But lyke as the man of Inde at no tyme chauÌ„ged his colour so this Edricus chauÌ„ged neuer his fals maners But not wythstandynge the great benefytes that he dayly receyued of his prynces there as he to other hadde ben false and dysceyuable in dayes past euen so nowe he demeaned hym agayne Canutus wherfore he beynge accused proued wyth defaute was commauÌ„ded of the kyng to haue iudgement The whyche was done immediatly his hedde for dyuerse causes smyten of and yt wyth the bodye for spyte caste into a fowle and fylthy place But Ranulf sayth that he was slayne by the kynges agrement wythin his paleys at London and his body wyth the hed throwne after into the towne dyche Thus wyth shame he ended that in falshode dyssymulacyoÌ„ had contynued myche of his lyfe Aboute the .ix. yere of his reygne Canutê° called a parliament at Oxenford where amonges other thynges yt was enacted that Englyshmen Danys shuld holde the lawes of Edgar lately kynge In this pastyme dyed Swanus brother to Canutus kynge of Denmarke wythout issue wherfore that lande fyll to Canutus For the which cause he wyth a stronge army sayled thyther to take the possessyon and to set the countrey in an order or after some wryters to apeas wythstande the wandelys y t then had perced that lande and done therin myche harme where GoodwynÌ„ the erle whose doughter Edwarde the confessour after maryed wyth a certayne nomber of Englyshmen fyll vpon y e wandalys by nyght dystressed theym in suche wyse that Canutus had of them his pleasure For this dede the kyng had erle GoodwynÌ„ euer after in good fauoure and loued Englyshmen more specyally And when he was returned into Englande he shortely after or before maryed Emma the wyfe lately of Egelredus Of the whych he receyued in processe of tyme a son named hym Hardicunitus or after some Hardykynitus after the Englyshe boke Hardyknough And aboute this tyme fyll voyde y â— see of Lyndesser or Durham to the whyche by dyuyne inspyracyon and knowlege receyued by a voyce from the tumbe of saynt Cuthbert blessed EdmuÌ„de after thre yere of vacacyon was electe to that see But ye shal vnderstande that thys was not saynte Edmunde of Ponteney For he was archbyshoppe of Caunterbury in the dayes of Henry the thyrde THE CXCVI. CHAPITER CAnutus about the .vii. yere of his reygne by exhortacyon of Egelnothus then archbishop of CauÌ„terbury translated the body of saynt Elphegus late archbyshoppe of the sayd see martyred by the Danys as before is shewed in the seconde chapiter of the storye of Egelredus and shryued hym in hys owne chyrche of Caunterbury foresayde In the tyme also of thys Canutus aboute the .xvi. yere of hys reygne the Scottes rebelled agayne hym wherfore he with a great army entred Scotlande at length ouercame the kynge of that lande named then Malcolyne and brought them agayne to hys subieccyon as is recorded in the bokes of Marianus the Scot. By reason of whych vyctory Canutus was then kynge of .iiii. kyngdoms of England of ScotlaÌ„d of Denmarke and Norwaye Then as wytnessyth dyuerse authours after he had betaken this lande of Englande to the gydynge of Leofricus Egelnothus and other he then returned into Denmarke And from theÌ„s he yode to Rome in the .xv. yere of his reygn made there great offerynges to saynte Peter and Poule redemed the scole of Saxons fre of all former trybute graunted as before in the storyes of Iue and Offa and other kynges of Saxons is som deale more touched whyche redempcyon of tribute as sayth Guydo was called Rome Scot. But it shall seme in that sayenge some douteth for so myche as at thys daye in dyuers places of EnglaÌ„d as in Northamptonshyre and other the peter pens are yet gaderyd Canutus also after he had in Rome accomplyshed his purpose he in hys returne towarde Englande executed wonderfull dedes of almes in releuynge of the poore and other goftly workes payde great good for raunsom of crysten prysoners amonges other of his dedes It is wytnessyd that he shulde agree with the pope that was called Benet the .viii. of that name pay to hym certayne summes of money that his archbyshoppes after y t daye myghte haue the pall wythoute payenge of money therfore And wheÌ„ he was comen in the citye of Papia in Italy in hys way home warde he there brought the arme of saynte Augustyne the doctour for a hundred pounde of syluer and a talent of golde And here is to be noted that there be thre maners of taleÌ„tes The fyrst and grettest is of y â— weyght of .vi. score pounde weyghte the seconde of the weyght of .lxxii pounde and the thyrde and leest of .l. pounde weyght Then yf we reken this talent with the leest in a pouÌ„de of gold after troye weyght is .xii. vuces and in .l. pounde is .vi. huÌ„dred vnces and euery vnce of fyne golde is worth xl s. By whyche reason this talent shulde be in value to the summe of xii hundred pounde This precyous relyque y e kyng gaue vnto his trusty frende Leofricus y e whych he myche loued and trusted and remayned at Couentre many yeres after whyle Canutus was occupyed in thys iourney coÌ„playnt was brought vnto hym of some mysse demeanurs and rule that were occupyed and exercysed in his absence wythin this realme wherfore he wrote home letters to the lordes chargynge theym straytely that all such defautes were redressed agayne hys coÌ„myng home Thys kynge as wythnesseth Guydo was of great magnyfycence and vsed suche iustyce and temperaunce that in his dayes in the weste partes of the worlde was no prynce of renowne as was Canutus And ouer that he was gretly beloued dradde of hys subiectes In the tyme of this Canutus as tessyfyeth Guillelmus de pontificibus a munke of GlasteÌ„bury named Bryghtwolde whyche was after bysshop of wylton beynge in hys contemplacyon and prayer bethoughte hym on the lynage of Englyshe kynges And in that thought fyll into a slumber in whyche tyme of his slepe he sawe saynte Peter the apostle standynge by hym and holdynge in hys hande Edwarde the sonne of Egelredus which then was in Normandy the whyche to his thynkynge he saw saynte Peter saker y e sayde Edward as kynge of Englande And shewed to hym farther how holy this Edwarde shulde be in hys lyuynge and how he shuld reygne as kynge .xxiii. yeres Then thys monke frayned saynt Peter of the ofsprynge of thys Edwarde and who shulde be
kynge after hym To the whyche questyon was answered by Peter the kyngedome of Englyshemen is the kyngedome of god wherfore the kynges therof shall stande at goddes puruyaunce And also a nother doctour called Henry of Huntyngdon shewyd that an holy man warned Englyshe men y â— a lorde whyche they thought nothynge vppon shulde come out of Fraunce brynge them ryght lowe In the tyme also of thys Canutê° by agrement of many wryters fyll one thynge worthy mynde and memory In a town of Saxony named Calbis in y e dyocesys of Magburgh and parysshe of saynt Magii xviii men and .xv. women vppon the euen of the Natyuyte of our lorde began a daunce about the chyrche yarde of saynt Magu afore sayd the person or other prestes beyng than at masse wythin y e same chyrche which beyng troubled wyth the noyse of the mynstrellys also the dynne of the sayde men and women sent vnto them in monysshynge them to seace of that doynge But all was in vayne for they wolde not seace of theyr dysport for any commauÌ„dement y t to theÌ„ was gyuen wherwyth the preste beynge dyscontented that they none other wyse reuerenced y e sacrament noryed that solempne season besought god and saynte Magii that they shulde contynue theyr daunce by the space of an hole yere The whyche prayer was harde in suche wyse that they contynued the same songe daunce tyll that daye twelue monethes and neuer eate nor dranke nor rested theÌ„ in all y e season And moreouer dewe nor rayne fyll vppon them in all that yere nor garment nor no thyng that was about them was impayred shoo nor other At the yeres ende Horobertus archbysshop of that dyocesys came vnto y e sayde place and lowsed them of that bonde whych the preste had bounde them in and before the awlter of the chyrche them reconsyled Of the whyche a prestes doughter and two other dyed forth wyth and the remenaunt yode to reste and slepte by the space of .iii. dayes and iii. nyghtes folowynge where after some of them dyed and suche as lyued fell lame of theyr lymmes And one of the same .xviii. men beyng named Ubertus or Hupertus wrote thys wonder wyth hys owne hande for a more recorde of the trowth Then let vs retorne to Canutus of whom it is redde that after hys coÌ„myng from Rome he beganne somdele to presume in pryde set more by hym selfe than good wysdome wolde In tyme of whyche exaltacyoÌ„ of hys mynde he went vnto the Tamys syde and behelde howe the water swelled or flowed And so standynge nere the water the water touched hys fete Than he charged the water that he shuld flowe no hygher and that in no wyse he shulde to wche hys lordes clothes But the water kepte his course and wette at length the kynges thyes wherewyth y e kyng abasshed sterte backe and sayde all erthly kynges may know that theyr powers be vayne and that none is worthy to haue the name of a kynge but he that hath all thynges subiecte to hys hestes as here is shewed by worchynge of hys treature by thys water And for thys as wytnesseth Polycronycon and other he offered hys crowne to y e rode of wynchester and neuer bare it vpon his hed after It is also wytnessed of the sayde authour that Canutus maryed hys doughter hadde by hys laste wyfe vnto Henry sonne of Conradus the emperour the seconde of that name as also it is testyfyed of the authour of Cronica cronicarum And he repayred many monasteryes and specyally suche as before tyme were hurte or throwne downe in the tyme of hys fathers persecucyon And began and ended the monastery of saynt Edmundes Bury endowed it wyth ryche possessyons as before is towched And dyed fynally at Shaftesbury and was buryed at wynchester whan he hadde reygned .xix. yeres leuyng after hym two sonnes of hys wyues the eldest was named Harolde and the yonger Hardykynytus the whyche lyuyng hys fader was made kynge of Denmarke Francia THE CCVII. CHAPITER HEnry the sonne of Robert begaÌ„ hys domynyon ouer the French men in the yere of our lord M.xxix and the .x. yere of Canutus than kynge of Englande To the whyche Henry CoÌ„stantyne the moder was so vnkynde that she by her meanes wolde haue preferred her yonger sonne Roberte duke of Burgoyne to the rule of the lande before thys Henry so that by her meanes bothe cytyes and castels were wyth holden from hym and was by her suche other as toke her parte so ouer lad that he was forced to resorte to Robert than duke of Normandy for to aske helpe of hym to wythstande hys enemyes ye shall vnderstande that this Robert was the .vi. duke of Normandy and sonne of Richarde the seconde and also father vnto wyllyaÌ„ bastard that conquered Englande Thys Roberte was lyberall and noble of condycyon but defamed of y e deth of hys elder brother Rychard the thyrde For the whyche murder as wytnessyth dyuers authours the vii yere of hys dowchery he went to Iherusalem and dyd in that pylgre mage many honourable and liberall actes the whyche in good order ben remembred in the .xix. chapyter of the vi boke of Polycronicon This Robert receyued kyng Henry wyth all honour and gaue vnto hym greate and ryche gyftes sent for hys frendes and knyghtes so y e the kynge had by hys ayde a greate myghty hoste And retorned agayn into Fraunce and in short whyle after recouered from hys sayde moder bothe cytyes townes and castelles that she and her fautours from hym wythhelde And fynally agreed so wyth her that he and she contynued frendes theyr lyfe tymes enduryng After whyche accorde about the .v. yere of hys reygne he made warre vppon Eudo erle of Champayne vppon Baldewine erle of FlauÌ„ders and in processe of tyme wan froÌ„ them certayne cytyes and castelles the whyche Constance his moder hadde before tymes gyuen to them in tyme of dyscencyon In thys warre was slayne Eudo erle of Champayne wherfore hys .ii. sonnes Stephen Thybaud maynteyned the warre agayne the kynge but to theyr bothe harmes in y e ende For Stephen loste therby the cytyes of Chartres and towers and Thybaude y e cytyes of Troyes Maulx wyth other whan Henry hadde ended thys warre set hys lande in some quyetnesse he thaÌ„ buylded a monastery of saynt Martyne called Des ChaÌ„ps besyde Parys and set therin seculer prestes In thys passetyme Robert duke of Normandy moued in conscyence to vysyte the holy sepulture of oure lorde called before hym hys lordes of hys lande wyllynge and coÌ„maundynge them to owe theyr trewe allegaunce vnto hys yonger sonne wyllyam and to take hym for theyr lord and duke yf he retorne not agayne And to thys he caused to swere Robert than archbysshop of Roan with the other of hys lordes and after departed vppon the sayd iourney and dyed in the cytye of Bethenia as he was coÌ„mynge homewarde wherof y e lordes of Normandy beynge assertayned
sayde warre contynued by the terme of two yeres In the ende of whych two yeres wyllyam the eldest sonne of kynge Henry beynge a chyld and wythin age contented so well the mynde of Lewys that he refrayned of hys warre for that tyme. In the .xiii. yere at Shrewesburye was a great erth quake and at Nothyngham from the morne to the vndertyde The ryuer of Trent was so fordryed in the moneth of June as sayth Guydo that men wente ouer drye And the starre called stella cometa or the blasynge sterre aperyde soone after Theruppon folowed an harde wynter great deth of the people and scarcete of vitayll by the great moreyn of bestes In thys yere also the kynge founded the abbay of Hyde wythoute the wallys of wynchester that of olde tyme was wythin the wallys THE CCXXVIII CHAPITER IN the .xv. yere of hys reygne y e kynge enteÌ„dyd to haue â—moted Faricus abbot of Abyndon vnto the see of Caunterburye But by a counsayll kept at wyndesoure of bysshoppes y e kynges mynde was chauÌ„ged and to that see was then admytted Raufe that was byshoppe of Rochester And the same yere one Thurstone was chosen archebyshoppe of yorke the whyche wythsayde hys professyon of obedience that he shuld owe to the see of Caunterbury wherfore at lengthe he was depryuyd of hys dygnyte But after by laboure that he made to Pascall the pope before named the sayde pope wrote vnto the kynge that he shulde restore Thurstone agayne to the see of yorke By whyche meane he was agayne restoryd but yet he disdayned to do hys lawefull obedyence vnto Raufe archebyshope of Caunterbury Then the stryfe was renewed which Lamfranke before as ye haue harde in the thyrde chapyter of wyllyam Conquerour dyd appeace and was brought in argument before the pope The whyche at the kynges request promysed y t he wolde nothyng do nor ordeyne that shuld be derogacion to the archbyshop of Caunterbury or to the dygnyte of his chyrche But in coÌ„clusion the pope gaue such a defuse sentence in thys mater that he lefte the stryfe vndetermyned and vnassoyled And when y e kynges procuratours wyth also the archbyshop of Caunterbury were absent were yt for nede or for fauour the pope was so bowed that he forsoke y e olde rule vsed before hys days and sacred the sayde Thurstone and gaue vnto hym the pawle For this dede y e kyng was sore dyscontented wyth Thurstone and warned hym the entre of his lande wherfore the pope wrote after shortely to the kynge wyllyng hym to suffer Thurstone to occupye his see peaseably or he shulde be accused and suspended by the dygnyte of the offyce of Caunterbury and so Thurstone enioyed his see In the yere of our lorde .xi. hundred .xviii. as sayth the frenche cronicle whyche was the .xvii. yere of thys kyng Henry the fyrst the warre was agayn quyckened betwen kyng Henry and Lewys kynge of Fraunce wherof was the occasyon as sayth the sayde frenche cronycle Thybaude erle of Chartres whych Thybaude was greuyd by the Frenche kynge and for necessyte requyred kynge Henry of ayde and helpe to whome the kynge as to hys kynnesman sent ayde and socoure And afterwarde the kynge sayled ouer with a stronge armye and sente a nobleman named Stephan into the lordshyppe of Brye to defendeyt agayn the Frenche kynge when Lewys vnsterstode that kynge Henry was landed in Normandye wyth so great power he in all haste assembled a stronge power and drewe hym towarde the kynge But there were so stronge holdes mannyd wyth Normans also such depe and great ryuers that the Frenche kynge myght not wynne vnto kynge Henry Then lastely by a feate of warre whyche were longe to reherse he wan a town named Lyngues in Cause in the whyche towne was a brydge to passe the ryuer of Thee and so into Normandye when a certayne of the knyghtes of Lewes had thus wonne the foresayd towne the sayd Lewes wyth his people spedde hym shortly after and rescued his foresayde knightes then spoyled and robbed the towne the whyche was ryche for so myche as yt hadde ben in quyet and rest many yeres before He also slewe and toke prysoners all y e Normans there dwellyng put in theyr stede FrenchmeÌ„ And that done he sped hym towarde kynge Henry the which was at a castell called Male assyse there made purueyaunce for the defence of the Frenchmen And when he hadde garnyshed yt to hys pleasure he departed thens But not longe after the Frenche kynge came thyther wyth his hole hoste of Frenchmen and after many sore cruell assautys wan the sayde castell and bette yt downe euen wyth the grounde After whych season as sayth the sayd cronicle fell to the Frenche kynge many and dyuerse mysfortunes For shortely after amonge other myssechaunces a noble captayn of hys named Angueran de Chanmount the whyche had done myche harme in Normandye to kynge Henry and wonne there some castelles and other stronge holdes dyed sodeynly And in shorte tyme after Baldewyne erle of FlauÌ„dres a man of great streÌ„gth and puyssaunce as he beseaged a castell was wounded in the face and dyed wyth in .vi. dayes after Then Fauques erle of Aungeos in whom also this Lewys affyed mych and trusted maryed his doughter vnto willyam the eldest sonne of kynge Henry and refused the kynge of Fraunce parte and ayded and assysted kynge Henry in all that he myght so that dayly the power of kyng Henry encreased and the Frenche kynges mynyshed Lastely these two prynces met wyth theyr both hostes in playne feld and foughte a dedely and cruell batayll where in the ende the Frenche kynge was ouercomen and loste myche of his people and was coÌ„pelled to flee vnto a place called Audely for his sauegarde But thys ouerthrowe of Frenchemen is excused in the moste fayrest maner so y t they excuse them selfe and saye that kynge Henry set vppon kynge Lewys when he was not ware but hys knyghtes all oute of aray order and also kyng Henry had farre excedynge nomber of men ouer that theyr kyng had with other wordes of boste of them selfe slaunder of Englyshemen the whyche as to me appereth is an augmentacyon of theyr owne shame But Ranulfe the munke sayth shortely that kyng Henry ouercame the Frenche kynge royally in batayll Then yt foloweth in y e story fynally these sayde prynces were agreed and wyllyam the sonne of kyng Henry dyd homage vnto y e French kyng for the landes of Normandye by the agrement of his fader For the kyng thought hym selfe to good to be vnder the obeysauÌ„ce of y e Frenche kyng Then kynge Henry caused hys free men of Englande and of Normandy to do homage vnto his sonne wyllyam And soone after Fouques before named lefte hys erledome of Angeer or Angiers in guydyng of kynge Henry and yode hym selfe into the holy lande and wylled in his testament that yf he retourned not agayne that the sayde erledome shulde remayne vnto his sonne
towne toke ê‘tye wyth the duke brake out vppon the nyght and fyred the town and brent a great parte therof In this while dyed and was drowned Eustace the sonne of kynge Stephan and was buried at Feuersham in Kent in the abbay that his father before had buylded Thybaude archbyshop of Caunterbury left not to labour conclude y e peace betwene y e kyng the duke endeuored hym selfe therin so dylygently wyth the assystence of other that in the yere folowynge the peace was coÌ„cluded vppon dyurese condycyons wherof one was that y e kyng shulde contynue as kynge durynge his lyfe and immedyatly after y e conclusion of this peace the sayd Henry shuld be proclaymed in all the chefe cytyes and townes of Englande for heyr apparant be kynge after the deth of the sayde Stephan and that the kynge shulde take hym for hys son of adopcyon and ryghtefull heyr vnto the crowne To the whyche couenauÌ„tes iustly to be holden y e kyng was fyrste sworne and after his lordes spyrytuall and temporall and so yode bothe to London where they were royally receyued And when y e kyng had fested the duke and gyuen to hym ryche gyftes he toke leue of the kynge and so returned into Normandye as affyrmeth the sayde authour the Floure of historyes Howe be yt the cronycle of England sayth that the accorde was made vpon dyuysyon of the lande betwene theym that is to meane that both shuld reygne to gyther and eyther of them to enioye halfe the lande But how that dyuysyon was made or whych parte of the lande eueryche of them shulde hold no meÌ„cion therof is made And the former accorde shuld be as abue is sayde concluded .viii. days folowynge the Epyphanye of our lorde in the towne of Oxenford And y e kyng dyed in the moneth of October folowyng when he had reygned .xviii. yeres full and odde monethes and was enterred in theforsayde abbay of Feuyrsham Of dyuers authours as Ranulfe and other yt is recorded that thys Stephan lyued in great vexacyon and trouble all the terme of hys reygne It is sayde also that thys Stephan maryed Molde or Mawde the doughter of Mary the whyche was the doughter of Henry the fyrst and countesse of Boloyne by whome he claymed the tytle to be crowned as by the yonger doughter of Henry the fyrst and Henry shorte mantell claymed by the elder But after most certenty of wryters this Stephan was sonne of Eustace erle of Boloyne and of Mary syster vnto Molde that was maryed vnto Henry the fyrste whych Molde and Mary were doughters of Margarete wife of Malcolyn kyng of Scottes whyche Margaret was syster to Edgare Ethelynge and doughter of Edwarde the outlawe that was the sonne of Edmunde Ironsyde Then the eldest syster Molde bare Molde the empresse by Henry the fyrste And Molde y e empresse doughter of Henry the fyrst hadde by her second husbande Geffrey Plantagenet Henry the seconde And so by Henry shorte mantell or Henry the seconde returneth the bloode of the Saxons to the crowne of Englande and so it dyd by Stephan but moste conuenyently by Henry the fyrst as by the dyssent of his mother By whych reason yt foloweth that the blood of willyam conquerour continued but .lxx. yeres yf it be accompted from y e fyrst yere of wyllyam Conquerour vnto the laste yere of Henry the fyrste Thys kynge Stephan at the request of Molde hys wyfe buylded in the yere of grace .xi. hundred .xl y e abbey of Coggeshale in Essex and set therin whyte muÌ„kes Also about the same tyme he founded the abbay of Feuersham in Kent where he nowe corporally resteth And the thyrde he founded in Furneys in Lancashyre and all he garnyshed wyth munkys of Cysteaux order dyed as before is sayde wythout yssue of his body Francia THE CCXXXIIII CHAPITER LEwys the .viii. of that name son of Lewys y e great began his reygn ouer the Frenche men in y e yere of our lord .xi. hundred .xxxvi y e fyrst yere of Stephan then kyng of Englande This also is called the yonger Lewys in whose begynnynge Iohannes de teÌ„poribus dyed Thys IohnÌ„ was somtyme a squyer in the house of Charlys the conquerour the whyche lyued ouer .iii. hundred yeres for whyche cause he was named IohnÌ„ of tyme as he y t myght remeÌ„ber thinges done of longe tyme passed This Lewys at y e tyme of his fathers deth was in the countrey of Guyan for to receyue the dower of his wyfe Elyanour as before in the storye and seconde chapyter of kyng Stephan is touched But when he harde of y e deth of his father he sped hym into FrauÌ„ce where after the necessaryes for the weale of his realme ordeyned he maryed his wyues syster named Alys vnto Arnolde erle of Uermendoze After whyche maryage solempnysed tydynges were broughte vnto hym that the crysten people beynge in the holy lande as warryours vppon the Turkes and Sarasyns were dystressed and ouerthrowen and dyuerse stronge holdes from them taken and wonne wherfore by the exhortacyon of that holy muÌ„ke Bernarde whych at this day is called saynt Bernard y e sayd Lewys wyth also Conradus the .iii. of that name then emperour of Almayne wyth Alphon then kynge of Spayne wyth dyuerse other nobles of Fraunce other prouynces toke vpon them the crosse and prouyded for the expedycyon of that iourney in the .iiii. yere of hys reygne after some wryters But of the takyng of hys iourney dyuers writers holde diuers oppinyons so that the doute resteth betwene the yere of our lord .xi. hundred .xl and the yere of .xi. hundred and .l. when all thynges were redy for that iourney the kynge the quene wyth the floure of the chyualry of FrauÌ„ce set forthwarde vppon that iourney and came in processe of tyme vnto Constantyn the noble where he met wyth Conradus the emperour and Alphons kynge of Spayne whom the prynce Emanuell then emperour of Constantyne the noble receyued ioyusly and made to theym by his outwarde contenaunce louynge and frendely chere and promised vnto theym ayde in that iourney bothe of vitayll and also for guydes for the nexte and surest waye But he contrary to his promyse dyd dysapoynte theym and nothynge ayded theym For he delyueryd vnto theym meale myngeled wyth lyme wherof grewe myche harme to the crysten hoste after And also he assygned vnto them suche guydes as brought them into places and couÌ„treys of sterylyte and other daunger so that hastely the Frenche kyng wyth great dyffyculte and losse of his men came vnto the citye of Danas and becleped yt with a stronge syege the whych he assauted and enpayred very sore and was lykely to haue wonne yt yf he had assauted y e place styll where he began But by counsayll of some false crysten men the whyche as wytnesseth Peter Dysroye and other had taken mede of the Turkes the kynge by theyr counsayll remoued the ordynaunce from the weker place vnto y
admytted it were nedefull vnto the realme in auoydyng of all suspeccyon and surmyses of ylle dysposed persones to haue in wrytynge and regestred the manyfolde crymes and â—efautes before done by the sayd Rycharde late kynge of Englande to the ende that they myghte fyrste be openly shewed vnto the people and after to remayne of recorde amonge the kynges recordes The whyche were drawen and compyled as before is sayde in .xxxviii. artycles and there shewed redy to be radde But for other causes than more nedefull to be preferred the redynge of the said artycles at that season were diffâ—ered and put of whyche artycles for that that they wolde aske longe tyme to wryte also wolde to some reders â—e but small pleasure to rede I haue therfore lefte theym out here of thys worke which at lengthe are sette ouâ— in the boke of the Mayres and yere of Drewe Barentyne than mayre of London Than for so moche as the lordes of the parlyament hadde well consydered this voluntary renouncement of kynge Rycharde and that it was behouefull necessary for the weale of the realme to procede vnto the sentence of his deposayll they there appoynted by auctorytie of the states of the sayde parlyament the bisshop of saynte Asse the abbotte of Glastenburye the erle of Gloucester the lorde of Barkeley wyllyam Thyrnynge iustyce Thomas Erpyngham and Thomas Graye knightes that they shulde gyue and â—ere open sentence to the kynges deposicyon whervpon the sayde commyssyoners leynge there their hedes together by good delyberacion good couÌ„sell and auysement and of one assent agreed amonge them that the bishop of saint Asse shulde publisshe the sentence for theym and in their names as foloweth In the name of god Amen we IohnÌ„ bysshope of saynt Asse or Assenence IohnÌ„ abbot of Glastynbury Rycharde the erle of Glocester Thomas lorde of Berkeley wyllyam Thyrnynge Iustyce Thomas Erpyngham and Thomas Graye knyghtes chosen and deputed specyall commyssaryes by the thre estates of thys present parlyament representynge the hole bodye of the realme for all suche maters by the sayd astates to vs committed we vnderstandynge and considerynge the manyfolde crymes hurtes and harmes done by Rycharde king of EnglaÌ„de and mysgouernaunce of the same by a longe tyme to the great decaye of the sayde lande and vtter ruyne of the same shortly to haue ben ne had the especiall grace of our lorde god therevnto put y e soner remedy also furthermore auertysinge y t the sayde kinge Rycharde knowyng his owne insufficiencie hath of his owne mere volunte and fre wyll renounced and gyuen vp the rule and gouernaunce of this lande with all ryghtes and honoures vnto y e same belongynge and vtterly for his merytes hath iuged hym selfe nat vnworthy to be deposed of all kyngely mageste astate royall we the premysses well consyderynge by good and dilygente delyberacyon by the power name and auctoryte to vs as aboue is sayd coÌ„mytted pronounce discerne and declare the same kynge Rycharde before thys to haue be to be vnprofytable vnable vnsufficyent and vnworthy to the rule and gouernauÌ„ce of the foresayde realmes and lordeshyppes all other thappurtenaunces to the same belongynge And for the same causes we pryue him of all kyngely dygnyte and worshyppe of any kynglye worshyppe in him lefte And we depose him by our sentence â—ifynityfe forbyddynge expressely to all archebysshoppes bysshoppes all other prelates dukes marqueses erles barons and knyghtes to all other men of the foresayd kyngdome and lordeshyppes or of other places belongynge to the same realmes and lordeshippes subiectes and lyeges what so euer they be y t none of them from this tyme forthwarde to the foresaid Rycharde as kynge lorde of y e foresayde realmes lordeshyppes be neyther obedyeÌ„te nor attendaunt After whiche sentence thus openlye declared the said astates admytted forthwith the same persones for theyr procuratours to resygne and yelde vp vnto kynge Rycharde all theyr homage fealtie whyche they had made oughte vnto hym before tymes and for to shewe vnto hym if nede were all thynges before done that concernyd his deposynge The whych resygnacyon at that tyme was spared and put in respite tyll the morowe nexte folowynge And anone as thys sentence was in thys wyse passyd and that by reason therof the realme stode voyde without hede or gouernoure for the tyme the said duke of Lancaster rysing froÌ„ y e place where he before sate standing where all myght beholde hym he mekely makynge the sygne of the crosse vppon his forhede and vpon hys breste after sylence by an officer was commaunded sayd vnto the people there beyng these wordes folowyng In the name of the father sonne and holy ghoste I Henry of Lancastre clayme the realme of Englande and the crowne with all the appurtenaunces as I that am dyscended by ryght lyne of the bloode commynge from that good lorde kynge Henry the thyrde through y e ryght that god of hys grace hath sente to me wyth helpe of my kynne of my frendes to recouer the same y t which was in point to be vndone for defaut of good gouernaunce due iustyce After whyche wordes thus by hym vttered he retourned set him down in the place where he before had sytten Than the lordes apperceyuynge and herynge thys clayme thus made by thys noble man eyther of theym frayned of other what he thoughte And after a dystaunce or pauâ—e of tyme the archebysshope of Cauntorbury hauyng notycyon of the lordes myndes stode vp asked of the commons yf they wolde assente to the lordes whych in theyr myndes thoughte the clayme by the duke made to he ryghtefull and necessary for the welthe of the realme of them all wherunto with one voyce they cried ye ye ye After whyche answere the sayde archebysshop goynge vnto the duke settynge hym vpon hys kne had vnto hym a fewe wordes The whyche ended he rose takynge the duke by the ryght hande â–ª ladde hym vnto the kynges sete wyth greate reuerence sette hym therein after a certayne knelynge and orison made by the sayde duke or he were therein sette And whan the kynge was thus set in hys trone to the greate reioysynge of the people the archebysshoppe of Cauntorbury beganne there an oracion or colacyon in maner as after foloweth Uâ—â— dominabitur in populo primo ReguÌ„ capitulo .ix. These ben the wordes of the hygh and mooste myghty kynge spekynge to Samuel hys prophete techyng hym how he shuld chose and ordeyne a gouernoure of hys people of Israel whan the sayde people asked of hym a kynge to rule theym And nat wythout cause maye these wordes be sayde here of oure lorde the kynge that is For yf they be inwardely conceyued they shall gyue to vs mater of consolacion and comforte whan it is sayde that a maÌ„ shall haue lordeshyp and rule of the people nat a chylde For god threteneth nat vs as he sometyme thret the people by I saye sayenge
kyng Hēry shuld cōtynue reygne as kynge durynge hys naturall lyfe after hys deth hys sonne prynce Edwarde to be sette a parte the duke of yorke hys heyres to be kynges incontynentely the duke to be admytted as protectour and regēt of the lāde And yf at any tyme after the kynge of hys owne free wyll and mynde were dysposed to resygne gyue vp the rule of the lāde that thā he shulde resigne vnto the duke yf he than lyued and to none other to hys heyres after hys dayes wyth many other maters and cōuencyōs whyche were tedious to wryte All whyche conclusyons as than by mannes wytte myght be assuryd for the parfourmaunce of theym whanne tyme requyred parfyghted the kynge wyth the duke many other lordes thā there present came that nyght to Poulys there harde euynsong vppon the morow came thyther agayn to masse where the kyng yode in procession crowned wyth great royalte so lay styll in y e bysshoppes palays a season after And vppon the saterdaye folowynge beyng the .ix. daye of Nouember the duke was proclaymed throughe the cytye heyre paraunt vnto the crowne of Englāde all hys progeny after hym Than for as moche as quene Margarete accompanyed with price Edwarde hyr sonn̄ the dukes of Somerset of Excetyr and diuers other lordes helde hyr in the northe as aboue is sayd and wolde nat come at the kynges sendyng for therefore it was agreed by the lordes thā at London presence that the duke of yorke shulde take wyth hym the erle of Salysbury wyth a certayne people to fetche in the sayde quene lordes abouesayde The whyche duke erle departed from Londō with theyr people vpon the secōde daye of December so spedde theym northwarde wherof the quene with hyr lordes beynge ware and hauyng wyth theym a greate strength of Northernemen mette wyth the duke of yorke vppon the .xxx. daye of December nere vnto a towne in the northe called wakelfeld were betwene them was foughten a sharpe fyght In the whych the duke of yorke was slayne wyth hys sonne called erle of Rutlande and syr Thomas Neuyll sonne vnto the erle of Salysbury wyth many other and the erle of Salysbury was there taken on lyue wyth dyuerse other whanne the lordes vppon the quenes partye had gotten thys vyctory anone they sente theyr prysoners vnto Pountfreyte the whyche were after there behedyd that is to meane the erle of Salysbury a man of London named Iohn̄ Narowe and an other capytayne named Hāson whose heddes were sente vnto yorke and there sette vppon the gates And whan the quene hadde opteynyd thys vyctory she wyth her retynewe drewe toward London where at that tyme duryng this troublous season greate watchys were kepte dayely and nyghtelye and dyuerse opynions were amonge the citesyns For the mayre and many of the chefe comoners helde vppon the quenes partye but the comynaltie was with the duke of yorke hys affynyte whanne tydynges were broughte vnto the cytye of the commynge of the quene wyth so greate an hoste of Northernemen anone suche as were of the contrary partye broughte vp a noyse thoroughe the cytye that she brought those Northernemen to the entente to ryfle and spoyle the citye where thoroughe she was encreasyd of enemyes But what so hyr entente was she wyth hyr people helde on hyr waye tyll she came to saynte Albons In the whyche meane tyme the erle of warwyke and the duke of Northfolke whyche by the duke of yorke were assygned to gyue attendaunce vppon the kynge by consent of the kynge gathered vnto theym strengthe of knyghtes and mette wyth the quenes hoste at saynt Albons foresayde where betwene them a strōge fyght was foughten vppon shroue tuysday in the mornyng At y t whych the duke of Northfolke the sayd erle in the endewere chased and kyng Henry takē efte vpō the felde brought vnto the quene And y e same after noone after some wryters he made his sonn̄ price Edward knyght whych than was of the age of .viii. yeres wyth other to the noubre of .xxx. persones whan quene Margaret was thus commen agayne to hyr aboue anon she sente vnto the mayre of London wyllyng commaundynge hym in y e kynges name that he shuld in all spedy wyse sende to saynt Albonys certayne cartes wyth lentyn stuffe for y e vytaylyng of her hoste whyche commaundement the mayre obeyed and wyth great dylygence made prouysyon for the sayd vytayll and sent it in cartys towarde Crepylgate for to haue passed to the quene where whā it was cōmyn the commons many there beynge whych had harde other tydynges of the erle of Marche as after shal be shewed of one mynde with stode the passage of the sayd cartes sayde it was nat behouefull to fede theyr enemyes whyche entended the robbyng of the cytye And nat wythstandynge that the mayre wyth hys bretherne exorted the people in theyr best maner shewyng to theym many great daungers whyche was lyke to ensue to the cytye yf the sayd dytayll went nat forthe yet myghte he nat tourne them from theyr obstynat errour but for a cōclusyon was fayne to apoynt the recorder wyth hym a certayne of aldermē to ryde vnto the kynges coūsayll to Barnet and to make requeste vnto theym that the Northē mē myght be retorned home for fere of robbynge of the cytye and ouerthys other secrete frendes were made vnto the quenes grace to be good gracyouse vnto the cytye Duryng whych treaty dyuers cytesyns auoyded the cytye and lande Amōge the whych Phylip Malpas whych as before is shewed in the .xx. and .viii. yere of thys kynge was robbed of Iacke Cade whyche Malpas other was mette vpō the see wyth a Frēchman named Columpne and of hym takē prysoner after payed .iiii M. marke for hys raunsome Thus passyng the tyme y e tydynges which before were secrete now were blowē abrode and openly was tolde that y e erles of Marche of warwyke were mette at Cottyswolde and had gathered vnto thē great strength of Marchemen were wel spedde vpō theyr waye to warde London For knowelege whereof the kynge and y e quene wyth theyr hoste were retourned Northwarde But or they departyd from saint Albonis there was beheded the lord Bonuyle syr Thomas Teryll knyghet whyche were taken in the forenamed felde Thā the duchesse of yorke beyng at Lōdon herynge the losse of thys felde sent hyr two yonger sonnes that is to meane George whyche after was duke of Clarēce and Rychard that after was duke of Glouceter into Utrych in Almayne where they remayned a whyle Thā the foresayd erles of March and of warwyke sped them towarde Londō in suche wyse that they came thydervpon the thursday in the fyrst weke of lent To whome resorted all the gētylmen for the more partye of the south eest partye of Englād And in thys whyle that they thus rested at London a great coūsayl was called
of hys brotherne to come to gyue attendauÌ„ce vppon hym wyth certayne comeners of the cytye where when they were comâ—â— the kynge caused the game to be brought before them so y t they sawe course after course and many a derâ— bothe rede falowe to be slayne before them And after that goodly dâ—spoâ—tâ— was passyd the kynge commaunded hys offycers to brynge the mayre and hys company vnto a pleasauÌ„t lodge made all of grene bowys and garnysshed wyth tables other thynges necessary where they were set at dyner and serued wyth many deynty dysshes and of dyuers wynes good pleynty as whyte rede and claret and caused them to be set to dyner or he were seruyd of hys owne ouer that caused the lorde chamberlayn wyth other lordes to hym assygned to chere the sayde mayre and his company sondry tymes whyle they were at dyner at theyr departynge gaue vnto them of venyson greate pleynty And in y e moneth of August folowynge the kynge of hys greate bounte sente vnto the mayresse and her systers aldermennes wyfes two hartes and .vi. buckes wyth a tonne of wyne to drynke wyth the sayd venyson The whyche venyson wyne was hadde vnto the drapers halle to whych place at a day assygned the mayre desyred the aldermeÌ„ and theyr wyfes wyth sondry comoners and there the venyson wyth many other good dyshes were eryn and the sayd wyne merely dronken The cause of whyche bounty thus shewed by the kynge was as moste men toke it for that that the mayre was a marchauÌ„t of wonderous auentures into many and sondry countrees By reason wherof the kynge had yerely of hym notable summes of money for hys customes besyde other pleasures y t he hadde shewed to the kynge before tymes Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxxxii  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxxxiii  wyllyam whyte  Edmonde Shaa Goldsmyth  Anno .xxii.  IohnÌ„ Mathewe  THis yere that is to meane of y e mayre and begynnynge of the xxiii yere of the kynge at westmynster vppon the .ix. daye of Apryll dyed the noble prynce Edwarde the iiii late kynge of Englande whose corps was after conueyed wyth due solemnyte vnto wyndsore and there honourably buryed when he hadde reygned to reken hys begynnynge out of the lande with all other tyme full .xxii. yeres and as moch as from the .iiii. daye of Marche vnto the .ix. daye of Apryll leuynge after hym .ii. sonnes that is to say prynce Edward hys eldest sonne and Rycharde duke of yorke and .iii. doughters as Elysabeth that after was quene Cecyle and Katheryne Edwarde the .v. EDward the .v. of that name sonnÌ„ vnto Edwarde y e iiii beganne hys reygne ouer the realm of EnglaÌ„d y e .xi. day of Apryl in the beginnyng of the yere of our lord god M.iiii C.lxxxiii and the .xxiiii. yere of the .xi. Lewys than kynge of Fraunce Anone as kynge Edward the .iiii. was dede grudge and vnkyndnesse beganne to take place bytwene the kynges and the quenes allye For y e lorde marquys of Dorset brother vnto the quene and other of hys affynytye hadde then the rule kepyng of thys yonge kynge whyche at the tyme of hys fathers deth was of the age of .xi. yere or there about and so beyng in hys guydyng in y e Marche of walys coÌ„ueyed hym toward London and there to make prouysyoÌ„ for hys coronacyon and for other necessary thynges for hys weale But the duke of Glouceter brother vnto Edward the .iiii. entendynge otherwyse as after shall appere wyth a competent noÌ„ber of gentylmeÌ„ of the North all clad in blacke met with y e kynge at Stonyngstratforde there after dyssymuled countenaunce made bytwene hym the forsayd Marquys dischargyd him of the rule of y e king and toke vpon hym the rule so froÌ„ thens beynge accompanyed with the duke of Buckyngham broughte the kynge with all honour toward LondoÌ„ wherof heryng quene Elysabeth moder vnto the kyng feryng the sequele of thys besynesse went or toke sentwary within westmynster wyth her yonger sonne Rycharde the duke of yorke And the kynge drawynge nere vnto the cytie vpon the .iiii. day of Maye was of the mayre and hys cytesyns mette at Harnesey parke y e mayre and hys bretherne beynge clothed in scarlet the cytesyns in vyolet to the noÌ„ber of .v. hondred horses and than from thens conueyed vnto the cytye the kynge beynge in blewe veluet and all hys lordes and seruauÌ„tes in blacke clothe and so after coÌ„ueyed vnto the byshoppes palays of London and there lodgyd And shortely after the sayd duke of Glouceter inueleged so the archbisshop of CauÌ„terbury named Bowchyer that he went wyth hym to the quene Elysabeth and there made suche assured promyse to the sayde quene that she vppon the sayd archbyshoppes promyse delyuered vnto them her yonger sonne duke of yorke And than the sayde duke caused the kynge to be remoued vnto the towre and hys brother with hym But the quene for all fayre promyses to her made kept her and her doughters wythin the foresayde seyntwary and the duke lodged hym selfe in Crosbyes place in Bysshoppesgate strete Than prouision was made for the kynges coronacyoÌ„ In whyche passe tyme the duke beynge admytted for lorde protectour caused syr Antony wydyuyle called lorde Scalys brother vnto y e quene a vertuous knight wyth the lorde Rycharde the quenes sonne syr Rycharde Hawte and syr Thomas UaghanÌ„ knyghtes to be beheded at Pountfreyt more of wyll than of iustyce Than the lorde Protectour in furtheryng of his purpose and cuyll entent sente for the more partie of the nobles of the laÌ„de and behaued hym so couertly in all hys matyers that fewe vnderstode hys wykked purpose And so dayely kepynge holdynge the lordes in counsayll and felynge theyr myndes sodaynly vppoÌ„ the .xiii. daye of Iuny beynge wythin the towre in the counsayll chambre wyth dyuerse lordes wyth hym as the duke of Bukkyngham the erle of Derby the lord Hastynges thaÌ„ lord ChaÌ„berlayne wyth dyuerse other an owte crye by hys assent of treason was made in the vtter chambre wherwyth the sayd lorde Protectour beyng warned roose vp and yode hym selfe to the chaumber dore and there receyued in such persones as he before had appoynted to execute hys malycious purpose The The whych incontynently set hande vpon the forenamed lord Chamberlayne and other In the whyche styrrynge the erle of Derby was hurt in the face and kept a whyle vnder the holde Than by coÌ„maundemente of the sayd lorde Protectour the sayde lord Chamberlayne in all haste was ladde in the court or playn where the chapell of the towre staÌ„deth there wythout iugemeÌ„t or loÌ„ge tyme of coÌ„fessyon or repentauÌ„ce vpoÌ„ an ende of a loÌ„ge great tymber logge whyche there laye wyth other for the repayrynge of the sayd towre caused hys hedde to be smyten of and all for he knewe well that he wolde nat assente vnto hys wycked entent whose body wyth the hed was after caryed vnto wyndesore
and there buryed by the tombe of kyng Edwarde After whyche cruelte thus done he shortely after set in sure kepynge suche persones as he suspected to be agayne hym wherof the bysshoppes of yorke of Ely were .ii. as it is said And the erle of Derby for fere of hys sonne the lord Strange lest he shuld haue arered Chesshyre Lancastershyre agayne hym was set at large Than began the loÌ„ge couert dyssymulacion whyche of the lord Protectour had ben so craftly shadowed to breke out at large in so moche that vppoÌ„ the sondaye folowyng at Poules crosse hym selfe wyth the duke of Bukkyngham other lordes beyng present by the mouth of doctor Rafe Shaa in the tyme of hys sermon was there shewed openly that y e chylderne of kynge Edward the .iiii. were nat legytymat nor ryghtfull enheritours of the crowne wyth many dyslaunderous wordes in preferryng of the tytle of the sayd lord Protectour and in dysanullynge of the other to the greate abucion of all the audieÌ„ce excepte suche as fauoured the mater whyche were fewe in noumbre yf the trouth or playnesse myghte haue ben shewed Of the whyche declaracyon as the fame wente after the sayde doctour Shaa toke suche repentaunce that he lyued in lyttell prosperytie after And the more he was wondered of that he wolde take vppon hym suche a besynesse consyderynge that he was so famous a man bothe of hys lernynge and also of naturall wytte Than vppon the tuysdaye folowynge an assemble of the coÌ„mons of the cytye was appoynted at the Guyldhalle where beynge present the duke of BuckynghaÌ„ wyth other lordes sente downe frome the sayde lorde protectour and there in the presence of the mayre and comynaltye rehersed the ryght and tytle that the lorde Protectour hadde to be preferred before hys of hys brother kynge Edwarde to the ryght of the crowne of Englande The whyche processe was in so eloquent wyse shewed and vttred wythout any impedyment of spyttynge or other countenaunce and that of a longe whyle wyth so great sugred wordes of exhortacyon and accordynge sentence that many a wyse man that day merueyled and commended hym for the good orderynge of hys wordes but not for the entent and purpose the whyche theruppon ensued Uppon the Thursdaye than next ensuynge beynge the .xx. daye of Iuny the sayde Protectoure takynge then vppon hym as kynge and gouernour of the realme went wyth great pompe vnto westmynster and there toke possessyon of the same where he beynge sette in the greate halle in the See royall wyth y e duke of Norffolke before called the lorde Hawarde vppon the ryght hande the duke of Suffolke vppon the left hande after the royall othe there taken called before hym the iudges of the lawe gyuynge vnto them a long exhortacyon and streyght coÌ„maundemeÌ„t for y e mynystryng of hys lawes and to execute iustyce and that with out delaye After whyche possessyon takynge and other ceremonies there done he was conueyed vnto the kynges palays wythin westmynster and there lodgyd In whyche passe tyme the prynce or of ryght kynge Edwarde the .v. wyth hys brother the duke of yorke were put vnder suer kepynge wythin the towre in suche wyse that they neuer came abrode after And thus ended the reygne of Edwarde the .v when he had borne the name of a kynge by the space of two monethes and .xi. dayes And vppon the Frydaye beynge the .xxii. daye of Iuny was the sayd lord Protectour proclaymed thorough the cyty kyng of England by the name of Rychard the thyrde Then soone after for fere of the quenes blode and other whyche he had in ielousy he sent for a strength of men out of the North. The which came shortely to London a lytell before hys coronacyon and mustred in the More feldes well vppon .iiii. M. men in theyr beste iackes and rusty salattes wyth a fewe in whyte harneys not burnysshed to the sale and shortely after hys coronacyon were countermaunded home wyth suffycyent rewardes for theyr trauayll In whyche foresayd passe tyme y e Marquys of Dorset brother vnto quene Elysabeth y t before was fled escaped many wonderfull daungers bothe about London Ely and other places wherof â–ª to wryte the maner cyrcumstaunce wolde aske a longe and great leysour Rycharde the thyrde RIcharde y e thyrde of that name son to Rycharde late duke of yorke yongeste brother vnto Edwarde y e iiii late kynge began his domynyoÌ„ ouer the realme of Englande the .xx. day of mydsomer moneth in the yere of our lorde god M. CCCC.lxxxiii the .xxv. yere of the .xi. Lewys than kynge of FrauÌ„ce Of whom tedyous it is to me to wryte the tragedyous hystory excepte that I remeÌ„ber that good it is to wryte and put in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce the punyshement of synners to the ende that other may exchew to fall in lyke daunger Than it foloweth anone as thys man had taken vpon hym he fyll in great hatred of the more party of the nobles of hys realm in so mych that suche as before loued and praysed hym and wolde haue ieoparted lyfe and good wyth hym yf he hadde remayned styll as ê“tectour now murmured and grudged agayne hym in suche wyse that fewe or none fauoured his partye except it were for drede or for the great gyftes that they receyued of hym By meane wherof he wanne dyuers to folow hys mynde the whiche after deceyued hym And after his coronacyon soleÌ„pnysed whyche was holden at westmynster the .vi. daye of Iuly where also y e same daye was crowned dame Anne hys wyfe he then in shorte processe folowynge rode Northward to pacyfye that countre and to redresse certayne ryottes there lately done In the passe tyme of which iournay he beynge at yorke created hys legyttymat sonne prynce of walys ouer that made hys bastarde sonne capytayne of Caleys whyche encreaced more grudge to hymwarde as after shall appere Anno. dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxxxiii  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxxxiiii  Thomas Norland  Rober Byllysdon Haberdassher  Anno .ii.  wyllyam Martyn  IN this yere y e foresayd grudge encreasynge and the more for as myche as the comon fame wente that kynge Rycharde hadde within the towre put vnto secret deth y e two sonnes of hys brother Edwarde the iiii For the whych and other causes hadde within the breste of the duke of Buckyngham the sayde duke in secrete maner conspyred agayn hym and allyed hym with dyuers gentylmen to the ende to brynge hys purpose about But how it was his entente was espyed and shewed vnto the kynge and the kynge in all haste sent for to take hym he then beynge small accoÌ„panyed at hys manour of Brekenok in the Marche of walys wherof the sayd duke beynge ware in all hast he fled froÌ„ hys sayd manour of Brekenok vnto the house of a seruaunt of hys owne called Banaster and that in so secret maner that fewe or none of his housholde seruauntes knewe where he was become In the whyche passe tyme kynge Rycharde
ryght well the state whan thou by meanes whyche were inordynat Put vnto deth many an innocent man By cruell malyce and well remembred than That of lowe byrth Flaundres thy mother the fledde And taught the a crafte the here well to shaue Lutecia that cytye where thou thy lyfe ledde wytnesseth the a seruaunt therin thy lyuynge to craue And for thy dayes an honest lyfe to haue But whan thou were in Lowys court vp brouht Than had thou no mynde that thou were come of nought But lyke the helle hounde thou waxed full furyous Expressynge thy malyce whan thou to honour styed Thynkynge for so moche as that prynce bounteuous Hys hed and berde to the he nought denyed And wyth all worldly pleasure he also the allyed The before hys prynces makynge hys gouernour Thy selfe thou blyndest wyth wordly vayne honour whyche made the so proude thou sonne of harde Neron That none myght lyue that thou accused of cryme No man was cursed nor none had punyssyon That wolde thy hande wyth golde of gyftes lyme And who that nat hys gyfte offred in tyme Other deth or exyle to hym was soone applyed For as iuge and hangman thou all thynge excercysed Thou reygned longe ynough but now are sprongeÌ„ newe Sterrys to the worlde and fled is nowe clerely The scelerat flokke wherfore thou barbour yet rewe Thyne odyous actes whyche haue the sodaynly Cast downe from welth in snares vytterly For also Daniell thy moste odyous fere Dampneth the of cryme whyche wyth the dyeth here I knowe nat what of the the vpper bodyes aboue Haue defyned whether by sworde or by gybet Thou shuld ende the lyfe But one thynge I approue The sentence hooly of the people is sette That on a galowe thou shuld paye deth hys dette Inwardly therfore bewayll so thyne offence That by thys deth to god thon mayste make recompence THus execucyon of thys Damman hys felowe ended and fynysshed to the lytell compassion of the people wythin fewe dayes after another of the affeccionat seruauÌ„tes of kyng Lowys named IohnÌ„ Doyacon for trespasse and hatered by hys occasyon and deserte vnto the common people was wyth all shame brought vnto y e market place of Parys there beraft of bothe hys erys After whych vylony to hym done he was there ryght banysshed the court for euer And thus two of the moste special and derest beloued seruauntes and counsayllours of kyng Lowys were shortly after hys deth broughte vnto confusyon By reason wherof as affermeth myne auctoure Gaguyne arose a prouerbe among the Frenche men sayeng Principibus obsequi haereditariuÌ„ non esâ—e The whyche is to meane the seruyce of princes is nat hereditable Thys tyme thus passed wyth many other matyers whych I ouer passe the season approched that variaunce and â—nny began to moue amoÌ„g some nobles of the laÌ„de in so moche that y e duke of Orleaunce dysdayned that Anne syster to the kynge wyth suche as she wolde call to counsayll hadde all the rule about the kyng wherfore he entendyng to haue the sayde rule for so moche as he had maryed that other doughter of Lowys gadered vnto hym strength of knyghtes purposely to remoue from the kyng such as he lyked and to sette aboute hym suche persones as he thought conuenyente But how it was for lacke of wyse orderynge of hys people or other neglygence at a place called saint Albynys he was taken of hys aduersaryes so by the kyng commaunded to pryson to the castel of ByturiceÌ„ce where he remayned loÌ„ge tyme after It was nat longe after that Marymylyan the whych had maryed duke Charles doughter of Burgoyne gathered hys soudyours to haue releued the foresayd duke of Orleaunce out of pryson but he preuayled nat Durynge whyche warre Fraunceys duke of Brytayn dyed whose doughter named Anne enherytour of that duchye Maxymylyan hadde before trouth plyted for hys lawfull wyfe wherfore he herynge of the deth of y e sayd Fraunceys shortely entred the terrytory of Brytayne and seased it for hys But Charles with his FreÌ„chmen wythstode hym by suche force y t he was constrayned to axe helpe of our soueraygne lord kynge Henry y e vii The whyche in moste bounteous maner ayded assysted hym bothe wyth men and money to the kynges excedyng great charge and coste Howe be in the ende the French kyng had his entent than maryed y e said Anne duchesse of Brytayne and refused Margarete y e doughter of Maâ—imylyan whyche he before had maryed at Ambasy as before I haue shewed to you in the ende of the story of hys father Lowys After whych vyctory thus opteyned by thys Charles in Brytayn he made clayme and pretence vnto the lande of Scicilia or Scicilie And by the exortacion and styrryng of the pope AlexaÌ„der the .vi. he wyth a strong hoste entred y e same bothe by lande and by water To whome was a great ayde the duke of Mylayne by whose meanes he shortly wan a stroÌ„ge citie or towne named Campania and diuers other townes and in processe Naples the chyef citie that belonged vnto the kyng of Naples In so moche that he constrayned Alphounce that than was kynge of Naples and of Scicile to forsake that countre and so had the dominioÌ„ of the more parte of bothe the sayde countrees The whyche when he had set in suche order as he thoughte conuenyent he toke hys iournaye home warde into FrauÌ„ce thorough Italy In whyche passage thys Charlys was beset of the Uenecyans other Italyans the whyche entendyd to haue stoppyd hys waye and metyng wyth hym at a place called in latyne Fornouiences gaue vnto hym batayle wherof as sayth myne authour he wan the vyctory to hys greate honour consyderynge his fewe sowdyours agayne theyr multytude and strength But to thys sayenge repugne the Italyans dwellyng in London and say that yf the sayd Charlys had not spedde hym fastly into Fraunce he had not comen there that yere But how so it was he eetourned home in sauete And soone after pope AlexaÌ„der foresayd toke such dyspleasure agayne y e sayd Charlys that he styrred almost all crysten prynces of the worlde agayne hym he hadde such hatred to the great honoure of y e FreÌ„che kynge as sayth myne authour Gagwyne y t whyche in all hys werkes extolleth the dedes of Frenchemen forther thaÌ„ maye be veryfyed in moch of his wrytynge But what so he wryte of the pope it is to be demyd that he wolde not take so great partye agayne this Charlys and exite other prynces to do the same excepte it hadde ben for great and vrgeÌ„t causes and not for malyce as he affermeth onely And thus the sayde Gagwyne endeth the story of the sayd Charlys in the yere of our lorde god M.iiii C. xcv and the .xi. yere of the reygne of the same Charlys thanne presently reygnynge and guydyng the realme of Fraunce whyche was the .x. yere of our most redoutyd prynce kynge Henry the .vii. Henry the seuenth HEnry the
In this season was Caius Iuliê° the whyche is moste commonly called Iulius Cesar sente by the senate of Rome as felowe and consull wyth Lucius Bubulus into Gallia nowe called Fraunce for to subdue them vnto the empyre of Rome The whyche Iulius beyng vppon the see syde after he had ouercome the Gallis and beholdyng the whyte clyues or rockes of Brytayne enquyred of the countre and what people dwelled therin And when he was suffycyently enfourmed of all the commodytyes therof he had great wyll to brynge the sayde countre vnder the yocke of the Romaynes for so mych as at those dayes a great parte of the worlde was tributary to Rome But as sayth myne authour fyrste he exorted the Britons by writyng messagers to gyue trybute vnto Rome wherfore Cassybellan hauynge indygnacyon wrote vnto hym sharpe short answeres shewyng that he and euery noble man was bounde specyally to kepe his couÌ„tre from seruage and to kepe his subiectes that they myght enioy lybertye and franchise The whyche to obserue he wold do the vttermost of his power myght wyth the which answere Iulius beynge nothynge coÌ„tentyd in all hast made redy his nauy and people and sayled towarde Brytayne And wheÌ„ the Romaynes were comyn nere the land of Brytayne shuld haue landed y e Brytons pyght sharpe stakes and longe vppon the bankes which causyd theym to wynne lande wyth great daunger And not longe after theyr landynge Cassibellan wyth a stronge hoste of Britons encountred the Romaynes gyuynge or yeldyng to them suche fyght and batayll that they were fayne to resorte to theyr shyppes for theyr suertye Not wyth standyng y e as witnesseth Gaufride and other Iulius after he hadde renewed his knyghtes and also ryggyd his nauye he came agayne the seconde tyme entendynge to subdue the land to the empyre of Rome But as before tyme he was by the manhode of the kynge and his Brytons manfully and knyghtly wythstaÌ„den and chasyd so this seconde tyme he was in lyke wise ouercome and compelled to flee wythout honoure For whych vyctory thus twyes obteyned by the Brytons Cassibellan entendynge to gyue thanke vnto his goddes and rewarde to hys knyghtes in goodly haste caused an assemble to be made of his lordes knyghtes at the cytye of Caerlud or London where after dew obseruaunces done to theyr goddes after y e vse of theyr pagan lawes a great and solemne feste was holden by the kynge to all that wolde come wyth moste lyberalytye and plentye in all that was necessarye to such a feste And the more to encrease the kynges honoure and to the more comforte and dilectacion of his lordes and other there beynge present there was all maner kynê of games that at those dayes were exercysed and vsed Contynewynge whyche feste two noble and yonge knyghtes amonge other hapened to assey eyther other in wrastlyng wherof that one was neuew to kyng Cassibellan named Hirelda and y e other named Euelinus was allyed vnto Androgeus erle or duke of London By meane of this wrastlynge dyuysyon or vnfyttynge wordes fyll betwene the two yonge knyghtes y t after wordes ensued strokes by meane wherof partyes were takeÌ„ on eyther syde whyche ranne to gyder in great â—re and malyce so that on eyther part many and diuers were hurte wounded Among whome Hirelda neuew to the kynge was slayne whych caused great dysturbaunce in the courte and amonge the lordes when the knowlege of the deth of Hirelda was brought vnto y e kyng he was therwyth greatly amoued entendynge dewe iustice to be hadde mynystred by thaduyce of his Barons causyd the forenamed cosyn of Androgeus Euelinus to be sommoned for to appere before hym hys counsayll and there to acquyte hym of suche cryme as to hym was layde for the deth of Hirelda before slayne But Euelinus by couÌ„sayll of Androgeus wythstode that commaundement and shortly after the sayde Androgeus and Euelyne departed the courte wythoute takynge leue of the kynge The kynge dysdaynynge this demeanure of Androgeê° after dyuers monycyons to hym gyuen gathered his knightes and made warre vpon Androgeus wherfore he coÌ„syderyng after many ways meanes thought y t he was not of power to wythstand the kynges great indignacyon sent his letters vnto Caius Iuliê° Cesar shewynge to hym the circumstaunce of the mater and aduoydynge hym of all gylt besought and prayed him in moste humble wyse that he wolde shortly retourne wyth his army into Brytayne he wyth his hole power shuld be redy to ayde and helpe hym agayne the Brytons Of this message was Iulius very glad and in all haste made towarde Brytayne wyth a great power To whom y e wynde was so fauourable y t in short tyme after this message he drew nere y e land But as affermeth myne authour Gaufryde or he wold lande ferynge the treason of Androgeus he receyued froÌ„ hym in hostage his sonne named Scena wyth .xxx. other of the moste noble of his lordshyppe that done he landed wyth the helpe and ayde of Androgeus wherof when Cassibellan hadde warnynge in all haste he made towarde the Romaynes and in a valey nere vnto Dorobernia now named Canterbury there he fouÌ„de the hoste of y e said Iuliê° lodged with him Androgeê° with all his power After whych knowlege had eyther of other wyth theyr habyllemeÌ„tes of warre eyther greued other tyll at leÌ„gth both hostê mette hande for hand and faught vygerously in such wise that many fell on eyther partye But when the Brytons as sayth Gaufryde hadde longe foughten knyghtly defended the Romaynes Androgeê° with his peple came by a wynge of the Brytons and them so sharpely assayled that they were constreyned to forsake the feld and place y t they before had kepte The whiche flyght dyscoÌ„forted so the other that fynally all fledde and gaue place to the Romaynes the which pursued slewe them withoute pytye So that Cassibellan wyth his Brytons that were lefte were fayne to gette them to a place of suerty there to reste tyll they myght newly prouyde to wyth stande theyr enemyes But fynally as all wryters agre Iulius helde the kyng so shorte that for an vnytye and concorde he was fayne to become trybutary to the Romaynes and to paye to them yerely a certayne trybute whych Gaufryd affermeth to be .iii. thousande pouÌ„d And when the sayde trybute was set in a suertye so that the sayd Romaynes were wyth yt contented and Iulius hadde accomplyshed his wyll pleasure in thynges to hym thought necessary he with Androgeus departed the lande and so spedde hym towarde Rome where soone after he was agayn by the will of y e most of y e senatours made emperour And this tribute thus was grauÌ„ted when Cassibellan hadde reygned as kynge of Britayne fully .viii. yeres and more THE XLIX CHAPITER THis begynnynge of this trybute payde by Cassibellan vnto the Romayns shuld seme by most concordaunce of wryters to be vpon xl and .viii. yeres before Crystes incarnacyon or
entende in the declarynge of thys story of Clothayre to expresse the remanaunte in as shorte wyse as I goodly may And fyrst ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that after thys fredegunde had as before is shewed causyd her lorde to be slayne she ferynge that at length her vntrouth shulde be dyscoueryd wyth all her goodes in shorte tyme after yode vnto Paris and there in the monasterye or house of our ladye held her And for she wold be in more suerty and also her son the sayd Clotharius shuld be the streÌ„ger in his domynyon and kingdome therfore she sent messengers vnto Gunthranus kynge of Orleaunce brother to her lorde Chilperich requyryng hym of fauoure and ayde that he wolde of his goodnesse be tutour defendour of her yonge sonne Clotharius The whych not denyenge the requeste of Fredegunde spedde towarde Paris in all haste where wyth the assent of other nobles of the realme he toke the gydynge of the yonge kynge By whose aduyse and coÌ„maundement the sayde Clotharius was conueyd shewyd thorough many of the chefe cytyes of his lande But in lykewyse as Gunthranus wyth other bysyed theym selfe to strength Lotharius in hys ryghte euen so were other of the nobles of FrauÌ„ce by the meanes of Brunechyeldis wyfe some tyme of Sygebert yongest sonne of Lothayre the fyrst the whyche Sygebert receyued of hys sayde wyfe two sonnes named Chilperich and Chyldebert of the whych two Chilperich suruyued the other that dyd all theyr entent to promote Chyldebert to the porcyon of hys father that Chilpericus father of Lotharius occupyed after the deth of Sigebert forenamed Here dyscordeth the frenche cronycle froÌ„ myne authour Gagwyne For there yt is sayd y e Brunechield with the other of her assent wold then by theyr meanes haue pÌ„ferred a bastard son of the forenamed Sygebert called Theodoricê° to the kyngdome of FrauÌ„ce An other authour sayth that this Theodorich was the son of Childericê° afore named whyche was the sonne of Sygebert But to folowe mayster Gagwyne This Childebert whych by y e former sayeng rehersyd in y t C. and .xiiii. chapiter of this treatyse was delyueryd from y e handes of Chilperich his vncle by meanes of the erle of Poytow named GuÌ„debald this with a small coÌ„pany came vnto Paris where of y e cyteseÌ„s he was kept out For y e which soon after he sent a noble man of his named Gillon with other as ambassadours vnto GuÌ„thranê° And where among other thynges of hym requyred they axed of him FredeguÌ„d to suffer deth for y â— she had by her subtylty caused to be murdred bothe Sygebert father to theyr kynge and also Chilpericus her owne husbande yt was of him vtterly denyed Wherfore this sayd Gyllon sayd vnto GuÌ„thranus syr kynge knowe thou for certayne synnes thou haste refused this peace to the offeryd of thy neuewe that the deth of thy brother shall cleuâ— to thy hedde wyth these wordes the kynge beynge greatly amoued commaunded the ambassadours to be putte oute of his court and when they were in the strete all fylthe and ordoure to be caste vppon theym as enymytyes And varyaunces thus kyndelyng betwene these two kinges Gunthranus soone after sent Fredegunde into Neustria or Normandy caused her there to be kepte not farre from y e citye of Roan whyther to her came many noble men of FrauÌ„ce in coÌ„fortynge her and also mouynge her for the trouble she was in promysynge to her ayde to the vttermoste of theyr power But when that Fredegunde apperceyuyd the great fauoure that Brunechyelde stode in of the nobles of Orleaunce or Fraunce she enuyenge her welth and honoure called to her an homycyde a felon called Holderyche to whom the sayde FredeguÌ„de pmysyd great treasour yf he coude by venyme or otherwyse brynge to deth the sayde Brunechieldis By meane of whych promyse he grauÌ„ted to brynge her entent about shortely after drewe vnto the court of the sayde Brunechyeldis where he fyll in suche famylyaryte wyth dyuerse of her courte that he came many seasons to the pÌ„sence of y e quene But by what happe I can not saye lastely he was taken in suspeccyon and so tormentyd pyned that he coÌ„fessyd y e cause of his thyder coÌ„myng and by whom he was sent with all y e other cyrcuÌ„staunce of the matter After whych coÌ„fessyon so made he was to betyn arrayed in moste vyle maner and so sent agayn to FredeguÌ„d And when he was comen to her presence and shewed what tourment he had suffred for her cause she incontyneÌ„t in fulfyllyng of her malycyous purpose commaunded that his handes and fete shulde be stryken of and so lette go to the ende that yt shulde be thought that she had not desyred hym to that besynesse Aboute thys tyme season arose a yonge maÌ„ in a corner of Fraunce the whych by his subtyle wytte named hym selfe to be the sonne of the fyrst Lotharius and brother vnto Gunthranê° The which by synystre meanes and crafty gatte the fauoure of the lordes of Guyan and by theyr assystence held and occupyed a great parte therof And after somdele of hys counsay les to Gunthranus by hys espyes disclosyd this sayde yonge man beyng named GuÌ„doaldus sent vnto Gunthranus an ambassade and requyryd hym to be restoryd to a porcyon of hys faders goodes Addyng therto that yf he denyed the sayde Gundoaldus wolde wyth a strong armye repayre out of Gwyan and get hys ryght wyth strength that to bryng about he shulde also haue great ayde of Chyldebert his neuewe aboue named whan kynge Gunthranus had at leyser herde the message he in dysdaynyng the same coÌ„maunded them to be sette vppon horse backes theyr facys towarde the tayle and so with betynge and vylanye to be dryuen thorough the town It was not long after that a daye was appoyntyd betwene Gunthranus and Childebert at whych day both prynces met with great companyes lordes And wheÌ„ they were sette in theyr counsayll Gunthranê° coÌ„maunded the foresayd messyngers of Gundoaldus to be brought to fore them there agayne to recyte theyr foresayde message whych done he shewyd furthermore that the sayd Gundoalde had before tyme dispoyled the doughter of I hil peryche named Rygonde of all such rychesse as she wyth her conueyed when she went towarde Spayne to be maryed of the whyche some lordes of Childebert were of counsayll whyche vnto the sayde two prynces was thought trewe for so myche as the sayde lordes then accusyd were absent from that great counsayll THE CXXIII CHAPITER AFter many and great actes concludyd by thys counsayll betwene these two foresayd prynces Gunthranus in open audyence admytted hys neuewe Chyldebert for his heyre for so mych as he had none heyre of hys bodye commyttynge the rule therof to hym before all that were there And after toke hym aê‘te and shewyd to hym whych of his nobles he shulde take to counsayll and whyche he shuld refuse And specyally he warnyd hym to be well ware
woman of great wisdome of vertuous condicion and was honorably buryed by Dagobert hyr husbande in the church of saynt Denys Soone after ensued such scarcety of corne y â— whete other greynes were at an excedynge pryce For after the rate of money nowe curraÌ„t a quarter of whete was worth .ii. markes a halfe by meane of which scarcitye myche poore people were famisshed dyed for defaut wherefore the kyng entendyng a remedy for the nedy people causyd yÌ„e house or church of saynt Denys that his fader before tyme had coueryd with plates of syluer to be rased of coueryd with lede that syluer to be dystributyd amonge the poore comoÌ„s to socoure theÌ„ agayn the great and huge famyn that then reygned all be it that this ded was somedeale withstanden by Agulphus Abbot of that place for that tyme. About the .viii. yere of his reygne the firste Pepyn that than ruled the house of Sigebert kyng of Austracy dyed And soone after dyed Agaynus mayster of the paleys of Clodoueus For which .ii. princis in eyther Countreys that they rulyd great dole and sorowe was for theym made After the deth of which sayd PriÌ„cis a noble man cosyn to Dagoberte late kynge was chosen mayster of the paleys with Clodoueus Thus kynge Clodoueus otherwyse called Lowes contynued his reygne in great peace prosperyte tyll lastly it fell in his miÌ„de that he wolde vysyte y e sepulcre of saynt Denys where after he had done certayne obseruauÌ„ces and made his prayers he wolde nedely se the holy relykes and handle them wyth the doynge whereof it semed the holy martyrs were not contentyd For immedyately ensued suche a derknes that the kynge and all that were aboute hym were wyth it greately astonyed and aferde in so mych that the kyng loste the vse of reason and wente from hym selfe more than two yeres folowynge It is wryten of some authours that the kynge handelyd the body of saynte Denys so rabbysshely that he brake one of his armes But the Frenche booke and mayster Roberte Gagwyne sayen y t he dysseueryd one of the armes from the sayd holy body the whych he after whan he was somdele restoryd to hys helthe closyd in golde and precyous stoones and restored it to the sayd monasterye and lyued vppon two yeres folowynge that he was amendyd but not lyke vnto hys former beynge so y t he lastly dyed whan he had reygned syke and hole by y e terme of .xvi. yeres not without vyce as glotony lechery excedyng aueryce And was buryed by hys parentes in the monasterye forenamed leuynge after hym thre sonnes named Clotharius Chyldericus and Theodorych After whose deth hys wyfe named Batylde became a nonne in the monastery of Corbye that she before tyme had newly renued or reedyfyed and ended there in holy lyfe THE CXXXVII CHAPITER CLotharius the eldest sonne of Clodoueus was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of our lordes incarnacyon .vi. hundred .lxii and the .xxvi. yere of Cadwall than kynge of BrytoÌ„s The whych anone as he was somwhat stablysshed he made the mayster of hys palayes a myghty man and tyrannous of condycyon named Eboryn as shall appere by hys condycyons ensuynge whan the tyme conuenyent of the expressement of them shall come But of thys Clotharius is lefte nothyng in wrytynge of worthy memory excepte that the Frenche cronicle sayth that he reygned .iiii. yeres THE CXXXVIII CHAPITER THeodoricus the second sonne of Clodoueus beganne hys reygne ouer the Frenchemen in the yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxvi and the .xxx. yere of Cadwall than kynge of Brytons The whych by couÌ„ceyll of his lordes sent his yonger brother Chylderych into the lordshyp of Austracy or Lorayne to guyde that couÌ„trey wyth the ayde and assystence of wolphanus a noble man of y e countrey For Sigeberte laste kynge of that prouynce was before this tyme dede wythout heyre of hys body This Theodorych gaue hym all to slowth rest so that the gouernauÌ„ce of the realme was all in the power of the mayster of y e paleys whych was styll contynuynge the forenamed Eboryne The whyche among other cruell dedys by hym done he emprysoned the holy bishoppe of Oston called Leodegayr And lastely after many tormentes and vylanyes to hym done he raced hys eyen oute of hys hedde This dede wyth many other to the kynges dyshonour he â—momysyd which all were layd to y e kynges charge for so myche as the kynge kept most what his paleys Except y e one season of the yere in the moneth of may he shulde be broughte wyth great pompe into a place where the people shulde behold hym and gyue and offer vnto him gyftes and returne vnto y e paleys y t he was broughte fro and there to reste all the yere folowynge By meane wherof Eboryn dyd what to hym was lykynge and vexyd and troubled the people greuously wherfore by one assent y e lordes assembled theym and by authoryte depryued the kynge of all dignytye and closyd hym in a monastery there to contynue the resydue of hys lyfe when he hadde borne the name of a kynge wythout execucyon of the acte therunto belongynge .iii. yeres and the cruell Eboryn they exyled to Luxon or Luxunborgh in the prouynce of Burgoyne and not to departe thens vppon payn of hys lyfe THE CXXXIX CHAPITER CHildericus or Hildericus the thyrde sonne of Clodoueus that was sent to rule the prouynce of Austracy was ordeyned kynge of Fraunce in the yere of grace .vi. hundred .lxix. the .xxxiii. yere of Cadwal before named Of the whyche dede the sayde lordes shortely after repended theÌ„ For this Chylderych which was yonge and of lyght maners oppressyd his subiectes greuously and vsed the lawes of hys progenytours after hys pleasure and wyll wold nothynge be aduertised nor ruled by wolphanus before named y e whyche was before tyme assigned to hym for hys counceyllour and guyde But in augmentynge his malyce he caused a noble maÌ„ of his realme named Bolyde wythout gylte or trespace or greuous offence doynge to be bounden to a stake and there betyn tyll he yelded the spyrite For y e whych crueltye and other the lordes wyth the coÌ„mons murmuryd sore agayne hym ferynge lyke punyssyon wythout deseruynge wherfore they conspyryd agaynste hym and moste specyally two noble men of byrth of myghte named Iugebert Amabert which two wyth other awayted theyr tyme season wheÌ„ they myght fynde tyme coÌ„uenieÌ„t to bryng y e kyng out of lyfe And vpon a daye when y t kyng with his wyfe and small companye wyth theym were in the wood in theyr dysporte and game the sayde two lordes accompanyed purposely fell vppon hym slewe hym there and hys wyfe also great wyth chyld y e which ranne betwene her lord and them to y e entent to haue sauyd her lord and husbande from the dynt of y e sworde The whyche dede was done when y e sayde Childeriche had reygned
the premysses for a reformacyon of the same sent hys ambassade to the pope then beynge zacharye before named askyng hys aduyse whether yt was more necessary or welfull for the realme of FrauÌ„ce that he shulde be admytted for kyng that dyd nothynge but applye hys mynde to all pleasure of hys bodye wythout cure or charge takynge vppon hym for the guydynge of the lande and the people of the same or he that toke upon him all the charge and payne in defence of the lande and kepynge of the people in due subieccyon To this the pope answeryd and wrote vnto Pepyn that he was beste worthy and moste profytable for the realme to be admyttyd for kynge that ruled well the comynaltye by iustyce and prudence and the enymyes therof defendyth and subdueth by his polycy and manhode The whyche answere thus receyued frome the pope and declared vnto the lordes and barons of the realme anone they of one assente and mynde procedyd and went to the deposynge and puttynge downe of theyr kynge and gouernour Hylderyche And in shorte space after closyd hym in a monastery or house of relygyon when he hadde ben occupyer of a kynges rome by the name onely .x. yeres And that done the Frenche men electyd and chase Pepyn for theyr souerayne and kynge In the whyche Hilderyche or Childerych endyd the lyfe or progeny of Meroneus of whome the Frenche kynges lynyally descendyd by contynuaunce of tyme as foloweth Meroneus x. yeres Childericus xxiiii yeres Clodoueus xxx yeres Dagobertus xiiii yeres Clodoueus xvi yeres Clotharius iiii yeres Theodoricus iii. yeres Childericus ii yeres Lotharius l. yeres Chilpericus xxiiii yeres Lotharius xliii yeres Clodoueus iii. yeres Childebertus xvii yeres Dagobertus xi yeres Danyel v. yeres Theodoricus xiiii yeres Theodoricus xix yeres Hildericus x. yeres Anglia THE CL. CHAPITER SIgebertê° or Sigbertus the cosyne of Cutbert laste kynge of the westsaxons beganne his reygne ouer y e sayd Saxons in the yeres of y e incarnacyon of Cryst .vii. huÌ„dred and xlv and the .v. yere of Hildericê° then kyng of Fraunce He was cruell and tyrannous to his subiectes turnyd theyr lawes and customes of his fore fathers after his owne wyll and pleasure And for y e one of the noble men of his dominyon somdele sharply aduertysed him to chauÌ„ge his maners and to behaue hym more prudently towarde his pleople he therfore malycyously caused hym to be putte to cruell deth About this tyme Egbertus after the yonger wylfryde was made archbyshoppe of yorke The whyche brought agayn thyther the pall that his predecessours hadde forgone syns the tyme that the fyrst Paulinê° had lefte that see and fled to Rochester in Kent and there lefte the sayd pall This Egbert was brother vnto Egbert kyng of NorthumberlaÌ„d by whose assystence and comforte he dyd many thynges for the weale of y e see made there a noble library Then yt folowyth for so myche as the kyng Sygebert contynued in his malyce cruell condycyons his subiectes conspired agayn hym and putte hym from all kyngely dygnyte So y t he fell after to great desolacyon mysery in such wyse y t he was founden after in a wood or desolate place wandryng alone without coÌ„forte where he beyng so foundeÌ„ by a swyne herd or vylayne some tyme belongyng to the erle CoÌ„branê° y t he before tyme wyckydly had slayn in auengement of his sayd lordes deth slew hym in y e sayd place which sayd Sigebertus was thus depryued froÌ„ al houour wheÌ„ he after most writers had reygned or tyrannysed .ii. yeres THE CLI CHAPITER KEnulphus of the lyne or blode of Cerdicus fyrst kyng of westsaxons began hys domynyon ouer the sayde westsaxons in the yere of grace .vii. hundred .xlviii and the vii yere of Hildericus then kynge of Fraunce The vertue of thys man passyd his fame For after he hadde with the agrement of the westsaxons depryued Sygebert theyr kynge froÌ„ his authorite and regally he fyrst appeasyd dyuers murmurs and grudgis that kyndelyd among his subiectes set his lordshyp in great quyetnesse and rest touchynge theyr ciuyle dyscorde About the .viii. yere of the reygne of this Kenulphus Offa slewe a tyraunt named Beoruredus y t before had slayne Ethelwald kyng of Mercia After whose deth the sayde Offa as neuew to the sayd Ethelwald reygned as kynge of that prouynce Of this Offa is tolde many notable dedes wherof somwhat I entende to shew He hadde warre wyth the Northumbres theÌ„ for a tyme subdued He also had warre wyth Etheldrede kynge of eest anglys and wyth Egbert otherwyse called Pren kynge of Kent whome he toke prysoner and led hym bounden wyth hym into Mercia Then after these vyctoryes Offa buylded the chyrch of wychcom In tyme of the whyche buyldynge in presens of .xiii. byshoppes and many other great estatys kynge Offa enlargyd the sayde Egbert of imprysonement In token wherof the people beynge there present made such an exclamacyon of ioye and gladnesse that the chyrche therof range Thys kynge Offa hadde suche dyspleasure vnto the cytyzens of Caunterburye that he remoued the archbyshoppes see by the agremente of the fyrste Adryane then pope vnto Lychefelde He also chased the Brytons or welshmeÌ„ into walys made a famouse dyke betwene walys and the vtter bondys of Mercia or mydle Englande the whyche to this day is named Offedyche And after he buyldyd there a chyrch whych longe tyme after was called Offekyrke This Offa also by angelycall inspyracyon translatyd the holy prothomartyr saynt Albone and was fyrst founder of that famous monasterye ouer that holy bodye The whyche syns the fyrste foundacyon hath by sondry tymes ben perished and hurt by Danys other and newely syns that tyme reedyfyed This holy Albon was martyred as before apperyth in the .lxvii. chapyter and storye of CoÌ„stantius about the yere of our lorde two hundred .lxxx. and .xvii. By whych reason he shuld lye or he were translatyd ouer foure hundred and lx yeres This Offa also maried one of hys doughters to Bryghtricus y â— was kynge of westsaxons And for that in his tyme was varyaunce betwene hym and the FreÌ„che men that passage of marchauntes was forboden therfore he sente that famouse doctour Anselmus vnto Charlis the great then kynge of Fraunce to comon the meanes of a peace whyche Charlis hadde after thys Anselmus in suche fauour that he became hys discyple Then retourne we to Kenelphus y t whyche before tyme had had often warre wyth Offa and with hym many conflyctes and lastely agreed About the .xi. yere of thys Kenelphê° Egbert kynge of Northumbres renouncyd his kyngly dignyte and became a munke And lastely the sayde Offa when he had reygned ouer Mercia .xxxix. yeres as sayth Guydo he lefte the kyngdome to hys sonne also named Kenelphus and yode to Rome And this Kenulphê° kynge of westsaxon kepte strongely hys lordshyp agayn y e power of all his enymyes hadde his subiectes in due order of
testyfyeth myne authour mayster Robert Gagwyne But the Frenche boke sayth that thys dede was done by Frederyke bysshoppe or Utryke where fore he was after pyteously slayne by such as fauoured y e quene and not all wythout her concent as wytnessyth the sayd cronycle And whan Lewys had in thys other thynges agreed vnto hys sonnes and thought hym self to be in surete of theyr amyte and fauours sodeynly he was coÌ„ueyed vnto the monastery of saynt Medrid or as sayth the Frenche boke he was conueyed to a towne called in Frenche Melanguy wyth hys yonge sonne Charlys And that done the sayd thre sonnes deuyded theyr fathers possessyons amonge theym thre That is to saye Lothayre the eldeste had to his porcyon the londes of the empyre Pepyn the countrey of Guyan and to Lewys the yongest fell the countrey of Bayon whyche mysery of the emperour whan the pope had beholden seen he wyth greate mornynge retorned into Iuly so vnto Rome In which tyme of prysonemeÌ„t of the emperour the sayd Lewys made dyteys pystelles of greate sorowe and lamentacyon to the ensample of all erthlye prynces and to the entent that hys sonnes shulde of hym haue the more compassyon and pytye The whyche I ouer passe for length of tyme and the rather for in tyme of prysonemeÌ„t of Edwarde the seconde callyd Carnaruan was by hym made a lyke coÌ„playnt where of when tyme place comyth I entende to expresse some parte therof whan Lewys had thus a season remayned in pryson for so myche as the comons shulde not thynke that thys shuld be done by the authoryte of y e thre sonnes onely therfore they causyd a couÌ„sayle to be callyd at the cytye of Compeyne there by theyr meanes and labours causyd theyr father by authoryte of spyrytuall temporall lordys to be discharged of all rule and domynyon as well of the empyre as of the realme of FrauÌ„ce by authoryte of the sayd couÌ„sayle or parliament and after caused hym to renouÌ„ce all hys temporall habyte and to become a munke in the monastery of saynt Matke where he was lefte of his sonne Lothayre not with out sure watche and kepynge But full often it is seen that whaÌ„ the erthlye power of man faylyth or wekyth god of hys greate mercy the repentaunt synner to grace callyth hym by hys dyuyne power aydeth and strengtheth and so he dyd thys Lewys For after thys mysery and trybulacyon thus to hym fallen the peple in dyuerse placys of this londe murmured and grudgyd very sore agayne the innaturall dealynge of the sonnes agayne theyr father In these dayes was a greate ruler in Fraunce named Guyllyam stuarde or constable of that lande y e which wyth one Egebard or Edgare a man of greate byrth and alyaunce couÌ„sayled togyder for the enlargyng of y e emperour And lastly wyth ayde of theyr frendes assembled a greate peple And than drewe vnto them .ii. noble men of Burgoyne called Barnarde and Gueryn the whyche sometyme had ben well cherysshed wyth the emperoure Lewys All thys season Lothayre had restyd hym for y e more partye at Aquysgrany But whan he harde of the assemblynge of these foresayd lordes he sped hym towarde Parys And whan he was thyther comen the foresayd lordes sent vnto hym two noble men Rowlande and Gantelyne the whych made request vnto Lothayre in the name of the other lordes that it wolde lyke hym to restore hys father vnto hys former dygnyte wyth other thynges concernynge theyr legacyon To the whyche two lordes Lothayre gaue answere that of hys fathers restorynge to hys fyrste or former dygnyte no man lyuynge wolde be therof more fayne than he wolde But y e deposyng of hym was done by the hole authoryte of y e land wherfore yf he shulde be agayne restoryd it must be by the same authoryte and not by hym onely All be yt that they myghte knowe of hys benyuoleÌ„ce and fauour that he bare towarde hys father he wylled them to stonde a parte whyle he had some coÌ„munycacyon of his lordes for y e same mater By reason wherof were it for fere or for fauour the emperour was shortly after put at hys lybertye and restoryd to all hys fyrst honoure and dygnyte than with great honoure conueyed to a cytye or towne called Ciriciake where met wyth hym hys other two soÌ„nes Pepyn and Lewys and there restyd hym certayne dayes in makyng all feest and ioye and after rode vnto Aquysgrany and there restyd an other season In whych tyme of hys there beyng was brought vnto hym from y e place where she had ben prisoner his wyfe Indyth But whan Lothariê° knewe that hys father had hyr agayne receyued contrary to hys mynde and pleasure he in wrath dyspleasure entryd the countrey of Burgoyne made in it sharpe and cruell warre executed therin many spoylynges and other inordynate dedys The whyche cruelty to wythstande let hys father wyth hys sonne Pepyn wyth a greate hoste sped hym thyder warde But anone as he had knowlege therof mystrustyng his streÌ„gth he yelded hym vnto his faders grace and mercy whom the meke fader receyued and forgaue to hym hys trespasse And after that of hym and dyuerse of hys lordes he had taken assuryd othes and other suretyes he thaÌ„ sent the sayd Lothayre into Italy with a certayne nomber of knyghtes to defende the countrey from daunger of enemyes and strengthynge of the straytes and mountaynes And that wyth other thynges orderyd and done for the weale of hys realme Lewys than toke vpon hym to ryde about hys lande to th entent that he myghte be somwhat enformed of the rule of hys offycers and how the countreys were ruled by the rulers of them And where he found any mysgouernaunce he punysshed the executers therof as well y e bysshoppes as other as farre as his authoryte in that behalfe stretchyd Than Indith consyderynge the emperoure fell into greate age and hyr sonne and his Charlis by name had as yet no suffycyent landes nor possessyons to maynteyne any estate wyth she compassed many wayes in hyr mynde how she myghte acheue hyr entent and to brynge it to good purpose where fynally by counceyll of hyr frendes to y e ende to purchase the loue and fauour of Lothayre she axed of hyr lorde and husbonde that the sayd Lothayre myghte be tutour and gyder of hys yonge sonne Charles Of this request y e emperour was very glad and graunted hyr hyr peticion And so it fell soone after certayne messengers came to the emperoure from Lothayre hys sonne To the whych whan Lewys had gyuen answere to such maters as they were sent fore and gyueÌ„ vnto them other instruccyons he sent them forthe agayne and with them certeyne other to wylle his sayd sonne to come vnto hym in as goodly wyse as he myght But at that season he excusyd hym by sykenesse and whan he was recouered he fayned an other excuse In thys meane tyme worde was brougth
thy reward and guardon After whyche sentence thus gyuen by the kynge the sayde Hebert was by the executers ladde vnto an hylle wythout the citye of Laon̄ and there most shamefully hanged whych hyll for that cause was named Hebertes hyll longe tyme after About thys tyme the seconde duke of Normandy named wyllyam longa Spata y e son of Rollo or Robert fyrste duke of Normandy was slayne by treason of one Arnolde erle of Flaūdres for encheson that the sayd wyllyam ayded a noble man of Pycardy named Herloyn̄ agayne the sayde Arnolde This wyllyam left after hym a son named Richarde whych at the tyme of his fathers deth was not of suffycient age to rule so gret a dukedome wherfore Lewys kynge of Fraunce desyrous of that prouynce whyche of late dayes belonged to his antecessours and progenitours sought besyly the wayes and meanes to haue this chylde Rycharde vnder his tuycyon gydynge And this to brynge to effecte spedde hym vnto Roan̄ callynge there before hym the lordes and rulers of the countrey hauynge vnto them many plesaunt and fayre wordes in promysyng to them ayde and assystence to reuenge the deth of theyr lorde and duke and in the conclusyon desyred of them y t he myght haue the noryshynge and bryngyng vp of the chylde tyll he came to hys lawfull age whyche thynge thus by the kynge desyred the lordes anon coniectured in theyr myndes y t he desyred the kepyng of theyr yonge lord to y e ende y t he myghte y e more easely obteyne the possession of that dukedome For the whych the lordes and other of the cytye were in great rumour and grudge agayne the kynge wherof he beynge monyshed to appeace the multytude the kynge toke the chylde in his armes and so bare hym into the place of the assemble of the people there shewyd vnto theym wyth affyrmaunce of great othes that hys entent was onely for y e we le of the child and for defence of hys countrey and not to clayme any ryghte or tytle of the duchy excepte onely the homage therof whyche belongeth to hym by iuste tytle By meane of whyche fayre speche the kynge obteyned his purpose and caried the chyld with hym into Fraūce not forgetynge the vnkynde dealynge of the Normans when Arnolde erle of Flaūdres vnderstode that to the kynge of Fraūce the guydynge of y e yonge chyld was commytted ferynge y t he wyth power of the Normans wolde ronne vppon hym reuengynge of the chyldes fathers deth sent vnto the kyng x. pounde weyghte of golde wherof euery pounde cōteyneth .xii. ounces and euery oūce in value of fyne gold xl s so that after this rate his presente shulde be in value to y e summe of .ii. hundred .xl. pounde All be yt mayster Gagwyne sayth he sent vnto hym but .xl. marke besechyng him to be his good and gracyous lorde and not to gyue to hasty credence to hys accusours For he in suche wyse wolde declare hym selfe and delyuer vnto the kynge the murderers of duke wyllyam he meane wherof he shulde certaynly know that he was innocēte of the sayd dukes deth And ouer this he made a frende about the kynge whyche spake good wordes for hym put in the kynges mynde the great hurtes iniuryes that he and his progenytours hadde susteyned of the Danys or Normans By meane whereof this murdour was forgoten more and more the kyng malygned agayne the Normans and to the chylde he bare not so good mynde as some men thoughte that he wolde do Uppon a daye when the kyng was retourned from hys dysporte of huntynge a lyght cōplaynt was brouht to hym of the chylde Rycharde of an offence that he had commytted For the which he rebuked him otherwyse then was syttyng to his honour and called hym opprobryously and thretened hym greuously and after that caused hym to be kept more straytly then he before hadde vsed to be To this chylde Rycharde was assygned a mayster or teacher named Osmunde whyche Osmunde hadde a famylyer named Iuon̄ These two apperceyuynge the kynges indygnacyon that he bare towarde the chyld studyed for his enlargynge and lastly coūsaylyd hym that he shuld fayne hym self syke The whych was done in suche wyse that all suche as awayted vppon hym supposed hym to be very syke by reason wherof his kepers toke the lesse cure of hym wherof Osmunde beynge ware and also beynge sure of the kynge made a great trusse of herbes or grasse wherin he wrapped the chyld and so conueyed hym oute of the cytye of Laon̄ and there receyued hym an horse redy for the iourney so sped hym vnto Cosuy and delyueryd the chylde to the captayne of that town And from thēs he rode all nyght tyll he came vnto Senlys there shewed all hys doynge vnto y e erle of that coūtrey named Bernard which was nere kynnesman vnto y e yonge duke THE CLXXXVII CHAPITER BErnarde hauynge knowlege of the escape of his kynnesmā Rycharde sente in all haste vnto Hugh le graunde erle of Parys for to haue his ayde and assystence The whych without taryeng assēbled his knyghtes and conueyed the chylde from Cousy to Senlys or Saynlys to his neuewe Bernarde where he was receyued wyth mych ioye and honoure when Lewys was ascertayned of the scape of Rycharde and howe he was in the guydynge of Hughe the great or graunde anon he sent vnto hym gyuynge hym in commaundement that he shulde restore the chyld to hym The whyche excused hym and sayde that the chylde was in the kepynge of erle Bernarde and not in hys The kynge seynge how he was deluded sente for Arnolde or Arnulfe erle of Flaundres whyche at his cōmaundement counsayled the kynge to wynne Hugh le graūde with riche behestes or gyftes After whose counsayll worchynge kynge Lewys wylled the sayd Hugh to mete with hym at the crosse of Compeyn̄ where the sayd Hugh shortly after met with the kynge To whome the kynge promysed great parte of the duchy of Normandy wyth that that he wolde refuse the partye of the Normans and take his parte agayne them By meane of which promises this erle Hugh was ouercomē and agreed with the kynge to warre vppon one parte of the countrey whyle he warred vpon that other And forthwyth receyuyd an armye of the kynge and spedde hym to Bayon̄ made cruell warre vppon that countrey And kynge Lewys entryd vppon the prouynce of Caux and wasted and spoyled that Coste in all that he myghte whan Barnarde the Dane and also Barnarde erle of Senlys conceyued y e vntrouth of Hugh le graūt and also the greate hostes that they were beset wyth by theyr counsayles and other they sent vnto the kynge certayne messengers gyuynge them in commaundement to saye that in vayne the kynge hadde entred that countre with his armye for the citye of Roan and all the prouince was at hys commaundement Besechynge hym not to waste nor spoyle the coūtre but to ayde and helpe defende it agayne
he toke a myghty and stronge captayn of the sayde erle Guy named Hombolde the whyche he sente to the castell of Stampes there sauely to be kepte Durynge whyche warre Philyppe the kynge sykened and dyed the yere of grace M. a hundred .vi when he hadde rygned full .xlviii. yere and was buried at saint Benet sur Loyt THE CCXVI CHAPITER HArolde y e second son of erle Goodwyne and laste kynge of Saxons began to rule the realme of Englande y e v. daye of Ianuary and the yere of our lorde M. and .lxvi and the .viii. yere of Phylyp the fyrst then kynge of Fraunce This as moste myghty for so myche as the blessyd kynge Edwarde dyed wythout yssue not myndyng the promysse of hym before made vnto wyllyam duke of NormaÌ„dy as before I haue shewed toke vpoÌ„ him as kyng and was crowned of Aldredus then byshoppe of yorke All be yt as affermeth Guydo and other some of the lordes entended to haue made Edgare Adelynge kynge whyche Edgare as affermeth y e sayde authours was sonne to Edwarde that was the sonne of Edmund Ironsyde and named of some Edwarde the outlawe But for this Edgare was yong and specyally for Harolde was strong of knightes and rychesse he wanne the reygne Howe be yt Marianus sayth that kyng Edwarde ordeyned before his deth that Harolde shuld be kyng after hym By reason wherof the lordes crowned hym therupppon at westmynster Anon as he was crowned he beganne to fordoo euyll lawes and customes before vsed and stablysshed the good lawes and specyally suche as were for the defence of holy chirch and punyshed the euyll doers to the fere and example of other In shorte tyme after that Harolde was thus made kynges Tosty or Costy hys brother whyche as before is sayde was of the Northumbers chased into Flaundres made hym a nauy of .lx. small sayles and sayled about the I le of wyght toke prayes wythin the sayd yle and other places of Kent And from thens he sayled in to Lynsey dyd there myche harme both with fyre and sworde But soon after he was chased thens by EdwynÌ„ and Malcharus erles of Mercia of Northumberlande And then he sayled into Scotland taryed there tyll the somer after when Tostius was thus wyth hys robbers chased then Harolde Harfagar kynge of Northganys or Norways wyth a great nauy of .iii. hundred shyppes or mo entred y e mouth of the ryuer of Tyne Thys Harolde Harfagar as sayth Guyde was the sonne of Canutus and kyng of Denmarke and of Norway The whych heryng of the deth of holy Edward purueyed y e sayd great armye to wyn Englande as his ryghtfull enherytaunce when Harolde was warned of thys great flote of Danys he sent vnto the forenamed erles or dukes of Mercia and of Northumberland commaundyng them to wythstande theyr landrynge whyle he gadered hys strength Then the foresayde dukes spedde theym towarde the Danys and gaue vnto them a sharpe stronge fyght But in conclusyon the Englyshemen were put to the worse and were fayne to gyue backe so y t the enymyes entred farther into the lande The kyng herynge of the scoÌ„fyture of hys people made the more haste towarde hys enymyes so that the .vi. day after he came to Stemysforde brydge In thys whyle was Tostius before named come oute of Scotlande and gone to the partye of the Danys agayne hys owne brother In thys foresayde place bothe hostes ioyned and faught then there a sharpe cruell batayll wherin fyll many a sturdy knyght vppon the englyshe partye but mo vppon the Danys syde so that in the ende Harolde theyr kynge was slayne and that of the hande of Harolde kynge of Enlande as sayth Guydo and Tostius was also slayne in the same fyghte Olanus broter to the sayth Harolde Harfagar with Paulus duke of the yles of Orkeys were there taken prisoners The whyche the kynge caused to hym to be sworne to kepe such promises as they to hym there made and toke good pledges for performaunce of the same and after suffred theym to retourne from thens they were comen It ys also specyally remembred of the sayd authour that one knyght stode vppon the foresayde brydge and wyth his axe defended the passage maugre the hole hoste of y e Englyshemen and slew .xl. Englyshmen or mo wyth hys axe and myght not be ouercomen tyll an Englysheman went vnder the brydge and stycked hym vpwarde wyth hys spere thorough an hole of the brydge For thys vyctory Harolde was suppressed wyth pryde and also wyth couetouse so that he dyuyded not the prayes of hys enymyes amonge hys knyghtes but kepte theym to hym selfe or gaue parte vnto suche â—nyghtes as he fauoured and spared to them that had well deserued by reason wherof he loste the fauour of many of hys knyghtes In thys passetyme the doughter of duke wyllyam the whych Harold shuld haue maried dyed within age wherfore Harold thought hiÌ„ y e more discharged of his ê“mise before made to her fader But duke willyam warned Harolde of couenauntes broken and medled menasses wyth prayers by sondry tymes wherunto Harolde answered that a nyce folyshe couenaunte ought not to be holden namely y e behest of other mennys ryght and kyngdome wythout the hole assent of the senatours of y e same land And farthermore a lewde othe might and ought to be broken and specyally when yt is compelled to be sworne for nede or for drede Uppon these answers receyued by duke wyllyam from Harolde in the whyle that messangers went came duke wyllyam gadered hys knyghtes and prepared his nauy and all other thinges necessary to the warre had assent of the lordes of his land to ayde and assyste hym in his iourney And ouer that he in such wise enformed the pope then beynge named Alexander the second y t he coÌ„formed hym in takynge of that vyage and sent vnto hym a banner the whyche he willed hym to bere in the shyp that he hym self shuld sayle in And so beynge purueyed of all thynges concernyng his iourney he sped hym to the see syde toke shyppynge in the hauen of faynt Ualery where he taryed a longe tyme or he myght haue a couenable wynde For y e whych his soldyours murmured grudged and sayd it was a woodnesse great dyspleasynge to god to desyre an other mannâ—s kyngdome by strength namely when god wythsayde yt by the workynge of his element At the laste when duke wyllyam had longe bydden and houed for the wynde he commaunded to brynge forth y e body of saynt Ualery and to be sette vppon the see stronde The whyche done the wynde shortely after came about and fylled the sayles Then wyllyam thanked god saynt Ualery and toke shortely after shyppynge and helde his course to warde Englande vppon thys grounde tytle folowynge The fyrste and pryncypall was to chalenge his ryghte and to haue the domynyon of the lande that to hym was gyuen as he affermed of kyng
of theyr pryncys y t is to mene the corps of Lewys and theyr naturall prynce Phylyppe hys son and of the obseruaunces done and great assembles of the lordes spirytuall and temporall to welcome theyr prynce and doynge of theyr duties euery man according to honour But after al these ceremonies in due order fynyshed prouysyon was made for the coronacyon of the kynge The whyche was crowned at the cytye of Raynes vppon the daye of the assumpcyon of our lady in the yere of grace .xii. hundred .lxxi. SHortely after that the solempnyte of this coronacyon was passed kynge Phylyppe for his recreacyon rode into the countrey of Uermendoyse where after he had derestyd hym a season Robert erle of Artoys requyred hym to vysyte hys countrey where he was receyuyd of the burgeysys of Artoys wyth great honour and gladnes and there was feastyd with all disport and gladnes by a certayne of tyme after The whiche expyryd he returned into FrauÌ„ce About the thryde yere of his reygne the erle of Foys contrary y e kynges pleasure toke partye agayn Getarde a knyght lorde of the castell of Casseboun or Tasseboun y e which before had slayn y e brother of the erle of Armenac specyall freÌ„d of the sayd erle of Foyz whyche sayde two erles to reuenge the deth of theyr sayd brother pursued the sayde Gerarde so narrowly that for his sauegarde he refused his owne castell and fled vnto a castell of the kynges and there helde hym wyth his wyfe chyldren and substauÌ„ce But when the two erles were ware therof they sped them thyder wyth theyr powers and layd syege to the castell and in the ende threwe it downe to the grounde and slewe all the souldyours that they there founde as well the kynges seruauntes as other hopynge to haue founde theyr enymye Gerarde the whyche was escapyd thens secretly when the rumour of this dede came vnto the kynge he dysdayned sore that dede and toke yt ryght grevously In so myche that he called hys lordes and by theyr counsayll assembled hys knyghtes and entred wyth force the prouince of the erle of Foyz The whyche herynge of the kynges great dyspleasure fortyfyed hys castell and there helde hym The which was so besette wyth rokkes of stone that the kynge myght not wynne to yt wyth ease wherfore the kynge coÌ„maunded the rokkes to be cutte with masons and other worke men made a solempne othe that he wold not depart thens or he hadde the erle and his castell at his pleasure when the erle hadde beholden the great power of his enymyes and the prouysyon of the kyng to wynne his castell wyth other ieopardyes he made meanes to the kynge for grace and fynally putte hym and his into his mercy Then the kynge commauÌ„ded hym to be bounde and so to be conueyed to the casrell of Beauquesu where he was imprysoned by an hole yere after And the kyngâ—â—eased all hys landes and set a certayne of hys knyghtes to kepe hys castell and caryed hys wyfe and chyldren wyth hym into Fraunce But after a yere runne the kynge was so laboured to by the frendes of the sayd erle that he was eularged from pryson and vppon suertye suffred to serue in the kynges courte where he bare hym so well y t fynally the kyng made hym knyght restored hym to all his laÌ„des But what fyll of y e erle of Armenac the story sheweth not Aboute the .vi. yere of his reygne kynge Phylyppe maryed Mary the doughter of the erle of Burbon or after some the doughter of Iohan the duke of Braban the whych he loued entyerly wherof Peter de Broshe then beynge lorde chamberlayne hauynge enuy and disdayn sought the wayes and meanes to mynyshe the great loue betwene her lord and her and fonde by his meane that a sonne of y e kynges named Lewys was prysoned the whyche dede he by subtyle secrete meanes as though yt had nothyng comen of hym layde yt to y e charge of the quene For this y e kyng made many maner of inquysycyons as well by sorcery as other But in al his workes he found his quene gyltlesse wherfore he sufferyd the mater to passe tyll he myght haue more assured profe in that mater Aboute thys season Ferdinandus kynge of Castyle that before tyme hadde maryed Blanche doughter of saynt Lewis dyed leuyng after hym two sonnes borne of y e sayd Blanch named Ferdinande and Alphons whych by couenaunt at the mariage made shulde be heyres vnto the kyngdome of Spayne and Castyle But the father of this Ferdinande so beynge dede contrary hys honour and promise wrote vnto the lordes of Castyle amonestynge theym that they shulde admytte for theyr kynge hys seconde son named SaÌ„xyon or Sanxio and swere to hym both feautye homage The whyche was all done accordyng to hys commaundement so that Blanche was dyspoynted of her dower and her chyldern of theyr ryght and enherytauÌ„ce For y e which kyng Phylyppe her brother was greuously dysconteÌ„tyd and for reforma cyon therof sente vnto the kynge of Spayn his chefe boteler wyth other desyryng hym to perfourme all such couenauÌ„tes as betwene hym and his fader were coÌ„cluded at the maryage of his syster Blanche or at the laste yf that he refusyd y t to do y t he wold sende hys sayde syster wyth her two chyldern sauely into Fraunce In coÌ„clusyon y e mother wyth her two chyldern were brought by the sayde boteler vnto the kynge wythoute other pleasure other in worde or in dede For the whyche he the yere folokyng gaderyd a stronge hoste and passed wyth theym by Poyteau and Gascoyne tyll he came vnto a towne ioynynge to the border of Spayne named Sainterre where the kyng met another party of his hoste There by counsayll of some of his lordes the kynge concluded to retourne into Fraunce for daunger of wynter that was coÌ„mynge and other hyd causes But the rumour in the hoste went y t some of the kynges counsayll hadde receyued rewardes of the kynge of Spayn By meane wherof the kyng loste that iourney and returned into Fraunce to his great dyshonour and damage In tyme of kynge Phylyppes returne into Fraunce tydynges were broughte to hym that Eustace de Beau Marche whom the kyng had appointed to haue the gydyng of the countrey or kyngdome of Nauarye was besyeged in the citye of Pampulyne wherfore y e kyng coÌ„maunded y e erle of Artoys to spede hym thyder to rescowe the sayde Eustace The whyche behauyd hym so manfully that he rescowed the sayde Eustace and chasyd Garsymerans chefe styrrer of that rebellion and brought the people of that countrey agayne to due subieccyon whyle the erle of Artoys was thus occcupyed in the sayd countrey messangers came to hym from the kynge of Spayne requyrynge hym sene that he was so nere that he was so nere y t he wold come disport him there for a season wher of y e erle of Artoys sent kyng Philip worde hauyng of hym
Cambrees erle of Atles and syr IohnÌ„ Comyn with other the whyce voluntarylye were sworne in presence of the kynge and hys lordes that they shuld be trewe vnto the kynge of Englande kepe the lande of Scotlande to hys vse agayne all other persones And yf any rebell or other malycyous persone distourbed the laÌ„de or breke y e kynges peas they shulde cause hym to be taken and sent vnto the kynge wyth many other articles coÌ„cernyng theyr allegeaunce the whyche full falsely they brake and contraryed shortely after Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.v.  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vi  Raynold Doderell  IohnÌ„ Blount  Anno .xxxiiii.  wyllyam Cansyn  IN thys .xxxiiii. yere Robert le Bruze contrary hys othe to kynge Edwarde before made assembled the lordes of Scotlande and by the couÌ„sayll of thabbot of Stone and other that fauoured hys vntrouthe he sent vnto the pope than Clement the .v for a dyspensacyoÌ„ of hys othe before made vnto kynge Edwarde and surmysed to hym that kyng Edwarde vexed and greuyd the realme of Scotlande wrongfully whereupoÌ„ the pope wrote vnto kyng Edwarde to leue of suche doynges And whyle thys matter was thus complayned on vnto the pope y e sayd Robert le Bruze made all the labour he myght vnto y e lordes of ScotlaÌ„de that he were admytted for kyng of y e regyon so that vpon the daye of the concepcyon of our Lady or the .viii. day of Decembre a great assemble of the lordes was made at the abbey of Stone And vpoÌ„ the day folowyng by the meanes of the abbot of y t place many of the sayd lordes assented to y e wyl of the sayd Robert except syr Iohan Comyn onely The whych in defence of hys trouthe and othe before sworne vnto kyng Edwarde many reasons excuses made and fynally sayd that he wolde nat false hys othe for no man For thys the sayd syr Iohan Comyn had great maugre of syr Robert le Bruze many of y e nobles of Scotlande But he helde hys oppynyon so fermely that other began to take hys parte that in that counsayll rose suche contrariete of opynyons and reasons that the sayd couÌ„sayll was dyssolued and a newe sette at the graye freers of Dunfrize after Candelmas next ensuyng At whych daye of assemble whenne the cause of theyr meting was by Robert le Bruze denouÌ„ced and shewed many of the great lordes of the land had grauÌ„ted to hym theyr aydes assistence the forenamed syr IohnÌ„ Comyn other sat styll and sayd no worde whyche Robert le Bruze marked well and to hym sayd And you syr IohnÌ„ I trust for defence and weale of thys realme ye wyll nat be behynde wherunto he answered syr I wolde that ye and al my lordes here present knowe well that for the weale and defence in the ryght of thys lande I wolde stande with it to the vttermost of my power But for I se that ye enteÌ„de rather the subuercyon than the weale therof I wyll therfore ye know I shal nother ayde you with counsayll nor yet with strength Some other also there were whose names the auctoure myndeth nat whyche allowed the sayenge of the sayde syr IohnÌ„ and in some wordes admytted hys sadde and trewe answere For the whyche Roberte le Bruze was so amoued that when syr IohnÌ„ Comyn with syr Rogyer hys brother was departed from the counsayll and was comyn into the chyrch of the freers Robert le Bruze hym folowyd and wounded to the deth with his swerde and after slew syr Rogier hys brother whyche wolde haue defended the foresayde syr IohnÌ„ After whose deth lytell or no resysteÌ„ce was made agayne the vntrewe meane dedes of the sayd Robert le Bruze so that he at saynte IohnÌ„s towne was crowned kynge shortly after It was nat longe after that kyng Edwarde was monysshed of all this vntrouth of the scottes wherfore he prepared hym to wende thyder And at Penthecoste he helde a great feaste of hys barony at westmyster durynge that feast made a greate noÌ„bre of knyghtes ouer CC. after mooste wryters And that feast ended he seÌ„t with a fayre company of knyghtes syr Aymer de Ualaunce erle of Penbroke and syr Henry Percy erle of Northumberlande into ScotlaÌ„de sped hym selfe wyth hys hoost soone after Than about the feast of the assuÌ„pcyon of our Lady the kyng faughte with the sayd Robert le Bruze and al the power of Scotlande in a playne nere vnto saynt IohnÌ„s towne And after loÌ„ge fyght and great slaughter of the scottes to y e nombre of .vii. M he chased the scottes In whyche chase syr Symon de Fryseyll erle of DuÌ„barre was takeÌ„ with also the bishoppes of saint Adrews and of Bastoon the abbot of Stoon or Scoon syr IohnÌ„ Chambres erle of Atles which bysshoppes and abbot kyng Edward sent after vnto innoceÌ„t the .v. thaÌ„ pope with reporte of theyr ê‘iury how they were taken armed in the felde to shede the blode of cristeÌ„ men And y e teÌ„porall lordes he sent into EnglaÌ„de so vnto the towre of LondoÌ„ And Robert le Bruze after thys scomfyture losse of hys chyef freÌ„des feryng lest y e scottes with suche Englysshmen as kyng Edward laft there wolde aryse agayne hym all comfortles fledde vnto the kynge of Norwaye there abode duryng whyle kyng Edwarde lyued whan thys noble prynce Edward had thus subdued y e scottes he yelded thankes to god of hys vyctorye And wheÌ„ he was ascertayned of the auoydyng of Robert le Bruze had set y e laÌ„de in a quiet ordre he retourned into Englande In thys passetyme were y e forenamed lordes of ScotlaÌ„de areygned at LondoÌ„ vpoÌ„ the euyn of the Natyuyte of our Lady put to deth theyr heddes after set vpoÌ„ LondoÌ„ brydge And shortly after was IohnÌ„ waleys brother vnto wyllyaÌ„ waleys whych for lyke treason was put to deth in y e preceding yere taken haÌ„ged quarteryd And some scottes that were taken as prysoners remayned loÌ„ge in EnglaÌ„de or they myght acquite theyr fynaunce Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vi  Anno dnÌ„i xiii C.vii.  Symon Bolet  IohnÌ„ Blount  Anno .xxxv.  Godfrey de la Conduyt  IN thys .xxxv. yere y e kynge for certayne causes hym mouyng retourned agayne into Scotlande Or after some wryters he taryed at Berwyke helde hys Crystmasse Easter in those partyes came nat into EnglaÌ„de after he had scoÌ„fyted y e scottes In the season of somer as he was retournyng into EnglaÌ„de a sykenes toke hym so ferueÌ„tly y e he knew wele he shuld dye wherfore he beyng at Burgthe vpoÌ„ the sande beyonde Carleyll called to hym syr Aymer de Ualance erle of PeÌ„broke syr Henry Percy erle of NorthuÌ„berlande syr HeÌ„ry Lacy erle of LyncolnÌ„ syr Robert Clyfforde baroÌ„ caused them to besworne before hym y t they shuld crowne hys sonne Edwarde in as conuenyent tyme after hys dethe as they myght and
tawny and the seruauntes of the dolphyn of Uyen in blewe and cremesyne euery man after his degree and so the kyng with his company mette with the emperour at the mylle without the towne called the wynde mylle where after due salutes made eyther vnto other the Frenche king put the Emperour vpon his ryght hande and toke the kynge of Romaynes sonne vnto the emperour vpon his lyfte hande And so the Frenche kynge rydinge in the myddes passed thoroughe the hygh stretes of Paris tyll they came to the kingê palays where he was lodged with all honoure after fested with the kinge and the quene by the space of .xvi. dayes whiche terme endyd like as with all honoure he was conueyed into the lande so with great honour and ryche gyftes he was agayne conueyed out of the lande In the moneth of Februarye folowynge and the .vi. daye dyed the quene of Fraunce in the hostell of saynt Poule in Parys and after buryed with great solempnyte and honoure in the monastery of saynt Denys In the moneth of Marche the kynge receyued letters from certeyn lordes of hys lande in the whyche was conteygned that the kynge of Nauerne had imagened and conspired with one Iaquet de rue his chaÌ„berlayne for to poyson hym the whiche Iaquet was than comyn into Fraunce to execute his cursed purpose wherfore the Frenche kynge layed suche wayte for hym that he was taken and founden vpon hym a byll of certayne instruccions howe he shulde behaue hym selfe in accomplysshyng his euyll purpose Than he was brought vnto the kinges presence to whome he confessed the circumstaunce of all his treason to be done at the commaundement counsell of the kyng of Nauerne Soone after the eldest sonne of the kynge of Nauerne whiche was newely commyn into Normandy sent vnto king Charles shewynge to hym that if it were his pleasure he wolde gladlye come vnto hys presence for to speke with hym with that he myght haue a sure safeconduyt for hym and all suche as he shulde brynge with him The whiche to hym was graunted and vpoÌ„ the same came vnto Selys where the kynge than was And after he had comoned a season with y e kynge he made to hym requeste for the delyuere of the foresaid Iaket de Rue layenge for hym sondrye excuses But whanne the kynge hadde caused the sayd Iaket to be brought forthe before the sayde sonne of the kynge of Nauerne named syr Charlys he auouched suche thynges before hym that he coude nat denaye but that his father had commytted many and sondry treasons as well agayne kynge IohnÌ„ as nowe agayne kyng Charles hys sonne wherfore after diuers assembles and counsels hadde vpon this matter the kynge and the said sir Charles agreed that all suche townes and holdes as the sayd kynge of Nauerne had within Normandy shulde be delyuered vnto y e duke of Burgoyne to the Frenche kynges vse And for that ê“messe shulde be truely parfourmed y e king firste sware the said syr Charles and after many of the capitaynes whiche had the rule of the sayd townes and castelles And for so moche as the sayd syr Charles had there presence with hym a capitayne named sir Fernande de Oyens in whose guyding many of the sayde holdes than were and suspected him that he wolde nat perfourme the sayd promesse therfore he caused hym to be arested and to be had vnto prison tyll the holdes beynge vnder hys guydynge were clerely deliuered Upon which agrement thus concluded and sworne y e duke of Burgoyne with the sayd sir Charles and the sayd syr Fernande as a prisoner was sent into Normandye with a conuenyent army where wyth awe and fauoure the duke in processe of tyme had to hym delyuered all suche townes and holdes as the kynge of Nauerne there had excepte the towne and castell of Chirebourgth â–ª In whiche passe tyme and season was also taken in a towne called Bretnell a secretary to the kyng of Nauerne with certayne wrytynges beynge in a coffer within the chambre By reason of whiche wrytynges and also by the confessyon of the partye many mo thynges concernyng the confessyon of Iaket de Rue was than manifested and approued which secretary was named maister Peter de Tertre a frenchman borne But he had serued the kynge of Nauerne by the more terme of hys lyfe Upon this confessyon made and wryten by the sayde secretary the kinge called his court of parlyament Durynge whiche bothe the said maister Peter and also the sayd Iaket were brought before the lordes and commons where theyr confessyons were redde they examyned vpon euery artycle of the same and affyrmed all theyr former sayenges wherefore shortely after by auctoryte of that court they were demed to dye for theyr treasons and so were hangyd and hedyd and theyr .viii. quarters hangyd at sondry gates and places of Parys And whan the kyng had receyued into his possession the foresayde holdes belongynge vnto the kynge of Nauerne the whiche so often had rebelled agayne his father hym he was couÌ„selled by his lordes that he shulde throwe to grounde diuers of the sayd castelles lest y e king of Nauerne them recouered agayne and by meane of theyr forces worke vnto hym and his realme newe dyspleasures By reason of which counsell the kynge made euen with the grounde these fortresses folowynge Fyrst the castell of Bretnell of Dorlet of BeaumouÌ„t le Roger of Pacy Damyet and cloysters of the same the towre castell of Nogent le roy the castell of Euroux the castell of Pount Andemer the castell of Mortaygne and of Ganraux or Ganray with other in the countrey of Constantyne But the towne of Chirebourgth remayned styll in the poscessyon of the Nauaroys the whiche with ayde of Englysshe men was kept from the Frenche kynge And the forenamed syr Farnande was contyrmauÌ„ded to prison for so moch as he was captaine of y e same towne thinkynge in hym defaute that the sayd towne was nat delyuered with the other IN the .xiiii. yere of this Charles and moneth of August tythinges came vnto him of the scisme whiche was begonne in the churche of Rome For after the dethe of the xi Gregory whiche dyed in the moneth of Apryll fore passed by meane of the Frenche cardynalles whyche were .xi. in noumbre after the other Italyen cardynalles wyth other of theyr affinite had elected and chosen a Napolytane and archebysshoppe of Barre the frenche cardynalles with the election nat beynge contented wyth such as fauoured theyr partye denounced and publysshed one named Robert cardynall of Basyle and named hym ClemeÌ„t y e .vii where the fyrst was named Urban y e .vi. Of the maner of thys scysme some what I haue shewed to you in the .lii. yere of Edwarde the .iii. But to expresse y e certaynty of thys scysme trouth it is that after y e deth of the forenamed .xi. Gregory the cardynalles beyng in y e coÌ„clauâ— or couÌ„sayll chaumbre where the pope is accustomed to
syr Symonde Burley knyghte syr Iames Bernes and syr Robert Belknappe knyghtes and a sergeaunt of armes called IohnÌ„ Uske the whyche by auctoryte of the sayde parlyamente were conuycte of treason and for the same put to execucyon at Tybourne and at the Towre hyll And IohnÌ„ Holt IohnÌ„ Locton Richarde Gray willyam Burgth and Roberte Fulthorpe iustyce with the other foresayd lordes whiche as before is said voyded the lande were by auctoryte of the sayd court of parlyamente banysshed exyled the lande for euer Anno domini M.CCC.lxxxviii  Anno domini M.CCC.lxxxix Goldesmythe Thomas Austeyne  Syr Nycholas Twyfforde  Anno. xii  Adam Cathyll  IN the .xii. yere and moneth of Nouembre yet durynge the ê‘lyament was executed in Smythefylde of London a marcyall Iustes and tournement where as all suche persones as came in vpon y e kynges partye theyr armour and apparayle was garnysshed with whyte hertes crownes of golde about their neckes And of that shorte were .xxiiii. with .xxiiii. ladyes also apparayled as aboue is sayd ladde with .xxiiii. cheynes of golde the horses of them and so conueyed them thoroughe the cytie vnto Smythefelde frome the Towre of London where the king the quene and many other great estates beynge present after proclamacions by the herroddes made many goodly and marcyall actes of warre were there put in vre to the great recreacion and comforte of the kynge and quene and all other beholders of the same To this dysporte came many straungers Amonge the whiche the erle of saynt Poule the lorde Ostreuaunt sonne and heyre vnto y â— duke of HolaÌ„de and a yonger sonne of the erle of Ostryche were greatly commended And whan this Iustes had contynued by sondrye tymes by the space of .xxiiii. dayes to the great comforte and recreacyon of many yonge and lusty bachellers desyrous to wynne worshyppe and to the kinges great honoure that by all that season kepte open housholde for all honeste comers it was fynysshed the strauÌ„gers retourned to their couÌ„treys with many ryche gyftes Anno domini M.CCC.lxxxix  Anno domini M. CCC.lxxxx Grocer IohnÌ„ walcot  wyllyam Uenour  Anno. xiii  IohnÌ„ Loueneâ— Â IN thys .xiii. yere of kynge Rychard an esquier of y e prouince of Nauerne by Fraunce accused an Englysh esquyer called IohnÌ„ welshe of certayne poyntes of treason For the tryall wherof a day of fyght was betwene them taken to be foughten in the kynges palays at westmynster where eyther of theym kept hys daye fought there a stronge fyght But in the ende IohnÌ„ welshe was vyctoure and constrayned that other to yelde hym where after he was dyspoyled of hys armoure and drawen to tyburne and there haÌ„ged for hys vntrouthe Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xc  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xci  IohnÌ„ Fraunces  Adam Bamme  Anno. xiiii  Thomas vyuent  IN thys .xiiii. yere of kyng Rychard syr IohnÌ„ of GauÌ„t duke of Lancastre wyth a goodly coÌ„pany of men of armes sayled into Spayn to clayme suche landes as he there shulde haue in the ryght of dame CoÌ„staunce hys wyfe whyche was the doughter of Peter ryghtfull kynge of Spayne as in the .xl. yere of kyng Edward the thyrde is more playnly declared whan the sayde duke was vpon that other syde of the see there came vnto hym the kynge of Portyngale wyth a stronge army and so entred the terrytory of Spayne But whether it were of the Englishe men longe or of the Portyngaleys moche harme was done to the Spanyardes in robbynge and pyllyng of the countrey whyche was cause of grudge betwene the kyng of Portyngale and the duke and caused many Spanyardes whyche oughte to theÌ„ good wyll to wythdrawe and depart from them In reformacyoÌ„ of which ille certayn persones aswel English as Portyngaleys that were founde gyltye of suche robbery were putte vnto deth by meane whereof the other fered so that where by that meane the kynge and the duke were before put to great afterdeale by reasoÌ„ of reformacyon of that ille they gat dayly vppon theyr enemyes so that in processe of tyme folowyng y e kyng of Spayne was dryuen of necessyte to treate wyth the duke of a peace concorde Of the whyche peace as wytnesseth Polycronycon in hys last boke and .vii. chapyter the condycioÌ„ was that fyrste for a fynall concorde the kynge of Spayne shuld marye y e duke eldest doughter name CoÌ„stauÌ„ce and that done he shulde gyue vnto y e duke in recoÌ„pensacyon of hys costes so many wedges of golde as shulde charge or lade .viii. charettes and ouer that yerely durynge the lyues of the sayde duke and hys wyfe he shuld at hys propre coste and charge delyuer to the dukes assygneys .x. M. marke of golde wythin y e towne of Bayon And after thys peace was stablysshed and suertyes taken for the perfourmaunce of the same the duke departed wyth the kynge of Portyngale To whome shortelye after he maryed hys second doughter named dame Anne In thys yere also for cruel warre whyche the Turkes made agayne the Ianueys or men of Ieane they requyred ayde of the kynges of Englande and Fraunce For whyche cause oute of Englande was sente a noble warryour called erle of Alby wyth two thousande of archers and out of Fraunce the duke of Burbon and the erle of Ewe wyth .xv. C. speres The whych kept theyr iournay tyll they came vnto a cytye in Barbary named Thunys somtyme belongynge to the sayde Ianuays where the sayd Englyshe Frenchemen bare them so manfully wyth the ayde of y e Ianuayes that in proces of tyme they wanne y e sayde cytye froÌ„ the Turkes and put y e Ianuayes agayne in possessyon therof toke of theym many prysoners the whyche were exchaunged for chrysten prysoners before taken and ouer that forsed the sayd Sarazyns to yelde vnto the Ianuayes .x. M. ducates of gold for confyrmacyon of a peace for a certayne tyme. But the French cronycle sayth that for so moche as the duke of Burbon hadde vnderstandynge y t the duke of Lancaster made warre vpon kyng IohnÌ„ of Spayn he therfore lefte thys iournay and ayded hiÌ„ agayne the sayde duke of Lancaster to hys lytle honour But howe so euer it was many of the EnglyshmeÌ„ were loste in those countreys by reason of the flyxe and other sykenesses Also Antoninus sayeth that the Sarazyns at thys iourney were nat dyspossessed of the cytye of Thunys but for a trewes to be hadde for two yeres they graunted vnto the chrysten men a certayne summe of money and restytucyon of many chrysten prysoners Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xci  Anno dnÌ„i M.CCC.xcii  IohnÌ„ Chadworth  Draper   IohnÌ„ Heende  Anno. xv  Henry Uamere  IN thys .xv. yere of kynge Rycharde he kepynge hys Crystmas at hys manour of woodstocke the erle of Penbrooke beynge yonge of age was desirouse to lern to iuste and requyred a knyghte named syr IohnÌ„ saynte Iohan to renne wyth hym certayne courses At
CCCC.xxvi  wyllyam Mylrede  IohnÌ„ Couentre Mercer  Anno .iiii.  IohnÌ„ Brokle  IN thys yere the .xxix. daye of Octobre and selfe same daye that the mayre for the yere folowyng yerely at westmynster taketh hys charge at suche tyme as he was holdynge hys great dyner he was by y e lorde protectour sent for in spedy maner And whan he was comyn to hys presence he gaue to hym a streyghte commaundemente that he shulde se that the cytye were suerly watched in that nyght folowyng and so it was Than vpon the morowe folowynge about .ix. of the clok certayne seruauÌ„tes of the forenamed bysshope wolde haue entred by the brydge gate But the rulers therof wolde nat suffre theÌ„ in so great nombre but kepte theym out by force lyke as before they were commaunded wherwyth they beyng greuously dyscontented gaderyd to them a more nombre of archers and men of armys and assauted the gate wyth shot other meanes of warre In so moche that the commoÌ„s of the cytye herynge thereof shytte in theyr shoppes sped them thyder in great nombre And lykely it was to haue ensued great effusyoÌ„ of blode shortly therupon ne had ben the dyscrescion of y e mayre and hys brethern that exorted y e people by all polytyke meane to kepe the kynges peas And in this passe tyme the archebysshop of CauÌ„torbury wyth the prynce of Portyngale and other toke greate laboure vpon them to pacyfye thys varyauÌ„ce betwene the lord protectour and the bysshope in so moche that they rode betwene theym .viii. tymes or they might brynge them to any resonable conformyte Than lastly they agreed to staÌ„de to the rule of the regeÌ„t or of suche as he wolde assygne wherupoÌ„ y e cytye was set in a more quiete ThaÌ„ the bisshop of wynchester wrote a letter vnto y e duke of Bedforde or lord regeÌ„t wherof y e tenure ensueth RIght hyghe and myghty price ryght noble and after one leuest erthly lord I recommaunde me vnto your grace wyth all myne hert And as ye desyre the welfare of the kyng our soueraygne lorde of hys realmes of Englande of Fraunce your owne weale wyth all yours haste you hyder for by my trouthe ye tary longe we shall put thys laÌ„de in ieopardy wyth a felde such a brother ye haue here god make hym a good man For your wysdome knoweth well that the profyte of FrauÌ„ce standeth in the welfare of England Ryght hygh myghty prynce I beseche you holde mayster Iohan Estcourt your couÌ„cellour excused of hys taryeng for it is moche agayne hys wyll But the counsayll here hath made hym do coÌ„trary hys mynde And that it may lyke you to gyue credeÌ„ce vnto your chamberlayne syr Robert Boteler And the blessed Trinite kepe you wryten in great haste at LoÌ„don the laste day of Octobre UpoÌ„ the .x. day of Ianuary nexte ensuynge y e sayde duke of Bedforde wyth hys wyfe came vnto London And with theÌ„ came also the sayd bysshop of wynchester And the mayre the cytezyns receyued hym at Merton coÌ„ueyed hym thorugh y e cytye vnto westmynster where he was lodged in y e kyngê palays the bysshop of wynchester was lodged wythin y e abbottes lodgynge Than vpoÌ„ the morow folowynge or y e .xi. day of Ianuary y â— mayre presented the regeÌ„t wyth a payere of basyns of syluer ouer gylte in them a M. marke of golde But the bisshop had so incenced hym agayn the cytye that they receyued but a small thaÌ„ke for all theyr labour and coste Upon y e .xxi. day of February thaÌ„ began a great couÌ„sayl at saiÌ„t Albonys and after it was adiourned vnto Northampton But for due conclusyons myghte nat be dryuen by the sayde counsayll therfore vppon the xxv daye of Marche ensuynge was called a parlyament at Leyceter the whyche endured tyll the xv daye of Iuny folowynge Thys was cleped of the comon people the parlyament of battes The cause was for proclamacyons were made that men shuld leue theyr swerdes other wepyns in theyr innys the people toke great battes stauys in theyr neckes and so folowed theyr lordes maysters vnto the parlyament And whan y e wepyn was inhybyted them thanne they toke stones pluÌ„mettes of lede and trussed them secretly in theyr sleuys bosomys Durynge the parliament amoÌ„ge other notable thynges for the weale of the realme the varyaunce that was betwene the forsayd lordes was herin debated argued In so moche that the duke of Glouceter put in a byll of coÌ„playnt agayn the bysshop conteynyng .vi. artycles wherof the fyrst was that where the lorde protectour wolde haue had his lodgynge wythin the towre of London he was by the comforte ayde defended let of the bysshop and of Richard wydeuile esquyer thaÌ„ being Lyeutenaunt of the same The secoÌ„d was for that that the bysshop wolde haue remoued y e kyng from ElthmÌ„ haue sette hym at hys gouernauÌ„ce without the aduyce and counsayle of the lorde protectour The thyrde was that whan the duke was enformed of the bysshoppes entent and he entendynge accordynge to his offyce and duetie in peasyble wyse to haue rydeÌ„ to y e kyng to haue gyueÌ„ vpoÌ„ him attendaunce y e bysshop enteÌ„dynge y e distruccioÌ„ of y e duke asseÌ„bled a great multytude of men of armes and archers in Southwarke ther drewe the cheyne at the brydge fote and set vp pypes other engynes to stoppe the kynges hye way ordeyned meÌ„ to stande in chambres and solers to throwe stones and by theyr ordenauÌ„ces and pollycy to haue destroyed y e duke and his company The .iiii. artycle was that kynge Henry the fyft shulde by his lyfe tyme shewe vnto y e sayde duke that by the openynge of a spaynell a man was taken behynd a tapet in one of the kynges chaÌ„bres The whiche man after examyned by the erle of Arundel confessed that he was sent thyther by y e sayde bysshop to the ende to murther kynge Henry the forth After whiche coÌ„fessyon the sayd erle let sakke that man and so cast hym into the Thamys The fyft was that the sayd Henry the fyft beynge prynce and heyre parant to the crowne the sayd bysshop shuld come vnto hym and say that for somoche as his father was vexed with greuous sekenes was not apte to come in conuersacion of the people nor myght not conueniently gyde the realme that he therfore shulde take vp on hym the rule and gouernaunce of the same and put his father from all kyngly power The .vi. and last artycle was that sediciously the sayd bysshop hadde by his letters sent lately vnto the duke of Bedforde wrongfully accused hym in that he shulde areyse the kynges people and iuparde this lande by a felde contrary to the kynges peas and comon wele of this lande All which articles were by y e bysshop wele and suffycyently answered and replyed so y t he layde from hym the blame
of the cytye whyche wyth all dylygence resysted them and of theÌ„ toke dyuers that robbed and sent theym to Newgate And fynally not wyth out shedyng of blode and maymyng of dyuers cytesyns the rumour and people were appeasyd whan the yonge man begynner of all thys busynesse sawe this inconuenyence ensue of hys wantonesse were it by counsayll or otherwyse feryng the sequell of the mater yode streyght vnto westmynster and there taried as a sayntwary man tyll all the mater were endyd It was not longe after or the duke of Buckyngham with iustyces and other noble men was sent down from the kynge into the cytye charged the mayre by vertue of a commyssyoÌ„ y t an enquery shulde be made of this ryot And so by vertue of the sayde coÌ„myssyon called an Oyer determyner a day was kepte at Guyldhall vpon the day of the moneth of where the sayde daye sat for iudges y e mayre as the kynges lyeutenauÌ„t y e duke of Buckyngham vpoÌ„ his ryght hande y e chyefe iustyce vppon y e lefte hande wyth many other men of name whyche I passe ouer whyle the mayre and the sayd lordes were callyng of the panels of the enquestes at y e Guyldhall the other comoners of the cytie not beyng coÌ„tent with the order many of theÌ„ secretely armed them in theyr houses and enteÌ„ded as the comon fame after went to haue ruÌ„ge Bow bell so to haue reysed gathered y e comynalty of the cytye and by force to haue delyuered such persons as before for y e robbery were commytted to warde But thys mater was so discretely handeled by the couÌ„sayll and labour of some dyscrete comoners whyche appeased theyr neyghbours in such wyse that all this fyry haste was quenchyd came to none effecte sauyng y e word was brought vnto the duke of Buckyngham that the comynalty of the cytye were in harnysse yf he taryed longe there he with the other lordes shuld be in great ieopardy with whyche vntrew tidinges he beyng fered hastely toke leue of y e mayre so deê‘â—ted vnto hys lodgyng and so ceasyd y e enquery for y e day UpoÌ„ the morow for so much as y e mayre had vnderstaÌ„dynge of y e secrete murmur he commauÌ„ded the comoÌ„ counsayle with all wardeyns of felysshyppys to apere vpoÌ„ the morow at Guyldhall where by the recorder in the kinges name the mayers as hys lyeutenaunt was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to euerych wardeins that in that after none folowynge eyther of them shuld assemble hys hoole felisshyp at theyr propre hallys there to gyue euery cytezyn streyght commaundemente that euery man see entende to see the kynges peace with in the cytye And yf they fynde any person that maketh any reasonynge wherby they myght coÌ„ceyue or espye that he fauoured any gatherynge of companyes or the delyuerey of suche persones as were in warde that the sayd wardeyns shuld with fayre wordes exorte hym to the beste and with out sygne or token therof shewynge secretly co bryng the name or names of hym or them vnto the mayre By meane of whych polycy good order the cytesyns were brought in suche a quyetnes that after that day the foresayd enquery was duely pursued iii. persones for the sayde ryot put in execucyon and hanged at tybourne whereof .ii. after some wryters were seyntwarye men of saynt Martyns and the thyrd was a shypmaÌ„ or boteman The quene wyth certeyne lordes whyche fauoured her partye dysdayned sore the rule whyche the duke of yorke bare and other specyally for that that the sayde duke bare y e name of protectour whych argued that the kynge was insuffycyent to gouerne the realme whyche as she thoughte was a great dyshonour to the kynge and to all the realme wherefore she made suche meanes and wan by hyr polycy such frendshyp of diuerse of y e lordes bothe spyrytuall and temporall that she caused y e duke of yorke to be dyscharged of hys protectourshyp the erle of Salysbury of hys chauncellershyp which was cause of newe warre as after shall appere Anno. dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lvi.  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lvii Grocer IohnÌ„ Stewarde  Thomas Canynges  Anno .xxxv.  Raufe Uerney  IN thys yere and begynnynge of the same the quene suspectynge the cytye of London demyd it to be more fauourable vnto y e duke of yorkes partye than hyrs caused y e kynge to remoue from LoÌ„don vnto Couentre and there helde hym a loÌ„g season In whyche tyme the duke of yorke was sent for thyther by pryuey seale with also the erle of Salesbury the erle of warwyke where by couyne of the quene they were all .iii. in great daunger Howe be it by monys shemeÌ„t of theyr frendes they escaped And soone after the sayd duke or erle went into the Northe and the erle of warwyke wyth a goodly companye sayled vnto Calays And shortly after were taken at Eryth wythin .xii. myles of London .iiii woÌ„derfull fysshys whereof one was called Mors Maryne the secoÌ„de a Sword fisshe the other .ii. were whalys whyche after some exposytours were pronostycacyons of warre trouble to ensue soon after In this yere also was a great fray in the Northe countrey betwene the lord EgremoÌ„de and the sonnes of the erle of Salysbury and diuers meÌ„ maymed slayen betwene them But in the ende the lord Egremonde was taken howe it was by the dome of the kynges counsayll or otherwyse the sayd lorde EgremoÌ„de was founden in suche defaute that fynally he was condempned in great summes of money to be payed vnto the sayd erle of Salysbury For lack of payment whereof or of puttynge suertye for the same the sayde lorde Egremonde was coÌ„mytted to Newgyte where after he had contynued a certayne of tyme he brake the prysone and escapyd with thre other prysoners to the greate charge of the sheryffes It was not longe after that dyscencyon vnkyndnesse fell bytwene the yonge duke of Somerset and syr IohnÌ„ Neuyll sonne vnto the erle of Salysbury beynge than bothe lodged wythin the cytye wherof the mayre beyng warned ordeyned such watches and prouysyoÌ„s that yf they had any thynge styrred he was able to haue subdued bothe partyes and to haue put theÌ„ in warde tyll he had knoweÌ„ the kynges farther pleasure wherof the frendes of bothe partyes beynge ware laboured such meanes that they agreed them for that tyme. In thys also as testyfye the Englyshe cronycle and also the French a nauye or flote of Frenchemen landyd at Sandwyche and spoyled and robbed the towne excercysed there greate crueltye Of whych flote was capytayne a Frenche knyght named after the French boke syr Guyllyain de Pomyers And thys yere after the opynyon of dyuers wryters began in a cytye of Almayne named Magounce the crafte of enprentynge of bokes whyche sen that tyme hath had wonderfull encreace as experyence at thys daye proueth In this yere also the prysoners of Newgate by neglygence of theyr kepers brake out
of theyr wardes and toke the ledys of the towre and it defendyd a longe whyle agayne the sheryffes all theyr offycers in so myche that they were forced to call more ayde of the cytesyns of the cytye by whose ayde they lastly subdued them and put y e sayd prysoners in more streyghter kepyng Cronica cronicarū sayth that about thys tyme was suche an erthquake in y e prouynce of Naples that byforce therof there were perysshed ouer .xl. M. crysten soulys Of the abouesayde spoylynge of Sandwyche speketh Polycronycon and sayeth that syr Pyers de Bresy senes shall of Normandy wyth the capytayne of Depe and many other capytaynes of Fraunce came wyth a greate stronge nauy into the Downys by nyght and vpon the morowe came certeyne of them vnto Sandwych and there spoyled and robbed the towne and toke with them great prayes and many ryche prysoners wherby or by whych sayenge appereth some dyuersyte bytwene the Englysshe wryters and the Frenche Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.lvii  Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.lviii Mercer wyllyam Edwarde  Godfrey Boleyn  Anno .xxxvi.  Thomas Reyner  IN thys yere the thyrde daye of December Reynolde Pecoke than beynge bysshoppe of Chychester at Lambyth by the archebysshop and by a Cot of diuyns was abiured for an heretyke and hys bokes after brent at Poulys crosse hym selfe kepte in mewe euer whyle he lyued after And soone after for to appease thys rancoure and malyce bytwene the quene and the tother lorder a daye of metynge was appoynted by the kyng at London whyther the duke of yorke wyth the other lordes were commaunded to come by a certayne daye In obeynge of which commaundement the duke of yorke came vnto London the .xxvi. daye of Ianuary and was lodged at Baynardes castell And before hym the xv day of Ianuary came the erle of Salysbury to Londō was lodged at hys place called the Erber And soone after came vnto Lōdon the dukes of Somerset of Exetyr were lodged bothe without temple Barre And in lykewyse the erle of Northūberlande the lorde Egremonde the yōge lorde Clyfforde came vnto the cytye and were lodged in the subbarbes of the same And the .xiiii. daye of February came the erle of warwyke from Calays wyth a great bande of men all arayed in rede iakettes with whyte ragged staues vpon theym was lodged at y e gray freres And lastly that is to saye the .xvii. daye of Marche the kyng the quene wyth a great retynewe came vnto Londō and were lodged in the bysshoppe of Londōs palays And ye shall vnderstāde that wyth these foresayd lordes came greate companyes of mē in so moche that som had .vi. C. some .v. C the leest .iiii. C. wherfore the mayre for so longe as the kyng the lordes lay thus in the citie had dayly in harnesse .v. M. cytesyns and rode dayly about the citie subbarbes of y e same to se the kynges peace were kept And nyghtly prouyded for .ii. M. mē in harnesse to gyue attendaūce vpon iii. aldermen and they to kepe the nyghte watche tyll .vii. of the clocke vppon the morowe tyll the day watche were assembled By reason whereof good ordre and rule was kepte and no man so hardy ones to attempte the brekynge of the kynges peace Durynge thys watche a great counsayl was holdē by y e kyng and hys lordes By reason wherof a dyssymuled vnyte and concorde betwene them was concluded In token and for ioy wherof the king the quene and all y e sayd lordes vpon out Lady day annuciacion in lent at Poulys wente solemply in processyon and soone after euery lorde departed where hys pleasure was And in the moneth of folowynge was a greate fray in flete strete betwene the mē of courte and the inhabytauntes of the sayd strete in whyche fray a gentylman beyng y e quenes attourney was slayne Vpon the thursdaye in whytsonweke the duke of Somerset with Antony Ryuers and other .iiii kepte iustes of peace before the quene within the towre of London agayne thre esquyers of the quenes and in lyke maner at Grenewych the sonday folowynge And vpon Trynyty sonday or the monday folowynge certayne shyppes apperteynyng vnto the erle of warwyke mette wyth a floote of Spanyardes and after long cruel fyghte toke .vi. of theym laden wyth iron and other marchaundyse and drowned and chased to the noumber of .xxvi nat without shedyng of blod on bothe partyes for of the Englyshmen were slayne an C. and many mo wounded and sore hurt In thys yere after some auctours a marchaunte of Brystowe named Sturmyn whyche wyth hys shyppe had trauayled in dyuers partyes of Leuaunte and other partyes of the Gest for so moche as the same ranne vpon hym that he had gotten grene pepyr and other specys to haue sette and sowen in Englande as the fame wente therefore the Ianuayes wayted hym vppon the see and spoylyd hys shyppe and other But this is full lyke to be vntrew that the Ianuayes shulde spoyle hym for any suche cause for there is no nacyon in Englande that delyth so lytle wyth spycys But were it for thys cause or other trouth it is that by that nacyō an of fēce was done for the whyche all the marchauntes Ianuayes in London were arested and cōmytted to y e flete tyll they had found en suffycyent suer tye to answere to the premysses And fynally for the harmys whyche theyr nacyon had done to the sayde Sturmyn to thys realme vi M. marke was sette to theyr payne to paye But howe it was payed no mencyon I fynde In thys yere also was made an ordynaunce by auctorytie of y e kynge and hys counsayll for the orderynge of the seyntwary men wythin saynte Martyns the graunde whereof the artycles are at length sette oute in y e boke of K. wythin the chaumbre of guylde hall in the leefe CC.xcix wherof the execucyon of obseruynge were necessary to be vsed but more pyte it is fewe poyntes of it ben exercysed Anno. dn̄i M.iiii C.lviii  Anno dn̄i M.iiii C.lix Draper Rafe Iosselyn  Thomas Scotte  Anno .xxxvii.  Rycharde Nedeham  THys yere aboute the feeste of Candelmasse the forsayd dissymulyd loueday hāgyng by a small threde betwene the quene and y t fore named lordes expressed in the precedynge yere the kynge and many lordes thanne beynge at westmynster a stray happened to fall betwene a seruaunt of the kynges a seruaunt of the erles of warwyke the which hurt the kynges seruaunt after escaped wherefore the kynges other meynial seruauntes seynge they myghte nat be auenged vpō the partye that thus had hurt theyr felowe as the sayde erle of warwyke was commynge frō the coūsayll was goynge towarde hys barge the kynges seruaūtes came vnwarely vppon hym so rabbysshely that the cookys with theyr spyttys other offycers wyth other wepyns came runnyng as madde men entendynge to haue slayne hym so y t he escaped wyth
greate daunger toke hys barge so in all haste rowed to London nat wythout great maymys hurtys receyued by many of hys seruauntes For thys the old raÌ„cour malyce whyche neuer was clerely cured anon begaÌ„ to breke oute in so moche that the quenes couÌ„sayll wolde haue had the sayd erle arested and committed vnto the towre wherfore he shortly after departed toward warwyke and by polycy purchased soone after a commyssioÌ„ of the kyng and so yode or sayled vnto Calays Thanne encreased thys olde malyce more more in so moche that where the quene and hyr couÌ„sayll sawe that they myght nat be auenged vppoÌ„ the erle that so vnto Calays was departed than they malygned agayne hys father the erle of Salysbury imagened how he myght be brought out of lyfe And in processe of tyme after as he was rydynge towarde Salysbury or after som from hys lodgyng towarde London the lorde Audeley wyth a stroÌ„g company was assygned to mete wyth hym as prysoner to bryng hym vnto LondoÌ„ whereof the sayde erle beynge warned gathered vnto hym the mo men kepyng hys iourney mette wyth the sayd lord Audeley at a place called Bloreheth where both companyes ran together had there a stroÌ„ge by keryng wherof in the ende the erle was vyctoure and slewe there the lorde Audeley many of hys retynew At thys skyrmys she were the .ii. sonnes of the sayd erle sore wouÌ„ded named sir Thomas and syr IohnÌ„ the whyche shortly after as they were goynge homeward were by some of the quenys party taken as prysoners sente vnto Chestry whan thys was knowen vnto y e duke of yorke and to the other lordes of hys party they knewe understode that yf they ê“uyded nat shortly for remedy for them selfe they shulde all be destroyed And for that they by one assent gathered to them a stroÌ„ge hoste of men as of Marche men and other in the moneth of Octobre y t was in the begynnyng of the .xxxviii yere of the reygne of kynge Henry the later ende of thys mayres yere they drewe them towarde the kynge to the entent to remoue froÌ„ hym such persones as they thought were enemyes vnto the commoÌ„ weale of Englande But the quene and hyr counsayll heryng of the entent strength of these lordes caused the kyng in all haste to sende forthe coÌ„myssyons to gather the people so that in shorte whyle the kyng was strongely accoÌ„panyed so spedde hym vppon hys iourney to warde the duke of yorke hys company wherof heryng y e sayd duke thaÌ„ beyng wyth hys peple nere vnto the towne of Ludlowe pyghte there a sure stroÌ„ge feelde that none of hys foes myght vppon any parte entre where he so lyeng came to him frome Calays the erle of warwyke wyth a stronge bande of meÌ„ amonge the whyche was Andrewe Trollop and many other of y e best souldiours of Calays The duke thus kepynge hys feelde vpon that one party and the kyng wyth hys people vpon that other vpon the nyght precedyng the daye that bothe hostes shulde haue met the forenamed Andrewe Trolloppe wyth all the chefe soudyours of Calays secretly departed frome y e dukes hoste and wente vnto the kynges where they were ioyously receyued whaÌ„ thys thynge to the duke and the other lordes was asserteyned they were therewhyth sore dysmayed and specyally for the sayd lordes had to the sayd Andrew shewed the hoole of theyr ententes whych thanne they knewe well shuld be clerelye dyscouered vnto theyr enemyes wherfore after couÌ„sayll for a remedye taken they concluded to flee to leue the feelde standyng as they had ben presente and styll abydyng And so incontynently the sayd duke wyth hys twoo sonnes a few other persones fledde towarde walys and from thens passed sauely into Irelande And the erles of Salysbury of Marche of warwyke and other wyth a secrete company also departed and toke the waye into Deuonshyre where a squyer named Iohan Dynham whyche after was a lorde and hyghe tresourer of Englande so lastlye in Henry the .vii. dayes and xvi yere of hys reygne dyed bought a shyp for a C. .x. markes or a leuen score nobles and in the same shyppe the sayd lordes went so sayled into Gerneley And whaÌ„ they had a seasoÌ„ there soiourned and refresshed them selfe they departed thens as in the begynnyng of the nexte mayres yere shal be clerely shewed Uppon the morowe whan all thys couyne was knowen to the kynge and the lordes vpon hys party there was sendynge and ruÌ„nynge wyth all spede towarde euery cooste to take these lordes but none myght be fouÌ„de And forthwith the kyng rode vnto Ludlowe dyspoyled the towne and castell sente the duchesse of yorke wyth hyr chyldren vnto the duchesse of BuckynghaÌ„ hyr syster where she rested loÌ„ge after Anno. dnÌ„i M. CCCC.lix  Anno dnÌ„i M. CCCC.lx Fysshemonger HohnÌ„ Plummer  wyllyam Hulyn  Anno .xxxviii.  IohnÌ„ Stocker  THys yere that is to meane vppon the fryday next ensuyng Alhalowen day after the sayde erles of Salysbury of Marche of warwyke had as before is said refresshed them in the I le of Gernesey they vpoÌ„ the fryday foresayd laÌ„ded at Calays and there were at a posterne by theyr freÌ„des ioyously receyued ThaÌ„ anon vpon this these foresayd lordes were proclaymed rebellys traytours the yonge duke of Somerset was made capitayne of Calays wherfore in all haste he made purueyaunce saylyd thyther to take possessyon of y e town But he fayled of hys purpose for the foresayde erles there beynge kept so y e towne that there he myght haue no rule natwythstandyng that he shewed the kynges letter pateÌ„tys wyth many other strayght commauÌ„dementes of the kynge For whyche cause the sayd duke yode vnto Guynys and there helde hym for a seasoÌ„ And anone as the sayd duke was laÌ„ded some of the shypmen which had brought hym thyther for good wyll that they owed vnto the erle of warwyke coÌ„ueyed theyr shippes streyght into Calays hauen brought wyth them certayne persones named Genyn Fenbyll IohnÌ„ Felowe Kayles and Purser whyche were enemyes vnto the sayde erle of warwyke the whyche were presented vnto the lordes and soone after wythin the sayd towne of Calays they were beheded Thys rumoure thus contynuynge dayly came vnto these lordes greate socoure out of EnglaÌ„de And vppon that other partye the duke as before is sayd lyeng in the castel of Guynes gate vnto hym ayde and strengthe of souldyours made out and skyrmysshed wyth them of Calays many and sundry tymes In whych assautes many meÌ„ were slayen hurte vppon both partyes but moste wekyd the dukes partye For all be that the lordes lost many men yet they dayly came so thycke to them out of dyuers partyes of EnglaÌ„de that theyr losse was nat espyed so that they wantyd no meÌ„ but money to maynteynÌ„ theyr dayly charge with For remedy wher of they shyfted wyth the staple of
Calays for .xviii. M. li. whyche summes of money whan they had receyued y e sayd lordes of one assent made ouer y e forenamed mayster IohnÌ„ Dynham wyth a stronge company sent hym vnto Sandwyche to wynne y e kynges nauye than there lyenge and other thynges for theyr nedes necessary The whyche sped hym in suche wyse that he toke the lord Ryuers in hys bedde wanne the town toke the lord Scalys sonne vnto the sayd lord Riuers with other ryche prayes and after tooke of the kynges nauy what shyppes them lyked and after retourned vnto Calays nat without consent agremeÌ„t of many of y e mariners whych owyd theyr synguler fauours vnto the erle of warwyke In thys iourney was the sayde Iohan Dynham sore hurt that he was may med vpon the legge haltyd whyle he lyued after Than after this iourney thus acheuyd the sayd lordes by tayled and maÌ„ned the sayd shyppes sent wyth them as chefe capytayne the erle of warwyke into Irelande to speke wyth the duke of yorke and to haue hys counsayll for maters coÌ„cerning theyr charge as reentre into this lande and other where whaÌ„ he had happelye sped hys nedys he retourned towarde Calays bryngyng wyth hym hys mother the couÌ„tesse of Salysbury also kepte hys course tyll he came into the west couÌ„trey where at that tyme was the duke of Gretyr as admyrall of the see wyth a competeÌ„t nouÌ„ber of shyppes well maÌ„ned in so moche that the erle of warwyke prouyded to haue gyuen batayll vnto â—he sayd duke yf he hadde made any couÌ„tenaunce toward him But the duke harde suche murmure speche amoÌ„ge hys owne company whych fouÌ„ded vnto the erle of warwykes fauoure that he thoughte it was more vnto hys profyte to suffre hym to passe than to fight with him But were it for thys cause or for other which y e commoÌ„ fame ruÌ„neth vppoÌ„ which were loÌ„ge to wryte certayn trouth it is that the sayd erle passed wythout fyghte came in sauete to Calays In thys passe tyme a parliament or great couÌ„sayll was holdeÌ„ at Couentre By auctoryte whereof the duke of yorke and all the other foresayde lordes wyth many other were attaynted and theyr laÌ„des goodes seased to the kynges vse And for the more surer defeÌ„ce that they shuld nat efte lande in KeÌ„t prouisioÌ„ was made to defende the haueÌ„s portys vppon the sees syde And at Sandwyche was ordeyned a new streÌ„gthe wyth a capitayn named syr SymoÌ„de MouÌ„forde And ouer thys prouision was ordeyned that no marchauÌ„t passyng into the costys of FlauÌ„ders shulde passe or go by Calays for fere that any shuld come to y e ayde of the sayd lordes But thys prouysyon natwythstandyng comfort to them was sent dayly out of EnglaÌ„d Than these lordes herynge of all thys prouysyon made vppoÌ„ the sees syde to wythstaÌ„de theyr laÌ„dynge sent out an other company vnto SaÌ„dewyche the whych there skyrmysshed wyth the sayd syr SymoÌ„de Mountforde in the ende toke hym broughte hym vnto Ryse Banke there smote of hys hede The foresayd lordes than coÌ„syderynge the strengthe whych they had wyth them and manyfolde frendes hartys which they had in sundry places of EnglaÌ„d condysceÌ„ded for to sayle into Englande so to bryng about theyr enteÌ„t purpose whych was as the coÌ„mon fame went to put a parte frome the kynge all suche persones as were enemyes to the coÌ„mon weale of the laÌ„de And thys to bryng aboute after they had set the towne of Calays in an order sure kepyng they toke shyppynge so sayled into EnglaÌ„de landed at Douer and from theÌ„s helde on theyr iourney thorughe Kente so that they came to LondoÌ„ the .ii. daye of Iuly And after they had there refresshed theym and theyr people they departed thense sped theym towarde the kynge which at y e same tyme of theyr laÌ„dynge was at Couentry and there gathered his people so came vnto Northampton where he pyght hys felde wherof the sayd lordes beynge enfourmed sped them thytherward so that vpoÌ„ the .ix. day of Iuly bothe hostys there mette foughte there a cruell batayll But after long fyght the victory fell vnto the erle of Salysbury and the other lordes vpoÌ„ his partye the kynges hoste was sparcled chased many of hys noble men slayen AmoÌ„ge the whyche was the duke of Buckynghan the erle of Shrowsbury y e vycouÌ„t BeaumouÌ„d the lorde EgremoÌ„de wyth many other knyghtes and esquyers and the kyng taken in the felde After whych victory thus by these lordes opteyned they in goodly haste after retourned vnto LondoÌ„ and broughte wyth them the kynge kepyng hys estate lodged hym in the bysshop of LondoÌ„ palays And after spedye knowelege sent of all the premysses vnto y e duke of yorke yet beyng in IrelaÌ„de a parlyameÌ„t in the name of the kyng was than called holden at westmynster Durynge whych parlyament y e duke of yorke came vnto westmynster vpoÌ„ the frydaye before saynte Edwardes day or the .x. day of October and lodged hym in the kynges palays wherof anone arose a noyse thorugh the cytye that kynge Henry shuld be deposed the duke of yorke shulde be kynge UppoÌ„ thys this parlyamente thus contynuynge the duke came one daye into the parlyament chaumber there boldely beyng the lordes present sette hym downe in the kynges sete so there sittynge made a pretence and clayme vnto the crown affermyng it to be hys ryghtfull enherytauÌ„ce had there certayn bolde wordes in iustyfyenge of the same wherewyth all the lordes presente were greatly dysmayed For thys great many opynions were moued among the lordes Howe be it aswell dyuers of hys frendes as other were of the mynde that he shuld nat be admytted for kynge duryng the lyfe of kyng Henry For appeasynge wherof many great couÌ„sayles were kepte aswell at the blacke freres as at westmynster In all whych tyme and season the quene wyth suche lordes as were of hyr affynyte helde them in the north couÌ„trey assembled to theym greate strengthe in the kynges name to the ende to subdue as she sayde the kynges rebelles and enemyes Thus contynuynge thys vnkyndenesse betwene the kynge and the duke all be it that at that season bothe the kynge and he were bothe lodged within the palays of westmynster yet wolde he natte for prayer nor instaunce ones bysyte the kynge nor see hym tyll the counsayll were concluded vppon some fynall ende concernyug thys greate matter the whyche so continued the full terme of this mayres yere Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lx.  Anno dnÌ„i M.iiii C.lxi. Grocer Rycharde Flemynge  Rycharde Lee.  Anno .xxxix.  IohnÌ„ Lambarde  THys yere whyche was in the begynnynge of the xxxlx yere of kyng Henryes reygne that is to meane vpoÌ„ the euyn of all sayntes or the laste day of October it was condyscended by the lordes spyrytuall temporall by the hole auctoryte of the sayd parliament that
them was fynally coÌ„cluded he y e sayd Lewys all suche as wyth hym were reteyned or allied were for thys offeÌ„ce by y e sayd Charles clerely pardoned one persone all only excepted named Iaket or Iakis by whose treason the castell of Maxente was loste and taken for whyche offence he was after drawen hanged also quartered ThaÌ„ in processe of tyme folowyng the flemynges of GauÌ„te rebelled agayne theyr duke or erle named Philyp The cause of whyche rebellyon was for that he areryd a greuouse taske vpoÌ„ salte put the people ther by to greuouse charge wherevppon dedely warre betwene the duke and hys subiectys arose to the dystruccioÌ„ of moche people vpoÌ„ bothe partyes wherof the cyrcumstauÌ„ce were loÌ„g to wryte Howe be it in the ende y e duke or erle by ayde of the FreÌ„che kynge was vyctour helde them of GauÌ„te so streyghte that they were compelled by force to bye theyr peace wyth great summes of money to theyr other many folde domages About the .xxxi. yere of thys sayde Charles came vnto hym from pope Nycholas the .v. of that name an ambassade for to requyre ayde agayne the Turkys for the defeÌ„ce of CoÌ„stantyne the noble whyche the Turkys purposed shortly after to assayle To whyche ambassade by the sayd Charlys it was answeryd that to hym it was right greuouse to here of the intollerable persecucyoÌ„ whych y e cristeÌ„ dayly susteyned of the Turkys But he was of y e Englysh nacyoÌ„ so vexed and warred that he myghte nat leue hys laÌ„de wythout an hedde to the coÌ„forte of other to lose hys owne But to the entent that he before tymes myght haue warred vppon the sayd Turkys he for that cause onely had offered vnto the kynge of Englande many reasonable offers And if of the Englysshe party any lyke offers myghte be to hym profered he wolde gladly theym accepte turne hys spere incoÌ„tyneÌ„tly agayn the fore named Turkes And ouer that he wolde for the furtherauÌ„ce of the matter sende wyth them vnto the kynge of EnglaÌ„de certayne ambassadours to se yf that as yet any reasonable peace myght be betwene them coÌ„cluded For accomplisshemeÌ„t wherof as testyfyeth myne auctour Gaguynus he sente the archebysshop of Raynes wyth other honorable persones The whych whan they to kyng Henry and hys counsayll hadde shewyd theyr legacyoÌ„ it was to them shortly answered that at suche season as the EnglysshemeÌ„ hadde wonne agayne so moche laÌ„de as the Frenchemen by cawtelys had woÌ„ne from theym thaÌ„ were it good tyme season to treate of accorde nat before By reason of whiche answere the popes ambassade retourned to Rome wythoute ayde or comforte And thus y e FreÌ„che wryters lay euer the charge froÌ„ theyr prynce put it vnto other But of thys ambassade or answere fynde I no memory of any Englysshe wryters Aboute the .xxxiiii. yere of y e reygn of thys Charlys Lewys hys sonne before named beynge a maÌ„ of greate lyberalitye and largesse thought his father departed nat wyth hym of his mouables possessyoÌ„s as he hadde cause to do For the whych by coÌ„fort of yoÌ„ge persones as he had aboute hym he rebelled thys seconde tyme agayne hys sayde father by reason of hys largesse lyberalyte drewe vnto hym moche waÌ„ton wylde people wyth theyr assystence warred vppoÌ„ hys fathers freÌ„des entendyd to depryue hys father of all gouernauÌ„ce of the realme wherof herynge hys father in all possyble haste gathered to hym greate strengthe and spedde hym towarde hys sayd sonnÌ„ But whaÌ„ Lewys was warned of the coÌ„myng of hys father wyth so great an hoste consydered hys quarell wekenesse he wyth a fewe persones fledde towarde Burgoyne whereof herynge the father sente in all â—haste people to kepe the passages and dyd that he myghte to haue stopped hym of hys waye But that prouysyon notwythstandynge the sayd Lewys escaped and came sauely vnto the presence of Phylyppe then duke of Burgoyne the whyche hym receyued wyth gladde chere and entreatyd hym accordyng to his estate and so kepte hym durynge his fathers lyfe Nowbeit he made for hym great sute and labour to wynne him to his fathers grace But all was in vayne For what by obstynacy of the same y t he wolde not submytte hym to his father and comme vnto hys presence when he was sente for for the great stomacke of the father that he wold not be condycyoned with of the son thys varyaunce contynued bytwene them as aboue is sayd y e terme of his fathers lyfe In the whyche passe tyme thys Charlys concluded a maryage bytwene hys doughter called Magdaleyne and Ladyslaus kyng of Beme Hungary and of Polayne But whyle the bryde wyth great apparayle and pompe was conueyed towarde her husbande to be maryed her sayde husbande was taken sodenly with sykenesse and dyed with in .xxiiii. houres after that he fyrste coÌ„playned hym whych was by force of poysone as most wryters agreen Of whych tydynges when Charlys was asserteyned he therwyth toke such a peÌ„syffenesse that he dyed shortely after whan he had ruled a parte and the hole realme to reken from y e deth of hys father .xxxvi. yeres How be it of Frenche wryters no certeyne terme of hys reygne to hym is assygned for so myche as kyng Henry the vi longe after the deth of hys father was alowyd in Parys and many other Cytyes of FrauÌ„ce for souerayne and kynge of that regyon Thys Charlys thus beynge dede lefte after hym two sonnes that is to saye Lewys that after hym was kynge and a yonger named Charlys wyth y e forenamed doughter named Magdaleyne or after some Margarete And after wyth greate pompe hys corps was conueyed vnto saynt Denys and there buryed Francia Lewys the .xi. LEwys the .xi. of y â— name after the accompte of thys boke and .x. after the Frenche accompte whereof y e cause is before shewed sonne to Charles last dede beganne his dominyon ouer the realme of Fraunce in the moneth of October in the yere of grace M.iiii hundreth and .lviii. and the .xxxvi. yere of Henry the .vi. than kynge of Englande This of Gaguinus is called the sturdy or fel Lewys The whiche at the tyme of his fathers deth beyng as aboue is sayd vnrecouÌ„syled in the prouynce of Burgoyne herynge of the deth of his father wyth ayde of the foresayd duke Phylyp shortly entred y e realm of Fraunce toke vpon hym y e rule in euery good cytie town as he passyd as kyng of y e same so y t many lordes hed offycers drewe vnto hym By meane wherof he was stronge put such vnto sylence as after y e wyll purpose of his father wolde haue preferred his yoÌ„ger son named Charlys Than this Lewys by strengthe of his frendes was shortely after at Raynes crowned kynge of Fraunce After whyche solempnyte fynysshed he repayred vnto Parys and there by consent of hys counceyll made a law y t no man of what degre
that he were shuld vse huÌ„tyng or hawkynge without special lyceÌ„ce specially for chasynge or huntyng of woluys nor to kepe wyth hym any houndes or other instrumeÌ„tes wherby the game myghte be destroyed And that done Phylyp foresayd duke of Burgoyne after counsayll to hym gyuen that he shulde forgette and forgyue all dyspleasurs to hym â—ofore done by any of hys lordes and them to honoure and cherysshe specyally his yonge brother Charlys to norysshe and to departe wyth hym louyngly of hys fathers possessions toke leue of hym and departed After whose deê‘ture he contrary the foresayde counsayll refused the company of hys lordes also theyr counsayll and drewe vnto hym as his chyefe counsaylours vylaynes and men of lowe byrth Of y t whyche the .iiii. pryncypall were named as foloweth IohnÌ„ de Lude IohnÌ„ Balna Olyuer Deuyll whoÌ„ for the odyousnesse of the name the kynge caused it to be chaunged and to be named DaÌ„man and the fourth was named Stephan and vssher of the kynges chaumber dore the whithe he promoted to greate honour dygnytees Amonge whome Balna beynge a preste was by hys meanes at length made a cardynall of Rome Thus he vsynge the counsayle of these persons murmur and grudge began to sprynge bytwene hym and hys lordes in so myche that fyrst the duke of Brytayne began to estrauÌ„ge hym from the kynge and refused to come vnto hys presence whaÌ„ he was sente for wherof herynge the erle of Ewe wyth other drewe them vnto y e duke To the whyche party soone after y e kynges brother Charlys with also the duke of Burbon whych had maried the kynges syster with many other noble men of the realme resortyd whan the kynge was ware that hys lordes conspyred agayne hym ferynge the rebellyon of hys comoÌ„s sent in spedy maner vnto Parys the forenamed IohnÌ„ Balna wyth other certeyne persons to kepe that cytye in due obeysauÌ„ce toward hym thynkynge that the other cytyes good townes of hys regyon wolde take ensample therof and demeane them as that cytye dyd After whose commynge the rulers of Parys by the amonystement of the sayd IohnÌ„ ordeyned good and sure watche and so by that meane kept the cytye in good order And in the meane season the kynge gathered to hym great foyson of knyghtes and soudyours that his hoste was nombred at .xxx. thousand men And in lyke wyse the other partye hadde assembled as many or mo And not wythstandyng the assyduat laboure and meanes made by y e duke of Burgoyne and Carlota wyfe to y e duke of Burbon syster to the kyng as is aboue sayde to make an vnyte and peace bytwene Lewys and hys lordes yet fynally the kynge they mette in playne batayll at a place called Chartres where bytwene theym was a longe and cruell batayll to y e losse of moche people on bothe partyes And all be it that the kynge in the begynnynge hadde the better of hys enemyes yet in the ende he was ouercomen his men chaced and he forced to flye to take for hys sauegarde a castell named Mountclere From the whyche he shortely departyd and yode to an other castell called Corboyll and from thens lastly vnto Parys where he entendyd to haue gathered newe people and to haue reuenged hym of hys enemyes But by the wyse and good exortacyoÌ„ of the bysshoppe of Parys the kyng chaunged hys purpose and all was set in a quyetnesse for that tyme. But how or in what maner or what the condycyons of y e accorde were myne authour dothe not expresse The whyche accorde thus concluded the kynge contynued hys olde maners and delyted hym more to companye with symple and inreuerent parsons to eate and drynke wyth them to the ende that he myghte talke of rybaudry and vayne and vycyous fables than to accompany him with his lordes where he myghte haue wonne hym myche honour Thys Lewys also was of so dyuers and wanton condycyon that he wolde go more lyker a yoman or a seruyng man than lyke a prynce The whyche was for no regardshyp nor sparyng of good for as before I haue shewed also after shall appere he was a prynce of moste lyberalyte and therwith an oppressour of hys subiectes LEwis thus passing his time was dryuen of necessyte for lacke of money to a preste of the cytesyns of Parys The whyche after many excusys by them layd to put it by and myghte not be alowed they lastly denayed the kynges pleasure where wythall he beynge greuously dyscontentyd remoued diuerse from theyr offyces and other whych were of the rychest and hed men of y e cyte he soughte agayne theym surmysed causes without prouys or iustyce put many of them to deth For these foresayde causes many other whyche tedyouse were to expresse the foresayd lordes agayne assembled theyr people enteÌ„dyng to subdue y e kynge and to set hys brother in hys place or to cause hym otherwyse to rule y e comon weale And to strength the barons party IohnÌ„ sonne vnto y e duke of Calabre approched to them wyth a good bande of men And to them came also the sonne of the duke of Burgoyne named Charlys All whiche barons of one assent mette at a towne called Stampys where they coÌ„tynued theyr couÌ„sayle by the space of .xv. dayes and after that couÌ„sayle fynysshed toke theyr iournaye towarde Parys In whych passe tyme a spye of the duke of Brytaynes called Peter Gerold was taken in Parys and drawen hanged and quartered and dyuers men and women y t were suspected to owe fauour vnto the lordes were sacked and caste in to the water of Seyn Then for to strength and guyde the cytye of Parys the kynge sent thyder the erle of Donoyse by whose prouysyon all warly ordenaunce for to defende theyr enemyes was there preparyd In the which tyme season y e lordes in .iii. partes enbatayled approched the cytye wherof y e fyrste hoste ladde Charlys brother vnto the kynge the seconde the duke of Brytayne the thyrd Charlys the sonne to the duke of Burgoyne Prouyded that Charlys fyrste named ladde the myddleward whaÌ„ the sayd erle of Donoyse hadde well consydered the strength of the lordes he sente vnto theym a messanger sayeng that in his mynde he maruayled to see so greate a multytude of people assembled agayne the cytye and comon weale of y e land consyderyng that he was sette there by the kynge as a medyatour and a meane rather to make peace than warre yf they were contentyd that by hym any medyacyon myghte be laboured and hadde But thys came to none effecte so that small assautes and skyrmysshes ensued to the lytell domage of bothe partes In whyche passe tyme the kynge sent by secrete meanes vnto the forenamed IohnÌ„ sonne vnto the duke of Calabre and hym by many meanes instaunted to leue the company of the lordes But all his offers auayled ryght nought Thenne the foresayde lordes thus lyenge before the cytye of Parys in the playne where standeth