of Lancaster Grandfather to the King by the mothers side when he served in the wars of King Edward the third beyond the seas together with this Prophesie that the Kings which should bee annoynted therewith should bee the Champions of the Church Duke Henry delivered this oyle in a golden violl to Prince Edward the eldest sonne of King Edward the third who locked up the same in a barred Chest within the Tower with intent to be annoynted therewith when he should be crowned King but the Prince dying before his Father it remayned there either not remembred or not regarded untill this present yeare wherein the King being upon his voyage into Ireland and making diligent search for the Iewels and Monuments of his Progenitors found this Violl and Prophesie and understanding the secret was desirous to bee annoynted againe with that oyle but the Archbishop of Canterbury perswaded him that both the fact was unlawfull and the precedent unseen that a King should be annoynted twice whereupon he brake off that purpose and took the violl with him into Ireland and when he yeelded himselfe at Flint the Archbishop of Canterbury demanded it of him againe and did receive and reserve the same untill the coronation of King Henry who was the first King of this Realme that was annoynted therewith I am not purposed to discourse either of the authority or of the certainty of these prophesies but wee may easily observe that the greatest part of them either altogether fayled or were fulfilled in another sense then as they were commonly construed and taken During the raigne of King Henry the fourth execution by fire was first put in practise within this Realme for controversies in points of religion in any other extraordinary matter hee did as much make the Church Champion as shew himselfe a Champion of the Church but afterwards his successors were intitule Defendars of the faith and how in action they verified the same I refer to remembrance and report of later times Now it had beene considered that the title which was derived to King Henry from Edmund whom they surnamed Crouchbacke would be taken but for a blind and idle jest for that it was notorious that the said Edmund was neither eldest sonne to King Henry the third as it was plainely declared by an act of Parliament nor yet a mishapen and deformed person but a goodly Gentleman and valiant Commander in the field and so favoured of the King his Father that hee gave him both the heritages and honours of Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester of Ferrare Earle of Darby and of Iohn Baron of Monmuth who to their owne ruine and destruction had displayed seditious ensignes against the King And further to advance him to the marriage of Blanch Queene of Naverne hee created him the first Earle of Lancaster and gave unto him the County Castle and Towne of Lancaster with the Forrests of Wiresdale Lounsdale New-castle beneath Linne the Manner Castle and Forrest of Pickering the Manner of Scaleby the Towne of Gomecester of Huntendone c. with many large priviledges and high titles of honour Therefore King Henry upon the day of his Coronation caused to bee proclaymed that hee claymed the kingdome of England first by right of conquest Secondly because King Richard had resigned his estate and designed him for his successour Lastly because hee was of the blood royall and next heyre male unto King Richard Haeres malus indeed quoth Edmund Mortimer Earle of March unto his secret friends and so is the Pyrate to the Merchant when hee despoyleth him of all that he hath This Edmund was sonne to Roger Mortimer who was not long before slaine in Ireland and had beene openly declared heyre apparent to the Crowne in case King Richard should dye without issue as descended by his Mother Philip from Lionell Duke of Clarence who was elder brother to Iohn Duke of Lancaster King Henries Father and therefore the said Edmund thought himselfe and indeed was neerer heyre male to the succession of the Crowne then hee that by colour of right clayming it carried it by dint of force But such was the condition of the time that hee supposed it was vaine for him to stirre where King Richard could not stand Whereupon hee dissembled either that hee saw his wrong or that hee regarded it and chose rather to suppresse his title for a time then by untimely opposing himselfe to have it oppressed and depressed for ever to this end hee withdrew himselfe farre from London to his Lordship of Wigmore in the West parts of the Realme and there setled himselfe to a private and close life Idlenesse and vacancy from publike affaires he accounted a vertue and a deepe point of wisdome to meddle with nothing whereof no man was chargeable to yeeld a reckoning In revenues hee was meane in apparell moderate in company and traine not excessive yet in all these honourable and according to his degree so that they which esteemed men by outward appearance only could see in him no great shew either of wit and courage in his mind to be feared or of wealth and honour in his estate to bee envied And thus whilest a greater enemy was feared hee passed unregarded making himselfe safe by contempt where nothing was so dangerous as a good opinion and taking up those coales in obscurity for a time which shortly after set all the Realme on fire King Henry presently after his coronation created his eldest sonne Lord Henry being then about xiii yeares of age Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall and Earle of Chester and soone after he created him also Duke of Aquitaine Afterwards it was enacted by consent of all the states of the Realme assembled together in the Parliament that the inheritance of the Crownes and Realmes of England and of France and of all the Dominions to them appertaining should bee united and remaine in the person of King Henry and in the heires of his body lawfully begotten and that Prince Henry his eldest sonne should be his heyre apparant and successor in the premises and if hee should dye without lawfull issue then they were entayled to his other sonnes successively in order and to the heyres of their bodies lawfully begotten The inheritance of the Kingdome being in this sort setled in King Henry and in his line it was moved in the parliament what should be done with King Richard The Bishop of Caerliel who was a man learned and wise and one that alwayes used both liberty and constancy in a good cause in his secret judgement did never give allowance to these proceedings yet dissembled his dislike untill hee might to some purpose declare it therefore now being in place to be heard of all and by order of the house to be interrupted by none hee rose up and with a bold and present spirit uttered his mind as followeth This question right honourable Lords concerneth a matter of great consequence and weight the determining whereof will assuredly procure
man answerable to her in equall degree both of blood and of yeares but the French King denyed that hee would any more joyne affinity with the English nation whose aliance had once so unfortunately succeeded then they entred into speech of a perpetuall peace but hereto the Frenchmen would not agree In the end it was concluded that Lady Isabell should be delivered to King Charles her Father but without Dower because the marriage betweene King Richard and her was never consummate by reason whereof shee was not donable by the very treaty of the marriage Also the surcease of armes which foure yeares before had beene made with King Richard for the terme of thirty yeares was continued and confirmed for the time then unexpired Some Authors affirme that a new truce was taken but these also are at difference for some report that it was during the life of both the Kings others that it was but for a short time which hath the more apparance of truth by reason of the open hostility which the yeare following did breake forth betweene the two Realmes Shortly after King Henry sent the Lady Isabel under the conduct of Lord Thomas Piercy Earle of Worcester in Royall estate to Calis she was accompanied with a great troupe of honourable personages both men and women and carried with her all the Iewels and Plate which shee brought into England with a great surplusage of rich gifts bestowed upon her by the King at Calis shee was received by the Earle of S. Paul Lieutenant for the French King in Picardy and by him was conducted to King Charles her Father who afterwards gave her in marriage to Charles Sonne to Leâ—es Duke of Orleances and so was either rest or respite of warres procured in France whilest neerer stirres might bee brought to some stay For within the Realme the fire and fury of the late sedition was scarcely quenched and quiet but that the Common-wealth should not cease to bee torne by multiplying of divisions one streight succeeding another the Welshmen upon advantage of the doubtfull and unsetled estate of King Henry resolved to break and make a defection before either the King could ground his authority or the people frame themselves to a new obedience and having learned that common causes must bee maintained by concord they sought by assemblies to establish an association and to set up their owne principality againe To this purpose they created for their Prince Owen Glendor an Esquire of Wales a factious Person and apt to set up division and strife and although hee was of no great state in birth yet was hee great and stately in stomack of an aspiring Spirit and in wit somewhat above the ordinary of that untrained people bould crafty active and as he listed to bend his mind mischievous or industrious in equall degree in desires immoderate and rashly adventurous in his young yeares he was brought up to the study of the Common law of the Realme at Loâ—don and when hee came to mans estate besides a naturall fiercenesse and hatred to the English name he was particularly incensed by a private suite for certaine lands in controversie betweene the Lord Gray of Ruthen and him wherein his title was overthrowne and being a man by nature not of the mildest by this provocation he was made savadge and rough determining either to repaire or to revenge his losse by setting the whole state on fire Also his expence and liberality had beene too excessive for a great man to endure which brought him to barenesse too base for a meane man to beare and therefore he must of necessity doe and dare somewhat and more danger there was in soft and quiet dealing then in hazarding rashly Herewith oportunity was then likewise presented for trouble sometimes are most fit for great attempts and some likelihood there was whilest the King and the Lords were hard at variance that harme might easily bee wrought to them both Vpon these causes his desire was founded and upon these troubles his hope But that his aspiring and ambitious humour might beare some shew of honest meaning hee pretended to his Countreymen the recovery of their free estate the desire whereof was so naturally sweet that even wilde birds will rather live hardly at large in the aire then bee daintily dieted by others in a Cage and oportunity was at that time fitly offered or else never to bee expected to rid them of their thraldome falsely and colourably intituled a peace whilest the one Kings power was waining and the other not yet fully wexen and either of them grew weake by wasting the other neither was their any difference which of them should prevaile sith the warre touched both alike insomuch as the overthrow would ruine the one and the victory the other So he exhorted them to take courage and armes and first to kill all the English within their territories for liberty and Lords could not endure together then to resume their ancient customes and lawes whereby more then armes Common-wealths are established and enlarged so should they be a people uncorrupt without admixion of forraigne manners of bloud and so should they forget servitude and either live at liberty or else perhaps be Lords over other Hereupon many flocked unto him the best for love of liberty the basest for desire of booty and spoile insomuch as in short time hee became Commander of competent forces to stand openly in the field And being desirous to make some proofe of his prowesse hee sharply set upon his old adversary Reignold Lord Grey of Ruthen whose possessions hee wasted and spoiled slew many of his men and tooke himselfe prisoner yet gave him faire and friendly entertainment and promised him releasement if he would take his Daughter to wife This he desired not so much for need of his ability or aid as supposing that the name and countenance of a Lord would give reputation to the house that was then â—ut in rising but the Lord Grey at the first did not so much refuse as scorne the offer affirming that hee was no ward to have his marriage obtruded upon him Well said Owen Glendore although you bee not my ward yet are you in my ward and the suing your livery will cost double the marriage money that elsewhere you shall procure The Lord Grey being not very rich to discharge his ransome and seeing no other meanes of his deliverance at the last accepted the condition and tooke the Damosell to wife notwithstanding his deceitfull Father in law trifled out the time of his enlargement untill hee died The Welshmen being confident upon this successe beganne to breake into the borders of Hereford-shire and to make spoile and prey of the Countrey against whom Lord Edmund Mortimer Earle of March who for feare of King Henry had withdrawne himselfe as hath beene declared to Wigmore Castle assembled all the Gentlemen of the Countrey and meeting with the Welchmen they joyned together a sharpe and cruell conflict not in forme
is quite overthrowne Yet the endeavour to curry favour is more easily disliked as bearing with it an open note of servility and therefore Alexander when hee heard Aristobulus read many things that hee had written of him farre above truth as hee was sailing the floud Hidaspis he threw the booke into the River and said that hee was almost moved to send Aristobulus after for his servile dealing but envious carping carrieth a counterfeit shew of liberty and thereby findeth the better acceptance And since I am entred into this point it may seeme not impertinent to write of the stile of a History what beginning what continuance and what meane is bee used in all matter what things are to bee suppressed what lightly touched and what to bee treated at large how credite may bee wonne and suspition avoided what is to bee observed in the order of times and description of places and other such circumstances of weight whâ—t liberty a writer may use in framing speeches and in declaring the causes counsailes and events of things done how farre hee must bend himselfe to profit and when and how hee may play upon pleasure but this were too large a field to enter into therefore least I should runne into the fault of the Mindians who made their gates wider then their towne I will heere close up onely wishing that all our English Histories were drawne out of the drosse of rude and barbarous English that by pleasure in reading them the profit in knowing them might more easily bee attained THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING HENRY the fourth THe Noble and victorious Prince King Edward the third had his fortunate gift of a long and prosperous raigne over this Realme of England much strengthened and adorned by natures supply of seven goodly Sonnes Edward his eldest Sonne Prince of Wales commonly called the Black Prince William of Hatfield Lyonel Duke of Clarence Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaâ—â—er Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester and William of Windsore These Sonnes during the life of their renowned Father were such ornaments and such stayes to his estate as it seemed no greater could bee annexed thereunto For neither armies nor strong holds are so great defences to a Prince as the multitude of children Fortes may decay and forces decrease and both decline and fall away either by variety of fortune or inconstancy of mens desires but a mans owne bloud cleaveth close unto him not so much in the blisses of prosperity which are equally imparted to others as in the Crosses of calamity which touch none so neere as those that are neerest by nature But in succeeding times they became in their off-spring the seminary of division and discord to the utter ruine of their families and great wast and weakening of the whole Realme for they that have equall dignity of birth and bloud can hardly stoope to termes of soveraignty but upon every offer of occasion will aspire to endure rather no equall then any superiour and for the most part the hatred of those that are neerest in kind is most dispitefull and deadly if it once breake forth The feare of this humour caused Romulus to imbrew the foundations oâ— the City and Empire of Rome with the bloud of his brother Remus According to which example the Tyrants of Turkie those butchers of Sathan doe commonly at this day begin their raigne with the death and slaughter of all their brethren Prince Edward the thunderbolt of Warre in his time dyed during the life of his faâ—her And although hee was cut off in the middle course and principall strength of his age yet in respect of honour and fame hee lived with the longest having in all parts fulfilled the measure of true Nobility Hee left behind him a young Sonne called Richard who after the death of King Edward was crowned King in his stead and afterward dyed childlesse William of Hatfield King Edwards second Sonne dyed also without issue leaving no other memory of his name but the mention onely Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of King Edward was a man of comely personage of speech and pace stately in other qualities of a middle temperature neither to bee admitted nor contemned as rather void of ill parts then furnished with good Hee had issue Philip his onely Daughter who was joyned in marriage to Edmund Mortimer Earle of March Who in the Parliament holden in the eight yeare of the raigne of King Richard was in the right of his Wife declared Heire apparant to the Crowne in case the King should die without Children but not many yeares after hee dyed leaving issue by the said Philip Roger Mortimer Earle of March This Roger was slaine in the rude and tumultuous Warres of Ireland and had issue Edmund Anne and Elinor Edmund and Elinor died without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge Sonne to Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fift Sonne of King Edward Of these two came Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke who by the right devolved to â—im from his Mother made open â—laime to the Crowne of England â—which was then possessed by the faâ—ily of Lancaster first by Law in the â—arliament holden the thirtieth yeare â—f the Raigne of King Henry the sixt where either by right or by favour â—is cause had such furtherance that afâ—er King Henry should die the Crown â—as entailed to him and to the Heires 〈◊〉 his bloud for ever But the Duke â—â—patient to linger in hope chose raâ—â—er to endure any danger then such 〈◊〉 Whereupon hee entred into 〈◊〉 soone after against King Henry 〈◊〉 the field But being carried further 〈◊〉 courage then by force hee could 〈◊〉 through hee was slaine at the battaile of Wakefield and left his title to Edward his eldest Sonne who with invincible persistance did prosecute the enterprise and after great variety of fortune at the last atchieved it Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne of King Edward the third was a man of high and hardy Spirit but his fortune was many times not answerable either to his force or to his forecast Hee had two Sonnes Henry Earle of Derby of whom I suppose chiefly to treat and Iohn Earle of Somerset This Iohn was Father to Iohn Duke of Somerset who had issue Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother to the Noble Prince Henry the seventh Henry Plantagenâ—t Earle of Derby was likewise by his Mother Blanch extracted from the bloud of Kings being discended from Edmund the second Sonne of King Henry the third by which line the Dutchy oâ— Lancaster did accreve unto his house Hee was a man of meane stature well proportioned and formally compact of good strength and agility of body skilfull in armes and of a ready dispatch joyntly shewing himselfe both earnest and advised in all his actions Hee was quick and present in conceit forward in attempt couragious in execution and most times fortunate in event There was no
great place of imployment and charge which hee would not rather affect for glory then refuse either for perill or for paines and in service hee often proved himselfe not onely a skilfull Commander by giving directions but also a good Souldier in using his weapon adventuring further in person sometimes then policy would permit his expences were liberall and honourable yet not exceeding the measure of his receipts hee was very courteous and familiar respectively towards all men whereby hee procured great reputation and regard especially with those of the meaner sort for high humilities take such deepe roote in the mindes of the multitude that they are more strongly drawne by unprofitable curtesies then by churlish benefits In all the changes of his estate hee was almost one and the same man in adversity never daunted in prosperity never secure retaining still his Majesty in the one and his mildnesse in the other neither did the continuance of his raigne bring him to a proud poâ—t and stately esteeming of himselfe but in his latter yeares hee remained so gentle and faire in carriage that thereby chiefely hee did weare out the hatred that was borne him for the death of King Richard Hee could not lightly bee drawne into any cause and was stiffe and constant in a good Yet more easie to bee either corrupted or abused by flattering speeches then to bee terrified by threats To some men hee seemed too greedy of glory making small difference of the meanes whereby hee attained it and indeed this honour in noble minds is most hardly over-ruled and oftentimes it draweth even the wisest awry But before I proceed any further in describing either the qualities or acts of this Earle I must write something of the Raigne of King Richard the second his Cosin Germaine so farre forth as the follies of the one were either causes or furtherances of the fortunes of the other Richard Sonne to Edward Prince of Wales a little before deceased was after the death of King Edward the third crowned King over this Realme of England in the eleventh yeare of his age at which yeares the mind of man is like to the potters earth apt to bee wrought into any fashion and which way soever it hardneth by custome it will sooner breake then bend from the same Now the governance of the King at the first was committed to certaine Bishops Earles Barons and Iustices But either upon nicenes to discontent the King or negligence to discharge their duty every one was more ready with pleasant conceits to delight him then with profitable counsaile to doe him good for smooth and pleasing speeches need small endeavour and alwayes findeth favour whereas to advise that which is meet is a point of some paines and many times a thanklesse office Hereupon two dangerous evils did ensue flattery brake in and private respects did passe under publike pretences In the third yeare of his Raigne it was thought meete that this charge should bee committed to one man to avoid thereby the unnecessary wast of the Treasure of the Realme by allowing yearely stipend unto many So by the whole consent of the Nobility and Commons assembled together in Parliament this office was deputed to Lord Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwick and a competent pension was assigned him out of the Kings Exchequer for his paines But the King being now plunged in pleasure did immoderately bend himselfe to the favouring and advancing of certaine persons which were both reproveable in life and generally abhorred in all the Realme and this was the cause of two great inconveniences for many young Noble-men and brave Courtiers having a nimble eye to the secret favours and dislikes of the King gave over themselves to a dissolute and dishonest life which findeth some followers when it findeth no furtherancers much more when it doth flourish and thrive the King also by favouring these was himselfe little favoured and loved of many for it is oftentimes as dangerous to a Prince to have evill and odious adherents as to bee evill and odious himselfe The names of these men were Alexander Nevill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Veere Earle of Oxford Michael Delapoole afterwards Earle of Suffolke Robert Trisilian Lord chiefe Iustice Nicholas Brambre Alderman of London and certaine others of no eminency either by birth or desert but obsequious and pliable to the Kings youthfull humour These were highly in credit with the King these were alwayes next unto him both in company and counsell by these hee ordered his private actions by these hee managed his affaires of state hee spared neither the dignity nor death of any man whose authority and life withstood their preferment In so much as in the fifth yeare of his raigne hee removed Sir Richard Scroope from being Lord Chancellour of England to which office hee was by authority of Parliament appointed because hee refused to set the great Seale to the grant of certaine Lands which had wantonly passed from the King alleaging for his deniall the great debts of the King and small demerites of the parties upon whom the King might cast away and consume but spend in good order hee could not advertising him also to have respect that riote did not deceive him under the terme and shew of liberality and that gifts well ordered procure not so much love as placed without discretion they stirre envy This Chancelour was a man of notable integrity and diligence in his office not scornefully turning away from the ragged coate of a poore suppliant or pale face of a sickly and feeble limmed â—uâ—er holding up their simple soiled bils of complaint nor yet smothering his conscience with partiall maintaining of such as were mighty but being alike to all hee was soone disliked of those that were bad In the eight yeare of this Kings raigne the destruction of the Duke of Lancaster was intended likewise upon the like dislike the plot was laied by Iustice Trisilian offences were devised Appellours appointed and Peeres named hee should have beene put under arrest suddenly and forthwith arraigned condemned and executed But the Duke upon privy intelligences of these contrivances fled to his Castle at Pomfret and there made preparation for his defence against the King So this matter beganne to grow to a head of division which the Common people at that time very busily desired and fought but the Kings Mother travelling incessantly betweene the King and the Duke notwithstanding shee was both corpulent and in yeares laboured them both to a reconcilement the King with regard of the dangerous and discontented times the Duke with respect of his duty and faith and so partly by her entreaty and advise partly by their inclination bending to the safest course all apparancy of displeasure on the one part and distrust on the other was for that time layed aside The same yeare Michael Delapoole was made Chancellour of England and created Earle of Suffolke and Robert Veere Earle of Oxford was created Marquesse of Dublin being the first
rashly believed as it was craftily given out whereupon the Dukes dissembled their feares and dissolved their forces and remained in expectancy what would ensue A little before the feast of Saint Michael the Parliament beganne at London wherein Sir Iohn Bushie Sir William Bagot and Sir Henry Greene were principall agents for the Kings purpose These were then in all the credites and authority with the King and his chiefest Schoole-masters both of cruelty and deceit they were proud arrogant and ambitious and upon confidence of the Kings favour professed enemies to men of ancient Nobility to the end that being lately start up they might become more famous by maintaining contention with great persons And first by their importuned travaile all the Charters of pardon granted by the King were in this Parliament annulled and revoked Then the Prelates did constitute Sir Henry Percie their Procuratour and departed the house because they might not bee present in judgement of bloud Lastly the Earle of Arundel and the Earle of Warwick were arraigned and for the same offences for which they had beene pardoned namely for encroaching to themselves Royall power in judging to death Simon Burly Iohn Berneis and others without the Kings consent were condemned to bee hanged drawne and quartered but the King so moderated the severity of this sentence that the Earle of Arundel was onely beheaded and the Earle of Warwick committed to perpetuall imprisonment in the I le of Man The Duke of Glocester was so greatly favoured that it was thought a point both of policy and peace not to bring him to his open answer but to put him to death secretly so hee was strangled under a feather bed at Calis by the Earle of Nottingham being then Earle Marshall which death howsoever he deserved yet dying as hee did not called nor heard he died as guiltlesse In this same Parliament Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury was also accused for executing the commission against Michael De-la-poole Earle of Suffolke for which cause his temporalties were seazed his lands and goods forfeited as well in use as in possessionâ— and hee himselfe was adjudged to exile and charged to depart the Realme within six weekes then next ensuing So hee went into France where afterwards hee became a principall meane of the revolt which followed Also the Lord Cobham was exiled into the I le of Gernsey and Sir Reinold Cobham was condemned to death not for entring into any attempt against the King but because he was appointed by the Lords to bee one of his Governours and of his Counsaile in the 11. yeare of his raigne Now the King falsely supposing that hee was free from all dangers and that the humour against him was cleane purged and spent conceived more secret contentment then hee would openly bewray as more able to dissemble his joy then conceale his feare being so blinded and bewitched with continuall custome of flatteries that hee perceived not that the state of a Prince is never stablished by cruelty and craft On the other side the Common people were much dismayed having now lost those whom they accompted their onely helpes and their onely hopes both for their private affaires and for supporting the state and because these mishaps happened unto them for maintaining a cause of common dislike the peoples stomack was stirred thereby to much hate and heart-burning against the King And to make their deaths the more odious the Earle of Arundel was reputed a Martyr and Pilgrimages were dayly made to the place of his buriall the rumour also was current but without either authour or ground that his head was miraculously fastened againe to his body this whilest all men affirmed and no man knew the King caused the corps to bee taken up and viewed tenne dayes after it was interred and finding the same to bee fabulous hee caused the ground to bee paved where the Earle was laid and all mention of his buriall to bee taken away forbidding publikely any such speeches of him afterwards to bee used But this restraint raised the more and they who if it had bin lawfull would have said nothing being once forbidden could not forbeare to talke It was also constantly reported that the King was much disquieted in his dreames with the Earle who did often seeme to appeare unto him in so terrible and truculent manner that breaking his fearefull sleepe hee would curse the time that ever hee knew him In the one and twenty yeare of the raigne of King Richard Henry Earle of Darby was created Duke of Hereford at which time the King created foure other Dukes to wit Duke of Aumerle who was before Earle of Rutland Duke of Southrey who was before Earle of Kent Duke of Excester who was before Earle of Huntington and Duke of Norfolke who was before Earle of Nottingham This degree of honour long time after the conquest of the Normans whose chiefest Rulers had no higher title was accompted too great for a subject to beare the fourme of the Common-wealth being framed by the Victours farre from equality of all and yet the King excepted without eminency of any At the length King Edward the third created his eldest Sonne Edward Duke of Cornâ—wall and made this honour hereditary conferring it unto many since which time divers Princes of his land have beene either put or kept or hazarded from their estate by men of that quality and degree The King likewise created the Countesse of Norfolke Dutchesse of Norfolke the Earle of Sommerset Marquesse of Sommerset the Lord Spencer Earle of Glocester the Lord Nevill Earle of Westmerland the Lord Scroupe Earle of Wiltshire and the Lord Thomas Darcy his Steward Earle of Worcester Among these hee made division of a great part of the lands of the Duke of Glocester and of the Earles of Arundel and Warwick supposing by this double liberality of honour and possessions to have purchased to himselfe most firme friendships but bought friends for the most part are seldome either satisfied or sure and like certaine Ravens in Arabia so long as they are full doe yeeld a pleasant voice but being empty doe make a horrible cry Now the Duke of Hereford raised his desires together with his dignities and either upon disdaine at the undeserved favour and advancement of some persons about the King or upon dislike that the King was so dishonourably both abused and abased by them or else perhaps upon desire to manifest his owne sufficiencie in matters of controulement and direction being in familiar discourse with Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolke hee brake into complaint how the King regarded not the Noble Princes of his bloud and Peeres of the Realme and by extremities used to some discouraged the rest from intermedling in any publique affaires how instead of these hee was wholly governed by certaine new-found and new-fangled favorites vulgar in birth corrupt in qualities â—aving no sufficiency either of councell for peace or of courage for warre who being of all men the most unhonest
to death either by the commandement or connivence of King Edward the fourth And hee also escaped not free for hee dyed not without many and manifest suspicions of poyson and after his death his two sonnes were disinherited imprisoned and butchered by their cruell Vncle the Duke of Glouâ—ester who being a Tyrant and Vsurper was lawfully shine in the field and so in his person having no issue the tragedie did end Which are most rare and excellent examples both of comfort to them that are oppressed and of terrour to violent Dâ—alers that God in his secret judgement doth not alwayes so certainely provide for our safety as revenge our injuries and harmes and that all our unjust actions have a day of payment and many times by way of retaliation even in the same manner and measure wherein they were committed And thus was king Richard brought to his death by violence and force as all Writers agree although al agree not upon the manner of the violence He was a man of personage rather wel proportioned then tall of great beauty and grace and comelinesse in presence hee was of a good strength and no abject spirit but the one by ease the other by flattery were much abased Hee deserved many friends but found few because hee sought them more by liberality then vertuous dealing Hee was marvellous infortunate in all his actions which may very well be imputed to his negligence and sloath for he that is not provident can seldome prosper but by his loosenesse will lose whatsoever fortune or other mens labours doe cast upon him At the last hee was driven to such distresse that hee accounted it as a benefit to be disburdened of his royall dignity for which other men will not sticke to put their goods and lives and soules in hazard Hee lived three and thirty yeares and raigned two and twenty His dead body was embalmed and seared and covered with Lead all save his face and carried to London and in all the chiefe places by the way his face was uncovered and shewen that by view thereof no doubt should bee made concerning his death At London hee had a solemne obsequie kept in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul the King being present and all the chiefe men of the Citie Then hee was conveyed to Langley Abbey in Buckinghamshire about twenty miles from London and there obscurely enterred by the Bishop of Chester the Abbot of S. Albones and the Abbot of Waltham without presence of noblemen without confluence of the common people and without the charge of a dinner for celebrating the Funerals but afterwarward at the commandement of King Henry the fifth his body was taken up and removed to Westminster and honourably entombed amongst his ancestors with Queene Anna his wife in expiation as it is like of his Fathers violent and unfaithfull dealing So hee whose life was alwaies tumultuous and unquiet could not readily find rest for his bones even after death It was not amisse in regard of the Common-wealth that hee was dead yet they who caused his death had small reason to reckon it among their good deeds And thus doe these and the like accidents daily happen to such Princes as will bee absolute in power resolute in will and dissolute in life This yeare Humfrey the sonne and heyre of the Duke of Gloucester dyed of the plague as hee returned out of Ireland where King Richard had left him prisoner and shortly after the Dutchesse his Mother with violence of griefe ended her dayes this yeare also dyed Thomas Mowbray the Exiled Duke of Norfolke whose death would much have beene lamented if hee had not furthered so many lamentable deaths but he over-lived his honour and saw himselfe accounted a person infamed and of no estimation Likewise about this time Iohn Duke of Brittaine deceased who had taken to wife Mary daughter to King Edward the third and by her had no issue but by Ioan his second wife hee left behind him three sonnes Iohn Richard and Arthur this Ioan was afterwards married to King Henry as hereafter shall appeare Also this yeare Edmund Duke of Yorke departed this life his honour not slayned his fame not touched he was a man very circumspect and wary in his carriage not carelesse of a good fame nor greedy after a great of other mens wealth not desirous liberall of his owne and of the common sparing hee did not by obstinate opposing himselfe against the current of the time rashly hasten either his fame or his fall but by moderation attained safely that degree of prayse and honour which others aspiring unto by desperate courses wanne with ambitious death without any other profit at all He left behind him two noble sons expresse resemblancers of his integrity Edward who succeeded in his dignity and before was called Duke of Aumerle and Richard Earle of Cambridge Edward in the change of the state neither constantly kept his fidelity nor stoutly maintained his treason Richard tooke to wife the daughter and heyre of Roger Mortimer whose mother Phillip was sole daughter and heyre to Lionell Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward the third by which title and discent his posterity claimed the Crowne and Kingdome of this Realme from the successors of King Henry as hereafter more at large shall be declared Charles King of France lost no time all this while in making preparation to invade England and to that end had now raysed an Army royall which was brought downe into Picardie and in a readinesse to have beene transported But it is very like that this haste for the deliverance of King Richard did the more hasten his death upon newes whereof the French-men perceiving their purpose for his restitution to bee to no purpose gave over the enterprise some being grieved that the occasion was lost of making spoyle of so plentifull a countrey others being well content to be discharged of that hope together with the hazard whereupon it depended Shortly after the French King sent a solemne Embassage into England to treate or rather intreate that Lady Isabel his daughter who had beene espoused to King Richard might with her dowrie bee restored to him againe King Henry most honourably received these Embassadors and gave in answer that he would speedily send his Commissioners to Calice which should fully commune and conclude with them both of this and other weighty affayres concerning both the Realmes Not long after hee sent Edward Duke of Yorke and Henry Earle of Northumberland to Calice Also the French King sent the Duke of Burbone and certaine others to Bulleine These Commissioners did often meet sometimes at one place and sometimes at another the French-men especially required that Lady Isabell should be restored shewing that King Charles her Father had given in charge that this before all matters and without this nothing should be concluded On the other side the Englishmen desired that shee might bee married to Henry Prince of Wales King Henries eldest sonne a