of March the thirty one yeer of King Edward before Iohn Le-Bloud then Maior William de Leyr Thomas Romain William de Bleton Walter de Finchingfield Henry de Glocester Salamon de Coetellier Iohn de Wengraue Iohn Darments Hugh Pourt Simon de Paris the Sheriffes Aldermen of London and before six men euery ward of London Robert Fitzwalter came and acknowledged seruice and sware vpon the Euangelist to be true to the Citty and that he would vphold and maintain them to his power and that he shall keepe the counsell of the said Cittie of London The King notwithstanding these compositions and agréements with his Barons when all was thought to haue been amended did yet againe vrge his Nobles Barons to rise in Arms against him Insomuch as they sent for Lewis the French Kings sonne promising to deliuer the Crowne and Kingdome vnto him Of those which sent for him I haue read the chiefest were Robert Fitzwalter and Fulke Fitzwarrine which two men hee most had wronged and endamaged the one for his daughters death the other for taking from him his Lordship of Whittington in Shropshire and giuing it away to the Prince of Wales then called Lewis Also Roger Bigot and many others who after King Iohn his death compounded with the French Kings sonne and sent him away out of England as onè that without their aide could not haue what hee desired Of the Bacon at Dunmow Pryory RObert Fitzwalter liued long after this beloued of King Henry the sonne of King Iohn as also of all the Realme He betooke himselfe at his latter time to prayer gaue great and bountifull almes to tht poore kept great hospitallity and reedified the decayed Priory of Dunmow which one Iuga a most deuout and religious woman in her kinde being his Ancestor had builded In which Priory arose a custome began and instituted eyther by him or some of his successors which is verified by a common prouerb or saying videl That hee which repents him not of his marriage in a yeere and a day eyther sleeping or waking may lawiully goe to Dunmowe and fetch a Gammon of Bacon It is most assured that such a custome there was and that this Bacon was deliuerd with such solemnity and triumph as they or the Pryorie and the Townesmen could make I haue enquired of the manner of it and can learne no more but that it continued vntill the dissolution of the house as also all the Abbeyes That the party or Pilgrim for Bacon was to take his oath before the Prior the Couent and the whole town humbly acknowledging in the Church-yard vpon two hard pointed stones which sâ—ones som say are yet to bee seene in the Priory Church-yard His oath was ministred with such long proces and such solemne sâ—nging ouer him as doubtles must make his pilgrimage as I may terme it painfull after he was taken vp vpon mens shoulders and carried First about the Priory Church-yard and after through the towne with all the Fryers and bretheren and all the townes folke young and old following him with shouts and acclamations with his Bacon borne before him and in such manner as I haue heard he was sent home with his Bacon of which I finde some had a gammon and others had a fléeke or flych For proofe whereof I haue from out the Records of the house found the names of thrée seuerall persons that at seuerall times had it Memorandum quod quidam Stevanus Samuell de Aston parua in Com. Essex c. Which beeing in Lattin entred into the booke which belongeth to the Howse I haue thus Englished Be it remembred that one Stephen Samuell of little Asâ—on in the County of Essex husbandman came to the Priory of Dunmow on our Lady day in Lent in the seuenth yeer of King Edward the fourth and required a Gammon of Bacon and was sworne before Roger Rulcot then Pryor and the Couent of this place as also before a multitude of other neighbours And there was deliuered vnto him a Gammon of Bacon Also Be it remembred that one Richard Wright of Badeourgh neere the Cittie of Norwich in the County of Norfolke came and required of the Bacon of Dunmow namely the seuentéenth day of Aprill in the twenty thrée yéere of the raigne of Henry the siixth and according to the forme of the Charter was sworne before Iohn Cannon Pryor of this place and the eduent and many other neighbours And there was deliuered vnto the said Richard one sléech of Bacon Againe Memorandum that in the yeere of our Lord 1510. Thomas Le Fuller of Coggeshall in the County of Essex came to the Pryorie of Dunmowe and required to haue som of the Bacon of Dunmow and on the eighth day of September being Sunday in the second yeere of King Henry the eighth he was according to the forme of the Charter sworne before Iohn Taylor then Pryor of the house and the Couent as also before a multitude of neighbours and there was deliuered to the said Thomas a Gammon of Bacon Heereby appeareth that it was giuen according to a Charter or donation giuen by some conceipted Benefactor to the house and it is not to be doubted but that at such a time the bordering Townes and Uillages would resort and bee partakers of their pastime and laugh to scorne the poore mans paines The order of the Oath YOu shall sweare by custome of confession If euer you made nuptiall transgression Be you eyther married man or wife By house hould brawles or contentious strife Or otherwise in bed or at boord Offend each other in deede or word Or since the parish clarke said Amen You wisht your selues vnmarried agen Or in a tweluemoneths time and a day Repented not in thought any way But continued true and iust in desire As when you ioind hands in the holy quire If to these conditions without all feare Of your owne accord you will freely sweare A whole Gammon of Bacon you shall receiue And beare it hence with loue and good leaue For this is our custome a Dunmow well knowne Though the pleasure be ours the Bacons your own The manner of the murder of Robert Hall in the Abbey of Westminster at the High Alter THe most renowned valient and victorious King Edward the third making claime to the Kingdome and Crowne of France as his proper right and inheritance lawfully descended vnto him by right and title of the Queene his mother made such hot and sharpe wars vpon the then liuing King of France That being seconded by his thrice valient and worthy sonnes especially his eldest surnamed the blacke Prince he draue the French into such a narrow strait and exigent as that they feared the vtter conquest and ouerthrow of their Kingdome and State Neuer was King more fortunate or happy in his children nor neuer did age breede more valient captaines and chiefe commanders then this the châ—efest whereof besides the King and his valient sonnes and the Nobility were Robert Knols
THE Honourable Prentice OR This Taylor is a man Shewed in the life and death of Sir John Hawkewood sometime Prentice of London interlaced with the famous History of the noble Fitzwalter Lord of Woodham in Essex and of the poisoning of his faire Daughter Also of the merry customes of Dunmow where any one may freely haue a Gammon of Bacon that repents not mariage in a yeere and a day VVhereunto is annexed the most lamentable murther of Robert Hall at the High Altar in Westminster Abbey ¶ Printed at London for Henry Gosson and are to be sold in Pannier alley 1615. TO MY MOST louing and respected friend Master Robert Valens health and all happines SVch is now and euermore hath been the inconstant and interchangeable estate of humane affaires good Sir that nothing hath beē which hath not had his increase his hight as also his declining and albeit it may bee said that among the rest martiall discipline was neuer in any age neglected or vnregarded Yet can it not be denyed but that in former ages the same hath been mannaged with much more honourable regard and reward then now it is Witnesse the many honoures which the Greekes and Romans allowed to Souldiers and men of high desert And in especiall the stately and costly Triumphs which were allowed to their Consuls or Generalls that were Victors and had conquered or subdued any Nation or Countrey to their obeysence Neyther haue writers left their atchiuements or worthy designes vnrecouered and smothered in obliuion which benefit many worthy Commanders of our Nation haue wanted Among which Iohn Hawkewood whose honour and memoriable exploits acted in Forraine Countries had been forgotten had not Paulus Iouius and some few others rather remembred them then expressed them according to their worth This moued me some few yeeres since for my owne recreation to collect these Histories ensuing hoping that some one or other better furnished then my selfe would haue vndertaken to deliuer them to the world in more ample manner and more plausible termes which not falling out according to my expectation but being put to the Presse I being most assured of your generous and worthy disposition haue imbouldened my selfe in this to make tender of that loue which I beare and owe to your vertues wishing to you all that happinesse which may equall your godly and vertuous intendments Yours in all W. U. The Introduction IT is obserued that the Almighty Creator and Gouernour of this great large vniuerse the world without diminishing his owne ininfinite vncircumscribed power or neglect of his protection and gouernement hath yet appointed the supe rior seauen planets by termes to gouerne the world vnder him each for the space of three hundred fifty and odde yeeres who according to their seuerall honoures and influences impart their seuerall natures and properties to mortall men Which is the cause that some ages are giuen to peace and quiet some to war some to studie and inuention of sciences some to trauaile and search strange and vnknowne lands to plant inhabitants some to propagate religion c. But if any age or time hath had Mars for gouernor I doubt not but about the daies of King Edward the third and his Father and his sonne this Gouernment must bee All Christian Princes yea and the heathen intending nothing but warres bloodshed stratagems and conquests In these times valor and magnanimity was esteemed had in price and bountifully rewarded Honour and promotion attending on such as could and had meanes to deserue it In these times men from meane estates arise to high promotion and dignities honour fame and renoune attending on such as could with wisedome and courage follow the warres THE Famous History of Sir Iohn Hawkewood sometimes PRENTICE of LONDON ABout the beginning of the raigne of King Edward the third there liued in the countie of Essex in the towne of Henningham Syble a man of honest report reputation named Gilbert Hawkewood by his trade and profession a Tanner who among other childrē had a son named Iohn a youth forward and apt for any good impression or matter which might be imposed on him Him hee brought vp in such learning as might after stand him in steed and such as those times affoorded which he diligently applyed insomuch as in writing reading and casting accounts and other rudiments of great scollership he exceeded his equalls So soone as hee came to reasonable yeers and was fit for the Cittie his Father brought him to London and bound him apprentize to a Taylor who were not then called Marchant Taylors but Taylors and linnen Armorers with this Taylor he remained performing all such duties as others that were his fellow prentises vsed to doe vnto and for their Masters vntill the King hauing imployed many thousands of men in his conquest of France and forced to plant and man many Garrisons in Citties Castles towns which he had wonne and taken sent yet againe into England for new supplie of Souldiers pressing many house-holders seruants to supplie his Armies and to mannage his intended conquest of France Then was Iohn Hawkhood albeit yong thought meet and able to serue Himselfe rather willing to be so imployed then to sit all day on a shoppe boord making trusses sowing stockins or fashioning or shaping of Garments His spirit Genius leading him rather to follow Arms after the sound of trumpet and drumme then be at the hand at the call of his master or mistres To France he went as also many other prentises of his acquaintance and familiars He serued an Archer with his bowe shafts in no better place then a common Sentinell or of the still watch as it then was termed and in short space such was his cariage valour and courage that he was promoted to be a commaunder or Corporall after a Sergeant then Ancient after that Liuetenaunt and last of all Captain and serued with his company of two hundred and fifty men all Archers with such good and happy successe as that he was euermore preferred to the best and most dangerous oppositions of the enemy The black Prince his generall hauing a watchfull eie of his behauiour and his valour louing him and esteeming him more then ordinary oftentimes called him to councell in weighty affaires and found him to bee of an excellent sharp and deep iudgement and often preferred his aduise before others who were esteemed much more worthy and were become famous for their councell neither was his estimation only for councell but for execution he surpassed in speede forwardnesse his fellow Captaines The particulars of his seruices are not recorded but lie vnknowne and couered in the names of chief Commannders and Generalls Let this sufice that for his valiant exploits and hardinesse hee was dignified with the honour of Knighthood Albeit hee was thought the poorest Knight in the Army He was in possibility of great preferment and of great riches if those wars of France had continued but
the French ouerwearied driuen to narrow straights were right glad to conclude a peace which was concluded and made in Brittaine at or neer Chartires in thee yeer of our Lord 1360. The black Prince with the chiefest of his Souldiers were after imployed in the warres of Spaine many returned for England and others could not by any meanes be drawne from out of France and from such places and preferments as with their swords they had purchased But Iohn Hawkewood ioyning himselfe and his company with such as were called the new men or late commers determined to séek better fortunes and raise his estate with the spoile of his enemies and so with a setled resolution to passe through the East parts of France vnto Italy to follow the warres there Hee tooke his iorney in despight of any powres that could be made to resist him through Champaigne Burgundy and Daulphine and came into Prouince euen to the very gates of Auignion where the Pope kéepes his Court residence of Cardinalls Great and exceeding rich were the spoiles which hee and his Followers gat in this iorney but much more was the honour fame and renoune which he purchased Hee neuer attempted but he conquered nor neuer skermished or fought battaile but euermore hée bare away the victory Hée was the sole and generall Commander of all which followed him which of their apparrell which hée newly made for them were called the white band which consisted of fiue thousand horse and one thousand and fiue hundred foote whereof the most part were Englishe and Archers Thus entred he into Lumberdy and was entertained by the Marques of Mountferratto a great Prince who made vnto him large payment and royall pay to the full content of himselfe his Captaines and Souldiers besides rich spoiles which they obtained and gat of the Marques enemies In these wars he spent some time to the great honour and fame of our English Nation At this time Lionell the Duke of Clarence third sonne to King Edward arriued in Italy with an honourable company to marry the Lady Violetta daughter to Uicount Galeasius Duke of Millan which gaue vnto Sir Iohn Hawkewood occasion to take leaue of the Marques and become a follower of the Duke of Clarence to the marriage where moreÌ„ like a Courtier then a Souldier trained vp as he was he behaued himselfe with such commendable and heroyicke carriage as that hée deserued to bée beloued both of the Duke and of his Father-in lawe Galeasius but most of all Barnabe brother of Galeasius a warlike Prince admired his vertues and knowing of his valor and resolution neuer rested to intreate the Duke of Clarence till he had obtained licence of him that Sir Iohn Hawkewood might with his companies serue him in his warres against the state of Mantua which warres hée mannaged in behalfe of Barnaby in such sort as that he in sundry â—ighte and skirmishes ouerthrew his enemies making himselfe and the English men so famous and renowned that all Italy seared them and accounted Barnaby happy in his entertainement who on the other side admired the discipline and valiant demeanour of our Nation and so entirely loued and honoured this Giouanno Acutho for so the Italians called him that hee gaue vnto him in marriage his daughter Dominia which hée had by a Lady of high birth and nobility named Porra and with her 10000 Florences of yéeraly reuenue Thus was his glory honour and name more spread and admired his riches increased and the more for that Barnaby was esteemed and accounted the most valiant and the worthyest Souldier of his time But to the great wonder of all men when the Duke of Clarence died at Alba the English men reuolted from the friendship of Galesius and Barnaby and Sir Iohn Hawkewood with his Army ioyned with their enemies By meanes of such alteration and change of affections grounded vpon what occasions I doe not reade I finde that many townes and Citties of Lumbardy were spoiled and wasted by his powre all Italy feared him and well was that Prince which might giue him entertainement But being yet out of pay his order was to take one Citty or other and with the spoile thereof pay his Souldiers and men of warre But if they would saue themseluos from spoile and ruine he ransomed them and would somtimes sell them to such as were enemies to the owners of them At these times hée tooke the Townes of Faensa and Bagnacauallo the one hee sould to the Marques of East for two hundred thousand Crownes That of Bagnacauallo he kept and held as his owne a long time yet at last Astrogian Manfredy gat it from him by treason Being weary of being out of pay wages hee was sent vnto Pope Gregory the twelueth whose Citties in Prouince reuolted from him whereupon hee entertained Sir Iohn Hawkewood and made him his Generall For whom he recouered all those Citties townes which refused his obedience For which seruice hee was besides his ordinary pay well rewarded and by the Popes appointment made Gouernour of fiue great townes In these warres I reade that he by mischance was once taken prisoner but by the great valour and worthines of his Captaines and Souldiers recouered from out the handes of his enemies with whom he was most honourably vsed and intreated Hauing ended the warres for the B. of Rome and vtterly refusing to be idle and out of pay he was solicited by many frée Citties and states of Italy to serue Amongst whom the Citty State of Florence proffered him most and them he serued with great commendation and honour From them hee went to the Pysans with whom when he had serued a space hee was againe solicited by the Florentines who increasing his pay and allowing better meanes to his Souldiers and followers obtained his good will againe with whom hee serued a long time after with such successe and increase of his commendation glorious renowne that hee was held and estéemed to bee the onely absolute and the best Souldier that then liued For hauing an excéeding sharp ripe and quick conceipt hee had learned by long experience in the warres hee had learned to force occasions and politiquely to frame his resolutions He was also speedy in execution and whensoeuer occasion required hée was as hot in fight as notable in delaies So that sundry great Captaines who after were most highly renouned procéeded from his schoole as from an exact Master of martiall discipline The exploits which he atchieued with good successe were accounted as sure grounds and principles of warlike discipline as well amongst his enemies as amongst his owne followers Thus waxed he old in the warres and after an incomparable renowne amongst all men for his vertues and true valour hée departed this mortall life at Florence and like a souldier was most honourably buried in their Cathedrall Church and in regard that he had in his life been a notable defender of their Common wealth The Senate and Citizens in