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
Hugh Cauerley of Cheshire Croker of Oxfordshire Shandoys c. Besides Iohn Hawkewood neuer to be forgotten who after the end of these warres in France tooke with him his companies both horse and foot which were at his commaund And in Italy acted wonders was most highly esteemed and honoured of whose aduentures and worthy deedes the Histories of Italys make large report who at last there died and in Pauia as I remember hath a most worthy monument erected for him of these captaines Hawkewood amongst the Italians was called Io. Acuth These captaines as also many others according to the vse of conquerors had giuen vnto them lands offices and preferments as keeping of Eastles Cities Townes and countries which in the behalfe and right of King Edward they with great and stout resolution held and maintained in despight of all the French or any powre they could make who being wearied and outworne with the terror of these warres their estate still waxing worse and worse solicited the Pope and all the Princes of Christendome to be a meanes vnto King Edward of their peace which was at last graunted and the English forces abated and withdrawne But the chiefest could not so easily be with drawne from such places as with their swords they had conquered nor from those honors and preferments which with expence of their blood were in reward of their valour and seruice giuen vnto them vntill occasion presented a fit meanes of pollicy wherein the French excéed the English as Comineus witnesseth as in field or battaile the English excéed the French It happened at the same very time that Peter the lawfull King of Castile or Spaine was expulsed his kingdome by his bastard brother Henry and in the yéere 1380. came to Burdeaux to the blacke Prince crauing aid and succor against his vsurping brother This matter was furthered by the French who were most desirous of his absence well knowing that the English Captaines and souldiers would follow him as the Flowre of Chiualry and the honor and glory of his time The Prince accepted of Peters request and forthwith obtained licence of his Father to transport or rather lead his Army into Spaine where in a maine battaile fought at Nazers Henry the Fastard was defeated ouercome his Army dispersed and 6000 slaine and 200. taken prisoners amongst which the Earle of Deue and Bertrand Clakyn were most remarkeable and men of speciall note By this means King Peter was restored whose daughter and heire Iohn of Gaunt third son of King Edward and brother to the blacke Prince married and in her right intituled and called himselfe King of Castile Leon and Aragon which now is callâ—â— Spaine of which matter the Chronicles make large report and therefore néedlesse to be repeated and new written but to our purpose Amongst these prisonors the Earle of Dene being as I said the most remarkeable and of chiefest note albeit he was challenged by sundry men whereof some were of the Nobility yet this iust and wise Prince who neuer vsed to suffer vertue and valour vnrewarded nor would not for either fauour or feare doe a meane and priuate souldier any wrong adiudged the said Earle to be the lawfull prisoner of two valiant Esquires Souldiers and men of worth and reputation named Robert Hall and Iohn Shakerley and thereof they obtained his Charter against all others that pretended claime or interest in him The Earle not willing to go with them into England made request to be ransomed which was grauÌ„ced vnto him and the sum agréed vpon which he affirmed hee was not able presently to pay For that those warres had so impouerished both himself and his countrey and people that all their mony goods were wasted and consumed notwithstanding hée would giue vnto them his eldest sonne and heire as a pledge and hostage of the performance of such paiment as hée promised and they were contented to accept of So remained he still in Spaine and the youth who as I can gather was not then aboue 8. or nine yéeres of age came with these two Esquires into England and in short space he learned the ready pronouncing of the English tongue or language and likewise prospered in all vertue and good quallities that he was so well beloued of his said Gaurdians or masters as if he had béene their owne child Hée on the other part behaued himselfe houestly louingly and most kindly towards them with such faith and fidelity in their manifold trobles which for his cause they sustained as was most admirable and hereafter shall be declared His vnkind Father neither regard ng his promis his oath nor his bonds nor hauing any care or father-like affection to his ingaged sonne neuer sent the ran some nor any part thereof but most vnnaturally left him in their hands at the will of his two masters where I will leaue him and returne to King Edward The black Prince the comfort of his Father and ioy of England shortly after this departed this life The good King his Father not able to sustaine the burthen of so great sorrow liued not long after but left the son of Prince Edward his Nephew to succeed him in his Kingdomes and Crownes by the name of King Richard the second In which space King Peter of Spaine was also slaine by his brother and the bastard Henry again repossessed the Crown and dignity Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Earle of Darby c. after the death of King Peter called himselfe in right of Beatrix his wife King of Castile Leon Aragon and obtained licence of the King to transport an Army at his owne proper charge into Spain for the recouery of his Kingdome And for that purpose made great and long prouision And knowing well that the Earle of Dâ—ane was in the hands of Hall and Shakerley solicited them to haue him but they vtterly refused to part with him without ready payment of the money for his ransome whereupon he be sought the King to deale with them on his behalf The king pretending yâ— his purpose was to make a marriage betweene the said Earle and his sister a gallant Lady and rich widow late wife to Peter Cortney But this deuise nor nothing else prouailed to obtaine the Dukes purpose so that they were both coÌ„mitted to the Tower of London from whence I know not by what meanes they escaped and after for their further safety they betooke themselues to the Sanctuary at Westminster enrolled themselues and their goods in the protection and priuiledge of that place which was at that time so strong and so reuerend as it was not thought that any man how cruell or tirannous so euer durst once infringe violate or breake it The Duke hauing staid so long in making prouision for his iorney that diuers of his chiefest Followers grew weary of their charges and expences and knowing that the matter of this Earle bred his discontent and was a speciall let and hinderance to his further proceedings determined
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