Crowch-backe being Earle of Lancaster was also Earle of Salisburie Lecester and Lincolne and died without issue Henry Plantagenet his brother was Earle of Salisburie Lecester Lincolne and Lancaster Henry Plantagenet his sonne was created Duke of Lancaster He was also inheritor to all those Earledomes His daughter and heire called Blanch was maried to Iohn of Gaunt and from them descended the house of the Lancastrians E. 4. William Mountague Lord of the I le of Man was by King Edward the Fourth created Earle of Salisburie William Mountague his sonne being Lord of the I le of Man and Lord Mounthermer was also Earle of Salisburie and died without issue Iohn Mountague sonne to Sir Iohn Mountague brother to the said William was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Hee with others conspired the death of King Edward the Fourth at Oxford and was slaine Thomas Mountague his sonne was Lord Mounthermer and Earle of Salisburie Richard Neuil the second sonne of Ralphe Neuil who was the first Earle of Westmorland H. 6. maried Alice the eldest daughter and coheire of the said Thomas and was by King Henry the Sixth created Earle of Salisburie He was taken prisoner in the battaile of Wakefield by Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the Sixth and lost his head Richard Neuil his sonne was Earle of Salisburie and of Warwicke also in the right of Anne his wife who was the daughter and heire of William Beauchampe Earle of Warwicke This was that great Earle of Warwicke who deposed and raised King Henry the Sixth and was slaine at Barnet Field by King Edward the Fourth Richard Pole a Knight of Wales maried Margaret Plantagenet the daughter of George Duke of Clarence brother to King Edward the Fourth which the said George begot on Isabel the eldest daughter and coheire of the last Richard Earle of Warwicke and Salisburie She was by Parliament in the fifth yeare of King Henry the Eighth restored to those Earledomes H. 8. but in Parliament in the one and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the Eighth shee with Gerthrude the widow of Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exeter Reynold Pole Cardinall being her sonne and others were attainted of treason and she lost her head She was the last of the name and royall stocke of the Familie of the Plantagenets out of which had issued successiuely fourteene Kings of England Robert Cecil the second sonne of William Cecil Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England was by King Iames created Lord Cecil of Essendeu in Rutlandshire Viscount Cranborne in Dorsetshire and Earle of Salisbury William Cecil his sonne is now Lord of Essenden Viscount Cranborne and Earle of Salisbury Shrewsburie EDrick a Saxon sirnamed the wilde being Earle of Shrewsbury was by the Conqueror dishinherited Roger de Mountgomery Earle of Belesme in Normandy Conq. was by the Conqueror made Earle of Arundel and of Shrewsbury Hugh de Mountgomery his sonne succeeded and died without issue Robert Mountgomery his brother being Earle of Shrewsbury and of Arundel was taken by king Henry the first and depriued of his eyes Iohn Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnivall and Verdon H. 6. was by Henry the sixth created Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Iohn Talbot his sonne was Lord c and Earle of Shrewsbury George Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Shrewsbury Francis Talbot his sonne was Lord c. and Earle of Salisbury George Lord Talbot his sonne succeeded in those honors Gilbert Lord Talbot his sonne is Lord Talbot Strange Blackmore Furnival and Verdon and Earle of Shrewsbury Somerset OSmond Bishop of Salisbury was by the Conqueror Conq. made earle of Somerset William de Mohun was by King Henry the first H. 1 created Earle of Somerset Reynold de Mohun in King Iohns time K. Ioh. receiued the inheritance of his Grandfather Earle William and was created Earle of Somerset he was disinherited by King Henry the third because he tooke part against him with the Barons in their warres Iohn Beauford the sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by Katherine Swinsford his thitd wife was by King Richard the second created Earle of Somerset and Marques Dorset but the latter of those two hee voluntarily did renounce H. 5. Henry Beauford his sonne was Earle after him Iohn Beauford his brother was created Earle of Somerset by K. Henry the fifth H. 6. Edmund Beauford his brother was Earle of Somerset and by king Henry the sixt was created Marques Dorset and Duke of Somerset and was slaine at Saint Albons by Richard Duke of Yorke Henry Beauford his sonne was Duke of Somerset hee revolted from King H. the sixth to King Edward the fourth and afterward from King Edward the fourth to King H. the sixth and was by the Yorkish faction taken Prisoner at Hexhamfield and lost his head Edmund Beauford his brother was Duke of Somerset and being taken prisoner at Tewkisbery-field by king Edward the fourth he lost his head and had no issue H. 7. Edmund Tuther a yonger sonne to king Henry the seuenth was at fiue yeares of his age created Duke of Somerset and died without issue at that age Henry Fitz-Roy base son to king H. the eight was created earle of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset and Richmond and died without issue Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford was by his Nephew King Edward the sixth created Duke of Somerset and lost his head Sir Robert Carre was by king Iames created Viscount Rochester Earle of Somerset Southampton BEavoys was at the Conquest Earle of Southampton E. 1. H. 8. William Gobion was by Kng Edward the first created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male William Fitz-William was by King Henry the eight created Earle of Southampton and died without issue male E. 6. Thomas Wryothesley Lord Chancelor of England was by King Henry the eighth created Baron of Tichfield in Hamshire and by King Edward the sixt hee was created Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne was Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southampton Henry Wryothesley his sonne is Lord Tichfield and Earle of Southamton Stafford RAlph Stafford was by King Edward the third E. 3. created Earle of Stafford Hugh Stafford his sonne succeeded in that Earledome Thomas Stafford his Grandchild by Ralph his sonne was Earle of Stafford William Stafford his brother was Earle of Stafford after him Edmund Stafford his brother was Earle and died without issue Humfrey Stafford his sonne was Earle and by king Henry the sixt he was created Duke of Buckingham and was slaine in Yorkeshire in the said kings quarrell Humfrey Stafford his son was dignified with those honors Humfrey Stafford his sonne H. 7. succeeded and was beheaded by king Richard the third Edward Stafford his son was restored by king Henry the seuenth and lost his head in the raigne of king Henry the eighth Suffolke RAlph Glandvile Lord of Bromhelme H. 2. was by king Henry the second created Earle
Armie landeth at Callice and marcheth to Burdeaux He beates the French King ANNO. 44 An other Armie sent into France The English doe preuaile with an armie into Callice who to the terror and spoyle of the Frenchmen marched from thence vntill he came to Burdeaux to the Prince his Brother without opposition or resistance wasting and hauoking in all places as he passed by sauing that he was once met with and encountred by king Charles who being soundly beaten was enforced to retire and to giue free passage to the Duke King Edward as much as in him lay though hee beganne to grow old yet he was very carefull of those affaires For as soone as his sonne Iohn of Gaunt was gone out of England hee sent another Armie vnto Saint Omers which was conducted by Sir Robert Knowles who marching through those adiacent Countries with fire and sword depopulated it yea almost vntill he came to the Citie of Paris And then hee marched into the Earledome of Angeou where hee wonne the strong Townes of Vaas and Ruylly and sundrie others thereabout But the French king being informed that there was great dissention in the English armie betwixt Sir Robert Knowles and the Lords Fitz-water and of Grauntson rushed vpon them sodainly with an armie and finding their mindes diuided and their forces by great disorder broken Dissention caused the Englishmens ouerthrow preuailed against them and slew about one thousand Englishmen Whereupon the said Townes which they had taken were againe yeelded into the French kings hands He also following the good hap of his fawning Fortune sent another armie into the Prouince of Guyan ANNO. 45 where the Prince was weakly assisted and his Townes and Castles daily reuolted from him King Edward being much perplexed with the common reports of his declining Fortune ANNO. 46 and being resolued to doe his best to preuent the worst assembled his high Court of Parliament at Westminster A ParliameÌ„t wherein to supply his wants and to giue better strength and furtherance to his French Warres the Temporaltie with much cheerefulnesse granted him a Subsidie of fifteene thousand pounds A Subsidie granted and the like summe hee requested of the Cleargie who were contented to giue him faire words but no monie Whereat he was so much displeased The Clergie will grant none The Clergie disgraced ANNO. 46 The Earle of Pembroke defeated and taken at Sea that wheras at that time the Bishops and the Cleargie men were chiefly honoured with all Places and Offices of Honour and of Profit and of Commaund disgracefully hee depriued them and dismissed them all and placed more thankfull Subjects of the Laitie in their roomes King Charles had now besieged the Towne of Rochell almost one whole yeare For whose reliefe and to remoue the siege king Edward sent the Earle of Pembroke with an armie to the Sea but hee was encountred fought with and put vnto the worst by Henrie the vsurper of Castile who in fauour of the French king and thankfully to requite his former loue when hee assisted him against king Peter kept the narrow Seas with a strong Fleet. In this fight the Earle himselfe and one hundred and threescore others were taken Prisoners manie men were slaine The French King winnes Rochell c. and the rest who escaped returned altogether discomforted into England And vpon the certaine report of this disaster The Towne of Rochell Angolesme Xants and Saint Iohns of Angley and diuers other Prouinces were giuen vp vnto the French king Sir Iohn de Mountford Duke of Brittaine perceiuing that good successe accompanied the French king in all his actions beganne to feare ANNO. 47 Iohn of Gant and the Duke of Britaine oppose themselues against the French King They waste the Countrey ANNO. 48 left in the height of his prosperitie he would attempt some quarrell against him Wherefore Hee fortified his Countries and then came into England and offred his assistance to K. Edward who forthwith leuied a strong armie and commited it to the gouernment of his sonne the Duke of Lancaster Who being accompanied with the Duke of Brittaine landed at Callice and with sword and fire wasted the whole Countrie vntill hee came to Burdeaux where the Duke of Lancaster found his brother the Prince of Wales exceeding sicke who made him Gouernour of all King Edwards Prouinces And hauing scene all such Noble men as hee could command Iohn of Gant is made Gouernour The sicke Prince commeth into England ANNO. 49 ANNO. 50 to take their solemne oathes for the performance of their duties and obedience to his brother the Duke he sailed into England After whose arriuall three parles for peace betwixt England and France were entertained vpon the motion and by the mediation of Pope Gregorie the eleuenth But not one of them was made fruitfull with any fortunate successe In the last yeare of King Edwards Raigne in a Parliament holden at Westminster the King required a Subsidie from the Cleargie and from the Temporaltie of his Kingdome towards the supporting of his warres The Lower house of the Parliâ—ment complaine vpon the K ngâ— euill Officers But the Lower house of that assembly complained grieuously against the Lord Latimer chiefe Chamberlaine to the King and of manie other of his Officers for that they not only misled the King in his old age but also vnthriftily spent and consumed the Treasure of his Kingdome Wherefore they refused to yeild vnto the kings demand except those euill Officers might bee displaced and better men setled in their roomes Which being by the king through the important perswasions of the Prince consented vnto he cheerefully obtained his demand And now approched the ends of these two famous .1376 and most worthie Princes the Father and the Sonne For the Prince of Wales died the eight day of Iune The Blacke Prince dieth in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand three hundred threescore and sixteene when hee had liued fortie yeares and lieth buried at Canterburie The King restoreth his euill Officers And no sooner was hee dead but king Edward verie vnaduisedly to his great dishonour and to the great discontentment of his people remoued from him such new Officers as in the late High Court of Parliament were established and placed neere about him and restored the Lord Latimer Richard is Created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester King Edward dieth and all the rest to their former Offices and places And finding himselfe exceeding weake by reason of his sharp and grieuous sicknesse he created his Nephew Richard Sonne to the Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earle of Chester and Duke of Cornwall and committed the Regencie of his kingdome to his son Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster died when he had raigned fiftie yeares and somewhat more THE HISTORIE OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND RICHARD the second being the Son and heire of the Blacke Prince ANNO. 1. 1377.
suddaine feare to be swallowed vp betwixt the English Armie and the Towne he remoued from thence in the night leauing to the Protector who landed with his companies the day before all his Tents Ordnance Armour and Prouisions being of great worth The Protector who brought with him thither fiue and twentie thousand men entred into the Dukes Countries of Flanders and Arthois where he slew burnt ransacked and wonne rich booties at his owne pleasure And without resistance he returned vnto Callice and with such superfluities as he had gotten abundantly and plentifully he supplyed it with all things which they wanted and then hee returned into England where hee found the State much troubled For Iames the first being King of Scots forgetting quite the manifold fauors and Princely education which Rosbrough besieged by the Scots being a prisoner he found within the Kingdome of England with thirtie thousand men had for manie weekes besieged the Castle of Rosborough which was valiantly defended by Sir Ralph Grey But the Earle of Northumberland as hee was appointed prepared to giue him battaile and to remoue the Siege Whereof when notice was giuen to the Scottish Armie they remoued The Scots flye and fled with extraordinarie speede into their owne Countrey About the same time died Queene Katherine mother to the King who after her husbands death fancying more her owne pleasure and contentment than the supporting of her high and honorable estate married a goodly Gentleman named Owen Tuthar who though his meanes were but small yet was he discended from Cadwallader the last King of the Britons And by her hee had issue two sonnes halfe brothers to the King that is to say Edmund and Iaspar This Edmund was by King Henrie created Earle of Richmond and tooke to wife the Ladie Margaret sole Daughter and Heire vnto Iohn Duke of Somerset and begot on her King Henrie the seuenth And Iaspar was created Earle of Pembroke Likewise the Ladie Iaquet sister vnto the Earle of Saint Paule and Duchesse Dowager to Iohn Duke of Bedford the late Regent of France contrarie to her friends liking yet to please her selfe married a gallant Gentleman who was much inferiour to her estate named Sir Richard Wooduyle Sir Richard Wooduyle made Baron Ryuers and afterwards Earle Ryuers whome afterwards the King made Baron Ryuers and then Earle Ryuers And by him among manie other children she had issue Elizabeth who was after the wife of King Edward the fourth and was mother to the Ladie Elizabeth whome King Henrie the seuenth espoused and tooke to wife It pleased the Kings Councell of this Realme to discharge Richard Duke of Yorke of his Regencie in France The Earle of Warwike is made Regent 1437. 16 and to establish the Earle of Warwike in his place Who embarked himselfe seuen times before he could set one foot in Normandie But at last his arriuall was fortunate and happie And hauing intelligence that the Duke of Burgoine with tenne thousand men lay strongly entrenched before Crotoy hee sent the Lords Talbot and Fawconbridge Sir Thomas Kyriell and manie other valiant Captaines Crotoy is besieged with fiue thousand Englishmen to rayse that Siege But the Duke fearing with his double number to encounter with his enemies fled with his whole Armie vnto Abbeuyle From whence hee being eagerly pursued and hourely dared to make a stand and to play the man The Duke of Burgoine will not fight he posted vnto Amiens where the Englishmen who daily hunted after him found him and his companies strongly enclosed within the walls But because he played the coward and would not fight the Lord Talbot entred into Picardie and Arthois where vnresisted he wasted and consumed the whole Countrey the walled Townes Castles and Forts onely excepted and enriched all his Armie with Cattell Money Plate and many other things of great worth and value Sir Thomas Kyriels valor Sir Thomas Kyriel also surprized the Dukes Carriages and his Ordnance all which booties were brought vnto Crotoy with as much victuals as would maintaine six hundred men for one whole yeare And all the residue of those spoyles he sent to the Earle of Warwike which abundantly supplyed his great wants Periurie punished The Earle of Mortayne sonne to Edmund Duke of Somerset by violent assaults tooke the Castle of Saint Auyan in Mayne and slew therein three hundred Scots and hanged all the Frenchmen whom he found there because hauing once beene sworne to King Henrie they reuolted and became French Thus Fortune euerie day turned her Wheele making him who yesterday wonne much to day to lose all and suddainely aduancing those to great honour whome former disasters had made miserable and bare The French King winneth by trecherie not by valour But the Frenchmens Treasons and Trecheries daily betrayed more Cities Townes and Castles to the French King than either the Englishmen could hold by Policie or gaine by Strength The Dolphin rebelleth against his father And albeit that by reason thereof he comforted himselfe and prosperous successe accompanied most of his Attempts yet was he on a suddaine checked by the open Rebellion of his eldest sonne the Dolphin of Vyen Who being assisted by the Dukes of Alanson and of Burbon vsurped the Gouernment of France and by publike Edicts diuulged the insufficiencie of his Father to rule that Kingdome The Rebellion is appeased This Clowd threatened a shrewd storme and begat this Question in his Father and in his Councellors of State Whether it were better to attempt the curing of this Maladie by Ciuill Warre and by letting of Bloud or by Discretion and by Policie without blowes The later Project being entertained publike Proclamations were made in the French Kings Name by which he prohibited all his subiects vpon the paines of death to yeeld anie subiection to the Dolphins Commands and pardoned all such as by his persuasions had deuoted themselues to his seruice And moreouer sundrie Letters were written diuers Messengers were sent and manie powerfull Mediators so preuayled that the Dolphin with his confederates were quickly reconciled and joyfully receiued into the Kings fauour Whilest these vnnaturall broyles breathed fresh hopes into the English Nation that Paris might bee regayned The regayning of Paris attempted they prepared a great Armie for that purpose But by meanes of the said Reconciliation and Agreement those their designes were strangled in their birth their Armie was dissolued and beeing enforced to sayle by a smaller Compas they endeuoured to effect such things as were proportionable to their strength Ponthois surprized and to win those things which were within their reach About the same time the ground being couered with a thicke Snow which was much hardened by a suddaine Frost Iohn Lord Clifford clothing himselfe and his followers all in white passed in the night season ouer the Ditches of Ponthois which not long before was treacherously yeelded to the French King Policie the Walls they scaled entred in
houshold and Doctor Stephen Gardiner his new Secretarie so to gard and so to watch his House and Palace at Westminster that none of his moueables whatsoeuer might bee imbeaseled or purloined or carried away from thence And the Cardinall himselfe being confined to Asher He is confined not farre from Kingston and most of his Attendants being displaced and remoued from him a small allowance of things needfull was appointed to him for his necessarie vse whereat hee infinitely greiued Then was he required by the King He confesseth this indictment His dignities taken from him to plead to the said indictment but by his Atturnie sufficiently authorized vnder his hand and seale he confessed euery materiall point thereof Then the king conferred the Abbie of Saint Albones vpon the Prior of Norwich the Bishoprick of Durham vpon Doctor Tonstall and the Chancellorship was ratified to Sir Thomas Moore But the king of his gentlenesse and in regard of his former fauours towards the Cardinall left vnto him the Arch bishoprick of Yorke and the Bishoprick of Winchester and sent vnto him much plate housholdstuffe and many other things part of that which had bin taken from him to a great value Yet in his heart he remained vnthankfull grudging and malitious towards the king The king in former times had intermedled very litle with the gouernment of this Common-weale for hee was almost altogether ruled and directed by the Cardinall and by the Cleargie of this Land But he now began to be sensible of that errour and to cast away that yoke so that he tooke the raines into his owne hand And first of all he assembled his high Court of Parliament in which the Commons of the Lower house sharply complained of the misdemeanors of the Cleargie But especially in these six things Articles against the Cleargie FIrst because with great extremitie they exacted vnreasonable summes of monie as due fees for the Probate of mens last Wills and Testaments 2 Secondly Because they were excessiuely couetous and cruell in demanding for Mortuaries especiall of such poore people as skarsly left two kine for the maintenance of their wiues and children 3 Thirdly Because their full purses made them to become Farmors of great Granges Bartons and temporall farmes taking them in lease in euery Shire and become Husbandmen and Graziers to the preiudice and hurt of such as were trained and brought vp only to be husbandmen 4 Fourthly Because many of them kept Tanning houses for their priuate gaine and were Brokers Buyers and Jngrossers of Wooll Cloth and other marchandizes snatching vp all and enforcing tradesmen and clothiers to buy those commodities at the second or third hand and at vnreasonable prices 5 Fiftly Because such Clergie men as had the best and the greatest Spirituall liuings did with great extremitie take the vtmost of their rights And yet they liued in the Court or in the houses of Noblemen and Bishops so that they spent nothing in Hospitalitie among their Neighbours Nor did feede their flocke with the milke of Gods most holy and sacred Word 6 And last of all Because diuers ignorant men among them held and enioyed eight ten twelue yea more Benefices and Spirituall promotions to themselues seuerally and yet liued not vpon any one of them but kept great Schollars and learned men at a short commons in one of the Vniversities who were better able to doe more good then they Doctor Fisher wrongeth the lower house of Parliament The Bishops perceiuing that these matters much concerned them and the whole Clergie of this Land strongly opposed themselues against such as exhibited the same complaints In so much that Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester being more earnest then well aduised desired the Lords to remember well and to consider that when the Bohemians abused the estate and dignitie of their Clergie they then ruinated and destroyed their Kingdome and Common weale Wherefore hee instantly requested them to bee well aduised before they entertained these obiections For quoth he they are not religious nor doe proceed from Faith When the Commons had vnderstood what the Bishop of Rochester had spoken Then by Thomas Audley their speaker and by thirtie others of the house They informed the King of the said iniurie and wrong Alleaging that if the lower house of Parliament were reputed to want Faith then they were esteemed to bee Heretikes and consequently that all such Bills as they preferred or did passe should bee preferred and concluded on by Panims Pagans and Faithlesse men and so were vnlawfull and vnfit to rule and to gouerne Christians and such as truly and sincerely honored and adored God The King who was much offended They complaine to the King and grieued at the Bishops speech gaue them this gentle answere That hee would vnderstand his meaning concerning those wordes and that with all convenient expedition hee would informe them of his answere And within a day or two after the said Bishop and six others were sent for and the Bishop of Rochester was reprehended by the King But with many solemne protestations hee assured the King that he referred those wordes They proceeded not from faith to the doing deedes and actions of the Bohemians and not to the doings of the lower House which likewise was affirmed by the rest This his excuse was by the King sent to the Commons who spake liberally of the Bishop and repaied their debt with vnseeming termes A bad 〈◊〉 In so much that at a Committee in which the Bishops strongly persisted to maintayne and to iustifie the taking of their Fees for probates of Testaments to be lawfull because the same paiments had beene of a long time vsed a Gentleman of the lower House replyed to the Archbishop of Canterbury That Theeues on Shooters Hill vsed to take purses there Ergo it was lawfull This speech pleased the Commons well For they thought That they had now angred the Bishops as the Bishop of Rochester had angred them Then were the matters aforesaid comprised in the same complaint reduced into formall Bill which being long and substantially disputed on and in some points qualified were assented vnto by both the Houses and afterwards for Lawes established by the King The Booke also which contayned the Articles The articles against Wolsey which were drawne against the Cardinall was sent by the Lords to the lower House In which among diuers other things he was principally accused of these great faults 1 FIrst That by dishonest and cunning reasons hee had deceitfully induced the King to consent that hee should bee made a Legate to the Pope which authoritie did indeede and in effect frustrate and make void all the authoritie and iurisdiction of all other Bishops and Clergie men within this Kingdome and also the authoritie of the King in Ecclesiasticall things and causes 2 Item That in all his letters and other passages to forren Estates and Princes his phrase in writing was Ego Rex meus I and my King
league and friendship with the French King who had before murdered his Father Which falling off from the English aduantaged not him nor sounded to his honour 1434. 13 Saint Dennis trecherously betrayed About the same time the Towne of Saint Dennys neere vnto Paris was treasonably yeelded to the French King by the secret practise of the Bastard of Orleance who was surnamed the Earle of Dumoys But the Lord Talbot and some other Lords accompanied with fiue thousand men compassed it round about with a strong Siege Whereof when the Earle of Dumoys was informed to remoue the Siege he collected a strong power of chosen horsemen But ere he came thither the Towne by composition was surrendred Saint Dennis is recouered and the Walls and Towers thereof were beaten to the ground And though in this place the English gayned yet the inhabitants of Ponthoys which standeth on the Riuer betwixt Normandie and Paris did rebell Ponthois reuolteth and thrust the English Garrison out of the Towne which from that time forward animated the inhabitants of Paris to thinke on nothing more than how they might by Treason or by Violence reduce themselues to the subjection of the French King But behold a greater mishap than the losse of manie Townes and Cities did vnexpectedly weaken King Henries part For now the most renowned The Regent dieth wise politike and worthie Regent of France died and was with all Princely Ceremonies and Solemnities buried in a stately Monument which was erected for him in our Ladie Church He was buried in Roan within the Citie of Roan Whereat the mutable and vnconstant Nobilitie of the Duchie of Normandie who had receiued from him manie benefits and fauors much repined And within few yeares after they instantly requested the French King Lewis the eleuenth who was the sonne of King Charles the seuenth to plucke it downe His Sepulcher enuied and to cast the Regents carkasse into the open fields alledging That it was much dishonourable and a great disgrace for them to suffer such an enemie as hee was to them and to the Kings of France to be so richly interred within the Metropolitan Citie of that Prouince But King Lewis who worthily withstood their base attempt affirmed did publikely protest A Kingly Speech That a more sumptuous Sepulcher was too too bad to couer the dead corps of him who in his life time scorned vpon anie occasion whatsoeuer to step one foot backe for all the power and souldierie of France and who in all his proceedings and in all his Gouernment had approued himselfe to be so wise politike faithfull and hardie that all heroicall and generous spirits should rather endeuour to immortalize his Fame and with the Trumpet of Honor to proclaime his manlike acts than in the least measure labour to shadow or to eclipse them with Enuie or Disgrace And that there was no stronger an argument or proofe of basenesse and of cowardise than to insult ouer the dead bodie of him who whilest he liued was amiable and courteous in time of Peace 1435. 14 Richard Duke of Yorke made Regent but bold and terrible in Armes The death of this renowned Prince was the cause of infinite alterations and changes within the Kingdome of France and elsewhere For after his death Richard Duke of Yorke was made Regent against the liking and good will of Edmund Duke of Somerset cousin to the King who for himselfe inwardly affected that authoritie and place The treacherous Citie of Paris also and manie other Townes Paris reuolteth and is cruell to the English Castles and Forts rebelliously yeelded themselues and wholly became French And not onely so but villanously they murdred taunted and scoffed the English Nation whom in outward shew and with faire words they seemed not long before to honor and extraordinarily to respect The Normans also reuolted and tyrannized ouer the Englishmen whome with the Sword and by a thousand meanes The rebellious Normans are subdued they consumed vntill by the slaughter of fiue thousand of their companies they were subdued by the Lord Talbot the Lord Scales Sir Thomas Kyriel and by some others When Paris Saint Dennys Saint Germans in Ley and manie more Cities and Townes were lost the new Regent Priuate enuie hindered the publike good with eight thousand souldiors landed at Harflew and from thence came to the Citie of Roan where his Presidents for Iustice were much admired and commended But in the whole course of his Gouernment he effected nothing else to be wondered at by reason that the Duke of Somersets secret grudgings hindered those Expeditions which might haue made him famous and his Countrey fortunate and happie The reuolted Duke of Burgoine who not long before had falsified his Oath and Promise to King Henrie The Duke of Burgoine besiegeth Calice and to his Father pretending a rightfull Title vnto the Towne of Callice besieged it with an Armie which consisted of fortie thousand men This Towne was newly strengthened with manie hundreds of braue souldiors who by Henrie Earle of Mortayne and by the Lord of Cammoys from England were brought thither The Duke attempted to winne the Towne by three terrible assaults but he was a great loser by them all And the incredible strength of the place and of his enemies depriued him vtterly of all hope to winne it by any other meanes than onely by Famine and scarsitie of foode But that course he was not able to pursue because the English Nauie was Master of the Sea But yet to shut vp the Hauen and then for a while to attempt what might bee done hee prepared foure great Hulkes and filled them with square and massie stones semented and joyned close together with Iron and with Lead because they should as a Rock remayne together and not be beaten in sunder by the Sea But so vnskilfull were they who had the charge to sinke them that they missed the Channell So that when the water was at an ebbe the shippes lay drie and were by the Callicians torne all abroad and the Stones and Timber being taken in serued for the prouision and fortifications of the Towne The Dukes Bastyle taken by the English The Duke also built a strong Bastyle which he furnished with foure hundred fighting men Which though for a few dayes it prejudiced the besieged yet it did them no memorable harme For not long after it was erected certaine Troupes of horsemen issued out of the Towne who fought proudly with the Dukes Forces and in the mean time the Bastyle was assaulted and wonne by others who tooke all such prisoners as were not slaine therein burned the Fort and returned with verie little losse into the Towne The Duke of Burgoine flyeth in the night The Duke of Burgoine who seemed much to rejoyce because the Protector had promised to attempt the raysing of the Siege within few dayes made great preparations to withstand it But being surprized with a
new Gentlemen as vnworthily doe rule and gouerne all to our dishonour and reproach The Earle of Warwicke finding the Duke of Clarence thus tractable The plot is strengthened by a mariage and inclining to his humour consulted with him oftentimes touching this businesse And to tie him vnto himselfe by a fast bond of friendship and of loue He offered to him in marriage one of his daughters who was named Isabel with halfe the inheritance of his wife Whereof the Duke in all kindly and friendly sort accepted And thereupon the plot was contriued thus The plot against King Edward The Earle himselfe with the Duke of Clarence would goe vnto Calice where the yong Lady who was there should bee married And in their absence as if it hapned without their knowledge or consent the Earles two brothers the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marques Montacute were appointed with their friends to raise a Rebellion in the Countie of Yorke And this proiect was put into Execution in this maner The Husbandmen of Yorke-shire by an ancient custome in the end of Haruest The cause of the Rebellion vsed yearely to giue a certaine quantie of Corne and Graine towards the maintenance and reliefe of diuers poore people who liued in the Hospitall of Saint Leonard within the Citie of Yorke Now the Earles friends scandalously and falsely reported in the Countrie thereabout That the said poore people were not relieued by the said Almes but that the Gouernour and Priests of the said Hospitall enriched and fatted themselues therewith So when the Proctors according to their wonted fashion came abroad to collect the peoples deuotion in that kind they were shrewdly beaten by the Rustickes and misused beyond measure Hereupon many Religious and well disposed people tooke part with the Proctors and with rough words and some blowes they requited the iniurie which was done vnto them From this beginning sprang forth a dangerous Insurrection So that within few dayes there were vp in Armes more then fifteene thousand men This was done by him in fauour of the King as it seemes afterwards Who with their ring-leaders came proudly before the Citie of Yorke and with vnciuile and rude tearmes they threatned the ruine and destruction of it But in the darkenesse of the night the Marques Montacute being accompanied with many lustie and braue men set vpon the Rebels slew many hundreds of them and strake off the Captaines head and strongly fortified that Citie When the King who was truely informed of this Rebellion was told this newes hee rested doubtfull whether his old friend the Marques had done this seruice to make an amends for his reuolt Sir Iohn Conyers captaine of the Rebels or else to colour his ill intendements thereby The Rebels who still increased perceiuing that they should loose their labour to linger about the Towne left the Citie and marched towards London being then conducted by Sir Iohn Conyors a worthie and a valiant Knight The King being hereof aduertised commanded the Lord William Herbert Earle of Pembroke and Humphrie Lord Stafford of Southweeke who was nominated in hope of future good seruice but not indeed created Earle of Deuonshire to leauie a strong power in Wales and with all expedition to fight with the Rebels And hee himselfe promised to assist them with a faire Armie The Lord Stafford ouerthrowne These Lords with eight or nine thousand men right well ordered and apointed marched towards these Rebels And as they drew neere to Northampton they vnderstood that they were not farre off Whereupon the Lord Stafford and Sir Richard Herbert a valiant Knight and brother to the Earle of Pembroke taking with them out of the whole Armie two thousand strong skilful Archers plotted a secret Ambush to take a view of the Northren Rebels as they passed by but as soone as they were gone beyond them these Archers rushed violently vpon their Rereward But the Rebels who were nimble and well ordered by their carefull Generall turned about stuck to their tacklings and with their greater numbers slew most of those Welchmen and the rest fled hastily to their owne Campe. An vnfortunate dissentiō And the next night by reason of an vnkind diuision which hapned betwixt the Lord Stafford and the Earle of Pembroke who at Banburie remoued him from a common Inne where hee vsed to lodge with an vnchaste Queane the Lord Stafford with his Archers departed from the Armie and left them to their fortunes among their foes This froward slinking away nothing at all dismaied the noble Earle though as he had iust cause he were much displeased thereat Banburie field but made him to resolue with the more alacritie and courage to set vpon the Rebels with whom hee fought the next day and with his Welshmen saw many tokens of victorie neere at hand But suddenly a Gentleman named Iohn Clapham and seruant to the Earle of Warwicke hauing his masters Banner with the white Beare trouped towards the battaile with fiue hundred men who were by him collected of the off-skumme of the rascall and basest sort of the inhabitants of the Towne of Northampton and of the villages thereabout All these presenting themselues afarre off and aduancing their Standard and crying A Warwicke A Warwicke A policie so incredibly daunted and confounded the Welshmen who supposed that the Earle of Warwicke was come thither with another Armie The Kings forces are ouerthrowen 5000. men slaine that they began to flie and were on the sudden ouerthrowen and more then fiue thousand of them were slaine And Sir Richard Harbert and eight others being taken prisoners were beheaded at Banburie by the Rebels This fortunate successe animated sundrie leaud and ill disposed people of Northamptonshire to enter into new broiles insomuch that they making a notorious Rascall named Robin of Riddisdale The Queenes father is beheaded by the Rebels their Captaine entred into the Manour of Grafton where they apprehended the Earle Ryuers whom they loued not and Sir Iohn his sonne caried them to Northampton and without questioning with them or any legall proceeding smote off their heads The Lord Stafford beheaded The King marcheth towards the Rebels The Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwicke doe some with the Rebels And the Lord Stafford being by the Kings directions taken at Brentmarsh in Somersetshire was caried to Bridgewater and was there executed because hee trecherously departed with his companies from the Earle of Pembroke as formerly we haue heard The King notwithstanding these troubles was so full of courage and heroicall magnanimitie that hee was not any thing at all dismaied with any crosse or ill newes but marched confidently with his Armie against the Northerne Rebels to whom the Earle of Warwicke had ioined himselfe with a great power and likewise the Duke of Clarence brought all his forces to the Earle so that now a fearfull expectation of vnchristian crueltie disquieted the vast and great body of the
them to reuolt and yeeld to King Charles By meanes whereof King Henrie as hee was counselled sayled with a puisant Armie from Douer 1431. 10 King Henrie crowned in Paris and arriued at Calice And taking Roan in his way Hee marched vnto Paris where hee was with all beseeming requisities annointed and crowned King of France and receiued homage and fealtie vpon the Othes of the Nobles Gentlemen and common People of that Citie These French warres were famous in all the Westerne parts of the world And the more were they spoken off because men generally did wonder how it was possible that so small an Iland England admired at as England was should for so many yeares together so grieuously torment and scourge so large so populous and so potent a Kingdome as France was and put it to the worst At length and after frequent mediations vsed by Eugenius the Fourth then Pope of Rome and by many other Christian Princes Such great hopes as made the fairest shew of an happie Peace An vnperfect Truce vanished quite and came to nothing sauing that an vnperfect Truce for sixe yeares was consented vnto which lasted but a while For shortly after King Henries returne into England Vnfortunately it hapned that the Ladie Anne wife vnto the Regent The Regents wife dyeth and sister to the Duke of Burgoine died And not long after hee married the faire and fresh Ladie Iaquet daughter vnto Peter Earle of S. Paul The Regent newly maried and thereby allied himselfe to the ancient and honorable Familie and house of Luxenbourgh and from thenceforth the great loue The Regent looseth a good friend which for many yeares had made the Regent and his brother in law the Duke of Burgoin fortunate happie waxed faint and feeble by meanes whereof the Duke won nothing and the Regent became lesse powerfull then he had beene in former times 1432. 11 The Truce broken The solemnities of this mariage were no sooner finished but that the six yeares truce which was so lately concluded was quite broken and warre began to threaten the effusion of much bloud For the aduerse part by secret vnderminings and trecherous perswasions possessed it selfe daily of many of the Regents Castles and Townes and iustified that manner of proceeding by affirming That politike gainings without blowes infringed not any Truce and so farre off were the Frenchmen from restoring those things which by those subtleties they had gained that to procure more Treason discouered they secretly conuaied two hundred Souldiers into the Castle of Roan hoping to haue surprized it but the treason was reuealed and the Conspirators were with maine strength beaten into the Dungeon From whence they were sentenced some to the Gallowes others to death by cruell torments others to sharpe imprisonment and such of them as sped best were for great ransomes and summes of money set at large 1433. 12 Talbots name was terrible in France These coales quickly kindled the fire of rage in so much that either partie made it selfe strong by the speedie supply of a new Armie And the Regents forces were much augmented by Iohn Lord Talbot who was of late redeemed out of prison who though hee brought with him out of England but only eight hundred chosen men at Armes yet his name and his presence more terrified the Frenchmen The Frenchmen would not fight then halfe the English Armie besides Oftentimes the two Armies by their neare approch striued to out-face and to daunt each other And twice the Regent boldly challenged the Frenchmen to entertaine the fight but they only made faire shewes to performe much and seemed as if they thirsted to make themselues famous by their manhood yet in two seuerall places and at two times they fled in the night and would not in any sort hazard their Fortunes in the field Now A Rebellion in Normandy whilest the Regent was thus carefully employed abroad the Rustickes of Normandie treacherously attempting to shake off the English yoke which was neuer burthensome vnto them rudely armed themselues and marched towards Cane exercising much violence and crueltie in all places where they did preuaile The Rebels are subdued But they were speedily encountred and ouerthrowne by the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Willoughby who slew more than a thousand of them and tormented their rebellious Leaders and Captaines with sundry sorts of deaths but permitted the baser sort to return home The Earle of Arundell slaine This noble and couragious Earle purposing to reseise for King Henrie the Towne of Rue which grieuously punished the Countries of Ponthew Arthois and Bolenois perceiued as hee marched that an old decayed Castle called Gerbory neere vnto Beauois was newly reedified and made strong This Castle hee assaulted with great courage but being mortally wounded on the ancle with the shot of a Culuerine hee was taken prisoner from the ground but within few daies after he died About the same time the Duke of Burbon who about eighteene yeares before was taken prisoner at the battaile fought at Agencourt paied his ransome of eighteene thousand pounds The Duke of Bourbon is ransomed and dieth but died in London the same day in which hee intended to set forwards towards France In the end of the raigne of King Henrie the Fifth The Regent and the Duke of Burgoine haue stout stomacks we may reuiew or remember what a precise charge and command that King gaue to his Brethren and to his Nobles neuer to loose the amitie and friendship of Philip Duke of Burgoine and this Historie maketh mention how carefull they haue beene euer since to obserue his counsell in that behalfe but the busie tongues of Tell-tales and of foisting Flatterers obtayning credit where reprehension was more fitting preuailed in such sort That the said Duke causelesly waxed iealous and his loue was cold towards the Regent Tale-bearers or Tale-tellers yet through the perswasions and by the mediation of their honorable friends an enteruiew to reuiue their friendship was procured and S. Omers was the place appointed for that purpose But when they both had made their entrance into that Towne The Duke of Bedford because he was Regent and the sonne brother and Vncle vnto Kings expected the prioritie of visitation by the Duke but he because he was the Lord and Soueraigne of that Towne supposed that he should be checked for dishonorable basenesse if hee should first repaire to the Regents lodging These conceits touching their preheminence and superioritie were very likely to distemper their humors more then formerly they had beene For the preuenting whereof their friends endeuoured to perswade them both to meete together in some indifferent place But the Regent refused to yeeld thereunto So they departed and left the Towne The Duke of Burgoine forsakes the Regent beeing both displeased and discontented with each others haughtinesse of spirit and great stomacke And forthwith the Duke of Burgoine entred into