King Henrie hauing heard their sute and willing with spéed to performe the same raised a great tax among his subiects rated after euerie hide line 20 of land which they held taking of ech one thrée shillings towards the paiment of the monie which was couenanted to be giuen with hir at the time of the contract Which when the king had leuied with much more towards the charges to be emploied in sending hir foorth he appointed certeine of his greatest péeres to safe conduct hir vnto hir husband who with all conuenient speed conueied hir into Germanie and in verie honorable maner there deliuered hir vnto the foresaid emperour After this the king went into Normandie and there created his sonne William line 30 duke of that countrie causing the people to sweare fealtie and obedience to him whereof rose a custome that the kings of England from thencefoorth so long as Normandie remained in their hands made euer their eldest sonnes dukes of that countrie When he had doone this with other his businesse in Normandie he returned into England In this yeare about the fiftéenth daie of October the sea so decreased and shranke from the old accustomed water-markes and coasts of the land here in line 40 this realme year 1114 that a man might haue passed on foot ouer the sands and washes for the space of a whole daie togither so that it was taken for a great woonder It was also noted that the maine riuers which by the tides of the sea vsed to ebbe and flow twice in 24. houres became so shallow that in many places men might go ouer them without danger and namlie the riuer of Thames was so lowe for the space of a day and a night that horsses men and children passed line 50 ouer it betwixt London bridge and the tower and also vnder the bridge the water not reaching aboue their knées Moreouer in the moneth of December the aire appeared red as though it had burned In like maner the Winter was verie extreame cold with frosts by reason whereof at the thawing and breaking of the yce the most part of all the bridges in England were broken and borne downe Not long after this Griffin ap Rees tooke a great preie and bootie out of the countries subiect to the line 60 king within the limits of Wales and burned the kings castels bicause he would not restore such lands and possessions vnto him as apperteined to his father Rées or Rice Howbeit the king notwithstanding this businesse being not otherwise troubled with any other warres or weightie affaires deferred his voiage into those quarters and first called a councell of his lords both spirituall and temporall at Salisburie on the nintéenth daie of March wherein manie things were ordeined for the wealth and quiet state of the land And first he sware the Nobilitie of the realme that they should be true to him and his sonne William after his deceasse Secondlie he appeased sundrie matters then in controuersie betwixt the Nobles and great Péers causing the same to be brought to an end and the parties made freends the diuision betwixt the archbishops of Yorke and Canturburie which had long depended in triall and could not as yet haue end excepted For ambitious Thurstane would not stand to any decrée or order therin except he might haue had his whole will so that the king taking displeasure with him for his obstinate demeanor commanded him either to be conformable to the decrée made in Lanfranks time or else to renounce his miter which to doo rather than to acknowledge any subiection to the archbishop of Canturburie he séemed to be verie willing at the first but afterwards repented him of his speech passed in that behalfe Now when the councell was ended and the king went ouer into Normandie he followed trusting by some meanes to persuade the king that he might haue his furtherance to be consecrated without recognizing any obedience to the sée of Canturburie but the king would not heare him whereby the matter rested long in sute as heereafter shall appeare ¶ Hereby it is plaine as Polydor saith how the bishops in those daies were blinded with couetousnesse and ambition not considering that it was their duties to despise such worldlie pompe as the people regard and that their calling required a studious endeuour for the health of such soules as fell to their charge Neither yet remembred they the simplicitie of Christ and his contempt of worldlie dignitie when he refused to satisfie the humor of the people who verie desirouslie would haue made him a king but withdrew himselfe and departed to a mountaine himselfe alone They were rather infected with the ambition of the apostles contending one with another for the primasie forgetting the vocation where to Christ had separated them not to rule as kings ouer the gentiles but to submit their necks to the yokes of obedience as they had Christ their maister an example and president ¶ Here is to be noted that before this time the kings of England vsed but seldome to call togither the states of the realme after any certeine maner or generall kind of processe to haue their consents in matters to be decreed But as the lords of the priuie councell in our time doo sit onlie when necessitie requireth so did they whensoeuer it pleased the king to haue any conference with them So that from this Henrie it may be thought the first vse of the parlement to haue proceeded which sith that time hath remained in force and is continued vnto our times insomuch that whatsoeuer is to be decreed touching the state of the commonwealth and conseruation thereof is now referred to that councell And furthermore if any thing be appointed by the king or any other person to be vsed for the wealth of the realme it shall not yet be receiued as law till by authoritie of this assemblie it be established Now bicause the house should not be troubled with multitude of vnlearned cōmoners whose propertie is to vnderstand little reason and yet to conceiue well of their owne dooings there was a certeine order taken what maner of ecclesiasticall persons and what number and sort of temporall men should be called vnto the same and how they should be chosen by voices of free holders that being as atturnies for their countries that which they confessed or denied should bind the residue of the realme to receiue it as a law This counsell is called a parlement by the French word for so the Frenchmen call their publike assemblies The maner of their consulting heere in England in their said assemblies of parlement is on this wise Whereas they haue line 10 to intreat of matters touching the commoditie both of the prince and of the people that euerie man may haue free libertie to vtter what he thinketh they are appointed to sit in seuerall chambers the king the bishops and lords of the realme sit in
in the beginning of this parlement were openlie called Robert Uéer duke of Ireland Alexander Neuill archbishop of Yorke Michaell de la Poole earle of Suffolke sir Robert Trisilian lord cheefe iustice of England to answer Thomas of Woodstoke duke of Glocester Richard earle of Arundell Henrie earle of Derbie and Thomas earle of Notingham vpon certeine articles of high treason which these lords did charge them with And forsomuch as none of these appeared it was ordeined by the whole assent of the parlement that they should be banished for euer and their lands and goods mooueable and vnmooueable to be forfeit and seized into the kings hands their lands intailed onelie excepted Shortlie after was the lord chéefe iustice Robert Trisilian found in an apothecaries house at Westminster lurking there to vnderstand by spies dailie what was doone in the parlement he was descried by one of his owne men and so taken and brought to the duke of Glocester who caused him forthwith the same daie to be had to the tower and from thence drawne to Tiburne and there hanged On the morrow after sir Nicholas Brambre that sometime had beene maior of London was brought foorth to iudgement and condemned although he had manie fréends that made sute to saue his life This man had doone manie oppressions within the citie of London as was reported In his maioraltie he caused great monstruous stocks to be made to imprison men therein and also a common axe to strike off the heads of them which should resist his will and pleasure for he was so highlie in the kings fauour that he might doo what he would And the report went that he had caused eight thousand or more to be indicted which before had taken part with the lords intending to haue put them all to death if God had not shortened his daies Manie other euill fauoured reports went abroad of him as that he meant to haue changed the name of London and to haue named it little Troie of which citie baptised with that new name he purposed to be intituled duke But these were forged rumors deuised and spred abroad in those daies as manie other were partlie by the vaine imagination of the people and partlie of purpose to bring those whome the king fauoured further out of the peoples liking But now touching sir Nicholas Brambre in the end being thus called to answer his transgressions he was found giltie and had iudgement neither to be hanged nor drawne but to be beheaded with his owne are which before he had deuised seruing him heerein as Phalaris the tyrant sometime serued Perillus the inuentor of that exquisite line 10 torment of the brasen bull wherein the offendor being put and the counterfet beast by force of fier made glowing hot hauing his toong first cut out through extreamitie of paine made a bellowing alwaies as he cried as if it had béene the verie noise of a naturall bull Of which strange torment Perillus himselfe first tasted suffering death by an engine of his owne deuising which he thought should haue purchased him a good liuing whereof the poet saith Vâ— Phalaris tauro violentus membra Perilli line 20 Torruit infelix imbuit autor opus After this sir Iohn Salisburie sir Iames Berneis both knights and lustie yoong men were by iudgement of parlement drawne and hanged Then folowed Iohn Beauchampe of the Holt lord steward of the kings house that had serued king Edward the third and his sonne Lionell duke of Clarence who likewise by decrée of this parlement was drawne and hanged Also Iohn Blake esquier who in an infortunate houre stood against the lords in the councell line 30 at Notingham was now drawne and hanged and so was one Thomas Uske Last of all or as some hold first of all was sir Simon Burlie beheaded although the earle of Derbie did what he could to saue his life by reason whereof great dissention rose betwixt the said earle and the duke of Glocester for the duke being a sore and a right seuere man might not by any meanes be remooued from his opinion and purpose if he once resolued vpon any matter Some spite he bare as was thought towards the line 40 said sir Simon Burlie both as well for the faithfull fréendship which was growne betwixt the duke of Ireland and the said sir Simon as also for that he looked to haue had such offices and roomes which sir Simon inioied by the kings gratious fauour and grants thereof to him made as the Wardenship of the cinque ports and constableship of the castell of Douer and the office of high chamberleine ¶ But now bicause of all these which were condemned and executed at this parlement in our common chronicles there is least written and in Froissard and line 50 diuerse priuate pamphlets I haue read most of this sir Simon I haue thought good to set downe some part of his life so largelie as this volume may well beare although a great deale more briefe than where I found it This sir Simon was the son of sir Iohn Burlie knight of the garter and brought vp in his youth vnder his kinsman doctor Walter Burlie who as in the latter end of king Edward the third you haue heard was one of the chiefe that had charge in line 60 the bringing vp of the Blacke prince eldest sonne to the said king Edward By this occasion he grew into such fauour with the prince that afterwards the said prince committed vnto him the gouernance of his sonne Richard of Burdeaux who as he was of a genâ—le and courteous nature began then to conceiue so great loue and liking towards him that when he came to the crowne and was king he aduanced him highlie to great honours and promotions in somuch that at one time other he was made knight of the gartâ—r constable of Douer lord Waâ—den of the cinque ports lord chamberleine earle of Huntington and also one of the priuie councell to the king Neither was there any thing doone concerning the affaires apperteining vnto the state without his counsell appointment and direction wherein he so much fauoured and leaned to the partie of the duke of Ireland that he was sore enuied and greatlie hated of diuerse of the rest of the nobilitie speciallie of the kings vncle the duke of Glocester who vpon malice that he bare to the man not so much for his owne demeanour as for his alies and peraduenture for desire of his roomes more than of his life caused him to be accused of diuerse offenses against the crowne realme and church namelie for that he had as they surmized against him spoiled and wasted the kings treasure and withholden the paie of the souldiers and men of warre wherevpon he was arrested called to account hauing no clerke allowed him to make vp the same was found in arrerages 250000 franks And although for one part thereof he demanded allowance of monie which be had
French king whom they chose as arbitrator betwixt them Herevpon on the thirtéenth of September both the king and quéene with their sonnes and diuerse other of the nobles of this land tooke shipping and sailed ouer to Bullongne where the French king as then was at a parlement with a great number of the nobles and péeres of France The earle of Leicester also with diuerse of his complices went thither and there the matter was opened argued and debated before the French king who in the end vpon due examination and orderlie hearing of the whole processe of all their controuersies gaue expresse sentence that all and euerie of the said statutes and ordinances deuised at Oxford should be from thencefoorth vtterlie void and all bonds and promises made by king Henrie or anie other for performance of them should likewise be adnihilated fordoone and clearelie cancelled The barons highlie displeased herewith refused to stand to the French kings award herein bicause he had iudged altogither on the kings side Wherevpon after they were returned into the realme either partie prepared for warre but yet about the feast of S. Edward the king and the barons eftsoones met at London holding a new parlement at Westminster but no good could be doone Then when the king of Almaine and prince Edward with others of the kings councell saw that by rapine oppression and extortion practised by the barons against the kings subiects as well spirituall as temporall the state of the realme and the kings honour was much decaied and brought in manner vnto vtter ruine they procured the king to withdraw secretlie from Westminster vnto Windsore castell of which his sonne prince line 10 Edward had gotten the possession by a traine From Windsore he went to Reading and from thence to Wallingford and so to Oxford hauing a great power with him At his being at Oxford there came vnto him the lord Henrie son to the king of Almaine Iohn earle Warren Roger Clifford Roger Leiborne Haimond le Strange and Iohn de Uaux which had reeuolted from the barons to the kings side Iohn Gifford also did the like but he shortlie after returned to line 20 the barons part againe The kings sonne the lord Edward had procured them thus to reuolt promising to euerie of them in reward by his charter of grant fiftie pounds lands to aid the king his father and him against the barons After this the king went to Winchester and from thence came backe vnto Reading and then he marched foorth with his armie vnto Douer where he could not be suffered to come into the castell being kept line 30 out by the lord Richard Gray that was capteine there Herevpon he returned to London where the barons againe were entred through fauour of the commoners against the will of the chéefe citizens and here they fell eftsoones to treat of agréement but their talke profited nothing And so in the Christmasse wéeke the king year 1264 with his sonne prince Edward and diuerse other of the councell sailed ouer againe into France and went to Amiens where they found the French king and a great number of his Nobles Also for the barons Peter de Montford and other were line 40 sent thither as commissioners and as some write at that present to wit on the 24 daie of Ianuarie the French king sitting in iudgement pronounced his definitiue sentence on the bahalfe of king Henrie against the barons but whether he gaue that sentence now or the yeare before the barons iudged him verie parciall and therefore meant not to stand vnto his arbitrement therein The king hauing ended his businesse with the French king returned into England and came to line 50 London the morrow after S. Ualentines day And about seuen or eight daies after the lord Edward his eldest sonne returned also and hearing that the barons were gone to the marshes of Wales where ioining with the Welshmen they had begun to make warre against the kings freends and namelie against his lieutenant Roger lord Mortimer whome they had besieged in the castell of Wigmore the lord Edward therevpon with such power as he could get line 60 togither marched thitherwards to raise their siege but the lord Mortimer perceiuing himselfe in danger fled priuilie out of the castell and got to Hereford whither the prince was come The barons inforced their strength in such wise that they wan the castell Prince Edward on the other side tooke the castels of Haie and Huntington that belonged vnto the earle of Hereford yoong Henrie de Boun. The castell of Brecknoc was also deliuered into his hands which he béetooke to the kéeping of the lord Roger de Mortimer with all the territorie thereto belonging Robert earle of Darbie that tooke part with the barons besieged the citie of Worcester and tooke it by the old castell sacked the citizens goods and constreined the Iewes to be baptised The citie of Glocester also was taken by the barons but prince Edward following them and reparing the bridge ouer Seuerne which the barons had broken downe after they were come ouer he entred the castell of Glocester with his people The next day by procurement of Walter bishop of Worcester a truce was taken betwixt prince Edward and the barons that had taken the towne during the which truce the barons left the towne and the burgesses submitted themselues vnto prince Edward and so he hauing the castell and towne in his hands imprisoned manie of the burgesses fined the towne at the summe of a thousand pounds Then he drew towards his father lieng at Oxford or at Woodstoke gathering people togither on ech hand In the meane time the lords drew towards London and the new assurance by writing indented was made betweene the communaltie of the citie and the barons without consent of any of the rulers of the citie The commoners herewith appointed of themselues two capteins which they named constables of the citie that is to saie Thomas Piwelsoon Stephan Bukerell by whose commandement and â—olling of the great bell of Paules all the citie was warned to be readie in harnesse to attend vpon the said two capteins About the beginning of Lent the constable of the towre sir Hugh Spenser with the said two capteins and a great multitude of the citizens and others went to Thistleworâ—â— and there spoiled the manour place of the king of Almaine and then set it on fire and destroied the water milles and other commodities which he there had This déed was the cause as some haue iudged of the warre that after insued For where before this time the said king of Almaine had beéne by reason of the alliance betwixt him and the earle of Glocester continuallie an intreater for peace he was now euer after this time an vtter enimie vnto the barons and vnto their side so farre as laie in his power The king hearing of this riotâ—â—us act and being informed
they had not time to arme themselues and so were distressed and ouercome Yet the lord Iohn d'Euille brake out and incountring line 50 with sir Gilbert Hansard ouerthrew him and escaped out of danger Great slaughter was made on ech hand and in the meane while the Nobles and gentlemen sought to get out of perill by flight The earle of Darbie got into a church but he was descried by a woman and so was taken There were manie other also taken amongst them the lord Baldwine Wake and sir Iohn de la Haie with much paine escaped This battell was foughten about the midst of Maie or vpon Whitsun éeue as the Chronicle line 60 of Dunstable saith Those that escaped as the lord Iohn d'Euille and others gaue not ouer yet but assembling themselues togither in companies kéeping within woods and other desert places brake out oftentimes and did much mischéefe On the ninth of August they tooke the I le of Elie and so strengthned it that they held it a long time after spoiling and robbing the countries round about them as Norffolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire The bishop of Elie had vndertaken to keepe the I le to the kings vse but being now dispossessed therof he got him awaie and fell to cursing them that were thus entred against his will but they séemed to passe litle vpon his thundering excommunications On the 16 of December they came to the citie of Norwich and spoiling it tooke manie of the wealthie citizens and ransomed them at great summes of monie The lord Henrie Hastings and Simon de Pateshull with diuerse others got them into the castell of Killingworth and dailie went foorth at their pleasures spoiling and wasting the townes about them or causing them to fine with them to be spared And this they forced not to doo although the lord Edmund the kings sonne laie in Warwike to cut them short of such their licentious doings The king therfore mening to haue the said castels of Killingworth by force began his siege about the same vpon the éeuen of S. Iohn Baptist. But the lord Henrie Hastings the capteine of that castell and other his complices defended it so stronglie that though the king inforced his power to the vttermost to win it of them yet could he not anie thing preuaile till at length vittels began to faile them within and then vpon the eeuen of saint Thomas the apostle before Christmasse the lord Henrie Hastings deliuered the said castell into the kings hands vpon condition that he and all other should haue life and limme horsse and armour with all things within the place to them belonging And thus this siege had continued from the 26 of Iune vnto the 20 day of December ¶ Here is to be remembred that at the beginning of the siege there were within the castell a thousand and seuen hundred armed men and eight score women beside lackies and coisterels Here is also to be remembred that whilest the siege laie before Killingworth by the aduise of the kings councell and of the legat Othobone there were twelue péeres appointed and chosen foorth which should deuise and make ordinances touching the state of the realme and the disherited persons who according to their commission ordeined certeine prouisions the which are conteined within the statute intituled Dictum de Killingworth The king after that the castell of Killingworth was deliuered to his hand left therein his sonne Edmund and went himselfe to Couentrie or as other haue to Oxford and there held his Christmasse year 1267 Shortlie after comming to Westminster he held a parlement there studieng to set a quietnesse in all matters and controuersies depending betwixt him and the barons In this parlement sentence was giuen against earle Ferrers for the forfeiture of his earledome then was Edmund the kings yoonger sonne put in possession both of the earledome of Darbie and Leicester On the sixt of Februarie being sundaie the king came to S. Edmundsburie and staieng there till the two and twentith of the same moneth set foreward that day towards Cambridge where he laie with his armie the better to bridle them that kept the I le of Elie against him He laie there all the Lent season And in the meane time the earle of Glocester taking great displeasure for that he might not haue his will as well for the banishing of strangers as for restitution to be made vnto the disherited men of their lands he began a new sturre and assembling a great power in the marshes of Wales came néere vnto London pretending at the first as though he had come to aid the king at length he got licence of the maior and citizens to passe through the citie into Southwarke where he lodged with his people and thither came to him shortlie sir Iohn d'Euille by Southerie side bringing with him a great companie The maior caused the bridge and water side to be kept and watched both day and night with armed men and euerie night was the drawbridge drawne vp but within a while the earle vsed the matter so that he was permitted to lodge within the citie with certeine of his men by reason whereof he drew more and more of his people into the citie so that in the end he was maister of the citie and in Easter wéeke tooke the keies of the bridge into his hands The legat comming foorth of the towre repaired to the church of S. Paule vnder a colour to preach the croisey but in the end of that his exhortation he turned his words to the earle of Glocester admonishing him to obeie the king as he was bound by his line 10 allegiance And further whereas the earle had giuen commandement that no victuals should be suffered to be brought into the tower where the popes legat was lodged he thought himselfe euill vsed in that behalfe sith he was a mediator for peace and no partaker But when the earle seemed to giue small regard to his words he got him secretlie againe into the tower with certeine noble men the kings freends meaning to defend it vnto the vttermost of their powers line 20 There entred also into the tower a great number of Iewes with their wiues and children vnto whome one ward of the tower was committed to defend which they did in that necessitie verie stoutlie Manie of the citizens fearing a new insurrection auoided out of the citie whose goods the earle seized into his owne vse or suffered his men to spoile the same at their pleasures The most part of all the commons of the citie tooke part wich the earle and in a tumult got them to the Guildhall and there chose for their line 30 maior or custos of the citie Richard de Colworth knight and for bailiffes Robert de Linton and Roger Marshall discharging the old maior and shiriffes of their roomes Diuerse aldermen were committed to prison and their goods sequestred and much part thereof
pace forum fit felix cultus agrorum Pax pietas mentis pax est pincerna salutis The French councell weied nothing at all these offers and would not so much as once vouchsafe to giue an answer to the English ambassadors earnestlie requiring the same Finallie the French K. sent vnto the citie of Anion which is knowne to belong vnto the dutchie of Guien where he there caused the king of England to be cited to make his appeerance at Paris at a certeine daie to answer to the iniuries and rebellions by him doone in the countrie of Gascoigne at the which daie when he appéered not the French king sitting in the seat of iudgement in his owne proper person gaue sentence there against the king of England for making default and withall commanded the high conestable of France to seize into his hands all the duchie of Guien and either to take or to expell all the king of Englands officers souldiers and deputies which were by him placed within the said duchie The king a little before had sent thither a valiant knight named the lord Iohn saint Iohn which had furnished all the cities townes castels and places with men munition and vittels for defense of the same In the meane time the king of England desirous to be at quiet with the Frenchmen appointed his brother Edmund earle of Lancaster as then soiourning in France to go vnto the French kings councell to procure some agréement which both might be allowed of the French king and not be dishonorable vnto him But when the earle could not preuaile in his sute he tooke his iournie towards England vtterlie despairing to procure any peace But yer he came to the sea side year 1294 he was sent for backe againe by the two quéenes of France Ione wife to king Philip and Marie his mother in law which promised to frame some accord betweene the two kings and so therevpon after diuerse communications by them had in the matter with the said earle of Lancaster at length it was accorded that for the sauing of the French kings honour which séemed to be touched by things doone by the king of Englands ministers in Gascoigne six castels should remaine at the said kings pleasure as Sanctes Talemond Turnim Pomeroll Penne and mount Flaunton Also there should be set a seruant or sergeant in the French kings name in euerie citie and castell within all the whole duchie of Guien except Burdeaux Baion and the Rioll And further hostages should be deliuered at the French kings pleasure of all ministers to be placed by the king of England in Gascoigne and other places through all the country These things doone the French king should reuoke the summons published and pronounced in the court of Paris against the king of England Also he shuld restore all the castels his seruants being remooued which he had placed in the same togither with the pledges incontinentlie at the request of the same queenes or of either of them The king of England hauing a safe conduct should come to Amiens that there méeting with the French king peace and amitie might be confirmed betwixt them Then were there writings made and ingrossed touching the forsaid articles of agréement one part deliuered to the earle sealed with the seales of the quéenes and other remained with the foresaid quéenes sealed with the seale of the earle The king of England certified hereof sent his letters patents directed vnto all his officers and ministers in Gascoigne commanding them to obeie in all things the French kings pleasure These letters patents were first sent vnto the earle of Lancaster that he might cause them to be conueied into Gascoigne when he should sée time The earle hauing receiued those letters doubting whether the French K. line 10 would obserue the agreement which the queenes had made and concluded or not required of them that he might heare the French king speake the word that he would stand vnto that which they had concluded Wherevpon in the presence of the said earle and his wife Blanch queene of Nauar mother to the French queene also of the duke of Burgoigne Hugh Ueere sonne to the earle of Oxenford and of a chapline called sir Iohn Lacie the French king promised by the faith of a prince that he would fulfill the line 20 promises of the said quéenes and the couenants by them accorded Herevpon a knight of the earles of Lancaster called sir Geffrey de Langley was spéedilie sent into Gascoigne with letters from the French king directed to the conestable to call him backe againe from his appointed enterprise And the foresaid chapleine sir Iohn Lacie was sent also thither with the letters patents of the king of England directed vnto his officers there in forme as is aboue mentioned line 30 whervpon the lord Iohn saint Iohn the king of Englands lieutenant in Gascoigne vnderstanding the conclusions of the agreement sold all such prouisions as he had made and brought into the cities townes and fortresses for the defense of the same and departing out of Gascoigne came towards Paris to returne that waie into England But behold what followed suddenlie by the enimie of peace was the French kings mind quite changed And where the king of England was come line 40 vnto Canturburie and kept his Easter there that immediatlie vpon the receipt of the safe conduct he might transport ouer the seas and so come to Amiens according to the appointment made by the agreement now not onelie the safe conduct was denied but also the first letters reuocatorie sent vnto the conestable to call him backe by other letters sent after were also made void and he by the latter letters appointed to kéepe vpon his iournie so that the conestable entring into Gascoigne with a power found no line 50 resistance the capteins and officers submitting them selues with the townes and fortresses at his pleasure according to the tenor of the letters patents latelie to them deliuered All the officers and capteins of the fortresses were brought to Paris as captiues and pledges Within a few daies after the earle of Lancaster required the quéenes that they would call vpon the king to grant his safe conduct for the king of England to reuoke the citation or summons to restore line 60 the lands taken from him and to deliuer the pledges but the French king by the mouths of certeine knights sent vnto the earle renounced all such couenants as before had béene concluded The earle of Lancaster then perceiuing that both he and his brother king Edward were mocked thus at the French kings hands returned into England and informed the king his councell from point to point of all the matter Herevpon a parlement being called at Westminster at the which the king of Scotland was present it was decréed by the states that those lands which were craftilie taken so from the K. should be recouered againe by the sword And the king herewith
arriued at length in Scotland where he atchiuing great victories as in the Scotish chronicle yée may read more at large was finallie crowned king of that realme It may séeme a woonder to manie that the king of England would permit Edward Balioll to make his prouision thus in England and to suffer his people to aid him against his brother in law king Dauid that had married his sister as before ye haue heard Indéed at the first he was not verie readie to grant their suit that mooued it but at length he was contented to dissemble the matter in hope that if Edward Balioll had good successe he should then recouer that againe which by the conclusion of peace during his minoritie he had through euill counsell line 10 resigned out of his hands The Scots neuerthelesse in December chased their new king Edward Balioll out of Scotland so that he was faine to retire into England and celebrated the feast of the Natiuitie at Carleill in the house of the friers minors and the morrow after being S. Stephans day he went into Westmerland where of the lord Clifford he was right honorablie receiued to whome he then granted Douglas Dale in Scotland which had béene granted to the said lord Cliffords grandfather in the daies line 20 of king Edward the first if he might at anie time recouer the realme of Scotland out of his aduersaries hands year 1333 After this he went and laie a time with the ladie of Gines that was his kinsewoman Finallie about the téenth day of March hauing assembled a power of Englishmen and Scotishmen he entred Scotland and besieged the towne of Berwike during the which siege manie enterprises were attempted by the parties and amongst other the Scots entred line 30 England by Carleill dooing much mischiefe in Gillesâ—and by burning killing robbing and spoiling The king aduertised hereof thought himselfe discharged of the agréement concluded betwixt him and Dauid Bruce the sonne of Robert Bruce that had married his sister therfore tooke it to be lawfull for him to aid his coosen Edward Balioll the lawfull K. of Scots And herewith assembling an armie came to the siege of Berwike togither with his brother Iohn of Eltham earle of Cornewall and other noble men séeking line 40 by all meanes possible how to win the towne and finallie discomfited an armie of Scots which came to the rescue theerof vpon Halidon hill in sleaing of them what in the fight and chase seuen earles nine hundred knights and baronets foure hundred esquiers and vpon 32 thousand of the common people and of Englishmen were slaine but 15 persons as our English writers make mention The Scotish writers confesse that the Scotishmen lost the number of 14 thousand line 50 On the morrow following being S. Margarets day the towne of Berwike was rendered vnto king Edward with the castell as in the Scotish chronicle ye may read with more matter touching the siege and battell aforesaid and therfore here in few words I passe it ouer King Edward hauing thus sped his businesse left a power of men with Edward Balioll vnder the conduct of the lord Richard Talbot and returned himselfe backe into England appointing the lord Percie to be gouernor of the towne of Berwike line 60 and sir Thomas Grey knight his lieutenant The lord Iohn Darcie lord chéefe iustice of Ireland leauing the lord Thomas Bourgh his deputie in that countrie passed ouer with an armie into Scotland to aid the king who as ye haue heard was there the same time in person And so by the king on one side and by the Irishmen on an other Scotland was subdued and restored vnto Balioll who the morrow after the octaues of the Natiuitie of our ladie held a parlement at saint Iohns towne in the which he reuoked and made void all acts which the late king of Scots Robert Bruce had inacted or made and further ordeined that all such lands and possessions as the said Bruce had giuen to any maner of person should be taken from them and restored to the former and true inheritour In this yeare about the twelfth of October Simon Mepham archbishop of Canturburie departed this life in whose place succeeded Iohn Stretford being remooued from the see of Winchester whereof he was bishop before that he was thus called to the see of Canturburie After Candlemas the king of England repaired towards Yorke there to hold a parlement to the which beginning on the mondaie in the second wéeke in Lent when Edward Balioll doubting to be surprised by his aduersaries could not come yet he sent the lord Henrie de Beaumont and the lord William de Montacute to make excuse for him The king of England passing further into the north parts held his Whitsuntide at Newcastell vpon Tine with great roialtie and shortlie after Edward Balioll king of Scots came thither and vpon the nintéenth daie of Iune made his homage vnto the king of England and sware vnto him fealtie in the presence of a great number of Nobles and gentlemen there assembled as to his superiour and chiefe lord of the realme of Scotland binding himselfe by that oth to hold the same realme of the king of England his heires and successors for euer He also gaue and granted vnto the king of England at that time fiue counties next adioining vnto the borders of England as Berwike and Rocksburgh Peplis and Dunfres the townes of Hadington and Gedworth with the castell the forrests of Silkirke Etherike and Gedworth so as all these portions should be cléerelie separated and put apart from the crowne of Scotland and annexed vnto the crowne of England for euer And these things were confirmed and roborated with oth scepter and witnesse sufficient Which things doone in due order as was requisite the king of England returned home and the kings went backe into Scotland And then were all such lords restored againe to their lands and possessions in Scotland which in the daies of Edward the second had béene expelled from the same and now they did their homage vnto the king of Scotland for those lands as apperteined ¶ Immediatlie after the king of England called a councell of his lords spirituall and temporall at Notingham commanding them to meet him there about the thirtéenth daie of Iulie there to consult with him of weightie causes concerning the state of the realme This yeare on saint Clements daie at night which fell on the thrée and twentith of Nouember through a maruellous inundation rising of the sea all alongst by the coasts of this realme but especiallie about the Thames the sea bankes or walles were broken and borne downe with violence of the water and infinite numbers of beasts and cattell drowned fruitfull grounds and pastures were made salt marishes so as there was no hope that in long time they should recouer againe their former fruitfulnesse In this meane time the French king was
sléepe and hoong heauie in some mens hands by the space of two yeares and in others thrée yeares without a chapman For it was enacted in a certeine parlement that the merchants of England should not passe out of the land with wooll and other merchandize but should bring the same vnto twelue places within the realme appointed for the same purpose that the merchants strangers might haue recourse thither with their commodities and so by exchange should transport our merchandize for theirs By meanes whereof the merchants of England did forbeare to buy wooll and other wares vntill the next parlement insuing wherein it was granted them to traffike whither they would with their commodities In these daies wooll was dogcheape for one stone of good wooll of the chosen and piked sort was sold for thrée shillings and in Leicester and Kent at some times for two shillings or two and twentie pence This scarsitie of victuals was of greatest force in Leicester shire in the middle parts of the realme And although it was a great want yet was not the price of corne out of reason For a quarter of wheat when it was at the highest was sold at Leiceister for 16 shillings 8 pence at one time and at other times for a marke or fourteene shillings at London and other places of the land a quarter of wheat was sold for ten shillings or for litle more or lesse For there arriued eleuen ships laden with great plentie of victuals at diuerse places of the land for the reliefe of the people Besides this the citizens of London laid out two thousand marks to buy food out of the common chest of orphans and the foure and twentie aldermen euerie of them put in his twentie pound a peece for necessarie prouision for feare of famine likelie to fall vpon the citie And they laid vp their store in sundrie of the fittest and most conuenient places they could choose that the néedie and such as were wroong with want might come buy at a certeine price so much as might suffice them and their familie and they which had not readie monie to paie downe presentlie in hand their word and credit was taken for a yeares space next following and their turne serued Thus was prouision made that people should be relieued and that none might perish for line 10 hunger On Christmasse day a dolphin that came foorth of the sea vp the Thames vnto London-bridge was espied of the citizens as he plaied in the water and being followed pursued with much adoo was taken He was ten foot long and a monstrous growne fish so as the sight of him was strange to manie that beheld him He was thought by his comming so farre into the landward to foreshew such stormes and tempests line 20 as within a wéeke after did raginglie follow Ye haue heard how the matter for a treatie of peace had béene first broched by the French king year 1392 by sending ambassadors to the king of England to mooue the same Which motion being throughlie considered of the estates assembled in this last parlement it was decréed that it should go forward as before ye haue heard and so about Candelmasse the lord Thomas Persie sir Lewes Clifford and sir Robert Briquet with diuerse other in their companie were sent ouer to the French king and comming to line 30 Paris found him lodgd in his house of Loure where they declared to him the good affection of the king their maister toward peace And the better to bring it to passe they shewed that king Richards desire was to haue some place and time appointed for commissioners to méet with authoritie to treat and conclude vpon articles as should be thought expedient The French king greatlie honored these ambassadors in feasting and banketting them for the space of six daies togither and for answer concluded with line 40 them that he himselfe with his vncles and other of his councell would be at Amiens by the middest of March next insuing there to abide the king of Englands comming and his vncles if it should please them thither to come The English ambassadors said there was no doubt but that either the king himselfe or his vncles shuld be there at the day assigned with full authoritie to conclude anie agréement that should seeme reasonable line 50 and so those ambassadors returned with great gifts presented on the kings behalfe to ech of them sir Robert Briquet excepted vnto whome it séemed the French king bare no great good will for that being a Frenchman borne he had euer serued the Nauarrois or Englishmen and was now one of king Richards priuie chamber The king of England as some write was once minded to haue passed the seas himselfe to haue met the French king at Amiens at the time appointed but finallie the duke of Lancaster line 60 the bishop of Durham and others were sent thither with a traine néere hand of a thousand horsses At their comming into France they were roiallie receiued for the French king had made no lesse preparation for the duke of Lancasters comming than if he had béene emperor The duke of Lancaster verelie was estéemed to be a verie mightie prince and one of the wisest and sagest princes in all christendome in those daies so that it séemed the French king reioised greatlie that he might come to haue conference with him There were with the French king héere at Amiens his brother the duke of Thoureigne his vncles the dukes of Berrie Burbon and Burgognie a great number of earles lords and other nobles of the realme of France Before the Englishmens comming for auoiding of strife and debate that might arise betwixt the English and French a proclamation was set foorth conteining certeine articles for the demeanor which the French men should obserue towards the Englishmen Whilest they there remained all the Englishmens charges were borne by the French king from their setting foorth from Calis till they came backe thither againe As touching their treatie manie things were proponed diuerse demands made and some offers though to small purpose for they tooke not effect insomuch as they departed without concluding anie thing further than that the â—ruce which was to end at Midsummer next was prolonged to continue one yéere more that in the meane time the lords and estates of the realme of England might assemble and with good aduise deliberate whether it were more expedient to agrée vnto a determinate peace or to pursue the doubtfull chances of warre And such was the end of that roiall ambassage to the furnishing foorth whereof the king demanded an aid as well of the abbats and priors as of the cities and good townes through the whole realme Anon after the returne of the duke of Lancaster and other the ambassadors that had béene at Amiens a councell of the lords and chiefe states of the realme was called at Stamford the which as if it had béene vnto
of euerie thing that was said or doone King Henrie after the returne of his ambassadors determined fullie to line 20 make warre in France conceiuing a good and perfect hope to haue fortunate successe sith victorie for the most part followeth where right leadeth being aduanced forward by iustice and set foorth by equitie And bicause manie Frenchmen were promoted to ecclesiasticall dignities as some to benefices and some to abbeies and priories within the realme and sent dailie innumerable summes of monie into France for the reléefe of their naturall countrimen line 30 and kinsfolke he therefore in fauour of the publike wealth of his realme and subiects in a councell called at London about Michaelmas caused to be ordeined that no stranger hereafter should be promoted to anie spirituall dignitie or degree within this realme without his especiall licence and roiall consent and all they that should be admitted should find sufficient suerties not to disclose the secrets of this realme to anie forren person nor to minister aid or succour to anie of them with monie or by anie other line 40 meanes This was confirmed in a conuocation called at the same time by the new archbishop of Canturburie Moreouer such as were to go vnto the generall councell holden at Constance were named and appointed to make them readie for the king hauing knowledge from the emperor Sigismund of the assembling of that councell thought it not conuenient to sit still as an hearer and no partaker in so high a cause which touched the whole state of the christian line 50 common-wealth as then troubled by reason of the schisme that yet continued Wherefore he sent thither Richard earle of Warwike the bishops of Salisburie Bath and Hereford the abbat of Westminster and the prior of Worcester with diuerse other doctors and learned men of the spiritualtie besides knights and esquiers They were in number eight hundred horsses so well appointed and furnished as well the men as horsses that all nations meruelled to see such an honorable companie come from a countrie line 60 so far distant Diuerse other things were concluded at that present for the king had caused not onelie the lords o◠the spiritualtie but also of the temporaltie to assemble here at London the same time to treat speciallie of his iournie that he purposed to make shortlie into France and herevpon meanes was made for the gathering of monie which was granted with so good a will both of the spiritualtie and temporaltie that there was leuied the summe of thrèe hundred thousand markes English and herewith order was giuen to gather a great hoast of men thorough all his dominions And for the more increasing of his nauie he sent into Holland Zeland and Frizeland to conduct and hire ships for the transporting and conueieng ouer of his men and munitions of war and finallie prouided for armour victuals monie artillerie cariage boates to passe ouer riuers couered with leather tents and all other things requisite for so high an enterprise The Frenchmen hauing knowledge hereof the Dolphin who had the gouernance of the realme bicause his father was fallen into his old disease of frensie sent for the dukes of Berrie and Alanson and all the other lords of the councell of France by whose aduise it was determined that they should not onelie prepare a sufficient armie to resist the king of England when so euer he arriued to inuade France but also to stuffe and furnish the townes on the frontiers and sea coasts with conuenient garrisons of men and further to send to the king of England a solemne ambassage to make to him some offers according to the demands before rehearsed The charge of this ambassage was committed to the earle of Uandosme to maister William Bouratier archbishop of Burges and to maister Peter Fremell bishop of Liseux to the lords of Yvry and Braquemont and to maister Gaultier Cole the kings secretarie and diuerse others These ambassadors accompanied with 350 horsses passed the sea at Calis and landed at Douer before whose arriuall the king was departed from Windsore to Winchester intending to haue gone to Hampton there to haue surueied his nauie but hearing of the ambassadors approching he tarried still at Winchester where the said French lords shewed themselues verie honorablie before the king and his nobilitie At time prefixed before the kings presence sitting in his throne imperiall the archbishop of Burges made an eloquent and a long oration dissuading warre and praising peace offering to the king of England a great summe of monie with diuerse countries being in verie déed but base and poore as a dowrie with the ladie Catharine in mariage so that he would dissolue his armie and dismisse his soldiers which he had gathered and put in a readinesse When his oration was ended the king caused the ambassadors to be highlie feasted and set them at his owne table And after a daie assigned in the foresaid hall the archbishop of Canturburie to their oration made a notable answer the effect whereof was that if the French king would not giue with his daughter in mariage the duches of Aquiteine Aniou and all other seigniories and dominions sometimes apperteining to the noble progenitors of the king of England he would in no wise retire his armie nor breake his iournie but would with all diligence enter into France and destroie the people waste the countrie and subuert the townes with blood sword and fire and neuer ceasse till he had recouered his ancient right and lawfull patrimonie The king auowed the archbishops saieng and in the word of a prince promised to performe it to the vttermost The archbishop of Burges much gréeued that his ambassage was no more regarded after certeine brags blustered out with impatience as more presuming vpon his prelasie than respecting his dutie of considerance to whom he spake and what became him to saie he praied safe conduct to depart Which the king gentlie granted and added withall to this effect I little estéeme your French brags lesse set by your power and strength I know perfectlie my right to my region which you vsurpe except you denie the apparant truth so doo your selues also if you neither doo nor will know it yet God and the world knoweth it The power of your master you sée but my puissance ye haue not yet tasted If he haue louing subiects I am I thanke God not vnstored of the same and I saie this vnto you that before one yeare passe I trust to make the highest crowne of your countrie to stoope and the proudest miter to learne his humiliatedo In the meane time tell this to the vsurper your master that within thrée moneths I will enter into France as into mine owne true and lawfull patrimonie appointing to acquire the same not with brag of words but with déeds of men and dint of line 10 sword by the aid of God in whome is my whole trust and confidence
sides but in the end king Edward so couragiouslie comforted his men that the other part was discomfited and ouercome who like men amazed fled toward Tadcaster bridge to saue themselues where in the mid waie is a little brooke called line 10 Cocke not verie broad but of a great déepenesse in which what for hast to escape and what for feare of their followers a great number was drowned there It was reported that men aliue passed the riuer vpon dead carcasses and that the great riuer of Wharfe whereinto that brooke dooth run and of all the water comming from Towton was coloured with bloud The chase continued all night and the most part of the next daie and euer the northerne men as they line 20 saw anie aduantage returned againe and fought with their enimies to the great losse of both parts For in these two daies were slaine as they that knew it wrote on both parts six and thirtie thousand seuen hundred thréescore sixteene persons all Englishmen and of one nation whereof the chiefe were the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the lord Dacres and the lord Welles sir Iohn Neuill Andrew Trollop Robert Horne and manie other knights and esquiers and the earle of Deuonshire line 30 was taken prisoner but the dukes of Summerset and Excester fled from the field and saued themselues After this great victorie king Edward rode to Yorke where he was with all solemnitie receiued and first he caused the heads of his father the earle of Salisburie and other his freends to be taken from the gates and to be buried with their bodies and there he caused the earle of Deuonshire and thrée other to be beheaded and set their heads in the same line 40 place King Henrie after he heard of the irrecouerable losse of his armie departed incontinentlie with his wife and sonne to the towne of Berwike and leauing the duke of Summerset there went into Scotland and comming to the king of Scots required of him and his councell aid and comfort The yoong king of Scots lamenting the miserable state of king Henrie comforted him with faire words and friendlie promises and assigned to him a competent pension to liue on during his abode in line 50 Scotland King Henrie in recompense of this courtesie and friendship deliuered to the king of Scots the towne of Berwike whereof he had got possession He faithfullie supported the part of king Henrie and concluded a mariage betwixt his sister and the yoong prince of Wales but the same was neuer consummate as after ye shall heare When king Henrie was somwhat setled in the relme of Scotland he sent his wife and his sonne into France to king Reiner hir father trusting by his aid and succour to assemble line 60 an armie and once againe to recouer his right and dignitie but he in the meane time made his aboad in Scotland to see what waie his friends in England would studie for his restitution The quéene being in France did obteine of the yoong French king then Lewes the eleuenth that all hir husbands friends and those of the Lancastriall band might safelie and suerlie haue resort into anie part of the realme of France prohibiting all other of the contrarie faction anie accesse or repaire into that countrie ¶ Thus ye haue heard how king Henrie the sixt after he had reigned eight and thirtie yeares od moneths was driuen out of this realme But now leauing him with the princes of his part consulting togither in Scotland and queene Margaret his wife gathering of men in France I will returne where I left to proceed with the dooings of king Edward This yoong prince hauing with prosperous successe obteined so glorious a victorie in the mortall battell at Towton and chased all his aduersaries out of the realme or at the least waies put them to silence returned after the maner and fashion of a triumphant conquerour with great pompe vnto London where according to the old custome of the realme he called a great assemblie of persons of all degrees and the nine twentith daie of Iune was at Westminster with solemnitie crowned and annointed king ¶ In which yeare this king Edward called his high court of parlement at Westminster in the which the state of the realme was greatlie reformed and all the statutes made in Henrie the sixt his time which touched either his title or profit were reuoked In the same parlement the earle of Oxford far striken in age and his sonne and heire the lord Awbreie Uéer either through malice of their enimies or for that they had offended the king were both with diuerse of their councellors attainted and put to execution which caused Iohn earle of Oxford euer after to rebell There were also beheaded the same time sir Thomas Tudenham knight William Tirell and Iohn Montgomerie esquiers and after them diuerse others Also after this he created his two yoonger brethren dukes that is to saie lord George duke of Clarence lord Richard duke of Glocester and the lord Iohn Neuill brother to Richard earle of Warwike he first made lord Montacute and afterwards created him marques Montacute Beside this Henrie Bourchier brother to Thomas archbishop of Canturburie was created earle of Essex and William lord Fauconbridge was made earle of Kent To this Henrie lord Bourchier a man highlie renowned in martiall feats Richard duke of Yorke long before this time had giuen his sister Elizabeth in mariage of whome he begat foure sonnes William Thomas Iohn and Henrie the which William being a man of great industrie wit and prouidence in graue and weightie matters maried the ladie Anne Wooduile descended of high parentage whose mother Iaquet was daughter to Peter of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule by the which Anne he had lord Henrie earle of Essex one daughter named Cicile maried to Water lord Ferrers of Chartleie and an other called Isabell which died vnmaried The earle of Kent was appointed about this time to kéepe the seas year 1462 being accompanied with the lord Audeleie the lord Clinton sir Iohn Howard sir Richard Walgraue and others to the number of ten thousand who landing in Britaine wan the towne of Conquet and the Isle of Reth and after returned When all things were brought in order and framed as king Edward in maner could wish Henrie duke of Summerset sir Rafe Persie and diuerse other being in despaire of all good chance to happen vnto king Henrie came humblie submitted themselues vnto king Edward whome he gentlie receiued Which clemencie notwithstanding both the one and the other when time serued reuolted from king Edward and betooke themselues to take part with Henrie vnto whom they had béene adherents before bicause they grew in hope that in the end the confederats to whom they so closelie did cleaue both in affection and seriousnesse of labour though they pretended a temporall renunciation of all dutie and seruice for their securitie sake should haue the honor
durst not to represse the rages of the people which they might haue done so therof also insued such a scab as passed their cure and such a fire as they were not able to quench For the commons hauing now their willes were set vpon a pin that the game was theirs and that they had woone the garland before they had runne the race nothing forecasting what might insue nor yet accounting what follie it is to triumph before the victorie Wherfore they assemble confederat themselues throughout the whole shire in great troops and companies and doo associat and flocke vnto them the Cornish people minding to ioine togither and foolishlie to mainteine what rashlie they had begun The king and councell then occupied in the weightie causes concerning the state of Scotland being aduertised of this towards rebellion respecting the speedie redresse thereof sent foorthwith for sir Peter Carew knight who then was in Lincolneshire and for sir Gawen Carew who was then attendant at the court and to them commandement was giuen that foorthwith and with all spéed they should hasten and depart into Deuon and there to vse by the aduise of the iustices all the best meanes and waies that they might for the appeasing of this rebellion quieting of the people and pacifieng of the countrie and to cause euerie man quietlie to returne to his home and to refer the causes of their griefs and complaints if they had anie vnto the king and councell and if they then refused so to doo they to vse such other good means and waies as might be for the suppressing of them And the councell being dailie more and more aduertised that these begun rebellions did more and more increase and doubting of the sequele thereof by reason that in other places of the realme the like tumults were begun though not for the like causes doo direct and giue an order to the lord Russell then lord priuie seale and after earle of Bedford that he also should follow and dispatch himselfe into Deuon and he had a commission to deale in such order as he might best doo for the pacifieng of the said tumults and vprores The foresaid two knights hauing receiued their commission vnder the kings hand came in post into the countrie and making their repaire to this citie doo foorthwith send for sir Péers Courtneie then shiriffe and the iustices of the peace of the countrie and vnderstanding that a great companie of the commons were assembled at Crediton which is a towne distant about seauen miles from Excester and that among them were the Sampford men who were the chiefe of them tooke councell aduise what was best to be doone and what waie méetest to be taken In the end it was concluded that the said sir Peter and sir Gawen with others should ride to Crediton there to haue conference and spéeches with the said commons and to vse all the good waies and meanes they might to pacifie appease them they then supposing and being persuaded that by good spéeches and gentle conferences they should haue béene able to haue compassed and persuaded the said commons But the people being by some secret intelligence aduertised of the comming of the gentlemen towards them and they fullie resolued not to yéeld one iote from their determinations but to mainteine their cause taken in hand doo arme and make themselues strong with such armors and furnitures as they had they intrench the high waies and make a mightie rampire at the townes end and fortifie the same as also the barns next adioining to the said rampires with men and munition hauing persed the walles of the barns with loopes and holes for their shot The foresaid gentlemen knowing nothing hereof line 10 rode on their iourneie and being come almost to the towne they were aduertised how the waies were stopped and rampired and that they could not ride into the towne Whervpon they alighted from their horsses and after a little conference had they agréed to go into the towne on foot nothing thinking lesse that they should be stopped or denied to go in on foot But when they came to the rampires they found the contrarie for they not onelie were denied to come néere the rampire but vtterlie were refused to be talked withall no offers of persuasions nor motions line 20 of conference at all could be allowed For the sun being in cancer the midsummer moone at full their minds were imbrued in such follies and their heads caried with such vanities that as the man of Athens they would heare no man speake but themselues and thought nothing well said but what came out of their owne mouths The gentlemen vpon such checks taking the matter in euill part to be so vnreuerentlie and discourteouslie intreated with one consent doo agree to line 30 make waie ouer the rampire But in the aduenture thereof they were so galled both by them which kept the rampires and speciallie by such as were within the barnes that they were faine to retire and giue place with the losse of some and the hurt of manie In which distresse a certeine seruing man named Fox and reteining to sir Hugh Pollard suddenlie set one of the barnes on fire wherevpon not onelie such as were therein but all they also which were in the rampires fled and ran awaie And then the gentlemen line 40 hauing recouered the rampire went into the towne but there they found none except a few poore and old people the residue trusting better to their héeles than to their armes were fled to a further place and then they returned againe to Excester without anie thing doone The noise of this fire and burning was in post hast and as it were in a moment carried and blazed abroad throughout the whole countrie and the common line 50 people vpon false reports and of a gnat making an elephant noised and spread it abroad that the gentlemen were altogither bent to ouer-run spoile and destroie them And in this rage as it were a swarme of wasps they cluster themselues in great troops and multitudes some in one place and some in an other fortifieng and intrenching themselues as though the enimie were readie to inuade and assaile them And among other places one was at a village belonging to the lord Russell named S. Marie Clift distant from Excester about two miles line 60 where the commons of the countrie thereabout had begun to fortifie the towne for their defense safetie The cause and pretense of their dooings herein was not onelie the burning of the barnes at Crediton aforesaid which all the commons generallie did vse for a cloke of this their rising and rebellion but this one thing also increased their disposition It happened that a certeine gentleman named Walter Raleigh dwelling not far from thense as he was vpon a side holie daie riding from his house to Excester ouertooke an old woman going to the parish church of saint Marie
further in their attempts so that the king and the councell would not alter the religion but suffer it to remaine and tarie in the same state as king Henrie the eight left it vntill the king himselfe came to his full age Sir Peter Carew and all the residue nothing liking this answer being farre from their expectation were for the time in a great dumpe or studie but in the end misliked and discommended both the matter and the maner of their dealings insomuch that sir Peter Carew and sir Péerce Courtneie then shiriffe of Deuon openlie sharpelie and in plaine termes inueied against them for their slender or rather sinister dealings in so weightie a cause wherein they all ought rather to haue vsed all meanes to haue suppressed their outrages than to haue mainteined their follies and therefore as there was a blame in them so was there a plaine rebellion in the other But though the two knights would haue excused the matter and haue purged their sinceritie herein yet on ech side words were so multiplied that they brake asunder without anie further dealings and euerie man shifted for himselfe some one waie some an other waie The commons vnderstanding hereof stop all the high waies casting great trenches and laieng great trées ouerthwart the same and doo watch ward the same and by that meanes sundrie gentlemen suspecting no such matter and making waie to their appointed places were intrapped taken and put in prison and manie of them kept in durance during the whole time of the commotion abode great hardnesse and were in perill of life and limme manie were taken bicause they would be taken found fauour manie forsaking their houses and home were driuen to sequester and hide themselues in woods secret places In the citie none or verie few remained or taried sauing six or seuen persons then knowne of for by conference had before with the maior it was knowne that the citie was vnprouided of sufficient vittels méet for such a companie as the foresaid gentlemen were The gentlemen which taried and remained in the citie namelie sir Roger Blewet knight Iohn Beauchampe Bartholomew Fortescute Iohn Courtneie Iohn Peter customer esquiers and others did verie good seruice as well in their persons as in their good aduises and counsels sauing such as secretlie kept themselues close in certeine houses then vnknowne Sir Peter Carew verie earlie in the next morning tooke his horsse and the high waies being then not stopped he escaped and rode vnto George Henton a place of sir Hugh Paulets in Summersetshire where was the lord Russell being then newlie come from London and vnto him he gaue to vnderstand how all things had passed who foorthwith dispatched and sent him awaie to the king and councell to aduertise them of the same The king at the first hearing of the matter was verie much grieued in great perplexitie in two respects the one bicause at this instant the like tumults and rebellions though for an other cause were now raised and begun in other places the other was bicause he was inforced to leaue and giue ouer the appointed attempt for the conquest of Scotland and to imploie now those soldiors and strangers whome he had reteined for that seruice for the quenching of this fire kindled at home Neuerthelesse minding to follow the first and to appease the last he sent verie courteous letters gratious proclamations and manie mercifull offers vnto all the commons of these parties to haue pacified and satisfied them if they had had so much grace so to haue accepted it The commons being now entered in their follies and hauing driuen the gentlemen to the flight doo openlie shew themselues traitors rebels and therefore assembling themselues doo appoint out capteins to direct order both themselues and all their procéedings and as the common prouerbe is Like lips like lettice as is their cause so are the rulers the one being not so bold and euill as they wicked or woorse The capteins then are these Underhill a tailor Maunder a shoomaker Seager a labourer and Aâ—sheredge a fishdriuer with sundrie other such like the woorst men and the reffuse of all others thought most méet in this seruice Howbeit it was not long before that certeine gentlemen and yeomen of good countenance and credit both in Deuon and Cornewall were contented not onelie to be associats of this rebellion but also to carrie the crosse before this procession and to be capteins and guiders of this wicked enterprise as namelie in Deuon sir Thomas Pomeroie knight Iohn Burie and one Coffin gentlemen in Cornewall Humfrie Arundell and Winneslade esquiers Holmes a yeoman with sundrie others who for the most part were in the end executed and put to death and their facts to the memoriall of their perpetuall infamie line 10 recorded in chronicles The principall chiefe capteins in Deuon being fullie resolued by their owne power and authoritie to mainteine continue the religion according to the Romish church vtterlie to impugne the reformatision therof established by act of parlement to support the authoritie of the idoll of Rome whome they neuer saw in contempt of their true and lawfull king whome they knew and ought to obeie these I saie sent their messengers vnto the maior of this citie line 20 whose name was Iohn Blackaller to mooue and praie him to ioine with them they thinking that they hauing by these meanes the libertie to haue frée accesse to and from the citie and the helpe of the citizens should not want monie or armor or anie thing else to serue their turne the maior foorthwith aduertised vnto his brethren this motion And albeit some and the chiefest of them did like were well affected to the Romish religion yet respecting their dutie to God their obedience to the king their fidelitie to their countrie and safetie of themselues gaue their line 30 full resolute and direct answer that they would not ioine nor deale with them at all This answer was nothing liked and therefore sent they their second messenger requiring and commanding them to mainteine the old catholike religion with them and to doo as they did or else they would besiege them and perforce compell them thervnto The maior and his brethren returned their former answer adding moreouer that they in their dooings line 40 were wicked bad men they did would repute them for enimies and rebels against God their king and countrie and so renounced them The one side therefore as they prepare to besiege the citie and to worke all the extremities they can by force to take that which by words they can not obteine so on the other side the maior and his brethren vpon good aduise garded and watched the citie with sufficient men armed both by daie and by night The rebels according to their determination relieng themselues line 50 vpon a vaine hope
articles to the French king The emperor â—â—mmeth at 〈◊〉 houre of â—â—dience The words of Clarenceâ—ux king of armes to the emperor The emperor giueth the heralds libertie to speake The inconueniences of warre mooued to the emperor The herald prosecuteth the state of Rome the pope in lamentable sorâ— The herald mooueth the emperor with the king of Englands example c. The herald commmeth to the verie drift of his message What the king of EnglaÌ„d desireth of the emperour in the French kings behalfe The king of Englands meaning and the French kings for the returne of the emperours subiects out of their countries and contrariwise The emperors words to Guien the French kings herald How the emperor was affectioned for the pope in his captiuitie The emperor seemeth loth to incur the â— of Englands displeasure The report of the herald falleth out iustifiable by Guicciardines discourse lib. 18. The king of England fauoured the French king The herald useth an argument drawne from benefits receiued to mooue the emperour The herald of England sheweth the emperour what is the king of Englands present determination â—f his offers be refused The disposition of the king of England to the pope and the French king The defiance intimated to the emperor by the herald of England Libertie granted to the emperors subiects in England and France to returne to their owne countries and the like demanded on the contrarie part The emperors modestiâ— in this point notable The English herald is coÌ„manded by the emperour to leaue his oration behind him in writing Guic. pag. 1085. Accord betwéene the pope the emperours agents Heauie paiments for the pope to discharge Guic. pag. 1085 The manner of the popes going out of prison The emperors words to the French herald This the emperor inferreth to iustifie his owne dealings by waie of comparison The heralds receiue the emperors answer in writing The sâ—auen twentith â—â—th Guic. pag. 1â—â—1 This speach of the kings dooth wholie concerne the emperor and fauoureth of displeasure What induced the French king to vse some discourtesie against the emperors ambassadors The king answereth the emperours words vttered to Guien his herald The French K. saith that constraint and necessitie made him tractable to the emperor The emperors ambassador refuseth to read the French kings letters sent to his souereigne The French king deliuereth his mind with a corage as vtter enimie to the emperour The French kings allegations in defense of his honor charged with vntruth The French king giueth the emperor the lie sée Guic. pag 10â—â— This Robertet was one of the secretaries to the estate The emperor answereth the French kings letters What states both natiue and forren were present in the French kings hall Who stood on either side of the French kings seate roiall The king sheweth the first cause of this assemblie of honorable personages Further causâ— whie the said assemblie was procured The French king in 〈◊〉 of all his 〈…〉 that he 〈◊〉 gaue his faith to 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 ergo not to the emperour The king â—rosecuteth the discourtesâ—e of the emperour in his â—eclaration The field that is a place where they may safelie come to fight in 〈◊〉 before indifferent iudges Guic. pag. 1091. The French kings talke and communication to the emperors ambassador vttered with indignation The herald requireth libertie to depart The emperoâ—â— defied by the kings of England and France English merchants staied in Spaine The incoÌ„moditie rising of lacke of intercourse for traficke An abstinence of war granted vpon sute made to the king of England Creation of the earle of Osserie Sir Edmund Walsingham A truce and the benefits insuing from the same The sweating sickenesse whereof died both courtiers and others Sir William Compton Abr. Fl. ex 〈◊〉 pag 959. A prisoner brake froÌ„ the sessions house Register of Greie friers DoctorLongland bishop of Lincolne Why the cardinall was suspected to be against the marriage Polydor. Edw. Hall The king is desirous to be resolued by the opinions of the learned touching his marriage Cardinall Campeius sent into England The matter touching the kings marriage debated The quéene chooseth lawyers for hir part Polydor. Doctor StephaÌ„ Gardner Doctor Pace falleth out of his wits Anno Reg. 21. Edw. Hall Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 959. The maner of the session euerie personage of account in his place The king and queene called into the court Quéene Katharines lamentable and pâ—â—hie spéech in presence of the court The quéene iustifieth the mariage The quéene departing onâ— of the court is called againe The cardinall requireth to haue that declared which was well enough known The king confesseth that the sting of conscience made him mislike this mariage The state of the question The king submitteth himselfe to the censures of the learned in this case of diuorse The quéene accuseth cardinall Wolsie She appeleth to the pope The king mistrusteth the legats of séeking delaies The present mariage whie thought vnlawfull Quéene Katharine and the cardinals haue câ—mmunication in hir priuie chamber The quéene refuseth to make sudden answer to so weightie a matter as the diuorse The king quéenes matter commeth to iudgement Cardinall Campeius refuseth to giue iudgement The kings affection and goodwill to the ladie Anne Bullen The secret working and dissimulation of cardinall Wolseie The king coÌ„ceiueth displeasure against the cardinall Edw. Hall Articles exhibited against the cardinall The cardinall sued in a premunire Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 966 967. The cardinall is loth to part from the great seale The cardinall discharged of the great seale The cardinall calleth all his officers to accounts The cardinall of Yorke goeth to Asher and hath his plentie turned into penurie Iohn Scute and Edmund Iennie The cardinall condemned in a premunire The bishoprike of Duresme giuen to doctor Tunstall The duchesse of Sauoy and the duchesse â—â— Angolesme méet about â— treatie oâ— peace Edw. Hall in H. 8. fo clxxxâ—â— Read more hereof in Guic. pag. 1145. deinceps The womens peace Sir Thomas Moore lord chancellor Edw. Hall in H. 8. fo clxxxâ—â— An oration made in the audience of the parlement by sir Thomas Moore Wherein the person of the king is properlie reputed a ruler Thomas â—udleie chosen speaker An oration made by the speaker of the parlement The commoÌ„s of the lower house complaine against the clergie The bishops sticke hard against these billes The saieng of Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester A complaint made to the king against the bishop of Rochester The bishops excuse to the kings maiestie Hard hold betwéene the lords spirituall and temporall about the probats of willes and mortuaries The loane of monie released to the king which he borowed in anno reg 15. The matter of testaments and mortuaries moderated by the king All against the cleargie both head and taile Articles â—â—hâ—bited against the cardinall of Yorke Creation of earles at Yorke place A speciall argument in disproofe of the
and there ouermatched fell to galoping Which thing when the king beheld he was not yet any whit therewith abashed but like an hardie captein as he was no lesse indéed comforted his footmen whom he had about him and rushing vpon his enimies bare them downe and ouerthrew so manie as stood before him so that with the point of his weapon he made himselfe waie His footmen who were but a few in number to the multitude of his enimies counteruailed in all points the prowes and manlike dooings of their king and capteine insomuch that few battels had beene better fought nor with greater slaughter on both sides if the kings fore ward which in maner at the first shranke backe and was disordered not without some supicion of treason had staied the brunt of the enimies a while as it had béene requisite At length the king encountring with the earle of Chester being ouercharged with multitude was taken prisoner by one William de Cahames Earle Baldwine who had made the oration in the kings behalfe was also taken after he had fought valiantlie and receiued manie sore wounds likewise Richard Fitzvrse who on that daie had shewed good proofe of his manhood and had giuen and receiued manie a sore stripe To conclude all those that abode with the king and namelie all the footmen were taken prisoners those which were slaine in the place excepted This battell was fought in the sixt yeare of king Stephans reigne vpon Candlemas daie being sundaie as Niger saith The king being apprehended and brought to the empresse lieng at Glocester was commanded by hir to be conueied in safetie vnto Bristow where he was kept as prisoner from that time of his taking vntill the feast of All saints next ensuing Not long after this field fought as ye haue heard Geffrey earle of Aniou husband to the empresse receiuing aduertisement of this victorie atchiued in England foorthwith inuaded Normandie inducing all the Nobles of the countrie to incline vnto him for by publishing the captiuitie of king Stephan it was easie for him to come by the possession of the same Moreouer Dauid king of Scotland entred into Northumberland and by commandement of the empresse tooke the countrie into his hands whilest she like a woman of great wisedome as she was no lesse indéed iudging that it stood hir vpon to vse the victorie which fell to hir lot slept not hir businesse but went forward and setting from Glocester she came to Winchester where she was honorablie receiued of bishop Henrie though he was king Stephans brother and inwardlie lamented the misfortune of the king Then came she backe againe to Wilton and so to Oxenford from thence to Reading and then to S. Albons into all which cities and townes she was receiued with great triumph and honour Hauing thus passed through all the south parts of the realme on that side she finallie came to London where the citizens welcomed hir in most ioifull and hartie maner Now being come to London and consulting with those of hir councell for the quieting of the whole state of the realme queene Maud wife to king Stephan for so she was also called made humble suit vnto hir to haue hir husband set at libertie promising that he should resigne his whole claime and title into hir hands and content himselfe with a priuate life But hir suit was so farre off from being granted that she was reiected and cast off with reprochfull words Wherevpon she conceiued a most high displeasure and vnderstood well inough that peace was to be purchased by force of armes onelie and not by any other meanes insomuch that with all diligence she sent to hir sonne Eustace then being in Kent willed him to prepare an armie which he did most spéedilie It chanced at the same time that the citizens of London made great and laborious suit vnto the said empresse that they might haue the lawes of king Edward the Confessour restored and the straight lawes of hir father king Henrie abolished But for so much as they could get no grant of their petition and perceiued the empresse to be displeased with them about that importunat request wherein onelie she ouershot hir selfe they deuised how and by what meanes they might take hir prisoner knowing that all the Kentishmen would helpe to strengthen them in their enterprise But reckoning with hir selfe that Nil pâ—terit propera tutius esse fuga And being warned thereof she fled by night out of the citie and went to Oxenford determining to be reuenged vpon hir aduersaries when time should serue hir turne Herewith she began to wax more displeased both against those Nobles whom she kept in prison other also whom she troubled but namelie king Stephan whom she commanded to be loden with yrons and serued with verie slender diet line 10 Now when she had thus fled out of London which was about the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist the tower of London was besieged which Gefferey de Mandeuile held and valiantlie defended The same Geffrey rushing out on a time came to Fulham where he tooke the bishop of London then lodging in his manor place being one of the contrarie faction Henrie bishop of Winchester perceiuing the wrath of the empresse more and more to increase dailie against line 20 hir people thinking it wisedome to serue the time manned all the castels which he had builded within his dieces as at Waltham Farnham and other places and withdrew himselfe into the castell of Winchester there to remaine till he might sée to what end the furie of the woman would grow This being knowne the empresse tooke vnto hir Dauid king of Scotland that was hir vncle who immediatlie ioining their armies togither went to Winchester and besieged the castell In the meane time the line 30 quéene and hir sonne Eustace with the helpe of their freends as the Kentishmen the Londoners and other had assembled a great armie and appointed the gouernement and generall conduct thereof vnto one William of Ypres a Fleming who for his valiancie was by king Stephan created earle of Kent he was sonne to Philip of Flanders begotten of a concubine his father also was sonne to Robert earle of Flanders surnamed Frisius This William was banished out of his countrie by Theodorike Elsas earle line 40 of Flanders bicause he attempted to bereaue him of his earledome The quéenes armie thus committed to his guiding came néere vnto Winchester and kept the empresse and hir people in maner besieged at length perceiuing the aduantage after the comming of a great supplie of Londoners to their aid they set vpon hir armie as the same was departing with such violence that straightwaies hir host was put to flight and discomfited The empresse was glad to saine hir line 50 selfe dead and so to be conueied in a coch as a dead corps vnto Glocester Hir brother
to assemble at Milford hauen in Penbrokshire with all such prouision and furniture as was thought necessarie for such a iournie Herewith also he leuied a great armie both of horssemen and footmen and came forward with the same vnto Penbroke and so when all his prouision and ships were readie he entred the sea at Milford hauen aforesaid the sixtéenth daie of October and landed in Ireland at a place called Crowch not past seauen miles from Waterford the day next folowing about nine of the clocke and on the morrow after being S. Luke the euangelists day he with all his armie marched foorth to Waterford where he found William Fitz Aldelme his sewer and Robert Fitz Bernard with other whome he had sent thither before him for such purposes as he thought most conuenient He remained at Waterford fiftéene daies during which time there came in vnto him the king of Corke the king of Limerike the king of Ossorie the king of Méeth Reignald de Waterford and diuerse other great princes of Ireland At his first arriuall the foresaid earle Richard surrendred into his hands all those townes and places which he had subdued in that countrie Herewithall the whole land began to tremble so that the rulers of townes and countries sent vnto him messengers offering to become tributaries and to deliuer hostages for whilest euerie of those rulers which had the gouernment of Ireland in their hands feared their owne estate and mistrusted their owne powers they all in maner submitted themselues so that this victorie chanced to king Henrie without the drawing foorth of his sword and in such wise that he could not haue wished for better or more speedie successe therein For whereas the whole Iland was diuided into sundrie dominions and ruled by sundrie gouernours not drawing all one waie but through factions and contrarie studies one enuieng an others wealth for Non bene cum socijs regna venúsque manent Socijsque comes discordia regnis nothing more hindred the fierce and vnquiet nation from making resistance than in that they could not agrée to take councell togither for defending of their liberties and entier state of the commonwelth Whervpon whilest euerie of them apart by himselfe was in doubt to attempt the hazard of war against so mightie a king they were all ouercome as were the Britons likewise in the time of Cesar and the Saxons King Henrie therefore gladlie receiued their humble submission and they dooing homage vnto him sware to be his liege and faithfull subiects Onelie Roderike gouernour of Connagh refused to submit himselfe This Roderike pretended to be the chéefe king of Ireland and therefore kept continuall war with the other rulers which was partlie the cause wherefore they submitted themselues so soone vnto king Henrie The said Roderike held that part of Ireland which lieth toward the west being full of great and thicke woods and defended with verie high great mountaines closed also with waters and marishes so that it should be verie hard and speciallie in the winter season to bring an armie vnto it which was the onelie cause whie king Henrie attempted nothing against Roderike at that time but tooke in hand to plant garisons of souldiers in places conuenient to kéepe the land in quiet which he had woone alreadie and to giue order for the gouernement of the whole estate of the countrie to his behoofe and commoditie Hervpon going to Dublin which is the cheefest citie of all Ireland he assembled all the rulers and lords as well spirituall as temporall togither in councell consulting with them for the assurance of the dominion of the land to him and his heires for euermore The Irish men alleged for themselues that his deuise therin could not be compassed vnles the popes authoritie were therein first obteined for they affirmed that immediatlie vpon receiuing the christian faith they did submit themselues all that they had vnto the see of Rome so that they could not acknowledge line 10 any for their souereigne lord but onelie the pope Which opinion some of them although vainelie haue holden vnto these our daies King Henrie then vnderstanding this matter dispatched ambassadours to Rome requiring of pope Alexander that he would by his authoritie grant him licence to ioine the countrie of Ireland vnto the realme of England who went thither with all expedition according to their charge And certeinelie these ambassadors whom the king line 20 sent now out of Ireland to Rome in this behalfe returned with better spéed in their message than did the other whom he had sent to him out of Normandie to excuse him of the death of the archbishop Thomas For the pope vpon good aduice taken in this matter considering that he had now no profit growing to him by that I le and that the Irish people being wild and rude were far off from all good order of christianitie in diuerse points thought it would be a meane to bring some gaine to his cofers and the people line 30 more easilie from their naughtie customes if they were once made subiect vnto some christian prince of puissance able to tame them and constreine them by force to be more meeke and tractable In consideration wherof he was content to grant vnto the king all that herein he required Herevpon king Henrie considering in what respect the pope was so readie to accomplish his request called a councell of the bishops to assemble at Cassill where manie things were decréed and ordeined for the reforming of diuerse customes vsed before line 40 amongst the Irish men and méerelie repugnant to the lawes of the christian religion There were also appointed as solicitors in these matters and to sit as assistants with the Irish bishops one of the kings chaplaines named Nicholas and one Rafe the archdeacon of Landaf 1 Amongst other things there concluded it was ordeined that children shuld be brought to the church there to receiue baptisme in faire water with thrée line 50 dippings into the same in the name of the father the sonne and the Holie-ghost and that by the préests hands except in case where danger of death was feared which then might be doone by any other person and in any other place 2 Also it was ordeined that tithes should be paid to churches and that such laie men as would kéepe wiues should keepe them according to the lawes of holie church and not otherwise 3 The Peter pence also that Adrian reserued in line 60 his buls sent to the king touching the same matter in the beginning of his reigne with diuerse other things were in like maner appointed to be paid so that nothing was omitted that might pleasure the pope or recouer his gratious fauour alreadie lost in the matters of Thomas Becket whereof you haue alreadie heard Thus you heare what successe our ambassadours had in this voiage ¶ Now will I tell you yer I procéed any further what strange things
and that all vniust lawes and ordinances should be abrogated line 30 It was also commanded that no shiriffe nor forrester nor other minister of the kings should vpon paine of life and limme take violentlie anie thing of any man by waie of extortion nor presume to wrong anie man or to fine anie man as they had afore time béene accustomed to doo After this the king being come backe from his iournie which he purposed to haue made into Poictow assembled an armie and ment to haue gone line 40 against those lords which had refused to go with him but the archbishop of Canturburie comming to him at Northampton sought to appease his mood and to cause him to staie but yet in his furious rage he went forward till he came to Notingham and there with much adoo the archbishop following him with threatning to excommunicate all those that should aid him procured him to leaue off his enterprise Then the archbishop about the fiue and twentith day of August came to London there to take aduise line 50 for the reformation of things touching the good gouernement of the common-wealth But here whilest the archbishop with other péeres of the realme deuised orders verie necessarie as was thought for the state of the common-wealth the king doubting least the same should be a bridle for him to restreine his authoritie roiall from dooing things to his pleasure he began to find fault and séemed as though he had repented himselfe of his large promises made for his reconciliation but the archbishop of Canturburie line 60 so asswaged his mood and persuaded him by opening vnto him what danger would insue both to him and to his realme if he went from the agreement that he was glad to be quiet for feare of further trouble In this hurlie burlie also the lords and péeres of the realme by the setting on of the archbishop were earnestlie bent to haue the king to restore and confirme the grant which his grandfather king Henrie the first had by his charter granted and confirmed to his subiects which to doo king Iohn thought greatlie preiudiciall to his roiall estate and dignitie The earle of Tholouse hauing lost all his possessions the citie of Tholouse onelie excepted came ouer into England rendred the said citie into the hands of king Iohn and receiued at his departure the summe of ten thousand marks as was reported by the bountifull gift of king Iohn Upon the second of October Geffrey Fitz Peter earle of Essex and lord cheefe iustice of England departed this life a man of great power and autoritie in whose politike direction and gouernement the order of things perteining to the common-wealth chéefelie consisted He was of a noble mind expert in knowledge of the lawes of the land rich in possessions and ioined in blood or affinitie with the more part of all the Nobles of the realme so that his death was no small losse to the commonwelth for through him and the archbishop Hubert the king was oftentimes reuoked from such wilfull purposes as now and then he was determined to haue put in practise in so much that the king as was reported but how trulie I cannot tell séemed to reioise for his death bicause he might now worke his will without anie to controll him The same time to wit about the feast of saint Michaell came Nicholas the cardinall of Tusculane into England sent from the pope to take awaie the interdiction if the king would stand to that agreement which he had made and promised by his oth to performe King Iohn receiued this cardinall in most honorable wise and gladlie heard him in all things that he had to saie This legat at his comming to Westminster deposed the abbat of that place named William from his roome for that he was accused both of wasting the reuenues of the house and also of notable incontinencie Moreouer the burgesses of the towne of Oxford came vnto him to obteine absolution of their offense in that through their presumption the thrée schollers of whom ye haue heard before were hanged there to the great terror of all the residue To be short they were absolued and penance inioined them that they should strip them out of their apparell at euerie church in the towne and going barefooted with scourges in their hands they should require the benefit of absolution of euerie parish preest within their towne saieng the psalme of Miserere After this the said cardinall called a councell or conuocation of the cleargie to reforme such things touching the state of the church as should be thought requisite And though he handled not this matter with such fauour and vprightnesse as the bishops wished on their behalfes yet he caused king Iohn to restore the most part of all those goods that remained vnspent and also the value of halfe of those that were consumed and made awaie vnto those persons as well spirituall as temporall from whom they had béene taken in time of the discord betwixt him and the pope But before all things could be thus quieted and set in order betwixt the king and the bishops manie méetings were had as at London Reading Wallingford and in other places Now the archbishop and prelates for their parts thought this recompense to be but small in respect of the great losses and hinderances which they had susteined and to haue the whole restitution delaied they tooke it not well Howbeit the cardinall leaned so to the kings side hauing receiued of him to the popes vse the charter of subiection of the realmes of England and Ireland now bulled with gold where at the first it was deliuered to Pandulph sealed onelie with wax But their suit came to little effect and in the end it fell out in such wise that their complaint was lesse regarded Moreouer the rating of the value which the king should restore vnto the archbishop and the other bishops was by agréement of the king and them togither appointed vnto foure barons indifferentlie chosen betwixt them At length notwithstanding that deuise tooke no place for it was otherwise decréed by the pope that the king should restore to them the summe of fortie thousand marks of the which he had paid alreadie twelue thousand before the returne of the said archbishop and bishops into the realme and fifteene thousand more at the late meeting had betwixt them at Reading so that there remained onelie 13000 behind for not onelie the king but also the cardinall had sent to the pope requiring him to take direction in the matter and to aduertise him that there was a line 10 great fault in the archbishop and his fellowes In so much that Pandulph which was sent to him from the legat declared in fauour of the king that there was not a more humble and modest prince to be found than king Iohn and that the archbishop and his fellowes were too hard and shewed themselues too couetous in requiring the
king Iohn also came the 15 daie of Iune and shewed such friendlie countenance towards euerie one of them that they were put in good hope he meant no deceipt Being thus met they fell in consultation about an agréement to be had On the kings part as it were sate the archbishops of Canturburie and Dublin the bishops of London Winchester Lincolne Bath Worcester Couentrie Rochester and Pandulph the popes Nuncio with Almerike master of the knights templers the earles of Penbroke Salisburie Warren Arundell Alane de Galoway William Fitz Gerald Peter Fitz Herbert Alane Basset Hugh de Neuill Hubert de Burgh seneschall of Poictou Robert de Ropley Iohn Marshall and Philip de Albenie On the barons part there were innumerable for all the nobilitie of England was in a maner assembled there togither Finallie when the king measuring his owne strength with the barons perceiued that he was not able to resist them he consented to subscribe and seale to such articles concerning the liberties demâ—nded in forme for the most part as is conteined in the two charters Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta beginning Iohannes Deigratia c. And he did not onlie grant vnto them their petitions touching the forsaid liberties but also to win him further credit was contented that they should choose out certeine graue and honourable personages which should haue authoritie and power to sée those things performed which he then granted vnto them There were twentie fiue of those that were so elected namelie these The earles of Clare Albemarle Glocester Winchester and Hereford also earle Roger earle Robert earle Marshall the yoonger line 10 Robert Fitz Walter the yoonger Gilbert de Clare Eustace de Uescie Hugh Bigot William de Mowbray the maior of London Gilbert de la Uale Robert de Roos Iohn constable of Chester Richard de Percie Iohn Fitz Robert William Mallet Geffrey de Saie Roger de Mowbray William de Huntingfield Richard de Mountfichet and William de Albenie These fiue and twentie were sworne to sée the liberties granted and confirmed by the king to be in euerie point obserued but if he went against line 20 the same then they should haue authoritie to compell him to the obseruing of euerie of them Moreouer there were other that were sworne to be obedient and as it were assistant vnto these fiue and twentie péeres in such things as they should appoint which were these The earle of Arundell the earle Warren by his attornie Henrie Doilie Hubert de Burgh Matthew Fitz Herbert Robert de Pinknie Roger Huscarle Robert de Newburgh Henrie de Pont Audoin Rafe de la Hay Henrie line 30 de Brentfield Warren Fitz Gerald Thomas Basset William de Buckland William de saint Iohn Alane Basset Richard de Riuers Hugh de Boneuale Iordain de Sackuille Ralfe Musgraue Richard Siflewast Robert de Ropeley Andrew de Beauchampe Walter de Dunstable Walter Folioth Foukes de Brent Iohn Marshall Philip Daubnie William de Perca Ralfe de Normandie William de Percie William Agoilum Engerand line 40 de Pratellis William de Cirenton Roger de Zuche Roger Fitz Barnard and Godfrie de Grancombe It was further ordered that the chatelains or constables as I may call them of the foure castels of Northampton Killingworth Notingham and Scarborow should be sworne to the fiue and twentie péeres to gouerne those castels in such wise as they should haue in commandement from the said fiue and twentie péeres or from the greater part of them and that such should be placed as chatelains in the same as were thought to be most true and line 50 faithfull vnto the barons and the realme ¶ It was also decreed that certeine strangers as Flemings and other should be banished out of England The king herevpon sent his letters patents vnto the shiriffes of all the counties of this realme commanding them to see the ordinances and liberties which he granted and confirmed to be diligentlie obserued And for the more strengthening of this his grant he had gotten the pope to confirme a like charter line 60 granted the yeare before For the pope sith king Iohn was become his obedient vassall and the apostolike king easilie granted to gratifie both him and his lords herein and so was the grant of the liberties corroborated made good with a double confirmation and so sealed that it was impossible for them to be separated in sunder the kings grant being annexed to the popes bull Immediatlie also vpon the confirmation now made by the king diuerse lords came to him and required restitution of such possessions lands and houses as he had in his hands the right whereof as they alledged apperteined to them but he excused the matter and shifted them off till by inquest taken it might appeare what right euerie man had to those things which they then claimed and furthermore assigned them a daie to be holden at Westminster which was the sixtéenth day of Iulie But yer he restored at that time the castell of Rochester vnto the archbishop of Canturburie the barons hauing obteined a great peece of their purpose as they thought returned to London with their charter sealed the date whereof was this Giuen by our owne hand in the medow called Kuningsmede or Rimemede betwixt Stanes and Windsore the fifteenth of Iune in the eighteenth yeare of our reigne Great reioising was made for this conclusion of peace betwixt the king and his barons the people iudging that God had touched the kings heart and mollified it whereby happie daies were come for the realme of England as though it had béene deliuered out of the bondage of Aegypt but they were much deceiued for the king hauing condescended to make such grant of liberties farre contrarie to his mind was right sorowfull in his heart curssed his mother that bare him the houre that he was borne and the paps that gaue him sucke wishing that he had receiued death by violence of sword or knife in stéed of naturall norishment he whetted his teeth he did bite now on one staffe and now on an other as he walked and oft brake the same in péeces when he had doone and with such disordered behauiour and furious gestures he vttered his gréefe in such sort that the Noble men verie well perceiued the inclination of his inward affection concerning these things before the breaking vp of the councell and therefore sore lamented the state of the realme gessing what would follow of his impatiencie and displesant taking of the matter Herevpon they said among themselues Wo be to vs yea rather to the whole realme that wanteth a sufficient king and is gouerned by a tyrant that séeketh the subuersion therof Now hath our souereigne lord made vs subiect to Rome and to the Romish court so that we must henceâ—oorth obteine our protection from thence It is verie much to be feared least we doo féele hereafter some further peece of mischéefe to light vpon vs suddenlie
earle of Winchester being an earnest meane for him that he might so easilie escape About the same time was a generall truce taken betwixt the king and Lewes and all their partakers till the 20 day after Christmasse for the obteining of which truce as some write the castell of Berkehamstéed was surrendered vnto the same Lewes as before ye haue heard After Christmasse and whilest the truce yet dured year 1218 Lewes and the barons assembled at the councell which they held at Cambridge the lords that tooke part with the king met likewise at Oxford and much talke there was and great trauell imploied to haue concluded some agréement by composition betwixt the parties but it would not be nor yet anie longer truce which was also soâ—ght for could be granted wherevpon Lewes besieged the castell of Hidingham the which togither with the castels of Norwich Colchester and Oxford were surrendered vnto him to haue a truce granted vntill a moneth after Easter next insuing And so by this meanes all the east part of the realme came vnto the possession of Lewes For the I le of Elie was woon by his people a litle before the last truce whilest he himselfe lay in siege at Berkehamstéed except one fortresse belonging to the same I le into the which the souldiers that serued there vnder the king were withdrawen But yet although Lewes might seeme thus partlie to preuaile in hauing these castels deliuered into his hands yet being aduertised that dailie there reuolted diuerse of the barons of England vnto king Henrie which before had taken part with him he stood in great doubt and feare of the rest and therefore furnished all those castels which he had woone with conuenient garrisons and namelie the castell of Hertford and after went to London there to vnderstand what further trust he might put in the rest of the English lords and barons for as diuerse had alreadie forsaken him as it is said so the residue were doubtfull what they were best to doo For first they considered that the renouncing of their promised faith vnto Lewes whome they had sworne to mainteine as king of England should be a great reproch vnto them and againe they well saw that to continue in their obedience towards him should bring the realme in great danger sith it would be hard for any louing agréement to continue betwéene the French Englishmen their natures being so contrarie Thirdlie they stood somewhat in feare of the popes cursse pronounced by his legat both against Lewes and all his partakers Albeit on the other side to reuolt vnto king Henrie though the loue which they did beare to their countrie and the great towardnesse which they saw in him greatlie mooued them yet sith by reason of his yoong yeares he was not able either to follow the wars himselfe or to take counsell what was to be doone in publike gouernement they iudged it a verie dangerous case For whereas in wars nothing can be more expedient than to haue one head by whose appointment all things may be gouerned so nothing can be more hurtfull than to haue manie rulers by whose authoritie things shall passe and be ordered Wherefore these considerations staâ—ed and kept one part of the English lords still in obedience to Lewes namelie for that diuerse of the confederats thought that it stood not with their honours so to forsake him till they might haue some more honorable colour to reuolt from their promises or that the matter should be taken vp by some indifferent agréement to be concluded out of hand betwixt them Hervpon they resorted in like maner vnto London and there with Lewes tooke councell what was to be doone with their businesse touching the whole state of their cause ¶ Here ye shall note that before the concluding of this last truce Fouks de Brent the capteine of the castell of Bedford gat togither a number of souldiers out of the garrisons 〈◊〉 the castels of Oxford Northampton Bedford and Windsor and comming with them to S. Albons the 22 of Februarie he spoiled the towne abbie in like maner as he line 10 had doone all the townes and villages by the way as he passed through the countrie from Bedford vnto S. Albons The messengers which Lewes had remaining in the court of Rome signified vnto him about the same time that except he departed out of England the sentence of excommunication which Gualo or Walo the legat had pronounced against him should be confirmed by the pope on Maundie thursdaie next insuing Wherevpon Lewes was the more inclined line 20 to yéeld to the truce before mentioned that he might in the meane time go ouer into France to his father who had most earnestlie written and sent in commandement to him that in any wise he should returne home to talke with him and so about midlent after the truce was concluded he prepared himselfe and sailed ouer into France and as Polydor saith but with what authoritie I know not the king of Scots went also with him After his departure ouer William earle of Salisburie line 30 William earle of Arundell William earle Warren and diuerse other reuolted to king Henrie Moreouer William Marshall earle of Penbroke so trauelled with his son William Marshall the yoonger that he likewise came to take part with the yoong king whereby the side of Lewes and his Frenchmen was sore weakened and their harts no lesse appalled for the sequele of their affaires Lewes returned yet into England before the truce was expired The lords that held on the kings part in the absence line 40 of Lewes were not forgetfull to vse opportunitie of time for beside that they had procured no small number of those that before time held with Lewes to reuolt from him to the kings side they at one selfe time besieged diuerse castels and recouered them out of their aduersaries hands as Marlebrough Farneham Winchester Cicester and certeine other which they ouerthrew and raced bicause they should not be taken and kept againe by the enimie For ye must vnderstand that the going ouer of line 50 Lewes now at that time when it stood him most vpon to haue beene present here in that troublesome season which he ought to haue regarded with singular circumspection and warilie to haue watched for Virtus est vbi occasio admonet dispicere brought no small hinderance to the whole state of all his businesse in so much that he was neuer so highlie regarded afterwards among the Englishmen as before About the same time Ranulfe earle of Chester line 60 William earle of Albermarle William earle Ferrers Robert de Ueipount Brian de Lisle William de Cantlow Philip de Marc Robert de Gaugi Fouks de Brent others assembled their powers and comming to Mountsorell beside Loughborough in Leicestershire besieged the castell there the capteine whereof was one Henrie de Braibroke This Henrie defended the place right manfully and doubting to be in
daie of Februarie they came foorth and submitted themselues and all that they had vnto the kings pleasure Who caused them to be safelie kept till he might take further aduisement what should be doone with them In the meane while also came the earle of Albemarle who by the helpe means of the archbishop of Yorke and the legat Pandulph purchased peace at the kings hands the rather indeed bicause he had line 40 faithfullie serued both the king and his father king Iohn in their wars before that time All those men of armes souldiers also which had submitted themselues and remained as prisoners were pardoned Which ouer-great clemencie caused other vnrulie persons to attempt the like offense of rebellion shortlie after At the very selfe same time the Welshmen began to sturre and vnder their prince and leader Leolin they entered vpon the English marshes and with great crueltie spoiled and robbed the same line 50 wherevpon it was determined by the councell that the king as he was comming toward the castell of Biham should diuide his armie and so he did sending one part thereof against the Welshmen whervpon Leolin after he vnderstood that the kings power came toward him as one not able to resist the same cast off his armour and submitted himselfe to his mercie There be which write that where prince Leolin had besieged the castell of Buet belonging to Reginald line 60 de Breuse the same Reginald besought the K. to helpe to remooue that siege The king contented with his request came with a puissant armie into those parts and therewith the siege was raised for the Welshmen according to their accustomed maner fled The king then entring further into the countrie came to the place where Mountgomerie now standeth and perceiuing the site of the same to serue well for fortification he caused a castell to be builded there to restreine the Welshmen from their accustomed trade of harrieng the countrie And so after he had foraied those quarters and taken order for the full accomplishment of that castell he returned the Nobles granting to him of euerie knights sée two markes of siluer Things being thus in quiet the king who by dailie experience of matters grew to more knowledge from time to time began now of himselfe to order his affaires for his owne behalfe namelie touching the estate of his kingdome and bicause he was minded to assaie the recouerie of those places which his father had lost in France he ordeined Sauerie de Mauleon to be his lieutenant in Guien whereof a gret part as yet remained in his hands and moreouer sent ambassadours vnto the French king requiring of him restitution of those places which he had taken from his father These oratours being come into France and admitted to the kings presence receiued answer that nothing ought to be restored which by law of armes was rightlie conquered and other redresse at that time would none be granted ¶ But a maruell it was to consider here at home in how short a space the state of the English common-wealth was changed and from a troubled fourme reduced to a flourishing and prosperous degrée chiefelie by the diligent heed and carefull prouision of the king himselfe So much auaileth it to haue him that ruleth to attend that which belongeth to his office After this to the intent that whiles he might be occupied in warres abroad he should not be troubled with ciuill discord at home he deuised to ioine in affinitie with the Scots giuing his sister Ione in mariage vnto Alexander the king of Scotland and Hubert of Burgh on the other side married the sister of the same Alexander called Margaret These marriages were solemnized at Yorke on the morrow after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist in the presence of a great number of the Nobles both of England and Scotland A councell also was holden by the archbishop of Canturburie at Oxford for reformation of the state ecclesiasticall and the religion of moonks ¶ In which councell two naughtie felowes were presentes before him that of late had beene apprehended either of them naming himselfe Christ and preached manie things against such abuses as the cleargie in those daies vsed Moreouer to prooue their errour to haue a shew of truth they shewed certeine tokens and signes of wounds in their bodies hands and féet like vnto our sauiour Iesus that was nailed on the crosse In the end being well apposed they were found to be but false dissemblers wherefore by doome of that councell they were iudged to be nailed vnto a crosse of wood and so those to whom the execution was assigned had them foorth to a place called Arborberie where they nailed them to a crosse and there left them till they were dead The one of them was an Hermophrodite that is to say both man and woman Also there were two women condemned of whom the one had taken vpon hir to be that blessed virgine Marie and the other fained hir selfe to de Marie Magdalene Ralfe Coghshall sheweth this matter otherwise and saith that there were two men and two women brought before the archbishop at this councell of the which one of the men being a deacon was accused to be an apostata for the loue of a woman that was a Iew he had circumcised himselfe being herof conuicted disgraded he was committed to the secular power so burnt by the seruants of Fouks de Brent The other being a yoong man was accused of contemning the sacraments of the church that he suffered himselfe to be crucified hauing the prints of the fiue wounds appearing in his bodie and counterfeiting himselfe to be Christ reioised to haue the two women giue out and spread the rumour abroad that he was Christ in déed one of the which women being verie aged was also accused of witcherie hauing with hir soâ—cerie and witchcraft brought that yoong man vnto such wicked foâ—â—ie and madnesse They two being hereof conuicted were closed vp betwixt two walles where they remained till they died the other woman being sister to the yoong man was pardoned and let go bicause she had reuealed the diuelish practise of the other This yeare also was the building of the stéeple belonging to the church of S. Paule in London finished And this yeare also vpon saint Iames day the line 10 citizens of London kept a plaie of defense and wrestling at the hospitall of saint Iames against other their neighbours of the suburbes and the quarters next adâ—â—â—ning In the end whereof it so fortuned that the Londoners had the vpper hand and amongst other that were put to the foile the steward of the abbat of Westminster with his folkes went awaie with the worst to their great gréefe Wherevpon the same steward deuised an other game of wrestling to be holden at Westminster on Lammas day next line 20 following and that whosoeuer could
get the vpper hand there should haue a ram for the price which the steward had prepared At the day appointed there was a great assemblie and the steward had got togither out of all parts the best wrestlers that might be heard of so that there was hard hold betwixt them and the Londoners But finallie the steward vpon desire of reuenge procured them to fall togither by the eares without any iust cause so that the Londoners were beaten and wounded and constreined to flée backe line 30 to the citie in great disorder The citizens sore offended to see their people so misused rose in tumult and rang the common bell to gather the more companie to them Robert Serle maior of the citie would haue pacified the matter persuading them to let the iniurie passe till by orderlie plaint they might get redresse as law and iustice should assigne But a certeine stout man of the citie namedConstantine Fitz Arnulfe of good authoritie amongst them aduised line 40 the multitude not to harken vnto peace but to seeke reuenge out of hand wherein he shewed himselfe so farre from true manhood that he bewraied himselfe rather to haue had a womans heart quod vindicta Nemomagis gaudet quà m foemina still prosecuting the strife with tooth and naile and blowing the coles of contention as it were with full bellowes that the houses belonging to the abbat of Westminster and namelie the house of his steward line 50 might be ouerthrowne and beaten downe flat with the ground This lewd counsell was soone receiued and executed by the outragious people Constantine himselfe being cheefe leader of them cried with a lowd voice Mount ioy mount ioy God be our aid and our souereigne Lewes This outragious part comming to the notice of Hubert de Burgh lord chéefe iustice he gat togither a power of armed men and came to the citie with the fame and taking inquisition of the cheéfe offendors found Constantine as constant in line 60 affirming the déed to be his as he had before constantlie put it in practise wherevpon he was apprehended and two other citizens with him On the next day in the morning Fouks de Brent was appointed to haue them to execution and so by the Thames he quietlie led them to the place where they should suffer Now when Constantine had the halter about his necke he offered fifteene thousand marks of siluer to haue béene pardoned but it would not be There was hanged with him his nephue named also Constantine and one Geffrey who made the proclamation deuised by the said Constantine The crie also which Constantine vsed to the setting forward of his vnlawfull enterprise in the name of Lewes most of all offended the kings fréends as the lord cheefe iustice and others who not satisfied with the death of the three before remembred persons but also entring the citie againe with their hands of armed men apprehended diuerse of those whome they tooke to be culpable not onelie putting manie of them into prison but also punishing other of them as some with losse of a foot some of an hand and other of their eie-sight The king furthermore to reuenge this matter deposed all the magistrats of the citie and ordeined new in their roomes Which caused great hartburning against diuerse of the Nobilitie but cheefelie the lord Hubert and Fouks de Brent on whome in time they hoped to haue reuenge As this broâ—le vexed the citie of London so in this yeare there chanced great tempest of thunder lightning and raine whereby much hurt was doone in diuerse parts of the realme and at sundrie times as by throwing downe of steeples churches and other buildings with the rootwalting of trées as well in woods as orchards verie strange to consider chéefelie on the eight day of Februarie at Grantham in Lincolneshire where there chanced beside the thunder such a stinke and filthie fauour to follow in the church that the people fled out for that they were not able to abide it Likewise in the day of the exaltation of the crosse a generall thunder happened throughout the realme and thervpon followed a continuall season of foule weather and wet till Candelmas next after which caused a dearth of corne so as wheat was sold at twelue shillings the quarter Likewise on the day of saint Andrew an other terrible tempest of thunder happened through the realme throwing downe and shaking buildings in manie places in so much that at Pillerdeston in Warwikeshire in a knights house the ladie thereof and six other persons were destroied by the same And a turbarie thereby compassed about with water and marresse was so dried vp that neither grasse nor mire remained after which insued an earthquake Moreouer on the euen of saint Lucie a mightie wind raged which did much hurt in sundrie places of the realme Furthermore about this time there appeared in England a wonderfull comet or blasing starre The sea also rose with higher tides and springs than it had beene accustomed to doo All which woonders were afterward iudged to betoken and signifie the losse which the christians susteined the same yeare in Aegypt when they were constreined to surrender the citie of Damieta into the Saracens hands which latelie before as yée haue heard they had woone with long and chargeable siege After the yéelding vp of Damieta William de Albenie earle of Arundell whome Ranulfe earle of Chester left behind him in the holie land with manie souldiers and men of warre when he returned from thence came now homewards towards England and died by the waie About the same time Iohn the sonne of Dauid earle of Anguish in Scotland sisters sonne vnto Ranulfe earle of Chester married the daughter of Leolin prince of Wales as it were to procure a finall accord betwéene the said Leolin and Ranulfe After which marriage king Henrie held his Christmasse at Oxenford and shortlie after the twelftide came to London where assembling a councell of his barons year 1223 he was earnestlie required by the bishop of Canturburie and other peeres to confirme the liberties fraâ—chises and frée customes of the realme for which the warres in his fathers time had béene mooued which to denie as the archbishop seemed to alledge shuld haue béene ashamed so to open his mouth to the disaduantage of his souereigne but that it is likelie he forgat the old posie namelie that Imago rex est animatae Dei he might not with anie reason sith he had couenanted and all the baronage with him to sée the same obserued by the articles of the peace concluded with Lewes when the same Lewes departed the realme Herevpon William Brewer one of the kings councell hearing the archbishop so earnest in these matters told him that sith these liberties were procured extorted rather by force than otherwise of line 10 the king being vnder age they were not to be obserued Wherevnto
the archbishop replied that if he loued the king he would be loth to séeke to trouble the quiet state of the realme The king perceiuing the archbishop to be chafed taking the tale himselfe made a courteous answer and further aduise had in the matter sent foorth writs to the shiriffe of euerie countie commanding them by inquirie of a sufficient iurie impanelled to make certificat within the quindene of Ester what were the liberties in times line 20 past of his grandfather K. Henrie vsed within the realme of England The same yeare whiles William Marshall earle of Penbroke was busie in Ireland in war against Hugh Lacie Leolin prince or king of Wales as some haue intitled him tooke by force two castels that belonged to the same earle whereof when he was aduertised with all spéed he returned out of Ireland raised an armie and recouered the said castels putting to death all such as he found in the same to requite Leolin with the like damage as he had shewed line 30 him before in his absence This doone he entered into the land of Leolin wasting and spoiling the same whereof when the said Leolin was informed he assembled an host of Welshmen and comming into the field gaue battell but the victorie rested on the earle of Penbroks side so that there were taken and slaine in this bickering to the number of 9000 Welshmen There was in this yeare a conspiracie also begun by the earle of Chester and other Noble men against Hubert de Burgh lord chiefe iustice line 40 of England by whose counsell as it was thought the king was more streict towards the nobilitie and other his subiects in staieng his grant to confirme the charter of liberties than otherwise he would haue beene if the same Hubert and other had not aduised him to the contrarie In this season also Iohn de Bren king of Ierusalem and the lord great maister of the knights hospitallers came into England where they were honorablie line 50 receiued of king Henrie and liberally rewarded The cause of their comming was to require aid of the king for the recouerie of the holie land out of the possession of the Saracens In like maner about the same time Leolin prince of Northwals with certeine English lords as Hugh Lacie and others vpon an hatred which they bare towards king Henrie for his fathers sake supposing that so euill a stocke as they tooke him to be could not bring foorth anie good branch sought by open warres to bring William line 60 Marshall earle of Penbroke and other barons that were faithfull friends to the king vnto their purpose but the whole countrie rising against them they were disappointed to their owne confusion and so they could neuer bring that to passe which they so earnestlie intended In this yeare Philip the French king departed this life and after him succéeded Lewes his sonne vnto whom king Henrie sent in ambassage the archbishop of Canturburie with three other bishops to require that according to his oth made and receiued at his returne out of England he would restore and deliuer vp to him the dukedome of Normandie with other such lands and possessions as his father in times past had taken from king Iohn and still did wrongfullie withhold K. Lewes answered herevnto that he held Normandie the other lands by good right and iust title as he could well prooue and iustifie if king Henrie would come to the parlement in France to heare it And as touching the oth which he had sworne in England he affirmed that the same was first broken by king Henrie both in that his men which had béene taken at Lincolne were put to greeuous ransoms and also for that their liberties for which the warre first began were not obserued but denied to the English subiects contrarie to that which was concluded at the agréement betwixt them at the same time made Moreouer king Henrie sent other ambassadours to Rome who purchased a bull of the pope wherby he was adiudged to be of age sufficient to receiue the gouernement of the kingdome of England into his owne hands thereby to order and dispose aâ—â— things at his pleasure by the aduise of such councellours as he should elect and choose to be about him Wherevpon after the said ambassadours were returned all those earles barons and nobles which held anie castels honors manors or places apperteining to the king were commanded to deliuer and resigne the same to his vse which caused much trouble as after shall appeare For diuerse Noble men whose harts were filled with couetousnesse would not obeie the popes order herein but sore repined yet not so much against the king as against the lord Hubert de Burgh by whose councell the king was most led and ruled And therefore they did put him in all the blame as one that should set the king against them and staie him from suffering them to inioy those liberties which they from time to time so much laboured to haue had to them granted and confirmed Upon this occasion therfore they sued to the king for the restitution of the ancient lawes according to his promise who to pacifie them for the time gaue them a gentle answer assuring them that he would perfourme all that he had promised so soone as opportunitie would permit and suffer him so to doo Howbeit afterwards by the aduise of certeine old councellours which had béene of the priuie councell with king Iohn his father he found a shift to disappoint them of their demands by requiring them on the other side to restore vnto him those things which they had in times past receiued of his ancestors Furthermore bicause he would the more easilie obteine his purpose and make the residue afraid to follow a suit so displeasant and irkesome he thought best to begin with the chiefe authors and first procurers of the said petitions and to take from them whatsoeuer they held belonging to his crowne Herevpon therefore assembling a great power about him year 1224 he demanded of Ranulph earle of Chester the restitution of certeine lordships which ancientlie apperteined to the crowne of the realme which earle not being as then able to resist readilie obeied the kings pleasure and resigned them all By this entrance of the king into the execution of his purpose diuerse of the rest of the barons were brought into such feare that they were contented also to doo the like so that by this meanes the lords being cut short and weakened in power surceased as then from molesting the king anie further with the demand of other lands or liberties The archbishop of Canturburie also threatened them with the dart of excommunication if they went about to disquiet the realme with anie ciuill commotions though no man was more desirous to haue that matter go forward than he as appéered by his diligent trauell therein hoping as now in short processe of time and that
defraied and laid out in Almaine and in Boheme about the kings marriage and for the residue desired daies of paiment yet he could obteine neither Further he was accused that the duke of Ireland and he had gathered great summes of monie conueied the same to Douer and from thence sent it in the night by sea into Germanie Lastlie the archbishop forsooth and the moonks of Canturburie charged him that he sought the means to remooue â—he shrine of the archbishop Thomas otherwise called Thomas Becket from Canturburie vnto Douer vnder a colour of feare least the Frenchmen being assembled in Flanders to inuade England should land in Kent and take Canturburie and spoile it where indeed as they surmized against him he meant to send it ouer the seas vnto the king of Boheme Herevpon he was first committed to the tower and before the king or his other friends could procure his deliuerance he was without law or iustice before any of the residue as some hold brought foorth and beheaded on the tower hill by commandement of the duke of Glocester and other of his faction quite contrarie to the kings will or knowledge in somuch that when he vnderstood it he spake manie sore words against the duke affirming that he was a wicked man and worthie to be kept shorter sith vnder a colour of dooing iustice he went about to destroie euerie good and honest man The king was also offended with the duke of Yorke for his brothers presumptuous doings though the said duke of Yorke being verelie a man of a gentle nature wished that the state of the common-wealth might haue béene redressed without losse of any mans life or other cruell dealing but the duke of Glocester and diuerse other of the nobilitie the lesse that they passed for the kings threatening speach so much more were they readie to punish all those whom they tooke to be their enimies In deed the said sir Simon Burlie was thought to beare himselfe more loftie by reason of the kings fauour than was requisite which procured him enuie of them that could not abide others to be in any condition their equals in authoritie It should appeare by Froissard that he was first of all in the beginning of these stirs betwixt the king and the lords committed to the tower and notwithstanding all the shift that either the king or the duke of Ireland or anie other of his fréends could make for him by the duke of Glocesters commandement he was cruellie beheaded so greatlie to the offense of the king and those that were his trustie councellors that therevpon the king caused the duke of Ireland the sooner to assemble an armie against the said duke and his complices therby â—o râ—sâ—raine their presumptuous proceedings But whether he was thus at the first or last executed to please the king the better now at this parlement amongst others that were condemned in the same his lands were giuen to the king a great part whereof he afterwards disposed to diuerse men as he thought expedient But yet in the parlement holden in the one and twentith yeare of this kings reigne the act of atteindor of the said sir Simon was repealed and at an other parlement holden in the second yeare of king Henrie the fourth all his lands which then remained vngranted and vnsold were restored to sir Iohn Burlie knight sonne and heire of sir Roger Burlie brother to the said Simon of whom lineallie is descended Thomas Eins line 10 esquier now secretarie to the queenes maiesties councell in the north parts And thus far touching sir Simon Burlie of whom manie reports went of his disloiall dealings towards the state as partlie ye haue heard but how trulie the lord knoweth Among other slanderous tales that were spred abroad of him one was that he consented to the deliuering of Douer castell by the kings appointment to the Frenchmen for monie But as this was a thing not like to be true so no doubt manie things that the persons line 20 aforesaid which were executed had béene charged with at the least by common report among the people were nothing true at all although happilie the substance of those things for which they died might be true in some respect Sir William Elmham that was charged also for withdrawing of the soldiers wages discharged himselfe therof and of all other things that might be laid to his charge As touching the iustices they were all condemned to death by the parlement but such line 30 meanes was made for them vnto the queene that she obteined pardon for their liues But they forfeited their lands and goods and were appointed to remaine in perpetuall exile with a certeine portion of monie to them assigned for their dailie sustentation the names of which iustices so condemned to exile were these Robert Belknap Iohn Holt Iohn Craie Roger Fulthorpe William Burgh and Iohn Lokton Finallie in this parlement was an oth required and line 40 obteined of the king that he should stand vnto and abide such rule and order as the lords should take and this oth was not required onelie of the king but also of all the inhabitants of the realme ¶ In these troubles was the realme of England in these daies and the king brought into that case that he ruled not but was ruled by his vncles and other to them associat In the latter end of this eleuenth yeare was the earle of Arundell sent to the sea with a great nauie of ships and men of warre There went with him in line 50 this iournie of noble men the earles of Notingham Deuonshire sir Thomas Percie the lord Clifford the lord Camois sir William Elmham sir Thomas Morieux sir Iohn Daubreticourt sir William Shellie sir Iohn Warwike or Berwike sir Stephan de Liberie sir Robert Sere sir Peter Montherie sir Lewes Clanbow sir Thomas Coque or Cooke sir William Paulie or Paulet diuerse others There were a thousand men of armes and three thousand archers The purpose for which they were sent was to line 60 haue aided the duke of Britaine if he would haue receiued them being then eftsoones run into the French kings displeasure for the imprisoning of the lord Clisson constable of France But after that contrarie to expectation the duke of Britaine was come to an agréement with the French king the earle of Arundell drew with his nauie alongst the coasts of Poictou and Xaintonge till at length he arriued in the hauen that goeth vp to Rochell and landed with his men at Marrant foure leagues from Rochell and began to pilfer spoile and fetch booties abroad in the countrie The Frenchmen within Rochell issued foorth to skirmish with the Englishmen but they were easilie put to flight and folowed euen to the bariers of the gates of Rochell ¶ Perot le Bernois a capteine of Gascoigne that made warre for the king of England in Limosin and lay in the fortresse of Galuset came foorth the same time
in praemissis faciendis assistentes sint consulentes auxiliantes line 40 prout decet In cuius rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes Teste meipso apud Westmonasterium vice simo tertio die Maij anno regni nostri vndecimo A copie of the kings commission against the Lollards or Wickleuists and their followers Englished by A.F. RIchard by the grace of God king of England and France and lord of Ireland to his beloued maister Thomas Brightwell doctor in diuinitie deane of the college of the new worke of Leicester and to William Chesulden prebendarie of the prebend of the same college and to our beloued and trustie subiects Richard of Barow Chinall and Robert Langham greeting For so line 60 much as we are certeinelie informed by credible report that by the vnsound doctrine of maister Iohn Wickliffe whiles he liued of Nicholas Herford Iohn Liston and their followers many bookes libels scheduls pamphlets expresselie euidentlie and notoriouslie swarming with manifest heresies and errors to the hurt of the catholike faith the abolishment of sound doctrine are commonlie compiled published and written as well in English as in Latine and therevpon wicked opinions contrarie to sound doctrine doo spring grow and are mainteined and preached to the weakening of the right faith the ouerthrow of holie church and consequentlie which God forbid the misbeleefe of a great many the manifest danger of their soules We being moued with zeale to the catholike faith whereof we are and will be defenders in all things as we are bound vnwilling that such heresies or errors within the limits of our iurisdiction so far as we are able should grow or by any meanes spring vp doo assigne you iointlie and seuerallie all and singular the books libels scheduls pamphlets conteining such doctrine of the said Iohn Nicholas Iohn and their fellow-followers or any of their corrupt opinions wheresoeuer in whose hands possession or keeping soeuer they shal be found within the liberties or without them to search take arrest and cause to be brought before our councell with all possible speed that then and there we may take order for the same accordinglie as by the aduise of our foresaid councell we shall see requisite to be doone And also to proclaime and on our behalfe firmelie to forbid all and euerie one of whatsoeuer state degree or condition he be vnder paine of imprisonment and forfeitures which to vs he shall forfeit any of these wicked and lewd opinions to mainteine teach obstinatlie to defend priuilie or openlie or any of these bookes libels scheduls pamphlets to keepe write or cause to be written but all and euerie such booke and bookes libels scheduls and pamphlets with them had found at our commandement vnto you to deliuer or cause to be deliuered without delaie And all them whome after proclamation and inhibition you shall find dooing contrarie to the premisses and such lewd opinions mainteining to call foorth before you the said Thomas the deane William and them to examine when they shal be lawfullie conuinced therein to commit them to the next officers prisons there to be kept till they haue recanted their errors heresies and wicked opinions or till we for their deliuerance shall otherwise thinke order to be taken And therefore we command that you intend the said premisses with all diligence and effect and the same doo and execute in forme aforesaid We doo also giue in streict commandement and charge to all and euerie as well churchman churchmen as shiriffes maiors bailiffes officers and other our trustie subiects as well within the liberties as without by the tenor of these presents to assist counsell and helpe you and euerie of you in doing the premisses as it is conuenient In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our letters patents to be made Witnesse our selues at Westminster the twentie third day of Maie and the eleuenth yeare of our reigne ¶ About this time or as Henrie Knighton saith in the yeare 1392 maister William Courtenie archbishop of Canturburie brother to the earle of Denshire visited the diocesse of Lincolne and on the feast of saint Faith the virgine he visited maister Iohn Bokingham bishop of Lincolne in the cathedrall church of Lincoln◠with the chapter and an hundred of the canons and he came to Leicester abbeie in visitation the sundaie before the feast of All saints where he 〈◊〉 all the tuesdaie and on the eeue also of All saints being mondaie calling togither all the canons of the said monasterie with the chaplines of his owne chappell euerie of them hauing in their hands burning candels The same archbishop confirmed sentence of excommunication against the Lollards or Wickleuists with their fauourers which either now mainteined or caused to be mainteined or hereafter did mainteine or should mainteine the errours and opinions of master Iohn Wickliffe in the diocesse of Lincolne On the morrow next after All saints the same bishop flashed out his sentence of line 10 excommunication like lightning in open sight with a crosse set vpright with candels burning bright and with bels roong alowd and namelie against those of Leicester towne that had too too much defiled and infected the said towne and countrie The archbishop departing from thence went to saint Peters church to a certeine anchoresse named Matildis there kept as in a closet whom he reprouing about the foresaid errors and opinions of the Lollards and finding hir line 20 answers scarse aduisedlie made cited hir that she should appeare before him on the sundaie next insuing in saint Iames his abbeie at Northampton to answer vnto the foresaid erronious and prophane points Now she appeared at the day appointed and renouncing hir errours and hauing penance inioined hir she went awaie reformed But till the second day before the feast of saint Lucie she kept hir selfe out of hir closet and then entred into the same againe Other Lollards also were cited and appeared line 30 at Oxford and in other places as the archbishop had commanded them who renouncing their superstitious errours and for swearing their prophane opinions did open penance Also one William Smith was made to go about the market place at Leicester clothed in linnen or in a white sheet holding in his right arme the image of the Crucifix and in his left the image of saint Katharine bicause the said Smith had sometimes cut in peeces and burned an image of saint Katharine whereof he made a fire to line 40 boile him hearbes in his hunger In those daies there was a certeine matrone in London which had one onelie daughter whome manie daies she instructed and trained vp to celebrat the masse and she set vp an altar in hir priuie or secret chamber with all the ornaments therevnto belonging and so she made hir daughter manie daies to attire hir selfe like a priest and to come to the altar and after hir maner to celebrate the
almost all the whole nauie of France in the which were manie ships hulkes line 50 carikes and other small vessels to the number of fiue was sunke taken Amongst other vessels that were taken thrée great carikes of Genoa a citie in Italie were sent into England In the same conflict were slaine of the Frenchmen no small number as appeared by the dead bodies which were séene euerie daie swimming about the English ships After this the duke of Bedford sailed vp to Harflue refreshed the towne both with vittels and monie notwithstanding certeine other French gallies did what they could line 60 to haue letted that enterprise When the erle of Arminacke heard that the puissant name of France was vanquished he raised his siege returned to Paris After this discomfiture and losse the puissance of the Frenchmen began to decaie for now the princes and nobles of the realme fell into diuision and discord among themselues studieng how to reuenge their old priuat iniuries refused to take paine for succour of the publike weale and safegard of their countrie wherevpon their power began to wax slender their state brought into imminent danger of perpetuall bondage which thing no doubt had fallen vpon them if king Henrie had longer liued For as vpon one inconuenience suffered manie doo follow so was it in France at that time for the king was not of sound memorie the warre that was toward both doubtfull and perillous the princes vntrustie and at discord with a hundred things more which might bring a realme to ruine out of frame and order in France in those daies After that the duke of Bedford was returned backe againe into England with great triumph and glorie he was not so much thanked of the king his brother as praised of the emperour Sigismund being to him a stranger which said openlie that happie are those subiects which haue such a king but more happie is the king that hath such subiects When the emperor perceiued that it was in vaine to mooue further for peace he left off that treatie and entered himselfe into a league with king Henrie the contents of which league consisted cheeflie in these articles that both the said emperour and king their heires and successors should be freends ech to other as alies and confederats against all manner of persons of what estate or degrée so euer they were the church of Rome and the pope for that time being onlie excepted and that neither they nor their heires nor successors should be present in councell or other place where either of them or his heires or successors might susteine damage in lands goods honors states or persons and that if anie of them should vnderstand of losse or hinderance to be like to fall or happen to the others they should impeach the same or if that laie not in their powers they should aduertise the others thereof with all conuenient spéed and that either of them and their heires and successors should aduance the others honor and commoditie without fraud or deceipt Moreouer that neither of them nor their heires and successors should permit their subiects to leauie warres against the others and that it should be lawfull and frée for ech of their subiects to passe into the others countrie and there to remaine and make merchandize either by sea or land paieng the customes gabels and duties due and accustomed according to the lawes and ordinances of the places and countries where they chanced to traffike Furthermore that neither of the said princes nor their heires nor successors should receiue any rebell banished man or traitor of the others wittinglie but should cause euerie such person to auoid out of their countries realmes dominions and iurisdictions Againe that neither of the said princes their heires nor successors should begin any wars against any other person other than such as they had warres with at that present without consent of the other his confederate except in defense of themselues their countries and subiects in case of inuasion made vpon them Also that it should be lawfull for the king of England to prosecute his warres against the Frenchmen for recouerie of his right as should séeme to him expedient and likewise to the emperor for recouerie of any part of his right in Fance so that neither of them did preiudice the others right in that behalfe Lastlie that either of them should assist other in recouerie conquest of their rights lands and dominions occupied with-holden and kept from them by him that called himselfe king of France and other the princes and barons of France This aliance with other conditions agréements and articles was concluded established on the ninetéenth daie of October in the yeare of our Lord 2416. This doone the emperor returned homewards to passe into Germanie and the king partlie to shew him honor and partlie bicause of his owne affaires associated him to his towne of Calis During the time of their abode there the duke of Burgognie offered to come to Calis to speake with the emperor and the king bicause he had knowledge wind and weather to his desire the first daie of August he landed in Normandie néere to a castell called Touque where he consulted with his capteins what waie was best for him to take concerning his high enterprise His armie conteined the number of sixtéene thousand and foure hundred soldiers and men of warre of his owne purueiance beside others The duke of Clarence had in his retinue a hundred lances and thrée hundred archers and beside him there were line 10 thrée earles which had two hundred and fortie lances and seauenteene hundred and twentie archers The duke of Glocester foure hundred and seauentie lances and foureteene hundred and ten archers The earles of March Marshall Warwike and Salisburie each of them one hundred lances and thrée hundred archers a peece The earle of Huntington fortie lances and six score archers The earle of Suffolke thirtie lances and fourescore and ten archers Beside these there were thirtéene lords as Aburgauennie Matreuers Fitz Hugh Clifford Graie Willoughbie line 20 Talbot Courtnie Burchier Roos Louell Ferrers of Chartleie and Harington the which had in their retinue the number of fiue hundred and six lances and fiftéene hundred and fourescore archers Also there were in this armie thréescore and seauentéene knights which had vnder them nine hundred and fortie fiue lances and two thousand eight hundred and fiftie two archers so that in all there were fiue and twentie thousand fiue hundred and eight and twentie fighting men of which number euerie fourth line 30 man was a lance Beside the soldiers and men of warre there were a thousand masons carpenters and other labourers The Normans hearing of the kings arriuall were suddenlie striken with such feare that they fled out of their houses leauing the townes and villages and with their wiues and children bag and baggage got them into the walled townes
ouercomed there befell and happened a third one which excéeded all the rest and where of the greatest danger and perill was feared and this was famine or penurie which of all other turmoils and perils is most dangerous no other plague to be compared to it For no force is feared no lawes obserued no magistrate obeied nor common societie estéemed where famine ruleth For as the poet saith Nescit plebs ieiuna timere The store of vittels within the citie for want of prouision in due time and by reason of the restreint of the markets vpon a sudden was verie slender and small and the same in verie short time spent and consumed And albeit there were good store of drie line 10 fish rise prunes rasins and wine at verie reasonable prices yet bread which as the prophet saith Confirmat cor hminis Strengtheneth mans hart that wanted neither was anie to be had And in this extremitie the bakers and housholders were driuen to séeke vp their old store of puffins and bran wherewith they in times past were woont to make horssebread and to feed their swine and poultrie and this they moulded vp in clothes for otherwise it would not hold togither and so did bake it vp and the people well contented line 20 therewith For as Plutarch writeth Fames reddit omnia dulcia nihÃlque contemnit esuriens Hunger maketh all things swéet and the hungrie bellie shunneth nothing But when this also was spent and nothing now left and the common people being not acquainted with so hard a diet as famine prescribeth were verie vnpatient to indure the continuall barking of their hungrie bellies and therefore they were verie soone easie to be persuaded or rather of themselues line 30 contented to yéeld vnto the enimie to be fed for a time with the stollen fat of his flesh pot than to abide for a short time a little penurie in hope of a deliuerie and then to be filled with saturitie and plentie But the magistrats and graue senators who in all other causes had shewed themselues wise carefull and discreet and who hauing receiued sundrie iniuries did yet without rigour reuenge or malice wrap the same vp respecting rather the common state than their owne priuat cause so in this matter also being line 40 of a great importance doo verie wiselie politikelie deale with the said people who the poorer they were the better they were considered and the more carefullie prouided for First there was a generall collection set and rated throughout the whole citie for their reliefe and therby they were liberallie euerie weeke considered which thing being some increase to their stocke and store was the better to their content Then all such vittels as were to be had within the citie they either had it freelie or for a verie small price line 50 Besides this manie times when anie cattell came néere vnto the walles of the citie some shift was made to haue them or by skirmishing issuing out for them or by some other means And this also what so euer it was was altogither diuided among them And as for the prisoners fast fettered in the gaols they had also their portions as farre as it would stretch notwithstanding in the end for want they were fed with horsseflesh which they liked and were well contented withall For as the prouerbe is Hunger line 60 findeth no faults but all things are swéet Besides if anie wrong were offered or iniurie doone to anie of them it was foorthwith vpon complaint redressed but if anie of them did disorder themselues it was borne withall and they in all gentle and curteous meanes intreated as also from time to time persuaded with good words patientlie to abide and be contented not mistrusting but that God shortlie would send a deliuerance And thus and by these means in hope almost against hope they continued dutifull and obedient from the second daie of Iulie 1549 vntill the sixt daie of August then folowing the same being fiue whole wéekes vpon which daie they were deliuered by the comming and entrie into the citie of the lord Russell and which daie in memoriall for euer to endure is kept for a high and holie feast amongst the citizens yearelie vpon the sixt daie of August Immediatlie vpon which deliuerance of the citie the first care that euerie man had was to shift and to make prouision for vittels wherof some hungrie bellies were so gréedie that ouercharging their emptie stomachs too hastilie they died therewith Thus hauing declared something of the state of the citie and of the dooings therein during the time of this rebellion though much more might be therein said let vs now returne to the lord priuie seale who after the departure of sir Peter Carew to the court remooued from George Henneton and came to Honiton minding from thence to haue passed vnto Excester if waie had béene open But being aduertised that the citie was besieged and that all the waies leading thitherwards were stopped he remained still in Honiton Sir Peter Carew in the meane time according to the former order betwéene them taken was ridden to London and being before the king declareth the whole matter at large Which the king not liking the disloialtie of his people promised to séeke a spéedie remedie and so commanded him to the counecli for the same and being before them and hauing at full discoursed the state of the matter the duke of Summerset being much greeued with the matter would haue reiected the whole on sir Peter charging him that by reason he had caused the houses to be burned at Crediton it was the onelie cause of the commotion But therevnto he answered the necessitie of that seruice as also declared that he had doone nothing but by a good warrant and therewith shewed foorth the kings letters vnder his hand and priuie signet The lord Rich then lord chancellor replied and said that the kings letters were no sufficient warrant vnlesse he had his commission vnder the brode seale and therefore if he had right he should by the lawes be hanged for his dooings But to this sir Peter answered so stoutlie and charged the duke so déepelie that in the end he was willed to returne into the countrie being promised that sufficient helpe both of men monie should be with spéed sent downe into the countrie And to this effect he had both the kings and the councels letters vnto the lord priuie seale and so tooke his iournie backe againe into the countrie and deliuered his letters to the said lord Russell who in hope of the supplie promised staied and remained somtimes at Mohonesotre but most commonlie at Honiton still looking for that supplie and furniture that was promised But hauing long looked for the same in vaine he was dailie more and more forsaken of such of the common people as who at the first serued and offered their seruice vnto him And hauing but a
proceeding from one mischiefe to another after they had practised to spoile the gentlemen of the countrie of their goods they began to attach their bodies and by force to bring them into line 50 their campe so that such as escaped their hands were glad to flée and hide themselues in woods and caues where they might best keepe themselues out of their aduersaries reach and intended dangers But to speake of all the horrible practises by these vngratious people exercised it would be too long a processe What shifts they found to cloake their dooings and that euen vnder the kings authoritie it is woonderfull For whereas there were certeine commissions directed vnto diuerse gentlemen in line 60 the countrie to take order for the appeasing of these tumults they getting the same into their hands tooke vpon them the authoritie committed to the gentlemen vnto whome the same commissions were sent and taking off the seales from the other fastened the same vnto their counterfeit writings To conclude they grew to such vnmeasurable disorder that they would not in manie things obeie neither their generall capteine nor anie of their gouernors but ran headlong into all kind of mischiefe made such spoile of vittels which they brought out of the countrie adioining vnto their campe that within few daies they consumed beside a great number of béefes twentie thousand muttons also swans géese hens capons ducks other foules so manie as they might laie hands vpon And furthermore they spared not to breake into parks and kill what déere they could Such hauocke they made of all that came in their waie and such number of shéepe speciallie they brought into their campe that a good fat weather was sold for a groat The woods groues and trées that were destroied I passe ouer and make no mention thereof Herewith what crueltie was shewed by them in fettering and manacing such gentlemen as they caught and committed to prison for some misliking they had conceiued of them it was a miserable case to behold Some there were whom they brought foorth as it had béene to iudgement before the tree of reformation there to be tried afore the gouernors as if they had béene guiltie of some heinous and gréeuous crime And when it was asked of the commons what should be doone with those prisoners they would crie with one voice Hang them hang them And when they were asked why they gaue so sharpe iudgement of those whome they neuer knew they would roundlie answer that other cried the same crie and therefore they ment to giue their assent with other although they could yéeld no reason but that they were gentlemen therefore not woorthie to liue Whilest the rebels thus raged abroad in the countrie at Hengham eleuen miles from Norwich sir Edmund Kneuet knight with a small companie of his owne meniall seruants set vpon the night-watch of the rebels that were placed there brake through ouerthrowing diuerse of them and hauing some of his owne men also vnhorssed by the rebels and in danger to be hewen in peeces among them yet he recouered them escaped their hands through great manhood After which good nights seruice as they would haue it esteemed they repaired to their great capteine Ket to shew their hurts receiued to complaine of their griefes It was talked among them that they would go to sir Edmund Kneuets house called Buckenham castell to assault it and to fetch him out of it by force But it was doubted of some least it were too strong for them and other feared sharpe stripes if they should attempt that exploit being at the least twelue miles from their maine campe and so that enterprise went not forward the most part thinking it best to sléepe in whole skins There was at London the same time a citizen of Norwich one Leonard Southerton fled from thence for feare of his life whome the councell sent for to come to speake with them and being asked what he knew touching the state of the rebels he declared to them from point to point the maner of all their outragious procéedings but yet that as he vnderstood there were manie among them that would laie aside their armour if they might be assured of the kings pardon and therefore if it would please the king to set foorth a proclamation that all such as would depart from the campe and be quiet should haue their pardon for all that was past he doubted not but that those routs should be dispersed His aduise was allowed and therevpon was an herald sent with all spéed in companie with the said Southerton vnto Norwich comming into the campe the last of Iulie and standing before the trée of reformation apparelled in his cote of armes pronounced there before all the multitude with lowd voice a frée pardon to all that would depart to their homes and laieng aside their armour giue ouer their traitorous begun enterprise After he had made an end of his proclamation in maner all the multitude cried God saue the king And manie of them falling downe vpon their knées could not forbeare with teares gushing from their eies but commend the kings great and vnspeakable mercie thus freelie offered vnto them which vndoubtedlie they had at that time all of them receiued if the wicked speech of some of the rascall sort and namelie the traitorous persuasions of that wicked caitife Ket himselfe had not staied them from their dutifull inclinations But after that Ket had with lowd voice before declared that kings princes were accustomed to grant pardons to such as line 10 are offendors and not to others he trusted that he néeded not anie pardon sith he had doone nothing but that belonged to the dutie of a true subiect and herewith he besought them not to forsake him but to remember his promise sith he was readie to spend his life in the quarell The herald herevpon called him traitor and commanded Iohn Petibone the swordbearer of Norwich to attach him for treason Then began a great hurlie burlie among the multitude so that the herald perceiuing they began to line 20 shrinke from their former purpose of receiuing the kings pardon departed from them with these words All ye that be the kings friends come awaie with me The maior maister Alderich with a great number of other gentlemen honest yeomen that were readie to obeie the kings commandement followed him The maior being thus returned to the citie caused the gates to be shut and such gentlemen as had béen committed to prison within the castell or other places line 30 in the citie he caused to be set at libertie with their aduise tooke order how the rebelles might be kept out But as he was busie about such matters certeine of the citizens that fauored the rebelles had receiued a great multitude of them into the citie which did put the citizens in such feare that it was thought the most suretie for the
new fort where the valiant English souldiers shewed well the woonted valure of their woorthie ancestors giuing such an hardie onset vpon their aduersaries that greater manhood had not lightlie appeared in any incounter than was vsed by those martiall capteins and their warlike bands at that present to the high honor of their countrie insomuch that they beat backe their enimies slue and tooke of them to the number of foure hundred beside thirtie faire horsses and an ensigne which one Eastwike lieutenant to capteine Antwisell got Amongst the numbers of them that were slaine there were found aboue thirtie handsome gentlemen and verie well appointed To conclude the Englishmen behaued themselues so manfullie on each side that by plaine force of armes they droue the enimies quite out of the village after set it on fire bicause the enimies should not come to incampe therein as their purpose was to haue doone at that present The six and twentith of Maie the Frenchmen in number about thrée thousand horssemen and footmen came downe towards the windmils neere to the bulworke called saint Addresses against whom the English horsemen and footmen issued foorth of the towne giuing them a right hot skirmish which continued for the space of two houres insomuch that there were slaine of the French to the number of 200 beside an hundred and aboue that were hurt On the English side that daie were lost about a dozzen or thirtéene persons and amongst others was capteine Tremaine slaine and manie hurt To conclude the Englishmen like hardie and worthie souldiers wan and kept the field so as the Frenchmen in the end were driuen to retire and besides other losses which they receiued they had aboue fiftie of their horsses killed and hurt In this skirmish being one of the notablest that had béene lightlie séene manie a daie before capteine Horseie shewed woorthie proofe of his most valiant line 10 courage winning to himselfe such commemdation as the same will not be forgotten whilest anie shall remaine aliue that beheld his manfull dealings being such at that present as deserue to be registred in the booke of fame to continue with posteritie for euer On saturdaie the fift of Iune at seuen of the clocke at night the Reinsgraue hauing laid in the village of Lheure an ambush of six hundred horssemen and fiftéene hundred footmen there came downe also betwéene the abbeie and the village called Englefield line 20 towards the towne the number of a thousand footmen which began a verie hot skirmish first at the new fort comming euen hard to the ditches where the Englishmen manfullie incountered them Herewith also the Reinsgraue appointed other to come downe and approch the bulworks of saint Addresses saint Francis saint Michaell and to conclude round about the towne so that there were of them to the number of six thousand that were imploied in this skirmish which was mainteined right fercelie for the space of two hours with verie sharpe line 30 and cruell fight in the end the enimies were forced to giue place with the losse of fiue hundred of their men Almans Frenchmen Gascoignes and Spaniards The Englishmen verelie in this seruice shewed that they were nothing degenerat from the ancient race of their noble progenitors Besides those that were slaine on the French part amongst whom was one of their capteins of good account amongst them they tooke also Bassompeere an Almane coronell line 40 ouer ten ensignes of footmen The presence of the lord lieutenant was not wanting that daie both to incourage his worthie souldiers and also to sée them applied with weapon â—nd munition so as they should not be vnprouided of anie thing that was néedfull for seruice Of Englishmen there was hurt capteine Gilbert and capteine Pelham and about fiftéene other hurt and slaine The seuenth of Iune capteine Edward Dudleie arriued at Newhauen with an line 50 hundred souldiers The morrow after the first canon shot light within the towne of Newhauen néere to the bulworke of saint Addresses striking into the house where capteine Whéeler was lodged which shot being brought to my lord of Warwike by Blewmantell purseuant at armes his honor beholding it reioised thereat and said by Gods grace he would answer them againe The ninth of Iune arriued at Newhauen three capteins with their bands of an hundred a péece line 60 being of the garrison of Berwike to wit capteine Tremaine capteine Cornewall capteine Carew Edward Randoll also landed there the same daie appointed to be knight marshall For ye must vnderstand that sir Adrian Poinings being knight marshall vpon his returne into England was otherwise emploid and went not backe againe and then was sir Thomas Finch of Kent appointed to go ouer to supplie the roome of knight marshall who making his prouision readie sent ouer his brother Erasmus Finch to haue charge of his band and his kinsman Thomas Finch to be his prouost marshall whilest staieng till he had euerie thing in a readinesse to passe ouer himselfe At last he imbarked in one of the quéenes maiesties ships called the Greiehound hauing there aboord with him beside thréescore and six of his owne retinue fourtéene other gentlemen two of them being brethren to the lord Wentwoorth Iames Wentwoorth and Iohn Wentwoorth with diuerse others who in the whole accounting the mariners amounted vnto the number of 200 persons and vpward And as they were on the furthest coast toward Newhauen they were by contrarie wind and foule weather driuen backe toward the coast of England and plieng towards Rie they forced the capteine of the ship a verie cunning seaman named William Maline and also the maister and mariners to thrust into the hauen before the tide and so they all perished seuen of the meaner sort onlie excepted where of three died shortlie after they came to land The dead bodie of sir Thomas Finch amongst others was cast on shore being knowne was conueied home to his house and there buried in his parish church After this mischance and losse of that woorthie gentleman the said Edward Randoll was appointed knight marshall who ordeined a right sufficient personage capteine Iohn Shute to be his prouost marshall The fifteenth of Iune capteine Richard Sanders and capteine William Saule with their bands of an hundred souldiers a péece and capteine Drurie with two hundred arriued at Newhauen and the morrow after arriued capteine Roberts with another hundred of souldiers And on the seuenteenth of Iune being thursdaie sir Francis Knolles vicechamberleine of the quéenes maiesties house landed there béeing sent ouer by hir maiestie and hir councell to view the state of the towne On fridaie the eightéenth of Iune a sergeant of capteine Blunts band and a souldior of capteine Darcies band were executed in the market place of Newhauen for drawing their weapons against their capteins and forsaking their appointed places of warding
couered with tapistrie On the front of the theater on the highest part thereof were the armes of the marqueship of the holie empire and a little beneath them on the right hand did stand the armes of Brabant with a wreath of fruits and on the left hand stood the armes of the citie of Antwerpe Also there were set vp two banners of silke azured with the armes of Aniou in one partition were written these same verses O noble prince whose footsteps faith and gentlenesse preserue Receiue thou here the honour which thy vertue dooth deserue That these low countries maie at length take breath by meanes of thee And thou a father to vs all in name and dooings bee After that euerie man had taken his place and silence was made the states of Brabant began their oration by the mouth of monsieur de Hesseiles doctor of both the lawes secretarie to the said estates and one of their councell The summe whereof was that the barons noblemen deputies of the chiefe cities and of the other good townes representing the states of the duchie and countrie of Brabant hauing now the good hap to sée among them and to behold face to face the prince in whome next vnto God they had wholie set the hope of their deliuerance and of the establishing of their ancient rest and libertie did highlie thanke the almightie Lord which had shewed them that fauour taking it for an assured warrant that he of his infinite goodnesse and prouidence had not forgotten nor forsaken their iust quarrell but had chosen his highnesse to be the defender of his people and the administrer of his iustice to the end that to Gods glorie and to his owne honour and renowme the stormes of all troubles of all other things that annoied their estate might by the beames of his princelie maiestie wisedome and prowesse be chased awaie and the brightnesse of their former prosperitie heretofore knowne to all nations be made to spring vp shine foorth againe In respect wherof they gaue his highnesse most humble thanks for the singular loue and good will which he of his owne onelie motion and princelie disposition had vouchsafed to continue towards them vnto that instant notwithstanding all the crosse dealings and practises that cunning heads could skill to put foorth to the hinderance of their affaires forsomuch as they were not ignorant that for their calamities and miseries sakes nothing could haue fallen in which could haue made more to the fauour and furtherance of their case Which thing they had esteemed and would estéeme for euer as a péerelesse president of his incomparable staiednes and rare constancie for the which and for the great number of his other benefits and gratious dealings towards them they were euer should be bound to acknowledge themselues indebted to his highnesse with all faithfull obedience and were readie that daie by Gods grace to submit themselues to him as his humble vassals and subiects And although they doubted not but that his highnesse did well vnderstand and was fullie satisfied not onelie of the generall causes which had vniuersallie mooued the states of the prouinces of the low countries togither to sue to him for succour and to put themselues into his hands but also of the particular causes which the states of that duchie and countrie of Brabant had to renounce their obedience to the king of Spaine yet notwithstanding to the intent to put his highnesse in remembrance therof and to confirme that sacred resolution line 10 and high enterprise of his builded therevpon and moreouer to yeeld some reason of all their dooings to the princes and noblemen and vnto the rest of that whole companie who for the honour of his highnesse were come thither of courtesie to further the solemnitie of his interteinment to the intent that at this his repaire thither which alwaies was called ioifull they might vtter the more good will and gladnesse of heart they would saie no more but this that as long as the dukes of Brabant speciallie since the falling line 20 of that duchie into the hands of the dukes of Burgognie and other the famous ancestors of his highnesse gaue themselues vnto the gouerning of their subiects by themselues thereby making it to appéere that they loued them and were not carelesse of them they reaped so great commodities and notable seruices at their hands that their names and puissances became oftentimes renowmed yea and sometimes dreadfull to the greatest monarchs kings and common-wealths of christendome whereof their line 30 warres and conquests made proofe howbeit that of those things as of matters familiarlie knowne by the histories it was not requisit to make discourse in that place and time which were appointed to greater matters But after that their dukes and princes either by other allurements or being withheld in their other countrie and seigniories began to leaue them for a time and afterward at length to forget them abandoning them to the pleasure and will and sometimes also to the lust and couetousnesse of their vnder line 40 officers whereof the king of Spaine had lastlie finished and perfected vp the worke leauing them disdainefullie as husbandlesse and fatherlesse vtterlie destitute of his presence by the space of twentie yeares it came to passe that hauing altered changed almost all the whole state of the countrie and committed the offices to such as by the lawes and priuileges of the countrie were not capable of them or rather to such as would giue most for them and yet the vnsatiable couetousnesse malice and excéeding line 50 tyrannicall lordlinesse of the Spaniards being not contented therewith in the end when they had abused the whole common-wealth after their owne lust they grew into so great pride that they fell to snatching of the priuat goods and substance of the inhabitants to liuing vpon the labour and sweat of the poore yea and to rauishing the chastitie of mens wiues and daughters and to fill vp the measure of all abhomination and crueltie they fell to taking awaie the liues to sucking the bloud of those which line 60 sought by all meanes to please them Wherevpon in the end the great and righteous God who hath a care of his seruants being offended thereat made that people who had aforetimes beene of great valour to call to mind their former state and libertie and gaue them both will and courage to mainteine the same in such sort as they had receiued from their forefathers Which thing they said could not be better doone than by the election which the said states of Brabant vnited with the other prouinces had made of his highnesse person to be their prince and lord of purpose to bring all things backe to their former order hauing first sought howbeit in vaine for all remedies of their mischiefes and of the disorders of the estate from the causes and welsprings thereof Declaring that the dukes in old time had
iustice of the common plées sir Roger Manwood knight chiefe baron of the excheker sir Thomas Gawdie knight one of the iustices of the plees before hir maiestie to be holden William Pâ—riam one of the iustices of the common plées by vertue of hir maiesties commission to them and others in that behalfe directed the same Parrie was indicted of high treason for intending and practising the death and destruction of hir maiestie whome God long prosper and preserue from all such wicked attempts The tenor of which indictment appeareth more particularlie in the course of his arreignment following The maner of the arreignment of William Parrie the 25 of Februarie 1584 at Westminster in the place where the court commonlie called the Kings bench is vsuallie kept by vertue of hir maiesties commission of oier and terminer before Henrie lord Hunsdon gouernour of Barwike sir Francis Knolles knight treasuror of the queenes maiesties houshold sir Iames Croft knight comptrollor of the same houshold sir Christopher Hatton knight vicechamberleine to hir maiestie sir Christopher Wraie knight chiefe iustice of England sir Gilbert Gerrard knight line 10 master of the rols sir Edmund Anderson knight chiefe iustice of the common plees sir Roger Manwood knight chiefe baron of the excheker and sir Thomas Hennage knight treasuror of the chamber FIrst thrée proclamations for silence were made according to the vsuall course in such cases Then the lieutenant was commanded to returne his precept who did so and brought the prisoner to the bar to whome line 20 Miles Sands esquier clerke of the crowne said William Parrie hold vp thy hand and he did so Then said the clerke of the crowne Thou art here indicted by the oths of twelue good and lawfull men of the countie of Midlesex before sir Christopher Wraie knight and others which tooke the indictment by the name of W. Parrie late of London gentleman otherwise called W. Parrie late of London doctor of the law for that thou as a false traitor against the most noble and christian prince quéene Elisabeth line 30 thy most gratious souereigne and liege ladie not hauing the feare of God before thine eies nor regarding thy due allegiance but being seduced by the instigation of the diuell and intending to withdraw and extinguish the hartie loue and due obedience which true faithfull subiects should beare vnto the same our souereigne ladie diddest at Westminster in the countie of Midlesex on the first daie of Februarie in the six and twentith yeare of hir highnesse reigne and at diuerse other times and places in the same line 40 countie maliciouslie and traitorouslie conspire and compasse not onelie to depriue and depose the same our souereigne ladie of hir roiall estate title and dignitie but also to bring hir highnesse to death and finall destruction and sedition in the realme to make and the gouernement thereof to subuert and the sincere religion of God established in hir highnesse dominions to alter and supplant And that whereas thou William Parrie by thy letters sent vnto Gregorie bishop of Rome diddest signifie vnto the same bishop thy purposes and intentions line 50 aforesaid and thereby diddest praie and require the same bishop to giue thée absolution that thou afterwards that is to saie the last day of March in the six and twentith yeare aforesaid diddest traitorouslie receiue letters from one called cardinall de Como directed vnto thée William Parrie whereby the same cardinall did signifie vnto thée that the bishop of Rome had perused thy letters and allowed of thine intent and that to that end he had absolued line 60 thee of all thy sinnes and by the same letter did animate and stir thée to procéed with thine enterprise and that therevpon thou the last daie of August in the six and twentith yeare aforesaid at saint Giles in the fields in the same countie of Midlesex diddest traitorouslie confer with one Edmund Neuill esquier vttering to him all thy wicked and traitorous deuises and then and there diddest mooue him to assist thee therein and to ioine with thee in those wicked treasons aforesaid against the peace of our said souereigne ladie the queene hir crowne and dignitie Whaâ— saiest thou William Parrie art thou guiltie of these treasons whereof thou standest here indicted or not guiltie Then Parrie said Before I plead not guiltie or confesse my selfe guiltie I praie you giue me leaue to speake a few words and with humbling himselfe began in this maner God saue quéene Elisabeth God send me grace to discharge my dutie to hir and to send you home in charitie But touching the matters that I am indicted of some were in one place and some in another and doone so secretlie as none can see into them except that they had eies like vnto God wherefore I will not laie my bloud vpon the iurie but doo mind to confesse the indictment It conteineth but the parts that haue béene openlie read I praie you tell me Whervnto it was answered that the indictment conteined the parts he had heard read no other Whervpon the clerke of the crowne said vnto Parrie Parrie thou must answer directlie to the indictment whether thou be guiltie or not Then said Parrie I doo confesse that I am guiltie of all that is therein conteined and further too I desire not life but desire to die Unto which the clerke of the crowne said If you confesse it you must confesse it in maner and forme as it is comprised in the indictment Wherevnto he said I doo confesse it in maner and forme as the same is set downe and all the circumstances thereof Then the confession being recorded the quéenes learned councell being readie to praie iudgement vpon the same confession master vicechamberleine said These matters conteined in this indictment and confessed by this man are of great importance they touch the person of the quéenes most excellent maiestie in the highest degrée the verie state and weldooing of the whole commonwealth and the truth of Gods word established in these hir maiesties dominions and the open demonstration of that capitall enuie of the man of Rome that hath set himselfe against God and all godlinesse all good princes and good gouernement and against good men Wherefore I praie you for the satisfaction of this great multitude let the whole matter appéere that euerie one may see that the matter of it selfe is as bad as the indictment purporteth and as he hath confessed Whereto in respect that the iustice of the realme hath béene of late verie impudentlie slandered all yeelded as a thing necessarie to satisfie the world in particular of that which was but summarilie comprised in the indictment though in the law his confession serued sufficientlie to haue procéeded therevpon vnto iudgement Wherevpon the lords and others the commissioners hir maiesties lerned councell and Parrie himselfe agréed that Parries confession taken the eleuenth and thirteenth of Februarie 1584 before the
Or rather Goche * Or rather Goche The skirmish betweene the citizens and the rebels vpon London bridge Matthew Goche famous for his acts abroad now slaine on LoÌ„doÌ„ bridge A staie by assent ProclamatioÌ„ of pardon dispersed the rebels Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 661 662. in Quart Capteine of Kent taken beheaded Abr. Fl. ex I. St. 663 664. The bishop of Salisburie murthered A fray in LoÌ„don against the maior The 〈…〉 Arminack a open 〈◊〉 Through dissention at home all last abroad All lost in France Abr. Fl. ex 〈…〉 sub Heâ— 6. Anno Reg. 30. Iohn Hooker alià s Vowell The king receiued into Excester The bishop his cleargie against the K. and the duke of Summerset c. in defense of their ecclesiasticall priuilege The duke of Yorke maketh claime to the crowne 〈◊〉 Stow. WhethaÌ„sted The duke of yorke raiseth a power for recouerie of his right to the crowne Whethamsted The dukes answer to the kings mesage Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 666 667. in Quart Whethamsted The duke of Yorks reconciliation to the king The duke of Yorke accuseth the duke of SuÌ„merset A mutuall charge betweene the two dukes Yorke Summerset of hiâ— treason Destinie cannot be auoided Occasion that set the duke of Yorke frée Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 671 672. in Quart Anno Reg. 31. 1453 The French people soone wearie of the French gouernment The valiant earle of Shrewesburie and his son 〈◊〉 fullie slaine Burdeaux yeelded againe to the French Aquitaine lâ—â—t The dignitie and state of that dukedome The quéene deliuered of hir son prince Edward Abr. Fl. ex I. Sâ— pag. 673. The maior shiriffes and aldermen resisted and abused in a â—raâ—e neére Clerkenwell Fr. Thin Anno Reg. 32. 1454 * In a tretise hereafter following The duke of Yorke séeks the destructioÌ„ of the duke of Summerset He banded himselfe with the Neuils The issue of Richard earle of Salisburie W. P. Anno Reg. 33. The duke of Summerset aâ—rested The king sicke Whethamsted The duke of Summersâ—t set at libertie Made deputie of Calis The duke of Yorke assembled an armie Whethamsted The king with two thousand The duke with thrée thousand Abr. Fl. 〈…〉 pag. 〈…〉 677. in 〈◊〉 Whethamsted The duke of Buckingham sent to the duke of Yorke The duke of Summerset burdned with all things that had happened aâ—isse w. P. The first battâ—ll of saint â—â—bons Whâ—thamsted Edw. Hall The duke of Summerset slaine Thomas lord Clifford saith Whethamsted The kings part vanquished Abr. Fl. ex I. S pag. 678 679. in Quart Battell of S. Albons on thursday the 23 of Maie Anno Reg. 33. Foure of theÌ„ to wit the duke of SuÌ„merset the earle of Northumberland and the lord Clifford were buried in our ladie chapell Whethamsted Iohn Hooker alià s Vowell A parlement Whethamsted Collaterall A letter kept from the king of purpose The duke of Yorkes comming against the king iustified The duke of Yorke made protector of the realme The king to reigne in name but noâ— in authoritie WhethaÌ„sted An act for the K. to râ—uoke certeine grants Shifting of officers Henrie duke of Summerset The duke of Yorke discharged of his office In vprore in the citie of London A foule disorder A common councell called Abr. Fl. ex I. S. 681. Fabian Anno Reg. 35. Sandwich spoiled by the French Fulnaie The Scots inuade England The lord Egremond committed to Newgate He made an escape A practise to haue intrapped the duke of Yorke Anno Reg 36. 1458 The bishop abiured for moouing against the popes extortion W. P. Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 682 68â— 684 685 686. in Quart The quéene atturni◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Tower of London The péeres of the realme called to a 〈◊〉 The prouidence of the citie for safegard of peace The lords are brought to agree The clergie were sure in those daies to loose nothing by these contentions how soeuer the world went The lord Egremonâ— They were shiriffes an 1456. A solemne procession at Paules Anno Reg. 37. W. P. The earle of Warwikâ— assaulted The quéenâ—â— purpose Whethamsted The earle of Warwike lord admerall A rich prise Abr. Fl. ex â—â— pag. 686 687. Printing 〈◊〉 inuented It rained bloud Anno Reg. 38. The earle of Salisburie gathereth a power Thrée thousand â—aith Whethamsted The lord Audelie Whethamsted Bloreheath The 23 of September Policie oft times passeth 〈◊〉 The lord Audelie slaine The number slaine in the battell of Bloreheath The earle of Salisburies sonne apprehended The duke of Yorke assembleth an armie Andrew Trollop Iohn Blunt The king raiseth an armie Whethamsted The bishop of Salisburie sent to the duke of Yorke and others Their answer touching the pardon offred A letter from the lords to the king A proclamation Andrew Trollop forsaketh the lords Whethamsted The estimation of Andrew Trollop The duke of Yorke and his complices 〈◊〉 The lords proclamed traitors The duke of Summerset made capteine of Calis â—â—stie heading Iohn Dinham The lord Riuers taken Iohn Stow. Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 692. Sir Baldwine Fulford his enterprise Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 688 689 â—â—â— 691. A parlement at Couentrie Duke of Yorke and others attainted Ludlow spoiled Whethamsted The kings inclination to mercie Abr. Fl. Ouid. de Ponto â—â—b 1. Osbert MoÌ„tford esquier saith Whethamsted who should also haue gone ouer to Guines with fiue hundred souldiers to the aid of the duke of Summerset The lord FaucoÌ„bridge was chiefe of this enterprise saith Whethamsted Thirtéene beheaded at once Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 692 693 694 695 â—â—â— 697 in 〈◊〉 The earle of Wilshire and other spoiled Newberie The earle of Wilshire state ouer the seas Priuie seales for monie Abr. Flem. Abr. Fl. ex I. S pag. 697. The men of Kent sent to Calis for the earles Whethamsted Couentrie the quéenes secret harbour The quéene the better capteine Whethamsted The battell of NorthamptoÌ„ Whethamsted The L. 〈◊〉 of Ruthen Edw. Hall The kings part discomfited The K. takâ—â— The Tower deliuered 〈◊〉 the earle of March. The lord Scales 〈◊〉 Thomas Thorpe 〈◊〉 â—l ex I. S. pag. 7â—0 Anno Reg. 39. Whethamsted The duke of Yorke commeth foorth of Ireland Whethamsted A strange deâ—â—nor of the duke of Yorke Hâ—s bold speâ—ch Edw. Hall in Hen. 6. fol. clxxvij c. Prodigious tokens The castell of Roxburgh besieged The king of Scots thorough misfortune slaine The determination of the parlement coÌ„cerning the entailing of crownâ— Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 700 701 c. in Quart The oth of Richard duke of Yorke The duke of Yorke proclamed heire apparant protectour of the realme The parlemeÌ„t 〈◊〉 Couentrie 〈…〉 The battell at Wakefield The duke of Yorke slaine Onelie seauen hundred southerne men saith Wheâ—hamsted The cruell murther of the yoong earle of Rutland Whethamsted A purchase of Gods cursse with the popes blessing The prisoners beheaded The earle of March now duke of Yorke The earle of Penbroke The battell of Mortimers crosse The cognisaÌ„ce of