Lords and Knights to meet him These found King Edward at Monstreul where they received him in their Kings Name with high Expressions of Respect For the French are a wonderfull free and civil People when they design to do honour to any Person Thus both Nations rode very friendly together towards Amiens enterchanging many courteous Speeches with great Familiarity King Edward upon his Arrival at Amiens was honourably welcom'd by King Philip the Kings of Bohemia Navarre and Majorica with many Dukes Earls and Barons and the Eleven Peers of France he himself being the Twelfth who were all there to do him Honour as was pretended but indeed to bear witness to his Homage There for Fifteen Days together he was entertain'd with great Royalty many things being canvas'd and discours'd of the mean while at intervals in order to the present Affair But on the Day appointed King Edward came into the Cathedral of Amiens in order to his Homage in a long Robe of Crimson Velvet pouder'd with Leopards of Gold his Crown on his Head his Sword by his Side and Spurs of Gold on his Heels King Philip of Valois sat ready to receive him on his Royal Throne in a Robe of Violet-colour'd Velvet pouder'd with Flowers de Luce's of Gold his Crown on his Head his Scepter in his Hand with other Ensigns of Majesty besides his Royal Attendants When e Frois c. 24 fol. 14. a. Martin p. 105. King Edward saw in what scornfull manner King Philip sat to receive him his High Courage instantly resolv'd upon a different Way from what he had before intended so that only bending his Body a little toward the Throne he said aloud with a truly Royal Boldness I Edward by the Grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain do hereby do Homage to thee Philip King of France to hold the Dutchy of Guien as Duke thereof and the Earldom of Ponthieu and Monstreul as Earl thereof and as Peer of France in like manner as my Predecessors did Homage for the said Dukedom and Earldom to thy Predecessors At this unexpected Gallantry of King Edward's thô Philip of Valois inwardly repin'd yet he seem'd to take little notice of it but only order'd his Chancellor to direct the King his Cozen That the manner of his Predecessors was by Putting off the Crown and Laying aside both Sword and Spurs to do it Kneeling with their Hands between the King of France's Knees or his great Chamberlain's hands and this they were always to do either in Person or by sufficient Proxy of some high Prince or Prelate then and there promising Faith and Homage to the King of France as to their Soveraign Lord of whom they held those Lands and Honours But this King Edward would by no means yeeld to alledging that they could shew no such Precedent For one Crowned Head so to humble himself to another and that he was not as yet satisfied of any such matter Hereupon they produced some Old Memorials which were read to him purporting that certain Kings his Ancestors had done in like manner to the Kings of France when summon'd on the same Occasion But these Records the King of England would not allow to be Authentick and therefore said he was determin'd as then to proceed no further till he had consulted his own Records wherein if he should find that any thing more had been done he would recognize the same by his Letters Patents to the French King. And whatever Monsieur du Serres alledges that the Vicount Melun Great Chamberlain of France having made him put off Crown Sword and Spurs joyned his Hands together and received his Homage yet that no more than a Verbal Homage was then done appears not only from the Acknowledgment of Monsieur f Mezeray p. 6. par 2. â—im 3. Mezeray an Author infinitely more diligent and wise than Du Serres but also by the King of England's own Letters afterwards which in order shall follow according to the Originall This was a mighty Disappointment to the King of France who had expected a more formal and full Homage in Presence of all these his Honourable Friends and Allies But no more could now be obtain'd and since no Evidence to the Contrary appear'd as yet Authentick enough at least to King Edward's satisfaction he was obliged in Honour to smother his Discontent before that Royal Assembly and so said openly Dear Cozen of England we will not here be thought desirous to impose any thing upon You against Right and Equity What you have already done sufficeth for the Present So that upon your Return when you have consulted your own Records and seen what your Predecessors have done on like Occasions you will send unto us under your Broad Seal an acknowledgement of the same Thus he spake and so the Assembly broke up as it should seem in friendly manner howbeit King Philip revolved deeply in his Mind of this affront put upon him where he had look'd for such High Honour and upon that account as well as because of those pretences which he knew King Edward might justly make to his Crown he secretly devised how when most separated from his people he might g Knighton p. 2555. n. 10. surprize and seise his Person till he should make his own Conditions with him But this Counsel was not so closely agitated but that Henry Burwash Lord Bishop of Lincoln a Man of a great Reach who came over as the King 's Chief Counsellour and Governour had got some inkling or conjecture thereof at least and so privately informed the King his Master of the Danger he was in He for his part easily apprehending the matter left France suddenly with his whole Company e're any Man imagin'd how or why and so coming safely into England went directly for Windsor where his Queen Philippa lay who was extreamly satisfied with his safe Return and there had her Female Curiosity abundantly satisfied as to all her Enquiries after the State and Welfare of her Uncle King Philip and the rest of her kindred whom he had lately seen But King Edward brought home a sting along with him whereby he thought his Honour wounded and which never let him be at rest till he had prov'd himself Worthy of the Crown of France thô he never attain'd to the Possession of it From this time it run continually in his Head that France was too Noble a Kingdom to be despised for he had never before seen any thing so Pompous there or if he had his tender Age would not permit him to make any just estimate thereof But now whatever he had met with gave him the more concern because he look'd on it as of Right his own however injuriously taken from him The mean l Frois ibid. while as if all this was too little provocation King Philip not thus satisfied resolves to press the unwilling Prince to a more particular acknowledgement and therefore soon after pursues him
Collateral to her Brother King Charles being disabled to Succeed by a continued Custom of that Realm or by a Statute lawfully published which excludeth Women from Succession in the Kingdom whether Edward her Son or Philip Son of the First Charles who was Uncle to this Last King Charles should carry the Crown and Kingdom of France according to the Lawfull Rules of Succession In which doubtfull Case I shall first lay down certain Reasons on the Behalf of Philip But before other Matters because the whole Knot of the Business is rooted upon the Custom and Statute whereof I have spoken lest the Foundation should fail I will strengthen that Statute with certain Reasons and First thus This Statute as it is presupposed in the State of the Question was lawfully made and published the Nobility of the Realm being thereto called and all those who had any Right or Interest in this Case to be called So that it proceeded from the whole Council of the Realm lawfully assembled Therefore whether Authority to make Statutes be a Matter of meer or mixt Empire or else of simple Jurisdiction the Statute is of Force and Good i Arg. l. Illicicitus §. Qui universis ff de Offic. Prasid l. Hâ—manum C. de â—egibus l. Omnes populi ff de just jure junctis ibi nâ—tatis Barth in primâ questione principali saae repetitionis unà cum notatis ejusdem in l. Imperium in quaest suà quae incipit Quer. quibus Judicibas ff de Jurisdict Omnium Judic in Law. Again this Statute is greatly confirmed by the Apparent Profit which by the good Provision thereof is much procured to the Realm of France Lest if a Woman should succeed the Weakness of her Sex might become Fatal to the k Arg. ad haec Inst quibut alie licet non vel in Fi. primire State Whereto strongly maketh the Law Faeminae ff de Reg. Juris with other Laws which affirm l ff derpostuland l. 1. §. seâ—um junct ib. gl fac l. in multis ff de statu Heminâ—â— that Women must not exercise such Offices as appertain to Men. This is also made good in that Law which was in Force in the Middle Time of the Empire of Rome bearing more Favour unto Men in Succession of Collaterals of which Quality is this now in Question did sometimes dispose m Inst de Leg. Agnat succ §. Câ—terum ubi benè facit ratio ejusdem §. posita ibi Quod ideò C. de Leg. ber l. Lege XII Tab. that Inheritances should pass from one to another among the Male Kindred althô they were in a very distant Degree But the Women Kindred should then only succeed in case they were Sisters If they were more remote whether descended of Sisters or any other they were held incapable For if that Law could exclude Women Kindred from Lawfull Succession as it did because otherwise the Correction thereof comprised in these cited Laws had not been necessary for that which is not n ff de injâ—st rupt irrit test l. nam eâ—si cannot be abolished broken or corrected Then this o Arg. praemiss ff de Legibus l. non est novum l. de quibus cum similibus Statute may do the same in the Kingdom of France Again that the Right of a Kingdom is carried by Hereditary Succession or by Prerogative of Custom it is brought in only by Positive and Civil Law p Le. no. 8. q. 1. c. Moses ibi glo Archid. to wit Custom Therefore it followeth that it may be taken away by the same Law and consequently by the Law of this Statute q Ar. ff de Reg. jur l. Nil tam naturale Inst de jur natur Gent. Civ §. Sed Naturalia inst de legit Agnat tutela §. Fi. or Custom By which it seemeth to be as clear as the Light that the Lady Isabell could not come to the Crown of the Realm of France as being altogether disabled and excluded by Statute So then upon this Foundation thus laid beforehand many Reasons may be raised against King Edward For lawfull Successions proceed by Degrees that is from one Degree to another So that as a Man is nearer in Order of Degree so r Inst de legit Agnat Sâ—ccess §. Placebat ibi not is he stronger in Right of Succession But in Case of our Question the nearer and stronger Degree of Isabell is plainly disabled from Succession by Statute Therefore this Lawfull Succession as interrupted or stopped by Her cannot proceed to a further Degree viz. to King Edward Because Succession goeth on by Steps and not per saltum Å¿ In. tit qui feud da. poss §. quia facit l. ut Gradatim ff de munere oner injunct l. qui indignus ff de Senateribus as Baldus noteth And this Sequel is proved for t Lâ—tria praedia ff de servit rust praed that the Overthrow of Order is also the Overthrow of that which is to be Ordered And upon u ff de Officâ—ejus cui mandaest Jurisdictio l. 1. §. hajus rei argumentum Destruction of the Antecedent the Destruction of the Consequent doth ensue Again if King Edward should make Claim of any such Succession this must be by reason of the Royal Blood derived unto him from King Philip his Grandfather by the Mothers Side by the Mean of his Mother But the Mother had no such Blood in her self capable of Succession as it appeareth by that which hath been said Ergo x Arg. l. Nemo ff de Reg. Jur. l. traditio ff de acquirendo rerum Dommie She could not convey the same unto her Son. Again every y ff l. Plenum ff sinsus minister ii ff de usu hab Right by Derivation thereof is made more feeble Therefore if this Blood was not of Ability to succeed in the Mother as it appeareth before much less shall it be of that Ability being conveyed and deriv'd into King Edward The Form of Proof is taken à Majori ad Minus To the same Purpose an Argument may be drawn from z Filius familiâs ff de acquir Haered another Law where a Son being in the Power of his Father cannot appoint his Son and the Grandchild of his Father who holdeth Authority over both to take upon him to be the Heir of his Mother deceased upon Consideration of this Reason that the Father who giveth Authority is in that Case that by Himself in Person he cannot enter into such an Inheritance Therefore by parity of Reason in the Case of this Question the Mother Isabell cannot give Right of Succession to King Edward because by her Self in Person she is not able to succeed To the same purpose serveth the Law Filium habeo ff ad Senatusconsultum Macedonianum Again where a Nephew or Grandchild hath a Grandfather and a Father of divers Conditions the
Southerland As for the former King John Baliol he liv'd at this time a retired life in France having only two Sons the Lord Edward and Henry who as yet had no Issue and therefore their Father had on certain considerations resigned and quitted and given over to King Robert his Right and Title to the Crown of Scotland so that Robert was now quit of all fear on that part and otherwise very strong in the affections of his People who were then a great and flourishing Nation And this was the state of Scotland when King Edward the Third of England came to the Crown wherefore encouraged with their former success and despising King Edwards Youth r Rich. Sâ—uthwell on the very night of that day whereon King Edward was Crowned the Scots had intended to take the Castle of Norham Å¿ Grafton p. 173. between the Marches of England and Scotland by surprize and so well they managed their design that about t Holinshead Hist Sect. p. 225 sixteen of them had already mounted the Walls but the Captain Sr Robert Manners being warned of the Matter before-hand by one of his Garrison who was a Scotchman had so well provided to receive them that of those who had mounted he took five or six and put the rest to the sword their Companions below upon this disappointment retiring This seem'd a good Omen of King Edward's future Victories over the Scots by occasion of the Lord Edward Baliol who was himself a Scotchman Presently after King Robert Bruce supposing it now a very fit season to take some advantage against his old Enemies the English during this their Kings Minority sends about u Frois c. 15. Grafton p. 218. Easter a short and brisk Defiance to King Edward and all his Realm telling them that he would shortly with his Power invade the Realm of England with Fire and Sword and there do as he had done before in his Fathers Reign at the Battle of Bannocksborn near Striveling or Sterling where the English received that mighty Overthrow we spake of by reason of those x Sr Tho. de la More Ed. 2. p. 2. Holingshead hist Scotl. p. 217. Hector and Buchan Pits into which the Scots had intrapt them unawares I must not omit that the Scotch Writers attribute the occasion of this Defiance to some fraud or other wherewith the English had lately endeavour'd to ensnare them by foul Collusion of their Ambassadours but neither can it be imagin'd what necessity the King of England should have either by fraud or force to attempt to injure the King of Scots with whom he stood on no ill Terms before his own Affairs were in any posture of Settlement nor do any of their own Historians assign what this fraud or injury was nor indeed was ever the English Nation noted so much for fineness or subtlety as for down-right Honesty and blunt valour Nor is the consideration of King Robert's Age and sickness sufficient to conclude that of necessity there must be some great Cause given that could provoke so decrepit a Man to begin a War toward the End of his Life since thô his Person was weak his Mind was strong and vigorous and Scotland was never in better case than at that time and the Generals he intended to employ were Barons of great Fidelity Conduct and Resolution and he might reasonably hope to have at least as much advantage over this Young King as he had over his Father in his Full Age when attended with a most flourishing Army Nor is any great Captain thô never so satiate with Lawrels so unambitious after all but that in his weakest condition he would lay hold on any occasion of so probable success against a professed Enemy 'T is sweet to an old Warrior to end his days among Triumphs and Victories This is certain King Edward the Third neither did nor could send any Ambassadors to him before his Coronation yet even then we shew'd before that the Scots began to break the Peace by attempting to surprize a Castle thô no less than y Hâ—linshead hist Scot. p. 224. Ashmole p. 645. ex Claus 1. Ed. 3. p. 1. m. 2. Dâ—rs Nine years were to come of the last Thirteen years Truce struck up between this Kings Father and King Robert of Scotland four years before And besidâ—â— we find that there had been since the Coronation of this Young King an Agreement for a further Treaty of Peace to be held in the Marches on the Sunday next before Ascension Day then ensuing But as I said before King Robert imagining to make an easie prey of the young Monarch neither much valued the old Truce not yet ended nor the new Agreement not yet perfected but resolves upon War. Hereupon soon after he invades the North Borders with an z Hector p. 307 b. n. 60. Army of Twenty five thousand Men a Bachan p. 273 all Horse that they might do mischief more speedily and retire with more expedition if by any necessity they should be so obliged VI. The mean while King Edward conceives an high indignation at this unprovoked Defiance and to secure himself for the future from the like Contempt immediately with all his Power addresses himself to defend his Reputation And first he b Frois c. 17. sends his Uncle Thomas of Brotherton Earl of Norfolk and Marshal of England with a choice number of Soldiers to Newcastle upon Tine who there made his Musters as he was appointed on the c Ashmole p. 645. Monday next before the Ascension in like manner the Lord Robert Hufford and the Lord John Moubray were commanded away to the Reinforcement of the Lord Anthony Lucy of Cockermouth then d Dugd. Baron 1 Vol. 565. a. Governour of the Castle and Town of Carlile At the same time the King issued out his General summons to his own People and moreover by kind letters invited his noble Friend John Lord of Beaumont in Heinalt and brother to William Earl of Heinalt by whose aid chiefly the Queen had deposed her Husband and who was but newly return'd home again to come over to his assistance about the time of the Ascension Sr John Lord Beaumont hereupon came over to the King to the City of York the place appointed for the general Rendezvous thô Newcastle also was pitch'd upon for the assembly of other Forces a week before within three days of Whitsuntide accompanied with more than fourty Lords and Knights of Heinalt Flanders and Bohemia with other Knights from Cambray and Artois to the number of Five hundred Men of Arms all well Arm'd and gallantly Mounted Soon after Whitsuntide follow'd for the sake of this John of Heinalt the Lord William Son to the Duke of Juliers or Gulick and Sr Henry Thyrry afterwards Earl of Lewis and with them another goodly Company all expecting to purchase much honour under this hopefull Young King and no less profit as well from his Royal bounty as from the
Army with Provision By Chance he was met by the Lord Manny who neither well could nor much car'd to avoid him There happen'd between these two Lords a most fierce Rencounter and many were unhorsed hurt slain and taken on both sides For the p Frois c. 120. French were Five to One. While this Medley lasted News thereof was carried to Aiguillon Whereupon the English Lords prepared hastily to relieve their Fellows and first the Earl of Pembroke with his Men rode forth and being come to the Skirmish he there found his Noble Friend Sr. Walter Manny q Frois ibid. on Foot surrounded by his Enemies but doing wonderfull Deeds of Arms. To him the Earl presented a lusty fresh Horse and it was well in the mean time some Frenchmen drove the Cattle away toward their Camp For else they had lost both them and themselves too For the English that made this Sally set upon the French with so much Fury that they presently put them to the Rout and deliver'd all their Friends and took many of their Enemies Prisoners So that the Lord Charles of Monmorency himself had much ado to make an Escape And such Rencounters happen'd frequently almost r Frois ibid. every Day beside the Assaults made upon the Castle One day above the rest the whole Host was armed and the Duke of Normandy gave Order that the Men of Tholouse Carcassone and Beaucaire should make an Assault from Morning till Noon and those of Rodes Cahors and Agen from Noon till Night and he himself promised that whoever could win the Bridge of the Gate should have for his Reward an hundred French Å¿ Fr. Crown 6 s. 8 d. Crowns of Gold. And the better to render this Days work effectual he mann'd several Ships and Barges on the River some whereof ply'd by the Bridge and others passed the River to divert the Defendants At last certain of the Frenchmen came in a Boat under the Bridge where they cast up great Hooks of Iron to catch hold on the Draw-Bridge and having so done never left pulling till they had broke in sunder the Chains that held it and so laid down the Bridge by Force Then Others that were ready for that purpose leap'd thereon so hastily that one overthrew another they were all so greedy of the 100 Crowns The mean while the Defendants when they saw the Bridge as throng'd as ever it could be threw down plentifully among them vast Bars of iron massy pieces of Timber Pots of quick Lime with burning Pitch Tarr and scalding Oyl so that many were brained and scalded to Death grievously wounded and overthrown Dead and half-dead into the River and into the Ditch However the Bridge remained for that time in the Possession of the French but it signified little for they could not win the Gate for all that So at last when it was late the Retreat was sounded to the French and they being retired to the Camp the Defendants open'd their Gates and raised up the Bridge again and made it stronger than ever it was and bound it fast to great Rings in the Wall with thicker Chains of Iron The next Day there came to the Duke two Cunning Carpenters well skill'd in Mathematicks who said Sir if your Highness will allow us Timber and Workmen to follow our Directions we will make you Four strong Scaffolds as high or higher than the Walls of this Castle whereby your Men may come hand to hand with the Defendants The Duke commanded they should do so and empower'd them to press Carpenters about in the Country at his Pay and promised them liberal Rewards So at last after a long Time excessive Labour and vast Expence these four Scaffolds were ready being built on the Decks of four Great Ships and such as were appointed for that Work were disposed in them But having passed scarce half way in the River to give the Assault the Defendants who having observed all these Preparations had by this time provided a Remedy set up against them four tight Engines which they had newly made to resist the Scaffolds These four Engines cast such huge Flints and Stones with such a force and hit the Scaffolds so luckily that presently they were all so uncover'd and broken that they could yield no Defence to those that were within Wherefore they were all commanded back again but before they reach'd the Land one of the Scaffolds Ship and all sunk in the River and the greater Part of those within it were drown'd Which was a great Loss for none were there but good and valiant Knights and Gentlemen who only courted Honour by this Hazardous Enterprise When the Duke saw that whatever way he went was thus rendred unsuccessfull he let the other three Scaffolds lie still and repented much that ever he came thither For now he saw no likelihood of Winning the Castle and yet at his first coming thither he had t Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 46. p. 856. swore a solemn Oath that he would never rise thence till he had the Place at his Devotion Then he sent the Constable of France and the Earl of Tancarville to Paris to the King his Father to let him know the State of the Siege before Aiguillon and it was the Kings Pleasure that the Duke should lie there still till he had won them by Famine since he could not by Assault But this latter Device signified as little as any of the former for this Garrison was so far from allowing themselves to be pent up within Walls that having heard of two u Giov. Villani l. 12. c. 46. p. 856. Great Ships which were coming from Tholouse to the Army laden with Provision of Victuals and Armour they adventur'd forth both by Land and by Water those beating up the Enemies Quarters in their Camp and these fetching away the Ships which they brought into the Castle to their great Comfort and the infinite Loss and Vexation of the Duke of Normandy This Action happen'd on the 16 of June VIII During this famous Siege before Aiguillon x Giov. Villani l 12. c. 60. p. 870. Holinshead Engl. Chr. p. 928. the Seneschal of Guienne under the French King departed from the Duke of Normandy with a Detachment of 800 Horse and 4000 Foot designing to take in a Castle belonging to a Nephew of the Cardinal de la Motte which was about 12 Leagues distant from Aiguillon The Archdeacon of Vnfort who was Lord of the Castle and held for England understanding of the Frenchmens Approach to his Fortress went out privily and rode Post to la Reole where the Earl of Lancaster and Darby lay at that time with his little Army waiting for some Advantage against the Duke of Normandy Upon the Information and Request of this Man the Earl appointed a certain Number of Horsemen and Archers to ride along with him With whom the Archdeacon going back came on the 31 of July early in the Morning before his
up to Arques and the Gates of St. Omers and having sufficiently made known the Terror of his Arms he return'd Triumphantly with many Prisoners and much Booty to Calais But soon after the occasions of the late Breach between the two Kings were fully concerted and a further Truce was taken a Knighton p. 2603. n. 4. with this condition that either of the Kings might renounce it when ever he pleased III. The same Yeart b Stow p. 251. the Spanish Ships had liberty to come to England by Reason of a Peace established with that Kingdom whereas the Year before there was an Imbargo set upon them because of the late Breach But now a Truce was taken between the two Crowns for twenty Years before which time we shall find Don Pedro of Spain to stand greatly in need of Englands Friendship Whereas the foremention'd Truce with France was prolonged but for one Year further and yet did it hardly endure so long as we shall shew by and by However now both the Kings seem'd in good earnest to endeavour a final Peace c Fabian p. 228 Odâ— Raâ—nald ad hanc ann §. 37. and sent their Commissioners for that purpose to Avignon to conclude and perfect the Agreement on these Conditions That King Edward should wholly lay aside his Title and Claim to the Crown of France and King John should entirely yield up to him all the Dutchy of Guienne with the Dependencies and whatever was at any time before taken therefrom by his Progenitors and that King Edward and his Heirs Kings of England should freely hold and possess the same without acknowledging owing or paying any Homage therefore to any French King from that day unto the Worlds end But the Conclusion of this Matter was so long put off and delay'd by the Pope and such demurrs and other Artifices usual in the Court of Rome laid in the way that the Duke of Lancaster with the rest of the English Commissioners being wearied by those tedious tergiversations returned back to their Master without bringing the said Agreement to any happy Conclusion But d Oder Rainald â—d hunc ann Mezeray c. some say this Treaty was hindred by an occasion given by the English who took the Castle of Guisnes by Treachery of which we shall speak presently However King Edward hereupon prepared for War resolving to take the Field early next Year as soon as the Truce should be expired But upon the first of April before the last Truce was renewed for another Year the Lord Guy e 〈◊〉 c. 153. Meâ—â—â—y 〈…〉 p. 251 〈…〉 23. April Fâ—x Acts Men. p. 507. de Nesle Marshal of France went in Hostile Manner with a great number of Men of Arms spoiling and ravaging about in Xaintogne and near St. Jean D'Angely but was at last met with by Sr. Walter Bentley who together with Edmund Rous a Norfolk-Man and Captain of the Castle of St. Jean D'Angely making in all but 600 Men encountred him Valiantly and had such Success that he slew and routed the whole Body of them took Sr. Guy de Nesle himself and Sr. Arnold D'Endreghan together with the Lord William de Nesle the Marshals Brother and six other Knights of Quality and of Esquires and Gentlemen 140 Prisoners But yet f Frois c. 153. in the September following the Frenchmen recover'd the Town and Castle of St. Jean D'Angely after it had been in the Englishmens Possession 5 Years without one stroke given or taken For the Garrison being left low and without Provision was fain to yield up the Place on Equal Conditions because they had not wherewithall to live on IV. While thus matters were held in suspence between England and France and hot War g Vid. Oder Ramald ad hunc ann §. 22. c. raged between Casimire King of Poland and the Lithuanians and Tartars on one hand and the Christian States of Venice and Genoa tore out one anothers Bowels on the other and the King of Armenia's Territories were snatch'd away from him piece-meal by the Infidels the h Id. ibid. §. 25. Heathen Governour of Damascus with a design to render the Christians under him odious and so to fill his Coffers with their substance perpetrated a most cruel and Nero-like Action this Year For having himself caused the said City to be secretly fired in two several places he presently hurried away the Christians to the Rack as the only Authors thereof Some of these being rendred impatient by the exquisiteness of the torments confessed themselves guilty Whereupon immediately he condemns them all to die except such as would embrace Mahometanisme Most of them by large gifts appeas'd the Tyrants sury others unhappily renounced the Christian Faith But there remain'd two and twenty who refusing to do either were condemned to be Crucified However first the Tyrant commanded them to be brought before their Friends Parents and Children that so he might shake their Constancy But the Divine Grace did so powerfully assist them at that time that the Father who was to die despis'd the Prayers and Tears of his own Son who entreated him to live and the Faithfull Son upbraided his Apostate Father of wicked Inconstancy to forsake the True Religion for fear of Corporal punishment and call'd him his worst Enemy in that by tempting him with the transitory joys of this Life he endeavour'd to deprive him of the Rewards of Eternity Being therefore all hung upon the Cross for three days they were beheld both by Christians and Saracens to die a notable Example of Religious Constancy But the Tyrant had but a short Triumph for this his exploit For soon after the Innocence of the Christians as to the burning of the City being made manifest by the Soldan's Command he was put to Death after this Manner A Great-broad Anvil of Iron being ready prepared as red-hot as possible the Malefactor was brought near stark-naked from his Privy-parts upwards then two strong Men took and twisted a Towel below his Ribs and above his Hips round his Belly pulling and twisting till by degrees they had rendred him thereabout little more than a span round At which time the Executioner cutting him off with a sword at one Blow just above the Towel this Body was immediately set upon the glowing Anvil So that the Blood and Life together was held in till the Anvil growing colder the Body fell off being seised by Death With such signal severity can it please God. to Revenge the Blood of his Saints even by the hands of the Blasphemers of his Name V. This Year i Favâ—ne's Theatre L'Honne r l. 3. c. 2. p. 346. on the 8 day of September or the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary King John of France that in Magnificence he might not come behind King Edward of England who had lately instituted the Order of the Garter did also k Mezeray ad hâ—â—â— annâ—n institute or rather renew the almost obsolete Order
Homage of England Wherefore they heartily desired the King of England and his Council to consider of it and to propose unto them such Conditions as they might accept and not demand of them things so inconsistent and impossible and which appeared unto them far worse than Death This Request being but reasonable was back'd with a Truce and thus Matters rested for a while in those Parts V. Now k Odor Rainal ad hunc annum §. 15. Stow p. 254. Pope Innocent the VI being newly settled in the Pontifical Chair when he saw Matters tending towards a Rupture between the two Realms of England and France interposed his Endeavours to make up the Breach and sent l Innoc. VI. Tom. 1. Epist Secret p. 22. Et an 1. Epist Curial l. 2. Epist 29 30 31. Guy Bishop of Porto and Cardinal of Bologna in his Name to promote the Treaty of a Final Peace in Order to which he empower'd him by his Papal Letters the Tenour whereof followeth INNOCENT the Servant of the Servants of God to his Venerable Brother Guy Bishop of Porto c. Among other things which by the Office of our Apostolick Service are incumbent on Us this We especially desire that between our Most Dear Sons in Christ the Illustrious Kings John of France and Edward of England the Fewel of Dissention being withdrawn Peace and Concord may be reformed Tranquillity may flourish the happiness of Quiet may abound and a Pacifick State may continue Considering therefore that You who as an earnest Well-Wisher to the Premises have at our Good Pleasure gone to the Parts of France and there Personally tarry do zealously interpose Your Diligence to the Reformation of the said Peace and Concord desiring also that if by his Grace who is the Author of Health and Peace Your Intention being as to the Premises conformable to ours may obtain a desired effect those things which shall be done may be firmly Ratified We grant unto your Brotherhood of whom in this and other things We have full Confidence in the Lord by the Apostolical Authority by Vertue of these Presents full and free Power of Confirming approving and Ratifying by the Authority aforesaid the Treaties and Conventions of the said Peace and Concord between the said Kings and also the Princes Lords Great Men Aiders and Followers of them and their Adherents nevertheless after that the said Treaties and Conventions shall by Gods assistance be finished and by the said Kings and others aforesaid freely received and approved of receiving from them and every of them Covenants Oaths and Submissions for the entire observation of the said Treaties and Conventions and of restraining the Contradictions by Ecclesiastical Censure without any Appeal notwithstanding if to them or any of them either together or severally it hath been granted by the Apostolick See that they should not be interdicted suspended or excommunicated by Apostolick Letters making full and express mention and Word by Word of such a Grant. Dated at Villeneufe of the Dioecese of Avignon III Id. Maii Ano. Pontif. 1 mo Besides this Cardinal Pope Innocent m M. S. in Bibl. Vatican sign N. p. 2040. apud Oder Rainald ibid. sent several other Prelates to both the Kings in Order to bring this Peace to its Perfection So that at n Stow ibid. M.S. Vet. Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 229. last it was agreed That the King of England should resign acquit and renounce all the Right he had or claimed to the Crown of France transferring it entirely to the French King and his Heirs in Consideration whereof He the said King of England should receive and enjoy the whole Dukedom of Aquitain with the City of Calais and the whole Counties of Artois and of Guisnes for Himself and his Successors Kings of England without ever doing any Homage or making any acknowledgement for the same to the Kings of France or without holding them in any subordinate Manner otherwise than he held the Crown of England it self namely of God alone To these Conditions thus agreed on King Edward yielded his Consent and for a firm Conclusion of the Premises Ambassadors were sent as well from him as from the French King to the Court of Rome then at Avignon A Truce being taken the mean while to be kept in England France Gascogne and Bretagne till Easter next ensuing during which time it was hoped a full and final Peace would be established But we shall defer the Prosecution of that Matter to its proper Place and speak of what happen'd at home before the Truce was in any forwardness VI. On the 15 of July o M.S. Ret. Parl. p. 70. Sr. Rob. Cotton p. 83. King Edward sent forth his Writs of Summons to his Lords to meet him in Parliament at Westminster on the * Lâ—t Dom. F. Monday after the Feast of St. Matthew or the 23d of September following these being the Names of those to whom the Writs were directed Edward Prince of Wales Henry Duke of Lancaster William Bohun Earl of Northampton Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex Hugh Courtney Earl of Devonshire William Clinton Earl of Huntington Richard Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick John Vere Earl of Oxford Gilbert Vmphraville Earl of Angos Robert Hufford Earl of Suffolk William Montague Earl of Salisbury Ralph Stafford Earl of Stafford John Lord Mowbray Henry Lord Piercy Ralph Lord Neville Richard Lord Talbot Robert Lord Morley Walter Lord Manny William Lord Hunting field Thomas Lord Berkley Thomas Lord Lucy Peter Lord Morley the Fifth Reginald Lord Cobham Reginald Lord Grey John Lord Willoughby of Eresby Roger Lord Chandos John Lord Charleton William Lord Zouch of Harringworth John Lord Bardolph William Lord Deincourt John Lord Tibetot John Lord Fitz-Walter Walter Lord Fauconbridge William Lord Greystock William Lord Dacres Thomas Lord Musgrave Thomas Lord Bradestan John Lord Grey of Rotherfield John Lord Grey of Codonore John Lord Darcy of Knayth Roger Lord Mortimer of Wigmore Robert Lord Colvile Bartholomew Lord Burwash Senior Guy Lord Brian Nicolas Lord Seimour Geoffry Lord Say. Michael Lord Poynz John Lord Beauchamp of Somerset John Lord Beauchamp of Warwickshire William Lord Ferrers John Lord Lisle of Rugemont Nicolas Lord Cantilupe John Lord Furnival Nicolas Lord Burnel Edward Lord Montague Thomas Lord Vghtred Robert Lord Scales Henry Lord Scroop John Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Braose James Lord Audley Thomas Lord Holland Bartholomew Lord Burwash Junior Warden of the Cinque-Ports On the p Sr. Rob. Cotton's Abridgement p. 81. c. Monday aforesaid the Parliament being met Proclamation was made in Westminster-Hall that the Three-Estates warned thereto might take their ease from Wednesday until Friday then ensuing On which Friday Sr. William Shareshull the Lord Chief Justice shew'd that the Assembly was called for that the Staple should be removed from beyond the Seas and appointed within the Realm But for that we shall refer the Reader to the Statute of the
but only as one who had the Gift of expounding those Ancient Prophecies and from them to shew unto all Christian People the very Years and Times when such and such things should happen According to which his Expositions many wonderfull and unexpected Accidents did really fall out in those times which he had limited He wrote many Books full of much Learning one whereof came forth in the beginning of the Year 1346 wherein were written such marvellous Predictions that they almost exceed Belief thô the Event declared them to be reall As for Example propounding therein a Question to himself What was to be the Issue of these Wars and Commotions in France he answers That all which had been already was not to compare to what should be seen hereafter For says he the Wars in France shall not be ended till the Realm be in a manner wholly exhausted and left Desolate and that from the Years 1346 1347 1348 1349 unto the Year 1360 c. The Princes and Gentry of the Land should be afraid to shew their faces among the People of low Condition assembled out of all Countries without any great Head or Captain who should do in France after their pleasure Which saying we have already seen most evidently fullfilled as well in those Robberies and Insolencies of the Companions as in the Rise and Progress of the Jaquerie not to mention the Wars of King Edward and the Seditious Tumults raised by the Parisians and the King of Navarre whereby that Kingdom seem'd to be reduced to the last Extremity IX Upon all which Considerations the d Frois c. 211. fol. 104. b. Duke of Normandy who was still at Paris with his two Brethren and their Uncle the Duke of Orleans began now with his Council to weigh the Matter more maturely They all well knew the Courage and fierce Resolution of the King of England and that he daily added to the already-insupportable Miseries of France whereby it evidently appear'd that it was impossible for the Realm to subsist much longer without some considerable Respiration For all the large Rents and Revenues both of Church and State were already either quite lost or hugely impaired So that the most Wealthy in Lands could make little or no Advantage of them And moreover it was known how King Edward intended before Autumn to return to the Siege of Paris having sworn never to leave France till he had brought her to his Dovotion Wherefore it was resolved by the Duke of Normandy and his whole Council that King Edward must be apply'd to for a Peace and some advantagious Offers in order thereunto be made unto Him. There was now in Court at Paris a Reverend and Discreet Personage the Chancellour of France named William Aiscelin de Montegu Bishop of Tercüenne by whose Direction most of the Publique Affairs had lately been Order'd for his Advice was always sound both sound and faithfull With him were associated two other Sage Prelates Androine de la Roche Abbot of Cluigny and Father Simon de Langers These Reverend Persons upon their Remonstrance of the necessity of Affairs at that time went from Paris by Consent of the Duke and his Council and together with Sr. High de Geneve Lord of Autun followed after King Edward with certain Articles of Peace whom they found in Beauce riding toward Gaillardon Immediately they addressed themselves unto him with all humility desiring him for the Love of God to permit them once more to hold a Treaty in order to a Peace between France and Him and their Allies The King expecting now more large Offers granted their Request and so a Treaty was enter'd upon between them and the English Commissioners Edward Prince of Wales Henry Duke of Lancaster and others but surely those Authors who make Roger Earl of March one of their Number are widely mistaken for he died as we have shewn at least above a Month before viz. on the 26 of February at Rouvray in Burgundy being then Marshal of the Kings Army This Treaty was e Frois ibid. held closely for some time but all the while King Edward kept on his March as he thought fitting yet still the French Commissioners would by no means leave him but rode along after him and prosecuted their business with all the application imaginable For they saw the King their Master was in Prison and his Realm so harassed on all hands that there was no hope left without a Peace could be purchased On the other side King Edward is said to have demanded such high things and so prejudicial to the Realm of France that the Regent's council could not in Honour admit of them So that all the while of the Treaty which lasted for about 17 days the Commissioners sent every day Post to the Duke of Normandy who lay then at Paris an account of the Progress they had made still desiring an enlargement of their Powers And this account of theirs was always secretly inspected and canvassed in the Regents Chamber and their Commissions further enlarged and sent unto them in writing Witnessed and Sealed by the Regent and his Council Honoratiss o Viro Dn o IOHANÌ„I PEAKE Militi Orphano trophy apud LONDON He spitoo Christi dicti Praesidi Meritiss nec non Digniss Dii Nathanaeli Hawes Armigero Esiâ—â—t Hospitii Thesau rario Relâ—â—uisque illâ—â—s Gubernatoribus Dioniss Colendissâ—â—isque Hanc EDVARDI Tertij â—iouram reluti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eduea â—ionis elim praebilae MonumentuÌ„ Gratus dicat Iosua Barnes Thus arm'd fierce EDWARD did his Troops advance Resolâ—â— to Wast 〈◊〉 Stubborne Realm of France But 〈…〉 Heaven stops his eâ—â—aged Hand â—nd loudly pleads in Thunder for the 〈◊〉 EDWARD â—bâ—uâ— his Great Greatâ—re 〈◊〉 To yield to Hearen is but to Conquer 〈◊〉 But God who holds the Hearts of Princes in his Hands and turns them like the Rivers in the South having also limited the bounds of all Success began to make King Edward know at this time that it was in vain to endeavour to resist his Will before whom Horse and Armour are but as Stubble and the Strength of the Mighty as a Thread of Tow when it toucheth the Fire For when the Duke of Lancasters Perswasion could not mollifie his Mind there fell a miraculous Adventure which was judged no other than the Finger of God himself and that wholly converted him But first the Duke who thô so renowned in War was for his many Heroick and Princely Vertues f Catal. of Hon. p. 324. called the Good Duke of Lancaster began one Day seriously to move the Kings Mind to accept of the French Proposals saying Sir the War which your Majesty hath thus long waged in France hath been as yet to all Men wonderfull and to your Self favourable and glorious But surely your Men only win Riches thereby and all the trouble and care and expence and hazard belong more immediately to your Person Sir this War is not only a Gulf to devour the
Grandfather by the Mother to wit from King Philip. This is proved by that i ff de Interdict Relegat l. 3. Law where the Father being banished the Sons do not lose those Rights which proceed from their Ancestors or else from Nature And therefore they shall be Lawfull Heirs to their Brethren and Tutors or Guardians to their Kindred notwithstanding the Misadventure of their Father In like sort the Royal Succession shall be due unto King Edward because it cometh to him by his Lineage and Blood notwithstanding the Calamity of his Mother To the same purpose serveth another Law k L. Emancipatum in fi ff de Senator where a Son begotten after that his Father hath lost thrô his own fault the Dignity of a Senator shall be the Off-spring of a Senator from the Person of his Grandfather who retaineth that Dignity Where the l ff de jus voc l. adoptivum in fi Father is Patron of a Libertine or Freed-Man and by whom Right of Patronage should be transported to the Son if he loseth his Right thrô his own Default because he compelleth his Freed-Man to take an Oath yet doth not the Son also lose his Right And so the Father may without Offence be sued by the Libertine but the Son cannot Divers other m ff de jure Patron l. Divi fratres §. fi ib. glo not facit glo in d. l. Adoptivum in fi l. Emancipatum in fi sup allegat â—b Bart. Will. de Cun. vit in l. Emancipatum facit similiter ff de bon lib. l. in servitutem §. si Patroni Laws to the same purpose may very aptly be alledged So then King Edward may make his Claim from the Person of his Ancestors althô he cannot from the Person of his Mother The Disability of his Mother is no hurt or hindrance unto him as it appeareth by the Law where n L. 1. C. de Praescript long temp the Prescription of the Second Possessor is not interrupted or any ways infested althô suit was brought against the First Possessor Because the Successor taketh no strength or encrease of Title from him that went before Ergò c. To the same purpose other o L. fi C. Vnde Liberi l. 1. C. de Edicto successorio cum similibus junct glo in d. l. finali Laws may be alledged but most specially the Law Filius ff de suis legitimis Hered which serveth fitly to this purpose by an Argument taken from the contrary sense For there it is said that if a Son be debarred from succeeding his Father and a Stranger appointed Heir upon Condition during the Dependency whereof the Son so debarred hath a Son Lawfully begotten who is Grandchild in respect of the Grandfather then deceased Althô the Condition should fail yet the Lawfull Inheritance shall not come to the Grandchild born after his Grandfathers Death the Reason is because he was conceived after the Death of his Grandfather Therefore from the Contrary sense if he had been conceived during the Life of his Grandfather his Lawfull Inheritance should have come unto him althô his Father being in the Middle should have been disabled before his Conception as there he was So consequently in the case here in Question seeing King Edward is said to have been conceived and also born during the Life of his Grandfather King Philip as it is presupposed in the State of the Question the Lawfull Inheritance of his Grandfather Philip which is the Kingdom should come unto him notwithstanding the Disability of his Mother Again that this Statute which disableth the Mother should in no case be hurtfull to King Edward it may thus be proved The Words of a Statute must not be extended to a case not expresly comprised p Ar. ff fol. Matr. l. si verò §. de viro. within the same Especially for that Statutes are taken in Law to be of strict Interpretation as q In l. omnes pepuli ff de just jure in 6. quaest principali circa med Bartholus noteth But by the Words of the Statute a Man is not excluded and the Feminine Gender doth never comprehend the Masculine especially in Matters that are r ff de leg 2. l. si ità sit script nota Cyn. c. de servis fugit l. quicunque Odious Ergò c. Again the Disposition of a Testator and of the Law are esteemed equal For the last Will of the Dead is a Å¿ Vt in Aut. C ◠§. dispenat Coll. IV. Law. But the Testator by excluding the next in Blood excludeth t ff de lib. posth l. signis Posthumus not thereby his Grandchildren and therefore a Law or Statute doth not so exclude Again wheresoever the Reason of a Law or of a Statute ceaseth the Law or Statute u L. Adigere §. quamvis ff de jure Patron doth cease But in the case in Question the Reason of the Statute ceaseth in regard of King Edward because it seemed to respect only the weakness of the Sex of Women of which Sex King Edward is not Again Statutes Laws and Customs which are brought in against common Reason are x L. quod non ratione junct l. quod contra ff de Legibus most strictly to be taken in their proper Terms and Cases and in no wise to be extended by Consequence to other Cases But this Statute is against common Reason as it is deduced in the first ground for this part Therefore seeing it speaketh only of a Woman it must not be extended to her Son. As in reason of Divine Justice Original Sin is propagated to Children from their Parents who are altogether freed from Sin by Baptism By the same Reason it seemeth that the Royal Succession may pass to the Son from his Mother who was altogether deprived of the same Again that in the Case now in Question King Edward is more strong in Right than King Philip his Great Uncles Son it is thus proved Althô the Son representeth the Person of his Father or Mother deceased when he joyneth with his Uncles surviving or their Sons in succeeding to an Uncle or Aunt deceased yet when he cometh to succeed with Kindred more remote to wit with his Great Uncle or his Sons as it is in the Case now question'd he shall exclude that remote Kindred and succeed alone by his own Person and shall not represent the Person of his Father or Mother and from thence receive either Benefit or y Not. Cyn. in d. Auth post Liberes Disadvantage Therefore althô in our Case the Mother of King Edward be disabled yet shall he in his own Person succeed and exclude the said Philip because he is further off in Degree to wit in the Fourth Degree from King Charles of whose Succession this Debate doth arise whereas King Edward is in the Third Degree Again it being granted that they are equal in Degree as
or Encrease than by way of Confiscation especially of that which riseth upon the Crime of Treason as it is in this present Case It was also set forth at large by the Letters and Rescripts of King Edward how the King of France never renounced either the Reversion or Soveraignty of those Lands which were deliver'd to the King of England by the Treaty of Calais And it was said by way of Corollary that neither the Dutchy of Aquitain nor any other Lands whatsoever ought ever to be deliver'd to the English upon any Respect because among other Reasons the English never yet had althô it were but one Foot of Land in France whether it were by Marriage or otherwise but in the end they always raised Wars and Troubles against the King and State of France And further there were noted and set down many Expeditions made into Aquitain both before and since the time of Charles the Great occasion'd by Justice of the Kings of France for Condemning and Depriving many Dukes of Aquitain because of their Rebellions and other bad Behaviour declaring manifestly that the said Dutchy of Aquitain was sometime the Proper Right and Inheritance of the Kings of France and that did evidently appear in that Charles the Great made and ordained Lewis the Gentle his Eldest Son King of the said Country of Aquitain as King Dagobert long before made Hubert his Brother by the Fathers side only Many other things are there contained which pretend to answer all that the English could say or alledge But We shall now hear what the King of England could say in his own Behalf when We have first set down a short Genealogical Table of the Descent from St. Lewis to King Edward and Philip of Valois VIII THE PEDIGREE OF THE Kings of FRANCE From Philip the Son of St. Lewis untill Charles the Fair. King Philip the Son of St Lewis King Philip the Fair. King Lewis Hutin Jane Countess of Eureux King Philip the Long. Margaret Countess of Artois King Charles the Fair. Blanch Dutchess of Orleans Isabell Queen of England Edward the III. K. of England Charles of Valois Philip of Valois IX Reasons alledged by the KING of ENGLAND for his Right and Title to the Kingdom of FRANCE UPON Supposal as it is evident and notorious in Fact that Philip of Famous Memory sometime King of France the Father of Charles of Honourable Remembrance King of France last deceased and of the most Gracious Lady Isabell Queen of England our Mother 1 Reason Proximity in the Descending Line was our Grandfather by the Mothers Side Then was no Male surviving nearer than We to the same King Charles at the time of his Death of all those who were descended with him from our Grandfather Philip Uncle to our Adversary Now the Person of a Woman is not capable of that Kingdom by a Law therein anciently observed which Law by way of final Cause respecting the Favour of that Realm lest the State thereof should decline under the Weak Government of a Woman by Excluding the Person of a Woman doth not therefore exclude the Person of a Man descended of a Woman so excluded Lest Matters Odious should be extended which is Odious in Law from Person to Person from Sex to Sex from Cause to Cause from Hatred to Favour And lest the Feminine Gender which is contrary to all Rules of Law should comprise the Masculine 2 Reason Restraint of things odiouâ— 3 Reason the Femin Gender compriseth not the Mascaline 4 Reason Derivation of Right from the Grandfather by the Mother 5 Reason Absurdity in Law. 6 Reason The Descending preferred before the Collateral 7 Reason the cause or reason of the Law ceasing especially in a case of an Odious Nature For to this end the Law before mention'd excludeth the Weakness of Women from bearing Rule that more Profitable Provision might be made for the State and that the next Male no otherwise debarred might be Assumed into her Place especially to that Right which did not first spring from the Mother so excluded but is originally derived and propagated from the Grandfather to the Grandchild Otherwise by this odious Enlarging another Absurdity in Justice would ensue that the Nearer Collateral should be excluded and the more distant and remote brought in Seeing that by the Law of Nature and of Nations Brothers and Sisters and their Sons are preferred in mutual Succession before other Collaterals in another Line So that upon this Statute which is made in Favour of the Kingdom and in Hatred of a Woman being debarred from the Kingdom Occasion should arise both of Violation to Law and of Injury to such Males as are descended from a Woman Neither can We conceive that the Intent of the Law here mention'd is so unjust as that the Mother and the Son upon Dislike Reason should be condemned and punished alike Yea by the Contrary Judgment of the same Law whereby the Mother is expelled from Succession the Son entring into the same Degree of his Mother succeedeth in her Place like unto that Son who riseth into the Degree of his Father or Mother deceased 8 Reason the Son entreth into the Degree of his Mother to succeed his Grandfather 9 Reason One vexation not to be added to another that he may be received in equal Terms with his Uncles to the Succession of his Grandfather That so the Sorrowfull Mother being stripped of her Royal Inheritance by Rigour of this Statute should in Right receive some Solâ—ce by Substitution of her Son and not one Heaviness to be heaped upon another which the Upright Consideration of Law doth abhorr as we see even where a Charge of Calamity cometh not by the Law but by Misadventure as in that Law whereby the Custom is condemned which permitteth another Man to take the Goods of them that suffer shipâ—reck By which Reason that which is corrected in express Disposition of Law for avoiding an Encrease of Grief is more strongly prohibited in the secret Disposition Let it therefore more than fully suffice that by the Law of the Realm of France the Mother is cut from the Royal Stem not by any Default in her Self but by the Fact of Nature which framed her a Woman And that by Express Law she suffereth a certain Shipwrock in her own Disinheriting althô she be not by any secret Consequence of the same Law contrary to the Course of Justice wrecked again with her Disinherited Son 10 Reason One not to be burthen'd with anothers Hate And so against all Rules and Reasons of Law one should be burthen'd with anothers Hate Whereas the Right from which the Mother is excluded is in such sort given unto the Son that the Mother receiveth nothing by this Office and Charge of the Son. So likewise we shall find Punishment enlarged without Offence whereas it should be mollified and restrained 11 Reason Punishments to be restrained 12 Reason from an Instance of great Authority even where there
and Suffolk besides many other Lords and Ladies In the First Division of these Mummers there rode Fourty Eight habited like Esquires Two and Two together all clothed in Scarlet Coats and Gowns of Say or Sendal with comely Visards on their Faces After whom went Fourty Eight Knights in like Order and in the same Livery of Stuff and Colour Then came One richly Arrayed like an Emperour and some distance after him Another Gorgeously attired in Pontificalibus representing the Pope with Twenty Four Cardinals attending him In the Reer of all came up Eight Persons with Black Visards and strange as if they had been Ambassadors from some Foreign Princes These Mummers being enter'd the Court of Kennington alighted all from their Horses and went orderly into the Great Hall Whereupon the Young Prince his Mother and the Great Lords who were acquainted with the Matter came out of the Chamber into the Hall and received the Salutations of the Mummers They by a pair of Dice flung upon the Table signified their Desire to play with the Young Prince and upon his Accepting their Motion they so obligingly contrived the Dice that the Prince always won whether He cast at Them or They at Him. Having thus lost some considerable Sums of Gold then they set to the Prince Three Jewels one after another viz. a Bowl of Gold a Cup of Gold and a Ring of Gold all which the Prince wan at three Casts Then they set to the Lady Princess to the Duke the Earls and other Lords to every One a large Ring of Gold which as the Dice were order'd those Illustrious Personages also wan After Play succeeded a Splendid Entertainment accompanied with most exquisit Musick the Prince and the Lords dancing on the One part and the Mummers on the Other And then all being concluded with a Banquet of Wine and Spices the Mummers departed in Order as they came III. Now it is to be observed that althô King Edward was something recover'd from his Sickness yet not being very Current and especially because of his great Age he had lately associated unto Himself his Son John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster as his Assistant in the Regency Who thô perhaps he might be Ambitious enough yet being of too Rough and Martial a Temper to please the People was not thereby in any great likelyhood of Injuring the Right of the Young Prince of Wales who besides the Advantage of his Title was also for his Great Fathers Sake most strongly rooted in the Affections of all True Englishmen However the Duke of Lancaster being thus advanced shew'd himself Terrible to all his Enemies especially to William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester whom he hated mortally for what Cause I shall not here enquire and caused him e Fex p. 392. to be deprived of all his Temporalities with a Prohibition not to come within 20 Miles of the Court. And not being well assured of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March at that time Marshal of England with a Design to remove him out of the way he commanded him in the King's Name toward the End of the preceding Year to haste over unto Calais according to his Office and there to take a diligent View of the Castle and Town of Calais as also of all the Castles and Forts in the Marches thereof and to cause such Repairs to be made as should seem needfull and likewise to see them well Manned and Victualled But the Earl of March who saw how hereby he was set as a Mark for Envy declin'd the Matter and chose rather to yield up his Rod with the Office of Marshal thereto belonging than obey in so hazardous an Employ The Duke gladly accepts his Rod and gives it with the Office to his sure Friend the Lord Henry Percy afterwards Earl of Northumberland the First of that Name and Family who was then f Dagd 1 Vol. p. 276. b. assign'd to the same Employ thô he had not full Commission till this present Year IV But now a Parliament is summon'd to meet at Westminster D. Lit. Dom. as on the Quindene of St. Hilary being the Tuesday g Vid. Rot. Par. 51. Ed. 3. M.S. praedict p. 143. Sr. Rob. Câ—tton p. 144. next after the Conversion of St. Paul that is the 27 of January the Writs of Summons bearing Date at Westminster on the 1 of December preceding And here for instance-sake I shall set down the Names of those Peers to whom the Kings Writs were directed with a Copy of the Writ it self as taken from the Latine only premising that the King herein calls his Nephew Prince Richard by the Name of Son as well to set the higher Character upon him as because he was now in Law to be look'd on as his Son being come into the Place of his Deceased Father EDWARD by the Grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland to his most Dear SON Richard Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester Greeting Whereas concerning divers and Weighty Matters relating especially to Us and the State of our Realm We intend to hold our Parliament at Westminster on the Quindene of St. Hilary next ensuing and there with You and others our Peers and Barons of the Realm to consult about the Premises We command You upon the Faith and Allegiance which You owe unto Us firmly enjoyning that at the said time and Place all other Business laid aside You be personally present there to consult and advise about the Premises with Us and other our Peers and Barons and that this You omit by no means Teste meipso apud Westmonast primo Decembris Ano. Regni nostri Angliae 50 Franciae verò 37. Per ipsum Regem The like Letters were directed besides the Clergy to these Peers following viz. John King of Castille and Leon Duke of Lancaster Edmund Earl of Cambridge Richard Earl of Arundel Thomas of Woodstock Constable of England Edmund Mortimer Earl of March. Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick Hugh Courtney Earl of Devonshire Hugh Stafford Earl of Stafford Gilbert Vmphravile Earl of Angos William Vfford Earl of Suffolk William Montagu Earl of Salisbury Henry Lord Percy Marshal of England William Lord Latimer William Lord Bardolph Guy Lord Bryan Roger Lord Beauchamp John Lord Clinton Gilbert Lord Talbot William Lord Botreaux John Lord De la Warre Henry Lord Scroop John Lord Nevill Thomas Lord Rous of Hamlake Richard Lord Stafford Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthin John Lord Grey of Codnovre Henry Lord Grey of Shereland Nicolas Lord Burnel William Lord de la Zouch of Harringworth Roger Lord Clifford And the Lord Almaric of St. Amand. The Quindene of St. Hilary as We said before was the First Day of the Parliament At which time the Noble and Puissant Lord Richard Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester together with the Bishops Lords Justices Commons and others summon'd to the Parliament assembled at the Palace of Westminster in the Painted-Chamber where
it and to conclude this matter nothing as to a final Peace could be agreed but only the Triennial Truce to endure as before without violation II At this Treaty it is said that the Pope thinking to terrifie King Edward spake to some of his Agents to this purpose i Fox Acts and Mon. p. 502. ex Chron. Alban Walsing hist p. 154. That Lewis of Bavaria who had before Excommunicate having now entirely submitted himself unto the Arbitration of the Apostolick See had therefore merited at his Hands the Benefit of Absolution And that now he had justly and graciously restored unto him the Empire which before he had unjustly usurped Which when King Edward heard being as full of Courage as Indignation he said aloud If the Emperour also shall agree and combine with Philip of Valois I am ready to fight with them both in Defence of my Right That the Pope might say thus much in terrorem or as a piece of Bravery I will not deny and that Lewis of Bavaria made more then one Offer of Submitting himself to the Popes Discretion is k Vid. Odoric Rain ad an 1344. §. 10. c. ubi illius Literx ad Papam Card. most apparent But it is not so evident by what I can find in Rainaldus his Collections that he was ever wholly Restored and Absolved thô not a few Authors averr so much However at this time it appears that the Pope having received by the Hands of Dr. Andrew Hufford another Letter from King Edward concerning the matter of Provisions return'd him his Answer thereto l Odoric Rain ad bunc annum §. 55. usque ad 60. wherein among other things he shews That the Ordinance of Parliament which was made in Opposition to Reservations and the like was too rash and contrary to the Holy Constitutions and that the Dignity of the Primacy of the Roman Church was not to be question'd and that by endeavouring to respect and honour and advance it he would engage the Grace of God unto himself But that otherwise he for his part should find himself obliged no longer to dissemble those Affronts done to Holy Church but to apply a Remedy according to his Duty Dat. Avin v. Id. Jul. Anno Pontif. 3. And on the m Odoric Rain ibid. Kalends of October following he sent Nicholas Archbishop of Ravenna and Peter Bishop of Astorga his Nuntio's into England with Power to call a Synod of the English Prelates in order to remove all Innovations against the Apostolick See And by repeated Letters he exhorted King Edward to revoke what he had done against the Liberties of the Church He also excited the two Queens Isabella the Kings Mother and Philippa his Consort Henry Earl of Darby and the Chief Peers of the Realm to move the King to restore Matters to their Pristine State. John Archbishop of Canterbury was suspected by the Pope to have been the Occasion of all this Controversie who when he attempted to wash away this Opinion with many plausible Excuses was required by the Pope to clear himself by his Actions and to induce the King to rescind what had been done And William de la Zouch Archbishop of York Richard Bury Bishop of Durham and several other Prelates were urged to use their utmost endeavour in this Affair But whether upon this I cannot tell however the Pope from henceforward gat ground in what he aim'd at thô not without a Check now and then from the King. III. Althô I am sensible that this Great English Monarch did not institute the Famous Order of the Garter till Five years after this Time or the 23 Year of his Reign yet because now he began the Order of the Round Table at Windsor which gave occasion to that of the Garter I shall in this place once for all take leave to say something concerning so solemn and Royal a Subject The Castle of Windsor n Ashoncle p. 127. Scituate at the East point of the County of Berkshire being Anciently called Windleshore from the Windings of the shore thereabouts is by some o Frois l. 1. c. 100 reported to have been built by the Famous King Arthur of Britain thô surely the present Name is of p Wyndleshora Saxon Original It is q Ashâ—ale p. 127. Speed Maps Barkshire §. 8. certain that King William the Conquerour being greatly enamoured of the pleasant scituation of the Place which appeared exceeding Commodious because it lay so near the Thames the Wood so fit for Game and the Country yielding other Opportunities both proper and convenient for the Pleasure and Exercise of Kings and therefore a place very fit for his Reception made an Exchange with Edwin then Abbot of Westminster and his Monks for King r Mâ—nâ—st Angl. Tom. 1. p. 61. Edward the Confessor had made a Donation of Windleshore and all its appurtenances to the Monastery of St. Peters at Westminster of certain Lands in Essex and elsewhere in lieu thereof And so Windsor revolved to the Crown again where ever since it hath remained The Conquerour being thus Lawfully possest of Windsor forthwith built a Fair Castle upon the Hill containing half a Hide or Carucate of Land being parcell of the Mannor of Clure After him King Henry the First reedified the said Castle beautifying it with many goodly Buildings and as it were to experience the Pleasure thereof in the Å¿ Hen. Huntingd. l. 7. p. 379 n. 40. France f. 1601. Eight Year of his Reign having overcome his Enemies kept his Easter there with great Triumph and Glory as also two * Id. ibid. n. 50. Years after he summon'd thither all his Nobility where he held his Whitsuntide with Princely State and Magnificence This t Cambden in Atrelâ—â— Castle from an high Hill which riseth with an easie and gentle Assent yields a most delightfull prospect round about for from the Front it overlooks a fruitfull Vale which lying out far and wide is adorned with Corn-fields flourishes with delightfull Meadows is flanked on each side with pleasant Groves and water'd with the Calm and Wealthy Streams of the Royal River of Thames Which hasting with a nimble but smooth speed from Oxford runs along on the Edge of Barkshire as if resolving to visit this Capitol of our English Kings Behind the Castle several Hills shoot up which being neither too rough nor over high are so bedecked with frequent Woods as if Nature had even dedicated them to the game of Hunting Within this place was our King Edward born whence he was commonly called Edward of Windsor as his Father was of Caernarvon whereby the Affection he bore thereto became so great that he seem'd to prefer it by much to all his Royal Palaces and Mansions For this Year first he began to hold a Round-Table therein of which by and by and after that he Instituted the Honourable Order of the Garter here and even until the Fourty Eighth of his Reign
before the Parliament where King John sat on high in the Tribunal Seat attended with his Peers the Cardinal of Bologna the Pope's Legate and divers other Prelates The Criminal having asked pardon in a formal and studied Harangue composed of Complaints and Excuses the Lord James of Bourbon h Paul. Aemyl p. 184. Brother to the Duke of Bourbon and Constable for that time was order'd to Arrest him only for Form which he did by setting his Hands upon the King of Navarre's Hands and causing him to go backwards out of the Presence and to tarry in a Chamber adjoining till further Order was taken The mean while the two Queens Dowagers of France Jane the Relict of Charles the Fair and Blanch the Relict of Philip of Valois and German-Sister to the King of Navarre on their Knees beg'd his Pardon of King John. Which being granted the Constable and Marshals introduced him again where after a grave Remonstrance from the Legate the French King declared him absolved But this Haughty Young Prince gather'd nothing but Rancour from that pompous Indignity which afterwards he shewed to the great mischief and Danger of the Realm of France For soon after this Reconciliation he stole away to Avignon as we intimated before where he began to conspire against his Native Country and althô King John upon Apprehensions of the Duke of Lancaster had again now by his Son Charles appeased his turbulent Mind yet within a while we shall see him again fly out into wonderfull Extravagances partly of his own unquiet ambitious Nature and partly being irritated by the rough Dealing of his Father-in-Law For the Year following King John i Du Châ—sne p. 675. being too far provoked with his Insolencies came suddenly upon him as he was at dinner in the Castle of Rouën with 200 Men of Arms in his Company and seised him on the Fifth of April and committed him to Prison but immediatly caused the Heads of Four of his Great Lords to be struck off in a Field by the Castle III. Till this time thô not without much ado many hazards of Relapsing constant Care of the Pope and other well-disposed Personages the unstable Truce first taken at Calais between England and France made a hard shift to hold indifferently well for the space of near upon Eight Years But now the evil Genius of France which hath heretofore been observed to extract the Original of its own Troubles from within it self began to work upon Prince Philip Brother to King Charles of Navarre to rouse the English Arms against his own Blood of France as we shall see hereafter But as yet the King of Navarre was not seised nor was his first Reconciliation as yet known to King Edward as will presently appear when we shall come to speak of his Expedition into France Now k Knighton p. 2608. n. 40. Stow p. 256. a little after Whitsuntide to wit about the end of May or the beginning of June the Truce being to expire the 24 of the said Month both Kings began to put themselves in a Posture and King Edward resolving not to be behind-hand with his Enemies prepared to send over the Prince of Wales into Gascogne attended with the Earls of Warwick Oxford Salisbury and Suffolk and 800 Men of Arms with 2400 Archers himself intending the while to wait the French Kings Motions and shortly after to joyn the King of Navarre about the Isle of Jersey Wherefore King Edward l 10 Julii Ret. Vasc 29. Ed. 3. m. 6. vid. Ashmâ—les Garter p. 671 c. constituted his Son the Prince his Lieutenant in the Dukedom of Aquitain and other Places in France whither he should happen to march as well for the Reformation of the State of that Dukedom and other Places in France as for the Recovery of his Lands and Right possest by the Rebels And by another Commission of the same Date he gave him Power to make Alliances with all Persons of what Nation Dignity or Condition soever to retain Men and pay them Wages and Rewards A third Commission gave him Power in the Kings Stead and Name to receive Homage and Fidelity from the Nobility and Others within the said Dukedom and Realm of France For the Prince's Passage thither the King assigned Richard de Cortenhale and Robert Bauldron Serjeants at Arms to arrest array and equip all the Ships and Vessels of 20 Tun and upward in all Ports and Places from the River of Thames unto Lynn as well within Liberties as without to furnish them with Men and other Necessaries and to bring them to Southampton by St. Barnaby's Day at the furthest as also to press Mariners for the Voyage at the Kings Wages and further he had given Commission to John Beauchamp Admiral of the Sea Westward and to Thomas Hogshaw Lieutenant to carry the Prince over with Power to hear and determin all Crimes and Trespasses committed on Board and to punish Delinquents according to Maritime Law and to do all other things appertaining to their Places Before their Setting forth * Knighton p. 2608. n. 57. there was seen a Prodigy in the Air which was construed to portend Victory to the English For there appeared two great Banners in the Firmament the one Gules the other Azure which were evidently observed in many Parts of the Kingdom and seem'd as it were in manner of Combating to rush violently against each other But in the end the Banner Gules overcame that which was Azure and seem'd to lay it prostrate on the Ground Soon m Stow ibid. after the Prince of Wales sailing prosperously from Seton-Haven in Devonshire landed in the Port of Garonne where he was honourably welcom'd by the Lords and Prelates of Gascogne who together with the People of that Country received him with great joy and proffer'd as unto the Son of their Liege Lord themselves and all they had and even to live and die with him on Condition that he would tarry in those Parts for their Defence King John had before this disposed his Armies in several Places about the Havens in Normandy and in other Parts to impeach the Landing of King Edward and of the Prince his Son But these Frenchmen lay so long thereabouts that together with their Auxiliaries hired from foreign Parts they wasted their own Country as bad as if they had been Enemies themselves and idly consum'd out of the French Kings Cossers so many thousand Crowns that afterwards he was so thinly attended that upon King Edwards Arrival he was not able to encounter him but fled before him burning his own Towns and destroying all manner of Provision that the English might find neither Meat nor Harbour For thô King Edward and his Son intended an early Campagne this Year yet they were both hindred by ill Weather for above fourty Days All which time the French stood ready to receive them but being with this long stay wearied out and their Provision wasted when the English came to land
p. 85. n. 4. Sr. Rob. Cotton p. 90. ibid. which was on the Wednesday being St. Catharine's Day or the 25 of November the Lord Chief Justice Sr. William Shareshull declared in the Presence of the King Lords and Commons how it was his Majesties Pleasure that Sr. Walter Manny should make Declaration to the whole Assembly of the Kings Affairs as one that had the most Knowledge therein whereupon the said Lord e William in M.S. Sr. Rob. Cotton malè cùm in Recordo W. tantùm sit scriptum quare corrigendum ex Hist Walter began to declare How the King had treated of a Peace with the French and how for the Accomplishment thereof he had sent the Duke of Lancaster and Others as his Ambassadors to the Court of Rome at Avignon where by means of the Frenchmens Obstinacy Matters could not be brought to any Issue How that during the said Duke 's Abode at f M.S. Sr. R. Cotton Rome malè ex Histoy inscitiâ pro Court of Rome c. Avignon the King of Navarre had complained to the same Duke of sundry Dammages done to him by the French King and by Oath affirmed how he would most willingly enter into a League with the King and for Assurance of the same would with as great a Power as he could enforce himself to meet the King at Jersey How the King upon the return of the said Duke and knowledge had of these Things with a great Navy and Army hastned himself from the River of Thames towards Jersey but being put back by contrary Winds was driven with great hazard to Portsmouth where he abode till News came that the said King of Navarre had made his Peace with the French King. Whereupon the King being advertised that the French King made himself strong toward Calais with a great Army and thinking there to have some present Battle offer'd him addressed himself thither being accompanied with his own Forces and also certain of his Allies whom he found there viz. Sr. Henry of Flanders Sr. Frank van Hall and many other Germans How the King on All-Souls Day last past marched towards his Enemy and proffer'd to give him Battle which his Enemy by all means refused Whereby the King wasting and spoiling the Country and seeing his own Army for Want to languish returned to Calais where he made Honourable Peace and now was returned into the Realm to his Parliament After all which Sr. William Shareshull required the Commons to weigh and consider the Kings unweariedness and Constancy in labouring for their Defence and that he was now ready to repell the Insolence of the Scots who had taken the Town of Barwick as News had been brought to the King And he willeth them also forthwith to advise how he might be the best enabled not only to make a full Victory over that People but also attain to his long-deferred Peace with France to his own Honour and to their quiet and advantage The Friday after which was the 27 of November the Lords and Commons after a short Conference had granted unto his Majesty for Six Years following the Subsidy of Wooll namely g M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 229. §. ult 50 s. of every Sack that should be exported during that time so as all that while no other Aid or Imposition be laid upon the Commons By which sole Grant h Holinsh Engl. Chron. p. 951. Stow p. 255. it was thought how the King might dispend more than a Thousand Marks Sterling per diem for six Years together such Vent of Woolls had the English Merchants in those Days there being then above an 100000 Sacks transported yearly Petitions of the Commons with their Answers That the Great Charter and the Charter of the Forest in all points shall be kept That the Statute that the Staples shall always be kept within the Realm shall be observed The Statute made for yearly removing of Sheriffs shall be observed The Statute made for the Pourveyors shall be kept That whereas the Commons have granted to the King 40 s. of every Knights Fee in Aid to make his Son Knight the Exchequer demandeth the same as well of i i.e. Domini qui Vassallos seu Beneficiarios sub suâ ditione habent sed tamen in superioris Domini sunt Clientelâ V. Cowell Skinneri Etymol Ling. Angl. in Voc. Forens ad hoc verbum Mesne Mesne Lords as of the Tenants in Demesne against Reason Wherefore they pray Remedy The Right use of the Exchequer is to be kept That no Mans Lands being bought in the time of Henry III which was before the Statute of Prerogative may be seised into the Kings hands by Escheators Let this be more particularly declared unto the King. That the Justices of the Peace may determine Weights and Measures The Statute made shall be observed Such Justices shall make no Deputies neither shall the Sheriff Coroner or such like be from henceforth a Justice It is Enacted That no Sheriff Constable of any Castle or Goal be any Commissioner where Men are to be imprison'd That the Points of Confederacy may be declared considering how the Judges judge rashly thereof None shall be punished for Confederacy but where the Statute speaketh expresly upon the point contained in the same statute That the Justices of Goal-Delivery on an Inditement of the Coroner coming before them may award the Exigent The old Law shall stand That such Persons of the Far North-Countries as upon Appeals Joyn-Issue on good or evil may try the same by Nisi Prius considering that the Jury will not appear in the Kings Bench. The Old Law used shall be kept That Remedy may be had against such as to defraud their Creditors before Judgement do convey away their Lands and Goods The Statute therefore made shall be observed That Writs of Attaints may be had of Verdicts given in the Exchequer as of Verdicts given in other Courts The Old Law shall be observed Such as be Indited before the Justices of the Peace shall make Attourneys have the hearing of their Presentments and Answer thereunto Enacted VIII Thus ended this Parliament and about the time of its ending viz. at the going out of November the k Frois c. 155. f. 76. Mezeray 2 Par. 3 Tom. p. 42. Assembly of the Estates of France began to sit at Paris Before whom the Chancellour of France recited in the Parliament-Chamber the State of the Wars desiring them thereupon to take Advice what convenient Aid ought to be given to the King their Lord toward the Maintenance of his Wars and the Defence of his Realms and he added that whereas the King understood how his Subjects were sore aggrieved at the Alteration of Money his Majesty offer'd now to make good and durable Money so that they would grant him sufficient Aid to furnish his Wars To which the Three Estates reply'd with one Consent That is the Clergy by the Mouth of the
Repeal The Lords and all that were present beheld each other and said among themselves how it proceeded of a Generous Mind to bestow so Honourable a Gift so freely and so they answer'd him with one Voice Sir be it with You as it shall please God However We shall all bear Witness of this Your Deed of Gift where-ever we are XI With that they all left him to his Repose and some of them return'd to wait upon the Prince of Wales who intended that Night to make a Magnificent Supper for the French King and others who were Prisoners of the Highest Quality And this he might easily do now as being sufficiently furnish'd with all manner of Provision such as the French had brought with them Whereas before this his Men wanted Victuals so greatly that some of them had not of three days tasted any good Bread. So that the i Du Chesne p. 676. D. Rashness of King John was notorious who would needs give them Battle whereas by holding them Besieged in the place where they were it was believed he might have enforced them to yield or at least by depriving them of their Advantagious Post have obtained a Victory over them That k Frois c. 168. fol. 84. same Night therefore the Prince had a Magnificent Supper in his Pavilion for Honour of the French King and the Chief of the Lords his Prisoners He obliged the French King to sit in his own Chair of State at the Head of the Table and together with him he caused his Son Philip to sit down as also the Lord James of Bourbon Earl of Ponthieu the Lord John of Artois Earl of Ewe and the Lord Charles of Artois his Brother Earl of Tancarville being all of the Royal-Blood of France Besides whom there sat the Earl of Estampes the Earl of Graville the Lord of Partenay and some few more at the Kings Table and the other Lords Knights and Esquires of France such as were not wounded sat at other Tables And all Supper-time the Prince l Matth. Villani l. 7. c. 20. Mezeray Frois c. would needs serve in his own Person before the King in as Humble and Respectfull Manner as he could devise and for all the King could say would not sit down affirming That he was not Worthy to sit down with so Mighty a Monarch as the King was But when for all this he perceived that the Kings Countenance was too much cast down he attempted to raise his Spirits with such Words as these m Du Chesne p. 678. Paul. Aemyl p. 287. Holinsh Engl. Chron. p. 960. apud quos emnes â—â—ta hac Oratic Sir there is no cause that You who are the most Brave and Valiant among Christian Kings should continue thus Pensive and Troubled Althô at this time your Arms have not been favour'd by Him in whose Dispose all Battles are For still your Generosity is acknowledged Your Dignity preserved and Your Majesty held Sacred and whatsoever else was truly Yours remaineth still entire neither to be violated nor empaired by Time or any other Force God Almighty hath ordained that as all other things so the Fortune of War should remain in his Hands alone Your Progenitors have atchieved many Glorious Enterprises as well by Sea as by Land The whole Compass of Europe all the East all Realms and Countries both far and near are filled with the Trophies and Victories of France The Faith and Grandeur of the Christian Name have by your Predecessors and their Subjects been defended and propagated against the most Mighty and Puissant Captains of the Infidels Your Valour and the Reputation of your Arms are Celebrated and Renowned thrô the whole World There is no Nation that doth not confess its Obligations to the French and no People that may not yet expect to be beholding to their Favours Perhaps among so many innumerable Triumphs One or Two Battles have succeeded a little otherwise than you would The Vsual Instability of Fortune would have it so which sometimes baffles the Force of Multitudes and Conquers the Opposition of Men Horse and Armour But it lies in the Power of your own Magnanimity to harden your soul against Adversity and to keep your own Mind still unconquer'd Nor shall this Day detract any thing from you or yours for as for my part I promise you that this Realm of France in which we are and which hath produced and nourished many of my Progenitors shall find me Gratefull to Her and mindfull of my Original and toward your Majesty if you will permit me to glory in that Title a most humble and respectfull Kinsman There are many Reasons to preserve Love and Friendship betwixt You and my Father which I hope will be not a little prevalent For I know well the most intimate Thoughts and Affections of his Mind and that You will easily come to a reasonable Agreement with Him. And as for me may he then refuse to own me for his Son when I cease to hold you in the same degree of Reverence Honour and Respect which I ow unto his own Person This wonderfull Submission in a Conquerour a Young Prince little more than five and twenty Years of Age did almost melt the unfortunate Captive to Affectionate Tears The French Lords who saw him so humble in so high a Gale of Prosperity and heard the Generous Language he so obligingly utter'd n Frois c. 168. began to say softly among themselves That he had spoken nobly and that in all probability he would prove a most Accomplish'd Prince if God would grant him to live and to persevere in the same good Fortune King John saw o P. Aenyl p. 288. plainly now that at least he was not unhappy in this that he had fallen into the Hands of a most obliging Conquerour And thô inwardly afflicted in his Mind he forced himself to a civil Smile and looking obligingly to the Prince he said p Stow p. 263. Thô it hath been our Chance to fall into an inconsole able Sorrow yet for all that Kind Cousin We think it becomes us to smother our Griefs as much as we may since thô by the Law of Arms and the Chance of War We be under the Subjection of another yet it is under so Worthy a Prince as your Self by whom to be vanquish'd is no Dishonour Especially since we were not as Cowards or faint-hearted Runnagates taken in flight or lying hid in a corner but in the open Field with Sword in Hand where we were as ready to die as to live in defence of Justice The q Frois c. 168. fol. 84. b. Prince replied Sir methinks you for your part ought rather to rejoyce thô all things did not fall out according to your Wish For this very Day You have won the high Renown of Personal Valour above all Others that bore Arms on your Side Sir I say not this to flatter your Sorrow or to deride You for all the Captains on our
this Matter I refer my self to all the World. At this a m Du Serres Mezeray c. sign being given John Lord of Conflent and the Lord Robert Clermont Marshals of France with Dr. Simon de Bucy a Counsellour of State Three of the Dauphin's most trusty servants are immediately slain before his face and so near unto him that the Blood gush'd out upon his Cloaths Ha! says the poor Prince what Insolence is this Dare you attempt against the Blood of France No no my Lord says the Provost fear you nothing 't is not against your Person we pretend but only those disloyal servants of yours who have now received their Reward for giving You such ill Advice And therewith he took the Dauphin's Hat and clapt it on his own Head at the same time putting his own upon the Dauphin's so making him a Stale for that Popular Rebellion by giving him the City Livery The Dauphin's Hat was of a Brown-black embroider'd with Gold which this audacious Fellow wore all that day in token of his New Dictatorship Wherefore he forced the abused Prince to pardon them for the Death of his Three Counsellours X. But we shall refer the tedious narration of these Insolencies to the French Historians to whom it more properly belongs since 't is enough for us to set forth only so much of the Affairs of that Nation as either may better explain our Domestick transactions or are more strictly interwoven with them And such a Matter was the n Frois c. 180. Mezeray ad hunc annum c. Release of Charles King of Navarre from his Prison at Arleux in Picardy which happen'd immediately after that affront put upon the Dauphin the Castle being entred by Scalado and the King deliver'd thence not without the knowledge as was thought of the Lord of Picquigny to whose Care King John had committed the Custody of that Prince Being thus freed he was carried in Triumph to the City of Amiens where having tarried till he had made his Peace with the Dauphin he went with great Pomp to Paris where he was welcom'd with Feastings and Splendid Entertainments by the Duke of Normandy himself at the Advice of the Provost whom as then he would not or durst not displease Here having been a few days he made before the Dauphin and the Nobles of France a Florid Oration in Latine for he was well learned and of a wonderfull voluble tongue which was much advantaged by his Shape Youth and Presence wherein he complain'd of the hard and unworthy usage which he had suffer'd from his nearest and dearest Relations who of all Men ought especially to have upheld him And that there was no Man living who could with any shadow of Reason doubt but that he would live and die in Defence of the Realm and Crown of France as he was more particularly bound to do being both by Father and Mother extracted of the Right Line of France Insomuch that if he had a design which yet he had not of Challenging that Crown unto himself he could evidently prove that he had more Right thereto than the present Pretenders This Poison was so neatly cover'd with the Flowers of his Eloquence Majesty Youth and Beauty especially all Men being prepared to pity him upon the account of his late Imprisonment that it was immediately swallowed down by most of his Hearers and by them transmitted to the Vulgar With whom also he us'd such Popular Arts by caressing them promising to ease them of Taxes to stand by them and the like that he was presently in far more Power and esteem at Paris and with most of the Chief Cities of France than the Dauphin was himself Wherefore he began to send for his Friends to come and be about him but as for his Brother Philip neither at his Invitations nor the Provosts would he ever venture himself among the Parisiens for he would always say how in the Favour of the Common-people there was never any certainty But if Fawning and Hosanna's went before there followed in the Reer nothing but Crucifiges Ruine Shame and Dishonour CHAPTER the THIRD AN. DOM. 1358. An. Regni Angliae XXXII Franciae XIX The CONTENTS I. King Edward solemnises the Festival of St. George at Windsor in a most extraordinary manner II. A Treaty set on foot between King Edward and King John in order to the Redemption of the latter but 't is dash'd III. The Rise of the Jaquery in France with an Account of their horrid Cruelties and final Extirpation IV. Discord between the King of Navarre and the Dauphin and between the Dauphin and the Provost of Paris V. The King and Duke reconcil'd but the Provost continues plotting VI. The English Navarrois revenge the Death of their Countrymen on the Parisiens VII The Provost designing to betray Paris to the English is discover'd and slain VIII The King of Navarre displeased at his Death breaks with the Dauphin again His several Garrisons the Dauphins Difficulties IX The great Confusion and Miseries of France X. The Constable besieges St. Valery the Captal of Busche comes to the King of Navarre's Assistance XI The several Garrisons of the Navarrois XII The Lord Canon Robsert discomfits a Party of them XIII The happy Estate of England two Kings keep Christmass with King Edward XIV The Death of the Queen Mother of England and of the Queen Consort of Scotland and of Orcanes the Great Turk XV. A Quarrel between the Bishop of Ely and Blanch Lady Wake and another between the four Orders of the Preaching-Fryers and the two Vniversities of Cambridge and Oxford IN the a Knighton p. 2617. n. 60. p. 2618. n. 10 M.S. vet Angl. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 230. Holinsh Engl. Chron. p. 963. beginning of this Year King Edward issued forth his Royal Proclamation throughout all England that all Knights Strangers from any Part of the World who had a mind to come to the Feast of St. George to be solemnly held by him on the 23d of April at Windsor should have his Letters of safe Conduct to pass and repass the Realm at their Pleasure for the space of three Weeks without the least Impediment or Danger there to partake every one according to his Degree and Merit of those Honours and Prizes which attended the Princely Exercise of Justs and Tournaments And this high Feast the King held in the greatest Splendour imaginable beyond all that he had ever done before for the Honour chiefly of the French King and others of the Nobility of France To this solemn Justs came the Duke of Brabant Sr. Frank van Hall Sr. Henry Eam of Flanders and many Great Lords and Knights of Almain Gascogne Scotland and other Countries The Queen of Scotland also and many other Great Ladies as well of England as of other Nations came to Windsor to this Feast in their gayest and richest Apparel And thô it is not our Purpose to dwell long on Descriptions surely
the Pomp and Magnificence of this Famous Entertainment set forth as well King Edwards Greatness as any other Grandeur of State whatsoever But King John who expected by an high Ransom to pay something toward these vast Profusions said merrily b M.S. vet Ang. in Bibl. C.C.C. Cantab. c. 230. ibid. That he never saw nor knew such Royal Shews and Feastings without some after Reckoning for Gold and Silver And we find that about the same time he made use of one shift to raise Mony for it was now set forth by Proclamation c Dugd. Warw. p 647. â— â—â— Pat. 32. Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 25. that all such the Kings Subjects as were possessed of Lands or Rents to the Value of 40 s. should appear before the King there to receive the Order of Knighthood if he should so think fit under Penalty of being fined according to the Law And among others it is recorded that Richard Bermingham of Bermingham in Warwickshire paid a Fine of 10 l. for his Pardon because he did not obey the Proclamation II. A little before this the d Odâ—r Rainal ad hunc annum § 3. ex Tom. 6. Epist secret p. 6. Pope being concerned at the intestine Troubles of France and finding that the Presence of the King was necessary to allay them sent the two Cardinals of Perigort and St. Vitalis with Letters to the Dauphin bearing Date at Avignon VIII Kal. Januarii An o Pontificatûs VI. Wherein he admonished him to use his utmost Endeavours speedily to redeem his Father to compose all Civil Discords and to attend to the Cardinals Advice in those Matters The mean while King Edward e Knighton p. 2618. n. 10. as soon as the Solemnity at Windsor was over removed his Court to London and there began to treat so seriously with King John that all Men believed a Perpetual Peace would now take place between them Yet it was long before Matters could be brought to any tolerable Issue For King Edward f Da Serres c. required Homage of King John for the Realm of France as holding it of Him whose Right it was and upon this Condition he proffer'd him his Liberty and a perpetual Friendship But King John who had not lost either his Courage or Honour by this Adversity made this resolute Answer That he intended whatever came of it to leave the Realm of France free and entire to his Children as he had received it from his Fathers That Affliction might well engage his Person but not the inviolable Rights of his Crown nor the Liberty of that Country where he had the honour to be Born and over which neither the Imprisonment nor Death of any single Person had such Influence especially as to him who should always reckon his Life well laid down for the Immortal Preservation of France This Generous Magnanimity of King John gave King Edward occasion not only to commiserate his Calamity but also more tenderly to respect and honour him as a Person worthy of a better Fortune So that at last especially because his Dearest Son the Prince of Wales had promised unto him both in his Tent the Night of the Battle and afterwards at Bourdeaux that Peace and Concord should take place as much as in him lay if by any means he might prevail with his Father the King being willing to do his Son Honour yielded to more easie Conditions of Peace at least such as seemed so to King John who declared he was ready to pay any Summ of Mony as should be demanded but to subject the Crown of France to any Other that he should never yield to for all the Terrours imaginable So it was agreed g Holinsh Eng. Chron. p. 963. Matt. Villani l. 8. c. 51. l. 9. c. 9. That the whole Countries of Gascogne and Guienne Poictou Touraine Saintogne Perigort Quercie Limosin Angoulmois Ponthieu Boulonois Guisnes and Calais should remain wholly and entirely to the King of England and his Heirs for ever without any Homage or Duty paying therefore And in lieu thereof King Edward to renounce for Him and his Heirs all his Right to the Title and Crown of France as also his Claim which by any manner of Means he might have to the Dukedom of Normandy the Earldoms of Anjou and Maine The King of France being moreover to pay unto the King of England for his Ransom h Ita Authentica Articulerum copia Church-hill's Divi Britan. p. 242. Fabian p. 240. c. Three Millions of Crowns of Gold which amounts to 500000 l. Sterling Whereof 600000 Crowns to be laid down presently 400000 the Year after and the Remainder the next two Years following And that Fourteen of the Chief Nobility of France should lie as Hostages in England till the whole Summ is paid which done King John to be set at Liberty and honourably conveyed into his own Country These Articles were sent over to Avignon to be confirmed and ratified by the Pope and also to the Dauphin to be by him communicated to the Three Estates the success whereof we shall shew in due Place And so the two Cardinals who had now been more than a Year in England took their leave and went home again having the Kings safe Conduct as far as to Calais This Agreement between the two Kings was established by Oaths interchangeably made and with their mutual Kissing each Other and the Fame thereof was spread all about but however on one side or other Sincerity was supposed to be wanting Those Writers i Vid. Odor Rainal ad hunc annum §. 3. that favour the French Interest lay the blame upon King Edward saying that when he beheld the Commotions in France he did his utmost to foment them that so he might subject the Realm unto himself and that he might fling the Odium of the Breach upon the French he k Matt. Villani l. 8. c. 101. contrived to hinder them from raising the Mony which was to be paid ready down and that he secretly assisted the King of Navarre with Men to enable him the more to embroil that Kingdom But all this we shall easily prove to be the Invention of Malice or Mistake For as to the stopping of the Mony 't is l Knighton p. 2618. n. 56. c. affirmed by good Authority That soon after the Departure of the Cardinals there came certain Persons from France with m Forte esset 6 cent Mill. ut suprd twelve hundred thousand Crowns in Part of Payment for their Kings Ransom But King Edward refused the Mony for that they had not brought the Hostages with them as it had been agreed They in their Defence answer'd that a great Part of France was ravaged by the English contrary to the Form and Nature of the Agreement that the People of France durst not go to their own Houses The King told them that such Englishmen who tarried in France after the Agreement made were Outlaws Felons Murderers Theeves
seen in me that You should not give me leave to be one of the foremost of those that are to Fight our Enemies this day The Lord Chandos who well knew his own Reasons reply'd Sr. Hugh I do not appoint You to command this Rereguard because You are not as good a Knight as any other No certainly that was never in my mind But I choose You for this purpose because I know You to be a prudent and well-advised Gentleman And Sir believe me it is absolutely necessary that either You or I take this Office if We intend to survive this day Wherefore once again I heartily require You to do it and I dare engage that if You undertake it You will not only do a very notable piece of Service but also obtain to your self much Honour thereby And yet over and above I here faithfully promise to grant You the first reasonable request You shall ever desire of me But all these Words could not Work upon Sr. Hugh for he did not as then imagine any such necessity of a Reserve and he thought it reflecting upon his Honour to stand in a manner idle when others should be adventuring their Lives in the heat of Action Wherefore again he desired him for Gods sake holding up his hands That he would please to give this Charge to some other since he for his part desired nothing more than to fight among the foremost The Lord Chandos was ready to weep at these Words but he added seriously Sr. Hugh consider well what I say For to be short this matter is of such concern to Us all that either You or I must undertake it and then think with your self who of Us can best be spared But don't trouble your self about a false Notion of Honour For he fights best who is most serviceable to his Friends althô he stands still all the while At this Sr Hugh began to reflect upon the Matter for with these last words all his former thoughts were dashed and confounded and then he said Certainly my Lord I know well You are too much my Friend to put me upon any thing which may redound to my dishonour Since therefore it can be no otherwise I accept of your Commands with all my heart and to my Power shall obey your Orders And with that he took upon him the Charge and drew out his Men aside on a Wing where he set them in very good Order to give or receive an Onset His Banner waving aloft in the Front which l True Use of Armory p. 66. GF Dom. Lit. was Argent a Fess Gules between Three Calves Sable Thus on a Saturday which was the 28 of October in the Year of our Lord MCCCLXIV were both these Rival Dukes embattail'd each against other in a Fair Plain near to Auray in Bretagne which no doubt was a delectable sight to behold For there were many embroider'd Banners and Penons waving in the Wind and Rich Surcoats of Sattin diapred with Gold and Silver and bright Armour shining against the Sun But especially the Frenchmen were so well armed at all Points and so Richly beseen that it was a great pleasure to view them And in this manner they fronted one another neither Party as yet making offer to begin VI. Now there was at this time with the Lord Charles of Blois a Great and Potent Baron of Bretagne called the Lord of Beaumanoir who was at that time a sworn Prisoner to England and so was not to bear Arms but being otherwise at liberty might go too and fro between the two Armies or elsewhere as he pleased Of which Power he made this Advantage to endeavour to accommodate Matters between the two Powerfull Competitors All Saturday Morning he went in and out frequently till Noon so that at last he obtain'd a Respite between both Parties for the remainder of that day and for the Night following untill the Sun-rise next Morning Whereupon on both sides they drew to their respective Lodgings and took their ease and refreshed themselves with what they had by them That Evening the Captain of Auray issued out of his Garrison peaceably because the Truce also extended unto him and went to the Lord Charles his Camp who received him joyfully His Name was Henry of Tintineac an Esquire and a good Man at Arms who brought 40 Spears well Horsed and Armed of those who had holpen him to defend the Fortress When the Lord Charles saw him he asked him all smiling of the Condition of his Castle and the Esquire answer'd him Sir blessed be God We have Provision enough to hold Us two or three Months longer if need were Well Henry said the Lord Charles to morrow You shall be wholly rid of the trouble of a Siege either by Peaceable Agreement or the Decision of open Battle God give Grace Sir said the Esquire By my Faith continued the Lord Charles I have here in my Company 4500 Men of Arms besides others all as well provided and as likely to acquit themselves Nobly as ever yet did any Company that came out of France And my Lord said the Esquire that is a great Advantage for which You are to thank God and Sr. Bertram of Clequin and those other Barons Knights and Esquires of France and Bretagne that are come with so much Zeal to your Service Thus the Lord Charles passed his time in discoursing with One or Other about the present State of Affairs But on the other hand the Lord John Chandos was that same Night earnestly desired by the Officers of the English Companions then in his Service by no means to admit of any Accord or Agreement to be had between the Earl of Monford and the Lord of Blois For they said they had already spent all that they had and were almost reduced to Poverty wherefore they resolved now to win something by fighting or to lose all together Upon which account it is said that Sr. John promised them that whatever Treaty he might hold not to yield however to any Agreement otherwise than what the Sword shall appoint From whence there arose a Proverb m John Haâ—ding c. 184. fol. 185. True Use of Aâ—â—â—ory c. Chandos his Treaty spoken when Men make or receive many Overtures in order to an Agreement thô at the same time they are determin'd to decide all by Battle VII On the Sunday Morning early both Armies drew again into their former Field in their appointed Order having first heard Mass and shrived themselves but about Sun-rise the Lord of Beaumanoir came again toward the English Army with a design to renew the Treaty and compose Matters if possible to avoid the Effusion of Christian Bloud which was his earnest Desire He took his way directly to the Lord Chandos where he saw his Banner next to that of the Earl of Monford At his approach my Lord Chandos stept aside to speak with him because he would not have the Earl of Monford hear what was said At the first
Earl of Richmond The Black-Prince growing worse and worse resigns Aquitaine to his father The Death of the Earl of Stafford Sr. William Molineux and Sr. John Mandeville the Famous Traveller From p. 827. to p. 848. Chap. X. The Constable of France beats the English before Sivray and Conquers about in Poictou The War hot in Bretagne The Duke of Lancaster's Expedition and March thrô France A Treaty at Bruges A Parliament at Westminster A Prodigious Malady The Death of several Great Men. From p. 849. to p. 864. Chap. XI King Edward enquires into the Livings then in the hands of Aliens A Treaty at Bruges The Earl of Pembroke is redeem'd and dies The Death of Francis Petrarch the Italian Poet and others An account of Madam Alice Perrers said to have been King Edward's Concubine From p. 865. to p. 873. Chap. XII St. Saviour le Vicount yields to the French by Composition Edmund Earl of Cambridge and the Duke of Bretagne Conquer about in that Dukedom But are hindred by an unseasonable Truce from prosecuting their Advantage The Lord Edward Spencer dies A Treaty between King Edward and the King of Scotland Esquire Katrington being challenged of Treason for yielding St. Saviour le Vicount loses the day Some English Vessels taken by the Spaniards The Death of two Earls Two Acts of Charity From p. 873. to p. 877. Chap. XIII The Lord of Coucy's Expedition into Austria A Treaty at Bruges which begets a Truce and that another King Edward offers largely for the Redemption of the Captal of Busche but cannot obtain it The JUBILEE of King Edward's Reign A Parliament at Westminster The Black-Prince dies His Will Character Burial and Epitaph The Captal of Busche takes it to heart and dies The Black-Prince's Praise and Children The said Parliament continued A Censure thereof Who the First Speaker of the House of Commons The Death of an English Cardinal and of the Lord John Peche Pope Gregory returns the Papal Chair to Rome From p. 878. to p. 895. Chap. XIV King Edward Creates his Grandson Richard of Bourdeaux Prince of Wales The Londoners entertain the Young Prince John of Gaunt associated to the King in the Government A Parliament at Westminster with a Copy of the King 's Writ An exact Account of John Wickliff and his Doctrine The Duke of Lancaster for his sake falls out with the Bishop of London The Londoners in a Sedition affront the Duke The Bishop hardly restrains the People The Princess-Mother of Wales puts the City in Mind of their Duty They make their excuse to the King. They and the Duke reconciled Sr. John Menstreworth executed for Treason The Lord of Coucy falls off to the French. King Edward Creates Prince Richard Knight of the GARTER The War open Sr. Hugh Calverley Captain of Calais Outwick batter'd with Cannon yields to the French. Sr. Hugh Calverley's Acts. The English Commissioners returning for England find the King on his Death-Bed He dies A Story of the Manner of his Death refuted The French King commends him His Burial Epitaph Tomb and Character From p. 895. to the End. Errata sunt sic Emendanda PAG. 22. lin 5. read fast-asleep p. 54. l. 44. r. Nobles p. 58. l. 2. r. Turne-tabard p. 76. l. 2. r. tell for call p. 89. for Innocent r. John. p. 177. dele Parag. VIII IX in the Centents p. 270. l. 17. r. neck'd p. 276. l. 35. r. Chancellor of the Church of York p. 286. l. 37. r. strange p. 295. l. penult r. Father was named p. 302. l. 2. dele and. p. 303. l. 32. dele and. p. 354. l. 31. r. 16 years c. p. 356. l. 27. r. 20 in depth c. p. 373. l. 22. for Paragraph r. Chapter p. 402. l. 22. r. Vicount of Rohan sic semper p. 439. l. 46. r. Simon de Burchester p. 466. l. 14. r. no Charms about them took horse and so began c. p. 470. l. 13. r. Peter Lord Mauley the Fifth p. 484. l. 49. r. On the second of November being All-Souls day the King began c. p. 485. l. 12. r. for he could not have been c. ibid. l. 34. r. after his setting forth according to the Records which affirm how he marched forth of Calais on All-Souls day p. 502. l. 34. r. Blew-Silk p. 531. l. 22. r. July p. 707. l. 18. r. keep it p. 721. l. 21. r. William p. 748. l. ult r. and bearing p. 750. l. 45. r. Inno. p. 751. l. penult be accounted the Off-spring p. 761. l. 45. r. having done a pious c. p. 806. l. 49. r. best word c. p. 814. l. 57. r. the Prince and Princess c. SAPIENTIA FORTUNAM EDWARDVS III DEI GRATIA REX ANGLIAE ET FRANCIAE ET DOMINUS HIBERNIA HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE EDWARD III. King of England France and Lord of Ireland He slew Two Kings in One Day routed a Third had Two Kings his Prisoners at one time Upon the Death of Lewâ— of Baitaria He had the offer of the Empire thó he declin'd it He took Calais from the French Instituted the Famous Order of the GARTER haveing Reigned in great Glory for space of 50 Yeares 4. Moneths 28. Dayes He Dyed at his Mannor of Shene in Surrey in LXV year of his 〈◊〉o. Dui MCCCLXXVII lyes Buried at Westminster ICH DIEN QUI SANâ—â—â—â—â— NOBIS HANC PATRIAM PEPERERE SUO POTENTISSIMUS EDWARDUS PRINCEPS WALLAE ET AQUI TANIAE DUX CORNUBIAE COMES CESTRIAE ET CANTIL Honoratiss Viro 〈◊〉 RICHARDO CHANDLER Armig. nuper de Cell Emanuel Aâ—M Amico plurimum Colendo Hanc Invic â—iss Hervis EDWARDI Principis Walliae cogno mento Nigro Imagine Observantiae â—â—mti Iudinis ergo D.D.D. Josua Barnes HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE HOUMONT The most Renowned Prince EDWARD sirnamed the Black-Prince Eldest Son to King EDWARD the Third Prince of WALES of AQVITAIN Duke of CORNWALL Earle of CHESTER of KENT He was in his life time the Flower of the Chivalry of the whole World. He wan the Battle of CRESSY wherein he overthrew King Philip of Valor slew the King of Bohemia also the Famous Batlle of POICTIERS wherein w th an Army of 8000. Men He overthrew the whole Power of FRANCE takeing the King IOHN de Valois Prisoner who was 4 years after Ransom'd at 3 Millions of Crowns of Gold Lastly he triumph'd in the Glorious Battle of NAJARA in Spaine where he overthrew the Bastard Henry Setled Don Pedro in his Throne He died in the 46 yeare of his Age An o Dom MCCCLXXVI lyes Buried at Canterbuâ—â— THE HISTORY OF King Edward IIId. BOOK THE FIRST CHAPTER the FIRST The CONTENTS I. The Circumstances of the Birth of King Edward the Third with his Education and Character II. He is made Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitain beside the Titles of Earl of Chester Ponthieu and Monstroile He goes into France with the
manner of his coming to the Crown of England III. He is excus'd from being Guilty of his Fathers Deposition his peace is proclaim'd and a General Pardon IV. Twelve Guardians appointed him Mortimer's Greatness and the Queens excessive Dowry V. The Present State of Scotland the King whereof Robert Bruce sends a Defiance to King Edward VI. King Edward's Expedition against the Scots VII The Particulars of the Murder of King Edward the Second VIII King Edward the Third's Return to London the first Year of his Reign concludes with the Death of sundry great Personages Princes and Prelates I. KING Edward the Third of that Name from the Conquest AN. DOM. 1312. was the first Son of King Edward the Second of England sirnamed Caernarvon by his Queen Isabella the Daughter of Philip the Fair King of France a Frois c. 3. fol. 2. accounted in her time one of the most Beautifull Ladies in the world He was born at the Castle of Windsor whence he had his sirname after the manner of that Age on the b Sandford p. 158. thirteenth day of November at c Ashmole p. 644. fourty Minutes past Five in the Morning being the d Claus 6. Ed. 2. m. 22. Dorso Lit. Dom. B.A. Monday next after the Feast of St Martin the Bishop and the very day e H. Knighton p. 2533. n. 10. after the day of St Brice Bishop and Disciple of St Martin in the sixth year of his Fathers Reign and the year of our Lord God MCCCXII Prince f Walsingh hist p. 77. Lewis eldest Son to the King of France and Brother to the Queen of England being then with many of the French Nobility at the English Court labour'd earnestly that this Princely Infant might be named after King Philip but against this motion the English Nobility prevail'd and so on the Thursday after he was Baptised by the Name of Edward after his Father and Grandfather the Ceremony being performed by the hands of g Victorellus p. 839. ad hunc annum Arnold h Claus 6. Ed. 2. Priest-Cardinal titulo Sanctae Priscae in the old Chappel then of St Edward in the said Castle of Windsor his Godfathers being i Ibid. Ashmole p. 644. Richard Bishop of Poictiers John Bishop of Bath and Wells William Bishop of Worcester Lewis Earl of Eureux the Queens Brother John Duke of Bretagne and Earl of Richmond Emery of Valence Earl of Pembroke and Hugh le Despencer alias Spencer a Great Man in those Days The News of his Birth was k Walsingh ibid. an occasion of great Rejoycing over all England and the only thing l Speed p. 556. able to cheer up the mind of his Royal Father from that excessive sorrow which the late Death of his Favourite Piers Gaveston had flung upon it and from that Day the King forgot by Degrees his former loss rejoycing in his present Happiness For m Pat. 6. Ed 2. so pleasing to his Father was the Birth of this Hopefull Prince that on the Sixteenth of December following he gave to John Launge Valet to the Queen and to Isabel his Wife and to the longer liver of them for bringing to him so desireable News twenty four pounds per annum to be paid out of the Farm of London Within n Pat. ibid. Par. 2. m. 5. Ashmole ibid. few days after this Prince's Birth the King his Father granted him the County of Chester except the Mannors of Mecklesfield and Shotwike to hold to him and his Heirs Kings of England for ever And likewise the County of Flint and Rothelan to hold as before except the Mannor of Overton the Lands of Mailor Seysnoke and the Castle and Mannor of Holt after which he was thus stiled by the King Edvardus Comes Cestriae filius noster Charissimus But leaving his Infancy we will now proceed to his Youth and the occurrences that attended his Ripening years when we shall first have given some small taste of his Character the fulness thereof being purposely remitted till the end of his Life and this our Work because then it may better be consider'd from the whole tenour of his History From his Birth he was carefully bred up in all things that seem'd necessary or proper for Princes to excell in so that thrô the Vigour of his Parts being rendred very apt to imbibe the best Principles he made a speedy and extraordinary improvement in all Noble Qualities For he was of a very o Pitsaus de Illustr Angl. script p. 517. pierceing Judgment Sweet-nature and Good Discretion and considering the many weighty affairs that employ'd his whole Life not only kind to the Muses but much befriended by them as appears by those Learned Writings of which Pitsaeus says he was the Author When he was capable of receiving more ingenuous Education a Man of Great Reading Erudition and Honour was provided from Oxford to be his Tutor who thô commonly called p Godwin Catal. Bishops p. 661. Richard Bury from the place of his Birth was indeed Son to one St Richard Aungervile Knight but was afterwards by this his Royal Pupil made Privy-seal and q Philipot's Catal Chancellers and Treasurers p. 32. Treasurer of England then Dean of Wells and lastly Lord Chancellour of England and Bishop of Durham II. In a Parliament holden at York in the Sixteenth of the King his Father He was by him created r Speed p. 564. Holinshead p. 869. Catal. Honor p. 315. by Tho. Milles. Prince of Wales as some say thô he is no where found to have used that Title The occasion perhaps being because he was not long after invested with a Greater King Edward his Father ſ Ashmole p. 644. being often summon'd to the Court of France to do homage for the Dukedom of Aquitain and still upon some account or other delaying till the French King had siezed thereon it was at length concluded that he should give unto this Prince his Son the said Dukedom for which he doing Homage should enjoy the Lands Whereupon preparation was made for his passing into France But before he went being then at Langedon Abbey near Dover the King his Father t Pat. 19. Ed. 2. p. 1. m. 25. Ashmole ibid. on the second of September in the nineteenth year of his Reign gave unto him his Heirs and Successours Kings of England jure haereditario in perpetuum the Counties of Ponthieu and Mutterel or Monstroile and on the tenth of the same Moneth he being then at Dover granted unto him the Dukedom of Aquitain and all the Lands he had or ought to have in the Kingdom of France Habendum as before Two u Claus 19. Ed. 2. m. 28. Dorse days after which our new Duke took shipping at Dover thence passed into France and performed his Homage to King Charles of France his Uncle In this his Journey it was thought fit that the Queen his Mother should bear him company in regard
the said Duke of Hainalt and yet by many other Ties were they obliged to the English Interest and each of them was by Covenant retain'd to serve King Edward with a 1000 Spears apiece at their own Charges And therefore they not only advised the King now to bring over Duke Albert but they also Themselves joyn'd their Perswasions so that what by their Means and the English Gold he was at first won to declare himself for England But when the Lord of Cominges who was then in the Court of France heard thereof he hasted into Hainalt where he menaged Matters so cunningly with the Lord John Verchin Seneschal of Hainalt by whose Advice all the Dukes Matters were chiefly order'd and who in his Heart lov'd the Interest of France beyond that of England that by the Concurrence of the Earl of Blois and the Lord John of Blois his Brother together with the Lord of Ligny and the Lord of Brabanson who were all well belov'd with the Duke and Dutchess of Hainalt King Edward's Design was wholly quash'd and the labour of his Ambassadors overthrown Thô even they could obtain no more of the Duke than this that both He and his Country would stand Neuter in the Affair and the same Answer was also return'd by the Lady Jane Dutchess of Brabant For at that time her Husband was absent being in France where he contracted secretly a League with that King. VI. And surely King Charles of France who was a notable Politician had secretly prepared himself many Friends both in Hainalt and Brabant almost two years before and had brought over to his Interest the greater part of the Chief Counsellors and Friends of all the Great Lords of both Dukedoms And now to put the better Gloss upon his renewing the War and to make his Cause more plausible in the Eyes of the World he copied out divers Extracts of the Letters relating to the Peace made at Bretigny and ratified at Calais and therein he set forth the Substance of what he according to his Obligation had done and of what the King of England and his Children had not done thô by Oath and Honour bound thereto All along producing such Articles and Points as made for Himself and against King Edward but cunningly concealing smothering or colouring what made to a contrary purpose So that his Cause seem'd only just and the English bare all the Blame And also he privately caused certain Learned in the Laws to be Feed to set forth their Opinions at large concerning the Right of the French King against the King of England both as to the Matter of the Crown and also to the Superiority and Resort of Aquitain and there are yet f M.S. Reverendi Dr. Joh. Spencer S.T.P. C.C.C. apud Cantab Magistri Decani Ecclesiae Cathed Eliensis Extant two Discourses on that Point written by two Famous Doctors of those Days belonging to the University of Bononia in Italy whose Names were John de Lyana and Richard de Salicete Many of which Papers and others of the like Nature together with his own Letters the French King procured to be published in the Courts of all the Princes and Great Lords his Neighbours the better to prepare them to allow of his Quarrel So that King Edward to save his Credit was obliged also to use his Pen against this New sort of Enemy and to justifie and defend his Claim and to prove the Breach of the Peace to lie wholly at the French Kings Doors which he performed notably by his Letters sent into Germany and other Places where he valued his Reputation or thought to have any Friends From which Humour of both the Kings g Paul. Aemyl p. 294. c. Paulus Aemylius rather ambitious to shew his Rhetorick than Historical Fidelity has invented two notable Declamations which he ingeniously enough fancies to have been said before Charles the Emperour and his Son Wenceslaus the one by an English Orator in Behalf of his Masters Cause and the other by a Frenchman who holds the contrary opinion Whereas if that Author had consulted Decorum he would have remembred that King Edward often protested to acknowledge no Mortal whether Pope or Emperour as Judge of his Controversie and that he had but little Reason to expect to find the Emperour any thing favourable to him since he slew his Father at the Battle of Cressy and could not be ignorant how mightily he was addicted as well as more nearly allied to King Charles and the House of France Wherefore we who religiously endeavour to avoid these Gaudy Vanities thô we have Matter enough of Authentick Arguments to fill up a Speech or two yet preferring the venerable simplicity of Truth to all the Fucoes of Vain-Glory shall here set down the Arguments on both Hands as they were then really stated by the Best Lawyers of both Kingdoms in which doing 〈◊〉 where our Authorities cannot be seen our Faith be called in question We declare not only that our selves are wholly ignorant in this as well as many other Sorts of Learning but that the Ancient Copies are to be seen in Latine in a M.S. of the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls and in English in another M.S. of the Reverend Dr. Spencer Dean of Ely and Master of Corpus Christi College in Cambridge which English Copy appears to have been with much Care translated from the other by some Person of Quality for the Use of that Most Noble Prince of Wales Henry Eldest Son to King James the First And to omit the several Preambles touching Succession of Women and Succession by Representation as also touching Distance of Degrees and Collateral Succession I shall the readiest way come to the Matter but first thô in some measure we have more than once stated the Case before it is necessary for Evidence sake here again to set down the Matter of Fact as it happen'd in the Realm of France Videlicet That King Philip Son of St Lewis King of France had two Sons lawfully begotten Philip the Fair and Charles of Valois And that the said Philip being Eldest after the Death of his Father obtain'd the Kingdom and that Charles deceased leaving behind him Philip of Valois his Son lawfully begotten That afterwards Philip the Fair begat Three Lawfull Sons Lewis Philip and Charles and also One Daughter named Isabel who was married to the King of England and brought forth Edward the Third whilst the foresaid Philip Grandfather to the said Edward remain'd alive That at last Lewis and Philip Brothers to Isabell being Dead without Issue Male King h This to be favourably taken for Philip died first and then his Three Sons in order succeeded Arguments for the French Kings Right Philip their Father also died That after him reigned the foresaid Charles his only Son surviving who likewise died without Issue Now according to the State of the Fact the Question doth rise in Law to be this The Lady Isabell next