worthilie the Frenchmen vsed the Englishmen nothing freendlie namelie the earle of Arras sticked not to speake manie reprochfull words against the said William de Longespée and his people whereat they could not but take great indignation Also the same season the earle of Leicester who had likewise receiued the crosse deferred his iournie for a time and sailing into Gascoigne mightilie there subdued the kings enimies as Gaston de Bierne also one Rusteine and William de Solares This yeare died Peter de Geneure a Prouancois borne whome the king had preferred in marriage vnto the ladie Maud daughter and heire of Walter Lacie a man of faire possessions in Ireland Of which marriage there came issue a sonne and a daughter Also about Whitsuntide died a noble baron of the north parts named the lord Roger Fitz Iohn whose sonne and heire being yoong was giuen in wardship to William de Ualence the kings halfe brother Also this yeare Hugh earle of March father to the same William de Ualence died in Cipres whilest the French armie wintered there as then going into the holie hand In the feast of All saints the archbishop Bonifacius was inthronized at Canturburie and kept a solemne feast at the which the king and queene with the line 10 more part of all the prelats of the land were present About this season was a great tornie and iusts holden at Brackley where the earle of Glocester contrarie to his accustomed maner fauoured the part of the strangers wherby they preuailed In somuch that William de Ualence handled one sir William de Odingesselles verie roughlie the same sir William being a right woorthie knight year 1250 About the same time the countesse of Cornewall at Berkehamstéed was deliuered of a sonne named Edmund This yeare line 20 about the beginning of the spring the kings brother the earle of Cornewall with other Noble men of the realme as the earle of Glocester Henrie Hastings baron Roger Thurkebie went ouer into France in princelie arraie and furniture to visit the pope who held his court still at the citie of Lions The bishop of Lincolne also and the bishop of Worcester went thither For what cause the other went it was not openlie knowne But the bishop of Lincolne went thither about such businesse as he had in hand against line 30 the Templers Hospitalers and such other which had appealed from him to the court of Rome where he could not bring his purpose to passe for his aduersaries with monie had purchased the iudges fauour And so the bishop returned hauing spent his trauell and monie in vaine On the 6 of March being sundaie the king tooke vpon him the crosse with his brother de Ualence and a great number of other Noble men and amongst other the abbat of Burie to the preiudice as was line 40 thought of his order Roger de Monthault a baron of great honour meaning verelie to go in that iournie to recouer monie towards his necessarie furniture set and sold the most part of his liuings His woods and possessions which he had about Couentrie he sold and let to fee farme vnto the couent there The like chieuance was made by sundrie noble men which prepared themselues to go in that iournie Upon the 27 day of Aprill those that had taken on them the crosse assembled at Bermondsey besides London to treat of their setting forward determining line 50 that the same should be at Midsummer next but by the popes letters which the king procured they were commanded to staie till the king himselfe went Thus their iournie for that time was disappointed There was of them and their retinues that meant thus to haue gone fiue hundreth knights besides yeomen or demilances and other common souldiers in great numbers Gaston de Bierne was so driuen to his shifts by the high prowesse of the earle line 60 of Leicester that in the end he was constreined to come ouer into England and submit himselfe to the king whom he found at Clarendon where he gat such mercie at the kings hands that he was pardoned and restored to his lands But the earle of Leicester put the king in possession of the castels of Fronsacke Egremount and others and banished Rustein and William de Solares with diuerse other stubborne and disloiall rebels depriuing them of their lands and inheritance in that countrie The bishop of Lincolne did excommunicat a préest within his diocesse that was accused of incontinencie And bicause the same preest continued fortie daies without séeking to be reconciled the bishop sent to the shiriffe of Rutland within whose bailiwike the same préest dwelled to apprehend him as a disobedient and rebellious person but the shiriffe winked at the matter and would not execute the bishops commandement wherevpon the bishop did also excommunicat the shiriffe whereof the king being informed tooke displeasure and sending to the pope procured an inhibition that no archbishop nor bishop should compell anie officer belonging to the king to follow anie suit afore them for those things that apperteined to the kings iurisdiction or give sentence against them for the same The mondaie before the Râ—gation wéeke Richard the kings brother earle of Cornewall returned from the court of Rome where he had beene about certeine businesse vnknowne to most men but whatsoeuer the same was the pope gaue him most courteous and honorable interteinement for his welcome and made him great cheare during his abode at Lions where the popes court as then laie ¶ About this season the K. to rid himselfe out of debt wherein he was indangered to certeine merchants lessened the charges of his houshold and kept but a meane port diminishing euen the accustomed almesse of the poore and also the great number of tapers and lights in his chappell so that he was noted with the blame of too much niggardlie sparing anâ— pinching but in that he discharged his debt to the merchants he was thought to doo wiselie and charitablie for that he would not see them hindered to whom he was so indebted besides the opinion that he had concerning himselfe namelie that Profectum faciunt rarum quos debita stringunt About the same time also he caused the Iewes to giue vnto him a great portion of their goods so that they were greatlie impouerished There was one of them named Aaron borne in Yorke the which since the kings last returne out of Gascoigne had paied to the king the summe of thirtie thousand markes ouer and besides two hundred marks which he had giuen to the quéene as the same Aaron protested to Matthew Paris vpon his faith and truth which he bare to his law In the Whitsunwéeke was a generall chapter holden of the friers preachers at London in Holborne where out of sundrie parts of the world were assembled aboue foure hundred of them and they had meat and drinke found them of almesse
distinguish the one from the other in taking their altitudes and places whereby in the end they found the new apparition as it were to wait vpon the planet and so continued by the space of certeine houres At length when the beholders of whom Wil. Paruus that recorded things in that age was one had well wearied their eies in diligent marking the maner of this strange appearance the counterfeit sunne vanished awaie ¶ This strange woonder was taken for a signification of that which followed that is to say of war famine and pestilence or to say the truth it betokened rather the continuance of two of those mischiefs For warre and famine had sore afflicted the people before that time and as yet ceassed not but as for the pestilence it began soone after the strange sight whereof insued such effect as I haue alreadie rehearsed Thus farre king Richard Iohn the yongest sonne of Henrie the second IOhn the yoongest son of Henrie the second was proclaimed king of England beginning his reigne the sixt daie of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord 1199 the first of Philip emperour of Rome and the 20 of Philip king of France K. William line 20 as yet liuing in gouernement ouer the Scots This man so soone as his brother Richard was deceassed sent Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and William Marshall earle of Striguill otherwise called Chepstow into England both to proclaime him king and also to sée his peace kept togither with Geffrey Fitz Peter lord cheefe iustice and diuerse other barons of the realme whilest he himselfe went to Chinon where his brothers treasure laie which was foorthwith deliuered vnto him by Robert de line 30 Turneham and therewithall the castell of Chinon and Sawmer and diuerse other places which were in the custodie of the foresaid Robert But Thomas de Furnes nephue to the said Robert de Turneham deliuered the citie and castell of Angiers vnto Arthur duke of Britaine For by generall consent of the nobles and yéeres of the countries of Aniou Maine and Touraine Arthur was receiued as the liege and souereigne lord of the same countries For euen at this present and so soone as it was line 40 knowne that king Richard was deceased diuerse cities and townes on that side of the sea belonging to the said Richard whilest he liued fell at ods among themselues some of them indeuouring to preferre king Iohn other labouring rather to be vnder the gouernance of Arthur duke of Britaine considering that he séemed by most right to be their chéefe lord forsomuch as he was sonne to Geffrey elder brother to Iohn And thus began the broile in those quarters whereof in processe of time insued great inconuenience and finallie the death of the said Arthur as shall be shewed hereafter Now whilest king Iohn was thus occupied in recouering his brothers treasure and traueling with his subiects to reduce them to his obedience quéene Elianor his mother by the helpe of Hubert archbishop of Canturburie and other of the noble men and barons of the land trauelled as diligentlie to procure the English people to receiue their oth of allegiance to be true to king Iohn For the said archbishop and William Marshall earle of Striguill being sent ouer into England as before you haue heard to proclaime him king and to kéepe the land in quiet assembled the estates of the realme at Northampton where Geffrey Fitz Peter lord chéefe iustice was present with other of the Nobles afore whom those lords whose fidelities were earst suspected willinglie tooke their oths of obedience to the new king and were assured by the same lords on his behalfe that they should find him a liberall a noble and a righteous prince and such a one as would sée that euerie man should inioy his owne and such as were knowne to be notorious transgressors should be sure to receiue their condigne punishment They sent Eustace de Uescie also vnto William king of Scotland to signifie to him that king Iohn vpon his arriuall in England would satisfie him of all such right as he pretended to haue within the English dominions And thus was king Iohn accompted and proclaimed king of England by the generall consent of all the lords and barons of the same The names of the cheefe of those péeres that were sworne as you haue heard are as followeth Dauid earle of Huntington brother vnto William king of Scots Richard earle of Clare Ranulfo earle of Chester William earle of Tutherie or rather Darbie Walran earle of Warwike Roger Lacie constable of Chester and William de Mowbraie with diuerse other whose names I here omit bicause I would not be tedious and irksome to the line 10 readers Now the king of Scotland being informed by the lord Eustace Uescie who had maried his daughter that there was some hope to be had on his part for the recouerie of such seigniories as he and his predecessours somtime held in England did further dispatch sundrie ambassadours with full purpose to send them ouer into Normandie vnto king Iohn there to require restitution of the countries of Northumberland and Cumberland with their appurtenances line 20 and he promised also by his letters that if the same might be granted vnto him in as ample manner as they had béene in times past to his ancestors he would gladlie doo his homage to king Iohn as to the true lawfull king of England for the same and furthermore yéeld to him his faithfull seruice against all men so often as he should be required thervnto Howbeit when the archbishop of Canturburie and the rest of the councell vnderstood that these ambassadors should passe through England they would line 30 not suffer them so to doo but spéedilie sent Dauid earle of Huntington into Scotland vnto the king his brother requiring him earnestlie that he would not send any ambassadours ouer as yet but rather tarie and take patience a while till the king should come ouer into England which as they said he purposed to doo verie shortlie King Iohn also hauing vnderstanding of his purpose sent ouer the said lord Eustace againe vnto him with the like request who in such wise persuaded him line 40 that he was contented to abide a time in hope of the better successe in his late attempted suit And all this was doone chéeflie by the working of the kings mother whom the nobilitie much honoured and loued For she being bent to prefer hir sonne Iohn left no stone vnturned to establish him in the throne comparing oftentimes the difference of gouernement betweene a king that is a man and a king that is but a child For as Iohn was 32 yeares old so Arthur duke of Britaine was but a babe to speake of In line 50 the end winning all the nobilitie wholie vnto hir will and séeing the coast to be cleare on euerie side without any doubt of tempestuous weather likelie to arise she signified the whole matter vnto K. Iohn who
in warlike enterprises The first and principall was sir Hugh Caluerlie an old man of warre and one that in all places had borne himselfe both valiantlie and politikelie next line 40 vnto him was sir William Farington who stoutlie spake in the bishops cause when the matter came in question in the parlement house touching his going ouer with this croâ—sie Besides these there went diuerse noble men and knights of high renowme as the lord Henrie Beaumount sir William Elmham and sir Thomas Triuet sir Iohn Ferrers sir Hugh Spenser the bishops nephue by his brother sir Matthew Redman capteine of Berwike sir Nicholas Tarenson or Traicton sir William Farington and line 50 manie other of the English nation of Gascogne there went le sire de Chasteauneuf and his brother sir Iohn de Chasteauneuf Raimund de Marsen Guillonet de Paux Gariot Uighier Iohn de Cachitan and diuerse other Sir Iohn Beauchampe was appointed marshall of the field but bicause he was at that present in the marches of the realme towards Scotland he was not readie to passe ouer when the bishop did The duke of Lancaster liked not well of the bishops iournie for that he saw how his voiage line 60 that he meant to make into Spaine was hereby for the time disappointed and he could haue béene better contented as appeareth by writers to haue had the monie imploied vpon the warres against the king of Castile that was a Clementine than to haue it bestowed vpon this voiage which the bishop was to take in hand against the French king and other in these néerer parts Herevpon there were not manie of the nobilitie that offered to go with the bishop But to saie somewhat of other things that were concluded in this last parlement we find that the fishmongers which through meanes of the late lord maâ—or Iohn of Northampton and his complices were put from their ancient customes and liberties which they inioied aforetime within the citie were now restored to the same againe sauing that they might not kéepe courts among themselues as in times past they vsed but that after the maner of other crafts and companies all transgressions offenses and breaches of lawes and customes by them committed should be heard tried and reformed in the maiors court ¶ All this winter the matter touching the gathering of monie towards the croisie was earnestlie applied so that there was leuied what of the disme and by the deuotion of the people for obteining of the pardon so much as drew to the summe of fiue and twentie thousand franks When the bishop therefore had set things in good forwardnesse for his iournie he drew towards the sea side and was so desirous to passe ouer and to inuade his aduersaries that although the king sent to him an expresse commandement by letters to returne to the court that he might conferre with him before he tooke the seas yet excusing himselfe that the time would not then permit him to staie longer he passed ouer to Calis where he landed the 23 of Aprill in this sixt yeare of king Richards reigne The armie to attend him in this iournie rose to the number of two thousand horssemen and fifteene thousand footmen as some write though other speake of a far lesser number But it should seeme that they went not ouer all at one time but by parts as some before the bishop some with him and some after him Now when he and the capteins before named were come ouer to Calis they tooke counsell togither into what place they should make their first inuasion and bicause their commission was to make warre onelie against those that held with pope Clement the more part were of this mind that it should be most expedient for them to enter into France and to make warre against the Frenchmen whom all men knew to be chiefe mainteiners of the said Clement But the bishop of Norwich was of this opinion that they could not doo better than to inuade the countrie of Flanders bicause that a litle before earle Lewes hauing intelligence that king Richard had made a confederacie with them of Gaunt had on the other part expelled all Englishmen out of his dominions and countries so that the merchants which had their goods at Bruges and other places in Flanders susteined great losses Howbeit there were that replied against the bishops purpose herein as sir Hugh Caluerlie and others yet at length they yeelded thereto and so by his commandement they went streight to Grauelin the 21 day of Maie and immediatlie wan it by assault Whervpon Bruckburge was yeelded vnto them the liues and goods of them within saued Then went they to Dunkirke without any great resistance entred the towne and wan there excéeding much by the spoile for it was full of riches which the Englishmen pilfered at their pleasure The earle of Flanders lieng at Lisle was aduertised how the Englishmen were thus entered his countrie wherevpon he sent ambassadors vnto the English host to vnderstand why they made him warre that was a right Urbanist The bishop of Norwich for answer declared to them that were sent that he tooke the countrie to apperteine to the French king as he that had of late conquered it whom all the whole world knew to be a Clementine or at the least he was assured that the countrie thereabouts was of the inheritance of the ladie of Bar which likewise was a Clementine and therefore except the people of that countrie would come and ioine with him to go against such as were knowne to be enimies to pope Urbane he would suerlie séeke to destroie them And whereas the earls ambassadors required safe conduct to go into England by Calis to vnderstand the kings pleasure in this mater the bishop would grant them none at all wherefore they went backe againe to the earle their maister with that answer The Englishmen after the taking and spoiling of Dunkirke returned to Grauelin and Bruckburge which places they fortified and then leauing garrisons in them they went to Mardike and tooke it for it was not closed In the meane time the countriemen of west Flanders rose in armour and came line 10 to Dunkirke meaning to resist the Englishmen whereof when the bishop was certified with all spéed he marched thither and comming to the place where the Flemings to the number of more than twelue thousand were ranged without the towne he sent an herald vnto them to know the truth of whether pope they held but the rude people not vnderstanding what apperteined to the law of armes ran vpon the herald at his approching to them and slue him before he could begin to tell his tale The Englishmen herewith inflamed determined line 20 either to reuenge the death of their herald or to die for it and therewith ordered their battels readie to fight and being not aboue fiue thousand fighting men in all the bishop placed himselfe amongst
not as line 40 yours Well faire sonne said the king with a great sigh what right I had to it God knoweth Well said the prince if you die king I will haue the garland and trust to kéepe it with the sword against all mine enimies as you haue doone Then said the king I commit all to God and remember you to doo well With that he turned himselfe in his bed and shortlie after departed to God in a chamber of the abbats of Westminster called Ierusalem the twentith daie of March in the yeare 1413 and in the yeare of his age line 50 46 when he had reigned thirteene yeares fiue moneths and od daies in great perplexitie and little pleasure or fouretéene yeares as some haue noted who name not the disease whereof he died but refer it to sicknesse absolutelie whereby his time of departure did approach and fetch him out of the world as Ch. Okl. saith whose words may serue as a funerall epigramme in memoriall of the said king Henrie Henricus quartus bis septem rexerat annos Anglorum gentem summa cum laude amore line 60 I à mque senescenti fatalis terminus aeui Ingruerat morbus fatalem accerserat horam We find that he was taken with his last sickenesse while he was making his praiers at saint Edwards shrine there as it were to take his leaue and so to procéed foorth on his iournie he was so suddenlie and greeuouslie taken that such as were about him feared least he would haue died presentlie wherfore to reléeue him if it were possible they bare him into a chamber that was next at hand belonging to the abbat of Westminster where they laid him on a pallet before the fire and vsed all remedies to reuiue him At length he recouered his spéech and vnderstanding and perceiuing himselfe in a strange place which he knew not he willed to know if the chamber had anie particular name wherevnto answer was made that it was called Ierusalem Then said the king Lauds be giuen to the father of heauen for now I know that I shall die heere in this chamber according to the prophesie of me declared that I should depart this life in Ierusalem Whether this was true that so he spake as one that gaue too much credit to foolish prophesies vaine tales or whether it was fained as in such cases it commonlie happeneth we leaue it to the aduised reader to iudge His bodie with all funerall pompe was conueied vnto Canturburie and there solemnlie buried leauing behind him by the ladie Marie daughter to the lord Humfrie Bohun earle of Hereford and Northhampton Henrie prince of Wales Thomas duke of Clarence Iohn duke of Bedford Humfrie duke of Glocester Blanch duchesse of Bauier and Philip quéene of Denmarke by his last wife Iane he had no children This king was of a meane stature well proportioned and formallie compact quicke and liuelie and of a stout courage In his latter daies he shewed himselfe so gentle that he gat more loue amongst the nobles and people of this realme than he had purchased malice and euill will in the beginning But yet to speake a truth by his proceedings after he had atteined to the crowne what with such taxes tallages subsidies and exactions as he was constreined to charge the people with and what by punishing such as mooued with disdeine to see him vsurpe the crowne contrarie to the oth taken at his entring into this land vpon his returne from exile did at sundrie times rebell against him he wan himselfe more hatred than in all his life time if it had beene longer by manie yeares than it was had beene possible for him to haue weeded out remooued And yet doubtlesse woorthie were his subiects to tast of that bitter cup sithens they were so readie to ioine and clappe hands with him for the deposing of their rightfull and naturall prince king Richard whose chéefe fault rested onlie in that that he was too bountifull to his fréends and too mercifull to his foes speciallie if he had not béene drawne by others to séeke reuenge of those that abused his good and courteous nature ¶ But now to returne to the matter present The duke of Clarence immediatlie vpon knowlege had of his father king Henrie the fourth his death returned out of Guien into England with the earle of Angolesme and other prisoners Now will were hearse what writers of our English nation liued in the daies of this king That renowmed poet Geffrie Chaucer is woorthilie named as principall a man so exquisitlie learned in all sciences that his match was not lightlie found any where in those daies and for reducing our English toong to a perfect conformitie he hath excelled therein all other he departed this life about the yeare of our Lord 1402 as Bale gathereth but by other it appeareth that he deceassed the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1400 and lieth buried at Westminster in the south part of the great church there as by a monument erected by Nicholas Brigham it doth appeare Iohn Gower descended of that woorthie familie of the Gowers of Stitenham in Yorkeshire as Leland noteth studied not onelie the common lawes of this realme but also other kinds of literature and great knowledge in the same namelie in poeticall inuentions applieng his indeuor with Chaucer to garnish the English toong in bringing it from a rude vnperfectnesse vnto a more apt elegancie for whereas before those daies the learned vsed to write onelie in Latine or French and not in English our toong remained verie barren rude and vnperfect but now by the diligent industrie of Chaucer and Gower it was within a while greatlie amended so as it grew not onelie verie rich and plentifull in words but also so proper and apt to expresse that which the mind conceiued as anie other vsuall language Gower departed this life shortlie after the deceasse of his déere and louing freend Chaucer to wit in the yeare 1402 being then come to great age and blind for a certeine time before his death He was buried in the church of saint Marie Oueries in Southwarke line 10 Moreouer Hugh Legat borne in Hertfordshire and a monke of saint Albons wrote scholies vpon Architrenius of Iohn Hanuill and also vpon Boetius De consolatione Roger Alington chancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxford a great sophister an enimie to the doctrine of Wickliffe Iohn Botrell a logician Nicholas Gorham borne in a village of the same name in Hertfordshire a Dominike frier first proceeded master of art in Oxenford and after going to Paris became the French kings confessor and line 20 therefore hath béene of some taken to be a Frenchman Iohn Lilleshull so called of a monasterie in the west parties of this realme whereof he was gouernour Walter Disse so called of a towne in Norfolke where he was borne first a Carmelite frier professed in Norwich and after going to Cambridge he there
Canturburie denounced an heretike remitted againe line 50 to the Tower of London from which place either by helpe of fréends or fauour of kéepers he priuilie escaped and came into Wales where he remained for a season After this the king kéeping his Christmasse at his manor of Eltham was aduertised that sir Roger Acâ—on knight year 1414 a man of great wit and possessions Iohn Browne esquier Iohn Beuerlie priest and a great number of other were assembled in armour against the king his brethren the clergie and realme line 60 These newes came to the king on the twelfth daie in Christmasse wherevpon vnderstanding that they were in a place called Fiâ—ket field beside London on the backe side of saint Giles he streight got him to his palace at Westminster in as secret wise as he might and there calling to him certeine bands of armed men he repaired into saint Giles fields néere to the said place where he vnderstood they should fullie méet about midnight and so handled the matter that he tooke some and siue some euen as stood with his pleasure The capteins of them afore mentioned being apprehended were brought to the kings presence and to him declared the causes of their commotion rising accusing a great number of their complices The king vsed one policie which much serued to the discomfiting of the aduersaries as Thom. Walsingham saith which was this he gaue order that all the gates of London should be streictlie kept and garded so as none should come in or out but such as were knowen to go to the king Hereby came it to passe that the chiefest succour appointed to come to the capteins of the rebels was by that meanes cut off where otherwise suerlie had it not beene thus preuented and staied there had issued foorth of London to haue ioined with them to the number as it was thought of fiftie thousand persons one and other seruants prentises and citizens confederate with them that were thus assembled in Ficket field Diuerse also that came from sundrie parts of the realme hasting towards the place to be there at their appointed time chanced to light among the kings men who being taken and demanded whither they went with such spéed answered they came to meet with their capteine the lord Cobham But whether he came thither at all or made shift for himselfe to get awaie it dooth not appeare for he could not be heard of at that time as Thomas Walsingham confesseth although the king by proclamation promised a thousand marks to him that could bring him foorth with great liberties to the cities or townes that would discouer where he was By this it maie appeare how greatlie he was beloued that there could not one be found that for so great a reward would bring him to light Among other that were taken was one William Murlie who dwelt in Dunstable a man of great wealth and by his occupation a brewer an earnest mainteiner of the lord Cobhams opinions and as the brute ran in hope to be highlie aduanced by him if their purposed deuise had taken place apparant by this that he had two horsses trapped with guilt harnesse led after him and in his bosome a paire of gilt spurs as it was déemed prepared for himselfe to weare looking to be made knight by the lord Cobhams hands at that present time But when he saw how their purpose quailed he withdrew into the citie with great feare to hide himselfe howbeit he was perceiued taken and finallie executed among others To conclude so manie persons herevpon were apprehended that all the prisons in and about London were full the chiefe of them were condemned by the cleargie of heresie and atteinted of high treason in the Guildhall of London and adiudged for that offense to be drawen and hanged and for heresie to be consumed with fire gallowes and all which iudgement wis executed the same moneth on the said sir Roger Acton and eight and twentie others ¶ Some saie that the occasion of their death was onelie for the conueieng of the lord Cobham out of prison Others write that it was both for treason and heresie and so it appeareth by the record Certeine affirme that it was for feined causes surmized by the spiritualtie more vpon displeasure than truth and that they were assembled to heare their preacher the foresaid Beuerlie in that place there out of the waie from resort of people sith they might not come togither openlie about any such matter without danger to be apprehended as the manner is and hath beene euer of the persecuted flocke when they are prohibited publikelie the exercise of their religion But howsoeuer the matter went with these men apprehended they were and diuerse of them executed as before ye haue heard whether for rebellion or heresie or for both as the forme of the indictment importeth I néed not to spend manie words sith others haue so largelie treated thereof and therefore I refer those that wish to be more fullie satisfied herein vnto their reports Whilest in the Lent season the king laie at Killingworth there came to him from Charles Dolphin of France certeine ambassadors that brought with them a barrell of Paris balles which from their maister they presented to him for a token that was taken in verie ill part as sent in scorne to signifie that it was more méet for the king to passe the time with such childish exercise than to attempt any worthie exploit Wherfore the K. wrote to him that yer ought long he would tosse him some London balles line 10 that perchance should shake the walles of the best court in France ¶ This yeare Thom. Arundell archbishop of Canturburie departed this life a stout prelat and an earnest mainteiner of the Romish religion Henrie Chichelie bishop of saint Dauid succeeded the same Arundell in the sée of Canturburie and the kings confessor Stephan Patrington a Carmelite frier was made bishop of S. Dauid Henrie Persie then but a child sonne to the lord Henrie Persie surnamed Hotspur after his fathers deceasse line 20 that was slaine at Shrewesburie field was conueied into Scotland and there left by his grandfather where euer since he had remained the king therefore pitied his case and so procured for him that he came home and was restored to all his lands and earledome of Northumberland which lands before had béene giuen to the lord Iohn the kings brother A case verie strange and for manie causes alwaies right worthie of remembrance in this yeare 1414 the second of this kings reigne did befall which conteining line 30 in it so manie matters for knowledge of Gods great power and iustice of wilfull breaking his diuine lawes of the easie slip into ruine where his mercie dooth not sâ—aie vs the busie bogging of the diuell alwaies our weakenesse in combat with him into what outrage and confusion he haleth where he is not withstood with what tyrannie
perilous doctrines books works and writings conteining heresies and errors contrarie to the faith catholike and determination of holie church and speciallie these heresies and errours following that is to saie in particular In primis quòd non est de necessitate fidei credere quòd dominus noster Iesus Christus post mortem descendit ad inferâ—s Item quòd non est de necessitate salutis credere in sanctorum communionem Item quòd ecclesiâ— vniuersalis potest errare in hijs quâ— sunt fidei Item quòd non est de necessitate salutis credere tenere illud quod consilium generale vniuersalis ecclesia statuit approbat seu determinat in fauorem fidei ad salutem animarum est ab vniuersis Christi fidelibus approbandum tenendum Wherefore I miserable sinner which here before long time haue walked in darkenesse and now by the mercie and infinit goodnesse of God reduced into the right waie and light of truth and considering my selfe gréeuouslie haue sinned and wickedlie haue informed and infected the people of God returne and come againe to the vnitie of our mother holie church and all heresies and errors written and conteined in my said books works and writings here solemnelie and openlie reuoke renounce Which heresies and errors and all other spices of heresies I haue before this time before the most reuerend father in God and my good lord of Canturburie in diuerse and lawfull forme iudiciallie abiured submitting my selfe being then and also now at this time verie contrite and penitent sinner to the correction of the church and of my said lord of Canturburie And ouer this exhorting requiring in the name vertue of almightie God in the saluation of your soules and mind that no man hereafter giue faith and credence to my said pernicious doctrines heresies and errors neither my said books kéepe hold or read in anie wise but that they all such books works and writings suspect of heresies deliuer in all goodlie hast vnto my said lord of Canturburie or to his commissioners and deputies in eschewing of manie inconueniences and great perils of soules the which else might be cause of the contrarie And ouer this declaration of my conuersion and repentance I here openlie assent that my said books works and writings for declaration and cause aboue rehearsed be deputed vnto the fire and openlie burnt in example and terror of all other c. After this he was depriued of his bishoprike hauing a certeine pension assigned vnto him for to liue on in an abbeie and soone after died His books were intituled 1 Of christian religion and a booke perteining therevnto 2 Of matrimonie 3 Iust expressing of holie scripture diuided into three parts 4 The donet of christian religion 5 The follower of the donet 6 The booke of faith 7 The booke filling the foure tables 8 The booke of worshipping 9 The prouoker of christian men 10 The booke of counsell In the moneth of Ianuarie died the earle of Deuonshire in the abbeie of Abindon poisoned as men said being there at that time with quéene Margaret to appease the malice betweene the yoong lords whose fathers were slaine at saint Albons and they that held with the duke of Yorke The thirtéenth of Aprill there was a great fraie in Fléetstreet betweene men of court and the inhabitants of the same stréet in which fraie the quéenes atturnie was slaine For this fact the king committed the principall gouernours of Furniuals Cliffords and Barnards In to prison in the castell of Hertford and William Tailor alderman of that ward with manie other were sent to Windsore castell the seuenth of Maie On thursdaie in Whitsunweeke the duke of Summerset with Anthonie Riuers and other foure kept iustes before the quéene in the Tower of London against three esquiers of the queenes And in like maner at Gréenewich the sundaie following King Henrie and his councell perceiuing the duke of Yorke laie still and stirred not returned to London and there called a great councell openlie declaring how the French and Scots imboldened by the ciuill discord within this realme attempted to annoie the same as of late they had shewed apparant tokens and likelie not ceasse vpon occasions to doo further displeasures till a perfect concord were concluded betwéene him and his fréends and those of the contrarie part and confederacie And to the intent line 10 that he would be the cheefe author of peace he promised of his dignitie so to interteine the duke of Yorke and his fréends that all old grudges should be not onelie inwardlie forgotten but also outwardlie forgiuen which should be cause of perpetuall loue and assured amitie This deuise was of all men iudged for the best Wherevpon diuerse graue persons were sent to the duke of Yorke and all other the great estates of the realme who since the battell of saint Albons neuer line 20 met nor communed togither commanding them for great causes to repaire to the kings court without delaie At his commandement came to London Richard duke of Yorke with foure hundred men and was lodged at Bainards castell being his owne house and after him came the earle of Salisburie with fiue hundred men and was likewise lodged at his owne house called the Herbour Then came the dukes of Excester and Summerset with eight hundred men and were lodged without Temple barre line 30 and the earle of Northumberland the lord Egremond and the lord Clifford came with fiftéene hundred men and lodged without the citie The earle of Warwike also came from Calis with six hundred men in red iackets imbrodered with white ragged slaues behind and before and was lodged at the graie friers Thus were all those of the one part lodged within the citie and those of the other without in Holborne towards Westminster and in other places of the line 40 suburbs all vpon wise consideration for that the Yorke faction and the Lancastrians could not well haue béene mingled without danger of discord After that these lords were thus come vnto London the king and the quéene shortlie followed comming thither the seuentéenth daie of March and lodged in the bishops palace Bicause no riotous attempt or bickering should be begun betwéene anie of the parties or their retinues the maior and aldermen of the citie line 50 kept great watch as well by daie as by night riding about the citie by Holborne and Fléetstréet with fiue thousand men well armed and arraied to sée good order and peace on all sides kept The lords which lodged within the citie held a dailie councell at blacke friers the other part soiourning without the walles assembled likewise in the chapiter house at Westminster At length by the diligent trauell and good exhortation of the archbishop of Canturburie and other prelats both parties were line 60 persuaded to come to communication and so did Where after long debating of grieuances on both sides they promising to forget all old rancors
mine owne hand God send grace sir quoth the messenger and went his waie Certeine is it also that in riding towards the Tower the same morning in which be was beheded his horsse twise or thrise stumbled with him almost to the falling Which thing albeit ech man wote well dailie happeneth to them to whom no such mischance is toward yet hath it béene of an old rite and custome obserued as a token oftentimes notablie foregoing some great misfortune Now this that followeth was no warning but an enuious scorne The same morning yer he was vp came a knight vnto him as it were of courtesie to accompanie him to the councell but of truth sent by the protector to hast him thitherwards with whome he was of secret confederacie in that purpose a meane man at that time and now of great authoritie This knight I say when it happened the lord chamberleine by the waie to staie his horsse common a while with a priest whom he met in the Tower stréet brake his tale and said merilie to him What my lord I pray you come on whereto talke you so long with that priest you haue no néed of a priest yet and therwith he laughed vpon him as though he would say Ye shall haue soone But so little wist the tother what he ment and so little mistrusted that he was neuer merier nor neuer so full of good hope in his life which selfe thing is oft séene a signe of change But I shall rather let anie thing passe me than the vaine suertie of mans mind so neere his death flattering himselfe with deceitfull conceipts of inward motions of life to be prolonged euen in present cases of deadlie danger and heauie misfortunes offering great mistrust as he did that is noted for speaking like a foole Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere Viuam Nascentes morimur finÃsque ab origine pendet Upon the verie Tower wharfe so neare the place where his head was off soone after there met he with one Hastings a purseuant of his owne name And at their méeting in that place he was put in remembrance of another time in which it had happened them before to meet in like manner togither in the same place At which other time the lord chamberleine had béene accused vnto king Edward by the lord Riuers the queenes brother in such wise as he was for the while but it lasted not long farre fallen into the kings indignation stood in great feare of himselfe And forsomuch as he now met this purseuant in the same place that ieopardie so well passed it gaue him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom he had before talked thereof in the same place while he was therein And therefore he said Ha Hastings art thou remembred when I met thée here once with an heauie heart Yea my lord quoth he that remember I well and thanked be God they gat no good nor you no harme thereby Thou wouldest say so quoth he if thou knewest as much as I know which few know else as yet and mo shall shortlie That meant he by the lords of the quéenes kinred that were taken before and should that daie be beheaded at Pomfret which he well wist but nothing ware that the axhung ouer his owne head In faith man quoth he I was neuer so sorie nor neuer stood in so great dread in my life as I did when thou and I met here And lo how the world is turned now stand mine enimies in the danger as thou maiest hap to heare more hereafter and I neuer in my life so merrie nor neuer in so great suertie O good God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suertie when he reckoned himselfe surest he lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honorable man a good knight and a gentle of great authoritie with his prince of liuing somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enimie secret to his friend easie to beguile as he that of good heart and courage forestudied no perils a louing man and passing well beloued verie faithfull and trustie inough trusting too much Now flew the fame of this lords death swiftlie through the citie and so foorth further about like a wind in euerie mans eare But the protector immediatlie after dinner intending to set some colour vpon the matter sent in all the hast for manie substantiall men out of the citie into the Towre Now at their comming himselfe with the duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in old ill faring briganders such as no man should wéene that they would vouchsafe to haue put vpon their backs except that some sudden necessitie had constreined line 10 them And then the protector shewed them that the lord chamberleine and other of his conspiracie had contriued to haue suddenlie destroied him and the duke there the same day in the councell And what they intended further was as yet not well knowne Of which their treason he neuer had knowledge before ten of the clocke the same forenoone which sudden feare draue them to put on for their defense such harnesse as came next to hand And so had God holpen them that the mischiefe turned vpon them that line 20 would haue doone it And this he requireed them to report Euerie man answered him faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which of truth no man beléeued Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minds he sent immediatlie after diner in all the hast one herald of armes with a proclamation to be made through the citie in the kings name conteining that the lord Hastings with diuerse other of his traitorous purpose had before conspired the same line 30 day to haue slaine the lord protector and the duke of Buckingham sitting in the councell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the king the realme at their pleasure and therby to pill and spoile whome they list vncontrolled And much matter there was in that proclamation deuised to the slander of the lord chamberleine as that he was an ill councellor to the kings father intising him to manie things highlie redounding to the minishing of his honour and to the vniuersall hurt of the realme line 40 The meanes whereby namelie his euill companie sinister procuring and vngratious example as well in manie other things as in the vicious liuing and inordinate abusion of his bodie both with manie other and also speciallie with Shores wife which was one also of his most secret counsell in this most heinous treason with whom he laie nightlie and namelie the night last past next before his death So that it was the lesse maruell if vngratious liuing brought him to an vnhappie ending which he was now put line 50 vnto by the most dred commandement of the kings highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull councell both for his demerits being so openlie taken in his falslie conceiued
maiors successiuelie died within eight daies and sir aldermen At length by the diligent obseruation of those that escaped which marking what things had doone them good and holpen to their deliuerance vsed the like againe When they fell into the same disease the second or third time as to diuerse it chanced a remedie was found for that mortall maladie which was this If a man on the day time were taken with the sweat then should he streight lie downe with all his clothes and garments and continue in his sweat foure and twentie houres after so moderate a sort as might be If in the night he chanced to be taken then should line 10 he not rise out of his bed for the space of foure and twentie houres so casting the clothes that he might in no wise prouoke the sweat but lie so temperatlie that the water might distill out softlie of the owne accord and to absteine from all meat if he might so long suffer hunger and to take no more drinke neither hotnor cold than would moderatelie quench and asswage his thirstie appetite Thus with lukewarme drinke temperate heate and measurable cloaths manie escaped few which vsed this order after it line 20 was found out died of that sweat Marie one point diligentlie aboue all other in this cure is to be obserued that he neuer did put his hand or feet out of the bed to refresh or coole himselfe which to doo is no lesse ieopardie than short and present death Thus this disease comming in the first yeare of king Henries reigne was iudged of some to be a token and signe of a troublous reigne of the same king as the proofe partlie afterwards shewed it selfe The king standing in néed of monie to discharge line 30 such debts and to mainteine such port as was behouefull sent the lord treasuror with maister Reginald Braie and others vnto the lord maior of London requiring of the citie a prest of six thousand marks Wherevpon the said lord maior and his brethren with the commons of the citie granted a prest of two thousand pounds which was leuied of the companies and not of the wards and in the yeare next insuing it was well and trulie againe repaid euerie penie to the good contentation and satisfieng of line 40 them that disbursed it The king considering that the suertie of his roiall estate and defense of the realme consisted chéefelie in good lawes and ordinances to be had and obserued among his people summoned eftsoones his high court of parlement therein to deuise and establish some profitable acts and statutes for the wealth and commoditie of his people After this hauing set things in quiet about London he tooke his iournie into the North parts there to purge all the dregs of malicious treson that might line 50 rest in the hearts of vnquiet persons and namelie in Yorkeshire where the people bare more fauour vnto king Richard in his life time than those of anie other part of the realme had commonlie doone He kept the feast of Easter at Lincolne where he was certified that the lord Louell and Humfrie Stafford and Thomas Stafford his brother were departed out of the sanctuarie at Colchester to what place or whither no man as yet could tell The king little regarding the matter kept on his iournie and came to Yorke where as soone as he was once setled it was openlie line 60 shewed and declared for a truth to the king himselfe that Francis lord Louell was at hand with a strong and mightie power of men and would with all diligence inuade the citie It was also told him that the forenamed Staffords were in Worcestershire and had raised a great band of the countrie people and commons there and had cast lots what part should assault the gates what men should sâ—ale the wals of the citie of Worcester and who should let the passages for letting of rescues and aiders The king could not beleeue this report to be true at the first but after that by letters of credence sent from his fréends he was fullie persuaded that it was too true he was put in no small feare and not without great cause For he wiselie considered that he neither had anie competent armie readie nor conuenient furniture to arme them that were present and also he was in such place where he could not assemble anie power but of those whome he sore mistrusted as fréends to them that were most his enimies the memorie of king Richard as yet being not amongst them forgotten nor worne out of mind But bicause the matter required quicke expedition he appointed the duke of Bedford with three thousand men not altogither the best armed for their brest plates for the most part were of tanned leather to march foorth against the lord Louell and to set vpon him without anie lingering of time The duke hasting forward approched to the campe of his enimies before he would assaile them he caused the heralds to make proclamation that all those that would depart from their armour and submit themselues as subiects vnto their naturall prince and souereigne lord should be pardoned of all former offenses The lord Louell vpon this proclamation either putting mistrust in his souldiers or fearing himselfe in his owne behalfe fled priuilie in a night from his companie and left them as a flocke of shéepe without a shéepeheard Which departure of the lord when his armie vnderstood it put the soldiours in such despaire of atchiuing anie further enterprise that they immediatlie put off their armour and came directlie vnto the duke euerie man humblie submitting himselfe and desiring pardon of his offenses So in this wise was that dangerous storme and cruell rage of those furious rebels appeased which was doubted would haue growne to the destruction of manie a man The lord Louell the procurer of this businesse escaping awaie got him into Lancashire and there for a certeine space lay lurking in secret with sir Thomas Broughton knight which in those parties was a man of no small authoritie and power Sir Humfreie Stafford also hearing what had happened to the lord Louell in great displeasure and sorrowe and for feare left his enterprise and in like manner fled and tooke sanctuarie at Colnham a village not past two miles from Abindon But bicause that sanctuarie was not a sufficient defense as was prooued before the iustices of the kings Bench for traitours he was taken from that place brought to the Tower after put to execution at Tiborne but his brother Thomas that was with him was pardoned bicause he was thought not to haue attempted anie thing of himselfe otherwise than by the euill counsell and persuasion of his elder brother After that the king had quieted all these commotions and tumults and reformed the rude and brabling people of the North parts he returned to London ¶ In this yeare Iohn Persiuall one of the maior of Londons officers
perceiued no stedfast ground to line 60 catch anchor hold vpon he submitted himselfe vnder the protection of Philip archduke of Austrich But his brother Richard being a politike man so wiselie ordered himselfe in this stormie tempest that he was not intrapped either with net or snare The king not yet out of all doubt of ciuill sedition bicause a great number of euill disposed persons partakers of this conspiracie were fled into sundrie sanctuaries deuised to haue all the gates of sanctuaries and places priuileged shut and locked vp so that none should issue out from thence to perturbe and disquiet him And for that intent he wrote vnto pope Alexander desiring him by his authoritie to adiudge all Englishmen being fled to sanctuarie for the offense of treason as enimies to the christian faith interdicting and prohibiting the refuge and priuilege of sanctuarie to all such as once had enioied the libertie and protection of the same and after that fled out and eftsoones returned againe Which thing after that the pope had granted turned to the great quietnesse of the king and his realme For manie that had offended for feare to fall into danger returned to the due subiection of their prince and other that were yet frée from perill durst not hazard themselues so boldlie as they durst haue doone before vpon hope of such starting holes When the king had thus setled things to his owne contentation and pleasure there suddenlie happened to him a lamentable chance For that noble prince Arthur the kings first begotten sonne after he had béene maried to the ladie Katharine his wife the space of fiue moneths departed out of this transitorie life in his castell of Ludlow and with great funerall obsequie was buried in the cathedrall church of Worcester His brother the duke of Yorke was staied from the title of Prince by the space of a moneth till to women it might appeare whether the ladie Katharine wife to the said prince Arthur was conceiued with child or not It is reported that this ladie Katharine thought and feared such dolorous chance to come for when she had imbraced hir father and taken hir leaue of hir noble and prudent mother and sailed towards England she was continuallie so tossed and tumbled hither and thither with boisterous winds that what for the rage of the water and contrarietie of the winds hir ship was prohibited diuerse times to approach the shore and take land In this eightéenth yeare the twentie fourth daie of Ianuarie a quarter of an houre afore three of the clocke at after noone of the same daie the first stone of our ladie chapell within the monasterie of Westminster was laid by the hands of Iohn Islip abbat of the same monasterie sir Reginald Braie knight of the garter doctor Barnes maister of the rolles doctor Wall chapleine to the kings maiestie maister Hugh Oldham chapleine to the countesse of Darbie and Richmond the kings mother sir Edward Stanhope knight and diuerse others Upon the same stone was this scripture ingrauen Illustrissimus Henricus septimus rex Angliae Franciae dominus Hiberniae posuit hanc petram in honore beatae virginis Mariae 24. die Ianuarij anno Domini 1502. Et anno dicti regis Henrici septimi decimo octauo The charges whereof amounted as some report vpon credible information as they saie to fouretéene thousand pounds Quéene Elizabeth lieng within the Tower of London was brought a bed of a faire daughter on Candlemasse daie which was there christened and named Katharine and the eleuenth of the same moneth the said queene there deceased and was buried at Westminster whose daughter also liued but a small season after hir mother King Henrie the seauenth being himselfe a brother of the tailors companie in London as diuerse other his predecessors kings before him had béene to wéet Richard the third Edward the fourth Henrie the sixt Henrie the fift Henrie the fourth and Richard the second also of dukes eleuen earles eight and twentie and lords eight and fortie he now gaue to them the name and title of merchant tailors as a name of worship to indure for euer This yeare about the later end of March the prior of the Charterhouse of Shene was murthered in a cell of his owne house by meanes of one Goodwine a moonke of the same cloister and his adherents artificers of London A drie summer hauing no notable raine from Whitsuntide to the later ladie daie in haruest The eighteenth of Februarie the king at his palace of Westminster created his onelie sonne Henrie prince of Wales earle of Chester c who afterward succéeded his father in possession of the regall crowne of this realme Moreouer this yeare also after the deceasse of that noble queene for hir vertue commonlie called good queene Elizabeth departed out of this world also sir Reginald Braie knight of the garter a verie father of his countrie for his high wisedome and singular loue to iustice well worthie to beare that title If anie thing had béene doone amisse line 10 contrarie to law and equitie he would after an humble sort plainelie blame the king and giue him good aduertisement that he should not onelie reforâ—e the same but also be more circumspect in anie other the like case Of the same vertue and faithfull plainnesse was Iohn Morton archbishop of Canturburie which died as is shewed aboue two yeares before So these two persons were refrainers of the kings vnbrideled libertie whereas the common line 20 people ignorant altogither of the truth in such matters iudged and reported that the counsell of those two worthie personages corrupted the kings cleane and immaculate conscience contrarie to his princelie disposition and naturall inclination such is euer the errour of the common people ¶ About this time died Henrie the archbishop of Canturburie whose roome doctor William Warham bishop of London supplied And to the sée of London William Barnes was appointed and after his death succéeded one Richard line 30 fitz Iames. This yeare also the lord Cassimire marquesse of Brandenburgh accompanied with an earle a bishop and a great number of gentlemen well apparrelled came in ambassage from the emperor Maximilian and were triumphantlie receiued into London and lodged at Crosbies place Their message was for thrée causes one to comfort the king in his time of heauinesse for the losse of his wife The second for the renewing of amitie and the old league The third which was not apparant line 40 wâ—s to mooue the king to marie the emperours daughter â—he ladie Margaret duchesse Dowager of Sauoie The two first tooke effect for the king vpon Passion sundaie road to Paules in great triumph the said marquesse riding on his left hand And there the bishop made to the king an excellent consolatorie oration concerning the death of the quéene And there also the king openlie sware to kéepe the new reuiued league and amitie during their two liues
péeces of harnesse euerie one mounted on a great courser The one bare his helmet the second his grangard the third his speare the fourth his axe and so euerie one had something belonging to a man of armes The apparell of the nine henchmen were white cloth of line 20 gold and crimsin cloth of gold richlie embrodered with goldsmithes worke the trappers of the coursers were mantell harnesse coulpened and in euerie vent a long bell of fine gold and on euerie pendent a déepe tassell of fine gold in bullion which trappers were verie rich The king and the emperour met betwéene Aire and the campe in the foulest weather that lightlie hath béene seene The emperour gentlie interteined the king and the king likewise him and after a little communication had betwene them bicause the line 30 weather was foule they parted for that time The emperour all his men were at that daie all in blacke cloth for the empresse his wife was latelie deceased Within a day or two after this interuiew and that the king was returned to his campe thither came a king at armes of Scotland called Lion with his cote of armes on his backe who within short time was by Gartier king of armes brought to the kings presence where he being almost dismaid to see the king so noblie accompanied with few words meetlie line 40 good countenance deliuered a letter to the king which his grace receiued and read it himselfe and therewith hauing conceiued the whole contents thereof made this answer immediatly to the herald Now we perceiue the king of Scots our brother in law and your master to be the same person whom we euer tooke him to be for we neuer estéemed him to be of anie truth and so now we haue found it For notwithstanding his oth his promise in the word of a king and his owne hand and seale yet line 50 now he hath broken his faith promise to his great dishonour and infamie for euer and intendeth to inuade our realme in our absence which he durst not once attempt our owne person being present But he sheweth himselfe not to be degenerat from the conditions of his forfathers whose faiths for the most part haue euer béene violated and their promises neuer obserued further than they list Therefore tell thy master first that he shall neuer be comprised in anie league wherein I am a confederat and also that line 60 I suspecting his truth as now the déed prooueth haue left an earle in my realme at home which shall be able to defend him and all his power For we haue prouided so that he shall not find our land destitute of people as he thinketh to doo but this saie to thy master that I am the very owner of Scotland that he holdeth it of me by homage And insomuch as now contrarie to his bounden dutie he being my vassall dooth rebell against me with Gods helpe I shall at my returne expell him his realme and so tell him Sir said the king of armes I am his naturall subiect and he is my naturall lord and that he commandeth me to say I may boldlie say with fauour but the commandements of other I may not nor dare say to my souereigne but your letters with your honor sent may declare your pleasure for I may not say such words of reproch to him to whom I owe onelie mine allegiance and faith Then said the king Wherfore came you hither will you receiue no answer Yes said Lion but your answer requireth dooing and no writing that is that immediatlie you should returne home Well said the king I will returne to your damage and not at thy maisters summoning Then the king commanded Gartier to take him to his tent and to make him good cheare which so did and cherished him well for he was sore abashed After he was departed the king sent for all the capteins and before them and his councell caused the letter to be read the contents wherof were that king Henrie had not dealt with him vprightlie in sundrie points as in mainteining of those which had slaine his people of Scotland by sea and also in succouring bastard Heron with his complices which had vnder trust of daies of méeting for iustice slaine his warden Also his wiues legacie was by him withholden moreouer where first he had desired him in fauour of his dere cousin the duke of Gelder not to attempt anie thing against him yet had he sent his people to inuade the said dukes countrie which did what in them lay to destroie and dishinherit the said duke that had nothing offended against him And now againe where he had made the like request for his brother cousine the most christian king of France yet notwithstanding had the king of England caused him to lose his duchie of Millaine and at this present inuaded his realme with all his puissance to destroie him and his subiects whereas yet the said king of France had béene euer fréend to him neuer giuen him occasion thus to doo In consideration of which iniuries receiued in his owne person and in his friends he must néeds seeke redresse and take part with his brother and cousine the said king of France Wherefore he required him to desist from further inuasion and destruction of the French dominions which to doo if he refused he plainlie declared by the same letters that he would doo what he could to cause him to desist from further pursute in that his enterprise also giue letters of marque to his subiects for the deniall of iustice made to them by the king of England The letters thus sent to the king of England were dated at Edenburgh the six and twentith daie of Iulie and giuen vnder the signet of the said Scotish king When the king had thus caused these letters to be read and throughlie considered of them as apperteined he sent them straight to the earle of Surrie which then laie at Pomfret and caused other letters to be deuised to the king of Scots the effect whereof was that although he well perceiued by the kings letters which he had receiued from him in what sort vnder colour of contriued occasions and feined quarrelles he meant to breake the peace he did not much maruell thereat considering the ancient accustomed manners of some his progenitors Howbeit if loue and dread of God nighnesse of blood honour of the world law and reason had bound him it might be supposed that he would neuer so farre haue procéeded wherein the pope and all princes christned might well note in him dishonorable demeanor which had dissembled the matter whilest he was at home in his realme and now in his absence thus went about vpon forged causes to vtter his old rancor which in couert manner he had long kept secret Neuerthelesse vpon mistrust of such vnstedfastnesse he had put his realme in a readinesse to resist his enterprises as he doubted not
approching towards them sent vnto them the kings maiesties proclamation the effect whereof was that all such persons as were vnlawfullie assembled and did not within thrée daies next after the proclaming thereof yéeld and submit themselues to the lord priuie seale the kings lieutenant they should from thenceforth be déemed accepted and taken for rebels against his roiall person and his imperiall crowne and dignitie And further the kings maiestie for a more terrour to the rebels and the incouragement of such other his louing subiects as should helpe and aid to apprehend anie of the said rebels he by his said proclamation granted and gaue all the offices fées goods and possessions which the said rebels had at and before their apprehension This proclamation notwithstanding the rebels continued in their wicked deuises traitorous purposes hastening to the hazzards of their owne deaths vndooings as the poet saith of the foolish fish swiming to the hidden hooke Occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum Wherevpon yet once againe the kings maiestie for the auoiding of the shedding of christian bloud sent vnto them a most gentle and louing message in writing thereby to reduce them againe to their dutifull obedience but all would not serue nor auaile to mooue their obstinate minds to leaue off their desperate and diuelish enterprise The message was as followeth The kings message to the rebels of Cornewall and Deuonshire ALthough knowledge hath beene giuen to vs and our deerest vncle the duke of Summerset gouernor of our person and protector of all our realms dominions and subiects and to the rest of our priuie councell of diuerse assemblies made by you which ought of dutie to be our louing subiects against all order of law and otherwise than euer anie louing or kind subiects haue attempted against their naturall and liege souereigne lord yet we haue thought it méet at this verie first time not to condemne and reiect you as we might iustlie doo but to vse you as our subiects thinking that the diuell hath not that power in you to make you of naturall borne Englishmen so suddenlie to become enimies to your owne natiue countrie of our subiects to make you traitors or vnder pretense to relieue your selues to destroie your selues your wiues children lands possessions and all other commodities of this your life This we saie that we trust that although ye be ignorantlie seduced ye will not be vpon knowledge obstinate And though some amongst you as euer there is some cockle amongst good corne forget God neglect line 10 their prince estéeme not the state of the realme but as carelesse desperat men delite in sedition tumults wars yet neuerthelesse the greater part of you will heare the voice of vs your naturall prince and will by wisedome and counsell be warned and cease your euils in the beginning whose ends will be euen by God almighties order your owne destruction Wherfore as to you our subiects by ignorance seduced we speake and be content to vse our princelie authoritie like a father to his children to admonish line 20 you of your faults not to punish them to put you in remembrance of your duties not to auenge your forgetfulnesse First your disorder to rise in multitudes to assemble your selues against our other louing subiects to arraie your selues to the war who amongst you all can answer for the same to almightie God charging you to obeie vs in all things Or how can anie English good hart answer vs our lawes and the rest of our verie louing and faithfull subiects who in deed by their obedience make our line 30 honour estate and degrée Ye vse our name in your writings and abuse the same against our selfe What iniurie herein doo you vs to call those which loue vs to your euill purposes by the authoritie of our name God hath made vs your king by his ordinance and prouidence by our bloud and inheritance by lawfull succession and our coronation but not to this end as you vse our name We are your most naturall souereigne lord king Edward the sixt to rule you to preserue you to saue line 40 you from all your outward enimies to sée our lawes well ministred euerie man to haue his owne to suppresse disordered people to correct traitors théeues pirats robbers such like yea to keepe our realms from other princes from the malice of the Scots of Frenchmen of the bishop of Rome Thus good subiects our name is written thus it is honored and obeied this maiestie it hath by Gods ordinance not by mans So that of this your offense we cannot write too much And yet doubt not but this is inough line 50 from a prince to all reasonable people from a roiall king to all kindharted louing subiects frō the puissant K. of England to euerie naturall Englishman Your pretense which you saie moueth you to doo thus and wherewith you séeke to excuse this disorder we assure you is either false or so vaine that we doubt not that after that ye shall hereby vnderstand the truth thereof ye will all with one voice acknowlege your selues ignorantlie led and by errour seduced And if there be anie one that will not then assure line 60 you the same be ranke traitors enimies of our crowne seditious people heretikes papists or such as care not what cause they haue to prouoke an insurrection so they may doo it nor in deed can wax so rich with their owne labors with peace as they can doo with spoiles with wars with robberies and such like yea with the spoile of your owne goods with the liuing of your labors the sweat of your bodies the food of your owne households wiues and children such they be as for a time vse pleasant persuasions to you and in the end will cut your throtes for your owne goods You be borne in hand that your children though necessitie chance shall not be christened but vpon the holie daies how false this is learne you of vs. Our booke which we haue set foorth by free consent of our whole parlement in the English toong teacheth you the contrarie euen in the first leafe yea the first side of the first leafe of that part which intreateth of baptisme Good subiects for to other we speake not looke be not deceiued They which haue put this false opinion into your eares they meane not the christening of children but the destruction of you our christened subiects Be this knowne vnto you that our honor is so much that we may not be found faultie of one iote or word proue it if by our laws you may not christen your children when ye be disposed vpon necessitie euerie daie or houre in the wéeke then might you be offended but seeing you may doo it how can you beléeue them that teach you the contrarie What thinke you they meane in the rest which moue you to breake your obedience against vs your king souereigne
of Gods office How then doo you take in hand to reforme Be ye kings By what authoritie Or by what occasion Be ye the kings officers By what commission Be ye called of God By what tokens declare ye that Gods word teacheth vs that no man should take in hand anie office but he that is called of God like Aaron What Moses I praie you called you What Gods minister bad you rise Ye rise for religion What religion taught you that If ye were offered persecution for religion ye ought to flie so Christ teacheth you and yet you intend to fight If ye would stand in the truth ye ought to suffer like martyrs and you would sleie like tyrants Thus for religion you kéepe no religion and neither will follow the counsell of Christ nor the constancie of martyrs Why rise ye for religion Haue ye anie thing contrarie to Gods booke Yea haue ye not all things agréeable to Gods word But the new is different from the old and therefore ye will haue the old If ye measure the old by truth ye haue the oldest if ye measure the old by fansie then it is hard because mens fansies change to giue that is old Ye will haue the old still Will ye haue anie older than that as Christ left his apostles taught the first church after Christ did vse Ye will haue that the chanons doo establish Why that is a great deale yoonger than that ye haue of later time and newlier inuented Yet that is it that ye desire Why then ye desire not the oldest And doo you preferre the bishops of Rome afore Christ mens inuentions afore Gods law the newer sort of worship before the older Ye séeke no religion ye be deceiued ye séeke traditions They that teach you blind you that so instruct you deceiue you If ye séeke what the old doctors saie yet looke what Christ the oldest of all saith For he saith Before Abraham was made I am If ye seeke the truest way he is the verie truth if ye séeke the readiest waie he is the verie waie if ye séeke euerlasting life he is the verie life What religion would ye haue other now than his religion You would haue the bibles in againe It is no maruell your blind guides would leade you blind still Why be ye howlets and backs that ye cannot looke on the light Christ saith to euerie one Search ye the scriptures for they beare witnesse of Christ. You saie Pull in the scriptures for we will haue no knowledge of Christ. The apostles of Christ will vs to be so readie that we maie be able to giue euerie man an account of our faith Ye will vs not once to read the scriptures for feare of knowing of our faith Saint Paul praieth that euerie man may increase in knowledge ye desire that our knowledge might decaie againe A true religion ye séeke belike and worthie to be sought for For without the sword indéed nothing can helpe it neither Christ nor truth nor age can mainteine it But why should ye not like that which Gods word establisheth the primitiue church hath authorised the greatest learned men of this realme haue drawen the whole consent of the parlement hath confirmed the kings maiestie hath set foorth Is it not trulie set out Can ye deuise anie truer than Christes apostles vsed Ye thinke it is not learnedlie doone Dare ye commons take vpon you more learning than the chosen bishops and clearks of this realme haue Thinke ye follie in it Ye were woont to iudge your parlement wisest now will ye suddenlie excell them in wisdome Or can ye thinke it lacketh authoritie which the king the parlement the learned the wise haue iustlie approoued Learne learne to know this one point of religion that God will be worshipped as he hath prescribed and not as we haue deuised and that his will is wholie in his scriptures which be full of Gods spirit and profitable to teach the truth to reprooue lies to amend faults to bring one vp in righteousnesse that he that is a Gods man may be perfect readie to all good works What can be more required to serue God withall And thus much for religion line 10 rebels The other rable of Norffolke rebelles ye pretend a common-wealth How amend ye it By killing of gentlemen by spoiling of gentlemen by imprisoning of gentlemen A maruellous tanned common-wealth Whie should ye thus hate them For their riches or for their rule Rule they neuer tooke so much in hand as ye doo now They neuer resisted the king neuer withstood his councell be faithfull line 20 at this daie when ye be faithlesse not onelie to the king whose subiects ye be but also to your lords whose tenants ye be Is this your true duetie in some of homage in most of fealtie in all of allegiance to leaue your duties go backe from your promises fall from your faith and contrarie to law and truth to make vnlawfull assemblies vngodlie companies wicked and detestable campes to disobeie your betters and to obeie your tanners to change your obedience from a king to a Ket to submit your line 30 selues to traitors and breake your faith to your true king and lords They rule but by law if otherwise the law the councell the king taketh awaie their rule Ye haue orderlie sought no redresse but ye haue in time found it In countries some must rule some must obeie euerie man maie not beare like stroke for euerie man is not like wise And they that haue séene most and be best able to beare it and of iust dealing beside be most fit to rule It is an other matter to vnderstand a mans owne gréefe and to know the common-wealths sore and therfore not line 40 they that know their owne case as euerie man doth but they that vnderstand the common-welths state ought to haue in countries the preferment of ruling If ye felt the paine that is ioined with gouernance as ye see and like the honor ye would not hurt others to rule them but rather take great paine to be ruled of them If ye had rule of the kings maiestie committed vnto you it were well doone ye had ruled the gentlemen but now ye haue it not and cannot beare their rule it is to thinke the kings maiestie foolish line 50 and vniust that hath giuen certeine rule to them And séeing by the scripture ye ought not to speake euill of anie magistrate of the people why doo ye not onelie speake euill of them whome the kings maiestie hath put in office but also iudge euill of the king himselfe and thus seditiouslie in field stand with your swords drawen against him If riches offend you because yée wish the like then thinke that to be no common-wealth but enuie to the common-wealth Enuie it is to appaire an other line 60 mans estate without the amendment of your owne And to haue no gentlemen bicause ye be none
and leauing of idolatrie to be the cause of penurie wherfore by wilfull aduise they intended to forsake the prophets councell and thought to serue God most trulie by their rooted accustomed idolatrie When the christian men were persecuted in the primitiue church dailie suffered martyrdome for Christs profession such faire season of weather was for thrée or foure yeares togither that the heathen iudged therevpon line 60 God to be delighted with their crueltie and so were persuaded that with the bloud of the martyrs they pleased God highlie Such fansies light now in papists and irreligious mens heads and ioine things by chance happening togither and conclude the one to be the cause of the other and then delight in true worshippers hurt bicause they iudge cursedlie the good to be bad and therefore reioise in the punishment of the godlie For they being fleshlie iudge by outward things and perceiue not the inward for that they lacke the spirit and so iudge amis not vnderstanding God what diuersitie he suffereth to blind still the wilfull and how through all dangers he saueth his forechosen And thus haue ye giuen a large occasion to stubborne papists both to iudge amisse and also to reioise in this wicked chance contented with our mischeefe not liking our religion and thinking God dooth punish for this better change and haue thereby an euill opinion of Gods holie truth confirmed in them by no sure scripture but by following of mischance which they ought to thinke to come for the pride and stubbornnesse of the people who dooth not accept Gods glorie in good part nor giue no due praise to their Lord and maker What should I saie more Ye hurt euerie waie the dangers be so great and the perils so manie which doo dailie follow your diuelish enterprise that the more I seeke in the mater the more I continuallie see to saie And what words can worthilie declare this miserable beastlines of yours which haue intended to diuide the realme and arme the one part for the killing of the other For euen as concord is not onelie the health but also the strength of the realme so is sedition not onelie the weaknesse but also the apostume of the realme which when it breaketh inwardlie putteth the state in great danger of recouerie and corrupteth the whole common-wealth with the rotten furie that it hath béene long putrified withall For it is not in sedition as in other faults which being mischéefous of themselues haue some notable hurt alwaies fast adioined to them but in this one is there a whole hell of faults not seuerallie scattered but clustered on a lumpe togither and comming on so thicke that it is vnpossible for a region armed with all kinds of wisedome and strength thereto to auoid the dangers that issue out thereof When sedition once breaketh out sée ye not the lawes ouerthrowne the magistrates despised spoiling of houses murthering of men wasting of countries increase of disorder diminishing of the realms strength swarming of vagabonds scarsitie of laborers and all those mischiefes plentiouslie brought in which God is woont to scourge seuerelie withall warre dearth and pestilence And séeing ye haue theft murther plague famine confusion and idlenesse linked togither can ye looke for anie more mischéefe in one shamefull enterprise than ye euidentlie sée to grow herein As for warre although it be miserable yet the one part getteth somewhat and reioiseth in the spoile and so goeth lustier awaie and either increaseth his countrie with riches or inhanseth himselfe with glorie but in sedition both parts loose the ouercommer cannot flie the ouercommed cannot spoile the more the winner winneth the more he looseth the more that escape the more infamous men liue all that is gained is scarselie saued the winning is losse the losse is destruction both wast themselues and the whole most wasted the strengthening of themselues the decaie of the countrie the striuing for the victorie is a preie to the enimie and shortlie to saie the hellish turmoile of sedition so farre passeth the common miserie of warre as to slaie himselfe is more heinous than to be slaine of another O noble peace what wealth bringest thou in how doo all things flourish in field and in towne what forwardnesse of religion what increase of learning what grauitie in counsell what deuise of wit what order of maners what obedience of laws what reuerence of states what safegard of houses what quietnesse of life what honor of countries what friendship of minds what honestie of pleasure hast thou alwaies mainteined whose happinesse we knew not while now we féele thy lacke and shall learne by miserie to vnderstand plentie and so to auoid mischiefe by the hurt that it bringeth and learne to serue better where rebellion is once knowen and so to liue trulie and kéepe the kings peace What good state were ye in afore ye began not pricked with pouertie but sturred with mischiefe to séeke your destruction hauing waâ—es to redresse all that was amisse Magistrats most readie to tender all iustice and pitifull in hearing the poore mens causes which sought to amend matters more than you can deuise and were readie to redresse them better than ye could imagine and yet for a headinesse ye could not be contented but in despite of God who commandeth obedience and in contempt of the king whose line 10 lawes doo seeke your wealth and to ouerthrow the countrie which naâ—urallie we should loue ye would proudlie rise and doo ye wot not what and amend things by rebellion to your vtter vndooing What state leaue ye vs in now besieged with enimies diuided at home made poore with spoile and losse of our haruest vnordered and cast downe with slaughter and hatred hindered from amendments by our owne diuelish hast indangered with sickenesse by reason of misorder laid open to mens pleasures line 20 for breaking of the lawes and féebled to such faintnesse that scarselie it will be couered Wherefore for Gods sake haue pittie on your selues consider how miserablie ye haue spoiled destroied and wasted vs all and if for desperatnesse ye care not for your selues yet remember your wiues your children your countrie and forsake this rebellion With humble submission acknowledge your faults and tarie not the extremitie of the kings sword leaue off with repentance and turne to your line 30 duties aske God forgiuenesse submit ye to your king be contented for a common-wealth one or two to die And ye capteins for the residue sacrifice your selues ye shall so best atteine the kings gratious pardon saue the assemblie and helpe the common-wealth to declare your dooings to procéed of no stubbornesse but all this mischiefe to grow out of ignorance which séeing the miserie would redresse the fault to recouer best the blot of your disorder and staie the great miseries which be like to follow line 40 Thus if ye doo not thinke trulie with your selues that God
was admonished of his physician to absteine from all swines flesh for that it was noisome for his gâ—ut and yet would not follow his counsell the physician line 30 afterward gaue warning to his steward or orderer of his diet that he should set no more porke flesh before him Wherevpon when the pope perceiued the said porke flesh to be lacking in his accustomed seruice Where said he is my porke And when his steward had answered that his physician had forbidden anie porke to be serued then the pope bursting out in great rage said in these words Bring me said he my porke flesh Al dispetto di Dio that is to saie in English In the despight of God line 40 At an other time he sitting at dinner pointing to a peacocke vpon his table which he had not touched Kéepe said he this cold peacocke for me against supper and let me sup in the garden for I shall haue ghests So when supper came and amongst other hot peacocks he saw not his cold peacocke brought to his table the pope after his woonted manner most horriblie blaspheming God fell into an extreame rage c. Wherevpon one of his cardinals sitting by line 50 desired him saieng Let not your holinesse I praie you be so mooued with a matter of so small weight Then this Iulius the pope answering againe What said he if God was so angrie for one apple that he cast our first parents out of paradise for the same whie maie not I being his vicar be angrie then for a peacocke sithens a peacocke is a greater matter than an apple Behold here good reader by this pope the holinesse of that blasphemous sée and yet thou shalt sée here what affection was borne vnto this line 60 pope here in England by the diâ—iges hearses and funerals commanded to be had and celebrated in all churches by the quéene and hir councell as may appeare by the copie of their letters here following A letter from the bishop of Winchester being lord chancellour vnto Boner bishop of London touching the celebrating of the popes funerals AFter my hartie commendations to your good lordship The king and queenes maiesties hauing certeine knowledge of the death of the popes holinesse thought good there should be as well solemne obsequies said for him throughout the realme as also these praiers which I send you herein inclosed vsed at masse times in all places at this time of vacation and therefore willed me to signifie their pleasures vnto you in this behalfe that therevpon ye might proceed to the full accomplishment therof by putting the same in due execution within your owne diocesse and sending word to the rest of the bishops to doo the like in theirs Thus doubting not but that your lordship will vse such diligence in this matter at this time as shall be necessarie I bid your lordship hartilie well to fare From my house at Asher the tenth of Aprill 1555. Your assured freend and brother Stephanus Winton Cancel Praiers commanded to be vsed in the funerall masses for the pope Apostolica sede vacante Supplicite Domine humilitate deposcimus vt tua immensa pietas sacrosanctae Romanae ecclesiae concedat pontificem illum qui pro in nos studio semper tibi gratus tuo populo pro salubri regimine sit assiduè ad gloriam tui nominis venerandus per Dominum nostrum Secreta Tuae nobis Domine pietatis abundantia indulgeat vt gratum maiestati tuae pontificem sanctae matris ecclesiae regimini praeessâ— studeamus per Dominum nostrum Post communionen Pretiosi corporis sanguinis tui Domine sacramento refectos miâ—ifica tuae maiestatis gratia de illius summi pontificis assumptione laetificet qui plebem tuam virtutibus instruat fidelium mentes spiritualium aromatum odore perfundat per Dominum nostrum Upon this commandement on wednesdaie in Easter wéeke there were hearses set vp diriges soong for the said Iulius in diuerse places At which time it chanced a woman to come into S. Magnus church at the bridgefoot in London there séeing an hearse and other preparation asked what it meant and other that stood by said that it was for the pope and that she must praie for him Naie quoth she that will I not for he néedeth not my praier and séeing he could forgiue vs all our sinnes I am sure he is clean himselfe therefore I need not to praie for him She was heard speake these words of certeine that stood by which by and by caried hir vnto the cage at London bridge and bad hir coole hir selfe there And héere saith master Fox commeth to be remembred the notable working of Gods hand vpon a certeine priest in Kent named Nightingall parson of Crondall besides Canturburie who vpon Shrouesundaie which was about the third daie of the said moneth of March and yeare of our Lord aforesaid reioising belike not a little at this alteration of religion began to make a sermon to his parishioners taking his theame out of the words of saint Iohn He that saith he hath no sinne is a lier and the trueth is not in him c. And so vpon the same verie impertinentlie declared to them all such articles as were set foorth by the popes authoritie and by the commandement of the bishops of this realme saieng moreouer vnto the people in this wise Now masters and neighbors reioise and be merrie for the prodigall sonne is come home For I know that the most part of you be as I am for I know your hearts well enough And I shall tell you what hath happened in this wéeke past I was before my lord cardinall Pooles grace and he hath made me as cleane from sinne as I was at the font stone and on thursdaie last being before him he hath appointed me to notifie I thanke him for it the same vnto you And I will tell you what it is And so reading the popes bull of pardon that was sent into England he said he thanked God that euer he had liued to sée that daie adding moreouer that he beleeued that line 10 by the vertue of that bull he was as cleane from sinne as that night that he was borne and immediatlie vpon the same fell suddenlie downe out of the pulpit and neuer stirred hand nor foot and so laie he Testified by Robert Austen of Cartham which both heard and saw the same and is witnessed also by the whole countrie round about About this time Edward Courtneie earle of Deuonshire of whom before yée haue heard how he was appointed to remaine at Fodringheie vnder line 20 safe custodie at length was set at libertie came to the court and got licence to passe the seas went into Italie where shortlie after he sickened and died within foureteene daies after his sicknesse first tooke him he was honorablie buried in Padwaie This Courtneie was the onelie sonne and heire of Henrie
and their vnthankfulnesse to him againe in commeth maister Mitch with his conspirators about twentie in number One laieth hand vpon the chaire to pull it from him another told him that that was not his place and another called him traitor Whereat he perceiuing how they vsed violence and being of great courage groped to his dagger and had dispatched some of them as Gods enimies if doctor Bill and doctor Blith had not fallen vpon him and praied him for Gods sake to hold his hands and be quiet and patientlie to beare that great offered wrong He was persuaded by them and after that tumult was ceased he ended his oration and hauing some monie of the vniuersities in his hands he there deliuered the same euerie farthing He gaue vp the books reckonings keies perteining to the vniuersitie withall yeelded vp his office praieng God to giue to the vniuersitie a better officer and to giue them better and more thankfull hearts and so repaired home to his owne college On the morrow after there came vnto him one master Gerningham and one master Thomas Mildmaie Gerningham told him that it was the quéens pleasure that two of the gard should attend on him and that he must be caried prisoner to the tower of London with the duke Maister Mildmaie said he marueled that a learned man would speake so vnaduisedlie against so good a prince and wilfullie run into such danger Doctor Sands answered I shall not be ashamed of bonds But if I could doo as master Mildmaie can I needed not feare bonds for he came downe in paiment against quéene Marie and armed in the field and now he returneth in paiment for quéene Marie before a traitor and now a great friend I can not with one mouth blow hot and cold after this sort Upon this his stable was robbed of foure notable good gâ—ldings the best of them master Hurlestone tooke for his owne saddle and rode on him to London in his sight An inuentarie was taken of all his goods by master Moore bedell for the vniuersitie Hée was set vpon a lame horse that halted to the ground which thing a friend of his perceiuing praied that he might lend him a nag The yeoman of the gard were content As he departed out of the townes end some papists resorted thither to géere at him some of his friends to mourne for him He came into the ranke to London the people being full of outcries And as he came in at Bishops gate one like a milkewise hurled a stone at him and hit him on the breast with such a blow that he was like to fall off his horsse To whome he mildlie said Woman God forgiue it thée Truth it is that iourneieng euill intreating so mortified him that he was more readie to die than to liue As he came through tower hill street one woman standing in hir doore cried Fie on thée thou knaue thou knaue thou traitor thou heretike Whereat hée smiled Looke the desperat heretike saith she laugheth at this geare A woman on the other side of the stréet answered saieng Fie on thée neighbour thou art not worthie to be called a woman railing vpon this gentleman whom thou knowest not neither yet line 10 the cause whie he is thus intreated Then shée said Good gentleman God be thy comfort anâ— giue thee strength to stand in Gods cause euen to the end And thus he passed through fire and water into the tower the first prisoner that entered in that daie which was saint Iames daie The yeoman of the gard tooke from him his borowed nag and what else soeuer hée had His man one Quintin Swainton brought after him a bible and some shirts and such like things The bible was sent in to him but the shirts and such line 20 like serued the yeoman of the gard After he had béene in the tower thrée weekes in a bad prison he was lift vp into Nunnes bower a better prison where was put to him master Iohn Bradford At the daie of quéene Maries coronation their prison doore was set open euer shut before One master Michell his old acquaintance who had béene prisoner before in the same place came in to him and said Master Sands there is such a stur in the tower that neither gates doores nor prisoners are looked to line 30 this daie Take my cloake my hat and my rapier and get you gone you maie go out of the gates without questioning saue your selfe and let me doo as I maie A rare friendship but he refused the offer saieng I know no iust cause why I should be in prison And thus to doo were to make my selfe guiltie I will expect Gods good will yet must I thinke my selfe most bound vnto you and so master Michell departed While doctor Sands and master Bradford were line 40 thus in close prison togither nine and twentie wéeks one Iohn Bowler was their keeper a verie peruerse papist yet by often persuading of him for he would giue eare and by the gentle vsing of him at length he began to mislike poperie and to fauour the gospell and so persuaded in true religion that on a sundaie when they had masse in the chappell he bringeth vp a seruice booke a manchet and a glasse of wine and there doctor Sands ministred the communion to Bradford and to Bowler Thus Bowler was their line 50 sonne begotten in bonds when Wiat was in armes the old duke of Norffolke sent foorth with a power of men to apprehend him that roome might be made in the tower for him and other his complices Doctor Cranmer doctor Ridleie and master Bradford were cast into one prison doctor Sands with nine other preachers were sent into the Marshalsea The kéeper of the Marshalsea appointed to euerie preacher a man to lead him in the stréet he caused them go farre before and he and doctor Sands came behind whome he would not lead but walked familiarlie line 60 with him Yet doctor Sands was knowne and the people euerie where praied to God to comfort him to strengthen him in the truth By that time the peoples minds were altered poperie began to be vnsauerie After they passed the bridge the kéeper Thomas Waie said to doctor Sands I perceiue the vaine people would set you forward to the fire you are as vaine as they if you being a yoong man will stand in your own conceit prefer your own knowledge before the iudgement of so manie worthie prelats ancient learned and graue men as be in this relme If you so doo you shal find me as strict a kéeper as one that vtterlie misliketh your religion Doctor Sands answered I know my yeares yoong and my learning small it is inough to know Christ crucified and he hath learned nothing that séeth not the great blasphemie that is in poperie I will yeeld vnto God and not vnto man I haue read in the scriptures of manie godlie and
all vertues shall raine For all men hope that thou none error wilt support For all men hope that thou wilt truth restore againe line 10 And mend that is amisse to all good mens comfort And for this hope they praie thou maist continue long Our queene amongst vs here all vice for to supplant And for this hope they praie that God maie make thee strong As by his grace puissant So in his truth constant line 20 Farewell ô worthie queene and as our hope is sure That into errors place thou wilt now truth restore So trust we that thou wilt our souereigne queene endure And louing ladie stand from hensefoorth euermore While these words were in saieng and certeine wishes therein repeated for maintenance of truth line 30 and rooting out of errour she now and then held vp hir hands towards heauen and willed the people to saie Amen When the child had ended shee said Be ye well assured I shall stand your good quéene At which saieng hir grace departed foorth through Templebarre toward Westminster with no lesse showting and crieng of the people than she entered the citie with a noise of ordinance which the tower shot off at hir graces enterance first into Towerstréet The childs saieng was also in Latine verses written line 40 in a table verie faire which was hanged vp there O regina potens quum primam vrbem ingredereris Dona tibi linguas fidáque corda dedit Discedenti etiam tibi nunc duo munera mittit Omnia plena spei votáque plena precum Quippe tuis spes est in te quòd prouida virtuâ— Rexerit errore nec locus vllus erit Quippe tuis spes est quòd tu verum omni reduces Solatura bonas dum mala tollis opes Hac spe freti orant longum vt regina gubernes line 50 Et regni excindas crimina cuncta tui Hac spe freti orant diuina vt gratia fortem Et verae fidei te velit esse basin Iam regina vale sicut nos spes tenet vna Quòd vero inducto perditus error erit Sic quóque speramus quòd eris regina benigna Nobis per regni tempora long a tui Thus the queenes highnesse passed through the citie which without anie forreigne person of it selfe beautified it selfe and receiued hir grace at all places as hath beene before mentioned with most tender obedience line 60 and loue due to so gratious a queene and souereigne a ladie And hir grace likewise of hir side in all hir graces passage shewed hir selfe generallie an image of a worthie ladie and gouernour But priuatlie these especiall points were noted in hir grace as signes of a most princelike courage whereby hir louing subiects maie ground a sure hope for the rest of hir gratious dooings hereafter About the nether end of Cornehill toward Cheape one of the knights about hir grace had espied an ancient citizen which wept and turned his head backe and therewith said this gentleman Yonder is an alderman for so he tearmed him which wéepeth and turneth his face backeward how maie it be interpreted that he so dooth for sorrow or for gladnesse The quéens maiestie heard him and said I warrant you it is for gladnesse A gratious interpretation of a noble courage which would turne the doubtfull to the best And yet it was well knowne that as hir grace did confirme the same the parties cheare was mooued for verie pure gladnesse for the sight of hir maiesties person at the beholding whereof he tooke such comfort that with teares he expressed the same In Cheape side hir grace smiled and being thereof demanded the cause answered for that she heard one saie Remember old king Henrie the eight A naturall child which at the verie remembrance of hir fathers name tooke so great a ioy that all men maie well thinke that as she reioised at his name whome this realme dooth hold of so woorthie memorie so in hir dooings she will resemble the same When the cities charge without parcialitie and onelie the citie was mentioned vnto hir grace shée said it should not be forgotten Which saieng might mooue all naturall Englishmen hartilie to shew due obedience and intiernesse to their so good a queene which will in no point forget anie parcell of dutie louinglie shewed vnto hir The answer which hir grace made vnto maister recorder of London as the hearers know it to be true with melting hearts heard the same so maie the reader thereof conceiue what kind of stomach and courage pronounced the same What more famous thing doo we read in ancient histories of old time than that mightie princes haue gentlie receiued presents offered them by base and low personages If that be to be woondered at as it is passinglie let me sée anie writer that in anie princes life is able to recount so manie presidents of this vertue as hir grace shewed in that one passage thorough the citie How manie nosegaies did hir grace receiue at poore womens hands How oftentimes staid she hir chariot when she saw anie simple bodie offer to speake to hir grace A branch of rosemarie giuen hir grace with a supplication by a poore woman about Fleetbridge was séene in hir chariot till hir grace came to Westminster not without the maruellous woondering of such as knew the presenter and noted the quéens most gratious receiuing and keeping the same What hope the poore and néedie maie looke for at hir graces hand she as in all hir iournie continuallie so in hir hearkening to the poore children of Christs hospitall with eies cast vp into heauen did fullie declare as that neither the wealthier estate could stand without consideration had to the pouertie neither the pouertie be dulie considered vnlesse they were remembred as commended vnto vs by Gods owne mouth As at hir first entrance she as it were declared hir selfe prepared to passe through a citie that most intierlie loued hir so she at hir last departing as it were bound hir selfe by promise to continue good ladie and gouernor vnto that citie which by outward declaration did open their loue vnto their so louing and noble prince in such wise as she hir selfe woondered thereat But because princes be set in their seat by Gods appointing and therefore they must first and chieflie tender the glorie of him from whom their glorie issueth it is to be noted in hir grace that for somuch as God hath so woonderfullie placed hir in the seat of gouernement ouer this realme she in all hir dooings doâ—th shew hir selfe most mindfull of his goodnesse mercie shewed vnto hir And among all other two principall signes thereof were noted in this passage First in the tower where hir grace before she entred hir chariot lifted vp hir eies to heauen and said as followeth The praier of queene Elisabeth as she went to hir coronation O Lord almightie and euerlasting God I giue thee most hartie thanks that thou hast beene
so mercifull vnto me as to spare me to behold this ioifull daie And I acknowledge that thou hast delt as woonderfullie and as mercifullie with me as thou diddest line 10 with thy true and faithfull seruant Daniell thy prophet whome thou deliueredst out of the den from the crueltie of the greedie and raging lions euen so was I ouerwhelmed and onlie by thee deliuered To thee therefore onlie be thankes honor and praise for euer Amen The second was the receiuing of the bible at the little conduit in Cheape For when hir grace had learned that the bible in English should there be offered she thanked the citie therefore promised the reading thereof most diligentlie and incontinent commanded that it should be brought At the receipt whereof how reuerendlie did she with both hir hands take it kisse it and laie it vpon hir brest to the great comfort of the lookers on God will vndoubtedlie preserue so woorthie a prince which at his honor so line 30 reuerendlie taketh hir beginning For this saieng is true and written in the booke of truth He that first séeketh the kingdome of God shall haue all other things cast vnto him Now therefore all English hearts and hir naturall people must néeds praise Gods mercie which hath sent them so woorthie a prince and praie for hir graces long continuance amongst vs. On sundaie the fiue and twentith of Ianuarie hir maiestie was with great solemnitie crowned at Westminster in the abbeie church there by doctor Oglethorpe bishop of Carleill She line 40 dined in Westminster hall which was richlie hoong and euerie thing ordered in such roiall maner as to such a regall and most solemne feast apperteined In the meane time whilest hir grace sat at dinner sir Edward Dimmocke knight hir champion by office came riding into the hall in faire complet armor mounted vpon a beautifull courser richlie trapped in cloth of gold entred the hall and in the midst thereof cast downe his gantlet with offer to fight line 50 with him in hir quarell that should denie hir to be the righteous and lawfull quéene of this realme The quéene taking a cup of gold full of wine dranke to him thereof and sent it to him for his fée togither with the couer Now after this at the seruing vp of the wafers the lord maior of London went to the cupboord and filling a cup of gold with ipocrasse bare it to the quéene and knéeling before hir tooke the assaie and she receiuing it of him and drinking of it gaue the line 60 cup with the couer vnto the said lord maior for his fée which cup and couer weied sixtéene ounces Troie weight Finallie this feast being celebrated with all roiall ceremonies and high solemnities due and in like cases accustomed tooke end with great ioy and contentation to all the beholders On wednesdaie the fiue and twentith of Ianuarie the parlement began the queenes maiestie riding in hir parlement robes from hir palace of Whitehall vnto the abbeie church of Westminster with the lords spirituall and temporall attending hir likewise in their parlement robes Doctor Cox sometime schoolemaister to king Edward the sixt and now latelie returned from the parties of beyond the seas where during the daies of quéene Marie he had liued as a banished man preached now before the estates there assembled in the beginning of the said parlement In this parlement the first fruits and tenths were restored to the crowne also the supreame gouernment ouer the state ecclesiasticall which queene Marie had giuen to the pope Likewise the booke of common praier and administration of the sacraments in our mother toong was restored ¶ But before this good woorke was agréed vpon there was much debating about matters touching religion and great studie on both parties imploied the one to reteine still the other to impugne the doctrine and faction which before in quéene Maries time had béene established But speciallie here is to be noted that though there lacked no industrie on the papists side to hold fast that which they most cruellie from time to time had studied and by all meanes practised to come by yet notwithstanding such was the prouidence of God at that time that for lacke of the other bishops whom the Lord had taken awaie by death a little before the residue that there were left could doo the lesse and in verie deed God be praised therefore did nothing at all in effect although yet notwithstanding there lacked in them neither will nor labor to doo what they could if their cruell abilitie there might haue serued But namelie amongst all others not onelie the industrious courage of doctor Storie but also his words in this parlement are woorthie to be knowne of posteritie who like a stout and furious champion of the popes side to declare himselfe how lustie he was and what he had and would doo in his maisters quarell shamed not openlie in the said parlement house to burst out into such impudent sort of words as was woonder to all good eares to heare and no lesse woorthie of historie The summe of which his shamelesse talke was vttered to this effect First beginning with himselfe he declared that whereas he was noted commonlie abroad and much complained of to haue béene a great dooer a setter foorth of such religion orders procéedings as of his late souereigne that dead is quéene Marie were set foorth in this relme he denied nothing the same protesting moreouer that he had doone nothing therein but that both his conscience did lead him therevnto and also his commission did as well then command him as now also dooth discharge him for the same being no lesse readie now also to doo the like and more in case he by this queene were authorised likewise and commanded therevnto Wherefore as I sée saith he nothing to be ashamed of so lesse I see to be sorie for but rather said that he was sorie for this because he had doone no more than he did and that in executing those lawes they had not béene more vehement seuere Wherein he said there was no default in him but in them whome he both oft and earnestlie had exhorted to the same being therefore not a little gréeued with them for that they labored onelie about the yoong and little sprigs and twigs while they should haue stroken at the root and cleane haue rooted it out c. And concerning his persecuting and burning them he denied not but that he was once at the burning of an earewig for so he termed it at Uxbridge where he tost a fagot at his face as he was singing psalmes and set a wine bush of thorns vnder his féet a little to pricke him with manie other words of like effect In the which words he named moreouer sir Philip Hobbie and an other knight of Kent with such other of the richer and higher degrée whome his counsell was to plucke
would be one of the formost in executing of this villanous and most traitorous action By this you may perceiue that the death of hir maiestie and ouerthrow of this realme was throughlie agréed vpon and fullie determined there wanted nothing but opportunitie for preests both then and after came ouer continuallie to further it so much as in them laie To the said effect did A. M. vtter most odious matter the reading whereof would make anie true English hart quake tremble and to write it what loiall subiect is able to abide And therefore as deriued from the diuell to his dearlings we omit the same counting it more loialtie to â—ull such deuises and consultations asléepe than to publish them to the world in blâ—cke white due reuerence to the principall obiects alwaies reserued All which abhominable stuffe circumstances of times places persons and other particulars dulie pondered giue euident demonstration what affection these fellowes affoord their lawfull queene and countrie well is he that can imagine most against hir maiestie and highlie is he esteemed that beareth the most traitorous hart to hir Yet Campion and the rest of his fellowes they plead ignorance in all these causes they bolster vp one another with large protestations railing words and subtill surnuses affirming that they were not sent hither for anie such intent which is as vntrue as we know it for truth that the Lord God liueth in heauen For this I am able to saie my selfe that at diuerse other times it was whispered among them in the seminarie that shortlie there should be préests appointed for England to win the people against the appointed time when as a great armie should be readie to ioine with them and Campion who was then at Praga in Bohemia he was spoken of amongst them all to be a rare and singular fellow and therefore generallie was taken for a méet man to be sent about such a message so that they iudged that he should be sent for to be a chiefe man in this matter Well saith Campion it may be they had such an opinion of me which in my selfe I find not to be deserued and it may be that I was appointed to be sent into England according as those other preests were for the sauing of soules and benefit of my countrie must it follow then that we are sent to practise the death of the quéene and to seeke the ruine of our countrie Alas this is a hard case and I desire you of the iurie to marke it for these are but shadowes without anie substance This you are to note that we which enter into that Blessed societie of the Iesuites we doo as it were forsake the world vowing our selues to chastitie and sinceritie of conscience to obeie our superiours and to be readie to go whither they shall appoint vs. If they send vs to the Indies or to anie such places where the people haue not the true catholike faith we are bound by dutie in conscience to go whither they appoint vs. And shall it then be said that we come for the destruction of the prince and countrie where we settle our selues Alas that were a hard case for christian charitie willeth vs to comfort one another and if we can to get the shéepe into the fold which hath long run astraie And when we heare confession we doo not persuade them to anie disobedience for that is against the nature of confession God forbid that we should once thinke anie such thing Behold the subtill shifts that he found out still to flie vnto yea though the manifest disproofe laie before them yet would he find some cauill or other for not onelie the euidence of their generall determination beyond the seas was shewed them but also the traitorous articles were there read vnto them which Iohn Hart had copied out for doctor Allen concerning the procéeding of these traitorous causes and for which he went purposelie to Rome to confer with the pope about and subscribed vnto that they were certeine and true as also their owne confessions and writings were laid open before them approouing them notablie guiltie of the matters aforesaid and yet in their lieng pamâ—hlets scattered here there in sundry hands they haue faces of brasse to report that Insidiae sanctos implicuere viros Charles Sled who sometime serued master doctor Morton in Rome in whose house there was manie matters determined both by doctor Allen when he came to Rome and diuers other doctors liuing there in the citie as also diuerse of the seminarie he likewise vnderstood of the prouision for the great daie that it was generallie spoken of among the Englishmen and to be more certeine he kept a iournall or booke of their dailie dealings noting the daie time place and persons present at their secret conferences and verie much matter hath he iustified against them One Cradocke a merchant when he line 10 was in Rome he vnderstood the aforesaid determination and how that doctor Shelleie the English prior who is a knight of the Rhodes for that he somewhat spake against such crueltie to be vsed to his natiue countrie was somewhat misliked of himselfe and had almost béene turned out of his office And this aforesaid Cradocke being in prison there for the space of twentie moneths and more it was said to him that he might account himselfe blessed of God that he was there bicause he should not sée the grieuous line 20 ruine of his natiue countrie He that hath but halfe an eie may sée how these matters concord and agrée togither and noting euerie thing as it lieth may plainelie sée their horrible and traitorous deuises And further there was a little booke in Latine which they themselues brought ouer with them it was there openlie read vnto them wherin was certeine rules and orders prescribed how they should behaue themselues here in England and how if line 30 they were demanded of anie thing they should make answer indirectlie or to take the word it selfe according as it is mentioned in the booke they must answer Sophisticè whereby is meant as thus If they be examined as concerning their allegiance to hir maiestie they will make their answer after this maner She is our lawfull souereigne ladie quéene and we obeie hir But then obiect vnto them Will you obeie hir notwithstanding the popes exommunication or anie thing that he commandeth to the line 40 contrarie Then will they answer We desire you not to charge our consciences and that you would not enter so deepe into our consciences we trust the pope will not command vs anie thing against hir a hundred such like sléeuelesse answers they make neuer agréeing to anie certeintie but holding the pope in more reuerence than they doo hir maiestie For this consideration they carrie with them that if by their shew of humilitie their deuised order of craftie answering they might mooue our magistrats line 50
high treason by the Iurie On fridaie being the first of December Edmund line 30 Campion Iesuit Ralfe Sherwin Alexander Brian seminarie priests being condemned for high treason against hir maiesties most roiall person as also for traitorous practises touching the subuersion of the true vndoubted religion here mainteined with the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of this realme of England were drawne from the Tower of London on hurdles to the place of execution appointed garded with such a sufficient companie as might expresse the honor of iustice the larger in line 40 that behalfe Being come to the place of execution where diuerse of hir maiesties honorable councell with manie honorable personages and gentlemen of worship and good account beside a multitude of people not here to be remembred attended their comming Edmund Campion was first brought vp into the cart where after the great rumor of so manie people somewhat appeased he spake thus First he began the people then present expecting his confession with a phrase or two in Latine line 50 when immediatlie after he fell into English in this maner I am here brought as a spectacle before the face of God of angelles and of men satisfieng my selfe to die as becommeth a true christian catholike man As for the treasons that haue béene laid to my charge and I am come here to suffer for I desire you all to beare witnesse with me that thereof I am altogither innocent Wherevpon answer was made to him by one of the councell that he might line 60 not seeme to denie th'obiections against him hauing béene prooued so manifestlie to his face both by sufficient witnesse and euidence Well my lord quoth he I am a catholike man and a priest in that faith haue I liued hitherto and in that faith I doo intend to die and if you esteeme my religion treason then of force I must grant vnto you as for anie other treason I will not consent vnto Then was he mooued as concerning his traitorous and hainous offense to the quéenes most excellent maiestie Whereto he answered She is my lawfull princesse and quéene There somwhat he drew in his words to himselfe whereby was gathered that somwhat he would haue gladlie spoken but the great timiditie and vnstable opinion of his conscience wherein he was all the time euen to the death would not suffer him to vtter it Here is with iudgement a deepe point and high matter to be considered that this man alwaies directing the course of his life to a vaineglorious imagination and alwaies couetous to make himselfe famous at this instant made a perfect discouerie of himselfe For being somewhat learned all matters whatsoeuer as you haue heard before he bare awaie with a maiesticall countenance the visor of vanitie aptlie fitting the face of onelie hypocrisie what was sound he would make sophisticall what was the infallible truth of it selfe he would carrie in his owne conceipt and delude the people with a pleasant quirke or some such stuffe onlie to purchase him credit and affection And he was not to learne to set a coragious countenance on euerie such slight reason whereby he peruerted manie deceiued more and was thought such a champion as the pope neuer had the like But now behold the man whom neither racke nor rope should alter whose 〈◊〉 was such as he boasted inuincible feare had caught hold on this braue boaster and terror entred his thoughts whereby was discouered his impudent dissimulations Now let it with patience be mooued a little that the outward protestations of this man vrged some there present to teares not entring into conceipt of his inward hypocrisie to make a plausible definition of this perillous deceiuer not by coniecture but by proofe it shall be thus answered Edmund Campion as it is by men of sufficient credit reported at what time he spent his studie here in England both in the hospitall and also at the vniuersitie of Oxford was alwaies addicted to a maruellous suppose in himselfe of ripe iudgement prompt audacitie and cunning conueiance in his schoole points wherethrough he fell into a proud and vaineglorious iudgement practising to be eloquent in phrase and so fine in his quirks and fantasticall coniectures that the ignorant he woon by his smooth deuises some other affecting his pleasant imaginations he charmed with subtiltie and choked with sophistrie The learned who beheld his practises and peremptorie order of life pitieng his follie and wishing him a more staied determination lothed his maners yet loued the man bicause christian charitie willed them so to doo Now this glorious Thraso hauing by his libels made himselfe famous and vnder shew and suppose of great learning though indeed being approoued found verie simple to the speeches giuen of him subdued manie to affect him verie much when he was taken he knew it stood him vpon not to loose the credit openlie he had woone secretlie Wherefore in his former ridiculous maner both in prison at his arreignment yea and at his death he continued the same in all points which the foulnesse of his treasons blemished euerie waie Now indéed as our English nation is both louing and pitifull so manie seeing the gifts of God so well bestowed on the man and by him applied to so great abuse through naturall kindnesse bemoned his case wishing he had not fallen into so traitorous a cause Then was mooued to him againe his treasons and hainous offenses against the quéenes maiestie which impudentlie he still denied séeming to vtter words on the behalfe of one Richardson one likewise of the condemned traitors taking on his conscience that it was not be Which hath bin prooued to the contrarie for that it is knowne how this Richardson is he who distributed Campions libels and bookes abrode and when he was put to his oth whether it was he or no he refused to sweare on his behalfe And because the world might be fullie resolued that notwithsâ—anding all the pretended colourable meanes be could vse for his excuse and innocencie he was to suffer death deseruedlie as a traitor c. There was read to his face in the hearing of the assemblie a pamphlet published by authoritie as followeth An aduertisement and defense for truth against hir backebiters and speciallie against the whispering fauourers and colourers of Campâ—nâ— and the rest of his confederats line 10 treasons ALthough at the late arreignements at Westminster of Edmund Campion other his complices condemned there of sundrie high tresons it was manifestlie declared and fullie prooued how they all vnder pretense of the names of Iesuits seminarie priests other persons of like condition had secretlie come into this realme by sending of sundrie persons authorised line 20 by the pope to mooue the people by their secret persuasions to change their professions in the matter of religion of long time quietlie established in this realme and to be reconciled to the obedience of the pope and
and such like but yet so warilie they crept into the land as none brought the markes of their priesthood with them But in diuers corners of hir maiesties dominions these seminaries or séedmen and Iesuits bringing with them certeine Romish trash as of their hallowed war their Agnus Dei their graines and manie kind of beads and such like haue as tillagemen laboured secretlie to persuade the people to allow of the popes foresaid buls and warrants of his absolute authoritie ouer all princes and countries and striking manie with pricks of conscience to obeie the same whereby in processe of small time if this wicked and dangerous traitorous craftie course had not béene by Gods goodnesse espied and stated there had followed imminent danger of horrible vprores in the realmes and a manifest bloudie destruction of great multitudes of christians For it can not be denied but that so manie as should haue béene induced thoroughlie persuaded to haue obeied that wicked warrant of the popes and the contents thereof should haue béene forthwith in their harts and consciences secret traitors and for to be in déed errant and open traitors there should haue wanted nothing but opportunitie to féele their strength to assemble themselues in such numbers with armour and weapons as they might haue presumed to haue beene the greater part and so by open ciuill warre to haue come to their wicked purposes But Gods goodnesse by whome kings doo rule and by whose blast traitors are commonlie wasted and confounded hath otherwise giuen to hir maiestie as to his handmaid and deare seruant ruling vnder him the spirit of wisedome and power whereby she hath caused some of these seditious séedmen and sowers of rebellion to be discouered for all their secret lurkings and to be taken and charged with these former points of high treason not being dealt withall vpon questions of religion but iustlie by order of lawes openlie condemned as traitors At which times notwithstanding all maner gentle waies of persuasions vsed to mooue them to desist from such manifest traitorous courses and opinions with offer of mercie yet was the canker of their rebellious humors so déepelie entered and grauen into line 10 the harts of manie of them as they would not be remooued from their traitorous determinations And therefore as manifest traitors in mainteining and adhering to the capitall enimie of hir maiestie hir crowne who hath not onelie béene the cause of two rebellions alreadie passed in England and Ireland but in that of Ireland did manifestlie wage and mainteine his owne people capteins and souldiers vnder the banner of Rome against hir maiestie line 20 so as no enimie could doo more these I saie haue iustlie suffered death not by force or forme of anie new lawes established either for religion or against the popes supremasie as the slanderous libellers would haue it séeme to be but by the ancient temporall lawes of the realme and namelie by the laws of parlement made in king Edward the third his time about the yeare of our Lord 1330 which is aboue two hundred yeares and more past when the bishops of Rome and popes were suffered to haue line 30 their authoritie ecclesiasticall in this realme as they had in manie other countries But yet of this kind of offendors as manie of them as after their condemnations were contented to renounce their former traitorous assertions so manie were spared from execution doo liue still at this daie such was the vnwillingnes in hir maiestie to haue anie bloud spilt without this verie vrgent iust and necessarie cause procéeding from themselues And yet neuerthelesse such of the rest of the traitors as remaine in forren parts continuing still line 40 their rebellious minds and craftilie kéeping themselues aloofe off from dangers ceasse not to prouoke sundrie other inferiour seditious persons newlie to steale secretlie into the realme to reuiue the former seditious practises to the execution of the popes foresaid bull against hir maiestie and the realme pretending when they are apprehended that they came onelie into the realme by the commandement of their superiors the heads of the Iesuits to whome they are bound as they saie by oth against either king line 50 or countrie and here to informe or reforme mens consciences from errors in some points of religion as they thinke meet But yet in verie truth the whole scope of their secret labours is manifestlie prooued to be secretlie to win all people with whom they dare deale so to allow of the popes said buls and of his authoritie without exception as in obeieng thereof they take themselues fullie discharged of their allegiance and obedience to their lawfull prince and countrie yea and to be well warranted line 60 to take armes to rebell against hir maiestie when they shall be therevnto called and to be readie secretlie to ioine with any forren force that can be procured to inuade the realme whereof also they haue a long time giuen and yet doo for their aduantage no small comfort of successe And so consequentlie the effect of their labours is to bring the realme not onelie into a dangerous warre against the forces of strangers from which it hath béene frée aboue three and twentie or foure and twentie yeares a case verie memorable and hard to be matched with an example of the like but into a warre domesticall and ciuill wherein no bloud is vsuallie spared nor mercie yéelded and wherein neither the vanquishor nor the vanquished can haue iust cause of triumph And forsomuch as these are the most euident perils that necessarilie should follow if these kind of vermine were suffered to créepe by stealth into the realme and to spred their poison within the same howsoeuer when they are taken like hypocrits they colour and counterfeit the same with profession of deuotion in religion it is of all persons to be yéelded in reason that hir maiestie and all hir gouernours and magistrats of iustice hauing care to mainteine the peace of the realme which God hath giuen in hir time to continue longer than euer in anie time of hir progenitors ought of dutie to almightie God the author of peace and according to the naturall loue and charge due to their countrie and for auoiding of the flouds of bloud which in ciuill warres are séene to run and flow by all lawfull meanes possible as well by the sword as by law in their seuerall seasons to impeach and repell these so manifest and dangerous colourable practises and works of sedition and rebellion And though there are manie subiects knowne in the realme that differ in some opinions of religion from the church of England and that doo also not forbeare to professe the same yet in that they doo also professe loialtie and obedience to hir maiestie and offer readilie to hir maiesties defense to impugne resist anie forreine force though it should come or be procured from the pope himselfe none of
the lawfull quéene of England the first and highest point of treason and that all hir subiects are discharged of their oths and obedience a second high point of treason and all warranted to disobeie hir and hir lawes a third and a verie large point of treason And thereto is to be added a fourth point most manifest in that they would not disallow the popes hostile procéedings in open warres against hir maiestie in hir realme of Ireland where one of their companie doctor Sanders a lewd scholer and subiect of England a fugitiue and a principall companion and conspirator with the traitors and rebels at Rome was by the popes speciall coÌ„mission a commander as in forme of a legat and sometime a bursor or paiemaster for those wars Which doctor Sanders in his booke of his church monarchie did afore his passing into Ireland openlie by writing gloriouslie auow the foresaid bull of Pius Quintus against hir maiestie to be lawfull and affirmeth that by vertue thereof one doctor Morton an old English fugitiue and conspirator was sent from Rome into the north parts of England which was true to stirre vp the first rebellion there whereof Charles Neuill the late earle of Westmerland was a head capteine And thereby it may manifestlie appéere to all men how this bull was the ground of the rebellions both in England and Ireland and how for maintenance thereof and for sowing of sedition by warrant and allowance of the same these persons were iustlie condemned of treason and lawfullie executed by the ancient lawes temporall of the realme without charging them for anie other matter than for their practises and conspiracies both abroad and at home against the queene and the realme and for the mainteining of the popes foresaid authoritie and bull published to depriue hir maiestie of hir crowne and for withdrawing and reconciling of hir subiects from their naturall allegiance due to hir maiestie and to their countrie and for moouing them to sedition and for no other causes or questions of religion were these persons condemned although true it is that when they were charged conuinced of these points of conspiracies and treasons they would still in their answers colourablie pretend their actions to haue beene for religion but in deed and truth they were manifested to be for the procurement and maintenance of the rebellions and wars against hir maiestie and hir realme And herein is now the manifest diuersitie to be séene and well considered betwixt the truth of hir maiesties actions the falshood of the blasphemous aduersaries that where the factious partie of the pope the principall author of the inuasions of hir maiesties dominions doo falselie allege that a number of persons whom they terme as martyrs haue died for defense of the catholike religion the same in verie truth may manifestlie appeere to haue died if they so will haue it as martyrs for the pope but yet as traitors against their souereigne and quéene in adhering to him being the notable and onelie open hostile enimie in all actions of warre against hir maiestie hir kingdomes and people and that this is the meaning of all these that haue so obstinatlie mainteined the authoritie and contents of this bull the verie words of the bull doo declare in this sort as doctor Sanders reporteth them PIus Quintus pontifex maximus de apostolicae potestais plenitudine declarauit Elisabetham praetenso regni iure line 10 necnon omne quocunque dominio dignitate priuilegióque priuatam itémque proceres subditos populos dicti regni ac catero omnes qui illi quomodocunque iurauerunt à iuramento huiusmodi ac omni fidelitatis debito perpetuò absolutos That is to saie Pius Quintus the greatest bishop of the fulnesse of the apostolike power declared Elisabeth to be bereaued or depriued of hir pretended right of hir kingdome and also of all and whatsoeuer dominion dignitie and priuilege and also the nobles subiects and people of the said kingdome and line 20 all others which had sworne to hir anie maner of wais to be absolued for euer from such oth and from all debt or dutie of fealtie c with manie threatning cursings to all that durst obeie hir or hir laws As for execution hereof to prooue that the effect of the popes bull and message was a flat rebellion it is not amisse to heare what the same doctor Sanders the popes fire brand in Ireland also writeth in his visible church monarchie which is thus Pius Quintus ponâ—ifex maximus Anno Domini 1569 reuerendum presbyterum Nicolaum Mortanum Anglum iâ— Angliam misit vt certis illustribus viris authoritate apostolica denuntiaret Elisabetham quae tunc rerum potiebatur haereticam esse obeâ—mque causam omni dominio potestate excidisse impunéque ab illis velut ethnicam haleri posse nec 〈◊〉 lâ—gibus aut mandatis deinceps obedire cogi That is to saie Pius Quintus the greatest bishop in the yeare of our Lord 1569 sent the reuerend priest Nicholas Morton an Englishman into England line 40 that he should denounce or declare by the apostolike authoritie to certeine noblemâ—n Elisabeth who then was in possession to be an heretike for that cause to haue fallen from all dominion and power and that she may be had or reputed of them as an ethnike and that they are not to be compelled to obeie hir lawes or commandements c. Thus you sée an ambassage of rebellion from the popes holinesse the ambassador an old doting English priest a fugitiue and conspirator sent as he saith to some noble line 50 men and these were the two earles of Northumberland and Westmerland heads of the rebellion And after this he followeth to declare the successe therof which I dare saie he was sorie it was so euill with these words Qui dementiatione milti nobiles viri adducti sunt vt de 〈◊〉 liberandis cogitare auderent ac sperabant illi quidem 〈◊〉 â—â—nes summis viribus affuâ—urâ—s esse verum etsi 〈…〉 expectâ—bant res euenit quia catholici omnes nandum probè cognouerant Elisabetham haereticam esse declarâ—â—â—m line 60 tamen laudanda illorum nobilium consilia erant That is By which denuntiation manie noblemen were induced or led that they were boldened to thinke of the fréeing of their brethren and they hoped certeinlie that all the catholikes would haue assisâ—â—d them with all their strength but although the matter happened otherwise than they hoped for bicause all the catholikes knew not that Elisabeth was declared to be an heretike yet the counsels and intents of those noblemen were to be praised A rebellion and a vanquishing of rebels verie smoothlie described This noble fact here mentioned was the rebellion in the north the noblemen were the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the lacke of the euent or successe was that the traitors were vanquished and the queenes maiestie and hir subiects had by Gods
of religion but onelie of that which by their bloud and death in the fire they did as true martyrs testifie A matter of an other sort to be lamented in a christian charitie with simplicitie of words and not with puffed eloquence than the execution in this time of a verie few traitors who also in their time if they excéeded thirtie yeares of age had in their baptisme professed and in their youth had learned the same religion which they now so bitterlie oppugned And besides that in their opinions they differ much from the martyrs of quéene Maries time for though they which suffered in queene Maries time continued in the profession of the religion wherein they were christened and as they were perpetuallie taught yet they neuer at their death denied their lawfull quéene nor mainteined anie of hir open and forren enimies nor anie procured rebellion or ciuill warre nor did sow anie sedition in secret corners nor withdrew anie subiects from their obedience as these sworne seruants of the pope haue continuallie doone And therefore all these things well considered there is no doubt but all good subiects within the realme doo manifestlie sée and all wauering persons not being led cleane out of the waie by the seditious will hereafter perceiue how they haue béene abused to go astraie And all strangers but speciallie all christian potentats as emperours kings princes and such like hauing their souereigne estates either in succession hereditarie or by consent of their people being acquainted with the verie truth of these hir maiesties late iust and necessarie actions onelie for defense of hir selfe hir crowne and people against open inuadours and for eschewing of ciuill warres stirred vp by rebellion will allow in their owne like cases for a truth and rule as it is not to be doubted but they will that it belongeth not vnto a bishop of Rome as successour of saint Peter and therein a pastour spirituall or if he were the bishop of all christendome as by the name of pope he claimeth first by his bulles or excommunications in this sort at his will in fauour of traitors and rebels to depose anie souereigne princes being lawfullie inuested in their crownes by succession in bloud or by lawfull election and then to arme subiects against their naturall lords to make warres and to dispense with them for their oths in so dooing or to excommunicat faithfull subiects for obeieng of their naturall princes lastlie himselfe to make open warre with his owne souldiers against princes moouing no force against him For if these high tragicall powers should be permitted to him to exercise then should no empire no kingdome no countrie no citie or towne be possessed by anie lawfull title longer than one such onelie an earthlie man sitting as he saieth in saint Peters chaire at Rome should for his will and appetite without warrant from God or man thinke méet and determine an authoritie neuer chalenged by the Lord of lords the sonne of God Iesus Christ our onelie Lord and sauiour and the onelie head of his church whilest he was in his humanitie vpon the earth nor yet deliuered by anie writing or certeine tradition from saint Peter from whome the pope pretendeth to deriue all his authoritie nor yet from saint Paule the apostle of the gentils but contrariwise by all preachings precepts and writings conteined in the gospell and other scriptures of the apostles obedience is expresselie commanded vnto all earthlie princes yea euen vnto kings by especiall name and that so generallie as no person is excepted from such dutie of obedience as by the sentence of saint Paule euen to the Romans appeareth Omnis anima sublimioribus potestatibus sit subdiâ—a that is Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers within the compasse of which law or precept saint Chrysostome being bishop of Constantinople writeth that Euen apostles prophets euangelists and moonks are comprehended And for proofe of saint Peters mind herein from whome these popes claime their authoritie it can not be plainelier expressed than when he writeth line 10 thus Proinde subiecti estote cuiuiâ— huâ—ane ordinationi propter Dominum siue regi vt qui superâ—mâ—eâ—a siue praesidibus ab eo missis that is Therefore be you subiect to euerie humane ordinance or creature for the Lord whether it be to the king as to him that is supereminent or aboue the rest or to his presidents sent by him By which two principall apostles of Christ these popes the pretensed successors but chieflie by that which Christ the sonne of God the onelie maister of truth said to Peter and his fellow apostles Reges gentium line 20 dominantur vos autem non sic that is The kings of the gentils haue rule ouer them but you not so maie learne to forsake their arrogant and tyrannous authorities in earthlie and temporall causes ouer kings and princes and exercise their pastorall office as saint Peter was charged thrise at one time by his Lord and maister Pasce oues meas Féed my shéepe and peremptorilie forbidden to vse a sword in saieng to him Conuerte gladium tuum in locum suum or Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam that is Turne thy line 30 sword into his place or Put thy sword into the scabbard All which precepts of Christ and his apostles were dulie followed and obserued manie hundred yeares after their death by the faithfull and godlie bishops of Rome that dulie followed the doctrine and humilitie of the apostles and the doctrine of Christ and were holie martyrs and thereby dilated the limits of Christs church and the faith more in the compasse of an hundred yeares than the latter popes haue line 40 doone with their swords and cursses these fiue hundred yeares and so continued vntill the time of one pope Hildebrand otherwise called Gregorie the seuenth about the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and fourtéene who first began to vsurpe that kind of tyrannie which of late the late pope called Pius Quintus and since that time Gregorie now the thirteenth hath followed for some example as it séemeth that is where Gregorie the seuenth in the yeare of our Lord one thousand thrée score and line 50 fourtéene or thereabout presumed to depose Henrie the fourth a noble emperor then being Gregorie the thirtéenth now at this time would attempt the like against king Henrie the eights daughter and heire quéene Elisabeth a souereigne and a maiden quéene holding hir crowne immediatlie of God And to the end it may appeare to princes or to their good councellors in one example what was the fortunat successe that God gaue to this good christian emperor Henrie against the proud pope Hildebrand line 60 it is to be noted that when the pope Gregorie attempted to depose this noble emperor Henrie there was one Rodulph a noble man by some named the count of Reenfield that by the popes procurement vsurped the name of the emperor who was ouercome by the
Essexmen they stirred vp the most part of the countrie to ioine with them and foorthwith stopping the waie that led to Canturburie and arresting all such as passed by the same they caused them to swere that they should be true to king Richard and to the commons neuer to receiue anie king that should be called Iohn And this was for the enuie which they bare to Iohn of Gant the duke of Lancaster who in right of his wife Constance that was daughter to line 50 king Peter of Castile did name himselfe king of Castile Also they caused them to sweare that they should be readie to come to them whensoeuer they sent for them and induce all their neighbours to take part with them And further that they should neuer yéeld to anie tax to be leuied in the realme except a fiftéenth onelie Thus it came to passe that after it was spred abroad what stur these Essex and Kentishmen kept the commons also in the counties of Sussex Hertford Cambridge Suffolke and Norffolke and line 60 other shires about bustled vp and ran togither on heapes so that the number of those vnrulie people maruellouslie increased in such wise as now they feared no resistance and therefore began to shew proofe of those things which they had before conceiued in their minds beheading all such men of law iustices and iurors as they might catch and laie hands vpon without respect of pitie or remorse of conscience alledging that the land could neuer enioy hir natiue and true libertie till all those sorts of people were dispatched out of the waie This talke liked well the eares of the common vplandish people and by the lesse conueieng the more they purposed to burne and destroie all records euidences court-rolles and other minuments that the remembrance of ancient matters being remooued out of mind their landlords might not haue whereby to chalenge anie right at their hands Their number still increased for all such as were in debt or danger of law for their misdemeanors and offenses came out of all coasts vnto them so that when the Essex-men and other of the hither side the Thames were passed ouer and ioined with the Kentishmen those that were assembled on that side the riuer vpon Blackheath they were esteemed to be an hundred thousand hauing diuerse capteins besides the said Iacke Straw as William Wraw Wat Tiler Iacke Sheepheard Tom Milner and Hob Carter Whilest they were lodged on Blackheath the king sent to them certeine knights to vnderstand of them the cause of their gathering thus togither to whome answer was made that they were come togither to speake with the king about certeine causes and businesse therefore they bad the messengers returne and declare to the king that there was no remedie but he must needs come and speake with them When this tale was told to the king there were some that thought it best that he should go to them and know what their meaning was but Simon de Sudburie the archbishop of Canturburie that was lord chancellor and also sir Robert Hales lord of S. Iohns and as then lord treasuror spake earnestlie against that aduise and would not by anie meanes that the king should go to such a sort of barelegged ribalds but rather they wished that he should take some order to abate the pride of such vile rascals After the commons vnderstood that the king would not come to them by reason of the contrarie aduise giuen to him by those two persons the lord chancellor and the lord treasuror they were maruellouslie mooued against them and sware that they would not rest till they had got them chopped off their heads calling them traitors to the king and realme Neuerthelesse there be that write that the king to cut off the branches of such mischeefe now in the first budding thereof to satisfie in part the desire of those rude people went downe the riuer in his barge to Rethereth and there néere the shore keeping himselfe still on the water talked with a great number of them that came downe to the riuer side But forsomuch as he would not come foorth of his barge to them on land which they seemed most to desire they were in a great rage and so for that they could not haue him amongst them as they wished in furious wise they ran to the citie and at the first approach they spoiled the burrough of Southwarke brake vp the prisons of the Marshalsea the Kings bench set the prisoners at libertie admitted them into their companie This was on Corpus Christi daie as the same authors write that the king should thus talke with them but their first entring into Southwarke was on Corpus Christi euen as Thomas Walsingham saith passing at their pleasure to and fro the bridge all that night for although the lord maior and other of the best citizens would gladlie haue closed the gates against them yet they durst not doo it for feare of the commons of the citie who seemed to fauour the cause of the rebels so apparantlie that they threatned to kill both the lord maior all other that would take vpon them to shut the gates against the commons The Londoners liked better of the commons for that they protested the cause of their assembling togither was not but to seeke out the traitors of the realme and when they had found them foorth and punished them according to that they had deserued they ment to be quiet And to giue the more credit to their saiengs they suffered none of their companie to rob or spoile but caused them to paie for that they tooke On the morrow being Corpus Christ day on the which day it is reported that the king should talke with them at Rethereth as before ye haue heard after that they saw that they could not haue him to come and talke with them on land as they wished and that now they had filled their heads full with the fume of such wines as they dranke in euerie mans line 10 celler that was set open for them enter who would they fell in talke with the Londoners of manie lewd deuises as of the apprehending of traitors and speciallie concerning such misliking as they had of the duke of Lancaster whom they hated aboue all other persons And herevpon agréeing in one mind after diuerse other of their outragious dooings they ran the same day to the said dukes house of the Sauoie to the which in beautie and statelinesse of building with all maner of princelie furniture there was not line 20 any other in the realme comparable which in despite of the duke whom they called traitor they set on fire and by all waies and means indeuoured vtterlie to destroie it The shamefull spoile which they there made was wonderfull and yet the zeale of iustice truth and vpright dealing which they would seeme to shew was as nice and
strange on the other part speciallie in such kind of misgouerned people for in that spoiling of the dukes house all the iewels plate and other rich line 30 and sumptuous furniture which they there found in great plentie they would not that any man should fare the better by it of a mite but threw all into the fire so to be consumed and such things as the fire could not altogither destroie as plate and iewels they brake and crashed in péeces throwing the same into the Thames One of them hauing thrust a faire siluer peece into his bosome meaning to conueie it awaie was espied of his fellowes who tooke him and cast both him and the péece into the fire saieng they line 40 might not suffer any such thing sith they professed themselues to be zealous of truth and iustice and not théeues nor robbers There were 32 of them that being gotten into the celler of the Sauoie where the dukes wines laie dranke so much of such swéete wine as they found there that they were not able to come foorth but with stones wood that fell downe as the house burned they were closed in so that out they could not get They laie there showting crieng seuen daies line 50 togither and were heard of manie but none came to helpe them and so finallie they perished Now after that these wicked people had thus destroied the duke of Lancasters house and done what they could deuise to his reproch they went to the temple and burnt the men of lawes lodgings with their bookes writings and all that they might lay hand vpon Also the house of saint Iohns by Smithfield they set on fire so that it burned for the space of seuen daies togither On Friday a great number of them estéemed line 60 to 20 thousand went to the manor of Heiburie that belonged vnto the lord of saint Iohns and setting fire on it sought vtterlie to destroie the whole buildings about it They were now diuided into thrée parts one vnder the leading of Iacke Straw tooke in hand to ruinate that house and an other number of them lay on mile end greene and the third companie kept vpon the tower hill and would not suffer anie vittels to be conueied into the tower where the king at that time was lodged and was put in such feare by those rude people that he suffered them to enter into the tower where they sought so narowlie for the lord chancelor that finding him in the chappell they drew him foorth togither with the lord treasuror and on the tower hill without reuerence of their estates and degrees with great noise and fell cries they stroke off their heads There were also beheaded at the same time by those rude people one of the kings seruants that was a sergeant at armes called Iohn Leg who had vsed himselfe somewhat extremelie in gathering vp of the pole monie as by one writer it appeareth Also to make vp the messe they beheaded a Franciscane Frier whom they had taken there at the same time for malice of the duke of Lancaster bicause he was verie familiar with him ¶ Some write that this frier was confessor and other say that he was physician to the king but what soeuer he was the commons chopped off his head to beare the other companie not sparing for anie respect that might be alledged in any of their behalfes On the same day also they beheaded manie others as well Englishmen as Flemings for no cause in the world but onelie to satisfie the crueltie of the commons that then were in their kingdome for it was a sport to them when they gat any one amongst them that was not sworne to them and séemed to mislike of their dooings or if they bare but neuer so little hatred to him streightwaies to plucke of his hood with such a yelling noise as they tooke vp amongst them and immediatlie to come thronging into the stréets and strike off his head Neither had they any regard to sacred places for breaking into the church of the Augustine friers they drew foorth thirteene Flemings and beheaded them in the open streets and out of the parish churches in the citie they tooke foorth seuentéene and likewise stroke off their heads without reuerence either of the church or feare of God But they continuing in their mischéefous purpose shewed their malice speciallie against strangers so that entring into euerie stréet lane and place where they might find them they brake vp their houses murthered them which they found within and spoiled their goods in most outragious manner Likewise they entered into churches as before ye haue heard into abbeies monasteries and other houses namelie of men of law which in semblable sort they ransacked They also brake vp the prisons of newgate and of both the counters destroied the books and set prisoners at libertie and also the sanctuarie-men of saint Martins le grand And so likewise did they at Westminster where they brake open the eschequer and destroied the ancient bookes and other records there dooing what they could to suppresse law and by might to beate downe equitie and right as it is said Tunc ius calcatur violentia cum dominatur They that entered the tower vsed themselues most presumptuouslie and no lesse vnreuerentlie against the princesse of Wales mother to the king for thrusting into hir chamber they offered to kisse hir and swasht downe vpon hir bed putting hir into such feare that she fell into a swoone and being taken vp and recouered was had to the water side and put into a barge conueied to the place called the quéenes wardrobe or the tower riall where she remained all that day and the night following as a woman halfe dead till the king came to recomfort hir It was strange to consider in what feare the lords knights gentlemen stood of the cruell procéedings of those rude base people For where there were six hundred armed men and as manie archers in the tower at that present there was not one that durst gainesaie their dooings Finallie when they had eased their stomachs with the spoiling burning and defacing of sundrie places they became more quiet and the king by the aduise of such as were then about him vpon good deliberation of counsell offered to them pardon and his peace with condition that they should cease from burning and ruinating of houses from killing and murthering of men and depart euerie man to his home without more adoo and there to tarrie for the kings charters confirmatorie of the same pardon The Essexmen were content with this offer as they that were desirous to see their wiues and children being waxen wearie of continuall trauell and paines which they were constreined to take The king went foorth vnto Mile end and there declared vnto the line 10 commons that they should haue charters made to them of his grant to make them all free And further that euerie