seeke victorie buy our outwarde misery to seeke outwarde glorit with inward dishonor whiche howsoeuer they get thinke it to be long of you who haue offered thē victorie afore they began war bycause ye wold declare clare to men hereafter belike how daungerous it is to make sturres at home when they doe not onely make our selues weake but also our enemies strong Beside these there is another sorte of men desirous of aduantage and disdainefull of our wealth whose griefe is most our greatest hap and be offended with religion bicause they bee drowned in superstition men zealed towarde god but not fit to iudge meaning better without knowledge than they iudge by their meaning worthier whose ignorance should be taken away than their will shoulde be followed whom we shuld more rebuke for their stubburnesse than despise for their ignoraunce These seeing superstition beaten downe and religion set vp gods word taking place traditions kept in their kinde difference made betwene Gods cōmaundements and mans learning the truth of things sought out according to Christes in situatiō examples taken of the Primitiue churches vse not at the Byshoppe of Romes ordinance and true worship taught will worship refused do by blindnesse rebuke that as by truth they should follow and by affection folow that as by knowledge they shuld abhorte thinking vsage to be truth and scripture to be error not waying by the word but misconstruing by custome And now things be chaunged to the better religion trulyer appointed they see matters go awry which hurteth the whole realme and they reioyce in this myschiefe as a thyng worthily happened mystakyng the cause and slaunderyng religion as though there were no cause why God myght haue punished if their vsed professiō might still haue takē place They see not that where gods glorie is trul◅est sette forth there the deuill is most busie for his parte and laboureth to corrupt by lewdnesse that is is gotten out by the truthe thynkyng that if it were not blemished at the firste the residue of his falseheade shoulde after lesse preualye So he troubleth by bywayes that he cannot plainlye withstande and vseth subtileie of Sophistrie where plaine reason faileth and perswadeth simple men that to bee a cause whiche in deede cannot be tried and taken for a cause So hee causeth religion which reacheth obedience to be iudged the cause of sedition and the doctrine of loue the seede of dissention mistaking the thing but perswading mens mindes abusing the plaine meaning of the honest to a wicked end of religions ouerthrow The husband man hadde not so soone throwne stede in hys ground but steppeth vp the enimie he soweth cockle too and maketh men doubt whether the good husbande had done well or no and whether he had sowne there good feede or bad The fansifull Iewes in Egipt wold not beleue Ieremie but thought their plague their misery to come by his meanes and leauing of Idolatrie to be the cause of penury wherefore by wylfull aduise they entended to forsake the Prophetes counsaile and thought to serue God most truly by their rooted and accustomed Idolatrie When the Christian men were persecuted in the Primitiue church daily suffered Martyrdome for Christes profession suche faire season of weather was for three or foure yere togither that the heathen iudged therevpon God to bee delighted with their crueltie and so were perswaded that wyth the bloude of the Martyrs they pleased God highly Such fansies lighted now in Papistes and irreligious mens heades and ioyne things by chaunce happening togyther concludeth the one to bee the cause of the other and then delighteth in true worshippers hurt because they iudge cursedly the good to be had therefore reioyseth in the punishment of the godly For they being fleshly iudge by outwarde things and perceiue not the inward for that they lacke the spirit so iudge amisse not vnderstandyng God what diuersitie hee suffereth to blinde still the wilfull and howe thorowe all daungers hee saueth his forechosen Thus haue ye giuen a large occasion to stubburne Papists both to iudge amisse and also to reioyce in this wicked chance contented with our mischiefe not likyng our religion thinking god doth punishe for this better chaūge haue therby an yll opinion of gods holy truth cōfirmed in thē by no sure scripture but by following of mischāce which they ought to think to come for the pride stubburnesse of y e peopl◅ who doth not accept Gods glorie in good part nor giue no due praise to their Lorde maker What shoulde I say more Yee hurt euerye way the daungers be so great and the perils so many which do daily followe youre deuillishe enterprise that the more I seeke in the matter the more I continually see to say And what words can worthily declare this miserable beastlinesse of your whiche haue entended to deuide the Realme and arme the one parte for the killing of the other For euen as concord is not onely the healthe but also the strengthe of the realme so is sedition not only the weaknesse but also the apostume of the realme whiche when it breaketh inwardely putteth the state in greate daunger of recouerye and corruptethe the whole Common wealthe wyth the rotten furye that it hathe long putryfied wyth For it is not in sedition as in other fautes whiche being mischieuous of themselues haue some notable hurt alwaies faste adioyned to them but in this one is there a whole bell of faultes not seuerally scattered but clustered on a lumpe togyther and commyng on so thicke that it is vnpossible for a Region armed wyth all kynde of wysedome and strength thereto to auoide the daungers that issue out therof When sedition once breaketh out see yee not the lawes ouerthrowne the Magistrates despysed spoyling of houses murderyng of men wastyng of Countryes encrease of dysorder diminishing of the Realmes strengthe swarmyng of vagabondes scarsitye of labourers and those mischiefes all plenteously brought in whyche God is wonte to scurge seuerely wyth all warre dearthe and pestilence And seeing yee haue theft and murder plague and famine confusion and ydlenesse linked togither can yee looke any more mischiefe in one shamefull enterprise than ye euidently see to growe herein As for warre although it be miserable yet the one parte getteth somewhat and reioyceth in the spoyle and so goeth lustyer awaye and either encreaseth his countrie with riches or enhaunceth himselfe wyth glorye but in sedition bothe partes loseth the ouercomming can not flie the ouercommer can not spoyle the more the winner winneth the more hee losethe the more that escape the more infamous menne liue al that is gained is scarrely saued the winning is losse the losse is destruction both waste themselues and the whole moste wasted the strengthnyng of themselues the decaye of the Country the striuing for the victorie is a pray to the enemie and shortly to saye the hellishe turmoyle of sedition so farre passeth the common
he had thus vanquished his enimyes Henric. Hut whiche as some write were come as farre as Stanfourde and vsed at that tyme to fight wyth long Dartes and Speares whereas the Saxons fought onelye wyth long swordes and Axes There bee that haue written howe the Saxons were not sent for but came by chaunce into the I le Calf Mon. and the occasion to be this There was an auncient custome amongst the English Saxons a people in Germanie as was also at the first among other Nations that when the multitude of them was so increased that the Countrey was not able to sustayne and finde them by commaundement of their Princes they shoulde choose out by lottes a number of yong and able personages fitte for the warres which should go forth to seeke them newe habitations and so it chaunced to these that they came into great Britaine and promised to serue the king for wages in his warres But by what meane soeuer they came hither truth is that Hengistus being a man of great wit rare policie and high wisdome was their Captaine Hengist purposeth at the first to conquere the Brytaynes who vnderstanding this Kings minde which now wholy trusted to the valiancie of the Saxons and herewith perceiuing the fruitfulnesse of the Countrey streight wayes began to consider with himselfe by what wyles and craft he might by little and little settle here and obteine a kingdome in the I le and to establish the same to him and to his for euer Therefore first he indeuoured with all speede possible to fence that part of the Countrey which was giuen to him and his people Polidor and to enlarge and furnish it with garisons appointed in places most conuenient After this he did what he could to perswade the king that a great power of men might be brought ouer out of Germanie that y e land being fortified with such a strength the enimies might be put in feare and his subiects holden in rest The King not foreseeing the happe that was to come did not despise this counsell contriued to the destruction of his Kingdome and so was more ayde sent for into Germanie wherevpon now at this seconde tyme there arriued here VVil. Mal â–ª 13. â—…oyâ—… plaâ—…es saye the Scottish wryters and M. men in 〈◊〉 same The Saxons call these Vâ—…sels Cooles Keeles and 〈◊〉 old hystoriâ—… Cogiâ—â— xvj vessels fraught with people and at the same time came the Ladie Rowen or Ronix daughter to Hengyst a Mayde of excellent beautie and comelynesse able to delite the eyes of them that shoulde behold hir and specially to win the heart of Vortigerne with the dart of concupiscence whervnto he was of nature much inclyned and that did Hengest well perceyue There came ouer into thys lande at that tyme and soone after three manner of people of the Germaine Nation as Saxons Vita or Iutes â—…e Vitae or â—…e are called â—…ri â—…lex Now. and Angles ouer the whiche the sayde Hengist and Hors beeing brethren were Captaines and rulers men of right noble parentage in theyr Countrey as discended of that auncient Prince Wâ—…den of whom the English Saxon kings doe for the more part fetche theyr pedegree as lineally descended from him vnto a whom also the English people falsely reputing him for a God consecrated the fourth day of the weeke as they did the sixth to his wyfe frâ—…e so that the some dayes tooke more of them the one beeing called Wodensday â—…ednesday â—…d Fryday hereof they â—…me and the other Fâ—…readay which wordes after in continuance of time by corruption of speech were somewhat altred though not much as from Wodensday to Wednesday and from Freaday to Fryday â—…da The foresayde Woden was father to Vecta father to Wetgislus that was father to the foresayd Hengistus and Horsus But nowe to rehearse further touching those three people whiche at this time came ouer into Brytayne oute of Germanie of the Vites or Iutes as Beda recordeth are the Kentishmen discended and the people of the I le of Wlight with those also that inhabite ouer agaynste the same I le Of the Saxons came the East Saxons the South Saxons and West Saxons Moreouer of the Angles proceeded the East Angles the middle Angles or Mercies and the Northren men That these Angles were a people of Germanie Cor. Tacitus it appeareth also by Cornelius Tacitus who calling them Anglij which worde is of three sillables as Polidore sayth But some wryte it Angli with two sillables And that these Angli or Angliâ—… were of no small force and authoritie in Germanie before their comming into this lande may appeare in that they are numbred amongest the twelue nations there whiche had lawes and auncient ordinaunces a part by them selues according to the whiche the state of theyr common wealth was gouerned they beeing the same and one people with the Thoringers as in the tytle of the olde Thuringers lawes wee finde recorded whiche is thus Lex Angliorum VVerinorum hoc est Thuringorum The law of the Angles and VVerinians that is to witte the Thuringers whiche Thuringers are a people in Saxonie as in the description of that Countrey it may appeare is this Polidor But nowe to the matter Hengist perceyuing that his people were highly in Vortigernes fauour beganne to handle him craftily deuysing by what meanes hee mighte bring him im loue with his daughter Ronix Rowen or Ronowen Hengistes daughter or Rowen or Ronowen as some write which he beleeued wel would easily be brought to passe bycause he vnderstoode that the King was much giuen to sensuall lust VVil. Malm. which is the thing that often blindeth wise mens vnderstanding and maketh them to dote and to loss theyr perfite wittes yea and oftentymes bringeth them to destruction though by suche pleasant poyson as they feele no better taste tyll they be brought to the extreeme poynt of confusion in deede A greate Supper therefore was prepared by Hengist at the whiche pleased the King to be present Hengist appoynted his daughter when euerie man beganne to bee somewhat â—…erâ—…ie wyth winke Gal. Mon. to bring in a Cuppe of Golde full of good and pleasant wine and to present it to the King saying VVassail Which shee did in such comely and decent maner as she that knewe howe to doe it well ynough so as the King marueyled greatlye thereat and not vnderstanding what shee ment by that salutation Wassail what it signifieth demaunded what it signified To whom it was aunswered by Hingist that the wished him well and the meaning of it was that he should drinke after hir ioyning thervnto this answere drinke haile Wherevpon the king as he was enformed tooke the cuppe at the Damsels hand and dranke Finally this yong Ladie behaued hirselfe with such pleasant wordes comely countenaunce and amiable grace that the king behelde hir so long till he felt himselfe so farre in loue with hir person that he burned in
twentith yeare after his comming into this land he obteyned the title of the West partes thereof and gouerned there as King so that the Kingdome of West Saxons began vnder the sayde 〈…〉 icus in the .519 519 of Christ as 〈…〉 shall be shewed Thus may yee see that if Aurelius Ambrosius did succeede after Vortigerne and raigned in the tyme supposed by the Brittish histories 〈◊〉 before is alledged the lande euen in his dayes was full of trouble and the olde inhabitauntes the Britaynes sore vexed by the Saxons that 〈…〉 ed the same so that the Britaynes dayly were hampered and brought vndersubiection to the valiante Saxons or else driuen to remoue further off and to giue place to the victorers But nowe to proceede with the succession of the Brittishe Kings as in their Histories wee fynde them registred whiche I delyuer suche as I fynde but not suche as I do wishe being written with no suche couloure of credite as we may safely put foorthe the same for an vndoubted truth Vter Pendragon AFter that Aurelius Ambrosius was dead his brother Vter Pendragon whome Harrison calleth Math. West noteth Aurelius Vterius Ambrosianus was made King in the yeare of our Lorde 500 500. in the seuenth yeare of the Emperour Anastasius and in the sixteene yeare of Clodoueus King of the Frenchmen The cause why hee was surnamed Pendragon was for that Merlyne the greate Prophete likened him to a Dragons head that at the tyme of his natiuitie maruellously appeared in the firmamente at the corner of a blasing Starre as is reported But Harrison supposeth that hee was so called of his wisedome and serpeÌ„tine subtiltie or for that he gaue the Dragons head in his Banner About the same time Vter departed out of this life saith Polydore so that his accompte agreeth nothing with the coÌ„mon accompte of those authors whom FabiaÌ„ and other haue folowed For either must we presuppose that Vter reigned before the time apointed to him by the said authors either else that the siege of Badon hill was before he began to reigne as it should seeme in deede by that which Wil. Malmsbury writeth therof as hereafter shal be also shewed Finally according to the agreemente of the Englishe writers Vter Pendragon died of poyson when he had gouerned this land by the ful terme of .16 yeres The deceasse of Vter Pendragon Stonchenge chorea gigantn was after buried dy his brother Aurelius at StonheÌ„g otherwyse called Chorea GigantuÌ„ leauing his son Arthur to succede him Here must ye not that the scottish chronicles declare that in al the warres for the more parte wherein the Britons obteyned victorie against the Saxons the Scots ayded them in the same warres and so likewyse did the Picts but the same chronicles do not only varie from the Brytish writers in accompt of yeres but also in the order of things done as in the same Chronicles more playnly may appere and namely in the discourse of the incideÌ„ts which chanced during the reign of this Vter For wher as the British histories as ye haue heard attribute great praise vnto the same Vter for his victories atchieued against the Saxons and theyr king Occa whom he slew in battaile and obteined a greate victorie the Scottishe writers make other report affirming in deed that by the preseÌ„ce of bishop Germane hee obteyned victorie in one battaile against them but shortly after the Britons fought again with the Saxons were discomfited although Occa in following the chase ouer rashly chaunced to be slaine after whose deceasse the Saxons ordeyned his sonnâ—… named also Occa to succeede in his place who to make himselfe strong against all his enimies sent into Germanie for one Colgerne the whiche with a greate power of Tentshmen came ouer into this our Britayne and conquered by Oâ—…s appointment the countrey of Northumberland situate betwene Tyne Tweede as in the Scottish chronicles it may further appeare Also this is to be remembred that the victorie which was got against the Saxons by the Brytons at what time Germane bishop of Aurerre was presente Hector Boetius affirmeth by the authoritie of Veremond that wrote y e Scottishe chronicles to haue chanced the secoÌ„d time of his coÌ„ming ouer into this lande where Beda anoncheth it to be at his first bring here Againe the same Boetius writeth that y e same victory chaÌ„ced in the dayes of Vter Pendragon whiche can not be if it be true that Beda writeth touchyng the tyme of y e death of y e sayd German for where he departed this life before the yere of oure Lorde 459. as aboue is noted Vter Pendragon began not his reigne till the yere of our Lord .500 475. sayth â—â— arison or as the same Hector Boetius hath .503 so that bishop Germane was dead long before that Vter began to reign In deede some writers haue noted that the third bataile which Vortimer sought against the Saxons was the same wherin S. Germane was present and procured the victorie with the crie of Alleluya as before ye haue heard whiche seemeth to be more agreeable to a truthe and to stand also with that which holie Bede hath writen touching the time of the beeing heere of the sayd German than the opinion of other whiche affirme that it was in the tyme of the reigne of Vter The like is to bee founde in the residue of Hector Boetius his booke touching the tyme specially of the reignes of the Brytish kings that gouerned Brytaine aboute that season For as he affirmeth Aurelius Ambrosius beganne his reigne in the yeare of our Lorde .498 and ruled but seuen yeres and then suceeded Vter whiche reigned .xviij. yeres and departed this life in the yeare of our Lorde .521 BVt here is to be remeÌ„bred that whatsoeuer the British writers haue recorded touching the victories of this Vter had against y e Saxos and how that Osca the sonne of Hengist should be slaine in battayle by him and his power In those olde writers whiche haue registred the Acts of the Englishe saxon kyngs wee fynde no suche matter but wee fynde that after the deceasse of Hengist hys sonne Osca or Occa reygned in Kente .24 yeares Osca 34. hath Henry Hnnt. in corrupted copies defendyng hys kyngdome onely and not seekyng to enlarge it as before is touched After whose death his sonne Oth and Irâ—…rike sonne to the same Oth succeeded more resemblyng their father than their grandfather or greate grandfather To their reignes are assigned fiftie and three yeares by the Chronicles but whether they reigned ioyntely together or seuerally a parte eyther after other it is not certaynly perceyued King Nazaleod perceiuing that the wing which Certicus ledde was of more strength than the other whiche Kenrike gouerned he set fyrst vpon Certicus thinking that if he might distresse that part of the enimies armie he should easily ouercome the other Mat. VVest Hen. Hunt Stuff and VVightgar Math. VVest noteth the yere of
the Secretary of the house named Will. froÌ„ entring the queere â–ª It was decreed also that the residue should cease so long a tyme froÌ„ saying seruice as they had sayd it before vnlawfully against the archbishops commaundement For it was thought reason that whilest other sang and wer mery they should keepe silence which wilfully tooke vpon theÌ„ to sing whilest other held their peace and were styll They began therefore to cease from saying diuine seruice and from ringyng of their belles in the second weeke of Lent and so kept silence from the .xij. day of March vnto the first day of August The Queene wife to K. Stephen in this meane while lay much at S. Augustines in Canterb. bicause of hastenyng forward the buildyng of Feuersham Abbey which she with hir husbande K. Stephen had begon froÌ„ the very fouÌ„dation And bicause the Monkes of S. Augustine might not celebrate diuine seruice she called thither coÌ„monly the Monkes of Christes churche to say seruice before hir And thus muche for that purpose Now to returne againe vnto other doings The L. Henry returneth into EnglaÌ„d The L. Henry Fitz Empresse after al these businesses returned into England in the moneth of May Anno regni 14. 1149. with a gret coÌ„pany of meÌ„ of war both horsmen and footmen 〈◊〉 reason whereof many reuâ—â—ted from K. Stephen to take part with hym whereas before they sate styll and wold not atteÌ„pt any exployt against hym â–ª But now encouraged with the presence of the Lord Henry they declared theÌ„selues frends to hym enemies to the king Immediately after his arriual he tooke with hym the earles of Chester and Hereford Randall and Roger and diuers other Noble men and knightes of great fame beside those which he had brought w t him forth of NormaÌ„dy and went vnto Carlile wher he found his cosin Dauid K. of ScotlaÌ„d of whoÌ„ he was most ioyfully receiued and vpoÌ„ Whitsonday with great solemnity he being not past xvj yeres of age He is made knight R. Houe was by the same kyng made knight with diuers other young Gentlemen that were much what of the same age Some write that the K. of Scots receyued an oth of hym before he gaue to him y e honor of knighthood that if he chanced to attaine vnto the possession of the realme of England he should restore to the Scottes the towne of Newcastle with the couÌ„trey of NorthuÌ„berland froÌ„ the ryuer of Tweed to the ryuer of Tyne but whether it were so or not I am not able to make warrantise Howbeit K. Ste. hearing that the king of Scots and his aduersary the L. Henry with the chiefest Lordes of the West partes of England lay thus in Carleil he raysed an army and came to the citie of Yorke K. Stephen vvith an army commeth to Yorke where he remayned for the most part of the moneth of August fearing least his enemies should attempt the winnyng of that citie But after that the one part had remayned for a tyme in Carleil the other in Yorke they departed from both those places without any further exployt for that season sauyng that Eustachius K. Stephens sonne hauyng also lately receyued the order of knighthood dyd much hurt in the couÌ„treys that belonged to those Noble men that were with the Lord Henry The great raine that set in the sumer season this yeare M. Paris Great rayne dyd much hurt vnto the groweth of corne on the ground so that a great â—…earth folowed And in the Wynter after about the tenth day of December A sore frost it beganne to frese extremely and so continued tyll the xiâ—… of February Whereby the Ryuer of Thames was so frosen that men might passe both 〈◊〉 foote and horsbacke ouer the same In the meane while Henry Duke of Normandy Anno regni 15. 1150. after he was returned from the â—…yng of Scottes passed ouer againe into Normandye about the beginnyng of August leauyng England full of all those calamities which ciuill warre is accustomed to bring with it as burnyng of houses kylling robbâ—…ng and spoyling of people so that the land was in daunger of vtter destructioÌ„ by reason of that present discorde betwixt the parties This yeare the .xxiij. of February Galfridus Monumetensis otherwise called Galfridus Arthurius that turned the British historie into Latine was consecrated bishop of S. Assaph by Theobald archb of Canterbury at Lamheth William Bishop of Norwich and Walter Bishop of Rochester assisting hym This Earle of Leicester was brother to the Earle of Melent The earle of Leicester brother to the earle of Melent Anno. regni 17. 1152. The duke of Normandy Fitzempresse maryeth the Duchesse of Aquitaine And thus the kings purposed intention and painfull trauayle on that behalfe came to none effect Whilest these things were thus a doing in France King Stephen woulde haue caused the Archbishop of CaÌ„terbury diuerse other bishops whoÌ„ for that purpose he had assembled to crown annoynt and confirme his sonne Eustace king ouer the realme of England but the Archbishops the rest of the Bishops refused so to do The Pope is â—…gaynst it bicause the Pope by his letters sent to the Archbishop had coÌ„maunded him to the contrarie that is that hee should in no wise crown the kings sonne bycause his father king Stephen had got possession of the land agaynst his othe receyued in behalfe of the Empresse The father and sonne being not a litle offended herewith The Bishops are threatned committed most of the bishops to warde seeking by threates and menacings to bring them to their purpose The BishopS also were in no small perplexitie for according to the truth the king seemed neuer to fauor ChurchmeÌ„ greatly bycause of their strength as before tyme by his rigor vsed against the bishops of Salisburie and Lincolne it had well appeared and yet would not these men yeeld to his pleasure wherevpon although they were set at libertie they were neuerthelesse depriued of their temporall possessions which notwithstanding afterwards vpoÌ„ the kings own motion were restored again vnto theÌ„ Howbeit the Archb. of Canterbury persisting still in his opinion was forsaken of diuerse of the Bishops whiche through feare durst not stande against their princes pleasure Ger. Dor But the Archbishop when he perceiued how the matter went and that all the blame was lyke to light and rest on hys shoulders The Archbishop of Caunterbury flieth out of the realme he got himselfe by a maruellous hap ouer the Thames and with speede ryding to Douer there passed the sea so to auoyde both the father and sonnes reuengeful displeasure Whervppon the king seased into his hands all the landes possessions that belonged to the Archbishop Mat. Paris Ger. Do. This yeare Queene Mawde wife to King Stephen departed this lyfe at Hangey Castell that belonged to Earle Alberike de Veer aboute the thirde day of May and she was buried in the Abbay of Feuersam which
kings came againe togither about a new treatie of peace betwixt Bonsemblance and Sukenny where the French king offred king Henrie to restore to him all that he had taken by hys last warres if hys syster Alyce might be ioyned in maryage with Richarde Earle of Poictou nowe eldest sonne in lyfe to king Henrie and that all king Henries subiectes might do homage and sweare feaultie to the same Richarde But king Henrie hauing in memorie the iniuries done to him by his sonne Henry after such his aduauncement to kingly degree he woulde not graunt the French kings request herein Wherevpon a further mischiefe happened for his sonne Earle Richarde taking displeasure that his father shoulde denie him that honour Earle Richard ◅euolteth frō his father to ◅erue the French king whiche made altogyther for his more assuraunce to succeede him as king fell from his sayde father manifestly and became the Frenche kings man doing homage to hym also without consent of king Henrie for all those lands that belonged to his sayd father on that further side the sea The French king for his homage and fealtie gaue vnto him Chateau Raoull and Ysoldun with al the honor thereto belonging There be that write that the chiefest cause that moued king Henrie to refuse to ioyne his son erle Richard the ladie Alice Polidor daughter to the French king in mariage togither was bycause he was linked in the combersome chayne of hote burning loue with the same Ladie and therfore he sought all the shiftes of excuses and delayes that might be imagined so that it appeared he had no minde to depart with hir The truth was as writers affyrme he had alredie perswaded hir to satisfie his lust insomuch that hee liked hir so well that hee ment to be deuorsed from his wife Queene Elenor to marry this yong ladie which if he might bring to passe and haue children by hir he purposed to disinherite those which he had by Elenor to make the other which he should haue by Adela his legitimate and lawfull heyres Yet before they departed from this communication Rog. Houed a truce was taken to endure till the feast of S. Hillarie And Henry Bishop of Alba a Cardinal that was sent from the Pope to ende this controuersie betwixt these two mightie Princes accursed Rychard Erle of Poictou for that by his meanes the troubles rose and were continued betwixt them The towne of Beuerlay Beuerley burnt with the Church of Saint Iohn the Archbishop was in maner wholy consumed with fire on the .xx. of September Also the same yeare dyed William of Sempringham William de Sempringham deceasseth the Author and first founder of the religious order of Sempringham Moreouer Gilbert de Ogerstan a knight Templer put in trust by king Henry with others to gather the tenthes towardes the reliefe of the holy land Gilbert de Ogerstan was proued to vse falsehood in the receipt and so was deliuered vnto the master of the Temple at London to bee punished according to the statutes of his order Also this yeare in the vigill of S. Laurence A straunge apperance in the ayre there was seene at Dunstable by diuerse persons a figure of the Crosse very long large in the ayre with the shape of a crucifixe theron and streames of bloud to their sight seemed to runne out of the woundes of the feete handes and sides And this straunge appearance continued in sight from noone till almost night King Henrie helde his Christmasse at Saumur in Aniou An. Reg. 35. 1189 but many of his Earles and Barons were gone from him and tooke part with the French king and with his sonne Richard Erle of Poictou Then after the day was once come in which the truce expired the Britains which had a charter of couenants of the French king Erle Richard that if they concluded any peace with king Henrie the Brytaynes should de partakers in the same enter into the confines of those countreys which still continued their due obedience towards King Henrie spoyling and wasting the same on eche syde with barbarous crueltie At which time also there was a Legate came from the Pope named Iohn de Anagnia A Legate who assayed both by courteous meanes and also by threates and menacinges to reduce the partyes vnto peace and concorde Insomuche that by hys procurement they mette this yeare after Easter neare vnto Fiert Bernarde twise wythin a fewe dayes togither to trie if by talke they might sorte to some reasonable conditions of agreement The last tyme of those theyr meetings was in the Whitsunweeke Mat. Par. at what tyme the French king requyred not onely to haue his sister Alice delyuered vnto Earle Richarde for wyfe according to the former couenaunts but also some assuraunce gyuen vnto the same Earle Richarde that he shoulde enherite his fathers landes after his decesse And also he requyred that Erle Iohn might take vpon him the Crosse to passe ouer into the holy lande also for otherwise Earle Richard woulde not goe Howbeit King Henrye woulde in no wise consent to anye of these demaundes Rog. Houed but yet as some write hee offred thus much vnto King Philip that if he coulde bee so contented his sonne Iohn shoulde marry his sister Alyce and enioy with hir all suche thinges as hee demaunded in preferment of hys sonne Richarde and that in more large maner than hee had requested the same But King Philip would none of that Thus howsoeuer it was whilest the one demaunded that which the other thought no reason to graunt they departed withoute concluding any agreement so that King Philip hauing gotte by thys meanes a good occasion to further his enterpryses King Philip h◅rrieth the Countrey of Mayne with all hys whole puissaunce entred into Mayne where hee destroyed a greate part of that Countrey and approched to the Citie of Mauns where Kyng Henrie as then laye in purpose to besiege it But King Henrye beeyng warned of his comming set the Suburbes on fyre bycause hys enimyes should haue no succour in them Howe be it the flame of the fyre was by force of the winde dryuen so directly into the Citie that what with heate and assault of the enimie the King beeing withoute any store of Souldiers to defende it longer was constrayned to forsake it Heerewyth hee was so amooued that in departing from the Citie he sayde these wordes of his Sonne Rycharde to himselfe The worde◅ king Henry ◅ his displea◅ towards Earle Richarde Sith thou hast taken from mee thys daye the thing that I most loued in this Worlde I shall acquite thee for after this daye I shall depriue thee of that thing which in me shoulde most please thee that is to meane mine heart Being thus dryuen to leaue the defaced Citie of Mauns he repayred vnto Chiuon Maunsyel◅ to the French king VVil. Par◅ and the Citizens of Mauns beeing lefte destitute of ayde yeelded
his enimies But now to proceede The variance beeing thus appeased betwixte them greate discorde chaunced to aryse betwixt King Richarde and kyng Philippe who was muche offended wyth king Richard for that he had thus vsed violēce against them of Messina The lavves of Herbourrough compelled king Tancrede to agree with him for money to the greate offence and breache of the lawes of Herberrough sith the Sicilians verye liberally ayded and furnished the Christians armie with victuals and necessarie prouisions The Frenchemen also had muche enuie therat that shortly after vpon a small occasion they picked a quarell agaynst the Englishemen Englishmen Frenchmen fought and from wordes fell to strokes on bothe sydes so that there had bin much hurt and slaughter committed Discorde in an armye the hinderer of al profitable enterprises if the two kings had not doone their best to appease the fray begonne But this businesse though it was quietlye as then taken vp and stayed yet bredde it suche displeasure betwixt the Princes and their people that it turned to the greate hurte and hinderance of their good proceedings in their whole enterprise so that the occasion of a full and perfecte victorie easily slipped out of their handes as you shall heare hereafter In other also of the chiefest causes of grudge betwixt the two kings was for that king Rycharde in familiar talke confessed vnto Kyng Philip that he woulde marrie the king of Nanarres daughter and cleerely forsake his sister Adela Whiche grieued king Philippe not a little though he dissembles the matter for a tyme and rather alledged other causes of displeasure wherwith to defame king Richard to the world as one that sought his own commoditie in spoyling those whome he ought rather to haue defended But to procede Whylest the Englishe and Frenche armyes thus soiorned for the Winter time in Sicile not withstanding the troubles aforesayd to the hinderaunce of king Richards purposes for the making of his prouisions readie for his iourney he yet caused engins to be framed his shippes to be newly calked rigged and repared of such hurtes as they had receyued both in their long voyage which they had made also by certaineworms the which duryng the tyme of theyr lying there had in diuers places gnawen and eaten thē thorough to the great daunger of their losse vtter decay Moreouer at y e same time he pardoned al wreckes by sea throughe all hys dominions VVreckes pardoned releasing for euer al his right to the same in such wise that euery persō makyng wrecke by sea comming aliue to lande shoulde haue all his goodes free and cleare to him self Furthermore he decreed that if he chaunced to perishe in the shippe then his sonnes and daughters brethren or sisters that coulde proue themselues to be next heires to him shoulde haue the same goodes but yf he had neither sonne nor daughter brother nor sister then shoulde y e king haue those goodes by way of his prerogatiue This resignation made by king Richard was confirmed by his charter gyuen at Messina in the Moneth of October and second yeare of his raigne Also vpon a godly repentaunce wherewith it dyd please the mercyfull God to touche his harte he called all those prelates together which were then with him at Messina into the Chappell of Reginald de Moyac King Richards confession and there in presence of thē all falling downe vpon his knees hee confessed the filthy life whiche in lecherous lustes he had before that time led and humbly receyued pennaunce enioyned hym by the same bishops and so became a newe man fearing God and delyghting to lyue after hys lawes Furthermore hearing of the greate fame of Abbot Ioachim Abbot Ioa◅him he sent for him ouer into Calabria who came to Messina and being asked sundry questions by kyng Richard hee made wonderfull aunswers thereto as in Houeden and other writers it maye appeare whiche for breefnesse I passe ouer Aboute the same tyme he gaue vnto his nephue Otho the son of his sister Mande sometime Duchesse of Saxonie the Countie of Yorke But although some were contented to receyue hym as theyr lorde and to do homage to him yet other refused him alledging y t they woulde not renounce theyr fealties due to the kyng till they might see him agayn and talke with him face to face Wherevpon the kyng chaungyng his purpose gaue vnto the sayde Otho the Countie of Poycton in stead of the sayd Countie of Yorke as after shall appere The two kings of Englande and Fraunce helde their Christmasse this yeare at Messina 1191 The large expenses of king Richard and still the king of Englande vsed great liberalitie in bestowing his treasure freely amongest knightes and other men of warre so that it was thought he spent more in a moneth thā any of his predecessours euer spent in a whole yeare In the month of February be sent his Gallies to Naples there to receiue his mother his wife that should be to wit the Lady Berengaria daughter to the king of Nauar and Philip Erle of Flaunders that came with thē But his mother Queene Elynore and the ladye Berengaria went to Brindize in Puglia The earle of Flanders where they wer honorably receiued of Margaret king Tancrede his admirall Moreouer the Erle of Flaunders comming to Naples and finding there the Galleyes of king Richarde went a boorde the same and so came to Messina at the first following the king of England in all things tyll the French kyng hauing enuie thereat allured hym awaye and then he hoong altogither on his sleeue The first daye of Marche the kyng of Englande departed from Messina to goe to the Citie of Cathina there to commen with king Tancrede who came thyther to meete hym Here king Richarde vnderstoode K. Richard talketh vvith king Tancrede that the Frēch king had solicited king Tancrede to set vpon the king of Englande and his armye to chase them out of his realme and for the more easy accomplishment therof he had promysed him his ayde whensoeuer he would giue the aduenture King Tancrede deliuered also to king Richard suche letters as the Frenche king hadde written to him cōcerning this matter Whervpon at his returne to Messina king Richard shewed by his frowning countenaunce that he was nothyng pleased with the Frenche king but sought occasiōs to get him out of his companie The Frenche king perceyuing it required to vnderstande the cause of this his sodain mutation Whervpon king Richard nothing fearing his power declared the trouthe playnely vnto hym by the mouth of the Erle of Flanders and when the other denyed the practise he for profe of the thing shewed him the same Letters whiche king Tancrede had deliuered vnto hym The Frenche kyng was not a little abashed hereat and wist not well what to say nor what excuse to make the matter was so playne But yet at length he sayde Well nowe I perceyue the
king of England seeketh to haue some quarel why he may refuse to mary with my sister For these are but forged matters and no truth resteth in them When the King of Englande vnderstode this maner of answere he replied in this wise â–ª That as for the Frenche kings sister he might not marry for as muche as he was able to produce good witnes to proue that his father had lyen with hir and got a child of hir And as for his priuie proceedings and practise with Tancrede he neded no further testimonie than his owne hande and his seale the partie himselfe being present who receiued them the messenger also being not far off that carried them betweene bothe the parties When the Frenche kyng was thoroughly enfourmed of the firste point through councell of the Earle of Flanders and others hee pacifyed hym selfe and was contented to release the king of England of his faith giuen by othe for the contract 〈◊〉 with his sister Alice 〈◊〉 inconsideration of whiche release the Kyng of Englande coueâ—…nted to gyue yearely to the Frenche Kâ—… two thousande Markes of sterlyng coyne for the terme of fyue yeares togyther And at â—…iâ—… returne home it was agreed that he shâ—…ld also delyâ—… vnto the French Kyng hys syster the sayde Ladye Alyce wyth the Towne of Gysours and all other thynges whiche the Frenche Kyng hadde graunted to hym with his sayde sister On the other part the French kyng graunted that the Duchye of Brytaine shoulde appertayne to the domynion of the Duâ—…e of Normandye so as the Duke of Brytaine should be accompted the liege man of the Duke of Normandye and that the duke of Normandie should answer the French king for bothe the Duchies as well of Brytayne as Normandie These agreementes were ratified and confirmed with solemne othes reciued and charters giuen vnder their hands and seales vpon the .xxx. day of Marche And herewith the Frenche king nowe that the seasonable tyme of the yeare was come The Frenche king setteth foorth from Messina tovvardes the holy lande set forwarde towarde the Holye lande leauyng King Richarde behynde him in Sicile And the two twentie day after his setting foorthe from Messina he arriued at the siege of Arâ—… or Acon The same day also that the Frenche King departed from Messina Queene Eleanor the mother of king Richard arriued there brynging with his the lady â—…ingâ—… 〈…〉 mâ—…ter of â—…ctius the kyng of â—…anarre and the fourth day after Quene Elinore toke leaue of her sonne King Richarde Quene Elynor returneth by Rome and departed hâ—…warde towardes Englande taking hir â—…an by Râ—…e for the â—…sinesse of Geffrey the 〈◊〉 of Yorke as to intreat the Pope that he would confirme and consecrate him Aâ—…bishâ—… 〈◊〉 to autorise some other to doe it in his 〈◊〉 â—…eâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…eâ—…engaria remayned behind with the Kings sister â—…onâ—… Qâ—…ne of â—…eâ—… Kyng Richarde then vnderstanding thys iniurie to him doone by the Cypriotes perceyuing they woulde resiste his landyng he prepared hym selfe and his people to enter vpon them by force The king of Cypres Isakius or Cursach whome Houeden nameth Emperour of Cypres had assembled the most parte of all the power of men that he myght make though fewe of them were armed or hadde any greate skill in feates of warre and caused theÌ„ to set boords logs of wood henches formes and great chestes afore theÌ„ as a defence and as it were in steed of a wal that by succour therof they mighte the better keepe off their enemie from landing but king Richarde so encouraged his menne by his presence and suche comfortable wordes as he vttered vnto them that rowing to the shoare with their Galeyes and small boates hauyng the Archers afore them they easily got a lande droue theyr enimyes backe The Englishemen take lande chase their enimies and chased them so farre as they being but footemen wetherbeaten weary and we at conueniently myghte for the shortenesse of the tyme. King Richarde hauing thus got â—â—te a land â—…srun approched the towne of Limeszun which he wyth hys souldyers entred and fyndyng it emptie of people the which were stedde away but full of riches and great plentie of victuals as corne wine oyle and fleshe he seyzed therevpon King Richard accepted these offers and so the king of Cypres came in sware fealtie to kyng Richard in presence of the king of Ierusalem the Prince of Antioche and other barons and promised vppon his othe then receyued not to departe till all thinges couenaunted on hys parte were performed Then king Richarde assigned tentes for him and his to lodge in and appointed certayne knyghtes other men of warre to haue the custody of him but the same day after dinner vpon repentaunce of that which he had done he deceiued his kepers stale away sending knowledge backe to the king that he woulde not stande to the couenauntes which wer concluded vpon betwixt them King Richarde seemed to like the matter well inoughe and forthwith deliuered a parte of his army vnto the king of Ierusalem and to the Prince of Antioche appointing them to pursue the king of Cipres by laÌ„de whylest her with one parte of his Gallies and Roberte de Turneham with the other mighte searche aboute the coaste by sea to prohibite his passage by water In euery place where they came suche shippes and Gallies as they found they seazed into their handes and no resistance was made againste them by reason the people fled to the woods and mountains leauing the cities townes and castelles boyd in all steedes where the King or the saide sir Roberte de Thorneham with theyr vesselles began to appeare When they had taken their plesure thus alongst the coastes they retourned againe vnto Limeszun After the solempnitie of this mariage and coronation ended king Richarde set foreward with his army into the countrey of Cipres and first wanne by surrender the citie of Nichosia and after the strong castell of Cherin within the whiche was the daughter of the king of Cipres whiche Ladie humbly yelded hir selfe vnto king Richard who hauing pitie of hir case sent hir to his wyfe the newe Queene willyng that she might be honorably vsed From thence passing forward these castels were deliuered into his hands Castels deliueâ—… the â—…ng 〈◊〉 â—…ande Baffes and Buffevent Den Amur CaÌ„dace and afterwards all the other castels and cities townes and places of strengthe within that Isle one after an other Finally hearing that the king of Cipres was enclosed in an Abbey called Cap S Andrew he marched thitherwards but when the king of Cypres hearde of his approche he came foorth and submitted himselfe wholly into his hands The K. of Cypres agayn submitteth himseâ—… to the king of Englande Rafe Fitz Geâ—…frey The king fyrste appointed him to the keping of his chamberlain Rafe Fitz Geffrey and after sent him vnto the Citie of Tripoli there to be kept in close prison Who when he heard he should
Willyam Herbert after Earle of Penbroke Sir Iohn Paulet Sir Hugh Paulet Sir Thomas Speake and others with a conuenient power of men of warre both on horsebacke and foote Straungers Amongst other there were certaine Straungers that came with my Lorde Grey as Captaine Germaine an Hennowyer with a band of horsemen most part Albanâ—…yses and Italians Also Captaine Paule Baptist Spinola an Italian borne of a noble house 〈◊〉 Genoa with a bande of Italian footemen But now the Lorde priuy seale that was ordeyned by the King and his Counsayle Generall of that armie 〈◊〉 vpon his first approching towardes them sent vnto them the Kings Maiesties Proclamation 〈◊〉 proclamatioÌ„ the effecte whereof was that all suche persons as were vnlawfullye assembled and did not wythin three dayes nexte after the proclaiming thereof yeelde and submitte themselues to the Lorde priuy Seale the Kings Lieutenaunt they shoulde from thenceforth bee deemed accepted and taken for Rebels against his royall person and his imperiall crowne and dignitie And further the Kings Maiestie for a more terrour to the Rebelles and the encouragement of such other his louing subiectes as shoulde helpe and ayde to apprehende anye of the sayde Rebelles hee by his sayde Proclamation graunted and gaue all the offices fees goodes and possessions which the sayde Rebelles had at and before their apprehension This Proclamation notwithstanding the Rebels continueth in their wicked deuises and traiterous purposes wherevpon yet once againe the Kings maiestie for the auoyding of the shedding of Christian bloude sent vnto them a most gentle and louing message in writing thereby to reduce them againe to their dutifull obedience but all woulde not serue nor auaile to moâ—…e their obstinate mindes to leaue off their desperate and diuelish enterprise The message was as followeth Although knowledge hath bene gyuen to vs and our dearest vnkle the Duke of Somerset Gouernour of our person The Kings message to the rebelles of Cornewal and Deuonshire and Protectour of all our Realmes Dominions and subiects and to the rest of our priuie Counsayle of diuerse assemblies made by you whiche ought of dutie to be our louing subiectes against all order of lawe and otherwise than euer anye louing or kinde subiectes hath attempted against their naturall and liege Souereygne Lorde yet we haue thought it meete at this verye firste time not to condemne and reiecte you as wee might iustly doe 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 sodenly to become enimies to your owne natiue Countrey of our subiects to make you traytors or vnder pretence to relieue your selues to destroye youre selues youre wiues children landes possessions and all other commodities of this your life This we say that we trust that although ye be ignorantly seduced ye will not be vppon knowledge obstinate And though some amongst you as euer there is some Cockle amongst good corne forget God neglect their Prince esteeme not the state of the Realme but as carelesse desperate men delite in sedicion tumult and warres yet neuerthelesse the greater part of you will heare the voyce of vs your naturall Prince and will by wisedome and counsell bee warned and cease your euilles in the beginning whose endes will be euen by God almighties order your owne destruction Wherefore as to you our subiectes by ignoraunce seduced we speake and be content to vse our Princely authoritie like a father to his Children to admonishe you of your faultes not to punishe them to putte you in remembraunce of your dueties not to auenge your forgetfulnesse First your disorder to ryse in multitudes Disorder in subiects to assemble yourselues against one other louing subiectes to arraye your selues to the warre who amongst you all can aunswere for the same to almightie God charging you to obeye vs in all things Or howe can anye Englyshe good hearte aunswere vs oure lawes and the rest of oure verye louyng and faythfull subiectes who in deede by their obedience make our honour estate and degree Yee vse oure name in youre writings Abusing of the Kings name and abuse the same against our selfe what iniurie herein doe 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 bloude and inheritaunce by lawfull succession and our Coronation but not to this ende as you vse our name Wee are your moste naturall Souereine Lorde and King Edwarde the sixth to rule you to preserue you to saue you from all your outwarde enimies to see oure lawes well ministred euerye manne to haue his owne to suppresse disordered people to correct traitours theeues pyrates robbers and such lyke yea to keepe our Realmes from other Princes from the malice of the Scottes of Frenchmenne of the Bishoppe of Rome Thus good subiectes our name is written thus it is honoured and obeyed this maiestie it hathe by Gods ordinaunce not by mannes So that of this your offence we cannot wryte to muche And yet doubt not but this is ynoughe from a Prince to all reasonable people from a royall King to all kynde hearted and louyng subiectes from the puissant King of Englande to euery naturall Englishe man False causes Your pretence whiche you saye moueth you to doe thus and wherewith you seeke to excuse this disorder we assure you is either false or so vayne that we doubt not that after that ye shall hereby vnderstande the truth thereof ye will all with one voyce acknowledge your selues ignorantly ledde and by errour seduced And if there be any one that will not then assure you the same bee ranke traytours enimies of oure Crowne sedicious people hererikes Papistes or such as care not what cause they haue to prouoke an insurrection so they maye doe it nor in deede can waxe so riche with their owne labours and with peace as they can doe with spoyles with warres with robberies and suche lyke yea with the spoyle of your owne goodes with the liuing of your labours the sweare of your bodies the foode of youre owne housholdes wyues and Children Suche they bee as for a tyme vse pleasaunt persuasions to you and in the ende will cutte your throates for youre owne goodes You be borne in hande that youre children though necessitie chaunce shall not be christened but vpon the holy dayes howe false this is learne you of vs. Our booke whiche we haue set forth by the free consent of our whole Parliament in the Englishe tongue teacheth you the contrarie euen in the first leafe yea the first side of the first leafe of that parte whiche intreateth of Baptisme Good subiectes for to other we speake not looke and be not deceyued They whiche haue put this false opinion into your cares they meane not the christening of Children but the destruction of you our christened subiectes Be this knowne vnto you that
duties sake and my whole Countreys cause I will at this present declare vnto you Ye which be bounde by Gods worde and to obey for feare lyke men pleasâ—â—s but for conâ—…edence sake like Christians haue contrarie to Gods holy will whose offence is euerlasting beaâ—â— and contrarie to the godly order of quietnesse set out to vs in the Kings Maiesties â—â—wes the breache whereof is not vnknowne to you taken in hande vnrulled of God vnsent by men vnfitte by reason to calle awaye your bounden duetyes of obedience and to put on you agaynste the Magistrates Gods office committed to the Magistrates for the reformation of your pretensed iniuries In the which doing ye haue first faulted grieuously against God next offended vnnaturally our soueraigne Lorde thirdly troubled miserablie the whole common wealth vndone cruelly many an honest man and brought in an vtter miserie both to vs the Kings Subiectes and to your selues being false Rebelles and yet ye pretende that partly for Gods cause and partly for the coÌ„mon welthes sake ye do arise when as your selues cannot denie but ye that seeke in worde gods cause do breake in deed Gods commaundement and ye that seeke the common wealth haue destroyed the common wealth and so ye marre that ye would make and break that ye would amend bycause ye neither seeke any thing rightly nor would amend any thing orderly He that faulteth faulteth agaynst Gods ordinance who hath forbidden all faultes and therefore ought againe to be punished by Gods ordinance who is the reformer of faults For he sayth leaue the punishment to me and I will reuenge them But the Magistrate is the ordinaunce of God appoynted by him with the sworde of punishment to looke streightly to all euil doers And therefore that that is done by the Magistrate is done by the ordinance of God whom the Scripture oftentymes doth call God bycause he hath the execution of Gods office Howe then do you take in hande to reforme Be ye kings By what authoritie or by what succession Be ye y e kings officers By what commission Be ye called of God By what tokens declare ye that Gods worde teacheth vs that no man should take in hand any office but he that is called of God lyke Aaron What Moyses I pray you called you What Gods Minister bade you rise Ye rise for religion What religion taught you that If ye were offred persecution for religion ye ought to flie so Christ teacheth you and yet you intend to fight If ye woulde stande in the truth ye ought to suffer like Martyrs and you woulde sley like tyrants Thus for religion you keepe no religion and neither will follow the counsaile of Christ nor the constancie of Martyrs Why rise ye for religion Haue ye any thing contrary to Gods booke Yea haue ye not al things agreeable to Gods word But the new is different from the old and therfore ye will haue the olde If ye measure the old by truth ye haue the oldest if ye measure the olde by fancie then it is harde bycause mens fansies chaungeth to giue that is olde Ye will haue the olde still Will ye haue any older than that as Christ left and his Apostles taught and the first Church after Christ did vse Ye will haue that the Canons doe establish Why that is a great deale yonger than that ye haue of later tyme and newlyer inuented Yet that is it that ye desire Why then ye desire not the oldest And doe you preferre the Bishoppes of Rome afore Christ mennes inuention afore Gods law the newer sort of worship before the older Ye seeke no religion ye be deceyued ye seeke traditions They that teach you blinde you that so instruct you deceyue you If ye seeke what the olde Doctors say yet looke what Christ the oldest of all sayth For he sayth before Abraham was made I am If ye seeke the truest way he is the verye truth if ye seeke the readiest way he is the verie way if ye seeke euerlasting life he is the verye life What religion would ye haue other nowe than his religion You would haue the Bibles in againe It is no maruaile your blinde guides would leade you blind stil Why be ye Howlets and Backes that ye cannot looke on the light Christ sayth to euerie one search ye the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of Christ You say pull in the scriptures for we wil haue no knowledge of Christ The Apostles of Christ wil vs to be so readie y t we may be able to giue euerie maÌ„ an account of our faith Ye will vs not once to read the Scriptures for feare of knowing of our faith S. Paule prayeth that euerie man may encrease in knowledge yee desire that our knowledge might decay againe A true Religion ye seeke belike and worthie to be fought for For without the sworde indeede nothing can help it neither Christ nor truth nor age can mainteyne it But why shoulde ye not like that which Gods worde establisheth the prematiue Church hath authorised the greatest lerned men of this Realme hath drawen the whole consent of the Parliament hath confirmed the Kings Maiestie hath set foorth Is it not truly set out Can ye deuise any truer than Christes Apostles vsed ye thinke it is not learnedly done Dare ye Commons take vpon you more learning than the chosen Bishops and Clearkes of this Realme haue Thinke ye follie in it Ye wer woÌ„t to iudge your ParliameÌ„t wisest now wil ye sudainly excell them in wisedom Or can ye thinke it lacketh authoritie which the King the Parliament the learned the wise haue iustly approued Learne learne to knowe this one point of Religion that God will be worshipped as he hath prescribed not as wee haue deuised and that his will is wholye in his Scriptures which be full of Gods spirite and profitable to teach the truth to reproue lyes to amend faults to bring one vp in righteousnesse that he that is a Gods man may be perfite and readie to al good woorkes What can bee more required to serue God withall And thus muche for Religion Rebels The other rable of Norffolke Rebelles yee pretende a common wealth How amende ye it by killing of Gentlemen by spoyling of Gentlemen by imprisoning of Gentlemen A marueylous tanned commoÌ„welth Why should ye thus hate them for their riches or for their rule Rule they neuer tooke so much in hand as ye doe now They neuer resisted the king neuer withstood his counsail be faithful at this day when ye be faithlesse not onely to the King whose Subiectes ye be but also to your Lordes whose tenaunts ye be Is this your true duetie in some of homage in most of feaultie in all of allegeance to leaue your duties goe backe from your promises fall from your fayth and contrarie to lawe and truth to make vnlawfull assemblyes vngodly companies wicked and detestable Campes to disobey your betters to obey your Tanners to change your obedience
kings If one ought to submit him selfe by humilitie to another ought we not all by dutie vs be subiect to our king If the aunswers of our naturall bodie all followed head 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of the politicall 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 king If good maneâ—… be 〈◊〉 giue plaâ—… 〈◊〉 lower to the higher that â—…panâ—… aâ—…way to giue place to the highest If 〈◊〉 subiects will die gladly in the kings seruices should not all subiects thinke to 〈◊〉 to obey the King with iust seruice But you haue 〈…〉 disobey as like ill subiects but also taken stouth cause vpon you like wicked 〈…〉 Ye haue bent called to obedience by counsaile of priuate men by the Kings Maiesties free pardon but what counsaile taketh place where liue 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 aunsweres bee counted wisedome Who can perswade where treason is aboue reason and might wicke myght and it is had for lawfull whatsoeuer is lustfull and commeth coueniant better than Commissioners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is named commonwealth 〈◊〉 not broken his lawes disobeyed his Counsayle rebelles agaynst 〈◊〉 And what is the common wealth woorth when the lawe which is indifferent for 〈◊〉 shall dewilfully and spitefully broken of headstrong men that 〈◊〉 agaynste lawes to order lawes that those may take place not what the consent of wise men hath appoynted but what the luste of Rebelles hath determined What with â—â—â—nesse is in yll seruaunts wickednesse in vnnaswell children sturdinesse in vnrulye subiectes crueltie in fierce enimies wildenesse in beastly mindes pryde in disâ—…infull heartes that floweth nowe in you whiche haue fledde from houses conspiracies to encamped robberies and are better contented to suffer famin colde trauayle to glut your lustes than to liue in quitnesse to saue the commonwelthe and thinke more libertie in wilfulnesse than wisedome in dutiefulnesse and so come head-long not to the mischiefe of other but to the destruction of your selues and vndoe by follie that yee intende by mischiefe neyther seeing howe to remedie that ye iudge faultie nor willing to saue your selues from miserie which â—â—â—nesse cannot doe but honestie of obedience must frame If authoritie woulde serue vnder a King the counsayle haue greatest authoritie if wisedome and grauitie might take place they bee of moste experience if knowledge of the common wealth coulde helpe they must by dayly conscience of matters vnderstande is best yet neither the authoritie that the kings Maiestie hath giuen them nor the grauitie which you knowe to be in them nor the knowledge which with great trauail they haue gotten can moue ye eyther to keepe you in the duetie ye ought to doe or to auoyde the great disorder wherein ye be For where disobedience is thought stoutnesse and sullennesse is counted manhoode and stomaking is courage and prating is iudged wysedome and the ciuishest is most meete to rule howe can other iust authoritie be obeied or sad counsaile be folowed or good knowledge of matters be hearde or commaundements of counsailours bee considered And how is the King obeied whose wisest bee withstanded the disobedientest obeyed the high in authoritie not waied the vnskilfullest made chiefe Captaines to the noblest most hurte intended the braggingest brawler to be most safe And euen as the viler partes of the bodie wold contende in knowledge and gouernment with the fiue wittes so doth the lower partes of the common wealth enterprise as highe a matter to stryue agaynste their duetye of obedyence to the counsaile But what talke I of disobedience so quietly hath not suche mad rages runne in youre heades that forsaking and brustyng the quietenesse of the common peace ye haue haynouslye and Traiterously encamped your selfe in field and there like a byle in a bodie nay like a sinke in a Town haue gathered togither all the nastie vagabondes and ydle loyterers to beare armour againste him with whom all godly and good subiects will true and dye withall If it be a faulte when two fight togither and the kings peace broken punishment to be sought therefore can it be but an outragious and a detestable mischiefe when so many Rebelles to number malicious in minde mischieuous in enterprise fight not among themselues but against al the kings true and obedient subiects and seeke to proue whether rebellion maye beare downe honestie and wickednesse may ouercome truth or no If it be treason to speake haynouslye of the kings maiestie who is not hurt therby and the infamye retourneth to the speaker againe what kinde of outragious and horrible treason is it to assemble in camp an armie against him and so not onely intende an ouerthrow to him and also to his common welth but also to call him into an infamie through all outward and strange nations and perswade them that he is hated of his people whom he can not rule and that they bee no better than villaines whyche will not wyth good orders bee ruled What deathe can bee deuised cruell ynoughe for those rebelles who with trouble seeketh deathe and can not quenche the thirst of their rebellion but with the bloude of true Subiectes and hatcthe the Kinges merciful pardon when they miserablye haue transgressed and in such an outrage of myschyefe wyll not by stubburnenesse acknowledge themselues to haue faulted but entendeth to broste the common welth with the same of their treason and as much as lyeth in them not onely to anoy themselues but to destroye all other He that is miscontented wyth thinges that happen and bycause hee can not beare the miserie of them renteth hys heare and teareth his skinne and mangleth his face whiche easeth not his sorrowe but encreaseth hys miserie maye hee not bee iustely called madde and fantasticall and worthie whose wisedome shoulde be suspected And what shall we say of them who beeing in the common wealth feeling a sore grieuous vnto theÌ„ and easie to haue bin amended sought not the remedy but hathe increased the griefe and like frantick beasts raging against their heade doth teare deface as muche as lyeth in them his whole authoritie in gouernment and violeÌ„tly taketh to themselues that rule on them whiche hee by pollicie hathe graunted vnto other And who waying well the heauinesse of the faulte maye not iustelye saye and holde them to bee worse herein than anye kinde of brute Beastes For wee see that the sheepe wylt obey the Sheephearde and the nete bee ruled by the Neâ—…ehearde and the horse will knowe his keeper and the Dogge will be in awe of his Maister and euery one of them feede there and of that as hys keeper and ruler dothe appoint hym and goeth from thence and that as hee is forbidden by his ruler And yet wee haue not hearde of that anye hearde or companye of these haue rysen agaynste their heardman or gouernour but bee alwayes contented not onely to obey them but also to suffer them to take profite of them And wee see furthermore that all heardes and all sortes bee more egee in fiercenesse agaynste all kynde of straungers than they bee againe their owne rulers