against their willes And the occasion as some think was for that he was no great friende to the Cleargie And yet vndoubtedly his deedes shew he hadde a zeale to ReligioÌ„ as it was then accompted for he fouÌ„ded the Abbey of Beaulean in the new forrest as it were in recompence of certayne Parishe Churches which to enlarge the same forrest he caused to be throwen downe and demolished Hee also buylded the Monasterie of Farendon and the Abbey of Hales in Shropshire Also he repared Godstow where his fathers concubine Rosamond lay enterred Likewise he was no small benefactor to the Minster of Liechfielde in Staffordshire Likewise to the Abbey of Crokesden in the same shire and to the Chappell at Knatesburgh in Yorkshire So that to say what I thinke hee was not so voyde of deuotion towards the Churche as dyuers of his enimies haue reported who of meere purpose conceale all his vertues and hide none of his vices but are plentifull ynough in setting foorthe the same to the vttermost and interprete all hys doyngs and sayings to the worst as may appeare to those that aduisedly reade the workes of them that write the order of hys lyfe Mat. Pâ—… Polidor alii whych may seeme rather an inuectiue than a true history Albeeit syth we cannot come by the trueth of things through the malice of Writers wee must contente oure selues with this vnfrieÌ„dly description of his time Certaynely it shoulde seeme the man hadde a princely heart in him and wanted nothing but faithful subiectes to haue wroken himselfe of such wrongs as were done and offered to him by the French Kyng and others Moreouer the pride and pretenced authoritie of the Cleargie he could not well abide wheÌ„ they went about to wrast out of his hands the prerogatiue of his princely rule and gouernemente True it is that to maynteyne his warres whych he was forced to take in hand as wel in Fraunce as else where he was constreyned to make all the shift hee coulde deuise to recouer money and bycause he pinched at theyr purses they conceyued no small hatred against him which when he perceyued and wanted peraduenture discretion to passe it ouer hee discouered now and then in hys rages hys immoderate displeasure as one not able to bridle his affections a thing very hard in a stout stomacke and thereby he missed nowe and then to compasse that which otherwise he might very well haue broughte to passe 〈◊〉 Paris It is written that he meant to haue become feodarse for maintenaunce sake agaynste hys owne disloyall subiectes and other his aduersaries vnto Miramumeline the great Kyng of the Sarazens but for the trueth of this reporte I haue little to say and therefore I leaue the credite thereof to the Authors It is reported lykewise that in time when the Realme stoode interdited as he was abroade to hunt one day it chaunced that there was a great Stagge or Hart killed whiche when he came to be broken vp prooued to be very fatte and thycke of flesh oh sayth hee what a pleasant lyfe thys Deare hathe ledde and yet in all hys dayes hee neuer hearde Masse To conclude it may seeme that in some respectes hee was not greatly superstitious and yet not voyde of a religious zeale towardes the mayntenaunce of the Cleargie as by his bountifull liberalitie bestowed in buyldyng of Abbeyes and Churches as before yee haue hearde it may partly appeare There lyued in hys dayes many learned men as Geffrey Vinesaufe Simon Fraxinus alias Asch Adamus Dorensis Gualter de Constantijs first Bishop of Lincolne and after Archbyshop of Rouen Iohn de Oxeford Colman surnamed Sapiens Richard Canonicus William Peregrine Ilane Teukesbury Simon Thuruaye who beeing an excellente Philosopher but standing too much in his owne conceyt vppon a suddayne dyd so forget all his knowledge in learning that he became the most ignorant of all other a punishment as was thought appoynted to hym of God for suche blasphemies as he hadde wickedly vttered both against Moises Christ Geruasius Dorobernensis Iohn Hanwill Bale Nigel Woreker Gilbert de Hoyland Benet de Peterburgh William Parbus a Monke of Newburgh Roger Houeden Huberte Walter firste Bishop of Salesbury and after Archbyshoppe of Caunterbury Alexander Theologus of whome ye haue heard before Geruasius Tilberiensis Siluester Giraldus Cambrensis who wrote many treatises Ioseph Deuonius Walter Mapis Radulfus de Diceto Gilbert Legley Mauritius Morganius Walter Morganius Iohn de Fordeham William Leicester Ioceline Brakeland Roger of Crowland Hugh White alias Candidus that wrote an history entituled Historia Petroburgensis Iohn de Saint Omer Adam Barking Iohn Gray an Historiographer and Byshop of Norwich Walter of Couentrie Radulphus Niger c. See Bale Scriptorum Britannia Centuria tertia Henry the thirde By this means it came to passe that his frendes greatly reioyced of these newes and manye of those whyche tyll that tyme hadde ayded the Frenchemen reuolted from them and in hope of pardon and rewarde tourned to king Henry It is reported by writers that amongst other thyngs as there were dyuers whiche withdrewe the hearts of the Englishemen from Lewes the consideration had of the confession which the vicount of Melune made at the houre of his death was the principall The order whereof in the later ende of the lyfe of king Iohn ye haue heard Truly how little good will inwardly Lewes and his Frenchemen bare towardes the Englishe nation it appeared sundry ways And first of all in that they had them in a maner in no regard or estimation at al but rather sought by all meanes to spoyle and keepe them vnder not sufferyng them to beare anye rule nor puttyng them in truste wyth the custodye of suche places as they had brought them in possession of SecoÌ„dly they called them not to councel so often as at the first they vsed to doe neyther dydde they proceede by theyr directions in their businesse as before they were accustomed Thirdly in all maner of theyr conuersation â—…e pride of Frenchmen â—…cureth them â—…ed neyther Lewes nor his Frenchmen vsed them so familiarly as at their first coÌ„ming but as their maner is shewing more loftie couÌ„tenances towardes them they greatly increased the indignation of the Englishe Lordes against them who myght euyll abyde to be so ouer ruled To conclude where greate promises were made at their entring into the lande they were slowe ynough in perfourmyng the same so as the expectation of the English barons was quite made voyde For they perceyued dayly that they were despised and scoffed at for their disloyaltie shewed towardes their owne naturall Prince hearyng nowe and then nyppes and tauntes openly by the Frenchemen that as they had shewed them selues false and vntrustye to theyr owne lawfull Kyng so they woulde not contynue anye long tyme trewe vnto a Straunger Thus all these thyngs layde togyther gaue occasion to the Englyshe Barons to remember themselues and to take iust occasion to reuolte vnto Kyng
their people◅ countrey And thus Cadwallo the most cruell enimie of the English name ended his life He was terrible both in nature countenance for the which cause they say the Brytaynes did afterwards set vp his Image that the same might bee a terrour to the enimies when they shoulde beholde it But here is to bee remembred by the Brytish Historie of Gal. Mon. it shoulde appeare that Cadwallo was not slaine at all but raigned victoriously for the space of .xlviij. yeares and then departed this life as in place afterwards it shall appeare But for that the contrarietie in wryters in such poyntes may sooner be perceyued than reformed to the satisfying of mennes fancies whiche are variable wee will leaue euery man to his libertie to thinke as seemeth him good noting now and then the diuersitie of suche wryters as occasion serueth Vpon confidence put in these his great vertues and vices from time that he was made king as though the whole Ile had beene due to him he thought not good to let any occasion passe that was offered to make warre as well agaynst his friendes and confederates as also agaynst hys owne sworne enimyes Part of his doings ye haue heard and more shall appeare hereafter Of the kings of the East Saxons and East Angles ye haue heard before of whom in places conuenient yee shall finde further mention also and so likewise of the kings of the South Saxons but bycause theyr kingdome continued not past fiue successions little remembrance of them is made by wryters Cadwallo or Cadwalline CAdwallo Cadwallo or Cadwalline or Cadwalline for we finde him so also named began his raigne ouer the Britains in the yere of our Lord .635 635 in the yeare of the raign of the Empero◅r Heraclius .35 and in the .xiij. yeare of Dagobert king of France Of this man ye haue heard partly before touching his dealings and warres agaynst the Northumbers and other of the English Nation but forsomuch as diuerse other things are reported of him by the Brytish wryters wee haue thought good in this place to rehearse the same in part as in Gal. Mon. we finde written leauing the credite still with the authour sith the truth thereof may the more be suspected bycause other Authours of good authoritie as Beda Henrie Huntington William Malm. and other seeme greatly to disagree from him herein But this is it written By this it should appeare that Fabian hath gathered amisse in the account of the raignes of the Brytish kings for it appeareth by Beda and others that Edwyn was slayne in the yeare of our Lorde .634 634 And where Fabian as before is sayd attrybuteth that acte diuerse other vnto Cadwan the father of this Cadwallo yet both Gal. Mon. and Beda with the most part of all other wryters signifie that it was done by Cadwallo Harding assigneth but .xiij. yeares vnto the raigne of Cadwan and declareth that he dyed in the yeare of our Lorde 6◅6 in the which yeare as he sayeth Cadwallo began his raigne which his opinion seemeth best to agree with that which is written by other authors But to returne to the other doings of Cadwallo as we finde them recorded in the Brytishe Hystorie After hee had got this victorie agaynste the Northumbers he cruelly pursued the Saxons as though he ment so farre as in him lay to destroye the whole race of them oute of the landes of all Brytayne ▪ and sending Penda agaynst King Oswalde that succeeded Edwin though at the first Penda receyued the ouerthrowe at Heauenfielde yet afterwardes Cadwallo hymselfe highlye displeased with that chaunce pursued Oswalde and fought with hym at a place called Bourne Oswald slaine where Penda slue the sayd Oswalde After that Oswalde was slayne his brother Osunus succeeded him in gouernment of the Northumbers and sought the fauour of Cadwallo now ruling as King ouer all Brytayne and at length by great gyftes of golde and siluer and vppon his humble submission hee obteyned peace tyll at length vpon a spyte Penda King of Mercia obteyned lycence of Cadwallo to make warres agaynst the sayde Osunus Oswy Math. VVest 654 in the which as it happened Penda himselfe was slaine Then Cadwallo after two yeres graunted that Vlfridus the sonne of Penda shoulde succeede in the kingdome of Mertia And thus Cadwallo ruled things at his appoyntment within this lande And finally when he had raigned .xlviij. yeares 678 676. sayth Mat. VVest hee departed thys lyfe the .xxij. of Nouember His bodie being embalmed and dressed with sweet confections was put into a brasen Image by maruellous arte melted and cast the whiche Image beeing set on a brasen Horse of excellente beautie the Brytaynes erected aloft vppon the West gate of London called Ludgat in signe of his victorious conquestes and for a terror to the Saxons And moreouer the Church of Saint Martine standing vnderneath the same gate was by the Brytains then builded Thus haue the Brytaynes made mention of theyr valiaunt Prince Cadwallo but diuerse men thinke that much of that Hystorie is but fables bycause of the dissonance founde therein so manifestly varying both from Beda and other autentike wryters as before I haue sayde The true hystorie of king Oswalde But nowe to the truth of the Hystorie touching Oswalde King of the Northumbers Oswald meaneth to bee thankfull to God for his benefites Beda li. 3. ca. 3.5.6 Hector Bo. wee finde after that he had tasted of Gods high fau◅r extended to hymwardes in vanquishing hys enimyes as one mynding to be thankfull therefore was desirous to restore agayne the Christian fayth through hys whole Kingdome ◅ore lamenting the decaye thereof wythin the same and therefore euen in the beginning of his raigne he sente vnto Donwalde the Scottishe King with whome hee had beene brought vp in tyme of his banishment the space of .xviij. yeares requiring him to haue some learned Scottish man sent vnto him skilfull in preaching the worde of lyfe that with godly Sermons and wholesome instructions hee might conuerte the people of Northumberland vnto the true and liuing God promising to entertaine him with such prouision as apperteyned At his instance there was sent vnto him one Corman a Clerke singularly well learned Corman and of great grauitie in behauiour but for that he wanted such facilitie and plaine vtterance by waye of gentle perswading as is requisite in him that shal instruct the simple onely setting forth in his Sermons high mysteries matters of such profound knowledge as vneth the verie learned might perceyue the perfect sense and meaning of his talke his trauaile came to small effect so that after a yeares remayning there he turned into his countrey declaring amongest his brethren of the cleargie that the people of Northumberlande was a froward stubburn stiffe harted generatiō whose minds he could not frame by any good meanes of perswasion to receiue the christian faith ▪ so that he iudged it lost labor to
were but very yong in yeres and not able for mariage yet to coÌ„passe his purpose that wayes forth he sente his ambassadors vnto the Lordes of Scotlande requiring to haue hir to wife and the realme withall as dewe vnto hir by good title and right of inheritance The lords after long deliberation herein had consented to his desire vnder these conditions that the realme should remain in all freedomes liberties without any kind of seruile subiection in the same maner and state as it was vsed in y e days of king Alexander last deceassed and other his noble progenitors and if it chaunced that no issue came of this mariage to succeede them then should the crowne returne by remaynder ouer to the next heires of king Alexander without any clayme or pretexte of title to bee made by kyng Edwarde or any of his successours in time to come Immediatly herewith two noble knights sir Iohn Scot of Albawore sir Iames Wemys were sent into Norway to fetche the bryde ouer into Scotlande but before their comming thyther The daughter of Norway deceasseth she was deceassed and so they returned backe into Scotland againe withoute effecte of their errande And thus by meanes of hir death all amitie and frendship betwixt Englishemen Scots ceassed The coÌ„tention betwixte the kinsmen of K. Alexander for the crowne Then began to ensue great trouble businesse in Scotland by reason of the contention whiche sprang betwixte the kinsemen of king Alexander for the title claym which they seuerally made and pretended to the crowne See more of this matter in the Englishe histories There were .iij. chiefly that semed by nerenesse of bloud to haue most right and therfore made most earnest suite in their claime Iohn Ballyol Robert Bruce and Iohn Hastings This Robert Bruce The auncestors of Robert le Bruce was sonne to the son of that Robert Bruce which maried Isabell the yoÌ„gest daughter of Dauid Erle of Huntington on whome he got a son named also Robert that maried the inheritor of Carryn as the haue shewed before whose some this Robert Bruce was The lyue of the Ballyoâ—…̄e with his title to the crowne that how claimed the crown Iohn Bâ—…shol came of Margaret eldest daughter to the foresaid Dauid 〈◊〉 of Huntington 〈…〉 lorde of Gallowaye which marryed the sayde Margarete begot on hit two daughters of the which the eldest named Derwogil was giuen in mariage vnto the Iohn Ballyol father vnto this Iohn Ballyoll y e thâ—â—â— made clayme to the crowne alledging that 〈◊〉 so much as he was come of the eldest daughter of Earle Dauid the brother of king William hee ought by reson to be repused as next â—…eile to the same king William sith none other person afirm approched so neare vnto him in bloud On the other syde Roberte Bruce The title of Robert Bruce albeeit hee was descended of the youngest daughter â—…o Earle Dauid yet was he â—…ome of the firste issue male for his father was first borne and therefore if king William had deceassed without issue the crowne had descended vnto him for which consideration Hastings he mainteyned that he ought nowe to be preferred Hastings also for his part bycause hee was come of the yongest daughter of king Dauid maryed to his father Henrie Hastings wanted not allegations to propone why he ought to be admitted Besides these there were other also that made claim to the crowne of Scotland and had matter sufficieÌ„t to mainteyn their sute This controuersie being brought before the gouernors was at sundry times argued with much coÌ„tention not without the assistance of the nobles fauoring the parties as occasion of frendship or kynred moued them The doubt of the gouernors namely Ballyol Bruce had no small nuÌ„ber y e leaned vnto their parts by reason wherof y e gouernors were in doubt to proceed to any definite senteÌ„ce in the mater lest if they declared one of theÌ„ king and other wold atteÌ„pt to vsurpe the crowne by force Herevpon they iudged it best to refer the decision of all this whole mater vnto some mightye king whiche was of puissance able to constrayne the parties repugnant to obey his sentence Herevnto was none thought so meete as Edward king of EnglaÌ„d therfore they chose him who taking the charge vpon him as compete at iudge promised by a certayne daye to come vnto Barwike willing that their counsell might be assembled there against that time At his comming thither at the day assigned and hauing hearde what coulde be sayd on eache part The title doubtfull and throughly considering at length theyr allegations he perceyued the same doubtfull and required a longer time to discusse y e troth by good aduise of counsel therfore required to haue .xij. ScottishmeÌ„ y e best lerned most skilful lawyers of al the realme to be associate with .xiv. English men whiche he promised to choose foorthe of the most perfect and wyâ—…eâ—â— cleâ—â—es that myght bee founde within all his dominions to the in tâ—â—te that by their ripe aduised debating of the matter the trouth might appeare according to the whiche he mynded to giue sentence without fauour eyther of one parte or other When all suche matters and proues as were proponed by the parties alleged by them for furtherance of their titles were put in writing as matter of recorde he returned backe agayne into Englande This report of the Scottishe writers smelleâ—â— altogether of malice conceyued against him for that he scourged them so yeare for their â—â—â—oths Here the Scottishe writers reporte that king Edwarde vsed himselfe nothing vprightly in this matter but accordingly as it often happeneth had the eyes of his conscience blynded vppon hope to gayne somewhat by this credit thus to him coÌ„mitted But how vniustly he is slaundered in this behalfe I leaue to the indifferente readers to consider by conferring that whith the Scottes doe write thereof with that which is to be founde in our Englishe historie But to proceede as we fynd it in the Scottish writers king Edward to be satisfied in knowledge of the truth sent into France for men lerned of great experieÌ„ce in the lawes that he might haue their opinions in the demandes of y e parties for their doutfull rightes But sayth Hector Boetius he first coÌ„maunded them in no wise to agree vpon any resolute poynte but rather to varie in opinions that when the plea should seme doubtfull by reason of their contrarietie in deciding thereof he mighte the better vnder that colour giue iudgement with which parte he thought most expedient to serue his purpose Respect of persons in deciding controuersies is not to be considered Howbeit the most parte of the lawyees iudged with Robert Bruce both for the worthines of his person and also for that hee was come of the fyrst issue male But some there were that gaue sentence with Iohn Ballyole for that he was descended of the
whyther came to him William the Scottishe king wyth his brother Dauid to welcom him home and to congratulate his happie successe in his businesse on the further syde the seas They were honourably entertained and at their departure princely rewarded The King beeyng returned thus into Englande punished the Sheriffes of the lande right grieuously for their extortion brybery and rapine After this A prudent consideratioÌ„ in the king studying howe to assure the estate of the Realme vnto his sonnes vpon good consideration remembring that no liuing creature was more subiecte to the vncertayntie of death than Adams heires Mans nature ambicious and that there is ingrafted suche a feruent desyre in the ambitions nature of man to gouerne that so ofte as they once come in hope of a kingdome they are without regard eyther of right or wrong God or deuyll tyll they be in possession of theyr desyred pray Hee thought it not the worst poynt of wysedome to foresee that whyche myghte happen for if hee shoulde chaunce to departe thys lyfe and leaue his sonnes young and not able to maynteyne warres through lacke of knowledge it myght fortune them thorough the ambition of some to be defrauded and disappoynted of theyr lawfull inheritaunce Therefore to preuente the chaunces of fortune he determined whylest hee was alyue to crowne his eldest sonne Henry being nowe of the age of .xvij. yeares and so to inueste hym in the kingdome by his owne acte in his lyfe tyme which died turned hym to much trouble as after shall appeare Thus being vpon this poynt resolued he calleth togyther a parliament of the nobles bothe spirituall and temporall at London Rog. HouedeÌ„ and there on Saint Bartholomews daye proclaymed his sayd sonne Henry fellowe with hym in the kyngdome whome after this on the Sundaye followyng beyng the fourtenth daye of Iune 1170. Henrye the son crovvned the 18. of Iuly hath Math. Paris Roger the Archbishoppe of Yorke dyd crowne accordyng to the manner commaunded so to doe by the kyng Thys office appertayned vnto the Archbishoppe of Canterbury but bycause he was banished the Realme the Kyng appoynted the Archbishoppe of Yorke to doe it which he ought not to haue done without licence of the Archebyshop of Canterbury within the precincte of his prouince VVil. Paruus as was alledged by the Archbyshop Becket who complayned thereof vnto Pope Alexander and so incensed the Pope that hee beyng hyghly moued by his letters forbad not only the Archbishop of Yorke The Archebishop of Yorke is to bâ—…ddeÌ„ the vse of the Sacramentes but also Gilberte Bishoppe of London and Iocelyn Bishop of Salisburye which were presente at the Coronation the vse of the Sacramentes whiche made king Henry farre more displeased wyth the Archebishoppe Thomas than he was before Mat. Paris Polidore The king become seruatour to his sonne Vpon the day of the Coronation king Henry the father serued hys sonne at the Table as sewer bringing vp the Bores head with trumpettes afore it accordyng to the maner For the whiche the yong man conceyuing a pride in his hearte Honors change manners beheld the standers by with a more stately countenaunce than he had bin wonte Whervpon the Archebishoppe of Yorke whiche sat by hym turnyng vnto hym sayde Be glad my good sonne there is not an other Prince in the worlde that hath suche a sewer at his table To this the newe king answered Yong men set 〈…〉 dignitie 〈◊〉 forget 〈…〉 â—…eâ—…uce as it were disdainfully thus Why doest thou maruell at that My father in doing it thinketh it not more thaÌ„ becommeth him that he being borne of princely bloud onely on the mothers syde serueth mee that am borne hauyng both a Kyng to my father and a Queene to my mother Thus the yong man of an euill and peruerse nature was puffed vp in pryde by his fathers vnseemely dooings But the Kyng hys father hearyng his talke was right sorrowfull in his mynde and sayde to the Archbishoppe softlye in his eare It repenteth meâ—…̄ it repenteth mee my Lorde that I haue thus aduaunced the boy For he guessed hereby what a one he woulde proue afterwarde that shewed himselfe so disobediente and frowarde already But although he was displeased with hym self in that he had done euyll yet nowe when that whyche was done coulde not bee vndoone he caused all the nobles and lords of the realme togither with the king of Scots and his brother Dauid to do homage vnto his sayde sonne thus made fellow with hym in the kingdome but he would not release them of theyr othe of allegiance wherin they stoode bounde to obeye him the father so long as he lyued Yet there hee that write that hee renounced his estate firste afore all the Lordes of the land and after caused his sonne to be crowned â–ª but in suche vncertayne poyntes set foorth by parciall wryters that is to be receyued as a truth which is confirmed by the order and sequele of thyngs after done and put in practise For trouthe it is that kyng Henry the father so long as his sonne lyued did shewe himselfe sometyme as fellowe with his son in gouernmeÌ„t somtime as absolute kyng And after his sons decease he continued in the entier gouernment so long as he lyued But to proceede The Frenche kyng hearyng that hys sonne in lawe was thus crowned and not his daughter the wyfe of Henry the sonne The Frenche king offended he was highly offended therewith and threatened to make warre against kyng Henry the father excepte hys daughter Margarete myghte receyue the Crowne also as Queene immediately The cause why she was not crowned was by reason of hir yong yeares and had not as yet companyed with hir husbande But king Henrye the Father vnderstandyng the Frenche kyngs threates sayled ouer into Normandye where whylest they prepare for warre on bothe sydes by the earneste diligence of Theobalde Earle of Bloys An entervevve of the kings Rog. Houedeâ—… bothe the Kyngs come to an entervewe at Vendosme where at length they were accorded vppon promyse made by kyng Henrye that he woulde cause his sonne to bee crowned agayne and wyth hym his wyse the sayde Margarete the Frenche kings daughter The Frenche kyng contented therewyth departed homewardes and kyng Henry retournyng came to Vernon where hee fell into so great a sickenesse that anone it was bruted thoroughout In deede he him selfe was in suche dispayre of yfe He made his testament that he made his Testament wherein he â—…ssigned his sonne Richard the Duchie of Aquitayne and all those landes which came by Queene Elianor the mother of the same Richard R. Houe And to his sonne Geffrey he bequeathed Britaigne with the daughter of Earle Conan the which he had purchased to his vse of the French kyng And to his sonne Kyng Henry he gaue the Duchie of Normandy and all those landes which came by his father Geffrey Earle of Anion And to his youngest
parte of his army wyth Horses and Carriages so that it was iudged to bee a punishmente appoynted by God that the spoyle whyche hadde bene gotten and taken out of Churches Abbeys and other Religious houses shoulde perishe and be lost by suche meanes togither with the spoylers Yet the Kyng hymselfe â—…t Paris â—…t VVest and a fewe other escaped the violence of the waters by following a good guide But as some haue written hee tooke suche griefe for the losse susteyned at thys passage that immediately therevppon hee fell into an agewe â—…g Iohn â—…eth ficke of â—…gewe Mat. Paris the force and heate whereof togither with his immoderately feeding of rawe Peaches and drinking of newe Syder so increased his sicknesse that he was not able to ryde but was fayne to be carried in a litter presently made of twigges with a couche of Strawe vnder him without anye bedde or pillow thynking to haue gone to Lincolne but the disease still so raged and grew vpon him that hee was inforced to stay one nyght at the Castell of Laford â—…ord â—…th VVest â—…t Paris and on the next day with great payne he caused hymselfe to bee carried vnto Newarke where in the Castell through anguishe of mynd rather than through force of sicknesse â—…g Iohn â—…arted thys 〈◊〉 he departed thys lyfe the nyghte before the nineteenth day of October in the yeare of his age fiftie and one and after hee had raigned seauen yeares sixe monethes and seuen and twentie dayes There be whiche haue written that after hee had lost hys army hee shoulde come vnto the Abbey of Swyneshead in Lincolneshire and there vnderstanding the cheapenesse and plentie of corne shewed hymselfe greatly displeased therewith as he that for the hatred whiche he bare to the Englishe people that had so trayterously reuolted from hym vnto his aduersarie Lewes wished all miserie to lighte vppon them and therevpon sayde in hys anger that hee woulde cause all manner grayne to be at a farre higher price ere many dayes shoulde passe Wherevppon a Monke that heard hym speake suche wordes being moued with zeale for the oppression of hys Countrey â—…ns Cro. gaue the Kyng poyson in a cuppe of Ale whereof hee fyrste tooke the assaye to cause the Kyng not to suspect the matter and so they both dyed in manner at one time â—…n There are that write howe one of hys owne seruauntes dyd conspire with a conuert of that Abbey and that they prepared a dishe of peares whyche they poysoned three if the whole number excepted whyche dishe 〈◊〉 sayde conuerte presented vnto hym and then the Kyng suspected them to be poysons indeede by reason that such precious stones as he hadde about cast soorth a certayne sweate as it were bewraying the poison hee compelled the sayde conuerte to fast and eate some of them who â—…nowing the three peares whych were not poysond tooke and eate those three whych when the Kyng had seene he coulde no longer absteyne buâ—…â—…ell too and eate greedily of the rest and so â—…d the same nyghte neyther any hurte chaunced â—…o the conuert who thorough helpe of suche as â—…e no good will to the Kyng founde shift to escape and conueyed himselfe away from daunger of receâ—…ing due punishmente for so wicked a deede But verily touching the manner of his deaâ—… there is great diuersitie among Writers The variable reâ—…ortes of wâ—…ers concerning the death of King Iohn For besyde these reportes whyche ye haue hearde there are other that write howe hee dyed of surfeting in the nyghte as Raufe Niger some of a bloudy flixe as one hathe that writeth an addition vnto Roger Houeden And Raufe Cogheshall sayeth that comming to Lynne where he appoynted Sauary de Mauleon to be Captayne and to take order for y e fortifying of that towne hee tooke a surfet there of immoderate dyet and withall fell into a laske and after hys laske had left hym at hys commyng to Laford in Linsey hee was let bloud and to increase hys other griefes and sorrowes for the losse of his carriage iewels men in passing ouer the washes whych troubled hym sore there came vnto him messengers from Hubert de Burgh and Gerard de Sotegam Captaynes of Douer Castell aduertising him that they were not able to resist the forcible assaultes and engines of the enimies if speedy succoures came not to them in tyme. Hereof his greefe of mynde beyng doubled so as hee myghte seeme euen oppressed with sorrow the same increassed hys disease so vehemently that within a small tyme it made an ende of hys lyfe as before yee haue hearde The menne of warre that serued vnder hys ensignes beeyng for the more parte hyred Souldiers and straungers came togyther and marching foorthe with his body eache man with hys armour on hys backe in warlike order conueyed it vnto Worcetor where hee pompously was buryed in the Cathedrall Churche before the hygh Aulter not for that hee had so appointed as some write Bernewell but bycause it was thought to be a place of most suretie for the Lordes and other of hys friendes there to assemble and to take order in their businesse nowe after hys deceasse Bycause he was somewhat fatte and corpulente his bowels vere taken foorth of his body and buried at Crâ—…ton Abbey a house of MoÌ„ks of the order called Premonstratensis in Staffordshire The Abbot of which house was his Phisition He had issue by his wife Queene Isabell two sonnes Henry who succeeded him in the Kyngdome and Richard with three daughters Ioane married to Alexander Kyng of Scotlande Isabell coupled in matrimony with the Emperoure Fredericke the seconde and Eleanor whome William Earle of Glowcester had to wife Hee had also another daughter as some haue lefte in writing called also Eleanor Hee was comely of stature but of lookes and countenaunce displeasant and angry somewhat cruell of nature as by the writers of hys time he is noted and not so hardy as doubtfull in time of perill and daunger But this seemeth to be an enuious report vttered by those that were giuen to speake no good of hym whome they inwardly hated But yet there be that giue this witnesse of him as the author of the booke of Bernewell Abbey and other that he was a great and mighty Prince but yet not very fortunate not vnlike altogither to Marius the noble Romayne tasting of fortune both wayes bountifull and liberall vnto Strangers but of his owne people for their dayly treasons practised towardes hym he was a great oppressour so that hee trusted more to forreyners than to them and therefore in the ende he was of them vtterly forsaken Verely who soeuer shall consider the course of the history written of thys Prince hee shall fynde that he hath bin little beholden to y e Writers of that time in which he liued for vnneth caÌ„ they aford him a good word except wheÌ„ y e trueth enforceth them to come out with it as it were
far of froÌ„ crediting the same that he would not beleue it vntil he saw the coffin open wherein the bones of the aforesaid prince did rest To be short therefore he caused his souldiers to cast downe the hil made somtime ouer the tombe and finding the bodie in the bottome after the measure thereof taken he sawe it manifestly to be 60. cubits in length which were ten more then the people made accompt of Philostrate in Heroices sayth Philostrate how he sawe the body of a Gyant 30. cubits in length also the carkasse of another of 22. and the thirde of 12. Plinie telleth of an Earthquake at Creta Lib. 7. which discouered the body of a Gyant which was 46. cubits in length after the Romaine standerde and by dyuers supposed to be the bodye of Orion or Aetion Trallianus writeth howe the Athenienses digging on a time in the grounde to laye the foundatioÌ„ of their new walles in the dayes of an Emperour Trallianus did finde the bones of Macrosyris in a coffin of harde stone of 10. cubites in length after the accompt of the Romaine cubite which was then a foote and an halfe not much diffrence from halfe a yarde of our measure nowe in Englande In the time of Hadriane themperour the body of a Gyaunt was take vp at Messana conteining 20. foote in length hauing a double row of téeth yet standing whole in his chaps In Dalmatia manye graues were shaken open with an earthquake in one of which aboue the rest a carcasse was found whose ribbe conteined 16. elles after the Romaine measure whereby y e whole body was iudged to be 64. sith y e loÌ„gest rib is coÌ„monly about y e fourth part of a man as some SimmetricieÌ„s affirme Arrhianê° saith that in the time of Alexander the bodies of y e Asianes were generally of huge stature and commonly of 5. cubits such was the height of Porus of Inde whome Alexander vanquished and ouerthrew in battaile Sudas speaketh in like maner of Ganges killed likewise by the sayd prince who farre excéeded Porus for he was 10. cubits loÌ„g But of al these this one example shall passe which I doe reade also in Trallianus he setteth downe in forme and manner following I mouth of 16. foote wide In the daies of Tiberius themperor saith he a corps was left bare or layde open after an erthquake of which eche tooth coÌ„teined 12. ynches ouer at y e lest now forasmuch as in such as bée full mouthed eche chap hath 16. teeth at the least which is 32. in y e whole néedes must the wydenesse of this mannes chappes be sixetéene foote and the opening of his lippes 10. A large mouth in mine opinion and not to féede with Ladies of my time besides that if occasion serued it was able to receiue the whole bodye of a man I meane of such as flourish in our daies WheÌ„ this careasse was thus founde euery man marueyled at it and good cause why a messenger also was sente vnto Tiberius themperour to know his pleasure A couÌ„terfeete made of a monstrous carcasse by one tooth taken out of y e head whether he wold haue the same brought euer vnto Rome or not but he forbade them willing his Legate not to remooue the deade out of his resting place but rather to sende him a tooth out of his head which being done he gaue the same to a cunning workeman commanding him to shape a carcasse of light matter after the proporcion of the tooth that at the least by such meanes he might satisfie his curious minde and the fantasies of such as are delited with newes This man was more fauorable to this moÌ„ster then our papists were to the bodies of the dead who tare them in péeces to make money of theÌ„ To be short wheÌ„ the ymage was once made and set vp an end it appeared rather an huge collossy then the true representation of the carcasse of a man and when it had stande in Rome vntill the people were wearye of it and thorowly satisfied with the sight thereof he caused it to bée broken all to péeces and the tooth sent againe to the carcasse from whence it came willing them moreouer to couer it diligently in any wise not to dismeÌ„ber the corps nor from thencefoorth to bée so hardie as to open the sepulchre any more I could rehearse many mo examples of the bodies of such men out of Solinus Sabellicus Cooper and other but these here shall suffise to prooue my purpose with all I might tell you in like sorts of the stone which Turnus threwe at Aeneas which was such as that 12. chosen and picked men Qualia nunc hominum producit corpora tellus Vis vnitâ—… fortior est eadem diâ—…persa were not able to sturre and remooue out of the place but I passe it ouer diuers of the like concluding that these huge blockes were ordeined and created by God first for a testimonie vnto vs of his power and myght secondly for a confirmation that hugenesse of bodye is not to be accompted of as a part of our felicitie sith they which possessed y e same were not onely tyrauntes doltysh and euyll men but also oftentimes ouercome euen by the weake and féeble Finally they were such in déede as in whome the Lorde delited not according to the saying of the Prophet Baruch Ibi fuerunt gigantes nominati illi qui ab initio fuerunt statura magna scientes bellum Cap. 3. â—… hos non elegit dominus neque illis viam disciplinae dedit propterea perierunt quoniam noÌ„ habuerunt sapientiam interierunt propter suam insipientiam c. There were the Gyants famous from the beginning that were of so great stature so expert in warre Those did not the Lorde choose neither gaue he the way of knowledge vnto them But they were destroied because they had no wisedome and perished through their owne foolishnesse Of the generall Language vsed from time to time in Britaine Chap. 5. WHat language came first wyth Samothes afterwarde with Albion Bryttish the Gyants of his coÌ„panie Small difference betwene brittish Celtike languagâ—… it is hearde for me to determine sith nothing of sound credit remayneth in writing which maye resolus vs in the truth hereof yet of so much are we certeine that the speach of y e auncient Britons and of the Celtes had great affinitie one with another so that they were either all one or at the leastwyse such as eyther nation wyth smal helpe of interpreters might vnderstand other and readily discerne what the speaker did meane The Brittish tongue doth yet remayne in that part of the Islande Brittish corrupted by the Latine and Saxon speaches which is nowe called Wales whether the Britons were driueÌ„ after the Saxons had made a full conquest of the other which we nowe call Englande although the pristinate integritie therof be not
princes of Norway helde those Islandes so long vnder their subiection albeit they were otherwyse reputed rather to belong vnto Irelande bycause that the very soyle of them is enemie to poyson as some write although for my part I had neuer experience of the truth herof And thus much haue I thought good to speake of these fiue languages nowe vsually spoken within the limites of our Islande Into how many kingdomes the Isle of Britaine hath bene deuided at once in olde time Cap. 6. Britaine at the first one entier kingdome IT is not to be doubted but that at the first the whole Islande was ruled by one onely prince and so continued from time to time vntill ciuile discorde grounded vpon ambitions desire to reigne caused the same to be gouerned by diuers And this I meane so wel of the time before the comming of Brute as after the extinction of his whole race and posterity Howbeit as it is incerteine into how many regions it was seuered after the first particion so it is most sure that this latter disturbed estate of regiment continued in the same not onely vntill the time of Caesar but also in maner vnto the dayes of Lucius with whome the whole race of the Britons had an ende and the Romaynes full possessioÌ„ of this Islande who gouerned it by Legates after the maner of a prouince It should seme also y t within a whyle after the time of Dunwallon who rather brought those 4. Princes that vsurped in his tyme to obedience then extinguished their titles and such partition as they had made of the Islande among theÌ„selues eche great citie had hir fréedome and seuerall kinde of regiment proper vnto hir selfe beside a large circuite of the country appertinent vnto the same wherin were sundrye other cities also of lesse name which ought homage all subiection vnto the greater sorte And to say truth hereof it came to passe that eache region whereinto this Islande was than deuided tooke his name of some one of these as many appeare by that of the Trinobantes which was so called of Trinobantum the chiefe citie of that portion whose Territories contayned all Essex Middlesex and part of Hertforde shire euen as the iurisdictioÌ„ of the Bishop of London is now exteÌ„ded for the ouersight of such things as belong vnto the Church Eche of the gouernours also of these regions called themselues kings and therevnto eyther of them dayly made warre vpon other for the inlarging of their limites But forasmuch as I am not able to saye howe many dyd chalenge this authoritie at once and howe long they reigned ouer their seuerall portions I will passe ouer these auncient times and come néerer vnto our owne I meane the 600. yere of Christ wherof we haue more certayne notice at which season there is euident proofe that there were 12. or 13. kinges reigning in this Islande We finde therefore for the first Wales dâ—…uided 〈◊〉 thrée kingdomes howe that Wales had hir thrée seuerall kingdomes although that portion of the Islande extended in those dayes no farder theÌ„ about 200. miles in length one hundred in bredth and was cut from Lhoegres by the riuers Sauerne Dée of which two streames this doth fall into the Irish sea at Chester the other into the mayne Oceane betwixt Somersetshire and Southwales as their seuerall courses doe witnesse more at large In the beginning it was deuided into two kingdomes onely that is to say Venedotia Gwinhed Gwinhed and Demetia for which we now vse most commonlye the names of South and North Wales but in processe of tyme a thirde sprange vp in the verye middest betwéene them both which from thenceforth was called Powysy as shal be shewed hereafter The first of these thrée being called as I sayd Northwales or Venedotia or as Paulus Venedotia Iouius saith Malfabrene for he deuideth wales also into thrée regions of whiche he calleth y e first Dumbera the seconde Berfrona the third Malfabrene lyeth directly ouer against y e Isle of Anglesey Anglesey It containeth 4. regions of which the sayde Island is the first wherof in the chapter insuing I wil intreate more at large Arfon The seconde is called Arfon and situate betwéene two ryuers the Segwy the Conwy Merioneth The thirde is Merioneth as it is seuered from Arfon by the Conwy so is it separated from Tegenia otherwyse called Stradcluyd Igenia the fourth regioÌ„ by the riuer Cluda Stradcluyd or Tegenia Finally the limits also of thys latter are extended also euen vnto the Dée it selfe and of these 4. Regions consisteth the kingdome of Venedotia wherof in times past the region of the Canges was not the smallest portion Powisy The kingdome of Powisy last of all erected as I sayde hath on the north side Gwinhed on the East from Chester to Hereforde or rather the Deane forest Englande on the south and west the ryuer Wy and very highe hilles whereby it is notablye seuered from Southwales the chiefe citie thereof being Shropshyre that nowe is inhabited with méere English and where in olde time the kinges of Powysy dyd dwell and holde their pallaces Vpon the limits of this kingdome and not farre from Holt castell vpon eache side of the riuer as the chanell nowe runneth stoode sometime the famous Monastery of BaÌ„gor Bangor whylest the abated glory of the Britons yet remayned vnextinguished herin were 2100. monkes of which the learned sort dyd preache the Gospell and the vnlearned laboured with their hands therby to mainteyne themselues and to sustaine their preachers This Region was in lyke sort deuided afterward in twaine of which the one was called Mailor or Mailrosse the other retayned still hir olde denomination of these the first lay by south and the latter by north of the Sauerne whereof let this suffice sith mine intent is not as nowe to make any precise descriptioÌ„ of the particulars of Wales but onely to shewe howe those regions laye which sometime were knowen to be gouerned in that countrey The third kingdome is Demetia Demetia or Southwales sometime knowen for the region of the Syllures wherevnto I also am perswaded that the Ordolukes lay in the East part thereof and extended their region euen vnto the Sauerne but howsoeuer that matter falleth out Demetia hath the Sauerne on hir south the Irish sea on hir west partes on the east the Sauerne only and by North the land of Powysy whereof I spake of late Of this region also Caermarden which the olde writers call Maridunum was the chiefe pallace vntill at the last thorowe forren and ciuill inuasions of enimies that the Princes thereof were constrayned to remooue theyr courts to Dinefar which is in Cantermawr and situate neuerthelesse vppon the same ryuer Tewye whereon Cairmarden standeth where it is farre better defended with high hilles thicke wooddes craggy rockes and déepe marises In this region also lyeth Pembroke
also on the toppe but these are gone and the rest remayneth equall in most places with the fields The yelow grauell also that was brought thether in cartes 2000. yeares passed remayned there so fresh and so stroÌ„g as if it had bene digged out of y e natural place where it grew not many yeares before FroÌ„ hence it goeth hard by Margate leauyng it on the west side and a little by south of this place where the Priory stoode is a long thorow fare vpon the sayd stréete méetely well builded for low housing on both sides After this it not onely becommeth a bound vnto Leicestershire toward Lugby but also passeth from Castleford to Stamforde and so forth by the west of Marton which is a myle from Torkesey Here by the waye I must touche the opinion of a traueyler of my tyme who noteth the sayde streate to go another waye insomuch that he would haue it to crosse the third Auon betwixt Newton and Dowbridge so go on to Binforde bridge Wibtoâ—â— the highe crosse and thence to Atherston vpon Ancre Certes it maye be that the Fosse had his course by the countrye in such sort as hée describeth but that y e Watling streat should passe by AtherstoÌ„ I can not as yet be persuaded Neuerthelesse his coniecture is not to be misliked sith it is not vnlikelye that thrée seuerall wayes myght méete at Alderwaye a towne vpon Tame beneath Salters bridge for I do not doubt that the sayd towne dyd take his name of all three wayes as Aldermary churche in London did of all thrée Maryes vnto whome it hath béene dedicated but that the Watling streate shoulde be one of them the compasse of his passage will in no wise permit And thus much haue I thought good to note by the waye nowe to returne agayne to Leland and other mens collections The next tydings that we here of the Watlyng streate is that it goeth thorowe the Parke at Pomfret as the common voyce of the country confirmeth theÌ„ce it passeth hastily ouer Castelford bridg to Aberford which is fiue myles from thence where are most manifest tokens of thys waye and his broad crest to Yorke to Witherby then to Borowbrig where on the left hand therof stood certain monumentes or Pyramides of stone sometyme placed there by the Romaines These stones sayth Leland stande 8 myles west from Bowis almost west from Richmonde a little thorowe fare called mayden castel scituate vpon the side of this streat and here is one of those Pyramides or great rounde heapes which is thrée score foote coÌ„passe in the bottome There are other also of lesse quantities and on the very top of eche of them are sharp stones of a yard in length but the greatest of all is eightéene foote hyghe at the least from the grounde to the verye head He addeth moreouer howe they stande on an hyll in the edge of Stanes moore and are as boundes betwéene Richmonde shyre and Westmerland But to procéed this streat lying a myle from Gilling and two myles from Richmonde commeth on from Borowbrigge to Catericke eightéene myles that is twelue to Leuing and sixe to Catericke then eleuen myles to Gretey or Gritto fyue myles to Bottles eight myles to Burghe on Stanes moore foure myles from Appleby fiue to Browham where the sayde streate commeth thorowe Winfoll parke and ouer the bridge on Eymouth and Loder and leauing Perith a quarter of a myle or more on the west side of it goeth to Carleil seuentéene myles from Browham which hath béene some notable thing Hetherto it appeareth euidently but going from hence into Scotlande I heare no more of it vntill I come to Cathnesse which is two hundred and thirtye myles or thereabouts out of Englande â—rming stréte The Erming streate which some call the Lelme stretcheth out of the east as they saye into the southeast y t is from Meneuia or S. Dauids in Wales vnto SouthaÌ„pton wherby it is somewhat lykely in déede that these two wayes I meane the Fosse and the Erning shoulde méete about Cirnecester as it commeth from Glocester according to the opinion conceyued of them in that countrye Of thys way I finde no more written and therefore I can saye no more of it except I shoulde indeuour to dryue awaye the tyme in alleadging what other men saye thereof whose mindes doe so farre disagrée one from another as they doe all from a truth and therefore I gyue them ouer as not delighting in such dealing The Ikenild or Rikenild begaÌ„ some where in the south â—â—â—enilde and so held on toward Cirnecester then to Worcester Wicomâ— Brimmicham Lichfield Darby Chesterfield and 〈…〉 ssing the Watlingstréete some where in Yorkeshire stretched forth in the â—â—â—e vnto y e mouth y e of Tine where it ended at y e maine sea as most men doe confesse I take it to be called the Ikenild because it passed thorow the kingdome of the Icenes for albeit that Lelande and other followyng him doe seme to place the Icenes in Norfolke Suffolke yet in myne opinion that cannot wel be done sith it is manifest by Tacitus that they laye nere vnto the Sylures and as I gesse eyther in Stafford and Worcester or in both except my coniecture do fayl me The author of the booke entituled Eulogiâ—â— historianum doth call this stréete the Lelâ—â—…â—…e but as herein he is deceyued so haue I delt withal so faythfully as I may among such diuersitie of opinions yet not deniyng but that there is much confusion in the names and courses of these two latter the discussing whereof I must leaue to other men y t be better lerned then I. Of the ayre and soyle of Britaine Chap. 13. THe ayre for the most part thorowout the Island is such as by reason in maner of continuall cloudes is reputed to be grosse nothing so pleasant as that is of the mayne Howbeit as they which affirme these things haue onely respect to the impediment or hinderaunce of the sunne beames by the interpositioÌ„ of the cloudes oft ingrossed ayre so experience teacheth vs that it is no lesse pure holsome and commodious then is that of other countries and as Caesar hymselfe hereto addeth much more temperate in sommer then that of the Galles from whome he aduentured hither Neyther is theyr any thing found in the ayre of our RegioÌ„ that is not vsually séene amongst other nations lying beyond the seas Wherfore we must nedes coÌ„fesse that the scituation of our Island for benefite of the heauens is nothing inferiour to that of any country of the maine where so euer it lie vnder the open firmament The soyle of Brytaine is such as by the testimonies and reportes both of the olde newe writers and experience also of such as nowe inhabite the same is verye fruitefull but yet more inclined to the féeding grasing of the cattell then profitable for tyllage bearing of corn by reason wherof the country is woonderfully
to reuoke Furius Camillus from exile whome not long before they had vniustly banished out of the Citie Camillus â—â—uoked 〈◊〉 exile In the ende they did not onely sende for him home but also created him Dictator committing into his handes so long as his office lasted an absolute power ouer all men both of life and death Camilius forgetful of the iniurie done to him and mindful of his dutie towards his Countrey and lamenting the state thereof withoute delay gathereth suche an armie as the present time permitted In the meane time those that kept the Capitoll being almost famished for lacke of vitayles compounded with Brenne and Beline that for the summe of a thousand pounde weight in gold â—â—position the Romaines should redeeme theyr liberties and the sayd Brenne and Beline to depart with their armie out of the Citie and all the territories of Rome But at the deliuerie of the money and by a certaine kinde of happe the Romaines name was preserued at that time from suche dishonour and ignominie as was likeâ—… 〈…〉 haue insued For some of the couetous sort of the Gaulles not coÌ„tented with the iust weight of 〈◊〉 golde did cast their swordes also into the Ballance where the weightes lay thereby to haue ouer weight whervpon the Romains refused to make payment after that weight And thus whilest they were in altercation about this matter the one importunate to haue the other not willing to graunt the time passed till in the meane season Camillus commeth in amongest them with his power â—â—millus disâ—â—â—ointeth 〈◊〉 Gaulles of 〈◊〉 payment commaunding that the gold should be had away and affyrming that without consent of the Dictator no composition or agreement might bee concluded by the meaner Magistrate He giueth a signe to the Gaulles to prepare themselues to battaile wherevnto they lightly agreed and togither they went The battaile being once begon the Gaulles that looked earst for golde and not for battaile were easily ouercome such as stoode to the brunt were slaine â—…he Gaulles â—â—erthrowne and the rest by flight constrayned to depart the Citie Polybius wryteth that the Gaulles were furned from the siege of the Citie through warres which chaunced amongest their owne people at home and therefore they concluded a peace wyth the Romaines and leauing them in libertie returned home againe But howsoeuer the matter passed thus muche haue we slept from our purpose to shewe somewhat of that noble and most famous Captayne Brennus the which as not onely our Hystories but also as Giouan Villani the Florentine doth report was a Brytain and brother to Beline as before is mentioned although I know that many other writers are not of that mind affyrming him to be a Gaul and likewise that after this present time of the taking of Rome by this Brennus 110. yeares or there aboutes there was another Brennus a Gaull also by Nation say they vnder whose conduct an other armie of the Gaulles inuaded Grecia whiche Brennus had a brother that hight Belgius althoughe Humfrey Llhuyd and sir Iohn Price doe flatly denie the same by reason of some discordance in writers and namely in the computation of the yeares set downe by theÌ„ that haue recorded the doings of those times whereof the error is growen Howbeit I doubt not but that the truth of this matter shall be more fully sifted out in time by the learned and studious of such antiquities But now to our purpose This is also to bee noted y t where our Histories make mention that Beline was abrode with Brennus in the moste part of his victories both in Gallia Germany Tit. Lin. Polidor Italy Titus Liuius speaketh but only of Brennus wherevpon some write that after the two brethren were by their mothers intreatance made friendes Brennus onely went ouer into Gallia and there through proufe of his worthie prowes atteyned to such estimation amongest the people called Galli Senones that he was chosen to be their general Captaine at theyr going ouer the mountaynes into Italie Ma. VVest But whether Beline went ouer with his brother and finally returned backe againe leauing Brennus behinde him as some write or that he went not at all but remayned still at home whilest his brother was abrode wee can affyrme no certaintie The truth is that the moste part of all ours writers make report of many worthie deedes accomplished by Beline in repayring of Cities decayed and erecting of other newe buyldings to the adorning and beautifying of his Realme and kingdome And amongest other workes which were by him erected Paliche Gal. M. Cairlleon r Wiske buylt by Belin. he buylded a Citie in the south parte of Wales neare to the place where the riuer Vske falleth into Seuerne fast by Glaumorgan which citie hight Cairlleon or Cairllegion Ar Wiske This Cairllegion was the principall Citie in tyme past of all Demetia nowe called Southwales Many notable monumentes are remayning there till this day testifying the great magnificence and royall buyldings of that Citie in olde tyme. There were in the same Citie also sithe the time of Christ three Churches one of Saint Iulius the Martyr an other of Saint Aron and the third was the mother Church of all Demetia and the chiefe Sea but after the same sea was translated vnto Meneuia that is to say Saint Dauid in Westwales In this Cairlleon was Amphibulus 〈◊〉 that taught and instructed Saint Albon Also this Beline buylded an hauen Fabian with a gate ouer the same within the Citie of Troynouant or London in the summer whereof afterwards was set a vessell of Brasse in the whiche were put the ashes of his bodie which bodie after his deceasse was burnt as the maner of burying in those dayes did require Iohn Leyland This gate was long after called Bellinus gate and at length by corruption of language Bellings gate He buylded also a Castell Eastwarde from this gate as some haue written whiche was long tyme after likewyse called Bellyns Castell The tower of London built by Beline and is the same whiche nowe wee call the Tower of London Thus Beline studying dayly to beautifie this lande with goodly buyldings and famous works at length departed this lyfe after he had raigned with his brother and alone the space of .xxvj. yeare Gurguint This Gurguint in the English Chronicle is named Corinbratus and by Math. Westmon he is surnamed Barbiruc Ma. VVest Gal. M. the which bycause the trybute graunted by Guylthdag King of Denmarke in perpetuitie vnto the Kings of Brytaine was denyed hee sayled with a mightie nauie and armie of men into Denmarke where hee made suche warre with fyre and sworde Gurguint coÌ„strayned the Danes by force to pay their tribute that the King of Denmarke with the assent of hys Barons was constrayned to graunt eftsoones to continue the payment of the aforesayde trybute After hee had thus atchieued hys desyre in Denmarke as he returned back toward Brytain againe he
their hurtes other calling for their sonnes kinâ—…folks and friends that were wanting Many of them forsooke theyr houses and in their desâ—â—â—…ate mâ—â—de set them on fire and 〈◊〉 forth 〈…〉 their 〈◊〉 refuge and safegarde forthwith 〈…〉 of the same left them and sought others 〈◊〉 with diuerse of them â—…ooke counsell togither what they were best to doe one 〈◊〉 they were in hope an other 〈◊〉 they 〈…〉 as people cast into vtter dispayre the beholding of theyr wyues and children oftentymes moued them to attempte some newe enterprise for the preseruation of theyr countrey and liberties And certayne it is that some of them slew their wiues and children as moued thereto with a certayne fonde regard of pitie to ridde them out of further miserie and daunger of thraldome The nexte daye the certayntie of the victory more playnely was disclosed for all was quiet about and no noyse heard any where the houses appeared brenning on each side and such as were sente foorthe to discouer the countrey into euery part thereof sawe not a creature sturring for all the people were auoyded and withdrawen a farre off But nowe of this battell and other the doings of Agricola in the Scottishe Chronicle ye may fynde more at large set foorthe for that which I haue written heere is but to shew what in effect Cornelius Tacitus writeth of y t whiche Agricola dyd heere in Britayne withoute making mention eyther of Scottes or Pictes onely naming them Britaynes Horâ—…stians and Calidonians whiche inhabited in those dayes parte of this Ile which now we call Scotland After that Agricola hadde thus ouerthrowen hys enimies in â—â—pight fielde at the mountayne of Granzeben and that the counâ—â—ey was quite ridde of all appearaunce of enimies bycause the sommer of this eyght yeere of his gouernemente was nowe almost spente â—â—ctor Bo. he broughte hys army into the confynes of the Horrestians whyche inhabited the countreyes nowe cleâ—…ed Angus and Merne â—… Tacitus and there intended to Winter and tooke hostages of the people for assurance of theyr loyaltie and subiection This done he appoynted the Admirall of the nauie to sayle about the Isle whiche accordingly to his commission in that poynte receyued luckily accomplished his enterprise â—…hauen calâ—â— Trutulenâ—â—â— peraduenâ—â—â— Rutuâ—…sis and brought the nauie about agayne into an hauen called Trutulensis In this meane time whilest Iulius Agricola was thus occupyed in Britayne both the Emperoure Vespasian and also his brother 〈◊〉 thus succeeded hym departed this life 〈◊〉 Domisian was elected Emperoure the 〈◊〉 hearing of suche prosperousâ—… succâ—…sse as Agricâ—…la had against the Britaynes 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 for the thing well done as he 〈◊〉 to coÌ„sider what glory and renowne shoulde redounde to Agricola thereby whiche hee perceyued should muche darken the glosse of hys 〈◊〉 hauyng a priuate person vnder him who in worthynesse â–ª of noble exploytes atchieued farre excelled hys doyngs To fynde remedie herefor therefore he thought not good to vtter hys malice as yet whylst Agricola remayned in Britayne with on 〈…〉 whych so muche fauoured him and that 〈◊〉 good cause sith by his policie and noble conduit the same hadde obteyned so many victories so much honor and such plentie 〈…〉 and â—â—ties Wherevppon to dissembâ—◠〈…〉 appoynted to reuoke him foorthâ—… of Britaine â—…s it were to honor hym not only with reserued tryumphes but also with the Lieutenantshippe of Syria which as then was voyde by the death of Atilius Rufus Thus Agricola being conteâ—â—aâ—…nded 〈◊〉 to Rome â–ª desyuâ—…ed his prouinâ—â— vnto his â—â—â—cessor Cneus Trebellius Cneus Trebellius alias Salustius Lucullus as some thinke appointed thereto by the Emperour Domitianus in good quiet and sauegarde Thus may you see in what state Britayne stoode in the dayes of King Marius of whome yet Tacitus maketh no mention at all Some haue written that the City of Chester was builded by this Matius though other as before I haue sayde Fabian thinke rather that it was the worke of Ostorius Scapula their Legate Coyllus COilus the Sonne of 〈…〉 after his fathers deceasse made Kyng of Britayn Coyllus â—…n the yere of our Lord .125 This Coyllus or Coyll was broughte vpâ—…n his youth amongst the Romaynes at Rome 125 where hee spente hys tyme not vnprofitably but applyed hymselfe to learning and seruice in the warres by reason whereof hee was muche honored of the Romaynes â–ª and he likewise honored and loued them so that hee payed his tribute truly all the tyme of hys raigne and therefore lyued in peace and good quiet He was also a Prince of muche bountie and very liberall whereby hee obteyned great loue both of his nobles and commons Colchester builte Some saye that hee made the Towne of Colchester in Essex but other write that Coyll whych reigned next after Asclepeodotus was the first founder of that Towne but by other it shuld seeme to be built long before being called Camalodimum Finally when thys Coyll had raigned the space of .54 yeares hee departed this lyfe at Yorke leauing after him a sonne named Lucius which succeeded in the Kingdome Lucius This Lucius is highly renowmed of the writers for that hee was the firste King of the Britaynes that receyued the faith of Iesus Christ for being inspired by the spirit of grace and truth eueÌ„ from the beginning of hys raigne he somewhat lâ—â—ned to the fauoring of Christian Religion being moued with the manifest miracles whyche the Christians dayly wroughte in witnesse and proofe of their sound and perfect doctrine for euen from the dayes of Ioseph of Aramathia and hys fellowes or what other godly men first taughte the Britaynes the Gospell of our Sauiour there remayned amongst the same Britaynes some Christians which ceassed not to teach Preache the word of God most sincerely vnto them but yet no king amongst them openly professed that Religion till at length this Lucius perceyuyng not only some of the Romayne Lieutenantes in Britayne as Trebellius and Pertinax with other to haue submitted themselues to that profession but also the Emperour himselfe to begin to be fauorable to them that professed it hee tooke occasioÌ„ by their good ensample to giue care more attentiuely to the Gospell and at length sent vnto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome two learned men of the Brittish nation Eluane and Meduin requiring him to sende some suche ministers as might instruct him and his people in the true faith more plentifully and to baptise them according to the rules of the Christian Religion â—…olidor â—…estminster â—…hurch built Ther be that affirme how this Lucius should build the Church of Saint Peter at Westminster though many attribute that acte vnto Sibert King of the East Saxons and write howe the place was then ouergrowen with thornes bushes and thereof tooke the name and was called Thorney They adde moreouer as Harrison sayeth howe Thomas Archbishop of London preached redde and ministred the Sacraments there to such as made resorte vnto him
ouer with that nauie which was rigged on the coasts of Flanders or with some other I will not presume to affirme eyther to or froÌ„ bicause in deed Mamertinus 〈…〉 expresse mention either of Alectus or Asclepiodotus but notwithstanding it is euident by that which is coÌ„teined in his oration that 〈◊〉 Maximian but some other of his caâ—…itâ—…ng gouerned y e armie whiche slewe Alecâ—…us 〈…〉 we may suppose that Asclepiodotus was 〈◊〉 â—…ain ouer some number of ships directed to Maximinians appointment to passe ouer into this yle against the same Alectus and so may this which Maâ—…rtinus writeth agree with the truth of that whiche we fynd in Eutropius Here is to be remeÌ„bred Eutropius y t after Maximianus had thus recouered Britain out of ther 〈…〉 rule therof froÌ„ the Romans it shuld seem y t not only great numbers of artificers other people were conueyed ouer into Gallia there to inhabite and furnish such cities as were run into decay but also a power of warlike youthes was transported thither to defend the countrey from the inuasion of barbarous nations For we fynd that in the dayes of this Maximian the Britons expulsing the NeruiaÌ„s out of the citie of Mons in Henand held a castell there whiche was called Bretaiâ—â—ns after them wherevpon the citie was afterwarde called Mons reteyning the last sillable only as in such cases it hath ofteÌ„ hapned Moreouer this is not to be forgotten y t as Homf Llhuyd hath very wel noted in his book intitled Fragmentae historiae Britannicae Mamertinus in this parcell of his panegerike oration doth make first meÌ„tion of the nation of Picts of al other the ancient Roman writers so that not one before his tyme once nameth eyther Picts or Scots But now to returne wher we left After that Britain was thus recouered by the Romains Diocletian MaximiaÌ„ caling the Empire the I le tasted of the crueltie that Diorclesian exercised agaynste the Christians in persecutyng them wyth all extremityes continually for the space of ten yeeres Moreouer a great nuÌ„ber of Christians which were assembled togither to heare the word of lyfe preached by that vertuous manne Amphibalus were slayn by the wicked Pagans at Lychfield wherof that towne toke name as you wold say The field of dead corpses To be briefe this persecution was so greate greuous Gildas and therto so vniuersall that in maner the ChristiaÌ„ religion was therby destroyed The faithfull people were slayne their bookes brâ—â—t 〈…〉 churches ouerthrown It is recorded that 〈◊〉 in one monethes space in dyuers places of the worlde there were .xvij. M. godlye menne and women put to death for professing the christian faith in the dayes of that tyrant Dioclesian and his fellowe Maximian Coellus COellus Coellâ—… Earle of Colchester began hys dominion ouer the Brytons in the yeare of our Lord .262 262. 〈◊〉 This Coellus or Coell ruled the lande for a certayne tyme so as the Brytons were well contentented with his gouernement and lyued the longer in rest from inuasion of the Romains bicause they were occupied in other places but finally they findyng tyme for their purpose apointed one Constantius to passe ouer into this Isle with an armie the which Constantius put Coelus in suche dread that immediatly vpon his arriuall Coellus sent to him an ambassade and coÌ„cluded a peace with him couenaÌ„ting to pay y e accustomed tribute Caâ—… Galfrid and gaue to Constantius his daughter in mariage called Helene a noble Lady and a lerned Shortly after king Coell dyed after he had reigned as some write .27 yeares 〈◊〉 Caâ—â—â— or as other haue but 13. yeares Of the regiment of thys Prince Harrison maketh no mention in his Chronologie But verily if I shall speake what I thinke I will not denye but assuredly suche a Prince there was howbeit that he had a daughter named Helene whome hee maried vnto Constantius the Romain lieutenant that was after Emperour I leaue that to be decided of the learned For if the whole course of the lyues as well of the father and sonne Constantius and Constantine as lykewyse of the mother Helena bee considerately marked from tyme to tyme and yeare to yeare as out of authors both Greeke and latine y e same may be gathered I feare least such doubt may ryse in this matter that it wil be harder to proue Helene a Britayne than Constantine to be borne in Bithynia as Nicephorus auoncheth but for somuche as I meane not to steppe from the course of oure countreye writers in suche poynts Lib. 7. cap. 1. where the receyued opinion maye seeme to warrant the credite of the historie Iâ—â— with other admit bothe the mother and sonne to be Britons in the whole discourse of the historie following as thoughe I hadde forgot what iâ—… this place I haue sayd Constantius But as touching his reigne ouer the Britons wee haue not to saye further than as we fynde in our owne writers recorded but for his gouernment in the empire it is to be considered that first he was admitted to rule as an assistaÌ„t to Maximian vnder y e title of Cesar so from that time if you shall accompt his reigne it may comprehend xj xij or .xiij. yeares yea more or lesse according to the diuersitie founde in writers But if we shal recken his reign from the time onely that Diocletian and Maximian resigned their title to the Empire VVil. Haris we shall fynde that he reigned not fully .iij. yeares For where as betweene the slaughter of Alectus and the comming of Constantius are accompted .8 yeeres and odde monethes not only those .8 yeeres but also some space of tyme before maye be asended vnto Constantius for although before his comming ouer into Britayn now this last tyme for he had bin here afore as it well appeareth Asclepâ—…odetus gouerned as Legate albeit vnder Constantius who had a greate portion of the west partâ—…es of the empire vnder his regiment by the title as I haue sayd of Cesar although he was not sayde to reigne absolutelye till Diocletian and Maximian resigned wherof it is not amisse to giue this briefe aduertisement accordyng as in William Harrisons Chronologie is sufficiently proued But now to coÌ„clude with the doings of ConstaÌ„tius at leÌ„gth he fel sick at Yorke and there dyed about the yeare of our Lord .306 306. This is not to be forgotten that whylest hee lay on his death bed somewhat before he departed this life hearing that his sonne Constantine was come escaped from the emperours Diocletian Maximianus with whome he remained as a pledge as after shall be partly touched â–ª he receyued him with all ioye and raising himselfe vp in his bed in presence of his other sonnes and counsellours with a greate number of other people and strangers that wer come to visit him he sit the crowne vpon his sonnes head and adorned him with other imperiall roabes and garmentes executing as it were
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
same time with the Ethiopians that had inuaded the realme of Egypt euen vnto Memphis This Gathelus to bee short went forth with his bandes agaynst the same Ethiopians vnder Moses the Captaine generall of the armie chosen thereto by diuine Oracle as Iosephus wryteth which Moses obteyned the victorie and conquered Saba by force he the chiefest and principall Citie which stoode in the Isle Meroe For such tokens of valiancie and worthie prowes as Gathelus shewed both in this Countrey in other places he grew also into such estimation with Pharao that he gaue him his daughter in mariage But Moses was rather enuied than honored for his doyng bycause the Egyptians doubted least the Israelites should encrease to such a puyssant multitude that in the ende they might vsurpe and chalenge the gouernance of the whole Realme and bring it by rebelling into their owne handes wherefore diuerse informations were made to the king agaynst him Moyses fled so that when he once perceyued himselfe to be in daunger of the lawe and looked for no mercie at their handes fled from thence out of the Countrey and gate him into the lande of Madian The Citie Thebes was giuen vnto Gathelus Scota daughter to Pharao Vnto Gathelus and his people there was giuen a Citie called Thebes Egyptiaca being taken from the Israelites Here must you vnderstande that Pharaos daughter whiche Gathelus thus maryed was called Scota of whom such as came of the posteritie of that nation were afterwardes and are at this present day called Scoti that is to say Scottish men and the land where they inhabite Scotia that is to say Scotlande The credite of this historie of Gathelus we leaue to the authors Israel oppressed Moses called out of Madian into Egypt Gathelus thus being aduaunced by such honourable maryage lyued all the dayes of his father in law Pharao Orus in great honour But after his discease and in the thirde generation an other king named Pharao Chencres succeeded in his throne who oppressed the people of Israel then abyding in Egypt with more bōdage than euer his father or grandfather had don before him Neither was there hope of any redresse till Moyses returned by Gods appoyntment from amongst the Madianites where he had remayned in exile into Egypt and there declared vnto this Pharao Gods commaundement touching the deliuerance of his people But forsomuch as his wordes were regarded neyther with the king nor with his subiects Moses not regarded Exodus 5. that lande was plagued in most horrible and terrible maner and moreouer it was signified vnto such as sought to know what was meant by way of Oracles that sorer and more grieuous plagues should after follow if remedie were not founde the sooner Gathelus therefore being certified hereof and giuing credite to the Oracles aforesayde determined out of hande to forsake the countrey Gathelus leauing Egypt seeketh other countreyes and seeke him a new place of abode in some other partyes of the worlde Wherefore he caused a number of shippes to be rigged and all necessarie purueyance to be prouided and when the same was once readie and all things set in order he tooke with him his wife and children and a great multitude of people both Greekes and Egyptians whom he embarqued in those shippes Gathelus depa◅ting was Anno mundi 2453. W.H. 3643. H.B. and hoysing vp sayles departed out of the mouth of the riuer Nilus in the yeare of the worldes creation 2453. when hee had dwelled in Egypt .39 yeares and more Beeing thus departed after some trouble in the voyage they arriued first on the coastes of Numydia He was repulsed in Barbary whiche is one of the regions of Affrike now called Barbarie but beyng put backe from thence by the stowte resistaunce of the inhabitauntes they tooke the Seas agayne and landed in a part of Spayne whiche long after was called Lusitania He landed in Portingale There be that haue written how it should be cleped Port Gathele of this Gathelus and certaine yeares after Lusitania and eftsoones agayne in a maner to haue got the former name being somewhat corruptly called Portingale But who is able in a mater of such auncientie to auowche any thing for truth Gathelus with his companie beyng thus come to lande sought abrode in the countrey for vytayles and such other necessarie things as they wanted for their long being on the Seas had wasted all their purueyance The inhabitants resist Gathelus Were ouerthrowne whose arriual being once knowen in the countrey the people assembled togither and fiercely encountring with the straungers after sharpe and cruell fight in the ende the Spanyardes were put to the worse and chased out of the fielde This victory put Gathelus and his folkes in hope of good successe to haue their a place for them to inhabite in A communication and so to end their long wandering in straunge and vncertaine places And to the intent they might bring their purpose the more easily to passe they found meanes by way of communication to ioyne in friendship with the Spanyardes and obtayning of them a plotte where they might buylde a place for to inhabite in Gathelus buildeth the Citie Bracchara shortly after they began the foundation of a Citie neare to the bankes of the Riuer called of auncient tyme Mundus and afterwardes Bracchara It chaunced after this that the Spanyardes perceyuing these straungers to increase further in puysa◅nce than as they thought stoode well with theyr securitie sought diuerse occasions to fal at debate with them and to make warres vpon them But when they vnderstoode that Gathelus was as ready to defend A consultation as they were to inuade they eftsoones fell to a communication and perswaded with Gathelus that it should be best for him and his people for the auoyding of variance to remoue vnto the Northside of Spayne lying vpon the coastes of the Cantabrian seas nowe called Galitia where he should finde much voyde grounde by reason of the smal number of Inhabitants adding that if they would so do Gathelus left Portingale and went into Galitia He builded a Citie called Brigantia and nowe Compostella they would ayde them to the vttermost agaynst all such as shoulde attempt to disquiet their indeuours in any maner of wise This offer Gathelus gladly accepted and causing publike sacrifice to be celebrate in honour of the Goddes he departed with all his people into Galitia and there concluding a league with the inhabitants buylded a Citie which he named Brigantia but after it was called Nouium and now Compostella In continuance of time this nation grewe to a wōderful multitude The Spaniardes fight with the Scot◅ infortunately so that the Spaniards doubting the worst determined to foresee remedie in tyme and herevpon purposing vtterly to destroy them got them againe to armour and with their whole puissance comming vpon the Scottish men gaue them a sore battaile though in the ende they
equity doth require whiche wee much lament and be sory for and vse nowe our force and puissance against him not for reuēgement of our priuate displeasure beyng so often deliuered as wee haue bene but for recouery of our right the preseruation of our subiectes from iniuries and the obseruation of suche leagues as haue passed betweene vs firmely trusting that almighty God vnder whome we raygne will assist and ayde our iust proceedings herein to the furtheraunce and aduancement of the right whiche wee doubte not shall euer preuayle against wrong falshood deceyte and dissimulation Hitherto it appeareth howe this present warre hath not proceeded of any demaūd of our right of superiority whiche the Kings of Scots haue alwayes knowledged by homage fealty to our progenitors euē from the beginning but this warre hath bene prouoked occasioned vpō present matter of displeasure present iniury present wrong ministred by the Nephewe to the Vncle most vnnaturally supported contrary to the desertes of our benefits most vnkindly if we had minded the possession of Scotland and by the motion of warre to attayne the same there was neuer King of this realme had more opportunitie in the minority of our Nephew ne in any other realme a Prince that hath more iust title more euident title more certaine title to any realme that he can clayme than we haue to Scotland not deuised by pretēce of mariage nor imagined by couenant nor contriued by inuention of argument but lineally descended from the beginnyng of that estate established by our progenitors and recognised successiuely of the Kings of Scotlād by deedes wordes actes and writings continually almost without interruption or at the least intermission till the raigne of our progenitor King Henry the sixte in whose time the Scots abused the ciuil warre of this realme to their licence and boldnesse in omitting of their duetie whiche for the proximity of bloud betweene vs we haue bene slacke to require of them beyng also of our selfe inclined to peace as we haue euer ben alwayes glad rather without preiudice to omitte to demaund our right if it might conserue peare than by demaunding thereof to be seene to mooue warre specially agaynst our neyghbour agaynst our Nephew against him whom we haue preserued from daunger and in such a time as it were expedient for al Christendome to be in vnitie and peace wherby to be more able to resist the common enimy the Turke But for what considerations we haue omitted to speake hitherto of the matter it is neuerthelesse true that the kings of Scottes haue alwayes knowledged the Kings of England superior Lordes of the realme of Scotlande and haue done homage fealty for the same This appeareth first by History written by suche as for confirmation of the truthe in memory haue truly noted and signified the same Secondly it appeereth by instruments of homage made by the Kings of Scottes and diuers notable personages of Scotlande at diuers sundry tymes sealed with their seales and remayning in our Treasory Thirdly it appeereth by Registers and Recordes iudicially autentiquely made yet preserued for confirmation of the same So as the mater of title being moste playne is furnished also with all manner of euidences for declaration thereof First as concernyng Histories which be called witnesses of times the light of truth and the lyfe of memory and finally the conuenient way and meane whereby the thinges of antiquity may be brought to mens knowledge they shewe as playnly this matter as could bee wyshed or requyred with suche a consent of wryters as coulde not so agree vpon an vntruth contayning a declaration of suche matter as hath moste euident probability and apparance For as it is probable and likely that for the better administration of Iustice amongst rude people twoo or moe of one estate might be rulers in one countrey vnited as this Isle is so it is probable and likely that in the beginnyng it was so ordered for auoyding dissention that there shoulde be one Superiour in right of whome the sayd estates should depend According wherevnto we reade how Brute of whome the Realme then called Brytayne tooke first that name beyng before that tyme inhabited with Gyaunts people without order or ciuility had three Sonnes Locrine Albanact and Camber and determining to haue the whole Isle within the Ocean sea to bee after gouerned by them three appoynted Albanact to rule that now is called Scotlande Camber the parties of Wales and Locrine that now is called England vnto whome as beyng the eldest Sonne the other twoo bretherne should do homage recognysing and knowledging him as their superior Nowe consider if Brutus conquered all this Iland as the History sayth he did and then in his owne tyme made this order of superiority as afore howe can there be a title deuised of a more plaine beginning a more iust beginning a more conuenient beginnyng for the order of this Iland at that time specially when the people were rude whiche cannot without continuall stryfe and variaunce contayne twoo or three rulers in all poyntes equall without any manner of superiority the inwarde conscience and remorse of whiche superiority shoulde in some parte dull and diminishe the peruerse courage of resistence and rebellion The first diuisiō of this I le wee finde written after this sorte without cause of suspition why they shoulde write amisse And according herevnto wee finde also in History set foorth by diuers how for transgression against this superiority our predecessours haue chastised the kings of Scottes and some deposed put other in their places we will here omitte to speake of the rudenesse of the antiquity in particularity whiche they cared not distinctly to committe to writing but some authors as Anthonius Sabellicus amongs other diligently ensearchyng what he might truly wryte of all Europe and the Ilandes adioyning ouer and besides that whiche he wryteth of the natures maners and condicions of the Scottes whiche who so liste to reade shall finde to haue bene the very same in times paste that wee finde them nowe at this present he calleth Scotland parte of England whiche is agreeable to the diuision aforesayde being in deede as in the lande continuall without separation of the Sea so also by homage and fealty vnited vnto the same as by particular declarations shall most manifestly appeere by the testimony of suche as haue lefte wryting for proofe and confirmation thereof In whiche matter passing the death of king Humber the actes of Dunwald King of this realme the diuision of Belyn and Brenne the victories of king Arthur we shall beginne at the yeare of our Lorde D.CCCC. whiche is a D. Cxlij yeares paste a time of sufficient auncienty from which we shal make speciall declaration euident proofe of the execution of our right and title of superiority euermore continued and preserued hitherto Edwarde the firste before the conquest Sonne to Alured King of England had vnder his dominion and obedience the king of Scots And
the dayes of Marie Queene of Englande betwixt the Englishmen and Scots whereof sith I finde none that hath written any thing at all I haue yet sette downe these odde notes as I haue learned the same of such as had good cause to knowe the truth thereof beyng eye witnesses themselues of suche enterpryses and exploytes as chanced in the same warres namely capitayne Read capitayne Wood capitayne Erington and captaine Gurley capitaine Markham with others whiche of their courtesie haue willingly imparted to me the reporte of diuers such things as I wished to be resolued in which accordingly so farre as my remembrance hath serued I haue here deliuered to the end the same may giue occasion to others that may happely light vpon more full instructions to imparte to posteritie a more perfect discourse where otherwise the mater might peraduenture wholy passe in forgetfulnesse And now to returne vnto the Scottish Ambassadours that were sent into Fraunce for the cōclusiō of the mariage betwixte their Queene the Dolphin after that y e same mariage was cōsummate euery thing ordered brought to passe accordyng to the effect of theyr commission in the moneth of August they tooke their leaue of the Frenche King the Queene The Embassadours died almost all and Nobilitie there to retourne homewardes into Scotland albeit fewe of thē came home for the Bishop of Orkeney departed this life in Diepe the .xv. of September the Earle of Rothes deceassed there the .ix. of Nouember the Erle of Cassiles departed in the same place the .xiiij. of Nouember Three came home agayne and the Lorde Flemming deceassed in Paris the .xviij. of December And so onely the Archebishoppe of Glasquo Lorde of Dun. the Prior of sainct Andrews and the Lorde of Dun retourned into Scotland in October A Parliament After whose commyng there was a Parliament sommoned by the Queene to be holdē in December next This yeare also in August the Earle of Argile deceassed and likewise in September Andrew Durry Bishoppe of Galloway departed in Edinburgh and Dauid Panton Bishop of Rosse deceassed the first of October in Striueling In the Parliament holden in Edinburgh in December the proceedings of the Ambassadours were allowed and a discharge giuen to them for the same After this the Queene regēt requyred to haue a crowne matrimoniall graunted to the Dolphin of Fraunce The Queenes request in the Parliament that he shoulde be called king of Scotlande during the Matrimonie to the which when the astates had agreed the Erle of Argile the Prior of S. Andros were appointed to passe into Fraunce but they went not bicause of other weighty businesse whiche shortly after they attempted Marie Queene of Englande departed this life the .xvij. of Nouember then the most excellēt noble Queene Elizabeth succeeded In Iuly August there was a conuention of al the prelates Clergie bolden at Edenburgh An assembled of the clergy in the which certaine men and women of Edenburgh were accused of Heresie abiured at the towne crosse with faggotes on their backes In this assemble it was required Cōmon prayers to be had in the vulgate tongue that the cōmon prayers might be red in the Scottish tong in Churches with certaine other articles of reformatiō whereof the answere was deferred till March in whiche moneth a prouinciall counsell was appointed to be holden at Edenburgh The .ij. of Marche A prouincial counsell the sayde prouinciall counsell of all the Prelates and Clergie of Scotlande began wherein diuers Articles were proponed by the temporalty Requestes made by the Lay◅e as to haue the prayers and administration of the Sacraments in the Scottish lāguage the election of Bishops and all beneficed men to passe by the voyces of the temporall Lordes people of their Diocesses and parishes with diuers other reformations al the which the Bishops refused to graunt wherethrough there arose shortly after great trouble in Scotlande 1559. Iohn Knox with other are summoned The Queene regent caused summonance to be giuen vnto Iohn Knox Iohn Wullock Paule Meffane to appeare at Striuelyng the x. day of May and for lacke of appearance they were denounced rebelles and put to the horne Wherevpon the sayde Iohn Knox beyng in Perth Images and Friethcuses pulde downe perswaded the master of Lyndsay the lardes of Tulibardin Dun Pettarrow and diuers other beyng there assembled with the burgesses of y e townes of S. Iohns towne Dūdee to pull downe the images and altares in all Churches and to suppresse the houses of Frears and other religions places who after a Sermon made by him to that effect the same .x. day of May they began in S. Iohns towne and cast downe the Abbay of the Charterhouse and the blacke Carmelite Frears called the Tullelum reformed all other Churches there about breaking downe the images and altars in Fife Angus Mernis and other parties there nexte adioyning The Queene regent being aduertised thereof sent for the Duke of Chatellerault diuers other of the nobilitie The Queene regent came to Perth as the Erles of Atholl Argile and others who came with hir to Perth otherwise called S. Iohn towne hauing with them .ij. thousand Frenchmen who entred the towne vpon appointment so receyuing it gaue it in keeping to Capitaine Iames Stewarde and capitaine Cullane with their bandes of men of warre In the meane time the Erle of Argile the prior of S. Andros left the Queene in Perth S. Andros went to S. Andros ioyning themselfes with the other made reformation of the Churches casting downe Altars images houses of frears Abbeys in that towne and in Cowper and other places thereabout Cowper assembling a great cōpany of coūtrey men came to Cowper to make resistance against the Frenchmen that were in Falkelande with the Queene But when they should haue met on Cowper More in battayle Twoo armies were pacified the Duke of Chatellerault the Erle Marshal and others laboured betwixte them so that the battayle was stayed and the Queene with the Frenchmen returned vnto Edenburgh The Erle of Argile the priour of S. Andros theyr assisters came to S. Iohns towne besieged it S. Iohns town besieged till it was to thē surrendred The Erle of Huntley was sent to them from the Queene to treat with them of some accord but he profited not At the same time a certayne number of persons of the townes of Dundee and Perth came to the Abbey of Scone Scone abbay brente and spoyling the Church brēt it with the most part of the house the Erle of Argile and the priour of S. Andros beyng with them in company After this they wēt to Striueling The friers in Steruelyng destroyed where they caused y e houses of the black Friers gray Friers to be throwen downe From thēce they passed to Edenburgh where the Queene hearyng of theyr comming departed with
and there withall departed Wherby may be gathered that if he had béene soothed vp and his tongue let to run at libertie vncontroulde like a howse that runneth in a smooth allye without any 〈◊〉 he would haue brougth him 〈◊〉 to that day as he would not sticke to say that his friende had fought eight dayes in one hâ—… Wherefore as this pudding his pricke grewe at â—…ngaâ—… by reporte to an huge poste so the want of one venemous woorms in Ireland being bruced in for rame royalanes might haue béene so thwytted and mangled in the caryage before it came to Solinus his eares as he might haue béene enformed that the countrey was deouyde of all venemous Woormes where as in deéde there lackeâ—… but one kinde Lyke as God of his iustice punisheth a couÌ„trey that is harde hearted with â—…atwarde woormes so of his mercie the yare remoued from a royalme that is plyaâ—… to followe his lawes and preceptes As when Pharao woulde not lissen to God his threates beâ—…ouÌ„ced hym by the preaching of God Moses and Aaron Exod. 8. vers 7. â—… 24. Vide Apoc. 9 vers 3. at aâ—…eg 8. vers 37. Egypt was punished with froggles diuers kinde of flyes as is exprest at full in holy writte and agayne vpoÌ„ Pharao his seyned promises the secretes of whose hollowe heart God perfectly knewe at the instraunce of Moses these plagues were appeased the vermine quite extinguished so I pray you is it so absurde a position to helde that Saint Patricke finding the Irish priest to embrace the Gospell as he dyd in very déede might stande so higly in God his fauor as through hir earnest peticion made to God the poysoned woormes shoulde be abandoned This is not so rare a thing vppon the implanting of Christian fayth in any region but rather a propertie incideÌ„t thereto according to Christ his promise Gregor homel 29. in euang Marc. 16. vers 17. Signa autem eos qui crediderint haec sequentur In nomine meo daemonia eijcient linguis loquentur nouis Serpentes tollent si mortiferum quid biberint non eis nocebit super aegros manus imponeÌ„t bene habebunt And these token shal follow them the beléeue In my Name shall they cast out Deuils they shall speake with new tongues they shall dryue awaye Serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing if shal not hurt them they shall lay handes on the sicke and they shall be cured Wherefore sith it is so euideÌ„tly warranted by Scripture that in the name of Iesus Serpentes may be driuen away if Irelande be found through any such meanes to be deuoyde of poysoned woormes we are ascribe the glory hereof to God according to the saying of the Prophete A dominio factum est istud Psal 117. vers 22. est mirabile in oculis nostris That hath béene done by God and it séemeth woonderfull in our eyes Thus farre gentle Reader enchroching vpon thy pacience I haue employed my trauaile in defending my natiue countrey against such as labour to distayne it with their sclaunderous scoffes Touching the pricipall question whether S. Patricke dyd expell poysoned Woormes out of Irelande or whether it be the nature of the soyle as I sayd in the entrie of this discourse so I saye agayne that I weigh not two chippes which way the winde bloweth bycause I sée no incoÌ„uenience that may insue either of the affirmatiue or negatiue opinion And therefore if M. Cope had dealt as modestly as Cambriense the auctour of Polichronicon or others that stoode to the denyall haue done he shoulde haue gone â—…trée with his complices and haue made in Mounterbanckwyse the most he coulde of his wares But for that he woulde néedes sée further in a milstone then others not onely solenberly disprooue the tryniall opinion but scornefullye sclaunder an whole royalme wherein he shall finde his superiours in honour his betters in parentage his Péeres in learning his mates in wisedom his equalles in courtesie his matches in honestie I must craue him to beare it paciently if by crying him quittaunce I serued him with a dishe of his owne cookerie And if for this my straight dealing wyth him whereto I was the sooner led for that as it is courtesie to mollifie wilde speaches with milde aunsweres so I recken it for good pollicie nowe and then to cleane knurd knobbles with crabbled wedges he wil séeme to take pepper in the nose for any recompence he is like to haue at mine handes he may wype his nose in his sléeue And if it shall stande with his pleasure to reply either in Englishe or in Latine the occasioÌ„ of which is rather of him growen then by me giuen he shall finde me willing if God spare me health to reioyne with him in so good a quarell eyther in the one language or the other and when both tales are hearde I beshrowe him for any part that shall be driuen to the wall Cambriense reporteth of hys owne knowledge The Bernacie and I heare it auowed by credible persons that Bernacles thousandes at once are noted along the shores in Ireland to hang by the beakes about the edges of putrified tymber as ships oares mastes anckerholdes suche lyke which in processe takyng liuely heate of the sunne become waterfoules and at their tyme of ripenesse eyther fall into the sea or flye abroad into the ayre The same do neuer couple in y e act of generatioÌ„ but are froÌ„ time to tyme multiplied as before is exprest Sabel part 3. Ene 10. lib. 5. Camb. lib. topog. dist 1. rub 15. Thom. p. 3. q. 31. ar 4. corp Aeneas Syluius writeth hymselfe to haue pursued the like experiment in Scotlande where he learned the truth hereof to be found in the Islandes Orchades Giraldus Cambriense gathereth hereof a pretye conclusion against the Iewes in this wyse Respice infoelix Iudaee respice vel serò primam hominis generationem ex limo sine mare foemina Secundamque ex mare sine foemina ob legis venerationem diffiteri non audes Tertiam solam ex mare scilicet foemina quia vsualis est dura ceruice approbas affirmas Quartam veró in quâ sola salus est ex foemina scilicet sine mare obstinata malitia in propriam perniciem detestaris Erubesce miser erubesce saltem ad naturam recurte quaâ—… ad argumenta fidei ad instructionem nostram noua quotidie animalia sine omni mare vel foemina procreat producit Prima ergo generatio ex limo haec vltima ex ligno Illâ—… quidem quoniam à domino naturae tantum semel ideo semper obstupenda processit Istam verò non minus admirabilem minus tamen admirandam quia saepe fit imitatrix natura administrat Sic enim composita est humana natura vt nihil preter inusitatum rarò contingens vel preciosum ducat vel admiranduÌ„ Solis ortum occasum quo nihil
keepe them And as affliction coÌ„monly maketh men religious the regarde of his former education Affliction maketh men religious printed in him suche remorse and humilitie that beyng thenceforth weaned from the worlde he betooke himselfe to contemplation euer lamenting the lacke of grace and truthe in that land and herewith not dispairyng but that in continuaunce some good might bee wrought vpon them he lerned their tong perfectly and alluring one of that nation to beare him companie for exercise sake he departed from thence got him into France euer hauing in his mynd a desire to see the conuersion of the Irishe people whose babes yet vnborne seemed to him in his dreames from oute of theyr mothers wombes to call for christendome In this purpose he sought out his vncle Martine by whose meanes he was placed with Germanus the bishop of Auxerre He passeth into Fraunce continuing wyth him as scholer or disciple for y e space of .xl. yeres Al whiche tyme he bestowed in like studie of the holie scriptures prayer and such godly exercises Then at the age of .lxij. yeares being renoumed through the Latine Churche for his wisedome vertue and skill he came to Rome bringing letters with him in his commendation from the Frenche bishops vnto Pope Celestine to whome he vttered his full mynde and secrete vow which long sithence he hadde conceyued touching Irelande Celestine inuested him Archbishoppe and primate of the whole Ilande Patrike is inuested archbishop of Irelande sette him forewarde with all fauor he could deuise and brought hym and hys disciples onwarde of theyr countrey In the 23. yere therfore of the Emperor Theodosius the yonger beyng the yeare of our Lorde 430. Patrick landed in Irelande 430. and bycause hee spake the tong perfectly and withall beeing a reuerente personage in the eyes of all menne many lystened and gaue good eare too hys preachyng the rather for that as wryters haue recorded hee confirmed his doctrine wyth diners miracles but specially those regarded his wordes before all other that had some taste of the christian saith aforehande eyther by the coÌ„ming into those parties of Paladius and his disciple one Albius an Irishe Bishoppe Albius an Irish bishop disciple to Paladius or otherwyse by some other for it is to be thought that continually there remayned some sparke of knowledge of Christianitie euer sith the firste preaching of the Gospel whiche was shortly after the Ascention of our Sauior by S. Iames as before is mencioned In continuaunce of time Patrike wan the better part of that kingdom to the faith Laigerius son of Neale the great Monarke of Ireland permitteth the Irishmen to become christ â—…is Laigerius son of Neale the great Monark although he receyued not the Gospell him selfe yet permitted all that would to embrace it But sith he refused to be baptised and apply to his doctrin the Bishop denounced agaynst him a curse from God accordingly but tempered yet with mercye and iudgement as thus that during his lyfe he shoulde be victorious but after him neyther the kingdom should stande nor his lignage inherite From thence he toke his way vnto Conill lorde of Conagh Conill lorde of Connagh Logan king of Leynister who honourably receyued him and was conuerted with al his people And after sent hym vnto his brother Logan king of Leynister whome he likewyse conuerted In Mounster he found great frendshippe and fauour by meanes of an Erle there called the erle of Daris The Erle of Daris who honoured him highly and gaue hym a dwelling place in the east angle of Ardmagh called Sorta where he erected many celles and monasteries both for religious men and women He trauailed .xxx. yeres in preachyng thorough the lande planting in places conuenient Bishops and Priestes whose learning and vertuous conuersation by the speciall grace and fauour of GOD established the fayth in that rude nation Other thirtie yeares he spent in his prouince of Ardmagh among his brethren placed in those houses of Religion whiche by his meane were founded and so he liued in the whole about one hundred twentie two yeares and lyeth buryed in Downe S. Patrikes Purgatorie Of Saint Patrikes Purgatorie ye shal fynd in the description of the countrey and therefore we doe here omitte it but yet bicause we are entred to speake of the fyrst fundation of Churches and religious houses here in Irelande Religious houses churches founded in following our Authour in that behalfe wee will speake somewhat of suche other holye men and women as are renoumed to haue liued in Irelande as ornamentes to that I le more glorious than all triumphes and victories of the worlde if their zeale hadde bin seazoned with true knowledge of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 doings mystaken as it maye well be that in some of them it was howsoeuer mystaken by the iudgement and report of the simple which hath reised not only of these persons but also of the very Apostles themselues certaine fantasticall tales which with the learned are out of all credite But it is matter I will leaue to diuines to discusse trusting that the Reader will contente himselfe to heare what we fynde recorded by olde writers whiche we shall sette downe and offer to their considerations to thinke therof as reason may best moue them Giral Camb. telleth that in S. Patriks tyme flourished Sainte Bride the Virgine Giraldus Cambrensis and S. Colme which two with the same Patrike were buryed in Downe as in the Scottishe historie ye may fynde and as the same Giraldus sayth their three bodies were founde there shortly after the conquest Sir Iohn Conway being presideÌ„t of Vlster Sir Iohn Convvey president of Vlster in viewyng the sepulture testifyed to haue seene three principall iewels whiche were then translated as honourable monumentes worthie to be preserued Saint Colme Of saincte Colme it is doubted in what age he lyued Brigide otherwyse called Bride was base daughter to one Dubtactius a Capitayne in Leynister who perceyuyng the mother wyth chylde solde hir secretely fearing the iealousie of his wyfe to an Irishe Peet Peet that is Magus in latin or as vve may say a MagiriaÌ„ or foothsayer in English reseruing to himselfe the fruite of hir wombe She was there delyuered of thys Bridget whome the Peet trayned vp in learning and vertuous education An. do 439. and at length broughte hir home to hir father The damosell also was instructed in the faith by saynte Patrike that preached then in those quarters whervpon she became so religious and ripe in iudgement that not only the multitude of people but also a whole Synode of Bishops assembled neere to Diuelyn to heare hir aduise in weightye causes The estimation vvherin she vvas had Suche estymation they had of hir One fact of hir beyng yet a childe made hir famous The king of Leynister had giuen to hir father Dubtactius as a tokeÌ„ of his good liking towardes
of the Ladie Gennet Golding wife to sir Iohn White knight the gouernour licenced that it should be buried Skesfington deceased Sir William Skesfington a seuere and vpright Gouernour dyed shortly after at Kilmaynan to whome succeeded Lorde Deputie the Lorde Leonard Gray Leonard Gray Lord Deputie who immediately vpon the taking of his othe marched with his power towardes the confines of Mounster where Thomas Fitz Girald at that tyme remayned Breerton skirmisheth with Fitz Girald With Fitz Giralde sir William Breerton skirmished so fiercely as both the sides were rather for the great slaughter disaduantaged than eyther part by any great victorie furthered Master Brereton therefore perceyuing that rough Nettes were not the fittest to take such peart byrdes gaue his aduice to the Lorde Deputie to grow with Fitz Girald by faire meanes to some reasonable composition The Deputie liking of the motion craued a parlee sending certaine of the Englishe as hostages to Thomas hys campe with a protection directed vnto him to come and go at will and pleasure Thomas Fitz Girald submitteth himselfe to the deputy Being vpon this securitie in conference with the Lorde Gray hee was perswaded to submyt himselfe to the King his mercie with the gouernours faythfull and vndoubted promise that he should be pardoned vpon his repayre into Englande And to the ende that no trecherie might haue bene misdeemed of eyther side they both receyued the Sacrament openly in the campe The sacrament receyued as an infallible seale of the couenants and conditions of eyther part agreed Thomas sayleth into England Herevpon Thomas Fitz Giralde sore agaynst the willes of his Counsaylours dismist his armie and roade with the Deputie to Dublyn 1535 where he made short abode when hee sayled to Englande with the fauourable letters of the gouernour and the Counsayle And as hee woulde haue taken his iourney to Windsore where the Court lay He is committed to the Tower he was intercepted contrarie to his expectation in London way and conueyed with hast to the Tower And before his imprisonment were bruted letters were posted into Irelande straytly commaunding the Deputie vpon sight of them to apprehend Thomas Fitz Girald his vncles and to see them with all speede conuenient shipt into England Which the Lorde Deputie did not slacke For hauing feasted three of the Gentlemen at Kylmaynan Thomas his vncles taken immediately after their banquet as it is nowe and then seene that sweete meate will haue sowre sauce he caused them to be manacled and led as prisoners to the Castell of Dublin and the other two were so roundly snatcht vp in villages hard by as they sooner felt theyr owne captiuitie than they had notice of theyr brethrens calamitie The next winde that serued into Englande these fiue brethren were embarked to wit Iames Fitz Giralde Walter Fitz Girald Oliuer Fitz Girald Iohn Fitz Girald Richard Fitz Girald Three of these Gentlemen Iames Walter and Richarde were knowne to haue crossed their Nephew Thomas to their power in his Rebellion and therefore were not occasioned to misdoubt any daunger But such as in those dayes were enimies to the house incensed the king so sore agaynst it perswading him that he should neuer conquer Irelande as long as any Giraldine breathed in the Countrey and for making the pathway smooth he was resolued to loppe off as well the good and sounde Grapes as the wilde and fruitelesse Beries Whereby appeareth howe daungerous it is to be a rubbe when a King is disposed to sweepe an Alley Thus were the fiue brethren sayling into Englande among whome Richarde Fitz Giralde being more bookish than the rest of his brethren and one that was much giuen to the studies of antiquitie veyling his inwarde griefe with outward myrth comforted them wyth cheerefulnesse of countenance as well perswading them that offended to repose affiaunce in God and the King his mercie and such as were not of that conspiracie Innocencie a strong for t to relie to theyr innocencie which they should hold for a more safe strong Barbican than any rampire or Castell of Brasse Thus solacing the siely mourners sometyme with smiling somtime with singing sometyme with graue pithie Apophthegmes he craued of the owner the name of the Barcke who hauing answered that it was called the Cow The Cow the gentleman sore appalled thereat sayd Now good brethren I am in vtter dispaire of our returne to Ireland for I beare in mynde an olde prophecie that fiue Earles brethren should be caryed in a Cowes bellie to England and from thence neuer to returne Iames Delahyde Iames Delahyde the chiefe Counsaylour of Thomas Fitz Giralde fled into Scotlande and there deceassed To this miserable end grew this lewd rebellion which turned to y e vtter vndoing of diuerse auncient Gentlemen who trayned with fayre wordes into a fooles Paradice were not onely dispossessed of theyr landes but also depriued of theyr lyues or else forced to forsake theyr countreys Thomas Fitz Girald was not Earle of Kildare As for Thomas Fitz Giralde who as I wrote before was executed at Tyburne I would wish the carefull Reader to vnderstand that he was neuer Earle of Kildare although some wryters rather of error than of malice Stow. Pa. 434. tearme him by that name For it is knowne that his father lyued in the Towre when hee was in open Rebellion where for thought of the yong man his follye hee dyed and therefore Thomas was attaynted in a Parliament holden at Dublyn as one that was deemed reputed and taken for a traytour before his fathers deceasse by the bare name of Thomas Fitz Giralde For this hath beene obserued by the Irish Hystoriographers euer since the conquest No Earle of Kildare bare armour at any time agaynst his prince that notwithstanding all the presumptions of treason wherewith any Earle of Kyldare coulde eyther faintly be suspected or vehemently charged yet there was neuer any Erle of that house read or heard of that bare armour in the fielde agaynst his Prince Which I write not as a barrister hyred to pleade theyr cause but as a Chronicler mooued to declare the truth This Thomas Fitz Giralde The description of Thomas Fitz Giralde as before is specified was borne in Englande vpon whom nature poured beautie and fortune by byrth bestowed Nobilitie which had it beene well employed and were it not that his rare gyftes had bene blemished by his later euill qualities hee would haue proued an ympe worthie to bee engraft in so honourable a stocke Hee was of stature tall and personable in countenance amiable a white face and withall somewhat ruddie delicately in eche lymme featured a rolling tongue and a riche vtterance of nature flexible and kinde verie soone caryed where hee fansied easily with submission appeased hardly wyth stubbornnesse weyed in matters of importance an headlong hotespurre yet nathelesse taken for a yong man not deuoyde of witte were it not as
that he restored to that sea .xxv. manor places For amongst other Edmerus where Odo the Bishop of Bayeux that was also Erle of Kent bearing great rule in Englande vnder his nephewe King William the Conquerour had vsurped diuerse possessions whiche belonged to the Sea of Canterburie and also had seazed the franchises into his handes apperteyning to the same Lanfranke by sute and earnest trauaile hee recouered the same againe and being impleaded about that matter by the sayd Odo he so defended his cause that in the ende although with much ado he had his wil and so remayned in quiet possession of his right after that so long as he lyued wythout any trouble or vexation concerning the sayde possessions and liberties Also where not only Walkhem the Bishop of Winchester but also diuerse other Bishops in England were in mind to haue displaced Monks out of their Cathedrall Churches Lanfranke praysed for holding with the Monkes and to haue brought Canons into their roomes Lanfranke withstood them and deserued therefore high commendations both of them and also of the Pope After Lanfrankes death the king beganne to forget himselfe verie farre in al his dealings The king giuen to sensuall lust and couetousnesse insomuch that he kept many concubines and wexed very cruel and inconstant in all his wayes so that he became an heauie burthen vnto his people Furthermore he became so much addicted to gather good that hee considered not what apperteyned to the Maiestie of a king so that nothing that seemed to make for his gaine and satisfying of his appetite was esteemed of him vnlawfull measuring his dutie by gaine and not by that which should most of all become him He kept also the Sea of Canterburie foure yeares in his handes to see who would giue most for it and in the meane time tooke the profits making the most thereof that could be deuised by any meanes towne of Winchcombe where by force of thunder lightning a part of the steeple of the Church was throwne downe and the Crucifix with the Image of our Ladie also standing vnder the rood lost was likewise ouerthrowne broken and shattered in peeces and withall there followed a foule noysome and most horrible stinke in the Church Also on the .xvij. day of the same moneth was much harme done in the Citie of London with an outrageous winde A mightie winde whose violence ouerturned or rent in peeces aboue the number of fiue hūdred houses and the roofe of S. Mary Bow Church in Cheape was also ouerthrowne wherewith two men were slaine Moreouer at Salisburie was much hurt done with a like winde and thunder Anno reg ◅ 1092 for the top of the steeple was ouerthrowne and many other buyldings sore shaken and caste downe whereof let this which we haue sayde suffice for this present and nowe to speake somewhat of the doings of Scotlande as occasion moueth Whilest in such wise as yee haue heard the variance was depending betwene king William and his brother Duke Robert the Scottish king Malcolme made sore warres vppon the inhabitants of Northumberlande The Scottes inuade England fetching great booties and prayes out of that Countrey which he inuaded euen to Chester in the streete King William therefore soone after his returne called his power togither and spedde hym Northwards But king Malcolme hearing of his reproche and great strength sent to him for peace which was graunted in the ende But here such writers as we haue seene doe not wholy agree for some beside their confusion of time and account of the yeare affyrme that king William prepared a great army both by sea and lande agaynst Malcolme VVil. Malm. Sim. Dun. and that his nauy bring abrode on the Seas was by tempest lost and the most part of the shippes drowned Also that the armie by lande entring into Scotlande suffred many losses through want of vitailes and so recoyled Finally that Duke Robert lying on the borders with an army in his brothers name whereby it should appeare that the king himselfe was not there by the help and furtherance of Edgar Edelling which then serued king Malcolme in his warres ▪ made a peace betwixt his brother and the sayd Malcolme by the articles whereof certaine places in Northumberlande were restored vnto Malcolme which he had helde in William Conquerours dayes Some write in like maner that King Malcolme did homage vnto king William and also Duke Robert reconciled the sayde Edgar Edelling vnto the fauour of the king But howsoeuer the truth of the storie doth appeare in this behalfe certaine it is that the king returned out of Northumberlande into the west partes of the Realme still reteyning with hym Duke Robert who looked dayly when he shoulde perfourme such couenants as were concluded betwixt them in their late reconciliation But when he saw that the king ment nothing lesse than to stand to those articles how he did only protract delay the time for some other secrete purpose he returned into Normandie in great displeasure tooke with him the sayd Edgar Edelling of whō he always made a very great account Soone after K. Wil. returned into the North parts again and as it chaunced he stayed a few dayes aboute Carleil where being delited with the situation of the town which had bin destroyed by the Danes two hundred yeares before hee set workemen in hande to repayre the same meaning to vse it in steade of a Bulwarke agaynste the Scottes on those West Borders and after hee had fenced it in with walles The repairing and new peopling of Carleil and buylded a castell in the moste conuenient place thereof hee caused also Churches and houses to bee made meete for such a multitude of people as he had determined to bring vnto the same This being done he placed therein a Colonie of Southren men with theyr wyues and children and gaue large priuiledges vnto the towne which they enioy vnto these our times Mat. VVest Here haue I thought good to aduertise you of an error in Mat. West crept in eyther by wrong placing of the matter by some exemplifier either else by the Authours mistaking his accounte of yeares as .1072 for .1092 referring the repayring of Carleil vnto William Conqueror at what time he made a iourney agaynst the Scots in the sayde yeare .1072 And yet not thus contented but to bewray the error more manifestly he affirmeth that the king exchaunged the Earledome of Chester with Raufe or Randulfe de Micenis alias Meschines for y e Erledome of Carleil which the said de Meschines helde before and had begon there to build and fortifie that towne Where as it is certain y t Ranulfe de Meschines came to enioy the Erledom of Chester by way of inheritāce as after shall appeare And for the better proufe thereof ye shall vnderstand that we finde by auncient records how that one Hugh Lou or Lupus enioyed the Erledome of Chester all the dayes of
thought that whatsoeuer we did the same had bin done by his authoritie Finally when we had got power ynough that we needed not to feare any force that might be made forth against vs we would haue slayne all such noble men as mighte either haue giuen counsell or made anye resistance againste vs specially the Knightes of the Rhodes and lastly wee woulde haue kylled the Kyng and all menne of possessions with Byshoppes Monkes Chanons and parsons of Churches onely Friers Mendicants we would haue spared that myghte haue suffised for the ministration of the Sacramentes and when we hadde made a riddance of all those wee woulde haue deuised lawes according to the whych the subiectes of thys Realme shoulde haue liued for we woulde haue created Kyngs as Watte â—…ler in Kente and other in other Countreys 〈◊〉 bycause thys oure purpose was disappoynted by the Archbyshoppe of Caunterbury that woâ—…e not permitte the King to come vnto vs we sought by all meanes to dispatch hym out of the way as at length we did Moreouer the same euening that Watte Tiler was kylled wee were determined hauyng the greatest parte of the commons of the Citie bent to ioyne with vs to haue sette fyre in foure corners of the Citie and so to haue deuided amongst vs the spoyle of the chiefest ryches that myghte haue beene founde at oure pleasure and thys sayde hee was oure purpose as God maye help me now at my last ende Thus maye you see after what sorte they were conspired to the destruction of the Realme And least this one mans confession might seeme insufficiente diuers other of them confessed the same or muchwhat the lyke in effect when they sawe no remedie but presente deathe before their eyes To declare the occasion why suche mischiefes happened thus in the Realme wee leaue to the iudgemente of those that maye coniecture a troth thereof by conferring the manners of that age and behauior of all states then sith they that wrote in those dayes maye happely in that behalfe misse the trueth in construing things according to theyr affections but truely it is to bee thoughte that the faultes as well in one degree as other specially the synnes of the whole nation procured suche vengeaunce to rise The câ—…e of the late â—…multes whereby they myghte bee warned of theyr euill doings and seeke to reforme the same in tyme conuenient But as it commeth still to passe when the daunger is once ouershotte repentaunce lykewise is putte ouer and is no more regarded till an other scourge commeth eftsoones to putte menne in remembraunce of theyr duetie so in lyke manner as seemeth it chaunced in this Kynges dayes as by that whiche followeth it may more playnely appeare In thys meane tyme that these troubles were at the hottest in Englande the Duke of Lancaster beeyng in Scotlande so behaued hymselfe in the treatie whyche hee hadde in hande with the Scottes dissembling the matter so as if he had not vnderstoode of any trouble in Englande at all A truce 〈◊〉 Scotlande Tho. VValâ—… Froissart that finallye before the Scottes hadde knowledge thereof a truce was concluded to endure for two yeares or as other haue for three yeares When hee hadde made an ende there and that all thyngs were agreed vppon and passed for the confirmation of that accorde hee returned to Berwike but at his comming thither the Captayne sir Mathew RedmaÌ„ would not suffer him to enter y e towne The captain of Berwyke will not suffer the duke of Lancaster to enter into the town bycause of a commaundement giuen to him froÌ„ the Earle of Northumberlande Lord Warden of the marches wherefore the Duke was glad to returne into Scotlande agayne obteyning licence of the Scottes to remayne amongst them till the Realme of England was reduced to better quiet Herevpon the Commons in England that fauored hym not tooke occasion to reporte the worst of hym that myghte bee deuised calling him nowe in tyme of their rebellious commotions a traytor to the Realme declaring that hee hadde ioyned hymselfe to the Scottes and meant to take part with them against his owne natiue countrey The Kyng indeede hadde sente commaundemente during the time of the rebellious troubles vnto the Earle of Northumberlande that hee shoulde haue good regard to the safekeeping of all the Townes and Castels vnder his rule and not to suffer anye person to enter the same hauing forgot to except the Duke of Lancaster beeyng then in Scotlande wherevppon the Duke tooke no small displeasure with the Earle of Northumberlande as after hee well shewed at hys coÌ„ming home But before hee returned foorth of Scotlande he wrote to the Kyng to vnderstaÌ„d his pleasure in what sort he should returne humbling hymselfe in such wise as hee made offer to come with one Knight one Esquier a grome if it should please the Kyng so to appoynt him or if it so were that by his presence it was thoughte the Realme was like to fall in anye trouble hee was ready to departe into exile neuer to returne into his Countrey agayne if so bee that through his absence the King and Realme mighte enioy peace and quietnesse The Kyng hearing such offers wrote to him that his pleasure was to haue hym to returne home with all hys whole trayne and if the same were not thoughte sufficiente to guarde him hee should take of euery Towne by the which he passed a certayne nuÌ„ber of men to attend hym vnto the next Towne for hys safegarde and so it was done the Kyng sending him commission to that effect and thus coÌ„ming to the Courte he was of the Kyng right honorably receyued Within a few dayes after his commyng hee exhibited a greeuous complaynte agaynst y e Erle of Northumberland for abusing hym in dyuers sortes The Duke of Lancaster that 〈◊〉 the earle of Northumâ—… ioyth â—…alty crimes in time of the late troubles so as his honor was greatly thereby touched for whych the Earle was sente for and commaunded to come vnto Barkhamsteede where all the Lordes in manner of the land were assembled in Counsell Heere after the Duke had laâ—…de dyuers things so the Earles charge for his disobedience vnfaithfulnesse and ingratitude the Earle after the manner of his Countrey not able to forbeare brake out into reprochfull wordes againste the Duke although hee was commaunded by the Kyng to ceasse where the Duke kept silence in humble manner at the first word when the king commaunded hym to holde his peace so that by reason of the Earles disobedience in that behalfe he was arrested But yet the Erles of Warwike and Suffolke vndertaking for his appearance at the nexte Parliament he was suffered to depart and so the Counsell brake vp About the feast of all Sainctes The duke of Lancaster and the Earle of Northumberland come to the parliameÌ„t with greate troupes of armed men the Parliamente beganne to the whiche the Duke of Lancaster came bringing with him an exceedyng number
to the Kings presence and to hym declared the causes of their commotion and rysing Tho. VVâ—… accusing a great number of their complices The king vsed one policie which muche imported to the discomforting of the aduersaries as Tho. Walling sayth For where as he gaue order that all the gates of London should be straightly kept and garded so as â—…one shuld come in nor out but such as were knowen to goe to the King the chiefest succour appoynted to come to the Captaynes of the rebels was by that meanes cutte off where otherwise surely if they had not bin thus preuented and stayed By 〈◊〉 excessâ—… number it may appeare that Walfing reporâ—…eth thys â—…et according to the coÌ„mon fame and not as one that searched oute an eâ—…quisite truth there had issued forth of London to haue ioyned with them to the number of fiftie thousande persons one and other seruauntes prentises and other Citizens confederate with them that were thus assembled in Ficket fielde Diuers also that came from sundry partes of the Realme hasting towardes the place to bee there at their appoynted time chanced to lyghte among the Kings men and being taken and demaunded whither they wente with suche speede they aunswered that they came to meete with their Captaine the Lord Cobhom but whether he came thither at all or made shifte for hymselfe to get away it doth not certainely appeare but he could not be hearde of at y e time as Thomas Wals counfesseth although the King by proclamation promised a thousand markes to him that could bring him forth with greate liberties to the Cities or Townes that woulde discouer where hee was by this it maye appeare howe greatly he was beloued that there could not one he found that for so great a reward would bring him to light Some saye that the occasion of their death was onely for the conueying of the Lord Cobham out of prison Others write that it was both for treason and heresie and so it appeareth by the recorde Certaine affirme that it was for feined causes surmised by the spiritualtie more vpon displeasure than truth and that they were assembled to heare their Preacher the foresayde Beuerley in that place there out of the way froÌ„ resort of people sith they might not come togyther openly about anye suche matter withoute daunger to bee apprehended as the manner is and hathe bin euer of the persecuted flocke when they are prohibited publiquely the exercise of the religioÌ„ But howsoeuer the matter weÌ„t with these men apprehended they were diuers of theÌ„ executed as before ye haue heard whether for rebellion or heresie or for both as the forme of the InditemeÌ„t importeth I nede not to spend many words sith other haue so largely treated thereof therfore I refer those that wish to be more fully satisfied herein vnto their discourses hauing for mine owne parte rather chosen to shewe what I finde recorded by Writers than to vse any censure to the preiudice of other mens iudgements and therefore to leane this matter and also the Lord Cobham eyther in Wales or else where closely hid for the time from king HeÌ„ries reach I will passe from him to speake of other things Whilest in the Lente season the Kyng laye at Kenilworth Fâ—…yton A disdainful ambassade there came to him froÌ„ Charles Dolphin of Fraunce the Frenche Kings eldest sonne certayne Ambassadors that broughte with them a barrell of Paris balles which they presented to hym for a token from their maister whiche presente was taken in verie ill parte as sent in scorne to signifie that it was more mete for the Kyng to passe the tyme with suche childish exercise than to attempte anye worthy exployte wherefore the Kyng wrote to hym that ere ought long hee woulde sende to hym some London balles that shoulde breake and batter downe the roofes of his houses about hys eares This yeare Thomas Arundell Archbyshop of Canterburie departed this life a stoute Prelate and an earnest maynteyner of the Religion then allowed by the Churche of Rome Henrye Chichellie Byshoppe of Saint Dauid was remoued Tho. VVal. and succeeded the same Arundell in the Sea of Canterburie and the Kyngs confessor Stephen Patrington a Carmelite Frier was made Byshoppe of Saint Dauid Henry Percye sonne to the Lord Henry Percie surnamed Hotespurre after his fathers deceasse that was slayne at Shrewesburie fielde was conueyed into Scotlande and there left by his Grandfather beeing then but a childe where euer sithence hee had remayned the Kyng therefore pitied his case and so procured for him that he came home Percy restored to the eridome of Northumberlande and was restored to all his lands and Earledome of Northumberlande whyche lands before had bin giuen to the Lorde Iohn the Kings brother An. reg 2. In the seconde yeare of his raigne Kyng Henry called his high Court of Parliament the last day of Aprill in the Towne of Leicester in the which Parliamente many profitable lawes were concluded and manye petitions moued were for that time deferred amongst whyche one was that a bill exhibited in the Parliament holden at Westminster in the eleuenth yeare of King Henry the fourth whiche by reason the Kyng was then troubled with ciuill discorde came to none effect might now with good deliberation be pondered and brought to some good conclusion A bill exhibited to the parliameÌ„t against the Clergie The effect of whiche supplication was that the temporall lands deuoutely giuen and disordinately spent by religious and other spirituall persons should be seased into y e kyngs hands sithence the same might suffise to mainteyne to the honor of the King and deâ—… the Realm fifteene Erles fifteene C. knightes sixe M. two C. Esquiers and a C. almes houses for reliefe onely of the poore impotente and needie persons and the King to haue 〈◊〉 his cofers twentie M. poundes with many rather prouisions and values of Religious houses which I passe ouer This bill was much 〈◊〉 and more feared among the Religious sorâ—… whome surely it touched very neere and therefore to find a remedie againste a mischiefe they determined to assay all wayes that might 〈◊〉 their purpose to put by and ouerthâ—… hys bill and in especiall they thoughte best câ—…e of they might replenish y e kings brayne 〈…〉 pleasant studie that he shoulde neyther 〈◊〉 nor regarde the serious petition of the importunate commons wherevpon one day as y e â—…ng was set in the Parliamente Chamber Henrye Chicheley Archbyshop of Caunterburie The Archebishoppe of Canterburye his Oratioâ—… in the ParliameÌ„t house made a pithie oration wherein hee declared howe 〈◊〉 onely the Duchies of Normandy Aqaitayne with the Counties of Anion and Musne and y e countrey of Gascoigne were by liueall distâ—… apperteyning to the King as lawfull 〈◊〉 inâ—…bitate heire of the same but that also the whole realme of France belonged to him by right as heire to his greate grandfather King Edwarde the third herewith he
of Roan and compassed it rounde aboute with a strong siege The king lay with a great puissaunce at the Chartreux house Before Pont Saint Hillarie Titus Liuius on the East side of the Citie and the Duke of Clarence lodged at S. Geruais before the Port of Caux on the West part The Duke of Exceter tooke his place on the Northe side The order of the siege at the port S. Denys betweene the dukes of Exceter and Clarence was appoynted the Earle Marshall euen before the gate of the Castell Before the gate called Markevile Titus Liuius to whom were ioyned the Erle of Ormond and the Lordes Harington and Talbot vpon his comming from Damfront and from the Duke of Exceter towarde the king were encamped the Lordes Ros Willoughbie Fitz Hugh and sir William Porter with a greate bande of Northren men euen before the Port Saint Hillarie The Earles of Mortaigne and Salisburie Salisbury and HuntingtoÌ„ on the other side of the riuer of Sayne were assigned to lodge about the Abbey of Saint Katherine Sir Iohn Grey was lodged directly against the Chapell called Mount S. Michaell Sir Philip Leeche Treasorer of the warres kept the hill next the Abbey and the Baron of Carew kept the passage on the ryuer of Seyne and to him was ioyned that valiaunt Esquire Ienico Dartoys On the further side of the ryuer were lodged the Earles of Warren and Huntingdon the Lordes Neuil and Ferrers sir Gilbert Vmfreuile with a well furnished companie of warlike souldiers directly before the Gate called Port de Pont. And to the entent that no ayde should passe by the riuer toward the citie there was a great chain of yron deuised at Pontlarch set on Pyles from the one side of the water to the other and beside that cheyne there was set vp a new forced bridge sufficient both for cariage and passage to passe the ryuer from one campe to another The L. Talbot The Earle of Warwicke that had lately won Dampfront was sent to besiege Cawdebecke a towne standing on the Ryuer side betweene the sea and the Citie of Roan whiche towne hee so hardly handled with fierce and continuall assaultes that the Captaines within offred to suffer the English nauie to passe by theyr towne withoute impeachment vp to the Citie of Roan And also if Roan yeelded they promised to render the towne without delay Herevpon the Englishe nauie to the number of an hundred sayles passed by Cawdebecke and came to Roan and so besieged it on the water side There came also to this siege the Duke of Gloucester with the Earle of Suffolke and the Lord Burgueâ—…enny which had takeÌ„ as before ye haue heard the towne of Cherbourgh and lodged before the port Saint Hillarie nearer to their enimies by .xl. rodes than any other person of the armie During this siege also there arriued at Harflew the Lorde of Kilmayne in Ireland The I. of Kâ—… mayâ—…e captaine of the Irishmen with a bande of .xvj. hundred Irishmen in mayle wyth Dartes and Skaynes after the maner of theyr Countrey all of them being tall quicke and deliuer persons which came and presented themselues before the king lying stil at the siege of whom they were not onely gently receyued and welcomed but also bycause it was thought that the French king and the Duke of Burgoigne would shortly come and eyther attempt to rayse the siege or vitayle and man the towne by the north gate they were appoynted to keepe the northside of the armie and in especiall the way that commeth froÌ„ the Forest of Lions Which charge the Lorde of Kylmayne and his companie ioyfully accepted and did so theyr deuoire therein The good seruice of the â—…rishâ—… 〈◊〉 siege that no men were more praysed nor did more domage to theyr enimies than they did for surely theyr quicknesse and swiftnesse of foote did more preiudice to their enimies than their barded horses dyd hurt or domage to the nymble Irishmen Also the kings cousin germaine and alie the king of Portingale Titus Lâ—… The King 〈◊〉 Portingale sendeth ayâ—… to king tâ—… did send a great nauie of well appoynted shippes vnto the mouth of the Ryuer of Seyne to stoppe that no French vessels should enter the ryuer and passe vp the same to the ayde of them within Roan Thus was the fayre Citie of Roan compassed about with enimies both by water and lande hauing neither comfort nor ayde of King Dolphin or Duke And yet although the armie was strong withoute there lacked not within both hardie Captaines and manfull souldiours And as for people they had more than ynough For as it is written by some that had good cause to knowe the truth and no occasion to erre from the same there were in the Citie at the time of the siege The number â—…in Roan two hundred and tenne thousand persons Dayly were issues made out of the Citie at dyuerse gates sometime to the losse of the one party and sometime of the other as chaunces of warre in such aduentures happen The French men in deed preferring fame before worldly riches and despysing pleasure the enimie to warlike prowes sware ech to other neuer to render or deliuer the Citie while they myght eyther holde sworde in hande or speare in reast The king of England aduertised of their hault courages determined to conquer them by famin which would not be tamed with weapon Wherfore he stopped all the passages both by water and lande that no vittayle coulde be conueyed to the Citie hee cast trenches rounde aboute the walles and set them full of stakes and defended them with Archers so that there was left neither way for theÌ„ within to issue out nor for any that were abrode to enter in without his licence To rehearse the great paynes trauaile and diligence which the king tooke vpon him in hys owne person at this siege Titus Liuius a man myght wonder and bycause dyuerse of the souldiers had lodged themselues for their more ease in places so farre distant one from another that they might easily haue beene surprised by theyr enimies ere any of their fellowes coulde haue come to theyr succors he caused proclamation to be made that no man on paine of death shoulde lodge without the precinct appoynted them nor goe further abroade from the campe than suche boundes as were assigned and as it chaunced the king in going about the campe to suruey and view y e warders he espyed two souldiers that were walking abroade without the lymittes assigned whome he caused streight wayes to be apprehended and hanged vp on a tree of great heigth King Henry 〈◊〉 iustice for a terror to other that none should be so hardie to breake such orders as he commaunded them to obserue Tho. VVals Whilest the king lay thus with his power about the mightie Citie of Rouen the Frenchmen sought to endomage aswel those that were at that siege as other of the Englishmen that laye in
a noueltie to bee defied of hym seeing it is six or seuen yeares that he hath warred againste mee and yet giuen me no defyaunce and sithe that by the grace of God I haue defended my selfe from hym as he hath seene and euery one else without that he hathe giuen mee any warnyng or considering the reason and iustification whereon I do rest my selfe for the whiche I thinke I haue not otherwyse deserued towards God I hope that at this time now you aduertise me of it being aduertised I shall defend myself the better in such sort that the king your maister shall do mee no hurte for since hee doth defy me I am halfe assured And touchyng that whyche you spake of the Pope none hathe bin more sorowfull than I of that which was done and it was without my knowledge or cōmaundement and that which hathe bene done was done by vnruly people without obedience to any of my Captaines And yet I aduertise you that the Pope long since is set at libertie and yesterdaye I hadde certayne newes of it And as touchyng the sonnes of youre Maister hee knoweth that I haue them for pledges and also my Lordes his Ambassadours knowe well that the faulte hath not layne in mee that they haue not beene delyuered And as for that of the Kyng of Englande my good brother and vncle I beleeue if it hee so as you doe saye that hee is not well infourmes of ◅ynges passed and if hee were yet could I not saye as your writyng conteyneth I desire to sende hym my reasons for to aduertise him of all the truthe And I beleeue when he shall knowe it that hee will bee vnto me as he hathe bene I neuer denied the money whyche I borrowed of hym and I am readye to pay it as by reason and right I am bound and thanked ◅e God I haue enoughe to doe it Neuerthelesse if he will make warre againste mee it will bee to my greate displeasure and cannot but defend myselfe I pray to God that he gyue mee no more occasion than I thinke I haue giuen vnto him And to the reste for that your writyng is great and the paper sheweth it self to be gentle seing that they haue written what they would You shall giue mee the writing wherby more particularly I may answer in an other paper wherin shall be nothing but truth This aunswere being made by his Maiestie with his own mouth vnto Guyenne K. of armes the sayd Guyenne tooke his cote of armes that he had on his lefte arme as before is said and put it on and then Clarenceaux Kyng of armes of England sayd vnto his maiestie not by writing but by mouth as foloweth Syr the king my soueraigne Lord hath cōmaunded me to saye vnto you that seyng the necessitie of peace in the Christian religion as wel by reason of the enforcement many yeeres past begonne by the great Turke enimie vnto our fayth whiche by force of armes hath taken away from the Christians the citie and I le of the Rhodes one of the principall bulwarkes of Christendom and in Hungarie the fortresse of Belgrade part of the coūtrey there as also by heresies and newe sectes of late risen in diuers places of Christendome And likewise knowing the greate warres being kindeled in al parts by meanes of which al christendome is in trouble cōfusion and maruellous deuision and not long since by your people and ministers and souldiers in your armie and vnder your captains the holie citie of Rome hath bin sacked and robbed the person of our holy father y e Pope taken prisoner kept by your people The Cardinals likewise takē put to ransom y e churches robbed Bishops priests people of religion put to the sworde and so many other euils cruelties inhumain facts cōmitted by your people that the ayre the land are infected therwith And it is very like y t God is greatly stirred and prouoked vnto ire to speak after the maner of men if by amendment it be not pacified innumerable euils inconueniences shall happen vnto al Christendom And for that the roote encreacement of the said warres proceedeth of the cōtentions debates betwene you the most christened K. his good brother perpetuall allie to make an end of which debates the K. my soueraine lord hath sent his ambassadors others vnto the most christened K. his good brother with whom hee hath done so much that for the loue that he hath borne him he hath made vnto you so great offers and so resonable that you can not nor ought not reasonably to refuse thē as conditions offers for his raunsome exceeding the raunsom accustomed of all kings And if in this the consideration of peace had not bin an euil exāple might therof growe for other kings christened princes subiecte vnto the like fortune Of whiche offers and conditions he hath lykewise aduertised you by his Embassadors prayed and besought you for the honor of God and the welth of all christendome for the benefits pleasures that he hath done vnto you diuers wayes and that in tyme of your great neede that it would please you to accept the sayde offers and make an ende of the sayd warres that haue too long endured Lykewyse as a Christened Prince bounde to the protection of the Pope and Sea Apostolike and consequentely to the deliuerance of his holynesse which you can not nor ought to kepe prisoner without great offence that you woulde restore his holynesse vnto a full and entier libertie Also hee hath oftentymes shewed by diuers obligations and other meanes howe you are indebted vnto him in diuers great summes of money that he hath giuen and lent you in your necessitie requiring you to make payment of all whiche thinges you haue made no accompte from tyme to tyme but deferred it and helde in suspence the embassadours of the king my soueraine without hauing regard to gods honor and the necessitie of all christendome and the reuerence that you ought to haue vnto the holy seate and person of our holy father the Pope the vicare of God on earthe or vnto the pleasures that you haue receyued of hym or vnto your faithe and promise that you so oftētimes haue made And for this cause the King my saide soueraigne by honest reason and iustice constrayned by great and ripe deliberation of his counsell hopyng for a finall conclusion hathe caused agayne to bee presented offers more larger and to greater aduauntage than the others before to put you in deuoir and to auoyde and take away all occasion to deferre and dissimule to come to reason whych offers and the augmentyng of the same haue bene made and made agayne with all remonstrances and honest reasons that hathe bin possible and in the end there haihe bin made vnto you instance for the deliuerie of our said holy father whose holynesse you haue restrayned or caused to be restrayned in place of deliuerye whyche is
resort to a greater matter of youre vnkyndenesse a great vnnaturalnesse and suche an euill that if we thought it had not bene begonne of ignoraunce and continued by persuasion of certaine traytours amongst you which we thinke fewe in number but in their doings busie we coulde not be persuaded but to vse our sworde and to doe iustice And as we be ordeyned of God for to redresse your errours by auengement But loue and zeale yet ouercometh our iust anger but howe long that will be God knoweth in whose hande our heart is and rather for your owne causes being our christened subiectes we woulde ye were persuaded than vanquished taught than ouerthrowne quietly pacified than rigorously persecuted Yee require to haue the Statute of sixe Sixe articles Articles reuiued and knowe you what yee require Or knowe yee what case yee haue with the losse of them There were lawes made but quicklye repented too bloudie they were to bee borne of our people and yet at the first in deede made of some necessitie Oh subiectes howe are ye trapped by euill persons Wee of pitie bicause they were bloudie tooke them away and you nowe of ignoraunce will aske them againe You know full well that they helped vs to extende rigour and gaue vs cause to drawe our sworde verye often And since our mercie mooued vs to wryte our lawes with milke and equitie howe bee yee blinded to aske them in bloude But leauing this maner of reasoning and resorting to the truth of our authoritie we let you wit the same hath bene adnulled by Parliament with great reioyse of our subiectes and not nowe to be called in question The authority of a Parliamēt And dareth anye of you with the name of a subiect stande against an Acte of Parliament a lawe of the Realme What is our power if lawes shoulde be thus neglected or what is your suretie if lawes be not kept Assure you most surely that we of no earthly thing vnder the heauen make such reputation as we doe of this one to haue our lawes obeyed and this cause of God to be throughlye maintained from the which we will neuer remoue a heares breadth nor giue place to any creature liuing But therein will spend our owne royall person our crowne treasure Realme and all our state whereof we assure you of our high honour For herein resteth our honour herein doe all Kings knowledge vs a King And shall anye one of you dare breath or think against our kingdome and crowne In the ende of this your request as we be giuen to vnderstande ye woulde haue them stand in force vntill our full age To this we thinke that if ye knewe what ye spake ye woulde not haue vttered the motion nor neuer giuen breath to such a thought For what thinke you of our kingdome Be we of lesse authoritie for our age Be we not your King nowe as wee shall be Shall ye be subiectes hereafter and nowe are ye not Haue wee not the right wee shall haue If ye woulde suspende and hang our doings in doubt vntill our full age yee must first know as a king we haue no difference of yeares but as a naturall man and creature of God we haue youth and by his sufferance shall haue age Wee are your rightfull King your liege Lorde the souereigne Prince of Englande not by our age but by Gods ordinance not onelye when we shall bee one and twentie yeares of age but when we were of ten yeares We possesse our crowne not by yeares but by the bloude and discent from our father King Henrie the eyght If it be considered they which moue this matter if they durst vtter themselues woulde denie our kingdome But our good subiectes knowe their Prince and will encrease not diminishe his honour enlarge his power not abate it knowledge his kingdome not deferre it to certaine yeares All is one to speake against our crowne and to denie our kingdome as to require that our lawes may be broken vnto one and twentie yeares Be wee not your crowned annoynted and established King Wherin be we of lesse maiesty of lesse authority or lesse state than our progenitors Kings of this Realme Except your vnkindnesse your vnnaturalnesse will diminishe our estimation We haue hitherto since the death of our Father by the good aduise and counsayle of our deare and entirely beloued vnkle the Duke of Somerset and Gouernour and Protector kept our estate maintained our Realme preserued our honour defended our people from all enimies We haue hitherto bene feared and dreade of our enimies yea of Princes Kings and nations Yea herein we be nothing inferiour to any our Progenitours whiche grace we acknowledge to be giuen vs from God and howe else but by good obedience good counsayle of our Magistrates By the authoritie of oure kingdome Englande hitherto hath gained honour during our Reygne It hath wonne of the enimie and not lost It hath bene maruayled that we of so yong yeares haue reigned so nobly so royally so quietly And howe chaunceth that you our louing subiectes of that our countrie of Cornewall and Deuonshire will giue occasion to slaunder this our Realme of Englande to giue courage to the enimie to note our Realme of the euill of rebellion to make it a praye to oure olde enimies to diminishe our honour whiche God hath giuen our father lefte our good vnkle and Counsayle preserued vnto vs What greater euill coulde yee committe than enter nowe when our forreyne enimie in Scotlande and vpon the sea seeketh to inuade vs to doe oure Realme dishonour than to arise in this maner against our lawe to prouoke our wrathe to aske our vengeance and to giue vs an occasion to spende that force vppon you which we ment to bestow vpon our enimies to begynne to slay you with that sworde that we dreweforth against Scottes and other enimies To make a conquest of our owne people whiche otherwise should haue bene of the whole Realme of Scotlande Thus farre we haue descended from our high Maiestie for loue to consider you to your simple ignorance and haue bene content to sende you an instruction like a father who of iustice might haue sent you your destructions like a King to rebelles And nowe we let you know that as you see our mercie abundantly so if ye prouoke vs further we sweare to you by the liuing God ye shall feele the power of the same God in our sworde whiche howe mightie it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuate man can iudge howe mortall it is no Englishman dare thinke But surely surely as your Lorde and Prince your onely king and maister we say to you repent your selues and take our mercie without delay or else we will forthwith extende our princely power and execute our sharpe sworde against you as against infidels and Turkes and rather aduenture oure owne royall person state and power than the same shoulde not be executed And if you will proue the
talke of the Erle of Pembroke y t the saide Earle woulde not fight against them though hee woulde not take their partes Also Vaughan said that Throckmor shewed hym y t he would ride downe into Barkeshire to sir Frācis Englefieldes house there to meete his eldest brother to moue him to take his part And thys was y e summe of Cutbert Vaughans cōfession Stanford How say you doth not heere appeare euident matter to proue you a principall who not onely gaue order to sir Peter Carde his adherēts for their rebellious actes in the West Countrey but also procured Wyat to make his Rebellion appointing him the others also when they should attempt their enterprise how they should order their doings from time to time Besides all this euident matter you were specially appoynted to goe away with the Earle of Deuon as one that would direct all things and giue order to al mē and therefore Throckmor since this matter is so manifest and the euidence so apparant I would aduise you to cōfesse your fault and submit your selfe to the Queenes mercy Bromley Howe say you will you confesse the matter and it will be best for you Throckmor No I wil neuer accuse my selfe vniustly but in asmuche as I am come hither to bee tryed I pray you let me haue the law fauourably Attourney Is it apparant that you lay at London as a factor to giue intelligence as well to them in the West as to Wyat in Kent Throckmor How proue you that or who doth accuse mee but this condemned man Attourney Why will you denie this matter you shall haue Vaughan iustifie his whole confession here before your face Throckmor It shal not need I know his vnshame fastnes he hath aduowed some of this vntrue talk before this time to my face it is not otherwise like considering y e price but he will do y e same again Attourney My L. and maisters you shall haue Vaughhan to iustifie this heere before you all and confirme it with a booke oth Throckmor He that hath said and lyed will not being in this case sticke to sweare and lie Then was Cutbert Vaughan brought into the open Court Sendall How say you Cutbert Vaughan is this your owne confession and wil you abide by all that is here written Vaughan Let me see it and I will tell you Then his confession was shewed him Attourney Bycause you of y e Iury the better may credite him I pray you my lords let Vaghā be sworne Then was Vaughan sworne on a booke to say nothing but the trueth Vaughan It may please you my lords and maisters I could haue bin well content to haue chose seauen yeres imprisonment though I had bin a free mā in y e law rather than I would this day haue gyuen euidence against sir Nicholas Throckmor vnto whome I beare no displeasure but sithence I must needes confesse my knowledge I must confesse al y e is there written is true how say you M. Throck was there any displeasure betwene you me to moue me to say aught against you Throckmor No y t I know how say you Vaughan what acquaintance was there betwene you and me what letters of credit or token did you bring me frō Wiat or any other to moue me to trust you Vaughan As for aquaintance I knew you as I did other Gentlemen as for letters I broughte you none other but cōmendatiōs frō M. Wiat as I did to diuers other of his acquaintāce at Lōdon Throckmor You might as well forge the cōmendatiōs as the rest but if you haue done with Vaughā my lords I pray you giue mee leaue to aunsweare Bromley Speake and be short Throckmor I speake generally to all y e be heere present but specially to you of my Iury touching y e credit of Vaughās depositions against me a condemned man after to the matter note I pray you the circumstāces as somewhat material to induce y e better First I pray you remēber y e smal familiaritie betwixt Vaughan me as be hathe auowed before you And moreouer to procure credite at my hād brought neither letter nor token frō Wiat nor frō any other to me which he also hath confessed here and I will suppose Vaughā to be in as good condition as any other mā here that is to say an vncōdemned man yet I referre it to your good iudgement whether it were lyke y t I knowing onely Vaughans person from an other mā hauing none other acquaintance w t him would so frankly discouer my mind to him in so dangerous a matter How like I say is this whē diuers of these Gentlemen now in captiuitie being my very familiars coulde not depose any such matter against me and neuertheles vppon their examinations haue saide what they could And though I be no wise man I am not so rash to vtter to an vnknowē man for I may call him in comparison a matter so dangerous for me to speake him to heare but bycause my trueth his falsehood shall the better appeare vnto you I will declare his inconstancy in vttering this his euidence and for my better credite it may please you M. Southwell I take you to witnes whē Vaughan first iustified this his vniust accusation against me before the L. Paget the L. Chamberlaine you M. Southwell others he referred the confirmatiō of this his surmised matter to a letter sent frō him to sir Tho. Wyat which letter doth neither appeare nor any testimonie of the said M. Wyat against mee touching the matter for I doubte not sir Tho. Wyat hath bin examined of me and hathe sayde what he could directly or indirectly Also Vaughā saith y e yong Edw. Wyat could confirme thys matter as one y t knewe this pretended discourse betwixt Vaughā and me and thervpon I made sute y t Edw. Wiat might either be brought face to face to me or otherwise be examined Southwell M. Thockmor you mistake your matter for Vaughan said y e Edw. Wyat did know some part of the matter and also was priuie of y e letter that Vaughan sent sir Tho. Wyat. Throckmor Yea sir that was Vaughans last shift when I charged him before y e master of y e horse you w t his former allegatiōs touching his witnes whom when hee espyed woulde not doe so lewdly as hee thought then he vsed this alteration but where is Edw. Wiats depositiōs of any thing against me now it appeareth neither his firste nor his last tale to be true For you knowe M. Bridges so doth my L. your brother that I desired twice or thrice Ed. Wiat shuld be examined I am sure most assured he hathe bin willed to say what he could here is nothing deposed by him against me eyther touching any letter or other conference or where is Vaughās letter sent by sir Tho. Wyat cōcerning my talke But now I will speake of Vaughans present
after that hir grace passed y e Crosse she had espyed the Pageant erected at the little conduit in Cheape and incontinent required to know what it might signifie And it was tolde hir grace that there was placed Tyme Tyme quoth shee and Tyme hath broughte me hither And so forth the whole matter was opened to hir grace as heereafter shall be declared in the description of the Pageant But in the opening when hir grace vnderstoode that the Byble in Englishe shoulde be deliuered vnto hir by Trueth which was therin represented by a childe she thanked the Citie for that gift and sayd that she would oftentimes reade ouer that Booke commaunding Sir Iohn Parrat one of the Knights which helde vp hir Canapie to goe before and to receiue the Booke But learning that it shoulde bee deliuered vnto hir grace downe by a silken lace shee caused him to stay and so passed forwarde till shee came agaynste the Aldermen in the high ende of Cheape tofore the little conduite where the companyes of the Citie ended which beganne at Fanchurche and stoode along the streetes one by another enclosed with rayles hanged with clothes and themselues well apparelled with manye riche furres and their liuery whodes vpon their shoulders in comely and seemely maner hauing before them sundrye persons well apparelled in silkes and chaynes of golde as wyflers and garders of the sayde companyes beside a number of riche hangings as well of Tapistrie Arras clothes of golde siluer veluet damaske Sattin and other silkes plentifully hanged all the way as the Queenes highnesse passed from the Tower thorough the Citie Out at the windowes and penthouses of euery house did hang a number of riche and costly banners and streamers till hir grace came to the vpper ende of Cheape And there by appointmente the ryght worshipfull Maister Ranulph Cholmeley Recorder of the Citie presented to the Queenes Maiestie a purse of crymeson sattine richely wroughte with golde wherein the Citie gaue vnto the Queenes Maiestie a thousande markes in golde as Maister Recorder did declare briefely vnto the Queenes Maiestie whose words tended to this ende that the Lord Maior his breethren and communaltie of the Citie to declare their gladnes and good will towards the Queenes Maiestie did presente hyr grace with that gold desiring hir grace to continue their good and gracious Queene and not to esteeme the value of the gift but the mynde of the giuers The Queenes Maiestie with both hir hands tooke the purse and aunswered to him againe maruellous pithily and so pithily that the standers by as they embraced entierly hyr gracious aunswere so they maruelled at the cowching thereof which was in wordes truely reported these I thanke my Lorde Maior hys breethre and you all And whereas your request is that I should continue youre good Lady and Queene bee yee ensured that I will be as good vnto you as euer Queene was to hir people No will in mee can lacke neyther doe I trust shall there lacke any power And perswade your selues y t for the safetie and quietnesse of you all I will not space if neede be to spend my bloud God thanke you all Whiche aunswere of so noble an hearted Princes if it moued a maruellous shoute and reioycing it is nothing to bee maruelled at since both the heartinesse thereof was so wonderfull and the wordes so ioyntly knitte When hir grace had thus aunswered the Recorder shee marched towarde the little conduit where was erected a Pageant with square proportion standing directly before the same conduit with battlementes accordingly And in the same Pageant was aduanced two hylles or Mountaynes of conuenient height The one of them beeing on the North syde of the same Pageante was made cragged barren and stonie in the whiche was erected on tree artificially made all withered and dead with braunches accordingly And vnder the same tree at the foote thereof sate one in homely and rude apparell crokedly and in mourning maner hauing ouer hys head in a table written in Latin and Englishe hys name whiche was Ruinosa Respublica A decayed common weale And vppon the same withered tree were fixed certayne Tables wherein were written proper sentences expressing the causes of the decay of a common weale The other hill on the South syde was made fayre fresh green and beautifull the ground thereof full of floures and beautie and on the same was erected also one tree very freshe amd faire vnder the whyche stoode vpright on freshe personage well apparelled and appoynted whose name also was written both in English and Latin which was Respublica bene instituta a flourishing common Weale And vpon the same tree also were fixed certaine Tables conteyning sentences whych expressed the causes of a flourishing common Weale In the myddle betweene the sayde hylles was made artificially one hollow place or caue with dore and locke enclosed out of the which a little before the Queenes highnes comming thither issued on personages whose name was Tyme apparelled as an old man with a Sythe in his hande hauing wings artificially made leading a personage of lesser stature than himselfe which was finely and well apparelled all cladde in white sylke and directly ouer hyr head was sette hir name and title in latine and English Temporis filia the daughter of Tyme Whiche two so appoynted wente forwarde toward the South side of the Pageant And on hir brest was written hir proper name which was Veritas Truth who helde a Booke in hir hand vpon the which was written Verbum veritatis the word of trueth And out of the South syde of the Pageant was cast a standing for a child which shoulde interprete the same Pageant Againste whome when the Queenes Maiestie came he spake vnot hir grace these words This old man with the sythe olde father Tyme they call And hir his daughter Trueth which holdeth yonder Booke Whome he our of his rocke hath brought forth to vs all From whence this many yeares she durst not once out looke The ruthfull wight that sitteth vnder the barren tree Resembleth to vs forme when common weales decay But when they be in state triumphant you may see By him in freshe attire that sitteth vnder the baye Nowe since that Tyme agayne his daughter Trueth hathe brought We trust O worthy Q. thou wilt this trueth embrace And since thou vnderstandst the good estate and naught We trust welth thou wilte plant and barrennes displace But for heale the sore and cure that is not seene Whiche thing the Booke of trueth doth teach in writing playne She doth present to thee the same O worthy Queene For that that words do flye but writing doth remayne When the childe had thus ended his speeche hee reached his Booke towardes the Queenes Maiestie which a little before Trueth had lette down vnto him from the hill whyche by Sir Iohn Parrat was receiued and deliuered vnto the Queene But shee as soone as she had receyued the Booke kissed it and with both hir hands helde
to spare me to beholde this ioyfull day And I acknowledge that thou hast delt as wonderfully and as mercifully with me as thou diddest with thy true and faythfull seruant Daniell thy Prophete whom thou deliueredst out of the denne from the crueltie of the greedie and raging Lions euen so was I ouerwhelmed and onely by thee deliuered To thee therfore onely be thankes honor and praise foreuer Amen The second was the receyuing of the Bible at the little conduit in Cheape For when hir Grace had learned that the Byble in Englishe should there be offred she thanked the Citie therfore promised the reading thereof most diligently and incontinent commaunded that it shoulde be brought At the receyte whereof how reuerently did she with both hir handes take it kisse it and lay it vpon hir breast to the great comfort of the lookers on God will vndoubtedly preserue so worthie a Prince which at his honor so reuerently taketh hir beginning For this saying is true and written in the Booke of truth He that first seeketh the kingdome of god shal haue all other things cast vnto him Nowe therefore all Englishe heartes and hir naturall people muste needes prayse Gods mercie which hath sent theÌ„ so worthie a princâ—… and pray for hir graces long continuaunce amongst vs. Sunday the .xv. of Ianuarie Hir coronation hir Maiestie was with great solemnitie crowned at Westminster in the Abbey Church there by doctor Oglâ—…thorpe Bishop of Carleil Shee diâ—…ed in Westminster hall which was richly bâ—…ng and euerie thing ordered in suche royall maner as to suche a regall and most solemne feast apperteyned In the meane tyme whilest hir grace sat at dinner Sir Edwarde Dimmockeâ—… sir Edwarde Dimmocke knight hir Champion by office came ryding into the Hall in fayre complete armour mounted on a beautifull Courser richly trapped in clothe of Golde entred the Hall and in the middest thereof cast downe his gauntlet wyth offer to fight wyth hym in hir quarell that shoulde denye hir to bee the rightuous and lawfull Queene of this Realme The Queene taking a cuppe of Golde full of Wine dranke to hym thereof and sent it to hym for his see togither wyth the Couer And after thys The L. Maâ—… of London serueth the Queene of Ipocrasse at the seruing vp of the Wafers the Lorde Maior of London went to the Cupboord and fitting a cup of golde with Ipocrasse bare it to the Queene and kneeling afore hir tooke the assay and shee receyuing it of him and drinking of it gaue the Cuppe wyth the couer vnto the sayde Lorde Maior for his fee which Cuppe and couer weyed xvj dunzes Troy weight Finally this feast being celebrated with all royall ceremonies and high solemnities due and in like cases accustomed tooke ende wyth great ioy and contentation to all the beholders A Parliament Wednesday the .xxv. of Ianuarie the Parliament began the Queenes Maiestie ryding in hir Parliament Robes from hir Palaice of white Hall vnto the Abbey Churche of Westmynster with the Lordes spirituall and temporall attending hir likewise in theyr Parliament Robes Doctor Coxe sometime scholemaister to King Edwarde the sixt and nowe lately returned froÌ„ the parties of beyonde the seas 〈◊〉 Stow. where during the dayes of Queene Marie he had liued as a banished man preached nowe before the estates there assembled in the beginning of the sayd Parliament The first fruits and tenthes reâ—…ed to the â—â—â—ne In this Parliament the first fruits tenthes were restored to the crown and also the supreme gouernment ouer the state ecclesiasticall which Queene Mary had giuen to the Pope Likewise the booke of common prayer and administration of the Sacraments in our mother tongue was restored Moreouer in the time of this Parliament a motion was made by the common house A motioÌ„ made in the Parliament house that the Queenes Maiestie might be sued vnto to grauÌ„t hir graces licence to the speaker knights Citizens and Burgesses to haue accesse vnto hir graces presence to declare vnto hir matter of great importance concerning the state of thys hir graces realme The which petition being mooued to hir grace she most honourably agreed and consented therevnto and assigned a day of hearing When the day came the speaker and common house resorted vnto hir graces palaice at Westmynster called the white Hall And in the great Gallerie there hir grace most honourably shewed hir selfe readie to heare their motion and petition And when the speaker had solemnely and eloquently set forth the message the speciall matter whereof most specially was tomoue hir grace to mariage whereby to al our comforts wee might enioy as Gods pleasure should be the royall issue of hir bodie to raigne ouer vs. c. The Queenes Maiestie after a little pause made this answere folowing as nere as I could beare the same away Graft abr sayth Grafton The Queenes â—…re As I haue good cause so doe I giue to you my heartie thankes for the good zeale and care that you seeme to haue as well towarde mee as to the whole estate of your Countrey Your petition I gather to be grounded on three causes and mine answere to the same shall consist in two partes And for the first I say vnto you that from my yeares of vnderstanding knowing my selfe a seruitour of almightie God I chose this kind of life in which I doe yet liue as a life most acceptable vnto him wherein I thought I coulde best serue him and with most quietnesse doe my duetie vnto him From which my choise if either ambition of high estate offred vnto me by mariages whereof I haue recordes in this presence the displeasure of the Prince the eschewing the daunger of mine enimies or the auoyding the perill of death whose Messenger the Princesse indignation was no little tyme continually present before mine eyes by whose meanes if I knew or do iustly suspect I will not now vtter them or if the whole cause were my sister hirselfe I will not nowe charge the deade coulde haue drawne or disswaded me I had not nowe remayned in this Virgins estate wherein you see me But so constant haue I always continued in this my determination that although my wordes and youth may seeme to some hardly to agree togither yet it is true that to this day I stande free from any other meaning that eyther I haue had in tymes past or haue at this present In which state and trade of liuing wherwith I am so throughly acquainted God hath hitherto so preserued mee and hath so watchfull an eye vpon me and so hath guided me and ledde me by the hand as my full trust is he will not suffer me to go alone The maner of your petition I doe lyke and take in good part for it is simple and conteyneth no lymitation of place or person If it had bene otherwise I must haue mislyked it verie much and thought in you a verie great presumption being vnfitte