bring thē to peace but that failing fell himselfe from the French imputing the fault vnto Frances for suborning the Scots against him and King Frances againe laid all the blame in the Cardinall accusing him of dissimulation abhorted practises and what not but wheresoeuer lay the defect the Duke of Albany was sent into Scotland the French followed a Spanish ship fraught with the goods of English-Merchants vnto Margate and tooke her euen in the Kings streams in both which King Frances excusing himselfe with ignorance alleaged no breach of truce broken by him 35 Then was it thought best by the Cardinals aduice to repay like with like and therefore counselled his King to reare Charles Duke of Burbon against France and to perswade him to inuade the very heart thereof incouraging him with sufficient pay and making him his Champion generall of the Field whilest the Emperor likewise held him play against Millan And to that end was sent in way of loane to the Emperour a great summe of money and forreine Princes sollicited to take armes against France for effecting which King Henry sent his Ambassadors to the States of Venice and Swissers with these instructions as followeth 36 That whereas in a treatie of peace it was concluded betwixt the Emperor King Henry and Frances the French King that if any Controuersies should arise betwixt any two the Prince not inuading should giue aide and assistance against the inuader but now the Emperour being inuaded by the French Kings Captaines in the Realme of Nauarre and in his owne Countrey by Robert de la March and others by his procurement and our king said they being often called vpon by the Emperor hath often entreated the French King to surcease but hath nothing obtained besides faire words and detraction of promises Complaining likewise that in the intercourse of these businesses the French King contrary to his Oath had sent the D◅ of Albany into Scotland in contempt of King Henry and to the great danger of the yong Kings death or deposition he being the next in blood to succeed and to the dishonour of the Queene mother had caused a separation betwixt her and her lawfull husband the Earle of Angus That the French King had deteined the payment compounded for the deliuery of Turnay and kept backe the dowry of his sister Queene Dowager of France that he had entertained the rebellious Subiects of King Henry and spoiled his Merchants both by Land and Sea Neither was vnremembred the danger that the Venetians stood in if the Realmes of Naples and Sicilie the Seigniories of Ieans and Millane were lost from the Empire These therefore seemed faire proiects vnto King Henry for him to warre against France and to that end a generall Muster by Commission was taken of all able men from sixteene yeers and vpward of euery Hamlet Village Burrough Citie Hundred and Shire throughout England which seemed to many another Domesday Booke and yet was there neither peace nor warre against France 37 In this great and hasty preparation Charles the Emperour as he passed toward Spaine landed at Douer where King Henrie mette him and in great estate brought him to London which was so prepared with Ornaments and Pageants as if it had been the Kings Coronation and in the Blacke-friers the Emperour was lodged in a most Princely Palace new built by the King then was he feasted at Winsor where he sate in his state in his Mantle and Garter and by receiuing the Sacrament these two Potent Monarches tooke their Corporal Oathes to obserue the Couenants concluded betwixt them whereof one was that the Emperour Charles agreed to stay for and take to wife the young Princesse Lady Marie King Henries then onely daughter and in such golden bands of loue Charles and Henrie seemed to be linked as in London this sentence was set vp in the Guild-hall ouer the doore of the Counsell Chamber where it still remaineth Carolus Henricus viuant defensor vterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae ◅ 38 Why the Titles defender of Church and Faith were attributed vnto these two Princes is no maruell for Charles chosen Emperour was scarsly confirmed but to purchase the Popes fauor he directed forth a solemne Writ of Out-lawry against Martin Luther who then had giuen a great blow to the Papall Crowne And King Henry likewise was renowned in Rome for writing a booke against the said Luther vnderpropping the tottering or downe-cast countenance of the Popes pardons which Luther shrewdly had shaken the Pope therefore to shew himselfe a kind father vnto those his sonnes gaue them these Titles which in truth were none other then the same which they sware vnto when the Crownes of their Empires were first set vpon their heades But with what acceptance his Holinesse receiued King Henries booke his owne Oration solemnely made at the deliuery thereof vnto M. Iohn Clarke the presenter and Kings Ambassador in his Consistory and in presence of his Cardinals sufficiently doth shew the translation whereof we haue inserted as we finde it in the Originall it selfe Wee doe receiue this booke with all alacrity it is indeed such as there could not bee any thing sent vs and our venerable brethren more acceptable then it is For the King himselfe a most mighty most prudent and most truely Christian Prince wee know not whether wee may more prayse or admire being the first that by warre with happy successe hath subdued the enemies of the Church of Christ that seeke to rend Christs coat and at last ouercomming the enemies hath restored peace to the Church of God and to this holy See But now against so soule a Monster both to vnderstand to bee able and willing to write this book hee hath shewed himselfe no more admirable to the whole world for his elegant style then for his wit We humbly giue thanks to our Creator for giuing such a Prince to defend his Church and this holy See desiring the same God to grant to this his King a happy life and all his desires and after this life in his heauenly Kingdome to keepe for him an euerlasting Crowne And we so farre as wee are able to entreat of God will neuer bee wanting to the said most wise King in the faculties granted to vs of God 40 To manifest which his readinesse himselfe among his Cardinals decreed an augmentation vnto King Henries royall Stile to bee annexed vnto his others confirming the same by his Bull which that it perish not by the deuouring teeth of Time wee haue here published from the originall Parchment and leaden seale it selfe as followeth 41 Leo Episcopus seruus seruorū Dei c. Leo Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to our most dearely beloued Sonne in Christ Henry King of England defendor of the Faith health and Apostolicall Benediction Wee by diuine permission the chiefe ouerseer for the gouernment of the vniuersall
of the battels Iâ—… Stow. A mistaking of the soulâ—…ieis which was the losse of the field Great Warwickâ—… slaine in fight Marques Montacute slaine in battell Nobles and others slaine at Barnet field Edw. Hast. Ioh. Stow. Rob. Fabian saith 1500. The Duke of Sommerset and the Faile of Oxford fled into Wales Rich. Grast Edward triumpheth and oâ—…eth his banner in S. Pauls Queene Margaret with Prince Edward landed at Weyâ—… The Lords comfort Queene Margaret Queenâ—… Margarets care for Prince Edward her sonne The opinions of the Lords King Edward prepareth against Queenâ—… Margaret King Henry committed to the Tower of London The ordering of Queene Margarets battels The ordering of K. Edwards battels The battell at Tewkesbury Edw. Hall This battell was fought vpon Saturday the 4. of May the 11. of K. Edwards raigne and yeere of Christ 1471. L. Wenlocke slain for not following Sommerset Lords slaine at Tewkesbury Prince Edward apprehended The Duke of Sommerset and others executed Prince Edward apprehended and 〈◊〉 answers Prince Edward most shamefully slaine Queene Margaret taken out of her Sanctuary The Northerne men submit vnto K. Edward Bastard Fanconbridge Captaine of the Lancastri Fauonbridge assaileth London The Citizens withstood his â—…ance Fauconbridge forced backe to his shipâ—… K. Edward with his Captiue Queene Margaret enter London King Henry â—…urthered in the Tower by Richard Duke of Glocester K. Henry carried bare-faced through the streetes of London Stowes Annals K. Henry bâ—…ied 〈◊〉 Chertsey and 〈◊〉 to Windsor The 〈◊〉 of K. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vertues of K. Henry Holinshed Camb. Brit. in descript of Surrey Kings Colledge in Cambridge and Eaton in Barkshire found 〈◊〉 by K. Henry Queen Margaret ransoâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bastard Fauconbridge with his vnruly crew yeeld to King Edward Bastard Fauconbridge pardoned of life and rewarded with Knighthood Rob. Fabian Bastard Fauconbridge beheaded A. D. 1472. Henry of Richmond fled into Britaine The storie of Iohn Earle of Oxford Waters brake out of the Earth Iohn Stow. Annals The Earle of Oxford sent prisoner into France The hard and inhumane vsage of the Countesse of Oxford The storie of Lord Henry Holland Duke of Excester Phil. Comines lib. 3. cap. 4. Ed. Hall The vnlouing parts of an vnlouing wiâ—…e Ioh. Sâ—…w The Lord Henrie supposed to haue been drowned The Archbishop of Yorkes goods seized vpon K. Edward sends into Britaine to recouer Richmond and Pembrooke K. Edward abrogates King Henries lawes Burgundie sends for aid into England against France A. D. 1474. K. Edwards expedition into France Phil. Comines lib. 4. cap. 5. The great preparation of King Edward King Edwards 〈◊〉 Lewis his conference with the English Herald Lewis his conference with the English Herald K. Lewis moneth Gartar to be a meanes for peace Phil. Com. lib. 4. cap. 7. A counterfeit Herald sent to K. Edward The Heralds perswasions An English Herald sent to King Lewis The Duke of Burgundy commeth to the King Edw. Hall â—…ol 231. Burgundies hot speech vnto K. Edward K Edwards reply to his brother of Burgundy Burgundy departeth displeased from King Edward The conference for peace 〈◊〉 Amiens Coâ—…ioners for peace Conditions of the peace Lewis his liberality for â—…oy of the peace Ph. Com. l. 4. c. 9. The kings of England and France dâ—… to see each others 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 place of the kings A. D. 1475. Aug. 29. The 〈◊〉 of the two kings The Kings swear the league K. Lewis loth that Edward should visite Paris A. D. 1475. Sept. 2â—… Henry Earle of Richmond â—…ught after by K. Edward An intent pretended which asâ—…r came to passe Ralph Holinsh. pag. 701. Henry â—…arle of Richmond taketh Sanctuary The English Ambassador complaineth to the Duke of Britaine His Answere Sir Tho. Moore King Edward beloued of his subiects and loueth his subiects Io. Stow. K. Edward sent for the Maior and Aldermen of London to his huntings K. Edward somwhat licention slie giuen K. Edwards three Concubines Thomas Burdet accused of treason Engâ—… Register of Gray-Friers Lâ—…don The story of George Duke of Clarence Tâ—… attainder of the Duke of Clarence Iohn Stow. A. D. 1478. Rich. Graft A false prophecie of G. E. Phil. Comin lib. 4. cap. 10. The Duke of Clarence is suiter vnto Marie the daughter of Burgundie Io. Serres Clarnce imprisoned by his brother King Edward George Duke of Claâ—…ce condemned by Parliament And drowned in a But of malmesay K. Edwards â—…pentance for his brothers death The Duke of Clarence his issue Edward and Margaret the children of Clarence beheaded King Edward deceiued in King Lewis 〈◊〉 Serres Lady Elizabeth called 〈◊〉 the Daulphin A. D. 1480. Io. Lesâ—… Lady Cicely motioned in matriage vnto 〈◊〉 Prince of Scotland Lewis King of France interposeth the contract betwixt Prince Iames and Ladie Margaret Iames King of Scotland much â—…dded to his 〈◊〉 will Alexander Duke of Albanie banished Scotland Iohn Earle of Marre bled to death K. Iames threatneth warre against England Richard Duke of Glocester made the Kings Lieutenant against Scotland The Duke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scotland 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Holinsh. p. 707. Phil. Comines lib. 6. chap. 2. and 9. King Lewis dallâ—…th with King Edward King Edward vvould not beleeue vvhat was confidently tolde him A 〈◊〉 pretâ—… ded against France King Edward falleth â—…ke Thom. More King Edwards speeches at his death The perils of discord Tender youth is 〈◊〉 infected Great variance for small causes King Edwards good counsell What the nature of ambition is King Edwards vsuall oath King Edwards last request The raigne and death of King Edward Phil. Com. lib. 4 cap. 10. King Edward described Ph. Com. l. 6. c. 2. 〈◊〉 A. D. 1478. Stow. Edward 5. Monarch 55 King Edwards raigne vnfortunate and 〈◊〉 Aprill 19. A. D. 1483. Richard Duke of Yorke Richard Duke of Gloucester an vnnaturall vncle vnto the young King and his brother Richard Duke of Yorke was the father of Richard Duke of Glocester Women commonly maligne their husbands 〈◊〉 The description of Richard Duke of Glocester Richard Crooke-backe a good souldier He vvas the cause of Clorence his death Richard of Gloucester intended to be King eâ—…en whiles K. Edward liued The speech of Pottier at King Edwards death The vncle contriueth the destruction of his Nephewes Richards deepe pollicy King Edwards care to set peace betwixt the Queenes kindred and his The Queenes iealousie against the Lord Câ—…berlaine King Edward repaireth towards London The Queenes kindred only about the Prince The Duke seeketh to displace the Prince The crafty complaints of Richard Duke of Gloucester The effect that his pollicy took The conclusion of his designes Another crafty pollicy of Duke Richard The Queene yeldeth to the Dukes perswasion The Lords meet at Northampton The Keyes of the Inne kept by Richard Duke of Glaucester The L. Riuers much troubled at the sodaine action The L. Riuers imprisoned in Northampton The Dukes come to the King A quarrell picked in the kings presence Accusations against the Queens kindred
till the death of Claudius whence it must follow that if Peter were heere at all it was before euer he went to Rome and that the Gospell was preached heere before it was in Rome if Peter were the first as some hold that preached there both which may be the more propable if wee consider the huge multitudes of Christians fifteene thousand saith Baronius which dispersed themselues into all parts of the world vpon the martyring of S. Steuen at Ierusalem which was presently vpon the death of Christ and that Ioseph of Arimathea was one of that number Baronius doth confesse I am heere contented to step ouer that Monkish tale reported by Aluredus Riuallensis the writer of King Edward the Confessors life that a holy man forsooth studious and carefull for a Gouernour to succeed was in his sleepe told by S. Peter that the Kingdome of England was his wherein himselfe had first preached and would also prouide him Successours For sâ—…eing it was a dreame for a dreame wee leaue it and Peter among the other Elders to attend his Throne that now sitteth in glorious Maiestie and who in this life minded no such earthly preheminence no not to diuide betwixt brethren though the Kingdome and rule of all things was his alone 6 Certes Peter was principally the Apostle of the Circumcâ—… and therefore more likely to haue spent his endeuours on them but for Paul the Docter of the Gentiles his arriuall heere may seeme more warrantable who doubtlesse after his first releasement from Rome confirmed the doctrine of Christ to these Westerne parts of the world and among them as may appeare to this Iland of Britaine as both Sophronius Patriarke of Ierusalem and Theodoret an ancient Doctor of the Church doe affirme and approoue saying that Fishers Publicans and the Tent-maker meaning S. Paul which brought the Euangelicall light vnto all Nations reuealed the same vnto the Britaines That Paul came into Illyricum Gallia and Spaine and filled all those parts with his doctrine both Eusebius Dorotheus and Epiphanius doe testifie and of this generall Ambassage the Apostle himselfe saith that the sound of the Gospell went thorow the earth and was heard vnto the ends of the world which his sayings cannot more fitly bee applied to any other Nation then vnto vs of Britaine whose Land by the Almightie is so placed in the terrestriall globe that thereby it is termed of the ancient The Ends of the Earth and deemed to be situated in another world for so in an Oration that Agrippa made to the Iewes and Agricola to his Romans it is called which made Solinus write that the coast of France had beene the End of the Earth had it not beene for Britaine which was as another world And in Dion we read that the old Souldiers of Gallia whom Claudius commanded for Britaine complained that they must bee inforced to make warre out of the world And of this Land and latter Apostle if credit may be giuen to a Poet Venantius Fortunatus thus recordeth Transijt Oceanum quà facit Insula Porrum Quasque Britannus habet terras quasque vltima Thule He crost the seas vnto the land and vtmost coasts of Thule Ariuing at the Ports and Iles where Britains bare the rule 7 Thus for Paul well knowen in Rome by his long imprisonments and at that time in reuerend regard for his doctrine with many there among whom also there were some Britaines that embraced the faith whereof Claudia Rufina remembred by Martial another Poet was one whom he thus extols Claudia caeruleis cùm sit Rufina Britannis Edita cur Latiae pectora plebis habet Quale decus formae Romanam credere matres Italides possunt Atthides esse suam How hath Dame Claudia borne of Britaines blew Won fame for wisdome with our sages graue Her comely forme and learning as their due Rome claimes for hers and hers would Athens haue This Claudia is by the learned commended to haue beene most skilfull in the Greeke and Latine tongues of whom heare them not me speake At the commandement of the Tyrant Nero say they from Tacitus many Noble Britaines were brought to Rome who remaining there their Confederates they held it an honour to haue their children named after the nobilitie of the Romanes and from Claudius Casar was this Ladie Claudia named who according to her worth was matched in mariage to Rufus a gentleman of Rome then a Coronell after a Senator a man of a milde disposition naturally modest a great Philosopher in the Sect of the Stoickes for his sweetenesse of behauiour called Pudens who by his graue perswasions caused Martial the wittie but wanton Poet to reforme many things in his writings and by him is coÌ„mended for his humanitie pietie learning and eloquence as also his wife Claudia the Britaine for her beautie faith fruitfulnesse learning and languages In proofe whereof Bale hath mentioned three seuerall treatises besides others by her compiled both in the Greeke and Latine tongues Dorotheus nameth Pâ—…dens to be one of the seuentie two and Volaterâ—… affirmeth them both Pauls disciples from whom he sendeth greeting to Tiâ—…theus in these words 〈◊〉 and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brethren salute thee But some may obiect that Martials Claudia could not be that Ladie who liuing in Neroes time gaue hospitalitie vnto Peter and Paul at their being in Rome for that she could not retaine such beautie and perfection as the Poet to her doth ascribe in the raigne of Domitian the seuenth in succession from Nero the time being too long saith Ado Bishop of Treuers Vsuardus and others for beautie to be so freshly preserued Now these account her age then to be sixtie but if we reckon according to Eusebius wee shall see that hee sets the last of Claudius in the yeare of grace fiftie sixe and the first of Domitian in eightie three betwixt which are but twentie seuen yeares and yet Paul came not to Rome till the tenth of Nero and in his thirteenth yeare from the prison wrote his Epistle to Timothie as the same Eusebius declareth so that from hence vnto Domitian is left but foureteene yeeres a time no whit vnpossible to retaine Beautie though twentie yeares and many moe of her age had beene formerly spent seeing that in those times Plutarch praiseth Alcibiades to be passingly faire when he was threescore yeares of age This Claudia then with Pauls spirituall Manna is said to send likewise the choisest and chastest of the Poesies of Martial whose verses generally are no lessons befitting Ladies for new-yeares gifts vnto her friends in Britaine both for to feede their Soules with the bread of life and to instruct their mindes with lessons best fitting vnto ciuill behauiour which thing moued the Poet himselfe with no small selfe-glorie in his verse thus to write Dicitur nostros cantare Britannia versus And Britaine now they say our verses
of Ecclesiasticall Writers And yet both Iewes and Gentiles termed her by way of ignominie and reproch Stabularia because shee a most godly Princesse sought out the Cribbe or Manger where Christ was borne and in that place where stood that Hostelry founded a Church for which cause she was by the Enemies of Christian Religion called an Hostesse and because such are commonly kind to their Guests a Concubine also For whose defense let the Funerall Oration of Ambrose made vpon the death of Theodosius answer wherein hee doth rather commend her humilitie then affirme any such base Offices in contempt of her person They say that this Lady was at first an Inne-holder or Hostesse c. Well saith he this good Hostesse Helena hasted to Ierusalem and sought out the place of our Lords Passion and made diligent search for the Lords Cribbe This good Hostesse was not ignorant of that Guest which cured the way-faring mans hurts that was wounded by Theeues This good Hostesse chose to be reputed a Stable-sweeper that she might thereby gaine Christ. And verily she was the moouer and only worker of her husbands conuersion who casting off all superstitious worships willingly acknowledged the onely all-ruling God suffering the Christians that had beene hidde in Caues and Dennes now to exercise their Deuotions publikely and both to reedifie the old ruinate Churches and to erect new 9 Of the like Pietie wee reade in a Queene of the like name Helena Queene of Adiabena commended by Iosephus that was a Conuert to the Iewish Religion who comming to Ierusalem to visit the Temple in time of a greeuous Famine which happened in the daies of Claudius sent to Alexandria for great quantity of Corne and for Dried Figges from Cyprus which shee very charitably bestowed vpon the poore And about three stades or furlongs off from Ierusalem built a Sepulcher with three Pyramides wherein her selfe and her two sonnes both Kings were afterwards interred But to proceed 10 Constantius being heere in Britaine and lately returned from his Expedition made against the Caledonians and Picts fell sicke in the City of Yorke where the Imperiall Throne of his residence was set At which very time Constantine his sonne escaping the hands of Gallerius with whom hee had beene left hostage hasted from Rome hauing belaid all the way with Post-horses for the purpose and left them houghed for feare of pursuit came with all speed to Yorke and to his fathers presence who so much ioied at his sight that he sate himselfe vpright vpon his Bed and in the presence of his Counsellors spake as followeth 11 It now sufficeth and death is not fearfull seeing I shall leaue my vnaccomplished actions to be performed in thee my Sonne in whose person I doubt not but that my Memoriall shal be retained as in a Monument of succeeding fame What I had intended but by this my fatall period left vndone see thou performe let those fruits bee ripened in thee the Branch that I thy Stocke from a vertuous intent haue had ingraffed alwaies in me that is gouerne thy Empire with an vpright Iustice protect the Innocent from the Tyrannie of Oppressours and wipe away all teares from the eies of the Christians for therein aboue all other things I haue accounted my selfe the most happy To thee therefore I leaue my Diademe and their Defense taking my Faults with mee to my Graue there to be buried in euerlasting obliuion but leauing my Vertues if euer I had any to reuiue and liue in thee With conclusion of which vertuous counsell hee tooke his last farewell of his sonne his friends and his life after he had sate Caesar sixteene yeeres and Emperour two as Eusebius accounteth and died the fiue and twentieth day of Iuly the yeere of our Sauiour three hundred and six and of his owne age fifty six FLA. VALERIVS CONSTANTINVS MAXIMVS CA. VALERIVS LICINIVS LICINIANVS CHAPTER XLVI THE Father thus departing both gloriously and peaceably in the presence of his Son and sage counsellers the griefe in the losse of the Sire was no greater then was the ioy conceiued that they had gained the sonne for his Successour all men reioicing at the good fortune of that iourney wherein hee came to close the eies of his dying father and to comfort the sorrow of his mournefull Countrey-men For forthwith heere in Britaine by acclamation of the people assistance of the Souldiers and aduice of Erocus King of the Almans who by the way had accompanied him hither in his flight from Rome they proclaimed him at all hands Emperour and Successour to all that part of the world which his father held This election was ioifully ratified by the Senate and of all other Prouinces so gladly accepted that they accounted this Iland most happie of all other whose chance was first to see him their Caesar as in these words of the Panegyrist is seene O fortunate Britaine and more happie then all other Lands that hast the first sight of Constantine Caesar. 3 Maxentius the sonne of Maximianus Herculius who at the death of Constantius was proclaimed Augustus by the tumultuous Praetorian Souldiers at Rome and Romulus his sonne whose face wee haue heere with his fathers from both their monies expressed was created his Caesar the way to that Seat of Maiestie whereunto hee had too hastily and most vnduly climed for now this Vsurper by his Necromancies Adulteries Persecutions and Murders was growne so vntolerable and odious that the Senate sent to Constantine crauing his aid and redresse who sore lamenting the sores of the Empire and the case of the Christians first wrote but that taking no effect prepared his forces against Maxentius Maximianus the father either in true zeale or fained pretence which by the sequell is more probable tooke great offense at his sonne Maxentius vnsufferable outragiousnesse and vnder colour of dislikes and redresse repaired to his sonne in Law Constantine whose daughter Fausta hee had maried and notwithstanding his faire pretences before the face of Constantine yet secretly he tampered with Fausta to make away her husband But the good Lady well knowing that the bond of a childe is great but greater the loue of a wife reuealed his treacherie to Constantine who caused him therupon to be put to death a fit end for so bloudy a Tyrant And ripe was the like destiny for his no-way-degenerating sonne against whom hee prepared his forces and drawing Licinius Gouernour of Sclauonia who was made Caesar to his side by giuing him his sister Constantia to wife a man but of an ordinarie descent though Gallienus Maximinus had made him in Illyrica his Copartner in the East hasted towards Rome with an Host of ninety thousand foot and eight thousand horse leuied out of Britaine France and Germanie 4 But knowing well that successe in warre dependeth more in diuine assistance then humane strength yet doubtfull what God hâ—… should in this blessed enterprise
His body after death was embalmed and in Constantinople enterred neere vnto his Father at the commandement of Iulian whom by his testament for all his former displeasure hee declared his Heire and Successor FLAVIVS CLAVDIVS IVLIANVS EMPEROR APOSTATA CHAPTER XLVIII IVlian succeeded whose birth had as much of Nobilitie as either the greatnesse of place for it was New Rome or the high bloud of parentage could adde vnto him for his Father Constantius was the brother of great Constantine and not much his mother Basilina was lower in her birth though most vnfortunate in bearing him her owne destruction An Orphant he was left together with Gallus his brother long tossed betweene the sourges of his owne imperfect constitution and the bloudy iealousie of his ruling-kinsmen not long before the fatall ruing of his Father for being too neere allied to their Crownes Meane he was of stature yet carrying from head to foote a iust proportion and vniforme knitting of his lineaments whereby he had agilitie and strength big and broad his shoulders his necke fat bearing his head forward louely and gracefull was the cast of his quicke and cleere eye straight his nose and no feature of his face amisse but the greatnes of his mouth and the parting of his nether lippe the soft haire of his head he wore in a decent length and his rough beard he cut in a pointed fashion 2 His education was vnder many masters of which Mardonius a Scythian Eunuch was the first From him he was sent to the publike Schoole at Constantinople where of Nicocles of Lacedemon he learned his Grammar and of Ecebolius the Sophister his Rhetoricke and of both of them as of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia the Christian Religion in which his delight was such that he betooke him to the function of a Deacon reading in publike to the people the sacred Bookes and aimed at no further marke of greatnesse then the reputation of a holy man led on with the loue of knowledge hee went to the Schooles of Nicomedia where of Iamblicus who succeeded Porphyry in the Chaire he learned the Philosophie of Aristotle and Plato There bewitched at length with the fame of Libanius Eloquence though detesting his religion from reading in priuate studie his prophane labours hee grew a publike hearer of his inuectiue Lectures and imitating at first in exercise of wit only this Rhetoricians forme of declaiming hee grew in the end the profanest Railer and deadliest Enemy of all other himselfe against the Church And to fill vp this vessel of iniquitie Maximus the only Impostor and Magician then of the world worthily after for his impious doctrine put by Valentinian to the sword must come to Nicomedia From him did Iulian learne such Astrologie as setteth Natiuities and such Magicke as inuoketh Spirits And here was the schoole of this mans Error and Mistris of his impietie The seedes of whose Nature and Education hauing thus obserued let vs search with an impartial Eye into his manners and condition and see what vertue was in fruit 3 His temperance is commended to vs with admiration He slept little and could awake at pleasure his bed was euer with the hardest and his diet of the meanest meat and the moderatest measure whereby he neuer but once and that by accident disburdened his stomacke by vomit and would often say that it was the safetie of his life that he neuer had any war with his belly Such was his chastitie that hauing lost at once in France Helena his beloued wife and her infant his only Sonne he neuer so much as in suspect had an incontinent desire And therefore of all the Persian beauties taken in those warres as the richest spoiles Nec contrectare aliquam voluit nec videre Neither suffer in his Army either Cookes or Barbers as being deliciarum atque intemperantia ministros Arceo meipsum à Theatris I force my selfe saith he from the view of Stage-plaies and neuer but once a yeere permit my Eye that delight in Court wherein the distaste of my mind is tanquam pauper agricola tributum aliquod pendens iniquo Domino And when the action was performing similior sum detestanti eos ludos quà m spectanti Yet doth Marcellinus tax him of much verbositie and affectation of vaine glory And Gregory Nazianzen charging him with intemperate passion as vnconstability saith That by his ranging and furious aspect his vnsteady and halting pace his fleering looke and immoderate laughter Taleâ—… ante opera vidi qualem in operibus cognoui 4 The loue of Iustice in this Prince is remembred to vs in his rules of DIRECTION for he so amended the Lawes Ambagibus circumcisis that the Iudges might cleerly see Quid iuberent fieri quid vetarent and in his EXAMPLE for imitation For when to an innocent deniall before him Delphidius the Orator inueighed saying Nocens esse poterit vsquam si negare suffecerit himselfe replied Et quis innocens esse poterit si accusâsse sufficit and so discharged the party As for his clemency and charity which ought to attend the sword and Scepter of a Soueraigne since the one is Magnum timor is remedium and the other will be post cineres tributum Nebridius and Lucillianus are Registers of the one whom notwithstanding their conspiracies in fauour of Constantius hee not onely pardoned but defended wiih perill of his owne person from the furies of his owne followers And for the other those his letters to Arsacius is a sure record Let there bee in the Cities of your charge many Hospitals erected that the want of the way faring may be releeued by our benignitie and not of them only of our Religion but of all the rest for it sutes not well with the goodnes of our Gouernment that when the Iewes permit none of theirs to beg and the wicked Galileans releeue not onely theirs but ours that ours should be disconsolate of other helpe Some haue blemished his bounty with the brand of vaineglory thus did the Antiochians for depressing so much the reasonable price of Graine in their Markets by a profuse expence of his owne Treasure gaining thereby at first onely the applause of the light multitude after which he hunted and drawing on in the end a miserable dearth through the licentious excesse of their improuidence which often happeneth And as the banishment of Palladias into Britaine vpon a weake suspition Taurus to Vircillum in whom the eye of Iustice could finde no skarre and to death Vrsulus with Pigmeus the first his Treasurer that had spent with him and on him his owne meanes when being Caesar he had little of his owne the other the guide of his youth and to whom he truly ought the greatest part of his goodnesse may iustly staine him with lawlesse seuerity and vngratefull cruelty so may his malicious spirit against the Christians howsoeuer masking in more Art then
their deliuerance and therein sped so well that the Souldiers by constraint as Oresius saith forced him to assume the Imperiall Stile and Purple Robe And so hasting into Gallia with all the flower and strength well neer of the Britaines forces arriued in the mouth of Rhene vnto whom also the Germans Army ioyned and now accounting himselfe an absolute Monarch admitted Victor his sonne then Caesar to be partner of his Empire whose Stampe therefore with his father we haue here annexed 6 Thus Maximus establishing his throne at Triers Spread his wings saith Gyldas the one into Spaine the other into Italy and with the terror of his Name leuied Tributes and Pensions for Souldiers pay of the most fell and sauage Germans Against him Gracianus made his power but after fiue daies skirmishings was forsaken of his own Souldiers and so put to flight And now deiected and destitute of meanes to maintaine his quarrell hee sent Ambrose a great Doctor of the Church his Ambassador vnto Maximus to intreat for Peace which in outward shew was granted but was farre otherwise intended as the sequell proued For seeking his death he did shortly after effect it in this wise He caused Letters and reports to be giuen vnto Gracian that his Empresse was in iourny to visit him and withall sent forth a Carroche stuffed with Souldiers and with them a desperate Captaine named Andragathius Gracian greatly reioycing for his Wifes approach prepared himselfe to meet Her accordingly and opening the Litter thinking to imbrace his Empresse was by these Ruffins treacherously murthered neere vnto Lyons when he had raigned fifteene yeeres and liued twentie nine Valentinian with his Mother Iustina fearing the like conspiracies became supplicants vnto Theodosius in the East against Maximus 7 He therefore preparing his forces marched as farre as Aquileta in Lombardie where Maximus remained both confident and secure For hauing fortified the straits of the Mountaines with sufficient Garrisons and dammed the Hauens with strength of Ships himselfe and assisters with great boldnesse proceeded against Theodosius and gaue him a battell before the Citie Syscia in Pannonia and againe most valiantly receiued him in another vnder the leading of his brother Marcellus but in both of them was ouer-come From this last he secretly retired vnto Aquileia where of his owne Souldiers he was betraied and deliuered to Theodosius his pursuer and by him to the Executioner to be beheaded of which his vnfortunate but deserued end the famous Bishop Martinus Turonensis being in Britaine did foretell him long before Andragathius also the Murtherer of Gracian whose state was now desperate cast himselfe headlong into the Sea and made an end of his wicked life Vector the sonne of Maximus made his Caesar in France as we haue said was defeated taken Prisoner slaine This Victory was held so worthy and memorable that the Romans from thence forward solemnized that day euery yeere as festiuall saith Procopius 8 But these Britaines that had assisted Maximus as by Writers is recorded did foribly inuade Armorica and there planted themselues From whence saith Beda the Britaines first arriued into this Iland But surely himselfe is either greatly mistaken or else we mistake him altogether and that rather for that by Caesar those Coasts that lie vpon the Sea shoares are called Armorica and there the Celtes seated being the Originall of our Inhabitants as is holden and so from thēce they might spread themselues further into these British Ilands long before it receiued the name of Little Britaine The like troubles fell to other Prouinces at the same time by the intestine Warres of the Empire for the Gaules were molested by the Frankes Spaine by the Sueuians and Africk by the Vandals the East parts by the Heruli Ostroges and Hunnes Italy by the Lombards and shortly after by the Gothes 9 These troubles in the Prouinces caused the Emperors to call home their Armies with Aides of their Allies all too little to support their own declining Estates which now beganne to end of it selfe and these Emperors raignes to be cut off by their vntimely deaths But to returne into the path of our History from whence by the intangled occasions of these foure Emperours raigning together we haue wandred let vs remember what occurrents happened vpon the death of Maximus the Tyrant and hasten to end the greatnesse of the Empire which in most Prouinces began to end of it selfe For Valentinian being rid of his feares vnto which he had beene subiect and Theodosius of his Collegue vnto whom hee was enforced great hope was conceiued of a flourishing Estate but it brought foorth onely the remaines of their downefall for the one returning to Constantinople in great Triumph liued not long after and the other left peaceably in the Westerne World was as you shall heare soone made away by Conspiracie 10 Valentinian remaining at Vienna in France free from Hostile Enemies retained in his Court those that sought his life whereof Arbogastes a Captaine of a haughty stomacke politicke aduenturous and of great power but withall of a base Parentage a stranger and an Infidell was one Eugenius a Grammarian but now bearing Armes and of great account was another These corrupting his Chamberlaines compounded for his death which they as wickedly performed by strangling him in his bedde giuing it forth that the Emperour had hanged himselfe which was so confidently auouched that Prosperus in his Addition to Eusebius writing his death saith that it was acted by himselfe after hee had liued twenty six and raigned sixteene yeeres being strangled in the yeere of Grace three hundred eighty foure FLAVIVS THEODOSIVS CHAPTER LII WE haue declared in the life of the last preceding Emperour the Birth and Fortunes Warres and Victories of this most worthie Theodosius vntill the death of Maximus the Britaine for so most writers terme him and now onely remaine his latter Acts in Warre and Peace to bee further related 2 This Emperour returning from Aquileia in Lombardie vnto Constantinople in the East long time there staied not but was drawne againe into the West both to reuenge the death of Valentinian his Fellow-Emperour so trecherously strangled and also to oppose the proceedings of Eugenius whose Coine wee haue heere expressed being one of the Murderers then vsurping that portion of the Empire sided by Arbogastes the other 3 Theodosius marching with his forces towards the Confines of Italie found the passages stopped at the foot of the Alps and his Enemies powers farre surmounting his Therefore a while to deliberate on these businesses hee pitched his Tents and there staied In the meane time Eugenius and Arbogastes his associate had forelaid the Countrey and hemmed him about in such a strait that no victuals could bee brought vnto his Campe. 4 No meanes being now left but either to cleere the passages or bee ouerthrowne hee first became supplicant with Fastings and Teares vnto his God
their Cheualrie perished in Battle when in the Fields of France and neere vnto Lyons they spent their bloud in his cause whereby the sinewes of their owne Countries defense was sore weakened and laid open to Forraine I◅aders Constantine the Great also as Malmesbury noteth carried hence a great power of British Souldiers with him in his warres by whose puissance as he saith he obtained Triumphant Victories and the Empire of the whole World and after assigned them that part of Gallia to inhabit which was called Armorica lying westward vpon the Sea Coasts where they seating themselues their posteritie was increased and continueth a Mightie People euen vnto this day 9 This Countrey afterwards being conquered by Maximus and his reconciled Enemie Conan Meriadoc Lord of Denbigh-land by the prowesse of those British Souldiers whom hence hee carried in his quarrell against Valentinian the Emperour was receiued in free gift of Conan after the slaughter of Iubates the King and the name thereof changed to Little Britaine as being a Colonie or Daughter of this our Iland The Pronince is large pleasant and fruitfull and containeth in her Circuit nine Bishops Seas whereof three are called Cor◅aille vnto this day which are Le◅sss S. Paul and Treg◅rs the other six are D◅le Rhenet S. Malo Nanetensis Vannes and Brien whose language differeth from their Neighbours the French and retaineth as yet the British Dialect I omit to speak of those other Numbers of men sent for out of this Kingdome by the said Conan whereof our British Historians make mention besides the sending of Vrsula with Eleuen thousand Virgins to be matched in mariage with these their Country-men all of them perishing by Sea or by Sword but none of them returning hither againe whereby the bane of the Land presently followed her hopes being cut off and depriued of wonted Posterities 10 This Conquest and Plantation in Armorica Matthew of Westminster accounteth to haue happened in the yeer of Christ three hundred ninety two And these Souldiers thus withdrawne are so recorded by Henry of Huntington his ancient and Ninius also long before both reporteth that Maximus gaue manie Countries to these his Britaines euen frō the Poole which is on the Top of Iupiters Hill to a Citie called Cantguic and vnto the Western Mountaines These sayeth hee are the Britaine 's in Armorica who neuer returned to this day in regard whereof Britaine was Conquered by Strange Nations With whom agreeth Geruasius a Monke of Canturburie Iohn Anglicus Ranulphus of Chester and others Thither also in the downefall and desperat Estate of the Britaines many of them fled from the rage of their Enemies as hee that was borne in Armorica and liued neerest to that age euen the Writer of the Life of S. Wingualof the Confessor doth sufficiently proue An of-spring saith he of the Britaine 's embarked in Flotes arriued in this Land on this side the British Sea what time as the Barbarous Nation of the Saxons fierce in Armes and vnciuill in manners possessed their Natiue and Mother Soyle c. 11 And lastly in the cause of that other Constantine who was elected only for his Name most of the Flower and Strength of the Britaine 's were transported into Gallia and Spaine where in his variable fortunes many of them perished And Malmesbury writing of these Times saith that the Romans had emptied Britaine of all her Flower and Chiualry of Warre leauing now in her Countries but Halfe-barbarous men and in her Cities only Epicures vnfit for seruice In confirmation whereof the most learned Cambden out of Antike Inscriptions and the Booke named Notitia Prouinciarum hath obserued that these Companies vnder written serued the Romans in their Warres and were dispersed here and there in their Prouinces which also were from time to time euermore supplied out of Britaine Ala Britannica Milliaria Ala IIII. Britonum in Aegypto Cohors prima Aelia Britonum Cohors III. Britonum Cohors VII Britonum Cohors XXVI Britonum in Armenia Britanniciani sub Magistro Peditum inter Auxilia Palatina Inuicti Iuniores Britanniciani Exculcatores Iun. Britan. Britones cum Magistro Equitum Galliarum Inuicti Iuniores Britones inter Hispanias Britones Seniores in Illyrico 12 No maruell is it then if Britaine lay weake being thus continually exhausted of her strengths which these approued Records made so apparant as we need not alleage the doubtfull Story of Irpus of Norway for the depopulation of the Iland who is said by subtilty vnder pretence of Kindred and Honour to be atchieued to haue gotten an infinite number of Britaines to follow him in his enterprise which neuer returned againe or the Booke Triades mentioned by the Author of the Reformed History of Great Britaine that bringeth an Army hence consisting in number of one and twenty thousand men into Aquitaine and Gaul which as he saith was the Aid mentioned by Caesar that out of Britaine assisted the Gaules against him Which may partly seeme to be gathered from Caesar himselfe as hath been said where he affirmeth that the Britaines and Gaules were gouerned vnder the same King and is further confirmed by the fashion and Inscriptions of Antique Coines which wee haue seene stamped in Gold the Forme round and Shield-like Imbossed outward in the Face and Hollow in the Reuerse a Forme vnfallible to be of the Britaines Coines and yet the word Comes is inscribed vpon the Imbossed side whom we imagine to be the same Gouernor of Artoye in Gallia whom Caesar mentioneth 13 Thus then was Britaine first made Weake by the Romans exhaustings and then quite abandoned of their helpe and left as a tree in the Wildernesse to lose her faire leaues by the continuall blasts of these sharp Northerne windes whose beauty before had bin as the Cedars of Libanon or like vnto those in the Garden of God And whose Riches had drawne the Worlds then-Monarchs to such liking and loue that no meanes was omitted to attaine the same nor care neglected to keepe it in their Subiection which while it stood a Prouince in their obedience was held and accounted to be the fairest flower in their Triumphant Garlands and of some of their Emperors thought worthy the Residencie of their Imperiall Throne THE ORIGINALL INVASIONS AND HEPTARCHIE OF THE SAXONS VVITH A SVCCESSION OF THEIR MONARCHS IN THIS ILAND OF GREAT BRITAINE THEIR RAIGNES MARRIAGES ACTS AND ISSVES VNTIL THEIR LAST SVBVERSION BY THE DANES AND NORMANS But first of the Downe-fall of BRITAINE BOOKE VII CHAPTER I. BRITAINE thus abandoned of all the Romane Garrisons and emptied of strengths that should haue supported her now down-falling-estate lay prostrate to confusion and miserable calamities no lesse burdened with the tumultuous vproares of her owne great men who stroue for the supreme Gouernment then of the Barbarous Nations which with continuall incursions made spoile where they came These times saith Ninius were full of feares
hundred fiftie eight hauing had neithe Wife nor Children OFFA THE ELEVENTH KING OF THE MERCIANS AND THE SIXTEENTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS ACTS RAIGNE WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXVIII OFfa the cosen of King Ethelbald after some time of Inter-regnum succeeded him in his dominions of Mercia a man of so high stomacke and stoutnes of mind that he thought nothing vnpossible for him to attaine and for vertue and vice so equally composed that hardly could bee iudged to whither of them the scale of his carriage most inclined although the Monke of S. Albans and writer of his life doth blanch out his graces with superlatiue praises 2 His Parents hee nameth Twin◅reth and Mercella and himselfe hee saith to haue been first named Pinered borne both lame deafe and blinde wherein he so continued vnto his mans estate The rage of Bernred saith the same Author had forced all three into a solitary place where suddenly by miracle Pinered was restored and for that cause called another Offa who presently assailed and in a great battel manfully fought slew the vsurping Bernred The Nobles of Mercia being rid of that Tyrant by the valour of Offa gladly imbraced receiued him for their King who began his raigne with greater shew of glory then any Mercian before him had done being in number the eleuenth that had raigned in that Prouince and is accounted the sixteenth Monarch of the Englishmen 3 His neighbour Kings foreseeing whereat his eye glanced sollicited by Letters Charles the Great then King of France against him who wrote vnto Offa in their behalfe and in threatning wise commanded him to desist But he was so farre from fearing of his threats that to his contempt he was the more eager 4 The first that felt his fury were the Kentishmen vnder Alrik their King whose ouerthrow was the lesse dishonourable saith Malmesbury for that they were vanquished by so great a Monarch The place was Otteford vnfortunate to them where their King was slaine by the hand of Offa himselfe their forces quite discomfited by the losse of this field and their Country trodden downe vnder the feet of the Mercians 5 From South to North King Offa then marched and beyond Humber made hauocke of all that stood against him whence returning triumphant he set vpon the West-Saxons that had formerly ioined with his enemies the place was Bensinton which Castell King Offa tooke with the discomfiture of King Kenwolfe and all his West-Saxons who sought their reuenge by the aides of the Britaine 's in Wales Their King saith mine Author was then Marmodius betwixt whom some intercourse by letters passed great presents to King Offa sent onely to protract time and to worke vpon aduantage 6 In this Interim of complements for a further security Offa caused a great ditch to be drawn betwixt his and the Britaines borders which worke began at Basingwark in Flint-shire and North-wales not farre from the mouth of Dee and ranne along the mountaines into the South ended neer Bristow at the fall of Wye the tract whereof in many places is yet seene and is called to this day Clawdh Offa or Offaes ditch Marmodius who openly bare saile to this wind and seemed to winke at Offaes intent secretly called a Counsell of State wherein he declared how the Act thus in working would soone proue the bane of liberty vnto their country and the marke of dishonor to thēselues posterity for euer therefore his aduice was that by some stratagem it might be staid by time 7 To this his Britaines consented the truce yet lasting and the feast of Christs Natiuity euen then at hand in the celebration wherof was held the greatest aduantage with least suspect to put themselues in action against it and secretly working the assistance of their allies the Saxons both of the South the West and the North vpon Saint Stephens day at night suddainely brake downe the banke of this fortification filling vp againe a great part of the Ditch and in the morning most furiously rushed into Offa his Court putting a great number to the sword who were more intentiue and regard full to the Feast then to any defence from their cruell and mercilesse swords 8 These wrongs King Offa delaied not to requite first making their hostages his vassals and slaues and then with a great army entring Wales in a bloody and sore-fought battaile hee ouercame Marmodius and all his associates in the field Thus then as a Conquerour ouer all his enemies triumphantly after ten yeares wars abroad returned he to his owne Kingdome neither puffed with pride nor suffring his title to be enlarged according to his conquests yet he was not neglectiue of regall state by the report of the Ligger booke of S. Albans which saith that in regard of his great prerogatiue and not of any pride he first instituted and commanded that euen in times of peace also himselfe and his Successors in the Crowne should as he passed through any Cities haue Trumpetters going and sounding before them to shew that the person of the King should breed both feare and honor in all which either see him or heare him 9 Vnto King Charles of France he wrote in excuse of his warres and desire of his amity whom Charles againe congratulated with letters of gladnes both for his victories and the Christian piety in his land embraced desiring of Offa safe conduct for such his subiects as came to his country in deuotion to God and withall sent to him for a present a Booke of the Decrees of the second Councell of Nice Which Synodall Booke to vse Roger Houedens owne words was sent vnto King Charles from Constantinople wherin alas for pity by the vnanimous assertion of three hundred Bishops or more congregated in that Councell were decreed many things inconuenient yea and quite contrary to the true faith as is most especially the worshipping of Images which the Church of God doth vtterly detest Against which Booke Albinus wrote an Epistle admirably strengthned by the authority of the holy Scriptures which together with the foresaid Booke himselfe presented in the name of the Princes Bishops of this land vnto the foresaid Charles King of France Such intercourse both for State and Church had this great Offa with that great Charles 10 His last warres according to mine Author were against the Danes whom he forced to their ships with the losse as well of their booties as of many of their liues and then saith he with the spirit of humility both to recall himselfe from the trace of blood and to the better establishment of his kingdomes peace he ioined in affinity with his neighbour Princes vpon whō he bestowed his daughters in mariage 11 And making Egfrid his sonne a King with himselfe in great deuotion went to Rome where with the like zeale and example of Inas the
was like him in all vertuous conditions by him was ordained to succeed in his Dominions whereby hee became the thirteenth King of the Mercians and the eighteenth Monarch of the Englishmen in the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninety seuen At home he was an example of piety peace and religion set the scale of Iustice without respect to all alike abroad temperate humble and courteous without vain ostentation or ambitious conceits in warres hee was stout and victorious in peace studious to enrich his subiects briefly at all times so carrying himselfe that enuie could not touch him with her tongue 2 Whether vpon a new quarrell begun or the old retained as inheritable to the Mercians against those of Kent I cannot say but true it is that in the entrance of his raigne he entred that Prouince with a great host of men and in a fore fought field discomfited the Kentish and carried away prisoner their King whose sirname was Pren. His kingdome hee gaue to Cuthred and kept him captiue in Mercia to his great griefe and his subiects dishonour 3 But Kenwolfe in peace minding the works of true piety gaue himself to the building of a goodly Church at Winchcombe in Glocestershire where vpoÌ„ the day of dedication in the presence of Cuthred assigned his Viceroy in Kent thirteene Bishops ten Dukes many Nobles and a great concourse of people he led Pren this Kentish captiue vp to the high Altar and there without either his entreaty or ransome for Redemption released and set him free shewing thereby his deuotion to God and the heroicall parts of a magnanimous Prince 4 His raigne was twenty two yeares and death in Anno eight hundred nineteene beeing solemnely buried in the Church of the Monastery at Winchcombe aforesaid which himselfe had founded His Wife 5 Elfryd the wife of King Kenwolfe hath not her parentage certainely reported by any of our Historians yet some later vpon a likelihood of her name the place and time agreeing haue thought her to be the daughter of Offâ—… affianced to King Ethelbert as hath beene said but in these obscurities coniecture may wander astray His Children 6 Kenelm the sonne of King Kenwolfe and of Queene Elfryde his wife was very yong at his fathers death and succeeded in the Mercians Kingdom but not in the Monarchy of the English King Egbert the West-Saxon King then growne too great And in the same yeare that he beganne his raigne by the treason of his vnnaturall sister hee was murthered and first obscurely buried but afterwards solemnly remoued and reposed neere to his Father in the Monastery of Winchcombe as in the Mercian Kings successions wee haue said 7 Quendred the eldest daughter of King Ken-Wolfe and Lady Elfryd his Queene after the decease of her father ambitiously aspiring to compasse the sway of the Mercian Kingdome wholy to her selfe wickedly conspired the death of her brother King Kenelme which was traiterously acted by Askebert her instrument who had the charge of him but the same turning to her reproch for very shame of so damnable a deed shee within short time after ended her life but not her ignominie 8 〈◊〉 the yonger daughter of King Kenwolfe and of Queene Elfryd hath not been so famous to posterity as her sister Quendred was for her infamous Act notwithstanding she may reasonably be supposed to haue lead a better life and to haue died a better death especially of vs who find her noâ—… sâ—…ained with any aspersion of misdeseruing EGBERT THE EIGHTEENTH KING OF THE WEST-SAXONS THE NINETEENTH BVT FIRST SOLE AND ABSOLVTE MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS ACTS WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXI THe Saxon Heptarchy drawing now to a period the spring of an entire Monarchie began to shew it selfe and the glory of the Englishmen more cleerely to arise for thongh they had weakned each other by their own wars yet stood their power strong in the possession of the whole and the ouerborne Britaines held still at the worst 2 But such is the dispose of the sole disposer of Empires that they haue their risings their fuls and their fals neuer staying in one and the same point neither entailed to one and the same Nation how strong politicke or populous soeuer The proofe whereof is apparant in all the Kingdomes of the earth and this of ours as mutable as any whose change of State vnto and in this seuen-fold Gouernment hath hitherto beene seene the seuerall Kings thereof long contending to branch their own fountaines furthest and fairest lastly let them fall into one streame which so meeting made a more famous confluence in this Monarchy then the seauen heads of Nilus in the Egyptian Sea 3 Formerly the Kentish South-Saxons East-Angles Northumbrians and the Mercians through no lesse then eight descents had worne the Emperiall Diademe whose rayes shone now so bright in the West-Saxons eyes that they againe sought to reestate themselues in so glorious a possession For whereas Brightrik was possessed and contented with the West-Saxon Crowne neither that worne without iealousie and feare yet others of the bloud royall from Cherdik raised the wings of their soaring thoughts much higher among whom Egbert was one neither the last nor the least in the opinion of the people or suspect of his Prince 4 This Egbert hauing commaund of some part of that Prouince so carried himselfe that his fame grew fearefull to Brightrik the King and hatefull to the enuious Ethelburg his most proud Queene by whom he was enforced first to secure himselfe with the Mercian Offa and lastly constrained to flie into France where vnder Charles the Great he turned his aduersity into an occasion of his valour by seruing in his warres and learned by his politicke gouernment how to rule a quiet or disturbed State 5 But King Brightriks death acted and his Queene the contriuer banished Egbert is solicited to the wearing of the West-Saxon crowne where hee became the eighteenth King in number and nineteene yeares after the nineteenth Monarch of the Englishmen entring his raigne the yeare of Christ Iesus eight hundreth being the same yeare that Charles was made Emperour of the West and Conwall then ruling ouer the Scots 6 His first warres were against the Cornish and their associats the Welsh both of them a remnant of the old Britaines who had beene oftentimes vanquished but neuer would seeme to be subdued and for foureteene yeares continuance held side against Egbert which their resistance so prouoked his furie that hee enacted a most seuere law against them commanding that no Britaine should presume to passe ouer great Offaes ditch and present death to them that durst set foot vpon any English ground Their great Caer-legion now West-chester hee tooke from them and at London from their West-gate cast downe the brasen Image of Cadwallo there set vp by the Britaine 's for a terrour to the Saxons as we haue said
wantonnesse and secure in their owne conceit from impeach of danger which Elfred a most skilfull Musitian and an excellent Poet did not a little egge on by his sweet musicke and songs of their valour so that he was suffered to passe vncontrolled into the company of their Princes at banquets or else where whereby he both saw their negligent security and by diligent obseruance learned the designes that in their counsels they entended 13 Returning to his comfortlesse company he told them the condition of the hostile Campe and how easie it was to recouer againe their decaied estates whereupon shewing himselfe to his subiects vnto whose sight nothing could bee more ioyous on the suddaine set vpon the carelesse Campe of the Danes and made thereof a very great slaughter to the great terrour of others in other parts that had accounted him dead long since 14 Hubba that had harried the English and now rowzed vpon the newes of King Elfreds victory and life with thirty three ships sailed from Wales and arriuing in the mouth of Tau where it falleth into the Seuerne Sea assaied to take there the then-strong Castle called Kinwith vnto whom the Deuonshire men gaue battle and slew eight hundred and eighty persons of their retinue where died the Danish King Hubba whose corps being there interred vnder a great heape of copped stones gaue name to the place and was called Hubblestone There and then was taken the Danish much esteemed Banner called Reafan wherin a Rauen was purtraied wrought in needle-worke so Asserius Meneuensis reporteth by the three sisters of Hubba and Hungar the daughters of Lothbroke that is Leather-breach the Dane In regard whereof as also for the opinion of good lucke as they tooke it it was cuer born before them in their wars 15 These aduerse proceedings of the Danes designes especially falling when the game was neere wonne made them suspect how faire soeuer the ball lay to hand yet fortune would serue it in the end to their losse for Elfred now flocked vnto vpon euery side beganne to build fortresses behind his backe and forward to march with his conquering sword whereupon the Danes sent to him for Peace and deliuered him hostages vpon assurance that they meant as they spake The conditions were that their King should receiue Baptisme and the great Army of the Danes quietly to depart out of the land 16 Whereupon Gurmound or Gurthrun the Danish King repaired to the new built Castle of Edelingsey vnto King Elfred and in the place then called Alre was washed in the lauer of Baptisme whom Elfred receiued for his God-son by the name of Athelstane and gaue him in free gift the Country of East-Angles In the same fountaine of Grace saith Simond Dunelmensis thirty of the chiefe Danish Nobility were initiated vpon whom the truly Christian King Elfred bestowed many rich gifts And that the limites of the English might be free from their incursions thus the confines of King Elfreds kingdome were laide forth as we find it in the end of those Lawes that Elfred published whose words are these Let the bounds of our Deminioâ—… stretch from the riuer Thamesis and from thence to the water of Lea euen vnto the head of the same water and so forth straight vnto Bedford and finally going along by the riuer of Ouse let them end at Watling street 17 But so farre were the Danes from performance of couenants that in this eight yeare of King Elfreds raigne and the eight hundred seuenty nine after Christ this Gurmund and his company wintered at Chipnam in Wiltshire and a new supply of these Pagans known by the name of the Wicciâ—…gi wintred at Fulhâ—…m neere London yet after vpon better aduice the one went into their assigned circuit and the other departed to the realme of France and so to his twelfth yeare the land tooke some rest that had been kept long waking by the loud sound of warre 18 In the yeare of Grace eight hundred eighty fiue these last retired Danes finding France not fitting their purpose returned into Kent and put into Medway where on his East side they began a fierce siege vnto the City Rochester before whose gate they built a strong Castle Thither King Elfred hasted before whose power these Danes could not stand but were forced to their shippes and backe againe into France 19 Whereupon the King remoued his siege vnto London whence all the Danes fled as Wolues abide not the presence of the Lion the inhabitants reioicing to see the face of their King which City hee restored to her former liberty and beauty and committed the custody thereof vnto Ethelred Duke of Mercia that had maried his daughter the Lady Ethelfred whose title the King had maintained against Colwolphus made King thereof by the Danes Wherupon both Kent the South-Saxons and West-Saxons came willingly and submitted themselues to King Elfred The East-Angles being gouerned or rather spoiled by Athelstan the christned Dane who after twelue yeares raigne there died and was buried at Hadley in Suffolke 20 But in the one and twentieth of his raigne and of Christs Incarnation eight hundred ninety two those rouing Danes returned out of France againe arriued in Kent in the mouth of the riuer Limen with two hundred and fifty ships which they drew foure miles into the great wood then called Andreads Weald and there destroied a Castle that stood for defence building another more strong at Apulder wherein they kept At the same time likewise entred one Hastings a Nobleman of Norway with eighty ships but with a fairer shew as hee entended for he sent his oath vnto Elfred not to annoy any part of his dominions and withall his two sonnes to bee baptized which King Elfred accepted himselfe becomming the Godfather of the one and Duke Ethelred of the other and both they and his Ambassadors returned with rich gifts Against these Kentish inuaders King Elfred fought a great battaile at Fernham neere vnto Aelesford wherein he wounded their King and forced his Army to flee ouer Thamesis in passing whereof through ouermuch hast and great feare many of them were drowned and they that escaped fled to an Iland called Breklesey inclosed about by the riuer Colne 21 Newes then being brought into the East that the Danes from Northumberland had infested the West and with a strong siege begirt the City Excester Elfred left for Generall his sonne in law Duke Ethelred whilest he with a strong power went to suppresse their rage who hearing of his comming brake vp their siege and were gone vpon the aduantage of his absence perlured Hastings then wrought who out of his new built Castle at Beamfield made spoile of the Kings people and forraged all the Country before him Whereupon Duke Ethelred assembled a power and first assailing his wel stored Castle tooke thence his wife and two sonnes with exceeding spoiles of gold siluer and garments
signified to Rollo choosing out the tallest and goodliest persons of his company and such as were of greatest wisedom with them he very ioyfully meeteth the King is entertained presents him with great gifts but receiueth greater Then sitting downe to talke and commune 12 I am saith King Alstenus right gladde most worthy Duke Rollo to see you in this my Court. The renowne of your Nation hath beene related to mee a Martiall kind of Peopleyee are and infight vnconquerable And you your selfe also for your prowesse are not vnnoted among the rest of your famous Worthies your valiant exploits are well knowne vnto vs It is right pleasing vnto vs to enter with such men into amitie Behold our whole kingdome is before you choose out a seate for your selfe and your people wheresoeur you best like for wee will haue an euerlasting league between vs. 13 Rollo glad of so faire promises replied Most worthy and renowmed King I highly esteem of your bountifull and most liberall proffers God grant a happy successe of our affaires I doe thinke myselfe most bounden deuoted to your worthines and if destinie euer answer to our desires we will not be vnthankfull for this your so great benignity To seate ourselues in your kingdome though indeede we are very willing and your Royall proffers do much more incite vs yet Fate doth not permit it I haue determined and will certainly performe to goe into France For your gifts bestowed on me I esteeme them in the highest degree and right well content I am to haue a perpetuall League with you that the like Fortune may betide vs both the one to be a safeguard to the other This I both offer and accept of I his League God grant may to vs both proue happy and fortunate 14 With such like interchanges the time much spent and night drawing on they were brought to banquet And early the next morning comming forth of their lodgings most louingly embraced each other when each gaue receiued presents best suting with their estates and occasions Neither doth Krantzius stay his penne there but proceedeth to particular affaires betwixt these two Princes without the concurrence of any of our owne writers 15 As how the English rose in Armes against Alstenus their King taking oportunity of the time for that Rollo whom they knew to bee ioined in a most strait confederacy with their Soueraigne beeing then imployed in the warres of France could not come or send to his aide Alstenus therefore oppressed with a tumultuous kingdome remembred Rollo his faithful friend and sending Ambassadors declared vnto him what distresse he was in who not vnmindfull of the firme league betwixt them left his French wars and prepared for England with all his Forces where entring the Iland he easily quieted the tumultuous rebels ransacking their Cities curbing their wildenes and so reducing them at last to an orderly subiection For which his great loue care pains the King not vnthankful resolued to requite him with the halfe of his kingdom appointing the Cities and limiting the bounds which each of them should rule and gouerne as their owne possessions 16 Rollo in the meane time as carefull of the peaces continuance as regardlesse of so great remunerations taketh pledges of the Rebels for securing their loialtie to the King and peaceable bearing towards himselfe vpon accomplishment whereof repairing to Alstenus he thus bespake him 17 Seeing King Alstenus you haue so highly rewarded me both with princely entertainment and bountifull presents I can doe no lesse then willingly bestow vpon you these my paines for your safetie it iâ—… no more then your deserts doe challenge neither will I accept or seeme so vncourteous as to expect for my paines any part of your dominion Your selfe now may well gouerne it for France calles for my presence keepe therefore those your Pledges brought to you by your Subiects and there is no doubt but you shall hence-forward gouerne your Kingdome in a setled and contentfull quietnesse 18 The King could not containe those his eies which now beheld in a stranger so strange and vnexempled kindnes from resoluing into teares giuing him both hearty thanks and rich gifts seeing hee could not fasten on him any portion of his Kingdome of whom all that Rollo desired was this that he would giue licence to such voluntary Souldiers as would goe with him into France whereto Alsten ready in all things to gratifie his desire gladly condescended and furnished him with attendants 19 But leauing Krantius the Dane as likewise Gemeticensis the Norman to fauour their Country these their reports to the best liking of the iudicious most certaine it is that the French King Charles commonly called the Simple gaue the Duchie of Normandy with his daughter Gilla whose mother was Aeguina the daughter of Edward the Elder King of England vnto Rollo the Dane as is recorded in an old manuscript belonging to the Monastery of Angiers And when Rollo was baptized Charles receiuing him for his God-sonne at the Font he was there required to doe homage for his Dukedome receiued and inioined therein to kisse the Kings foot which hee did but with some disgrace to King Charles and bound it with an oath that hee did not receiue it vpon courtesie 20 This Rollo by his second wife Popee for Gilla died childlesse daughter to the Earle of Bessin and Baileulx had a sonne named William surnamed Longespee and a daughter called Girlâ—…ta who was afterwards married to the Duke of Guyan 21 William Long-espee so called of the Long Sword he vsually wore the second Danish Duke of Normandy took vnto wife Spâ—…rta the daughter of Hubert Earle of Seâ—…tlis by whom hee had onely Richard his sonne this William receiuing baptisme receiued therewith a new name and was thenceforth called Robert who hauing gouerned his Dukedome with great moderation the space of twenty yeeres was guilefully murthered by the working of Lewes King of France to the great griefe of his people who so far followed the reuenge that they intercepted Lewes in the Citie Rothâ—…mage and deteined him their prisoner till he agreed to these Articles That young Richard should succeed his slaine Father in the foresaid Dukedome and that thenceforth when the King Duke should conferre together the Duke should bee girt with his Sword and the King disabled either of Sword or knife to which Lewes yeelded vpon his corporall oth 22 Richard thus established gouerned his Dukedome the space of fifty two yeeres Hee was a man of an admirable fortitude and therefore was called Richard the Hardy His first wife was Agnes daughter to Hughle Grand Earle of Paris Lord Abbat of Germans and Father to Hugh Capet of France but she dying issuelesse he secondly married Gâ—…or a Gentlewoman of the Danish bloud whom he had kept his Concubine before by whom he had three sonnes and three daughters the first was Richard that succeeded in his dominions the second
fauour according to the prophesie of King William his Father This battaile was fought and Normandy wonne vpon Saturday being the Vigill of S. Michael euen the same day forty yeares that William the Bastard set foot on Englands Shoare for his Conquest God so disposing saith Malmsbury that Normandy should be subiected to England that very day wherein England was subdued to Normandy 23 Robert Curtuoise that now vnfortunate Prince and William Mortaigne that valiant but head-strong Earle were forthwith sent into England and imprisoned the Earle in the Tower of London and the Duke in Cardiffe Castle in Wales after he had gouerned the Dutchy of Normandy nineteen yeeres and was for esteeme in Chiualrie accounted among the best Captains that the world then afforded had hee not beene as commonly martiall spirits vse to be too rash and vnstaied in his other enterprises which headinesse did now draw vpon him a penance of twenty sixe yeeres continuance in the afflicted state of a forlorne Captiue And Henry now no longer as a brother receiuing the keyes of Normandy as a Conquerour returned into England 24 But long it was not ere Duke Robert weary of this vnwonted duresse sought to escape and hauing liberty to walke in the Kings Meadowes Forrests and Parkes brake from his Keepers without any Assisters or meanes for security who being mist was presentlie pursued and taken in a quag-mire wherein his Horse lay fast whereupon the King hearing of this his attempt considering that woods were no walles to restraine the fierce Lyon and that to play with his claw was to endanger a state commanded him not onely a greater restraint and harder durance but also a thing vnfit for a brother to suffer but most vnworthy for Beauclearke to act both his eyes to bee put out causing his head to be held in a burning bason to auoid the deformity of breaking the eye-bais vntill the glassie tunicles had lost the office of retaining their light 25 Hauing thus quieted all forraine oppositions King Henry set his minde to preuent Domesticke and therfore about this time those Flemmings whose Lands the Seas had deuoured some few yeeres before and place was granted them in Cumberland first by King Rufus and afterwards by Henry were now by the King vpon better aduisement remoued into Wales both to disburden his Inland of such guests and that so they might bee a defence betwixt him and those euer-stirring people Which proiect nothing deceiued his expectation for by the testimony of Giraldus They were a Colony stout and strong and continually endured the warres of the Welsh a Nation most accustomed to seeke gaine by cloathing by triffique also and Marchandize by Sea and Land vndertaking any paines or perils whatsoeuer A people of very great power and as time and place requireth ready by turnes to take plough in hand and till the ground as ready also to goe into the field and fight it out and that I may adde thus much more saith hee a Nation most loially deuoted to the Kings of England and as faithfull to the Englishmen 26 By the which his policy he attained that which his brother Rufus could not who many a time had but small successe in those parts though otherwise euer sped most fortunatly in all his aduentures of warres But it is thought by some that as the Mountanous cragginesse of the Country and sharpnesse of the Aire encouraged them in their rebellion so the same impeached Rufus his successe But King Henrie saith Malmesburie who with many a warlike expedition went about to force the Welshmen euer stirring vnto Rebellion for to yeeld and to submit themselues in the end resolued vpon this whole some policie for to take down their pride he brought thither all the Flemmings that dwelt in England a great number of which Nation in those daies in regard of his mothers kindred by her Fathers side flocking hither were closely shrouded in England in so much as they for their multitude seemed burden some vnto the Realme Wherefore he sent them all together with their substance their Wines and Children vnto Rosse a Countrey in Wales as it were into a common auoidance thereby both to purge his own kingdome and also to quatle and represse the desperate boldnesse of his Enemies 27 And now being free from all feare of subuerters King Henry growing disdainefull saith Paris refused to fulfil what he had so oftē promised to his Nobles heaping threats vpon threats for God had bestowed on him three bounties wisdome victory and riches aboue any of his Predecessors but for all these hee shewed himselfe to God most vnthankeful And of his Clergy wee may say too regardlesse in suffering Anselm newly reconciled to lay heauy punishmēts vpon the married Priests putting many from their places because they denied to put away their Lawfull wiues whereof great contention followed and grieuous sinnes in short time committed both against God and Nature 28 Among these proceedings in England Philip King of France deceased and his sonne Lewis surnamed Crassus succeeded in his gouernement which how he stood affected to Henry was doubted and therefore to make sure worke the King sailed into Normandy furnishing his Townes Castles and Fortresses with all habiliments of warre with prouisions befitting such suspected times and so returning he found attending his comming the Ambassadors of Henrie the fourth Emperour as suters from their Master to obtaine Lady Maud the Kings daughter in Marriage then not past fiue yeeres of age which was willingly graunted and the espousals by way of Proxy solemnized with great feasts and magnificent triumphes 29 About which time the death of Archbishop Anselme happening gaue no small hope to the Clergy as themselues conceited againe to enioy the liberty of matrimoniall society wherein they were not a little deceiued for the King seemed willing that the Ecclesiasticall Ordinance before made should bee more neerely looked into whereupon men for feare and in the sight of men carried themselues accordingly but if in secret they did worse saith Eadmerus let the charge light on their own heads sith euery man shall beare his owne sinnes for I know saith hee that if Fornicators and Adulterers God will iudge the abusers of their owne Cosens I will not say their own Sisters and Daughters shal not surely escape his iudgement 30 The Kings peace which seemed to be secured by his new affinity with the Emperour and his glory raised to the high began now to bee enuied and his brother Duke Roberts extremities greatly to be pitied both by some English and also Normans For Foulke Earle of Aniou both threatned the reuenge and by corrupting the inhabitants wanne the City of Constance from his obeisance To stay whose irruptions King Henry passed into Normandy where hee vsed great extremity and put to death Helia Earle of Cenomania who held that
sonne Iohn first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action hee bitterly cursed the howre of his birth laying Gods curse and his vpon his sonnes which hee would neuer recall for any perswasion of the Bishoppes and others but comming to Chinon fell there grieuously sicke and feeling death approch hee caused himselfe to be borne into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sinnes hee departed this life 100 It shal not in contempt of humane glory be forgotten that this puissant Monarch being dead his people presently left him and fell to spoile all he had leauing him naked of whom one saith trulie and grauely Verè melmuscae c. Surely these flies sought honey these wolues a Carcase these Ants grain for they did not follow the Man but the spoile and bootie Neither must it be vnremembred that the fierce and violent Richard now heire of all comming to meete his Fathers body roially adorned for the buriall according to the Maiestie of his estate the very Corse as it were abhorring and accusing him for his vnnaturall behauiours gushed forth bloud whereat Richard pierced with remorse melted into flouds of teares in most humble and repentant maner attending vpon the remaines of his vnfortunate Father to the Graue His Wife 101 Eleanor the Wife of King Henry was the eldest of the two Daughters and the sole Heire of William Duke of Aquitaine the fift of that name the ninth in succession sonne of Duke William the fourth her Mother was Daughter to Raimund Earle of Tholoâ—…se and her great Dowrie was motiue first to King Lewis who had two daughters by her Mary and Alice and after to King Henry to marry her There are of the French Historians who report that king Henry had a former wife and that shee bare vnto him Prince Henry but Writers of our owne affaires and some also of the French acknowledge but onely Eleanor for his Wife Certain it is that king Henries times were much famoused by two Women of much differing qualities the one was his renowmed Mother Matildis whose Epitaph thus comprised part of her glory Ortu magna viro maior sed maxima prole Hic iâ—…cet Henrici Filiâ—… Sponsa Parens Here Henries Mother Daughter Wife dothrest By Birth much more by Spouse by Child most blest The other was this Eleanor his Wife the first cause of these bloudie Warres which long after continued as hereditary betwixt England and France yea and the bellows of that vnnaturall discord betwixt her husband and his sonnes Shee much out-liued her husband as a bad thing stickes longest beeing so happie as to see three of her sonnes aduanced to the Crowne and so vnhappie as to see two of them in their graues for she liued till King Iohns time His Issue 102 William the eldest sonne and first child of King Henry and Queene Eleanor his wife was borne before his father was King and while hee was but Duke of Normandy in the eighteenth yeere of the raigne of King Stephen 1152. and the fourth yeere after his father beeing then King and in the second yeere of his raigne the Nobilitie of England sware vnto him their fealtie as to the heire apparant of the Kingdome at the Castle of Wallingford in Barkeshire but he deceased the yeere following being the third of his fathers raigne and the fift of his owne age 1156. He was buried in the Monastery of Reading at the feete of his great Grandfather King Henrie the first 103 Henrie the second sonne of King Henry and Queene Eleanor beeing borne the last of Februarie 1156. was their heire apparant after the death of his brother William was Duke of Normandie Earle of Aniou and Maigne and was crowned King of England at Westminster by Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke the fifteenth of Iulie 1170. His wife was Margaret daughter of Lewis the Yonger King of France married to him at Nuburgh in Normandy the second of Nouember 1160. crowned Quene at Winchester by Rotrocke of Warwicke Arch-bishop of Roan the 21. of Nouember 1163. and suruiuing him was remarried to Bela King of Hungarie He died without issue before his father at Marcell in Tourâ—…ine the eleuenth of Iulie the twentie sixe yeere of his fathers raigne 1182. and was buried in the Church of our Lady at Roan 104 Richard the third sonne of King Henrie and Queen Eleanor was born at Oxford in the Kings Pallace there called Beau-Mount in September the fourth yeere of his fathers raigne 1157. He proued a Prince of great valor and was therefore surnamed in French Cuer-de-Lion in English Lions-Heart hee was created Earle of Poyton and had the whole Dutchie of Aquitaine for which he did his homage to King Lewis the Yonger of France in the eighteenth yeere of his fathers raigne 1170. yet afterward he conceiued some discontentment against his father and maintained warres vpon him but was reconciled againe into his loue and succeeded him in his Kingdome 105 Geffrey the fourth sonne of King Henrie and of Queene Eleanor was borne the twentie third of September in the fifth yeere of his fathers raigne 1159. Hee married Constance daughter and heire of Conan Duke of Britane and in her right was Duke of Britane and did his homage to his brother Henry for the same Dutchie and receiued the homages of the Barrons of the same hee died at Paris in the thirtie two yeere of his fathers raigne 1186. the nineteenth of August and is buried in the quire of our Ladies Church there hee had issue Arthur Duke of Britane borne after his fathers decease the heire apparant of King Richard and by some supposed to bee made away by King Iohn and also Eleanor called the Daâ—…sell of Britane who died in prison in the raigne of King Henrie the third 106 Philip the fifth sonne of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor may bee mistrusted to be mistaken by Antiquaries of our time as misunder-standing the ancient writers who mentioning the birth of Philip the Kings sonne might by good likelihood be thought to meane Philip sonne of Lewâ—… the Yonger King of France who was borne about this time and was after King of the same Countrey But Mr Thoâ—…as Talbot an exact trauailer in genealogies hath not onely set him downe in this place amongst the children of this King but also warranteth the same to bee done with good authoritie howsoeuer it is apparant his life was verie short 107 Iohn the sixth and yongest sonne of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor was borne in the thirteenth yeere of his fathers raigne in Anno 1166. hee was iestinglie surnamed by his father Sans-terre in English without Land because hee was borne last as if there had beene nothing left for him Notwithstanding soone after hee was created Earle of Mortaigne and had more-ouer by degrees the Earledomes of Cornwall and Glocester the Counties of Derby and Lancaster the Honors of Wallinford and Nottingham the Castles of
King Henry to whom he had beene sometime disobedient and God affording him gracious leasure till hee had thus disposed of all the venemous vapour ascended to his heart and draue the spirite forth with whom say * Authors the glory and honor of Militarie skill exspired 70 There hath been an opinion or fancy that this King was called Cordelyon because hee encountred a Lyon in prison at the Emperours Court but saith one very truly these are fables imagined by English tale-tellers to aduance their King Richard as the Britaines by the like aduanced their King Arthur The like deuice though more lofty and Mathematicall may theirs seeme who coniecture hee was called so of the famous Starre called Cor Leonis But how the conceite of killing of a Lion should come vp as iâ—… is not worth the while to enquire so certainely Hugo de Neuile one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to haue slain a Lion in the holy-Land driuing first an arrow into his breast and then running him through with his sword whence perhaps that atchieuement is transferred from the man to the master and the story applide to the by-name of King Richard whereof the true reason is that which * Thomas Walsingham mentioneth saying That for the magnanimity of his heart grossitudinem praestans saith an other meaning as it seemes that his materiall heart it self was bigge and massiue which another also saith was inexpugnable this King was both by the English Normans stiled Caeur de Lion His Wiues Alice the daughter of Lewis the seuenth King of France by Queene Alice daughter of Earle Thibald of Champaigne is by some reputed the first wife of King Richard though indeede she were onely contracted to him being both children and committed to his Father but when he demanded her his father refused to deliuer her or she to com to him or both Wherefore being King conceiuing displeasure against King Philip her brother and more then suspecting her continency with his owne father by whom he alledged she had a child he refused to take her yet gaue a hundreth thousand pounds to Philip pro quieta clamantia to be quite freed from her She became the wife of William Earl of Ponthieu and had issue Queene Ioan of Castile the mother of Queene Eleanor wife to King Edward the first Berengaria the second wife of King Richard was the daughter of Sanches the fourth of that name King of Nauarre sonne of King Garcie the fourth her mother was Beatrice daughter of Alphonso the seuenth King of Castile called the Emperour of Spaine She was conueied by Eleanor the kings mother vnto the king in Sicily and married to him in Cyprus whence she accompanied him to the Holy land The king vpon what cause we find not neglected her company for a while but vpon more setled thoughts he resumed her againe to his loue and society but had no issue by her His naturall Issue Philip the naturall son of king Richard seemeth to haue been begotten while he was Earle of Poytou of a Gentlewoman Poytouin and to haue had of his fathers gift a towne in Poytou named Sumac to haue taken also his surname and title of the same towne and to haue beene the Progenitour of a familie of Gentlemen of the same surname title in the same Country Isabel by * some who mention not Philip at all is reputed the Naturall Daughter of king Richard whose mother the Author nameth not and that she was married to Leoline Prince of Wales Three other Daughters Bastards no doubt he is said to haue of whose names and matches wee will report as we finde recorded Whiles hee was in France imployed in his warres against king Philip Fulco a French Priest came vnto him telling him he had three very bad Daughters which he wished him to bestow away from him in marriage or else Gods wrath would attend him when the king denied he had any daughter yes quoth the Priest thou cherisest three daughters Pride Couetousnesse and Lecherie The king apprehensiue of his meaning called his Lords there attending and saide My Lords this Hypocrit hath found that I haue three Daughters which I maintaine viz. Pride Couetousnes and Lecherie which he would haue me bestow forth in mariage and therfore if any such I haue I haue found out most fit husbands for them all My Pride I bequeath to the haughty Templars Hospitallers who are as proud as Lucifer himselfe My Couetousnesse I giue to the white Monks of the Cisteaux Order for they couet the Diuell and all But for my Lechery I can bestow it no where better then on the Priests and Prelates of our times for therein haue they their most felicity Doubtlesse these mariages proued so fruitfull that their issue hath now ouerflowed all kingdomes of the earth IOHN DVKE OF NORMANDIE GVYEN AND AQVITAINE c. THE FIRST STILED LORD OF IRELAND THE FORTIE-FIFTH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER VIII THe lustre of Diadems and Soueraignety so dazeleth the eyes and bewitcheth the hearts of ambitious beholders that whiles they fondlie deeme the greatest content to bee in highest Titles running after a seeming Happines they often cast themselues headlong and whole Kingdoms into irrepairable ruine as the calamities which after the death of the noble Ceur-de-Lyon lighted on the Pretenders to his Crowne and on this miserably distracted State will yeeld vs too ruful a President To the full acting of which Tragedy for such it was and so we must now present it in this our Theatre concurred as principall Actors the two though these Patients rather as the issue proued vnfortunate Corriuals for the Crowne Iohn Earle of Moreton Brother to the late King and his Nephew Arthur the Posthumous sonne of Geoffry Duke of Britaine the Earles eldest Brother their two Female and therefore more emulous and restlesse Solicitors Queen Eleanor and Lady Constance each ambitious of their owne in their Sonnes aduancements their two reuengefull Abettors Otho the Emperour for Iohn and Philip King of France for Arthur thereupon the two vniust Intruders on the Crowne Lewis the French Kings Sonne and Innocentius the Pope the one by vnprincely forces the other by vnpriestlie fraud and lastly their two sorts of treacherous Instruments of the Laitie for the one and Clergie for the other all which like so many Tragicke fire-breathing Furies set this State in so horrible combustion as that the smoake is not as yet so many ages after quite allayed 2 Earle Iohn the very Centre in which those calamities met had from his infancy beene fedde with high and royall hopes as being his Fathers onely darling from whome hee had the possession of the Irish and intendment also of the English Kingdom and in his brothers time whose return from the holy warres all men despaired had by gracious deportment
common preseruation yet knowing the Pope had need of his friendship about setling the Empire he ment so long to side with the Popes authority as the Pope would stand with his commodity repining to haue so faire a prey taken out of his talents made boldâ—… to despise both the commands and the curses yet this hee did in smoother fashion then hee had done once before when he rigodrously punished all the Bishops and Prelates whom for consenting to such a Papall censure hee turned out of their Sees and dignities for now he appealed from the sentence for a fashions sake but yet violently proceeded with his warres and did swimme with the full current of his victories The waues whereofso fast surrounded King 〈◊〉 that fearing also further treason of his owne men hee thought good till some better daies would shine vpon him especially winter season enforcing surceasse of warres to abandon the place of his iniurious foes to expostulate in England with his perfidious friends 25 For that was the first worke hee did alter his arriuall which was at Portsmouth on Saint Nicholas day in December when laying to the charge of his Earles and Barons that in his warres they suffered him to be destitute of requisite aides and had left him in the middest of his enemies by which their defaults hee was thus despoiled of his Castles and Countries thereuppon by aduise of Hubert Lord Archbishoppe and Lord Fitz-Peter Chief Iustitiar who knew these were no forged cauillations he put them and other delinquents to their Fines for his Warres made him desire their mony more then their liues wherein these two great Counsellors were ouerseers for the receits the one for the Clergy the other for the Laity of both whom they receiued no lesse summes of curses then of Coine The like repining among the people who iudge of the goodnesse of a King only by sparing their purses ensued on the grant of a large Subsidie two Marks and halfe of euerie Knights Fee in a Parliament presently after held at Oxford where the King Peeres conuening about redresse of those remediles mischiefs the issue as seemeth was that Ambassages should bee addressed into France two Prelates Canterbury and Norwich with two Earles Marshall and Leicester to treat from the Body of the Kingdome touching those Prouinces which being incorporated with Englands Soueraignety could not without apparant iniustice bee abstracted from a Nations common interest vpon coloured pretences against any particular Philip hauing vpon King Iohns departure thence vsed his whole Forces and wittes to weary or to winne diuers other Cities Forts which had till then stood faithfull for which purpose hee also imployed sundry instruments themselues first corrupted that they might corrupt others to defection with great rewards and greater promises hee meant not now to re-commence Questions of Right hauing already neere decided that point by the point of his sword yet because hee was to deale with a mighty Nation hee would not abruptly refuse to capitulate and yet againe by proposall of conditions exceeding either Reason of Possibility hee dammed vp all passages to peaceable agreement his demaunds were to haue either Arthur whom hee knew to bee dead redeliuered into his hands aliue or else his Sister Eleanor in marriage with all those Countries in that Continent but those Statesmen easily perceiued that Philips heart aimed farther then his tongue and that with Eleanor hee hoped to purchase a higher dowry euen the English Diadem whose claim glided down from her brother to her which perchance was the secret ground of his Oth that he would neuer linne to pursue that quarrell till hee had depriued King Iohn of his Kingdome 26 This Ambassage was not onely thus issuelesse but produced also effects tending to further irritation for this seemeth to bee the time when Philip sent a brauing Champion to iustifie by Duel before the States here in England what his Master had done in France against their King in open warre and though it was not deemed expedient to ieopard a Title of such weight on the Armes and Fortune of one man yet it was resolued the Challenger should not passe vnanswered whereto none was held fitter then Iohn Curcy Earle of Vlster for rebellion and denying his homage to the King condemned to perpetuall imprisonment in the Towre a man of Giantlike limme and strength and of some dispositions not despicable if they had not beene sauaged with a too carelesse rudenesse which appeared not onely in his wild speeches touching the Kings misusage of his Nephew Arthur which some by errour alledge as cause of his indurant durance but euen now when the king demanding him whether hee would combate in his quarrell No quoth he not in thy quarrell nor for thy sake but for the Kingdomes right I will fight to the death Against which day whiles hee repaired with large diet his impayred limmes and sinewes the Frenchman hearing of his excessiue feeding and strength answerable thereto thereby fearing he had been some Monster of Nature rather then a man hee secretly sneaked away into Spaine ashamed to shew his face in France againe Curcy finding the King gracious was hereupon released and is said if this bee not to digresse to haue crossed the seas for Ireland fifteen times and euermore beaten backe to the shore acknowledged himselfe herein iustly punished of God neuer againe to see his owne seat for displacing God out of his when he conuerted the Church of Prebendaries in Doan consecrated to the blessed Trinity into an Abbey of Monkes to the honour name of Saint Patrick whose Image was erected in a stately seat wherein before the Trinitie was deportracted which was thence reiected into a priuate Chappell The Irish relate that the two Kinges being afterward together belike when they made the next truce in Erance King Philip hearing Curcy to bee in the English Campe intreated to see some experience of his so much feared and reported strength where a Helmet of excellent proofe full farced with Mayle being set vpon a great wooden blocke the Earle lifting his trusty Skeyne first louring round about him with a dreadfull aspect cleft so deepe quite through the steely resistance into the knotty wood that none there could draw it out but himselfe who did it with ease and being asked by the Kings why hee frowned so irefully before the stroke hee told them that hee then intended if hee had failed of his blow to haue killed them all both Kings and others the lookers on 27 But what Philip could not in England by one Champion he accomplished in Normandy by many where hauing a mighty power attending him froÌ„ City to City yet hee thought faire wordes would bee for himselfe both cheaper and safer and with the Prouincials more forceable then force
eldest Daughter and Child of K. Iohn and Queene Isabel his last wife was the first wife of Alexander the second King of Scots married vnto him in Yorke Iunij 25. Anno 1221. who returning into England to visite her Brother deceased at London and was buried in the Nunnery at Tarent in Dorsetshire 4. Martij in the 21. yeare of her Brother king Henries raigne in England and the 23. of king Alexander her husbands in Scotland Anno 1236. 70 Eleanor their second daughter was first married to William Marshall the yonger Earle of Pembroke and after his decease without issue and seuen yeeres Widow-hood remarried to Simon Montfort Earle of Leicester sonne of Simon Earle Montfort in France by Amice Daughter of Robert Blanchman Earle of Leicester who maintaining the Barons warres against King Henry her brother was slaine at the battaile of Euesham in the 19. yeere of her brothers raigne 1265 after whose death shee and ◅er Children were forced to forsake England she died in the Nunnery at Montarges in France Henry her eldest sonne was slaine with his father at Eueshan Simon the second was Earle of Bigorre and ancestor to a Family of Mountfords in those parts of France Almaricke her third sonne was first a Priest and Treasurer of the Cathedrall Church in Yorke and after a Knight and a valiant seruitour in sundrie warres beyond the Seas Guy the fourth Sonne was Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitour of the Mountfords in Tuscaine and of the Earles of Campo bachi in the Kingdome of Naples Richard the fift sonne remained priuily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was ancestor of the family of Wellesbornes in England She had also a daughter named Eleanor borne in England brought vp in France and married into Wales to Prince Lewellen ap Griffith 71 Isabel their yongest daughter was born An. 1214 when shee was 21. yeeres of age shee was married being the 6. and last wife to the Emperour Frederick the second at the City of Wormes in Germany 20. of Iuly 1235. Shee had issue by him Henry appointed to bee King of Sicily and Margaret wife of Albert Landgraue Thurin shee was Empresse 6. yeeres and died in Childbed Decemb. 1. of her husbands Empire 31. of her brothers raign 38. Anno 1241. 72 Iane or Ione the daughter naturall of King Iohn by Agatha Daughter of Robert Ferrers Earle of Darby marryed to Lewin Prince of Wales Anno 1204. her Father gaue with her the Castle Lordshippe of Elinsmore in the Marches of Southwales she like a most louing Child gaue her Father secret intelligence of the Treasons intended against him by the Welsh and English 73 Geoffrey Fitz-Roy a base son who transported some Souldiers into France when Archbishoppe Hubert forbad the King his father to goe thither 74 Richard who married the daughter heire of Fulbert de Douer who built Chilham Castle in Kent which Castle hee had with her and had Issue by her of which som families of good esteem are descended stant Lords at Newarke where the Generall assembly for that seruice was appointed The whole Army after the Musters rested there some dayes which they spent not in vanities but in deuotions receit of the Sacrament humbling themselues before the offended Maiestie of God and so all of them saith Paris being prepared resolue eyther to return victorious or to die in defence of their country their Soueraignes right and their owne Liberties and possessions all which seemed now to lie at stake To giue them the greater edge and spirite Wallo with great solemnity accurseth Lewis and his Coadiutors and thus the Army marcheth towards Lincolne and the Lewisians there in siege of the Castle the King himselfe being left with a strong guard at Stow about eight miles short of Lincolne accompanied with Wallo and others there without perill of his person to attend Gods pleasure in the euent of the enterprise Vpon their approch if the Counsell of some English Lords had beene followed the Lewisian Army had issued forth of the City giuen them battle in the opē field but the Earle of Perch the French Generall thinking the Kings party to bee greater then it was for that the Noblemen and Bannerets thereof had each of them two Ensignes the one born with themselues the other aduanced among the Carriages which doubled the shew of their numbers they did thereupon change that course closed the Gates of the City and plyed their endeauours against the Castle more fiercely then before The Earle of Pembroke therefore lets Falcasius slip in at the Castle-posterne with his Arbalasters whiles others breake vp the South-gate of the City at which the Kings Army most couragiously entring and they of the Castle sallying out in Flancke of the Enemy scattered and vtterly defeated the Lewisians The Earle of Perch their Generall being enuironed with the Royalists and willed to render himselfe sware that hee would neuer become Prisoner to any English vpon which refusall he was run through the sight of his helmet into the braines and so dyed without speaking any word In this conflict being on Saturday in Whitson-weeke the force of naturall propension was apparent for notwithstanding the fierie resolutions of the Kings People yet when they saw the faces of their kinsmen friends countrimen on the other side that fury relented so strōgly that the most part of the reuenge fell vpon the Horses and not vpon the Horsemen whom onelie they laboured to make their Captiues The whole riches of the Lewisian Campe of the City of Lincolne became the booty and spoile of the Kings Armie whereupon this discomfiture was called Lewis Fair Neither did the Clergy of the place escape for the Popes Legate had commaunded that they also should be rifled to a penny as persons excommunicated in partaking with Lewis The Chase was but coldly fainedly followed vpon the flying Barons otherwise not a man could haue escaped wherein yet the chiefest Barons were taken with about 400. Knights besides Esquiers and of other sorts without note or number though some say that this number of Knights were slaine matrons and women of the towne flying by boate which they had no skill to gouerne were drowned Such as escaped the fight were not therefore past the danger for the Country people fell vpon them as they fledde killing great numbers so that almost all the footmen tooke vp their last lodgings before they could reach to London where Lewis was The Marshal of France the Chastellan of Arras and about two hundreth Knights came safely thither but were not otherwise then sowerly welcome of the Prince who laid vpon their cowardise the losse of all the rest His feare of being taken Prisoner iustly encreasing hee fortifies London by the best meanes hee can and dispatcheth Posts into France for more reliefe This great victory was much the stranger if as some write the fame
went that onely three were slaine vpon both sides the Earle of Perch one of Du-Brents Knights and an obscure fellow belonging to some or other of the Barons 8 The Kings Gouernour after the victory rode presently with the gladsome tidings in the heighth of speed to the King and Legate who with teares of ioy gaue God thankes But the noble Earle not leauing his worke imperfect seekes to embarre Lewis from forraging about London Meane while by the diligence of Lady Blanch the wife of Lewis Eustace the ruffianly Apostata who of a Monke becomming a Demoniacke was now vpon the Sea with a fresh supply of men and munition bound for London But God was no better pleased with these then with the other scatterlings at Lincolne For the English Nauie hauing the wind of the French sunke diuers of their shippes by tilting at them with the yron Prowes or Beakes of their Gallies vsing also vnslaked lime in dust or powder which they threw into the faces of their enemies and blinded their sight so were the hopes of Lewis for any present succours absolutely frustrated Eustace himselfe found after long search and drawne out from the bottome of the Pumpe in a French shippe at Douer had his head cut off though some say hee was slaine by Richard a base-sonne of King Iohn The newes of which successe being brought to the King did not more reioice him then they wounded Lewis for the losse was not onely great in men but in all sorts of riches and prouisions To giue now no rest to Lewis his declining fortunes the Earle of Pembroke with a mighty Army besieged London and Lewis therein aswell by Water as by Land seeking to driue him by penurie to render the City It came to capitulation and in an Ilet in the Riuer of Thames not farre from Stanes the King Wallo the Legate and William Marshall the Kings Gouernour met with Lewis the Barons to finish the Peace for Lewis had promised to doe as Wallo and the Earle would deuise so that it might not tend to his dishonour or scandall Heades or Articles of the agreement which Lewis sware vpon the Gospell to performe were 1. That Lewis the Barons and other his partakers should stand to the iudgement of the Church whose censures they had now some yeeres contemned and from thenceforth bee and remaine true to the same 2. That he and his should forthwith depart the land neuer to return again with a purpose to doe harme 3 That he should doe his best to draw his Father to make restitution of all such things in France as belonged to the King of England and that Lewis when himselfe was King should quietly part with them 4. That Lewis should immediately render to King Henry all holdes and places taken in the warre On the other part the King the Legate and the Earle sware 1 That the King should restor to the Barons and others all their rights and inheritances with all the Liberties formerly demanded of his Father 2. That none of the Layty should suffer dammage or reproch for taking part on either side 3. That Prisoners should bee released c. Whereupon Lewis with his adherents was formally by Wallo absolued from the sentence of Excommunication and so they ranne on all sides into embracements and parted in the kisse of Peace The Welsh who had held with the Barons were left out of this Conclusion being thereby laid open to spoile Thus was Lewis driuen out of England whom the Earle of Pembroke brought to the Sea-side and the Realme was cleared 9 There are who write how that Lewis had a great summe of money paide him for restoring the Hostages but Mat. Paris whom some cite to that purpose affirms no such matter in any printed Copy Reason surelie is vtterly against it for when euen the life of Lewis was after a sort in King Henries hand with what sense can it stand that the King should set all the French free without ransom and yeâ—…â—…imselfe pay money for the Hostages which also were not his but the Hostages of his enemies the Barons so that if money were due it must haue come from them not from the King who both in honour and profite was rather obliged to the contrarie Writers of that very time doe in plain wordssay The Pouerty of Lewis was such that he was compelled to borrow fiue thousand pounds of the Londoners to set him out of England and therfore that other seemes nothing else but a vaine gloze to salue the honour of Lewis who was plainly driuen out of England after so high hopes with losse sorrow and eternall disgrace which the French are so sensible of that they scarse seeme to write of the whole action otherwise then laying the misfortune of Lewis vpon the Barons mutability 10 The Realme of England purged of those forraine dregges was not therfore presently freed from other manifold encombrances such as after so great a tossing of all lawes and things diuine and humane doe ordinarily flote vp and downe like the froth working of a troubled Sea For diuers men presuming vpon their former seruices to the State or thinking the old bad world would either continue still or soone returne if iustice grew confident against Trespassors or for what other corrupt motiues soeuer did dare intollerable things The principall Lords of this misrule were William Earle of Aumarl Falcasius de Brent with his Garrison Souldiers Robert de Veipont with others who hauing had the Castles and possessions of certaine Bishops and Great men either to keepe in trust or otherwise by iniquity of the times conuerted violentlie to their vses did still with-hold the same both against the minds of their lawfull owners and the Kings expresse Prohibition Among others Robert de Gaugi defended the Castle of Newarke being the Fee of the Bishoppe of Lincolne as was also the town it self against the Kings Armie conducted by the Great Marshall Earle of Pembroke for eight dayes and did not first yeeld the place before by mediation of friends the Bishoppe paid to Gaugi one hundreth pounds There was in that great Earle a perpetuall care to conclude things without bloud-shedde wherein shined his Christian piety and morall wisdome there being no other so safe way to settle disordered humors The greater was his losse both to the King and State by his death soone after ensuing whose monument yet remaining doth not so much eternize his memory as that well-deserued Epitaph the Epitome of his noble vertues Sum quem Saturnum sibi sensit Hybernia Solem Anglia Mercurium Normannia Gallia Martem Irelands Saturn Englands Sunne am I The Mars of France and Normans Mercurie He left behind him fiue Sonnes all Earles of Pembroke successiuely and dying without issue his fiue Daughters aduanced by great marriages brought as great aduantage to their husbands issue by the inheritances of their issuelesse brethren
11 The King gouerned after Marshals death by Peter Bishoppe of Winchester and such other whom the Bishoppe had procured to ioyne in administration of publik affairs seeming now to haue a setled and calme estate resolues for good hopes sake to bee crowned againe which was performed by Stephen Archbishoppe of Canterbury at Westminster with the attendance and confluence of all the Prelates Peeres and People Vpon the* Saturday before his Coronation the new worke of the Abbey Church at Westminster Paris calles it the Chappell of our Lady was begunne whereof the King himselfe in person laid the first stone as if hee ment the world should know his intention was to consecrate his future actions to raise the glory of God This calme but new beginning was almost as speedily distempered and disturbed by sodaine stormes by reason that while the King kept his Christmas with great royalty at Oxford in the company of the Prelates and Peeres of England William de Fortibus Earle of Aumarl incited by Falcasius de Brent and the like riotous Gentlemen sodainely departed frō the Court without leaue whither it were vpon discontentment because the King had against the Earles will the last yeere taken some Castles into his hands or out of an euill ignorance how to liue in quiet he mannes the Castle of Biham victuals it with the Corne of the Chanons of Bridlington spoiles the Towne of Deeping and vnder shew of repayring to the Parliament seiseth on the Castle of Fotheringhay committing many other furious riots in contempt of the King and breach of his peace many others in other places following his lewd example Yet at length the Earle comming in vnder the conduct of Walter Archbishop of Yorke was at the suite of Pandulph who succeeded Wallo in the place of Legate pardoned and the like hurtfull clemency was extended toward his Complices and Retinue whom the King in regard belike of some former better deserts set free without punishment or ransome And to preuent any further disturbances of that nature Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent for his rare integrity and fidelity approued in all King Iohns troubles was also made gouernour of the Kings Person and Chiefe Iustitiar of England with the generall allowance of all the States What need the land then had of a seuere proceeding wee may iudge by this that Foulk de Brent held the Earledomes of Northampton Oxford Bedford and Buckingham with the Castles and Holds Philip de Marc the Castles of Peke and Nottingham Nottinghamshire and Darbishire and others detained other portions without any other right then that which the iniquity of the late tumults gaue 12 It was no small addition to the troublesomnesse of this time that certaine Lords of Wales and as some say Prince Lewelin himselfe desirous to ridde their Marches of the English rose in Armes laide siege to the Castle of Buelt which inuited king Henry to draw thither with an Armie but the worke was made easie by the voluntary departure of the Welsh vpon the fame of the Kings approch which appearances of some ensuing stirres moued the king to thinke of strengthning himselfe with faithfull alliances and not long after Alexander King of Scots came to Yorke who in the yeere before had met King Henry at the same place and there tooke to wife the Lady Ioan King Henries sister and Hubert de Burgh in presence of both the Kings married the Lady Margaret sister to Alexander Boetius saith that two great Lords of England married two sisters of King Alexander at that place About which time Isabel Queen Dowager of Englād without the leaue of her sonne the King or of his Councell crost the seas and tooke to husband the Earle of March in France The young King supposing his estate at home now somewhat setled and his eyes beginning to grow cleare-sighted by the benefite of experience forgets not to looke about his affaires abroad and first sends Sauarie de Malleon to bee his Lieutenant in Aquitaine where yet the English held the greater part and dispatcheth Ambassadors to Philip King of France for restitution according to the Articles with Lewis whereunto answere was made that nothing ought to bee restored which by right of warre had beene atchieued but as it seemes there was a Truce for fowre yeeres agreed vpon betweene the two Monarches concerning the County of Poictou 13 The State both of Church and Common-wealth in those troubled daies seeme to haue much resemblance euery man daring to attempt in either what his own audaciousnes would suggest or others conniuency permit But Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury who himselfe was lately the ring-leader of disorders both in State and Church is now beecome very diligent in his Prouinciall Synode at Ox to in rage of this vnexpected reuocation like a braue Romane threw the Popes letters into the fire yet durst not disobey the Contents And whereas the message it selfe had beene scanned and sifted to the very branne both here and in France and iudged to sauour of so vniuersall an oppression as might cause a generall discession from the Church of Rome the King in presence of his Prelates and Peeres turned off the Popes couetous demaund with this thrifty answere The things which the Pope would perswade vs vnto doe stretch themselues as farre as the Christian world is wide and because England is but an Out-Angle thereof therefore when we see other Kingdomes giue vs an example hee shall then finde vs the more forward to obey 21 That difficultie so auoided the King was earnestly bent to make a voyage in person to the aide of his brother Earle Richard who pursued the affaires of Gascoigne which though by the late Earle of Sarisburies death it receiued some maime yet by the fortitude and counsell of other noble persons it did still prosper This intention and desire was staide by the receit of letters out of France which declared the Earle his brothers health and the good successe of affaires The King some say among his Counsellors of State had one William de Perepound a great Astrologer who fortold that Lewis King of France should not preuaile and this affirmation did the rather withhold him at that present There is who writes that King Henry vpon the Popes letters forbare to attempt any thing in France at that time lest he should hinder Lewis who was then vpon an enterprise against the remaines of the Albigenses in Languedoc Prouince and the parts about These men were traduced for Heretikes and so condemned by the See of Rome but what their Heresie was a * Fryer who writes against them reports saying they were of all other the most pernicious Sect for antiquity some holding they were from the Apostles time for generality there scarse being any Nation where they are not and lastly for shew of piety in that they liue iustly before men and
Berwicke hauing with him the said twenty foure Assessors as it were a iury of either nation and with the good will and assent of the Scottish Lords gaue solemne iudgement with Baliol as being descended of the eldest daughter of Dauid Earle of Huntington a yonger sonne of Scotland whose issue the line of the elder brother being extinct was to inherite without question But the strife being betweene the descendents of the said Dauid of which the Lord Robert Bruce was also a principall reasons of importance were produced which drew many mens iudgements to incline to him as hauing a neerer interest to that Crowne But according to the sentence Baliol was solemnly crowned King of Scotland vpon S. Andrews day and in Christmas following repaired to King Edward at Newcastle vpon Tyne and there against the minds of many Scots did homage vnto him for the whole Kingdome of Scotland 24 Meanetime the French King pursued the reuenge of the Normans demanding restitution and citing King Edward iudicially to appeare to answere such wrongs as were done in Aquitaine who desirous to settle his owne affaires at home or as some write eager vpon a match for himselfe in France while he discouered either his vnwillingnes to appeare in that kind or to warre suffered himselfe by a French deuise to be meerely deceiued and put out of his possession of Gascoigne to the great mischeife and disaduantage of the English whereupon K. Edward highly incensed called a Parliament at London where Iohn king of Scotland was present and had the full consent of the whole Realme to regaine that honestlie by the sword which was craftilie gotten away by a cunning trick renouncing to the French his homage for Aquitain Wales also was at the same time full of troubles but the fires of rebellion there rashly kindled were not long after quencht with the blood of the Actors and thousands of their Complices 25 Baliol hauing thus obtained the Crowne of Scotland and finding his party by the homage which he had made to King Edward much empaired among the Scots who greatly repined thereat for regaining their loues attempted a secret combination with the French against the English which Edward ignorant of and requiring him by vertue of his homage to aid him with all his powers against the King of France discouered by Baliols delaies and trauerses the said conspiracie Whereupon he aduanced forward against the Scots with a puissant armie to Newcastle vpon Tyne The first blood which was drawne was of the English of whom the Scots slew almost one thousand in a village vnder the leading of one Robert de Ros who had fled from King Edward The City of Carlile likewise was assaulted and the County of Cumberland spoiled by seuen Earles of Scotland and their companies which to Edward was not greatly displeasing as was said for that the first hostile acts were done by them whom he had a full purpose to subdue that at last he might bee sole in Albion which had not God reserued for other times we might wonder he effected not 26 King Edward therefore presented himselfe before the strong Towne of Berwick with a mighty host there to auspicate his entrance to a conquest of Scotland and after summons sent to the Towne abode one whole day without offer of violence The Townesmen refusing to render had a victory of the English Marriners who rashly entring with twentie and foure Ships into the harbour were repelled with the losse of foure of their vessels which was soone reuenged by the forceuble taking of Berwick where Hector Boetius saith there was exercised great cruelty by the English In the Towne the Flemish Merchants who were smothered by the English with fire had a very strong house in the maner of a Tower from whence they leueld at the entring of the English with darts and iauelins one of which casually slew Richard of Cornewal a gallant Gentleman brother to the Earle of Cornwal which in an army heated with former contumelies for the Scots vpon the slaughter and repulse which they had made of the English marriners published certaine rimes in derision as VVhat wenys King Edward with his Longshancks To haue wonne Berwicke all our vnthancks c. together with the remembrance of many fresh shrewd turnes might stirre vp bloody effects After the Towne was thus taken the Castle after stood not long out but rendred it selfe Sir William Dowglas captaine therof was detained prisoner and as some write Sir Robert Bruce others were suffered to depart vpon oath to beare no armes from thenceforth against the King of England The losse of this important Towne and Castle was very great for it was the key and common Bulwarke of Scotland 27 While the English at this place were busie to cast a very deepe ditch to hinder the sodeine inroades of their enemies Iohn King of Scotland sent two religious men to the King of England with letters in which alledging that he was by Oath bound to defend his owne kingdome and people he renounced his homage and fealtie as extorted by violence and void in it selfe being made without assent of the three estates of his Realme The resignation was admitted King Edward commanding his Chancellor to record the same for perpetuall memorie as a iustification of his proceedings 28 The Scots hereupon vnder the conduct of the Earles of Bucquhan Menteth Strathern Ros Athol Marr and other of their nobility made an incursion into England whence with the spoiles of two religious houses and other booties they returned But Patrick Earle of Dunbarre came to King Edwara submitting himselfe and the Castle of Dunbarre by this submission being vnder King Edwards protection was regained by Scots For recouerie or surregaining whereof the King sent Iohn Earle of Surrey and Sussex and William Earle of Warwick who were entertained with battel by the Scottish nation of whom the English after cruell fight obtained a victory of great importance the chase holding about eight miles in which the slaughter was not small The siege of Dunbarre being reinforced King Edward had it yeelded vnto him at his comming wherein were taken three Earles sixe or seuen Barons besides many knights and Esquires which were all sent prisoners to diuerse Castles of England and if some say true not put to the sword as Hector transported perhaps with hatred to Edward writes contrary to his word and faith giuen 29 King Edward knowing as well how to vse a victorie as to get it hauing a present spirit vpon all aduantages and turnes of fortune takes the Castle of Rocksbrough and for a finall end to this affaire marcheth to Edenburgh it selfe the chiefe Towne of Scotland which was shortly rendred Then tooke they Striueling also and draue Baliol to the Castle of Forfar where Iohn Comin Lord of Strabogie submitted himselfe to King Edward About this time there came
England not they who were attendant on the Queen her selfe in neerest place being spared all matters by her negotiation and suite were quieted vpon condition that King Edward should giue to his sonne Edward of Windsor afterward King the Dutchy of Aquitaine and Earledome of Pontine for which the king of France was pleased to accept his said young Nephewes homage 53 This was done and the Prince sent ouer for that purpose to his mother to the vtter vndoing of the King his Father and of all his fauourites For the heire of England being in forraine parts among the contrary faction all the consultation was vnder colour of ruining the Spensers to accomplish farther matters The Prince hauing at Boys de Vincens done his homage for that Dutchie and County to his vncle Charles de Valois King of France was as also the Queene his mother sent for backe by the King about Michaelmas but the Queenes conspiracie being not yet ripe shee deferred to obay detaining her sonne still 54 There went ouer with the young Prince among many others Walter Stapleton Bishoppe of Excester who perceiuing into what familiarity the Lord Roger Mortimer was growne with the Queene which seemed greater then either stood with her honour or dutie and seeing both him and other of the Kings enemies and fugitiues enioy that priuacie in counsell which was assigned to himselfe who was now as being none of theirs excluded returned secretly though vnsent for into England faithfully as it became a good man declaring his knowledge 55 The King now clearely beholding his errour in his dangers solicited the King of France to send home his wife and sonne but that not succeeding he caused them openly in London to be proclaimed enemies of the Kingdome banishing them with all their adherents out of the same For his more assurance also hee caused the Ports to bee most narrowly watcht Finally to draw all his dangers to a short dispatch there was as was supposed a plot laid for making away the Queene and Prince but Gods will was to frustrate it 56 The Queen on the other side fearing that the Spensers gold had laid traines to blow her whole proceedings vp in France kept herselfe out of the way till with the Prince the Lord Roger Mortimer and other their adherents they were safely gotten into Henault There might bee some other reason also and necessary to moue Queene Isabel to depart out of France beside the doubt of that kind of corruption in the Peeres thereof as to turne off a warre from thence being her natiue Country which for her cause was afflicted in the Sea-strengthes therof for Sir Iohn Oturwin Sir Nicholas Kiried and Sir Iohn de Felton with the Nauie of the Ports and of other places had by commission from the King so scowred the narrow Scas that they within a short time brought into England as lawfull prize an hundreth and twenty Norman shippes or vessels Moreouer whereas those two Bishoppes which the Pope had sent were returned sorrowfull out of England not onely without doing any good on her behalfe but also without hope of doing any shee might easily be perswaded that the sword must doe it or nothing 57 But in Henault shee found most honourable and louing welcome of the Earle where therefore without the consent or aduise of the Peeres of England shee ensured saith our Author that delight and terrour of the whole world her sonne being then about foureteene yeeres old to Philippa the said Earles daughter and with the money of her portion waged souldiers out of Henault and Germany to transport into England There her friends expected her arriuall dayly of which the Bishoppes of Hereford and Lincolne were not meanest Her men and Nauie being now readie shee with her sonne the Prince the Lord Edmund Earle of Kent his vncle Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembroke the Lord Iohn of Henault the Earle of Henaults brother a valiant Gentleman the Lord Roger Mortimer and many other English-men of name and note with aboue two thousand and seuen hundred Henowayes and Germans vnder the leading of the said Lord Iohn arriued at Orwell in Suffolke vpon the Friday before Saint Michaels day 58 Her arriuall being reported to the King who was poore Prince not onely destitute of friends and meanes but as it seemes of courage and counsell also it did not at first seeme credible The truth appearing he demaunded assistance of the City of London whose answere was That they would honour with all dutie the King the Queene and Prince but would shut their gates against forreiners and traitors to the Realme and with all their powers withstand them In this answere the King and his few friends reposing no assurance he committed an errour worse then that former of sending his sonne out of England by retiring himselfe into the West with his inseparable fauourites the Spensers Baldocke and others there to raise a force against the Queene but before hee went hee left his other sonne the Lord Iohn called of Eltham in the Tower of London with the Coūtesse of Glocester the Kings Neece wife to the yonger Spenser Earle of Glocester committing the Tower it selfe to Sir Iohn de Weston who was well prouided of men and victuals Hee commanded all men also to destroy and kill the Queenes partakers none excepted but her selfe her sonne and Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings brother by the Father and that none vpon paine of death and losse of all that they might leese should aid or assist them and that hee should haue a thousand pound who did bring the Lord Mortimers head Thus tooke hee his last leaue of London and in a maner also of his Rule or Domination 59 On the contrary part there repaired to the Queene the Earle Marshall and Henry Earle of Leicester the Bishops of Lincolne Hereford Ely and of Barons Knights and armed Souldiers no small multitude whom aswell to retain as to draw more letters and rumors flew about declaring though falsly that the King of France had in the aide of his sister sent so many Dukes Earles and others that England could scarse suffice to feed them This for such whom the opinion of warlike strength would winne but those whom shew of Religion might moue it was as cunningly and as falsly spread that the Pope had excommunicated all such as did take armes against the Queene and the more to countenance the fiction that two Cardinals imployed about the Premisses were seen in the Queens Campe. Then was it proclaimed that the causes of her comming were to deliuer the Realme from the misleaders of the King which were named to be the Spensers Roger Baldock Bishoppe of Norwich Lord Chancellor and their Fautors all others to be safe and that nothing should bee taken from any other subiect without true payment but finally that he who broght the yonger Spensers head should haue two thousand pounds These things
Musters taken throughout the Kingdom Armourers and trades of warre to be cherished euen in the securest peace were full of employment and the desire of battell waxt feruent euery where Meane while to hold the world in suspense of the successe God distributed the fortune of attempts diuersly Burdeaux the capitall City of Aquitaine and then English gaue an excellent testimony of her loyalty nor lesse of martiall witte and valour For the French Armie comming before her she to abuse their hope set open her gates and displayed vpon her Towers the golden Lillies as if shee were theirs but the French which securely entred found little good hospitality Sir Oliuer de Ingham was Captain and Lord Warden there for King Edward who with his Garrison-Souldiers and aide of the inhabitants slew of them great multitudes and preserued Burdeaux But in the opposite parts William Montacute Earle of Salisbury and Robert Vfford Earle of Suffolke after many honourable deedes performed for aduancement of King Edwards affaire were by the French taken Prisoners while presuming too much vpon their courages and fortune they * ran too far into their danger at the Towne of Lile in Flanders 56 But King Edward being ready now to repasse the Seas had certaine intelligence that the French lay in wait about Sluice in Flanders to intercept him with a mighty Nauie of 400. shippes who therefore prepared accordingly intending to open his way by force He set saile from Harwich vpon Saint Iohn Baptists Eue toward the Coast where his enemies attended strengthning himselfe with the Northerne Nauie of England which the I. Robert Morley brought vnto him so as hee had in all about two or three hundreth saile His battels hauing the aduantages of windes and sunne hee set on the French with incredible furie and force in the very mouth of the Hauen of Sluice vpon Midsommer day where beganne a most bloudy and terrible fight the end whereof set the Garland vpon King Edwards head Himselfe was wounded in that fight and lost foure valiant Knights Monthermer Latimer Boteler Poynings with sundrie other of his English slaine therein But the slaughters of the French party were lamentable for thirty thousand are confessed to haue perished not halfe of their shippes escaped vntaken or vnsuncke A greater glory then this the English are scarse found to haue atchieued at any battell at sea 57 The Crowne of France seemed already to bee placed vpon King Edwards Temples so much was attributed to this great victory but such a Conquest was not the worke of one day Which King Edward well vnderstanding refreshed his victorious Armie and augmenting it with his Confederates forces which repaired to him on all sides marched forth hauing one of the most puissant hosts that euer any King of England led as wherein were neere an hundreth thousand Souldiers English and Dutch Hee had also in his Company the Dukes of Brabant and Gelder and many other potent members of the Empire and as some write the imperiall Eagles displayed in the head of his Armie as hee that was Vicegerent of the sacred Roman Empire In this wise hee approached the Northerlie parts of France where exposing all to spoile fire he sate downe with his whole Forces about Turney meaning to take in the same aswell to bee a seate of Warre as place of sure retreat and refuge 58 Philip though iustly grieued with his wofull losse sustained at Sea yet to encounter and crush so great an euill in the first approaches therof had prouided such an Armie as beseemed the Maiestie and greatnesse of that renowned Kingdom Writers speake of an hundreth thousand fighting men assembled vnder his command and that besides Princes Dukes Earles and other illustrious Persons there was the valiant old King of Bohemia and Lewis king of Nauarre K. Edward hearing the same drew forth his people into the open field with purpose to giue battell 59 It may seeme a thing greatly tending to King Edwards glory to remember the offer which hee sent to King Philip before hee laid his siege to Turney In which without saluting him by any other title then of Philip of Valors hee challengeth him for auoiding the effusion of Christian bloud to fight with him hand to hand in single battell or if that misliked then each to bring an hundreth to the field and trie the euent with so small an hazard or otherwise within ten dayes to ioyne full battell with all their forces neere to Turney Whereunto Philip made no direct answere neither with his honour could alledging that the letters were not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip of Valois Neuerthelesse hee gaue him to vnderstand that his meaning was to beat him out of France hauing hope in Christ from whom hee deriued his power so to doe 60 The honour of the warre in those ages cannot bee enough commended in which the noble old formes of hostility were put in practise by defiances Heraldes and publike assignations of day and place of fight and not by skulking surprises and vnder-hand stealthes more neerely resembling high-way robberies then lawfull battell 61 These two huge hoasts which had they beene vnited for the good of Christendome might haue worthily made the Turke looke pale being now in sight and the cloud of warre ready in a manner to dissolue it selfe into showers of bloud doe neuerthelesse without one stroke fall off and returne to their seuerall Countries not without the wonder and reioicement of peaceable men but not of the English and German Souldiers who propounded to themselues death with glory or riches by Conquest and victory who now had scarse their wages 62 It is not meet that the name of that person who did performe so blessed an office should bee concealed It was a woman of honour but at that time a professed Nunne in the Abbey of Fontenels the Lady Iane of Valoys sister to this Philip widdow of William late Earle of Henault and mother to King Edwards wife her charitable endeauors were strongly holpen by two Cardinals who sollicited peace together with her Great interest of mediation she had in either respect here a brother there a sonne in law and shee failed not to plie them both The Truce was concluded the rather for that King Philip was aduised from all parts not to set his whole fortunes vpon the Die and chance of a Battell And Edward on the other side meaning nothing lesse then not to haue prosecuted the war vpon the encouragement of his late Sea-victorie was so destitute of money through the fault of his Officers in England as hee was the sooner drawne if not enforced to embrace so honest a colour of returning from the siege of Turney which neuerthelesse did but deferre the miseries of France not determine them whereas that glory which the vpper hand in this iourney would haue brought could not haue beene pure and meere vnto him because
owners of such bodies as were beaten to the Earth vpon the first day these are worthily reckoned chiefe The King of Bohemia the King of Maiorca Charles Earle of Alanson brother-German to King Philip the Duke of Loraine the Duke of Burbon the Earle of Flanders the Earle of Sauoy both great Princes the Dolphin of Vi◅nois sonne to Himbert the Earle of S◅erre and Hareconrt whose brother Godfrey in pitty of his house his two Nephewes being slaine with their father forsooke the King of England after this battell and returned into Grace with the French the Earles of Aumarl Neuers c. sixe Earles of Almaine beside others of great account of all sorts Vpon the second day the Grand Prior of France who with his Archbishoppe of Roan had on the behalfe of their Prince and Country put on Arms. Of the Commons in both of these blacke dayes there fell about thirty thousand and some say foure times more in this last then in the other 101 We finde not one man of honour or note slaine vpon the English side so that this victorie may safely bee accounted among the wonderfull The spoiles of the Enemies bodies and carriages King Edward gaue wholy to his well deseruing souldiers The rule of their safety they being in a most populous enemy Countrie would not permit them to vse much curtesie to others as that which might haue proued cruelty to themselues but vpon the second day they tooke many prisoners though none of great name for they were spent in the day before It pleased the conquerour to proclaime a truce now for three dayes in the Country about that the people might come in to burie their dead but the bodies of the most noble hee himselfe caused to be conueied to Monstreal and there in his March towards Calais enterred 102 Thus by Gods fauour and the vnresistable force of the English Archers who in a manner did onely fight was King Edward put into a full and peaceable possession of a perfect victory which after hee had one night onely enioyed in the Forrest of Crescie hee dislodged with his conquering hoast marched straight toward Calais which hee presently inuested hauing decreed neuer to rise with his Armie from before it till without assault hee had carried the same For which cause he entrenched and fortified his Camp on all sides built vp Sheds couered with Reed and broome and other places and offices as to dwell in and stopping all reliefe by Sea whereof hee was Master with his Nauie There commanded in Calais for the French Sir Iohn de Vienne Marshall of France and the Lord Dandreghan with a very strong Garrison who concluded like good men of war to trie all extremities rather then to surrender the Piece which was so strong that to assault the same otherwise then with famine had beene friuolous These great Captaines seeing King Edwards resolution thrust forth of the Towne for sparing of food their poorer people aboue fifteene hundreth whom hee like a true Christian Prince turned not backe vpon the Towne but releeued for Gods cause with fresh victuals and two pence sterling each permitting them freely and securely to passe through his Camp to his great glory and vndoubtedly profite also hauing their hearty prayers for his happy successe and God for pay-master and rewarder of such his Beneficence 103 Many wayes were thought vpon by king Philip to raise this obstinate siege two principall an Army of French to fight with King Edward and a diuersion by inuasion wherein the Scots their perpetuall allies were forward Both in their seuerall times were put into execution That of the Scotish inuasion was first but with such successe as well declared it was Gods will all people hauing their encreasings zeniths and declinations that the English name should now be brought to the verticall point thereof without any thing being able to resist it 104 For Dauid the second King of Scots to grasand old Crownes The Pope sending a Messenger from Auignion with an ouerture to intercede for a peace had answere that the message must bee sent to the King his father for he co◅ not meddle without commandement from him Mean while hee disposed of things without impeachment and returnes laden with honor and spoiles to Burdeaux where the winter being spent he sets forth to new aduentures Hee had in his Armie about eight thousand braue expert and well disciplined Souldiers and with them aduanceth through Perigort Limosin into the bosome of France vp to the verie gates of Burgesse in Berie the terror of his name flying before to his great aduantage Thus satisfied for the present hee wheeles about with purpose to returne by Remorantine in Blasois which hee tooke and so through the Country of Iurain Poictou and Saintoin to his chiefe City Burdeaux But Iohn King of France hasting to goe beyond his father in misfortune hauing assembled a compleat hoast followed about the City of Poictiers ouer-tooke the inuincible Prince 115 When the Armies with the ods of six to one against the English were embattelled two Cardinals sent from Pope Clement laboured as they had done before to take vp the quarrell without stroke whereunto the Prince was with reason yeelding enough but King Iohn fatally presuming on his aduantage propounded such conditions as if in a manner the Prince of Wales had already beene at his commaund which with iust indignation were reiected It came hereupon to a most bloudy triall where if euer the Prince and English gaue full experiment of their valour for after long conflict and absolute discomfiture of al the 3. French battels the least of which exceeded al the Princes nūbers the King himselfe valiantly fighting and Philip his yongest sonne who with such boldnesse and zeale defended his distressed father as it purchased vnto him the Honourable surname of Hardie were taken prisoners 116 The English whose valiancy was most conspicuous were the Earles of Warwicke Suffolke Salisburie Oxford and Stafford the Lords Cobham Spenser Audley Berkley Basset c. of Gascoigne subiects to the Crowne of England the Capitall de Beuf the Lord Pumier Chaumont with others of lower title but not of vnequall valour Iames Lord Audley wanne immortall renowne at this bloudy battell where hee receiued many wounds and shared the Princes gift of 500. Markes land in Fee simple to his foure Esquiers who had continued with him in all the brunt and fury of danger It is the misfortune or glory of the French Nobles that in all great battels the losse fals heauily vpon them In this most disasterous ouerthrow there fell fifty and two Lords about seuenteene hundreth Knights Esquiers and Gentlemen bearing coates of Armes The chiefe Lords were Peter of Bourbon Duke of Athens high Constable of France Iohn Clermont Marshall George of Charney Lord great Chamberlaine c. and as many other
before his superiour Lord of whom they said he held by homage and fealtie This practise of the disloyall Lords for what could they bee else seeing King Edward and his heires were absolutely freede by vertue of the said Treatie from all manner of seruice for any of their Dominions in France King Charles did openly at last entertaine and vpon hope to recouer by surprise and plot what the English had won by dint of sword and perfect manhood proceeded to summon the Prince of VVales to Paris there to answere such accusations as his subiects made against him 137 To encrease the indignitie of these deuises you should hear the French kings Orators before the Pope and Emperour to whom king Edward had seuerally sent Ambassadors full of complaints against King Charles laying wholie vpon the French the blame of the new warre as vpon open breakers of faith and violaters of the league most confidently on the contrary part charge the English We had suffered the French hostages to visit their friendes at home vpon the French Kinges word that they should come backe by a day contrary to which word they nor any of them either were or are returned That not so much as the Law of Nations was kept with vs which ties Princes to demaund restitution by their Officers of Armes or vpon deniall to defie them but where say we are the Heralds which King Charles did send We say that without notice hee surpriseth by stealth the Earledome of Ponthieu King Edwards vnquestionable right and hath disseised vs in Aquitaine which doth no lesse belong vnto vs then Pontheiu That Margaret the Inheritrice of Flanders which had beene promised to the Lord Edmund one of our Kings sonnes was by their iniurious practise wonne away and bestowed in marriage vpon Philip Duke of Burgundie Finallie wee say that Lewis Duke of Aniou one of the pledges making an escape by that contrary to honour and the league was by them receiued and not returned which points being all of transcendent qualitie are say wee directly contrarie to the Treatie and sworne agreement at Bretigny The French hereunto answere and charge vpon vs to shew the fault of first breach not theirs but ours That we by vertue of the said Treaty were bound immediately to withdraw our Armie out of France which yet they said we did not during all the raign of Iohn their King That the peace was made thereby more noyous and hurtfull then the warre and that they were faine to purchase the departure of our Souldiers with a greater charge then would haue maintained a very gallant Armie That this breach was ours because the Souldiers were ours That King Edward was bound in an open assembly of the States of both Realmes to renounce his right in the Crowne of France when say they was this done Thus they and Serres ads that the Estates of those Countries which had beene assigned by the Treatie to the English asseuered that it was against the fundamentall laws of France to alien anie part that they neither could nor would cease to be members of that Crowne 138 So ye behold that the fortune of the great is neuer to want friends to speake for them nor occasions to slip out or in whensoeuer profit and aduantage doe inuite Memorable if true is that part of the Frenchmens defense in that polite and learned Italian P. Aemylius where it being obiected with what honour and clemencie King Iohn was vsed by vs they breake out and affirme that wee being their Beneficiaries or Free-holders for such Countries as wee held in France tooke more gold for the onely ransome of King Iohn then they paied to redeeme S. Lewis their king his brother the Peeres and whole French Army captiuated in the Christian warres by the barbarous Soldan But good Aemylius say that were so yet cannot you say that the summe wee tooke was worth the least Countrie in France and when all France was ours was it not great bountie to take so small a pittance If you replie that we had many Countries besides wee reioine and trulie say that wee quit more then we acquired But let vs proceed for now all claimes quarrels were as open as if no obstacle had euer beene interposed the ignominie of their late terrible foiles wounded all true French hearts and they desire king Edward growne aged not to seeme by sitting still vpon so many thornes of disgrace and losse to haue beene outwarred though ouer-warred and though in two or three battels inferior yet not to haue beene clearely debellated 139 What doth our King Edward now Hee cals a Parliament declares the breach praies aid obtaines it and claimes the crowne of France afresh Iohn Duke of Lancaster and Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford are sent ouer to Calais with a great force to inuade France No great matter as then ensued Thomas Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke comming ouer in hope to haue worke for his Curtelax for the French affronted our armie vnder the conduct of Duke Philip le Hardy though at this time scarce shewing himselfe worthy that surname but rose vpon the Earles arriuall and retired accused the Lords for sloath and sware he would abroad among them to find fighting while English bread was as yet vndigested in his souldiers stomacks Somewhat he did but death by a pestilentiall dart preuented the rest This Earle had with him a learned man as Scipio had Polybius to register the acts which hee saw done A worthy example ill followed by posterity The Duke of Lancaster peirced vp with his armie so farre as Roan The same Polydor wondering why they of Pontheiu hauing for an hundreth and twelue yeeres that is euer since King Edward the first had it giuen to him with his wife been ours should reuolt only daring the greatnesse of the English can find no other reason for their doings but this pleasant one that as dispersed cattell gather to their owne heard so Frenchmen flocke to the French and English follow English 140 Stirring Princes cannot containe themselues within their owne quietly possessed rights Otherwise who sees not how much better it is for the people that their Princes should manage well that which they haue rather then graspe at more For King Edward notwithstanding his continuall manifold victories comes back to the Subiect who yet had gained hugely by the warres and therefore might the better doe it for supportation and they yeeld it but his age was abused for the money was not expended as the pretences were made Priuate turnes were serued with publicke loanes Neuerthelesse after Midsomer day that renowned Captaine Sir Robert Knols whom martiall vertue had raised from the lowest rancke to the highest reputation though some also affirme him borne noble was sent by King Edward into France with an Armie where while obedience lasted to his direction all things prospered But by the instigation of one Sir
Iohn Mensterworth the yong Lords Grandsonne and Fitzwalter and other vainelie scorning to be vnder Knols for that they held themselues his betters and thereupon diuiding themselues after they had done sundry exploits marching vp euen to Paris were beaten and foild by the French vnder Glequins conduct but Knols wintred safe in Britaine Mensterworth comes into England and knowing accusers haue the vantage complaines to King Edward of Knols but not altogether beleeued he ads treason to vntruth and turning French becomes a wicked enemy to his King and Countrey promising the French to procure the Castilian Nauie to inuade England for which being in the last yeere of King Edwards raigne taken hee by due course was condemned and cut in pieces dying the death he had deserued He was laid hould vpon in the City of Pampeline in Nauarre and from thence conueighed to London vpon whose bridge his wicked head stood Sentinell 141 Pope Vrban the fifth comming from Rome to Auinion with purpose to vnite these two mighty Kings their wils and mights against the common enemy of Christendome put off mortality at Marsils and so that holy intention ceased for the present but the same being continued by his next successor Gregory 11. yet tooke no effect no more then that which the Emperour to like cause would haue vndergone which the French impute to King Edward who confident by reason of his former atchieuements would trie it out by the sword Wherein he seemed to forget the mutable condition of warre the searnesse of his bodie and the greennesse of his Grand-Child yong Richard who was to succeed if the Prince of Wales died as shortly after he did Neither did God seeme to approue his opinion herein for that crosses came fast vpon him both at home and abroad There is no greater wisdome nor happinesse then to know when we are well and then to preserue without hazard or empairment that honour wealth or quiet which we already haue 142 Among the States and Townes assigned to the English by vertue of the treatie at Bretigny which had reuolted to the French was the Citie of Limoges in Limosin whither the Prince marcheth sits down with his armie before it Thither came vnto him out of England his brethren the D. of Lancaster the Earle of Cambridge with a fresh supplie of valiant Chiefs and Souldiers The City stood it out to the vttermost and was forceably entred where mercy had nothing to saue nor spare the sword and fire for terror to other killing and defacing in a manner all Hee who writes that the Prince flew vp neere to Paris and scarsely by reason of Glequins valour got backe to Burdeaux seemes to haue mistaken therein as in many other things concerning vs of great importance After this seruice the Prince health failing him more more leaues his Brethren in Aquitaine and sailes into England 143 The French in the meane time wonne towns and places in Aquitaine gathering new hopes after so long and perpetuall infelicities The losse of that expert Captaine Sir Iohn Chandoys vnfortunately slaine was a great aduantage to their desires whose whole care for warre rested vpon Glequin not long before aduanced for his military vertue from low estate to so great eminencie as to bee Constable of France the chiefest officer for warre which that Kingdome hath and he a man of much proofe in good and euill fortune so tempered his courage with discretion that he onely first bad his Country rise againe and endeauor in despite of euill fortune to reflourish 144 The Prince of Wales wanting health vpon comming to his fathers sight rendred vp the Dutchie of Aquitaine to bee disposed of as to his roiall pleasure seemed good While King Edward was at Clarendon there repaired to him the factious king of Nauarre whose errand was to make an ouerture of association against the French but as his offers were acceptable so his cautions not seeming sufficient hee returned after great entertainement without concluding 145 Iohn Duke of Lancaster and his brother the Earle of Cambridge doe now returne out of Aquitaine with the Ladies Constance and Isabel daughters of Don Pedro late King of Spaine whom they married The Duke thereupon instiling himselfe King and his wife Queene of Castile and Leon. Nor was the English name onely encreased in titularie honors for about this time the Flemings who had prouoked vs were vanquisht by the Earle of Hereford at sea in a sharpe fight about twentie and fiue of their shippes being taken and all the men slain The sweete of this victory was sowred not long after with a grieuous losse for the French hauing besieged the strong Citie of Rochel in Santoin with the aide by sea of Henry King of Castile to relieue the English Iohn Earle of Pembroke was sent with about forty shippes men victuals munition and mony to the value of twenty thousand marks forthe vses of the warre but being sodainely assailed with the Spanish Armado which consisted of many great shippes vnder the command of Ambrose Buccanigra and others the English after a long and cruell conflict were vtterly distressed the Earle taken prisoner and almost all the rest either taken or put to the sword Rochel held out notwithstanding to whose reliefe while King Edward himselfe in person with an extraordinary force set saile the wind alwayes till that time fauourable to his voyages for France came Easterly and draue him backe into England with great griefe and the waste they write of nine hundred thousand pounds sterling Neither did hee so giue ouer the care of that strong Peece which the English most manfully made good against the enemie 146 Rochel thus persisting in loyall resolution Iohn Duke of Britaine who had married the Lady Marie daughter of King Edward a Gentleman of much gratitude toward the English the authors of his fortunes resolues to aduenture his state in their quarrell ships away for England hath aide ministred vnto him hee returnes and warres with various euent But Iohn Duke of Lancaster with a very great Armie comes to Callis and from thence marcheth ouer the whole face of France and though with losse of many thousand horse in the desert countries of Aâ—…ergn throgh famin came safe but with an almost-hunger-starued Army to Burdeaux Not long after hee drew into the field and a day was appointed betweene him and the Duke of Anion the French Kings brother to haue tried the quarrell of their Nations by set battell before the City of Tholouz in Languedoc but by an vntimely a pernitious short truce to which K. Edward yeelded because his son the Prince lay dangerously sick the hoped victory not onlie slipt out of the English mens hands but almost all aduantage also of doing any thing else seasonably The French boasted themselues as of a Conquest who notwithstanding did helpe out their valiancy with policie
August His fame grew principally by martiall deedes in the great warres of France vnder Edward the third but spred and setled it selfe by good workes among which the goodly stone-bridge at Rochester in Kent was one 46 In the meane space the wars of Wales were managed by Prince Henry who tooke the Castle of Aberistwith but Owen Glendowr soone after got it againe by faire fraud and thrust into it a Garrison of his owne Thus Owen prospered for a time but the Earle of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf forsaking Wales and seeking to raise a force in the North were encountred by the Sherife of Yorkeshire who after a sharpe conflict slew the Earle in the field and so wounded the Lord Bardolf that hee died thereof The Earles head was cut off which being first ignominiously carryed through London was fixed vpon the Bridge The King hauing thus vanquished his chiefe enemies went to Yorke where inquiries were made for the Earles adherents of which he condemned ransomed and emprisoned many The Abbot of Hales because hee was taken fighting on the Earles behalfe had sentence to die which was executed vpon him by hanging In fortaine and transmarine parts the Kings affaires had mixt successe for Edmund Earle of Kent at the siege of Briant in Britaine was strucken with a quarrell into the head whereof hee died but yet after he had first taken the said Castell and leueld it with the earth 47 The peace of Christendome hauing beene long tempestuously troubled by a Schisme raised by ambition of opposite Popes wherof the one was chosen at Rome the other at Auinion by contrarie factions of the Cardinals A generall Councel was summoned to bee held at Pisa in Italie whither the King of England sent his Ambassadors and the Clergy elected Robert Alum Chancellour of Oxford Bishoppe of Sarum to signifie that vnlesse both the Popes would giue ouer their Papacie neither of them should thenceforward be acknowledged for Pope The King in his letter then sent to Pope Gregory chargeth him as Platina likewise doth with Pertury and that this Papall emulation had beene the cause of the murther of more then two hundreth and thirty thousand Christians slaine in warres There assembled a great number of Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and mitred Prelates who elected a new Pope Alexander 5. a man trained vp at Oxford where hee tooke degree in Theologie reiecting the two others who long and bitterly had contended for the place The King also cals his Parliament to find out meanes for more money to the custody and charge whereof hee ordained Sir Henry Scrope creating him Treasurer as Thomas Beaufourt the Kings halfe brother Lord Chancellour In which Parliament was reuiued the sacrilegious Petition of spoiling the Church of England of her goodly patrimonies which the pietie and wisdome of so many former ages had congested But the King who was bound by oath and reason to preserue the flourishing estate of the Church detested their wicked proposition and for that cause denied all other their requests The Duke of Burgundies prouisions which he had made to reduce Caleys to the French dominions stored at Saint Omars were consumed with casuall fire to ashes 48 About these times the great and bloudy factions betweene the Dukes of Burgundy and Orleance brake forth The cause was for a murther committed vpon Lewis brother to the French king and father of the said Duke of Orleance as he came late one night from the Queenes lodging who at that time lay in of a child The murtherers to preuent pursuit strewed galthrops behind them The Duke of Burgundie iustified the fact for that Lewis had as hee said laboured with the Pope to put the King from his seat vpon pretence that hee was as vnfit to gouerne as euer Childericke was whom Pope Zacharie pronounced against This prepared the way for that scourge wherwith God meant to chastice the pride and sinnes of France Each partie sought to fortifie it selfe with friends aswel at home as abroad The Duke of Burgundie had the King and the Dolphin on his side the other had the Kings of Nauar and Arragon the Dukes of Berrie and Britaine with many of the mightiest Earles and Lords The Duke of Burgundie who together with the King and the face of gouernment kept in Paris perceiuing his aduersaries strengthes to bee more then his owne offers to the King of England a daughter of France in marriage with the Prince and many great promises so as hee would ioyne in defence of the King send ouer competent forces whereunto hee is said to haue answered Our aduise is that you should not in this case aduenture battell with your enemie who seems to prosecute a tust reuenge for the death of his Father but labour to asswage the displeasure and anger of the exasperated yong man by all the good meanes which are possible If that cannot bee then stand vpon your guard and draw into place of most safety with such force of men as may best serue for your defence After all this if hee will not bee appeased you may with the better conscience encounter him and in such case wee will not faile more fully to assist according as you request For the present he sent ouer the Earls of Arundel and Kyme and many men of Armes with plenty of English Bow-men who came safe to Paris where they in nothing diminished the ancient glory of their nation but behaued themselues valiantly 49 The Duke of Orleance and the Peeres of his faction seeing their successe consult how to draw the King of England from their enemie and thereupon send ouer one Falconet and others with solemne letters of credence whom they made their irreuocable Procurators to entreat agree and conclude on their behalfes with the most excellent Prince Henry by the grace of God King of England and his most noble sonnes c. for the restitution and reall redeliuerie of the Dutchie of Aquitain with all the rights and appurtenances which as is affirmed are the inheritance of the said most excellent Lord the King of England by them to bee made and done c. The Ambassadors hauing shewed forth this Proxie exhibited the points of their negotiation in these Articles by which wee may see how farre the desire of reuenge will transport great minds 1 They offer their bodies to be imployed against all men for the seruice of the King of England sauing their faith to their owne Soueraigne as knowing the King of England would not otherwise desire them 2 Their sonnes daughters nephewes Neeces and all their Cosens to bestow in marriage at the King of Englands pleasure 3. Their Castles Townes treasure and all their goods to be at the seruice of the sayd King 4. Their friends the Gentlemen of France the Clergy and wealthy Burgers who are all of their side as by proofe they said shall well appeare 5. They finally
said he hath made it meere wrong which with better regard of the Sex alloweth the woman to inherite her fathers possession as we see in the practise of that state whereof Christ himselfe is called king where the fiue daughters of Zelophehad for want of heires males were admitted to succeed in their fathers inheritance allotted them in the Tribe of Manasses and a law made by the Lord himselfe that if a man died and had no sonnes then his inheritance should be transferred vpon his daughters Neither is it to be doubted but that the daughter of Shesham was the sole heire vnto her fathers patrimony he dying without issue male though shee married an Egyptian whose posterity had their possessions among the Tribe of Iudah euen to the Captiuity of Babilon so that if such a law were as in truth there was no such better were the breach by the warrant of diuine direction then the continuance by colour of such prescription seeing God hath ordained aswell for the daughter as for the sonne 20 The Archbishops vnexpected but not vnpremeditated Oration thus ended so stirred the blood of the young Couragious King that his heart was all on a flame and so tickled the eares of his Auditory as they presently conceiued that France was their owne the Title whereof descending from Isabell the mother of the famous third Edward and shee the daughter and suruiuing heire vnto Philip the faire his right was lineally deriued thence as followeth first Philip by Ioane his first wife intituled Queene of Nauarre had three sonnes and one daughter namely Lewis Philip and Charles all three successiuely Kings and this Lady Isabell by whom the English claime his second wife was Constance the daughter of the King of Sicil who bare him a sonne after his owne decease which liued not many daies after his father Lewis his eldest sonne and tenth of that name succeeded Philip in the Kingdome of France and by Margaret his wife the daughter of Burgundy had his daughter Iane intituled Queene of Nauarre who made claime also vnto the French Crowne but neuer attained it so that her Title fell with her death Lewis by his second wife Clemence of Sicil had a sonne named Iohn borne vnto him but presently both father and sonne departing this life left the Scepter to his second brother who by the name of Philip the fift a while wore the Emperiall Crowne of France his wife was Iane the daughter of Burgoine who bare vnto him only foure daughters 21 Vnto King Philip succeeded his brother Charles the faire the fourth of that name whose first wife was Blanch detected of incontinency and brought him no fruite his second wife was Marie daughter to Henry Luxenbourg the Emperour who bare him a sonne that dyed soone after birth and the mother likewise shortly came to her graue Margaret the daughter to the Earle of Eureux was his third and last wife who at his death hee left with Child and thus the three sonnes of Philip were branched raigned and died whom Queene Isabell their sister suruiued and in that right her sonne King Edward the third by his royall consanguinity whilst the Crowne stood thus at suspence till a Prince should be borne claimed to be Regent in the Interregnum and in the nonage of the looked for issue against which Philip de Valois sonne of Charles the hardy who was brother to Philip the faire being a second branch from Hugh Capet and first Prince of the blood of France maintained that the Regency of the male if so he were borne as also of the Realme if a daughter or the sonne dyed belonged onely vnto him as the next in blood The state thus standing and a daughter borne Philip was saluted and proclaimed King no other right alleaged then this foisted and falsely termed fundamentall law Salique for no otherwise doth Ottoman the French famous Lawyer esteeme of that vngodly and vniust Ordinance if any such had beene ordained 22 The Kings right thus apparant and sufficient possessions to be had in France the Bill of complaint against the Clergies excesse was quite dasht and all mindes addicted for the affaires that way thinking it vnreasonable to pull the Prouisions from their natiues and brethren when as the Circuit of their inheritanee extended more large in compasse and therefore with the Danites they determined no longer to sit so pent with increase seeing God had giuen them another Kingdome but would free their own straitnesse by dint of sword and spread their Tents wider in the Continent of France Neither was there any motiue more forceable in conference then was the successe of those intruding Princes who assaied the Crowne by that vniust claime of law Salique 23 For did not the sword of God rather then man in the hand of King Edward the claimer cut downe the flower of France in the Battell of Crecie with the slaughter of Lewis King of Bohemia of Charles the French Kings brother of Iames Dolphin of Viennois the Dukes of Lorrayne and Burbon the Earles of Aumarle Sauoy Montbilliard Flanders Niuers and Harecourt the Grand Priour of France the Archbishop and Zanxinus and Noyone of Lords Barons and Gentlemen to the number of 1500 with 30. thousand of the French Souldiers and Philip not able of himselfe to defend himselfe inciting Dauid of Scotland to inuade and weaken England therein did but only vexe his owne spirit for in that attempt the Scottish King was taken prisoner and brought so to London leauing Philip to struggle with his hard fortunes in France which with bad successe hee did to the day of his death 24 Iohn his sonne by the same title and claime felt the same stroake of iustice from the hand of that thunderbolt in warre Edward surnamed the blacke Prince the sonne of Englands Mars who farre inferiour to the French in number farre exceeded them in marshall power when at the battell of Poitiers the French royall Standard was stroke downe an hundred Ensignes wonne by the English the Constable Marshall and great Chamberlaine of France with fifty two Lords and seuenteen hundred Gentlemen slaine in the field King Iohn himselfe his sonne Philip two Bishops thirteene Earles and one and thirty Lords taken prisoners by the Prince to his great praise and confirmation of his iust cause 25 Nor was the punishment of the father any whit lessened in King Charles the sonne then raigning who besides the intestine warres in his own dominions was by Gods iust iudgement strucke into a Lunacy being vnable to gouerne himselfe much lesse his Kingdome vpon which aduantage as the French would haue it King Henry now plaied though it be most certaine he sought his right farre otherwise for so it standeth vpon record dated the ninth of February and first of Henry the fift his raigne that he sent his Ambassadors vnto the French King who could not bee admitted to his presence and him whom they imployed to procure
is the greatest it may be also the happiest Monarchie of Europe For the cleere accomplishment of which worke there rests now nothing but the depressing of the Daulphin who is by your doome already not only depriued of that dignity but of succession to the Crowne and prosecuted as a Traitor to the State and of whom this we must be assured that while he liues France cannot but be in a perpetuall combustion For preuenting whereof I both need and intreate both your Counsels and aide nothing doubting of your readines in either for how can we expect any safety or you any goodnes at his hand who in his young yeeres did so perfidiously murder the Duke of Burgundy his vncle I am now you see your Regent in present and Successour to the Crowne in hope Let it not therefore sticke in your hearts that I am an Englishman borne for you know I haue much French blood in my veines which warmes my affections as well to French as English but looke on me as the lawfull heire to the Diademe both by iust Title and your owne consents who therefore am and ought to be wholly yours and your kindnes and iust dealing bind me so to be Yours also am I now by fresh alliance as sonne in Law to your King vnto whom I will performe all offices of loue and honor as to mine owne father and you his subiects shall I loue and cherish as mine owne children and will defend France and the French so long as you defend my right with your louing aide and will deserue my loue with your loiall affection 55 These affaires thus accomplished at Troyes the Kings the Queenes and the rest of the Peeres in great estate rode vnto Paris where all faire countenances were shewed and great entertainement giuen to the English But the Daulphin and his followers neither feared nor fainted though the present courses pleased not their palat Their first Counsell therefore was how to preserue themselues in so eminent danger to sit still and doe nothing they knew it was but to increase and aduance the successes of the English and to rise without strength was to fall into further misfortunes hauing no meanes to hold warre with so potent an Enemy In this distraction their voice was best heard that spake most for the safety of the Daulphin whose only life gaue breath vnto the after-hopes of France and for the strengthening of those places which might be of most aduantage to themselues and offence to the Enemie This then past by decree in that Counsell of warre that the Daulphin should at no time hazard his person in field and that a leuy of Souldiers should be had to lie in Garrison in places conuenient for Time which neuer stands still they well hoped might yet turne the rice for them fortune being said they as subiect to fawne as to frowne in which resolution each man tooke to his charge and all to withstand the doings of Henry 56 As these consulted for the state of the French so in Paris a Parliament of the three estates was assembled wherein such as were guilty of the death of Burgundy were iusticed the disherizing of the Daulphin confirmed and warres prepared against these Townes which held for him Against Sens the two Kings with their Queens Clarence and Burgundy marched which after 12. daies was rendered vpon composition of life those excepted as were guilty of the Duke of Burgundies death Monstreau was the next which by force was entred where the body of the Duke of Burgundy vndecently buried by the Daulphinois was taken vp and by his sonne Philip sent in great pompe to Diion in his Dutchy and there honorably interred The Towne being taken the Castle held out vnto whose Captaine twenty Captiue Gentlemen were sent whose liues from King Henries mouth say the French were sentenced to death vnlesse they could perswade the Castellan to surrender but those men say our English to mollifie that seuere doome were all especiall friends of that Captaine and such as had giuen opprobrious words to the Kings Herauld being sent vnto them in the siege of Monstreau Howsoeuer in this extremity they sollicited Guiluy vpon their knees vrging their owne deaths and his great danger if he held out but Guiluy a true Frenchman and friend to the Daulphin withstood the assault and thereupon these Gentlemen Petitioners were presently hanged in the sight of the defendants so bloody is Mars to maintaine his owne Lawes and so eager was Henry of his full Conquest of France whose thirsting sword had hereto fore beene some what ouerlauish in blood but neuer more perhaps then in this bloody act which I wish might be obliterated from the number of his other glorious actions Yet at length was that Castle enforced to surrender vpon composition of life excepting the guilties of Burgundies death 57 Then was the siege remoued to Melun a Towne of great strength and made more strong by the valours of her commanders who were Seigneur Barbafon an absolute souldier Pierre de Bourbon a Prince of the blood Preaux and Bourgeois whose Garrison was seuen hundred Daulphinois and indeed no default in defence could anie wise be imputed but the Canon opening a breach the English and Burgundians made an entry into the Bulwarke and ouer the Riuer Seine built a bridge with Boates so that from either quarter they had passage one to the other without impediments and encamped themselues for their best aduantage vpon whom the enemie neuerthelesse made diuers sallies with the losse of either parties King Henry inforced his siege to the vtmost and made a myne vnderneath the wals which being perceiued the defendants countermined against him where the King too forward as the very first man entring his myne and Barbason likewise his within the Towne met each other at point of sword where they performed nobly the parts of priuate souldiers nobly indeed if priuate souldiers they had been but Princes should remember they are not such till lastly they agreed to discouer themselues and first Barbason made known his name then King Henry did his whereupon the French Lord suddainely getting backe caused the Barriers to be closed and Henry returned to his Campe. 58 This enterprize failing King Charles himselfe came into the Campe to induce the defendants to render at the presence of their naturall Lord which neuerthelesse was little respected for answere was made that if their King were at liberty and free from King Henries power they would doe him the duty of naturall subiects and yeeld him their charge as their Liege Lord but being as he was they desired to be excused for to the mortall enemy of France they would not yeeld 59 Whilest King Henry lay at the siege of Melun the Duke of Bauier who was Palsegraue of Rhyne Elector came to King Henry hauing married his sister and thence sent a defiance vnto the Daulphin his kinseman by Queene
bee guilty of the crime although he confessed to be a true seruant to the Daulphin Notwithstanding had he not appealed to the Officers of Armes King Henries iudgement of death had gone against him for the Law Military as he there alleaged forbiddeth that any man hauing his brother in Armes within his danger should afterwards put him to death for any cause or quarrell and proued himselfe to be the Kings brother in Armes for that he had in the Countermine coaped in combat with the King Thus by a quirke of Heraldry acquitted from death he was neuerthelesse retained in prison the space of nine yeeres and lastly at the winning of Castle Galliard from the English was deliuered out of most strait imprisonment to the great ioy of the French 63 This execution of Iustice on those Murtherers was a great but not the only act of K. Henry at this great Parliament of three Estates of France in Paris For therein also was the finall accord betwixt the two Kings openly acknowledged by the French King as made by his free assent and with aduise of all the Councell of France whereupon it was there also ratified by the generall states of France and sworne vnto particularly vpon the holy Euangelists by all their Nobles and Magistrates spirituall and secular who also set their seales to the Instruments thereof which were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchecquer at Westminster King Henries glory thus ascended to the highest verticall in France his Court was not only honoured daily both with Courtly and military shewes and pastimes but also was still frequented both with forraine Ambassadors and domesticke Commissioners whose directions depended only vpon his voluntary assigne himselfe redressing all things at his pleasure placing and displacing Officers and Gouernors causing also a new Coyne to be made called a Salute wherein were the Armes of France and the Armes of England and France quarterly stamped King Charles the while in his Palace was but for fashions sake visited and but by some of his olde seruants his Sunne was drawne so neere vnto the setting The great affaires of France thus setled as well as that vnsetled time would permit King Henry minding to Crowne his Queene in England ordained his brother of Clarence a wise valiant and a great Captaine his Lieutenant generall of France leauing also the Duke of Exeter with 500. men of warres to keep Paris and so attended with great state he came to Amiens and Callais where taking to Sea he arriued at Douer vpon the third of February and was receiued of his Subiects as an Angell from heauen or another victorious Caesar on Earth 64 All things in a readines for his faire Queens Coronation vpon the foure and twentith of the same month with all roialty the same was solemnized at Westminster and the English rich diadme set on her head The feast was great with all Princely seruices and the state such as deserueth the report for the Queene sitting at Table at the right side of her Chaire kneeled the Earle of March holding a Scepter in his hand the Earle Marshall kneeling on the left side held another and the Countesse of Kent sate vnder the Table at her right foote vpon her right hand at Table sate the Bishops of Canterbury and Winchester and vpon the left the King of Scots the Dutchesse of Yorke and the Countesse of Huntington the Nobles giuing their attendance each man according to his office and place 65 Presently after Easter in the month of May a Parliament was held at Westminster whose chiefest intent was to haue meanes to continue the Kings Conquest in France but such was the state of those lauish times that to stop the current of this melting mint some minding more the heapes of their money then the spreading abroad of Englands faire Monarchy exhibited their Bils vnto the three estates in Parliament and petitioned vnto the King to commiserate the pouerty of the commons which as they said were beggered by these warres For which cause as it seemeth no subsidy or ayde was demanded but the King againe pawning his Crowne to his vncle Beaufort the rich Cardinall for twenty thousand pound before the said month was expired with foure thousand horse and foure and twenty thousand foote returned into France to follow those warres 66 Neither was his hast more then needed for Iohn Earle of Bucquhanan and Archbald Dowglas two valiant leaders of seuen hundred resolute Scots repaired into France to ayde the Daulphin and ioining with the French in Aniou meant to haue surprized the Duke of Clarence before he had beene aware in which enterprize foure stragling Scots taken and brought to his presence as he sate at dinner reuealed the intent and strength of the Enemy whose approach was verie neere at hand This newes no soo nesty and mercy which shall crowne my memory with glory and free mee from blame and slander which in long raignes can hardly be auoided but you haue iust cause to mourne at my vntimely death and it cannot bee but a generall griefe to my people that in such an Ocean of businesse yet depending I shall leaue you and them destitute of a Prince able to gouern but your sorrow ought to be so much the lesse when you call to mind the frailty of worldly thinges and that euermore there will bee somewhat wanting which wee desire My first request vnto you shall bee this that with an vnanimous affection to aduise foresee and prouide that the counsel which I name may be followed I further ernestly entreat you to loue my Infant Henry to instruct him with your wisdomes that by your counsell care and loue hee may be made able worthy to weild so great an Empire Comfort my deare wife the most afflicted Creature liuing extend your loues vnto her in the same proportion as I haue euer loued you Touching the publike I admonish and exhort you to brotherlie concord and neuer to breake league with Philip Duke of Burgundie and if you shall thinke it good let my brother Humfrey Duke of Glocester gouerne England and not depart vpon any occasion whatsoeuer vntill my sonne Henry be of yeeres to sway the estate and my brother Iohn Duke of Bedford with the assistance of Philip Duke of Burgundy to manage the Realme of France Concerning Charles commonly called the Daulphin either he must by your swords be made to submit himselfe or else you shall neuer be in quiet and it were as good to render him the possession of what you haue wherefore sleepe not and while you haue meanes and opportunity be industrious Lastly I beseech charge and command you howsoeuer time or occasion may perswade or inuite you to the contrary that Normandy receiued by my industry and your swordes being the ancient inheritance of the Crowne of England be not alienated for any cause whatsoeuer Among other things then enioined he willed that the
heire of Iohn Beaufort Duke of Sommerset was father by her vnto Henry the only heire of Lancaster afterwards King of England Iasper the second brother was created the same yeere Earle of Pembroke who required his brothers kindnes with continuall assistance against the house of 〈◊〉 and when that faction preuailed he was forced to flie into Flanders but it againe waning he was both restored and to his greater honour created Duke of Bedford dying without any issue legittimate This Queene either for deuotion or her owne safety tooke into the Monastery of Bermondsey in Southwarke where dying Ian. 2. A D. 1436. shee was buried in our Ladies Chappell within S. Peters Church at Westminster whose Corps taken vp in the raigne of King Henry the seuenth her Grand-child when he laid the foundation of that admirable structure and her Coffin placed by King Henry her husbands Tombe hath euer since so remained and neuer reburied where it standeth the Couer being loose to be seene and handled of any that will and that by her owne appointment saith Report which doth in this as in most things speake vntruth in regard of her disobedience to King Henry for being deliuered of her sonne at the place hee forbad His Sonne 87 Henry the only child of a roiall couple borne at Windsore and not nine months old at his fathers death succeeded in his dominions though not holding his Empire with the like glory Crowned he was with the Crownes of two Kingdomes but vnable by much to weild the scepter of one that of France was lost by the factions of his Nobles before it was well wonne and Englands Crowne twice pluckt from his head before his death Of whose aduentures and variable raigne the times when England lay goared in the blood of her ciuill warres we shall speake in the insuing relation of his innocent but vnfortunate life HENRIE THE SIXTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE LORD OF IRELAND THE THREE AND FIFTIETH MONARCH OF ENGLAND HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XVI HAd God almighty the giuer and transferrer of Kingdomes thought good that the English should haue setled in the Continent of Europe and not haue beene shutte vp within their Ilands hee would not so soone haue depriued them of their late incomparable Captaine and Soueraigne Henry the fifth But it seemes that God hauing humbled the French Nation vnder Henries victorious hand ment now again to restore them to his wonted fauor by taking away their terrour triumpher substituting his son an Infant in his place Henrie of that name the 6. born at Windsor who was crowned about the eight month of his age The prety hands which could not feed himselfe were yet made capable to weeld a scepter and hee that was beholding to nurses for milke did neuerthelesse distribute the sustenance of law and iustice to so great and warlike Nations Counsell supplies the defect of age At his fathers death hee had vncles men of approued valour and discretion to whom the principall care of all publike affaires by the fathers last prouisions was committed Humfrey Duke of Glocester the yonger brother of two had the gouernement of England entrusted to his fidelity the regency of France was assigned for Prouince to Iohn Duke of Bedford the eldest liuing vncle of the King as to a Prince of much magnanimity prowesse and felicitie in conduct with whom was ioyned Philip Duke of Burgundie The guard and custody of the royall Infant was assigned to Thomas Duke of Excester the nurture and education to his mother the Queene Dowager vpon the two vncles as betweene the two Poles of the English Empire the whole globe of gouernment moued whatsoeuer is done by the kingly power is said to be done by the King We shall behold notwithstanding in the tragicall glasse of this Henries raigne how farre the imbecillity of the kingly person may affect the body politicke with good or euill If histories were ordayned to stirre affections not to teach and instruct neuer any Princes raigne since the Conquest did better deserue to bee described with a tragical style and words of horror sorrow although the beginning like the faire morning of a most tempestuous day promised nothing morethen a continuance of passed felicities 2 For the State of the English affaires was great and flourishing England without tumult the naturall fierce humors of her people consuming or exercising themselues in France and France her selfe for the nobler parts together with the grand City of Paris head of that Monarchie was at their deuotion There wanted nothing which might aduance the worke begunne Most noble and expert Leaders as those which had bin fashioned in the schoole of warre vnder the best martiall master of that age the late Henry arms full of veterant souldiers most of which were of skill sufficient to be commanders themselues their friends firme no defect nor breach by which dissipation might enter to the ouerthrow of the English greatnesse as yet disclosing themselues Wisdome pietie riches forwardnesse at home courage and like forwardnesse abroad It is a fruitfull speculation to consider how God carrieth his part in the workes of men alwaies iustly sometimes terribly but neuer otherwise then to bring all worldly greatnesse and glory into due contempt and loathing that the soule may bee erected to her Creator and aspire to a Crown celestiall The first disaduantage which hapned to the English cause after the late Kings decease was the death of Charles the French King who suruiued the other but fiftie and three dayes This wee may worthily call the first as it was a great aswell as the first disaduantage for the imbecilities of that Prince were a strēgth to the English On the other side God obseruing a talio and parilitie the infancy of young Henry was an aduantage to Charles the Daulphin of France now by them of his faction called King of France as the English vsed in derision to enstyle him King of Berrie because little else was left vnto him 3 In England whose condition the order of narure wils vs first to describe because there was the seat of counsell by which all the actions of the generall state were directed a Parliament was assembled to establish the Crowne vpon the Infant and to prouide for the publike vses and necessities of State Money alwayes one of them was liberally granted It was a strange sight and the first time that euer it was seene in England which in the next yeere hapned an infant sitting in the mothers lap before it could tell what English meant to exercise the place of Soueraigne direction in open Parliament Yet so it was for the Queene to illumine that publike conuention of States with her Infants presence remoued from Windsor to London through which Citie her selfe roially seated with her young sonne vpon her lappe passed in maiesticke manner to Westminster and there tooke seate among all his Lords whom by the
ordinary mouth of that high Court hee saluted and spake to them at large concerning the premises where as hee vttered the mind of his place by anothers tongue so hee elsewhere prosecuted all affaires by other mens hands and Organs 4 The Duke of Bedford as the nature of his place exacted to settle and preserue the State of France for his young Nephew the King together with Philip Duke of Burgoigne who as yet continued a stedfast friend to the English Soueraignety knowing the Daulphin busie to recouer France strengthned the confines of their gouernment with Garrisons assembled their powers and laboured to retaine the hearts of their owne party The Duke of Bedford Regent of France had words to them to this effect in open assemble That they should not violate their plighted and sworne alleagiance neither by themselues endeauour nor endure that by others their Soueraigne Lord young Henry should be defrauded of his inheritance or that the hatreds and enmities which now beganne to die betweene the French and English names should through the practises of most faithlesse men be renued and reinflamed That they would remember how by Gods speciall fauour and goodnesse the two Kingdoms of France and England were vnited vnder one most faire and goodly Monarchie in an eternall league and lately so established that no humane force could râ—…st That albeit they had sustained dammage by the warre yet the same would bee recouered with aduantage if they honored loued and obeyed their lawfull Soueraigne Lord King Henry and prosecuted his enemies with extremity according to bounden duty This Oration found plausible admission in shew Henry is proclaimed King of England and of France and such chiefes as were present did their homages taking oath to be true The like Obligation and Sacrament of alleagiance was put vpon all the French through the English Dominions in France 5 Charles who as sonne and heire to the late King entitled himselfe King of France by the name of Charles the seuenth being then about the seauen and twentieth yeere of his age full of courage and new hopes gathered what force he could his chiefe Leuies were made in Daulphynois and Italy from whence for money he drew sundry troupes But the best sinews of his Army moued in certain thousands of the Scotish Nation which serued vnder him The first steppe which the Charolines or forces of Charles made into hostile action was vnfortunate for comming to raise the siege which the English held about Crepan they were put to flight with the losse of about two thousand of their numbers This was noble in Charles and his Charolines that their minds sunke not at the horrour of such an euill Omen It was saith Aemylius of them resolued to encounter aduerse fortune with encrease of courage The Regent on the other side was vigilant vpon all occasions the power of his Regency extended it selfe without contradiction through Vimew Pontieu and Picardie from Paris to Reines Chalons and Troyes vp to the water of Loyr and the Sea A goodly scope of territory and absolutely the best of France That late losse foile of the Charolines was repaired shortly after by an ouerthrow in skirmish which they gaue to the English party from whom with the slaughter of about fifteene hundreth they recouered a great booty specially of Cattel which the English had gotten in the Countries of Nugion and Main but thus intercepted vpon their return into Normandy Charles which Paul Aemylius omitteth doubteth that successe for Meulan vpon Sein is by him taken where all the English are put to the sword but the possession was short and the reuenge speedy Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury a man saith Polydor more like the old Romans then people of that age so great was his vertue and cheualrie hauing with him Iohn of Luxemburg Generall of the Burgundian horsemen recouers the place killing all the French which were found therein 6 At the Citie of Amiens in Picardie the three great Dukes of Bedford Regent of France Burgoign and Britaine meet to consult of the whole course summe of affaires There they renued the League adding that each should be others friend and that all of them should defend King Henries right with their best forces For the better assurance of this profitable amity the Regent then a Bachelour tooke to wife the Lady Anne sister to Philip Duke of Burgundie while the Regent was absent from Paris vpon these iust occasions the Parisians who not long before had sent Ambassadors into England to acknowledge their obedience to King Henry practised with Charles to deliuer their City The Regent had notice of this dangerous treason and with his presence retained them in duety The chiefe Actors paied their liues for satisfaction of the trespasse In good time there arriued out of England ten thousand fresh Souldiers Ouer them hee ordeined Captaines the famous Earle of Salisbury William Pole Earle of Suffolke Robert Willoughby and others Himselfe lead about with him for the generall seruice eighteene hundred horsemen and eight thousand foote With these field-forces the maime of the English estate in France was held together though not without difficulty and diuers aduentures In them he tooke from Charles sundry strong Townes and Fortresses as Crotoy Baside Riol Rula Gyrond Basile Mermound Milham Femel Seintace and many other 7 The Regents chiefe designe was to draw Charles to fight hoping by his ouerthrow to conclude many daies workes in one For this cause he drew into Normandy Charles was then in Tourain where he mustereth his people The Regent prospers in the meane time and takes by siege a place of good importance presuming so to dare the French out to a Battell Iohn Duke of Alanson is sent with an Army and instructions to fight if occasion serued but Charles himselfe was not suffered to hazard his person Not farre from the Towne of Vernoil which the English had taken before the Duke of Alanson and his Charolines could succour it the two Armies embattelled themselues The fight began with shot which seeming not quicke enough to dispatch the work the battels came to hand-stroaks where for some houres there was maintained a constant and doubtfull battell with great furie on both sides The English enured to the French warres hauing borne the first heats of their enemies which are in that Nation most ragefull by perseuerance vtterly brake and put them to flight The Regent himselfe with a battle-axe fought most fiercely winning immortall honor in that bloody iourney There were slaine of the enemies side Iohn Earle of Boughwhan Constable of France Archenbald Dowglas Duke of Tourain and Lieutenant of France Archembald his sonne Earle of Wigton with many other of the Scots Of the French there were slaine the Earle of Vantadowr and sundry others In all there died vpon that side certaine thousands None writes of fewer then foure or fiue thousand nor
and two daughters the youngest of which was Lady Margaret whom King Henry afterward tooke to wife Charles Duke of Lorraine dying Renate thinkes to succeed in that estate Antony Earle of Vallemont brother to Charles presumes he hath a neerer right The matter comes to be determined by blowes Charles King of France was a stedfast supporter of Renates claime in lieu of like offices performed by Renate to him in the times of most difficulty The Regent and Philip Duke of Burgundy stood for the Earle Their aides preuailed so much that Renates forces were beaten with losse of about three thousand from the siege of Vallemont and himselfe with not fewer then two hundred others remained prisoner to the Duke of Burgundy one of whose subiects commanded in chiefe at that enterprise This Renate was afterward entituled to the Crowne of Naples and Sicilia by the testament of Ioane Queene of them The King of France might seeme to haue susteined a grieuous losse by the enthralment of this Duke but the English gained nothing thereby for his perswasions and priuate offices on the behalfe of King Charles did not a little prepare the Burgundians heart which now was knit to the English but with feeble Arteries to accept in time the holy impression of reconcilement The French who liued vnder the Regency or in danger of the English made choise of the Burgundian to protect them which could not be embarred to them for that he was as yet King Henries pretended friend Indeed this Scene and vnstable state of affaires was full of horrour which Polydâ—…re Vergill describeth well enough While the English and French quoth he contend for Dominion Soueraignty and life it selfe mens goods in France were violently taken by the licence of warre Churches spoiled men euery where murthered or wounded other put to death or tortured Matrons rauished Maids forcibly drawne from out their parents armes to be deflowred Townes daily taken daily spoiled daily defaced the riches of the Inhabitants carried whither the Conquerors thinke good hâ—…sen and villages round about set on fire no kind of cruelty is left vnpractised vpon the miserable French omitting many hundreth kinds of other calamities which all at once oppressed them Adde hereunto that the Commonwealth being destitute of the helpe of lawes which for the most part are mute in times of warre and mutiâ—…ie floateth vp and downe without any anchorage at right or iustice Neither was England herselfe voide of these mischiefes who euery day heard the newes of her valiant childrens funerals slaine in perpetuall skirmishes and bickerings her generall wealth continually â—…d and wained so that the euils seemed almost equall and the whole Westerne world ecchoed the groanes and sighes of either Nations quarrels being the common argument of speech and compassion throughout Christendome 22 The course certainly which the English held did only faintly keepe aliue the Generall State of the Regency without giuing period to the warre either by finishing the Conquest or setling that which was conquered Some would haue had large supplies of men and treasure leuied that King Charles might no where haue any rest Of this opinion were Bedford himselfe the Dukes of Yorke and Sommerset This Counsell was not followed but another in shew more frugall which fed the euils but redressed none Present sparings doe oftentimes draw after them infinite wasts and no husbandrie proues so ill as vnseasonable Parsimony In the mean time the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Talbot carry about victorious Armes and terrifie Angiou Main and other places with their successes In Normandie neuerthelesse the common people drew together in huge multitudes There were threescore thousand of them rebelliously knotted together in Vexin Norman and twenty thousand in Câ—…ux Their purpose was through dislike of the English Gouernment or practise of the French to haue reacht one hand to King Charles and to haue thrust King Henries officers out What is a multitude without aduise To stoppe their insolency and course which they held toward Caen the Earle of Arundel and Robert Lord Willoughby with about thirteen hundred light horse and sixe thousand Archers march against them by direction of the Dukes of Yorke and ommerset who had the chiefe Leiutenancies in Normandy They diuide their forces to vse them with the more aduantage The Earle stayes in Ambush with two parts the Lord Willoughby drawes them into it with the third A thousand of the Rebels were cut down before the souldiers hands could be stayed to spare the rest who basely as it became them threw away their weapons and fell to the earth crying mercy The multitudes were suffered to returne their ringleaders lost their liues All that the world could collect by this popular insurrection was that the Normans would be gladly rid of the English Nothing else was done This Earle of Arundell hauing done sundry noble deeds during the wars in France receiued his deathes wound shortly after in a skirmish at Gerberoy in Beauuoâ—…sine where La Hire a famous Captaine among the enemies had the day 23 The Regency yet held and the miseries of France being burnt vp by the fiery reflections of two Counter-Sunnes were nothing diminished Who should giue to them a Period while the Duke of Burgundy continued English it could not be To prepare therefore a separation betweene them such of the Nobility as went ouer to the Burgundian Duke told him That King Charles vpon all occasions when speech was ministred spake of him honourably and inwardly wished him well and that he neuer heard any mention of the murther committed vpon the Duke his father cause of the sonnes hatred to France but he heartily sighed protesting hee was neither party nor priuy thereunto These and the like mollifying salues applyed to the tumors of his reuengefull affections did worke strongly the rather for that his minde heretofore possessed with the English amity was now vacant in that part the same by the means of sundry iealousies and auersions lying open to contrary impressions There wanted but an outward honourable meanes to fashion him entirely to the French partie Let vs heare Serves in this point The Deputies of the Generall Councell presse both French English and Burgundians to end all quarrels by some good composition The City of Arras is allowed of them all to treat in From the Pope and Councell of Pisa there came the Cardinals of S. Crosse and Cypres with twelue Bishoppes For the King of France there was the Duke of Bourbon the Earle of Richmond Constable of France the Archbishoppe of Reims Chancellour of France and many others great noble wise and learned men For the King of England the two Cardinals of Yorke and Winchester the Earles of Suffolke * Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington the Bishoppe of Saint Dauids Iohn Ratcliffe Keeper of the great Seale the Lord Hungerford Ralfe the wise Officiall of Canterbury and some Doctors of Diuinity For
seat Paris being now lost of the English Dominions in North France as Burdeaux was in the South whether now the Earle of Huntingdon with certaine troupes and companies of Souldiers was sent as Seneschall This new Regent busied himselfe in the generall affaires of his place Vnder him the Duke of Burgoins forces were driuen from Crotoy Abbeuile freed from the danger of a Bastile with which the Duke had pent that Towne in and the English for twentie dayes space together tooke their pleasure in spoiling the Country of Picardy about Amiens and Artois These and some other actions hauing beene worthily carried during this Regents gouernment himself dyeth The Duke of Yorke againe succeedes him Our interest in France was retained not so much by King Henries ministers and Armies as by remissenesse of King Charles whom also Lewis the Daulphin afterward King did greatly trouble by rebellious decessions and absentments of himselfe The feare of the English reconciled the sonne to the father the sooner K. Charles was now fallen into dislike with his people but to redeeme his credite hee attempts the recouery of Pâ—…ntoyse a towne neere to Paris which the Lord Clifford had not long before surprised by stratageme and money an ordinary meanes as then for the expugnation of places and comes in person to the enterprize There attended vpon him for that seruice about ten or twelue thousand men The L. Clifford is within and makes a braue defence 37 The Duke of Yorke lately landed in Normandie as Regent assembleth his maine strengthes being about seuen or eight thousand offers the French King battell Hee keepes himselfe within his trenches The Duke according to the ancient humor and discipline of the English who loue to set all vpon a push desirous to fight vnexpectedly passeth the riuer of oyse which ranne betweene the two Campes King Charles dislodgeth so fearefully that the French doe not ouer boldly excuse him of flying The Duke hauing had the spoile of the French Kings Campe refortifies Pontoyse and assaults a Bastile where Charles had left three thousand Souldiers to maintaine the face of a siege It was held better to pursue the King who was gotten to Poisie There the Duke of Yorke againe very nobly prouokes him to a field It would not be King Charles saw the hazards were not equall and therefore endures his brauado What could the Duke doe more hee is of necessity to returne to the maine of his charge in Normandy and doth so King Charles ran into such obloquie and contempt with his people by this dishonourable retreat but chiefly with the Parisians that if hee had not attempted again and preuailed against Pontoise it might haue ieoparded his whole estate for there was a faction which would haue made vse of his disgrace He returnes in great fury to the siege and finally enters the town not without much bloudshed Serres saith that fiue hundred English left their dead bodies at the breach The King was one of the first that entred choosing rather to be thought temerarious then timerous This exploit established his opinion among the people A satietie of warre filled both sides and the estate of England vnder King Henry whose softnesse and lenitie gaue way to sundry dangerous Court-factions needed quiet Commissioners meet at Callis nothing is concluded but the enlargement of Charles Duke of Orleans for the summe of three hundred thousand Crownes Hee had beene Prisoner in England about twentie and sixe yeeres euer since the Battell of Agincourt where hee was taken The Duke of Burgundie was a speciall Actor in his enlargement with a purpose to secure his owne greatnesse by benefites this high borne Prince for the murther of his father being naturally the head and chiefe of that deadly fewde which had most mortally raged between the houses of Burgundie and Orleance Humfrey Duke of Glocester prudently foreseeing the dangers like to ensue on Orleance his enlargement stoutly opposed himselfe thereunto and that vpon important reasons which hee required to haue registred that they might remaine on Record for a testimony and discharge of his duty in that behalfe 1 First for that the French King wanted discretion and iudgement to order his affaires which defects might bee supplied by the Duke being a man of experience and very subtle if hee should bee set at liberty 2 That the said Duke might procure an vnion of the factions now hotely maintained in France among the Nobility to the preiudice of the Crowne of England and hazard of the losse of the Kings territories in France 3 That the Dutchie of Normandy hauing sustained a great charge in maintaining the warre seeing the Duke of Orleance deliuered and no royall Army on the English part to withstand the common enemy was likely inough to reuolt 4 That if the Duke should be deliuered it might be probably coniectured that he would sooner break his oath which he should being prisoner make to the King of England then the oath of his alleageance to the French King his Soueraigne Lord of whom he holdeth his lands and dignity 5 If the Articles concluded between his Maiesty and the French on the Dukes behalfe should not be performed what remedy might his Maiesty haue or expect 6 That considering his cosen of Huntingdon was to leaue the Dutchy of Gâ—…yenne and for that the alliance betwixt the said Duke and the Earles of Arminack and Foix and the Lord de la Bret was to bee suspected as dangerous it was very necessary that good prouision should be made for defence of that Country being his Maiesties ancient inheritance 7 That his Maiesty hath no allyance with any Christian Prince but onely the King of Portugall being but of tender yeeres and farre off And therfore it was not safe for his Maiestie to deliuer him that was likely to proue his Capitall enemie and to seeke meanes to depriue him of those lands which his noble father had left him 8. That if any of his Maiesties kinred or other Lords on that side the Sea should happen to be taken prisoners the said Duke of Orleance might ransom 4. or 5. of them 9. That it were fit to take aduise of the Lords and other his Maiesties subiects in the Realme of France and dutchy of Normandy whether they thought it expedient that the said Duke should be deliuered or not Otherwise the world might crie shame thereon when men should call to minde the losse of his brethren of Clarence and Bedford and other noble Personages in defending and keeping those Lands 10. If he the said Duke of Gloucester should consent to the said Dukes deliuerance the same being also quite-contrary to the last will of his Maiesties Father such inconueniences as would ensue thereupon should be imputed to him 38 Notwithstanding the weight of so many thousand Crownes ouer peysed all these important and ponderous reasons and the warre eates on still in the body of France but not with
vndoubtedly sincere and true was wonderfully great among all good Englishmen who flocked to the publike celebration thereof For vpon our Ladies day in Lent a solemne procession was made within the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London where the King adorned with Crowne and robes of maiestie went in person before whom went hand in hand the Duke of Sommerset and the Earle of Salisburie the Duke of Excester and the Earle of Warwicke and so of either faction one and one and behind the King himselfe came the Queene and Duke of Yorke with great familiarity in all mens sights O religion ô honour ô sinceritie that your diuine vertue should not haue contained these spirits in the harmonie of sweet obedience but if you could not what alas should England must be more seuerely scourged then that so goodly a blessing of publike reconciliation should continue whereby the proud tops of her nation offensiue to God and men being taken off the way might be opened to other names or races which as yet were nothing thought on 70 There is no reason to doubt but that the Duke of Yorke a man of deepe retirement in himselfe secretly continued his purpose for the Crowne notwithstanding all these his vernished pretences and did only therfore not as then put for it because he presumed the time was incommodious Againe the Queene true head and life of the contrary part aswell in regard of her selfe her husband and young sonne may in likelihood be thought to haue laid downe any thing rather then the wakefulnesse and iealousie which former perils and the enemies present strength might worthily keepe aliue in her The thinne ashes therefore which couered these glowing coles were thus againe first vnraked and set to blaze 71 The King and manie of the Lords still being at Westminster there hapned or perhaps was plotted a fray betweene one of the Kings seruants and a follower of the Earle of Warwicke who hurt the Kings seruant Hereupon his fellowes of all sorts as Cookes with their spits c in great disorder assaile the Earle himselfe as he was comming from the Councell and had there slaine him but that the euill fate of England and his owne reserued him to doe and suffer greater mischiefes The Earle hardly gets to his Barge and reputing all things vnsure about the King gets ouer to his place at Calleis The Yorkists directly charge the Queene with this as with a plot drawne for the Earles destruction Not long after this the young Duke of Sommerset is sent Captaine to Calleis Warwicke will resigne no roome notwithstanding the Kings command alleaging he was made by Parliament Sommerset is reiected with danger to his person Warwicke partly maintains himselfe and such as stucke to him in that charge with spoiles which he got at Sea How lawfullie it appeares not though Warwicke is said to haue been Admirall by Patent though now reuoked The Ordinarie bookes haue that he with foureteene faile of men of warre set vpon three Caricks of Gene or Genoa and two of Spaine greater then the Caricks three of which Merchant-fleete which how they should be lawfull prize we see not he vanquished after two daies fight with the losse of about an hundreth men of his owne and a thousand of theirs The bootie was worth at meane rates ten thousand pounds such also as followed the Duke of Sommerset comming into his hands he beheaded at Calleis These were strange darings in the Earle of Warwicke whom yet the vnskilfull and drunken multitude so highly praise but what are these in regard of them which will presentlie follow 72 The Duke of Yorke in the meane time and Warwicke with his father the Earle of Salisbury the Triumuirs of England consult of their affaires Salisburie is resolued with sword in hand to expostulate the danger and iniury offered to his sonne at Westminster The Queene a Lady of incomparable magnanimity and foresight confident in this that now King Henry or the Duke of Yorke must perish and that one Kingdome was not wide enough for both their Families bestirres her selfe to maintaine the possession of a Crowne and to aduance to the same her owne flesh and bloud Prince Edward by ruining his house whose whole building consisted of Lancastrian beneficence She consults she sends she speakes she giues and strengthneth her selfe with friends on all sides chiefly in Cheshire causing her sonne to distribute siluer swannes his badge or deuise to all the Gentlemen of that County and to many other through England Salisbury sets forward from his Castell at Middleham with foure or fiue thousand men Iames Touchet Lord Audeley encounters him vnaduisedly vpon Blore-heath neere Muckelstone The fight was long and bloudy but in the end K. Henries euill fortune gaue the better of the day to the Earle of Salisbury where besides the valiant Lord Audeley himselfe were slaine not fewer then two thousand and foure hundreth but the chiefe losse fel vpon the Cheshire men who ware the Princes Liuerie 73 The Earle of Salisbury in this sort opened to himselfe a way to Ludlow where the head of their combination Richard Duke of Yorke busied himself to gather forces being met they conclude that seeing the matter was now become deadly they would deale in cloudes no longer but fight it out to the extremity Men are drawne out of all parts with large hopes promises of sharing in their fortunes and the Earle of Warwicke bringing with him from Caleis which he left with his friends that valiant Captaine Andrew Trolop and a band of stout and choise Souldiers comes to the generall Rendeuoâ—… of the Yorkists the Castell of Ludlow The King in the meane space and not before it was need and time hath assembled a great puissance of faithfull Subiects and being attended with the Dukes of Sommerset and Excester and other of his chiefe friends marcheth against his enemies His first worke was to offer them generall pardon It is refused and called by them a staffe of reede or glasse Buckler The sword must decide the quarrels wherupon the king commands his Standards to aduance while he was in his March a letter fraught with the wonted hypocrisies is deliuered to the King There are in it among many other insinuations these also Most Christian King right high and Mighty Prince and our most dread Soueraigne Lord c. Wee sent vnto your good grace by the Prior of the Cathedral Church of Worcester and diuers other Doctors and among other by M. William Linwood doctor of Diuinity which ministred vnto vs seuerally the blessed Sacrament of the body of Iesus whereupon wee and euery of vs deposed of our said truth and duty 74 Thus these prophane and ambitious men play with God who in the end will seuerely bee auenged on them for their impietie but the letter made no ouerture of any course vpon which they would yeeld to lay downe Armes alleadging they wold but make
the hap of vnfortunate Henry and condition of the multitude euer to dislike the present and to affect the new but no interim left to disswade or attempt the next day his stile and title was again proclaimed by the name of King Edward the fourth being the fourth of March and about the 20. yeere of his age 4 These sodain alterations made the richer sort somewhat fearefull especially those whose heart stood firm for K. Henry who was now in the North new mustering of men and among those London afforded many as King Edwards iealousie suspected whereof one Walker a substantiall Citizen and Grocer was a sufficient proofe who for wordes spoken concerning his owne sonne that hee would make him heyre of the Crowne meaning his house hauing that Signe was the eighth day of this Kings raigne apprehended and beheaded in Smithfield And albeit his words intended no treason the â—…rocer not once dreaming to touch King Edwards title yet the time being when the Crowne lay at stake the tenture of the Law made them his death This rough beginning moued many to doubt that they had wronged themselues in wronging King Henry which opinion was more confirmed in that hee retained a great summe of money borrowed of the Staplers-Merchants and disbursed in his affaires whose restitution he vtterly denyed with an austere commandement to surcease the demand But hearing how Henry was beloued in the North what followers were gathered to recouer him the Crown vpon the twelfth of March with a complete Armie hee sets forth of London accompanied with his brethren and many other Nobles with whome marching towards Pâ—…freit he there appoints the Lord Fitzwater to keepe the passage of Ferribrig omitting no directions of a worthy commander 5 King Henry for his part though nothing so warlike yet thought it best policy to imploy such leaders as desired 〈◊〉 against the house of Yorke such were the Duke of â—…set the Earle of Northumberland and the Lord Clifford whose 〈◊〉 had been sâ—…ine in the first battell of S. Albans which last though in degree the least mâ—…n yet sought to 〈◊〉 his same with the first and therefore to 〈◊〉 no attempt vnassayed hee â—…dainely châ—…ged vpon the Troupe appointed for 〈◊〉 thâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnâ—…ed only with a poâ—… in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Brigge thinâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne Souldiers where with the 〈◊〉 ofâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d many of hiâ—… 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈◊〉 6 Thâ—… brute of which â—…ust blowne iâ—…one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee mounted his Coâ—… and poâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 pâ—…ing blowing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of breath said Sir I pray God haue mercy on their soules which in the beginning of your enterprize haue lost their liues I see no succour in the world but in God to whom I remit the vengeance And so alighting forthwith slew his horse with his sword saying Let him flie that flie will I will tarry with him that will tarrie with me which hee confirmed by kissing the crosse of his sword the vsuall complement of couenants made by martiall men The valiant Lord Fanconbridge fearing left this beginning would giue an edge to the sequell got ouer the riuer at Castleford three miles from the bridge meaning to inclose the takers vpon their backes which Clifford perceiuing sought to auoide and whether for haste heate or paine put off the gorget he wore when sodainly an arrow without an head shot from the Bow of some laide in ambush pierced through his throat and stucke in his necke which set a period vnto his life 7 The next day more fatall for Englands bloud was celebrated with speares in stead of palmes vsually borne on that Saboth of Lent in whose dawning the Lord Fanconbridge who commanded the foreward the Duke of Norfolke being sicke tooke the field on a plaine betwixt the townes of Towton and Saxton where King Edward ioyning his whole forces being forty eight thousand and six hundreth sixty persons as King Henries were also threescore thousand caused proclamation to bee made that hee who feared to sight might forthwith depart but if any Souldier abiding should seeke to flie or turn backe hee should bee slaine by his next fellow and the slayer to receiue a great reward besides the stipend of a double pay 8 Both Armies ready to ioyne a small sleet of snow hapned to fall which with the wind was carried into the face of the Lancastrian host whereby their sight was much empeached which aduantage Fanconbridge soone espying forth with commanded his Archers to shoot each man a â—…light and then to stand without further proffer The Northern men feeling the arrows but not seeing the Archers made haste to acquite them with the like and shot their whole sheaues of arrowes without intermission but short of the markâ—… threescore yeards at the least which storme being past and all their store spent the worthy Fanconbridge aduanced forward and within reach of his Archers sore galled the enemie making a double aduantage of what they had done for their owne quiuers being full when the others were empty they gathered vp shot theirs against their owne shooters yet left some of them sticking to gall the legges of their pursuers by which onely stratagem as was constantly auerred the battell and day was lost and wonne 9 The sight was bloudy and continued tenus howres for all being English acquit themselues English-like no taking of prisoners nor looking for ransome but all to retaine and to get honour that day wherein died the Lords 〈◊〉 Neuill Willoughby Wellâ—… 〈◊〉 Gray Dâ—… 〈◊〉 Beâ—…kingham and Clifford who died the day before the two bâ—…ds of Exceâ—…r Knigâ—… 〈◊〉 Gentlemen a great number and in all 〈◊〉 thirty fiue thousand ninety and one so that 〈◊〉 onely the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stained with English blood bâ—… the riuers râ—… red for a great distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this battell of Englands châ—… wars 10 Henry who neuer was victor wheâ—… hee came hearing 〈◊〉 losse which seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with hiâ—… Queene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ally â—…tained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed the better warrier passed thence into France where of King Lewis and her father Reiner shee obtained more men then her coffers were able to relieue with pay the bane of all courage in aduentures of warre 11 Victorious Edward after those his prosperous successes in the North in triumph returned to London and the eight twentith of Iune with great solemnity was Crowned at Westminster where in S. Peters Church the next day it was againe most solemnly set on his head and the third day so Crowned he came to Saint Paules in London and therein was censed with great applause of the People In Nouember following a Parliament began wherein King Henrie Queene Margaret and Prince Edward their sonne were disherited of their right to the Crowne the Dukes of Excester
a damsell belonging as shee said to the Dutches of Clarence who signified vnto Monsieur Vawclere that shee came from King Edward with a declaration of peace which hee fearing to impart the conditions to other had made her the instrument the better to passe without any suspect and he glad to heare for the Earles sake whom he entirely affected gaue her his safe conduct vnto the Duke of Clarence then at Amboys where hauing priuate accesse vnto him shee told that it was neither naturall nor honourable for him to take part against the house of Yorke that the house of Lancaster was not onely by the whole Court of Parliament debarred to bee the indubitate Heire of the Kingdome but that K. Henrie himselfe had discharged his Issue from claime as it standeth said she vpon Record to be seene contrary to which as he might well perceiue this marriage of Prince Edward with the Earles daughter did onely aime and intend to the vtter extinct of the house of Yorke whereof himselfe was one and in neere possibility of the Crowne Edwards Issue young and not many and the King very wanton a sinne commonly punished with want of posterity which if it so chanced then hee or his were the next These reasons wayed so ouer-wayed the Dukes further designes that hee promised thereafter a more brotherlike affection as saide hee Edward should find with which good newes shee returned into England Warwicke vtterly ignorant what was said or done 47 All now in a readinesse for the return ships money and men supplied by the French King the Admirall of France was sent to secure them from the Duke of Burgundies Fleet which with an extraordinary number and power lay in the mouth of Seyne to fight with Warwicke when he should loose out of Harborow but see how the heauens fauoured and frowned vpon the parties for the night before they should hoise saile such a stormy tempest tooke the Dukes Fleete lying more remote from the Lee that they were scattered asunder some into Scotland some into Denmarke and many of them drowned But the Seas calmed and the wind seruing faire the English set saile and landed at Dartmouth whence they had shipped into France almost six moneths before 48 King Edward relying vpon Burgundy abroad and thinking all friends who fawned at home gaue himselfe daily to follow the hound and the hawke and nightly to his court pleasures in dancings and daliances with damsels little minding their approach that meant to marre his mirth for Warwicke now landed proclaimed King Henry commanding all from sixteene to sixty vpon a great penalty to take Armes against Edward Duke of Yorke the most vniust vsurper of Henries rightfull Crowne and vncredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who ere-while applauded approued none but King Edward Thus making towards London his company daily encreased which the youthfull King seemed little to regard but verily supposing hee had now Warwicke in his trappe wrote to Burgundie to secure the seas lest he should escape againe into France and to his Lords of England to attend him in his wars but very many neglected his commaund and few or none made their repaire Which when Edward perceiued hee was strucke into a great feare and with his brother of Glocester the L. Hastings his Chamberlaine and the Lord Scales the Queenes brother hee hasted towards Nottingham there to determine what was to be done 49 In the mean while the bastard Faulconbridge in the west and the Earle of Pembroke in Wales euery where proclaimed King Henry and to forward the matter D. Godard preaching at Pauls Crosse declared by reading of Billes and diuers other proofes that King Henry was the vndoubted and true heire vnto the English Crowne Neither is the L. Montacute now the man that he was who hauing mustered sixe thousand in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham on the sodaine drew backe his forces alleadging that Edward was vngratefull regardlesse of his friends as himselfe said himselfe was the example who hauing serued him in many bloudy battels was rewarded with a verball word Marquesse without any maintenance at al no not so much as Pyes poor nest therfore he had iust cause neuer to draw his sword in his quarrell any more and them that did hee assured them should receiue the like reward in the end 50 These with the like distastures diuulged among the rude multitude it was a world to see the face of this new World for in euery streete Bonfires were made in euery Church bels rung Ditties were sung at euery meeting and euery man cried K. Henry King Henry whose Eccho likewise redoubled a Warwicke a Warwicke and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot as King Edward hearing the rumor thought it not safe any longer to stay therefore with those trusty Lords and some others hee fled from his hoast besides Nottingham passing the Washes towards Lynne with greater difficulties then was befitting a Prince to aduenture and thus without any order taken for his Realme in two Hulkes of Holland and one English shippe destitute of all necessary prouisions set sayle toward Burgundy and in the way was encountred by the Easterlings Englands great Enemies hauing much adoe to cleare himselfe from their surprise 51 In these times of misery the Queene whose marriage was the onely cause of all these stirres vpon the first of October had stolne out of the Tower and taken Sanctuary at Westminster where like a woman forsaken shee solitarily remained and on the fourth of Nouember following was deliuered of a sonne which without all pompe more like a priuate mans child then a Prince was there also baptized by the name of Edward who after his fathers death a while was King of England as shall be said other Sanctuaries were full of King Edwards friends that praied deuoutly for his prosperous health and well hoped the world would againe turne as shortly it did One King thus fled and the other in prison the Kentish whose conditions are mutable at the change of Princes came to seeke prey in London where they knew it was to bee had Ratcliffe S. Katherins and Southwarke they robbed and within the City did some hurt besides yea and surely more had done had not Earle Warwicke in good time come to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before 52 Earle Warwicke accompanied with his brother the Archbishoppe of Yorke the Prior of Saint Iohns the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Shrewsburie Bastard Faulconbridge Lord Stanley and other Gentlemen some for loue some for feare some to gaze at this wauering world vpon the sixt of October entred the Tower of London wherein King Henry had beene retained prisoner almost the space of nine yeeres and there again elected him for their lawfull King and
a Parliament begun at Westminster the fifteenth of Ianuary he was attainted of high treason but whether guiltie or guiltles to men saith Grafton that haue made large inquisition yea and of such as were of no small authority in those daies the certaintie thereof was hid and could not truly be disclosed but by coniectures which as often deceiue the imaginations of fantasticall folke as declare truth to them in their conclusions 105 I am not ignorant that some haue alleaged the cause of this Noble mans death to arise from a foolish prophecie whereof saith Comines the English-men are neuer vnfurnished this as the Cabâ—…sts who vsed to make an art of their letters gaue forth forsooth that a G. should raigne after an E. which must needes be George Duke of Clarence though Gloucester more craftie lay in winde for the game This indeed troubled the King not a little but the Queene and her blood much more and therefore of both King and Queene Duke George was mistrusted and greatly maligned in all that he did Who now a widower for Warwicks daughter was dead sent vnto his sister Margaret the Dutchesse of Burgundie to worke a marriage for him with her husbands daughter the Lady Marie Against which the Queene most earnestly interposed her selfe and sollicited the Ladie in the behalfe of Lord Anthonie Earle Riuers her brother whereby great discontent was ministred to the Duke and new iealousies daily bred in the Kings breast 106 Iohn Serres the French Historian interlacing the life of King Lewis with the Acts of K. Edward and his brethren saith confidently that the English King so much affected the league and alliance with France as that he caused his brother Clarence to be put in prison because he intended to haue past the Seas to succour the Dowager of Burgundie Ladie Margaret his sister vpon whose Territories King Lewis encroached after the death of Duke Charles her husband slaine at the battell of Manâ—…y 107 But howsoeuer Clarence had offended certaine it is that he was found guilty by the foresaid Parliament and the eleuenth of March following after he had offered his Masse-penny in the Tower of London was drowned in a But of Malmesey whose body was buried at Tewkesburie in Glocestershire by the bodie of his Dutchesse Ladie Isabell Countesse of Warwicke who being with Child died of poison a little before And although the King had consented to his death yet no sooner was it done but that he wished it againe vndone and was so greeued at the remembrance as when anie made suite for the life of a condemned he would openly say Oh â—…fortunate brother for whose life no 〈◊〉 would make â—…ite This good Duke for so was he called left issue behind him Edward Earle of Warwicke and Margaret afterwards Countesse of Salisbury both of them infants and followers of their fathers fortunes he a continuall Prisoner at foure and twentie yeeres of age vnder Henry the seauenth was beheaded vpon the Tower-hill and shee at sixtie two lost hers within the Tower and time of King Henrie the eight 108 But how dainty soeuer King Edward was of the breach of amitie betwixt him and the French King in regard whereof he suffered Mary the yong Dutchesse of Burgundy the daughter of his owne sisters husband to bee molested by 〈◊〉 of the French and all in fauour of the contract commenced betweene the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lady 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter yet did 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouâ—… 〈◊〉 For Ambassadors â—…ploied 〈◊〉 accomplishing â—…of they of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…he new were sent without 〈◊〉 while indeed Lewis 〈◊〉 working for his sonne another way First to match him with Mary Dutches of Burgundy but that refused with Margaret of Flaunders daughter to Duke Maximilian sonne to Fredericke the Emperor and to hold the world from suspition in the meane while Ladie Elizabeth the Infanta of England was in the French Court vsually called Madame the Daulphin and all things in France so soundly carried as Edward suspected no leake in the Caske for now growne fat and vnable for paines he both gloried in his nine famous victories at home atchieued and seemed sufficientlie satisfied that his yeerely tribute from France was so truly paied 109 At the same time Iames the third of that name King of Scotland sent his Ambassadors vnto Edward to obtaine the Lady Cicelie the Kings second daughter to be ioined in marriage with his sonne Iames the young Prince which was well listened vnto by Edward and his Counsell and least the motion should goe backe a great summe of money lent to the Scottish King with this condition that at a certain time appointed it should be at K. Edwards choise whether his daughter should match with that Prince or else to haue the said summe againe repaid Against which alliance and league as Lesly reporteth Lewis of France much repined and to annihilate the same sent Dr. Ireland a certaine knight and another religious man to moue King Iames to make warre against England 110 These no Peace-makers for Christ but firebrands of Belial blew the smothered sparkes of dissention into a flame of bloody warre which fell the more heauy vpon Scotland for that K. Iames much wedded vnto his owne will and altogether ruled by men of meane worth whom himselfe had aduanced from nothing had not only neglected by their instigations the loue of his Nobles but also banished the Realme of Scotland Alexander Duke of Albany his second brother and had caused the veines of Iohn Earle of Marre his other brother to be opened whereby he bled to death these and other discontents alienated his Subiects hearts from him which laid the land more open vnto the English Inuaders and yet to draw them more deadly against him relying vpon his ownevalor and the assistance of France he sent word vnto Edward that he should not aid his owne sister of Burgundy against K. Lewis being the Scots Allie as also with threats of warre commanded him to deliuer to his Ambassadors the Duke of Albanie then residing in the English Court and lastlie to make good and repay dammages done vpon the Scottish Borders 111 King Edward not a little inraged at these double dealings euen in the winter season mustered his men prepâ—…ed his artillery and rigged his ships that nothing should be vnready at the next Spring which no sooner was come but that he ordained for his Lieutenant his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester who with Henrie Earle of Northumberland Thomas Lord Stanley the Lord Louell Gâ—…stock and others the Duke of Albany marching vnto Gloucesters banner with twenty thousand strong repaired into the North and first â—…sieged the strong Towne Berwick then enâ—…ing the chiefe City Edenborough vrged K. Iames to performe his couenants concerning the marriage betwixt Prince Iames his sonne with Lady Cicely before agreed vpon
the winning of France In which inward warre among our selues hath beene so great effusion of the ancient noble blood of this Realme that scarcely the halfe remaineth to the great infeebling of this noble Land beside many a good Towne ransacked and spoiled by them that haue beene going to the held or comming from thence And peace long after not much surer then warre So that no time there was in which rich men for their money and great men for their Lands or som or other for som feare or some displeasure were not out of perill for whom trusted he that mistrusted his owne brother whom spared he that killed his own brother or who could perfectly loue him if his owne brother could not what maner of folke hee most fauoured we shall for his honour spare to speake of howbeit this wot you well all that who so was best bare alway least rule and more suite was in those dayes vnto Shores wife a vile and abhominable strumpet then to all the Lords in England except vnto those that made her their Protector which simple woman was well named and honest till the King for his wanton lust and sinnefull affection bereft her from her husband a right honest substantiall yong man among you And in that point which in good faith I am sorry to speake of sauing that it is in vaine to keepe in counsell that thing which euery man knoweth the Kings greedy appetite was insatiable and euery where ouer all the Realme intollerable for no woman there was any where yong or olde rich or poore whom hee set his eie vpon in whom hee liked any thing either person or fauour speech pace or countenance but without all feare of God or any respect of his owne honour murmur or grudge of the world he would importunately pursue his appetite and haue her to the great destruction of many a good woman and great dolour to their husbands and other their friends which being honest people of themselues so much regard the cleannesse of their hoâ—…e the chastitie of their wiues and their daughters that they had rather loose all they had besides then to haue such a villany done against them And albeit that with this and his other importable dealings the Realme was in euery part annoyed yet specially you heere the Citizens of this noble Citie aswell for that amongst you is most plenty of all such things as minister matters to such iniuries as for that you were neerest at hand seeing that neere heereabout was commonly his most abieing And yet you bee the people whom he had a singular cause well and kindly to entreat as any part of the Realme not onely for that the Prince by this noble Cittie as his speciall Chamber and the speciall well renowned Citie of his Realme much honourable fame receiueth amongst all other nations but also for that yee not without your great cost and sundry perils and ieopardies in all his warres bare euen your speciall fauour to his part which your kind mindes borne vnto the house of Yorke sith he hath nothing worthily acquitted there is one of that house that now by Gods grace better shall which thing to shew you is the whole summe and effect of this our present errand It shall not I not well need that I rehearse you againe that yee haue already heard of him that can better tell it and of whom I am sure you will better beleeue it and reason is it so to bee I am not so proud to looke therefore that you should recken my words of as great authoritie as the Preachers of the word of God namely a man so learned and so wiâ—…e that no man better wotteth what he should say and thereto so good and vertuous as he would not say the thing which hee wist hee should not say in the Pulpit namely into the which no honest man commeth to lye which honourable Preacher you well remember substantially declared at Paules Crosse on Sunday last past the right and title that the most excellent Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester now Protector of this Realme hath vnto the Crowne and Kingdome of the same For as the Worshipfull Doctor substantially made knowne vnto you the children of King Edward the fourth were neuer lawfully begotten forasmuch as the King leauing his very wife Dame Elizabeth Lucy was neuer lawfully married vnto the Queen their mother whose blood sauing that he set his voluptuous pleasure before his honour was full vnmeet to be matched with his and the mingling of those bloods together hath bin the effusion of great part of the noble blood of this Realme Whereby it may well seeme the marriage was not well made of which there is so much mischiefe growne For lack of which lawful coupling as also other things which the said worshipfull D. rather signified then fully explaned and which things shall not be spoken for mee as the thing wherein euery man forbeareth to say what hee knoweth in auoyding displeasure of my noble Lord Protector bearing as nature requireth a filiall reuerence to the Dutchesse his mother For these causes I say before remembred that is for lacke of other Issue lawfully comming of that late noble Prince Richard Duke of Yorke to whose royall blood the crowne of England and France is by the high authoritie of Parliament entailed the right and title of the same is by the iust course of inheritance according to the common law of this Land deuolued and come vnto the most excellent Prince the Lord Protector as to the very lawfully begotten sonne of the fore-remembred noble Duke of Yorke Which thing well considered and the great knightly prowesse pondered with manifodle vertues which in his noble person singularly abound the nobles and commons also of this Realme and specially of the North part not willing any bastard blood to haue the rule of the Land nor the abusions before the same vsed any longer to continue haue condiscended and fully determined to make humble petition to the most puissant Prince the Lord Protector that it may like his Grace at our humble request to take vpon him the guiding and gouernance of this Realme to the wealth and encrease of the same according to his very right and iust title Which thing I know well hee will be loth to take vpon him as he whose wisedome well perceiueth the labour and study both of minde and body that shall come therewith to whomsoeuer so will occupie the roome as I dare say he will if hee take it Which roome I warne you well is no childs office and that the great wiseman well perceiued when hee sayd Vaeregno cuius Rex puer est Woe is that Realme that hath a childe to their King Wherefore so much the more cause wee haue to thanke God that this noble Personage which so righteously is intituled thereunto is of so sad age and so great wisedome ioyned with so great experience which
it were obliged to them both could acknowledge no lesse Charles more ambititiously then iustly desired exceedingly to annex Britaine to the Crowne of France taking occasion of the time and other circumstances which all seemed to conspire with his affections The Duke old and the father of one onely daughter suruiuing till marriage Maximilian King of Romans and riuall of King Charles in the same desires aswell for the Dutchy as the daughter feeble in meanes and King Henry aswell obnoxious to the French for benefits as busied in his particular at home and the Duke of Britane by succouring Lewis Duke of Orleance and other French Lords whom King Charles reputed his aduersaries ministred to the French an occasion or colour at least of warring vpon Britaine and so by the apt concurrence of circumstances to annexe it by conquest if by treaty hee could not Henrie of England now knowne to bee victoriously setled seemes worth the Courting Ambassadors come from the French who lay open the wrong offered by the Britaines in succouring the enemies of France put Henrie in minde of passed benefits and pray his assistance or at the least a neutrality but altogether concealing the mystery of this warre which was to annexe Britaine to the Crowne of France Howsoeuer Henry though he well enough knew that a King must euer bee the best part of his Councell for what are others opinions if himselfe want the happinesse or iudgement to choose the best propounds the points to his priuy Councell whereupon he Christianly offers himselfe a Mediatour betweene the French and Britaine an office in which it was apparant he might best satisfie all obligations and duties both to God and them The French pretend liking but in the meane time follow their designe hard Henry sends his Chaplen Master Christopher Vrswicke a man * whom he very often imploied The French maske on Things come to some extremities It becomes manifest that King Charles abused the King of Englands credulity for the City of Nant's in Britaine was brought by siedge to point of yeelding while messengers and packets outwardly osled with the name of peace slide to and fro and the French doubt nothing so much as lest the English should stirre before their victorie had made Britain irrecouerable The Lord Wooduile as without the Kings will or priuity slips ouer into Britaine with three or foure hūdred choise men to assist the Duke and came time enough to bee slaine with almost all his Souldiers at the battel of Saint Albin where the French wanne the day notwithstanding that the Britains the rather to appall their enemies had apparelled seuenteene hundred of their owne Souldiers in white Coates with redde Crosses after the English manner and made thereby a shew of two Regiments of English The Britaines had a great losse in that battel wherein they were made fewer by sixe thousand The Duke of Orleance and Prince of Orange who then were British in faction were taken Prisoners in the same fight The French lost about twelue hundreth and their Generall an Italian So that the state of Britaine seemed ripe for a fall 25 But King Henry hauing long since suspected and foreseene what the vttermost marke of the French might be and seeming to haue enough suffered the interest which they might expect in him as a man to be abused by their practises to the preiudice of his other friend the Duke of Britaine who forgate not to sollicit and vrge that point had made the quality of this affaire known to the body of State in open Parliament for that purpose assembleb as meaning by authority thereof to purge himselfe from all imputation if as a King he did that which the reason of Gouernment required which would not assent that Britaine should be made French lest by that accession their Neighbourhood might grow intollerable Britaine hauing so many Sea-townes and Out-lets to mischiefe the English trafficke Himselfe was otherwise also sufficiently resolued that the general good ought to predominate the particular and that his priuate obligations ought not to entangle or preiudice the publike seruice The Parliament therefore considering that which stood for the Common-weale decrees aide of men and money on behalfe of the Duke of Britaine it being besides all other respects a perillous example to suffer the great to deuoure the lesser Neighbour States vpon pretences of iustice or reuenge Forces are leuied but for respect of King Charles and in hope that the shew of preparations would stoope him to equall conditions not yet so roundlie as the Britons necessities expected Meane while that no formality or Princely Ceremony should be vnaccomplished King Henry by his Ambassadours certifies King Charles of his Parliaments decree praies him to desist from farther Hostilitie otherwise that he must assist the Duke but yet for the French Kings sake with this reseruation of pursuing his subiects no where but in Britaine Charles made small account of these ouertures because hee truly perswaded himselfe that the English aides would not arriue in season which fell out accordingly for before that time the French had gotten that victorie whereof euen now wee spake at the Battell of Saint Albin Vpon newes whereof the English Regiments were immediatly sent ouer vnder Robert Lord Broke Generall Sir Iohn Cheiney Sir Iohn Midleton Sir Ralfe Hilton Sir Richard Corbet Sir Thomas Leighton Sir Richard Lacon and Sir Edmund Cornewall Knights and Coronels The whole Army contained eight thousand men These march toward the enemy who acquainted with the temper of the English whiles they are fresh as being then almost inuincible containe themselues within their Campe but yet molest the English with continuall skirmishes on horsebacke in seueral places at once smally to the profit of the French who were alwaies put to the worse the Archers receiued them with such perpetuall stormes In the meane space Francis Duke of Britaine dies leauing in effect one only daughter the Lady Anne for the other being the younger deceased not long after This altered the whole state of the case The British Nobility vnder their young Mistresse immediatly fall at variance among themselues and the English thereby were on euery hand in danger so that God as it appeared by the sequele had destined Britain◅ to bee annexed to the Crowne of France for the English after fiue moneths stay were in wisdome compelled to returne the rather for that Winter now was come vpon them and Britaine destitute of competent defence her Rulers disagreeing among themselues was finally by the marriage of King Charles with the Lady Anne made a parcell of the French Monarchy as heereafter will appeare 26 King Henry the while was againe in danger to haue had present vse of Souldiers at home Wee shewed what care was heeretofore taken by him to weede the North and free it from lurking enemies That notwithstanding when the Earle of Northumberland Lieutenant of
the spousall sheetes that ceremony seeming to amount to a Consummation Charles King of France notwithstanding these solemnities and his owne particular engagement with the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximilian whom for the purpose of marriage he had already entertained into France did so ambitiously and vehemently couet to gaine Britaine that vpon confidence of his force hee resolued to breake through all respects and not only to offend all his forreine friends but to make them his iust enemies rather then to faile in effectuation Instruments are therefore very secretly set on worke and batterie is placed with bags of gold at all the opportunities which might let in his purpose Ambassadors also the Lord Frances of Lutzenburg Charles Marinian and Robert Gagwine Generall of the Order of the holy Trinitie are dispatched to Henrie praying that with his good will he might dispose of the body of the Lady Anne in marriage according to the right which he had thereunto as the chiefe Lord of whom shee held the Dukedome Henry denied the request but yeelded notwithstanding to send Ambassadors into France there to Capitulate about a peace The French carried this affaire with notable Art for to diuert the world for looking into the depth of their drift King Charles still detained the young Lady Margaret Maximilians daughter so as at most it could be but suspected that Charles meant to match her with some of his blood and all the entercourse of Orators and Ambassadors vsed in the meane time tended but to hold the English busied vpon other obiects till they had wrought their feate in the Court of Britaine For Maximilian to let the world see what iniuries shall be offered euen to Kings that are not strong him they altogether neglected King Henry they plaied with and Ferdinando King of Castile who was ready to ioine with Maximilian and Henrie against the French they resolue to appease with rendring vp vnto him the Counties of Ruscinoon and Perpinian as accordingly they did without reembursement of one penny of those 300000. Crownes for which Iohn King of Arragon father to Ferdinando had morgaged them The young Ladies doubts rising either out of religion or point of honor his cunning Agents and Emissaries wipe away with these solutions That Maximilianâ—… daughter was not of yeeres to consent and therefore the contract betweene King Charles and her did not binde either in law or conscience That her owne contract with Maximilian was void for that it was done without the consent of her Soueraigne Lord King Charles whose ward or Client shee was The Ladie vanquished in her iudgement with these reasons attracted with the present greatnes of King Charles and loath by refusall to make her Countrey the seat of a long and miserable warre secretly yeelded to accept of another husband Thomas Goldstone Abbot of S. Augustines in Canterbury and Thomas Earle of Ormond in Ireland King Henries Ambassadors into France hauing beene dandled by the French during these illusiue practises returned without other fruite of their labors 29 What could now the most patient doe lesse then take sword in hand vpon so palpable and vnworthy illusion But Maximilians wrongs were too impudent and intollerable for Charles sent home the Lady Margaret and married the Inheretrix of Britaine annexing it to his owne Realme whereas King Henrie found himselfe rather mockt then otherwise empaired Iames Contibald hereupon comes Ambassador from Maximilian and obtained his request which was that they with ioynt forces should by a certaine day prefixed inuade the French in full reuenge of these their bold prouocations Maximilian for his part promising to support that warre with at least ten thousand men for two yeeres King Henry hauing formerly in abundant manner prouided himselfe of treasure was ready before the day with a roiall army but Maximilian whose will to worke the vttermost mischiefe to France was not doubted being sent vnto by King Henry signifying his forwardnes was found vtterly vnfurnished Causes of Maximilians weakenesse in state were the rebellions and dislikes of his Flemish Subiects cherished by the French the Iealousie of Princes neighbourhood making them vniustly glad either of others molestations For subduing whereof though King Henry had heretofore giuen him good and successefull assistance vnder the conduct of Giles Lord Dawbeney Gouernour of Callis the Lord Morley and others whereby he the rather ouercame yet was hee the feebler as then by reason of so fresh exhaustures King Henry with good cause was not a little troubled at these newes secretly signified by his trustie Almner Mr. Christopher Vrswick and Sir Richard Risley knight his Ambassadors to Maximilian For hee was very loath to vndergoe so great an Action vpon his particular strengths though he doubted not to finde a potent party among the Britaines whose affections were as yet but loosely setled toward King Charles and yet farre more loath to deceiue the expectation of his owne people who had so largely contributed Chiefly the City of London out of which euen in those daies he receiued for his furniture in that voiage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and as it seemes by our Author two hundreth pounds besides from euery Alderman where the same King could not but with some difficulty leuie in the third yere of his Reigne a loane of foure thousand pounds whereof three of the best Companies are noted as for hauing done and deserued extraordinarily to haue lent aboue nine hundred And verily this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was vnto him humored that people with all forces of popularities for himselfe did not onely come among them and cause himselfe to be entred a brother in one of their Companies but ware the habite at a publike feast and sate as Maister as is verie credibly reported out of the Records of their Hall His wisdome therefore saw that in giuing ouer the inuasion of France he should sloathfully abandon a goodly occasion of making himselfe vniuersally acceptable to his people His resolutions therefore are by him at leastwise pretended to continue and for that cause he sufficiently encreaseth his numbers that he might seeme able to goe through with that enterprize alone and though the time of yeere were too farre spent for he landed not at Caleis till the sixth day of October yet marcheth he with his whole forces toward Boloigne being wel assured that with this trowell he should at once plaister two wals that is humor his English subiects and for a peace draw to himselfe store of Crownes from the French 30 He had with him besides the flower of his Nobility and Captaines answerable numbers of People fit for the seruice The most named persons were these Iasper Duke of Bedford Lieutenant Generall of the Army Thoâ—…as Marquesse Dorset the Earles of Arundell Oxford Suffolk Shrewsburie Derby Kent Deuonshire and Ormond sundry Barons as Dawbeney Abergenny Delaware South Hastings
Cobham c. But it is needlesse to weary our selues with long relations of a short voyage for King Henry before hee set forth out of England was secretly dealt with by the Lord Cordes Gouernour of Henault according to instructions on the French Kings behalfe to accept of conditions which till Boloigne was besieged as now by him it was was not knowne The ignorance of this mystery made many forward Gentlemen to morgage their lands and runne into much debt for their fuller and brauer furniture in hope to get great matters in this warre whereof to their griefe they found themselues deceiued In the mean time the L. Cordes hauing met at Caleis with Richard Fox Lord Bishoppe of Excester and Giles Lord Dawbeney the Kings Commissioners after iust and long debatement concluded vpon Articles of peace betweene the two Kings 31 Boloigne was brought to some distresse when by interuention of this agreement it remained safe and quiet King Charles was chiefly moued to buy his peace at a deare rate both for that the state of Britaine was as yet vnsetled and for that hee meant forth with to march into Italy for the conquest of the Kingdome of Naples and K. Henry on the other side was not vnwilling because Maximilian had failed and Britaine seemed clearely past possibility of euiction To which may be added a naturall noble and religious inclination in King Henry to liue in amity with his neighbours the inckling of new dangers then in brewing against him by the turbulent and vnappeaseable Dutchesse of Burgundy and cherished by King Charles and lastly the enrichment of himselfe by reembursing the charges both of this and the British warre out of the French elsewhere whereby he should farre the better bee able to withstand all forrain practises or domesticke outrages As for the preseruing of himselfe and his honour with his Subiects hee wanted not both true and honourable glosses Such as were the care to auoid vnnecessary effusion of Christian bloud the vses of his presence at home besides many other but his wisdome in the carriage of this right weighty action was chiefly eminent in this That hee would not enter into Treaty till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as was likely enough to force his owne conditions nor suffer the least signe of his secret willingnesse to peace or inward doubt of troubles at home to creepe out at any crany or chinke of his discourse or carriage whereby he as farre outwent the French fairely as they formerly seemed to haue ouerwrought him subtlely Had they truly beene informed in those points it is probable they might haue gone a cheaper way to work for besides what other Articles soeuer it was concluded That Henry should not quit his claime to France but that for a Peace which by the contract was only to continue during the two Kings liues Charles of France should pay in present to Henry for his charges in that warre seuen hundred forty and fiue thousand Duckets and twenty fiue thousand Crownes yeerely toward the expenses which hee had heretofore been at in aiding the Britons Which by the English called Tribute was duly paid during all this Kings raigne and also to Henry his son till the whole debt was run out thereby to preserue amity with England There were moreouer by Henries consent who was thus content to gratifie his Peeres at anothers cost not onely present rewards but also certaine annuall pensions allotted to the chiefe Lords of his priuie Councell A course of bounty which might otherwise haue proued preiudicious to the seruice of the King of England by engaging his Counsellors affections to the French The siege of Boleine lasted till the eighth day of Nouember Henry whom his Queens most tender frequent and louing lines did the rather inuite to speediest returne hauing setled all his transmarine affaires arriued at Douer from whence hee iournied to Westminster there to celebrate the Feast of Christmas This voyage into France affording no greater exploites then wee haue heard was celebrated by blind Bernard with hyperbolicall and well-borne verses not ordinary in which directing his speech in honour of Henry to the Howres he concludes Effugite igniuomos celeres coniungere Solis Quadrupedes Horae protinus ecce parant Non opus est vobis quia si priuatus Apollo Pauerit Admeti rursus ipse boues Principis hic nostri vultus Iouialis abundè Lumina crede mihi Phoebe recede dabit 32 The famous counterfeisance of Perkin Warbecke with which the braine of the Lady Margaret Dutchesse Dowager of Burgundie had long trauelled doth now beginne to disclose it selfe and make new businesses for King Henry The inglorious glorie of the first inuention in his raigne of this kind of vexation Lambert Simnels person had giuen to his Master the wily Simon so that our Dutchesse was but an imitatrix and yet perhaps shee gaue not place in any point to the first example or Archtype neuerthelesse the fortune of the first deuise being no more successefull then it was might reasonably haue deterred her from the edition of a second but whether it were an immortall enuie toward the Lancastrian race or a burning zeale of aduancing one that might at leastwise beare the name of a Plantagenet though by any sinister practises as if it had beene lawfull to attaine her ends admit them iust by any iniurious courses shee resolues to erect another Idoll as perceiuing by the first how notable an engine imposture was to trouble Henry being well assured that England was ful of corrupt humors and ill-affections to worke vpon not so much through the desert of her present King as for that the dregges which naturally reside in the bottom of mens hearts where most bloudy and barbarous factions haue for a long time weltered and wurried one the other with various euent were not clensed and auoided The Diuell therefore ready to furnish all attempts which may raise troubâ—… and mischiefe easily fitted her There was come therfore to her hands a youth adorned with such a shape as might easily perswade the beholders was worthy of a noble fortune he had thereunto a naturall fine wit and by reason of his abode in England in K. Edwards dayes could speake our language as also some other which hee had by a kind of wandring trauell obtained This youth was borne they say in the City of Torney and called Peter Warbecke the son of a conuerted Iew whose Godfather at Baptisme King Edward himselfe was The English in contempt and for a note perhaps of his forraine birth did afterward call him by a diminutiue of his name Peterkin or Perkin Him the Dutchesse as a fitte peece of timber out of which to carue a new Idoll moulds by degrees makes him take shape according to that Idaa which shee had prefigured in her working imagination before
twenty yeeres and called Ralfe Wilford who for falsly assuming the name title of the said Earle being thereunto taught and suborned a practise which well declared that the malitious Dutchesse of Burgundie did still liue was hanged at S. Thomas Waterings by Southwarke vpon Shrouetuesday 60 This new deuise to vncrowne King Henry so wakened his owne feares and the eies of the Castilians who had secretly agreed to marry their Princesse Katherine to our Prince Arthur that there seemed no sure ground of succession if that the Earle of Warwicke were not made away A fearefull case where the false reason of State shall faine to it selfe an impossibility of well doing without shedding innocent blood and shall therefore resolue to found vpon so crying a sinne the hope of perpetuity in succession sith nothing is truer thâ—… that sinne was â—…uer an vnsure basis to settle lasâ—…ing workes vpon But ô the narrow capacities of the most seeing men the confidence whereof did vndoubtedly lead this King heerein not iustifiable howsoeuer excusable in respect of humane frailty which might propound to it selfe many feares and respects both publike and priuate to conniue at the plotted death or rather formall murder of this harmelesse Gentleman whose wrong may yet moue the hardest to compassion as it afterwarde stirred God in iustice to reuenge prospering no part of that great worke which was thereupon thus corruptly sought to be perpetuated That noble Lady Katherine herselfe was hereof so sensible that when the diuorce was afterward prosecuted against her by King Henry the eight her second husband shee is reported to haue said That it was the hand of God for that to cleere the way to her marriage that innocent Earle of Warwicke was put to vnworthy death Neither let licentious Practises vouch the singular Act of Salomon in taking away the life of his elder brother Adonias to colour this homicide for he that will argue from particular facts in Scripture shall not onely leaue no Adonias liuing but perhaps no Salomon To worke this young Warwickes ruine the mischeiuous and dismall wretch Perkin becomes an occasion if not an instrument for he by his supple insinuations and flowing promises had corrupted his keepers the seruants of Sir Iohn Digbie Knight Lieutenant of the Tower who as was affirmed meant to haue murdered their master and then to haue set Perkin and the Earle at large to which practise of escape the poore Earle is said to haue consented Perkin for this conspiracie had his triall at Westminster and hee together with one Iohn à Waters who had beene sometime Maior of Corke in Ireland were condemned and being drawne to Tiborne had the sentence of death executed vpon them Perkin at the Gallowes did reade his former confession taking on his death that the same was true and vnder-went his punishment with patience Walter Blewet and Thomas Astwood being two of the conspirators for the other two Strangewates and Long Roger being the Lieutenants men also were not executed nor for so much as wee haue read arraigned not long after receiued the reward of their offence at the same place 61 Iustice thus tooke hold at last of Perkin Warbecke on whom the Prouerbe which saith that Pride is the Vsher of shame was worthily verified Neither could the world accuse King Henrie for his death vnlesse it were for that he had not hanged him sooner but suffered him to liue till hee had drawne after him a greater ruine in Warwicks person then in all the former tragedies For this Earle being a chiefe Prince of the blood and next heire Male of his house to the Crowne of England a crime of which his birth onely made him guilty and not any fact of his being thus charged to haue giuen assent to Perkins plot of escape he was publikely arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then High Steward of England by the name of Edward Plantaginet Earle of Warwicke and indited for minding to haue escaped as they said out of the Tower and consequently according to the dreadfull licence of inferences among our English pleaders in cases of death to depriue King Henry of his royall Crowne and dignity and to vsurpe the Title and soueraigne office prosecuting their bloody Poetry with the like sanguinary syllogismes though vtterly without measure or fashion The Earle doubly betraied first by the setters of the snare and then by their silly or deceitfull perswasions who were put about him confesseth the enditement and submitteth himselfe to the Kings mercie that is offered vp his head to be a slipperie foundation of King Henries farther purposes for sentence of death was thereupon pronounced as against a Traitour This one practise seemes sufficient if not to cast vpon Henry the Title of a shrewd and perillous man yet to raise a doubt whether as one writes hee was more sincere and entire then Ferdinando King of Spaine vpon whom saith that Authour he did handsomely bestow the enuie of the death of Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke The life therefore of this Prince according to rigour of lawe being thus in his power the King gently pardoned all the paines but the losse of his head which was cut off vpon a scaffold at Tower-hill and then another gratious fauour his body was not buried in the Chappel of the Tower or in any other common place but at Bisham by his Ancestors Iealous saith one the King was ouer the greatnes of his Nobilitie as remembring how himselfe was set vp and much more did this humour encrease in him after he had conflicted with such Idols and Counterfeits as Lambert Simenel and Perkin Warbeck The strangenes of which dangers made him thinke nothing safe This Earle was the last heire male of the blood and surname of Plantagenet whose race as it was a long time glorious for giuing Kings to England euen from King Henry the second so in the end chiefly for the house of Yorke it became hatefull as it seemes to God and man for the most horrible and inextinguible deadly fewdes murder periuries and other horrors committed within it selfe which as then not fully expiated lay heauily vpon the head of this Earle and finally threw open all those fences which the possession of Maiestie and numerositie of issue had for sundry ages cast about it letting in thereby the surname of Tydder being but two descents English and which now after three descents and fiue Princes is also vanished Now among those few great workes of peace which ensued their firebrands of warre we must remember the marriage of Prince Arthur with the Princesse of Spaine Lady Katherine The interim from Warwicks death till then brought forth a verie great plague whereof in London there are said to haue died about thirtie thousand The King and Queene remoue to Callais in May and returned in Iune The maine busines was to reuiew and ratifie the state of amity and negociations betweene the
intended to lay the foundation of his Empire to vsurpe all Italy besought him for the pitty of our Sauiour and by the vertue of his famous ancestors for I vse the words of the Popes briefe that neuer forsooke the Church of God in distresse and by the filiall obedience the strongest bond to enter into the holy league they hauing elected him against Lewis Caput faederis Italici 6 And indeed to speake as it was Lewis much emulated King Henries greatnesse fearing that fortune would giue him occasions to make his claime by sword vnto the Kingdome of France which the sooner hee did by this holy fathers instigations and by his Herauld Clarentius roughly demanded the Dutchies of Normandy Guyen Anion and Maine and with them also the Crowne that king Lewis ware The Scotish king likewise in case of Andrew Barton slaine in his Piracies as the English alleadged by the Admirall of England accounted the truce broken and sought the reuenge vpon the Borders adioining Against these two nations yong Henry at once prepared and happily obtained faire victories against both but the successe of the one though not following precisely the time we meane to relate before wee enter discourse of the other 7 The enterprise great which K. Henry meant to vndergoe hee thought it good wisdome to ioyne amity with Maximilian the Emperour Fardinando King of Spaine and many other Princes holding also correspondency with Pope Iulius the second that busie Pontificall Prelate of Rome then propounding his purposes in Parliament sent ouer certaine Nobles before him into France and afterward followed them himselfe pitching downe his Tents before the Towne of Terwin where he raised his royall Standard of the Red-dragon and begirt the Citie with a strait siege 8 To this place Maximilian the Emperour repaired and to the great honour of Henry entred into his pay wearing the Crosse of Saint George with a rose the Kings badge as his faithfull Souldier and receiued wages by day for euery of his according to their degree The French seeing the Towne in distresse sought the reliefe with victuals and men but were so encountred by the king and his company as that many of their chiefest Captaines were taken and sixe of their Standards wonne the rest for safeguard of life so posted away that this conflict was called the battell of Spurres 9 Then was the battery broght so neer their wals that many breaches were therein made and the Towne by composition yeelded vnto the King whereupon the Earle of Shrewsbury was sent to see all things safe who stucke vpon the highest Turret the Banner of Saint George and tooke the oath of alleagiance of all the French Citizens to acknowledge King Henry their supreme Lord This done the King as a Conquerour entreth Terwine sent thence their Ordinance dismounted the Turrets cast downe the walles filled vp the ditches and fired the Towne excepting onely the Cathedrall Church and Bishops Pallace 10 Then was the siege remoued vnto Turnay about which City King Henry commanded diuers Trenches to bee cast and placed his Ordinance to such aduantage that none might enter in or come out of the same Into this Towne a great number of the French from the Countries adioining had lately fled relying much vpon the strength and safety of the place which indeed had euer beene accounted so inuincible that this sentence was engraued ouer one of the gates Iannes ton me a perden ton pucellage thou hast neuer lost thy maiden-head Notwithstanding it was yeelded vp vnto Henry with ten thousand pounds sterling for the Citizens redemption who to the number of fourescore thousand then tooke their oathes to become his true Subiects and foure of their principall bare vp the Canopie vnder which the King in triumph-wise entred hauing born before him his sword axe speare and other abiliments of warre euery Citizen holding a staffe-Torch for his light The safe keeping of this City the King committed to Sir Edward Poinings Knight of the Order of the Garter whom hee there made his Lieutenant and ordained Thomas Wolsey his Almoner the Bishoppe of Turnay The yeere now spent and season vnfit for the fielde a surcease from warre was determined vntill the next spring whereupon all were shipped for England with full payment and praise but Terwin and Turnay stucke heauily vpon the French mens hearts 11 King Lewis thus endammaged in his owne Dominions thought it best policy to pay like for like to which end at the first attempts against Terwine hee solicited Iames the fourth of that name King of Scotland though brother by marriage vnto King Henry of England to disturbe the peace of his Subiects that so hee might bee drawne out of France which Iames for his part put presently in practise for writing his letters to Henry in the French Kings behalfe charged him with breach of Truce both in the case of his Scots slaine at the sea as also against his Confederates the Duke of Gelder and King of France against which last he desired him to desist otherwise hee should bee forced to reuenge the Frenches wrongs vpon his English and to giue letters of Mart to recouer the losses of his Subiectes 12 King Henry a Prince of a Maiesticall spirite most highly offended at these his brothers requests and threates was so farre ouergone with fury and rage that Lions King at Armes the bringer was thereby somewhat daunted at his present answere which he desired might be sent in writing refusing to carry in words his reply to his Soueraigne This Heralds wise and weighty request was forthwith granted and letters framed to King Iames demands answering those imputations with rough and round words which notwithstanding hee neuer read or saw being slaine in the battell of Flodden before that Lions could come to deliuer the same 13 For Iames King of Scots preparing for war had in the meane while entred the borders and with his Ordinance battered and wonne the Castell of Norham making still forward vpon the English Against whom Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey made the Kings Lieutenant of the North at his going into France assembled an Army of twenty sixe thousand strong vnto whom came his sonne the Lord Admirall of England with a great supply of good souldiers well appointed for warre The Earle from Newcastell came vnto the water of Till and pitched his battell besides a little Towne called Brankeston vnder Flodden hill a mountaine lying in the North of Northumberland betwixt the riuers of Till and Tweed where vpon a rising banke the Scottish hoast had taken the aduantage of the ground vnto King Iames Thomas Earle of Surrey sent Rouge Crosse a Purseuant at Armes with proffer of battell to bee done vpon Friday the ninth of September if so it pleased his Highnesse who withall carryed this message from the L. Admirall that he was come in person to iustifie
King the chiefest A better of the Scots whom he euer vpheld to hold him tacke at home least otherwise he should 〈◊〉 with France for his owne right And therefore hauing ioined with the Emperour against the French sent his Herald Garter King at Armes to demand certaine couenants which if he refused 〈◊〉 proclaime defiance vnto open warres but he not suffered to doe his message to the King returâ—…ed and 〈◊〉 prepared an expedition into France wherein he imploied the Dukes of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the Earleâ—… of Aâ—… Oxfâ—…rd and Surâ—…ey the Lords Râ—…ssell Grey 〈◊〉 rers 〈◊〉 and Sainâ—…-Iohn besides many other seruiceable Knights and Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed high Admirall for the Seâ—… Of these some 〈◊〉 with the Emperials and shewed their value in the siege of Mattrell 127 The Duke of Suffolke in the meane while strucke downe his Standerds on the East side of Bolloigne and with many sharpe skirmishes entred the base Towne which siege King Henry himselfe in person seconded who hauing passed the Seas from England vpon the sixe twentith of Iuly encamped before Bolloigne on the East-side whence his Canons so rent the Wals and Bulwarke as their mounted tops lay vpon the Ground and his great morter peeces were discharged with so skilfull a Compasse that their bullets falling downe right beate all buildings downe vpon the Enemies heads Whereby saith Sleidane in short time he got that which neither his Father nor the Kings in former times could neuer winne For thereupon the Town was surrendred and cleared of the French souldiers women and children 128 The King like a Conquerour with his sword borne before him entred the Gate where the Duke of Suffolke presented him with the keyes of the Towne the Trumpets still sounding and nothing wanting that might applaud his fame The Towne thus wonne the English meant still to keep for the strengthening whereof the King commanded the faire Church of Saint Maries to be taken downe and in the same place a mount to be raised for the planting of Ordinance to annoy any siege But being thus busied in Bolloignes affaires the Emperour without his knowledge or consent came to a peace with the French King whereat King Henrie was sore displeased and the sooner left France leauing Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle his deputy in Bolloigne and landed at Douer the first day of October to his great honor and ioy of his Subiects 129 The French King chafed with this late and great losse sought to trie fortune in further attempts and that not onely for the recouery of Bolloigne which with twenty thousand well appointed hee assaied but also in assayling the English dominions as the I le of Wight and those parts of Sussex that lay vpon the Seas though with losse of many Captaines and thousands of Souldiers that neuer returned to tell him what intertainement they had as likewise in sending aide vnto Scotland where Monsieur Mungumry of the Order of France with 5000 strong entred to maintaine the breach betwixt them and K. Henry which was so followed on both parts as the English making a Roade towards Gedworth got praise for their valour but reproch for their spoiles and the Scots renowne for killing the Lord Eure Lord Warden of the East-Marches with many other Captaines in defence of their Countrey 130 Hereupon an Army of twelue thousand strong was sent into Scotland whereof the Earle of Hertford was Generall with these he forraged the Borders before him and burnt many Townes in the Middle-Marches with Kelsey Coldingham Abbey the French not hastie to stay the incursion lay still and let them vnfought with depart for England 131 But the warres remoued againe into France the Reingrâ—…e with a great power came to victuall a Fort built neere vnto Bolloigne to impeach which the Earle of Surrey then Lieâ—…tenant of the Towne made forth but was discomfited in the enterprize and Sir Edward Poyâ—…ings Captaine of a Band slaine with fifteene other Captaines besides many Officers and Common Souldiers These Princes wars in these violent proceedings became very fearfull least they would grow to the Common hurt of Christendome and therefore many other potentates whereof the Emperour was first sollicited these Kings vnto a peace which the sooner was heard and imbraced for that they were both of them old and King Henry diseased in body Commissioners therefore appointed certaine articles were agreed vpon the first thereof was that the French King should pay vnto King Henry eight hundred thousand Crownes in eight yeeres space and then to râ—…nter vpon Bollâ—…igne but in the meane time it to remaine vnder the English to accomplish which peace Mounsieur Danebalt high Admiralâ—… of France was sent into England and Sir Thomas Cheynie Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports to be the Kings Agent at the Font for the Baptisme of the Dolphins new borne daughter 132 Notwithstanding these Complements the sight of Bolloigne was a great sore in the French mens eies insomuch that Monsieur Chatillon Captain of Mountplaisier beganne to make a new Bastilion neere vnto the Towne euen in the very mouth of the Riuer which the Lord Grey of Wilton perceiuing certified the King what inconuenience would happen if that were made strong and the same discussed at the Counsell-Table it passed with one voice that the Peace with France was not to be infringed notwithstanding this French attempt to which end a prohibition drawne whereunto King Henry also set his hand that no let should be made against Chatillon in his Fort. Howbeit the King commanded Sir Thomas Palmer imploied in this busines to bid the Lord Grey to impeach the new worke and to flat so much as was raised thereof vnto the Earth This commission read with the report of Command to the Contrary the Counsell of State thought it most meete to follow their instructions in writing least the words might either be mis-deliuered or mistaken But the Lord Grey causing the messengers words to be writ and subscribed with all their hands that were present at the report suddainely and vnlooked for came to the Fort and in foure houres space cast downe what had beene in raising three moneths before which when the King heard off he asked his Counsellors what they thought of this that Chatillâ—…-garden was cast downe amongst whom one of them answered the dâ—…er thereof was worthy to loose his head I had rather said the King loose a dozen of such heades as thine is then his that had done the deed and immediately sent the Lord Grey his pardon with many great thankes 133 But now the dâ—…te of his time almost run and he preparing towards the way of all flesh the great and faire Church of the Gray Friers London lately suppressed by himselfe he caused againe to be opened and to be made a Parish Church giuing the reuenewes thereof vnto the Citie of London towards the reliefe
* â—…er de Quincy Robert Fitz. Walter The policy of K. Henries friends in their march The feareful end of the Earle of Perch The Kings Army hath a strange victory called Lewis Fair. Rog. de Wend. M. S. * Mat. Paris * Walsingham Ypodig Neust. The perillous eâ—… state of Lewis * Wend. MS. Paris hist. * Ypod. Neust. Rog. de Wend. MS. Mat. Paris Eustace and the French succours defeated at Sea * Stow in Henry 3 London besieged Articles of peace between Henry and Lewis * Doct. Pow. hist. Cambr. p. 278. * Iob. Til. Chron. * Paul Aemil. in Phil. 2. * Hollinsh in H. 3. Lewis had no money granted to him by this composition Rog. Wendouer M S. Math. Paris The same Math. Paris at A. D. 1227. Saith that King Henry charged the Londoners for hauing giuen Lewis 5000 marks at his departure forcing them to giue him as much * Enguer de Mon. Gagwin Paul Aemil. Iob. Tili An. 1218. * Rog. de Wend. M. S. Mat. Paris * So ancient Writers call him and well might * An. 1219. * In the Temple-Church in London * Paris ad an 1214. saith Geruasius de Melkelâ—…y made these verses * Hollinsh p. 202 Ann. 1220. An. Reg. 5. King Henry crowned againe * Mat. Paris Walsingham Westminster Church enlarged by Henry 3. Ann. 1221. * Wend. M S. Paris hist. ma. * Ypodig Neust. Mat West * D. Pow. bist Camb. * Mat. Paris * Ro Wend. MS. Mat. Paris hist. ma. * Polyd. Vergil * Hâ—…t Scot. 13. * Tho. VValsing in Ypod. Neust. * Polyd. Verg. lib. 16. Hollinsh p. 203. Rog Wend. and Mat. Paâ—… place this Ambassage at An. D. 1223. * Ypod. Neust. * In Concilio â—…ituricensi Mat. Paris The King puts off the popes demaunds Mat. Paris * Polyd. Vergil l. 16. Mat. Paâ—…is What kind of Heretikes the Albigenses of Waldenses were Frater Râ—…ynerius de Ualdensibus * The Master herefie of the Albigenses * Apud Auentinum The holy warres denounced against Christian Princes * Math. Paris * Math. Paris The Popes crossings attended with few blessings * Mat. Paris * The Earle of Campaigne and the Popes Legate were publiquely charged of adultry with Lewis his Queene apud Mat. Paris * Ranalphâ—… Oâ—…terbourne alij Roger Wend. M. S. Math. Paris * Tilâ—…us Aemylius Walsing saith 14. Paris scarce 10. Likelyhoods for a warre with France * Paul Aemil. in Iud. 80. Aemylius An. 1227. The King begets enemies at home by raising mony to make warre abroad * Rog. de Wend. MS. Mat. Paris The King perhaps had this summe for the things which Fablan saith hee granted The Charters of liberties reuoked and cancelled * Mat. Paris Peace in France frustrates the English designes for France * Mat. Paris ad An. 1234. Scriptores Brit. apud Paul Aemil. in Ludou 9. * Rog. de VVend MS. Mat Paris at A. D. 1234. * Yet Walsingham names him Earle of Kent before that Ceremony of girding him with the Sword * Wend. MS. Mat. Paris The Barons in Armes at Stamford The Barons rebellious message to the King The Welsh in Armes * Quinque Leucâ—…rum Mat. Parâ—… * Rog. VVend MS Math Paris Ceri saith D. Powel in Hist. Cambr. * Mat. Paris * Hist. Cambr. * Rog. Wend. MS. Mat. Paris * This William was afterward hanged by Lewelin for lying with his wife as is reported iâ—… Mat. Paris ad An. 1230. though elsewhere he saith it was by reason of Hubert de Burghs letters to Lewelin Mat. Paris ad An. 1232. Queene Isabels practises for her Sonne against the French Queene Isabel falsly charged * Nich. Guilles Chr. Fran. The noble form of warre among the old English praysed by strangers Earle Hubert in the Kings displeasure * Mat. Paris cals him Henrie Earle of Britain Walsing Peter Duke of Britaine Ann. 1230. * The great humility and charity of K. Henry Ypod. Neust. * Rog. de Wend. MS. * Polyd. Vergil li. 16. Lib. Statuâ—… ad A. R. 20. Hen. 3 * Polyd. Vergil l. 16. saith but forty * Mat. Paris * Paul Aemil. * Roger Wend. M. S. Math. Paris Walsingham in Ypodig Neust. The Irish attempting to recouer their Country from the English miscarry An. 1231. * Math. Paris * Math. Paris * Idem ibid. * Rog. de Wend. M. S. * Mat. Paris Antiquit. BritaÌ„nica in vit Edmunds Mat. Paris in Hen. 3. * Paul Aemil. Three yeeres truce with France Ro. Wend. MS. Mat. Paris An. 1232. The memorable deiection of Earle Hubert The causes of the Kings wants seene into * Polyd. Verg. lib 〈◊〉 VVendouer MS. * Mat. Paris Pol. Verg. l. 〈◊〉 * Wend. MS. * Mat. Paris * Wendouer MS. * Mat. Paris The principall cords in the scourge prepared for the Earle of Kent The Earle of Kents defence disallowed Articles or cà lumniations of treason obiected A precious stone to make a man inuincible if you lâ—…st beleeue it The Earle takes Sanctuary * Wendouer Mat. Paris Other malicious Articles obiected The hanging of Constantine obiected The Earle of Kent takes Sanctuary * On Holyrood day 14. Sept. * Fab. Cone MS. The Earle again takes Sanctuary * Rog. Wend. M. S. Mat. Paris The honest and noble mind of a poore Artificer * Additâ—… M. Par. ad VVendou A pithy speech of that Artificer The Earle restored to the Sanctuary from whence hee was taken * Ro. Wend. M. S. Mat. Paris The Archbishop of Dublin a faithfull friend to Hubers The Earles treasure deliuered to the King The King relenteth towards the Earle and will not take his life * In Wiltshire An. 1233. An. reg 17. * Wend. MS. * Math. Paris ex Reg. VVend Iuditia commitâ—… 〈◊〉 leges ex legibus pax discordantibus institâ—… 〈◊〉 The king by aduancing strangers discontents his Nobles The English Peeres confederate against the strangers Fiue Sunnes in the skie in April Wend. MS. Mat. Paris The Barons contemne the kings Summons * Paris cals him Bacum The franke speech of a Preacher * That is Rocks and Stones * In Iuly The Barons second contempt of the kings commaund The trayteroâ—… errand to the king * In August next * Rog. de VVend MS. The Earle Marshal in Armes * Mat. Paris Confederates himselfe with Lewelin Prince of VVales * Rog. Wend. MS. Mat. Paris * The Sunday after Michaelmas Hubert de Burgo escapes into Wales * Thom. Westm. Roger Wend. Mat. Paris * Ypod. Neust. * Dâ—…ct Pow hist. Cambr p. 289. * Viz. Ioh. de Mâ—…nmouth Ralph de Thorney The Earles great courage and agility * Now the Rolles in Chancery Lane Stowes Suruay * Saint Iohns Hospital by Magdalene Colledge the first stone whereof was laid by the â—…ing himselfe Rossus Leolines opinion of K. Henries Almesdeedes Mat. Paris D. Powel hist. Camb. pag. 292. An. 1234. An. reg â—…8 * Rog. VVend The King giues way to the fury of the rebellious A practise to ruine the Earle Marshal The
Alain Chartier * Vpon Easter Eue. Enguerrant de Monstrelet Enguerrant de Monstr His death Tho. Wals. * Augusti 30. Fabian * Some reckon but 11. dayes Stow addeth fiue monethes more Boet. l. 16. c. 19. Polydor. Ioh. Stow. Aâ—…ls His works of deuotion * Ioh. Rossus * Th. Gascoign in Dict. Theolog. Tho. Wals. Stow. Annal. The manner of his bringing into England * France England Ireland Legend des Flamens Monarch 53 Henry VI. * Dan. cap. 2. v. 21 Henry the sixth began his raigne the last day of August being the day of his Fathers death Anno 1422. * Tit. 〈◊〉 * Ioh. Til. Chr. * Stowes Annal. * Polyd. Verg. hist. lib. 23. * Paul Aemyl in Car. l. A Parliament at Westminster * The leuie therof was 5. Nobles on euery sacke of wool * Polyd. Verg. bist lib. 23. The Regents Oration to the French * Paul Aemyl in Car. 7. * Crauant saith Polyd. who placeth this action in the following yeere The bounds of the English Regency in France * Stows Annal. * Polyd. Verg. l. 23 * Stows Annals * Polyd. Verg. l. 23 The whole field-forces of the English in France vnder the Duke of Bedford * Rob. Fab. * Polyd. Vâ—…rg lib. 23. * Gagwin * Paul Aemil. * Hect. 〈◊〉 l. 16. The Regentâ—… victory at Verâ—…il in Perch * Stowes Annâ—…l * Hect. Boâ—…t li. 16. This battell was fought 7. of Aug. Anno Domini 1425. saith Stow. * Poly. Verg. li. 23. * Iâ—… Carol. 7. The murtherers of Iohn Duke of Burgoin excepted in capitulations * Rob. Fab. Chroâ—… Iames the first King of Scots set at liberty out of England * Hect. â—…oct l. 17. Grafton * Rob. Fab. 1. Câ—… The title of Mortimer to the Crowne sought to be crusht * Hal. Chron. Camb. 〈◊〉 The Duke of Glocester rashly marieth another mans wife * Gâ—…r Histâ—… by Edw. Griâ—…st The Duke of Burgoin challenged by the Duke of Glocester to fight * Stowes Annal. An. D. 1425. A. Reg. 4. * Stowes Annal. Court-factions in England * See Foxe his Martyrologe in H. 6. * Polyd. Verg. Lib. 23. The new Constable of France miscarrieth in his first enterprize * Hoâ—… The Duke of Bedford returneâ—… into England to appeâ—…se the Court factions The Protector and the Bishop made â—…ends * Holâ—…sh The King receiueâ—… Knighthood and dubbeth Riâ—…ard Duke of Yorke A. D. 1427. A. reg 5. The Regent and the Lord Talbot with fresh forces passe into France Talbotâ—… 〈◊〉 * â—…agwin * Pâ—…l Aâ—…ll The siege of Orleance * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl * Polyd. Virg. l. 23 The Earle of Salisbury â—…aine with a great shot before Orleance * 〈◊〉 * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl * Fabiâ—… The siege continued notwithstanding the Earles death Orlâ—…ce offers to become Burgundian but the English would not admit thereof * Serres â—…amlet by Edward Grimsâ—… Ioan the martial maid miraculously sent to deliuer Orleance and Frâ—… * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Serres Inuentar * Poly. Uerg. * Serres Inuentar * Polyd. Verg. * Gerard. Seg de Haillin some other French Authors Serres out of the Originall Copie translated by Edw. Grimstâ—… The Viragâ—… her letter to the English General before Orleance * Serres The description of Ioan la Pucelle de Dieu or the maid of God The siege of Orleance raised * Sâ—…wes Aâ—…ls The reflux or ebbe of the English greatnesse in France Polyd. Verg. * Stows Annal. The L. Talbot taken in battel * Polyd. Verg. Charles crowned King of France at Rheimes * Pâ—…l Aemyl Ioh Til. Chr. Ioan taken prisoner Chron. de Bretaig apud Holinsh. p. 604. * Serres saith by the bastard of Vandome Holinshed She is burnt for a witch at Roan * Tit. Lâ—… Pataâ—… Dâ—…cad 1. * See Holinsh. in Hen. 6. The French got this sentence to be reuersed by the Pope 26. yeeres after * Stow. K. Henry in to come in person into France Richard Duke of Yorke made Constable of England A. D. 1431. A. Reg. 10. Henry crowned King of France in Paris * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Ioh. Tyl Chr. * Polyd. Verg. * Gaâ—…orum to distinguish it seemeth from the former meere titular of Galliâ—… Rex so also the French Kingâ—… vsually stile themselues * In Custodia Io. Guillâ—…m Hâ—…raldi peâ—…iss Dat. H. 6. 7. * Inter Chartâ—… Collegâ—… Etâ—… The King returnes into England The Protector breakes an insurrection at Abington in the Shell * Stowes Annal. A mutinie beginning in Callais appeased The Duke of Bedford marrieth the Earle of Saint Pauls daughter * Holinsh. * Serreâ—… * Ioh. Til. Chron. * Paul Aemil. Renate Duke of â—…rrain and Barre taken prisoner * Polyd. Verg. l. 23. * Paul Aemil. The miserable face of France by occasion of thâ—…se warres * Poly. Verg. * Serres Inuent The Commons of Normandy rise against the English * Holinsh. * Polyd. Uerg. The Earle of Arundel slaine * Paul Aemyl * Iâ—…ent of Fr. * Eâ—…nius 4. 〈◊〉 â—…ners of â—…he English French and Burgundians Holinsh. * Polyd. Verg. lib. â—…3 Serres in Char. 7. Serres * Serres The French and Burgundian agree 24 Sept. 1435 * Polyd. Verg. * In Câ—…l 7. The incredible rate at which K. Charles purchased the Burgundians good * Paul Aemyl * Polyd. Uerg. * Paul Aemyl A. D. 1435. A. reg 14. The Burgundian renounceth to the Regent his friendship with England * Inuent of Fr. The Duke of Bedford Regent of France dieth at Paris * Cambden in Bedfordshire saith he was slaine in battell before Veâ—…noyle * Master Cambden loc citâ—…t * Stowes Annals but Master Cambden saith it was Charles 8. Cambd. ibid. King Lewis his Princely testimony of the late Regents vertues Richard Duke of Yorke made Regent of France * Holinsh. Stow Annal. The Parisians conspire to dispossesse the English * Paul Aemyl * Serres Inuent by Edw. Griâ—…st The City of Paris yeelded vp to the French * Rob. Fabians Chronicle Gagwin * 27. Feb. A. D. 1436. The new Regent comes with an Army into France * Stows Annal. Calais besieged by the Burgundian The Protector of England rescues Calais with a great Fleet and hoâ—…t * Polyd. Verg. l 13 He returns with honâ—…ur into England * Serres Rob. Fab. * Serres * Polyd. Verg. l. 23. An. D. 1437 Katherine Queen 〈◊〉 of England * Pâ—…l Aemyl * Polyd. Verg. King â—…nry the 7. her Grandchild * Stowes Annals The Dutchesse Dowager marrieth Woodâ—…le Elizabeth wife to Edward 4. 〈◊〉 daughter of that bed The murder of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of Scotland * Hect. Bâ—…et l. 17. The new Regent doth nothing * Iauent of Fr. * Stow. p. 616. Harflew recouered by the Dukâ—… of Sommerset The Earle of Warwâ—…cke comes Regent into France and Yorke returneâ—… A. D. 1438. The Duke of Yorke Regent againe King Charles and his sonne recon ciled against the English The siege of Pâ—…ntoyse * Serres King Charles pursued by the Duke of Yorke Pontoys
The Sea-Force wherof spoyled the Coasts on both sides of the Forth or Scottish Sea and putting on land in Saint Colms they spoyled the Abbey which Sacrilege Hector notes was seuerely punished the whole Fleete being battered with tempest and some of the ships perishing At another time also the like sacrilege being perpetrated there hee saith that the shippe wherein the vnlawfull prize was sunke sodainely to the Sea-ground without any tempest The King himselfe comming to Perth to order the Scottish affaires whiles hee abode there the Earle of Murray one of the Gouernors was taken Prisoner who was after deliuered vpon Exchange for the Earle of Namur whō the Scots by like Art had taken or as Hector wil haue it for the Earle of Salisbury 35 By the mediation of the French the Scots had a short truce granted them But about the end of May the King sent his cosen the Lord Henry sonne to Henry Earle of Lancaster with a great Army to the aid and seruice of the Lord Edward Balliol King of Scotland which wasted all the Countries about Perth where while they lay the King with a very small Company came sodainely vnto them and from thence pierced farther one way then euer his Grandfather Edward had done suffering fire death the common furies of warre to worke vpon all that might suffer destruction to establish a Conquest Hee marcht vp as farre as Elgin and Buquhan and in his return to Marre burnt the Towne of Aberden in reuenge for Sir Thomas Rosselin a Knight whom the Townes-men thereof had slaine The Lord Robert Steward had great landes in those parts for Murrey and Buquhan were his which also the young Prince Edward many Earles and great Captaines with a gallant Company of men of war sailed to Antwerpe whom Lewis the Emperour met at the City of Colein where amity was confirmed and King Edward was constituted his Lieutenant with full authority to gouerne in his name on this side Colein By reason of which Vicegerencie King Edward made out his commandements and did many things to his aduantage and profit Howsoeuer it neither lasted long for Lewis within a while dishonourably reuoked it and did vndoubtedlie scarce quit the cost for the brauery of that meeting was so exceeding great as Edward easily wan the general opiniō of a very noble puissant king Polydor writes that Edward refused not the office yet would not exercise the same because he would not displease Pope Benedict whose enemy the Bauarian was 49 This Emperour whom belike the Pope hated for being as proud as himselfe tooke it ill as report went that the King of England humbled not himselfe at their meeting to the kisse of his foot But it was answered that the King of England was a King annointed and had life and member in his power and therefore ought not to submit himselfe so much as an other King that was not annointed After his returne to Antwerpe with his new power hee seriously prosecuted his affaire of confederation with the Lords and people of Dutchland among whom with great loue and fauour he and his royall family abode aboue an whole yeere The principall Nobles which entred into this league against the French were these The Archbishoppe of Colein Prince Elector The Duke of Brabant The Duke of Gelderland who had married the Lady Isabel King Edwards owne sister and about this season was of an Earle created a Duke The Marquesse of Gulick c. And finally the Hanse townes 50 The Flemings being the most necessary part of this association in regard of their neerenes to the French would not engage themselues in an offensiue warre against the Crowne of France vnlesse King Edward would first assume the Title and Armories of that Realme as the onely lawfull King therof This Proposition was throughly debated and the law of Armes allowing it hee with the common assent of the Flemings and others tooke the Stile and quartered the Flower de Lize with the Leopards or Lions of England as here we see annexed albeit wee see his former Seale also adorned with two Lize or Lillies whether in token of his mothers French descent or as a couert note of his own right to the Frenchcrown it is vncertaine 51 Polydor Virgil must haue a warie and fauourable Reader or hee will bee thought to bee of opinion that William the Conqueror bare his Leopards quartered then which nothing is more vntrue nor more vnlikely Others againe may suppose that we haue not here described them according to their right bearing as certainly according to their present bearing wee haue not but the truth is the golden Lillies of France which now are borne in triangle were in those dayes born and aduanced Semi 52 And whereas the Armories of France are placed here in the dexter and more honorable quarter yet there are probabilities that it was not so at this their first coniunction For in the* Seale of Queen Isabel this King Edwards mother the Armories of England as being the Armories of the husbands line and therefore to haue precedence were marshalled where now the Flower de Luces shine But whether to gratifie the French or because that was the more ancient and greater Monarchie they were in this Kings raigne disposed as here we see 53 When King Edward had thus assumed the Title and Armes of that Realme hee published the same vnder his seale setting the name of England first and sent his Letters Patents to the frontiers of the enemies Dominions fixing them vpon the dores of Churches aswell to declare the right and reason of his doings as to exempt such from the danger of the comming storme who vpon this notice would acknowledge him their Lord and rightfull Soueraigne These proclamations or admonishments thus diuulged he burnt and spoiled the North parts of France vp as farre as Turwin though the time of the yeere were very vnseasonable and contenting himselfe therewith for a beginning gaue place to the sharpenesse of Winter returning to the Queen his wife at Antwerpe where hee kept a roiall Christmas In which City this yeere was Lionel afterward Duke of Clarence borne 54 His affaires growing ripe in those parts he leaues his Queene and Children in Brabant as an assured pledge of his returne and about Candlemas shippes himselfe for England where in a Parliament at Westminster he obtained liberall aids for supportation of his intended Conquest In lieu of which louing assistances hee granted a generall large pardon both for trespasses and of all Aides for making his sonne Knight and for marriage of his daughter during all his time forgiuing also all arrerages of Farmers and Accountants till the tenth yeer of his Raigne and all old debts due to any of his Predecessors Finally hee confirmed that famous Magna Charta and of the Forest with some other 55 There was no talke now but of conquering France
storie of Britaines first peopling Samothea this Iland Britaine conquered by Chams posterities Pompon Mela. Bale Giraldus Hercules in Britaine left the possesion thereof to Chams posteritie An opinion much applauded Brute and his Troians conquered this Iland Brute descended from Iupiter Pliny Varrâ—… A false descent may not be challenged Geffrey of Monmouth died in Anno 11â—…2 Acts 17. 28. Monmouth his excuse Henry of Huntingdon died in Anno 1148. Henry Huntington also recordeth Brutes line and arriuall in Britaine Geffrey ap Arthur A booke hereof found Wil. Lamb. Peramb Ninius and Taliesin bring the Britaines from Brute Died in Anno 1142. Malmesb. de Gest is rerum Anglorum lib. 1. Beda hislor Angli lib. 1. cap. 16. Liuy Iustine Caesar. Suetonius Martial Rusebius Eutropius Nicephorus Ambrose Socrates Harding Chrâ—… chap. 11. Iohan. Hanuil Nichola Vpton 〈◊〉 Cicero de Som. Scipionis Ammianus Marcel lib. 22. cap. 14. Histories must be weighed with iudgement Vaâ—…o Times motions diuided into three parts Beroaldus The third only historicall The story of Brute fabulous Gildas Beda hist. Angli lib. 1. cap 22. Gildas maketh no mention of Brute Bale out of Polydore Ninius also saith nothing of him Beda hist. Angli lib. 5 cap. 24. Beda beginneth but at Iulius Caesar. Beda had the help of the Abbat Albinus Of Daniel Bishop of West-Saxons Of Abbat Essius Of Cymbertus and brethren of Laestinge Of the brethren of Lindisfarnum The history of Brute not to be found in Beda his time Elward Elward speaketh nothing of Brute Ingulphus Florentius of Worcester William of Malmsbury All these writers before Geffrey and yet none mention Brute but he William of Newboroughs Chronicle inueighing against Ieffrey ap Arthur Merline a wizard A deuice to put by this William of Newburghs accusation Descript. Camb. cap 7. He florished in Anno 1210. Giraldus Cambrensis calleth Bruts history the fabulous story of Ieffrey Iohn Weathamstead The discourse of Brutus disproued by Iohn Weathastead Ascanius had no sonne whose proper name was Syluius A ridiculous thing to vsurpe gentility Wisedome the true nobility Seneca Epist. 44. Merlines books inhibited An Act inhibiting fantasticall predictions Malmesburies testimony of Arthur Brute not mentioned in the genealogie of the Latine Kings Neuer any such king in the world as Brute Boccace Viues Hadrianus Iunius c. The Criticks argument No honor to the Britans to be deriued from the Troians The Britaines histories weakned by themselues D. Powell beginneth his history of Wales but at Cadwaller Cadwallers story also doubtfull Ran. Chest. Rob. Fabian Iohn 〈◊〉 Master Cambden accused by the defender of Ieffrey of Monmouth A further disproofe of Brutes history Achâ—…z he should haue said Rabbi Isack Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 16. cap. 43. Hierome The Authourâ—… owne opinion of Brutes historie Brutes conquest in the eighteenth of Heli his priesthood 1. Sam. 4. 18. Heli his priesthood in anno 〈◊〉 28â—…7 Baruch 6. 2. Ioseph contra Appion lib. 1. Herodotus iâ—… Euterpe Iudg. 8. 28. Clemens Alexand. Stromat 1. Menelaus returned from Troy when Hiram gaue his daughter in mariage to Salomon 2. King 11. 3. Brute his conquest rather in Athalia her time Ioseph cont Appion lib. 1. 2. Phoenician records Carthage built after King Hirams raigne 155. yeeres Virg. 〈◊〉 lib. 1. Tacitus 〈◊〉 lib. 16. cap. 1. Brutes conquest rather in Iotham his time 2. King 15. 32. Manethon cited by Iosepo cont Appion lib. 2. Israelites depart from Egypt 1000. yeeres before the warres of Troy by Iosephus account Iosep. cont Appion lib. 1. Brutes conquest rather after Alexander the great Two hundred forty six yeeres a time too short for the raigne of seuenty two Kings A supposed answer The great differences in computation of yeers among Writers These differences were chiefly before the Flood Septuagint Ioseph Antiquis lib. 1. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 Beroaldus The accounting of yeeres by the Scripture is a mâ—…st sure maner of computation From the creation to the flood 1656. From the flood to the seuentie fifâ—…h of Abrahams life 427. Ioshua 24. 2. From the promise to Abraham till the Law 430 Galath 3. 17. From the Law to Salomons Temple 480. 1. King 6. 1. From the foundation of the Temple to Salomons death 36. yeeres 1. King 11 42. From Salomons death to the burning of the Temple 390. yeeres 2. King 25. 8. Eze. 4. v. 2. 5. From the burning of the Temple to the end of Iudahâ—… captiuity 51. yeeres Ier. 25. 11. Isa. 45. 1. 2. Chron. 36. 21. 22. 23. Ezra 1. 1. 2. From the first yeere of Cyâ—…us vnto the death of Christ 490. yeeres Dan. 9. 24. Britaines may more truly deriue their descent from Troy by the Romanes Britainâ—…s tooke wiues of the Romanes and they of the Britaines Bâ—…da hist. Anglic. lib. 1. cap. 16. Gen. 6. 1. Romanes to beâ—… discended of the Troians is a fable Tacit. 〈◊〉 1â—… 1â—… Ioseph 1. 7. Romus the originall of the old Romanes To haue a desceÌ„t from Trâ—…y cannot be an honour to any Nation Troians thrice vanquished Brute embaseth the descent of the Britaines Of their Persons Cas. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. where hee vseth the word 〈◊〉 Herodian Pliny also addeth another ornament and saith that the Britains wore rings on their middle finger The Britaines would not be clad because they would shew the gay paintings of their bodies Plinie Oribasius calleth that herb Vitrum and the Britains call that colour glasse whence our English word glasle called also Vitrum in Latin may seem to be taken by reason of the colour thereof Dio Nicaeus Caesar. Some Britains clad in leather Solinus Tertullian Britannorum stigmata Martial Master Cambden Picts of the British race Called Picti of their painted bodies Caesar. com Mamertinus Tacitus in vit Agricola Caledonians the Northern people Silures the Westerne Tacitus Strabo Xiphilinus Martial Eutropius Plutarch They liued to a great age Diodorus Siculus Strabo Caesar. These Britaine 's in Kent the ciuillest Pomponius Mela. Of their domestick matters Caesar. The Britaines townes are their woods being fortified Strabo Diodorus Siculus Dion The Britains multiplicity of wiues Caesar. Dio. Eusebius 〈◊〉 praeparâ—… 6. Iulia her reproofe to a British woman The answer Dion Cas. lib. 76. The Britains diet Prohibited meats Caesar. Diodo Siculus The Britaine 's of a very spare diet Dio Nicaeus They eat no fish Caesar. Vnskilfull to make cheese Strabo Their drinke of barley Solinus Plinie Strabo Hiero. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. Of their religion and learning Dio Cassius Solinus The Britaines inhumane sacrifices The names of their Idols Gildas The Britains Idols exceed Aegipt for number Plinie Magick highly honored of the Britaines Caesar. com 6. The Druides determine almost all controuerfies Excommunication of great sorce in the time of the ancient Britaines Among the Druides one Primat and chiefe ouer the rest They assemble once a yeere at a place in France to heare controuersies Here appeareth that Academies were then amongst the Britans and from their example deriued
into other coun tries They are exempted from war Their schollers must learne a great many verses by heart They vse the Greek letters lest their skill should be too common Their Theology is that the soule dieth not but passeth from one to another Their naturall Philosophie Lucan Of their commerce and traffick Polybius the first that tooke notice of this land Polyb. lib. 3. Cambd. Britannia de moribus Britan Matters scarse to be beleeued That Himilco entred this Iland Polyb. Eclog. lib. 10. That Hannibal should war here That Alexander came hither That Vlysses should visit Britaine The like examples we haue now of Cap. Henry c. The Romans not mentioned either by Thucydides or Herodotus Ioseph contra Appion lib. 1. Gaules and Spaniards for many yeeres vnknown to Historiographers The Britains vnknown to their next neighbors Caesar com lib. 4. Their merchandize of small vse Strabo Their shipping very meane Shâ—…s first inuented in Britaine is a matter to be doubted The ships of this Iland according to Caesar. Plinie and Lucan of the ships of this Iland Casar The Britaines coines The first Romane coynes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were in Caesars time Sir Robert Cotten The mâ—…ks to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of their warres Caesar com 4. They amaze the enemy 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of their chariot 〈◊〉 Casar com 5. They fight not in great companies together They haue euer fresh men in the roomes of them that are weary Strabo Diodorus Siculus The Britaines fight in chariots as the vse was in the worlds first age Pomponius Mela. Tacitus Their chiefe strength consists in sootmen Iuuenal Dio. Their footmen run swiftly Their armor Herodian Many British women renowned for valour Tacitus Queen Elizabeth a glorious virgin Queen A most valorous Princesse in war Tacitus The British womens rufull attire and the Druides behauiour in praier amaze the Roman souldiers The Romans deriue their name from an infamous person Titus Liuius c. The poore beginnings of Scythian and Turkish Empires And of Iewish Deut. 26. 5. Isai. 51. 1. The British gouernment Their succession doubtfull Not meerly monarchicall How in Caesars time and after Tacit. an 14. 11. Tacit. histor lib. 3. cap. 9. Their emulations ambition Pomponius Mela. Tacitus in vita Agrico Caesar first enterer not conquerer Caractacus Tacitus Annal. lib. 2. cap. 5. Gildas S. Hierome Ptolemâ—…i Geograph Caesar. 〈◊〉 lib. 4. Caesar. commen lib. 5. Verolam a famous City neere to the place where now S. Albons is Beda hist. Angl. lib. 1. cap. 2. Camb. Britan. Numb 24. 17. Isay. 11. 1. Isay. 9. 6. Matt. 2. Esay 11. 6. Mica 4. 3. Sâ—…ton iâ—… vitae Catigâ—… sâ—… 44. Dio calls him Catacratus Tacitus in vitae Agricâ—… Tacitus in vita Agricola Zonaras Tacit. Annal. 12. cap. 8. Psal. 2. Numb 24 23. Ioseph Antiqui lib. 1. cap. 3. Aristotle The reason why Nations Originals are so hardly found out The three chiefe notes of the Britaines 1. The first note of the Britaines their Nakednes Caesar. Herodian Pliny Dio. Herodian * Saint Cypriâ—… interprets A 〈◊〉 East D. 〈◊〉 West A. arctos North. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 South 2. Ignorance Paneg. ad Constan. Paneg ad Constan. Strabo Pliny Dioscorides Caesar. Tacitus 3. Pride Herodian Mela. Caesar. 2. The second note of the Britaines their painting Caesar. Caesar. Pliny Cambd. in Briâ—… p. 14. Mela. Pliny 3. The thiâ—…d note of the Britaines their picturing of their bodies Solinuâ—… I sidore Maculosa Nobilitas Herodian Solinus Claudian * The Appendix to Hariots Virginea Their married weomen The vse of their different picturing Their Virgins The Men. The later British weomen Agryppa de laâ—…de saeminarum Of their women Gouernors Queen Elizabeth descended from Owen Tender whome Lâ—…iland calleth Mâ—…ridyck Tacitus Beda Of the Britains habits in warre Diodorus Die Strabo Herodian Die Herodien The Romans the second possessors of this Iland Iulius Caesar the first Roman attempter * Calez Suet. in vita Caesar Sect. 7. Caesars speech beholding Alexanders picture Caesars complottings for the Empire Caesar ten yeeres in Gallia Caesar the first Roman that assailed the Germans Causes of Caesars inuasion Sueton. in vita Caesar. Strabo Bacon de arte natura Volusenus Caesars spic Athenaeus reports he had 1000. ships The Romans diuided thâ—… night into foure equall parts each part being called a watch Caesar commeth in person against Britaine * Thought to bee Deale This ensigne was an Eagle of siluer standing in a little shrine vpon the top of a speare Valer. Mâ—… lib. 3. cap. 2. Caesar. bell â—…il Ioseph Iscanus in Antiocheidâ—… * Viz. Pompey The first assay for the conquest of this Land An. â—…nds 3873. Caesar putteth the Britains to flight At Barham Down Caesar seeth the dispersion of his ships The Britaines second ambassage to Caesar. Caesars ships distressed Suetonius in vit Caesar. Britaines reuolt The Britaines suddenly assaile the Romanes Clem. Edmunds his obseruations on Caes. Comment li. 4. ca. 12. obscr 2. Cas. Commenâ—… li. 4. The manner of the Britaines fight The Britains gather a greater power Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comius supplieth Caesar with â—…0 〈◊〉 The Britaines â—…ubmit 〈◊〉 the third time Aequinoctium is 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both of a length Caesar was now the first that had 20. daies 〈◊〉 gâ—…ted the greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 5. daies or 10. at the most Most of the Britaines breake couenant with Caesar. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some thinke to be Calis some S Oâ—… Caesar againe landeth at the place of his first arriual Caesar resisted at the riuer Stower The Britains driuen from their fortresse Caesars Nauie greatly impaired by tempest Hee draweth his fleet on shoare Caesar. Com. lib. 5. Flor. Histor. Fabian Cassibelan brother of King Lud. Lamber Peramb Britaines retire to their seuerall Prouinces Thought to be Oatland Beda lib. 1. cap. 2. The Trinobants submit to Caesar. Beda calleth him Androgorius lib. 1. cap. 2. Ceminagues Segontianus Ancalits Bibrokes Cassians S. Albans besieged by Caesar. The Gouernours of Kent ioine with Cassibelan against Caesar. Cassibelan solliciteth for peace A great Tribute So saith an old written Chronicle the Author not named Tacitus in vita Agric. Eutrop. Plin. Caesars ambition Caesars death British Writers vary from Caesar. That Cassibelan repulsed Caesar twice Nenion won Caesars sword Beda hist. li. 1. c. 2. Lucan Eutropius Tacitus Tacit. lib. 12. ca. 〈◊〉 In vita Agric. Diodi 39. Caesar got nothing in Britaine saue the sight of the Countrie Quintilian Caesar would bee stiled amongst the Gods Sueton. Plutarch Caesar forewarned to take heed of the Ides of March. His dreames His wiues dream Ould Meta. li. 15. His personage Easie to be reconciled Seneca Cotas apud Athenaeum His successe in warre and number of battles His Offices Num. 24. 24. Dan. 11. 30. Dan. 2. 35. * From Macedonia say some Caesar against Antony Sueton. in vita August Cicero against Antonius Antonius discomfited Octauian and Antony reconciled The Empire too great Fabian out of Guido Columna Dio Cass.