any should imagine that they meant of good Princes onely they speake generally of all and further to take away all doubt they make expresse mention of the euill For the power and authoritie of wicked princes is the ordinance of god and therfore Christ told Pilate that the power which he had was giuen him from aboue and the Prophet Esay calleth Cyrus being a prophane and heaâ—â—en Prince the Lords anoynted For God stirreth vp the spirit euen of wicked Princes to doe his will and as Iehoshaphat sayd to his rulers they execute not the iudgement of man but of the Lord in regard whereof Dauid calleth them Gods because they haue their rule and authority immedyatly from God which if they abuse they are not to bee adiudged by theyr subiects for no power within theyr dominionis superior to theirs but God reserueth them to the sorest tryall Horribly and sodainly saith the Wiseman will the Lord appeare vnto them and a hard iudgement shall they haue The law of God commaundeth that the Childe should be put to death for any contumely done vnto the parents but what if the Father be a robber if a murtherer if for all excesse of villanyes odious and execrable both to God and man surely he deserueth the highest degree of punishment and yet must not the Sonne lift vp his hand against him for no offence is so great as to be punished by parricide but our country is dearer vnto vs then our parentes and the Prince is pater patriae the Father of our Country and therefore more sacred and deere vnto vs then our parentes by nature and must not be violated how imperious how impious soeuer hee bee doth he commaund or demaund our persons or our purses we must not shunne for the one nor shrinke for the other for as Nehemiah saith Kinges haue dominion ouer the bodyes and ouer the cattle of their subiectes at their pleasure Doth he enioyne those actions which are contrary to the lawes of God we must neyther wholy obey nor violently resist but with a constant courage submit our selues to all manner of punishment and shewe our subiection by enduring and not performing yea the Church hath declared it to bee an heresie to holde that a Prince may be slaine or deposed by his subiectes for any disorder or default eyther in life or else in gouernment there will be faultes so long as there are men and as wee endure with patience a barren yeere if it happen and vnseasonable weather and such other defectes of nature so must wee tollerate the imperfections of rulers and quietlye expecte eyther reformation or else a change But alas good king Richard what such cruelty what such impiety hath he euer committed examine rightly those imputations which are layde against him without any false circumstance of aggrauation and you shall finde nothing obiected eyther of any truth or of great moment It may bee that many errours and ouersightes haue escaped him yet none so grieuous to be termed tyranny as proceeding rather from vnexperienced ignorance or corrupt counsaile then from any naturall and wilfull mallice Oh howe shall the world bee pestered with tirantes if subiectes may rebell vppon euery pretence of tyranny howe many good Princes shall daylye bee suppressed by those by whome they ought to bee supported if they leauy a subsedy or any other texation it shall be claymed oppression if they put any to death for trayterous attemptes against theyr persons it shall be exclaymed cruelty if they doe any thing against the lust and liking of the people it shall bee proclaymed tyrannie But let it be that without authority in vs or desert in him king Richard must be deposed yet what right had the Duke of Lancaster to the Crowne or what reason haue wee without his right to giue it to him if hee make title as heyre vnto king Richard then must he yet stay vntill king Richards death for no man can succeed as heyre to one that liueth But it is well knowne to all men who are not eyther wilfully blinde or grosely ignorant that there are some now aliue lineally descended from Lionell Duke of Clarence whose ofspring was by iudgement of the high Court of Parlament holden the viii yeere of the raigne of King Richard declared next successour to the Crowne in case King Richard should dye without issue Concerning the tytle from Edmund Crouchbacke I will passe it ouer seeing the authors thereof are become ashamed of so absurde abuse both of theyr owne knowledge and our credulity and therefore all the clayme is now made by right of conquest by the cession and graunt of King Richard and by the generall consent of all the people It is a bad wooll that can take no colour but what conquest can a subiecte pretend against his Soueraigne where the warre is insurrection and the victory high and heynous treason as for the resignation which king Richard made being a pent prisoner for the same cause it is an acte exacted by force and therefore of no force and validity to binde him and seeing that by the lawes of this land the king alone cannot alienate the auncient iewels and ornaments pertaining to the Crowne surely hee cannot giue away the Crowne it selfe and therewithall the kingdome Neyther haue we any custome that the people at pleasure should electe theyr king but they are alwayes bound vnto him who by right of bloud is next successour much lesse can they confirme and make good that title which is before by violence vsurped for nothing can then be freely doone when liberty is once restrained by feare So did Scilla by terrour of his legions obtayne the lawe of Velleia to bee made whereby hee was created dictator for fourescore yeeres and by like impression of feare Caesar caused the law Seruia to be promulged by which he was made perpetuall dictator but both these lawes were afterwardes adiudged void As for the deposing of king Edward the 2. is no more to be vrged then the poysoning of King Iohn or the murdering of any other good and lawfull Prince we must liue according to lawes and not to examples and yet the kingdome was not then taken from the lawfull successour But if we looke backe to times lately past we shall finde that these titles were more stronge in King Stephen then they are in the Duke of Lancaster for king Henry the first being at large liberty neyther restrained in body nor constrained in minde had appointed him to succeed as it was vppon good credite certainly affirmed The people assented to this designement and thereupon without feare and without force he was anoynted King and obtained full possession of the realme Yet Henry Sonne of the Earle of Aniowe hauing a neerer right by his mother to the Crowne notwithstanding his father was a stranger himselfe borne beyond the seas raysed such rough warres vppon King Stephen that there was noe end of
haue fostered it as they did with Garlandes statues trophies and triumphes in which notwithstanding it is but temporary and short but in histories of worth it is onely perpetual This Cicero perceiuing he dealt with Luceius to commit his actions to the monuments of his writings and Plinie the yonger did wish that he might bee mentioned in the histories of Cornelius Tacitus because he did foresee that they should neuer decay But these are such as are not led away with a lust eyther to flatter or to deface whereby the creadite of historie is quite ouerthrowne Yet the endeuour to curry fauour is more easily disliked as bearing with it an open note of seruility and therefore Alexander when he heard Aristobulus read many things that he had written of him farre aboue truth as he was sayling the floud Hidaspis he threw the booke into the Riuer and sayd that hee was almost mooued to send Aristobulus after for his seruile dealing but enuious carping carieth a counterfeite shew of liberty and thereby findeth the better acceptance And since I am entred into this point it may seeme not impertinent to write of the stile of a history what beginning what continuance and what meane is to be vsed in all matter what thinges are to bee suppressed what lightly touched and what to be treated at large how creadit may be won and suspition avoyded what is to bee obserued in the order of times and discription of places and other such circumstances of weight what liberty a writer may vse in framing speeches and in declaring the causes counsailes and euentes of thinges done how farre he must bend himselfe to profit and when and how he may play vpon pleasure but this were too large a field to enter into therefore least I should run into the fault of the Mindians who made their gates wider then their towne I will here close vp onely wishing that all our English histories were drawne out of the drosse of rude and barbarous English that by pleasure in reading them the profit in knowing them myght more easily bee attayned THE FIRST PARTE OF THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING Henry the fourth Extending to the end of the first yeere of his raigne THe noble and victorious Prince king Edward the third had his fortunate gift of a long prosperous raigne ouer this realme of England much strengthned and adorned by natures supply of seuen goodlye sonnes Edward his eldest sonne prince of Wales commonly called the Blacke Prince William of Hatfield Lyonel Duke of Clarence Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloucester and William of Windsore These sonnes during the life of their renowmed Father were such ornaments and such stayes to his estate as it seemed no greater could be annexed thereunto For neither armies nor strong holdes are so great defences to a prince as the multitude of children Fortes may decay and forces decrease and both decline and fall away eyther by varietie of fortune or inconstancie of mens desires but a mans owne bloud cleaueth close vnto him not so much in the blisses of prosperitie which are equally imparted to others as in the crosses of calamity which touch none so neere as those that are neerest by nature But in succeeding times they became in their ofspring the seminarie of diuision and discord to the vtter ruine of their families and great wast and weakning of the whole Realme for they that haue equall dignitie of birth and bloud can hardly stoope to termes of soueraigntie but vpon euery offer of occasion wil aspire to indure rather no equall then any superiour and for the most part the hatred of those that are neerest in kinde is most dispitefull deadly if it once breake forth The feare of this humor caused Remulus to embrewe the foundations of the Cittie and Empire of Rome with the bloud of his brother Remus According to which example the tyrants of Turkie those butchers of Sathan doe commonly at this day beginne their raigne with the death and slaughter of all their brethren Prince Edward the thunderbolt of warre in his time dyed during the life of his father And although he was cut off in the middle course and principall strength of his age yet in respect of honour and fame he liued with the longest hauing in all parts fulfilled the measure of true Nobiliâ—e He left behinde him a young some called Richard who after the death of King Edward was Crowned King in his steade and afterward died childe-lesse William of Hatfield king Edwards second sonne dyed also without issue leauing no other memorie of his name but the mention onely Liâ—â—â—ll Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward was a man of comely personage of speach and pace stately in other qualities of a middle temperature neither to bee admired nor contemned as rather voide of ill partes then furnished with good He had issue Philip his only daughter who was ioyned in marriage to Edmunde Mortimer Earle of March Who in the Parliament holden in the eight yeare of the Reigne of King Richard was in the right of his wife declared heire apparant to the Crowne in case the King should die without children but not many yeares after hee dyed leauing issue by the said Philip Roger Mortimer Earle of March This Roger was slaine in the rude and tumultuous warres of Ireland and had issue Edmund Anne and Elienor Edmund and Elienor dyed without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Lâ—ngley Duke of Yorke the fift sonne of King Edward Of these two came Richard 〈◊〉 Duke of Yorke who by the right â—â—uolued to him from his mother made open claime to the Crowne of England which was then possessed by the family of Lancaster first by law in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of King Henrie the sixt where either by right or by fauour his cause had such furtherance that after King Henrie should die the Crowne was entayled to him and to the heires of his bloud for euer But the Duke impatient to linger in hope chose rather to endure any daunger then such delay Whereupon he entred into armes soone after against King Henrie in the fielde But being carried further by courage then by force hee coulde beare through hee was slaine at the battaile of Wakefield and left his title to Edward his eldest sonne who with inuincible persistance did prosecute the enterprise and after great varietie of fortune at the last atchieued it Iohn of Gaunâ— Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne of King Edward the third was a man of high and hardie spirite but his fortune was many times not answerable either to his force or to his forecast He had two sonnes Henrie Earle of Derby of whome I purpose chiefly to treate and Iohn Earle of Somerset This Iohn was Father to Iohn Duke of Somerset who had issue Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother
deuised by his counsaile or done by his consent At this time the whole frame of the state was much shaken and matters of great weight and moment did hang by a very slender thred The King was plunged in pleasure and sloath after whose example others also as men doe commonly conforme their mindes according to the princes disposition gaue ouer themselues to dilicacie and ease whereby cowardise crepte in and shipwracke was made both of manhood and glorie The chiefest affaires of state had bene ordered for a long time according to priuate respects wherby the common-wealth lost both the fatte and the fauour and seemed not at seasons and by degrees but with a maine course and at once to ruinate and fall The north parts were many times canuased and by small yet often losses almost consumed by the Scots who had there taken many townes and castles and defaced all the countrey with slaughter and spoile Likewise the south partes were often-times wasted by the Frenchmen and in Fraunce many strong holds were lost It was also constantly affirmed that the King made agreement to deliuer vnto the King of Fraunce the possossion of Callice and of other townes which hee helde in those parts but the performance there of was resisted by the lords whether this were true or surmised probably as agreeable to the Kings loose gouernment I cannot certainely affirme As for Ireland which in the time of K. Edward the third was kept in order and awe by acquainting the people with religion and ciuility and drawing them to delight in the plenty and pleasures of well reclaymed countries whereby it yeelded to the kings coffers thirty thousand pounds euery yeare it was then suffered to runne into waste and the people by rudenesse became intractible so that the houlding thereof charged the King with the yearely dispence of thirty thousand markes Many succours had bene sent into these seuerall countries but scatteringly and dropping and neuer so many at once as to furnish the warres fully The King made some expeditions in his owne person with greate preparation and charge but beeing once out of credite whatsoeuer fell out well was attributed to others misfortunes were inputed onely to him If any thing were happily atchieued by some of the nobility it was by the Kings base hearted parasites to whom millitary vertue was altogether vnpleasant so extinuated or depraued or enuied that it was seldome rewarded so much as with countenance and thankes yea sometimes it procured suspicion and danger the King being informed by a cunning kinde of enemies commenders that to be a discreet and valiant commander in the fielde was a vertue peculiar to a Prince and that it was a perillous point to haue the name of a man of priuate estate famous for the same in euery mans mouth Hereupon fewe sought to rise by vertue and valâ—e the readier way was to please the pleasant humour of the Prince Likewise matters of peace were managed byâ—men of weakest sufficiency by whose counsell either ignorant or corrupt the destruction of the best harted nobility was many times attempted at the last wrought The profits and reuenues of the crowne were said to bee let to farme the King making himselfe landlord of this realme and challenged no great priuiledge by his reigne but onely a dissolute and vncontrouled life Great summes of mony were yearly rather exacted from the subiects then by them voluntarily graunted whereof no good did ensue but the maintenance of the Kings priuate delightes the aduancement of his hatefull fauorites To these he was somewhat aboue his power liberall for which cause he was faine to borrow begge and extort in other places but he purchased not so much loue by the one as hate by the other Besides the ordinary tearmes of tenthes and fiftenthes which were mâ—â—ny times paid double in one yeare diuers newe impositionâ— were by him deuised put in vse sometimes exacting xii d. of euery person throughout the realme sometimes of euery religious man and woman vi s. viii d. and of euery secular priest asmuch and of euerie lay person maried or sole xii d. Vnder the fauourable tearme of beneuolence hee wiped away from the people such heapes of money as were litle answerable to that free and friendly name He borrowed in all places of the realme great summes of money vpon his priuy seales so that no man of worth could escape his loane but he seldome and to few returned payment againe This present yeare he sent certaine Bishops and other personages of honour to all the shires corporations within the realme to declare vnto the people the Kings heauie displeasure against them for that they had bin abetters and complices of the Duke of Gloucester and of the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke and that the King was minded to make a roade vppon them as common enemies excepte they would acknowledge their offence and submit themselues to his mercie and grace Hereupon all the men of worth in euery shire and Towne corporate made their acknowledgment submission in writing vnder their scales afterwardes were faine to graunt vnto the King such importable summes of money to purchase againe his fauour as the land being already greatly impouerished they were hardly able to endure Then were exacted of theÌ„ strange vnaccustomed oathes which were put likewise in writing vnder their seales They were also coÌ„pelled to set their hands and scales to blancke chartes wherein the King might afterwardes cause to be written what he would so that all the wealth of the realme was in a manner at his deuotion and pleasure These and such like violences were far wide from the moderate gouernement of K. Henrie the second whoe maintaining great warres and obteyning a larger dominion then perteyned at any other time to this realme of England neuer demaunded subsidie of his subiectes and yet his treasure after his death was founde to be nine hundred thousand poundes besides his Iewels and his plate In this sort the King bearing a heauie hand vpon his subiects and they againe a heauie hart against him and being withall a Prince weake in action and not of valure sufficient to beare out his vices by might the people at length resolued to reuolt and rather to runne into the hazard of a ruinous rebellion then to endure safetie ioyned with slauerie so they attended occasion which shortly after was thus offered The King receiued letters of aduertisement out of Ireland which being priueledged from other venimous beasts hath alwaies beene pestered with traytors how the Barbarous Irish had cut in pieces his garrison and slaine Roger Mortimer Earle of Marsh who had beene declared heire apparent to the Crowne exercising all the crueltie in wasting of the country which wrath and rage of victorie could incite a Barbarous people to practise This losse being great in it selfe the hard affection of the people did much augmeÌ„t by report wherupon the King deliberated whether it were requisite that
most vnsure So betweene the one and the other the multitude did in short time increase to the number of threescore thousand able soldiours The Duke finding this fauour not onely to exceed his expectation but euen aboue his wish he thought it best to followe the current whilst the streame was most strong knowing right well that if fortune be followed as the first doe fall out the rest will commonly succeede Therefore cutting of vnnecessary delaies with al possible celerity hee hastned towardes London to the end that possessing himselfe thereof as the chiefe place within the realme both for strength and store he might there make the seat of the warre In this iourney no signe nor shew of hostility appeared but all the way as he passed the men of chiefest quallity and power adioyned themselues vnto him some vpon heat of affection some for feare others vpon hope of rewarde after victorie euerie one vpon causes dislike with like ardent desire contending least any should seeme more foreward then they In euerie place also where he made stay rich gifts and pleasant deuises were presented vnto him with large supply both of force and prouision far aboue his neede and the common people which for their greatnesse take no care of publique affaires and are in least daunger by reason of their basenes with shoutes and acclamations gaue their applause extolling the Duke as the onely man of courage and saluting him Kiug but spending many contumelious tearmes vppon King Richard and deprauing him as a simple and sluggish man a dastard a meycocke and one altogether vnworthy to beare rule shewing themselues as much without reason in rayling vpon the one as they were in flattering the other Againe the Duke for his part was not negligent to vncouer the head to bowe the body to stretch forth the hand to euery meane person and to vse all other complements of popular behauiour wherewith the mindes of the common multitude are much delighted and drawen taking that to bee courtesie which the seuerer sort accompt abasement When hâ— came to the citty he was there likewise very richly and royally entertained with processions and pageantes and diuers other triumphant deuises shewes the standings in all the streets where he passed were taken vp to behold him and the vnable multitude who otherwise could not yet by their good wordes wishes and wils did testify vnto him their louing affections neither did there appeare in any man at that time any memory of faith and alleagiance towards King Richard but as in seditions it alwaies hapneth as the most swayed all did go On the contrarie side the Duke of Yorke with the rest of his â—ounsaile fell to mustering of men at S. Albones for the King but as the people out of diuers quarters were called thither many of theÌ„ protested that they would doe nothing to the harme and preiudice of the Duke of Lancaster who they said was vniustly expelled first from his country and afterwardes from his inheritance Then W. Scroupe Earle of Wiltshire L. Treasorer Sir I. Bush Sir W. Bagot and Sir Henrie Greene perceiuing the stiffe resolution of the people forsooke the duke of Yorke and the L. Chanceller and fled towards Bristow intending to passe the seas into Ireland to the king These foure were they vpon whom the common fame went that they had taken of the king his realm to farme who were so odious vnto the people that their presence turned away the harts of many subiects yea it was thought that more for displeasure against them then against the king the reuolt was made For being the onely men of credit and authority with the King vnder false colour of obedience they wholly gouerned both the realme him to many mischiefs corrupting his mind in many abusing his name either against his wil or without his knowledge insomuch as he was innocent of much harme which passed vnder his commandement but the patieÌ„ce of the people could not endure that two or three should rule al not by reason they were sufficient but because they were in fauour and the King in that he permitted them whom he might haue bridled or was ignorant of that which he should haue knowen by tolerating and wincking at their faults made them his owne opened therby the way to his destruction So often times it falleth out to be as dangerous to a prince to haue hurtfull and hatefull officers in place and seruices of weight as to be hurtfull and hatefull himselfe The Duke of Yorke either amazed at this sodain change or fearing his aduenture if he should proceede in resistance gaue ouer the cause and preferred present security before duty with daunger giuing most men occasion to misdeeme by his dealing that he secretly fauored the dukes enterprise likewise all the other counsailers of that side either openly declared for the Duke or secretly wished him wel abandoning all priuate direction aduice adioyned themselues to the coÌ„mon course presuming thereby of greater safety Duke Henry in the meane time being at London entred into deliberation with his friends what way were best to be followed At the last hauing considered the forwardnesse of the people the greatnes of the perill whereinto they had already plunged the kings irreconcilable nature wherof he made proofe against the duke of Gloucester the earles of Arundel of Warwicke they finally resolued to expel him from his dignity to constitute duke Henry king in his sted and to that end open war was denounced against the King and against all his partakers as enemies to the quiet and prospenty of the realme and pardon also promised to all those that would submit themselues to follow the present course otherwise to look for no fauour but all extremities None of the nobility durst openly oppose himselfe to these designes some vnwilling to play all their state at a cast kept theÌ„selues at liberty to be directed by successe of further euent others consented coldly and in tearmes of doubtfull construction with intent to interpret them afterwards as occasion should change but the most parte did directly and resolutely enter into the cause and made their fortunes common with the Duke in daunger of the attempt but not in honour among whome the Duke standing vp vsed speach to this purpose I am returned here as you see at your procurement and by your agreement haue entred into armes for the common liberty wee haue hitherto prosperously proceeded but in what tearmes we now stand I am altogether vncertaine A priuate man I am loath to be accompted being designed to be King by you and a Prince I cannot be esteemed whilst another is in possession of the kingdome Also your name is in suspence whether to be tearmed rebels or subiects vntil you haue made manifest that your allegeance was bound rather to the state of the realme then the person of the Prince Now you are the men who haue both caused this doubtfulnes and must cleare
Berkley Thom. Erpinghame Thom. Graye Knights Will. Thirninge Iustice Commissioners for the matters hereafter specified by the Lords spirituall and temporall of the realme of England and the Commons of the said realme representing all the states of the saide Kingdome specially deputed sitting in seate of iudgement and considering the manifold periuries and cruelties and many other crimes and offerces by Richard late King of the saide realme committed and doone contrarie to good gouernement in the realmes and dominions aforesaide during the time of his reigne also considering the articles which were openly â—â—â—bibited and red before the said states which were so publicke notorious manifest and famous that they could nor can by no auoydance and shift be concealed also considering the confession of the saide King acknowledging and reputing and truly vpon his certaine knowledge iudging himselfe to haue been and to be altogether insufficient and vnskilfull for the rule and gouernment of the realmes and Dominions aforesaid and of any parts of them and not vnworthy to be deposed for the notorious demerites by the said Richard first acknowledged and afterward by his will and mandate before the said states published and to them opened and declared in the English tongue Vpon these and other matters which were done concerning the same busines before the said States and vs by the diligent place name and authority to vs in this part committed in aboundance and for a cautele we pronounce decree and declare the saide Richard to haue beene and to be vnprofitable and vnable and altogether insufficient and vnworthie for the rule and gouernement of the said realmes and of the dominions rights and parts of them and in regarde and respect of the premises worthily to be deposed from all kinglie dignitie and honour if any such dignitie and honour remaineth in him and for the like cautele wee doe depose him by our sentence definitiue in this writing inhibiting from hencefoorth expressely all and singular Lords Archbishops Bishops Prelates Dukes Marquesses and Earles Barons Knights Vassalles and all other persons whatsoeuer of the saide realmes and dominions and other places to the said realmes and dominions appertaining the subiects and liege people of the same and euery of them that from henceforth none obey or intend to obey the foresaid Richard as king or Lord of the realmes and dominions aforesaid Then the same Commissioners were by the consent and suffrages of both houses constituted procurators ioyntlye and seuerally for all the states of the realme to resigne and surrender vnto King Richard for them and all other homagers of the realme all the homages and fealties which were both due and doone vnto him as King and Soueraigne and also to declare vnto him al the premises concerning his deposition Now Henrie Duke of Lancaster that he might be reputed or reported at the least not to attaine the kingdom by intrusion and wrong was counsailed by his friends to pretend some lawfull challenge and claime therevnto and being in power it was no sooner aduised what was to bee doone but it was presently deuised how to doe it So a title was drawne from Edmund sonne to King Henrie the third whom they surnamed Crowch backe affirming that he was the eldest sonne of King Henrie and that for his deformitie he was put from his right of succession in the kingdome which was for that cause giuen to his yonger brother King Edward the third to this Edmund the Duke was next of bloud by his mother Blanche sole daughter and heyre to Henrie the first Duke of Lancaster and sonne to the saide Edmund This cunning conceit was perceiued of all men but seeming not to perceiue it was a point of friendship in some and of obedience in the rest therfore the kingdome of England being then thought vacant both by the resignation and also by the deposition of King Richard Duke Henrie arose from his seate and standing in the view of the Lords crossed himselfe on the forehead and on the brest and spake as followeth In the name of God Amen 〈◊〉 Henrie of Lancaster claime the realme of England â—â—â—â—owne with all the appurtenances 〈…〉 of the bloud royall comming from that good Lord K. Henrie the third and through the right that God of this grace hath sent mee with the helpe of my kindred and of my friendes to recouer the same Which kingdome was in point to be vndoone for default of good gouernment and due iustice After these wordes it was demaunded in both houses of the Nobility of the commons which were assembled whether they did consent that the Duke should raigne Who all with one voyce acknowledged and accepted him for their King then the Archbishop of Canterbury tooke him by the hand and placed him in the throane of estate the Archbishoppe of Yorke assisting him and all the assemblie testifying their owne ioy and wishing his Then the Archbishop made an oration and tooke for his theame this place of Scripture See this is the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall raigne ouer my people 1. Reg. 9. 17. After all this he was proclaimed King of England and of Fraunce and Lord of Ireland and the common people which is voide of cares not searching into sequels but without difference of right or wrong inclinable to follow those that are mighty with shoutes and clamours gaue their applause not all vpon iudgement or faithfull meaning but most onely vpon a receiued custome to flatter the Prince whatsoeuer he be Yet least the heate of this humour should allay by delay it was foorthwith proclaimed in the great Hall that vpon the 13. day of September next ensuing the Coronation of the King should be celebrated at Westminster These matters being thus dispatched the King proclaimed arose from his seate and went to White Hall where he spent the rest of the day in royall feasting and all other complementes of ioy notwithstanding there appeared in him no token of statelynesse or pride nor any change in so great a change Vpon Wednesday next following the procurators before mentioned went to the presence of King Richard being within the Tower and declared vnto him the admission of his resignation and also the order and forme of his deposition and in the name of all the states of the realme did surrender the homage and fealty which had been due vnto him so that no man from thence foorth would beare to him faith and obedience as to their King The King answered that he nothing reguarded these titulare circumstances but contented himselfe with hope that his cousen would be gracious Lord and good friend vnto him So vpon the 13. day of October which was the day of the translation of Edward the Confessour the Duke was with all accustomed solemnities by the Archbishoppe of Canterbury sacred annointed and Crowned King at Westminster by the name of king Henry the fourth vpon the very same day wherein the yeere before he had been banished the Realme Hee was annoynted with an oyle which a certaine religious man gaue vnto Henry the first Duke of Lancaster Grandfather to the King by the mothers side when he serued in the warres of
spoyling the goods and spilling the bloud of the vnhappy people besides the ruynes and deformities of many Citties and holdes vntill his lawful inheritance was to him assured It terrifieth me to remember how many florishing Empires and Kingdomes haue bin by meanes of such contentions eyther torne in peeces with detestiue diuision or subdued to forren Princes vnder pretence of assistaunce and ayde and I neede not repeate howe sore this realme hath heertofore beene shaken with these seuerall mischieues and yet neyther the examples of other countries nor the miseries of our own are sufficient to make vs to beware O English men worse bewitched then the foolish Galathians our vnstayed mindes and restlesse resolutions doe nothing els but hunt after our owne harmes no people haue more hatred abroad and none lesse quiet at home in other countries the swoord of inuasion hath been shaken against vs in our owne land the fire of insurrection hath bin kindled amongs vs what are these innouasions but whetstones to sharpen the one and bellowes to blowe vp the other Certainely I feare that the same will happen vnto vs which Aesope fableth to haue been fallen vnto the Frogges who beeing desirous to haue a King a beame was giuen vnto them the first fall whereof did put them in some feare but when they saw it lye still in the streame they insulted thereon with great contempt and desired a king of quicker courage then was sent vnto them a Storke which stalking among them with stately steps continually deuoured them The mildenesse of king Richard hath bred in vs this scorne interpreting it to be cowardise and dulnes of nature the next heyre is likewise reiected I will not say that wyth greater courage we shall finde greater cruelty but if eyther of these shall heerafter be able to set vp theyr side and bring the matter to tryall by armes I do assuredly say that which part soeuer shall carry the fortune of the field the people both wayes must goe to wracke And thus haue I declared my minde concerning this question in more wordes then your wisedome yet fewer then the weight of the cause doth require and doe boldly conclude that wee haue neyther power nor policy eyther to depose king Richard or to elect Duke Henrie in his place that king Richard remaineth still our Soueraigne Prince and therefore it is not lawfull for vs to giue iudgement vpon him that the Duke whom you call king hath more offended against the king and the relame then the king hath done eyther against him or vs for being banished the realme for ten yeeres by the king and his counsaile amongst whome his owne Father was chiefe and sworne not to returne againe without speciall lycense he hath not onely violated his oath but with impious armes disturbed the quiet of the land and dispossessed the Kyng from his royall estate and now demaundeth iudgement against his person without offence proued or defence heard if this iniury and this periury doth nothing moue vs yet let both our priuate and common dangers somwhat withdraw vs from these violent proceedings This speach was diuerslie taken as men were diuersly affected betweene feare hope and shame yet the most parte did make shew for king Henrie and therevpon the Bishop was presently attached by the Earle Marshall and committed to prison in the Abbey of S. Albones Whose counsaile and coniecture then contemned was afterwardes better thought vpon partly in the life time of king Henrie during whose raigne almost no yeare passed without great slaughters and executions but more especially in the times succeeding when within the space of xxxvi yeares twelue set battailes vpon this quarrell were fought within the realme by English men only and more then foure score Princes of the royall bloud slaine one by another Then it was concluded that king Richard should be kept in a large prison with all manner of Princely maintenance and if any persons should conspire to reare warre for his deliuerance that he should be the first man who should suffer death for that attempt Then the Actes of the Parlament holden at Westminster in the xi yeare of King Richard were reuiued and the Parlament houlden the xxi yeare of king Richard was wholy repealed and they who were attainted by that Parlament were restored againe to their fame and honour and to their landes without suing lyuerie and to such goods whereof the King was not answered except the rents and issues which had beene receiued out of their lands in the meane time Herevpon Richard Earle of Warwicke was deliuered out of prison and the Earle of Arundelles sonne recouered his inheritance many others also that were banished or imprisoned by King Richard were then fullye restored againe to their Countrie libertie and estate It was further prouided that none of those which came in ayde of King Henrie against King Richard should for that cause be impeached or troubled Also the King gaue to the Earle of Westmerland the Countie of Richmond and to the Earle of Northumberland he gaue the Ile of Man to be houlden of him by the seruice of bearing the sworde wherewith he entred into England Diuers other of his followers he aduaunced to offices of highest place and charge some vpon iudgement and for desert but most part to win fauour and perhappes proiecting a plot for friends if times should change for in many actions men take more care to preuent reuenge then to leade an innocent and harmlesse life It was further agreed that the procurers of the death and murther of Thomas late Duke of Gloucester should be searched out and seuerelie punished And iudgement was giuen against the appellants of the Earle of Warwicke and the Earle of Arundell that the Dukes of Aumerle Sussex and Exceter the Marquesse of Dorset and the Earle of Gloucester who were present should loose their degree of honour for them and their heyres that they should likewise loose all the Castles Mannors Lordshippes c. then in their hands which sometimes apperteined to those whom they did appeale and that all the letters patents and charters which they had concerning the same should be surrendred into the ChaÌ„cerie and there be cancelled that for all other their Castles Mannors Lordships possessions and liberties they should be at the grace and mercie of the King that they should giue no liueries nor keepe any retinue of men but onely such officers as were meerelie necessarie for their degree that if any of them should adhere to Richard the deposed King in giuing him ayde or encouragement against the iudgement of his deposition then he should incurre the paines and forfeitures of high treason And because it was a clamorous complaint among the common people that many officers had committed greeuoâ—s extoruons and wrongs eyther by the open maintenance or secret conâ—itiuence of these Lords First those officers were remoâ—ued and that corruption taken away with integritie which briberie hâ—d wrought in placing for money men of bâ—d
qualitie in high degrees of office and seruice then proclamations were made that if any man had been oppressed by these Lords or by any officers vnder them he should prooue his complaint and receiue recompence It was made a question whether it was not meete that these noble men should be put to death the importunitie of the people and the perswasion of many great men drew that way but policie was against it and especially the opinion of clemencie which seemed needfull to the setling of a new risen state In this parlament also the Lorde Fitzwater appealed the sayd Duke of Aumerle sonne to the Duke of Yorke vpon points of high treason likewise the Lord Morley appealed Iohn Montacute Earle of Salisburie and moe then twentie other appeilants waged battaile but the king purposing to laye the foundation of his realme by fauour and not by force gaue pardon and restitution alike to all vppon sureties and band for their alleageance and in a sweet and moderate oration he admonished and as it were intreated the one part that ould griefes and grudges should not be renued but buried together with the memorie of former times wherein men were forced to doe many things against their mindes the other part he desired to be more regardfull of their actions afterward and for the time past rather to forget that euer they were in fault then to remember that they were pardoned No punishment was laide vppon any saue onely the Earle of Salisburie and the Lord Morley who had beene in especiall grace and fauour with King Richard these two were committed to prison but at the sute of their friends they were soone released the rest the King receiued freelye to fauour but most especially the Duke of Aumerle and the Duke of Excester Lord Gouernour of Calice The Duke of Aumerle was cousen germane to both the kings Iohn Holland Duke of Exceâ—â—â— was halfe brother to King Richard and brother in lawe to King Henrie whose sister the Lady Elizabeth he had taken to wise The greatest matter that was enforced against them was their loyaltie vnto King Richard a grieuous crime among rebels because they did not onlie stomacke and storme at his deiection but stirre also more then others and assaye to raise forces on his behalfe The Dukes bouldly confessed the accusation that they were indeed vnfortunately faithfull to King Richard but as those who once are false doe seldome afterwards prooue soundly firme so they that haue shewed themselues true to one prince may the better be trusted by any other The King did rather admit this as a defence then remit it as a fault affirming that such examples were not to be misliked of Princes so he entred with them into great termes of friendship and put them in place neerest his person endeauouring by courtesie and liberalitie to make them fast and faithful vnto him this fact was diuerslie enterpreted according to mens seueral dispositions some admiring the kings moderation others disliking and disallowing his confidence and indeed although these meanes haue to this purpose preuailed with some yet the common course may mooue vs commonly to coniecture that there is little assurance in reconciled enemies whose affections for the most part are like vnto Glasse which beeing once cracked can neuer bee made otherwise then crazed and vnsound Furthermore to qualifie all preiudice and hard opinion which other princes might chaunce to conceiue King Henrie dispatched Embassadours to diuers countries neere vnto him to make it knowne by what title and by what fauour and desire of all the people he atteyned the kingdome To the court of Rome hee sent Iohn 〈◊〉 Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheyney Knight and Iohn Cheyney Esquire into Fraunce hee sent Waker Shirlowe Bishop of Durham and Lord Thomas Pearcy Earle of Worcester into Spaine he sent Iohn Treuor Bishop of S. Assaphâ—â— and 〈◊〉 William Parrâ— and into Almaine he sent the Bishop of Bangor and certaine other Most of these Princes as in a matter which little concerned eyther their honour or their harme seemed eyther not to regarde what was doone or easely to bee perswaded that all was doone well But Charles King of Fraunce was so distempeâ—ed at this dishonourable dealing with his sonne in lawe King Richard that by violence of his passion he fell into his oulde panges of phrensie and at the last by helpe of Phisicke returning to the sobrietie of his sences he purposed to make sharpe warre vpon that disloyall people as he termed them for this iniurie against their lawfull and harmlesse Prince Many noble men of Fraunce shewed themselues verye forwarde to enter into the seruice but especially the Earle of Saint Paule who had maryed King Richards halfe Sister So letters of defiance were sent into England and great preparation was made for the warre Likewise the newes of these nouelties much abashed the Aquitanes who were at that time vnder the English subiection and plunged their thoughts in great perplexities Some were greiued at the infamous blemish of the English nation who had disteyned their honour with the spot of such disloyall dealing others feared the spoyle of their goods and oppression of their liberties by the Frenchmen against whose violence they suspected that the realme of England beeing distracted into ciuill factions eyther would not attend or should not be able to beare them out but the Citizens of Burdeaux were chiefely anguished in respect of King Richard partlie fretting at his iniurie and partlie lamenting his infortunitie because he was borne and brought vppe within theyr Cittie And thus in the violence some of theyâ— anger some of theyr griefe and some of their feare in this sort they did generally complaine O good God sayd they where is the world become saintes are turned to Serpents and Doues into diuels The English nation which hath been accompted fierce onely against theyr â—oes and alwayes faithfull to their friends are now become both fierce and faith lesse against their lawfull and louing Prince and haue most barbarouslie betrayed him Who would euer haue thought that Christians that ciuill people that any men would 〈◊〉 haue violated all religion all lawes and all honest and orderlie demeanure And although the heauens blush at the view and the earâ—â— sweat as the burthen of 〈…〉 and all man proclaime and exclaime open shame and confusion against them yet they neither feele the horrour nor shrinke at the shame nor feare the reuenge but stand vpon tearmes some of defence for the lawfulnesse of their dealing and some of excuse for the necessitie Well let them be able to blinde 〈◊〉 worlde and to resist 〈…〉 yet shall they neuer be able to escape 〈…〉 desire to be powred vpon them Alas good King Richard thy nature was too gentle and they gouernement too milde for so stiffe and stubborne a people what King wil euer repose any trust in such 〈…〉 them with lawes as theeues are with 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 hee 〈◊〉 can recouer theyr credite What time wyll
vgly was presented to the view and terrour of others bodies hewen in peeces heads and quarter of vnfortunate dismeÌ„bred wretches putrifâ—ing aboue ground not al for desert but many to satisfy either the mallice or want of King Henrieâ— friends insomuch as many graue men openly gaue forth that in short time there would be cause to wish King Richard again as being more tollerable to endure the cruelty of one then of many and to liue where nothing then where any thing might be permitted The Abbot of Westminster in whose house and in whose head this confederacy began hearing of these aduentures as he was going betweene his monastery and his mansion fell sodainly into a palsie and hardly after without speech ended his life and although in this enterprize fortune gaue policy the check and by a strange accedent which wisdome could not foresee ouerturned the deuise yet is it certainely affirmed that this Abbot first stirred the stone which rowling a long was like to haue turned king Henry out of his seate The bishop of Caerliel was condemned vpon this treason but the extreamity of his feare and griefe closed vp his daies and preuented the violence and shame of publicke execution And now king Richard after he had abdicated his dignity did but short time enioy that sweet security which he did vainely expect and first all his goods which hee did giue in satisfaction of the iniuries that hee had done were brought to deuision and share amongst his enemies shortly after he was remooued from the Tower to the Castle of Leedes in Kent and from thence to Pomfret to the ende that by often changing hee might eyther more secretly bee dispatched or more vncertainly found heere being kept in streight prison both innocent ignorant of this offence was notwithstanding made a party in the punishment For King Henry perceiuing that the Lords so far preuailed with their late strategeme that if their stomacke had bin answerable to their strength their bloud beginning had not ended in faintnes and sloath they might haue driuen him to a hard hazard caused King Richard to be put to death intending to make sure that no man should cloake open rebellion vnder the colour of following sides nor countenance his coÌ„spiracy either with the person or name of K. Richard whether hee did expressely commaund his death or no it is a question out of question he shewed some liking and desire to the action and gaue allowance thereto when it was doone The most current report at that time went that hee was princely serued euery day at the Table with aboundance of costlie meates according to the order prescribed by Parlament but was not suffered to tast or touche any one of them and so perished of famine being tormented with the presence of that whereof hee dyed for want but such horrible and vnnaturall crueltie both against a King and a kinseman should not proceed from King Henrie me thinke a man of a moderate and milde disposition not yet from any other minde which is not altogether both sauage in humanitie and in religion prophane One wrighter who would seeme to haue the perfect intelligence of these affayres maketh report that King Henrie sitting at his table sad and pensiue with a deepe sigh brake foorth into these wordes Haue I no faithfull friend that will deliuer me of him whose life will breed destruction to me and disturbance to the realme and whose death will bee a safetie and quiet to both for how can I be free from feare so long as the cause of my daunger dooth continue and what securitie what hope shall we haue of peace vnlesse the seede of sedition be vtterly rooted out Vppon this speech a certaine Knight called Sir Pierce of Extone presently departed from the Court accompanyed with eyght tall men and came to Pomfrete and there commaunded that the Esquire who was accustomed to sewe and take the assaye before King Richard should no more vse that manner of seruice and let him quoth he now eate wel for he shall not eate long King Richard sate downe to dinner and was serued without courtesie or assaye whereat he merueyled and demaunded of the Esquire why he did not his dutie the Esquire answered that he was otherwise commaunded by Sir Pierce of Extone who was latelye come from King Henry The King beeing somewhat mooued at this acte and answere tooke the caruing knife in his hand and strucke the Esquire therewith lightly on the head saying the deuill take Henry of Lancaster and thee together with that Sir Pierce entred the chamber with eight men in harneys euery one hauing a byll in his hand Wherevpon King Richard perceiuing their drift and his owne daunger put the table from him and stepping stoutlye to the formost man wrested the bill out of his hand wherewith although vnarmed and alone he manfully defended himselfe a good space and slew sowre of his assailants Sir Pierce lept to the chaire where king Richard was wonte to sit whilest the rest chased him about the chamber At the last being forced towards the place where Sir Pierce was he with a stroake of his Pollax felled him to the ground and foorthwith he was miserably rid out of his miserable life It is saide that at the pointe of his death hee gathered some spirit and with a fainte and feeble voyce groaned foorth these wordes My great grandfather King Edward the second was in this manner deposed imprisoned and murthered by which meanes my grandfather king Edward the third obteyned possession of the crowne and now is the punishment of that inâ—â—trie powred vpon his next successour Well this is right for mee to suffer but not for you to doe your King for a time may ioye at my death and enioye his desire but let him qualifie his pleasures with expectation of the like iustice for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our mindes will not suffer this violence vnreuenged Whether these words proceeded from a distempered desire or from the iudgement of his foresight they were not altogether idle and vaine For Sir Pierce expecting great fauour and rewards for his vngracious seruice was frustrated of both and not onely missed that countenance for which he hoped but lost that which before he had so odious are vices euen where they are profitable Heerevpon hee grew at the first discontented and afterwardes mightely turmoyled and tormented in conscience and raging against himselfe would often exclaime that to pleasure one vnthankefull person he had made both himselfe and his posteritie hatefull and infamous to all the world King Henrie with great discontentment and disquiet held the kingdome during his life and so did his sonne King Henrie the fifth in whose time by continuall warres against the Frenchmen the malice of the humour was otherwise exercised and spent But his second successour King Henry the sixth was dispossessed thereof and together with his young sonne Henry imprisoned and put to death eyther
therefore sithe hee had graunted a safe conduct to the Earle of Marche and his companie it were an impeachment to his honour without iust cause to violate the same Vppon this answere the King of Scottes did presently proclaime open warre against the King of England with bloud fire and sworde King Henry thought it policie rather to begin the warre in his enemies countrie then to expect it in his owne because the land which is the 〈◊〉 of the warre dooth commonly furnish both sides with necessarie supply the friend by contribution and the enemie by spoyle Therefore sending certaine troopes of horsemen before him both to espie and to induce an vncertaine terrour vppon the enemie hee entred into Scotland with a puissant armie wherewith hee burnt many Villages and Townes cast downe diuerse Castles and ruined a great part of the Townes of Edenborough and Lith sparing nothing but Churches and religious houses so that in all places as he passed the spectacle was ouglie and grislie which hee left behind him bodyes torne in peeces mangled and putrified limmes the ayre infected with stincke the ground imbrued with corruption and bloud the countrie wasted the Grasse and Corne troden downe and spoyled insomuch as a man would haue sayde that warre is an exercise not of manhood but of inhumanitie They that fledde before the armie filled all places with feare and terrour extolling aboue truthe the English foreces to deminish thereby their shame in running from them In the end of September the King besieged the Castle of Maydens in Edenborough wherein were Dauid Duke of Rothsaye Prince of the realme and Archibaldâ— Earle Dowglasle the inconstancie of the one and ambition of the other were principall causes of all this warre During this siege Robert Duke of Albonye who was appointed gouernour of the Realme because the King was sicke and vnable to rule sent an Herauld vnto Henrie assuring him vppon his honour that if hee would abyde but sixe dayes at the most hee would giue him battaile and eyther remooue the siege or loose his life The King was well pleased with these tidings and rewarded the Herauld with a gowne of silke and a chaine of gould and promised him in the worde of a Prince to abide there and expect the gouernour during the tyme by him prefixed The sixe dayes passed almoste sixe tymes ouer and no more newes was heard of the Gouernour eyther by presence or by messenger Winter came on and victuaile fayled the Country was colde and fruitelesse and it rayned euery day in great aboundance so that partly by hunger partlye by distemperature of the weather the Soldiers began to dye of the Flixe it is verie like that these accidentes stayed the Gouernour from performing his promise for pollicy was against it to hazard his men in the fielde when winter and want two forceable foes had giuen the charge vpon his enemyes certaine it is that they mooued the King to remooue his fiege and to depart out of Scotland without any battaile or skirmish offred Both the Wardens of the Marches were all this time in Scotland with the King vpon which aduantage the Scots did breake into Northumberland and burnt certaine townes in Bamborough shire The English men were speedilie vp in armes but the Scottes more speedily made theyr returne or else no doubt they had been met with and encountered Agayne when King Henry had discharged his armie the Scottes beeing desirous not so much of lyfe as of reuenge made a sodayne roade into England vnder the conduct of Sir Thomas Halsbarton of Dirleton and Sir Patricke Hebburne of Hales but all the harme which they wrought dyd rather waken then weaken the Englishmen and they themselues were somewhat encouraged but nothing enryched by that whych they got Not long after Sir Patricke Hebburne beeing lifted vp in desire and hope resolued to vndertake a greater enterprise the people which are 〈…〉 by prosporous successe in great companies resorted to him but hee was loath to haue more fellowes in the spoyle then hee thought should neede in the daunger therefore with a competent armie of the men of Loughdeane he inuaded a Northumberland where hee made great spoile and loaded his Souldiours with prisoners and pray There was no question made what perill might bee in the returne Therefore they marched loosene and 〈…〉 as in a place of great securitie not keeping themselues to their ensignes and order but the Earle of Northumberlands Vice-warden and order Gentlemen of the borders in good arraye set vppon them at a towne in Northumberland called 〈◊〉 The scottes rallied as well as the soddainnesse did serue and valliantlie receiued the charge so that the battaile was sharpe and 〈◊〉 and continued a good time with great mortalitie In the ende the enemyes ranckes grew thinne as being rather confusedly shuffled together then orderly and firmlie compacted and when the Vice-warden 〈◊〉 them weake in the shock and yeelding vnder his hand with a companie which purposelâ—e reteyned about him for sodaine dispâ—teneâ— and chaunces of warre he flercely charged and disordered them Sir Patricke Hebburne being cleane destitute both of counsaile and courage ranne vp and downe from one place to another commaunding many things and presently forbidding them againe and the lesse of force his directions were the oftener did hee change them anone as it happeneth in lost and desperate cases euerye man became a commaunder and none a putter in execution so the ranket loosed and brake and could not bee reunited the victor hoatly pursuing the aduantage Then might you haue 〈◊〉 a grieuous spectacle pursuing killing wounding and taking and killing those that were taken when better were offered euery where weapons and dead bodyes and mangled limâ— laye scattered and sometimes in those that were slaine appeared at their death both anger and valure Sir Patricke Hebburne thought of nothing lesse then eyther fleeing or yeelding but thrusting among the thickest of his enemyes honourably ended his life Many other of his linage and the flower of all Loughdeane were likewise slaine There 〈…〉 side no great number was slaine and those of no great seruice and degree And with these troubles the first yeere of King Henrie the fourth ended ⸫ FINIS LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head alley neere the Exchange 1599. Crastino purificationis 1388 1389 1390. 1392 1393 1397 1398 Tranquil in caligula Tacitus in proaemio Ierem. 25. 9. Ezech. 29. 18. Ierm 29. 7. Baruch 1. 11. So did Dâ—mitian put to death Epaphroditus Neroes libertine because he helped Neroe although in loue to kill himselfe So did Seuerus kill all the killers of Pertinax his prodecessour and likwise Vitellius did put to death all the murtherers of Galâ—a Theophilus Emperour of Grecia caused all those to be slaine who had made his Father Emperour by killing Leo Armenius And Alexander the great put to cruell execution those that had slaine Darius his mighty and mortall enemy Deut. 17. 12. Psal 105. Exod. 22. 28. Act. 23. 5. Rom. 13. 1. 13. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet 2. 13 14. 17. 1. Tim. 2 2. Rom. 1â— 2. Iohn 19. 〈◊〉 Cap. â—5 1. 2. Chro. 36. 22. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Psal. 28. Sap. 6. Quintil in declam Cic. offic lib. 1. Nehem. 9. 37. Alphons a cast in lib. de haeresi in verb. Tyrannus Dominie Soto lib. 5. de iust et iur q. 1. artic 3.
some at this present and many hereafter will accompt my case lamentable either that I hane deserued this deiection if it be iust or if it be wrongfull that I could not auoide it Indeede I doe confesse that many times I haue shewed my selfe both lesse prouident and lesse painfull for the benefite of the common-wealth then I should or might or intended to doe hereafter and haue in many actions more respected the satisfying of my owne particular humour then either iustice to some priuate persons or the common good of al yet I did not at any time either omit dutie or coÌ„mit grieuance vpon natural dulnesse or set malice but partly by abuse of corrupt councellers partly by errour of my youthfull iudgement And now the remembrance of these ouer-sights is so vnpleasant to no man as to my selfe and the rather because I haue no meanes left either to recompence the iniuries which I haue done or to testifie to the world my reformed affections which experience and stayednesse of yeares had already corrected would dayly haue framed to more perfection But whether all the imputations wherewith I am charged be true either in substance or in such qualitie as they are layd or whether being true they be so heinous as to inforce these extremities or whether any other Prince especially in the heate of youth and in the space of two and twentie yeares the time of my vnfortunate raigne doth not sometimes either for aduantage or vppon displeasure in as deepe maner grieue some particular subiect I will not now examine it helpeth not to vse defence neither booteth it to make complaint there is left no place for the one nor pitie for the other and therefore I referre it to the iudgement of God and your lesse distempered considerations I accuse no man I blame no fortune I complaine of nothing I haue no pleasure in such vaine and needlesse comforts and if I listed to haue stood vpon tearmes I know I haue great fauourers abroad and some friends I hope at home who would haue beene ready yea forward on my behalfe to set vp a bloudy and doubtfull warre but I esteeme not my dignitie at so high a price as the hazard of so great valure the spilling of so much English bloud and the spoile and waste of so flourishing a Realme as thereby might haue bene occasioned Therefore that the Common-wealth may rather rise by my fall then I stand by the ruine thereof I willingly yeeld to your desires and am heere come to dispossesse my selfe of all publike authority and title and to make it free and lawfull for you to create for your King Henric Duke of Lancaster my cousin germaine whom I know to be as worthie to take that place as I see you willing to giue it to him Then he read openly and distinctly the forme of his cession wherein he did declare that he had discharged his subiectes from their oathes of fealtie and homage and all other oathes whatsoeuer and of his owne will free motion did abdicate the title dignitie and aucthoritie of a King and rendred vp the possession of the Realme with the vse and title thereof and all the rights thereunto appertaining To this the King subscribed and was sworne and then hee deliuered with his owne hands the Crowne the Septer and the Robe to the Duke of Lancaster wishing vnto him more happinesse therewith then had euer happened vnto himselfe Then he did constiture the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford his procurators to intimate and declare this his resignation to all the states of the realme which should be assembled together in Parliament Lastly he gaue all his riches and goods to the summe of thee hundred thousand pounds in coyne besides his Iewels plate for satisfaction of the iniuryes that hee had done desiring the Duke al the rest that were present seuerally by their names not altogether to forget that he had beene their King nor yet too much to thinke vpon the same but to retaine of him amoderate remembrance and in recompence of the ease that hee had done them by his voluntarie yeelding to permit him to liue safely in a priuate and obscure life with the sweetenesse wherof he was so possessed that froÌ„ theneforth he would preferre it before any preferment in the world All this was deliuered and done by the King with voyce and countenance so agreeable to his present beauinesse that there was no man to vnmindefull of humane instabilitie which was not in some measure moued thereat insomuch as a fewe secrete teares melted from the eyes of many that were present in whose mindes a confessed and obscure alteration alreadie gâ—nne to beginne So proâ—e and inclinable are mento pitie miserie although they haue procured it and to enuie prosperitie euen that which they haue raysed Vpon Munday next following the Parlament began at Westminster and the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Hereford the Kings Atturneys for this purpose declared openly to the states there assembled the Kings voluntarie resignation and demaunded whether they would assent and agree therevnto the Barons of the realme by seuerall and particular consent the commons with one generall voyce did expreslye accept and admit the same Then it was thought meet that certaine defects and misdemeanures concerning matters of gouernment should be obiected against the King for which he should be adiâ—dged as vnworthy as he seemed vnwilling to reteine the kingdome To this purpose certaine articles were engrossed and openly read in which was conteyned how vnprofitable the King had bin to the realme how vniust and grieuous to the subiectes contrarie both to his honour and to his oath The chiefest of which articles are these that follow 1 FIrst that King Richard did wastefully spend the treasure of the realme and had giuen the possessions of the crowne to men vnworthy by reason whereof new charges were dayly laide on the neckes of the poore comminaltie 2 Item where diuers Lords as well spirituall as temporall were appointed by the high court of Parlament to commune and treate of matters concerning the state of the realme and the commonwealth of the same they being busied about the same commission he with others of his affinitie went about to impeache them of treason 3 Item that by force and menace he compelled the Iustices of the realme at Shrewsburie to condiscend to his opinion for the destruction of the said Lords Insomuch as he began to raise warre against Iohn Duke of Lancaster Thomas Earle of Arundell Richard Earle of Warwicke other Lords contrarie to his honor and promise 4 Item that he caused his vnckle the Duke of Gloucester to be arrested without lawe and sent him to Calice and there without iudgement murthered him and although the Earle of Arundell vpon his arraignement pleaded his charter of pardon he could not be heard but was in most vile and shamefull manner sodainly put to death 5 Item he assembled certaine
King Edward the third beyond the seas together with this Prophesie that the Kinges which should be annoynted therewith should bee the champions of the Church Duke Henry deliuered this oyle in a golden violl to Prince Edward the eldest sonne of King Edward the third who locked vp the same in a barred chest within the Tower with intent to be annoynted therewith when he should bee crowned King but the Prince dying before his Father it remained there eyther not remembred or not regarded vntill this present yeere wherein the King being vpon his voyage into Ireland and making diligent search for the iewels and monumentes of his progenitours found this Violl and Prophesie and vnderstanding the secret was desirous to be anoynted againe with that oyle but the Archbishop of Canterbury perswaded him that both the fact was vnlawfull and the precedent vnseene that a King should bee anoynted twice whereupon he brake of that purpose and tooke the Violl with him into Ireland and when hee yeelded himselfe at Flint the Archbishoppe of Canterburye demaunded it of him agayne and dyd receaue and reserue the same vntill the coronation of King Henrie who was the first King of this realme that was anoynted therewith I am not purposed to discourse eyther of the authoritye or of the certaintye of these prophesies but wee may easily obserue that the greatest part of them eyther altogether fayled or were fulfilled in another sence then as they were commonly construed and taken During the raigne of King Henrie the fourth execution by fire was first put in practise within this Realme for controuersies in poyntes of religion in any other extraordinarye mattter hee did as much make the Church champion as shew himselfe a champion of the Church but afterwardes his successours were entytuled Defenders of the fayth and howe in action they veryfied the same I referre to remembraunce and reporte of later times Now it had beene considered that the tytle which was deriued to King Henrie from Edmund whome they surnamed Crouchbacke would bee taken but for a blynde and idle iest for that it was notorious that the sayd Edmund was neyther eldest sonne to King Henry the thyrd as it was plainely declared by an acte of Parlament nor yet a misshapen and deformed person but a goodly Gentleman and valiant commaunder in the field and so fauoured of the King his Father that hee gaue him both the heritages and honours of Sâ—â—one Mountfort Earle of Leicester of Ferrare Earle of Darby and of Iohn Barron of Monmuthe who to theyr owne ruine and destruction had desplaied seditious ensignes against the King And further to aduaunce him to the marriage of Blanch Queene of Nauerne he created him the first Earle of Lancaster and gaue vnto him the county Castle and towne of Lancaster with the Forrestes of Wiresdale Lounsdale Newcastle beneath Linne the Manner Castle and Forrest of Pickering the Manner of Scaleby the towne of Gomecester of Huntendone c. with many large priuiledges and high titles of homour Therefore King Henry vpon the day of his Coronation caused to be proclaimed that he claymed the Kingdome of England first by right of conquest Secondly because King Richard had resigned his estate and designed him for his successour Lastly because he was of the bloud royall and next heyre male vnto King Richard Haeres malus indeed quoth Edmund Mortimer Earle of March vnto his secret friends and so is the Pirate to the Marchant when hee despoyleth him of all that hee hath This Edmund was sonne to Roger Mortimer who was not long before slaine in Ireland and had been openly declared heyre apparent to the Crowne in case King Richard should dye without issue as descended by his Mother Philip from Lionell Duke of Clarence who was elder brother to Iohn Duke of Lancaster King Henries Father and therfore the sayd Edmund thought himselfe and indeed was neerer heyre male to the succession of the Crowne then he that by colour of right clayming it carried it by dynt of force But such was the condition of the tyme that hee supposed it was vaine for him to stirre where King Richard could not stand Whereupon he dessembled eyther that he saw his wrong or that hee regarde it and chose rather to suppresse his title for a time then by vntimely opposing himselfe to haue it oppressed and depressed for euer to this ende hee withdrewe himselfe farre from London to his Lordshippe of Wigmore in the West partes of the realme and there setled himselfe to a priuate and close life Idlenes and vacancy from publike affaires he accompted a vertue and a deepe point of wisedome to meddle with nothing whereof no man was chargeable to yeelde a reckoning In reuenues he was meane in apparell moderate in company and traine not excessiue yet in all these honourable and according to his degree so that they which esteemed men by outward appearance only could see in him no great shew eyther of wit and courage in his minde to be feared or of wealth and honour in his estate to be enuyed And thus whilest a greater enemy was feared he passed vnregarded making himselfe safe by contempt where nothing was so daungerous as a good opinion and raking vp those coales in obscuritie for a time which shortly after set all the realme on fire King Henrie presently after his coronation created his eldest sonne Lord Henrie being then about xiii yeares of age Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall and Earle of Chester and soone after he created him also Duke of Aquitaine Afterwards it was enacted by consent of all the states of the realme assembled together in the Parlament that the inheritance of the Crownes and Realmes of England and of Fraunce aud of all the dominions to them apperteyning should be vnited and remaine in the person of King Henrie and in the heires of his body lawfully begotten and that Prince Henrie his eldest sonne should be his heyre apparant and successour in the premisses and if he should dye without lawfull issue then they were entayled to his other sonnes successiuely in order and to the heyres of their bodyes lawfully begotten The inheritance of the Kingdome being in this sorte settled in King Henrie and in his line it was mooued in the Parlament what should be doone with King Richard The Bishop of Caerliel who was a man learned and wise and one that alwayes vsed both libertie and constancie in a good cause in his secret iudgement did neuer giue allowance to these proceedings yet dissembled his dislike vntill he might to some purpose declare it therefore now being in place to be heard of all and by order of the house to be interrupred by none he rose vp and with a bould and present spirit vttered his minde as followeth This question right Honourable