for griefe and shame of so wicked an act ended her life without the attaining of her ambitious desire and hath left her name indeleblie stained with his innocent bloud CEolwulfe the brother of Kenwolfe and vncle to this murdered young King as his neerest in bloud was elected their Gouernour by the Mercians but his glory was not great nor his raigne long being still disquieted by Bernulfe that sought his Crowne and after one yeeres Regiment was expulsed by his people and left the same to his pursuer abandoning the Countrie for the safety of his life One daughter hee had named Elfled who was the wife of Wigmund the sonne of Withlafe the substitute King of Mercia and himselfe the last that held the Mercian Kingdome in a lineall succession BErnulfe obtaining what hee so long desired made himselfe King when Ceolwulfe was gone and was the more approoued for his valour in Armes and the lesse resisted for his ancient descent being sprung from Osher a man reputed to be of the Mercian royall bloud But Bernulfe perceiuing the fortunes of Egbert accounted those his happie successes to bee his owne shame and by defiance challenged the West-Saxons to the field which Egbert accepted and vpon Ellendon ioined Battle with the Mercians which was fought to the much losse of both their blouds Notwithstanding at last the West-Saxons preuailed Bernulfe being forced to flie with shame The East-Angles that then had yeelded to Egbert and but lately before had felt the fury of Bernulfe thought the time fit to repay him againe and therefore in warlike manner assaulted his Territories where hee in defending his Countrey against their attempts was in a skirmish slaine after he had raigned not fully three yeeres LVdecan then was chosen King of the Mercians whose bloud was not downe since their last losse neither reuenge forgotten against the East-Angles and therefore the yeere following made strength sufficient to their seeming to meet these their enemies But the State of Heptarchie now drawne to the period and the supporters thereof weakened by their own diuisions the Iland declined to a present alteration gaue place to a more absolute kind of Monarchy that in Egbert the West-Saxon was now begun who aiding the East-Angles against the Mercians Ludecan their King fought with no better successe then Bernulf before him had done whose raigne lasted not fully 2. yeers nor his memoriall reuiued either in wife or issue VVIthlafe the sonne of Oswald the sonne of Osber of the Mercian bloud-royall intruding himselfe as it seemeth into the gouernment of Mercia was vnexpectedly vanquished by Egbert the Monarch that had assumed from Bernulfe that Kingdome before him hee made his Substitute and Tributarie who so continued to Egbert and his sonne the time of thirteene yeeres leauing no other relation of his acts His issue was Wigmund the husband of Lady Elfled the daughter of Ceolwulfe King of Mercia the parents of Wystan the Martyr and of Lady Edburg maried to one Etheland an Earle in the Prouince of Lincolne BErthulf vpon the like composition of Tribute and in the like termes of subiection to the West-Saxons soueraigntie held the kingdome of Mercia as a Substitute and without any notable reports of his Acts so raigned the space of thirteene yeeres At this time the Sea-rouers out of Denmarkc that had often infested this Iland with their many Inuasions got the head so strong and wing so farre euen to the middle part thereof as this of Mercia was that they filled with terror the hearts of the Inhabitants and stained the soile with the bloud of their sides which in a most barbarous crueltie daily they shed whose rage was so great and mindes so vnsatiable that Berthulf was enforced to forsake the Country and in a more priuate estate to secure his owne life He had a sonne named Berefred who was the causer of Saint Wystans martyrdome BVrdred the last Mercian King was thereunto deputed by Ethelwolfe the West-Saxon Monarch as a shield of defence against the raging Danes that made desolations where they came In continuall imploiments against them he spent his time and that with such noble resolutions and manhood that Ethelwolfe held him worthy of his alliance and made him his sonne in law by giuing him Lady Ethelswith his daughter to Wife the marriage being solemnized at Chipnham in Wiltshire with great estate This Burdred with Ethelwolfe warred against the Britaines with victorie and he with Alured compelled the Danes vnder the conduct of Hungar and Vbba to â—…dislodge from Nottingham and depart the Prouince Yet lastly after twenty two yeeres raigne hee was so ouerlaid with their daily supplies that three of their Kings as our Writers terme them whose names were Godrun Esketell and Ammond wintred at Ripindon and sore wasted his Kingdome King Burdred at that time distressed and himselfe not able to withstand their rage with his wife Queene Ethelswith fled the Realme and the same yeere in Rome ended his life and was buried in the Church of our Lady belonging to the English College there erected His Queene in the habit of a Nunne fifteene yeeres after his death died at Padua in Italie and was there honourably buried the yeere of our Lord eight hundred eightie nine And now the fatall circle of this Kingdome drawne to the full compasse staied the hand of all glorious motion from proceeding any further and with the lot of the rest fell vnder the gouernment of the West-Saxons after one yeeres vsurpation of the Danes when it had stood in state of a kingdome the space of two hundred and two yeeres and ended in title and regall authority the yeere of Christs Incarnation eight hundred eighty six THE KINGDOME OF THE EAST-ANGLE THE CIRCVIT OF THAT PROVINCE WITH THE SVCCESSION AND ACTS OF THEIR KINGS SO LONG AS IT STOOD IN THAT REGALL ESTATE AND VNTILL IT WAS VNITED TO THE WEST-SAXONS CHAPTER XI THe Counties as we now call them that were subiect to this East-Angles Kingdome were Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge-shire and the I le of Ely The bounds whereof were limitted in this manner the East and North sides were confined by the Ocean the West with Saint Edmunds Ditch and the South altogether with Essex and some part of Hertfordshire The first raiser of the title and State of this Kingdome was a Saxon Captaine named Vffa about the yeere of Christs incarnation fiue hundred seuentie fiue whose renowne was such that he gaue name not onely to that his aspired Dominion but also from him the Subiects thereof were a long time after called Vffines though lastly it was reduced into the name and Kingdom of the East-Angles This Vffa as Florentius the Monke of Worcester hath laid downe was the sonne of Withelin and he the sonne of Hrippus the sonne of Rothmund the sonne of Trigils the sonne of Titmon the sonne of Caser the second sonne of Prince
made by the English are notwithstanding obserued at this day But the Dukes eye could not looke so farre into the times to come Neuerthelesse wee that see these things must confesse that the best kingdome vnder heauen is not so worth the getting as that with the wilfull contempt of God and conscience any man should seeke to purchase it 94 But while the Duke was thus busied in Courting the Gascoignes good will who had sent into England to shew causes why they should not atturne to the Duke and yet were wrought at last to the point of yeelding he receiues a commandement from King Richard to returne that he might goe with him into France which he obayed The King keeping his at Langley in Hartfordshire the Duke was there entertained with more honour as it was thought then loue Being licenced to depart for a time he repaired to Lincolne where he a widdower married his old loue the Lady Katherine Swinford now a widdow Men did wonder at it but hee therein obeyed the remorse of a Christian conscience without respect to his owne vnequall greatnes for hauing had sundry Children by her in his former wiues time he made her and them now the only sufficient amends which the law of God or man enioineth And further in a Parliament held the yeere following the Duke procured an Act to passe by which such children as he formerly had by his new Dutchesse were legitimated and surnamed them Beufot being foure of them Iohn Thomas Henrie Ioane the second of which was by the Kings bounty created Earle of Sommerset 95 The King being specially accompanied with those his vncles of Lancaster and Glocester at a most sumptuous and chargefull enteruiew between him and Charles King of France in the parts of Calis and Gynes espoused the Lady Isabell daughter of the said Charles At the deliuery of her King Richard in the presence of all the greatest Princes Peeres and Ladies of either nation gaue the King his father in law great thanks for a gift so noble and acceptable adding he tooke her vpon the conditions made betweene the two nations to the intent that liuing in peace and rest they might attaine to the establishment of a perpetuall amitie for auoyding the effusion of Christian blood which would in likelyhood haue followed had not at that time affinitie beene contracted betweene them The young Lady was not aboue seuen or eight yeeres old but the truce was taken for thirty yeeres Her person therefore was committed to the Dutchesses of Lancaster and Glocester and other great Ladies who conducted her to Callis From whence after a short stay the King his young Queene with whom he had great riches and all the glorious companie came ouer into England Their persons arriued safe but the Kings gorgeous Pauilions and a great part of his stuffe was cast away by tempest in the transportation This iourney besides his losses at Sea cost the King aboue forty thousand markes 96 The outward felicitie of England seemed at this time verie great and the rather seemed so because it was likelie to continue In the Duke of Glocesters persō that bright prosperity was first ouershadowed He Vir ferocissimus pracipitis ingenij as Polydor censures him a most fierce man and of an headlong wit thinking those times wherein he had mastred the King were nothing changed though the King was aboue thirty yeres old forbare not roughly not so much to admonish as to checke and schoole his Souereigne The peace with France displeased him that therefore he calumniates The King had restored Brest in Britaine to the Duke vpon reembursements of the money lent he tels the King that hee should first conquer a Towne before he parted with any yet the King answeres that he could not in conscience detaine the same now that the Duke had repaid his loane There were other things which could not so well be answered For a vaine rumor that he should be chosen Emperour put him belike into such a vaine of spending as carried a proportion with that maiesty his coffers in a short time sounding like empty Caske there was no great monied man in whose debt he was not nor any in a manner so meane to whome hee was not burthenous 97 The King had heretofore complained of this vncle to the Earle of Saint Paul a French-man then in England whose iudgement was that such insolency was to be reuenged but complaining to his other vncles of Lancaster and Yorke they wisely aduised the King not to regard his words but his heart which he and they knew sincere vnto him Neuerthelesse partly to weaken the intollerable humor of their brother who like a constant Admirer of his owne waies thought nothing well done but what himselfe either did or directed and partlie to auoid the scandall of the Kings bad courses they withdraw their presences from the Court The King notwithstanding is the same man still as the Duke of Glocester thinks wherefore he breakes his minde to such as he durst trust Arundell in Sussex is appointed the Consultation-place where he the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earles of Arundell Warwicke Marshall and others take an Oath of Secrecy and conclude to raise a power to remoue the Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke and such other as they thought best from about the King so to enact a reformation 98 They are charged by some to haue plotted the imprisonment of the King and Dukes and the death of all other Councellours which howsoeuer it was perhaps no part of their intention might yet haue beene a necessarie consequent The blustring Duke had breathed out dangerous words as that he would put the King of whose courage he spake contemptiblie into some prison there to spend his daies in ease and peace as himselfe thought best His brethren hearing hereof brotherlie admonish him to beware but as it seemes they found him deafe on that side This though some of the late Authors write yet there are both old and new who mention no such matter but the contrary not obscurely teaching vs that the Dukes ruine was but an effect of old malignities 99 Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham and Marshall a party in the reported plot though sonne in law to the Earle of Arundel reueileth the same to the King * The Duke of Glocester is hereuppon surprized by Mowbray lying in wait in the woods where hee was to passe sent to Callis where Nottingham was Captaine and there imprisoned the Earles of Arundel and Warwicke the Lord Iohn Cobham and Sir Iohn Cheiney are arrested Proclamation is then made that they were not committed for anie old matters but for hainous things newly contriued as in the next Parliament should be made manifest though the euent as Walfingham truly saith declared the contrarie But the Duke of Glocester and the two said Earles are endited at Nottingham The King to maintaine the accusation of treason obiected
an Army of eighteene thousand men led by the Dukes of Sommerset and Excester the Earles of Deuonshire and Wiltshire the Lords Neuill Clifford Rosse and in effect all the Northerne Nobility The host or so much therof as they thought necessary to shew presents it selfe before Sandall to prouoke and dare the Duke to battell His bloud impatient of these braues ignorant perhaps that the enemy had so great a multitude will needes fight though the Earle of Salisbury and Sir Dauid Hall an ancient seruant of his and a great Souldier gaue him aduise to stay till his sonne the Earle of March approched with such Welshmen and Marchers as hee had in great numbers assembled But God would forbeare him no longer but like a seuere Master meanes to take a present account at which he found whether all the kingdomes of the earth are worth the least sinne much lesse a wilfull periurie 89 The Queene therefore addeth stratageme and wit to her force to the entent hee might not escape her hands whereupon the Earle of Wiltshire vpon one side of the hill and the Lord Clifford vpon the other lie in ambush to thrust between him and the Castell the Dukes of Sommerset and Exceter stand embattelled in the open field Their policy had the wished successe for the Duke being not fully fiue thousand strong issueth out of the Castle downe the hill The battels which stood in front ioyne furiously when sodainly the Duke of Yorke sees himselfe inclosed and although hee expressed great manhood yet within one halfe houre his whole Armie was discomfited himselfe and diuers his deare friends beaten downe and slaine There lay dead about him the Lord Harington Sir Thomas Neuill sonne to the Earle of Salisburie Sir Dauid Hal with sundry Knights and others about two thousand two hundred among which were the heires of many Southern gentlemen of great account whose bloud was shortly after reuenged Let vs not linger vpon the particular accidents of this battell but consider what it wrought for King Henries aduancement yet these few things are not to bee vnremembred The Earle of Rutland a yonger sonne to the Duke of Yorke being about twelue yeeres old was also slaine by the Lord Clifford who ouertooke him flying in part of reuenge for that the Earles father had slaine his A deed which worthily blemished the Author but who can promise any thing temperate of himselfe in the heat of martiall furie chiefly where it was resolued not to leaue anie branch of Yorke line standing for so doth one make the Lord Clifford to speake 90 That mercilesse proposition was common as the euent will shew to either faction The Duke of Yorkes head crowned with paper is presented to the Queene Cruell ioy is seldome fortunate Caesar wept ouer Pompeis head but the Queen ignorant how manifold causes of teares were reserued for her owne share makes herselfe merrie with that gastly and bloody spectacle The Earle of Salisburie after wounds receiued being in this battel taken prisoner is conueighed to Ponfract Castle from whence the common people who loued him not violently haled him and cut off his head which perhaps was not done without the good liking of others The Dukes head together with his were fixed on poles and set vpon a gate of Yorke and with them if Grafton say true the heades of all the other prisoners which had beene conducted to Pomfret 91 This battell called of Wakefield was fought vpon the last day of December of whose weathers complexion if their courages had participated mischiefe might haue made her stop here which now is in her swiftest course 92 For the Earle of March sonne and heire to this late valiant Duke of Yorke hearing of this tragicall aduenture giues not ouer but hauing gathered an armie of about twenty thousand to march against the Queene he findes emploiment neerer hand being certified that Iasper Theder Earle of Pembrooke halfe brother to King Henrie and Iames Butler Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire had with them a great force of Welsh and Irish to take him The youthfull and valiant Earle of March whose amiable presence and carriage made him gratious with the people and the rather for that he had the generall good word of women meanes to try his fortune against the said Earles He sodeinely therefore turnes backe from Shrewsbury and at a place called Mortimers Crosse neere Ludlow where the enemie abode he sets vpon them It was Candlemas day in the morning at which time there appeared as some write three Sunnes which sodeinely ioined in one This luckie prognosticon and ominous Meteor exceedingly fired the Earle of March and was some say the reason why he vsed for his Badge or roiall deuise the Sunne in his full brightnesse The Battels maintaine their fight with great furie but in the end the Earle of March obtaines the victorie killing of his enemies three thousand and eight hundreth men the Earles saued themselues by flight The sonne of honour and fortune did thus begin to shine through Clouds of blood and miserie vpon Edward whome shortly we are to behold King of England There were taken Sir Owen Theder father to Iasper Earle of Pembrooke who was beheaded by Edwards commandement as also Sir Iohn Skudamor knight with his two sonnes and other 93 The Queene on the other side hauing ordered her affaires in the North setled the estate thereof and refreshed her people within a while after drawes neere with her Northern armie to S. Albans There came before them an euill fame of their behauiour to London whose wealth lookt pale knowing it selfe in danger for the Northern armie in which were Scots Welsh and Irish aswell as English made bold by the way with what they liked making small distinction of sacred or prophane after they were once past the riuer of Trent Captaine Andrew Trolop being their Coronell King Henry himselfe in person with the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke the Earles of Warwicke and Arundel the Lord Bonuile other with a great puissance encampe at S. Albans to giue the Queene battell and stop her farther passage toward London But the Lords of her faction being ready to attempt on her behalfe assaile the Kings forces within the Town and after some sharpe affronts breake through and driue their aduersaries out with much bloodshed till they fell vpon a squadron or battalion of the Kings wherein there were about foure or fiue thousand men which made good their ground for a while with great courage but in the end the Queenes side clearely wanne the day There perished in this conflict about two thousand This hapned vpon Shroue-tuesday the seuenteenth of Februarie The King Queene and Prince meet ioifully where he knights his sonne being eight yeeres old and thirtie others The Lord Bonuile and Sir Thomas Kiriel of Kenâ—… being taken in the fight were beheaded but all the other great men elcape The common people
of Nouember at a place beyond Carliel called Solem-mosse where were taken Prisoners the Earles of Cassils and Glencarne the Lords Maxwell Flemming Summerwell Oliphant and Grey Sir Oliuer Sinclere and others to the number of one and twenty men of account who were conueighed to London and committed to the Tower For griefe of which losse and suspition of his Nobility King Iames fell into a melancholy Passion which the birth of his new borne Princesse rather increased then gaue him any coÌ„fort so as hee deceased the foureteenth day of December following foreshewing saith Leslie great troubles to follow in Scotland 119 Newes brought neere at one instant of the death of King Iames birth of the Princesse his daughter King Henry intended to doe that by the match of a marriage which long had beene assayed by the sword of Mars all things so consorting as it did he hauing one onely sonne then aboue fiue yeres of age and Scotland no heire beside this new borne daughter their yeeres suiting a consent for marriage the whole Iland offering both the ioynter and dowry and that which most moued their chiefe Nobility in his owne hands to be moulded for this designe as if heauen it selfe had bid the banes 120 Those Prisoners therefore which had remained in the Tower only two daies vpon the twenty one of December he sent for to Westminster the Earles and Lords all suited in Gownes of blacke damaske furred with Cunny whereafter some words of friendly reproofe they were bestowed among the English Nobility who vsed them according to their estates and the third day in Christmas were inuited to the Court at Greenewich where they went before the King to 〈◊〉 Chappell were royally feasted and the motion then made for the establishing of peace by the Coniunction of the two Princes whereunto the Scotish were as willing as the English proffered all forward assistance to haue it accomplished So that these Nobles were deliuered without other ransome and richly rewarded at their departure from Court 121 These returned into Scotland declared what they had done and so effectually followed the busines that in a Parliament assembled of the three Estates the marriage was confirmed and a peace proclaimed to continue betwixt the two Realmes the space of tenne yeeres which agreements were sent into England by honourable Ambassadors and there interchangeably sealed betwixt these Potent Estates But Cardinall Betâ—… Archbishop of Saint Andrewes fearing least Scotland would change the Church Orders 〈◊〉 England had done the Bible already read in their owne language and the Popes vsurped power called in Question as then it began to be by the feruent preaching of Friet Guiliam to the great liking of most of the Lord made some exceptions against the Earle Arraine the new chosen Gouernour and second person in the Land being neerest in blood to the young Queene And the French King not liking this vnion with England sought by all meanes to 〈◊〉 the same match to effect which he sent the Eaâ—…le of Lennox to perswade with the Gouernour with great proffers and promises of assistance but finding him faithfull vnto King Henry presently made faction for the French wherein hee drew the Queene mother the Earles Huntly Argile Mâ—…trosse Menteith and many more Peeres the Cardinall amongst them euer the chiefe 122 Earle Lennox thus growne into credite with the Queene mother 〈◊〉 made strong by her adherents that fauoured the French presently claimed to be Gouernour of Scotland being the second person of degree in the Realme and withall to haue the custody of the young Queene who with heâ—… mother were forth with taken from 〈◊〉 vnder the charge of the Gouernour Arraiâ—…e and brought vnto Striueling strongly guarded with the continuall presence of the Lords 〈◊〉 Erskâ—… Fleâ—…ing and Ruthwen least Queene Mary should be conueyed into England vnto King Henry These violent courses caused great Emulations among the Scotish Nobility each of them siding as their affections were setled but lastly agree to set the Crowne on their young Queenes head prepared for the solemnity whereunto all the Lords came excepting those that stood for England and from them the Gouernour with much adoe was drawne to be present at the Coronation but that accomplished and the state affaires consulted vpon it was agreed that the French Kings suite should be fauoured and that the Earle Arran should be Gouernour still whereat Earle Lennox conceiued such displeasure as he became wholy for King Henrie ioined himselfe with the Earles of Augus Gleâ—…carne and Cassils the Lords Maxwel Summeruell Gray and others that stood with the English for the match with Prince Edward 123 King Henry then hearing what was done and intended sent presently into Scotland to demand the Custody of the young Queene and that certaine Scotish Noblemen might be appointed to guarde her in England vntill shee came to yeeres of consent according to Couenants formerly concluded which no waies would be granted and thereupon he prepared an Army thetherward vnder the Conduct of Lord Edward Seiâ—…er Earle of Hertford Lieutenant Generall by Land accompanied with the Earle of 〈◊〉 and a Fleete of two hundred saile by Sea whereof Sir Iohn Dudley Vicount Lisle was Admirall 124 To the aide of the Scots the Peopes holinesse was very forward who sent them the Patriarch of Venice as his Legate Orator to perswade their Resolutions with whom the French King sent Monfieur la Broche and Monfieur Menager to lead them to fight and fifty thousand Crownes of the Sun to suâ—…taine the Charge with munition worth ten thousand Crownes more It seemeth by Lesly that part of this siluer fell into the Earle Lennâ—… his hand and that therewith he made head against the Gouernor but not able to match him sent vnto King Henry for aide with proffer of his seruice against the French side which so well was accepted of Henry as he made him his Nephew by giuing the Lady Margaret his sisters daughter to be his wife 125 Thâ—… English thus seconded with this vnlooked for Allyance Cardinall Beton thought good to binde all to the Gouernour who with the Authority of the Queene Dowager proclaimed Lennox an Enemy to the State But in the meane while the Admirall of England was entred the Frith and at new Hauen landed his men where ioining his to the land Seruice they altogether marched thence towards Lâ—…th himselfe leading the Vaward Shrewsbury the Rereward and the Lord Lieutenant the maine Battell These comming to Lieth spoiled the Town and thence to Edenbrough burnt the City and wasted the Country for seauen miles about this done they set fire vpon Haddington and 〈◊〉 and then the whole Army returned vnto Barwicke 126 Whilst things thus passed in Scotland and the maine purpose resting in suspence King Henry well knew where the greatest rub did lie in his way which was the French
she abused her body by committing of adultery and was shortly expelled and in beggerly misery ended her life as by manie that so saw her we haue heard it reported saith Asserius mine Author For this her most hainous crime whereby was procured the murther of her Husband the West-Saxons ordained a Law to the great preiudice of all their Queenes succeeding that none of them should haue either title maiestie or place of roialtie which was seuerely executed for many yeeres after In the daies of this Brithrik many prodigies appeared and more perhaps then will be beleeued For it is reported that in his third yeere a shower of bloud rained from heauen and bloudy crosses fell vpon mens garments as they walked abroad And in his tenth yeere were seene fiery Dragons flying in the ayre Which wonders some tooke to be presages of the miseries following both by the Inuasions of the Pagan Danes that in these times were first seene to arriue in this Iland and the extreme Famine that afterwards happened howsoeuer sure it is that the Heptarchy now beganne to set in the West and the rising Monarchy to appeare in King Egbert whose acts and issue shall be further rehearsed when wee shall come to the time of his succession among the English Monarchs THE EAST-SAXONS KINGDOME THE CIRCVIT SVCCESSIONS OF THEIR KINGS THEIR ISSVES AND KINGDOMES CONTINVANCE CHAPTER VIII THe site of the East-Saxons Kingdom was the Country of Essex Middlesex and part of Hartfordshire and the Circuit so far as the Diocesse of London now extendeth It was bounded on the East with the Ocean on the South with the Thames on the West with the Colne and on the North with the Riuer Stowre The Kings thereof claime their descent from Prince Woden not as all the rest of the Saxon Kings but onely by a collaterall line and Erchenwine became the first King which neuerthelesse he held as Feodarie to the Kings of Kent For which cause it seemeth that Malmsbury mentioneth him not in the Catalogue of those Kings but maketh his sonne Sledda the first and tenth in descent from Woden ERchenwine is said to bee the Sonne of Offa the sonne of Bedca the sonne of Sigefuget the son of Sneppa the sonne of Awpig the sonne of Supig the sonne of Seaxnod from whom all these Kings fetch their originall His Kingdome began about the yeere of grace 527. and in the fifteenth of Eske the second King of Kent and his raigne long but yet without any memorable acts dying in the yeere 586. and leauing his sonne to succeede in his place SLedda the sonne of Erchenwine succeeding in the East-Saxons Kingdome raigned peaceablie without mention of any warres for hauing married Ricula the daughter of Imerik King of Kent was thereby the more fauoured of them and feared of others and nothing left besides his quiet raigne to be recorded to posterities neither are many yeeres of successions numbred but as they are gathered from the Computations of other princes with whom they either liued or were linked in action This Sledda died about the yeere of our Redemption 596. and left issue by his wife Queene Ricula Sebert who succeeded him in the Kingdome and Segebald his brother whose Sons afterward were Kings of that Prouince SEbert the sonne of Sledda and of Queene Ricula beganne his Raigne in the yere of Christs Incarnation 596. and in the thirtie six yeere of the raigne of King Ethelbert of Keâ—… his mothers brother at that time Monarch of the English-men who in Seberts chiefe citie London a Princelie Mart Towne saith Beda of many people ariuing thither both by sea and land new built a Church making it the Cathedrall of Bishop Miletus and so wrought with King Sebert that hee conuerted him to Christianitie and assisted him in that Foundation where formerlie say some had stood the Temple of Diana This Church these new Conuerts and Saxon Kings either new reared or inlarged for the honour and seruice of God and dedicated vnder the name of Saint Paul which worke Ethelbert further confirmed with sufficient maintenance as by this his Charter is seene containing these words Aethelbert Rex Deo inspirante pro animae suae remedio dedit Episcopâ—… Mileto terram quae appellatur Tillingham ad Monasterium siue Solatium scilicet S. Pauli Et ego Rex Aethelbert ita firmiter concedo tibi Praesuli Mileto potestatem eius habendi possidendi vt in perpetuum in Monasterij vtilitate permaneat c. And that this was the Temple of Diana some haue further confirmed vnto vs by the incredible number of Oxe-heads there digged vp in the daies of King Edward the First when the east-end of that Church was enlarged which were supposed to be of those Beasts that were there sacrificed to this Goddesse Diana These Kings likewise founded the Church of S. Peter in the West of London at a place called Thornye where sometimes stood the Temple of Apollo as Sulcardus affirmeth which being ouerthrowne by an Earth-quake King Lucius new built for the celebration of Gods seruice and that againe being decaied those Kings restored it to a greater beautie where Sebert after thirteene yeeres raigne as some write with Aethelgoda his Queene were buried whose bodies in the daies of Richard the Second saith Walsingh were translated from the old Church to the new and there interred Hee had issue by the said Queene Sered Seward and Sigebert whose liues and deaths were as followeth SEred Seward and Sigbert the sonnes of King Sebert raigned as it seemeth together in the Kingdome of the East-Saxons all three wicked irreligious men and deadly enemies to the Christian Profession These contumeliously presuming to the Lords Table and holy Sacrament of his Body and Bloud were prohibited by Bishop Miletus because they were Idolaters and vnbaptized which repulse they tooke so offensiuely that they expulsed Miletus who therupon fled into France But their impietie was not long vnrewarded for fighting against Kingils and Qinchelinus his sonne Kings of the West-Saxons were by them ouercome and in battle slaine about the yeere of Grace 623. as by the learned Sir Henry Sauile is calculated whose account for these times I altogether follow SIgebert the little the sonne of Seward the second sonne of King Sebert entred his raigne ouer the kingdome of the East-Saxons the yeere of Christ 623. of whose affaires little matter is left for vs to relate sauing that hee hauing both a Brother and a Sonne yet his Kingdome was succeeded by neither but by one Sigibert his Cosen-German once remooued SIgibert the sonne of Segebald the brother of Sebert the sonne of King Sledda and of Ricula his Queene succeeded his kinsman in the Kingdome of the East-Saxons This Sigibert reduced againe his Prouince vnto the embracing of the Christian Faith being daily instigated thereunto by Oswie King of
the Mercian at Oswaldstree in Shrop-shire quinto Augusti the yeere of our Lord 642. when hee had raigned nine yeeres and was buried at Bradney in Lincolne-shire His wife was Kineburg the daughter of Kingils King of the West-Saxons and his sonne Ethelwald young at his death and therefore defeated of his Kingdome by Oswy his Vncle the Naturall Sonne of King Ethelfrid the Wild. Notwithstanding when Oswin King of Deira was murdered by this Oswy of Bernitia and he not past sixteene yeeres of age entred by force vpon Deira and kept the same Prouince by strong hand so long as hee liued and dying left it to his cosen Alkfrid the Naturall Sonne of the said King Oswy OSwy the illegitimate sonne of Ethelfrid the Wild at thirty yeeres of age succeeded King Oswald his brother in the Kingdome of the Bernicians at whose entrance Oswyne the sonne of Osrik that had denied the Faith and was slaine of King Cedwall raigned in Deira This Oswyne was slaine by King Oswye after whose death seizing all Northumberland he spread his terrour further into other parts and was the tenth Monarch of the Englishmen as in his succession we will further speake His wife was Eanfled daughter to Edwine King of Northumberland by whom he had many children His raigne was 28. yeeres and death the fifteenth day of Februarie in the yeere of grace 670. and of his age 58. EGfrid the eldest sonne of King Oswy by Queene Eanfled had beene Hostage in the Kingdome of Mercia and after his father was made King of Northumberland in the yeere of Christ 671. Hee warred but with great losse against Edilred King of Mercia neere vnto the Riuer of Trent wherein his younger brother Elswyne was vnfortunately slaine to the great griefe of both the Kings the one being his owne brother and the other his brother in law by mariage whereupon a peace and reconciliation was made But Egfred being by nature of a disquiet disposition inuaded the Irish and destroied those harmelesse and silly people which as Beda saith had beene great friends to the English Their resistance consisted chiefly in curses and imprecations for reuenge which though they could not open heauen yet saith hee it is to be beleeued that for their cause he was cut off the next yeere ensuing by the Picts or Red-shankes against whom he prepared contrary to the aduice of his Counsell and by them was slaine among the strait and waste mountaines 20. Maij the yeere of mans felicitie 685. and of his age fortie after hee had raigned fifteene yeeres His wife was Etheldred the daughter of Anna King of the East-Angles shee was both Widow and Virgin first maried to Tonbert a Noble man that ruled the Giruij a people inhabiting the Fenny Countries of Norfolke Lincolne Huntington and Cambridge-shires and after him also in virginitie continued twelue yeeres with her husband King Egfrid contrarie to his minde and the Apostles precept that forbiddeth such defrauding either in man or woman except it be with consent for a time and to the preparatiō of praier affirming elswhere that Mariage is honourable and the bed thereof vndefiled wherein the woman doth redeeme her transgression through faith loue holinesse and modestie by beating of children This notwithstanding she obtained licence to depart his Court and got her to Coldingham Abby where shee was professed a Nunne vnder Ebba the daughter of King Ethelfrid Then went shee to Ely and new built a Monasterie whereof shee was made Abbesse and wherein with great reuerence shee was intombed whose vertues and remembrance remained to posterities by the name of S. Andrie she being canonized among the Catalogue of English Saints ALkfryd the illegitimate sonne of King Oswy in the raigne of his halfe-brother King Egfrid whether willingly or by violence constrained liued like a banished man in Ireland where applying himselfe to studie hee became an excellent Philosopher and as Beda saith was very conuersant and learned in the Holy Scriptures and therefore was made King ouer the Northumbrians where with great wisdome though not with so large bounds as others had enioied hee worthily did recouer the decaied estate of that Prouince ruling the same twenty yeeres and odde moneths and departed this life Anno 705. His Wife was Kenburg the daughter of Penda King of the Mercians and by her he had issue only one sonne that succeeded him in his Kingdome OSred a child of eight yeeres in age for the hopes conceiued from the vertues of his father was made King ouer the Northumbrians whose steps hee no wayes trod in but rather in filthy abuse of his person and place wallowed in all voluptuous pleasures and sensuall delight violating the bodies of vailed Nunnes and other religious holy women wherein when he had spent eleuen yeeres more to his age his kinsmen Kenred and Osrick conspired against him and in battle by his slaughter made an end of his impious life His wife was Cuthburga the sister of Inas King of the West-Saxons as by the time may bee gathered from the computation of Marianus and the Annales of the English-Saxons who vpon a loathing wearinesse of wedlocke sued out a diuorce from her husband and built a Nunnery at Winburne in Dorset-shire where in a religious habit shee ended her life and hee by Kenred and Osricke leauing his Kingdome to them that wrought his death KEnred the sonne of Cuthwyne whose father was Leolwald the sonne of Egwald and his father Adelm the sonne of Oga the naturall sonne of Ida the first King of Deira after the death of Osred raigned two yeeres no other remembrance left of him besides the murder of his Soueraigne Lord and King OSrick after the death of Kenred obtained the Kingdome of Northumberland and raigned therin the space of eleuen yeeres leauing to the world his name stained with bloud in the murder of young Osred no other mention of parentage wife or issue of him remaining for want whereof hee adopted Ceolnulph brother to his predecessor Kenred and died vnlamented the yeere of Grace seuen hundred twentie nine CEolnulph the brother of Kenred after the death of King Osrike was made King of the Northumbrians which Prouince hee gouerned with great peace and victorie the space of eight yeeres but then forsaking the Royall Estate and Robes of Maiestie put on the habit of a Monke in the I le of Lindesferne or Holy Iland These were the daies saith Beda wherein the acceptable time of peace and quietnesse was embraced among the Northumbrians who now laid their armour aside and applied themselues to the reading of holy Scriptures more desirous to be professed in religious houses then to exercise feats of warre or of Armes For not only Priests and Lay men vowed and performed Pilgrimages to Rome but Kings Queenes and Bishops also did the like
at the hands of Pope Sergius died soone after in the yeere of our Lord six hundred eighty nine and there was buried in S. Peters Church being the last King of the Britaines bloud after they had held possession therof the space of one thousand one hundred thirty and seuen yeeres before the Natiuitie of Christ and six hundred eighty eight yeeres after his Birth as the Chronicle of Wales with other Britaine Writers haue calculated though as is said after the largest size But howsoeuer this sudden alteration was wrought in Cadwallader yet whiles he continued a King in health hee raigned saith Geffrey in great magnanimitie the terme of three yeers and fought many Battles against the Saxons whose sword was euer sheathed with victorie for Lothaire King of Kent he slew in the Field and Edilwach also King of the South-Saxons with the ruine of his Country as the British Historians report and would haue it But Beda vnto whom more credit is heerein to be giuen telles vs that Lothaire was slaine by Edrik his Nephew and Successour declaring the manner and day of his death and that Ceadwall a young man of the West-Saxons bloud royall being banished from among them fell vpon the South-Saxons harrying the Country and killing their King But afterwards lamenting the bloud he had spilt whereat euen Nature her selfe seemed to bee offended in great repentance abandoned his Kingdome and pilgrim-like went vnto Rome where of Pope Sergius he was baptized vpon Easter Euen the yeere from Christs Natiuitie six hundred eightie nine The times thus agreeing their names so neere their deuotions alike Sergius the same ghostly father to both their sepulchers in one and the same Church doe strongly confirme that they both were the same and one only man as we formerly haue said But with this man Cadwallader wheresoeuer he died lay buried the last bloud of their Kings their gouernment and immediatelie the very Name of Britaine for many hundred yeeres ensuing as in the sequell of this Historie Christ assisting shall bee shewed And now at last according to my first intendment I am come to speake of the succession of Great Britaines Monarkes from which vpon the fore-shewed occasions of the Ilands diuision the Saxons possessions and these Britaine Resisters I haue beene ouerlong staied and am forced to returne againe to King Hengist the first of the Saxons that I may shew their succeeding succession in this English Monarchy wherin of necessitie I must desire the patience of my Reader if some things be againe touched that formerlie haue beene spoken the Matter of Historie so much requiring and the Method that to my proceeding I haue herein proposed enforcing it THE SAXONS SVCCESSIONS IN THE MONARCHY OF GREAT BRITAINE WHEREOF HENGIST THE FIRST KING OF KENT BECAME THE FIRST MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XIII HEngist a Prince of the English-Saxons hauing the Command ouer certaine forces planted in the Low-countries of Germany in the yeere of Christs Incarnation foure hundred and fiftie transported them ouer into Britaine where the fifth yeere after his arriuall he began his Kingdome in Kent hauing surprised his son in law King Vortigern slain his Britaines and seized into his possession the best of the Iland he laid the foundation of a Monarchy and deserueth to be reputed the first Monarch of the English Nation 2 He as all the Saxon Kings besides doth claime his originall from Prince Woden and his wife Fria by Wechta the eldest of their â—…uen sonnes being the fifth in issue from them as thus Himselfe was the sonne of Withtgils who was the sonne of Witha and he the sonne of Wechta the eldest sonne of the Deified Woden This Prince held the supreme Scepter of this Iland for thirty foure yeeres continuance and therein died honorably saith Marianus Scotus But Peter de Ikham Polydore and others say that he was slaine in battell or else taken by Edol Earle of Glocester and beheaded at Conesborow Hee left issue behind him two sonnes and one daughter whose names were Hatwaker Eske and Rowena 3 Hatwaker his eldest sonne is reported by Petrus Albinus of Wittenberg a great Genealogist and Hitoriographer also to be Duke of the Saxons in Germanie and there left to gouerne the people at his Fathers departure for Britaine And if Albinus authority be sufficient he was the Father of Duke Hatwegat and grandfather of â—…erik King of the Saxons ancestor to the valiant Witikindus the principall progenitor of the most noble Familie of the Dukes of Saxony 4 Eske the second sonne of King Hengist came ouer with his Father into Britaine and was his assistant in all his warres wherein he gaue worthy testimonie of his valour whose Kingdome of Kent after his death he enioyed and gaue name to that Countries Inhabitants who were from him called Eskings ouer whom he raigned peaceably twenty yeeres 5 Rowena the daughter of King Hengist was borne in Germany before her Fathers departure and afterwards sent for by him into Britaine to further his designes At whose surpassing beautie and feature Vortigern so lawfull and louing wâ—… to Paganish bed and to the and griefe of the Nobâ—… cond wiâ—…e and the struction By her he had a all lawes either of God wife by whom he had iâ—…ue ly spent the daies of his life as he was got in that wicked bed This Rowena whom some call Roâ—…a by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is accounted the Neece and not the Daugâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…gist But seeing his opinion is grounded vpon 〈◊〉 youth of Hengist as not sufficient in yeeres to 〈◊〉 a daughter so mariageable I rather thinke and hold this bare testimonie vnable to turne the great streame of other Writers out of their vsuall course and 〈◊〉 chanell ELLA THE FIRST KING OF THE SOVTH-SAXONS AND SECOND MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN CHAPTER XIV ELla a noble Saxon being sent for by King Hengist about the three and twentith yeere of his raigne brought a fresh supply of those Germans to the reliefe of his Countrymen who with his forces landed at the hauen now called Shoreham in Sussex where putting backe the Inhabitants in many skirmishes lastly chased them into a great wood then called Andredflege whence often being assailed by the sudden assaults of the Britaines wherein as may bee thought he lost the liues of his two elder sonnes was so hardly beset that hee sent for more aid of his Saxons who came to his supply 2 His strength thus augmented and ambition still increased he fought three cruell and bloody battels but the last of them most fatall against the Britaines in the place then called Macrodes-burne and besieging the ancient and famous City Anared-Chester situated in the said great forest and chiefe defensible fortresse in all those Southern parts intercepted the Britaines that came to their reliefe and entring the same by an assault put to the sword all that were found within it After which great
to cut off long trauell these Danes by boates passed Humber where Hungar and Hubba beganne with fire and sword to lay all wast before them sparing neither Person sexe nor age The places respected for publike good and sacred Temples consecrated onely to God which all other Tyrants haue forborne these sauage men as the earths destroiers cast downe and trampled vnder their prophane feete among which for note were the goodly Monasteries of Bradney Crowland Peterborow Ely and Huntington all laid in leuell with the ground and their Votaries aswell the Nunnes as the Monkes murthered with their vnhumane and mercilesse swords to auoid whose barbarous pollutions the chast Nunnes of Coldingham defoâ—…ed themselues to their lasciuious eyes by cutting off their vpper lips and noses but to euerlasting remembrance they remain most faire and well beseeming faces of pure Virgins 6 These Pagans piercing further into the land came into the territories of the East-Angles wherein holy Edmund raigned King whose Martyrdome in most cruell manner they wrought he constantly calling vpon the name of Christ whereof wee haue already spoken and shall bee occasioned hereafter to speake 7 But in the last yeare of this Kings raign their raging power was most great for with a new supply two Danish Kings Sreeg and Halden entred into West-Saxia and at Reading the Kings towne intrenched themselues these forraging the Country were encountred with at Englâ—…field by Ethelwolfe Earle of Barkeshire and his men who in skirmish slew one of their leaders and chased the rest backe to their Trench 8 These Danes fearing lest delaies would proue dangerous and knowing that the first successe is commonly seconded with further courage of hope foure dayes after shewed themselues in field ready to fight their hoast they diuided into two battalians whereof the one was guided by two of their Kings and certaine Earles were leaders of the other which when the English perceiued they also diuided theirs whereof King Ethelred had the leading of the first and Elfred his brother was Generall of the second the place was Assendon where their Tents were pitched and the day approached for battaile King Ethelred in his Tent staid so long in praiers that Elfred vpon a forward courage hasted to encounter the enemy and that with a most fierce and sharpe fight wherein hauing spent the most of their strengthes and ready to decline and giue backe Ethelred manfully entred the battaile and so seconded his brother and ouer-tyred Souldiers that hee made way by dint of his sword through the thickest of their almost-conquering enemies and with such losse of the Danish bloud drawne from the sides of one of their Kings fiue Earles and an infinite number of the common Souldiers that the streames therof seemed as an ouer-swelling tide altogether to couer the face of the field and is accounted for the noblest victory that the English till then had gotten of the Danes 9 Yet were not these Pagans therewith discouraged but gathering more strengthes and supplies from other parts foureteen dayes after made head againe against the English and pitching downe their standards at Basing abode the coÌ„ming of Ethelred and triall of battaile wherein successe was altogether altered for herein the Kings part was discomfited and the Danes the winners of the day 10 Thus both sides borne vpon rage hope in their heat of bloud prepare for new fight The Danes power was augmented with a further supply sent from beyond Seas and the English confirmed with hope of successe These meeting at Merton two moneths after the battaile of Basing encountred each others both boldly and bloodily wherein at first the English preuailed and the Danes were chased but their numbers the greater and fresh supply maintaining their 〈◊〉 they râ—…uered themselues and wonne the day wherein King Ethelred receiued his deaths wound with such slaughter of his people that little wanted the end of all encounters to haue been afterwards attempted any more by the English 11 Great was the valour and resistance of this King for in his short time of Raigne as Writers record no lesse then nine set battales against the Danes he fought in one yeare to the great effusion of Christian bloud and to no little losse of the Danish power for in his raign fell of them one King nine Earles and of the common sort without number 12 He died at Wittingham of his wound receiued the three and twentieth day of April in the yeare of our Lord God eight hundred seauenty two and was buried in the Collegiat Church of Winburne in Dorcetshire where remaines his Tombe and his Armes vnto this day with this Inscription In hoc loco quiescit corpus Sancti Ethelredi Regis West-Saxonum Martyris qui Anno Domini 872. 23. die Aprilis per manus Dacorum Paganorum occubuit His Issue Elfred the eldest sonne of King Ethelred seemeth to be Grandfather to the noble and learned Ethelward who being Kinsman Counsellor and Treasurer to King Edgar wrote an history of his Country beginning at the first arriuall of the Saxons into England and continuing vnto his own time which history he dedicated to his kinswoman and cosen germane the Lady Mande Abbesse of Quedlingburg in Saxonie being the daughter of the Emperour Otho by Edgith his wife daughter of King Edward the elder and sister of Ethelstane and Edmund Kings of England Oswald a young sonne of King Ethelred is mentioned in a Charter of his Fathers by which he gaue lands to the Monastery of Abingdon neere Oxford and to which this sonne of his hath his name set downe for a witnes which Charter is yet extant recorded in a great Legiet-booke and Register of the Euidences of the lands sometime belonging to the said Monastery Thyre the daughter of King Ethelred is reported by the histories of Ireland to bee married to 〈◊〉 King of the Danes and to haue had issue King Harald which Harald by Queene Goâ—…hild his wife had issue Sweyn king of Denmarke Iringe king of Northumberland and Gonhild Queene of North-Wales King Sweyn by Queene Sigred his wife had issue Câ—…te King of England and Denmarke Ostryde wife of Duke Wolfe and mother of King Sweyn the yonger and Thyre the first wife of Earle Goodwin of Kent ELFRED THE TVVENTIE THIRD KING OF THE VVEST SAXONS AND TWENTIE FOVRTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS ACTS RAIGNE WIFE AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXVI ELfred or Alfred the fourth sonne of King Ethelwolfe though he had beene annointed King at Rome by Pope Leo in his young years Fathers life time yet raigned he in no part of his dominions before the deathes of all his Brethren vnder whom hee serued in most of their warres assisting them likewise in all their counsels the land now miserably torne by the cruell incursions of the bloudy Danes was left vnto him both to redeeme and to raigne ouer by the death and Testament of King Ethelred his last
brother 2 Hee beganne his raigne in the yeare of his age twenty two and of our Lord God eight hundred seuenty two being crowned in the City of Winchester the twenty third King of the West-Saxons and the twenty foure Monarch of the Englishmen but of some Historians he is famoused by the stile of the first absolute Monarch 3 His raigne beganne with troubles and wars in defence of the land which the Pagan Danes intended to destroy and though his powers were smal yet was he forced into the field within one month after his Coronation the place was Wilton in the County of Wiltstire on the south-banke of the riuer Wily where the Danes at first gaue backe and fled but seeing the fewnes of their pursuers reenforced their battle and got the field with whom the West-Saxons entred league and compounded for their departure from among them 4 These Rouers then with their associates at Reading got themselues into London where they wintred with whom the Mercians likewise compoūded for their peace which proued shortly to be the destruction of their princely bloud and lastly the lands subuersion to a forraine nation For the Danes hauing got footing in the North the West and the South of this land vnto whose aide many new-come guests from their Easterne countries were arriued vnder the leading of other three Kings Gurthrun Esketel and Ammond all together set their griping tallents with such fast hold vpon Mercia that at Ripendon they constrained Burthred the King with his Queene Elswith out of the land and in his stead placed a King of their owne choise vpon condition to deliuer vp the same againe vnto them when they would demaund it 5 In the fourth yeare of King Elfred their armies diuided themselues into two parts the one of them guided by King Halden returned into Northumberland where hee bestowed that Country among his followers and therein remained for two yeares continuance doing much harmes both to the English and Picts The other part led by the last new-come King came to Granabridge whence they wintered and spoiled the Country and there spreading themselues as Grashoppers vpon the face of the earth eate vp all where they came so that King Elfred was enforced to compound for their departure out of his owne kingdome in West-Saxia to which couenants they promised and swore yet contrary to both tooke into Deuonshire and wintred at Excester vnto whom a further supply by sea sought to ioine themselues but met with such boisterous blasts that one hundred and twenty of their ships were cast away by tempest at Swanwicke vpon our coasts and their land-army marching towards Excester were there welcommed with so sharpe an encounter by King Elfred that they gaue him both pledges and oath to depart with all speed 6 But Fortune euer dallying with them whom shee meanes to down-cast set the chance of losse presently vpon the Saxons side for now the three Kings Gurthrun Esketel and Ammond thought it not good to let Elfred thus rest and thereupon drew their forces westwards towards him where at Chipingham a Mannor of his they wintred and compelled th West-Saxons there either to yeeld or to forsake the Country 7 King Elfred therefore with such strength as he had hasted towards them and seuenteene miles from Bristow pitched downe his tents euen in the face of the enemy where betwixt these fierce nations a great battaile was fought to the infinite losse of bloud on both sides and that vpon such equall departure as neither could challenge to bee masters of the field yet the report went that King Elfred was discomfited which turned greatly to his aduantage for thereupon many of the English hasted to his succour lest the ouerthrow of him should be the bane of them all his strengthes thus renued with an vnexpected supply no time was detracted to stay the Danish rage who were now returned further into the heart of the land and at Abington by Oxford had pitched their standreds for fight 8 Thither the English repaired and the next morning he ordered his Army neither were the enemies vnprepared but with braues stood ready to receiue the encounter The battaile ioyned continued with such losse of bloud that it is accounted one of the sorest that euer betwixt them before had beene fought and onely parted by the approch of the night neither party challenging the honor of the day the losse being so great vpon both sides Seuen of these battailes are reported to be fought in that yeare whereby both their strengthes were much abated and their spilt bloud so cooled their liuers that lastly they concluded vpon a peace one article was this that the Danes should admit no more of their nation to arriue in this Iland but how soone that was broken the sequels did shew 9 For in the yeare eight hundred seuenty sixe saith Simon Dunelmensis Rollo a nobleman of Denmarke with a great Army entred into England with no lesse spoile and destruction then other of those Danes before him had done notwithstanding the truce with whom King Elfred met and gaue him so hoat welcome that hee liked not greatly his entertainement and being warned forsooth in his sleepe that better fortune attended him in France hee left his countrimen to tugge with the English 10 The Danes then accounting the peace to be broken like Bees from the Hiue infect all the land insomuch that this vndaunted King Elfred was ofttimes brought to such extremities that he hid himselfe out of sight and in the Fens Marsh grounds was forced with such small companies as he had to liue by fishing fowling and hunting of wild beasts for his food hauing no more of his great Monarchy left him but Somerset Hamton and Wiltshires only neither yet them free from the incursions of the Danes 11 The solitary place of his most residency was an Iland inclosed with the two riuers Tho◅e and Parret at their meeting in the County of Sommerset commonly called Edelingsey where he in very poore attire disguised was entertained into a Cow-heards house if not into his seruice where on a time as he sate by the fire in trimming of his bow and shafts a cake of dow baking vpon the hearth before him chanced to burn the Cowheardesse comming in and seeing him mind more his bow then his bread in a great fury cast away both his bow and arrowes and checking him as her Groom said Thou fellow doest thou see the bread burne before thy face and wilt not turne it and yet art thou glad to eate it before it bee halfe baked little suspecting him to be the man that had beene serued with more delicate cates 12 But this Prince the very mirrour of Princes more minding the wealth of his subiects then the maiesty of State disguised himselfe in the habite of a common Minstrell and in person repaired to the Danes Campe who lay like sena◅ wallowing in
the deluding of their Readers and dishonouring of those whom thereby they thinke to magnifie let vs looke backe to yong Prince Edward 6 Who in all princely parts was an imitator of his Father and for his modest gentlenesse worthily fauoured of all men but as enuy is alwaies the attendant of vertue so had he them that much maligned his life namely the fauourites of Prince Ethelred whereof Queene Elfrida his mother was chiefe who lastly betraied him and that in this maner 7 King Edward for his disport was hunting in a forrest neere vnto the sea vpon the south-east shore of the County Dorset and in the Iland Purbeck not farre off vpon a small riuer stood pleasantly seated a faire and strong Castle called Corfe where his mother in law Queene Elfrida with his brother Prince Ethelred were then therein residing Edward that euer had beene louing to both held it a kind office now being so neere to visite them with his presence and thereupon either of purpose or chance singled from his attendants hee secretly stole from them all and came alone to the castle gate 8 The Queene who had long laine in wait for occasions now tooke this as brought to her hand and therefore with a face as meaning no guile shee humbly and cheerefully gaue the King welcome desiring him to grace her and her sonne with his presence for that night but hee with thanks refused the offer as fearing least his company would soone find him missing and craued onely of his mother a cup of wine that in his saddle hee might drinke to her and his brother and so bee gone The cuppe was no sooner at his mouth then a knife in his backe which a seruant appointed by this trecherous Queene stroke into him who feeling himselfe hurt set spurs to his horse thinking to escape to his more faithfull company 9 But the wound being mortall and he fainting through losse of much bloud fell from his horse and one foot entangled in the stirruppe hee was thereby rufully dragde vp and downe through woods and lands and lastly left dead at Corfes-gate which hapned the eighteenth day of May after hee had raigned three yeares and sixe some say eight monethes the yeare of his age sixeteene and of Christ Iesus 979. His body found was first buried at Warham without all funerall pompe but after three yeeres by Duke Alferus remoued and with great celebrity enterred in the Minster of Shaftesbury and for this vntimely death he gained the surname of Martyr 10 Queene Elfrida sore repenting her cruell and step-motherly fact to expiate her guilt and pacifie the crying bloud of her slaine sonne built the two said Monasteries of Almesbury and Worwell in the Counties of Wilt-shire and Southampton in which later she liued with great repentance and penance vntill the day of her death and in the same lieth her body enterred These and other the like foundations built vpon the occasion of rapine bloud howsoeuer they may shew the sorrowfull repentance of their founders yet their stones being laide with the simmond of murther and the morter tempered with bloud haue felt the wrath of him who by his Prophet hath pronounced that from the wall the stone shall crie and the beame out of the timber shall answere it Woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a City by iniquity ETHELRED COMMONLY CALLED THE VNREADIE THE TVVO AND THIRTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS WARS RAIGNE WIVES AND ISSVES CHAPTER XLIIII EThelred the sonne of King Edgar brother to King Edward the Martyr at the age of twelue yeers entred his gouernment ouer the Englishmen the yeere of mans saluation 979 and was the two and thirtieth Monarch since King Hengist he was crowned King at Kingston vpon Thamesis the foureteenth of April being Easter day by the hands of Dunstan Archbishoppe of Canterbury who did it much against his will 2 He was a man neither forward in action nor fortunate in proceedings and therefore commonly called the Vnready his youth was spent in idlenes feeding his senses with all voluptuous baites his middle yeares with a carelesse gouernment maintaining ciuill dissâ—…nsions and his latter end deseruingly in continuall resistance of the bloud-thirsty Danes With these imputations by writers hee is taxed though we find no such iust cause in recording his life but to such extreames are euen great Monarches themselues brought that their breath and dignity once left and laid downe they are subiect to the censures of euery affectionate and malignant reporter And that this King lay lyable to such mens humors the working of Dunstan euer against him is a sufficient witnes who not onely did refuse to act his Coronation but would haue preferred Lady Edgith a bastard before him to the Crown as we haue said And besides the generall quarrell of the Monkes and married Priests to which later himselfe and his Abetters were better inclined his iust indiâ—…nation conceiued against the Bishop of Rochester â—…d that not pacified without the Bishops submission and payment of money was cause inough for those Monkish Writers to brand the Lords Annointed with their marks of infamie vnto whom they impute the miseries of those times and the destruction of the English by the intruding Danes 3 These Danes had kept quiet euer since the disliked raigne of King Edwy without any notable attempts for the space of twenty two yeares but now perceiuing the hearts of the subiects to bee drawn from their Soueraigne they thought it a sufficient occasion to forward their intendements and omitting no time in the second of his raigne with seuen ships they arriued vpon the coast of Kent spoiling the Country but most especially the Iland Thâ—…at from whence they did great hurt likewise to the towne of Southampton The English led in dislike of young Ethelreds gouernment were the rather drawne to impute these and other aduersities to this vnfortunate Prince by reason of a prediction of Dunstan who had prophesied That they should not bee free from bloud and sword till there came a people of an vnknowne tongue thâ—…t should bring them to thraldome and that opinion was skrewed deeper into their fearefull conceit by a cloud appearing of bloud and fire immediately after his vnaffected Coronation 4 The next yeere those â—…ouing Daâ—…es entred the British Seas and coasting to Cornwall destroied there the Abbey of Saint Patrick Pâ—…land in Deâ—…shire and many other places vpon those shores the like was done vnto Cheshire by the Norway-Pâ—…rates which broke into those parts in the same yeare 5 And these calamities were seconded with others as feâ—…full for in the yeare 982. the City London was miseâ—…bly destroied and defaced by fire whose beauty then chiefly extended from Ludgate westward for that within the walles and where the heart of the City is now was then neither beautiful nor orderly built what time also
surprised and taken so that the Realme stood doubtfull and in extreame perill to the encrease whereof William King of Scots being deepe in the confederacy inuaded England diuiding his Forces himselfe with part wasting Northumberland and Duncan a very cruell Captaine with the other destroying the westerne Borderers 74 The Father wonderfully stirred herewith leaues Normandy in as good assurance as the time would permit and sends before him to the Ships Eleanor his owne Queene and Queene Margaret his sonnes wife his sonne Iohn c. the Earle of Leicester and his Countesse with many other prisoners and a mighty Armie but the winde changing and hee compelled to stay in harbour at Barbefleet in Normandy where hee had taken shipping he is said God touching his heart to haue vttered these words with much remorse in the presence of al If my purpose in this voiage be for the peace of the Clergy and people and if the King of heauen shall vouchsafe to quiet and calme these troubles at my arriuall then for his mercies sake wee beseech him to send vs a prosperous winde But if he be against it and hath resolued to visit the Kingdome of England with the rod of his fury let him graunt mee neuer to touch the shore of that Country more His Praier thus vttred from the depth of soule was secunded with a fresh perie of wind whereupon setting saile hee arriued safe the same day with all his Nauie at the Port of Hampton in England 75 The next day he took his iourney towards Canterbury where as it appeareth the residue of his penance enioined him at his Absolution was to bee performed For besides the fore-mentioned conditions the Legates enioined him saith the Author of Beckets life some other thing secretly which came not to our knowledge yea the Legates themselues wrote in their owne letters that hee then promised to do voluntarily if yee list to beleeue it some things which was not fit for them to lay open in writing And well might they be ashamed thereof but if it were so vnfit to bee written how vnfit was it to be imposed on such a Soueraigne Prince what it was let Houeden report The King comming towards the Church where the late Archbishop was buried clad all in wollen went three miles barefooted insomuch that the very ground where hee went was bloody as was euidently seene much bloud running from his tender feet which were cut with the hard stones Neither yet was this the worst for afterall this He receiued Discipline at the hands of the Bishops of a great many Priests and of the Monks Geruasius names Abbots also wherby appears that euery seuerall sort were to haue a hand in that seruice Mathew Paris can tell you more plainly what that Discipling was viz. he receiued the Discipline of rods on his baâ—…esh receiuing of euery religious man a great multitude of them being there gathered 3. or 5. ierkes a peece whence we may easily belieue Baronius and his Author spake within compasse who acknowledge hee receiued 80. lashes To such height was the Papall tyranny and pride grown towards those of whom God had said expresly Touch not mine Annointed 76 Yet some Monkes of that age attribute the happy and great successe which ensued to the reconcilement which King Henry thus made with God for the bloud of Thomas because it pleased God to deliuer his enemy William King of Scots into the hands of his souldiers about that very time did also with stormes beat backe into France his disobedient sonne the young King being now vnder saile for England scattering the whole Fleet and almost sinking it with tempest 77 The Kings other actions till his next returne into Normandy which was not long after because Lewis King of France and his sonne in law the young King Henry the head to which all this putrified humour drew with the Earle of Flanders had laid a strong siege to the City of Roan Thomas Walsingham comprehends in these few wordes He tamed his Rebels put his enemies to flight seized on their fortresses And so hauing in a manner miraculously quieted the Realme hee takes with him the King of Scotland the Earles of Leicester and Chester with other his chiefe Prisoners whom hee afterwards first imprisoned at Caen in Normandy then at Faleis but leauing his seditious wife behind him vnder straight custody hee arriues with his puissance in Normandy which being vnderstoode in the Confederates Campe the same brake vp and first setting fire on all the engines of warre retreated into France in such sort that the English souldiers laid hold vpon much munition and warlike furniture Roger Houeden a very sure Author saith that the confederates had onely besieged Roan vpon one side and that Lewis hearing that the victorious King Henry was within Roan did first send away the weake and worst of his Armie and then deceiuing the English with a solemne promise of returning the next day to enter into a conference with the King about making a finall agreement did depart so that Houeden aggrauates the dishonour of the retreat with the note of faith-breach 78 Let the greatnesse and felicity of this King bee now but sleightly looked vpon and it will appeare that no Prince of those times was hitherto so much bound to God for manifold fauours as hee The King and power of France after so many attempts with the young King of England and all their forces flying at his presence without any stroke strucken the valiant king of Scotland prisoner and the chiefest of his Rebels vnder his foote England assured Scotland dismaied Ireland retained Wales ministring souldiers Normandy in possession and all the coasting Regions Britaine Angiou Poictou Main Tourain Limosin Gascoign Guien c. from thence as farre as the Mountaines which separate Spaine from France vnder his dominion and the blessing of Peace shortly after ensuing vpon such termes as himself could reasonably wish made him like another Salomon to bee sought vnto his Wisedome and Magnificence being in such high credite through the Christian World that the Kings of Castile and Nauarre chose him sole Arbiter in their debate which to both their contentment he most wisely determined and then at one time in his Palace at Westminster were seene together the Ambassadors of Manuel Emperour of Constantinople of Fredericke Emperour of Romans of William Archbishop of Triers in Germany a mighty Prince of the Duke of Saxonie and of Philip Earle of Flanders Moreouer he had the gouernment of France for a time the Kingdome of Ierusalem offered him but refused and two of his daughters married to the two Kings of Castile and Sicilie 79 There was first therefore a truce taken betwixt the three Kings Lewis and the two Henries wherein Richard who stood out was left to his Fathers prosecution who â—…ing himselfe thus destitute after many flashes â—…paration to resist and
their entrie was barred runne furiously to armes Cade endeauors to open his way by force but in despight of all his power the Citizens made good defended London-bridge against him though with the losse of many valiant and honest men for the conflict endured all night till nine in the morning Among such as were slaine on the Kings side were Iohn Sutton Alderman Mathew Gowgh himselfe and Robert Heysand Citizen This Gowgh an Esquire of Wales was a man of excellent vertue manhood and zeale to his Country and of great renown in the warre of France where he had serued with speciall commendations faithfully for the space of aboue twenty yeeres His deserts at this time deserued a Statue in the City for whose safety hee spent his last bloud To giue a quicke end to these miseries impunity is proclaimed for all offenders and sent to them in the Kings name by the Archbishoppe of Canterbury Lord Chancellour vnder the great Seale of England the rebels are scattred with this assurance of their safeties and euery man retires in peace from following so pestilent an Impostor A thousand Markes when Cade afterward attempted new troubles are promised to him who kils or takes this counterfeit Mortimer Alexander Eden a Gentleman of Kent had the happinesse to discouer and kill him at Hothfield in that County his wretched carkase was brought to London where his false head was set sentinell vpon London-bridge and his quarters were aduanced for terrour in seuerall parts of Kent There died also by the stroke of iustice twenty and sixe more whereof eight were executed at Canterbury and the rest elsewhere in Kent and Sussex The multitude it selfe came naked in their shirts to the King on Blacke-heath humbly praying mercy which they obtained 54 The Kentish rebellion thus pacified farre greater and farre more dangerous troubles ensued as it fareth in humane bodies which relapsing into sickenesses are shaken so much the more terribly These troubles had their fountaine and mediate Originall from Richard Duke of Yorke no degenerous sonne of that Richard whom King Henry the fifth had created Earle of Cambridge and enriched with much wealth honoring him aboue others in regard of his blood and parentage but no bountie nor benefits could change a treacherous disposition for as you haue heard before he conspired to murther his benefactor King Henry the fifth as the Duke of Yorke his true progenie labored to depose this King Henrie his aduancer The humors of the popular body were in the last commotion not obscurely discouered The Common weale had perhaps some few enormities through the abuse of Magistrates and men in place but yet such as the maladie was infinitely lesse pernicious then the remedy Vpon this intelligence the Duke comes sodeinely out of Ireland and to begin his vsurped censureship and dictature apprehends Iohn Sutton Lord Dudley Reignald Abbot of Saint Peters at Glastenbury and another whom he imprisoneth within his Castle of Ludlow Intollerable beginnings of more intollerable sequele Edmund Duke of Sommerset was the man who after Suffolks death most supported the Kings side by his vigilancie caresdangers and good Counsels endeuouring by all meanes to cleare the Realme from factions and to preserue the King and state in quiet 55 Yorke seeing this doth find that Suffolke perished in vaine if Sommerset held like grace against whose person he had a particular pretence of quarrell for that the City of Caen in Normandy which was the Duke of Yorkes charge was rendred vp to the French by him when the English affaires grew desperate in those parts Sir Dauid Hall Knight being at that time Captaine there for his Lord and Master the Duke of Yorke and not allowing it although the renowned Talbot himselfe was present at the render and became an hostage for performance of the Capitulations Yorke hereupon consults with his speciall friends Richard Earle of Salisbury and Richard his son who was afterward that most seditious great fighting Earle of Warwicke Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Edmund Brooke Lord Cobham and others how Yorke might get the Crowne of England and for that cause how to ruine or fret out the Duke of Sommerset who standing they were to looke for strong opposition In the end they conclude to take armes but yet to smother the mention of the Duke of Yorkes title giuing out to the world for the reason of their doings that they meant all honour and obedience to King Henry and only to remoue certaine bad men from about his person who afflicted the people and made a pray of the Common-wealth which to gaine the more credit and to blind the good King the subtile Duke declares by Proclamation wherein thus speaketh that Ambitious Hypocrite God knoweth from whom no thing is hid I am haue beene and euer will be his true liege man c. And to the very proofe it is so I offer my selfe to sweare that on the blessed Sacrament and receiue it the which I hope shall be my saluation at the day of doome c. In that it was the euill hap of the Duke of Sommerset that Normandy was lost during his Regencie his enemies had the more commoditie to incommodate him with the people who forbare not at his returne to offer to him sundry dishonours and iniuries till vpon paine of death they were restrained for breach of which Proclamation one had his head cut off in West Cheap London 56 The King notwithstanding all his Cosens arts and dissimulations seeing the hooke through the baite and the snake through the grasse by the aduise of his trusty friends chiefly of Edmund Duke of Sommerset thinkes not fit to relie vpon his enemies good nature but hauing a strong power and store of honorable men to conduct them he marcheth toward Wales against the Duke The King did herein wisely but not so much as the cause required Yorke hauing notice of the Kings approach turnes aside and with all speed marcheth toward London That City the vaine hope of all Rebellions would not harken Thereupon he slides with his people into Kent the nest of his hopes and at Brent-heath neere Dertford a towne about twelue miles from London encampeth meaning to fight The King is not slow but leauing his march toward Wales pitcheth vp his roiall pauilion vpon Black-Heath with a purpose to teach his cosen of Yorke more duty Behold the fortune of England God puts an excellent opportunity into the Kings hands of tearing vp the danger of his house by the rootes for the Duke was farre inferiour in numbers Such therefore as secretly fauoured him fearing his ouerthrow were willing to aduise a reconcilement Messengers goe betweene the hosts The Duke in his wonted manner pretends loialtie and particular iniuries as that the Kings seruants Sir Iohn I albot at Holt Castell Sir Thomas Stanley in Cheshire and others in other places were set to harken vpon him That by two
The King excuseth his vncle The King is brought backe to Northampton The Duke of Glocester sends a dish of meat vnto the Lord Riuers The L. Riuers others beheaded Queene Elizabeth taketh Sanctuary The L. Chamberlaine sendeth the newes to the L. Chancellor The great heauinesse and confusion of the Queene and her seruants The Archbishops comforts to the Queene The L. Chancellour giues the great Seale to the Queene Great feare conceiued of the ouermuch murmuring made The L. Chancellour sendeth for the great Seale to the Queene Perswasions of the L. Hastings that nothing was extreamly meant L. Hastings somewhat dissembleth False imputation cast vpon the Lords of the Queenes bloud How soone the Commons are brought into fooles Paradise King Edward met by the Citizens and accompanied by them into London Richard Duke of Glocester made Protector of the King and Realm The great Seale is taken from the Archbishop of Yorke The Protectors perswasion to take out of Sanctuary the yong Duke of Yorke A â—…e â—…ch to fetch out the Duke The Protector would haue the Queene sent vnto If the Queene refuse to deliuer the Duke what is to be done All the Counsell allow of the Protectors speech A great offence to breake the Sanctuary S. Peters owne Cope was to be seen in Westminster The Duke of Buckinghams speech Queene Elizabeth held to haue a shrewd wit Not feare but frowardnes kept the yong Duke in Sanctuary A great feare without any great cause Buckinghams opinion of the Sanctuaries Much abuses suffered in Sanctuaries Westminster S. Martins The true vse of the Sanctuary The Duke of Yorke vncapable of Sanctuary Neither Pope nor King can allow Sanctuary men to consume other mens substance A man may take his wife out of Sanctuary without any offence to S. Peter Buckinghams conclusion The generall consent of them all The Cardinall doth his errand to the Queene The Queenes answere to the Cardinall Queene Elizabeth yeeldeth to deliuer the yong Duke The ambitious desire for a crowne Richard Duke of Yorke deliuered to the Cardinall A Iudâ—… kisse Buckingham priuie to the Protectors ploâ—… Suspicion without cause The couenants betwixt the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham Two counsels to diuers ends The mistrust of the times All flocke to the Protector Lord Stanleyes speach to the Lord Chamberlain * Catesby Catesby the cause of much mischiefe Catesby set to sound the Lord Hastings Lord Haestinge speeches concerning the plot Catesby false to his founder The counsel sate in the Tower for the ordering of the yong Kings Coronation The Protectors dissimulation The Protector now another man Lord Hastings speech to the Protectors question The Queene accused of Sorcery The withered aâ—…ne of the Protector by nature and not by 〈◊〉 The L. Chamberlain arrested The L. Staley wounded at Councell Table The L. Chamberlaine beheaded The L. Stanleys dreame The L. Hastings answere to the L. Stanleye meâ—…age Predictions towards the Lord Hastings The Lord Hastings speech to a Purseuant The vaine and suddain state of man The description of the Lord Hastings Citizens sent for into the Tower to the Protector The fained feare of the Lord Protector A Proclamation made to publish the Lord Hastings treasons The Protectors subtilty further knowne by his Proclamation The Schoole-masters opinion The Sheriffes of London carrie Shores wife to prison Shores wife did pennance All commend and pitie Shores vvife The description of Iane Shore Shee died the eighteene yeere of King Henry the eight saith Iohn Harding Shores wife did much good but no man hurt The Subiect not vnworthy to bee written The state of the world The Lords of the Queenes bloud beheaded at Pomfrait The Protector sought to strike whiles the yron was hote The Maior of London made of the Protectors counsell Shaa and Pinker two flattring Preachers Pinker preached at S Marie Hospitall and Dotor Shaa at Pauls Crosse. The plot and deuice how to entitle the Protector to the Crowne The sonne maketh the mother an adultresse K Edward and his children made bastards The text and contents of Doctor Shaas sermon Shaas shamlesse assertions TheÌ„ Preachers intention preuented Gods heauy punishment vpon the false flattering Preacher The Duke of Buckingham commeth to the Guildhall Buckinghams oration to the commons of London The fine glosings of the Duke of Buckingham King Edwards exactions made more then they were His tyranny towards his subiects exemplified by Burdet and Others No safety of goods or life as he falsely alledged The rage of ciuil wars cost EnglaÌ„d more blood then twice the winning of France had done Great dangers alledged and slenderly proued King Edwards wantonnesse set out to the full London the kings especiall Chamber The end of the Dukes errand The great modesty that the Duke pretendeth An author like the subiect The marriage oâ—… King Edward imputed a great mischiefe The Protector must be the only true heire to his father and so to the Crowne Scriptures abused The Dukes pithy perswasions vnto the Citizens The Londoners are mute and astonished at Buckinghams Oration Buckingham goeth ouer his lesson againe The reward of flattery The Recorder commanded to speake to the peopleâ—… The great silence of the people The Duke speaketh once more Prentices and Seruingmen the first proclamets of K. Richard The affection of the election seene by the faces of the Assembly The Nobles and Citizens assemble at Baynards Castle The Protector made it strange to speake with such a multitude Palpable dissembling betwixt the Protector and Buckingham The Protector intreated to accept of the Crowne The Protector saith nay and would haue it Buckingham vrgeth and threatneth the refusall Th Protor fauourably accepteth the Crowne Diuers opinions of the people The Raigne and age of King Edward Monarch 56 Richard III. All the Richards and Dukes of Glocester came to vntimely deathes Richard 1. flaine with an arrow Richard a murthered at Pomfrait Tho. Woodstocke 〈◊〉 herâ—…d to death Humfrey murdered aâ—… S. Edmondsbury Richard slaine at Bosworth held Duke Richard subtilely complotteth for the Crowne The Duke of Buckingham the onely raiser of the Protector By Persal Buckinghams secrete seruant The degrees by which the Protector ascended into the throne The Protector fitted himselfe to the peoples affections A Petition exhibited to the Protector to accept of the Crowne An Act of Parliment passed to establish K. Richards election All doubts taken away of King Richards election The petition of the kings election made lawfull and authorised by Parliament The forme of he 〈◊〉 exhibiâ—…d vnto the Protector Faire gloses vpon soule preteâ—…ses O time how dost thou turne and art turned Flattery feares not how to report How can Princes rule to shuâ—… reproach when they are dead The Queene her mother falsly standered K. Edward accused to haste been contracted to the Lady Elienor Butler The tongue of slander is a sharp arrow They haue taught their toâ—…gs to speake lies Ier. 9. 5. George Duke of Clarence and his heires made vncapable of
certaine predictions in Rome happening were so respected and generally expounded That Nature was about to bring forth a King that should raigne ouer the whole world And albeit these and other Heathen Writers ascribe these things either to Augustus himselfe or to some of his fauorites yet wee see them accomplished in none other but Iesus Christ the Messiah our blessed Sauiour in whom only the Kingdome of God began with the vtter subuersion of all their heathenish Oracles which at his birth or at furthest at his death ceased all and gaue place to HIS eternitie Which time of his birth by the Scriptures most certaine account was from the worlds creation 3927. and is set by the Britaine 's in the fourteenth of their Cunobelines raigne and by other authenticke Writers in the two and fortieth of Augustus Caesar euen in the top of that Empires greatnesse when Rome was with an vniuersall subiection acknowledged the absolute Lady of the knowne earth For so in S. Luke wee read that this Augustus then first taxed the world A text most strong for the full dissolution of the foure foregone kingdomes represented in Daniels Image by the fall of this stone Christ the rocke and stay of our eternall happinesse 7 This Emperour raigned in great honour the space of fifty six yeeres and was obeyed both by the Easterne Indians and the Northerne Scythians with the subiection of the Parthians a fierce and vntamed people and generally with the loue of all Hee was a Prince indued with great wisdome magnanimitie and Iustice yet faulty in this that he tooke from Tiberius Nero his wife Liuia both great with child and hauing also formerly borne him a sonne Deuout hee was in the worship of the Romane Gods amongst whom in the Capitoll he built an Altar vnto the Hebrew childe with this inscription The Altar of the first begotten Sonne of God being thereunto mooued by the Oracle of Apollo that had answered his owne destruction by the birth of this childe Of Stature he was but low and of a good complexion gray-eied his haire somewhat yellow and his body freckled with spots which as his flatterers would haue the world beleeue were in forme like starres Predictions foreshewing his gouernment and death are alleged the which I willingly ouerpasse holding most of them rather fantasies then truth At his death hee demanded of the standers by whether he had well acted the enterlude of his life vpon the stage of this world and died fourteene yeeres after Christ his incarnation leauing after him so honourable an estimation of his glory that as the succeeding Emperours in remembrance of Iulius Caesar gloried to be called Caesars so they euer held the name of Augusti to be sacred and only befitting persons destinated to imperiall Maiestie And both their names were inserted into the number of the moneths that the honour of them both might neuer perish while Times euiternitie should endure TIBERIVS CHAPTER IV. AVgustus Caesar thus gloriously raigning and peaceably dying had ordained for his successour Tiberius Nero the sonne of Tiberius the Patritian and of Liuia his wife whom as we said before he had taken for his Empresse and by whose incitements and continuall instigations that matter was procured though Suetonius thinketh it was by Augustus his owne ambitious conceit to make himselfe the sooner missed and the more lamented in leauing his sonne so vnlike him to succeed whose conditions as they stood vpon their owne basis hee knew to bee both reprooueable and also contemptible 2 But before the death of Caesar could be diuulged to write his imperiall stile as it were in blood he began with the murder of young Agrippa the sonne of Iulia daughter to Octanian and once his owne wife and continued his raigne with such tyrannie that many he slaughtred without respect of person or cause and in his loosest lasciuiousnesse thought of nothing but how to subuert the Nobilitie for rare it was in his daies that any such died a naturall death and maintaining a race of men Promoters as Tacitus tearmes them found out for a common ouerthrow and destruction of others allured them by rewards to accuse the rich though guiltlesse only this fauour granted to the condemned that if they slew themselues before the day of execution their bodies should haue buriall their goods not confiscate and their testament stand good in law 3 A great dissembler he was seeming euer to hate those vices which in truth he loued and to loue those vertues which he did most deadly hate and for life and libidinous filthinesse so extreme that a Christians pen may not expresse when the Heathen themselues doe blush to name such things as hee shamed not openly to commit his publike drunkennesse and continuall banquettings whereat hee spent whole daies and nights together without intermission caused exchange of names from Tiberius Nero to Biberius Mero Dissolute and carelesse he was in gouernment though some haue accounted him a wise and politicke Prince for the Prouinces he left to defend themselues and yet daily charged them with larger Tributes to their great impouerishment and almost vtter ruine 4 In this state amongst others neglected Britaine stood wherein Tiberius neither maintained garrison nor attempted alteration and whereby as it may be thought their owne Lawes and Princes bare sway among themselues howsoeuer the cause for Tribute was ballized betwixt them And most certaine it is the Britaines if not in subiection yet were well affected to the Romanes as appeareth by Tacitus in the kinde entertainments and in releeuing their shipwracked souldiers that in crossing the Seas were by tempest driuen vpon their Coasts and courteouslie sent thence by their petty Kings vnto Germanicus their Generall Notwithstanding Ieffrey Monmouth seemeth to affirme the contrary that bringeth the raign of one Guiderius and the valour of Aruiragus the sonnes of Cunobeline of whom more heereafter to withstand the Romish Command and vtterly to refuse the paiment of Tribute banding both against Tiberius as also against Caligula and Claudius the Emperours succeeding 5 Other remembrances of these times concerning vs finde we none besides that which is common to all namely the death of our Saviour Christ which vnder this Tyrant and in his eighteenth yeere was accomplished by the proceeding of his as wicked Deputy Pontius Pilate who both adiudged him to die and to bee guiltlesse of deseruing death whereby was wrought the mysterie of our Redemption with such signes and euidences of his Deitie that the wicked Iudge himselfe wrote thereof to Tiberius and hee to the Senate to haue him consecrated among the Roman Gods Which they refused to doe that the wisdome and diuine power of God in the doctrine of Saluation should not need the allowance and commendation of men as Eusebius hath well obserued 6 Finally when hee had raigned hated of all men
vnto them 19 My Friends and Companions of equall fortunes there needeth no excuse for this my present authoritie or place in regard of my Sex seeing it is not vnknowen vnto you all that the wonted manner of our Nation hath beene to warre vnder the conduct of a woman and not only ours but also of the greatest Monarchies swaied vpon this vniuersall Globe for the Empire of the Assyrians the first and most famous that euer was vnder the command of Semiramis triumphed ouer the fierce Aethiopians and the gold-veined India Babylon for strength and beauty was both defensed and enriched by Nitocris her sole Empresse The Scythians vnder Tomyris ouercame and slew the great Conquerour Cyrus Aegypt gouerned by Cleopatra yea and Romes Monarkes themselues ruled if not ouer-ruled by Messalina and Agrippina the monsters of our Sexe My blood and birth might challenge some preeminence as sprung from the roots of most royall descents but my breath receiued from the same aire my body sustained by the same soile and my glorie clouded with imposed ignominies I disclaime all superioritie and as a fellow in bondage beare the yoke of oppressions with as heauie waight and pressure if not more Had I with Caesars mother beene suspected of Treason or with false Cartismandua defiled my Bed to the disturbance of their peace my goods might haue gone vnder the title of Confiscation and these prints of the whip vnder pretext of iustice But why name I Iustice in these grand Catalogues of oppressions whose Actors respect neither person age sexe nor cause For what abuse can be so vile that wee haue not suffered or indignitie so contemptible that wee haue not borne My stripes yet felt and seene against their owne lawes and the violent rapes of these my harmlesse daughters against the Lawes of God and Man doe witnesse well what gouernment they intend and your wealths consumed by their wastefull wantonnesse your painfull trauels vpholding their idlenesse doe seale the issues of our succeeding miseries if not timely preuented by one ioint endeuour You that haue knowen the freedome of life will with me confesse I am sure that libertie though in a poore estate is better then bondage with fetters of gold and yet this comparison hath no correspondencie in vs for we now enioy no estate at all nothing now being ours but what they will leaue vs and nothing left vs that they can take away hauing not so much as our very heads toll-free Other subdued Nations by death are quit from bondage but wee after death must liue 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 Haue the 〈◊〉 maâ—… vs the ends of the 〈◊〉 and haue not assigned the end of our wrongs Or hath Nature among all her free workes created vs Britaines only for bondage Why what are the Romans Are they more then men or immortall Their slaine carcases sacrificed by vs and thâ—…â—…trisied blood corrupting our Aire doth â—…ll vs they are no Gods Our personages are more tall our bodies more strong and our â—…oints 〈◊〉 â—…t and to say as it is euery part of vs â—…amed more fit for the speare then for the seade But you will â—…ay they are our Conquerours Indeed ouercome we are but by our selues our owne factions still giuing way to their intrusions for had not the â—…ator a Mandubrace Caligula an Adminius Claudius a Bericus and Cogidunus Nero that strumpet and our still-liuing shame Cartismandua Romes instruments and Britaines vipers without which you shall see Caesar in single fight lose his sword and after flie the Country a dishonor indâ—…lible Tiberius forgoe his Tribute though extremely couetous Claudius glad to make peace and be quiet and Nero might still haue followed his fiddling trade at home if our discords had not made vp his Musicke heere abroad Our dissensions therefore haue beene their only rising and our designes still weakened by home-bred conspirators Neither hath our noble resistance euer beene without desert and note of honour their publike triumphs being made more admirable by one Britaines Conquest then vsually hath beene solemnized ouer whole Kingdomes Caligula for beholding our cliffes only would haue diaine honours and forgetfull Claudius remembred vnto posterities in his Britannicus a glorious surname from vs. Our strengths haue beene acknowledged the maine support of other States and shall it not bee supplied to maintaine our owne We haue as much to keepe as Birth-right hath giuen vs that is our Iland possessed by our Auncestors from all antiquitie Ours by inheritance theirs by intrusions claimes so different in the scale of Iustice that the Gods themselues must needs redresse and set the ballance in their equal poise We haue seene their propitious beginnings in making vs instruments ouer seuenty thousand of our enemies and yet in this reuenge our forces not diminished but much increased in number and power which thing as it serues to our encouragements so is it to their feare For Catus hath set the Seas a sure defense betwixt him and vs yet not a Britaine pursuing for surely if any had he would haue hid himselfe in the waues Petilius the field-mouse doth keepe his hole and with the Moale works the earth for his safest refuge And Posthumus their Campe-master is too wise to venture all at a cast Only Plautius fleshed by his late victorie ouer a company of vnarmed Priests whose resistance consisted only in praiers and a few weake women whose weapons were only fire-brands builds the hopes of his aspiring minde as Caligula did his Trophey of Cockle-shels For see we not him encamped rather to defend his owne then to offend others His Armie crouched together as fowles flocked against a storme or rather like to fearfull Hares squatted in their bushes who no sooner shall heare the crie of their pursuit but their Muise or Fortresse will bee left and for their last refuge as Hares trust to the swiftnesse of their speedy feet Suddenly as shee was thus speaking shee let slip a Hare which shee had secretly couched in her lappe which with a great shout escaped thorow the Campe and gaue occasion to the Armie who little suspected it was done by her of purpose to construe it as an ominous and luckie signe of victorie 20 And thereupon with great force they assaile their enemies whiles Suetonius was likewise encouraging his Souldiers to the like resolution The fourteenth Legion by his direction kept the strait as a sure place of defense till the Britaines in the fury of their first onset had spent all their darts which with good successe they had bestowed but then failing and wearied in their first comming on too hotly the Romanes sallied out vpon the plaine the Auxiliaries and Horsemen with long launces making their way and beating downe all that stood before them The Britaines vnable to endure or withstand such fierce assaults were forced to giue backe and at length sought
of the Empire wherein the rage of Satan so preuailed that seuenteene thousand men and women were crowned with martyrdome within the space of one moneth besides infinite numbers of such as were otherwise punished As in other Countries so heere in Britaine the Christians Churches were demolished their Bibles and other godly writings burned and themselues tormented with a more cruell and longer continuance then formerly had beene vsed for this endured the terme often whole yeeres together leauing no time of intermission nor place free from the staine of Martyrs Bloud And amongst others it made Britaine to be honored with the glory of many holy Martyrs which constantly stood and died in the Confession of the Faith whereof the first is reported to bee Albane of the City Verolanium who was beheaded at Holmehurst since called Derswold where now the Towne of S. Albans bearing his name is built and in whose honour Offa the great King of Mercia founded a most magnificent Monasterie Of this Alban the ancient Fortunatus Priscus in his booke of the Praise of Virginitie maketh mention thus Albanum egregium foecunda Britannia profert Britaine fertill of all good Washt with glorious Albans blood 12 His Instructor Amphibolus afterwards apprehended was brought to the same place and whipped about a stake whereat his intrailes were tied so winding his bowels out of his body was lastly stoned to death Sundry others also in other places laid downe their liues for their Professions sake as Iulius and Aaron at Leicester saith Beda or rather at Caer-leon in Monmouthshire as our Grand-Antiquarie iudgeth and in Leichfeild so many that the place became another Golgotha A Field of dead Corps For which cause the Citie doth beare an Escocheon or Field charged with many Martyrs for their Seale of Armes euen vnto this day 13 This last rage is by Orosius and Beda accounted the Tenth Persecution from Nero and by others the Tenth Horne of the Imperiall Beast who had receiued his Power from the Dragon the diuel and Forme from those foure Beasts deciphered by the Prophet Daniel whose mouth was as the Lyons mouth of Asshur his feete like the Beares feete of Persia his spots as the Leopards of Greece and these ten hornes taken from the Monster of the Grecians parted kingdome the Seleucies and the Ptolemies called in Ezekiel Gog and Magog and here alluded vnto by S. Iohn that thus made battel against the Saints But as those foure Beasts perished and were crushed by the fall of The stone cut without hands Emmanuel borne in our flesh so this Beast compounded of them Foure fell in the destructions of these most wicked Emperors whereof all almost died so vntimely and vnusuall deaths as the like is not read of elsewhere 14 For some slew themselues as Nero and Otho did some were smothered to death as was Tiberius some poisoned by their wiues as Claudius and Commodus some tugged and torne in pieces by their own Subiects and Souldiers as Vitellius Heliogabalus Pupienus and Balbinus some stabbed by them whom they most trusted as Caligula Domitian Didius Gallienus and many others some tumultuously murthered as Pertinax Seuerus Maximius Aemilius and Probus were some slaine in battell and defence of their titles as Macrinus and Gallus some hanged themselues as Gordianus and Maximianus did some drowned and swallowed vp as Decius and Maxentius were some slaine by a thunderbolt from heauen as Carus was some died in most miserable captiuitie as Valerianus did whose skinne was fleaed off he yet aliue some cut their owne veines and bled to death as Quintilius and Florianus did some dying mad as did this our Dioclesian some few and them somewhat fauoring Christians died in their beds a thing most strange to see in these times wherein the Wrath of God thus fought against them in his Iustice and the power of his Gospell preached by his Apostles and Disciples that as a Conqueror crowned and riding vpon a White horse bare a Bow in his hand and shot the sharpe Arrowes of death into the hearts of these the Kings enemies as in the opening of the First Seale is seene and in the Second is described and made manifest by a Red Horse prepared for Battell whose Rider bare a Bright sword and had commission To take peace from the earth which most effectually wee haue seene performed in most of these preceding Emperours And as Famine in great Warres is not greatly strange so Scarsitie exceeding Plentie was seene vnder the opening of the Third Seale whence a Blacke horse sent from God pased through the earth whose Rider bare a Ballance to weigh Corne as it were Spice for dearth and in the raigne of this last Tyrant Dioclesian they that had Eagles eies might see the threefold iudgements of God in the opening of the Fourth Seale when Sword Famine Death went all together as a pale-horse sent from the presence of the Lamb whose rider was Death and Hell following as his Page These were the times of calamities wheas the Soules of the righteous in the opening of the Fifth Seale cried for vengeance for the bloud of the Martyrs whom these ten hornes had gored to death and vnder the Sixth Seale both then and for euer the wicked are said to call for the Mountaines to fall vpon them and for the rockes to hide them from the presence of Him that sate vpon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe before whom none could stand But why doe I weake man thus open the Curtaines of Gods most sacred Tabernacle to behold the Mercy-seate of his diuine Mysteries in the accomplishments of these holy Oracles when as they who haue worne the Ephod and in whose hand Aarons Rod hath Budded with a religious reuerence haue feared to look into the same Therefore with the charge of Ioshua I will not approach neere the Arke and with Iobs hearers will Lay my hand on my mouth and returne to the prosecution of my purpose 15 It was the nineteenth yeere of his raigne in the month of March when this Tyrant sent forth his wicked Edicts through all his Empire That all churches should bee vtterly ouerthrowne that the Scriptures should be burnt that all Christians for honour should bee held infamous and all Christian seruants should bee vncapeable of freedome that all Pastors should be enforced to offer to Idols c. 16 The fountaine chiefe cause of these miseries lighting on the Church of Christ did arise from the Christians themselues as Eusebius in these words declareth After that our conuersation through too much libertie and licentiousnesse was degenerated and holy discipline corrupted whiles euery one of vs did enuie bite and backbite each other waging intestine warres within our selues and piercing one anothers hearts with the sharpe speares of opprobriouswords so that Bishops against Bishops and people against people were at bitter contention Lastly whiles
beene from my infancie inflamed with the loue of Books Many works there were of his owne pen though now raked vp in the ruines of the time As his Oration to Iamblicus and other Volumes of various learning remembred by Suidas yet is there extant that wittie Satyre of his of all the Caesars The Register of his Epistle full of worthy obseruations His discourse De Regno wherein hee deciphereth much of his Persian Actions His Hymne to the Sunne a song of a high straine and of a matchlesse delicacie if the subiect had not beene too prophane As for his Misopogon where playing with his own person and beard he sharply reprehendeth the Antiochians of their intemperance in frequenting Stage-Plaies of their impietie in changing Iupiter and Apollo Gods of their Forefathers into the Christ of the Galileans and of couetousnesse in their Magistrates in selling Iustice it is one of the wittiest Inuectiues extant of those middle times In the course of his Religion hee is by the Writers of his owne affection and time rather reported superstitious then deuout and his fancies therein rather to them accounted ridiculous then religious Such was the excesse and waste of Oxen in his sacrifices that it is beleeued if his returne had beene from the Persicke Expedition there would haue beene want of them to supply his Rites and therefore they might happily say as the white Oxen did of the Emperour Marcus Si tu viceris nos perimus Yet were his rules of order to the Priests of his superstitious zeale such as may well become the most religious Church-man of our age to imitate for he prohibited those Priests from gaze of Stage-Playes frequenting Tauernes or exercising any foule or illiberall profession perswading them to imitate the Christians whose bounty to strangers in distresse charity in burying the dead and whose humble manners and sanctitie of life though but dissembled had so much increased their Profession 6 His fortitude appeareth in the processe of his Martiall Actions At three and twenty yeeres hee was made by Constantine his nephew Caesar matched to his sister Helena and sent in person to restraine those barbarous Nations that had forced in vpon the Roman Limits But whether this imploiment was grounded vpon the Emperours owne feare to aduenture his person against these Sauages a desire to nurture this mere Scholar his brother in law in more princely manners who then was rude or to expose him in respect of some iealousy in State to an assured perill it remaineth doubtfull Only himselfe saith that he that bestowed his Title of Caesar libenter dabat qui accepit omninò recusabat for in it hee gained nothing but vt occupatior interiret taking this his Expedition against those Inrodes as a banishment into the Hercinian Desert vt tanquam venator cum feris bellaret and beleeuing himselfe rather thereby called out to an expected death then intended honour But this man then neither of opinion or hope and who should haue seemed to haue effected a point of excellent seruice if hee had no more but defended the frontiers and repelled the Enemies did by his valour performe no lesse then deeds of admiration Hee recouered the reuolted Cities of Gallia ouerthrowing seuen of the mightiest German Princes in one set Battle Hee sent to Rome Chonodomarius and Badonearius two of their greatest Kings as spoiles to adorne the Trophey and attend the triumph of Constantius Hee forced on euery side those to feare his power that had so long beene fearefull to the Roman Empire And had he returned home borne vp only with the merit of this his seruice and opinion of the world and not beene blowne beyond the bounds of his old moderation by a new desire hee had escaped the imputation of ambition and treacherie and beene esteemed a iust successour against whom he is deemed now an vniust vsurper But it may be said that it was a diuine power that inspired it and a strong hand that inforced him to it for from aboue the Porch of his entrance into one of the regained Cities the Wreath of Laurell reserued an ornament of that place fell in wonder vpon his head The Genius of Rome in many apparitions chiding reprehending his slow desire to affect the Empire and restore the State As touching his election he calleth the Gods to witnesse his vnwillingnesse and the publike protestation he made against it at Paris when he was there by the tumultuous Armie saluted Augustus And although by the great prouision made by him of Corne from Britannie to hold a foot the Armie against the plots of Constantius that grew now enuious of his fortune hee may seeme to haue intended the ruine of his Soueraigntie yet doth hee by the Gods of his greatest confidence Iupiter and the Sunne protest Quod Constantium occidere nunquam optauit imò ne id accideret exoptauit 7 But Constantius ending this quarrell and competition by his death Iulian whom a Pithonist had deluded with the hope of Persia telling him that his fortunes should be as his feature like Great Alexander bred in him a thirstie desire after the surname Persicus whereupon hee prepared an Armie for this expedition and seeking the fauor of his Gods the Moone Fortune and Mars embrued their Altars with the Blood of an hundred Buls at once though manie ominous signes as they were interpreted by his Philosophers and Southsaiers forbad the same Such was the great Earthquake happening in Bithynie that swallowed vp the Citie of Nicomedia Riuers likewise are saide to stand drie euen in the heart of winter and Springs forgetting their vsuall boilings yeelded not foorth their wonted waters yea and if wee will beleeue the reporters his successe was foreshewed by the departure of an Angell and by a Meteor gliding in the Aire All which hee sought to preuent by pacifying his Heathenish Gods with multitudes of Sacrifices and with an Armie extended ten miles in length entred Persia cutting asunder the Bridges by which hee passed ouer his men to adde to them more of resolution as their meanes were lesse of returne refusing all humble submission and composition offred him by their King and at the place then called Phrygia ioined Battle against Surena a great Commander among the Persians and Merenes Generall of their Horse accompanied with two of the Kings sonnes whose powers not able to resist the Romans gaue backe and fledde Iulian either vpon a vaine confidence or sudden Alarum had forgot to arme himselfe with his Corslet or Brigandine and in following the disarraied flight of the Persians lift vp his hands in signe of victorie at which very instant a Iauelin strucke thorow his left Arme into the short Ribbes and stucke in the nether lappet of his Liuer which whilest he endeuoured to plucke out did cut the sinewes of his fingers wherat altogether distracted hee fell forwards vpon his horses maine
the third sonne of King Penda in the nonage of yong Kenred the sonne of Vulfhere who in his tender yeeres rather desired a priuate life then any publike authority in the Common-weale succeeded his brother both in the Kingdome of Mercia and Monarchy of the Englishmen But when hee had raigned thirty yeeres gaue ouer the Crowne to his Nephew the said Kenred and became a Monke in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolne-shire where hee died Anno 716. His Wife was Osfryde Daughter to Oswyn King of Northumberland and issue Chelred that succeeded Kenred in the Mercian kingdome KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere his Vncle Ethelred changing his Princely Crown for a Monks Coule beganne his Raigne ouer the Mercians and his Monarchy ouer the English Anno 704. wherein he raigned the space of foure yeeres and then with like deuotion of those times addicted to an easie and quiet Religion abandoned both Crowne and Country and went to Rome where of Pope Constantine hee receiued the tonsure and habit of a Monke at the Apostles Tombes and entring a Monastery therein spent other foure yeeres of his life to the day of his death which was Anno 708. hauing had neither wife nor issue to reuiue his name or to rule his kingdome CHelred receiuing the resignation of Kenred his Cosin-german when he went to Rome and of sufficient yeeres and discretion to haue succeeded Ethelred his Father what time the said Kenred was ordained King raigned with great valour ouer the Mercians and was likewise Monarch ouer the Englishmen His peace was disquieted by Inas his West-Saxons who for seuen yeeres continuance inuaded his kingdome His Wife was Wereburge saith Marianus and Florentius the Monke who ascribe to her a long life and to die without Childten This Chelred raigned the space of eight yeeres and died the yeere of grace seuen hundred and fifteenth whose body was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Lechfeild EThelbald after the death of Chelred was made King of the Mercians and Monarch of the English the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred sixteene He was a Prince giuen to peace but withall a most lasciuious Adulterer insomuch that Boniface Archbishop of Mentz wrote his Epistle vnto him in reprehension of the same which tooke such effect that in repentance of his foule facts hee founded the Monasterie of Crowland driuing in mighty Piles of Oake into that moorish ground whereon hee laid a great and goodly building of stone He was the son of Aâ—…wr the elder sonne of Eoppa the second sonne of King Wibba the brother of King Penda and raigned fortie two yeeres in the end whereof he was slaine in a battell fought against Cuthred King of the West-Saxons at Secondone three miles from Tamworth the yeere of Christ seuen hundred fiftie fiue and was buried at Repton in Darby-shire hauing had neither Wife nor Children OFfa slaying Bernred the murtherer of King Ethelbald entred vpon the gouernment of the Mercians and the Monarchy of the Saxons An. 758. He inlarged his dominion vpon the Britaines ouercame the Kentish in a battell put to flight the Northumbrians and vanquished the West-Saxons the East-Angles also he seised vpon after he had murthered Ethelbert their King He raigned thirty nine yeeres and died at Ofley the nine and twenty day of Iuly the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie foure and was buried without the Town of Bedford in a Chapell now swallowed vp by the Riuer Owse He was the son of Thingfryd the sonne of Eanulfe whose Father Osmund was the sonne of Eoppa the brother of King Penda and son of King Wibba whose Father was Crida the first King of the Mercians His Wife was Quendred and children many of whom and of them we will further speake when we come to the time of his Monarchy EGfryde the sonne of great Offa was by him made King at his returne from Rome being the only ioy of his parents and heire apparant to the Saxons Monarchy vpon which he entred the day after his fathers death and liued himselfe but a hundred and fortie daies after deceasing the seuenteenth of December in the yeere of our Lord God seuen hundred ninety six hauing had neither wife nor issue that wee reade of and his body honourably interred in the Church of the Monasterie of Saint Albanes founded by Offa. KEnwolfe the cosen a farre off to King Egfrid deceased and both of them remooued in bloud no lesse then six descents from Wibba the second Mercian King was the sonne of Cuthbert as the Monke of Worcester deriues him the sonne of Bassa the sonne of Kenrowe the sonne of Kentwin the sonne of Kenwalk the sonne of Wibba aforesaid and succeeded King Egfryd in his Dominions But of this Mercian Monarch more shall be written in the succession and time of that his gouernment Hee raigned two and twentie yeeres and deceased the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and nineteene and his bodie interred in the Monasterie of Winchcombe in the Countie of Glocester being of his owne foundation His wife was Queene Elfryde the daughter as some suppose of Offa who had beene betrothed to Ethelbert King of the East-Angles slaine by her father by whom he had issue Kenelm Quendred and Burgemhild of whom more followeth KEnelm the sonne of King Kenwolfe a childe of seuen yeeres old succeeded in the Kingdome of Mercia but not in the Monarchie as his fathers had done Egbert the West-Saxon at that time being grown great in his fortunes This young King Kenelm raigned only fiue moneths and then by the ambitious desire of Quendrid his sister who seeking the gouernment by the shedding of his guiltlesse bloud instigated one Askbert his Instructor by promises of great preferments and rich rewards to make him away who only stood as she thought in her way to the Crowne This wicked practise was foorth with as impiously performed for hauing him foorth vnder pretence of hunting he slew the innocent King whose vertuous inclination promised great hopes and whose harmlesse yeeres had not attained to any worldly guile His bodie hee secretly buried vnder a bush and if we will beleeue the Golden Legend where his life is described was thus found out A white Doue which belike had seene the deed done and had got it ingrossed in a scrole of parchment posted therewith to S. Peter in Rome and vpon the High Altar laid it to bee read where in the Saxon characters thus it was found In Clenc kon baâ—… Kenelme Kinbaâ—…ne lieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is At Clenc in a Cow pasture Kenelme the Kings childe lieth beheaded vnder a thorne But most true it is that an obscure sepulcher the body had at the first and howsoeuer found out was afterwards with great honour and ceremonie translated to the Monasterie of Winchcombe which his father had founded The murderesse Quendrid
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
7 His warres thus prospering his puissance grew dreadfull and his glory much enuied at by the other Princes whereof Bernulfe of Mercia was the first attempter that sought to plucke the wing of this west-Saxon Eagle but thereby wrought his owne downefall for Egbert ioyning battaile with him at Ellenden ouerthrew his power and in that quarrell Bernulfe was lastly slaine 8 Kent was the next and fairest marke in Egberts 〈◊〉 whose 〈◊〉 not gratious in his own subiects â—…ight was the 〈◊〉 to be subdued him he chased ouer Thamisis and added not onely that Countie but also Sussex and Surrey for Prouinces vnto his owne Kingdome next were the East-Saxons the East-Angles and in truth all both vpon the North and the South of Humber gaue him obedience so that the bounds of his Dominion were greatly enlarged and his royall authority by those seuerall Kings acknowledged 9 Then hee to confirme his estate called an assembly vnto the City Winchester where causing himselfe to bee solemnly crowned became the first Saxons absolute Monarch of the whole Iland so reducing the Monarchiall title from the Mercians to the West-Saxons in whose Progeny it continued without reuersement vntill the Danes first got and againe lost it and the Saxons issue failing the same fell to the Normans Duke by Conquest as in continuance of our history Christ assisting shall be seene 10 His Coronation was at Winchester and entrance in the yeare of Grace eight hundred and nineteene at which time by his Edict in that City dated he caused all the South of the Iland to bee called England according to the Angles of whom himselfe came and promising great felicity to his State and Successors was therein not so happy as in his affaires he had beene fortunate 11 For those Saxons that by warre and blood had made themselues Lords of other mens rights and of one Kingdome no lesse then seuen are now endangered to bee made seruants vnto subiection and by warre and bloud their seuen-fold Kingdome brought againe vnto one neither yet freed from the reuenge of bloodie violence for that a fierce and cruell nation the Danes ceased not continually to inuade them till they had subdued and set the crowne thereof vpon their owne heads who in King Brightrick dayes and about the yeere seuen hundred eighty seuen hauing with three vessels landed in the West of England at three seuerall times in so many seuerall places sought the ruine of the land in the raigne of this Egbert 12 The first was in his thirty third yeare when with thirty fiue ships they landed at Lindisferne vpon the North of England where they were met and fought with at Carham but with such losse to the English that two chiefe Captaines Dudda and Osmond two Bishops Herefrid of Winchester and Vigferd of Shirborne with many Souldiers were therein slaine King Egbert himselfe hardly escaping by the couert of the night 13 Their second attempt was in the second yeare following when in West-Wales they landed vnto whom the Britaines there ioyned and in the place called Hengistenton abode the King in field where Egbert with prosperous fortune vanquished and slew both the Danes and the Welsh 14 The third place of their arriuage was Sheepie in Kent which Iland they sacked and with much a doe were expelled in the last of King Egberts raign and but the new beginning of their sauage cruelties 15 This Egbert by Florentius of Worcester is said to be the sonne of Alkemund who was the sonne of Eafa and he the sonne of Eoppa the sonne of Ingils the brother of Ine the eleuenth King of the West-Saxons and both of them the sonnes of Kenred descended from Cherdik the first King of that Prouince he was but â—…ow oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong of â—…mme very valiant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 skilfull souldier and as great in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in warre he raigned ouer the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thirty six yeares and seuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Iland seuenteene his dâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fourth day of February and yeare of Chrâ—…s â—…nation eight hundred thirty six 16 His bodie was with all 〈◊〉 solemnly buried at Winchester and his bones sinâ—… taken vp â—…maine with others in that Cities Cathedral 〈◊〉 bestowed in Chests set vpon the Wall of each 〈◊〉 the Quier with these verses neither ancient nor 〈◊〉 thereon inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho Nobis egregia munera vterque tulit His wife 17 Redburg the wife of King Egbert was the first of the West-Saxons that by their new made law was depriued of title authority or place of a Queene notwithstanding it seemeth shee bare a great stroke with her husband in that Iohn Bâ—…uer the Monke of Westminster reporteth that shee procured a law to be made against the Britains the penalty whereof was present death for any of them to set footing within the realme of England or to passe the Ditch that King Offa had made His Issue 18 Ethelwolfe the eldest sonne of King Egbert and Lady Redburg his wife was in his childhood committed to the charge of Helmestan 〈◊〉 of Winchester vnder whom hee was carefully trayned vp in learning and vertue who comming to mans estate proued also a perfect Souldier and had 〈◊〉 leading of his fathers power against Baldred King 〈◊〉 Kent whom he forced to flie ouer the Thamisis and to abandon his Kingdome which he subdued to the subiection of his father and afterwards succeeded him in the Monarchy of the Englishmen 19 Ethelstane the younger sonne of King Egbert and of the Lady Redburg his wife was by his father deputed King ouer the Kentishmen the South-Saxons and the East-Saxons after hee had brought them vnto his subiection which people hee most valiantly defended against the inuasions of the Danes defeating their forces both by sea and land and at Sandwich gaue them a most memorable ouerthrow in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred fifty one being the sixteenth of his brother King Ethelwolfes raigne in whose time hee deceased and is reported to haue left a sonne named Ostride who by reason of his minority succeeded not in his fathers dominions which Ethelbert the second sonne of King Ethelwolfe entred vpon and being Monarch reunited these kingdomes inseparably vnto the Monarchy 20 Edgith commonly called Saint Edith the daughter of King Egbert was in her childhood by her brother Ethelwolfe committed to the charge and bringing vp of a Lady in Ireland greatly renowmed for her holinesse of life named Modewine by whom she was afterwards recommended to a Disciplesse of the said Lady named Athea and made Gouernesse of a Monastery of the Ladies by her planted in a place which the King her brother had giuen her called Pollesworth situated in Arden in the north verge of the County of Warwicke wherein she liued died and was honourably buried and the place in regard of her afterwards called Saint Ediths of Pollesworth ETHELVVOLFE THE
he is mentioned for a witnesse to his Fathers graunt of lands in Wittenham to Ethelwolfe a Duke of England in those daies as appeareth by the Charter thereof bearing date in the yeere aforesaid 8 Bertfrid an other and as it seemeth an elder sonne of King Edred was borne before his father was King without any mention also of his Mother who liuing in the second yeare of his fathers raigne namely Anno 948. was written for a witnesse in the same yeare to his grant of lands in Bedlaking to Cuthred one of his Barons the Charter whereof is extant to bee seene vnto this day EDVVY THE TVVENTIE EIGHTH KING OF THE VVEST-SAXONS AND TWENTIE NINTH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISHMEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND DEATH CHAPTER XLI EDwy the eldest sonne of King Edmund after the decease of his vncle Edred succeeded him in his dominions and was the twentie eighth King of the West-Saxons and the twentie ninth Monarch of the Englishmen he began his raigne in the yeare of the worlds saluation 955. and was annointed crowned at Kingston vpon Thamesis by the hands of Otho the 22. Archbishop of Canterbury 2 Yong hee was in yeares and vitious of life if the Monkish Story-writers of those times his deadly enemies may be credited not past thirteene when he entred gouernment and that begun with a capitall sinne for they report that vpon the solemne day of his Coronation and insight of his Nobles as they sate in Counsell with shamelesse and vnprincelike lust he abused a Lady of great estate his neere kinswoman whose husband shortly after he slew the more freely to possesse his incestuous pleasure and to fill the pennes of his further infamy ready to their hands that wrote his life hee was a great enemy vnto the Monkish orders a sore in those dayes very tender to be touched and may well be thought the cause of many false aspersions on him whom from the Monastery of Malmsbury Glasenbury and others hee expelled placing married Priests in their roomes Dunstan likewise the Abbot Saint of Glasenbury hee banished the Realm for his ouer-bold reprehensions if not rather for retaining the treasure deliuered him by King Edred and demaunded againe in his sicknesse when by the voice forsooth of an Angell from heauen his iourney was staid and those rich Iewels not deliuered the King in his life I will not say kept backe lest Dunstan with Balaam whose stories are not much vnlike should bee thought to follow as he did the wages of deceit 3 Howsoeuer the reuerent opinion of the Monks single life and the conceiued holines of Abbot Dunstan in those misty times did daily counterpoize young Edwy in esteeme which made his best acts construed and recorded to the worst insomuch that his Subiects minds ebbing as the Sea from the full drew backe the current of their subiectiue affections and set the eye of obedience vpon Prince Edgar his Brother and albeit his young yeeres may seeme to cleare him from the imputation of so lustful a fact as he is charged with at the day of his assuming the Crowne and the separation from his wife as too neere in consanguinity wrought griefe enough in his distressed heart yet pittilesse of his estate and carelesse of their owne allegiance the Mercians with the Northumbrians did vtterly cast off obedience and sweare their fealty to Edgar not fully foureteene yeeres aged Edâ—… then raigning in a 〈◊〉 decaying estate was heâ—…d of such his subiects in no better esteeme then was Iehoram of Iudah who is said to haue liued without being desired for very griefe whereof after foure yeares raigne hee ended his life the yeare of our Lord 959 whose body was buried in the Church of the new Abbey of Hide at Winchester erected without the Wall in the North of that City His Wife 4 Elfgine the wife of King Edwy was a Lady of great beauty and nobly descended yea and by some deemed somewhat too neare in the bloud roiall to bee matched with him in spousall bed her fathers name is not recorded but her mother was Etheigiue whom some scandalized to haue beene his Concubine and the onely causer of Dunstans banishment The subiects disliking of this vnlawfull marriage further instigated by the Monkes whose humorous pleasures or displeasures could very much sway the state in those daies failed by degrees to performe their duties to their King and her they likewise enforced to a separation in the third yeere of his regardlesse gouernment and of Christ Iesus 958. without other mention of her life or death EDGAR SVRNAMED THE PEACEABLE THE THIRTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS WIVES AND ISSVE CHAPTER XLII EDgar the second son of King Edmund hauing raigned two yeares ouer the Mercians and Northumbrians in the dayes of Edwy his Brother to the great impairing of King Edwyes reputation and esteeme after his death at sixeteen yeares of age was chosen to succeed in all his dominions and was the thirtieth Monarch of the Englishmen or rather now of whole England all other titles of Kingdomes falling vnder his scepter and becomming Prouinces annexed vnto his absolute Monarchie 2 He beganne his raigne in the yeere of Christs Natiuity 959. and was crowned as some write the same yeare at Kingston vpon Thamesis by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury But Randulphus Higden in his Polychronicon referreth it to the twelfth yeere of his raigne William Monke of Malmesbury to the thirtieth yeare of his age and the Sax Chronicle of Worcester Church to the yeere of Christ 972 and that in the City of Bath hee was annointed and consecrated with great solemnity by Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury 3 The raigne of this King is said to haue beene altogether in a calme tranquility and therefore hee was surnamed the Peaceable his vertues were many and vices not a few the one gloriously augmented and the other fairely excused by those Monkish writers vnto whose professions he was most fauourable his Guides were Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury Ethelwold Abbot of Glasenbury and Oswald Bishop of Worcester three stout Champions against the married Clergie for women in those dayes were great bugs in their eyes therfore the married Priests he displaced brought in Monkes of single life to possesse their roomes whose sinnes of incontinency grew after to be great as the world did then witnes which caused Treuâ—…sa the translator of Higden to blame King Edgar charging him to bee lewdly moued in following their counsell against married Clerkes 4 So doe Malmsbury and Higden taxe him with too fauourable affections towardes the Danes who dwelled alike in euery town with the English though formerly they had sought the destruction of all and still lay in wait attending for the spoile of his true subiects who apt enough vnto euil lerned the beastly sinne of quaffing and emptying of cups which King Edgar was enforced to redresse by enacting a law
victories wherewith they afterward ouerranne this Kingdome though for the present the inhabitants enraged with the losse of their Chiefe addressing them in great numbers to reuenge forced some to lose their liues by the sword the rest to saue them by flight to their ships 2 Notwithstanding their former preparations they were contented to deferre their returne till the dayes of King Eghert whose raigne as elsewhere we haue touched they disquieted with three seuerall inuasions the first in the North the second in Wales the last in Kent in all which the King though with many losses and hazards of his owne person yet with great resolutions persisted till hee had disburdened his land of so dangerous guests But those Flesh-flies hauing once tasted the sweet though often beaten off would not long bee kept away but could easily take or make occasions of fresh attempts insomuch that after their first footing they continued here their cruelties rapine and spoile the space of two hundred and eighteene yeeres neuer in termitting till they had got the garland vpon their owne heads The way whereunto was made vpon this ensuing occasion 3 Osbright a Northumbrian Viceroy deputed by the West-Saxons by chance as hee followed his disport in Hunting came to the house of a Noble man named Beorn-Bocador whose Lady of passing feature in his absence gaue him honourable entertainement and intreated both himselfe and traine to repose themselues there a while after their wearisome delights The Vice-roy already ensnared with her beauty accepted her courteous offer not so much to tast her meates as to surfeite his eyes with her rare beauty and lasciuiously to dote in his owne affections The dinner ended and all ready to depart as though some weighty matters were to be handled he commaunded an auoidance from the Presence and taking the Lady into a withdrawing Chamber vnder pretence of secret conference greatly tending to the aduancement of her Lord selfe most vnnobly being not able to preuaile by smooth perswasions did by force violate her constant chastity Which dishonour thus receiued and her minde distracted like to Thamars at her husbands returne all ashamed to behold his face whose bed had so beene wronged with flouds of teares shee thus set open the sluces of her passions 4 Had thy fortunes accorded to thine owne desert or thy choice proceeded as by vow was obliged then had no staine of blemish touched thine honour nor cause of suspition once approched thy thought or had my selfe beene my selfe these blushing cheekes had not inuited thy sharpe piercing eye to looke into my guilty and defiled breast which now thou maist see disfurnished of honour and the closet of pure chastity broken vp onely the heart and soule is cleane yet feares the taineture of this polluted caske and would haue passage by thy reuenging hand from this loathsome prison and filthy truncke I must confesse our sexe is weake and accompanied with many faults yet none excusable how small soeuer much lesse the greatest which shame doth follow and inward guilt continually attendeth yours is created more inuiolable and firme both against allurements and enforcements by whose constancy as our flexible weakenes is guarded so our true honours by your iust Armes should bee protected O Beorn Beorn for husband I dare not call thee reuenge therefore my wrongs that am now made thy shame and scandale of my sexe vpon that monster nay Diuell Osbright O that very name corcorrupts my breath and I want words to deplore my griefe who hath no law but his lust nor measure of his actions but his power nor priuiledge for his loathsome life but his greatnesse whiles we with a selfe-feare and seruile flatterie maske our basenesse with crouching obedience beare the wrongs of his most vile adulteries Thou yet art free from such deiected and degenerate thoughts nor hast thou smoothed him in his wicked and euer-working vices be stil thy self then and truly Noble as thou art It may be for his place thou owe◅t him respect but what therewith the losse of honour thine affection but not thy bed thy Loue but not thy beloued yet hast thou lost at once all these and he thy only bereauer thou wast my stay whilest I stayed by thee and now beeing downe reuenge my fall the instinct of nature doth pitty our weakenesse the law of Nations doth maintaine our honour and the sword of Knighthood is sworne by to be vnsheathed for our iust defence much more the linke of wedlocke claimes it which hath lockt two hearts in one but alas that ward is broken and I am thy shame who might haue beene thine honour Reuenge thy selfe therefore both on him and mee else shall this hand let out the Ghost that shall still attend thee with acclamations till thou reuenge my stained bloud 5 Beorn vnwonted thus to bee welcommed much amazed at his wiues maladies with gentle words drew from her the particulars of her inward griefe who reuealed as well as shame and teares and sobs would suffer the manner of the deed stil vrging reuenge for the wrong Beorn touched thus to the quicke to pacifie his distressed wife did not a little dissemble his wrath and excusing the fact with the power of a Prince that might command and her owne weak nesse vnable to resist the strength of a man Commended much her loue and constancy and alleadging his wrongs to bee equall with hers if not greater in regard of their sexe willed her to set her string to his tune till sitte opportunity would serue to strike but shee distasting that sweet consort wrested her passiō into so high a strain that nothing couldbe heard but reuenge bloud 6 Beorn thus instigated by the continuall cries of his wife whose rape already of it selfe had giuen sufficient cause of wrath first consulting with his neerest friends was offered their assistance against that wicked and libidinous Prince and then repairing to his Court in presence of them all made knowne his vnsufferable wrongs and with vtter defiance departed threatning his death This Nobleman in his youth had been brought vp in Denmarke and is reported to haue been allied into the Danish roiall bloud Hee therefore accounted this nation the surest vnto himselfe and the fittest in will and power to enter his quarrell so comming to Goderick King of that Country made his case knowne instantly desiring his aide against the villanie of Osbright Godericke glad to haue some quarrell to enter Britaine leuied an Armie with all speed and preparation made for all things necessarie sendeth forth Inguar and Hubba two brethren to command in chiefe ouer an innumerable multitude of his Danes which two hee thought at this time the fittest for the attempt not onely for their well approued resolution and valour but also for that hee knew them to bee on particular motiues which vsually more affect then doth a common cause implacably enraged against the English on an occasion vnfortunately hapning but most lamentably
whereupon the King designed young Edgar his sonne the heire apparent and gaue him the surname of Adeling a name of great honor appropriated to the Princes of the blood and men capable of the Crowne 11 Besides these former attempts certaine Danish Pirates entred the Port of Sandwich which with all the Sea-Coasts of Essex they spoiled and in Flaunders made Marchandize of their prey The Irish likewise with thirty sixe shippes entred Seuern and with the assistance of Griffith king of South-Wales burnt or flew all that they found against whom Alfred Bishop of Worcester went and fought but with such successe that many of his Souldiers were slaine and the rest put to flight which made the Welshmen far more bold and Rese the brother of Griffith make many incursions to fetch preyes out of England till at length he was slaine at Bulerden and his head presented to king Edward at Gloucester 12 His domesticall molestations were chieflie by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes and those first springing vpon this following occasion Eustace the elder Earle of Bulloigne who had married Gods sister by the fathers side to King Edward came into England to visite him then lying at Gloucester and returning homeward at Canterbury his Herbinger dealing roughlie with a Burgesse for lodgings caused his owne death which when his Lord heard of thirsting for reuenge he slew eighteene Citizens in the heat of his furie the Canterburians in as great a rage gotte them to armour and slew twenty of his retinew wounding many more and made the Earle to recoile whose greeuous complaint comming to the King he commanded Goodwin to see execution done vpon the offenders Earle Goodwin not hastie to follow his commission aduised the King to examine the cause before he massacred his true subiects at the instigation of Strangers whereat King Edward was highly offended and Goodwin thereby gained great loue of the Commons This occasioned Robert Gemeticensis a Norman first made Bishop of London and after Arch-bishop of Canterbury to spred the Curtaine of disfauour betwixt Goodwin and the King vrging his refusall as an Act of Contempt wherein more dangers might lie hid then were to be suffered whereupon Edward called an assembly of Estates appointing a day of meeting at Gloucester 13 The Commons whose common guise is deadly to hate all strangers though many times well deseruing now seeing Earle Goodwin in danger for their good were easily drawne to assist him and his cause and in warlike manner garded his person at Beuerstane not farre from the King The Estates assembled and Goodwin sent for he refused to come pretending seruice against the Welsh then ready to make inroades and that his presence was more needfull there then at Court albeit the Welsh-men cleared themselues by sending their Ambassadors vnto the King The suspitions increasing great preparation on both sides was made to assist the King came Leofricke the worthy Earle of Chester Siward the stoute Earle of Northumberland and Rodulfe Earle of Hereford his sister Godas sonne by her first husband Walter de Maigne 14 To Goodwin repaired his people of Southerie and Kent and to him were brought by Swaine his sonne the men of Oxford Sommerset Hereford Gloucester and Berk-shires vnto whom Harold his other sonne ioined those of Essex Norfolke Suffolke Cambridge and Huntingdon-shires so that his host was exceedingly great and his mind thereby so inflated that from Langton where hee lay hee sent a bold and Traiterous demand to the King to haue Earle Eustace of Bulloigne with all his French and Normans that kept then in the Castle of Douer to bee deliuered vnto him and his sonnes which beeing as good reason was refused the Battle was prepared and brought to the verie point of hazard and ruine of all For in that quarrell were assembled the greatest Peeres and Lords of the Land the Kings loue swaying very much with many but yet the hatred towards Strangers possessing the hearts of more The beginning thus doubtfull and the end like to prooue dangerous the matter both with great foresight and prouidence was referred vnto Parliament to bee holden at London with all conuenient hast whereunto pledges were both giuen and receiued on either parts 15 King Edward strongly guarded with an Army of the Mercians and Northumbrians entred London and Goodwin with his sonnes in warlike manner came into Southwarke to his owne house But his Army wauering and as bad causes consciences make men doe suspecting the worst by little and little shrunke away from him which knowne to the King he presently pronounced sentence of banishment vnto Goodwin and his fiue sonnes without further proceeding by way of Parliament as was determined Goodwin therefore with great riches and his three sonnes Swaine Tostie and Girth sailed into Flanders and Harold with his brother Leofwine from Bristow passed into Ireland who were no sooner gone but the King proclaimed them Out-lawes and gaue the Earldome of Harold vnto Algar the son of Leofrick Earle of Chester This Leofricke is he which at his Countesses request freed the Citie Couentrie of their importable tribute imposed as we haue elsewhere said 16 In the second yeere of Goodwins banishment both himselfe and those his sonnes with him hauing gotten ships conuenient for warre in manner of Pirats came vpon the coasts of Kent and Sussex doing much harme and returning with spoiles the like did Harold and Leofwin from Scotland vpon the westerne coasts of Sommerset and Deuonshires who thence coasting about the point of Cornwall ioined their Fleet with their Fathers in the I le of Wight 17 Against them King Edward prepared himselfe though aged with a Nauie of sixtie ships well furnished for warre meant to haue made an end of that businesse by the destruction of his aduersaries but the Nauies ready to ioine battell God tooke the cause into his owne hand and with a thicke fogge so ouer-spread the seas that one Fleet could not thereby see another in which Goodwin and his complices by contrary windes were driuen to the place from whence they came King Edward still in iealousie of Goodwins returne rigged forth forty tall ships to secure the seas which kept not so strong a watch but that Goodwin got by them solliciting the people of Kent Sussex and Surrey vnto his aid and entring Thamesis did the like vnto them in London who accepted of his arriuage though King Edward lay there so that without disturbance his Nauie fell vp with the tide through the south Arch of the Bridge a mighty army to his aid mustered vpō the same side of the riuer 18 The Nobilitie then seeing side against side and all of them meere English ready to hazard their bloud in the quarrels of strangers wrought so with Edward and Goodwin that they came vnto peace and pledges were againe deliuered for the performance whereof Wilmot the sonne of Earle Goodwin and Hacun the sonne of Swaine his eldest were sent
to Duke William of Normandy so great a trust he euer reposed in strangers This Swaine vpon a remorse of conscience for the bloud he had spilt and especially for the slaughter of Beorne his cosen intercessor who sued to the King for his peace vndertooke a pilgrimage to Ierusalem and in his returne died in Licia whether through an extremity of cold or by the hands of Saracens that spoiled all they met it is vncertaine 19 Goodwin now restored and in great credit with the King cast the eye of disdaine vpon the Arch-Bishop Robert as commonly fauorits emulate each others and himselfe being a man eloquent and politicke so possessed the King both against him and his Normans that he requited his owne banishment with al theirs out of England some few excepted that were fauoured by the English and now promising himselfe much honour and authority was suddainly cut off by the stroake of death surprizing him as hee sate at Table with the King vpon Monday in the Easter weeke but died not till the Thursday following which happened at Winchester where hee was buried 20 Besides these former forraine and ciuil molestations other calamities happened to the land for in the yeare of Grace 1047. and moneth of Ianuary there fell so great a Snow which couered the ground vnto the middle of March that Cattle Fowles perished abundantly and on the first day of that Month the yere following a strange and terrible Earth-quake happened which seemed to rent the ground asunder and withall such Lightnings as burnt vp the Corne growing in the fields wherby an excessiue Dearth followed so that his raigne was neither so peaceable nor prosperous as Brightwold the Monke dreamed it should be But as all these were scourges sent from God vpon the Land for sin so both Prince Pastors and people had all seuerally their part thereof as being iointly the causers of the same 21 For the King in case of these Strangers put the Land more then once in danger to bee lost and himselfe refraining the bed of his vertuous wife committed thereby the offence forbidden by the Apostle and caused her his Queene either to commit or be accused to haue committed adultery The Clergie likewise altogether vnlearned wanton and vicious for the Prelats neglecting the offices of Episcopall function which was to tender the affaires of the Church and to feede the flocke of Christ liued themselues idle and couetous addicted wholly to the pomp of the world and voluptuous life little caring for the Churches soules committed to their charge and if any told them saith Higden that their liues ought to be holy their conuersation without Couetousnes according to the sacred prescript and vertuous examples of their Elders they would scoffingly put them off with Nunc aliud tempus alii pro tempore mores Times haue mutations So must mens fashions and thus saith he they plained the roughnes of their doings with smoothnes of their answers Briefly the whole people were so loose and riotous that as Geruasius Dorobornensis recordeth they fell so fast to commit wickednes as to bee ignorant of sinfull crimes was then held to be a great crime it selfe And by the testimony of Malmesbury the sinnes of those times euidently foreshewed a generall destruction for the Englishmen saith hee transformed themselues into the strange manners of the French and that not onely in speech and behauiour but in their deeds and Charters their vse was then to goe fantastically appointed their garments reaching but to the mid knee their heads shorne and their beards shauen all but the vpper lippe which grew with long mustaches continually wearing massie bracelets of gold about their armes carrying markes vpon their skinne pounced in of sundry Colours and the Clergiâ—… contenting themselues with triuiall literature could scarcely hacke and hew out the words of the Sacrament These then were Englands dolorous times both of blindnesse lewdriesse drawing downe Gods wrath for their destruction 22 But howsoeuer this King is reported to bee louing and facile towards strangers which in it selfe is a princely vertue if it be opportunely and warily vsed yet to his owne Mother and Wife vnnaturally ouer rigorous imprisoning and bereauing them both of all Prince-like honor Against Queene Emma his Mother were instigators Robert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Earle Goodwin of Kent the two greatest fauorites of the King The causes obiected were her marriage with Canut the Capitall enemy of England her regardlesnesse of succouring himself and his brother in their exiles whom as was alleaged shee contriued to haue made away and that vnder colour of priuate deuotions she had vsed the company of Alwine Bishop of Winchester ouer familiarly to her great dishonour and the Kings disgrace for these and the like hee tooke away all her Iewels and other substance and committed her to safe custody in the Abbey of Werwell 23 Indeed Malmsbury doth tax her to haue been insatiably couetous and that shee was more tenderly affectionate to her Danish then English children whereby her loue was measured to their fathers But for the imputation of her incontinencie she washed it off with as sharpe a triall as any that is recorded for truth by vndergoing that ouer-hard law Ordalium when in presence of the King her Son many of his Peeres she passed ouer betweene nine plough-shares glowing red hot bare-footed blind-folded without any hurt vsing this speech to her leaders as not knowing shee was past all danger O Lord when shall I come to the place of my purgation but hauing her eyes vncouered and seeing her selfe cleerely escaped fell vpon her knees and with teares gaue thanks to her Deliuerer whereby she recouered both the loue and her former estate of the King with the good esteeme and applause of the people in memory whereof shee gaue nine Mannors according to the number of plough-shares to the Minster of Winchester wherin she had that triall and adorned the same with many rich ornaments as likewise the King repenting the wrong he did her bestowed on the same place the Iland so then it was called Portland in Dorsetshire being about seuen miles in compasse for so the chance in those daies was set that whosoeuer lost the monks did winne 24 Neither were this Kings proceedings better with his owne Wife howsoeuer some haue cloaked that Fraud so the Apostle tearmes it vnder the faire robe of Chastity For hee marrying Editha a Lady incomparable both for beauty and vertue in whose brest saith Malmesburie there was a Schoole of all Liber all Sciences refused her Bed but whether it were for his debility or hatred to Goodwin her father or loue of Virginity I determine not but am fully perswaded that the accusation of Adultery wherewith Robert the Arch-bishop did charge her was more vpon enuy to her father then truth of so foule a fact in her whose vertues were so many and so memorable
thousand men and Harold in Souldier-like exequies borne vnto Waltham in Essex there honourably enterred as we haue said William the Conqueror for so now may wee stile him returned to Hasting and thence set forward with spoile of the Country ouer Thamesis towards London 2 Where Edwine and Morcar the Brethren of the Queen were in working the English that one of them should be King or rather saith Simon of Durham to crowne Edgar Etheling the rightfull heire in such esteeme with the People that he was commonly called Englands Darling vnto whose side most of the Nobles aâ—…ered with the Citizens of London and the Nauall forces to which part also ioined Aldred Archbishop of Yorke though presently he fel off and stuckt to the stronger for the Prelates though secretly affecting the right claime yet terrified with the flashing thunderbolts of the Papall curse durst not goe forward with their purpose so powerful was the Pope euen then to defeat the rightfull heires of kingdomes but refused to side with the Lords whereupon all their designements were suddainely quashed 3 For William hauing wasted through Kent Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkshire came vnto Wallingford and crossing there the Thamesis passed through the Counties of Oxford Buckingham and Hertford where staying at Berkhamsted Aldred Archbishop of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Walter Bishop of Hereford with the Earles Edâ—… and Morcar yea and Edgar himself yeelded their allegiance vnto the Duke This curse so preuailing farre engaged William to the Pope 4 William intending for London being on his way found the passage stopt vp with multitudes of great trees which by the policy of Frethericke Abbot of S. Albanes a man descended from the Saxons noble bloud as likewise from Canutus the Dane to secure his Monasterie from the destruction of the Normans were so cut downe whereat the Duke both wondring and fretting sent for the Abbot vnder his assurance of safe returne and demanding the cause why his woods were so cut Frethericke answered very stoutly I haue done said he the duety both of my birth and profession and if others of my ranke had performed the like as they well might and ought it had not beene in thy power to haue pierced the land thus farre 5 Wâ—…lliam hearing the bold answere of this Prelate and knowing it was now a time fitter to pacifie then exulcerate the English spirits gaue way to the present necessity and withall hastned as good policy required his coronation which at Westminster was solemnized vpon Monday being the day of Christs Natiuity and yeere of saluation 1066. where he receiued the crowne at the hands of Aldred Archbishop of Yorke causing the Bishops and Barons to take the oath of allegiance vnto him and himselfe likewise at the altar of S. Peters tooke a solemne oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good lawes and to see iustice vprightly administred as became a good King and thereupon chose for his counsell such men as he knew to bee of great wisedome and experience next applying his thoughts for the security of his new gotten Empire fortified such places as lay open to danger bestowed strong Garrisons vpon the coasts ships to ride in those Harbours which were most exposed to inuasion 6 And the better to assure the south of the land best seruing his purpose if any new troubles should arise hee tooke his way towards Douer the locke and key of the Kingdome as Mathew Paris terms it that so hee might commaund the seas from his enemies arriuage and ouer-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Prouince When Stigand therfore Archbishop of Canterbury and Eglesine the Politicke Abbot of Saint Augustines being the chiefest Lords and Gouernours of Kent vnderstoode of his approch they assembled the Commons at Canterbury laying forth the perils of the Prouince the miseries of their neighbours the pride of the Normans and the wronges of the Church all which now were too apparantly seene the English till then they sayd were borne free and the name of bond-men not heard of among them but now seruitude only attend vs if wee yeeld sayd they to the insolency of this griping enemy These two Prelates therefore after the example of the vndaunted Machabees offered themselues to die in the defence of their Country whose forwardnesse drew the people vnto the like resolution which by their aduertisements were assigned to meet at a day the place was Swanscombe two miles west from Graues end 7 Where accordingly conuening and keeping secret in the woods they waited the comming of the Conquerour all iointly agreeing for that no way lay open saue onely a front to carry in their hands great branches of trees wherewith they might both keepe themselues from discouery and if need were impeach the passage of the Normans which deuice tooke so strange an effect that it daunted the Duke euen with the sight at his approch who being as he thought free from the enemy was now suddainly beset on all sides with woods whereof seeing some before him to moue he knew not but that all the other vast woods were of like nature neither had hee leasure to auoide the danger The Kentish inclosing his Army about displaied their banners cast downe their boughes and with bowes bent prepared for battle so that hee which euen now had the Realme to his seeming in his fist stood in despaire of his owne life of which his sodaine amazement the reuerend Prelates Stigand and Eglesine taking notice also aduantage presented themselues before him and in the behalfe of the Kentish thus spake 8 Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are comeforth to meete and receiue you as their Soueraigne requiring your Peace their own free condition of estate and their ancient lawes formerly vsed if these be denied they are here presently to abide the veraite of battaile fully resolued rather to die then to depart with their lawes or to liue seruile in bondage which name and nature is and euer shall be strange vnto vs and not to be endured The Conquerour driuen into this strait and loath to hazard all on so nice a point their demaunds being not vnreasonable more wisely then willinglie granted their desires and pledges on both parts giuen for performance Kent yeeldeth her Earledome and Castle of Douer to their new King William 9 All things established for Englands securitie and subiection now to the Normans hee ordained his halfe brother by the surer side Odo Bishop of of Bayeux whom he created Earle of Kent and his cosen William-Fitz-Osburne by him made Earle of Hereford to bee Gouernours in his absence ouer the Realme and in the Lent following sailed into Normandy leading with him many pledges for their fidelity besides other Nobles especially such as he feared to be too potent amongst whom Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury the two great Earles
liued none But that be wist wat hii were wurth of all Engelond And wite all clene that wurth thereof ich vnderstand And let it write clene inou and that scrit dude iwis In the Tresorie at Westminster there it yut is So that vre Kings suth when hii ransome toke Yrede wat folc might yiue hii fond there in yor boke 43 This exaction was gathered with such extremity paid with such impouerishing of the English that they greeuously groned vnder their miserable estate whereby more hatred grew dailie to the King and his Normans whose loue againe to them-ward was so little that hee sought by ail means to bring the English name and Nation to ruine for it is noted by Castor and Rouse that no English man was permitted to beare any office of Credit or Countenance in this Conquerours daies and accounted it was a great shame to bee called an Englishman or to marry into their blood 44 These greeuances seeming vnsufferable the English incited Malcolme King of Scotland once more to enter King Williams confines wasting all before him vnto the Riuer Tyne against whom the Conquerour sent Robert his sonne surnamed Courtoise who marching with a mighty Army made shew of doing much more then he did this onely being memorable that neere to the mouth of Tyne he laid the foundation of a Castle whereof the towne of New-Castle did afterward take both her beginning and Name though long before that time there was a place called Monk-Chester because as it should seeme it had been either the habitation or possession of some Religious Order 45 Neither was Swaine King of Denmarke so quailed by his former expeditions but that he had a minde once more to graspe at the English Crowne preparing a mighty Armado that way as was constantly reported and beleeued King William therfore reteined a great power of French Souldiers with others which he had lately brought with him from Normandy to disburden himselfe of whose Charges he appointed them to bee maintained at the costs of the English both for their wages and other prouisions which was an other great burden vnto the English though it long lasted not for that the Danish King better aduising himselfe gaue ouer the enterprise and thereupon these Souldiers were discharged 46 Another griefe and offence he ministred against both God and man for the fruitfull Countrey lying South from Sarisbury vnto the Sea hee dispeopled pulling downe Townes and Villages with 36. Mother-churches from mans vse Gods diuine seruice for 30. miles laid open the country some say out of policie to haue safe ariuage from Normandy in time of need others say for beasts for his own game in hunting or to vse the words of Gualter Mapes who liued immediatly after to dedicate the same vnto wild Beasts and Dogs-game which place called anciently Ytene was euer since named the New Forrest imposing great penalties both pecuniary and corporall on all such as offended in hunting his Game in so much that he was then called the Father of wild Beasts more fauouring them then the People his Subiects But Gods iust iudgement not long after followed this so vnreasonable and cruel act for in this Forest Richard his second sonne being goared by a Deare others say blasted with a pestilent Ayre was vntimely slaine And Rufus his other sonne mistaken for a Deare was by chaunce shot thorow with an Arrow by Walter Tyrell Henry likewise his Grand-child by Robert Curtoise whilest he hotly pursued the chase was strucken by a bough into the lawes and as Ab solon left hanging vntill he died Thus no doubt God punished his sinnes euen on his children and childrens children who had both taken away the places and vse of his seruice and also disherited multitudes of Christian people to their extreme pouerty for his vnsaciat and superfluous pleasure so that as some then thought the Earth it selfe also seemed to cry Reuenge when as vpon the sixt of Aprill and fifteenth of King Williams Raigne a most fearefull Earthquake with a warring noise did shake the ground 47 Other great calamities are noted to haue hapned vpon his people as burning feuers strangely consuming the people Murrens deuouring infinit numbers of Cattle abundance of raine and concourse of water-flouds beyond credit whereby the hilles were so softned to the very foundations that some of them fell and ouerwhelmed the villages which were in their way most of the principall Cities of England much endamaged by fire and London especially where the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul as much as was combustible was consumed to ashes and if that may also be noted which caused not the least wonder tame and domesticke fowles as hennes geese peacockes and the like fled into the forrests and woods and became very wild in imitation of men degenerating then into sauages for in those times euen the Churchmen and therefore lesse maruaile of others became vnlike themselues Walter Bishop of Durham bought of King William the Earledome of Northumberland maintained murtherers and was murthered himselfe Odo another Bishop and Earle also to reuenge his death made Northumberland desolate beheading and dismembring the poorer sort and at great ransomes fining the rich and Pope Gregory for his part plaid Rex in this land sending hither his Buls with damning curses against the married Clergie commanding that none should heare their Masses which how it was disgested either by God or man let vs heare Paris an ancient Monke and therefore herein no partiall man speake his mind 48 Pope Gregory in a generall Synode excluded the married Priests from execution of their holie offices and forbad the Lay-men to heare their Masses a president new and proceeding as it seemed to many out of inconsiderate iudgement contrary to the sentence of the holy Fathers which haue written that the Sacraments of the church by the inuisible operation of the holy Ghost haue their due effect whether they are dispensed by men good or bad c. By which fact so grieuous a scandall is arisen that holy Church was neuer rent with a greater schisme in the time of any heresie whatsoeuer whiles some stand for the right and others striue against it Moreouer whereas few obserue this chastitie enioined for that though some for gaine or vaine-glory doe hypocritically pretend it yet many doe heape vp incontinency with periury and manifold adulteries by this occasion the Lay-men shake off all due respect to sacred orders and ecclesiasticall gouernement they prophane the holy mysteries they baptize Infants annointing them with the sordid humor of their ears in stead of holy oile they burn the tithes due to the Priests our Lords body consecrated by a married priest they tread vnder their feet and often doe wilfully cast forth the bloud of our Lord vpon the ground 49 This Gregory before called Hildebrand sate in Peters chaire with
hee was at the conflict in the I le of Anglesey betweene Magnus the sonne of Harold Harfager King of Norway and Hugh of Mountgomery Earle of Arundell and Shrewsbury wherein hee was slain as some say with the said Earle Anno 1197. 73 Maude the Naturall daughter of King Henry was Countesse of Perche and the first wife of Earle Rotroke the first of that name sonne of Arnolfe de Hesding the first Earle of that County Shee had issue by him one onely daughter named Magdalen wife to Garcy the fourth King of Nauarre mother of King Sanches surnamed the wise from whom all the Kings of Nauarre are descended Shee died vpon Friday the twenty sixth of Nouember in the twentith of her Fathers raign and yeere of Grace 1120. being drowned in the Sea with her brother Duke William 74 Maude another of that name and naturall daughter of King Henrie was married to Conan the first of that name surnamed the Grosse Earle of little Britaine in France sonne of Earle Alan by Ermengard his second wife by Alan shee had issue Howell pronounced illegitimate and disherited by his supposed father Constance that died without issue and Bertha the wife of Eudes Earle of Pâ—…rohet mother of Earle Conan the yonger who by Margaret sister of William King of Scots had issue Constance maried to Geffrey sonne of King Henry the second 75 Iulian likewise an other naturall daughter of King Henry was married to Eustace the illegitimate sonne of William Lord of Breteâ—…il in Normandy who was the sonne and heire of William Fitz-Osborne and elder brother of Roger both Earles of Hereford in England and this Eustace had hee beene lawfully borne in wedlocke had been heire to the Earledomes of Hereford and Iuerie notwithstanding he had as small a part in that inheritance of the Town of Pacie from which he tooke his surname being commonly called Eustace of Pacy and had issue by this Iulian his wife William and Roger of Pacy his sonnes 76 A naturall daughter of King Henry recounted by the continuer of the History of William Gemeticensis and by Iohn Tillet his follower is reported by them to haue beene married to one William Goet a Norman but in neither of these writers is any mention made of her name or of his estate issue or other relation 77 Another naturall daughter of King Henrie is without name recited by the said Authors and by them reported to be married to the Vicount of Beaumont which is a Towne within the County of Maygne Shee had issue by him as Roger of Houeden writeth Richard Vicount Beaumont Father of Queen Ermengard the wife of King William of Scotland and Robert the Abbot of Mount-Saint Michael mentioneth another of her sonnes named Ralphe who as he saith was Bishop of Angiers 78 Another naturall daughter also of King Henry is recited by the Normane and French writers before auouched and reported by them to be married to Mathew of Mountmorancy the sonne of Bouchard of Mountmarancy from whom perhaps descended the House of Mountmorancy who after came to be Earles and Dukes being growne to be one of the greatest houses in France next to the Princes of the bloud for possessions alliances and honour 79 Elizabeth the last naturall daughter of King Henry recounted by the former Authors was vnmarried in the time of the one and her husband vnknowne to the other but both of them agree that she was borne of Elizabeth the sister of Walleran Earle of Meulan who was sister also of Robert Bossue Earle of Leicester wife of Gilbert Earle of Pembrooke and mother of Earle Richard Strangbow the Conquerour of Ireland STEPHEN THE TVVO AND FORTIETH MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER V. THough the Empresse Maud had fealty sworne vnto her in the life time of her Father and againe both her selfe and issue ordained to be his successors in Englands Throne as hath beene said yet so powerfull is Ambition where the obiect is a Diademe and so weake are all assurances which are built on the wauering Multitude that King Henries prouidence was soon defeated and with his death al fealties reuersed and that by him onely who had * contended to bee the formost of the Laitie in taking that oath euen Stephen Earle of Mortaine and Bolloine a man whose descent was very Noble being the third sonne of Stephen Earle of Bloys and Champaigne who was the sonne of Earle Eudes and he of Earle Theobald the sonne of Gerlon the Dane the companion of Rollo Duke of Normandy his mother was Adelicia the third daughter of William the Conqueror by Queen Maude his wife And himselfe was aduanced to bee Earle of Mortaigne by King Henry his vncle whose Crown he now endeauoured to vsurpe being otherwise for his many princely parts worthy to weild a Scepter if his claime thereto had beene iust and warrantable 2 For as soone as Natures course had brought King Henry where Princes and poorest Subiects are all equall forthwith hee was working to dispossesse his Issue which onely now rested in Maud and her Children in which attempt it hapned fortunately for him if any thing may bee counted fortunate which is ioined with impietie that his yonger Brother Henry was then Bishop of Winchester a very potent man in the State who had industriously stirred himselfe in making way to his entrance and vpon assurance of all liberties to the Church and Common-wealth had drawne on also William Archbishop of Canterbury the very first man that had sworne vnto Maude the Empresse by whose example many others were winded into the like periurie * traiterously auowing that it was basenesse for so many and so great Pâ—…eers to be subiect vnto a Woman And to helpe forward those audacious beginnings Roger Bishoppe of Salisbury the late Kings Treasurer protested Malmsburie who reports it himselfe heard it from him that they were free from the oath made to the Empresse for that without con sent of the Barons she had married out of the Realm but that which wrought most was the testimony of Hugh Bigot Senescall vnto King Henry departed who comming ouer with Stephen tooke his corporall oath that the King on his death-bed vpon some offence taken against his daughter Maude disinherited her and appointed this Stephen his nephew to be his successour These colourable instigations so moued the too credulous Archbishop and the Peeres that they all swore fealty vnto him and became his Leigemen 3 His first landing in England being at Whitsand-bay by a tempest of thunder so wonderfull terrible that the people thought verily the ende of all was at hand did prognosticke the storms of troubles which his periurie brought with him for euen then both Douer Canterbury fortified themselues against him though London gaue better leaue to his entrance whose Person and presence drew euer the affections of the beholder being in all
and Becket 36 After all this it came into King Henries mind to sweeten these his many cares with some solace and to crowne his eldest sonne yongue Henry King of England now in his owne life time A counsell not more temerarious then infortunate but of which yet he did hope to reape this consolation that it was done in contempt of Becket whose office it was to haue crowned the King with some aduantage also toward the perpetuation of the Auitall Customes and that also without scruple of conscience his sonne receiuing the Crowne without caution to preserue the Churches libertie either by him put in or by others exacted Yea rather an Oath ministred and by the yongue King taken to maintaine those Auitall Customes to the vttermost 37 This solemnitie was performed at Henrie the fathers commandement by Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke the anciently riuall See of Canterbury contrarie to the Popes expresse Inhibition the father himselfe King Henrie being present thereat though without any fortunate presage in comming or cause of consolation in the action For he in his inauspicious passage out of Normandy arriuing not without very great perill at Portsmouth the best and newest ship he had was suncke in the stormes and therein besides Henrie de Agnellis and his two sonnes Gilbert de Sullemni Mr. Ralf de Bealmunt the Kings physition and fauourit with about foure hundred men and women more were deuoured of the working waues And at the feast the ioifull father himselfe carrying the first dish and the Arch-bishop of Yorke saying in pleasance to the yongue King Reioice my faire sonne for their is no Prince in the world hath such a seruitor attending at his table as you The vnnaturall yongue man answered why wonder you at that my father knowes hee doth nothing that misbecomes him for so much as hee is roiall borne but of one side but our selfe are roiall borne both by father and mother 38 Adde heereunto that this vnluckie Coronations triumphes were celebrated with bon-fires kindled by the furies in Normandie which Lewis the French King inuaded with fire and sword because his daughter Margaret was not crowned aswell as the yongue King her husband but the father speeding into those parts quencht this flame with a promise to recrowne his sonne and then his daughter Margaret should be honoured with like ceremonies Thus the fathers patience was exercised on euerie hand and worse things were feared 39 So now yet at last in the seuenth yeere of Beckets banishment another meeting was had at Sens whither the two great Kings and the Arch-bishop of Sens and Bishop of Neuers beeing together the Arch-bishop of Canterburie repaired and the treatie of Peace was entred into which at Ambois in an other meeting at procurement of Rotrod Arch-bishop of Roan was finished and the Archbishop knowing the King was terrified with the expectation of the foresaid imminent Interdiction was restored to the Kings fauour and permitted to haue full vse of his Metropolitane See and all the profits thereof with the arrerages Which conclusion the King signifies to his sonne into England whither the Arch-bishop returnes and lands at Sandwich And thus the controuersie betweene the King and his Arch-bishop seemed to bee ended 40 But the Arch-bishop had not beene long in England before hee published the Popes letters by which Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke and Hugh Bishop of Duresme were suspended from the vse of their Episcopall function for crowning the yongue King in preiudice of the See of Canterburie and the Bishops of London Exceter and Salisburie cut off from the Church by censure for assisting the said Arch-bishop at that Coronation whom Becket would not but vnder conditions at the yongue Kings request absolue Whereupon a great complaint was carried into Normandy to the father King by some of the Bishops and in the meane time the Arch-bishoppe Thomas putting himselfe vpon the way to visite the yongue King at Woodstocke in Oxford-shire was commanded not to approach 41 At the newes of these late censures the father King was so sore displeased that some words slipping from him and arguing his great discontent mooued Hugh Moruill William Traci Hugh Brito and Richard Fitz-vrse knights and courtiers topost into England and there in a furie without either warrant or priuitie of their Soueraigne to murther the Arch-bishop being then about forty and eight yeers old in his owne Church of Canterburie which sacred Place and Time besides his high Calling might haue pleaded for pittie had not the men been wholly transported with barbarous rage For howsoeuer we are farre from their fancies who for his zeale to the Popes Soueraignety haue so mounted him to the top of Martyrs glory that not onely the basest part of his Shrine was pure gold and his old Shoe was deuoutly kissed by all passengers but also shamelesse and numberlesse Miracles are blindly ascribed vnto him and his Bloud almost matched in vertue with our euer-blessed Sauiours yet wee no lesse condemne their butcherly execution who how great so euer his offence was against the King and State had no lawfull authoritie to beare them out or acquit them from the guilt of Bloud 42 To shut vp this long contention which as you see would not be extinct but by bloud nor take end but by his death because any censure of our owne will be said to sauour of Time-seruing or State-pleasing we will onely annexe the bare iudgement of the forecited learned Monke of that time who thus speaks Indeed though most mens custōe is in those whom they loue and praise to extoll whatsoeuer they haue done an argument of their great affection but slender wisdom yet in plain truth those things which the venerable Arch-bishop so acted that no profit at all thence proceeded but the Kings wrath onely was kindled whereby so many mischiefes afterward arose I doe not thinke to bee praise-worthy though they sprang from a laudable zeale as it was in the blessed Prince of the Apostles who attaining the top of Apostolicall perfection taught the Gentiles by his example to Iudaize for which the Doctor of the Gentiles declares that he deserued to be reprehended though hee did it with a praise-worthy and pious intent And in another place The Arch-bishop was hot in zeale of Iustice but whither fully according to knowledge God knoweth for it is not for a man of my meane quality rashly to iudge of so great a mans actions but I thinke the blessed Pope Gregorie would haue dealt more mildly and winkt at those things which might haue beene borne without any hazard of the Christian faith c. and then concludes Therefore that which the venerable Arch-bishop then did I neither iudge that it is to bee commended neither presume I to condemneit c. For good men are so to bee loued or lauded by vs that wee neither loue nor laud those acts wherein
to those Lay-Peeres Conditionals his Clergy-Sophismes and second Seede-plot of Treasons perswading them by a cunning but disloyall speech which yet some by transforming haue more deformed that the English Crowne was meerely Arbitrary and Electiue at the peoples deuotion That they all in discretion were to know how that no man hath Right or any other fore-Title to succeed another in a Kingdom vnlesse first with innocation for Grace and Guidance of Gods Holy Spirite hee be by the Body of the Kingdome thereunto chosen and be indeed some choice man picked out for eminencie of his vertues by the President of Saul the first Annointed King whom God made Ruler ouer his owne people though neither the Sonne of a King nor yet of any Regall descent So after him likewise Dauid the Sonne of Ishai the one for being valourous and a Personage fitting royall dignity the other for being Holy and Humble minded To shew that so he whosoeuer in a Kingdome excelleth all in Valour and Vertue ought to surmount all in Rule and Authority yet so as that if any of the Ofspring of a deceased King surpasseth others it is fitte iointly to consent in election of such a one Thus hee spake as hee professed in fauour of Iohn who then was present whose most illustrious Brother King Richard dying without any Heire from him descending Him they had all first imploring the Holy Ghosts assistance as being a Prouident Valiant and vndoubtedly-Noble Prince vnanimiously Elected as wel in regard of his Merites as of his Royall Bloud So vniust a speech from so great a Person could not but moue both Offence and Wonder to many euen to Iohn himselfe who doubtlesse meant to stand to his right of proximity by bloude but they durst not then and there moue Questions thereof as afterward some did to whom he gaue a reason of it as strange as the speech it selfe saying that he was assured by some diuining foresight that King Iohn would work the ruine of the Kingdome and that therefore to bridle him from so doing hee had affirmed his Admission was to be by Choice and not Hereditary Succession implying that as by Election he got the Crowne so by Eiection on demerite hee might as iustly loose it But for that present the Ceremonies all pompouslie accomplished where three Oaths were ministred to him To loue Holy Church and preserue it from all oppressors To gouerne the State in Iustice and abolish bad Lawes Not to assume this Royall honour but with full purpose to performe that he had sworne the first act and bounty of his kingly Power was to reward those whose hands had lifted him to it making William Marshall and Fitz-Peter Earles of Pembrooke and Essex and the Archbishoppe Lord high Chancellour who seeming to glory in that addition of honour was told by the Lord Bardolf that the height of Archiepiscopall dignity was such as it was euer reputed a great aduancement for a Chancelor to be made Archbishoppe but none for an Archbishop to be made a Chancellour 6 The Kings Enemies who kept their heads in whiles hee was there in Armes founde opportunities to impeach him while hee was here setling his Peace the French King in Normandy surpriseth the City Eureux recouers the County of Main the Britaines regaine the City Angiers with other strong holds the newes whereof caused King Iohn with all speed to passe the Seas to giue stoppage to that current where on his arriuall his Army of Friends and Voluntaries was so encreased that King Philip was soone content to take truce for fiftie dayes on expiration whereof an Enteruiew was agreed on to establish a lasting Peace But Philip a long time noted of dubling ill beseeming any but chiefly a Prince the very day before the two Kings should meet giuing Duke Arthur the Belt of Knighthood and taking of him Homage for the Signiories of Aniou Poytou Turaine Mayne Britanny and Normandy hee made him faithful vow to yeeld him powerfull helpes for acquiring those possessions Neither was King Iohn behind him in that kind of preuention when Philip Earle of Flanders the French Philips professed Enemie comming to Roan and disswading King Iohn from trusting anie French friendship did there sweare vnto him both faithfull Helpe and Homage Yet the two Kings keeping touch for the day though not for the purpose of amitie and yet making faire shew of that too held Parley betwixt Butauant and Guletun two dayes by Commissioners inter-current the third by presence and priuatie that not one of their Nobles or Attendants who on each side lay farre aloofe for the space of an howre vnderstood any passages betwixt them This much yet came to notice by after relation that King Philip then required for Himselfe the large Country of Veulguessine pretending that Geffry Earle of Aniou graunted it to Lews le Grosse for aiding his Sonne King Henrie the second against King Stephen and for Arthur all Poictou Aniou Maine and Turayne both which immoderate demaunds with others King Iohn conceiuing with Salomon Why doth he not also aske for Adoniah the Kingdome neither would nor ought to graunt vnto him whereby their amities intended ended in more hostile defiances But Philips capitulating then for Arthur was onely perfunctorie and complementall as his owne words and afterward his actions bewraied when being questioned by his Fauourites of his implacable hatred against King Iohn who had neuer harmed him professed it was onely for that hee had not defeated Arthur but possessed himselfe of Normandie and the other Demaines without asking him leaue or offering him Homage 7 The flames thus on all sides breaking forth the stronger by how much the more they had been for a time kept in many Earles and Barons of France who formerly adhered to King Richard became Homagers to King Iohn they swearing neuer without his assent to reuert to Philip and hee neuer to make Peace with Philip but they therein to bee concluded In the heate of which sidings if not before a chiefe adherent of the foresaid Earle of Flanders now col-leagued with King Iohn being the Bishop Elect of Cambray fell into the hands of the French at which time also Philip Bishop of Beauois a great French Peer was held in prison by King Iohn and neither of them willing to forgoe their mitred Champions Petrus de Capua the Legat interdicted France for the one and Normandy for the other till they as persons sacred inuiolable should bee dismissed yet King Iohn whose Person and Title the Pope and Papals as yet much tendred had the fauour to wring out of his prize sixe thousand Markes for his release and an Oth neuer whiles he breathed to beare Armes against any Christian. This Legat in King Richards time had made agreement with
King Philip for a fiue yeeres Truce which expiring with Richards last breath hee still laboured to establish it betwixt the now Kings but King Philips great heart would not so come downe which was likely to haue cost him deere For pursuing whither his Furie a bad guide did lead him after his siege of Lauardin Whence vpon King Iohns approach with his Army hee fled to Maunz and thence again fled King Iohn comming thither seized the Castle of Balun which belonged to Arthur and to preuent his enemy as is likely he leuelled it vnto the very ground which fact Duke Arthurs Generall William de Rupibus wrathfully expostulating with King Philip as hauing done therein contrarie to Couenants with his Lord Arthur hee as scornfully answered that hee would not for his Lord Arthures pleasure forbeare his owne in doing as himselfe listed with such forts as hee tooke The Generall seeing Arthur was but the outward maske vnder which Philip reuelld for his hidden ends seriously perswaded his Lord to reconcilement with his vncle King Iohn and rather to hazard his hopes on the clemency of a Generous Foe then on the guiles of a false hearted Friend so making his peace with King Iohn hee presentlie yeelded vp to him both Maunz with Lady Constance the young Duke also the important matter of so great contentions But Heauens were not so propitious to these Reconciliats as so to hold them long some Philippines buzzing such needlesse terrors of Imprisonment into the Noble Childs eares that the next night Feare giuing wings to his flight as Loue did to his Mothers for leauing her husband Ranulph Earle of Chester shee was amorous of and married Guido a gallant Gentleman who thē fled with her they escaped into Angiers Arthur neither sure of K. Philip nor sure to K. Iohn had now cast himselfe betwixt two Milstones but howsoeuer Philip ment the greist in the end should be his 8 The breach betwixt these two great Kings was the more irreconcileable by reason of the hatred betwixt King Philip and the Emperour Otho King Iohns Nephew whose aduancement to the Empire himselfe perhaps aiming to it Philip still endeauoured to impeach not regarding that the Pope whose power Kings then regarded only while it made for their purpose had thundered his Anathema against all his Opposers and Otho in gratitude to King Richard who procured him the Diadem Imperiall and in tender regard of his vncles honour sent him aduise not to hasten any finall attonement with the French King for that himselfe would bring him his vtmost Imperiall assistance Notwithstanding by the Cardinall-Legates assiduous interceding a Truce was concluded till the Feast of Saint Hilary at which time the Kings comming to a Treaty betwixt Wailun and Butauant Castles it was agreed that Lewis the Heyre of France should marry King Iohns Neece Blanch Daughter of Alfonsus King of Castile that King Iohn should giue for Dowry the City and County of Eureux with sundry Forts in Normandy and thirty thousand Markes in siluer vowing also not to aide his Nephew Otho with men or means to attain the Empire further promising to leaue if he died without Issue vnto Lewis al the Territories he held in France all which Articles were formerly engrossed but finally cōcluded betwixt Butauant Guletun the one K. Iohns the other King Philips Castle the Octaues of Saint Iohn Baptist when these Counties were actually surrendred to Philip the Lady Blanch espoused to Lewis his son Duke Arthur Philips once vowed but now vnualued charge yeelded ouer and made Seruant and Homager to K. Iohn for his own Dukedom whom yet his vncle was content to leaue with King Philip who had now so left him and erst had vpheld him onely as the baite of his owne aduantage If Princes can bee thus vnprincely degenerous what trust can men repose in baser vassals King Iohn hereupon proued much more stedfast to Philip then either Philip was to him or himselfe to Otho the Emperor who sending his two Brethren Henry Duke of Saxony and William surnamed of Winton to demand the Counties of Yorke and Poictou with the Treasure and Iewels which King Richard bequeathed him King Iohn denied to yeeld thereunto only in regard of his Oath which hee had passed to Philip to yeelde no kind of aide to the Emperour And further to testifie yea further then he ought his faithfull meaning to preserue intire this amity with Philip by his aduise he diuorced Hawisia his wife as too neere of Bloud by sentence of the Archbishop and Bishops of Burdeaux Poictoirs and Xanton and by the Archbishops hands espoused Isabell Heiretrice of Ailmar Earle of Angolisme a faire yong Lady but dedestined to another bed 9 This Finall Concord so called but not prouing so with Philip who now acknowledged Iohn the rightfull Heire of King Richards Crowne gaue him more leasur to receiue peaceably all Submitties and bring in forceably all out-standers of those his transmarine Dominions and after to look home to the affaires of his Kingdome from which hee had beene and we there following him too long absent Yet in the heate of those forrain imploiments hee on occasions had his recourses hither to settle his State-affaires and Crowne-Reuenewes to enact wholesome lawes for forraine and domesticke Commerce to collect an Ayde for his Neeces great Dowry and Martiall vses which later being three shillinges on euery Carrucata though his first and onely Subsidie since his comming to the Crowne caused much heart-burning especially by meanes of his owne brother Geffry Archbishoppe of Yorke touching whom the King was forewarned that hee would bring a Sword not Peace into England who bearing himselfe too bold on his bloud and place forbad the Collectours of that Aide in his precincts though it were granted to the King generally for all England and also being required by the King to attend him into France to conclude the Peace and his Neeces Espousall he very vndutifully denied his seruice The King iustly moued with those his disloyalties caused all his Temporalities to bee seized on by his Sheriffe whom therefore Geffry adding fresh fuel to the fire did solemnly excommunicate caused the Kings Officers to beare blowes and interdicted the whole Prouince of Yorke So partiall and vnhistoricall is the report of one a Stranger by birth but more strange for bold vntruthes who faines the onely incentiue of such indig nation in the King was that Prelates reprehension of his Rapines on the people For to giue a further taste of that Authors vehement fond malice iustly so taxed what ancient Iudicious Writers call an Aid necessarie for Warres that he enstileth Rapines and Spoiles where they make Iohn his Brothers Heyre by Will
his intended way For the King keeping his Christmas at Oxford attended as it seemeth by his Bishoppes meaning not to pretermit any faire means to worke the Popes inclination towards the new Elect he sent for twelue of the Monkes whom with some other of his owne Clerks which carried his letters to the Pope he put in trust for transacting this businesse at Rome allotting them very bountifull expenses out of his Exchequer for their whole iourney They to leaue with the King who knew well the traines of Rome and the ouer-reaching fetches of Innocentius a pledge of their duty and assurance of his hopes entred with him a couenant by oath that no man nor meanes should remoue them from him whom the King themselues had already appointed The Bishops sent the same time their Procurators also to plead their right of Co-election so as foure obstacles stood at once in the Popes way the two elections of the Monkes and the two claims of the King and Prelates hee for his Royall assent they for their ioynt consent in the choice which all must be done and voided before the Pope can haue his full forth But because these will aske long time for contriuing which moued his Holinesse to adiourne the hearing to the very end of the yeare wee will see the while how the King and State of England is imployed 33 The dorre which deceased Hubert did put vpon K. Iohn and his late design gaue both K. Philip aduantage to take surer footing in his new possessions and King Iohn greater stomacke and edge to recouer his old The last taske almost of the one and hold of the other was Chinon a place of great strength but in nothing more then in the euer-trusty valour of her Captain Roger Lacy who if some mistake him not in steed of Hubert de Burgo being redeemed from the French resolued here to giue Philip another taste of his prowesse and King Iohn of his fidelitie had not others faithlesse feare defeated his braue resolution For the besieged hauing no rest night or day from a long and incessant batterie their Commanders inuinceable constancy against yeelding which enheartned the better sort dismayed the baser as more prizing their ease then their faith or fame some of which by night slipping ouer the walles so instructed the enemy of all secret aduantages to possesse the towne that by a sodaine assault both it and Lacy more worth then it was againe surprized Here seemed to haue beene the Garland of Philips conquest had not newes beene thither brought vnto him of some new risings in Brittaine where Guido the husband of Constantia Arthurs Mother sensible belike of the false-grounded wronges offered to King Iohn vnder pretence of Arthur returned gladly both into Amity and a strong league with the English and with him also Sauary Malleon and Almerick Lusignian two Peeres of heroicke valour and great commaund whom King Iohn of his prisoners had made by prudent and louely vsage his trusty friends The French King fuming to see his vniust intrusions thus preiudiced especially by Arthurs owne father in law was hastning from Chinon into Britaine to worke reuenge on them whose exemplar equitie should haue beene his mirrour of amendment Englands King on the other side was no lesse heartned with this new confideration leuying once again a puissant Army which he landed at Rochel being the onely noted place which in all these turmoiles and mutabilities of Fortunes kept her selfe entire from entrance either of enemy or of disloiall thought 34 The King hauing his Army much augmented with great concurses of his best-affected Prouincials marching confidently forward subdued a great portion of that Country till comming to Mount-Alban a Castle of much renowne as being repuputed inexpugnable and now the Rende-uou of his most potent enemies and all their flower of Chiualry hee gaue a terrible assault thereto for 15. dayes together where at last his Englishmens valour was so aduenturous in scaling the walles and both giuing and taking blowes vnportable that in those few dayes hee entred Conquerour into that very place which Charles the great could not get with his seuen yeers siedge The multitude of Nobles therin taken was so great that hee sent into England a bedroll of their names for a memoriall of so great a victory Which auspicious beginnings he seconded with no lesse expedition prouidence and prowesse in the siege of Angiers where on his first approch hee gaue present instructions to his maine Army suddenly to enuiron the whole City by assault to seeke entrance at the walles on euery side whiles himselfe and his selected band with fire and Engines would assaile the Gates where with great celerity and no lesse hazard then hardinesse breaking through he became Lord of his owne But whatsoeuer were the Citizens demerites pittious it was that their offences and the Conquerours wrath lay so heauy on those stately walles as to throw them flatte to the ground which hasty doome it being the cradle of his birth and City of his chiefe delight hee as hastily and very deerly too repented when with excessiue expenses hee encircled it againe with a beautie farre beyond the former These faire successes humbling all the Country before him cleared his passage into Picardy whither King Philip was now conuerting all his power to oppose himselfe against the violence of this Torrent which now more facilly hee might stoppe hauing in his way by laying secret ambushments laid hands vpon Duke Guido Sauary and Almericke King Iohns principall hopes as they were busily aduancing his present affaires by which surprize though the English forces missing their Prouincial aids were greatly impayred yet their great hearts were not much amated as the French-men found when both the Armies neere approaching ouer night the next morning alacriously they addressed to the fight and with great spirits on each side expected the Signall Notwithstanding the day likely to proue dreadfull with expence of bloud vpon earnest interceeding of forraine Prelates and religious persons who vndertook equably to compose all things both Kinges condescended to a two-yeeres Truce King Iohn chiefly out of affection to his Captiue friends whose liberty was formost in the conditions 35 Hauing thus setled those Countries in farre better termes then last hee found them he embarked for England where hee laid not aside a carefull though distastfull prouidence for still bettering those his successes for which ends whiles from his Subiects both Lay and Clergy he gathered money the Sinewes of warre he lost their affections the ioints of Peace whereof Geffry Archbishoppe of Yorke his Naturall and vnnaturall brother was a principal incentiue who solemnly cursing all the Kinges receiuers within his Prouince fled secretly out of the land Which peruicacie a bitter enemie
chiefe seat to consult for remedies dismissed thence all the Students by reason of their multitude being aboue 15000 saith William Rishanger who then liued of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation booke amongst whom being so many young Nobles the King doubted how they might bee affected to the Barons Whereupon many of them went to Northampton where then the Barons were strong and thither the King comming with his hoast and breaking in at the Towne-walles vpon Passion Sunday encountred his enemies amongst whom the Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselues aduanced right against the King and they did more annoy him in the fight then the rest of the Barons which the King who at length preuayled had vowed sharpely to reuenge but that his Councellors told him those Students were the sonnes and kindred of the Great-men of the Land whom if hee punished euen the Nobles who now stood for him would take Armes against him The King there tooke Simon Montfort the younger and foureteene other principall Barons and Knightes Banerets forty other Knights besides Esquiers c. Encouraged with this successe hee aduanceth the Standard royall toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons lands wheresoeuer hee came To diuert this tempest Simon Montfort hastneth to London and attemptes the taking of Rochester Castle which Iohn Earle of Warren defended for the King who comming to raise the siege takes Kingston Castle which belonged to the Earle of Gloucester then vnexpectedly falling vpon such as maintained the siege of Rochester while Simon was absent kils verie many and scatters the rest Then seiseth hee the Castle of Tunbridge and therein the Countesse of Gloucester whom notwithstanding he nobly set at large as professing not to warre against Ladies from thence the Cloud of power borne vpon the winges of indignation speedes to Winchelsea and receiues the Cinque-Portmen to grace setling at last in Lewis where himselfe rested in the Priorie and his sonne in the Castle whither the Barons sent letters to him protesting their loyall obseruance to his person but all hostisity to their enemies which were about him 100 But the King flaming with desire of reuenge sets slight by these vowed but fained fidelities and returnes a full defiance as to Traitors professing that hee takes the wrong of his friends as his owne and their enemies as his The King of Almaine Prince Edward with other of the Kings chiefe friends sent their like letters of defiance The Barons loath to let it come to the hazardous and vnkind triall of steele though they then encamped about sixe miles from Lewis not acquitting themselues in this repulse iterate their message with an offer to pay to the King thirty thousand pounds in satisfaction of such hurts as their people had done through the Realme so as the Statutes of Oxford might stand The king of Almaine whose honour they had toucht and spoild part of his inheritances hindred all harkening to any their offers 101 It came to a battel wherein Simon de Montford commands his traiterous Army to weare white Crosses on breast and backe to shew they fought for Iustice great was the effusion of bloud on both parts chieflie of the Scots vpon the Kings side of the Londoners vpon the Earles side whose Battalion lead by the Lord Segraue Prince Edward most furiously charged and had the execution of them for about foure miles which he pursued the more bloudily in reuenge of the extreame disgrace which they had offered vpon London Bridge to the Queene his Mother and after that the Garrison of Tunbridge followes and slew many at Croyden But while the Prince spent himself in that reuenge his Father who hauing his Horse slain vnder him had yeelded himself prisoner to Simon de Montfort his vncle the king of Romans and others great Peeres were taken and the whole hope of that day lost There fell in all on both sides about fiue thousand Prince Edward returning from the slaughter of the Londoners ed at Westminster on the Northside of the high Altar vnder a faire monument of stone with his Portraiture and the armes of him and others of his house and manie noble houses of that time 108 Richard the third sonne of King Henry and Queene Elenor bearing the name of his vncle Richard King of Romans Almaign deceased in his youth and lieth at Westminster enterred on the south-side of the Quire 109 Iohn the fourth sonne of King Henrie and Queene Fleanor bearing the name of King Iohn his grandfather deceased yong and at Westminster his bones lie enterred with his brother Richard 110 William the fift sonne of King Henry and Queene Eleanor is mentioned by Thomas Pickering a Priest of the monastery of Whitby in Yorkeshire who liued in the time of King Henrie the sixt and wrote a large Genealogie of the Kings of England and their issues ' and that he dying in his childhood was buried within the new Temple by Fleete-streete in London 111 Henry the sixt sonne of King Henry and Queene Eleanour is also reported by the same Pickering to haue died yong and to be buried at Westminster 112 Margaret the eldest daughter of King Henry and Queene Eleanor borne the twentie sixt yeere of her Fathers raigne 1241. was the first wife of Alexander the third King of Scotland married to him at Yorke An. 1251. by whome shee had issue Alexander and Dauid who died both before their Father without issue and Margaret Queene of Norway wife of King Erike and mother of Margaret the heire of Scotland and Norway that died vnmarried shee was Queene twenty two yeeres liued thirtie three deceased before her husband in the twenty third yeere of his Raigne the first of her brother Edwards in England and was buried at the Abbey of Dunferinling in Scotland 113 Beatrice the second daughter of King Henrie and Queene Eleanor was borne at Burdeaux in Gascoigne Iune 25. An. 1242. of her Fathers raigne 27. At the age of eighteene yeeres shee was married to Iohn the first Duke of Britaine sonne of Iohn the last Earle of the same and had issue by him Arthur Duke of Britanny Iohn Earle of Richmont Peter and Blanch married to Philip sonne of Robert Earle of Artoys Eleanour a Nunne at Amsbery and Marie married to Guy Earle of Saint Paul when shee had beene his wife twelue yeeres and liued thirty yeeres shee deceased in Britany in the first yeere of the Raigne of her brother King Edward and was buried at London in the Quire of the Grey Fryers within Newgate 114 Catherine the third daughter of King Henry and Queene Eleanor was borne at London An. 1253. of her fathers raigne 37. Nouemb. 25. being Saint Katherines day whose name was therefore giuen vnto her at the font by Boniface Arch-Bishop of Canterburie her mothers vncle who christened her and was her Godfather Shee died yong and at Westminster her bones lie enterred with her brother Richard and Iohn
marching hee laid siege together with the Prince his brother to the Castle of Rodolan doing many outrages and killing all such as they could reach yea som as it is said whose ransomes they had taken though against Lewelins mind And while King Edward spent his Easter at the Vises in Wiltshire and afterward visited the Queene his mother who liued in the Nunnerie at Ambresberie the Welsh vnder diuers Captaines had taken sundry of the Kings strengthes and Castles in diuers parts There are extant the Copies of certaine grieuances exhibited to Iohn Archbishoppe of Canterbury by the Welsh at such time as of his owne accord so say the said Copies hee interposed himselfe without the Kings leaue to settle their quiet which Articles in shew for the answeres of the English are not set downe containe indeed sundry great abuses but the fate of Wales had now inuolued them all in a desolating warre and made them vncapable of reliefe For after the Archbishoppe had trauelled in person to the Prince of Wales being then in Snowdon and returned without any Conclusion made comming vnto Oxford hee there sent out the lightnings of excommunication against him and his seduced adherents Wee say seduced because they did capitulate in such sort as if they had beene able to make their party good 14 But though the old Brittish Principality was now to expire yet it must bee confessed that as Lewelin had an end vnworthy of his bloud being rather vnfortunately slaine then otherwise so on the other side the same hapned not without reuenge for at one encounter in open field Gilbert Earle of Gloster lost William Valence a yonger Cosen of the Kings slaine in the fight and foure other Knights though at the same time also many of the Welsh left their bodies dead vpon the earth together with the victory to the English but the day certainely which they had of King Edward himselfe may not bee forgotten in which the Welsh slew the Lord William de Audeley and the Lord Roger Clifford the yonger and got foureteene Ensignes from the English Armie K. Edward being enforced to enter into the Castle of Hope for his safety These things though not contemptible but rather certaine deceitfull fauours vsuall when the ruine of a Nation is by God decreed could not vphold the cause For first the Prince hauing vpon some occasion withdrawne himselfe with some few others from his Army which then was in the land of Buelth was set vpon by two principall Gentlemen Iohn Giffard and Edmund de Mortumar with their Forces and there by the hand of one Adam Francton was runne through with an Horsemans staffe who at the first being vnknowne had his head strucken afterward off and presented to King Edward at whose commandement it was crowned with Iuie and set vp for a certain time vpon the Tower of London 15 This saith the History of Wales was the end of Lewelin betrayed by the men of Buelth who was the last Prince of Britaines bloud and with him whom one Versifier calleth the Captaine the praise the law and light of Nations and another defaceth with as many ignominious attributes the liberty of that people did also die For it was not long but that King Edward subdued in a manner all Wales reseruing to himselfe the Coast-Towns strengths toward the Sea distributed the In-land Countries to the Lords his followers therein prudently following the counsell of Augustus who thus vnder pretence of defence for the Prouinces had the brideling of all their forces at his pleasure Neuerthelesse the whole flame was not as yet extinguished for Dauid the Princes Brother and chiefest firebrand in this fatall combustion was at large who being taken brought to King Edward at the Castle of Ruthlan could not obtaine admission to his sight or speech but was amanded and sent Prisoner to Shrewsburie Thither the King hauing setled the State of Wales repairing to a Parliament which he had summoned there to bee kept after Michaelmas caused Dauid hauing first had a Legall triall before certaine Iusticiars for that cause appointed to bee seuerely put to death by hanging heading and quartering whose head was set vp at London and his quarters in foure other principall Cities of England to the terrour of all ingratefull and disloy all persons The Welsh line thus thrust from the Principality King Edward vpon Saint Marks day had a sonne borne vnto him in Wales at Caernaruon who also was called Edward and raigned after him and that with the birth of a new Lord the Welsh might bee inured to new lawes the King established by example of K. Iohn his Grandfather in Ireland the English lawes and offices among them 16 But the King that hee might not seeme forgetfull of his French affaires repayred into France where hee obtained sundry fauours though they continued not long and sate in person there with the French King in his Parliament at the City of Paris as a Lord or Peere of that Realme in respect of such lands as hee had in those parts Nor may here bee forgotten an Act of singular munificence and charity in this renowned King for the redemption of Charles Prince of Achaia sonne and Heire of Charles King of Sicilia who had some yeers before beene taken in a battell at Sea before Naples by the Gallies of Sicilia fighting on the behalfe of the King of Arragon for whose speedier enlargement K. Edward disbursed thirty thousand pounds sterling and gaue his owne Knights in hostage till Charles had sent in his two sonnes Robert and Lewis as pledges to Alfonse king of Arragon which done King Edward returned into Gascoigne and there tooke vpon him the Crosse in full purpose to finish the iourney which once he had vndertaken and had in part performed against the Sarazens 17 In the meane time to purge England whither hee was now returned from such corruptions and oppressions as vnder which it groaned and not neglecting therein his particular gaine hee banished the Iewes out of the Realme confiscating all their goods leauing them nothing but money to beare their charges And whereas they by their cruell vsuries had one way eaten his people to the bones his Iusticiars like another kind of Iewes had ruined them with delayes in their suites and enriched themselues with wicked corruptions hee like a father of his Country put all those from their offices who were found guilty and they were almost all and punished them otherwise in a grieuous manner being first in open Parliament conuicted The particulars whereof by reason of the most iust and commendable example we will not thinke needlesse the order of naming them only changed to recapitulate here Sir Ralph Heugham Chief Iustice of the higher Bench 7000. marks Sir Iohn Louetot Iustice of the lower Bench 3000. marks Sir William Brompton Iustice 6000. markes
great displeasure hee had conceiued seeking vtterly to ruine him till afterward by means of the Papall authority hee was restored and in a faint sort reconciled 4 The thing which suited best with his youthfull affections to wit the marriage of young Isabel daughter of Philip the Faire King of France he performed with wonderfull magnificence at Bolein at which solemnity were present besides all others The King of France Father to the Bride The King of Nauarre his sonne The King of Almaine The King of Sicill Marie Queene of France Margaret Queene Dowager of England her daughter The Queene of Nauarre There was also present as no Sunne-shine but hath shadow Peirs of Gaueston the beloued Minion of this Edward whose reentertainement the dying King had so seriously forbidden whom notwithstanding together with his own new wife he brought into England 5 This fatall fauourite of this young King was a stranger borne but a Gentleman and in regard of good seruice done by the Father of Peirs in Gascoigne brought vp at old king Edwards owne appointment with this Prince from whom not to derogate in any point as if hee had without some appearances of worth and value embraced Peirs it is certaine by that which a Knight and seruitor of this very King hath left written that he had a sharpe witte in a comely shape and briefly was such an one as wee vse to call very fine Neither yet was he vnhardie in Arms but of commendable performance whereof saith de la Moore hee gaue proofe against the Scots to whom hee was alike hatefull as to the English till hee was recalled to satisfie such as saith their Courtier did enuie his graces and good successe but of his Christian or morall vertues which onely make men truly commendable there is great silence in Authors though not of his vices wherof wee shall haue occasion enough to speake hereafter 6 At the Coronation of the King and Queen which the Lords would haue empeached had hee not promised reasonably to satisfie them about Gaueston none was neere to Peirs in brauery of apparrell or delicacie of fashion which and for that the King gaue him S. Edwards Crowne to carrie in that pompe greatly encreased the offence of the Lords against him But hee that hauing a King to backe him knew no other means to extinguish hatred but by daring it to the vttermost spared not afterwardes to scoffe and reproach the principall Peeres calling Thomas Earle of Lancaster Stage-plaier Aimerie de Valence Earle of Pembroke Ioseph the Iew because hee was pale and tall and Guy Earle of Warwicke the blacke dogge of Ardern all whom and others he at a Turneament by him proclaimed and holden handled vilely 7 But King Edward was dayly more and more possessed with the familiarity of Peirs who to establish his interest in the vnprudent Prince by sensualities and riotous practises filled the Court with buffons parasites and the like pernicious instruments drawing Edward from the thought of al great enterprises in accomplishment of his fathers will or discharge of his particular dutie to all sorts of vnworthy vanities and sinnefull delights while himselfe in the meane space reuelled in all outward felicity wasting the riches of the Kingdome or conuerting them to his priuate vses For fearing belike that the time might come againe to vndergoe banishment hee transported much treasure into forraine parts and much hee had to transport for not onely by the sale of his fauour with the King to which there was no speeding approach but by Gaueston who vsed to peize the gifts more then the causes but also by the kings prodigality hee had whatsoeuer could bee powred vpon him for though it might seeme incredible he both gaue him his iewels and ancestors treasure and euen the Crowne it selfe of his victorious father not sticking to professe that if it lay in him hee should succeed him in the kingdome 8 The Lords who for reuerence of the King sate downe by their priuate iniuries in hope there would be a season in which their Soueraign might by timelie and sweet admonitions recouer the vse of himselfe not thinking it tollerable to bee now any longer silent and the rather lest that Peirs farther abusing his greatnesse should bring in Forreiners not onely to the preiudice of the English lawes and customes but of their authority also and places preuailed so much with the King in a Parliament holden at London where sundry prouisions concerning the liberties of the people and execution of Iustice were enacted and by corporall oath confirmed by the King himselfe that among them the decree of Gauestons perpetuall banishment was by the king ouercome with a meere necessity for satisfaction of the Kingdome to whom the said Earle of Cornwall was odious vnwillinglie suffered to passe and the king was thereupon regratified with a Subsidie of the twentieth part of the subiects goods The king also tooke his Oath not to reuoke the said Earle of Cornwall frō banishment if it may be called a banishment wherin he had the kingdom of Ireland entrusted to his charge and for the securing thereof against rebels was furnished with men money by the king 9 Yet forgetting that those affections which oftentimes deserue praise in a priuate person are subiect to much construction in a publike and neglecting both his deceased fathers so solemne adiurations and also his owne oath as carelesse of the sequele hee cals Earle Peirs home with whose loue hee was most fondly and most passionatelie transported and as if hee had receiued some diuine benefite gaue him most ioyous welcome at the Castle of Flint in Northwales and bestowed vpon him for wife Ioan of Acres Countesse of Glocester his sisters daughter resoluing with himselfe to retaine his Gaueston maugre all his Earles and Barons or for the loue of him to put his Crowne and life in perill when time should serue In which whether the king or his fauourite shewed lesse discretion it is not at the first sight easily determinable it being as vnsafe for the one with so offensine behauiour to affect immoderate shew and vse of grace as for the other to the iniury of his name and realme to bestow the same 10 The contemptibilitie and vanitie of this effeminate argument detaines vs longer then for the qualitie thereof were fitting did not so much mischiefe issue out of it For Peirs of his owne nature insolent being thus aboue reason or his own dareings aduanced to alliance with the bloud royall was so far from all amendment as hee rather seemed to striue to outgoe himselfe in his former courses consuming so much of the kings treasure and meanes that he had not wherewith to defray ordinarie charges or to pay for the necessaries of his Court The young Queene also tooke herselfe not to be a little wronged by this vngracious mans predominancie thereof
King that many more went voluntary then constrained All which puissance was notwithstanding thus eluded 12 About this time died strucken with leprie Robert Bruce King and recouerer of Scotland and the most approued Warriour of the world in that age by whose losse it was soone found how much the vertue and fortune of one man are worth in any Nation But before hee died that peace was made with the Scots by the meanes of the Queene and the Lord Mortimer which is so much dispraised by our Writers and in the end proued capitall to the principall Actor Mortimer 13 For at this treaty it was that the King then in his Minority sealed Charters to the Scots at Northampton whose contents were contriued by the Queene the said Lord Mortimer and Sir Iames Dowglasse without the priuity of the English There was also deliuered to them that famous Euidence called the Ragman Roll and the King acquited them of all claime and pretence of right to the Superiority of Scotland rendring backe sundrie Iewels taken by the English from the Scots among the which was one speciall called the Blacke Crosse of Scotland There was it also granted that all Englishmen should leese their lands in Scotland vnlesse they would inhabite vpon them and becom Liege-men to the King therof besides many other things to the high discontentation as was the humor of those times of the English Subiects Moreouer vnder the specious colour of restitution of dammages King Robert was to pay to King Edward thirty thousand Marks sterling with which as the meed of treason the Lord Mortimer was afterward publikely charged and for the same and other his crimes was executed as a Traitour Finally vpon the seuenth of Iuly Dauid Bruce Prince of Scotland a child of seuen or eight yeeres old and sonne and heire to King Robert married Ioan sister to K. Edward at Berwicke by which peace the English were made-obnoxious to some reproaches the Scottish Nation in scorne calling the said Lady Iane Make-Peace 14 And therefore saith one of this part of King Edwards raigne that drawne aside with euill aduise by reason of his age hee committed many foule errors in State at the beginning of his Gouernment which is also the generall opinion of all our Writers whereunto this verse is by some applied Vae pueri terrae saepissimè sunt ibi guerra Where Children Rulers are There oft is woe and war 15 There died likewise about this time Charles the Faire King of France to whom King Edward had not long before done homage for his Dutchie of Gascoigne the third and last sonne of Philip the Faire King of France by whose decease the Crown of that noble Kingdome deuolued to this our Edward King of England in right of his mother Queene Isabel And because vpon this Title king Edward did afterward claime the said Crowne wee will here once for all instruct you in the iustice thereof 16 Three sonnes there were of King Philip the Faire to wit Lewis Hutin Philip le long and Charles the Faire who all successiuely raigned in France one after the other and none of them leauing any Issue at such time as king Edward made his claime the whole right seemed to be in Isabel the onely Child of the said Philip which had any issue for an other sister which shee had died an Infant 17 The case thus seeming plaine was not for such accepted by the French who receiued to the Crowne Philip of Valoys whose father Charles of Valois was yonger Brother to Philip the Faire aduancing the Brothers sonne before the daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but the meliority of sexe vpon which ground they had also freshly put by Ioan daughter of Lewis Hutin preferring Philip le long her vncle The French in barre to her interest pretended a fundamentall law or entaile by which no woman was inheritable to the Crown of France and in defence of that opinion withstood King Edward afterward with so much losse and calamity though that very law made Edwards title the stronger as himselfe truely pleaded hee being the Male albeit his right descended by the Female 18 This Title to so glorious a Monarchy though it accrewed to the English by this match with Queen Isabel yet doth Walsingham freely pronounce That neither that affinity nor any other contracts with the French was euer auaileable or brought any benefite to England which opinion as it may seeme strange so will it answere a wise Readers paine in the fruit to obserue through the course of our stories whether the said graue Writer had iust occasion so to speake or no. Another conceit there was of this Edwards marriage with Philippa the Earle of Henaults daughter which about this time was consūmated though Philip de Valoys king of France by intrusion as our Annales repute him was her vncle her mother being his owne sister 19 There stood now at home against the stream of the Queene and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great personages who did not wholy allow their doings among which was the Kings vncle Edmund Earle of Kent whose death they shortly procured Meane-while the more to despite and dare their ouerlookers Roger Mortimer was created Earle of the Marches of Wales at a Parliament holden at Salisburie at which time also Iohn of Eltham the Kings Brother was made Earle of Cornwall and the Lord Butler of Ireland Earle of Ormond From whence the Lord Henry Earle of Lancaster and sundry other of the Peeres seeing the King troden as it seemed to them vnder foot did absent themselues meditating ciuill armes for redresse who notwithstanding by the labour of Simon de Mepham Archbishop of Canterbury was reconciled This Archbishoppe very worthily also excommunicated all such as had any hand in the sacrilegious parricide of that noble and loiall Prelate Walter Bishoppe of Excester or any waies violated him their aiders complices or abettors whosoeuer But after the Coronation of Philip the yong Queene in another Parliament at Winchester the said Earle Edmund was condemned for conspiring to deliuer his brother late King of England whom likely inough by Mortimers practise he was drawne into an absurd beliefe to bee still aliue Thus for deuising to set a dead man at liberty this noble Earle Edmund the kings half vncle had his head strucken off though from Noone till fiue at night hee stood at the place of death without the Castle-gates none being found to behead him till a base wretch of the Marshal-sea was sent and did it so little conscience did the malice and ambition of his potent aduersaries make of shedding the Roiall bloud which by Gods iuster iudgement was not long vnreuenged 20 To supply which losse to the regal stemme with a very large amends the young Queene Philip at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire vpon 15. Iune being Friday brought forth her first begotten
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
blood and euening approaching neere the set of the Sunne the field cleared and no enemy seene the retreate was sounded and all were assembled to giue thankes vnto God which done while his souldiers pillaged the dead King Henry sent for Montioy herault at armes in France and for other heraulds both English and French vnto whom he said we haue not of our selues made this great slaughter which the sword in our weake hands hath laid at our feete but the Arme of God for the offences no doubt of the French hath doneit whose blood let now rest vpon their owne heads and wee guiltlesse in following our right and then demanding the name of the place was answered it was Azincourt then said he to all posterities following this Battell shall be called the Battell of Azincourt Thus dismissing the heraulds he returned to Maisconcelles where he lodged the night before The spoile was great and the pray rich in armours iewels and apparell for which by the Countrey Peasants many left as dead were stripped starke naked who afterward crept from the place but most of them mortallie wounded without reliefe lay in great dolor and died in the ditches so certaine is the calamity of warre and vncertaine the sword till it bee quietlie sheathed 61 King Henry lost his cosen Edward Duke of Yorke and the Earle of Suffolke that day besides some others the Frēch writers say three or foure hundred yet Caxton will haue them but twenty and sixe and Paulus Aemilius addeth to the two slaine Lords two Knights and only ten priuate souldiers without anie more vnto whom an ancient manuscript addeth Dauid Gam an Esquire and twenty eight priuate souldiers affirming confidently that no more of the English died that day 62 A farre larger role is writ of the French slaine at this Battell yet diuers and different among their owne Authors the true Catalogue as wee cannot certainely set downe yet as wee haue many Collections we will deliuer the same in part and referre the rest to be seene vpon the record Only naming the Officers and Leaders in the same field either slaine or taken Prisoners by this famous King Henry in this his triumphant and fortunate day Charles D'Albert high Constable of France Geoffrey Bouciqualt Marshall of France Iaques Chastillon Admirall Guiscard Daulphin of Arragon great Master of the Kings Horse Edward Duke of Barre Anthoine D. of Brabant Duke Alencon Count Neuers Count de Marle Count de Vaudemont Count de Blaumont Count de Grandpre Count de Roussie Count de Farquembourg Lewis de Bourbon Sig. de Preaux Robert de Barre Iehan de Barre Great Lords Sig. de Croy. Sig. de Helly Sig. de Auxi Sig. de Brime◅ Sig. de Poix Sig. de Louroy Sig. de Raineualt Sig. de Longue◅all Sig. de I◅che Sig. de Neuf◅ille Sig. de Dampierre Sig. de More◅ill Vidame de Amiens Mes. Alain Mes. de Saueses Mes. de Mocont Mes. de Poix Mes. de Bethune To bee short Iehan Tillet saith that there were ten thousand slaine and almost as many more taken and most of their owne writers account the successe of this Battell to be with the slaughter of foure thousand Princes Nobles Knights and Esquires but the history of Normandy accounted eight thousand to be slaine of that ranke whereof an hundred and twenty bare Banners among whom died foure Dukes nine Earles one Archbishop and ten thousand common souldiers as the Heraulds relation in that behalfe hath reported 27 Prisoners of account taken in this field were Charles the Duke of Orleance and Iohn Duke of Bourbon Arthur Earle of Richmond extremely wounded and left for dead as he lay gasping among the slaine was by the English recouered and reteined their Prisoner Louis de Bourbon Cont de Vendosme was there taken Captiue was Charles Earle of Eu being carried into England where hee remained prisoner twenty three yeres Others of great account were likewise taken and put to ransome as Edward de Rouen Oliuer de la Feild and Iehan Giffart with these and many more the next day King Henry marched to Callais leauing the French to search for their wounded that in ditches and bushes had made their heauy beds In commiseration whereof the Counte Charrolois extre me pensiue for the losse of his vncles and other his friends in charity came to the field and caused the dead to be buried the charge whereof he committed to the Abbot of Roussiannille and the Bailiffe of Ayre who inclosed a peece of ground with a deep ditch of two hundred and fifty yards square fensing it with an hedge of thornes against the rauenings of dogs and wolues Wherein were interred fiue hundred and eight thousand Christian carcases in regard whereof it was sanctified by the Bishop of Esguines and made a Churchyard 28 The Duke of Britaine with his forces was come to Amiens within two daies march of Azincourt to ayde King Charles but the French vpon a conceiued assurance of victory would not stay his comming who now hearing of the glorious day obtained by the English dismissed his troupes and retired to his owne Countrey not meaning any more to intermeddle in the warre betweene England and France Now King Henry vpon Saturday the 26. of October being the next day after Battell tooke his march towards Callis but in passing the field wherein they had fought he caused search for all the English which he caused to be enterred according to their estates But the Bodies of his slaine cosen the Duke of Yorke and of Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke hee tooke away thence carrying them both into England and so passing to Guisnes with his Prisoners hee entred Callis whither those left at Harflew resorted to pay their ransomes to them assigned 29 His host now refreshed and courage augmented it was disputable in Counsell whether the King should returne againe into France to pursue his enterprize already begun or else to imbark for England But the time of yeere spent the winter wet and the field Camps very much subiect to fluxes wherewith many of his souldiers were as yet infected and more vnhealed of their wounds it was thought fittest to make for England and the sooner for that victuals became somewhat scarce in Callis These things premised King Henry vpon the sixteenth day of Nouember spread sayles for England and in the passage was met with such stormes that his French Prisoners were in as great feare as they had beene in danger at the Battell of Azincourt but arriued at Douer and all dangers past vpon the three and twenty of Nouember in triumph wise hee made his entrance into London foure hundred Citizens riding before him in red and white hoodes the gates and streetes weere garnished with Pageants and the Conduits plenteously powring forth sweet wines The religious men met him with procession and
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
same place Gentleman That hee and his complices did imagine the Kings death at his Coronation The combat was granted and in Smithfield the Duke of Yorke exercising the office of high Constable they fought in lists In the end the Kings name was vsed to part and forgiue them It is a vice to suspect too farre The Duke of Yorke a most subtle man seemes neuer in heart to haue beene a true subiect to King Henry yet no man saith hee was any author in this Henrie the common wealth hauing yeelded to liber all grants of money is now ready to enter Paris England remained vnder the gouernment of the Duke of Glocester 20 There is no doubt that the English there at their Kings presence set forth their greatnes to the full shew The yong King attended vpon with two English Cardinals Yorke and Winchester and great Princes of his blood Dukes Earles Barons Prelates and the flower of our nation with many aswel French and Burgonians as Normans and others excellentlie well appointed makes a triumphant entry into the head City of that most noble Monarchy There was no signe in the People but of ioy and welcome the showes were many and magnificent Vpon the seuenth day of December he was solemnely Crowned King of France by the Cardinall of Winchester his great vncle in the Chiefe Church of Paris called of our Lady The Duke of Bedford entertained the minds of the Assembly with a set speech wherein he declared King Henrie his Nephewes vndoubted title to that Crowne and commended the same to their fidelities adding ample promises of honour and emolument Such of the French Nobilitie as were present did their homage The people had good and gratious words giuen vnto them and certaine quantities of money Corne and wine in the nature of a donatiue liberally distributed among them Proclamations were made that all Frenchmen who came in by a day there named should be protected The Kings Patents and grants touching French matters passed vnder the seale and stile of Henry King of the Frenchmen and of England which Seale for variety we haue prefixed as we found it annexed * to a writing directed by the King to his Court of Requests in his Pallace at Paris but for English affaires he vsed another Seale being in euery point like vnto that of King Henry the fourth and as some thinke the very same stamp which therefore we haue here omitted as likewise some Charters of his there are whereunto he affixed the seale of his father Charles of France esteemed not himselfe the lesse a King for all this but pursues his affaire His people tooke the City of Chartres by a stratagem the Bishop whereof because a Burgundian they also put to the sword with others Neither were the English idle Iohn Duke of Norfolke Thomas Earle of Arundel Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke the Earle of Suffolke and others made vp this losse with aduantage Their actions are placed by some as done before the Coronation which is likely The King hauing thus taken possession of France not long after tooke his farewell thereof His returne was by Roan and so ouer land to Callais from whence vpon the eleuenth day of February hee arriued safe at Douer His vncle the Duke of Glocester was able to giue an honest and good account of the Gouernment during the kings absence The suppressiō of an insurrection beginning at Abingdon in Oxfordshire was not the least seruice A weauer the Baliffe of the Towne was the vlcerous head to which that corruption gathered who had changed his own name and called himselfe Iacke Sharpe of Wigmores land in Wales The speciall colour of his attempt was to haue massacred Priests whose heads he said hee would make as cheape as Sheepes-heads that is two or three or ten for a penny But the mention of Wigmores lands the ancient inheritance of Mortimer then the possession of the fatall Duke of Yorke who afterward in the right of that name challenged the Crowne of England from King Henry insinuates somewhat further The varlet forfeited his head and foure quarters for his attempt It is to be wondred that the Councell of Estate vnder King Henry hearing that title so often glanced at prouided not better against the mischiefe But the eies and hearts of the wise are blinded when God hath a purpose to reserue a scourge or to hide the fire which shall afterward be vsed to consume a nation Vnquiet humors were aswell abroad as at home The souldiers of Callais discontented with their wages as to little began to be mutinously troublesome The Regent comes thither in person in Easter weeke where he exerciseth necessary discipline seuerely Foure the most faulty lost their heads one hundred and ten are cashered and banisht from the Towne as sixe score others had formerly beene Why dwell we vpon so petty accidents The losse of the Kingdome of France is imminent Let vs diligently note the degrees which God found out to depriue our Nation of that honor In this iourney of the Regent King Henries interest was not aduanced The Regent a widdower roade from thence to Turwin where without the Burgundians priuity he married the Lady Iaquet aged about seuenteene yeeres daughter to Peter of Lutzembourg Earle of S. Paul no friend to the Burgundian This was nothing prosperous to the English affaires For Anne the Regents former wife sister to the Duke of Burgundy being while shee liued a strong reason and assurance of amitie weakened the same by her death and this second marriage not pleasing the Burgundian did yet more diminish it These were but degrees In the meane space the accidents of warre between the English and French were manifold and perplext now wee now they leesing or gaining as opportunity serued which vncertainties brought forth their ordinary progenies fearefull outrages and s◅rcitie of all things needfull for the vse of man It would be wearisome and not much necessary to recount the particular lesser actions neitheir indeed is it easie for who can readily tell the sieges surprises skirmishes and the like being so confusedly set down by Authors wherein diuers of both Nations wanne to themselues much honour and serued the vses of those times and their owne The vttermost effect of those great labours was that the English Regency fell not forthwith into nothing Permanent leaders in those publike seruices were the Regent himselfe their maine Pillar and Chiefe life Thomas Earle of Arundel Richard Earle of Warwicke Henry his Sonne the Lord Willoughby the thrice noble Iohn Lord Talbot who was now at liberty the Lord Scales besides Knights Esquires and other valiant Captaines a multitude 21 The fortune of Renate Duke of Barre is not to be omitted for that afterward our King vnluckely married into his house He had to wife Isabell the daughter and heire of Charles Duke of Lorraine by whom he had issue two sonnes
so sharpe teeth nor so full engorgement as before Townes and people are taken on both sides The Countie of Amiens was spoiled by the English Lords Willoughby and Talbot The Regent and the Duke of Sommerset march into Angiou where they charged their carriages with much spoile and returned Then the Duke of Sommerset seuers himselfe and doth sundry exploits in and about Britaine Diep in Normandy being besieged was rescued by the Dolphin of France to our losse The contemplation of these mutuall violences touched all Christendome for the Turke common enemie thereof encreased Ambassadors are sent from all parts to determine these bloody differences William de la Pole Earle of Suffolke was chiefe for the English A truce was hereupon taken for eighteene months between King Henry and King Charles and an hope of perpetuall amity weakely grounded vpon a match which the Earle of Suffolke contracted for King Henry with Margaret the daughter of Renate titulary King of Sicile Naples and Ierusalem Duke of Angiou and Lorrain Prince of the blood To effect this the Earle couenanted that the English should abandon the possession of Angiou and Main to her father A strange purchase of a wife who though shee brought youth beauty and hope of a perpetuall peace with France the more profitable opportunity whereof the English had more brauely then happily neglected yet was shee otherwise without portion The Earle notwithstanding whose drift herein could not be without manifest ambition to make himselfe one of the greatest of England by this gratification of the French with his Masters charge and dishonour is not abashed to expect publike thanks for this high seruice and an whole fifteene for the charge of her transportation Sundry Lords of Councell and the King himselfe thought him worthy and according to his deuise and ouerture the whole affaire was carried Suffolke made Marquesse is sent ouer with many honorable persons both men and women to conduct the faire and goodly but most vnfortunate and fatall Bride into England Polydore giues vs no vnfitting Character of this Lady Shee was prouident enough very desirous of glory abounding in discourse counsell gracious behauiour and manly courage but not free from womens humour which saith he is vsually vehement and apt to change In England ye may easily suppose that shee was most roially entertained Humfrey Duke of Gloucester among others meeting her with a traine of fiue hundred horsemen in a liuery that worthy Poet Iohn Lydgate Monke of Burie deuising the speeches for such gratulatory triumphs as were made at her entrance into London The King being married lawfully enioyes her embracements from which he was often afterward violently separated by the miseries of a most crueil warre wherein shee had her piteous portion Suffolke in the meane time hauing the most assured fauour of the Queen pursues his ambitious purposes Shee in the meane time was solemnly Crowned Queene of England at Westminster vpon the thirtieth of May. 39 Would to God it stood now with the quality of this argument to turne our eies from the view of those actions which ensued for here the mournefull tragedies of our poore Countrey began But we cannot but open those olde and most execrable sores that in their example all true English blood may the rather be tender ouer their bowels beholding such effects as the diuell and all the furies of hell were by Gods seuere permission Actors in Fabian giues vs the causes and contents of those effects in these graue and few words 40 It appeareth that God was not pleased with that marriage For after this day the fortune of the world began to fall from the King so that he lost his friends in England and his reuenues in France For shortly after all was ruled by the Queene and her Counsell to the great disprofit of the King and his Realme and to the great mauger it is Fabians word and obloquie of the Queene who as since hath beene well proued had many a wrong and false report made of her All which miserie fell for BREAKING OF THE PROMISE made by the King vnto the Earle of Armenacks* daughter as most writers agree Which misery in this Story shall some-deale appear by the loosing of Normandy as all things else except Callais which the English held in France the diuision of the Lords within this Realme the rebellion of the comminalty against their Prince and Soueraigne and finally the King deposed and the Queene with the Prince faine to flee the land and lost the rule thereof for euer Thus he but all this farre short of the euils that were the brood and ofspring of the following times The Parliament in the meane time grants aides of money that vpon expiration of the truce there might bee present abilities to maintaine warre The Duke of Yorke is reuoked and the Duke of Sommerset in an euill houre is sent in his place with such prouisions as were reputed competent 41 Humfrey the renowned Duke of Gloucester Lord Protector felt the first stroke of the euill Angell which was sent to punish England and to roote out her Nobles This Duke was much hated of the Queene and her faction as the onely man who by his prudence as also by the honor and authoritie of his birth and place seemed to empeach that soueraigne command which they pretended to settle in the Kings owne person but meant indeed as the manner is vnder soft Princes to reigne themselus in anothers name Many great Lords were drawne on at the time of a Parliament then holden at Saint Edmunds Bury to concurre for his ruine not perceiuing that thereby they pluckt vp the floodgate at which the Duke of Yorke entered ouerwhelming all of them in a deluge of blood Whether they had any true or iust feare of Gloucester himselfe least perhaps he should take reuenge vpon some particular persons among them is doubtfull though it be probable enough that they had Heare some things that forewent this Parliament About fiue or sixe yeers before the Dutchesse of Gloucester Eleanor was conuented for witchcraft and sorcerie and afterward endited of treason in the Guild-Hall in London before the Earles of Huntington Stafford Suffolke and Northumberland and certaine Lords as Faâ—…hope and Hungerford with others and Iudges of both benches of which crimes shee was appealed by one Bâ—…lingbrook an Astronomer and Thomas Southwell a Chanon which Southwell was charged to haue said Masses ouer certaine instruments by which the Astronomer should practise Necromancy against the life of the King These being taken accused her as accessarie shee hauing desired the helpe of their Art to know what would befall her Some part hereof shee confessed for which shee was put to publike and solemne penance in London vpon three seueral daies with wonderfull shame to her person and after shee was committed to perpetuall prison vnder the ward of Sir Thomas Stanley in the Castle of Chester but from thence remoued
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
Nun in the Nunnery of Dartford in the same County founded by K. Edward the third where shee spent her life in contemplations vnto the day of her death 126 Marie the fift daughter of K. Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife was promised in marriage vnto the King of Denmarke but died before it could be solemnized in the Tower of Greenewich the Sunday before Pentecost the twentieth two of her fathers raigne and yeere of Grace 1482. and was buried at Windsore 127 Margaret the sixth daughter of K. Edward the fourth by his wife Queene Elizabeth died an Infant without other mention in our Authors 128 Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth by Queene Elizabeth his wife and the last of them both was married vnto William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire and Lord of Ochaâ—…pton vnto whom shee bare Lord Henrie after the death of his father Earle of Deuonshire who by King Henrie the eight was created Marquesse of Excester in Anno 1525. His Concubines 129 Elizabeth Lucie is certainly known to haue been King Edwards Concubine though nothing so certainly mentioned whose Ladie or of what Parentage shee was that shee was conceiued by him with child is before declared but who that child was is as obscurely laid downe therefore in these things we must be silent and leaue the doubts to be resolued by others Three other concubines this king had whereof Shores wife was not the least beloued whose life falleth further to be spoken of in the Raigne of the vsurper Richard where her storie shall be shewed more at large His naturall Issue 150 Arthur surnamed Plantagenet the naturall sonne of K. Edward the fourth whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucie was created Viscount Lisle by King Henrie the eight at Bridewell in London the twentie sixth of Aprill and yeere of Saluation 1533. which title was confâ—…red vpon him in right of his wife Lady Elizabeth sister and heire vnto Iohn Gray Viscount Lisle and the late wife and then widdow of Edmund Dudley who bare vnto this Viscount three daughters which were Bridget Frances and Elizabeth all of them afterward married This Arthur Lord Lisle was made Lieutenant of Callis by the said K. Henry which Towne some of his seruants intended to haue betraied to the French for which their fact himselfe was sent to the Tower of London but his truth appearing after much search the King sent him a rich ring from his owne finger with such comfortable wordes as at the hearing thereof a sudden ioy ouercharged his heart was so immoderately receiued that the same night it made an end of his life whose body was honorably buried in the same Tower 151 Elizabeth the naturall daughter of K. Edward the fourth was married to Sir Thomas Lumley Knight the sonne of George Lord Lumley who died before his father shee bare vnto the said Sir Thomas Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend EDVVARD THE FIFTH KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND LORD OF IRELAND THE FIFTIE FIFTH MONARCH OF THIS LAND HIS RAIGNE AND DEATH For the most part written by Sir Thomas Moore CHAPTER XVIII THe father thus dying in the strength of his yeeres and the sonne left to rule before he was ripe the Synders of dissensions which the sicke King had lately raked vp presently brake forth into a more raging flame for the king and Queenes blood that should haue supported young Edwards estate the one side being suspicious and â—…e other prouoked by the execrable desire of soueraignty left the tender king a Prince of such towardnes as his age could conteine destitute and vnarmed which if either kind or kindred had holden place must needes haue beene the surest pillars of his defence The raigne of this King if we may so cal the shorttime of his Soueraignty began the same day that his father died though he was neuer Crowned nor yet commanded the affaires of the Kingdome as an absolute Monarch his young brothers fortunes being ballanced with his 2 For Richard Duke of Gloucester by nature their vncle by office their Protector to their Father beholden to themselues by Oath and Alleagiance bounden all bands broken that holdeth man and man together without any respect of God or the World vnnaturally contriued to bereaue them not onlie of their dignity but also theirlines But forsomuch as the Dukes demeanour â—…reth in effect all the whole matter whereof the raigne of this yong and fift Edward must intreat itâ—… therefore conuenient somewhat to shew you ere we goe further what man this was and from whom he descended that could find in his heart so much mischief to conceiue 3 Know first then that Richard Duke of Yorke a noble man and a mighty beganne not by warre but by law to challenge the Crowne putting his claime into the Parliament where his cause was either for right or fauour so farre foorth aduanced that King Henries blood albeit he had a goodly Prince was vtterly reiected the Crowne by the authoritie of that high Court intailed to the Duke of Yorke and his issue male in remainder immediately after the death of King Henrie But the Duke not induring so long to tarrie intending vnder pretext of dissention and debate arising in the Realme to preuent his time and to take vpon him the rule in King Henries life was with many other Nobles slaine at Wakefield leauing three sonnes Edward George and Richard all of them as they were great states of birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy and ambitious of authority and impatient of partners 4 For Edward reuenging his fathers death depriued king Henry and attained the Crowne The second George Duke of Clarence was a goodly Noble Prince and in all things fortunate if either his owne ambition had not set him against his brother or the enuie of his enemies his brother against him For were it by the Queen and Lords of her blood which highly maligned the Kings kindred as women commonly not of malice but of nature hate them whom their husbands loue or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at least-wise hainous treason was laid to his charge and finally were he faulty were he faultlesse attainted he was by Parliament and iudged to death as we haue saide 5 Richard the third sonne of whom we now entreat was in wit and courage equall with either of them in body and prowesse farre vnder them both little of stature ill-limmed and crook-backed his left shoulder much higher then his right very hard fauoured of visage and such as in States is called warly in other men otherwise he was malicious wrathfull and enuious yea and from afore his birth euer froward For it is for truth reported that the Dutchesse his mother had so much adoe in her trauaile that shee could not be deliuered of him vncut and that he came into the
Princes fauour the Duke of Gloucester turned vnto their destruction and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappy building For whomsoeuer he perceiued either at variance with them or bearing himselfe their fauour he brake vnto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor in any wise to be suffered that the young King their Master and kinseman should be in the hands and Custody of his mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their Company and attendance of which euery one ought him as faithfull seruice as they and many of them farre more honorable part of kin then his mothers side whose blood quoth he sauing the Kings pleasure was farre vnmeet to bee matched with his which now to be as who say remoued from the king and the lesse noble to be left about him is quoth hee neither honorable to his Maiestie nor vnto vs and also to his Grace no suretie to haue the mightiest of his friends from him and vnto vs no little ieopardy to suffer our well proued euill-willers to grow in ouer great authority with the Prince in youth who is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Ye remember I trow K. Edward himselfe albeit he was a man of age and discretion yet was he in many things ruled by the bend more then stood either with his honor or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except only the immoderate aduancement of themselues Which whether they sorer thirsted after their owne weale or our woe it were hard I weene to gesse and if some folkes friendship had not held better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might perhaps easily haue intrapped and brought some of vs to confusion ere this why not as easily as they haue done some other alreadie as neere of his roiall blood as we But our Lord hath wrought his will and thankes be to his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if we suffer this young King in our enemies hand which without his knowledge might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our vndoing which thing God and good prouision forbid 12 Of which good prouision none of vs hath any thing the lesse neede for the late made attonement in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties wils nor none of vs I beleeue is so vnwise ouer soone to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that an howerly kindnes sodeinly contracted in one houre continued yet scarce a fortnight should be deeper setled in their stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these wordes and writings and such other the Duke of Gloucester soone set afire them that were of themselues apt enough to kindle especially two Edward Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings Chamberlaine both men of honor and of great power The one by long succession from his Auncestry the other by his office and the Kings fauour These two not bearing each to other so much loue as both of them hatred vnto the Queenes part in this point accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would vtterly remoue from the Kings Company all his mothers friends vnder the name of their enemies 13 Vpon this conclusion the Duke of Gloucester vnderstanding that the Lords which at that time were about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such power of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the gathering a great assembly of people and in manner of open warre whereof the end hee wiste well was doubtfull and in which the King being on their side his part should haue the face and name of a Rebellion he secretly therefore by diuers meanes caused the Queene to be perswaded and brought in minde that it neither were need and also should be ieopardous the King to come vp strong 14 For whereas now euery Lord loued other and no other thing studied vpon but about the Coronation and honor of the King if the Lords of her kindred should assemble in the Kings name much people they should giue the Lords of the contrary faction cause to feare and suspect least they should gather this people not for the Kings safegard whom no man impugned but for their destruction hauing more regard to their old variance then their new attonement for which cause they should assemble on the other party much people againe for their defence whose power shee wist well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall on an vproare and of all the hurt that thereof should insue which was likely not to be a little the most harme like to fall where shee least would all the world would put her and her kindred in the blame and say that they had vnwisely and vntrulie also broken the amity and peace which the King her husband so prudently made betwixt his kin and hers on his death bed and which the other party faithfully obserued 15 The Queene in this wise perswaded sent such word vnto her sonne and vnto her brother being about the King besides the Duke of Glocester him selfe and other Lords the chiefe of his bend wrote vnto the King so reuerently and to the Queenes friends there so louingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought vp the King in great hast but not in good speed with a sober company Now was the King in his way to London gone from Northampton when the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham came thither where remained behind the Lord Riuers the Kings vncle intending on the morrow to follow the King and bee with him at Stony-Stratford twelue miles thence earely ere he departed So was there made that night much friendlie cheare betwixt these two Dukes and the Lord Riuers a great while but incontinent after that they were openly with great curtesie departed and the Lord Riuers lodged the Dukes secretly with a few of their most priuy friends set them down in Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night at their rising in the dawning of the day they sent out priuily to their seruants in their Innes and lodgings about giuing command to make themselues shortly ready for their Lords were to horse-ward vpon which messages many of their folke were attendant when many of the L. Riuers seruants were vnready 16 Now had these Dukes taken into their custodies the keyes of the Inne that none should passe forth without their licence and besides this in the high-way towards Stony-Stratford where the King lay they had bestowed certaine of their men that should send backe againe and compell to returne any man that were gotten out of Northampton towards Stony-Stratford till they had further order forasmuch as the Dukes themselues intended for the shew of their diligence to bee the first that should that day attend vpon the
were so dull that they could perceiue nothing what the Protector intended truth if they should procure her sonne to be deliuered into his hands in whom they should perceiue towards the Child any euill intended 37 The Queene with these wordes stood a good while in a deepe study And for as much as her seemed the Cardinal ready to depart and the Protector himselfe readie at hand so as shee verily thought she could not keepe him there but that he should incontinent be taken thence and to conuey him elsewhere neither had shee time to serue her nor place determined nor persons appointed all things vnready this message came on her so suddainly nothing lesse looked for then to haue him fetcht out of Santuarie which she thought to be now beset in such places about that he could not be conueyed out vntaken and partly as shee thought it might fortune her feare to be false so well shee wift it was either needlesse or bootlesse Wherefore if shee must needs go frō him she deemed it best to deliuer him besides the Cardinals faith she nothing doubted neither some other Lords whom she saw there present which as she feared lest they might be deceiued so was she wel assured they would not be corrupted and thought it would make thē the more warily to looke to him and the more circumspectly to see to his surety if with her owne hands shee betooke him to them of trust And lastly taking the young Duke by the hand said vnto the Lords 38 My Lords and all my Lords I neither am so vnwise to mistrust your wits nor so suspitious to mistrust your truths of which thing I purpose to make you such a proofe as if either of both lacked in you might both turne mee to great sorrow the Realme to much harme you all to great reproch For loe here is quoth she this Gentleman whom I doubt not but I could heere keepe safe if I would whatsoeuer any man say and I doubt not also but there bee some abroad so deadly enemies vnto my blood that if they wist where any of it lay in their owne bodies they would let it out We haue also experience that the desire of a kingdome knoweth no kindred the brother hath beene the brothers bane and may the Nephewes be sure of their Vncle Each of these children is the others defence whilest they are asunder and each of their liues lieth in the others body keepe one safe and both be sure and nothing for them both more perillous then to be in one place For what wise Merchant aduentureth all his goods in one ship All this notwithstanding I deliuer him and his brother in him to keep into your hands of whom I shall aske both before God and the world Faithfull ye be that wot I well and I know well you be wise power and strength to keepe him if yee list neither lack yee of your selfe nor lack helpe in this case And if you cannot elsewhere then may you leaue him heere but onely one thing I beseech you for the trust that his father euer put in you and for the trust I now put you in that as farre as you thinke I feare too much bee you well wary that you feare not too little and therewithall shee sayd vnto the child Farewell mine owne sweet son God send you good keeping let me kisse you yet once ere you go for God knoweth when wee shall kisse together againe And therwithal she kissed him and blessed him turned her back and wept and went her way leauing the child weeping as faste When the Lord Cardinal and those other Lords with him had receiued the yong Duke they brought him into the Star-chamber where the protector tooke him in his armes and kissed him with these words Now welcome my Lord euen with all my heart In which saying it is like hee spake as he thought Thereupon foorth with they brought him vnto the King his brother into the Bishops Pallace at Paules and from thence both of them through the Citie of London honourably attended into the Tower out of which after that day they neuer came againe 39 The protector hauing both the children now in his hands opened himself more boldly both to certaine other men also chiefly to the Duke of Buckingham Although I know that many thought that this Duke was priuy to all the protectors counsell euen from the beginning and some of the protectors friends sayd that the Duke was the first mouer of the protector to this matter sending a priuie messenger vnto him streight after King Edwards death But others againe which knew better the subtill wit of the protector deny that he euer opened his enterprise to the Duke vntil he had brought to passe the things before rehearsed But when hee had imprisoned the Queenes kindred and gotten both her sonnes into his owne hands then he opened the rest of his purpose with lesse feare to them whom he thought meet for the matter and especially to the Duke who being wonne to his designes he held his strength more then halfe increased The matter was broken vnto the Duke by subtil persons and such as were their crafts masters in the handling of such wicked deuises who declared vnto him that the young King was offended with him for his kinsfolkes sakes and if he were euer able he would reuenge them who would prick him forward thereunto if they escaped for they would remember their imprisonment or else if they were put to death without doubt the yong King would be careful for their deaths whose imprisonments was grieuous vnto him And that with repenting the Duke should nothing auaile for there was no way left to redeeme his offence by benefits but he should sooner destroy himselfe then saue the King who with his brother and his kinsfolkes he sawe in such places imprisoned as the protect or might with a beck destroy them all and without all doubt would doe it indeed if there were any new enterprise attempted And that it was likely as the Protector had prouided priuie gard for himself so had he spials for the Duke and traines to haue caught him if he should bee against him that peraduenture from them whom he least suspected For the state of things the dispositions of men were then such that a man could not well tell whom hee might trust or whom hee might feare These things and such like being beaten into the Dukes minde brought him to that point that where he had repented the way that hee had entred yet would he goe forward in the same and since hee had once begunne hee would stoutly goe through And therefore to this wicked enterprise which hee beleeued could not be auoyded hee bent himselfe determining sith the common mischiefe could not be amended he would turne it as much as he might to his owne commoditie 40 Then was it agreed that the Protector should haue the Dukes aide to
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
the land Then our Lord God was dread loued and honoured then within the land was peace and tranquility and among neighbours concord and charity then the malice of outward enemies was mightilie resisted and repressed and the land honourably defended with many great and glorious victories then the entercourse of Merchants was largely vsed and exercised by which thinges aboue remembred the land was greatly enriched so that aswell the Merchants and Artificers as other poore people labouring for their liuings in diuers occupations had competent gaine to the sustentation of them their housholds liuing without miserable and intollerable pouerty but afterward when that such as had the rule and gouernance of this land delighting in adulation and flattery and led by sensuality and concupiscence followed the counsell of persons insolent vicious and of inordinate auarice despising the counsell of good vertuous prudent persons such as aboue bee remembred The prosperity of this land dayly decreased so that felicity was turned into misery and prosperity into aduersity and the order of policy and of the law of God and Man confounded whereby it is likely this Realme to fall into extreme misery and desolation which God defend without due prouision of couenable remedy bee had in this behalfe in all goodly hast 3 Ouer this among other things more speciall wee consider how that the time of the raigne of K. Edward the fourth late deceased after the vngracious pretensed marriage as all England hath cause so to say made betwixt the said King Edward and Elizabeth sometimes wife to Sir Iohn Gray knight late naming her selfe and many yeeres heretofore Queene of England the order of all politicke rule was peruerted the lawes of God and of Gods Church and also the lawes of nature and of England and also of the laudable customes and liberties of the same wherein euery English man is inheritor broken subuerted and contemned against all reason and iustice so that the land was ruled by selfe-will and pleasure feare and dread all manner of equity and law laide apart and despised whereof ensued many inconueniences and mischiefes as murthers extortions and oppressions namely of poore and impotent people so that no man sure of his life land or liuelyhood ne of his wife daughter nor seruant euery good maiden and woman standing in dread to bee rauished and defloured and besides this what discords inward battels effusion of Christian mens bloud and namely by the destruction of the Nobles bloud of this land was had and committed within the same it is euident and notarie through all this Realme vnto the great sorrow and heauinesse of all true Englishmen And here also wee consider how that the said pretended marriage betwixt the aboue named King Edward and Elizabeth Gray was made of great presumption without the knowing assent of the Lords of this land and also by sorcery and witchcraft committed by the said Elizabeth and her mother Iaquet Dutchesse of Bedford as the common opinion of the people and the publike voice and fame is through all this land and hereafter if the cause shall require shall be proued sufficiently in time and place conuenient And here also wee consider how that the said pretensed marriage was made priuily and secretly without edition of banes in a priuate Chamber a prophane place and not openly in the face of the Church after the law of Gods Church but contrary thereunto and the laudable custome of the Church of England And how also that at the time of contract of the same pretended marriage and before and long time after the said King Edward was and stood married and troth-plight to one Dame Elienor Butler daughter of the old Earle of Shrewsbury with whom the same Edward had made a precontract of Matrimonie long time before hee made the saide pretenced marriage with the said Elizabeth Gray in manner and forme aforesaid which Premisses being true as in very truth they beene true it appeareth and followeth euidently that the said King Edward during his life and the said Elizabeth liued together sinfully and damnably in adultery against the law of God and of his Church And therefore no maruell that the Soueraigne Lord and the head of this land being of such vngodly disposition and prouoking the ire and indignation of our Lord God such hainous mischiefe and inconueniences as are aboue remembred were vsed and committed in the Realme among the Subiects Also it appeareth euidently and followeth that all the Issue and children of the â—…id King Edward beene bastard and vnable to inherite or to claime any thing by inheritance by the law and custome of England 4 Moreouer we consider how that afterwards by the three Estates of this Realm assembled in Parliament holden at Westminster the 17. yeere of the raigne of the said King Edward the fourth hee then being in possession of the Crowne and royall estate by Act made in the same Parliament George Duke of Clarence brother to the said King Edward now deceased was conuicted and attainted of high treason as in the same Act is contained more at large by cause and reason whereof all the Issue of the saide George was and is disabled and barred of all right and claime that in any case they might haue or challenge by inheritance to the Crowne and dignity royall of this Realme by the ancient law and custome of this same Realme Ouer this wee consider that ye be the vndoubted sonne and heire of Richard late Duke of Yorke very inheritor of the sayd Crowne and dignitie royall and as in right King of England by way of inheritance and that at this time the premisses duely considered there is none other person liuing but ye only that by right may claime the said Crowne and dignitie royall by way of inheritance and how that yee be borne within this land by reason whereof as we deeme in our mindes yee be more naturally enclined to the prosperitie and common weale of the same and all the three estates of the Land haue and may haue more certaine knowledge of your birth and filiation aforesaid We consider also the great wit prudence iustice princely courage and the memorable and laudable acts in diuers battels which as wee by experience know you heretofore haue done for the saluation and defence of this same Realme and also the great noblenesse excellencie of your birth and bloud as of him that is descended of the three most royall houses in Christendome that is to say England France and Spaine Wherefore these premisses by vs diligently considered we desiring effectually the peace traquilitie and weale-publique of this Land and the reduction of the same to the ancient honourable estate and prosperitie and hauing in your great prudence iustice princely courage and excellent vertue singular confidence haue chosen in all that in vt is and by this our writing choose you High and Mightie Prince our King and Soueraigne
the one side of me Semblably my cosin the Earle of Richmond his aides and kinsfolkes will surely attempt either to bite or to pierce me on the other side so that my life and rule should euer hang vnquiet in doubt of death or deposition And if the said two linages of Yorke and Lancaster should ioine in one against me then were I surely matched Wherfore I haue clecrelie determined vtterly to relinquish all imaginations concerning the obtaining of the Crown For as I told you the Countesse of Richmond in my returne from the new named King meeting me in the high way praied me first for kindreds sake secondly for the loue I bare to my Grandfather Duke Humfrey who was sworne brother to her father to moue the King to be good to her sonne Henry Earle of Richmond and to licence him with his fauour to returne againe into England and if it were his pleasure so to doe shee promised that the Earle her sonne should marry one of the Kings daughters at the appointment of the King without any thing demanded for the said espousals but only the Kings fauour which request I soone ouerpassed and departed But after in my lodging I called to memory more of that matter and now am bent that the Earle of Richmond heire of the house of Lancaster shall take to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward by the which marriage both the houses of Yorke and Lancaster may be vnited in one 28 When the Duke had said Bishop Morton who euer fauoured the house of Lancaster was wondrous ioyfull for all his imagination tended to this effect and lest the Dukes courage should asswage or his minde alter he said to the Duke My Lord of Buckingham sith by Gods prouision and your incomparable wisdome this noble coniunction is first moued it is necessary to consider what persons we shall first make priuie of this politicke conclusion By my troth quoth the Duke we will begin with my Ladie of Richmond the Earles mother which knoweth where he is in Britaine sith you will begin that way said the Bishop I haue an old friend with the Countesse called Reinald Bray for whom I shall send if it be your pleasure so the Bishop wrote for him to come to Brechnock who straite came backe with the messenger where the Duke and Bishop declared what they had deuised for the preferment of the Earle of Richmond sonne to his Lady and Mistresse willing her first to compasse how to obtaine the goodwill of Queene Elizabeth and also of her eldest daughter and after secretly to send to her sonne in Britaine to declare what high honour was prepared for him if he would sweare to marrie the Ladie Elizabeth assoone as hee was King of the Realme With which conclusion Reinold Bray with a glad heart returned to the Countesse his Lady Bray thus departed the Bishop told the Duke that if he were in his Isle of Ely he could make many friends to further their enterprise The Duke knew this to bee true but yet loth to loose the society of such a Counsellor gaue him faire words saying he should shortly depart well accompanied for feare of enemies but the Bishop ere the Dukes company were assembled secretly disguised in a night departed and came to Ely where he found money and friends and then sailed into Flaunders where he did the Earle of Ricchmond good seruice 29 When Reinold Bray had declared his message to the Countesse no meruaile if shee were glad wherefore shee deuised a means how to breake this matter to Queen Elizabeth being then in Sanctuary at Westminster and hauing in her family a certaine Welshman called Lewis learned in Phisicke now hauing oportunity to breake her minde vnto him declared that the time was come that her sonne should be ioined in marriage with Lady Elizabeth daughter and heire to King Edward and that King Richard should out of all honour and estate be deiected and required him to goe to Queene Elizabeth not as a messenger but as one that came friendlie to visite her and as time and place should serue to make her priuy of this deuise This Phisitian with good diligence repaired to the Queene and when he saw time conuenient said vnto her Madame although my imagination be very simple yet for the entire affection I beare to you and to your children I am so bolde to vtter vnto you a secret conceit which I haue compassed in my braine When I remember the great losse which you haue sustained by the death of your louing husband and the great sorrow that you haue suffered by the cruell murder of your innocent children I can no lesse doe then daily study how to bring your heart to comfort and also to reuenge the quarrell of you and your children on that cruell tyrant King Richard And first consider what battel and what mischiefe haue risen by the dissention betweene the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster which two families if they may be ioined in one I doubt not but that your line shall be again restored to your great ioy comfort you know Madam that of the house of Lancaster the Earle of Richmond is next of bloud to the house of York your daughters now are heirs If you could deuise the means how to couple your eldest daughter with the Earle of Richmund in matrimony no doubt but that the vsurper should shortly bee deposed and your heire againe to her right restored 30 When the Queene had heard this friendly Motion shee instantly besought him that as he had beene the first inuentor of so good an enterprise that now hee would not desist to follow the same requiring him further that he would resort to the Countesse of Richmund mother to the Earle Henrie and to declare to her on the Queenes behalfe that all the friends of King Edward her husband should assist and take part with the Earle of Richmund her sonne so that hee would take an oath that after the Kingdome obtained to espouse the Lady Elizabeth her daughter c. M. Lewis so sped his busines that he made a finall end of this businesse betweene the two mothers so the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmund brought to a good hope of the preferment of her son made Reinold Bray chiefe soliciter of this conspiracy giuing him in charge secretly to inueagle such persons of Nobility to ioyne with her take her part as he knew to be faithfull 31 This Reinold Bray within few dayes brought to his luer Sir Giles Daubeny Sir Iohn Cheinie Knights Richard Guilford and Thomas Ramney Esquiers and others In the meane while the Countesse of Richmund sent one Christopher Vrsewicke a Priest into Britaine to the Earle of Richmund her sonne to declare to him all the agreements between her and the Queene agreede and with all to shew him that the Duke of Buckingham was one of the first
assistance to recouer the Realme of England promising faithfully to beare himselfe towardes the said Scottish King no otherwise then as if he had beene his owne naturall brother and would vpon recouery of his inheritance gratefully doe to him all the pleasure which lay in his vtmost power 43 Perkins speech ended and his amiable person being fitted with so many countenancing circumstances of state and seemings by the recommendations of great Princes aide from the Irish assured hope of aide in England and his owne wel-appointed company made so strong an impression in the young Kings conceit that albeit there wanted not some who with many arguments aduised the King to repute all but for a meere dreame and illusion his person was honorably receiued as it became the person of Richard Duke of Yorke and his quarrell entertained which the more to grace in the Worldes eye he gaue his consent that the said Duke of Yorke should take to wife the Lady Katherine Gorden daughter to the Earle of Hantley being neere cosen to the King himselfe a young maide of excellent beautie and vertue By which marriage as the gentle King abundantly declared that he tooke him for the very Duke of Yorke so Perkin distrustfull of the Scots and desirous to gaine the loue and fauour of the Nobles of the Realme cunningly serued his owne ends for the present passing current for a Prince of high blood and roiall hope Vpon this ground a warre was presently vndertaken against Henrie and entred into the King of Scots in person and Perkin followed with great numbers specially of Borderers fell vpon sundry parts of Northumberland which they most grieuously afflicted burnt and spoiled publishing neuerthelesse by Proclamation made in the name of Richard Duke of Yorke much fauour and immunitie to all such as would adhere to his rust quarrell and a thousand poundes in money and one hundreth markes by yeere of land of inheritance to the meanest person that could either take or distresse his great enemy who he said was flying the land But King Henry by his diligence and wisdome had so setled the mindes of his people in those parts that there is no mention made of any one person which offered his seruice This vnexpected auersion so blankt and dampt the Scottish enterprize on Perkins behalfe that the King offended therewith retired with his armie laden with booty into his Realme and from thenceforth esteemed of his new Cosen the lesse But King Henry not minding to forgiue so vniust and causelesse outrages cals a Parliament opens his griefes and praies aide for an inuasiue warre against Scotland which was generally assented vnto there being scarce anie more gratefull propolitions to the English in those swording times then warre with French or Scots an humour vpon which this King did practise to enrich himselfe For the publike monies by these occasions came into his Exchecquer with a small part whereof he flourished out a show of hostile prouisions and the Remainder thereupon if peace ensued which he alwaies knew how to bring about with honour was cleerely his owne without account The summe assented to be gathered was sixescore thousand pounds and for collection thereof were granted two dismes and an halfe and two fifteenes But the leuie of this money so granted in this Parliament kindled a dangerous blaze in England in so much that the Lord Dawbney being sent Generall of the Forces against the Scots and vpon his way thither was recalled by occasion of intestine troubles 44 Which troubles had their Originall from the leuie of such payments among the Cornish as were assessed for the Scottish warres When therefore the Collectors came among them the People being a stout bigge and hardy race of men tumultuously assembled whom one Thomas Flammock a lawyer and Michaell Ioseph a blacke-smith or horse-farrier of Boduim like firebrands of rebellion inflamed and were followed as Captaines not without secret and silent relation as it may be suspected to Perkins pretences and that hope of redresse if he were King which by his Proclamations he had colourably giuen to the people at the time of the Scottish Inuasion where among manie other things tending to humour such as were maleuolent by making the person and gouernment of King Henrie odious this we find 45 Our great enemie saith the Proclamation to fortifie his false quarrell hath caused diuers Nobles of this our Realme whom he held suspect and stood in dread of to bee cruelly murdered as our cosen Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine Sir Simond Montford Sir Robert Ratliffe William Dawbeney Humfrey Stafford and many other besides such as have deerelie bought their liues some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also he hath long kept and yet keepeth in prison our right intirely wel-beloued Cosen Edward Saint and heire to our Vncle Duke of Clarence and other withholding frō them their rightfull inheritance to the intent they should neuer be of might power to aid and assist vs at our need after the dutie of their leageances He hath also married by compulsion certaine of our Sisters and also the Sister of our foresaid Cosen the Earle of Warwicke and diuers other Ladies of the blood roiall vnto certaine his kinsemen and friends of simple and low degree and putting apart all wel-disposed Nobles he hath none in fauour and trust about his person but Bishop Fox Smith Bray Louel Oliuer King Sir Charles Sommerset Dauie Owen Rysley Sir Iohn Trobutuile Tyler Chamley Iames Hobert Iohn Cut Garth Henry Wyot and such other Caitiues and villaines of birth which by subtile inuentions and pilling of the people haue been the principall finders occasioners and counsailers of the misrule and mischiefe now raigning in England c. We remembring these premises with the great and execrable offences daily committed and done by our foresaid great enemie and his Adherents in breaking the liberties and franchises of our mother the holy Church to the high displeasure of Almighty God besides the manifold treasons abhominable murders manslaughters robberies extortions the daily pilling of the people by dismes taskes tallages beneuolences and other vnlawfull impositions and greeuous exactions with many other hainous effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realme c. shall by Gods grace and the helpe and assistance of the great Lords of our blood with the Counsell of other sad persons c. see that the commodities of our Realme bee emploied to the most aduantage of the same the entercourse of Merchandize betwixt Realme and Realme to be ministred and handled as shall more be to the Common weale and prosperitie of our subiects and all such dismes taskes tallages benenolences vnlawfull impositions and grecuous exactions as be aboue rehearsed to be foredone and laid apart and neuer from henceforth to be called vpon but in such causes as our Noble Progenitors Kings of England haue of old time beene accustomed to
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
Edmund de la Pole Earle of Suffolke sonne to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and of Elizabeth sister to King Edward the fourth in the sixteenth yeere of King Henries raigne wilfully slew a common person in his furie Henry not sorry to haue occasion of encreasing his popularity by presenting so great a person to exemplary iustice and in the same act to blemish the honour of a man whose quality was to him suspected caused him for the same to be arraigned The fact hee was perswaded to confesse and therupon had pardon The Earle neuerthelesse as a Prince of the bloud holding himselfe disgraced by hauing been seen a Prisoner at the Kings Bench Barre fled the land discontented and went to his Aunt the Dutchesse Dowager of Burgundie but within a while after being fairely reconciled hee returned After which notwithstanding whether it were by reason of debt the certaine attendant of vaine-spirited and base-braueminded Courtiers wherinto he had deeply thrown himself for his furniture at the celebration of his cosen Prince Arthurs marriage or for that the restlesse spirit of enuie in the Dutchesse had preuailed hee taking his brother with him fledde againe the next yeere after The King who had pardoned his life seemed now to repent his clemency though it is plaine hee spared him of purpose till hee might discouer more of a conspiracy which hee knew was in hammering but his flight troubled him not a little knowing the violent humor of that Lord and remēbring to what a dangerous bloudy issue his brother the Earle of Lincolne had once already brought things at the battell of Stoke in the beginning of his raigne 67 For remedy hee betakes himselfe to his wonted arts and therefore to learne the secrets of the enemy Sir Robert Curson Knight Captaine of the Castell of Hammes by Caleis faines himselfe a friend to the Earle and flies from his charge vnto him An office vnworthy of Knighthood neither can any good spirit in the world stoope it selfe to such double faced emploiment which besides the treacherous dissimulations thereof cannot but bee accompanied with wilfull impieties For who is admitted into trust vpon a contrary side without inuocations of Gods holy name protestations adiurations oathes the vtmost assurances which man can giue to man to beget a conuenient affiance in his sincerity but by this stratagem the king ransackes the bosomes and cabinets of his aduersaries discouering their designes and hopes Whereupon William Courtney Earle of Deuonshire being most nobly descended and hauing to his wife the Lady Katherine one of the daughters of K. Edward the fourth and sister to Queene Elizabeth wife of King Henry William de la Pole brother to the said Edmund Earle of Suffolke Sir Iames Tirrel Sir Iohn Windham Knights with other were attached and committed to custodie and afterward also George Neuil Lord Abergenie and Sir Thomas Greene Knight were likewise apprehended but were soone deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire though innocent for it is the misery of such great men that their owne innocency cannot alwayes procure their owne safety but their birth-right many times and often other mens designations without their least priuity is enough to hazard them yea it is in the power of any conspirator by bare nomination to doe as much so that it concernes them to haue an eye not to their owne onely but to the behauiour also of their whole Alliances and dependancies this Earle I say though innocent remained Prisoner during this Kings life and some yeeres of his sonnes raigne who set him at liberty The other William the Earle of Suffolkes brother had not so strict an hand holden ouer him But Sir Iames Tyrrell Lieutenant of Guines Castell and Sir Iohn Wyndham Welbourn seruant to Sir Iames Tyrrel Curson a Purseuant Mathew Iones yeoman and a Shipman were condemned of treason for aiding the Earle of Suffolke The two Knights were beheaded at Tower hill The Shipman quartered at Tiburne Curson and Iones suffered death at Guines 68 This so round and quicke dealing with the Earles complices and fauourers startled his shallow and raw inuentions and made their whole bulke to swarue and splinter but the King rested not so for vpon the Sunday before the feast of SS Simon and Iude in the same yeere of the said executions there was published at Pauls Crosse by the Kings procurement from Pope Alexander the sixth a Bull of Excommunication and curse against the said Earle of Suffolke Sir Robert Curson and fiue other persons by speciall name and generally all other which aided the Earle against the King to the disturbance of the Kingdome Thus did the most prudent Henrie pursue his enemies not onely with secret countermines and open weapons of Law before they could assemble to make any shew but also with spirituall lightening which doubtlesse had they beene vpon iust cause and by lawfull authoritie fulminated ought infinitely to bee dreaded of good Christians because as Saint Paul saith they deliuer ouer to Satan Sir Robert Curson was named of purpose to make the Earle secure of him which may well be called a perillous if not a prophane deuise though his Holinesse were made the instrument thereof Neither did the King leaue heere for by his letters and messengers he so preuailed with Pope Alexander as hee decreed by his Bull That no person should afterward haue priuiledge of Sanctuary who had once taken the same and come foorth againe and that if any Sanctuarie-man should afterward commit any murther robbery sacriledge treasons c. he should by lay force bee drawne thence to suffer due punishment This was of great vse to the King and preserued many subiects from precipitation for the abuse of Sanctuaries had beene an efficient of many troubles But the same Pope hauing sent Iohn Giglis his Receiuer to gather mony in England shewed himselfe much more fauourable to such as perpetrated those said hainous offences as also Vsury simony rapines adulteries or whatsoeuer offences excepting certaine offences against the Pope and Clergy c. when he sent a * Bull of pardons for money to all such offendors in England dispensing also thereby with such as kept away or by any fraud bad gotten the goods of other men which they should now retaine still without scruple of conscience so as they paid a ratable portion thereof vnto his Holinesse Receiuers Sir Robert Curson though before accursed by the Pope returnes when he saw fit time into England and withall into wonted fauour with his Soueraigne The Earle seeing himselfe thus stript of all hope to doe much harme wandred about Germany and France to finde repose but in the end quite tyred he put himselfe into the grace and protection of Philip then in Flanders who by the death of Isabella was King of Spaine in right of Ioan his wife eldest daughter of Ferdinando and Isabella where hee remained in banishment till King Phillip was
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
was borne of the Virgine Mary and was giuen vpon the Crosse for our Redemption therefore we will haue Masse celebrated as it hath beene in times past without any man communicating with the Priests for asmuch as many rudely presuming vnworthily to receiue the same put no difference betweene the Lords body and other kind of meate some saying that it is bread before and after some saying that it is profitable to no man except hee receiue it with many other abused termes Item we will haue in our Churches reseruation Item wee will haue holy bread and holy water in the remembrance of Christs precious Body and Blood Item we will that our Priests shall sing and say with an audible voice Gods seruice in the Quier of the Parish Churches and not Gods seruice to be set forth like a Christmasse play Item for asmuch as Priests be men dedicated to God for ministring and celebrating the blessed Sacrament and preaching of Gods word we will that they shall liue chast without marriage as Saint Paul did being the elect and chosen vessell of God saying vnto all honest Priests be yee followers of mee Item we will that the sixe Articles which our Soueraigne Lord King Henry the eight set forth in his later daies shall bee vsed and so taken as they were at that time Item we pray God saue King Edward for we be his both body and goods 23 To these their Demands the King sent this answere therein pittying their ignorance and blaming their folly and therewithall his Generall pardon to as many as would desist whiles it was time First he reproued them for their presumptions thus contumeliously to rise against their dread Soueraigne to the disturbance of his loyall Subiects peace whose simplicity they had notoriously abused in vsing his name to draw them into action of Rebellion and no lesse likewise in the grounds of their demands As in their first Article for Baptisme where it was well knowne the same was admitted as necessity required or rather commanded by the Booke of Common praier published by authority of Parliament and as themselues knew in present practise But touching the Sacrament in their second Article how impudently they did belie the true receiuers thereof was manifest who make so much difference in that holy administration that they account no profit in Common bread besides the nourishment of their naturall Bodies but this blessed bread to be the food of their soules vnto eternall life And as you are seduced in these saith the admonition so in confirmation also they carrie your simplicities captiue for the truth teacheth no otherwise then themselues beleeue namely that a Child baptized and dying before confirmation is nethelesse in state of Grace else are themselues causers of their childrens damnation so the seruice of God brought from an vnknowne tongue cannot surely offend any reasonable man which is onely to make him vnderstand that which before he knew not and to giue his consent to those prayers whereof he hath most need and giueth the neerest touch to his owne feeling conscience for God requireth the heart onely which with an vnderstanding seruice we must sacrifice vnto him But most of all saith this good King we maruell at your demand for the sixe Articles restored to haue them in power as formerly hath beene Doe you know what you aske or in obtaining doe you know what you get They were lawes indeed lately made but quickly repented too cruell for you and too mercilesse for vs who would haue our Raigne written with milke and not with blood and because they were bloody we took them away with the same authority by which they were made least reteining them our sword should be too often drawne and rigour extended vpon our true and well-deseruing subiects We for our parts seeke no longer to liue then to be a father vnto our people and as God hath made vs your rightfull King so hath he commanded you vnto obedience by whose great Maiestie we sweare you shall feele the power of the same God in our sword which how mighty it is no subiect knoweth how puissant it is no priuate man can iudge and how mortall no English heart can thinke therefore embrace our mercy while it is offered least the blood spilt by your meanes cry vengeance from the Earth and be heard in the eares of the Lord in Heauen 24 All this notwithstanding the Rebels persisted in their traiterous attempts against whose seditions Sir Iohn Russell Lord Priuy Seale was appointed Generall of the Kings Army vnto whose assistance was ioined the Lord Grey of Wilton vnder whom serued a band of Italians intended against Scotland these lay at Bristow attending the comming of the Lord Generall who now was marched Westward to Honiton where daily looking for more supply those which he had began to shrinke away whereby the Rebels were emboldned to make towards him and came as far as Fenington-bridge within three Miles of Honiton and in a faire Meadow there spread their Colours The Lord Russell though weake in comparison of them holding it more honour to assaile then to be assaulted made forward euen vnto the Bridge at whose sight the Enemies prepared themselues to fight and with a strong guard maintained the Bridge besides which there was passage ouer the Riuer that held his course betwixt the two Armies 25 Great were the attempts the Lord Lieutenant gaue and manfull was the resistance that the Rebell made yet lastly the way was wonne and followed vnto the battell of the disloyals where presently beganne a most cruell fight and a while was maintained to the losse of their blood but the false hearts failing and the true subiects courage increasing the Cornish immediately gaue backe and fled whereat the Kings souldiers out of Order fell to the spoile minding nothing lesse then that which presently ensued for the Cornishmen perceiuing their disordered carriage suddainely returned and began a new fight when the Lord Russell likewise ordered a new his Army these furiously ioining a sharpe and cruell encounter ensued with the losse of much blood and the liues of three hundred Rebels who lastly tooke to their heeles and left the field the chase a while followed and the souldiers scattered a fearefull crie suddainely arose that all the Commons were vp which caused the Lord Generall to returne vnto Honiton whether shortly came the Lord Grey of Wilton hauing in pay Spiniola an Italian Captaine with three hundred shott 26 The Lord Russels forces augmented his greatest care was to releeue the City Excester whither vpon the third of August he hasted from Honiton being a thousand strong and passing ouer the Downes toward Woodbury lodged his Campe that night neere to the Wind-Mill whereof the Rebels hauing intelligence raised themselues from Saint Mary Clift and made amaine vnto the Downes thinking to surprise the Lord Generall before hee was ready but
and bare-legged And such was their courage notwithstanding their wants as he that ere while could scarcely bend his Bow is able now to draw his yard-long arrow to the verie head whose roauing marke was the flancke of the French so rightly aimed at and so strongely stucke on that their sides were altogether larded with arrowes whereby the vantgard was instantly distrest and disordered into such a confused presse as they were not able to vse their weapons at any aduantage Their wings likewise assayd to charge the English but Mounsieur de Lignie in the one not well seconded by his troopes was forced back and Guilliaum de Surreres charging home in the other was slaine The Battalions now brokē for safety fled to the Main where they breed both feare and confusion by the vnrulinesse of their wounded horses so galled with arrowes as they could not be gouerned 56 The first troope of the French horse were exquisitely appointed whereon their riders much presumed and meant to haue burst through the Archers with a violent course but they giuing backe left their sharpe pointed stakes sticking which till then were vnseene the French supposing the Archers had fled came on with their horse vpon the spur and that in such heat as the earth seemed to tremble vnder their thundering feet and being forced forward without foresight of danger carried their proud Riders into the iawes of destruction for falling by troopes vpon those goaring stakes they were miserably ouerthrowne and paunched to death The tempests of arrowes still whisling in the aire sparkled fire in their fals from the helmets of the French and with their steeled heads rang manie thousands their knels that dolefull day who like to corne cut downe with the sith fell by whole plumps in that fatall field the English still following the aduantage against whome Anthoine Duke of Brabant hoping by his example to encourage others followed with a few turned head and brake into the English Battell wherein manfully fighting hee was slaine 57 With the like manhood Duke Alenzon a lusty French Lord pressed into the Battalion where King Henry fought and incountering Humfrey Duke of Glocester the Kings brother both wounded and ouerthrew him to whose rescue if Henry had not come he had died more honourablie then afterward hee did for King Henry bestriding him deliuered his said brother from danger and wanne himselfe much honour by the deed Alenzon then coped with King Henry in fight and with his Axe cut a part of his Crowne which blow was so surelie laid on that therewith his helmet was battered vnto his brow but the Lyon enraged with redoubled strength stroke the French Gallant vnto the ground and slew two of his men that seconded their Master The Duke thus down cried to the King I am Alenzon whom Henry sought to haue saued and so had done had not the deafe eares of reuenge stopt all sound of life against him that so had endangered their Souereigne Lord. 58 The French Reregard surprised with feare at the disaster of the vantgard and the maine battell fled not striking one stroake except some principall leaders and they not many the English horsemen fetched a compasse and wheeled about vpon their backes which no sooner was perceiued but that the taxe of fighting was ended and the worke of killing began as by the words of Walsingham doth manifestly appeare The way saith he is at length made by fine force the French did not so much giue place as fall dead to the earth for when they saw those beaten indeed vnderfoote whom they reputed inuincible their minds forthwith grew amazed and such an iciefeare slyd through their marrow that they stood still like senselesse Images while our men wrested weapons out of their hands and slew them therewith as beasts Slaughter then had lost the stay of it selfe and fight did follow no longer but all the warre was made at throates which as it were offered themselues to be cut neither can the English kill so manie of the enemies as may bee killed Thus therefore the whole glory of the French name is almost perished by the hands of those few wh◅ immediately before they held in most extreme contempt But the sword now made weary and drunke with blood all danger past and humanity retired prisoners were taken and liues spared which hitherto was neglected least mercy might haue proued the destruction of themselues 59 Whilst the King was thus busied the successe of the battell in dispute his carriages but sclenderly garded by the French were assailed all made spoile of that was to be had The Captaines of this cowardly enterprize were Robinet de Bourneuille Rifflant de Clumasse and Isambert de Agincourt with sixe hundred Peasants who had turned their faces at the first brunt of Battell as men of better practise to pilfer then to purchase by manhood the spoiles of the field Where among other things they found a rich Crowne and sword which they bare away in triumph-wise fayning that King Henry was taken and as a prisoner followed their troopes the sight of certaine English prisoners by them taken and led away cōfirming the report more strongly in the beholders conceit But King Henry breathlesse and in heat of blood seeing certaine new troopes of the King of Sicils appeare in the field and the same strong inough to encounter with his weary men fearing as hee had cause that the Bourbon Battalion vpon sight of fresh succours would gather into a body and againe make head considering withall how his men were ouer-charged with multitudes of Prisoners who in number surmounted their Conquerours that the charge would be double at once to guard and to fight and that the prisoners would be ready vpon euery aduantage to take armes and free themselues from their takers these and other necessities constrayning King Henry contrary to his wonted generous nature gaue present commandement that euery man should kil his Prisoner which was immediately perfourmed certaine principall men excepted Which done and falling againe in Order hee sent his Heraulds vnto these troopes assembled commanding them forthwith to come vnto Battell or else to depart the field either of which if they delaied he threatned to reuenge with their deathes without any redemption or mercy at which seuere sentence their hearts were so daunted that with shame and dishonour they departed the field The base surprisall of the Kings carriages the only cause as some alleage of the French prisoners death was so ill disgested by the French themselues that the Duke of Burgundie imprisoned the Actors thereof and was minded to haue put them to death had not his sonne the Count of Charolois mediated for them vnto whom they presented King Henries rich sword the guards whereof was gold set with stones of great price 60 The day almost spent in spending French