where calling a Parliament in the presence of himselfe and of Dauid King of Scotland hee caused the Nobles and first before all other Stephen his Sisters Sonne who first did violate it to sweare fealty to her as to his lawfull and now onely heire by whom they should againe come to bee gouerned by the ancient English Roiall bloud from which he shewed her to bee descended which Oath was this that they should as much as in them lay after King Henries decease if hee died without Heire-Male establish her Queene of the Monarchy of Great Britaine now called England But whether they did or no saith Gemeticensis belongs not to mee to tell but this our Story shall hereafter relate and make knowne 48 Giraldus and Higden and some ancient Manuscripts affirme but with very little probability or credite that Henry the Emperour died not at this time as was giuen forth but that rather vpon a remorse of conscience for imprisoning his owne naturall Father Henry the third vnto death and also his Spirituall Father the Pope with his Cardinals repenting these outrages hee laid aside his Imperiall Roabe and secretly fled into England where at Westchester hee became an Hermite changing his name vnto Godscall where he so liued the space of ten yeeres and was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Saint Werburga the Virgine Vpon which his suddaine flight and missing the Empresse Maud some say was suspected to bee guilty of his death and for that cause was kept continually in the Queenes Chamber Indeed that she abode still in Chamber with the Queene Paris records but hee giues a wiser reason thereof for that her Father did loue her exceedingly as being now his sole Heire and where should an Empresse rather liue then with a Queene a Daughter then with her Mother a faire Lady a Widow and an Heire of so great a Kingdom then where her Person might bee safest from danger her mind from inueigling and her carriage from suspition But as for that other idle coniecture it is razed out both by those Writers who record his Buriall and Monumentat Spire as Higden himself signifieth and also by the penne of William Gemeticensis who reporteth her to be a woman generally well thought of and approued among the greatest Princes of the Empire for her prudent and gratious behauiour towards the Emperour her husband insomuch that they became suiters vnto her seeking by all meanes to attaine her to gouerne them and to that end attended her to King Henry in Normandy to solicite the same to whom in no wise hee would giue his consent meaning to make her his Successor in the Kingdome Whereunto Malmsbury who then liued accordeth saying shee was very vnwilling to haue come out of those parts of the Empire where both her dowry and acquaintance lay and that the Princes of those Countries came more then once into England to haue her for their Empresse but that the King would not part with the Heire of his Crowne 49 But King Henrie afterwards desirous to bee free from the variances of these forraine Princes and hearing that Foulke Earle of Anion had giuen his Earledome with the territories of Gaunt and Turyn vnto his Sonne Ieffrey Martell surnamed Plantagenet himselfe minding to abide at Ierusalem whereof he was King in right of his wife Milissent the daughter of Baldwine de Burge lately deceased thought him the fittest to be linked into his alliance therfore concluded a mariage betwixt the said Ieffrey and his onely lawfull daughter Lady Maude the Empresse though partly against her liking as both Gemeticensis and Geruasius of Canterbury doth declare which was solemnized in Normandy the third of Aprill accordingly 50 That William sonne to the Curtoise was formerly fauoured by Earle Foulke wee haue shewed but now he was further followed with increase of Fortune and the French Kings aide onely for a rub in King Henries way for Charles Earle of Flanders being traiterously murdered by his owne People without any his issue to succeed him Lewis of France to make William faster to him set him in possession as the next heire in blood vnto that Larledome William being the sonne of Duke Robert and Robert the Eldest of Queene Maude the wife of the Conquerour and she daughter to Earle Baldwin the fifth whose issue Male now failing the right was from her deriued vnto this her Grand-child William 51 This Ground-worke vnto greatnesse King Henry disliked least by his Nephewes height himselfe might bee ouer topped and his blind fathers wrongs the sooner redressed therefore hauing by his daughters marriage made Aniou his from Normandy he inuaded France euen vnto Hespard where for eight daies he remained as secure as in his owne Kingdome and partly by feare partly by faire paiments wrought Lewis to withdraw his aide from yong William neither so ceased but that hee instigated William de Ypres to disturbe Williams state and did also draw a cerraine Duke named Theodorick out of Germany with a band of Flemmings who entred Flanders in Hostile maner 52 With these last Earle William a Prince for his age of imcomparable prowesse soone met and giuing them battell with an inuincible courage brake through the enemies troopes in such sort that they were discomfited and the Earle had the day whence in this heate of bloud hee marched vnto Angi a Castle of King Henries which after a strong siege being vpon the surrender by a small wound which Earle William receiued in his hand hee shortly died but not without immortall fame for magnanimity and valour 53 Were it not reported by some Writers of note I might here well passe ouer certaine presaging dreames as the Monkes interpreted them which King Henry had being ready now to goe into Normandy for to his seeming he saw a sort of rusticke plough-men with their Instruments of husbandry after them Souldiers with their weapons of Warre and lastly the Bishops with their Crosiers staues all of them angerly threatning and attempting his death wherewith hee was so perplexed that leaping out of his bed he called for helpe but seeing it but a dreame as a dreame he esteemed it and passed ouer into Normandy where long hee staied not but that his Daughter Maud vpon some displeasure departed from her husband and came with her Father into England Some write that she was the proâ—…ker of certaine displeasures betwixt her husband and Father which so affected his mind with passions of wrath and griefe that many thought it was a great hastning of his end and indeede Malmsburie witnesseth that the King vpon his death-bed passionately mentioned the wrongs and indignities wherewith her husband had disquieted his mind Howbeit soone after this her departure from him by consent of the States who met at Northampton shee was reconciled to her husband sent vnto him vpon his intreaty and bare
by the King For doubtlesse at that time the Bishops of Rome had not deuested our Kings of that prerogatiue His Wife 28 Elswith the wife of King Elfred was the daughter of Ethelred surnamed Mâ—…hel that is the Great an Earle of the Mercians who inhabited about Gainesborough in Lincolnshire her mother was Edburg a Lady borne of the Bloud-roiall of Mercia She was married vnto this King in the twentieth yeare of his age being the second of the raigne of his brother King Ethelred and was his wife twenty eight yeares and liuing after him foure died in the year of grace nine hundred and foure and was buried in the Monastery of Nunnes which shee had founded at Winchester out of which afterwards King Henry the first took to his wife Maâ—…d the daughter of Malcolme King of Scots by whom the roiall bloud of the ancient Kings of England became vnited to the Normans whereby he wanne much loue of the English nation His Issue Edward the eldest sonne and second child of King Elfred and Queene Elsewith was borne about the beginning of his Fathers raigne in the yeare of our Lord eight hundred seuenty one hee was brought vp in his Fathers Court and carefully attended and instructed by men of great vertue and knowledge in learning and in all other qualities and exercises conuenient for Princes He was maried and had diuers children hee was thirty yeeres of age before his Father deceased and then he succeeded him in his Kingdome and Monarchy Ethelward the second son fift and last child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith was borne about the midst of his Fathers raigne and about the yeare of our Lord eight hundred and eighty Hee was in his youth by his Fathers appointment and for the example of other young Nobles brought vp in the study of good Arts at the vniuersity of Oxford where saith Th. Rudburne and the Annales of Winchester he became a man very learned and a great Philosopher he had of his Fathers gift by his last Wil great liuings in the Counties of Deuon Sommerset South-Hampton â—…he proued a man of great iudgement and wisedome and liuing vntill he was aboue forty yeres old hee died the sixteenth day of October in the two and twenty yeare of his brother King Edwards raign Anno nine hundred twenty two and was buried at Winchester Elfleda the eldest daughter and first child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith his wife was married to Ethelred Duke of Mercia who in respect of this mariage was suffered to haue all roiall iurisdiction ouer that Country in as ample maner as the Kings thereof had enioied and after the decease of her husband which happened in the yeare of our Lord nine hundred and twelue shee continued the gouernement in the same sort eight yeares with such resolution and valiant resistance of the common enemy the Danes that she stood her brother Edward in great stead as in the relation of his life shall be further shewed She died the fifteenth of Iune nine hundred and nineteene and was buried in S. Peters Church at Gloucester leauing issue a daughter named Elswin whom King Edward her brother depriued of that Duchy which her owne mother enioied and he his crowne by her assistance Ethelgeda the second daughter and fourth child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith was neuer married but tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity and was by her fathers appointment made a Nunne of Shaftsbury in the County of Dorset in the Monastery there founded by him who is also accounted the first of the Towne it selfe Shee was afterward Abbesse of the house and therein spent and ended her life and was there also buried Elfride the yongest daughter and child of King Elfred and Queene Elswith his wife was married to Baldwin the second surnamed the Bald Earle of Flanders sonne of Earle Baldwin the first and Queene Iudith his wife the widdow of King Ethelwolfe her Grandfather Shee was his wife thirty yeares and more shee suruiued him and was a widdow eleuen yeeres she died the seuenth of Iune in the yeere of our Lord nine hundred twenty nine being the fift of the raigne of King Ethelstan her Nephew She is buried by her husband in the Chappell of our Lady within the Monastery of S. Peter at the City of Gaunt She had issue Arnulfe the third Earle of Flanders progenitor of all the Earles of Flanders since his time Adâ—…lfe Earle of Bolâ—…igne and Terwiâ—… EDVVARD SVRNAMED THE ELDER THE TWENTIE FOVRTH KING OF THE WEST SAXONS AND TWENTY FIFT MONARCH OF THE ENGLISH-MEN HIS RAIGNE ACTS AND ISSVE CHAPTER XXXVII NO greater were the griefes conceiued for the death of worthy Elfred then were the hopes of the people in his sonne Prince Edward whose valour had beene often approued against the raging Danes whose vertues were both many and princely not so learned as his Father neither so patient to vndergoe his chance but as glorious in martiall prowesse and as fortunate in al his fights vnder whose hand the Danes euery where fell and vnder his Monarchy all the English did stoope excepting the Northumbrians 2 He entred his raigne the yeare of Christs natiuity nine hundred and one and at Kingston vpon Thames was crowned and annointed with holy oyle The Danish warres continuing in a successiue maner fell as it were hereditaryly from the Father vnto the Sonne and ripened dayly towards their wished haruest Besides Ethelwald the sonne of Ethelbert the vncle to this King Edward young at his fathers decease and therefore perhappes held vncapable of gouernment shewed now the blossoms of vnder-sucking plants whose fruits are neither plenteous nor pleasant in tast for his humours euer working vpon discontents drew his thought onely how to make the possessor fall 3 He then entring action of rebellion tooke the towne of Winborne neere vnto Bathe and besides the allegiance due to his Prince in sacrilegious manner brake the hests of holy Church in deflowring and taking a Votarist to wife Edward the elder so called it may be in regard of this his Opposite with a selected Army repaired to Bathe and thence prepared for the field whose sight was so cockatrice-like to his cosen-Germans eye that in the night he bade his Nun and Winborne adew posting to Northumberland and proffering his seruice to the Danes that lay for aduantage of rapine and spoile 4 Him as a fitte instrument they created their King and forward in hope of some prosperous successe passed through the East-Saxons the East-Angles and the Mercians Countries and laden with robberies came to Crikelade in Wilt-shire whence they departed ouer Thamesis to Basingstoke and harrying the land before them with triumph returned vnto East-Anglia Edward thus endangered by these dreadfull enemies gaue them no aduantage by lingering delaies but followed their tract vnto Saint Edmunds Ditch whence in his returne the Danes gaue
had laine for a while as raked vp vnder cold ashes For the next yeere following and twentieth of his raigne Lewes came into Normandy as hote in rage to do somwhat as before he departed thence calme and cold where forthwith he began to molest the Country which K. Henry for a while suffered till his friends noted him of cowardize to whom he replied that he had learned of his Father to break the foole hardines of the French by patience rather then by force that they should not wonder if he were loath to bee prodigall of their bloud whom he found so fast friends vnto him that he would not gladly winne a Kingdome with their deathes whose liues hee still found deuoted to all hazards for his cause that hee vsed this backwardnesse onely to stay them whom he saw so forward to testifie their zeale voluntarily euen with their blood which to proceed from prouidence and not from dastardlinesse they should soone perceiue This accordingly hee made good and a pitched field was fought betwixt the Kings of England and France whereof let vs heare the Monke Paris report The French King saith hee hauing ordered his Armie into two Battalions in the former of them placed William the sonne of Duke Robert the brother of King Henry the other Lewes himselfe led consisting of his speciall and chiefest Souldiers King Henry also disposed his forces into three Battailes the first consisting of his Peeres and men of Normandy In the second him selfe kept among his owne guard and dailie attendants and in the third he marshalled his sonnes with the maine strength of the Footemen The Armies thus ordered the troupes on both sides gaue assault whereof the first Battalion of the French brake through the rankes of the Norman Nobles ouerthrowing their Hoâ—…e-men and forcing them to seatter in which violence they likewise brake into King Henries battaile and put it much out of order but he taking courage and comforting his men beganne a most bloody and bold constâ—…t wherein himselfe was twice strooke vpon the head by William Crispin County of Eureux whom for his offences Henry had before banished whose sword and strokes were so sure and so heauie that albeit the Kings helmet was impeâ—…etrable yet withfine force was it beaten stat to his head insomuch that the bloud came forth in abundance but Henry feeling himselfe to bee wounded gathered with his rage more strength and stroke the said Countyia such sort that at one blow he ouerthrew both him and his horse and tooke him prisoner by which example his Souldiers were led to fight like Iyons and the French to betake themselues vnto flight In this battaile died many thousands and among them Baldwine Earle of Flanders King Henry returning victorious was receiued triumphantly into Roan 39 Foulke Earle of Aniou hauing lost Baldwine his martiall Companion and seeing it was bootles to bandy against the Beanclarke fell to an agreement with him which was confirmed by giuing his daughter vnto his sonne Prince William now seauenteene yeerts old whom Henry made inheritor of all his Kingdomes whereupon both France and Flanders became his reconciled friends and William did homage to King Lewes for his Dutchie of Normandy These things thus ordered King Henrie vpon the twentie fift of Nouember loosed from land at Barfluit and prosperously arriued in England 40 Prince William who now wanted but onely the name of a King commanded another shippe to bee prepared for himselfe his Brethren and Sisters with many other Nobles and Gallants Courtiers both of England and Normandy who plying the Mariners with pots and wine therein being instruments of their owne calamity approaching made them bragge to out-saile the Kings ship gone before and in the night putting forth from land with a mery gale made way ouer the dancing waues as swift as an arrow but as if the Heauens would haue King Henries too great felicities allaid and tempered with sense of Courtly variety in the middest of their iollity and singing alas they sang their last and little thought on death for suddainely the shippe dashed against a Rocke not very farre from the Shoare at which fearefull disaster a hideous cry arose all of them shifting and yet through amazednesse not knowing how to shift to saue themselues from the danger For God repaying the reward for sinne suffered not those vnnaturall wantons for such were many of them saith Paris to haue Christian Buriall but were so swallowed vp of the Sea when her waues were most calme Prince William got speedily into the Cocke-boate and might well haue escaped had he not pittied his sister the Countesse of Perche crying vnto him for helpe when turning the boat to her aid so many striued to get in euery man in such a case esteeming his life as much as a Prince that with their weight it presently suncke and of so princely a Traine no one escaped to relate that dolefull tragedie saue onely a base fellow a Butcher some say who swamme all the night vpon the Maine-maste and got shoare in the morning with much danger of life 41 This was the most vnfortunate Shipwracke that euer hapned in our Seas bringing an inconceiuable heauinesse to the King and whole State for therein perished Prince William Duke of Normandy the ioy of his Father and hope of his Nation Richard his base Brother his Sister Maud Countesse of Perch Richard Earle of Chester with his wife Lady Lucy the Kings Niece by his Sister Adela Otwell the Earles Brother the yong Dukes Gouernour diuers of the Kings chiefe Officers and most of the Princes Geffrey Riddle Robert Manduit William Bigod Geffrey Arch-deacon of Hereford Walter de Crucie and many other of prime note and esteeme to the number of one hundred and sixty persons none of their bodies being found though great search was made for them 42 King Henry thus at once depriued of all his lawfull Posterity onely Maude the Empresse excepted vpon the tenth of April and two and twentieth yeere of his Raigne married his second wife Adelâ—…a a Lady of surpassing beauty the daughter of Geffrey first Duke of Louain in hope though it proued otherwise to haue repaired his late losses by issue of her whose Coronation was appointed to be celebrated by Roger Bishop of Sarisbury the infirmity of Palsey so troubling Ralphe Arch-bishop of Canterbury that himselfe could not performe it yet because Roger was not appointed by him he forbad his imploiment and the King wearing his Crowne saith the Monke of Chester this testy old man could hardly bee entreated by the Lords to with-hold his hands from striking the same from the Kings head of such Spirites then were those spirituall Prelates and iealousie to loose their pompous preheminence of honour but his high top was somewhat born down by the boisterous blasts of Pope Calixt from whose holy hand Thurstan Arch-bishop of Yorke contrary
still beating in their faces and there taking horse the same night got to the Castle of Wallingford to the great ioy and also admiration of all that were therein 39 In the meane while Earle Robert with Prince Henrie were arriued in England at Warrhame hauen and presentlie besieged the Castle there so to withdraw the King from siege of his sister but hearing of the happie escape of the Empresse came with young Henry vnto his mother whose sight made her forget the griefe and sorrowes that she had long indured Then was Oxford vpon conditions yeelded to the King and Wilton fired by the bastard Earle Robert The Towre of London with the Castles of Walden Pleises and Lincolne yeelded to Stephen the Castles of Warham and Portland yeelded to Robert The Earles of Chester and Essex surprized by the King William Martell the great fauourite taken and imprisoned by the Earle Thus sundrie yeeres passing with variable successes to and fro and euery yeere heaping on each side fresh calamities to the great ruine of the whole land the Empresse euen wearied with those warres and vncertaineties of successe went into Normandie chusing rather to be vnder the protection of her husband in peace then to raigne in England perplexed with troubles and to the same end she had not long before sent her young sonne Henrie to his father who desired to haue him rather heire of a Dukedome with safetie then of a Crowne with daylie hazard 40 Stephen that by a fresh surprizall of Randall Earle of Chester had got Lincolne and entring thereinto which no King before him durst doe for that certaine wizards had prophesied euilluck vnto such at christmas did there weare the Regall Crowne on his head and after the Empresses departure caused the Barons of England to sweare allegiance vnto Prince Eustace his sonne by which two complements hee supposed all had beene sure on his side and the rather for that the most faithfull puissant and euer-renowned Earles Robert of Glocester and Milo of Hereford the two great and glorious pillars which had by many Conquests supported their Anioueians cause were now conquered by death and the rest of the Nobles applying themselues to the Times kept themselues quiet in the absence of these Competitors all which gaue no little assurance vnto Stephens estate 41 But Henry Fitz-Empresse grown now from a Child thought it best a while to leaue Mercury for it is said hee was Bookish and to follow Mars so knowing his presence would preferre much his purposes for men would bee loth to hazard all for one who himselfe would neglect all hasted againe into England with an Armie of valiant and choice Souldiers to whom ioined the discontented Earle of Chester Roger the sonne of Miles deceased with many more Knights and Gallants of the English hee therefore tooke into the North and met with Dauid his cosen King of Scotland of whom hee was most honourably receiued and solemnely sacred with the Military honour of Knighthood and thence forward sought all occasions to prouoke both King Stephen and his sonne Eustace against him and hauing setled some courses with certain Peeres for the pursuit of his designes in England hee returned into Normandy to compose set forward some other businesses which might be auaileable for these his ends 42 Where long he staied not but that Geffrey his Father departed this life and left him his Heire both of Aniou and Normandy and the yeere following he matched in marriage with Eleanor Dutches of Guien and Aquitane lately diuorced from Lodowicke King of France for consanguinity and adultery saith Paris after shee had borne him two daughters Lodowicke fearing issue-male by this marriage to the disheriting of his said daughters greatly impugned Duke Henry and Stephen suspecting his greatnes now being Duke of Normandy Aniou Aquitane and Guien both of them sought each way to impeach his peace Lodowicke with Prince Eustace in the parts beyond seas and Stephen in England to make sure his succession sought to inuest the said Prince Eustace with the English Diademe both to preuent and vtterly depriue Henry Fitz-Empresse for euer for calling a Counsell at London King Stephen commaunded Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to consecrate Prince Eustace for their King which hee refused to doe and that by commandement from the Pope whose holy See can deale on both sides as makes most for their aduantage alledging now that his Father was an vsurper and periured Intruder whereupon the honest Archbishop fled into Normandy and the King seized vpon al his possessions It may seeme that one cause of the Popes inclining to yong Henries title was to strēgthen him against his enemy King Lewis of France who had highly offended his Holines for casting the Popes Bulles whereby hee required the fruits of Vacancies of all Cathedrall Churches in France into the fire saying hee had rather the Popes Bulles should rest in the fire then his owne soule should frse in hell 43 King Stephen thus defeated of his purpose and seeing his Title questioned by the Church who had before approued it resolued to make it good by the sword for winning the Castle of Muby fortified Malmesbury and laid a strait siege vnto Wallingford against which hee erected the Castle Cranmerse to stoppe the passages of their reliefe or comming forth But Henry after hee had calmed the boisterous stormes of warre in the parts beyond the seas came ouer into England well appointed vnto whom also resorted many of the Nobility who yeelded vp themselues and aboue thirty strong Castles to the young Duke now well furnished hasted to raise the siege of Wallingford and there vndertooke a great enterprice for hee incircled the Bestegers with a great and deepe Trench whereby hee kept them from reliefe as they did keepe the Besieged 44 Stephen following hastily to succour his men though with the lesse edge for that hee neuer sped well in any assault of that Castle pitched downe his Tents euen neere his enemy and ready on both sides to giue battaile the Winter stormes were suddenly so troublesome that nothing could bee done but those somewhat ouerblowne and the Armies scarse three furlongs asunder as King Stephen was busied in disposing of his hoast and giuing direction for order of the battaile his horse vnder him rising with his fore-feet fell flat vpon the earth not without danger to his Rider and thus did he thrice ere he left which thing his Nobles secretly muttering interpreted for an vnlucky presage when William Earle of Arundell a bold and eloquent man went to him and aduised him to a peace affirming the title of Duke Henry to be iust that the Nobility on both parts there present were neerely linked in Alliances Bloud and how these stood affected was very doubtfull yea that Brethren were there assembled the one
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
the same estate as in which King Richard found it 40 But the King of England though hee had very far excelled all the Christian Princes in great exploites at that iourney because* he had neither conquered Salaadine nor Ierusalem did mourne and parted pensiue In the holy-land hee left Henry Earle of Champaine who vpon taking the said Baruck was to haue beene crowned King of Ierusalem which Guido had resigned and hee left Guydo de Lusignian the late King of Ierusalem in Cyprus to whom hee had passed it in exchange for the other to aduance his Kinseman the said Earle of Champain which vpon that Title the familie of Lusinian for many descents after did possesse and enioy Thus Richard hauing ordered his affairs in the East parts sets saile homeward The Queenes Berengaria his wife and Ioan his sister with the Captiue Lady Daughter of the Cypriot Emperour vnder the conduct of Stephen de Turnham hearing of the Kings most heauie fortune soiourned at Rome about sixe moneths for feare of Richards enemies afterward came safe by Marsilia in Poictou 41 God whose cause was onely pretended in this voyage of the Christians did not seeme to approue the said truce for hee scattered the English with a terrible tempest and the opportunity of Conquest was so lost that hitherto it could neuer bee regained and the King of England letting it slippe when God had almost put the same into his hands did miserably fall into his enemies hands Certainelie the name of Richard was at that time growne terrible to Saladine who had receiued diuerslosses foiles and ouerthrowes at his haudes Moreouer the Saladines whole estate being endangered by such of his own sect as reputed him a meer vsurper hee could not long withstand the double impression of the Christian Cheualrie and of his owne Allies and Countrimen as indeed not long after* he died leauing his Empire fowly but iustly distracted by ciuill confusions whereas by this Truce the crafty Turke made the world see that the powers of two so potent Monarkes had in a manner effected nothing Richard could neuer haue time to return for accōplishment of his designs for which all Christendome hath at this howre reason to bee sorrowfull and hereofhimselfe* was very sensible so that hee would oftentimes crie out that hee was not alwayes wise alluding to this occasion lost 42 But the noble King hoping to pierce with speed through Germanie in disguise tooke to him the name of Hugo a Merchant the haire of his head and beard growne very long being the fitter to conceale him but in his iourney ouer land was neere to Vienna vnhappily discouered by the profusenesse of his expenses when hee saw he could not escape them in contempt of his fortunes he put on roiall garments and refused to yeeld but onely to the Duke himselfe who came with ioy as to a prey which he sore longed for but the rascall multitude cried things worthy of themselues calling him O barbarisme Traitour and some saying stone-him some cut off his head others hang him and because the inhumanity of this vsage may be suited with rimes as rude and ragged you shall in such heare the cause of this Arch-dukes malice growing first at Accon where the Author speaking of King Richard saith He gate it soone with his great Ordinance And on the walles his Banners full high set The Kings Armes he set vp also of France And King Guyes Armes of Ierusalem well bet The Duke of Oistrich Limpold without let Set vp his Armes after aboue them all Which King Richard did cast downe from the wall 43 And though it is certaine that this Author faines not this fact for that some such matter and told by * some with more disaduantage to Richards cause is by others related yet the grauest Authors agree that next to the common enuie at his vertues the greatest pretence was the murther of the Marquesse Conrad committed at Tyre by two cursed Assasines a* certaine sect in the East liuing vnder a Senior or Ruler whom they honor as a Prophet by whom they are sent forth to murther such Princes as fauor them not promising themselues the reward of immortality by obeying him in all things though with the losse of their owne liues Of which barbarous fact Henrie the Emperour and Leopold the Arch-duke whose neer kinsman Conrad was would seeme to beleeue that Richard was the Author though therin they toucht his princely reputation and integrity * most iniuriously for that the chiefe of that sect by their owne publike * letters written with the bloud of the shel-fish called Murex wherewith Scarlet vsed to be dyed acknowledging the fact declared the true cause thereof which was a particular Act of iniustice in Conrad himselfe There wanted not sundry other pretences as in such cases is vsuall as * that Richard had entred league with Tancred King of Sicilia the Emperours enemy and that hee had thrust the Cypriot their kinsman out of the Empire and kept his onely daughter Captiue But this booty being too great for a Duke the Emperour got into his custody meaning to coine much gold and siluer out of his most vniust affliction by sharpe imprisonment which could not make him in any act or speech or gesture of his shew beneath the Maiestie of a victorious Prince and King of England 44 The dismall newes thereof flying through the world presently disclosed who were sound or vnsure sorrow and dismay was euery where among his owne His carefull mother and other his fast friends sweare the realme to be true to King Richard watch the coasts and prouide for the security of the State with singular vigilancie assuring the Cities good Townes with Bulwarkes Walles and Munition On the contrary Earle Iohn being by the cunning inueigling and suggestions of his brothers professed foes not onely put out of all hope of his releasement but also incensed against him for intending the Crowne to his Nephew Arthur entred into an vnbrotherly attempt against his Soueraigne Lord the summe whereof take in the words of Thomas Walsingham who saith that Iohn with promises allured many to him through the whole Kingdom did carefully and speedily fortifie his holds in England and passing the seas entred into league with the King of the French that he might vtterly put his Nephew Arthur Duke of Britaine from that hope which the Britaines had conceiued of his promotion The Normans giuing any way to his disloiall practises hee swears fealty to Philip King of France his brothers most mortall enemie and also that he would take to wife the Lady Alice King Philips sister though polluted by his owne Father and for that cause reiected by King Richard Out of Normandy he posts into England sollicites Peeres and people and was loyally resisted but hee not quieted so labors to stirre the Scot and Welsh to
Barons and knights to the number of aboue fourescore and ten were taken prisoners by a man of small fortunes Andrew de Herckley Captaine of the City of Carleil and Sir Simon Ward Captaine of Yorke who with great forces out of those parts stopt their farther passage at Burrowbrigge as the Kings forces tooke all safegard from them behind 40 The third day after their apprehension the King in person being set in iudgement at Pontfract and with him Edmund Earle of Kent Aymerie Earle of Pemb◅ke Iohn de Warren Earle of Surrey and among others the Lord Hugh de Spenser the Father as also Hugh Spenser his sonne the Earle of Lancaster was brought before them and had sentence pronounced against him by the said Andrew de Herckley created afterward Earle of Carliel and the Kings Iusticiar the Lord Maplesthorpe as against an Arch-Traitour neuerthelesse for reuerence of his bloud being the Kings neere Kinsman drawing and hanging were remitted vnto him but his head was stricken off the same day without the Towne of Pontfract 41 Nor satisfied herewith the King gaue full way to reuenge putting to shamefull death by drawing hanging and as some write quartering in sundry places all the Barons the Lord Roger D'amarie onely excepted who died of his naturall death with sundry Baronets and Knights taken at Burroughbrig and elsewhere The Lord Badlesmere at whose house this tragicall fire beganne was executed at Canterburie And that so great and mighty a man as Thomas Earle of Lancaster should not seeme to die without a bloudie complement sutable to his condition there were hanged and quartered vpon the same day at Pontefract fiue or sixe Barons and the next day at Yorke were hanged in yron chaines the Lords Clifford Mowbray Dey-uill and others afterward in other places to the number in all though all of them not Barons of twenty and two the chiefest Captaines of the Realme suffered death for their disloyalties Threescore and twelue Knights more were dispersed into sundry prisons who saith De la Moore vpon fines paid had afterward their Liberties 42 As for the said Thomas Earle of Lancaster there are so many reasons why he cannot reasonably be iudged either a good subiect or a good man that we may worthily wonder why some at that time should repute him a Saint Certainely the wise and discreet old Writers are not so opinionated of him but note his priuate life for vicious himselfe to be nothing valorous and of the publike not well deseruing omitting his contumelious behauiours toward the King his Soueraign Lord in his discomforts which as Walsingham forgets not to relate so thinkes he that the like was worthily vsed toward that Earle himselfe who when hee was brought prisoner to Pontfract his owne Castle but then surrendred the whole multitude derided and called him in scorne King Arthur by which name hee was designed as some write in the Scottish Cypher intercepted prouing a conspiracy with Scots but the very shoppe where his and the other Barons original Treasons were forged was the Parliament house wherein from time to time they forced on the King presumptuous and treasonous Ordinations whereby the Peeres challenged not onely to reforme the Kings house and Councell and to place and displace all great Officers at their pleasure but euen a ioint interest in the Regiment of the Kingdome together with the King which William Inge a Iudge of the Common-Law with other like sticklers traiterously perswading them to be according to Law 43 Of his ill deseruings toward the common-Weale who for the good thereof could not disgest any indignity let this bee a kind of demonstration for when King Edward hauing by strait siege brought Berwicke neere to termes of yeelding chanced once to breake forth after his vaine manner into these words The Lord Hugh Spenser shall be captaine of the Castle when it is taken the Earle forthwith with others of his affection abandoned the seruice by reason of which departure it was thought that Berwicke was not as then obtained and that the enemy therby had great aduantage in all their attempts The names of such Barons besides Banerets and some few others of special note as perished by hatchet and halter for this businesse as out of so great variety of Writers wee could now gather them were At Pontfrait Thomas Earle of Lancaster The Lord Warren Lile The Lord William Tochet The Lord Thomas Mandute The Lord Henry de Bradburne The L. Williā Fitz-Williā the yonger The Lord William Cheyney At Yorke The Lord Roger Clifford son of that Robert Lord Clifford who was slaine by the Scots with Gilbert Earle of Gloster at the battell of Banocksbourne in the seruice of this King The Lord Iohn Mowbray The Lord Iosceline Deynuile At Gloster The Lord Iohn Gifford At London The Lord Henrie Teyes At Windsor The Lord Frances de Aldenham At Canterburie The L. Bartholmew de Badlesmere The L. Bartholmew de Ashburnham Neuer did English earth at one time drinke so much bloud of her Nobles in so vile manner shed as at this which whatsoeuer could bee pretended as doubtlesse their offence was capitall yet all was taken to be done as in the quarrell of the Spensers onely nor was it vnreuenged as will appeare in the mean space their enemies not contented with their bloud procured also the confiscation of their estates and inheritances 44 King Edward thinking that this exploit had made him terrible aswell to the Scots as it had done to the English marcheth with a mighty hoast into Scotland from whence not long after for want of victuals hee was compelled to returne without the honor of any atchieuement and being vpon his returne was sodainely by Scots assailed in the night very narrowly escaping in his owne person and with a few saued himself by flight leauing his treasure furniture for pillage and so came sorrowfull to Yorke Iohn de Britain Earle of Richmond was taken prisoner by the enemy and the rest of the Country defaced with destructions as farre as to the wals of that City 45 Thus passed this yeere to the English full of losse reproach and lamentation by reason of their intestine discord and the shambles of their Nobles to the King infamous and hatefull also for his vnfortunate iourney into the Northern parts c. But these bloudy and tempestuous winds blew some to profit for during the space of about fiue yeeres after the fortune of the Spencers hugely encreased and the Queenes decreased who for her relenting toward the Lords expressing some dislikes of these ranckly-growing weeds was grown to beare a share in the persecution And that these with such like violent men working vpon the Kings inclination were the onely Authors of that sharpe reuenge taken vpon the Lords for their particular and inglorious enrichment
the Order you shall finde intabled in our Mappe of Barkeshire 82 Our Edward hauing thus honoured S. Georges memory assigned to his Image mounted in Armour vpon Horsebacke a siluer Shield with a crosse Gules the deare remembrance of his dying Lord and appointed his Souldiers to weare white coats or Iackets with a red Crosse before and behind ouer their Armor that it was not onely a comely but a stately sight to behold the English battels like the rising Sunne to glitter farre off in that pure hew when the Souldies of other Nations in their baser weedes could not bee discerned The glory therefore of this Order seemed such to one no vnlearned Poet that in an Apostrophe to Windsor speaking of the Garter hee breakes forth into these scarse Hyberbolicall verses Cappadocis quanquam sis clara Georgicirc Militia c. Far spreads thy fame wherewith S. Georges knights Hath made thee glorious where rich-robed Peeres Whose manly legs the golden garter dights Combine that light which through all landes appeares That now Burgundians scorne their Fliece of Gold The French th' Escalopt Collar setwith grace Their Crossed weeds Rhodes Elba Alcala hold As worthlesse all macht with thy George are 〈◊〉 83 Let vs not dwell too long in the lesser things It was the moneth of Iulie and King Edward was now vpon the Sea with about a thousand Saile No man is said to know whether he bent his course so well he could trust himselfe and so wisely free his Councels from the possibility of discouerie He went not to warre by rote but by book Wisdome was Herbenger and marshall of his valour who shall say he knew not how to conquer It was not long but he came to anchor in the Hauen of Hogy Saint Vast in Constantine a great cape of land or penile in Normandy His land forces did muster twenty and fiue hundred horse and thirty thousand foote most of which were Archers The lights and glories of his Armie were the Prince of Wales then about sixteene yeers old who was then by his father knighted many braue Earles Lords Knights and expert Chiefs the English going cheerefullie as hauing gotten such a King as answered their warlike dispositions The Earle of Huntington had charge of his Nauy himselfe takes seuere reuenge for the blood of his friends vpon the Norman Townes and people protesting he sacrificed them to Clisson Baro Percie and the rest Their heads were set vpon the chiefe Gate of Carentine for which cause hee slew all that could be found therein and turning the whole town into Cinders gaue it to their funerall He tooke the populous and rich City of Caen with his dreadfull host burning and spoiling round about marched vp almost as farre as the very walles of Paris brauing King Philip so neere 74 Who had not slept all this while but was purueied of one of the fullest armies which euer were seene in France King Edwards people rich with spoile seemed not vnwilling to return They were now in the enemies Country between the two good riuers of Sein and Some for they had passed the Sein at Poissie whose Bridge as all other betweene Roan and Paris had beene broken downe by the French and now notwithstanding any opposition in a short space repaired It was thought fit to seeke passage out of these straights which could not be by Bridges for they were broken by the French This search for passage was by the enemy interpreted a kind of flight and Edward could not but be willing to nourish their temerity to draw them on securely to destruction by such a seeming feare 85 The riuer of Some betweene Albeuille and the Sea at a low water hath a passable and grauelile foord knowne by the name of Blanch Taque this was discouered to him by one Gobin a prisoner But the French King best acquainted in his owne Countrey to empeach this passage had before sent thether a Norman Baron of speciall note one Godmar du Foy and a 1000. thousand horse with at least 6000. foot but Edward whom as obstacles made impetuous so nothing could dismay enters himselfe into the Foord crying He that loues me let him follow me as one that resolued either to passe or die Who can tell the efficacy of such a Generals spirit but they who haue had the happinesse to follow vnder the conduct The passage wan and Du Foy defeated in a manner before he was almost fought with the incomparable courage of his enemies appalling him he brought to King Philip fewer by a paire of thousands then he carried forth besides terrour and an euill signe of that which followed The English who knew not what it meant to run away but were before resolued to liue die with such a Souereigne had reason now much more to resolue the same 86 King Edward was neere to Crescie in the County Ponthieu lying betweene the riuers of Some and Anthy which vnquestionably belonged vnto him in right of his mother there most vigilantly prouides he for his defence King Philip set on fire with this disaster precipitates to battell for accomplishment of Gods anger against France being the rather drawne by the vnruly vanity of his huge multitudes for by what other words doe * an hundred or six-score thousand men deserue to bee caled who neuer left ouer-taking one the other till the view of the English banners and battels put them to stand We professe that the nature of our vndertakings will not brooke descriptions at large you shall haue it as we may that is as remembring that innumerable great atcheiuements rest behind somewhat impatiently attending their relation 87 Therefore the holy name of God first ritely inuocated King Edward without shewing the least signe of perturbation but full of an Heroick assurednesse had ordered his people in three battels with their wings and succours The Vaward disposed into the forme of an Hearse where the Archers stood in front and the men of armes in the bottome was vnder the yong Lyon of Wales Prince Edward and with him many of the prime and sagest Captaines Beauchamp Earle of warwick Godfrey of Harecourt The Lords Stafford Laware Bourchier Clifford Cobham Holland c. In the second battell were The Earles of Northampton and Arundell the Lords Rosse Willoughby Basset Saint Albine Multon c. The third and last battell was commanded in cheife by King Edward himselfe with the residue of his Nobles and people In euery one of these battels beside the wings were a iust proportion of men at armes and Archers but nothing so thinne and few as some of our writers alledge who mention not aboue 9000. all together who were at least thrice as many in their whole numbers and not without need 88 King Edward closed his battels at their back as if he meant to barricado them from flying by felling and plashing of Trees placing his carriages
King is a Parallel There are named to haue been present at this wofull-ioyfull Act Arundel Archbishoppe of Canterburie Richard Scrope Archbishoppe of Yorke Iohn Bishoppe of Hereford Henry Duke of Lancaster who in this serious play must seeme as if hee were but a looker on the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland the Lords Burnell Barckley Ros Willoughby and Abergeuenie the Abbot of Westminster c. 112 In their presence Richard as yet a King and in his Tower of London but not otherwise then as a prisoner reades the Instrument of his surrender with a seeming chearefull countenance as if he were glad the hower was come in which hee might taste what it was to be a priuate man and hauing otherwise first done and said what then he could to put all right out of himselfe subscribes it with his hand but prayes that his Cosen the Duke of Lancaster might succeed him in the regall gouernement and in token that it was his desire for he must seeme to desire what hee could not hinder hee plucked off his Signetring and put it vpon the Dukes finger Then did he constitute the Archbishoppe of Yorke and Bishop of Hereford his Procurators to declare to the whole Body of Parliament what he had done how willingly where euery one except the loyal magnanimous Bishop of Carleol being particularly asked did particularly accept of the resignation Neuerthelesse it was not thought inough to haue his Crowne vnlesse they also published his shame Thirty and two Articles are therefore openly but in his absence read of all which it was said for then men might say what they listed that he had confessed himselfe guilty In the front was placed his abuse of the publike treasure and vnworthy waste of the Crown-land whereby he grew intollerably grieuous to the Subiects The particular causes of the Dukes of Glocester and Lancaster the Archbishop of Canterburie and Earle of Arundel filled sundry Articles They charged him in the rest with dissimulation falshood losse of honour abroad in the world extortions rapine deniall of Iustice rasures and embezelling of Records dishonourable shifts wicked Axiomes of state cruelty couetousnesse subordinations lasciuiousnesse treason to the rights of the Crown periuries and briefly with all sorts of vnkingly vices and with absolute tyranny 113 We may be assured that nothing could then be obiected so vntrue or incredible but would haue gone for current and vndenyable with affections so throughly prepared Hereupon it was concluded that in all those thirty and two Articles hee had broken the Oath of Empire taken at the Coronation al the States of the Kingdom strange that so many should so concurre in disloyalty vnder pretence of equity being asked what they thought did hold that those causes seemed notorious and sufficient to depose King Richard Commissioners were therefore nominated by consent of the whole house to pronounce the sentence of Deposition which were the Bishop of Asaph the Abbot of Glassenbury the Earle of Glocester the Lord Barkly William Thyrning Chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas and some others The forme of pronuntiation was IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN We Iohn Bishop of Saint Asaph Iohn Abbat c. Commissioners specially chosen by the Lords spirituall and temporall of the Realme of England and Commons of the said Realme representing all the States of the said Realme sitting in place of iudgement c. 114 The definitiue sentence of Deposition giuen thus in open Parliament there were further named certaine persons amongst whom William Thirning Chiefe Iustice of the Cōmon Pleas was thoght the fittest man by whose lawlesse mouth that vniust doome should be deliuered to the King and who on the behalfe of the Realme should renounce to the said Richard the fealties and homages heretofore made vnto him and to make relation of the whole manner and causes of their proceedings The Regall seate was now reputed void whereupon Duke Henrie riseth from his place and stands vpright that hee might be seene of the people then signing himselfe with the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and breast and inuocating the name of Christ he challenged the Crown and Realm of England with all the members and appurtenances His words are said to be these In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claime the Realme of England and the Crowne with all the appurtenances as comming by the blood royall from King Henry and by that iustice which God of his grace hath sent to me by the helpe of my kinfolke and friends for recouery of the said Realme which was in point of perdition through default of Gouernment and breach of lawes 115 Which challenge and claime being thus made all the States of the Kingdome doe with one consent grant that the said Lord Duke should reigne ouer them The Archbishop of Canterbury brother to the late Earle of Arundel takes him then by the right hand and the Archbishop of Yorke the late Earle of Wiltshires kinseman being his assistant placeth him in the royall throne with the generall acclamation and applauses of the people Lastly in full complement of the present solemnity the Archbishoppe of Canterburie that we may see how the Diuinity as well as the Law of those times were degenerated into temporizing Policie made a Sermon vpon these words in Samuel A Man shall raigne ouer the People By occasion whereof hee describeth out of the holy Scriptures the happinesse of that Kingdom which is gouerned by a man and the infelicity of those Realmes where a Child whether in age or discretion weeldes the Scepter The euill whereof as they had dangerously felt vnder the late King so they hoped abundantly to enioy the other in King Henry To all which the whole Auditorie ioyously answered Amen Then rose the affable new Monarch among a few other words hee gaue the world to vnderstand that none should thinke hee would as by way of Conquest disinherite any man certaine bad members onelie excepted 116 From henceforth hee was taken for King and all Writs issued and went forth in his name which disorderly matters being orderly related to the deposed Prince in the Tower by Thirning the Chiefe Iustice hee onely vsed these words That hee looked not after such things but quoth he my hope is that after all this my cosen will bee my good Lord and friend The Archbishop otherwise inexcusable in those proceedings yet in his said Sermon seemeth grauely and truly to haue described the cause of this effect for quoth hee the child or insipient which are with him aequiparable drinketh the sweet and delicious words vnaduisedly and perceiueth not intoxication which they beene mingled with till hee bee enuironed and wrapped in all dauger as lately the experience thereof hath beene apparant to all our sights and knowledges and not without the great danger of all this Realme Being thus brought downe to the show and littlenesse of a priuate man wee leaue
Scotland why they should make that a quarrell which was a meere calumnie And to take away all pretence of feare from the Conspirators hee sends to the Earles of Northumberland and Worcester and to the hot Lord Percie a safe conduct vnder his roiall Seale by which he secures their accesse but vnbridled rashnesse saith Walsingham despising the roiall clemencie did put on the rigour of rebellion Meane while the King armes with all speed against the enemie the rather at the counsell of George Earle of Dunbar who like a valiant man at Armes and a wise friend aduised him so to doe before their aduersaries numbers were too mightily augmented The King with his sonne the young Prince of Wales and a very noble fellowship was now aduanced within sight of Shrewsbury as the gallant Percie stood ready to assault the Towne But so soone as the roiall Standard was discouered that enterprise was left off and he drew out his people being about fourteene thousand choice and hardie bodies of men to try the fortune of war against a well tride warrior 35 Peace notwithstanding by the exceeding tendernesse of the King had ensued but that the mischeeuous Earle of Worcester by misreporting and falsifying his Soueraignes words did precipitate his Nephew into sudden battell If there were any praise or good example to bee drawne out of so detested bloodshed as that of ciuill warre we would willingly describe vnto you the order and actions but we cannot too soone passe ouer such mournfull obiects which are rather to bee celebrated with teares then triumphes There is no doubt but Percie Dowglas and the rest fought terrible Why should we admire that in them So doe Lyons Tygers Beares and yet wee admire them not Where was dutie where conscience where the other respects of which onely we are called men Let none of vs honour or imitate them in whose eyes the price of English blood is so vile as that for priuate fansies they can bee content to confound all regards and make sport for common foes with mutuall massacres Therefore wee will content our selues with the knowledge of Gods part in this daies worke who gaue the garland to the King though the first arrowes flew from the Percies Archers 36 The Kings courage was not small in the fight as neither was the danger the yong Prince of Wales also being then first to enter himselfe into the schoole of blood and battell gaue no small hopes of that perfection which afterward shone in him being wounded with an arrow in the face The Lord Percy and Earle Dowglas then whom the wide world had not two brauer Champions in steed of spending themselues vpon the multitude set the point of their hopes vpon killing the King as in whose person they were sure ten thousand fell For this cause they most furiously rushed forward with speares and swords but the noble Earle of Dunbarre discouering their purpose drew the King from the place which he had chosen to make good and thereby in likelyhood for that present saued his life for the Standard royall was ouerthrowne and among other valiant men the Earle of Stafford Sir Walter Blunt the Kinges Knight and the Standard-bearer himselfe was slaine such was the fury of these sodaine thunderbolts That day the Dowglas slew with his owne hands three in the Kings Coat-armour perhaps some in Heralds Coats though Boetius yet saw a fourth Sure it is that manie of the subiects thought the King was slaine and not a few ranne out of the field Who notwithstanding like a valiant Prince did reenforce the fight performing maruels in armes with his owne hands The slaughter could not be small on both sides the Archers shooting so continually and the men of armes doing their vtmost for about the space of three whole houres 37 That which gaue an end to this wofull worke was the death of Hotspur who ryding in the head of the battell in defiance of danger and death was by an vnknowne hand suddenly killed with whose fall as if his whole army had had but one heart the courages of all others fell into feete which now altogether they trusted to But the King abhorring to make farther execution of the misguided multitude suffered them to shift for themselues The Earles of Worcester and Dowglas Sir Richard Vernon the Baron of Kindlaton and diuers others were taken Of the Kings side was slaine besides the Earle of Stafford ten new Knights whose names as dying in an honest cause deserue immortality and were Sir Hugh Shorly Sir Iohn Clifton Sir Iohn Cokain Sir Nicholas Gausel Sir Walter Blunt Sir Iohn Caluerly Sir Iohn Massie Sir Hugh Mortimer Sir Robert Gausell and Sir Thomas Wendesley who dyed of his hurts not long after as most of the other did about the Standard all which fighting for their spurs as being knighted but that morning bought them with the honourable losse of their whole bodies there were also slaine many Esquires Gentlemen and about one thousand and fiue hundreth common souldiers besides three thousand sorely wounded On the other part omitting that second Mars the Lord Percy who drew a ruine after him sutable to his Spirit and greatnesse there fell most of all the Esquires and Gentlemen of Cheshire to the number of two hundred and about fiue thousand common souldiers This battell was stricken neere to Shrewsbury vpon a Saturday the one and twentieth of Iuly and the Eue of Saint Marie Magdalen 38 The Earle of Worcester the seducer and destroier of his noble Nephew Hotspur and therefore if but for that very worthy to haue dyed Sir Richard Vernon Knight and the Baron of Kinderton had their heads cut off vpon the Monday following Hotspurres body had beene buried by permission but vpon other aduise the King caused it to be drawne out of the graue beheaded quartered and the parts sent into diuers Citties of the Kingdome The Earle of Northumberland pretending to come with forces to the Kings aide was empeached by the Earle of Westmorland and Robert Waterton who had raised a great host Northumberland taking neither of them for friend wheeles about and returnes to his Castle of Warkworth But what can be secure to a subiect against the victorious armie of a martiall King The Earle knew as much manifestly feeling the irrecouerable maimes of his house in the losse of his sonne and brother and therefore shaped his course accordingly The King therefore being altogether as prudent as fortunate hauing setled the state ofthings in the Marches about Shrewsbury sets forward to the City of Yorke from thence to take order for such perils as he foresaw might happen He setled himselfe the more seriouslie and entirelie to this needfull worke for that his Ambassadors had effected an abstinence from warre with France till the first of March which pausing space though it might seeme little was not a little welcome to the King the Realme of England being then
Christian or Heathen in the quarrell of his faith the King and Councell onely excepted This notwithstanding could not be suffered but needes must he appeare before the Archbishop his Iudge where after diuers examinations in all which hee most religiously iustified himself his profession he was condemned of Heresie and committed Prisoner vnto the Tower of London whence shortly he escaped and got into Wales Vpon which escape great feares were conceiued especially of the Clergy the causers of his troubles and mortall Enemies to him his welwillers for the king was confidently but as it seemeth malitiously informed that Oldcastle with his adherents laid for his life that in S. Giles Fields neere vnto Holborne twenty thousand were to assemble in hostile manner with an intent to destroy the Monasteries of Westminster Saint Albans all the religious houses in London and the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paules The King therefore in person himselfe after midnight with a great Army came into these fields where if wee will beleeue their professed enemies fourescore of that faction were apprehended who sayd they came to seeke the Lord Cobham But as the answerer of Copus from more ancient times hath obserued that in daies of persecution such assemblies often had beene made to heare the Gospell preached which otherwise they could not enioy so in this place then ouergrowne with bushes and vnfit for battell those few were in likelyhood assembled vnto Iohn Beuerly agodly man their Preacher without any intent of treason hauing for their Chieftaines no greater persons then Sir Roger Acton a Knight of no great account a Minister and a malt man But their Apologies we leaue to others onely the Lord Cobham could not be found though the King by Proclamation had promised a thousand markes to his taker besides many liberties to the City or Towne that would disclose him whereby saith Walsing it may be ghessed that the whole Kingdome well neere embraced his opinions which that Fryar cals his madnesse Thirty seauen of that assembly were condemned whereof seauen were consumed with fire and strangled Acton Beuerley and Murly were likewise executed 16 As the zeale of this King is much commended for his fauours towards his Clergy so is his Princely pittie in the commiseration of young Percies distresse whose father Hotspur slaine at Shrewsbury as we haue said and hee by his Grandfather sent into Scotland for security was there notwithstanding deteined a Prisoner for that Iames their King was forcibly kept in England by Henrie and as they tooke it against all Iustice. But fit occasion being offered for young Percies release and exhcange made betweene him and Alrede sonne of Robert Duke of Albany who had beene taken prisoner at the Battell of Halidon the king restored him not only in blood and to grace in his Court but also inuested his person with the Title and State of his Grandfather to his owne no little honour and faithfull seruice attained of that honourable family 17 Vpon Archbishop Arundels death starued by famine as wee haue said * Henry Chicheley a stout Champion also against Wicliffes doctrine was with the Kings consent by the Monkes of Canterbury elected their Archbishop which the politicke Elect neither accepted nor refused but left it to the will and pleasure of the Pope who first tooke snuffe that it so farre proceeded without his direction yet was soone pacified by Chicheleys submission and as saith mine Author with other Gratulations besides The man though not so rich by birth as Arundle was yet as strong for the Clergy and more gratious with his Prince as the sequele proued 18 The first assaies of both was made knowne in a Parliament holden at Leicester where in a Bill exhibited complaint was made that the temporall Lands giuen to religious houses and spirituall persons for deuotion were either superfluous or disorderly spent whose reuenues if better imploied would suffice for the defence of the Land and honor of the king fifteene Earles fifteene hundred knights sixe thousand two hundred Esquires and one hundred Almes-houses for the reliefe of impotent and diseased persons and vnto the kings Coffers twentie thousand pound by yeere Which Bill saith Hall made the fat Abbots to sweat the proud Priors to frowne the poore Friers to curse the silly Nunnes to weepe and indeed all her Merchants to feare that Babell would downe 19 To stop the breach of which searching spring no better meanes could be found then to diuert the Parliament with other businesses and to driue other proiects into the kings minde whose head as this new Archbishoppe there tolde him had the best right to the Crowne of France for not onlie the Dutchies of Normandy Aquitaine and Aniou the Counties of Gascoigne Maine and the rest were his lawfull though vnlawfullie detained inheritance but therewithall the whole Realme of France as true heire vnto his great Grandfather king Edward the third and vnto Philip the faire in right of his mother Queene Isabell the only daughter and Child liuing of the said French king As for the law Salique alleaged against the English claime he affirmed that Text touched only those parts in Germany which lay betwixt the riuers Elbe and Sala conquered by king Charles the great who placing his French there to inhabite for the dishonest liues of those Germaine women made this law In terram Salicam Mulieres ne succedant which the Glosse did falsly expound for the whole kingdome of France Whose practise notwithstanding he shewed to be the contrary by many experiences both in king Pepin which deposed Childericke by the claime of heire Generall as descended of Blithild daughter to Clothair the first and by Hugh Capet who vsurping the Crowne vpon Charles Duke of Lorraine the sole heire male of that line from Charles the great to make his claime good which indeed was starke naught deriued himselfe as heire to the Lady Lingard daughter to Charlemaine sonne to Lewis the Emperour that was sonne to Charles the great King Lewis also called the Saint who was the heire to the vsurper Hugh Capet could not bee satisfied in conscience how he might iustly keepe and possesse the Crowne of France till he was fully instructed that Isabell his Grandmother was lineally descended of the Lady Ermengard daughter and heire to the aboue named Charles Duke of Lorraine by the which marriage the blood and line of Charles the great was againe vnited and restored to the Crowne of France Whereby said the Archbishop it most manifestly appeared that the title of Pepine the Claime of Capet the possession of Lewis yea of the French Kings themselues to this day deriue their onely rights from the heires female and that this pretended Law Salique was but a shifting deuise to debarre the English Kings from the claime of the French Crown Which exclusion howsoeuer they pretend to bee right yet the law of God
accesse was by the French committed to Prison whereat King Henry most iustly conceiued a grudge Paulus Aemilius their owne Story-writer saith that Henry King of England sent honorable Ambassadors to demand in marriage the Lady Katherine daughter vnto the French King which as he saith was neglected with this answere that the King had no leasure to thinke on that businesse whom Franciscus Rosienius doth further inlarge saying the King scornefully smiling answered that France was neither destitute of Dukes nor hee at leasure to thinke of the Proposition and being iealous lâ—…st Burgoigne would match his daughter with Henry sent him a command to the contrary and again at their Conclusion of peace expresly enioyned the said Duke and all other Princes of the bloud not to make any alliance of mariage with England wherby K. Henry was further exasperated against France And lastly by his counsell and conference vpon the Archbishops Oration sent a Summons and demand of the Dutchies of Normandy Aquitaine Guyen Aniou in derision whereof as Caxton recordeth the Dolphin of France sent him a Tunne of Tennis Bals as Bullets most fit for his tender hands who had spent his youth as he thought more among Rackets then regard of his person or matters of State so forward is man to be an Actor in common miseries when the Fates haue made the Subiect of the Scene Tragicall that hee drawes the hand of Destinie sooner to strike and heauier to fal vpon that proiect decreed to bee east downe for by these disdains and vnprincely dealings the Crowne of France was graspt by the English hard hand and that faire soile stained with her Natiues owne bloud for the Present receiued as it was sent had promise to bee repayed with balles of more force whose stroke should bee such as the strongest gates of Paris should not be rackets sufficient to bandy the rebound 26 Grudges thus growne and warres in preparing the French thought it fittest to make Scotland their friend whom they incited to molest the English Marches which accordingly was done and that with such violence as it was a question decideable whether of the Kingdoms was first to be dealt with Westmerland thought it safest to checke the Scots as the neerer and continuall backe-friends But Excester held it better policy to beginne with France the stronger especially now disquieted through the factions of Burgundy and Orleance and vnto this the most voices gaue way whose forwardnes was such that the Clergy granted a Tenth and the temporall Lords their aides to the King as followeth The Earles Northumberland 40 men at Armes 120 Archers a peece Westmerland The Earles Warwicke 20. men at Armes and 40. Archers a peece Stafford The Earle of Suffolke a shippe 20. men at Arms and 40. Archers The Earle of Abergaueny 20. men at Armes and 20. Archers The Lords Louell A shippe 20. men at Armes and 40. Archers a peece Barkley Powis Camois S. Iohn Burrell The Lords Fitzwater Halfe a shippe 20 men at Armes and 40. Archers a peece Darcie Seymour Rosse Willoughbie The Lord Morley 6. men at Armes and 12. Archers The Lords Scales Proffered to attend the King in their persons without entertainement Randolph The whole number thus granted and appointed amounted to of Men at Armes 346 Archers 552 Ships 9½ To put back the Scots Sir Robert Vmfreuile was sent who in a skirmish vpon Mary Magdalens day tooke 360 of them prisoners and with great spoile returned to Rocksborough Castell whereof hee had charge the news whereof K. Charles vnderstanding and the great preparation made against France being better aduised vpon the dangerous euent sent his Ambassadors into England whereof the Archbishoppe of Bourges was principall who at Winchester made offer of money and some other Territories but none of the best with the Princesse Lady Katherine to be giuen in marriage vnto King Henry so that he would dissolue his Armie and conclude a peace To this Oration the Archbishoppe of Canterburie made answere that his King demanded the Dutchies of Aquitaine and Aniou with the other Seigniories anciently appertaining to his Progenitors the Kings of England which as they were his most rightfull and lawfull inheritance so would hee with all possible diligence endeauour if not otherwise by fire sword to recouer which his assertion the King himselfe in presence confirmed 27 But Burges the Archbishoppe presuming more vpon his Prelacy then respectiue vnto whom hee spake with an vnreuerend boldnesse liberty obtained seconded his Ambassage with the termes of an Herauld and with bended browes thus spake to the King Thinkest thou ô King wrongfully to put downe and destroy the most Christian the most renowned and the most excellent King of all Europe both in bloud and preheminence or thinkest thou that our mighty Soueraigne Charles hath offered thee lands summes of money and possessions with his most beautifull daughter either in feare of thee of thy English Nation or of all thy well-willers whomsoeuer I tell thee no but moued in pitty as a louer of peace and to saue the shedding of christian bloud hath made thee these offers his cause being supported by equity and truth God and his good Subiects he trusteth will set a period soone to thy quarrell Wee therefore his Ambassadors demand thy safe conduct to passe out of thy Realme and that thou wilt write thine answere and send it vnder thy seale 28 Henry no whit daunted with his big looks and words answered the Archbishoppe with milder and better set termes My Lord said he I little esteeme of your gallant brauadoes and lesse weigh your imagined power or French bragges I know my owne right to your Region and so doe your selues vnlesse you will deny a most apparant truth the strength of your Master you dayly see but mine as yet you haue not tasted he you say hath many louing subiects and friends and God be thanked I haue both as well affected to mee with which ere long I hope to make the highest crowne in your Country to stoope and the proudest Miter to kneele downe And say to the Vsurper your Master that within this three monethes I will enter France not as into his land but as into mine owne lawfull patrimonie entending to conquer it not with bragging words nor flatteâ—…ing orations but by power and dint of sword through Gods assistance in whom I trust and I assure you I will not speake the word the which I will not write and subscribe nor will I subscribe to that to which I willingly will not set my seale Therefore your safe conduct shall bee dispatched and mine answere in writing deliuered which once receiued you may depart into your Country when I trust sooner to visite you then that you shal haue cause to bid me welcome 29 The Statute enacted the first of his raigne hee now put in execution and commaunded the French out of his land according to that made the
13. of Richard 2. which disabled the Alien Religious to enioy any Benefices within England and now fearing to nourish a snake in his bosome King Henry forbad the French from all preferments Ecclesiasticall and those Priors Aliens conuentual who had institution and induction to put in security not to disclose or cause to be disclosed the counsell nor secrets of the Realme and that the French might hold his dealings honourable and open hee sent Antilop his purseuant at Armes vnto King Charles with letters of defiances next making Queene Ioan his mother in Law the Regent of the land he drew his forces vnto Southampton commaunding his followers there to attend him in readinesse by the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist ensuing 30 Charles the French King expecting present inuasion sent his Ambassadors vnto Iohn the sixt Duke of Britain who had married his daughter with an hundred thousand Crowns to leuie forces for his aide and a Iewell worth fiue thousand Crownes more to himselfe which the Duke promised to come in person to performe And as it is reported King Charles sent to Scrope Grey and Cambridge all three in especiall fauour with the King a million of gold to betray Henry into his hands or to murther him before hee should arriue in Normandy These to make their faction stronger though Scroope was Lord Treasurer Grey a Priuie Councellour Cambridge the sonne of Edmund Duke of Yorke meant to draw in Edmund Earle of March the sonne of Roger Mortimer and lineally the heire vnto Lionell Duke of Clarence the next in succession for the house of Yorke and reuealing their intended purpose forced him to sweare to their secresie which if hee refused they threatned his death whereupon he required but an howres respite which hardly granted he went to the King and reuealed the conspiracie euen the night before the day that hee meant to put to sea 31 The parties apprehended and brought before him in presence of many nobles King Henry thus spake With what horrour O Lord may anie true English heart consider that you for pleasing of a forreine enemy should imbrue your hands in our blood as also in the blood of our brethren to the ruine of your owne natiue soile reuenge herein touching my person though I seeke not yet for the safegard of you my deare friends and for due preseruation of the Realme I am by place and office to minister remedy against these Offenders Get you hence therefore you miserable wretches to receiue the iust reward of your deserts wherein God giue you repentance for your so foule sinnes 32 Notwithstanding this their offence their inditement as it standeth in the Record includes matter of other quality that Richard Earle of Cambridge of Conesburgh in the County of Yorke and Thomas Grey of Heton in the Countie of Northumberland Knight for that they in the twentieth of Iuly and third of King Henry the fifts raigne at Southampton had conspired together with a power of men to haue lead away the Lord Edmund Earle of March into Wales and to haue procured him to take the Gouernment of the Realme in case that King Richard the second were dead with a purpose to haue put forth a Proclamation in the name of the said Earle as heire to the Crowne against King Henry by the name of Lancaster vsurper and further to haue conuayed a Banner of the Armes of England and a certaine Crowne of Spaine set vpon a Pallet layd in gage to the sayd Earle of Cambridge into Wales As also that the said conspirators had appointed certaine into Scotland to bring thence one Trumpington and another resembling in shape fauour and countenance King Richard And Henrie Scroope of Masham in the Countie of Yorke was likewise indited as consenting to the Premisses Thus well appeared their purpose though Richard Earle of Cambridge considering the possibility of his owne issue had secretly carried that businesse whose sorrowfull letter of his owne hand writing as it came to ours we thinke not amisse here to insert Most dreadfull and Soueraigne Liege Lord I Richard Yorke your humble subiect and very Leigeman beseech you of grace of all manner of offences which I haue 〈◊〉 or assented vnto in any kind by stirring of other folke egging me vnto wherein I wot well I haue highly offended to your Highnesse beseeching you at the reuerence of God that you like to take mee into the hands of your mercifull and piteous grace thinking yee will of your 〈◊〉 goodnes my Leige Lord my full trust is that you will hauâ—… consideration though that my person be of none valew your high goodnesse where God hath set you in sâ—… high estate to euery Leigeman that you longeth plent 〈◊〉 to â—…ue that you like to accept this my simple request for the loue of our Lady and the blessed holy Ghost to whom I pray that they moue your heart euer to all pittie and grace for their high goodnes Notwithstanding this his humble petition vpon the sixt of August following hee with Scroope and Grey were beheaded and his body with head enterred in the Chappell of Gods-house in South-hampton whose apprehensions arraignements and deaths were so followed each after others as the French knew not but that the treason had successe and their returned Ambassadours told it for certaine that King Henry had either dismissed his Army or which was thought more true himselfe was slaine by the Conspirators so easie an entrance hath babling report into the wide eares of credulous desire 33 But King Henrie now ready to embarke his men vpon Wednesday the seauenth of August with fifteene hundred Saile tooke to Seas attended with sixe thousand speares and twenty foure thousand footmen besides Gunners Enginers Artificers and Labourers a great number and the fifteenth of the same month cast Anchor in the mouth of Seyne at a place called Kideaux about three miles from Harflew where he landed his men and falling deuoutly vpon his knees desired Gods assistance to recouer his right making Proclamation vpon paine of death that Churches should be spared from all violence of spoile that Churchmen women and Children should not be hurt abused or wronged then giuing the order of Knighthood to many of his followers hee assigned his Standards to men of most strength and courage which done he tooke the hill neere adioyning and thence sent his spiall to the Towne of Harflew making that the first assay of his fortunes in France But before we enter any further discourse in the affaires of that Kingdome it shall not be amisse to speake of things commenced in England before that King Henry tooke to the Seas 34 The Churches throughout Christendome hauing beene disquieted the space of twentie nine yeers and now growne intollerable through the schismaticall ambitions maintained by three Papall Monarchs mounted into Saint Peters seate each of them grasping the Chaire with so fast a fist that the ioints thereof
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
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
Philip Duke of burgundy the Duke of Guelders the Earle of Nassau the Bishoppe of Cambray Count Vernambâ—…urg the Bishoppe of Leige fiue other great Earles besides the Deputies of many his best Townes sufficient to shew that though hee was in title but a Duke yet that his greatnesse was equall to a King When it came to communication the English being also in possession vrged farther for themselues the right of descent and the act of Charles the sixth father to this Charles by which act the Crowne of France was setled vpon Henry the fifth and the issue of the Lady Katherine his wife and therefore they propounded no other condition of peace but that Henry their King might haue all and Charles to hold of him The French offered Normandie and Guien There ended the hope of agreement betweene them for neither party would accept King Charles therefore resoluing to maime the English faction vpon any termes how base soeuer sends Duke Philip a blanke bids him therin to prescribe his owne conditions and demands he did so and his Conditions were so vnreasonable and so many euen a great volume full saith a French man as it is strange so great a Monarch should stoope so much to his subiect and vâ—…ssall but that necessity hath no law They ioine hereupon most firmely and the Duke a man wholy transported by profite declares himselfe a publike enemie to all the enemies of King Charles and friend to all his friends This was the first parting stroke which seuered the French Dominions from the English Soueraignty the euent declared that the English had done more wisely if they had accepted Normandy and Guyen but as the case stood then they could not in honour doe it and Councels are not to bee measured by euents for so the most foolish may sometimes passe for prudent King Henry not onely lost now hereby a most needfull friend but was compelled to relie vpon his single strengthes aswell against King Charles his naturall enemie as against the Duke of Burgundie who plainely seemed to haue betrayed the cause To set a glosse vpon this fact the Duke dispatcheth Ambassadors into England to King Henry who as Aemylius erroneously saith was present at this treaty of Arras to make known the reasons of his peace with King Charles and to perswade the King to entertaine the same This Ambassage was so odious to the English that they forbare not to call the Duke a deceitfull man a turn-seruer a periured person and a Traitor 24 The popular hatred also was such against the Dukes Subiects resiant in London that they were beaten and slaine many of them before the furie thereof could be stayed by Proclamation The Ambassadors returne with honest admonitions to their Master against which his eares and senses were strongly mured for King Charles had set about them as it were a Barricado of royalties priuiledges honours money Cities Townes and whole Prouinces which he confirmed to the Duke onely to withdraw him from vs. The whole Counties of Aâ—… Erre Ponthieu Bolein Artois the towne of Abbâ—…lle and other lands the Cities and Townes in Picardy vpon the water of Soâ—…e Amiens Corbie Perâ—…n S. Quintin but these last as it were in gage till foure hundreth thousand Crownes were satisfied Briefly what not the Charity of King Charles was so feruent to make the Duke of Burgundy a true Frenchman once againe hee paide so deare for it that wee may thinke him worthy to obtaine his desire yet was it worth his cost for Aemylius saith most truly that the ceasing of that indignation did redeeme the French from a forraine gouernment as the first assuming thereof had made the English Lords ouer France But howsoeuer the high and iust displeasure which this Prince tooke for the wicked murther of his father aboundantly satisfied-for by this treatie moued him first to embrace the English amity hee afterward most subtilely conuerted the reuenge by way of taking amends to the enlargement of his proper riches power and amplitude After his Ambassadors returned hee sends backe all contracts to the Duke of Bedford at Paris and renounceth the alliance of England with a watch-word that euery one should looke to himselfe 25 Each man hereupon saith Serres sharpens his sword and scoures his Armes to recouer that by force which they could not obtaine by reason Serres might better haue said reasoning All things certainly fauoured the French designes for this was the generall estate of the English affaires King Henry scarce out of his Child-hood and when he came to mans age not Man enough to manage so turbulent occurrents the Princes of the blood weakely vnited in loue for the common good the Protector vigilant ouer England the Regent carefull for France but both priuately enuied Richard Duke of Yorke whose strenghts daily increased which in time he meant nothing lesse then to vse for the benefit of King Henry ambitiously reseruing himselfe for a deare day most of the great warriours slaine and in briefe a great inability for want of a Soule willing and fit to looke so sterne and dismall aduentures in the face through the whole body of the English forces which though otherwise they might haue lingred out the warre and kept their footing yet the death of the great Duke of Bedford Regent of France doubled the difficulty or rather the impossibility In taking this triumphant Peere away God made it manifest that he held the English vnworthy and vnfit to continue their Empire among the French any longer This Prince not long after this reuolt of Duke Philip died at Paris vncertaine to some whether through griefe of the euils he foresaw or other malady But the Analogy and colour of his whole former life doth contradict their conceit who think that such a grief should determine his daies because it could not but proceed from a kind of feare and despaire an humor absolutely opposite to Magnanimitie wherein hee abounded How mighty a Prince he was this his style sheweth Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alanson and Aniou Earle of Maine Richmond and Kendale and Constable of England But which excelleth his greatnes he was one of the best Patriots and Generals that euer blossomed out of the roiall Rosiar of England His valour was not more terrible to the enemy then his memory honorable For doubtfull whether with more glorie to him then to the speaker Lewis the eleuenth being afterwards counselled by certaine enuious persons to demolish and deface his stately Tombe wherein with him * saith one was buried all the Englishmens good fortune in France which was erected ouer his body in the Northside of the high Altar in our Ladies Church at Roan vsed these indeed most Princely words 26 What honor shall it be to vs or you to breake this Monument and to pull out of the ground the bones of him dead whom in his life-time neither my father
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
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
vndoubtedly sincere and true was wonderfully great among all good Englishmen who flocked to the publike celebration thereof For vpon our Ladies day in Lent a solemne procession was made within the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul in London where the King adorned with Crowne and robes of maiestie went in person before whom went hand in hand the Duke of Sommerset and the Earle of Salisburie the Duke of Excester and the Earle of Warwicke and so of either faction one and one and behind the King himselfe came the Queene and Duke of Yorke with great familiarity in all mens sights O religion ô honour ô sinceritie that your diuine vertue should not haue contained these spirits in the harmonie of sweet obedience but if you could not what alas should England must be more seuerely scourged then that so goodly a blessing of publike reconciliation should continue whereby the proud tops of her nation offensiue to God and men being taken off the way might be opened to other names or races which as yet were nothing thought on 70 There is no reason to doubt but that the Duke of Yorke a man of deepe retirement in himselfe secretly continued his purpose for the Crowne notwithstanding all these his vernished pretences and did only therfore not as then put for it because he presumed the time was incommodious Againe the Queene true head and life of the contrary part aswell in regard of her selfe her husband and young sonne may in likelihood be thought to haue laid downe any thing rather then the wakefulnesse and iealousie which former perils and the enemies present strength might worthily keepe aliue in her The thinne ashes therefore which couered these glowing coles were thus againe first vnraked and set to blaze 71 The King and manie of the Lords still being at Westminster there hapned or perhaps was plotted a fray betweene one of the Kings seruants and a follower of the Earle of Warwicke who hurt the Kings seruant Hereupon his fellowes of all sorts as Cookes with their spits c in great disorder assaile the Earle himselfe as he was comming from the Councell and had there slaine him but that the euill fate of England and his owne reserued him to doe and suffer greater mischiefes The Earle hardly gets to his Barge and reputing all things vnsure about the King gets ouer to his place at Calleis The Yorkists directly charge the Queene with this as with a plot drawne for the Earles destruction Not long after this the young Duke of Sommerset is sent Captaine to Calleis Warwicke will resigne no roome notwithstanding the Kings command alleaging he was made by Parliament Sommerset is reiected with danger to his person Warwicke partly maintains himselfe and such as stucke to him in that charge with spoiles which he got at Sea How lawfullie it appeares not though Warwicke is said to haue been Admirall by Patent though now reuoked The Ordinarie bookes haue that he with foureteene faile of men of warre set vpon three Caricks of Gene or Genoa and two of Spaine greater then the Caricks three of which Merchant-fleete which how they should be lawfull prize we see not he vanquished after two daies fight with the losse of about an hundreth men of his owne and a thousand of theirs The bootie was worth at meane rates ten thousand pounds such also as followed the Duke of Sommerset comming into his hands he beheaded at Calleis These were strange darings in the Earle of Warwicke whom yet the vnskilfull and drunken multitude so highly praise but what are these in regard of them which will presentlie follow 72 The Duke of Yorke in the meane time and Warwicke with his father the Earle of Salisbury the Triumuirs of England consult of their affaires Salisburie is resolued with sword in hand to expostulate the danger and iniury offered to his sonne at Westminster The Queene a Lady of incomparable magnanimity and foresight confident in this that now King Henry or the Duke of Yorke must perish and that one Kingdome was not wide enough for both their Families bestirres her selfe to maintaine the possession of a Crowne and to aduance to the same her owne flesh and bloud Prince Edward by ruining his house whose whole building consisted of Lancastrian beneficence She consults she sends she speakes she giues and strengthneth her selfe with friends on all sides chiefly in Cheshire causing her sonne to distribute siluer swannes his badge or deuise to all the Gentlemen of that County and to many other through England Salisbury sets forward from his Castell at Middleham with foure or fiue thousand men Iames Touchet Lord Audeley encounters him vnaduisedly vpon Blore-heath neere Muckelstone The fight was long and bloudy but in the end K. Henries euill fortune gaue the better of the day to the Earle of Salisbury where besides the valiant Lord Audeley himselfe were slaine not fewer then two thousand and foure hundreth but the chiefe losse fel vpon the Cheshire men who ware the Princes Liuerie 73 The Earle of Salisbury in this sort opened to himselfe a way to Ludlow where the head of their combination Richard Duke of Yorke busied himself to gather forces being met they conclude that seeing the matter was now become deadly they would deale in cloudes no longer but fight it out to the extremity Men are drawne out of all parts with large hopes promises of sharing in their fortunes and the Earle of Warwicke bringing with him from Caleis which he left with his friends that valiant Captaine Andrew Trolop and a band of stout and choise Souldiers comes to the generall Rendeuoâ—… of the Yorkists the Castell of Ludlow The King in the meane space and not before it was need and time hath assembled a great puissance of faithfull Subiects and being attended with the Dukes of Sommerset and Excester and other of his chiefe friends marcheth against his enemies His first worke was to offer them generall pardon It is refused and called by them a staffe of reede or glasse Buckler The sword must decide the quarrels wherupon the king commands his Standards to aduance while he was in his March a letter fraught with the wonted hypocrisies is deliuered to the King There are in it among many other insinuations these also Most Christian King right high and Mighty Prince and our most dread Soueraigne Lord c. Wee sent vnto your good grace by the Prior of the Cathedral Church of Worcester and diuers other Doctors and among other by M. William Linwood doctor of Diuinity which ministred vnto vs seuerally the blessed Sacrament of the body of Iesus whereupon wee and euery of vs deposed of our said truth and duty 74 Thus these prophane and ambitious men play with God who in the end will seuerely bee auenged on them for their impietie but the letter made no ouerture of any course vpon which they would yeeld to lay downe Armes alleadging they wold but make
for their liues whom he most opprobriously reuiled in the termes of a Traitor with his Battell-axe stroke his brains out of his head when presently Glocester and after him the King entred the Trench wherein all of the Queenes part went to wracke for there were slaine in this battell on her side Iohn L. Sommerset Iohn Courtney Earle of Deuonshire the Lord Wenlocke in manner as wee haue said Sir Iohn Delues Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir Iohn Lewkener with three thousand others besides 72 Among them that fled Prince Edward was one whome Sir Richard Crofts apprehended before hee got to Tewkesbury but Edmund Duke of Sommerset Iohn Longstrother Prior of Saint Iohns many Knights and Esquiers tooke Sanctuary in the Abbey and other places of the Towne notwithstanding they were taken forth and arraigned before Richard Duke of Glocester who that day sate Constable of England where they were condemned and had iudgement of death which they immediatelie suffered vpon a Scaffold set vp in the Town With these two Lords died twelue worthy Knights besides others of inferior degrees 73 Then was Proclamation made for the apprehension of Prince Edward promising to his taker an annuitie of an hundred pounds during his life if the Prince were liuing his life to be spared vpon which promises Sir Richard Crofts presented young Edward vnto the King whom with a sterne countenance hee a while beheld and as sternely demanded how he durst so presumptuously with Banner displayed enter into his Realme wherunto the Prince made this reply to recouer said hee my fathers Kingdomes and his most rightfull inheritance possessed by his Father and Grandfather and from him immediately belonging vnto me how darest thou then which art his Subiect display thy colour against him thy Liege-Lord which answere moued King Edward so much as with his Gantlet hee dashed the Prince on his mouth whom Richard Duke of Glocester with others of the kings seruans most shamefully murthered euen in his presence and at his feete whose body was buried without all solemnity among other poore and meane persons in the church of the Monastery of the Blacke-Fryers in Tewkesburie 74 Queene Margaret in this fatall day of battell fled towards Worcester and by the way tooke into a poore religious house in that her present distresse but three dayes after shee was apprehended and brought vnto Worcester to King Edward who committed her to sure and straite keeping in which City she a while remained But sodain news brought him that the Northern men were in Armes and meant to aduenture for her liberty the Conquerour marched to Couentrie and there made preparation further to proceed which when these hote spirits pefectly vnderstood their courages grew colder their weapons cast away they came thronging to Edward to offer him subiection yet the Lancastrians were not so minded but rather inâ—…ended once more to trie whether fortune would afford them her smile 75 A fitte instrument they had to forward the enterprise namely Thomas Neuill bastard Fanconbridge sonne of Lord Fanconbridge Earle of Kent a great supporter of King Edwards Crowne howbeit this Bastard being a man of a turbulent spirit and forward for action Earle Warwicke had made him his Admirall to keepe the narrow seas that none should haue way to strengthen King Edward which his office he executed beyond his Commission and became a taker of all Merchants goods being aided with 300. Malecontents from Calleis 76 His enterprise desperate and his name growne fearefull at sea hee meant to make it no lesse on the land for putting in at Douer many misgouerned and loose persons dayly drew to him so as his power grew to bee seuenteene thousand strong with these through Kent he made his way towards London meaning to doe much the land so molested with intestine warres and lodging his hoast on the Southside of London commanded the Citizens to giue him accesse that with King Henry whom hee meant to release from the Tower he might passe through their streetes to meet and encounter the vsurping Edward But the Londoners knowing the rudenesse of these Rakehels kept their gates shut and garded the same with sufficient strengthes whence some Lords of the royall bloud therein residing sent vnto Edward of their present danger who presently sent them fifteene hundred of his best Souldiers after whom in person hee warily marched leading with him his prisoner Queene Margaret whose bounds hee well knew gaue him the full scope of liberty 77 Fauconbridge in the meane while thirsting after spoile with his shippes secured the Thamesis aboue S. Katherines purposing with his land Forces to passe the Riuer at Kingston but hearing that Edward was on his March and fearing to bee cut off from the benefite of his ships hee altered his mind when to open his way into London hee caused the Bridge to bee fiered and three thousand of his men being set ouer Thamesis by his ships diuided themselues into two Companies the one assaying to enter at Algate and the other at Bishopsgate both which they likewise set on fire so that the Citie was in three places fired and assaulted at once but with such euill successe to the assailants that seuen hundred were slaine and the bold Bastard driuen to his ships 78 Vpon the twentieth of May the Conquerour Edward with his Captiue Queen Margaret entred London and so into the Tower the one in pomp commanding the place at his pleasure the other in teares to remaine a most pensiue prisoner where her husband the downcast King Henry was kept in hard durance The place being thus charged with the presence of two Kings and their Queens the Crokebacke of Glocester intended to cleare by taking him away that stood in his brothers way whose successor as is thought hee then meant to bee and making his inward mind more deformed then were his outward lineaments without regard of bloud-defiled hands stabbed the most innocent Henry to the heart with his dagger in which act at once beganne the ones happy rest and the others foule guilt which accompanied his conscience to the day of his death 79 The body of this murthered King was vpon the Ascention Eue laide in an open Coffin and from the Tower guarded with many bils and glaues was so carryed through the streetes vntâ—… 〈◊〉 Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul where it rested vncouered one day and beganne to bleed againe afresh a sorrowfull spectacle to most of the beholders and thence was it carried to the Blacke-Fryers Church where it likewise lay bare faced and bled as before all men being amazed at the sorrowfull sight and lastly it was put in a boat without Priest Clerke Torch or Taper singing or saying and was ferried vnto the Abbey of Chertsey in Surrey there without pompe enterred But afterwards King Henry the seuenth translated his body vnto his Castle of Windsor
of the French King his Master who should more fully informe his Maiestie and giue his safe-conduct for a further conference in these affaires and so wisely this counterfeit worded his message that the King and Nobles liked well the ouerture and thereupon granting a safe-conduct sent with him an English Herauld to receiue the like and other assignements from the French King 94 But when the Duke of Burgundy vnderstood that a peace was trauersed betwixt Edward Lewis he stormed not a little and with no small hast from Lutzenburgh accompanied with sixteene horse only came to his brother King Edward and in a great rage reproued him of breach of promise and vncourteous requitall of his former kindnes that thus would enter amity with his great foe and in outward semblance more ready to bite then to barke burst into these reproofes Haue you quoth hee brother passed the Seas entred France and without killing of a poore flie or burning of a silly Sheepecote taken a shamefull truce Oh S. George did Edward your noble Ancestor euer make Armie into France and returned without battell or Conquest That victorious Prince King Henry the fifth as neere of kinne vnto you as me whose blood you haue either rightfullie or wrongfully God knoweth extinguished and destroied with a small puissance conquered Normandy kept it and neuer would come to composition till he had the whole kingdome of France offrâ—…d him and was made heire apparant vnto that Crowne Contrariwise you without any thing done proffer of battell or gaine of honor haue now condiscended vnto a pâ—…ce as profitable for Englâ—… â—…s is a poore peascod haue I thinke you for my particular vse drawne the English forces into France which am able of my selfe to defend mine owne cause I tell you plainly no but rather to aid you to recouer your ancient Territories wrongfully withholden and that you shall wel know I need not your aide I will heare of no truce with the French till 〈◊〉 moneths after your arriâ—…ge in England at the least And â—…reupon furiously arising he threw downe the Chaire wherein he had sare and offred to depart 95 Nay stay brother Charles quoth K. Edward sith I with patience haue heard you speake what you would you shall now perforce heare from me what you would not First therefore for my thus entrance into France no man knoweth the occasion better then your selfe for mauger your owne great power you speake of you doe remember I know how the French King tooke from you the faire Towne Amiens and the strong Pile Saint Quintins with diuers other peeces which you neither durst nor were able either to rescue or defend since which time he hath gotten from you your best bosome friends and secret Counsellors so as your selfe stood in doubt determining to besiege Nusse whether the losse would be greater in your absence the French King waiting as a fox for his pray or gaine more in Germany by your power and presence and to keepe this wolfe from your fold was the principall cause why you so earnestly praied me and continually sollicited me to passe ouer the Seas promising mountaines but performing not a Mole-hill bragging a supply both of horse and foote but neuer sent me a hoofe nor a lackie Thinke you brother if wee had entred this enterprize in our owne quarrell we would haue expected your aide I assure you nothing lesse for if we had intended any such Conquest we would with Souldiers fire and sword haue so infected the aire with the flames and slaine of France as should haue annoied your Countreys of Flaunders and Brabant and giuen you leasure to sit still and tell of our euer atchieued great victories nothing doubting but to haue gotten and kept with like manhood and in as great glorie as any of our Ancestors before vs had done But the occasion of warre being yours and you wilfully I will not say cowardly neglecting the same I meane not to prosecute for â—…e French King neuer offended me nor my Subiects except in fauouring Warwicke against me nay I may say against you and now offreth such honorable ouertures of peace which I by Gods grace meane not to forsake but will obserue and keepe God send you ioy thereof quoth the Duke and so abruptly departed from the King 96 The peace thus resolued vpon betwixt the two kings of England and France the place appointed for conference was neere vnto Amiens and the parties assigned for the French were the Bastard of Bourbon Admirall of France the Lord S. Pierre and the Bishop of Eureux For the English were the Lord Howard Sir Thomas St. Leger and Doctor Mâ—…ton Lord Chancellor of England These meeting presentlie fell to a conclusion of peace the conditions whereof were That the French King should forthwith pay to the King of England seuenty two thousand Crownes That the Daulphin should marrie Lady Elizabeth King Edwards eldest daughter and that shee should haue for her maintenance the Dutchy of Guienâ—… or else fifty thousand Crownes yeerely to be paid in the Tower of London for nine yeeres space This peace was so acceptable to King Lewis as he sent sixteene thousand Crownes to bee distributed amongst the English Souldiers with plate and great presents to men of any sort indeed gaue them such entertainment in Amiens as was most bounteous whereof if any desire further to know let him read Comines vpon the same text 97 To graft which peace with a louing beginning the two Kings were desirous to see each others for which end Commissioners were sent to aâ—…gne the place and lastly agreed that the Tow ne 〈◊〉 about three leagues from Amiens seated in a bottome through which the Riâ—… Some ranne was the fittest ouer which a strong bridge was built and in the 〈◊〉 thereof a grate made ouer-thwart with barres no wider asunder then a man might well thrust in his Arme couered with boords ouer head to auoid the raine the bridge so broad that twelue might stand in a rancke on both sides 98 The day approched and the two Kings come to the place hee of France came first to the Grate accompanied with twelue personages as was the appointment wherof Iohn Duke of Bourbon and the Cardinall his brother were the chiefest King Edward entring the bridge on the other end with his brother the Duke of Clarence the Earle of Northumberland the Lord Hastings his Chamberlaine and the Lord Chancellor himselfe apparelled all in cloth of gold with a rich Iewell of precious stones in forme of a Flower de Luce aduanced forward and within fiue foote of the Grate put off his cap and bowed his knee within halfe a foote to the ground King Lewis as readily doing his likely reuerence vnto Edward Where after imbracements through 〈◊〉 Grate the Chancellour of England who was Prelate and Bishop of Ely made an eloquent and learned Oration which done he
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
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
bring thē to peace but that failing fell himselfe from the French imputing the fault vnto Frances for suborning the Scots against him and King Frances againe laid all the blame in the Cardinall accusing him of dissimulation abhorted practises and what not but wheresoeuer lay the defect the Duke of Albany was sent into Scotland the French followed a Spanish ship fraught with the goods of English-Merchants vnto Margate and tooke her euen in the Kings streams in both which King Frances excusing himselfe with ignorance alleaged no breach of truce broken by him 35 Then was it thought best by the Cardinals aduice to repay like with like and therefore counselled his King to reare Charles Duke of Burbon against France and to perswade him to inuade the very heart thereof incouraging him with sufficient pay and making him his Champion generall of the Field whilest the Emperor likewise held him play against Millan And to that end was sent in way of loane to the Emperour a great summe of money and forreine Princes sollicited to take armes against France for effecting which King Henry sent his Ambassadors to the States of Venice and Swissers with these instructions as followeth 36 That whereas in a treatie of peace it was concluded betwixt the Emperor King Henry and Frances the French King that if any Controuersies should arise betwixt any two the Prince not inuading should giue aide and assistance against the inuader but now the Emperour being inuaded by the French Kings Captaines in the Realme of Nauarre and in his owne Countrey by Robert de la March and others by his procurement and our king said they being often called vpon by the Emperor hath often entreated the French King to surcease but hath nothing obtained besides faire words and detraction of promises Complaining likewise that in the intercourse of these businesses the French King contrary to his Oath had sent the D◅ of Albany into Scotland in contempt of King Henry and to the great danger of the yong Kings death or deposition he being the next in blood to succeed and to the dishonour of the Queene mother had caused a separation betwixt her and her lawfull husband the Earle of Angus That the French King had deteined the payment compounded for the deliuery of Turnay and kept backe the dowry of his sister Queene Dowager of France that he had entertained the rebellious Subiects of King Henry and spoiled his Merchants both by Land and Sea Neither was vnremembred the danger that the Venetians stood in if the Realmes of Naples and Sicilie the Seigniories of Ieans and Millane were lost from the Empire These therefore seemed faire proiects vnto King Henry for him to warre against France and to that end a generall Muster by Commission was taken of all able men from sixteene yeers and vpward of euery Hamlet Village Burrough Citie Hundred and Shire throughout England which seemed to many another Domesday Booke and yet was there neither peace nor warre against France 37 In this great and hasty preparation Charles the Emperour as he passed toward Spaine landed at Douer where King Henrie mette him and in great estate brought him to London which was so prepared with Ornaments and Pageants as if it had been the Kings Coronation and in the Blacke-friers the Emperour was lodged in a most Princely Palace new built by the King then was he feasted at Winsor where he sate in his state in his Mantle and Garter and by receiuing the Sacrament these two Potent Monarches tooke their Corporal Oathes to obserue the Couenants concluded betwixt them whereof one was that the Emperour Charles agreed to stay for and take to wife the young Princesse Lady Marie King Henries then onely daughter and in such golden bands of loue Charles and Henrie seemed to be linked as in London this sentence was set vp in the Guild-hall ouer the doore of the Counsell Chamber where it still remaineth Carolus Henricus viuant defensor vterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae ◅ 38 Why the Titles defender of Church and Faith were attributed vnto these two Princes is no maruell for Charles chosen Emperour was scarsly confirmed but to purchase the Popes fauor he directed forth a solemne Writ of Out-lawry against Martin Luther who then had giuen a great blow to the Papall Crowne And King Henry likewise was renowned in Rome for writing a booke against the said Luther vnderpropping the tottering or downe-cast countenance of the Popes pardons which Luther shrewdly had shaken the Pope therefore to shew himselfe a kind father vnto those his sonnes gaue them these Titles which in truth were none other then the same which they sware vnto when the Crownes of their Empires were first set vpon their heades But with what acceptance his Holinesse receiued King Henries booke his owne Oration solemnely made at the deliuery thereof vnto M. Iohn Clarke the presenter and Kings Ambassador in his Consistory and in presence of his Cardinals sufficiently doth shew the translation whereof we haue inserted as we finde it in the Originall it selfe Wee doe receiue this booke with all alacrity it is indeed such as there could not bee any thing sent vs and our venerable brethren more acceptable then it is For the King himselfe a most mighty most prudent and most truely Christian Prince wee know not whether wee may more prayse or admire being the first that by warre with happy successe hath subdued the enemies of the Church of Christ that seeke to rend Christs coat and at last ouercomming the enemies hath restored peace to the Church of God and to this holy See But now against so soule a Monster both to vnderstand to bee able and willing to write this book hee hath shewed himselfe no more admirable to the whole world for his elegant style then for his wit We humbly giue thanks to our Creator for giuing such a Prince to defend his Church and this holy See desiring the same God to grant to this his King a happy life and all his desires and after this life in his heauenly Kingdome to keepe for him an euerlasting Crowne And we so farre as wee are able to entreat of God will neuer bee wanting to the said most wise King in the faculties granted to vs of God 40 To manifest which his readinesse himselfe among his Cardinals decreed an augmentation vnto King Henries royall Stile to bee annexed vnto his others confirming the same by his Bull which that it perish not by the deuouring teeth of Time wee haue here published from the originall Parchment and leaden seale it selfe as followeth 41 Leo Episcopus seruus seruorū Dei c. Leo Bishop seruant of the seruants of God to our most dearely beloued Sonne in Christ Henry King of England defendor of the Faith health and Apostolicall Benediction Wee by diuine permission the chiefe ouerseer for the gouernment of the vniuersall
of the Land and Supremacy of the Crowne The abuse of the first was solemnly shewed at Pauls Crosse in London vpon Sunday the twenty foure of February by Doctor Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester where the Roode of Boxley in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace made with diuers vices to bow downe and to lift vp it selfe to shake and to stirre both Heads hands and feet to rowle the eies mooue the lippes and to bend the browes was then broken and pulled in peeces So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set and besprinkled with Iewels and Gemmes with diuers others both of England and Wales were brought to London and burnt at Chelsey before the Lord Crumwell Then the Axes of the hewers began to cast downe the walles of all Monasteries whose number as Cambden doth account them were sixe hundred fourty fiue besides fourscore and tenne Colledges them of Oxford and Cambridge not accounted of Hospitals one hundred and tenne and of Chaunteries and free Chappels two thousand three hundred seuenty foure all of them almost were then borne downe with the sudden deluge of those tempestuous times whilst the world stood amazed King Henrie proceeded and the Clergy men groaned vnder their owne destructions among these the Shrine of Thomas Becket was defaced which did abound with more then Princely riches whose meanest part was pure gold garnished with many precious stones as Erasmus that saw it hath written whereof the chiefest was a rich Gemme of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained you may be sure he buying it so deare that no passenger betwixt Douer and White-sand should perish by shipwracke his bones by Stephen Langton had beene laide in a golden Shrine his name canonized and the day of his death made annually holy such concurse of Pilgrime such pressing to touch him and such creeping and kneeling to his Tombe that the prints of their deuotion in the Marble stones remaines to this day euery Pillar resounding the miracles of this reputed Martyre and the Church it selfe dedicated to Christ forced to giue place to the name of Saint Thomas The Timber worke of this Shrine was couered with plates of gold damasked and embossed with wires of gold garnished with broches images angels precious stones and great Orient Pearles all these defaced filled two Chests and were for price of an vnestimable value But in steede of these Dagons the Bible in English was commanded to bee read in all Churches and Register Bookes of weddings Christenings and Burials in euery of them to be kept 101 The yeerely reuenewes of these as they were valewed by the Commissioners at their subuersions amounted to an vnestimable summe as appeareth by the Original Booke itselfe presented to the King whereof more shall be spoken in the end of this chapter and yet most of them rated at Robin-hoods penny-worthes what their rents were a libell scattered abroad and read to the king by demonstration did proue wherein was accounted that vnto the fiue Orders of Friers euery housholder paying them fiue pence the Quarter the summe of fourty three thousand three hundred thirty three pound sixe shillings and eight pence sterling was paid them by yeere besides the reuenewes of their owne lands which was not a little so that not without cause many entred into a Monasticall life rather to liue at ful and without cares of this world then to feede the flocke of Christ or to winne them and not theirs after the example of the Apostle For the Testament of Christ was vnto most of these as a booke sealed with seauen seales and their mouthes vnmuzled they did deuoure but not tread out the Corne so that the Sunne by their doctrine seemed to be darkened as with smoke and themselues to be the Locustes that ouerspread the superficies of the Earth whose faces were like men pretending humanity their haire like women in shew of modesty their Crownes of counterfeited gould signifying their vsurped authoritie their teeth like Lyons shewing their Tyrannie their force like horses prepared for battell their habergions of Iron betokening their strength the sound of their wings the thundering out their mandates like to the rumbling of Chariots in warre their Tailes 〈◊〉 Prophets hauing stings like vnto Scorpions aâ—…â—…heir King the bad Abaddon euen the Angell of the Bottomelesse pit All those allusions most aptly sitting these Cloistered Friers who now grown to the height of their sinnes their skirts were discouered that their shame might appeare being the only men then laid open to the world 102 Against whose doctrine besides many others in other forreine parts two in the daies of K. Henry the fourth the first English King that put anie to death for the doctrine of Rome omitting Sir Iohn Oldcastle and others that died for the Gospels defence in the daies of King Henry the fift foure in the raigne of innocent Henrie the sixt One in the daies of King Edward the fourth and tenne in the time of King Henry the seauenth sealed the doctrine against the papall religion with their bloud all of them being martyred before that Martin Luther wrote And in the raigne of this King twenty sixe suffered the fire before the flames thereof could be quenched which a while was done by the meanes of good Queene Anne till afterwards they mounted higher when the sixe Articles were made but because this Ecclesiasticke text is handled elsewhere and seemeth vnsociable to our begunne Subiect we will referre the Reader for these matters vnto the industrious paines of that worthy and euer venerable man M. Fox taken in his Acts Monuments of Ecclesiasticall history 103 The Monasteries thus dissolued and the Reuenewes thereof conuerted to temporall vses King Henry ranne in great obloquie of many forraine Potentates but most especially of the Pope who with Cardinall Poole instigated diuers Princes in Christendom to inuade England thus fallen from his faith Yea home-borne Subiects disliking the course for Papisticall subuersion by secret working sought to depriue King Henry and to raise vp Reynold Poole vnto the Regall dignity as by their inditements appeareth The persons conuicted were Lord Henry Courtney Marquesse of Excester Earle of Deuonshire the sonne of Lady Katherine the seuenth daughter of King Edward the fourth Henrie Poole Lord Montacute with Sir Geffrey his brother and Sir Edward Neuill brother to the Lord of Abergauenny These Pooles were the sonnes of Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury the onely daughter of George Duke of Clarence and of these 〈◊〉 Poole once Deane of Excester and now Cardinalâ—… at 〈◊〉 was accounted the onely man 104 And this foresaid Lord Marquesse had formerly beene in such fauour with King Henry that at his going into France he ordained him his Heire apparant though at his returne vpon graue deliberation hee saw it better policy to plucke him down then was vsed in
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
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
to haue raigned and ruled in the Realme by traiterous tyranny taken depriued of their estates shortly shut vp in prison and impiously murdered and the body cast out God wot where by the cruell ambition of their vnnaturall vncle and his hellish Tormentors Which things on euery part well pondered God neuer gaue this world a more notable example neither in what vnsurety standeth this worldly weale or what mischiefe worketh the proud enterprize of an high heart or finallie what wretched end ensueth such barbarous crueltie 20 For first to beginne with the Ministers Miles Forrest at S. Martins peece-meale rotted away Sir Iames Tyrrell died at Tower hill for treason Dighton indeed walketh on aliue in good possibility to be hanged ere he die liuing at Callis no lesse distained and hated then pointed at of all King Richard himselfe as ye shall hereafter heare was slaine in the field hacked and hewed of his enemies hands carried on horsebacke dead his haire in despite torne and tugged like a Curre dogge and the mischiefe that he tooke was within lesse then three yeeres of the mischiefe that he did and yet all the meane time spent in much paine and trouble outward and much feare anguish and sorrow within For I haue heard by credible report of such as were secret with his Chamberlaine that after this abhominable deed done he neuer had quiet in his minde he neuer thought himselfe sure but where he went abroad his eies euer-whirled about his body priuily fenced his hand euer on his dagger his countenance manner like one alwaies readie to strike againe he tooke il rest a nights lay long waking and musing sore wearied with care and watch rather slumbred then slept troubled with fearefull dreames suddainly sometimes start vp leapt out of his Bed and ranne about the chamber so was his restlesse heart continually tossed and tumbled with the tedious impression and stormy remembrance of his abhominable deed Neither had he in his best any time of quiet for immediately began the conspiracy or rather good consideration betweene the Duke of Buckingham and diuers other Gentlemen against him 21 Which Duke assoone as Gloucester vpon the death of King Edward came to Yorke sent thither in secret wise a trusty seruant of his named Persall to assure him that he would take his part in this his new world and if need were would waite vpon him with a thousand good-fellowes and againe sent offers of the like vnto Nottingham whither the Protector from Yorke with many Gentlemen of the North Countrey was come and on his way to London-ward in secret manner met him himselfe but at Northampton openly with three hundred horse and from thence still continued with him being a partner of all his deuises till that after his coronation they departed as it seemed very great friends at Glocester frō whence as soone as the Duke came home he so lightly turned from him and so highly conspired against him that a man would maruell whereof the change grew And surely the occasion of their variance is of diuers men diuersely reported Some haue said that the Duke a little before the Coronation among other things required of the Protector the Duke of Hertfords Lands to the which he pretended himselfe iust inheritor And forasmuch as the Title which he claimed by inheritance was somewhat interlaced with the title of the Crowne by the line of King Henry before depriued the Protector conceiued such indignation that he reiected the Dukes request with many spightfull and minatory wordes which so wounded his heart with hatred and mistrust that he neuer after could indure to looke aright on King Richard but euer feared his owne life so farre forth that when the Protector rode through London towards his Coronation he fained himselfe sicke because he would not ride with him And the other taking it in euill part sent him word to rise and come ride or he would make him to be carried Whereupon hee rode on with an euill will and that notwithstanding on the morrow rose from the Feast faining himselfe sick whereat King Richard said it was done in hatred and despite of him And they say that euer after continually each of them liued in such hatred and distrust of other as the Duke verily looked to haue beene murdered at Gloucester from which neuerthelesse he in faire manner departed But surely some right secret at this day denie this and many right wise men thinke it vnlikely the deepe dissembling nature of both those men considered and what need in that greene world the Protector had of the Duke and in what perill the Duke stood if he fell once in suspition of the Tyrant that either the Protector would giue the Duke occasion of displeasure or the Duke the Protector occasion of mistrust And verily men thinke that if King Richard had any such conceiued opinion he would neuer haue suffered the Duke to haue escaped his hands 22 The very truth is Buckingham was an high minded man and could euill beare the glory of another so that I haue heard of some that saw it that the Duke at such time as the Crowne was first set vpon the Protectors head his eye could not abide the sight thereof but wried his face another way But men say that hee was of truth not well at ease which to King Richard was well knowne and nothing ill taken not any demand of the Dukes vncourteously reiected but he both with great gifts and high behests in most louing and trustie manner departed at Gloucester But soone after his comming home to Brecknock hauing there in custody by the commandement of King Richard Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely who yee before heard was taken in the counsell at the Tower waxed with him familiar whose wisedome abused his pride to his owne deliuerance and the Dukes destruction 23 This Bishop was a man of great naturall wit very well learned and honourable in behauiour lacking no wise waies to winne fauour he had been fast vpon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and naythelesse left it not nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queen the Prince while King Edward had Henry in prison and neuer came home but to the field After which lost and that side vtterly subdued the other for his fast faith and wisedome not only was content to receiue him but also wooed him to come and had him from thence forth both in great secret trust and very speciall fauour which he nothing deceiued For he being as you haue heard after King Edwards death first taken by the Tyrant for his trueth to the King found the meanes to set this Duke in his top ioined Gentlemen together in aide of King Henry deuising first the marriage betweene him and King Edwards daughter by which his faith he declared the good seruice to both his masters at
once with infinite benefit to the Realme by the coniunction of those two bloods in one whose seuerall titles had long time disquieted the Land hee fled the Realme went to Rome neuer minding more to meddle with the world till the noble Prince King Henry the seuenth got him home againe made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England whereunto the Pope ioined the honour of a Cardinall Thus liuing many dayes in as much honour as one man might well wish ended them so godly that his death with Gods mercy well changed his life 24 This man therefore as I was about to tell you by the long and often alternate proofe aswell of prosperitie as aduerse fortunes had gotten by great experience the very mother or mistresse of Wisedome a deepe insight in politicke worldly drifts Whereby perceiuing now this Duke glad to commune with him sed him with faire words and many pleasant praises And perceiuing by the processe of their communication the Dukes pride now and then balke out a litle bread of enuy towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the wayes to pricke him forward taking alwayes the occasion of his comming and keeping himselfe so close within his bounds that hee rather seemed to follow then to leade him For when the Duke first began to praise boast of the King and shew how much profite the Realme should take by his raigne Morton answered thus Surely my Lord folly it were for me to lye for if I would sweare the contrary your Lordship would not ween I beseeue but that if the world would haue gone as I could haue wished King Henries son had had the Crowne and not King Edward But after that God had ordered him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was neuer so mad that I would with a dead man striue against a quicke So was I to King Edward a faithfull Chapplaine and glad would haue beene that his child should haue succeeded him Howbeit if the secret iudgement of God haue otherwise prouided I purpose not to spurne against the pricke nor labor to set vp that God putteth downe And as for the late protector and now King and euen there he left saying that hee had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his Booke and his Beades and no further 25 Then longed the Duke sore to heare what he would haue said because he ended with the king and there so suddainly stopped and exhorted him so familiarly betweene them twaine to be bolde to say whatsoeuer he thought whereof he faithfully promised there should neuer come hurt and peraduenture more good then he would weene and that himselfe intended to vse his faithfull secret aduise and counsell which he said was the only cause for which he procured of the King to haue him in his custody where he might account himselfe at home and else had he beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not haue found the like fauour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said In good faith my Lord I loue not to talke much of Princes as a thing not all out of perill though the word be without fault Forasmuch as it shall not be taken as the party meant it but as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And euer I think on Aesops tale that when the Lyon had proclaimed vpon paine of death there should no horned beast abide in the wood one that had in his forehead a bunch of flesh fled away a great pace The foxe who saw him runne so fast asked him whether he made all that haste and he answered In faith I neither wot nor recke so I were once hence because of this Proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the Foxe thou maist abide well enough the Lion meant not thee for it is no horne that is in thy head No mary quoth he that wot I wellynough but what if he call it a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lion nor the Boare shall picke any matter at any thing heere spoken for it shall neuer come to their eares In good faith Sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken aswell as afore God I meant it could deserue but thankes and yet taken as I weene it would might happely turne me to litle good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke yet more to wit what it was whereupon the Bishop said in good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith he is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the weale of this Realme wherof his Grace hath now the gouernance and my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise it might yet haue pleased God for the better store to haue giuen him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of a Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your Grace and there left againe 26 The Duke somewhat mariailing at his suddaine pauses said My Lord I note your often breathings and suddaine stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your wordes neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might haue knowledge what your intent is now towards the King or what affection you beare towards mee For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to vs both maketh mee not a little to muse thinking that you haue some other priuie imagination imprinted in your heart which you bee abashed to disclose and specially to me which on my honour doe assure you to be as secret in this case as the deafe and dumbe person to the singer or the Tree to the Hunter The Bishop being somewhat bolder considering the Dukes promise but most of all animated because hee knew the Duke desirous to be magnified and also he perceiued the inward hatred which hee bare towards King Richard hee opened his stomacke to the bottome and said My singular good Lord sith the time of my captiuitie which being in your graces custodie I may rather call it a libertie then a strait imprisonment in auoiding of idlenesse mother of all vices in reading bookes and ancient pamphlets I haue founde this sentence written that no man is borne fie and at libertie of himselfe onely for one part of dutie he oweth to his parents another part to his friends and kindred but the natiue Countrey in the which he first tasted this pleasant flattering world demandeth a debt not to be forgottē Which saying causeth mee to consider in what case the Realme my natiue Countrey now standeth and in what estate and assurance before this time it