soonne was of good kyng Edwarde That wedded dame Blaunch ful of feminytee Duke Henryes doughter and heire afterwarde Of Lancastre by lawe of kynde and forwarde Who gat and bare the fourth kyng Henry That kyng Rycharde deposed wrongfully ¶ Who gatte Henry the fyfth lyke conqueroure Of Normandy and mykill parte of Fraunce That excelled bothe kyng and Emperoure In marcyall actes by his gouernaunce Who gatte Henry the sixte at Gods pleasaunce Of suche symplenesse and disposicion As menne maye se by his discrecion 〈◊〉 For when Henry the fourth first was crouned 〈…〉 ny a wyseman sayd then full commenly 〈…〉 third heyre shuld not ioyse but be vncrouned And deposed of all regalitee To this reason they dyd there wittes applye Of euill gotten good the third should not enioyse Of longe agone it hath bene a commen voyse ¶ Howe the maker of this booke saieth his auyse in briefe for the duke of Yorke ¶ O my lorde of Yorke God hath prouyde In this for you as men sayen commenly So that no slouth you from his grace deuyde But take it as he hath it sent manly And rule well nowe ye haue the remedye But neretheles let euery man haue the right Both frende and foo it may encrease your might ¶ Treate well Percy of marchys lyne discended To helpe your right with might and fortifye By tender meanes to holde hym well contented Remembryng hym by wyttie polycye Howe by processe of tyme and destenye Your right might all bene his as nowe is yours Through gods might make thē your successours ¶ Edmoūde was then the .iiij. sonne at Langlay Borne as knowen was well in the lande A noble prince after as men might say At battayle of Orray that fought sore with his hāde And Iohn of Gaunt his brother I vnderstande That fought ful sore for Ihō of Mountfortright Agayne Charles of Bloys a manly knight ¶ This Edmoūde was after duke of Yorke creat And had a sonne that Edward had to name Whom kyng Richarde made to be denominate In all his writtes exaltyng his fame Kyng of Portyngale his father yet at hame Lyuyng in age I trawe of .lxxx. yere A fayre person as a man might se any where ¶ Thomas Woodstoke the .v. sonne was in dede Duke of Gloucester that tyme made and create By kyng Richarde murdered whom for his mede Kyng Henry quyt with death preordinate By Goddes dome and sentence approbate Who sleeth so shall he be slayne by his sentence Well more murder whiche asketh ay vengeaunce ¶ Who laye afore Paris amoneth daye With hoste royall without any batell Of all enemyes moste dred he was alwaye And Scottes moste hym bred without any fayle For as they trowed by theyr owne rehersaile Of prophecyes he shulde theyr lande conquere And make the kyng to Englande homegere ¶ Nowe haue I made vnto your owne knowlege A remembraunce of Edwardes sonnes fyue Your exampler to geue you a corage So noble princes I trowe were none alyue After my wytte as I can discryue The eldest sonne whose lyfe I haue lefte oute Who that in Fraunce all landes was moste doute ¶ Of the ryghte and tytles that my Lorde of Yorke hath to Fraunce and Spayne with Portingale other landes by yonde the sea Ierusalem and other landes ¶ At batell of Poytiers tooke kynge Iohn With greate honoure triumphe and vyctory By merciall actes and verteous life aloone And in Spayne as made is memorie The kyng Petro by knightly victorie To his kyngdome he did restore again By his brother putte out with muche pain ¶ The appoinctement bytwixt duke Iohn duke Emund who should bee kyng of Castle and Lyon and what the maker of this booke sawe and red at Londō to syr Robert Vmfrewill then lorde Vmfrewill ¶ This kyng Petro to giue hym to his mede Had nothyng els but doughters twoo full faire Whiche he betooke to that prince in deede For his wages for cause thei where his heire With whome he did to Englande so repaire And Constaunce wedde vnto his brother Iohn Emund his brother the younger had anone ¶ Dame Isabell the younger hight by name Bytwene these brethren was appoinctment The first heire male whiche of the sisters came The kyng should been and haue the regiment To you my lorde of Yorke this dooeth appent For your vncle Edwarde was first heire male To whome your father was heire with out faile ¶ So kyng of Spayne and also of Portyngall Ye should nowe bee by lyne of bloodde discent By couenaunt also and appoinctement whole As I haue seen of it the mununent Vnder seale wryten in all entent Whiche your vncle to my lorde Vmfrewill At London shewed whiche I red that while ¶ For Spayne Portyngale beare the renoume And commen name as I haue herde expressed Both to the realmes of Castyll and Lyon And so the kynge of Spayne hath aye adressed His royall style in wrytyng well impressed Kyng of Castill and also of Lyon Accompted both so for his region ¶ Nowe be ye knowe of your title to Englande By consequens to Wales and Scotlande For they perteyne as ye maye vnderstande Of auncient tyme to the crowne of Englande By papall bull ye haue the right to Irelande Gascowe Paitowe and Normandye Pountyf Bebuile Saunxie and Sauntignye ¶ And all the lande beyonde the charente Of Dangolesme Dangolismoys Luyre zyne Of Caoure Caourenō Pyridor Pirygūt coūtre Of Rodis Ronegeauis Dagō Dagenoyse that fine Tharbe Wigor Gaure shoulde to you enclyne With all the fraunchyses and all souerayntie As hath the kyng of Fraunce in his degre ¶ Nō that I Ihon Hardyng maker of this booke delyuered to kyng Henry the syxte the copie of the treatie of this land as kyng Edward the thyrd treated and had them after the battayll of Poytours ¶ Calys Marke Colne Hāmys Oye Wale Sandegate Guysons with all the whole coūtre With all the landes and townes betwene thē all With all fraunchyses and royall souerayntie All those of right be yours in propertie What by treate and what by veraye right As kyng Edwarde them had of mykyll might ¶ To Ierusalem I saye ye haue great right For erle Geffraye that hight Plantagenet Of Aungeoy erle a prince of passyng might The eldest sonne to Fouke and first begette Kyng of Ierusalem by his wife dewly sette Whose sonne Geffray foresaide gatte on his wyfe Henry the seconde that knowen was full ryfe ¶ Yet haue ye more fro Bawdewyn Paraliticus Kyng afterward to thesame kyng Henry The croune sente and his banner precious As veraye heyre of whole auncestrie Descent of bloode by tytle lynyally From Godfray Boleyn and Robert Curthose That kynges were therof and chose ¶ He sente hym also the Sepulture keyes Resygnyng wholy vnto hym all his ryght For to defende the lande from Sarizenes For he was sicke and had therto no might And all the lande destroyed was to sight By the
Soudyan to great lamentacion Of Goddes people and all Christen nacion ¶ He sente hym also the keyes of Dauids towre With Heraclye that of Ierusalem Was Patriarke and greatest of honour And with templers which brought hym into this realme Besekyng hym that he would thē susteine Full humbly askyng supportacion For the cytiee and christen consolacion ¶ All these titles the chronicles can recorde If they be seen by good deliberacion Many of theim to these full well accorde As I haue seen with greate delectacion By clerkes wrytten for our informacion As in olde feldes cornes freshe and grene grewe So of olde bookes cōmeth our cunnyng newe ¶ Of this I wyll nowe cease and forth procede To my mater wher fyrst I beganne To chronicles of this lande for worthihed To remembre in balade as I can To that entent to please both God and man And eke to please good femynitie Of my lady your wife dame Cecely ¶ That in Latyn hath litell intellect To vnderstande the great nobilytie Of this like lande of whiche she is electe Tyme commyng like to haue the souerayntie Vnder your rule as shulde feminitee Whiche if it maye please her ladyshippe My hert will reioyse of her inward gladshippe ¶ For well I wote your great intelligence That in latyn hath good inspeccion Will pleased bee of your hie sapieuce My lady that is vnder your proteccion Your heyre also maye rede at theyr eleccion Whiche if it may please your nobilitee Of my laboure I would reioysed bee ¶ Also for your heyres and for your successours In tyme commyng to haue a clere knowledge How of this realme the noble gouernours Haue kept with helpe of Baronage In victorye tryumphe and surplusage Sith Brute it wanne in his prioritee It hath been kept in worthy dignitee ¶ But howe this ysle enbrased with this sea Vnedefied was knowne first and founde That Albion was named of propertee Of dame Albione that first therein had ground And after long how Brute therof was crowned That of his owne name called it Brytayne And buylded it wher all before was playne ¶ The ende of the Proheme Here begynneth the Chronycle of Iohn Hardynge The firste Chapter ¶ Of the .xxx. susters that first inhabited this lande named it Albion that nowe is Englande Wales Scotland THe whyle that Troye was reignyng in his might In Greece there was a kynge right excellente That Dioclesiā some booke sayeth he hight And of Surray that had the regimente Dame Albyne hight his wife a lady gente Who doughters had .xxx. wedded to there degree To kynges all of greate nobilitee ¶ Whiche fell in pryde and hye elacion Thynkyng to be in no subieccion Of husbandes more ne dominacion But only by a fell conieccion Toke hole purpose and full affeccion To kyll there lordes slepyng sodaynly Soueraynes to be and lyue all seuerally The .ij. Chapter ¶ Note that wemen desyre of al thynges soueraynte to my conceypt more in this land then in any other for they haue it of the nature of the saied susters THe youngest suster the mater all discured To her husbande and to her father gent For whiche she was of al that dede assured But they were putte in exile by iudgement So rightfull were the princes of there entente They iudged them to be put in the see In shyppe topasse echeone fro there countree ¶ As fortune would to make there auenture Which by processe with streames to and fro And tempestes greate and sore disauenture Of sickenes great and mykell other wo And moste of all they knewe not whether to go Tyll at laste they came vnto this ysle That then was waste as chronicles do compile ¶ But I dare saye this chronicle is not trewe For in that ylke tyme in Surraye was no kyng Ne afterwarde to tyme that Saul grewe Ne no kyng was in Surray euer lyuyng That had that name for Saule was the first kyng Of Surray realme at the ende of the thyrde age In Samuels tyme the prophete wyse and sage The .iij. Chapter ¶ Note that Hughe de Genesis a Romayne historiographier declareth in his chronicle all the kyngdomes of the worlde and all the names of suche kynges as ruled in theim from Noes floude vnto the byrthe of Christ In whiche chronicle the foresayed Hughe writeth that Danays kyng of that Grekes had .l. doughters and that Egistus his brother kyng of Egypte had as many sonnes that maryed together which doughters kylled theyr owne husbandes and for that cause were banyshed and saylyng on the sea were dryuen vnto a certain ysle which Albina beyng the eldest suster of theim named accordyng to her name Albiō and Brute after that called it accordyng to his name Brytayne NE afore Brute was in no realme that name No kyng on liue that hight ne called so But of Arginos the kyng of full hye fame Had doughters fifty whose name was Danao The kyng of Egipte his brother Egisto Had soonnes also fifty together wedde In chronicles of olde as I haue redde ¶ Whiche doughters slew their husbandes echone Long before Brute was of his mother bore So fynde I by these women alone And by these soonnes thus slain before The chronicle trewe in their persones more Then in the doughters of Dioclesian Were in no lande that tyme so hight kyng none ¶ So in the yere of Aioth Iudge of Israell These ladies here landed full weery and sore Seuenty and twoo as Hugh dooeth tell Whiche was I saie an hundred yere afore That Brute came into this lande and more By fyue yeres trulye and well accompted Of yeres ode so muche more amounted ¶ Also in Surray there was no kyng before Kyng Alexaunder dedde and expired For Seleucius was the first kyng thore By all chronicles that I haue enquired That chronicle should not bee desired Seyng that it is not trew ne autenticke By no chronicle vnto the trewth oughte like ¶ I dare well saie he sawe neuer Hugh Genesis Ne he redde neuer the chronicles of Surry Of Israell Iude ne of Egipciis Of Argiuos of Athenes ne Thessaly Of Macedon Cesile ne of Assery Of Lacedemon of Lyde ne yet of Latyn Of Affrique of Asis ne yet of Babelyn ¶ Of Perce ne Meede Italye ne Albany Of kyng Alexaunder ne of his successors That afore tyme reigned dyuersly In dyuerse realmes citees castelles and toures Of Romany ne of state of emperours For had he seene all these and their stories Of Dioclesian he would make no memories The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Howe these ladies had this Isle in the yere of Aioth .lxxii. in the third age of the world and she called it Albion of hir name and toke feauty seruice of theim all as souerayne ladie of this Isle that nowe is Englande Scotlande and Walis as Hugh Genesis wryteth in his Dyaloge THese ladies so ay dwellyng in this Isle The yeres of Aioth seuenty two no lees Dame Albyne was as mēne can
stone That Wynchester is nowe a towne full mery Caire Paladoure that nowe is Shaftesbury Where an Engel spake syttyng on the wall Whyle it was in workyng ouer 〈◊〉 ¶ In whiche citees he made then temples three And flaumes also as nowe these bishoppes been To kepe the rites after their moralytee Of there goddes as in there bookes was seen Of their fals lawes as thei dyd meen When he had reigned by thyrtye yere and nyne The dulful death made hym to earth enclyne The .xxv. Chapiter ¶ Bladud kynge of Britayne had Logres and Albany He made an vniuersitee and a study at Stamforde a flaume and his temple at Bathe his citee whiche vniuersitee dured to the commyng of saynt Augustyne and the byshoppe of Roome enterdited it for heresyes that fell emong the Saxones and the Britons together mixte BLadud his soÌ„ne sone after hym did succede And reigned after then full .xx. yere Cair Bladud so that now is Bath I rede He made anone the hote bathes there infere When at Athenes he had studied clere He brought with hym .iiii. philosophiers wise Schole to holde in Brytayne and exercyse ¶ StaÌ„forde he made that SaÌ„forde hight this daye In whiche he made an vniuersitee His philosophiers as Merlyn doth saye Had scolers fele of greate habilitee Studyng euer alwaye in vnitee In all the seuen liberall science For to purchace wysedome and sapience ¶ In cair bla 〈…〉 m he made a temple right And sette a flamyne theirin to gouerne And afterward a* Fetherham he dight To flye with wynges as he could beest descerne Aboue the aire nothyng hym to werne He flyed on high to the temple Apolyne And ther brake his necke for al his great doctrine The .xxvi. Chapiter ¶ Kyng Leyr of Brytaine gaue away with his doughter all his lande and had it all again and dyed kyng possessid HIs sooÌ„ne was kyng high sette in royaltee Of all Brytaynes by name that hight kyng Leyr Who Laiceter made after hym called to bee Cair Leyr his citee that buylded was full faire He had doughters three to been his heire The first of theim was called Gonorelle The next Ragan and the youngest Cordelle ¶ Emonges theim as Leyr satte on a daye He asked theim howe muche thei hym loued Gonorell saied more then my self ay And Ragan saied more then was after prouid For ioye of whiche the kyng was greately moued I loue you more then all this worlde so fayre He grauÌ„ted theim twoo of thre partes to bee heire ¶ Cordell the youÌ„gest then saied full soberly Father as muche as ye been in value So muche I loue you and shall sikirly At all my might and all my herte full trewe With that he greuid at hir and chaunged hewe Senne thou me loues lesse then thy sisters twain The leest porcion shalt thou haue of Bryteine ¶ With that Maglayn duke of Albaine Gonorell weddid and had the lande all out Euin of Walis and of Cornwayle ther by That duke was of those twoo landes stoute Ragan weddid to whiche twoo dukes no doubte Kyng Leyr gaue rule and gouernaunce Of all Bryteine for age and none puissaunce The .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Leyr made a temple and a Flamyne to rule at all Laiceter A Temple that in his citee of Kaireleir A Flamyne also as he a bishop were In name of Ianus the folke into repere And then he wente Gonorell to requier Of the greate loue that she aught hym so dere That of hir promyse she failed vnkyndly Wherfore he wente vnto Ragan in hye ¶ She failed also for all hir greate promyse And to Cordell that weddid was into Fraunce Long after that he wente in greate distres To helpe to wynne hym his inheritaunce She succurred hym anon with all plesaunce Bothe with gold syluer of right greate quaÌ„titee To gette his lande again in all suertee ¶ Aganippe hir lorde was kyng of Fraunce That graunt hym menne and goud sufficient And sent his wife with hym with greate puisauÌ„ce With all aray that to hir wer apent His heire to been by their bothes assent For he was olde and might not well trauell In his persone the warres to preuaile ¶ Kyng Leyr thus waÌ„ne his lande with all might again And riegned well there after full thre yere And died so buried at Kairleir menne sayn In Ianus temple in whiche tyme for age clere The kyng of Fraunce Aganype infere Dyed wherfore Cordell his ayre was soo To rule Brytaine alone with outen moo The .xxviii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Cordell quene of Fraunce and doughter of kyng Leyr reigned after the death of hir father COrdell quene of FrauÌ„ce and doughter to kyng Leyr Quene of EnglaÌ„de after hir fathers daye Fiue yeres reigned as for hir fathers heyre And gouerned well the realme all menne to paye His sister soonne then Morgan of Albanie And Condage also of Cambre and Cornewaile In battaill greate hir tooke and putte in baill ¶ For sorow then she sleugh hir selfe for tene And buried was by side hir father right In Ianus teÌ„ple whiche kyng Leyr made I went At Kairleyr so that nowe Laicester hight Thus died this quene that was of muche might Hir soule went to Ianus whome she serued And to Mynerue whose loue she had deserued The .xxix. Chapiter ¶ Morgan kyng of Albanie that claâ—nyd all Briteyne but this Isle of Britayne was departed for this kyng had but Albany MOrgan that eldest sooÌ„ne of Dame Gonorell Clamed Brytein as for his heritage Warred sone of Condage as I spell That kyng was of Cambre in younge age Duke of Cornewaile also for his homage But this kyng Morgan was kyng of Albany Soonne and heire of the eldest soonne varelie ¶ CoÌ„dage was kyng of CaÌ„bre that Walis is nowe And duke of Cornewaile his patrimonye Claymed Logres as soonne and heire to Regawe The myddill sister for his mothers proprete As she that aught to haue hir partourye At Glomorgane with Morgan did he meete In bataill sleugh hym there casten vnder fete The .xxx. Chapiter ¶ Condage kyng of Logres Cambre and duke of Cornewaile gatte all Bryteine againe and made a temple with a Flamyne at Bangor COndage was kyng of all greate Britaine And in his hande he seased all Albanie For his eschete that ought to hym againe Resorte of right and returne verelye He made a Flamyne a temple also in hye Of Mars at Perch that nowe his s Iohns towne In Albany that now is Scotlande region ¶ He made another temple of Mynerue In Cambre which now is named bangour The thyrde he made in Cornwayle for to serue Of Mercury in place where he was bore For his people to serue the goddes there Wherby he reygned .xxx. yere and three In rest and peace and all tranquilitee ¶ Ryueall his sonne that was pacificall Crowned was than easye of gouernaile In whose tyme the greate tempest dyd befall That dayes thre the flyes did hym assayle Enuenoned foule vnto the death
his entente For they disobeyed the lettre whiche he sent For they had chosen mayster Stephan Langton An worthy clarke of all disposicion ¶ Whom kyng Iohn then wold not admytte For Romayn bull ne for the prelates prayer But prisoned some and some to death commytte Some he exiled and theyr eyen clere And all personnes and prelates in fere He then put out and seazed theyr benefice Through all the lande as his mortall enemyes The Romyshe byshoppe curssed hym openly And all the realme fully did enterdite That sacramentes none therin should occupie And to the kyng of Fraunce without respite He wrote his letters so full fayre endite To take Englande hole in gouernaunce For kyng Iohn his great misgouernaunce ¶ Many erles also and many great barons Vnto the kyng of Fraunce wrote openly To sende his sonne Lewes the rebellions To helpe to whome they promysed sikerly To croune hym kyng of England worthely If that kyng Iohn would not his trespasse amēd Vnto the churche in whiche he had offend ¶ Wherfore that kyng of Fraūce to England sente His sonne Lewes with hoste and power strong With whom many lordes susteyned his entent And other some maynteyned kyng Iohn in wrōg Thus stode this lande Englande Wales longe Hole enterdite frō all holy sacramentes That none was done without priuelegementes ¶ Lewes the sonne of kyng Philip of Fraunce Had castelles fees and citees many one At his good rule and full wyse gouernaunce In Englande then well mo then had kyng Iohn Tyll on a daye to lordes he made his moone By whose coūcel vnto that Romishe bishop he wrote His letters meke as best he could theim note ¶ Besekyng hym of mercy and of grace Of forgeuenesse and absolucion His defautes all to mend and his trespasse And vndirguage all his punysion For to release thenterdiccion For whiche the Romishe bishop as he that letters see Wepte fore hauyng full greate pitee ¶ Thenterdiccion fully he releassed And to the kyng of Fraunce anone sent To ceasse the warre the peace to be encreassed Betwene hym and kyng Iohn bayssent To whiche he would put so all his entent To Lewes then he sent thesame message And of Englande to haue his hole costage ¶ And for Lewes with Lordes of Englande Obeyde not the byshops commaundement He sent Gwalo his legate I vnderstande To cursse Lewes and all of his assent Then died kyng Iohn in Christen hole entent At Croxton abbey and buried was full fayre At Worcester with lordes and great repayre ¶ Some bookes sayen he poysoned was to dead Of plummes so syttyng at his meate In thabbey of Cistews at Swynsheade With whiche a monke there hym did rehete Wenyng of God greate thanke to gette At Newerke died at Worcester sepultured In chronicles as is playnly scriptured ¶ He gate a sōne that Hēry of Wynchester hight And other after and Richarde was his name That erle was of Cornwayle of great might A Worthy knight and of right noble fame These sonnes on his wyfe that noble dame And gate Isabell the wyfe of Frederyk Emperoure of Rome a lorde full poletyk ¶ In his tymes were these earles in Englande Geffry Maundeuile earle of Essex than Syr Quincy as I can vnderstande Earle of Winchester that was a manly man And the earle of Cornewayle that was than Roger of Clare then earle of Gloucester That in Englande was none his better ¶ Roger Bygot earle of Northfolke then That Marshall was that tyme of Englande Henry Bowne then earle of Herforde as I can Conceyue was then Constable of the lande Aryght worthy knyght of his hande And Dauyd then was of Huntyngdon Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke full boon ¶ Randolfe of Chester the earle of good estate Robert Veer of Oxenforde full wyse Willyam Groos of Almaryk generate Willyam Lōgspee earle then of great enterpryse In actes marcyall a man knyghtly and wyse Of Salysbury a mighty lorde that daye Through all Englande knowen of greate araye ¶ Willyam the earle of Arundell that hyght Awbeny by his surname full well then knowe At Wimondham in Northfolke buryed ryght Father was of Philyp full yonge vnknowe That full curteous was both to hye and lowe That after hym was earle of Arundell As chronycles wryten can clerely tell ¶ This kyng Iohn dyed in hole creaunce The yere of Chryste a. M was then knawe Two hundreth .xxi. by remembraunce In chronycles as I haue red and sawe And full cumbreous bothe to hye and lawe At Worcester buryed in good araye As a prynce royall of reason ought that daye The C .xliii. Chapiter ¶ Henry the thyrde kynge of Englande duke of Normandye and Guyen and Earle of Angeou that beganne to reygne the yere of Chryste a thousande CC. xxi and dyed in the yere a thousande CC .lxxiii. and of his reygne the .lvi. yere ¶ In his tyme was a batayl at Lincolne where Earle Raudolfe of Chester discomfyted Lewys that sonne of kyng Philyppe of Fraunce HEnry his sonne then was of .ix. yere age At Gloucester crowned with the dyademe By the Legate Gwalo the Baronage Stephan of Langton helpyng as did well seme Archbyshop then as the byshop coulde deme The same yere then the kyng with Lewys faught Besyde Lincolne where Lewys was nere caught ¶ Foure C. knyghtes of Lewis there was slaine Th erle of Perche was slayne on Lewis syde And many fled with Lewys soth agayne Th erle Randolf of Chester knowen wyde The felde there gate that daye with mikell pryde And Lewys then all his ryght relesed And home he went with mony well appesed ¶ In the seconde yere he wedded Alyanor Therls doughter of Prouynce good and fayre Whose elder syster kyng Lewys wed afore This earle was then famed amonge repayre The noblest prynce without any dispeyre That tyme alyue through all chrystente Of all honoure and greate nobilyte And Iohn the sonne of Dauyd of Huntingdon That of Huntyngdon Chester earle had bene Without chylde dyed his erldome to the crowne Then sezed were to tyme that it was sene Howe his systers myght them departe betwene The parliament graunted that wardes to the kyng That helde of hym by knyghtes seruyce doyng ¶ To make statutes at Oxenforde ordynaūce By whiche there shulde none alyence enheryte And put the kyngvnder the gouernaunce Of certayne lordes wysest moste parfyte Whiche after made amonge them great dispyte And batayles stronge greate contrariaunce Through all the lande by longe continuaunce The C .xliiii. Chapiter ¶ Of the byrthe of Edwarde his eldest sonne and heyre was in the .xxix. yere of his father and in the yere of Chryste a thousande CC .xxxix. Howe Symonde Mountforte Earle of Leycester was create HIs eldest sonne and heyre that Edward hyghe At Westmynster of Chrystes incarnacyon The yere a thousand CC .ix. and .xxx. ryght Whome the legate Otho by informacyon Baptyzed in funt saynt Edmondes confirmacy 〈…〉 To hym then made as the churche deuysed In his baptime holy then autoryzed
accordyng to the lawe of God taken reputed as supreme heed of this his realme nexte and immediatly vnder Chryst This yere the erle of Kyldare died in the Towre and his sonne rebel led and slewe the byshop of Dubelyn wherfore the kyng dyd send sir Wylliam Skeuynton thether This yere was graunted to the king the fyrst frutes and the tenthes of all spirituall possessyons In Iune was the byshoppe of Rochester and sir Thomas Moore behedded for deniyng the kyng to be supreme hed of the church of Englande This yere wer .iii. Monkes of the Charterhouse executed for the same offence In this .xxvii. yere in Ianuary dyed lady Katheryn princesse dowager and is buryed at Peter borowe This yere quene Anne was attaynted of treason and was beheded And the kynge maried lady Iane Seymer And in October beganne a fololyshe commocion in Lyncolnshyre another in Yorke shyre by the meanes of Lord Darey lord Husey sir Robert CoÌ„stable Robert Aske Which only by the kynges wysedome his discrete counsayle were appeased withoute bloode shedynge In this .xxviii. yere the Thamis was ouer fro 〈…〉 in December wherfore the kyng and the quene rode throwe London with a goodlye companye This yere also syr Fraunces Bygot lord Darcy syr Robert Constable and other beganne a newe coâ—spyracie and thei were attaynted and putte to death in Iune In February was Thomas Fytzgarred and fyue of his vncles hanged drawen quartered And on saynt Edwardes euen Prynce Edwarde was borne at HamptoÌ„ court The. xxiii daye of October dyed quene Iane and is buryed at Wyndsore In this .xxix. yere in Maye was Frere Foreste hanged and brente in Smithfeelde for treason heresy with the Image of Daruell Gathern In thys yere all ydolatry was forbyddeÌ„ And dyuers ymages that had engynnes to make their eyes other lymmes to styre wyth many other disceates wer destroyed And all Freers and Monkes chauÌ„ged their garmentes In this .xxx. yere in DeceÌ„ber was the Marquis of Ereter the Lord Montacute and syr Edward Neuell behedded for hygh treasoÌ„ duly proued In May the cytesyns of LondoÌ„ mustred al in bright harneisse with coates of whyte clothe and whyte sylke wyth chaynes of golde in thre great armyes to the great wonder of straungers Nowe for a fynal coÌ„clusioÌ„ as touchiÌ„g this most noble exelleÌ„t prince and for the closing vp of this preseÌ„t werke If that his highnes had by al the space of his reigne heretofore whiche hath bene .xxxiiii. yeres done no more but only these three thynges as in dede his grace hath done a great infinite noÌ„bre of moste prudente beneficial thynges bothe for the quietnes of his realme wealth of his subiectes that is to saie the extirpyng abholyshyng of the vsurped authoritee of the B. of Rome out of all his dominions and restoring vnto vs the holy most blessed worde of God the is to saie the whole scripture in our Englishtongue to th entent chiefly that we mighte knowe oure dutie to almightie God oure obedyence to our prince and hys successours kynges of thys realme lyue a godlye and Christen life one with another Secondarely in takynge a waye all supersticion and ydolatrye whiche was a thyng moost detestain â–ª the sight of God And thirdlye and laste of all the dissoluynge of cloisters and suppressynge all conterfete and false religion which so long as thei coÌ„tinued wer not only teachers preachers of false and supersticious doctryne but also wer euer the autours begynners of all mischiefes commocions For reformacion I saye of which thynges who is hable to rendre woorthy thankes and prayses to his highnes And therfore to conclude infinite thankes be geueÌ„ to almightie God that so hath wrought by his speciall grace in the hearte mynde of his hihgnes let earnest prayers and supplicacioÌ„s incessantly be made of all his faythful subiectes for the preseruacion of his highnes in mooste triumphant honoure and wealth and ouer vs longe to reigne rule And that when nature shall geue place to death in his grace that then thesame giftes of prudence pollecie and godly iudgement that his highnes is so plentifully endewed with maye yet be planted in the personne of that goodly ympe and mooste flory shyng brauÌ„che prynce Edwarde that the same maye finishe mainteine that whiche his noble father and our souereigne lord kyng Henry the eyght hath moste graciously begoÌ„ne To this all true Englishe heartes saie Amen LONDINI In officina Richardi Graftoni Cmm priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per septennium Numeri .xxvii. Salphaat 〈…〉 ke 〈…〉 orn in GauÌ„t 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 y◠〈…〉 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 EdmouÌ„d duke of yorke Thomas of wood stoke duke of gloucester Mat. 〈…〉 vii Edward prince of Wa 〈…〉 the eldest sonne of kynge Edward the .iii. Duke of Yorke The tytle of the kinges of EnglaÌ„de to Scotland and Ireland Godfrayâ— Boleyn Robert cur those Out of old bookes coÌ„meth newe knowledge The dukes wyfe named Cecely Kyng DioclesyaÌ„ and Albyne his wyfe This chronicle is not true Saul was the fyrste kyng in the thyrde age This sâ—e 〈…〉 that our chronicle is false in the beegynnyng Brutus The oâ—acyon of the authoure for that makyng of this booke The names of false goddes The armis of Brute Brutus Dute of oldbokes coÌ„meth new wisedome Adam The geneâ—aâ—ion of â—â—ute 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 h. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cely. Saturne Iubiter Dardanus Eriotonus Troilus Ilis Ilyon Hercules Lamadone Priamus Achilles was Priamus brother LamedoÌ„ shewed to Iason vnkindnesse Hector Troilus Dephebus Helenus Parys came of Pryamus Greekes Anchyses Eneas Ascaneus Eneas EuaÌ„dre Latene Turnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siluius the father of Brutus The praise of Brute Howe Brutus slewe his father Helenus Priamus Anchises Pandras Brutus Anacletus 〈…〉 onê° Pandras The pillers that Hercules made of brasse Diane the Goddes Corneus capitain of that TroyaÌ„s Goryne The armes of 〈…〉 e Maryan chronicler Corneus Gogmagog Coryn This Isle Briteyne Corneus London 〈…〉 The leÌ„gth and bredth of the Isle of Bryteyne Howe Brutus deuided this ysle Thre sonnes of Brute Locryne 〈◊〉 Albanacte Brutus ordered the people to sowe corne Locryne * The death of Albanact The ryuer of Humbar wherof it tooke that name How Loâ—yn was 〈…〉 e in betrayle by hys wyâ—e Gwendolyne The ryuer of Seuerne wherofit tooke the name Guendolena MaddaÌ„ kyng of Britain that is EnglaÌ„d Scotlande Howe the one 〈…〉 to be kynge MeÌ„pryse kyng of Britaine The wretched end of Mempryse Ebranke reygned â–ª lx yeres The Castell of DuÌ„brytayne in ScotlaÌ„d The castel of Ediburgh The castell of Bamburgh That is yorke Brutus greneshilde reigned xii yeres Leyle kyng of Britain reygned .xxv. yeres The cytee of Carleile by whoÌ„ it was buylded Rudhudebras kynge reygned xxxix yeres Bladud reigned .xx. yeres StaÌ„forde A manne decked in fethers Leyr kyng Cordell quene of Fraunce Morgan CoÌ„dage is that which we nowe call Walis Condage
¶ The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre froÌ„ the first begynnyng of EnglaÌ„de vnto that reigne of Edwarde the fourth where he made an end of his chronicle And from that tyme is added with a coÌ„tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our tyme now first emprinted gathered one of diuerse and soundrie autours of moste certain knowelage substanciall credit that either in latin or els in our mother toungue haue writen of the affaires of Englande ⧠LONDINI ⧠In officina Richardi Graftoni Mense Ianuarii 1543. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum RG ¶ The dedicacion of this present woorke vnto the right honorable lorde Thomas duke of Norffolke by thenprynter Richard Grafton LOrde Thomas of Norffolke duke moste gracious Of noble auncestrie and blood descended A captain right woorthie and auenturous And froÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d euen newely retended Wher Englandes querele ye haue reuenged In the behalf of our noble kyng Henry I wyshe you all health honour and victorie ¶ And because it hath pleased almightie God In the right title and quercle of Englande To vse your stocke as an iron rod Wherewith to scourge the falsehood of Scotland In whom is no truthe ne holde of any bande Ihon Hardynges chronicle as me thought was Moste mete to bee dedicated to your grace ¶ For Hardyng a true herted Englysheman An esquier valiaunt hardie and bolde And not vnlearned as the time was than Serched out of chronicles bothe late an olde All that euer by thesame hath bee told How froÌ„ the begynnyng ScotlaÌ„de dooeth reigne Vnder kynges of Englande as their soueram ¶ And Hardynges owne self hath the partie bee That from Scotlande oft tymes hath brought Their seales of homage and fealtee Vnto the kyng of Englande as he ought Vnto whom the Scottes then sued and sought Yeldyng to liue in humble subieccion Of Englandes gouernaunce and proteccion ¶ But that people of their propre nature Hath euen from the first been so vntowarde So vnstedfast inconstaunte and vnsure That nothyng maie possibly bee more frowarde So haue thei continued from thens foorthwarde Neuer gladde to bee in quiet and rest But to defeccion aye readie and prest ¶ Wherefore Thon Hardyng to his lorde maister Whom in his tyme he serued without blame Edwarde first duke of Yorke and after Kyng of this realme the fourthe of that name In this chronicle affermeth of thesame That thei will rebell till by prouision The kyng of EnglaÌ„d shall haue made theim both ¶ And in deede EnglaÌ„d hath oft been coÌ„streigned one The Scottes slackenesse in dooyng their homage To pricke forewarde wheÌ„ thei would haue refreined With that sharpe spurre of marciall forceage And to abate their wantonnesse of courage With the iron rodde of due correccion As oft as thei attempted defeccion ¶ For the Scottes will aye bee bostyng crakyng Euer sekyng causes of rebellion Spoyles booties and preades euer takyng Euer sowyng quereles of dissension To burne and steale is all their intencion And yet as people whom God dooeth hate curse Thei alwaies begynne and euer haue the woorse ¶ Englande hitherto hath neuer lacked power As oft as nede wer the Scottes to compell Their duetie to dooe and menne of honour Englande hath had as stories dooe tell Whiche whensoeuer the Scottes did rebell Wer hable at all tymes theim to subdue And their obedience to England renue ¶ EmoÌ„ges the whiche noumbre your noble father In the twelfth yere of Henry the seuenths reigne By aunciente recorde as I can gather Beeyng of suche credence as cannot feigne Yode into Scotlande their pryde to restrein With seÌ„bleable power as bookes dooen auowe And like commission as your grace had now ¶ That season he did so valiauntely The Scottes vanquishyng and puttyng to flight That thei ranne awaye moste shamefully Not hable of hym tabide the sight Nor hable to sustein the brunt of his might Soondrie castelles he raced down to the grounde Whiche to the honour of Englande did redound ¶ Kyng Iamy also makyng greate braggue and vauÌ„te Hauyng his armie not a myle of that daie Your father as a captain valyaunt Made in a moment for feare to runne awaye The Scottish kyng seÌ„ding foorth heraldes tway Chalenged your father with many a proude woorde Battayle to wage and trye it by the sworde ¶ And choose thou sir Earle ê™ kyng Iamy then Whether we shall fight armie against armie Orelles I and thou trye it manne for manne For sparyng bloodshed of either compaignie That if it chaunce me to haue the victorie Nought shall I demaunde for Englandes losse thine Sauig Barwike toune for euer to bee mine ¶ Then to the heraldes saied this noble knight Shewe to your kyng that in this place purposely Battayle for to wage my tentes haue I pight I am not come to flee but to fyght sharpely As where he standeth he maye see with his eye And fyrst where he would bloodshed saued to bee Therof am I no lesse desirous then he ¶ Secundarily where it is his likyng That I a poore Earle and of meane estate Maye combattre with hym beyng a kyng That our two fightes may ceasse all debate He dooeth me honour after suche highe rate That I must nedes grauÌ„t my selfe bound in this case Humble thankes to reÌ„dre to his grace ¶ Now as for the towne of Barwike it is knoweÌ„ Which your lorde requireth in case I bee slaine Is the kyng my souereins and not mine owne So that graunte therof in me dodeth not remain But thys maie ye bear worde to your lord again My person and lyfe aduenture I shall More precyous to me then the round worlde all ¶ When kyng Iamy by his heraldes twoo Spedefullye returnyng had due knowlage Muche otherwyse then he loked for thoo Of the Earles stout aunswer and message Fled out of hand and would no battayle wage So that your father retourned home victour With coumfort laude praise ioye and honour ¶ The same your father in the fyfth yere Of our moost noble kyng Henry the eyght When hys grace and his armie at Turney were And the same kyng Iamy of Scotland streyght Agaynst England his banner dyspleyght Vanquished the Scottes with your helpyng haÌ„d Slew there king Iamy and brought him to England ¶ Agayne in the .xv. yere of the same reygne Your selfe in proper personne full courageous Set forth against the Scottes without dysdeygne Lyke a captayne valyaunt and venturous Wher ye breÌ„t Iedworth a toune right populous Wyth diuers victories that your grace then had Whiche made all Englande to reioyse be glad ¶ The yere folowyng also as bookes testify The Scottes came with an houge power Of .lx. thousande men vnder the Duke of Albany Besiegyng Warke castel thynkyng it to deuour But heryng that your grace dyd approch that houe The Scottes trembled and so dyd theyr Duke And cowardly fled to their shame and rebuke ¶ Sembleably by thys your last viage Nowe thys last October and Nouember Made into Scotlande to
no faile And rayned bloodde the same .iii. dayes also Greate people dyed the lande to mykell woo ¶ Gurgustyus his sonne so reygned then In mykill ioye and worldly celynesse Kepyng his landes from enemyes as a manne But drunken he was echedaye expresse Vnaccordynge to a prince of worthynesse Out of drunkennesse succedeth euery vice Whiche all men shuld eschewe if thei wer wise ¶ Scicilius his sonne then did succede In whose tyme echeman did other oppresse The lawe and peace was exiled so in dede That ciuill warres and slaughter of men expresse Was in euery parte of the lande without redresse And murderers foule through all his lande dayly Without redres or any other remedy ¶ Iago succeded and kyng was of this lande As eiuill as was the kyng of Scicilus The same vices as I vnderstand Orels wourse and more malicious Wherfore our lorde toke vengeaūce of hym thus He smote theim bothe in suche aletargie That sone thei dyed for marrid with frenesie ¶ Kymar his soonne had then the diademe And kyng then was with all kyndes of royalte Kepyng his lande as well did so hym seme In lawe and peace with greate felicite The common weale and their vtilite He did prefer euer in vniuersall Whiche to a prince is a vertu principall ¶ First if he kepe not lawe nor peace certein His people will nothyng dred ne doubt Than stande he moost in parell to bee slaine Orels putte doune right by his vnderlout No better is he bee he neuer so stout Then is his subiect or another wight That with rebell vnlawfull kill hym might ¶ Gorbonyan that was his soonne and heire Was kyng who had that tyme but soonnes twoo The eldre hight Ferrex that was full faire The younger hight Porrex whiche discordid so That either of theim was alwaye others foo For that the father sent Ferrex into Fraunce To kyng Syward that was of greate puisaunce ¶ But after long when he had reigned .xi. yeres Dyed awaye frome all royalte Leuyng his lande by his good rule inclere In sufficiente and all prosperite Ferrex heryng of his mortalite With power strong came to this lande againe And with Porrex faught sore wher he was slaine ¶ For sorow of whiche ther mother that Iudō hight To Ferrex came with hir maydens all in ire Slepyng in bed slew hym vpon the night And smote hym all on peces sette a fyre Loo this cruell mother sett on fyre With suche rancor that she could not ceas Whiche for passyng ire was mercyles The .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Clotane Pynner Ruddan Stater reigned with barōs warres .xl. yere howe this Isle of Brytaine was departed in foure parties stood departed .xl. yere in barōs warres CLotane that then was duke of Cornwaile Next heire then was by all succession But Pinner thē had Logres ī gouernaile And kyng ther of was by wrong ingression Ruddan had Cambre in his possession And Stater was then kyng of Albany Thus was this Isle then lede by tirannye ¶ Thus Brytain was to foure kynges deuided Echeon of theim warryng on other The barons also on warre were so prouided That all the people to wast father and mother Thei spared none all wer thei sister or brother And eche citee on other bothe towne and tour And eche tyranne was a conquerour ¶ And lordes faine subiectes then to been The poore menne that afore that warre wer desolate Of all honour and worship that was seen Through their manhode with people congregate Lordeship conquered and roose to high astate Laddes and boyes the ladeis tho did wedde Their kynne afore nether lande ne hous hadde ¶ Fourty wynter thus duryng barons warre This Isle so stoode in sorowe and in strife In faute of might the weaker had the wer And suffered wrong that was then their life For who that might aught gette with spere or knife He helde it furth as for his heritage And waxid a lorde that a fore was a page ¶ Defaute of peace lawe sette theim on hight To ouer runne lordes and bee victorious As worthy was for of their wrongfull might The lordes were cause that thei were rygurous That would not so their wronges malicious At first with stande and punishe trespassoures But suffer theim endure in their erroures The .xxx. Chapiter ¶ The conseipt of the maker of this booke touchyng barrons warres in defaute of peace and lawe DEfaut of lawe was cause of this mischief Wronges susteined by mastry by might And peace laied downe that should haue been the chief Through whiche debates folowed all vnright Wherfore vnto a prince accordeth right The peace and lawe euen with equite Within his realme to saue his dignite ¶ What is a kyng without lawe and peace Within his realme sufficiently conserued The porest of his maye so encrease By iniury and force of menne preserued Till he his kyng so with strēgth haue ouerthrowed And sette hym self in royall maieste As tratour Cade made suche an iuoperte ¶ O ye my lorde of Yorke and veraie heire Of Englande so this matter well impresse Deipe in your breste lette it synke softe and feire And suche defautes sette you aye to represse At the begynnyng lette your high noblenes The trespassoures to chastes and to restreine And lette theim not lawe ne peace disobeine ¶ O ye lordes that been in high estate Kepe well the lawe with peace and gouernaunce Lest your hurtes you hurte and depreciate Whiche been as able with wrongfull ordynaunce To reigne as ye and haue also greate puisaunce For lawe and iustices in lordes vnpreserued Causeth many of theim to bee ouerthrowed The .xxxi. Chapiter ¶ Dunwallo Moluncyus kyng of Cornewayle conquerid Logers Lambry and Albanie as right heire of Brytayne he gaue fraunchises to the temple plough merkettes feyres and hie wayes so that none should disturbe by lawe nor by wrong he made sixe temples in Logers Cambre Albanie and also many Flāynes to rule theim of estate as bishoppes nowe dooen KYng Clotein died that reigned in Cornewaile Wherfore his soōne Dūwallo Molūcius Was kyng of all his realme without faile A mannly prince in armes full cuorageous Assembled his hoost and came full vigorous Of kyng Pynner in Logres intrusour And sleugh hym ther as wrongfull gouernour ¶ Kyng Ruddan and kyng Stater Of Albanie with hoostes strong and wyght Gaue hym battaill with mighty power Where Ruddan Stater wer slain downe right With all their hoostes and their greate might And Dunwallo had the victory With muche ioye and manhod mightely ¶ Dunwallo so called Moluncius At Troynouaunt with royall diademe Of gold crouned moost riche and precious Vpon his hede as did hym well besene The first he was as chronicles expreme That in this Isle of Brytein had croune of golde For all afore copre and gilt was to beholde ¶ He graunted pardon vnto all trespasoures Of whiche thei were full glad and ioyus Amendyng all their faultes and errours With all their hertes full beneuolous
Iohn to vexe and noye wylfryde But tender loue they helde on eyther syde The .xcvii. Chapiter ¶ How Cadwalader fel in greate impotencye that he might not gouerne the lande wherfore in defaute of lawe peace fell Barons warre and ciuyle discorde in all the realmes THe kyng Cadwaladre beyng impotent So euery daye helde no gouernaunce Nether lawe ne peace wtin his regiment Wherfore Britons dred none ordynaunce But eche one toke on other great vengeaunce Fro that time forth eche countre on other warred And euery cytee agaynste other marred ¶ Thus in defauee of lawe and peace conserued Cōmon profyte was wasted and deuoured Percyall profyte was sped and obserued And Venus also was cōmonly honoured For lechery and aduoutry was moste adoured Amonge them was cōmon as the carte waye Ryot robbery oppressyon nyght and daye Of which came then manslaughter homicide And cyuyle stryfe with sore contencyons Through Britons land euery where on eche side With batayles greate and fell discencions As Bede wryteth amonge his mencyons They dred nother the kyng ne god almyght Wherfore he sent vengeaunce on them full ryght That through the warre the tylth was all destroied Churches all and husbandrye vnoccupyed That with hunger the people were sore anoyed That people great in stretes and feldes dyed And muche folke as Bede hath specifyed The fayth of Chryste for hunger then forsoke And drowned thē selues so sore the payne thē toke ¶ Their catell dyed for faute of fode eche daye Without meate or any sustenaunce In townes and feldes and the cōmon waye Through which their enfecte was with that chaūce That multitude of folke in greate substaunce On hepys laye full lyke vnto mountaynes That horryble was of sight aboue the playns Vnburyed hole withoute Sacrament By pestylence also many one dyed Some woode some raynage went And some were in lytargie implyed An other some with batayle mortifyed With murther also amonge themselues dispent Full many were that none an other lament Through which defautes not amēded nor correct The bishoppes fled the prestees clerkes anoyed To Walys went there to be protecte In cauys hyd accombred and accloyed Full heuely deseased and full greatly anoyed With saynctes bones and relyques many one Morning full sore and makyng there their mone ¶ Then fel a yere of pardone and of grace At Rome where the kyng Cadwaladrus All desolate and sory for that case In pylgrymage thyther purposed thus With herte deuoute and wyll beneuelous With his Brytons together consociate Of worthy bloude so borne and generate ¶ To haue pardone and playne remissyon Of theyr trespasse synnes and neglygence That they put nought reddour ne punissyon By lawe payne and discrete prouidence On trespassours that dyd violence Through which their land they were so mischeued That with law kept might wel haue bene acheued To Rome they came of whom the bishop was glad Sergio that hyght who them graunt remissyon Of all their synnes with herte and wyll glad Saue onely then of their omissyon And neglygence of hole punissyon That they put nought vpon the trespassoures Of cōmon people that were destroyours Whiche was not in his power to relese Without amendes made and restitucyon To common weale and theyr due eucrease As they were hurte in faute of due punissyon He charged them for theyr playne remissyon The cōmonte to supporte and amende Of as 〈…〉 te good as they were so offende In the meane whyle whyls they at Rome so were The Saxons hole and Englyshe consociate Toke all theyr lande liuelod and other gere To Saxon they sente ambassyate To Angulo to be assocyate With many mo of theyr countree men For Britons all at Rome were bidyng then ¶ And bad them come in haste and tary nought For theyr owne helpe and for their waryson The whiche they dyd and hither fast they sought The Brytons lande they toke in possessyon And kepte it forth with many a garyson For Brytons came no more therto agayne For king Cadwallader thē dyed at Rome certain His Brytous also dyed homewarde by the waye In dyuerse places and some went to Britayne Other some to Fraunce there to abyde for aye And some also to Normandy and to Spayne That to theyr owne they came no more agayne But Saxons hole and Englyshe it occupyed Euer more after and strongly edifyed ¶ Some chroniclers saye he had by visyon No more to come into Britayne the more But to the bishop of Rome with great contricion Confesse hym and take his penaunce thore And absolucyon for his synnes sore And howe the bishop of Rome buryed him royally And on his tombe set his Epitaphye ¶ In laten letters in marble stone well graue Declared hole his conuersacyon Forsakyng all the worlde heuen to haue And howe the byshop of Rome by his confyrmaciō Called hym Peter whome Bede by relacyon Calleth a saynt in blysse hole disposed Fro whiche he may in no wyse be deposed ¶ This Cadwalader of Britons was the kyng That reygned full as souereygne lorde .xii. yere And in the yere .vi. hundreth and nynte beyng And dyed so as sayeth the chronyclere That of westsex then had be kyng two yere Of whome walshemen holden opinyon Of Englande yet to haue the reuercyon ¶ When that his bones be brought fro rome again Amonge them all haue suche a prophecye And Englande then efte synce called Britayne Thus stande they yet in suche fonde matesye In truste of whiche vayne fantasye They haue full ofte Englande sore anoyed And yet they wyll proue yf it maye be destroyed The .xcviii. Chapiter ¶ The lamentacyon of the maker of this booke and his counsayle to my Lorde of Yorke for good rule in the realme of Englande O Gracyous lorde O very heyre in ryght Of great Britayne enclosed with a sea O very heyre of Logres the now England hyght Of wales also of scotland which all thre Britayne so hyght of olde antiquyte O very heyre of Portyngale and Spayne Whiche castell is and Lyons soth to sayne ¶ O very heyre of Fraunce and Normandye Of Guyan Peytowe Bayen Man Angeoy Membrys of Fraunce of olde warre openly O very heyre of Ierusalem and Surry All this meane I by you that should enioye Ye or your heyres my lorde of Yorke certayne That wrongefully haue bene holde out to seyne ¶ But O good lorde take hede of this mischieue Howe Cadwaladore not kepyng lawe ne peace Sufferyng debates and cōmon warrys acheue And fully reygne and put hym nought in preace By lawe nor myght to make it for to cease For whiche there fell so great diuisyon That he was put vnto deheryteson ¶ Not he alone but all his nacyon Deuolued were and from theyr ryght expelled Full fayne to flee with greate lamentacyon From greate Britayne in which they had excelled In which their aūcetour afore lōg time had dwelled And knew their foes mortal shuld it occupy For euermore without remedye ¶ Which is the payne most fell aboue all payne
¶ Symond the soÌ„ne of earle Symond MouÌ„tfort Came oute of Fraunce for ferdnesse of that quene To kyng Henry whome he gaue great comforte He gaue hym then his man for ay to bene Of Leycester the earldome fayre and clene With the Stewarde of Englande in herytage Whiche is an offyce of greate priuelage ¶ And wed his doughter dame Elyanore To Willyam Marshall earle of Penbroke After whose deathe she auowed chastyte for euermore But he her maryed and her betoke For all her vowe as sayeth the booke To Earle Symond Mountfort to be his wyfe Notwithstandyng that she vowed chastyte her lyfe ¶ Tho dyed Lewelyn the prynce of Wales then Betwene his sonnes Gryffyth and Dauid grewe Greate discencyon and stryfe ay when and when And dame Beatryce the kynges doughter trewe To earle Symonde of Britayne wedded newe The yere of Chryste a thousand was accompted Two hundreth moo fourty and one amounted The C .xlv. Chapiter ¶ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 of Lancaster and of Leicester long after in the yere of his father one and thirty and in the yere of Christ M. iiC xli THe same yere then Edmond his sooÌ„ne was At LaÌ„castre that yere of Christ theÌ„ writeÌ„ A thousand whole twoo C and fourty mo bore And one therto in Flores as is wryten And in the yere next after then ouersetten The kyng his doughter Margaret then maryed To Alexaunder kyng of Scotland notified ¶ At Yorke citee wher he then did homage For Scotland whole and Isles apperteinyng Then dyed â—hemperour full sage Wherfore the lordes of Almaignie variyng Some chose Rychard kyng Henryes brother beyng And some that kyng of Castile would haue algate But erle Rychard of Menske had all the state ¶ Then rose discorde betwene the kyng Henry And certain lordes of mighty greate power Symond Mountfort vpon hym toke boldly To bee cheftein to hold the feld full clere At Lewis faught of christ then was the yere A thousand twoo hundred and sixty accompted And foure also so muche more amounted ¶ This erle Symond had then the kyng Henry And his brother Rychard themperour In his kepyng and ward wer hold strongly But prince Edward was sette in Herford toure And erle Henry of Herford that was floure Themperours soonne at Herford with hym laye A myle about disported theim euery â—aye ¶ Fro whens at last with horse thei brake awa 〈…〉 And to Wigmour castell thei came in hie To sir Roger Mortymer wher he laye That theim receiued then full gladly And so thei assembled with greate hoste manfully And held the feld the lordes fast to theim drewe And at Euesham thei stroke a battaill newe ¶ In the yere of Christ a thousand was tho Twoo hundred mo sirty also and fiue When prince Edward faught with his foo Symond MouÌ„tfort and raught hym fro his liue The feld discomfited there anone as bliue With help of erle Gilbert then called Clare And other lordes with hym that were thare ¶ He slewe many and some awaye exiled And some he held in prisone and distres He toke out then his father as is compiled His eme Rychard holden in greate dures And all his frendes of his hie worthynes He socoured euer and with his gold supported And wher it want with his woord theim coÌ„forted The C .xlvi. Chapiter ¶ Howe Robert Ferrers erle of Darby was dishe rite and many other of their compaignie RObert Ferrers that erle was of Darby Disherite then for his insurreccion With many other at Chesterfeld in hie Faught with Edward of their presumpcion And fled awaye with greate confusion Vnto the Isle of Axholme and fro thens Vnto Lyncolne and spoyled the citezens ¶ Fro thens to Ely thei went anone Wher prince Edward thisle proudely assailed Thei fled fro it soone to Yorkeshire gan gone In freres clothis that were full long tailed Robbyng their fooes when thei of good failed And other some to Kilyngworth then fled To Henry Hastynges who then the castell had ¶ Wher then that kyng great siege laied all about But nought auailed so strongly thei defende And for ther was in euery shire throughout So greate robbery and nothyng amende The kyng was fain for lordes then to send By whose aduise he ordeined for that case That all disherite and exiled should haue grace ¶ All disherite should buye their landes again To paye for theim gold as thei might accorde With theowners so that no man should payen More then the land were worth by greate recorde In seuen yere whole and if thei might concorde For lesse money so it exceade a yere The value of the yerly rent full clere ¶ Robet Ferrers erle of Derby then The soonnes also of erle Symond exclude That perpetuall iudgement fully then Neuer to redeme their landes but been exclude So that theowners be not with theim delude Vnto a daye that fifty thousand pound Be paide of nobles whole and round ¶ Edmond the soonne of the same kyng Henry Was weddid first vnto dame Auelyn Erle Willyam his doughter of Almarle womaÌ„ly None issue had neither male ne feminine Then was he wed to Blaunche that quene full fyne Of Nauerne and so of Lancaster create With Leicestre also therle denominate The C .xlvii. Chapiter ¶ Howe Edward theldest sooÌ„ne heire of kyng Henry the third and his brother erle Edmond of Lancaster and of Leicestre went to IerusaleÌ„ with greate power whiche twoo princes were couÌ„ted the semeliest of all the hoste of Christendome HIs brother Edward and he associate To Ierusalem their voiage theÌ„ auowed Two semely princes together adioynate In all the world was none theim like alowed So large faire thei were eche manne he bowed Edward aboue his menne was largely seen By his shulders more hie and made full clene ¶ Edmond next hym the comeliest prince aliue Not croke backed ne in no wyse disfugured As some menne wrote the right lyne to depryue Through great falsehed made it to bee scriptured For cause it should alwaye bee refigured And mencioned well his yssue to preuaile Vnto the croune by suche a gouernaile ¶ But prince Edward and he held fourth their waye To Ierusalem so did themperour Rychard his eme and Henry his soonne full gay To Cisile came by sea through many a shoure Edward with hym then had his wife that houre Elianour doughter of the kyng of Aragon A princesse faire at his eleccion ¶ The kyng Lewes also then thither went And in his waye dyed and expired Sainct Lewes nowe is named by all assent Of holy churche as it is well enquired Approued trewe as reason well required But Edward prince and EdmoÌ„d abode two yere With werres greate and mighty strong power ¶ For nacions all vnto prince Edward drewe And to Edmond his brother for their semelines And greate maÌ„hode whiche in theim that thei knewe Sir Charles that brother of king Lewes doubteles Kyng of Cisile of noble worthynes By the Soudan was chasid without beld Whome prince Edward socoured had the
Of French nor Scottes ye get neuer to your pay Any treaty or trewce or good concorde But yf it be vnder your banner aye Whiche maye neuer be by reason any waye But yf youre realme stande well in vnyte Conserued well in peace and equyte ¶ Your marchis kepte also your sea full clere To FrauÌ„ce or Spaine ye may ride for your right To Portyngale Scotlande with your banner Whils your rerewarde in EnglaÌ„d staÌ„deth wyght Vnder your banner your enemies well you hight A better treaty within a lytell date Then in foure yere to your ambassate ¶ Remembred bene vnto youre excellence The tytles all that longe to youre regiment Of Scotlande hole with all my dilygence That third parte is of Britayne by extent And owe to bene at your coÌ„maundement And membre of your royall monarchye As Chroniclers haue made therof memorye ¶ Englande and Wales as to their soueraygne To you obey whiche shuld thinke shame of ryght To se Scotlande thus proudly disobeyne Agayne them two that bene of greate myght It is a shame to euery mannes syght Sith Iohn Baylioll his ryght of it resygned To kyng Edward why is it thus repugned ¶ Within thre yere theyr greate rebellyon Ye myght represse and vtterly restrayne And kepe them euer in youre possessyon For to obey youre might make them full fayne As kyng Edward dyd with hunger and with payne Them conquered hole to his subieccyon To byde euermore vnder his proteccyon ¶ Wherfore good lorde nowe girde you with your swerde And set vpon the frowarde heretykes That erren fro the two partes of the herde And strayen oute as they were litargykes Whiche haue forget their lorde as cronnatykes Hauyng no shame of theyr peruersyte Nor chaunge hewe for theyr falsyte ¶ And truste it well as God is nowe in heuen Ye shall neuer fynde the Scottes vnto you trewe Where they maye with youre enemies ay beleuen They wyll to you then alwaye be vnttewe Yet through your manhede it maye them rewe For lenger then ye haue them in subieccyon Truste neuer truth in them ne perfeccyon The CC .xli. Chapiter ¶ The kynges tytle to all his landes briefely reported with a mocyon to vnion Scotlande and Englande TO England haue ye right as ye maye se By Brutus chronycle SaroÌ„s NormaÌ„s To Wales that same ScotlaÌ„d also perde Who that the gifte and right well vnderstandes Of Iohn Bayloll howe he into the handes Of kyng Edwarde it gaue and resygned Why shulde it nowe be voyde and repygned ¶ To Fraunce youre title is writen well know For saynte Lowis to you by hole discente And Normandye all hole bothe hye and lowe Fro Willyam Conqueroure by hole entent Guyen and Poytowe withall to them appent For Elianour the mother of kyng Iohn Doughter and heyre to duke Willyam anon ¶ To Angeou also by Geffrey Plantagenet Father of Henry le fytz Empryce That of Angeou was Earle withouten let And of Mayne also a prynce of greate empryce To Irelande also by kyng Henry le fytz Of Maude doughter of fyrste kyng Henry That conquered it for theyr greate heresye ¶ To Casteil and to Lion also ye been Thenhe ritour also and verie heire By right of bloodde discended clere and clene Of Portyngale wher Lusshborne is full faire Fro kyng Petro without any dispeir For tho twoo bee the verie regions That named bee Castile and Legions ¶ Your graunsirez mother duchesse Isabell Full lady like faire and femenine To kyng Petro as I haue heard tell Was verie heire of theim by rightfull lyne To whom ye been heire as menne determyne By small hackeneys greate coursers men chastice As Arthure did by Scottes wanne all fraunchese ¶ Though scripture saieth of North all eiuill is shewed Me thynketh I can auauÌ„te it as properly That thei bee as manly learned and lewed As any folke and as muche pain maye dry Better menne of warre are not vnder the skye And of lyuyng Dauid saieth in his boke Of Scotland well who so that will it loke ¶ If ScotlaÌ„d were youres to Wales EnglaÌ„d Who hath power to make you resistence In any wise in any vncouth land Your rereward then scant in all sufficience To kepe England surely in your absence Make theim Albion and passe furth wher ye list To other landes ye nede none other trist The CC .xlii. ¶ Thexcusacion of the maker touchyng defautes of this booke and of the simplenes of it OF all maters I haue saied myne entent So as I couth espie in all wise enquere Whiche if it maye your highnes well coÌ„tent My hearte reioyseth to comfort your desire And of your grace euermore I you require For to consider my losse and my mayme in fere For Englandes right as well as I couth spere ¶ Besechyng ay vnto your royaltee If ought bee saied in this simple treatise Displeasyng to your hie nobilitee For to resume it in a better wise Hauyng my witte excused that neuer was wise And thinke I would haue meÌ„t vnto your plesauÌ„ce To whiche I lacke nothyng but suffisaunce ¶ Please it also vnto your royaltee The quene maye haue a vereie intellecte Of your eldres of greate antiquitee And of England of whiche she is electe Soueraigne lady full worthily protecte Vnder your rule and noble gouernaunce Whiche God ay kepe without variaunce ¶ The whiche should please her good femenite To reade vpon for her comfort and disporte To se and knowe the greate nobilite Of your eldres regalie and porte Whiche maye her glad alwaye and recomforte And if it maye please her souereingtie Of my labour I would reioysed bee ¶ For women haue femenine condicion To know all thynges longyng to their housband His high worship and his disposicion His hertes counsaill also to vnderstonde As at weddyng to her he made his bounde And moste of all his hertes priuetie And thestate of his good auncetrie ¶ O souereigne lorde that quene hath all fufficieÌ„ce As touchyng you but of your auncetrie In this treatise of all their excellence The quene maie se the worthy regence Of this your realme and noble monarchie Whiche hath been kept in greate nobilitee By your eldres of greate antiquitee ¶ This booke I call after my name Hardyng Sith God lent me that disposicion To enforme hym that laboured the wrytyng By plain language of small prouision Through Godes grace and his supposicion All destitute of language and science And desolate of rethoryke eloquence ¶ Moste cause was why I drew this ilke treatise To make your father haue had ê‘fecte knowlage And you also of Scotlande in all wise That percell was of your eldest heritage And of all landes moste nere your auauntage To haue it whole no more to bee dismembred Whiche might bee gote as it is afore remembred ¶ I had it leuer then Fraunce and Normandy And all your rightes that are beyonde the sea For ye maye kepe it euermore full sikirly Within your self and drede none enmytee And
brought to passe thei went bothe together into Kent And there beganne this young feloe to tell priuely to many that he was the erle of Warwicke and had gotte out of the tower by the helpe of this monke To the whiche when he perceiued credence geuen he declared it openly and desyred al men of helpe But or euer this sedicion beganne to goo foreward the heddes and principalles of thesame wer taken and casle into prysone Of whiche the one was condempned to death and the other condeÌ„pned to perpetuall pryson and darkenesse For at that tyme here in Englande was so muche attrybuted to prestes and al religious meÌ„ that though they had committed felonie murder yea or treason they should not haue bene therfore condempned to death Moreouer whosoeuer could reade though it wer neuer so lytle what crime soeuer he had committed saue treason should by his booke bee saued and therfore it was inuented that if the default wer so great that another manne shoulde suffer death for thesame he should onely be burnt in the hande wherfore he the had committed thefte should bee marked in the hand with this letter T. if he had committed murdre with M. and after that yf he were deprehended in lyke cryme then there should no fauour at all more then to other menne bee shewed Whiche acte was made and confyrmed by this kyng Henry in the second yere of his reigne and takeÌ„ of the Frenchemen whiche are wonte if thei take any suche to cutte of one of his cares and let hym go Whiche priuiledges of bookes made thefes both bolde plentie thorowe out all the coastes and parties of this his realme of Englande But nowe to my matier again Perkyn of whom we spake muche before whyles he was in the towre corrupted many of the kepers partly with giftes and partely with fayre promyses so that they were all agreed saue the leuetenaunt whome he fully determined to kyll that he and the erle of Warwike should gooe theyr waye out of the toure and afterwarde to make the best shyfte that they could for theim selfes But this his purpose came not to full effecte For it was knowne within shorte tyme after for the whiche he and his felowes all of the same counsayle were hanged by the neckes And the earle of Warwike because he was foundegyltie in thesame defaulte was behedded whiche was dooen in the yeare of oure Lorde a thousand foure hundreth and .xcix. and in the .xiii. yeare of this kyng Henry his reigne The nexte yere after was here in Englande a a greate plague wherof menne died in many places vereye sore but especiallye and mooste of all in London For there died in that yere aboue thyrtye thousande Wherfore the kynge sayled ouer to Caleis and there taryed a greate while In his beyng there came ouer to hym Philippe Erle of Flaunders and was receaued of hym as louyngly as could bee thought and also or euer they departed the league whiche was made betwene theim two not longe before was renewed Sone after when the plague was slaked the kyng returned agayne into Englande and was no soner come thyther but there met him one Gasper Pons sente from Alexander the byshoppe of of Roome which brought with hym indulgences and perdoâ—es whereby he made the kyng beleue that he and his should flye streight to heauen but those could not bee graunted withoute a greate somme of money the whiche the rather that he might obteyne he promysed parte of it to the kyng hymselfe so deceauyng both the kyng and the people In this same yere was burnt a place of the kynges whiche he after buylded vp againe and named it Richemount Aboute this tyme died three bishoppes here in England Ihon Morton bishop of Cantourbury Thomas Langton bishop of Wynchester and Thomas Rotherham bishoppe of Yorke Also in this yere there were greate maryages made for kyng Henry had geuen his doughter ladye Margarete to the kyng of Scottes and his sonne prince Arthur to Ladie Katherine doughter to Ferdinande kyng of Spayne whiche mariages were made specially for this cause that he might liue in peace with those kynges in his olde age After this prynce Arthure that came to LondoÌ„ purposely to bee maryed went to Wales agayne with his lady and wife to ouersee all thynges well there and to the entente he might not miscarye or go out of the waie in rulyng his domimon he had with hym many noble meÌ„ as first Richard Poole his nighe kynsman which was made chief of his priuie chaumbre and Dauid Philippe husher of his halle Also he had of his counsaill certayne knyghtes as Wyllyam Vdall Richarde Croft Peter Neuton Henrye Varnam Thomas Englefelde And other besides theim as Ihon Walestone Henry Marine Wyllyam Smyth preest chief of his couÌ„sayle late bishop of Lincolne syr Charles Booth a lawer then byshop of Herforde A litle before this mariage EdmuÌ„d Poole erle of Suffolke sonne to ladye Elizabeth the sysler of kyng Edward was accused for killyng of a maÌ„ although the kyng pardoned hym whoÌ„ he might iustely haue condeÌ„â—ed for that offence yet because he was rayned at the barre whiche he thought a great main and blemishe to his honoure tooke it heuely and shortely after fled to Flaunders wtout any passeporte or liceÌ„ce of the kyng to quene Margarete his aunte but he returned again so excused hymselfe before the kynge that he was founde fautles in any thyng that was obiected vnto hym Also when this mariage was kepte at London with great pompe soleÌ„nitee this Edmunde fled again to Flaunders with his brother Richard either for that he had been at great charges at thesame mariage and so farre cast in debte that he was not hable to paye either because the quene Margarete his aunte had allured hym orels for eiuill will enuie that the kyng should prosper so well WheÌ„ it was knowen that he was gooen the kyng certified there of he feared that some busynes should ryse by his meanes was sory that he had pardoned hym for his offeÌ„ce lately coÌ„mitted But sone after that the erle came from Flaunders syr Robert Cursone knight capitaine of HaÌ„mes castel feignyng hym selfe to bee one of that conspiracye wente purposely to espye what the quene entended against kyng Henrye whyche afterwarde for his so doynge was in greate fauoure wyth hym For the kynge was so vigylaunte and circumspecte in all his matters that he dyd knowe theim namelye that either bare hym eiuill will or woorked any in theyr mynde whom he caused to bee attached and caste in holde And emong theim Wyllyam the erle of Deuonshyres sonne whiche maried ladie Catheryne daughter to kyng Edward was taken and another Wyllyam brother to Edmonde earle of Souffolke Iames Tyrell Ihon Wyndham But these two wylliams were taken rather of suspection then for any offence of gyltines Wherefore Wylliam this Earles sonne of Deuonshyre after the death of kynge Henrye was deliuered had in